Vindiciæ evangelicæ or The mystery of the Gospell vindicated, and Socinianisme examined, in the consideration, and confutation of a catechisme, called A Scripture catechisme, written by J. Biddle M.A. and the catechisme of Valentinus Smalcius, commonly called the Racovian catechisme. With the vindication of the testimonies of Scripture, concerning the deity and satisfaction of Jesus Christ, from the perverse expositions, and interpretations of them, by Hugo Grotius in his Annotations on the Bible. Also an appendix, in vindication of some things formerly written about the death of Christ, & the fruits thereof, from the animadversions of Mr R.B. / By John Owen D.D. a servant of Jesus Christ in the work of the Gospell.

MR B's Preface to his Catechisme.

I Have often wondered and complained that there was no Cate∣chism yet extant, (that I could ever see, or hear of) from whence one might learne the true grounds of the Christian Religion, as the same is delivered in the Holy Scripture, all Catechisms generally be∣ing so stuffed with the supposals and traditions of men, that the least part of them is derived from the Word of God. For when Councells, Convocations and Assemblies of Divines, just∣ling the sacred writers out of their place in the Church, had once framed Articles and Confessions of Faith, according to their own fancies and interests, and the Civil Magistrate had by his Autho∣rity ratified the same, all Catechisms were afterwards sitted to those Arti∣cles and Confessions, & the Scripture either wholly omitted, or brought in only for a shew, not one quotation amongst many being a whit to the pur∣pose, as will soone appeare to any man of judgment, who taking into his hand the said Catechismes, shall examine the texts alledged in them: for if he do this diligently and impartially, he will find the Scripture, and those Catechismes to be at so wide a distance one from another, that he will be∣gin to question whether the Catechists gave any heed at all to what they wrote, and did not onely themselves refuse to make use of their Reason, but presume that their Readers also would do the same. In how miserable a condition then (as to spirituall things) must Christians generally needs be, when thus trained up, not, (as the Apostle adviseth) in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, but in the supposalls and traditions of men, having little or no assurance touching the reallity of their Religion! Which some observing, and not having the happinesse to light upon the Truth, have quite abandoned all Piety whatsoever, thinking there is no firme ground whereon to build the same. To prevent which mischiefe in time to come, by bringing men to a certainety, (I mean such men as owne the di∣vine Authority of the Scripture) and withall to satisfie the just and pious desires of many, who would faine understand the truth of our Religion, to the end they might not only be built up themselves, but also instruct their Children and Families in the same, I have here (according to the under∣standing I have gotten by continuall meditation on the Word of God) compiled a Scripture Catechism, wherein I bring the Reader to a sure and certain knowledg of the chiefest things pertaining both to belief and practice, whilest I my selfe assert nothing (as others have done before me) but only introduce the Scripture faithfully ut∣tering its owne assertions, which all Christians confesse to be of undoubted truth. Take heed therefore whosoever thou art that lightest on this Booke, and there readest things quite contrary to the doctrines

that passe currant amongst the generality of Christians, (for I confesse most of the things here displayed, have such a tendency) that thou fall not soul upon them, for thou canst not do so withot falling foul upon the Ho∣ly Scripture it selfe, inasmuch as all the Answers through out the whole Catechism are faithfully transcribed out of it, and rightly applied to the Questions, as thou thyselfe mayst perceive if thou make a diligent inspe∣ction into the severall texts withall their circumstances. Thou wilt perhaps here reply, that the texts which I have cited: do indeed in the letter hold forth such things as are contrary to the doctrines commonly received a∣mongst Christians, but they ought to have a mysticall or figurative inter∣pretation put upon them, and then both the Doctrines and the texts of Scripture will suit well enough. To which I answer, that if we once take this liberty to impose our mysticall or figurative interpretations on the Scripture, without expresse warrant of the Scripture it selfe, we shall have no setled beliefe, but be liable continually to be turned aside by any one that can invent a new mysticall meaning of the Scripture, there being no certaine rule to judge of such meanings, as there is of the literall ones: nor is there any error, how absurd & impious soever, but may on such termes be accorded with the Scripture. All the abominable Idolatries of the Papists, all the superstitious Fopperies of the Turkes, all the licentious Opinions & practices of the Ranters, may by this means be not only paliated, but defen∣ded by the Word of God. Certainly might we of our own heads figuratively interpret the Scripture, when the letter is neither repugnāt to oursenses, nor to the scope of the respective texts, nor to a greater number of plain texts to the contrary (for in such cases we must of necessity admit figurs in the sacred Volume, as wel as we do in prosane ons otherwise both they & it will clash with themselves, or with our senses which the Scripture it selfe intimates to be of infallible certainty, see 1 Joh. 1. 2, 3.) might we I say at our plea∣sure impose our Figures and Allegories on the plain words of God, the Scripture would in very deed be, what some blasphemously affirm it to be a Nose of Wax. For instance, it is frequently asserted in the Scripture, that God hath a similitude or shape, hath his place in the Heavens, hath also affe∣ctions or passions, as love, hatred, mercy, anger, and the like, neither is any thing to the contrary delivered there, unlesse seemingly in certaine places which neither for number, nor clearenesse are comparable unto those of the other side. Why now should I depart from the letter of the Scripture in these particulars, and boldly affirme with the generality of Christians, (or rather, with the generality of such Christians ouly, as being conversant with the false Philosophy that reigneth in the Schools, have their understan∣dings perverted with wrong notions) that God is without a shape, in no certain place, and uncapable of affections? Would not this be to u••e the Scripture like a Nose of Wax, and when of it selfe it looketh any way, to turne it aside at our pleasure? And would not God be so farre from spea∣king to our capacity in his Word, (which is the usuall Refuge of the Ad∣versaries, when in these and the like matters concerning God, they are pressed with the plain words of the Scripture) as that he would by so doing render us altogether uncapable of finding out his meaning, whilst he spake one thing, and understood the cleane contrary? Yea would he not have

taken the direct course to make men substitute an Idol in his stead, (for the Adversaries hold, that to conceive of God as having a shape, or affections or being in a certaine place, is Idolatry) if he described himselfe in the Scrip∣ture otherwise then indeed he is, without telling us so much in plaine termes, that we might not conceive amisse of him? Thus we see, that when sleep, which plainely argueth weakenesse and imperfection, had been as∣cribed to God Psal. 44. 23. The contrary is sayd of him, Psal. 121. 4. A∣gaine when wearinesse had been attributed to him, Isa. 1. 14. The same is expressly denyed of him Isa. 40. 28. And would not God (thinke ye) have done the like in those forementioned things, were the case the same in them, as in the others? This consideration is so pressing, that a certaine. Author, (otherwise a very learned and intelligent man) perceiving the weight thereof, and not knowing how to avoid the same, tooke up (though very unluckily) one erroneous tenet to maintaine another, tel∣ling us in a late booke of his intituled Conjectura Cabalistica, that for Moses, by occasion of his writings, to let the Jewes entertaine a conceite of God us in humane shape, was not any more a way to bring them into Idolatry, then by ac∣knowledging man to be God, as (saith he) our Religion does in Christ. How can this consist even with consonancy to his own Principles, whilst he holds it to be false that God hath any shape, but true that Christ is God? For will a false opinion of God no sooner lead men into Idolatry, then a true opinion of Christ? But it is no marvell: that this Author, & other learned men with him, entertaine such conceits of God and Christ, as are repugnant to the currēt of the Scripture, whilst they set so high a rate on the sublime indeed but uncertain notions of the Platonists, & in the mean time slight the plain but certain letter of the Sacred Writers, as being far below the Divine Majesty & written only to cōply with the rude apprehensions of the vulgar, unles by a mystical Interpretation they be scrued up to Platonism. This is the stone at which the Pride of learned men hath caused them continually to stumble, namely to think that they can speak more wisely & worthily of God, then he hath spoken of himselfe in his word. This hath brought that more then Babylonish confusion of language into the Christian Religion, whilst men have framed those horrid and intricate expressions, under the colour of de∣tecting and excluding Heresies, but in truth to put a baffle on the simpli∣city of the Scripture, and usher in Heresies, that so they might the more easi∣ly carry on their worldly designes, which could not be effected but through the ignorance of the people nor the people brought into ignorance, but by wrapping up Religiō in such mostrous termes, as neither the people nor they themselves that invented them, (or at least tooke them from the invention of others) did understand. Wherefore there is no possibility to reduce the Christian Religion to its primitive integrity, a thing, though much pretended yea bosted of in Reformed Churches, yet never hitherto sincerely endeavoured much lesse effected, in that men have by severe penalties been hindered to reforme Religion beyond such a stint, as that of Luther, cr••at most that of Calvin) but by cashiring those many intricate terms, and devi∣sed forms of speaking, imposed on our Religion, and by wholly betaking our selves to the plainnesse of the Scripture. For I have long since obser∣ved, (and finde my observation to be true and certaine) that when to ex∣presse

matters of Religion men make use of words and Phrases unheard of in the Scripture, they slily under them couch false doctrines, and obtrude them on us: for without question the Doctrines of the Scripture can be so aptly explained in no language as that of the Scripture it selfe. Examine therefore the expressions of Gods being insinite and incomprehensible, of his be∣ing a simple Act, of his subsisting in three persons, or after a threefold manner, of a Divine Circumincession, of an Eternall Generation, of an Eternall Procession, of an Incarnation, of an Hypostaticall Ʋnion, of a Communication of Properties, of the Mother of God, of God dying, of God made man, of Transubstantiation, of Consub∣stantiation, of Originall sinne, of Christs taking our nature on him, of Christs making satisfaction to God for our sinnes, both past, present and to come, of Christs fulfill∣ing the Law for us, of Christs being punished by God for us, of Christs merits, or his meritorious obedience both active & passive, of Christs purchasing the kingdom of Heaven for us, of Christs enduring the wrath of God, yea the paines of a damned man, of Christs rising from the dead by his own power, of the Ʋbiquity of Christs Body, of apprehending and applying Christs Righteousnesse to our selve; by Faith, of Christs being our Surety, of Christs paying our debts, of our sinnes im∣puted to Christ, of Christs righteousnesse imputed to us, of Christs dying to appease the wrath of God, and reconcile him to us of infused Grace, of free Grace, of the world of the Elect, of irresistible workings of the Spirit in bringing men to believe, of carnall reason, & Spirituall desertions, of Spirituall incomes, of the Outgoings of God, of taking up the Ordinance, &c. And thou shalt find, that as these formes of speech are not owned by the Scripture, so neither the things contained in them. How excellent therefore was that advice of Paul to Timothy in his second Epistle to him, chap. 1. 13. Hold fast the forme of sound words which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus? For if we once let go those formes of sound words learned from the Apostles, and take up such as have been coined by others in succeeding Ages, we shall together part with the Apostles Doctrine, as wofull experience hath taught us. For after Constantine the Great, toge∣ther with the Councell of Nice, and once deviated from the language of the Scripture, in the businesse touching the Sonne of God, calling him coessen∣tiall with the Father, this opened a gap for others afterwards, under a pre∣tence of guarding the Truth from Hereticks, to devise new termes at plea∣sure, which did by degrees so vitiate the chastity and simplicity of our Faith delivered in the Scripture, that there hardly remained so much as one point thereof sound & entire. So that as it was wont to be disputed in the Schooles, whether the old ship of Thesus (which had in a manner been wholly altered at sundry times by the accession of new pieces of timber upon the decay of the old) were the same ship it had been at first, and not rather another by degrees substituted in the stead thereof: in like manner there was so much of the primitive truth worne away by the corruption that did by little and little overspread the generallity of Christians, and so many errors in stead thereof tacked to our Religion at severall times, that one might justly question whether it were the same Religion with that which Christ and his Apostles taught, and not another since devised by men, and put in the roome thereof. But thanks be to God through our Lord Jesus Christ, who amidst the universall corruption of our Religion, hath preserved his written word entire; (for had men corrupted it, they

would have made it speake more favourably in behalfe of their lusts and worldly interests, then it doth) which word if we with diligence & sincerity pry into, resolving to embrace the doctrine that is there plainely delive∣red, though all the world should set it selfe against us for so doing, we shall easily discerne the Truth, and so be enabled to reduce our Religion to its first principles. For thus much I perceive by mine owne experience, who being otherwise of no great abilityes, yet setting my selfe with the afore∣said resolution for sundry yeers together upon an impartiall search of the Scripture, have not only detected many errours, but here presented the Rea∣ders with a body of Religion, exactly transcribed out of the word of God; which body whosoever shall well ruminate and digest in his mind, may by the same method, wherein I have gon before him, make a farther enquiry into the Oracles of God, and draw forth whatsoever yet lyes hid, and being brought to light will tend to the accomplishment of Godlinesse amongst us, for at this only all the Scripture aimeth: the Script, which al men, who have thorowly studyed the same, must of necessity be enamored with as breathing out the meere wisdome of God & being the exactest Rule of a holy life, (which all Religions whatsoever confesse to be the way unto Happinesse) that can be imagined, and whose Divinity will never even to the worlds end be questioned by any, but such as are unwilling to deny their worldly lusts, and obey the pure and pefect precepts thereof. Which obedience whosoever shall performe, he shall not only in the life to come, but even in this life be equall unto Angels.

JOHN BIDDLE.