An Apology for the True Christian Divinity. Robert Barclay

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ one to the Jews, and another to the Gentiles; but is Universal, reaching both: Though secondary and subordinate Rules and Means may be various, and diversly suited, according as the People they are used to are stated and circumstanced: Even so we see that the Apostle to the Athenians used a Testimony of one of their own Poets, which he judged would have Credit with them; and no doubt such Testimonies, whose Authors they esteemed, had more Weight with them than all the Sayings of Moses and the Prophets, whom they neither knew nor would have cared for. Now because the Apostle used the Testimony of a Poet to the Athenians, will it therefore follow, he made that the principal or only Rule to try his Doctrine by? So neither will it follow, that though he made use of the Scriptures to the Jews, as being a Principle already believed by them, to try his Doctrine, that from thence the Scriptures may be accounted the principal or only Rule.

      §. IX.

       Table of Contents

      The last, and that which at first View seems to be the greatest Objection, is this:

      Obj. 4.If the Scripture be not the adequate, principal, and only Rule, then it would follow that the Scripture is not complete, nor the Canon filled; that if Men be now immediately led and ruled by the Spirit, they may add new Scriptures of equal Authority with the Old; whereas every one that adds is cursed: Yea, what Assurance have we, but at this Rate every one may bring in a new Gospel according to his Fancy?

      Answ.The dangerous Consequences insinuated in this Objection were fully answered in the latter Part of the last Proposition, in what was said a little before, offering freely to disclaim all pretended Revelations contrary to the Scriptures.

      Obj. 1.But if it be urged, That it is not enough to deny these Consequences, if they naturally follow from your Doctrine of Immediate Revelation, and denying the Scripture to be the only Rule:

      Answ. 1.I answer; We have proved both these Doctrines to be true and necessary, according to the Scriptures themselves; and therefore to fasten evil Consequences upon them, which we make appear do not follow, is not to accuse us, but Christ and his Apostles, who preached them.

Answ. 2.But Secondly, We have shut the Door upon all such Doctrine in this very Position; affirming, That the Scriptures give a full and ample Testimony to all the principal Doctrines of the Christian Faith. For we do firmly believe that there is no other Gospel or Doctrine to be preached, but that which was delivered by the Apostles; and do freely subscribe to that Saying, [48]Let him that preacheth any other Gospel, than that which hath been already preached by the Apostles, and according to the Scriptures, be accursed.

[48] Gal. i. 8.

      A new Revelation is not a new Gospel.So we distinguish betwixt a Revelation of a new Gospel, and new Doctrines, and a new Revelation of the good old Gospel and Doctrines; the last we plead for, but the first we utterly deny. For we firmly believe, That no other Foundation can any Man lay, than that which is laid already. But that this Revelation is necessary we have already proved; and this Distinction doth sufficiently guard us against the Hazard insinuated in the Objection.

      Books Canonical.As to the Scriptures being a filled Canon, I see no Necessity of believing it. And if these Men, that believe the Scriptures to be the only Rule, will be consistent with their own Doctrine, they must needs be of my Judgment; seeing it is simply impossible to prove the Canon by the Scriptures. For it cannot be found in any Book of the Scriptures, that these Books, and just these, and no other, are Canonical, as all are forced to acknowledge; how can they then evite this Argument?

      That which cannot be proved by Scripture is no necessary Article of Faith.

      But the Canon of the Scripture; to wit, that there are so many Books precisely, neither more nor less, cannot be proved by Scripture:

      Therefore, it is no necessary Article of Faith.

      Obj. 2.If they should allege; That the admitting of any other Books to be now written by the same Spirit might infer the Admission of new Doctrines:

      I deny that Consequence; for the Principal or Fundamental Doctrines of the Christian Religion are contained in the tenth Part of the Scripture; but it will not follow thence that the Rest are impertinent, or useless. Books lost.If it should please God to bring to us any of those Books, which by the Injury of Time are lost, which are mentioned in the Scripture; as, The Prophecy of Enoch, the Book of Nathan, &c. or, the Third Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians; I see no Reason why we ought not to receive them, and place them with the Rest. That which displeaseth me is, that Men should first affirm that the Scripture is the only and principal Rule, and yet make that a great Article of Faith into which the Scripture can give us no Light.

      As for Instance: How shall a Protestant prove by Scripture, to such as deny the Epistle of James to be authentick, that it ought to be received?

      First, If he would say, Because it contradicts not the Rest, (besides that there is no Mention of it in any of the Rest) perhaps these Men think it doth contradict Paul in Relation to Faith and Works. But, if that should be granted, it would as well follow, that every Writer that contradicts not the Scripture, should be put into the Canon; and by this Means these Men fall into a greater Absurdity than they fix upon us: For thus they would equal every one the Writings of their own Sect with the Scriptures; for I suppose they judge their own Confession of Faith doth not contradict the Scriptures: Will it therefore follow that it should be bound up with the Bible? And yet it seems impossible, according to their Principles, to bring any better Argument to prove the Epistle of James to be Authentick. Whether the Epistle of James be authentick, and how to know it?There is then this unavoidable Necessity to say, We know it by the same Spirit from which it was written; or otherwise to step back to Rome, and say, We know by Tradition that the Church hath declared it to be Canonical; and the Church is Infallible. Let them find a Mean, if they can. So that out of this Objection we shall draw an unanswerable Argument ad Hominem, to our Purpose.

      That which cannot assure me concerning an Article of Faith necessary to be believed, is not the primary, adequate, only Rule of Faith, &c.

      Therefore, &c.

      I prove the Assumption thus:

      That which cannot assure me concerning the Canon of the Scripture, to wit, that such Books are only to be admitted, and the Apocrypha excluded, cannot assure me of this:

      Therefore, &c.

      Obj. 3.And Lastly, As to these Words, Rev. xxii. 18. That if any Man shall add unto these Things, God shall add unto him the Plagues that are written in this Book; Answ.I desire they will shew me how it relates to any Thing else than to that particular Prophecy. It saith not, Now the Canon of the Scripture is filled up, no Man is to write more from the Spirit; yea, do not all confess that there have been Prophecies and true Prophets since? The Papists deny it not. And do not the Protestants affirm, that John Hus prophesied of the Reformation? Was he therefore cursed? Or did he therein Evil? I could give many other Examples, confessed by themselves. What it means to add to the Scriptures.But, moreover, the same was in Effect commanded long before, Prov. xxx. 6. Add thou not unto his Words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a Liar: Yet how many Books of the Prophets were written after? And the СКАЧАТЬ