A26869:141
The arrogancy of reason against divine revelations, repressed, or, Proud ignorance the cause of infidelity, and of mens quarrelling with the word of God
London: printed by T.N. for Tho. Underhil, 1655
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Answ And what, must God do none but likely things? Is it not as easy with him to do all •his, as for you to move a finger, and much more? •s it not as easy to make the water stand still as •ove; or to gather it on heaps in the Sea, as to gather it into the Sea from the rest of the earth, •nd to keep its course in ebbing and flowing? And •s it not as easy to cause the Sun to stand still as to move? And so to move as it is supposed to do? •f the Sun had used to stand still, would you not have taken it for as incredible a matter that it should move? And have said as unbelievingly, How can this be? And for the disordering of Nature, it was Sun and Moon with all the moveable frame that stood still together; and not the Sun alone: And so made no such alteration as is imagined, it must have done.
Answ And what, must God do none but like•y things? Is it not as easie with him to do all •his, as for you to move a finger, and much more? •s it not as easie to make the water stand still as •ove; or to gather it on heaps in the Sea, as to gather it into the Sea from the rest of the earth, •nd to keep its course in ebbing and flowing? And •s it not as easie to cause the Sun to stand still as to move? And so to move as it is supposed to do? •f the Sun had used to stand still, would you not have taken it for as incredible a matter that it should move? And have said as unbelievingly, How can this be? And for the disordering of Nature, it was Sun and Moon with all the moveable frame that stood still together; and not the Sun alone: And so made no such alteration as is imagined, it must have done.
And for Jonah, that God that made him and all the wo•ld, and sustaineth it by his power, could easily do this. Perhaps these Infidels will next say that an Infant cannot live in the Mothers womb for want of air or breath.
And for Jonas, that God that made him and all the wo•ld, and sustaineth it by his power, could easily do this. Perhaps these Infidels will next say that an Infant cannot live in the Mothers womb for want of ayr or breath.
2. Are they not as great works which we every day see, in the Being and Course of Sun, Moon and other Creatures, as any of these?
3. Is it likely that Moses would have wrote of such a thing as the standing and opening of the Red Sea▪ and the Israelites passing through it, to those same Israelites, and that he would so oft have used that as an Argument to move them to ⟨p. 74⟩Obedience, and deliver them his Law to be kep• upon such an Obligation or Motive, if no such thing at all had been done: would so many thousand people have believed such a man that told them they were led through the red sea as on dry land? and would they have followed him forty years through a wilderness, and so zealously have maintained his Law which was backed with such Motives, if they had all known these things to be false? Or was it possible they should be false, and they not know them?
But I'll stand no more in confuting these cavils against the Old-Testament but speak to 2, or 3 which they bring against the Gospel of Christ.
But I'le stand no more in confuting these cavils against the Old-Testament but speak to 2, or 3 which they bring against the Gospel of Christ.
Answ. Is it not as easy for God to cause conception by the Holy Ghost immediately, as mediately by man? Doth God enable a (reature to do that which he cannot do himself, without that Creature? What madness were it to dream that this exceeds the power of God?
Answ. Is it not as easie for God to cause conception by the Holy Ghost immediately, as medidiately by man? Doth God inable a (reature to do that which he cannot do himself, without that Creature? What madness were it to dream that this exceeds the power of God?
Answ. It's one thing to ask whether this be possible? and another, Whether it were done? It is indeed the greatest wonder of all the works of God, But there is no contradiction in it to prove it impossible. The God head was no whit really abased or changed by this Union, but at the utmost) relatively and reputatively only. ⟨p. 75⟩God did not become man, by ceasing to be God, •r committing the humane Nature with the Divine. But only assumed a humane nature to the Divine. It is not therefore as if a Prince should become an inferior Creature, but only as if he should assume such a Creature into so near a relation to him.
Answ. It's one thing to ask whether this be possible? and another, Whether it were done? It is indeed the greatest wonder of all the works of God, But there is no contradiction in it to prove it impossible. The God head was no whit really abased or changed by this Union, but at the utmost) relatively and reputatively onely. ⟨p. 75⟩God did not become man, by ceasing to be God, •r commi•ing the humane Nature with the Divine. But one•y assumed a humane nature to the Divine. It is not therefore as if a Prince should become an inferior Creature, but onely as if he should assume such a Creature into so neer a relation to him.
2. And that God hath indeed done this, his evident Testimonies have proved to the world: Is it likely or possible that one should assert such a thing, and seal it in the face of the world with Miracles, and rise himself from the dead, and send forth a spirit of Miracles and of holiness on his Church, to confirm his affirmation, if all this were not true which he affirmeth?
3 Is this the thanks that God shall have for his wonderful condescension, that though he prove it to be true, yet we will not believe the mercy that he shows us, unless it seem likely to us in the way of us accomplishment?
3 Is this the thanks that God shall have for his wonderful condes•ension, that though he prove it to be true, yet we will not believe the mercy that he shews us, unless it seem likely to us in the way of us accomplishment?
Answ No: Because to be a person or subsistence in the Godhead, and to be a God is not all one. It is no contradiction that the Vegetative, sensitive and Rational in man, should be three, and distinct one from another, and yet not be three souls but one. And that Power, Understanding, and Will, should be three, and distinct; and yet not three souls but one: And that Power, Light, and Heat, should be distinct in the Sun; and yet not be three Suns, but one. Why then should the Divine Trinity of subsistences seem a contradiction?
Answ. 1. It is mere ignorance of the sense […] Scripture, that causeth this conceit of contrad• ction. Expositors themselves are imperfect in th• understanding of them; yet if you will well rea• them, you shall see how easily and clearly they reconcile many things that seen unreconcilable to the ignorant. Read among others, Scharpius hi• Symphonia to that end.
Answ. 1. It is meer ignorance of the sense 〈…〉 Scripture, that canseth this conceit of contrad• ction. Expositors themselve• are imperfect in th• understanding of them; yet if you will well rea• them, you shall see how easily and cleerly they reconcile many things that s•en unreconcileable to the ignorant. Read among others, Scharpius hi• Symphonia to that end.
2. As to the Text instanced. The second C•••• Crowing was then specially and eminently c•lle• [The Cocks Crowing] And therefore Matt••• an• Luke do name no more but [the Crowing •• the Cock] meaning that second Cock, which was specially so called; (of which see Grotius on the Text) whereas Mark doth more precisely express the same in fuller words: What a vain mind is it that will pick quarrels with such expressions?
2. As to the Text instanced. The second C•••• Crowing was then specially and eminently c•lle• [The Cocks Crowing] And therefore Matt••• an• Luke do name no more but [the Crowing •• the Cock] meaning that second Cock, which was specially so called; (of which see Grotius on the Text) wheras Mark doth more pr•cisely express the same in suller words: What a vain mind is it that will pick quarrels with such expressions?
