ORIGINES SACRAE , OR A Rational Account of the Grounds OF Christian Faith , AS TO THE TRUTH AND Divine Authority OF THE SCRIPTURES , And the matters therein contained .

By EDWARD STILLINGFLEET Rector of Sutton in Bedfordshire .

LONDON , Printed by R. W. for Henry Mortlock at the sign of the Phoen●● in St. Pauls Church-yard near the little North-door . 1662.

IT was the early felicitie of Moses , when exposed in an Ark of Nilotick papyre , to be adopted into the favour of so great a personage as the Daughter of Pharaoh : Such another Ark is this vindication of the writings of that Divine and excellent Person exposed to the world in ; and the greatest ambition of the Author of it , is , to have it received into your Patronage and Protection . But although the contexture and frame of this Treatise be far below the excellency and worth of the subject ( as you know the Ark in which Moses was put , was of bulrushes daubed with slime and pitch ) yet when You please to cast your eye on the matter contained in it , you will not think it beneath your Favour , and unworthy your Protection . For if Truth be the greatest Present which God could bestow , or man receive ( according to that of Plurarch ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) then certainly those De Isid. & O●●● . Truths deserve our most ready acceptance , which are in themselves of greatest importance , and have the greatest evidence that they come from God . And although I have had the happiness of so near relation to You , & acquaintance with You , as to know how little You need such discourses which tend to settle the Foundations of Religion , which you have raised so happy a Superstructure upon ; yet withal I consider what particular Kindness the souls of all good men bear to such Designs , whose end is to assert and vindicate the Truth and Excellency of Religion . For those who are enriched themselves with the inestimable Treasure of true Goodness and Piety are far from that envious temper , to think nothing valuable but what they are the sole Possessors of ; but such are the most satisfied themselves , when they see others not only admire but enjoy what they have the highest estimation of . Were all who make a shew of Religion in the World really such as they pretend to be , discourses of this nature vvould be no more seasonable then the commendations of a great Beauty to one vvho is already a passionate admirer of it ; but on the contrary vve see how common it is for men first to throw dirt in the face of Religion , and then perswade themselves it is its natural Complexion ; they represent it to themselves in a shape least pleasing to them , and then bring that as a Plea why they give it no better entertainment .

It may justly seem strange , that true Religion , which contains nothing in it but what is truly Noble and Generous , most rational and pleasing to the spirits of all good men , should yet suffer so much in its esteem in the world , through those strange and uncouth vizards it is represented under . Some accouting the life and practice of it , as it speaks subduing our wills to the will of God ( which is the substance of all Religion ) a thing too low and mean for their rank and condition in the World , while others pretend a quarrel against the principles of it as unsatisfactory to Humane reason . Thus Religion suffers with the Author of it between two Thieves , and it is hard to define which is more injurious to it , that which questions the Principles , or that which despiseth the Practice of it . And nothing certainly will more incline men to believe that we live in an Age of Prodigies , then that there should be any such in the Christian World who should account it a piece of Gentility to despise Religion , and a piece of Reason to be Atheists . For if there be any such things in the World as a true height and magnanimity of spirit , if there be any solid reason and depth of judgement , they are not only consistent with , but only attainable by a true generous spirit of Religion . But if we look at that which the loose and profane World is apt to account the greatest gallantry , we shall find it made up of such pitiful Ingredients , which any skilful & rational mind will be ashamed to plead for , much less to mention them in competition with true goodness and unfeigned piety . For how easie is it to observe such who would be accounted the most high and gallant spirits , to quarry on such mean preys which only tend to satisfie their brutish appetites , or flesh revenge with the blood of such who have stood in the way of that ayery title , Honour ! Or else they are so little apprehensive of the in ward worth and excellency of humane nature , that they seem to envy the gallantry of Peacocks , and strive to outvy them in the gayety of their Plumes ; such vvho are , as seneca saith , ad similitudinem parietum extrinsecùs culti , vvho imitate the walls of their houses in the fairness of the outsides , but matter not vvhat rubbish there lies within . The utmost of their ambition is to attain enervatam felicitatem quâ permadescunt animi , such a felicity as evigorates the soul by too long steeping , it being the nature of all terrestrial pleasures that they do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by degrees consume reason by effeminating and softening the Intellectuals . Must we appeal then to the judgement of Sardanapalus concerning the nature of Felicity , or enquire of Apicius what temperance is ? or desire that Sybarite to define Magnanimity , who fainted to see a man at hard labour ?

Or doth now the conquest of passions , forgiving injuries , doing good , self-denial , humility , patience under crosses , which are the real expressions of piety , speak nothing more noble & generous then a luxurious , malicious , proud , and impatient spirit ? Is there nothing more becoming and agreeable to the soul of man , in exemplary Piety , and a Holy well-orderd Conversation , then in the lightness and vanity ( not to say rudeness and debaucheries ) of those whom the world accounts the greatest gallants ? Is there nothing more graceful and pleasing in the sweetness , candour , and ingenuity of a truly Christian temper and disposition , then in the revengeful , implacable spirit of such whose Honour lives and is fed by the Blood of their enemies ? Is it not more truly honourable and glorious to serve that God who commands the World , then to be a slave to those passions and lusts which put men upon continual hard service , and torment them for it when they have done it ? Were there nothing else to commend Religion to the minds of men , besides that tranquillity and calmness of spirit , that serene and peaceable temper which follows a good conscience whereever it dwells , it were enough to make men welcom that guest which brings such good entertainment with it . Whereas the amazements , horrours , and anxieties of mind , which at one time or other haunt such who prostitute their Consciences to a violation of the Lawes of God , and the rules of rectified reason , may be enough to perswade any rational person , that impiety is the greatest folly , and irreligion , madness . It cannot be then but matter of great pity to consider that any persons whose birth and education hath raised them above the common people of the World , should be so far their own enemies , as to observe the Fashion more then the rules of Religion , and to study complements more then themselves , and read Romances more then the sacred Scriptures , which alone are able to make them wise to salvation .

But Sir , I need not mention these things to You , unless it be to let You see the excellency of your choice , in preferring true Vertue and Piety above the Ceremony and Grandeur of the World . Go on , Sir , to value and measure true Religion not by the uncertain measures of the World , but by the infallible dictates of God himself in his sacred Oracles . Were it not for these , what certain foundation could there be for our Faith to stand on ? and who durst venture his soul , as to its future condition , upon any authority less then the infallible veracity of God himself ? What certain directions for practice should we have , what rule to judge of opinions by , had not God out of his infinite goodness provided and preserved this authentick instrument of his Will to the World ? What a strange Religion would Christianity seem , should we frame the Model of it from any other thing then the Word of God ? Without all controversie the disesteem of the Scriptures upon any pretence whatsoever , is the decay of Religion , and through many windings and turnings leads men at last into the very depth of Atheism . Whereas the frequent and serious conversing with the mind of God in his Word , is incomparably useful , not only for keeping up in us a true Notion of Religion ( which is easily mistaken , when men look upon the face of it in any other glass then that of the Scriptures ) but likewise for maintaining a powerful sense of Religion in the souls of men , and a due valuation of it , whatever its esteem or entertainment be in the World . For though the true genuine spirit of Christianity ( which is known by the purity and peaceableness of it ) should grow never so much out of credit with the World , yet none who heartily believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God , and that the matters revealed therein are infallibly true , will ever have the less estimation of it . It must be confessed that the credit of Religion hath much sufferd in the Age we live in through the vain pretences of many to it , who have only acted a part in it for the sake of some p●ivate interests of their own . And it is the usual Logick of Atheists , crimine ab uno Disce omnes ; if there be any hypocrites , all who make shew of Religion , are such , on which account the Hypocrisie of one Age makes way for the Atheism of the next . But how unreasonable and unjust that imputation is , there needs not much to discover , unless it be an argument there are no true men in the World , because there are so many Apes which imitate them ; or that there are no Jewels , because there are so many Counterfeits . And blessed be God , our Age is not barren of Instances of real goodness and unaffected piety ; there being some such generous spirits as dare love Religion without the dowry of Interest , and manifest their affection to it in the plain dress of the Scriptures , without the paint and set-offs which are added to it by the several contending parties of the Christian World . Were there more such noble spirits of Religion in our Age , Atheism would want one of the greatest Pleas which it now makes against the Truth of Religion ; for nothing enlarges more the Gulf of Atheism , then that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that wide passage which lies between the Faith and Lives of men pretending to be Christians . I must needs say there is nothing seems more strange and unaccountable to me , then that the Practice of the unquestionable duties of Christianity should be put out of Countenance , or slighted by any who own , profess , and contend for the Principles of it . Can the profession of that be honourable , whose practice is not ? If the principles be true , why are they not practised ? If they be not true , why are they professed ?

You see , Sir , to what an unexpected length my desire to vindicate the Honour as well as Truth of Religion , hath drawn out this present address . But I may sooner hope for your pardon in it , then if I had spent so much paper after the usual manner of Dedications , in representing You to your self or the World . Sir , I know You have too much of that I have been commending , to delight in Your own deserved praises , much less in flatteries , which so benign a subject might easily make ones pen run over in . And therein I might not much have digressed from my design , since I know few more exemplary for that rare mixture of true piety , and the highest civility together , in whom that inestimable jewel of religion is placed in a most sweet , affable , and obliging temper . But although none will be more ready on any occasion with all gratitude to acknowledge the great obligations You have laid upon me ; yet I am so far sensible of the common vanity of Epistles Dedicatory , that I cannot so heartily comply with them in any thing , as in my hearty prayers to Almighty for your good and welfare , and in subscribing my self