Gods Effectual Calling, Treatise · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. The number of the controuerſies which are concerning the written Word: and of the firſt controuerſie, whether the Scripture be the word of God.
THere be two kinds of controuerſies concerning the holy Scripture. The firſt kind is of ſuch controuerſies as bee more eſſentiall, that is, which concerne the very eſſence (if I may ſo ſpeake) or being of the Scripture. The ſecond kind is of thoſe controuerſies which bee more accidentall, and doe not ſo neerely concerne the eſſence of the Scripture. Of the firſt kind there are ten controuerſies or queſtions: the firſt is, Whether the Scripture Propheticall and Apoſtolicall bee the word of God? The ſecond is, How it may appeare that this Scripture is Gods word? The third is, Of the antiquitie of it. The fourth is, Of the perſpicuity or cleerenes of it. The fift is, Of the ſimplicitie or plainneſſe of it. The ſixt is, Of the viuacitie, quickening power, or life of it. The ſeuenth is, Of the ſimple & euident neceſſitie of it. The eight is, Of the perfection & ſufficiencie thereof, that it is ſufficient and perfect in it ſelfe, without all vnwritten verities, or traditions whatſoeuer. The ninth is, Whether the Scripture may bee the iudge to determine all controuerſies? The tenth is, Whether the Scriptures Propheticall and Apoſtolicall muſt hauehave the chiefe place of excellency, and be in authoritie aboue the Church.
As for thoſe eight controuerſies which follow the two firſt, they are touching the properties of the holie Scripture; and theſe, when we ſhall hauehave proued that the Scripture is Gods word, will appeare euidently: for they are neceſſary conſequents of that Theoreme. For grant we this, that the Scripture is Gods word; then theſe things muſt follow neceſſarily; firſt, that it is moſt ancient; ſecondly, moſt cleere; thirdly, moſt ſimple or pure; fourthly, moſt powerfull; fiftly, moſt neceſſarie; ſixtly, moſt perfect; ſeuenthly, the greateſt & beſt iudge of all controuerſies without exception; eightly, moſt excellent. But for as much as the aduerſaries denie theſe eight properties, therefore (as is a foreſaid) there is of euerie one of them a ſpeciall controuerſie.
We are then to handle theſe controuerſies in order: and firſt of that which by due right, & naturally is to hauehave the firſt place: Whether the Scripture be the word of God? The Aduerſaries graunt generally that the holy Scripture is the word of God: but when they are brought from the generall to a ſpeciall, they break from vsus. To ſpeake more plainely: the word of God at this day, is twofold in the Church of God, 1. immediate. 2. mediate. I call that the Gods written word.immediate word of God, which doth proceede immediately out of Gods owne mouth: and that I call mediate, which the Lord ſpeakes by his preacher or Miniſter. We hold then and auouch, that the holie Scripture is that immediate and primarie word of God, and to bee vntounto vsus in ſteed of that firſt, immediate, and liuely voice of God himſelfe: yea, that it ſerues vsus in place not only of that liuely voice of God, but alſo of the ſecret and inſearchable mind of God, and of Gods vnſpeakeable myſteries. Our arguments are theſe: 1. For that this is the verie will of God. They hauehave Moſes (ſaith he) and the prophets, that is, the bookes of Moſes and the Prophets, Luk. 16. 29. 2. If we had nothing to ſupply the defect of the liuely voice of God, then doubtleſſe our ſtate were worſe then that of the old Church of the Iewes, which had the oracles of God: but it is againſt all light of reaſon ſo to Rom. 3 1. 2.affirme. 3. Our third reaſon is this: The firſt ground of our faith muſt be, either the liuely voice of God, or the verie mind and counſell of God, or ſomething to ſupply the want of Gods liuely voyce, and of the ſecret mind of God, which muſt alſo be vntounto vsus no leſſe certaine and firme, then if we heard God himſelfe ſpeake, or did behold and reade the verie mind of God; yea the very diuine oracles written in Gods owne breaſt: but now we hauehave not the liuely voice of God; now we ſee not the ſecret mind of God: therefore it muſt follow that we hauehave ſomething to ſupply the want of the liuely voice of God, euen meanes to reueale vntounto vsus the ſecret mind of God: and nothing can do this, but the ſacred Scripture: therefore Gods holy written word is, and muſt be vntounto vsus as the verie voice, and as the verie mind or wil of God himſelfe manifeſted vntounto vsus. The fourth reaſon. The Scripture containes all thoſe things which God hath ſpoken in elder ages, and what God himſelfe hath decreed in his ſecret counſell (ſo farre as is meete for vsus to know) concerning our life and ſaluation: Ergo, &c. Thus far of the immediate word of God. The mediate voice of God, we call the voice of the holy and true Church of God: for albeit men ſpeake, yet the word ſpoken, is the word of God himſelfe.
Here the aduerſaries riſe vp, and contend, that the voice of the Church muſt hauehave the priority of excellencie, and that it ſupplieth the want of Gods liuely voice, and the manifeſtation of his mind, rather or better then the Scripture: for, ſay they, the voice of the Church is a Popiſh Obiection cōcerning the teſtimonie and the authority of the Church before the Scripture.Scripture written, not with the penne of any Scribe, but by Gods owne finger in the heart of the Church: therefore the voice or teſtimonie of the Church, ought to bee accounted the principall voice of God: For it is a liuely voice, proceedings from the liuing heart of the Church, wherein God hath ingrauen all truth with the finger of his owne Spirit: whereas the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apoſtles, albeit they were deliuered, and ſpoken by God himſelfe, yet they were not written by Gods owne hand, but by the Prophets and Apoſtles, which were the pen-men: Again, they were not written in ye liuing hearts of men, but in papers, and books, or tables. Hence therefore it followeth, that this ſcripture, which is found in the heart of the Church, is the principall Scripture of God, and that the voice of the holy Church, is that moſt excellent voice of God, & ought to be vntounto vsus, as the immediate voice of God, & in ſteed of the ſecret counſel of God.
I anſwer: true it is, the teſtimonie of the Church is a liuely voice, proceeding from a liuing heart, ſanctified by the holy ghoſt (for we ſpeake of the true Church:) But firſt I ſay, that the only Scripture prophetical and apoſtolical, is to be accounted that Scripture which was written by Gods owne finger, and that immediate word of God. Next, I ſay, that the heart of the Church is taught and ſanctified by the Spirit of the Scripture; and that the Scripture which is in the heart of the Church is nothing els, but a certain tranſcript (that ſo I may ſpeak) or a copy, which the holy Ghoſt hath written in our hearts, according to that ancient and authenticall copie, which is the holy Scripture. For the holy Ghoſt teacheth the Church nothing now, but that which is written; and doth by the ſcripture after a ſort, beget the Church: & the Scripture is the mother, the Church is the daughter; the Scripture is the miſtreſſe, the Church is the ſcholler. Thirdly, I adde that the knowledge of the truth, which is in the heart of the Church by means of the ſcripture, is not ſo perfect nor ſo abſolute, as is the holy Scripture. And laſtly, I ſay, that the Church being inlightened and renewed but in part, may erre from the truth, euen in the greateſt matter of waight, and that it doth erre ſo often as it forſakes the canon and rule of the ſacred Scripture.
Their former aſſertion being thus caſt downe, it is euident that the voice of the Church (I vnderſtand here the true church only, not that whooriſh church of Rome) the voice of the Church (I ſay) is not that primarie and moſt excellent word of God, nor ought to be vntounto vsus in ſteed of the liuely and immediate voice of God; nor to be reputed for Gods minde and counſell; but this prerogatiue is due only to the ſacred Scripture. I ad further, that if thou doeſt firſt not ſo much reſpect the truth it ſelfe, which the Church ſpeaketh, as the inſtruments of the ſpeech vttered, which are men: next, if ye compare the voice of the Church ſpeaking with the ſacred Scripture it ſelfe, it doth not deſerue at all to be called by the name of Gods word, but may more properlie be called the worde and teſtimony of man. For Chriſt himſelfe calles that teſtimonie which Iohn the Baptiſt gaue of him, the teſtimony of man. I receiue not, (ſaith he) or deſire not the teſtimnoie of man, Ioh. 5. 34. Be it ſo, that the teſtimonie of the Church be true, & agreeable to the holy ſcripture, notwithſtanding it is truly called an humane teſtimonie, whether yee reſpect the men which ſpeake, or compare their teſtimonie with that, which doth proceed from the mouth of God and Chriſt himſelfe.
But it may be replyed, that the very Apoſtles and Prophets, which writte and ſpake all theſe things, which we hauehave in the Scriptures, were men in like manner: & therefore all the Scriptures are but an humane teſtimonie. I anſwere, that I denie not all is obiected, if we were to eſteeme the words or writings of an Apoſtle or Prophet, as they are inſtruments and Miniſters, or if this were to be compared with the very liuely voice of God and Chriſt himſelfe. For in reſpect of the inſtruments, (if we compare the words or writings of theſe men, with the words and writings of God himſelfe) theirs (I ſay) muſt come after and giuegive place vntounto this, and muſt beare the name of an humane teſtimonie: for ſo the teſtimony of Iohn Baptiſt himſelfe, as being an inſtrument in compariſon of Chriſt the Lord of life, was called the record of man. Wherefore when we auouch that the Propheticall and Apoſtolicall Scripture is the immediate teſtimonie of God himſelfe, we make no compariſon with the liuelie voice of God himſelfe; neither doe we ſo much reſpect what Organs the Holy-Ghoſt vſed to ſet forth the Scriptures: but we conſider the matter it ſelfe, and the diuine oracles which be written, and we ponder in what eſtimation God himſelfe will hauehave vsus to accept the ſacred Scripture; not as the writings and ſayings of men, but as the writings and words of God himſelfe. And we conſider this alſo, as in a compariſon made with the Church: For to vſe that compariſon againe, the voice of the Scripture is Gods owne voice; but the voice of the Church of Chriſt, is called an humane teſtimonie, as the word or writing of a Prophet or an Apoſtle compared with the liuely voice of God, is called the record of man, as Chriſt himſelfe teſtifieth, 10. 5. And thus farre of the 1. controuerſie.