Gods Effectual Calling, Treatise · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. Of the firſt proprietie of the ſacred Scripture.
WE are now to proceed, and to make it manifeſt, that the holy ſcripture is of greateſt antiquitie: and this is the firſt proprietie The 1. propriety of the ſcripture, moſt ancient.before aſcribed to the Scripture. Here firſt we be to find out the diuers acceptations of this word Scripture. This word Scripture may be taken, either for the matter onelyonly, and Acceptation of the word ſcripture.the very ſubſtance which is contained in the words and letters; or not only for the matter and ſubſtance, but alſo for the verie writing it ſelfe, or the forme wherein that ſubſtance is expreſſed and ſet before vsus. Now if by this word Scripture, ye vnderſtand the verie ſubſtance it ſelfe, it is without all controuerſie, that the Scripture is moſt ancient: becauſe it is the ſubſtance of thoſe diuine oracles, which not only Patriarches and Prophets hauehave ſpoken, but alſo God himſelfe vttered; which things alſo were hidden in Gods mind from eternitie. But if yee vnderſtand by this word, not onelyonly the ſubſtance, but the very writing, and in this reſpect alſo, the ſcripture may be ſaid to be moſt ancient. For as touching the Propheticall and Apoſtolicall ſcriptures, in reſpect alſo of the writing and manner of reuealing of them (as wee ſaid often before) it is Gods will that we ſo eſteeme them, not onelyonly as the liuely voice of the Prophets and Apoſtles, nor onelyonly as the liuely voice of God himſelfe, or as a booke written with his owne hand (as the Decalogue was ſet downe with his owne finger in tables of ſtone) but alſo that we ſo accept them as the very myſteries, and if I may ſo ſpeake, as the verie diuine notions, which were ingrauen in Gods owne mind from eternitie.
To cleare this point a little; The veritie kept ſecret in Gods mind from eternitie, was in time manifeſted manie wayes, or in diuers formes; for it was reuealed partly by the liuely voice of God himſelf, partly by the voice of the Patriarches, Prophets, and Apoſtles (to paſſe by Angels in ſilence) and partly alſo by the ſcripture which was written by the Prophets and Apoſtles. The liuely and immediate voice of God did ceaſe long ſince; neither hauehave we that copie which God himſelfe wrote: the Patriarches How to eſteem of the written word of God.alſo, & the Prophets, and ye Apoſtles hauehave ceaſed to ſpeake: the writings only of the Prophets and Apoſtles remaine to this day. Wherefore this we hold as neceſſary vntounto faith, that we accept theſe writings or books, firſt in ſteed of the liuely voice of the Prophets and Apoſtles: 1Next, in place of the liuely voice of God himſelf: 2Thirdly, of the Scripture written with Gods owne finger: 3Fourthly and laſtly, as that holy veritie and diuine myſteries 4which are recorded in Gods owne breaſt: which Oracles being ſimply without compariſon of greateſt antiquitie, it is very manifeſt that the Propheticall and Apoſtolicall ſcripture is after a ſort moſt ancient. For what may be auouched of the liuely voice of God himſelfe, or of the Oracles of his mind, the ſame in ſome reſpect may be ſaid of the ſcripture, ſupplying vntounto vsus their defect. For Subſtance of the ſcripture, ſimply moſt ancient.if I may truly ſay in ſome ſort, the ſcripture is the liuely voice of God himſelfe, doe I not as truly ſpeake alſo in like manner, the ſcripture is moſt ancient, for as much as the voice of God is moſt ancient? But it ſhall ſuffice vsus to commend the antiquitie of ſcripture, to conſider the ſubſtance onelyonly of the ſcripture, which without all controuerſie is moſt ancient. But the verie ſcripture and writing it ſelfe hath his excellencie alſo, for that the ſcripture in reſpect of the very writing, is ſaid to be giuen vsus alſo by diuine inſpiration. For there is not a iote or pricke in the Scriptura, eſt foreign.very writing, which is not by the inſpiration of God.
Here the Aduerſaries take exception, and as els where often, ſo here they prefer their Church before the ſcripture, and they affirme the Church is more ancient then the ſcripture: For they ſay there was a Church two thouſand A Popiſh obiection.full yeares before Moſes, the firſt writer of the ſcripture. And ſince Chriſts comming the Church for many yeares wanted the ſcriptures. But that which hath beene alreadie written, and is aforeſaid, can eaſily ſolue this obiection: For if we vnderſtand by this word Scripture, not only the characters and books, but alſo that ſubſtance and matter contained in them (for we hauehave the Prophets and Apoſtles ſpeaking in the ſcriptures, & we hauehave their liuely voice, we hauehave (I ſay) the liuely voice of God himſelfe, and the very expreſſe mind of God contained in them) if I ſay, we vnderſtand by this word that ſubſtance; it cannot thē be denied, but the ſcripture is more ancient then the Church, which was borne not of mortall ſeed, but of immortall, euen by the word of God, who liueth and endureth for euer, 1. Pet. 1. 23. I ſay (the premiſſes well conſidered) it ſhall appeare, the ſcripture is not onelyonly more ancient then the Church, but to be of greateſt antiquitie, and to hauehave beene with God from euerlaſting. But if by this word ye vnderſtand both the matter and writing; in this reſpect alſo, it ſhall be no diſparagement to auouch it to be of greater antiquitie then the Church; yea to be moſt ancient, as we hauehave at large before ſhewed. And thus far of the firſt propertie of the ſacred ſcripture, and of the third controuerſie.