The Beauties of Bethel, Treatise · Answer 5 – Question 5
Ans: This indeed is an old subtiltie of the diuell by which hee hath Gods ordinance to teach man by man, not by an Angell. I say, 49. 6.in all ages mightely hindered the worke of the word in the heartes of vnbeleeuers.
The prophets them-selues seemed in the eyes of the people too small to raize vppe the tribes of lacob, and to restore the desolations of Israel. And the rich mans brethren would rather bee taught by one from the dead, then by Moyses and the Prophets. And therefore seeing this deceipt secretly stealeth vppon many a man; and is not so euidently discouered as it profitably may bee; I will indeuor the more fully to manifest both the folly and falshood of it.
And first I say this is a foolish conceit of restlesse spirits, who yet take vppon them to bee wiser then God himselfe: who (howsoeuer the word might seeme to carry much more authority in the mouth of an Angell, then of an ordinary Minister, who is but a weake man yet) herein bewraied his infinite. 1. mercy. 2. louelove. 3. wisdom, in establishing this holy ordinance, & no other perpetually to continue in his church vntounto the end of the world.
His mercy shineth out in this; that knowing our infirmity, and wherof we Gods mercy herein.are made, it pleaseth him to condiscend vntounto it. Hee might by terrible voyces, out of lightnings, thunders and earthquakes, such as would breake the rocks them-selues before him, force our obedience, or send his Angels furnished with power and strength for the present execution of vengeance vppon all such as deny their present obedience to their word: but in compassion vntounto vsus hee chooseth to teach vsus by a stil voyce; by a more familar and fitte instruction for vsus, euen by such as our selues, of our owne nature: farre meeter for our weakenesse then if he should either in his owne Maiestie teach vsus; or by natures fo farre superiour vntounto vsus as the Angels. And this appeared plainely in giuing the law, when the people once hearing the voyce of God came trembling to Moyses, and made request in these wordes. Talke thou with vsus and wee will heare, but lette not Exod, 20. 19.God talke with vsus, least wee die: and it was generally receiued of old; that if any man did either heare this voyce; or see the face of the great God: the great Dut, 5. 26. Iudg, 13. 22.glory would so ouerwhelme him, that surely hee could not liue after it. Yea Moyses him-self could not hauehave beheld the back-partes of the LORD, if the LORD had not hidde him in the cleft of a Rocke, and couered him with his hand till he passed by.
His louelove towards man manifesteth it selfe heerein: that hee vouchsafeth Gods louelove herein.to putte his voyce in the mouth of man, rather then of Angels. What an aduancement is it to the nature of man, that the high GOD should sanctifie their tongues, to deliuer his good pleasure to the sonnes of men? to be trust them with such high misteries, and matters of such blessed and sauing vse to 1 Tim, 4. 16.them-selues and others?
His wisdome discouereth it selfe in this ordinance sundry waies. 1. In that The wisedom of god herein.teaching man by man hee preuenteth the danger of deceipt and delusion which wee should lye open vntounto if we should bee taught by reuelations, or visions, or appearance of Angels. For Satan is an Angel of light; hee can also assume him a body, and in it by Gods permission broch lies, and as though he were among the sonnes of God, father them vponupon God. Blessed be that wisedom of God yt hath deliuered vsus a more certain word of the Prophets & Apostles, shutting out al rouing Enthusiasmes & reuelations not contained within it selfe; and hath sette vppe a Ministry in which his Church shall bee taught by man, subiect indeed to error but farre lesse dangerous then the former: in that wee hauehave a certaine rule to trye the Spirites by whether they bee of God or no: according to which rule and worde if they speake not, there is no light in them.
Second, hereby hee sheweth the mighty power of the word which (although it seeme in the hand of a weake man, a foolish meane of mens conuersion) yet by this foolishnes of preaching the Lord saueth such as beleeue: This Paul teacheth. VVe hauehave this treasure in earthen 2. Cor. 4. 7. 27.vessels that the excellency of that power might bee of God (that is knowne to bee of God) and not of vsus: and this one thing hath confounded all the wisdome of flesh, to see such weake and vile and dispised thinges bring such great things to passe.1. Cor. 1. 27.
And thus all the glory of the worke of conuersion, redoundeth vntounto God, to whome indeed of right it appertaineth. Thus the Apostles vsually turned off that praise & glory which men preposterously would hauehave fastned vppon them; that all the power of their word and workes might bee ascribed vntounto God. When Peter had healed a Cripple that lay at the beautifull gate of the Temple, all the people came running, Act▪ 3. 12and gazing on him and Iohn, too much admiring their persons from whome they had seene such an euident worke: which when Peter perceiued, he checketh their ignorance. Yea men of Israel, why looke you so stedfastly on vsus as though we by our own power or godlines had made this man go? And wisheth them to look vpward to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Iacob, who had glorified his sonne Iesus; in whose name they had done this miracle.
So likewise when Paul at Lystra had healed an other lame man: the people Act. 14. 11. 15.conceiuing that the Gods were come downe in the likenesse of men, brought their Buls with garlands, & their chiefe Priest to offer sacrifice to him and Barnabas: which when the Apostles saw, they rent their clothes and staid them from yt horrible Idolatry. Oh men why doe yea these things? VVee are euen men subiect to the like passions that ye bee, and so proceeded to preach the true God, and his son Christ vntounto them. Euen so when men behold such mighty power in that word which is dispenced by men subiect to the same passions with them-selues; that it is able to conquer the whole world and bring it to the knowledge and obedience of christ; to subdue nature and corruption of it; yea battereth the strongest holds of satan and destroyeth his Kingdome: easily may they conceiue there is more power with it then any can bee in such poore men, and that is indeed the power & strong arme of almightie God.
3. The wisedome of GOD hereby would proue and try our obedyence, whether we will heare his Ministers beeing men like our selues, no otherwise then wee would heare himselfe, or Christ, or an Angel speaking from heauen. Whether we wil receiue his Ministers as the Galatians did Paul. Gala, 4. 14.Hee came and preached in the frailtie and weaknesse of flesh, yet they dispised him not, nor abhorred him; but receiued him as an Angel of God, yea as Christ him-selfe: not considering so much the meanes of their persons, as ye truth of their doctrin, which must be as carefully receiued, and as certainly held as if Angels from heauen, or Christ him-selfe did deliuer it. Yea the Apostle Paul is peremptory that if an Angel should come from heauen and crosse any whit of his doctrine by teaching either a contrary, or another doctrin then he did, he must be held accursed.Gal, 1. 8.
Ob. It will bee heere alledged that indeed they might so certainly receiue Pauls doctrine on his word, for he was priuiledged that he could not er in deliuering itas our ordinary ministers may.