The Christian Warfare Part 1, Book 2 · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX. Sathans temptation, whereby hee perſwadeth men that the Scriptures are not Gods word, anſwered.
§. Sect. 1 THe ſecond temptation which Sathan ſuggeſteth into mens mindes,The temptation. to the end he may moue them to neglect the hearing of Gods word, or though they doe heare it, to reiect it through vnbeliefe, he thus frameth. What folly is it to take ſuch paines in hearing the ſcripture, and what madnes is it ſo ſtedfaſtly to beleeue it, ſeeing thou knoweſt not whether it be Gods word, or the ſubtill deuiſe of mans braine, to keepe the people in awe, and to reſtraine them from ſuch ſecret faults, as other humane lawes ratified and confirmed with temporall and outward puniſhments and rewards cannot keepe them from; becauſe the lawes of princes cannot (no more than the lawgiuers themſelues) either fore ſee, preuent or puniſh any faults and offences, which are not open and manifeſt? why ſhouldeſt thou thereby be moued to forſake thy delightfull ſinnes, and to imbrace vnpleaſant godlines, to abandon thy pleaſures, and to vndertake an auſtere and ſtrict courſe of life, ſeeing thou knoweſt not whether the ſcriptures be true or falſe, the word of the euerlaſting God or the inuention of mortall man.
The anſvvere: that all religion dependeth vponupon the authoritie of the Scriptures.Againſt which temptation it behoueth eueryevery man moſt carefully to arme himſelfe, as vndermining the very foundation of all true religion; for take away the authoritie of the ſcriptures and you ſhall open a wide dore to all carnall worldlines, beaſtly epicuriſme, and diueliſh atheiſme; they being the onelyonly true rule of vertue, whereby we are directed to chuſe the good and refuſe the euill; the ſcepter of God whereby he ruleth all the ſubiects of his kingdome, which being reiected we giuegive ouer our ſelues to be ruled by the diuell, and the luſts of our owne fleſh; the light of our eyes without which wee are blind and walke in darkenes; the foode of our ſoules which being taken away, they languiſh in all ſpirituall graces, and fall into miſerable death and deſtruction; and the ſworde of the ſpirit whereby wee defend our ſelues, and beate backe our ſpirituall enemies, which being plucked out of our hand, we are eaſily vanquiſhed and led captiue vntounto all ſinne and wickednes.
§. Sect. 2 Reaſons to proue that the ſcripture was indited by Gods ſpirit. 1. The antiquitie of the ſcriptures.And that we may be the better prouided againſt this temptation, let vsus propound ſome reaſons whereby gaineſayers may be conuinced, and Gods children perſwaded of the truth and authoritie of the ſcripture. The firſt argument to proue the ſcriptures to be written by the motion and reuelation of Gods ſpirit, is the antiquitie thereof; for whatſoeuer religion is moſt auncient, that proceedeth from God: but the religion contained in the ſcriptures, is of all other moſt auncient: and therefore God was the author thereof. The firſt part of this reaſon is cleere and manifeſt; for ſeeing man was created for Gods glorie, to the end he ſhould worſhip and ſerue him, and could not performe acceptable worſhip and ſeruice vntounto God, vnleſſe he reuealed his wil vntounto him; therfore, that man might attaine vntounto the end of his creation, it was neceſſarie that the Lord ſhould from the beginning reueale vntounto him his true religion, whereby he might know how to worſhip and ſerue him, according to his will. And conſequently, the firſt and moſt auncient religion is the true religion, which proceeded from God; and all other are falſe and counterfait, which are diſagreeing and repugnant hereunto, ſeeing Gods will is one and the ſame, conſtant and immutable. The ſecond part of this reaſon, namely that the religion deliuered in the ſcriptures is of all others moſt auncient, is of vndoubted truth; for it is within a few daies as auncient as the world it ſelfe, taking it beginning from mans creation, and ſo continuing in a conſtant and vnchangeable courſe vntounto this day. Now all other religions are but new and vpſtart in compariſon hereof, taking their beginnings diuers thouſand yeares ſince the creation; yea euen the Gods themſelues which they worſhip (which intruth were men like themſelues) had their beginning for the moſt part, long ſince the time of Abraham, as their owne hiſtories manifeſtly declare. Neither did any other religion of the heathen continue one and the ſame; for that which one receiued another reiected, that which one confirmed another changed, and time hath worne them all out, leauing ſcarce any ſmall remnants or reliques of them. And therefore all other religions, ſauing that which is deliuered in the ſcriptures, are falſe and counterfet; and this only the truth of God.
§. Sect. 3 2. Reaſons taken from the puritie and perfection of the Scriptures.Secondly, the puritie and perfection of the ſcriptures, doe euidently ſhew that they are the word of God, indited by his holy ſpirit; for they manifeſt vntounto vsus the onelyonly true God, and propound him alone vntounto vsus, to be worſhipped, expreſſing alſo the manner and meanes of his ſeruice, from which we muſt not decline on the right hand, or on the left: but all other religions teach vsus either to worſhip many Gods, which is a thing abſurd in reaſon, and contrarie to the light of nature, as diuers of the wiſeſt philoſophers well diſcerned; or to worſhip the true God not according to his reuealed will, but according to their falſe imaginations, & erroneous ſuperſtitions. Now, nature, reaſon, and experience it ſelfe teach vsus, that there is no wiſe King but will ſet downe rules and lawes, according to which he will be ſerued and obeyed, and not leaue it to eueryevery ones fantaſie and vaine imagination; and ſhall we thinke God leſſe wiſe then man, that he ſhould not hauehave a perfect law for the gouernment of his people, but ſuffer eueryevery man to follow his owne blind conceite and ignorant ſuperſtition?
§. Sect. 4 3. Reaſons taken from the ſinceritie of the writers of the Scriptures.Thirdly, the ſinceritie and vprightnes of the writers of the holy ſcriptures, is a manifeſt argument that they were guided and directed by Gods ſpirit; for they deliuer nothing in their owne name, but in the name of the Lord, not arrogating any praiſe vntounto themſelues, but aſcribing all glorie vntounto God; neither did they in their preachings or writings ſeeke themſelues, or ayme at any worldly benefit; nay rather they were content to be contemptible, ſubiect to ſcoffes and taunts, yea to offer themſelues to death, and depriuation of all worldly felicitie, for the truth of God which they had deliuered. And whereas diuers of them might hauehave liued in all pompe, if they would hauehave followed the times, winked at the ſinnes of rulers, and ſuppreſſed the word of the Lord, which they had receiued of him; they choſe rather to ſuffer perſecution, yea death it ſelfe, then they would keepe backe any of the counſell of God, as appeareth in the example of Eſay, Ieremie, Ezechiel, Michaeas, Zacharias, A…nos, and many others of the Prophets, and Apoſtles. Neither doe they in their writings abſtaine onelyonly from ſeeking their owne glorie and praiſe, but alſo ſet downe thoſe things which might tend to their diſcredit, to the end God might be glorified in their infirmities, the truth confeſſed and preſerued, and the Church of God benefited, when by ſeeing the weakenes of the moſt ſtrong, they are kept from preſuming on their owne ſtrength, and from deſparing in Gods merciemercy. And thus Moſes concealeth not the fall of our grand parents, the drunkennes of Noah, the inceſt of Lot, the lie of Iſaack, the whoredome of Iudas; nay which more neerely concerned him, he plainely reuealeth the horrible and bloodie ſin of his grandfather Leuy, Gen. 49.5.6.and Simeon, in murthering the Sichemites, and the curſe of their father Iacob pronounced againſt them for this their outrage, Geneſ. 49.5.6. which could not in humane reaſon but be diſhonorable to his ſtocke & progenie, and offenſiue to all who were of that tribe: furthermore he diſplayeth the corruptions, imperfections, and often rebellions of that people whoſe ſaluation hee preferred before his owne ſoule; he ſpareth not to ſet downe the Idolatrie of his own brothur Aaron, nor the ſinne of his ſiſter Miriam in murmuring againſt him, nor of Aarons ſonnes in offering with ſtrange fire. Nay hee leaueth the remembrance of his owne ſinne of impatiencie and vnbeliefe, for which hee was debarred from entring into the land of promiſe, vntounto all poſterities, as a perpetuall note of his owne weakneſſe and infirmitie. Neither ſought he at al his own glorie, and the aduancement of his poſterity, but the glory of God & the good of the church, as may hereby appeare in that when the gouernment was eſtabliſhed in his hand, he doth not make his owne ſonnes his ſucceſſours, but Ioſua his ſeruant, becauſe God had ſo appointed it. The like may be ſaid of Ieremie, who hath in his prophecie left recorde of his murmuring and impatiencie,Ierem. 20. Iere. 20; Of Ionas who hath ſet downe his owne rebellion, puniſhment, and repining againſt God; Of the apoſtle Paul who hath not ſpared to call himſelfe a cruell perſecuter and chiefe of al ſinners. Now we know that naturally, we deſire to conceale the faults of our friendes and kindred, and we count him an euill bird that defileth his owne neſt; naturally we ſeeke our own praiſe and the aduancement of our children, and can brooke …othing leſſe than that our faults ſhould bee diuulged and become table talke: and therefore this detection of their owne and their friends falles and faults could not proceed from nature, or any worldly policie, but from the direction of Gods ſpirit which ouerruled their affections, and tooke away all partialitie.
§ Sect. 5 The fourth reaſon, taken from the concent of the diuers writers of the Scriptures.Fourthly, the wonderfull concent which is amongſt the diuers writers of the Scriptures, doth euidently ſhew that they were guided and directed, by one and the ſame ſpirit of God: for whereas it is truly ſaid of other men, Quot homines tot ſententiae, Looke how many men there be, and ſo many mindes there be; wherof it commeth to paſſe that eueryevery writer almoſt varieth from another, gainſaying and confuting that which another hath deliuered, that ſo out of the aſhes of their credit and reputation they may build a monument of their owne fame: the quite contrarie is to be obſerued in the writers of the ſcriptures, who ſucceſſiuely writing one after another the ſpace of diuers thouſand yeeres, doe notwithſtanding conſent together in the ſame truth, the later ratifying and confirming that which the former had deliuered without any alteration, oppoſition or emulation, as though they were diuers hands ſet on worke by the ſame ſoule, which could not poſſibly come to paſſe vnleſſe they were ouerruled by Gods ſpirit.
§. Sect. 6 The ſift reaſon, taken from the wonderfull preſeruation of the Scriptures against all oppoſitions.Fiftly, the mightie oppoſitions which hauehave been made by the diuell and his wicked impes againſt this doctrine of the ſcriptures, and yet al in vaine, doe euidently ſhew that they are Gods word and truth, the patronage and protection whereof he hath himſelfe vndertaken, aboue al humane reaſon and power. For hath not the diuell in former times, and doth hee not ſtill at this day oppoſe himſelfe againſt the word of. God? and doe not his curſed inſtruments, vngodly men, the more they exceed in wickedneſſe the more bend their whole power malitiouſly to oppugne this truth, perſecuting the children of God, for this cauſe onelyonly that they are profeſſors and practizers of Gods true religion? And whence proceedeth this malitious oppoſition but from this, that the ſcriptures are the word of God? and therefore as they hate and oppoſe themſelues againſt God himſelfe, ſo alſo againſt his word; and becauſe they know that by this light their workes of darkneſſe are diſcouered, therefore they labour to put it cleane out, that their wickedneſſe may not be deſcried; becauſe it is pure and holie they cannot endure it, they themſelues being corrupt and wicked; becauſe it is the rule of iuſtice which ſheweth the crookednes of their waies, they would, if they were able, burne it or cut it in peeces; becauſe it is the word by which they are condemned, therefore they loathe as much to heare it, as the priſoner doth abhorre to heare the ſentence of the iuſt Iudge. And hence proceedeth their oppoſition and oppugning of the holie ſcriptures with all their force and might; but all in vaine, for the more the diuell and wicked men rage againſt the word of God, the more by the almightie power of God ſupporting it, the glorie thereof appeareth and ſpreadeth it ſelfe ouer the face of the earth; the more they labour to keepe it downe, the more it floriſheth. And as they who goe about to ſtop the current of a mightie riuer, doe but make it to ſwell the higher and ouerflow all the countrey, whereas before it was contained within the compaſſe of his owne bankes: ſo when Sathan and his wicked impes, do ſeeke to ſtay this heauenly ſtreame which floweth from Gods Sanctuarie, and labour might and maine to hinder the paſſage & propagation of Gods truth; the more it ſpreadeth it ſelfe, maugre their malice, and ouerfloweth the whole earth. And whence can the defeating and fruſtrating of this powerful violence proceede, but from a greater power, euen the power of God? for though all men ſhould combine themſelues together, they were vnable to reſiſt Sathans rage, or protect the word of God from vtter ruine: onelyonly the Lord whoſe power is omnipotent could thus vphold it, and make it preuaile againſt all the power of hell.
And as the Lord by preſeruing and defending the ſcriptures, from the beginning vntounto this day, doth euidently ſhew that they are his own word and reuealed wil: ſo alſo by puniſhing, euen in this life, with vtter ruine and deſtruction, al thoſe who hauehave moſt violently and malitiouſly oppoſed themſelues againſt it, and perſecuted the Saints of God for the profeſſion hereof; as may appeare notably in the examples of Antiochus Epiphanes, Herod, Nero, Domitian, Diocleſian, Iulian the apoſtata and many others; who by their ſhamefull and horrible deaths teſtified and prooued the ſcriptures to bee the truth of God, which they had oppugned and perſecuted the whole courſe of their wicked liues.
§ Sect. 7 Sixtly, the Lord hath approoued the ſcriptures to bee his truth by wonderfull miracles,The ſixt reaſon taken from miracles. which Sathan himſelfe cannot ſo much as imitate; as by giuing the blind their ſight, raiſing the dead to life, turning backe the courſe of the Sunne in the firmament, diuiding the ſea in two parts, and ſuch like; which miracles were wrought by the almightie power of God, to this end that the faithfull might be confirmed in the aſſurance of Gods truth, and the wicked conuinced. But againſt this, Sathan will be readie to ſuggeſt, that there were neuer any ſuch miracles as are recorded in the ſcriptures. To which I anſwere, that theſe miracles were not done in a corner, or in hugger mugger, but in the preſence of great multitudes; otherwiſe the Prophets and Apoſtles who were but meane and ſimple men, ſhould hauehave laboured in vaine to hauehave perſwaded men, to hauehave embraced their doctrine and religion (eſpecially being ſo contrarie to humane wiſedom, and our natural diſpoſition and affections) if they had onelyonly themſelues reported, or brought ſome few witneſſes of their miracles wrought, and not publikly ſhewed them to all the people. Moreouer, ſeeing this doctrine hath had ſo many enemies from the beginning, it is not probable but that they would hauehave exclamed, and written againſt the writings of the Prophets and Apoſtles, as ſoone as they were publiſhed, for writing ſuch things as were neuer done: but amongſt all thoſe who hauehave oppoſed themſelues againſt the ſcriptures, there is no man ſo impudent as to denie that ſuch miracles were done, of which ſo many were eye-witneſſes: nay contrariwiſe the Heathen themſelues, who neither knew God nor his true religion, hauehave made mention of them in their writings; and the Iewes who to this day withſtand the worke of redemption wrought by Chriſt, doe notwithſtanding confeſſe that ſuch miracles were wrought by Chriſt and his Apoſtles; neither in truth are they able to gainſay them, ſeeing they hauehave receiued this truth by tradition from their fathers: and therfore they are driuen to confeſſe, that Chriſt was a great Prophet, though not the promiſed Meſſias.
§. Sect. 8 Seuenthly,the conſtant teſtimonie of innumerable Martyrs, who hauehave ſealed this truth with their deareſt bloud,The ſeuenth reaſon, taken from the testimonie of Martyrs. is a notable argument to aſſure vsus that it is indeede the word of God: for it is not likely that ſo many would ſo conſtantly and cheerefully hauehave ſuffred for their profeſſion, the moſt exquiſite torments that wit and malice could inuent, if the ſpirit of God had not certainly aſſured them that it was the truth of God, and if it had not ſupported them in ſuffring theſe torments aboue all humane power and ſtrength. And whereas it may bee obiected, that wicked men hauehave ſuffred alſo for their ſects, opinions and hereſies, we are to know that there is great differece betweene them; firſt, becauſe the number hath been few who hauehave ſuffred for their ſeuerall ſects and hereſies, but the Martyrs almoſt innumerable who hauehave ſuffred for the ſame truth; ſecondly, the ſame cheerefulneſſe, conſtancie and reioycing in their ſuffrings hath not bin in them who hauehave ſuffred for their errors, which hath alwaies been obſerued in Gods Saints. And laſtly, theſe heretikes hauehave alwaies been confuted and conuinced of their errors and hereſies before their ſuffrings, whereas Gods Saints directed by his holie ſpirit, hauehave ſtopped the mouthes of their aduerſaries with the wiſedom of Gods word, which Sathan himſelfe cannot reſiſt, and through violent rage being vnconuicted hauehave been led to the ſlaughter.