The Principle of Protestant Truth and Peace, Catechism · Chapter 5
CAP. V. Of the Publick or Divine Original of Sacred Writing, or Scripture.
Queſt. SEeing Scripture is the only Publick Record of True, Pure, Natural Religion, and more eminently of Revealed; it is moſt neceſſary to be fully informed in all Points concerning it: And firſt, What Care God hath been pleaſed to take, that his Word, and purely that, ſhould be committed to Writing?
Anſw. God held the Hands and Pens of Holy Men, by an efficacious overſhadowing their Minds, and conducting all their Motions, that they could not erre: In ſome things he ſo fully poſſeſſed their Underſtandings and Affections with a full Knowledge and Senſe of what they were to reveal, that they could not ſo much as muſe any thing Strange or Diverſe from what they were ſo carried and born by the Divine Spirit in, even as Elijah in his Body.
In other things, wherein they could not look round about them, nor fully comprehend what the Spirit in them did ſignifie, though they convey'd it to After-times, yet they were by Almighty Impreſſions upon all their Faculties neceſſary to that Service, held in ſtronger than Adamantine Conſinements, that they could not extravagate from Divine Truths. Even Balaam, thus overpower'd againſt his will, could not go beyond the Word of the Lord, to ſpeak either Good or Evil, upon the greateſt Reward; much leſs Holy Men, whoſe Wills were perfectly reſigned to the Divine Will.
Queſt. But was not there a Poſſibility, thoſe Holy Men, Writers of Scripture, might at other times, when the Spirit was not ſo immediately preſent to them, alter, or add of another Alloy, to what themſelves had been the Inſtruments of conveying from God to the World? Or might not Pretenders ariſe, and give out Falſe Scripture to the World, that had none of that True Spirit?
Anſw. When once any Part of Divine Teſtimony was committed to Writing, it became a Boundary to thoſe very Penmen (much more to all others) that they were always concluded by it: So that beſides the Dread and Awe of God, and of the great Sin of Falſification of his Truth or Name, they could not alter any thing, ſo as to diſagree with what they had before ſpoken by the Divine Spirit, whoſe Righteous Judgments endure for ever: nor could they ſo much as imitate themſelves, when unaſſiſted by the Holy Spirit.
When therefore they did not underſtand by immediate Aſſiſtance, the utmoſt End and Reach of what themſelves were enabled to ſpeak and write, they did (and they could do no more) ſearch, and pronounce by all the beſt ordinary Helps God afforded them, but could change nothing, could add nothing; they ſearched what, or what manner of Time the Spirit of Chriſt in them did ſignifie; they could not pronounce of the Time, when not revealed to them: They knew the dreadful Anathema ready to fall, even upon an Angel from Heaven, that ſhould preach another Goſpel. The leaſt Iota, once eſtabliſhed by Unchangeable Wiſdom and Goodneſs, was leſs movable than Heaven and Earth, and would bear no Addition, but of the ſame Authority by which it ſelf was given.
And even the very Manner, Method, Words, as they meet to carry ſuch a Senſe, have their Majeſty and Divineneſs; ſo that whatever was by Inſpiration from God, bridled that which was not; and they that were inſpir'd, knew in what they were inſpir'd, and what they ſpoke as ſo inſpired, and in what they were not; but were as Samſon with his Locks cut, no more than like other Men; and moſt cautiouſly diſtinguiſh'd betwixt the one and the other. Nothing therefore hath aſſayed to joyn it ſelf to Scripture; if any hath dar'd to do it, it hath been rejected by it, when not of the High and Publick Spirit of it.
Queſt. But did not the Writers of the New Teſtament reverſe the Writings and Commands of the Old; which thing ſo ſcandaliſed the Jews againſt our Lord, his Diſciples, and Goſpel?
Anſw. No otherwiſe than as the Sun commands the Shadow to fly away, and the leſſer Lights to retire, when it ſelf appears; or the things typ'd out being come, make uſeleſs the Types, ſo that they neceſſarily give place, or, as Pictures vail when the Life is preſent: Elſe there was ſuch a Reſpect to the Scriptures of the Old Teſtament in thoſe of the New, as to avow them of God before them, and Elder Scripture than themſelves: ſo that they vouch'd them for all they ſaid and taught, and ſtaid the time of themſelves being tried, proved, and ſufficiently confirmed, and Canonized into Scripture, by the Scriptures that were undoubtedly ſo before them, and in the very ſame Methods that they came into the Honour of being Scripture.
Upon which account, the Apoſtle calls them the more ſure Word of Propheſie; more ſure, becauſe of greater Antiquity, and Elder Reception into Scripture, than that Hiſtorical Relation and Doctrine, which yet was immediately to paſs into Scripture of the ſame Authority and Value with former Scripture, and of greater Evidence and Divine Clearneſs, and recommended by Higher Appearances of Divinity.
And on this ſame account the New Teſtament derives it ſelf from the Old, ſometimes by Proofs out of it, drawn according to the moſt regular Trains and Conſequences; ſometimes by more immediate and autho…tative Interpretation, but of the ſame Publick and Divine Inſpiration with the Prophecy of Old Time it ſelf, as ſhall be preſently more fully diſcours'd under the Head of Interpretation.
Queſt. How far, and to what things does the Rule of the Word of God extend?
Anſw. To all things, moſt aſſuredly, that are neceſſary to Salvation and Eternal Life, or to the true perfecting the Conſcience in Purity and Peace; whether they are things to be believed, as the Springs of Heavenly Action; or Things to be obſerved in the Worſhip of God, or to guid… the Practice, and order the Converſation aright to tha… Salvation; or that are preſcribed according to the Will of God, for Diſcipline and Government of the Church: Al… theſe are plainly written, or by juſt Conſequences to b… derived from the Word of God, ſo far as they are neceſſary to ſhew Men the way to pleaſe God, or to aſſure them they do pleaſe God, that ſo they may attain the Promiſe of Eternal Life.
Queſt. Is there no other Rule of Religion then, but the Scriptures, embracing the Law of Nature?
Anſw. There can be none, except either Religion were not derived wholly from God, and therefore not ſo Catholick as we have aſſerted it, or except any other Record of Religion can ſhew its Deſcent as High and Publick as Scripture does: Of which Proof which Scripture gives of it ſelf, and what it is, Inquiry is in the next place to be made.