The Remains of John Corbet, Section 20 – Section 21
§ 20. Of the infallible Knowledg of the Senſe of Scripture.
AS we may be infallibly certain of the Divine Authority of the Holy Scripture, ſo likewiſe of the ſence of the Scripture at leaſt in points fundamental or eſſential to the Chriſtian Religion, and that without an infallible Teacher.
We may certainly know, that an interpretation of Scripture repugnant to the common reaſon of mankind, and to ſenſe rightly circumſtantiated, is impoſſible to be true; if we can certainly know any thing is impoſſible to be true; and conſequently we may infallibly know it.
The ſence of Scripture in many things, and thoſe moſt material to Chriſtian faith and life, is ſo evident from the plain, open and ample expreſſion thereof, that he that runs may read it, if his underſtanding be notoriouſly prejudiced: And if we cannot know the ſaid ſenſe to be neceſſarily true, we can know nothing to be ſo, and ſo we are at uncertainty for every thing.
It will ſurely be granted by all, that we may as certainly know the ſenſe of Scripture in things plainy and amply expreſſed, as the ſenſe of any other writings, as for inſtance of the Writings of Euclide in the definitions and axioms in which men are univerſally agreed.
If any ſay the words in which the ſaid definitions and axiomes are expreſſed, may poſſibly bear another ſenſe, it is anſwered, That they may, abſolutely conſidered; becauſe words which have their ſenſe ad placitum, and from common uſe, being abſolutely conſidered, may have a divers ſenſe from what they have by common uſe; but thoſe words being reſpectively conſidered as ſetled by uſe, cannot poſſibly bear another ſenſe, unleſs we imagine the greateſt abſurdity imaginable in the Writer. Beſides, they that pretend the poſſibility of another ſenſe, I ſuppoſe do mean ſenſe, and not nonſenſe. And how a divers ſenſe of all thoſe words in Euclide, that is not pure nonſenſe, ſhould ariſe out of the ſame words, and ſo conjoined, is by me incomprehenſible.
But if the poſſibility of the thing be comprehenſible, or ſo great an abſurdity be imaginable in a Writer led only by a humane ſpirit, it is not imaginable in Writers divinely inſpired. That the Holy Ghoſt ſhould write unintelligibly, and wholly diverſly from the common uſe of words in things abſolutely neceſſary to ſalvation, is impoſſible.
If an infallible Teacher be neceſſary to give the ſenſe of Scripture in all things, and no other ſenſe than what is ſo given, can be ſafely reſted in, then either the right ſenſe of that infallible Teachers words, if he be at a diſtance, cannot be known but by ſome other preſent infallible Teacher, or elſe that pretended infallible Teacher is more able or more willing to aſcertain us of his meaning, than the Holy Spirit of God in Scripture.
To ſpeak of ſeeking the meaning of Scripture from the ſenſe that the Catholick Church hath thereof, is but vain talk. For firſt, the Catholick church never yet hath, and never is like to come together till the day of judgment, to declare their ſenſe of the things in queſtion; nor have they written it in any book or number of books. 2. Never did any true Repreſentative of the Catholick Church, or any thing like it, as yet come together, or any way declare what is their ſenſe of the Scripture, and the things in queſtion; nor is ever like to do▪ 3. Tho it be granted that the Catholick Church cannot err in the eſſentials of Chriſtian Religion, as indeed no true member thereof can (for it would involve a contradiction); yet there is no aſſurance from Scripture or Reaſon, but that a great, if not the greater part of the Catholick Church may err in the integrals, much more in the accidentals of Religion; yea, there is no aſſurance from Scripture or Reaſon, but that the whole Catholick Church may err at leaſt per vices in the ſeveral parts thereof, ſome in one thing, ſome in another; And all this is teſtified by experience in the great diverſities of opinions about theſe things, in the ſeveral parts of the Catholick Church; yea, and by the difference of judgment and practiſe of the larger parts thereof, even from thoſe among us who hold this principle of the neceſſity of ſtanding to their judgment.
Wherefore ſhall we think that God puts men upon ſuch diſſiculties, yea, impoſſibilities of finding out the true meaning of the Holy Scriptures, at leaſt in the main points of Chriſtianity? Surely God requires of us no more than he hath given, and that is to make uſe of the faculties wherewith he hath indued us. How can we apprehend any doctrine, or the ſenſe of any written word, but by our faculty of underſtanding? And how can we make judgment thereof, I mean a judgment of diſcretion, but by making uſe of our own reaſon?
This is not to ſubject matters of Religion to a private Spirit, but to refer them to the Divine Authority of Scripture, to be apprehended in the right and due uſe of reaſon, which is a publick and evident thing, and lies open to the trial and judgment of all men.
§ 21. What Certainty is neceſſary to the being of ſaving Faith.
THUS upon the grounds before laid we may have a natural infallible Certainty of the verity of the Chriſtian Religion, and the divine authority of the Scripture, and of the ſenſe of Scripture. It remains to be conſidered, Whether the having of this Certainty both of the Chriſtian Religion, and of the Scripture, be neceſſary to the being of ſaving Faith.
Here let it be noted, That a perſon may have ſome doubting of a matter, whereof he ſees no juſt cauſe of doubting: And howſoever men may poſſibly argue againſt this aſſertion, yet experience makes it good▪ And there is ſufficient reaſon for it in the infirmity of our minds contracted by the fall, whereby ofttimes we are confident of the things, which we ſee we have juſt cauſe to doubt of, or disbelieve; and whereby we doubt of the things, that we ſee we have juſt cauſe moſt firmly to believe. I take this to be evident in that ſaying, I believe, Lord help my unbelief: And againſt this it cannot be ſaid, here is an effect without a ſufficient cauſe; for tho there be no ſufficient ground or reaſon of the doubt; yet, for it being a defect, there is a ſufficient cauſe, namely, the infirmity of the mind.
He that ſaid to our Saviour, I believe, Lord help mine unbelief, had ſaying faith: And his faith that he profeſſed, and his unbelief that he complained of, appears by the context not to relate to his intereſt in Chriſt, but to Chriſt himſelf, as able to help him; And ſo from this inſtance it is evident, that the not having of an infallible certainty of the object, denies not the being of ſaving faith, at leaſt, where a man is ſo far clear, as to ſee no juſt cauſe of doubt, tho he do ſomewhat doubt.
A man that ſees not a ſufficient evidence to be infallibly aſſured touching the firmneſs of the grounds for the receiving of the Chriſtian Doctrine, and yet ſees no ſufficient evidence for the rejecting of that doctrine, may from the conſideration of the importance of the things therein treated of, and the probability of the truth of thoſe things, be induced intirely and heartily to imbrace that doctrine, with purpoſe to live accordingly, and to perform that purpoſe.
That this may be, is evident; for humane prudence doth ſtrongly oblige a man in that caſe to make ſuch a choice for himſelf; and if he doth not make ſuch choice, he doth not act with the underſtanding of a man. But if it be ſaid, that the corruption of humane nature would be too hard for humane prudence in the caſe: I anſwer, That God can give that aſſiſtance of his Grace, whereby a mans will ſhall be inabled to make its choice according to prudence, againſt its naturally corrupt inclination: And God can give this aſſiſtance very congruouſly, or agreeably to his holy Wiſdom.
Whoſoever in the caſe aforeſaid doth make ſuch a choice, and live accordingly, hath ſaving faith: For his ſo doing doth imply an unfeigned love to, and preferring of God, and Chriſt and Holineſs, above all that is in the world, and ſo muſt needs ſuppoſe faith unfeigned; and God proceeding according to his Grace in Chriſt, will not impute unto condemnation ſuch a ones culpable defect of Certainty in the matters of Faith, which doth not hinder his ſincere truſt in God through Chriſt, and his intire and hearty love to him.