A Stock of Divine Knowledge, Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
2 TIM. 3.16.
All Scriptures are given by divine inſpiration of God, and are profitable.
THe laſt day wee ſpake concerning the Scriptures, and therein wee handled the Author that wrote them, and from whom they did flow; and you heard, it was from God himſelfe, and that by divine inſpiration. It remaineth then that wee ſhould ſpeake of the ſecond thing that wee have thought fit to bee ſpoken of, viz. The dignity of the Word, which hath two parts: the firſt, the Authority of it; the ſecond, the Sufficiencie of it, becauſe wee are to build on it, and to reſt upon it as the ground and rule of Faith: and theſe are the two things which wee will handle at this time. For the former of theſe,
Queſt. What is the authority of the written word?
Anſw. It is that by which it is authenticall, and worthy of credit in it ſelfe, being the divine and onelyonly Canon and Rule for all things to bee beleeved and done. That the Word of God hath this authority, this verſe which I have read doth prove: So alſo Iſa. 8.20. To the Law, and to the Teſtimonies, if they ſpeake not according to this word, it is becauſe there is no light in them: if queſtions be asked about the dead, To the Law, and to the Teſtimonies, whatſoever others ſay, reject it; this hath authority of it ſelfe: to this is added 2 Pet. 1.19. Wee have alſo a more ſure Word: to theſe I add Gal. 6.16. As many men as walk after this rule, peace be on them: this is the rule of all things; Joh. 2.16. If any man bring any other Doctrine, bid him not to thy houſe; where the word ſheweth, that there is no other word of any authority but this Word; thus the Word witneſſeth of it ſelfe; therefore it muſt be true: John 10.35. the Word cannot be broken, therefore it muſt bee of that authority, worthy of credit in it ſelfe; and being divine, wee muſt beleeve it, and it muſt bee the Rule and Canon by which all things muſt bee done; And this is the proofe of the firſt point.
Queſt. What ground have you for this, that the Scriptures are thus authenticall?
Anſ. There are theſe: Firſt, becauſe they are Gods word, to whom it belongs to appoint every one a cannon and rule, that muſt give them direction to all things to be beleeved and done.
Secondly, Becauſe God hath written them for this end, that they might be ſuch a rule that might be alwayes in the Church, that men ſhould not dare to ſwerve from it.
Thirdly, Becauſe this Word is the firſt divine truth of God himſelf.
To explane theſe; firſt, they are Gods word, &c. This is manifeſt of it ſelf, that it belongs to God to appoint a rule and a cannon: we further confirme this thus, Deut. 7.11. Keepe my commandements, my ſtatutes, and my judgements, why ſo? becauſe they are my ſtatutes, I command you: the Word is a lanterne to my feet (ſaith David) Pſal. 119.105. Thou ſhalt keepe my ſtatutes: ſo that if we enquire into the ground, what the reaſon of the authority of the Scripture is, it is manifeſt, it is authenticall, becauſe it is the word of God: who ſhould teach me (ſaith Saint Ambroſe) the things that appertaine to heaven? God, and not man. Who can better teach me concerning God, then God? All other Divine things had need of teſtimony, ſaith Salvian: but onelyonly theſe things ſpoken by God, need no more teſtimony: while therefore it is God that hath wrote this, and he onelyonly hath Divine authority, therefore this muſt needs be of Divine authority.
The ſecond anſwer was thus much; becauſe that this was written by God, to that end, that the Church might alway have a rule, from which it ſhould not dare to ſwerve. Deut. 5.32. Take heed to my ſtatutes, turne not to the right hand, nor to the left: and that Rom. 15.4. Theſe things were written, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope: therefore from hence it is manifeſt, that they are written to be a rule.
Thirdly, becauſe that this is the firſt divine trueth of God himſelfe; therefore it hath this name, Epheſ. 1.13. Iohn 17.17. thy Word is truth; with an emphaſis, that there is no truth but this: ſo Epheſ. 2.20. it is the foundation of the Church, it is builded upon the Apoſtles and Prophets: we ſay it is the firſt truth of God himſelfe, becauſe it muſt be firſt beleeved before we can beleeve by a divine faith any thing that is revealed in it; faith doth firſt ſpring out of it, and is laſt of all reſolved into it, and ſo it is the firſt truth. This is the principle of principles, and though it be not beleeved, yet it hath the ſame authority: gold is gold, though no man have it: the Sunne in the firſt day it was created, was to rule the day, and meaſure time though there was neither man nor beaſt to take notice of it. In the Gnomen of a diall, the ſhadow of it ſhewes the houres of the day though men ſleepe; principles in all Arts are to be granted, are not denied without groſſe abſurdities. Here are our firſt principles; that there is a God, that God hath a Word, that the Scripture is the Word of God; theſe are and ought to be aſſented unto by whoſoever would be called Chriſtian; the denying of any one of theſe, is to open the gate to Atheiſme, and all prophaneſſe: ſo then this is manifeſt, that this Word of God is of Divine authority.
The firſt Uſe then teacheth us, that then fals to the ground, the Doctrine of Popery, that tels us, that the Scriptures have no authority but from the Church: ſome have ſpoken very blaſphemouſly of the Word of God, one for all; the Preſident of the Councell of Trent ſaith, that the Scriptures have no more authority then Eſops Fables, without authority from the Church of Rome: and others ſay, they have no more authority then any other prophane books: others more moderate ſay, they have no more authority in them then they receive from the Church: the queſtion is not what authority the Church doth give to the Scriptures, but what authority they have in themſelves: the Church can but declare their authority, the Scriptures have it in themſelves, I had not beleeved the Scripture (ſaith Auſtin.)
We never denied that the Church hath excellent Offices concerning the Scriptures; as firſt, it is to keep them and preſerve them; therefore the Church is compared to a publique Notary, like to the Court of Rowles; the Maſter of the Roles gives no authority to Records, but keepes them. Secondly, the Church is to publiſh the Scriptures; therefore ſhe is compared to a crier, and this is the fidelity of the crier, to publiſh the ſpeech of the Prince; and the Churches duty is to publiſh the Law of God. The third office it hath, is to diſcern the true Scriptures from forgeries, and apocryphall. It cannot make that which is Apocrypha, Canonicall; but it hath a power in diſcerning which are Apocryphall, which Canonicall: as it is in a City, the Magiſtrates receiving a letter as from the Prince, out of their experience are able to diſcerne whether it be the Princes letter or not: ſo they that are Gods Miniſters, can do nothing but diſcerne the Word, they cannot give any authority to it: we conclude, the Scripture hath authority in it ſelfe, Ephe. 2.20. It is the foundation of the Church, then the Church cannot giuegive authority unto it.
The ſecond Uſe ſerves to admoniſh us, to receive the Scriptures for themſelves, for their owne authority, and not for any mans authority whatſoever; not for any mans perſon, nor upon the authority of the Church; for if we doe ſo, we cannot have true ſaving faith. Every man ought to receive the Scripture for its owne authority; not that any man ſhould condemn the authority of the Church, but he may not depend onelyonly upon it, no not upon Saint Paul himſelfe, but muſt ſearch the Scriptures, to ſee whether it be ſo or no: we ought not to receive the teſtimony of any Church in the world, except it be grounded upon the Scripture: we will uſe that which Aquinas ſaith of the woman of Samaria (we may uſe the helpe of an enemy) when ſhe told them what things Chriſt did, they beleeved, but when they came to Chriſt himſelfe, they beleeved not for her ſaying, but becauſe they heard him themſelves: ſo we uſe the authority of the Church, as a meanes to come to beleeve; but when we beleeve, let us not beleeve for the ſaying of the Church, but for the Scriptures themſelves.
Vſe 3. This is to admoniſh every man, when he hath received the Word, to know it is the truth of God, and therefore to labour to make it the Cannon of his faith, for the authority it hath in it ſelfe: we ought to examine our ſelves by this Word: Haſt thou done any thing that hath not this ground? repent of it; and for the time to come, labour to make this the Cannon of thy life, and the rule of thy obedience. Art thou tempted by thy owne corruptions, or by any other? aske them, Is there any ſuch Word that will give leave? if not, thou muſt beleeve and hold to this; for this is the Cannon by which thou oughteſt to do all things. Hierome complaines of ſome in his time, who did wreſt the Law to their owne wils, and not their wils to the Law; but we muſt be farre from this: for whoſoever walks after this rule, Gal. 6. mercy and peace ſhall be to him; but if he walke not after this rule, he ſhall have judgement mercileſſe.
Queſt. The next queſtion is, what is the ſufficiencie of this Word?
Anſw. The anſwer is, that it is that by which it is perfected, concerning all things neceſſary to ſalvation; that place which the Apoſtle hath, 2 Tim. 3.17. doth prove this; it is able to make the man of God wiſe unto ſalvation, and therefore it is ſufficient: ſo Deut. 12.32. Thou ſhalt keepe all theſe Commandements, thou ſhalt adde naught thereto, nor take ought therefrom; and therefore it muſt needs be perfect: that to which nothing can be added, and from which nothing can be taken, muſt needs be perfect: alſo Pſal. 19.7. the Law of the Lord is perfect, Revel. 22. Whoſoever ſhall adde unto this booke, God ſhall adde unto them the plagues that are written in this booke. Thus the Word teſtifies of it ſelfe; and therefore ſeeing the Word is true, it muſt needs be a perfect rule.
Queſt. What Reaſon doe you ſhew for further proofe of this?
Anſw. Firſt, becauſe it was the written Will and teſtimony of God.
Secondly, Becauſe after the Lord had given the Law in writing, the Jewes were never guided by any unwritten word.
Thirdly, Becauſe Chriſt and his Apoſtles never proved their Doctrine by any unwritten word. To explane theſe:
Firſt, It is the written Will and teſtimony of God; therefore we call theſe, the old and new Teſtament: a mans will after it is confirmed, no eſtate will admit to be altred; therefore if we may not alter mans will, much leſſe may we alter Gods.
Secondly, It is ſufficient, becauſe that after the Lord had given his Law in writing, the Jewes were never guided by traditions: before the giving of the Law, the truth went from hand to hand, but after that God had written the Law, they never came to him, but upon ſome eſpeciall occaſion: as for the Blaſphemer, &c. Bellarmine confeſſeth this, that there are ſome Catholiques ſpeake with great probability that the Jewes, after God had written the Law had no traditions: Auſtin ſaith, in the old Teſtament the Goſpell was hid, but in the new Teſtament it was made more plaine: If God would teach the Jewes by nothing but by the written Word, when it was more obſcure, much leſſe us, who have it more cleare.
Thirdly, Becauſe whatſoever Chriſt and his Apoſtles, taught, they proved by the written Word; thus ſaith a Prophet, and thus ſaith the Pſalmes; nay, certainly, Chriſt oppoſed traditions, when he found that their authority corrupted the Law, Mat. 5. but I ſay unto you, rejecting thoſe traditions, the true word of God is this: therefore the concluſion is, that the Scriptures are a perfect rule containing all things to be beleeved and done.
Vſe 1. The firſt Uſe teacheth us, that then muſt fall to the ground, all unwritten traditions, the ground of all which is ſaid to be the inſufficiency of the Scriptures; but if the Scriptures be ſufficient, then traditions have nothing to leane upon; but it is blaſphemie to thinke, that God would not perfect that Word he began, and therefore traditions are nothing. Oh! ſay they, the Scriptures doe not containe all fundamentall points for faith. To this I anſwer: If they had ſaid, the Scriptures doe not containe all the fundamentall points of their faith, I would willingly ſubſcribe to it; the word of God no where ſpeakes of Saint Peters ſucceſſours; the word no where ſpeakes of invocation of Saints, prayer for the dead, indulgences and pardons, theſe things the Scripture doth not containe; but theſe are all of them contrary to the foundation; but we beleeve nothing as neceſſary to ſalvation beſides the Scripture. We doe not doubt but that the Saints kept many excellent ſpeeches, and ſayings of Chriſt, (as that in the Acts, as the Lord ſaid, it is a more bleſſed thing to give then to receive,) but if there be any ſuch tradition, that is not for ſubſtance to be found in the word, that we reject, becauſe the Scriptures are ſufficient; for the concluſion, we will end with a ſpeech of St. Auſtin: I ſeek in the Goſpell, if I finde it not there, where ſhall I finde it? ſo may I ſay, if we find not traditions in the word, where ſhall we find them?
Vſe 2. This teacheth the Miniſters of God, that they muſt prove the Doctrine they teach unto the people; where ſhall they have that light, no where but from the word? they muſt not follow the viſion of any man, but only the word; wherein God hath comprized every thing that he will have his people taught: as it was in the creation, the light was at large before the Sunne was created; but after that was created, God incloſed all light in the Sun; ſo ſome time the word of God was taught from hand to hand, God informed ſome, and they taught others: but after that God had written the Scriptures, all were to receive their light from theſe; there was none to be had any where elſe, and in this caſe it is manifeſt, 1. Pet. 1.14. Give attendance ſaith the Apoſtle to reading: in what? in the written word of God, Acts 26.22. The Apoſtle ſpeakes of nothing but of Moſes and the Prophets: ſo the Miniſters of God ſhould ſpeake of nothing elſe; and as Lactantius ſaith, learne to teach that which hath been taught before, ſo ſhalt thou teach no new thing.
Vſe 3. This ſeems to inſtruct men, if they want counſell, if they want advice, where it is to be had; let them reſort to the booke of God, to the law and to the teſtimonies; this ſhall make them wiſe, this ſhall comfort them; the Scripture is able to make the man of God perfect to ſalvation, how much more a private man? That booke that can teach a man to be a Captaine, can teach a common ſouldier how to order himſelfe; if he cannot finde ſufficiency in it, then he muſt blame himſelfe, for the defect is in his own part. Saint Auguſtine, having given certaine rules, by which a man might underſtand the Scriptures, ſaith thus; if any man by theſe rules cannot underſtand the Scriptures, let him not blame the Scriptures, but let him blame himſelfe: as if I, ſaith the Father, do ſhew a man a ſtar with my finger, and he hath a weake ſight and cannot ſee it, let him not blame my finger, but his owne weakneſſe: for concluſion, every man ought to get a bible, what wants any man for ſalvation and ſpirituall comfort, that is not here? there is diſtreſſe, but here is a remedy for it; no diſcomfort, but here is a comfort, &c. It is like the Apothecaries ſhop, there is no wound but there is a remedy: but if a ſtranger come unto the Apothecaries ſhop, though all theſe things be there, yet he cannot tell where they are, but the Apothecary himſelfe knoweth: ſo in the Scriptures, there are cures for any infirmities; there is comfort againſt any ſorrowes, and by conferring Chapter with Chapter, we ſhall underſtand them: the Scriptures are not wanting to us but we to our ſelves; let us be converſant in them, and we ſhall underſtand them, when great Clerks who are negligent, are kept from them.