A Stock of Divine Knowledge, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
JOHN 5.39.
Search the Scriptures, for in them yee thinke to have eternall life, and they are they which teſtifie of me.
WEE have heard of a twofold knowledge of God, the one by Nature, the other by Revelation, and that is by the Word and Spirit; by which you have heard how a man may come to ſaving knowledge: Now to proceed; The next queſtion is,
Queſt. In what Word is this knowledge to be ſought?
Anſw. It is to bee ſought in the written Word of God, the old and new Teſtament. Seeing God hath revealed himſelfe in his Word, and that there is a ſufficient knowledge to be found in it, though not effectuall without the Spirit; (I think) this ſeems reaſonable, that before we ſpeak of God himſelf, wee ſpeak ſomthing of the holy Scriptures, the fountain of knowledge, in which God hath revealed himſelfe to the world, that we may know with what warrant we may ground our faith upon them: Therefore it is neceſſary that wee know firſt what this Word is, and then what Author it hath?
Anſwer is made, that this ſaving knowledge is to bee ſought and found in the written Word of God. This is warranted upon that which I have read, Search the Scriptures, for they are they which teſtifie of me: this is further confirmed, Iſa. 8.20. To the Law & to the Teſtimonies: if queſtion ariſe concerning God, where ſhall wee finde anſwer? To the Law and to the Teſtimonies; goe to the written Word of God: of this the Apoſtle ſaith, in 2 Tim. 3.15. that it is able to make a man wiſe to ſalvation, and therefore it carries in it the wiſdome and knowledge of God, by which a man muſt be ſaved. Saint Peter alſo, 1 Pet. 1.19. calls it a more ſure Word (making oppoſition betweene it and the word they heard from heaven in the holy mount) to which wee ought to take heed, as to a light ſhining, &c. Finally, our Saviour Chriſt ſpeaks of this in the Parable to the rich man, They have Moſes and the Prophets; if they will know any thing concerning God, faith, repentance, &c. what need one be raiſed from the dead? So then, theſe teſtimonies ſhew, that the ſaving knowledge of God is to be had in the old and new Teſtament. This Queſtion brings another, and that is this,
Queſt. Why is knowledge to bee ſought in the old and new Teſtament.
Anſw. Firſt, becauſe this is the perfect rule conteining all things to be known and beleeved. Secondly, becauſe it is a certaine and a ſure rule. Thirdly, it is an infallible rule, that neither deceives, nor can bee deceived. To explaine this:
Reaſ. 1. Becauſe it is a perfect rule, therefore this knowledge is to be ſought there: Deut. 4.2. Thou ſhalt add nothing to it, nor take any thing from it: Add to it, and thou makeſt it imperfect; take from it, and thou makeſt it no leſſe imperfect, becauſe it is of it ſelfe an abſolute and full rule. The Apoſtle ſaith, 2 Tim. 3.16. The word is given by inſpiration, to inſtruct, rebuke, &c. It is able to make the man of God perfect, &c. It is full for all purpoſes, for inſtruction, correction, &c. and for all perſons; it perfects the Miniſter in his work and calling; and if him, then much more every other man.
Secondly, It is a certain knowne rule: That which is the rule of ſalvation, muſt be a certaine knowne rule (if it be unknowne, it is no rule) to thoſe that ſhall bee ſaved. The Word ſometime, from Adam to Moſes, was wholly unwritten; yet then no doubt but God revealed himſelfe to the faithfull. But when the Church was growne up to bee a Nation, and mixed with unfaithfull and faithfull; God, that hee might make a certaine rule, by Moſes writ his Word: And that the Word was written for this end, it appeares, Luke 1.3, 4. Theſe things have I written unto thee, moſt noble Theophilus, that thou mighteſt bee certaine of theſe things: there goes a report of Chriſt what he did, and what hee ſuffered, theſe things have I written, that thou mighteſt be certaine: and therefore our Saviour Chriſt being asked the queſtion in the Goſpel, what was to be done to inherit eternall life, hee anſwers, How readeſt thou? Luk. 10.26. Wilt thou be certaine? then read the Scriptures, and they will manifeſtly and ſurely declare what is to be done, and give a perfect anſwer to ſuch queſtions.
Thirdly, we are to come now to the written Word, becauſe the written Word is an infallible rule; an infallible rule is ſuch a rule as cannot bee deceived nor deceive; for if it could doe either, it were not infallible: but that the Word of God is ſuch, that it cannot deceive nor bee deceived, I manifeſt it thus, becauſe God and his Word are one Truth, therefore it cannot deceive; John 17.17. Sanctifie them with thy Truth, thy Word is Truth. As light is not the cauſe of darkneſſe, ſo the Word is not the cauſe of error. This is a right rule, ſaith S. Auguſtine, thy Writings are my delight, by them I ſhall never be deceived. And this is the firſt point.
Uſe 1. If this bee ſo, here are overthrowne all humane traditions which are by man added to the Scripture: all traditions that are either written or carried from hand to hand are rejected; whatſoever is taught without the Scripture, is to be abhorred; for the Word is the rule, and he that brings any other doctrine, let him be accurſed.
Uſe 2. This ſerves to provoke men to labour for the knowledge of the Word. Here I will take an occaſion to ſpeake of it, becauſe I ſee the careleſneſſe of this age. If there bee any amongſt us that deſire the knowledge of God, then wee ſhould labour for the knowledge of his Word: Why? becauſe wee cannot know God, unleſſe wee know his Word. This is ingratitude againſt God, that hee ſhould vouchſafe his Word, and wee not labour to know it; this is impiety againſt our ſelves, that look to bee ſaved, and yet neglect the knowledge of the Word that brings ſalvation. There is a knowledge of God by nature; but the remainder of the light that is in mans nature is marvellous dark: Though the fooliſh heathen ſay, If a man follow nature hee cannot erre, wee know that nature is ſtarke blinde in matters appertaining to God; therefore men ſhould labour to know the Word, that it might dwell in them in all wiſdome. Saint Bernard ſaith, This is the portion of the Jewes, that they have the letter onelyonly, and ſo the portion of all hereticks, and not of Chriſtians. Saint Auguſtine ſaith, Oh unhappy hereticks, which regard nothing but the outward ſound of the letter, having a body without a ſoule! Therefore men that will have a bodie and a ſoul together, muſt labour to have the underſtanding of the places that they read; and to this end, they muſt add meditation to their reading, and conſtant and earneſt prayer to God to their meditation, that hee would give his ſpirit of wiſdome and revelation: and by this meanes they ſhall be able to ſearch out hidden and ſecret things that are not diſcerned by others. Saint Bernard ſaith, when he was entred upon a text upon Cant. This Well is deepe, and I have nothing to draw; but yet I ſee by experience, that if a man cover the Well with a linnen cloth, he ſhall wring out ſome moyſture which otherwiſe hee ſhould not: I have therefore bended my ſelfe upon it, and ſtretched my hands to thee, that thou wouldeſt reveale ſomething to mee, for every man bending and ſtretching himſelfe, his heart and his hands to God, ſhall receive ſomething; for, the enterance to thy Word, ſaith David, giveth light. Solomon ſaith, a diligent hand maketh rich; a little ſtock to begin with, being diligently imployed, maketh rich: So it is in ſpirituall things, a diligent hand maketh rich; if a man have a little knowledge, if hee have a diligent heart and hand, though the Word bee as it were in a dark place, yet hee ſhall ſee more and more.
There are two things to be enquired of concerning the written Word of God; Firſt, by whom it was written: Secondly, for whom it was written. For the firſt; that is, by whom this Word was written, time will not give me leave to ſpeake of; therefore I will proceed to the next.
Queſt. For whom was this Word written?
Anſw. For all men, of all ages and conditions; the text that I have read proves it: Search the Scriptures; to whom did Chriſt ſpeak? To all men, of all Nations and Countries that were gathered there together. Act. 2.39. The promiſe is made to you, and to your children, and to as many as the Lord God ſhall call: the promiſes were not made to the Jewes onelyonly, but alſo to the Gentiles, even to as many as the Lord ſhall call; therefore the Word is written for all: Rom. 15.4. Whatſoever things were written afore time, were written for our learning; they were not written for them onelyonly, but for us alſo, upon whom the ends of the world are come: Theſe things are come upon them for examples, 1 Cor. 10.11. Therefore it is apparent, that the Word was written for all men. Out of this ariſeth another queſtion.
Queſt. How is it proved, that it is written for all men?
Anſw. Three wayes, beſides the teſtimony of Scripture: Firſt, becauſe the Lord that writ it is Lord over all, perfect in wiſdome. Secondly, becauſe this written Word is Gods revealed will. Thirdly, becauſe there is but one way to ſalvation for all men, and this is laid downe in it.
Wee will manifeſt this: Firſt, becauſe it is Gods Word; and God is over all times, over all places, and over all perſons, as well ſucceſſors as predeceſſors, as well them that goe before, as them that follow after; therefore the Word belongs to all. We have a Proverb, New Lords, new Lawes: but it is not ſo here; God doth keepe alwayes one Law; Kings that have their ſeverall Kingdomes, have all ſeverall Lawes; the reaſon is, becauſe they cannot make Lawes without their ſubjects, and amongſt them, one thinks this fit, another thinks that: but the Lord is an abſolute King, that makes Lawes without men; for the earth is the Lords, and all that therein is, Pſal. 24.1. I add to this, that hee is perfect in wiſdome: men, when they have made Lawes, they repeale them againe, becauſe they are imperfect in wiſdome, and cannot foreſee what will bee convenient for after times. But God is perfect in wiſdome; therefore his Lawes are alwaies the ſame.
Secondly, becauſe it is Gods revealed will, the rule of juſtice, by which things are made good or evill; and therefore it muſt needs bee a univerſall Law; his will is over all, his Word and himſelfe have the ſame extent, without any reſtraint whatſoever.
Thirdly, becauſe there is but one way to ſalvation, and that is by the Word; the Word brings ſalvation to all men of all times, and of all conditions; never had any man any way but one, and that is, by fulfilling of the Law: only there is this difference between the Law of works, and the Goſpel; for that by the covenant of works, all that will be ſaved by the Law, muſt doe the works of the Law themſelves; by the covenant of grace, all that will bee ſaved by the Goſpel, muſt apply by faith the fulfilling of the Law by Chriſt; for he is the end of the Law to ſalvation, he muſt be applyed to every man that will bee ſaved: ſo that here is an admirable concluſion, that man muſt be ſaved by mercy and juſtice; and for this the Word was written for all men, and for all ages.
Uſe 1. If this be ſo, then it is neceſſary that all men ſhould have the Word of God in their own language, though it was written in another language, and before they were, yet it was written for them; a point that our Jeſuits cry down, that every woman, and every boy, and every maide ſhould have the Word; they cry out of it, but if God writ it as well for the unlearned as for the learned, why ſhould they not have it? when God firſt writ the Bible, did hee write it in a ſtrange language? If God had beene minded to have had the Word ſhut up from the people, hee would have writ it in a ſtrange language; but God in his wiſdome wrote it not in a ſtrange language, but in ſuch a one as all might read: Nay more then this, the Churches at all times have had their Bibles tranſlated into their owne languages. Certainely, the Spirit of God never knew that which the Preſident of the Councell of Trent ſaith, A Diſtaffe was more fit for a woman then a Bible; when as God hath commanded that women ſhould read it as well as men; a Diſtaffe is fit in due times and ſeaſons: but theſe doe accuſe God, as the Divell in the Serpent did, when he ſaid to Evah, God would not have you to know this; this is nothing but the brood of the Serpent. Saint Chryſoſtome ſaith, Theeves when they meane to ſteale, firſt put out the candle; ſo hereticks, when they meane to deceive, firſt corrupt the Scriptures. The Papiſts themſelves have tranſlated the old and new Teſtament into Engliſh, but ſo darkly, that none that reads them (unleſſe hee be a Scholler) can underſtand them: their tranſlating proves againſt themſelves the lawfulneſſe of a tranſlation; for how dare they doe that which they judge unlawfull? their affectation of obſcurity is a mocking of God and of his people.
Uſe 2. Was the Word written for mee? then I ought to have a care to read it, and to underſtand it: This is the ground of all; wee ſhall never doe you good with teaching, except you read the Scriptures privately; God hath written them for you, as if your names were expreſſed in them. If a man had lived in the Church of Corinth when the Epiſtle was written to the Corinthians, would hee have thought that hee had beene excluded? nay, hee would rather have thought himſelfe to have beene bound to have read it. The whole Word of God is Gods Epiſtle to the creature. If an Emperor ſhould write a letter to thee, ſaith Gregory, thou wouldſt not reſt till thou hadſt read it; but when God writes this letter of life and ſalvation, wilt thou not read it? how ungratefull art thou to God? Thou wilt confeſſe the whole Church worthy to bee condemned, if it ſhould neglect the reading of the Scriptures: then thou being a member of the Church, condemneſt thy ſelfe. A man may read other books, but hee muſt read this; there is a neceſſity laid upon him, therefore hee muſt read them: And know, thou man and woman, thou art in a fearfull eſtate, when thou maieſt reade the Scriptures, and yet neglecteſt them. Brethren, know it for a truth, (for you ſhall one day know it) that though you have now excuſes why you cannot reade (as becauſe you cannot neglect your callings, &c.) yet the time will come when you ſhall have no excuſe to keep you from being condemned: If ever therefore you look to have ſalvation, you muſt read the Scriptures.
Uſe 3. This muſt teach us, that a man muſt not read onelyonly, but hee muſt apply alſo to himſelfe; hee muſt not read it for others, but hee muſt apply it to himſelfe, to his eſtate and condition. Wee have a common ſpeech, That that which is ſaid in generall, is ſpoken to none; but it is not true here: that which Chriſt ſaid to all, Watch, hee ſaid to every one; that which God ſaith to all, Read, hee ſaith to every particular perſon: as Tertullian ſaith, in reading the Scripture, Wee are to obſerve every ſeverall occaſion, to make uſe of every ſentence. Doth the Word command any thing to bee done? or doth it forbid any thing? doth it threaten any evill, or promiſe any mercy? labour to know it, that it may comfort thee, that it may inſtruct thee, &c. and this is to read the Word profitably, for every man to learne his owne leſſon thereby: many bad Schollers, when they cannot read their owne leſſon, can read anothers; ſo, many can learne others leſſons, but they cannot learne their own; as, they can ſay, This text meets with ſuch a one. See what a trewant thou art in this Schoole of Chriſt; labour to know thy leſſon; as, this threatning ſerves to terrifie mee, this promiſe to comfort mee, &c. Brethren, many men make a partiall application; ſome will apply the promiſes, but not the threatnings; take heed of eating too much honey, the promiſes will doe thee no good, if firſt thou have not applyed the threatnings; hee that takes not his part in the threatnings hath no part in the promiſes: therefore take a view of the whole Booke of God. Againe, they that have a trembling conſcience can ſee nothing but threatnings; theſe are onelyonly ſuch as the Lord leaves for a while, they cannot apply the promiſes to themſelves; but the other are in a worſe condition then theſe, for of theſe there is hope, becauſe the Lord is fitting them for himſelfe: but labour thou to apply the whole Word, that thou maieſt ſee thy ſelfe. The holy Scripture is a looking-glaſſe, ſaith Saint Gregory; and a looking-glaſs, we know, is to ſee both what is comely, and what is deformed; ſo is the Word, to diſtinguiſh things that differ, and to diſcover good and evill: by the Law is the knowledge of ſin, and duty; therefore labour to make uſe of it. All the Word is written for thee as well as for any, every part of it as well as any part; therefore apply it to thy ſelfe, that thou maieſt have comfort and mercy in this life, and eternall happineſſe in the life to come.