A Stock of Divine Knowledge, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
2 TIM. 3.16.
All Scriptures are given by divine inſpiration of God.
IT hath been ſhewed, that the ſaving knowledge of God is to be found in the Word, and that the Word is written: It is neceſſary to be conſidered who writ it, and for whom it was written; Of the former of theſe, By whom it was written, is now to be handled at this time.
Queſt. By whom was this Word written?
Anſw. It was given by God, by divine inſpiration, 2 Pet. 1.21. the proofe of which is manifeſt out of this text that I have read, All Scriptures are by divine inſpiration; and in this reſpect it was called Scripture, becauſe, that not onelyonly the matter, but the voice, the ſtile, the phraſe was by inſpiration from God. Other writings may be the Word of God; but this was by Gods appointment, the writing was the writing of God, Exod. 32.16. for Moſes, at firſt writ not the Commandements, but God; and after the Tables were broken, they were no leſſe the Word of God then before, Exod. 31.18. others were the pen-men, but God the hand; others the inſtruments, but God the maker and author of this Word, Iſa. 30.8. Therefore it is that the Apoſtle Saint Peter hath it, 2 Pet. 1.20, 21. there is no Prophecie but it comes from God; holy men of God writ them, and they ſpake them, not by the will of man, but by the holy Ghoſt. This truth, becauſe it is of weight, and hath great oppoſition of men, and breeds great doubts in men, we will labour to eſtabliſh, and for further confirmation of it, we will confirme it by internall and externall arguments; internall I call thoſe that are in the Scriptures themſelves, and in the minde of men; externall, thoſe that doe confirme theſe.
Queſt. How doth this appeare, that it was written by divine inſpiration from God?
Anſ. By internall arguments, that are in the Scriptures themſelves.
Firſt, from the doctrine it ſelfe, and excellencie thereof.
Secondly, from the majeſtie of the ſtile.
Thirdly, from the perpetuall conſent of Chriſt and his Apoſtles. To examine theſe:
Reaſ. 1. The firſt argument is, the doctrine which is ſo holy and divine, that no man could write but a divine wiſdome; and that is thus manifeſted: 1. From the greatneſſe of theſe things written, ſurpaſſing all humane reaſon. 2. From the purity of the Word, which convinceth men of injuſtice, and yet teacheth all men to bee juſt. 3. From the conſent; there is an admirable communion betweene juſtice and mercy; betweene the ſalvation of men by the ſatisfaction of Chriſt, and ſanctification by the holy Ghoſt: No man could think of any ſuch thing, till the Scripture did reveale it. 4. Laſtly, The end of the writing, which is onelyonly the glory of God, as the Apoſtle ſaith, Let him that rejoiceth rejoice in the Lord; this abaſeth nature, and advanceth grace, therefore it cannot be but by divine inſpiration.
Againe, no writing can bring comfort to a man but the Scriptures; Rom. 15.40. Theſe things have beene written, that wee through patience might have comfort of the Scriptures: theſe are ſuch things that a man could never attaine to but by God.
Reaſ. 2. The ſecond proofe that wee gave, was the majeſtie of the ſtile. Whoſoever is exerciſed in reading the Scripture, ſhall plainly ſee, that no meer man was ever able to write it of himſelfe. The excellencie of the ſtile is ſo great, that, as Euſebius reports, they thereby tryed the writing of hereticks; if the ſtile doth not agree to this of the Prophets and Apoſtles, they are to be rejected. If wee will know all true authority, wee muſt know it by the ſtile; for, howſoever a falſe Writer may take to him the name and frame of another man, yet hee cannot take his ſtile; for, as every man hath his ſeverall countenance, and ſeverall colour, that though two bee never ſo like, yet there are ſome things whereby they may bee diſcerned; ſo the writings of other men may bee knowne from the Scriptures, on which the holy Ghoſt hath ſet ſuch a ſtile as is not to bee found in all or any the writings of all the world beſides.
Reaſ. 3. The third ground was the conſent of Chriſt and the Apoſtles with the Prophets that went before them; the latter Prophets conſent with the former, and the former agree with them; therefore this muſt needs be from a divine direction. For, amongſt men who have written of the ſame ſubject wee may finde often variance, but theſe did never really contradict one another, there is no diſcrepance in them to bee found: there were ſome thouſands of yeers between the firſt Prophets writings and the Apoſtles, and ſome thouſands of miles betweene the Prophets and Apoſtles that wrote at the ſame time, yet all doe agree together: the ground is this, becauſe Truth (as God) is ever conſtant to it ſelfe. Therefore the Prophet Jeremy reproves Hanani, Jer. 28. becauſe hee did not conſent to the Prophets that went before him; and the Apoſtle pronounceth an anathema againſt himſelfe, or an Angel, or whoſoever ſhould teach any other doctrine. All which ſhewes, that there is a marvellous conſent in the Scriptures, and therefore they muſt needs be written by God, and not by men.
Queſt. What other internall Arguments are there in the mindes of men, to prove the Scripture the Word of God?
Anſw. It is proved, firſt by the Spirit of God, who witneſſeth the ſame in the hearts of the Elect: Secondly, by the power and efficacie of the Word, and the working it hath in the hearts of men. To explaine this,
Firſt, the Spirit of God witneſſeth this in the hearts of the Elect; God is the beſt witneſſe of himſelfe, ſo is the Spirit the beſt witneſſe of the Word, which is not beleeved untill it be ſettled in the heart of man by the Spirit that wrote it; for till then wee reject it. Some apply that of the Prophet, Iſa. 59.21. My Spirit that I have put upon thee, and my words that I have put in thy mouth, &c. In this manner the Spirit and the Word muſt agree together, and continually bear witneſſe each to other; whatſoever is ſuggeſted by the Spirit, and agreeth not with the Word, is to bee rejected; whatſoever is expreſſed in the Word, is not beleeved till witneſſed by the Spirit. I add to theſe Chriſts owne ſpeech to the Jewes, John 8.42, 43. who bragged that God was their Father; if God bee your father, why doe you not beleeve my words? for if God be your Father, then you have the Spirit of God; but it is apparant, that you have the Spirit of God, becauſe you beleeve not my words, and therefore God is not your Father. John 10.27. My ſheepe heare my voice; that is, they doe acknowledge that this is my voice: Ver. 16. I have other ſheep that are not of this fold, them alſo I muſt bring in, and they ſhall heare my voice: and ver. 3, 4. the ſhepheard calleth his ſheep by name, and they follow him, and a ſtranger will they not follow: where he ſheweth, that the ſons of God have the Spirit of God in them, whereby they are able to diſcerne the writings of God from other writings; the Spirit of God giving them a cleare underſtanding to ſee, and a perſwaſion to beleeve the truth of them, and ſuch a perſwaſion as no man knowes out of himſelfe, but in himſelfe. It is true (as wee ſaid before) That the majeſtie of the ſtile, and the conſent of the Writers, are great arguments to prove the Scriptures Gods Word; but yet they give a man no aſſurance, but onelyonly breed in him a kinde of reverence, as Salvian ſaith: But if a man bee once enlightened with the Spirit of God, hee reſts not on his owne judgement, nor on the judgement of all the world, becauſe hee hath inward judgement in himſelfe, which is the Spirit: And thus much for the firſt internall argument.
The ſecond argument is taken from the mindes of men, and from the power and efficacie that the Word hath in the hearts and conſciences of all men: It hath a power to convert them to God, to terrifie and awaken them, and alſo to comfort them in diſtreſſes, to wound them, and to make them whole, which no other writing can doe; therefore it cannot be humane, but divine: This is manifeſt, Pſalm. 19. The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the ſoule. No Philoſopher can convert the heart (though hee may bring men to outward civilitie) like unto this. The Word gives wiſdome to the ſimple, and therefore is divine: It was that which made S. Paul to know that hee was dead; for before the Law came hee was alive, but when the Law came he was dead. This the Apoſtle Saint Peter preſſeth to the Gentiles, Act. 2.27, 28. by which hee wounded them, and with the ſame Word hee healed them; no other Word could ever bring them to deſpaire of their owne righteouſneſſe, no other could ſuſtaine them deſpairing; this is the power of God to ſalvation, Rom. 1.16. Finally, it is powerfull in operation, Heb. 4.11. it is mighty to make a man at variance with himſelfe, the father againſt his ſonne, the mother againſt the daughter; nothing was ever able to doe this but the Word of God.
Queſt. What externall proofes are there?
Anſw. Firſt, the fulfilling of the Prophecies in the Scripture, in the ſame manner and the ſame circumſtances, in the ſame time, and in the ſame perſons; things many hundred yeers before foretold, are ſo accompliſhed as foretold: this therefore cannot bee but a divine prediction. Iſa. 41.22. The Prophet ſpeaks of the Idols, Come, and let them tell us what ſhall come to paſſe hereafter; arguing, that to doe ſo muſt bee a divine thing. The Divell cannot foretell things to come; hee may gheſſe at them, but hee hath alwaies his ſhifting holes; but the holy Scripture hath ſet downe in plaine termes the time, and the perſons, and other circuſtances, as 1 Reg. 13.2. Iſa. 45.1. Gen. 15.13, &c. therefore it muſt needs bee a divine wiſdome that did indite and inſpire them.
Secondly, The ſecond externall argument is the antiquity of theſe, they are ancienter then any other writings whatſoever: the Egyptians indeed brag, That they had writings before Moſes; but it is nothing but bragging and untruth.
Thirdly, The great oppoſition that hath beene made againſt them, and their preſervation. It is true, that Ariſtotle burnt the books of his Maſter Plato, a great Philoſopher, that himſelfe might bee the more obſerved; but hee could never burne them all; he was but one, and many oppoſed him: But when whole Kingdomes and Countries, even the whole world have violently, for a long time, and many ages ſet themſelves againſt theſe, and yet they are preſerved, the preſervation of them argues a ſpeciall divine care of them, as of divine writings. Mac. 1.7. Antiochus burnt this booke, and made a law, that whoſoever had this book ſhould die the death; yet it is preſerved, that not ſo much as a ſyllable of it is wanting. Writings, and whatſoever elſe is of man, may bee deſtroyed by man, may faile of themſelves, as ſaith Gamaliel; but the things of God, and divine writings ſhall abide for ever: See this difference in the writings of Solomon, thoſe of his owne wiſdome are loſt, thoſe inſpired by God abide till this day, &c.
Fourthly, The perſecutions that have been made at all times againſt the profeſſors of this Book, their conſtancy in beleeving it, obeying it, and laying downe their lives for it, which none could have done, had not the writing been divine. (Indeed, a few deſperate men have laid downe their lives for their owne writings; but not any that hath ſo valiantly laid downe his life, as the profeſſors of the Goſpel:) All theſe are ſufficient proofes for this point.
Uſe 1. This muſt firſt teach us, that the Word is cleare and plaine (becauſe the writing of God) for the inſtruction of men: certainly, God would never write obſcurely and in the darke: 2 Pet. 1.13. It is a light in a darke place. When we ſay it is plain and clear, it is ſo in it ſelf; though the naturall man diſcerneth it not, and to the regenerate man it may be hard. Chryſoſtome ſaith, the Saints never pray to God, Make thy Law eaſie; but, Give us underſtanding, and open our eyes, that wee may ſee thy Law: the truth is, there are many difficulties in it, but there is nothing difficult which in other places is not made plaine, if neceſſary to ſalvation. The Scripture, as Saint Gregory ſaith, is both meat and drink, drink needs no chewing: ſome places are eaſie, that they need no chewing; and ſome places are hard, to ſtir up men to ſeek them out, 2 Pet. 3.16. There are many things in Saint Pauls Epiſtles that are hard, but to whom? to the ignorant: they are eaſie in themſelves, and to the regenerate; therefore ſaith one, What need have we of Commentaries added to the Word, if Commentaries add not light to the Word, but the Word makes Commentaries light.
Uſe 2. This teacheth us, that becauſe the Word was written to every man, therefore every man was bound to ſtudie it, and to read it; and ſeeing the Word was inſpired by the Spirit of God, therefore when a man goes about to read it and heare it, hee ought to pray for underſtanding, and for Gods Spirit by which hee writ it; for they that wrote it, did it not without Gods Spirit: men ſhould pray that God would give them his Spirit of wiſdome to open their underſtandings; ſurely, the greateſt light in the world cannot make a blinde man ſee in the mid-day, an eye that hath not internall light cannot ſee. The Scriptures, in the old and new Teſtament, are the two great lights that God hath ordained to rule the Church; which, though they ſhine never ſo brightly, yet there is required an internall light in man, that they may be ſeene. A man may looke up to the heavens, ſaith Saint Chryſoſtome, where God doth ſit, and yet not know God, nor ſee him ſhut up in heaven: So many men reade the Scriptures, and yet ſee not God ſhut up in them. No man knowes what is in man but the Spirit of man, and wee have received the Spirit of God, that we might know the things that are given us of God: The Wiſdome of God hath given the Spirit to man, whereby hee is able to diſcerne. If ſo be a King ſhould write a Letter to his ſubjects in a ſtrange language, and not ſend his Secretary to interpret it, they were never the better; nor wee for the Scriptures without the Spirit.
Juſtin Martyr ſaith, that Ptolomy wrote to the King of Judah for the Law; and withall hee deſired him to ſend him a man that might make him to underſtand it: So they that will underſtand the language of the Scriptures muſt have the Spirit of God. If a man had the Prophets themſelves to preach to him, they cannot make a man underſtand to ſalvation; why? becauſe they can but teach the eare, they cannot teach the heart. When I cannot have Moſes to tell mee the meaning, ſaith Saint Auguſtine, give mee that Spirit that thou gaveſt to Moſes: And this is that which every man that will underſtand muſt pray for: this David prayed for, Pſal. 119.18. Open thou mine eyes, that I may ſee the wonders of thy Law: and verſ. 19. hide not thy Commandements from mee: and Chriſt ſaith, If you, being evill, can give good things to your children, how much more ſhall your heavenly Father give his holy Spirit to them that ask of him? Luk. 11.13. So that then wee ſhall ſee the ſecrets of God.
Uſe 3. If any man pray for the Spirit of God, he muſt not think it comes without means, and therefore neglect reading. It is Gods finger that preſſeth the diligent care of reading; and it is the means whereby wee may come to have the Spirit: you muſt not look to have the Spirit in your heart, unleſſe you have the Word in your mouth, that is, the continuall reading thereof; neither preferr a little eaſe before the Booke of God. Thou haſt no part in the Spirit, if thou haſt not a great deſire to have a great part in the knowledge of the Word of God.
Uſe 4. In the fourth place; Did God write it? Then ought wee to make application of every part of it, of the promiſes, and of the threatnings, and of the commandements, &c. Of the promiſes, becauſe it was God that promiſed them, and hee will confirme and make them good: of the commandements, becauſe if thou diſobey them, he is a juſt God, and hee will be revenged of every contemner: of the threatnings, becauſe if they had been written by man, a mans word might have beene contemned, but whither ſhall wee flee from God? Therefore think of this Word, and labour to apply it, and give obedience to it; they are Gods owne Lawes, and it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God; therefore let us feare and obey that which is Gods Commandement, leſt for our neglect he throw us to everlaſting deſtruction.