Of the Divine Original Authority, Treatise 1 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Arguments of two ſorts. Inartificiall Arguments by way of Teſtimony, to the Truth. To whom theſe Arguments are valid. Iſa. 8. 20. 2 Tim. 3. 16. of foreign. The foreign that accompanies the voice of God. Jer. 3. 26, 27, 28, 29. The rejection of a plea of foreign, wherein it conſiſts. Luk. 16. 31. of miracles, their efficacy to beget faith, compared with the word. 2 Pe. 1. 16, 19, 20.
Sect. 1. HAving declared the Divine Original, and Authority of the Scripture, and explained the Poſition laid downe as the foundation of our enſuing diſcourſe, way is now made for us, to the conſideration of thoſe ſ…lf…-Evidences of it's divine Riſe▪ and conſequently Authority that it is attended withall, upon the account whereof we receive it, as, (believing it to be) the Word of God.
Sect. 2. The Arguments whereby any thing is confimed are of two ſorts; Inartificiall, by the Way of Teſtimony; and Artificiall, by the Way of Deductions and Inferences. What ever is capable of contributing Evidence unto Truth, falls under one of theſe two heads. Both theſe kinds of Proofes we make uſe of, in the buſineſſe in hand. Some profeſſe they owne the Authority of the Scriptures, and alſo urge others ſo to doe; but they well diſpute on what grounds and Accounts they doe foe. With thoſe we may deale in the firſt way, by Teſtimony from the Scriptures themſelves, which upon their own Principles they cannot refuſe. When they ſhall be pleaſed to informe us, that they have relinquiſhed thoſe Principles, and doe no longer owne the Scripture to be the Word of God, We will withdraw the Witneſſes upon their Exceptions whom for the preſent we make uſe of. Teſtimonies that are innate and ingrafted in the Word it's ſelfe, uſed only as Mediums of Artificiall Arguments to be deduced from them, which are of the ſecond ſort, may be uſed towards them who at preſent own not the Authority of the Scripture on any account whatever, or who are deſirous to put on themſelves the Perſons of ſuch men, to try their skill and Ability for the management of a Controverſy againſt the Word of God.
Sect. 3. In both theſe caſes the Teſtimony of the Scripture is pleaded, and is to be received; or cannot with any pretence of Reaſon be refuſed; in the former, upon the account of the acknowledged Authority and Veracity of the Witneſſe though ſpeaking in its owne caſe; in the latter upon the account of that ſelfe Evidence which the Teſtimony inſiſted on is accompanied withall, made out by ſuch Reaſonings and Arguments as for the kind of them, Perſons who owne not it's Authority, cannot but admit. In humane things; if a man of knowne Integrity and unſpotted Reputation beare Witneſſe in any cauſe, and give uncontrolable Evidence to his Teſtimony, from the very nature and Order of the things whereof he ſpeakes, as it is expected that thoſe who know and admit of his Integrity and Reputation doe acquieſce in his Aſſertion, ſo thoſe to whom he is a Stranger, who are not moved by his Authority, will yet be overcome to aſſent to what is witneſſed by him, from the nature of the things he aſſerts, eſpecially if there be a coincidence of all ſuch circumſtances, as are any way needfull to give Evidence to the matter in hand.
Sect. 4. Thus it is, in the caſe under conſideration. For thoſe who profeſſe themſelves to believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God, and ſo owne the credit and fidelity of the Witneſſe, it may reaſonably be expected from them, yea in ſtrict Juſtice demanded of them, that they ſtand to the Teſtimony, that they give to themſelves, and their owne divine Originall. By ſaying that the Scripture is the Word of God, and then commanding as to prove it ſo to be, they render themſelves obnoxious unto every Teſtimony that we produce from it, that ſo it is; and that it is to be received on it's own Teſtimony. This Witneſſe they cannot wave without diſavowing their owne Profeſſed Principles; without which Principles they have not the leaſt colour of impoſing this taske on us.
Sect. 5. As for them, with whom we have not the Preſent advantage of their own Acknowledgment, it is not reaſonable to impoſe upon them with the bare Teſtimony of that Witneſſe concerning whom the Queſtion is, whether he be worthy the Acceptation pleaded for; But yet Arguments taken from the Scripture, from what it is, and doth, it's Nature and Operation, by which the cauſes and ſprings of all things are diſcovered, are not to be refuſed.
Sect. 6. But it is neither of theſe, that principally I intend to deale withall; my preſent Diſcourſe is rather about the ſatisfaction of our owne conſciences, than the Anſwering of others Objections. Only we muſt ſatisfy our Conſciences upon ſuch Prinples as will ſtand againſt all mens Objections. This then is chiefly enquired after; namely what it is that gives ſuch an Aſſurance of the Scriptures being the Word of God, as that relying thereon we have a ſure Bottome and foundation for our receiving them as ſuch; and from whence it is, that thoſe who receive them not in that manner, are left inexcuſable in their damnable unbeliefe. This we ſay, is in, and from the Scripture its ſelfe; ſo that there is no other need of any further witneſſe or Teſtimony, nor is any, in the ſame kind, to be admitted.
Sect. 7. It is not at all in my Purpoſe to inſiſt largly at preſent on this ſubject, and therefore I ſhall content my ſelfe with inſtancing in ſome few Teſtimonies and Arguments, beginning with one or two of the firſt ſort. Iſa. 8. 20. To the law and to the Teſtimony, if they ſpeake not according to this Word, there is no light in them. What ever any one ſays be it what, or who it will, Church, or Perſon, if it be in or about the things of God, concerning his Will or Worſhip, with our Obedience to him, it is to be tryed by the Law and Teſtimony. Hither we are ſent; This is aſſerted to be the Rule and ſtandard, the touchſtone of all ſpeakings whatever. Now that muſt ſpeak alone for its ſelfe, which muſt try the ſpeaking of all, but its ſelfe, yea its own alſo.
Sect. 8. But what doth this Law and Teſtimony, that is, this written Word plead, on the account whereof, it ſhould be thus attended unto? What doth it urge for its Acceptation? Tradition, Authority of the Church, Miracles, conſent of men? or doth it ſpeak foreign, and ſtand only upon its owne Soveraignty? The Apoſtle gives us his Anſwer to this Enquiry, 2 Tim. 3. 16. foreign. Its Plea for Reception in Compariſon with, and Oppoſition unto all other waies of coming to the knowledge of God, his Mind and Will, founded whereon, it calls for attendance and ſubmiſſion with ſupreame uncontroleable Authority is its foreign or divine inſpiration. It remaines then only to be enquired, whether, when foreign is pleaded, there be any middle way, but either that it be received with divine faith, or rejected as falſe.
Sect. 9. Suppoſe a man were foreign, divinely inſpired, and ſhould ſo profeſse himſelfe in the name of the Lord, as did the Prophets of old, Amos 7. ſuppoſing I ſay he were ſo indeed; it will not be denied, but that his meſſage were to be received and ſubmitted unto on that account. The deniall of it, would juſtify them, who rejected and ſlew thoſe, that ſpake unto them in the name of the Lord. And it is to ſay in plaine termes, we may reject them whom God ſends. Though miracles were given only with reſpect to Perſons, not things, yet moſt of the Prophets, who wrought no miracles, inſiſted on this, that being foreign divinely inſpired, their doctrine was to be received, as from God. In their ſo doing, it was ſin, even Unbeliefe, and Rebellion againſt God, not to ſubmit to what they ſpake in his name. And it alwaies ſo fell out, to fix our faith on the right bottome, that ſcarce any Prophet that ſpake in the name of God, had any Approbation from the Church, in whoſe daies He ſpake. Math. 5. 12. chap. 23. 29. Luk. 17. 47, 48. Acts 7. 52. Math. 21. 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38. It is true! foreign; 2 Pet. 2. 1. there were falſe Prophets, that ſpake in the name of the Lord, when he ſent them not, Jerem. 23. 22. Yet were thoſe whom he did ſend, to be received on paine of damnation: on the ſame penalty were the others to be refuſed. Jerem. 23. 28, 29. The foundation of this duty lies in the foreign, that accompanied the Word that was foreign; of which afterwards. And without a ſuppoſall hereof, it could not conſiſt with the Goodneſſe and Righteouſneſſe of God, to require of men, under the penalty of his eternall diſpleaſure, to make ſuch a diſcrimination, where he had not given them foreign, infallible tokens to enable them ſo to doe.
Sect. 10. But that he had, and hath done ſo, he declares, Jerem. 23. How long ſhall this be in the heart of the Prophets that Propheſy lies? that are Prophets of the deceit of their own heart; which thinke to cauſe my people to forget my name by their dreames, which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal. The Prophet that hath a dreame, let him tell a dreame, and he that hath my word, let him ſpeak my word faithfully; what is the chaffe to the wheate, ſaith the Lord; is not my word like a fire, ſaith the Lord, and like a hammer that breaketh the mountaines in Peices. In the latter daies of that Church, when the People were moſt eminently perplexed with falſe Prophets, both as to their number and ſubtilty, yet God laies their Eternall and Temporall ſafety, or Ruine, on their diſcerning aright between his VVord and that which was only pretended ſo to be. And that they might not complaine of this impoſition, he tenders them ſecurity of its eaſineſſe of Performance. Speaking of his owne VVord comparatively, as to every thing that is not ſo, he ſaies, it is as Wheate to Chaffe, which may infallibly, by being what it is, be diſcerned from it; and then abſolutely that it hath ſuch Properties, as that it will diſcover its ſelfe; even Light and heat, and Power. A Perſon then who was truly foreign, was to be attended unto, becauſe he was ſo.
Sect. 11▪ As then was ſaid before, the Scriptures being foreign, is not the caſe the ſame, as with a man that was ſo? is there any thing in the VVriting of it by Gods Command, that ſhould impaire its Authority? nay is it not freed from innumerable prejudices that attended it, in its firſt giving out by men; ariſing from the perſonall infirmities, and ſuppoſed intereſts of them that delivered it? Jerem. 43. 3. Joh. 9. 29. Acts. 24. 5.
Sect. 12. This being pleaded by it, and inſiſted on, its Teſtimony is received, or it is not. If it be received on this account, there is in it we ſay the proper baſis and foundation of faith, whe…eon it hath its foreign or ſubſiſtence. If it be rejected, it muſt be not only with a refuſall of its witneſſe, but alſo with a high deteſtation of its pretence to be from God. What ground or plea for ſuch a refuſall and deteſtation any one hath, or can have, ſhall be afterwards conſidered. If it be a ſin to refuſe it, it had been a duty to receive it: if a duty to receive it as the Word of God, then was it ſufficiently manifeſted ſo to be. Of the objection ariſing from them who pretend to this inſpiration falſly, we have ſpoken before; and we are as yet dealing with them that owne the Book whereof we ſpake to be the Word of God, and only call in Queſtion the Grounds on which they doe ſo; or on which others ought ſo to doe. As to theſe it may ſuffice, that in the ſtrength of all the Authority and truth they profeſſe to owne and acknowledge in it, it declares the foundarion of its Acceptance to be no other, but its owne divine inſpiration; hence it is foreign.
Sect. 13. Againe in that diſpute, that was between Abraham and the Rich man, Luk. 16. 31. about the beſt and moſt effectuall meanes of bringing men to Repentance: The Rich man in Hell, ſpeaking his owne conception, fixes upon Miracles; if one riſe from the dead, and preach, the worke will be done: Abraham is otherwiſe minded, that is, Chriſt was ſo, the Author of that parable: He bids them attend to Moſes and the Prophets, the Written VVord, as that which all faith and Repentance was immediately to be grounded on. The enquiry being, how men might be beſt aſſured, that any meſsage is from God, did not the Word manifeſt its ſelfe to be from him, this direction had not been equall.
Sect. 14. The Ground of the Requeſt for the riſing of one from the dead, is laid in the common Apprehenſion of men not knowing the power of God in the Scriptures; who thinke, that if an evident miracle were wrought, all pretences and pleas of Unbeliefe would be excluded; who doth not think ſo? Our Saviour diſcovers that miſtake, and lets men know, that thoſe who will not owne, or ſubmit to the Authority of God in the Word, would not be moved by the moſt ſignall miracles imaginable. If an holy man, whom we had known aſſuredly to have been dead for ſome yeares, ſhould riſe out of his grave, and come unto us with a meſsage from God; could any man doubt whether he were ſent unto us of God or no? I ſuppoſe not. The riſing of men from the dead was the greateſt miracle that attended the Reſurrection of our Saviour, Math. 27. 52, 53. yea greater then his owne, if the Socinians may be beleived: namely; in that he raiſed not himſelfe by his owne power; yet the evidence of the miſſion of ſuch an One, & the Authority of God ſpeaking in him, our Saviour being Judge, is not of an Efficacy to enforce beleife beyond that which is in the Written Word, nor a ſurer foundation for faith to repoſe its ſelfe upon.
Sect. 15. Could we heare a Voice from Heaven, accompanied with ſuch a divine power, as to evidence its ſelfe to be from God, ſhould we not reſt in it as ſuch? I ſuppoſe men think they would; can we think that any man ſhould withdraw his Aſſent, and ſay, yea but I muſt have ſome Teſtimony that this is from God; All ſuch Evaſions are precluded in the ſuppoſition, wherein a ſelfe evidencing Power is granted. What greater miracles did the Apoſtles of Chriſt ever behold, or heare; then that Voice that came foreign, from the moſt excellent Glory; This is my beloved Son: yet Peter who heard that voice tells us, that comparatively we have greater ſecurity from, and by the Written Word, then they had in, and by that miraculous voice: We have foreign; we heard ſaith he that voice indeed, but we have a more ſure word of Propheſy to attend unto. More ſure! not in in its ſelfe, but in its giveing out its Evidence unto us. And how doth it appear ſo to be? The Reaſon he alledges for it, was before inſiſted on, 2 Pet. 1. 18, 19, 20.
Sect. 16. Yea ſuppoſe that God ſhould ſpeak to us from Heaven, as he ſpake to Moſes; or as he ſpake to Chriſt; or from ſome certaine place, as Numb. 7. 8, 9. How ſhould we be able to know it to be the Voice of God? Cannot Sathan cauſe a Voice to be heard in the Aire, and ſo deceive us? or, may not there be ſome way in this kind found out, whereby men might impoſe upon us with their deluſions. Pope Celeſtine thought he heard a voice from heaven, when it was but the cheat of his Succeſſor. Muſt We not reſt at laſt in that foreign, which accompanies the true Voice of God, evidencing its ſelfe, and aſcertaining the Soule beyond all poſſibility of miſtake. Now did not this foreign accompany the written Word at its firſt giving forth? if it did not, as was ſaid, how could any man be obliged to diſcerne it from all deluſions; if it did, how came it to looſe it? did God appoint his word to be Written, that ſo he might deſtroy its Authority? If the Queſtion be whether the doctrines propoſed to be believed, are Truths of God, or cunningly deviſed fables, we are ſent to the Scripture its ſelfe, and that alone, to give the Determination.