The Christian Completely Armed, Lecture 24
LECT. XXIV. March 20. 1649.
ƲSE I. Information. (1.) That it's a marvellous great mercy, that God hath been pleaſed to commit his Mind to writing.
VVEE might elſe have been to ſeek for this Sword, when we ſhould have had occaſion to uſe it. The Church of God for about 2500. yeares wanted this bleſſing. The Doctrine of God was preſerved by the Tradition of a lively voyce, foreign, Heb. 1. 1. Somtimes by the immediate voyce of God himſelf, by the Miniſtry of Angels, Heb. 2. 2. By Dreams; by Viſions; by Ʋrim and Thummim; but never in writing till the time of Moſes. Then God was pleaſed to commit it to writing for many cauſes.
Firſt, That by this means it might be kept more pure and incorrupt. We read how much ſoyl the Truth of God contracted, by paſſing through the hands of men, while it was by Tradition tranſmitted from Parents to Children, Gen. 35. 2. We read, that even in Jacobs Family, there were Idols found; And ſo Joſh. 24. 14. And the Idols of Egypt were amongſt the Iſrael of God. Though they were Holy, and religious, yet was there much pollution cleaving to the Worſhip of God in thoſe dayes.
Secondly, for the help of mans weak memory: many of Divine Truths, might, in continuance of time, have ſlipt out of the leaking▪ Veſſel of mans memory, and ſo the Church of God ſhould have ſuffered much loſs.
Thirdly, for the greater ſtability and firmneſs of the Doctrine of Truth againſt all thoſe who ſhould either deny it, or corrupt it, or infirm it, vid. Luk. 1. 3, 4. By the word foreign he doth ſecretly innuere, propter corruptelas quorundam qui vivâ voce aliena ab Evangelicâ veritate tradiderunt, opus fuiſſe accurato ſcripto, rem, prout geſta fuit, uſ que ad finem exponente. The Church of God by this meanes hath a greater certainty againſt the fraud and deceit of Seducers of the truth of God.
4. For the more facile propagation and ſpreading of the Doctrine of Truth: while it was delivered by Tradition, it was onelyonly conſined among the Jewes, and there was no probability that ever it ſhould ſpread any further than their Coaſts: but by the writing of it, it is divulged throughout the world. 'Tis a mercy to be acknowledged! Had not the Word been written, this Sword would have been as a Sword in the Scabbard or Armory; but by the writing of it, it is drawn out of the ſheath, and made of much more uſe to us, in the day of battel.
2. That it is an exceeding great mercy that the written Word of God is in our hands. It might have been written, and yet kept hid from us, as it is yet from the greateſt part of the world, amongſt whom this Light hath never ſhined. This is a priviledge, which is as the Crown of glory upon the people of the Jewes, that to them are committed theſe Oracles of GOD, Rom. 3. 2. By this they were advanced above other Nations, Deut. 33. 2. Pſal. 147. 20. It's our happineſs that we enjoy this Sword. The miſery of the people of Iſrael is ſet out by this, that in the dayes of war, when they had many enemies againſt them, there was neither Sword nor Spear in the hands of any of the people, but in the hands of Saul and Jonathan only, 1 Sam. 13. 22. This would have bin our ſad condition, if God had not tranſmitted the Bible to our hand. We ſee how often Satan prevails over us now we have the Scriptures; but if we had wanted this Sword, it would have been altogether impoſſible to have made reſiſtance.
3. This is an Apology for the care and dil… gence of the ſervants of God in ſtudying the Scriptures. Profane men look upon the practice of the godly in this reſpect, as preciſeneſs and unneceſſary care. What needs all this, &c. They know the word of God is their ſword, they are never ſafe, if this ſword be not girt upon their thighs: They know if either they want this ſword, or be unskilfull in the uſe of it, they muſt needs periſh in the day of battel. VVho blames a ſouldier for wearing his ſword about him? eſpecially when enemies are purſuing his life. It is not onelyonly his honour, but his ſafety ſo to do. The ſervants of God know that if they leave off this ſpiritual ſword but for a day, they ſhall be ſurely overcome by Satan; and it's better to be reproached by men for wearing it, then to be deſtroyed by Satan by leaving it off. The word of God they know is not onelyonly their Sword to defend them in battel, but their Sun to give them light. This Sword hath this advantage of all other Swords, that by it they ſee the lurking places, where the enemy lies hid; and they ſee alſo the refuges where themſelves may be ſecured. It is alſo, that food by which they are revived and ſtrengthned, to hold out in battel. It is their Cordial, as well as their Sword. It is their honey that opens their eyes, when they grow faint with fighting: it puts ſpirits into their ſpirits, when they are decayed: This Sword teacheth them how to fight. Other Swords onelyonly help the ſouldier how to uſe his skill: they do not give him any skill; but this Sword teacheth skill. It ſhould not be accounted a fault, but a vertue in the ſouldiers of Chriſt, that they are ſo much in the ſtudy of the word of God.
4. No wonder to ſee the Devil ſo victorious, where the word of God is wanting. VVhat ſtrange abominations do the Gentiles that want the VVord fall into by the temptations of Satan? VVhat Idolatries are there in thoſe places? 'Tis not to be wondred at. They want the Sword of the Spirit, by which they ſhould defend themſelves againſt temptations; and becauſe they want this, they cannot ſtand; they are unarmed men.
5. That they are Satans friends, and enemies both to themſelves and others, who lay aſide the Scriptures of God. There are many in our ſinfull and wanton Age, who deny the authority of the Scriptures, affirming, that they are not from God: Others, that ca…t them off, as uſeleſs things, that depend upon Revelations, &c. Theſe that deny the Scriptures, they are in this, worſe then Satan their Father. He believes that the Scriptures are of God, Matth. 4. 6. It is written, ſaith Satan, that he will give his Angels charge over thee, &c. There is thus much Divinity, and Faith in Hell: the Hiſtory of the Bible is believed there, though it be queſtioned, and denied on earth. Theſe men are certainly in pay in the Devils ſervice: they diſarm themſelves, and they endeavour to diſarm others. And it's no wonder to ſee them ſo deſperately overcome as they are, running out to profaneneſs in life, to hereſies and blaſphemies in Opinion. Satan hath not greater Champions in the world then theſe are: they fight againſt God; they fight for Satan, as viſibly and directly as ever men did. Such alſo, as though they think the Scriptures be of God, yet they caſt them aſide, and create another Sword inſtead of this unwritten Revelations, Dreams, and Enthuſiaſms of their own head. God hath made the written VVord to be the Touch-ſtone of all Revelations, Iſa 8. 20. To the Law and Teſtimony, …. 2 Pet. 1. 18, 19. we have a more ſure word of prophecy &c. Gal. 1. 8. If we, or an Angel from heaven, preach any other Goſpel, &c. 'Tis the imputing of imperfection to the Divine Canon. 'Tis the ſymbolizing with Papiſts in their unwritten Traditions, alwayes condemned by the Proteſtant Divines: unwritten Revelations, and unwritten Traditions are not much different. There is indeed a Revelation which all the Saints are to deſire. VVe read of it, Epheſ. 1. 17. VVhen God opens the Underſtanding ſavingly to embrace the written VVord; but Revelations above, or againſt, or contrary to, or beſide, or without the Word, are but the fancies of men. The Devill will not much be afraid of ſuch a Sword as this is, in the day of Temptations: this is not a ſpiritual ſword, but a carnal ſword: this is not the ſword of the Lord, but the ſword of Saul, which will never hurt this great Goliah in the day of battel. Our Saviour, if ever any, might have truſted to the Sword of Revelation; but ye ſee, he draws out the ſword of the written word, and with that puts Satan to flight, Mat. 4. 4, 6, &c.
6. The benefit and neceſſity of the Tranſlations of Scripture. That the VVord of God ſhould be tranſlated into that language which is known and familiar to every Nation, is not onelyonly beneficial, but neceſſary. God wrote the Law in that Tongue, which the Jewes, to whom it was given, underſtood: ſo did the Prophets write, and ſo did they preach.
The gift of Tongues is given for this purpoſe: The Apoſtles quoting ſome places of the Old Teſtament, and the New, uſe the very words of the Septuagint, which was a Tranſlation. God would have all things in the Church to Edification, 1 Cor. 14. 26. This Sword of the Spirit would have been unuſeful to moſt in our Church, and to moſt in all the Churches of Chriſt, had not the VVord been tranſlated. It would have been as a Sword faſtened in the ſheath, or locked up in the Armory, had it not been tranſlated into our own Language; we ſhould never have known how to have handled it, &c. if it had not been tranſmitted to us in a known Tongue. 'Tis true, in all Controverſies of Religion, we are finally to appeal to the Original Texts, as being immediatly inſpired of God; but yet are Tranſlations uſeful, and the very VVord of God, by which a Chriſtian may fight as confidently, and as ſucceſsfully againſt Satan, as if he were able to produce the Original Text. Gods goodneſs is to be acknowledged in giving gifts to men, to draw this Sword for us, and to give it us in our own Tongue.
Exhortation. It ſhould put us upon theſe things. 1. Let the word of Chriſt dwell in you 2. Ʋſe.richly in all wiſdom, Col. 3. 16. Labour for an exact knowledge in the Scriptures, that you may be skilful in this word of righteouſneſs. Its ſaid of Apollos, that he was mighty in the Scriptures, Acts 18. 24. The better you are skil'd in the Scriptures, the more able you will be to defend your ſelves againſt your ſpiritual Adverſaries. To this purpoſe theſe two things are to be conſidered.
1. Take heed of thoſe deceipts, whereby the Devill endeavours to take you off from this ſtudy, vid. Mat. 13. 9.
2. Make uſe of ſuch helps as may further your knowledge in them.
1. For Satans deceipts, they are ſuch as theſe.
1. He ſometimes perſwades men, that the ſtudy of the Scriptures doth not belong to them. Miniſters indeed ſhould ſtudy them; but private perſons need not trouble themſelves with this ſtudy. I ſhall therefore lay down theſe following Arguments, to prove that the ſtudy of the Scriptures belongs to all perſons, viz.
1. The ſubject matter or the things contained in the Scriptures, do appertain to private perſons, as well as to others. Every man is intereſted in the Doctrine which the word of God teacheth. The knowledge of God, of Jeſus Chriſt, of the Fall of man, of the way of his Recovery, the Doctrine of Faith, Repentance, obedience, are to be known of every perſon that would be ſaved. There is not any kinde of life, any relation, into which ſuch perſons enter; but the peculiar and ſpecial duties belonging to it, are laid down in the Scriptures. There is the duty of Magiſtrates, of Miniſters, of Parents, Children, of Maſters, Servants, of old, young, of the rich and poor, &c. All perſons are bound to the obedience of the duties, the Scriptures command, and to abſtain from the ſins, the Scripture forbids, Ergo.
2. All men are to be judged by the Scriptures after this life, I mean all that live where they ſound. Such as have ſinned without Law, ſhall periſh without Law, but ſuch as have ſinned under the Law, ſhall be judged by the Law, Rom. 2. 12. yea and by the Goſpel, as well as by the Law, Rom. 2. 16. This is that which our Saviour ſaith, John 12. 48. Now every man muſt come to judgement for himſelf, Ergo, its neceſſary, that he ſhould know that word, by which God will judge him.
3. The word of God is directed to all and every man, that lives where it is publiſhed. The Law of God was given to all the people of Iſrael, as well one as another. Hear oh Iſrael, the Lord our God is one Lord, the writings of the Prophets were ſent to all the Members of the Church, Iſay 1. 1. The Apoſtolical writings were dedicated to all and every one of the Members of the Church, Rom. 1. 7. To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be Saints. 1 Cor. 1. 2. To the Church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are ſanctified, &c. 2 Cor. 1. 1. To the Church of God which is at Corinth, with all the Saints that are in all Achaja. The like you will finde in the dedication of all the other Epiſtles, Eph. 1. 1. Phil. 1. 1. The Saints and Biſhops are promiſcuouſly mingled together.
4. An Implicite faith will ſave no man in the day of Gods appearing. The juſt ſhall live by his faith, Rom. 1. 17. Hab. 2. 4. Every man is to have rejoycing in himſelf, not in another. Ergo, our faith muſt not ſtand in the judgement of man: we muſt have grounds of our own, for every matter of practice, and for every Doctrine of faith, &c.
2. Sometimes he takes men off from the ſtudy of them, by the obſcurity and difficulty of them. They are perplex & knotty, &c. Thoſe that are moſt able, wreſt them to their own ruine, &c. 2 Pet. 3. 16. Againſt this deſign we ſhould conſider four things.
1. That although ſome places of Scripture be dark, obſcure, &c. yet thoſe things which are fundamentally neceſſary to ſalvation, are plainly and familiarly laid down, that the meaneſt capacity may underſtand them: As there are great deeps, wherein the Elephant may ſwim, ſo are there fords where the Lambe may wade.
2. That the obſcurity and difficulty of ſome places, ſhould rather perſwade us to the diligent ſtudy of them. The true ground of the difficulty of ſome places in Scripture is, to prevent nauſeating and loathing of them, by men of large apprehenſions: there's work enough to exerciſe their underſtandings.
2. To raiſe our hearts to the admiration of the infinite wiſdom of God, the Authour of them.
3. To excite men to be more diligent in the ſtudy of them.
III. That, as many wreſt the Scriptures to their own deſtruction: ſo, many are ignorant of them to their own deſtruction. The Lord will come in flaming ſire, to render judgment and vengeance to them that know not God, 2 Theſ. 1. 8. Ye err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.
4. That obſcurity which is in the Scriptures, doth not ariſe from the nature of that which is affirmed, or from the intention of the perſon affirming; but either from the ignorance, or wilfulneſs, of him that wreſts it.
3. Sometimes he takes men off from the ſtudy of the Scriptures, by ſhewing them the wicked practices of ſuch as are ſo much for the Scriptures. Are there any ſort of men more looſe, &c? Againſt this deſign, we ſhould conſider theſe things.
1. That there are ſome, who by the ſtudying of the Scriptures, are enabled to mortifie ſin, and live holily. Their lives are exemplary, &c.
2. The looſneſs and ſinfulneſs of ſome, who ſtudy the Scriptures, ariſeth not from the knowledge of the word of God; but either from ignorance of it, or want of practiſing it. It is not becauſe they know what they ſhould do, but becauſe they be not careful to do what they know.
II. For helps to attain to the exact knowledge of the Scriptures, take theſe.
1. Be careful every day to read ſome part of them: Frequent-reading of them will make us exact in them. Alphonſo King of Spain read over the Bible 14. times, with Lyraes Poſtils. And Auſtin writes of Antonius a Monk, that having no learning, by hearing the Scriptures often read, got them without book, Boyſſ. Poſt. p. 178. vid. Acts 17. 11. Let no day paſſe without reading ſome part of the word of God.
2. Careful Meditation. This is chewing of the Cudd. Meditatio ſine lectione, arida; lectio ſine meditatione, infructuoſa.
3. The help of good Commentaries. God hath afforded his people plentiful helps of this nature. Turn over Interpreters, that ye may ſee and finde out the ſence of Scripture, which is indeed the Scripture. Non in verbi… eſt Evangelium, ſed in ſenſu; non in ſuperficie, ſed in medullâ; non in verborum foliis, ſed in radice rationis.
4. A good digeſtion of the publique Sermons you hear. In all Sermons ſome places of Scripture are opened or explained. Theſe would be improved and laid up carefully.
5. Care to live anſwerable to that meaſure of knowledge you have received, Mat. 25. 28: To every one that hath it ſhall be given.
6. Frequent Prayer: Crying after knowledge, is the way to attain unto knowledge, Prov. 2. 3.
7. Frequent enquiry of others, eſpecially the Miniſters of God, Mal. 2. 7. The Prieſts lips ſhould preſerve knowledge, and they ſhall ſeek the Law at his mouth. The Apoſtles when they met with any thing they did not underſtand, they uſed to come to Chriſt for inſtruction, Mark 7. 17. Lord teach us this Parable: we would not have you pin your faith on the Miniſters ſleeve, but we would have you to repair to them for the untying of your knots.
2. Make uſe of the word of God in the day of battel, as the ſouldier doth of his ſword. Draw out this ſword, and ſtrike down temptations by the power of it. Arm your ſelves with it, and then uſe it. Many Chriſtians are like ſome men that wear a ſword, but they let it ruſt in the ſcabbard, through cowardice they are afraid to draw it. Many Chriſtians know well how to uſe the ſword of the ſpirit; but when they are aſſaulted, they are ſo aſtoniſhed, that they make no uſe of it. I beſeech you caſt off this ſloathfulneſs, and ſtir up your ſelves; and when you ſee a temptation ariſe, thruſt this ſword preſently into the bowels of it, and defend your ſelves. In the word of God you have theſe five things, that you may make much uſe of in the day of Aſſaults. Precepts, Prohibitions, Promiſes, Threatnings, Examples: if the temptation be, To take you off from any known duty, urge the Precept: if the ſuggeſtion be to draw you into ſome act of ſin, draw out the Prohibition, and wave it off with it. If Satan ſeek, either by himſelf, or by any of his Inſtruments, to allure you into ſin, by fair promiſes: (this way he ſometimes takes, Heb. 11. 37. they were tempted, &c. All this will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worſhip me:) then do you draw forth the promiſes of God, and ſee what he hath promiſed to obedience. Gods promiſes will not onelyonly ballance, but over-weigh all the Promiſes which Satan and his Inſtruments can make. If Satan and his Inſtruments threaten, then have recourſe to the threatnings of God. And then for the Examples in Scripture, great uſe may be made of them: The example of Job; he was aſſaulted, and God reſcued him. Paul, he was buffeted, and God delivered him. Peter, he was ſurprized, and God reſcued him, &c. If Satan ſhould boaſt of his ſpoyls and victories, as the King of Aſſyria did by his General, to King Hezekiah, Iſa. 37. 11, 12, 13. If Satan ſhould thus boaſt, the Examples in Scripture will help you to repell theſe boaſtings. Satan, thou couldeſt not overcome Job, though God gave thee a full blow at him. Thou couldeſt not overcome Paul, though God gave thee leave to buffet him, not once, nor twice but often. Satan cannot deviſe any kind of Temptation, but the Word of God will put a hundred anſwers into your mouthes, to oppoſe it, and beat it back.
Thus I have diſpatched the ſixth piece of the Spiritual Armour, The Sword of the Spirit, which is, The Word of God.