The Scriptures Sufficiency, Question
A Perplexing Queſtion: OR, A doubtfull Caſe of CONSCIENCE, Of a certain Preacher of the GOSPEL.
O ƲR Religion is our Faith; Faith either ſaves or condemns; juſtly ought we therefore to be able to underſtand and prove our Faith.
But now there ariſeth a great doubt to me, and other of the ſimpler ſort of Chriſtians, Whether it be poſsible for us to have an infallible certainty of our Faith out of the holy Scriptures, and ſo conſequently to rely on and truſt to this faith, as to an unſhaken foundation?
The reaſon of our doubting is this, Both Papiſts and Calviniſts holding contrary opinions, do maintain and prove by the holy Scriptures (as they ſuppoſe) the contrary to that which the Lutherans hold; ſeriouſly affirming, that in the Scriptures the Lutheran Religion is condemned, and theirs confirmed. Which thing no man will deny to be an evident Argument of the obſcurity of the holy Scriptures. If there be two Phyſicians of equall learning, and of the ſame intent in curing the ſick, that is, alike deſirous to cure the diſeaſe, and if theſe Phyſicians ſhould out of one and the ſame Book gather, the one that a Fever is cured with wine, and the other, that wine is as bad as poyſon to them that have the Fever, how, I pray, ſhall we know which of theſe two to take part withall? A man can gather nothing, but that the remedy for that diſeaſe is obſcurely expreſſed in that Book.
Some may object, The Sects doe not follow the Scriptures onelyonly, but they add their traditions; the Calviniſts add their reaſon, the Anabaptiſts their dreams.
I anſwer: They do ſo, in thoſe things which are not cleerly taught in the holy Scriptures, but in the controverſies between them and Lutherans, they proceed not ſo, but by Scriptures they fight againſt Lutheran Tenents, which are confirmed by the Scriptures, and indeavour by the help of the Scriptures to ſight for, and defend their own, which the Lutherans by Scriptures doe condemn. Nay more, there are ſome (viz. the Anabaptiſts) that urge the Scriptures in the very Letter more than the rest. The Calviniſts uſe their reaſon, and out of the Scriptures draw Arguments, which thing the Lutherans alſo doe, never ſuffering any of theirs to reaſon againſt the Scriptures.
2. If it be objected unto them, that they wilfully, and againſt their conſciences doe condemn the Lutheran Tenents, and confirm their own: They will anſwer, That this were a very grievous ſin, and that men ought not to preſume that they would ſalſifie and corrupt the Letters and Commands of their Lord to his ſons and ſubjects, much leſs that they do maliciouſly erre and lead themſelves and others into the danger of their ſalvation; and to ſay the truth, it is not likely that ſo many hundred thouſands of men would come to that pitch of malice, though one ſhould, eſpecially ſeeing they dare confirm their honeſt meaning with an Oath; wherefore unleſs they be convinced of maliciouſly-wilfull error, we ſhall ſeem injuriouſly to ſlander them.
3. It may be objected, Perhaps they be fore-ſtalled with preconceived opinions. I anſwer. How? You will ſay they accuſtom themſelves from their cradles to their own Religion, forſaking the Bible and other Books. I anſwer. This is true in Popery, but not in Calviniſts, and others which urge the Bible more than we do. Theſe have more freedom than we have to the other Religions. Do not the children of the Lutherans alſo inure themſelves to their Religion from their childhood? Do they learn a Popiſh or Calviniſticall Catechiſm, before they have learned a Lutheran one? Is not that a mans Religion to which he accuſtoms himſelf? How doth a child or a Lay-man, that hath been taught no Religion, know what is Lutheraniſm, or Calviniſm? Doth he not take that Religion which is firſt offered to him? Beſides, no fore-conceited Opinion is ſo faſt rooted, but that it will give place to clear demonſtrations, which is confeſſed among all. Therefore we ſhall never be able to confute any Religion with the Objection of fore-conceived opinions.
What ſhall I ſay more? Doe other Religions want civill learning? There are found amongſt them ſufficiently learned and ingenious men, and oftentimes they have much better and fitter means for the advancement of Learning, than the Lutherans have; eſpecially the Papiſts, who make choice of the beſt wits, whom they imploy in a manner from their cradles to their full age in nothing elſe but ſtudy, meditation, and continuall exerciſes, and do abundantly ſupply them with all things which ſerve or ſeem to ſerve for their furthering and forwarding, and with all care and diligence do remove and take away whatſoever cauſeth, or ſeems to cauſe any hindrance of their courſe. They ſtudy the Scriptures and Fathers night and day, and refuſe no labour in learning the foundation of their own Religion, and in knowing and underſtanding the Errors of others. Nay, the method and manner of learning, of comparing the Scriptures, of interpreting according to the foreign of Faith, of bringing no ſenſe to the Scriptures, and ſuch other rules, cannot be unknown to them.
Obj. But perhaps God hath not granted them his Spirit and this grace.
I anſwer: God being ſought unto and ſolicited by prayers, denies to no man his grace and Spirit of Truth. Now men of other Religions crave of God the inlightning of their minde and direction in a right way, no leſs than our ſelves, nay (as far as we can diſcern) perhaps with a greater fervency and zeal, neither are we to think that they ask it out of hypocriſie and with diſſimulation, and that ſo they would mock God. Therefore it is to be taken for granted, that the Spirit is where the fruits of the Spirit are found, of which none ought to boaſt above others. Nay more, the knowlege of underſtanding the Scriptures is a peculiar gift of the Spirit, which is granted no leſs to others than to us. It is true indeed that he onelyonly underſtands the Scriptures, which hath the Spirit that dictated them; and (as it is in worldly Laws) no Doctors interpretation or deciding doth juſtifie, till the Law-giver approve that deciding. Yet he that boaſteth of ſuch approbation of the Spirit is bound to ſhew it, unleſs he will be counted but an ordinary Doctor.
Obj. If any ſhould here object, that the Scriptures themſelves bear witneſs of their own cleerneſs, according to that, Thy Word is a Lanthorn to my feet, &c. and you have a more ſure Word, &c.
I anſwer: All the Commands of God are his Word, and ſo are all his Works which are through his Word; for it is confeſſed by all, that God ſets forth his Word by Nature, the Creature, Signs, Wonders, beneath, above, and by infinite wayes; alſo the Scriptures witneſs that many things neither are nor can be written. Therefore the VVord of his Voice is taken diverſly in the Scriptures, and ſo by conſequence, all that is called Gods Word is not neceſſarily to be underſtood of the Scriptures. Hereunto add, that at that time many parts of Scripture were not yet written; wherefore the evidence of the thing manifeſtly proveth, that this is not ſpoken of the whole Argument and Letter of the Scripture, for as much as the Figures of the Prophecy of the Apocalyps, and infinite other things belonging to the fulfilling of thoſe Prophecies, were hidden from the Prophets themſelves, and the Fathers, (much more then from others) and are yet hidden. Chriſt himſelf ſpeaks in parables, to the end that men may hear with their ears and not underſtand. The Scripture it ſelf in very many places witneſseth that the Word of God is ſecret, obſcure, hidden, and diſcovered onelyonly to the Spirit, or to the Godly onelyonly, to whom God reveals it, ſo that in the Scriptures there are more teſtimonies of their obſcuritie, than of their clearneſs; yet is not the Scripture hereby either rejected, or ſlighted. For even before the Law was given and written, men had a certain light, by the help whereof they might (if they would) have found out the truth more clearly than we; and although in the New Teſtament a great light be riſen, yet muſt we not think that in the Old Teſtament there was a meer blindneſs. Whence we may reaſon, that God thought it not uſefull for us to reveal all things to us, but though all things perhaps be not neceſſary to be known, yet nevertheleſs there may be had a certain and infallible way of interpreting, by the help whereof the moſt, and most neceſſary Controverſies may be decided; of which if triall be made, a cleer light and meer harmony may be ſhown, in ſuch Scriptures, as according to the opinion of many, are obſcure. It is poſſible alſo, that there ſhould be not a few other wayes of illuſtrating that which is obſcure, although this ill tried way be not uſed alone, for there may both be admitted and uſed, agreements coming from the ſame Spirit and word, ſometimes where there is no demonſtration.
Nor am I moved with that Objection, that it is enough for the Lutherans, that they are aſſured of the truth of Lutheraniſm, though others cannot ſee and believe it. For this is not that which I would have. I enquire, how a man may be ſure not of his own opinion, but of the truth: Now if I believe and determine that ſuch a thing is true, this is my opinion, yet is it not therefore the truth, ſeeing truth and opinion have nothing in them alike. A ſtedfaſt perſwaſion changeth not the eſſence of the thing whereof a man is perſwaded. For then might melancholick perſons, whoſe opinion is unmovable, work miracles, and make all their conceits eſſentiall. The nature of true knowledge is this, to be demonſtrable, not to me, or ſome men, but to all, and to win a conſent from any man, as two and three makes five. A thing controverted, and which ſome underſtand one way, ſome another, can never make me certain and free from doubt, whether I have the truth or no; and he that knowes no other than what he determines may be excuſed of malice and hypocriſie. But this reaſoning, I and my follower are ſure of this thing, therefore it is true, is unreaſonable reaſoning.
Laſtly, If we build our Religion onelyonly upon the Scripture, the learned ſhall have a great Prerogative above the unlearned in the matter of Faith and Religion, and ſhall be more ingaged in thankefulneſs to God than they; and ſo Religion ſhall favour and cleave to good wits. Alſo many have their ſenſes exerciſed in the Scripture, or are more inventive and ingenious than others; therefore if a man could by diſputing and reaſoning confute ſome Theſis, and as it were take away a mans opinion from him, and become Conqueror, he ſhould alſo take away his Religion, and the other ſhould be conſtrained either to take up this Conquerors Religion, or againſt his conſcience to keep his own.
Nor will that Anſwer ſerve the turn, Our Divines and Paſtors can anſwer you, though I cannot: for then ſhould I believe with another mans ſaith; but faith muſt bee mine, not another mans, elſe ſhould ſalvation alſo be another mans. If Religion be the ſervice of God, ſurely it is neceſſary that I underſtand that ſervice which I muſt perform to my Lord. Seeing God will not reckon another mans ſervice for mine, and cannot be ſerved by a Subſtitute, it remains that wee conclude, Controverſies are to be left to learned men, and are not ſo very neceſſary. It may be anſwered, Then alſo Religion is to be left to learned men; for Controverſies are our very Religion, for (ſaving the conſideration of them) there is no difference, but Papiſts are Proteſtants, and Proteſtants are Papiſts; look how much a man knowes of Controverſies, ſo much doth he know of his own Religion. The ſtate of a mans ſalvation is ſuch as is his Religion and his Faith: Now there is but one ſalvation, nor but one faith. But if Controverſies belong to the learned onelyonly, wherefore have the Lay-men indured ſo many afflictions, distreſſes, nay and death it ſelf, for thoſe Controverſies ſake?
I know indeed that a Calviniſt Doctor, one Doctor Bergius, a Preacher at Bremen, affirms in his late publiſhed Sermons, that Controvrſies are not meerly neceſſary to ſalvation; That the Scripture is plain and clear in thoſe things which are neceſſary to ſalvation, and that there was never any contrariety between the Religions themſelves. At which alſo the Leipſich-Collation between the Lutherans and Calviniſts ſeems to aim.
This I am perſwaded is very true, that had the Holy Ghoſt judged thoſe Controverted Queſtions neceſſary to ſalvation, it would have expreſſed and propounded them in the holy Scripture clearly and plainly, ſeeing thoſe Epiſtles were ſent to ſimple and Lay-men eſpecially. Nor doth it ſeem likely to be true, that ever there were ſo many Articles of Faith drawn out of them as are now to be read in the Catechiſms, Common-places, and Compends of Divines. As yet there is no certain number of them determined, ſeeing ſome Divines have propounded more, and ſome fewer; and ſome Religions have in proceſs of time, either added or abated whole Articles, and after many miſeries indured for the defence of ſome of them, entring a way of moderation, they have determined that for tolerable and indifferent, which before they thought damnable. But howſoever, there are ſo many of them, that a man may deſervedly call in queſtion the preciſe neceſſity of them. And this ſeems the beſt Solution to diſintangle and appeaſe perplexed, doubtfull, and erring Conſciences.
But could ſo many thouſand Divines of former Ages be ignorant of this? Have there not ſo many Wars been undertaken for this cauſe? Could thoſe learned men ſuffer ſo many thouſands of men to run headlong, both by doing and ſuffering, into the hazard of body and ſoul for Religions ſake? and ſo many unſpeable miſchiefs to ariſe, whenas it is poſſible for a man to be ſaved without the Controverſies of Religion? But if this be the command of God under pain of temporall and everlaſting puniſhment, to fight for thoſe Controverſies, how can we excuſe thoſe ſhuffling agreements of Faith, Religion, and Gods Worſhip? A Servant may not abate any thing of his Lords due.
Let this thing be conſidered, ſeeing it is ſo intricate, and leads me and many others into diſquiet of minde; for which perplexities of Conſcience, none will deny that a remedy is to be ſought at the hands of thoſe that have Chriſtian fellow-feeling, and might be found if all the Divines of thoſe ſides that have left Popery, would vouchſafe to afford me a wiſe, milde, and ſolid Anſwer in writing, not ſavouring of partiality, prejudice, or paſſion.