A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 7 (Question 2 cont.)
SERMON VII.
Articl. 2. THAT God both given us the Scriptures to be our only Rule, to direct us to car chief End. That this Poſition may be well & rightly underſtood & receiv'd, it will be requiſite to explain and confirm it. For which take the following Concluſions.
1. THAT the Scripture (as we have already heard) is called the Rule, Metonymically; becauſe it is the Subject containing it. The Rule it ſelf did exiſt before any part of the Scripture was written: and on ſuppoſition, that they had never been committed to writing, the Rule had notwithſtanding been of; force: as the Law, that is once proclaimed, is valid, tho' it be not printed, and ſo diſperſed among the Subjects.
2. THAT tho' the Rule hath been one & the ſame, ever ſince the fall of man, yet God hath uſed divers ways to diſcover it to the children of men. It was not written from the beginning. The firſt records were made by Moſes, who lived in the fourth Period of time, which was near Two thouſand four hundred years after God had a Church in the world, to whom he had given the Rule of the true Religion, and theſe had what was ſufficient to guide them to bleſſedneſs.
IT will here therefore not be amiſs to conſider, How God hath communicated himſelf to his Church from the beginning? And here take theſe Rules.
1. THAT God in the infancy of his Church taught them by Revelation & Tradition. As to what concerns the ſtate of man in innocency, it is not to our purpoſe. And reſpecting the relicks of the law on the minds of the fallen men, it is certain that they have no natural light telling them how to improve them to their great end: ſo that Revelation was neceſſary, if man ever obtain ſalvation. No ſooner therefore had Adam fallen under the curſe of the firſt convenant, but God revealed to him the way of recovery by the ſ…cond, (Gen. 3.15.) And during the time that followed, till Moſes, God made known his mind to ſome of his ſervants, by Chriſt's appearing to the Patriarchs, declaring his counſels to them, & giving them direction how he would be ſerved; by ſending Angels to them on frequent occaſions; by inſpiring them extraordinarily; by coming to them in dreams & viſions, &c. which diſcoveries of his to them, were handed from one to another, and taught by Fathers to their Children; and this during the long lives of thoſe Patriarchs, ſerved for the continuation of the Rule among the People of God: altho' by degrees the generality of mankind loſt the ſenſe of the true Religion, and degenerated, before the flood, to all manner of Immorality; and after it, to Paganiſh Idolatry, as Scripture-records ſufficiently inform us.
(2.) THAT from Moſes to Chriſt, God inſtructed his Church, partly by Writing, and partly by the continuance of Revelation and Tradition. God having choſen Abraham & his Poſterity to be his peculiar People, and they being now grown up to a Nation, and God's worſhip to be no longer reſtrained to private Families, the lives alſo of the Fathers being reduced to a ſhort term, and the People having been wofully defiled with the falſe worſhip of the Aegyptians, and being now called out of Aegypt, God gives them his law in writing; partly written by his own hand, partly by Moſes, to whom he did immediately impart it, and commanded that it ſhould be left upon Record. Yet there was but part of the Scripture then given, in which the Rules of life were obſcurely wrapt up; and therefore God continued extraordinary Revelations, inſpired Prophets, ſent his mind to his People, by ſuch to whom he appeared, either in Viſions or Dreams, or by his Angel. And by theſe he continued to be commending to writing, ſuch other parts of Scripture, as were needful, for the further inſtructing or reforming of them. Hence the writings of the Prophets were added to thoſe of Moſes. 2 Pet 1.20, 21. Knowing this firſt, that no prophecy of the ſcripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God ſpake as they were moved by the holy Ghoſt.
(3.) THAT ſince Chriſt appeared, and hath revealed by himſelf, and his Apoſtles, the Goſpel truths, the Canon is now perfected; and the whole mind of God (ſo far as concerns our direction to our end) is there revealed: and now God treats men only by his written Word. Viſions and immediate Revelations are ceaſed; inſpired Dreams are at an end: the Urim and Th…mmim are gone. And now the Scripture is left us to repair to, where we are to look for our direction, that we may attain unto perfection. This is that ſurer word of Propheſy, to which we are pointed. 2 Pet. 1.19. We have alſo a m…re ſure word of Propheſy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that ſhineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-ſtar ariſe in your hearts. This is that word by which we muſt try the words of an Angel. Gal. 1.8. But though we, or an angel from heaven preach any other goſpel unto you, than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accurſed.
3. THAT it was in ſingular Favour to his People, that God hath ordered our Rule to be left on Scripture-R…cord. Hereby his People have a ſtanding Rule to repair unto; they have a counſeller always with them; a light and a lamp ſtill to carry before them; a remembrancer at hand to put them in mind, when ready to forget: a judge to determine them, when at a loſs. Here they may examine all Doctrines, prove all Opinions, try all Spirits, be taught the right way, and helpt to keep it. And it is the moſt familiar method of God's communicating his mind to his People in this life. Apparitions, Viſions, Dreams, have been more terrible to them. Thus alſo the truth is continued, when men degenerate, and by theſe God's people are preſerved in times of greateſt Apoſtaſy. For all which ends, David commends the written word, Pſal. 119.
4. THAT God hath appointed the Scripture to be our ſole Guide as a Rule. It is true there is a ſecret ſovereign conduct of ſpecial Providence, by which God leads his People; but he deals with men, as with Reaſonable Creatures, and hence they muſt have a Rule to apply themſelves to in all things: This is only God's word. There are indeed in men common principles, which a natural Conſcience dictates to them; but the way to improve them for ſalvation, is pointed in the word of God; without which, they can never make them ſerviceable to that end. God hath not left men to the guidence of their own ſpirits, nor to the direction of men: but commends them in all things to his word. Iſai. 8.20. To the law and to t…e teſtimony: if they ſpeak not according to this word, it is becauſe there is no light in them.
Now—
(1.) THIS doth limit us in matters of Faith. If we would be informed, what are articles to be believed, we muſt conſult this Oracle. All things that we are to entertain, as Principles in Religion, muſt be ſought for, and taken upon God's teſtimony in his word: beyond or beſide which we are not to fix our Credit; for which reaſon, it is called the word of faith: not only as by it God works faith in us, but alſo as it contains the articles of faith in it. Divine faith depends upon this teſtimony: what it ſpeaks, commands our belief: where it is ſilent, our Credit is juſtly ſuſpended. Hence the Apoſtle's way of arguing, Heb. 7.14. For it is evident that our Lord ſprang out of Judah; of which tribe Moſes ſpake nothing concerning Prieſthood.
(2.) THIS doth regulate us in all points of Manners. He that would know his duty, muſt look for it there, and that both in reſpect of the matter and manner. All that belongs to us, is here comprized. Deut. 29.29 The ſecret things belong unto the Lord our God: but thoſe things which are revealed, belong to us, and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. This is to be the guide to our paths. Here we are to inform our ſelves, what is duty, and what is ſin. If God hath not here commanded or allowed, it is enough to declare it ſin; if he hath here enjoyn'd it, it cannot be evaded. Here we are to enquire, who, when, where, how, in reſpect of our whole converſation, if we would enjoy true Peace, as the Apoſtle intimates, Gal. 6.16. As many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, & mercy, and upon the Iſrael of God.
(3.) THIS doth judge & determine all Controverſies. Whenſoever any truth, that concerns either faith or manners, comes into debate, it is not the opinion or authority of men, that muſt or can determine us ſafely; but all muſt be brought to this touchſtone, and tried by it. This therefore was the Ber…a…s commendation, when the Apoſtles doctrine was ſo much diſputed againſt and contradicted: Act. 17.11. Theſe were more noble than thoſe in T…eſſa…ca, in that they received the w…d with all readineſs of mind, and ſearched the ſcriptures daily, whether thoſe things were ſo. Chriſt himſelf confuted all Satan's Sophiſms, with, It is written, Math. …. beg.
5. GOD hath forbidden any Additions to be made to his word; and hereby he evidently reſtrains us to it, as our only Rule. Such prohibitions we find, and they are backed with ſevere comminations againſt all thoſe that dare to make them. Deut 4.2. Ye ſhall not add unto the word which I command you, neither ſhall you diminiſh might from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God, which I … you. It is true, God himſelf added thoſe that follow: but it ſignifies, that when he ſees meet to finiſh the Canon, Man may not make additions. Hence that in, Prov. 30.6. Add thou not unto his words, left be reprove thee, and thou be ſound a liar. And the awful threatning, upon the finiſhing of this work. Rev. 22.18. For I test … unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book. If any man ſhall add unto theſe things, God ſhall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book. The Rule therefore is hither reſtrained; nor can it be either more or leſs, except God ſhould reveal more.
6. THE Spirit of God guides us to Salvation, according to this word. We muſt diſtinguiſh between a Rule, and a Guide. For tho' every rule be to guide, yet every Guide is not a Rule. When we ſay, The word is our only Rule, we do not deny the conduct and guidance of God's Spirit; but believe that without it, we cannot take one right ſtep in the way to life. But ſtill he hath given us the Scripture to be our Rule of direction, and pointed us thither to enquire our way, and doth alſo himſelf make uſe thereof in bringing us to happineſs. His work is to guide us into all truth, (Joh. 16.13.) And he hath ſo reſtrained himſelf hereto, that, whereas there are other ſpirits which muſt be tried, He is, hereby to be diſcerned, by comparing the ſuggeſtions with the word, and if they agree not with that, they are none of his. Hence theſe are put together, as the Agent and Inſtrument. Jam. 1.18. Of his own will begat be us with the word of truth. Paul aſſures us, that the things, which the Spirit revealeth, are the ſame which they teach. 1 Cor. 2.12, 13. Now we have received, not the ſpirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things alſo we ſpeak, not in the words which man's wiſdom teacheth, but which the holy Ghoſt teacheth; comparing ſpiritual things with ſpiritual. And he aſſures his Galatians, that there is no other Goſpel to be entertained by them, but that which the Apoſtles preached, Gal. 1.9. As we ſaid before, ſo ſay I now again, If any man preach any other goſpel unto you, than that ye have received, let him be …. And for this reaſon, is the Goſpel called the … of God to ſalvation, (Rom. 1.…) becauſe God exerts his ſaving power in and by it.
7. THAT where God intends to bring Salvation to a perſon or people, he ſends them his …: not but that he could, if he ſaw meet, inſtruct them otherwiſe; but he hath choſen this way: it is his holy pleaſure. 1 Cor. 1.21. For after that, in the … of God, the … by wiſdom knew not God, it … God by the … of preaching to ſave them that …. And ſuch is the conne…ion, that he hath made between theſe two, that, tho' all are not ſaved to whom the written word came, (many falling ſhort thro' unbelief) yet where it comes not, ſuch are left in a ſtate of perdition. 2 Cor 4.3. … goſpel be had, it is …id to them that are loſt…. It may be hidden to men, where it doth come in the viſible diſpenſation of it; but it is certainly hid from them, where it comes not at all. Becauſe God hath much people is Cor…th, therefore Paul muſt preach in that City, Acts 18.5, 10. And why was he forbidden to preach in … …ythin…, (Chap. 16.6, 7.) but becauſe God would leave them without the diſcovery of the way of peace? Yea, God hath ſo conjoined the enjoyment of the word to be preached, with the hopes of Salvation, that the Apoſtle does ſo uſe that E…thyme… (Rom. 10.14, 15.) E… then ſhall they call on him … they have not be…ived; and how ſhall they believe in him of … they have not heard? and … ſhall they hear without a preacher? And … ſhall they preach, except they be ſent? And adjoyns that firm Concluſion, Ver. 17. So then ſaith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Nor do we read in the whole New Teſtament, that God …ught any to ſaith and felicity, but only in this way, viz. by ſending his word to them
HERE let me a little enquire into that CASE, viz.
Queſt. WHETHER we may have any grounded Hopes of the Salvation of ſuch as never enjoyed the Scriptures?
Anſ. IT is true, our Hopes or Fears will not make their State better or worſe; but becauſe there are many that count it cruel not to have an extenſive Charity here, and yet it is certain that divers Foundation-Truths are hereby undermined, it will not be amiſs to ſay ſomething to it. Hence therefore, let theſe Con…ſions be well pondered.
Concl. 1. THAT the Salvation of Elect Infants, without the written word, is not to be doubted of. No doubt but there are Infants that dy in their Infancy, who are choſen Veſſels, and paſs into glory. That theſe have not the uſe of the Scriptures is evident, they being altogether uncapable hereof. God therefore hath a ſecret and unaccountable way of applying the New Covenant-condition to them, and making them fit for glory. And tho' we know not … it is done, yet we need not ſuſpect but that it is done.
Con. 2. THAT none of fallen Men were ever ſaved but by & thro' Jeſus Chriſt. … … the Jews, that there is Salvation in …. (Acts 4.12.) There never was any other way found out and appointed by God, to bring nay of the loſt moe of men to glory in. The … (Gen. 3.15.) had a proper reſpect to him. All the Sacraments and … of the … … had a reſpect to him. He was the kernel wrapt in thoſe … and …. This the Apoſtle deſigns to make evident, Heb. Chap. 8, 9, 10.—It is be of whom the Scriptures have ſpoken from the beginning. …. 5.3…, 4…. Search the ſcriptures, for is … ye thank ye have eternal life, and … of me. Had ye believed Moſes, ye … have believed me: for be wrote of me.
Concl. 3. THAT Salvation by Chriſt … only in the way of believing in him. That Faith in Chriſt is a neceſſary condition or … of Salvation is fully … in Scripture: you ſo neceſſary, … that without it there is no Salvation. Joh. 3.36. He that believeth on the Son, hath everlaſting life: and he that … not the Son, … not ſee life; but the wrath of God … on him. … Joh. 5.12. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not life. Tho' negative Unbelief be not a cauſe of men's …, yet it is an evidence of their being in a damnable ſtate; and that becauſe there is no paſſing over for a condemned ſinner, into a ſtate of happineſs, but only by believing in Chriſt: and therefore, tho' it be not ſame men's ſin, that they do not believe in Chriſt, yet it plainly declares them to be miſerable.
Concl. 4. THAT there … in Chriſt, without a knowledge of him. Faith is a rational confidence; it is a grounded reliance or dependence; and therefore it requires a diſcerning or apprehending of the Object. Hence that, Pſal. 9.10. They that know thy name will put their … in thee. Faith is the act of a reaſonable creature, and muſt have a foundation in the underſtanding. Paul knew whom he hath truſted. (2 Tim. 1 12.) A believer hath a reaſon of his hope. (1 Pet. 3.11.) Faith is a leaning of the whole weight of our hope for ſalvation upon Chriſt; which would be nothing better than frenzy, if it ſaw nothing in him for which it ſo doth.
Concl. 5. THAT it's only by Divine Revelation, that the knowledge of Chriſt as the Object of a ſaving …aith, is to be attained. The light of Nature ſpeaks nothing of the deſign of the ſaving man by another; of the appointing the Son of God to this Province; of his Incarnation; Active & paſſive Obedience, death, and reſurrection; of his ſufficiency to ſave, and the Offices belonging to him, as a Saviour. Theſe things had never been heard of, if God had not told us of them. The natural man cannot receive them, (1 Cor. 2.14.) much leſs could he dog up theſe truths out of the ſhallow mines of his remaining natural principles.
Concl. 6. THAT God can (if …e will) eaſily inſpire men with this knowledge, by immediate Revelation. God's uſing other ways to bring us to the underſtanding of the Truth, is not of neceſſity, but of choice, becauſe his infinite wiſdom hath ſeen it meet ſo to treat the Children of men. There was a time when God did thus diſcover himſelf to ſome, and by them he communicated his mind to others; and he could have continued it, if it had not pleaſed him to do otherwiſe: but it is certain, that God doth not do all that he can do, but … in his works of Efficiency limited the exertion of his Power by his Will: ſo that there is no … upon Divine …, nor a … of it by men; but if he himſelf pleaſe to ſet … unto it, who are we, that we ſhould reply againſt God?
Concl. 7 THAT God hath in the days of the Goſpel, and the ordinary courſe of his Providence, made the enjoyment of the Goſpel or … word, a neceſſary Medium to Salvation. I ſay, in Goſpel-…, i. e. ſince the Canon is …, till when, … Inſpiration was … to ſome men; and in the ordinary courſe of … Providence; for what he will do …, we know not, the ſecret things belong to him. It is certain, where there is no Viſion the People peri…, and we do enjoy no other Viſions now but theſe; ſuch as being contrary to them, are …: all that are pretended to are uncertain, and have no ſuch confirmation, as … a divine Faith: hence no Salvation without Preaching. … …0.141 How … ſhall they call … him without they have not believed? and … ſhall they … in him of whom they have not heard? and how ſhall they hear without a preacher? And this is the Goſpel we are to Preach and no other, Gal. 1.8. … though me, or an angel from heaven preach any other goſpel … you, than that … we have … unto you, let him … accurſed. … 2 Tim. 4.2.— 3.16, 17.
Concl. 8. HENCE all hopes of their Salvation, who have not the Scriptures, is groundleſs. There is no reaſon to be give… for it, yea and it tends to ſubvest the Goſpel, and make the Ordinances of it …, to … men in neglect and ignorance of the Scriptures; for either they muſt be ſaved without Chriſt, which is impoſſible, or by him without believing, which takes away the new Covenant-Condition, … believe without knowledge of him, which takes away the very nature of Faith; or come to the knowledge of him ſome other way, which is unaccountable; the light of nature will not do it, the only way of Gods appointment is by the Scriptures; to ſuppoſe any other, is to impoſe upon God.
LET it then put us upon it to prize our Ribles, to bleſs God for his written word, to be much and frequent in making uſe of it, and acquainting our ſelves with it, acknowledging it God's ſingular mercy to us, that he hath give… to us ſuch a Rule, without which we had been left in the dark, and could never have …oped out our way to Eternal Life.
[JULY, 17. 1688.]