A Complete Body of Divinity
A Complete Body of Divinity
In an Exposition of the Shorter Catechism
Thomas Boston, 1676–1732
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OF MAN'S CHIEF END AND HAPPINESS
1 CORINTHIANS 10:31.—Whether therefore you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
PSALM 73:25, 26.—Whom have I in Heaven but you? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart fails: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever.
KNOWLEDGE is a necessary foundation of faith and holiness; and where ignorance reigns in the mind, there is confusion in the heart and life. We have the word of truth in our hands, and many methodical systems of divine truths, among which the Shorter Catechism, composed by the Reverend Assembly of Divines at Westminster, in pursuance of the solemn league and covenant, as a part of the then intended uniformity between the three nations, is deservedly reckoned the chief. This I shall endeavor to explain with all possible brevity and perspicuity, that you may have a view of those divine truths, with the reasons of them. And this I have thought it the more necessary to do, in order that your minds may be established in the truth, as our time is like to be a time of trial, wherein you may be exposed to many snares, and so be in danger of apostasy.
In the first of the texts which I have read, you have,
1. The chief end of human actions, the glory of God: that is the scope of which all we think, or speak, or do, should tend; this is the point or common center, in which all should meet.
2. The extent of it. It is not only some of our actions, but all of them, of whatever kind, that must be directed to this end. This, then, is man's chief duty.
In the second text we have,
1. The Psalmist's chief desire, and what he points at as his only true happiness; that is, the enjoyment of God. He takes God for and instead of all, that in him alone his soul may rest.
2. The reason of this is taken from,
(1.) The creature's emptiness, both in body and spirit, verse 25.
2.) From God's fullness and sufficiency: and this is amplified by the eternity of it, my portion forever.
From both texts the following doctrine natively follows. DOCTRINE. "Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever."
In handling this doctrine, I shall speak, I. to the glorifying of God, which is one part of man's chief end.
II. To the enjoyment of God forever, wherein man's chief happiness consists, and which he is to seek as his chief good.
I. I shall speak to the glorifying of God, which is one part of man's chief end. And here I shall show,
1. The nature of glorifying God.
2. In what respects God's glory is man's chief end.
3. The extent of this glorifying God.
4. The reason of it.
First, I shall show the nature of glorifying God. To glorify, is either to make glorious, or to declare to be glorious. God glorifies, that is, makes angels or men glorious; but man cannot make God glorious, for he is not capable of any additional glory, being in himself infinitely glorious, Job 35:7. Hence it is plain, that God gets no advantage to himself by the best works of men, the profit of our holiness redounding entirely to ourselves, Acts 17:25. Psalm 16:2.
God is glorified, then, only declaratively; he is glorified when his glory is declared. This is done two ways. Objectively, by the creatures inanimate and irrational. Thus the heavens declare the glory of God, Psalm 19:1. This the creatures do, while they afford matter of praise to God, as a violin is fit to make music, though there must be a hand to play on it before it can sound. Man declares his glory also actively. And this he ought to do,
1. By his heart, 1 Corinthians 6:20. Glorify God in your spirit. Honoring God with the lips, not with the heart, is but a very lame and unacceptable performance. He ought to be glorified by our understanding, taking him up in the glory which the scripture reveals him in, thinking highly of him, and esteeming him above all other persons or things, Psalm 73:25. So they that know him not, can never glorify him: and they that esteem any person or thing more than, or as much as him, dishonor him. We glorify him by our wills, choosing him as our portion and chief good, as he really is in himself; by our affections loving him, and rejoicing and delighting in him above every other.
2. By his lips, Psalm 50:23. 'Whoever offers praise glorifies me.' Therefore man's tongue is called his glory, Psalm 16:9 not only because it serves him for speech, which exalts him above the brutes, but because it is given him as a proper instrument for speaking forth the glory of God. So that it must needs be a strange perverting of the tongue, to set it against the heavens, and let it loose to the dishonor of God, and fetter it as to his glory.
3. By his life, Matthew 5:16. 'Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.' A holy life is a life of light; it is a shining light, to let a blind world see the glory of God. Sin darkens the glory of God, draws a veil over it. David's sin made the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme. The study of holiness says, God is holy; mourning for every slip says, God is spotless; walking holily in all manner of conversation, within and without, etc. says, God is omniscient and omnipresent, etc. As when men find a well-ordered family, that tells what a man the master of it is.
SECONDLY, I proceed to show in what respects God's glory is man's chief end.
First, It is man's end,
1. It is the end which God aimed at when he made man, Proverbs 16:4. 'The Lord has made all things for himself,' Romans 11:36. 'For of him, and through him, and to him are all things.' Every rational agent proposes to himself an end in working, and the most perfect the highest end. Now God is the most perfect Being, and his glory the noblest end. God is not actively glorified by all men, and therefore he surely did not design it; but he designed to have glory from them, either by them or on them; and so it will be. Happy they who glorify him by their actings, that they may not glorify him by their eternal sufferings.
2. It is the end of man as God's work. Man was made fit for glorifying God, Ecclesiastes 7:29. 'God made man upright;' as a well-tuned instrument, or as a house conveniently built, though never inhabited. The very fabric of a man's body, whereby he looks upward, while the beasts look down, is a palpable evidence of this.
3. It is that which man should aim at, the mark to which he should direct all he does, 1 Corinthians 10:31, the text. This is what we should continually have in our eye, the grand design we should be carrying on in the world, Psalm 16:8. 'I have set the Lord always before me,' says David.
Secondly, It is man's chief end, that which God chiefly aimed at, the chief end of man as God's work, and that which man should chiefly aim at. God made man for other ends, as to govern, use, and dispose of other creatures in the earth, sea, and air, wisely, soberly, and mercifully, Genesis 1:26. Man was fitted for these ends, and a man may propose them lawfully to himself, seeing God has set them before him; but still these are but subordinate ends to his glory.
There are some ends which men propose to themselves, which are simply unlawful, as to satisfy their revenge, their lust, their covetousness, etc. These are not capable of subordination to the glory of God, who hates robbery for burnt-offering. But there are other ends, which are indeed in themselves lawful, yet become sinful, if they be not set in their due place, that is, subordinate to the glory of God. Now, God's glory is made our chief end, when these three things concur.
1. When whatever end we have in our actions, the glory of God is still one of our ends in acting. We may eat and drink for the nourishment of our bodies; but this must not jostle out our respect to the glory of God. If the nourishment of our bodies be the only end of our eating and drinking, it is sinful, and out of the due order.
2. It must not only be our end, but it must be our main and principal end, that which we chiefly design. When God's glory is our chief end, all other ends that we propose to ourselves will be down-weighed by this; all other sheaves must bow to that sheaf: as a diligent servant designs to please both the master and his steward, but chiefly the master. But when, on the contrary, a man eats and drinks (for instance) more for the nourishment of his body than for God's glory, it is plain, that God's glory is not the chief end of the man in that action. Hence we read, 2 Timothy 3:4 of some that are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.'
3. When it is the ultimate end, the last end, the top and perfection of what we design, beyond which we have no more view, and to which all other ends are made subservient, and as means to that end. Thus we should eat that our bodies may be refreshed; we should desire that our bodies may be refreshed, that we may be the more capable to serve and glorify God in our stations. Thus we are obliged to seek our own salvation, that God may be glorified; and not to seek God's glory only that we may be saved; for that is to make the glory of God a stepping-stone to our own safety.
Thirdly, I come now to show the extent of this duty. Respect to the glory of God is as salt that must be served up with every dish. The great work of our life is to glorify him; it is the end of our first and of our second creation, Isaiah 43:21. 'This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise.' We must be for God, Hosea 3:3 and live to him. This must be the end.
1. Of our natural actions, 1 Corinthians 10:31 eating, sleeping, walking, etc. we are under a law as to these things. We may not eat and drink as we please, more than pray as we please, Zechariah 7:6. All these things must be done in subserviency to the glory of God. These things must be done that we may live, and living may glorify God; and when we can do it without them in Heaven, then none of these things shall be done.
2. Of our civil actions, working our work, buying and selling, etc. Ephesians 6:7. Proverbs 21:4. It was one of the sins of the old world, that they were eating; the word is properly used of beasts eating their food: they had no higher end in it than beasts; and marrying, a thing in itself lawful, but they had no eye to God in it.
3. Of our moral and religious actions, Zechariah 7:5. We must pray, hear, etc. for God's glory.
This is such a necessary ingredient in our actions, that none of them are truly good and acceptable to God without it, Zechariah 7:5. Do what we will, it cannot be service to God, if we do not make him our end; no more than a servant's working to himself is service to his master. God will never be the rewarder of a work, whereof he is not the end; for if a man should build houses to all the country, if he build not one to me, I owe him nothing. Alas! to what purpose serves a generation of good works all killed by a depraved end?
Though it is a duty frequently to have a formal and express intention of the glory of God in our actings, yet to have it in every action is impossible: neither are we bound to it; for then, for that very intention we should be obliged to have another, another for that, and another for that, in infinitum. But we should always habitually and interpretatively design the glory of God. And that is done when,
1.) The course of our lives is directed to the glory of God, Psalm 50.
2.) When we walk according to the rule of God's word, taking heed that we swerve not in anything from it. And,
3.) When God's will is the reason as well as the rule of our actions; when we believe a truth, because God has said it; and do a duty, because God has commanded it. If we do not so, God loses his glory, and we lose our labor.
Fourthly, The reason of the point is, because he is the first principle, therefore he must be the last end. He is the first and the last, the Alpha, and therefore the Omega. God is the fountain of our being; and therefore seeing we are of him, we should be to him, Romans 11 ult. forfeited. Man is a mere relative being; God is our Creator, Preserver, and Benefactor. Our being is but a borrowed being from him, as the rays or beams of the sun are borrowed from the sun: therefore I AM is God's name. Whatever perfection we have is from him; hence he is called 'the only wise, none good but one, that is God:' he gives us the continuance of all these things, and it is on his cost that we live. As when the waters come from the sea unto the earth, and go back again unto it by brooks and rivers; so all we receive and enjoy comes from God, and ought to go back again to him, by being used for his glory. Wherefore to make ourselves our chief end, is to make ourselves a God to ourselves; for a creature to be a center to itself, and that God should be a means to that end, is to blaspheme, John 8:50.
II. I shall speak to the enjoyment of God forever, wherein man's chief happiness consists, and which he is to seek as his chief good. Here I shall show,
1. The nature of this enjoyment.
2. The order of it.
3. That it is man's chief end in point of happiness.
FIRST, I shall show the nature of this enjoyment. There is a twofold enjoyment of God, imperfect and perfect.
First, There is an imperfect enjoyment of God in this life; which consists in two things.
1. In union with him, or a special saving interest in him, whereby God is their God by covenant. By this union Christ and believers are so joined, that they are one spirit, one mystical body. The whole man, soul and body, is united to him, and, through the Mediator, unto God. This is the foundation of all saving enjoyment of God.
2. In communion with God, which is a participation of the benefits of that saving relation, whereof the soul makes returns to the Lord in the exercise of its graces, particularly of faith and love. This is had in the duties of religion, prayer, meditation, etc. in which the Lord privileges his people with manifestations of his grace, favor, and love, bestows on them the influences of his Spirit, gives them many tokens of his kindness, and fills them with joy and peace in believing.
Secondly, There is a perfect enjoyment of God in Heaven, when this world is no more. This consists in,
1. An intimate presence with him in glory Psalm 16:11, 'In his presence is fullness of joy, and at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore.' God himself shall be with them, and they shall ever be with the Lord, enjoying his glorious presence, brought near to his throne, and standing before him, where he shows his inconceivable glory.
2. In seeing him as he is, 1 John 3:2. They shall have a full, a satisfying, and never-ending sight of God, and of all his glorious perfections and excellencies, and they shall be ravished with the view thereof forever.
3. In a perfect union with him, Revelation 21:3. He will be their God. They were united to God in Christ here by the Spirit and faith, and made partakers of a divine nature, but then only in part; but in Heaven they shall perfectly partake of it. There shall be a most close and intimate union between God and them: God shall be in them, and they in God, in the way of a glorious and most perfect union, never to be dissolved.
4. In an immediate, full, free, and comfortable communion with him, infinitely superior to all the communion they ever had with him in this world, and which no mortal can suitably describe.
5. Lastly, In full joy and satisfaction resulting from these things forever, Matthew 25:21. The presence and enjoyment of God and the Lamb, shall satisfy them with pleasures for evermore. They shall swim forever in an ocean of joy, and every object they see shall fill them with the most ecstatic joy, which shall be ever fresh and new to them, through all the ages of eternity.
Secondly, Let us consider the order of this enjoyment.
1. It is a part of man's chief end, and, in conjunction with glorifying of God, makes it up. And these two are put together, because no man can glorify God, but he who takes God for his chief good and supreme happiness.
2. Glorifying of God is put before the enjoying of him, because the way of duty is the way to the enjoyment of God. Holiness on earth must necessarily go before felicity in Heaven, Hebrews 12:14. There is an inseparable connection between the two, as between the end and the means; so that no person who does not glorify God here, shall ever enjoy him hereafter. The connection is instituted by God himself, so that the one can never be attained without the other. Let no person, then, who has no regard for the glory and honor of God in this world, dream that he shall be crowned with glory, honor, immortality, and eternal life, in the heavenly mansions. No; the pure in heart, and they who glorify God now, shall alone see God, to their infinite joy in Heaven.
THIRDLY, I shall show, that the enjoyment of God is man's chief end in point, of happiness, the thing that he should chiefly seek. For this end,
1. Consider what man is. He is,
1.) A creature that desires happiness, and cannot but desire it. The desire of happiness is woven into his nature, and cannot be eradicated. It is as natural for him to desire it as it is to breathe.
2.) He is not self-sufficient: he is conscious to himself that he wants many things, and therefore he is ever seeking something without himself in order to be happy.
3.) Nothing but an infinite good can fully satisfy the desires of an immortal soul: because, whatever good he finds in the creature, he can still desire more, and will continue to desire it; and where it is not to be found, there his happiness is marred. So that man's happiness is neither to be found in himself nor in any creature, or created good.
2. Consider what God is.
1st, God is the chief good. Some persons, as angels, etc. and some things, as grace, glory, etc. are good; but God is the chief good, for he is the fountain good, and the water that is good is always best in the fountain. All other goodness is but second-hand goodness, derived and dependant; but God is original, underived, and independent goodness, the cause and source of whatever is good in Heaven and earth. Now, where the more goodness is, there the more it is to be sought. And therefore, seeing God is the chief good, the enjoyment of him is the chief end which man should aim at in seeking.
2dly, God is all good.
1.) There is nothing in him but what is good; he is entirely without imperfection.
2.) All that is good is in him; so that the soul, finding him commensurate to its desires, needs nothing besides him; and therefore should not, and cannot, fully rest in any person or thing but God, who alone is able to satisfy all its desires, and afford it that happiness which it earnestly pants after.
I shall conclude with a few inferences.
1. O how does reigning sin pervert the spirit of man, turning it quite away from its chief end! How many are there who make themselves their chief end! They are conjured within the circle of self, and out of it they cannot move. Like beasts they grovel on the ground, seeking themselves, and acting for themselves only or chiefly, pursuing the enjoyment of earthly things; but look not to God, Philippians 3:19. Their own advantage is the chief motive and aim they have in their natural, civil, and religious actions, either their own pleasure, profit, or honor and glory. And they never think of, never propose the glory and honor of the infinite Majesty of Heaven in anything they do.
2. This may fill the best with shame and blushing. O how much is God dishonored by our hearts, lips, and lives! O what self-seeking mixes itself with our best actions! How eagerly do we pursue created things, and how faintly the enjoyment of God! How absurd is such conduct! and how dishonorable to a holy God! It is a saying upon the matter, that God is not the chief good, that he is not a suitable portion for the soul, and that the creature is better than God. How should we be ashamed of ourselves on this account, and labor earnestly to make God the chief and ultimate end of all our actions, and the enjoyment of him our chief happiness!
3. Behold the excellency of man above other creatures on earth! He is made for a noble end, to glorify and enjoy God, while other creatures were made for him. How sad is it, that men should thus forget their dignity, and turn slaves to those creatures which were made to serve them! And how deplorable and lamentable is it, that men, in place of making God their ultimate end, and placing their chief happiness in him, should make their belly, their lusts and idols, their God, and place their chief felicity in the gratification of sensual and brutish pleasures; as the drunkard does in his bottle, the unclean person in his whore, the miser in his wealth, and the ambitious man in titles of honor. Alas! our hearts by nature are set on the earth that we tread upon, and our desires reach up to those things that we should make stepping-stones of. Let us earnestly implore divine grace to cure this disorder of our hearts, and give them a bias to more excellent things, and the enjoyment of that which will survive the grave, and not perish with the wrecks of time, and the dissolution of the world.
4. The soul of man is immortal, seeing to enjoy God forever is its ultimate and supreme happiness. God is immortal, and so must the soul be too, which can never be satisfied but in this never-dying being. The body too must rise again, seeing God is the God and portion of the whole man. Now, God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Can that thinking and immaterial substance which eagerly desires happiness, and can find it no where but in the immortal God, perish with the body, and all its thoughts and desires be extinguished in the grave? No; its chief happiness will exist forever, and so will the soul too. And both soul and body, which were united to God here, shall continue to be united to him forever, after the resurrection. Let us then seek to be united to God here, that we may be happy with and in him forever.
5. When God and the creature come in competition, we must renounce the creature, and cleave to God only, Luke 14:33. God is the chief good, and to glorify and adhere to him at all times, and in all cases, and amidst all trials, is our great duty, a duty absolutely required of us. If we are reduced to that dilemma, that we must either give up with the creature, or any worldly goods or possessions, or even life itself, or give up with and deny God and his cause, we must give up with and abandon the former, and not prefer them to the glory of God, which we ought always to study as our main end, and account our chief happiness and joy.
6. Here is a rule to try doctrines by, and also practices. Whatever doctrine tends to glorify God, and promote his honor in the world, is certainly from God, and is to be embraced. And whatever practices have that same tendency, they are good, and deserve to be imitated. Whereas any doctrine that tends to dishonor God, to rob him of his glory, and set the crown upon the creature's head, to depreciate the free grace of God, exalt the power of nature and of free-will, in opposition to the efficacious and irresistible grace of God, as the doctrines of the Pelagians, Papists, Arminians, and others do, is not from God. Neither is any doctrine or opinion that robs the Son of God of his essential dignity, supremacy, independency, and equality with the Father, to be received, because it is not of God, who will have all men to honor the Son even as they honor the Father.
Lastly, Let this then be your main and chief work, to glorify God, and to seek to enjoy him. And hence see the absolute need of Christ, and faith in him; for there is no glorifying of the Father without the Son, 1 John 2:23 and no enjoying of God, but through him. No sacrifice is or can be accepted, unless offered upon this altar; and there is no coming into the chamber of presence, but as introduced by Christ.
THE DIVINE AUTHORITY OF THE SCRIPTURES
2 TIMOTHY 3:16.—All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.
THE next head which falls to be touched is the holy scripture, the rule which God has given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him. We are poor blind creatures, that know not our way, neither how we should glorify God, nor how we may come to the enjoyment of him. Therefore God has given us the revelation of his mind in that great point. The connection between this and the preceding question is abundantly obvious; the one points out the end for which we were made, the other the rule to direct us how to attain to that end. And in this text we have two things.
1. The divine authority of the scriptures asserted. All scripture is given by inspiration of God. The word scripture signifies writing in general; but here it is appropriated to the holy scripture. It principally here aims at the scriptures of the Old Testament, which were written by men of a prophetic spirit: but seeing the New Testament was written by such as were endowed with the same Spirit for writing, upon that reason, what is applied to the Old belongs also to the New Testament. It is said to be of divine inspiration, because the writers were inspired by the Spirit, who guided their hearts and pens; he dictated, and they wrote; so that it is his word and not theirs; and that is extended to the whole scriptures.
2. The use and end of the scriptures: It is profitable for doctrine, etc. If you desire to know the truths of religion, or what we believe, the scripture is profitable for doctrine, teaching us what we are to believe concerning God, Christ, and ourselves, and the great things that concern salvation. If you want to refute the contrary errors, it is profitable for reproof, to convince us of the nature and importance of divine truth and point out what errors we are to avoid. If you desire, to amend your life and practice, casting off sinful practices, it is profitable for correction, that is, for reformation of manners. If you want to know what is duty, and what is sin, it is necessary for instruction and righteousness; showing us how to lead a holy and righteous life before God, and instructing us in the true righteousness, which is the foundation of our access to God, and acceptance with him, the righteousness of Christ. And what more is necessary for salvation, for faith and obedience, for the whole of salvation?
Two doctrines offer themselves from the words, namely,
DOCTRINE. I. 'The scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the Word of God.'
DOCTRINE. II. 'The scriptures are the rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy God.'
I shall prosecute each doctrine in order.
DOCTRINE. I. 'The scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the Word of God.'
Here I shall show,
I. What is meant by the Old and New Testament.
II. What are the scriptures of the Old and New Testament.
III. The necessity of the scriptures.
IV. That the scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the Word of God.
V. Deduce some inferences.
I. I shall show what is meant by the Old and New Testament. It is the covenant of grace which is called a testament, and it is properly a testamentary covenant, without any proper conditions as to us, Hebrews 8:10. "This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people." Christ is the testator; he made the testament, and confirmed it with his death. The spirit of Christ drew the testament, dictating it to the holy penman. This testament of Christ's is one and the same as to substance, though sometimes more clearly revealed than at other times. The Old Testament is the more obscure draught of Christ's will, and the New Testament is the more clear one. Thus they only differ in circumstances, while the substantiate of both are one and the same; one Mediator and testator, one legacy or promise of remission of sin and eternal life, and one faith as the way of obtaining it.
II. I proceed to show what are the scriptures of the Old and New Testament. The scriptures of the Old Testament are those which begin with Genesis, and end with Malachi; and the scriptures of the New Testament are those which begin with Matthew, and end with the Revelation. And it is worthy of our special remark, how the Old Testament and the New, like the cherubim in the most holy place, stretch forth their wings touching one another; the Old Testament ending with the prophecy of sending Christ and John the Baptist Malachi 4 and the New beginning with the history of the coming of these two.
The books of the Old Testament were divided by the Hebrews into three, the law, the Prophets, and Ketubim, written books. The law contains the five books of Moses, the Prophets are twofold, former and latter. The former are the historical books of the Old Testament, as Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings; and they were so called, because they told things already done. The latter related things before they were done; and are of two sorts; the greater, which are three, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel; the lesser twelve, namely, Hosea, Joel, etc. The written books were called so, because they were written by such as had the gift of the Holy Spirit, as the Hebrews speak, but not of prophecy. And of that sort are Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Canticles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, and Daniel. The Hebrews ascribe this division of them to Ezra; and it seems our Lord Jesus Christ acknowledged the same, while he tells his disciples, Luke 24:44 of the writings of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.
The books of the New Testament are divided into three sorts, Histories, the Four Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles, and the Revelation, which is prophetic.
The books of both the Testaments were written by different authors. As to the Old Testament, Moses wrote the Pentateuch; only some verses in the end of Deuteronomy, where Moses' death is recorded, could not be written by him, but are said to have been written by Joshua; who also wrote the book that bears his name; or, according to the opinion of some, it was written by Eleazar, Aaron's son. Samuel is supposed to have written the book of Judges, and, it would appear, the last part of the book of Joshua, containing the account of the death of Joshua and Eleazar: Some think that the Judges did write every one the history of their own time; and that Samuel at last did put them all into one volume. The book of Ruth also was written by him, as the Hebrews tell. He wrote also the first book bearing his name, to the 25th chapter, where his death is narrated. The rest of the chapters of that book, and the whole of the second book, are said to have been written by David. The books of the Kings are supposed to be written by David and Solomon, and other prophets that lived in these times; so that each of them did write what was done in his own time. Job is supposed to have written the book that bears his name. David wrote the Psalms, but not all: such as are not his have the author's name prefixed; as Asaph, Heman, etc.: and they were all by Ezra collected into one volume. Ezra is said to have written the books of Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah; Mordecai, that of Esther; and Solomon, the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Canticles. Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the other prophets, wrote every one their own prophecies, containing a short sum of their sermons.
As for the books of the New Testament, without controversy the evangelists wrote the Gospels, according as their names are prefixed to them. Luke wrote the Acts of the Apostles; and the remaining books, the Epistles and the Revelation, were written by those whose names they bear. Only, as to the Epistle to the Hebrews, there has been some doubt, some ascribing it to Luke, some to Barnabas, others to Apollos, and others to Clemens: but many learned men have given good reasons to prove it to be written by the apostle Paul.
But the principal author is the Holy Spirit, whence the scripture is called the Word of God. The penmen were but the instruments in the hand of God in writing the same. It was the Spirit that dictated them, that inspired the writers, and guided them. But the inspiration was not the same in all points to all the penmen; for some things were before utterly unknown to the writer, as the history of the creation of the world to Moses; the prediction of future events in respect of the prophets; which therefore the Spirit did immediately reveal to them: Other things were known to the writers before, as the history of Christ to the four evangelists, etc; in respect of these there need no new revelation, but a divine irradiation of the mind of the writer, giving him a divine certainty of those things which he wrote. By this inspiration all of them were infallibly guided, so as they were put beyond all possibility of erring. And this inspiration was extended not only to the things themselves expressed, but to the words wherein they were expressed, though agreeable to the natural style and manner of each writer, 2 Peter 1:21; Psalm 45:1. Upon this account the scripture is attributed to the Holy Spirit, without making any mention of the penmen, Hebrews 10:15.
Question: But what opinion are we to form of the books called Apocrypha, And why are they so called?
Answer. These books, which are found placed in some bibles between Malachi and Matthew are called Apocrypha, which is a Greek word, signifying hidden or absconded. The reasons of this name are given thus
1.) Because they were not acknowledged by the church to be of divine inspiration.
2.) Because the names of the authors were hid.
3.) Because they contain some things unknown to Moses, the prophets and apostles.
4.) Because, for the foresaid reasons, they were judged unworthy to be publicly read in the church. Concerning these books, we believe that they are not of divine inspiration, and therefore no part of the canon of scripture; that is, they are not to be admitted as any part of the rule of faith and manners: and therefore they are of no authority in the church of God for the determining of controversies in religion; and so, though they may be of use as other human writings, yet they are no otherwise to be made use of nor approved. The reasons are,
1. They were not acknowledged by the church of the Jews for canonical: to whom the Apostle tells us, Romans 3:2. 'the oracles of God,' under the Old Testament dispensation 'were committed.' They even forbade their children to read them until they came to mature age.
2. They were not written in the Hebrew tongue, but in the Greek; and the authors of them were posterior to Malachi, who was the last of the prophets, according to the saying of the Hebrews, that the Holy Spirit went up from Israel after the death of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. And 1 Mac. 4:46 plainly shows, that there was no prophet among them, to show them what they should do with the stones of the polluted altar. And it may clearly appear to any unbiased person, how the interposing of these books between Malachi and Matthew does cut off the beautiful connection between the end of the Old and. the beginning of the New Testament, and how Malachi's prophecy is designed of God to close up the scriptures of the Old Testament, in that he prophecies most distinctly of the coming of Christ, and John the Baptist his forerunner, with the accomplishment of which Matthew begins his gospel, as I observed before.
3. The primitive church for the first four centuries received not these books; and when they came to be read, the reader stood but in an inferior place, they being then read as profitable books, though not of divine authority.
4. They are no where cited by Christ and his apostles. Yes, they are not obscurely rejected by him, while he divides the scriptures into Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms, Luke 24:44. And whereas the Apostle tells us, that 'prophecy came not of old by the will of man, but that holy men spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit,' 2 Peter 1:21 the authors of these books pretend to no such thing. The author of Ecclesiasticus in the prologue entreats the reader to pardon them, (namely, him and his grandfather), wherein they may seem to come short of some words which they have labored to interpret. Such an apology is there, 2 Mac. 15:38. 'If I have done well, it is that which I desired; but if slenderly and meanly, it is that which I could attain unto.' 2 Mac. 2:23 the author tells us, he will essay to abridge in one volume the five books of Jason of Cyrene. Verse 26 he tells how he has taken on him the painful labor of abridging; that it was a matter of sweat and watching to him: And verse 27. 'But for the pleasuring of many,' says he, 'we will undertake this great pains.' And more of this stuff has he there; which plainly speaks forth nothing else than human learning and pains, which men desire to have much accounted of among others.
Lastly, They neither agree with themselves nor the holy scriptures, as may plainly appear to those who will consider them diligently. 1 Mac. 6:16 compared with verse 4 it is said, that Antiochus died at Babylon. Yet 2 Mac. 1:13, 14, 15, 16 it is said, that when he was come into Persia, he was slain in the temple of Nanea, whom he pretended that he would marry, and would receive money in name of dowry, by her priests. Yes, 2 Mac. 9:28 he is said to have died in a strange country in the mountains. The book of Tobit is stuffed with absurd stories; it makes the angel Raphael to tell a lie, and to teach Tobit's son a devilish are, to drive away the devil with the heart and liver of a fish; and when the evil spirit smelled the smell, he fled into the utmost parts of Egypt, etc. The author of the history of the Maccabees commends Rasis for self-murder, and prayer for the dead, 2 Mac. 12:44, 45. These things plainly show, that these books are not from the Spirit of God.
All this shows the darkness of Popery that receives these books as canonical, and the dregs remaining in the church of England, who, though they do not receive them for canonical, yet mix the reading of portions of them in their churches with the scriptures, while in the mean time, several portions of the holy scripture are passed over, and not read publicly in their service. And while we blame the church of England for reading in her service books that are not canonical, impartiality obliges us to say, that far too small a portion of the books that are canonical is read in the public service of our own church. This is equally culpable.
And as there is none of these to be admitted into the canon, so neither can we gratify the Papists with yielding, that there are any books of the scripture lost, lest we reflect on the providence of God, that to a miracle has preserved these books to this day, and has insured the preservation of far less parts than whole books, Matthew 5:18.
III. I proceed to show the necessity of the scriptures.
1. There was a necessity of the revelation of the doctrine of the scriptures. For though the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence, do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable, Romans 1:20 and 2:14, 15 yet they are not sufficient to show us either how we should glorify, or how we may enjoy God, and so are not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of his will, that is necessary to salvation. For
(11.) There is no salvation out of Christ, Acts 4:12. 1 Corinthians 3:11 there is no salvation through him but by faith, Mark 16:16. John 3:16 and 17:3 and there can be no faith nor knowledge of Christ but by revelation, Romans 10:14–17.
(2.). They who have only nature's light, and so do not enjoy divine revelation, are without God, and have no hope, Ephesians 2:12; and therefore there was a necessity for preaching the gospel, 1 Corinthians 1:21.
(3.) Whatever knowledge men may attain to of God by nature, yet saving illumination and conversion can only be got by the revealed will of God written in his word. See Psalm 19 throughout.
2. There is a necessity of the scriptures, or written word, though the Papists whose kingdom is supported by darkness, deny it. It is true, God did teach his church a long time before Moses without the written word; but then the same doctrine that we have in the scriptures, the patriarchs had by extraordinary revelation often repeated; and their long lives gave them opportunity to keep what was so revealed uncorrupted, and so to hand it down to others. But now both these are gone, and therefore the written word is necessary,
(1.) For preserving the doctrine from corruption in such times of apostasy, 2 Peter 3:1.
(2.) For the better propagating of the truth, Matthew 28:19. The apostles could not with their voice teach all nations, but by their writings they could.
(3.) If the written word were wanting, the church has nothing to look to but uncertain traditions; but the written word is a sure touchstone of doctrines, Isaiah 8:20 a light in a dark place, 2 Peter 1:19 both of which are most necessary.
3. There is a necessity of it not only for beginners, but for those who are more perfect. The scripture is written for all indifferently, Colossians 3:16. Even the most perfect will find enough there, and more than they are able for: 'Open you mine eyes,' says David, 'that I may behold wondrous things out of your law,' Psalm 119:18. It is but the blindness of enthusiasts to pretend, that it is only for the weaker, and that the more perfect must follow the Spirit: for if that Spirit teach anything contrary to the written word, it is a spirit of darkness, Isaiah 8:20; yes, if it teach another doctrine, an anathema is pronounced against it, Galatians 1:8.
Thus it plainly appears, that nothing short of scripture-revelation is sufficient to salvation, and that in an objective way; that is, that it is a sufficient rule to lead men to salvation. But something else is requisite to make this rule effectual for that end. No skill or wisdom of men representing them in the clearest point of view, nor all the power of the most elaborate and persuasive reasonings, can produce this effect. This work is the province of the Spirit of God, which he accomplishes by an internal illumination of the mind, giving blinded sinners a saving discovery of divine truths; by powerfully subduing man's obstinate will, and enabling it cheerfully and readily to obey the will of God and the authority of Christ; and by working upon our affections, exciting in us ardent desires after God and Christ, and a high esteem of divine truth, and removing the prejudices in our minds against it, and opening our hearts to receive the word, and comply with the design thereof.
IV. I shall next show that the scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the Word of God. Christ is God's personal word, but the scriptures are his written word, Hosea 1:2.
The scriptures appear to be the Word of God, if we consider,
1. The antiquity of some parts of them, which are more ancient than any human writings, and give us such an history as none but God himself could do, namely, the creation of the world; for how could men tell what was done before man had a being?
2. The preservation of it to this day, notwithstanding the malice of devils and wicked men against it. If it had not been of God, it could not have continued until now, considering the attempts that have been made to destroy it.
3. The candor and sincerity of the penmen of these sacred writings, who honestly declare what they delivered was received from God, plainly tell their own faults as well as those of others, and every way write as men over-ruled by the Spirit of God.
4. The exact performance of scripture-prophecies. Isaiah prophesied that Cyrus should deliver the Jews from the Babylonish captivity, not only before that captivity took place, but more than an hundred years before that prince was born. Jeremiah, a little before that captivity, foretold it should last seventy years, and that was the precise duration of it. How remarkably have all the prophecies relating to the fall of the Babylonish, Persian, Grecian, and Roman monarchies been fulfilled! And what an exact accomplishment has there been of the several prophecies relating to the birth and death of Christ, and the spreading of his kingdom in the world! The scripture contains many other prophecies which time has shown exactly performed, and many that are yet to be fulfilled.
5. The blood of many martyrs has confirmed the divinity of this book, while they joyfully laid down their lives for the truth of it; in which it is evident they were carried up above what human power could do.
6. The scriptures have been confirmed by incontrovertible miracles. All miracles are wrought by God himself; and it is inconsistent with his holy nature to work miracles for confirming a lie or a cheat. Many miracles were wrought by Moses, by Christ, and by his apostles. If then these miracles were done by them, the doctrine they taught was true. Now, we have all rational grounds to suppose, that these miracles were really wrought. It is certain, that the general consent of those who have heard of them goes that way. Now, if it be supposed a cheat that such things were done, then that cheat took place either among those who were said to have seen them, and were witnesses to them or else among those who lived after that generation which is said to have seen them was dead and gone. But neither of these two can be said here. Not the first, for two reasons.
(1.) Because these miracles were such things as men's outward senses (their eyes and ears) could be judges of.
(2.) They are said to be done, not in a corner, but in the face of the world. Therefore it was impossible that that generation could be imposed upon. If a man should say, that yesterday he divided the river Tweed in presence of us all, and brought us all through on dry land, it would be impossible for him to make us believe it, for we saw no such thing, nor waded so through that river. Or if he should say, that he came to the church-yard, and raised a dead man in our presence, whom we now see among us, he could never cause us believe it, nor cheat us into a persuasion of the same. Neither could any in after generations invent such a story, and impose the cheat upon others.
(1.) Because there are some things done in memory of these miracles.
(2.) Such observances did commence from the time that such things were done, as circumcision, the Passover, baptism, and the Lord's Supper. If then the forger would impose it on others, he must make them believe, that these observances have been constantly in use since that time, which, if they were not, could not be believed, because it contradicts the senses: for it would be impossible to make a nation believe that they were all circumcised or baptized, when there was no such thing; and especially that such things were done to them in memory of such a thing as they never heard of.
7. The scriptures must either be from God, or the creature. They cannot be from the creature; for if so, they must be from angels or men. Neither of these can be said. Not the first; for then they should either be from good angels or evil angels. From good angels they cannot be, in regard, they say, they are the Word of God, and this would be a most gross cheat which cannot be attributed to good angels; for angels imposing such a cheat on the world could no more be looked on as good, but as evil. With what shadow of reason can it be imagined, that good angels, remaining so, should abuse the name of God, as to speak in his name, what he never said? Evil angels it cannot be either, in regard the scripture does natively tend to overturn the devil's kingdom; it pronounces their doom, discovers their malicious designs, brings men out of their service, and from doing what is pleasing to them. The same way may we reason concerning good or bad men their being the principal authors of the scriptures. And you know what torment the scripture assigns to liars. It remains then that the scripture is of divine inspiration.
Besides, such things are found in the scripture themselves, as do plainly demonstrate they are the Word of God. As,
1. The heavenliness of the matter of the scripture, shows it to be of a divine origin. Therefore they are called the holy scriptures, Romans 1:2. See Psalm 12:6. Nothing carnal or earthly is delivered therein, but all is what becomes those who live above the world, and shall shine in glory. I take this heavenliness of the matter to respect two things.
(1.) The sublime mysteries therein revealed, which nature ever so much elevated could never attain to the discovery of. Such is the doctrine of the Trinity, the incarnation of the Son of God, and the spiritual union between Christ and believers. The light of nature improved by the learned to the utmost advantage, could not teach these things; yet a few fishermen plainly delivered them.
(2.) The most exact holiness of its precepts, commanding all holiness, and forbidding all impurity of heart and life under the pain of damnation; and that so universally, as all the writings of philosophers have come far short of. Here we are taught to love our enemies, to be truly and thoroughly humble and self-denied; and this urged by such arguments as may be most effectual for inciting men to the practice of these duties. Sure this could neither be the work of men, being so opposite to corrupt nature, nor of devils being so opposite to their kingdom and interest, but of that God who is holy, and loves righteousness.
2. The efficacy of the doctrine, in its convincing and searching the conscience, Hebrews 4:12; converting the soul from its most beloved lusts, even when nothing can be expected from the world for such a change but the cross, Psalm 19:7; rejoicing the heart under the deepest distresses, verse 8. This efficacy lies not in the bare words, letters, or syllables, which have no other power than to signify the things; but it is the ordinary means which the Spirit makes use of for these ends, without which it will be but a dead letter.
3. The majesty and sublimity of the style, an elevated and grand diction which runs through many passages of the scriptures, particularly in the books of Moses, some parts of the Psalms, in the book of Job, and the writings of the prophets. There are in several passages of the Old Testament such a loftiness of style, so grand an assemblage of bold images and representations, such a collection of noble and majestic sentiments, and so much magnificence and pomp of language, as cannot be found in any human writings whatever. There is something so truly majestic and sublime, so grand and magnificent in the style of the sacred writings, as has forced heathen philosophers to acknowledge it, and select passages therefrom as instances of the true sublime; as does Longinus with regard to the words of God, Let there be, and some other passages. At the same time let it be observed, that there is nothing affected, no flights of false eloquence, no exertions of a luxuriant genius, no labored strokes of a warm imagination, no forced images, no distorted metaphors, no quaint allusions, or unnatural comparisons which are frequently found in the most admired productions of ancient and modern writers; but the utmost plainness and perspicuity, a noble simplicity, and an elegant familiarity, level to the capacity of the illiterate, reign throughout the sacred volume. So that its style must engage the attention and regard of the learned philosopher and poet, and delight the unlearned peasant. Thus God is frequently brought in speaking to and by the prophets, and his majesty set forth in a majestic style, as Isaiah 57:15. 'Thus says the high and lofty One, that inhabits eternity, whose name is holy,' etc. There is no affectation of words there, being below the majesty of the divine law: none are spared, but the scripture speaks as freely and plainly to the great as to the small, to the rich as to the poor.
4. The consent of all the parts of scripture; though written by several hands, and at different times, yet all of them so agreeing in their precepts, narratives of matters of fact, and designs, that there is no irreconcilable difference to be found among them. But here the Socinians call us to consider this point at more length; for they say that there is some repugnancy in the scriptures in some things of little or no moment, and that not a seeming but real repugnancy. But we believe that in nothing does one holy writer differ from another in the scriptures, but that such things as seem to be repugnant do in themselves most exactly agree. This principle I shall endeavor to prove.
(1.) There are no things in the Scriptures of little or no moment; and if so, the writers could not err in them. That there are no such things in it; the scripture plainly teaches, as in the text, All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable, etc. Romans 15:4. 'Whatever things were written aforetime were written for our learning; that we, through patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope.' The Jews said, that there was not one point in scripture but mountains of mysteries hang on it. See Matthew. 5:18. It argues a profane spirit to talk of the scriptures at that rate. The people of God know that many a time they have read over a scripture in which they could see little or nothing, but afterwards they have seen a great deal in it when the Spirit has been commentator: and though in some things we never see any weighty thing, must we therefore conclude that there is none there?
(2.) The holy penmen were, in all that they wrote, acted and guided by the Spirit of God, or wrote all by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, as says the text, and 2 Peter 1:20, 21. If all scripture was given by inspiration, if no scripture be of private interpretation, nor came by the will of man, but holy men spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, how can there be any error in any passage of scripture? If the scriptures be the Word of God, they must be altogether pure, Psalm 19:7, 8.
(3.) Those things in which there is some repugnancy between the penmen of the scriptures, are either a part of the canonical scripture, or not. If they be, then
[11.] All scripture is not given by inspiration of God.
[2.] The scriptures are holy scriptures, Romans 1:2; but errors, whether in greater or lesser things, are unholy, and cannot be a part of the holy scriptures. If they be no part of the holy scriptures, why do they charge the holy scriptures with errors therein?
(4.) If it be so that there is such repugnancy in the scriptures, then they cannot found certain and divine faith; for a fallible testimony can ground only a fallible belief. And how shall we know when they are right, and when they are wrong? One says that he is guided by the Spirit, and tells us such a thing; another says the same, and tells us the contrary: Whom shall we believe? If you say it must be determined by the greater number of the holy penmen, it is well known, that among those who are fallible, one may be righter than many. But this is plainly to lean to human testimony; for one speaking by the Spirit is as much to be believed as ten thousand. So that this truly dissolves the authority of the whole scriptures.
In short, we refuse that there are any real inconsistencies or contradictions in the holy oracles of God. Whatever seeming inconsistencies or repugnancies there may be, they may be easily reconciled, and have been actually reconciled to satisfy every sober person, by many learned divined, whose writings may be consulted on this head.
5. This scope of the whole scriptures, which is to give all glory to God. The design of them is to exalt none but the infinite majesty of Heaven, to humble all mankind, and empty them of themselves, that God's grace may be all, and men themselves nothing, but entirely dependent on the mercy of God through Jesus Christ.
6. The full discovery it makes of the way of man's salvation. Who could ever have told of the Son of God his dying for the sins of the elect, and have made a discovery of the way of salvation by faith, which the scripture has plainly set down?
7. The entire perfection of the scripture; that is, the whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man's salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from scripture.
There are two ways how matters of faith and life are set down in the scriptures. The one is when the thing is set down expressly in so many words; as the unlawfulness of murder, when it is said, 'You shall not kill;' the ordinance of baptism, as in that, 'Go and teach all nations, baptizing them,' etc. The other is by good and necessary consequence, which is when the thing itself is not found in the scriptures in so many words, but does evidently (in itself) and necessarily flow from the express words of scripture, as the baptizing of infants is by good and necessary consequence drawn from that, 'Go you, and baptize all nations.'
Here I shall first prove, that, besides what is to be found in express words in the scriptures, good and necessary consequences deduced therefrom are also to be admitted, as truly binding as what is declared in express words there, whether in fundamentals or in such things as are built on the foundation. If one can prove anything by good and necessary consequence from the scripture, it is all one, as to the binding power on men's consciences, as if it were expressly set down in so many words.
(1.) Good and necessary consequences are such as the word is designed for. What is deduced from them, so is indeed the sense and meaning of the words; and if you have the words without the meaning of them, or without the full meaning of them, in so far you come short of the true intent of the words. If I bid a man draw near the fire, do I not desire him to warm himself, though I speak not one word of his warming himself? Were not the scriptures written for that end, that 'we through patience and comfort of them might have hope?' Romans 15:4. But this cannot be obtained without the use of consequences. Are they not profitable for doctrine,—'that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works?' 2 Timothy 3:16. But can this be had without the use of consequences?
(2.) The great fundamental article, that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, before the New Testament was written, could not be proved to the Jews by express scripture testimony, but by good and necessary consequence; yet Christ tells them that there could be no salvation for them without the belief of this. 'If you believe not that I am he (the Messiah),'says he, 'you shall die in your sins.' John 8:24.
(3.) Our Lord Jesus Christ himself, while he would prove the fundamental article of the resurrection against the Sadducees, does not seek after a text that said in express words, that the dead shall rise again, but proves it by good consequence, yet no less firmly than if he had produced an express text for it, Matthew. 22:32. And it is no less evident that the apostles follow him in this method; as in treating of the resurrection of Christ, Acts 2:25 of the resurrection of all mankind, 1 Corinthians 15 and of the justification of a sinner before God, in the epistles to the Romans and Galatians.
(4.) Such as reject all arguing from scripture by consequences, must either confess that by no scripture this way is condemned, or else they must adduce some express scripture text forbidding it. The last they can never do. If they say the first, then it is approved; otherwise the scripture is no perfect rule of faith and practice, which we shall immediately show to be false. If they say that the scripture leaves it indifferent, then I ask, how dare they condemn it?
(5.) Refusing to admit good and necessary consequences from scripture, overturns all religion, both law and gospel, faith and practice. For how shall it be proved, that John or James are obliged to obey the law, and believe the gospel but by consequence? where will they find an express text for these? Only the law speaks to all, the gospel to every hearer of it, and consequently they oblige you and me. This way, then, of any doctrine its being set down in the scripture being admitted, we are to prove next.
That the scriptures are a perfect rule of faith and manner; or that the whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man's salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down therein, etc.
1. God has expressly forbidden to add anything unto his word; therefore it needs no addition, and so is perfect Deuteronomy 4:2. 'You shall not add unto the word that I command you.' Consider what you speak of; even of statutes and judgments; statutes, ceremonies, and rites of worship; even to these he will have nothing added. So we have all additions prohibited, Proverbs 30:6; and that under a severe penalty, Revelation 22:18.
2. 'The law of the Lord is perfect,' as is expressly asserted, Psalm 19:8. There it is said of it,
(1.) it converts the soul;
(2.) makes wise the simple;
(3.) rejoices the heart; and
(4.) enlightens the eyes. The apostle plainly asserts the perfection of it, while he tells us, 2 Timothy 3:15 that it is 'able to make a man wise unto salvation.' How can it be so, unless it teach all things necessary to salvation? It is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, etc. What can be desired more? And that you may be sure there is nothing wanting in it, he tells you, it is given for that purpose, 'that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.' So Christ says, 'They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them,' Luke 16:29; clearly importing, that in them is contained what is sufficient to salvation.
3. Consider the end for which the scriptures were written, even 'that believing men may have life,' John 20:31; that 'through patience and comfort of the scriptures they might have hope,' Romans 15:4. If anything necessary to salvation were not in them, how would they answer the end for which they were written?
4. The Lord Jesus taught his disciples all that he had heard of the Father, namely, necessary to their salvation, John 15:15. He commissions them to teach all others, even to the end of the world, what he commanded them, Matthew. 28:20. But this they could not do viva voce; therefore they did it in their writings. And whoever considers how exact the apostles were of teaching things of lesser moment, as what day the collection for the poor should be made, etc. cannot think they would neglect anything necessary to salvation, unless they could not through ignorance or forgetfulness; neither of which can be imputed to them in their writings, being led by the Spirit of God infallibly.
5. The nature of the scriptures teaches us their perfection. For if they be not perfect they cannot be a rule; for a rule must always be commensurable to the thing to be regulated. They are Christ's testament, to which nothing is to be added, being confirmed.
I shall now deduce some inferences from this subject.
1. The holy penmen of the scriptures had a command from God to write, and did not write only occasionally without a command. For that inspiration was an internal command, whereby the Spirit moved them to write, 2 Peter 1:21.
2. The penmen of the scriptures were infallible in their writing, so that they were not mistaken in anything, even of the least moment: far less is there any real contradiction among them, being all guided by the same Spirit, who inspired the very words, and kept them from all error, 2 Peter 1:20, 21.
3. The authority of the scripture in itself, that is, the power it has to bind the conscience, does not depend on the church, but wholly on God, the author of it. For,
(1.) The church is built upon the scriptures, Ephesians 2:20. 'Upon the foundation of the prophets and apostles.' This foundation is not personal; 'for other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, even Jesus Christ:' but it is doctrinal, the doctrine of the prophets and apostles. Now, it is clear, that the superstructure depends on the foundation, not the foundation on it.
(2.) If the authority of the scriptures depended on the church, then they behooved first of all to believe the authority of the church without the scriptures, and our faith should be built upon human testimony, which is fallible; but we believe the church for the scriptures, and no otherwise, Isaiah 8:20 and human testimony cannot found divine faith.
(3.) Whence can any prove that the church is to be believed but from the scripture? and then to say, that the scriptures must be believed for the church's testimony, is a circle unworthy of men of sense.
(4.) Either the church had reason to receive the scriptures or not. If they had no reason to receive them, they have as little reason to impose them on others. If they had, what was it, but that it was truth, and worthy to be received? Therefore their testimony does not make it truth, or worthy to be believed and obeyed.
(5.) The scripture is God's own word, 2 Timothy 3:16. How blasphemous is it then to deny faith unto God in the scriptures, while he speaks to us in them, unless the testimony of men give authority to his word? This is as much as to say, that God has his authority from the church, and that he ought not to be believed or obeyed, unless the church commanded it; which is most blasphemous. Of this blasphemy is the church of Rome guilty, who roundly assort that the authority of the scripture depends on the church. I shall only add, that this is the high way to keep Christians off from convincing Turks, Pagans, and Jews, as to the New Testament, while we tell them that the authority of the scripture, wherein our religion is laid down, depends on the church, and that the scriptures are true, because the church says it.
4. The authority of the scripture as to us is not from the church, but from itself; that is, the reason why we receive the scripture as the Word of God, it is not because the church says it is so, but because it evidences itself to be so. For as God's works do themselves tell their Maker, so his word declares the Speaker; so that a spiritual discerner must needs say, on the reading of it, though none should recommend, it is the voice of God, not of men. Can we discern an unlearned man's letter from that of a learned man? and does not God's word bear a divine character? It is a light, a lamp, etc. the nature of which is to discover itself. Thus there is objective evidence enough in the scripture; though indeed the subjective evidence cannot be had but by the Spirit of God; so that to him bearing witness by and with the word, we owe the full assurance that it is God's word, 1 Corinthians 2:10, 14. And this is the reason why great scholars may be less persuaded of this truth, than the most unlearned peasants; because, though the sun discovers itself sufficiently, yet blind men cannot see it.
Now, that the inward illumination of the Spirit of God is necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the word, I shall prove by the following arguments.
1. The scripture makes this inward illumination of the Spirit of God necessary for understanding the scriptures, while it ascribes the same wholly unto the Spirit, Matthew. 16:17. 'Flesh and blood has not revealed it, [Christ's being the Son of the living God] unto you, but my father which is in Heaven;' 1 Corinthians 2:10, 11, 12. 'God has revealed them unto us by his Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man, save the Spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of God. 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.' If the Spirit of God take the same unto himself as his own proper work, how can any arrogate it to themselves, as if by the power of nature they were able for it?
2. There is an utter inability in man by nature to know savingly the things of God. They are above his capacity while he remains in his natural state, and nothing can act beyond the sphere of its activity. This is plain from 1 Corinthians 2:14 where not only the act of receiving them is denied to natural men, but the very power of discerning them; and the reason is given, 'because they are spiritually discerned,' and he wants the organ of discerning spiritually. And this discerning is appropriated to the spiritual man, verse 15. Had not the Israelites in the wilderness very great external helps to gain the knowledge of the things of God, Deuteronomy 29? but all was ineffectual. What was the want then? See verse 4. 'The Lord has not given you (says Moses, to them) an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear.'
3. If it were not the spiritual illumination that gave this saving understanding of the things of God, then the greatest adepts in human literature would have most of the saving knowledge of such things as are revealed in the word. This plainly follows: But that it is not so, the scripture testifies, 1 Corinthians 1:20, 26, 27, 28. 'Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For you see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world, to confound the wise: and God has chosen the weak things of the world, to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, has God chosen, yes, and things which are not, to bring to nothing things that are.' Many times it is seen to be quite otherwise. And what makes the difference? See Matthew. 11:25. 'I thank you, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth (says Christ), because you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them unto babes.' Even as he has put this treasure in earthen vessels, to the end the praise might be of God, that it may be seen it is not the act of the preacher, but the power of the Spirit, that gives true understanding.
4. Men without the saving illumination of the Spirit are so far from attaining sufficient knowledge of the things revealed in the Word of God, that they judge them foolish, 1 Corinthians 2:14. The doctrine concerning Christ crucified was to the Jews, who had the law and the prophets, a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks, who excelled in human learning, foolishness, 1 Corinthians 1:23; yes, no less than madness, Acts 26:24. Nay, even the godly themselves, when without the actual influence of the Spirit, are not far from reckoning as they do who are in nature; as in the case of the apostles, looking on the account brought them of the resurrection of their Lord as an idle tale, and not believing it, Luke 24:11. The doctrine of Christ's resurrection seemed to the disciples as idle tales; how much more so to men utterly destitute of the Spirit, who many times are besides judicially blinded? 2 Corinthians 4:4.
5. The Lord promises his Spirit to the end men may be taught to know the truths of God savingly, Ezekiel 36:26. John 14:16, 17 and 16:12, 13. Has he promised his Spirit in vain? or are we sufficiently furnished already? If so, why does he promise his Spirit?
6. The prayers of the saints for this illumination prove the necessity of it, Psalm 119:18. Ephesians 1:17, 18. Colossians 1:9. And they pray so, because they feel the need of it: the experience of the Spirit is that against which there is no disputing.
7. Let us consider that passage, John 6:45. 'And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that has heard, and learned of the Father, comes unto me.' It is plain that by coming unto Christ is meant saying faith in him. Now, in order to this there is a promise, that they shall all, namely, all the elect, for faith is the saying faith of God's elect, be taught of God, namely, by the Spirit, not merely by external revelation, because whoever thus hears comes unto Christ: but it is certain that all come not to Christ that hear, and learn of the Father by external revelation only. From all, which it is evident, that unto the sufficient understanding of the things revealed in the scripture the teaching of the Spirit is necessary; and that all who attain to the saving knowledge of these things do believe.
What then remains upon this head but, that we diligently read the holy scriptures as being the Word of God, and the rule which he has given to direct us both as to faith and practice; and that we fervently pray to God, that he may give us his holy Spirit to enlighten our minds in the saving knowledge of the word, without which we will remain in the dark, and the word will be but a dead letter to us? Lord open our eyes, that we may understand your word.
THE UTILITY OF THE SCRIPTURES AS A RULE
I proceed to the consideration of another Doctrine.
DOCTRINE. 'The scriptures are the rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy God.'
Here I shall only give the properties of this rule.
1. It is a perspicuous or clear rule. For though all things in scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all; yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due sense of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them.
(1.) With respect to all things necessary to salvation, whether for faith or practice, it cannot be denied, but there are portions of the scripture very obscure, which possibly are not rightly interpreted even to this day; but in such things as are necessary to salvation, they are clear. And in this respect it has been said, that the scriptures are a depth wherein a lamb may wade, and an elephant may swim.
(2.) Though some things, the faith of which is necessary to salvation, be high and incomprehensible mysteries, such as the doctrine of the Trinity, of the incarnation of the Son of God, etc. yet the way of propounding them is clear.
(3.) It may be that what is truly necessary unto salvation may be very obscurely laid down in some place of scripture; yet in some other place we shall find the same thing clearly propounded:
(4.) And that so as not only the learned, but even the unlearned, may attain to a sufficient understanding of them; which you must carefully remember is meant here of believing persons, who have the inward illumination of the Spirit, removing their own natural darkness: for if you shall understand it of unbelievers, it contradicts what we have laid down above, relating to the necessity of spiritual illumination. And so the sense is, that not only may the learned, but even the unlearned Christian, attain to a sufficient understanding of the word;
(5.) Providing they make use of the ordinary means appointed of God for the understanding of them; reading attentively and devoutly with prayer and meditation on them, etc.
This perspicuity of the scriptures I shall prove by the following arguments.
(1.) The scripture plainly teaches its own perspicuity and clearness in this sense. It is called a lamp and a light, Psalm 119:105. The very 'entrance of it (it is said) gives light and understanding to the simple,' verse 130. See Proverbs 6:23. The apostle, 2 Peter 1:19 calls the holy scriptures a light, and particularly the word of prophecy, or the prophetic word, which of all the rest seems most dark, yet this he calls a light and a shining light, shining in a dark place; showing thereby, that where it comes and shines, though the place be of itself dark, yet it dispels the darkness.
(2.) Such is the way God has delivered his word, that its commands are not remote from the understanding; the meanest believer has no reason to complain of the difficulty of it in the things necessary to salvation, Deuteronomy 30:11. etc. 'For this command which I command you this day, it is not hidden from you, neither is it far off: It is not in Heaven, that you should say, Who shall go up for us to Heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it in unto us, that we may hear it, and do it! But the word is very near unto you, in your mouth, and in your heart, that you may do it.'
(3.) If all things necessary to salvation be understood by all sincere Christians, and this by virtue of the Spirit dwelling in every believer, then the scriptures are clear in all things necessary to salvation to the meanest believer. But the former is true: 1 Corinthians 2:15. 'He who is spiritual judges all things;' 1 John 2:20, 27. 'You have an unction from the holy One, and you know all things. The anointing which you have received of him abides in you, and you need not that any man teach you; but the same anointing teaches you of all things.' Consider to whom John is there speaking, not only to learned men and great divines, but to all believers, even to little children; to all that have the Spirit, which is common to all; 'for if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.'
(4.) The things that are necessary to salvation are hidden only to unbelievers, in whom the God of this world has blinded their eyes; as for others, God himself has taught them, 2 Corinthians 4:4, 6.
(5.) God has promised to write his law is his people's hearts, and that he himself will teach them to know himself, Jeremiah 31:33, 34; therefore the scripture must needs be perspicuous and clear in things necessary to salvation: for that which is written in our hearts cannot be but clear unto us; and that which God himself teaches us cannot be obscure, for who teaches like God?
(6.) If the scriptures be not clear in themselves to all believers, but that all its perspicuity depends on the interpretation of the church, then our faith is to be ultimately resolved into the testimony of man; but that cannot be, for human testimony is not infallible and authentic, and therefore cannot found divine faith and an infallible persuasion. The reason of the consequence is clear. Hearers are obliged if they will not pin their faith on men's sleeves, to compare the interpretations given by men, with the scriptures themselves; which is utterly impracticable, unless the scriptures be clear in themselves in such things as are necessary to salvation.
(7.) The perspicuity of the scripture appears, if you consider their author, who is God himself, the Father of lights; and the end for which he gave the scriptures unto the church, namely, that they might be a rule of faith and life. Of his power to speak plainly, who can doubt? and the end for which they are given may sufficiently satisfy as to his will to speak so; for how can they be a rule to us, if enrapt up so as we cannot understand them without the church's interpretation, in those things that are necessary to salvation?
2. It is a perfect rule. There is nothing necessary to be believed or done but what is to be found there. It is a perfect rule for us to walk by in the way to Heaven and glory. What can be more desired than that in the text, It is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness? 'The law of the Lord is perfect,' Psalm 19:7. The scriptures were written that men might have life, John 20:31 and comfort and hope in all conditions, Romans 15:4. But I insisted on this more fully in the preceding doctrine.
3. It is the only rule. Every doctrine taught any manner of way in religion must be brought to this rule, and if it agree not with it, must be rejected, Isaiah 8:20. Hereby traditions must be tried, Matthew. 15:3; and spirits or revelations, 1 John 4:1; and nothing must be added to it, Proverbs 30:6. Revelation 22:18. I shall shut up with a few inferences.
Inference. 1. The opinions of fathers, decrees of councils, acts of assemblies, covenants, and minister's sermons, are not the rule of faith to us; nor can any of them bind us but in so far as they are agreeable to the Word of God, by which all of them must be judged and examined, Isaiah 8:20.
2. Translations of the scriptures into the vulgar languages are most necessary and profitable. How otherwise should the unlearned read them, if they were not translated? It was by means of these translations that Romish Babel was brought down at the Reformation, as by the division of tongues the building of old Babel was hindered. And that makes the Papists such enemies to translations of the scriptures. We have reason to bless God for human learning, by which these translations are made, seeing the prophets and apostles wrote in languages which but few understand.
3. This may give us a just abhorrence of Popery, which almost in every point on this head casts dust on the scriptures. The Papists deny the necessity of translations; will not allow the people the free reading of the Bible; cry out on it for its obscurity; accuse it of imperfection; and add their traditions to it, that it may not be the only rule. And thus they blaspheme both God and his word, and expose themselves to that direful threatening, Revelation 22:18.
4. This may also give us a just detestation of Quakerism, which sets up the light within men, which in very deed is nothing but a natural conscience, and the spirit without the scriptures, to be a rule to men. But their light is but darkness, and their spirit a spirit of darkness and delusion, if it agree not with the scriptures, Isaiah 8:20 and must be tried and examined by the scriptures, 1 John 4:1. The Quakers are a dangerous set of people that overturn the foundation of true religion.
5. This may likewise give us a just abhorrence of the superstition and ceremonies of the church of England, with which they have corrupted the worship of God, rejecting the simplicity of gospel-worship, and regulating their worship in many things not by the scripture, but the dregs of Antichrist: Deut 4:2. 'You shall not add unto the word that I command you.' What word? Statutes, verse 1 ceremonies and rites of worship. To baptize with water is Christ's command; but who has added the sign of the cross? Christ instituted the sacrament of the supper: but who has added kneeling, to overturn the table-gesture, which we have from Christ's own example? The Lord's day is of divine institution: but whose are the numerous holidays observed in the church of England? Matthew. 15:9. What is all this but an accusing the scripture of imperfection, as if God had not laid down a sufficient rule to teach us how we may glorify him: as if they were ashamed of simple scripture-worship, but they must deck it up in the whorish garments made by their own brains? God has a special zeal for his worship; and it becomes us to quicken our zeal for it, in a time when enemies are bringing in innovations in worship into this church, and setting up their Dagon beside the ark. But though God should, for our contempt of our pure worship, plague the land with this superstitious worship once more, yet as sure as Babylon shall fall, it shall fall and flee before the glory of the latter days.
6. Lastly, Be exhorted to study the holy scriptures. Read them in your families, and read them in secret, and cry for the Holy Spirit, who dictated them, to make you understand them. Lock them not up in your chests, and let them not lie dusty in your windows, as too many do to their shame and disgrace, lest the dust of them witness against you. Prefer the Bible to all other books, as the book whereof God himself is the author. Prize and esteem it, as showing you the way to salvation, as a lamp to your feet, and a light to your paths.
THE SCOPE OF THE SCRIPTURES
1 TIMOTHY 1:13.—Hold fast the form of sound words—in faith and love.
IN these words there is,
(1.) The character of scripture-doctrine; it is sound words; sound and pure in itself, and sound in its effects, being of a soul-healing virtue, Ezekiel 47:9.
(2.) The sum of it, faith, showing what we are to believe; and love, what we are to do, 1 John 5:3. John 14:15. This love has a particular relation to Christ, all our obedience being to be offered unto God through him, as our faith fixes on God through him. This was what the apostle preached.
(3.) Our duty with respect to it; to hold fast the form of sound words. This signifies,
[1.] To have a pattern of the doctrine in our minds, to which all that ministers teach must be conformable.
(2.) To hold it fast; to cleave to, and keep hold of it, without flinching from it, whatever dangers or difficulties may attend the doing so. Both these senses are implied in the words.
The text affords the following doctrinal proposition.
DOCTRINE. "The scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man."
As to the matter of scripture-doctrine.
1. Some things are taught in the scriptures less principally; that is, the main design of the scriptures is not to teach these things; neither are they taught for themselves, but for the respect they have to other things. Thus in the scripture we may learn the knowledge of several natural things, as of the nature of some trees, birds, beasts, etc. of husbandry, the customs of several nations, especially of the Jews, etc. But these and such like things are only taught in the scripture, as having some respect to our faith and obedience. So the vine tree is described, Ezekiel 15 to hold forth the uselessness of barren professors, etc. However, whatever is taught in the scriptures, seeing the scripture is God's word, is all to be received by divine faith, though all scripture-truths are not of equal importance.
2. The scripture teaches some things chiefly. And these are faith and obedience. These are the two parts of the doctrine of the Bible. Whatever concerns religion, or the salvation of souls, in the Old and New Testament, may be reduced to one of these two heads: It is either an article of faith, or a point of obedience.
Here I shall consider,
I. The nature of faith and obedience, and the connection between the two.
II. The manner of the scripture's teaching.
III. The sense of scripture.
IV. Show that the Spirit of God speaking in the scriptures is the supreme judge of controversies in religion.
I. Let us consider the nature of that faith and obedience which the scripture teaches, with the connection between the two.
First, As to faith. Divine faith is a believing of what God has revealed, because God has said it, or revealed it. People may believe scripture-truths, but not with a divine faith, unless they believe it on that very ground, the authority of God speaking in his word. And this divine faith is the product of the Spirit of God in the heart of a sinner, implanting the habit or principle of faith there, and exciting it to a hearty reception and firm belief of whatever God reveals in his word. And the faith which the scripture teaches is what a man is to believe concerning God. This may be reduced to four heads: What God is, the persons in the Godhead, the decrees of God relating to everything that comes to pass, and the execution of them in his works of creation and providence. Now, though the works of creation and providence show that there is a God, yet that fundamental truth, that God is, and the doctrines relating to the Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the Divine Essence, God's acts and purposes, the creation of all things, the state of man at his creation, his fall, and his recovery by the mediation and satisfaction of Christ, are only to be learned from the holy scriptures. Hence we may infer,
1. That there can be no right knowledge of God acquired in an ordinary way without the scriptures, Matthew 22:29. "You do err (said Christ to the Sadducees), not knowing the scriptures." As there must be a dark night where the light is gone, so those places of the earth must needs be dark, and without the saving knowledge of God, that want the scriptures. Thus the Apostle tells the Ephesians, that, before they were visited with the light of the gospel, they were "without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world." Ephesians 2:12.
2. That where the scriptures are not known, there can be no saving faith. For, says the apostle, Romans 10:14, 15, 17. 'How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.'
3. That there is nothing we are bound to believe as a part of faith but what the scripture teaches, be who they will that propose it, and whatever they may pretend for their warrant. 'To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them,' Isaiah 8:20. No man must be our master in these things: 'For one is our master, even Christ,' Matthew. 23:10. He is Lord of our faith, and we are bound to believe whatever he has revealed in his word.
Secondly, As to obedience, it is that duty which God requires of man. It is that duty and obedience which man owes to God, to his will and laws, in respect of God's universal supremacy and sovereign authority over man; and which he should render to him out of love and gratitude. The scriptures are the holy oracle from whence we are to learn our duty, Psalm 19:11. 'By them is your servant warned,' says David. The Bible is the light we are to take heed to, that we may know how to steer our course, and order the several steps of our life. 'Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light to my path,' says the Psalmist, Psalm 119:105. From whence we may infer.
1. That there can be no sufficient knowledge of the duty which we owe to God without the scriptures. Though the light of nature does in some measure show our duty to God, yet it is too dim to take up the will of God sufficiently in order to salvation.
2. That there can be no right obedience yielded to God without them. Men that walk in the dark must needs stumble; and the works that are wrought in the dark will never abide the light; for there is no working rightly by guess in this matter. All proper obedience to God must be learned from the scriptures.
3. That there is no point of duty that we are called to, but what the scripture teaches, Isaiah 8:20 forfeited. Men must neither make duties to themselves, or others, but what God has made duty. The law of God is exceeding broad, and reaches the whole conversation of man, outward and inward, Psalm 19 and man is bound to conform himself to it alone as the rule of his duty.
Thirdly, As to the connection of these two, faith and obedience are joined together, because there is no true faith but what is followed with obedience, and no true obedience but what flows from faith. Faith is the loadstone of obedience, and obedience the touchstone of faith, as appears from Jam. 2 passim. They that want faith cannot be holy; and they that have true faith, their faith will work by love. Hence we may see,
1. That faith is the foundation of duty or obedience, and not obedience or duty the foundation of faith, Tit 3:8 and that the things to be believed are placed before the things to be practiced, in order to distinguish between the order of things in the covenant of grace, and what they were under the covenant of works. Under the latter, doing, or perfect obedience to the law, was the foundation of the promised privilege of life; but under the former, the promise is to be believed, and the promised life is to be freely received: and thereupon follows the believer's obedience to the law, out of gratitude and love for the mercy received. This appears from the order laid down by God himself in delivering the moral law from mount Sinai. He lays the foundation of faith, first of all, in these words, 'I am the Lord your God,' etc. which is the sum and substance of the covenant of grace; and then follows the law of the ten commandments, which is as it were grafted upon this declaration of sovereign grace and love, Exodus. 20:2–18. And let it be remembered, that the apostle Paul calls gospel-obedience the obedience of faith as springing from and founded upon faith. And if we examine the order of doctrine laid down in all his epistles, we shall find, that he first propounds the doctrine of faith, or what man is to believe, and upon that foundation inculcates the duties that are to be practiced.
2. That all works without faith are dead, and so cannot please God. For whatever is not of faith is sin; and without or separate from Christ we can do nothing. Faith is the principle of all holy and acceptable obedience.
3. That those who inculcate moral duties without discovering the necessity of regeneration, and union with Christ, as the source of all true obedience, are foolish builders; they lay their foundation on the sand, and the superstructure they raise will soon be overturned; and they pervert the gospel of Christ. Such would do well to consider what the Apostle says, Galatians 1:9. 'If any man preach any other gospel unto you than you have received, let him be accursed.
II. I proceed now to consider the manner of the scripture's teaching.
1. The scripture teaches some things expressly in so many words; as,' Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God,' etc. Other things it teaches by good and necessary consequence; as, that infants are to be baptized. Now, whatever can be proved by just and necessary consequence from sacred writ, is all one, as to the binding power on men's consciences, as if it were taught there in so many words, whether it be in points of faith or obedience.
2. The scriptures teach but externally. It is the Spirit that teaches internally. The scriptures externally reveal what we are to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man; but the inward illumination of the Spirit of God is necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the scriptures, for several reasons which I mentioned in the former discourse, and shall not now repeat.
III. I come now to consider the sense of the scripture.
1. The sense of the scripture is but one, and not manifold. There may he several parts of that one sense subordinate one to another; as some prophecies have a respect to the deliverance from Babylon, the spiritual by Christ, and the eternal in Heaven; and some passages have one thing that is typical of another: yet these are but one full sense, only that may be of two sorts; one is simple, and another compound. Some scriptures have only a simple sense, containing a declaration of one thing only; and that is either proper or figurative. A proper sense is that which arises from the words taken properly, and the figurative from the words taken figuratively. Some have a simple proper sense, as,' God is a Spirit, God created the heavens and the earth;' which are to be understood according to the propriety of the words. Some have a simple figurative sense; as, 'I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. Every branch in me that bears not fruit, he takes away,' etc. These have but one simple sense; but then it is the figurative, and is not to be understood according to the propriety of the words, as if Christ were a tree, etc. Thus you see what the simple sense is. The compound or mixed sense is found wherein one thing is held forth as a type of the other; and so it consists of two parts, the one respecting the type, the other the antitype; which are not two senses, but two parts of that one and entire sense intended by the Holy Spirit: e. g. Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, that those who were stung by the fiery serpents might look to it and be healed. The full sense of which is, 'As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, that, etc. even so must the Son of man be lifted up; that whoever believes on him should not perish, but have eternal life.' Here is a literal and mystical sense, which make up one full sense between them. Those scriptures that have this compound sense are sometimes fulfilled properly (or literally, as it is taken in opposition to figuratively) in the type and antitype both; as Hosea 11:1. 'I have called my Son out of Egypt,' which was literally true both of Israel and Christ. Sometimes figuratively in the type, and properly in the antitype, as Psalm 69:21. 'They gave me vinegar to drink.' Sometimes properly in the type, and figuratively in the antitype, as Psalm 2:9. 'You shall break them with a rod of iron.' Compare 2 Samuel 12:31. Sometimes figuratively in both, as Psalm 41:9. 'Yes mine own familiar friend—has lifted up his heel against me;' which is meant of Ahithophel and Judas. Now the sense of the scripture must he but one, and not manifold, that is, quite different and no wise subordinate one to another, because of the unity of truth, and because of the perspicuity of the scripture.
2. Where there is a question about the true sense of scripture, it must be found out what it is by searching other places that speak more clearly, the scripture itself being the infallible rule of interpreting scripture. Now that it is so, appears from the following arguments.
(1.) The Holy Spirit gives this as a rule, 2 Peter 1:20, 21. After the apostle had called the Christians to take heed to the scripture, he gives them this rule for understanding it, 'Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation, Yes ideas of our own exposition. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.' As it came; so it is to be expounded: but it came not by the will of man; therefore we are not to rest on men for the sense of it, but holy men speaking as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, and so never erring; therefore we are to look to the dictates of the same Spirit in other places.
(2.) There are several approved examples of this, comparing one scripture with another, to find out the meaning of the Holy Spirit; as Acts 15:15. 'And to this agree the words of the prophet,' etc. The Bereans are commended for this, Acts 17:11. Yes, Christ himself makes use of this to show the true sense of the scripture against the devil, Matthew. 4:6. 'Cast yourself down, (said that wicked spirit): for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning you,' etc. Verse 7. 'It is written again, (says Christ), You shall not tempt the Lord your God.' And thus our Lord makes out the true sense of that scripture, that it is to be understood only with respect to them who do not cast themselves on a tempting of God. Some more will occur concerning this point under the next head.
This then is the great, chief, and infallible rule of interpretation of scripture, to compare one passage with another. Other things may be added as helps and means in order to find out the true sense.
1. The knowledge of the Hebrew and Greek, in which languages the prophets and apostles wrote, is an excellent mean to the right understanding of the scriptures. These original tongues are the best commentaries on scripture; and many times it is found so by those that know them.
2. Diligently consider the scope and design of the Holy Spirit in the portion of scripture where you find difficulty, the coherence and context, with all circumstances going before and following.
3. Distinguish proper from improper words. The scripture frequently uses improper and figurative expressions, which, if taken as the letters sound, will found a very absurd sense.
4. The commentaries of godly and learned writers are not to be neglected.
5. The reading also of profane history is of notable use in the knowledge of the prophetic writings. And the knowledge of the Jewish customs brings great light to the scriptures.
6. Lastly, Always take heed to the analogy of faith, and see there be no deviating therefrom: for the Spirit of God speaking in the scripture is always one and the same; and therefore we are never to think that one scripture can be contrary to another, or the known doctrine of the Bible and the form of sound words: e. g. 'This is my body which is broken for you;' it cannot be so understood as if Christ's body were locally present in the sacrament; 'because we believe, according to the constant doctrine of scripture, that Christ is ascended into Heaven, and will come again at the last day; and until then the heavens must contain him. So we must not take the words literally, when it is contrary to modesty, as when Isaiah is bid go naked, Isaiah 20:2; or to piety, to cut off the right hand, etc. More particularly,
1. Go to God for his Spirit to teach you, Psalm 119:18. It is Christ's work to give people to understand the scriptures. If you would know what Paul says, pray for the spirit by which he wrote.
2. Take heed of a carnal, earthly, and fleshly mind. When the heart is carnal, the mind is much blinded, and so utterly unfit for searching the scriptures.
3. Endeavor to be exercised unto godliness. An exercised frame proves sometimes an excellent commentator.
4. Lastly, Endeavor to practice what you know.
IV. I proceed to show that the spirit of God speaking in scripture is the supreme judge by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest.
This is a very important point, and upon it depends the whole of religion. One man says so, another roan says otherwise: the question is, Who shall be judge, and to whose determination are we to stand and acquiesce in? Four sundry ways do men go here.
First, Enthusiasts set up the private spirit, and its revelations, without the Spirit, for the judge of controversies. But whatever these may pretend, the scripture is our only rule. For,
1. Whatever revelation or light men may pretend to, God binds them and us to the written word, Isaiah 8:20. 'If they speak not according to the scriptures,' it is not true light, but 'because there is no light in them,' that makes it so: for going against the word, they show themselves to be acted with a spirit of delusion, 1 John 4:6.
2. The Apostle Paul devotes them to a curse, though they were angels, who preach any other gospel than what he preached, and the Galatians received from his hand, Galatians 1:8, 9; not only a gospel contrary to it, but another, anything diverse from or besides it, though not contrary to it. And if it be contrary the Spirit is contrary to himself, for he is the author of the scriptures.
3. We are commanded to 'try the spirits,' 1 John 4:1. Now, how must they be tried but by a rule; and what rule have we to try them by but the written word? This was the rule which the Bereans made use of to try the spirit of the apostles, for which they are highly commended. It is that rule which Christ sends the Pharisees to try his own doctrine by, John 5:40. But by the scriptures we cannot try the spirits, unless we lay them to that rule, and observe whether or not the spirits speak as the scriptures do; and then how can the new revelations be received?
4. The spirit's revelations are either a complete or partial rule. If our complete rule, then the scriptures are useless which is blasphemous, and contrary to all those commands that requires us to give attendance to the reading, searching, etc. of them. If they be a partial rule only, then they either teach according to the scripture, or not. If according to it, then it is no new revelation, but what the scripture already affords us. If not, it is because there is no light in them, Isaiah 8:20.
There is one scripture that we must more narrowly inquire into, both because it is abused by the adversaries in this point, and affords us an argument for our doctrine, The passage is, 2 Peter 1:19. 'We have also a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto you do well that you take heed, as unto a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts.' Enthusiasts here, by the day-star arising in the heart, understand some extraordinary revelation and light which God sets up in the soul, which when it is set up, the person is to take heed to the written word no longer. But,
(1.) Where would these men drive us? They tell us, that all men have a light within them, according to which they must walk; and this is the spirit within us; yet must we still expect a new light to torn us off from the scriptures;
(2.) The apostle here plainly prefers the word of prophecy unto an immediate voice from Heaven, and that in the very same thing wherein they both agree: how much more preferable is the scripture to new revelations?
(3.) This supposes, that the apostles and believers in those days had not this light; for they say, 'We have a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto you do well that you take heed.' This being so, we envy not the Quakers their light, which the apostles and these Christians were strangers to.
Some by the day dawning and the day-star arising understand the more clear dispensation which they suppose is to come in the latter days. Others understand by it the sight of God and Christ in glory, until which time the scriptures must be made use of, but no longer. Others understand this as spoken to the believing Jews in reference to the prophets of the Old Testament, to which they did well to take heed, until their gospel light should shine more clearly. Some say, the word until is not to be taken exclusively of the time following that dawning of the day, and day star arising; and thereby understand simply more clear light arising after some darkness, which the people of God may be in for a time; until which light arising they are to take heed to the scriptures; not that they are then to give over taking heed to them. Laying aside that which relates to a more clear dispensation yet to come, because it supposes that then the scriptures must be laid aside, which is very contrary to the scripture, for the Spirit shall never in this life jostle out the word, but his office is to teach, not new things unwritten, but whatever Christ spoke to his disciples: 'He shall bring all things to your remembrance, (says he), whatever I have said unto you,' John 14:26: Laying aside that, it is hard to determine which of the rest is indeed the true meaning of the apostle. Only it seems to bid fairest for the apostle's sense, to say, that he speaks of the more clear knowledge of Christ which the believers at that time were afterwards to have, until which time they did well to take heed to the prophetic word, as it is in the Greek; that is, to the doctrine of the prophets who prophesied of Christ; not that they were then to lay by the use of the prophets, but that then they would be of less use to them than before, when they should attain to a more clear gospel-light; as the candle is of less use when the day dawns than it was before, though it be still useful. And I think it abundantly plain, that the word of prophecy is not here to be understood generally of the whole scripture, as the other interpretations seem to take it, but particularly of the doctrine of the prophets concerning Christ and the gospel, as appears from the phrase, the prophetic word, and the first verse of the following chapter, where he speaks of false prophets that were among the people of the Jews. So by the day-star I understand Christ himself, who is called the morning star, Revelation 22:16. It is true it is here Pharphoros, but there oster ornithes: but, for ought I know, the first of these is, apax legomenon; and though the words be different, the sense is the same, one thing gets but different names. And Christ is called the day-star or morning-star, which we know are both one thing; because,
(1.) As the morning star is the most eminent among the stars, and most lucid, as appears by its shining when the appearance of the sun makes the rest disappear; so there is none like Christ among the sons, Canticles 2:3.
(2.) As the day-star puts an end to the dark night, so does Christ's arising in the soul put an end to the night of spiritual darkness. Never was the sight of the day-star so refreshful to the weary traveler in the night, as Christ's appearance in and to the soul; only the apostle calls him here rather the day-star than the sun, because he is speaking of his appearance in this life, whereas the full knowledge of him is deferred until his second coming. So the day-dawning is easily understood. And this is expected to rise not absolutely, but comparatively in respect of degrees of fuller manifestation, as he promises to those that continue in his word, and are his disciples indeed, that they shall know the truth, namely, more fully, John 8:31, 32. And that passage, Hosea 6:3. 'Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning,' does excellently serve to show us this truth. So there he has respect to this further manifestation of Christ which they were afterwards to have: but they are not then to give over the prophetic word; for, as was before noticed, the word until is not always exclusive of the following time, as Psalm 110:1. 2 Samuel 6 ult.
Now, if the writings of the prophets be more sure than a voice from Heaven, and Christians are commended for taking heed to the same; and when the day-star arises in the heart, it shows only the same thing more clearly. What place is there left for new revelations against or besides the scriptures?
Secondly, The Papists set the church upon the tribunal: but what that church is, they do not agree among themselves, whether it be the pope, or a council, or both together. However, they assert that there is in the church a visible and infallible judge of controversies in religion. This we deny, and far more that the pope, or a council approved by him, is such a judge. For,
1. The scripture makes no mention of any such judge, in any of the places where the officers of the church are reckoned up, as Romans 12:7, 8. 1 Corinthians 12:28. Ephesians 4:11 nor any where else. And though negative theology, as they say, is not argumentative, yet that cannot have place here, unless we deny the perfection of the scripture, which we have proved already. A positive institution is requisite here.
2. Our faith must not lean upon the testimony or authority of man, 1 Corinthians 7:23. 'Be not the servants of men,' not bodily but spiritually; 2 Corinthians 1:24. 'Not that we have dominion over your faith;' where the apostle declines, in his own name, and in the name of his fellows, the being of such a judge. But our faith leans on the Word of God, Ephesians 2:20. 'And are built on the foundation of the prophets,' etc.
3. The doctrine of the church should be examined by the scriptures, Acts 17:11. 'These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether these things were so.' Now he whose sentence is to be examined by another, cannot be the supreme judge of controversies. See Isaiah 8:20. 'To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.'
4. Neither pope nor council, conjunctly nor severally, have such properties as are requisite to constitute a supreme judge in controversies of religion; they have no infallibility, or testimony thereof; yes, they have many ways deceived and been deceived. We may appeal from them, as being bound to the scriptures, as well as others. And the church, be what it will, must not be judge in its own cause.
5. Lastly, Here is a controversy in religion, Who is the supreme judge of controversy in religion? Who must decide this, or be supreme judge here? The church cannot, neither pope nor council so decide it in their own favor. That were absurd. Wherefore the Papists themselves are obliged to make another judge of this controversy; and if so, why not of all?
Thirdly, The Socinians set up reason to be the supreme judge of controversies in religion, to whose determination we ought to stand, and therein to acquiesce. There is no doubt but we have much use for reason in matters of religion; as,
(1.) To perceive and understand the things revealed in the scripture, Matthew. 13:51.
(2.) To collate them one with another, Acts 17:11.
(3.) To explain the same, Nehemiah 8:8.
(4.) To argue from the scriptures, Matthew. 21 ult.
(5.) To vindicate the truths from objections, Romans 9:19, 20. That it is not the judge nor the rule, that is, that reason ought not to be admitted of itself, and according to its principles, to determine controversies of religion, is what we assert. To illustrate this by an example, the scripture says, These three are one; we say we plainly perceive the scripture says so; and therefore, though our reason cannot comprehend, we will believe it, because it is plain the scripture says so. They say, they cannot believe that there are three persons in the Godhead, and not three gods, because reason is against it; and therefore finding the thing unagreeable to reason, though it were in ever so plain words found in the scripture, they will not believe (as they pretend) it means as the words sound, but will fasten another meaning on the words though never so far fetched. And that it may not be thought that this is the same way that the orthodox go too, in explaining scriptures that are understood figuratively, I shall give an example of that too. The scripture says, Christ is a vine, a door, the bread is his body, etc. We know indeed that this is contrary to reason if expounded literally: but that is not the prime reason why we reject the literal meaning, and on which we build our faith as to the true meaning, as the case is with the Socinians, but because it agrees not with other scriptures to understand it so; which testify that Christ is God and man. Now, that reason is not the supreme judge of controversies in religion, is proved by the following arguments.
1. Reason in an unregenerate man is blind in the matters of God, 1 Corinthians 2:14. 'The natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned;' Ephesians 4:17, 18. Ephesians 5:8. Except. This only respects reason not illustrated by divine revelation. Ans. By that illustration of reason by divine revelation, they understand either subjective or objective illustration. If they understand it of subjective illustration, they quit that article of their religion, wherein they believe that the mind of man is capable of itself, without the illumination of the Spirit, to attain sufficient knowledge of the mind of God revealed in the scripture. If of objective illustration, by the mere revelation of these truths, then it is false that they assert: For the apostle opposes here the natural man to the spiritual man; and therefore by the natural man is understood every unregenerate man, even that has these truths revealed to him; for, says the apostle, 'they are foolishness unto him.' Now, how can he judge them foolishness if they be not revealed?
2. Reason is not infallible, and therefore cannot be admitted judge in matters concerning our souls. Reason may be deceived. Romans 3:4 and is not this to shake the foundations of religion, and to pave a way to scepticism and atheism? Except. That is not to be feared where sound reason is admitted judge. But why talk they of sound reason? The adversaries themselves will yield, that reason is unsound in the most part of men. We say, that it is not fully sound in the world; for even the best know but in part; darkness remains in some measure on the minds of all men.
3. Reason must be subject to the scripture, and submit itself to be judged by God speaking there, 2 Corinthians 10:4, 5. 'The weapons of our warfare are—mighty—to the pulling down of strong holds, casting down imaginations,—and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.' Matters of faith are above the sphere of reason; and therefore as sense is not admitted judge in those things that are above it, so neither reason in those things that are above it, 1 Timothy 3:16.
4. If reason were the supreme judge of controversies, then our faith should be built on ourselves, and the great reason why we believe any principle of religion would be, because it appears so and so to us; which is most absurd. The scripture teaches otherwise, 1 Thessalonians 2:13. 'You received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth the Word of God.' Most plainly does our Lord teach this, John 5:34, 'I receive not testimony from men;' chapter 5:39. 'Search the scriptures.'
Fourthly, The orthodox assert the supreme judge of controversies in religion to be the Holy Spirit speaking in the scriptures. This is proved by the following arguments.
1. In the Old and New Testaments, the Lord still sends us to this judge. So that we may neither turn to the right hand nor left from what he there speaks, Deuteronomy 5:32 and 17:11. 'According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach you;' Isaiah 8:20. 'To the law and to the testimony,' etc; Luke 16:29. 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them;' John 5:39. 'Search the scriptures.' Some hereto refer that passage, Matthew. 19:28. 'Truly I say unto you, that you which have followed me in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.' In this sense it must be meant of the doctrine they taught as dictated to them by the Holy Spirit.
2. It was the practice of Christ and his apostles to appeal to the Spirit speaking in the scriptures, Matthew. 4 where Christ still answers Satan with that, 'It is written,' And so while discoursing with the Sadducees about the resurrection, Matthew. 22:31, 32. So also in John, chapter 5 and 10 and Luke 24:44. And so did others, Acts 17:11 and 26:22, 23. 2 Peter 1:19. Acts 15:15, 16. A careful examination of which passages I recommend to you for your establishment in the truth.
3. To the Spirit of God speaking in the scriptures, and to him only, agree those things that are requisite to constitute one supreme Judge.
(1.) We may certainly know that the sentence which he pronounces is true, for he is infallible being God.
(2.) We cannot appeal from him, for he is one above whom there is none.
(3.) He is no respecter of persons, nor can be biased in favor of one in preference to another.
Having discussed the doctrinal part of this subject, I shall now conclude with two or three inferences.
Inference. 1. People then should diligently read and study the holy scriptures, in order to their knowing what to believe and what to do. As the scripture is the only rule and test of faith and obedience, let us accomplish a diligent search into it, that we may understand all matters to be believed and practiced in order to our salvation, and reject every dictate and every precept, come from what quarter it will, if it be not taught us in the sacred records. We are not to believe anything to be an article of faith, or a duty that we are to perform, unless it has the sanction of the Spirit of God in the written word, and be enjoined us by that infallible Judge. Let it then be our daily care and principal study to acquaint ourselves with the Word of God, and draw from that infallible treasury all our knowledge as to faith and practice.
2. How dangerous must it be to maintain opinions and practices which are evinced to be contrary to the Word of God? How hazardous must be the state of those who hold doctrines contrary to and eversive of the foundations of Christianity? Many such doctrines are taught and propagated in our day; such as the tenets of Socinians and Arians, who degrade the Son of God to the rank of a mere creature, and deny his supreme Godhead and essential glory, and impugn his satisfaction; the Arminians, who overturn the doctrine of original sin, assert free will, and stickle for the resistibility of grace, and other things eversive of the doctrine of the Bible; and others who set up creeds, confessions, and covenants of human manufacture, in the place of the infallible oracles of truth.
3. How worthy of reproof are they who make no conscience of reading the scriptures? They seldom look into them, or at most only on a sabbath-day, without giving attention to what they read; and so are grossly ignorant of the first principles of religion.
4. Religion, if it be of the right sort, will be practical religion. A blind obedience, or ignorant obedience, to some of the duties of religion is no better than bodily exercise, which profits little. All right obedience flows from a principle of faith in the heart. True faith will always be productive of, and accompanied with good works. And it is in vain for men to say they have religion, unless they abound in all the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ unto the praise and glory of God. Let us then show our faith by our works, in having a respect unto all the commands of God, and doing whatever he has enjoined us in his word.
THE SCRIPTURES THE BOOK OF THE LORD, AND THE DILIGENT STUDY AND SEARCH THEREOF RECOMMENDED AND URGED
ISAIAH 34:16.—Seek you out of the book of the Lord, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it has commanded, and his spirit it has gathered them.
HAVING considered the divine authority of the holy scriptures, and their scope, I come now to recommend unto you the diligent study and search of these sacred oracles, from the text now read.
In the former part of this chapter, there are most terrible threatenings denounced against the enemies of God and his church, which receive not their full accomplishment until the last day, as appears from verse 4, 10. In the text there is the confirmation of the whole. And therein we have,
1. An intimation that all shall be accomplished according to the word. Wherein two things are to be observed.
(1.) The study of the word required. Where we may notice,
(1.) The honorable epithet given to it, The book of the Lord. Thus the holy scripture is called, as being of divine original and authority, God himself being the author of it. It is true, that in Isaiah's days, even the canon of the Old Testament was not completed, some of the historical books, and of the prophetic too, not being then written. But the body of the doctrine of the word was comprised in the law, or five books of Moses; and what was afterwards written, was but a building on that foundation, by enlargement, explication, and application. And this prophecy looking as far as the end of the world, the Spirit of God might here have an eye to the complete canon of the Old and New Testament.
[2.] The study of it recommended, Seek out of it. The word signifies to inquire, search, seek out; and imports diligence and earnestness in consulting a thing to learn from it. And so it is emphatically pointed, to denote a vehemency and intenseness of spirit in the study. It does in a great measure answer that word, Acts 17:11—Searched the scriptures. We are not only to seek from it, but out of it, or, as the Hebrew signifies, from in it, or, as in the Greek, to it, and seek from it.
[3.] The way to study, read it. Do not satisfy yourselves to hear it, but read it with your own eyes. For the eye makes ordinarily deeper impression than the ear.
(2.) The accomplishment in the most minute circumstance.
[1.] Whereas the Lord had named a great many horrible creatures that should possess the dwellings of his enemies, none of them shall fail, they shall all be there.
[2.] Whereas he had said they should have their mates, that so their kinds might be continued there, none of them shall want their mate for that purpose.
2. The confirmation or reason of this accomplishment according to the word. And it has two parts, namely, that he has spoken the one, and will effectuate the other.
(1.) Himself has spoken the word: My mouth it has commanded. His truth is engaged for its accomplishment. He has commanded, not these creatures, but the word or book, as Psalm 105:8.—The word he commanded: and God is said to command his word, for that he gives it as a lawgiver, of supreme authority. And so this answers to the first part of the intimation.
(2.) He will effectuate the thing in accomplishment of the word: His spirit will gather these creatures. So his power is engaged to make it forthcoming. There seems to be here a remarkable change of the persons. But I am mistaken if the mouth of the Lord be not one of the names of Christ in the scripture: Thus, Isaiah 62:2.—'You shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name.' Jeremiah 23:16. 'They speak—not out of the mouth of the Lord.' Compare John 1:18. 'No man has seen God at any time: the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him.' Hebrews 1:1, 2. 'God who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken unto us by his Son.' And so the words run very plainly and exactly according to the original, For my mouth he has commanded, and his Spirit it has gathered them.
Two doctrines naturally arise from the words, namely,
DOCTRINE. I. 'The holy scripture is the book of the Lord.'
DOCTRINE. II. 'The scripture is a book to be read, carefully, and diligently searched, consulted, and sought into.'
As it is the last of these doctrines I mainly intend to discourse upon, I shall be very brief in the illustration of the first: and though some things to be spoken upon it interfere with what has been already delivered, I hope it will tend to your establishment in the truth, and the more endear the holy scripture to you.
DOCTRINE. I. 'The holy scripture is the book of the Lord.'
All I intend upon this head is to show,
I. In what respects the holy scripture is the book of the Lord.
II. That it is so.
III. Make a short improvement.
I. My first province is to show in what respects the holy scripture is the book of the Lord.
1. The Lord is the subject-matter of that book, as the book of the wars of the Lord. It is the commendation of a book, that it treats of a noble subject; and this book treats of God, the great scope of it being to show what God is, and what his will is. Hence we are commanded to 'hold fast the form of sound words,' 2 Timothy 1:13. If we would know God, and our duty to him, we must turn to this book and learn it.
2. The Lord is the author of it, 2 Timothy 3:16. 'All scripture is given by inspiration of God.' And who was fit to make a book on that noble subject but himself? John 1:18 forfeited. It is the product of his own unerring Spirit, and so his own book in a most proper sense. It is for this reason that it is called 'the book of the Lord.' It is true, several hands were employed in the writing of it; but yet all and every part of it was from the Lord.
(1.) The motion to write was from the Lord, by a particular impulse on the spirits of the holy penmen, which influenced them to the work, and carried them on it, 2 Peter 1:21. 'Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.' Sometimes they had particular express calls, but they had always this motion powerfully determining and inclining them to the work.
(2.) The matter of their writing was from him. He laid it to their hands, 2 Timothy 3:16. 'All scripture is given by inspiration of God.' Some things were matters of pure revelation, that could not be known otherwise; such as things past, whereof there was no manner of record, things to come, things without the reach of men's knowledge, as the thoughts of others. These things they had by immediate suggestion. Some things they might have by other records, their own judgment, or memory. In these the Spirit of the Lord infallibly guided them what to chose and refuse, strengthened their judgment and memories, so that they could not mistake, John 16:13. 'The Spirit of truth—will guide you into all truth.'
(3.) The very words they wrote were from him. Since the apostles spoke the very words of the Holy Spirit, much more did they write them, 1 Corinthians 2:13. And therefore God is said to speak by and in the holy penmen, 2 Samuel 23:2. Luke 1:70. Acts 1:16. He did not give them the matter to put in their own words, but put the words in their hearts too, but in a manner suited to their native style. And truly it is hard to conceive how the inspiration of the holy scriptures could reach the end without it, seeing so much depends on the suitable expressing of matter.
II. I proceed to show, that the holy scripture is the book of the Lord. This is evident from many things, of which I shall only observe a few.
1. This book discovers what no mortal could ever have done, and nowise could be had but by divine revelation, as the history of the creation, what was done before man was on the earth, the sublime mysteries of the Trinity, of the incarnation of the Son of God, and the eternal counsels of God concerning man's salvation.
2. The perfect holiness of the doctrine. It commands all holiness, forbids all impurity in heart and life, under the pain of damnation: which shows it could neither be the work of men, being so far above their reach, and cross to their corrupt nature; nor of evil angels, being so opposite to Satan's kingdom; nor of good ones, who could never have put a cheat on the world, making their own words pass for God's.
3. The efficacy of the doctrine in its searching and convincing the conscience, Hebrews 4:12; converting souls from their most beloved lusts, even when nothing can be expected from the world for such a change, Psalm 19:7; rejoicing the heart under the deepest distresses, verse 8. This is not from any virtue in the letters or syllables, but from the Spirit, whose instrument it is.
4. The miracles with which it has been confirmed. These were wrought to confirm the doctrine, Matthew 9:6. These are God's seal, which he will never put to a lie.
5. Lastly, There is an inward sensation of this in the spirits of those that have their senses exercised. For it is not to be doubted, but as the works of God bear the marks of a divine hand, so his word also does. And while there are such manifest differences between one voice and another of men, how can it be thought, but the voice of God has a peculiar signature on it? If that be not discerned by others, it is by his own people that know his voice.
I shall now make a short improvement of this point.
USE 1. For information. It informs us, that,
1. The scripture is the best of books. They who heard Christ, said, 'Never man spoke like this man;' and they that see the true glory of the scriptures must own, never did any write like these writings. There we have the true picture of the great Author, in spotless holiness; there the revelation of his mind with respect to our salvation. Whatever other books there be in the world relating to our salvation; they are but dim candles lighted at this burning lamp.
2. They are enemies to God that are enemies to the scriptures, whether in their principles, as Papists and others, or in their practices. For if men loved God, they would love his word, Psalm 119:97. And men, by their relish of the word, may know what case their souls are in. For according as they relish the scriptures, so is it with their souls. If they have lost the gust of them, it is evident that either they have no grace, or that it is not in exercise.
3. Woe to those whom the Bible condemns; and these are all wicked men and hypocrites, whatever their stations or professions be. But happy they whom it approves and justifies; and these are all the sincere seekers of God. Seek to be of the number of the latter, and then none of the woes denounced in God's word shall fall upon you.
USE II. Of exhortation.
1. Let us highly prize this book for the sake of the Author. The Ephesians thought that they had good ground to be zealous for the image of Diana, because they imagined it fell down from Jupiter, Acts 19:35. Tour Bible is a book really come from God; let us be ashamed we do not prize it more, by using it diligently to the ends for which it was given the church.
2. Let us believe it in all the parts thereof; the commands, that we may study to conform ourselves to them; the promises, that we may thereby be encouraged to a holy life; and the threatenings, that we may thereby be deterred from sin. Alas! though we own it to be the Word of God, that we are no more moved with it than if it were the word of man, and such a man as we give little credit to. For compare the lives of the most part with it they say, it is but idle tales.
3. Let us submit our souls to it, as the oracles of the living God. He is the great Lawgiver, and in that book he speaks: let us own his authority in his word, and submit to it as the rule of our faith and life, without disputing or opposing.
4. Lastly, Let us study to be well acquainted with it, and make it our business to search the scriptures. This brings me to the main thing I intend.
DOCTRINE. II. "The scripture is a book to be read, carefully and diligently searched, consulted, and sought into."
If you ask, by whom this is to be done? it is by all into whose hands, by the mercy of God, it comes. Some never had it, and so they will not be condemned for slighting it, Romans 2:12. Magistrates are called to look into it, and be much conversant in it, Joshua 1:8. 'This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein.' Deuteronomy 17:18, 19. 'And it shall be, when he sits upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book, out of that which is before the priests the Levites. And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life; that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law, and these statutes, to do them.' Ministers are in a special manner called to the study of it, 1 Timothy 4:13. 'Give attendance to reading.' 2 Timothy 3:16, 17. 'All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.' But not they only are so commanded, but all others within the church, John 5:39. 'Search the scriptures.' Deuteronomy 6:6, 7. 'These words which I command you this day, shall be in your heart. And you shall teach them diligently unto your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.'
In discoursing further from this point, I shall,
I. Explain this seeking into the book of the Lord.
II. Give the reasons of the doctrine.
III. Make application.
I. I am to explain this seeking into the book of the Lord. And here I will show,
1. What is presupposed in this seeking.
2. What is the import of a studious inquiry into the scriptures.
FIRST, I am to show what is presupposed in this seeking into the book of the Lord. It presupposes,
1. That man has lost his way, and needs direction to find it, Psalm 119:176. 'I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant.' Miserable man is bemisted in a vain world, which is a dark place, and has as much need of the scriptures to direct him, as one has of a light in darkness,' 2 Peter 1:19. What a miserable case is that part of the world in that want the Bible? They are vain in their imaginations, and grope in the dark, but cannot find the way of salvation. In no better case are those to whom it has not come in power.
2. That man is in hazard of being led farther and farther wrong. This made the spouse say, 'Tell me, O you whom my soul loves, where you feed, where you make your flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turns aside by the flocks of your companions?' There it a subtle devil, a wicked world, corrupt lusts within one's own breast, to lead him out of the right way, that we had need to give over, and take this guide. There are many false lights in the world, which, if followed, will lead the traveler into a mire, and leave him there.
3. That men are slow of heart to understand the mind of God in his word. It will cost searching diligently before we can take it up, John 5:39. Our eyes are dim to the things of God, our apprehensions dull, and our judgment is weak. And therefore, because the iron is blunt, we must put too the more strength. We lost the sharpness of our sight in spiritual things in Adam; and our corrupt wills and carnal affections, that savor not the things of God, do more blind our judgments: and therefore it is a labor to us to and out what is necessary for our salvation.
4. That the book of the Lord has its difficulties which are not to be easily solved. Therefore the Psalmist prays, 'Open you mine eyes, that I may see wondrous things out of your law,' Psalm 119:18. Philip asked the eunuch, 'Understand you what you read? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me?' There are depths there wherein an elephant may swim, and will exercise the largest capacities, with all the advantages they may be possessed of. God in his holy providence has so ordered it, to stain the pride of all glory; to make his word the liker himself, whom none can search out to perfection, and to sharpen the diligence of his people in their inquiries into it.
5. That we need highly to understand it, otherwise we would not be bidden search into it. 'Of the times and seasons (says the apostle), you have no need that I write unto you;' and therefore he wrote not of them. There is a treasure in this field; we are called to dig for it; for the' it be hid, yet we must have it, or we will pine away in our spiritual poverty.
6. Lastly, That we may gain from it by diligent inquiry. The holy humble heart will not be always sent empty away from these wells of salvation, when it plies itself to draw. There are shallow places in these waters of the sanctuary, where lambs may wade.
SECONDLY, I proceed to show what is the import of a studious inquiry into the scriptures. This holds out the matter and manner of the duty.
First, As for the matter of the duty; it lies in three things.
1. We should be capable to read the scriptures distinctly. Alas! How shall they study the book of God that cannot so much as read it? Isaiah 29:12. It is sad to think that there are among Christians who call God their Father, and cannot read his testament; who say they would be at Heaven, and yet cannot consult the directions for the way. And if their parents have neglected to teach them, they have not the grace to make up that by their own industry. Their case is little better that cannot read it distinctly; for without that there can be little benefit got by it. Nehemiah 8:8.
2. We should acquaint ourselves with the letter of the scriptures, the histories, prophecies, precepts, etc. This Timothy is commended for, 'that from a child he had known the holy scriptures,' 2 Timothy 3:15. That is the sacred field where the treasure lies; the blessed body, where the soul of the scripture lodges; the words wherein the mind of God towards sinners is held forth, Matthew 13:52.
3. We ought to labor to understand the mind of God in them, and that savingly and spiritually. Wisdom lies in the book of the Lord; and see what course we should take to get at it, Proverbs 2:4, 5. 'If you Seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures: then shall you understand the fear of the Lord; and find the knowledge of God.' To read the scriptures just for reading's Bake, without laboring to understand what you read, is very unprofitable work. Nay we should search narrowly until we find the sense and meaning of what we read, as one that digs deep, breaks the clods of earth, until he finds the golden ore.
Secondly, As to the manner of the duty; it imports,
1. A high esteem of the treasure to be found in the book of the Lord, Matthew. 13:44. People will not be at the pains to seek into what they do not value. If men did not prize gold, they would not rip up the affections of the earth for it. It is the undervaluing of the scriptures that makes people so little to study and seek into them.
2. A design of spiritual profit by the scripture. No wise man will be at pains but to gain thereby. And he who would aright study the holy scriptures, must design his soul's advantage thereby. We should come to the reading of the book of the Lord, as to a soul-feast, Psalm 119:131; as to the gathering of spoil after battle, Psalm 119:162. Some read the scriptures to furnish their heads with notions of the things of religion, and their tongues with talk about them; but read you for holiness to your hearts, and to rule your walk thereby. Some read them to support their errors, and some for matter of jest and drollery; which are horrible work. But 'search you the scriptures: for in them you will find eternal life; and they are they that testify of Christ,' John 5:39.
3. A serious application of the heart to the work; for it will not be a by-hand work, Psalm 1:2. In the scriptures God speaks to us, as in prayer we speak to God; and when God speaks, we should listen attentively. The angels pry into scripture-mysteries, 1 Peter 1:12. So should we into the scriptures, James 1:25.
4. Painfulness in the study. Silver and gold are not to be gathered up by every lazy passenger from the surface of the earth, as stones are, but must with labor be dug out of the affections of it, Proverbs 2:4 forfeited. This is the gate of Heaven; and there must be striving to get in at it. It is not easy to overcome a dark, carnal, hard heart, which unfits us for the study of the scriptures. And indeed many get but little advantage by their reading it; for dig they cannot, and beg they will not; and therefore they go empty from these wells of salvation.
5. Diligence and constancy, 1 Peter 1:10. It is the hand of the diligent that makes rich in all cases, while drowsiness clothes a man with rags. See the duty of a Christian with respect to the word, Psalm 1:2. 'His delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law does he meditate day and night.' He suffers not his Bible to gather dust.
Lastly, A thorough search. We should go through every leaf of the book of the Lord, and endeavor to acquire the knowledge of the whole scriptures. For 'All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,' 2 Timothy 3:16. Some never read all the Bible in their days, but pick out portions here and there only. Searchers do not so, but look into every corner. And we should labor to know more and more of what we have some insight into: for this Bible says one, contains a puncheon that hitherto has not been pierced.
II. The next general head is, to give the reasons of the point, that the book of the Lord should be read, carefully and diligently searched, consulted, and sought into.
1. Because the way of salvation is to be found only therein, John 5:39 forfeited. This is the star risen in a dark world, to guide us where Christ is. All the researches of the wise men of the world, all the inventions of men, can never guide us to Immanuel's land, John 1:18. 'No man has seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him.' Here, and here only, the counsels of God touching man's salvation are discovered. And so, as salvation is the most necessary thing, the study of the scriptures is the most necessary exercise. To slight it, is to judge ourselves unworthy of eternal life.
2. It is the only rule of our faith and lives, Isaiah 8:20. 'To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them,' Ephesians 2:20. 'You are built upon the foundation of the prophets and apostles, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone,' Revelation 22:18, 19. 'I testify unto every man that hears 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: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.' The Bible is the pattern shown on the mount, to which our faith and lives must be conformed, if we would please God. The Lord says to us, as Deuteronomy 28:14. 'You shall not go aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right hand or to the left.' None can walk regularly unless they observe the rule; but how can one observe it unless he know it? Matthew 22:29. God has given each of us our post in the world: the Bible is the book of our instructions; and shall we not study it? The lawyer studies his law-books, the physician his medical books; and shall not a Christian study the book of the Lord?
3. The Lord himself dictated it, and gave it us for that very end, 2 Timothy 3:16, 17 forfeited, Romans 5:4. 'Whatever things were written aforetime were written for our learning.' And has the Spirit of the Lord written it, and will not we read it? Has he given it us to be studied by us, and will we slight it? This must be horrid contempt of God, and ingratitude to him with a witness. Whose image and superscription is this on the scriptures? Is it not the Lord's? Then take it up and read.
4. We must be judged by the scriptures at the great day, John 12:48. That is one of the books opened, Revelation 20:12. This is the book of the Lord's laws and ordinances, by which he will proceed in absolving or condemning us. I own God will go another way to work with those who never had the Bible, Romans 2:12. But know you, that seeing it is in the country where you live, though you never read a letter of it, you must be judged by it. Is there not good reason then for reading the scriptures?
III. I proceed now to the practical improvement of this important subject.
USE I. Of information. It lets us see,
1. The necessity and advantage of translations of the scriptures into the vulgar languages, as I have formerly shown.
2. The people not only may without any license from the church-guides, but must read the scriptures, for God has commanded it. The Papists here take away the key of knowledge; for their kingdom rises and stands by darkness, and ignorance of the scriptures.
3. The scriptures, whatever difficulties be in them, yet are so plain in things necessary to salvation, that even the unlearned may reap advantage by reading them.
USE II. Of exhortation. I exhort one and all of you to the study of the holy scriptures, to seek out of the book of the Lord, and read. I will lay this before you in several branches, before I come to the motives.
1. Let such as cannot read, learn to read. You that have children, as you tender their immortal souls, teach them to read the Bible. Remember therefore the vows taken upon you at their baptism, and the duty laid upon you by the Lord himself, Ephesians 6:4. 'Fathers, bring up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord,' 2 Timothy 3:15. Timothy from a child knew the holy scriptures. You who got no learning when you were young, labor to get it now. Alas! some parents, or others that have had some when young with them, have been cruel to their souls, as the ostrich to her young. They have learned them to work, but have been at no pains to teach them to read; so have sent them out into the world a prey to the devourer's teeth, without the ordinary means of the knowledge of God. Thus they are destroyed with gross ignorance.
But will you pity your own souls, though others did not that brought you up? And do not enter yourselves heirs to their sin, by being as negligent of yourselves as they were. Though perhaps they left you nothing to live upon, yet for a livelihood you have done something for your bodies. And will you do nothing for your souls?
Think not it will excuse you at the hand of God, that you are a servant; for your soul is in as great danger as your master's, and ignorance of religion will destroy it, Isaiah 27:11. There are few but know how to improve the scarcity of servants to the raising of the fee; but will you improve it by getting it in your condition to learn to read, and seek out such families where you may have that advantage, for some such there are, like Abraham's, Genesis 18:10. Nay rather than not do it, give over service for a time, and learn.
Neither will it excuse you that now you have a family; for you have an immortal soul still, which gross ignorance of the mind of God in the scriptures will ruin eternally, 2 Thessalonians 1:8. And the more need you have to read the scriptures, that you have a family, that you may know the Lord's mind yourself, and teach it your family. Such an excuse will no more screen you from everlasting destruction, than covering yourself with leaves will save you from the flames of a devouring fire.
Say not you are too old now to learn. It is never out of time to learn to do well for your eternal salvation. If your eyes can serve you to learn, you ought to do it, whatever your age be. But if your sight be so far gone, that you cannot though you were ever so willing; then tremble at the thoughts of the awful judgment of God, that has taken away sight from you, that when you had it would not use it for his glory, and the good of your own soul; and humble yourself, and apply to the blood of Christ, for this your neglect, lest it prove ruining to you forever. And cause others read to you, and beg the teaching of the Spirit, if so be such an old careless alighter of salvation may find mercy.
2. Let such as can read procure Bibles. I dare say one that has a love to the Bible (and that all who love the Lord have) will make many shifts before they want one. But they must be lawful shifts: for stealing of Bibles, or keeping them up from the owners, is like a thief stealing a rope to hang himself in. But spare it off your bellies or your backs, and procure one rather than want.
3. Let such as have Bibles read them frequently, and acquaint themselves with the book of the Lord. Read them in your families morning and evening; and read them in secret by yourselves; it should be a piece of your duties in secret. Make the Bible your companion abroad and at home, in the house and in the field. It is lamentable to think how unacquainted with the Bible many are, and how little heart they have to it. Ballads and song-books get the place of the Bible with many; and many have no use for it but once in the week, on the Sabbath-day, as if it were more for a show with them than the necessity of their souls.
4. Lastly, Not only read it, but search into it, and study it, to know the mind of God therein, and that you may do it. Be not superficial in your reading of the scriptures, but do it with application, painfulness, and diligence; using all means to read it with understanding; breaking through the surface that you may come at the hidden treasure therein. Reading as well as praying by rote is to little purpose: for a parcel of bare words will neither please God, nor edify your own souls.
I shall now give some motives to enforce this important duty of reading the scriptures.
Mot. 1. God requires it of us, he commands us to do it, John 5:39. 'Search the scriptures.' The Jews had once the scriptures committed to them; but did God design they should only have them in the temple? nay, in their houses also: Only laid up in the ark? nay, he designed another chest for them, even their hearts, Deuteronomy 6:6, 7 formerly cited. Let the authority of God sway you, then, and as you have any regard to it, study the scriptures.
Mot. 2. Nay, the very being of the Bible among us is enough to move us to study it, seeing it is that by which we must stand or fall forever. The proclaiming of the law publicly is sufficient to oblige the subjects; and they cannot plead ignorance, though they get not every one a copy of it. Ignorantia juris excusat neminem; for every one ought to know the rule of his duty. And sinners will be condemned by it, if they conform not to it, whether they knew it or not, John 3:19.
Mot. 3. It is an exercise very pleasing to God, so that it be done in a right manner, namely, in faith. For thereby God speaks to us, and we hear and receive his words at his mouth; and obedient ears are his delight.
1. The Spirit of God commends it. It was the commendation of the Bereans, Acts 17:11 of Apollos, chap 18:24 of Timothy, 2 Timothy 3:15. And why does the Spirit of God commend others for this, but to recommend the scriptures to us?
2. There is a particular blessing annexed to this exercise, Revelation 1:3. 'Blessed is he who reads.' And the children of God in all ages have sucked the sap of it, while they have had sweet fellowship with God in his word, and the influences of the Spirit, to the quickening, enlightening, fructifying and comforting their souls.
Mot. 4. Consider what a great privilege it is, that we have the scriptures to read and study, at this day. If Christ had not died for our salvation, the world had never been blessed with this glorious light, but had been in darkness here, as a pledge of eternal darkness. Let us compare our case with that of others, and see our privilege.
1. Look back to the case of the church in its first age before the flood, or the time of Moses, while they had not the written word. The will of God was revealed to some of them by visions, voices, dreams, etc; but we may say, as 2 Peter 1:19. 'We have a more sure word of prophecy.' But that was not the lot of all, but of a few among them; the rest behooved to learn by tradition. Now every one has alike access to the word of divine revelation.
2. Look to the case of the church under the Old Testament. In David's time there was little more than the five books of Moses written; yet how does that holy soul swell in commendation of his little Bible, when little more than the ground-work of this glorious structure was laid! Psalm 119. Take that church at her best in this respect, when the canon of the Old Testament was completed, they saw not the light of the New. Now the whole canon of the scripture is in our hands, this glorious image of God has got the finishing stroke; no more is to be added thereto forever. The New Testament casts a light upon the types, shadows, and dark prophecies of the Old. And shall we not be sensible of our mercy?
3. But look abroad into the Pagan world at this day, in comparison of which all that know any part of the scriptures are but few, and the Bible is not heard of among them. That precious treasure is not opened to them to this day, and they can know no more of God but what they can learn from the dark glimmerings of nature's light. O may we not in some sort say, as Psalm 147:19, 20. 'He shows his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. He has not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise you the Lord.'
4. Look back but a few years hence, when no Bibles were but such as were manuscript, namely, before the art of printing was found out, which was but a little before the reformation from Popery. How rare behooved they then to be! and how dear, you may easily perceive. But now how common and easy are they to be had?
5. Look to the case of those that lived, or yet live, under Popish tyranny, where it is a crime to have or to read the Bible without a special license. What a struggle had our reformers in this church, before they could get allowance by the laws of the land to read the Bible in English? And how is the Bible kept out of the people's hands to this day in Popish countries? Whereas now you are pressed to read and study it. A New Testament was very precious in those days of Popish persecution, when one gave a cart-load of hay for a leaf of the Bible. But, alas! as one says of the French Protestants, When they burned us for reading the scriptures, we burned in zeal to be reading them; now with our liberty is bred also negligence and disesteem of God's word.
6. Lastly, Consider the many helps there are to understand the scriptures beyond what were formerly. Many have run to and fro, and knowledge that way has been increased, both by preaching and writing. And that useful exercise of lecturing, which our church has commanded to be of a large portion of scripture, is no small help. What will we be able to answer to the Lord, if this great privilege be slighted?
Mot. 5. Consider it has been the way of the people of God, to be much addicted to and conversant in the scripture. So true is it that wisdom is justified of her children. O take heed you go forth by the footsteps of the flock, and you will not find them in the way of slighting, but prizing the Word of God. Consider,
1. You shall find the saints highly prizing the word, Psalm 19 & 119 what large commendations of the word are there! How sweet was it to Jeremiah! chapter 15:16. 'Your words were found, and I did eat them; and your word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.' Peter, who heard the voice on the mount, yet prefers the scriptures to voices from Heaven, 2 Peter 1:19. Paul speaks highly of it, 2 Timothy 3:16. 'All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.' The martyrs highly prized it, and ventured their lives for it. One cast away at sea, and swimming for his life on a mast, having five pounds, which was all his stock, in the one hand, and a Bible in the other, and being obliged to let go one of them, kept the Bible, and let the five pounds go.
2. You shall find them much addicted to the study of the word. It was David's companion and bosom oracle, Psalm 119:97. Daniel at Babylon searches the scriptures of the prophets, Daniel 9:2. So did the noble Bereans, Apollos, and Timothy.
3. Yes, the Spirit of God makes it the character of a godly man, Psalm 1:2. 'His delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law does he meditate day and night.' O how rational is that! The man that is born of God has a natural desire after the word, as the child after the mother's breast, 1 Peter 2:2. The new nature tends to communion with God; it is by the word the soul has communion with him, for thereby God speaks to us. And therefore it is a sad sign, that there are few true Christians, while there are so few that diligently ply the word.
Mot. 6. Consider the excellency of the scriptures. There is a transcendent glory in them, which whoever discerns cannot miss to hug and embrace them. To commend the Bible to you, I shall say these eight things of it.
1. It is the best of books. They may know much, you think, that have many good books; but have you the Bible, and you have the best book in the world. It is the book of the Lord, dictated by unerring infinite wisdom. There is no dross here with the gold, no chaff with the corn. Every Word of God is pure. There is nothing for our salvation to be had in other books, but what is learned from this. They are but the rivulets that run from this fountain, and all shine with light borrowed from thence. And it has a blessing annexed to it, a glory and majesty in it, an efficacy with it, that no other book has the like. Therefore Luther professed he would burn his books he had writ, rather than they should divert people from reading the scriptures.
2. It is the greatest and most excellent of the works of God to be seen in the world, Psalm 138:2. If the world beautified with sun, moon, and stars, be as a precious ring, the Bible is the diamond in the ring. The sparkling stars, and that glorious globe of light the sun, yet leave but a dark world, where there is no Bible. Were it put to the choice of the saints, either to put the sun out of the firmament, or the Bible out of the world, they would chose the former, but never the latter; for that they cannot want until they go there where they shall read all in the face of Jesus. For that mast needs be most excellent that has most of God in it.
3. It is the oracles of God, Romans 3:2. This was the chief of the Jewish privileges, without which their temple, altar, etc. would have been but dumb signs. The Pagan world did highly reverence and prize the devil's oracles: but we have God's oracles, while we have the scriptures that manifest to us the secrets of Heaven. And if we discern aright who speaks in them, we must say, The voice of God, and not of man. Here is what you may consult safely in all your doubts and darknesses; here is what will lead you into all truth.
4. It is the laws of Heaven, Psalm 19:7. The Lord and King of Heaven is our great Lawgiver, and the laws are written in this book. It concerns us to study it. Hence we must prove our title to Heaven, the blessed inheritance, or we will never obtain it. From thence the sentence of our justification must be drawn, else we are still in a state of wrath. Here is the rule we must follow, that we may please God here; and from this book shall the sentence of our absolution or condemnation be drawn at the great day.
5. It is Christ's testament and latter-will, 1 Corinthians 11:25. Our Lord has died, and he has left us this Bible as his testament; and that makes his children have such an affection to it. Herein he has left them his legacy, not only moveables, but the eternal inheritance; and his last will is now confirmed, that shall stand forever without alteration. So all the believer's hopes are in this Bible, and this is the security he has for all the privileges he can lay claim to. This is his charter for Heaven, the disposition by which he lays claim to the kingdom. And therefore, if you have any interest in the testament, you must needs not be slighters of it.
6. It is the scepter of his kingdom, Psalm 110:2 and it is a scepter of righteousness. It is by this word he rules his church, and guides all his children in their way to the land that is far off. Wherever he has a kingdom, he wields it; and the nations subjecting themselves to him, receive it. And where he rules one's heart, it has place there too, Colossians 3:16. It is a golden scepter of peace, stretched forth to rebels to win them by offering them peace; to fainting believers, to give them peace. And whoever will not subject themselves to it, shall be broken with his rod of iron.
7. It is the channel of influences, by which the communications of grace are made, and the waters of the sanctuary flow into the soul, Isaiah 59 ult. The apostle appeals for this to the experience of the Galatians, chap 3:2. 'Received you the Spirit by the law, or by the hearing of faith?' Is the elect soul regenerated? the word is the incorruptible seed, whereof the new creature is formed, 1 Peter 1:23. Is faith begotten in the heart? it is by the word, Romans 10:17. 'Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.' Is the new creature to be nourished, strengthened, quickened, actuated, etc.? Christ is the fountain, faith the mouth of the soul, the word the pipes of conveyance, whereat faith must suck, as the child at the nipples.
8. Lastly, It is the price of blood even the blood of Christ, 1 Corinthians 11:25. Had not the personal Word become flesh, and therein died to purchase redemption for us, we had never seen this written word among us. For it is the book of the covenant which is founded on the blood of the Mediator. It is the grant and conveyance of the right to the favor of God, and all saving benefits to believers; for which there could have been no place had not Christ died. And they that slight it, will be found to tread under foot the blood of the covenant.
Mot. 7. Consider the usefulness of the word. If we consider the Author, we may be sure of the usefulness of the work. The apostle tells us, that it alone is sufficient to make the man of God perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works, 2 Timothy 3:16, 17. There is no case a soul can be in, but it is suitable to their case, that desire to make use of it. To commend it to you from its usefulness, I will say these eight things.
1. It is a treasure to the poor, and such are we all by nature, Revelation 3:17, 2 Corinthians 4:7. Therefore the Lord bids us search the scriptures, in allusion to those that search in mines for silver and gold. If the poor soul search here, receiving the word by faith, he is made up. He shall find there the discharge of his debt, a new right and title to the mortgaged inheritance. This word of the Lord is a treasure,
(1.) For worth. People make not treasures of any but valuable things. There is nothing in the scriptures but what is highly valuable. There are the eternal counsels of God touching our salvation; life and immortality brought to light; there are the purest percepts, the most awful threatenings, and the most precious promises, 2 Peter 1:4, etc.
(2.) For variety. In the scriptures shines the manifold wisdom of God. They that nauseate this book of the Lord, because they find not new things in it after some time perusing it, discover their senses not to be exercised to discern. For should we come to it ever so often, bringing fresh affections with as, we would find fresh entertainment there; as is evident by the glorious refreshment sometimes found in a word, that has been often gone over before without anything remarkable. And truly the saints shall never exhaust it while here; but as new discoveries are made in it in several ages, so it will be to the end.
(3.) For abundance. There is in it not only for the present, but for the time to come, Isaiah 42:23. There is abundance of light, instruction, comfort, etc. and what is needful for the saints traveling heavenward, Psalm 119:162. And indeed it is the spoil to be gathered by us. Our Lord having fought the battle against death and devils, here the spoil lies to be gathered by us that remained at home when the fight was.
(4.) Lastly, For closeness. This word contains the wisdom of God in a mystery. It is a hidden book to most of the world, and indeed a sealed book to those that remain in their natural blindness. Nor can we get into the treasure without the illumination of the same Spirit which dictated it, 1 Corinthians 2:10. There is a path here which the vulture's eye has not seen, which the carnal eye cannot take up, verse 14. Therefore have we need to seek diligently, and pray, as Psalm 119:18. 'Open you mine eyes, that I may see wondrous things out of your law.'
2. It is life to the dead: 'The words that I speak unto you (says Christ), they are spirit, and they are life,' John 6:63. We are naturally dead in sins; but the word is the means of spiritual life. It is the ordinary means of conversion, Psalm 19:7. 'The law of the Lord—converts the soul;' and of regeneration, 1 Peter 1:23. 'Being born again of incorruptible seed by the Word of God.' By it the soul is persuaded into the covenant, and brought to embrace Jesus Christ. For thereby the Spirit is communicated to the elect of God. Thus it is of use to bring sinners home to God, from under the power of darkness to the kingdom of his dear Son.
3. It is light to the blind, Psalm 19:8. 'The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.' It is a convincing light, to discover one's state to him, and so to rouse up the soul from its natural security. It pierces the heart as an arrow, and makes the careless sinner stand and consider his way: for it freely tells every one his faults, Jam. 1:25. And while the child of God travels through a dark world, it serves to light him the way, 2 Peter 1:19.—'a light shining in a dark place;' and lets him see how to set down every step. Hence David says, 'Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path,' Psalm 119:105.
4. It is awakening to those that are asleep, Canticles 7:9. It is the voice of God which is full of majesty, to awaken the sleepy Christian to the exercise of grace. For as it is the means of begetting grace in the heart, so it is also the means of actuating and quickening thereof, Psalm 119:50. 'Your word has quickened me.' Here the Christian may hear the alarm sound to rise up and be doing. Here are the precious promises as cords of love to draw, and the awful threatenings to set idlers to work.
5. It is a sword to the Christian soldier, Ephesians 6:17. 'The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.' Whoever has a mind for Heaven must fight his way to it: for none get the crown but the conquerors, Revelation 3:21. They must go through many temptations, from the devil, the world, and the flesh; and the word is the sword for resisting them. It is an offensive and defensive weapon. We see how our Lord Jesus wielded it, Matthew 4:4, 7. 'It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.—It is written again, You shall not tempt the Lord your God.' And whatever be our temptations, if we be well versed in the word, we may from thence bring answers to them all.
6. It is a counselor to those who are in straits, doubts, and difficulties, Psalm 119:24. 'Your testimonies are—my counselors.' Many a time the children of God, when tossed with doubts and fears, have found a quiet harbor there; and have got their way cleared to them there, when they knew not what to do. And no doubt, if we were more exercised unto godliness, and looking to the Lord in our straits, we would make more use of the Bible, as the oracles of Heaven.
7. It is a comforter to those that are cast down, Psalm 119:49, 50. 'Remember the word unto your servant, upon which you have caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction: for your word has quickened me.' The way to Heaven lies through many tribulations, and afflictions are the trodden path to glory. But the Lord has left his people the Bible as a cordial to support them under all their pressures from within and without. And indeed the sap of the word, and the sweetness of the promises, are never more lively relished, than when the people of God are exercised under afflictions. Then does that heavenly fountain flow most plentifully, when, created streams being dried up, the soul goes for all to the Lord. To sum up all in one word,
8. Lastly, It is a cure for all diseases of the soul, Proverbs 4:22. 'My words are—health to all their flesh.' There is no malady that a soul is under, but there is a suitable remedy for it in the word, 2 Timothy 3:16, 17 frequently quoted above, being adapted by infinite wisdom to the case of poor sinners. By it the simple may be made wise, the weak strengthened, the staggering confirmed, the hard heart melted, the shut heart opened, etc. it being the means the Spirit makes use of for these and all other such purposes.
Mot. 8. Consider the honorable epithets given to the scriptures. Among which I name only three.
1. The scriptures of truth, Daniel 10:21. Men may wrest the scriptures to patronize their errors, but the whole Word of God is most pure truth. Here are no mistakes, no weaknesses, that adhere to all human composures. Here we may receive all that is taught us without hesitation. The hearers of men, or readers of their works, are divided into four sorts: Some like spunges, that suck up all, both good and bad: Some like sand glasses, who, what they receive at the one ear let go at the other: Some like a strainer, that lets all the good pass through, but keeps the dregs: Some like the sieve, that keeps the good grain, and lets through what is not worth. These last are only to be approved; but in the reading of the word we must be as the first sort.
2. Holy scriptures, 2 Timothy 3:15. They are the word of a holy God, from whom nothing can come but what is holy. It consists of holy commands, holy promises, holy threatenings, instructions, directions, etc. And holy hearts will love and reverence them for that very reason.
3. Lastly, The book of the Lord. What can be said more to commend it to us, if we have any regard to the Lord himself? If I could tell you of a book that fell down from Heaven, and were to be had by any means, who would not be curious to have such a book and study it? This is the book that contains the counsels of Heaven, and is given from Heaven to the church, to let men see the way to it.
Mot. last. Consider the danger of slighting the word. It exposes to sin, and consequently to the greatest danger. How can they keep the way of the word that do not study to acquaint themselves with it? They must needs walk in darkness that do not make use of the light; and this leads to everlasting darkness, John 3:19. If by this word we must be judged, how can they think to stand that neglect it?
I conclude with some directions for the study of the scriptures.
1. Keep an ordinary in reading them, that you may be acquainted with the whole; and make this reading a part of your secret duties. Not that you should bind up yourselves to an ordinary, so as never to read by choice, but that ordinarily this tends most to edification. Some places are more difficult, some may seem very bare for an ordinary reader; but if you would look on it all as God's word, not to be slighted, and read it with faith and reverence, no doubt you would find advantage.
2. Set a special mark, one way or other, on those passages you read, which you find most suitable to your case, condition, or temptations; or such as you have found to move your hearts more than other passages. And it will be profitable often to review these.
3. Compare one scripture with another, the more obscure with what which is more plain, 2 Peter 1:20. This is an excellent means to find out the sense of the scriptures; and to this good use serve the marginal notes on Bibles. And keep Christ in your eye, for to him the scriptures of the Old Testament (in its genealogies, types, and sacrifices) look, as well as those of the New.
4. Read with a holy attention, arising from the consideration of the majesty of God, and the reverence due to him. This must be done with attention,
(1.) To the words;
(2.) To the sense: and
(3.) To the divine authority of the scripture, and the bond it lays on the conscience for obedience, 1 Thessalonians 2:13.
5. Let your main end in reading the scriptures be practice, and not bare knowledge, Jam. 1:22. Read that you may learn and do, and that without any limitation or distinction, but that whatever you see God requires, you may study to practice.
6. Beg of God and look to him for his Spirit. For it is the Spirit that dictated it, that it must be savingly understood, 1 Corinthians 2:11. And therefore before you read, it is highly reasonable you beg a blessing on what you are to read.
7. Beware of a worldly fleshly mind: for fleshly sins blind the mind from the things of God; and the worldly heart cannot favor them. In an eclipse of the moon the earth comes between the sun and the moon, and so keeps the light of the sun from it. So the world, in the heart, coming between you and the light of the word, keeps its divine light from you.
8. Labor to be exercised unto godliness, and to observe your case. For an exercised frame helps mightily to understand the scriptures. Such a Christian will find his case in the word, and the word will give light to his case, and his case light into the word.
9. Lastly, Whatever you learn from the word, labor to put it in practice. For to him that has shall be given. No wonder they get little insight into the Bible, who make no conscience of practicing what they know. But while the stream runs into a holy life, the fountain will be the more free.
OF GOD AND HIS PERFECTIONS
JOHN 4:24.—God is a Spirit.
SIMONIDES, a heathen poet, being asked by Hiero king of Syracuse, What is God? desired a day to think upon it; and when that day was at an end, he desired two days; and when these were past, he desired four days. Thus he continued to double the number of days in which he desired to think of God, before he would give an answer. Upon which the king expressing his surprise at his behavior, asked him, What he meant by this? To which the poet answered, 'The more I think of God, he is still the more dark and unknown to me.' Indeed no wonder that he made such an answer; for he who would tell what God is in a measure suitable to his excellency and glory, had need to know God even as he is known of him, which is not competent to any man upon earth. Agur puzzles the whole creation with that sublime question, What is his name? Proverbs 30:4. But though it is impossible in our present state to know God perfectly, seeing he is incomprehensible; yet so much of him is revealed in the scriptures as is necessary for us to know in order to our salvation.
The text tells us, and it should be remembered, that the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, who lay in the bosom of the Father, and who only can reveal him, is here the speaker, that God is a Spirit. It is but little of the nature of spirits that we, who dwell in tabernacles of clay, are so intimately connected with flesh and blood, and so naturally impressed with sensible objects, can know. We cannot fully understand what our own spirits or souls are; and less do we know of the nature of angels, who are of a superior nature to us; and far less can we know of the spiritual nature of the Divine Being, which is utterly incomprehensible by men or angels. However, as all our ideas begin at what is infinite, in considering the nature of spirits, so we are led to conceive of God as infinitely more perfect than any finite spirit. All we can know of spirits is,
1. That a spirit is the most perfect and excellent of beings, more excellent than the body, or anything that is purely material.
2. That a spirit is in its own nature immortal, having nothing in its frame and constitution tending to dissolution or corruption.
3. That a spirit is capable of understanding, willing, and putting forth actions agreeable to its nature, which no other being can do.
Now these conceptions of the nature of spirits lead us to conceive of God,
1. As a being that is more perfect and excellent than all other spirits and beings. Hence he is said to be incorruptible, Romans 1:23; immortal and invisible, 1 Timothy 1:17. He has understanding and will; and so we conceive of him as the creator and governor of all things; which he could not be, if he were not an intelligent and sovereign spirit.
2. Though angels and the souls of men are spirits, yet their excellency is only comparative, that is, they excel the best of all material beings in their nature and properties. But God, as a spirit, is infinitely more excellent than all material beings, and all created spirits. Their perfections are derived from him; and therefore he is called 'the Father of spirits,' Hebrews 12:9 and 'the God of the spirits of all flesh,' Numbers 16:22; and his perfections are underived; and he is independently immortal. Hence it is said of him, that 'he only has immortality,' 1 Timothy 6:16. He is an infinite spirit; and it can be said of none but him, that 'his understanding is infinite,' Psalm 147:5.
Now, a spirit is an immaterial substance, Luke 24:39; and seeing whatever God is, he is infinitely perfect in it, he is a most pure spirit. Hence we may infer,
1. That God has no body nor bodily parts. Objection How then are eyes, ears, hands, face, and the like, attributed in scripture to God? Answer. They are attributed to him not properly, but figuratively; they are spoken of him after the manner of men, in condescension to our weakness; but we are to understand them after a sort becoming the Divine Majesty. We are to consider what such bodily parts serve us for, as our eyes for discerning and knowing, our arms for strength, our hands for action, etc. and we are to conceive these things to be in God infinitely, which these parts serve for in us. Thus, when eyes and ears are ascribed to God they signify his omniscience; his hands denote his power, and his face the manifestation of his love and favor.
2. That God is invisible, and cannot be seen with the eyes of the body, no not in Heaven; for the glorified body is still a body, and God a spirit, which is no object of the eyes, more than sound, taste, smell, etc. 1 Timothy 1:17.
3. That God is the most suitable good to the nature of our souls, which are spirits; and can communicate himself, and apply those things to them, which only can render them happy, as he is the God and Father of our spirits.
4. That it is sinful and dishonorable to God, either to make images or pictures of him without us, or to have any image of him in our minds, which our unruly imagination is apt to frame to itself, especially in prayer. For God is the object of our understanding, not of our imagination. God expressly prohibited Israel to frame any similitude or resemblance of him, and tells them, that they had not the least pretense for so doing, inasmuch as they 'saw no similitude of him, when he spoke to them in Horeb,' Deuteronomy 4:12, 15, 16. And says the prophet, 'To whom will you liken God? or what likeness will you compare unto him?' Isaiah 40:18. We cannot form an imaginary idea of our own souls or spirits, which are absolutely invisible to us, and far less of him who is the invisible God, whom no man has seen or can see. Therefore to frame a picture or an idea of what is invisible, is highly absurd and impracticable: nay, it is gross idolatry, prohibited in the second commandment.
5. That externals in worship are of little value with God, who is a spirit, and requires the heart. They who would be accepted of God must worship him in spirit and in truth, that is, from an apprehension and saving knowledge of what he is in Christ to poor sinners. And this saving knowledge of God in Christ is attainable in this life: for it is the matter of the divine promise, 'I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord,' Jeremiah 24:7. 'It is written in the prophets, They shall be all taught of God, John 6:45. And therefore it should be most earnestly and assiduously sought after by us, as, unless we attain to it, we must perish forever.
That we may know what sort of a spirit God is, we must consider his attributes, which we gather from his word and works, and that two ways: 1. By denying of, and removing from God, in our minds, all imperfection which is in the creatures, Acts 17:29. And thus we come to the knowledge of his incommunicable attributes, so called because there is no shadow or vestige of them in the creatures, such as infinity, eternity, unchangeableness. 2. By attributing unto him, by way of eminency, whatever is excellent in the creatures, seeing he is the fountain of all perfection in them, Psalm 94:9. And thus we have his communicable attributes, whereof there are some vestiges and small scantlings in the creature, as being, wisdom, power, etc. among which his spirituality is to be reckoned.
Now, both these sorts of attributes in God are not qualities in him distinct from himself, but they are God himself. God's infinity is God himself, his wisdom is himself; he is wisdom, goodness, 1 John 1:5. Neither are these attributes so many different things in God; but they are each of them God himself: for God swears by himself, Hebrews 6:13; yet he swears by his holiness, Amos 4:2. He creates by himself, Isaiah 44:24; yet he creates by his power, Romans 1:20. Therefore God's attributes are God himself. Neither are these attributes separable from one another; for though we, through weakness, must think and speak of them separately, yet they are truly but the one infinite perfection of the divine nature, which cannot be separated therefrom, without denying that he is an infinitely perfect being.
We have said that God is a spirit; but angels and the souls of men are spirits too. What then is the difference between them? Why, God is an infinite, eternal, and unchangeable spirit; but angels and souls are but finite, were not from eternity, and are changeable spirits. Now, these three, infinity, eternity, and immutability, are God's incommunicable attributes, which we are next to explain.
First, God is infinite. Infinity is the having no bounds or limits within which a thing is contained. God then is infinite, that is, he is whatever he is without bounds, limits, or measure, Job 11:7. 'Can you by searching find out God? can you find out the Almighty unto perfection?' We cannot define the presence of God by any certain place, so as to say, Here he is, but not there; nor by any limits, so as to say, Thus far his being reaches, and no further: but he is everywhere present, after a most inconceivable manner, even in the deepest darkness, and the closest recesses of privacy. He fills all the innumerable spaces that we can imagine beyond this visible world, and infinitely more than we can imagine.
Now God is infinite,
(1.) In respect of his being: for of his nature our finite understandings cannot possibly form any adequate conception. This lies hidden in rays of such bright and radiant glory, as must forever dazzle the eyes of those who attempt to look into it.
(2.) In respect of place; and therefore he is everywhere present: 'Can any man hide himself in secret places, that I shall not see him? says the Lord: do not I fill Heaven and earth? says the Lord,' Jeremiah 23:24.
(3.) In respect of time and duration: for the ages of his eternity cannot be numbered, 'nor the number of his years searched out,' Job 36:26.
(4.) In respect of all his communicable attributes. Thus the depth of his wisdom cannot be fathomed: 'O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!' Romans 11:33. 'His greatness is unsearchable,' Psalm 145:3. The extent-of his power cannot be reached: 'The thunder of his power who can understand?' Job 26:14. We cannot understand his powerful thunder, one of the lowest displays of his majesty in our region, much less The utmost extent and force of his power, in its terrible effects, especially the power of his anger: 'God is great, and we know him not.' The treasures of the divine goodness cannot be inventoried: 'O how great is your goodness (says the Psalmist), which you have laid up for them that fear you, which you have wrought for them that trust in you before the sons of men! The brightness of God's glory cannot be described; as a full discovery of it would quite overpower the faculties of any mortal in this imperfect state: for man is weak and unworthy of it, weak and could not bear it, guilty and could not but dread it: and therefore God 'holds back the face of his throne, and spreads a cloud upon it, Job 26:9. With what propriety, then did he say to Moses, 'You can not see my face; for there shall no man see me, and live!' Exodus. 33:20.
That God is infinite, is evident from the natural notions and dictates of the human mind. Hence the heathens, by the light of nature, attributed this perfection to the Divine Being. Thus one philosopher pronounced him to be a circle whose center is everywhere, and whose circumference is no where; which another philosopher thus expressed in clearer terms, God is included in no place, and excluded from none. Whichever way you turn, says Seneca, you may take notice of God meeting you; for nothing is void of him: he himself fills all his works, and is present with the whole creation. Remarkable also is the expression of the prince of Latin poets, Jovis omnia plena, 'All things are full of God.' This also appears from several passages of scripture; as Deuteronomy 4:39. 'The Lord is God in Heaven above, and upon the earth beneath,' 1 Kings 8:27. 'The Heaven, and Heaven of heavens, cannot contain you,' says Solomon in his prayer to God at the dedication of the temple. See also Psalm 139:4, etc. Jeremiah 23:23, 24. Again, if God were not infinite and immense, many gross absurdities would follow from the contrary notion; such as, it is inconsistent with his universal providence over the world, by which all things are preserved. 'In him we live, move and have our being,' Acts 17:27. As his providence is over all, his essence must be equally diffusive. It is inconsistent with his supreme perfection. No perfection can be wanting in God: and therefore a limited essence, which is an imperfection, cannot be attributed to him. It is also inconsistent with his immutability: For if he move and recede from one place to another, would he not thereby be mutable? while yet 'with him there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.' Last of all, it would be inconsistent with his omnipotence. That God can do everything, is a notion settled in the minds of all; and his essence cannot be less or more confined than his power, and his power cannot be thought to extend farther than his essence.
But some may be ready to say, Does not the scripture say, that God sits in Heaven and dwells on high, that Heaven is his throne; and does not the Lord's prayer teach us to say, Our Father which are in Heaven? Now, how can this agree with his infinity or immensity? I answer, God is indeed said to sit in Heaven and to dwell on high; but he is no where said to dwell only in the heavens. It is the court of his majestic presence, not the prison of his essence. There is a three-fold presence of God: A glorious presence, which is peculiar to Heaven: A gracious presence, which the saints enjoy on earth: And an essential presence, which is equally and alike in all places. Others may allege, that it is a disparagement to God, to say that he is essentially present in all places and with all creatures, even on the dunghill of the earth, and in the sordid sink of Hell with the devils and the damned. To this I would only say, that it is a gross misapprehension of God, and an unaccountable measuring of him by ourselves, to imagine that he is capable of being infected by anything below. For he is a pure and spotless being. Whatever is nauseous to our senses cannot affect him. Darkness is uncomfortable to us: but the darkness and the light are all one to him. Wickedness may hurt a man; but if we multiply our transgressions, what can we do unto him? Job 35:6, 8. To deny the immensity of God, says one, because of ill-scented places, is to measure God rather by the nicety of sense, than by the sagacity of reason.
Secondly, The next incommunicable attribute of God is eternity. Hence he is called 'the King eternal.' 1 Timothy 1:17. We find other things called eternal. But the eternity of all things besides God is only their having no end, though they had a beginning. Thus angels and the souls of men are eternal, because they shall never have an end. The covenant of grace is eternal, because the mercies of it shall last forever. The gospel is eternal, because the effects of it shall never wear away. The redemption by Christ is eternal, for the same reason. And the last judgment is so, because the consequences will be everlasting. But the eternity of God is his being without beginning and without end, Psalm 90:2. 'From everlasting to everlasting you are God.' He was from everlasting before time, and will remain unto everlasting when time shall be no more; without beginning of life or end of days.
Thirdly, The next incommunicable attribute of God is unchangeableness. God is immutable, that is, always the same, without any alteration. Hence it is said, Jam. 1:17. 'With whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning,' Malachi 3:6. 'I am the Lord, I change not.' God makes changes upon the creatures, but is liable to no change himself.' Though he alters his dispensations, yet not his nature; but, by one pure and constant act of his will and power, effects what changes he pleases. He is the same in all his perfections, constant to his intentions, steady to his purpose, unchangeably fixed and persevering in all his decrees and resolutions. When God is said to repent in scripture, Genesis 6:6. 1 Samuel 15:11. It denotes only a change of his outward conduct according to his infallible foresight and immutable will. He changes the way of his providential dealings according to the carriage and deportment of his creature, without changing his will, which is the rule of his providence. For otherwise that is an eternal truth, Numbers 23:19. 'God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent,' 1 Samuel 15:29. 'The Strength of Israel will not lie, nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent.'
Having taken a short view of the incommunicable attributes of God, I proceed now to consider those that are called communicable, namely, his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth. Now these things are in the creatures indeed, but they are in them in a finite way; but God is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in these perfections, which no creature is or can be.
First, There is his being which is his nature or essence and existence, which are but one thing in God. Creatures indeed have a being, but it is only a finite being, a being that has a beginning, a changeable one, and that may have an end. But God's being is an infinite being, eternal and unchangeable. Hence he calls himself, Exodus. 3:14. I AM THAT I AM. Hence we may infer,
1. That God is incomprehensible, and his essence infinite and unbounded, Psalm 145:3. 'His greatness is unsearchable.' It is not possible for a finite understanding to comprehend all that is in God; but the nature of God is a boundless ocean that has no shore, Job 11:7. 'Can you by searching find out God? can you find out the Almighty to perfection?' And though God perfectly knows himself, that is because his understanding is infinite.
2. God is omnipresent and immense. He is present everywhere, but bounded no where, not only in respect of his virtue or influence, but of his essence. This clearly appears from the following passages, Psalm 139:7, 8, 9, 10. 'Where shall I go from your Spirit? or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend up into Heaven, you are there: If I make my bed in Hell, behold, you are there: If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea: even there shall your hand lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.' Jeremiah 23:23, 24. 'Am I a God at hand, says the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places, that I shall not see him? says the Lord,: do not I fill Heaven and earth? says the Lord, 1 Kings 8:27. 'Behold the Heaven and Heaven of heavens, cannot contain you.' He is there where the thief is stealing, the unclean person gratifying his base lusts, etc. though they see him not, and think themselves secure when no other eyes see them.
3. There is no succession in the duration of God; for where there is not a first, there cannot be a second moment of duration; but God is eternal: And there can be no succession of time in God's duration, if he be unchangeable; for that is a continual change. See 2 Peter 3:8. 'One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.'
4. God is independent, or self-sufficient. His being and perfections are underived, and not communicated to him, as all finite perfections are by him to the creature. This self-existence, or independence, is one of the highest glories of the divine nature, by which he is distinguished from all creatures, who live, move, and have their being in and from him. Therefore all our springs are in him, all that we enjoy or hope for is from him; and we should be entirely devoted to his service and honor.
5. Lastly, This doctrine affords full breasts of consolation to the godly, who have an infinite, eternal, and unchangeable friend, who will never leave nor forsake them, but render them completely blessed at last, and confirm them in that happy state forever. And here is unspeakable terror to those whose enemy this great and eternal God is; for being his enemies, and dying in their rebellion, they shall suffer the whole vengeance and wrath threatened in his word, which he lives forever to inflict; and he will never alter what he has threatened. O let sinners be now persuaded to make this infinite, eternal, and unchangeable God, their friend through Jesus Christ, and so they shall infallibly escape the wrath that is to come.
Secondly, The next communicable attribute of God is wisdom. The personal wisdom of God is Christ, 1 Corinthians 1:24. But this is his essential wisdom, which is that attribute of God whereby he knows himself, and all possible things, and how to dispose all things to the best ends. Hence he is said to 'know all things,' John 21:17 and to be 'God only wise,' Romans 16:27. Now, God is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his wisdom, Psalm 147:5. 'His understanding is unsearchable.'
The wisdom of God appears,
1. In the works of creation. The universe is a bright mirror wherein the wisdom of God may be clearly seen. 'The Lord by wisdom made the heavens,' Psalm 136:5. 'The Lord by wisdom has founded the earth; by understanding has he established the heavens,' Proverbs 3:19. 'He has established the world by his wisdom, and has stretched out the heavens by his discretion.' More particularly, the wisdom of God appears,
(1.) In the vast variety of creatures which he has made. Hence the Psalmist cries out, 'How manifold are your works, O Lord! in wisdom have you made them all,' Psalm 104:24.
(2.) In the admirable and beautiful order and situation of the creatures. God has marshaled everything in its proper place and sphere. For instance, the sun, by its position displays the infinite wisdom of its Creator. It is placed in the midst of the planets, to enlighten them with its brightness, and inflame them with its heat, and thereby derive to them such benign qualities as make them beneficial to all mixed bodies. If it were raised as high as the stars, the earth would lose its prolific virtue, and remain a dead carcass for want of its quickening heat; and if it were placed as low as the moon, the air would be inflamed with its excessive heat, the waters would be dried up, and every planet scorched. But at the due distance at which it is placed, it purifies the air, abates the superfluities of the waters, temperately warms the earth, and so serves all the purposes of life and vegetation. It could not be in another position without the disorder and hurt of universal nature. Again, the expansion of the air from the ethereal heavens to the earth is another testimony of divine wisdom: for it is transparent and of a subtle nature, and so a fit medium to convey light and celestial influences to this lower world. Moreover, the situation of the earth does also trumpet forth the infinite wisdom of its Divine Maker: for it is as it were the pavement of the world, and placed lowermost, as being the heaviest body, and fit to receive the weightiest matter.
(3.) In fitting everything for its proper end and use, so that nothing is unprofitable and useless. After the most diligent and accurate inquiry into the works of God, there is nothing to be found superfluous, and there is nothing defective.
(4.) In the subordination of all its parts, to one common end. Though they are of different natures, as lines vastly distant in themselves, yet they all meet in one common center, namely, the good and preservation of the whole, Hosea 2:21, 22. 'I will hear, says the Lord, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth, and the earth shall hear the corn and the wine, and the oil, and they shall hear Jezreel.'
2. In the government of the world. God sits in his secret place, surrounded with clouds and darkness, holding the rudder of the world in his hand, and steering its course through all the floatings and tossings of casualty and contingency to his own appointed ends. There he grasps and turns the great engine of nature, fastening one pin and loosing another, moving and removing the several wheels of it, and framing the whole according to the eternal idea of his own understanding. By his governing providence he directs all the actions of his creatures; and, by the secret and efficacious penetration of the divine influence, he powerfully sways and determines them which way he pleases.
3. In the work of redemption. This is the very masterpiece of Divine wisdom; and here shines the manifold or diversified wisdom of God, Ephesians 3:10. It appears,
(1.) In the contrivance thereof. When man had ruined himself by sin, all the wisdom of men and angels could never have devised a method for his recovery. Heaven seemed to be divided upon this awful event. Mercy inclined to save man, but Justice interposed for satisfaction. Justice pleaded the law and the curse, by which the souls of sinners are forfeited to vengeance. Mercy, on the other hand, urged, Shall the Almighty build a glorious work, and suffer it to lie in eternal ruins? shall the most excellent creature in the inferior world perish through the subtlety of a malicious and rebellious spirit? shall that arch-rebel triumph forever, and raise his trophies from the final ruin of the works of the Most High? Shall the reasonable creature lose the fruition of God, and God lose the subjection and service of his creature? and, shall all mankind be made in vain? Mercy further pleaded, That if the rigorous demands of Justice be heard, it must lie an obscure and unregarded attribute in the divine essence forever; that it alone must be excluded, while all the rest of the attributes had their share of honor. Thus the case was infinitely difficult, and not to be unraveled by the united wit of all the celestial spirits. A bench of angels was incapable to contrive a method of reconciling infinite mercy with inflexible justice, of satisfying the demands of the one, and granting the requests of the other. In this hard exigence the wisdom of God interposed, and in the vast treasure of its incomprehensible light, found out an admirable expedient to save man without prejudice to the other divine perfections. The pleas of Justice, said the wisdom of God, shall be satisfied in punishing, and the requests of Mercy shall be granted in pardoning. Justice shall not complain for want of punishment, nor Mercy for want of compassion; I will have an infinite sacrifice to content Justice, and the virtue and fruit of that sacrifice shall delight mercy. Here justice shall have punishment to accept, and Mercy shall have pardon to bestow. My Son shall die, and satisfy justice by his death; and by the virtue and merit of that sacrifice sinners shall be received into favor, and herein Mercy shall triumph and be glorified. Here was the most glorious display of wisdom.
(2.) In the ordination of a Mediator every way fitly qualified to reconcile men unto God. A mediator must be capable of the sentiments and affections of both the parties he is to reconcile, and a just esteemer of the rights and injuries of the one and the other, and have a common interest in both. The Son of God, by his incarnation, perfectly possesses all these qualities. He has a nature to please God, and a nature to please sinners. He had both the perfections of the Deity, and all the qualities and sinless infirmities of the humanity. The one fitted him for things pertaining to God, and the other furnished him with a sense of the infirmities of man.—This union of the divine and human nature in the person of Christ was necessary to fit and qualify him for the discharge of his threefold office of Prophet, Priest, and King.—As a Prophet, it was requisite he should be God, that so he might acquaint us with his Father's will, and reveal the secret purposes and hidden counsels of Heaven concerning our salvation, which were locked up in the bosom of God from all eternity. And it was needful he should be man, that he might converse with poor sinners in a familiar manner, and convey the mind and counsels of God to them, in such a way as they could receive them.—As a Priest, he behooved to be a man, that so he might be capable to suffer, and to bear the wrath which the sins of the elect had justly deserved. And it behooved him to be God, to render his temporary sufferings satisfactory. The great dignity and excellency of the divine Mediator's person made his sufferings of infinite value in God's account. Though he only suffered as a man, yet he satisfied as God.—As a King, he must be God, to conquer Satan, convert an elect world, and effectually subdue the lusts and corruptions of men. And he must be man, that by the excellency of his example, he might lead us in the way of life.
(3.) In the manner whereby this redemption is accomplished, namely, by the humiliation of the Son of God. By this he counteracted the sin of angels and men. Pride is the poison of every sin: for in every transgression the creature prefers his pleasure to and sets up his own will above God's. This was the special sin of Adam. The devil would have leveled Heaven by usurpation. He said in his heart, I will be like the Most High; and man infected with his breath (when he said, You shall be like gods) became sick of the same disease. Now, the Divine Redeemer, that he might cure our disease in its source and cause by the quality of the remedy, applied to our pride an unspeakable humility. Man was guilty of the highest robbery in affecting to be equal with God; and the Son, who was in the bosom of God, and equal to him in majesty and authority, emptied himself by assuming the human nature in its servile state, Philippians 2:6, 7, 8. It is said, John 1:14. 'The word was made flesh.' The meanest part of our nature is specified to signify the greatness of his abasement. There is such an infinite distance between God and flesh, that the condescension is as admirable as the contrivance. So great was the malignity of human pride, that such a profound humility was requisite for the cure of it. And by this Christ destroyed the works of the devil.
(4.) In appointing such contemptible, and in appearance opposite means, to bring about such glorious effects. The way is as admirable as the work. Christ ruined the devil's empire by the very same nature that he had vanquished, and by the very means which he had made use of to establish and confirm it. He took not upon him the nature of angels, which is equal to Satan in strength and power; but he took part of flesh and blood, that he might the more signally triumph over that proud spirit in the human nature, which was inferior to his, and had been vanquished by him in paradise. For this end he did not immediately exercise omnipotent power to destroy him, but managed our weakness to foil the roaring lion. He did not enter the lists with Satan in the glory of his Deity, but disguised under the human nature which was subject to mortality. And thus the devil was overcome in the same nature over which he first got the victory. For as the whole race of mankind was captivated by him in Adam the representative, so believers are made victorious over him by the conquest which their representative obtained in the whole course of his sufferings. As our ruin was effected by the subtlety of Satan, so our recovery is wrought by the wisdom of God, who takes the wise in their own craftiness. Thus eternal life springs from death, glory from ignominy, and blessedness from a curse. We are healed by stripes, quickened by death, purchased by blood, crowned by a cross, advanced to the highest honor by the lowest humility, comforted by sorrows, glorified by disgrace, absolved by condemnation, and made rich by poverty. Thus the wisdom of God shines with a radiant brightness in the work of redemption.
I shall conclude this point with a few inferences.
1. God is omniscient; 'he knows all things,' John 21:17. 'All things are naked and open to him,' Hebrews 4:13. His eye sees us wherever we are. Even future contingencies, as well as the most necessary things are known to him. This is beautifully described by the Psalmist, Psalm 139:1–10 which deserves your serious perusal.
2. His knowledge of all things is not conjectural, but infallible, Romans 11:33, 34. 'O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who has known the mind of the Lord, who has been his counselor?' There is nothing to him contingent or uncertain; but everything falls out exactly according to his foreknowledge and predetermination.
3. It is altogether independent on the creature, whose motions and operations were known to him from eternity, and are all regulated by his counsel.
4. Lastly, To this wise God we may safely entrust all our concerns, knowing he will manage them all so as to promote his own glory and our real good.
Thirdly, The next communicable perfection of God is power, whereby he can do whatever he pleases, and whatever is not repugnant to his nature, Jeremiah 32:17. 'Ah, Lord God, behold, you have made the Heaven and the earth, by your great power and stretched-out arm, and there is nothing too hard for you.' He is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in power; which the scripture holds forth, 1. Positively, Genesis 17:1. 'I am the Almighty God.' 2. Negatively, Luke 1:37. 'With God nothing shall be impossible.' 3. Comparatively, Matthew 19:26. 'With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.'
The power of God appears,
1. In the creation of the world, Romans 1:20. 'For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead.' O how great must that power be, which produced the beautiful fabric of the universe, without the concurrence of any material cause! This proclaims it to be truly infinite: for nothing less could make such distant extremes as nothing and being to meet together. All this was done by a word, one simple act of his will; for 'he spoke and it was done; he commanded and it stood fast,' Psalm 33:9.
2. In the preservation of the world, and all things therein. He 'upholds all things by the word of his power,' Hebrews 1:3. He preserves all the creatures in their proper place, for their proper use and end. It is by the Divine Power that the heavenly bodies have constantly rolled about in their spheres for so many ages, without wearing or moving out of their proper course; and that the tumultuous elements have persisted in their order to this very day. He preserves the confederacies of nature, sets bounds to the raging sea, and keeps it within its limits by a belt of sand. He is the powerful preserver of man and beast. He preserves them in their kind and species, by the constant succession of them one after another; so that, though the individuals perish, yet the species continues. O what a mighty power must that be that sustains so many creatures, sets bounds to the raging sea, holds the wind in his fists, and preserves a lovely order and sweet harmony among all the creatures!
3. In the government of the world. He is the supreme Rector of the universe, and manages all things, so that they contribute to the advancement of his own glory, and the advantage of his people. By his governing providence he directs all the actions and motions of his creatures, and powerfully determines them which way soever he pleases. All the creatures are called his host, because he marshals them as an army to serve his important purposes. The whole system of nature is ready to favor and act for men when he commands it, and it is ready to punish them when he gives it a commission. Thus he checked the Red Sea, and it obeyed his voice, Psalm 106:9. Its rapid motion quickly ceased, and the fluid waters were immediately ranged as defensive walls to secure the march of his people. At the command of God, the sea again recovered its usual violence, and the watery walls came tumbling down upon the heads of the proud Egyptian oppressor and his host. The sea so exactly obeyed its orders, that not one Israelite was drowned, and not one Egyptian was saved alive. More particularly, the power of God appears in the moral government of the world.
(1.) In governing and ordering the hearts of men, so that they are not masters of their own affections, but often act quite contrary to what they had firmly resolved or proposed. Of which we have eminent instances in Esau and Balaam. He has the hearts of all men in his hands, and can turn them what way he pleases. Thus he bent the hearts of the Egyptians to favor the Israelites, by sending them away with great riches given them by way of loan. He turned Jehoshaphat's enemies from him when they came with a purpose to destroy him, 2 Chronicles 18:31.
(2.) In governing and managing the most stubborn creatures, as devils and wicked men.
(1.) In his governing devils. They have great power, and are full of malice. The devil is always going about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. We could have no quiet nor safety in the world, if his power were not restrained, and his malice curbed by one that is mightier than the infernal fiend. He would turn all things upside down, plague the world, burn cities and houses, and plunder us of all the supports of life, if he were not held in a chain by the Omnipotent Governor of the world. But God overmasters his strength, so that he cannot move one hair's breadth beyond his tether. God has all the devils chained, and he governs all their motions. The devil could not touch Job in his person and goods without the divine permission; nor could he enter into the Gadarene swine without a special licence. If we consider the great malice of these invisible enemies, and the vast extent of their power, we will easily see that there could he no safety or security for men, if they were not curbed and restrained by a superior power.
(2.) In governing wicked men. All the imaginations of their hearts are evil, and only evil continually. They are fully bent upon mischief, and drink iniquity like water. What unbridled licentiousness and headstrong fury would triumph in the world, and run with a rapid violence, if the Divine Power did not interpose to bear down the flood gates of it? Human society would be rooted up, the whole world drenched in blood, and all things would run into a sea of confusion, if God did not bridle and restrain the lusts and corruptions of men. The king of Assyria triumphed much in his design against Jerusalem; but how did God govern and manage that wild donkey! Isaiah 37:29. 'I will put my hook into your nose, (says Jehovah), and my bridle in your lips, and I will turn you back by the way by which you came.' And we are told, Psalm 76:10 that 'the very wrath of man shall praise him, and that he will restrain the remainder of wrath.'
(3.) In raising up a church to himself in spite of all his enemies. This is specially seen in founding the New Testament church, and propagating the gospel through the world. The power of God appears admirable in planting the gospel, and converting the world to Christianity. For there were many and great difficulties in the way, as gross and execrable idolatry; and the nations were strongly confirmed and rooted in their idolatry, being trained up and inured to it from their infant state. It was as hard to make the Gentiles forsake the religion which they received from their birth, as to make the Africans change their skin, and the leopard his spots. The Pagan religion was derived from their progenitors through a long succession of ages. Hence the heathens accused the Christian religion of novelty, and urged nothing more plausibly than the argument of immemorial prescription for their superstition. They would not consider whether it was just and reasonable, but with a blind deference yielded up themselves to the authority of the ancients. The pomp of the Pagan worship was very pleasing to the flesh; the magnificence of their temples, adorned with the trophies of superstition, their mysterious ceremonies, their music, their processions, their images and altars, their sacrifices and purifications, and the rest of the equipage of a carnal religion, drew their respects and strongly affected their minds through their senses. Whereas the religion of the gospel is spiritual and serious, holy and pure, and has nothing to move the carnal part. There was then a universal depravation of manners among men; the whole earth was covered with abominations: the most unnatural lusts had lost the fear and shame that naturally attends them. We may see a melancholy picture of their most abandoned conversation, Romans 1. The powers of the world were bent against the gospel. The heathen philosophers strongly opposed it. When Paul preached at Athens, the Epicureans and Stoics entertained him with scorn and derision; 'What will this babbler say?' said they. The heathen priests conspired to obstruct it. The princes of the world thought themselves obliged to prevent the introduction of a new religion, lest their empire should be in hazard, or the greatness and majesty of it impaired thereby. If we consider the means by which the gospel was propagated, the Divine Power will evidently appear. The persons employed in this great work were a few illiterate fishermen, with a publican and a tent-maker, without authority and power to force men to obedience, and without the charms of eloquence to enforce the belief of the doctrines which they taught. Yet this doctrine prevailed, and the gospel had wonderful success through all the parts of the then known world, and that against all the power and policy of men and devils. Now, how could this possibly be, without a mighty operation of the power of God upon the hearts of men?
(4.) In preserving, defending, and supporting his church under the most terrible tempests of trouble and persecution which were raised against her. This is promised by our blessed Savior, Matthew. 16:18. 'The gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.' The most flourishing monarchies have decayed and wasted, and the strongest kingdoms have been broken in pieces; yet the church has been preserved to this very day, notwithstanding all the subtle and potent enemies which in all ages have been pushing at her. Yes, God has preserved and delivered his church in the greatest extremities, when the danger in all human appearance was unavoidable; as in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in Esther's days, when a bloody decree was issued to slay all the Jews. Yes, God has sometimes delivered his church by very weak and contemptible-like instruments, such as Moses, a fugitive from Egypt, and Aaron, a poor captive in it; and sometimes by very unlikely means, as when he smote Egypt with armies of locusts and lice. In all ages of the world God has gloriously displayed his power in the preservation of his church and people, notwithstanding all the rage, power, and malice of their enemies.
(5.) In the conversion of the elect. Hence the gospel, which is the means and instrument of conversion, is called the power of God, and the rod of his strength, and the day of the success of the gospel in turning sinners to Christ, is called the day of his power, Psalm 110:3. O what a mighty power must that be that stills the waves of a tempestuous sea, quells the lusts and stubbornness of the heart, demolishes the strong holds of sin in the soul, routs all the armies of corrupt nature, and makes the obstinate rebellious will strike sail to Christ! The power of God that is exerted here makes a man to think on other objects, and speak in another strain, than he did before. O how admirable is it, that carnal reason should be thus silenced; that legions of devils should be thus driven out; and that men should part with those sins which before they esteemed their chief ornaments, and stand at defiance with all the charming allurements and bitter discouragements of the world? The same power that raised Christ from the grave is exerted in the conversion of a sinner. Ephesians 1:19, 20. There is greater power exerted in this case than there was in the creation of the world. For when God made the world, he met with no opposition; he spoke the word, and it was done: but when he comes to convert a sinner, he meets with all the opposition which the devil and a corrupt heart can make against him. God wrought but one miracle in the creation: he spoke the word and it was done; but there are many miracles wrought in conversion. The blind is made to see, the dead raised, and the deaf hears the voice of the Son of God. O the infinite power of Jehovah! In this work the mighty arm of the Lord is revealed.
(6.) In preserving the souls of believers amidst the many dangers to which they are exposed, and bringing them safely to glory at last. They have many enemies without, a legion of subtle and powerful devils, and a wicked and ensnaring world, with all its allurements and temptations; and they have many strong lusts and corruptions within; and their graces are but weak, and in their infancy and minority, while they are here: So that it may justly be matter of wonder how they are preserved. But the apostle tells us, that they 'are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation,' 1 Peter 1:5. Indwelling corruption would soon quench grace in their hearts, if it were not kept alive by a divine power. But Christ has pledged his faithfulness for it, that they shall be kept secure, John 10:28. It is his power that moderates the violence of temptations, supports his people under them, defeats the power of Satan, and bruises him under their feet.
4. Lastly, The power of God appears gloriously in the redemption of sinners by Jesus Christ. Hence in scripture Christ is called the power as well as the wisdom of God. This is the most admirable Work that ever God brought forth in the world. More particularly,
(1.) The power of God shines in Christ's miraculous conception in the womb of a virgin. The power of the Highest did overshadow her, Luke 1:35 and by a creative act framed the humanity of Christ of the substance of the virgin's body, and united it to the Divinity. This was foretold many ages before as the effect of the divine power. When Judah was oppressed by two potent kings, and despaired of any escape and deliverance to raise their drooping spirits, the prophet tells them, that he would give them a sign; and a wonderful one it was. Therefore it is said 'Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel,' Isaiah 7:14. The argument is from the greater to the less: For if God will accomplish that stupendous and unheard-of wonder, much more will he rescue his people from the fury of their adversaries.
(2.) In uniting the divine and human nature in the person of Christ, and that without any confusion of the two natures, or changing the one into the other. The two natures of Christ are not mixed together, as liquors that incorporate with one another, when poured into the same vessel. The divine nature is not turned into the human, nor the human into the divine. One nature does not swallow up another, and make a third distinct from both. But they are distinct, and yet united; conjoined, and yet unmixed: the properties of each nature are preserved entire. O what a wonder of power was here! that two natures, a divine and a human, infinitely distant in themselves, should meet together in a personal conjunction! Here one equal with God is found in the form of a servant; here God and man are united in one; the Creator and the creature are miraculously allied in the same subsistance. Here a God of unmixed blessedness is linked personally with a man of perpetual sorrows. That is an admirable expression, 'The Word was made flesh,' John 1:14. What can be more miraculous than for God to become man, and man to become God? that a person possessed of all the perfections and excellencies of the Deity should inherit all the infirmities and imperfections of humanity, sin only excepted? Was there not need of infinite power, to bring together terms which were so far asunder? Nothing less than an omnipotent power could effect and bring about what an infinite and incomprehensible wisdom did project in this matter.
(3.) In supporting the human nature of Christ, and keeping it from sinking under the terrible weight of divine wrath that came upon him for our sins, and making him victorious over the devil and all the powers of darkness. His human nature could not possibly have borne up under the wrath of God and the curse of the law, nor held out under such fearful contests with the powers of Hell and the world, if it had not been upheld by infinite power. Hence his Father says concerning him, Isaiah 42:1. 'Behold my servant whom I uphold.'
(4.) The divine power did evidently appear in raising Christ from the dead. The apostle tells us, that God exerted his mighty power in Christ when he raised him from the dead, Ephesians 1:19. The unlocking the belly of the whale for the deliverance of Jonah, the rescue of Daniel from the den of lions, and restraining the fire from burning the three children, were signal declarations of the divine power, and types of the resurrection of our Redeemer. But all these are nothing to what is represented by them: for that was a power over natural causes, and curbing of beasts and restraining of elements; but in the resurrection of Christ, God exercised a power over himself, and quenched the flames of his own wrath, that was hotter than millions of Nebuchadnezzar's furnaces: he unlocked the prison doors wherein the curses of the law had lodged our Savior, stronger than the belly and ribs of a leviathan. How admirable was it, that he should be raised from under the curse of the law, and the infinite weight of our sins, and brought forth with success and glory after his sharp encounter with the powers of Hell! in this the power of God was gloriously manifested. Hence he is said to be raised from the dead 'by the glory of the Father,' that is, by his glorious power; and 'declared to be the Son of God with power, by the resurrection from the dead,' Romans 1:4. All the miraculous proofs by which God acknowledged him for his Son during his life, had been ineffectual without this. If he had remained in the grave, it had been reasonable to believe him only an ordinary person, and that his death had been the just punishment of his presumption in calling himself the Son of God. But his resurrection from the dead was the most illustrious and convincing evidence, that really he was what he declared himself to be.