Doctrine of _Christ_, held forth in divers precious Declarations,
Exhortations, and Sentences, which, by the moving of God’s Spirit,
were at several Times, and upon sundry Occasions, spoken and
written unto some Churches and their Pastors._
_Nevertheless, because they are only a Declaration of the Fountain,
and not the Fountain itself, therefore they are not to be esteemed
the principal Ground of all Truth and Knowledge, nor yet the
Adequate Primary Rule of Faith and Manners. Yet because they give
a true and faithful Testimony of the first Foundation, they are
and may be esteemed a Secondary Rule, subordinate to the Spirit,
from which they have all their Excellency and Certainty: For, as
by the inward Testimony of the Spirit we do alone truly know them,
so they testify, That the Spirit is that Guide by which the Saints
are led into all Truth; therefore, according to the Scriptures,
the Spirit is the First and Principal Leader.[45] Seeing then that
we do therefore receive and believe the Scriptures because they
proceeded from the Spirit, so the very same Reason is the Spirit
more Originally and Principally the Rule, according to the received
Maxim in the Schools, _Propter quod unumquodque est tale, illud
ipsum est magis tale_: That for which a Thing is such, that Thing
itself is more such._
[45] John 16. 13. Rom. 8. 14.
§. I. The former Part of this Proposition, though it needs no Apology
for itself, yet it is a good Apology for us, and will help to sweep
away that, among many other Calumnies, wherewith we are often loaded,
as if we were Vilifiers and Deniers of the Scriptures; for in that
which we affirm of them, it doth appear at what high Rate we value
them, accounting them, without all Deceit or Equivocation, the most
excellent Writings in the World; [Sidenote: _The Holy Scriptures
the most excellent Writings in the World._] to which not only no
other Writings are to be preferred, but even in divers Respects not
comparable thereto. For as we freely acknowledge that their Authority
doth not depend upon the Approbation or Canons of any Church or
Assembly; so neither can we subject them to the fallen, corrupt, and
defiled Reason of Man: And therein as we do freely agree with the
_Protestants_ against the Error of the _Romanists_, so on the other
Hand, we cannot go the Length of such _Protestants_ as make their
Authority to depend upon any Virtue or Power that is in the Writings
themselves; but we desire to ascribe all to that Spirit from which they
proceeded.
We confess indeed there wants not a Majesty in the Style, a Coherence
in the Parts, a good Scope in the Whole; but seeing these Things are
not discerned by the natural, but only by the spiritual Man, it is
the Spirit of God that must give us that Belief of the Scriptures
which may satisfy our Consciences; therefore some of the Chief
among _Protestants_, both in their particular Writings and publick
Confessions, are forced to acknowledge this.
[Sidenote: Calvin’s _Testimony that the Scripture certainly is from the
Spirit_.] Hence _Calvin_, though he saith he is able to prove that, if
there be a God in Heaven, these Writings have proceeded from him, yet
he concludes another Knowledge to be necessary. _Instit. Lib. 1. Cap.
7. Sect. 4._
“But if (saith he) we respect the Consciences, that they be not
daily molested with Doubts, and hesitate not at every Scruple, it
is requisite that this Persuasion which we speak of be taken higher
than human Reason, Judgment, or Conjecture; to wit, from the secret
Testimony of the Spirit.” _And again_, “To those who ask, that _we
prove unto them, by Reason, that _Moses_ and the _Prophets_ were
inspired of God to speak_, I answer, That the Testimony of the Holy
Spirit is more excellent than all Reason.” _And again_, “Let this
remain a firm Truth, that he only whom the Holy Spirit hath persuaded,
can repose himself on the Scripture with a true Certainty.” _And
lastly_, “This then is a judgment which cannot be begotten but by an
Heavenly Revelation, _&c._”
[Sidenote: _The Confession of the _French_ Churches._] The same is also
affirmed in the first publick Confession of the _French_ Churches,
published in the Year 1559. _Art. 4._ “We know these Books to be
canonical, and the most certain Rule of our Faith, not so much by the
common Accord and Consent of the Church, as by the Testimony and inward
Persuasion of the Holy Spirit.”
[Sidenote: _Churches of _Holland_ assert the same._] Thus also in the
5th Article of the Confession of Faith, of the Churches of _Holland_,
confirmed by the Synod of _Dort_. “We receive these Books only for holy
and canonical,--not so much because the Church receives and approves
them, as because the Spirit of God doth witness in our Hearts that they
are of God.”
[Sidenote: Westminster _Confession the same_.] And lastly, The
_Divines_, so called, at _Westminster_, who began to be afraid of, and
guard against the Testimony of the Spirit, because they perceived a
Dispensation beyond that which they were under beginning to dawn, and
to eclipse them; yet could they not get by this, though they have laid
it down neither so clearly, distinctly, nor honestly as they that went
before. It is in these Words, _Chap. 1. Sect. 5._ “Nevertheless our
full Persuasion and Assurance of the Infallible Truth thereof, is from
the inward Work of the Holy Spirit, bearing witness by and with the
Word in our Hearts.”
By all which it appeareth how necessary it is to seek the Certainty
of the Scriptures from the Spirit, and no where else. The infinite
Janglings and endless Contests of those that seek their Authority
elsewhere, do witness to the Truth hereof.
[Sidenote: _Apocrypha._] [46]For the Ancients themselves, even of the
first Centuries, were not agreed among themselves concerning them;
while some of them rejected Books which we approve, and others of them
approved those which some of us reject. It is not unknown to such as
are in the least acquainted with Antiquity, what great Contests are
concerning the Second Epistle of _Peter_, that of _James_, the Second
and Third of _John_, and the _Revelations_, which many, even very
ancient, deny to have been written by the beloved Disciple and Brother
of _James_, but by another of that Name. What should then become of
Christians, if they had not received that Spirit, and those spiritual
Senses, by which they know how to discern the _True_ from the _False?_
It is the Privilege of Christ’s Sheep indeed that they hear his Voice,
and refuse that of a Stranger; which Privilege being taken away, we are
left a Prey to all Manner of Wolves.
[46] _Conc. _Laod._ Can. 58. in Cod. _Ec. 163._ Conc. _Laod._ held in
the Year 364. excluded from the Canon _Eccl._ the Wisdom of _Solomon,
Judith, Tobias_, the _Maccabees_, which the Council of _Carthage_ held
in the Year 399. received._
§. II. Though then we do acknowledge the Scriptures to be very
heavenly and divine Writings, the Use of them to be very comfortable
and necessary to the Church of Christ, and that we also admire and
give Praise to the Lord, for his wonderful Providence in preserving
these Writings so pure and uncorrupted as we have them, through so
long a Night of Apostasy, to be a Testimony of his Truth against the
Wickedness and Abominations even of those whom he made instrumental in
preserving them, so that they have kept them to be a Witness against
themselves; [Sidenote: _The Scriptures are not the principal Ground of
Truth._] yet we may not call them the principal Fountain of all Truth
and Knowledge, nor yet the first adequate Rule of Faith and Manners;
because the principal Fountain of Truth must be the Truth itself;
_i. e._ that whole Certainty and Authority depends not upon another.
When we doubt of the Streams of any River or Flood, we recur to the
Fountain itself; and having found it, there we desist, we can go no
farther, because there it springs out of the Bowels of the Earth, which
are inscrutable. Even so the Writings and Sayings of all Men we must
bring to the Word of God, I mean the Eternal Word, and if they agree
hereunto, we stand there. For this Word always proceedeth, and doth
eternally proceed from God, in and by which the unsearchable Wisdom
of God, and unsearchable Counsel and Will conceived in the Heart of
God, is revealed unto us. That then the Scripture is not the principal
Ground of Faith and Knowledge, as it appears by what is above spoken,
so it is proved in the latter Part of the Proposition; which being
reduced to an Argument, runs thus:
That whereof the Certainty and Authority depends upon another, and
which is received as Truth because of its proceeding from another, is
not to be accounted the principal Ground and Origin of all Truth and
Knowledge:
But the Scriptures Authority and Certainty depend upon the Spirit by
which they were dictated; and the Reason why they were received as
Truth is, because they proceeded from the Spirit:
Therefore they are not the principal Ground of Truth.
To confirm this Argument, I added the School Maxim, _Propter quod
unumquodque est tale, illud ipsum magis est tale_. Which Maxim, though
I confess it doth not hold universally in all Things, yet in this it
doth and will very well hold, as by applying it, as we have above
intimated, will appear.
[Sidenote: _Neither are they the primary Rule of Faith and Manners._]
The same Argument will hold as to the other Branch of the Proposition,
_That it is not the primary adequate Rule of Faith and Manners_; thus:
That which is not the Rule of my Faith in believing the Scriptures
themselves, is not the primary adequate Rule of Faith and Manners:
[Sidenote: _That the Spirit is the Rule._] But the Scripture is not,
nor can it be the Rule of that Faith by which I believe them, _&c._
Therefore, _&c._
But as to this Part, we shall produce divers Arguments hereafter. As to
what is affirmed, that the _Spirit, _and_ not the Scriptures, is the
Rule_, it is largely handled in the former Proposition; the Sum whereof
I shall subsume in one Argument, thus,
If by the Spirit we can only come to the true Knowledge of God; if by
the Spirit we are to be led into all Truth, and so be taught of all
Things; then the Spirit, and not the Scriptures, is the Foundation and
Ground of all Truth and Knowledge, and the primary Rule of Faith and
Manners:
But the first is true: Therefore also the last.
Next, the very Nature of the Gospel itself declareth that the
Scriptures cannot be the _only_ and _chief Rule_ of _Christians_, else
there should be no Difference betwixt the _Law_ and the _Gospel_; as
from the Nature of the New Covenant, by divers Scriptures, described in
the former Proposition, is proved.
[Sidenote: _Wherein the Law and Gospel differ._] But besides these
which are before mentioned, herein doth the _Law_ and the _Gospel_
differ, in that the _Law_, being outwardly written, brings under
_Condemnation_, but hath _not Life_ in it to _save_; whereas the
_Gospel_, as it declares and makes manifest the Evil, so, being an
inward powerful Thing, it gives Power also to obey, and deliver from
the Evil. Hence it is called [Greek: Evangelian: Ευαγγελιον], which is
_glad Tidings_. The _Law_ or _Letter_, which is _without_ us, _Kills_;
but the _Gospel_, which is the _inward_ spiritual _Law_, gives _Life_;
for it consists not so much in Words as in Virtue. Wherefore such
as come to know it, and be acquainted with it, come to feel greater
Power over their Iniquities than all outward Laws or Rules can give
them. Hence the Apostle concludes, _Rom._ vi. 14. _Sin shall not have
Dominion over you: for ye are not under the Law, but under Grace_.
This Grace then that is _inward_, and not an _outward_ Law, is to be
the Rule of Christians. Hereunto the Apostle commends the Elders of
the Church, saying, _Acts_ xx. 32. _And now, Brethren, I commend you
to God, and to the Word of his Grace, which is able to build you up,
and to give you an Inheritance among all them which are sanctified._
He doth not commend them here to outward Laws or Writings, but to the
_Word of Grace_, which is inward; even the _spiritual Law_, which
makes free, as he elsewhere affirms, _Rom._ viii. 2. _The Law of the
Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus, hath made me free from the Law of Sin
and Death._ This spiritual Law is that which the Apostle declares he
preached and directed People unto, which was not outward, as by _Rom._
x. 8. is manifest; where distinguishing it from the Law, he saith,
_The Word is nigh thee, in thy Heart, and in thy Mouth; and this is the
Word of Faith which we preach_. From what is above said, I argue thus:
The principal Rule of _Christians_ under the Gospel is not an outward
Letter, nor Law outwardly written and delivered, but an inward
spiritual Law, _engraven in the Heart, the Law of the Spirit of Life,
the Word that is nigh in the Heart and in the Mouth_.
But the Letter of the Scripture is outward, of itself a dead Thing, a
mere Declaration of good Things, but not the Things themselves:
[Sidenote: _The Scripture not the Rule._] Therefore it is not, nor can
be, the chief or principal Rule of Christians.
§. III. _Thirdly_, That which is given to _Christians_ for a Rule and
Guide, must needs be so full, that it may clearly and distinctly guide
and order them in all Things and Occurrences that may fall out.
But in that there are numberless Things, with regard to their
Circumstances, which particular Christians may be concerned in, for
which there can be no particular Rule had in the Scriptures:
Therefore the Scriptures cannot be a Rule to them.
I shall give an Instance in two or three Particulars to prove this
Proposition. It is not to be doubted but some Men are particularly
called to some particular Services; their being not found in which,
though the Act be no general positive Duty, yet in so far as it may be
required of them, is a great Sin to omit; forasmuch as God is zealous
of his Glory, and every Act of Disobedience to his Will manifested,
is enough not only to hinder one greatly from that Comfort and inward
Peace which otherwise he might have, but also bringeth Condemnation.
As for Instance, Some are called to the Ministry of the Word: _Paul
_saith_, There was a Necessity upon him to preach the Gospel, wo unto
me, if I preach not._
If it be necessary that there be now Ministers of the Church, as well
as then, then there is the same Necessity upon some, more than upon
others, to occupy this Place; which Necessity, as it may be incumbent
upon particular Persons, the Scripture neither doth nor can declare.
[Sidenote: Object.] If it be said, _That the Qualifications of
a Minister are found in the Scripture, and by applying these
Qualifications to myself, I may know whether I be fit for such a Place
or not_:
[Sidenote: _Answ._] I answer, The Qualifications of a _Bishop_, or
_Minister_, as they are mentioned both in the Epistle to _Timothy_ and
_Titus_, are such as may be found in a private Christian; yea, which
ought in some Measure to be in every true Christian: So that this
giveth a Man no Certainty. Every Capacity to an Office giveth me not a
sufficient Call to it.
Next again, By what Rule shall I judge if I be so qualified? How do
I know that I am _sober_, _meek_, _holy_, _harmless_? Is it not the
Testimony of the Spirit in my _Conscience_ that must assure me hereof?
And suppose that I was qualified and called, yet what Scripture-rule
shall inform me, Whether it be my Duty to preach in this or that Place,
in _France_ or _England_, _Holland_ or _Germany_? Whether I shall
take up my Time in confirming the Faithful, reclaiming Hereticks, or
converting Infidels, as also in writing Epistles to this or that Church?
The general Rules of the Scripture, viz. _To be diligent in my Duty, to
do all to the Glory of God, and for the Good of his Church_, can give
me no Light in this Thing. Seeing two different Things may both have
a Respect to that Way, yet may I commit a great Error and Offence in
doing the one, when I am called to the other. If _Paul_, when his Face
was turned by the Lord toward _Jerusalem_, had gone back to _Achaia_,
or _Macedonia_, he might have supposed he could have done God more
acceptable Service in preaching and confirming the Churches, than in
being shut up in Prison in _Judea_; but would God have been pleased
herewith? Nay certainly. _Obedience is better than Sacrifice_; and it
is not our doing that which is good simply that pleaseth God, but that
Good which he willeth us to do. Every Member hath its particular Place
in the Body, as the Apostle sheweth, 1 _Cor._ xii. If then, I being
the Foot, should offer to exercise the Office of the Hand; or being
the Hand, that of the Tongue; my Service would be troublesome, and not
acceptable; and instead of helping the Body, I should make a _Schism_
in it. [Sidenote: _That which is good for one to do, may be sinful to
another._] So that that which is good for another to do, may be sinful
to me: For as Masters will have their Servants to obey them, according
to their good Pleasure, and not only in blindly doing that which may
seem to them to tend to their Master’s Profit, whereby it may chance
(the Master having Business both in the Field and in the House) that
the Servant that knows not his Master’s Will may go to the Field, when
it is the Mind of the Master he should stay and do the Business of the
House, would not this Servant then deserve a Reproof, for not answering
his Master’s Mind? And what Master is so sottish and careless, as,
having many Servants, to leave them in such Disorder as not to assign
each his particular Station, and not only the general Terms of doing
that which is profitable? which would leave them in various Doubts, and
certainly end in Confusion.
Shall we then dare to ascribe unto Christ, in the ordering of his
Church and Servants, that which in Man might justly be accounted
Disorder and Confusion? [Sidenote: _Diversities of Gifts._] The Apostle
sheweth this Distinction well, Rom. xii. 6, 7, 8. _Having then Gifts
differing according to the Grace that is given to us; whether Prophecy,
let us prophesy according to the Proportion of Faith; or Ministry, let
us wait on our Ministring; or he that teacheth, on Teaching; or he that
exhorteth, on Exhortation._ Now what Scripture-rule sheweth me that
I ought to exhort, rather than prophesy? or to minister, rather than
teach? Surely none at all. Many more Difficulties of this Kind occur in
the Life of a Christian.
[Sidenote: _Of Faith and Salvation can the Scripture assure thee?_]
Moreover, that which of all Things is most needful for him to know,
to wit, whether he really be in the Faith, and an Heir of Salvation,
or not, the Scripture can give him no Certainty in, neither can
it be a Rule to him. That this Knowledge is exceeding desirable
and comfortable all do unanimously acknowledge; besides that it is
especially commanded, 2 _Cor._ xiii. 5. _Examine yourselves whether ye
be in the Faith, prove yourselves; know ye not your own selves, how
that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be Reprobates?_ And 2 _Pet._ i.
10. _Wherefore the rather, Brethren, give all Diligence to make your
Calling and Election sure._ Now I say, What Scripture-rule can assure
me that I have true Faith? That my Calling and Election is sure?
If it be said, _By comparing the Scripture-marks of true Faith with
mine_:
I demand, Wherewith shall I make this Observation? What shall ascertain
me that I am not mistaken? It cannot be the Scripture: That is the
Matter under Debate.
If it be said, _My own Heart_:
How unfit a Judge is it in its own Case? And how like to be partial,
especially if it be yet unrenewed? Doth not the Scripture say, that
_it is deceitful above all Things_? [Sidenote: _The Heart of Man
deceitful._] I find the Promises, I find the Threatenings in the
Scripture; but who telleth me that the one belongs to me more than the
other? The Scripture gives me a mere Declaration of these Things, but
makes no Application; so that the Assumption must be of my own making,
thus; as for Example: I find this Proposition in Scripture;
_He that believes, shall be saved_: Thence I draw the Assumption.
But I, _Robert, believe_:
Therefore, _I shall be saved_.
The _Minor_ is of my own making, not expressed in the Scripture; and
so a human Conclusion, not a divine Position; so that my Faith and
Assurance here is not built upon a Scripture Proposition, but upon an
human Principle; which, unless I be sure of elsewhere, the Scripture
gives me no Certainty in the Matter.
Again, If I should pursue the Argument further, and seek a new _Medium_
out of the Scripture, the same Difficulty would occur: Thus,
He that hath the true and certain Marks of true Faith, hath true Faith:
But I have those Marks:
_Therefore_ I have true Faith.
For the Assumption is still here of my own making, and is not found
in the Scriptures; and by Consequence the Conclusion can be no
better, since it still followeth the weaker Proposition. [Sidenote:
_The inward Testimony of the Spirit the Seal of Scripture-Promises._]
This is indeed so pungent, that the best of _Protestants_, who
plead for this Assurance, ascribe it to the inward Testimony of the
Spirit, as _Calvin_, in that large Citation, quoted in the Former
Proposition. So that, not to seek farther into the Writings of the
primitive _Protestants_, which are full of such Expressions, even the
_Westminster_ Confession of Faith affirmeth, _Chap._ 18. _Sect._ 12.
“This Certainty is not a bare Conjecture and probable Persuasion,
grounded upon fallible Hope, but an infallible Assurance of Faith,
founded upon the Divine Truth of the Promise of Salvation; the inward
Evidences of these Graces, unto which these Promises are made; the
Testimony of the Spirit of Adoption, witnessing to our Spirits that
we are the Children of God; which Spirit is the _Earnest_ of our
_Inheritance, whereby we are sealed to the Day of Redemption_.”
Moreover, the Scripture itself, wherein we are so earnestly pressed
to seek after this Assurance, doth not at all affirm itself a Rule
sufficient to give it, but wholly ascribeth it to the Spirit, as _Rom._
viii. 16. _The Spirit itself beareth Witness with our Spirit, that we
are the Children of God._ 1 John iv. 13. _Hereby know we that we dwell
in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit_; and
Chap. v. 6. _And it is the Spirit that beareth Witness, because the
Spirit is Truth._
§. IV. [Sidenote: _That the Scriptures are not the chief Rule._]
_Lastly_, That cannot be the only, principal, nor chief Rule, which
doth not universally reach every Individual that needeth it to produce
the necessary Effect; and from the Use of which, either by some
innocent and sinless Defect, or natural, yet harmless and blameless
Imperfection, many who are within the Compass of the visible Church,
and may, without Absurdity, yea, with great Probability, be accounted
of the Elect, are necessarily excluded, and that either wholly, or
at least from the immediate Use thereof. [Sidenote: _1. Deaf People
Children, and Idiots instanced._] But it so falls out frequently
concerning the Scriptures, in the Case of deaf People, Children, and
Idiots, who can by no Means have the Benefit of the Scriptures. Shall
we then affirm, that they are without any Rule to God-ward, or that
they are all damned? As such an Opinion is in itself very absurd,
and inconsistent both with the Justice and Mercy of God, so I know no
sound Reason can be alledged for it. Now if we may suppose any such
to be under the _New Covenant Dispensation_, as I know none will deny
but that we may suppose it without any Absurdity, we cannot suppose
them without some Rule and Means of Knowledge; seeing it is expresly
affirmed, _They shall all be taught of God_, John vi. 45. _And they
shall all know me from the least to the greatest_, Heb. viii. 11.