Canon_, I see no Necessity of believing it. And if these Men, that
believe the Scriptures to be the only Rule, will be consistent with
their own Doctrine, they must needs be of my Judgment; seeing it is
simply impossible to prove the Canon by the Scriptures. For it cannot
be found in any Book of the Scriptures, that these Books, and just
these, and no other, are Canonical, as all are forced to acknowledge;
how can they then evite this Argument?
That which cannot be proved by Scripture is no necessary Article of
Faith.
But the Canon of the Scripture; to wit, that there are so many Books
precisely, neither more nor less, cannot be proved by Scripture:
_Therefore_, it is no necessary Article of Faith.
[Sidenote: Obj. 2.] If they should allege; _That the admitting of
any other Books to be now written by the same Spirit might infer the
Admission of new Doctrines_:
I deny that Consequence; for the Principal or Fundamental Doctrines
of the Christian Religion are contained in the tenth Part of the
Scripture; but it will not follow thence that the Rest are impertinent,
or useless. [Sidenote: _Books lost._] If it should please God to bring
to us any of those Books, which by the Injury of Time are lost, which
are mentioned in the Scripture; as, _The Prophecy of_ Enoch, _the Book
of_ Nathan, _&c._ or, _the Third Epistle of _Paul_ to the_ Corinthians;
I see no Reason why we ought not to receive them, and place them with
the Rest. That which displeaseth me is, that Men should first affirm
that the Scripture is the only and principal Rule, and yet make that a
great Article of Faith into which the Scripture can give us no Light.
As for Instance: How shall a _Protestant_ prove by Scripture, to such
as deny the Epistle of _James_ to be authentick, that it ought to be
received?
_First_, If he would say, _Because it contradicts not the Rest_,
(besides that there is no Mention of it in any of the Rest) perhaps
these Men think it doth contradict _Paul_ in Relation to _Faith_ and
_Works_. But, if that should be granted, it would as well follow, that
every Writer that contradicts not the Scripture, should be put into the
Canon; and by this Means these Men fall into a greater Absurdity than
they fix upon us: For thus they would equal every one the Writings of
their own Sect with the Scriptures; for I suppose they judge their
own Confession of Faith doth not contradict the Scriptures: Will it
therefore follow that it should be bound up with the Bible? And yet it
seems impossible, according to their Principles, to bring any better
Argument to prove the Epistle of _James_ to be Authentick. [Sidenote:
_Whether the Epistle of _James_ be authentick, and how to know it?_]
There is then this unavoidable Necessity to say, We know it by the
same Spirit from which it was written; or otherwise to step back to
_Rome_, and say, We know by Tradition that the Church hath declared it
to be Canonical; and the Church is Infallible. Let them find a Mean, if
they can. So that out of this Objection we shall draw an unanswerable
Argument _ad Hominem_, to our Purpose.
That which cannot assure me concerning an Article of Faith necessary to
be believed, is not the primary, adequate, only Rule of Faith, _&c._
Therefore, _&c._
I prove the Assumption thus:
That which cannot assure me concerning the Canon of the Scripture,
to wit, that such Books are only to be admitted, and the _Apocrypha_
excluded, cannot assure me of this:
Therefore, _&c._
[Sidenote: Obj. 3.] And _Lastly_, As to these Words, _Rev._ xxii. 18.
_That if any Man shall add unto these Things, God shall add unto him
the Plagues that are written in this Book_; [Sidenote: _Answ._] I
desire they will shew me how it relates to any Thing else than to that
particular Prophecy. It saith not, _Now the Canon of the Scripture
is filled up, no Man is to write more from the Spirit_; yea, do not
all confess that there have been Prophecies and true Prophets since?
The _Papists_ deny it not. And do not the _Protestants_ affirm, that
_John Hus_ prophesied of the _Reformation?_ Was he therefore cursed?
Or did he therein Evil? I could give many other Examples, confessed by
themselves. [Sidenote: _What it means to add to the Scriptures._] But,
moreover, the same was in Effect commanded long before, _Prov._ xxx. 6.
_Add thou not unto his Words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a
Liar_: Yet how many Books of the Prophets were written after? And the
same was said by _Moses_, Deut. iv. 2. _Ye shall not add unto the Word
which I command you; neither shall ye diminish aught from it._ So that,
though we should extend that of the _Revelation_ beyond the particular
Prophecy of that Book, it cannot be understood but of a new Gospel,
or new Doctrines, or of restraining Man’s Spirit, that he mix not his
Human Words with the Divine; and not of _a new Revelation of the Old_,
as we have said before.
PROPOSITION IV.
Concerning the Condition of MAN in the FALL.
_All _Adam_’s Posterity, or Mankind, both _Jews_ and _Gentiles_, as to
the first _Adam_, or Earthly Man, is fallen, degenerated, and dead;
deprived of the Sensation or Feeling of this _Inward Testimony_
or Seed of God; _[49]_and is subject unto the Power, Nature, and
Seed of the Serpent, which he soweth in Men’s Hearts, while they
abide in this natural and corrupted Estate: From whence it comes,
that not only their Words and Deeds, but all their Imaginations,
are Evil perpetually in the Sight of God, as proceeding from
this depraved and wicked Seed. Man therefore, as he is in this
State, can know Nothing aright; yea, his Thoughts and Conceptions
concerning God and Things _Spiritual_, until he be disjoined from
this Evil Seed, and united to the _Divine Light_, are unprofitable
both to himself and others. Hence are rejected the _Socinian_ and
_Pelagian_ Errors, in exalting a Natural Light; as also of the
_Papists_, and most _Protestants_, who affirm, _That Man, without
the true Grace of God, may be a true Minister of the Gospel_.
Nevertheless, this Seed is not imputed to Infants, until by
Transgression they actually join themselves therewith; _[50]_for
they are by Nature _the Children of Wrath_, who walk according to
the _Power of the Prince of the Air, the Spirit that now worketh
in the Children of Disobedience_, having their Conversation in the
Lusts of the Flesh, fulfilling the Desires of the Flesh, and of the
Mind._
[49] Rom. 5. 12, 15.
[50] Ephes. 2.
§. I. Hitherto we have discoursed how the True Knowledge of God is
attained and preserved; also of what Use and Service the Holy Scripture
is to the Saints.
We come now to examine _the State and Condition of Man as he stands in
the Fall_; _what his Capacity and Power is_; _and how far he is able,
as of himself, to advance in Relation to the Things of God_. Of this
we touched a little in the Beginning of the second Proposition; but
the full, right, and thorough Understanding of it is of great Use and
Service; because from the Ignorance and Altercations that have been
about it, there have arisen great and dangerous Errors, both on the one
Hand and on the other. While some do so far exalt the Light of Nature,
or the Faculty of the Natural Man, as capable of himself, by Virtue of
the inward Will, Faculty, Light and Power, that pertains to his Nature,
to follow that which is good, and make real Progress towards Heaven.
And of these are the _Pelagians_, and _Semi-Pelagians_ of Old; and of
late the _Socinians_, and divers others among the _Papists_. Others
again will needs run into another Extreme, [Sidenote: Augustine’s _Zeal
against Pelagius_.] (to whom _Augustine_, among the Ancients, first
made Way in his declining Age, through the Heat of his Zeal against
_Pelagius_) not only confessing Man uncapable of himself to do Good,
and prone to Evil; but that in his very Mother’s Womb, and before he
commits any actual Transgression, he is contaminate with a real Guilt,
whereby he deserves eternal Death: In which Respect they are not afraid
to affirm, _That many poor Infants are Eternally Damned, and for ever
endure the Torments of Hell_. Therefore the God of Truth, having now
again revealed his Truth (that good and even Way) by his own Spirit,
hath taught us to avoid both these Extremes.
That then which our Proposition leads to treat of is,
[Sidenote: I.] First, _What the Condition of Man is in the Fall; and
how far uncapable to meddle in the Things of God_.
[Sidenote: II.] And Secondly, _That God doth not impute this Evil to
Infants, until they actually join with it_: That so, by Establishing
the Truth, we may overturn the Errors on both Parts.
[Sidenote: III.] And, as for that Third Thing included in the
Proposition itself concerning these _Teachers_ which _want the Grace of
God_, we shall refer that to the tenth Proposition, where the Matter is
more particularly handled.
§. II. [Sidenote: Part I. _Adam’s Fall._] As to the first, not to dive
into the many curious Notions which many have concerning the _Condition
of_ Adam _before the Fall_, all agree in this, That thereby he came to
a very great Loss, not only in the Things which related to the outward
Man, but in Regard to that true Fellowship and Communion he had with
God. This Loss was signified unto him in the Command, _For in the Day
thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die_, Gen. ii. 17. This Death
could not be an outward Death, or the Dissolution of the outward Man;
for as to that, he did not die yet many Hundred Years after; so that
it must needs respect his spiritual Life and Communion with God. The
Consequence of this Fall, besides that which relates to the Fruits of
the Earth, is also expressed, _Gen._ iii. 24. _So he drove out the
Man, and he placed at the East of the Garden of Eden Cherubims, and
a flaming Sword, which turned every Way, to keep the Way of the Tree
of Life._ Now whatsoever literal Signification this may have, we may
safely ascribe to this Paradise a mystical Signification, and truly
account it that spiritual Communion and Fellowship, which the Saints
obtain with God by Jesus Christ; to whom only these Cherubims give
Way, and unto as many as enter by him, who calls himself the _Door_.
[Sidenote: _Guilt not ascribed to _Adam_’s Posterity._] So that, though
we do not ascribe any Whit of _Adam_’s Guilt to Men, until they make
it theirs by the like Acts of Disobedience; yet we cannot suppose that
Men, who are come of _Adam_ naturally, can have any good Thing in their
Nature, as belonging to it; which he, from whom they derive their
Nature, had not himself to communicate unto them.
If then we may affirm, that _Adam_ did not retain in his Nature (as
belonging thereunto) any Will or Light capable to give him Knowledge
in spiritual Things, then neither can his Posterity: For whatsoever
real Good any Man doth, it proceedeth not from his Nature, as he
is Man, or the Son of _Adam_; but from the _Seed of God in him_, as
a new Visitation of Life, in order to bring him out of this natural
Condition: So that, though it be _in him_, yet it is not _of him_;
and this the Lord himself witnessed, _Gen._ vi. 5. where it is said,
he _saw that every Imagination of the Thoughts of his Heart was only
evil continually_: Which Words as they are very positive, so are they
very comprehensive. [Sidenote: _Every Imagination of the natural
Man is evil._] Observe the Emphasis of them; _First, _There_ is
every Imagination of the Thoughts of his Heart_; so that this admits
of no Exception of any Imagination of the Thoughts of his Heart.
_Secondly, Is only evil continually_; it is neither in _some Part evil
continually_, nor yet _only_ evil _at some Times_; but both _only_
evil, and _always_ and _continually_ evil; which certainly excludes any
Good, as a proper Effect of Man’s Heart, naturally: For that which is
only evil, and that always, cannot of its own Nature produce any good
Thing. The Lord expressed this again a little after, Chap. viii. 21.
_The Imagination of Man’s Heart is evil from his Youth._ Thus inferring
how natural and proper it is unto him; from which I thus argue:
If the Thoughts of Man’s Heart be not only evil, but always evil; then
are they, as they simply proceed from his Heart, neither good in Part,
nor at any Time:
But the First is true: Therefore the Last.
Again,
If Man’s Thoughts be always and only evil, then are they altogether
useless and ineffectual to him in the Things of God:
But the First is true: Therefore the Last.
[Sidenote: _The Heart of Man deceitful._] _Secondly_, This appears
clearly from that Saying of the Prophet _Jeremiah_, Chap. xvii. 9. _The
Heart is deceitful above all Things, and desperately wicked._ For who
can with any Colour of Reason imagine, that that which is so hath any
Power of itself, or is in any wise fit, to lead a Man to Righteousness,
whereunto it is of its own Nature directly opposite? This is as
contrary to Reason, as it is impossible in Nature, that a Stone of its
own Nature and proper Motion, should fly upwards: For as a Stone of
its own Nature inclineth and is prone to move downwards towards the
Center, so the Heart of Man is naturally prone and inclined to Evil,
some to one, and some to another. From this then I also thus argue:
That which is _deceitful above all Things, and desperately wicked_, is
not fit, neither can it lead a Man aright in Things that are good and
honest.
But the Heart of Man is such:
Therefore, _&c._
[51]But the Apostle _Paul_ describeth the Condition of Men in the Fall
at large, taking it out of the _Psalmist_. _There is none righteous, no
not one; There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh
after God. They are all gone out of the Way, they are altogether become
unprofitable; there is none that doth good, no not one._ [Sidenote:
_Man’s Estate in the Fall._]_Their Throat is an open Sepulchre, with
their Tongues they have used Deceit, the Poison of Asps is under their
Lips: Whose Mouths are full of Cursing and Bitterness. Their Feet are
swift to shed Blood; Destruction and Misery are in their Ways: And the
Way of Peace have they not known. There is no Fear of God before their
Eyes._ What more positive can be spoken? He seemeth to be particularly
careful to avoid that any Good should be ascribed to the natural Man;
he shews how he is polluted in all his Ways; he shews how he is void of
Righteousness, of Understanding, of the Knowledge of God; how he is out
of the Way, and in short unprofitable; than which nothing can be more
fully said to confirm our Judgment: For if this be the Condition of the
natural Man, or of the Man as he stands in the Fall, he is unfit to
make one right Step to Heaven.
[51] Rom. 3. 10. Psal. 14. 3. _&_ 53. 2, _&c._
[Sidenote: Object.] If it be said, _That is not spoken of the Condition
of Man in general; but only of some Particulars, or at the least that
it comprehends not all_;
[Sidenote: _Answ._] The Text sheweth the clear Contrary in the
foregoing Verses, where the Apostle takes in himself, as he stood in
his natural Condition. _What then? Are we better than they? No, in no
wise; for we have before proved both _Jews_ and _Gentiles_, that they
are all under Sin, as it is written_: And so he goes on; by which it is
manifest that he speaks of Mankind in general.
[Sidenote: Object.] If they object that which the same Apostle saith
in the foregoing Chapter, Ver. 14. to wit, That _the _Gentiles_ do
by Nature the Things contained in the Law, and so consequently do by
Nature that which is good and acceptable in the Sight of God_;
[Sidenote: _Answ. 1._] I answer; This Nature must not, neither can be
understood of _Man’s own Nature_, which is corrupt and fallen; but
of the _Spiritual Nature_, which proceedeth from the _Seed of God in
Man_, as it receiveth a new Visitation of God’s Love, and is quickened
by it: Which clearly appears by the following Words, where he saith,
[Sidenote: _By what Nature the _Gentiles_ did do the Things of the
Law._] _These not having a Law, _(i. e. outwardly)_ are a Law unto
themselves; which shews the Work of the Law written in their Hearts_.
These Acts of theirs then are an Effect of the Law written in their
Hearts; but the Scripture declareth, that the Writing of the Law in
the Heart is a Part, yea, and a great Part too, of the New Covenant
Dispensation, and so no Consequence nor Part of Man’s Nature.
[Sidenote: _Answ. 2._] _Secondly_, If this Nature here spoken of could
be understood of Man’s own Nature, which he hath as he is a Man, then
would the Apostle unavoidably contradict himself; since he elsewhere
positively declares, [Sidenote: _The natural Man discerneth not_, &c.]
_That the natural Man discerneth not the Things of God, nor can_. Now
I hope the Law of God is among the Things of God, especially as it
is written in the Heart. The Apostle, in the viith Chap. of the same
Epistle, saith, Ver. 12. that _the Law is, Holy, Just, and Good_;
and Ver. 14. the _Law is Spiritual, but he is Carnal_. Now in what
Respect is he Carnal, but as he stands in the Fall unregenerate? Now
what Inconsistency would here be, to say, That he is Carnal, and
yet not so of his own Nature, seeing it is from his Nature that he
is so denominated? We see the Apostle contra-distinguisheth the Law
as Spiritual, from Man’s Nature as Carnal and Sinful. Wherefore, as
Christ saith, [52]_There can no Grapes be expected from Thorns, nor
Figs of Thistles_; so neither can the fulfilling of the Law, which
is Spiritual, Holy, and Just, be expected from that Nature which is
Corrupt, Fallen, and Unregenerate. Whence we conclude, with good
Reason, that the Nature here spoken of, by which the _Gentiles_ are
said to have done the _Things contained in the Law_, is not the
_common Nature of Men_; [Sidenote: _The _Gentiles_ Spiritual Nature
in doing the Law._] but that _Spiritual Nature_ that ariseth from
the Works of the righteous and Spiritual Law that is written in the
Heart. I confess they of the other Extreme, when they are pressed with
this Testimony by the _Socinians_ and _Pelagians_, as well as by us
when we use this Scripture, to shew them how some of the _Heathens_,
by the _Light of Christ in their Heart, came to be saved, are very
far to seek; giving this Answer_, That _there were some Reliques of
the heavenly Image left in _Adam_, by which the _Heathens_ could do
some good Things_. Which, as it is in itself without Proof, so it
contradicts their own Assertions elsewhere, and gives away their Cause.
For if these Reliques were of Force to enable them to fulfil the
righteous Law of God, it takes away the Necessity of Christ’s coming;
or at least leaves them a Way to be saved without him; unless they will
say (which is worst of all) _That though they really fulfilled the
righteous Law of God, yet God damned them, because of the Want of that
particular Knowledge, while he himself with-held all Means of their
coming to him from them_; but of this hereafter.
[52] Mat. 7. 16.
§. III. I might also here use another Argument from these Words of the
Apostle, 1 _Cor._ ii. where he so positively excludes the natural Man
from an Understanding in the Things of God; but because I have spoken
of _that Scripture_ in the Beginning of the second Proposition, I will
here avoid to repeat what is there mentioned, referring thereunto:
[Sidenote: Socinians _exalting the Light of the natural Man._] Yet
because the _Socinians_ and others, who exalt the Light of the natural
Man, or a natural Light in Man, do object against this Scripture, I
shall remove it before I proceed.[53]
[53] Antequam progrediar.
[Sidenote: Object.] They say, _The _Greek_ Word _[Greek: psychikos:
ψυχικος]_ ought to be translated _animal_, and not _natural_; else,
_say they_, it would have been_ [Greek: physikos: φυσικος]. From which
they seek to infer, _that it is only the Animal Man, and not the
Rational, that is excluded here from discerning the Things of God_.
Which _Shift_, without disputing about the Word, is easily refuted;
neither is it any wise consistent with the Scope of the Place. For
[Sidenote: _Answ. 1._] [Sidenote: _The Animal Life is the same with
Natural._] _First_, The _Animal Life_ is no other than that which Man
hath in common with other living Creatures; for as he is a mere Man,
he differs no otherwise from Beasts than by the _Rational Property_.
Now the Apostle deduceth his Argument in the foregoing Verses from
this _Simile_; That _as the Things of a Man cannot be known but by the
Spirit of a Man, so the Things of God no Man knoweth but by the Spirit
of God_. But I hope these Men will confess unto me, that the Things of
a Man are not known by the _Animal Spirit_ only, _i. e._ by that which
he hath in common with the Beasts, but by the _Rational_; so that it
must be the _Rational_ that is here understood. Again, the Assumption
shews clearly that the Apostle had no such Intent as these Men’s Gloss
would make him have, viz. _So the Things of God knoweth no Man, but the
Spirit of God_. According to their Judgment he should have said, _The
Things of God knoweth no Man by his Animal Spirit, but by his Rational
Spirit_: For to say, _The Spirit of God_, here spoken of, is no other
than the _Rational Spirit of Man_, would border upon Blasphemy, since
they are so often contra-distinguished. Again, going on, he saith not
that they are _Rationally_, but _Spiritually discerned_.
[Sidenote: _Answ. 2._] _Secondly_, The Apostle throughout this Chapter
shews how the Wisdom of Man is unfit to judge of the Things of God, and
ignorant of them. Now I ask these Men, whether a Man be called a _Wise
Man_ from his _Animal Property_, or from his _Rational_? [Sidenote:
_The Rational Man in the Natural State excluded from discerning the
Things of God._] If from his _Rational_, then it is not only the
_Animal_, but also the _Rational_, as he is yet in the Natural State,
which the Apostle excludes here, and whom he contra-distinguisheth from
the Spiritual, Ver. 15. _But the Spiritual Man judgeth all Things._
This cannot be said of any Man merely because _Rational_, or as he
is a Man, seeing the Men of the greatest Reason, if we may so esteem
Men, whom the Scripture calls _Wise_, as were the _Greeks_ of Old,
not only may be, but often are Enemies to the Kingdom of God; while
both the _Preaching of Christ_ is said to be _Foolishness with the
Wise Men of the World_, and the _Wisdom of the World_ is said to be
_Foolishness with God_. Now whether it be any ways probable that either
these Wise Men that are said to account the _Gospel Foolishness_, are
only so called with respect to their _Animal Property_, and not their
_Rational_; or that the _Wisdom_ that is Foolishness with God is not
meant of the _Rational_, but only the _Animal Property_, any Rational
Man, laying aside Interest, may easily judge.
§. IV. [Sidenote: Infants, _no Sin imputed to them_.] I come now to the
other Part, to wit, That _this evil and corrupt Seed is not imputed to
Infants, until they actually join with it_. For this there is a Reason
given in the End of the Proposition itself, drawn from _Ephes._ ii.
For these are _by Nature Children of Wrath, who walk according to the
Prince of the Power of the Air, the Spirit that now worketh in the
Children of Disobedience_. Here the Apostle gives their evil walking,
and not any Thing that is not reduced to act, as a Reason of their
being _Children of Wrath_. And this is suitable to the whole Strain of
the Gospel, where no Man is ever threatened or judged for what Iniquity
he hath not actually wrought: Such indeed as continue in Iniquity, and
so do allow the Sins of their Fathers, God will visit the Iniquity of
the Fathers upon the Children.