CHAPTER 3
Of the Revealed Standard of Religion contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, in its Possibility, Desirableness, Necessity, Propriety, Reasonableness, Credibility, Divine Authority, and Contents.
I. A revelation of God's mind and will to men is possible.—Being infinite in wisdom and knowledge, God cannot but know many things which we do not.—Being absolutely sovereign, he cannot be bound to reveal all his mind at once to us,—nor even all that we are capable of knowing.—There is no greater necessity for his disclosing things relative to religion, than for his discovering things relative to arts and sciences, but as he sees fit.—Though his infinite wisdom and goodness should influence him, at the first, to manifest all that is absolutely necessary to be known, in order to promote real virtue and happiness,—why may not he afterwards make new manifestations, which may promote superior happiness?—If he
has given us a power of communicating our thoughts to others around us,—how can he be incapable to communicate his own?—If he hath enstamped upon every creature the marks of his infinite perfections;—if he mark every creature with a distinguishing form, colour, countenance, or voice, etc.—and give to every man a peculiar style, manner of writing, etc. how can he be incapable to reveal his mind to men in a manner that will sufficiently mark it his own?—And, if he make merciful additions to the law of nature, why may they not be received upon sufficient evidences of their divine authority?—And, why may not men who, before they received this revelation, were very ignorant,—by the plain articles of it, and the uncontrouled miracles and power attending it, be awakened, and enabled to perceive its divine authority.—Though this revelation cannot forbid any thing which the law of nature requires, or require any thing which the law of nature forbids,—why may it not disclose some things which the law, at least the light, of nature, as enjoyed by us, did not? or require some things not required; or forbid some things not forbidden by it?—And, why any more need of mathematical demonstrableness to prove a revelation to be from God, than to prove the law of nature to be from him?
II. A supernatural revelation from God is desirable.—Though the law of nature was perfectly sufficient to conduct men to happiness, while they continued in the estate in which they were created,—the entrance of sin, by putting things out of order, may have rendered it insufficient. Ignorance may have darkened their mind, sense of guilt terrified their conscience, and vicious inclinations biassed their will and affections:—their whole spiritual constitution may be so weakened, as to render helps necessary to excite and enable them, to know and obey, even the law of nature.—And, if human instructions and excitements may be useful, why may not divine ones be much more so?—If then they be offered, why should they not readily and thankfully be received and practised?—In vain it is pretended, that rationality will render men sufficiently religious: for generally the high pretenders to rationality have least appearance of devotion or virtue. Nay, though men should know somewhat relative to their duty and interest, might not a larger measure of wisdom and knowledge render them still more virtuous, useful, and happy? Will our infidels pretend, that the most stupid savages, who are endowed with rationality, bid fair to be as useful and happy as Socrates, Epictetus, Antoninus, Seneca, etc.?—Though men should know their duty in no inconsiderable degree, may they not need excitements to and direction in practising it?—Though sound reason
were sufficient to direct men, how God is to be honoured and worshipped, and his creatures used,—corrupted reason cannot.—Though it were sufficient to direct them how to deal with God as a friend, it cannot direct them how to procure his friendship when they have rendered him their enemy.—Nay, if reason alone be sufficient to direct and duly excite men to virtue and happiness, why did Socrates, Plato, Cicero, Seneca, and innumerable others of the like complexion, distress the world with their costly and tedious instructions?—It is absurd to pretend, that men's innate benevolence similar to that of God, will sufficiently assist their reason in influencing them to virtue, and leading them to happiness. It is foolish to talk of men's innate benevolence, when such atheism, such indevotion, and such malevolence, prevail in every part of the world.—It is equally absurd to pretend, that philosophy will, or can, correct the errors of mankind.—Very few of the heathen philosophers professed to be teachers of morality.—Such of them as did could produce no divine warrant for their commencing instructors to their neighbours.—None of them appear to have given a single lecture against idolatry, sodomy, and other reigning vices of their country. And seldom did their lectures on any point of morality appear to have any good influence on their own behaviour.—They never touched upon the higher points of virtue in men's loving God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, or loving their neighbours as themselves. [Lev 19:18] They never enforced their instructions with the principal motives to true virtue, drawn from the excellency, authority and kindness of God, or from clear and distinct views as to a future eternity of inexpressible happiness and misery. They neither did, nor could, give men any proof, that God would accept their imperfect, or even perfect virtue, unless they first made full satisfaction for their sinful defects.—Their sentiments were also so diversified, that none could certainly learn from them, what was either virtue, or vice.—And even now, how little reformation would a philosophical harangue upon the beauty of chastity, honesty, benevolence, or serious devotion, have upon an assembly of rakes, robbers, and infidels?
Though the light of nature in itself, were still sufficient to point out every thing necessary to our true and lasting happiness, yet our indolence, passion, prejudices, and deep-rooted habits of vice, render us very unfit for an impartial search after truth. Most men from their worldly employments, and their manifold connections one with another, cannot spare the time that is necessary for inquiring into the principles of natural religion. Few have ever actually undertaken such a laborious task, or succeeded in it.—And after all the search they could make, what certain proof could they give, that God will pardon
sin, or that there is a future state of everlasting felicity?—both which must necessarily be known and firmly believed, in order to our attaining to perfection in virtue, nay to any real degree of it, or any satisfactory comfort of mind.—Though some great genius should arise, and find out every thing necessary to be known, in order to perfection in virtue and happiness, how could he, in a clear and efficacious manner, unfold his discoveries to others, who are so ignorant, and so much biassed to the contrary?—By what conscience-awing authority could he give out? or how could he enforce his instructions?—Though the magistrates' power were exerted in his favour, that extends only to the externals of actions, and not at all to the true form and essence of virtue.—To add no more, the desires and the hopes of Socrates, Plato, and other heathen philosophers, for some divine revelation to solve their doubts;—the manifold pretences to revelation among Heathens, Mahometans, Jews and Christians;—and even the ready application of medicines providentially provided for our diseased bodies—prove that revelation, the medicine of diseased minds, is desirable in order to make us understand and obey the law of nature, or at least to render us more, or more easily happy than otherwise we could be,—if not really existent.
Though reason be necessary to examine the authority of divine revelation, Revelation itself is not therefore unnecessary and useless. Even in this very examination, it is useful for the excitement and assistance of our reason.—Though reason be judge and manager in all the methods of learning the arts and sciences, these are so far from being unnecessary and useless, that reason itself is much improved by them.—The external evidence to the divine authority of revelation may strike the mind of an Atheist, convince him that there is a God, and cause him attentively to consider the principles of natural religion, and thus prepare him for examining the internal evidences of the divinity of revelation.—The attesting revelation by miracles, and the accomplishment of its predictions, confirm good men in their former belief of the unchangeable purposes, and of the unerring, wise, and all-powerful providence of God.—The internal evidence as to the divinity of some revealed doctrines, and the miracles which attest and procure credit to the publishers, as faithful messengers of God, warrant men to receive their other doctrines, though they should not at first clearly perceive the internal evidence of their divine original.—Nor is any remarkable insight into the law of nature necessary to qualify men for embracing divine revelation, as it brings light along with itself, and is as sufficient to procure the assent of their mind, or consent of their will, as the law of nature is.—Though reason be exceedingly useful in finding out the sense of
revelation, that will no more infer, that it is its judge or foundation, than that the hand which brings nourishment to my mouth, is the nourishment itself; or that the eye which perceives the gold in the mine, and the hand which brings it out, are the cause or essence of the gold.—Nay, the true and saving faith of divine revelation is not at all founded on mere rational proofs of its divine original, but on its self-evidencing light and power, displayed in the almighty application of it to our heart, by the Holy Ghost.
III. In the present state and condition of mankind, to conduct them to true virtue and happiness, a supernatural revelation of God's mind and will is absolutely necessary. 1. It is evident, that men are now in a fallen state, in which they want much of that goodness which they originally possessed.—The multitude of civil laws and their sanctions, the multitude of legal securities, bonds, writs, oaths, pledges, and of bolts, locks, keys, etc. are unanswerable documents of the necessity and even the difficulty of restraining men from vice. Notwithstanding all these restraints, much more vice than virtue appears in the world.—The histories of all nations, the most enlightened and civilized not excepted, consists of little else than malevolence, deceit, strife, war, murder, robbery, brutish or whimsical idolatry, and superstition.—Scarce any thing at all fills the annals of the Goths, Huns, Tartars, African and American savages, but brutality, cruelty, robbery, murder, and the like, their minds not having been impressed by the light of revelation.—Nay, unless men's nature be corrupted, why, notwithstanding much pains to prevent it, is there any vice at all in the world?—Why, at the expence of inward remorse, and the hazard of temporal and eternal punishments, doth any man commit crimes, even the most contrary to the law of nature?—If men have corrupt inclinations they could not, in their original formation, receive them from God, who is infinitely holy, just, wise, and good. 2. If men be in such a corrupt state, they must have fallen into it by some breach of the law of nature, which is founded on God's infinite authority, and is a transcript of his infinite excellency,—some deviation from the infinitely important end of creation and providence;—and hence their crime, objectively considered, must be infinitely heinous, and so must deserve nothing less than infinite punishment. God cannot discover a proper regard to his own excellencies and laws, when they are contemned, hated, and trampled on, or to his creatures when they are abused and injured, unless he execute due punishment on the transgressors.—It is not mean but proper for him to punish those base wretches, whom all the charms and rewards of virtue could never attract,—whom neither
his excellency and kindness could allure, nor all his majesty, authority, and justice could awe. 3. If, in proportion to the heinous nature of their crimes, their punishment be infinite, impossible to be endured by them at once, it must be extended through an everlasting duration. Unless also, their nature be changed, they, under their punishment, will offend more and more.—Nay, though their nature were got once changed, how could mere creatures love a wrathful, a condemning, a punishing God, with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength? [Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27] How could their holiness of nature be preserved under his curse, and the execution of it? Fallen men must therefore continue for ever in their sinfulness and misery, unless some infinite and almighty deliverer be found, who can give infinite satisfaction to an offended God for their sins, and restore them into favour with him and conformity to his image.—No such deliverer can be found, unless there be more than one person in the godhead, and these graciously agree, that one of them shall undertake the arduous work. It is highly absurd to pretend that repentance will atone for crimes, where infinite satisfaction is due.—It would effectually ruin civil societies, if repentance were admitted as a sufficient satisfaction for crimes against men. The vilest traitor, murderer, or robber, rather than rot in a prison or hang on a gibbet, would pretend to repent, and none could see his heart.—The repentance of a man who continued under the dominion of sinful lusts, could imply no real hatred of sin itself, but only amount to mere rage against it, on account of its consequences; or rather to mere grief and rage, that God should be so holy and just, that he will not suffer sin to pass unpunished. How could this be an acceptable satisfaction to God?—In the future state no troubles suffered by a finite creature could ever mount to an infinite satisfaction. Nor have we the least proof, that the torments of that state ever did, or will, or can, in the smallest degree, extinguish men's sinfulness or misery. What, if there be millions of rational creatures, that have been tormented almost ever since the creation, without being in the least bettered by it? 4. If any proper method of recovering fallen men be found out by God, it is proper that it should be unfolded. Without a divine revelation of the subsistence of three persons in one godhead, reason will pronounce the redemption of sinners impossible. A concealed method of salvation could never sufficiently vindicate the justice of God, in punishing an innocent, a divine Redeemer, in our stead, and justifying us, who are guilty sinners, on his account.—A revelation of the method of our redemption is necessary to make us consider it, and give our cheerful consent to it; necessary to make us know our Redeemer, and how to receive his blessings and testify our thankfulness, in suitable forms of duty, not prescribed by the law of nature,—and even necessary to vindicate
our behaviour towards God and men, when it is so different from that of the world around us.
IV. No revelation relating to the redemption of mankind could answer its important ends, unless it was sufficiently supported with internal and external evidences of its divine authority, or origination from God.—In its internals, my reason would induce me to expect, that it should contain nothing unworthy of God's perfections, or inconsistent with his law of nature;—that it would elucidate and confirm the laws of nature, and awaken men's attention to them, especially in their leading articles;—that it would unfold some new and important mysteries concerning God's redeeming mankind;—and clearly exhibit some remarkable truths, not at all, or at least very darkly, pointed by the law of nature, relative to the pardon of sin, future happiness, and the like;—that all the principal points of truth should, in some passages, be so plainly expressed, that every unbiassed reader of ordinary capacity might readily perceive them;—in fine, that it should exhibit a most exalted and amiable representation of God as wise, holy, just, gracious, merciful, and faithful,—should mightily check the pride and selfishness of men;—and that all its parts should harmoniously concur to promote solid virtue.—In its external circumstances, I would expect, that all or most of those employed in first publishing it should be men of distinguished virtue, practically exemplifying their instructions;—that some principal publisher should, in his own exemplification of the virtues which he enjoined, give an absolutely perfect pattern to others;—that neither he, nor any subordinate publishers, should have such worldly honour, power, wealth, or influence as might bias themselves, or engage others without proper examination to believe them;—that the first publication, or the more noted revivals thereof, should be attended with public, plain, and uncontrouled miracles, for attesting the publisher's commission from God, and for awakening mankind to attend to, examine, and embrace their messages;—that the principal publishers should be remarkably owned of God, in their labours and sufferings.—I would expect that revelation should be gradually exhibited as men needed it, or were able to bear it;—that it should be chiefly exhibited in such seasons, if not also in such places, as were most proper for a thorough examination of its divine marks, manner, and contents;—that its principal exhibitions should be attended with a remarkable influence upon men's hearts and practices, and with alarming events in nations and churches, that the date and other circumstances of it, might lie the more open to an after examination. I would expect, that the principal histories of it should be attested by
enemies as well as by friends;—that God, by his providence, should discover a singular care in the preservation and safe conveyance of it from one generation or place to another;—and that, as miracles too frequently repeated lose their alarming influence, it should contain many circumstantiated predictions, the exact accomplishment of which, from age to age, might supply the place of miracles.
The Heathen, Mahometan, and Popish revelations, if examined by these desirable, and some of them absolutely necessary marks of a revelation from God, clearly appear to be mere impostures. They nevertheless indirectly suggest the reality of some genuine and authentic revelation of the mind and will of God; otherwise, why should so many attempt to counterfeit it?—But, the more narrowly that revelation, which is contained in our Bibles, is examined by these or any other proper characteristics, the more clearly will its excellency, suitableness, and divine authority appear.
V. The contents of the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are perfectly agreeable to reason. Indeed, the leading doctrines concerning the Trinity of persons in one godhead;—the origin of moral evil;—the mercy of God;—the method of our redemption, effectual calling, justification, sanctification, and eternal glorification, through the Son of God in our nature, as Mediator between God and men;—and concerning our union and communion with him, and our worshipping of God in him;—and concerning the true grounds of our comfort under the troubles of life, or against the fears of death;—the certainty and form of the general resurrection and last judgment, are not unfolded by reason. Nay, it is proper that they should transcend its most narrow and laborious search. Otherwise it were improper, that God should reveal them with so much solemnity and such full attestation.—But, when they are manifested by divine revelation, every one of them appears perfectly consistent with right reason.
Nothing can more transcend the investigation or comprehension of human reason, than the mystery of three persons in one godhead, revealed in our Bible, yet it is entirely agreeable to it. It is perfectly reasonable, that an infinite substance, whose fulness is unbounded, should subsist in a plurality of persons at once, though a created and finite substance cannot. The substance of one numerical or individual divine substance in a plurality of persons equal in power and in glory, or the reason of its subsisting precisely in three distinct persons, is not, in the least, more incomprehensible to our reason, than the self-existence, unsuccessive eternity, and absolute infinity of God, all which we cannot, without trampling on and unhinging our
reason, but own to be essential properties of his nature. Though mere reason afford us no hint of this subsistence of one God in three distinct persons, it loudly suggests, that in an infinite God, there may be ten thousand excellencies, which our finite, our weak, and disordered minds, may not have perceived.—Though there be no vestige of God's subsistence in three persons in his works of creation and providence, reason suggests that it may nevertheless be true. Both reason and experience attest, that men may have many real excellencies, piety, benevolence, and the like, which are not visibly marked in the common productions of their hands. Even the deformed hints of three persons in one godhead given by Pythagoras, Plato, Trismegistus, and some Chinese philosophers, which, I doubt not, were derived from revelation, concur to represent this mystery as agreeable to reason. My reason loudly demands, that I admit that an infinite God knows himself infinitely better than I can pretend; and that, therefore, I ought readily to believe every representation which he makes of himself, however incapable I be fully to understand it.—Nay, without supposition of this mysterious subsistence of the godhead in distinct persons, reason attests, that the redemption of sinful and miserable men is absolutely impossible. For, how could the same divine person be Sender and Sent; Creditor and Debtor; Judge and condemned Criminal in law; Punisher and Punished?—Is it reasonable to damn every individual of mankind, rather than admit that God may possess a perfection which I cannot comprehend, and of which I do not perceive any marks in his works of nature? How shocking the thought!
Upon the supposition of God's purposing to recover all or any of mankind from their fallen estate, reason pronounces the whole mediatorial scheme, when revealed, as not merely agreeable to itself, but most of it absolutely necessary, and all of it highly becoming the perfections of God.—Infinite satisfaction for sin being necessary to purchase its pardon, none but an infinite person could give it.—How reasonable then, that the second person in the godhead should become our Surety and assume our nature, not only that he might endear God to us, and as our pattern exemplify to us a course of the most unblemished and exalted virtue, but chiefly, that in the very nature which had sinned, he might obey the law and satisfy the justice of God, and act as our interceding advocate with Him, providing that all this was necessary for recovering mankind,—and that the honour of God, and of our divine Surety should not, on the whole, suffer, but be proportionally advanced.—Both Reason and experience attest, that no easier method could effectually recover fallen men.—Notwithstanding all the philosophy of the Egyptians, Chaldeans, Persians,
Greeks, Romans, Indians, and Gauls,—all the costly ceremonies of the Jews and their proselytes,—all the engaging deliverances and alarming corrections of Divine Providence, men had, for several thousand years, become worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. [2 Tim 3:13]—By this method of redemption, the honour of God and of the Mediator is sufficiently secured, and gloriously advanced.—The divine Redeemer's life being properly his own, he readily surrendered it to his Father's justice, in the room and for the benefit of sinful men. Neither he nor the world suffered any injury by his death. To balance his debasement, labours, and sufferings, he was quickly raised from the dead, and rewarded with everlasting glory and honour, as Head over all things to his church.—Though wicked men instrumentally robbed him of his life, his own voluntary surrender of it constituted his sufferings and death a proper atonement for men's sin.—Hereby the perfections of God are gloriously displayed:—If he had rendered sinful men happy without a proper and adequate satisfaction for their sins, they would be tempted to think the breaches of his law scarcely criminal, and be encouraged to offend him more and more. But when he fully punishes all their sins on his own Son, constituted their Surety, and charged in law with their crimes,—how possibly can this tempt men to think that he hates the innocent and loves the guilty!—Nay, it discovers Him to be so infinitely holy and just, that he cannot but hate iniquity, and, cannot suffer his own Son, when legally charged with it, to pass unpunished.—This atonement is necessary, not in order that God may love men, but that his love may be honourably manifested to, and upon them:—It renders pardon of sin due to us for the Mediator's sake, and yet altogether of God's free grace, as we are considered in ourselves.—Our having a Mediator between God and us imports not any absence of him, or his having any inclination to ceremony; but it imports our unworthiness, and his infinite greatness and purity, that he neither will, nor can have any immediate favourable and friendly dealing with sinful creatures.—It encourages us in approaching boldly to God to ask and receive every thing that we need, notwithstanding all our weakness, guilt, and pollution.—It unfolds the exceeding riches of his grace, in freely providing for us an effectual mean of fellowship with himself suited to our sinful and wretched condition.—How possibly then can Reason teach men to hazard, nay, insure their own eternal damnation, rather than acquiesce in such a scheme of redemption,—such a Mediator,—such a substitution,—such a mediation, devised and established by God for their everlasting and inconceivable happiness.
Upon the rational supposition of such a reasonable scheme of redemption, nothing can be more reasonable, than that every
person for whom it is intended, should be particularly chosen in the Mediator, as their saving Head, that he may have every one, for whom he undertook, as his fellow-sharers of eternal blessedness.—If, in consequence of his engagement for them, and assumption of their nature, their sins were charged on, and satisfied for, by Him, Reason demands that, in consequence of their union to Him as their Surety and Husband, his righteousness fulfilled in their stead should judicially be placed to their account, and all the blessings of justification, adoption, sanctification, spiritual comfort, and eternal glory be communicated to them as in Him.
This revelation contained in our Bibles suggests no unworthy apprehensions of God. Human parts, members, affections, passions, or acts, are ascribed to Him, merely in condescension to our weakness, as without them, the deistical Collins justly observes, "many could not conceive of God at all," and they are to be understood in a figurative and spiritual manner.—God is never represented as unholy.—When he is said to harden or deceive men, it means no more than that he permits them to harden and deceive themselves, or to be hardened and deceived by Satan and their wicked companions.—Jeremiah's charge of God with deceiving him is probably the language of his unbelief and passion; or, his words might be translated, Thou hast persuaded me, and I was persuaded, i.e. to prophecy, Jer 20:7. God is the author of the evil of punishment, but not of the evil of vice, Amos 3:6; Isa 45:7.—God did not break his promise to the Israelites in the Arabian wilderness. He never promised that that particular generation, which came out of Egypt, should enter into Canaan.—Their continuance and their ruin in the wilderness were but a just interruption or delay of the fulfilment of his promise occasioned by their sin. And when their children had got possession of Canaan, it clearly appeared how unjustly God had been charged with any breach of his promise, Num 14:34.
Nothing which is approved in Scripture is contrary to the Law of nature. The Jewish laws prohibited every kind of immorality, and particularly drunkenness and disobedience to parents, Deut 29:19 and Deut 21:18-21. They discouraged every kind of whoredom and uncleanness.—Priests' daughters, who committed whoredom, and every person chargeable with adultery, incest, sodomy, bestiality, were appointed to death. If a young woman had been defiled and concealed it, or if a wife secretly committed adultery, they exposed themselves to the utmost hazard of a shameful death, Lev 18; Lev 20; Deut 12:20-21; Num 5. He that defiled a slave paid the value of her ransom, and she was scourged, Lev 19:20-22. Bastards were excluded from the congregation of the Lord, Deut 18:1-8.—
Honesty and benevolence were strongly inculcated;—that men should love their neighbours as themselves,—should deal kindly with the oxen and asses of their enemies,—and carefully protect and provide for strangers, widows, and fatherless children, Exod 22:21-22; Lev 19:10, etc.—Indeed, some laws were singular and obscure; but these ought to be explained by others, which are more plain; and the rather, that in so compendious an history many things are certainly omitted which might have illustrated their meaning and propriety.—It was highly reasonable that Abraham, when commanded by God, the sovereign proprietor, Lord, giver and restorer of human life, should willingly attempt to offer his only son Isaac in sacrifice. Besides, God intended, by this command, merely to prove and honour Abraham's faith and obedience; whenever this was done, he stopt the execution, and loaded them with his blessings, Gen 22; Heb 11:17-19.—It was highly reasonable, that the Israelites, when commanded by God, the primary and supreme proprietor of all things, and judge of the world, should ask (not borrow) and carry off that wealth which their long hard service had deserved as wages, and to which the Egyptians had forfeited all their right before God, Exod 3:22 and Exod 12:35-36—As the Midianites, Canaanites, and Amalekites had, by their adulteries, idolatries, and murders, forfeited their lives and substance, into the hands of his justice, God had full right to appoint whom he pleased to deprive them thereof: and it was very proper to appoint the Israelites to do it, in order to deter them from the commission of such crimes, Num 25; Num 31; Deut 7; Lev 18; Lev 20; Josh 6-12; Num 21; Judg 4; Exod 17; 1 Sam 15.—Phinehas, Ehud, Elijah, and Jehu, acting as deputies under God, the supreme magistrate of their nation, might justly punish malefactors or act hostilely against declared enemies, Num 25; Judg 3; 1 Kings 18; 2 Kings 1; 2 Kings 9-10.—Idolatry, blasphemy, and witchcraft, being high treason against God as King of nations, as well as King of Israel, it was highly proper, that these and other like crimes should be punished by death. And had that penalty effectually deterred the Jews from these abominations, it had been exceedingly profitable to them and to the heathens around, and had prevented much misery.
God never punisheth children for the sins of their parents, but when they are involved in their guilt, or have by other sins deserved the punishment inflicted, though on account of their parents' wickedness, they met with it in a particular form, Exod 20:5.—The innocent children of Korah did not suffer in his punishment. The children of Dathan, Abiram, and Achan, who perished with their parents, were most probably partakers
with them in their crimes, Num 26:10-11 and Num 16:27-33; Josh 7:24-25. Perhaps the descendants of Saul, that were hanged by the Gibeonites, had wickedly justified his perfidious murder of these strangers, who were dedicated to the service of God. It is certain, the case was extraordinary, warning all the Israelites to beware of violating any of their engagements materially lawful, 2 Sam 21:1-9.—Uncircumcised Hebrew children were not liable to death till, by their own fault when come to the years of discretion, they had contemptuously neglected the seal of God's covenant, the badge of his peculiar people; and perhaps cutting off from God's people means no more than exclusion from his church, Gen 17:10-14.—But after all, it is certain, that children often suffer in the punishment of their parents' sin—from the hands of men in the forfeiture of the estates of traitors;—and from the hand of God, when multitudes of infants perish in inundations, earthquakes, fires, massacres, overthrows of nations or cities, etc. And, in ordinary cases, how often do children suffer in their bodies, minds, and estates, through the sloth, prodigality, and other wickedness of parents, as well as the bad education which they receive from them.
No resentfulness of temper is allowed, but strictly forbidden in the Scriptures, Prov 25:21; Rom 12:17-21; Matt 5:45-48; Luke 6:26-36.—Elijah and Elisha acted by extraordinary warrant from God, and punished none but ringleaders in idolatry and blasphemy, if not also murderers of the godly, who therefore deserved death by the civil magistrate, 1 Kings 18:19-40; 2 Kings 1:9-12 and 2 Kings 2:24 and 2 Kings 9:7-8. Jeremiah did not resentfully wish the ruin of his persecutors, but, as directed by God, foretold it as a warning to others, Jer 11; Jer 18; Jer 20; Jer 28-29; Jer 36; Jer 44. Several expressions of the Psalms might be translated, and are to be understood not as resentful wishes but as awful predictions of that punishment which should befal the implacable enemies of David, and especially the incorrigible enemies of Jesus Christ, of whom he was a type.—Moreover, as God was in a peculiar manner the king of the Jewish nation, these petitions for judgments on offenders may be considered as reasonable applications to him for proper protection and redress, Ps 5-7; Ps 35; Ps 40; Ps 57; Ps 59; Ps 64; Ps 70; Ps 79; Ps 109; Ps 140. And as the Jews lived under a more uniform influence of outward providence, and had not such distinct revelations of future rewards and punishments as we have, the exercise of external severities, especially upon ringleaders in wickedness, was in some cases more necessary.
Neither Samuel nor Jeremiah uttered any falsehood, but merely concealed that which they had no call to declare, 1 Sam 16:1,5; Jer 38:26-27. Nor is there any evidence, that
the Egyptian midwives uttered any falsehood concerning the easy childbirth of the Hebrew women, Exod 1:19.—Rahab did not betray her country, but merely provided for her own and her friends' safety when she saw the inevitable ruin of her country to be at hand. Nor is she ever commended for her lie concerning the Hebrew spies, but for her faith in receiving them, Heb 11:31.
Nothing ridiculous or absurd is ever enjoined in Scripture. The conferences of God with Satan, concerning Job and Ahab, may be figuratively understood. And yet, God might as well converse with Satan, as with Cain, Balaam, etc. Job 1-2; 1 Kings 22. Hosea's marriage might be figuratively transacted. Or, he might very honourably marry a woman, whose character was good, but after marriage played the harlot: or an whorish woman, who had become remarkably penitent, Hos 1; Hos 3. Isaiah's walking naked and barefoot, means no more than his going without his upper garment and shoes, Isa 20. Ezekiel's besieging a tile on which Jerusalem was pourtrayed, 430 days lying on his sides, and living on coarse bread fired with dung,—and other symbolical actions of prophets, had no oddity before God; and if the people reckoned them strange, they were so much the better suited to alarm them, Ezek 4-5; Ezek 8; Ezek 12; Ezek 21; Ezek 24; Jer 13; Jer 18-19; Jer 35; etc.
Christ's parables were not calculated to impose on his hearers, but, according to the manner of the ancients, and of the East, particularly to make them carefully listen to, easily remember, and deliberately consider, what he said, before they either received or rejected it.—A sword and contention were not strictly the proposed ends and proper effects of his coming into the world; but merely the consequences occasioned by men's rejection of his salutary instructions, Matt 10:34; Luke 12:49. He never allowed of any other eunuchism, but a voluntary and chaste abstinence from marriage, Matt 19:12. He never declared poor men happy, or rich men miserable, but on certain grounds perfectly agreeable to the Law of nature. Men's giving all that they have to the poor, is in some cases agreeable to the Light of nature, and if they do it in obedience to the will of their benevolent God, he will not suffer them to be losers. Forgiveness of injuries is an high degree of benevolence recommended by Confucius, a famed Chinese philosopher.—Moreover, Christ's expressions ordinarily alluding to things well known among them, could not but be much more clear to them, than they are to us, Luke 11-12; Luke 15-16; Matt 19; Matt 5-7; Matt 18.
No positive institutions of worship, or any thing else in Scripture, are contrary to the perfections of God, or injurious to the interests of men.
1. God may know sufficient reasons for such institutions, though our weak minds do not perceive or cannot comprehend them.—It would indeed be improper for him to exert his sovereignty in appointing every ceremony or law, that could be devised, as that would mar his worship, and produce the utmost confusion. But it is very proper, that he manifest his own sovereignty, to prove men's obedience, by some laws founded on his mere will, since he of his mere will formed man. If magistrates, for the greater welfare of their subjects, may enact some statutes which are not absolutely necessary in themselves, why may not He, whose authority is absolutely independent and infinite, whose wisdom and goodness is unbounded, enact some positive laws for the advantage of his rational creatures,—especially in religious matters, which most directly relate to his own honour, and hence are the less fit to be left to the direction of men's corrupt fancy or choice.
2. The Jewish ceremonies were not instituted at, but most of them after their departure from Egypt, Jer 7:22-23. Nor were they ever enjoined, as of equal importance with the duties of morality, Hos 6:6. Nor are they ever represented as bad in themselves, though the Jews' manner of observing them, or their adhering to them after the resurrection of Christ, be highly condemned, Hos 11:12; Isa 1:11-15 and Isa 29:13 and Isa 66:3. But, when attended to according to God's appointment, they were lasting and public memorials of the mighty works which he had done for that nation;—and, by separating them from their heathen neighbours, checked their fondness for their abominable idolatry and superstition, to the rites of which, no doubt, some obscure Jewish ceremonies alluded. They also contributed to preserve his oracles from corruption.—Some of these ceremonies represented his infinite majesty, and regulated their affairs under him, as their dread sovereign. But most of them were intended to prefigure Jesus Christ in his person, offices, estates, kingdom, and blessings,—to produce a longing for, and to prepare them to receive him, upon a due examination of his character. Even the burdensome load of these ceremonies tended to enlarge their convictions of guilt, to make them sensible of their extensive dependence on God, and earnestly to desire the promised deliverer with his easy yoke.—Not one of these instituted ceremonies was dangerous. Without any danger, circumcision sealed the covenant of grace, and that covenant of peculiar relation to God with them,—distinguished them from other nations, and probably promoted their cleanliness, health, and fruitfulness.—Most, if not all the prohibited flesh, was unwholesome in that warm climate.—Their numerous purifications promoted their health and their vigour.—These, and their limited food, emblematically
instructed them to avoid the contagion of vices.—Their sacred oblations prefigured good things to come, promoted a sense of, and humiliation for sins, as also maintained their priests. The sin-offerings also served as a fine imposed on the offender.—No human sacrifices were allowed, but severely prohibited.—The Levites had an original right to the twelfth part of Canaan; and as their sacred labours, and want of fields, prevented their gains by cultivation or civil business, it was meet they should have the Tithes from their brethren as their wages for their public service.
The positive institutions of Christianity are but very few and evidently reasonable. Reason requires, that men who are endowed with social dispositions, should worship God in a social manner; and Revelation prescribes but one day in seven for that purpose. The ancient Sabbath on the seventh day of the week, commemorated God's finishing his work of creation, and represented the order of labour and rest in the covenant of works. The Christian Sabbath, on the first day of the week, commemorates the resurrection of Christ, and represents the order of rest, comfort, and service in the covenant of grace.—These Sabbaths being made for man, God on them allows his own worship to give place to works of necessity and mercy to men.—Religion being the principal business and the distinguishing characteristic of mankind, it is highly proper that it should be explained and inculcated by stated ministers regularly called, and wholly addicted to teach and watch over others, in order to promote virtue among them.—Neither the Old, nor the New Testament, will allow any of these, to introduce a single law or rite of their own invention into the doctrine, worship, discipline, or government of the church; but requires then to explain, inculcate, and apply the general and particular prescriptions of Jesus Christ; and admonishes their hearers to receive nothing from them implicitly, but carefully to examine all their doctrines and appointments by the oracles of God. And to render it their interest, as well as their duty, to detect every attempt to impose on them, the burden of a minister's maintenance is laid upon them, and in ordinary cases falls heaviest on those that are, or ought to be most capable of trying them.—Church officers are also expressly forbid to usurp any secular dominion, or to act as spiritual lords over their people.—The sacraments of the New Testament are but two, and easily understood,—they clearly commemorate what Christ is to us, and hath done, and will do for us; they represent, seal and apply his spiritual purification and nourishment to our souls,—of which the material symbols, water, bread, wine, or other usable liquid, if wine cannot be had, are every where to be found.
3. It is impossible that God's prescribing a few positive institutions relative to things indifferent in themselves, but calculated to promote his glory and our good, can be inconsistent with his mild government, which is infinite goodness. Instead of an infinitely high and supreme governor, he would rather be a slave, if he be allowed no power to forbid or require any thing indifferent, or to appoint a few rites in his own worship, to render it more solemn and striking to our senses.—It can never be inconsistent with his infinite wisdom to order a few helps of instruction to his subjects in their imperfect state.—His wisdom and his power can render them sufficiently useful: though our weak minds should not discern how, yet positive institutions, as well as thousands of things in nature, may be very useful.—If God never enact positive institutions but for a season, and never set them aside till his end in appointing them be gained, they can never disparage his immutability, any more than the changes of seasons, summer and winter, day and night, do.—If these positive institutions represent God's displeasure with sin, in the most striking manner, and his infinite condescension to men's weakness, in the forms of his own worship, it is impossible that they can encourage unworthy thoughts of him.
4. As these positive institutions clearly represent God's absolute authority over us, and, in our fallen state, excite as well as assist us to observe the law of nature,—they can never derogate from its authority or honour, or substitute superstition in the room of the important duties which it requires.—Being appointed by God for promoting his own honour and the welfare of mankind, they can never be arbitrary or tyrannical.—Am I an enemy to reason, because I obey my Maker's commandment;—or to virtue, because I use the means which he hath appointed for its advancement;—or to the law of nature, because I observe his directions, for the better fulfilling of it? Doth the Scripture extrude the divine law of nature for the sake of positive institutions, when it expressly represents the observance of them as much less important than the duties required by that law of nature, nay, as of no importance, but in so far as they promote that which is absolutely moral and virtuous? Hos 5:6 and Hos 6:6; 1 Cor 6:13; Col 2:20; Gal 5:6 and Gal 6:15; 1 Pet 3:21; Rom 2:28-29.—Or, how can the exact observation of rites prescribed by God himself, in his own worship, either tempt to, or necessarily introduce our observance of human inventions in it? Knoweth not God better than men, what rites are proper in his own worship? Doth not his appointment of some self-indifferent rites clearly exclude men from all power to appoint any such? Doth not his appointment of them more effectually prevent
our idolatrous esteem of them, than if they were our own inventions?—Ought we to reject his institutions, on which we may crave and expect his blessing, in order to introduce the foolish, the unhallowed, but more numerous inventions of men?—And ought the power of instituting rites in his worship to reside in weak and wicked men, rather than in the infinitely wise, powerful, and sovereign God?
5. Though these positive institutions, as well as every other blessing, may be abused by men, to their own hurt, that does not render them hurtful in themselves.—Astonishing! Must regard to institutions, which lead men to fellowship with and imitation of an infinitely gracious God, necessarily prompt men to anathematize and damn one another for trifles?—Can zeal for the ordinances of God render men furious bigots for human inventions, which are set up in opposition to them?—Whether have the zealous adherers to God's institutions, or the contemners of them, been the most furious persecutors, from age to age? Was it a zealous attachment to the rites prescribed in the gospel of Christ, that rendered the Emperors of Rome and Germany, the Kings of Persia, of France, and even of Britain, or the Dukes of Savoy, etc. furious persecutors of the Christians, Waldenses, Protestants, etc.?—How can our reception of God's institutions, upon sufficient evidence of his having appointed them, lead us to embrace diabolical or human delusions? Are quakerish rejecters of God's positive institutions the least susceptible of delusion in the world?—How can these positive ordinances of God be a real burden to men, and render them miserable, when they are real helps in their observing the law of nature?—If all the advantages of life be attended with corresponding hazards, why ought not men's having these helps to be attended with proper punishment, if they abuse them?—Are reasonable creatures more miserable than brutes, because, if they abuse their reason, they are in danger of inward grief and the like in this world, and of eternal damnation in the next?—Being clearly prescribed by God, these institutions expose no man to distressful doubts concerning them.—Even the authority of their administrators is for the most part easily discernible. By their fruits we may know them. [Matt 7:20]—And though several of their circumstances, time, place, etc. be incapable of demonstration, many of the laws of nature are equally incapable of it. And it is certain, that our infidel opponents believe and practise many things, the propriety of which is infinitely less capable of demonstration.
The revelation contained in our Bibles is not only reasonable in its matter, but also in its form. The principal articles
on which they rest depend are so plainly declared in some passages or other, nay, in several, that every serious inquirer under the influence of the Holy Ghost, may understand them sufficiently to his own salvation. But some less important truths are obscurely represented, that the most learned may find reason before God to blush because of their ignorance; and that the friends of revelation, notwithstanding their different views of them, may be excited to exercise mutual charity.—Scarcely one of the more important truths is fully declared in one passage,—that men may be obliged to search the whole Scripture, and carefully compare all the passages together, which treat of a subject.—In order to make men carefully observe the providences of God, and that their fulfilment may never be prevented or counterfeited, it was proper, that many of the predictions should be considerably obscure. And to make us diligently search and compare one passage with another, it was also proper, that some precepts should not be altogether plain. Some hints are repeated without apparent necessity, and some less important things, which might be of more use to the Jews than to us, are more clearly revealed than some more important ones. The same may be found in the writings of Homer, and other celebrated authors.—Indeed, the dictates of revelation are not laid down in regular propositions, or are they mathematically demonstrated. But no more are the laws of nature. And some trifling propositions of Euclid are more capable of such demonstration than either of them.—Revelation doth not exhibit the rules of morality in a loose manner, but gives directions to persons in every station of life, to magistrates and subjects, to husbands and wives, to parents and children, to masters and servants, etc.—It supposeth men under the civil and municipal laws of their country, and exhibits general rules, so framed by infinite wisdom, as to suit all particular cases. Nor, without becoming useless for bulk, could it descend to every particular duty. Even the many figurative and parabolical expressions of Scripture point out its antiquity, and that the Hebrew and Greek copies of it are the true originals.—Being drawn from things well known to the Jews and to the Greeks, who were accustomed to such figures, they exhibited their matter in a most obvious and striking manner.—And whatever appears obscure in them, is elsewhere more clearly expressed. Our infidels do not reckon the works of Homer, Cicero, Quintilian, Ossian, etc. one whit the worse, that they abound with figurative language.—Commentators and divines have indeed contended about the sense of several texts: but their own pride, prejudice, and itch after novelties, not the obscurity of revelation, have occasioned their dissensions.—But, have not our
heathen doctors had their own contests in almost every article of the law of nature? Had they not 280 different sentiments concerning that fundamental point of the chief good and principal end of all human actions? Never did divines annex as many interpretations to a text of Scripture.—The Scriptures are not laid down in a systematical form, though some of Paul's epistles come near to it. Such a form would neither comport with the majesty of God their author, nor with the weak capacities of some men.—It would not shut up men to a diligent comparison of Scripture texts. It would not admit of such delightfully diversified connections of divine truths, nor represent them so suitably to the diversified conditions of men; nor could they be so usefully illustrated with a variety of historical facts.
The revelation contained in our Bibles is also reasonable in the manner of its exhibition. As wickedness prevailed in the world, God enlarged his supernatural oracles, and illuminations, in opposition to it. In the infancy of the world, little of revelation was granted: and as the men to whom it was given, lived many hundreds of years, the conveyance of it was entrusted to their memories. When larger portions of it were exhibited, and the lives of the receivers shortened, it was committed to writing for its more effectual preservation and propagation. It was gradually bestowed to make men long after its increase, and especially for the promised Messiah to usher in its full blaze.—Before his incarnation, multitudes of promises, prophecies, and tokens were given, by which men might be prepared to discern and receive him.—The most of it was exhibited at seasons, and in places, where multitudes were awakened by miracles or alarming providences,—or had peace and quietness to examine it, and when the church had peculiar need of comfort and instruction.—The whole New Testament was published when the world, far and wide, by benevolent miracles, and by the terrible calamities of the Jewish nation which rejected it, were awakened.
Notwithstanding the revelation contained in our Bibles be thus reasonable in its matter, form, and exhibition,—yet if a doctrine be once revealed with proper marks of its divine authority, we ought to embrace it, even though we be incapable to perceive its reasonableness, as it is certain, that God may know and reveal many things, which our reason, while it is so weak and so corrupted, cannot distinctly apprehend.—If any declaration have sufficient evidence of its originating from God, it is horrid presumption for us to suspend our belief till we have examined and found it corresponding to our own apprehensions of reasonableness. Bolingbroke, a noted infidel,
excellently observes, "That it would pass for downright madness, if we were not accustomed to it, to hear creatures of the lowest intellectual form, pretend to penetrate the designs, fathom the depths, and unveil the mysteries of infinite wisdom."
VI. The revelation contained in our Bibles is perfectly credible. The several parts of it are so connected, that we cannot receive any one without receiving the whole,—every part tending to establish the credit of another.—In the New Testament we have the history of the fulfilment of the typical and verbal predictions of the Old. Nay, in each Testament, we have not a little historical fulfilment of some preceding predictions.—If, therefore, we receive the predictions, we must receive the history of their fulfilment as credible. If we accept the history of the fulfilment, we cannot reject the predictions as forged.
As the transactions of the New Testament lie nearest our times, let us first examine its credibility.—That Christianity is no modern invention, but was professed about 1700 years ago, is attested by Clemens Romanus, Ignatius, Polycarp, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Tatian, Christians,—and by Tacitus, Sueton, Tiberianus Serenus, Pliny the younger, Epictetus, Celsus, Porphyry, Hierocles, Marcus Antoninus, and Julian, heathens.—The once extant acts of Pilate,—Tacitus, Sueton, Lampridius, Porphyry, Celsus, Hierocles and Pliny, as well as Josephus the Jew, mention Jesus Christ as then living and heading a sect of followers.—Nor could such multitudes have agreed to profess his self-denying religion, if they had not had the fullest conviction of his existence.—Many authors of that period wrote on other subjects, which did not lead them to speak of these things. And many more which perhaps mentioned them, are irrecoverably lost.
It is sufficiently credible, that some principal publishers of the Christian religion wrote books bearing the designations of those contained in our New Testament. As that age was very remarkable for an itch of writing, we cannot reasonably imagine that the zealous Christians of it, took no care to record the amazing transactions of Jesus Christ their Lord, and his followers.—In the writings ascribed to Barnabas, Clemens-Romanus, Hermas, Ignatius, Papias, Justin Martyr, Diognetus,—churches of Smyrna, Lyons, Vienne,—Dionysius of Corinth, Tatian, Hegesippus, Melito, Irenaeus, Athenagoras, Miltiades, Theophilus, Pantćnus, Clemens-Alexandrinus, Polycrates, Quadratus, Aristides, Apollinaris and Symmachus,—who flourished before AD 200, while the apostolical manuscripts were still extant, we find multitudes of passages quoted from, or allusions made to the New Testament. Even the epistle to the
Hebrews, the 2d of Peter, the 2d and 3d of John, and that of Jude, which being wrote to private persons, or to Jews, were the last known publicly by the churches, are quoted or acknowledged, though not so much as other books, by the earliest of the Christian writers.—Celsus, the furious opposer of Christianity, about AD 150, produces a vast number of quotations from the New Testament, in order to render it ridiculous.—Moreover, the most of these books being written for, or to, societies of Christians, could not possibly be forged or easily corrupted.—Their temporary doubts concerning some of them, till they got full proof of their apostolical original;—their zealous rejection of spurious productions,—and their putting the greatest distance between these inspired books and those of their principal doctors,—fully manifest their care to admit nothing for divinely inspired, without sufficient proof. Whenever they discovered a forgery of a sacred book, such as the pretended acts of Paul and Thecla, they speedily warned all the churches around to prevent their being imposed on. They were so remarkably zealous for their sacred books, that no, not the most exquisite tortures could force them to destroy or give them up to destruction. Nor did their most inveterate enemies pretend to dispute their genuineness.
It is no less evident, that the Jewish religion in its extensive form was introduced by Moses, and continued in Canaan for 1500 years, before it gave place to the Christian. Philo, Josephus, and many other Jewish writers, who lived about sixteen or seventeen hundred years ago,—Strabo, Justin, Pliny the elder, Tacitus, Juvenal, Longinus, Numenius, Chalcidius, the Orphic verses, Diodorus, Manetho, Cheremon, Apollonius, Lysimachus, Hermippus, Dion Cassius, Philemon, Polemon, Appion, Ptolemy, Hellanicus, Philocorus, Castor, Thallus, and Polyhistor, heathens, mention Moses or the Jewish antiquities.—The Jews had sacred books among them of the same designations and contents with those in our Old Testament.—The general division of them into Moses and the prophets, or Moses and the prophets, and Psalms, is expressly mentioned in the New Testament, Luke 16:29,31 and Luke 24:27,44; Acts 26:22 and Acts 28:23; John 1:45. And in it, we have quotations from all of them except Judges, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, and perhaps Chronicles, Ruth, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon,—to the expressions of which last, there are sundry allusions.—Josephus the Jew, Melito, Origen, Athanasius, Epiphanius, Jerome, and other Christian doctors, that lived near to the apostolic age, in their lists, more or less expressly include all the books of our Old Testament, Ruth being comprehended in Judges, and Nehemiah reckoned the 2d book of Ezra.—Moses' zeal and faithfulness naturally led
him to write his own laws, which were so numerous and so important.—The ancient heathen authors sufficiently attest that he did write books. Later passages of Scripture prove that he wrote these very five books ascribed to him in our Bibles. 2 Chron 23:18; Dan 9:11,13; Mal 4:4; Mark 7:10 and Mark 12:19; Luke 16:29,31 and Luke 20:28,37 and Luke 24:27,44; John 1:45 and John 5:46-47; Acts 26:22 and Acts 28:23.
The writings of both Old and New Testament have been faithfully conveyed to us. Those of the Old possess sufficient marks of the purity of their ancient Hebrew or Chaldaic originals. In the Talmud and other Jewish writings, we find multitudes of passages quoted as they stand in our Hebrew Bibles. Even in translations, these books retain manifold marks of their Eastern origin. For many ages the Jews had prophets, biassed by no temporal considerations, able and ready to detect every corruption of their sacred books, had it been attempted. Almost three thousand years ago, the Israelites were divided into the two contending parties of Israel and Judah, which ordinarily hating each other, would not have failed to raise horrible outcries, had their opponents dared to vitiate the laws of their God, and the writings of their darling prophets, Moses, Samuel, David, etc.—Scarcely had the Israelites been carried captive to Assyria, when the Samaritans, who peopled their desolated country, procured for themselves a copy of the books of Moses, which, to this day, generally continues the same as the Hebrew. The hatred and contention which afterward subsisted between the Pharisees and Sadducees, rendered it still more impossible for any to attempt to corrupt the oracles of God, without bringing a public odium upon himself.—About two thousand years ago, a Greek translation of these books was published and spread, which, in the main, agrees with our Hebrew ones.—The Chaldaic paraphrases, particularly the literal one of Onkelos, which was composed about eighteen hundred years ago, farther tended to secure these books from corruption. Notwithstanding all that Christ and his apostles inveighed against the wickedness of the Jews, they never charged them with losing or corrupting a single text in their Bible.—The animosity which has ever since prevailed between the Jews and the Christians hath rendered it impossible for either to vitiate these sacred originals, without being shamefully detected.—When a Romish printer, about two centuries ago, attempted but to alter a single letter for one almost similar, hu' into hi', Gen 3:15, what a dreadful noise did the Jews and others raise through almost all Europe!
Had the Jews attempted to corrupt their sacred books, it would certainly have been in those passages in which the fearful wickedness of their nation is represented, and Jesus of Nazareth,
not any temporal deliverer, is revealed as the promised Messiah. But in none of these can we find any evidence of concealment or corruption. Nay, though, since the spread of Christianity, the Jews have been set upon explaining these Scriptures in favour of their own delusions, they have been zealous, even to superstition, for preserving them in their originals, pure and entire.—About AD 500, when, through the general ignorance of the Christian doctors, they had a fair opportunity of corrupting them, we find their Masorite Rabbins zealously occupied in numbering and marking the letters, that so not one of them might be lost or altered, in that or any future age.
The corrupting the originals of either the Old or New Testament by Christians, is absolutely incredible. Such were the multitudes of copies, readers, hearers, and even sects among them, that none could have succeeded, unless he could have made his alterations to have suddenly started into all the many thousands of different copies and into all the different memories of hearers and readers at once.—When Macedonius attempted to vitiate them in the 5th century, how quickly was the alarm sounded far and wide,—and the few corrupted copies detected, and corrected, or destroyed?—As all the furiously opponent sects of Christianity pretended to bring their proofs in religion from Scripture, etc. how could they ever have suffered one another to forge or alter it, without raising an horrible outcry, and a widespread accusation!—None of the terms, about which they so much contended, as Homoousion, Homoiousion, Meter Theou, or even Filioque, are found in our Bibles.—Besides, so many quotations of Scripture, the same with respect to sense as in our books, still remain in the writings of Christian Fathers before AD 600, as could almost restore the whole contents of the Bible, though every copy of it were lost.
Perhaps indeed all the apostles were dead before the canon of Scripture was fully fixed in the Christian church; but their original autographs might be extant and well known. It is certain, that in the 2d century of the Christian Era, Theophilus of Antioch in Syria, Irenaeus in France, Tertullian of Carthage, and Clemens of Alexandria in Egypt, quote the very same sacred books which we now have; which proves, that copies of them were then spread through all the Christian churches in Asia, Africa, and Europe. In the 3d and 4th centuries, we have eleven catalogues of these canonical hooks, seven of which are the same as in our Bibles. Origen, about AD 210, hath them all but James and Jude. Eusebius, about AD 315, hath them all; but says that, though generally received, some doubted of the epistles of James and Jude, 2d by Peter, and 3d by John. Cyril, about, AD 346, and the
council of Laodicea, in AD 364, have them all but the Revelation. Athanasius, about AD 315, Nazianzen, AD 375, Jerome, AD 382, Ruffin, AD 390, Augustine and the council of Carthage, in AD 394, have them all; but the act of council, if genuine, gives too much honour to some apocryphal books.
The transcribers of these sacred books being no more infallibly inspired than our printers of them, the comparer of a multitude of copies cannot therefore fail to find a number of various readings. By a comparison of some of the best Hebrew copies we were long ago informed of eight or ten hundred in the Old Testament. By a comparison of about 600 copies, Dr. Kennicot hath furnished us with many thousands more. From about 125 copies, Dr. Mill hath produced not a few thousands in the New Testament, which have been reduced and improved by Kuster, and especially by Bengelius. The collections of various readings by professed Christians, mark their zeal in examining the books which they adopt as inspired; and too often not a little of their itch after novelties, multitudes of their various readings being collected from manuscripts, and even translations of very little importance or exactness, if not sometimes from their own mere fancy and supercilious inclination to criticism. Meanwhile, a judicious comparison of many copies, which are tolerably exact, is an excellent method for correcting a book. Terence, in the different manuscripts of which 20,000 various readings have been found, is reckoned the most correct of all our Latin classics. Had 125 copies of it been compared, the variations might have amounted to 50,000, though it be scarcely larger than a 3d part of our New Testament. None of all the various readings detected in the Hebrew and Greek copies of our Bible deprive us of one article of our faith, or establish a contrary error, but chiefly relate to letters, accents, and the like. It is even an evidence of God's marvellous preservation of the Scriptures, that the transcribers have been permitted to fall into so many trifling mistakes, and notwithstanding preserved from capital blunders.
It is absurd to imagine, that length of time in the conveyance of a book, diminishes its credibility. From what hath been observed, the safe conveyance of our sacred Scriptures is ten thousand times more probable, than the safe conveyance of Homer, Herodotus, Thucydides, or Xenophon, who all represent Greece in a state very different from the present. If then these authors have not, for more than two thousand years past, lost one ten thousandth part of their original credibility, doubtless the Scriptures have not either lost one ten thousandth part of theirs. And meanwhile, the exact accomplishment of prophecies hath much increased the evidence of their divine origination.
Painted copies of our Bible are of as much authority as any manuscripts extant, or any other not taken from the autographs of the prophets and apostles. Scarce ever a transcriber took the tenth or twentieth part of care and pains, in comparing copies, or in correcting his work, which hath been taken on the principal editions of the Hebrew and Greek Testaments.—To promote their own gain, and in the case of private writs, securing civil property, which may be easily corrupted, lawyers do not admit copies of copies as authentic. But that can by no means prove, that copies of the most public and incorruptible copies of writings, which relate to the most public interests, should not be sustained as authentic.—If such copies be not admitted proofs of a correspondent original, and the mistakes of one copy allowed to be corrected from others more exact, every ancient writing in the world, and most of the modern ones, must pass for forgeries; as few can produce, or even swear that they saw the originals.
The conveyance of Revelation by words written or unwritten, doth not render it changeable, uncertain, unintelligible, or useless. Dead languages, as those in which the Scriptures are written, are not changeable in their meaning. Nay, supposing these languages were still used, and so the meaning of their words more changeable, the sense of disputed phrases or terms might be traced up to that age in which the Scriptures were written.—Nor can varying the sense of a few words, any more than a mistake of a transcriber, prove that Revelation is not credible, or of divine authority,—any more than the smallest mistake in human writings, or in our apprehensions of them, can prove that no regard is to be paid to them.—Writing is so far from corrupting Revelation, that it is a most excellent mean for the safe conveyance of it, as well as of the dictates of Socrates, Plato, etc.
Our revealed religion is not founded on mere sounds. We have the law of nature in our breasts as well as infidels have. But, why may not God communicate his will to us, in a manner like to that in which he enableth us to communicate ours, one to another? If we can procure certain knowledge by conference with philosophers, why may we not procure it as certain by perusing the oracles of God?—If it require skill in languages and customs of nations, to translate the Scriptures rightly, is not this also necessary to render the dictates of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Seneca, Epictetus, and Antoninus, relative to the law of nature, plain to an English reader or hearer?—If the translators of Revelation differ about the meaning of some of its words, the inquirers into the law of nature differ much more with respect to the forms, motives, manner, and ends, of that virtue, which it requires.—Though the common people be not capable to judge as to the exactness of a Scripture translation,
they who are peculiarly interested in detecting impostures may be capable enough.—Nay the reasonableness, credibility, and divine authority of the Scripture are so deeply marked, that no translation can conceal them.—Though I should not be capable of accurately tracing the safe conveyance of Revelation, common sense may enable me to discern the reasonableness, credibility, or even divine authority of that matter, which is contained in the translation which I understand.—And it is no despicable evidence of the credibility and safe conveyance of Revelation, and of the rectitude of our public translation of it, that our infidel doctors, who pretend to so much sense and learning, have hitherto produced nothing but such uncandid and pitiful quibbles, in opposition to them.
Revelation can no more be hurt, by clergymen believing and spreading it, than the light of nature can be, by their possession of it.—Revelation requires every man to see for himself,—to try all things and hold fast that which is good.—It doth not force men into religion by clerical influence, but enlightens their minds, and attracts their hearts, by the manifestation and application of its truths. Nor, numbers compared, will it be found, that more Christians are implicit followers, than are among infidels.
The facts recorded, and the doctrines taught in our Bibles, are credible in themselves. The writers of the Old Testament were concerned in many of the transactions which they relate. They published their accounts, while the facts were fresh in men's memory. In the simplicity of their representations, and in recording their own and their friends shameful mistakes, they discover the utmost candour. They never appear to have had hopes of, or to have aimed at worldly advantage, in their writings; but would have exposed their character, if they had forged anything.—Many of the facts which they relate, were so extraordinary, that they could never have been credited, without the fullest evidence. Nevertheless their report was firmly believed by that very nation, whose carnal interest and honour strongly tempted them to disprove and reject it as a reproach to them, and as binding on them an intolerable load of ceremonies.
The divine legislation of Moses, being the most remarkable fact of that dispensation, and a foundation of many others,—his character and narrative are most clearly and fully established. He always appears most candid and disinterested. He honestly relates his own incestuous descent,—his opposition to God's call of him to be the deliverer of Israel,—his froward speeches to God, or to the people, Exod 3-4; Exod 6; Num 11; Num 20. Though he might have been prince, if not king, of Egypt; and might have had his family multiplied into a great nation at
the expence of his Hebrew brethren, he declined it, and left his sons no higher than mere Levites. He represents his beloved nation as monsters of ingratitude, of perverse, murmuring, and outrageous rebellion against God; and foretells, that after his death, they would become still more wicked and wretched. What then, but the irresistible force of truth could prompt the Jews then, and ever since, tenaciously to adhere to his writings?—How possibly could he, and about two or three millions more, Israelites and strangers, have been firmly persuaded by mere fancy, that they had seen the land of Egypt smitten with ten dreadful plagues,—of water turned into blood;—of frogs;—lice;—flies;—murrain of cattle;—boils;—hail;—locusts;—darkness;—and death of the firstborn;—that they had seen the Red Sea divided, and had walked safely through the midst of it, while the Egyptians, who pursued them, were every one drowned;—that they had seen the most terrible lightnings, and heard the most dreadful thunders, at Mount Sinai, and heard God himself, in the most awful manner, proclaim the ten commandments;—that they had lived forty years in the Arabian wilderness, in tents, fed with manna from heaven and with water from flinty rocks,—their clothes never waxing old, or their feet becoming unfit for travel;—and that their repeated murmurings against God had been there punished with the most dreadful plagues?—Or, how, without the fullest persuasion of these strange events, could they have so readily and so long submitted to the most expensive oblations and the most burdensome rites of worship, as a thankful commemoration?—In fine, notwithstanding all the care of the Jews to conceal their revelations from their heathen neighbours, Berosus, Abydenus, Hecataeus, Hesiod, Herodotus, Xenophon, Nicolas-Damascenus and Polyhistor, if not also Sanchoniatho, have furnished us with remarkable hints as to the creation and fall of man,—the division of time into weeks,—the giants,—deluge,—and tower of Babel; the destruction of Sodom and cities adjacent; circumcision;—Abraham, Joshua, David, Solomon, Sennacherib, Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, etc.
Jesus Christ is the Founder and principal subject of the New Testament revelations. Corresponding to the types and predictions of the Old Testament, he appeared as the Messiah, God in our nature. Notwithstanding his external meanness and debasement, Zacharias, Simeon, Anna, John Baptist, nay, angels and God himself, avowed him to be the Son of God and the Saviour of mankind. He not only declared himself such, but, by his marvellous and authoritative instructions, his benevolent miracles, almost innumerable,—his resurrection from the dead and ascension to heaven,—his miraculous effusion of
the Holy Ghost upon his disciples,—the subsequent spread of his gospel, with the tremendous ruin of his Jewish opposers and murderers, all in an exact fulfilment of his predictions,—he fully attested it.—Notwithstanding the most dreadful and often repeated abuse, which he suffered from men, his whole behaviour was so holy, harmless and undefiled, [Heb 7:26] and so benevolent, that neither Judas, nor his Jewish prosecutors, nor Pilate, nor Herod, could find any fault in him.—Nay, such is the draught of his character by the Evangelists, so candid and so simple, and yet so sublime and suitable to a God in our nature and a surety for us, that in such circumstances, the incarnation, obedience, suffering and death of the Son of God, however astonishing, appear much more credible to reason,—than that such a sublime and virtuous character, of which there hath never been an adequate pattern in the world, should be forged by persons who had never seen or heard of any thing similar;—nay, by persons who had no education, and whose natural capacities, perhaps were very weak.
His resurrection, which is the principal point in the Christian scheme, and which proves all the rest, was, and is supported by every proof,—from enemies,—from friends, from angels,—and from subsequent events, to this day.—Multitudes saw him nailed to, and hanging on his cross. The soldiers found him dead, when they came to break his legs. Multitudes saw without much labour and noise, his corpse interred in a new grave, hewn out of a rock, which could not be entered but by the door.—While a large stone, solemnly sealed by the rulers of Judah, shut him up, a strong watch of enemies deprived his friends, even had they been willing, of every opportunity to carry off his dead body.—Early, on the 3d day, a dreadful earthquake, and an apparition of angels terrified the guard and made them run off. Meanwhile his body was gone, and his grave clothes left in good order, as by a deliberate remover. Many virtuous persons arose from their graves in Jerusalem, and appeared to the citizens. The guard, having informed the Jewish rulers of what they had seen, heard, and felt, they largely bribed them to conceal the truth, and to pretend, that Jesus's disciples had stolen away his dead body, while they were sleeping. Nothing could be more evident falsehood: for how durst any of them,—how could all of them sleep on a watch,—a watch of so great importance? If they were all asleep, how could they know when or who, carried off his dead body?
Notwithstanding repeated warnings and predictions, his disciples were so exceedingly averse to believe the truth of his resurrection, that scarcely their missing his body in the grave, the testimony of angels, the attestation of brethren, and even
the sight of their own eyes could convince them till his repeated appearances to them, and familiar converse with them, and at last, the miraculous descent of the Holy Ghost on them, rendered them incapable to doubt.—Had he not risen from the dead, they had had the strongest grounds to be highly offended with, and incensed against him, as one who had deceitfully exposed them to so much disappointment, reproach, hatred and danger.—But, finding themselves suddenly qualified to work miracles, discern spirits, speak divers languages, and to discourse of religion and virtue in a manner infinitely superior to Socrates, and all his philosophical brethren;—finding, that they, who just before, on the slightest temptations, had deserted or denied him, were filled with such zeal and boldness in his cause, as to fear nothing but sin,—they, contrary to every temptation of worldly honour, profit and pleasure, and deliberately rushing upon loss, reproach, hatred, poverty, persecution, and death,—in the most plain, and public manner, on the spot where, and in a few weeks after it happened, published his resurrection, and charged the Jewish rulers and people with the murder of their own promised and divine Messiah.—Notwithstanding they had no carnal power nor influence, but had been held absolutely contemptible, multitudes, who had the strongest inclination, and the fullest opportunity to detect any imposture in this point, firmly believed their report, confessed themselves the murderers of the Son of God, and humbly applied to him for forgiveness and eternal salvation.—Notwithstanding all their craft, malice and fury, the Jewish rulers could find no other refutation of the report, than imprisonments, scourgings, threatenings, and murders of the publishers.
These preachers declared, that which they had seen and heard, in which common sense will not admit of their being deceived. For, how could they fancy themselves into a number of meetings and conversations with their risen Master? How could they, by mere fancy, fix themselves in the most distinct assurance, that they had heard him, in a manner peculiar to himself utter so many gracious words, and had seen him work so many miracles in such different times, places, and persons? How could they fancy themselves into an actual and evident possession of the miraculous gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost? How could Saul of Tarsus, a man of great learning and sense, dream himself into a belief of his miraculous conversion, into the knowledge of languages which he had never learned, into the possession of apostolic powers; into an humble but bold zeal for the interests and glory of Jesus Christ, whom just before in his cause and members, he had so heartily hated and furiously persecuted. Their exalted instructions and prudent conduct sufficiently prove, that none of them were such idiots, as
to be the fit dupes of imposture.—The marks of integrity, simplicity, benevolence, and virtue, so conspicuous in their conduct, sufficiently prove, that they had no disposition to deceive others, in matters so injurious to the honour of God and the souls of men. Could ever the certain, the sole prospect of hatred, reproach, imprisonment, tortures, and violent death,—of rebukes of conscience,—and of eternal damnation, have prompted them, with all their might, to propagate that which they knew to be false and uncertain? The number of those preachers was considerable, and of their followers many ten thousands about Jerusalem. Notwithstanding repeated solicitations, threatenings, tortures, etc. none of them, however unfit they were to keep secrets, proposed to discover any fraud.—Judas indeed betrayed his Master, but quickly repented, publicly and solemnly protesting his innocence, and then he hanged himself under desperate convictions of his wickedness.
It is not asserted that every one employed in publishing the mind of God to men, was faultless.—We allow Balaam, the old prophet of Bethel, and Caiaphas, to have been wicked men, Num 22-24; 1 Kings 13; John 11. Such may enjoy transient inspirations, as well as the permanent light of nature. But the penmen of Scripture appear to have been holy men of God. Even their enemies never appear to have been able to charge them with any thing, but what was included in their faithful observance of the laws of their God. It is from the Scripture itself, and often from their own ingenuous and candid pens, that we have any account of their failings. Neither David nor Solomon were primary publishers of revelation. Nor can several failings disqualify men from being declarers of facts, or witnesses to the truth.—Paul's having had some contention with Barnabas about the impropriety of taking Mark, who had formerly deserted them, along with them to visit the churches, will not so much as prove that he was in the wrong. His confessing that he was far less holy than he wished, and stating that he could be content with nothing less than perfect holiness, can never unfit him to be a preacher of, and a witness for Christ, Acts 15; Rom 7.
VII. The revelations contained in our Bibles are divinely inspired, proceeding from an infinitely wise, holy, just, good, true, and infallible God.—Of old, God spake to men by voices, as at Sinai, etc. Exod 19-34; Lev 1-27; Num 1-36; Deut 22;—by visions and dreams, as to the patriarchs and prophets, Gen 12-13;—Gen 22; Gen 26; Gen 28; Gen 31-32; Gen 35; Gen 37; Gen 46; Job 4; Isa 6; Ezek 1-11; Ezek 40-48; Dan 7-12; Amos 7-9; Zech 1-6.
But his mind comes to us by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost on the penmen of the Scriptures, which infallibly taught them what they knew not before, rendered the knowledge which they had of divine things absolutely certain, and directed them to proper words, to express their conceptions of them. While he allowed them the use of their own language and natural abilities, he instructed and directed them in a manner which transcended them. Nor can we sufficiently understand what heart-composing, humbling, and sanctifying influences marked his inspirations.
In the inspiration of the Scriptures, while the penmen themselves concurred in exercising their own reason and judgment, Ps 45:1; Mark 12:36; Luke 1:3; 1 Pet 1:11, the Holy Ghost, 1. Stirred them up to write, 2 Pet 1:21. 2. Appointed each his share, correspondent to his natural talents, and the necessities of the church, 2 Pet 1:21; Matt 25:15. 3. Enlightened their minds, and gave them a distinct view of the truths they were to deliver, Jer 1:11-16; Jer 13:9-14; Ezek 4:4-8; Amos 7:7-8; Amos 8:2; Zech 1:19,21; Zech 4:11-14; Zech 5:6; Dan 10:1,14; Dan 9:22-27; Dan 8:15-19; Dan 12:8,11; 1 Pet 1:10-11; Eph 3:3-4; John 16:13. But this was not given all at once to the twelve apostles, Mark 4:34; Luke 24:17,45; John 20:22; Acts 2:4; Acts 10:9-15; Acts 28:34; but perhaps all at once to Paul, 2 Cor 12. 4. Strengthened and refreshed their memories to recollect whatever they had seen or heard, which he judged fit to be inserted in their writings, John 14:26. 5. Amidst a multitude of facts, he directed them what to write, and what not, as the edification of his church did or might require, John 20:30-31; John 21:25; Rom 15:4; 1 Cor 10:6-12; Rom 4:23-24. 6. He stirred up and called forth in their minds such images and ideas as were treasured up in their memories, to other ends and purposes than they themselves would have ever done; hence Amos draws his figures from the herd or flock, or field; Paul makes use of his learning, Acts 17:28; 1 Cor 15:33; Titus 1:12. 7. He immediately suggested and imprinted on their minds all such things as were matter of pure revelation, Isa 46:9-10; Isa 41:22-23; Isa 45:21; and that whether of things past, as Gen 1 and Gen 2 or to come, or mysteries, 1 Tim 3:16. 8. He so superintended every particular writer, as to render him infallible in matter, words, and arrangement; and superintended the whole writers in connection, as to render the whole Scripture, at a given period, sufficient for instruction and correction, to render the man of God perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work, 2 Tim 3:15-17.
Some distinguish this inspiration of the Holy Ghost into suggestion, which infallibly directed them in the declaration
of things secret, mysterious, and future;—and superintendency, which secured them against gross blunders in representing that which they knew before, leaving them to express their thoughts in the manner they judged best. But, if such superintendency be admitted as the whole of inspiration in lesser matters, 1. Thousands of things, which from plain language of Scripture we apprehended to be true, may be nothing but blunders of less importance. 2. The most peremptory, clear, and certain testimonies of the Holy Ghost may be easily rejected, under pretence that they are lesser blunders of penmen. 3. If the penmen had been left to the choice of their words, the meaning of Scripture must be altogether uncertain. The prophets and apostles might have had very proper ideas, and yet their words be very improper to express and convey them to us. Erroneous persons may assert, whenever they please, that such words of Scripture are not proper to express the inspired ideas, and substitute others, which they judge more meet, in their stead.—Indeed Paul hints, that not he, but the Lord, or he, not the Lord, directed in some cases relative to marriage. But there he only means, that our Saviour had expressly taught such things, or not, in the days of his flesh, 1 Cor 7:10,12. Some expressions have an appearance of unfixed meaning, to teach us, never to be too peremptory in that which relates to mere circumstances of things, 1 John 6:19; 1 Pet 5:12.
Concerning this inspiration of Scripture, it must be remarked, 1. It doth not require, that every sentence which, is inserted in Scripture, should be attributed to God as its author. Many bad, or even some good expressions of devils or men are therein recorded, of which nothing but the infallible narration and the praise or dispraise are of divine inspiration. 2. The different parts of Scripture being so connected, and supporting each other,—Christ and his apostles approving the whole of the Old Testament, and the New being but a more clear declaration of that which had been more darkly expressed by Moses and the prophets,—it is not necessary that all the marks of divine authority should equally appear in every verse, chapter, or book.—Some passages are but circumstantial introductions to, or explications of other passages, which are more essential and important.—But that, taken in their proper connection, the books of the Old and New Testaments are of divine inspiration, is abundantly evident.
1. The matter of them requires a divine inspiration. The history of the creation and in part that of the flood, etc. which are recorded in them, were known only to God. Mysteries concerning the Trinity of persons in the Godhead,—the covenant of grace,—the undertaking, incarnation, offices, and states of the
Son of God as our Mediator,—our union with him, and justification, adoption, sanctification, spiritual comfort, and eternal blessedness in him, are therein declared, which God alone can comprehend, or unfold. The scheme of religion prescribed is so pure, benevolent, spiritual, and so extensive as God only could devise or appoint. While it represents himself as every where present, infinitely perfect, powerful, wise, holy, just, good, true, and faithful,—as an infinitely gracious lover of righteousness, and an inflexible hater of iniquity,—as our bountiful Creator and Preserver, and as our infinitely merciful Redeemer, by the infinitely precious obedience and death of his only begotten Son,—it requires us to know, believe in, trust on, and revere him, with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength, as our Father, Friend, Husband, Saviour, and Portion in Christ,—confidently to depend on, and to supplicate from him, every thing that we need in time or in eternity,—and to obey him in every thing which he commands, as children whom he hath begotten again to a lively hope, [1 Pet 1:3] and made joint heirs with Christ, [Rom 8:17] of himself and his heavenly inheritance. We are taught how our nature may be truly improved, may be perfected in virtue and happiness, by our believing reception of Christ, as made of God unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption,—as an effectual root and principle of true holiness,—and by our living and walking in him by faith, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, living soberly, righteously, and godly, patiently, contentedly, and cheerfully,—and through his word, Spirit, and blood, mortifying every selfish and sinful inclination, and setting our affections on things above, where he is, and looking for his glorious appearance to judge the world.—We are taught to be followers of God as dear children, and to walk in love, as Christ hath loved us,—to love our neighbours as ourselves, fulfilling the duties of every possible relation or condition;—to lay aside all malice, envy, hatred, revenge, and other malevolent dispositions or passions;—and to love our enemies, rendering good for evil, and praying for them that despitefully use us. These laws of universal purity and benevolence are prescribed with an authority proper only to God,—and extended to such a compass, as God only can demand; and sins are forbidden which he only can discern or prohibit.—The most powerful motives to virtue and dissuasives from vice,—drawn from the divine nature, his promises, threatenings, mercies, and judgments, particularly from his kindness in the work of redemption, and his new covenant-relations to us in Christ, and from manifold advantages, temporal, spiritual, and eternal, are most wisely proposed, and earnestly urged: While the most excellent means of directing, exciting, and enabling us to all the exercises of piety and virtue,
are established in the most prudent form and authoritative manner,—the most perfect and engaging patterns are set before us, in the example of Christ our Redeemer, and of God as reconciled in him, and through him reconciling the world to himself, Exod 20:1-17; Lev 18-20; Deut 4-25; Matt 4-27; Rom 6; Rom 12-15; Eph 4-6; Col 3-4; 1 Thess 1-5; Titus 2-3; Heb 12-13; James 1-5; 1 Pet 1-5; 2 Pet 1-3; 1 John 1-5; Rev 2-3.
2. The manner in which these points are exhibited in Scripture, is manifestly divine, wise, condescending, and yet majestic. The discoveries of them have been gradual, as suited the necessities of mankind, or their condition required, Gen 3; Gen 12; Gen 17; Gen 22; Gen 28; Gen 46; Gen 49; Exod 3-34; Lev 1-27; Num 1; Num 5-6; Num 8; Num 15; Num 17-19; Num 28-29; Deut 4-33; Job 1-10; Rev 22. The principal points relating to God's satisfaction with Christ as our mediator,—his new covenant-grants of himself to us in him as our God,—and his law of the ten commandments were proclaimed by himself from heaven, with the greatest solemnity. Matt 3:17 and Matt 17:5; Exod 20:1-17. While these and other truths are delivered in a most plain and simple style, it is marked with an inexpressible sublimity and majesty.—While the declarations, laws, promises, and threatenings, etc. are authorized by a thus saith the Lord,—the style, particularly in Scripture Songs, Job, Psalms, Lamentations, Isaiah, etc. is surprisingly suited at once to the dignity of the author,—the nature of the subject, and the condition of the persons addressed.
3. The obvious scope of the Scripture is to humble men, to reform them from their beloved lusts and sinful practices, and to exalt and glorify God. No good angel or man could dare to personate God, in the manner of the Scripture. No bad angel or man could devise, publish, and so warmly inculcate that which is so remarkably contrary to their own vicious inclinations, honour, and interest. God alone must therefore be the Author or Inditer of Scripture.
4. Notwithstanding the contents of Scripture are so exceedingly contrary to the natural corrupt inclinations of mankind, were published without any concert, and by so many persons of very different conditions, and in different ages and places, yet such is the marvellous harmony of all its parts, in their matter and scope, as irrefragably proves the penmen to have been all infallibly guided by the same Spirit of God. Its parts are so connected, that we cannot reasonably receive any one, nor so much as one noted doctrine or law, without receiving the whole. All the predictions, histories, laws, doctrines, promises and threatenings, explain, or confirm one another. An attentive reader may every where perceive the same facts implied, recorded,
or prepared for;—the same doctrines of our gracious redemption through Jesus Christ, exhibited or supposed to be true;—the same rules and exemplifications of virtue or motives enforcing them;—the same kind promises of mercy or just threatenings of misery to persons or societies, held forth, without a single contradiction. Where any such thing seems to appear, an accurate comparer of the discordant-like passages may perceive that they do not relate to the same persons or things, in the same respect, and in the same circumstances of time, place, and manner; and so there is no contradiction at all. Suppose that a transcriber or printer should have inadvertently altered a letter, number, or point, that cannot be allowed to constitute a contradiction, or to invalidate the authority of the Bible or of any other book.
5. The unblemished character of the penmen further demonstrates the divine original and authority of the Scriptures. They every where mark the utmost candour and disinterestedness,—candidly publishing their own and their friends infirmities and guilt. None of them ever acquired any thing in this world by their work, but trouble and vexation. According to their own declared principles, deceit and imposture could procure them nothing in the next, but everlasting destruction. The matter and manner of their work infinitely transcended their abilities. Beside their predictions, how could men of the least and especially men of no education, form such an exalted system of sense, piety, and virtue! How could wicked men, though inspired by Satan, have devised, published, and propagated, as well as fervently exemplified such a scheme of mystery, majesty, and holiness? Or, how could their account of the incarnation, obedience, sufferings, and death, of the Son of God, have been drawn up with such simplicity and undoubted candour, if it had not been taken from real facts.
6. God's marvellous preservation of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, from being lost or corrupted, while, perhaps millions of writings, once of considerable fame in the world, and which no man hated or sought to extirpate, are lost and forgotten, proves them to have been inspired by his Spirit. Notwithstanding they were in part written before any other books, and Satan with his innumerable instruments have hated, and, with all their united fraud and force laboured to destroy or corrupt them, God, in his providence, still preserved them in their purity. By appointing the original tables of his moral law, and an original copy of the other laws of Moses to be kept in the Holy of Holies,—by appointing every Hebrew king to write a copy of these laws for himself,—by appointing the public and private reading of them and teaching them to their children,—and making the opponent parties that enjoyed them,
mutual checks upon each other, etc. he, in his infinite wisdom and goodness, secured their safe preservation. By tremendous judgments he restrained Antiochus Epiphanes, the Syro Grecian monarch, Dioclesian, the Roman emperor and others, who attempted to destroy all the copies of them, in order to extirpate the Jewish or Christian religion. And in what amazing forms, hath he upheld and comforted such as risked or parted with their lives, rather than deny the dictates of Scripture, or in the least contribute to their dishonour.
7. Multitudes of miracles, which could only be effected by the infinite power of God, have been wrought for confirmation of the doctrines and facts recorded in Scripture, and for attestation of the divine commission of the primary publishers of it.—God's infinite wisdom and goodness required him, especially when, as in the days of Moses and the apostles, he was introducing new forms of worship, to mark the important declarations of his will with distinguishing tokens, which might awaken men to consider them. Nothing appears more proper for promoting this end, than a series of uncontrouled miracles which supported nothing but what was consistent with reason. Neither reason nor experience admits, that God's infinite wisdom and goodness will permit one, much less thousands of uncontrouled miracles to be wrought for the confirmation of falsehood. In the miracles which confirm the Scripture, we find every probatory circumstance. They were almost innumerable, and all of them calculated to answer some great end. Corresponding to the nature of the broken law and its curses, many of those wrought by Moses and Elias, were tremendous and wrathful, Exod 7-14; Num 16; 1 Kings 17-18; 2 Kings 1-2. Congenial to the spirit of the Gospel, which Jesus Christ and his apostles published, the miracles which they performed were generally of a benevolent nature and tendency, Matt 4; Matt 8-21; Mark 1-11; Luke 4-19; John 2-21; Acts 3-20; Acts 28. Most of these miracles were wrought in so public a manner, that both friends and enemies had the fullest opportunity of thoroughly examining them, and when the concurrent circumstances of providence loudly called them. Most of them, as the safe passage of the Israelites through the Red Sea and Jordan,—their living forty years on manna from heaven and water from the flinty rocks,—the standing still, or retrograde motion of the sun,—the feeding of several thousands on a few loaves and fishes,—the raising of the dead or buried, and the like, were of such a nature, that common sense cannot allow the witnesses to have been mistaken concerning them; or that any power less than infinite, could have performed them. Even the inveterate enemies of the gospel, Jews or Heathens, in part attest, that these miracles were really wrought. And it is plain, that they
were wrought in confirmation of a religion the most pure and benevolent, and the most of them by persons of distinguished piety and virtue.
In vain it is pretended, that the common experience of mankind being against the existence of miracles, ought to be laid in balance with the positive proofs in favour of them; and it ought to be considered, whether it be not more probable, that all the witnesses of them have been deceived, than that those miracles have been really wrought; for, 1. Nothing can be a miracle at all, which is not contrary to the common experience of mankind. 2. Negative proof is of very little force in opposition to that which is positive, as it can merely bear, that the deponents did not observe that which others affirm they did. If two creditable persons depone, that they heard me utter such expressions, or saw me commit such crimes, the testimony of ten thousand millions, deponing that they did not observe me say or do such things, will not overbalance it. If negative evidence be not directly opposite to that which is positive, with respect to time and place, it is of no force at all. Millions of mankind could truly depone, that they never saw frozen water,—never observed the loadstone vary its influence under excessive cold,—never saw an animal when cut into an hundred pieces propagate into as many animals of that kind,—never saw a white man, or a negro, etc. But will it therefore follow that these things never existed, and were never really seen by others? Because thousands of millions, who did not live in the age or place of miracles, never saw them, will it follow, that those who lived in that age and place, when and where they are said to have happened, never saw or felt them? 3. If God be the infinitely powerful Maker and Manager of all things, he can easily work miracles by controuling the ordinary operation of second causes, which himself hath established. And if there be an occasion and end demanding the interposal of his infinite power, reason teacheth that his wisdom and goodness will determine him to exert it. 4. Unless it be proved, that God is incapable to mark out his own interposals as divine, and that the human senses are, in every case, altogether unfit to be trusted, and so all human fellowship undermined, these senses must be allowed sufficient judges as to the reality of the miracles recorded in Scripture.
It is highly absurd, to compare these miracles with those which have been ascribed to Esculapius, Vespasian, Adrian, or Apollonius, Abbe Paris the Jansenist. The miracles ascribed to the first three are only reported by heathens, on distant hear-says, who might be prompted by worldly interest to flatter them. The record of those ascribed to Apollonius was not formed till about a hundred years after his death,—from secret memoirs, which the recorder confesses to have been written in a bombast style,
and stuffed with romances,—and was formed in order to confront the evangelical history of Jesus Christ, and to please a romantic lady; and not one of Apollonius' few disciples pretended to have received from him a power of working miracles. The wonderful cures ascribed to Abbe Paris, or his tomb, obtained only among his admirers, and respected diseases, the crisis of which occurring in the order of natural causes, connected with a strong imagination of the Abbe's power and the use of natural remedies, real cures might be effected in some;—while many others, by the examination of the magistrates, were detected to have been mere impostures.
It is no less absurd to assert, that miracles cannot confirm a doctrine which cannot be demonstrated; for, 1. If nothing but what can be formally demonstrated, must be regarded, how little of the Law of nature will be known, or ought to be obeyed? Or, why must formal demonstration be required to ascertain the doctrines of Revelation, any more than to ascertain the Laws of Nature? 2. If all the affairs of common life among men be ascertained without formal demonstration, why may not God ascertain his revelations without it, and in a manner much more suited to their capacities and experience. 3. A demonstration of the reasonableness of any thing cannot sufficiently prove its divine original or appointment. None can prove it unreasonable to observe two days in every week in the public service of God. Yet it will not follow, that he requires any such thing. Something higher than demonstration, must therefore mark the divine authority of a revelation. 4. Though some men had real revelations from God, and were certain of it, these could be of no use to mankind in general, unless they had marks of their divine original, which others might perceive. 5. As revelation supposeth men rational creatures, as well as endowed with outward senses, miraculous appearances are not to be taken as a sole proof of the divine authority of missions or doctrines, but as coordinate with the suitableness of these things to the perfections of God and the natural rules of virtue;—which being more striking to weak minds are more effectual to bear down their prejudices, to procure their attention, and thus lead, and add to the force of the internal evidence which is in the doctrines themselves. 6. Where the doctrines thus correspond with the perfections of God, and our connections with him, we are in no danger of being imposed on by miraculous appearances, through our ignorance of the physical causes of nature, or our inability to examine the extent of created powers. No evil spirits would work wonders for establishing a scheme worthy of God or beneficial to men, whom they so heartily hate. No such pious and virtuous men, as the prophets and apostles, would attempt to work miracles
in confederacy with Satan, or deal in deceitful arts. No good spirit would work any miracles to confirm an imposture. Nor would an infinitely wise, powerful, and good God, permit his rational creatures to be seduced into errors by a multitude of uncontrouled miracles. 7. Most of the miracles recorded in Scripture could not possibly have been counterfeited.
8. The scheme of reforming mankind by the revelation of Scripture, and its evident success, are a continued miraculous proof of its divine original.—Nothing but certain evidences of his divine commission could have made Moses risk his character, that on the 6th day of the week, his whole nation in the wilderness should always have manna sufficient for two days, rained from heaven upon them; and that in Canaan their fields should always produce double crops on the 6th year,—and on that supposition make a standing law, that they should never attempt to gather manna on the 7th day, or cultivate their fields in the 7th year. Nothing but the most infallible assurance that God would then protect them from their inveterate enemies on every side, would have made him require, that all their males, capable of travel, should thrice every year leave their homes, and attend sacred festivals in the midst of their country. Nothing but the clearest warrant from God could have made him hope, that in the family of Aaron, there would always be a sufficient number of males to execute the office of priesthood for all Israel, free of all the exclusive blemishes, which he states;—or could have made him hope, that their small country would supply his numerous nation with sufficient provision, exclusive of all the prohibited flesh, and of all the oblations required for the Lord. Nothing but certain evidence of a divine institution, attended with a divine influence, could have made the Israelites submit to so many burdensome ceremonies, Exod 16; Lev 25; Deut 15; Exod 23; Exod 34; Lev 21-23; Lev 11; Lev 1-6; Num 18; Num 28-29.
The scheme of Christianity and its success are still more amazing, and could proceed from nothing less than a divine warrant and influence. Without these, how could ever a few weak or illiterate men, altogether unaided by worldly influence, form a scheme of reforming the whole world, from principles and practices deeply rooted in their inclinations, and firmly established by the extensive customs and long-confirmed laws of all nations, and that not by force or fraud, but by mere declarations of what they thought true; or, of what they knew to be false, if they were impostors?—How could crafty villains, or even the weakest fools, choose for their hero, one who had made his ignominious sufferings his distinguishing characteristic,—one, who had been always contemned, and had lately been crucified between two thieves, as a noted and base malefactor,
by the common consent and outcry of his countrymen,—one, who, if he was not God in our nature, had abused his disciples' confidence, and drawn them into a train of temporal and eternal miseries,—one, who had never encouraged them to expect any thing in this world, in following him, but crosses, hatred, imprisonment, tortures, and death,—nor for any thing in the next, but everlasting destruction, if they indulged themselves in any fraudulent promoting of his cause?—How possibly could a few villanous projectors of a general reformation begin their work, in the very place where, and in a few weeks after, even amidst these very multitudes, by whom their Hero had been ignominiously crucified, and in the face of dangers and death, publicly proclaim him to be the Son of God, the true Messiah, who had risen from the dead and ascended to heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God?—How could they, amidst the deepest poverty, cruellest hatred, most calumnious reproach, and most inhuman persecution of enemies unnumbered, in every place carry on their design with unwearied zeal, astonishing toil, and unceasing cheerfulness, never appearing to covet any worldly wealth or honour?—How could they form a system of doctrines and laws, infinitely superior in sense, dignity, and sanctifying virtue to all the productions of the most renowned heathen philosophers?—How astonishing, that those few, most of them illiterate preachers, without the least aid or encouragement from any earthly power, should so triumph over the craft, the rage, and the power of enraged Jews;—over all the pride, policy, and power of the Roman empire, when in its full strength and sagacity; over the pride of learning, and the obstinacy of ignorance, hatred, prejudice, and lust; over the hardened inclinations, deep-rooted customs, and long fixed laws of both Jews and heathens;—and that, notwithstanding every form of danger, loss, and opposition, the gospel should, within a few years after Christ's death, be preached in almost every corner of the Roman empire, and countries around it;—and that multitudes, at the hazard of every thing dear to them, should readily believe it, stedfastly adhere to it, and cheerfully practise it? How astonishing that, for more than 1700 years past, notwithstanding unnumbered persecutions, and all the profane naughtiness of many professors, the base indifference or inconceivable villanies of many clerical instructors, this scheme hath been more or less successful in reforming the hearts and lives of multitudes, and civilizing the manners, in almost every nation of importance, under heaven?
9. Nothing more clearly demonstrates the divine inspiration and authority of the Scriptures than the exact fulfilment of the typical and verbal predictions, which they exhibited, in the most circumstantiated manner, hundreds or thousands of years,
before that fulfilment, or any appearance of it, took place. Predictions, especially as above circumstantiated, necessarily require a looking with certainty, through an infinity of possible events, and seeing and determining which shall certainly happen, and which shall not. Such foresight and determination are only competent to God, the Omniscient and Almighty governor of the world. To mark him as their author, the Scriptures are crowded with predictions: their exact fulfilment is recorded in the inspired and other histories, which have been since written. Almost every historical passage in our Bible is a record of something antecedently foretold. The New Testament is little more than a representation of the fulfilment of the types and prophecies of the Old, concerning Jesus Christ, and his gospel-church. Nay, the histories of churches and nations from the beginning to the end of the world do, or will, to judicious readers, represent little more than the fulfilment of Scripture predictions concerning the families of Adam and Noah, Canaanites, Amalekites, Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, Philistines, Egyptians, Ethiopians, Syrians, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Saracens, Tartars, Goths, Huns, and Turks, and especially concerning the Jews, Jesus Christ, the New Testament church, and Antichrist.—This proof, drawn from the fulfilment of predictions, still continues, and increases in clearness and force, as it takes place and is observed.—The dispersion and misery of the Jewish nation, so often repeated, and long continued;—the progress, continuance, and success of the Gospel among the Gentiles;—the long continued and extensive domination of popery, and partial revolt from it at the Reformation;—the past and present condition of the Roman and Turkish empires;—the present state of Assyria, Chaldea, Arabia, Phenicia, Canaan, Egypt, etc. in exact correspondence with those predictions,—are standing testimonies to the divine inspiration of our Bibles, no less conclusive and striking, than if we had miracles wrought before us, every day.—And it is remarkable, that not only was our Saviour's divine character displayed in his incomparable behaviour, miracles, instructions, and institutions, but also in the striking fulfilment of his predictions relative to the miseries of his Jewish contemners, and the spread of his Gospel-church;—and that Josephus their historian was almost miraculously preserved to write an history of that fulfilment.
No prediction emitted by any true prophet mentioned in Scripture ever failed of accomplishment.—But if a condition be expressed or understood in the annunciation, it is rather a warning than a prediction, and so no fulfilment falls due, unless the condition be implemented.—In that very day, nay moment, in which Adam ate the forbidden fruit, he became legally and
spiritually dead; his temporal and eternal death commenced, as far as the making of the covenant with his posterity in him permitted, Gen 2:17.—God no more than warned David, that if he continued there till Saul should come up, the men of Keilah would deliver him up, 1 Sam 23:12.—Elisha's declaration concerning Benhadad might be translated, Thou shalt certainly live. And, according to our English version, it means no more, than that his disease was not mortal. Now it is certain that he did not die of his disease, but by Hazael's stifling of him, 2 Kings 8:10.—The Ninevites were no more than threatened with ruin within forty days if they did not repent, Jon 3.—Nay, unless threatenings be universal or confirmed by an oath, they generally imply an exception in case of repentance. Agreeable to Huldah's prediction, Josiah died in peace with God and his conscience, and before the war which ruined his nation broke out, 2 Kings 22:20.—Jehoiakim was buried like an ass, though it be not recorded in Scripture, Jer 22:18-19, and Jer 36:30.—Zedekiah's eyes being put out at Riblah, he went to Babylon without seeing it, where he died, and was honourably buried by his friends, though we have not the history of his funeral, Jer 34:4-5.—The last days denote future time in general, or that which followed our Saviour's ascension; or, the last years of the Jewish constitution, Gen 49:1; 2 Tim 3:1; 1 John 2:18.—It was the coming of Christ to execute judgment on the Jewish nation, not his coming to judge the world, which these in the apostolic age were warranted to expect in their own time, Matt 24 with 2 Thess 2:2—Paul considered himself as a member of that mystical body of Christ, whose fellow-members will be alive at Christ's second coming, 1 Cor 15:51-52; 1 Thess 4:15,17.
10. Though the above or like arguments be sufficient to silence gainsayers, and produce a rational conviction, that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are indeed the word of God,—yet it is only the Holy Ghost's effectual application of them to our mind, conscience, and heart, in their self-evidencing life, light, and power, which can produce a cordial and saving persuasion of it.—The word of God thus applied, brings along with, and in itself, such light, such authority, and such convincing, quickening, sanctifying, and comforting power, that there is no possibility of shutting our eyes or hardening our heart against it, of continuing blind or unconcerned about it; but all the faculties of our soul are necessarily affected with it, as impressed with evidences of its divinity, attended by almighty influence, 1 Thess 1:5 and 1 Thess 2:13; John 6:63; Jer 23:29. And hence, without seeing any miracles, or other external evidence of its divine authority, many of the primary hearers of revelation were obliged to believe it on a mere thus saith the Lord,
Isa 1; Mal 4; Jer 23:28-29,31; 1 Cor 14:24-25; Heb 4:11-12; 1 Thess 2:13; John 7:17 and John 10:3-4; Acts 13:48,51. This is the true, the formal ground and reason of our faith. And hence, while many of great parts and learning, who understand, and can urge on others the merely rational proofs of the divine inspiration and authority of the Scriptures, never cordially believe them, to the saving of their soul; others, who are of weak capacities, having them applied by the Holy Ghost to their heart, believe them so firmly, as to trust their eternal salvation on a single sentence of them; and to be ready, patiently and cheerfully, to undergo all manner of sufferings, rather than deny the smallest truth contained in them. The sun's effectual probation of his own existence by his own light and warmth seen and felt by us, may shadow forth this present proof of the divine authority of the Scripture. But it can only be understood by our experiencing it.
Such objections of infidels against the divine original and authority of the Scriptures as have not been formerly anticipated, or removed, must now be considered.
Objection I. "The revelations contained in the Old and New Testament, which are known to so few, cannot be from God, who is good to all men." Answer 1. God's goodness to all men doth not bind him to promote all men to equal happiness, notwithstanding their most hateful rejection and abuse of his benefits. It doth not bind him to keep prodigal rakes as rich, healthy and honourable, as if they had been frugal and virtuous.—Nay, in fact, God doth not render every man equally rich, honourable, healthy in body and mind, benevolent, contented, or even equally acquainted with the Laws of nature. 2. If men, through sloth or vicious inclinations, have forgotten, contemned, corrupted, or banished, those revelations which God made to all alive in the days of Adam and Noah, is he bound to preserve them among them clear, pure, and entire, and to add to them, whether they will or not? Is a Lawgiver tyrannical, if he publish not his statutes in every man's chamber?—or, if he do not repeat his publication of them at every year's end, when his subjects have, through their sloth and wickedness, forgotten them,—and meanwhile punish none for disobedience to them, but in proportion to the means of information concerning them which they enjoyed? 3. Revelation might indeed have prevented that gross ignorance and barbarity which prevail among many nations: But it is not their want of it any more than their having the Law of nature in their breasts, but their own inward corruption, and the bad education and example they had, which are the cause of that ignorance and barbarity:—even as, though proper medicines might often prevent
diseases and premature death, yet it is not the want of them, but the inbred corruption of the body or external violence, which is the cause of such diseases and death. 4. Certainly God gives a more illustrious display of his infinite goodness, in revealing his will for the salvation of some, nay multitudes of men, than he could do, in suffering them all to perish for ever in their ignorance. Revelation allows every man to retain all the privileges which he hath by the Light of nature; adds not a few to many who are not saved in Christ, vouchsafes multitudes of blessings to them that are saved;—and thus manifests the goodness of God much more clearly than the Light of nature.—Would our benevolent Infidels rather have all mankind eternally unhappy, than a part?
Objection II. "Jesus of Nazareth having observed the then general rumour and expectation of an appearance of the Son of God in human nature, as a promised Messiah, laid hold of the opportunity, and pretended to be Him." Answer. He indeed appeared in the proper season, when men were looking for the Messiah, and ready to examine his characteristics. But, in these circumstances, his appearance in so debased and spiritual a form, so contrary to the carnal wishes and expectations of his countrymen, though perfectly conformable to the ancient predictions, strongly marked his candour and his being the true Messiah. And it is remarkable, that every other claimant of that character hath, to his utmost, conformed his appearances and pretences, to the prevalent hopes and carnal inclinations of the Jewish nation.
Objection III. "If Jesus Christ had been the Saviour of mankind, the universal and equal goodness of God could not have admitted of the delay of his coming in the flesh, till four thousand years after the creation." Answer 1. God might have been infinitely good, though never a man had been formed or a Saviour heard of. And it hath been repeatedly demonstrated, that God doth not manifest equal kindness to all men. Answer 2. If our Saviour had appeared in the flesh, immediately after the Fall of man, or much sooner than he did,—the wisdom and goodness of God had been far less manifested therein. The absolute need of him, and of the abounding of grace through him, had been far less evident.—It would not have been clearly manifested, that neither overwhelming floods,—destructive showers of fire and brimstone,—tenfold plagues,—captivity,—desolation,—nor philosophers,—nor prophets, endowed with miraculous powers,—nor repeated and awful appearances of God himself,—could reform the world, but after all it had rather become more and more wicked.—Moreover, men would not have been sufficiently warned of his coming, or prepared to examine his credentials. Multitudes could not have been found
to witness his instructions, miracles, death, and resurrection, or to be his opponents and murderers. His gospel could not have had opportunity of clearly manifesting its divine efficacy in triumphing over so much opposition. Millions of incorrigible Jewish enemies could not have been found, or multitudes of nations to scatter them among, as public and permanent documents and witnesses of his Messiahship, by their own inexpressible miseries for rejecting him.
Objection IV. "Jesus Christ made choice not of learned and wise men, but of weak and simple wretches, whom he could easily deceive, for his apostles and agents. Such only, and they in small numbers, were the witnesses of his resurrection; whereas a single walk through the streets of Jerusalem, or appearance before the Sanhedrim, would have put the matter beyond doubt, and procured the attestation of men of high rank and credit." Answer 1. The instance of Paul, the most active, zealous, and successful among his apostles, proves, that they were not all simple and ignorant. But if they were so, they were the more unfit to promote an imposture; they could not, like Zoroaster, Apollonius, and other cheats, insinuate themselves into the affections of men, chiefly the great and rich; they were the readier to be every where treated with contempt and persecution, instead of regard and belief, to discover an imposture trusted to them; and without divine assistance, the less capable to form such an incomparably exalted scheme of doctrines and morals, or make it so remarkably triumph over all opposition from hell and earth. 2. It was not proper that he should appear to the Jewish rulers, or in public streets, after his resurrection, and thus again expose himself to their cruelty. After sufficient proofs of his Messiahship, in his miracles, doctrines, and conduct, they had condemned and crucified him. They had exhausted their wits and emptied their purses, to stifle the proofs of his resurrection, which the soldiers that watched his sepulchre had given them. Such obstinate criminals had no claim to be the distinguished favourites of heaven, or honoured publishers of the gospel.—They were soon to have the irrefragable testimony of the Holy Ghost, in his miraculous and heart-conquering influences, which were a thousand times more convincing than a transient view of a body restored to life.—In fine, if any worldly influence had appeared in the rise and primary propagation of the report of his resurrection, the almighty power and wisdom of God had been less clearly manifested in its spread and success.
Objection V. "Few of the Jews, the only people that understood the ancient types and predictions relative to the Messiah, believed in Jesus of Nazareth, but held him for an impostor." Answer. This very thing verified these ancient types
and predictions, and marked him out as the true Messiah. It was expressly foretold, that he should be despised, rejected, and crucified by his countrymen. Nor, could an opposite conduct have answered his end in coming into the world to be a sacrifice for sin. Nor, without such wickedness, could they and their seed have been qualified to be the wretched witnesses of his Messiahship, and of the truth of his gospel among all nations. And their often repeated readiness to receive every pretended Messiah, makes their rejection of him the more striking.
Objection VI. "The facts of Revelation depend wholly on faith, which is the lowest kind of evidence." Answer 1. It is nevertheless the most common evidence, and the best adapted to every capacity, weak or strong. It is not by intuition, or by rational demonstration, but by faith in the testimony of others, that all our dealings with men are managed, nations governed, pleas decided, knowledge of the world procured, and trade with persons and places, which we never saw, carried on. Answer 2. The credibility of Scripture, as hath been repeatedly hinted, depends upon the strongest attestations of friends and enemies, from age to age, nay, upon the self-evidencing testimony of an infallible God, which is more clear and strong than demonstration itself.
Objection VII. "The divisions which prevail among Christians, concerning the number of their inspired books and their meaning, with the doctrines and rules therein contained, manifest that Revelation cannot be from God, who hath the hearts of all men in his hand." Answer 1. For about 1600 years past, few Christians have had either debates or doubts concerning any book really inspired. Nor have many that deserve the name of Christians, ever contended for the divine authority of the apocryphal books. Answer 2. The divisions among Christians are but a counterpart of those which take place among the extollers of the light of nature,—are a fulfilment of these Scriptures, and are by the providence of God, made useful in preserving them in their original perfection and purity, and are a remarkable evidence of their truth, as not one of the contending parties have prevailed in discovering a cheat in them.
Objection VIII. "Revelation, particularly that which relates to the Christian religion, hath not reformed the world. Many of its most noted professors habitually contemn its plain and fundamental rules,—in not washing one another's feet,—in taking usury for the money which they lend,—in eating things strangled in blood, in swearing assertory or promissory oaths. Their own candid authors represent most of their clergy as consummate villains, and many of their people as worse than heathens." Answer 1. It is too true, that many professors of revealed religion, of whom our infidel doctors are ordinarily a part, habitually disregard
the fundamental doctrines and laws of it;—and that even true Christians come not near to that perfection which is required of them. But, 2. The rules pointed at in the objection were never reckoned either fundamental or unlimited. Washing of feet, as a part of kindness to strangers, being common in warm countries, where they walked without shoes, is put for kind and humble behaviour toward brethren, John 13:15; 1 Tim 5:10.—The eating of things strangled, and of blood, was merely forbidden only for a time, in condescension to the Jewish Christians, who, till their city and temple were destroyed, retained an ill-grounded zeal for their ancient ceremonies, Acts 15:20,29.—The Christian law never prohibited oaths necessary in witness-bearing, or in self-engagement,—but the swearing vainly, falsely, or in common conversation, or by creatures, Matt 5:33-37; James 5:12.—As the Israelites, in order to preserve them from infection by their idolatrous neighbours, had little traffic,—and as their possessions reverted to the original proprietors in every year of jubilee, God forbade them to take usury from one another, at least if poor, but allowed them to take it from others, Deut 32:19; Lev 25:36-37. Christians still hold it unlawful to take usury from such as are poor, and can make no gain by their money. 3. In every place where Christianity hath properly prevailed, idolatry and savage barbarity have been proportionally extirpated, and humanity, honesty, and benevolence, have taken place.—History, indeed, records the clerical crimes; but it mentions few but noisy hustlers in the church, whose practice is seldom the best, and overlooks multitudes who had silently followed the example of Christ. Besides, most of these infamous clergymen had nothing of Christianity but the mere name. Christian authors sometimes exaggerate the faults of their professed brethren, in order to make them ashamed; and compare only the worst of them with the best of the heathens.—But it is certain, that Christianity hath produced among the clergy and people, multitudes of amiable characters, with which the best of the heathens are altogether unworthy to be compared. 4. If the corruptions of Christians be sufficient to prove that their revelation is not from God, the horrible corruptions of the Greeks, Romans, etc. under the meridian lustre of their philosophy and researches into the law of nature, must as effectually prove that it is not from God. And I suppose the true disciples of the mere light of nature in the northeast of Asia, or south of Africa, or in America, etc. are not much superior in virtue to the wicked Christians in Britain. 5. This objection turns out to be a proof of the divine original of the Christian revelation. It represents the Christian clergy and people exactly answerable to the Scripture predictions concerning many of them, 2 Tim 3:1-6,13 and 2 Tim 4:3-4.
1 Tim 4:1-3; Acts 20:29-30; 2 Thess 2:3-12; Rev 13; Rev 17; Matt 24; 1 Pet 2-3; Jude 4-19. And, since these wretches never attempt to conform revelation to their inclinations and practices, it is evident that God, from regard to it, must keep them under some infallible restraint.
From the above proofs of the divine authority of the revelation contained in our Bibles, it is evident that the apocryphal books of Esdras, Tobit, Judith, etc. are not to be reckoned any part of it. 1. The Jews, to whom the keeping of the oracles of God was committed, Rom 3:2; Ps 147:19-20, never received or acknowledged these books as divinely inspired, and have always considered Malachi as the seal or last of their prophets. And indeed, he himself hints, that no prophet should arise after him, till John Baptist, Mal 4:4-5. 2. There is no approbation of these books in the New Testament, nor a single sentence of them quoted. 3. The writers of them plainly hint, that themselves were not prophets, nor inspired, but liable to mistake, and did need the pardon of the reader, Ecclesiasticus i. 1,3,5; 1 Maccabees ix. 27; 2 Maccabees ii. 24,27, and 2 Maccabees xiii. 39. 4. There is not, in these books, that stamp of divine wisdom, majesty, goodness, and holiness, as in the books which we admit for canonical. 5. In all of them there are things false, or disagreeable to the oracles of God.—On these or the like accounts, they were not admitted into the list of canonical books, by Melito, Origen, Eusebius, Athanasius, Cyril, Nazianzen, Epiphanius, Amphilochius, Tertullian, Ruffinus Philastrius, Jerome, and other ancient Fathers, or by the councils of Laodicea and Constantinople. Nor, for ought I certainly know, by any council except that infamous one of Trent, that of Florence being properly none; nor, till the ninth and tenth centuries, in which men were plunged into popish darkness and stupidity, were they of much repute.
Several books mentioned in Scripture, as of Jasher,—The wars of the Lord, etc. are not now extant, at least under the ancient names. But, if their contents have not been ingrossed in those that we still have, we ought not to suppose that they had been divinely inspired. 1. The Scripture assures us of God's preservation of all the inspired writings of the Old Testament, Matt 5:18; Luke 16:29,31 and Luke 24:27,44; Rom 15:4. 2. It is altogether inconsistent with the wisdom and goodness of God, to suppose that his providence would permit a book to be lost, which he had intended for standing use in the church. 3. The zeal of the Jews for their sacred books rendered the losing of any of them almost impossible. Nor does Christ or his apostles ever blame them for either losing or corrupting any of them.
The Old Testament doth not now bind men to an observance of typical ceremonies, or laws strictly judicial. But in so far as it instructs them in revealed truths, or inculcates moral duties, it continues its whole binding force, till the end of time. 1. Christ came not to destroy the law or the prophets, but to fulfil them, Matt 5:17,19. 2. The Scriptures of the Old Testament are recommended as a rule in the New, Luke 16:29,31; John 5:39; Rom 15:4; 2 Tim 3:15-17; 2 Pet 1:19; Acts 17:11 and Acts 26:22; Matt 22:29. 3. The writings of the prophets, as well as of the apostles, are the foundation of the New Testament church, Eph 2:19-20. 4. Our knowledge and faith of the creation, fall of man, and of Christ being the promised Messiah, etc. much depends on the books of the Old Testament, Luke 16:16 and Luke 24:27,44; John 1:45; Acts 10:43; Acts 13:47; Acts 26:22; Acts 28:23; Rom 10:4 and Rom 3:21; 2 Cor 3:3,7; Eph 2:19-20.
While no more but a small portion of divine truth, easy to be remembered, was revealed;—while the principal teachers of it lived many hundred years, in which they had opportunity to communicate it to multitudes;—and while delusions were less known in the world,—God exhibited his will only in words.—But, when his revelations became so extensive, that men's memories could not easily retain them all;—when the teachers' lives were exceedingly shortened;—when his peculiar people had exceedingly multiplied;—when he intended to render the manifestations of his mind in dreams and visions less frequent,—it became necessary, for the better preservation and propagation of his revelations, that they should be committed to writing.—The penmen did not write them of their own accord, but as expressly or implicitly commanded by God, Exod 17:14 and Exod 34:27; Deut 31:19; Isa 8:1; Isa 30:8; Jer 30:2; Jer 36:2; Ezek 43:11; Dan 12:4; Hab 2:2; Rev 1:11-19; Rev 14:13; Rev 2-3; Isa 6:9; Matt 28:19.—Nevertheless, a divine commission to teach, bound none to write, unless the Holy Ghost directed and determined them to it. And hence several prophets and apostles never wrote any part of Scripture.
The church is, 1. The keeper and guardian of the oracles of God, Rom 3:2. 2. The public director to, and exhibiter of what is truly his word, Isa 30:21; 1 Tim 3:15. 3. The protector of it against the assaults of adversaries, 1 Tim 3:15. But perhaps the pillar and ground of truth, there mentioned, may mean not the church, but the great mystery of godliness represented in 1 Tim 3:16. 4. The preacher and publisher of the contents of Scripture, 2 Cor 5:18-20; Rom 10:15,17. 5. The explainer of the meaning of Scripture, Acts 13:15-41,47; Neh 8:8.—But the Scriptures do not derive their authority from the church, but from God alone. 1. The
church hath all her authority from the Scriptures being founded on them, and so can give no authority to them more than to God himself, Eph 2:20; John 5:39; Acts 17:11. 2. If we believe the Scripture on the ground of church-authority, we subordinate the authority of God to that of the church, contrary to Acts 4:19 and Acts 5:29; John 20:29,31; Isa 8:20; 2 Chron 20:20. 3. If we admit the authority of the church, as the foundation of the truths revealed in Scripture, our faith is but human, standing in the wisdom and veracity of men, not in the power of God, contrary to 1 Cor 2:5; 2 Cor 4:2 and 2 Cor 1:24; 1 Thess 1:5 and 1 Thess 2:13. 4. Even Christ and his apostles submitted their authority to be tried by the Scriptures, John 5:39; Gal 1:8-9; 2 Pet 1:16-19; Acts 17:11 and Acts 26:22. 5. From what church doth the Scripture derive its authority? Is it from the ancient or the modern church?—from the collective or the representative church?—from the church universal or particular?—from the pope, or a council?—Papists do not know.
The Scriptures are plain and perspicuous. Every thing necessary to be known, believed, or practised, in order to our salvation, is so clearly and plainly revealed in some passages of them, [WCF 1.7] that every serious inquirer of moderate capacity, may, by diligent consideration, understand it. 1. God himself expressly declares the Scriptures to be plain, Deut 30:11-14; 2 Cor 4:2-4; Rom 16:26. 2. They are represented as a lamp and a light, for the instruction of the simple, Ps 19:7-8 and Ps 119:105,130; Prov 6:23 and Prov 1:4; 2 Pet 1:19. 3. All adult persons, however weak, are commanded to read and meditate on them, that they may receive instruction, John 5:39; Luke 16:29,31; Acts 17:11; Deut 6:6-9; Isa 8:20 and Isa 34:16; Rev 1:3; Ps 1:2 and Ps 119:97-100; Matt 22:29. 4. The many repetitions, explications, with the multitude of figures and emblems drawn from common things, manifest, that God really intended to speak intelligibly to men: nor could he fail in his design.—But, as the mysteries contained in the Scripture cannot be comprehended by our finite and weak minds; and there are hard passages, chiefly in history and prophecies, which do not so nearly concern our salvation, 2 Pet 3:16; Rev 5:1,3, the diligent use of means is necessary in order to understand it. And, even the plainest passages of it cannot be spiritually and savingly understood, without the special illumination of the Holy Ghost. 1. Spiritual blindness reigns or prevails in men's minds, while they remain on earth, 1 Cor 2:14; 2 Cor 3:5,14; 2 Cor 4:4; Eph 5:8; Rev 3:17-18; Ps 119:18 and Ps 139:6; Ps 73:22; Prov 30:2-3. 2. In the declarations and promises of God, and in the prayers of his saints, this special illumination
is represented as necessary to our savingly understanding the mind of God, Ps 25:8-9,14 and Ps 119:18,27,33-34; Isa 48:17 and Isa 54:13 and Isa 59:21 and Isa 29:18,24 and Isa 50:4; Luke 24:45; John 6:44-45; 1 Cor 2:10,12; 2 Cor 4:6; Eph 1:17-18 and Eph 3:14-19; 1 John 2:20,27; John 16:7-14 and John 14:26; Prov 1:23.
Not merely the express words of Scripture, but also the consequences justly deducible from them, are included in the regulating standard of our faith and practice. 1. All Scripture is profitable for doctrine,—for instruction, correction, and comfort; all which ends cannot be obtained but by deduction of consequences, 2 Tim 3:16-17; Rom 15:4; John 20:31. 2. God's wisdom requires, that he should speak to his rational creatures in a manner answerable to their reasoning faculties; and that he should intend whatever meaning may be reasonably deduced from his words, Prov 8:4 with 1 Cor 10:15 and 1 Cor 2:15. 3. The Scriptures must be searched, in order to find their meaning, Isa 34:16; John 5:39; Acts 17:11; Prov 2:2-4; Ps 1:2 and Ps 119:97. 4. Christ and his apostles often reasoned from Scripture-consequences, Matt 22; Rom 3; Rom 9-11; Gal 3-4; Heb 1-13.—In our deduction of Scripture-consequences, our reason is the instrument, by which we discern them in the text, and draw them out; but it is not the ground of our believing them,—even as seeing and hearing are instrumental in our attaining the knowledge of the Scriptures, but are not the ground of our faith in them.
The Scriptures, including the necessary consequences of their express words, are a perfect and complete rule of our faith and practice, informing us of every thing which we ought to believe or do, in order to our entrance into the glorified state. 1. The Scripture is represented as perfect, fitted to answer every necessary end, and to bring us to everlasting happiness, Ps 19:8-9; John 20:31; 1 John 5:13; Rom 15:4; 2 Tim 3:15-17; Ps 119:97-100; Gal 6:16. 2. We are solemnly prohibited to add to, or take from it, in the least, Deut 4:2 and Deut 12:32; Gal 1:8-9; Rev 22:18-19. 3. All doctrinal traditions of men relative to our faith or practice in religion are plainly condemned and rejected by God, Matt 15:2-3,9; Isa 8:20; 1 Cor 4:6.—Indeed, many of Christ's expressions are not mentioned in Scripture, but in it we have the substance of them, and all that God requires us to know concerning him, John 21:25 and John 20:31.—The traditions which the Thessalonians are required to hold fast and observe, were the doctrines of faith and the rules of conversation held forth to them in the apostolical sermons and writings, at that time, when the greater part of the New Testament was unwritten, 2 Thess 2:15; 2 Thess 3:6.—The trust committed to Timothy
was not oral traditions, but the gospel and form of sound words, and the excellent gifts with which God had qualified him for preaching it, 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Tim 1:13. The Popish as well as the Jewish traditions, are so uncertain in their origin, and in their conveyance, and most of them so plainly disagreeable to the word of God, as to merit none of our regard.
No new revelations are to be added to the oracles of God contained in the Scriptures. 1. Though particular favourites of God may enjoy his private suggestions relative to private events or duties,—no private Spirit is to be regarded as a director to the church, Gal 1:8-9; 2 Thess 2:2; Acts 18:28; Isa 8:20.—And, even private suggestions from God are ordinarily conveyed in some scripture. 2. The deceitfulness of Satan and our own hearts render private revelations very uncertain to ourselves, and much more so to others, Jer 17:9; Prov 28:26; 2 Cor 11:14 and 2 Cor 2:11; 2 Thess 2:9-10; Matt 24:24.—And it is observable, that none plead for the authority of private revelations, but such as, by the contrariety of their opinions and practices to the Scripture, manifest themselves to be led by a Spirit of delusion, 3. The Scriptures expressly foretel the rise of false prophets, under a mask of high attainments in religion, Matt 7:15 and Matt 24:11,24; Acts 20:29-30; 2 Thess 2:8-9; 1 Tim 4:1-3; 2 Tim 3:2-6,13; 1 John 4:1 and 1 John 2:18.—To anticipate objections it may be observed, 1. That the word of God is spiritual, quick, and powerful, and becomes a dead letter, only through the corruption of men's hearts, Rom 7:6,14; Heb 4:12; 2 Cor 3:6. 2. That the Scripture-promises of the Spirit relate either to his extraordinary influences in the Apostolic age, or his ordinary operations in other ages, by means of the Scripture—which are sometimes expressed in figurative language, Joel 2:28; Acts 2:16-18; Rom 8:16; 1 Thess 5:19; John 14:26 and John 16:14; 1 John 2:20,27 and 1 John 5:6.
The perfection of the Scripture also excludes all dictates of Fathers or writers of the primitive church after the apostles, from all place in the regulating standard of our faith and practice. 1. All these fathers were fallible men, and often changed their opinions. Augustine, one of the most judicious of them all, wrote a whole book retracting his mistakes. 2. In their writings, especially if extensive, they often contradict themselves, as well as one another. 3. Sensible of their readiness to err, they earnestly warn their readers against an implicit believing or following of themselves. 4. Several productions ascribed to them, are not really theirs. And such as they formed have been exceedingly corrupted by the ignorance, inadvertence, or villany of the transcribers.—Most of these reasons equally
militate against our receiving the decrees of Popes or Councils, as any part of our Rule in religion.
The Scriptures being our only rule of faith and practice, in order to eternal life, ought to be read both publicly and privately, in a language that is understood. 1. The Lord commands and encourageth all adult persons of every age and rank to read them, Deut 6:6; Deut 11:19; Deut 17:18-19; Deut 31:11-12; Josh 1:8; Isa 8:20; Isa 34:16; Luke 16:29,51; John 5:39; Ps 1:2; 1 Tim 4:13; Rev 1:3; Acts 17:11,—and reproves men for their ignorance of them, Matt 22:29; Hos 4:6 and Hos 8:12; Isa 27:11. 2. The approved practice of saints exemplifies the reading of Scripture, Neh 8:3,6,8; Luke 4:16; Acts 13:27 and Acts 15:21 and Acts 17:11 and Acts 8:28; 2 Tim 3:15. 3. The Scripture is formed and appointed by God for the use of all men in general, Heb 2:1; Rom 1:2; Eph 3:9; and the several uses of it, mentioned by the Holy Ghost, are necessary for all men, 2 Tim 3:15-17; Rom 15:4; John 20:31; Eph 6:17; 2 Cor 3:4; 1 Pet 1:23; 1 Pet 2:2; Ps 119:9,11; 2 Pet 3:1; Jude 3; 1 John 1:4; 1 John 2:26 and 1 John 5:13. 4. The saints' characters of prophets, priests, and judges require them all to be thoroughly acquainted with God's mind and law, Ps 105:15; 1 Pet 2:5,9; 1 Cor 2:15; 1 Cor 6:2. 5. The Scriptures were originally written in languages, which were then understood by the people of God and others to whom they came, clearly with a view that all might read them, and therefore ought still to be translated into the vulgar languages, that every one may read and understand them. [WCF 1.8] And indeed, till Antichrist prevailed in the church, great care was taken to have them both translated and read.
Every passage of Scripture may be applied to the different purposes of instruction, direction, reproof, consolation, and the like, 2 Tim 3:16-17; Rom 15:4.—Many have a complex meaning relating first to the type, and then to the antitype. The Jews, being a typical nation, much of their history hath such a complex sense. Many prophecies have a complex meaning, including several steps of fulfilment in the Jewish nation, Christian church, and heavenly state, the former steps being types or earnests of the latter,—or, in both church and state.—In the Song of Solomon, and similar allegories, the spiritual things intended by the Holy Ghost are the only meaning, which the emblems are used merely to represent. But no Scripture hath two or more meanings strictly different. 1. The Scripture is fitted to render men wise unto salvation; and therefore must exhibit the mind and will of God in a certain, clear, and determinate manner, 2 Tim 3:15; Ps 19:7; Ps 119:97-100. 2. Its uncorrupted purity and perspicuity proves, that the same passages cannot have several different meanings,
Ps 12:6; 1 Pet 2:2. 3. None of its texts being of private interpretation, no meaning ought ever to be affixed to any, but that which was certainly intended by the Holy Ghost, 2 Pet 1:20-21; 2 Pet 3:16; 2 Cor 2:17.—The apostles indeed sometimes quote, or seem to quote, passages of the Old Testament, in a sense which we apprehend not to be literal. But these either relate to things typical, and have their fulfilment in different steps: or, they are quoted merely by accommodation to the apostle's subject: or, perhaps are not quoted at all, but merely alluded to, in expressions almost similar.
All men, particularly all Christians, have a right to judge for themselves of the meaning of Scripture, [cf. WCF 20.2] with a judgment of discretion. And their exercising it is both commended and commanded by God; nor could their reading or hearing of Scripture be profitable to their souls without it, Acts 17:11; 1 Cor 2:15 and 1 Cor 10:15 and 1 Cor 7:23; 2 Cor 4:2; Heb 5:14; Gal 1:8; 1 John 4:1; 1 Thess 5:21; Rom 15:4; John 5:39; Isa 34:16.—Church rulers have a definitive public ministerial power to judge the meaning of Scripture, that they may declare and apply it to others, Mal 2:7; Matt 28:19-20; 2 Tim 2:15-16 and 2 Tim 4:2; Neh 8:8; Acts 2:29,36,39 and Acts 8:35 and Acts 20:20-21,24,27-32; 1 Cor 15:1,3-4,11-12 and 1 Cor 4:1-2 and 1 Cor 2:4-5 and 1 Cor 1:24; 2 Cor 1:24; Heb 5:12; 1 Cor 14:29,32-33.—But no mere man, neither church, nor fathers, nor popes, nor councils, are infallible judges as to the meaning of Scripture, or supreme determiners of controversies in religion. But the Holy Ghost himself speaking in the Scripture, is the only supreme and infallible judge. 1. All churches and councils consist of, and all popes and fathers are, fallible men. They have often erred and contradicted themselves, or one another, [WCF 31.4] and are sometimes the parties to be judged. Nor are men capable of judging in causes which were never before them, or did not exist in their particular form, till many years after their death. 2. The Scripture never mentions any such infallible judge on earth. 3. The command of God, and the example of Christ and his apostles, require us to appeal the determination of every dispute relative to faith and practice in religion to the Scripture itself, Deut 17:10; Isa 8:20 and Isa 34:16; Luke 16:29,31; John 5:39; 1 John 4:1; 2 Pet 1:19; Acts 17:11; James 4:11-12; Matt 23:8-10 and Matt 4:2-10 and Matt 22:29-33; John 5; John 7-8; John 10; Luke 24:27, Acts 15:15-20 and Acts 18:28 and Acts 26:22. And the Pharisees and Sadducees are condemned for departing from the Scripture as their standard of judgment, Matt 15:3,9 and Matt 22:29.
Human reason is of great use to examine the Scripture marks of its divine authority;—to defend it against enemies
who attempt to deny, corrupt, or wrest it;—to draw out the consequences, and trace out the manifold connection between the divine mysteries contained in it;—to compare scriptures one with another, or even with the laws of nature;—to illustrate divine truths by hints taken from philosophy, natural history, etc. and thus to discover whether such a meaning affixed to a text be contrary to common sense, or to other passages of Scripture, Matt 7:15 and Matt 16:6; Col 2:8; 1 Thess 5:21; Heb 5:14; Acts 17:11; 1 Cor 2:15; 1 Cor 10:15; 1 Cor 11:13; Gal 3:15-17; 2 Tim 3:16; Titus 1:9.—But human reason is not to be admitted to judge what parts of revelation are to be believed and practised, what not; or even as an infallible mean of understanding the meaning of Scripture; for, 1. The reason of unregenerate men is wholly, and that of regenerate men partially blind and corrupt, Eph 4:17-18; Rom 1:27-28; Rom 8:7-8; Jer 17:9; Eph 5:8; 1 Cor 2:14; 1 Cor 1:19,21; 1 Cor 3:19-20; Deut 29:4; 2 Cor 4:3-4; 2 Cor 3:5,14-15; 2 Cor 11:3; 1 Cor 13:12. 2. The mysteries of Revelation infinitely transcend our reason, and are incomprehensible by it, 1 Cor 1:19-20; 1 Cor 2:9; 1 Cor 3:18-19; Rom 11:33; 1 Tim 3:16; John 1:18; Matt 16:17; Matt 11:25. 3. God represents our faith, in the matters of religion, as not founded upon the authority of men, but only on his oracles of truth, Deut 4:1; Isa 8:20; John 5:39; John 20:31; 2 Tim 3:15; Rom 10:14-17; 1 Thess 2:16; 2 Pet 1:19; Acts 17:11; 2 Cor 1:24; 2 Cor 4:2; 1 Cor 2:4-5.—Our religion is nevertheless a reasonable service, not outward and carnal like the Jewish ceremonies, but spiritual, performed in the gracious exercise of our reason, Rom 12:1.
The proper means of understanding and explaining the Scriptures, are, 1. Much fervent prayer for the powerful illumination and direction of the Holy Ghost, who indited them, and for his effectual application of them to our heart, Ps 119:18; Eph 1:18-19 and Eph 3:14-19. 2. Frequent attentive reading of them, and meditating on them, with a single and earnest desire to know the mind of God by them, laying open and submitting our consciences to it, that we may believe and practise it, John 5:39; Acts 17:11; Ps 1:2; Ps 119:97-100; 1 Tim 4:13,15; Matt 6:22. 3. Careful comparison of scriptures one with another, that they may illustrate one another, and that we may never affix any sense to a particular text, but that which is agreeable to the analogy of faith or general scheme of gospel truth, and also to the context, Rom 12:6. 4. We must carefully attend to the occasion and scope of the book, and particular passage, which we incline to understand or explain, that the sense on which we fix may be corresponding. 5. We must never depart from the true literal sense of a text, in order to fix on that which some call the spiritual meaning, without the most
evident and forcible reasons. Nor ever fix a carnal sense upon any text which is clearly allegorical.—Spiritual improvement may and ought to be drawn from every passage: but no plain historical one ought to be wrested into any mystical meaning.—If histories relate to types, the history of the type and the mystery of the antitype, ought to be conjunctly considered. 6. Especially they, who profess to explain the scripture to others, ought to understand it in its original languages, in which the truths of God appear with incomparable light and emphasis.—Such as cannot read the originals, ought carefully to peruse the best translations and their marginal readings. 7. The figures of Scripture language ought to be carefully observed, and the customs alluded to, and sects and offices mentioned, to be thoroughly known. 8. To understand the histories, and especially the predictions, we ought to be furnished with a considerable knowledge of geography and of the history of the nations, and especially of the church. 9. We must never rest in a general knowledge of a text, but diligently search out what is chiefly and emphatically represented in it;—the discernment of which often depends upon our accurate attention to a single and insignificant-like particle in it, as in, by, of, through, when, then, but, yet, therefore, etc. 10. Careful, but never implicit perusal of judicious commentaries, especially such as are most evangelical and practical, which earnestly attend to the connection, and lead us to compare one text with another. 11. In perusing the Scriptures, we ought always seriously to remember, that we are in God's presence, listening to his voice, and searching his word, in which the eternal salvation of our soul is contained. Scarcely any thing more effectually hardens the heart, than a mere notional or philosophical perusal of the Scriptures.
In general, the Scripture is divided into the Old Testament, which, representing Christ as to come in the flesh, was published before his incarnation:—and the New, which represents him as already come in the flesh, humbled in his obedience and sufferings, and exalted in his resurrection and ascension to heaven, and hath been since published, and is far more clear and spiritual, and directed to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews.—In both Testaments, at least in the translations, we have first the historical books, which are generally plainest; next the doctrinal, many passages of which need to be illustrated from the historical; and lastly, the prophetical, which are generally most obscure, and need to be illustrated from the preceding classes.—In respect of their matter, the revelations contained in Scripture may be distinguished into, 1. Histories, which represent the past circumstances of cities and countries, and what hath been done by God or men. 2. Predictions, in which God foretels
what should happen in some future periods. 3. Doctrines, which declare the permanent nature of persons and things,—as of God in his perfections, persons, purposes, and works; of angels, in their qualities, states, and work;—of man in his innocent, fallen, recovered, and eternal states;—or concerning the covenants of work and of grace, in their origin, making, parties, parts, and administration, etc. 4. Laws, in which the nature and parts of our duty to God, to ourselves, and to our neighbours, and the means of our salvation, are exhibited and appointed. 5. Promises, in which God intimates his will to confer benefits on men; and, 6. Threatenings, in which he declares his will to punish or correct men for their transgressions of his law. Both these last are related to predictions, and are sanctional enforcements of his laws; and many of them are conditional, the promises supposing some good quality or behaviour in the promises, or persons to whom they are made;—and the threatenings supposing continued impenitence in sinning: hence their fulfilment is not to be expected or feared, unless the supposed conditions first take place.—Some promises and threatenings are running or permanent, respecting blessings or miseries, which are common to men in every nation or age. Others are restricted to particular periods, persons, or societies.
All things delivered in Scripture are equally true, Ps 12:6; Ps 19:9; Ps 119:128; Prov 30:5. But they are not all of equal importance, Matt 23:23; Mark 12:30-34. Some being fundamental truths, without the knowledge, faith and practice of which, no adult person can be saved; others not fundamental in this sense;—and others so connected with both kinds, that it can scarcely be determined to which of them they chiefly belong.—It is certain, that nothing can be a fundamental article of revealed religion, which is not plainly as well as really contained in the Scripture, 2 Tim 3:15-17; 1 Cor 1:24-25; Matt 11:25; Heb 5:11-14; Heb 6:1-2. It is no less clear, 1. That every truth, without the knowledge of which there can be no faith in Christ, repentance unto life, or worship of the true God, must be fundamental, Heb 11:6; Heb 12:14; Titus 2:11-12; Mark 16:16; Rom 10:14; John 17:3; John 5:23-24 with John 10:30; 1 John 2:23; 2 John 9. 2. Every truth, to the cordial belief of which eternal salvation is annexed in Scripture; and with the ignorance or unbelief of which eternal damnation is connected, must be fundamental: as, That Christ is come in the flesh, and is risen from the dead; and that we are saved by God's free grace, and justified through the imputed righteousness of Christ, 1 John 4:2-3; John 8:24; John 3:18,36; Rom 10:3,9-10; Gal 1:8-9; Gal 2:19-21; Gal 5:2,4; 1 Cor 15:14. 3. Every truth, which the Scripture represents as a foundation,—as the doctrines concerning Christ's mediatorial person, offices, and
states, must be fundamental, 1 Cor 3:11; Eph 2:20; Matt 16:16,18; 1 Tim 3:15-16; 1 Cor 1:24; 1 Cor 2:2; Phil 3:8; 1 Cor 15:14; 2 Tim 2:8. 4. Every truth, without the knowledge of which, other fundamental truths cannot be known or believed, must be held as fundamental.—Thus the knowledge of our sinfulness and misery as declared by God, is necessary to our knowledge of Christ and his salvation, and our believing on him as our Saviour, 1 John 1:8,10; 1 Tim 1:15; Matt 9:13; Matt 18:11; Rev 3:17-18; Hos 13:9.
As God hath given us no precise list of fundamental truths;—as some truths which perhaps are not strictly fundamental, lie very near the foundation, and some truths in an advanced state of the church may be fundamental, which were not so in her infant-state,—as all the truths of Revelation are of unspeakable importance, and even essentially necessary in their own place,—and as all attempts to determine which are fundamental, and which not, are calculated to render us deficient and slothful in the study of religious knowledge;—To fix precisely what truths are fundamental and what not, is neither necessary, nor profitable, nor safe, nor possible.—But it is certain, that the whole of the Christian religion doth not consist in the temper of mind, or in the observance of God's commands, and having a hope in his promises, without regard to orthodoxy of principles. 1. God in his word, besides precepts and promises, hath plainly revealed many things, which, it cannot be supposed, he hath done in vain, Rom 1-11; Gal 1-4; 2 Cor 5; Eph 1-4; Col 1-2; Heb 1-10; etc. 2. Knowledge of, and soundness in the principles of revealed religion, are commanded, recommended, promised, and prayed for, in Scripture, as a necessary part of religion, 1 Tim 2:4; 1 John 3:23; 1 John 2:23; John 17:3 and John 20:31; 2 Tim 3:15; 2 Tim 2:8; 2 Tim 1:1; 1 John 9-10; Isa 1:3; Isa 27:11; Hos 4:6; 2 Thess 1:8; 2 Cor 4:3-4; Isa 11:9; Isa 29:18,24; 2 Pet 1:2; Col 2:2; Col 3:16; Eph 1:18; Eph 3:17-19; Eph 4:14. 3. There can be no acceptable obedience to God's precepts, or hope in his promises, without the sound knowledge of them, and the true faith of other divine truths, Rom 10:9-10; Rom 14:23; Heb 11:6; John 6:29,39-40. 4. Such as obstinately maintain opinions contrary to the fundamental truths of the gospel are accursed by God, and condemned to everlasting destruction, Titus 3:10; 1 John 2:22-23; Gal 1:8-9; Gal 5:20.
Reflection. Ponder now, my soul! Are these oracles of God, these testimonies and testaments of Jesus Christ, my heritage, the words upon which he hath caused me to hope? Are they my divine charter for my everlasting life?—Are they even now my food, and the rejoicing of my heart?—Are they sweeter
than honey to my taste, and more gladdening than great spoil?—Are they my counsellors, with whom I converse by day and by night,—in the house, or on the way,—when I lie down and when I rise up?—Do I, in very deed, understand their delightful contents? Do I believe their exceeding great and precious promises?—Do, or can I, sing their new songs in the house of my pilgrimage?—While I speak or write of them, are they to me a vailed, a dead letter? Or, Are they indeed the self-evidencing word of God,—spirit and life,—quick and powerful, piercing to the dividing asunder of my joints and marrow?—What passages have particularly affected my soul; and in what manner?—What have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against God? What promises have I received, and held fast as my enriching bonds on the Bank of Jesus, and his Father's infinite grace?—What have I laid up for cordials to my soul, in her departing moments?—Dare not, my soul, to commence or continue a preacher of these divine truths, while I myself have no spiritual knowledge of their power.—Alas! how shall I hold up my face at Jesus's tribunal, if I wickedly take his covenant in my mouth,—publishing it to others, before my own heart say of it, This is all my salvation, and all my desire.—Blush deep, O my soul,—that I have so long enjoyed this scripture glass, and turned my back to it;—so little beheld Jesus and his salvation in it!—that I have had in my house this treasure, this live coal of infinite, of redeeming love, and yet my heart so little moved, melted, and inflamed by it!—that I have so long had this table, richly furnished with the flesh, the blood, nay all the fulness of God, and yet have scarcely tasted that the Lord is gracious;—that I have so long had my hands full of this grace and truth,—full of redemption through Jesus's blood, full of a three-one God of infinite and everlasting excellency and love,—and yet my heart still so empty.—Let not me dare to proceed to the contemplation of his nature and works, till I believe his word, and receive his unspeakable gift, that I may, on that ground, all along say of him, My Lord and my God,—My God and My All.