II. Those give too much (in bulk, but too little in virtue) to the Scripture, 1. Who would set them up instead of the whole law and light of nature, as excluding this as useless where the Scripture is.
2. And they that feign it to be instead of all grammars, logic, philosophy, and all other arts and sciences, and to be a perfect, particular rule for every ruler, lawyer, physician, mariner, architect, husbandman, and tradesman, to do his work by.
3. And they that feign it to be fully sufficient to all men to prove its own authority and truth, without the subsidiary use of that church history and tradition which telleth us the supposed matters of fact, and must help us to know what books are canonical and what not; and without historical evidence, that these are the true books which the prophets and apostles wrote, and the miracles and providences which have attested them.443
4. And those that think that it is sufficient for its own promulgation, or the people's instruction, without the ministry of man to preserve, deliver, translate, expound, and preach it to the people.
5. And those that think it sufficient to sanctify men, without the concourse of the Spirit's illumination, vivification, and inward operation to that end.444
6. And they that say that no man can be saved by the knowledge, belief, love, and practice of all the substantial parts of christianity brought to him by tradition, parents, or preachers, who tell him nothing of the Scriptures, but deliver him the doctrines as attested by miracles and the Spirit without any notice of the book.445
7. And those that say that Scripture alone must be made use of as to all the history of Scripture times, and that it is unlawful to make use of any other historians (as Josephus and such others).
8. And they that say, no other books of divinity but Scripture are useful, yea or lawful to be read of christians, or at least in the church.
9. And they that say that the Scriptures are so divine, not only in matter, but in method and style, as that there is nothing of human (inculpable) imperfection or weakness in them.
10. And those that say that the logical method, and the phrase, is as perfect as God was able to make them.
11. And they that say that all passages in Scripture, historically related, are moral truths; and so make the devil's words to Eve, of Job, to Christ, &c. to be all true.
12. And they that say that all passages in the Scripture were equally obligatory to all other places and ages, as to those that first received them, (as the kiss of peace, the veils of women, washing feet, anointing the sick, deaconnesses, &c.)
13. And they that make Scripture so perfect a rule to our belief, that nothing is to be taken for certain, that cometh to us any other way (as natural knowledge, or historical).
14. And those that think men may not translate the Scripture, turn the Psalms into metre, tune them, divide the Scripture into chapters and verses, &c. as being derogatory alterations of the perfect word.
15. And those that think it so perfect a particular rule of all the circumstances, modes, adjuncts, and external expressions of and in God's worship, as that no such may be invented or added by man, that is not there prescribed; as time, place, vesture, gesture, utensils, methods, words, and many other things mentioned before.446
16. And those that Jewishly feign a multitude of unproved mysteries to lie in the letters, order, numbers, and proper names in Scripture (though I deny not that there is much mystery which we little observe).
17. They that say that the Scripture is all so plain, that there are no obscure or difficult passages in them, which men are in danger of wresting to their own destruction.
18. And they that say that all in the Scripture is so necessary to salvation, (even the darkest prophecies,) that they cannot be saved that understand them not all; or at least endeavour not studiously and particularly to understand them.447
19. And they that say that every book and text must of necessity to salvation be believed to be canonical and true.
20. And those that say that God hath so preserved the Scripture, as that there are no various readings and doubtful texts thereupon,448 and that no written or printed copies have been corrupted (when Dr. Heylin tells us, that the king's printer printed the seventh commandment, Thou shalt commit adultery). All these err in over-doing.
III. The dangers of the former detracting from the Scripture are these: 1. It injureth the Spirit who is the author of the Scriptures. 2. It striketh at the foundation of our faith, by weakening the records which are left us to believe; and imboldeneth men to sin, by diminishing the authority of God's law; and weakeneth our hopes, by weakening the promises. 3. It shaketh the universal government of Christ, by shaking the authority or perfection of the laws by which he governeth. 4. It maketh way for human usurpations, and traditions, as supplements to the holy Scriptures; and leaveth men to contrive to amend God's word and worship, and make co-ordinate laws and doctrines of their own. 5. It hindereth the conviction and conversion of sinners, and hardeneth them in unbelief, by questioning or weakening the means that should convince and turn them. 6. It is a tempting men to the cursed adding to God's word.
IV. The dangers of over-doing here are these: 1. It leadeth to downright infidelity; for when men find that the Scripture is imperfect or wanting in that which they fancy to be part of its perfection, and to be really insufficient, e. g. to teach men physics, logic, medicine, languages, &c. they will he apt to say, It is not of God, because it hath not that which it pretends to have. 2. God is made the author of defects and imperfections. 3. The Scripture is exposed to the scorn and confutation of infidels. 4. Papists are assisted in proving its imperfection. But I must stop, having spoke to this point before in quest. 35, and partly quest. 30, 31, 33, more at large.
Quest. CLXVII. How far do good men now preach and pray by the Spirit?
Answ. 1. Not by such inspiration of new matter from God as the prophets and apostles had which indited the Scriptures.
2. Not so as to exclude the exercise of reason, memory, or diligence: which must be as much and more than about any common things.
3. Not so as to exclude the use and need of Scripture, ministry, sermons, books, conference, examples, use, or other means and helps.
But, 1. The Spirit indited that doctrine and Scripture which is our rule for prayer and for preaching.
2. The Spirit's miracles and works in and by the apostles seal that doctrine to us, and confirm our faith in it.449
3. The Spirit in our faithful pastors and teachers teacheth us by them to pray and preach.450
4. The Spirit by illumination, quickening, and sanctification, giveth us an habitual acquaintance with our sins, our wants, with the word of precept and promise, with God, with Christ, with grace, with heaven. And it giveth us a habit of holy love to God, and goodness and thankfulness for mercy and faith in Christ, and the life to come, and desires of perfection, and hatred of sin; and he that hath all these, hath a constant habit of prayer in him; for prayer is nothing but the expression with the tongue of these graces in the heart; so that the Spirit of sanctification is thereby a Spirit of adoption and of supplication. And he that hath freedom of utterance can speak that which God's Spirit hath put into his very heart, and made him esteem his greatest and nearest concernment, and the most necessary and excellent thing in all the world. This is the Spirit's principal help.451
5. The same Spirit doth incline our hearts to the diligent use of all those means, by which his abilities may be increased; as to read, and hear, and confer, and to use ourselves to prayer, and to meditation, self-examination, &c.
6. The same Spirit helpeth us in the use of all these means, to profit by them, and to make them all effectual on our hearts.
7. The same Spirit concurreth with means, habits, reason, and our own endeavours, to help us in the very act of praying and preaching. 1. By illuminating our minds to know what to desire and say. 2. By actuating our wills to love, and holy desire, and other affections. 3. By quickening and exciting us to a liveliness and fervency in all. And so bringing our former habits into acts, the grace of prayer is the heart and soul of gifts; and thus the Spirit teacheth us to pray.452
Yea, the same Spirit thus by common helps assisteth even bad men in praying and preaching, giving them common habits and acts that are short of special saving grace. Whereas men left to themselves without God's Spirit, have none of all these forementioned helps. And so the Spirit is said to intercede for us by exciting our unexpressible groans; and to help our infirmities when we know not what to ask as we ought.453
Quest. CLXVIII. Are not our own reasons, studies, memory, strivings, books, forms, methods, and ministry, needless, yea, a hurtful quenching or preventing of the Spirit, and setting up our own, instead of the Spirit's operation?
Answ. 1. Yes; if we do it in a conceit of the sufficiency of ourselves,454 our reason, memory, studies, books, forms, &c. without the Spirit; or if we ascribe any thing to any of these which is proper to Christ or to his Spirit. For such proud, self-sufficient despisers of the Spirit, cannot reasonably expect his help. I doubt among men counted learned and rational there are too many such,455 that know not man's insufficiency or corruption, nor the necessity and use of that Holy Ghost into whose name they were baptized, and in whom they take on them to believe. But think that all that pretend to the Spirit are but fanatics and enthusiasts, and self-conceited people; when yet the Spirit himself saith, Rom. viii. 9, "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, the same is none of his." And Gal. iv. 6, "Because we are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."
2. But if we give to reason, memory, study, books, methods, forms, &c. but their proper place in subordination to Christ and to his Spirit, they are so far from being quenchers of the Spirit, that they are necessary in their places, and such means as we must use, if ever we will expect the Spirit's help. For the Spirit is not given to a brute to make him a man, or rational; nor to a proud despiser, or idle neglecter of God's appointed means, to be instead of means; nor to be a patron to the vice of pride or idleness, which he cometh chiefly to destroy; but to bless men in their laborious use of the means which God appointed him: read but Prov. i. 20, &c. ii. iii. v. vi. viii., and you will see that knowledge must be laboured for, and instruction heard; and he that will lie idle till the Spirit move him, and will not stir up himself to seek God, or strive to enter in at the strait gate, nor give all diligence to make his calling and election sure,456 may find that the Spirit of sloth hath destroyed him, when he thought the Spirit of Christ had been saving him. He that hath but two articles in his creed, must make this the second: "For he that cometh to God must believe that God is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him," Heb. xi. 6.
Quest. CLXIX. How doth the Holy Ghost set bishops over the churches?
Answ. 1. By making the office itself, so far as the apostles had any hand in it, Christ himself having made their office.457
2. The Holy Ghost in the electors and ordainers directeth them to discern the fitness of the persons elected and ordained, and so to call such as God approveth of, and calleth by the Holy Ghost in them. Which was done, 1. By the extraordinary gift of discerning in the apostles. 2. By the ordinary help of God's Spirit in the wise and faithful electors and ordainers ever since.458
3. The Holy Ghost doth qualify them for the work, by due life, light, and love, knowledge, willingness, and active ability, and so both inclining them to it, and marking out the persons by his gifts, whom he would have elected and ordained to it: which was done, 1. At first by extraordinary gifts. 2. And ever since by ordinary. (1.) Special and saving in some. (2.) Common, and only fitted to the church's instruction, in others. So that whoever is not competently qualified, is not called by the Holy Ghost: when Christ ascended, he gave "gifts to men, some apostles, prophets, and evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the edifying of his body," &c. Eph. iv. 7-10.459
Quest. CLXX. Are temples, fonts, utensils, church lands, much more the ministers, holy? And what reverence is due to them as holy?
Answ. The question is either de nomine, whether it be fit to call them holy; or de re, whether they have that which is called holiness.
I. The word holy signifieth in God, essential, transcendent perfection; and so it cometh not into our question. In creatures it signifieth, 1. A divine nature in the rational creature, (angels and men,) by which it is made like God, and disposed to him and his service, by knowledge, love, and holy vivacity; which is commonly called real saving holiness as distinct from mere relative. 2. It is taken for the relation of any thing to God as his own peculiar appropriated to him: so infinite is the distance between God and us, that whatever is his in a special sense, or separated to his use, is called holy; and that is, 1. Persons. 2. Things. 1. Persons are either, (1.) In general devoted to his love and service. (2.) Or specially devoted to him in some special office; which is, (1.) Ecclesiastical. (2.) Economical. (3.) Political. Those devoted to this general service are, (1.) Either heartily and sincerely so devoted, (who are ever sanctified in the first real sense also). (2.) Or only by word or outward profession. 2. Things devoted to God are, 1. Some by his own immediate choice, designation, and command. 2. Or by general directions to man to do it. And these are, 1. Some things more nearly. 2. Some things more remotely separated to him. None of these must be confounded; and so we must conclude,
1. All that shall be saved are really holy by a divine inclination and nature, and actual exercise thereof; and relatively holy in a special sense, as thus devoted and separated to God.
2. All the baptized and professors (not apostate) are relatively holy, as verbally devoted and separated to God.
3. All that are ordained to the sacred ministry are relatively holy, as devoted and separated to that office. And the well qualified are also really holy, as their qualifications are either special or common.
4. All that are duly called of God to the place of kings, and judges, and rulers of families, are relatively sacred, as their offices and they are of God and for him, and devoted to him.
5. Temples and other utensils designed by God himself, are holy, as related to him by that designation.
6. Temples, utensils, lands, &c. devoted and lawfully separated by man, for holy uses, are holy, as justly related to God by that lawful separation. To say as some do, that They are indeed consecrated and separated, but not holy, is to be ridiculously wise by self-contradiction, and the masterly use of the word holy, contrary to custom and themselves.
7. Ministers are more holy than temples, lands, or utensils, as being nearlier related to holy things. And things separated by God himself are more holy than those justly separated by man. And so of days.
8. Things remotely devoted to God, are holy in their distant place and measure; as the meat, drink, house, lands, labours of every godly man, who with himself devoteth all to God; but this being more distant, is yet a remoter degree of holiness.460
Uncovered in church and reverent gestures.
II. Every thing should be reverenced according to the measure of its holiness; and this expressed by such signs, gestures, actions, as are fittest to honour God, to whom they are related; and so to be uncovered in church, and use reverent carriage and gestures there, doth tend to preserve due reverence to God and to his worship, 1 Cor. xvi. 20.
Quest. CLXXI. What is sacrilege, and what not?
Answ. I. Sacrilege is robbing God by the unjust alienation of holy things. And it is measured according as things are diversified in holiness; as,
1. The greatest sacrilege is a profane, unholy alienating a person to the flesh and the world, from God, and his love, and his service, who by baptism was devoted to him. And so all wicked christians are grossly sacrilegious.
2. The next is alienating consecrated persons from the sacred work and office, by deposing kings, or by unjust silencing or suspending true ministers, or their casting off God's work themselves. This is far greater sacrilege than alienating lands or utensils.
3. The next is the unjust alienating of temples, utensils, lands, days, which were separated by God himself.461
4. And next such as were justly consecrated by man; as is aforesaid in the degrees of holiness.
II. It is not sacrilege, 1. To cease from the ministry or other holy service, when sickness, disability of body, or violence, utterly disable us.
2. Nor to alienate temples, lands, goods, or utensils, when Providence maketh it needful to the church's good: so the fire in London hath caused a diminution of the number of churches: so some bishops of old, sold the church plate to relieve the poor: and some princes have sold some church lands to save the church and state in the necessities of a lawful war.462
3. It is not sacrilege to alienate that which man devoted, but God accepted not, nor owned as appropriate to him (which his prohibition of such a dedication is a proof of). As if a man devote his wife to chastity, or his son to the ministry, against their wills: or if a man vow himself to the ministry that is unable and hath no call: or if so much lands or goods be consecrated, as is superfluous, useless, and injurious to the common welfare and the state. Alienation in these cases is no sin.
Quest. CLXXII. Are all religious and private meetings, forbidden by rulers, unlawful conventicles? Or are any such necessary?
Answ. Though both such meetings and our prisons tell us how greatly we now differ about this point, in the application of it to persons and our present case, yet I know no difference in the doctrinal resolution of it among most sober christians at all (which makes our case strange).
For aught I know, we are agreed,
I. 1. That it is more to the honour of the church, and of religion, and of God, and more to our safety and edification, to have God's worship performed solemnly, publicly, and in great assemblies, than in a corner, secretly, and with few.463
2. That it is a great mercy therefore where the rulers allow the church such public worship.
3. That, cæteris paribus, all christians should prefer such public worship before private; and no private meetings should be kept up, which are opposite or prejudicial to such public meetings.
4. And therefore if such meetings (or any that are unnecessary to the ends of the ministry, the service of God and good of souls) be forbidden by lawful rulers, they must be forborne.
II. But we are also agreed, 1. That it is not the place but the presence of the true pastors and people that make the church.464
2. That God may be acceptably worshipped in all places when it is our duty.
3. That the ancient churches and christians in times of persecutions, ordinarily met in secret against the ruler's will, and their meetings were called conventicles (and slandered, which occasioned Pliny's examination, and the right he did them).
4. That no minister must forsake and give over his work while there is need, and he can do it.465
5. That where there are many thousands of ignorant and ungodly persons, and the public ministers, either through their paucity, (proportioned to the people,) or their disability, unwillingness, or negligence, or all, are insufficient for all that public and private ministerial work, which God hath appointed for the instruction, persuasion, and salvation of such necessitous souls, there is need of more ministerial help.466
6. That in cases of real (not counterfeit) necessity, they that are hindered from exercising their ministerial office publicly, should do it privately, if they have true ordination, and the call of the people's necessity, desire, and of opportunity; so be it they do it in that peaceable, orderly, and quiet manner, as may truly promote the interest of religion, and detract not from the lawful public ministry and work.
7. That they that are forbidden to worship God publicly, unless they will commit some certain sin, are so prohibited as that they ought not to do it on such terms.467
8. That the private meetings which are held on these forementioned terms, in such cases of necessity, are not to be forsaken, though prohibited; though still the honour of the magistrate is to be preserved, and obedience given him in all lawful things. And such meetings are not sinful nor dishonourable (to the assemblies); for as Tertullian (and Dr. Heylin after him) saith, Cum pii, cum boni coeunt, non factio dicenda est, sed curia: When pious and good people meet, (especially as aforesaid,) it is not to be called a faction, but a court. Thus far I think we all agree.
And that the church of England is really of this mind is certain; 1. In that they did congregate in private themselves, in the time of Cromwell's usurpation, towards the end when he began to restrain the use of the Common-prayer. 2. In that they wrote for it: see Dr. Hide "Of the Church," in the beginning. 3. Because both in the reign of former princes, since the reformation, and to this day, many laborious conforming ministers have still used to repeat their sermons in their houses, where many of the people came to hear them. 4. Because the liturgy alloweth private baptism, and restraineth not any number from being present, nor the minister from instructing them in the use of baptism (which is the sum of christianity). 5. Because the liturgy commandeth the visitation of the sick, and alloweth the minister there to pray and instruct the person according to his own ability, about repentance, faith in Christ, and preparation for death and the life to come, and forbiddeth not the friends and neighbours of the sick to be present. 6. Because the liturgy and canons allow private communion with the sick, lame, or aged that cannot come to the assembly; where the nature of that holy work is to be opened, and the eucharistical work to be performed; and some must be present, and the number not limited. 7. And as these are express testimonies, that all private meetings are not disallowed by the church of England, so there are other instances of such natural necessity as they are not to be supposed to be against. As, (1.) For a captain to pray, and read Scripture or good books, and sing psalms with his soldiers, and with mariners at sea, when they have no minister. (2.) There are many thousands and hundred thousands in England, that some live so far from the church, and some are so weak that they can seldom go, and some churches have not room for a quarter of the parish; and none of the thousands now meant can read, and so neither can help themselves, nor have a minister that will do it; and thousands that when they have heard a sermon cannot remember it, but lose it presently. If these that cannot read or remember, nor teach their own families, nor go to church, do take their families, many of them, to some one neighbour's house where the sermon is repeated, or the Bible or liturgy read, methinks the church should not be against it.
But it must be still remembered, that, 1. Rulers that are infidels, papists, heretics, or persecutors, that restrain church meetings to the injury of men's souls, must be distinguished from pious princes that only restrain heretics and real schismatics for the church's good. 2. And that times of heresy and schism may make private meetings more dangerous than quiet times. And so even the Scottish church forbad private meeting in the separatists' days of late. And when they do more hurt than good, and are justly forbidden, no doubt, in that case, it is a duty to obey and to forbear them, as is aforesaid.
Quest. CLXXIII. What particular directions for order of studies, and books, should be observed by young students?
Because disorder is so great a disadvantage to young students, and because many have importuned me to name them some few of the best books, because they have no time to read, nor money to buy many, I shall here answer these two demands.
1. The order of their studies is such as respecteth their whole lives, or such as respecteth every day. It is the first which I now intend.
Direct. I. The knowledge of so much of theology as is necessary to your own duty and salvation, is the first thing which you are to learn (when you have learnt to speak). Children have souls to save; and their reason is given them to use for their Creator's service and their salvation. 1. They can never begin to learn that too soon which they were made and redeemed to learn, and which their whole lives must be employed in practising. 2. And that which absolute necessity requireth, and without which there is no salvation. 3. And that which must tell a man the only ultimate end which he must intend, in all the moral actions of his life. For the right intention of our end is antecedent to all right use of means; and till this be done, a man hath not well begun to live, nor to use his reason; nor hath he any other work for his reason, till this be first done. He liveth but in a continual sin, that doth not make God and the public good, and his salvation, his end. Therefore they that would not have children begin with divinity, would have them serve the devil and the flesh. God must be our first and last, and all.
Not that any exact or full body or method of divinity is to be learnt so early. But, 1. The baptismal covenant must be well opened betimes, and frequently urged upon their hearts. 2. Therefore the creed, the Lord's prayer, and decalogue, must be opened to such betimes; that is, they must be wisely catechised. 3. They must be taught the Scripture history, especially Genesis and the gospel of Christ. 4. They must, with the other scriptures, read the most plain and suitable books of practical divines (after named). 5. They must be kept in the company of suitable, wise, and exemplary christians, whose whole conversation will help them to the sense and love of holiness; and must be kept strictly from perverting, wicked company. 6. They must be frequently, lovingly, familiarly, yet seriously, treated with about the state of their own souls, and made to know their need of Christ and of his Holy Spirit, of justification and renovation. 7. They must be trained up in the practice of godliness, in prayer, pious speeches, and obedience to God and man. 8. They must be kept under the most powerful and profitable ministers of Christ that can be had. 9. They must be much urged to the study of their own hearts; to know themselves; what it is to be a man, to have reason, free-will, and an immortal soul: what it is to be a child of lapsed Adam, and an unregenerate, unpardoned sinner: what it is to be a redeemed, and a sanctified, justified person, and an adopted heir of life eternal. And by close examination to know which of these conditions is their own; to know what is their daily duty; and what their danger, and what their temptations and impediments, and how to escape.
For if once the soul be truly sanctified, then, 1. Their salvation is much secured, and the main work of their lives is happily begun, and they are ready to die safely whenever God shall call them hence. 2. It will possess them with a right end, in all the studies and labours of their lives; which is an unspeakable advantage, both for their pleasing of God and profiting of themselves and others; without which they will but profane God's name and word, and turn the ministry into a worldly, fleshly life, and study and preach for riches, preferment, or applause, and live as he, Luke xii. 18, 19, "Soul, take thy ease, eat, drink, and be merry;" and they will make theology the way to hell, and study and preach their own condemnation. 3. A holy heart will be always under the greatest motives; and therefore will be constantly and powerfully impelled (as well in secret as before others) to diligence in studies and all good endeavours. 4. And it will make all sweet and easy to them, as being a noble work, and relishing of God's love, and the endless glory to which it tendeth. A holy soul will all the year long be employed in sacred studies and works, as a good stomach at a feast, with constant pleasure. And then oh how happily will all go on! When a carnal person with a dull, unwilling, weary mind, taketh now and then a little, when his carnal interest itself doth prevail against his more slothful, sensual inclinations; but he never followeth it with hearty affections, and therefore seldom with good success. 4. And a holy soul will be a continual treasury and fountain of holy matter, to pour out to others, when they come to the sacred ministry; so that such a one can say more from the feeling and experience of his soul, than another can in a long time gather from his books. 5. And that which he saith will come warm to the hearers, in a more lively, experimental manner, than usual carnal preachers speak. 6. And it is liker to be attended by a greater blessing from God. 7. And there are many controversies in the church, which an experienced, holy person (cæteris paribus) hath great advantage in, above all others, to know the right, and be preserved from errors.
Direct. II. Let young men's time (till about eighteen, nineteen, or twenty) be spent in the improvement of their memories, rather than in studies that require much judgment. Therefore let them take that time to get organical knowledge; such as are the Latin and Greek tongues first and chiefly, and then the Hebrew, Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic; with the exactest acquaintance with the true precepts of logic: and let them learn some epitome of logic without book. In this time also let them be much conversant in history, both civil, scholastical, (of philosophers, orators, poets, &c.) and ecclesiastical. And then take in as much of the mathematics as their more necessary studies will allow them time for (still valuing knowledge according to the various degrees of usefulness).