66 v. 29. v. 46. v. 8. to think, that all actions of men indued with the use of Reason are generally either good or evil. Whatsoever is good, the same is also approved of God; and according unto the sundry degrees of goodness, the kinds of divine approbation are in like sort multiplied. Some things are good, yet in so mean a degree of goodness, that men are only not disproved nor disallowed of God for them. "No man hateth Ephes. his own flesh." "If ye do good unto them that do so to Matt. you, the very Publicans themselves do as much." They are 1 Tim. worse than infidels that have no care to provide for their own." In actions of this sort, the very light of Nature alone may discover that which is so far forth in the sight of God allowable. Some things in such sort are allowed, that they be also required as necessary unto salvation, by way of direct, immediate, and proper necessity final; so that without performance of them we cannot by ordinary course be saved, nor by any means be excluded from life observing them. In actions of this kind, our chiefest direction is from Scripture;* for Nature is no sufficient teacher what we should do that we may attain unto life everlasting. The unsufficiency of the light of Nature is by the light of Scripture so fully and so perfectly herein supplied, that further light than this hath added there doth not need unto that end. Finally, some things, although not so required of necessity, that to leave them undone excludeth from salvation, are notwithstanding of so great dignity and acceptation with God, that most ample reward in Heaven is laid up for them. Hereof we have no commandment, either in Nature or Scripture, which doth exact them at our hands; yet those Motives there are in both, which draw most effectually our minds unto them. In this kind there is not the least action, but it doth somewhat make to the accessory augmentation of our bliss. For which cause our Saviour doth plainly witness, that there shall not be as much 66 as a cup of cold water Matt. bestowed for his sake without reward." Hereupon dependeth whatsoever difference there is between the states of Saints in glory; hither we refer whatsoever belongeth unto the highest perfection of man by way of service towards God; hereunto that fervour and first love of Christians did bend itself, causing them "to sell their possessions, and lay down Acts iv. the price at the blessed Apostles' feet;" hereat St. Paul 32, 35. [See p. 136, Note.] *[See Book I. sect. 14. p. 136, Note.] x. 42. ii. 7, 9. 1 Thess. undoubtedly did aim, in so far abridging his own liberty, and exceeding that which the bond of necessary and enjoined duty tied him unto. Wherefore seeing, that in all these several kind of actions, there can be nothing possibly evil which God approveth; and that he approveth much more than he doth command;* and that his very commandments in some kind, as namely, his precepts comprehended in the Law of Nature, may be otherwise known than only by Scripture; and that to do them, howsoever we know them, must needs be acceptable in his sight; let them with whom we have hitherto disputed, consider well how it can stand with Reason to make the bare mandate of sacred Scripture the only rule of all good and evil in the actions of mortal men. The testimonies of God are true, the testimonies of God are perfect, the testimonies of God are all-sufficient unto that end for which they were given. Therefore accordingly we do receive them; we do not think that in them God hath omitted any thing needful unto his purpose, and left his intent to be accomplished by our devisings. What the Scripture purposeth, the same in all points it doth perform. Howbeit, that here we swerve not in judgment, one thing especially we must observe, namely, that the absolute perfection of Scripture is seen by relation unto that end whereto it tendeth. And even hereby it cometh to pass, that first such as imagine the general and main drift of the body of sacred Scripture not to be so large as it is, nor that God did thereby intend to deliver, as in truth he doth, a full instruction in all things unto salvation necessary, the knowledge whereof man by nature could not otherwise in this life attain unto; they are by this very mean induced either still to look for new revelations from Heaven, or else dangerously to add to the Word of God uncertain Tradition, that so the doctrine of man's salvation may be complete; which doctrine we constantly hold in all respects without any such thing *["The Church of England professeth, that Works of Supererogation cannot be taught without arrogancy and wickedness. Article XIV. And you say, 'God approveth much more than he commandeth.' Open unto us then that seeing you seem to teach that the order and course of all things supernatural, natural, sensible, and reasonable, is a divine Law, and so by it he commandeth according to every kind; and that in the former Articles you appear to us to scatter the profane grains of Popery, Whether we may not justly judge that in thus speaking you sow the seed of the doctrine which leadeth men to those arrogant Works of Supererogation? If not, shew your own meaning, and how you esteem of this Article of our belief."-A Christian Letter, p. 14.] t[See p. 94, Note *.] added to be so complete, that we utterly refuse as much as once to acquaint ourselves with any thing further. Whatsoever, to make up the doctrine of man's salvation, is added as in supply of the Scripture's unsufficiency, we reject it. Scripture purposing this, hath perfectly and fully done it. Again, the scope and purpose of God in delivering the Holy Scripture, such as do take more largely than behoveth, they on the contrary side, racking and stretching it further than by him was meant, are drawn into sundry as great inconveniences. These, pretending the Scripture's perfection, infer thereupon, that in Scripture all things lawful to be done must needs be contained. We count those things perfect which want nothing requisite for the end whereto they were instituted. As, therefore, God created every part and particle of man exactly perfect, that is to say, in all points sufficient unto that use for which he appointed it; so the Scripture, yea, every sentence thereof, is perfect, and wanteth nothing requisite unto that purpose for which God delivered the same. So that if hereupon we conclude, that because the Scripture is perfect, therefore all things lawful to be done are comprehended in the Scripture; we may even as well conclude so of every sentence, as of the whole sum and body thereof, unless we first of all prove that it was the drift, scope, and purpose of Almighty God in Holy Scripture to comprise all things which man may practise.* But admit this, and mark, I beseech you, what would follow. God in delivering Scripture to his Church should clean have abrogated amongst them the Law of Nature, which is an infallible knowledge imprinted in the minds of all the children of men, whereby both general principles for directing of human actions are comprehended, and conclusions derived from them; upon which conclusions groweth in particularity the choice of good and evil in the daily affairs of this life. ["The sufficiency of the Bible, as a Rule of Faith and Practice, is to be considered exclusive, not of other means of rational guidance, but of all other sources of authority in matters of religious duty. It is not implied, that nothing but what Scripture commands is lawful, but that nothing which Scripture has not made to be duty, can, as respects the concerns of religion, be constituted our duty by the authority of man. The Word of God is our only Rule, in the sense both of a law and a standard; a rule sufficient, as opposed to all deficiency; exclusive, as relates to the Divine authority from which it emanates; universal, as embracing all the principles of human actions; and ultimate, as admitting of no appeal. For all religious purposes, it is literally the only rule, because the Divine command constitutes the only reason as well as the only law of religious actions; and there can, therefore, be no scope for other rules, except with regard to the mere outward circumstantials of religious duties, which do not come within the obligations of any law.”—On Protestant Nonconformity, by JOSIAH CONDER, 1818, 8vo. Vol. II. p. 318.] Luke vii. 8. Admit this, and what shall the Scripture be but a snare and a torment to weak consciences, filling them with infinite perplexities, scrupulosities, doubts insoluble, and extreme despairs? Not that the Scripture itself doth cause any such thing (for it tendeth to the clean contrary, and the fruit thereof is resolute assurance and certainty in that it teacheth), but the necessities of this life urging men to do that which the light of Nature, common discretion, and judgment of itself, directeth them unto; on the other side, this doctrine teaching them that so to do were to sin against their own souls, and that they put forth their hands to iniquity whatsoever they go about and have not first the sacred Scripture of God for direction; how can it choose but bring the simple a thousand times to their wits' end? how can it choose but vex and amaze them? For in every action of common life, to find out some sentence clearly and infallibly setting before our eyes what we ought to do (seem we in Scripture never so expert), would trouble us more than we are aware. In weak and tender minds we little know what misery this strict opinion would breed, besides the stops it would make in the whole course of all men's lives and actions. Make all things sin which we do by direction of Nature's light, and by the rule of common discretion, without thinking at all upon Scripture; admit this position, and parents shall cause their children to sin as oft as they cause them to do any thing before they come to years of capacity, and be ripe for knowledge in the Scripture: admit this, and it shall not be with masters as it was with him in the Gospel; but servants being commanded to go," shall stand still till they have their errand warranted unto them by Scripture. Which, as it standeth with Christian duty in some cases, so in common affairs to require it were most unfit. Two opinions therefore there are concerning sufficiency of Holy Scripture, each extremely opposite unto the other, and both repugnant unto truth. The schools of Rome teach Scripture to be unsufficient, as if, except Traditions were added, it did not contain all revealed and supernatural truth which absolutely is necesfor the children of men in this life to know, that they may in the next be saved. Others justly condemning this sary "Where this doctrine is accused [by Dr. W.] of bringing men to despair; it hath wrong. For when doubting is the way to despair, against which this doctrine offereth the remedy; it must needs be that it bringeth comfort and joy to the conscience of man." T. C. lib. ii. p. 61. opinion, grow likewise unto a dangerous extremity, as if Scripture did not only contain all things in that kind necessary, but all things simply, and in such sort, that to do any thing according to any other Law, were not only unnecessary, but even opposite unto salvation, unlawful and sinful. Whatsoever is spoken of God, or things appertaining to God, otherwise than as the truth is, though it seem an honour, it is an injury. And as incredible praises given unto men do often abate and impair the credit of their deserved commendation; so we must likewise take great heed, lest, in attributing unto Scripture more than it can have, the incredibility of that do cause even those things which indeed it hath most abundantly, to be less reverendly esteemed. I therefore leave it to themselves to consider, Whether they have in this first point or not overshot themselves; which, God doth know, is quickly done, even when our meaning is most sincere, as I am verily persuaded theirs in this case was.* * [Either the Scripture a perfect and sufficient Rule of Faith, or it is not. If it be, it is a contradiction in terms to say that the Church, no matter how it be expressed, by tradition or otherwise, must be joined with it. All appeal to the Scripture, but how can men of different sentiments be convinced and satisfied by the judgment of the Church, when they do not admit the authority of those who style themselves, The Church? Besides, the judgment of the Church of Christ, since the Apostles' time, never has nor can be collected. That Church spread over the world; and who can satisfy himself that he has a correct estimate from isolated or local bodies, the Church of this or that place or country; especially when he considers that no such local Church has authority to pronounce decisively the opinion of any other Church situated in other and distant parts of the world, not all of whom can have the same ground to form an equal judgment apart from " the Law and the Testimony?" Therefore no person can confide his Faith for Salvation to any other judgment than of the Scriptures alone. Our Saviour himself repelled all the temptations of Satan with texts of Scripture, and with reasons from thence; saying, "It is written," &c.-Consult LARDNER on Vincentius Lirinensis, Part II. chap. 136.] |