08. Appendix to Book VI — Part I.

Appendix to Book VI — Part I. This discourse will be closed with a summary representation of the nature of and reason of that faith with which we believe the Scripture is the word of God, and some attestations given to the substance of what has been delivered concerning it. As to the first part of the design, the things that follow are proposed:

I. As to the inquiry, on what grounds, or for what reason, we believe that the Scripture is the word of God, many things are supposed which are agreed upon by all hands. Their demonstration or proof does not belong to our present work. Such are —

1. The being of God and his self-subsistence, with all the essential properties of his nature.

2. Our relation to him and dependence on him as our creator, benefactor, preserver, judge, and rewarder, as to both temporal and eternal things. Therefore —

3. "Whatever may be known of God" by the light of nature — whatever is manifest in or from the works of creation and providence, and the necessary actings of conscience — as to the being, rule, and authority of God, is assumed to be acknowledged in this inquiry.

4. That beyond the conduct and guidance of the light of nature, a supernatural revelation of His mind and will is necessary, that men may live to God, believe and put their trust in him according to their duty, in that obedience which he requires of them, so as to come to the enjoyment of him — especially in that condition which all mankind is in since the entrance of sin.

5. That all those to whom God has granted divine revelations immediately from himself, for their own use and the use of all other men to whom they were to be communicated, were infallibly assured that they came from God; and their minds were in no way imposed on in this.

6. That all these divine revelations, so far as they are in any way necessary to guide and instruct men in the true knowledge of God, and in that obedience which is acceptable to him, are now contained in the Scriptures, or those books of the Old and New Testament which are commonly received and accepted among all sorts of Christians.

These things, I say, are supposed for our present inquiry, and taken for granted, so that the reader is not to look for any direct proof of them in the preceding discourse. But on these suppositions, it is alleged and proved —

1. That all men to whom this Scripture is duly proposed, are bound to believe that these books of the Old and New Testament are the word of God — that is, they contain and exhibit an immediate, divine, supernatural revelation of his mind and will, so far as needful to live to him — and that nothing is contained in them except what is of the same divine origin.

2. The obligation of this duty to thus believe that the Scripture is the word of God, arises partly from the nature of the thing itself, and partly from the special command of God. For because it is the revelation of the will of God — and without the knowledge of his will, and assent to it, we cannot live to God as we should, nor come to the enjoyment of him — it is necessary that we believe it to these ends; and God requires that we do so.

3. We cannot thus believe it in a way of duty, except upon sufficient evidence and prevalent testimony that it is so.

4. There are many cogent arguments, testimonies, and motives, to persuade, convince, and satisfy unprejudiced persons, that the Scripture is the word of God or a divine revelation. And these are sufficient in every way to close the mouths of opponents, proceeding on those principles of reason which are accepted and approved by mankind generally. And arguments of this nature may be taken from almost all considerations of the properties of God and his government of the world, of our relation to him, and of what belongs to our present peace and future happiness.

5. From the arguments and testimonies of this nature, a firm persuasion of mind that the Scripture is the word of God may be attained, defensible against all objections. And that is such that those who do not live in contradiction to their own light and reason, through the power of their lusts, cannot help but judge that it is their wisdom, duty, and interest to yield obedience to his will as revealed in this word.

6. Yet that persuasion of mind which may thus be attained, and which rests wholly upon these arguments and testimonies, is not entirely that faith with which we are obliged to believe that the Scripture is the word of God in a way of duty. For this faith is not to be merely human, however firm a persuasion it may be. Rather, it is to be divine and supernatural faith — of the same kind as that by which we believe the things themselves that are contained in the Scripture.

7. We cannot thus believe that the Scripture is the word of God, nor believe any divine truth contained in it, without the effectual illumination of our minds by the Holy Ghost. To exclude the consideration of his work in this, is to cast the whole inquiry outside the limits of Christian religion.

8. Yet this work of the Holy Spirit in the illumination of our minds — by which we are enabled to believe in a way of duty with supernatural and divine faith — is not the ground and reason why we believe, or the evidence on which we believe; nor is our faith resolved into this.

9. Because there are also various other acts of the Holy Spirit in and upon our minds, establishing this faith against temptations to the contrary, and further assuring us of the divine origin of the Scripture, or testifying it to us, none of them severally, nor all of them jointly, are the formal reason of our faith, nor the ground on which we believe. Yet they are such that, without the first work of divine illumination, we cannot believe at all in a due manner. And without his other consequent operations, we cannot steadfastly believe against temptations and oppositions. Therefore —

10. Only those whose minds are enlightened, and who are enabled to believe by the Holy Ghost, can rightly believe that the Scripture is the word of God, in a way of duty.

11. Those who do not believe are of two sorts: they are either those who oppose and dispute the word as a cunningly-devised fable, or those who are willing, without prejudice, to attend to its consideration. The former sort may be resisted, opposed, and rebuked by external arguments, and those moral considerations which vehemently persuade of the divine origin of the Scripture. And from the same principles, their mouths may be stopped as to their cavils and exceptions against it. The other sort is to be led to believing, by the ministry of the church in the dispensation of the word itself; this is the ordinance of God to that purpose. But —

12. Neither sort ever comes to truly believe, either by being induced to it merely by force of moral arguments, or upon the authority of that church by whose ministry the Scripture is proposed to them to be believed. Therefore —

13. The formal reason of divine and supernatural faith, by which we believe that the Scripture is the word of God in the way of duty, and as it is required of us, is the authority and veracity of God alone, evidencing themselves to our minds and consciences in and by the Scripture itself. In this consists that divine testimony of the Holy Ghost which, as it is a testimony, gives our assent to the Scriptures, the general nature of faith; and as it is a divine testimony, it gives our assent the special nature of divine and supernatural faith.

14. This divine testimony given to the divine origin of the Scripture, in and by itself, and into which our faith is ultimately resolved, is evidenced and made known by the characteristics of the infinite perfections of the divine nature that are in it and upon it. And so too by the authority, power, and efficacy it has over and upon the souls and consciences of men, and the satisfactory excellence of the truths contained in it, and with which it is accompanied.

15. Thus, although there are many cogent external arguments by which a moral, steadfast persuasion of the divine authority of the Scriptures may be attained; and although it is the principal duty of the true church in all ages to give testimony to this — which it has done successively at all times since first it was entrusted with it; and although there are many other means by which we are induced, persuaded, and enabled to believe it; yet it is for its own sake only, efficaciously manifesting itself to be the word of God, or upon the divine testimony that is given in it and by it, that we believe it to be so, with divine and supernatural faith.

Corollary. Those who either deny the necessity of an internal subjective work of the Holy Ghost enabling us to believe, or the objective testimony of the Holy Spirit given to the Scripture in and by itself, or who deny their joint concurrence in and to our believing, deny all faith that is properly divine and supernatural.

II. This being the substance of what is declared and pleaded for in the preceding treatise, to prevent the obloquy 174 of some and confirm the judgment of others, I will add the suffrage175 of ancient and modern writers given to its principal parts, on which all other things asserted in it depend.

Clemens Alexandrinus176 discourses at large to this purpose, —

"We have the Lord himself for the principle or beginning of doctrine; by the prophets, the gospel, and blessed apostles, in various manners and by diverse degrees, He goes before us, or leads us to knowledge." 177 This is what we lay down as the reason and ground of faith — namely, the authority of the Lord himself instructing us by the Scriptures. So he adds: —

"And if anyone supposes that he needs any other principle, the principle will not be kept." That is, if we need any other principle into which to resolve our faith, the word of God is no longer a principle to us.

"But the one who is faithful from himself is worthy to be believed in his sovereign writing and voice. As it appears, this is administered by the Lord for the benefit of men. And certainly we use it as a rule of judging to discover things. But whatever is judged is not credible, nor is it to be believed until it is judged; and what stands in need of being judged, is not a principle." 178 The intention of his words is that God, who alone is to be believed for himself, has given us his word as the rule by which we are to judge all things. And this word is to be so believed as not to be subject to any other judgment; because if it is, then it cannot be either a principle or a rule. And so he proceeds: —

"Therefore, it is fitting that, embracing by faith the most sufficient, indemonstrable principle, and taking the demonstrations of the principle from the principle itself, we are instructed by the voice of the Lord himself, unto the acknowledgement of the truth."179 In few words he declares the substance of what we have pleaded for. We maintain no more in this cause than what Clement asserts here — namely, that we believe the Scripture for itself, as that which needs no antecedent or external demonstration, but all the evidence and demonstration of its divine origin is to be taken from itself alone. He still further confirms this: —

"For we would not attend or give credit simply to the definitions of men, seeing that we also have a right to define in contradiction to them. And seeing that it is not sufficient merely to say or assert what appears to be truth, but to also instill a belief of what is spoken, we do not expect the testimony of men, but confirm what is inquired about with the voice of the Lord. This is fuller and firmer than any demonstration — Rather, it is indeed the only demonstration. Thus, taking our demonstrations of the Scripture out of the Scripture itself, we are as assured by faith, as we are by demonstration." 180 And in other places, such as Strom. 4, he plainly affirms that the way of Christians was to prove the Scripture by itself, and to prove all other things by the Scripture.

Basilius181 speaks to the same purpose on Psalms 105 : — "Faith, which draws the soul to assent above all methods of reasonings; faith, which is not the effect of geometrical demonstrations, but of the efficacy of the Spirit."182 Basil is asserting the nature, cause, and efficacy of that faith by which we believe that the Scripture is the word of God.

Nemsius,183 De Homin., cap. ii. — "The doctrine of the divine oracles has its credibility from itself, because of its divine inspiration." 184 The words of Austin, though taken notice of by all, may yet be reported here again.

"I would hear, I would understand how You made the heaven and the earth. Moses wrote this; he wrote it, and has gone from here to You, for he is not now before me. For if he were, I would hold him, and ask him, and beseech him, for Your sake, that he would open these things to me; and I would apply the ears of my body to the sounds breaking forth from his mouth. But if he were to use the Hebrew language, he would affect my sense in vain, for he would not touch my mind at all. If he spoke Latin, I would know what he said, but how would I know that he spoke the truth? And if I knew this also, would I know it by him? Within me, in the habitation of my own thoughts, not in Hebrew, Greek, Latin, nor any barbarous language, without the organs of the mouth or tongue, without the noise of syllables, Truth would say, ’He speaks the truth.’ And being immediately assured or certain of it, I would say to that servant of yours, ’You speak truth.’ Therefore, because I cannot ask him, I ask you, O Truth, the truth which, being filled with it, he spoke the things that are true. O my God, I ask of you, pardon my sins; and You who gave these things to your servant to speak, give me to understand them."185

What is most remarkable in these words is that Austin plainly affirms that faith would not ensue on the declaration of the prophets themselves if they were present with us, unless there is an internal work of the Holy Spirit upon our minds to enable us, and persuade our minds of it. And, indeed, he seems to place all assurance of the truth of divine revelations in the inward assurance which God gives us of them by his Spirit; which we have considered before. The Second Arausican Council186 gives full testimony to the necessity of the internal grace of the Spirit that we may believe: Canon 7.187 To descend to later times, in which these things have been greatly disputed, the truth nonetheless beamed such light into the eyes of many, that it forced an acknowledgement from them, once they examined themselves about it. The words of Baptista Mantuanus188 are remarkable,

"I have often thought with myself why the Scripture itself is so persuasive, from where does it so powerfully influence the minds of its hearers, that it inclines or leads them not only to have an opinion, but to surely believe. This is not to be imputed to the evidence of reasons, which it does not produce; nor to the industry of art, with words that are smooth and fit to persuade, which it does not use. See then if this is not the cause of it: that we are persuaded that it comes from the first Truth or Verity. But from where are we so persuaded, if not from itself alone — as if its own authority effectively draws us to believe it? But from where, I pray, does it have this authority? We did not see God preaching, writing, or teaching it. Yet, as if we had seen Him, we believe and firmly hold that the things which we read, proceeded from the Holy Ghost.

It may be that this is the reason why we so firmly adhere to it: that truth is more solid in it, though not more clear, than in other writings. For all truth has a persuasive power — the greater the truth, the greater the power. And that truth which is greatest, has the greatest efficacy of all. But why, then, do not all believe the gospel? Answer: Because all are not drawn by God. But what need is there of any long disputation? We therefore firmly believe the Scriptures, because we have received a divine inspiration assuring us." 189 And in the preceding discourse it has been declared in what sense this is allowed. I will close the whole with the testimony of those by whom the truth which we assert is most vehemently opposed when it rises in opposition to a special interest of their own.

There are two things which are principally objected to in the doctrine of Protestants concerning our belief of the Scripture: The first is with respect to the Holy Spirit as the efficient cause of faith. Because Protestants teach that no man can believe that the Scripture is the word of God in a due manner, and according to his duty, without the real internal aid and operation of the Holy Ghost, however it is proposed to him, and with whatever arguments the truth of its divine origin is confirmed, this is charged against them as an error and a crime. And secondly, because Protestants also affirm that there is an inward testimony or witness of the Holy Spirit, by which He assures and confirms the minds of men in the faith of the Scriptures, with an efficacy exceeding all the persuasive evidence of outward arguments and motives, they are also maligned for this by some. And yet those of the Roman church who are looked to as the most averse to that resolution of faith which most Protestants acquiesce in, expressly maintain both these assertions. The design of Stapleton190 is to prove with various arguments, "that it is impossible to produce any act of faith, or to believe with faith, rightly so called, without special grace, and the divine infusion of the gift of faith." 191 And Bellarmine192 speaks to the same purpose: —

"The arguments which render the articles of our faith credible are not those which produce an undoubted faith, unless the mind is divinely assisted."193 Melchior Canus,194 expressly argues to this purpose:

"This is to be firmly held: that human authority and all the motives mentioned before, or any other which may be used by the one who proposes the object of faith that is to be believed, are not sufficient causes of believing as we are obliged to believe. But there is necessary, moreover, an internal efficient cause moving us to believe, which is the special help or aid of God." 195 And a little after, he says still more plainly,

"For this reason, all external human persuasions or arguments are insufficient causes of faith, however the things of faith may be sufficiently proposed by men. There is, moreover, an internal cause necessary, that is, a certain divine light given to us by the grace of God, inciting us to believe, or certain internal eyes to see." 196 Indeed, all other learned men of the same profession speak to the same purpose.

They no less comply with the other assertion also. Stapleton says,

"The secret testimony of the Spirit is altogether necessary, that a man may believe the testimony and judgment of the church about the Scriptures." 197 And the words of Gregory de Valentia198 are remarkable. Let any man compare his words with those of Calvin — which, as I remember, I cited before 199 —and he will know where their sense was taken from:

"Because we have up to now pleaded arguments for the authority of Christian doctrine, which even by themselves ought to suffice for prudent persons to induce their minds to belief, yet I do not know whether there is not an argument greater than them all — namely, that those who are truly Christians, find or feel by experience their minds so affected in this matter of faith, that they are moved (and obliged) to firmly believe. This is not for any argument that we have used, nor for any argument of a like sort that can be discovered by reason, but for something else which persuades our minds in another manner, and far more effectively than any arguments whatever."200 And to show what he means by this internal argument and persuasion, he affirms elsewhere that,

"It is God himself who, by the voice of his revelation, and by a certain internal instinct and impulse, witnesses to the minds of men, the truth of Christian doctrine or of the holy Scripture."201

I have produced these few testimonies among the many that might be urged to the same purpose — not to confirm the truth which we have pleaded for, which stands on far surer foundations, but only to obviate prejudices in the minds of some who, not being very conversant in things of this nature, are ready to charge202 what has been singularly delivered to this purpose.