Part 9

3. As to the letter, which he wrote to them, _which made them sorry_, it is not necessary to suppose that it was written by divine inspiration; for as every thing he delivered by word of mouth, was not by the extraordinary _afflatus_ of the Holy Ghost, why may we not suppose that there were several epistles written by him to the churches, some to comfort, others to admonish, reprove, or make them sorry, besides those that he was inspired to write?

Having considered the arguments brought to prove that some books of scripture are lost, we shall now prove, on the other hand, that we have the canon thereof compleat and entire. Some think this is sufficiently evident from what our Saviour says, _Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot, or tittle shall not pass from the law_, Mat. v. 18. and _it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than for one tittle of the law to fail_, Luke xvi. 17. If God will take care of every jot and tittle of scripture, will he not take care that no whole book, designed to be a part of the rule of faith, should be entirely lost? It is objected, indeed, to this, that our Saviour hereby intends principally the doctrines or precepts contained in the law; but if the subject matter thereof shall not be lost, surely the scripture that contains it shall be preserved entire.

But this will more evidently appear, if we consider that the books of the Old Testament were compleat in our Saviour’s time; for it is said, _That beginning at Moses, and all the prophets, he expounded to them in all the scriptures, the things concerning himself_, Luke xxiv. 27. and this may also be proved from what the apostle says, _Whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning_, Rom. xv. 4. now it is impossible that they should be written for our learning if they are lost.

To this it may be added, that the goodness of God, and the care of his providence, with respect to this church, farther evinces this truth; for if he gave them ground to conclude that _he would be with them always, even to the end of the world_, Matth. xxviii. 20. surely this argues, that he would preserve the rule he had given them to walk by, from all the injuries of time, so that it should not be lost to the end of the world.

Again, the Jews were the keepers of the oracles of God, Rom. iii. 2. now they are not reproved by our Saviour, or the apostle Paul, for any unfaithfulness in not preserving them entire; and certainly our Saviour, when he reproves them for making void the law by their traditions, and threatens those that should add to or take from it, if he had found them faulty, in not having faithfully preserved all the scriptures committed to them, he would have severely reproved them for this great breach of trust.

_Object._ It is objected against the scriptures being a perfect rule of faith, that they are in several places corrupted, _viz._ that the Old Testament was so by the Jews, out of malice against our Saviour, and the Christian religion, that they might conceal, or pervert to another sense, some prophecies relating to the Messiah, and the gospel-state. And as for the New Testament, they pretend that it was corrupted by some heretics, in defence of their perverse doctrines.

_Answ._ 1. As to the Old Testament, it is very improbable and unreasonable to suppose that it was corrupted by the Jews. For,

(1.) Before our Saviour’s time, no valuable end could be answered thereby; for then they expected the Messiah to come, according to what was foretold by the prophets, and understood their predictions in a true sense.

(2.) After he was come, and Christianity took place in the world, though malice might have prompted them to it, yet they would not do it, because they had always been trained up in this notion, that it was the vilest crime to add to, take from, or alter it: so that one of their own writers[19] says concerning them, that they would rather die an hundred deaths, than suffer the law to be changed in any instance; yea, they have such a veneration for the law, that if, by any accident, part of it should fall to the ground, they would proclaim a fast as fearing lest, for this, God would destroy the whole world, and reduce it to its first chaos: and can any one think, that, under any pretence whatever, they would designedly corrupt the Old Testament? Yea, they were so far from doing it, that they took the greatest care, even to superstition, to prevent its being corrupted, through inadvertency, and accordingly numbered not only the books and sections, but even the words and letters, that not a single letter might be added to, or taken from it.

(3.) If they had any inclination to do this, out of malice against Christianity, it would have been to no purpose, after our Saviour’s time; for it was then translated into Greek, and this translation was in the hands of almost all Christians; so that the fallacy would soon have been detected. And if they had corrupted some copies of the Hebrew Bible, they could not have corrupted or altered them all; therefore to attempt any thing of this kind, would have been to expose themselves to no purpose.

(4.) It would not have been for their own advantage to pervert it; for, in altering the texts that make for Christianity, they would (especially if the fraud should have been detected) have weakened their own cause so far, that the reputation of scripture being hereby lost, they could not have made use of it to that advantage, to prove their own religion from it.

But, notwithstanding all this out-cry of the scriptures being perverted, they pretend to give no proof hereof, except in two or three words, which do not much affect the cause of Christianity; whereas, if the Jews had designed to pervert it, why did they not alter the fifty-third of Isaiah, and many other scriptures, which so plainly speak of the person and offices of the Messiah?

2. As to the other part of the objection, that the New Testament hath been corrupted by heretics since our Saviour’s time, whatever charge hath been brought against the Arians, and some others, of having out some words, or verses, which tend to overthrow their scheme, they have not been able, even when the empire was most favourable to their cause, to alter all the copies; so that their fallacy has been detected, and the corruption amended.

As for those various readings that there are of the same text, these consist principally in literal alterations, which do not much tend to pervert the sense thereof. It was next to impossible for so many copies of scripture to be transcribed without some mistakes, since they who were employed in this work were not under the infallible direction of the Spirit of God, as the first penmen were; yet the providence of God hath not suffered them to make notorious mistakes; and whatever mistakes there may be in one copy, they may be corrected by another; so that the scripture is not, for this reason, chargeable with the reproach cast upon it, as though it were not a perfect rule of faith.

Footnote 15:

He who has created all things, with all their relations, and who is the universal Sovereign, has a right to the allegiance of his rational creatures, and they are under obligation to obey his laws, because it is his will that they should do so. He has connected our _interest_ with our duty, as a motive to obedience, and because he is good; but if we should substitute utility for his authority, and conform to his laws, merely because they are advantageous, we rebel against our Sovereign, and renounce his authority, that we may pursue our own advantage. Virtue is amiable for its intrinsic rectitude. If we choose to practice it merely because _beautiful_, we please ourselves; and though the excellency of virtue is intended as a motive, and it is well for the man who is charmed by it, yet, if this be the only inducement, he has lost sight of the Divine authority, and his virtue is no obedience to the laws of God. If the obligation of virtue be founded solely on its utility, or beauty, we are at liberty to forego our advantage, or pleasure without guilt, and remorse of conscience will be unaccountable. It is also _fit and proper_, that we should practice virtue, but this is no more to be substituted for the Divine authority, than the other motives of advantage or pleasure. If it be objected, that the fitness of moral good is eternal, and a rule even to Deity, and so may be deemed a foundation of the obligation of human virtue. It is conceded that the fitness of virtue is eternal, for God is eternal, and has been always holy, and just; in the same manner also the beauty of virtue is eternal; but to suppose these to have existed anterior to thought and action, and to be independent of an eternally and immutably holy God is to indulge the mind in speculations, which, to say the least of them, are groundless. We may as well assign a cause to eternal existence, as to eternal holiness. When the Creator formed the Universe of intelligent creatures, he gave them, with their existence, the various relations and circumstances which sprang up with them: and their obligations with respect to him and his works originated at the same time, and from the same source; which could be no other than the Divine pleasure; and the positive express appointments, which have been since super-added, rest upon the same basis, the will of God.

That we might discern his will and conform to it, he has set before us his own character, which in all things is good. He has given us reason, or active intellectual powers capable of pursuing the truth, and discovering his character, as a rule of our conduct. And because reason is matured by slow degrees, and the advantages for its improvement are unequal, he has given us a sense susceptible of the impressions of good and evil, by which we can distinguish between moral good and evil almost as easily, as by our natural senses we discern the differences between light and darkness, sweetness and bitterness; and thus has he rendered the judgment upon our own actions almost always unavoidable. The light of nature has been confirmed by express revelation; and because the law of nature identifies itself with the written law of God, the obligation of both rests upon the same foundation, the Sovereign will.

Footnote 16:

Where a covenant is, there should be the death of the devoted _victim_.

Footnote 17:

PROPHETS BEFORE THE CAPTIVITY.

_With the order and times of their Prophecies._

Years before Christ.

812 Amaziah king of Judah, Jonah sent with a message. 2 Jeroboam II. king of Israel Kings xiii. 20. xiv. 25.

800 Uzziah king of Judah. Jeroboam Joel i. ii. iii. II.

800 Jeroboam II. king of Israel. Amos i.——ix. Uzziah king of Judah

800 Jeroboam II. Uzziah Hosea i. ii. iii.

772 Menahem I. Hosea iv.

770 Menahem II. Jonah i. ii. iii. iv.

759 Uzziah 52. Pekah 1. Isaiah vi. ii. iii. iv. v.

753 Jotham 5. Pekah 7. Micah i. ii.

742 Ahaz 1. Pekah 18. Isaiah vii.

In the same year Isaiah viii. ix. x.

In the same year Isaiah xvii.

740 Ahaz 3. Pekah 20. Isaiah i.

In the same year Isaiah xxviii.

739 Aphaz 4. Hosea v. vi.

726 Hezekiah 2. Isaiah xiv. ver. 28, &c.

In the same year Isaiah xv. xvi.

725 Hezekiah 3. Hoshea 6. Hosea vii.-xiv. Micah iii. iv. v. vi. vii.

720 Hezekiah 7. Nahum i. ii. iii.

715 Hezekiah 13. Isaiah xxiii.-xxvii.

714 Hezekiah 14. Isaiah xxxviii. xxxix.

714 Hezekiah 14. Isaiah xxix. xxx.-xxxv.

In the same year Isaiah xxii. ver. 1-15.

In the same year Isaiah xxi.

713 Hezekiah 15. Isaiah xx.

In the same year Isaiah xviii. xix.

710 Hezekiah 18. Isaiah x. ver. 5, &c. xi. xii. xiii. xiv. ver. 28, &c.

In the same year Isaiah xxxvi. xxxvii.

In the same year Isaiah xl.-xliii. &c.

698 Manasseh 1. Isaiah xxii. ver. 15.

628 Josiah 13. Jeremiah i. ii.

623 Josiah 18. Jeremiah xi. ver. 1-18. Jeremiah iii.-x. xii.-xxi. Jeremiah xi. ver. 18, &c.

611 Josiah 31. Habbakkuk i. ii. iii. Zephaniah i. ii. iii.

610 Jehoiakim 1. Jeremiah xii. ver. 1-24.

In the same year Jeremiah xxvi.

606 Jehoiakim 4. Jeremiah xxv.

In the same year Jeremiah xxxv.

In the same year Jeremiah xlvi.

In the same year Jeremiah xxxvi. ver. 1-9.

In the same year Jeremiah xlv.

In the same year Daniel i.

605 Jehoiakim 5. Jeremiah xxxvi. ver. 9, &c.

603 Jehoiakim 7. Daniel ii.

599 Zedekiah 1. Jeremiah xxii. ver. 24, &c.

In the same year Jeremiah xxiii

In the same year Jeremiah xiii. ver. 13, &c.

In the same year Jeremiah xxiv.

In the same year Jeremiah xlix. ver. 34, &c.

598 Zedekiah 2. Jeremiah xxix.

In the same year Jeremiah xxx. xxxi.

In the same year Jeremiah xxvii.

596 Zedekiah 4. Jeremiah xxviii.

In the same year Jeremiah l. li.

595 Zedekiah 5. Jehoiachin’s capt. Ezekiel i.-vii. 5

594 Zedekiah 6. Jehoiachin’s capt. Ezekiel viii.-xi. 6

593 Zedekiah 7. Jehoiachin’s capt. Ezekiel xii.-xix. 7

In the same year, fifth month Ezekiel xx.-xxiii.

591 Zedekiah 9. Jehoiachin’s capt. Jeremiah xxi. xxxiv ver. 1-8. 9

In the same year Jeremiah xlvii.

In the same year Jeremiah xlviii. xlix. ver. 1-34.

In the same year Ezekiel xxiv. xxv.

590 Zedekiah 10. Jehoiachin’s Jeremiah xxxvii. ver. 1-11. capt. 10

In the same year Jeremiah xxxiv. ver. 8, &c.

In the same year Jeremiah xxxvii. ver. 11-16

In the same year Jeremiah xxxii. xxiii.

In the same year Ezekiel xxix. ver. 1-17. xxx.

In the same year Jeremiah xxxvii. ver. 17, &c.

In the same year Jeremiah xxxviii. ver. 1-14.

In the same year Jeremiah xxxix. ver. 15, &c.

In the same year Jeremiah xxxviii. ver. 14, &c.

589 Zedekiah 11. Jehoiachin’s capt Ezekiel xxxvi. xxxvii. 11. first month xxxviii.

In the same year, third month Ezekiel xxxi.

In the same year, fourth month Jeremiah xxxix. ver. 1-11. lii. ver. 1-30.

In the same year, fifth or Jeremiah xxxix. ver. 11-15. sixth month xl. ver. 1-7.

In the same year Jeremiah xl. ver. 7. xli. xlii. xliii. xliv. ver. 1-8.

PROPHETS AFTER THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE, DURING THE CAPTIVITY.

588 Jehoiachin’s captivity 12. Ezekiel xxxiii. tenth month

In the same year, twelfth Ezekiel xxxii. month

Between the 12 and 25 Ezekiel xxxiv. xxxvi. xxxvii. captivity xxxviii. xxxix.

In the same year Obadiah

In the same year Ezekiel xxxv.

In this year Nebuchadnezzar Daniel iii. set up his golden image

574 Jehoiachin’s captivity 25. Ezekiel xl. xli. &c.

569 Jehoiachin’s captivity 30. Ezekiel xxxi. ver. 17, &c.

In the same year Daniel iv.

562 Jehoiachin’s captivity 37. Jeremiah lii. ver. 31, &c.

555 Belshazzar 1. Daniel vii.

553 Belshazzar 3. Daniel viii.

539 Belshazzar 17. Daniel v.

538 Darius the Mede 1. Daniel vi.

In the same year Daniel ix.

536 Cyrus 1. Ezra i. ii.

535 Cyrus 2. Ezra iii.

PROPHETS AFTER THE CAPTIVITY UNDER THE SECOND TEMPLE.

535 Cyrus 2. Ezra iv.

In the third year of Cyrus, Daniel x. xi. xii and third after the captivity

520 Darius Hystaspis 2. sixth Haggai i. ver. 1-12. month

In the same year and month Haggai i. ver. 12, &c. Ezra v.

In the same year, seventh Haggai ii. ver. 1-10. month

In the same year, eighth month Zechariah i. ver. 1-7.

In the same year, ninth month Haggai ii. ver. 10, &c.

In the same year, eleventh Zechariah i. ver. 7, &c. month ii.-vi.

516 Darius 3. Ezra v. ver. 3, &c.

518 Darius 4. Ezra vi. ver. 1-15.

In the same year, ninth month Zech. vii. viii.

Subsequent to the fourth year Zechariah ix.-xiv. of Darius Hystaspes

515 Darius 6. Ezra vi. ver. 15, &c.

462 Ahasuerus 3. Esther i.

461 Ahasuerus 4. Esther ii. ver. 1-16.

458 Ahasuerus 7. Ezra vii.-x.

In the same year Esther ii. ver. 16-21.

457 Ahasuerus 8. Esther ii. ver. 21, &c.

453 Ahasuerus 12. Esther iii. iv. v. &c.

445 Ahasuerus 20. Nehemiah i.-iii. &c.

433 Ahasuerus 32. Nehemiah xiii. ver. 6.

429 Ahasuerus 36. Malachi i.-iv.

428 Ahasuerus 37. Nehemiah xiii. ver. 6, &c.

296 Ptolemy Soter 9. The Canon of the Old Testament completed, by adding two books of Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, and Malachi; by Simon the Just.

DR. TAYLOR.

Footnote 18:

κοσμος is the _unregenerate world_, John vii. 7. and χωρησαι, is to _receive kindly_, 2 Cor. vii. 2.

Footnote 19:

_Vid. Philo. Jud. de Vit. Mosis; & eund. citat. ab Euseb. in Præp. Evang. l. viii. c. 6. & Joseph, contr. App. l. ii._

Quest. IV.

QUEST. IV. _How doth it appear that the scriptures are the word of God?_

_Answ._ The scriptures manifest themselves to be the word of God by their majesty and purity; by the consent of all the parts, and the scope of the whole, which is to give all glory to God; by their light and power to convince and convert sinners, to comfort and build up believers to salvation: but the Spirit of God bearing witness by and with the scriptures in the heart of man, is alone able fully to persuade it, that they are the word of God.

Before we proceed to consider the arguments here brought to prove the scriptures to be the word of God, some things may be premised.[20]

1. When we speak of the scriptures as divine, we do not only mean that they treat of God and divine things; to wit, his nature and works, as referring principally to the subject matter thereof; for this may be said of many human uninspired writings, which, in proportion to the wisdom of their authors, tend to set forth the divine perfections. And when, as the consequence hereof, we assert that every thing contained therein is infallibly true, we do not deny but that there are many things, which we receive from human testimony, of which it would be scepticism to entertain the least doubt of the truth; notwithstanding, when we receive a truth from human testimony, we judge of the certainty thereof, by the credibility of the evidence, and, in proportion thereunto, there is a degree of certainty arising from it: but when we suppose a truth to be divine, we have the highest degree of certainty equally applicable to every thing that is so, and that for this reason, because it is the word of him that cannot lie. Thus we consider the holy scriptures, as being of a divine original, or given by the inspiration of God, or as his revealed will, designed to bind the consciences of men; and that the penmen were not the inventers of them, but only the instruments made use of to convey these divine oracles to us, as the apostle says, 2 Pet. i. 21. _Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake, as they were moved by the Holy Ghost_: and the apostle Paul says, Gal. i. 11, 12. _I certify unto you, that the gospel, which was preached of me, is not after man; neither received I it of man; neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ_: the former asserts this concerning scripture in general, and the latter concerning that part thereof which was transmitted to us by him: this is what we mean when we say the scripture is the word of God.

2. It is necessary for us to know and believe the scriptures to be the word of God, because they are to be received by us as a rule of faith and obedience, in whatever respects divine things, otherwise we are destitute of a rule, and consequently our religion would be a matter of the greatest uncertainty; and as this faith and obedience is divine, it is a branch of religious worship, and as such, contains an entire subjection to God, a firm and unshaken assent to whatever he reveals as true, and a readiness to obey whatever he commands, as being influenced by his authority; which is inconsistent with any hesitation or doubt concerning this matter. Moreover, it is only therein that we have an account of the way in which sinners may have access to God; the terms of their finding acceptance in his sight, and all the promises of eternal blessedness, on which their hope is founded, are contained therein; if therefore we are not certain that the scriptures are the word of God, our faith and hope are vain; it is herein that _life and immortality is brought to light_, and, by _searching them, we think that we have eternal life_.

3. As divine revelation is necessary, so it is not impossible, contrary to reason or the divine perfections, for God to impart his mind and will to men in such a way as we call inspiration: these things must be made appear, otherwise it is a vain thing to attempt to give arguments to prove the scriptures to be the word of God; and, in order hereto, let it be considered,