Images de page
PDF
ePub

of the inspired writings have long since disappeared, yet there is ample evidence that, by the singular care and providence of God, they have been preserved pure in all ages, and that the copies which we now possess generally coincide with the originals. The purity of the Old Testament Scriptures is confirmed by the general coincidence of the present Hebrew copies with all the early translations, and particularly with the Septuagint version. It may also be observed, that although our Lord frequently reproved the rulers and teachers of the Jews for their erroneous and false doctrines, yet he never accused them of any corruption in their sacred books; and the apostle Paul reckons it among the privileges of the Jews, that to them, "were committed the oracles of God," without ever insinuating that they had been unfaithful to their trust. The animosity which has ever since prevailed betwixt Jews and Christians has rendered it impossible for either of them to vitiate these sacred writings without immediate detection. The corruption of the books of the New Testament is altogether incredible. Had any party entertained a wish to alter them, it would have been impossible for them to succeed. Copies were speedily multiplied; they were early translated into the dif ferent languages of the several nations among which the gospel was planted; the Christian fathers embodied numerous quotations from them into their writings; various sects soon arose, keenly opposed to each other, but all receiving the same sacred books, and these became a check upon each other, and rendered corruptions and interpolations impracticable. Every succeeding age increased the difficulty; and though the comparison of a multitude of ancient manuscripts and copies has discovered a vast number of various readings, occasioned by the inadvertency and inaccuracy of transcribers, yet none of these differences affect any one article of the faith and comfort of Christians.

2. As the Scriptures were originally written in the languages which, at the time of writing them, were most generally understood, God has hereby intimated his will, that they should be translated into the vernacular language of different nations, that every one may read and understand them. This we maintain in opposition to the Church of Rome, which forbids the translation of the Scriptures into the vulgar languages, and declares the indiscriminate reading of them to be highly dangerous. Though the free use

of the Scriptures be prohibited by that church, they were certainly intended by God for all ranks and classes of mankind. All are enjoined to read the Scriptures (John v. 39); and the laity are commended not only for searching them, but for trying the doctrines of their public teachers by them. Acts xvii. 11. It is, therefore, necessary that the Scrip tures should be translated into the language of every nation; and the use of translations is sanctioned by the apostles, who frequently quoted passages of the Old Testament from the Septuagint.

3. The best and only infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture, is the Scripture itself. Some things that are briefly and obscurely handled in one place, are more fully and clearly explained in other places; and, therefore, when we would find out the true sense of Scripture, we must com. pare one passage with another, that they may illustrate one another; and we must never affix a sense to any particular text, but such as is agreeable to "the analogy of faith," or the general scheme of divine truth. The compilers of the Confession affirm, that the sense of Scripture is not manifold, but one. No doubt, many passages of Scripture have a complex meaning, as some prophecies have several steps of fulfilment, in the Jewish nation, the Christian church, and the heavenly state, and some passages have one thing that is typical of another. Yet these only make up that one and entire sense intended by the Holy Ghost. No Scripture can have two or more meanings properly different, and nowise subordinate one to another, because of the unity of truth, and because of the perspicuity of the Scripture.

4. That the Scriptures are the supreme standard of reli gious truth, is asserted in opposition to the Socinians, who maintain that reason is the standard by which we are to judge of the doctrines of revelation, and that we are bound to receive nothing as true which reason does not comprehend. There is, no doubt, much use for the exercise of reason in matters of religion; but, it may be remarked, “that the office of reason, in reference to a revelation, is not to discuss its contents, to try them by its own standard, and to approve, or disapprove, as they agree or disagree with it; for this would be to treat it as if it were not a revelation, at the moment when we acknowledge it to be such; or to insinuate that the word of God, although known to be his word, is not entitled to credit, unless it be supported by in

dependent proof. The sole province of reason is to examine the evidence exhibited to show that it is his word, and to investigate its meaning by rules which are used in determining the sense of any other book. These preliminaries being settled, the state of mind which a revelation demands is faith, implicit faith, to the exclusion of doubts and objections; the subjection of our understanding to the authority of Godentire submission to the dictates of infinite wisdom. The reason is, that his testimony supplies the place of all other evidence."*

That the Supreme Judge, by which all controversies in religion are to be determined, is no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture, is asserted in opposition to the Papists, who maintain that the church is an infallible judge in religious controversies; though they do not agree among themselves whether this infallible authority resides in the Pope, or in a council, or in both together. Now, the Scripture never mentions such an infallible judge on earth. Neither Pope, nor councils, possess the properties requisite to constitute a supreme judge in controversies of religion; for they are fallible, and have often erred, and contradicted one another. Although the church or her ministers are the official guardians of the Scriptures, and although it belongs to them to explain and enforce the doctrines and laws contained in the word of God, yet their authority is only ministerial, and their interpretations and decisions are binding on the conscience only in so far as they accord with the mind of the Spirit in the Scriptures. By this test, the decisions of councils, the opinions of ancient writers, and the doctrines of men at the present time, are to be tried, and by this rule all controversies in religion must be determined. Isa. viii. 20; Matt. xxii. 29.

CHAPTER II.

OF GOD AND OF THE HOLY TRINITY.

SECTION I.-There is but one only1 living and true God, who is infinite in being and perfection,3 a most

2

Deut. vi. 4. 1 Cor. viii. 4, 6.

21 Thess. i. 9. Jer. x. 10.

3 Job xi. 7-9; xxvi. 14.

* Dick's Lectures on Theology, vol. ii., p. 5.

15

pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions, immutable, immense," eternal,10 incomprehensible," almighty,12 most wise,13 most holy,14 most free," most absolute,16 working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and most righteous will,17 for his own glory;18 most loving,19 gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin;20 the rewarder of them that diligently seek him;21 and withal most just and terrible in his judgments;22 hating all sin,23 and who will by no means clear the guilty.

24

SECTION II. God hath all life,25 glory,26 goodness,27 blessedness,28 in and of himself; and is alone in and unto himself all sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which he hath made, not deriving any glory from them,30 but only manifesting his own glory, in, by, unto, and upon them: he is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom, are all things;31 and hath most sovereign dominion over them, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever himself pleaseth.32 In his sight all things are open and manifest;33 his knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature,34 so as nothing is to him contingent or uncertain.35 He is most holy in all his counsels, in all his works, and in all his commands.36 To him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience, he is pleased to require of them.37

[blocks in formation]

EXPOSITION.

We are here taught—First, That there is but one God. Secondly, That he is the only living and true God. Thirdly, That he is a most pure Spirit. Fourthly, That he is possessed of all possible perfections.

1. The assertion that there is but one God, does not mean that there is but one divine person, for it is afterwards stated that "in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons;" but it means that the Divine Being is numerically one in nature or essence. This is affirmed in opposition to the Polytheism of heathen nations, and to the heresy of the Tritheists, who hold that there are three distinct Godheads, or that one Godhead is divided into three distinct parts. The unity of the Divine Being might be discovered by the light of nature, for the same process of reasoning which leads to the idea of a God, leads also to the conclusion, that there can be no more Gods than one. There can be but one first cause, one self-existent, independent, omnipotent, infinite, and supreme Being; it is a contradiction to suppose otherwise. Hence, though the rude unthinking multitude among the pagans adored gods many, and lords many, yet the wiser of their philosophers had their one supreme god; and their poets sung of one sovereign deity, whom they called the Father of gods and men. It is unquestionable, however, that the heathen world received a multiplicity of gods, and the philosophers contented themselves with empty speculations about the nature of the Deity; and, instead of instructing the vulgar in the unity of God, confirmed them in their error, by practically complying with the customs of their country. But divine revelation has firmly established the doctrine of God's unity. Jehovah solemnly declares, “I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me." Deut. xxxii. 39. "Before me there was no god formed, neither shall there be after me." Isa. xliii. 10. The inspired writers of the Old Testament have said of him, "The Lord he is God; there is none else beside him," (Deut. iv. 35); and, "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord." Deut. vi. 4. Jesus adds his testimony to this great truth; he told the scribe that came to question him about his religion, "The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord;" and he spoke with high approbation of the answer returned to this, in which "the scribe said unto him,

66

« PrécédentContinuer »