Q. 2 What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy Him?
A. The Word of God, which is contained in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy Him.

Intro.
Having established the principal reason for man’s creation, and the prime motive of the life of the reasonable creature, which can only be the glory of God, we are now come to the rule and standard by which that end is revealed and communicated to us. As God Himself is the chief and highest end of man, and man is a reasonable creature with the capacity to receive revelation from God, so there must by necessity be a means by which He communicates His counsel to us, a law by which we are to judge it, and a medium through which we receive such instruction. The scripture says, “God, who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.” [Heb. 1:1-2]
before saying, “Surely the LORD God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” [Amos 3:7] wherein we see,
1. The word of God is that rule which is spoken to His prophets,
2. The will of God as spoken in the word is revealed to us by His prophets,
3. The prophets declare only that which is spoken in the word,
4. The Son of God who is the Lord of the prophets came as a final witness to the veracity of the Word of God which is also testified by John the Baptist, the last of the prophets. Therefore the truth of the scripture is manifested by the prophets in the scripture whose authority comes from God Himself. In this manner the word of God proves itself to be self-authenticating. As Christ Himself saith, “Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist.” [Matt. 11:11] and which prophet testified saying, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.” [John 1:23] and again of the Christ, “I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose. ” [John 1:26-27]
and, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Matt. 3:11-12) Therefore we see that the Son of God bears witness to the Word of God being Himself the Substance and Marrow of that word, and all the prophets before Him point to Him, themselves speaking from that word, having authority only so far as that word provides. Forasmuch then that the word being written and preserved is a sufficient witness of its necessity and veracity, how much more that it is agreed upon and preached by the faithful. For if God should speak only to one man, then would not the memory itself need to be perfectly preserved in order to pass it down faithfully to the next generation? And if so, then would not he that received the message pass it down to one that should pass it down after him, or would God speak again to the generation following? Therefore the scripture being set to writing is the best and most effectual manner in which the only Wise God communicates to us and to our posterity His revealed will, and so preserves it, that every word may be kept entire and whole, and that it may be read, preached and thought upon with all reverence, diligence and carefulness. And therefore it is not without significance that the word being written down is not only for the instruction of the righteous, but also the destruction of the wicked. For when God speaks secretly and effectually to His elect by the Spirit as witnessed by the scriptures, “My sheep hear my voice.” and, “a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient…” [1 Pet. 2:8] then that same word becomes the destruction of those who are not so instructed. But how comes it to pass that the wicked are made to stumble at that very word which breathes life into the elect? Even so that they are not made to see, and even blinded by the word? [Isa. 6:10] Even for this same reason, that although God speaks in His word, which is written with paper and ink, and declares unto men His counsel and will, yet He speaks secretly, and effectually by His Spirit only to those whom He has elected from before the foundation of the world, that we who are so quickened might be able to distinguish between the holy and profane, between the righteous and the wicked, between the true interpretation and the false, the truth and the lie, and between heretics and the godly. For the larger part of the church, even those who most loudly profess their adherence to the doctrine of the word fall short of this knowledge, being left to their ignorance and unbelief. Therefore we are taught by this doctrine to hold fast to the word itself and not to carnal reason which submits blindly to men who have numbers and influence. And so, we must not faint or become discouraged because the invisible church is small, nor because wicked men and heretics with their false gloss and erroneous interpretation of scripture influence the majority of people in the visible church, but rejoice that the word of God will accomplish that which God intends, and inasmuch as it remains necessary for us as the revelation of His will, so we believe it and so we obey it. The next question we come to in the catechism then can be nothing else but that which pertains to the Holy Scriptures. For anything besides a conscious adherence to the word of God as the only rule by which to glorify Him is an empty profession. There is nothing that carnal reason delights in more than to boast in that which she does not understand, as if she did. Therefore all doctrines and practices of men which are not authorized in scripture we utterly reject, whether they come from Papists or today’s apostate Calvinists. We do not worship and glorify God according to our own standard, or the doctrines of men, nor by the rule of human reason set up like an accursed idol and spawned from the abominable recesses of our own vile brain, but we worship Him according to the fixed and immutable rule which He hath divinely decreed and established, and that which we know pleases Him. This then could be none other than His own word. Zacharius Ursinus said, “The doctrine of the church is the entire and uncorrupted doctrine of the law and gospel concerning the true God, together with his will, works, and worship; divinely revealed, and comprehended in the writings of the prophets and apostles, and confirmed by many miracles and divine testimonies; through which the Holy Spirit works effectually in the hearts of the elect, and gathers from the whole human race an everlasting church, in which God is glorified, both in this, and in the life to come.”
i. “What rule?”
This presupposes that there is a rule to follow. God who is perfect in His being and the divine author of all right reason is not worshiped according to man’s tradition. For just as there are laws that hold the world together, and prevent the natural order from vanishing into chaos, so there is a steadfast and unbreakable rule which God hath prescribed for man’s obedience. Inasmuch as “the worlds were framed by the word of God,” and He “upholds all things by the word of His power.” as it is written, “Let there be light” and so forth, [Gen.1] so He also creates and upholds the renewed soul of man by His revealed word, through the redemption that is in the Lord Jesus Christ, as it is written, “man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.” [Deut. 8:3] and, “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” [2 Cor. 4:6] and again, “He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel..” [Ps. 147:19] and, “For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.” [Heb. 3:4-6], and again,  “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” [Eph. 2:20-22] Therefore we see that as the natural world was created as a stage on which this great drama of redemption would be accomplished before our eyes [that is to say our faith], and we have beheld the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ through His word, so let us be assured that this rule is a fixed and immutable rule which God would have us to follow, that it is a singular and unified rule which admits of no error or mixture of contradiction, that it is a true and righteous rule, and that it is a beneficial rule which will lead us undoubtedly to paradise, there to commune with God and glorify Him wholly, as it is promised to us in the scripture.
Let us observe then these necessary qualifications for the rule which God hath given us.
a) The Word of God is Fixed and Immutable.
The Holy Scripture speaking of the immutability of God saith: “Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us…” Here, speaking of the promises of God being established upon, 1. His word which proceedeth from His mouth, and 2. (that we may be the more persuaded of the certainty of that word), by an oath the scripture establishes the foundation for belief, even a truth which cannot be removed. Therefore we have strong assurance from God Himself that as He is unchangeable, so His word to us is unchangeable also, as it is written, “I am the LORD, I change not.” and, “I will hasten my word to perform it.” For if there is any degree of change in the scripture, so that in time it is made to mean something other than was originally meant, than did God change His mind as to how it should be interpreted? And if so, is there any foundation for belief? Does not this allow for doubt, unbelief, and all manner of heresy to be allowed and promoted, seeing God’s word may change and therefore has no true meaning? But we know that as scripture has one meaning, as it is written, “There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism” so this one truth cannot be removed from its foundation but is infallible and immutable.
The word of God consists of one central doctrine, which has but one meaning, and is held together by immutability. “The word of the LORD endureth forever.” Let us observe then one brief example, and then press on to the next topic. The doctrine contained in Genesis, though varying in the time, manner and instrumental author (being that the Divine author is God Himself) is the same doctrine contained in Revelation, which though written by the apostle John thousands of years after Moses died, (who himself was instructed by the same Spirit of truth) agrees with and is the fulfillment of that word. Genesis provides the promise of salvation, and Revelation the fulness of the manner in which it shall be accomplished. Genesis speaks of the “seed that shall bruise the serpent’s head” and Revelation speaks of, “the devil and his angels being cast into the lake of fire.” But these are one doctrine, even that of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. So Christ says to the Jews, “Abraham rejoiced to see my day.” drawing from Genesis when Abraham fell down on his face to meet the angel of the LORD who spake to him of the promised seed and the destruction of Sodom. Then we see from this text in Genesis that Abraham had no fanciful desire to see the reprobate saved, but the elect saved out of Sodom! Therefore he does not cavil against God that He should not destroy the wicked, but makes intercession for the elect, and pleads, “wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?” Then doth the Lord reveal His will in saving Lot, the one righteous man out of sinful Sodom even before reigning fire and brimstone upon that wicked city. This was the day of the Lord that Abraham rejoiced to see. Even as it is written, “The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.” (Ps. 58:10) as it is also written in the Song of Moses [Ex. 15], and 2 Thess. 1:4-10 saying, “So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come in that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed).” Even so in Revelation, the apostle John speaks of the promise of the second coming, and the destruction of Satan’s kingdom, which things were spoken of in Genesis in types and figures. (see also WSC Q. 102) These are written and declared that we might be assured that God’s word is unchangeable as His nature in unchangeable, as Christ Himself bears witness saying, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” (Matt. 24:35) Let us therefore (as many as are of that faith) hold fast to that word, and zealously defend it from all stain of error, clinging to it as our only source of comfort and consolation, and let us hearken to the promises, waiting for that blessed day when Christ shall save us from our enemies and cast them into hellfire. This is that faith in the word of God which all the saints of old possessed. Not a blind, carnal and sentimental faith which wants all men to be saved and conjures up a god which wants all men saved, (as if there was no promise!) but a sure and fixed faith in the promise of election, that as God is unchangeable and His word is unchangeable, so He will without any doubt save His people whom He hath purchased by His blood, and redeem them from their enemies who are reserved for everlasting torment. This is the faith of the saints.

b) The Word of God is Free from Error.
Flowing from this precious doctrine of immutability comes the infallibility of  the word. For if the word of God be unchangeable, and God is perfect, this necessitates that the word is also free from error. But may it be said that, since men are mutable and subject to error, and the word of God was written by men, does it not contain error? We answer, no. Though the best of men have imperfect knowledge of God, and are liable to error, yet God who willed that His word be pure, as it is written, “The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.” (Ps. 12:7) and, “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.” (Ps. 19:7-8) assisted and inspired those men with divine wisdom so that they might write down perfectly and exactly that which God commanded. The next question then is, though the word of God was written down purely and without error, is it not corrupted by copies, and translations to the point that we have a different word now than was revealed to them then? We answer, no. God who is both Almighty and infinitely Wise hath in His holy providence protected His word from the assaults of Satan and so preserved it that we are assured that this word is the same which was spoken to the apostles and prophets of old. Now, there is an argument to be made against modern translations. The NASB, NKJV, NIV, ESV and all other modern English versions do take unlawful liberties, and obfuscate the sense of scripture, as these were not translated by godly men but heretics, and yet the word of God as a whole is so plain, transparent, and uniform that it can be rightly understood against the false glosses of corrupt translations. The KJV being translated by men both wise and godly is the best English translation, and although it is not what we call authentic, as the original languages are, yet it is sufficient to lead men to the knowledge of salvation through the assistance of the Spirit and sanctify them in the truth of God which is not in the bare word, but in Spirit and power. We therefore encourage men to learn the language of the English Puritans, and become acquainted with the KJV, so that taking unto themselves the word of God as a sword, may be able to stand against the assaults of the wicked one, having a sure word and a confident trust in its reliability. The NKJV may be a stepping stone to get to it, and so I will not universally and absolutely forbid its use, but being that it contains manifold corruptions in the sense of the text, hell being translated to “Hades”, faith to obedience, and the general reverence of, “thee, and thou” being utterly taken away, I encourage all English speaking Christians to shake off the old man of laziness and ignorance, and learn to read the KJV, which although it be a hard thing for many, especially if they were not rightly educated, yet it is a good thing, a necessary thing, and that which will bring forth with it abundant rewards which will not be taken away from you. Let us therefore take refuge under the infallibility of God’s word, and know that it cannot contain error being from God Himself. The scripture says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God.” And therefore scripture can no more err than God can err. Thomas Watson writes, “God’s knowledge is infallible; there is no mistake in his knowledge. Human knowledge is subject to error. A physician may mistake the cause of a disease; but God’s knowledge is unerring; he can neither deceive, nor be deceived; he cannot deceive, because he is truth, nor be deceived, because he is wisdom.”

c) The Word of God is True and Righteous.
Although the doctrine of infallibility be directly and inseparably linked together with its truthfulness, yet for the sake of doctrinal inference, and godly encouragement we will deal with it separately. David says in the Psalm, “the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.” These words, true and righteous are brought together like clouds and rain, sun and light, fountain and water. Truth is the purity of God’s word spoken, and righteousness is the execution of it against iniquity. Therefore the scripture says, “Thou lovest righteousness and hatest iniquity.”  before saying, “in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness.” (Ps. 45:7, 4)
We must understand that these words are linked together for a reason, which reason we are here behooved to search and seek out. Trapp says upon the verse, “Ride thou in thy triumphant chariot, as it were, drawn by those three glorious graces, truth, meekness, and righteousness; and governed by the word, as by the chariot man.” God being transcendent and highly exalted above all His creation, cannot be grasped or comprehended except by way of mediation, and as God has created us rational creatures so that we may know Him, He has deigned to communicate to us through His word. So he spake to Adam, and entered into a covenant of works with him, apart from which word, Adam did not, nor ever could apprehend God’s will. The word was the foundation on which Adam’s trust was founded, and being led astray from that word by the devil’s sorcery, he was made to fall into sin, and thus was deprived of the knowledge of that word. Thus God proves to us by that word His inherent righteousness, and His truthfulness, which are the very cornerstones upon which faith is built. Christ who is the Mediator between God and man is called, the “word of God”, because all that is spoken to us by God is only applied to us insofar as it comes through Him. Apart from the grace of God purchased for us, the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, these being received by faith, which faith is given to us and formed in us by His Spirit through the truth of the doctrine, we have no assurance that what we believe is the truth of God. The truth of God cannot be established except by sound doctrine.

d) The Word of God is Beneficial.
The law saith, “And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?” (Deut. 10:12-13)
Now, here we return to the first question of the catechism and the chief purpose for which man was created. God originally created man to do Him good, for when He blessed Adam with the ineffable gift of His own image, which enabled Adam to commune with the living God, it was an unspeakable blessing, and that which distinguished him in blessedness from all other creatures. But what does that image consist of? This is of chief importance to distinguish, for to err in the doctrine of the image of God is to err in the doctrine of the nature of God Himself. And so we answer with the learned and godly divines, “The image of God consists in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness.” And is not this what the text here infers, even that God requires of us sincere love and obedience, to know obey and submit to His will in all things, as the angels do in heaven? Verily. And therefore it is our benefit to obey, for to obey is to evidence communion with God, and to share in His likeness, as Peter also testifies, saying, “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (2 Pet. 1:3-4)
And if it is to our everlasting good to know, obey and submit to God, (for that which is good must be from God, and that which is from God is by its very nature everlasting) than it necessarily follows that there is an immutable and infallible rule by which we might know what we ought to know, and how we ought to obey, and this rule can be none other than the Holy Scriptures. Therefore they are a benefit to the people of God, and however strict and exact they are, it is to our benefit to take heed, and follow it to its very letter, even as Christ gave us an example, and testified saying, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Therefore the law was given for our good, in that it brings down, abases and utterly abolishes our own righteousness that we might be saved by the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, and then Christ also with all His promises and benefits spoken of in the word was given for our good, for that He is our everlasting consolation, and will never leave us or forsake us in the midst of trial. And so we say not only that the word of God is beneficial, but that it alone is beneficial. Man may surely live without bread, for though he be deprived of the nourishment that sustains his fleshly life, yet his true life being hid in God in Jesus Christ is preserved, and he being saved is raised to life by the death and resurrection of his head and surety. But he that hath not Christ shall eat, and hunger again, and die the second death, and shall not see life, for that he is deprived of true spiritual life which is found only in Christ, who is manifested by that word. So then, we boldly and confidently declare that true life is found in the word of God, and that apart from this word there is no benefit, but an infinite abyss of ignorance, and misery.

e) The word of God is the only reasonable foundation.
The word of God then is a sure word, one that cannot be shaken or moved, and that alone is worthy of trust and repose. Observe the natural order of the universe, how orderly and sophisticated God hath made it. The word of God upholds it so that it cannot be altered. As pertaining to the natural realm, a fish cannot become a horse, nor a tree a bird, nor can a man become a woman. The laws of logic are set in place, and nothing can reverse them. God has ordered the world perfectly according to His unchangeable wisdom. And though by sin, man has brought disorder, defilement and confusion into a world which was otherwise “very good”, yet God through this breach of His law has shown Himself exceedingly wise in the overturning of it to His own glory. Therefore, since God is in heaven, and we on earth, He is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, and we are but mutable dust, moreover that we were originally created in His own image, made with the faculties which could commune with Him; the mind to know Him, the will to obey Him, and the heart to love Him, there must be a rule by which we may know the way and manner thereof, in order that we do not wander miserably astray in the dark. As rational creatures, it is necessary to have a reason, a prerogative, and a motive. And if so then even between rational creatures themselves, there must be a way of communicating these, which is one of the principal manifestations of God’s wisdom in man’s creation. Now, if we be rational creatures, and reason demands communication, the eyes to behold, the ears to hear, the hands to touch, the mind to process all of this, the will to act according to its knowledge, and the heart to be set upon an object, and inflame the will and the mind to repeat this cycle, then so it must be, that God as our master Creator has communicated to us what is His will and desire for us, what is necessary to know, how we should live, what we should do, and what best to set our affections upon, lest our souls be ensnared by the things of this passing world and we fall headlong into destruction. For how insane and mad would it be for man who is created for a noble enterprise, even communion with God to forsake this privilege and pant after that which is unholy and abominable, that which is despised in the sight of God? And yet we see that all natural men are given to this madness, and are rightly called insane. Only those begotten of God, and born again by the word of God have their senses exercised to discern good and evil, and are made to judge rightly and rationally. All other men being under the curse of the law and the natural depravity of their hearts follow after vanity, worship the works of the flesh, invent idols of their own mind, and are thereby led to destruction. Therefore we conclude that the rule which God hath sovereignly given to man for His own worship and glory is nothing else, but His word as written down in the Holy Scriptures. This word was Adam’s rule even before he ever fell into sin, and having fallen, and become estranged from God, this rule becomes all the more necessary, and it constrains us to pay the closer heed to what is spoken, lest we like Adam, be tempted to sin. It is also necessary, not only that there be a rule, but that this rule be an unchangeable rule, (inasmuch as God is unchangeable), and a rule by its very nature supposes firmness and constancy. For if mutable, then no rule, and if it is a rule, it cannot be broken. Therefore by reason of its fountain and source, which is God Himself, this rule by which God will be worshiped and obeyed is not optional, but obligatory, and it is not retractable but resolute.

ii. “hath God given”
This expressly states that it is God who has given this rule, and spoken this word to us. As it is only a sovereign, and one who hath authority who bears the right to command His subjects, and require of them obedience, so it is this sovereign who provides the law by which we might render it. God who is the supreme sovereign and hath assuredly created us for His own glory hath not left us in the dark as to how we should glorify Him, but has shown us His mind and will in the Holy Scriptures. It is God Himself who speaks in His word, and therefore in order to condescend to our weak and frail minds, and to encourage us in the way of holiness, He has spoken to us by those whom we may easily understand, who speak our language, and who communicate it to us to our capacity, even the patriarchs, His prophets, and by His Son. Hebrews 1:1-2 says, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son…” When God speaks through fallible men, it is to show us that through His word man is enabled to glorify and enjoy Him, and when He speaks the same message by his Son, it is to stamp the divine seal of His authority upon it. The writers of the Scriptures were fallible in life, but not when they put their pen down to write the Word of God. God moved their hearts and directed their fingers to write only that which His divine will had eternally decreed. It is a perfect rule, whoever it is that is writing. Martin Luther speaking of the nature of doctrine says, “In philosophy, a small fault in the beginning, is a great [and a foul] fault in the end. So in divinity, one little error overthroweth the whole doctrine.” As in preciseness in doctrine, so in writing this doctrine. God did not permit that they should err in the least degree, lest His whole word should be spoiled by a spot of corruption. Therefore Christ says, “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Therefore Paul also says when quoting the Psalms, “The Holy Spirit says”. For though it is given through man, yet the word is God’s. And therefore though the doctrine you hear from us be from the lips of men, yet inasmuch as this same word is that which God speaks, we are to hear, hearken and obey as if it came from God Himself. The Catechism says in another place referring to the preaching of the word, “That the word may become effectual to salvation, we must attend thereunto with diligence, preparation, and prayer, receive it with faith and love, lay it up in our hearts, and practice it in our lives.” It follows then that just as God said to His Son, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him.” He says of His word when proclaimed by His ministers, “This is my Word. Hear it, hearken to it and obey it.” The Son of God is the express image of God, and the manifestation of the Word of God sent to earth. Therefore when God says to obey the Son, He is saying to obey His Word – His whole Word. Therefore, it behooves us as saints called out of darkness to take diligent heed to the word when it is preached, to be zealous for the support and success of the ministry, to pray for its proliferation, and to be constant in attendance thereunto. As the apostle says in Hebrews, “We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.“
For these things spoken in the scriptures are the very word of God, and are to be attended to diligently, as life itself accompanies it. “There is no salvation outside the church.” So saith godly Ursinus. Therefore being introduced to the doctrine itself, we will make some points regarding it, concerning its necessity, authority, veracity, purity, and power.

1. The Word of God is necessary.
“The Word of God is the only rule to direct us.”
These Holy Scriptures were given to us to direct us. They are necessary to our spiritual life as bread is necessary to our natural life. You cannot live without eating, and you cannot live to God’s glory without the Word of God. Without the Spirit accompanying the word we remain dead in sin, bereft of all wisdom, and ignorant as to how we might be reconciled to God and live for Him.
a) We are ignorant without it.
This doctrine is hardly even touched upon in today’s churches, (if at all), but we are assured in the scriptures that it is of the chiefest of his problems. Ignorance is alienation from and enmity with God. The apostle writing to the Ephesians says, “alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them.” [Eph. 4:18] Just as we are united to God through faith, so the natural man is alienated from Him through ignorance. Ignorance is not the cause, but the pipe in which he conveys all his wicked thoughts and abominable errors against the glory and majesty of God. The cause of all sin is unbelief, the chief weapon of unbelief is ignorance, the matter of deceit cometh from the devil, and the source of all his malice and enmity is his corrupt nature which he is born with. (For both man and the devil share in the same vitiated nature) Therefore there is no false minister, no natural man led astray into outer darkness, but by ignorance. Christ said of the unbelieving Jews, “they be blind leaders of the blind, and if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” The leaders of the church today are ignorant of God’s word, and they lead ignorant people further into error by their willful rebellion against the light of knowledge. It is said in the scriptures, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” In the original “destroy” is not a weak word, as if men are damaged by lack of knowledge, or simply not benefited spiritually by lack of knowledge, but that they are utterly destroyed and cut off because of it. Israel rejected the true and living God for idols, and the reason for this is that they did not know Him as He is revealed in His word, a just and a holy God and one who will not acquit them of sin. It is the same word used in Psalm 49 where it is written that the man who does not understand is like a brute beast that is made to perish. He prides himself in his riches, but cannot save his soul with it. He thinks his legacy will continue, but he does not see the glory of God and therefore cannot profit. And so the Psalm says, “Man who is in honour and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.” “My people perish for lack of knowledge” So we see that these two, ignorance and perishing are linked together. No man perishes but is an ignorant man, and no man is ignorant but is ready to perish. And so man, being born into the world ignorant and not knowing God nor how to worship and please Him is in a most abysmal state, and hath need of God’s word to enlighten him. Therefore David says in the Psalm, “Give me understanding and I shall live.” Because understanding is wedded to life in blissful union. No man ever came to God apart from His word, and no man believed that word without the divine enlightenment that cometh from heaven. God unites the soul to Himself through faith, and He opens the eyes of faith through the light of knowledge. There is no faith but operates according to the light of spiritual knowledge. It is knowledge that first illuminates us and shows us what miserable creatures we are in God’s sight, and it is knowledge that opens our eyes to God’s holiness and majesty which are offended by us. So that we know that we cannot be accepted in His sight as we are born into this world through the corrupt generation of Adam, but must be reborn, and grafted into Christ by regeneration that we might live in His sight forever. Without this understanding faith cannot see, and therefore cannot operate. There is no faith without spiritual understanding. And so the scripture says, “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” [1 John 5:20] and again, “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” [2 Cor. 4:6]
As God first spake and formed the light out of darkness and all the world out of nothing, so He has now spoken into the darkness of our souls by His word and turned our wills to Himself by His own omnipotent power, turning that which was contrary to Him towards Him again and granting us a new nature after His own image. The light that He gives us He gives by His word, and He has sealed this testimony, so that no man should seek salvation anywhere else. Without His Word to guide us we are completely ignorant as to how we might be delivered from sin. The light of nature, which is a dying spark is bright enough to illuminate the Godhead leaving men without excuse as to the knowledge of God, but is not so bright as to illuminate the path of true godliness and to how we might glorify and enjoy the Godhead. This path must be lighted by the sure testimony of the Word of God and this Word must be made effectual in our hearts by the work of the Spirit. The Psalm says, “The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.” [Ps. 19:8]
The purity of scripture cleanses us from the defilement of ignorance. The word is a guide to repentance and a hand to lead us to faith. It contains the law and the gospel, the state of man in sin, and the only way of redemption which is through Christ by faith. The word is a lamp to lead us, and a light to guide us. It is a rod to direct us, and a sword to fight our battles for us. It is the rule of life, the standard by which all religious controversies are judged, the law of liberty, the source of all divine reason and the blessed counsel of God communicated to us in simple letters. Through the word, God delivers us from the ignorance that engulfs and enslaves the world, and so may we ever bless God for giving us His word!
b) We are condemned without it.
Without the Word of God, we are condemned in our sin and ignorance.
Destruction follows ignorance like heat follows fire. The ignorant soul is a damned soul.
Many today are constantly looking for ways to accommodate and allow for men outside of the Christian religion to be saved, and many others for heretics in the church to be saved. You’ll often hear the false professors in today’s church say things like, “Well, I don’t know if there’s a back door, or some other way to get in to heaven.” Or as arch-heretic C.S. Lewis said in his attack on true faith, “Mere Christianity”, “There are people in other religions who are being led by God’s secret influence to concentrate on those parts of their religion which are in agreement with Christianity, and who thus belong to Christ without knowing it.”
This is a most profound expression of the “other gospel” of which Paul so stridently warns the Galatians about. “which is not another.” (That is that no other gospel but the true gospel brings with it life and salvation.) This is not the Christ of the scriptures, nor consistent with the doctrine of salvation as declared by the prophets and apostles. There are many even of those who have heard of Christ that shall not escape the wrath to come, yea many even of those who profess with their mouths Christ’s name that will not be saved, and even those sitting under sound and faithful teaching perhaps pretending to agree and consent to it who will be found to be liars on the last day, but only those who truly believe on His name will be saved by Him. The Mormons follow a false Christ, the Arians follow a false Christ, the Arminians, antinomians and modern Calvinists and the liberals also follow a false Christ. Did not the Lord say, “Narrow is the way that leadeth unto life?” And was it not he that said, “Many shall say, “Lord, Lord!” and I will declare unto them, I never knew you.”  There is only one end to the path of ignorance, and that is destruction. And so Romans 10 says, “they have a zeal for God but without [precise] knowledge.” Let us labor then to get this knowledge, that we perish not. For those who are found without a wedding garment shall be cast into darkness.
Both the blind and those who follow them fall into the ditch. [Matt. 15:14]
“For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse.” Note, that the text does not say that as many as are under the word and do not hear are cursed, although this is a
subordinate truth, but that all those who are of the works of the law, that is those who are born of the flesh through Adam, and therefore belong to the covenant of works. These are they who are under the curse. Since the condemnation goes out to all of Adam’s race, and as many as are born of him are born in sin, and under guilt, so the word is necessary to convict of sin, for “through the law is the knowledge of sin.” And without the knowledge of sin there is no knowledge of a Savior, and therefore no salvation. And so we see that the word is most necessary for our life and salvation, for without it, we are left to perish under the weight of the whole law. God’s wrath will surely be visited upon all who are under the covenant of works. The scripture says, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God doth man live.” True life is in the word, and there is no life but is mediated through that word. The apostle says, “And the word became flesh” Jesus says again, “I am the true bread that came down from heaven.” 
Man enters into the world in guilt and sin. He is evil from his youth, and all his ways are contrary to God. Without the Word of God to convict, transform and guide, man is left to his own means, and will perish in his own corruption.
c) The Spirit of God is necessary in the Word.
We should also note here that the Westminster divines knew well that the word itself as pen and ink hath no power, but that it is accompanied by the Spirit. So we witness daily in the church today many professors who read the word often, and many pastors who meditate on it and preach it, and yet are wholly unacquainted with its divine teachings. John Owen the Puritan writes, “So men whose calling and work it is to study the
Scripture, or the things revealed therein, and to preach them unto others,
cannot but have many thoughts about spiritual things, and yet may be,
and oftentimes are, most remote from being spiritually minded. They
may be forced by their work and calling to think of them early and late,
evening and morning, and yet their minds be no way rendered or proved
spiritual thereby. It were well if all of us who are preachers would
diligently examine ourselves herein. So is it with them who oblige
themselves to read the Scriptures, it may be so many chapters every day.
Notwithstanding the diligent performance of their task, they may be most
remote from being spiritually minded. See Ezekiel 33:31.”
The apostle says in his epistle on the Christian ministry, “Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” (2 Cor. 3:6)  Here we recall the fearful words of the prophet Isaiah when the LORD spake by him saying, “Their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men.” For without the true light of the scriptures shining upon the understanding by the effectual power of the Spirit, man continues on in utter blindness and remains a slave to his depravity. He tries to worship the true God, but worshiping Him by his own means, he goes miserably astray. The prophet Malachi says in contempt of this, “This hath been by your means. Will he regard your persons? saith the LORD of Hosts.”  There is a sense therefore when the letters of the word become useless to us, that is when we interpret them by natural reason, and thus unable in our natural depravity to rely on the Spirit, attempt to make sense of it as natural men. Calvin says upon the text of Isaiah 28:13, “We have seen a passage closely resembling it in which the Prophet compared his doctrine to “sealed letters.” (Isaiah 8:16) Afterwards we shall find that the Prophet compares it to a book that is “shut.” (Isaiah 29:11.) This takes place when, on account of the ingratitude of men, God takes from them judgment and sound understanding; so that, “seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear,” and thus are most justly punished. (Isaiah 6:9; Mark 4:12.) This ought to be carefully observed; for frequently we think that all is well with us, and are highly delighted with ourselves, because we continue to enjoy the word. But of what avail will it be to us, if it do not enlighten our understanding and regulate our hearts? We thus draw down upon ourselves a heavier judgment, and therefore we need a twofold grace; first, that God would shine on us by his word; and secondly, that he would open our understandings and dispose our hearts to obedience, otherwise we shall derive no more aid from the brilliancy of the gospel than blind men derive from the brightness of the sun. By this punishment, therefore, we are reminded that we must not abuse the word of God, but must look directly to the object which the Lord holds out to us in the word.”
Therefore without the scriptures we are ignorant of God, and without His aid and help in the understanding of it we are condemned even with the written word for we are condemned by it. And so we must conclude that the pure doctrine of the gospel is the doctrine of the law and the gospel. The law without the gospel kills and drives to desperation and terror, showing the conscience its guilt before God saying, “this you have done against the law, and this you have left undone.” Therefore did the law in old times terrify sinners, insomuch that many cried out with wailing and bitter tears, and beat themselves with whips that they might expiate the wrath of God. But all these methods are useless to the conscience. God hath prepared a Savior for laboring and sorrowful souls, so that we are not left grieving and groaning under sin with no one to help us. Now, although we are not yet come upon the doctrine of the law itself, it is important to make a note of it on the subject of the word. For when the word is not accompanied by the Spirit, even the word becomes a curse to the readers. For those who have not the Spirit do always seek to be justified by their works, and pass by that saying, “I will have mercy and not sacrifice.” And so they presume to read the word without the Spirit, and thereby pile up sins to their account thinking themselves pure, because the Spirit has not convicted them. And the final product of a defiled soul looking into things which he ought not is the wresting of the word to his destruction, as the heretics do in our days, interpreting passages like Ezk. 18 and 33, John 3:16 and 1 Tim. 2 to mean that man has a free will, and hereby show themselves full of hypocrisy and error. For it is beyond all controversy that the whole scripture is in agreement and is to be interpreted by the analogy of faith, and therefore he that strays from this simple principle is open to all error. And so God is said to blind men by the word saying, “But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.” (Isa. 28:13) and again, “[Christ is made] a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.” (1 Pet. 2:8) God Himself must of His own will teach us His word, or we will be miserably led astray by our own fancies into utter darkness. Thomas Watson writes, “Adore God’s distinguishing grace, if you have felt the power and authority of the Word upon your conscience; if you can say as David, ‘Thy word hath quickened me’ (Ps. 119:50). Christian, bless God that he has not only given thee his Word to be a rule of holiness, but his grace to be a principle of holiness. Bless God that he has not only written his Word, but sealed it upon thy heart, and made it effectual. Canst thou say it is of divine inspiration, because thou hast felt it to be of lively operation? Oh free grace! that God should send out his Word, and heal thee; that he should heal thee, and not others! That the same Scripture which to them is a dead letter, should be to thee a savour of life!”

2. The Word of God is self-authenticating.
Let us move on then to the authority and power of the word. It manifests itself to be true apart from any exterior witness.
The Word of God is authoritative. It declares itself to be true, and demonstrates its divine authority by “many infallible proofs”. We do not seek to persuade heathen men with carnal suppositions that God’s word contains things reasonable for them to believe, but knowing the scripture to be infallible and irrefutable we command and persuade men to repent of their sins, speaking with authority of those things we have both seen and heard. We should also see that the Bible manifests itself to be true by the impossibility of the contrary. The answer to the question of who wrote the Bible is found here. God hath put His seal on His word and testified that He Himself hath written it. As it saith, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the 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.” (2 Pet. 1:20-21)
Therefore we agree with this scripture that God Himself is the author. Nevertheless for the sake of the confirmation of the truth, and the refutation of all error, let us review the objections.
1. Was it a good man who had good intentions but flaws and error who wrote it? It could not be, for the scripture expressly says that it is the very Word of God, and if that is proposed, and it were not so, the man would not be good, but the worst of liars, and worthy of all hatred and spite for writing his own book, and declaring it to be the word of God. The Bible condemns all liars to hell, and therefore it could not have been written by a good man, for he would not be good who put God’s name on a fallible book. God is infallible and cannot lie, and therefore man cannot write without error, except it be by His express word.
2. Was it an evil man who had evil intentions who wrote it? Nothing is more absurd. The Bible condemns all evil, and speaks of a place of eternal misery and torment for those who practice it. It could not be an evil man who wrote it, for it would be the writing of his own death warrant. “All liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone.” [Rev. 21:8] 3. Neither could it have been an angel, for the angels are the messengers of God and holy, and would not dare take it upon their lips to say, “I the LORD do this…” as is spoken by the prophet. 4. Neither a devil, for the devils are opposed to God and would not write their own doom, as it is written, “What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?” and again, “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” But the scriptures do manifest themselves to be the very word of God in that it consistently testifies of itself to be so.
a) It is pure and holy.
The Bible is pure, and claims to be so.
“Every word of God is pure.” [Prov. 30:5]
“The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.” (Ps. 12:6)
David says here in Psalm 12 that the word of God is “purified seven times”. This does not suppose that there is imperfection in the word, but rather that it is tested and tried by every rule and reason and found to be pure in all of its ways. It is the express will of a pure and holy God, and can have no fault. It is the demonstration of His perfect Wisdom. If the scriptures had any mixture of impurity we could not rest on it as a foundation, nor turn to it for comfort in salvation, for we would be ever in doubt if that which is spoken will surely come to pass. The scripture is pure and uniform in its central message which is the gospel. From Genesis and the declaration of original sin, to Exodus and the great deliverance from bondage, to Leviticus and the cleansing of the people, to Numbers and the chastisement of God for sin, to Deuteronomy on the perfect law of love, to the histories and wisdom books to the gospels to Revelation, the message is the same- to declare unto man his wickedness and reveal unto him the righteousness of God which is his only salvation. The holy scriptures were written by forty different authors over a period of four thousand years, and yet they all agree with each other as if they were one author. The scriptures also evidence themselves to be pure in that they teach the perfect law of God, commanding all that which is righteous, and condemning all sin and iniquity, even the thoughts in the mind, the affections and the will, all which are not visible to the eyes of man. Human laws restrain sin in society inasmuch as they mirror this law, but they cannot reach to the inner man. Hebrews 4 says, “The word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” This is a great witness of the purity of the scriptures, even that it commands the reverence of the thoughts, the temperance of the affections and the submission of the will.
b) It predicts many events and occurrences with impeccable accuracy.
It is even admitted by natural mathematicians that the probability of only four of the minor prophesies recorded in scripture coming to pass, (which events only required natural fulfillment), as the closing of the gate of Jerusalem [Ezk. 44:2], the flattening of Tyre [Ezk. 26:4], the invasion of Babylon and Assyria and the captivity of both peoples under them, (all of which are historically recorded) are so astronomically unlikely to have occurred upon prediction, (yet having occurred exactly as predicted) is sufficient to leave all unbelievers without excuse and to leave them dumbfounded and shown to be reprehensible hypocrites. Now if but only a select number of minor prophesies coming to pass be 1 in 2 quintillion (10¹⁸) all of which were fulfilled without extraordinary means, what can be said of Sarah’s conception of Isaac when she was passed age, or of the virgin birth of Christ, that He would be born in Bethlehem, and minister in Nazareth, that He would be crucified by the state and His own people, would rise again and live forever? If so few prophecies leave man without excuse, what can be said for the rest of scripture? So we see that man who does not believe is in a state of miserable vanity and ignorance.
c) The authors confessed their sin.
The Holy Word of God is the true and living sword that cuts deep into man’s heart and reveals his sin and misery.
This is beyond the power of man who labors, and toils to hide his sins. In truth there is nothing more natural for man than to sin, and attempt to hide it. Did not Adam when he had sinned flee from the presence of God, and seek to hide among the trees of the garden?
When confronted for it, did he not blame his wife? When she was confronted, did she not blame the devil? Has anything changed in human nature since then? Not at all. Therefore in these small passages we see a great and profound truth- that man once he has sinned seeks to cover it by various means. This witnesses to his conscience that he is a sinner and liable to punishment for the transgression of God’s law. All men have this conscience telling them they are not clean, and yet apart from the word, no man knoweth what that rule is by which they shall be judged.
And as there is nothing more natural to man than transgression and the attempt to conceal it, so there is nothing more native to the scriptures than the revealing of that transgression in full color with the purpose of convicting us for it, and purging it from us.
Surely it is an impossible thing for man to write something so against his nature.
It is as if a snake should write to birds on how to fly, or a fish to dogs on how to walk. Would you not consider that madness? So is the folly of those who believe that fallible, depraved man could write the Holy Scriptures. Moses wrote of his failure at the waters of strife, though it cost him entrance into the land of Canaan. David wrote of his gross sin of adultery in the Psalm, though it was the ruin of his household and caused a great deal of sorrow. There is nothing more common in literature than for the authors thereof to gloss over their faults, as the Greeks were wont to do, painting themselves as virtuous, and heroic, though they were the filthiest and most abominable of all. But in the scriptures the men of God being divinely inspired by Him wrote down their faults and did not hide them, though they were truly ashamed of them, so that the people of God would be both warned and comforted, insomuch that God doth always revenge sin, and the purest of saints is not without some stain of iniquity. But insomuch that they were open regarding their failings, this is a sure testimony that God spoke through them.
d) It glorifies God alone.
Another sure evidence of the divine authorship of scripture is that it brings down the pride of man, and exalts God alone.
The Westminster Larger Catechism says,
“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 unto 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 very Word of God.”
The scope of the scripture is to exalt God and debase man, to take away all cause for boasting in man, and magnify God’s work of salvation. That God would be everything and man would be nothing, entirely dependent on Him through Jesus Christ.
The Scriptures do plainly declare themselves to be the very Word of God in that their principal and primary end is the glory of God alone. Man would never venture to put to writing anything that showed himself to be void of glory and honor, but the scripture testifies saying, “Let God be true and every man a liar.” and, “the heart is deceitful above all and desperately wicked.” and, “cursed is he that trusteth in man.” and, “man is like to vanity.” All which show plainly that God Himself is the author of the scriptures.
The prophet Isaiah writes saying, “The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low.” [Isa. 2:11-12] There is nothing more natural to man than to delude himself by self-righteousness being blind to his sinful nature. Calvin writes in his Institutes, “There is, indeed, nothing that man’s nature seeks more eagerly than to be flattered. Accordingly, when his nature becomes aware that its gifts are highly esteemed, it tends to be unduly credulous about them. It is thus no wonder that the majority of men have erred so perniciously in this respect. For, since blind self-love is innate in all mortals, they are most freely persuaded that nothing inheres in themselves that deserves to be considered hateful. Thus even with no outside support the utterly vain opinion generally obtains credence that man is abundantly sufficient of himself to lead a good and blessed life. But if any take a more modest attitude and concede something to God, so as not to appear to claim everything for themselves, they so divide the credit that the chief basis for boasting and confidence remains in themselves. Nothing pleases man more than the sort of alluring talk that tickles the pride that itches in his very marrow. Therefore, in nearly every age, when anyone publicly extolled human nature in most favorable terms, he was listened to with applause. But however great such commendation of human excellence is that teaches man to be satisfied with himself, it does nothing but delight in its own sweetness; indeed, it so deceives as to drive those who assent to it into utter ruin.” Seeing then that the scriptures do seek to point out man’s faults, even that he is totally corrupt, and devoid of all uprightness, and that God alone deserves praise, honor and glory, we understand that the scriptures could be none other than the word of God. Let us therefore assent confidently to this, lest we be filled with unnecessary doubt, and so be led into diverse errors. Let us remember the word of the Lord when He exhorted us saying, “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word which proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord.” and let us come to Him as unto a faithful friend, seeking His counsel and submitting to His word as if He Himself did speak to us face to face full of awesome and terrible majesty. Let us hearken unto His word with all diligence, for we know that it is our life, and there are terrible judgments that await the adversaries, and let us (as is the rule of scripture) give all due glory, praise, honor and adoration to Him, seeing He hath purchased us with his own blood and made us partakers of an unspeakable glory which cannot fade away. Let us believe His word above all, for that it is written that not one word shall pass away. And so being led by His infallible word, we shall be led safely to our promised inheritance. “And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.“
(Isaiah 42:16)

3. The Word of God is the only rule.
We also understand by this that the Word of God is the only authority in matters of faith and life. It is the final revelation of truth concerning every point on which it speaks. As an introductory note, I think it useful to say that it is not necessary that the scripture speak on every facile thing, for that it deals with principle. For example, though the scripture says nothing concerning cell phones, yet is speaks concerning communication saying, “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking guile.” Therefore if any man lie, or speak evil to another through a device, or by text, it is the same as though he were speaking in person. Therefore it is unnecessary that the scripture speak concerning long-range communication. God Himself communicates truth to us from heaven to earth, so cell-phones themselves are nothing new altogether. In the same manner, it is unnecessary to talk of guns, cars or tanks seeing that it speaks of weapons of war, transportation and cavalry. But though these all exist in the natural world, yet are they only pointing to something of deeper substance, even of the spiritual, so that when the scripture says, “trust not in thine own strength” referring to the kings of Israel relying on their numbers in battle, the scripture means to communicate that we are commanded not to rely on any part of our strength whatsoever, whether we be kings or ministers, servants or magistrates, with an army or only our own soul to look after, neither in the force of arms, or the sagacity of the intellect or the strength of the will, but in the LORD. So we see that the will itself is also referenced here, and any belief which attributes to man’s will that which belongs only to God is not trust in God, but trust is one’s own strength which is a lie. Therefore all free will (which is the substance of man’s unbelief, his darling idol he will not let go of) is utterly abolished by the scripture, “He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?” whereby the prophet infers that so deceived is the heart of man that he cannot refrain from thinking himself pure, and able to save himself by his own will, nor can he see that his right hand is a lie. God Himself also thunders from heaven, and declares to Job (who was tempted to doubt of His sovereignty) that trust in self is vanity, “Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him? Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty. Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him. Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place. Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret. Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee.” (Job 40:9-14) For the purpose of the scripture is to manifest this very thing, that this instruction is properly the work of the Spirit, even to convince us of the authority of the scripture and its power over us, and therefore do we say that it is the only rule. For when scripture is said to be “the only rule” it behooves us to ‘rule out’ all other opinions and modes by which men seek to worship God, as Christ said, “in vain they worship me, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men.” and the Proverb, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” (Prov. 3:5-7) from which text we will draw some inferences, and use as our foundation for this doctrine: The scripture as our only rule.
i. The necessity of single-mindedness. “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart.”
This is truly the duty, joy and honor of the Christian, even to trust the LORD with all his heart, and cleave to Him in faith. Therefore we see the relation between faith and single-mindedness, yea they are one doctrine, for to believe that Christ was buried for sins is the same as to say He must rise again for our justification. To say that we are sinners is to say Christ alone must save us. To say that God alone is wise is to put our confidence in Him alone and say all other wisdom is vain. And so the apostle Paul in his letter to the Galatians labors earnestly to solidify in their minds the doctrine of faith, so that they might not turn aside to the lies of the impostors. For all false doctrine stems from this one root, even unbelief, or double-mindedness. It is to suppose the scripture is confusing, contradictory, disconnected, that there is tension between doctrine and doctrine, or that we cannot be certain of anything spoken therein. This is antithetical to faith which is certain, solid, immovable and unbending. Thomas Watson says, ‘Get an interest in the unchangeable God, then thou art as a rock in the sea, immoveable in the midst of all changes.” To belief is to be constant and firm in the word of God, not to doubt whether it be so. Those who have interest in the true and living God have a true and living faith. Therefore to have faith is to have a sound mind. To have a sound mind is to have a single mind. Christ our Lord saith, “The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matt. 6:22-23) William Secker writes, “The body has two eyes — but the soul must have but one; and that so firmly fixed upon Christ, as never once to glance beside Him. A single eye is fittest for a single object.”
Martin Luther says also, “In philosophy, a small fault in the beginning, is a great [and a foul] fault in the end. So in divinity, one little error overthroweth the whole doctrine. Wherefore we must separate life and doctrine far asunder. The doctrine is not ours, but God’s whose ministers only we are called; therefore we may not change or diminish one tittle thereof. The life is ours: therefore, as touching that, we are ready to do, to suffer, to forgive, etc. whatsoever our adversaries shall require of us, so that faith and doctrine may remain sound and uncorrupt; of the which we say always with Paul: ‘A little leaven leaveneth,’ etc. In this matter we cannot yield even an hair’s breadth. For the doctrine is like a mathematical point, which cannot be divided; that is, it can suffer neither addition nor subtraction. Contrariwise, the life, which is like a physical point, can always be divided, always yield somewhat. A small mote in the eye hurteth the eye. Hence the Germans say of remedies for the eyes: ‘Nothing is good for the eyes.’ And our Savior Christ saith; ‘The light of the body is the eye; therefore when thine eye is single, then is thy whole body light; but if thine eye be evil, then thy body is dark;’ again ‘If thy body shall have no part dark, then shall all be light’ (Luke 11:34,36). By this allegory Christ signifieth that the eye, that is to say, the doctrine ought to be most simple, clear, and sincere, having in it no darkness, no cloud, etc. And James in his Epistle saith: ‘He that offendeth in one point is guilty of all;’ which saying he had not of his own spirit, but doubtless had heard it of the fathers. The doctrine ought therefore to be as it were a golden circle, round and whole, wherein there is no breach; for where there is the very least breach, the circle is no longer complete. What profit is it to the Jews, that they believe in one God, even the Creator of all things, or that they believe all the articles and accept the whole Scripture, when they deny Christ? ‘He therefore that offendeth in one point, is guilty of all.’ This place therefore maketh very much for us against these cavillers which say, that we break charity to the great hurt and damage of the churches. But we protest that we desire nothing more than to be at unity with all men: so that they cleave unto the doctrine of faith entire and uncorrupt. If we cannot obtain this, in vain do they require charity of us. Accursed be that charity which is preserved through the loss of the doctrine of faith, to the which all things ought to give place, be it charity, an Apostle, or an angel from heaven, etc. Therefore, when they make this matter of so little account, they do sufficiently witness what store they set by the Word of God. Which if they did believe to be the Word of God, they would not so trifle with it, but would hold it in high honor, and without any disputing or doubting would put their faith in it, knowing that one word of God is all and all are one. Likewise they would know that one article [of doctrine] is all and all are one, so that if one is set aside, then by little and little all are lost: for they are joined the one to the other, and are bound up together as it were by one common bond. Let us suffer them therefore to extol charity and concord as much as they list: but on the other side, let us magnify the majesty of the Word and faith. Charity may be neglected in time and place without any danger: but so cannot the Word and faith be. Charity suffereth all things, giveth place to all men. Contrariwise, faith suffereth nothing, giveth place to no man.” Therefore we see that concerning the doctrine contained in the scripture, we are to have one mind, and agree with all that which is spoken therein, or we will be found to be in disagreement with the whole. One little error in doctrine overthrows all of scripture. Therefore we see that to have faith is to believe the word of God, as John Owen says, “to believe all things contained in scripture.” This is what it means to trust in the LORD with all your heart. It is to believe God’s word, His whole word without any doubt or reservation, but confidently and boldly to cling to His word in faith, believing to be true whatsoever is spoken therein. Luther says again, “The Holy Spirit is no skeptic. He has written neither doubt nor mere opinion into our hearts, but rather solid assurances, which are more sure and solid than all experience and even life itself.” Therefore are we confident concerning the doctrine of the word (which we are here discussing), the doctrine of justification, of heaven and hell, and the last judgment. No man’s opinions may overturn that which is infallible. No man may overcome that which is invincible. “The light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.”(John 1:5)
ii. The scripture as one rule. “in the LORD”
We see also from this text that to believe in God is to believe His word. It is one in the same to deny God as to doubt His word. As the apostle John writes saying, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” [1 John 1:10] which is to say that to deny the doctrine of sin as expressed in scripture (rightly defined original and actual) is to say that you are not a sinner at all! For is there not one doctrine of sin declared in scripture? Is it that men are only partly sinners, or altogether sinners? That men are partly good, or wholly corrupt? That they are guilty of only their own conduct, or confined under sin in Adam? That there is boasting according to the law, or that the law removes boasting? Surely the latter, and therefore to deny the doctrine of sin in any single part, either, 1. by denying its origin in Adam, 2. by undermining its effects, 3. glossing over its misery, 4. dulling the wound it has made upon the soul is as John says, to “not have His word in us.” The apostle’s conclusion is that to deny the doctrine of sin, is to absolutely exclude us from any part in His word. That is the very nature of unbelief, even to say to God, “I am not such a sinner, but I am better than many” when the scripture says, “Thou art a dead tree which bringeth forth no good thing.” Which leads us to the main point of the exposition of this text, even that when God speaks in His word, it is the final say of the matter. You cannot say you believe in God if you do not believe His word, and you cannot say you believe His word if you do not believe the doctrine contained in scripture or the conclusions drawn from it. William Tyndale rightly said that God is His word, and if so, to misinterpret the word is to deny God. God’s word is the revelation of His divine will and the only rule of doctrine and life, and therefore all things must be judged by that rule. This is what it means to “trust in the LORD,” to believe His word, and consent to the holy doctrine He teaches in it. The scripture removes all ground for false pretense saying, “I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.” (Ps. 138:2) The saints praise God for His truth, for the holy doctrine we receive by the implantation of the knowledge of salvation by the Spirit is according to truth and must be if it comes from God. To be uncertain of true doctrine, or to compromise with heretics is all the same as to disbelieve all the promises, yea the word itself and call God a liar. For the scripture says, “if they who are of the law be heirs, faith is made void.” (Rom. 4:14) Therefore the saints drawing truth from scripture rightly condemn all sects and heresies, yea and all false teachers and prophets of rebellion, regardless of their influence and prestige in the Reformed church. If they speak not according to the word of God, there is no light in them. [Isa. 8:20] The word of God is the declaration of His name, and therefore to deny His word is to put your trust in false gods. To “Trust in the LORD” means to believe whatsoever He speaks concerning Himself. Therefore do not say with your mouth that you believe in the name of Christ (whose name means, “THE LORD IS SALVATION”) if you do not believe His holy word, and do not say you believe His word if you deny the doctrine contained in the word which is spiritual, yea moreover, do not say you believe the doctrine if you deny its conclusions, and try to work your way around it. The word of God stands forever. He will not abide sinners who make the vile imaginations of their darkened mind the rule by which they judge the scripture. He has magnified His word above His name, which is to say that His word declares His name, and you may only rightly know and believe on His name through His holy word, which is not a dead letter, but living doctrine.
iii. The necessity of regeneration. “with all thine heart.”
It must be greatly wondered at how the scripture demands such a thing as this, to love God with the whole heart, when the heart of man is wholly darkness, and to trust in Him with all the soul, when the eyes of the understanding are blinded by sin! This brings us to the doctrine of regeneration, even that it is the Spirit of God who penetrates through this thick darkness and reveals the things of God to us, so that we might believe on Him, love Him and trust Him with all the heart. The Spirit brings the truth of God home to our souls with power through the preaching of the Word, and by showing us the heavenly reason of the things, effectually persuades us of them, causing us both to know and love them. The knowledge of the world brings death. Many there are in the church who profess to know God, but being that their knowledge is a natural knowledge, that is, that they may know things about scripture as the names of the apostles, literary structure, historical context and many other natural things, yet being that God has not chosen them unto salvation, the Spirit of God not working upon them with omnipotence, they remain dead in sin and cannot discern the doctrine, nor how it applies to themselves and others. The scripture says, “the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” (1 Cor. 2:10) Not that the Spirit searches and finds new things, which God did not know beforehand, but that His chief work in salvation is to reveal them to us, by enlightening, renewing and renovating our spirit, and discovering them to us, as it says in the scripture, “And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” (Gen. 1:2) and, “The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.” (Prov. 20:27) and again, “he will teach us of His ways” (Isa.2:3) Therefore, if we are to believe the holy scriptures as God hath declared them, we must first understand them as God has revealed them to us. But how can darkness discover itself! If we are wholly sinful, even so that the mind cannot think one good thought, then how can we come to this knowledge which is no doubt required to believing? Verily, it is of God to grant this wisdom and not our own attainment, therefore the next passage of our text reads, “lean not unto thine own understanding.” For to be enlightened by the Spirit is to understand the things of God, to agree with Him, to believe His word in all things which He has declared.
Thomas Watson writes, “The saints are of the same judgement with God, of the same disposition.” Hath not He promised the same to all His people? As it is written, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.” (Joel 2:28-32) and again, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.” (Zech. 4:6) and again, “all thy children shall be taught of the LORD” (Isa. 54:13)
Seeing the scriptures hath promised the teaching of sound doctrine to His people, shall not the Spirit then plainly declare them to us, even as is promised, so that there is unity in the body of Christ? Verily! And so the scripture says, “having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which he hath purposed in Himself” [Eph. 1:9] and, “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation..” [v13] So we see that belief comes through understanding, and understanding by the Spirit who speaks in His holy word. But there is also a point to be made concerning this text of how it pertains to the whole heart of man. We have up to this point explained how the heart of man is renewed, and comes to an understanding of the truth, but not how it may be rightly said of the Christian, “all thine heart”. For it must not be supposed that this teaches that the Christian is without sin in all of his heart, for Paul confesses in Rom. 7 that he does that which he hates. And yet Watson says (in perfect unity with this doctrine), “The saints love what God loves and hate what He hates.” And we find the answer to this in the same chapter to the Romans, for the apostle writes, “with the mind, I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.” Paul here expounds upon this text in Proverbs with the words, “with the mind I serve the law of God.” That is, “with my whole heart I am willing to keep the law, nevertheless, my flesh is weak.” as Christ saith of His disciples, “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak”. So to be a Christian is to be single-minded, and have the whole soul centered upon one end, that is God’s glory. We aim that God might be glorified in everything, and our actions demonstrate that inward sincerity wrought in the soul by His Spirit. Paul says to the Corinthians, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” Notwithstanding, in many points we offend, as the apostle James saith. But in what? In doctrine? In belief concerning the word? No, for as Martin Luther boldly affirms, “To err in one point of doctrine is to overthrow all.” No, but in practice we often err, we daily fail concerning the keeping of the commandments of God, and therefore are in need of daily sanctification by the Spirit that he might work in us that which is good, and we might see progress in our life, which is an encouragement in times of adversity. So that God makes evil work for good. We sin, but so that we might see our need of the Spirit, and learn to hate it more, and thereby love God more, and so be straightened by that which the devil aims for our destruction. So that this text does not say that we are perfect in the flesh, but in the mind we believe that which we ought to, and strive for that which God would have us strive for, even sanctification unto glory. With the mind we serve the law of God. That is what it means to love the Lord with all the heart, soul, strength and mind. Love for the law is the beginning of faith. Faith worketh by love. It is the Spirit that grants faith, and causes us to love that which the natural man hates, even the law which condemns all self-reliance and pride, and hate that which we loved, even sin and hypocrisy, and look unto Christ for justification, (seeing we are damned according to our works), and for sanctification, (seeing His life is a perfect example to follow.) Therefore the scripture condemns all self-righteousness, which is legalism, and all unholy living also, which is antinomianism. And thus we are taught by this principle to love God with the whole soul, and bby His grace we do.
iv. The deceit of the heart. “Lean not unto thine own understanding.”
Consequent to this blessed doctrine of regeneration is the forbidding of its opposing principle, even the fleshly wisdom of man. For that which is born of the Spirit is spirit, and that which is born of the flesh is flesh. That wisdom which comes from natural man is odious to God, for it is sinful, neither can it discover or discern the things of God rightly, but doth come to its own conclusions about the word apart from the word, and apart from the Spirit speaking in the Word. Therefore all false doctrine is antichrist and doth wage war against Christ and His church. For Christ Himself saith, “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.” (John 15:26) For when the Spirit of God sheds His holy light upon our eyes, and we behold for the first time our spiritual poverty, our nakedness, our wretchedness, our misery, our sinfulness and depravity and that God demands of us such a perfect righteousness as we don’t possess, nor could ever attain to in our natural condition, then are we spoiled of that raiment we trusted in and deprived of any means of glorying in ourselves. Then when the law hath done its work and we have gazed into that perfection by His own work upon us, we are brought to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, even that He is all righteousness, goodness, purity and redemption for us, and hath made an atonement for our sin. For how could we be brought to such self-dereliction apart from the Spirit? How could we see our nothingness except God shows it to us? And why would He reveal this to us except to save us? So we see that Christ’s words prove true, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” To be poor in spirit is to be broken and contrite, to be repentant and renewed, and to have a heavenly mind opposed to the world and its sophistry. The prophet also bears witness to this truth saying, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.” (Isa. 61:1-3) Therefore in regeneration, the LORD takes from us all glorying in the flesh, as it is written, “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” (Phil 3:3) and again in the prophets, “The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.” (Isa. 2:11)
For was not circumcision the cutting off of the flesh? And was not this very thing meant to teach us that all who are made members of the church (as the sons of Abraham were made members of that congregation) are so cut as to remove boasting in the flesh? As it is written, “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.” (Rom. 3:27) Then faith is rightly here shown as antithetical to boasting. Then faith itself is not belief in free will, common grace, partial depravity and universal atonement, for all these beliefs, creeds and forms of doctrine are designed to add a little something of the flesh to salvation which is not the work of God, which is not Christ, even man’s own works, which allows for boasting, yea exalts it, as the false apostles say in our time, “man is not as bad as he can be”, and, “surely we can always think of someone being more depraved” and worse still, “This doctrine has been called “Total Depravity,” but I feel that the “total depravity” is a misleading term.  If you look up “depravity” in the dictionary, it’s a synonym for viciousness.  It’s a synonym for being vile.  In fact, to be depraved, according to the dictionary, is to be degraded, debased, immoral to a dangerous degree like rapists and serial killers.  The word “depraved” sort of connotes a level of evil that’s just not applicable to everybody.  To say someone is totally depraved, you know, you think of Jeffrey Dahmers, or Charles Manson, or somebody who has not a vestige of human goodness, and void of all normal affection and restraint.  To call someone “totally depraved” would set them outside normal people as vicious perverts. That is not what is meant when theologians refer to total depravity because not everybody is as bad as they could be, and not everybody is as bad as everybody else.” (taken from John MacArthur’s article titled, “The Doctrine of Absolute Inability”) Notice the subtle wickedness of his words. “void of all normal affection and restraint” as if these semblances of virtue are acceptable to God! Away with such pretenses of righteousness you mad fellow! God calleth the highest virtue of man wickedness, and all his righteousness filthy rags, verily an abomination. It was not the sinners of the world but the Pharisees who crucifed Christ. Judge then which is more heinous in God’s sight, Jeffery Dahmers’ unrestrained murder or John MacArthur’s insolent blasphemy! Which is worse, to offend man, or God?? These Lordship salvation justiciers are not of God, for they do not preach the truth of the cross which is man’s wretchedness, nakedness and utter wickedness, but preach rather man’s wisdom, uprightness, and moral ability. This is the very thing that the prophet here is refuting when he says, “lean not unto your own understanding”. For when men look at the world and see acts which they see as righteousness, then doth sin blind them because they judge by their sight, and having not faith, they deny and blaspheme Christ saying, “see! here is virtue!” while Christ’s ministers and doctrine are despised and rejected rather than received. They pretend to be God’s servants while they persecute God’s people and preach to the people a system of works which keeps them in bondage to the law, to sin and to the devil.. For we (as Paul witnesses) are made as the filth of the world because we preach man’s sinfulness, yea our doctrine is seldom heard, the number of the saints is very few, and the church’s ministers even fewer, as it is written, “Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?” and again, “Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.” Therefore seeing that the wisdom of God is foolishness to the world, and the wisdom of the world is foolishness to God, and it is madness to contend with God, as it is written, “If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?”
(Job 9:3-4) let us as many as be of a spiritual mind trust in the LORD, and rally behind His ministers who preach unto us the pure doctrine of the word of God. For man doth not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Seeing then that our life is bound up in the word of God, let us cleave to that word, and contend zealously for it, knowing that it is our wisdom to be as fools, as it is written, “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.” (1 Cor. 3:18) and let us lean wholly upon God’s word, knowing that all things that are spoken therein shall surely come to pass, the blessings upon the people of God, as well as the curses upon the wicked. Let us put away earthly wisdom, and labor for that wisdom that cometh from above, meekly and humbly submitting to the ordinances, chiefly the preaching of the word, that we might grow in the faith and be shaped more and more unto the likeness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who is the wisdom of God.
v. The faithfulness of the LORD. “He shall direct.”
Heretofore we have discussed the work of regeneration, which being the work of the LORD always realizes its purpose, and we have moreover touched upon the nature of unbelief and the seriousness in denigrating doctrine, the evil of calling the teaching of the word of God, “unnecessary”, calling Arminians who deny the grace of God to establish their own righteousness by free will, “Christians” and joining with them in their blasphemy against Christ and His word. Now we are set to briefly expound upon that text which reads, “He shall direct.” For is it not one and the same to call one who denies any part of the doctrine of salvation a Christian as to say, “He shall NOT direct?” But the scripture refutes their error and confounds their madness saying, “The LORD shall teach sinners in the way…He will guide the meek in judgment…The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.” (Ps. 25:8-9, 14) and again, “He will teach us of His ways.” (Isa. 2:3) and again, “And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.” (John 6:45) and again in the Epistles, “Having made known unto us the mystery of his will…In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation…The eyes of your understanding being enlightened” (Eph. 1:9, 13, 18) and, “the word of the truth of the gospel… bringeth forth fruit…since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth.” (Col. 1:5-6) Calvin writes, “It is also with propriety that the faith of the gospel is called the knowledge of God’s grace.” And again, the scripture says of the wicked, “Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them…” (Eph. 4:18) Seeing then that the saints are delivered from darkness by the pure knowledge of God, through the conviction of sin through the law, and the propitiation of the Son of God on their behalf, being called and quickened by the Spirit of God who saves whom He will, even those predestined to salvation, and so purchased, let us not cavil against God and say, “unbelievers are also believers.” For to be an unbeliever is to disagree with God concerning His holy doctrine, and therefore are they cast out of the church, except they repent. As Zacarius Ursinus says, “The doctrine of the church is the entire and uncorrupted doctrine of the law and gospel concerning the true God, together with his will, works, and worship; divinely revealed, and comprehended in the writings of the prophets and apostles, and confirmed by many miracles and divine
testimonies; through which the Holy Spirit works effectually in the hearts of the elect, and gathers from the whole human race an everlasting church, in which God is glorified, both in this, and in the life to come. This doctrine is the chief and most expressive mark of the true church, which God designs to be visible in the world, and to be separated from the rest of mankind, according to these declarations of scripture: “Keep yourselves from idols.” “Come out from among them, and be ye separate.” “If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your houses, neither bid him God speed.” “Be ye holy, touch no
unclean thing, ye that bear the vessels of the Lord. Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” (1 John 5:21. 2 Cor. 6:17. 2 John 10. Isa. 52:11. Rev. 18:4.) God wills that his church be separate and distinct from the world, for the following considerations: First, on account of his own glory; for, as he himself will not be joined with idols and devils, so he will not have his truth confounded with falsehood, and his church with her enemies, the children of the devil; but will have them carefully distinguished and separated. It would be reproachful to God to suppose that he would have
and acknowledge as his children, such as persecute him; yea, it would be blasphemy to make God the author of false doctrine, and the defender of the wicked; for “what concord has Christ with Beliel.” (2 Cor. 6:14.) Secondly, on account of the consolation and salvation of his people; for it is necessary that the church should be visible in the world, that the elect,
scattered abroad among the whole human race, may know with what society they ought to unite themselves, and that, being gathered into the church, they may enjoy this sure comfort, that they are members of that family in which God delights, and which has the promises of everlasting life. For it is the will of God that all those who are to be saved, should be gathered into the church in this life. Out of the church there is no salvation.” And concerning the faith of the Son of God, does not the scripture say, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” (John 1:12) which name of “Jesus” means “JEHOVAH IS SALVATION” of which all the Scriptures Old and New Testaments bear witness. Therefore it is one thing to believe that God is the salvation of His people, and quite the opposite to believe that grace is offered to the sinner, to be accepted or rejected by him. Away then with all false doctrines of God’s common love, wishing all men to be saved, when Christ was not sent for them, but for the elect! And if for us, then not for the reprobate. Then to make a breach in this holy doctrine is to overthrow the whole of the scripture, and the foundation of the gospel which is a promise and not predicated upon a condition which man must fulfill. That which God requires of us to be made partakers of His redemption, even faith, so He supplies by His Spirit, that He alone might be glorified. Therefore the knowledge of salvation is the knowledge of the glory of God, as it is written, “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Cor. 4:6) Seeing then that God always teaches us His will concerning salvation, let us not cavil against Him and call Him an unsuccessful teacher who leaves us uncertain of the promise, or utterly devoid of His doctrine, but let us be assured that all those whom He is pleased to save, He calls to faith and repentance, that is a sure belief in the doctrine of sin, and Christ’s obedience and sacrifice on our behalf. Any doctrine which supposes Christ to be an offer of salvation is anti-Christ, for it does not say that God is salvation, rather that salvation is open and available to all who will avail themselves of it. This is the doctrine of free will. This is the doctrine of the world. Therefore we do not stop at censuring the Arminians, but say with boldness that all who would fellowship with darkness are of the devil and cannot come into the communion of the blessed. We separate from Calvinists also, because they deny the doctrine of salvation in manifold ways, chief among these is their ready and willing fellowship with the Arminians (who openly blaspheme Christ by calling His atonement powerless). We will proclaim holy war against them as John Owen did, and boldly declare with him, “those [reasons and arguments which condemn the Arminians as unbelievers] that I have produced are enough to make their abettors incapable of our church-communion.” We are the children of God, are led by the Spirit of God, and are taught by Him the gospel of salvation. We believe His word and cling to His blessed promise in hope. Having our trust in the holy word of God which cannot lie, and taking refuge therein [Isa. 4:6], we cannot be refuted, nor gainsaid. What doctrine we believe is the truth itself which cannot be argued against. Christ Himself hath said, “For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.” (Luke 21:15) Our adversaries the Calvinists may speak against us, but what they say is only a witness to their ignorance, an evidence of their depravity, and a precursor to their final damnation. But God shall direct His people in the way of truth, and will not permit them to fall into damnable heresies. “For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” (Ps. 1:6)
vi. A warning against pride. “Be not wise in thine own eyes.”
It is written in the prophets, “The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.” (Isa. 2:11) Here we come to the substance and marrow of our controversy with men; even that they oppose the glory of God by their false doctrine. Our enemies make accusations against us that we demand too many doctrines to be believed in order to salvation, that we demand perfect doctrine, or that we say that we must possess a perfect knowledge of God in this life or we cannot be saved. But all of these spurious arguments are but vain obfuscations of the matter at hand. We preach the simple word of God against all pride of men. We do not condemn men as heretics for small errors in misapplying certain texts, as Luther’s view of the sacraments, or the congregationalists on church government, nor the postmillenial Puritans who did not fully comprehend the nature of the world during the last times, which things we may be ignorant of without danger to our salvation. But we proclaim belief in the simple and pure word of God as necessary to salvation, not as if our belief warranted salvation, but as an instrument by which God delivers us from the darkness of sin and error, and imputes His righteousness to us. To believe the word of God is to be humbled, and therefore to be emptied of all boasting in one’s own righteousness, free will, merit or ability. To believe that man in his natural condition is in any part good, possessing the image of God as pertaining to righteousness, and not wholly depraved is utterly to reject God’s word and to cast away the promise of salvation as worthless. The prophet pronounces a condemning woe upon all those that are wise in their own eyes, saying, “Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” (Isa. 5:21) To presume that your understanding is not wholly darkened by sin and to approach the scriptures as if you can understand them and interpret them properly is to overthrow the office of Christ as prophet and to make void God’s authority to command the light to shine out of darkness. This is why Calvinists unequivocally call Arminians Christians, because they cannot understand the scriptures as intended by God, and therefore must call those brethren who egregiously err with them. To believe the word of God is to believe the doctrine contained in the word, and therefore to err in the doctrine of scripture and say that ignorant men and heretics also have light is to call them true and God’s word a lie. Go then and follow your brethren into hell, accursed Pharisees. You have no part with God and with Christ. The scripture saith, “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” (Isa. 8:20) Therefore we see that to be wise in one’s own eyes is the very essence of unbelief, which is proved by the next passage.
vii. An exhortation to repentance. “Fear the LORD, and depart from evil.”
As it is paramount to the subject at hand, and it would be horrible impiety to leave it unspoken, we must bring our attention to the gospel itself. I hope I have not strayed too far from our discourse upon the word of God in briefly expounding on this passage from Proverbs, but seeing as it directly concerns this chief article of the faith I thought it fitting, and hope that you will bear with the addition, being instructed and edified thereby. And so we come to the final point in this brief exposition, even that the whole word of God (which is revealed to man for his salvation) is comprehended in these two words, “Fear the LORD” and “depart from evil”. Even as it is written in the same book, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” and again, “And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.” As it is written in the epistles also, “The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knows those who are His” and, “let everyone that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” Paul calls this doctrine, “the foundation,” even the doctrine of the antithesis, which is nothing else but the doctrine of the law and the gospel. It is written again, “He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” “Fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” Zacharius Ursinus writes, “The doctrine of the church is the entire and uncorrupted doctrine of the law and gospel concerning the true God…”Samuel Bolton also says, “The law sends us to the Gospel that We may be justified; and the Gospel sends us to the law again to inquire what is our duty as those who are justified.” As this will be the substance of the next discourse, as it more closely respects the third question, “What do the Scriptures principally teach?” we will only briefly expound this passage as it relates to the point at hand, even that the word of God is one truth and consists of one distinct message. For if the word of God were manifold and taught diverse doctrines, it would be up to every man to gather up the pieces, and to make sense of it according to his own wisdom. This false opinion contrived by man’s darkened wisdom the scripture aims to refute, as it is written, “there is one Lord, one faith.” and, “With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his. He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools. He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle. He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty. He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged. He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty. He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death. He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again. He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way. They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.“
To believe the scriptures is to believe all the scriptures, and to deny one point, though you appear or think yourself sound in all the rest is to deny the scriptures. We are justified by faith alone, and faith is believing God’s word. Every vital word and concept must therefore be defined and every pure doctrine expressed with openness and clarity, lest the truth should seem unclear. Those who do not believe God’s word as is evident by their own testimony, as the Arminians with their free will, the Calvinists with their free offer, and the antinomians by their licentiousness are not justified.
Our aim then is to cast down their foolish and vain arguments with the pure reasoning of Holy scripture, whether or not they believe us. For, it is not as though we expect them to oppose the doctrine of the word openly, as if we are merely refuting the notion that the scriptures are not the word of God (as the atheists argue), but seeing that the substance of the truth which is the doctrine contained in the word Satan’s ministers seek to destroy by subtle arguments, sophistry, and pontification, we are therefore set in the defense of it in theological disputation, and set up our bulwarks of holy principle against their weapons of logical fallacy and misinterpretation of that which is professedly believed. They may say that they believe the word of God, but whether they do in truth and earnest will be seen by whether or not they agree with God about what His word says. John Owen says of these carnally minded men, “hereby they seem to themselves to believe that whereof in truth they believe not one syllable as they ought.” George Gillespie also writes, “There was never yet any heretic in the Christian world who contradicted that which is literally and syllabically in scripture. The most damnable heretic will offer to subscribe to the scripture instead of a confession of faith, who yet will not subscribe to all truths which necessarily follow from the words of scripture.” Therefore the doctrine of the word of God is defended from heretics by the analogy of faith; that is that every word of God agrees with itself, that is that it is but one word. Therefore it is called the word of God and therefore it is said that we are justified by faith. As it is written, “Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousness.” (Gen. 15:16, Rom. 4:3) There may be obscure passages which from the surface seem to teach doctrines contrary to another, not because God is not clear, but because of the temptation of the flesh to view things as a natural man, and not with the pure and simple teaching of the Spirit. Nevertheless, those passages are to be interpreted by those which are clear, and not on their own, separated from the whole. John Owen says again, “It is an ancient complaint, that spiritual things are filled with great obscurity and difficulty; and it is true. Not that there is any such thing in themselves, for they all come forth from the Father of lights, and are full of light, order, beauty, and wisdom; and light and order are the only means whereby any thing makes a discovery of itself. But the ground of all darkness and difficulty in these things lies in ourselves. We can more clearly and steadily see and behold the moon and the stars than we can the sun when it shines in its greatest luster. It is not because there is more light in the moon and stars than in the sun, but because the light of the sun is greater than our visive faculty can directly bear and behold. So we can more clearly discover the truth and distinct nature of things moral and natural, than we can of things that are heavenly and spiritual. See John 3:12. Not that there is more substance or reality in them, but because the ability of our understanding is more suited unto the comprehension of them; the others are above us. We know but in part, and our minds are liable to be hindered and disordered in their apprehension of things heavenly and spiritual by ignorance, temptations, and prejudices of all sorts. In nothing are men more subject unto mistakes than in the application of things unto themselves, and a judgment of their interest in them. Fear, self-love, with the prevalency of temptations and corruptions, do all engage their powers to darken the light of the mind and to pervert its judgment. In no case doth the deceitfulness of the heart, or of sin (which is all one), more act itself. Hence multitudes say “Peace” to themselves to whom God doth not speak peace; and some who are children of light do yet walk in darkness. Hence is that fervent prayer of the apostle for help in this case, Ephesians 1:15-19. There is also a great similitude between temporary faith and that which is saving and durable, and between gifts and graces in their operations; which is that that is under present consideration. It is acknowledged, therefore, that without the especial light and conduct of the Spirit of God, no man can make such a judgment of his state and his actions as shall be a stable foundation of giving glory to God and of obtaining peace unto his own soul; and therefore the greatest part of mankind do constantly deceive themselves in these things.”
The doctrine of scripture is summed up in the acronym TULIP. Such means of instruction are invaluable to the church as ways to keep us clear from the subtleties of Satan. Example: Seeing that the scripture undoubtedly teaches the depravity of man which alone necessitates the incarnation of the Son of God, any doctrine which supposes man’s ability or righteousness, would overthrow the doctrine of Christ. John therefore says, “Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” (1 John 4:2-3) For to believe that man is utterly darkness without the divine light of regeneration is to say that God is light, and must needs shine into our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. And to say that man of his own natural ability is part light is to say the Christ needs not come into the world. And therefore, (seeing this doctrine of grace which teaches that light is from God only cannot be refuted) do the adversaries wrest also the grace of God, calling it common, attributing to God a desire to bestow it upon all men, so that they might boast in their own works, and not glory in the cross of Christ. And so the whole scripture is turned upside down, because one doctrine is lost or overturned. So we see that the scripture’s foundation is the law and the gospel, and any doctrine that strays from this opposes God and His Christ. Therefore do we conclude that the word of God is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify God and enjoy Him forever. It is not left to man’s wisdom to direct the counsel of God, but God’s own grace to convert sinners, and bring them into the knowledge of salvation. And therefore do we boldly proclaim that the means of this instruction which He hath chosen in infinite Wisdom is His holy word as spoken by His holy ministers.
To conclude this point, the Word of God is the only rule to direct us, and not man’s wisdom or false interpretations of the word. We see then how fragile this faith is, and how rare it is for man to believe it, seeing it is the condemnation of his own nature, and the destruction of the flesh which he is born approving, loving and cherishing. The Holy Scriptures are the only rule which God has revealed to direct our worship of Him, and therefore to misinterpret the scripture is to misinterpret God Himself. God is His Word.

a) To know God.
Scripture is the only rule by which we are instructed in the true knowledge of God.
By nature we are ignorant, held under thick chains of darkness and therefore inclined unto idols of our vain imagination: Idols of wood, stone, straw and all sorts of earthly and worldly material. The apostle says we are “alienated from the life of God through ignorance” [Eph. 4:18] Because of this, we do not by nature willingly receive the pure and simple doctrine of the word when it is preached but lust after false doctrines which elevate man’s darkened nature; doctrines like partial depravity, common grace, universal atonement, eternal justification and immediate regeneration. (to name only a few) Moreover that pure and simple doctrine that is delivered to us, we abuse and twist to a different meaning than God intended, which is to our destruction, as the apostle Peter testifies in his second epistle. [2 Pet. 3:16] Therefore is the scripture necessary and effectual to refute these abominable heresies, cast down the idols of the mind, and burn man’s traditions as an accursed idol. As it is written in the law, “The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God. Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.” (Deut. 7:25-26) The scripture alone teaches us who God is. As it is a revelation of His will, so it is a revelation of His nature. A misinterpretation of the doctrine of scripture, faith, justification, salvation, sin, Christ or the law is a misinterpretation of who God is, and therefore results in the worship of a false god. It is written in the scriptures, “I am the LORD, I change not.” Therefore the believer may have confidence that to know the scriptures and to believe God’s word is to know the eternal God and to be acquainted with Him, for only God can unite us to Christ by faith. Therefore is Christ called the word of God, because to believe concerning self that we are estranged and alienated from God, yea at enmity with Him according to nature and condemned by the law as sinners is to believe in the righteousness of Christ for salvation, for the law drives us to a deadly despair of ourselves, that Christ might deliver us from despair by hope in His resurrection. This is the true knowledge of God.
i. The revelation of the knowledge of God against heresy.
All true knowledge of God is antithetical to false doctrines and false views of God, and therefore all truth is polemical. Every word of God, and therefore every sermon that faithfully explains that word is a refutation of some error. Even a sermon expressing the boundless mercy of God, and His everlasting love for His people, a sure refuge for the saints, and surely which bears with it inexpressible comfort carries with it the refutation of false doctrines that oppose it, whether the Arminian idea that we may fall from the estate of grace, or the Antinomian idea that God is not concerned with how we live. As God Himself is a refuge for His people, so He is a refuge against the lies of the wicked and the assaults made against His Holy Word. The prophet Isaiah expresses this same principle saying, “Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.” (Isa. 28:15-17) We must take note of the prophet’s sound rebuke of the people, and the method he uses in refuting them. Is it conceivable that the people openly rejected God and vocally said that lies were their refuge? This would be absurd. We must observe then that when the people cast off the true worship of God, and took to themselves images whereby they worshiped Him in vain, rejecting the true doctrine delivered to them, it was one and the same as if they should take refuge in lies, and make an agreement with hell itself. Then the prophet’s purpose is to establish the unshakable nature of true doctrine, and boldly declare that he that taketh refuge in the sure and certain word of God shall never fall away from it. For who can believe but he that is renewed and regenerated by the infallible Spirit of God? and if renewed then preserved by Him that cannot lie? And if He has promised to us life and salvation by His word will He not surely perform that same word? So we see that the doctrine of salvation is the doctrine of the word of God, and the doctrine of the word is the doctrine of the nature of God. God’s word is one, His truth one, and therefore the doctrine His people are taught is one. When Moses the man of God pleaded with God to show him His glory, it is written, “Now the LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.” Joshua the famous captain of Israel said in like manner, “Ye cannot serve the Lord: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.” and again the prophet Nahum declares, “The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit.” We notice here that these are all objective declarations concerning the very nature and character of God which confounds and refutes every false doctrine as taught in the church today. As a thunderclap that rends the heavens, and a flame that burns up the chaff, so this word is full of power, and lays waste man’s darkened concepts of God and salvation. For instance, the Arminians believe that Christ died for all men, but not all are delivered from wrath. They believe that God bestows His grace upon all men, which enables them to believe, but not all men believe. God will punish men with hellfire if they do not exercise their free will and choose Christ. We see plainly from the word that this is not the true knowledge of God. God will not acquit. He will destroy you for your “faith” rather than justify you for it. Man cannot be saved on the basis of his performance to keep the law, even if this one act of obedience is believing. God demands perfection and man is fallen into a state of sin and misery. So we see that these passages refute and condemn Arminianism.
We see also from this that the Calvinists worship a false god, seeing that they hold that God’s grace is common, and is given to undeserving men. Now, in one respect we agree that God’s grace is unmerited; for how can a miserable sinner laden with sins, whose nature is only inclined to sin merit any good thing, let alone eternal life in the presence of God? We cannot merit it, and therefore pertaining to the sinner it is undeserved. But Christ merits it for us, and must or we cannot obtain it, and in that respect it is deserved, because it is given to us on account of Christ, and for His sake, not our own. The law demands the death of the sinner, and the law demands the life of the sinner for whom Christ died. So that God is both just and the justifier of those that believe, inasmuch as He Himself pardons our sins through His blood, and raises us to life by His resurrection. Without Christ, grace cannot be merited for us. But the Calvinists insist that God grants all men common grace, which supposes that although they don’t deserve it, and no one has merited it for them, God gives them grace to restrain their natural corruptions and improve themselves. They say things like, “despite the fall of man, he has some aspect of virtue in him” or, “man is not as bad as he can be, because of common grace.” or, “There is still a measure of love towards Esau because of common grace. We can still preach the gospel to Esau.” (and expect him to believe because of common grace no doubt!) But none of this excess of grace is merited by Christ, for then they would fall right into Arminianism and say that He died for all and desires all to be saved. (which many of them do!) Therefore is the god of Calvinism shown to be false also, even as he is unjust. There is also the matter concerning unequal ultimacy, but that is a subject for another time. Here we deal with the authority of the scriptures, and the refutation of those who profess it, but in works deny it. We see then that these passages refute and condemn Calvinism.
And from this, we see also that the antinomians worship a false god, for although they bark about “imputed righteousness” and manifest spite and animosity toward the Arminians, it is superficial, for they show themselves to be entirely ignorant of the power and authority of the scriptures. The scripture says, “The LORD is a jealous God.” but they will not cease worshiping their idols, for they refuse to submit to the authority of the law, saying that the Christian is not obligated to perform it. Now although we agree that the Christian is not under its curse, we do not say that he is not under its authority. For what other pure and good way of life exists, but the keeping of God’s commandments in holiness? The mere attempt to think of another is brazen rebellion, and is the casting off of true and godly reason and falling headlong into utter darkness and abysmal ignorance. The prophet says, “Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.” (Isa. 5:24) God’s indictment against the people was disobedience against His holy law, and therefore the antinomians are of this sort condemned by God. Do not the prophets bear witness of this? Recall that they also hold that men are eternally justified and therefore only come to a realization of this, but this is not true faith, for though faith is an humble grace, and does not boast in works, yet is it a fruitful grace and produces many! Therefore in their mind since the Christian is not obligated to do the law, he is not obligated to believe in God, repent from sin, abstain from sexual immorality, and so on, seeing that these are all duties which God commands the reasonable creature to perform. An atheist may remain an atheist and so on…Now, God does not accept our works as the basis for which we are forgiven, but being forgiven and united to Christ He accepts our works as they are wrought by Him, through the Spirit, and are performed with a happy and sincere heart, which heart is His new creation. The antinomians in denying the authority of the law, destroy the whole of scripture and the doctrine of salvation. For there is no gospel to save without the law to condemn, and there is no standard of life except the law of God. And so, as the law points us to the gospel for justification, so the gospel points us to the law for sanctification. Therefore do we see that the antinomians do not follow scripture but carnal reason. “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Rom. 8:7
But the word of God declares to us the true doctrine of God, and the principles of true religion, that our minds might be confirmed in the truth, and we might not stray into vanity and error. Therefore we will briefly discuss four major principles concerning the doctrine of God which the scriptures reveal to us while we bear in mind the necessity of the Spirit to bring this truth home to us, and enable us to see. For though man is left without an excuse as pertaining to the existence of God, his depravity prohibits him from penetrating into any true knowledge concerning Him. Therefore we must first look at the doctrine of God as Creator.

ii. God as Creator.
The scripture says, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (Gen. 1:1)
We see clearly just in this first passage of scripture the origin of all things, the eternal essence of God, His infinite power and wisdom manifested in creation, and the preeminence of heaven over earth, spirit over flesh, faith over practice, and so on. Therefore doth scripture testify of God’s wonderful work of creation that His people might adore Him and worship Him as their Creator and Supreme Good. For if God hath created all things, and man is a created thing, we may conclude that God created man. And if so then for a divine purpose, as was previously discussed in the first question. God created man for His own glory, and all other creatures to manifest that glory to us. And therefore His word is a most necessary rule by which to glorify Him, for in that He hath created us, and breathed life into us it is so that we might live to Him. Therefore the beauty of creation is a sure witness of God’s glory in salvation, as David says in the Psalm, “The heavens declare the glory of God…” The creation testifies that all things were made as a demonstration of that which is invisible. Creation serves redemption. We see in things that are made evidences of things invisible, which could not be if God had made all things without the plan of redeeming man from sin. And thus scripture is full of parables and illustrations which prove that the natural world is the handmaid and servant to the spiritual, to better our understanding of the truth, and take us by the hand to lead us to the knowledge of God the creator. And yet we must bear in mind that although the light of nature do bear witness to the fact that there is a God, they are not sufficient to lead man into the true knowledge of Him as Creator. The scriptures alone declare that, “God made the heavens and the earth.” and , “let us make man in our image.”
Moreover, though scripture be a sufficient witness of the truth of creation, yet we are only persuaded of this by the inward testimony of the Holy Spirit working with the word, and implanting the truth of that word in our hearts.
iii. God as Judge.
In Scripture God is called by many names, chief of these in the Old Testament is “Elohim”, which is often translated to God as Judge. Therefore are magistrates called “gods” in Psalm 82, inasmuch as they are given the task of judging the people and issuing punishment for the rebellious as well as rewards for them that do well. As Peter also witnesses saying, “Submit yourselves unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.” (1 Pet. 2:14)
Therefore doth scripture testify of God that He is judge of all men, that in His hands is the decision whether men live or die, whether they come into being or never are, whether they are elect or reprobate, and all things that pertain to them. Job 12:16-21 says, “With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his. He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools. He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle. He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty. He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged. He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.” Here we see in marvelous color the free and omnipotent sovereignty of God over the affairs of men. It is of God to give or withhold, and of God to bestow and make to flourish. He saith to the wise in heart, “Ye are fools!” and to princes, “Ye have no honor.” He raises up the poor, and gives grace to the broken-hearted. He comforts those in distress and gives them sure hope. He is God Almighty, the Sovereign Ruler and Judge of all the earth and who can stay His hand or say unto Him, “what doest thou?” God is the sovereign King over all the earth, and as Judge He alone has the authority to pass sentence upon man. Therefore when the scripture says, “There is none that doeth good.” this is a thundering sentence against all mankind, and convicts him as guilty, as Romans 3 also testifies. Therefore let all the world fall before Him as guilty sinners, and shut their mouths at His majesty, forasmuch as God hath declared to them that they are unclean, and they cannot abide in His presence. And so, their forgiveness and restoration is also in His hands, as He says to Moses, “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.” So that when God saith to man, Repent, and turn to me, this is also His gift, and is given to those whom he wills to forgive. And this leads us to the doctrine of God as Redeemer.
iv. God as Redeemer.
“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” (1 Cor. 1:30-31) The scripture alone reveals God’s wonderful work of redemption which is shut to the rest of the world lying in heathen darkness. The Psalm says, “He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord.” We are here speaking of the necessity of the word of God concerning the knowledge of God, and so we must bear in mind that the whole word of God is as a light that shineth in the darkness, which by the help of the Spirit we are led to God. As Paul says to the Corinthians, “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Cor. 4:6) Therefore, no man cometh unto God except by Jesus Christ, as He Himself hath said, “No man cometh unto the Father, but by me,” and no man cometh unto Christ but by repentance, and no man is brought thereto apart from the word. Now this word confirms to us who Christ us, so that we may be certain who it is we worship and serve, even He who, “loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” (Rev. 1:5-6) For apart from the word of God, men miserably wander in vanity and darkness and invent for themselves a false savior, and a false Christ. The Arminians invent a Christ who does not save so much as facilitate, and help their weakness, for man’s nature (say they) is depraved, but not so much as to prohibit the will from acting with uprightness. So God holds out His hand as it were, and it is up to every man to decide whether he will be saved or no. This is not the doctrine of salvation, nor is it salvation at all. For if man be able to do something that pleases God, he is not in need of a Savior, much less the perfect Son of God. The Antinomians invent for themselves a Christ of a different kind. For they ostensibly come against free will, and vociferously infer that they believe in the sovereignty of grace, but this grace to them is license to sin, for their Christ delivers them not from sin but from obedience to God! But we see from this word the error of both parties, and are led thereby into right doctrine. For the passage declareth that Christ is made unto us, 1. Wisdom, as the catechism also saith, “Christ executeth the office of a prophet in revealing to us by His word and Spirit the will of God for our salvation.” Here is the great thunderclap from heaven against all sin and unrighteousness, even the word by which God convicts us as sinners before Him. Therefore apart from this principle being made effectual in the mind and truly believed, no man cometh to God, as it is written, “And they shall be all taught of God.” Let no man despise the pure doctrine of the gospel, for it is the teaching of God Himself, and apart from this understanding there is no salvation, for Christ is made unto us Wisdom. 2. Christ is made unto us righteousness, for when the law cometh to bruise and convict, and bring to despair, then Christ cometh with all comforts ready to sustain the burdened soul, and saith in His matchless grace, “I will save thee.” As Christ Himself the great Shepherd of His sheep hath said, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” and again, “All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Therefore the word is necessary to bring to repentance, and to show forth the grace of God unto sinners burdened with grief by the conviction thereof. 3. Christ is made unto us sanctification, for when the soul is relieved and brought to peace and reconciliation with God, then is it brought into subjection to His law, as it is written, “the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” inferring by this same principle that the spiritual mind is subject to the law of God, and made obedient and willing to serve Him with love and devotion. Therefore is the word of God necessary to declare to us that right way of living, so that we might always know in every matter how to do that which God requires of us. 4. Christ is made unto us redemption, which is the fulness, essence and culmination of all these even our eternal salvation, and vindication in His presence at the last day. For when the body of sin is destroyed, and we are made perfectly righteous in Him, not only by declaration as in justification but really and in our person, then shall we behold His face as the Psalm says, “I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness.” For beholding the Son through the word, which is like a dark glass fit for our frail infirmity, even though we see dimly, and not yet fully, yet in beholding Christ through the veil, we are transformed into His image and made more and more like unto Him, as it is written, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Cor. 3:18) and again, “Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” (Phil. 3:21) Therefore is the word of God necessary to prepare us for glory that we might hope in God who is able to save us from our sinful flesh, from the devil, and from death itself, and will present us before Him holy and spotless through the blood of Christ the Redeemer. Without this knowledge there is no salvation, and there is no knowledge of this great work of redemption apart from the word of God, which is ministered in the church.

b) A final warning against heresy and apostasy.
In conclusion, we will briefly discuss the knowledge of salvation as it pertains to the doctrine of the word of God. We aim here to show that as scripture is God’s revelation of truth, and nothing is true but that which is revealed therein, and as scripture is self-authenticating, self-authoritative, and self-interpreting so it is to be believed and obeyed accordingly. The scripture says of itself that it is, “a lamp and a light.” and convicts those that walk contrary to it of, “having no light in them.” Therefore it is of the chiefest points of duty that we understand it as it is revealed, hearken to its doctrine, and apply ourselves to its commands. Scripture is the only light which shows us the way of salvation, and therefore it behooves us to take heed to it, lest we be led astray with the errors of heretics, or lose hope in the promise and become loose in the ways of religion. The scripture says, “Take heed to the doctrine!” and, “Contend earnestly for the faith.” and again, “how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation.” Those who are given the knowledge of the word, (that is the outward ministry) are so much the more guilty if they abuse it, misinterpret it, or turn away from it. Thomas Watson says in his Body of Divinity that the doctrine of scripture condemns heretics like antinomians which say that God cares not if man continue in his sin, and the Arminians who bring in free will. These two groups comprise most of the chruch today who profess to know God. How woeful then is the condition of most in the church! Not being granted a true minister to teach them right doctrine, they are led astray by lies, and kept in bondage to sin and the devil, and therefore are subject to the wrath of God. The prophet foretells of this abysmal state of the world saying, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.” This is vital to the subject at hand, because for the scripture to be believed, the doctrine contained therein is to be believed, and that which scripture says of Christ must therefore be believed, and for men to believe they must be taught what to believe and what to reject. So the apostle says, “How shall they hear without a preacher?” We must labor then diligently to get a right understanding of the doctrine, by comparing scripture with scripture lest we end up like these miserable rebels who interpret it according to their carnal pleasure, the one so that he may live as he please, and the other so that he may judge others as he please. The proverb says, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” Martin Luther also said, “When God wills to condemn a man, he gives him leave to play with scripture.” The Holy word of God is not for us to tinker with and alter according to our fancy, as the Arminians and antinomians do, but for our learning and admonition, to show us the way of salvation and conduct us into everlasting life. John 20:31 says, “these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” Therefore, before we continue to the next question in the catechism we must briefly touch upon those major points of doctrine which the scripture declares to be necessary to salvation.
i. The knowledge of sin through the law.
The scripture alone shows man who he is by nature, and convicts him as a transgressor before a just and holy God. The heathen nations who were not given the law had a conscience to condemn them, but no law to convict them and by consequence, no gospel to save them. There is no gospel without the proclamation of the law, for the doctrine of the law is the declaration that man is totally and utterly wicked, and that God demands of him perfect obedience thereto. Therefore the scripture says, “by the law is the knowledge of sin.” And what does the law say about sin? Martin Luther says, “Now, the true way to Christianity is this, that a man do first acknowledge himself by the law, to be a sinner, and that it is impossible for him to do any good work. For the law saith: Thou art an evil tree, and therefore all that thou thinkest, speakest, or doest, is against God. When a man is thus taught and instructed by the law, then is he terrified and humbled, then he seeth indeed the greatness of his sin, and cannot find in himself one spark of the love of God: therefore he justifieth God in his Word, and confesseth that he is guilty of death and eternal damnation. The first part then of Christianity is the preaching of repentance, and the knowledge of ourselves.”
And what a word is this! Where is it proclaimed that “God hath created man upright, but he has sought out many inventions?” Where else, but in the word of God is it said that, “every imagination of the thoughts of man were only evil continually?” Did the heathen have this revealed to them? No, for it is written, “He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the LORD.” (Ps. 147:20) Therefore is the scripture of highest value, for that it alone showeth unto man his true condition before God, which is that of enmity, even of a criminal to a judge who will not acquit. Therefore it behooves those who have this ministered to them by outward preaching to labor to get a right understanding of it, lest they also be found abusers of the word. The Arminians do not rightly undertsand the law, for if they did, they would not boast in free will! The Calvinists do not understand the law, for if they did they would not establish common grace, but say that every man that fulfilleth not all things in the law are under the curse! The PRC (an especial tool of Satan) call the work of the law “preparationism” and labor to steal men away from the faith by their antinomian doctrine. And the antinomians deny their obligation to it, showing they have not come face to face with the righteous demands of the law! God will convict all men of sin by the law, and all who have not fulfilled it to the letter will be condemned by it. All these men who call themselves true believers are condmened by the pure doctrine of the law and the gospel. Therefore, he who hath the true word of God abiding in His heart, flee from idolatry! Flee from modern demoninations that overthrow the glory of God in salvation by fellowship with evil men, heretics and impostors! The church today is apostate and utterly without the doctrine of God, and the wrath of God cometh upon all hypocrites and liars, therefore flee from them! Flee from the wrath to come!
ii. The knowledge of Christ the Redeemer.
Having then been brought to nothing by the law, and showed that we have no hope to stand before God on our own account, the scripture is necessary to reveal unto us the only manner of being justified and delivered from this wrath that the law pronounceth against us, and that is through the propitiation of the Lord Jesus Christ. For he came to save His people from their sins, and the prophet says of him, “Behold, the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world!” Therefore is the doctrine of scripture most necessary to reveal this knowledge to us, for without it there is no promise made to us, but only the expectation of His wrath. As it is written, “The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him.” (Prov. 10:24) For every thought of terror and fearfulness that cometh into the minds of those in darkness is but a painted picture of the wrath that shall come upon him, for that he hath no hope, and is without the promise of the word of God. They have nothing to look for but the expectation of death, and then the judgment of God for their wicked deeds. Therefore is salvation coming to the Gentile nations a singular demonstration of God’s unspeakable love, which the apostle witnesseth to in Ephesians, saying, “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.” (Eph. 2:12) Paul here in this chapter argues how rich and great the love of God is which deigned to reveal to us Gentiles the promises through His word. This is not to highlight Israel, but the mercy of God. For if salvation was peculiar to a certain people, then was it not given to others, and this teaches us that the word of God is most necessary, for that God grants the light of the knowledge of His glory through His word. Then were the Gentiles brought into the bond of the covenant by the word, (that is by the gospel) and by Baptism and not by circumcision. And so then brethren, learning from this doctrine of the inclusion of the Gentiles, who before were in darkness, but are now brought into the enjoyment of the promise of the gospel in Jesus Christ by the word, let us hold fast to the doctrine, and closely adhere to that which is spoken therein, for that God is most merciful to grant to us the knowledge of His truth through it, an unspeakable mercy indeed! The scripture says that Christ is the way, the truth and the life. It speaks of Christ giving Himself for the salvation of His people, and saving those whom the Father gave Him. The Holy Scripture speaks only of a Holy or Limited Atonement and that it was not made for the salvation of all men. Therefore those that abuse this doctrine of the atonment and call it universal are not Christians but atheists and blaphemers, calling God’s work common, that they might boast in their own works! Be wary therefore of false doctrines concerning Christ, for they lead you into damnation, being not of grace but of works which is the curse of the law. Christ came to save His people from sin, and saves only those given to Him by the election of the Father. Anyone who says otherwise is not of God.

c) To Walk with God.
Having been given then the true knowledge of salvation, and escaping the bondage of the devil through grace, we are thus brought to a life of holiness and obedience to God, as David saith, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Ps. 119:105) The Word of God is the infallible rule by which we order our conduct. Being born into sin and iniquity, man is born a hater of good, and a hater of God’s law. “The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God.” [Rom. 8:7] Without the law, man walks in the darkness, utterly devoid of the knowledge of that which pleases God, and without the Spirit of God causing him to love that which he hated, he resents God for demanding of him perfection in the law, and therefore despises Christ who came to fulfill it. Any man therefore which says the Christian is not obligated to keep the law, says that Christ is not an example to follow, and shows himself to be a hater of God and His most holy and righteous law.
The infallible rule of life that God has given to man is His Word, commonly called His law, and is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments. The Christian does not keep the commandments in order to be saved, but being saved, He is so delivered from the power and dominion of sin in order to keep God’s law. Therefore it is said in Galatians that against the fruit of the Spirit there is no law. [Gal. 5:23] Paul says in Romans 3 that by faith, “we establish the law.” [Rom. 3:31]
In Luke 1, Zacharius says that “we are delivered from our enemies in order to serve God in righteousness and holiness all our days.” [Luke 1:74-75]
Titus says that in saving us, God has “delivered us from every lawless deed.” [Tit. 2:14] And John tells us that sin is, “the transgression of the law.” [1 John 3:4] Therefore we see that any infringement or breach of the law of God in the slightest way is sin, [Matt. 5:19-48] and what is the Christian commanded to do with sin, but kill it and destroy it. “If by the Spirit you mortify the deeds of the body you shall live.” [Rom. 8:13]
“If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.” (Matt. 5:29)
Therefore we see that God has given us a standard to live by, an infallible standard, a pure and perfect standard, and that standard is His law. Before we are saved it is said that the law works wrath, and no man may be justified by the law. That is because in our flesh and natural depravity we are unable to keep the least of God’s commandments. Now this is the key point to be made in reference to the true keeping of God’s law, even that although we do not keep it perfectly, nor yet keep it in order that we may be justified, yet being justified we keep it with sincerity that God may be glorified. The antinomians cast contempt upon God’s law and say that you are a legalist if you even try to keep it. This is blatant heresy, and a most blasphemous contention against the majesty and justice of God. Romans 8:4 says that “the righteous requirements of the law are fulfilled in us who do not walk after the flesh but after the Spirit.” Therefore, though a Christian may not be able to keep the commandments perfectly, he keeps them acceptably through faith in Jesus Christ our righteousness. We need not keep them perfectly, because Christ has kept them for us, but we do keep them in reality, because God requires it of us as marks and evidences that we are His children indeed, and not slaves of sin and the devil. No Christian can keep the law perfectly, but every Christian aims at keeping the law perfectly, and looks forward to that blessed day when his body of death is cast off, and in the resurrection he is finally made to obey God perfectly through the power of the Son who works in us by His Holy Spirit.
Now this is the critical mistake of the antinomians. In contending with God’s law they contend with the Spirit. They see God’s holy law which is spiritual [Rom. 7:14] as carnal. Is this not the evidence of an unregenerate heart? Indeed, God says in His word that “not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.” [Rom. 2:13] Is this justification based upon our own works? God forbid. For Paul says that of the flesh we can do nothing good and that we are carnal and sold under sin. [Rom. 7:18, 14] However, our person is justified by the grace and mercy of Christ through faith, and that faith is justified by our keeping of the law. One comes before, the other comes after. Faith works through grace, and enables the soul to work.
Therefore there is no confusion between James and Paul.
Paul says, “We are not justified by the works of the law.”
And James says, “A man is justified by works, and not by faith only.”
Paul is speaking of the justification of a person by faith, and James is speaking about the justification of that faith. Therefore James says, “Faith without works is dead.” And not, “A person without works is dead.”, or “Faith is dead without works.” James is specifically referring to an upright and moral life to prove that we have faith. Therefore he calls the moral law, “the perfect law of liberty.” It is an impossible thing for an unregenerate man to follow this rule, for he does not have the Spirit of God dwelling in him. He cannot keep the law,(as Jesus said to the Pharisees, “did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keeps it?”) but the righteous: those who are justified by Christ apart from works are enabled to keep the law that they may live acceptably before God.
So we see that it is an impossible thing for an unregenerate man to delight in the law.
If we look closely at Paul’s arguments in Galatians, and Romans, we see he is making two negative arguments in regards to the law and neither of them are against keeping God’s commandments. He argues that we cannot be justified by the works of the law, [Rom. 3:20, 28, Gal. 2:16] and that the ceremonial laws which distinguished Israel from the world are no longer the way in which we please God. [Rom. 2:28-29, Gal. 5:6, 6:15]
However, Paul sums up the whole matter and by inspiration of the Holy Spirit says in 1 Cor. 7:19, “Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God.”
Therefore we see that scripture is the infallible rule of life, and the only standard by which to judge what is pleasing to God. To cast contempt upon the law of God is to cast contempt on God the Father who magnified it, “The Lord is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake; He will magnify the law and make it honorable.”
(Is.42:21) it is to cast contempt on God the Son who lived in perfect obedience to it, “Then I said, ‘Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.” (Heb. 10:7) and it is to cast contempt upon God the Holy Spirit who wrote the law of God, both in tablets of stone, [Ex. 20, Deut. 5] and tablets of the heart. [Heb. 8:10, 2. Cor. 3:3]
There is hardly to be coneived a man more offensive to God than He who casts contempt upon His law, for it is the revelation of His perfect holiness, and the manifestation of His divine being and character. He who hates the law of God hates the Word of God, and he who hates the Word of God hates God Himself.
“Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt.5:19)

Therefore, brethren let us labor earnestly and zealously to learn the doctrine that is taught in the Holy Scriptures, and perform His desired will, and not our own. For He has written His will in the Holy Scriptures, and through the Spirit He writes that will upon our hearts, that we would not live unto ourselves, but unto Him, and by His Spirit He causes us to love Him, and serve Him in holiness, righteousness, and uprightness of heart, that we may conduct ourselves in the fear of God, and the diligent keeping of His commandments.
For the sum of all life and the purpose of man’s being is to obey God, and in obeying Him, to glorify Him.

“To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” (Is. 8:20)

“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.” (1 Sam. 15:23)

“For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices: But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.’ (Jer. 7:22-23)

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” (Ecc. 12:13-14)