He persisteth in the same argument, God the lawgiver is the
only judge; and who art thou that thou invadest or usurpest his office?
There is one lawgiver. - But you will say, We can name many others, Lycurgus,
Zaleucus, Solon, &c., many who had also potestatem vitae et necis, power of
life and death, and many now that make and dispense laws. How is this sentence
true? I answer - Grotius supposeth the apostle intendeth Christ by this
expression, in opposition to Moses, as arguing against those that would
continue the use of the ceremonies, and observe difference between days and
meats, &c. Now saith he, we in the Christian church have but one lawgiver,
Christ, and not Moses. These must not be yoked and coupled together. But this
is too argute, and offereth too much force to the context. More probably, then,
he meaneth - (1.) That there is but one absolute and supreme lawgiver, whose
will is the rule of justice. Others are directed by an external rule, and
prudent considerations of equity and safety, and therein they are but as God's
deputies and substitutes, either in church or commonwealth: 2 Chron. xix. 6,
'Ye judge not for man, but for the Lord; the Lord is with you in the matter of
judgment.' (2.) In spiritual things none else can give laws to the conscience.
In external policy the laws and edicts of men are to be observed. But he
speaketh of the internal government of the conscience, where God alone judgeth
by the word; for he speaketh against those that in indifferent things would set
up their own will as a rule of sin or duty. Observe: -
Obs. That God alone
can give laws to the conscience. So Isa. xxxiii. 22, 'The Lord is our judge,
the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; he will save us.' Take them in
a spiritual sense, and the words are exclusive: God, and no other, our only
judge, our only lawgiver, &c. God only knoweth the conscience, and
therefore God only must judge it, and give laws to it. God only can punish the
conscience for sin, and therefore he only can make a sin. It is the privilege
of his word to 'convert the soul.' Ps. xix.
Object. There may be an
objection framed against this doctrine out of Rom. xiii. 5, where it is said,
'Wherefore ye must be subject, not only for wrath, but for conscience' sake.'
So that men's commands seem to oblige the conscience.
Sol. I answer - They
do in a sort, but not in that order and manner that God's do. (1.) Not directly
and immediately, but by the intervention of God's command. As a Christian is
bound to perform all civil duties upon reasons of religion, we are bound in
conscience, though human laws under that quatenus do not bind conscience. So 1
Peter ii. 13, 'Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's
sake.' It is God's command that bindeth my conscience to observe man's. So
Eccles. viii. 2. 'I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that in
regard of the oath of God;' that is, not only for fear of men, but chiefly for
wronging thy conscience towards God. (2.) Not so universally and unlimitedly. I
must obey God intuitu voluntatis, upon the bare sight of his will; but I must
examine the laws of men, whether they be just, equal, suiting with charity and
public safety; and in many cases active obedience must be withheld. Peter and
the apostles said, Acts v. 29, 'We ought to obey God rather than men.' Many
such cases there are; but now towards God conscience is bound, though it can
see no reason for it, no good from it. (3.) Not so absolutely. Whatever God
commandeth, I am bound to do it even in secret, though it be to my absolute
prejudice; but now submission to man may be performed by suffering the penalty,
though the obedience required be forborne; and in some cases a man may do
contrary in private, where the thing is indifferent, and there is no danger of
scandal and contempt of authority. Well, then, hear no voice but God's in your
consciences, no doctrines in the church but Christ's. When they brought in
foreign doctrines, it is said, they 'did not hold the head,' Col. ii. 19. No
offices, institutions, and worship must be allowed but such as he hath
appointed. Antiquity without scripture is no sure rule to walk by. We must not
look what others did before us, but what Christ did before them all. So not the
authority of the church; she is 'the pillar and ground of truth,' 1 Tim. iii.
15, sensu forensi, non architectonico; that is, to hold forth Christ's mind, as
a post doth a king's proclamation. Some power the church hath in rites of
decency, and expediency, and order, by virtue of that general canon, 1 Cor.
xiv. 40 (though that text carrieth the face of a restraint rather than an
allowance, and doth not so much enlarge as moderate church power, as I have
elsewhere cleared), but in the main matters the church can only declare laws,
not make them; and though in matters indifferent she can direct to what is
suitable to order and decency, yet those directions should be so managed that
they do not take away the nature of the thing; and though Christian liberty be
restrained, it must not be infringed. It is the injury of antichrist to usurp
an authority over the church of God; and this is the very spirit of
antichristianism, to give laws to the conscience. Calvin saith, Men would have
us more modest than to call the Pope Antichrist; but as long as he doth
exercise a tyranny over the conscience, we shall never give over that term;
nay, we shall go further, saith he, and call those members of antichrist that
take such snares upon their consciences. The setting up another lawgiver is
properly antichristianism; for then there is one head set against another, and
human authority against divine. It is Paul's character of antichrist: 2 Thes.
ii. 4, that 'he as God sitteth in the temple of God;' that is, making himself
absolute lord of consciences, bringing them to his obedience, working them to
his advantage.
Who is able to save and to destroy. - It noteth God's
absolute power to do with man either temporally or spiritually as he pleaseth.
This power is everywhere given to God: Deut. xxxii. 39, 'See now, that I, even
I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and
heal; and there is none able to take out of my hand.' So 1 Sam. ii. 6, and Isa.
xliii. 13. Note hence: -
Obs. 1. That absolute supremacy becometh none but
him that hath absolute power. The power of magistrates is limited by the will
of God, because they depend upon him, and can do nothing but as they are
enabled and authorised by him, John xix. 11.
Obs. 2. God hath an absolute
and supreme power on men, and can dispose of them according to his will and
pleasure. And therefore we must - (1.) Keep close to his laws with more fear
and trembling; there is no escaping this judge, 1 Cor. x. 22. Eternal life and
eternal death are in his disposal, Mat. x. 28. (2.) Observe them with more
encouragement; live according to Christ's laws, and he is able to protect you:
Ps. lxviii. 20, 'Our God is the God of salvations, and to him belong the issues
of death.' He can save his people, and he hath many ways to bring his enemies
to ruin. Your friend is the most dreadful enemy; he 'hath the keys of death and
hell,' Rev. i. 18. (3.) Be the more humbled in case of breach of his laws. Oh!
what will you do with this lawgiver, who, with the rebuke of his countenance,
can turn you into hell? see Ezek. xxii. 14. Have you courage and strength
enough to withstand God? What will you do with him that is 'able to save and
destroy?' Wool overcometh the strokes of iron by yielding to them. There is no
way left but submission and humble addresses. He may be overcome by faith, but
not by power: Isa. xxvii. 5, 'Take hold of his strength, and you may make peace
with him.' By humble supplications you may 'prevail with God as
princes.'
Who art thou that judgest another? that is, what a distance
is there between thee and God I what a sorry judge to him! You have the same
question, Rom. xiv. 4.
Obs. It is good to shame pride with the
consideration of God's glory, and our own baseness. He is 'able to save and to
destroy;' but 'who art thou?' &c.
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