Dr. Peter Van Kleeck, Sr., Musings in Bibliology

How Foolish Can the Church Be?

When the sum and substance of the Christian Principia are under attack, what compels the believer to yield to these inventions. Why believe someone when they say, “Your KJB is riddles with errors?” What gives that criticism credibility in the Christian mind? Adopting Pauline language as he wrote to the Galatians, we would subscribe this swift ecclesiastical transfer of theological power to foolishness. Which begs the question, “How foolish can the Church be?”

If losing its way, and then corrected, we could say it was a passing glitch in the unfolding of redemptive history, but if wholesale rejection of the self-attesting and self-authenticating truth of Scripture for a science project is embraced as normative, this kind of foolishness is more akin to apostasy than a single slip.

This is not to say that the foolish believer is apostate, but that the composition of the institutionalized contemporary church includes an apostate mindset when it comes to evaluating the sacred Text. This mindset is so established in the Church that pre-critical arguments are ignored, demonized and laughed to scorn. And the opposition is indeed foolish in that it exists without theological or empirical grounds in a futile effort to argue inductively up to a Text that has a transcendent quality, “forever settled in heaven.” This kind of apostasy is more a reflection of religious superstition that either faith or science. “We simply must believe this because we must,” incapsulates the salient points. But what if I don’t believe? Then not only are you wrong, you’re a bad person, a schismatic troublemaker. Why? Because you do not embrace the foolish superstition. Facts are not the answer, compulsion to believe is required to fit the contemporary ecclesiastical milieu. If the compulsion to believe is driven by anything other than the Word and Spirit, Paul says you will be a slave to that thing and no longer free.

With a conscience bound to the foolishness of superstition, it is no wonder why the Church has rejected the genius and spiritual revival of the Reformation and is running headlong back to the spiritual darkness of the Middle Ages. History tells us that once this happens, it takes no less than 1,000 years to recover.

Keep writing. Keep declaring the Good News. Don’t back up. Don’t back down. Don’t give in.

Nathaniel Ingelo, 1659, on the Certainty of the Christian Religion

Upon the plainness of God’s revelation, depends the certainty of the Christian Religion. This Pillar had need be firm, for the best thing in the world rests upon it. What is acceptable to Christ, and what he will do for us, is to be known by revelation which he hath made of his mind to us; but if the revelation conceal his sense it doth not deserve its name, nor benefit us. For notwithstanding the assistance we receive from it, we are left to acknowledge him with blind conceptions, to worship him with uncertain expresses, and depend upon him with a very infirm expectation.

But, O blessed Savior, we have no reason to think ourselves at a loss! Thou hast told us plainly of the
Father, thou hast explained the two Great commandments, and in them the substance of the Law and the Prophets. Thy Gospel holds forth to us all particular duties of Faith and Love and Righteousness and Mercy. Thou hast shewn us what kind of worship and worshippers thou dost regard, having commanded us to worship God in Spirit and in Truth, with all true apprehensions and worthy affections; to serve God in all good conscience and with purity of heart, and hast rejected the vanities and superstition, though they ever be so gay or costly, all exterior shows, which want the correspondency of inward goodness; so that now we may well say thou shewed us men what is good, and what the Lord our God requires of us, even to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God. Thou hast taught us, how in all religious addresses we may come acceptably before the Lord, and what Mediator we are to use, we need no longer ask, for thou hast shewed us the one Mediator between God and man, and told us for whom he will intercede, even all that come to God by him, and make themselves like unto him. Thou hast shewn us how thou didst converse with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the Prophets and Apostles, and that we also upon the same terms may become the friends of God by Jesus Christ, who is the same yesterday, today and forever; so that all good Christians may say, and concluded that are certain of their way to God, the Scripture having reveled it a clearly as sun-beams. The Scripture given by inspiration is so profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness, that the man of God, (teacher or learner} is perfectly furnished with direction to all good works.

Now, if any shall say the force of these arguments may be avoided, though the Scripture be not plain, if we have an infallible Interpreter to resolve their doubtfulness and clear their obscurity. I answer. There is no question of that; but where is the Interpreter? It is harder to find him, than the sense of the most difficult Scripture. What will be answered, if we ask these few questions concerning him? What is his name? what countryman is he? Where doth he dwell? If his commission be not in the Scripture, how came he by it? If it be, in what words is it set down.

We read but of one infallible Interpreter of God’s mind, Jesus Christ, and he hath required all his servants, that they presume not to take any Mastership at this point. And call no man your Father upon the earth, for one is your Father, which is in heaven; Neither be ye called Masters, for one is your Master, even Christ. These words are justly interpreted by most learned men as a command of Christ, directed against men’s usurpation of authority to impose upon others, what we are to believe. The chief Master in the school of the Jewish Prophets had such authority, that no man might contradict what he said, and in this sense we are to call no man Father, but God who hath taught us by him, whom he appointed to be our only Master, (i.e.) Christ Jesus.

How much more those are deceived, that assume to themselves to be infallible guides, and indeed Dictators to God’s Church, hath been shown abundantly by themselves, and many learned ,men have forced them to take notice of their errors, and therefore I will insist no further upon this point.

And now we see with what reason our Savior closed his discourse, saying, If they believe not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded, those one rose from the dead. With which I shall also close the doctrinal part of this discourse.

Those which are not satisfied with God’s truth so fairly propounded in Scriptures, may pray to Abraham to send one from the dead to preach to them, if their ears itch for such teachers, but when he comes, would they believe him? No, they would rather accost him thus. Art thou come out of the Grave to fright us? Where is thy Certificate that thou wast in the other world? We do not know thou wast dead, or if thou art a Ghost; we know not whether thou comest from heaven or from hell, whither thy design is to teach us or to disturb us. They say good spirits do not walk. That thou hast some money somewhere. If thou comest to discover any murder, tell us. People talk of Goblins to fright children and fools, but dost thou think that we will leave our profits or pleasures for a shade? That this is too true, we have an instance in the Jews, to whom our Savior preached this point. For they had Lazarus (whether Christ alluded to his name or no) raised from the grave, and he discoursed with the Pharisees; but as soon as he asserted the truth, that crossed their humor, they would have killed him, and sent him to the other world again, a messenger of their unbelief. When men have no mind to do their duty, they will quarrel with the Messenger, and ask for another; not that they will then obey, but to gain a truce for disobedience, and in the mean time they will seek for that which no doubt they will find, (i.e.) something to make themselves believe, that the next will be not so sent neither, but that they shall be able to except against him.

Nathaniel Ingelo, The Perfection, Authority, and Credibility of the Holy Scriptures. Discoursed in a sermon before the University of Cambridge at the Commencement, July 4, 1658 (London: Printed by E.
T. for Luke Fawn at the sign of the Parrot in Pauls Church-yard, 1659), 138-147.

Nathaniel Ingelo, 1659, on Divine Inspiration in Peter 1:20-21

That the Scriptures are also strict injunctions of Divine Authority concerning our duties. The reason of our faith and obedience to the Scriptures, is into their Divine Authority, which as it is the greatest of all, so upon less we may not depend…God is infallible in his understanding, faithful in his declarations, and so highly deserves our assent. He is Almighty and most true, and therefore we believe and hope in the promises of his word. As God, he hath a right to command, and we as creatures are obliged to obey, and so we receive his commands. God’s authority only could justly make us believe, obey, and fear, what is there declared, promised, commanded, and threatened.

There is a place of Scripture which the Papists do impertinently allege for the obscurity, (i.e.) the dishonor of God’s word, which as it is nothing to their purpose, so it doth most excellently serve to prove what we have in hand. ὑμῶν τοῦτο πρῶτον γινώσκοντες ὅτι πᾶσα προφητεία γραφῆς ἰδίας ἐπιλύσεως οὐ γίνεται. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any interpretation. The design of the Apostle was the same with mine, to exhort Christians to give heed to Scriptures, as such Oracles which could not deceive them. He affirms the prophetic word surer than a private revelation, which he , James and John had in the Mount, and commends the diligent heed they gave to it, till the day-star should arise, peradventure till the truth of the prophecies of Christ shined forth in their accomplishment. But the stress of all this hope in the Scriptures, lies upon this, that none of them were ἰδίας ἐπιλύσεως, private impulse; meaning, as Saint Paul says in other words, πᾶσα γραφὴ θεόπνευστος. All Scripture is divinely inspired. And this appears by the verse that follows. For 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. So that ἰδίας ἐπιλύσεως οὐ γίνεται signifies they are not of men’s private will, but from the divine spirit. The Prophets did not go on their own head, as we say, but on God’s errand. When God reproved those that went without his biding, he says thus, I sent them not, and yet they ran. (Jer. 23:21). So that the fence will be, those holy men who delivered the Scriptures, upon which you rely, wrote not what came into their minds as from themselves, but they set down God’s will.

Nathaniel Ingelo, The Perfection, Authority, and Credibility of the Holy Scriptures. Discoursed in a sermon before the University of Cambridge at the Commencement, July 4, 1658 (London: Printed by E.T. for Luke Fawn at the sign of the Parrot in Pauls Church-yard, 1659), 35-38.

Nathaniel Ingelo, 1659, on the Credibility of Translations

And herein God shewed his care for the unlearned, who are the greater part of the world; for though they cannot read the Original, yet having a Translation, which, in that it is a Translation, agrees with the Original.¹ They receive the same mind of God that the learned do. Why should any man be unsatisfied with this way of delivery, whereas Princes and States, in matters which they esteem greatest, receive proposals and Ambassadors by an interpreter? If to read, or bear these read, be not sufficient tpo direct us, what shall become of the blind, who can neither read Original or Translation? And if any think that say a great matter against Translations, when they affirm, That we know not the configuration of Hebrew and Greek words, but by the report of men. They may well say so of our Mother-tongue; for we know not that this word Book signifies, that which men commonly understand when they hear that word pronounced, but that they were told so; shall Englishmen for this same reason doubt, whether he can speak true English or no? or shall the child neglect his duty to his parents, whom he can know but by report? Behold how many ways can the divine Providence use one thing? The first division of tongues broke a foolish attempt of scaling the skies; this second furthered a noble design of lifting us up the right way to heaven. By the courtesy of so many Translations, the Holy Ghost appears again in cloven tongues. Those men which would make us believe the written word is no fit Rule, because everybody skills not the Hebrew and Greek, do not only say that they are not a rule to us, but that there were not to the Jews or Grecians. For it is probable, that many Greeks could no more read Greek or Hebrew, than many can know read English: and how did they do? If we may be deceived by those which interpret, so might they by those which read. But if they say, as they would fain have it, that the Jews had an infallible spirit, then lawful to ask where he lay asleep whilst the Jews, being wickedly misled, rejected the Messiah.

¹By Original, Ingelo, with 17^th C. post-Reformation scholarship, is referring to the apographa, actual original language manuscripts within their possession.

Nathaniel Ingelo, 1659, on the Credibility of Holy Scripture

That the Scriptures are a proposal of all these truths to our understandings in a way of most fair and full credibility, and that appears in these three things.

The way of proposal is most credible.
The things propounded are in themselves evidently true.
The expressions in which they are laid down, are plain, and fairly intelligible.

No man can say, but when things are propounded so, he is fairly dealt withal.

First, the way of proposal is most credible. That whatsoever God says is true is the ground upon which this assertion sets its foot, and that is such a great Truth, that it is above the necessity or proof. He which believes there is a God, believes his veracity and he which believes not that there is a God hath no reason to believe anything. He hath no reason to believe anything, if there be not Truth. And if there be not a God, there is nothing, and so no truth.

But as that foundation is firm and unquestionable, what God saith is true, I must build two things upon it, and on them the credibility of the first particular is founded. Viz.

That since, what God says is true, we ought to receive whatsoever, we have abundant reason to believe that God did say it.
Whatsoever comes to us as God’s word, we ought by no means to reject it, without most weighty reasons to make us think that God did not say it.

As to the first, Scripture is the way of proposal, (i.e.) God hath written his mind to us; now we have two great reasons to make us believe this writing to be his word.

Because writing was the fittest way to communicate his will to us.
Because since all writings need witness, that we might not doubt this to be his, he hat sent it attested by the witness of all those that were worthy to be believed, (i.e.) the good men of all ages.

Because writing was the fittest way to communicate the Gospel or his will to us, that appears thus; all nations and ages of the world, could not be present at the birth of Christ, nor be eyewitnesses of his miracles, see him rise out of the grave, and ascend into heaven, put their finger in his side, etc., what then? Will they not believe unless they do? Shall Christ be crucified afresh in every age, that we may see him rise from the dead? But because Christ was not to remain always below, not come again in that manner, and it concerned the world to know the Gospel, God committed it to writing, and hath made the holy Scriptures the safe repositories of his Truth, that is, excellent preservatives against weakness of memory, and the rust of malicious designs, Monumentam Christi est divina Scriptura, in qua divinitatis humanitatis ejus mysteria densutate litera veluti quadam muniuntur Petra.

How much God was in love with this way appeared of old, for though he was pleased to converse familiarly with his plain friends the Patriarchs, yet lest his counsels should slip out of the frail minds of men, he commanded Moses to write them. Litera scripta manet. The Jews nice care of the letters was well made us use by God; for it became Septum Legis, while they looked to the words; God secured the sense: and how unsure all other ways are, we may perceive in that the Church hath not preserved the remembrance of Christ’s miracles which were unwritten. Language in the garb of truth, it comes not abroad till it be clothed in words; and since Christ was not to stay here to preach always, he enabled those whom he deputed to declare his will in several languages, that it might be understood by divers nations, when it was spoken and heard, and because the Apostles were to die too, he commanded them to write it, and hath enabled his Church to translate it into several languages of the world, and so they understand it being written and read.

Musculus, 1578, on the Theocentricity of Scripture’s Authority

Of the truth and accomplishment of the holy scriptures

The truth of the holy Scriptures dependeth upon the truth of God who is the author of them. He that doubteth the truth of them, either does not believe that they were uttered by the instance of the Holy Spirit, or else if he doubts not of that, he does not believe that God cannot lie. Or if he does believe that also, he takes him mutable as man, so that the same to which he would have to say tomorrow changing his mind, he would none of it. All which opinions be far from them that be of the number of true believers. For they do doubt nothing at all, but that the holy Scriptures be of God, and that God can never lie, neither be changed. They do say with the Apostle: Let God rather be true, and every man a liar. And with the Prophet: The word of God is tried by fire, cleansed seven times. They know the saying, I am GOD, and am not changed. And that also of Isa, Like as the dew and the snow cometh from the heaven and returneth not thither again but moiseneth the earth, so is the word that goeth out of my mouth, it returneth not unto me void, but doeth whatsoever I will, and doth prosper in those matters whereunto I sent it. Wherefore they that be persuaded of the truth of God are persuaded also of the certainty and truth of the saying of God, which he set forth to us in holy scriptures.

Wolgang Musculus, Common Places of the Christian Religion. Translated out of the Latin into English by John Man of Merton College (London: Imprinted at Henry Bynneman, 1578), 387-388.

Richard Allestree, 1678: A 17th C. assessment of a contemporary academic and ecclesiastical epidemic

In the Treatise of the government of the tongue published by me heretofore, I had occasion to take notice among the exorbitances of that unruly part, which sets on fire the whole course of nature, and itself is set on fire from hell, James 3:6, of the impious vanity prevailing in this age, whereby men play with sacred things, and exercise their wit upon those Scriptures by which they shall be judged at the last day, John 12:49.

Richard Allestree, The Lively Oracles Given to us or The Christian’s Birth-right and Duty, in the custody and use of the Holy Scripture (At the Theater in Oxford, 1678), Preface.

Richard Allestree,1678, on the Preservation of Scripture

6. And for this, God (whose care is equal for all successions of men) hath graciously provided, by causing Holy Scriptures to be written, by which he hath derived on every succeeding age the illumination of the former. And for that purpose, endowed the writers not only with that moral fidelity requisite to the truth of history, but with a divine Spirit, proportionable to the great design of fixing an immutable rule of faith and manners. And to give us the fuller security herein, he has chosen no other penmen of the New Testament, than those who were first oral promulgators of our Christian religion, so they have left to us the very same doctrine they taught the Primitive Christians. He that acknowledges them divinely inspired in what they preached, cannot doubt them to be so in what they wrote. So that we may enjoy virtually and effectively what wish of the devout Father, who desired to be Saint Paul’s auditor, for that hears any of the Epistles read, is as really spoken to by Saint Paul, as those who were within the sound of his voice: Thus God who in times past spake at sundry times, and in diverse manners to the prophets, and in the latter days by his son, Heb. 1:1-2, continues still to speak to us by these inspired writers, and what Christ once said to his disciples in relation to their preaching, is no less true of their writings: He that despiseth you, despiseth me, Luke 10:16. All the contempt that is any time flung on these sacred Writings, rebounds higher, and finally devolves on the first Author of those doctrines, whereof these are the registers and transcripts.

Richard Allestree, The Lively Oracles Given to us or The Christian’s Birth-right and Duty, in the custody and use of the Holy Scripture. By the Author of the Whole Duty of Man (At the Theater in Oxford, 1678), 4-5.

Richard Allestree, 1678, on the Supereminency of the Wisdom of God in Holy Scripture

14. How attractive a thing Wisdom is, we may observe in the instance of the Queen of Sheba, who came from the utmost parts of the earth, as Christ says, Matt. 12:42 to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And the like is noted of the Greek Sages, that they were addressed to from all pasts, by persons of all ranks and qualities to hear their lectures, And indeed the rational nature of man does by a kind of sympathetic motion close with whatever hath the stamp of reason upon it. But alas, what is the profoundest wisdom of men, compared with that of God? He is the essential reason; and all that man can pretend to is but an emanation from him; a ray of his Sun, a drop of his Ocean, which as he gives, so he can also take away. He can infatuate the most subtle designers. And (as he says of himself) makes the divers mad, turns the wise men back, and makes their wisdom foolishness, Isaiah 44:25.

15. How impious a folly is it then in us, to idolize human wisdom with all its imperfections, and despise the divine? Yet this every man is guilty of, who is not attracted to the study of the sacred Writ by the supereminent wisdom of its Author. For such men must either affirm that God has not such supereminency, or that, though he have in himself, he hat not exerted it in writing. The former is down-right blasphemy and truly the latter is the same, a little varied. For that anything, but that is exactly wise can proceed from infinite wisdom, is too absurd for any man to imagine. And therefore he that charges God’s Word with defect of wisdom, must interpretively charge God so too. For though tis true, a wise man may sometimes speak foolishly, yet that happens through that mixture of ignorance, or passion which is in the most knowing of mortals, but in God, who is pure act, and essential wisdom, that is an impossible supposition.

Richard Allestree, The Lively Oracles Given to us or The Christian’s Birth-right and Duty, in th3e custody and use of the Holy Scripture (At the Theater in Oxford, 1678), 18-19.

John Trapp, 1650, on Canonicity, Special Providence and the Preservation of the Song of Songs

Which is Solomon’s] He was the Penman, God the Author. Of the many other Songs he was both Author and instrument, 1 Kings 4:32. Not so of this, which therefore the Chaldee Paraphrase here entitleth, Songs and Hymns (in the plural, for the surpassing excellency of it) which Solomon the Prophet, the King of Israel, uttered by the Spirit of prophecy, before the Lord, the Lord of all the earth. A Prophet he was, and is therefore now in the Kingdom of Heaven, notwithstanding his foul fall, whereof he repented, for as it is not the falling into the water that drowns, but lying in it, so neither is the falling into sin that damns, but dying it. Solomon was also King of Israel and surpassed all the kings of the earth in wealth and wisdom, 2 Chron. 9:23. Yea, he was wiser than all men, 1 Kings 4:31, and as himself was a king, so made his singular Song (as David did in 45 Psalm) concerning the King (Christ and his spiritual marriage to the Church), who is also called Solomon, Cant. 3:11 and greater than Solomon, Matt. 12:42. If therefore either the worth of the writer, or the worthiness of the matter may make to the commendation of any book, this wants for neither. That’s a silly exception of some against this Song, as if not Canonical, because God is not once named in it. For as oft as the Bridegroom is brought in speaking here, so, oft Christ speaketh himself, who is blessed forever. Besides, whereas Solomon made a thousand songs and five, 1 Kings 4:32 this only, as being chief of all, and part of the holy Canon, hath been hitherto kept safe (when the rest are lost) in the cabinet of God’s special providence, and in the chest of the Jews (God’s faithful library keepers, Rom. 3:2; John 5:39), it not being the will of our heavenly Father, that any one hair of the sacred head should fall to the ground.

John Trapp, A Commentary Upon the Books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs: Wherein the Text is explained, some controversies are discussed, and many remarkable matters hinted, that had by former interpreters been permitted. Besides sundry other Texts of Scripture (which occasionally occur) are fully opened, and the whole so intermixed with pertinent histories, as will yield both pleasure and profit to the judicious reader (London: Printed by T.R. and E.M. for John Bellamie, and are to be sold as his shop at the three golden Lions in the Corn-hil near the R. Exchange, 1650), 174-175.