Taken from his ‘SUM OF THEOLOGY REHEARSED OUT OF THE SCRIPTURES; (Geneva, 1665)’
Johannes Cocceius (1603–1669), a luminary of Reformed scholasticism and sacred philology, stood as a towering figure in the theological firmament of the seventeenth century, distinguishing himself by his resolute commitment to the covenantal structure of divine revelation. Born in Bremen, he ascended to academic prominence in the Dutch Republic, occupying the professorial chairs of Hebrew and theology at the University of Franeker and later at Leiden. A fervent advocate of federal theology, Cocceius propounded that the entire Scripture must be understood through the successive unfolding of the divine covenants, from the Covenant of Works with Adam to the Covenant of Grace in Christ, thereby advancing a historical-redemptive hermeneutic that profoundly influenced Reformed exegetical method. His works, suffused with a holy zeal for the sovereign majesty of God and the economy of salvation, were often set in contrast to the more rigid systematic orthodoxy of his contemporaries, most notably Gisbertus Voetius, with whom he engaged in rigorous disputation. Ever laboring to sanctify the intellect in service of the Most High, Cocceius departed this temporal realm in 1669, his theological corpus enduring as a testament to his devout scholarship and his unwavering fealty to the divine oracles.
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The first thing that is to be held touching Holy Scripture is the necessity thereof. Its necessity enforceth on us the necessity of retaining it; there is no room for casting it aside, but only for giving diligent heed unto it. Step by step, therefore, we shall go forward to demonstrate that necessity.
Before all things it behoveth us to consider with what furniture a theologian ought to be endowed. The office of a theologian—that is, of him who in the Church speaketh the things of God or speaketh concerning God unto any—Saint Peter thus limiteth (1 Pet. 4:11): If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; to the end that they who receive the word of God’s preaching from the very speaker may receive not the word of men, but the word of God (1 Thess. 2:13). Hence it is clear that the theologian must needs speak what God hath spoken, that his speech may be a narration; and that men can be neither κολογοι nor κολων save a divine logos—a word—stand forth. That word we gladly distinguish from Geologia; for Geologia is the knowledge and narration of God’s speech, not the speech itself nor the revelation of God.
Likewise it is plain from those testimonies that the theologian must not speak upon any other authority than that of God who revealeth His word, making faith for all that it hath proceeded from Himself.
Even so is Christ, in Psalm 2:7, shewn beforehand as about to declare, in the appointed manner, what the Lord had spoken unto Him, speaking nothing of Himself, nor otherwise than in His Father’s name and by His authority; for He is introduced thus: I will declare the decree: Jehovah hath said unto Me. Thereby it is manifest that the manifested Christ, to prove Himself the Son of God and the Christ and to shew the Gospel true, would appeal unto that which was heard—that which Jehovah had spoken—and unto that which all may easily perceive to have been spoken of God.
In like manner Christ sent forth His disciples, whether apostles or other teachers and pastors, even as the Father had sent Him, that they should speak in no other name, nor preach another Christ, nor utter another word than that which He Himself had spoken (John 20:21). Hence it is evident that Christ’s own mission and the word committed to Him to preach must be the very pattern of the preaching of the apostles and of all that thereafter teach and speak.
Moreover, the word of God—that is, divine revelation—is needful unto all; for without it no man considereth, as he ought, even those things that God hath made manifest of Himself, which can and ought to be known, that he may glorify Him and give Him thanks (Heb. 11:3; Rom. 1:21).
For man, being animal and carnal, walketh in the vanity of his mind, darkened in understanding, alien from the life of God through the ignorance that is in him by reason of the hardness of his heart (Eph. 4:17-18), saying in his heart, There is no God (Ps. 14:1). Therefore he must needs be awakened by the word of God, that he may be convinced that there is a God; and arguments must be thrust upon the conscience whereby, being pondered, the eternal power and Godhead of God are seen; and man’s due unto Him must be urged, that sin—which without the law in a manner lieth hid and is silent—may by the law be known, be stirred up, overflow, and become exceeding sinful (Rom. 7:8-9; 5:20; 7:13).
If then we suppose that God willeth to be glorified of men, revelation is needful. For, as hath been shewn above (ch. I §§ 15-16), man, through whatever knowledge of God and of his own duty may be drawn from the works of creation and general providence, cannot be brought to love God, but is rather driven to hatred of Him for that sin wherein by nature he lieth (Rom. 7:9-11, 13; 2 Cor. 3:6).
Yea, not even holy angels can of themselves know what be the right way of justifying man after sin; wherefore the angels are said to desire to look into the things that are revealed unto us (1 Pet. 1:12). Much less, then, can man of himself know how God in a becoming manner forgiveth sins—namely, that He may be just and the justifier of the sinner—so that by hoping for pardon a man may glorify God.
Howbeit, though either by God’s longsuffering some suspicion of mercy insinuate itself, lest any deny it, or—even where the image of God standeth, as in the holy angels—there can be no denying the riches wherewith God can rightly justify the ungodly, and though conscience after revelation is convinced that the mode of mercy (opened in the word) beseemeth God, yet the will and purpose of God to justify the sinner in Christ (which in Scripture is called the Testament) is a mystery hidden in God until He revealeth it; and, when revealed, it is marvellous and passeth all knowledge. That same longsuffering and beneficence of God giveth man occasion to please himself in sin and to deny the righteousness of God (Rom. 7:9).
And herein lieth especially the unsearchableness of the mystery—without the knowledge whereof yet neither the reason nor the firmness of our righteousness can be made known—namely, that God is Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, three yet one, having the self-same power, will, and nature. For when this is revealed it cannot be known by us as it is in God, nor how the Father knoweth the Son, and the Son the Father, and the Spirit searcheth the deep things of God, but only after a certain analogy and by denying the creaturely imperfections; it is clear, therefore, that it cannot be known naturally. For all natural knowledge of God resteth on His works, especially on that image of God which is set in man; but of this divine subsistence, wherein three are one, there is in created things no image at all.
Further, forasmuch as it cannot stand sure with us that God can be our righteousness and our Advocate unless the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost and the one will of the Three be revealed; and since God cannot be glorified in us or by us unless it stand sure that He is our righteousness: for both causes revelation through the word is most needful.
Hereby mayest thou judge what treasure the nations lost when they forgat the word, which alone is life; and how great the severity of God, when He withdraweth it and hideth His face—as now He pursueth the Jews and others who turn the word of truth into a lie.
Since the Word of the Covenant first uttered in Paradise, repeated by Enoch and Noah and the rest, was, after the confusion of tongues and the setting up of the Babylonian empire (which turned religion into mere human legislation), given over to oblivion, it was scarce possible that any should be saved, unless God, looking down from heaven, had delivered the words of life unto Abraham and his seed, and at the last unto the people of Israel by Moses—a notable deposit, by divine favour granted unto that nation before all others.
It pleased God moreover, by His servant Moses, to commit the whole doctrine of the covenant unto written volumes, and therein to prepare for posterity—even for the Gentiles—a heritage to be seen.