[Doctrina foederum, sive systema theologica didacticae et elencticae (Amstelodami , 1691)]

Johannes Braunius (1628–1708), a venerable divine of the Dutch Reformed tradition, was born at Kaiserslautern in the year of our Lord 1628, and was trained in sacred learning at the illustrious University of Leiden, where he sat under the eminent Johannes Coccejus. Nurtured in the federal and covenantal theology of the Reformation, Braunius gave himself to the laborious study of the Hebrew tongue and the Levitical institutions of the Old Testament, wherein he discerned types and shadows of gospel mysteries. He ministered as a faithful pastor and was later appointed to the chair of theology at the University of Groningen in 1681, a post he held unto his death nearly three decades thereafter. His life was adorned not only with erudition, but with devotion, uniting the careful exposition of Scripture with reverence for the covenant mercies of God. Among his chief works stands Vestitus Sacerdotum Hebraeorum, a deep and learned commentary upon the vestments and ordinances of the Aaronic priesthood, drawn from the twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth chapters of Exodus and the sixteenth of Leviticus, showing forth the typological beauty of the ceremonial law as fulfilled in Christ. Likewise, his Doctrina Foedorum offered a comprehensive system of didactic and elenctic theology, built upon the foundation of federal theology, expounding the covenant of works and grace with scholastic clarity. In all his writings, Braunius exhibited that rare balance of penetrating intellect and humble piety, ever seeking the edification of the church and the glory of the Redeemer, whose garments of righteousness he found prefigured in those of the ancient priesthood. He fell asleep in the Lord in the year 1708, full of days and full of faith.

Johannes Braunius (1628–1708), a venerable divine of the Dutch Reformed tradition, was born at Kaiserslautern in the year of our Lord 1628, and was trained in sacred learning at the illustrious University of Leiden, where he sat under the eminent Johannes Coccejus. Nurtured in the federal and covenantal theology of the Reformation, Braunius gave himself to the laborious study of the Hebrew tongue and the Levitical institutions of the Old Testament, wherein he discerned types and shadows of gospel mysteries. He ministered as a faithful pastor and was later appointed to the chair of theology at the University of Groningen in 1681, a post he held unto his death nearly three decades thereafter. His life was adorned not only with erudition, but with devotion, uniting the careful exposition of Scripture with reverence for the covenant mercies of God. Among his chief works stands Vestitus Sacerdotum Hebraeorum, a deep and learned commentary upon the vestments and ordinances of the Aaronic priesthood, drawn from the twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth chapters of Exodus and the sixteenth of Leviticus, showing forth the typological beauty of the ceremonial law as fulfilled in Christ. Likewise, his Doctrina Foedorum offered a comprehensive system of didactic and elenctic theology, built upon the foundation of federal theology, expounding the covenant of works and grace with scholastic clarity. In all his writings, Braunius exhibited that rare balance of penetrating intellect and humble piety, ever seeking the edification of the church and the glory of the Redeemer, whose garments of righteousness he found prefigured in those of the ancient priesthood. He fell asleep in the Lord in the year 1708, full of days and full of faith.

Table of Contents:

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Chapter IV: Of the Perfection, Perspicuity, Reading, Interpretation, & Sense of Holy Scripture

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I. The Perfection of Holy Scripture

Therefore, the Holy Scripture is the perfect norm and rule of faith and manners. This perfection is wont to be considered in divers ways; for one is called the perfection of parts, insofar as the Holy Scripture containeth all things which are necessary unto salvation. And these parts are called, some essential, such as the very doctrines of sound doctrine; others integral, which are all and every book of the Word of God. Perfect is the Holy Scripture in this sense, since it containeth all doctrines and all books necessary unto salvation. It is also perfect in the perfection of degrees, insofar as it containeth perfectly all revelations of degrees, whether in the time of the prophets, or now under the New Testament, so that, since it now holdeth the supreme degree of revelation, it may rightly be called most perfect.

II. Against the Papists’ Distinction of Implicit & Explicit Perfection

Foolishly do the Papists distinguish between implicit perfection and explicit perfection. The former they grant, insofar as it teacheth doctrines which commend traditions and the authority of the Church, through which afterward we are perfectly taught what is to be believed and done; so that the Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary unto salvation only in seed and in power, not in act and in itself. Yet it is certain that it is perfect in explicit perfection, and that it teacheth all things by itself, either autolexei (word for word) or by necessary consequences, which are necessary unto salvation, without tradition, without human authority; so that it not only commendeth not traditions and human authority, but rather rejecteth them. Hence also it followeth that the Scripture is perfect, not only in intensive perfection, as the same Papists speak, that it containeth most true and exquisite doctrines, but also in extensive perfection, because it containeth all doctrines necessary unto faith and manners; which again is wrongly denied by the Papists.

III. Proofs of the Perfection of Holy Scripture

That the Holy Scripture is perfect in every way is evident:

  1. Because it containeth the whole doctrine. It is called tamimah (perfect, Psalm 19:7), which word denoteth all manner of perfection, such as was to be in lambs and other victims (Exodus 29:1; Leviticus 1:3).
  2. Because nothing is to be added to nor taken away from the Holy Scripture (Deuteronomy 4:1-2). That there it treateth only of the written word, not of any tradition, as the Papists foolishly explain, is evident, since at that time there were no traditions, unless we again feign that the Talmud of the Jews existed in those times.
  3. Moreover, we are always sent back to the written Law, not to that delivered by mouth (Deuteronomy 27; Galatians 3; John 5; Luke 16; Acts 17:11; Isaiah 8:20). Especially see Revelation 22:18-19, where the place in Deuteronomy 4 is indicated and as it were explained.
  4. Because the Holy Scripture maketh a man wise unto salvation, and perfectly instructed unto every good work (2 Timothy 3:15-16; Romans 15:4); therefore, it also perfectly obtaineth the end for which God revealed Himself.
  5. If the Holy Scripture were imperfect, it would be either because God could not or would not make it perfect. The former overthroweth the power and wisdom of God; the latter, His goodness; for God would have given occasion for heresies and perpetual strife among themselves.
  6. Because it is the Testament of God, which must contain the whole inheritance and will of the testator.
  7. Because it is the instrument of the covenant, therefore it perfectly containeth all parts of the covenant.
  8. Because no imperfection of the Holy Scripture can be shown, not even by the Papists themselves.

IV. The Perspicuity of Holy Scripture

Since the Holy Scripture is perfect, it followeth that it is also perspicuous. Yet it is not so called perspicuous as if it could be understood by all only by the natural light, without the special illumination of the Holy Spirit, nor also that whatsoever is contained in it can be comprehended by us as to the that and the why together, as if it contained nothing whose intimate nature and cause we cannot penetrate: whence all the mysteries of the Trinity, the Incarnation, and such like, would have to be denied, as the Socinians and the foolish author who lately wrote the booklet Philosophy the Interpreter of Scripture err. For if no mysteries were delivered in Scripture which surpass the mind of man, the word “mystery” would have to be blotted out, which occurreth oft, as in 1 Timothy 3:16 and elsewhere. Moreover, it is certain that our mind is blinded, yea, dead through sin (Ephesians 2:1), so that we cannot understand the things which are of the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:14).

V. Proofs of the Perspicuity of Scripture

But unto those who have their mind illuminated by the power of the Holy Spirit, we affirm that it is perspicuous, so that they can acknowledge the foundations of faith and manners, and the things necessary unto salvation. That it is perspicuous in this sense is evident:

  1. Because it is a lamp unto our feet (Psalm 119:105), a candle set on a candlestick giving light to the whole house (Matthew 5:15; 2 Peter 1:19).
  2. It containeth the commandment which is not above us, but is in our heart and in our mouth (Deuteronomy 30:11).
  3. A chief good of the New Testament also is knowledge (Jeremiah 31:33). Hence,
  4. Christ is called the Sun of righteousness (Malachi 4:2), the Light of the world (John 1:4; 5:9), the Light of the Gentiles (Acts 13:47). See also 2 Timothy 1:10; Titus 2:11.
  5. Because it is given to believers to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 13:11), and God hath revealed them unto them by His Spirit, so that the spiritual man judgeth all things (1 Corinthians 2:10, 15). The Holy Spirit leadeth them into all truth (John 16:13).
  6. It is perspicuous for the same reason for which it is perfect; otherwise it would not be perfect. See especially the reasons in paragraph III, numbers 4, 5, 6, 7.
  7. The Papists can show no dogma of faith or manners which is not clearly revealed in Scripture.

The Papists err when they except to the places cited, saying that they are understood of some part of Scripture, as the Decalogue, which is perspicuous because it is naturally known. For Peter in 2 Peter 1:19 saith that the prophetic word is a lamp. The same word is also treated of in Psalm 19:8 and 119:105. Nor is it to be understood only of the unwritten word, that is, tradition, as if Scripture were made perspicuous through traditions and the decrees of the Pope or the Church; since there were then no traditions, unless we again feign the Talmud. But it is evident that the written word is understood (Deuteronomy 31:9), for the king himself wrote it for himself (Deuteronomy 17:18). See also 2 Timothy 3:15; Acts 17:11. So that it must necessarily be concluded that Scripture is perspicuous in itself, not only in the mouth of the Church, and because of the traditions and expositions of the Pope or councils. Yet we confess that Scripture is obscure to the unregenerate and reprobate, whose minds are hardened, and who perish (2 Corinthians 3:13, 15; 4:2-3; Isaiah 6:9-10).

VI. Arguments Against the Obscurity of Scripture

Nothing maketh for proving the obscurity of Holy Scripture:

  1. That it delivereth mysteries, as for example, the Trinity, the Incarnation; because mysteries are delivered perspicuously, so that we clearly know from Scripture alone that they are revealed, though we understand not the cause and intimate nature of the things. Besides, mysteries are incomprehensible to clerics as well as to laics. In the same sense,
  2. They can be called hidden mysteries (1 Corinthians 2:7; Ephesians 3:9; 1 Corinthians 2:14), or even they are mysteries hidden with respect to the faithful of the Old Testament, who understood not the evangelical mysteries so clearly with all their circumstances, not even the princes of that age (1 Corinthians 2:6), that is, the rulers and wise men of the Old Testament. See Jeremiah 31:33. Nor is Scripture therefore obscure,
  3. Because we have need of an interpreter, as the Ethiopian of Philip (Acts 8), nor because David and other holy men pray that God would illuminate their mind (Psalm 119). For by the very fact that it can be explained through an interpreter, it must be perspicuous, since the obscure cannot be explained. Even mathematical truths, which are most evident, yet have need of explanation. Add that what is not so clearly set forth in one place is more clearly in others: so that Holy Scripture explaineth itself, wherefore Ezra expounded Scripture by Scripture (Nehemiah 8:9). Nor less, finally, hath the Pope himself need of an interpreter, as David and other holy and learned men.
  4. The prophecy of Daniel is called sealed (Daniel 12:4), because all things were then sufficiently spoken; moreover, with respect to the faithful of the Old Testament, who understood not all the circumstances, ad et qets (unto the time of the end), until acharit yamim (the latter days), eis to pleroma ton kairon (unto the fullness of times, Galatians 4:4).
  5. Many prophetic, genealogical, ceremonial, political, judicial things, names of animals, gems, and such like, are not understood, it is true; but they are not heads of faith. Prophecies and many others, if they be not understood today, shall be understood hereafter, or were understood in times past, when they yet had use.
  6. We confess also that in the Epistle of Paul and elsewhere there are dysnoeta tina (some things hard to be understood, 2 Peter 3:16). But this is not said of the whole Holy Scripture, but only of the Epistles of Paul. If there are some difficult things, there are therefore many easy. Dysnoeta are not adynata (impossible). Finally, those difficult things are not in matters necessary to be known for salvation, but in others which we can without peril of salvation be ignorant of. And they are difficult when they are wrested by the wicked into a perverse sense: for the wicked strebloosin (wrest them), as Peter addeth.