RamistThomist
Puritanboard Clerk
I am looking for divines who've expounded the principle that correct logical inferences from the Word of God are as binding as the Word of God. I know Thornwell affirms it in volume 4 of his works. Any others?
Inferences from Word of God as binding as Word of God
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The members of the London Provincial Assembly come to mind, and many of the LPA were also members of the Westminster Assembly. See the LPA's Jus Divinum Regiminis Ecclesiastici: The Divine Right of Church Government (Naphtali Press: 1995) 31–32. This is out of print but the older editions are online I think. The LPA reference Rivet, Zanchi and Cameron.
For clearness sake, thus resolve, thus distinguish: God’s commands are either Immediate or Mediate.
1. Immediate divine commands. As those which God himself propounds and urges; [such] as the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20; Deut. 5) and all other injunctions of his in his word positively laid down. Of such commands the Apostle says, “I command, yet not I, but the Lord” (1 Cor. 7:10). Now these immediate commands of God, in regard of their manner of promulging and propounding, are either Explicit or Implicit.
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b. Implicit, or implied, which are either comprehensively contained in or under the express terms and letter of the command or consequentially are deducible from the express command.
Comprehensively many things are contained in a command that are not expressed in the very letter of the command. Thus Orthodox [Rivet. Explicat. Decal, pp. 5–7. Edit. 2; Zanch. Tom. 4, book 1 de Decalog Thes. 3, where he sums up excellently what he had largely laid down in these words: Summa, Quantum…. ] expounders of the Decalogue generally do confess that all the Precepts of the Decalogue are synecdochical, and God wills many things by them, more than the bare words signify. For example, in Negative commands forbidding sin, we are to understand the positive Precepts, prescribing the contrary duties; and so on the contrary, under Affirmative commands, we are to understand the Negatives thereof. Thus Christ expounds the sixth Commandment (Mt. 5:21–27, 43 ff.). So when any evil is forbidden, not only the outward gross acts, but all inward acts and degrees thereof are forbidden likewise: as, under killing, provoking terms, wrath, anger (Mt. 5:21–22), under adultery, wanton looks, lustful thoughts, &c. (Mt. 5:27–30). Now all things comprehended in a command (though not expressed) are jure divino.
1. Immediate divine commands. As those which God himself propounds and urges; [such] as the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20; Deut. 5) and all other injunctions of his in his word positively laid down. Of such commands the Apostle says, “I command, yet not I, but the Lord” (1 Cor. 7:10). Now these immediate commands of God, in regard of their manner of promulging and propounding, are either Explicit or Implicit.
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b. Implicit, or implied, which are either comprehensively contained in or under the express terms and letter of the command or consequentially are deducible from the express command.
Comprehensively many things are contained in a command that are not expressed in the very letter of the command. Thus Orthodox [Rivet. Explicat. Decal, pp. 5–7. Edit. 2; Zanch. Tom. 4, book 1 de Decalog Thes. 3, where he sums up excellently what he had largely laid down in these words: Summa, Quantum…. ] expounders of the Decalogue generally do confess that all the Precepts of the Decalogue are synecdochical, and God wills many things by them, more than the bare words signify. For example, in Negative commands forbidding sin, we are to understand the positive Precepts, prescribing the contrary duties; and so on the contrary, under Affirmative commands, we are to understand the Negatives thereof. Thus Christ expounds the sixth Commandment (Mt. 5:21–27, 43 ff.). So when any evil is forbidden, not only the outward gross acts, but all inward acts and degrees thereof are forbidden likewise: as, under killing, provoking terms, wrath, anger (Mt. 5:21–22), under adultery, wanton looks, lustful thoughts, &c. (Mt. 5:27–30). Now all things comprehended in a command (though not expressed) are jure divino.
Consequentially, many things are clearly deducible from express commands in Scripture by clear, unforced, infallible, and undeniable consequence. Now what[ever] things are commanded by necessary consequence,[Cameron in fol. de verb Dei, ch. 17 & ch. 18, Where against Popish cavils he demonstrates the just and necessary use of consequences from Scripture.]….
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Here's a partial list:
- The most recent is probably Ryan McGraw's By Good and Necessary Consequence;
- David Dickson in Truth's Victory Over Error, chapter 1, question 9;
- George Gillespie in his Treatise of Miscellany Questions;
- William Goode at the beginning of The Divine Rule of Faith and Practice;
- Tracts on Scripture Consequences by Vaughan Thomas also has pertinent material
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