plagues of Egypt are not here signified 4. Wherefore speciall reference is here made to those swelling burning biles and running sores wherewith the Egyptians were smitten in the sixth plague Exod. 9 11. by that kind understanding the like burning diseases and swelling sores as this to be the meaning may be gathered Deut. 28.60 where after he had said He will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt whereof thou wast afraid then it is added And every sicknesse and every plague which is not written in the booke of this law vers 61. QUEST L. Whether Iob being a righteous man felt not the diseases of Egypt BUt here a further question ariseth how this promise was fulfilled toward Iob who being a righteous man was notwithstanding smitten with botches and sores 1. Ferus 〈…〉 that these diseases were the plagues of Egypt which were not laid upon Iob but seeing one 〈…〉 plagues was of botches and sores though Iob felt not all the plagues yet therein he was tried and also his sheepe and servants were destroyed with lightning and fire from heaven which also was one of the plagues of Egypt therefore this answer doth not satisfie 2. Neither yet will we say that Iob lived before these times and that this promise was made to the Israelites for the same equity was generall in all times and extended to all persons 3. Therefore this we answer that this promise to be kept from the diseases of Egypt is conditionall upon the keeping of all Gods ordinances which never any did but Christ who was freed in his holy flesh from all diseases and corporall infirmities now Iob although in respect of others hee was a perfect man yet he could not justifie himselfe toward God for he saith If he should wash himselfe with snow water yet his owne cloathes should defile him Iob 9.30 though hee should stand upon his best workes yet the Lord could finde out his sinnes And beside these corrections laid upon Iob were not punishments and plagues for his sinne but the Lords chastisements in the end to his greater comfort And further wee understand the diseases of Egypt to have beene generall this letteth not but that some particular persons in Israel might be touched with the like diseases as Ezechiah had a byle yet were they not the plagues of Egypt that is universall and generall QUEST LI. In what sense the Lord saith I am thy healer I Am the Lord that healeth thee or I am thy healer or Physitian for so the word Ropheca signifieth 1. This reason containeth an argument from the contrary I am hee that keepeth diseases from thee and healeth them therefore will I not bring them upon thee Vatab. 2. And further this reason is taken from the power of God Ego possum volo tui corporis vires conservare c. I can and will preserve the strength of thy body and retaine it Osiander 3. And further this promise is grounded upon the naturall inclination of God unto mercy Non vult mortem peccatoris potior apud eum est misericordia quà m ira Hee will not the death of a sinner mercy beareth greater sway with him than wrath Pellican 4. And the Lord here promiseth not only to heale all their infirmities and helpe their present dangers but keepe from them all perils imminent or to come as they had present experience by the healing of the waters QUEST LII Of the fountaines and Palme trees in Elim Vers. 27. ANd they came to Elim where were twelve fountaines of waters 1. Concerning the situation of this place it seemeth that it was in Arabia petraea and from these fountaines proceeded the river which watred the City Petra and the circuit thereabout this floud Herodotus calleth koris of the coldnesse thereof for kor in Hebrew signifieth cold by the benefit of this river Cambyses as writeth Herodotus once made a way and entrance into Egypt Iun. 2. It seemeth it was a watry place because Palmes doe not grow in dry grounds Calvin 3. So it was every way commodious to campe in the water was necessary both to quench their thirst and to allay the heat with the coolenesse thereof and the Palme trees which some interprete Date trees were comfortable both for their shadow and their fruit QUEST LIII Of the mysticall signification of the twelve fountaines and 70. Palmes THis camping place in Elim in respect of the fountaines and Palme trees there growing hath a threefold application 1. It resembleth the present state of Israel the twelve fountaines the twelve tribes that were watered there the 70. Palme trees the 70. Elders which were afterward chosen and the Palme beside betokened victory 2. Beside the twelve fountaines were a representation of the twelve Apostles out of whose pure doctrine the Church of God is nourished and refreshed the 70. Palme trees set forth the Doctors and Fathers of the Church whose writings as the palme trees give comfort both with shadow and fruit are also profitable so long as they are watered with these twelve fountaines that is swarve not from the Apostles doctrine Some also make these 70. Palme trees a type of the 70. disciples Pellican These as instruments doe set forth unto us the true living water the Messiah by faith in whom the Church is spiritually nourished and sustained 3. This also was a type and figure of everlasting life and of the state of the blessed as S. Iohndescribeth the heavenly Jerusalem by the river that was in the middest of it and the tree of life growing by it that bare twelve manner of fruit Borrh. QUEST LIV. Of divers errors and oversights of Iosephus NOw in the last place I will briefely shew how many errors and oversights are committed by Iosephus in the narration of this short story 1. Iosephus thinketh that before the people came to Marah they carried water with them in their journey and digged pits by the way and found water but not enough but the text saith they found no waters that is none at all 2. He saith that they came priâ—â— vâ—spâ—râ— the first evening unto Marah but Moses saith that they went three dayes in the desert till they came to Marah both in this place and Numb 33.8 3. Hee saith Moses accepit frustrum â—igniforte ibi jacens That Moses tooke a peece of wood by chance there lying to cast into the water whereas hee found not that wood by chance but the Lord shewed it him 4. Hee addeth that when the people asked what need theâ—e was to change the water he cast not in the wood but commanded them to draw out a great quantity of the water and then the rest would be sweet and they did so But Moses sheweth how the waters became sweet by casting in the tree 5. Hee misreporteth the story concerning the pleasant place of Elim saying that a farre off it seemed a delectable place but when they came neere â—â—â—â—llit omnium expectationem It deceived the expectation of all 6. Hee saith further
were done is increased when they are done So then Moses hands became steadie afterwards being supported and so the constancie of the gesture of the bodie did rebound upon the affection of the soule which in like manner continued constant and fervent 6. Rupertus mysticall application is not here to be rejected Moses manus graves erant Moses hands were heavie because the law could bring nothing to perfection QUEST XVII Of the supporting and bearing up of Moses hands Vers. 12. ANd they tooke a stone and put it under him c. 1. Moses was both wayes wearied both in standing so long and in holding up his hands all that while therefore they provide both wayes for his infirmitie and weaknesse they put under a stone for him to sit upon and of each side held up his hands Tostat. 2. As they supported and bare up his hands so no doubt they joyned with him in their earnest prayers and desires unto God Quum manus ejus attollerent mentes etiam habebant ad Deum erectas As they lift up his hands so also they had their minds erected unto God Calvin 3. His hands are said to be steadie to the going downe of the sunne not that then they began to be faint but then the battell being ended and the victorie obtained there was no need for him any longer to hold up his hands 4. Divers allegories are made of this place as that Moses hands that is the precepts of the law are heavie but that by Aaron who signifieth Christ and Hur that is the holy Ghost they are made easie and light Ferus Some by Moses and Hur understand the two Testaments upon the which our prayer must relie Some againe thus allegorize Aarrn they say signifieth montanus hillie and Hur fire so two things support our prayer high and heavenly meditation and fervent charitie Lyran. But Chur signifieth white V◠light or fire and beside the false etymologie these allegories are too curious and somewhat farre fetcht 5. But Rupertus mysticall application may be received who by this stone understandeth the grace of the Gospell In quasederet Moses id est lex adimpleretur whereon Moses sate that is the law was fulfilled And this morall accommodation also is very fit that by Aaron and Hur all godly Ministers may learne Quomodo se mutuò animare debeant incitare ad preces How they ought to animate and stirre up one another unto prayer Marbach QUEST XVIII What this Amalek was and of whom descended Vers. 13. IOshua discomfited Amalek and his people 1. Strabo hath this opinion that this Amalek the father of the Amalekites should bee descended of Ismael Lyranus and Tostatus would convince him of errour herein because the young man which came running to David and confessed that hee had killed Saul said he was an Amalekite and yet he is generally held to have beene the sonne of Doeg that was an Edomite But this were to prove a thing more certaine by that which is uncertaine for it is evident and certaine out of the Scripture that Amalek the sonne of Eliphaz came of Esau Gen. 36. and whether that young man were the sonne of Doeg is uncertaine 2. Where it is said Amalek and his people Tostatus doth much busie himselfe to shew that this could not be Amalek the sonne of Eliphaz for then he must have beene above 260. yeare old for the time of the sojourning of Israel in Egypt was 215. yeare and when Iacob descended thither he was an 130. yeare old about whose 80. yeare Amalek might be borne and so he resolveth that this was not that Amalek but another of that name descended of that race Tostat. quast 7. in Exod. But all this labour might have beene well spared for by Amalek not any one person but the whole nation of the Amalekites is understood as Israel is usually in Scripture taken for the Israelites and his people were those which ayded and assisted them Vatab. As Iosephus sheweth how the King of Amalek sent unto other nations and that they combined themselves together against Israel 3. Thus we see how this victorie was atchieved First and principally by God the Author and cause thereof then the meanes were of two sorts partly spirituall by the earnest prayer of Moses partly externall by Ioshuas sword Simler And here began the prophecie to take place concerning Iacob and Esau The elder shall serve the younger Borrh. QUEST XIX What booke this was wherein Moses is commanded to write this storie Vers. 14. WRite this for a remembrance in the booke 1. Tostatus thinketh that this was some speciall booke beside this present storie and namely that which is called the booke of Iashar or the Righteous which is mentioned Iosh. 10. and that many things were written in that booke by way of prophecie which booke was written by Moses but is now lost because when that Heretikes had corrupted this booke the ancient Church neglected it and had no care of it lest in receiving the Verities in that booke they should together have received their Falsities and Heresies Tostat. quast 7. in Exod. Contra. 1. That this booke of Iashar was written by Moses it is not like seeing mention is made thereof in Davids time 2 Sam. 1.18 for if all those stories had beene prophetically set downe in that booke aforehand what needed those severall historicall books of Scripture to have beene written afterward 2. Neither had that beene a good reason to reject that booke because it had beene corrupted for so some bookes of canonicall Scripture also should have beene laid aside which some Heretikes corrupt fingers have beene medling with 3. This booke of Iashar therefore was none other than a Chronicle of the acts and gestes of the people of God which booke is now lost as divers other historicall books Iun. 4. Tostatus addeth further that this booke of Iashar was the same booke which is called the booke of the battels of the Lord Numb 21.14 which was not that booke of Numbers for there is a confirmation of those things then presently done by a former book which prophetically described those warres But it is no good argument thus to reason the booke of the battels of the Lord is not the booke of Numbers therefore it is that other booke of Iashar some thinke it was the booke of Judges Genevens Some a booke now missing the Scriptures now extant being sufficient Osiander The best answer is that the word sepher signifieth as well a rehearsall as a booke as it is taken Matth. 1.1 The booke of the generation of Iesus Christ. The meaning then is that when the battels of the Lord are rehearsed these also shall be spoken of which by Gods providence the Amorites made against Moab preparing an inheritance for the children of Israel who were forbidden to deale directly against Moab Iun. Numb 21. annot 8. 5. Wherefore the booke wherein Moses did make a memoriall of this thing was no other than this
Hexapla in Genesin Exodum THAT IS A sixfold commentary upon the two first Bookes of Moses being GENESIS and EXODVS WHEREIN THESE TRANSLATIONS are compared together 1. The Chalde 2. The Septuagint 3. The vulgar Latine 4. Pagnine 5. Montanus 6. Iunius 7. Vatablus 8. The great English Bible 9. The Geneva edition And 10. The Hebrew originall Together with a sixfold Vse of every Chapter shewing 1. The Method or Argument 2. The divers readings 3. The explanation of difficult questions and doubtfull places 4. The places of doctrine 5. Places of confutation 6. Morall observations In which worke about three thousand Theologicall questions are discussed above forty Authors old and new abridged and together comprised whatsoever worthy of note either Mercerus out of the Rabbines Pererius out of the Fathers or Marlorat out of the new Writers have in their learned Commentaries collected Now the fourth time imprinted with the Authors corrections before his death By ANDREW WILLET Minister of the Gospell of Iesus Christ. IOHN 5.46 47. Moses wrote of mee but if you beleeve not his writings how shall yee beleeve my words LONDON ¶ Printed by Iohn Haviland and are sold by Iames Boler at the signe of the Marigold in Pauls Church-yard 1633. Hexapla in Genesin THAT IS A SIXFOLD COMMENTARIE UPON GENESIS Wherein six severall Translations that is the Septuagint and the Chalde two Latine of Hierome and Tremelius two English the Great Bible and the Geneva Edition are compared where they differ with the Originall Hebrew and Pagnine and Montanus interlinearie interpretation TOGETHER WITH A SIXFOLD USE of every Chapter shewing 1. The Method or Argument 2. the divers readings 3. the explanation of difficult questions and doubtfull places 4. the places of doctrine 5. places of confutation 6. Morall observations WHEREIN ABOVE A THOVSAND THEOLOGICALL questions are discussed and is comprised together whatsoever worthy of note either Mercerus out of the Rabbines Pererius out of the Fathers Marlorat out of the new Writers have in their learned Commentaries collected Divided into two Tomes and published to the glory of God and the furtherance of all those that desire to read the Scripture with profit Now the third time revised corrected and with divers additions enlarged By ANDREW WILLET Minister of the Gospell of Iesus Christ. IOHN 5.46 47. Moses wrote of me but if you beleeve not his writings how shall ye beleeve my words AMBROS EPIST. 41. Deambulabat Deus in Paradiso c. nunc deambulat in Paradiso Deus quando Scripturas lego Paradisus Genesis in quo virtutes pullulant Patriarcharum Paradisus Deuteronomium in quo germinant legis praecepta God sometime walked in Paradise c. and now God walketh in Paradise when I read the Scriptures Genesis is a Paradise wherein the vertues of the Patriakes doe branch forth Deuteronomie is a Paradise wherein the precepts of the Law doe sprout forth LONDON ¶ Printed by the Assignes of THOMAS MAN PAVL MAN and IONAH MAN 1632. TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTIE RIGHT VERTVOVS AND MOST CHRISTIAN PRINCE King IAMES our dread Soveraigne by the grace of God King of Great Britaine of France and Ireland Defender of the Christian faith MOST gracious Soveraigne as under the shadow of your Highnesse great and mighty tree I meane your Princely and peaceable government the goodly beasts of the field honourable and great persons doe solace themselves so the fowles of heaven and the little birds doe sit and sing in the branches thereof and there build their neasts and lay their young and I among the rest have brought forth my implumed and unfeathered birds those imperfect workes which heretofore I have dedicated to your excellent Majestie and now this which wanteth but the wings of your Highnesse favour to flie abroad To your pious and sacred Majestie therefore I here present this absolute Tractate upon Genesis such as hath not beene yet in respect of the order matter and manner set forth vpon this booke wherein whatsoever questions of weight are discussed and other necessarie matters added as the short preface following sheweth This my third work to your highnesse I here in all humility exhibite and offer as an unfained pledge of our hearty joy for the joyfull entrance of this third yeare of your Majesties happy reigne This divine booke of Genesis as Ambrose advised Augustine to read the Prophesie of Isaias Augustine sendeth Volusianus to the Apostles writings I would commend in the first place as it is in order first to be read of all the Scriptures wherein are declared and set forth the beginning of the world and the progresse thereof the punishment of the wicked and rewards of the righteous so many examples and enticements to vertue such judgements and dehortations from sin and the same so lively and effectuall â—s if they were now presently done before our eyes as Augustine saith of this historie of Genesis I know not how but as often as it is read the hearer is so affected as though the thing were even now effected This worthy history containeth the space of 2368. yeares above halfe the age of the world from the first to the second Adam It insisteth principally in setting forth the life and acts of six honourable Fathers as starres among the rest Adam Noah Abraham Isaack Iacob Ioseph from all these your Majestie may receive somewhat with Adam who in Enos time when religion decayed taught his sonnes apart from the wicked to call upon the name of God your princely care must bee that you and your people as separated from the superstition of the world should worship the Lord more purely with Noah God hath raised you up to bring rest and comfort to his Church as another Abram the Lord hath made you an high Father as Isaack to procure joy and laughter to the Church as Iacob a supplanter of Popish superstition as Ioseph to adde what is wanting in the Church or Common-wealth Much bound unto God is this Church and Common-wealth for your Highnesse peaceable and religious government that whereas we for our sins had deserved with Israel neither to have King nor Church as the Prophet Hoshea saith We have no King because we feared not the Lord and againe in the same place the thorne and thistle shall grow upon their Altars yet the Lord in mercy hath blessed us with both We praise God for your princely vertues your worthy clemencie equity bountie piety which doe shine in your Majestie as the pretious stones in the King of Tyrus garment your gracious clemencie is as a cordiall unto this land which having remitted some great offences must needs passe by smaller trespasses If David pardoned Shemeis rayling he could not but forgive Mephiboseths negligence Your princely peace made abroad doth give us hope of a peaceable state at home as Davids favour toward Abner a reconciled enemie was a signe of grace to Barzillai an ancient friend what would we have
more your Majestie professeth to be a nourish-father to the Church counting it one of your fairest stiles and had rather be loved of all than feared as Ambrose setteth forth the good Emperour Theodosius When he had command over all he had rather expostulate as a father than punish as a judge he desired to winne with lenitie not to force by extremity an umpire of equitie not a decreer of severitie hee would rather bind men by sacred religion than servile subjection Your Highnesse Honourable equitie is manifest in that your Majestie professeth to love and honour the grave men and preachers of either opinions as David did favour both Sadok and Abiathar priests of divers families as Saint Paul did joy that Christ was preached though by them that were of a contrary faction as Iacob had a right hand for Ephraim and a left for Manasses Paul and Barnabas jarred yet both preached the Gospell Cyprian and Cornelius differed in judgement yet both pillars of the Christian faith Chrisostome and Epiphanius disagreed yet both enemies to the Arrians Hierome and Ruffinus were divided yet in the end were reconciled I doubt not but all faithfull sound and sober Preachers of the truth are acceptable to your Majestie as good Theodosius embraced Meletius kissed his eyes and his lips and made much of other faithfull Pastors as Valentinian reverenced Ambrose who sending for him in his sicknesse salutem sibi quandam venturam arbitrabatur did thinke he saw health it selfe comming to him this love of the Emperour was not lost Ambrose againe requiteth it quam meipsum pro tua obtulissem fide how gladly would I have offered my selfe as in sacrifice for thy faith as all your Highnesse faithfull Preachers are ready to doe for your Majesties health and life Your princely bounty hath well appeared both toward the Church and Common-wealth not in precept onely but in practice as in the rare lifting up of subsidies but in case of necessity as Tiberius the Emperour was wont to say aurum illud adulterinum esse quod cum subjectorum lachrymis collectum esset that it was adulterate gold which pressed forth the subjects teares Toward the Church your princely and fatherly care sheweth it selfe in that you would have sufficient provision made for the sustentation of the Pastors and Ministers we shall not now need an Ebedmelek to make intercession for Ieremies food and maintenance nor yet that noble Earle Terentius who having obtained a notable victory and being bidden of the Emperour Constantius to aske what he would Templum peâ—iâ—â— pro orâ—hodoxis did aske to have the Church restored to the orthodoxall teachers We need no such mediators our times God be thanked are farre more happy neither yet as Tullie saith that twenty thousand made request and mourned for him in a Monarchicall state such suits are not fit for Isocrates rule is to be held 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad Demonic that as in a Democratie the popular state so in a Monarchie the King onely is to be admired Your Christian Majestie without such remembrances out of your owne princely heart can consider of the necessity and wants of Church Ministers as Salomon though he advanced Zadock yet suffered Heli his posterity to have some of the Priests offices to eat a morsell of bread and Iosias graunted the Priests of the high places to eat bread among their brethren who much more cared for the Priests of the altar Lastly your Christian pietie is evident in taking care that all the Churches in your Majesties dominions be planted with good Pastors to increase the number of them not to suffer it to be empaired or decreased to thrust in labourers into Christs harvest and to thrust out loyterers to supply the one and employ the other that none be permitted to stand idle in the market place that would labour quietly in the Lords vineyard nor yet occasion be given to such to say as Sisinnius answered Chrisostome that would have enjoyned him silence I will giue you a reward to â—ase mee of so great a labour Your Majestie in your princely wisdome knoweth how for the common vtilitie to beare with some mens infirmitie as fathers as Augustine saith doe beare with their sons whiles they are children or sicke till their infancie or infirmitie be over May I now use to your princely person the words of the kingly Prophet Prosper with thy glory O glorious Prince ride upon the word of truth and of meekenesse and righteousnesse Meekenesse well becommeth the word of truth the Gospell of Christ toward your faithfull subjects Iustice and righteousnesse against the adversaries of truth in the land and your right hand shall teach you terrible things in rooting out all idolatry and superstition and rejecting all confused motions for a Babylonicall Tolleration for this your Majesties faithfull service in earth wee will not presume to say as Nestorius to the Emperour Mihi ô Imperator terram â—uâ—haereticis purgatam tribue ego tibi coelum retribuam Give unto me the earth purged of heretikes and I will give thee heaven But Christ Iesus shall say Well done good servant and faithfull thou hast beene faithfull in a little I will make thee ruler over much enter into thy Masters joy Thus I end with that chearefull acclamation to your Majestie which the Councell of Chalcedon sometime used to Leo and Cyrillus the names onely changed Vivat Iacobus multos annos vivat Imperator omnes ita credimus Iacobus sic credit sempiterna sit memoria Iacobi Your Majesties most loyall and obedient subject ANDREW WILLET ¶ CERTAINE DIRECTIONS TO THE READER TO BE OBserved in the reading of this Booke CHristian Reader seeing God hath called us the Ministers of the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ not to stand idlely in the market place but to labour in his vineyard some in one worke some in another I thinke no labour better bestowed than in setting forth the word of God both by preaching and writing as S. Peter toucheth both of the first he saith I think it meet as long as I am in this Tabernacle to stirre you up by putting you in remembrance of the second I will endevour therefore alwayes that ye also may be able to have remembrance of these things after my departure That time therefore which others spend some in following their pleasures some in ambitious suit of preferment some in attending their profit I find most comfort to imploy after this manner for if that heathen Orator did professe that he did bestow as much time in humane studies as others took in following their businesse some in celebrating festival dayes some in pleasure some in feasts and bankets some in playes games Much more should we preferre the divine study of the Scriptures before all worldly pleasures and commodities whatsoever I know that these labours of mine shal find many hard Censors as
v. 14. QVEST. IX Whether Cain or he that did slay him should be punished seven-fold Vers. 15. HE should be punished seven-fold 1. We neither receive Rupertus exposition that by seven-fold is understood everlasting punishment but with a secret condition unlesse they repent for he thinketh Lamech who is supposed to have killed Cain did repent confessing his sinne to his wives 2. Neither are the words so to be taken as meant of Cain that he should septem vindictas exolvere pay seven punishments as the septuagint translate for so many sinnes committed 3. Or as Lyranus Tostatus because Cain was in the 7. generation slaine by Lamech for these two last expositions are forced to divide the words whosoever slayeth Cain c. that is shall be punished which must be understood and then the other words he shall be punished seven-fold are referred to Cain But the sentence in the originall is joyned together neither distinguished in sentence nor in sense 4. So the plaine meaning is this that he which killed Cain should be more deepely punished than Cain himselfe because beside homicide hee should expresly transgresse Gods commandement who would have Cain to live for the example of other QVEST. X. What marke God set upon Cain and to what end Vers. 15. GOd set a marke upon Cain 1. Not as some read posuit Cain in signum God made Cain a signe or marke 2. But God set some visible marke upon Cain whether it were an horrible trembling and shaking of his whole body as the septuagint translate who for thou shalt be a vagabond and runnagate read he should sigh and tremble or an exceeding shame and confusion in that hee ran from place to place to hide himselfe or some visible mark set in his face as Lyranus thinketh some Hebrewes think it was an horn in his forehead some a letter some that a dog lead him these are mens conceits 3. Certainly whatsoever it were it was a signe of Gods wrath not as Iosephus thinketh a token that God appeased by Cains sacrifice forgave the punishment of his fratricide for if God accepted not his sacrifice before much lesse after 4. Neither was this marke set to exempt Cain from the invasion of beasts as though there were none alive on the earth but his parents for this murther falling out as is supposed about the 130. yeare of Adams age the world was by this time much replenished And where the Lord saith whosoever slayeth Cain c. he speaketh of men not of beasts 5. Wherefore God set this visible and fearefull marke upon Cain both that other men seeing apparant signes of Gods wrath upon him might feare to commit the like and that he might have the greater punishment in prolonging so wicked and miserable a life QVEST. XI How Cain was cast out of Gods presence Vers. 16. CAin went from the presence of the Lord. 1. Hee both was excluded from Gods favour and protection which is signified by Gods presence from the which otherwise no man can escape 2. He also was expelled from that Countrey where he was borne and where God was first worshipped by sacrifice and shewed visible signes of his presence 3. And where it is said that Cain dwelt in the land of Nod wee neither approve Catharinus conceit that this land from the which Cain was expelled was the land of Judea whether Adam and Eve came after they were exiled out of Paradise for the text is that the land of Nod was on the east side of Paradise whereby it appeareth that neither Adam and Eva nor Cain had their habitation farre from thence neither yet is it like as Iosephus that Cain built a City and called it Nod for Henoch is the first City mentioned in Scripture Vers 17. 4. But the Land was called Nod of Cains vagrant and vagabonds life which sheweth as Iosephus well conjectureth that Cain was not amended by this punishment but waxed worse and worse giving himselfe to rapine robbery oppression deceit QVEST. XII Wherefore and for whom Cain built a city Vers. 17. ANd he built a City 1. Cain neither built him a City to be defēded against wild beasts which was the first cause as Plato thinketh that moved men to build Cities for this reason might as well have moved the righteous seed to have done it neither because man is a sociable creature and loveth company as Aristotle for this reason might as well have caused Adam to build as Cain but it is most like because Cain was a fugitive and runnagate he would build him a City to stay in and to be a defence unto him as though Gods curse should not have taken place but as Iunius well writeth upon the words erat adificator or as the 70. aedificans he began only to build but hee finished it not leading still a runnagate life and so often constrained to leave the worke as the giants that built the Tower of Babell were constrained to give over 2. It may be doubted for whom Cain built a City there being no more yet in the world but himselfe his parents and his sonne the answer is ready that it is not like that he built this City presently after his sonnes birth much lesse before his condemnation as Mercerus but now when the world was replenished for if Abrahams stock in lesse than 400. yeares amounted to 600. thousand Cains posterity in the like time might arise to the like multitude which might suffice not only to inhabite a City but a country And Lodovicus vives maketh mention that in the memory of his parents there was a town in Spaine consisting of an 100. housholds which were all inhabited by the progeny of an old man then living which was so old that the youngest of his stock could not tell by what name of kindred to call him QVEST. XIII Lamechs speech to his wives and the meaning thereof Vers. 23. I Would slay a man in my wound 1. This place is neither inexplicable and not possibly to be unfolded as Catharinus a popish writer thinketh and as it seemed to Origen who as Hierom witnesseth writ two whole bookes the 12. and 13. of his commentaries upon Genesis in interpreting this place 2. Neither doe these words shew as Suidas expoundeth that Lamech had killed two men an elder and a younger the brethren of Henoch that was translated 3. Or one man as Theodoret thinketh for the which fact Lamech repenteth for the words are I would slay a man not I have 4. And we hold that to bee a fable that Lamech killed two men the one was Cain whom hee shot at in a bush supposing it to be a beast and the other was his boy that led him being blinde whom for anger hee all to beat and so killed him this exposition seemeth most probable to Cajetanus and Pererius having no probability in it both because Cain was privileged by God not to be killed and for that no mention is made of
rather with Mercerus that Iacob was not perfectly recovered of this griefe and halting till his dying day but that it remained though not alwayes alike for the remembrance of this thing and it may so appeare the rather for that presently upon this accident they did forbeare to eat the sinew of the thigh which shranke whereunto the halting of Iacob being continually in their fight might be a greater motive and so this custome being taken up in Iacobs time was retained of his posterity the Israelites Further in that he came safe to Sechem thereby it signified his deliverance from the danger which he feared by his brother Esau rather than the recovering of his hurt QUEST XVIII Wherefore it pleased God that Iacob should halt upon the hurt in the thigh ANd the hollow of Iacobs thigh was loosed 1. Augustine by Iacobs feet the one halting the other going upright understandeth two sorts of people among the Jewes the unbeleevers that halted in their faith and beleeved not in Christ and those which beleeved in him Iacob overcomming signifieth the Jewes that prevailed against Christ in putting him to death but in being blessed he signifieth those which worshipped Christ and were blessed of him serm 80. de temper 2. Gregory understandeth by the halting foot the infirmity of the flesh by the other the vigour of the spirit for so in the children of God as our Saviour saith to his Apostles The spirit is ready but the flesh 〈◊〉 sic Muscul. 3. But the best application of the text is that Iacob was stricken with this infirmity that he should have an humble and lowly opinion of himselfe not to ascribe this victory to his owne strength So for the same cause Saint Paul confesseth of himselfe Lest I should be exalted 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 through the abundance of revelations there 〈◊〉 given unto me a pricke in the flesh the messanger of Satan to bâ—ffâ—â— me because I should not 〈◊〉 exalted above measure 2 Cor. 12.7 To the same end was Iacob touched with this infirmity lest he might have beene 〈◊〉 much lifted up by these heavenly visions and this great victory which he obtained Mercer Calvin QUEST XIX Why the Angell 〈◊〉 to depart because of the morning Vers. 26. LEt me goe for the â—â—rning appeareth 1. Not as though the Angell was now to goe to the rest of the blessed company of the Angels to sing their morning hymne unto God as the Hebrewes imagine for the Angels not onely in the morning but at other times are exercised in praising of God 2. But the Angell thus speaketh according to the custome of men having now taken the forme and shape of a man as though he had haste to other businesse and leaving Iacob also to his affaires 3. As also because the Angell would not have this vision deserved and discerned of others seeing it specially concerned Iacob and that Iacob should not be too curious in gazing and looking upon that humane shape wherein this great Angell Christ appeared Mercer QUEST XX. Why Iacob desireth the Angell to blesse him I Will not let thee goe unlesse thou blesse me 1. Not as though this were Esaus Angell and Iacob would have him to confirme the blessing and consent unto it for evill Angels blesse not 2. Nor as some other Hebrewes as though Iacob would have his antagonist acknowledge him to be the superiour and to have the better for Iacob perceiveth that it was an Angell and therefore would not strive for superiority with him 3. Neither doth Iacob desire to know his fâ—tum or 〈◊〉 as Iosephus saith what should happen â—â—to him in his whole life for Iacob was not so curious 4. But Iacob well perceiving that he with whom hee wrestled was greater than himselfe desireth to be blessed of him for the lesse is blessed of the greater Heb. 7.7 And Hilarie beside noteth that Iacob acknowledged him with whom he wrestled to bee the Sonne of God that should become man for us Tenes in lâ—cta tua hominem sed hic tibi home Demest Thou doest grapple with a man but this man is God lib. 5. de Trinitat and therefore Iacob desireth to be blessed of him in whom all the world should be blessed QUEST XXI Of the name Israel and the true derivation thereof Vers. 28. THy name shall be no more called Iacob but Israel c. 1. He asketh Iacobs name not because he knew it not but that by Iacobs answer the Lord might take occasion of the change of his name 2. Neither was he so called Israel as that he should no more be named Iacob for he is also afterward so called but his name Israel is hereby declared to be the more excellent and worthy name which was also given unto the whole nation of his posterity Mercer 3. The name Israel 1. doth not signifie that hee stood against an Angell as Iosephus deriveth it and Hierome therefore reprehendeth him although Iosephus keepeth the sense of the name 2. Neither is it interpreted a man seeing God for then aleph should be inserted in the beginning and it should be expressed Ishrael not Israel with shin having a right point This interpretation is also confuted by Hierome though approved by divers of the ancient writers as Origen Basil Nazianzen Chrysostome with others 3. Neither doth it betoken one that is right or directed of God as Hierome sometime is of opinion whereupon he thinketh that Genesis is called the booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the right that is of Abraham Isaack Iacob comment in Isay 44. for then this word should be derived from jashar and so we should say Ishrael not Israel Mercer 4. But the Lord himselfe sheweth the interpretation of this name Thou hast prevailed with God and so to come of Sara which is to prevaile or have rule so the Septuag translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast had strength with God and therefore should not doubt but that he might also prevaile with men as before with Laban so now with Esau. QUEST XXII Why the Lord refuseth to tell Iacob his name Vers. 29. TEll me I pray thee thy name c. The Lord here as also the Angell Iud. 13. refuseth to tell his name 1. Not for that as Rasi thinketh the Angels have no certaine or fixed names but which are continually changed according to their divers ministeries whereof they are named 2. Neither as Tostatus because the Angels have no proper names to be distinguished by but are discerned one from another by their nature and essence for this notwithstanding in Scripture for our understanding they are called by their names 3. Nor yet because as some thinke if the names of Angels were knowne they would come at our call this is but a fansie of Magitians ex Mercer 4. But the Lord doth not utter his name thereby staying Iacobs further curiosity and insinuating unto him that his name which is himselfe is greater than could of him then he comprehended and hereupon the Latine text
Aser is excellent and he shall be nourished with the delights of Kings C. Assher his bread shall be fat and he shall give pleasures for a King caet v. 21. Nepthali his lot shall fall in a good ground c. they shall praise and blesse over them C. Neptali a trunke or post remissus sent backe sending forth beautie in the branch S. Nepthali as an hinde let goe or sent forth giving goodly words caet aial signifieth an hart and a post oomer a word amir an high branch v. 22. Ioseph a sonne increasing H.S.C. a fruitfull bough cater ben sig a sonne and a bough Pleasant to behold H.S. as a fruitfull bough beside the fountaine caet gnen sig an eye and a fountaine His daughters ran upon the wall H.P. my young sonne returne unto me S. two tribes shall come out of his sonnes and shall receive their part and inheritance C. his small branches run upon the wall caet baenâ—th daughters branches v. 22. The men of dissention C. the archers or shooters caet v. 2.44 Their bowes were broken with strength S. his how abode strong caet jashab to sit to rest to continue The sinewes or strings of his arms were dissolved H.S. the arms of his hands were strengthened T.B.P. the hands of his arms were strengthened G. phazzaz to strengthen From thence Israel is strengthened of God thy father S. of whom was the feeder appointed by the stone of Israel G. of him shall come a shepherd or herd-man B the stone of Israel T.H.B.P. the Chalde translateth here very corruptly comming nothing neare the text thus the prophecie was fulfilled in them because he kept the law in secret and propounded his constant hope then gold was put upon his armes c. v. 25. The blessing of the earth having all things S. the blessing of the deep beneath caet With the blessings of thy father and mother C. with the blessings of the breasts and the wombe caet v. 26. The blessing of thy father and mother above the blessing of the stable hills S. the blessings of thy father shall be added above the blessings of my fathers C.B.G.P. the blessings of thy father are strong with the blessings of his fathers H. or of mine elders T.H. he Har an hill harah a father a progenitor v. 26. In the blessings of the everlasting hills S. untill the desire of the everlasting hills come H. which the Princes have desired which were since the world C. to the utmost hills of the world B. to the end of the hills of the world T.G. ta ah sig to limit avah to desire which was ruler over his brethren S. which was a Nazarite or separate among his brethren caet nazar to separate v. 27. In the land of Benjamin shall dwell the majestie of the temple and in the possession thereof the sanctuarie evening and morning shall the Priests offer sacrifices and in the evening they shall divide the rest c. the rest agree in the vulgar reading v. 31. There they buried Leah S. there Leah lyeth buried H. there I buried Leah caet v. 32. The possession of the field and cave therein of the sonnes of Heth. S.T. the purchase of the field c. of the sonnes of Heth. B.G.C.P. chanah sig both to possesse purchase this verse is omitted in the vulgar Latine 3. The Explanation of doubtfull questions QUEST I. Of the propheticall testament or Iacobs in generall Vers. 1· THen Iacob called his sonnes c. 1. Iacob not by any naturall instinct as some hold an opinion that the soule is more divine and apter to foretell things to come when death approcheth as Xenophon reporteth of Cyrus lib. 8. Plato of Socrates in apolog but by a divine inspiration doth prophesie what shall befall his children as Isaack did blesse his two sonnes Gen. 27. Moses the tribes of Israel Deut. 33. David blessed Salomon 1 Chron. 29. our blessed Saviour praied for his disciples immediately before his death Ioan. 17. Perer. 2. Iacob doth not blesse all his children three of them he censureth for their sinne Ruben Simeon Levi but Moses blesseth all the tribes Deuter. 33. the cause is not as R. Salomon imagineth that Iacob purposed to blesse all but being forsaken of Gods spirit and beside himselfe he falleth into a fit of phrensie which were impious to thinke Perer. 3. Some make question whether Iacob spake these words or Moses rather so penned them Mercer But it is more like that Iacob being moved by the spirit spake after this concise manner as a prophet though not altogether in the same forme of words· 4. Some doe wonder how Moses should come by the knowledge of these words which Iacob spake 200. yeares before to his sonnes in a corner they may as well muse how Moses should describe the particular places of the land of Canaan which hee never saw and set downe the historie of the creation which things Moses might have by godly tradition but most of all by the revelation of the spirit Calvin 5. Iosephus is too slender in the reporting of this propheticall speech of Iacob making onely mention thereof in generall that he prophesied how his children should inherit the land of Canaan lib. 2 antiquitat Some other have beene too bold to forge other fables upon this occasion as Origen maketh mention of a booke entituled The narration of Ioseph the sonne of Iacob tom 2. in Ioâ—uâ— out of the which he citeth certaine testimonies to prove the incarnation of Angels and the prognostication of things done in the world by the starres but Athanasius in Synops. holdeth this to be a forged booke so is that other called The testament of the twelve Patriarkes mentioned by Origen hom 15. in Iosun ex Perer. Some also of our own have beene too bold in allegorizing Iacobs words whereas the literall and historicall sense is full enough and containeth excellent matter Calvin QUEST II. What last times Iacob speaketh of GAther your selves c. I will tell you what shall come in the last daies 2. He calleth all his children to be present who were not all before assembled when Iacob blessed Ephraim and Manassâ—h and he stirreth them up also to attention to consider diligently what he saith Mercer 2. We need not with Rupertus by Iacobs sonnes to understand his spirituall seed the Church of Christ seeing this prophecie was literally accomplished in his carnall ofspring 3. By the lust daies wee understand not onely the times of the Messiah as David Kimhi Hierome and Lyranus will have it alwaies taken in the prophets but sometime it betokeneth the age next ensuing as Dan. 2.28 God sheweth the King what shall be in the latter daies that is vers 29. what shall come to passe afterward some part of his dreame fell out in the next times and age after Nabuchadnezzar Like as then in this place Iacob speaketh of the comming of the Messiah vers 10. so also he
of Purim when vile Haman had cast lots over them for their destruction or the feast of the dedication of the Temple after Antiochus had prophaned it for how can our mercifull God be sufficiently praised who discovered the secret counsels of the wicked undermined the underminers and he that is a wall of fire about Ierusalem hath quenched their fire There is a path as Iob saith which no fowle hath knowne neither hath the kites eye seene it yet the Lord hath declared their works as Elihu answereth and he hath turned the night there is no darknesse nor shadow of death that the workers of iniquitie might be hid therein The Lord hath so brought to passe that neither sagitta volitans per diem the arrow of treacherie flying by day nor negotium ambulans in tenebris conspiracie walking in the darke hath come neere us therefore alwaies praised bee his name Concerning sending of presents a testimonie of our joy that honourable assemblie hath with loving hearts presented to your Majestie a subsidiarie benevolence as a token of their dutie and thankfulnesse And may it please your Majestie also to accept the widowes mite this poore present which I in all humblenesse and loyaltie doe offer to your Princely view thinking it not the least part of my terrene happinesse that as my Synopsis was readie to meet your Majestie at your joyfull entrance so this Hexapla commeth forth by Gods goodnesse to congratulate for your prosperous deliverance The gifts to the poore are your Princely clemencie and bountie to your Majesties loving subjects that as the first is extended according to the honourable custome of this nation in the determining of the Parliament to some kinde of offenders so the other is desired and expected in seeing provision and maintenance to be procured for the Ministers and Preachers of the Gospell which in many places is very small and so the number of them to be not empaired but increased that religion and learning may flourish the two principall props of this Kingdome as your Majestie well knoweth whatsoever some have impiously thought and profanely written to the contrarie God strengthen your Majestie with all the honourable State that as our adversaries have digged pits which hold no water so our Lawgiver with the Princes of Israel may dig wells of springing water with their staves as it is said of Moses that is enact such lawes whereby the spring of the Gospell may be kept open and run along to our posteritie but the heads of the bitter Romish waters may be for ever stopped that all the people of God may use the same joyfull acclamations to such godly lawes as the Israelites did to the well Rise up well sing yee unto it As for the rest I end with the conclusion of Baraks song So let all thine enemies perish O Lord but they which love him shall be as the Sun that riseth in his might Your Majesties most humble Subject Andrew Willet TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD RICHARD BY THE DIVINE PROVIdence Archbishop of Canterburie Primate and Metropolitane of all England and of his Majesties most Honourable Privie Counsell AS concerning lawes so of books Righr Reverend Father there are two opinions some mislike there should be many as Arcesilaus in Laertius whose saying was Quemadmodum ubi multi medici ibi multi morbi ita ubi permultae leges ibi plus vitiorum Like as where are many Physitians there are many diseases so where there are many lawes there are many faults Some thinke it not necessarie there should be any as Demonax used to say Leges prorsus esse inutiles ut quibus boni non egerent mali nihilo fierent meliores That lawes were altogether unprofitable because neither the good stood in need of them neither were the evill bettered by them But Chrysostome with a better spirit approved all good lawes and would have none omitted In cythera non satis esse in uno tantùm nervo concentum efficere universos oportet percuti numerosè decenter Like as to make musick on an harpe to strike upon one string was not sufficient unlesse all were played upon in due measure The like judgement is to bee given of books that as superfluous scribling might be well spared so necessarie and profitable writing is not to be lightly esteemed There are then three sorts of men whom I first desire briefely to satisfie and then I will in few words declare the contents order and end of this worke First some there are that hold these labours superfluous and thinke that this age is given too much to scribling and that the world is pestred with too many books But this is their error that because some books are vainely written doe so judge of all and finding some treatises unnecessarie they imagine the rest to be so Indeed it cannot be denied but that there are some writings which as Aristen compared Logike are like spiders webs very curious but nothing profitable yet hee which should contemne all because he justly condemneth some were like to an unwise patient who because of some unlearned Empirikes should reject the skilfull Physitian as even the Heathen Poets could say that he which neglected learning left the Physitian of his soule In mens divers writings the diversitie of Gods gifts diversly appeareth There is no eye so quicke but may oversee somewhat which another may espie no wit so sharpe but may be more whetted nor yet any gift so meane but there may be some use thereof nor no labourer so simple but may bring somewhat to further Gods building as the Apostle saith Ye may all prophesie one by one that all may learne and all may have comfort Even the greatest Prophet and best interpreter may receive some benefit by the meanest Preacher and expounder True it is that in these dayes bookes are counted the vilest merchandise and the last thing for the most part which a man buyeth is a booke and any thing is thought more necessarie than that which is for the soule This also is the cause why rich men are more sued unto than wise men and Merchants and Vsurers dâ—ores are more frequented than Preachers houses because as one being demanded the reason why wise men went unto rich men and not the rich to the wise answered Wise men know what is necessarie for themselves so doe not the other Therefore the one seeketh things temporall as requisite for the bodie the other neglecteth wisdome being necessarie for the soule Now concerning such neglecters of divine studies and contemners of spirituall labours I say as Hierome answered Ruffinus Mihi meis juxta Ismenium canens si aures surdae sunt caeterorum I will sing unto me and mine as Antigenidas the Musician said to his scholar Ismenius if other mens eares be deafe Another sort there is that are given to carpe at other mens writings who if they be such as are enemies to the
considered 1. Such things as went before as The occasion which was their grievous oppression in Egypt chap. 1. The preparation of the instruments of their deliverance of Moses chap. 2 3 4. and Aaron chap. 4. with their message to Pharaoh chap. 5 6. The meanes procuring their deliverance those ten severall plagues which were sent upon Egypt described from chap. 7. to chap. 12. 2. Their deliverance it selfe consisting of their Departure out of Egypt with the manner thereof and institution of the Passeover chap. 12. and their going forward in their journey c. 13. Their passing thorow the red sea with the destruction of the Egyptians chap. 14. Their thanksgiving chap. 15. â— In the constitution of the Church is set forth 1. The provision of things necessarie for them as 1. Their foode chap. 16. and water for their thirst chap. 17. 2. Defence from their enemies as the Amalekites chap. 17. 3. A politike order set for government c. 18. 2. The prescription and promulgation of lawes Morall chap. 20. with the preparation thereunto chap. 19. Judiciall belonging to the policie of the Common-wealth chap. 21. to 24. Ceremoniall touching The sacred things of the Tabernacle chap. 25.27.30 The Tabernacle it selfe c. 26.27 The Ministers of the holy things the Priests and Levites Their institution with their holie garments chap. 28. Consecration ch 29. The workmen and instruments chap. 30. 3. The execution and practice of their people partly in Their disobedience to the Morall law in their apostasie and idolatrie chap. 32. with their reconciliation chap. 33.34 Their obedience concerning the ceremonials Of the people in bringing stuffe to make the Tabernacle and other holy things chap. 35.36 Of the workmen in making all things according to the patterne chap. 36. to 39. Moses in approving the worke chap. 39. and disposing it chap. 40. 3. Certaine generall questions out of the whole booke explaned QUEST I. Concerning the inscription of the booke THis booke is called in Hebrew of the first words velle shemoth that is and these are the names of the Greekes it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exodus of the miraculous going of the Israelites out of Egypt Simler The inscription of the bookes of Scripture is of three sorts for it is taken either from the persons that wrote them as the bookes of Esay Ierem. c. or whereof they be written either in generall as the bookes of Ioshuah and of the Judges or in part as the bookes of Samuel or else from the things entreated of as the booke of Leviticus Numbers c. or of the first words of the booke as Genesis is called of the Hebrewes beresheth in the beginning Leviticus veâ—â—kra and he called c. which are the first words of the text and so also is this booke named as is said before Iun. and the reason of it may be this because where the writer of any booke of Scripture left it without name they of elder time for reverence and religion sake did forbeare to give it any title Simler QVEST. II. Of the computation of yeeres comprehended in the storie of Exodus COncerning the continuance of time and number of yeeres which are comprehended in this booke they are found to be 142. as may bee thus gathered From the death of Ioseph to the birth of Moses are yeeres 60. from the birth of Moses unto the departure of Israel out of Egypt are yeeres 80. chap. 7.7 from the departure of Israel thence unto the Tabernacle erected was one yeere chap. 40.17 Iun. These two latter numbers are certainly gathered out of the Scripture only the first may be doubted of which is thus also warranted all the time of the peregrination of Abraham and his seed in Egypt and Canaan maketh 430. yeeres Exod. 22.40 this time beginneth when Abraham was called out of his countrie and 30. yeeres was run at the birth of Isaack who at 60. begat Iacob Gen. 25.26 who at an 130. went downe into Egypt unto Ioseph Gen. 47.9 who being then 39. yeeres old and dying at an 110. Gen. 50.26 lived after that yeeres 71. then put hereunto 80. yeeres of Moses age all maketh joyning the summes of 30.60.130.71.80 together yeeres 371 there remaineth then the summe of 59. yeeres or 60. to make up the whole summe of 430. yeeres QUEST III. Whether Moses were the writer of this booke NOw that Moses was the pen-man and writer of this booke the spirit of God being the author and inspirer thereof it is diversly evident 1. for Moses testifieth of himselfe that he wrote all the words of the Lord Exod. 24.4 which are contained in this booke 2. The Scripture so divideth the bookes of the old Testament that they were written either by Moses or some other of the Prophets Luk. 16.31 3. Our Saviour alleaging a certaine place out of this booke doth call it the booke of Moses Mark 12. 26. Have you not read in the booke of Moses so also Luk. 20.37 And that the dead shall rise againe even Moses shewed it beside the bush when he said c. QUEST IV. Whether Moses Iudiciall lawes do now necessarily bind the Civill Magistrate BUt whereas in this booke divers both morall ceremoniall and Judiciall lawes are prescribed whereof the two first there is no question but that the one doth bind us still and the other is abrogated only concerning the Judicials of Moses it is controverted whether Christian Magistrates are bound to observe them which Judicials being of three sorts either such which are annexed to the Morall law as the punishment of adulterie and murther and disobedience to parents with death and such like or such as were appendant to the Ceremoniall law as the punishment of those that touched any dead thing or that came neere a woman in her monethly course and such like or such as belonged to the peculiar policie and state of that Common-wealth as concerning the yeere of Jubile the raising up of seed to the brother departed in marying his wife and such like of the two latter there is no doubt made but that the one is abrogated together with the ceremonies whereon they attended the other as proper to that government are now determined only the third kinde of Judicials remaineth about the which great question is made how farre Christian governours are obliged to the same For the discussing of which question 1. I neither am of their opinion which thinke that the Judiciall law is left to the libertie of the Christian Magistrate to adde to it and take from it and to alter it as shall â—e thought fit for the time and manner of the countrey for this were 1. to be wiser than God to leave altogether those directions and rules of justice which he hath set downe and the Apostle saith the foolishnesse of God is wiser than men 1. Cor. 1.25 that which seemeth to be meanest of the Divine orders is farre beyond the wisest humane inventions 2. And there is but one Law-giver
25.18 4. It was not necessary the Israelites should returne over the red Sea againe for the Lord did not lead them the neerest way which was through the Philistims country but about by the vast desert therefore that is no reason to being them over the Sea againe because of the neerer way 2. That the Israelites went through the midst of the Sea 1. The Scripture evidently speaketh Psalm 135.13 He caused Israel to passe over in the midst of it The word is ghabar which signifieth transire to passe over 2. If they had gone on the other side of the red Sea toward Egypt they must have passed along by the Philistims countrie which the Lord intended not to doe chap. 13.17 and Iosephus addeth this reason why they went the other way Ne Palestini quos ob veterem simultatem infensâ—s habebat de hac prâ—fectione certiores fieripossent Lest the Philistims who had an old grudge against them should have knowne of their journey But they must needs have knowne it and hindred it likewise if they had compassed about the red Sea Est enim eorum regio Aegypto contermina For their countrie doth border upon Egypt 3. Iosephus also in the same place useth another reason voluit obiter juxta Dei mandata in montem Sinai populum sacrificaturum adducere Moses purposed according to the commandement of God to bring the people unto mount Sinai to sacrifice But the next way unto mount Sinai which is a mountaine in Arabia Galath 4.25 was not to goe backe againe into Egypt but to passe over the red Sea 4. Beside it is not like that the Lord would bring them backe againe unto the Egyptian coast Lyran. For so they should have beene in danger againe of the enemie 5. The Israelites from the red Sea went forward to the wildernesse of Shur but that was beyond the red Sea toward the countrie of the Ismaelites Gen. 25.18 not on this side toward Egypt 6. Lastly of this opinion that the Hebrewes went through the Sea are Iosephus who saith Iamque in adversum littus Hebraei evaserant The Hebrewes were escaped to the other shore against them lib 2. antiquit cap. 7. Likewise Philo Tempestas procellosa in littus adversum ejâ—cit Aegyptorum enectorum corpora A tempestuous storme cast the dead bodies of the Egyptians upon the contrarie shore that the Hebrewes might see them so also Euseb. Nysen Ictu Mosaica virgae in oppositam usque ripam hinc atque hinc cedentibus aquis scissura pervenit By the stroke of Moses rod the waters did cleave along and give way even unto the banke on the other side and as the way was made throughout overtwhart the Sea so the Israelites followed Ex Perer. QUEST XVII The division of the red Sea not the worke of nature but altogether miraculous IN the next place it would be inquired whether this division of the red sea were altogether miraculous or whether it might not be helped by the worke of nature or mans providence 1. Artapanus an ancient writer reporteth hereof two opinions among the Egyptians the Heliopolites doe hold that when Pharaoh followed after the Hebrewes Moses by the stretching out of his rod divided the Sea the Memphites affirmed that Moses being skilfull in such naturall observations did wait when the red Sea was at the low ebbe and then conducted over the people But this foolish opinion is confuted by Diodor. Tarsens Chrysostomes Master who by these two reasons overthroweth it 1. That when the Sea ebbeth the waters onely toward the shore do abate the chanell of the Sea is not emptied and againe the ebbing of the Sea could not make the water stand up on each side like a wall 2. Neither is Iosephus narration probable who to perswade that this was no incredible thing for the Sea to give way to the Hebrewes alleageth that in like sort the Pamphilian Sea did open a way to Alexander in his expedition against the Persians lib. 2. antiquit cap. 7. by which instance Iosephus doth much extenuate this great worke which the Lord did for his people Concerning which storie of Alexander 1. Neither is the censure of Iacobus Crinitus to be approved who utterly denieth it to be true which Iosephus reporteth and they which write of Alexanders affaires make mention of no such thing for beside that Iosephus saith id quod omnes testantur c. Which all they doe testifie that have committed to memorie Alexanders exploits who it is like had seene and read some of those writers whose bookes may bee now perished Quintus Curtius lib. 5. in a word touched such a matter Mari novâ—m itâ—r in Pamphiliam aperuerat He opened a new way by the Sea into Pamphilia 2. And yet we may hold the report of Iosephus to be uncertaine and not credible that Alexandrâ— ductu Macedonibus Pamphilium mare câ—ssit That the Pamphilian Sea gave way unto the Macedonians under the leading of Alexander For this were to impaire the credit of this great worke 3. Therefore Strabo for this matter commeth neerer the truth who writeth to this effect that there is an hill lying upon the Pamphilian Sea called Climax by the which there is a passage on the Sea shore when the Sea is calme and still the waters so abating that the ground is left naked which at the flowing of the waters is covered againe And Alexander comming that way prinsquam fluctus rediret movit Set forward before the waters returned but because it was winter before he was passed it so fell out that the waters overtooke him Vt tota die iter faceret in aqua â—â—â—biliâ—◠〈◊〉 That he travelled all the day up to the middle Strab. lib. 14. This passing then of Alexander by the Pamphilian Sea was much unlike to the Hebrewes walking through the red Sea First he went along by the shore but they went through the Sea Secondly Alexander watched his time when the Sea ebbed but the ebbing of the red Sea could not helpe the Hebrewes to goe through Thirdly the waters returned before Alexander was gone by but the Sea gave way still to the Israelites till they were all gone over but it overwhelmed the Egyptians 3. Paulus Oresius writeth that there are yet certaine miraculous monuments of this miracle extant at the red Sea that the very trace of the chariot wheeles are to be seene not onely on the shore but in the Sea as farre as ones eye can discerne them and that if those marks be defaced they renew againe Ores lib. 1. But what credit there is of this report is uncertaine it may seeme rather fabulous than otherwise the monument of this miracle is sufficiently extant in Scripture we need not to seeke it in the sand And if any such monument were to be seene rather the footsteps of the Hebrewes that walked that way than the prints of Pharaohs chariot wheeles were likely to remaine in remembrance of that miracle which God wrought for his people
Vers. 2. The Lord is my song I.V.C. praise B.G.A.P.I. the first rather Ziâ—arah commeth of Zamar to sing Vers. 2. And I will build him a tabernacle I.G.C.A.P. rather than I will praise him B.L.S.V. navah signifieth to dwell as Habak 2.5 he shall not dwell or continue and in hiphil to cause to dwell Vers. 4. In the reedie sea I.V. the sea suph A.P. rather than the red sea B.G. cum cater suph signifieth a reed or bulrush Vers. 6. Thy right hand is glorious to me in power I better than thy right hand is glorious in power B.G. cum cater the word is nedari with an affix pronoune Vers. 6. Thy right hand hath bruised them A.B. cum caeter better than with thy right hand thou hast brused them I. for a preposition should be supplied here which is wanting in the Hebrew and the word jeminca is used before in the beginning of the verse in the nominative case Vers. 9. Mine hand shall take them for an inheritance I. shall rule over them S. bâ—tter than shall destroy them A.P.V.C.L. cum cater the word torish of jarash to inherite signifieth properly to cause to inherite sometime it signifieth to expell but that sense is not fit here and beside it was their intendment to bring them againe into their subjection and service cap. 14.5 Vers. 11. Who is like unto thee among the mightie I.L. rather than among the gods A.P.V.B.G.C. for beside that â—elim is so taken for the strong and mightie 2. King 24.15 this sense is more generall and exalteth God above all that are called mightie Angels or men Vers. 17. Plant them in the mountaine of thine inheritance B.G.C.A.P. cum cater of thy possession I. but nachalah rather signifie than inheritance as the Septuagint translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers. 19. Pharaohs horses went with his chariots I.C.P.G. not Pharaohs horsemen L. V. for that is expressed afterward nor Pharaohs hâ—rse S. or Pharaoh on horseback went B. for though it be sus in the singular in the originall yet it is taken for the plurall as cap. 14.23 it includeth a signification also of Pharaohs personall going into the sea Vers. 20. With timbrels and daunces B. G. C. cum cater rather than timbrels and flutes I. the word mecholoth is taken for dauncers Iud. 21.20 and so waâ— the use for the women to come forth with daunces to meete those that returned with victorie as Iud. 11.34 1. Sam. 18.5 and heere as Miriam is said to take a timbrell only so it is like the other women did neither had it been so fit for them to play upon flutes because of their singing and answering Moses Vers. 22. And they went forth toward the desert of Shur or that they might go forth to the wildernesse of Shur I. better then they went out into the desert of Shur B.G. cum cater for they did not immediately enter into the desert of Shur after they left the red sea but they travelled first three dayes thorow the wildernesse of Ethan Num. 33.8 Iun. Vers. 23. He or everie one called the name of the place Maraâ— I.V.A.P.C. not the name of the place was called B.G.S.L. for the word â—ara is in the 〈◊〉 3. The explanation of doubtfull questions QVEST. I. Of the antiquitie and excellencie of Moses song Vers. 1. THen sang Moses 1. This song of Moses as it is the first that we reade of in Scripture so it is the most auncient song that is extant in the world for the songs of Linus Musaeus Orpheus are found to be 300. yeares after this song of Moses 2. Iosephus saith that Moses composed this song in hexameter verse and lest any should thinke this strange Hierome in his preface to the booke of Iob witnesseth that all that booke from those words in the beginning of the third chapter Let the day perish wherein I was borne unto those words cap. 42. therefore I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes iâ— written in hexameter verse for the most part consisting of Dactilus and Spondaeus the two usuall feete of an hexameter verse Perer. 3. But whereas Iosephus in the same place saith that the Israelites did passe all that night in mirth and rejoycing for their deliverance that seemeth not to be so for it was morning before the Egeptians were drowned cap. 14.24 The Lord looked toward the Egyptians in the morning watch and the Israelites saw their dead bodies upon the sea banke which they could not so well discerne by night therefore this rejoycing was solemnized the next day not the same night QUEST II. In what order Moses the children of Israel and Miriam sang this song COncerning the order and manner how this song was sung 1. Some are of opinion that Moses sang it alone and that he taught the people afterward this song who did often sing it as they had occasion Thostatus and Iosephus thinketh that the people first rejoyced and gave thankes unto God and that afterward Moses framed this song in hexameter verse but the text favoureth not this opinion which saith that then even at that time Moses and the children of Israel sang wherefore I subscribe rather unto Philo who saith that Moses began first every verse and then the people followed this is agreeable to the text where Moses boginneth in his owne person saying I will sing unto the Lord and seeing that Moses and the children of Israel sang this song who were not all Prophets to endite a propheticall song neither in so short a time could they have learned this song before it is like that the one followed the other and that Mosesâ—egan â—egan and then the people repeated either the whole verse or the ground of the song only which was this Sing unto the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously the horse and his Rider hath hee overthrowne in the sea which verse is after repeated by Miriam and her companie for so was it the use in solemne songs to have one verse repeated as Psalme 136. that clause For his mercie endureth for ever is often repeated Now in what order of consort and consent Miriam sang and answered the men is not agreed upon 1. Some think that Miriam with the women answered the men and sang the ground of the song by tuâ—nes Oleaster Iun. and Philo sometime is of the same opinion that there was a mixt harmonie of the great and base voyces of the men and of the sharpe tunes of the women 2. But I thinke rather that there were two companies of fingers of the men apart and of the women apart and that as Moses began and the people followed so did Miriam sing and the women answered her Sic Pellican Simler Calvin And this may seeme more probable 1. Because it was the use for the women only by themselves not mingled with men to celebrate such solemnities as appeareth Iud. 11. when Iepthahs daughter met him and 1. Sam. 18.5 when
conspectu Dei c. The Saints doe eat and drinke in the sight of God and all that they doe they doe in his sight And so the Apostle saith Whether ye eat or drinke or whatsoever ye doe doe all to the glory of God 1. Cor. 10.31 4. Obs. Diligence is required in a Magistrate Vers. 13. THe people stood about Moses from morning to even Moses singular diligence and paines is here set forth in attending upon the causes of the people Audiant hoc delicusi Indices nostri qui vix ad horam c. Let our delicate Iudges heare this which scarce indure an houre to heare their suiters causes Diligence in the charge commited to us is sweet unto God and good to our selves Come thou good and faithfull servant will God say to the Magistrate as well as to the Minister Enter into thy Lords joy B. Babington 5. Obs. Iudges and Magistrates specially must be men fearing God Vers. 21. FEaring God c. The feare of God is a vertue most necessary in Judges for hereupon hang all vertues Abraham thinking that the feare of God was not in Gerar despaired of any other vertue there to be found Gen. 20. B. Babington 6. Obs. Good counsell is to be received at any hand Vers. 24. SO Moses obeyed c. In quo mite modestum ingenium declarat c. Wherein Moses sheweth a milde and modest disposition not to refuse to receive wholesome counsell at any mans hand Marbach As the Apostle saith Set up them which are least esteemed in the Church 1. Cor. 6.4 Good counsell proceeding even from simple and meane people is not to be despised The end of the first booke THE SECOND PART OF THIS BOOKE OF EXODVS Containing THE HISTORIE OF THE Constitution and setling of the people of Israel after their deliverance out of Egypt in their state Ecclesiasticall and Civill by Lawes morall ceremoniall politicall WITH THE OBEDIENCE AND disobedience of the people thereunto divided into two Bookes THE FIRST SHEWING THE PRESCRIPTION of those Lawes to chap. 30. The second the practice and execution thereof unto the end of Exodus THE FIRST BOOKE SHEWING THE PRESCRIPTION and promulgation of the foresaid Lawes VERITAS †FILIA †TEMPORIS LONDON ¶ Printed by the Assignes of THOMAS MAN PAVL MAN and IONAH MAN 1633. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE HIS SINGVLAR GOOD LORD SIR THOMAS EGERTON Lord Ellesmere Lord Chancellor of England and of his Majesties most honourable privie Councell RIght Honourable there is a saying That nothing so soone wâ—â—eth old as thankes for a benefit received This imputation of unthankfull oblivion might justly fall upon mee if having occasion to use my penne I should in silence passe over your Honour I cannot therefore forget your Honourable favour and bounty which I have some yeeres past felt and found The eye better seeth the object removed in equall distance from it than when it is put close unto it so a thankfull heart will as well consider of a benefit after as at the first time when it is received I hate flattery neither have I used to fawne upon great men in praising above desert or blazing their names whom their vertues commend not yet I hold it as great a wrong not to ascribe praise where it is deserved as it is follie to give it where it is not due It is a good saying It is seemely to give incense unto God and praises unto good men for the praise of the instrument redoundeth to him that handleth it and the industry of the Minister commendeth the skill of the chiefe worker and the acknowledging of the gifts and graces of men setteth forth the praise of God that giveth them This therefore I cannot conceale that I have found your Honour the greatest respecter and only rewarder of my poore travels and labours This I speake not as though wee which by preaching and writing keepe the watch-tower against the enemy ought to make the reward of the world the end and scope of our paines taken in the world I hold it Pharisaicall to doe any thing for the praise or recompence of men This is sufficient for the servants of Christ that their Lord hath promised Thou shalt be recompenced at the resurrection of the just I am of his minde that when one had said It is an excellent thing for a man to obtaine all that he desires made this answer Multò majus est non desider are eâ— quibâ—â— nibil indiges But it is a greater matter not to desire at all the things which thou needest not But this I have mentioned to note by the way the strange humour of this age that of all presents least esteemeth bookes and vilipendeth no gift as it doth the fruits of Scholars studies I have read that the women among the people called Iberi did use every yeere to shew publikely their spinning worke and that she was most honoured which in the judgement of the men had laboured most If the Spinsters of these times which spinne and weave garments not with Dorcas to cloathe the body but with Paul to adorne the soule were had in such regard we should have more spinners and better worke Such bookes I confesse as feede mens fansies and breed wanton delight are had of some in price when graver treatises are set light by as one of Terentius Comedies called Eunuchus was valued at eight thousand peeces of money which make two hundred crownes more than all Tullies Orations and other his learned workes were esteemed at But the choice of bookes should bee as the choice of Physicians Medicus non jucundior sed utilior eligitur A man will have a Physician rather profitable that can doe him good than pleasant to feede him with words Such difference there is in bookes they which please the eare doe flourish with leaves but such as instruct the minde doe yeeld the fruit the one as a song of Musicke that endeth with the sound the other as wholsome physicke that worketh after it is gone the bookes of the one are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Commentaries to instruct the other are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Commemoratives of mens folly Now what should be the reason why bookes of Divinity are so much at many hands contemned and treatises of vanity so highly commended may easily be conjectured for as Diogenes being asked why men used to give unto the blind and lame but not unto Philosophers made this answer Because they may thinke they may one day become blind and lame themselves but never hope to be Philosophers So mens affections being blind and lame and their phantasies vainly bent must needs delight in vaine and lame pamphlets which feede their humours and cannot brooke that which would purge them But leaving to complaine of that which I cannot helpe I cannot but commend that which I heare and have my selfe found that your Lordships respective care in preferring freely men of desert a rare president in
into our mouthes by a lawfull oath whereby we call God to be a witnesse unto our soules that we speake the truth this is a kinde of invocation of the name of God and a part of his worship Deut. 6.13 Yee shall serve him and sweare by his name Contrary hereunto are 1. The refusall of a just and lawfull oath when any refuse to testifie the truth upon their oath which may make for the glory of God and the good of our neighbour as the Apostle saith An oath for confirmation is among men an end of strife Hebr. 6.16 2. To take a false oath either in not performing that which is promised by oath or in testifying upon an oath otherwise than the truth is 3. An idolatrous and superstitious oath which is made by any other name than of God only 4. An oath to performe any unlawfull thing such as Herods oath was 5. A rash oath lightly and vainely made without any necessity as in common and usuall talke which abuse is reproved by our blessed Saviour Matth. 5.23 Vrsin 2. Doct. What an oath is COncerning an oath then briefely this it is 1. In a generall sense to take an oath or to sweare is used for the whole worship of God as Isay 45.23 Every knee shall bow unto me and every tongue shall sweare by me and the reason is because we professe him to be our God by whom we sweare 2. But more particularly and properly an oath is defined thus It is an invocation of the name of God as the onely searcher of the heart whereby he that sweareth taketh God to record that he speaketh the truth and wisheth God to punish him if he doe otherwise Vrsin So that two speciall things are intended in an oath 1. To call God as a witnesse that he speaketh the truth as the Apostle saith Galath 1.20 Now the things that I write unto you behold I witnesse before God that I lye not So Thomas Iurare per Deum nihil aliud est quâ—m invocare ejus testimonium To sweare by God is nothing else but to call him to witnesse 2. Hee that taketh an oath desireth that God may punish him if hee sweare falsly as the Apostle I call God for a record against my soule or unto or upon my soule 2. Cor. 1.13 Nihil aliud est dicere per Deum ita est nisi quòd Deus puniat me si non ita est It is nothing else to say by God it is so but that God punish me if it be not so Thom. in opuscul 3. Places of Controversie 1. Cont. It is not lawfull to sweare by Saints or other creatures 1. THey take the name of God in vaine which doe sweare by any other than by the name of God and therefore the Romanists are in errour which maintaine the swearing by the name of Saints Rhemist annot Math. 23. v. 21. 1. God commandeth that we should sweare only by his name Deut. 6.13 Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serve him and sweare by his name which text our Saviour alleaging Matth. 4. interpreteth it by the word only him only shalt thou serve So also Deut. 10.20 and Exod. 23.13 it is directly forbidden that they should take the name of any other Gods into their mouthes 2. God reproveth those which sweare by any other than by him as Zephan 1.5 I will cut off c. them that worship and sweare by the Lord and sweare by Malcham 3. Invocation belongeth only unto God but the taking of an oath is a kinde of invocation therefore it is a service due only unto God 4. In taking of an oath we call God to be a witnesse unto our soule but God only knoweth the secrets of the heart neither Angell nor Saint Ergo. 5. He that sweareth giveth unto him power to punish him if he sweare falsly but God onely is able to punish the soule Matth. 10.28 Vrsin But it will be objected thus 1. Our Saviour alloweth swearing by creatures Matth. 23.21 Whosoever sweareth by the Temple sweareth by it and by him that dwelleth therein Rhemist annot in hunc locum Answ. 1. Our Saviour here doth not justifie swearing by creatures but confuteth that nice distinction of the Pharisies that it was nothing to sweare by the Temple but by the gold of the Temple vers 16. and sheweth that they could not avoid swearing by God when they did sweare by the Temple because it was the place of his habitation and so they did in such an oath take the name of God in vaine 2. For otherwise if our Saviour should here allow swearing by creatures as by heaven saying He that sweareth by heaven sweareth by the throne of God he should be contrary to himselfe for elsewhere he saith Sweare not at all neither by heaven for it is the throne of God Matth. 5.34 2. Object Ioseph did sweare by the life of Pharaoh Gen. 42.15 Answ. 1. Some say that this was no oath but a vehement kinde of asseveration as Hannah saith to Eli As thy soule liveth 1. Sam. 1. and Abner to Saul 1. Sam. 17.56 and so they would have the meaning to bee this as truly as Pharaoh liveth or as I wish his life and health so it is true I say Vrsin Iun. But it is not all one kinde of phrase to say unto one present as thy soule liveth and of one absent to say by his life or soule 2. It sheweth therefore some infirmity rather in Ioseph though hee worshipped the true God yet he had learned to speake as other Courtiers did to sweare by Pharaohs life yet rather of custome of speech or the more cunningly to conceale himselfe from his brethren than of any purposed imitation of their superstitious oathes therefore Iosephs example here can bee no warrant See more of this Hexapl. in Genes c. 42. v. 15. 3. Object It is usuall for men in taking of an oath to lay their hand upon the Gospell therefore it is lawfull to sweare by a creature Answ. 1. Men using this externall signe doe not sweare by it no more than Abrahams servant did sweare by his masters thigh when he put his hand under it Gen. 24. 2. he sware by the name of God· So the Lord saith I lift up mine hand to heaven and say I live for ever Deut. 32.40 And the Angell lift up his hand to heaven but sware by him that liveth for ever Revel 10.6 So they lay their hand upon the booke as a visible signe or seale of the oath but they sweare not by the booke but by God the Author of the booke to this effect as the words are repeated unto them as helpe thee God and the contents of that booke So Thom. Cum jur as per Evangelium jur as per Deum qui dedit Evangelium When thou swearest by the Gospell thou swearest by God which gave the Gospell 4. Object It is not lawfull to profane or speake irreverently of the name of the Virgin Mary or of the
justa ratio id postaâ—â—bit but where need it and necessary or just cause doe so require c. otherwise the Law doth forbid all unlawfull swearing as well as the Gospell 3. And the reason why they ought not to sweare by strange gods is ne frequenti juramento iâ—â—â—cantur ad cultâ—â—◠〈◊〉 c. lest that by often swearing they be induced to worship them Glos. interliâ—â—â—â— 4. And as an Hebrew then and so a Christian now was not himselfe so neither were they to compell a Gentile to sweare by them yet as Augustine determineth it is lawfull for a Christian recipere ab eo juramentum in Deo suo c. to receive an oath of a Gentile by his god to confirme some covenant or contract se Gentilis obtularis se facturum if the Gentile doe of himselfe offer it Lyran Tostat. QUEST XXV Whether a Christian may compell a Iew to sweare by his Thorah which containeth the five bookes of Moses VPon this occasion how farre a Christian may compell another of a contrary religion to sweare as a Jew or Turke Tostatus bringeth in divers questions which it shall not be amisse here briefly to touch as first whereas it is an usuall thing with the Jewes at this day to sweare upon their Thorah which is nothing else but a volume containing the five bookes of Moses yet bound up in silke and laid up very curiously in their Synagogue whereout they use to read the lectures of the Law the question is whether it be lawfull for a Christian Judge to urge a Jew to take his oath upon his Thorah for upon the Gospels he will rather dye than take an oath For the resolution of this doubt divers things are to be weighed and considered 1. That there is great difference betweene the Idols and 〈◊〉 gods of the Heathen and the Jewes Thorah for this 〈◊〉 a part of Gods word and containeth nothing but the truth and it is all one as if the Jew did lay his hand upon the Pentateuch or five bookes of Moses as any Christian may take his oath upon the Gospels or any other part of Gods word 2. And like as a Christian laying his hand upon the Gospels doth not 〈◊〉 by the bookâ— for 〈◊〉 were unlawfull in giving the honour due to the Creator unto a creature but hath relation unto God whose verity and truth is contained in that booke So a Jew swearing upon his Thorah yet sweareth by God the Author of the Law and in so doing sinneth not 3. Yet it may so fall out that a Jew may sinne in swearing upon his Thorah as having an opinion that all the contents of that booke as namely the ceremonials are yet in force which are abolished in Christ and yet the Judge may not sinne in requiring the Jew to sweare upon his Thorah for he doth not consider of those things quae sunt in voluntate agentis sed de ipso actis which are in the minde and intent of the doer but of the act it selfe therefore the act of it selfe being lawfull a Jew may be required to doe it Sic Tostat. qu. 14. QUEST XXVI Whether a Iew may be urged to sweare in the name of Christ. BUt as the Jew may be urged to sweare upon his Thorah which they hold to be a booke of truth as Christians doe yet the case is not alike if a Christian should compell a Jew to sweare in the name of Christ for although Christ be in deed and in truth very God yet the Jewes hold him to be worse than any Idoll and therefore the Jew in taking such an oath should doe against his conscience and consequently commit a great sinne or if a Jew should require a Christian to sweare by the name of Christ whom he holdeth to be no God nor yet a good man therein the Jew should also sinne against his conscience for it skilleth not a thing to be so or so indeed dum aliter concipiatur as long as a man otherwise conceiveth and is perswaded in his minde Tostat. qu. 15. QUEST XXVII Whether a Saracene may be urged to sweare upon the Gospels or in the name of Christ. NOw although a Jew cannot be compelled without sinne to sweare in the name of Christ whom he holdeth worse than an Idoll or upon the Gospels which they thinke containe nothing but fables yet the reason standeth otherwise for a Saracene or Turke he may be required to sweare in the name of Christ or upon the Gospels And the reason is because the Saracens have a good opinion of Christ and beleeve that he was sent of God and that he was a great Prophet and a good man and for the most part they doe assent unto the Gospels and beleeve that Christ spake the truth And therefore they in taking such an oath doe not against their conscience and therein sinne not Now if it be objected that the Saracens differ more from the Christians than the Jewes and therefore can no more lawfully take an oath in the name of Christ than the Jewes the answer is that although the Jewes consent with the Christians touching the canonicall bookes of the old Testament as the Saracens doe not yet as touching Christ they doe totally dissent from the Christians and so doe not the Saracens Tostat. qu. 17. QUEST XXVIII Whether a Christian may sweare upon the Iewes Thora BUt it hath beene before shewed that a Jew may be without sinne urged to sweare upon his Thora which is nothing but the Pentateuch containing the five bookes of Moses another question is moved whether a Christian may safely take his oath upon the Jewes Thora And that it is not lawfull so to doe it may be thus objected 1. It is a sinne Iudaizare to Iudaize to doe as the Jewes doe as to be circumcised to observe the Jewish Sabbath and such like But to sweare upon the Thora is to Iudaize that is to doe as the Jewes doe Ergo c. Answ. 1. To Iudaize is not simply to doe that which the Jewes doe but that which they alone doe and none other as to beleeve that which they only beleeve as that the ceremonies of the Law are still in force or to doe that which they only doe as to be circumcised and to abstaine from certaine kinde of meats as Saint Paul chargeth Saint Peter that he compelled the Gentiles Iudaizare to Iudaize concerning their meats for he did eat with the Gentiles before the Jewes came and afterward he withdrew himselfe from them otherwise to beleeve as the Jewes and others also beleeve and to doe likewise as to hold the world to have beene created the Israelites to have beene delivered and all other things in the Scriptures to be true as they are there set downe this is not to Iudaize 2. So because the Thora which is the Pentateuch is not only received of the Jewes but of the beleeving Gentiles and the truth of the Law we subscribe unto as well as the
charge and government with Moses Num. 11. of which number were Eldad and Medad Gloss. interlinear But this cannot be for those seventy Elders were appointed after the campe was removed from Sinai and pitched in Kibrath Hattavah which was the next station beyond Sinai Numb 33.16 But now the Israelites remained at mount Sinai 2. Some are of opinion that these seventy Elders were appointed when Iethro gave counsell to Moses that is six out of every tribe which make 72. but the even number is set downe Simler But those Captaines over the people which were chosen according to Iethro his direction were heads over thousands hundreds and fifties chap. 18.25 they were then more than seventy 3. Neither were these seventy such as before time the people had chosen out for their Rulers answerable unto the number of soules that went downe with Iacob into Egypt as Calviâ— seemeth to thinke for it seemeth that before Iethro gave that advice to Moses there were no such Governours and Rulers over the tribes because Moses then needed not to have wearied himselfe in hearing their causes himselfe alone 4. Wherefore these were no speciall Elders that before were elected and chosen out but such as Moses did single out upon this occasion out of the more honourable sort of the people and therefore they are called vers 11. eetzilee separated or selected And Tostatus holdeth this as a reason because the word Elders ziene in the Hebrew hath no article set before it as is usuall in that language when any speciall persons of note are named But though his reason doe not alwayes hold yet his opinion seemeth of the rest to be most probable Tostat. qu. 3. QUEST III. Why Moses went up into the mount alone Vers. 2. ANd Moses himselfe alone shall come neere to the Lord c. 1. Here are three degrees or orders appointed to be observed in their comming neere unto God the people stand farre off and come not neere at all Aaron and his two sonnes and the seventy Elders ascend with Moses to some part of the mountaine but Moses himselfe only goeth up unto God vers 12. Calvin Lippoman 2. Rabanus maketh this morall application of it that as the seventy Elders went not up with Moses so unusquisque perpendat discrete vires suaâ— ut ultra non praesumat that every one doe discreetly examine his strength and not presume beyond his knowledge 3. For the mysticall sense Procopius maketh Aaron here a type of Christ who stood aloofe off and contemned not our humane nature sed descendens ad nos inter nos moratur but descending dwelt among us c. But this application can in no wise be fit that Aaron should be here a type of Christ who went not up unto God but Moses did for who should have freer accesse unto God than our Mediatour and intercessor therefore Moses here rather signifieth the Law which is perfect and pure in it selfe yet is not able to bring us to God as these ascended not with Moses but were left behind Simler QUEST IV. Whether all the people in generall were assembled Vers. 3. ANd all the people answered c. 1. Sometime the whole congregation is understood to be the Elders only and principall men that stand for the rest of the people as chap. 12.3 the Lord biddeth Moses to speake to all the congregation and yet he onely spake unto the Elders vers 21. But here we rather understand that all the multitude was called together for as we reade that when the Law was confirmed and ratified the whole assembly came together not only the Elders and Officers but even their children and wives yea the strangers unto the hewer of wood and drawer of water Deut. 29.10 11. so was it requisite that at the first receiving of the Law all the whole multitude should come together to give their generall consent 2. If it be objected that it was not possible that so many hundred thousand as there were in Israel could assemble in such sort to heare the voice of one man we may either say that God might give an extraordinary strength unto Moses voice that it might be heard round about Tostatus Or though all the people were not within hearing themselves at once yet one might receive it from another and so give their consent or one company might succeed another to heare Oleaster QUEST V. Why the Lord requireth the peoples consent to his Lawes Vers. 3. ALL that the Lord hath said will we doe 1. Though God might by his soveraigne right impose what Lawes he thought good without the peoples consent because they were bound to obey whatsoever the Lord commanded yet the Lord thought good to require their consent because otherwise they might be lesse culpable if they had not obeyed those Lawes which were thrust upon them against their will 2. And although they had twice before chap. 19.8 and 20.19 promised their obedience yet that was but in generall before the Lawes were published and therefore it was necessarie that a particular consent should be had now unto the severall Lawes which were propounded 3. God knew before they would consent but that was not sufficient unlesse they also expressed it themselves that they might afterward be left without excuse Tostat. 4. The people are to be commended for their readinesse but yet they knew not how impossible it was to keepe the Law and therefore cannot be excused of rashnesse Iun. Of this sudden promise of obedience which the Israelites had soone forgot Hierome thus writeth Melius est non promittere quam promissa non facere c. It had beene better for them not to have promised at all than not to performe their promise And Gregorie herein compareth the Jewes unto Locusts Subiâ—o saltuâ— daâ—tes protiâ—â—s ad 〈◊〉 codemes c. Which doe of a sudden give a spring and forthwith fall upon the ground againe QUEST VI. What Lawes they were which Moses wrote in a booke Vers. 4. ANd Moses wrote all the words of the Lord. 1. R. Salomon thinketh that Moses first rehearsed and afterward wrote the whole booke of Genesis and all Exodus unto this place But this cannot be 1. The Rabbin himselfe thinketh that Moses rose the next day and built the Altar how could he then write these two bookes without a great miracle in one day which we are not without great necessity to bring in to make or devise miracles where no cause is were great presumption Lyran. 2. It is said he wrote all the words of God and so consequently only the words of God but the history of Genesis and Exodus containe many things beside the words of God therefore there was no cause either to rehearse or write all the contents of these two bookes Tostatus 2. Cajetanes opinion is with whom consenteth Osiander that Moses did write all the former Lawes contained in the 21 22 23. chapters and the ten Commandements beside with all those Lawes set
moved by so great a miracle should not contemne their doctrine Osiander Marbath 4. Cyprian also maketh this morall use hereby to shew the utilitie of fasting Quoties aliquid à Deo obtinere conati sunt jejuniis inâ—â—huere lachryâ—â—iâ— c. Holy men when they would obtaine any thing of God gave themselves to fasting 5. Curiously to search out any other cause of this fortie dayes fast were a vaine labour as Cajetane well saith Non est 〈…〉 quis divini miraculi opus fuit c. A reason must not bee sought of the number it being a worke of a divine miracle Cajetan QUEST XXV What Moses did in the mount these 40. dayes and 40. nights NOw if it be asked what Moses did in the mountaine these 40. dayes and 40. nights it may be answered 1. That the Lord did all this time instruct Moses concerning the Tabernacle and the things thereto belonging and touching the sacrifices and rites thereof as they are set forth in Leviticus And therefore Moses descending is not mentioned till the description of the Tabernacle and every part thereof is finished And Levit. 27.24 it is evidently expressed that the Lord taught Moses all those ordinances in mount Sinai 2. Now Moses fasted 40. dayes and nights the second time but then he was wholly occupied in humbling himselfe by prayer Deut. 9.25 thâ— first time of 40. dayes then was spent in Moses instruction rather than the other Tostat. cap. 25. qu. 1. 3. God could have dispatched Moses in a moment but this was 〈◊〉 give authoritie to him and his law B. Babingâ— 4. Places of Doctrine 1. Doct. Of the distinction of the persons of the Trinitie Vers. 1. HE said to Moses come up to the Lord. Both he that speaketh and he whereof he speaketh is the Lord. Hence appeareth the distinction of the persons in the Trinitie the like place wee reade Psal. 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord c. Marbach 2. Doct. The word and Sacraments must goe together Vers. 7. HE tooke the booke and read it c. Before Moses sprinkled the people with bloud the signe of the covenant he first readeth the booke of the covenant whereby we are taught the right use of the Sacraments that the doctrine ought to goe before the signe Aliter insoria erunt signe c. Otherwise the signes are but trifling and vaine Calvin The word must be joyned with the element This course the Apostle taketh with the Corinthians teaching them the right use of the Sacrament that they might come together with profit and not with hurt 3. Doct. Nothing to be taught beside Gods word Vers. 12. THe law and commandements which I have written for to teach them This sheweth Nihil docendum praeter oracula Dei That nothing should be taught beside the word of God Borrh. Which Bedae before him noted well that no man must teach the people of God other precepts quam quae ipse Dominus docuit than those which the Lord himselfe hath taught as S. Paul saith I have received of the Lord that which I have delivered unto you 1 Cor. 11.23 5. Places of Controversie 1. Controv. Against the Romanists that the whole institution serveth to consecrate the Sacraments Vers. 7. HE read in the audience c. Moses first readeth the summe of the covenant before he addeth the signe of the covenant which was the sprinkling of bloud by the which we learne that the Sacraments are not consecrated by a certaine forme of words to bee used over them but by reading and rehearsing of the whole institution such a cleare and distinct voice must be used Quae ad homines dirigitur ad fidem gignendam valet Which is directed to men and is availeable to beget faith Calvin Contrarie to the doctrine and practice of the Romanists who denie the elements to be consecrated by all the words of institution but by a certaine forme of speech to be used over the Sacraments as in the Eucharist This is my bodie this is my bloud c. whereas the whole action of rehearsing the institution invocation receiving thanksgiving do helpe to consecrate the Sacrament See more hereof Synops. Centur. 2. err 90. pag. 454. 2. Controv. Against the reading of Scriptures in a strange tongue FUrther Oleaster here observeth beside Hominem paciscentaâ— debere cognoscere ea ad qua se obligat That a man making a covenant ought to know those things whereunto he hindeth himselfe c. which annotation doth evidently convince the Romanists of great error who doe not cause â—he people to understand those things which they binde themselves to keepe seeing neither the Scriptures are read nor the Sacraments administred in such a tongue as they doe understand for the Apostle saith If I come unto you speaking tongues what shall I profit you See more hereof also Synops. Centur. 1. err 3.4 3. Confut. Against Cajetan that this place is not misallâ—â—ged Heb. 9.19 Vers. 8. BEhold the bloud of the covenant Cajetane among other exceptions which he taketh to the authoritie of the Epistle to the Hebrewes urgeth this that the Author of that Epistle chap. 9.19 alluding unto this place translateth this word berith here used which signifieth a covenant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 testament now betweene a covenant and testament there is great difference Contra. The author in no other sense useth thâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than S. Paul elsewhere who by the same word expresseth the Hebrew berith 〈…〉 signifieth either covenant or a testament And Hierome testifieth that the 〈…〉 for the 〈◊〉 doe turne the word 〈◊〉 by that Greeke word But 〈…〉 signifie a testament shewing the true effect and substance of that ceremoniall covenant consumed by the sprinkling of the bloud of beasts in this covenant and testament made betweene God and us in Christ and ratified in his bloud 4. Controv. Whether the Divine substance of God can be seene Vers. 10. ANd they saw the God of Israel c. Here we must take heed of two errors one which Hierome imputeth to Origen who did thinke the Godhead of the. Father to bee so invisible as that it could not be comprehended of the Sonne the other was of the Anomeans whose heresie was this Naturam Dei non esse invisibilem That the nature of God was not invisible in this place they saw God not 〈…〉 Divine essence and substance which is invisible and incomprehensible but they saw some evident 〈◊〉 of his glorious presence and Majestie as Gregorie saith Vidiri 〈…〉 ipsam naturae suae speciem non potest God may be seene by certaine representations but according 〈…〉 shew of his nature he cannot c. The faithfull have both in this world a sight of God as our bleâ—â—â—â— saith Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God and they shall see him more fully in 〈…〉 as the Apostle saith We know when he shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see
lye See more Synops. Câ—ntur 1. â—â—r 77. 7. Controv. That the wicked doe not eat the body of Christ. Vers. 33. A Stranger shall not eat thereof Like as none which were not of Aarons family were admitted to the eating of this holy meat so none but those which are of Christs family indeed and doe beleeve in him can be partakers of his body and bloud for whosoever eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud saith our blessed Saviour hath everlasting life Ioh. 6.54 They therefore are grossely deceived who thinke that the wicked and unbeleevers doe eat the very flesh and drinke the very bloud of Christ in the Eucharist Simler for then it would follow upon our blessed Saviours words that they should have everlasting life also See more Synops. Câ—nt 3. â—rr 27. 8. Controv. Against the reservation of the Sacrament Vers. 34. IF ought of the flesh c. or of the bread remaine unto the morning thou shalt burne it with fire This was commanded lest that which remained of the holy flesh and bread might either bee prophaned or might bee superstitiously abused It therefore may seeme strange that the Romanists which are in other things so superstitiously addicted to the rites and usages of the Law doe not also follow the same herein but rather have taken up a contrary use in reserving the consecrate host hanging of it up in a pix and adoring it for this is a true position sacramenti ratiâ— non duraâ— extra usum that set apart the use and the sacramentall respect ceaseth Simler For as the water used in Baptisme is no more a sacrament extra usum out of the use but is as other common water so neither are the bread and wine in the Eucharist For the more full handling of this point I likewise referre the Reader to Synops Cent. 3. err 19. 9. Controv. Against the continuall sacrifice of the Masse Vers. 38. THis is that which thou shalt present upon the Altar c. two lambes c. day by day continually To this daily and continuall sacrifice the Romanists resemble and compare their continuall sacrifice of the Masse and they hold them as Antichrists that doe abolish it as Antiochus abolished the daily sacrifice Ex Simlero 1. There is no externall sacrifice now remaining under the Gospell daily to be iterated for Christ was once offered to take away the sinnes of many Heb. 9.28 he is not then to be often sacrificed 2. Antiochus was the forerunner of Antichrist because he abolished the daily sacrifice before the time which was to continue untill the Messiah came but Christ himselfe by the one oblation of himselfe once offered was at his comming to abolish the daily sacrifice as it is prophesied Dan. 9.27 He shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease not only for that he tooke away from the incredulous Jewes their City Temple and sacrifice but because he was the body and substance of those sacrifices which are not now to be iterated and repeated seeing as the Apostle saith With one offering he hath consecrated for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 which sacrifice of Christ is often to be celebrated by way of thankfull commemoration not to be iterated by any externall oblation 10. Controv. That doe this in the institution of the Eucharist signifieth not to sacrifice this Vers. 39. THou shalt present or make ready one lambe in the morning The word in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ghashah thou shalt make that is sacrifice or offer The Romanists would take advantage by this word because to make here signifieth to sacrifice that it should be so taken when Christ said in the institution of the Sacrament hoc facite doe this as if he should say sacrificate sacrifice ye this Gallasius here maketh mention how a certaine Sorbonist then a Popish Bishop but illius harae porâ—us a swine out of the same stie to use his owne words in a certaine booke written against the Protestants did make this word a chiefe foundation of the Missall sacrifice Contra. 1. But this will affoord them small helpe for this word ghashah to doe is of a generall signification and is applied to divers senses according to the circumstance of the place as Genes 11.4 faciamus nobis nomen let us make that is get us a name Gen. 18.7 fecit vitulum he made the calfe that is killed it or made it ready Likewise 2 Sam. 13.6 Faciat mihi cibum let her make me meat that is prepare it it doth not therefore alwayes signifie to sacrifice And our Saviour when he saith this doe c. hath relation to the former words take eat as S. Paul sheweth 1 Cor. 11.24 2. The sacrifices of the Law were types and figures of Christs sacrifice the shadow of the body they did not prefigure aliud umbratile sacrificium another shadowing sacrifice such as is the imaginary sacrifice of the Masse 3. And there remaineth now no externall ceremoniall sacrifice but only spirituall by us to be offered unto God as S. Peter sheweth Ye are an holy Priesthood to offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 Marbach See further of this controversie Synops. Cent. 3. err 31. Vers. 44. I will sanctifie also Aaron c. Cajetane out of this place would prove the Sacrament of Orders in the new Testament calling them Heretikes that deny it thus inferring Si specialis divina actio sanctificans Aaron c. If there were present a divine action sanctifying Aaron to execute his office much more in the time of grace specialis divina actio concurrit ad sanctificandum aliquos c. a speciall divine action concurreth to sanctifie some ut sacerdotio fungantur to execute the Priesthood 11. Controv. That there is no Sacrament of Orders COntra 1. Cajetanes argument is not good that where there is a grace conferred by an outward signe there necessarily should bee a Sacrament for presently upon Davids anointing by Samuel the Spirit of the Lord came upon him 1 Sam. 16.13 yet I thinke he will not make it a Sacrament to be anointed King 2. It is likewise false that alwayes the inward grace concurreth with the outward signe for this were to tye Gods grace and Spirit to the element Nadab and Abihu were consecrated as well as the rest of Aarons sonnes but they were not sanctified the very next day after their consecration ended which was the eighth day they were destroyed for abusing their office in offering strange fire Levit. 10.1 3. Neither is there now any externall Priesthood in the new Testament to be exercised in the Church but the Priesthood of the new Testament resteth in the person of Christ Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedek Hebr. 7.21 See further Syn. Câ—ntur 3. â—ror 107. Controv. 12. Against Pythagoras concerning the lawfulnesse of the legall sacrifices NOw in the last place in that the Lord himselfe gave direction unto his people
this distinction one way they are said simply to be written In quantum praedestinati sunt in noticia Divina as they are ordained to salvation in the knowledge and prescience of God and they that are thus written can never bee blotted out another way they are scripti secundum quid written after a sort not according to the divine prescience or predestination Sed secundum dispositionem in eis actu existentem secundum praesentem justitiam But according to their disposition which is in act in them and according to their present justice and thus are they said to be blotted out not in respect of Gods knowledge as though any thing can fall out against his prescience but in respect of their change from grace into sinne 2. Thomas also to the same purpose some are said to bee blotted out Non secundum rei veritatem sed secundum hominum opinionem Not according to the truth of the thing but in the opinion of men for it is usuall in Scripture ut aliquid dicatur fieri quando innotescit that a thing should be said to be done when it appeareth So some are said to be written in the booke of life quia homines ibi opinantur scriptos propter presentem justitiam because men thinke they are there written in respect of their present justice Then some are there written ex pradestinatione by predestination which can never bee blotted out Some ex gratia in respect of their present grace which they may fall from and so be blotted out And againe in another place he expresseth the same thing in other termes Some are predestinate of God Insâ— ut simpliciter habituri vitam aeternam Simply to have life eternall in themselves and these are so written in the booke of life as they can never be blotted out And some are so written Vt habeant vitam aeternam non in se sed in sua causa To have life eternall not in themselves but in respect of their cause and present state of Justice which when they fall from they are said to be blotted out 3. So before them both Augustine We must not so take it brethren Quod quenquam Deus scribat in librâ— vitae deleat illum That God writeth any in the booke of life and blotteth him out for if a mortall man said that I have written I have written shall we thinke that God writeth and blotteth out Praescius est Deus praedestinavit omnes ante constitutionem mundi regnaturos cum filio God foreseeth all things and he did predestinate all before the making of the world that should reigne with his sonne c. Therefore this is said Secundum spem ipsorum qui ibi se scriptos putabant That some are written which are said to be blotted out in their owne opinion because they thought they were there written so that where it is said let them be blotted out of the booke of life the meaning is ut ipsos constet non illos ibi esse that it may appeare unto them that they are not there To this purpose Augustine as he is alleaged both by Simlerus and Borrhaius 4. Tostatus followeth the same distinction that some are written in the booke of life secundum firmam praedestinationem according to Gods sure predestination some only secundum praesentem justitiam in respect of their present justice these may bee blotted out and not the other but he addeth further that so likewise in the booke of Gods prescience wherein onely they are written whose end is damnation some are written there secundum firmam Dei praescientiam according to Gods firme prescience others secundum praesentem injustitiam according to their present injustice These may be blotted out and not the other And this writing of them in one booke according to their present justice in the other according to their present injustice he calleth the writing foris without the booke the other writing according to Gods predestination and prescience he saith is intus within the booke Then out of these positions he inferreth certaine conclusions 1. That it is possible for one to be written in both these bookes the booke of life and the booke of death together in the one according to Gods predestination or prescience in the other according to their present justice or injustice As he which is predestinate unto life may according to his present state of injustice be written in the booke of death foris without as Paul while he was yet a persecutor and one may be in Gods prescience written in the booke of death and yet according to his present state of grace he may be written in the booke of life as Iudas while yet he continued in Christs obedience and preached the Gospell 2. Yet it is possible for one to be written twice in the same booke both in regard of Gods prescience and his owne state and condition as Moses was thus written in the booke of life and Iudas when he betrayed Christ in the booke of death 3. They which are written in the booke of life according to predestination may be blotted out thence according to their present state and condition as David when he sinned and so in the other booke likewise as Saul while he was yet a vertuous King he was written in the booke of rejection in Gods prescience but blotted out in regard of his present justice 4. But he that is written in the booke of life according unto predestination cannot be written in the booke of death according to Gods prescience and so on the other side because one and the same cannot be foreseene of God both to salvation and condemnation 5. And they which are written according to their present justice in the booke of life cannot at the same time be written in the booke of death according to their present injustice because one cannot at the same time be counted righteous and wicked before God Tostat. qu. 43. But these exceptions may worthily be taken unto Tostatus conclusions 1. Because he maketh a booke of death and speaketh of putting in and blotting out of that booke whereas the Scripture acknowledgeth only a booke of life not any of death for not to be written in the booke of life though they bee not written in any other blacke booke is sufficient unto everlasting perdition 2. He calleth the booke of death the booke of Gods prescience only as though God were not a Judge also in condemning the vessels of wrath into hell and ordaining them justly thereunto as he is in the electing the vessels of honour to salvation 3. It is an errour that God writeth any in either of those bookes on the backside in respect of their present state or condition of justice or injustice for Gods writing there is unchangeable they are there said to be written in regard of their present state secundum spem ipsorum in their owne hope as Augustine or secundum opinionem hominâ—m according to the opinion of