all Sects I cannot se how I ought to swarne from them in anye one poynt essentiall what heresy is there in these days whose grounds they then ouerturnd not Our English Brownisme is but flat Donatisme he that knoes the Son may fetch the Father out by his face in the Arguments off Parmeneanus Petilianus Cresconius the Grammarian and such other Vermine strangled longe synce by holy Augustine Large Anabaptisme grewe also out off Donatus for makinge all other ministry voyde besides theyrs it must then folowe that only themselues could administer Baptisme The holy Father then tels Parmenean lib. 2. cap. 12. that they ought aswell make voyde the Sacrament off ministeriall ordination for iff thâ—one was good both stood good iff the one voyd the other also and so Donatus and his sectary Ministry who had and could haue no other Ordination then first they from them that also shold be voyde and so themselues deliuer no baptisme rightly Our Donatistes must learne also iff theyr Ordination in the English church be fully frustrate then also theyr Baptisme If Baptisme remaine good then also the Ordination And iff the Ordination be fully nothinge then they are like for euer to minister without Ordination except priuate laynien may impose hands which is flatly false as I haue shewed in Our booke off In Conclusions As for Artianisme Iudaisme and other our Factions theyr doctrines not only Augustine but many others haue cut the stringe off theyr bowe that iff the Deuel were not on men theyr Bowe shold haue bene burnt or euer it had bene stroong againe But not to digresse farre from the purpose of my Proeme the holy Reader must not be offended though in this Matter off Matters I consult with those Auncient my Betters who haue so valiantly fought the Lord Battels and sealed the sanctifying truth with theyr latest breathinge There is not A Sectary in these days but he reionceth in the writinges off his owne faction and why shold not the faith full be as carefull to vphold the Menâ—ornall off the just Let vs be faithles hereyn yet God will haue his owne Captaynes though dead theyr Ensignes displayd in his temple when the memoriall off the wicked shall rotte Shewe me One off Arrius or Donatus or Pelagins or any off the sophisticall auncient Heretikes theyr Bookes iff now can No God hath cased them from the fate off the earth that were it not the holy Fathers do mention them and theyr stuffe as the sacred scriptures remember Achan Iudas and theyr stealth we shold not haue knowen somuch as theyr rotten Names This Argument iff there were no more it vrgeth me to celebrate the Memoriall of the anncient â—ighteous verily here withall beleiuinge that my writings though off thowsands most vnworthy they shall ourline the Fartions and be as an Aegles fether to other fethers A finall consumption For euery plant our heauenly father hath not plained it shal be pulled vp by the â—ootes Whereas somtimes I alleadg som Iewe or prophane writer it is but in such A case as the parti may without prejudice be a fit witnes Hierom or serom all is one beinge off Ruffâ—nus vnto Magnus charged with the like as with â—â—ryme he vnto the Romayne Grator alleadgeth Pauls practise there withall sainge that he first according to the lawe pareth theyr nailes washeth them â—â—â— and then why may he not matry with the captine of the Gentiles and also by occasion take by Goliahs sword for cuttinge off the vncircumcised head off the Owner what he might say I also for my selfe may say whereunto I adde vnto the pure are all things pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleuinge nothing is pure but euen theyr myndes and consciences are defiled The Scriptures I here alleadge for Canonicall they are thes off the Old and new testament which are vsually off Protestant Churches receiued for the Only Canon or Rule off Faith For the Olde testaments bookes there is cheifest coÌ„trouersie and disconteÌ„tment Som off the Bookes called Apocrypha are by Rome and som others made regular for Faith off vs not and good reason why Iosephus in his first booke againstte Appion hath this There are not vvih vs thovvsands of bookes discrepant and fightinge in themselues but only bare tvvo and tvventy And then A litle after he tels the Atheist Appion that the writings from Arrayezxes tyme till then these vvere our Apocrypha there was not like faith to be giuen vnto them as vnto the former 22 because with them there was not like certaine successioÌ„ of Prophets Origen on ps 1. and Eusebius from him do witnes that the Hebrues only acknowledged 22. Hierom not inferiour to any for Hebrues iudments he in his Prologo Galeato doth tell vs the same sainge that the 22. bookes answeringe the 22. letters they were thus called and into thre Orders disposed 1. Breshith Eenesâ—s 2. Velleshemoth Erod 3. Vaijkta â—euit 4. Vaidabber Nomb. 5. Elleh haddebarim Dent. 6. Iehoshuagâ—â—en-Nuâ— Ios 7. Shophtim Iudges 8. Shemuel Ruth 9. Melacim Sam. 1. and 2. 10. Ieshagniah Kings 1. and 2. 11. Iirmiah Isa 12. Iechezekel Ier. 13. Tere-gnasar Ezek. 14. Iob. the 12. 15. Dauid lesse proph 16. Mishle Psal 17. Koheleth Prou. 18. Shir hasharim Eccl. 19. Daniel Cant. 20. Dibre haiamim Chro. 21. Gnezra Esrah 22. Ester Nehem. Vnder the which he suffireth Quicquid extra hos est c. whatsoeuer is besides these bookes they are to be â—ut amongst the Apocrypha And touchinge the Apocryphal writinges Augustine thus writeth in his 15. booke off the City off ap God and ch 23. Omittamus igitur earum scripturatum fabulas quae Apocryphae noninantur c. Let vs passe by the fables of those Scriptures vvhich are called Apocryphal because that theyr hidde begininge appeared not to the Fathers from vvhome vnto vs the Authority of the true-speaking Scriptures by most sure and euident succession hath com For in the Apocrypha although there be found som verity yet by reason of many vntruthes they are not of Canonical Authority Ruffinus in his exposition off the Symbole affirmeth the former bookes to be the Canon off the old testament from whose fountaine we were to drawe the drinck of God Som off thy rest he saith were Ecclasiasticall but not Canomicall But touching this poynt I neede say no more seinge our vvhitakres in his first off the six Questions controuerted with Bellaâ—mine hath set such A fyre in theyr Coate as I troe they shall neuerin Englande but smell off the smoke hereafter But had neither late nor auncient Christian writers euer disclamed them it is sufficient that Zion mother church off the Gentiles she neuer Named them Heâ—ers tongue they knewe not Iudah nor Israel euer cirâ—â—mâ—cised them nor had the Apostles euer comaundement tâ— baptise them Som off them as Ecclesiasticus VVisdome Baruch Machabees they may be vsed well prouided not for rule off faith but for Esdras Tobit Susanna Bel ludeth I knoe not iff
so they be dreames and for the fragmentes â—rep in vnder the name off Manasseâ— Ester and Daniel they openly shoe themselues to be straingers in Israel The AuncieÌ„t Church neuer Acknowledged the New testaments Church hath lesse cawse to receiue them As for the Newe testaments bookes there is betwixt Protestant and Papist no controuersie Both then and we receiue as the holy Fathers receiued the 4. Euangels Acts Paul his 13. Epistles to the Hebr. 1. Iames one Ep two off Peter 3. off Iohn one off Iude and the booke off Apocalyps which is the seale off the whole Our vnity for the bookes one god graunt that his spirit may once for the senre thereoff cawse both off vs therein to be One. For Arrians Eâ—tychians Anabaptistes and the residue off those dregges and most filthy off washinges off the Church off the Gentiles they reiect som off the lynks off God his golden chayne or else trample both the sacred bracelets vnderfoote The Papists adde vnto the Canon A more tollerable transgression these detract or vtterly destroy the Booke off Elohim A transgression intollerable fitter to be scourged with that lash wherewithall Iesus whipped the theiues out off his fathers howse then to be reasoned about pro and coir as our sauiour did with the Temples Doctors at another season To answer such accordinge to theyr foolishnes it doth first make them proud secondly it rawseth vs seme foolish They will heare no Auncient Christian writer speake what hope haue we they will heare vs. They can turne all Auntients by in sayinge yovv propound vnto vs the iudgments of men I answer them But of such men as had the spirit of God Do not they propound to vs the iudgments of Men Yea off hereticall Arrius Manes Donatus Serueitus c. The Svvenkfeldians ran say All is but the indgements off men aÌ„d so they will heare no man but listen to the suggestion off theyr owne spirit We set no mans iudgment aboue the scripture but reuerrnce theyr interpretations who haue the Spirit off the scripentes We knoe that the best Man hath his Ignorance and errour but hauinge the spirit off Iesus he holds A true foundation and finally conquers whereas the Heretiâ—â—â— slip from the Corner stone Iesus and are ground vnto powder Such we must answer in Sword The spirit of the Prophets must be subiect to the prophets and that is semelynes and Order if any vvilbe contentious the Church of God hath no such Custome but he that is ignorant let him be more ignorant 1. Cor. 14. A yeare and A halfes labour I haue taken about the 5. bookes off Moses That I haue to communicate vnto God his Church here and there dispersed iff Such be the good pleasure off God About the residue I am not idle but Moses wil be sufficient for one reasonable volume I haue laboured because it sholde passe the presse for publike vtility but I smell now at the very begining off the bookes outgate that not only Sectaries but Sectarie Favourits wil be no furtherance herein What then My God he knoweth that I herein seck the Glory off his name in the edifiyng his poore people by propounding to them what first he hath manifested to me And he knoes that I wold haue euery work off myne to perish as an vntimely byrth the continuance whereoff might prejudice his Church the yssue therefore off all I referre to his will his fatherly will I labour to discharge duty imposed vpon me iff others not only neglect duty enjoyned on them but also shall oppose to duty in others I say no more but this the Lord rebuke Satan If any good Christian except at the work for ouer weak and vnworthy so excellent A subicet I answer Euery one off Israel cannot cast at an puch with Beniamin Dauid had thre worthies beyond the rest and 30. more excellent then the multitude but inferiour to the 3 iff I bringe but som what with the meanest off the lower rank god will accept off it as worthy though in my selfe vnworthy Som offred to the Tabernacles work Gold som Gemnies and othersom but Badgers skynnes and Goates haire so my offringe serue to any Holy vse though not to the most Holy I shal be glad for I had leuer to stand on that howse his threshold then to dwell in the Tabernacle off vngodlines This I knoe that sad discreet and humbled sprites they will value the Labour by the mynd off the Labourer who more wold iff more he coulde as for our Britanick sectaries I only yet knoe that whatsoeuer they snarle at secretly they dare controuert nothinge openly So my trauels may be approued off the Lord his people I haue that I wold though wherein it is possible I couet peace with the worlde Let the Righteous smite me it shal be A benefit let him rebuke me and it shal be as Sontraygne oyle not lost on my head Not but I haue else learned that Shimeyes railinges shal be turned vnto the best of such as are called according to God his purpose But in the heele off my proeme let me vnto the yong Christian Student exhibit som Direction for profitinge by readinge myne aÌ„d others theyr writinges 1. It is ordinarie with People to giue them selâ—eâ— after Nouelty in writinges humayne â—â— diuine but without any great paynes takinge in the holy booke of God or else through a proud disdayne of vsinge other holy men theyr hands and helpes they only cast ey vnto the holy CanoÌ„ The first errour procedeth of Prophanenesse the second off proud superstition Betwene these two vices coÌ„sisteth Vertue A right vse of Both. And this is doÌ„ first by hauinge a recourse to the holy Bible secoÌ„dly by reading other mens writinges humaine for humanity diuine for Diuinity And off writers diuyne first to se what o holy friend writeth secondly what an vnholy aduersary concludeth for without readinge the Aduersary thow shalt want much assurance what and how to think and speak off such 2. But thus readinge all shal be but a gatheringe of falshood and a loosinge off Truth iff first in humility thow ron not by Prayer vnto the God off truth Ad Light The poore aÌ„d humble spirited he will fill theyr haÌ„d and hart with euery good thing but the proud aÌ„d rich he will seÌ„d empty away The lack of this orderly course is cawse that euery Heretike thinketh his heresy in the Bible whereas the blessed word is without shadowe off chainge as God himself is Yet most off that hellish broode cry scripture scripture and nothinge but scripture although it is far inough froÌ„ purposinge to play the Baude to proud harlot heresy Others sekinge themselues in Ecclesiasticall writers they neyther haue better successe for Rome against Luther He against them aÌ„d others against them both they thinke the godly Fathers make for them If men can bend God his golden reed no maruell though they can bowe aÌ„d break the Leaden squâ—â—e of men CoÌ„sideringe the dainger so many
ron into I troe men need to pray before they reade that so with the Bee they may from that fâ—oure drawe hony from wheÌ„ce the Spider draggeth his poyson He that Reades Notes Mediates without much prayer is much his owne Foe aÌ„d he that attempts it without all prayer he is passinge prophane This hath cawsed me more then once to wonder at som men who coÌ„sideringe theyr judgmeÌ„t me thinks in theyr Library they shold not pray and yet considering theyr othergates cariage methinks they shold pray specially seinge they study from writers Old an New Popish and Protestant etc. The opinion off such is this viz. It is symply vnlawfull to preach or Pray in Synagogues and yet make no scruple to study for theyr church exercises and that in A Synagogues Library which booke cloyster must be as deeply in Idolatry iff not deper as any part off the Temple Pray there methinks they shold and yet consideringe the former opinion methinkes they should not For my part I praise God for it I still haue learned that all the Creatures of God are to me saÌ„ctified by the vvord and prayer and therefore laufull to hold vp pure hands euery vvhere and that vvithhout vvrath and doubtinge as also that is is A doctrine of Deuels to say touch not tast not haÌ„dle not all vvhich perish vvith the vsinge hauinge indeed A shevve of vvisdome but not to be obserued of those that are risen vvith Christ from vnder the povvre of the Lavv. As thow Couets therefore to haue God his spirit to guide the in tryinge off all thinges to retaine that is good do pray wheresoeuer thow reades studies meditates aÌ„d that to this effect Heauenly Father I sinning togither vvith my Parents Adam and Heuah I so brought A Vale of darknes spirituall blyndnes vpon my mynd the ey of my sovvle and the ey being dark hovv great must be my darknes For thy Sons sake my blessed sauiour Christ Iesus do by the povvre of thy sprite thy illuminatinge and sanctifying sprite dispell this Egiptian like darknes and foggie mystes that hinder my poore sovvle in the vvork of my nevv-byrth Call Light out of my Darknes and fix in the firmament of my heart Light for the Day and Light for the Night that so I may be able to discerne tymes seasoÌ„s spirits doctrine vvhereby I thy poore Creature may be enabled to glorify the my Creator For if svveet father thy spirit do not leade me into truth I shall but pollute and prophane all the meanes of sauing knovledge and holynes for Christ thy Son his sake do not therefore leaue me novv to myne ovvne sence and collâ—ction for then I perish and vanish avvay in mynâ—â—vvne imaginations but as thovv haste promised to be found to opeÌ„ and to giue to them that seek knock and craue so be vvith me novv thy ovvne handy-vvorke vvho seeke knock and craue in the name of Iesus remission of all my vnvvorthinesses and A beinge further enlightned in the knovvledge of thy vvill and vvorks for the furtherance of that Nevv-vvork thou in fre-mercy hast begon in me Amen Svveet fathèr Amen for the glory of thy Sons name put vpoÌ„ me AmeÌ„ To like effect pray or else do holde thy leud eyes back from polluting the words aÌ„d works off our God Nor do thow pray but fyrst purge thy heart for the pure in heart shall se god as for the sacrifice off the wicked it is abomination to the Lord. And so besuchinge the Lord his blessinge to accompany my labours I commit the Sequel to the reading off well disposed spirits whome the Lord do guide vnto good for euer Amen In the Begininge in Engl. So called not only because the first vvord is â—oe but a so for that it deliuereth the Begininge of all thinges Generation in Engl. So called because it layeth dovvne the generation of Heauen Earth vvith their furnitures Argument Chap 1. Great Elohim of Nothinge maketh all Which we by name of Creature aptly call Diuision of the text HErein principallie considerable the of springe of all things existinge I. First in the Cawse and that is Elohim the Creatour II. Secondly in the thing Cawsed and that is the Creature in the residue of the Chapter I. The thing cawsed is First A Lump of Matter properlie Created because it is made of Nothinge and this is set downe 1. in the whole vnder the words heauen and earth vers 1 then in the 2. vers in the courser part of that Lump vnder the word Earth And this is described 1. from the rarenes of his forme it was void had darknes vpon the deepe 2. from the Conseruer of his Beinge namely the Spirit moued vpon the waters II. The second kind of Creature cawsed it hath his Being from the former eyther Immediatly as the Elements vnto vers 11. or Mediatlie as the Mixt Creatures thence to the end 1. The Elements are of two sorts the 1. superiour and light as FIre and Ayre of whome and their offices vers 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. II. The second sort Inferiour and heauie as Water and Earth thence vnto vers 11. I. The Mixt Creatures are either voyd of Lyfe II. Or possessed with lyfe I. These be voyd of lyfe are 1. Earth crescents vers 11. 12. 13. II. Secondly Heauen adiuncts vers 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. I. The Creatures possessed with lyfe are 1. Irrationall creatures vers 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. II. Secondly Creatures rationall thence to the end ELVCIDATION of the Chap. 1. VErs 1. In the begining Elohim made The Septuagint least the Greekes shold think it a Parase of disgrace in fore placing any woâ—des before God They therfore turned it into Greeke thus God in the begininge made c. As witnesseth Ben Gorion lib. 1. Elohim God the plurall of â—loha and EL. it propunderth vnto vs the musâ—ery of Father word and Sprite The word Bata created being of the singular Nomber it pulleth vs back to an Essence One By which distinct 3. contrarie to Sabellins and yet but One coÌ„trarie to 〈◊〉 was created Heauen and Earth that is that Chaos and indigest rude confused matter as Lactantius and others call it out of which Masse other Creatures arise Augustine and som â—â—chynustes from him they speak of an Antecedinge Matter called hyle which Egidius de vadis Cap. 4. dialog philos defineth That vvhich betvveene Somâ—thing Nothinge is perceiued But seing that is rather A Perception then Conception potius Idea animi quam quid materiale I leaue it This Matter from the holy ghost his phrase I vnderstand to be twofold 1. heauenly 2 Earthly From which two all sortes of creatures succedinge are deduced Hebr. 11. 3. In which matter is an aptitude to â—oe and Suffer called Nature by which Creatures are said to be such and so by inclination or by Natures â—nstinct which Nature by subtile conceipt to called the first Creature The Efficient Cawse of this Chaos is Elohim the Father
of the Mysticall partition wall diuiding betwene people and people as betwene Iewe and Gentile closely therby teaching all sortes of people that it is kata tj respectiuely not good that the Lord his sheepfold is not yet One but then it shal be perfectly good when both sortes are gathered into One vnto One Pastor The waters in this Day remayne barren but the earth conceiues aÌ„d brings forth Twyns Herbs and Trees in their kyndes And here to the full viewe of the other two Elements vvater and Earth Water is passiue to the Ayre as the Ayre passiue vnto Fyre and it is â—â— Nature Moist and Cold. So is the phlegmatick complexion the westwâ—nde and wynters quarter The water is of a Globe like forme as may not only appeare by Drops but also by sailinge the Seas which Io. de Sacâ—obusto in his boke of the Sphere proueth by plaine Demonstration The Earth is patient to the water as the water to the Ayre and it to the Elementall fyre and so the Earth A female to All as the Fyre is the Agent or Male to all It is naturally Cold and Dry and therfore vnto it Naturians referre the North wynde the Melan-cholik humour Autumme and age decrepit fit to be gathered into the â—arth as into A Barne vntill the day of Diuision Of all Elements the Earth is most ponderous and therfore it kepeth the Center or Period of the worlds Sphere or Globe Seas nauigation Starres compossinge etâ— proue it to be of A sphericall forme howsoeuer Ptolemeus and many others haue demed the contrarie And in asmuch as the Earth is as the midprick of the worlds Circle contained of all but containinge none it must therfore be immoueable as â—â—s 104. 5. THE FOWRTH DAY VErs 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. And Elohim said Let there be Lights Herein obserue 1. the Creation of starres 2. the end of their Creation The Starres are either Planeticall of these is spoken Iude 13. and of these wandrers two principall the Sun and Moone are put for the whole 7. Or secondly the starres are Firmamentall called for theyr slowe motion in comparison of the former 7 vnder them unmoueable or starres fired Of this nomber to the â—lejades Orion Matzaroth Arcturus Iob 38 31. 32. with infinite moe Gen. â— 5. scintillizinge in our eâ—es beholding them All these doth Elohim nomber and call them by their names These starres are placed in the firmamentall body for this end 1. For distinguishing betwene Day and Night 2. For distinguishinge tymes and Seasons with their naturall Abâ—â—â—edes Astralogie kept within these bounds and indeede what wandreth from these poynts that is besides the Art it is A Science gloâ—ons fitting A Christian to hy Contemplation Abraham could not beholde the starres but he expected another gates church of spirituall starres in the mysticall Firmament then our Heretical spirits cause who by their blasphemous conclusions inferre A Nullitie of these starres for these 1â—00 Yeares I am not ignorant that the churches firmament shold haue manie of her starres apostatinge Reu. 6. 13. but they must also knoe 1. the tyme of such A copious flat fall namely vnder the breaking vp of the 6. seale 2. they must knoe that all shold not fall Reu. 12. 4. Thirdly they must knoe that the starres thus plentifully fallinge they did specially foretype the fall Ministeriall for so starres are expounded Reu. 1. 20. not the fall of the popular or vulgar sort of the church and of these Aswell as of the former is the promise Gen. 15. 5. And for this cawse immediatly after Iohn saw the Ministeriall fall the Lord to his and our comfort affordes him the sight of an Angel Chap. 7. 2. comminge from the East 1. for sealing vp the thowsands of Israel 2. for enforming him of the Infi 〈…〉 e of the Gentiles preserued in that downefall of ministers and stoppage of the Euangels passage though not without maâ—â—fold afflictions The Heretikes and amoÌ„gst the residue the right Brownistes that for prouinge themselues the only visible church of god do much babble euery vnlearned â—obbinoâ— of them of this mysticall booke of Reuelation I giue them boldly to vnderstand that their vse of that booke is but as A parable in A fooles mouth or an arrowe in a dogs thighe Prou. 26. 9. 9. The lip of excellency fits not A foole Prov. 17. 7. Paâ—l lookinge vnto these starres 1. Cor. 15. he durst boldly conclude A difference of glow in the â—esurrection And I doubt not but these starres are of A more excelleÌ„t Nature then som Creatures made after Let Dauids wonderment at the sight of these superiours Psa 8. 3. helpe me out in that as also the distinction of bodies 1. Cor. 15. 40. compared with vers 48. Elohim hauing with the breath of his Mouth not only created but also kyndled these torches and Lamps in the heauens for their Sphaeres were rowled out in the second Day he so seales vp the 4. Day consisting of his morning and eueninge THE FIFTE DAY Vers 20. 21. 22. 23. Afterward Elohim said Now the Lord casteth aside his Ep vnto the former Earth waters emoyning them 1. to bringe forth Fishes in their kynds 2. Fethered fowles in their kynds As the Earth was the womb of Twyns Herbs and Trees so is the water the womb of Fishes and Fowles Ps 8. 8. Objection But in ch 2. 19. it is sâ—â—de he formed euery fovvle of the Earth therfore not of the water I answer The Earth brought not forth his Herb and Plant without the symbolization of the other Elements and therfore we se in them the nature of fyre ayre water so the waters here produce this cople of creatures by combyninge with the Earth as his female subiarent but yet it is termed principall by reason the waters as at the next hand to vowarde do reach the same forth Of fishes som are superiours as Leuiathan whales the Sea wolfe or â—yke etc. som inferiours and that specially vnfinned fishes as Eelâ—s and crepeâ—s as frogs etc. The fowles are either â— thereall as these that delite naturally aboue as the Egle etc. Or Terrestricall as all such fowles as haue I naturall heauines in flight because the Elements of water and earth do much sway in them These sorts preachinge as it were A mysticall difference betwixt Man and MaÌ„ theyr Super visours whither in the state Politicall or Ecclesiasticall yet all of them bound to looke back to the Baptisme waters from whence if they be created vp the word and the Spirit they haue their orderly producture Exept A Man be borne againe of the water and Sprite he cannot enter into the kingdom of Elohim Ioh. 3. 5. Dauid psal 104. 25. etc. looking with his spirituall ey into the Sea he cannot but admire the wisdom of God and his riches therein Wisdom in the variety and excellencâ— of the Creatueres Riches in the aboundance of them He that coms vnto these waters of Elohim and casteth in his Net or Angle