〈◊〉 proprie nomen dignitatis tertius à rege Mercer Cant. Psal 219.24 Prov. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Melchior Adam de vit Ger. Theol. such as might well become the greatest States on earth to study and strive after The King himselfe might bee held in these rafters David made Gods statutes the men of his counsell Salomon bids establish thy thoughts by this counsell and calleth his Proverbes Master-sentences such as should rule and sway in the whole course of our lives George Prince of Anhalt carried ever carefully about him Salomon and Siracides as his Vade mecum Andronicus the old Emperour of Constantinople being in a deepe distresse betooke himselfe for counsell and comfort to the Psalmes of David which S. Basil fitly calls a common store-house of divine doctrines horreum ex quo hauriatur a treasury of heavenly comforts such as no good can match no evill over-match Theodosius the second is reported to have written out the bookes of the New Testament with his owne hand and out of it hee read every day praying with his wife and sisters and singing of Psalmes Deut. 17.19 The King of Israel was not onely commanded to reade but to write out the Law yea the Jewes say that if Printing had then beene found out as it was say some long since among the Chinois yet was the King bound to write out two copies thereof with his owne hand Weemse his Exercit. pag. 118. one to be kept in the treasury and another to carry about him continually as a companion fit for a king The Persians have a custome at this day to present a rich Alchoran which is their Bible to the Princes Turk hist to whom they send Embassadours Charles the fifth when hee was baptized at Gaunt in Flanders had seven princely gifts bestowed upon him at the Font. His father gave him the Dutchy of Lutzenburg Bucholcerus ex Zenocaro another a silver head-peece another a golden sword c. the Abbats gave him a faire Bible with this inscription Scrutamini Scripturas Search the Scriptures Bishop Latimer among others of his make that gratified King Henry the eighth with a New-yeares gift according to the custome when some sent gold some silver some a purse-full of money some one thing some another he presented a New Testament with a napkin having this posie about it Acts and Mon. fol. 1594. Fornicatores adulteros judicabit Dominus Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge The Scriptures hee knew would deale plainly with him and tell him that which others durst not Sphinx philos Alphonsus King of Spaine and Naples was wont to bewaile the case of Kings for this that they hearing with other mens eares could seldome heare truth and therefore he held himselfe happy in his Muti Magistri his bookes his Bible especially which he is reported to have read over fourteene times in course together with Lyra's and other mens notes upon the Text. Averrâ—â—s the Philosopher so madly admires his master Aristotle that he affirmes there is no errour at all to be found in him Alsted Chronol p. 460. that his tenors were the chiefe truth and his judgement the utmost bound and extent of humane understanding that Aristotle was the rule and sample that dame Nature invented whereby to set forth mans utmost perfection Yet Aristotle denyes Gods particular providence teacheth the worlds eternity permits women to make abort other whiles to cast out their misshapen babes Iohnstonus de Naturae constantia p. 117. to keepe those lascivious pictures of the gods that had beene confirmed by custome c. Cyprian was wont to call to Paulus Concordiensis his Notary for Tertullians works with a Da magistrum Reach mee hither my master Strinxit calamum adversus Orthodoxos Alsted Chronol pag. 432. Yet Tertullian was a man and had his errours toward his later time he fell into Montanus his heresie and wrote sharply against the better side Good therefore is the counsell of our Saviour Math. 23.10 2 Cor. 8.5 Call no man master upon earth for one is your master even Christ. Give your selves up to God as the Macedonians did and unto his unerring Apostles and Prophets by the will of God Justifie his Word with the Publicans Luke 7.29 Sanctifie it by sanctifying all by the Word and Prayer as the Apostle speakes of meates and marriage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 4.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esay 6 5.9 Nehem. 8.5 Luke 4.16 Glorifie it as they did Act. 13.48 or as some copies reade receive it with joy and admiration for then there is a blessing in it Set your selves to shew your high esteeme of it when it is read as the people stood up in Nehemiah and our Saviour for our example at Nazareth yea as Eglon that Heathen though a fat unweildy man yet for reverence sake he stood up to heare the Lords message and this he had learned belike Iudges 3.20 Numb 23.18 from the custome and practice of Gods people Sect. 3. THirdly are the Scriptures of God this may further inform us of their purity and power Every word of God is pure saith Salomon Prov. 30.5 Psal 12.6 yea purer than silver seven times tried in a fornace saith David And the Gospel is the power of God to salvation Roman 1.16 Iam. 1.21 saith Paul such as is able to save your soules saith James maugre the malice of all the powers of darknesse Yea the Word of God saith our Authour is lively and powerfull and it shall well appeare too for it is sharper than any two-edged sword Heb. 4.12 13. piercing even to the dividing asunder of soule and spirit and that cuts very neare of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart which mans law meddles not with further than they are some way discovered as in a Gentleman of Normandy put to death by the Parliament of Paris for an intent he had to kill king Francis the second French hist which hee had revealed to his Confessour Otherwise thought 's free from the censure of earthly Courts and Consistories But this pure and powerfull Word of God searcheth the heart risseth the reines those seats of lust and most abstruse remote parts in all the body yea it rippeth up soule-secrets Ioh. 4.29 it tells a man all that ever he did as she said of our Saviour it ferrets corruption out of its lurking-holes 2 King 5.26 and tels false Gehezi of his Olive-yards and other purchases which hee had only meditated It searcheth Ierusalem with lights it descends into the Iowest holes of the heart and discryes it to bee as Adonibezeks table was a palace of pride a dungeon of darknesse Iudg. 1.7 a dunghill of uncleannesse a world of contemplative wickednesse a very pesthouse of all sorts of paltrement In this sea there is not only that Leviathan some familiar Devill that plaies Rex but creeping
men better means or more incouragements hereunto then now Good books at home good Sermons at Church good society every where and conference I can tell you hath incredible profit But here 's the misery of it some men are so shy and shame-fac't others so stiff and stout minded that they 'l rather continue ignorant then reveale their ignorance and seeke information Men will at no hand be beholden this way one to another But as in Alcibiades his army all would bee leaders Scholiast in Thucydid none learners so is it here Most men love to beare fruit to themselves with Ephraim that emptie Vine Hosea 10.11 and chuse rather to remaine needy then discover their poverty As for good bookes another speciall help never did any Age abound with them more then this nor any Country then ours Those English fugitives that have written on the Popes side have in shew of wit and learning gone beyond not only all former but all other of this age See Cade of the Church Preface so that Bellarmine takes most out of them in the points whereof they have written as Sanders Allen Stapleton c. These went out from us because they were not of us But for those that are and have written on the holy Scriptures how many hundreds are there extant in our our owne language of whom it may be as truly said as he did once of Calvins institutions Praeter Aposlolicas post Christi tempora Chartas Huic pâ—perere libro saecula nulla parem Paul Melissus Buxtor fij iberiada omnis miratur mirabitur semper quoad stabit hic mundus eruditio Dieslius de ratione stud I heol that since the Apostles times scarce any book can equall it or as another of Buxtorfes Tiberius all learning doth and shall admire it while the world stands This is certaine that what shewes of uncertainty and difference soever may appeare in holy writ either in numbering of yeares or circumstance of History or in any point of doctrine they are so fully and apparently reconciled by those that have laboured therein that there can bee no just colour of exception But for reall contradictions never dreame there are any such to bee found in the word of truth In every part and parcell wherof there appeares such an admirable sutablnesse concent and harmony of all things though written at sundry times in sundry places by severall persons and on severall occasions and arguments as plainely speakes it to bee the Word of God The bookes of Scripture are not like the bookes of our Astrologers that reforme one anothers calculations and controle one anothers prognostications but as they shoote all at one marke so they agree all in one truth There are above two hundred places of the old Testament cited in the New so that almost in every needfull point the harmony is exprest The Psalmes are cited fiftie three times Genesis fourtie two times Esay 46. times c. This shewes the wonderfull agreement betwixt the books of both Testaments Especially since the testimonies of the old Testament cited in the New are cited not only by way of Accommodation but because they are the proper meaning of the places so that they all agree as if they were but one writing yea one sentence yea one word yea as if uttered by one mouth so doe they sound all one thing Luke 1.70 Hinc Basilius ScripturaÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellat This should exceedingly knit our hearts to the holy Scriptures as the most delightfull Musicke far surpassing that which Pythagoras dream't to bee in the ayre among the spheres and teach us when wee meete with doubts and objections or seeming contradictions to condemne our owne ignorance and to rest assured of this that there is an infallibilitie in the promises and a truth in the Scriptures though we doe not yet see so much Section 6. LAstly are the holy Scriptures of God Then can they not possibly bee abolished or brought to nought If this counsell bee of God said that grave Counsellour Gamaliel Acts 5.32 yee cannot overthrow it least haply yee bee found even to fight against God There have beene a generation of men shall I say or monsters rather that have attempted to take armes against Heaven thinking utterly to have razed and rooted out Gods Name and Book from under Heaven but all in vaine Manasseth and Amon to draw the people to Idolatry had suppressed the booke of the Law but in the dayes of Iosiah it was found again even in the ruines and rubbish of the Temple Ieremy 36.32 Iehoiachim cut in peeces and burnt Ieremies prophecies but the Lord himselfe set forth a second edition hereof with an addition Antiochus Epiphanes alias Epimanes that little Antichrist commanded that all the holy writings should be burnt 1 Machab. 1.59 Yet shortly after there were copies found that had beene rescued from the fire doubtlesse by good people as young Joas was by Iehoiadah from his bloudy Grandmother And within a while the Scriptures being by the seventy Seniours Aristaeas at the request of Ptolomy King of Egypt translated into Greeke were published a great part of the world over Since that Dioclesian the Emperour commanded by proclamation the holy Scriptures to bee burnt where ever they were found throughout the Roman Empire Euseb lib. 8. c. 3. And what bonefires of Bibles the Papists have made in this kingdom who knowes not Before all this Apocryphall Esdras tells us and many of the Ancient Fathers beleeved him that when the Temple was burnt by the Babylonians in Ieremies time all the holy Copies also were then burnt and that they were restored againe by himselfe who being a perfect scribe could perfectly remember and renew them But this narration of his is altogether unlikely to bee true For. 1. There 's no mention of any such thing in the Canonicall Scripture as neither in Iosephus Philo or Athanasius in synopsi de libris Mosis who would not have passed it over 2. Who can reasonably imagine that those good figges Ezechiel Daniel and the rest of the Religious captives at Babylon or that Ieremy Gedaliah Ebedmelech and other holy men at home could have been without the books of the Law for seventie yeares together It s sure that Daniel had the Bible and therehence collected the number of the yeares of the captivity to bee now expired Chap. 9.2 and verse 13. he saith as it is not was written in Moses 3. Besides Ezra himselfe chapter 6.18 testifies that the captives that returned to Ierusalem had the law and read in it This was the Lords owne doing and is justly marvellous in our eyes Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth may the Scripture now say Psa 129.1 3. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth yet have they not prevailed against mee The plowers plowed upon my backe c. The righteous Lord hath cut asunder the traces of the wicked The
they no where use it to eighteene in the hundred But in Turkey Sands his Relation of the West Relig. though every Visier and Bassa of State is reported to keepe a Jew of his private Councell whose malice wit for they are generally found to be the most nimble and Mercuriall wits in the world and experience of Christendome Blunts voyage into the Levant p. 114. with their continuall intelligence is thought to advise most of the mischiefe which the Turke puts in execution against us Yet generally they are so hated of the Mahometans that they use to say in detestation of a thing In execrationibus dicunt Iudaeus sim si fallo Sanctius in Zach. 8.13 I would I might die a Jew then or Let mee be a Jew if I deceive thee And Biddulph tells us that in Constantinople and Thessalonica where are so many thousands of them if they but stirre out of doores at any Easter-time betweene Maunday-Thurseday at noone and Easter-eve at night the Christians among whom they dwell will stone them because at that time they derided buffeted and crucified our Saviour Thus as they use to say poore soules amongst themselves Moses Gerundinensis there is an ounce of the golden calfe in all the punishments that befall them so no doubt there is a pound of that direfull and dreadfull execration His blood be upon us and our children for the which wrath is now come upon them to the uttermost They cloathed themselves with a curse Psal 109.18 and it is come into their bowels as water and like oyle into their bones Their mouth is still full of cursing and bitternesse Rom. 3. They curse the Lord Christ in a covert abbreviature of his name calling him in relation to his death on the Crosse Iesum Iudaei corruptè improbè scribunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adeoque sub tribus literis abbreviatis intelligunt vocabula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deleatur nomen ejus Si transcas Iudaeuâ— Zeloten audâ—es 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ethnice spurle quod nuper Wormatiae petulant a lole cens praetereuntibus nobis acclamabat Par. in Rom. 11.25 the woofe and the warp They curse also his servants closing their daily prayers with a Maledic Domine Nazareis calling them Gentiles nay bastard Gentiles nay divels in their salutations by craft and under a shew of courtesie Therefore also are themselves become a curse among the Gentiles as was fore-prophesied by Zachary Zach. 8.13 as who should say God make thee as a Jew The Turkes whom they call Ishmaelites will not suffer them to turne Turke unlesse they will be baptized as neither will the Papists suffer them to turne Christians unlesse they will quit all their goods to the Christians under pretence that those goods They entertaine Christians with Shedwilcom welcome divell Hei Isord Sands his Survey of West being gotten by usury are part of the divels works which in baptisme they professe to renounce This is cold comfort to men of their mettalls and a maine meanes to keepe them Jewes still stiffe in their owne religion which yet is part of their calamity For they pay to the Pope and other Princes in Italy a yeerely rent for the very heads they weare Ibid. Besides other meanes to rack and wreck them in their purses at pleasure they being used as the Friars to suck from the meanest and to be sucked by the greatest This is a pressure they grievously groane under and doe therefore call so loud for their long-lookt-for Messiah Tantis exposâ—unt ululatibus D. â—rideaux Lect. crying Let thy kingdome come quickly and in our daies Bimberah Beiamenu Lights Miscell That earthly kingdome they meane that the Disciples of our Saviour also being sowred with the leaven of the Pharisees so dreamt and doted on and wherein they will not endure that Chrstians should have any share or interest Rather then any such thing should be they would crucifie their Messias a hundred times over they say And as for those few Jewes that turne Christians in Italy they pretend that they are none of them Blunts voyage but poore Christians hired from other cities to personate their part Thus hath God to all other their plagues and punishments Mat. 13.14 Mar. 4.12 Luk. 8.4 Ioh. 22 40. Act. 28.26 Rom. 11.8 added this worst of all of a fat and hard heart according to that of the Prophet so often cited in the New Testament against them He hath given them the spirit of slumber unto this day Ezr. 10.2 But yet there is hope in Israel concerning this Act. 3.17 Ioh. 16.2 Rom. 10.2 for they have rejected the Gospell not out of meere malice but ignorantly out of a blind zeale Besides blindnesse is but in part happened to Israel Rom. 11.25 26. it is not a totall nor a finall obstinacy untill the fullnesse of the Gentiles be come in and so all Israel shall be saved This he calls a mystery because no man can conceive how it should be But yet he would not have us Gentiles ignorant of it that remembring our ingagement Ioh 4. and that salvation is of the Jewes wee may further their conversion by crying day and night Psal 14.7 O that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion c. and not hinder it as the Papists doe by their abhominable idolatries and exactions and the common protestants by their damnable oathes and blasphemies a sinne that they very Turkes punish and the Jewes assigne for the cause wherefore the Turkes have so prevailed against us And lastly as the best of us may doe by our dulnesse to this duty of pittying and praying for them and so promoting their conversion for the which neglect they have I feare an unanswerable action against us CHAP. VIII SEcondly is it God that speakes in the Scriptures and Writes to us these great things of his Law mee thinkes we should not need be exhorted 1. To reade it diligently 2. To rest upon it confidently for instruction and comfort Sect. 1. REade it first Quid est S. Script nisi quaedam Epistola omnipot Dei ad creaturam suam Greg. Ovid. for it is Gods Epistle for our sakes Written 1 Cor. 9.10 for our Admonition 1 Cor. 10.11 and Consolation Rom. 15.4 quid Epistola lecta nocebit Study it for it is Gods Statute Book Peruse it for it is our Fathers Will and Testament wherein we may find our owne names written as David did Psal 40 7. In the Volume of thy Booke it is written of mee that J should doe thy will O God and as the Church in Hosea did Hee found Jacob in Bethel Hos 12 4. and there he spake with us So what was said to Joshua Iosh 1.8 J will not leave thee nor forsake thee was said to every good soule Heb. 13.5 that shall reade in the booke of the Law as he did day and night that shall esteeme it
maugre their malice runnes as the Apostle speaketh and is glorified This these wicked Popelings see and are grieved Psal 112.10 they gnash with their teeth and melt away yea they gnaw their tongues for paine and torment of their sores Rev. 16.9 10. they blaspheme the Name that is Invidiâ Siculi non invenere tyranni Majus tormentum the Word of God which hath power over these plagues and repent not to give him the glory Sed in hoc ulcere non ero unguis it shall suffice to have pointed at it Section 2. SEcondly is it the very Word of God that we reade in the Bible and is Hee the undoubted Authour thereof this then informes and advertiseth us of the surpassing dignity and supereminent excellency of that thrice-sacred Booke above all humane writings whatsoever That which David said of Goliahs sword may be fitly applyed to the sword of the Spirit 1 Sam. 21.9 there is none to that And as of the river Pison in Paradise that compasseth the land of Havilah it is recorded that there is gold and with an emphasie Gen. 2.11 12. the gold of that land is good There is also Bdellium and the Onyx stone The other three rivers have nothing said of them in comparison of this first though they doubtlesse had their severall commendations So stands the case betweene this and all other Bookes though suo genere never so praise-worthy Prov. 31. Many daughters so Authours have done vertuously but this excells them all There was not such a man as Job Iob 1. nor can there bee such a Booke as this in all the earth Hence it is called the Bible that is the Booke by an excellency as the onely Booke Auferantur de medio chartae nostrae procedat in mediuÌ„ codex Dei In Psal 57. Ego odi meos libvos saepè opto eâ—s in crire c. Luther in Genes 1 4. Evangesâ—i libri sunt Apostolici an iquâ—â—ilque Prophetarum oracula quae nos manifestò â—â—siruunt c. suscipiamus igitâ— ex sermonibus divinitùs inspiratis quaestionum solutionem Chemnit ex Theodoâ—et And the Word is that which should bee ever sounding in our eares and the Scriptures as being to all other writings as Josephs sheaâ—e was to his brethrens or as the Sunne to the lesser Starres Hence that of Saint Austin Away with our writings that roome may be made for the Booke of God And that of Luther I heartily hate mine owne bookes and could wish them out of the world because I feare they keepe men from spending so much time in reading Gods Booke the only fountain of al true wisdom And that of Constantine the Great wherewith he opened the Councell of Nice Yee have the New Testament and the Old which plainly instruct us what to judge in divine matters Out of these therefore let us fetch answers to al questions that shall be moved amongst us as the High-priest did of old at the Oracle for they have God for their authour and are the platforme of that wisedome that is in God himselfe 1 Cor. 2.6 7. Excellent things are in Scripture-phrase said to be things of God as tall trees high mountains famous cities I have wrastled with my sister with wrastlings of God Gen. 30 â— said Rachel that is with great wrastlings and have prevailed How much more may the Bible bee said to be of God which sets forth its precious and peerlesse worth sith he uttered some of it with his own mouth and so might say as Joseph did once to his brethren Behold you see that mine owne mouth speakes and wrote other some with his owne finger as the Decalogue Deut. 5.22 and so might say as Paul to Philemon I Paul have written it with mine owne hand vers 19. That one short Epistle to Philemon sith we are fallen into the mention of it though about so low and abject an object so poore and petty a matter as the receiving againe of a fugitive bondslave yet with what admirable pithinesse and powerfulnesse of speech is it set forth Plena lacertorum roboris epistola Scultet observat singulis ferè verbis singula argumenta saith one Not a word but hath its waight not a syllable but hath its substance Those Epistles written as is pretended by Paul to Seneca they have his name indeed but not the least dram or drop of his spirit they savour not of his Apostolicall majesty and gravity which shineth even in this the least of all his Epistles Paulum quatiescunque lego videor mihi n n verba audire sed tonitrna In brevitate verborum est luxuries rerum Origen As often as I reade Saint Paul saith Hierom me thinkes I heare not words but thunders In fewnesse of words he hath all fulnesse of matter saith Origen and sets a grace and a glosse upon meane matters in his manner of handling them How much more when he treats of Predestination or any such profound mystery as in that lofty and lively Epistle to the Romanes which Melancthon was wont to call the confession of our Churches and thought it time well spent to goe over it a matter of ten severall times in his ordinary Lectures The truth is it is such as never could any man think speake or write sufficiently of its worth and excellency M. Perkins adviseth in reading the Scriptures first to beginne with the Gospel of Saint John and this Epistle to the Romanes after with the Prophet Esay because these three bookes bee as the keyes to open the right understanding of the rest Saint Jerome doubts not to affirme of that prophecie of Esay Quicquid est sanctarum scripturarum quicquid potest humana lingua proferre aut sensus concipere in eâ— volumine continetur that whatsoever other peece there is of holy Scripture whatsoever mans minde can conceive or tongue expresse is contained in this one booke Esay himselfe calls it a great Booke wherein but little was written chap. 8.1 We may safely call it a little book wherin great things are written even those mirabilia of the Law Hos 8.12 and magnalia of the Testimony or Gospel for so that Prophet in the same chapter divides the holy Scriptures into the Law and Testimony Esay 8.20 as into its integrall parts To the Law saith he and to the Testimony Now the Gospel is often called the Testimony by Saint John especially because it testifies of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose very name Jesus is a short Gospel the very summe and substance of all the good newes in the world The nativity preaching persecution apprehension death resurrection ascension of our Saviour yea and latter comming to judgement is lively set forth by this one Prophet Esay whence hee was called by a Father the Evangelicall Prophet The Babe of Bethlehem is wrapt up as it were in the swathing-bands of both Testaments Christ is both the subject and object
of spoile as Ahimaaz that alwaies brought good tidings When ever therefore you take up the Bible and open it cry Psal 119. Lord open mine eyes that J may see the wondrous things of thy Law When you are reading thinke you see written over every line Zach. 14.20 Sancte liber venerande liber liber optime salve Holinesse to the Lord and lift up some good requests As when you shut the booke againe say Lord who am I that thou shouldst shut up thy mysteries in such an earthen vessell O animae nostrae Biblia dimidium put such a precious pearle in a leatherne purse commit such a rich talent to me who am of saints the least of sinners the greatest Thus as Moses prayed devoutly both when the Arke removed and likewise when it rested againe And as Paul begins continues and concludes his Epistles with holy prayers Hoc primum repetas opuâ— hoc postremus omittas so must we our reading of the Scriptures if we meane to make any thing of it No sacrifice was without incense so must no service be without prayer Mar. 9.24 Yea let us pray with teares as he in the Gospell did and sped They are effectuall Oratours with Christ who found time to looke upon the weeping women when he was in the midst of his agony and in his way to the tree Jacob wrestled with him and prevailed by prayers and teares The Prophets usually received their Revelations besides rivers Esay 62.4 Cant 1.15 Cant. 4.1 The Spouse Christs Cheptsibah is said to have doves eyes glazed with teares John the beloved Disciple wept and so obtained that the booke should be opened Revel 5.4 Like as when Gods bottle was filled with Hagars teares he opened her eyes and sent his Angell to shew her where she might fill her bottle with living water Luther that great instrument of Gods glory for the bringing of life and immortality to light by the Gospell was a man of prayer 2 Tim 1.10 and so ardent therein that as Melancton writeth they which stood under his window where he was praying might see his teares falling and dropping downe Scultet Annal. George Prince of Anhalt though he saw something by Luthers light yet being not throughly convinced of divers points then in controversie besought God with many teares to bend his mind to the truth using often those words of David Psal 119.124 Deale with thy servant according to thy mercy and teach me thy statutes This was the first and the onely Prince of Germany that himselfe taught his subjects the way to Heaven Ibid. both by lively voice by printed bookes and by his daily prayers for his people that he might save himselfe and those that heard him Luk. 6.12 Our Saviour when he was to send forth his Apostles spent a whole night in prayer with strong crying and teares for a blessing on their Ministery and was heard in that he requested The harp yeelds no sound till toucht by the hand of the Musitian nor can Paul prevaile with Lydia till God open her heart Rebeccah may cook the venison but it is Isaac that must give the blessing Paul may plant c. but God gives increase The cause why the Word workes no more upon many mens hearts when they reade of heare it is because they rest too much upon it as that Idolatrous Micah who said Iudg 17. J know God Will be mercifull unto me because J have got a Levite and cry not earnestly to God to come himselfe unto them in the fullnesse of the blessing of the Gospell of Christ Rom. 15.29 to strike a holy stroke by his powerfull Spirit to give us right judgement and understanding that we may approove things that are excellent Pray therefore with S. Paul Phil. 1. that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory would give unto us the Spirit of Wisdome and revelation the eyes of our understanding being enlightned c. Ephes 1.17 18 Rev 3. Rev. 5. Pray him that hath the key of David and was found only worthy to open the seven seales to open our eyes that we may behold wondrous things out of his Law to irradiate both Organ and Object to give us sight and light not that outward light onely that is in the Scriptures themselves but that inward also of his Spirit the light of faith in our hearts Aug de Civ Dei The Platonists could say that the light of our mindes whereby we learne all things is no other but God himselfe the same that made all things say therefore with David Psal 119.12 Blessed be thou O Lord teach me thy statutes And with Zuninglius I beseech Almighty God to direct our waies Deum O. M. precor ut vias nostras dirigat ac sicubi simus Beleami in morem veritati pertinaciter obluctaturi c. Epist lib. 3â— fol. 118. and if Balaam-like we shall wilfully withstand the truth to send his holy Angell who with the dint of his drawne sword may so dash this Asse our blindnesse and boldnesse I meane to the wall that we may feele our feet that is our carnall affections to be crusht and our selves kept from speaking ought amisse of the God of Heaven Omnipotent sempiterne ac miâ—ericors Deus cujus verbum c. Scultet Annal p. 328. His publike Lectures on the Bible he alwaies began with this prayer Almighty everlasting and mercifull God whose Word is a lanterne to our feet and a light to our pathes be pleased to open and enlighten our minds that we may both understand these thine Oracles piously and holily and also be transformed into that we rightly understand so that we may not in any thing displease thy Majesty through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Sect. 5. FOurthly conferre with those that are better able propound to them your doubts and seeke satisfaction as the Disciples did Joh. 16.16 and the Eunuch Acts 8.34 and the Corinthians 1 Cor. 7. But ever doe this with a desire to be resolved and to yeeld to the truth revealed Not like that None-such Ahab 2 Chron. 18.14 or those perverse Pharisees Ioh 18.38 Mar. 8.12 or Pilate that asked what is truth but cared not to heare an answer or Herod who was desirous of a long season to see our Saviour Luk. 23 8. as hoping to have seene some miracle done by him as by some base juggler but would never stirre out of doores to fee him Ier 42.19 Not like Jeremies hearers that had made their conclusion before they came to enquire of him and were resolved upon their course nor like those tatling women in Timothy 2 Tim 3.7 that are ever learning but never knowing the truth Luk. 24. But with an humble and honest heart as those two going to Emaus for such shall know all Christs mind as they Such shall be of his Court and Counsell Gen. 18.17 as
either in good sort or in bad This though it be unjust in them yet is just in God upon the Jews for depraving Christs miracles as done by I know not what superstition of the word Shemhamphoresh Alsted Lexic Theolog. Evangelium hodie vocant Aven-gelaion volumen vanitatis And for his Oracles they have scornfully rejected the Gospel as a volume of vanity stumbling at that passage especially where it is said that neither did his brethren beleeve in him Blunts voyage into the Levant 115. John 7.5 not knowing faith to be the gift of grace onely But their Ancestours which yet were no Christians beare us witnesse that Jesus Christ was famous for his wisdome and wonders was slaine by the people Joseph lib. 18. cap 14. Contra Appion lib. 1. non ita proculab initio Dan. 5.25 Mene mene techel upharsin They were the Samaritan characters therefore the Babylonians could not read them nor could the Iewes understand them though they knew the characters because they understood not the Chaldee tongue as Daniel did Weemse rose againe the third day c. All this and more Josephus the Jew who also testifieth that the bookes of the Old Testament were the very word of God Which is further also confirmed by the Samaritane Bible the Copy whereof was brought by one Petrus de Valle from Damascus Anno Domini 1626. wherein though written in a different character from the Hebrew yet for the matter they as much agree as the Jewes and Samaritanes did utterly disagree 3. Heathens also not a few have sealed to the truth of the Scriptures by their testimonies and confirmed them to be divine Porphyry in his fourth book against Christians beareth this record of Moses that hee had written the history of the Jews truly Numenius the Pythagorist recites Moses his history almost word for word testifying of him that he was a great Divine Law-giver and Prophet Diodorus Siculus affirmeth that Moses gave a Law to the people of Israel which he had received of JAH for so saith he do they call the God whom they worship Geogr. lib. 15. And Strabo writeth that Moses having rebuked the Egyptians for their vanities and superstitions withdrew himself from among them that he might serve God In Vandalicis lib. 2. Calunmiae hae binae olim in Tingitana visendae Selden de Diis Syr. proleg cap 2. Procopius tells of two marble pillars in Numidia wherein are engraven these words in the Phenician tongue We be those that fled from the robber Joshuah the sonne of Nun. The mighty deeds of Hercules are held to be fained out of the doings of Sampson and the vow of Agamemnon out of Jephtaes vow Orpheus his forfeiting his wife whom he had fetcht from hell by unseasonable looking back upon her out of the history of Lots wife Virg 4. Georg. who turn'd her but and she was turn'd Nisus robbed of his golden haire Metamorph. l. 8. Janus Oenotrius is Noah lapetus lapheta and lupuer Hammon that gelded his father Saturne is Ham that discovered his fathers nakednesse c Ex Henochi historia originem sumpsit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ethnicorum and betrayed by Scylla out of Sampson and Dalilah It was the devill doubtlesse that found out these fictions in an apish imitation of the sacred history and for a cunning elusion of divine truths Who was it else that set Herodatus aworke to write that Sethon King of Egypt and Priest of Vulcan being invaded by Senachâ—râ—â— King of Assyria with a formidable army and seeking help of his god was admonished in a dreame to encounter his adversary though with unequall forces and to expect helpe from heaven Sethon did accordingly and the night before the armies should meet an innumerable company of Mice and Rats were sent into the â—amp of the Assyrians which so â—nawed asâ—under their quivers bucklers bridles and other harnesse that they were forced to flye with the â—osse of many of their bast souldiers the King himselfe being shortly after slaine at home Herodotus addes further that even in his time there was yet to be seene in Vulcans temple in Egypt the picture of Senacherib holding a Mouse in his hand with this inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herod lib. 2. Learne by me to feare God This was a meere sleight of Sathan that loud lyar shamelesly seeking by the Egyptian priests to elevate the truth and authority of the holy Scriptures and to transferre upon himselfe the glory of so great a worke of God But Demetrius Phalareus disciple to Theophrastus told Ptolomy Philadelph King of Egypt that the Bible of the Hebrewes was the onely booke that was divine indeed who therefore at his great charge caused it to be translated into Greeke by the seventy Seniours Which when the King had read and marvelled that of so many things and so worthy of remembrance there was little or no mention made by the Historians and Poets of Greece Demetrius Phalereus answered him as both Josephus and Eusebius report it out of Aristaeas Ioseph Antiq. lib. 12. cap. 2. Husâ—b praep-Evang lib. 8. c. 1 a Chamberlaine of King Ptolomies that it was a divine Law given of God which ought not to be touched but with cleane hands And that if any prophane persons had presumed to meddle with it he was sure to smart for daring to defile those holy matters with the glosse of their owne inventions Moreover he told the King that Theopompus a Scholler of Aristotles Aristaeas in in calce libelli de 72. legis Hebr. interpretibus p. 512. for attempting to disguise the Scriptures of the Jewes with Greek eloquence was stricken with amazednesse for above thirty dayes together And that Theodates a Tragoedian having intermingled some Scripture-matters with his Tragedies suddenly lost his sight which was afterward restored again to him upon his prayers when he once dame to a sight of his sin Thus for Humane Testimonies of the Authority and Divinity of the Scripture we have heard sufficient both from friends and foes heretikes Jewes and Gentiles But wee have better testimonies than these those are Divine which are of two sorts 1. Outward 2. Inward That without us first is the Scripture testifying of it selfe and we know its testimony is true because it is the word of that God that can as soone dye as lye Hence heare we so often in Moses I am the Lord in the Prophets Thus saith the Lord in the Gospels Jesus said in the Epistles 1 Cor. 11. I have received of the Lord that which I delivered unto you c. And the truth is the best proofe of Scripture is to bee fetcht out of it selfe whence it is also called Light Psal 119.105 because it discovers it selfe and the Testimony of the Lord because it beares witnesse to it selfe And this it doth not authoritativè onely by an unartificiall argument as above-said but ratiocinativè by sound reasons whether we looke to the Pen-men of the
Scripture the subject matter or the admirable effects thereof The Pen-men besides their divine vocation mission inspiration were plaine men poore men shepherds neat-herds fishers publicans c. neither eloquent Oratours nor cunning-headed Politicians Romani sicut non acumina ita nec imposturas habent Bell. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 4.13 to art out an imposture nor witty enough to deceive as Bellarmine saith but how truly of his Italians The Rulers and Elders tooke them for no better than unlearned and ignorant persons Adde hereunto their unpartiall faithfulnesse in relating the naked truth enough to the discredit as it might bee deemed of themselves and their best friends Adulatione enim multa celat aut velat imò palam aliter norrat Ald. Manut. Ne amori erga suum parentem nimium aliquando indulserit nonnulli hand leviter suspicantur Deg. Wheâ— in Method In quamlibet partem nimius odio amore gratia simultate quoniam pecuniam amabat c. Mel. Canus Paterculus is an honest faithfull Historian saith one till he comes to the Caesars but then he smoothes and smothers many foule facts through flattery yea plainly falsifies in many particulars Anna Comnena daughter to the Emperour Alexius Comnenus wrote a Chronicle of the noble acts of her father and called it Alexias But being over-borne by naturall affection she reports not matters so sincerely as many could have wished Paulus Jovius the Historian was too much carried by love and hatred to some particular persons and because he loved money well in writing his history also hee was the slave of money In that famous battle at Belgrade where Mahomet the great Turke was foiled and driven out of the field Capistranus the Friar Minorite Bucholcer Index Chronol De quo ita Sylvius exclamat Ingens dulcedo gloriae faciliùs contenmenda dicitur quam contemnitur Exulat à Pontificiis talis ingenuitas quae Dei dona in hoste agnosceret D. Pâ—ideaux cont Eudoem Ioh. Facit Annales non scribit and Hunniades were chiefe commanders Both of these wrote the history of that battle without once making mention the one of the other each one assuming the entire honour of that dayes worke to himselfe Bellarmine in his booke of Ecclesiasticall writers â—ath not the honesty to name any one of our side notwithstanding it is certaine that he pickt up the best crums that he hath under their tables And Baronius writes not Annales but frames them saith learned Scaliger Not so the Pen-men of holy Scripture Moses reports the sinne and doome of his grandfather Levi of his brother Aaron and sister Miriam nay of himselfe how he sinned and was sentenced at the waters of strife David shames himselfe in his preface to the 51. Psalm Isay tells the world of the wickednesse of Ahaz and weaknesse of Hezekiah Esay 7. 39. his naturall Princes Ezekiel makes honourable mention of Daniel his coetaneus Ezek. 14.14 28.3 and Peter of Paul 2 Pet 3.15 with Gal. 2.11 1 Tim. 1.13 who yet tooke him up publikely for halting at Antioch I was a blasphemer an oppressour a persecutor saith that blessed Apostle This shewes the Scripture to have beene indited and the Pen-men guided by some higher Spirit it being so free from partiality or flattery From the Men come wee next to the Matter of the Scripture the majesty whereof is such besides the stately plainnesse of the stile as farre surpasseth the creatures capacity the fathom of flesh the reach of reason There is no jot nor tittle of it that savours of any earthlinesse But as Xenophon said of Cyrus his Court 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyrop l. 8. that though a man should seeke or chuse blindefold he could not misse of a good man there so neither can you misse of a good text in the whole Bible Every word of Gods mouth is pure De Thucidide Cicero scribit eum esse adeo plenum vefertâ—mque rebus ut prope verberum numerum â—umero rerum exâ—equâ—t Si animalibus dixit Xenâ—phanes pingere daretur Deum proculdubiò sibi similem fingerent quia nihil animal animali supertus cogitare potest Mornaeus de veril rel precious and profitable not a syllable superfluous The very majesty of the sentence is such as cannot be conceived and yet is it alwayes more powerfull in matter than in words It sets forth such an admirable concurrence of Gods Mercy and Justice in mans redemption by the man Christ Jesus as no creature could possibly contrive or if they could yet certainly would not Not good men or Angels for they would never have put upon the world such a notorious imposture Not evill men or devils for it crosseth and controuleth their contrary courses and condemnes them to the pit of hell It utterly over turns the devils kingdome who therefore sharply eggeth and edgeth all his instruments against it yea and tempts better men other whiles to doubt of it Whereas if it were forged and false he would like a lyar as he is foment and fight for it promote and propagate it as he doth Turâ—isme Paganisme and other falshoods abroad the world though never so absurd and impious Thus we have seene how the holy Scripture by the divine matter of it proves it selfe to be no lesse than divine and that as plainly and with as much evidence of truth as if it should say to us as the Angell did to John Rev 21 â— Rev. 22.6 Iohn 21.24 These words of God are true And againe These words are faithfull and true Looke how wee learne not Grammar but by Grammar see not the Sunne but by the light of the Sunne and as a learned man proves himselfe to be learned So doe the Scriptures prove themselves to be the undoubted Word of God Ad probandani veritatent 〈◊〉 efficacius testimonio adversariorum Greg. Arch. Nazar Libros Scripturae canmicos esse divinâ—s praeter argumenta alia etiam haberi ex Scriptura ipsa lib. 1. cap. 2. de Verbo Dei the Wisdome of God in a mystery and Wisedome is justified of her children nay of her enemies Bellarmine impudently affirmes in one place that it cannot possibly be proved out of Scripture that any Scripture is of God But in another discourse forgetting what hee had elsewhere said hee gives himselfe the lye telling us that among other arguments tending to evince the divinity of the Canonicall bookes of Scripture there is sufficient said in the Scipture it selfe Lastly looke we upon its admirable effects and irresistible power to effect the thing whereunto it is appointed to breake the stubborne binde up the broken-hearted c. not onely to informe as other writings but to reforme yea transform the soule from glory to glory till it be wholly conformed to that heavenly patterne 1 Cor. 24 5. Num. 24.17 Christ shall unwall or cast down the wals of all the children of Seth is by the Gosp Rev. 6.2 Gods
to be got by the Gospel if a man reade it cursorily and carelesly but if he exercise himselfe therein constantly and conscionably hee shall feele such a force in it as is not to be found againe in any other booke whatsoever Humane writings may shew some faults to bee avoided but give no power to amend them but the feare of the Lord is cleane Nemo adeo fâ—rus est qui non micascere possit Si modò culturae patientem accommodet aurem Hor. saith David and Now are ye cleane by the word that I have spoken unto you saith our Saviour Sanctifie them by thy truth thy Word is truth Philosophy may civilize Abscondit vitia non abscindit Lactan. Siresipuit à vino suit semper tamen temu'entus sacrilegio Ambr. de Elia jejunio cap. 12. not sanctifie hide some sins not heale them cover not cure them barb and curb them not abate and abolish them Ambrose saith well concerning Poleme who of a drunkand by hearing Xenocrates became a Philosopher Though hee forsooke his wine-bibbing yet he continued drunke with superstition Porphyry saith it was pity such a man as Paul should be cast away upon our religion Plato came thrice into Sicily to convert Dionysius the tyrant to morall Philosophy and could not But Peter by the foolishnesse of preaching converted his thousands Hieron de clar scriptorib and Paul his ten thousands And as Scipio was called Africanus Da mihi virum qui sit iracundus maledicus effraenotus paucissimis Dei verbis tam placidum quà m ovem reddam Da cupidum avarum tenacem jam tibi eum libera'em dabâ— c. Da libidinosum crude'em injustum continuò aequue castus clemens c. Nunquis haec Philosophorum aut unquam praestitit aut praestare potest Lactant. lâ—b â— Inst t. cap. 86. another Numantinus a third Macedonicus from the countries they conquered so had this worthy Warriour his name changed from Saul to Paul for a memoriall likely of those first spoiles hee brought into the Church of Christ not the head but the heart of that noble Sergius Paulus After whose conversion he beganne to be knowne by the name of Paul and not till then Act. 13.9 So then the efficacy and vertue of the Scripture to produce the love of God and our enemies to purifie the heart to pacifie the conscience to rectifie the whole both constitution and conversation of a man to take him off from the delights of the world and flesh to make him glory in afflictions sing in the flames triumph over death all these and more doe necessarily conclude the divine authority of the Scriptures What words of Philosophers could ever make of a Leopard a Lamb of a Viper a Childe of a leacher a chaste man of a Nabal a Nadib of a covetous carle a liberall person Isay 23.18 Tyrus turning to God and receiving the Gospel leaves hoarding and heaping her wealth and findes another manner of employment for it viz. to feed and cloath the poore people of God Two or three words of Gods mouth saith that Father worke such an evident and entire change in a man Pauca Dei praecepta sic tâ—tum hominem immutant ut non cognoscaâ— eundem esse Lactant ubi supra that you can scarce know him to be the same as in Zacheus Paul Onesimus and others Neither need we wonder hereat considering that Dei dicere est facere Gods words where he pleaseth to speake home to the heart are operative and carry a vertue in them together with his Word there comes forth a power as his bidding Lazarus arise and came forth caused him to doe so And as in the Creation he said Let there be light and there was light so in the new creation see 2 Cor. 4.6 As there the spirit moved upon the face of the waters and there-hence hatched the creature so here he spake unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 1.2 and at the same time breathed on them the holy Ghost Job 20.22 It is said Luke 5.17 that as Christ was teaching the power of the Lord was present to heale the people so is it still in his Word and Ordinances As for me this is my covenant with them saith the Lord My spirit which is upon thee Isay 59.21 and my words which J have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever The Word and Spirit runne parallell in the soule as the veines and arteries doe in the body The veines carry the blood and the arteries carrie the spirits to beat forth and to quicken the blood Hence 2 Cor. 3.6 spirit is put for the Gospel in and with which it worketh and grace in the heart is elsewhere often likened to seed in the wombe because it is first formed there by an admirable coition of the Word and Spirit till Christ be formed in us It is the worke of the Spirit to make the seed of the Word prolificall and generative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iam. 1.21 to make it an inbred Word as Saint James calleth it not onely able but effectuall to save the soule Surely as the earth is made fruitfull when the heavens once answer the earth Hos 2.21 Rom. 7.4 so are our hearts when the Spirit workes with the Word causing us to bring forth fruit to God And this doubtlesse is that reall testimony given by the Spirit to the Word that it is indeed the Word of God Neither is he wanting in his vocall testimony that inward divine testimony above-mentioned which yet is heard by none but Gods own houshold is confined to the communion of Saints whose consciences he secretly perswadeth of this truth and sweetly seales it up to them This is promised Esay 52.6 They shall know in that day that I am he that doth speake behold it is I. And Joh. 7.17 If any man will doe his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speake of my selfe And as it is promised so is it performed too for he that beleeveth hath the witnesse in himselfe 1 Iohn 5.10 Cant. 2.8 Cant. 5.2 1 Cor. 2.15 1 Iohn 2.20 27. Isay 53.1 Matth. 13.11 so that he can safely say It is the voice of my beloved that knockes The spirituall man discerneth all things for he hath the minde of Christ and an unction within that teacheth him all things to him is the arme of the Lord revealed and to him it is given that which is denyed to others to know the mysteries of the kingdome of heaven So that he no sooner heares but he beleeves Eph 1.13 and is sealed with that holy spirit of promise whose inward testimony of the truth and authority of the Scriptures is ever met by a motion of the sanctified soule inspired by
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 1.70 which have beene since the world beganne In other cases I grant that antiquissimum quódque est verissimum adulterinum quod posterius truth is more ancient than falshood that classicke Authours are to be preferred before moderne and that of Aristotle holds true of humane witnesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rhet. l. 1. Vinum quò magis tran funditur evanesi it magis tandemque fit vappa Degor Whear The ancientest are most to be credited as lesse corrupted For as wine the oftner it is poured from vessell to vessell the more it loseth of its spirits and sparkinesse and as a picture that is taken at the lively image loseth somewhat of its nature that which is taken at the patterne somewhat more and so from one to another they vary in the end so far from the originall that there is scarce left any resemblance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nihil mihi antiquiùs i. potius This may be true in humane testimonies and transactions But for the severall parts and peeces of holy Scripture may we not aske of them as the Prophet in another case Who is their Father 1 Sam 10.12 Malach. 2.10 Esay 9.6 Have they not all one Father even the Father of eternity to whom a thousand yeares by reason of the vastnesse of his being are but as yesterday Psal 40.4 when it is past Were they not all dictated and indited by the same Spirit and are therefore of equall antiquity and authority Come they not all from so authenticall an Authour as is the Authour and finisher of our faith the Alpha and Omega the first and the last I speake not here of Apocryphall books which were neither penned by the Prophets or Apostles Omnes literae quibus Christus prophetatus est apud Iudaeos sunt August in Psal 56. nor written in Hebrew and kept among the Jewes neither yet have they in them the print of the Spirit which the spirituall man discerneth but containe some things frivolous and some things false not dissonant onely but repugnant to the holy Scriptures Reade them fruitfully we may for morall instruction and for the better understanding of the story of the Church but reade wee must with judgement and choice and where wee finde them contradicting the Scriptures we must kill the Egyptian and save the Israelite But for the holy Prophets take that of our Saviour Math 10 41. Hee that receives a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophets reward We cannot now receive them into our houses into our hearts we may and must as the Church of God hath ever done before us Who the pen-men were of those bookes that are called by the Hebrewes Nebim Resâ—onim the former Prophets that is Joshua Judges Samuel Kings and Chronicles and of those other among the Hagiographa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose Authors are not expressed there needs no great enquiry When Letters come from the King saith Gregory Regiis epistolis acceptis quo calamo scriptae sint ridiculum est quaerere Greg. it were an odde thing to bee much inquisitive with what penne they were written It is not altogether improbable that Ezra that perfect Scribe either himselfe or with the helpe of other his holy colleagues did by the immediate motion and inspiration of the holy Ghost compile those bookes of Joshua Judges Samuel Kings and Chronicles out of diverse ancient and honourable Records charily kept by the Church as written by the Prophets of those severall ages Davids acts are expresly said to have beene set downe by Gad and Nathan and that he or they digested and disposed them in that order that now of a long time the Church hath had and read them For it is not likely that Samuel himselfe when hee should relate the words of Saul seeking to him for advice about the Asses that he I say should preface thus He that is now-adayes called a Prophet was anciently called a Seer No Scultet Annal. Epist dedic but they sound rather in any mans eares like the words of another that reports things done long before As for the later Prophets as they call them Isay Jeremy and the rest Calvin tells us and he gathers it out of Habac. 2. and Esay 8. that after the Prophets had preached to the people their manner was to set down a briefe summe of their Sermon and to fasten it to the doores of the Temple that all men might know and take more notice of the Prophecie Calvin in Isai praefat Which when it had hung there for a certaine number of dayes as long as was thought fit the Priests office was to take it downe and lay it up safe in the Treasury that it might there remain for a perpetuall monument And hence hee conceives the bookes of the Prophets to have beene made up and notes it for a singular providence of God Iunius in orat de Test Vet. that the Priests which yet were often ill-minded men and profest enemies to the Prophets should bee used as Gods instruments to conserve and convey the prophecies entire as wee have them to posterity Now for the writings of the Apostles Nulli ne ipsis quidem Prophetis tam ampliter contigit insallibilitatis privilegium ac Apostolis quippe cum hisâ—e perpetuum illud fuerit illis verò saepiùs intervallatum fâ—rè non extra ipsos prophetandi paroxysmos durans Tayler Bâ—oâ—ius contra Maximum ex Gatakeâ—o besides that priviledge of Infallibility wherewith they were endued even above the Prophets as some are of opinion no wise man doubteth saith Scultetus but that the Disciples of our Saviour recorded and registred his daily Oracles and miracles in their day-day-books and private annalls out of which afterwards the Evangelicall history was extracted composed and compiled Saint Luke is reputed the first of the foure that wrote the Gospel what others attempted onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 1.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee effected Luke 1.1 The Fathers held many of them that he received his Gospel from Saint Paul but himselfe tells us he had it from those that were eye-witnesses which Paul was none Saint Ambrose rightly preferres him for setting downe things more distinctly and orderly than the rest according to his promise to his most excellent Theophilus Chap. 1 vers 3. And as he doth it orderly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cohaerenter Bez. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and coherently as the word signifies so originally and from the very first verse or from a high as himselfe speakes For he begins his history not at the workes of our Saviour as Saint Marke nor at his birth onely as Saint Mathew but at his conception Yea at the conception and parentage of his forerunner Saint John indeed soareth higher even to our Saviours Divinity and is therefore called the Divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hieron in Ezech 1.10 Greg Mag. Hom. 4. in
Ezech Glos ordin interlâ—n and hath the Eagle for his ensigne assigned him by the Ancients But of him more in his place Mathew of a publican by a gracious call from Christ became an Apostle and Evangelist Publicans were officers for the Romanes to take toll and tribute of the Jewes and were therefore extreamly hated among them and not altogether undeservedly For they were most of them notoriously unconstionable griping fellowes as we see in Zâ—châ—us A faithfull Publican was so rare at Rome it selfe how much more in the remoter Provinces that one Sabinus for his honest managing of that office in an honourable remembrance thereof had certaine images erected with this superscription The honest Publican 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suet. in Vâ—spasiano But that the hatred born them by the Jewes ever impatient of foraine exactions and bragging of their freedome Iohn 8. when most in bondage was greater than there was cause is apparent in the Gospel Iudaei quibus olim publicani tantopere exosi fucrunt hodie sunt Turcarum publicani admrabili quodam Dei judicio Beza in Math. 5.46 Now see the just judgement of God upon them They that so much hated Publicans of old are now turn'd Publicans to the Turkes whose revenues of the sea they rent at this day as those of old did of the Romanes But this by the way onely Luke 5.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad verbum acceptionem magnaÌ„ quod passim in co omnes accipiantur Annot. Erâ—â—nus ex Athenaeo splendidum epulum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocari It is more to our present purpose that as much was forgiven this blessed Apostle so he loved much and sealed up his love by a liberall feast for joy of his conversion which while the other Evangelists relate they concealâ— the name of Mathew whereby he was best knowne and call him Levi â— but hee by a gracious simplicity freely and plainly reports his owne more common name Omnipotenti medico nullus insanabilis occurrit morbus Isidor and the nature of his offence that the greater the cure was the more honour might accrue to Christ that cured him and as a confirmation of the cure called him to so high an office in his Church After him comes Saint Marke and abridgeth him yet ever with usury and some singular addition for the most part Whether hee wrote his Gospel at Peters mouth which is the common opinion or otherwise I have not to say But if he did who can beleeve that either Peter himselfe or Marke his Notary would ever have past over in silence that famous Tues Petrus thou art Peter Math. 16. c. that the Papists so bragge of and build on if hee had held it as they doe to have beene the foundation of the Catholike Church Peters deniall this Evangelist sets downe more expresly and amply than any other Lastly for Saint John there is an Ecclesiasticall tradition and Eusebius records it Hist Eccles lib. 3 cap. 21. that the three former Evangelists being presented to him by the Saints at Ephesus that he might peruse them and by his testimony recommend them to the Churches reading he well approved and ratified what they had written Onely he thought meet that something more should be added concerning such of our Saviours words and workes as did clearly evince and evidence his Deity which even in those purer times began to be oppugned by Ebion Cerinthus and other odious heretikes and apostates Wherefore at the instant request of the Church but chiefly by the instinct and motion of the holy Ghost who set him a worke he undertooke in his old age the writing of this fourth Gospel that now beares his name That lofty and lively beginning thereof I doubt not saith Mercer Mercer in Prov. Amelius Platonicus apud Cyrill Alex. lib. 8. contra Iulian. Apostat but he tooke out of Prov. 8.22 A certaine Philosopher lighting upon it by accident cryed out Hic barbarus c. This barbarian hath heaped up more matter in three words than all wee have done in so many volumes The learned and judicious Junius confesseth In vita sua that he was converted from Atheisme by the serious reading of this first Chapter Never could any man say better than this beloved Disciple both of his Gospel and of his Revelation 1 Iohn 1.1 3. That which we have heard and seene with our eyes c. of the word of life declare we unto you The Alogians recited all Saint Johns writings the Valerians all the Gospels but Saint Johns Some other peeces of the New Testament have beene questioned by some but causlesly as likewise in the Old Testament the Anabaptists reject the booke of Job as a tragicomicall fiction Canticles as a love-song Ecclesiastes as a doctrine of liberty and doore to Atheisme But this nothing elevateth or diminisheth their worth and authority with the sound and sober-minded Ob. If here it bee objected that counterfeit writings might bee published and put upon the Word under the name of the Apostles I answer with M. Perkins Sol. In ep ad Galdt If they were in the dayes of the Apostles they by their authority cut them off And therefore Paul saith If any teach otherwise Evangelium quod tum praeconiaverunt poslea in Scripturis nobis tradi lerunt Iren. Cum credimus hoc primum credimus nihil esse quod ultrà credere debeamus Tertul. Rev. 22.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gâ—d 3. let him bee accurst And as they faithfully committed to writing what they had preached for a pillar and foundation of our faith so they provided that no couÌ„terfeits should be foisted under their names after their departure And hereupon John the last of the Apostles concludes the New Testament with this clause If any man shall adde unto these things God shall adde unto him the plagues that are written in this booke The Scripture foresaw as Saint Paul hath it there would bee forgers and faâ—furies and that Antichrist would usurpe authority to chop and change to foist in and force upon the Church for doctrines the devices of men to coine and obtrude new articles of faith as they have lately done in their Trent-conventicle God therefore hath spoken it with his mouth and made it good with his hand upon them 2 Chron. 6. 15 as Salomon phraseth it in his prayer by adding to them the plagues written in this booke that one above the rest the noysome and grievous ulcer falling upon the men that have the marke of the beast after the first and fift Angel had poured out his viall Revel 16.1 2 10. These Angels are according to most Interpreters the Preachers of the Gospel and those renowned Reformers that sore and grievous ulcer is as some will have it the French disease Bullingerus Are us alti but as others better the devils disease of envy and evill will to the Gospel Pareus 2 â—hess 3.1 which
or book of the creature as now since the fal The heaveÌ„s indeed declare the glory of God c. as reall postilles of the Divinity and that which may be knowne of God is manifest in them as in a mirror or theater Rom. 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even his eternall power and Godhead Cusanus could say that the World was Deus explicatus God unfolded of the divine nature as it were coppied out and exemplified at large But the knowledge hence gotten is slender and unsufficient to salvation Our eyes alasse are now so dazeled that the creatures are unto us as a clasped book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 17.27 or as a thing written in ciphers The Philosophers could only grope after God by the dim light of Nature but in the wisdome of God the world by wisdome knew not God 1 Cor. 1.21 but did service to them that by nature are no gods Gal. 4.8 Vtinam tam facilè veram religlonem invenire possim quam fulsam convincere de nat deor Tullyes wish was that he could as easily discern the true God as disprove the false But that he might sooner wish than attaine without the help of holy Scriptures For as the Sun is not seen but by the light of the Sun so neither is God known but by the Word of God And as the Sun cannot be seen in rota as the Schooles speak in the circle wherein it runs but the beams of it only nor those neither but as they are made visible by reflection So neither can wee see God in his Essence in his Word we may his traine at least with Esay his back-parts with Moses wee can see no more and live we need see no more that wee may live Now if wee knock at the creatures doore for this knowledge the depth must say Iob 28.14 It is not in me and the sea It is not with me c. If they say otherwise they lye as fast as Rabshakeh did for his master Quia impossibile erat sine Deo discere Deum per verbum suum docet hom nes scire Deum Sic Hilarius Hoc solum de Deo benè credi in elligamus ad quod dese credédam ipse sibi restis â—â— hor extitit For no creature hath seene God at any time but the Son and hee to whom the Son reveales him saith our Saviour And because it was impossible to know God without God he therefore brings men by his Word to the knowledge of himselfe whom to know is life eternall saith Irenaeus Some few blind Notions I deny not are yet left in corrupt Nature and to bee found still in some few that have not already torne them out that they may sin without controll or at least lock them up in restraint as the Philosophers that held the truth prisoner in unrighteousnesse Rom. 1.18 But these common principles are now alasse so depraved defaced and as it were covered over with cobweb and other drosse like the carved stones in the rubbish of a ruined Palace as that they serve but to render us inexcusable Especially sith in men of corrupt minds Gods image is wholly wip'd out and those remnants or footsteps thereof utterly extinct When wine is powred out of a cup the sides are yet moist but when it is rinsed and wiped there remaines not the least taste or tincture therof Even so that glimmering of Divine light left in the naturall man is so put out by obstinacy in an evill course that not the least spark thereof appeares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 2.14 He that is no more than a meere animal that hath no more than pure nature in him perceiveth not the things of God as having neither sight nor light organ nor object illuminated as the true Christian who hath his eyes in his head Eccles 2.14 and God who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse shining upon his heart 2 Cor. 4.6 in the face of Jesus Christ The Chineses use to say of themselves Descript of the World cap. of China and Cathaia that all other Nations of the World see but with one eye they only with two Sure it is that naturall men have but one eye wherewith some thing they may see that transcends not the light of reason But for spirituall things they are acutè obtusi Lusciosi siquando oculorum aciem inâ—endunt minus vident Lud. Viv. more blind than beetles To the Law therefore and to the Testimonies for if any speak not according to these it is because there is no light in them The Law is a light Lex Lux. Prov. 6 23. Psal 119. 2 Pet. 1. saith Salomon a lamp and lanthorne saith David a light shining in a dark place saith Peter And the Grace of God that is the doctrine of Gods grace the Gospel hath appeared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 2.11 12. as a Beacon on an hill or as the Sun in heaven teaching us the whole and sum of a Christians duty viz. that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts saying peremptory nay to all such importunate suitors we should live soberly Haec tria perpetuâ— med tare adverbia Pauli Haec tria sint vitae regula sancta tuae righteously and godly in this present evill world Loe here is our task in three words such as the Scripture only can teach and give us to performe Diodorus Siculus tels us that among the Egyptians when any good man dyed his holinesse righteousnesse and sobernesse were wont to be commemorated and commended by his surviving friends 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But these alas were but seeming vertues in those poore Ethnicks or rather shining sins beautifull abhominations Heb 9.14 dead works as our Apostle cals them because they proceeded not from a principle of life Eph. 4.18 that life of God or godly life to the which they were meere strangers through the ignorance that was in them of Gods holy Word the rule of righteousnesse Hence it was that all they did must needs be defective and insincere and that not onely quoad fontem as I have said but quoad fimm too For the utmost end they aimed at in al they did was to be seen and to be talked of All was theatricall histrionicall hypocriticall And so they might excell to see to those that are truly sanctified in morall vertues and outward performances as Actors upon a Stage may for the outward resemblance go beyond them whom they personate and whose acts they represent witnesse those hypocrits in Esay the Pharisees in the Gospel Esay 58. Math. 6. and that proud Patriarch that first affected the name of Vniversall Bishop who was for his frequent fasting sirnamed Nesteutes Iohannes ille qui Gregorii Magni tempore nomen Vniversalis Episcopi affectabat à jejuniis Nesteutae nomen obtinuit Vssierus Mercedem suam non Dei Hiero. or the Faster But this was neither of God nor for God and
must first beleev the truth and integrity of the Scriptures because they are of God and then we shall know whether these things are of God or not And why should this seeme so unreasonable to any man Mahomets dictates may not bee disputed on paine of death The Pope though he draw thousands to â—ell with him yet no man must dare say so much as what doest thou The Fryars though their Governors command them a voyage to China or Peru Sands his Survey of West p. 18 without dispute or delay they are presently to set forward Sicum Angelo iniissescolloqutii avocame Superiore actutù nest obtemperandum Si Bâ—ata Virgo sua praesentia freter ulum dignaretur interpellante vel suo inseriore non debut manere D. Prid. in Eudaemond Ioh. ex Epist ad fratres in Lusitan To argue or debate on their Superiours Mandats were high presumption to search their reasons proud curiosity to detract or disobey them breach of vow equall to sacriledge Such authority do these men usurpe such absolute and blind obedience doe they exact of their Vassals and votaries Oh give God the glory of beleeving and obeying him simply and only because he speakes it Rom. 4.20 Deo agnito collaudato ut Luc. 17.18 and for his bare words sake This is to glorifie God indeed as Abraham did being strong in faith and not doubting of the promise This is to set to our seale that God is true This is to give him a testimoniall as it were Joh. 3.33 such as is that Deut. 32.4 A God of truth and without iniquity just and righteous is he than the which I know not what greater honour can be done the Creatour by the creature or befall the creature from the Creator Contrary to Iam. 3.1 Math. 23.8 Those Masters of opinions as Magistri nostri Parisienses for so they will needs bee called are to be exploded that seek to obtrude upon Gods inheritance their conceits and placits the brood of their own braine without sound proofe of Scripture Wee should sooner beleeve even a lay-man saith honest Panormitan affirming any thing according to Gods word than a full Councell determining besides or against the word Let us stand saith S. Basil Stemus arbitratui inspiratae à Deo Scripturae apud quos inveniuntur dogmata divinis oraculis consimâ— illis veritas adjudicetur sententia Epist 8◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 17.11 Heb. 5.14 1 Iohn 4.1 1 Thess 5.20 Math. 23.8 to the arbitrement of holy Scripture and let them bee thought to have the truth on their side whose opinions are found agreeable thereunto The Beraans would not trust S. Pauls doctrine till they had tried it and are therefore commended as more generous or better-descended then those of Thessalonica that did not so Those dull Hebrews also are sharply censured by our author for not having all that while their senses better exercised to discerne good and evill to try the spirits to prove all things and hold fast that which is good Christ is the only Rabbin the irrefragable Doctor Prov. 8.8 Rev. 5.5 Math. 7.24 the Ipse dixit all the words of whose mouth are right words He only was found worthy to open the seales of the book he taught with authority and not as the Scribes All the confirmation he used against all their corrupt glosses set upon the Law was Verily verily I say unto you It hath been thus and this said of old c. But I say unto you Sometime t is true hee prooved his doctrine by Scripture but this was either for the weaknes of those whom he instructed according to that these things speake I not for any other need but that ye may be saved John 5.34 whence hee called the Law which he alledged their Law Iohn 8.17 or else to confirme to them the authority of the Scriptures and leave us an example John 13.15 For otherwise if he but say to the righteous It shall go well with him Isay 3.10 11. and but say to the wicked the reward of his hands shal be given unto him it is suerty security enough H. b. 6.13 As he sweares by himselfe because he hath none greater by whom to sweare so he affirmes of himself and needs not confirme it by any other his naked assertion is selfe-sufficient his authority most authentike his bare word to bee taken without any further proofe or pawne Thus it ought to be with all but thus alas it is not with most men now-adayes who deale with the faithfull God as they would do with some slippery persons or patching companions trust him no further than they see him or than they can see cause or reason to yeeld unto him such of his precepts as crosse their carnall humors and corrupt dispositions they give no credit to but are ready to rise up against them as a Horse against his rider and to reply with Pharaoh who is the Lord that I should obey him 1 Sam. 25.11 or with Nabal to Davids servants shall I take my bread and my water and my flesh and give it to men I know not they will needs turne schollars to their owne reason though they are sure to have a foole to their Master they looke upon Gods Jordan with Syrian eyes as Naaman Iohn 3. and after all ask with Nicodemus How can these things bee The like we may say for the menaces of Gods mouth those terrible threats of the Law against mens loose and lewd practices these they think to put off as those miscreants in the Gospel Luc. 20.16 with a God forbid They take up bucklers straight against the strokes of the Spirits sword and boldly blesse themselves when God curseth Deut. 19.19 which is that enraging sinne that God cannot speake of with any patience but is therefore absolute in threatning because he will be resolute in punishing And deale not many as ill with him in the matter of his promises which bee they never so faithfull sayings and therefore worthy of all acceptation 1 Tim. 1.15 yet either they be above ordinary beleefe as Gods plenty in Samaria was to that infidell Prince of Ahab or 2 King 7. 2. not presently performed as soone as ever the word is out of his mouth they distrustfully cry out where is the promise of his comming 2 Pet. 3.4 2 King 6.33 What should J waite for the Lord any longer Surely GOD hath forsaken the earth forgotten to bee mercifull c. But is it fit to prescribe to tâ—e Almightie Psalme 78.41 to limit the holy one of Israel to send for God by a Post and to set him a time or els he comes too late as those Bethulians in Iudith did The Chinois whip their Gods when they come not at a call help not at a pinch Deale not these men as coursely with the Lord upon the matter whom they eftsoons distrust and basely withdraw from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
books there is no end Eccles 12.12 and much study is a wearinesse to the flesh It duls the spirits wearies the body marres the eyes those Musarum perspicilli Diestius as one tearms them wasts the marrow spends the time shortens the life but brings no sound satisfactory knowledge He that loveth reading of humane Authors I meane shall not be satisfied with reading Eccles 1.8 as the Eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the Eare with hearing As those that have a flux though they take in much yet are neither fuller nor fatter Multi propter arborem screntie amitâ—unt arborem vitae And which is worse many for the tree of knowledge sake loose the tree of life as one saith Like Jsrael in Egypt they are scattered all over the Land to pick up straws to load themselves with thick clay Habac. 2.6 not minding that which mainly concerns them the knowledge of the Scriptures Discamuâ— in terris quorum scientia perseveret nobiscum in coelis Hierom. the learning of that out of the Bible here on Earth that may stick to them for ever in Heaven These seek after asses with Saul after servants with Shimei and loose themselves therewhile They drinke deepest of those Authours whereof to sip were sufficient sith we may sooner surfet than satiate our selves of such The epitomâ— of Tostatus upon Matthew containes above a thousand pages iâ— folio I speak not only of those fabulous and frivolous fancies But books of better note and use there are not a few in this scribling age which yet by their intolerable prolixity are over-tiresome and tedious to the intelligent Reader Salmeron hath his twelve volumes upon the Euangelists Sixt Senens Bibl l. 4. Occiditque legen do plurima potius quam optima scrib the gains will not pay for the pains As voluminous Tostatus trifling Turrion and Salmeron that wearieth and well nigh killeth his Reader with infinite discourses De verbis Dominae that is Of the words that the Virgin Mary spake to the Angell and to her cousin Elizabeth Ex cutab Nundini Autumn A. 1671. tenent insanabile nultos Scribendi cacoâ—thes Iuven. twelve Books distinguisht into two tomes were printed at Venice Anno Dom. 1617. Paleattus Arch-Bishop of Bonony made a great Book of the shadow of Christs body in a Sindon and it was commented upon by the Professour of Divinity there Wolphius mem lect pitty it were that he had had not written somthing of that holy relique the taile of that asse wheron our Saviour rode which they shew at Genua and adore with great humility Amidst all which masse and multitude of books wherwith the world is now-adaies pestered who sees it not a sweet mercy and just matter of thankfulnesse that we have so much in so few the whole will of God compacted and contrived into so little a volume that we may make it our vade mecum our constant companion and counsellor Melch. Adam de vit Ger. theol as Plato did his Sophron George Prince of Anhalt his Siracides Cr nmer his new Testament which he learnâ—d by heart in his voyage to and from Rome Act. and Mon. whither he was sent by King Henry the eighth about the divorce Especially since it is of so excellent and exquisite use good for all occasions and in all things necessary so plain and perspicuous that we need seek no further so full and perfect that it is able to make not the Vulgar only as Bellarmine somewhere grants but the man of God thoroughly furnished that is the Minister himself who in Francis Junius his judgement needs no more books in his study besides the Bible but Cevallerius his Hebrew Grammar Calvins Jnstitutions and Beza's Confession And yet he is both to know and declare the whole counsell of God For if Varro the Romane upbraided the Heathen Priests and worthily that there were many things in their rites and Religions Viviâ— in Aug. de civ Dei lib 4 cap. 1. wherof they were ignorant How much more unseemly is it in a Minister of the Gospell that hath so large a direction in so little a volume not to preserve and present knowledge to the people Fourthly who seeth not a mercy in this that we have the Scriptures so well digested and distinguished by Books Chapters and Verses whereby with the helpe of Tables and Concordances especially we can easily and readily turn to any place we need or desire In the Apostles times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all they could say for the help of the hearer was It is written or it is contained in the Scripture as 1 Pet. 2.6 without particular quoting the place where After this they had their partitions Lege Casaub Not. in Mat. 1. sections speciall portions of Scripture set out but Chapters were not heard of as now till the yeare of grace 1195. nor verses till alate devised by Robert Stevens that learned French Printer Scultet Annot. in Marc. a great ease both to the Preacher and Reader Fifthly that it comes to us so light cheap is cause of thankfullnesse which our godly Ancestours so hardly got and gladly bought at so deare a rate some of them gave five marks some more some lesse for a Booke in King Henry the eigths dayes some gave a load of hay for a few Chapters of Saint James or of Saint Paul in English Act. and Monfol 756. To see their travells charges earnest seeking burning zeale readings watchings sweet assemblies love concord c. may make us now in these our dayes of free profession blush for shame Plato for three books gave thirty thousand florens S. Hieromâ— learnt Hebrew with the hazard of his life Capnio paid a Jew that read Hebrew to him at Rome for so many houres so many crownes in gold The Booke of books the best of all Authors commeth now to us upon easiest tearms and rates so exactly translated Iohnst de Naturae constan Neand Chron pa. 144. so fairly printed as was never seen before Adde hereunto in the sixth place that God in these last dayes especially hath sent and stirâ—d up many burning and shining lamps many diligent and dexterous interpreters to lay all levell and plain afore us to break the shell that we may come at the kernell * Iudg. 7.15 to roll away the stone from the Wells mouth to remoove rubs and difficulties to clear dark and doubtfull places so that not only Jacob and his sons Schollers and Ministers but also the cattell and the sheep that is the illiterate and ignorant may drink freely of these waters of the Sanctuary as Origen allegorically expounds it Origen contra Celsum The Jewes also had their Interpreters Hence that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.20 Where is the wise that is the teachers of traditions Where is the Scribe that is the text-men that stuck to the litterall interpretation Where is the disputer of this world that is the teachers
of Mysteries and Allegories which minister Questions rather than edifying which is in Faith 1 Tim. 1.4 and are no better faith one at best then the froth of the Scriptures But how weakly and corruptly these exercises were performed by those slubbering Priests and blind Pharisees of old our Saviour partly shewes and confates in the Gospell And how poorly and slenderly by the Friars and postillars alate is well to be seen in their writings at this day extant Scarce was there any Commentary on the Bible for many hundred years better than the glosse of Orleans Hugo de sancto Claro and Peter Comestor by all which the Scriptures were as a clasped Scriptures were as a clasped book even to the simpler sort of their Clergy Certain Monkes there were that took it for a singular glory to write upon the Revelation but such wretched Note as Thomas and Nicholas and after them to mend the matter Passavantius made upon that excellent Work De civitate Dei Wherby they have bemired and utterly marred the sense of it as Erasmus shews in the Proverb Asinus ad paleas Scultet Annal. dec 2 p. 117. Apocalypsis saith Faber the Augustinian comes of Apo re and clipsor velo And Alexius Grad the Dominican as Bucer relateth it said that he had read somewhere in the Dictionaries that Cephas signifieth a head and that therefore Peter was head of the Church This buzzard saw not what the Evangelist had so plainely set downe that Cephas signifieth a Rocke to be skilfull in the Greek tongue was in those dayes superstitious but to be an Hebrician was little lesse then hereticall Latine was so ill understood of many of their Priests that he held himselfe sufficiently well excused from paving the Church-way with the rest of his neighbours that could alledge for his purpose that of Jeremy Paveant illi Alex. Cook ego non paveant Another for Sumpsimus read Mumpsimus and because he had long used it so would not alter it for any admonition Parens when he was young begging an almes according to a superstitious custome of those times had this answer from a Fryer Becman de Orig ling lat Nos pauperi fratres nos nihil habemus an piscimus an caro an panis an misericordia habemus And if any went about to shew them their bard and barbarous mistakes they shrowded themselves under that of Gregory In vita Parei operib praefix Non debent verba coelestis or aculi subesse regulis Donati Now God hath graciously removed this Remora to the profitable reading of his sacred word by stirring up studious men to labour after learning which was almost banished out of the world and all places ore-spread with basenesse and barbarisme Look how in the first plantation of the Gospell in Europe he shipped the Arts before into Greece that they might be Harbingers unto it as Tertullian speaketh or as Hierom the munition to batter the sorts of the wise meaning of send the souldiers soon after So in the reviving of the Gospell in the late Reformation there seemed to goe before it a general resurrection of all humane learning and the effectuall means of all this that nobâ—e invention of Printing which seems reserved to the waightiest times of the Church even the revealing of the Westerne Antichrist Melancth Chron l. 5. Wherunto that Easterne Antichrist hath lent us his hand I mean the Turke that never did any good to Christendom but this and this against his will in sending the Greeke tongue by the sack of Constantinople and ruin of Greece into these Westerne climates Thus canes lingunt ulcera Lazari Gods will is done by the wicked though beside their intention He hath given gifts to men even to the rebellious Psal 68.18 common gifts of illumination interpretation c. That he may dwell on Earth to wit in his Religion and Worshippers who being wise Merchants besides the pearle of price seek also other goodly pearles Mat. 13.45 46. make much of common gifts bestowed many times upon unsound and unsanctified Interpreters for their behoofe and benefit It is well said in the Law that apices iuris non est ius It is as true in Divinity that the letter of the word is not every where the Word of God but the right meaning therof Gods Word foolishly understood is none of his Verbum Dei stolidè intellectum non est verbum Dei saith Theodoret. The occasion scope phrase of the Holy Ghost coherence consent with other places is well to be weighed For our help hereunto and that we may read with judgement Christ in his wonderfull Ascention gave gifts to men some Apostles Rom. 10.14 Gal. 3.2 Act. 8.30 Mal. 2.7 some Prophets c. with charge not only to propound to his people the word in grosse but also fruitfully expound it rightly divide it fitly apply it be as so many speaking Commentaries upon it non libro sed labro conservantes scientiam bringing forth new and old store as good Scribes and speaking home to mens hearts to edification exhortation and comfort 1 Cor. 14.13 This this is to do the work of an Evangelist for every sound is not Musicke nor every Pulpit-Discourse preaching and is therfore perhaps tearmed prophecying by Saint Paul because the matter of Preaching in those daies was the Scriptures of the Prophets in opening whereof the Servants of God were then especially conversant As also now the Church blessed bee GOD abounds with those that want for no parts that spare for no paines but as Candles waste themselves to give light to others and as clouds sweete themselves to death for common benefit lay forth their talents to the utmost that they may lay all knots and cragges levell pave men a path-way to Christ and so give them the knowledge of Salvation by the Remission of their sinnes Luk. 1.77 Thus Paul reason'd with the Jews of Thessalonica out of the Scriptures opening and alledging c. laying it before their eyes as the word signifies and making it as cleare as the noone-day light by expresse testimony of the word and due deduction therehence Acts 17 3,4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ob oculos ponens iâ— tam manisestè exponens quà m cernimus quae spectanda proponuntur Beza that this Jesus whom J preach unto you saith the Text is Christ And this is still the guise of all godly Preachers to ground their Discourses upon the written word pressing the people either with the very direct words or firme consequences as our Saviour dealt by the Sadduces Math. 22.32 And Saint Paul by the Corinthians 1 Ep. 7.10 To the married J command yet not J but the Lord let not the wife depart from her husband In so many words the Lord hath not said it but plainly for the sense when hee said Therfore shall a man leave Father and mother and cleave to his wife And againe That which God hath ioyned together let no
not beene bred a scholler I have wife and children to take care for c. But what saith he to this Audite obsecro seculares omnes Homil 9. in ep ad Coloss comparate vobis Biblia animae pharmaca Hearken ye lay-men get yee Bibles the physicke for your soules If you cannot read get others to reade them to you as yee will do your deeds and evidences Blessed are they that read in case they cannot reade heare the words of this Prophecy Rev. 1.3 The Scriptures are called the Word as if all the use of our eares were to heare this Word Get you Bibles therefore and if you count it a shame not to have fit furniture for your houses decent attire for your bodies or attendance for your persons thinke it much more shame to be without Bibles or having them to cast them into corners or tosse them up and down the house Blunts voyage into the Levant as old Almanacks The Jewes in their Synagogues carry the Law in procession usually all about at the end of Service with many ornaments of Crownes and Scepters the children kissing it as it passeth by them In their private houses they never lay any other booke upon the Bible they wash their hands before they touch it they will not sit upon the bench where it lies as often as they open and shut it they use to kisse it and if it but fall to the ground they institute a fast for it Surely their excessive reverence to the Word will rise up in judgement against our heathenish prophanenesse and hatefull heedlesnesse The very Turkes at this day doe so admire Moses Parei proleg in Genes that if they light upon loose or torne papers wherein any thing of his is written they take it up and kisse it Their owne Alchoran is to be read in Arabike under paine of death not to mistake a letter Lightsoots Miscell p. 127. which is as easily done in this tongue as in any And amongst those Mahometans of Morocco Rel. of entert of Mor. Emb. pag 36. the Talby or priest that cannot reade the Alchoran all over on their Good-Friday at night is held unworthy of his place and preferment Indeed they require none to heare them but such as can well awhile Turk Hist But S. Chrysostome besides what 's done at home will have his hearers make a while to attend to the publike reading of the Word Hom. 28. in Gen. Obsecro ut subinde huc veniatis c. bringing their Bibles with them See for this Nehem. 8.3 9. 2 Chron. 34.30 Act. 13.15 15.21 1 Thess 5.27 Coloss 4.16 The Epistle to the Colossians must be read in the Church of the Laodiceans and not onely so but the Colossians must reade the Epistle from Laodicea But what Epistle was that Quest may some say and where is it Some think the Laodiceans wrote to the Apostle Answ and propounded their doubts unto which he hath answered in that Epistle to the Colossians Bifield in coloss and therefore required that his answer may be compared with their doubts Other good bookes then may be read and publikely too but especially the Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same word in Hebrew signifies reading and a Convocation or Assembly And another word in that tongue signifies to reade and meditate to shew that we must not read the Scripture as we doe a History for delight nor run it over onely as an Ephemeris or day-book nor turne it over the thumbe as a taske but with pause and deliberation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coloss 3.16 never giving over till it dwell richly in us become familiar to us and be as well knowne of us as those of the same house yea as our owne brethren and sisters Say unto Wisedome thou art my sister and call understanding thy kinswoman Prov. 4.7 He that knowes not his own flesh and blood we count him a singular ideot so doth the Lord all such as are unskilled in his Word Who would not thinke shame to be counted and called as rude as a horse as ignorant as an asse Behold God esteemes no better of such as are not skilfull in the Scriptures Psal 32.9 Esay 1.3 be they otherwise never so profound and politique Wherefore read and let him that readeth understand Mat. 24.15 And that you may take these directions in reading Sect. 2. FIrst reade though thou understandest not Chrysost ser. 3. de Lazaro God may graciously drop some further light into thee as he sent Philip to the Eunuch even whiles thou art reading or some other time when thou least look'st for it Joseph understood not his owne dreames at first till he saw his brethren prostrate before him Gen. 42.9 Then Joseph remembred the dreames that he dreamed of them J remember saith Jehu to Bidkar when thou and I rode after Ahab 2 King 9.25 the Lord laid this burden upon him These things understood not his Disciples at first but when Jesus was glorified then remembred they that these things were written of him and that they had done these things unto him Ioh. 12.16 Ioh. 2.22 The Spirit came not upon Saul in the annoynting but afterwards when he was departed from Samuel 1 Sam. 10.1 6 5. My Beloved was gone saith the Spouse my soule failed when he spake or because of his speech that he had uttered Cant. 5 2-6 but she for present either heard not or heeded not Open unto mee my sister c. Gods Word lies sometimes as the seed under a clod or as the Sun under a cloud it appeares not affects not for the present as John Baptists preaching wrought not for diverse yeares after it was delivered and then it did till it be seconded by some powerfull Sermon Ioh. 10 4â— 41. as there or some piercing crosse as Joh. 14.26 or unexpected accident Acts 10.34 c. Goe on therefore constantly in thy Christian course of reading as Job did Chap. 23.12 and be not dismayed with any difficulties as David who when he understood he should be put upon hard and hot service it pleased him well 1 Sam. 18 2◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 1.3 Onely as S. Luke wrote so must you reade in an orderly manner beginning at the beginning of the booke we undertake and so continue reading till you come to the end of it Account not any part of this venerable Volume to be superfluous or super-vacaneous not inscriptions saith Chrysostome not iterations say we or expletives or any the least jot or tittle saith our Saviour but all pure precious and profitable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For if Hippocrates could say of his faculty of physick that there was nothing to be accounted little in it nothing contemptible Platonici in corporibus coelestibus quendam veluti florem in hisce inferioribus quandam veluti â—aeâ—em esse dicebant c. Mureti Orat. how much more may we say the
Word is his arme to gather his Saints about him out of the world his power of salvation to as many as beleeve his mighty weapon of warre to cast downe strong holds his charriot of state whereon the King of glory rides triumphantly into the hearts of his chosen Upon those white horses his holy Apostles the Lord Christ rode with a crowne on his head Britannorum inaccessa Romanis loca Christo vero subdita Advers Iudaeos cap. 7. and another in his hand conquering and to conquer Tertullian tells the Jewes that those places among the Britaines that the Romanes could never come at were soone subdued by Christ De nat door Britanni hospitibus feri Hor. carm l. 3. od 3. Hospiâ—es mactabunt pro hostia Acron Vt à sole longè distabant c. Bond in loc Tully tells us that the Britaine 's in his time were every whit as barbarous and bruitish as the Scythians S. Hierome makes frequent mention of this our Island but so as he ever opposeth it to some other well-ordered country Wilde our forefathers were and wicked above measure fierce and inhospitall not further remote from the Sun than from the Sun of righteousnesse yea from all civility and humanity little better than those poore people of Brasil who are said to be sine fide sine lege sine rege without religion law or good government till Christ the King came with his bow in his hand to wit his mighty Gospel wherewith he wounds his elect to conversion his enemies to confusion But as wee were of the first that received the Gospel so likewise among the first that fell from the purity thereof putting our neckes under the yoke of Antichristian tyranny and bondage Among all those authentique Records of the Popes usurpations Hist of Trent by Laugh pres It was truly and trimly said by Pope Innocent 4. Ve◠è enim hertus deliciatum Papis fuâ—â— tum Anglia putâ—us mexhaustus none more wofull tragedies are found of his cruelty than such as were acted upon our stage no higher trophies erected to his ambition than here no more rare examples of a devout abused patience than ours England was called the Popes Asse for bearing his intolerable burdens and became at length his feudatary so leaving Gods blessing for the warme Sunne Posiquam Deo ut dixi reconciliatus me ac mea regna prob dolor Romanae subjeci Ecclâ—siae nulla mihi prospera sed omnia adversa evenerunt â—ex Ioâ—â—n as King John found it to his cost and complained but without remedy Neverthelesse this we retaine still to the glory of our Nation that as wee were the first of those ten Kingdomes Rev. 17. in defection so were we first in reformation and that such as the former age had despaired of the present admires and the future shall be amazed at The establishing of this reformation wrought amongst â—s by the mighty Word of Gods grace to be done by so weake and simple meanes yea by casuall and crosse meanes Sands Relation as one speaketh against the force of so potent and politike an adversary the beast whom all the world wondred after this is that miracle that wee are in these last times to looke for As Joshuah subdued Jericho by Rams-hornes Gideon the Midianites by lamps and trumpets Jehosaphat the Ethiopians by musicall instruments so Christ by the onely sound of his word without drawing weapon subdued us to the faith Those Angels the first Reformers were set and sent to flye in the midst of heaven with the everlasting Gospel and to cry Feare God and give glory to him by abdicating and abrenounâ—ing those your hereticall tenets and doctrines of devils that you may receive the truth in love and be saved Rev. 14.7 And this is somewhat to prove the point in hand But there is yet a further mighty worke of the word whereby it well appeares and approves it self to be the very word of God and that is the effectuall conversion of a sinner from the errour of his way Not from the errour of his minde onely but of his manners also For the minde may be throughly convinced and yet the man not truly converted A pagan or papagan for instance must give two turnes ere he turne indeed As corn must not onely be threshed out of the straw but afterwards winnowed out of the chaffe so must a Papist turne not onely from his popery but from his prophanenesse Pacian in epist ad Sempton he must have Catholike for his name and Christian for his sirname not onely be no Papist but a zealous Protestant he must bee of those valiant ones in Esay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 11.12 Arripiunt vel diripiunt ut citatur ab Hilar. Metaph. A castris aut arce quapiam quae irrumpentibus hostâ—bus diripitur and of those violent ones in the Gospel that take Gods kingdome by maine force as those doe that take a strong castle or a defenced city or as the people of Israel invaded and surprized the promised land There are that rest in a carelesse indifferency or a negative goodnesse at the best as it is said of Ithacius that the hatred of Priscillianisme so now adayes of Popery was all the vertue that he had * Hooker ex Sulpitio But the Scripture gives more grace saith Saint James Iames 4. more than conviction of the judgement Acts 20.32 it gives inheritance among them that are sanctified saith Paul It converts the soule saith David Psal 19.7 It quickens those that were dead in sinnes and trespasses Eph. 2.1 as a savour of life for it is heare Isai 55.3 and your soules shall live And when the spirit feeles it selfe dead and decayed as in a relapse into some foule sin this good Word revives it as the breath of God did those dry bones in Ezechiel Ruth 4.15 as Boaz is said to be a restorer of the old age of Naomi The words that I speake unto you Iohn 6.63 they are spirit and life saith Jesus Non cum Iesu itis quippe itis cum Iesuitis Heidfeld E societate Iesu suit qui illum nefariè prodidit Psal 119.68 not a brute and dead thing as the Jesuites basely slander it but quicke and powerfull as our Authour hath it The Word both hath life gives life as David saith of God the Authour of it Thou art good and dost good as the Sunne both hath light and diffuseth light And as the beams of the Sunne beating upon a fitly disposed matter beget life and make a living creature so doth this Word of God applyed to the consciences make a new-creature Mannah was but a small thing but of great vertue so is the word I can speak it by experieÌ„ce saith Erasmus Expertus sum in meipso patum esse fructus ex Evangelia siquis oscitanter persunctoriè legat c. Praefat in Lucam that there is little good
above their necessary food with Job Iob 23.12 who had rather misse a meale then not reade his taske that shall exhale and spend his spirits fainting and panting in continuall sallyes as it were Psal 119.97 and egressions of affection to Gods Word as David did that shall understand Gods Will by bookes as Daniel Dan. 9.2 who had learn'd the number of the yeares out of Jeremy and got light to the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzars dreame out of Ezechiel Dan. 2. with Ezek. 31.3 c. Christ himselfe hath honoured Reading with his owne Example for he came to Nazareth and Luk 4.16 as his custome was stood up to reade the Scriptures He hath also bidden us Search the Scriptures search here as for hid treasures with delight and diligence as those noble Bereans Not carelesly and cursorily as the moderne Jewes Sr. Edw Sands who are as reverend in their Synagogues Sic ut posset quivis animo advertere quod servet illam pro conâ—uetudine potius quam proâ— religione reverentiam Epist 1. lib. 1. Nil obiter as Grammar boyes are at Schoole when their Master is absent Not customarily and of forme onely as Sidonius reports of Theodoricus that he did his devotions more of custome then of conscience Not suddenly or in hast but with preparation pause and deliberation ever having oculum ad scopum which was Lud Vives his Motto an eye to the maine intent of that Text we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not with hearts and thoughts distracted and dissipated but called in and concentred on the businesse in hand as the Sun-beames in a glasse or as the lines in the middle of a circle Beseeching God to fix our quicksilver and to hold our hearts to the good abearance Psal 119.12 that wee may hide Gods Word therein with David melt at it as Josiah lay it up as the Virgin Mary Sabellicus who is said to have spent a third part of her time in reading the Scriptures Sure it is shee was excellently well versed in them as appeares by her Song Neither shee onely Contra Appl. on lib. 2. but any one of us Jewes saith Josephus being asked about any point of the Law can answer as readily as tell you his owne name Celebrantur seduli in lectitandis sacris Malcolm in Act. 6.5 Among those seven first Deacons Acts 6. Prochorus Nicanor and Timon are famous for their diligence in reading the Scriptures Of Anthony the Hermite it is reported that though he knew no letter on the book yet he could readily repeate the whole Scripture by heart Aug de doct Christ And of Johannes Gatius a certaine Divine of Sicily Alsted Chronol p. 267. that he was so well skilled in the Bible that he thought if it were utterly lost out of the world he could for a need restore it Of Nepotian S. Hierom testifieth that by much reading and meditation of the Scriptures Pectus suum Bibliothecam Christi â—ffecâ—sset he had made his bosome that Library of Christ As of Cecilia it is said that shee carried alwaies the Gospell of Christ in her breast Euseb l. 6. c 3. Origen was from his cradle inured to remember and recite the holy Scriptures Basil epist 74. and Basil was taught them of a child by his nurse Macrina Didymus Alexandrinus though blind from his child-hood yet was not onely a good Artist but an able Divine and wrote certaine Commentaries on the Psalmes Hieron in Catalo vir illustrium Initio dial cum Tryphone D. Prid Lect. and Gospels being now saith S. Hierom above 83 yeares of age Justine the Philosopher and Cyprian the Necromancer as some conceive it were converted by reading So were S. Austin and Fulgentius and of late Franciscus Junius was turned from Atheisme by reading the first Chapter of S. Johns Gospell In vita operibus praefixa as himselfe confesseth in his life Others have hereby beene notably prepared for conversion as the Bereans Acts 17.11 and other Jewes who were more easily wrought upon by the Apostles preaching because so well acquainted with the Scriptures there was no need of quoting the places to them it was sufficient to name the words onely Reading with attention and application breeds both knowledge and conscience Mat. 24.15 Dan. 9.2 teacheth Gods holy feare and transformeth us into the same image as the pearle by the often beating of the Sun beames upon it becomes radient as the Sun and as Moses by conversing with God came downe from the holy Mount with his face shining It seasons the heart that it be not drown'd in earthly vanities illightens the judgement helpes the memory comforts the conscience composeth the affections keepes the King himselfe who hath more temptations from pride and selfe-confidence Deut. 17. It keepes out worldly cares dulls carnall delights strengthneth faith inflameth love directeth the whole life secretly yet sweetly drawes a man above the world above himselfe so that he converseth with God is in Heaven afore-hand he eates and drinkes and sleepes eternall life S. Jerome writes of certaine holy Women so devoted this way In regula saâ—ct ut caro esset paenè nescia carnis they seemed in place onely remote but in affection to joyne with that holy company of Heaven Hoscus de Expr. verb. Dei Cyril Alex. lib 6. Cont. Iulian. What meaneth then that foule-mouthed Cardinall to affirme that a distaffe were fitter for a woman then a Bible Julian indeed the Apostate upbraideth the Christians that their women were medlers with the Scriptures But Jerome highly commends it in his Eustochium Salvina Celantia Paula and her maidens whom shee set to learne the Scriptures And S. Chrysostome calles upon his hearers to search the Scriptures and sharply reprooves them for that they could not say Psalmes Hom. 3. in Mat. and other portions of Scripture by heart It is a lamentable thing that most people have either so much or so little to doe that they can never find time to looke into the Scriptures to any purpose If they reade yet they profit not either because they are carnall and savour not the things of the Spirit Among Iewes the Rabbi sate termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Scholler 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that lies along in the dust at the teachers seet Psal 25.9 or their hearts are yet stuft with pride and passions or cares and lusts or they sit not at Gods feet as Paul at Gamaliels as Mary at our Saviours to receive his Word or they reade but now and then or but here and there and not in order and with due observation or they pray not or they propound not their doubts and seeke satisfaction Some thinke it sufficient to say they are not book-learn'd neither can they skill of this Scripture-learning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys ibid. This was the old excuse in Chrysostomes time I am no Monk I have