the King when he should sit upon the Throne of his kingdome to write a Copie of this Law Deut. 17.18 and the Iewes adde further that he was bound to write out two copies one which he should keepe in his treasurie and another which he should carry about with him and they say moreover if Printing had beene found out then yet hee was bound to write them out with his owne hand Thirdly the Lord commanded the Prophets to write their visions upon Tables 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocant Graeci and to make them plaine Habak 2.2 Esay 8.1 and the Seventy read it to be graven upon the bush tree which is a sort of wood that corrupteth not and it will preserve that which is written upon it and it were to the worlds end Bookes necessary for the Church albeit lost yet they were found againe Fourthly when any booke which was necessary for the use of the Church was lost the Lord had a care that that booke should be found againe as the booke of the law found by Hilkiah 2 King 22.8 Or the Lord endited it anew againe when it was lost as when Iehojakim cut the roule of the lamentations of Ieremie yet the Lord inspired him a new againe to indite this booke to his Scribe Baruch Iere. 36.32 because he thought it necessary still for the Church therefore he would not have it to perish Fiftly in that generall destruction which the Babylonians made at Ierusalem burning their houses and robbing them of their goods The Israelites kept the musicall instruments in the captivity to put them in minde of the worship of God yet as Hierome and Basil observe well it was a speciall providence of God that they should leave to those captives their instruments of Musicke wherewith they used to serve God in the Temple that they might preserve some memorie of their former worship they brought these instruments to Babel with them Psal 137.2 we hung our harpes on willowes If the Lord had such a care of these instruments to have them preserved for his praise much more care had he to have the Scriptures preserved which taught them to worship and he who had a particular care of the parts of the Scripture before it was compleate and numbreth the haires of our heads Matth. 10.30 and the starres of the heavens Psal 147.4 will he not have a speciall care that none of these Bookes should perish which are canonicall That fable of Esdras then is to be rejected lib. 4. The fable of Esdras rejected cap. 4.23 So cap. 14.21 to the 24. verse he sheweth how the booke of God was lost in the Captivity and that Esdras the Scribe by holy inspiration wrote it all anew againe but this is false see we not how Daniel read out of the prophesie of Ieremie how long the captivitie should last Dan. 2.9 The booke of God then was not lost in the captivity and written anew againe by Esdras Esdras wrote nothing of the Scriptures but onely set the bookes in order but onely he set the bookes in order after the captivity nihil ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fecit sed ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee did nothing in correcting the booke of God but onely set it downe in order But we reade often times in the Scriptures of many Bookes wanting now which were extant before as the Bookes of the battels of the Lord Ans Num. 21.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By this it cannot bee inferred that any canonicall booke is perished for this word Sepher signifieth a relation as well by word as by write Secondly although wee grant that it was a written booke yet it will not follow that it was a holy Booke Thirdly although we grant that it was an holy booke yet it will not follow that it was a canonicall booke The bookes of the Chronicles of the Kings of Iuda and Israel were but civill records Some things written by the Prophets not as they were Prophets and belonged nothing to the canon of the Scriptures Secondly some bookes that were written by the Prophets were not written by them as they were Prophets Salomon wrote of Hearbes Trees and Plants 1 King 4.33 But what bookes were these They were but bookes of things which were under the Moone and of things corruptible and because they served not for the edification of the Church afterwards Hezekiah buried Salomons bookes of physick therefore the Lord suffered them to perish Suidas saith that the booke which Salomon wrote of Physicke was affixed upon the gate in the entrie of the Temple and because the people trusted too much in it neglecting the Lord as Asa put his trust in the Physitians 2 Chro. 13. therefore Hezekiah caused to pull away this booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and bury it And the Talmud saith that Hezekiah did two memorable things First Ganaz Sepher rephuoth Abscondit librum medicinarum He hid the bookes of Physicke which Salomon had written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And secondly Cathath nahhash hannehhushoth shegnashe Moshe Comminuit aeneum serpentem quem fecerat Moses He brake the brasen Serpent which Moyses made Salomon spake three thousand Proverbes 1 King 4.32 yet of all these Proverbes scarce eyght hundred are put in the Canon Some of these Proverbes the servants of Hezekiah King of Iuda copied out Prov. 25.1 And as they saw the King their master bury Salomons booke which he knew was hurtfull to the Church Salomoni Proverbs and Songs which were not profitable to the Church perished so those servants copied out these Proverbes which were profitable for the Church whereas the rest perished So Salomon wrote a thousand and five Songes of all which Songes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est utriusque numeri quae vel quod the Lord made choyse but of one to be insert in the Canon which is called the Song of Songes or canticum canticorum quae Salomonis rather then canticum canticorum quod Salomonis it was the most excellent Song of all Salomons Songs rather then the excellentest Song compared with other Songes But all bookes written by thē for the whole Church none of them are perished as the Prophesies of Nathan Ahija and Iddo For Burgensis observeth well upon 1 Chro. 29. That the first booke of Samuel is holden to be written by Samuel himselfe So the second Booke of Samuel and the second booke of the Kings were written by Nathan and Gad who lived with David and Salomon and wrote untill the death of Salomon then Iddo and Ahija wrote the historie following of Ieroboam interlacing somethings of Salomon and Rehoboam Object 1 Chron. 29.29 Now the acts of David the King first and last behold they are written in the booke of Samuel the Seer and in the booke of Nathan the Prophet and in the booke of Gad the Seer with all his reigne and his might and the times that went over him and over Israel and all
the Kingdomes of the Countries But these words cannot be understood of the bookes of Samuel for wee reade not in these bookes what David did abroad in these Countries therefore some other bookes must be understood here written by Gad and Nathan which are not extant Ans Not onely the things which David did in Israel are set downe in the booke of Samuels but also the things which he did abroad in other Countries as against Zoba King of Hadadezzar Hierom. in Esa 13. against the Moabites and against Tobh King of Hemath And where it is sayd over all the kingdomes of the countries it is the manner of the Scripture as Hierome marketh by the whole Countries to understand the next adjacent countries whereof it speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore in the originall it is Haaratzoth Of that carth Ob. 2 Chro. 33 19. The prayer of Manasseh and how God was intreated of him and all his sinne and his trespasse and the places wherein he built high places and set up groves and graven images before he was humbled behold they are written among the saying of the Seers or Hosai But in the whole booke of the Kings there is no mention made of his affliction or of the cause which mooved him to repent or of his prayers which he made to God in time of his affliction then this booke of the prophet is not now extant So the acts of Baasha Zimri and Omri are they not written in the Bookes of the Chronicles of Israel 1 Kings 16.5 27. But nothing concerning their actes are found in the bookes of the Kings or in the Chronicles therefore those bookes are perished when the Scriptures remit us to those bookes it giveth us to understand that these bookes are worthy to be trusted as written by the Seers of God neyther doth the Scripture cite them as it doth some short sentences out of the Heathen Poets The Apostle saith of those Poets that they sayd the truth Tit. 1.13 But the Spirit of God remitteth us to these bookes that we may be fully instructed by them in the whole truth of the Acts of those Kings Answ First we must know that there were many Prophets who prophesied whose prophesies were never written as the prophesies of the children of the Prophets Some prophesies of the Prophets were not written and the prophesies of those who prophesied from the dayes of Eli to David as some of Asaph Heman and Ieduthun Secondly all the things which were written by the Seers were not written by them as Seers Salomon wrote many things which he wrote not as a Prophet and so did David Thirdly Something 's written by the Prophets profitable for the Church then but not profitable now many things which they wrote then as Seers and were profitable to the Church for that time were not profitable for the Church now and the Spirit of God remitted them then to the civill records and to some prophesies which were then extant but are perished now because now they were not necessary for the Church but all these things which the Lord endited to them by his Spirit and which he thought to be necessary for his Church to be the Canon and rule of our faith all those the Lords watchfull eye hath kept and preserved that none of them are perished The Conclusion of this is Conclusion The bookes of Emperours and Kings are lost yet the Lord hath kept the register of the little Kings of Iuda and Israel both in whole and in parts although they were but Shepherds and banished men And the Church would rather spend her best blood then shee would part with that pretious Iewell or any part of it therefore they called those who delivered the booke of God to the persecuting Tyrants Traditores EXERCITAT XIIII That the points were not originally with the Letters from the beginning Neh. 8.8 So they read in the Booke the Law of God distinctly and gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading of the Law WE have showne that the Scriptures are not corrupt and that no essentiall or integrall part is wanting in the holy Scriptures Now it resteth to show that the Points the accidentall ornaments were not from the beginning The Iewes who are faithfull keepers but bad interpreters of the Scriptures interpret these words Nehe. 8.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after this manner vaijkren bassepher betorath They read in the booke of the Law this they expound to be the litterall sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Ezra gave Mephorash distinctly that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adding the Points and distinctions Veshom Shâ—cel Appenentes intellectum and gave the sense that is he added the Targum or paraphrase to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vajabhinu bammikra and caused them to understand the reading of the Law that is he added the Kabbala But this is a false Glosse Ezra read the Law to them gave them not onely the grammaticall sense but also the spirituall and true meaning of the words he neither added points nor Targum or Kabbala to it The points were not then from the beginning as may be seene by these reasons following Reason 5 The first reason is taken from the Samaritan Character The Iewes acknowledge that the letters of the law which they have now are not the ancient Characters in which Moyses wrote the Law But to these ancient Characters there is no vowell subjoyned as we may see in the forme of the Shekell set downe by Arias Montanus Beza and Villalpand upon Ezekiel Reason 2 The second reason is taken from the first exemplar of the Iewes which they kept in their Synagogues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they have most exactly written and rouled up this booke which is the cheefe booke in their estimation and whereof they account more then of any other Hebrew Bible yet there is neyther Poynt nor Accent in this booke but onely Consonants This may be seene also in their ancient billes of divorce wherein are neyther Points nor Accents Therefore the Points were not from the beginning Reason 3 The third reason is taken from the names of the Points and Accents which are Chaldee names therefore they were imposed after the captivity Object But they who maintaine that the Poynts were from the beginning say that this reason holdeth not for the names of the Moneths are Chaldee names imposed after the captivity and yet the Moneths were from the beginning So the Points may be from the beginning although the Chaldee names were given to them after the captivitie Answ As the Moneths were from the beginning and had Chaldee names given unto them after the captivity so the value of the Points were from the beginning but the figures and the names of the Points were set downe a long time afterwards Reason 4 The fourth reason is taken from the translation of the Seventy for when the Seventy read the Hebrew Text wanting the
Cetubhim which the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy writings all the Scriptures are holy writings but usually these that were not confirmed by Vrim and Thummim are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Prophets are divided in Rishonim Acharonim the former and the Latter the former Prophets are Ioshua Iudges 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings and 2 Kings They are called the former Prophets because they intreat of the historie past and present Act. 3.24 Yea and all the Prophets from Samuel and those that follow after Samuel is sayd to be the first of the Prophets therefore Iere. 15.1 Though Moses and Samuel stood before me Samuel is the first of the Prophets then it is most probable that he wrote the bookes of Ioshua and Iudges Ioshua is the first in order of the Prophets therefore the Haptorath which is set upon it is called Haphtorah laetitiae legis They were glad when they ended the Law and began the Prophets But Samuel seemeth to bee the writer of this booke Others call them the first Prophets because they saw the first Temple and they call them the latter Prophets because they prophesied in the time of the second Temple as Haggai Malachi Zacharie But they are all rather to bee called Acharonim latter Prophets because they foretell things to come and they are divided into the great Prophets and into the small The great Prophets are Isaiah Ieremiah Ezekiel and Daniel The latter Prophets are called Teresar pro Tere gnasar that is two and ten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 duodecem and the Greekes called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is a Testimonie cited by Matthew cap. 2.23 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophets This Testimonie is found but in one of the Small prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet it is said to bee spoken by the Prophets and they gave this to be the reason because all these Twelve small Prophets were joyned in one booke The Conclusion of this is Conclusion First the Lord hath summed up all that he requireth of us in one word Love Rom. 13 10. Love is the fulfilling of the Law Then hee hath enlarged this word in two Mat. 22.37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy selfe Thirdly hee hath enlarged these two into ten words Deut. 10.4 And hee wrote on the Tables the ten words Fourthly hee hath enlarged them into Moses and the Prophets Mat. 22.40 On these two Commandements hang all the Law and the Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pendent even as wee hang a thing upon a Naile Esay 22.23 So the Law and the Prophets hang upon these two EXERCITAT XVII Of the Division of the Psalmes Act. 13.33 As it is also written in the second Psalme Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee THe Psalmes are divided in five bookes as the five Bookes of Moses and the five Bookes joyned together called Quinque volumina as Canticles Ruth Lamentations Ecclesiastes and Esther The first booke of the Psalmes endeth with the 41. Psalme The second endeth with the 72 Psalme The third with the 89. The fourth with the 106. The fift with the 150. Psalme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and these bookes end with the same words Baruch Iehova Elohe Iisrael mehagnolam vegnad hagnolam Amen veamen Blessed bee the Lord God of Israel from Everlasting to Everlasting Amen Amen Psal 41.13 so the rest of the bookes for the most part end thus And hence wee may gather that this verse was added by him who set the Psalmes in order and not by those who wrote the rest of the Psalmes This may appeare by the conclusion of Davids Psalme of thankesgiving 1 Chro. 16.36 That they have borrowed their conclusion at the end of every booke from the conclusion of this Psalme David wrote the first two bookes of the Psalmes and set them in order The first two bookes were written by David and they end thus So end the Prayers of David the Sonne of Iâ—ffe Psal 27.30 That is here end the Psalmes which were both written and set in order by David The other three bookes were written by diverse Authors as by David Asaph the sonnes of Korah Ieduthun Moses Heman the Ezrite and when the writer of the Psalme is not set downe the Iewes hold that hee who wrote the former wrote that Psalme also Asaph wrote thirteene Psalmes Leasaph 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lamed is somtimes a note of the genitive case and sometimes of the Dative case ל Aliquando est nota Genitivs aliquando Dativi and therefore some have interpreted the word Mizmor leasaph a Psalme dedicat to Asaph to be sung be him but it should be Translated a Psalme of Asaph for Asaph was a Prophet 2 Chron. 39.30 Moreover Hezekiah and the Princes commanded the Levites to sing praises unto the Lord with the words of David and Asaph the Seer And the style of Asaph is harder then the Style of David The second who wrote these Psalmes were the Sonnes of Korah and they wrote ten in number The sonne of Korah wrote some of the Psalmes the posteritie of Korah died not in the rebellion with their Father Num. 26.11 Some of his posteritie wrote before the captivitie and foretold of the captivitie as the Psal 73 74. And some of them when they were in the captivitie So some when they were returning from the captivitie as 66. Some after they were returned as 85. and 147. So Moses wrote a Psalme of the shortnesse of the life of man Moyses wrote a Psalme this Psalme was written when they were in the Wildernesse and yet it was not registred in the Canon till after the captivitie Thus we see the watchfull eye of God that had a care to preserve these bookes which were to bee insert in the Canon that none of them should perish So these Psalmes which were written by Ieduthun and by Ethan the Ezrite who were of the posterity of the Levites Ieduthun and Ethan wrote some of the Psalmes The Levites dutie was to teach the People and so the Lord made those Levites teachers of the people by their songs Of the inscriptions of the Psalmes THe Psalmes generally are intituled Tehilim praises because the most of them are songes of prayse The generall inscription of the Psalmes is Tehilim therefore the whole are so called The particular Inscriptions of them are eyther easily understood or hardly to be understood at all The inscriptions easie to bee understood are these First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lamnatzeahh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the chiefe Musitian The singers were divided into so many orders and every one sang according to their courses and when it befell the chiefe Musitian to sing then he caused to sing this Psalme committed to him The next title is Maschil a Psalme for instruction These were Psalmes which
with teares and her bowels were troubled Lament 2.11 Last the Prince is the soule and the Subjects are the bodie and the body should doe all things for the good of the soule he is the breath of our nostrils Lament 4.12 We see how many obligations the Subjects owe to their King CHAPTER III. Why was God angry with them for choosing of a King 1 SAM 8.7 And the Lord said unto Samuel hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee for they haue not reiected thee but they haue reiected me that I should not reigne over them God was not angry simply with the Iewes for choosing of a King but because they prevented the time KIngly Government being the best Government why was the LORD then angry with the Iewes for choosing of a King He was not angry with them simply for desiring and choosing a King but for the manner of their choise for God was minded to haue given them a King but they would not stay the Lords leasure but anticipated the time therefore the Iewes say of them comederunt immaturam uvam the grape was not ripe enough as yet wee may see that God was minded to haue given them a King Deut. 17. because he telleth them what sort of King they should choose and what he should doe and they say Three things given in commandement to the Iewes when they entered into Canaan that he gaue them three things in commandement when they entered into Canaan first to choose a King secondly to roote out the Canaanites and thirdly to build a Temple for his worship God was angry with them that they sought a King so long as good Samuel ruled over them he was angry with them because they would haue a King to reigne over them after the manner of the Nations Deut. 17.14 I will set a King over me like all the Nations round about me but thou shalt set them over thee whom the Lord thy God will choose If they had said to Samuel giue one to reigne over us after thy death because thy children are corrupt 1 Sam. 8.3 or giue us one who may governe us in equitie this had beene no offence to God but simply to desire a King like the Kings of the Nations this was their sinne and herein they rejected not Samuel but God himselfe 1 Sam. 8.7 How was God rejected when they chose a King Quest seeing Kings reigne by him Prov. 8. and the Kings throne is Gods throne 1 Chro. 29.23 1 King 2.15 The Lord did reigne over them in both these sorts of Government Answ but when the Iudges commanded and ruled them The Iudges had not such absolute government over the people as the Kings had they had not such an absolute Government as when the Kings reigned over them the Iudges might make no Lawes nor take tribute of the people as the Kings might doe therefore the Lords immediate Government did more appeare when the Iudges ruled them Iudg. 8.23 I will not rule over you neither shall my sonne rule over you the Lord shall rule over you And when they rejected Samuel here they said in effect as the Iewes said when they disclaimed Christ We will haue no King to reigne over us but Caesar Ioh. 19.15 Gods power did more appeare when the Iudges ruled but his goodnesse and mercie appeared more when the Kings ruled When the Iudges ruled over them then Gods power did more appeare helping them by weake meanes but when the Kings reigned over them then Gods wisedome and his goodnesse did more appeare in setling a government amongst them and making their Kings types of Christ And as in Gods miracles his power did more appeare but in his ordinary course working by nature his wisedome and goodnesse appeared more so in these two formes of Government his power did appeare more when the Iudges ruled over them but in setling the Kingly government amongst them his goodnesse and his wisedome did more appeare The conclusion of this is Conclusion happie is that Kingdome when the King reigneth a me per me propter me a me when he is sent by the Lord per me when he is sustained and upholden by the Lord and propter me when he serues to glorifie God in his Kingdome CHAPTER IIII. What Samuel meaneth by Mishpat Hammelech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 SAM 8.11 And he said this will be the manner of the King that shall raigne over you c. KIMCHI saith whatsoever is set downe in this Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lex Regis it is lawfull for the King to doe it and therefore he interpreteth Mishpat Melech 1 Sam. 8.8 This shall be the Law of the King or this is the thing which the King may doe by the Law the Chaldie Paraphrast paraphraseth it Nimusa a Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lex chaldaicè Maymone expoundeth the words in this wise he shall take your Beasts at the Kings price and your Oliues and your Vines for to maintaine his servants in the Warres Rambamfilius Maymone and he saith in necessitate omnia pertinent ad jus regis sed extra necessitatem non pertinent But this is not the meaning of the place Samuel describeth a tyrant and not what a King may lawfully doe The Lord is describing here to them that King which he is to giue to them in his wrath and not what a lawfull King may doe and Mishpat here signifieth not a Law but the manner and custome of him who should doe such things as 1 Sam. 2.13 And the Priests Mishpat custome was with the people to take the flesh of the sacrifice that did not belong to him Here it cannot be translated it was the Priests Law for it had beene sacrilegious theft in the Priest to haue taken any part of the sacrifice but that which was due to him So this should be the Mishpat or custome of this King whom God sent in his wrath that he should take any thing which he pleased from them although it had not beene for necessary uses but 1 Sam. 10.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lex Regni the word Mishpat is taken in another sense then Samuel told the people Mishpat Hammelocha the law of the Kingdome and laid it up before the Arke Here Mishpat is taken in another sense how the King should rule the Countrey and this Booke Samuel laid up before the Arke but this Mishpat was not laid up before the Arke but was set downe as a punishment for that people Now that this King which Samuel describeth unto them whom God sent in his wrath might not doe these things to his Subjects by lawfull authoritie Reasons prooving that he was not a lawfull King who is described here the reasons are these Reason 1 First God gaue them this King in his anger and tooke him away in his wrath Hos 13.11 Which cannot be said of any King in whom there is but the
which was added by the Translators These things which were found in the translations and not in the Hebrew Text hee markes them Obelo thus ⸓ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ⸓ These things againe which were in the Hebrew Text and not found in the translations hee marked them Asterisco with a starre this wayes Ü ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ü Thirdly the divers readings confirmed by sundry Copies he marked them lemnisco this wayes ÷ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ÷ And lastly these things which were found but in few copies he marked them Hypolemnisco this wayes Ü‹ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ü‹ This Edition of Origen was so generally followed afterwards that Augustine complained that in all the Libraries they could scarcely finde one Copie of the Seventy The edition of Origen corrected by Lucian wanting these markes of Origen and when sundry faults had crept into this his Edition Lucian an Elder at Antioch and afterwards a Martyr tooke all these Editions and conferred them together and hee set out a more axact and correct Edition then Origens was Of the Translation of the Seventy Ptolomaeus Philadelpbus procured not this translation as some hold IT is commonly holden that Ptolomaeus Philadelphus the sonne of Ptolomeus Lagi King of Egypt gathered a Library two hundred sixty and seven yeares before the birth of Christ in the City of Alexandria in Egypt and having gathered together divers Greeke writers he gathered also Hebrew Persian Syriack and Romane writers and caused to translate them into Greeke and put them in his Library and when he understood of Demetrius Phalaraus who had the charge of his Library that there were bookes in Ierusalem written by the Prophets amongst the Iewes which intreated of God and of the creation of the world and much hid wisedome was contained in them King Ptolomie wrote unto Ierusalem that they might send these bookes unto him and when they had read his Letters they sent these bookes written in Golden letters which Hebrew bookes when they were delivered unto the King he understood them not therefore he wrote to Eleazar the Highpriest the second time that he would send men unto him who would translate these Hebrew bookes into Greeke And Eleazar sent Seventy two sixe out of each Tribe who were very skillfull and expert both in the Hebrew and in the Greeke These men translated the Scripture in the I le Pharos They were called seventy propter Rotundationem numori being put in severall Cels yet all of them so agreed that there was not any difference among them and they were called the Seventy commonly although there were seventy and two of them Iosephus writing against Appion borroweth this history or fable rather out of Aristoeas and afterwards the Christian writers in whose time this translation of the Seventy was in most request gave eare willingly to this for they used most the translation of the Seventy and they tooke occasion to spread abroad any thing which might serve for their credit Iustin Martyr a famous old writer with tooth and nayle standeth for the authority of this Translation he telleth how they were put into severall Cels and how they were directed by the holy Spirit so that they agreed not onely in the sense but also in the words But yet neyther Aristaeas nor Iosephus who borrowed this from him make mention of these Cels. But Scaliger in his animadversions upon Eusebius at the yeare M.CCXXXIV judgeth that this booke of Aristaeâ—s out of which this narration was borrowed was but fained by some grecizing Iewes caliger proveth by many reasons that Ptolemeus Philadelphus did not procure this translation that they might conciliat the greater authority to this their translation which they had procured and he hath sundry reasons to improve this narration Reason 1 The first reason we know saith he out of the history of Hermippus an antient writer of whom Diogenes Laertius maketh mention that Dimetrius phalerius whom Aristaeas bringeth in as the procurer of this whole businesse at the hands of Ptolomeus Philadelphus was in no favour with him for Ptolomeus so disliked this Dimetrius altogether that in the beginning of his reigne hee banished him and through greefe he tooke himselfe to live in the Wildernesse and one day being heavy with sleepe layd himselfe downe upon the ground to sleepe where a Serpent did sting him to the death The cause why Dimetrius was hated by Ptolomeus The reason wherefore Philadelphus so hated him was this because when Ptolomeus Lagi his father had maried a second wife called Eurice as he had Bernice the mother of Ptolemeus Philadelphus for his first wife this Dimetrius perswaded Ptolomeus Lagi to disinherit the sonne of Bernice and to give the crowne to the sonne of the second wife Eurice which when Ptolomeus Philadelphus understood after his fathers death he presently banished him Now seeing Dimetrius was hated so of Ptolomeus Philadelphus Aristophanes was keeper of the Library of Ptolomeus and dyed in the beginning of his raigne is there any probability that he had the charge of this Library and Vitruvius saith that Aristophanes that noble Grammarian had the keeping of this Library and not Dimetrius Phalerius Reason 2 Secondly Aristaeas and these who follow him say that there were sixe chosen out of every Tribe and sent to Egypt to translate the Bible but at that time there dwelt no other Iewes in Iudea but onely of the Tribe of Iuda and Benjamin although perhaps some of the other Tribes were scattered amongst them yet it is certaine that these had no place amongst them because the most part of them were caried away captive by the Assyrians This handfull which were yet left in Iudea had no authority amongst them and how came it to passe that they sent the whole Synedrion or the great Councill to Egypt besides the Synedrion consisted not of the twelve Tribes after the captivity but onely of the Tribe of Iuda and is it probable that they would send these Seventy to Egypt and if it bee true which they say of these severall Cels in which they were placed when they translated the Bible then it behooved every one of them to have such a sufficient measure of knowledge both in Hebrew and Greeke that they might have finished the whole Worke alone which no man will beleeve Reason 3 Thirdly Aristaeas reporteth that Ptolomeus sayd if any man should adde or take from this booke then hee should be accursed but this was the curse which God himselfe set downe in the Law Deut. 4.2 Rev. 22. 18. This Ptolomeus understood not and whereas Aristaeas goeth about to prove that these curses were usuall amongst the Greekes and Romans we must understand that they never used these curses but in extreme necessity but what necessity was there here for Ptolomeus to adde this curse who was but desyrous that these bookes might onely be put amongst the rest of the bookes in the Library Reason 4 Fourthly if
Hivites and Iebusites which were not of the children of Israel their children which were left after them in the land The Canaanites were bond-slaues to Salomon whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy upon those did Salomon levie a tribute of bond service unto this day And it was the people of the seven Nations who hardned their hearts with whom Ioshua tooke not peace Iosh 11.19.20 When the Gibeonites came to Ioshua if they had told him the truth that they were a people that dwelt amongst them and that they came not from a farre Countrey but were Canaanites indeede and came to seeke their peace which they did not for feare then Ioshua was bound to haue spared their liues upon their submission and whereas the men of Israel said then Peradventure yee dwell among us and how shall wee make a league with you Iosh 9.7 The meaning is we cannot make sociale faedus vobiscum but onely deditionis that is Faedus Sociale Deditionis we cannot make a covenant or league of mutual friendship with you but wee may take you as servants and slaues if ye submit your selues Ioshua might make a league of peace with the Canaanites but not of mutuall friendship and if it had beene simply unlawfull to haue made any sort of league with the Canaanites then the posteritie of Saul would not haue beene punished for the breach of this oath Ambrose saith well Pacem quam dederant non censuerant revocandam quia firmata erat sacramenti religione nedum alieni perfidiam arguat suam fidem solveret that is they held that it was not lawfull to break the oath that was made least finding fault with other mens falshood he should become perjured himselfe Ioshua a type of Christ Ioshua was a type of Christ as Ioshua sent messengers to the Canaanites to receiue either peace or warre so the Lord hath sent his Faeciales into the world to bid them either receiue peace or warre Rahâ—b a type of the Church and as Rahab held out a red threed to be a signe that whosoever remained in her house should be saued and they who went out of it should be killed so there is no salvation to those who are without the Church which is marked with the bloud of Christ Act. 2.47 Rahab being the first fruits of the Gentiles implied that the Gentiles should be received into the Church and be saved CHAPTER X. Whether the Kingdome of Iudah or Israel were the best Government IT may seeme at the first that the Kings of Israel did more formally proceed by way of Iustice The Kings of Israel proceeded by way of Iustice formally than the Kings of Iudah did the Kings of Israel did not proceed by way of arbitrary Iustice neither was there any peremptory execution upon the will of the King When Naboth was to be stoned to death the matter was handled after a judiciall forme which might haue given satisfaction to the ignorant people who knew not the device and secrecy of the matter But the Kings of Iudah proceeded by their absolute authoritie as may appeare in some of them The Kings of Iudah proceeded by absolute authoritie who tooke away their Subjects liues by their absolute authoritie without any order of law or processe in Iudgement David killed the Amalekite and againe What things objected to David he seemeth to haue broken his oath swearing that nothing should befall Shimei and yet he biddeth his sonne Salomon put him to death thou art a wise man Ioabs worthy deeds reckoned up Ioab was Davids kinsman and knowest what thou hast to doe 1 King 2. and so caused to kill Ioab who was Davids neere kinsman and who had undergone many dangers for the glory of God and the good of the Church 2 Sam. 10. He gaue many things to the house of the Lord. And he dedicated many of the spoyles which he had taken in the warres to the house of the Lord 1 Chro. 26.8 he fought for his Countrey all Davids time he was faithfull to the King he stood for David against Saul he followed him still although he was banished and at that time when he was made Captaine 2 Sam. 18. Repressed the sedition of Sheba he did represse the sedition of Sheba even when David would haue put him from his place and put Amasa in his stead 2 Sam. 20.4 Disswaded David to number the people It was he that forbad the King to number the people 2 Sam. 24. It was he who first invaded Sion 1 Chron. 11. It was he who by his wisedome taught the woman of Tekoa to obtaine pardon for Absalom Reconciled Absalom to his father It was he that was most skilfull in the warres It was he that fought against the Syrians and the Amorites Subdued many wicked Nations and all the enemies of the Church and it was he who in modestie when he had gotten the victory refused to take the praise to himselfe but sent for the King that he might get the praise of the victorie 2 Sam. 12.28 He was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or implacable when Abner sought peace at him he willingly granted it so did he to the people of Abel 2 Sam. 20. He had good successe in his warres He had good successe in the warres he was a terror to all his enemies 2 Sam. 10. as to Hadarezer the Edomites c. therefore it may seeme that David by his absolute authoritie What things objected to Salomon caused him to be put to death unworthily And as for Salomon he seemeth most unjustly to haue killed his brother Adonijah for first he was Davids eldest sonne now aliue secondly his father loved him most dearely thirdly he never did finde fault with him for seeking the Kingdome and Salomon might seeme here to be too rigorous Suâ—tâ—nius lib. 9. for Titus a Heathen Prince was more mercifull to his brother Heathen Kings louing to their brethren for when his brother did affect the Kingdome yet notwithstanding he lovingly embraced him and disswaded him from that course and Seneca writeth of the like in his first booke of Clemencie cap. 9. how Augustus spared Cinna and made him of a foe a friend David and Salomon Prophets But if we shall consider that the Kings of Iudah especially David and Salomon being directed by the spirit of God immediately had a better warrant to proceede by their sole authoritie David in killing the Amalekite sinned not than the Kings of Israel had we shall be of another minde and where it is objected that David killed the Amalekite onely upon his owne confession When one may be condemned upon his owne confession the confession out of ones owne mouth if it be the confession of one that is well at himselfe and is not wearie of his life and if he stand constantly at it then the confession out of his owne mouth is
Num. 12. Miriam loquuta est in Mosem id est maledixit Mosi Conclusion The conclusion of this is Matth. 10.20 It is not yee that speake but the Spirit of our Father which speaketh in you So it was not they who wrote but the Spirit of the Lord in them 2 King 13. When Ioash the King of Israel tooke a Bow in his hand Elisha laid his hands upon the Kings hands and Elisha bad him shoote and he sayd the Arrow of the Lords deliverance and the Arrow of the deliverance from Syria it was not the Kings hand that directed the Arrow here but it was the hand of the Prophet laid upon the Kings hand which gave this mighty blow so it was the hand of the Lord laid upon the hands of his Secretaries which directed them to write the holy Word of God EXERCITAT IX Arguments proving the Scriptures to bee Divine 1 Thess 2.13 Yee received it not as the Word of man but as it is in truth the Word of God THe Testimonies which prove the Scriptures to be Divine are first the Testimonie of God himselfe when he approved them by his Spirit and when they were laid before him by Vrim and Thummim Secondly arguments drawne out of the Scriptures themselves Thirdly the Testimonie of the Church Fourthly the Testimonie of those who were without the Church Deus testatur Scriptura contestatur Ecclesia subtestatur Deus testatur God beareth witnesse to the Scriptures two wayes First by the internall Testimony of his Spirit Secondly by his externall Testimony When the Spirit testifieth unto us such Bookes to be his Word Quest whether is this a publike or a private Testimony This is a publike Testimony Ans which the Spirit Testifieth to the whole Church and to the severall members of it that these Bookes are holy Scripture for the same Spirit which endited the Scriptures to the Church testifieth still to the Church and to the particular members thereof that the Scriptures are the Word of God The second Testimony which God gave to the Scriptures was his externall testimony given by Vrim and Thummim testifying these Bookes of Moyses and the Prophets to be the holy Scriptures What are we to thinke of these Bookes Quest written and set in order after the captivitie seeing they had not the approbation of the Lord by Vrim and Thummim Answ These Bookes were called Ketubhim written Bookes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to put a difference betweene them and these Bookes which were confirmed by Vrim and Thummim they who wrote these Bookes were inspired by the holy Ghost as well as these who wrote the former and they were confirmed by the masters of the great Synagogue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aradice such as were Esdras Zacharie and Malachie The Greekes called these Bookes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abscondere and the Iewes distinguish them still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frō the Apocryphall Bookes called Gannazim abscinditi and the Greekes called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bookes of whose authority it was still doubted Reason 1 Reasons taken out of the Scriptures themselves proving them to be Divine the first reason is taken from the antiquity of the Scriptures Scriptura contestatur all this time was tempus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the heathen that is it was an hid or an unknowne time to them After the flood the Scriptures goe on and they set downe to us the history of the Church Tempus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Historicum but the Heathen history is Tempus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fabulosum as that which we reade of Hercules and Prometheus and nothing is set downe in the Heathen history before the Olympiads of the Graecians which was but in the dayes of Vzziah See how farre Gods Word exceedeth humane history in antiquity It beginneth with the world and endeth with it Luk. 1.70 as he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have beene since the world began Reason 2 Secondly the matter contained in the Scriptures sheweth them to be Divine Many histories shew us the heavy wrath of God upon man for sinne yet the Scriptures only shew us morbum medicinam medicum it sheweth us both the sicknesse the physicke and the Physitian to cure it Reason 3 The Scriptures not written to satisfie mens curiosity Thirdly the Scripture setteth downe things necessary onely for our salvation and nothing for our curiosity It is often repeated in the Bookes of the Kings and Chronicles The rest are they not written in the Bookes of the Chronicles of the Kings of Iuda and Israel So Ester 10.2 The rest are they not written in the Bookes of the Kings of Persia The holy Ghost would meete here with the curious desires of men who desire still to know more and more and to reade pleasant discourses to satisfie their humours as if the Spirit of God should say I have sufficiently told you here of the Kings of Iuda and Israel and of Persia and so farre as concerneth the Church and may serve for your edification it is not my manner to satisfie your curiositie if ye would know more go to your owne Scrowles and Registers where yee shall finde matter enough to passe the time with To bee short the Scriptures are not given to passe the time with but to redeeme the time Reason 4 Fourthly the prophesies set downe in the holy Scriptures shew them to be Divine for they distinguish the Lord from all the Idols of the Gentiles and the Divels themselves Esa 41.22 Let them shew the former things what they be that we may consider them and set our hearts upon them Renunciare proeterita anunciare presentia p. anunciare futura and shew us the things that are to come hereafter that we may know that yee are Gods Here the Prophet distinguisheth the true God from the false Gods and true prophesies from false If they could tell of things by-past and relate them from the beginning and joyne them with the things to come then he would confesse that they were Gods and that their prophesies were true To tell of things past is not in respect of time for the Angels and Divels can tell things fallen out from the beginning of time but it is in respect of the things themselves when they tooke beginning this is onely proper to God Psal 139.16 In thy Booke all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there were none of them Hee can joyne things by-past with things that are to follow and can tell certainely of things to come There is a twofold beginning of things The first is exordium rei The second is exordium temporis Exordium temporis rei The Angels know exordium temporis but not exordium rei for the Lord onely knoweth things before the foundation of the world was laid Ephe. 1.4 He who knoweth certainely
of the Heathen and the Secretaries of the holy Ghost insert them in the Booke of God From the Poets as Paul borrowed from Aratus Menander Epimenides or Callimachus some verses and inserted them in his Epistles So the Scriptures borrow from the history which were eyther Heathenish or Iewish Heathenish againe were of two sorts eyther Chaldean or Persian Daniel borroweth from the Chaldeans So from the history of the Persians as that memorable history of the deliverance of the Iewes under Haman was first written in the Persian language Esth 9.32 and he who wrote the Booke of Esther borrowed the history out of that booke Something 's in the Scripture borrowed from the Iewish History These things which are borrowed from the Iewish history as the facts of those registrate in the Bookes of the Maccabees Heb. 11. So Iude out of the prophesie of Enoch borrowed the history of the strife betweene Michael and the Divell about the body of Moyses So the Apostle Heb. 11. out of the traditions of the Iewes borroweth that Esay was cut with a saw under Menasse So there are sundry proverbiall speeches in the Talmud as Cast out the beame which is in thine owne eye and then thou shalt see chearely to cast out the mote that is in they neighbours eye Matth. 7.5 So it is easier for a Camell to goe thorow the eye of a Needle Matth. 19.24 So it is hard to kicke against prickes Act. 9.5 Some of our Divines to prove that the Apocryphall Bookes are not Canonicall Scripture use this midst because they are not cited by the Apostles in the New Testament but this is false for the Apostle citeth them Heb. 11. And Scaliger in his Eusebianis See Scaliger Euseb Pag. 245. proveth out of Georgius Cyncellus that the Apostle citeth many testimonies out of the Apocryphall Bookes and out of the traditions of the Iewes As Matthew that Salmon maried Rahab Salmon his genealogie is set downe 1 Chro. 2. but not whom he maried this Matthew had by tradition Matth. 1.5 Things in the Heathen history which are not necessary to be knowne to the Church the Scripture passeth by them and remitteth us to Heathen History and saith still The rest are they not written in the bookes of the Chronicles of Iuda and Israel and when the knowledge of them is necessary to the Church it borroweth them out of the Heathen history and inserteth them in the booke of God These things which were written out of the Iewish Heathen sentences were sanctified by the Apostles when they cited them or Heathenish history were not sanctified untill they were insert in the booke of God therefore Tertullian writing to his Wife and citing that verse Evill speeches corrupt good manners 1 Cor. 15.33 saith Memor illius versiculi sanctificati per Apostolum the Apostle sanctified this verse when hee borrowed it from the Heathen And as a woman that was Heathenish when she became a Proselyte shee might enter into the congregation and a Iew might marry her so these Iewish and Heathenish histories God sanctified them that they might enter into the Congregation and become holy Scriptures and so the holy Spirit sweetned the salt waters of Iericho that the children of the Prophets might drinke of them 2 Kings 2.21 There are many proper names set downe in the Scriptures which are not Hebrew names Many names in the Scriptures which are not Hebrew names but some of them are Chaldee some Assyrian and some Persicke names Ier. 39.3 And all the princes of the King of Babylon came in and sat in the middle-gate even Nergal-Sharezer Samger Nebo Sersechim Rabsaris Nergal Sharezer Rabmag with all the residue of the Princes of the King of Babylon And that wee may know what names are Chaldee names what Syriacke and what Persicke Marke this Table following concerning these names and the composition of them taken out of Scaliger  Nomina propria Chaldaeorum 1 Nebo vel lebo 2 Nego 3 Mero 4 Schech chach 5 Meschach 6 Sadrach 7 Letzar retzar netzar 8 Shetzar 9 Metzar 10 Nergal 11 Belti 12 Adan 13 Hevil 14 Ochri 15 Chen 16 Bel 17 Shech 18 Phil 19 Mit 20 Dach 21 Zar 22 Phal 23 Pad 24 Chad  Exempla  Nebuchad nezzar ex 1. 24. 7.  Hevil-mero-dach ex 13 3. 20.  Nebo-zir-adan ex 1 21. 12.  Nomina propria Assyriorum 1 Shadran 2 Shalman 3 Teglath 4 Horib 5 Haddon 6 Neschroth 7 Adar 8 Etzer vel atzer 9 Asar 10 Ballat 11 Osen the vel Osu 12 Chuschan 13 Sen 14 Phul 15 Phar 16 Shar  Exempla  Salman-asser ex 2. 9.  Assar-haddon ex 9. 5.  Sen-ballat ex 13. 10.  Sen-cherib ex 13. 4.  Teglath-phul-asor ex 3. 14. 9.  Nomina propria Persarum 1 Ari 2 Thir 3 Thiri 4 Mithri 5 Pharsam 6 Phar◠7 Esther 8 Zero 9 Datha 10 Sai 11 Manai 12 Stha the 13 Dai 14 Ham 15 Wai 16 Va 17 Zata 18 Arth atha 19 Achos ochos 20 This 21 Thena 22 Sethra 23 Thra 24 Ku vel Kau 25 Ros vel rus 26 Kana  Exempla  Mithri-dates ex 4. 9.  Achos-va-rosh ex 19. 16. 25. How shall we discerne in what language a booke was written Quest There be two speciall notes whereby wee may discerne this the first is Interpretation Answ and the second is Allusion First is Interpretation when the Spirit of God interpreteth a strange word into another tongue To know in what language a booke was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then the booke was written in that language in which the word is interpreted Example Esth 9. Pur this Persicke word is interpreted by the Hebrew goral therefore the booke was written in the Hebrew and not in the Persicke tongue by Mordecai or by him who else wrote the booke Example 2. Abba Pater Rom. 8.15 Abba is the Syriack word and Pater the Greeke word because Abba is interpreted by Pater therefore the Apostle hath written this Epistle in Greeke and not in Syriack And so Thomas is called Didymus Ioh. 11.16 therefore the Gospel of Iohn was written originally in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Contracte and not in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gemelli So Heb. 7.2 Melchisedeck the King of Salem first by interpretation King of righteousnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gemi us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and after that King of peace The word Melchesedick which is one word for the understanding of the Graecising Iewes he divideth it in two and showeth in Greeke Act. 1◠8 Elimas by interpretation Magus this word Magus is degenerate in a Greeke word therefore this booke was written in Greeke that Salem signifieth peace and Zedek Iustitia righteousnesse as if hee would say frugifer qui fert fructum cornifer qui fert cornua here because the interpretation is in Greeke we may know that this Epistle hath beene written originally in Greeke The
Iewes say that this division in Parashoth was most ancient but the division into Haphtaroth was later and they give this to be the reason why they reade these Haphtaroth they say when Antiochus Epiphanes forbad them under paine of death to reade the Law of Moses 1 Macch. 2. then they made choise of some parts of the Prophets answerable to these parts of the Law Example because they durst not reade Petorah beresith They read Esay 42. So saith the Lord Creator of heaven and earth Example 2. the second Parasha is Elle toledoth Noah now because they durst not read this they read Esay besiman that is The reading of Moyses and the Prophets more ancient than Antiochus at the signe 54. for that which we call a Chapter they call a signe Sing yee barren c. But is it likely that Antiochus that great Tyrant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forbad them onely the reading of the five bookes of Moses wherefore the reading of Moses and the Prophets hath beene much more ancient than the time of Antiochus therefore Act. 15.21 Moses is read of old A Phrase which signifieth a great antiquitie When they read Moses Law They read the whole Law in their Synagogues once in the yeere they divided it in fifty and two Sections and they finished it once in the yeere They had two sorts of yeeres there was Annus impraegnatus or Embolimaeus and Annus Aequabilis Annus Impragnatus was that which wee call Leape yeare and it had fifty three weekes Annus impragnatus embolimaeus in this yeere they divided one Parashah in two parts and so they ended the reading of the Law within the yeare When it was Annus Aequabilis then it had but fifty two weeks then they read one Parashah for every Sabbath and in the last Sabbath of the yeare which was the twentie third of Tishri they read that Parashah called Latitia legis which beginneth Ioshu 1. And the next Sabbath they began beresith againe at the first of Genesis These Parashoth were subdivided into so many parts and there were sundrie who read these parts upon the Sabbath hee that read the first was called Cohen the Preist hee repeated the first part of the Section and then rose up Catzan or Cantor who did sing the same part which the Priests had read then there rose up in the third place a Levite and he read his part Fourthly there rose up an Israelite and hee read his part and at last it came to Maphtir 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cessare in hiphil dimittere and hee read the last part of the Haphtorah he was called Maphtir because when that part was read the people were dismissed and so the Latine Church said Ite missa est In the weeke dayes they read upon the second and the fift day of the weeke some part of those Parashoth but not the whole and the Pharisee meant of these two dayes when he said I fast twise in the weeke Luk. 18.12 The Greeke and Latine Fathers never cite Chapters as we doe now Augustine in his booke of retractations Cap. 24. saith not I have written to Genesis 3. but this wayes I have written to the casting out of our parents out of paradise And Gregorie in his Prologue upon the first of the Kings saith I have expounded to you from the beginning of the booke unto the victory of David Who divided the Scriptures first into Chapters it is not certaine they were divided of old two manner of wayes first they divided them into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 titles for so they called the greater parts and then into Chapters as into lesser parts others againe divided them into Chapters as into greater parts It is holden that Musaeus presbiter Ecclesiae Massiliensis divided them first into titles and subdivided them into Chapters Genebrard Chronologia According to this first division Matthew had sixty three titles and three hundreth and fifty five Chapters So Luke according to the ancient division had forty eight titles and three hundreth and forty eight chapters He who began this latter division into Chapters is holden to be Hugo Cardinalis according to this division Matthew hath twenty and eight Chapters and Luke twenty and foure c. Lastly it was divided into verses this division into Pesuchim or verses the Masoreth found out first amongst the Iewes The Greekes called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scaliger calleth them Commata and Robertus Stephanus calleth them Sectiunculas and some hold that it was hee that found them out first amongst us EXERCITAT XIX Of the sense of the Scriptures THere is but one literall sense in the Scriptures which is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse 2 Tim. 3.16 To make divers senses in the Scripture is to make it like that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Anaxagoras dreamed of making Quidlibet ex quolibet August Epist 48. Augustine writing to Vincentius justly derideth the Donatists who constructing these words Cant. 1.7 Tell me o thou whom my soule loveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy flocks to rest at noone They gathered out of them that the Church of Christ was onely in Africa by their allegoricall application Origen was too much given to these allegories and therefore he missed often the true sense of the Scriptures These who gathered divers senses out of the Scripture doe little better with them than Esope did with an inscription written in a pillar of Marble in which were written these seven letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esope first read them thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est abscedens gradus quatuor fodiens invenies thesaurum auri But Xanthus his master finding as he had spoken a great treasure of Gold and giving nothing to Esope for his conjecture kept all to himselfe therefore Esope read them another way thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est qui tollitis dum abitis dividite quem invenistis thesaurum auri But when Esope got nothing in a rage he read it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est redde Regi Dionysio quem invenisti thesaurum auri The Iewes hold that there is a literall sense in every Scripture and a mysticall sense the literall sense they call Dabhar keton 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rem parvam and the mysticall sense they call it Dabhar gadol rem magnam the literall sense they call it peshath sensum nudum and the mysticall sense they call it darash and most of the Schoolemen hold that there is a double sense in the Scriptures Latomus the Papist saith Theologiam crassam versari circa literalem sensum theologiam subtiliorem versari circa mysticum allegoricum sensum and they call the literall sense panperem grammaticum and the allegoricall Divitem theologicum the rich and theologicall sense But we must strive to finde out the literall sense of the Scriptures
wrote the two Tables with his owne hand in this language And thirdly that language which expresseth the nature of things and their affections most clearely and in fewest words that must be the originall language but the Hebrew doth this therefore it is the first language The Iewes understood these tongues which had affinity with the Hebrew These tongues which were Propagines and Dialects of the Hebrew the Iewes understood them when they heard them spoken and when they read them but they understood not the strange tongues which had but small affinity with the Hebrew When Laban and Iacob made a covenant Laban called the heape of stones jegar Sagadutha in the Aramean tongue which had small affinitie with the Hebrew but Iacob called it Galeed Gen. 31.47 Object But if there was little affinity betwixt the Aramean language and the Hebrew how is it that they say 2. King 18.26 Speake to thy servants in the Syrian language for we understand it Answ The Hebrewes understood not the Syrian language but by learning They might understand it for they were Courtiours and States men and so learned it as we learne now the Italians and French language And Abrahams servant spake to Nachor in the Aramean language hee being borne in Damascus which was in Cylo-Syria and wee may thinke that Nachor and his house understood the Hebrew tongue being of the posterity of Heber and keepe that tongue as Abraham did who came out of Vr of the Chaldees Assyria or Syria hebraice Aram The large extent of the Syrian language comprehended all Paleslina Damascus the Kingdome of Assyria Chaldea babylon Arabia Cylo-Lyria and Antiochia Zoba Adiabena therefore all the languages which were spoken in these parts tooke their generall denomination from Syria as Syro-aramaea the language which Laban spake in Mesopotania Syro-Chaldaea or Babylonica was that which they spake in Babylon Syro-Antiochena which they spake in Antioch or Phoenicia although they were Propagines or Dialects of the Hebrew yet they understood them not while they were taught therefore Nabuchadnezzer caused to instruct the children of the Iewes in the Chaldee tongue Dan. 1.4 but the Syro-Arabean and the Palestine or Cananitish language they might understand it because it came nearer to their owne language The Aegyptian tongue differed much from the Hebrew Psal 81.5 Ioseph heard a language in Aegypt The Iewes understood not the Egyptian tongue which he understood not Ioseph here is put for the whole people of the Iewes because there was no affinity betwixt the Hebrew and the Aegyptian tongue therefore they understood not this tongue So Psal 114.1 they departed from a people of a strange language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a barbarous people they called them all barbarous whom they understood not and because the Iewes understood not the Aegyptian tongue therefore Ioseph made him to speake to his brethren by an Interpreter Genesis 42.23 The Cananitish language The Cananites language a diolect of the Hebrew was a daughter of the Hebrew tongue or rather one with the Hebrew tongue and this we may perceive by the names of the townes men and places which were imposed to them by the Cananites as Iericho Salem Kiriath-arba Kiriath-Sepher Beth-dagon so the names of men Melchizedeck Adonibezek Abimelech And if the Cananitish tongue had not beene all one with the Hebrew how could the Patriarches have kept conference with those in Canaan and made their Bargaines and Contracts with them this is cleare also by the example of Rahab who could speake to the Spyes and they understood her and so Ioshua to the Gibionites The Lord would have this tongue continued amongst the Cananites because the Hebrewes were shortly to inhabite that land and to converse with the Cananites for a while untill they had rooted them out Some of the Old Testament written in the Chaldee tongue There is some of the Old Testament written in the Chaldee tongue which hath great affiance with the Hebrew and some of it written in the Syrian dialect as Iob which the Idumeans used and it differed little from the Hebrew tongue but it differed much from the Syrian language now but more from Arabia Ismaelitica which the Turkes speake now in Asia and Africa There are some words found in the Old Testament which are Egyptian Gen. 41.43 Some Phaenitian as Chabbul 1 King 9.13 Some Persian words as Pur Esth 9.24 and some moabitish One Verse in Ieremie originally written in the Chaldee tongue There is one verse in Ieremy originally written in the Chaldee tongue Ier. 10.11 whereas all the rest of that prophesie is written in the Hebrew tongue The gods that have not made the heaven and earth even they shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens The reason why this verse was written in the Chaldee tongue was this because the Iewes now were to be carried to Babylon and when they should be sollicitated there to worship their gods they should answer them in their owne language cursed be your gods for they made neyther heaven nor earth That of Daniel and Ezra which is written in the Chaldee tongue was transcribed out of the roules Something 's taken of the registers of the Chaldeans and insert in the Scriptures and registers of the Chaldeans and insert in the bookes of God but that which the holy Ghost indited originally to Daniel and Ezra was written in the Hebrew tongue the rest was borrowed but out of their registers as first Nebuchad-nezzers dreames Dan. 2. So Nebuchad-nezzer setteth up a golden image Cap. 3. So Nebuchad-nezzers dreame Cap. 4. and Belshassers visions Cap. 5. all these were written in the Chaldee tongue the seventh Chapter is onely excepted it is written also in the Chaldee tongue although it was originally endited to Daniel because it is a more cleare exposition of the monarchies revealed before to Nebuchad-neZZer and Belshasser and set downe in their owne Registers in the Chaldee tongue but the eight Chapter and the rest are wholly written in the Hebrew tongue which were indited immediatly by God to Daniel and not transcribed out of their registers as the rest were So that part of Ezra which is written in the Chaldee tongue is but transcribed and written out of the decrees and letters of the Kings of Media and Persia from the eleventh verse of the fourth Chapter to the seventh Chapter The Chaldeans and Persians used to register and keepe a Chronicle of all their memorable deedes and what befell them and so of their visions and dreames and they caused to write them and interpret them so did the Persians Esth 9.32 and Daniel wrote these visions in the Chaldee tongue and he set them downe for the good of the Church that they might understand that their conditions should be under the Heathish Kings Something 's in the Scriptures borrowed from the Heathen History The holy Ghost borrowed somethings first from the Poets and secondly from the history