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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	new_a	scripture_n	testament_n	8,305	5	8.0705	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75616	Armilla catechetica. A chain of principles; or, An orderly concatenation of theological aphorismes and exercitations; wherein, the chief heads of Christian religion are asserted and improved: by John Arrowsmith, D.D. late master both of St Johns and Trinity-Colledge successively, and Regius professor of Divinity in the University of Cambridge. Published since his death according to his own manuscript allowed by himself in his life time under his own hand.	Arrowsmith, John, 1602-1659.	1659 (1659)	Wing A3772; Thomason E1007_1; ESTC R207935	193,137	525

servants He would have such a person a despiser 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and contemner of others which is plainly Pharisaical thinks all that savoureth of humility unworthy of his magnanimous man whereas Solomon telleth us It is better to be of an humble Prov. 16. 19. spirit with the lowly then to divide the spoil with the proud Yea he alloweth him in case of contumely to speak evil of his adversaries whereas our Saviours rule is Bless them that curse you pray for them Matth. 5. 44. that despitefully use you EXERCITATION 3. Oracles of God vocal or written Books of Scripture so called in five respects viz In regard of their declaring and foretelling their being consulted prized and preserved § 1. IN the epistle to the Hebrews these two phrases The first principles Hebr. 5. 12. and 6. 1. of the oracles of God And the principles of the doctrine of Christ import one and the same thing implying also that Scripture Records are the onely Store-house and Conservatory of Christian Religion I shall therefore from hence take occasion to shew That books of Scripture are oracles of God why they are so called and wherein they excell other oracles For the first There were two sorts of Oracles belonging to God vocal and written The vocal were those answers he gave from between the Cherubims on the top of 1 Kings 6. often and Chapt. 8. 6. the Mercy-seat which covered the Ark by reason whereof the Holy of Holies where that Ark stood was styled the Oracle The written are the two tables Exerc. 3. of the Law called by Stephen the lively Acts 7. 37. oracles and the Canonical books of Scripture as well those of the old Testament of which Paul speaketh when he declareth it as the great priviledge of the Jews that to them were committed the Rom. 3. 2. oracles of God as those of the New to which Peter is like to have had a peculiar respect in that saying of his If 1 Pet. 4. 11. any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Especially if his meaning be to admonish such as speak in congregations publick teachers or as another Apostle styleth them Ministers 2 Cor. 3. 6. of the new Testament that they be carefull to deliver Scripture-truths in Scripture-words New-Testamentmatter in New-Testament-language taking the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that text for a note not of similitude but of identity as when it is said We beheld his John 1. 14. glory the glory as of the onely begotten of the Father it is not meant of a glory like his but the very same So let him speak as the Oracles of God that is the self-same things which Vid. Gerhard Coment in 1 Pet. 4. pag. 631 634. God hath spoken in his word § 2. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby heathen writers had been wont to express their oracles chiefly such are were uttered in prose while such as were delivered in verse went under the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was enfranchised by the holy Ghost and applied to the books of Scripture to intimate as I conceive that these books were to be of like use to Christians as those oracles had been to Infidels whereof take a five-fold account I. Those declared to heathen men the will of their Idols whence also they had their names of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and oracula from orare quod inerat illis Deorum oratio as Tully giveth the etymologie because they contained what the Gods spake and delivered to be their minde The Scriptures in like manner contain the minde of Jehovah Somewhat of his nature we may learn from the creatures but should have known little or nothing of his will had not canonical Scripture revealed it We use to call a mans Testament his last will because in it he makes a final declaration of what he would have his executours do He that would exactly know the will of God must look into his two Testaments there he shall finde it fully expressed and no where else § 3. II. Those foretold future events which made them to be so much frequented by such as thirsted after knowledge of things to come These reade every one his destiny and acquaint him aforehand with what he may or may not infallibly expect according to his present and future qualifications Not to mention prophesies in the New testament whereof the principal magazine is the Apocalypse the old contains very many predictions beyond the activity of humane foresight For although such effects as depend upon natural causes which are uniform in their workings may be foretold by a skilfull naturalist and a wise Statesman observing the present constitution of a government may prognosticate what events are like to ensue upon those counsels and courses which he sees taken yet the quickest eye upon earth cannot foresee such future contingents as have their dependance upon the mere free-will of persons yet unborn and whereunto when they are born not common principles but heroick impulses must incline them Whereas in the Scriptures we meet with the names of Josiah and Cyrus and with their performances long before they had a being We finde old Jacob foretelling the respective fates of all his children and of their posterity Isaiah speaking of Jesus Christ as if he had written an history rather then a prophesie And Daniel who lived under the fitst describing the severall revolutions under all the other Monarchies as if he had seen them with his eyes § 4. III. Those gave advice in doubtfull cases and were in all undertakings of moment consulted with by devout Heathens who as Strabo testifies Lib. 16. in descript Judaeae in their chief affairs of state relied more upon the answers of their oracles then upon humane pollicies These were Davids delight and his counsellours Psal 119. 24. as we use to advise with those friends whom we take most pleasure in He had many wise men about him but in all their meetings for advice the word of God was still of the Quorum and nothing to be concluded of in the result without its consent Scripture must not onely be heard in all our debates but when any thing comes to be voted always have a negative voice Concerning Achitophels advice it was said what he counselled in those days was as if a man had enquired at the Oracle of God 2 Sam. 16. last which words being as it is well said by Peter Martyr Comparatio non aequiparatio a comparison onely not a parallel sufficiently intimate that all the Oracles of God are to be consulted and also that their counsel is to be rested in I shall therefore be bold to say to him that reads whoever he be as Jehoshaphat once did to Ahab Enquire I pray thee 2 Chron. 18. 4. of the word of the Lord to day As Paul to his Colossians Let the

21 22. Sr Walt. Raleigh lib. 5. pag. 374 393. by their oracles if good historians may be credited even by those of the Sibyls which were of greatest esteem for sanctity But the frame of Scripture is according to godliness Piety sparkleth in every leaf and throughout the whole there runs a constant exaltation of God in Christ Well nigh all sorts of Poems to instance in them with which we meet in humane writings have their parallels in the Canonical books but they are such as carry in them a genius and strain of godliness far beyond any thing that occurs in the Poems of men There are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Songs of victory but such as exalt not the prowess of man but the glory of God So Exodus the fifteenth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 funeral songs but such as celebrate Christs death and the good will of God therein so Psalm the twenty second and Isaiah the fifty third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 songs of love but such as set forth the love of Christ to his Spouse the Church and her mutual affection to him So Psalm the fourty fifth and the Canticles There are also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacred pastorals but such as magnifie no other Shepherd but God alone so Psalm the three and twentieth Yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too but such as ascribe all to him So Psalm sixty fifth Let Virgil be asked Quid faciat laetas segetes he will wholly insist upon this or that secondary cause of fertility Ask David he presently falls in his Georgicks upon praising God as the authour of all fruitfulness Thou visitest the earth and waterest it Thou makest it soft with showres Thou blessest the springing thereof Thou crownest the year with thy goodness Thy paths drop fatness c. in the end of that forecited Psalm § 3. III. In point of veracity Many falshoods were uttered much flattery practised by their oracles As when Socrates was declared by the father of lies to be the wisest man upon earth Helvicus p. 18. notwithstanding the two great Prophets Haggai and Zechary were his contemporaries and when Apollo was said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by reason of his so palpable Vide Sirenium de fato l. 9. c. 12 13. favouring of king Philip in his responses Whereas Scripture is free not onely from all degrees of falshood for of it we may say Verity of verities all is verity but of flattery too Insomuch as it may be observed concerning the pen-men of holy Scripture that contrary to the custome and guise of humane writers they are not more free full and impartial in any relations then in those which concern their own failings and theirs who were nearest and dearest to them Moses his unbelief Davids bloud-guiltiness Jonahs pettishness Jeremies impatience Pauls persecution are recorded by their own pens And whereas the other Evangelists in the enumeration of Christs Apostles barely name Matthew for one without setting any brand upon him he himself telleth us what he had been before Christ called him Matthew the publicane Matth. 10. 3. Yea whereas Paul in his epistle to the Galatians had brought in a charge against Peter for Judaizing and spoken Galat. 2. 11. of his own resisting him openly because he was indeed to be blamed yet Peter for all this in his second epistle which was written a good while after styleth him his beloved brother Paul and commendeth 2 Pet. 3. 15 16. not his wisdome onely but all his epistles even that wherein he himself was reproved As for their carriage toward others Moses who loved the Hebrews so well as to wish himself blotted out of Gods book rather then they should perish yet spareth not to relate their many rebellions with the aggravations thereof to the full The idolatry of his brother Aaron the murmuring of his sister Miriam the frowardness of his wife Zipporah are as freely recorded by him as any other historical passages whatsoever Luke who was Pauls companion and scholar telleth us in the Acts what havock he had made and how sore an enemy he had been to the Church of Christ Mark whom Peter 1 Pet. last 13. styleth his son aggravateth the story of his dear fathers sin against Christ more then some of the other Evangelists Luke and John telleth us barely of his denying but Mark addeth further Mark 14. verse 68. 70. 71. that he began to swear and curse saying I know not the man § 4. IV. In point of duration Satan who is Gods ape in very many things had his oracles also of both sorts Vocal as at Delphi and Dodona which Ovid in that respect joyneth together in one verse Non mihi si Delphi Dodonáque diceret ipsa Written as in the Sibyls books contained at first in three volumes two whereof as it is said were purposely cast into the fire by her that presented them because Tarquin Plin. natur hist lib. 13. cap. 13. would not go to the price of them and the third sold for as much as was demanded in the beginning of the treaty for all three Now providence so ordered things that there was was a remarkable failing of the former sort upon the coming of Christ in the flesh and a total cessation of them not long after his death insomuch as Plutarch wrote a book of their defect and a destruction of the latter after Christianity Sibyllinae fata cremavit opis Vide Baron tom 4. ad annum Christi 389. n. 56. Molin Vates p. 182. had taken root in the Romane empire when Stilico burnt the Sybils books as fomenters of paganisme and profaness He that was manifested to destroy the works of the devil stopped the mouths of those evil Angels that gave answers by oracles The Sun of righteousness arose and those wilde beasts were forced to betake themselves to their dens Then was the prince of this world judged and his Angels dislodged for the Lord Christ had ejected them But the old Testament Scriptures received a strong confirmation from Christ by his appealing to them arguing from them and expounding of them Yea so far were the Oracles of God from any diminution by his coming preaching and dying that they received not a confirmation onely but a glorious augmentation in that within a while after there was added to them by his Secretaries the Evangelists and Apostles another Volume I mean the books of the New Testament upon the publishing whereof there came out from God as it were a second edition of his Oracles much enlarged § 5. Fifthly and lastly In point of authoritie Those were from the father of lies as hath been said but these from the Father of lights Scripture is of divine authority Holy men of God 2 Pet. 1. 21. saith Peter spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost They wrote accordingly All Scripture saith Paul was given 2 Tim. 3. 16. by inspiration of God It is not more true that they are

oracles for their use then that they have God for their authour Many large volumes have been written for to make good this assertion It is a thing wherein the Spirit of God who indited the Scripture gives such abundant satisfaction to the spirits of godly men as to make other arguments though not useless yet to them of less necessity He alone bearing witness to the divinity of holy writ and to the truth of his own testimony so putting a final issue to that controversie But because there is need of other reasons for the conviction of other men I have produced certain arguments T●ctica Sacra lib. 2. cap. ult elsewhere and shall here make an addition of two more which are not mentioned in that discourse one from consent another from continuance § 6. From consent thus Writings of men differ exceedingly one from another which made Seneca say Philosophers Tunc inter Thilosophos conveniet quando inter Horologia would then be all of one minde when all clocks were brought to strike at one and the same time Yea it is hard finding an authour that doth not differ from himself more or less if he write much and at various seasons But here is a most harmonious consent The word since written fully agrees with that which in former times was delivered to the Patriarchs and transmitted by word of mouth As the word God is the same to day yesterday and for ever although not incarnate till the fulness of time came and then made flesh So the word of God although till Moses received a command to put it in writing there wanted that kinde of incarnation was for substance the same before and after And as the written word agreed with the unwritten so doth one part of that which is written harmonize with another The two Testaments Old and New like the two breasts of the same person give the same milk As if one draw water out of a deep well with vessels of different mettal one of brass another of tin a third of earth the water may seem at first to be of a different colour but when the vessels are brought near to the eye this diversity of colours vanisheth and the waters tasted of have the same relish So here the different style of the historiographers from Prophets of the Prophets from Evangelists of the Evangelist from Apostles may make the truths of Scripture seem of different complexions till one look narrowly into them and taste them advisedly then will the identity both of colour and relish manifest it self § 7. From continuance thus Notwithstanding all the confusions that have happened in the world all the fires that have been kindled the massacres that have been executed and the battels that have been fought against the true Christian Religion the store-house thereof hath continued to this day and these Oracles of God been preserved in spite of hell Solomons philosophical treatises which the world had no spleen against but a liking of are long since lost whereas his Canonical writings are extant still When the earth clave asunder to swallow up Korah his company there are that think some of his children were taken up by the hand of God into the air till the earth closed again then set down without having received any harm because in the titles of sundry Psalms mention is made of the sons of Korah whom Tirinus in Numer 16. notâ ultimâ they suppose then preserved to propagate these whose service the Lord had a purpose to use so long after How often hath persecution opened her mouth from age to age and swallowed up millions both of men and books Yet the bible hath been continued still by the over-ruling hand of heaven yea which maketh it more remarkable God hath so befooled the devil herein as to preserve his own Book many times by the hands of his and its enemies It is too well known how small friends the Jews are and have heretofore been to the truth contained in the old Testament yet of them did the Lord make use to keep it and they proved carefull feoffes in trust for making over the assurances of life to us Gentiles Concerning one book of the New Testament viz. the Apocalypse it is very observable that when the authority thereof was questioned of old the Church of Rome struck in with her testimony and was a special means to have it kept in the number of Canonical books not without a special providence God who made Pharaohs daughter a second mother to Moses whom he had appointed to bring destruction afterwards upon her fathers house and kingdome did then make the Romish Church a drie nurse to preserve this Book whose meaning she knew not that it might bring desolation upon her self and her children afterwards Well may we therefore conclude and say of the holy Bible as Gamaliel once did of the Apostles Acts 5. 38 39. preaching Had this work been of men it would have come to nought longere this but being it is of God the devil and his complices have not been able to overthrow it § 8. Learn we also from that hath been said to magnifie the grace of God who in order to the promoting of our blessedness hath brought us of this nation to the knowledge of Christian Religion for want whereof many millions in other parts still sit in darkness and the shadow of death It was a memorable act of Witekindus Sr H. Spelman in Aspilogia p. 71. one of the Dukes of Saxony who flourished about the nine hundredth year of Christ after his renouncing paganisme and receiving the faith of the gospel he caused the black horse which he had formerly born in his military colours to be laid aside and in stead thereof a white horse to be born in testimony of his triumphant joy for that great change perhaps because among Qui candore cum nive certabant Pompon Laetus the Romanes the manner was to make use of such coloured steeds in their triumphs It put me in minde of what we reade in the sixth of the Revelation verse the second where Christ is described as going out in the ministery of the Gospel which was then newly embraced by that Prince Behold a white horse and he that sat on him had a bowe and a crown was givne unto him and he went forth conquering and to conquer Yea whereas there are sundry modes of the Christian Religion we are therefore to have our hearts and mouths filled with the highest praises of God because we have it in the purest that is the Protestant way which allows the people in general a free use of Bibles in their native language In In Hispania in Indice librorum prohibitorum Regulae sexta sic habet Prohibentur Biblia in vulgari lingua cum omnibus suis partibus Azor. Instit moral Tom. 1. lib. 8. cap. 26. pag. 714. Anglia mons pons sons Ecclesia foemina lana sundry parts even of Europe