are Canonicall and those which are not Canonicall but Apocryphall Which doe you call the Canonicall Books Syst Theol. pag. 169. item p. 173. Hi constituūt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Those which are of vndoubted authority in prouing the Articles of Faith or which are the Square and Rule of our faith for Canonicall is deriued from Canon which signifieth as much as a Rule or Square Of what sort are the Canonicall books Of two sortes either of the Old or of the New Testament Which Books of the Old Testament are Canonicall The Canonicall Scripture of the old Testament is diuided into foure rancks Syst The. pag. 182. the first containeth the fiue Bookes of Moses the second those Bookes which are called Historicall as these Joshua Iudges Ruth the two Bookes of Samuel the two Bookes of Kings the two Bookes of the Chronicles the Bookes of Esdras Nehemiah Ester The third Bookes which are written in verse which are called Poeticall as these Job the Psalmes of Dauid the Prouerbs of Salomon Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs the fourth comprehendeth the Prophets which are either greater Prophets in number foure or lesser to wit twelue Which Bookes of the New Testament are Canonicall The Canonicall Scripture of the New Testament is diuided into the History of the Euangelists the Acts of the Apostles the Apostles Epistles and the Prophecy or Reuelation of John Which are called Apocriphall or not Canonicall Syst Theol. pag. 190. Which are not of infallible truth and authority in prouing the Articles of faith and consequently which are not the Rule and Square of our beliefe but containe precepts of life and historicall instructions Which are those Apocryphall Bookes Among the Bookes of the Old Testament as wee haue before said there are some found not to bee Canonicall such as the Booke of Tobias Iudith Wisedome which falsly is ascribed to Salomon Ecclesiasticus or Syracides the third and fourth bookes of Esdras all the Bookes of the Maccabees Baruch with Ieremy his Epistle the Prayer of Manasses the fragments of Ester the additions to Daniel as is the Song of the three Children the Historie of Susanna the Historie of Bell and the Dragon None of all these Bookes are to be found in the Hebrew tongue in which Language onely God would haue the Bookes of the Old Testament to bee written neither were they written by the Prophets or any person immediately called of God Neither doth Christ the Euangelists or the Apostles cite them at any time and to conclude there bee many vntruths in them Wherefore when the Papists vrge any thinge out of these Bookes against vs wee must answer that those Bookes containe not the infallible Word of God and consequently that they haue no firme force or validity in prouing How is the Scripture diuided in respect of the matter it handleth Into the Law and the Gospell for that part of Gods Word is called the Law wherein wee are taught what we ought to doe but the Gospell is that part of Gods Word wherein we are taught what we ought to beleeue and consequently wherein wee haue the remission of our sins promised vs by faith in Christ I haue heard sufficiently touching the diuision of the Word of God J pray you also instruct mee in the proprieties of it That will I willingly doe so I first admonish you that hereafter wee shall alwaies take the holy Scripture for the Canonicall Bookes onely and not at all for the Apocryphall VVhat is the first proprietie of the holy Scripture The first propriety is that it deriues all its authority from God alone Syst Theol. pag. 171. not from the assembly of godly men which is called the Church How proue you this I proue it by these reasons first the testimony of God hath not any authority from men The Scripture is the testimony of God alone Ergo. It hath none authority from men yea the most holy men that bee and consequently not from the Church which is nothing else but a company of godly and sanctified men The force and pith of the argument you shall finde 1 Ioh. 5.9 If wee receiue the witnes of men the testymonie of God certainely is greater Secondly that must needs be before the Scripture in naturall order of which the authority of the Scripture dependeth But the Church is not before the Word of God Ergo. The Maior proposition is euident because that which dependeth of another must needs come after that on which it dependeth The Minor is thus prooued That which is gathered gouerned regenerated by the Word or by the Scripture that is in order after the Scripture But the Church Ergo. The Maior is plaine the Minor is prooued by 1 Pet. 1.23 Wee are regenerated and borne anew by the word of God Iames 1.18 He hath begotten vs by the word of truth Ioh. 17.20 Which by their word shall beleeue in me Thirdly the foundation of any building depends not on the roofe or vpper roomes which are built vpon the foundation but contrarily those same vpper roomes and the roofe depend vpon the foundation but the Word of God is the foundation Ergo. The Maior is plaine in it selfe The Minor is confirmed by that Ephes 2.20 You are built vpon the foundation of the Profits and Apostles Obict The Papists obiect to vs that place 1 Tim. 3.15 Where the Church is said to be the pillar and ground of truth Whereto we answer Answ that this argument is sophisticall or a fallacie commonly called a Dicto secundum quid a dictum simpliciter For the Church is not called the piller and ground of truth in regard of it selfe but in regard of Christ the head who is that corner stone And further it is so called in regard it is the keeper of the Scripture Syst Theol pag. 181. forsomuch as God hath made the Church onely to haue to doe with the treasurie of his Word and in the Church as on the piller and doore of his house or pallace he hangeth those holy Tables which euery man must go thither to read No otherwise then the Magistrate hangeth vp on pillars and gates of his Court Tables containing in them his Lawes and Decrees to the end that his Subiects may there reade them as in a publike place Lastly the Church is called the Pillar of Truth in this respect because that God vseth the testimony of the Church as his instrument and meanes for the proposing teaching and expounding of the holy Scriptures vnto men for the Ministers of the Church are the conseruers of truth and the interpreters of the Scriptures yet not so as if the authority of the Scripture did depend on them but because God vseth them as his seruants and Ministers to propound and to beate into the memories of
Lerinens Mâ—â—â— Dâ—â—â— tam non habit hoe illud quam non haec illa Bern. or these diuerse manners of Gods being doe not multiply the Diuine Essence no more then the diuers degrees of heate or light doe multiply the light or heatâ— so that I speake right when I say there are moe persons in the diuine Essence but it cannot be vttered without blaspheâ—y to say there are in God more Natures or more Gods then one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 NazianzeÌ„ Qui nescis TrinitateÌ„ ito ad Iordanem Mat. 3. Aug. Syst Th p 46 vide etiaÌ„ p. 35. seqq Dicamus tres sed non ad praiudiciaÌ„ vnitatâ— dicamus vnâ—â— sed non ad confussionem Trinitatis Ber. v. Syst Theol p. 49. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Na. Quomodò pluralitas in vnitate sit aut ipsa vnitas in pluralitate scrutari hoc temeritas est credere pietas est nosse vita vita aeterna est Bern. How many persons are there Three the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost which is proued by manifest Testimonies of holy Writ Matth. 28 19. Goe teach all nations baptizing them in the namâ— sc by the Authority and appointment of the Father thâ— Sonne and the Holy Ghost Iob. 15.26 When that Comforte shall come whom I will send tâ— you from the Father euen tâ— Spirit of Truth who proceedeth from the Father he well testifie of me where they are all three plainely named the Father from whom the holy Spirit is sent the Sonne who sendeth and the Holy Ghost who is sent 1. Ioh. 5 7. There bee three which beare record in Heauen the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are one in Essence or Nature How proue you that these three persons bee that one God First I must haue it granted that these three persons are distinct because hee that sendeth is distinguished from him that is sent and hee from whom is distinguished from him that is sent Now Iâ—â—c 15. plainely saith that Christ is hee that sendeth the Holy Ghost him that is sent and the Father from whom the Sonne sendeth the holy Ghost Whence I doe necessarily inferre that these three manners of being in God are distinct which being graunted I shall easily prooue this three-fold manner of being or these three Persons in the diuine Essence to be that true God For first as touching the Father the very aduersaries themselues yeeld Christus est Deus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coÌ„tra AriuÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contra Apolinar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contra Nestor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contra Eutych Syst Theol. pag. 52. seqq that he is truely God And touching the Sonne wee haue manifest testimonies of the Scripture Rom. 9.5 Of whom namely the Israelites are the fathers of whom Christ came as concerning the flesh who is God aboue all blessed for euer If aboue all therefore about those who by reason of their excellent gifts are called Gods That the holy spirit is God these Sentences of Scripture plainely proue Acts 5.3 Peter saith to Ananias Why hath Satan filled thy heart that thou shouldest lye against the holy Ghost And presently he addeth vers 4. Thou hast not lyed vnto men but vnto God Therefore the holy Ghost is God Another place is 1 Cor. 2.10 The Spirit searcheth all things euen the profound things of God And the verse following For who knoweth the things c. Whence wee may thus reâ—son whosoeuer knoweth the secrets the profound secrets of God or which is all one whosoeuer is omniscient is God but the Holy Ghost is Omniscient Ergo The Maior is euident the Minor is exprâ—sly in the Text. Secondly whatsoeuer is in God is God but the Holy Ghost is in God Ergo. The Proposition is of certaine truth for that God who is a most simple Essence void of all difference and composition cannot consist of any thing which is not God The assumption is in the Text v. 11. where it is said As the reasonable soul is in man that is of the essence of man so the holy Spirit is in God Hitherto may tha testimony 1 Cor. 3.16 be referred â— August Enchirid. cap. â—6 Know yee not that yee are the Temple of God and that the holy spirit dwelleth in you where the latter words doe expound the former for it is all one as if the Apostle had said Know yee not that yee are the Temple of God seeing that the Holy Ghost dwelleth in you who is God But if the Aduersaries say that the spirit is nothing else saue the effects and gifts of God they are most manifestly confuted and confounded by the words of the Scripture 1 Cor. 12.4.5.6 There are diuersities of gifts but the same spirit there are diuersities of ministrations but the same Lord c. And verse 11. All these gifts worketh that one and selfe same spirit distributing c. Whence ariseth this argument He that distributeth a gift is not himselfe that gift that is distributed but the Holy Ghost is the distributer of all those gifts Ergo. The Proposition is cleare enough The Assumption is plaine in the Text where it is said that the spirit worketh and distributeth al those gifts Another argument out of the same text may bee this Hee that is endued with a will hee cannot be a bare vertue or accident but is a substance subsisting by it selfe but the Holy Ghost c. Ergo. The Maior is cleare for whosoeuer willeth he vnderstandeth and whosoeuer willeth and vnderstandeth hee must bee a substance by it selfe subsisting The Minor is clearely set downe in the text where it is said The Spirit distributeth to euery one as he will Fuit principium essendi DEVS sequiter cognoscendi principium VERBVM DEI non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verbum Christi Syst Th p. 167. Qui ScripturaÌ„ ignorat ChristuÌ„ ignorat Hieronym de Scriptura Zanch. Confess pag. 482. item in illud Pauli 2 Tim. 3.14 tom 8. p. 319 seqq I haue heard the doctrine concerning God tell mee now besides what the holy Scripture is It is that testimony and witnesse which God hath giuen to Mankind as touching his owne nature and will and as touching those thinges which appertaine to the saluation of man How is the holy Scripture diuided Three manner of waies first by reason of the Time wherein it was reuealed secondly by reason of that Authority it hath in proouing thirdly by reason of the Matter which it handleth How is the Scripture diuided in respect of the time wherin it was reuealed Into the Old and New Testament The Old Testament therefore is that part of the Scripture which God reuealed to the first of Man-kind people of the Iewes which liued vntill the Ministery of Christ which hee reuealed I say by the Prophets as by his Scribes and Notaries But the New Testament is called that part of the Scripture which God hath reuealed to Man-kind after the birth of Christ by the Euangelists and Apostles as by his Pen-men or Notaries How is the Scripture diuided in respect of that authority it hath in prouing So it is diuided into the bookes which
world which his right hand hath not before determined either to doe as in all good things or suffer to be done as in all sinfull actions as S. Austin very fully and learnedly proueth in his Enchiridion to Laurentius Conclus It was Themistocles his commendation in Thucydides that hee could 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex tempore and on a sudden speake to any point and counsell alwayes for the best For my selfe I must confesse I am none of those ready wits yet thus much I haue beene bold out of some former acquaintance with this point of doctrine to write raptim on a sudden to this question for your satisfaction which I trust also will bee sufficient to perswade any ingenuous man that is only tainted with Popery and not branded with the marke of the Beast for there is no hope of such to think and conceiue wel of the truth of our doctrine If I had had my tooles about mee I should haue made it a more perfect worke but you know I am far from my bookes Such as it is it is yours and I am yours to vse in all Christian offices T.V. Aug. de lib. arbit l. 2. c. 20. Tu tantùm pietatem inconcussam tene vt nullum existimes tibi bonum vel sentienti vel intelligenti vel quoquo modo cogitanti occurrere posse quod non sit ex Deo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or The Heads of a plaine and profitable method of Teaching shadowed and pointed at WHereas there bee now in vse two wayes of deliuering the precepts of any Art according to the doctrine of Plato the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a longer the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a shorter way in the setting downe of these few rules following I haue made choice of the later because I am sure I haue only to deale with intelligent men or schollers to whom as the old saying runs Verbum sat one word is as good as a thousand I. Preloquution if the matter require vnder which Coherence auoid affectation I meane not only an affectation of big words and phrases but also of a farre fetcht entrance into the Text as hee that in euery Sermon he made whatsoeuer the Text was would bee sure to begin alwayes at the beginning of the world II. Partition into as few parts as you can Auoid curiositio As for example if I were to handle those wordes of Christ Weepe not for mee but weepe for your selues I would not diuide them thus The parts are sixe I. Weepe II. Weepe not III. Weepe not but weepe IV. Weepe not for mee V. Weepe for your selues VI. Weepe not for mee but for your selues for feare I should seeme rather to play with the Text then to diuide the word aright III. Interpretation if terms or words bee ambiguous Auoid needlesse criticismes as if I were to open the name of Paul I should say it came from Pi in Hebrew which signifies â—s and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek that is tibia Master Selden hath intermixed many needlesse Criticismes in the History of Tithes obserued and exploded by diuers Worthies so that I shall not need to say any thing but onely pray for him that the pride of his heart in worm-eaten learning and his malice against the Ministers of the Gospel which he hath discouered by thâ—â— Booke though couertly and aliud agens may bee forgiuen him and that the sin of many close-fisted sacrilegious Patrons which detaine the Churches * Of the point before the famous History saw the light DD. Carleton now L. Bishop of Chichester Tithes proued due to the Ministers of the Gospel by diuine right Sir Hen Spelman De non temerandis Ecclesijs M. Eburne The Maintenance of the Ministery M. Robarts The Reuenew of the Gospel Tithes M. Gosthwick The truth of Tythes To the point and person too S. Iam Sempill Sacriledge Sacredly handled DD. Tillesley Animaduersions on the famous History DD. Sclater The Ministers portion and question of Tithes Reuiewed M. Montague Diatribae on the History M. Nettles Answere to the Iewish part of M. Selden Right and think they haue gotten a very good pretence for so doing by the writing of that Booke bee not one day laid to his charge It is a wonder to see what adoe the Friers make with the first word in the Angels salutation Aue Luc. 1. First say they Aue is as much as sine vae making it come of a priuitiua particula in Greeke and vae in Latine Secondly they find the name of our great Grandame in it because Eue wrought mans destruction and Mary mans Saluation therefore the Angell doth most fitly begin the Salutation with Aue which Anagrammatiz'd is Eua. Ioan Picus in his Heptaplus findes I know not what Mysteries in the first word of the Bible Berescit by transposing and conioyning the Letters diuersly as though he were ringing changes hee pickes out three wordes the intellectuall Celestiall and corruptible and withall this sentence Pater in filio per filium principium fine siue quietem creauit caputignem fundamentum magni hominis foedere bono All this as he conceiues dissults out of the resolution and comâ—osition of the first word in Genesis IV. Collection of Doctrines or conclusions out of the seuerall parts as they shall naturally arise auoid straining as Christ bid some body loose Lazarus and let him goe ergo the Ministers haue power to loose and absolue sinners it is Sixtus Senensis his Collection Moses saith that the Stars were created to bee signes Ergo the Astrologer may come to the knowledge of mens fortunes and of particular euents by the Stars it is Sr. Chrystopher Heydons Collection Abraham paid Tythe to Melchizedech of all the spoyles euen of the spoyles Ergo the spoyles onely it is Mr. Seldens Doctrine God made man after his owne Image Ergo Images are to be suffered in Churches The Sun is greater then the Moone by many degrees Ergo the Pope is aboue the Emperour Dauid saith Praise God in his Saints Ergo wee may pray vnto the Saints Christ said to Peter thy faith shall not faile Ergo the Pope of Rome cannot erre These and the like inconsequences are meere wrestings of the Text. And so it is likewise when a Parable is vrged beyond the scope and drift of it very common among Popish interpreters V. Probation 1. By authoritie of Scriptures opening them along if need be 2. By arguments or reasons illustrating them some way as you can Auoid prolixitie That 's S. Austins counsell Lib. 4. de doct Christ 22. and his reason is Quando prolixa est oratio in vno genere minus detinet auditorem and therefore hee would not haue a Preacher stand long vpon any point when it is once vnderstood of the people but slide into another I haue heard of a Preacher that stood vpon a short Text seuen yeeres together and I haue read I am sure of one Thom. Hasselbachius that was