the book be to him that readeth of the nature that an image is to him that gazeth who would not plead for them both alike to be used or rejected But what if an other would come and say that words or speaches are in the nature of trumpets or bells and therefore in the nature of ceremonies and so by consequent as the silver trumpets golden bells in the Law were ceremonies ended by Christ so speaking or preaching of the word is likeweise ceremonial men now must be all taught by the spirit Hath not this as good a colour against the audible voice as the other against the visible writing For as the sound of the voice affecteth the eare and understanding of the hearer so the sight of the letter affecteth the eye understanding of the reader and as far dooth a book differ from an image in this respect as a man from a bell A bell when it soundeth in the eare yeeldeth no distinct articulate voice for the edifying of the hearer but a man when he speaketh is vnderstood of the hearers his reanable voice dooth edify so an image when it is looked vpō affoardeth a man no edification no not if it were an image sent frō heaven unlesse it had a voice withall but a book when it is read informeth the mind and feedeth not the eye onely as dooth a picture An image picture hath a mouth speaks not no spirit or breath of life is in thē but the book of God is theopneustos inspired of God his spirit life is in it it is not a dumb teacher but speaketh testifyeth the mind of God and by that which is there written the spirit speaketh to the Churches Wherfore a mayn difference is to be put between livelesse pictures Gods lively oracles in his book so in all writings And if M. S. continue in this mind that a book and an image are both of a nature I could with he would set out no more books but images in their sted so should lesse harm come unto mens soules then now dooth by reading his hereticall writings But if books and writings be in nature of ceremonies reading as he sayth ceremonial wherof he giveth this reason for as the beast in the sacrifices of the old testament was ceremonial so was the killing of the beast ceremoniall how is it that he sayd before of reading that it is a lawful ecclesiastical action dooth not the lying tongue vary incōtinently For shall we have legall ceremonies the shadow of things to come whose body is in Christ to be used as lawful ecclesiasticall actions may we not then have pictures images of cherubims c. for ecclesiastical use as we have the holy scriptures which by M. S. religion are in the nature of images ceremonies In another place he sayth As musicall instruments and playing vpon them was typicall because it was artificial so reading of a book was typicall also because it is meerartificial So then the playing on the organs and the reading of the scriptures are both of a nature both types and ceremonies so abolished How near these reasons groūds do reach to Iudaism Familism I leave unto the wise to judge and future things wil shew more for as yet the wandring starrs have not run al their course Of the Original scriptures AFter his censure of books in general to be of the nature of images M. Sm. cometh to fight against the use of Gods scriptures in his worship beginning even with the Originals the Hebrue and Greek as they were written by the prophets Apostles Wherin he is fallen into a higher degree of error or of frawd then when we had controversie with him for then his plea was no translation for it is apocrypha but onely the canonical scriptures are to used in the church in tyme of Gods worship Now he wil out with canonical scripture also for the reading of it he thinketh was a ceremonie ended by Christ thus see we fulfilled the saying of the Prophet they proceed from evil to worse And first to prove them ceremonies he layeth these grounds The holy Originals sayth he signifie and represent to our eyes heavēly things therfore the book of the law is called the similitude of an heavenly thing Heb. 9. 19 23. Holy scriptures or writings began with Moses Exo. 24 4. and 31. 18. Ioh. 1. 17. 2 Cor. 3 7. Before Moses holy men prophesied out of their harts and received and kept the truth of doctrine by tradition from hand to hand 2 Pet. 2 5. Jude ver 14 15. Deut. 31 24. When Moses had written the law he caused it to be put by the ark in the most holy place as a witnesse against the people Deut. 31 26. therefore the Apostle caleth it the handwriting in ordinances which was contrary to us which Christ nayled to his crosse Col. 2 14 Eph. 2 15. Hence it followeth that the holy Originals the Hebrue scripture of the old testament are ceremonies 2 Cor. 3 3 7 Num. 5 23. 24. by necessarie consequent The book or tables of stone typed unto the Jewes their hard hart void of the true understāding of the law 2 Cor 3 3. Hebr. 8. 10. Ezek. 36 26 27. 2 Cor. 3 14 15. The ynk wherwith the letters were written signified the spirit of God 2 Cor. 3 3 Heb. 8 10. with Exod. 31 18. The letters written or characters ingraven signifieth the work of the spirit who alone doth write the law in our harts by proportion also Deut. 9 10. with Heb. 8 10. Reading the words of the law out of the book signifieth the vttering of the word of God out of the hart by proportion See also 2 Cor. 3. 2. 3. 6. 1 Cor. 12 7. The writings of the old testament being ceremonial are therefore abolished by Christ onely so far forth as they are ceremonial Col. 2. 14. 20. Gal. 4. 9. The thing signifyed by the book viz the law of God the new testament remayneth 2 Cor. 3. 11. 7. Heb. 8. 6. 7. 13. Here first may be observed how M. Sm. professing to treat of the originall scriptures in which both old and new testament both law and gospel are written unto vs taketh one part onely to weet the law or old testament and from it will conclude against the whole body of the scriptures and this fallacie he often useth in his writings But if all he here sayth were graunted that the writings of Moses were abolished by Christ Yet will it not therevpon follow that the writings of the other Prophets and of the Apostles also are typicall ceremoniall and abolished Nay rather the contrary would follow thus that as circumcision and the passeover c. were figurative shadowes ended by Christ no more to be used but baptisme and the Lords supper instituted by Christ in sted of the former are continually to be
syn and impure by nature even as we by baptising our selves doe the like By offring sacrifices for syns they acknowledged themselves actual transgressors of the law and the killing of beasts argued themselves were vvorthy of death Novv it vvas not possible for the blood of buls and goats to take avvay synns and the lavv taught them so much therfore it vvas a schoolmaster to lead them to Christ that they mought be made righteous by faith This handwriting vvhich stood thus in decrees against the Ievves and vvhich rose up as an adversarie and contrary unto them Christ blotted or vviped out by his death on the crosse vvhere he spoiled also the principalities and powers the Divils vvhich vvere readie to plead against Israel urge this hādvvriting these ordinances vvhich they practised against them if they used them not vvith fayth in Christ but vvith expectation of justice by works of the law Now this word handwriting figuratively used and applied to the legal ordinances M. Smyth taketh properly for the written law and prophets as if Christ had blotted out them and taken them from his Church even as he took circumcision altars sacrifices c. which how far it is from truth I leave unto every conscience 〈◊〉 judge But were it as he thinketh the writtten word of God yet must it then be limited so farr forth onely as men do abuse it and learn not Christ by it for to such onely it is a handwriting contrary to them and so is at this day But this is not the proper use or end of the law or scripture in it self for it preacheth to men the word of fayth and righteousnes therby in Christ as wel as righteousnes by works of the law and the gospel hath witnesse of the law and prophets and they testifie of Christ are a sure word unto Christians Wherefore it were woe vvith us if these vvere blotted out and taken avvay as ceremonies and shadovves abolished the reading vvhereof both publik and private is a continual light and comfort to our harts and confirmation of our holy fayth And to substitute mens harts vvhich are by testimonie of the prophet deceitful and wicked above al things in sted of the holy bible vvhose vvords are al true and faithful is a miserable exchang for eyther men must be as vvere the prophets moved and caried by the holy ghost and so all their vvords taken for heavenly oracles or else vve shal be fed vvith chaffe in sted of vvheat and drink deadly poyson in sted of vvholesome liquor The serpent is subtile more then any beast of the field he savv this ground of making the scriptures of God ceremonies and abolished by Christ vvould be distasted of many yea of any that feareth God therefore he laboureth to svveeten this vvormvvood vvith an after receipt vvhich yet is so tempered as it may serve to help forward his purpose in taking the book of God out of the church M. Smyth in the next place granteth that the holy scriptures are the fountain of al truth the ground and foundation of our fayth that by them al doctrines and every spirit is to be iudged that they are to be read in the church and to be interpreted neverthelesse not reteyned as helps before the eye in tyme of spiritual worship There is no such battel as when a man is at warr with himself it is a special judgment wher with God smiteth his enemies Would any man think that such bitter sweet waters could come out of one fountain as have flowed here Standeth this eyther with religion or with reason that that which as an adversary is blotted out nayled to Christs crosse abolished as being ceremonial and a worldly rudiment should yet be the fountayne of all truth the ground of faith c. If these will stand togither what wil not Then also may circumcision altars sacrifices and other Iewish services although they were shadowes and abolished by Christ yet be reteyned and used of Christians with a little qualification and distinction of worship properly so called and this will like the Iewes very well But we that have learned Christ cannot brook such contrary potions For if the book writing reading of it be Iewish shadowes ended and abolished by Christ and the hart and speaking out of it be the shadowed thing the heavenly truth figured by and substituted for the other we would keep the substance leave the ceremony for such as follow shadowes But if the book of God the written scriptures be the fountaine of all truth and foundation of our faith as it is in deed and we so esteem it then can we not but detest that former plot as a groundwork of Satan that hung vp the scriptures as our enemy vpon the crosse so blotting them out as a cancelled bond and abolishing them for ever Wherefore the reading and expounding of the scriptures continueth now as of old in Israel where the lavv and prophets were read in the synagogues every sabbath for to teach inform Gods people in his vvayes so read vve them still for like end and vse and shall by Gods grace maugre Satans slights so do vnto the end And as for the snare the distinction I mean of spiritual worship properly so called Which vvas set to take the simple it is broken before and the adversary himself if any man be is caught vvith the same Yet ceaseth he not but proceedeth vvith reasons that the originall scriptures are not given as helpes before the ey in worship But the foundations being already overthrovvn vve shall vvith lesse difficultie and more brevitie discover and do away the errors His reasons are Because Christ used the book to fulfil all righteousnes Mat. 3. 15. having by the use of the book fulfilled the law of reading he shut the book in the synagogue to signifie that the ceremonie of book worship or the Ministerie of the letter was now expired and finished Luk. 4. 20. Ioh. 19. 30. First here is the law of reading brought to an end according to that first ground of ceremonies contrary to the second grant that the scriptures are to be read in the Church and to be interpreted which reading and interpreting if it be not Gods worship and service it is the worship of the Divil Thus M. Sm. wavereth as a reed shaken with the wind Secondly in the other side of the leaf M. Sm forgetting himself as a drunken man sayth all the worship that was appointed by Moses for the Preists was limitted to the holy place whether the people were not admitted and therefore reading was of an other nature performed in the utter court or synagogue or elsewhere eyther by the Levites or any other learned men quoting againe Luke 4. 16. and so no part of worship properly so called but onely a ceremonial ground or foundation of inward or outward spirituall worship
to mistake so smal a matter in copying out any thing as experience teacheth Thus Mr. Sm. is slipt aside from translations to quarrel with the original scriptures and correct them where though I would not folow his wanderings I observ breefly these things 1. He restreyneth the holy Ghost from using the seventies errors bearing with mens weaknes because he needeth them not why doth he not also restreyne God from suffering divorce many wives to one man in Israel seing he needed not thus to have done then more then now Shal man limit the holy Ghost to doe no more then he needeth 2. He mismatcheth Gods passing by the syn of hethens idolatrie Act. 17. 30. with Gods permission of divorce and polygamie in his law and putting in Cainan in Luk. 3. The first was horrible syn in al that did it though God overlooked it upon their repentance the latter not so but tolerable and Lukes naming of Cainan holy 3 He injurieth Luke intimating as if he put errors from a translation into the original indeed he had so done if from the Lxx. he had put it into Moses Hebrue which was farr from him But he onely sets it downe out of a common known received record into the genealogie which he wrote which al would allow of by which they would trie Lukes writing where the leaving of it out mought have caused much strife And if God so bare with the Iewes hardnes of old what mouth can blame him for bearing with the weaknes both of Iewes and Gentiles here Nay rather his mercy is to be magnified for writing his word so as the weak mought not stumble or fal away the froward mought not cavil For had the Apostles written in Hebrue the Grekes of liklihood many Iewes could not have vnderstood and if they should have ordinarily left the common translatiō not onely the Gentiles mought have made doubt but the Iewes would have taken occasion to speak evil For they reverenced the labours of the 70 greatly and would suffer no other translatiō God therefore who turneth al things to his glorie turned this his indulgence to the praise of his grace 4 Mr. Sm. hazardeth the credit of the original scriptures and of al mens faith in saying Antichrist hath violated them as he hath polluted al Gods ordinances It is not good they say to bely the Divil Antichrist hath evil ynough upon him though he be not charged with violating the originals which this accuser wil not easily prove No doubt but copiers and writers might fail and did mistake and some thinking to mend the new testament by the old or Luke by Matthew might make it worse which by true copies may be amended So faults are in translations through ignorance or oversight But this point if it were true helpeth translatiōs and hurteth them not For if the originals be violated and yet are not for the faults to be rejected so translations may be violated the errors in the part are no cause to reject the whole 5 He presumeth to put Cainan out because it is not in some ancient copies these some I take it wil prove but one which Beza mentioneth and if the credit of it wil countervayl al others in Cainan it must do the like also in a great part of the genealogie beside varying al the names from Ioseph up to David according to Matthewes narration which is to overthrow Lukes purpose quite For he deduceth Christ from Nathan his father in the flesh and not from the brother Solomon his father but in the kingdom as Matthew dooth But to change pente five into pantes all Act. 7 14. without warrant of any Greek copie at al is too much boldnes cannot be be born out by kurio kairo where many copies are for a ground If men that perceive not the counsel of God in penning his word shal presumptuously change it according to their owne conceipt we shal have nothing left sound or uncorrupt Rather if men be ignorant let them lay their hand on their mouth Lastly sayth he fully to answer the obiection whatsoever is good in the LXX translation was taken out of the new testament and ancient fathers of the Greek church For it is manifest by histories that the LXX translation is lost and this that goeth under the name of the LXX is a patcherie made out of ancient writings therfore the holy Ghost doth not aim at the LXX translation at al as is imported in the obiection This is not fully but foolishly to answer for though the LXX trans were now lost yet was it not lost in the Apostles dayes nay ther was no other but that known in the world to reason because we have it not now therfore they then aimed not at it at al is without reason or colour of truth Neyther doth M. Smyth manifest by histories that the Seventies translation is now lost rather the translations of Aquila Symmachus Theodotio others that synce the Apostles time set over the bible in Greek these al are lost save some peeces of them and that which we have is for the body of it the Seventies though much corrupted with words and sentences of the other And this Hieroms translation of the prophets from the Septuagint and his commentarie citing the divers versions of Aquila Symmachus c. sheweth and the best Greek bibles now extant that have varias lectiones do confirm the same Neyther if al were granted which he would is the objection fully answered for the Apostles cite the scriptures in Greek which the prophets wrote in Hebrue eyther therfore they aymed at the Septuagint or translated it themselves Whereupon it followeth that the Hebrue text set over into Greek is the scripture of God stil and speech of the holy ghost Or if M. Smyths divinitie had then been known the unbeleeving Iewes mought have alleged that Paul proved not his doctrine by canonical scripture but by apocryphal writings that were equally humane with the Rabbines commentaries in respect of the matter and in respect of the letter language worse There were Greeks and Graecians Hellenes and Hellenistai Rom. 1. 16. Act. 6. 1. The Greeks were so by progenie and blood the Graecians or Hellenists were Iewes by progenie borne in Grecia Therfore Paul calleth himself an Hebrue of the Hebrues Phil. 3 5. These Graecians had forgotten their language and spake Greek onely and in their synagogues had the Greek translation read unto them and the Apostles coming into their synagogues approved that act and so it followeth that reading translations is lawful in worship The distinction of Greeks and Grecians is vain sayth M. Sm. as appeareth by these places compared Act. 21. 39. 18. 2. 24. with Act. 6. 1. Phil. 3. 5. For Paul was born at Tarsus in Cilicia and Aquila at Pontus and Apollos at Alexandria and yet are al called Jewes not Hellenists or Graecians And Act.
be the genus to these 5. species folowing then I say that Diaconia signifieth not an office but a work and of workes there are those 5. kindes That diaconia doth sometime signify a work is plaine 2 Cor. 8. 4. 1 Pet. 4. 10. Lastly the Apostle that knew how to speak would never have made teaching and exhortation members distributive with prophesie and diaconia if he had intended to make them species subordinate to diaconia therfore questionlesse that is not his intention Rather then he wil yeeld to the truth he seeks every corner of error and now the diverse use of the word diaconia must agayne be urged against the proper meaning of the same against the evident light of this scripture against the mans own former interpretation And sure he is used to rough wayes and words that sayth it is playne diaconia signifies a work the scriptures that he quoteth shew it not The word signifieth ministerie or office and ministration or service doon unto any other but work is an unproper interpretation Let linguists judge Nay let M. S. himself judge if he wil be tried by himself for in his book against M. Bernard written after this he hath this proposition The true ministerie hath a true office in execution wherof it is exercised Rom. 12. 7. 1. Cor. 12. 5. 28 Eph. 4. 11. I would gladly know how M. Sm. wil prove his aslertion from these scriptures if diaconia do not signify an office in this place But it is Gods special judgement against haeretiks that they should be autocatacritâ—i condemned of themselves Yet were it translated work what would it help him Of workes there are 5. kindes sayth he Who denyes it but are there not also as many kind of workers let this be disproved otherweise to strive for the former is to fight with his shadow The Apostle we doubt not knew wel how to speak and therefore spake not as M. S. feighneth of teaching exhortation as distributive members but of the teacher and exhorter And all men know that an office and officer have fit reference each to other so ministerie being mentioned in generall the several ministers ar fitly next named But of this point I spake before The 4. objection The Apostle by the commandement of Christ writeth to the Angels of the â— Churches of Asia Rev. 1. 2. 3. That is to the Pastors which ar but one in every particular Church For so the wordes are to the Angel of the Church c. Mr Smythes answer First it can never be proved by scriptures that there was but one Pastor in a Church it is playn Act. 20. 28. that ther were many in the Church of Ephesus that was one of those 7. Churches that did perform the work of the Pastor which is poimainein to feed even all the elders vers 17. with verf. 28. And therefore ther were many Pastors in that Church in Pauls time Againe al churches had officers of one sort one kind of Presbyterie c. Replie This is the last objection which M. Sm. maketh and answereth Other reasons many there are more pregnant this alone without conference with other scriptures I know will not prove many sorts of officers But it may serve to confirm the point thus seing in Ephesus the were many Elders Christ here directeth his Epistle to the Angel or Messenger of that Church this seemeth to be one that had the principal charge of the whol that is the Pastor But it can not be proved sayth M. S. that there was but one Pastor in a church Neyther can it be proved say I that there were many Yes sayth he al the Elders in Ephesus were poimainein to feed or doe the Pastors work therfore there were many Pastors I answer it followeth not for the reasoÌ„ deceiveth by aequivocatioÌ„ or double meaning of the word Pastor generally taken is any governour paricularly and strictly wherof now we speak it is the Exhorter or he that hath the word of wisdome In the general meaning Christ is the Pastor the Apostles Pastors all the Elders of a particular Church ar Pastors Wil he conclude hereupon that an Apostle and a Pastor properly so called is all one office The Apostle sheweth the contrarie Ephes. 4. 11. As then an Apostle and a Pastor be diverse officers though both doe poimainein feed so Pastors Teachers Rulers may be different officers though all do poimainein that is feed rule the flock The Pastors in Israel in the scriptures which he before alleged Ier. 23. 1. Ezek. 34. 2 had they al one particular office Farr otherwise For Preists and Levites were distinct in office and other Elders distinct from them both as before I have manifested yea not onely the Sacrificers but the civil governors were Pastors K. Dauid was a Pastor taken to feed Iaakob and Israel Accordingly in Act. 20. 1. Pet. 5. al the Elders may feed yet not al be in one the same but in distinct office Answer Further sayth Mr. Sm. the Angel of every one of those Churches dooth not signfy one Pastor onely in every Church but eyther the college of Pastors if they were many or the company of the most sincere and holy men that most opposed the corruptions of the Church or were most holy and zelous in life doctrine That an Angel signifieth a company of men is plaine Rev. 14. 6. 8. 9. 18 4. Replie It is not playn but very obscure and figurative if an Angel signifies at any time a company of men the scriptures alleged shew it not For though there is no Angel or messenger mentioned but there is a people also implied to whom he is a messenger as there is no Pastor but implieth a flock yet is not the Pastor the flock nor the Angel the people Special persons are rather noted by the Angels in my judgement To take the Angel for a company of the most syncere and holy men is further from the mark seing some are written to in whom little zele or sinceritie can be gathered Rev. 3. 1. 15. and to passe by the officers and direct the Letters to private persons and such especially is not according to order encommended by Christ to the Church 1 Cor. 14. 40. Answer Lastly sayth M. S. in all likelyhood there were some extraordinary men yet living in the Churches eyther Prophets or Evangelists that had extraordinarie gifts whose zele and holynes might win them special estimation in the Churches in regard whereof it might be the holy Ghost intending his Epistles to the whole Church cheefly directeth them to these Persons so qualified as men best able to prevayl with the Church and caleth them Angels whether one or more as Iohn the Baptist is caled an Angel Mark 1. 2. Replie Any thing hath more likelihood with Mr. Sm. then that which is most likely to be true Can this have all likelihood that the