even Moses sheweth when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham c. So Iohn 3.14 Ioh. 6.32 which cannot be said of the books called Apocryphal Quest 1. verse 1. What is meant by the heaven and the earth By the heaven I conceive we are to understand two things Resp The highest heaven the heaven of the blessed the dwelling place of glorified Saints and Angels called also the heaven of heavens 1 King 8.27 This heaven I conceive was made before the earth although I lay not any stresse upon the order of the words Repentance is not before Faith because sometimes set in the first place in the text nor was David before Abraham because David is set in the first place in the text Matth. 1. 1. By the heaven we are to understand Angels Iob 38. 7. Where wert thou saith God when I laid the foundations of the earth viz. when the first matter was made of which the world was composed for the earth to speak strictly is without foundations and hangeth upon nothing like a round ball in the aire when the morning starres viz. the Angels for the lights of heaven Sunne Moone and Starres were not yet created sang together c. To this purpose consider That all kinds of beings were created the first six dayes Angels are like the heaven in their spirituality and incorruptibility as also in their power over sublunary and earthly bodies and therefore may be so called The Saints are called heaven seven times in one Chapter as carnal and eathly-minded men are called earth verse 16. And the Rev. 12. earth helped the woman now if the Saints be called heaven in the Scripture why not the Angels From the consideration of the method that was taken by God in the Creation of man so soone as mans seat was perfected man was created It is probable that proportionably when those blessed invisible mansions were finished on the first day the Angels were created By the earth is meant that whole confused Chaos of earth and water which was yet without forme and void as is afterwards described in the second verse now this might be called the earth as when an house is in fieri we call it an house and say an house is a building Quest 2. verse 1. It is said God created the heaven and the earth and yet 2 Cor. 4. 4. Satan is called the God of this world God is the God of the world ratione Resp creationis in regard of creation Satan is the god of the world ratione cultûs in regard of service He rules in the children of disobedience Quest 3. verse 2. Why God should begin time with darknesse It is no greater a wonder then that the Resp Lord should begin a glorious world with a rude and confused Chaos the progresse of his Wisdome in making the world being for the most part from more imperfect things to perfect from a Chaos to beauty from the servants and furniture to man the Lord and Master of this great house Darknesse is a privation now the habit Object must alwayes actually go before the privation in the same subject This darknesse was rather a negation Resp 1 then a privation Take privation largely and so it may be first in subjecto capaci As silence may be before speech and blindnesse before sight in a man who is a subject capable of both so here darknesse might be before light because the subject of the first matter was capable of both Quest 4. verse 3. God said verse 3. Let there be light and yet Sun Moon and Stars not created till the fourth day That light which before the fourth day Resp was scattered up and down upon the earth was afterwards gathered together into the bodies of the Sun Moon and Stars Quest 5. verse 5. It is said The evening and the morning was the first day now how could there be morning or evening before the Sun was created Evening and Morning in this place is Resp 1 not to be taken according to their usual signification but Morning for all that time it was light Evening for all that time it was dark There is no argument from the present state of things since the Sun was created to the former state of things before the Sun was created morning is now caused one way by the rising of the Sun then caused another way by light scattered up and down upon the earth Quest 6. verse 11 12. Whether the World began with the Autumne Some have thought that it began in the Resp 1 Spring and that upon two grounds 1. Because the spring is the time of encrease as we fin de by experience in fish and fowle 2. Because Adam was thrust out of Paradise to till the ground and spring-time is aptest for tillage Others and I conceive more probably thiâ—k the world began in the Autumne for it is said expressely that the earth brought forth â—â—â—sse and herb yeelding seed after his â—workâ— the tree yeelding fruit whose seed 〈…〉 self after its kind so that as man 〈…〉 a childe but a perfect man so the trees and plants were created in their perfection and therefore when the Serpent tempted our first parents which was immediately after their creation the Tree of knowledge of good and evil had fruit fully ripe on it The woman saw that the tree Gen. 3. 6. was good for food and that it was pleasant for the eyes Quest 7. verse 14. Whether from those words let them be for signes and for seasons and for dayes and for years Astrological predictions be warrantable Neg. There are two sorts of predictions Resp lawful from the consideration of the position of the heavens 1. Praedictiones naturales natural predictions viz. when by the rising or setting of the heavenly luminaries by their opposition conjunction and various aspects we are able to foretel natural events viz. the Eclipse of the Sun and Moone c. 2. Praedictiones civiles civil predictions viz. when the husbandman by the course of the Sun Moone and Stars is able to say when it will be a commodious season for sowing setting ingraffing pruning c. So that we say with the Scriptures that the Stars are for signes viz. for signes and seasons and dayes and years And that they are not only ornamental but influential As trees and herbs were created not only to beautifie the earth but otherwise for the use of man and beast to feed them and to cure them so the Stars were created not only to beautifie the heavens but for the use and comfort of man Certainly if God hath given vertue to springs and fountains stones minerals plants every spire of grasse that growes upon the earth much more to the Stars of heaven But 3. Praedictiones Astrologicae Astrological Predictions when men from the consideration of the face of the heavens will take upon them to foretel contingent events which shal befal Kingdoms or Common-wealths or particular persons these are unlawful 1. They are Antiscriptural
1 Cor. 14. 34. women keep silence in the Churches for it is not permitted unto them to speak but they are commanded to be under obedience as saith the Law Now the truth is this of eating our bread in the sweat of our brows is all these it is a curse it is a promise it is a precept it is a curse in that God will not suffer the earth to afford us bread without our sweat it is a promise in that God assureth us that we shall have bread for our sweat and it is a precept too in that God enjoyneth us if we will have bread to sweat for it Have a care then of relieving common beggers vagrant and idle persons I speak not against Almes God requireth us to feed the hungry but remember as God doth not approove of any other work without charity so neither of charity it selfe without discretion as Paul Honour widows but those that are widdowes indeed 1. Tim 5.3 A woman that hath poysoned her husband is a widow but she is not a widow indeed not to be honoured so you must relieve the poor but those who are poor indeed who are they Those that want not onely the things they aske but want also means to get without asking viz. blind aged past their work that have a greater charge then they can maintain by their work Ierome Pars sacrilegii est rem pauperum dare non pauperibus Whilest you think you relieve the poor you robbe the poor Quest 48. vers 16 17 18 19. What may we learne from these verses considered together That God in the midst of judgement Resp remembers mercy and that he rolls up the sentence pronounced against the man and woman in love and sweetnesse thou shalt conceive and travell in sorrow there is judgement but thou shalt bring forth children there is mercy thy desire shall be subject there is judgement but it shall be to thy husband there is mercy God saith to Adam Cursed is the ground for thy sake there is judgement but not cursed art thou there is mercy Thou shalt labour and sweat there is judgement but it shall not be overmuch you know the face sweats before any part and it shall be the sweat of thy face there is mercy thy face shall sweat there is judgement but in the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat bread there is mercy Quest. 49. vers 21. Why did the Lord God make coats of skinnes and cloath our first parents with them To teach them he had not cast them out Resp 1 of his fatherly care though they had sinned against him That it might be a continuall Item of their sin against God The originall of raiment should never be forgotten by the sonnes of Adam but be remembred as a check to the vanity and pride of apparell we have no more cause to be proud of our cloaths then of a plaister of mastick worne to stay the Rheume from annoying the eyes or Teeth or a paire of spectacles to help the dimnesse of the sight Quest 50. vers 24. In the former verse it is said The Lord God sent man forth from the garden of Eden and in this verse it is said he drove out the man It is like God at first bid him go and Resp then he shewing himselfe unwilling and begging that he might abide there still God with some evidence of wrath drove him out Quest 51. verse 24. What may we Learne from Gods placing at the East of the Garden Cherubims and a flaming sword which turned every way to keep the way of the Tree of life That when man fell out with God he fell out with the good Angels The Resp Angels were loyall subjects and took part with their Prince against the Rebels but through Christ God and we are friends and the Angels and we are friends now in stead of shutting us out of Paradise they carry us into Paradise The Angels conveyed Lazarus into Abrahams bosome Good examples are rare in the world Oh that we could imitate the good Angels The mariners at sea when they have no land-markes to direct them home to their own Countrey are guided by the Starres Truly we have but a few good examples in this world and therefore let us take our patterne from the Angels that continually behold the face of God ready to do his will Despise ye not one of these little Matth. 18. 19. ones for I say unto you that in heaven their Angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven Notes on the fourth Chapter Quest 1. verse 1. It is said here by Eve I have gotten a man from the Lord and yet it is said in the first Epistle of John Not as Cain who 1 John 3. 12. was of that wicked one and slew his brother Eve speaks of bringing forth a sonne Resp which in it selfe considered is a blessing from the Lord as barrennesse was accounted a curse so fruitfulnesse was accounted a mercy Children in Scripture are called The heritage of the Lord Lo children Psa 227 3. are an heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the wombe is his reward There be some that account children but bills of charges but God puts them upon the account of our mercies It was an holy and pious speech of Iacob concerning his children These saith he are the children which God hath graciously given thy servant Gen. 33. 5. A Learned Author observes that children are greater blessings then any outward thing else whatsoever and therefore when a description is made of Jobs goods the best is put first first the Spirit Job 1.1 of God sets down his spirituall blessings Job was a man perfect and upright and one that feared God and eschewed evil and then comes his outward blessings and amongst them his children are set in the first ranke There were borne unto him seven sonnes and three daughters and then comes his sheep and Oxen and Camells So that Eve speaks of bringing forth a sonne which in it selfe is a blessing from the Lord and hence saith she I have gotten a man from the Lord John speaks of Gain with respect unto his wickednesse which was not from God but from the Devil and hence saith he Cain who was of that wicked one and slew his brother Quest 2. vese 1. Whether Eve thought that she had brought forth the Messiah for so many affirme with a great deale of confidence and they render the words not as we do I have gotten a man from the Lord but say they according as it is in the Originall I have gotten a man the Lord. The ambiguous acceptation of the particle Resp 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath given rise to this opinion We grant that this particle is many times a note of the accusative case which transitive verbs governe Withal we say it is not rarely taken for the prepositions cum or a vel abs pro cum ut Gen. 5. 22. Exo. 1.
Deut. 18. 14. Esay 44. 25. Esay 47. 13. Jer. 10. 1 2. 2. They are unreasonable if there were any certainty in the Astrological Art it would appeare in those Predictions that concerne the weather which is the proper subject of the Planets operation but how false and uncertaine those are I shall leave to any to judge that will read them without prejudice 'T is the observation of a learned Author that the weather may be guessed by the heavens when the time is near and natural causes have begun to work As in the Evening we may guesse of the weather the next day and in the Morning of the weather in the Afternoone that a cloud will bring a shower and South-winde heat according to that of our Saviour When a cloud Luke 12. 54 55. ariseth out of the West straightway ye say There cometh a shower and when ye see the South-winde blow ye say There will be heat but long before to declare these things is impossible To this purpose is that of Ambrose saith he when raine was desired of all and one said the new Moone will bring raine although we were desirous of raine it did me good no raine fell till it came at the prayers of the Church that it might appear it came not by the influence of the moon but by the providence of God A man can no more tell what God will do by looking upon the Stars and Heavens then one can tell the counsels and determinations of a Prince by looking on his Palace 'T is sad to think how apt we are to run into extreams some are so bold as to ascribe the knowledge of future contingencies unto man some so disingenuous as to deny it to God have a care of both the one is Scylla the other Charybdis things are contingent to us which are not so to God In a Syllogisme if the major be necessary yet if the minor be contingent the conclusion is contingent the first cause is certaine the second causes fluctuating and wavering hence flowes contingencie We use to say Omne quod est quando est necesse est esse God sees things in termino in periodo hence they are certain to God we see things in motu in itinere hence they are contingent to us those things which are contingent in regard of their own natures are certaine in regard of Gods fore-knowledge and in subordination to his decree Quest 8. verse 14. Why the Lord made the light and dayes and nights as also the earth to yeeld her encrease before the Sun and Stars were created That the Lord might teach us though Resp he commonly makes use of means for the preservation of the creatures yet he is not tied to means He hath bound us to them but he hath not bound himself He hath made the Sun to give us light yet he is able to give light without the Sun God with all the creatures that he hath made is no more then God without any of the creatures that he hath made Quest. 9. verse 24. It is said Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kinde cattell and creeping things Now the question is whether in the beginning every creeping thing was created Neg. Augustine was of opinion that Resp creatures that were generated of dead bodies were not created at first and Vallesius in his book de sacra Philosophia renders the reason of it Frustrà fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora God saw that these would be produced by generation alone and therefore what need was there of creation Quest 10. verse 25. It is said God made the beasts of the earth the sixth day Now the question is why the beasts were created with man rather then with fishes or fowles The reason may be this man was not Resp made to swim with fishes in the Sea or to flie with fowles in the aire but to live and move with beasts upon the earth therefore on the same day whereon man was made the beasts were made Quest 11. verse 25. Whether those kindes of creatures which are brought forth by a mixt generation as the Mule by the mixture of the Asse and the Mare were created Neg. Saith the judicious Willet for Resp these Reasons 1. Because these are not distinct kindes of creatures from others but the first kinds made in the creation mixed and conjoyned together 2. Because we finde it directly expressed that Anah found the Mules in the Gen. 36. 24 Wildernesse as he fed the Asses of Zibeon his father this is set down as strange and therefore they were not created ab initio Quest 12. verse 26. Wherefore God said Let us make man in our Image and not Let there be man as he said Let there be a firmament Let there be light Let the earth bring forth the living thing The Scripture herein speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Resp after the manner of men and would commend unto us the excellent workmanship of God in the Creation of man a work farre more choice then the light heaven and all the rest of the creatures men of wisdome when they are to handle matters of importance enter into consultation and take the greater care in the performance of them Quest. 13. verse 26. God said Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and the fowles of the aire and the cattel but the question is whether if man had not fallen one man had had power over another Superiority and inferiority dominion Resp and subjection were not incompatible with the state of Innocencie the authoritative power that a father hath over his childe and an husband over his wife is founded in the light of nature and therefore not inconsistent with our primitive state Divines therefore distinguish betweene natural subjection and civil natural subjection should have continued in the state of integrity but as for civil subjection there had beene no such thing in the world if man had continued to serve God he needed none to serve him service come in by sinne and the encrease of it by the encrease of sinne We see when Canaan was so vile as to forget the duty of a sonne he is set in the lowest condition of a servant Cursed be Canaan a servant of servants shall he be unto Gen. 9. 5. his brethren viz. the lowest and most abject servant As God of gods the greatest God the Lord of lords the highest Lord so servant of servants the lowest and basest servant Quest 14. verse 27. God is said to create man after his owne image and Paul saies that the man is the image and glory of God but the woman is the 1 Cor. 11. 7. glory of the man the question is whether the woman was not made after Gods image as well as the man We may consider man and woman two Resp manner of wayes either as they were both rational creatures and so without question the woman was made after the image of
dayes for Divine service how improbable is it that Cain and Abel should concurre at the same time in bringing their offerings unto the Lord and if not at the same time how could Cain discerne that Abels offering was respected and accepted of God when his was Gen. 4.3 not and besides it is said In processe of time it came to passe that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. In the processe of time or at the end of days as it is in the margin of your Bibles and as the original will bear it viz. on the Sabbath-day when there is an end of the dayes of the week and they begin again I might adde that it is not improbable but that Noah and his family kept the Sabbath in the Ark for it is said that he stayed Gen. 8. 10 12. other seven dayes and sent forth the Dove out of the Ark and verse 12. He stayed other seven dayes and sent forth the Dove why did Noah this on the seventh day It was likely that then Noah and his family were at prayer and engaged in the worship and service of God and at such times it is good to make experiments of Gods fatherly care of us and providence over us Quest. 3. verse 4. In the first Chapter it is said that God made the heavens and the earth in six dayes and in this verse it is said These are the generations of the heaven and the earth in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens From this place some would gather that Resp 1 all the world was made in one day and that Moses doth divide the creation into six dayes propter captum that it might be the better understood Others conceive that Moses relates to that first matter or substance of which all things were created now this was made in one day Others think with whom I close that Moses doth not speak strictly here but indefinitely in the day the Lord made the earth that is to say in the time the Lord made the earth so it is taken in other places of Scripture To day if you will hear Psal 95.7 his voice c. Quest. 4. verse 5. How God could be said to create every plant of the field before it was in the earth Either the meaning is that they were Resp 1 created potentialiter in the first masse and so created before they were in the earth Or else the meaning is this God created every plant of the field before it was in the earth viz. there was not a plant in the earth before God created it Quest 5. verse 7. It is said God formed man of the dust of the earth How can man be said to be made of dust or earth when he is made of the four elements earth fire aire water Moses saies God formed man of the dust Resp 1 of the earth but not only of the dust of the earth Moses loquitur de terra ut de causa partiali non totali Moses speaks of the dust but as part of that matter of which man was made But he expresses the one and therefore Object by consequence denies the other This is just as if a man by calling one his Resp fathers sonne should deny him to be his mothers Quest 6. verse 7. Why doth the Lord speak distinctly in this verse concerning mans body and soul We shall finde God speaks of other creatures in the bulk body and soul together Let the waters bring forth abandantly the moving creature that hath life and so verse Gen. 1. 20 24 24. Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kinde c. To note the spirituality and immateriality Resp 1 of the soul the soul of man non educitur ex potentiâ materiae as the Learned phrase it but the body was made of one kind of substance and the soul of another for Consider 1. The condition and nature of its object speaks this truth Seneca could say Hoc habet argumentum anima suae divinitatis quòd illam divina delectant This argument of its spirituality hath the soul of man in its own essence that it is delighted with things divine and spiritual If the soul were material we could not reach to the knowledge of any thing but that which is material and we might as well see Angels with our eyes as understand them with our mindes We say Receptio fit per modum recipientis you cannot fill a chest with vertue 2. It s independence on the body it is able of it self to performe its own actions without the help and concurrence of the outward man It seeth when the eys beshut and sometimes seeth not when the eyes be open It travelleth while the body resteth resteth when the body travelleth Rev. 1. 10. When John saw his glorious revelation he is said to be in the spirit when Paul had his revelations and saw things unutterable he knew not whether he were in the body or out of the body for beleevers to know that there are laid up for the Saints such joyes which eye hath not seene nor eare heard what is this but to leave sense behinde us and out-run our bodies 3. Time that wears out all corporeal things addes perfection to the souls and understandings of men old men who have the weakest bodies have the most lively and vigorous souls yea we may observe that men who have the most admirable soul-accomplishments have usually the weakest bodies and are not of the longest lives 'T is a remarkable passage that of Saint John to Gaius I wish saith he that thy body prospered even as thy soul prospers Here is a clear text against the Atheists of these dayes that question whether there be a soul or not the truth is a man cannot doubt of it without it as a man cannot prove Logick to be unnecessary but by Logick as a man cannot say he is dumb without speaking Quest 7. verse 7. In what sense these words are to be understood He breathed into his face the breath of life for the Manichees from hence held that the soul was part of Gods Essence as the breath is part of a mans substance It is true in mans breath there is part of Resp his substance but these words are not spoken of God properly but metaphorically if Moses should have said Jehovah by the power of his Spirit without making use of any elementary matter breathed into man a vital soul An horrid blasphemy to think the Essence of God should be subject to change ignorance sinne c. as the soul is Quest. 8. verse 7. Why is God said to breath into his nostrils or face the breath of life rather then into any other part of the body Because the operations of the soul discover themselves in no part of the body Resp 1 more then in the face hence a living man is usually pictured smiling or reading c. And besides the face and head
is the seat of all the senses except the touch which indeed is spread all over the body so that the principal part of the body is put here for the whole God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life viz. into his body the breath of life Because life seemes to be seated in the nostrils Nares Externum Respirationis organum breath the necessary consequent of life hence God is said to breath into his nostrils because it is the part by which we breath and live Quest 9. verse 8. Why the Lord planted the Garden of Eden for the use of man when he knew that man would not continue in his primitive state and so by consequence be cast out of Paradise God would deale with man not according Resp 1 to his own foreknowledge of what he would be but according to that state he was in for the present God placed him in Paradise that he might know by woful experience of how much good he was deprived by transgressing of the command of God Gods dispensation herein towards man was like that other dispensation of his towards the Devils they were first placed in heaven though God knew that afterwards for their sinne they should be cast out of heaven Quest 10. verse 8. It is said That there viz. in Paradice God put the man whom he had formed Now the question is whether there were any other creatures in Paradise besides man Affir For these Reasons Resp 1. Because man while he was in Paradise had dominion over all the creatures 2. If Eve had neither seen the Serpent nor any other creature before the temptation it is likely she would have been startled with the sight of the Serpent and not easily have treated with it 3. If the beasts had not been in Paradise man would have been deprived of that great pleasure that he might be partaker of from the sight of the variety of creatures over which he had dominion 4. Because man gave names to the creatures in Paradise verse 20. Quest. 11. verse 9. Why one of the trees that was planted by God in the midst of Paradise was called the tree of life Some conceive that it was called so effectivè Resp 1 because the fruit of it had a special quality and efficacie with it to preserve Adam immortal Others conceive with whom I rather close that it was called so significative because it was a sacramental signe annexed to the Covenant of works assuring life and immortality upon condition of perfect obedience But it seemes that the fruit of the tree Object of life should have made man immortal for it is said And the Lord said Behold the man is become like one of us to know good and evil Gen. 3.22 now lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life therefore the Lord sent him forth from the garden of Eden c. I suppose this is an Ironical expression Resp as when the Lord said Behold the man is become like one of us to know good and evil this was spoken ironically and the meaning was they were become most unlike him so in these words ironically he upbraids him after the same manner Lest saith the Lord he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat and live for ever not that there was any danger of his living for ever but in derision of any such hope or expectation Quest 12. verse 9. Whether the tree of life in Paradise was a type of Christ Neg. For the clearing of this consider Resp 1. That we should be very wary of Allegorizing any part of the Scriptures The Libertines of our times are so daring as to turne all the Scriptures into an Allegory as the Gnosticks of old made abstinence from adultery forbidden in the seventh Commandment a type of our spiritual chastity it is the designe of some frothy wits to typisie and allegorize Gods Commandments out of the Law and his truths out of the Gospel 2. That it is an unwary Assertion that the tree of life in Paradise was a type of Christ although the tree of life and sundry other things in Paradise are made similitudes to set forth Jesus Christ yet it is agross mistake to make every metaphor or similitude and allusion to be a type The Husbandmans sowing of the seed is a similitude of preaching the Word yet it is no type of it The head the members of mans body are similitudes of Christ the head and the Church his members but will any affirme these were types of Christ Just thus was the tree of life a similitude to which the holy Ghost alludes in making mention of Christ but not a type and the reason is because the Covenant of works by which Adam was to live is directly contrary to the Covenant of grace by faith in Christ Adam therefore was not capable of any types then to reveale Christ to him of whom the first Covenant cannot speak and of whom Adam stood in no need But though Adam stood in no need of Object Christ as a Redeemer yet as a Confirmer of him in that state and why may we not conceive That if Adam had not sinned Christ should have beene incarnate and that then he should have beene head of mankinde as now the head of Angels and if so the tree of life might be a type of Christ If the tree of life was a type of mans Resp 1 Confirmation by Christ then there would have beene a type of Christ which never should have beene fulfilled I conceive it a dangerous assertion to say Christ would have beene incarnated if Adam had not sinned because the Scripture nameth this to be the principal end of Christs coming into the world to save that which was lost Ultra Scripturam sapere est insanire May not a man say the tree of life was a type of Christ by Anticipation Object This is as much as to say it was not a type Resp then which is the thing we contend for Quest 13. verse 9. Why was the other tree called the tree of knowledge of good and evil Not Effectivè because the fruit thereof Resp 1 had any such quality or vertue that being eaten it would work and encrease knowledge or quicknesse of wit indeed the Socinians border upon this opinion and they say Adam and Eve were created simple and weak in knowledge and that this tree was to beget it and encrease it But significativè because it was another sacramental sign annexed to the Covenant of works sealing death and damnation in case of disobedience and it did signifie that upon the eating thereof they should experimentally know good and evil viz. the worth of good by the want of it and the presence of evil by the sense of it But it is said Man is become like one of Object us knowing good and evil now God cannot be said to know the worth of good by the want of it or the presence of evil by the
delivered by a man is called the voice of God Samuel also said unto Saul The Lord sent me to anoint 1 Sa. 15.1 thee to be King over his people now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord. The Learned conceive that the voice of God in this place is not to be taken for a sound or a noyse but for an articulate voice but now whether this voice was formed in the aire As at the time of the Baptisme and transfiguration of our Saviour or whether it was formed in some body God at that time assuming the visible shape of a man is not very cleare yet the latter seems to be probable 1. He deals with man by way of judiciall processe as a man first he calls him to an account for the crime he had committed and then pronounces sentence against him 2. Ye read of the Lord God walking in the garden which seems as it were to point toward this opinion Quest. 21. verse 8. 'T is said They heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden and yet it is said in Jeremiah that the Lord filleth heaven and earth Jer. 23.24 The Divine essence fills heaven and Resp earth and yet that visible forme whereby God manifests his presence may be circumscribed to a place and so it was in this Case Quest 22. verse 8. It is said they hid themselves from the presence of the Lord and yet the Psalmist Ps 139.7 8. sayes Whither shall I go from thy spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence c. 'T is true we cannot hide our selves from Gods presence yet we may from that visible Resp forme that God appears in for the present and possibly this may be the meaning in this place c. In vaine doth the sinner endeavour to run away from God and the terrours of Conscience This is just as if the wounded Deere should go about to run from the deadly Arrow that sticks in his side this is like the fish which swimmeth to the length of the Line with the Hooke in its mouth The best way to run from God is to run to God viz. from his wrath to his mercy To close and get in avoids the blow when a storme arises the Mariner puts forth to sea Quest 23. verse 9. God calls man Adam where art thou and yet in Jeremiah Mine eyes are upon all their wayes neither is there iniquity hid Jer. 16.17 from mine eyes Non interogat ut ipse sciat sed ut hominem Resp 1 scire et agnoscere faciat God doth not propound this question to Adam that he might know but that man might know that he did know Non est vox ignorantis sed ad judicium citantis It is not the voice of one that desired to be informed but of a Judge calling man to an account for the transgression of the Command Quest 24. verse 9. Why doth not God call Eve by her name as well as Adam they having both sinned Some say to note it concernes the husband Resp to take heed not onely of what is done by himselfe but also by his wife or family he may be called to an account for it Quest 25. vers 10. It is said I heard thy voice in the garden and I was afraid did not Adam feare God before Yes but he feared him before with a Resp sonne-like filial feare now with a base unworthy servile feare He feared him before because of his goodnesse now he fears him because of his vengeance so when the image of God is repaired The people of God have not a slavish wiredrawen and compelled affection towards God but their affections freely melt and drop towards God as the honey drops out of the Comb feare and love must be mixed and tempered together indeed they do not well asunder as if a man would make the most perfect beautifull colour he would temper the purest white and the fairest red together such is that for which the spouse giveth her beloved the Commendation that he was candidus et rubicundus white and ruddy feare without love would set us in the forlorne hope and precipitate us into despaire and love without fear would make us wanton and secure therefore there is not onely magnitude but pulchritude in God he is not onely great to cause us to feare him but he is good to cause us to love him Quest 26. verse 12. The man said The woman whom thou gavest to be with me she gave me of the Tree and I did eat And yet the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 2. 14. That Adam was not deceived but the woman The Apostle may speake of the manner Resp 1 of the seduction of our first parents Adam was not deceived viz. by the Serpent but the woman The Serpent deceived Eve but Eve could not in propriety of speech be said to deceive Adam for that person may be said properly to deceive who perswades to something false and injurious animo fallendi with an intention to wrong another and in this sense the Serpent may be said to deceive Eve But Eve had no thoughts of over-reaching her husband therefore Adam was not deceived but the woman Quest 27. vâ—rse 14. Why the Serpent was not examined by God as well as the man or woman The examination of the man and woman Resp was in order to their repentance and so by Consequence in order to their salvation but God would shew no mercy to the Serpent Quest 28. verse 14. Upon whom this curse was pronounced upon the Serpent or Satan or Satan and the Serpent Some would have it onely spoken of the Resp 1 brute Serpent and the Jews are very zealous in the maintaining of this assertion But if this were a truth then it would follow that the brute creature that Satan made use of should be punished but Satan himselfe who was the principall actor in tempting our first parents to sinne should escape unpunished Some would have it onely spoken of the spirituall Serpent the Devill because the brute was onely passive and abused by the Devil for the calling on of his sinfull designes But neither can this be for if this curse had not beene pronounced upon a true Serpent why should this Serpent be reckoned amongst the beasts of the field And why doth not Moses make mention of Satan in this whole Chapter Some would divide the controversie applying the first part of the curse in the 14. verse to the brute Serpent and the latter in the 15. verse to the Devil the spiritual Serpent But neither can this be for 1. The subject the Spirit of God speakes of is not changed but the same in the 14. and 15. verses ver 14. The Lord said to the Serpent Thou art cursed above all cattel And verse 15. I will put enmity between thee and the woman c 2. It is cleare that the words in the 15. ver without any straining are applicable to the brute Serpent viz.
be wrought in a way of suffering intimated by that expression Thou shalt bruise his heel 5. That none should have benfit by this Redemption but the elect intimated by the seed of the woman 6. That this Redemption is an act of free grace as soon as man had sinned God makes a gracious promise of the Messiah no possibility of merits intervening 7. That the Devil and his Angels have no interest in the free grace and mercy of God in Christ He took not on him the nature of Angels but became the seed of the woman We have a saying in nature Corruptio optimi est pessima when Satan sinned against God the most excellent nature was defiled and so fell under the heaviest doome Quest 40. verse 15. Why the promise made concerning the Messiah was so dark and hard to be understood 1. Propter Diabolum in regard of the Devil that he might be exercised with perpetuall feare and suspect every child that was borne into the world to be the Messiah the Doctrine of the Messiah was a Eph. 3.9 mystery hid in God 2. Propter parentes in regard of our first parents that God might exercise their faith and the faith of their holy seed and that their desires might be enflamed after a clearer discovery of this mystery the Apostle Peter tells us that the Prophets enquired and searched diligently after the grace 1 Pet. 1.10 of Christ. 3. Propter Christum in regard of Christ himself for look as it is with School-Masters they will reserve the reading of the most Learned Lectures for themselves So Christ is our great Rabbi All were his Ushers that were before they taught the punies an inferiour Lecture of the Law and Prophets but the Gospel as to the sublimest and most mysterious part of it Christ hath reserved for to unfold himself It is said The Law having a shadow Heb. 10.1 of good things to come and not the very image of the things c. In this ver you have mention made of the shadow and the image The thing it self was not yet come the Jewes had the shadow and we the image now look how much an image or the picture of a man goes beyond his shadow so much doth the discovery of Christ now go beyond the discoveries of him then so in another place God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake Heb. 1.1 in times past unto the fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his Son God who by piece meale drop by drop now a drop and then a drop spake unto our fore-fathers by the Prophets hath in these last times spoken more fully by his Sonne When this King came all the cocks ran with wine as Iacob before he was borne put forth his hand so Christ before he was borne did as it were put forth his hand to the Jews they could see something of Christ but unto us a Sonne is borne unto us a child is given Our fathers went to heaven by Candle-light how sad will it be if we should go to Hell by day-light Quest 41. verse 16. Whether the woman should have conceived and brought forth in sorrow if she had not sinned Neg. For although now her pain and sorrow Resp arises from naturall causes yet it may well be questioned whether this was natural at first for seeing we find by experience that other creatures bring forth without pain it doth not imply a contradiction that the constitution of the body of woman might be such at first as she might conceive and bring forth without sorrow and therefore we need not say as some that woman should have brought forth by a miracle if she had not sinned c. Quest 42. verse 16. It is said here Thy desire shall be to thy Husband and he shall rule over thee Now the question is how that could be inflicted as a punishment upon the woman which was suitable to her condition in the state of innocency The subjection of the woman to her Resp husband was not repugnant to the state of innocency but then as the authority of the man would have been used with justice and kindnesse so the obedience of the woman would have been exercised with pleasure and cheerfullnesse The truth is though this be the punishment of the woman yet those who have good husbands have not the like share in it with those who have bad A good man dares not but carry himself as a man of knowledge towards his wife and make her yoke as easy as may be It is remarkable when the Apostle had bid wives Submit Col. 3. 18 19 your selves unto your husbands as it is fit in the Lord he doth not say Husbands rule over your wives for that they will do fast enough without bidding but Husbands love your wives and be not bitter to them Quest 43. verse 17. Why doth the Lord in pronouncing the sentence upon the man insert the cause Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife That God might convince man of the Resp vanity and weaknesse of that excuse which he made why he sinned against God as verse 12. The woman whom thou gavest to be with me she gave me of the Tree and I did eat Let us have a care of carnall shifts and excuses when God calls us to an account these will not stand us in stead there was never any came to Hell but they had some seeming pretence for coming thither Pilate could not wash off the guilt when he washed his hands Saint Paul exhorts Be not deceived God is not mocked as in Gal. 6. 7. divers other things the deceitfulnesse of our hearts shews it selfe so in this viz. the forging of idle reasons to satisfie and beare out our selves in the neglect of duties commanded by the Word of God and if you consult the context you will finde it is about paying the Minister his dues Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things Now people are very apt to verse 6. finde excuses that they may save their purse and if it be possible satisfie Conscience but the Apostle exhorts them not to put a cheat upon their soules Be not deceived saith he God is not mocked Quest 44. verse 18. God sayes Thou shalt eat the herbe of the field why should not man have eat of the herb if he had not sinned Did not God say Behold I have given you every herbe bearing seed which is upon the face of all Gen. 1. 29. the earth and every tree in the which is the fruit of a Tree yielding seed to you it shall be for meat Very true but here when God sayes Resp Thou shalt eat the herbe of the field the meaning is thou shalt not eat of the herbs or fruits of Paradise Quest 45. vers 19. How this curse can be verified concerning man That in the sweat of his browes he should eat his bread
when many neither labour nor sweat and yet have bread enough As for idle persons whilest they think Resp 1 to shake off that yoke that God hath put upon their necks they bind it faster and make it heavier To a person of any ingenuity idlenesse is a toyle nor is a man more weary then when he doth nothing We must distinguish of a three-fold labour 1. Labor Oeconomicus or mechanicus the labour of mechanicks as we call them or handicrafts-men of this the Apostle speaks Let him that stole steale no more Eph. 4.28 but rather let him labour working with his hands the thing which is good 2. Labor Politicus the labour of Magistrates and Governours so the Apostle speaking of the Magistrate He is the Minister of God to thee for good but if thou do Rom. 13.4 that which is evil be afraid for he beareth not the sword in vaine for he is the Minister of God c. 3. Labor Ecclesiasticus the labour of Ministers we may observe that whilest the world takes this to be an easie calling the Spirit of God in the Scripture frequently speaks of the labour and the work that doth attend it He that desires the office of a Bishop desires a good work And The workman is worthy of his hire And They that rule well are worthy of double honour especially they that labour in the Word and doctrine Ministers are called Starres now the Starres are in continuall motion for the good of the Universe they are to cry aloud and to lift up their voice like a Isa 58.1 trumpet Durante pugnâ non cessat Tuba The trumpet must be sounding all the while the battell is fighting The Church of God is Gods husbandry and the Ministers are his husbandmen Redit agricolis labor actus in Orbem The husbandman hath never done his work but the end of one task is still the beginning of another so it fares with the Ministers of the Gospel sometimes they are instructing poor ignorant souls then they are like Starres that shine in a cold winters night another while convincing gain-sayers then they are like those Starres that fought in their course against Sisera every man must be accountable for his idle words and a Minister for his idle silence Qui claves habent Ecclesiae ostia suorum labiorum aperiant A Minister had better be worne out with whetting then with rusting A way then with the fanatick Spirits of our dayes who call upon Ministers to work with their hands as if there were no other labour but hand-labour Consider 1. They confound those things that God would have distingushed there is the labour of the head and brain as well as of the hand 2. They overthrow as much as in them lyes the well-being if not the being of Kingdomes States Common-wealths in which they live for we stand in as much need of the Magistrate and Minister as we do of the Husbandman and handy-craftsman 3. Aaron with his posterity were Priests Ioshua David Iosias were Magistrates yet it might be said of them that they are their bread in the sweat of their browes Quest 46 vers 19. It is said here In the sweat of thy brows thou shalt eat thy bread and yet our Saviour hath taught us to pray Give us this day our daily bread If we earne our bread with our labour how is it a gift We earne it of man but not of God from man it is a debt but from God it is a Resp 1 gift It is an act of free grace that we have bread for our labour God might have said that we should labour and sweat and after all we should eat husks with hogs as the Prodigall or grasse with the Oxe as Nebuchadnezzar that in the sweat of our brows we eat bread is a mercy As the Scripture speaks of bread so of the staffe and stay of bread For behold the Lord the Lord of hosts doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the Isay 3.1 stay and staffe the whole stay of bread And the truth is a man is strengthened more by the staffe that is in his body then by the staffe that is in his hand it is not the corne and floure but the staffe of bread which supports the life and that is not any thing that comes out of the earth but the blessing of God which comes down from heaven The creature cannot hold up it selfe much lesse contribute to the subsistence of other things unlesse God continue the influence of his blessing upon it It is the observation of a Learned Author As soone as ever Christ cursed the figge-tree it withered and dried Ma. 11.20 up from the roots to shew that it was not the root alone but the blessing of Christ which did support the figge-tree it is pronounced Hos 4. 10. as a curse They shall eat and not have enough and again Ye shall eat and not Lev. 26. 26. be satisfied when I have broken the staffe of your bread ye shall eat and not be satisfied As good take a mouthfull of gravel as a mouthfull of bread and as able it is to nourish without Gods blessing The means by which we live are without life If they be living creatures as sheep and oxen and beasts and birds and fishes they must lose their lives before they can come to be helpes to ours so true is that saying mortibus vivimus we live by deaths now reason tells us Nihil dat quod non habet nothing can give that which it hath not How should food of it selfe preserve and further life which in it self is void of life the death of the creatures sheweth that our life is not from them but from something else By all which we may perceive how these Scriptures may be reconciled of Eating our bread in the sweat of our browes and yet to pray according to the forme our Saviour hath prescribed us Give us this day our daily bread Quest. 47. vers 19. Whether from this Scripture we have a command from God to labour To eat our bread in the sweat of our browes I conceive we have though some think that this was laid upon man after his Resp transgression rather as a curse which he must indure then a duty which he should performe for the clearing of this consider 1. It is granted that this was a curse laid upon man for his transgression 1. As some of Gods curses are promises as well as curses to set out his goodnesse so some of Gods curses are precepts as well as curses to set forth hâ—s justice Some of Gods curses are promises as well as curses so I will put enmity between thee and the woman It is a curse on he Serpent and yet a promise of the Messiah Some of Gods curses areprecepts as well as curses so Thy desire shall be to thy husband and he shall rule over thee this is Gen. 3.16 a curse and yet it is a precept Let our
Angels hand Our Incense smells of our owne hand and it would stinke worse in Gods nostrils then the Onions and garlick of Egypt if it were not perfumed and presented by the hand of Christ Now faith sets Christ at work as Christ sets his people at work to do him service so faith sets Christ at work to do his people good Quest 9. vers 5. It is said That Cain was worth and his countenanee fell Difficile est animum non prodere vultu It seems therefore that God by some visible signe gave Testimony concerning the acceptation of Abels sacrifice and not Cains or else how came Cain to know it now the question is what this visible signe was It is very probable that it was by fire Resp from heaven burning up the sacrifice and we have severall instances to this purpose And Moses and Aaron went into the Tabernacle Lev. 9.23 24 of the Congregation and came out and blessed the people c. And there came a fire out from before the Lord and consumed upon the Altar the burnt-offering and the fat which when all the people saw they shouted and fell on their faces So 1 Kin. 18. 38. What reason have we to believe that Object the acceptation of Abels sacrifice was confirmed by a miracle when we have no such thing in the Scripture Although we have it not in expresse Resp termes yet it is cleare by the context that God did manifest his acceptation of Abels sacrifice some extraordinary way which by other instances in Scripture of the same nature we conceive to be fire from heaven And if that be miraculous you see we have reason to look that way But this was a meat-offering now we do not find that meat-offerings were burnt Object with fire That this was a meat-offering is said not Resp 1 proved That suppose it be so we may find in Scripture meat-offerings to be burnt with fire thus you read concerning Gideons offering Judg. 6.19 21. the same we read concerning Manoahs offering Judg. 13. 19 20. Let this caution us against the sinne of envy Cain is sad because Abels sacrifice was accepted there are two sinnes which were Christs sorest enemies covetousness sold Christ and envy delivered him It is a Devillish sinne and cometh from Hell the Devil is called the envious man It is one of the torments of Hell There shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth when Luck 13. 28. ye shall see Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdome of Heaven and you your selves shut out Envy opposeth the Providence of God grieving that God should dispose of his blessings as he doth It is a most unjust sinne for it is offended with nothing but that which is good and the more good it is the greater is the envy As the brighter the Sun shineth the more are weak and sore eyes offended Oh how contrary are good Angels and evill men they are ready to cry and burst for anger at that which makes musick in heaven The Angels rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner and they rejoyce when one sinnes who is converted An envious man is more unhappy then other sinners others are troubled for their own evils the envious man for other mens good Quest 10 verse 5. Why is it said The Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering It is not said The Lord had respect unto Abels offering but unto Abel and his offering To teach us that God first had respect to Abel and then to his offering and that the Resp reason why he had respect to Abels offering was because he had respect to Abels person We prize the person because of the gift God prizes the gift because of the person The reason why wicked men are not accepted is because they bring unto God opus personae sed non personam They offer their duties unto the Lord but not themselves Quest. 11. vers 6. Why doth the Lord propound this question unto Cain Why art thou wroth and why is thy Countenance fallen Not for information God knew the Resp reason he needed not an intelligencer but 1. To teach us that when we are moved to passion we should think with our selves again and again why are we angry are we angry upon good grounds upon a righteous account We should endeavour in such a case to commune with our own hearts and indeed we had need to take some pains for selfe will hardly be spoken with To be angry is our duty in some cases If anger were an evil in it selfe considered it could no more be attributed unto God then envy c. But because it is an hard matter to be angry and not sinne it is said Be angry and sinne not and the Apostle Eph. 4. 26. addes Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath viz. Let it not lodge with you nor take up its Inne in your breasts I have read a story of two persons of eminency between whom anger had passed But at evening the one sent the other word the Sun was set upon which they were soone reconciled The Apostle adds Neither give place to the Devil He that keepeth anger in his bosome giveth place to the Devil and why should we make roome for him that will crowd in too fast of himselfe Men think to be a little angry is no such matter but marke the consequence you give place to the Devil have a care of the beginnings of sinne Saith Solomon The beginning of the words of a fooles mouth is Eccl. 10. 13. foolishnesse but the end of his talke is mischievous madnesse They that dwell by the Sea-bankes will not let a small breach lye unrepaired they know it will endanger the losing of much ground if not looked to in time Learn therefore to deale with thy sinne as the Apostle Paul did with false brethren He gave them no place no not for Gal. 2.5 an houre You may aske me what are the causes of an holy Anger I must not enlarge in this therefore in a few words Holy anger arises from our love unto God and our hatred against sin And herein appeared the exceeding sinfulnesse of Cains wrath that whereas he should have been angry with his brothers sin he was angry with his brothers righteousness And that his rage was great appeares by the text for it is said He was very wrath and his countenance fell One glosses upon it thus Ex ira vultus Caini demititur in terram nonne Deus tibi faciem rectam concessit cur pronam et similem bestiis deprimis Non miror Cainum similem animalibus iratus enim erat at iratus expers est omnis rationis It is said Cains countenance fell God gave him a face erect looking up towards heaven but now in his passion he seems to be void of reason and his countenance falls as if he were a beast Let this caution us against passion upon every turne let us enquire why we are
religion on those who succeeded Let the consideration of the frailty of our bodies teach us to consult for the good of our immortall soules We may observe many times it so falles out that our rational life is best when our vegetative is worst and we begin to grow in wisdome when we cease to grow in strength As it is with the rationall life so it should be with the spirituall when the life of the flesh is ready to dye the spiritual life should have so much the more spirit and vigour Quest 8. V. 24. It is said in this verse that Enoch was not for God tooke him now the question here may be whether Enoch was translated in soule and body or whether in soule only c Some thinke that Enoch was translated Resp in soule only and not in body and they say he died in the translation so as his soule only was taken up to heaven and his body slept in the earth I shall propound their arguments and give you the answers rendered thereunto No mortall body unglorified can enter Argu. 1 into heaven But there is no mention of his glorification Ergo. It is a slender kinde of arguing to say that Resp 1 a thing is not scriptural because it is not expressely mentioned in the Scripture The glorification of his body is plainly implied though not expressed for it is said he was translated that he should not see death Heb. 11.5 Now if his body saw not death it was made immortall which is a speciall part of glorification If the bodies of Enoch and Elias were translated Argu. 2 into heaven then it will follow that some ascended into heaven before Christ ascended thither But this seemes not to be allowed for heaven to us as Paradise to Adam was shut up till Christ opened it by hsme rits We readily grant that the opening of Resp 1 heaven the celestiall Paradise is to be ascribed to the merits of Christ We confidently deny that heaven was then only opened when Christ actually suffered or ascended up into heaven and we cannot but peremptorily assert that the force and efficacy of the merits of Christ extended to Old Testament-Saints long before Christs coming in the flesh for the Lord Jesus was a Lambe slain from the foundation of the world Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever and our Fathers under Old Testament-dispensations ate the same spiritual meat and drank the same spiritual drink as we do under the Gospel viz. the body of Christ crucified and his blood shed for the remission of sinnes and these things though they were future to hope yet they were present to faith which is the Substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seene From Joh. 3.13 And no man hath ascended Arg. 3 up to heaven but he that came downe from heaven even the Son of man which is in heaven By which words say some is signified that no man bodily ascended into heaven untill the time of Christs ascension This place is to be expounded Metaphorically Resp No man hath ascended into heaven so as to know the secrets of the Almighty and to lie in the bosome of the Father but onely Christ and indeed the context gives great light to this Exposition for the Lord Jesus would by this convince Nicodemus that he was more able to teach him heavenly mysteries then all the Doctors among the Jewes as you may perceive by vers 11. and 12. Verily I say unto thee We speak that we do know and â—estifie that we have seenâ— c. And besides Prov. 30. 4. Ascending up into heaven is made all one with the knowing of holy things From Heb. 6.20 Where Christ is called Arg. 4 the forerunner And Christ saith John 14. I go to prepare a place for you Therefore before Christs death and ascension a place was not prepared Christ might be called a forerunner Resp 1 in respect of those who died after his ascension Christ might be called the forerunner of his Saints under the Old Testament in regard of the effiâ—acy of his merits That a place was prepared for Old Testament-Saints by Christ but with respect to his future sufferings and merits and therefore though a place might be said to be prepared for Enoch and Elias yet it was necessary Christ should die and Christ should ascend From Col. 1.15 where Christ is called Arg. 5 the first-borne of every creature and verse 18. in all things to have the preeminence and Rom. 8.29 he is called the first-born among many brethren The primogeniture of Christ doth not Resp consist in this that no man either in regard of body or soul or both ascended into heaven before Christs coming in the flesh but in this that no man hath nor shall ever come thither but by the vertue and efficacy of his merits As Christ is called the first-fruits of them that sleep not because none arose 1 Cor. 15. â—0 before Jesus Christ but because he alone arose by his owne power and is the cause of the resurrection of all those that have or shall arise unto glory sâ— here Christ alone ascended into heaven by his owne power and is the cause of the ascension of his people unto glory To whom be glory for ever Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS Directions FOR The right understanding Of the SCRIPTURES 1. Rule THere are tropes or figurative expressions which are made use of by the Spirit of God in the Scriptures which if not warâ—ly observed will occasion a misunderstanding of the text The Scriptures are adorned with various kinds of Elegancies and Rhetoricall expressions demulcere animos legentis Amongst many others I shall instance in two 1. The figure called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a figure whereby one thing is signified by two severall Noune substantives As The Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Sion and upon her assemblies a cloud aâ—d smoke by day viz. a smoaky cloud Isa 4. 5 So I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance but he that cometh after me is Mat. 3.11 mightier then I whose shoes I am not worthy to beare he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire viz. with the holy Ghost as with fire Sad consequences may follow upon the literall Interpretation of this Scripture I have read that the Abyseni tooke this text literally and when they baptized their children they poured water upon them and then marked them with an hot iron 2. The figure called Ironia whereby we speak one thing and meane another but signifie our meaning either by our gesture or manner of speaking this manner of speech though it be often abused unto sinne as in deriding and scorning our brethren yet is in it selfe lawfull if rightly used and of this we have example in the Scriptures Such a speech was that of Michaiah to wicked Ahab Go up and prosper If this figure were not 1 King 22. 15 observed we might question the