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
EXPOSITORY NOTES WITH Practical OBSERVATIONS TOWARDS The opening of the five first Chapters of the first Book of Moses called GENESIS Delivered by way of EXPOSITION In several Lords-dayes Exercises By BENJAMIN NEEDLER Minister of the Gospel at Margaret Moses Friday-street LONDON Hereunto is added by way of Apendix certaine Directions for the right understanding of the Scriptures London Printed by T. R. E. M. for Nathanael Webb and William Grantham at the Bear in Pauls Church yard near the little North-door 1655 To the WORSHIPFULL AND The rest his loving friends The Parishioners of MARGARET MOSES Friday-street London Dearly beloved THe main designe of a Minister of the Gospell next to the glory of God should be the spirituall good and advantage as of the Church of God in generall so of the flock committed to his charge in particular Had not this consideration been very powerfull and prevailing on my Spirit it would not have been able to have broke through those many difficulties and discouragements amongst which the unworthinesse and weaknesse of the Author was not the least that did way-lay the publication of these papers The result of my thoughts being affirmative as to the presenting of them to publike view I determined to dedicate them to you my people The reasons that moved me to this besides your interest in the composer of them having been your Pastor now for some yeares and the equity of it that they that called for and rejoyced in the first-fruits of his Ministery should have tendred unto them the first-fruits of his labours in this kind also were such as these 1. That I might be instrument all to establish you in some of the truths of Christ in these erroneous dayes a fitter expedient hereunto I know not any next to the illumination of the Spirit then the riight understanding of the text For these late yeares especially the Devill hath walked up and downe our streets with a Bible under his arme and upon every turne pleads Scriptum est It is written 2. That you might be the more confirmed concerning the sweet harmony of the Scriptures how one Scripture sweetly embraces and kisses each other although there be many in the world that would if they could Horrendum scelus make them to fall out and mutiny One cals the Old Testament and the New Gods two lips whereby he breatheth out the same truth Some have gone about to finde contradictions in them but the spirit of contradiction was in them that went about it Oh that we could as well agree with them as they agree with themselves while they are at peace in their doctrine we are at warre in their interpretation 3. That you might take notice of the obscurity of some texts of Scripture We may say of the whole booke of the Scriptures as Saint Peter doth of all Pauls Epistles In which are some things hard to be understood Some 2 Pet. 3. 16 things though not all there are some excellent herbes in the garden of the Scriptures whose names we know not Difficilia quae pulchra And these things They that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures unto their own destruction They deale with the Scriptures as Chymists deale with naturall bodies torturing them to extract something out of them which God and nature never put in them Or as torturers deale with an innocent man make him speake that which he never thought A seasonable Item for these dayes when men think a small measure of gifts sufficient for the interpretation of Scripture God would not have the weakest of his people starved and therefore some truths are easy nor the wisest of them cloyd and sated and therefore some truths are obscure Nor have we cause to murmur or repine at this dispensation Since the fall the understandings of men are shrunke up and contracted Shall the little viall be angry because it cannot containe the water in the Ocean Shall the blind man blame the Sun for shining no brighter 4. That however God dispose of me by his providence I might leave something in your hands which might be for your spirituall advantage A Sermon or Exposition if called to minde and I hope this small manuall may be your remembrancer may do your souls good seven ten twenty yeares after its delivery Physick doth not alwayes worke when it is taken no more do the Ordinances 'T is said there That many resorted unto Jesus and said John did no miracle but all things Joh 10. 41 42. that John spake of this man were true and many beleeved on him there John had Preached of Christ before but they did not beleeve in Christ when he Preached But when Christ comes amongst them they upon Johns Sermons preached a great while before then believed You have in these papers for I thought it not safe to go without a guide the way in many places being difficult the conduct of severall eminently learned Authors burning and shining lights at whose torch my candle received light though I may say to the praise of free-grace it shines not altogether unlesse we referre to God with a borrowed and derivative lustre c. One of these things I studied in this small piece was plainenesse it being for a considerable part of it polemicall And besides truth is an excellent Jewel best when plain set I have severall counsells to you lying neere my spirit possibly I may have another opportunity to offer them At present let me exhort you as most pertinent to the businesse in hand to a diligent study of the Word of God To this purpose I have annexed by way of Appendix certain directions for the right understanding of the Scriptures if they may be of any advantage to you blesse God for them Beloved the desire of my soul is that your soules may be saved This is the prayer of Your servant in the work of the Lord Benjamin Needler From my Study at Bun-hill Nov 17 1654. ERRATA Page 42 Line 9 for I read If p 53 l 3 f foure r five p 73 l â—3 f principilis r principiis p 83 l 1 f the calling on r the carrying on p 89 l 11 f Incommodum r Incommodam p 95 l 11 f 8 r or 131 l 3 f gracious evidence r no gracious evidence p 150 l 22 f this r thy p 208 l 2 for esie r esse p 208 l 23 f sinon r sin EXPOSITORIE NOTES towards the opening of the first Chapter of Genesis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THe distribution of Moses writings into five Books was not done by Moses but by others you may observe in our Saviours time when he quotes them he phrases it as it is written in the Law not in Genesis or Exodus c. The distribution of Moses writings into Chapters we owe unto Christians a little before Bernards time The Divine authority of the Pentateuch appears by the Lord Jesus owning of them Luke 20. 37. Now that the dead are raised
pronounced both upon the brute Serpent and the spirituall Serpent the question may be how this phrase Upon thy belly shalt thou go dust shalt thou eat can be accommodated unto Satan Per analogiam in a spirituall sense we Resp shall finde that the Scripture makes use of such expressions as these are to note unto us the lowest and most ignominious debasement when God threatens heavy judgements against Jerusalem mark how he phrases it Thou shalt be brought down and shalt speak out of the ground thy Isa 24.4 speech shall be low out of the dust and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust The Spirit of God seemes to allude to the carriage of a poore captive taken in warre and lying prostrate at the feet of the Conquerour hardly daring so much as to whisper out of the dust You may finde also expressions something like to these Esay 49.23 Lam. 3.29 Mic. 7.17 So then these expressions signifie the debasement of Satan from his primitive excellency A wonderful stoop indeed this was when that which was advanced as high as heaven was made to fall down as low as hell It is the observation of a learned Author that as food is made use of for the repairing and preservation of nature so the goodnesse or badnesse thereof doth make the temper of the body better or worse hence according to the degrees of excellency in the creatures their food is finer or courser Plants suck moisture from the earth beasts live upon plants man of beasts fowle and fish so that this expression Dust shalt thou eat notes unto us the lownesse and basenesse of the Serpent Quest 33. Verse 15. What is meant by the woman in this verse It seemes to be that woman with whom Resp the Serpent had treated viz. Eve as if God had said Seeing thou hast by a treaty with the woman tempted her to sinne I will put enmity between thee and the woman Now the woman is mentioned and not the man not because God had not put enmity between the man and the Serpent as well as the woman and the Serpent but because Eve was immediately seduced by the Serpent the man by the perswasion of his wife Quest. 34. Verse 15. Whether we may not with the Church of Rome expound the woman of the Virgin Mary Neg. And amongst others this reason Resp may be rendred The enmity the Spirit of God speaks of in this verse was immediately to follow the curse now the Virgin Mary was not borne many hundreds of years afterward But God speaks in the future tence Object I will put enmity between thee and the woman c. God speaks in the future tence when Resp 1 he pronounces that other part of the curse upon the Serpent Vers 14. Upon thy belly shalt thou go and dust shalt thou eat now this curse immediately followed upon the sentence and why not the other God speakes in the future tence to note the duration and continuance of this curse Quest 35. Verse 15. What is meant by the Serpents seed This cannot be expounded but in a Resp spiritual sense for daemones propriè semen non habent nec gignunt sibi similes therefore we are to understand by the Serpents seed the reprobate wicked world They which imitate God and obey him are called his seed or his children in the Scripture as Be ye followers of God as dear children so they that imitate the Eph. 5.1 devil and obey him are called his seed or his children as Ye are of your father Joh. 8. 44 the devil and the lusts of your father ye will do He that committeth sinne is of the devil 1 Joh 3. 8. Quest 36. Verse 15. What is meant by the seed of the woman First and principally Jesus Christ Resp 1 It implieth all the Elect viz. all Eves seed that should not become the seed of the Serpent By the seed of the woman can be Object meant onely Christ who was so the seed of the woman that he was not of the man 'T is true Christ was born of a Virgin Resp and was so the seed of the woman that he was not of the man but yet that by the seed of the woman Christ singularly and individually should be meant by the Spirit of God in this place is not sufficiently demonstrated by this phrase and the reason is this because such persons as have been conceived and born in an ordinary way have been called the seed of the woman or that which amounts thereunto so Adam knew his wife again Gen. 4.25 and she bare a sonne and called his name Seth for God faith she hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel whom Cain slew there you have Eve calling Seth her seed so the wicked Jews are Isa 57.3 called the sonnes of the forceresse Quest 37. Verse 15. How is this particle it to be expounded It shall bruise thy head Some and those very learned though Resp 1 they expound the seed of the woman collectively and take it for Christ and his Church this particle notwithstanding say they referres unto Christ singularly and individually considered Their reasons are three Say they the Septuagint renders it Arg. 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and though the Greek word which is used for seed be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet the pronoune relative is of the masculine gender 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now if it had been to be taken collectively as the seed of the woman before it would have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But we must consider that both in Latine Resp and Greek Authours pronouns many times agree rather cum re then cum voce and so it is in this case by the seed of the woman though we do not say is meant Christ onely yet we say Christ principally and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 clearly relates to Christ now that in Latine and Greek Authors pronouns do not only convenire cum verbo but sometimes cum re appears Terence hath such a phrase as this Ubi est scelus qui me perdidit And as for the Greek frequent instances we may finde in the New Testament Mat. 28.19 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 8. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so in Luke where the noune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of the masculine gender and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the neuter It is opposed to one individual Serpent Arg. 2 it shall bruise thy head The seed of the Serpent is implied Resp 1 there though not expressed for as the Serpent not alone but with his seed shall bruise the heele of the seed of the woman so Christ the seed of the woman not individually considered but with his seed shall break the Serpents head For the further clearing of this the seed of the woman may be said to bruise the Serpents head two manner of wayes 1. As the Lord Jesus spoiled principalities and powers and blotted out the handwriting of
the salvation of our children is a duty incumbent on parents in point of justice from the parents they received the filement and misery of their nature and therefore they owe them all possible help for their recovery It is a piece of cruelty for a parent to suffer his children to lye in their blood if we hurt but a stranger yea though against our wills we think it our duty to help to cure him It is worthy of our consideration that the promise of a blessing to be continued to posterity is annexed to the second commandment in the Decalogue which is concerning the worship and service of God God thereby intimating what parents and others should principally apply themselves to have planted in their families if they would have Gods blessing entailed upon their issue It is an idle conceit of many that Religion and godlinesse are not for children surley most equall it is as the first-fruits of other things so the first-fruits of our yeares should go also to God Ut primitiae rerum it á primitiae dierum Greg. Quest 6. vers 3 4. It is said here Cain and Abel brought their offerings unto the Lord and yet it is said after Seth's time Then began men to call upon the Name of the Lord Was not the Name of the Lord called upon Gen. 4.26 before by Abam and Eve and Abel Yes But for some time the greater Resp part of the world were corrupted with Cains wicked progeny insomuch as it is probable the good people at first worshipped God in their families but after Seth the family of the righteous encreasing the worship of God became more publick and solemne This then that is said vers 26 of this Chapter that then began men to call up-the Name of the Lord is not spoken simpliciter sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quest 7. verse 3 4. Why did Abel bring the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof as an offering unto the Lord The firstlings of the flock were accounted Resp the best as also were the first-fruits Abel would not offer up unto God that which cost him nothing It is our duty to be at some cost for the carrying on of the worship and service of God Buy the truth and sell it not He Prov. 23. 23. doth not say take the truth as if it might be had for taking up but buy it What is the meaning of that phrase You know in buying of a commodity we are willing to part with something that we may have and enjoy the thing we buy There are severall things you must part withall if you would have the truth and amongst the rest you must part with your purses It is true indeed Gods grace and truth is not to be had for money but though you cannot buy grace you may buy Preaching maintaine a godly Ministery whereby you may come to get grace We may observe in that Parable The Merchant finding a rich treasure hid in the field he is said To sell all and buy the Mat. 13. 44. field He doth not buy the treasure but the field the field is the Ministery of the Gospell in which the treasure of grace is hid now in buying the field he buyes the treasure hid in the field The Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a free gift and yet you must buy the truth and maintaine the Ministery But is it not a wicked thing to set the Object Gospel to sale Yes without question but pray mark Resp you say sometimes you have bought a Bible the truth is a Bible in some sense cannot be said to be bought what then do we buy I answer you buy the cover and the paper and the binding and the printing but the Bible it selfe is Gods gift So people do not buy the Gospel nor Ministers sell it But you will say if you do not sell the Gospel what else do you sell We answer we sell our study our pains the spending of our strength and spirits but the Gospel is Gods gift That Minister and he alone may be said to sell the Gospel that would make the Gospel to serve his base carnall interest and so make a market of it And truly in this sense others may be said to sell the Gospel as well as Ministers there are some that put the Gospel to the same drudgery that they put their foot-boyes and make it lackey after their Coaches Quest 8. verse 3 4. Why the Lord had respect to Abels offering and not unto Cains Some and indeed the most conceive Resp that Cain offered unto the Lord of the fruits of the ground any thing he cared not much what but Abel of the firstlings of the flock of the best he had and this say they was a main reason why the Lord had respect to Abels offering and not Cains But by the leave of so many Learned and reverend Divines I shall enter a demurrer against this judgement of theirs for consider 1. As you heard before they brought those offerings that were suitable to that way or calling in which God had set them 2. There is not the least hint in the Scripture that Cain brought the worser sort of the fruits of the ground but for ought we read the best of the kinde 3. That God is to be served with the best is a Notion that lyes with its face upwards in the understandings of men 4. That though it must be acknowledged that the best of the kinde was to be offered up in sacrifice unto God as you read Ye offer the blind for sacrifice is it Mal. 1.8 not evil And ye offer the lame and sick is it not evil Offer it now unto thy Governour will he be pleased with thee or accept thy person saith the Lord of Hosts Yet when the Scripture clearly makes the difference of the issue of Cain and Abels offering to consist in the persons who offered and not in the offering why should we enquire any further concerning it By faith Abel offered unto God a moâ—e excellent sacrifice then Cain Heb. 11.4 This should teach us to mixe all our holy duties with faith It is said when Christ was baptized Lo a voice from Mat 3. 17. heaven saying This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased Not with whom I am well pleased but in whom God the Father is not only well pleased with Christ himselfe but in him with the graces duties and persons of his people It is not with our duties as with our posies the posie gives sweetnesse to the bosome but the bosome gives no sweetnesse to the posie But in regard of our holy duties the case is quite contrary The Lord Jesus as it were takes our duties and puts them into his bosome and they receive all their goodnesse and fragrancy from the bosome of Christ It is said That the smoke of the Incense which came with the prayers of the Saints ascended Rev. 8.4 up before God out of the
Cain and that God is said to speak to Cain because Adam had it by instinct from God But this consideration hath not strength enough in it to beat us off from the received opinion for what wickednesses are there imaginable but we should commit with greedinesse if God should give us up to the wickedinesse of our own spirits Well then learn How the commission of one sin leads us as it were by the hand to the commission of another There is in wicked courses a praecipitium when a man is at the top of an hill it is at his choice whether he will thence throw himself down or not but once let him head-long himself there is no stay till he come to the bottome It is an easier matter to keep our selves from entring into desperate courses then when once we have given our selves the reines to make a stop Nemo repente fit turpissimus As no man on the sudden becometh most excellent in vertue so no man on a sudden becomes desperate in evil There is such a combination of sinne as in the links of a chaine if a man draw one link all the rest will follow so malice follows after anger murther after hatred Adultery after drunkennesse If a man cast a stone into the water there ariseth presently a circle in the place presently after that another and so another till at last all the water be full of circles In like manner if a man commit one sinne another will follow upon it and after that another unlesse the grace of God prevent till he be out of measure sinfull Take heed therefore of the beginnings of sinne take Babylons brats and dash them against the stones We may learn that private spiritednesse is not a thing well pleasing to God we are commanded to shew our love and compassion to a beast Exod. 23. 5. If thou see the Asse of him that hateth thee lying under his burden and wouldest forbeare to help him thou shalt surely help with him and more should we shew compassion and love to our brother Am I my brothers keeper Take heed of that profane speech Christians ow a mutual serviceablenesse one unto another God makes no Patentees nor will he endure any Monopolies Christians must drive an open and free trade The excellency of other creatures is in their communication of themselves the Sun raying out his warme and cherishing beames the Fountain bubling out his purling streams the Earth yielding forth sovereign herbs and plants Christians are then in their excellency when they are communicative and useful I have read that the Art of Medicine was perfected thus As any one met with an herb and discovered the vertue of it by any accident he would post it up in some publick place and if any were sick or diseased he was laid in some beaten passage that every one might communicate the best receipt and say they the Physicians skill was perfected by a collection of those posted experiments and receipts of all things take heed of the napkin wrap not up your Talents As every one hath received the gift even 1 Pet. 4. 10. so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God Quest. 17. vers 10. What is meant by this phrase The voice of thy brothers blood crieth unto me from the ground This is to be understood figuratively a Resp Metaphor taken from Courts of Justice Thy brothers blood crieth that is as if God should have said I know what thou hast done as clearly as if I had called thee to the barre of justice and the whole matter of fact had been heard and determined before me and upon the whole I should be called upon for justice By the way by what hath been said some light may be given for the understanding of that Scripture I saw under the Altar the soules of them that were slaine for the Word of God and for Rev. 6 9 10. the Testimony which they held and they cryed with a loud voice saying How long Oh Lord holy and true doest thou not judge and avenge our blood Which must not so be understood as if the soules of the blessed Saints should earnestly desire vengeance on them that shed their blood which is hardly competible with an heavenly State but may be expounded in the same manner as the words in this ver The voice of thy brothers blood crieth unto me viz. The Lord hath the blood that hath been shed for his Names sake fresh in his thoughts and will as certainly be revenged on them that shed it as if every drop of their blood were a tongue and continually crying in his eares for justice c. Well then Learn to avoid crying sins crying is applied to severall sins in the Scripture 1. To blood so in this vers Thy brothers blood cryeth 2. To the wickednesse of Sodome Gen 18. 10. The Lord God said Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and because their sinne is very grievous c. 3. The oppression of Gods servants Exo. 2. 24. God heard their groaning c. 4. The oppression of the widowes and fatherlesse Exo. 22.23 Ye shall not afflict any widow or fatherlesse child if thou afflict them in any wise and they cry at all unto me I will surely heare their cry 5. The oppression of the Labourer Jam. 5.4 Behold the hire of your labourers which have reaped downe your field which is of you kept back by frand crieth And let us blesse God for Jesus Christ the Apostle doth ascribe a cry to the blood of Christ as Moses here to the blood of Abel And to Jesus the Mediatour of the new covenant and to the blood Hâ—b 12. 24. of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel In that speech of the Apostle there is an allusion made to the blood of Abel and to the cry thereof and he illustrates the cry of Christs blood for us by the cry of the blood of Abel against Cain yet see the dissimilitude as a reverend Author hath it thus 1. Abel was a Saint The blood of a wicked man if innocently shed cries if Abel had murdered Cain Cains blood would have cryed and called upon God for justice against Abel but Abels blood cryes according to the worth of the person Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Now if the blood of a Saint cry so how much more the blood of the King of Saints 2. Abels blood cryes from the ground but Christs blood is carried up to heaven The cry of the blood of a Saint may come up to heaven yet the blood it self doth not come up thither 3. Adde to this the intercession of Christ himselfe Christ by his own prayers seconds the cry of his blood the blood of a man doth cry though the man be dead but Christ ever liveth to make intercession for his people Quest. 18. vers 11 12. Why did the Lord pronounce against Cain
onely earthly punishments as ver 11 12 Because wicked men are not so greatly Resp feared with the punishments of the life to come as carefull to avoid calamities for the present and indeed herein man becomes like the beasts that perish which are carried with an hurry to things present and sensible Quest 19. vers 13. Whether that saying of Cain be well translated My punishment is greater then I can beare Some say it should be rendred my sin Resp is greater then can be forgiven but the context seemes to favour our translation for in the following words he speakes not of his sinne but of his punishment vers 14. Behold thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth and from thy face c. here sinne is taken for the punishment of sin as in severall other places of Scripture The greatnesse of Cains punishment will appeare if you compare it with Adams 1. God did not curse Adam but the earth was cursed for Adams sake but God sayes to Cain vers 11. And now thou art cursed from the earth 2. That which is included in Adams curse viz. That though he should labour and sweat yet he should have bread for it In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat thy bread is denyed to Cain for saith the Lord vers 12. When thou tillest the ground it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength 3. Though Adam was expelled out of Paradise yet there was a commodious place assigned him by God where he and his family might reside and till the earth but the Lord saies of Cain that he should be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth ver 12. Oh have a care of blood What hast thou Gen. 4.7 done the voice of thy brothers blood crieth to mefrom the ground God will give a tongue to the earth speechlesse creatures shall speake rather then blood shall be concealed It is an excellent observation of a learned Author upon that text of Scripture When he maketh inquisition for blood he remembreth them Saith he doth not the Psal 7.12 Lord make inquisition for all sin Or is there any sin that God doth not enquire after Surely no but when it is said God makes inquisition for blood it argues the greatnesse of that sinne We finde not the like expression about any other particular sin in all the whole book of God Though God makes inquisition for all sin yet as if he would let all other sinnes past unsought and uniquired after it is said onely of this sinne that he makes inquisition for it Quest. 20. vers 14. Cain sayes From thy face I shall be hid and yet the Psalmist saith Psal 139.7 Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence God is present every where in regard of Resp his essence and therefore the Psalmist saith Whither shall I flee from thy presence We may run from God as our friend but we cannot escape him as an enemy A man pursued in an Island when he runnes from one end to the other runs from sea to sea if you should flee from one end of the earth unto the other you would run from God unto God The meaning then of this phrase I shall be hid from thy face is this I shall be deprived of communion with God in his Ordinances Though Cain was a wicked man yet he was taught by his parents that there was no way of enjoying God in this world but in and by his Ordinances And he speakes this not from a principle of love to God or his Ordinances but upon the account of education Learne from hence The condition of a person excommunicated is very sad Christ tells us we cannot serve God and Mammon and therefore when we are cast outof Gods service we are said to be delivered into the hands of Satan Hymeneus and Alexander excommunicated persons are 1 Tim. 1. 20. said to be delivered up unto Satan Learne also If the casting out of the Church a particular member though it be in order to cure and repentance be so dreadfull what a black day would that be when the Ordinances of Jesus Christ should as it were be excommunicated and cast out of the Church of Christ Quest 21. vers 14. Cain saith It shall come to passe that every one that findeth me shall slay me The question is who those were whom Cain feared that if they met him they would slay him Some think that Cain speakes this Resp 1 meerely upon the account of terrours of conscience for say they there were none but his Father and Mother living and was it likely they would be his executioners and yet Cain imagines multitudes to meet him and slay him Every one that findeth me shall slay me Prov. 28.1 The wicked fleeth when no man pursueth onely his owne guilt pursues him and makes him flee But this opinion hath not the savour of truth in it for Cain doth not onely suppose a considerable number of persons to live at that time in the world but God himselfe as appeares by what the Lord said unto Cain vers 15. Whosoever slayeth Cain vengeance shall be taken on him seven fold Some are of opinion that this is to be expounded of the beasts every one that findeth me shall slay me that is say they I shall be torne in pieces by every beast I meet But this cannot be the meaning of the words as appeares by that which followes for it is said The Lord set a mark upon Cain lest any finding him should kill him which cannot with any shew of reason be applied to the beasts Others hold that Cain in these words had respect to those that should afterwards be borne But neither can this be for what needed there a present law for those who as yet were not in being Another sort are of opinion that these words are to be applied to the Daughters of Adam and Eve for that Adam had Daughters at that time is more then probable from that which followes for it is said Cain had a wife which must needs be his sister and that she was come to yeares appeares because it is said ver 17. that Cain knew his wife From the whole I conceive we may more then probably conclude that Adam and Eve at the time when Cain spake these words had many Sonnes and Daughters although the Spirit of God doth not make mention of them the History mainly referring to Cain and Abel And to me it seemes very unlikely that Adam and Eve should have no more children after Cain and Abel till they came to yeares of discretion when at the beginning we finde God did make especiall provision for the encrease of the world as appeares by Gods sparing Cains life and his dispensation of his marriage with his sister However we may take notice of the terrours of Cains conscience for those that were in the world were either his parents brethren sisters or neere kindred
as those which would follow now viz. disgrace and reproach upon the persons committing this sin and upon their seed 9. Prop. That though having of many wives were a fault yet it would be something an unsavoury speech to affirme that Abraham and the holy Patriarchs were Adulterers I conceive the Poligamy of the Fathers may be placed in the middle between adultery and holy wedlock they took not wives of a lewd minde for the satisfying of their lust but of a conscience not rightly informed in this point 10. Prop. That upon a serious consideration of the premises I think it safest to joyne issue with those who hold that even the Patriarchs themselves sinned in having more wives then one Learne from hence to detest that dangerous errour of some sort of the Anabaptists who hold plurality of wives under the Gospel Though this assertion be so unsavoury as that I verily beleeve it stinks in the nostrils of all those that hold Christ to be the Lord yet because we live in such times when the Serpent casts out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman that he might Rev. 12.15 cause her to be carried away of the flood I shall endeavour to hold up your head above water by severall considerations 1. That all the actions of the holy Patriarchs though not blame-worthy are not recorded by the Spirit of God for our imitation but for other ends and purposes 2. That unto the following of the example of any holy person it is not enough that we do what he did but we must do it upon the same grounds and for the same ends as he did it The Apostles did not imitate Elias by calling down fire from heaven 3. That in the Gospel wherever our Lord Jesus or his Apostles speake of marriage mention is made but of one man and one woman 4. That although Ephes 5. 22. Col. 3. 18. in those two places of Scripture mention be made of wives yet there is also mention made of husbands an ordinary eye may see haec verba accipi per distributionem 5. Our Saviour saith Whosoever shall put away his wife except it be for fornication and shall marry another committeth adultery Mat. 19.9 Now if a man when he puts away his wife and marries another commits adultery then if he keeps his wife and marries another he commits adultery Our Saviour there speaks not of marrying Object more wives then one but of putting away those whom a man hath married The same Argument that our Saviour Resp urges against Divorce or putting away of wives the same may be urged against Polygamy he that puts away his wife and marries another commits adultery now thus it is in Polygamy in part though not altogether there is a kinde of putting off the first wife in marrying another the wife hath not the same power over the husband that formerly she had and so by consequence not the same interest in him 6. It is said in Timothy A Bishop must be blamelesse the Husband of one wife now we 1 Tim. 3 2. must not think that these words referre ad bigamiam successivam as some phrase it to the marriage of a second wife after the decease of the first for this kinde of Polygamy is not blame-worthy but the meaning is this A Bishop must be blamelesse the husband of one wife viz. of one wife at one time Polygamy is forbidden to Bishops therefore Object it is granted to other persons This is a strange Consequence as if a Resp man should say A Bishop must be sober and of good behaviour therefore another may be intemperate c. Besides all this I might adde Polygamy is against that naturall principle or maxime Quod tihi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris Whatever you would others should do unto you do ye unto them 8. Against one main end of marriage to avoid fornication If a man had halfe as many wives as Solomon I would know how the ends of marriage could be accomplished Quest 28. vers 23. What may be the meaning of that speech of Lamech to his wives I have slaine a man to my wounding and a young man to my hurt if Cain shall be avenged seven-fold truely Lamech seventy and seven-fold Some conceive that these words speake Lamâ—chs horrour of conscience and feare of judgement for the murders he had committed as if he should say If God will be avenged on Cain much more on me But here is suppositum non supponendum for it is not said God would be avenged on Cain but on him who killed Cain The Jewes have a tradition that Lamech was so exceedingly delighted in Hunting that notwithstanding he was old and blind yet taking Tub all-Cain a youth along with him engaged in that sport and by the direction of Tuball-Cain he instead of his game killed Cain which he understanding afterwards was very wroth and in his fury killed Tuball-Cain But this opinion hath more absurdities following it then one 1. 'T is very unlikely Lamech being old and blind would go on hunting 2. That Tuball-Cain was killed when a youth being the text saith he was an inventor of arts 3. 'T is not likely that Cain was wandering up and down in the woods at this time having built a City and his family very numerous Others therefore more probably conceive that Lamechs speech noted his insolent contempt of Gods judgements and abuse of his patience towards Cain Eccl. 8. 11. Because sentence against an evil worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart â—f the sonnes of men is fully set in them to do evil The Scripture being silent who they were that were murdered by Lamech it is our best way to be silent also Notes on the fifth Chapter Quest 1. vers 2. It is said God created male and female and Gen. 2. 5. blessed them and called their name Adam How is it then said That Adam called his wives name Eve Eve was the womans proper name Adam was a name common to them both Resp Quest 2. verse 3. Why is it not said that Adam begat Cain or Abel in his owne likenesse as well as Seth The opinions of the Learned are divers concerning this expression he begat a sonne Resp in his owne likenesse 1. Some would have it expounded of the rational soul as we may say of any other animal that it begets a creature according to its likenesse when a creature of its owne kinde is begotten and brought forth But according to this exposition Adam begat Cain and Abel after his own likenesse as well as Seth for who doubts but Cain and Abel were true men 2. Some would have it expounded thus he begat Seth in his own likenesse viz. a good man like himselfe viz de imagine pietatis But if so why was not this said concerning Abel being a good man as well as Seth 3. Others therefore expound it rightly de privatione originalis justitiae corruptione mentis He begat a
After the death of Christ their use was indifferent for a time this time was till the doctrine of Christian liberty might be fully made known to the world which could not be done on a sudden As Acts of Parliament have a day set downe when they shall be in force that so all the subjects of the Land may have time convenient to take knowledge of them so it is in this case 3. But now they are not necessary nor indifferent but absolutely forbidden After the passion of Christ Jewâ—sh Ceremonies were mortuae saith a learned man that is dead But after the divnlgation of the Gospel they becâ—me mortiferae that is deadly Saint Aâ—gustine elegantly expresseth this by a similitude A mans friend dyes he doeth not so soone as the breath is out of his body take him by the heeles and dragge him out of the doores and cast him upon the dunghill but he keeps him a certaine time wraps him in fair cloaths and so with honour accompanies him to the grave so these Ceremonies were alive till Christ and because they had been by divine Ordinance of great use in Gods worship they remained for a time indifferent that so they might be laid down in an honourable manner And here you may see the difference between Lawes Ceremoniall and Lawes morall the one were temporary the other are universall â—nd perpetuall the one were therefore good because they were commanded the other were commanded because they were good Morall Lawes â—ave an inward goodnesse in them which others have not When the Apostle would set forth the glory and excellency of the morall Law he gives these titles to it that it is holy and just and good which holinesse justice Rom. 7.12 and goodnesse he opposeth to his owne wickednesse I am carnall saith he but the Law is holy and just and good Now look as his carnality that was contrary to the Law was evill in it selfe so the Law which was contrary to that carnality was just holy and good in it selfe The Prophet Micah perceiving how forward many were in Ceremoniall duties and sacrifices in opposition hereunto he tells them He hath shewed Mic. 6.8 thee Oh man what is good speaking of morall duties as shewing mercy and walking humbly with God were not sacrifice and offerings good as well as mercy and walking humbly Yes but herein lyes the difference sacrifice and burnt-offerings were not in themselves good but onely as commanded by God but morall obedience as shewing mercy and walking humbly is good in it selfe and therefore said the Prophet He hath shewed thee Oh man what is good 10. Rule Comparisons in Scripture must not be wrested further then the scope of the comparison requires For instance Saint James â—aith As the body without the Jam. 2.26 spirit is dead so faith without workes is dead also The Papists gather from hence as the soul is the forme of the body and animates it so are workes the forme of faith which animate faith but the comparison is wrested for the scope of the Apostle is this as the body is known not to be dead by the operation and presence of the soul so faith is known not to be dead by workes So the Church is called the piller of truth The Papists make the comparison 1 Tim. 3. 15. here as the pillar upholds the house so the Church upholds truth But the comparison is wrested the Church is the pillar of truth viz. it holds out truth we use to hang out things upon pillars but it doth not hold it up 11. Rule When we read concerning Christ in the Scriptures we must consider what expressions referce to Christ as he was God what expressions referre to Christ as he was man and what referre to his person as he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man This Rule must heedfully be observed that we may neither confound the natures of Christ with Eutyches or cry up two persons in Christ with Nestorius As we may say concerning a man that some things are attributed to him which are proper onely to his soul as he is said to understand to grieve to rejoyce to fear to hope some things are attributed to him which are proper onely to his body as to eat and drinke and walk some things again are attributed unto him which are neither proper to the soul alone or the body alone but to the Quid compositum the person consisting of both for instance to laugh to write accurately to speake judiciously In like manner some things are spoken of Christ as he was God for instance he is called the Word the image of the invisible God the expresse image of his substance Some things are spoken of Christ as he was man as that he was acquainted with griefs that he was hungry thuirsty c. some things againe are spoken of Christ neither as he was God nor as he was man distinctly considered but as he was God-man for instance Had they known it they would not have crucified 1 Cor. 2.8 the Lord of glory So Take heed unto your selves and to all the floock c. to feed Act. 20. 28. the Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne blood 12. Rule There are severall promises in the Scriptures which although as to the rinde and outside of them they seem to relate onely to temporals yet if we look within we shall finde that they containe spiritualls Now this must carefully be observed that we may be established concerning the truth of divine promises Abraham was promised a sonne a blessing temporall but there was a spirituall blessing annexed even the greatest that ever the sonnes of men were made partakers of viz. the Lord Jesus Christ whom the Scripture calls the sonne of Abraham that seed in which all the nations of the earth should be blessed You have another instance also in Samuel where Nathan says to David When thy dayes be fulfilled and thou shalt 2 Sam. 7. 12 13 c. sleepe with thy fathers I will set up thy seed after thee which shall proceed out of thy bowels he shall build an house for my Name and I will establish the throne of his Kingdom for ever These words here are spoken of Solomon and yet something else is intended by the Spirit of God in this Scripture then can in propriety of speech be attributed unto Solomon For the power of Solomon was exceedingly weakned before his death and afterward his son even upon the point cast out of his Kingdom by the revolting of the ten tribes But that which is more then all this Solomons race we may see ended in Jeconiah Thus saith the Lord Write ye this man childlesse Jerem. 22. 30. a man that shall not prosper in his dayes for no man of his seed shall prosper sitting upon the throne of David and ruling any more in Juda. Therefore this promise must be extended further then to Solomon and his seed to Christ even of whom
Solomon was a type whose Kingdome is for everlasting But it is said Jeconias had a son and after Object they were brought to Babylon Jeconias begat Salathiel c. Mat. 1 12. 'T is true children are ascribed to Jeconiah Resp but children by succession not by generation and therefore Jeconiah as I have said dying without issue Salathiel in the line of Nathan Solomons brother comes in as neerest heire and is reckoned by Saint Matthew the sonne of Jeconiah viz. legall For we must understand that there was a double descent usually reckoned among the Jewes the one legal the other natural the natural descent was when as one by natural generation descended of another the legal descent was when one not naturally descended of another yet succeeded as nearest of kin to the inheritance This is necessary for us to observe that we may be convinced of a truth not taken notice of by most in the world viz. that our Lord Jesus was not of the line of Solomon naturally that is he was not the natural sonne of Solomon but the natural sonne of David by Nathan Solomons brother he was legally Solomons sonne not naturally Hence alâ—o the Evangelists Matthew and Luke may be reconciled Saint Luke deduces the natural line of Christ from David making it known how Christ by Nathan is the natural sonne of David according to the flesh but Saint Matthew deduces the legal line of Christ from David making it known how Christ as Solomons heire and lawfull King of the Jewes succeeded as neerest kinne to sit upon the throne of David his Father for the which cause also Saint Matthew calls him borne King of the Jewes 13. Rule There are many things spoken of in the Scriptures as done and past which in truth are promised and to come For instance in Esay many things are spoken by the Prophet as done and suffered by Christ which notwithstanding were to be done and to be suffered So Surely he hath born our griefes and carried our sorrowes And ver 5. He was wounded for our Isa 53.4 transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities So ver 7. He was oppressed and he was afflicted In like manner the Psalmist For dogs have compassed me the assembly of the wicked Psal 22.16 have enclosed me they pierced my hands and my feet A learned Author gives us this account of this Rule In prophetia bene miscentur futura praeteritis quià ea quae ventura prophetantur secundùm tempus futura sunt secundùm scientiam verò prophetantium jâ—m pro factis habentur Many things prophesied in the Scriptures if you note strictly the time of their accomplishment are to come but the revelation of them to the Prophets of God were as full of light and certainty as if they were present Another thus Omnis lingua prophetica loquitur de futuro tanquam de praeterito hoc ideò quià dictum Dei habetur pro facto The Prophets speak of things to come as of things past because Gods word is his act 14. Rule In the perusall of the Scriptures it is safer to follow the commands of God then the examples of men This will appeare if you consider these particulars 1. The good actions of wicked men are heedfully to be observed Jehus zeale for God is worthy of our imitation provided we act from a right principle to a right end Precious stones some say may be taken out of poysonous creatures 2. The evill actions of godly men are carefully to be avoided the falls of the Saints are spectacles of naturall frailty not examples for practice they are written for our caution not for our imitation Rocks are set downe in a Map that the saylors may shun them and not run their ships against them Lots wife saith Augustine was turned into a pillâ—r of salt ut condiret te suo exemplo that she might season thee that thou mightest not do the like 3. If the fact be approved in tanto sed non in toto in some part but not in the whole it is not to be made an example of Imitation Zipporah circumcised her child and so the Angell left off to kill Moses therefore a midwife may baptize a child This followes not the Angell ceased to trouble Moses because his sonne was circumcised and not becauâ—e he was circumcised by a woman 4. Some actions of the Saints may be approved of by God and yet are not to be followed by us and that in severall Cases as 1. What the people of God did by an extraordinary call or by speciall instinct from God as when God commands Abraham to sacrifice his son this is no rule for a Fathers laying violent hands on his child for God hath said Thou shatlt not kill The Israelites taking away the Egyptians Jewells is no warrant for cousenage for this is aworke of the ungodly The wicked boroweth and payeth Ps 37.21 not againe the Apostle healing the sick anoninted them therefore the Priest now may is a nonsequitur for that Oyle was miraculous Dispensations extend not beyond the particulars to whom they were given 2. What the primitive Christians did occasioned by speciall necessity of the times or for the avoyding of scandal the primitive Christians had all things common they that beleeved were together and had all things common Acts 2 44. they knew Jerusalem should be destroyed and that they were to suffer great persecutions and therefore it was prudence rather to sell their goods and to dispose of them for the good of that Church of God then to lose all So Paul makes his hands minister to his necesityes There is no footing here for Anabaptisticall community nor necessity laid on Ministors to worke with their hands except the times and the case were alike 15. Rule When the Spirit of God is pleased to make use of â—militude in the Scripture it is only required that they agree unto those things unto which they relate in that which they are brought to prove In every similitude there is some similitude Analoga sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are alike but they are not the same For instance you read of the similitude Mat. â—0 of the Labourers in the vineyard and how the Lord of the vineyard makes no difference in regard of his payment between those that came into his vineyard at the third and sixth houres and those that came in at the ninth and eleventh hours But they received every man a penny And ver 10.11 vers 11. When they had received it they murmured against the good man of the house Now who knowes not when the people of God come to heaven to receive their penny there shall be no murmuring It is sufficient you finde in this Parable that for which it was intended viz. to prove the rich and free grace of God toward sinners So in the Proverbes 't is said As a Prover 11. 32. Jewell of Gold in a swines
snout so is a fair woman without discretion Certainly there is a vast difference between a swine and between a woman between a Jewell of Gold in a swines snout and the beauty of a foolish woman Yet the similitude is apt enough for that for which it was urged viz. as a Jewell in a swines snout is rather hurtfull then profitable so is beauty to a foolish woman In the Canticles it is said of Christ that Can. 5. â—3 his lips were like lillies now if the comparison be not marked rightly here we may be deceived for to make Christs lips as white as a lilly were impertinent therefore the comparison is in odore non in colore in regard of the smell not of the colour 16. Rule In Scripture sometimes a number certain is put for a number uncertain numerus finitus ubi intelligi debet infinitus and e contrâ— sometimes a number uncertain is put for a number certain numerus infinitus ubi intelligi debet numerus finitus for instance 1. A number certaine is put for a number uncertain Prov. 24.16 A just man falleth seven times a day viz. many times So. Psa 24.16 Psal 119. 164. David Psal 119. 164. seven times a day do I praise thee viz. crebrô ofttimes do I Esay 4.1 praise thee So the Prophet Esay In that day seven women shall lay hold of one man viz. many women and some times you have more numbers then one in a Scripture when you have this very thing intended by the Spirit of God For instance Psal 91.7 A Psal 91 7. thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy right hand but it shall not come nigh thee A thousand and ten thousand viz. very many So Mat. 18.21 22. Peter came to Christ and said Lord how oft shall my brother Mat. 18.21 sinne against me and I forgive him till seven times Jesus saith unto him I say not unto thee till seven times but untill seventy times seven viz. as oft as thy brother sinnes against thee 2. A number uncertaine is put for a number certaine So the Lord speaking of the Passeover You shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations you shall keepe Ex. 12.14 it a feast by an Ordinance for ever viz. as long as these Ceremoniall rites are in force So it is said of Hannah that she said unto her husband I will not go up untill the 1 Sam. 1. 22. child be weaned and then I will bring him that he may appeare before the Lord and there abide for ever And yet we shall finde Numb 8. 24.25 that the Levites were to wait upon the service of the Tabernacle of the congregation but from twenty five yeares old to Deut. 25. 15 16 17. the age of fifty So in Deuteronomy If thy servant shall say unto thee I will not go away from thee because he loveth thee and thy house because he is well with thee then thou shalt take an Aule and thrust through his eare unto the doore and he shall be thy servant for ever viz as long as he lives 17. Rule In computation of times the Spirit of God frequently speakes by a synecdoche of the whole for the part or the part for the whole For instance When Matthew speakes of the transfiguration Mat. 17.1 2. he speakes of six dayes After six dayes Jesus taketh Peter James and John his brother and bringeth them up into an high mountaine apart and was transfigured before them But now Saint Luke speakes of eight dayes And it came to passe about eight dayes after these sayings he tooke Peter Luc. 9.28 and James and John and went up into a mountaine to pray c. For the reconciling of these places we must know that Saint Luke speakes of part of the first and the last dayes as two dayes and so he reckons upon eight dayes Saint Matthew omits them being but part of two dayes and so reckons but upon six So we say Christ was raised the third day after his crucifixion whereas he lay but one whole day in the grave but per synecdochen part of friday and part of the Lords day are reckoned for two dayes 18. Rule There are some propositions unto which a note of universality is affixed and yet ought not to be accounted altogether universall So Adam called his wives name Eve because she was the mother of all living viz. viventis hominis Gen. 3.20 non bruti of every living man not of every living creature So the Lord Jesus If I be lifted up from the earth I will draw all Joh. 12.32 men unto me viz. all beleevers unto me So All seeke their owne not the things which are Jesus Christs all viz. many So I Phil. 2.21 will poure out my Spirit on all flesh which Joel 2.28 is spoken of beleevers as appeares Act. 2. 17. Now this ought to be heedfully observed that notes of universality in Scripture whether affirmative or negative ought to be restrained or limitted to that subject matter of which the Spirit of God speakes in the context For instance â—auâ— spake not any thing that day viz. concerning David that day 1 Sam. 20. 26. For certainly the King spake concerning other things So in John But ye have an unction from the Holy one and ye know all 1 John 2. 26. things viz. all points necessary to salvation of which Saint John formerly treated So Paul Who gave himselfe a ransome 1 Tim. 2. 6. for all viz. Some of all sorts quaties and conditions and this appeares by the context For in the first and second verses Paul speakes of Kings and all that are in authority and vers 7. he speakes of the Gentiles I am ordained saith Paul a Preacher and an Apostle a teacher of the verse 7. Gentiles in faith and in verity So then the meaning is Christ gave himselfe a ransome for all viz. Kings as well as subjects Gentiles as well as Jewes 19. Rule In Scripture the species is not rarely Lev i9 36 put for the genus For instance A just Ephah and a just Hin shall ye have Where you have one certaine kinde of measure put for every measure So againe Whosoever he be of the children Lev. 20.2 of Israel or of the strangers that sojourne in Israel that giveth any of his seed unto Moloch he shall surely be put to death unto Moloch viz. unto that or any other kinde of Idol 20. Rule Many things are spoken in Scriputre rather ex vulgi opinione according to the common opinion of men then as the things are in themselves considered For instance it is said And God made Gen. 1.16 two great lights the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night meaning the Sun and the Moone whereas the Moone is the least of all the planets onely thought to be one of the greatest by most people So the
Virgin Mary says unto Jesus Son why hast thou dealt thus Luc. 2.48 with us thy Father and I have sought thee sorrowing thy Father viz. thy supposed Father as he is elsewhere called So Christ calls Judas friend for he was so accounted though indeed he was but a face-friend and an heart-enemy So the Pharisees are stiled by the Holy Ghost righteous just persons such as need no repentance because they were so in the conceit of the world 21. Rule Prophâ—sies in Scripture are shaped into severall formes 1. Some Prophecies are delivered formâ optandi by way of wish or desire Gen. 49. 18. I have waited for thy salvation Oh Lord. Quo ipso non optat solùm sed prophetat He doth not onely wish that his salvation might come but prophecies that his salvation should come So the Psalmist Psal 14.7 Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Sion when the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people Jacob shall rejoyce and Israell shall be glad 2. Some Prophecies are delivered formâ imperandi by way of command So Come Esay 47.1 downe and sit in the dust Oh virgin daughter of Babylon sit on the ground there is no throne Oh daughter of the Caldeans for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate So ver 5. Sit thou silent and get thee vers 5 into darknesse Oh daughter of the Caldeans for thou shalt no more be called the Lady of Kingdomes 3. Some Prophecies are delivered formà imprecandi by way of imprecation so the Psâ—lmist Poure out thy wrath upon the Heathen Psal 79 6. that have not known thee and upon the Kingdomes that have not called upon thy vers 12. Name So vers 12. Render unto our neighbours seven-fold into their bosome the reproch wherewith they have reproached thee Oh Lord. 22. Rule In reading of the Evangelists we should take notice what things are specified by one Evangelist what by two what by three and what by all the foure For instance Some of Christs workes are specified onely by one Evangelist as his turning of water into wine as his healing the sick man at the poole of Bethesda his healing that blind man John 9. Some of them are specified by two Evangelists as the History of Christs birth by Matthew and Luke Some things are recorded by three of them as the institution of the Sacrament of the Supper Some things by all foure as Christs death and passion Onely two write the History of his birth all foure the History of his death possibly to teach us that though all Christs workes and actions are to be seriously minded meditated upon and remembred yet none so espcially as his death and sufferings 23. Rule Although we should finde the holy Penmen of God differ from each other in things of a lesser import or consideration we should not from hence in the least scruple the divine authority of the Scripture For instance in the History of Christs temptations Matthew for the second temptation Mat. 4 5. puts the devills taking Christ up into the holy City and setting him one a pinacle of the temple now the Evangelist Saint Luke seemes to invert the order and for the second temptation puts the devills taking Luc. 4.5 Christ into an high mountaine and shewing him all the Kingdomes of the world in a moment of time Now if the question be how these Evangelists must be reconciled Answer may be made if there be an harmony as to the temptations that are written by the Evangelists it is enough though they differ as to the order of the temptations We do not use to accuse a man of a falshood who tells us many things that be true though they be something out of order unlesse he promise that he will not onely tell us the things that were done but also the order of the doing of them So then if Matthew speaks of that temptation in the second place which Luke doth in the third place as long as they differ not about the maine as to the temptations concerning which they write there is an harmony still between Matthew and Luke Yea some think that this is a good argument to prove the divine authority of the Scriptures viz. that the Holy Penmen did not lay their heads together about the framing of the Gospels nor did transcribe one anothers coppies they agreeing in the maine and yet differing in things of a lesser consideration 24. Rule When the Evangelists urge a Scripture out of the Old Testament many times they referre not to the words in themselves considered but to the scope and aime of the Spirit of God in that place to which they relate For instance He came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth that it might be fulfilled which Mat. 2.23 was spoken by the Prophets He shall be called a Nazaren which saying cannot be found in terminis in any of the Prophets and therefore the Evangelist referres to those Scriptures were the Spirit of God speaks to the same purpose though he makes not use of the same words So Saint Luke Now that the dead are raised even Moses Luke 20. 37 38. sheweth at the bush when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob for he is not a God of the dead but of the living Moses shewed not that the dead are raised in terminis but indeed this is inferred from what he said by consequence for he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob and he is not the God of the dead but of the living And from hence let us be established in this truth that necessary consequences from Scripture do proove a jus divinum a divine right yea our Lord Jesus calleth consequence from Scripture Scripture He Joh. 7.38 that believeth on me as the Scripture saith out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water Now these words strictly taken are not to be found in the whole booke of God excepting this place where they are urged the place of Scripture neerest to this that I know of is in Esay I will poure water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the Isa 44. 3. dry ground And indeed if this should be denied we should fall into grosse ab surdities A Learned Author observes that all kinds of unlawfull and forbidden marriages are not expressely mentioned in the Law but divers of them to be collected by consequence that is either by parity or greater strength of reason For instance The nakednesse of thy sonnes daughter or of Lev. 18. â—0 thy daughters daughter even their nakednesse thou shalt not uncover Now from this text it is collected à fortiori that much lesse a man may uncover the nakednesse of his owne daughter Which yet is not expressely forbidden by the Law but left to be thus collected by necessary consequence from this very text How can
was like his sin As the taking of literall Scriptures in a figurative sense was his sin so the taking of a figurative in a literall was his punishment But you may aske me when the Quest litterall sense is to be left When it is repugnant to the analogy of Resp faith or that systeeme of Divinity which is evidently grounded upon the Word of God For instance when it is said Every branch in me that beareth not frait we Joh. 15.2 must not interpret the branches that beare not fruit to be really in Christ as parts of his mysticall body because this is against the Analogy of faith we know that no branch which is truely engraffed into Christ can ever be taken away and therefore we must understand the phrase of such as are in Christ visiblâ—â— as members not of his true body but of his visible Church The Inchanters Rods are related to be turned into Serpents now they must be interpreted to seeme so rather then to be so because the literall interpretation is against the analogy of faith the changing of the natures of creatures being beyond the sphere of the activity of the devils power So when we are commanded to pluck out our right eye and cut off our right hand if they offend us this cannot be expounded literally because it is against the analogy of faith God hath expressely commanded Thou shalt not kill 29. Rule Although the proffer of salvation in the Scripture be conditionall yet is neither the decree of God nor the purchase of Christ relating thereunto conditionall The Lord Jesus did not redeeme us if we did beleeve but that we might beleeve there is a condition in the things proffered but none in the will of God Gods offering salvation upon condition of beleeving doth onely note that faith is a meanes tending thereunto In like manner Gods promises are not for the forme of them to be compared with his purposes or intentions that which is performed upon a condition is not intended upon a condition so to be performed God absolutely intended to make his elect to beleeve and to save them their beliefe is but a condition to their salvation not to Gods intention which is absolute For the further clearing of this consider that the voluntas signi may be conditionall and the voluntas beneplaciti may be absolute and yet there may be a sweet Harmony between them To this purpose observe that a conditionall proposition having such a condition annexed to it as will certainly and infallibly be effected is equivalent to an absolute affirmative categoricall proposition As if a man sayes he will take a journey to morrow if he be able and knowes certainly he shall be able this is eqâ—ivalent to an absolute affirmative categoricall proposition that he will absolutely go So on the contrary if a proposition be conditionall and hath a condition annexed to it which is impossible and shall never be effected this is equivalent to an absolute categoricall negative proposition when Reprobâ—tes are told if they beleeve they shall be saved it is equivalent to this proposition they shall not be saved because they shall not beleeve So that the outward tender though conditionall may answer to an absolute decree the render it selfe being equivalently absolute 30. Rule The Scripture sometimes speakes of a thing as absolutely and infallibly coming to passe by vertue of Gods ordination and yet the same thing may be in its owne nature contingent For instance it was prophesied concerning Christ that not a bone of him should be broken now Christs legs were not broken not because in themselves considered they could not be broken but because Gods decree could not be broken they were capable of being broken and yeâ— not capable capable in respect of themselves incapable in regard of Gods decree When there is a non-essentiall connexion between things we say there is contingency when there is an essentiall connexion there we say there is necessity For instance â—ationality and risibility are necessary to a man because a man cannot be a man but he must have a power both to reason and laugh they do ingredi essentiam but that a man doth exercise his reason or not exercise it that a man doth laugh or not laugh is contingent the power is necessary but the act is contingent Christs legs in respect of themselves were as apt to be broken as the malefactours therefore the not breaking of them was contingent as to the souldiers though coming to passe necessarily as to Gods decree Contingent things are nothing the lesse contingent for some kinde of extrinsecal necessity 31. Rule Negations in Scripture must be read with these cautions 1. Sometimes they deny not simply but onely in comparison I will have mercy Mat. 9.13 and not sacrifice that is I will have mercy rather then sacrifice So When thou makest a dinner or a supper call not thy friends Luk. 14.12 13. nor thy brethren neither thy kinsmen nor thy rich neighbours c. But when thou makest a feast call the poore the maimed the lame the blind Bid not your brethren but the poore that is the poore rather then your brethren 2. Sometimes negatives deny onely according to the conceit and opinion of the hearers So God is not the God of the dead but of the living He is not the God Ma. 22.32 of the dead that is of such dead whom the Sadduces thought dead who should never rise againe for Christ spake this to the Sadduces who denyed the resurrection as appeares by the context So Jesus said Joh. 7.16 My doctrine is not mine but his that sent me Is not mine that is as you take me to be a meere man 32. Rule The truth of an Hypotheticall Proposition doth not depend upon the truth of the two Propositions the Antecedent and the consequent but upon the necessary connexion viz. The Antecedent and consequent of an Hypotheticall Proposition may be true and yet the Proposition may be false it selfe and è contrà the Antecedent and consequent of an Hypotheticall Proposition may be false and yet the Proposition may be true it selfe For instance If Isaac were Abrahams Son then he were truly good both parts considered apart are true yet the Proposition it selfe is false because there is no necessary connexion between the Antecedent and the Consequent If a man be irrational he is a beast both parts are false yet the Proposition true Paul sayes to the Centurion and to the Souldiers Except these abide in the Ship ye cannot be saved both parts are false Act. 27.31 either that the Ship-men should not abide in the Ship or that any man in the Ship should not be saved God having before determined that there should be no losse of any mans life among them so saith Paul I exhort you to be of good chear for there shall be no losse of any mans life among you but of the Ver. 22 Ship yet the connexion is true