translated out of the Greeke The first translation of the New Testament was into the Syriacke tongue The first translation of the new Testament was the Syriack Marcke is holden to be the Author of this translation hut he was martyred in the eight yeare of Nero and the Fathers who lived in Egypt and Palestina make no mention of this Syriack translation as Origen Clemens Alexandrinus and Athanasius and therefore it seemeth to be latter and not so soone after the Apostles The Syriack translation which was heretofore in our Churches was defective The Syriack translation which was here to fore wanted many things and wanted many things which were in the originall as it wanted the last verse of the seventh Chapter of Iohn and the history of the adulterous woman Ioh. 8. So the second Epistle of Peter the second and third Epistle of Iohn the Epistle of Iude and the booke of the Revelation all these were wanting in it But that Copie which is brought lately from Syria wanteth none of these as Ludovicus de Deiu testifieth in his Syriack translation which hee hath now published and the Arabicke translation which Erpeneus had by him hath all these places which the former translation wanted Wee will subjoyne here the postscripts which are found in the Syriack and Arabick translations after the Evangelists The postscript of the Evangelist St. Matthew in the Syriack is this Scriptum est in terra palestinae Hebraice The Postscript of Matthew in the Syriack and Arabick translations this Gospel was written in the Hebrew tongue in Palestina The Postscript in the Arabick is this Absolutum est Evangelium Matthaei Apostoli quod scripsit in terra Palestinae Hebraice auxilio spiritus sancti octo annis postquam dominus noster Iesus Christus carne in caelos ascendit primo anno regni Claudij Caesaris Regis Romani That is the Gospel of the Apostle Matthew which he wrote in Hebrew by the assistance of the holy Spirit in the land of Palestina was perfected eight yeares after Iesus Christ ascended to the Heavens in the first yeare of the reigne of Claudius Caesar the King of the Romans The error of this Syrack and Arabiack postscript Here observe two things first that the Syriack and Arabick say that this Gospel was written in Hebrew first whereas it was written originally in Greeke Secondly that the Arabick calleth Matthew an Apostle whereas he was an Evangelist The postscript of Marke in the Syriack and Arabiack Translationes The Postscript of the Evangelist Marke in the Syriack is this Absolutum est Evangelium Sancti Marci qui loquutus est Evangelizavit Romae That is here endeth the Gospel of S. Marke which he spake and preached at Rome The Arabick hath it thus Finitum est exemplar Marci quod scripsit in ditione romana occidentali in vrbe Romana anno duodecimo postquaÌ„ dominus noster Iesus Christus carne in Caelos ascendit quarto anno Claudij Caesaris That is here endeth the exemplar of Marke which hee wrote in the province of westerne Rome in the City of Rome it selfe twelve yeares after our Lord Iesus Christ ascended into heaven in the flesh in the fourth yeere of Claudius Caesar The errour of these two postscripts But this Postscript is not probable for Marke lived in the Church of Alexandria in Egypt therefore it is more probable that he wrote his Gospel there than at Rome The postscript of Luâ—â— In the Arabiack and Syriack Translation The Postscript of Luke in the Syriack is this Scriptum est Alexandriae magnae quindecem annis a Christi ascensione It was written in the great City of Alexandria fifty yeares after Christs ascention The Arabick is Scriptum est grace in civitate Macedonia vigesimo secundo anno post ascensionem Domini in caelum vigesimo quarto anno Claudij Caesaris This Gospell was written in Greeke in the City of Macedonia twenty two yeares after the Lords ascension into the heavens the twenty fourth yeare of Claudius Caesar Here we may see the difference betwixt these two Postscripts the Syriack saith The error of these two postscripts it was written in Alexandria in Egypt and the Arabick saith it was written in Macedonia in Greece what credite then should wee give to these Postscripts The Postscript of Iohn the Syriack is The postscript of Iohn in the Arabiack and Syriak Translation Iohannes Evangelista hoc Evangelium edidit Grace Ephesi That is the Evangelist set forth this Gospel in Greeke at Ephesus the Arabick is Iohannes filius Zebedaei vnus ex duodecem Apostolis scripsit id graece Incolis Ephesi anno post ascensionem domini in Calos tricesimo imperante Nero. Iohn the son of Zebedaeus one of the twelve Apostles wrote this in Greeke to the inhabitants of Ephesus thirty yeares after Christs ascension in the reigne of Nero. The Syriack translation is read in Syria Mesopotamea Chaldea and Egypt and it was sent first in to Europe by Ignatius Patriarch of Antioche These who translated the Bible in latter times The latter Translaters of the Bible Popish or Orthodoxe were eyther Popish or Orthodoxe Popish the Latine translation established by the councill of Trent Vatablus Arias Montanus Pagninus and Isiodorus Clarius By the reformed as by Munster Ecolampadius by Leo Iuda who dying before the worke was finished Bibliander and Conradus Pellicanus finished it and then they are called Biblia Tigurina And lastly by Iunius and Tremellius Of the Vulgar Latine translation WHen light arose to them who sate in darkenesse and in the shadow of death to the Protestants who lived before in Popery they began to search the originall Text and to looke into the fountaines the Hebrew and Greeke and they charged the adversaries to bring their proofes out of the originall Text in their disputations with them The Church of Rome decreed that the Vulgar Latin translation should be the originall The Church of Rome to obviat this made a decree in the Councill of Trent Anno. 1546. that the vulgar Latine should be holden for the originall which was as base a change as when Rehoboam changed the golden Sheilds in the Temple into Sheilds of brasse 1 King 14.27 So have they changed the originall into the Vulgar Latine translation and made it authenticke which in many places is corrupted After that they had inacted that the Vulgar Latine should be onely the touchstone to try all controversies and that they should use it in their readings and disputations then Sixtus Quintus the Pope tooke great paines about the correcting of this Vulgar Latine Pius the fourth and Pius Quintus had done something before in the correcting of this Vulgar translation but it was Sixtus Quintus that finished it Forty foure yeeres betwixt the act of the Councill and the finishing of the Latin translation Anno 1590. So that there were forty foure yeares betwixt the Act made in the Councill
a duty required in the fift Commandement because parents should provide for their children Lastly these ceremonies generally for the most part are referred to the second Commandement Ceremonies belonging to the first Commandement EXERCITAT II. Of the purification of the woman after her child-birth Luk. 2.22 And when the dayes of her purification according to the Law of Moyses were accomplished they brought him to Ierusalem to present him to the Lord as it is written in the Law of the Lord Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is sayd in the Law of the Lord a paire of Turtle Doves or two young Pigeons How this ceremoniall Law pertaineth to the first Commandement IT may seeme strange to some how this ceremoniall Law should belong to the first Commandement but this is not strange for our conception in sinne is condemned in the Commandements but it is not condemned in any of the Commandements where the act and full deliberation of the minde is forbidden therefore the negative part is especially condemned in the last Commandement and the affirmative is commanded in the first Commandement which requireth the purity of our nature that we may love the Lord with all our heart and so the child must crave pardon for his sinne Psal 51.5 and the mother here must offer her sacrifice for her selfe and her child Two sorts of uncleanenesse the greater and the â—â—sser The mother when she conceived and bare a female she was uncleane in her great uncleannesse seventeene dayes and in her lesse uncleannesse shee was uncleane threescore and sixe dayes Levit. 12.4 When she conceived and bare a male she was uncleane in her great uncleannesse seven dayes and shee was in her lesse uncleannesse thirtie three dayes Ver. 5. The reason why she was longer uncleane when shee bare a female than when she bare a male The reason why the mother was longer uncleane when she bare a female than when she bare a male was not morall because the woman sinned first and not the man but the reason of this is naturall because the male is sooner quickned in his mothers bellie and mooveth more quickly by reason of the greater heat and dryeth up sooner the humidities than the female doth the female againe is more slowly quickned by reason of the greater cold and humiditie and therefore the mother had a longer time prescribed to her for her purification The mother when shee was purified The mother offered for her selfe and her child when she was purified shee was to offer a sacrifice for herselfe and her child Some hold that shee was to offer a sacrifice for herselfe and not for her child and therefore they read the words this wayes When the dayes of her purification are fulfilled for a sonne or for a daughter shee shall bring a lambe of the first yeere for a burnt offering c. But the Text seemeth rather to be read this wayes When the dayes of her purification are fulfilled for a sonne or for a daughter she shall bring a lambe of the first yeere for a burnt offering Mary offered a sacrifice for herselfe and for her sonne And the practise of Mary the Virgin confirmeth this that day that she was purified shee brought a paire of Turtle Doves or two young Pigeons and offered them to the Lord for herselfe and for her child Object But it may be sayd Luk. 2.22 Cum impleti essent dies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and when the dayes of her purification were fulfilled and not of their purification Answ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here according to the Hebrew phrase and so it is in the Syriack for the Hebrews put the plurall number for the singular The Hebrewes put the plurall number for the singular and the singular for the plurall oft times as Iud. 12.17 He was buried in the Cities of David that is in one of the Cities of David so Matth. 27.44 the Theeves railed upon him that is one of the Theeves railed upon him So Ionas 1.5 he went downe into the sides of the ship that is to one of the sides So Psal 1.3 A tree planted by the rivers of waters that is one of the rivers So likewise they put the singular number for the plurall number as here the dayes of her purification The child was uncleane as long as the mother was uncleane for the dayes of her and his purification For so long as the mother was uncleane the child who suckt her was also uncleane and Christ who was subject to the Law although there was no morall uncleannesse in him yet he was legally uncleane all this time untill his mother was purified and this serveth for our great comfort that hee became uncleane legally to take away our morall uncleannesse Quest But if Christ was uncleane all this time how could he be circumcised the eight day Answ Christ was but in his great uncleanenesse untill the seventh day as his mother was and therefore he was circumcised the eight day but the females who were not circumcised were uncleane untill the foureteenth day Quest It may be asked why Mary offered a sacrifice for her purification seeing she conceived not her child in originall sinne and this sacrifice was appointed as a remedie against originall sinne Answ As Christ who knew not sinne yet became legally uncleane for our cause so he would have his mother also for her legall uncleanenesse to offer that sacrifice which all other women were bound to offer who were both legally and morally uncleane Conclusion The Conclusion of this is as Elisha when he cured the unsavory waters of Iericho did cast salt into the spring of the waters 2 King 2.21 So we must crave of God that he would first purge the bitter roote of originall sinne before he come to purge our other sinnes David craved pardon of the Lord for this sinne Psalme 51.5 EXERCITAT III. Of the place of Gods worship A ceremoniall appendix of Commandement II. Deut. 12.5 But unto the place which the Lord your God shall chuse out of all your Tribes to put his name there even unto his habitation shall yee seeke and thither shall yee come THe places which served for the worship of God Places for worship approved or commanded by God were either places commanded by God or approved by him places commanded as the Tabernacle and Temple places approved by God was their Synagogues and places of prayer their Synagogues Psal 74 8. they have burnt up all the Synagogues of God in the land their place of prayer was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Syriack Domus orationis a house of prayer Act. 16.13 And on the Sabboth day we went out of the City by a river where prayer was wont to be made The Tabernacle and Temple were Loci ut sic Locus ut locus ut sic as
the Schoolemen speake their Synagogues and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 houses of prayer were but Loci ut loci therefore they might not sacrifice in them but when they worshiped in them they turned alwayes their faces towards the Temple The Tabernacle which was the first place commanded for the worship of God was a type of heaven Psal 15.1 Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle and when they could not have accesse to the Tabernacle they thought themselves but like the wandring Arabians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellative hic sumitur a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 protraxit we reade not that Daevid ever dwelt in the tents of Keâ—ar therefore it should be translated as in Kedar that knew not God nor his worship Psal 120.5 Woe is me that I sojourne so long dwelling as in the Tents of Kedar This Tabernacle was divided in three parts the holiest of all the holy place and the court of the people The holiest of all signified heaven the second place signified the state of the old Law where the Priests entered in daily and offered for themselves and the people and the court of the people signified the Church here below The people might not come into the court of the Priests The people might not come into the holiest of all but Esay 56.7 My house shall be called the house of prayer he applyeth this both to the Iewes and Gentiles which Christ applyeth to the Iewes onely in the Temple of Ierusalem and the Prophet speaketh in prototype as Christ in type the Proselytes might not come into the court of the Israelites they stood but in Atrio Gentium in the court of the people but Esay foretelleth that the Gentiles shall have as free accesse to the house of God as the Iewes because his house is the house of prayer and this Salomon foretold 1 King 8.41 If a stranger come from a farre country to call upon thy name then heare thou in heaven that is grant that they may have as great accesse to thee as the Iewes have When Herod built the Temple he wrote an inscription upon the gate of the court of Israel that no stranger should enter in there under the paine of death but now this inscription is changed that whatsoever stranger he be that doth not enter into the house of the Lord shall dye the death before The Levites might not goe into the holy place the people might not enter into the court of the Priest but now wee are all Kings and priests to God 1 Pet. 2.9 before the Levites might enter where the people might not goe they might goe into the court of the Priests but not into the holy place but now all the people are the Lords Levites Mal. 2.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellative hic sumitur quia habet ×” praefixum Yee have corrupted the covenant of Levi saith the Lord of hostes Levi here is put for the whole people and therefore they have as great accesse now as the Priests had Before none might enter into the holiest of all but the High priest once in the yeere Heb. 9.7 but now all have accesse to the throne of grace Heb 4.16 Rom. 5.2 The Tabernacle and the Temple were alike in many things first in the forme A comparisen betwixt the Tabernacle and Temple for the Tabernacle was a paterne to the Temple Againe there was no light in the holiest of all in the Tabernacle In what things they were alike So neyther in the holiest of all in the Temple and the signification was this Rev. 21.23 and the City had no neede of the Sunne neyther of the Moone How the Lord is sayd to dwell in a cloud to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lambe is the light thereof In the holiest of all there was no light and the High priest when he entred into it kindled smoke and he saw nothing because the Lord dwelleth in a cloud Psal 18.11 he was not able to behold the shecina or glory that dwelt in the holiest there was no externall light that came there but the Lambe was the light and when we shall be glorified wee shall not see that inaccessible light in which hee dwelleth So in the holyest both in the Tabernacle and temple there was no light but the light of the Candlestick no light in the Temple but that which the lampe gave for there were no windows in the Temple to give light to it and it was compassed round about with Chambers that it could have no light Ob. 1 Sam. 3.3 And ere the lampe of God went out in the Temple of the Lord where the Arke of God was and Samuel was layd downe to sleepe Then it may seeme that they had other light than the light of the candlestick Answ Before the lampe of God went out that is before the lampes were changed by the Priests and new lights added and the signification of this was the Church should be directed by no light but by the light of the Word 2 Pet. 1.19 We have also a more sure word of Prophesie whereunto yee doe well that yee take heede as unto a light that shineth in a darke place untill the day dawne and the day starre arise in your hearts The Court of the Priests was not covered There was a court for the Priests both in the Tabernacle and Temple and it was not covered above to signifie that the Church here hath more of the light of nature than of the light of grace Againe the Tabernacle and Temple had the like implements both in the Holiest and Holiest of all And last the Tabernacle and the Temple served for the same use for Gods worship In what things the Tabernacle and Temple differed Now let us see wherein they differed First the Tabernacle was moveable and the other was fixed the moveable Tabernacle signified our estate and condition here and the Temple which was unmoveable signified our estate in future glory The Tabernacle had not the court of the Gentiles Secondly the Temple was much more large than the Tabernacle the Tabernacle had not the court of the Gentiles as the temple had there was but one golden candlesticke in the Tabernacle and ten in the Temple 1 King 7.49 So in the Tabernacle was but one brasen Laver in the Temple there were ten so there were but two Cherubims in the Tabernacle but foure in the Temple Lastly the Tabernacle indured not so long as the Temple did and when the Tabernacle had no use it was layd up in the Temple The Conclusion of this is Conclusion the Tabernacle gave place to the Temple So both the Temple and the Tabernacle gave way to Iesus Christ who was both the true Tabernacle and Temple and of whom they were but types EXERCITAT IIII. Of the Arke A Ceremoniall Appendix of Command 2. Exod. 25.17 And thou shalt make a Mercie seate of pure Gold c.
an anagogicall application from the Temple to the heavens and therefore the Temple is called Heaven 2 Chro. 6.30 Psal 11.4 The Lord is in his holy Temple the Lords Throne is in Heaven There was a controversie betwixt the Samaritans and the Iewes whether the Temple of Ierusalem The contention betwixt the Samaritans and Iewes for the place of Gods worship or the Temple of Samaria was the place of Gods worship Christ endeth this controversie Ioh. 4.21 when hee saith The houre commeth when yee shall neyther in this mountaine nor yet at Ierusalem worship the father And to shew how that Ierusalem should be no more the place of Gods worship first he separated the Arke from the Tabernacle secondly the Arke from the Temple God remooved from the Temple by degrees and then shortly afterwards he destroyed the Temple Ieremiah complayneth in his time that the Lord was like a stranger in the Land and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarrie for a night Iere. 14.8 A wayfaring man that tarrieth but for a night in an Inne hath but little care of it So the Lord began now to bee a stranger and to take little care of this Inne his Temple where he was wont to lodge and now he was to forsake it for ever Conclusion The Conclusion of this is there is now no appointed place for the worship of God nor ever shall bee therefore the Iewes who have the veile upon their hearts are very blind who hope yet that the Tem of Ierusalem shall be built againe When they pray they ever turne their faces towards the Temple of Ierusalem and when they see a new house builded they marke the white wall with a blacke sticke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a contraction which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nigrum super album Recordare vastationis and they leave a little space wherein they write those words nigrum super album and under this they write recordare vastationis they marke the white wall with a blacke sticke to signifie that they mourne because Ierusalem is not built as that new wall is built and they pray the Lord to remember the destruction of Ierusalem and to have pitie upon it and they say Psal 137.4 If I forget thee O Ierusalem c. EXERCITAT IX Of the Cherubims A ceremoniall appendix of Command 2. Exod. 25.18 And thou shalt make two Cherubims of Gold of beaten Gold shalt thou make them in the two ends of the Mercie-seat THey are called Cherubims from the Hebrew word Racabh to ride 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cherubinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equitare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seraphin angeli quia celeritate aspectus splendore quasi flammantes ignei visi sunt a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ussit because the Lord did ride betwixt them Psal 18.10 He rode upon a Cherub and he sitteth betweene the Cherubims Psal 99.1 therefore they are called Mercahhak hashekina the Chariot of Gods Majestie They are also called Seprahim from Saraph to burne because the Angels his Ministers are a slaming fyre Psal 104.4 and the fyrie Angel or the Seraphin touched the lips of the Prophet Esay with a live-coale which hee had taken with the Tongs from off the Altar Esa 6.6 The first place that we reade of these Cherubims is Gen. 3.24 He placed at the east end of the Garden of Eden Cherubims and a flaming Sword And hence it is probable that the history of Genesis was written after that the Tabernacle was erected in the wildernesse for Moyses writeth of them as of things heard and knowne amongst the people They are painted as young men and not like boyes or children The Angels are painted as young men and so the Angels appeared in the likenesse of young men Mark 16.5 And entring into the Sepulchre they saw a young man sitting on the right side cloathed in a long white garment They are made in a comely forme and wel favoured They are painted in a comely forme whereas the Divell although he can transforme himselfe into an Angel of light appeareth usually in terrible and evill favoured shapes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corvus atramentum diabolus therefore there is but one word in the Syriacke both for the Raven Inke and for the Divell because he appeareth blacke like the Raven The Cherubims had not foure faces but foure shapes or habits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fignificat aspectum formam vel habitum They are not painted with foure faces as it is commonly holden for panim facies Eze. 1.10 is not taken for the face but for the forme or habite Luk. 9.53 And they did not receive him because his face was as though he would goe to Ierusalem that is his habite hee lookt as though hee would goe to Ierusalem So the Cherubims in somethings they lookt like man in their faces they went streight up as having legges and thighs then they were like the Lion in something in their necke and brest like the crest of the Lion and like the Eagle in their wings and like the Calfe or the Oxe in their feete Therefore those are mistaken who thinke that they had foure faces and from them the Egyptians borrowed their Sphinges 1 Macchs 3.48 And they layd open the booke of the Law wherein the heathen had sought to paint the likenesse of their Images that is they sought to paint their Images like the Cherubims the man in the Cherub hath the face because man of all visible creatures is the most understanding and is Lord over the rest What their wings signified They had wings to signifie their readinesse and protection and David alludeth to this Psal 17.18 Hide me under thy wings and the King of Tyrus is called a Cherub because of his protecting the people that were under him Ezek. 28.14 When one forme of the Cherubims is expressed all the rest are understood When a Cherub is described by any of these foure all the rest are to be understood Example 1 King 7.29 And on the borders that were betweene the ledges were Lions Oxen Cherubims And here is exegeticum and not copulativum that is he made Cherubims which had the likenesse of Oxen and Lyons They had sixe wings with two they covered their faces and with two they covered their feete and with two they did flee and it is probable that the Cherubims in the Tabernacle and Temple had sixe wings also although they did not flie two to cover their faces two to cover their feete and two stretched out their feete was covered The Lord would have the Cherubims covered and not to appeare naked the Lord would not have them to appeare naked therefore yee shall see when they appeared to men they appeared cloathed Act. 1.10 Two men stood by them in white apparell So Mark 16.5 and the Prests are commanded to put on breaches when they come before the Lord to cover their nakednesse Lev. 10.26
glory and beautie THe Priests were cloathed in linnen when they served in the Sanctuary Ezek. 44.17 The Priests might we are no wooll in the Sanctuary And it shall come to passe that when they shall enter in at the gates of the inner court they shal be cloathed with linnen garments and no wooll shall come upon them while they minister in the gates of the inner court and within First Allusion they had linnen breeches to cover their nakednesse Christ is he that must cover the shame of our nakednesse that it doe not appeare Reve. 3.18 they had linnen coats reaching downe to their feete linnen signifieth righteousnesse in the Scripture Revel 19.8 therefore David prayeth Psal 132.9 Allusion Let thy Priests bee cloathed with righteousnesse When they were in the Sanctuary they wore onely linnen and out of the Sanctuary they wore wooll The Iewes called a worldly minded Priest the man with the woollen cloathe the Iewes had a proverbe when they saw a worldly minded Priest they used to say there goeth the man with the woollen cloaths because he minded nothing his linnen cloathing his Sanctification and righteousnesse These cloathes reached downe to their feete and therefore Christ our Highpriest appeared having 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and cloathed with a garment downe to the feete Revel 1.13 Moreover they had a linnen girdle which signified truth and constancie in Christs administration Esay 22. 21. And I will cloath him with thy robe and strengthen him with thy girdle Allusion it signifieth likewise the constancie truth and perseverance of Christians Ephe. 6.14 stand therefore having your loynes girt about with truth the garments were common to the Highpriest with the rest of the Priests The Highpriest had some ornaments that were proper to himselfe first a robe of blew with bels an Ephod of Gold blue purple scarlet and fine linnen a breast-plate a Miter of sine linnen a plate of pure gold upon his forehead The Highpriest had garments proper to himselfe therefore in the second Temple when the Highpriests wanted the annointing oyle when they saw the High-priest they sayd not there goeth the annoynted of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 multiplicatis vestibus but there goeth the man with the many cloaths merubha begadim He had a broydered girdle which he wore about his paps therefore Christ is sayd to be girt about the paps with a golden girdle The Priests might not weare their girdle but about their breasts Reve. 1.13 So the seven Angels came out of the Temple having their breasts girded with golden girdles Reve. 15.6 and Ezek. 44.18 the Priests were forbidden to gird themselves in the sweating places that is about their loynes Obj. But it is sayd Esay 11.5 righteousnesse shall be the girdle of his loynes and faithfulnesse the girdle of his reines therefore it may seeme that he wore his girdle about his middle Answ Righteousnesse was the girdle of his loynes and fathfulnesse the girdle of his reines Why Christ was girt about the loynes and reines to signifie that there was no concupisence in Christ here or sinfull lust and he was girt about the paps with a golden girdle to signifie that his heart was holy and pure without sinne He had a plate of gold upon his forehead and holinesse to the Lord written in it and therefore he was called the Saint of the Lord Psal 106.16 The plate of gold This plate had holinesse to the Lord written in it but Zachariah prophesied that holinesse to the Lord shall be written upon the bridles of the horses Zach. 14.20 that is there shall be such holinesse under the Gospel that the meanest shall have holinesse written upon his forehead as the Priests had under the Law These priestly ornaments signified Christs Kingly The signification of the Highpriests garments Priestly and Propheticall office his Kingly office was typed by his Crowne which he wore his Priestly office was signified by the breastplate upon which he carried the names of the twelve Tribes and Vrim and Thummim the Priest did two things as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 5.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things which pertained to God and things which pertained to us the things which he did from God to us were represented by Vrim Thummim and the things which he did from us to God were represented by the breastplate w herein he carried the twelve stones and his propheticall office was signified by his bels The priestly garment was put upon Aaron by Moyses The disaraying of Aaron what it meant and yet Moyses is commanded to strippe Aaron of them and disaray him The taking off of his garments and putting them upon Eleazar signified the taking awas of his office and giving it to another So when Eliakim was cloathed with Shebnas robe Esay 22.15 it signified that his office should be taken from him and given to Eliakim So the stripping of Aaron signified the disanulling of the Priesthood for the weaknesse thereof Heb. 7.14 and when he was stript of his Priestly garments for his sinnes which he had committed Num. 20.12 he and all the people were taught to expect a better Priesthood of the same of God who is perfected for evermore Heb. 7.28 and this priesthood was continued from Aaron to Eleazar and from him to Phinehas and had no end untill Christ came who was a Priest after the order of Melchizedeck the true Eleazar the helpe of God The garments which the Priest wore when he went into the holiest of all The Highpriest had other garments which he wore when he entred into the holiest of all upon the day of expiation he was all cloathed in white and having finished his service that day he layd aside these cloathes and never wore them any more and Aaron shall come into the Tabernacle of the congregation and shall put off the linnen garments which he put on when he went into the holy place shall leave them there Lev. 16.23 The Highpriest layd aside all his ornaments that day when he went into the holiest of all to signifie unto us that the Leviticall Priesthood was to be laid aside and also that Christ would give up his Kingdome to his Father 1 Cor. 15.24 that is he would not exercise the function of a mediator any more in the Church and that he would give up his personall kingdome but not his eternall kingdome The Sacrifices and ceremonies under the Law had relation to Christ All the Ceremonies and Sacrifices under the Law had relation to Christ they were but the shaddow and he was the body To his conception First the Nazarite must be sanctified in his mothers wombe to signifie that Iesus the true Nazarite should be conceived without sinne in the wombe of the Virgin To his natures Secondly his two natures were signified by the Goate that was killed and the scape-Goate and by the two Sparrowes the one killed
Priests onely killed the sacrifice and sprinkled the blood and the Lambe was then caried home Secondly It was abhomination to sacrifice in Egypt Maimone in Corban Peshang cap. 1. ◠it was an abhomination to the Egyptians to see beasts killed there because they worshiped beasts as their Gods but it was not abhomination before the Lord for feare of the Egyptians they would not sacrifice there they might have sacrificed there as well as they killed the Paschall Lambe there it was a thing lawfull in it selfe We must distinguish two things in the paschal Lamb it was both a Sacrament and a sacrifice the sprinkling of the blood in the Temple was a sacrifice the eating of the Lambe at home in their severall houses was a Sacrament and so as it was a sacrifice they offered and as it was a Sacrament they received Reasons proving that the Paschall Lambe was a sacrifice Reasons proving that it was a sacrifice are these Reas 1 First 2 Chro. 30.1 Hezekiah gave Commandement that all the people should come to the house of the Lord at Ierusalem to keepe the Passeover Wherefore should he have commanded them to come to the house of the Lord to eat it if it had not been a sacrifice if it had been onely a Sacrament it had beene enough to have bidden come to Ierusalem to eate it Reas 2 Secondly 2 Chro. 35.11 And they killed the Passeover and they sprinkled the blood it was the blood of the sacrifice that the Priest sprinkled Reas 3 Iosephus de bello Iudaico lib. 6. cap. 45. Iosephus writeth that Cestus Florus when he would shew to the Emperor the multitude of the Iewes that were in Ierusalem at the Passeover he desired the Priests that they might get the number of the people and how did the Priests find out the number of the people he saith by the number of the Lambes which they killed at the Passeover and then they reckoned how many were in every familie at the eating of a Lamb and so they found out the number of the people it was the Priest then that killed those Lambes and none else The Paschall Lambe a figure of Christ The Paschall Lambe was a figure of Iesus Christ the Paschall Lambe was taken the tenth day and separated untill the fourteenth at the evening of the fourteenth it was killed Iesus Christ the true Paschall Lambe Came sixe dayes before the Passeover to Bethania Ioh. 12.1 and the morrow after he went to Ierusalem where they met him with branches of palme trees and this was five dayes before the Passeover then he stayed foure dayes in Ierusalem and was killed in the day of the Passeover at night and thus he accomplished the ceremonies of the Law Quest Whether did the Iewes and Christ eate the Passeover upon the same day or not Answ Christ observed the true day Whether Christ kept the Passeover that same day which the Iewes kept in the end of the fourteenth day and the beginning of the fifteenth he eate it betwixt two evenings but the Iewes transferred the day and eate it in the end of the fifteenth day and beginning of the sixteenth and therefore when Christ eate the Passeover it was the day of the Preparation to the Iewish Passeover although indeed it was the true Passeover Iohn 17.62 When the Passeover preceded the Sabbath they used to transferre the holy actions of that day to the Sabbath that two feasts may not fall together and they did their common worke upon that day which should have been done upon the Passeover and reserved the holy actions to the Sabbath following and it was upon this day that they crucified Christ They kept this translation of feasts Why they transferred their feasts to the Sabbath lest the feast of Lots should have fallen 2 4 7. Lest the feast of the Passeover should have fallen 2 4 6. Lest the feast of the Pentecost should have fallen 3 5 7. Lest the beginning of the new yeare should have fallen 1 4 6. Lest the day of expiation should have fallen 1 3 6. They observed this translation of the feasts because they had certaine feasts which fell upon these dayes that two feasts should not fall together as the three feasts of Dedication the foure fasts mentioned in Zachariah and the feast of Lots When the divers keeping of the Passeover began This diversity was not kept so long as the first Temple stood whence arose it then it seemeth to have taken the beginning from the divers beginning of the moneth for when they reckoned their moneth from the apparition which was doubtfull and uncertaine hence it came to passe that the beginning of the moneth was not alwayes at the selfe-same period for the last day of Adar might fall out so that it should be the beginning of Nisan and therefore the Sanhedrin appointed that the full Moone should be the thirteenth day which according to the verity was the fourteenth this diversitie arose of this because of the divers apparitions of the Moone so they kept the preparation to the Pascha diversly Great dissention betwixt the Easterne and Westerne Churches for keeping of the Passeover When the Apostles have so clearely determined that matter that no man should bee condemned or judged for not keeping these dayes yet Satan came and did sow his Cockle and his Darnell and raised dissentions in the Churches betwixt the Easterne and Westerne Churches about the keeping of the Passeover the Easterne Churches alledged that Iohn and Philip celebrated the Passeover in memory of Christs Supper for they kept diem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the fourteenth day of the Moneth but the Westerne Churches alledged that Peter and Paul kept the Passeover upon the first Lords day after the fourteenth day of the moneth upon which day they kept diem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pius Bishop of Rome ordained the Passeover to be kept on the Lords day Pius Bishop of Rome in the yeere of God 147. gave out an Edict that the Pascha should be celebrated by all upon the Lords day yet those in Asia cared not much for this Edict and there arose hot contentions on both the sides Polycarpus Iohns Disciple came into Rome to settle this contention and he appointed that every one should celebrate the Pascha as they were wont yet this contention was not buried for the Easterne and Westerne Churches left not off one to write against another Victor the Bishop of Rome in a Synode holden there Victor his Statute concerning the Passeover ordayned that the Pascha should be celebrated there upon the Lords day from the fourteenth day of March untill the twenty one of that moneth Those of Caesarea Palestina Pontus and Achaia embraced this Edict yet others stood out against it and said they would keepe it according to Iohns tradition wherefore Victor excommunicated all the Bishops in Asia Yet Irenaeus Bishop of Lions Polycarpus Schollar setled the
this ceremoniall Law but where the ground of the Law is Iudiciall and the ceremony but an appendix of it then the Iudiciall law may be observed at least the equitie of it Example Cities of refuge were appointed as a Iudiciall Law to save the mankiller from the revenger of the blood there was a ceremony annexed to this Law that they should stay within the City of refuge untill the death of the High-priest this was but an appendix of the judiciall Law therefore the Law may stand that Cities of refuge bee kept or at least the equity of it that those who casually kill be not slaine Quest What if a Christian now should keepe any of the ceremonies commanded in the Law Answ There is a three fold use of the ceremonies Materialis formalis mixtus vsus a materiall a formall and a mixed use A threefold use of the ceremoniall Law Materialis as if a man should abstaine from eating of swines flesh onely because it were unwholsome he Iudaizeth not in this case but if hee should abstaine from swines flesh as a meat uncleane and forbidden in the Law then he should formally keepe the ceremony and truely Iudaize the mixt use is this when a Christian borroweth Iewish ceremonies to any use in the Christian Church Marke how the Apostles in their practise renounced the ceremonies of the Law first the Apostles kept the Christian Sabbath after Christs Resurrection and not the Iewish Sabbath therefore they renounced the ceremonies and the Apostle willeth the Corinthians to keepe the Passeover all the dayes of their life in holinesse and restrained it not to some few dayes as the Iewes Passeover was Object But when the dayes of the Pentecost were fulfilled Act. 2.1.2 Cor. 16. Here Paul reckoneth according to the Iewish Pentecost Answ When he speaketh of their Pentecost here and when he sayes the dayes of their fast were expired Act. 27.9 the Iewes at the day of expiation had a great fast Paul doth not Iudaize here but onely marketh these for a civill use to know the time of the yeare which was most knowne to the Iewes when Paul Act. 17.19 calleth Areopagus Mars street none will thinke that Paul worshipped Mars here but he useth onely this name as a name of distinctiō to know this street frō other streets so when he sayes that he sayled in a ship that had the badge of Castor and Pollux Act. 28.11 we must not thinke he worshipped Castor and Pollux but hee useth them onely as names of distinction to put a difference betwixt this ship and other ships Paul used the names of the Iewes feasts for distinction so when Paul useth the name of the Pentecost and the name of the fast Act. 2. and 27.9 he used them onely as names for distinctions sake and not for any Iewish observation and when Paul practised any of these ceremonies he practised them not for the ceremonies themselves but for the weake Iewes sake Example When he did shave his head in Cenchrea the Port towne in Corinth Act. 18.18 this was not according to the Law altogether Paul did not shave his head according to the law for if he had done it according to the Law he should have gone to Ierusalem and there have cast the haire of his Nazarits vow under the Altar and burnt it after the death of Christ none of the Apostles ever went to the brasen Altar againe to sacrifice but onely they practised some of the meaner ceremonies bearing with the weake Iewes Quest How could these ceremonies be hinderances from Christ seeing they were types of him to come Answ Christ saith Ioh. 16.7 If I goe not away the Comforter shall not come Christs bodily presence amongst the Apostles hindered his spirituall presence amongst them if the bodily presence of Christ hindered the comming of the Spirit unto them how much more did these ceremonies under the Law hinder the sight of his Incarnation and obscure his glory amongst them The ceremonies in the third estate are against Christ In the third estate these ceremonies were against Christ in this estate the Apostle calleth it concision and not circumcision Phil. 3.2 In the third estate the Iewes preferred the shadow to the body The errour of the Iewes in preferring the Ceremonies to Christ the bones to the marrow and the letter to the spirit they preferre the shadow to the body the ceremonies to Christ the bones to the marrow because they content themselves onely with the outward figures and types and seeke not for the thing signified and so they have the killing letter but not the quickning spirit and therefore Saint Hierome compareth them well now to dogges who get onely the bones to gnaw but they get none of the marrow or that hidden Manna Iesus Christ to their saluation Conclusion The conclusion of this is it was a great benefit to learning when the obscure Hieroglyphicks in Egypt were changed into letters and the darke and mysticall writings of Plato were changed by Aristotle into a cleare and plaine forme of writing It is a farre greater benefit when the Lord hath changed these darke figures and shadowes into the cleare light of the Gospel Hovv to make use of the Ceremonies of the Law in opening of a Text and reducing them to practise Of the Notes whereby Aaron and his posterity were discerned to be called to the Priesthood Num. 17.2 And the Lord spake unto Moses saying speake unto the Children of Israel and take every one of them a rod c. WHen Corah and his complices murmured against Aaron and contended with him for the Priesthood as we may see in the Chapter preceding the Lord commanded every one of the first borne of the tribes to bring a rod to him that by this new miracle causing Aarons rod to blossome he might end this controversie and confirme Aaron the more in the Priesthood The Prince of the tribe represented the whole tribe Secondly hee commanded that the names of the Princes of the tribes should be written upon the rods and the reason was because the Prince represented the whole tribe so the Prince being repelled from the Priesthood the whole tribe was repelled Write thou every mans name upon his rod. Aaron had not written upon his rod the Tribe of Levi but the name of Aaron and so the rest of the Princes Another reason wherfore the names were written upon the rods of the Princes was because the Princes of the tribes were their first borne and therefore they might seeme to claime right to the Priesthood every mans name was written upon his rod and Aarons name was written upon his rod because he was the first borne of Levi for the first borne of Levi was Cohath and he begot Amram and Amram begot Aaron who was elder than his brother Moses Quest How were the Tribes reckoned in the Scriptures Answ How the tribes are reckoned in the Scripture Whē a matter is in hand which
of the soule they answered That it might be well with them in this life we professe the immortality of the soule why study we not then to keepe the Law that it may goe well with us in the time to come Augustine said if he were perswaded that the soule were mortall then of all religions he would chuse to be the Epicure or Sadduce but seeing the soule is an immortall substance Let us detest these bruit beasts who imagine that death is the end both of soule and body the soule liveth for ever then the body must live for ever either in weale or woe Let us study therefore to feed the soule with that immortall food of the Word of God and not say with the rich man in the Gospell Luc. 12.19 Soule thou hast enough if we would have that happy conjunction betwixt the soule and the body againe Moses said if a man dye having no children Quest The question may be asked here how Moses could command such a thing for incest is condemned in the morall law and forbidden in the seventh Commandement Ans We must distinguish betwixt these lawes which are morall positive lawes and those which are divine positive lawes Morale positivum divinuâ— positivum Morall positive lawes are such as the very light of nature commandeth Divine positive are those which are accessory commandements added to the first Example this is a morall positive law that a man should not lye with his mother nor with his mother in law for this is a fornication that is not named amongst the Gentiles 1 Cor. 5.1 And it was for this sort of incest that the Canaanites were cast out of Canaan So this is primarium jus naturae or morale positivum that a man should not lye with his daughter nor his daughters daughter descendendo descending downeward but this againe is divinum positivum or secundarium jus naturae in the collaterall line that a man should not lye with his sister or his brothers wife No marriage in the collaterall line was forbidden at the first by the law of nature or morall positive law but it was forbidden afterwards by the divine positive law Levit. 18.16 When Lot lay with his daughters this was incest in the highest degree because it was contrary to Ius naturale the morall positive law but when Amram married Iochabed Dodatho his fathers sister Exod. 6 20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amita It should not be translated Patrueâ—is cozin-german but his fathers sister see Num. 26.59 This was not against the morall positive or naturall part of the law because it was not in the right line but in the collaterall although in the neerest degree it was against the divine positive law and that the Church might be replenished with people God over-saw this sort of marriage at the first but God doth more here hee commanded the brother to raise up seede to his brother First This Commandement was not against the morall positive Law this is not contra primarium jus naturae because it was not in the right line Secondly it is an exception from secundarium ius naturae for when God commanded to doe this hee willed them not to doe this to satisfie lust for that were against primarium jus naturae the morall positive law but onely that the elder brother might be a tipe of Iesus CHRIST who should never want a seede in the Church If he dye having no children In the originall it is having no seede 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should not be translated sonnes here for daughters succeeded likewise to the inheritance when the fathers had no sonnes therefore it should be translated haeving no children The women raised up seed to their parents which comprehends both the males and femals the women raised up seede to their parents as well as the males marrying within their owne tribe therefore that saying in the Talmud was not true qui masculam prolem non habuit etsi filias habuerit plurimas in eo genus est consummatum His brother shall marry his wife and raise up seede to him What brother had this priviledge The eldest brother was bound to raise up seed onely he that was the eldest brother and therefore Deut. 25.5 If brethren dwell together and one of them dye one of them Numerus Cardinaliâ— pro ordinali that is the eldest of them Gen. 1.5 and the evening and the morning were one day that is the first day this is cardinalis numeruâ— pro ordinali if the third brother had raised up seede to the second brother then it had beene incest He that was the first borne in Israel What things the first borne did to the rest he was bound to do three things to his brethren kinsmen first he was bound to revenge his blood their was vindex sanguinis Secondly he was Goel and redeemed the morgaged lands of his neere kinsman and thirdly it was he that delivered him out of prison all these three he was bound to doe to him jure propinquitatis because hee was his neerest kinsman What things due to the eldest brother There were three things againe which were due to him First hee had a double portion of his fathers goods Secondly he had the whole inheritance and thirdly if he dyed without children his brother was to raise up seed unto him Christ our Goel revengeth our blood upon his enemies Now let us apply these to Christ First Christ is our Goel or vindex sanguinis the revenger of our blood upon that red Dragon who thristeth for the blood of man and upon all the enemies who thirst for the blood of his children the revenger of blood or Goel Deut. 19.6 when he pursued the killer his heart waxed hote in the pursuite Iesus Christ our Goel when hee doth see the blood of the Saints shed his heart waxeth hote and he furbisheth the sword to make it drunke with the blood of his enemies Iere. 51.35 The violence done to me to my flesh be upon thee Babylon shall Sion say and my blood be upon the Chaldeans shall Ierusalem say now marke what is said in the chapter preceding Iere. 30.50 How teares are said to offend Thy Goel or redeemer is strong and I will pleade thy cause See how the revenger of the blood makes Babylon and Chaldea answer for all Iob saith Cap. 17. My teares ascend before the Lord Teares naturally descend but as the Sunne drawes up the exhalations and they fall downe againe so the wrongs that are done to the Saints they come up before their Goel and then fall downe againe upon the enemies heads they shall answer for all the blood shed from Abel to Zachary and all this innocent blood which is shed now the Lord will require it at their hand Secondly he redeemed the morgaged land Ruth 4.4 and Ier. 32.7 when Hanameel the sonne of Shallum had morgaged his field that was in Anathoth the right of redemption belonged
of the pollutions of the people Esay 6.5 Woe is me for I am undone Notes for a Minister to know when he is free from the sinnes of his people because I am a man of polluted lipes and I dwell in the midst of a people of polluted lips he that is not touched with a sense of his owne pollutions will never be touched with a sense of the peoples Secondly he shall know if he be free from the pollutions of the people if he be grieved for their sinnes as the soule of just Lot was vexed for the uncleane conversation of the Sodomites 2 Pet. 2.7 and if he say with David woe is me that I sojourne in Mesech that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar Psal 120.5 Thirdly when he dwelleth amongst a corrupt people let him converse little with them and separate himselfe from them in conversation or live like a Pelican in the Wildernesse Psal 102.6 and when he comes abroad amongst them doe as those doe who dwell amongst a people where the sicknesse is that is have his Antidot or Amulet with him that he be not infected with corruption The sacrifice for the Priests since was as great as the sacrifice of the whole people The Priest was guilty of the peoples sins and therefore as great a sacrifice was offered for him as for the whole people we have personall sinnes enough to be charged for but when we are charged likewise for the sinnes of the people and be guilty of them then it will be a fearefull reckoning happy are we if we can say I am free from the blood of this people Act. 20.26 The Hebrewes speake of themselves in the plurall number And the Lord said to Satan the Lord rebuke thee O Satan which may be thus construedâ— I will rebuke thee Satan for it is the manner of the Hebrewes to speake of themselves in the third person as if they were speaking of another as Gen. 4.23 Heare my voyce yee wives of Lamech that is my wives so Gen. 19.24 The Lord rained from the Lord that is from himselfe so Esth 8.8 Write unto the Iewes in the Kings name that is in my name So here The Lord rebuke thee O Satan that is I will rebuke thee Or it may be the speech of the sonne to the father Actiones ad extra fiunt a â—atre authoritative a fiâ—â— vero subauthoritative th father rebukes from himselfe and the sonne from the father desiring the father to rebuke him here he desireth his father to rebuke and Marc. 1.26 he himselfe rebuketh for the actions ad extra as they speake in the Schooles are common to all the three persons when the father doth rebuke he rebuketh by the sonne and by the holy Ghost and when the sonne doth rebuke he rebukes from the father and by the holy Ghost and when the holy Ghost doth rebuke hee rebuketh from the Father and from the Sonne The Lord rebuke thee O Satan What is meant by rebuke here What is meant by rebuke here the Seventy translates it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not a simple rebuke then but conjoyned with opprobry and shame the Greeke Fathers afterward called the censures of the Church as excommunication c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Satan is accursed of God with a last and most fearefull sort of excommunication Maran-atha or Shan-atha Dominus venit Iude 14. the lesser sort of excommunication is used in the Church for the destruction of the flesh and saving of the spirit 1 Cor. 6.5 and I gave them to Satan that they may learne not to blaspheme 1 Tim. 1.20 but this last and fearefull sort of excommunication is a finall and totall rejection of the party when one was excommunicate by this first sort of excommunication he was to be reputed as a Publican none might eat with him salute him or converse with him what a fearefull thing is it then in these times that Witches should be so familiar with the Divell salute him as their Master banquet with him dance with him The manner how they excommunicated the Samaritans and more than that to lye with him these that are without 1 Cor. 5.13 what have we to doe with them the Iewes would not meddle with the Samaritans because they were Apostates from their Religion and fearefully excommunicated they brought 300 Priests and 300 Trumpets and 300 Bookes of the Law and 300 Boyes they blew with the Trumpets the Levites reading Drusius ex Tilmideni qui sepher tanhuma etiam dicitur accursed the Cuttaeans in the name of Tetragrammaton or Iehova and with the curses both of the Superior and Inferior house of judgement And they said Cursed is hee that eateth the bread of the Cuttaean hee that eateth the bread of the Cuttaean or Samaritan is as hee that eateth Swines flesh and let no Cuttaean be a Proselyte in Israel neither have any part in the Resurrection these curses they wrote upon tables and sealed them and sent them through all Israel who multiplied also their great Anathema or curse upon them If the Samaritans were so execrable to the Iewes that they would not eate with them nor salute them that were thus excommunicated what a fearefull sinne is it then to salute the Divell to eate with him who is given over to that last and fearefull curse They said thou art a Samaritan and hee 's a Divell Ioh. 8.48 they hated them as if they had beene Divels should not then men and women much more hate the divell himselfe and count his bread execrable And the Lord said to Satan the Lord rebuke thee O Satan Observe that all the defence of the Church against Satan is onely in Christ I have prayed for thee Peter that thy faith might not faile Luc. 22.32 Now that ye may understand this the better how Christ protecteth his Church it shall not be amisse to marke the Epithites that are given to Satan in the Scripture and then to observe the Epithites given to Christ contrary to these for defence of his Church First the Divell is called Abaddon Apollyon Revel 9.11 The Epethites of Christ and the Epithites of Satan are opposite and Ashmoderus Tobit 3.8 A destroyer but Christ is called Iesus a Saviour Mat. 1.21 Thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall save his people from their sinnes Secondly the Divell is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That evill one Mat. 37. But Christ is called Iesus the Iust Act. 3.14 He denyed the holy One and the Iust So 1 Ioh. 2.1 We have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the Righteous Thirdly the Divell is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an adversary 1 Pet. 5.8 Your adversary the Devill like a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may devour he ever setteth himselfe against us but Christ is called Emmanuel God with us Matt. 1.25 Fourthly the Divell is called the accuser of the brethren Revelat. 12.10 but Christ is our Advocate 1 Ioh. 2.1
Fiftly he is called the Tempter Mat. 2.3 but Iesus Christ is called the Comforter and the consolation of Israel Luc. 21.25 primogenitus mortis Iob. 18.13 The first borne of death as many of the Fathers expound it but Christ is principium primogenitus ex mortuis the beginning and the first borne from the dead Coloss 1.18 Revel 1.5 by whom we shall live and rise againe Seventhly the Diuell is that roaring Lyon that seeketh to devour us 1. Pet. 5.8 but Christ is that Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda the roote of David who hath prevailed mightily Revel 5.5 Lastly the Divell is that Old Serpent who stingeth us to death but Christ is that Serpent lift up in the Wildernesse that whosoever looketh upon him and beleeves in him should not perish but have everlasting life Iohn 3.15 The Prophet Zachariah saw in a vision foure hornes rising up to molest and trouble the Church but he saw foure Carpenters come to beat downe these hornes Zach. 1.18 This is the comfort of the Church that there is no tentation that ariseth from Satan to trouble her but the Lord hath a hammer to beat it downe si venenum in Diabolo antidotum in Christo and if there bee poyson in the Divell there is a remedy for it in Christ The Lord rebuke thee O Satan The Apostle Iude verse 8. A great sinne to curse the Magistrate gathereth out of this place and out of the fight betwixt Michael the Archangell and the Divell about the body of Moses that men should not revile those who are in authority Michael is God blessed for eâ—â— Satan is a condemned spirit yet Michael will not raile against him The Devill is a condemned spirit and we are bound to pray against him but we are bound to pray for Magistrates of whose salvation we hope well therefore we are not to curse them the Lord commanded his people to pray for Nebuchadnezzer and for Babylon Iere. 20 7. and the Apostle willeth them to pray for all that are in Authority 1 Tim. 2.2 yea although they be infidels Davids heart smot him for cutting off the lap of Sauls garment 1 Sam. 24.5 and should not their hearts smite them who raile against Princes much more for killing of them the Lord will make the fowles of the heaven to discover this wickednesse although it be secretly spoken in their chambers Eccles 10.20 The Lord rebuke thee O Satan Quest What if a man should be tempted by Satan appearing in a visible forme what should he doe whether should he use arguments out of the Scripture to repell him or not Answ He should doe nothing but turne his face to God and weepe upon him and desire that the Lord would rebuke Satan Christ the Mediator could hold argumâ—nt with him because he was God blessed for ever but never one else could hold stitch with him Eva by reasoning and keeping purpose with him got the foile Ob. But ye will say that in spirituall temptations we may reply to him out of the Word why then may we not reply to him out of the Word if he should visibly appeare to us Answ The case is not alike for when the devill tempteth us by inward tentations and suggestions they are but the messengers of Satan and they are not so subtile tentations for they are mixed with our thoughts and therefore may be the â—ore easily answered but when he comes in proper persoâ— then his wickednesse is more spirituall Galath 6.12 therefore wee should turne to God and desire the Lord to rebuke him What are we to thinke of those Exorcists who take upon them to cast out the devill Quest That gift was an extraordinary gift bestowed onely upon the Church in her infancy Answ and it served not simply for edifying of the body of the Church Gifts simply necessary for the Church the gifts which served simply for the Church were Ephes 4.10.11 Apostles Evangelists Pastors and Teachers The Apostle 1 Cor. 12. Gifts necessary for the Church in her infancy reckoneth up other gifts which were not simply necessary for the Church but onely for her infancy as the gift of healing the gift of tongues and this gift of casting out devills if the Highpriest after the captivity should have put in two counterfeit stones in the breastplate and called them Vrim and Thummim would not this have beene a falsehood in him when the gift ceased to use the signe so now when there is no such gift in the Church to use the name this is but a deceit Gifts necessary for the building of the Church were of two sorts Gifts necessary for the Church of two sorts First extraordinary as Apostles and Evangelists Secondly ordinary as Pastors and teachers other gifts were onely for the infancy of the Church the matter may bee cleared by this example A Prince when he is a child he hath need of a regent Simile of counsellers and boyes to play with him but when the Prince commeth to maturity of age the Regent ceaseth and his Play fellowes but not his Counsellors so the Church in her minority had Apostles and Evangelists as her regents and shee had these gifts of ngues healing and casting out of Divels as her play-fellowes these cease now but Pastors and Teachers as her counsellers remaine still with her when Satan is cast out now by Exorcists this is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by force to cast him out but onely by collusion he goeth out but he returneth againe Even the Lord that hath chosen Ierusalem rebuke thee as if he should say I have decreed that Ierusalem shall be built although thou hast set thy selfe against this yet thou canst not hinder it Ierusalem taken for the City and for the people in the City Ierusalem is taken here first for the City Ierusalem and then for the people gathered to that City out of the captivity No counsell can stand against the counsell of the Lord see what Gamaleel said Act. 5.38 if this Counsell be of God we cannot hinder it yee may see what strange impediments were cast in to hinder the building of the Temple although it was Gods purpose to have it built againe there was an hundreth and thirteene yeeres before it was finished after the foundation was laid First it was hindered by craft We will build with you Ezr. 3. then by bribes They hired counsellers to weaken the hands of the people and troubled them in building Ezr. 4.5 Thirdly by false accusationes by letters Ezr. 4.6 Fourthly by force Ezr. 4.23 Fiftly by the Kings edict Ezr. 4.21 Lastly when they could doe no more they hindred them by taunts and mocking if a foxe goe up with his taile he will destroy this worke Nehem. 4.3 yet because the Lord had determined to build it it must be builded the Counsell of the Lord stands sure for ever therefore in Zachary it is compared to Mountaines of Brasse and the gates of hell shall not
for the present day but lay up nothing against the morrow the Grashopper provideth not against the winter as the Ant doth there are others of them who liue by rapine as the Caterpillers who devour all and then flie away Nahum 3.16 and Nahum compareth the Merchants of Ninive to these that carry all the wealth away with them and there are some of those people which are insatiable as the Horsleach that hath two daughters who cry continually Prov. 30.15 Giue giue This sort of people are governed by instinct onely the Locusts haue no King yet they goe out in bands the Ant hath no guide Prov. 6.7 overseer or ruler yet shee provideth her meat in the Summer and gathereth her foode in the harvest although they haue no King or ruler to command them and oversee them neither a guide to direct them yet they are ruled by instinct There are a second sort of people that God hath placed here below and they are men and there is a greater difference amongst this people than amongst the former for looke upon some of them and yee shall hardly discerne whether they be men or not and as the Philosophers say there are some sorts of creatures that we cannot tell whether they liue the sensitiue or the vegetatiue life onely there is so little life in them as in the Shel-fish so it is hard to discerne whether those liue the reasonable life or the brutish onely they haue no lawes they lodge in the caues of the earth goe naked eat raw flesh and although they haue the shape of men yet they haue but the heart of beasts in them as Nebuchadnezzar had There are other men who are ruled by reason and politicke government for their God hath taught them he may be called their God in this respect Esay 28.26 as the Prophet Esay calleth him the husband-mans God because he teacheth him how to manure the ground and so God commeth neerer to them they are a people here but yet they are not Gods people and it is better to be a dorekeeper in the house of God Psal 84.10 than in highest advancement amongst such There is a third sort who liue in his Church and this is the highest societie in this life and here we shall see policie justice frugalitie and all vertues because Gods worship is here and as the inferior faculties of the soule are eminenter by way of excellencie contained in the superior so are all those comprehended in Religion and as the shadow followeth the bodie so doth policie and order follow Religion if a man would learne frugalitie let him looke to Ioseph Psal 104.22 who taught the Senatours of Egypt if he would learne policie let him looke to the government of Salomons Court and his house 2 King 4. if he would learne to be a good warriour let him see what order the Lord hath placed in the Campe of the Iewes Numb 80.10 and if he would learne justice he shall see it exactly described in the Law of God My Honourable Lord I haue made choise of your Lop. to recōmend this Treatise to your Patrocinie because yee know what it is to be amongst Gods people many great men if they get their portion in this life amongst the people of this world Psal 17. they care not to be Denisons in the societie of Gods people and they content themselues with the portion of this world and say Benum est hic esse but this is a freedome which is bought at a higher rate it cost the chiefe Captaine a great summe of money to be made a freeman in Rome Act. 22 28. but to be made a freeman in the Church of GOD it cost the price of Christs bloud Great men desire to be out of this first societie they desire not to liue like beasts but if they come to the second societie to liue like civill men that doth content them they giue GOD thankes perhaps for this that they are men and not beasts and that they haue beene bred civilly but few giue God thankes for this that they liue under the Gospell where they may learne Christ not many Noble are called 1 Cor. 2. Sometimes they may tremble and feare Act. 24.25 as Felix did Act 26.28 and put off their conversion to another time and some of them are like Agrippa who almost are perswaded to be Christians but few like Sergius Paulus Act. 13.7 who was converted at Pauls preaching My Lord you haue had still the practise of Religion in your house and one of the best helpes to further you your worthy and religious Lady whose name smelleth now like the wine of Lebanon when shee is gone Hosea 14.7 and now she enjoyeth the fruit of that when neither her Nobilitie birth or worldly honour profited nothing and this I write unto your Lop. beseeching you to goe on in that Christian course that both by your place and example you may draw others unto the truth The Lord promised that he would giue the uttermost parts of the earth for a possession to his Sonne Psal 2.8 this is the Motto of this Iland and the farther North it is the nearer to the ends of the earth studie therefore my good Lord that Iesus Christ may haue his possession enlarged in the North and this shall be your crowne in the latter day when all your possessions shall faile you Your Honours in all dutifull submission IOHN VVEEMSE THE CONTENTS Of the Iudiciall Law in generall Page 1 CHAPTER I. That Kingly Government is best Page 4. CAP. II. An explication of Iothams Parable Page 7 CAP. III. Why God was angry with them for chusing a King Page 12 CAP. IIII. What Samuel meant by mishpat hammelech Page 14 CAP. V. A difference betwixt the election of Saul and the election of David Page 16 CAP. VI. Of the annointing of their Kings and whether the Kings and Priests were annointed with the same oyle or not Page 18 CAP. VII How the Kings of Iudah and Israel brake the commandement in multiplying wiues Page 22 CAP. VIII A comparison betwixt Salomons Kingdome and Christs Page 27 CAP. IX Whether Rahab was a betrayer of the Citie of Iericho Page 34 CAP. X. Whether the Kingdome of Iudah or Israel were the best Government Page 38 CAP. XI Whether the Iewes might chuse Herod for their King Page 44 CAP. XII Whether Ishboseth was a rebell in affecting the Kingdome or not Page 47 CAP. XIII Whether it was lawfull for the Iewes to pay tribute to Caesar or not Page 49 CAP. XIIII Whether Naboth might haue justly denied to sell his vineyard to Ahab or not Page 52 CAP. XV. Whether the Iewes should be tollerated in a Christian Common-wealth Page 57 CAP. XVI Of the Synedrion of the Iewes Page 61 CAP. XVII Whether a Iudge is bound to giue sentence according to things proved and alleadged or according to his owne private knowledge Page 66 CAP.
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 105 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 141 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 17 × ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 158 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 157 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 44 ד 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 132 ×” ×” Demonstrativum 86 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 175 ×– 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 63 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 152 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 63 ×” 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 67 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 163 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 191 ×™ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 109 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 163 ×› 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 178 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 157 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 152 ל 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 137 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 196 מ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 180 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 145 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 169 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 14 × ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 191 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 14 ס 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 61 ×¢ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 152 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 24 פ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 150 ק 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 125 ר 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 87 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 81 ש 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 146 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 57 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 88 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 87 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 126 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 189 ת 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 106 ¶ A Table of the Greeke words expounded in this Booke Α 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 45 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 126 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 178 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 126 Î’ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 172 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 191 Γ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 44 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 88 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid Δ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 183 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 178 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 11 Ε 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 88 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 162 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 182 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 141 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 88 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 15 Κ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 163 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 138 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 150 Λ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 150 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 58 Îœ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 178 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 186 Π〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 172 Ξ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 152 Ο 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 189 Π〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 44 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 182 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 52 Ρ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 88 Σ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 150 Î¥ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 88 Φ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 103 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 184 Χ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 187 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 88 An Alphabeticall Table of the chiefe matters and principall distinctions contained in this Booke A ADonijah how guiltie of treason 43. Anger followeth the complexion of the bodie 80. to do a thing in anger 79. Anointing of the Kings a judiciall Law 18. See King their anointing before meat 187. Apparell of the matter of their apparell 189. See Cloaths Apologue two Apologues found in the Scripture 8. God teacheth by Apologues 7. what we should looke to in an Apologue 8. B Battaile see Warres Beds in which they sat 185 the decking of their beds 186 Borne first borne succeeded to the Kingdome by the Law of Nations 47. Bosome to leane in it a token of loue 181. Bow see Lamentation Bramble representeth a bad King 10. Bread of sundry sorts amoÌ„gst the Iewes 179. breaking of bread a token of loue 184 Brother the priviledges of the eldest brother 117. what the second brother was to doe to him ibid. Bridegroome his friends 126. what was the office of the Bridegrooms friend ibid. the manner of blessing the Bridegroome and Bride 127. Buriall the place of buriall 169. strangers buried by themselues 170. Ceremonies used at Burials ibid. great charges at their burials 175. feasts at their burials 174. they comforted the liuing after the buriall 175. See tombe and dead Burning a punishment amongst the Iewes 151. who were burnt ibid. C Campe foure remarkable things in the Campe of Israel 159. Caesar more mild than Pharaoh to the Iewes 52. Christ called the Oyle 22. whether Christ was his proper name 21. he payed tribute 51 derided by the Iewes 154. why he refused the drinke 155. he suffered in all his senses ibid. Cloaths of the matter of them 190. of the colour of them ibid. divers sorts of cloath 191. Concupiscence twofold 79 Condemned what done to them before the execution 154. Contract the manner of writing it 112 of the sealing of it 113. Cut what meant by cutting off 153. D Dan a warlike Tribe 158. he was the gathering host ibid. Daniel why he eat Lentils 179. David how chosen 14. how called the Lords servant 15 a man according to his heart ibid. Why he mourned for Abner and Absolon 20. thrice anointed 21. how he came by his riches 23. hee brake not his oath to Shimei 40. sinned not in killing the Amalekite ib. Day Hezekias day 94. Ioshua's day ibid. Day threefold 95. the spirituall use of it 97. how the dayes are reckoned from the Planets 99. Day when taken for a yeare when for a moneth 123 Dead how long they lamented the dead 170. Minstrels at the buriall of the dead 171. they hyred mourners ibid. the song of the mourners ibid. washed embalmed the dead bodies 172. burnt sweet Odours for them ibid. Death the Iewes put not two to death in one day 150. Diall fiue sorts of Dials 90. of Ahaz dial ibid. things remarkable in it 90. c. the spirituall use of dials 94. Dinner described by drawing of water 89. it was the time of the Iewes breakfast 177. they fed sparingly at dinner 178. Dowrie given by the man at the first 124. Drinke of their Drinke 168. the manner of their drinking ibid. Dyet three sorts of dyets 180. E Earth the lower parts of it put for the wombe and graue 176. Edomites and Egyptians distinguished from other Nations 45. Embolimie yeere what 102 Embolimie Epact counted as no Epact 105. Error of the person when it nullifieth a Contract 71. Evill twofold 68. Eyes of flesh what 18. Executioner whether he is to execute a person that he knowes to be innocent 70 Examples rules concerning examples 33. F Face to spit in the face a great disgrace 118. Familie three sorts of commanding in the Familie 83. the tribes divided into Families 87. division of families ibid. Father might sell his children 84. Feasts at their marriages 182. at their weaning and death 183. at their burials 174. at their covenants 183. who were invited to their Feasts 184. the number
when the bad conscience accuseth 38. how the bad conscience bindeth a man and how long 39. the conscience gods herauld 38. Conclusions drawne from the first and second principles how they differ 35. conclusions of practise drawne from practicall principles 21. D David came nearest to Adam in prudencie 31. he wrote two books of the psalmes and set them in order 166. Daniel compared with Adam 31. he excelled in the interpretation of dreams ibid. Defect threefold 117. Divinitie compared to manna 1 the excellencie of it above all sciences and arts 1 2. compared with Metaphysickes 6. with the mathematicks and physicks ibid. with the lawyer and the physitian ibid with morall philosophie ibid and 7. with grammer and rhetorick 8. it rectifieth all other sciences 9. Dough of Egypt called the bread of the poore 2. Dreams whether more excellent then visions 49. the prophets had the dreams with the interpretation of them 48. the difference of them ibid. why god taught his prophets by dreames 49. E Egypt watered with the feet of men 2. it resembleth the world ibid. the people of god vnderstood not the language of it 93. Elephant hath no proper name in the hebrew 30. it is circumscribed by other words Esdras wrote none of the books over againe which were written before the captivitie but onely set them in order 119. F Faith the daughter of divinitie 5. the farther it goeth from sense and reason the more distinct lesse vniversall 4. how faith sense and reason apprehend things 3. the articles of faith taken generally or speciallie 63. Fast of the Iewes for the translation of the bible in greeke 146. Feast of tabernacles the last day the greatest 174. that day the Iewes read three parashoth ibid. Salomon blessed the people that day ibid. Christ the true Salomon taught the people that great day of the feast ibid. G Gate of knowledge foure fold 26. Generation three fold 15. God appeared immediately or mediately by an angell 45. hee appeared in the likenesse of an old man 26. the name god put to expresse any great thing 27. H Haphtorah the originall of it mistaken 157. Hebrew tongue the originall 92. the dialects of it 93. many words in the Hebrew haue a contrarie signification 103. Hedge fourefold 129. Hellenismes and grecismes how they differ 104 Hereticks labour to ground their heresies on the scripture I Iewes orientall and occidentall 109. faithfull keepers of the scriptures 110. bad interpreters ibid. the fable of the grecizing Iewes concerning the translation of the Seventy 146. they would write no language but in Hebrew letters 111. Ignorance damnable 64. ignorance of infirmitie ibid. Iohn why called a divine 75. he saw Christ three wayes 43 Ioseph came nearest to Adam in oeconomie 31. Ioseph put for the whole Iewes 93. Instruments of musick the Israelites kept them in captivitie 119. Interpretation the necesseitie of it 162. words vnknowne to the Iewes in the old testament interpreted 132. Iustin martyr of a philosopher became a divine 7 he standeth for the translation of the Seventie 143. K King wrote a copie of the law 118. Knowledge of the prophets kept by reading 66. Korahs posteritie died not with him 176. they wrote some of the psalmes ibid. L Language originall the Hebrew 89 90. Languages that haue affinitie with the Hebrew 93. and know in what language any book is written 99. Latine words made Greeke Latine translation vide translation Law or physicke whether more excellent 8. Moses law divided in three parts 164. in fiftie two sections 175. read once in the yeare by the Iewes ibid. the law written in the heart 34. difference betwixt the law of nature and the law of nations 39. the breach of the law of nature worse then of the law of nations ibid. the law perpetuall where the reason of it is perpetuall 41. M Manna the bread of angells 2. it resembleth divinitie ibid. Mary and Martha resemble the naturall and spirituall life Moses came nearest to Adams knowledge of gods attributes 28. N Names fitted to the creatures at the beginning 30. names given to creatures at the beginning which are not â—ound now in the scriptures ibid. many names in the scripture which are not Hebrew names 97. proper names of the Chaldeans Persians and Assyrians 98. Nathan wrote vntill the death of Salomon 121. O Obscuritie three fold 80. Order foure fold 82. order of the Evangelists 83. P Paraphrase what 158. Paraphrases of the Iewes how many 159. Blasphemous to be detested ibid. ridiculous to be rejected 160. paraphrases clearing the Text are to bee admitted 161. Parashah mistaken 174. division in parashoth most ancient 145. parashoth divided three wayes 173 how they distinguished the parashoth ibid. divided according to these who read them 176. Points not from the beginning 124. the Samaritan Copie hath not the Points ibid. they were not with the letters in the dayes of the Seventy ibid. other languages derived from the hebrew have no points 126. They were found out by the Masoreth ibid they are sometimes put in the text and the letters in the margent 128. poynts ommitted in some words 129. Present a thing present foure ways 181 Christ how present in the Sacrament Priest asked counsell for the people 54 wherein hee might erre 57. Prophets understood what they prophesied 47. their prophesies respect the second cause or the event 55. they had their humane learning from men 66. they had not their prophesie by habite 67. they erred not writing the scriptures 68. assisted by the spirit three wayes 72. difference betwixt them and other prophets 68. betwixt them and the Sybils 73. they were the mouth of god 68. they are called the men of the spirit 71. the lord spake in them 57. they wrote not with paine and studie 74. some things written by them not as they were prophets 120. why called the first prophets 164. why the latter ibid. the small prophets cited as one 165. Prophesie how long it endured 55 bestowed anew againe ibid. some prophesies not written 122. Psalmes divided in five bookes 166. psalmes written historically or prophetically 167. the authors of them 166. their inscriptions in generall 168 in particular ibid. some inscriptions are Notes of musicke 170. some instruments of musicke ibid. the diverse times when they were sung ibid. divided according to their subiect ibid. some alphabeticall 171. psalmes of degrees 169. the five last psalmes begin and end with halleluiah 172. Ptolomeus procured not the translation of the Seventy 144. his life 146. R Reading the marginall and line reading 127. marginall and line reading both put in the Text by interpreters 128. diverse readings make not up diverse senses Reason not a judge in matter divine not to be secluded from divinitie ib. she must not transcend her limits 14. Revelation two fold 49. how god revealed himselfe to his church 44. S Solomon compared with Adam 28. he was a holy man 72. his writings not profitable for the whole Church perished 121.
our sight and because the heart since the fall is not so capable and so large to comprehend the knowledge of these creatures as it was before the fal therefore it is said 1 King 4.29 that the Lord gave Salomon a wise heart as the sand of the Sea shoare that is to know an innumerable kind of things like the sand of the sea Simile When a man is to infuse liquor into a narrow mouthed vessell that none if it runne by hee enlargeth the mouth of the vessell So did the Lord enlarge the heart of Salomon that hee might conceive this heavenly wisedome and the knowledge of all things but the minde of Adam before his fall needed not this extention to receive these gifts Secondly the great measure of this knowledge which Adam had before his fall may be taken up this wayes The Hebrewes write that there were foure gates by the which Adam entred to see the Lord Porta creaturarū visibiliū Porta intelligentiarum Porta majestatis Porta gloriae the first was the gate of the visible creatures the second was by the gate of the Angels the third was by the gate of majestie and the fourth was by the gate of glory and they say that Adam entred three of these gates but the fourth was shut that hee entred not in at it in this life The first gate was opened unto him for in the creatures below here he saw the majesty and glory of God The Scriptures when they express any great thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est epitheton omnis rei admirandae magnae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they joyne the name of God with it as Ezek. 13.9 great haile is called Gods haile or sent by God el gabbish So 1 Sam. 26. cecidit sopor domini super eos that is a great sleepe fell upon them So a strong Lyon is called ariel the Lyon of God 2 Sam. 23.10 So Moyses is said to be faire to God that is very faire Act. 7.20 So Ninive was great to God that is very great The beauty and greatnesse in the creatures led Adam to take up how great the Lord was Iacob when he saw Esau reconciled unto him sayd I have seene thy face as though I had seene the face of God Gen. 33.10 This glimpse of goodnesse in the face of Esau made Iacob take up how good God was unto him The second gate was porta intelligentiarum the knowledge of the Angels they resembled God more than any visible creature doth therefore they are called Gods Sonnes Iob. 1. Chapt. and 38. Chapter 7. verse and they see his face continually Mathew 18. verse 10. As the Kings courtiours are sayd to see his face continually 2 King 25.25 and the Angels conversing with him made him to come nearer to the knowledge of God The third gate was porta Majestatis he saw the majesty of God more clearely than any other did Moyses is sayd to see the face of God and yet it was but the sight of his backe parts compared with Adams and we see him but through a grate Cant. 2.11 Heb. 11.26 The fourth gate was porta gloriae That gate was reserved to bee opened for him in the heavens Let us compare the most excellent men with Adam and see which of them came nearest unto him in some things Moyses came nearest to him in somes things Salomon came nearest unto him and in some things Daniel in some things Ioseph but Christ the second Adam excelled them in all A comparison betwixt Moses and Adam In the knowledge and sight of God and his attributes Moyses came nearest to him Exod. 33.13 Teach mee thy wayes that is thy attributes So Psal 103.7 He made knowne to Moyses his wayes that is his attributes for hee subjoyneth the Lord is mercifull and gracious slow to anger and full of compassion and he chideth not for ever here his wayes are his attributes Moyses came nearest to Adam in this knowledge A comparison betwixt Salomon and Adam Salomon in the knowledge of the politickes came nearer to Adams knowledge than Moyses did Moyses sate all the day long to judge the people Exod. 18. and hee stoode in need of Iethro's counsell to make choyse of helpers but Salomon could have found out all these things by himselfe without the helpe of another Salomon begged wisedome of God and it was granted unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he desired wisedome to be his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be president of his counsell and to be his assister or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rule happily Wisedom 9.4 Salomon came nearest to the knowledge of Adam in the Politickes and he is preferred to the wisest within the Church as to Heman and Dedan 1 King 4.3 and to the wisest without the Church as to the Egyptians As he came nearest to Adams knowledge in the Politickes so likewise in the knowledge of naturall things Salomon came neerest to Adams knowledge in the Politicks for as he wrote from the Cedar of Lebanus to the Hyssope that grew out of the Wall 2 King 4.33 that is as Iosephus explaineth it he wrote parables and similitudes taken from every one of these kinds and Tertullian saith well Familiare est sacris scriptoribus ut sublimiores veritates explicent per sensibilia nam idem qui est author naturae est author gratiae It is an usuall thing to the holy writers to illustrate heavenly things by earthly comparisons for he that is the God of nature is also the God of grace Salomon wrote from the tall Cedar to the small Hyssope that groweth out of the wall that is from the greatest to the smallest then he passeth by none of them The Hebrews marke the two extreames and leave the midst for brevity for it is the manner of the Hebrews to marke the two extreames and to leave the midst for brevities cause as Num. 6 4 from the kernell to the huske here the Scripture omitteth the wine which is the midst betwixt the kernell and the huske Another example Exod. 11.5 And all the first borne of the land of Egypt shall dye from the first borne of Pharoah that sitteth upon the throne unto the first borne of the maidservant that sitteth behind the Mill. The Scripture omitteth the midst here the rest of the people for shortnesse and expresseth onely the two extreames the highest and the lowest A third example Iob 24.20 The wombe shall forget him and the wormes shall feede sweetly upon him the birth and the grave the two extreames include the whole life So Psal 121.8 The Lord shall keepe thy going in and going out that is all thy wayes So Salomon writing of the two extreames the tallest and the least includeth all the rest Now if Salomon had such knowledge of these naturall things much more had Adam Adam gave fit names to the creatures knowing their qualities and nature Adam had such knowledge
we touch the needle of the compasse with a Loadstone that the stone may draw it right to the pole againe So the mind must be touched with the Loadstone of the Spirit of grace that it may come backe againe to the Lord as to the pole EXERCITAT VI. Of the seven Precepts given to Noah Act. 15.20 We write unto them that they abstaine from things strangled and from blood BEfore the Law was written the Hebrewes say that the Lord gave to Noah seven Precepts which were delivered of Noah by tradition to his posterity after him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these the Iewes call pirke abhoth capitula patrum the traditions of the fathers The most ancient first tradition that we reade of was that Gen. 32.32 because Iacob halted upon his thigh therefore the children of Israel eate not of the sinew which shranke which is upon the hollow of the thigh unto this day So were these seven precepts delivered by tradition The first was against strange worship or idolatry 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they should not worship false gods and this they called gnabhuda zar◠strange worship The second they called it gnal birkath hashem that is they should blesse the name of God The third was gnal shepukoth dammim that is he was forbidden to shed innocent blood The fourth was gnalui gniria that is he should not defile himselfe with filthy lusts The fift was gnad hagazael de rapina that he should take nothing by violence or theft The sixt was gnal hadinim de judiciis The seventh was abhar min achai ne menbrum de vivo that he should not pull a member from a living creature and eate of it This precept they say was given last to Noah Gen. 9.4 but the flesh with the life thereof which is the blood thereof shall yee not eate that is How this precept of Noah not to eate blood is to be understood as the Iewes interpret it yee shall not pull a member from a living creature eate of it as the wild beast doth but to stay untill the beast be killed and then eate the flesh thereof neyther shall ye eate the blood while it is hot as if it were yet in the body this is cruelty against a morall precept to eate hot blood while the life is in it Where the reason of the Law is perpetuall the Law is perpetuall for where the reason of the Law is perpetuall the Law must be perpetuall The reason of the Law is ye shall not eate blood because the life is in it so long as the life is in it yee must not eate it and see how this sinne Ezek. 33.35 is matched with other great sinnes Yee eate with the blood and lift up your eyes towards your Idols and shed blood and shall yee possesse the land The morall transgressions of the Law joyned with it here sheweth that it is cruelty to eate hot blood But Levit. 7.27 was the ceremoniall part of the Law and the Apostles in the councill Act. 15. forbiddeth them to eate any thing that was strangled whereby they meant the ceremoniall part of the Law Quest Whether are we to take these precepts as ceremoniall or as morrall Answ The most of these are morrall precepts and the same which are set downe againe in the Law For when the Apostles biddeth them abstaine from fornication Act. 15. See Beza Act. 15. It is the same that is forbidden in the fourth precept given to Noah not revelare turpitudinem and to interpret here fornication for eating of things sacrificed to Idols seemeth to be a strained sense for that is forbidden already by the first precept to Noah And to uncover the nakednesse according to the phrase of the Scripture is meant of bodily pollution and not of spirituall fornication Of eating of blood see more in the appendix of Command 6. Now besides these morrall precepts set downe by the councill they interlace this ceremoniall precept de suffocato forbidding to eate things strangled and they give the reason wherefore the Gentiles should abstaine from these Act. 15.21 For Moyses is read in their Synagogues every Sabbath Why the Apostles forbid to eate blood or things strangled as if Iames should say they professe not onely the morrall Law but also the ceremoniall Law yet therefore yee Gentiles shall doe well to abstaine from these things which may give them offence The Iewes respected these precepts most because they were kept in the Church even from Noahs dayes The Hebrewes adde further that there was no other precept given untill Abrahams dayes then God added the precept of circumcision and afterwards taught them to separate tithes God at the beginning taught his Church by tradition and not by write The Lord taught his Church in her infancie this wayes by traditions and not be write and even as parents teach their children the first elements by word Simile and afterwards by write so the Lord taught his Church first by word and then by write Conclusion The conclusion of this is The Lord never left his Church without his word to direct her before the fall he spake immediatly to Adam and Eve taught them In the second period he taught them by these seven precepts In the third period by the Law written and in the fourth period by the Gospel EXERCITAT VII Of the diverse wayes how God revealed himselfe extraordinarily to his Church Heb. 1.1 God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets GOd manifested himselfe to his Church God revealed himselfe to his Church foure wayes first by prophesie secondly by the holy Spirit thirdly by Vrim and Thummim and fourthly by the poole Bethesda First by prophesie Sundry sorts of prophecie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There were sundry sorts of prophecie the first was lepi face to face to Moyses onely This sort of prophesie was the highest degree of revelation and it drew nearest to that sort of vision which we shall get of God in the heavens He manifested himselfe to Moyses face to face How the Lord manifested himselfe to Moses and hee knew him by his name that is not onely by the face as Princes know many of their Subjects but he knew him inwardly and liked him this was notitia approbationis Moyses saw God face to face yet he saw not the essence of God for hee dwelleth in a light inaccessable Iohn saw Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohn saw God three manner of wayes First in his incarnation he saw God dwelling amongst men in the flesh here Secondly in his transfiguration upon the Mount Thirdly in the Spirit upon the Lords day Rev. 1.10 Although Iohn lay in the bosome of Christ and
this the Priest did not prophesie neyther made songues to the prayse of God but having put on this breastplate it was a signe to him that God would answer these doubts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he asked of him it is called the Brestplate of judgement mishpat signifieth eyther the administration of publike judgements Esa 41.3 or private affaires Pro. 13.23 est qui absumitur absqe judicio that is because his family is not rightly administrat It is called then the breastplate of judgement because the Lord taught his people in their doubtfull cases what to doe The breastplate and the Vrim and Thumim are distinguished by this vrim and thummim Exod. 28.30 Thou shalt put in the breastplate Vrim and Thummim Some hold that the twelve pretious stones set in the brestplate were called vrim and thummim as Kimchi but the Text maketh against that for the breastplate and the vrim and the thummim are distinguished vers 30. Some of the Iewes againe incline most to this sense that these two words vrim and Thummim were set in the breastplate as holinesse to the Lord was written in great letters upon a plate of Gold What this Vrim and Thummim were and set in the forehead of the highpriest But it seemeth rather that they were two pretious stones given by the Lord himselfe to be set in the brestplate and an Ancient Iew called Rabbi Bechai marketh ה demonstrativum that these two are set downe cum he demonstrativo for their excellencie Neyther saith the Lord thou shalt make vrim and thummim as hee sayd of the rest of the ornaments of the Highpriests thou shalt make this or that The letters did not make up the answer It is commonly holden that the letters did shine out of the breastplate of Aaron when the Lord gave his answers to him that he might read the answer by the letters but this could not be as may appeare by the forme of the brestplate following The forme of the Breast-plate When David asked of the Lord 1 Sam. 23.12 will the men of Keila deliver me and my men into the hands of Saul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord sayd ysgiru they will deliver thee here the letters in the brestplate would have made up this whole answer Iod from Iehuda Samech from Ioseph Gimel from Gad Iod from Levi Resh from Reuben and Vau from Reuben but Iudges 20.8 when the Israelites asked counsell of the Lord who shall goe up first to battell against Benjaman it was answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iehuda Battechilla Iuda shall goe up first now there was not so many letters in the brestplate to expresse this answer for there wanted foure letters of the Alphabet in the brest-plate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 5.23 There wanted foure letters in the Breast-plate when David enquired of the Lord shall I goe up against the Philistimes the Lord answered Thou shalt not goe up but fetch a compasse behind them and come upon them over against the Mulberry trees The letters in the brestplate could not expresse all this therefore it was not by the letters that the Lord answered the Priest but when hee had on this brestplate How the Lord taught the Priest by Vrim and Thummim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rationale upon him then the Lord taught him what to answer and this brestplate was but a signe unto him that the Lord would answer him as Sampsons hayre was a signe unto him that the Lord would continue his strength with him as long as hee kept his haire how was the strength in Sampsons haire not as in the cause or in the subject but onely as in the signe so in the Apostles garments and shaddow The Vrim and Thummim were a signe onely that the Lord would answer the Priest they were but a signe of their power which they had in healing miraculously and so was vrim and thummim but a signe of this that the Lord would answer the Priest The vrim and thummim were not alwayes with the Arke The Vrim and Thummim were not ever with the Arke for all the time of Saul they asked not counsell of the Arke 1 Chron. 13.3 Let us bring againe the Arke of our God unto us for we enquired not at it in the dayes of Saul they went usually to aske counsell in the Tabernacle and Sanctuarie of the Lord Iud. 20. they went up to Silo where the Tabernacle was to aske the Lord then the Arke was in the Tabernacle but when the Arke was separated from the Tabernacle they might sacrifice in the Tabernacle So they might aske the Lord here by vrim and thummim although the Arke was not there When the Highpriest asked counsell for David at Nob the Arke was not there nor the Tabernacle but onely vrim and thummim but when the Arke and the vrim and thummim were together they alwayes enquired the Lord before the Arke and when they were separated they turned their faces towards the Arke wheresoever it was when they asked counsell by the judgement of vrim and thummim When David was in Ziglag 1 Sam. 30. he asked counsell of the Lord by the Priest but neyther the Arke nor the Tabernacle was ever in Ziglag a towne of the Philistims They asked counsell of the Lord at the Arke by the High Priest When any are sayd to aske counsell of the Lord who were not Highpriests as the Israelites are sayd thrice to aske the Lord. Iud. 20.18 1 Sam. 14.37 23.2 1 Chron. 14. they are understood to have done this by the Highpriest for Num. 27.21 Ioshua is commanded to aske counsell at the Lord by Eleazer the High-priest How he stood who asked counsell by Vrim and Thummim The manner how he stood who asked counsell of the Lord by the Highpriest He shall stand before Eleazar the Priest who shall aske counsell for him after the judgment of Vrim before the Lord. Num. 27.21 he stood not directly before the Highpriest for then he should have stood betwixt him and the Arke therefore liphne should be translated juxta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a latere or beside the Priest Hee stood by the Highpriest when he asked counsell and hee heard not what tht Lord sayd to the Priest but the Priest gave him his answer The Lord by Vrim and Thummim answered distinctly to every question When two things are demanded of the Lord he answered in order to them As 1 Sam. 23.9 will they come up The Lord answered they will come up So he answered to the second question will they deliver me They will deliver thee They asked not counsell of the Lord by Vrim and Thummim but in great and weighty matters They asked counsell by Vrim and Thummim onely in matters of weight as David after the death of Saul 1 Sam. 2. So 2 Sam. 5. they asked the Lord for the King for the common wealth or for a
bestowed anew againe in the second Temple under the new Testament Ioel. 2. I will powre out my spirit upon all flesh and your young men shall see visions c. This gift lasted in the Church till the second Temple was destroyed The Iewes by a certaine kind of Kabbala called gematrja 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 observe upon Hagg. 1.8 it is written there ekkabhda I will be glorified because the word wanteth the letter ה in the end of it which letter standeth for five they say that the want of this ה sheweth the want of five things in the second Temple which were in the first The Arke the mercy seate and Cherubims Secondly the fire from Heaven Thirdly the majesty of Divine presence called shekena Fourthly the holy Ghost And fiftly Vrim and Thummim But this rabbinicall observation is most impious The Iewes cabbalisticall observation blasphemous and serveth to overthrow all the whole New Testament to deny Iesus Christ and to condemne his Apostles and Evangelists as though they had not the gift of the holy Spirit when they wrote during the time of the second Temple and this is contrary to the very scope of the Prophet Hagg. 1.8 Goe up into the mountaine and bring wood to build this house and I will take pleasure in it and I will be glorified saith the Lord and Hagg. 2.9 The glory of the latter house shall be greater then the former and in this place will I give peace saith the Lord. Whether were the Arke the Vrim and Thummim Quest and the holy fire in the second Temple or not Answ Although there was greater spirituall beauty in the second Temple than in the first The Arke was not in the second Temple yet the second Temple wanted this typicall Arke the Vrim and Thummim and the fire therefore it is but a fable of theirs Iosephus ant lib. 14. who say that Titus after he had destroyed the second Temple brought the Arke to Rome in his triumphes but the Arke was never seene in the second Temple and Iosephus who was an eye witnesse of Titus triumphes sheweth that it was onely but the table of the shew-bread which Titus carried away in his triumphes and is seene yet pictured there The Vrim and Thummim were not in the second Temple but the graces signified by them Object But it may be sayd Nehem. 7.65 and Ezra 2.63 That they should not eate of the most holy things untill there stood up a Priest with Vrim and with Thummim Answ It is the manner of the Scriptures to expresse the nature of the Church under the New Testament The new Testament expresseth things sometimes under types of the old Testament by figures and types which were under the Old Testament so by Vrim and Thummim which were in the first Temple to expresse the perfection of the Priests which should be in the second Temple The last way How the Lord revealed himselfe by the poole Bethesda how God revealed himselfe in the second Temple was by the poole Bethesda when the Angel came downe at certaine times to stirre the poole then whosoever after the first troubling of the water stepped in he was cured of whatsoever disease Ioh. 5.4 It was not the Angell that cured them here for it is a true Axiome of the Schoolemen An Angell cannot worke a Miracle pars naturae non potest superare naturam an Angell is but a part of nature therefore hee cannot worke a miracle What Angell wrought this Miracle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is above nature It was Christ himselfe who wrought the miracle it was hee who loosed the prisoners Psal 146. Mattir is so to loose the bound that they have use both of their hands and feete to leape as freely as the Grashopper doth which hath legges to leape upon the earth Levit. 11.21 So the diseased were loosed that they might leape and goe streight upon their owne feete By Angell here some understand the power of God who useth his Angels as his ministers to worke many things below here and therefore the Seventy put God in place of the Angell as Eccles 5.6 Say not before the Angell that it was an errour But the Seventy translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Chaldes use to ascribe the worke of God to his ministers the Angels But it is better to ascribe this miracle here to the Angell of the covenant Iesus Christ Tertullian saith that the operation of the fish-poole being now to cease and to loose the vertue of it our Saviour curing him who had beene long diseased being at the poole gave thereby an entrance to all sicke persons to come unto him as if he should have sayd he that desires to be whole let him not come to the poole or expect the comming downe of the Angell for when he commeth he healeth but one but come unto me and I shall heale you all Conclusion The conclusion of this is seeing wee have a more cleare manifestation of the will of God by Christ than they had under the Law let us beware to offend him now He that despised Moyses law Heb. 10.28 dyed without mercy under two or three witnesses of how much sorer punishment shall we be thought worthy of if we treade under foot the Sonne of God EXERCITAT VIII Of the necessity of the Word written Ioh. 20.31 But these are written that yee might beleeve GOd thought it necessary after that he had taught his Church by Word next to teach her by write There is a twofold necessity The first is called an absolute necessity the second of expedience Againe Necessitas absoluta Necessitas expedientia Gods revealed will was necessary to all men as a cause but his written word was necessary as an instrumentall cause and this word is considered eyther essentially Scriptura est necessaria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word considered essentially or accidentally Simile or accidentally Essentially for the written word this written and unwritten word differ onely as a man naked and cloathed for there is no change in the nature and substance here And that we may the better underderstand the necessity of the writing of the word wee must distinguish here the states of the Church First The estate of the Church considered three wayes shee was in a family or oeconomike Secondly she was Nationall dispersed through the countrey of the Iewes Thirdly she was Ecomenicall or Catholicke dispersed through the whole world So long as shee was in a family and the Patriarches lived long to record to the posterity the word and the workes of God then God taught his Church by his word unwritten But when his Church began to be enlarged first through Iudea then through the whole world then he would have his word set downe in write Why God would have his word written because then the Fathers were not of so
long a life to record to the posterity the word and the workes of God Againe he did this to obviat the craft of the Divell and the counterfeite writings of the false Apostles God revealeth himselfe most surely to us by his word It was necessary then that the word should be written that the Church might have a greater certainety of their salvation See how farre the Lord commendeth unto us the certainety which wee have by the Scriptures above all other sort of revelation 2 Pet. 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have also a more sure word of prophesie here the certainety of the Scriptures is preferred to the transfiguration in the mount Secondly the Apostle Gal. 1.8 preferreth it to the revelation made by Angels If an Angell should come from heaven and teach any other Gospel let him be accursed Thirdly Christ himselfe preferred the certainety of it to Moyses and the Prophets If one should come from the dead and teach us Luk. 16.31 The Church is not the last resolution of our faith The Church of Rome then doth great wrong to Christians when they would make the last ground and stay of Christian faith to be the Church onely But wee are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Ephe. 2.20 the Lord when he dwelt betweene the Cherubims he set the Candlesticke upon his right hand and the table with the shewbread upon his left hand to teach us that the Scriptures are to be preferred still to the testimony of the Church and that wee must rest upon their testimony primariò Quest Whether is it an Article of our faith to beleeve that the Scriptures are the Word of God or not Ans Something 's de fide de verbo fidej somethings de verbo fidej but not de fide primario somethings neither de fide neither de verbo fidej Some things are both de fide de verbo fidei as Christ is Emmanuel Secondly somethings are de verbo fidei but not de fide primariò as Paul left his cloake at Troas Thirdly somethings are de fide but non de verbo fidei which are the conclusions drawne from the canonicall word by consequence And these are eyther drawne from the word generally as this that the Scriptures are the word of God for this is evident from the whole word generally and although this be a principle in it selfe which ought first to be beleeved yet in my conception and manner of taking up it is a conclusion arising from that majesty and Divine character which is in the word it selfe or the particular conclusions drawne from the word They are de fide non de verbo fidei as when a man concludeth his owne particular justification from the word as I Iames am justified est de fide mea and not a part of the canonicall word but an application arising from it Fourthly something are neyther de fides nor de verbo fidei Secondly we may answer to this whether the word written be an article of our faith or not Articles of our faith taken generally or specially The articles of our faith are eyther taken generally or specially generally for all that is contained in the Scriptures or may be deduced by way of consequence from the Scriptures then it is not an article of our faith to beleeve the canon of the Scriptures Secondly specially for that which is contained in the Creede for the Creede is the substance of that which is contained in the Scriptures and then it is an article of our faith to beleeve the Cannon of the Scriptures The Scriptures of God are considered essentially The Scriptures considered essentially or accidentally or accidentally Essentially as they proceede from God accidentally againe as they were written by such and such men As they proceede from God we must beleeve them to be true and to be the meanes of our salvation for saving truth is onely from God But if we consider them but accidentally as they are written by such and such men then it is not an article of our faith to beleeve them for it maketh not to our salvation primariò to know that they were written by such and such men When the books in holy Scripture carry the names of those who wrote them as the bookes of Moyses carrie his name if a man should deny these bookes to be written by Moses then be ignorant altogether of the matter contained in them then his ignorance were damnable Ignorantia damnabilis negatio haeretical and the denyall of them hereticall they have Moses and the Prophets Luk. 16. But if the writer of the booke be not set downe in the Scripture if a man should deny such a man to write it he should not be reputed as an hereticke for that Negatia est haerètica per accidens sed ignoratio non est damnabilis and to be ignorant that such a man wrote it this were not damnable ignorance Example it is holden that Paul wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews now if a man should deny that Paul wrote this Epistle he were not to be holden a hereticke for that neyther were his ignorance damnable A man may be ignorant of this or that booke and yet be saved and many were saved before the bookes were written and now many are saved who cannot reade the Scriptures Ignorantia hic est infirmitatis negatio est haeritica per accidens But when a man doubteth of the order and number of the bookes in the Canon this argueth but his unskilfulnesse and infirmity and the denyall of the number and order of these bookes is but hereticall by accident and the ignorance is not damnable Quest When we beleeve such a booke to be written by such a man whether beleeve we this by a justifying faith or by an historicall faith Ans When we beleeve that such a man wrote this booke this is but an historicall faith and this we have by the Church but that which is dogmaticall in this booke that we must beleeve out of the word it selfe we being illuminate by the Spirit Conclusi The conclusion of this is Seeing God hath revealed his will in his word written to us and remitted us alwayes to the law and to the testimony Esay 10.8 Ioh. 5.49 search the Scriptures therefore these who leave the Scriptures and make choyse of traditions they forsake the fountaine of living water and digge Cisternes to themselves that cannot hold no water Ier. 2.13 EXERCITAT IX Of the singular prerogatives which the secretaries of the holy Ghost had who wrote the Scriptures 2 Pet. 1.21 And the holy men of God spake as they were mooved by the holy Ghost Prorogative 1 THe holy men of God who were inspired by the holy Spirit to write the Scriptures First they were immediatly called by God Gal. 1.12 for the Gospel which I preached I received it not of man neyther was I taught but
the doctrine it selfe they never erred Peter in the transfiguration knew not what hee sayd Luk. 9.33 David was minded to build an house to God he asked of Nathan if he should doe so 1 Chro. 17.2 Nathan sayd to him doe what is in thine heart So when Eliab stood before Samuel 1 Sam. 16.6 Samuel sayd surely the Lords annointed i◠before me So the Disciples erred in their counsell which they gave to Paul forbidding him to goe up to Ierusalem Act. 21.4 But the spirit of God taught the contrary by Agabus vers 17. David Psal 116. sayd in his hast that all men are lyars he meant that Samuel the man of God had made a lye to him because hee thought the promise too long differred in getting of the kingdome So when he wrote a letter to Ioab with vriah in this he was not Gods secretary but the Divels But as they were the secretaries of God and spake by divine inspiration they could not erre But it may seeme Object that all which they wrote in holy Scriptures was not done by divine inspiration for Paul wrote that he would come to Spaine Rom. 15.24 and yet he never came to Spaine We must distinguish betweene their purposes externall and their doctrine Answ they might erre in these externall purposes and resolutions but all which they wrote of Christ and matters of salvation was yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 He wrote that he was purposed to come to Spaine and so he was but he was let that he could not come But Paul repented that he wrote the Epistle to the Corinthians to grieve them Object 2 Cor. 7.8 If this was written by the inspiration of the holy Ghost why did he repent of it Paul wrote this Epistle to humble them Answ and when he saw them excessively sorrowfull that was the thing that greeved him but it greeved him not simply that he wrote to them to humble them When a Chyrurgian commeth to cure a wounded man Simile he putteth the poore patient to great paine and maketh him to cry out that grieveth him but it greeveth him not when he cureth him So it repented not Paul that he had written to the Corinthians but it repented him to see them so swallowed up with greefe Object But if the Scriptures be Divinely inspired how say they Iud. 16.17 there were about three thousand upon the roofe of the house So Act. 2.40 and that day there were added to the Church about three thousand soules Is not the number of all things certainely knowne to God Answ The Scriptures set downe the number that way because it is little matter whether we know the number or not And secondly the Lord speaketh to us this way in the Scripture after the manner of men Object Peter erred in a matter of faith Gal. 2.14 Ans Wherein Peter erred The error was not in the substance but in the circumstance of the fact and where it is sayd Gal. 2.14 That Peter walked not uprightly according to the Gospel it is to be understood onely of his conversation hee erred here onely in this principle of Christian Religion not walking according to his knowledge but hee erred not in his writing Ob. All men are subject to error the Prophets and Apostles are men therefore subject to error Ans The Prophets and Apostles are considered as members of the Church The Apostles considered two manner of wayes and so they might erre and they pray as other men Lord forgive us our sinnes Secondly they are considered according to their functions and immediate calling and then they were above the Church and could not erre Quest What needed Nathan to be sent to David to attend him continually one Prophet to another Answ Although one Prophet stood not in need of another yet he who was both a King and a Prophet had neede of a Prophet to admonish him for Kings stand in slippery places and have neede of others to advertise them The Prophets as they were Prophets could not erre therefore that collection of the Iewes is most impious they say that David wished to the sonnes of Ioab foure things 2 Sam. 3.29 First that some of them might dye by the sword Secondly that some of them might dye of the bloody flixe Thirdly that some of them might leane upon a staffe And fourthly that some of them might begge their bread And so they say it befell Davids posterity for his sinfull wish One of them leaned upon a staffe Asa was goutish One of his posterity was killed by the sword as Iosias One of them dyed of the flixe as Rehoboam And one of them beg'd his bread as Iehojachim But this collection is most impious for David spake not here by a private spirit of revenge but as a Prophet of God and therefore when they assigne these to be the causes why these judgements befell Davids posterity they assigne that for a cause which was not a cause Prorogative 4 The fourth prerogative they were holy men Holinesse distinguished them from those Prophets which were profane and unsanctified who had the gift of illumination but not of sanctification The pen-men of the holy Ghost were holy men the Lord made choyse of none such to be his secretaries who were not sanctified The Lords Prophet is called vir spiritus the man of the Spirit Hos 9.7 because he is ruled and guided by the holy Spirit that he become not profaine If the very women who spun the curtaines to the Tabernacle were wise hearted Exod. 35.25 Much more will the Lord have those who are to build his house wise and holy men Those who translated the Bible into Greeke yee shall see how often they changed their faith and were turne-coates Aquila of a Christian he became a Iew. Symmachus was first a Samaritane and then he became halfe Iew halfe Christian Then Theodoton first he was a fllower of Tatianus the hereticke and then he became a Marcionite and thirdly he became a Iew. But the Prophets of God after they were called continued holy men and never fell backe againe See more of Salomon in the Politiks God will have no man but holy men to be his secretaries Luk. 1.70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets Therefore Salomon being a Prophet and one of Gods secretaries behoved to be a holy man and being holy he could not be a reprobate hence he is called Iedidiah The beloved of God 2 Sam. 12.25 and whom God loveth he loveth to the end The holy men of God wrote as they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inspired by God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit inlightned them and directed them when they wrote they were inspired three manner of wayes Illuminati antecedenter per concomitantiā subsequenter first antecedenter Secondly per concomitantiam and thirdly subsequenter First they were illuminate antecedenter when the Lord revealed things to come to his Prophets and made them to write his prophesies then their tongue was
the pen of a swift writer Psal 45.1 That is he not onely indited these prophesies unto them but also ruled them so and guided them in writing even as a master guideth the hand of a young child when he is learning to write Secondly he inspired them in writing the Histories and Actes after another manner per concomitantiam for that which was done already hee assisted them so in writing it downe that they were able to discerne the relations which they had from others to be true as Luke knew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How Luke differed frō Tertius and Baruch accurately the truth of these things which he had from those who had heard and seene Christ and he made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a perfect declaration of them there was a great difference betwixt him and Tertius who was Pauls Scribe and wrote out his Epistles Rom. 16.22 or betwixt him and Baruch who was Ieremies Scribe Ier. 38. they were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the secretaries of the holy Ghost but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discribebant ab alio they wrote onely these things which Ieremiah and Paul indited to them neyther was sanctification required in them as they were their Scribes But the Evangelists who saw not Christ yet they were the Secretaries of the holy Ghost and holy men as they were his Secretaries and directed by him to write Thirdly he assisted them in writing subsequenter the holy Ghost revealed things to the Prophets long before but when they were to write these things the spirit of the Lord brought the same things to their memorie againe and indited these things unto them which they had seene before in vision Ier. 36.2 Take thee a roule and write therein all the words that I have spoken to thee against Israel and against Iuda and against all the Nations from the day that I spake to thee even from the dayes of Iosias unto this day So Ioh. 14.26 the comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the Father will fend in my name he shall teach you all thing and bring all things to your memory which I have told you These Secretaries of the holy Ghost when they wrote habebant libertatam exercitij sed non specificationis Libertas exercitij specificationis as they say in the Schooles they were not like Blockes or Stones but the Lord inclined their wills freely to write which putteth a difference betwixt them A difference betwixt the Prophets of God and the Sybiles or Prophets of the devill and the Sybils and other Prophets of the Divell who were blasted and distracted in their wits when they prophesied When Elisha sent one of the children of the Prophets to annoynt Iehu one sayd to him wherefore commeth this madde fellow 2 King 9.11 they tooke the Prophets to be madde like unto the Heathish Prophets but they were inlightened by the Spirit when they prophesied and the Lord rectified their understanding and tooke not away from them the right use of their will It is sayd of Saul when he prophesied that the evill spirit of Lord came upon him 1 Sam. 18.10 And the Chaldie Paraphrast paraphraseth it caepit furere he began to be mad the Divell stopping the passages of his body he wrought upon his melancholious humor which is called Esca diaboli the Divels baite and then it is sayd ijthnabbe impulit se ad prophetandum which is never spoken of the true Prophets in this Conjugation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Although the Lords Secretaries had libertatem exercitij yet they had not libertatem specificationis that is they might not leave that subject which they were called to write and write any other thing as they pleased they were necessitated onely to write that although they wrote it freely Againe these men when they wrote as the holy Ghost enspired them The Prophts did not write with paine and studie they did it not with paine and study as we doe but it came freely from them without any paine or vexation of their spirit The Princes when they heard Baruch read the prophesie of Ieremiah after that it was endited they asked how did he write all these words at his mouth and Baruch answered them He pronounced all these words to me with his mouth and I wrote them with inke into the Booke Iere. 36.17.18 Salomon saith Eccles. 12.12 In making many bookes and in reading there is much wearinesse of the flesh but this was no wearinesse to them for they wrote this without any paine or labour and hence it followeth that those to whom their writing hath beene troublesome and painfull have not beene the Secretaries of the holy Ghost as Mac. 2.26 He that assayed to abbridge the five Bookes of Iason sayd that it was not an easie thing to make this abridgement but it required both sweate and labcu Seeing all that wrote the holy Scriptures were enspired by the holy Ghost Quest Why was Iohn called a Divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why was this Epithete appropriate to Iohn to be called a Divine Revela 1.1 For they were all Divines who wrote the holy Scriptures Answ The Greeke Fathers when they spake of Christ Quomodo differunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and specially Chrysostome they distinguish betweene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they say Apud caeteros aeconomiae fulmen sed apud Iohannem theologiae tonitrua extare The rest when they discribe the humanity of Christ they doe it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but when Iohn discribeth the Divinity of Christ hee doth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they say Mattheus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohannes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incipit Observe a difference betwixt these speeches The Lord came to the wicked but the word of the Lord came to his Prophets The Word of the Lord came to Esay to Ieremiah and this phrase The Lord came to Balaam to Abimelech to Laban The first signifieth that the Lord put these holy men in trust with his Word to be his Prophets but he never concredited his word to these prophaine wretches therefore it is sayd onely He came to them but never the Word of the Lord came to them Hee concredited his Word to his Prophets as to Esay and Ieremiah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as a pupill is concredited to the trust of his Tutor but he never concredited his Word to these wretches The Lord spake in his Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Notat internam revelationem Hosea 1.1 The Spirit of the Lord spake in me that is inwardly revealed his secrets to me Marke a difference betwixt these two phrases Loqui in aliquo Loqui in aeliquem Loqui in aliquo is when the Spirit of the Lord speaketh inwardly to the Prophets Loqui in aliquo loqui in aliquem vt differunt sed Loqui in aliquem est maledicere to raile against him thus
Num. 12. Miriam loquuta est in Mosem id est maledixit Mosi Conclusion The conclusion of this is Matth. 10.20 It is not yee that speake but the Spirit of our Father which speaketh in you So it was not they who wrote but the Spirit of the Lord in them 2 King 13. When Ioash the King of Israel tooke a Bow in his hand Elisha laid his hands upon the Kings hands and Elisha bad him shoote and he sayd the Arrow of the Lords deliverance and the Arrow of the deliverance from Syria it was not the Kings hand that directed the Arrow here but it was the hand of the Prophet laid upon the Kings hand which gave this mighty blow so it was the hand of the Lord laid upon the hands of his Secretaries which directed them to write the holy Word of God EXERCITAT IX Arguments proving the Scriptures to bee Divine 1 Thess 2.13 Yee received it not as the Word of man but as it is in truth the Word of God THe Testimonies which prove the Scriptures to be Divine are first the Testimonie of God himselfe when he approved them by his Spirit and when they were laid before him by Vrim and Thummim Secondly arguments drawne out of the Scriptures themselves Thirdly the Testimonie of the Church Fourthly the Testimonie of those who were without the Church Deus testatur Scriptura contestatur Ecclesia subtestatur Deus testatur God beareth witnesse to the Scriptures two wayes First by the internall Testimony of his Spirit Secondly by his externall Testimony When the Spirit testifieth unto us such Bookes to be his Word Quest whether is this a publike or a private Testimony This is a publike Testimony Ans which the Spirit Testifieth to the whole Church and to the severall members of it that these Bookes are holy Scripture for the same Spirit which endited the Scriptures to the Church testifieth still to the Church and to the particular members thereof that the Scriptures are the Word of God The second Testimony which God gave to the Scriptures was his externall testimony given by Vrim and Thummim testifying these Bookes of Moyses and the Prophets to be the holy Scriptures What are we to thinke of these Bookes Quest written and set in order after the captivitie seeing they had not the approbation of the Lord by Vrim and Thummim Answ These Bookes were called Ketubhim written Bookes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to put a difference betweene them and these Bookes which were confirmed by Vrim and Thummim they who wrote these Bookes were inspired by the holy Ghost as well as these who wrote the former and they were confirmed by the masters of the great Synagogue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aradice such as were Esdras Zacharie and Malachie The Greekes called these Bookes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abscondere and the Iewes distinguish them still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frō the Apocryphall Bookes called Gannazim abscinditi and the Greekes called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bookes of whose authority it was still doubted Reason 1 Reasons taken out of the Scriptures themselves proving them to be Divine the first reason is taken from the antiquity of the Scriptures Scriptura contestatur all this time was tempus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the heathen that is it was an hid or an unknowne time to them After the flood the Scriptures goe on and they set downe to us the history of the Church Tempus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Historicum but the Heathen history is Tempus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fabulosum as that which we reade of Hercules and Prometheus and nothing is set downe in the Heathen history before the Olympiads of the Graecians which was but in the dayes of Vzziah See how farre Gods Word exceedeth humane history in antiquity It beginneth with the world and endeth with it Luk. 1.70 as he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have beene since the world began Reason 2 Secondly the matter contained in the Scriptures sheweth them to be Divine Many histories shew us the heavy wrath of God upon man for sinne yet the Scriptures only shew us morbum medicinam medicum it sheweth us both the sicknesse the physicke and the Physitian to cure it Reason 3 The Scriptures not written to satisfie mens curiosity Thirdly the Scripture setteth downe things necessary onely for our salvation and nothing for our curiosity It is often repeated in the Bookes of the Kings and Chronicles The rest are they not written in the Bookes of the Chronicles of the Kings of Iuda and Israel So Ester 10.2 The rest are they not written in the Bookes of the Kings of Persia The holy Ghost would meete here with the curious desires of men who desire still to know more and more and to reade pleasant discourses to satisfie their humours as if the Spirit of God should say I have sufficiently told you here of the Kings of Iuda and Israel and of Persia and so farre as concerneth the Church and may serve for your edification it is not my manner to satisfie your curiositie if ye would know more go to your owne Scrowles and Registers where yee shall finde matter enough to passe the time with To bee short the Scriptures are not given to passe the time with but to redeeme the time Reason 4 Fourthly the prophesies set downe in the holy Scriptures shew them to be Divine for they distinguish the Lord from all the Idols of the Gentiles and the Divels themselves Esa 41.22 Let them shew the former things what they be that we may consider them and set our hearts upon them Renunciare proeterita anunciare presentia p. anunciare futura and shew us the things that are to come hereafter that we may know that yee are Gods Here the Prophet distinguisheth the true God from the false Gods and true prophesies from false If they could tell of things by-past and relate them from the beginning and joyne them with the things to come then he would confesse that they were Gods and that their prophesies were true To tell of things past is not in respect of time for the Angels and Divels can tell things fallen out from the beginning of time but it is in respect of the things themselves when they tooke beginning this is onely proper to God Psal 139.16 In thy Booke all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there were none of them Hee can joyne things by-past with things that are to follow and can tell certainely of things to come There is a twofold beginning of things The first is exordium rei The second is exordium temporis Exordium temporis rei The Angels know exordium temporis but not exordium rei for the Lord onely knoweth things before the foundation of the world was laid Ephe. 1.4 He who knoweth certainely
drinke Tacitus lib. 5. Plutarch in symposiasis 4. cap. 5. therefore the Iewes worshipped the golden head of an Asse see how some shaddow of holy history was still amongst the Heathen Example 3. When the destroying Angell destroyed the first borne of their children beasts in Aegypt the Lord caused to sprinkle the blood of the paschall Lamb upon the Lintels of the doores that so their first borne might be saved Epipha contra haerefes lib. 18. Exod. 12.13 Epiphanius recordeth that the Egyptians afterwards although they had forgotten the history of the worke of God yet they rub'd over their Cattell with a red sort of Keill to save them that no evill should befall them that yeare ignorantly counterfeitting that blood which saved the Israelites once in Egypt which fable letteth us to understand that this Scripture was once taught amongst them Example 4. Plato did hold that in the revolution of so many yeares men should be just in the same estate wherein they were before which is drawne obscurely from the resurrection when we shall be in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we were in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 19.28 Example 5. Clemens Alexandrinus and Basill note The Heathen grounded many of their fables upon the Scriptures that the Heathen Philosophers did make their fables counterfeitting the Scriptures and founded their falsehoods upon the truth of God that men might give credit to their lies as upon this Ionas was swallowed up by the Whale they made up this fable of Arion sitting upon a Delphin and playing upon an harpe and a thousand such The Conclusion of this is Conclusion Seeing the Scriptures are Divine we must pray with David Psal 119.18 open thou mine eyes that I may behold the wondrous things out of thy Law in the originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Devolue ab oculis meis velamen scilicet caliginis and let us be diligent searchers and dwell in them as Paul biddeth Timothy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Panormitan writeth of Alphonsus King of Arragon that in the midst of all his princely affayres hee read over the Bible fourteene times with the glosse and commentaries upon it The Iewes say let a man divide his life in three parts a third part for the Scriptures a third part for mishneth and a third part for gemara 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is two for the Talmud and one for the Scriptures see how well they were exercised in reading of the Law EXERCITAT X. Jn what languages the Scriptures were written originally Gen. 11.1 And the whole earth was of one language and of one speech THe Old Testament was written originally in Hebrew and the New Testament in Greeke In what character the Scriptures were written at the first The Character in which the Old Testament was written first was the Samaritane Character It was called the Samaritane Character not because the Samaritans used it first but because it was left to the Samaritans after the Iewes refused it This Samaritane Character was the first Character as may be seene by the inscriptions upon their shekels set downe by Arius Montanus Why called the Samaritane character Beza and Willet upon Ezekiel And sundry of the Iewes ancient monuments have these letters upon them The Character at the first was the Iewes and not the Samaritans The inscriptions upon the Shekels shew the Samaritane character to be the first as is proved by the inscriptions of the shekels The inscription is this Ierusalem hakkodesh but no Samaritan would have put this inscription upon it for they hated Ierusalem and the Iewes therefore this inscription must bee the Iewes and not the Samaritans Secondly most of these ancient shekels are found about Ierusalem The Iewes kept the Samaritane character in the captivitie therefore the shekel and letters upon it was at the first the Iewes and not the Samaritans This Samaritane Character the Iewes kept still in the time of the captivity when Belshasser saw fingers writing upon the wall Mene mene tekel c. Dan. 5.25 These Characters were the Samaritan Characters therefore the Babylonians could not reade them because they knew not that Character neyther could the Iewes understand the matter although they knew the letters to the Babylonians it was like a sealed booke and to the Iewes it was like an open booke to an unlearned man because they understood it not Esa 29.11 But Daniel read it and understood it both because he knew the letters and also understood the Chaldee tongue Esdras changed this Character after the captivity Hieron in Perfat lib. regum and left it Idiotis to the Samaritans and he set downe this new Character which before was the Chaldee Character The reason why he changed it was this because being long in the captivitie they forgot their owne language that they could neyther reade it rightly nor write it rightly and therefore he changed the Characters in these which we have now But the ancient Samaritan Character seemeth to bee kept still in Lamina sacerdotali Why Esdras changed the Character in the plate of Gold which was upon the forehead of the Highpriest after the captivity for they might change noen of the ornaments of the Highpriest So neyther that which was written upon the plate of Gold Kokesh Laihova holinesse to the Lord because the Lord commanded these cloathes and ornaments to be made for him and his seede after him Exod. 28.43 The Inscription which was upon the Plate of Gold in the forehead of the Highpriest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The New Testament was written originally in the Greeke Character and there were two translations of it Syriacke and Arabicke the Syriacke was written in the Syriacke Character which differed much from that which is called Alphabetum Salomonis or the Character which Salomon found out This Character Pineda setteth downe in his booke De rebus Salomonis These diverse Characters may be seene set downe here as followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Character Antiquiâ—r Mosiâ— sive Samaritanorum Recentior Samaritanorum Hebraeorum sive Merubha Ezâ—aerecentior Chaldaeorum antiquorum nunc Rabbinorum Antiquorum Arabum seu Alphabetum Salomonis Arabum Recentior Syrorum Gracorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Old Testament was originally written in the Hebrew tongue and some of it in the tongues derived from the Hebrew as Chaldee We may know the Hebrew was the first originall tongue because it hath fewest Radicall letters whatsoever tongue is derived from thence it addeth some letters to the first originall as from the Hebrew word Galal commeth Golgotha the Syriacke word So Gabbatha Bethsaida from Gabha and Chased Secondly that language which the Lord spake to Adam Abraham and Moyses and they to him must be the originall language But God spake to them in the Hebrew and he
second note to know in what language bookes have beene written is by the Allusion of words in the Scriptures for there are many allusions in the Hebrew and in the Chaldee tongue when they are translated in the Greeke or any other language they loose that grace as Cabhal is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Câ—bhel is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cobal apud Targumislos est caligare E egans Paranomasia apud Thargumâ—slos inter â—â—â—hal Cebheâ— but Ioh. 1.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the light shined in darkenesse and the darkenesse comprehended it not Here the sweet allusion which is in the Chaldee perisheth in the Greeke So Ioh. 10.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Syriacke expresseth it by a sweet allusion Min tirghna letira which is not in the Greeke Eâ—egans paranomasia apud Syroâ— inter tirghna tira where the words fall alike which will not fall out in other languages There was a question betwixt Origen and Africanus whether the history of Susanna was written in Hebrew or in Greeke Africanus denyed that it was written in Hebrew but in Greeke and he proved it thus When Daniel examined the Witnesses who testified against Susanna he tooke the witnesses a part and enquired at one of them under what tree hee saw her commit that villanie he said it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lentish tree then Daniel alluding to this sayd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Angel of God hath received sentence of God to cut thee in peeces 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divido seco findo So he inquired at the other under what tree he saw her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Serra divido seco he answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnder a Prime tree Then Daniel sayd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Angel of the Lord waited with the sword to cut thee in two Africanus by this allusion of words gathered that this history was not originally written in Hebrew but in Greeke Conclusion The Conclusion of this is the Old Testament was first written in Hebrew This was the first language by which the Lord spake to the Patriarches and in which the Angels spake to men and it was the language which all the world spake before the confusion of Babylon and it is the mother tongue from whence many other tongues are derived and it is holden by some to be that tongue in which we shall speake one to another in the life to come Therefore we should be desyrous to understand this holy language EXERCITAT XI Of the Stile of the Scriptures Ioh. 7.46 Never man spake like this man VVHen we describe a mans speech first we describe it by that which is naturall as whether he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a weake voyce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a slow tongue Secondly in what language hee speaketh Thirdly in what Dialect he speaketh Fourthly whether it be Soluta oratio or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fiftly the Property of the speech Sixtly the Evidence of the speech Seventhly the Fulnesse of the speech Eighthly the Shortnesse of the speech Ninthly the Coherence and lastly the Efficacie of the speech First we describe that which is naturall and proceedeth from some defect of the organs as if he spake with a weake voyce or be of a stammering tongue or thicke lippes which Exod. 6.12 are called Vncircumcised lippes Contrary to this is a thinne lippe which is a signe of Eloquence Iob. 12.20 for these who have thinne lippes commonly are Eloquent Moses the Penman of the holy Ghost although he was defective in speech yet read his writings and yee shall see such eloquence in him that no Heathen could ever match it The writers of the Scriptures although weake in person yet powerfull in words and as it is sayd of Paul when he was present in person he was weake 2 Cor. 10.10 and his speech base and contemptible yet his letters were weighty and powerfull so whatsoever want or infirmity was in Moyses person yet there was no want or defect in his writings Secondly in what language hee speaketh The holy Ghost spake and wrote in Hebrew in the Old Testament The Old Testament was written in Hebrew and the New in Greeke and in the New in Greeke Hee wrote the Old Testament in Hebrew a language which had this blessing spoken of in the Law Deut. 28.12 Thou shalt lend and not borrow so this language lendeth to many Nations but borroweth of none Hee wrote the New Testament in Greeke The Hebrew tongue lendeth to many but borroweth of none a most copious and fertile tongue which was then Lingua communis to the Iewes although not vulgaris Thirdly in what Dialect he speaketh The Dialects of the Hebrew tongue were sundry first Dialectus Hierosolymitana that Dialect which was spoken in Ierusalem and about it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ast. 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In their owne Dialect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or proper tongue So the Dialect of the Ephramites who sayd Sibboleth not Shibboleth Iudg. 12.6 and the Dialect of the Galileans as Peter spake in the Galilean Dialect Matth. 26.73 So in the new Testament there are sundry Dialects as Ionick Dorick Attick c. Fourthly whether it be in prose or in verse The Iewes divide the Old Testament according to the style into Charuz rithmum Shir carmen Halatza Orationem solutam that is prose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rithmus CharuZ is Soluta oratio but in fiue Rithmo colligata that is it beginneth in prose but endeth as it were in meeter such is Iob. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Carmen Shir canticum writen in meeter as the Psalmes and Canticles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oratio soluta Hallatza written in prose such are the Histories and the most of the prophets Fiftly the property of the speech The phrase in Hebrew is much to be observed for in the Hebrew it will signifie one thing and in other languages another thing Example Num. 19.20 Dies numeri Dies numeri quid apud Hebraeos signifieth A few dayes so Homines numeri Gen. 34 30. A few men Deut. 4.27 Ezek. 12.16 So Esay 10.19 The rest of the Trees of his Forrest shall be number that a child may write them that is They shall be few In other languages this phrase would signifie many men and many trees c. So some phrases of the Scripture have a contrary signification with the Hebrews Some phrases with the Hebrewes have a contrary signification as Zack 11.24 Ascendit visio a me that is It perished So Ier. 47.15 Moab is spoyled and gone up out of her Cities that is Shee is destroyed Sometimes againe it signifieth to waxe and increase as 1 King 22.35 Bellum ascendit The battell increased So Psal 74.23 The tumult that arise
the vulgar Latine is sound and free from corruption which was translated by Saint Hierome under Pope Damasus and so continued in the Church of Rome The Iewes kept faithfull the booke of God without corruption The Iewes to whom The Oracles of God were committed Rom. 3.2 therefore it was called Their Law Ioh. 8.17 would they have corrupted their owne Evidents Augustine calleth the Iewes Capsarios nostros who faithfully kept the booke of God and reserved it unto us without corruption he saith Dispersos esse Iudaeos infidelesut testarentur Scripturas esse veras The unbeleeving Iewes were scattered through the world that they might testifie the Scriptures to be true The Iewes numbred the Verses Words and Letters of the Bible and shall wee thinke that the Iewes would have corrupted the Text who have numbred the words letters and verses of the Bible and R. Zaddias hath numbred the letters words and verses and summed up all the verses at the end of every booke and they have observed that all the letters are found in one verse Zeph. 3.8 as also foure of the finall letters they carry such respect to the Law that if it but fall to the ground they institute a fast for it They would write no language but in Hebrew letters The superstitious Iewes at this day are so carefull to keepe the letters and words of the Law that they will have neither Chaldee Syriacke nor Hebrew words wrirten but in Hebrew letters and it greeved them when they saw in Origens Hexupla Vide Guiliel Schiekardum de jure regio Hebrew words written in Greeke Characters when they saw the copie which was presented to Alexander the Great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having the name Iehova still written in Golden letters they were much greeved at it and when they see any thing changed in our copies now in disdaine they call it Hhomesh pesul she l gelahhim that is Pentateuchus rasorum Monachorum the Pentateuch of the shaven Monkes The Iewes after the death of Christ were dispersed among many Nations and they never met together againe and albeit they would have corrupted the Scripture how could they have falsified all the Copies Bellarmin maketh this objection to himselfe Bellarm. lib. 2. Cap. 2. De verbo dei Some men will say that the Hebrew Text was corrupted after the dayes of Saint Hierome and Augustine Hee answereth that Augustins reasons serve for all times against the corruption of the Hebrew Text Serrarius in prolegom Bibliacâ—s And Serrarius acknowledgeth that there is but small or no corruption in the Hebrew Text Corruptio Physica Mathematica Moralis he maketh a threefold corruption The first Physicall the second Mathematicall and the third Morall Physicall corruption he maketh to be this when it wanteth any member which it should have Mathematicall corruption hee maketh to bee this when there are some faults in the print which we call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And a morall corruption he maketh to be this when one of purpose goeth about to corrupt the Text and in effect he commeth to this that the errours which are found in the Text are but errours in the print and not in the matter But now lately there is one risen up called Morinus who hath set himselfe to improve the originall Hebrew Text and to preferre the Samaritan to it as the originall Difference betwixt hebraeo-samaritana and hebraeo-samaritano-samaritana in their Copies We must put a difference betwixt Hebraeo-Samaritana and Hebraeo-samaritano-samaritana Hebraeo-samaritana is that which Moyses wrote from the Lord and delivered to the Iewes it is called Hebraeo-samaritana because the Hebrew was written in the Samaritan Character at the first and so kept still till after the captivity and this wee grant to be the first and originall writing by which the Church should be ruled But that this Hebraeo-samaritano-samaritana should be the first originall that in no way must we grant and the reasons are these Reason 1 Reasons to prove that the Samaritan copy is not the originall First the Samaritans were Idolaters they were brought out of Assyria by Salmanasses and they erected a false worship in Iudea for the which they were hated by the people of God Ioh. 4. They branded them alwayes with these two letters Gnaijn Zain that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cultus alienus strange worship The Lord concredited his oracles to his owne people Deut. 33.4 The Law is the inheritance of the congregation of Iacob Therefore the Law was not committed to their custodie who were not Gods people they had no right to his inheritance Reason 2 Secondly if the Samaritan copie were the originall then it should follow that the Church hath wanted the true originall Text untill the yeare of God 1626. when Petrus de Valle brought it from Damascus Reason 3 The Samaritan Copie differed as much from the originall The Samaritan differeth as much from the originall as the Seventy doe as the Seventy doe but none of them hold that the translation of the Seventy is the originall by which all others should be tryed why then should they give this prerogative to the Samaritan Copie to be the originall this Samaritan Copie addeth to the originall Text which was The inheritance of the Iewes Deut. 33.4 and diminisheth also from it It addeth to the originall Text Iosh 21. two Verses 36.37 Verses So Gen. 4. it addeth a long speech or conference betwixt Cain and Abel which is not in the originall Text. So Targum Hierosolymitanum supplyeth the same 28. verses here which are not in the originall Hebrew Text a conference betwixt Cain and Abel whether there be any providence of God or not or whether there be any reward for the just or punishment for the wicked Abel holdeth the affirmative and Cain the negative part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But this note of the Masoreth in the margent should not be read this wayes Pesu pesuki bimtzegno pesuk Viginti octo versus desiderantur in medio hujus versus There are twenty eight Verses wanting in the midst of this verse But it should be read this wayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pesukim pasekin bimtzeghnoth pasuk that is There are twenty eight verses whose sense endeth in the midst of the verse therefore when the Scripture saith that Cain talked with his brother it was to perswade him to goe out to the field and not that he had a long conference with him Both the Samaritan Copie then and the Targum of Ierusalem wrong the Text as defective putting in these 28. verses which the Spirit of God never indited As it addeth to the originall Hebrew Text so it diminisheth somethings from it Hos 4.11 I have called my Sonne out of Egypt These words are not in the Samaritan Copie So these words Zach. 12.10 They shall behold him whom they pierced Reason 4 If this Samaritan Copie were the
originall Copie what is the reason that Origen setteth it not downe in his Octupla as hee hath done other translations and what is the reason that Hierome never citeth it nor followeth it in his translation if it be the originall Reason 5 Fiftly the manner of the Samaritans writing sheweth that this was not the originall which Moses received from the Lord and delivered to the people of God afterwards as you may perceive in the page following out of Exod. 31. from vers 12. to 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exemplar Samaritanum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebraiè sic Et dixit Iehova Mosi dicendo Latinè sic tu al loquere filios Israel dicendo nunc il la Sabbatha mea serua tote quia signum est in terme inter vos per generationes vestras ad cognoscēdū quod ego Iehova sanctificans vos et observate Sabbathum quia sanc tum erit illis profanātes illud morte morietur quia omnis faciens in illa opus utique excinde turanima il la emedio populorum suorum s ex di ebus opera beris opus in die septimo Sabbathū sabbatulū sanctum Ie hovae omnis faciens o-pus in die illo sabbathi morte morietur observanto filij Israel ipsum sabbathum celebrando sabbathum per generationes suas faedere aeter no interme inter filios Israel signum erit in aeternum quia sex diebus fecit Iehoua caelum et terram in die septimo quievit et respiravit Exod. 31.12 In English thus And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying 13. Speake thou also unto the Children of Israel saying verily my Sabbaths shall ye keepe for it is a Signe betweene me you throughout your generations that yee may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctifie you 14. Ye shall keepe the Sabbath therefore for it is holy unto you every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death for whosoever doth any worke therein that Soule shall be cut off from amongst his people 15. Sixe dayes may worke bee done but in the Seventh is the Sabbath of rest holinesse to the Lord whosoever doth any worke in the Sabbath day hee shall surely bee put to death 16. Wherefore the Children of Israel shall keepe the Sabbath to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetuall Covenant 17. It is a signe betweene me and the children of Israel for ever for in sixe dayes the Lord made heaven and earth and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed Observe the forme of this writing of the Samaritans and yee shall finde it to be meere Cabbalisticall by which they would finde out the diverse readings in framing the lines words and letters and setting them downe after such a curious forme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Cabbalists doe by their Gematrija notaricon and temura that is by the number of letters the diverse significations of them and the diverse situation and placing of them they make diverse senses in the Scriptures as by elbham and ethbhash sometimes putting the last letters for the first and the first for the last sometimes reading up and downe sometimes crosswayes and sometimes from the left hand to the right this we may see in this example of the Samaritan Copie where they summe up the observation the breach and punishment of the Sabbath in a round circle which curiosity the Spirit of God never used in writing the holy Scriptures Christ speaking of the originall Text and the perpetuity of the Law which we have he saith One jote or one title of the Law shall not passe in the originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answerable to the Hebrew Iod and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is not properly translated A tittle as if it made a difference betwixt some letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the top of Daleth from Resh for the Syriacke calleth it Sharat incisura vel incisio the small lines which are in ones hand The meaning is then that not one part of a letter neyther the least letter nor any part of the least letter shall perish hence we may reason from Christs words In that copie whereof the Lord speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Iod must be the least letter but in the Samaritan copie Iod is not the least but the biggest of all the Letters therefore the Samaritan copie is not that copie which Christ spake of י Hebrae but the Hebrew as we may see by the difference of the Letters in the margent here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Samarit hence we may gather that this Samaritan letter was abolished in Christs time and therefore wee ought neyther to imbrace the copie nor the Characters as authenticke or originall The Conclusion of this is Conclusion If the light that is in the body be darkenesse how great is that darkenesse Matth. 6.23 The Scriptures are the light of the Church and if the originall Text were corrupted Instrumenta gratiae conjuncta remota how great were the darkenesse of the body God hath Conjuncta instrumenta remota instrumenta gratiae Remota instrumenta gratiae are the Preachers and their writings and they may be corrupted But Conjuncta instrumenta gratiae are the Prophets and Apostles and their writings these the Lord kept from errour and corruption for the good of his Church EXERCITAT XIII That no Canonicall booke is perished Matth. 5.18 Heaven and earth shall passe one jote or one tittle shall no wayes passe from the Law till all be fulfilled WHen a thing wanteth an essentiall part this is the greatest want Secondly when it wanteth an integrall part this is likewise a great defect Defectus Partis essentialis partis integratis ornamenti accidentalis And thirdly when it wanteth accidentall ornaments When the soule is separated from the body here is a separation of the essentiall parts When a man wanteth a hand or a foote then he wanteth an integrall part And when hee wanteth his cloathes hee wanteth some ornaments No booke in the Scripture wanteth any essentiall part There is no booke in the Scripture that wanteth any essentiall part for the Law and the Gospel which are essentiall parts Vide Iunium in Iudam and Perkins reformed Catholike are found in every booke Secondly the Scripture wanteth no integrall part since the Canon was sealed before the Canon was sealed they had as much as served for their infancie but after that it was sealed the whole Canon was compleate and none of those Bookes perished Gods care in preserving the Scriptures Great was the care which the Lord had to preserve the Scriptures First hee commanded the Levites to take the booke of the Law written by Moyses and to put it in the side of the Arke of the covenant of the Lord Deut. 31.26 Secondly the Lord commanded
the King when he should sit upon the Throne of his kingdome to write a Copie of this Law Deut. 17.18 and the Iewes adde further that he was bound to write out two copies one which he should keepe in his treasurie and another which he should carry about with him and they say moreover if Printing had beene found out then yet hee was bound to write them out with his owne hand Thirdly the Lord commanded the Prophets to write their visions upon Tables 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocant Graeci and to make them plaine Habak 2.2 Esay 8.1 and the Seventy read it to be graven upon the bush tree which is a sort of wood that corrupteth not and it will preserve that which is written upon it and it were to the worlds end Bookes necessary for the Church albeit lost yet they were found againe Fourthly when any booke which was necessary for the use of the Church was lost the Lord had a care that that booke should be found againe as the booke of the law found by Hilkiah 2 King 22.8 Or the Lord endited it anew againe when it was lost as when Iehojakim cut the roule of the lamentations of Ieremie yet the Lord inspired him a new againe to indite this booke to his Scribe Baruch Iere. 36.32 because he thought it necessary still for the Church therefore he would not have it to perish Fiftly in that generall destruction which the Babylonians made at Ierusalem burning their houses and robbing them of their goods The Israelites kept the musicall instruments in the captivity to put them in minde of the worship of God yet as Hierome and Basil observe well it was a speciall providence of God that they should leave to those captives their instruments of Musicke wherewith they used to serve God in the Temple that they might preserve some memorie of their former worship they brought these instruments to Babel with them Psal 137.2 we hung our harpes on willowes If the Lord had such a care of these instruments to have them preserved for his praise much more care had he to have the Scriptures preserved which taught them to worship and he who had a particular care of the parts of the Scripture before it was compleate and numbreth the haires of our heads Matth. 10.30 and the starres of the heavens Psal 147.4 will he not have a speciall care that none of these Bookes should perish which are canonicall That fable of Esdras then is to be rejected lib. 4. The fable of Esdras rejected cap. 4.23 So cap. 14.21 to the 24. verse he sheweth how the booke of God was lost in the Captivity and that Esdras the Scribe by holy inspiration wrote it all anew againe but this is false see we not how Daniel read out of the prophesie of Ieremie how long the captivitie should last Dan. 2.9 The booke of God then was not lost in the captivity and written anew againe by Esdras Esdras wrote nothing of the Scriptures but onely set the bookes in order but onely he set the bookes in order after the captivity nihil ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fecit sed ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee did nothing in correcting the booke of God but onely set it downe in order But we reade often times in the Scriptures of many Bookes wanting now which were extant before as the Bookes of the battels of the Lord Ans Num. 21.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By this it cannot bee inferred that any canonicall booke is perished for this word Sepher signifieth a relation as well by word as by write Secondly although wee grant that it was a written booke yet it will not follow that it was a holy Booke Thirdly although we grant that it was an holy booke yet it will not follow that it was a canonicall booke The bookes of the Chronicles of the Kings of Iuda and Israel were but civill records Some things written by the Prophets not as they were Prophets and belonged nothing to the canon of the Scriptures Secondly some bookes that were written by the Prophets were not written by them as they were Prophets Salomon wrote of Hearbes Trees and Plants 1 King 4.33 But what bookes were these They were but bookes of things which were under the Moone and of things corruptible and because they served not for the edification of the Church afterwards Hezekiah buried Salomons bookes of physick therefore the Lord suffered them to perish Suidas saith that the booke which Salomon wrote of Physicke was affixed upon the gate in the entrie of the Temple and because the people trusted too much in it neglecting the Lord as Asa put his trust in the Physitians 2 Chro. 13. therefore Hezekiah caused to pull away this booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and bury it And the Talmud saith that Hezekiah did two memorable things First Ganaz Sepher rephuoth Abscondit librum medicinarum He hid the bookes of Physicke which Salomon had written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And secondly Cathath nahhash hannehhushoth shegnashe Moshe Comminuit aeneum serpentem quem fecerat Moses He brake the brasen Serpent which Moyses made Salomon spake three thousand Proverbes 1 King 4.32 yet of all these Proverbes scarce eyght hundred are put in the Canon Some of these Proverbes the servants of Hezekiah King of Iuda copied out Prov. 25.1 And as they saw the King their master bury Salomons booke which he knew was hurtfull to the Church Salomoni Proverbs and Songs which were not profitable to the Church perished so those servants copied out these Proverbes which were profitable for the Church whereas the rest perished So Salomon wrote a thousand and five Songes of all which Songes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est utriusque numeri quae vel quod the Lord made choyse but of one to be insert in the Canon which is called the Song of Songes or canticum canticorum quae Salomonis rather then canticum canticorum quod Salomonis it was the most excellent Song of all Salomons Songs rather then the excellentest Song compared with other Songes But all bookes written by thē for the whole Church none of them are perished as the Prophesies of Nathan Ahija and Iddo For Burgensis observeth well upon 1 Chro. 29. That the first booke of Samuel is holden to be written by Samuel himselfe So the second Booke of Samuel and the second booke of the Kings were written by Nathan and Gad who lived with David and Salomon and wrote untill the death of Salomon then Iddo and Ahija wrote the historie following of Ieroboam interlacing somethings of Salomon and Rehoboam Object 1 Chron. 29.29 Now the acts of David the King first and last behold they are written in the booke of Samuel the Seer and in the booke of Nathan the Prophet and in the booke of Gad the Seer with all his reigne and his might and the times that went over him and over Israel and all
Cetubhim which the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy writings all the Scriptures are holy writings but usually these that were not confirmed by Vrim and Thummim are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Prophets are divided in Rishonim Acharonim the former and the Latter the former Prophets are Ioshua Iudges 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings and 2 Kings They are called the former Prophets because they intreat of the historie past and present Act. 3.24 Yea and all the Prophets from Samuel and those that follow after Samuel is sayd to be the first of the Prophets therefore Iere. 15.1 Though Moses and Samuel stood before me Samuel is the first of the Prophets then it is most probable that he wrote the bookes of Ioshua and Iudges Ioshua is the first in order of the Prophets therefore the Haptorath which is set upon it is called Haphtorah laetitiae legis They were glad when they ended the Law and began the Prophets But Samuel seemeth to bee the writer of this booke Others call them the first Prophets because they saw the first Temple and they call them the latter Prophets because they prophesied in the time of the second Temple as Haggai Malachi Zacharie But they are all rather to bee called Acharonim latter Prophets because they foretell things to come and they are divided into the great Prophets and into the small The great Prophets are Isaiah Ieremiah Ezekiel and Daniel The latter Prophets are called Teresar pro Tere gnasar that is two and ten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 duodecem and the Greekes called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is a Testimonie cited by Matthew cap. 2.23 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophets This Testimonie is found but in one of the Small prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet it is said to bee spoken by the Prophets and they gave this to be the reason because all these Twelve small Prophets were joyned in one booke The Conclusion of this is Conclusion First the Lord hath summed up all that he requireth of us in one word Love Rom. 13 10. Love is the fulfilling of the Law Then hee hath enlarged this word in two Mat. 22.37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy selfe Thirdly hee hath enlarged these two into ten words Deut. 10.4 And hee wrote on the Tables the ten words Fourthly hee hath enlarged them into Moses and the Prophets Mat. 22.40 On these two Commandements hang all the Law and the Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pendent even as wee hang a thing upon a Naile Esay 22.23 So the Law and the Prophets hang upon these two EXERCITAT XVII Of the Division of the Psalmes Act. 13.33 As it is also written in the second Psalme Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee THe Psalmes are divided in five bookes as the five Bookes of Moses and the five Bookes joyned together called Quinque volumina as Canticles Ruth Lamentations Ecclesiastes and Esther The first booke of the Psalmes endeth with the 41. Psalme The second endeth with the 72 Psalme The third with the 89. The fourth with the 106. The fift with the 150. Psalme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and these bookes end with the same words Baruch Iehova Elohe Iisrael mehagnolam vegnad hagnolam Amen veamen Blessed bee the Lord God of Israel from Everlasting to Everlasting Amen Amen Psal 41.13 so the rest of the bookes for the most part end thus And hence wee may gather that this verse was added by him who set the Psalmes in order and not by those who wrote the rest of the Psalmes This may appeare by the conclusion of Davids Psalme of thankesgiving 1 Chro. 16.36 That they have borrowed their conclusion at the end of every booke from the conclusion of this Psalme David wrote the first two bookes of the Psalmes and set them in order The first two bookes were written by David and they end thus So end the Prayers of David the Sonne of Iâ—ffe Psal 27.30 That is here end the Psalmes which were both written and set in order by David The other three bookes were written by diverse Authors as by David Asaph the sonnes of Korah Ieduthun Moses Heman the Ezrite and when the writer of the Psalme is not set downe the Iewes hold that hee who wrote the former wrote that Psalme also Asaph wrote thirteene Psalmes Leasaph 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lamed is somtimes a note of the genitive case and sometimes of the Dative case ל Aliquando est nota Genitivs aliquando Dativi and therefore some have interpreted the word Mizmor leasaph a Psalme dedicat to Asaph to be sung be him but it should be Translated a Psalme of Asaph for Asaph was a Prophet 2 Chron. 39.30 Moreover Hezekiah and the Princes commanded the Levites to sing praises unto the Lord with the words of David and Asaph the Seer And the style of Asaph is harder then the Style of David The second who wrote these Psalmes were the Sonnes of Korah and they wrote ten in number The sonne of Korah wrote some of the Psalmes the posteritie of Korah died not in the rebellion with their Father Num. 26.11 Some of his posteritie wrote before the captivitie and foretold of the captivitie as the Psal 73 74. And some of them when they were in the captivitie So some when they were returning from the captivitie as 66. Some after they were returned as 85. and 147. So Moses wrote a Psalme of the shortnesse of the life of man Moyses wrote a Psalme this Psalme was written when they were in the Wildernesse and yet it was not registred in the Canon till after the captivitie Thus we see the watchfull eye of God that had a care to preserve these bookes which were to bee insert in the Canon that none of them should perish So these Psalmes which were written by Ieduthun and by Ethan the Ezrite who were of the posterity of the Levites Ieduthun and Ethan wrote some of the Psalmes The Levites dutie was to teach the People and so the Lord made those Levites teachers of the people by their songs Of the inscriptions of the Psalmes THe Psalmes generally are intituled Tehilim praises because the most of them are songes of prayse The generall inscription of the Psalmes is Tehilim therefore the whole are so called The particular Inscriptions of them are eyther easily understood or hardly to be understood at all The inscriptions easie to bee understood are these First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lamnatzeahh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the chiefe Musitian The singers were divided into so many orders and every one sang according to their courses and when it befell the chiefe Musitian to sing then he caused to sing this Psalme committed to him The next title is Maschil a Psalme for instruction These were Psalmes which