been an introduction unto him not that his faith rested upon it as a finall stay but that it caused him so farre to respect the word of the Gospell to listen unto it and with a kind of acquisite and humane faith to believe it that he was thereby fitted to a better illumination by force whereof he might more certainly believe it to be of God But that the testimony of one Father in one place in a matter of such consequence should be of that force it is strange We deny not the ministery of the Church as an externall meanes to move us to imbrace the word of God but we deny the authority of the Church to be the principall meanes When we call the Scriptures Canonicall we call them not so passively because they are received into the Canon by men and accepted of but actively because they prescribe a Canon and rule to us The office of the Church in respect of the Scripture stands in foure things 1. To distinguish Canonicall Scripture from that which is not Canonicall although the determination of the Church be not the onely or chiefest cause why the Apocrypha are rejected 2. To be a faithfull keeper of those books which are inspired by God like a notary which keepeth publique writings 3. To publish declare and teach the truth as a cryer with a loud voyce ought to pronounce the Kings edicts but to pretermit adde or alter nothing Matth. 28. 19 20. Acts 8. 35. 1 Tim. 3. 15. This Church here is not that Church which the Papists make to be the Judge of controversies neither the Church representative which is a generall Councell nor the Church virtuall which they imagine to be the Pope but the Church Essentiall the congregation of all faithfull believers the House of God as he calleth it The Apostle here speaks of a pillar not more Architectonico understanding by it some essentiall piece of the building but more forensi such a post or pillar on which Tables and Proclamations use to hang. In old time the Gentiles used to write their Lawes in Tables and so hang them upon pillars of stone that the people might read them as Proclamations are nailed to posts in market Towns The Apostle describing the Church likeneth it to one of these pillars whose use was to shew what hung thereon It is pillar not because it holds up but holds forth the truth 4. To interpret the Scripture by the Scripture Since many things in Scripture are doubtfull and hard to be understood without an Interpreter Acts 8. 31. it doth belong to the Church to expound the same to interpret and give the sence Nehem. 8. 8 9. Luke 24. 27. provided that this exposition be by the Scriptures Some of the Papists say that the Church may condere artioulos fidei facere canonicum quo ad nos and though they talke of Councels and Fathers yet all is as the Pope concludes The testimony and tradition of the Church especially the Primitive Church is necessary to know that the Gospell of Matthew is divine Scripture by an historicall and acquired faith to know this by a divine and infured faith besides the authority of the Church the matter character and contents of every booke and comparing of it with other Scriptures doe serve as an inward cause to produce the said infused faith Ob. We are sent to the Church to determine all controversies 1 Cor. 11. 16. Sol. Controversies are either dogmaticall concerning faith or rituall concerning true order the proposition is about these not the first Secondly from this fundamentall truth that the Scripture is immediately from God the basis indeed of all religion 1 Cor. 15. the wickednesse of the Church of Rome is farther to be condemned which will not suffer the Scriptures to be read in their Churches but in an unknowne tongue nor in private by the common people without speciall leave and certaine cautions from their superiours Of old they would not suffer them to be read at all of late they are forced to give licences to some and they teach them that they should not make the Scripture judge of the doctrine and practice of the Church but the doctrine and practise of the Church must be the interpreter and judge of the meaning of the Scripture that is they must take the Scripture to meane none otherwise whatsoever it seem to say then what is agreeable to that which the Pope doth teach and practice There cannot be a surer signe of a bad cause then that it feares to be tried by the writings which it selfe cannot deny to be written by God for correction for reproofe for instruction in righteousnesse Some Papists are more modest herein as Bellarmine l. 2. de verbo Dei c. 15. Catholica Ecclesia statuit ne passim omnibus concedatur Scripturae lectio some more rigid as Huntly and Hosiua The Papists object the obscursity of Scriptures as an argument to hinder lay-men from reading them and account it a matter of profanation to allow men women and children and all promiscuously the use of the vulgar translation and thinke they will rather be hurt then benefited by them taking occasion of erring from them Hosius urgeth that give not holy things to dogs cast not Pearles before Swine to prove the people must be barred from reading of the Scriptures It is Pope Innocents glosse a beast might not touch the mount a lay-man might not meddle with Scripture Lindan saith nihil noxae inferretur in Ecclesiam salvâ— traditionis fundamento if there were no Bible and another Scriptura citius faciet Haereticum Lutherarum quam Catholicum Because we will have all proved by Scripture and make that the compleat rule for what we believe or doe in all Theologicall matters they call us Scripturarios Scripturemen and atram entarios Theologos and so to carry or read a Bible is matter of scoffe we may stile them in Tertullians phrase Scripturarum Lucifugae Traditionaries Saint Gregory who is blessed in their Church exhorteth a lay-man to the serious study of the Scriptures that thereby he might learne the will of God alledging that the Scripture is the Epistle of God unto his creature Quid est autem Scriptura sacra nisi Epistola omnipotentis Dei ad Creaturam Greg. lib. 4. epist. 40. ad Theodorum medicum Proving further that obscurity of Scripture is so frothy an argument for perswading any devout Christian not to read them that it should rather incite them to greater diligence therein and therefore he elegantly compares the Scripture to a River wherein saith he there are as well shallow fords for Lambs to wade in as depths and gulphs wherein the Elephant may swim Chrysostome held it a thing necessary for all men daily to read the Scriptures Audite quaeso saeculares comparate vobis Biblia animae pharmaca Saint Jerome did exhort divers women thereto and commended
that time of the writing of the new Testament did speake Syriacke and not Hebrew which language is mixt consisting of Hebrew and Chaldee therefore saith Whitaker it is more probable that Matthew and he which wrote the Epistle to the Hebrewes wrote in Greek because the Greeke tongue was not unknowne to the Jewes which were Hellenists Act. 6. 1. and other Apostles wrote in Greeke which wrote peculiarly to the Jewes as JAmes and Peter Matthaeum Hebraicè scripsisse convenit inter antiquos Citat Irenaeum Origenem Athanasium Epiphanium Chrysostomum Hieronymum Vossius de genere Christi dissertat Scripsit Haebraea lingua quiae praecipuè Judoeorum quos viva voce hactenus docuisset haberet rationem Id. ibid. vide Grotium in libros Evangel It was needfull that the Gospell should be written by many First for the certainty Secondly for the perfection of it Amongst all the Evangelists there is a Generall agreement and a speciall difference they all agree in the maine scope and Subject Christ they differ in the speciall argument and order All describe the life of Christ some more largely some more briefely some more loftily some more plainely yet because all were inspired by the same Spirit they all have equall authority The difference of Evangelists in some smaller matters proveth their consent in the greater to be the voyce of truth for had they conspired all together to have deceived the world they would in all things have more fully agreed The doctrine of the Covenant of grace is more plainly expounded the will of God and way to salvation more plentifully set down in the new Testament then ever it was in the daies of Moses or the Prophets and in these bookes of the new Testament all things are so established as to continue to the end so that we must not looke for any new revelation All these Bookes we receive as Canonicall because they are divine for matter and forme divinely inspired by God sanctified and given to the Church for their direction written by the Apostles or Apostolicall men sweetly consenting with other parts of holy Scripture and with themselves received alwaies by the greatest part of the Church of God They were written after the death of Christ by the direction of the holy Ghost the Apostles by lively voyce first preached because it was needfull that the doctrine of the Gospell should by their preaching as also by signes and wonders be confirmed against the contradictions and cavils of the Jewes and Gentiles and allowed by the assent of believers generally before it was committed to writing that we might be assured of the certainty of those things which were written These bookes are acknowledged Canonicall both by us and the Papists so that touching this matter there is no controversie between us and them The Epistles doubted of by some for a while were first the Epistle to the Hebrews the Epistle of JAmes the second Epistle of Peter the second and third Epistles of John the Epistle of Jude and the Revelation of which I shall treate more when I come to handle the bookes of the new Testament particularly The story of the woman taken in adultery hath met with very much opposition See Gregories preface to his notes upon some passages of Scripture Crojus defends the truth of it Observat. in nov Testam c. 17. Vide Seldeni uxorem Ebraicam c. 11. The inscriptions and titles prefixed before the Epistles are no part of holy Scripture written by the Apostles but added to the Epistles by some others The Subscriptions and Postscrips also of divers bookes are false counterfeit and erroneous not written by the Apostles but added afterward by the Scribes which copied out the Epistles The subscriptions of the latter Epistle to Timothy and also to Titus are supposititious they are neither found in the Syriacke nor in all Greeke copies nor yet in the vulgar Latin translation these additions were made some 100 yeeres after the Apostles The Canonicall Bookes of the new Testament are either Historicall Doctrinall or Propheticall 1. Historicall containing matters of fact the history of 1. Christ exhibited in the foure Evangelists or Gospels as they are stiled by God himselfe Marke 1. 1. Matthew Marke Luke and John so called because they containe a message of joy and gladnesse They all treate of one subject Christ Jesus incarnate most true Historians Luke 1. 2. John 21. 24. 2. His Apostles in the Acts written by Luke thirty yeeres after Christs ascention so termed of the principall subject of the History though the acts of others not Apostles are there recorded Dogmaticall or Doctrinall such as were written by the Apostles for the instruction of the Church of God in faith and manners commonly called Epistles and that by warrant of the Scriptures 1 Thess. 5. 27. 2 Pet. 3. 1. 16. because they were sent to them who had already received and professed the Gospell of God These are 21. written 1. By Paul 1. To whole Churches To the Romans Corinthians Galathians Ephesians Philippians Colossians Thessalonians 1. Gentiles 2. Jewes To the Hebrews 2. To particular persons 1. Timothy 2. Titus 3. Philemon 2. JAmes one 3. Peter two 4. John three 5. Jude one 3. Propheticall wherein under certaine resemblances the state of the Church of Christ till the end of the wolrd from the time of John the Evangelist is most truely and wonderfully described and receiveth its name Apoealyps of the Argument Beza Piscator Calvin Erasmus have doâ—e well on all the new Testament Of the Papists Jansenius hath done well on the harmony of the Lutherans Chemnitus and Gerhard of the Protestants Calvin Maldonate de Dieu Cameron Scultetus and Grotius have done well likewise on the Evangelists Matthew and John were Apostle of the twelve Marke and Luke Evangelists Apostles is a name of office or dignity It notes one sent from another with command in speciall certain famous Ambassadours of Christ. The Evangelists accompanied the Apostles in preaching the Gospell Matthew There was never any in the Church which doubted of its authority Some say he wrote in Hebrew but that is uncertaine as hath been already declared He interprets the Hebrew name Emanuel Chap. 1. 23. and those words Chap. 27. v. 46. therefore it is likely he wrote not in Hebrew for why should one that writeth in Hebrew interpret Hebrew words to such as understand Hebrew and how came this authenticall Copy and Prototype to be lost for it is not now extant How ever the Greeke edition is Authenticall because it came forth when the Apostles were living and was approved by them which the Ancients confirme Of the time when Matthew wrote Authours agree not Eusebius saith that he wrote in the third yeere of Cajus Caesar others say he wrote after Claudius He wrote his Gospell in the fifteenth yeere after Christs ascention saith Nicephorus the 21 saith Irenaeus in the eighth yeere saith Theophylact.
both from all prophane and Sacred writings and Paul honours it with this Elogie a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation 1 Tim. 1. 15. a more sure word 2 Pet. 1. 19. the Comparative for the Superlative in which there is no doubting and uncertainty but all things firme As God is Iâ—hovah of himself so is his word autoritative of it selfe and is true and to be obeyed whether thou think it Scripture or no. There is no higher authority for thee to appeale to it is above opinions of men conscience and therefore it must determine all controversies 2. It is true and certaine verity is affirmed of the Scriptures primarily internally and by reason of it selfe which is called the truth of the object which is an abâ—olute and most perfect agreement of all things delivered in the Scripture with the first truth or divine will of which the Scripture is a symbole and lively Image so that all things are delivered in it as the Holy Ghost hath dictated whence those honourable titles are given to it the Scripture is called a sure word 2 Pet. 1. 19. Psal. 19. 7. the Scripture of truth Dan. 10. ult words of truth Eccles. 12. 10. Yea truth it self John 17. 17. having the God of truth for the Authour Christ Jesus the truth for the witnesse the Spirit of truth for the Composer of it and it worketh truth in the hearts of those which heare it 2 Pet. 2. 2. The Apostle preferres the Scripture before the Revelation made by Angâ—ls Gal. 1. 8. Christ commends the certainty of it above all other sorts of Revelation 1 Pet. 1. 19. above information from the dead Luke 16. 31. The word of God is not onely true but eminently true truth it selfe prima veritas and pura veritas The Scripture hath a twofold truth 1. Of assertion it containeth no errour 2. Of promise there is no unfaithfulnesse in it The first truth referres to the matter which is signified properly called truth or verity The second referres to the intention of the Speaker which is properly called veracite or fidelity the latter is implyed Psal. 19. thy Testimonies are sure and so the sure mercies of David the former is implyed in that the word is purer then Gold 7 times refined There are two signes of truth in the Scripture 1. The particularity of it it names particulars in genealogies dolosus versatur in generalibus 2. Impartiality toward friends and their adversaries the most holy men have their faults described they give due commendation to their adversaries The truth of Scripture is 1. More then any humane truth of sense or reason 2. Above all naturall reason as the doctrine of the Trinity the incarnation of Christ justification by faith in Christ. 3. A truth which evidenceth it self 4. The standard of all truth nothing is true in doctrin or worship which is not agreeable to this 3. The Scripture is the rule of faith and manners It is termed Canonicall generally by the Fathers of the word Canon which signifieth a rule because it containes a worthy rule of religion faith and godlinessâ— according whereunto the building of the house of God must be sitted These properties saith Suarez are required in a rule 1. That it be known and easie the Scripture is a light 2. That it be first in its kind and so the measure of all the rest 3. It must be inflexible 4. Universall 1. It is a perfect rule of faith and obedience and able to instruct us sufficiently in all points of faith or doctrinals which we are bound to beleeve and all good duties or practicals which we are bound to practise Whatsoever is needfull to beleeve or to doe to please God and save our soules is to be found here whatsoever is not here found is not needfull to beleeve and practise for felicity Christ proveth the resurrection of the dead being an article of our faith against the Sadduces Matth. 22. 32. and the use of the Sabbath being a rule of life against the Pharisees by an inference made from the Scripture Matth. 12. 7. The Heads of the Creed and Decalogue are plainely laid downe in Scripture therefore there we have a perfect rule of faith and manners It is a rule 1. For faith Jerome in his controversie with Helvidius saith Credimus quia legimus non credimus quia non legimus We beleeve because we read we doe not beleeve because we doe not read Christ often saith have ye not read is it not written what is written in the Law Luke 10. 26. faith and the word of God must run parallel This we first beleeve when we doe beleve saith Tertullian that we ought to beleeve nothing beyond Scripture When we say all matters of doctrine and faith are contained in the Scripture we understand as the Ancient Fathers did not that all things are literally and verbally contained in the Scripture but that all are either expressed therein or by necessary consequence may be drawne from thence All controversies about religion are to be decided by the Scripture Deut. 12. 32. and 4. 2. Josh. 1. 7. Franciscus de Sâ—lis a Popish Bishop saith the Gospell was honoured so much that it was brought into the Councell and set in the midst of them and to determine matters of faith as if Christ had been there 2. It is a perfect rule for our lives and practise Psal. 19. 11. and Psal. 119. 9. In the Scriptures there are delivered remedies against all vices and meanes are there laid down for the attaining of all vertues We must follow the Scriptures exactly and not swerve to the right hand or left a metaphore taken from a way or rule saith Chamier when Linacer a learned English man heard the beginning of the 5. of Matthew read Blessed are the poore in spirit c. he broke forth into these words either these sayings are not Christs or we are not Christians It is a perfect not a partiall and insufficient rule as the Papiâ—â—s make it as God is a perfect God so his word is a perfect word if it be but a partiall rule then it doth not perfectly direct and he that should perfectly doe the will of God revealed in Scripture should not yet be perfect Secondly if the Scripture be a partiall rule then men are bound to be wise above that which is written that is above the Law and Gospell Regula fidei debet esse adaequata fidei aut regula non erit Whitakerus 1. All addition and detraction are forbidden to be made by any man to the word Deut. 4. 2. and 12. 32. Deut. 5. 32. Gal. 1. 8. 2. The Scripture is said to be perfect to beget heavenly and saving wisdome Psal. 19. 8. 2 Tim. 3 15 16 17. 3. Men in the matter of faith and Religion are sent to the Scripture onely 2. The Scripture is an Infallible rule Luke 1. 4. of which thou hast had a full assent Regularectè definitur
of Scripture John 14. 26. he that teacheth all things omitteth nothing Christ said all things to his Apostles as appeares John 15. 15. and 17. 8. John 16. 13. 2. By reasons drawne from thence 1. The plentifull pouring forth of the spirit was deferred till the glorifying of Christ he being glorified it was no longer to be delayed Christ being exalted on the right hand of God obtained the Spirit promised and that was not according to measure and poured the same in such abundance as it could be poured forth and received by men so that was fulfilled which was foretold by Joel 2. 28. Act. 2. 33. John 3. 34. 35. Act. 2. 16 17. 2. The Scripture and the prophesies of the old Testament doe teach and declare that all Divine truth should fully and at once be manifested by the Messias who is the onely Prophet High-Priest and King of his Church there is no other Revelation promised none other needfull besides that which was made by him Esay 11. 9. Act 3. 23. 24. Joel 2. 23. Vide Mercerum in loc therefore the last inspiration was made to the Apostles and none other to be expected The doctrine of the Law and the Prophets did suffice to salvation yet it did send the Fathers to expect somewhat more perfect 1 Pet. 1. 10 but to the preaching of the Gospell nothing is to be added we are not sent to waite for any clearer vision 3. So long as any truth needfull to be known was unrevealed or not plainly taught the Lord did stirre up some Prophet or other to teach the same unto the Church therefore the Lord surceaâ—ng to speake since the publishing of the Gospell of Jesus Christ and the delivery of the same in writing is unto us a manifest token that the whole will of God is now brought to light and that no new Revelation is to be expected Our 7th Proposition is Christ and his Apostles were able to propound and teach by lively voyce that doctrine which pertaines to perfection John 1. 18. and 11. 11. 32. John 8. 26. and the Apostles perfectly taught all things which are or shall be necessary for the Church Act. 20. 27. Gal. 1. 7. 8. 9. The doctrine of repentance and remission of sinnes in the name of Christ doth summarily containe all things necessarily to salvation Act. 5. 31. and 11. 11. but this doctrine the Apostles preached Act. 13. 38. 39. Luke 24. 47. The word of God is not onely Milke for Babes but strong Meat for men of ripe yeares 1 Cor. 3. 1. 2. Heb. 5. 14. and 6. 1. 2. therefore it containeth not onely matter of preparation but of perfection Or 8th Proposition is The sum and substance of that heavenly doctrine which was taught by the Prophets and Apostles was by them committed to writing the Holy Ghost giving them a commandement and guiding their hands therein that they could not erre so that the word preached and written by them is one in substance both in respect of matter which is the will and word of God and inward forme viz. the divine truth immediately inspired though different in the externall forme and manner of delivery Our 9th Proposition is that nothing is necessary to be known of Christians over and above that which is found in the old Testament which is not clearly and evidently contained in the Bookes of the Apostles and Evangelists Our last Proposition is that all things which have beene are or shall be necessary to the salvation of the Church to the end of the world are perfectly contained in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles long since divinely inspired written and published and now received by the Church of God so that now no new Revelation or Tradition beside those inspired published and comprehended in the Scripture are necessary for the salvation of the Church There are 3 opinions 1. Of the Papists who altogether deny it 2. Of the Socinians which would have all things expressely contained in Scripture and if it be not totidem verbis they reject it 3. Of the Orthodoxe who say it containes all things expressely or by consequence The expresse testimonies of Scripture forbidding even Angels to adde any thing to those things which are commanded by the Lord doe prove the perfection of the Scripture Deut. 4. 5. 12. and 12. 32. and 30. 10. and 5. 12 13 14. and 28. 58. Josh. 1. 7 8. Prov. 30. 5. wherefore the Apostle commands that no man presume above that which is written 1. Cor. 4. 6. 2 Tim. 3. 15 16. Divers reasons may be drawn from this famous place to prove the perfection of the Scripture 1. The Apostle teacheth that the Scriptures are able to make a man wise to salvation therefore there needeth no further counsell nor direction thereunto but out of the Scriptures 2 The Scriptures are able to make the man of God that is the Minister of the word perfect and compleat unto every worke of his Ministery whether it be by teaching true doctrine or confuting false by exhorting and setting forward to that which is good or dehorting from that which is evill Paul would not have us thinke that all and every writing viz. of Plato Aristotle is divinely inspired for in the 15. v. he not onely useth the plurall number calling them the holy * writings thereby to note the word of God and not one sentence or Booke but all the sentences and Bookes of the Scripture and also useth the Article which hath force of an universall note therefore the Greeke word the whole Scripture signifieth the whole altogether and not every part severally in this place 2. No one part of holy Scripture is able to make the Minister perfect therefore it must needs be understood of the whole body of holy Scripture wherein this sufficiency is to be found The Ancient Fathers and other Divines have from this place proved the perfection and sufficiency of the Scripture in all things necessary to salvation We doe not reason thus as the Papists charge us it is profitable therefore it is sufficient but because 1. The Scripture is profitable for all these ends viz. to teach sound doctrine to refute false opinions to instruct in holy life and correct ill manners therefore it is sufficient or it is profitable to all those functions of the Ministery that a Minister of the Church may be perfect therefore muchâ—more for the people Argumentum non nititur unica illa voce utilis sed toto sententiae camplexu Chamierus Hitherto of the perfection of the Scripture absolutely considered now followes the sufficiency thereof in opposition to unwritten traditions or verities as the Papists speake Doctor Davenant premiseth these things for the better understanding of the sufficiency of the Scripture 1. We speake of the State of the Church saith he in which God hath ceased to speake to men by the Prophets or Apostles divinely inspired and to lay open new Revelations to his
Church 2. We grant that the Apostâ—es living and preaching and the Canon of the New Testament being not yet sealed their Gospell delivered viva voce was no lesse a rule of faith and worship then the writings of Moses and the Prophets 3. We doe not reject all the traditions of the Church for we embrace certaine Historicall and Ceremoniall ones but we deny that opinions of faith or precepts of worship can be confirmed by unwritten traditions 4. We call that an opinion of faith to speake properly and strictly when a Proposition is revealed by God which exceeds the capacity of nature and is propounded to be beleeved as necessary to be knowne to salvation Fundamentall opinions are those which by a usuall and proper name are called Articles of faith 5. What is not in respect of the matter an Article of saith may be a Proposition to be beleeved with a Theologicall faith if you looke to the manner of revealing as that the Sunne is a great light the Moone a lesse Gen. 1. 16. that Rachel was beautifull Leah bleare-eyed The Papists doe not cease to accuse the Scripture of imperfection and insufficiency as not containing all things necessary to salvation The Councell of Trent sess 4. decret 1. Saith that the truth and discipline is contained in libris scriptis sine scripto traditionibus The Papists generally divide the word of God into the word written and traditions They affirme that there are many things belonging to Christian faith which are neither contained in the Scriptures openly nor secretly This opinion is maintained by the Papists but it was not first invented by them The Jewish Fathers did use the traditions of the Elders and it hath been said of old Marke 7. 5. Matth. 5. 21. for their errours and superstitions yea at length they affirmed firmed that God gave to Moses in mount Sinai the Scripture and the Cabala or a double Law the one written the other unwritten The Tridentine Fathers session 4th doe command Traditions to be received with the same reverend affection and piety with which we embrace the Scripture and because one Bishop in the Councell of Trent refused this he was excluded In the meane space they explaine not what those traditions are which must be so regarded none of them would ever give us a list and Catalogue of those Ordinances which are to be defended by the authority of unwritten traditions not of the word committed to writing onely they affirme in generall whatsoever they teach or doe which is not in the Scripture that it is to be put into the number of Traditions unwritten The cause of it selfe is manifest that at their pleasure they might thrust what they would upon the Church under the name of Traditions Vide Whitak de Script controviae quaest Sexta c. 5. See also Moulins Buckler of Faith p. 51. Lindan the Papist was not ashamed to say that it had been better for the Church if there had been no Scripture at all but onely Traditions For saith he we may doe well enough with Traditions though we had no Scripture but could not doe well enough with Scripture though we had no Traditions Baldwin saith a Testament may be either scriptum or nuncupativum set downe in writing or uttered by word of mouth But a nuncupative Testament or Will made by word of mouth without writing must be proved by solemne witnesses The solemne witnesses of Christs Testament are the Prophets and Apostles Let Papists if they can prove by them that part of the Testament of Christ is unwritten Because our Adversaries doe contend for Traditions not written hotly and zealously against the totall perfection of the Scripture that they might thrust upon us many points by their owne confession not contained in Scripture and usurpe to themselves irrefragable authority in the Church it shall not be amisse largely to consider of this matter And 1. to enquire of the signification of the words Greek and Latine which are translated Tradition and then to come to the matter which is controverted between us and the Papists The Greeke word signifying Tradition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the new Testament is used only in these places Matth. 15. 2. 3. 6. Marke 7. 3. 5. 8. 9. 13. 1 Cor. 11. 2. Gal. 1. 14. Col. 2. 8. 2 Thess. 2. 15. and 3. 6. and in the vulgar Latine is rendred Traditio Matth. 15. 2. 3. 6. Marke 7. 3. 5. 8. 9. 13. Gal. 1. 14. Col. 2. 6. 2 Thess. 2. 15. and 3. 6. and praecepta 1 Cor. 11. 2. Whereto the Rhemists translation which seemeth to be but a bare translation of the vulgar Latine doth wholly agree using the word Tradition every where excepting 1 Cor. 11. 2. where they use the word precepts but set in the margent the word Tradition Arias Montanus in his Interlineall translation doth render it traditio Beza doth commonly expresse it by the word traditio In the English Geneva Bible we translate it by the word instruction tradition calling mens precepts traditions the Apostles doctrine Ordinances or instructions not that we feared the word tradition but because we would not have the simple deceived as though the unwritten verities of the papists were thereby commended or as though we had some honourable conceite of them and what we did herein the signification of the word doth give us free liberty to doe in our last English Translation we use the word tradition as often as the vulgar Latine or the Rhemists have done not that we were driven by feare or shame to alter what was done before but because we would cut off all occasion of carping at our translation though never so unjust First we contend not about the name tradition the word may lawfully be used if the sense affixed thereto be lawfull 2. All traditions unwritten are not simply condemned by us 3. The Apostles delivered by lively voyce many observations dispensable and alterable according to the circumstances of time and persons appertaining to order and comelinesse onely we say that they were not of the substance of Religion that they were not generall concerning all Churches 4. We receive the number and names of the authors of Books Divine and Canonicall as delivered by tradition but the Divine truth of those Books is in it self clear and evident unto us not depending on the Churches authority The Books of Scripture have not their authority quoad nos from the approbation of the Church but winne credit of themselves and yeeld sufficient satisfaction to all men of their divine truth whence we judge the Church that receiveth them to be led by the Spirit of God yet the number authors and integrity of the parts of those Books we receive as delivered by tradition 5. The continued practise of such things as are neither expressely contained in Scripture nor the example of such practise expressely there delivered though the grounds reasons and cause of the necessity of such practise be
there contained and the benefit and good that foloweth of it we receive upon tradition though the thing it selfe we receive not for tradition Of this sort is the Baptisme of Infants which may be named a Tradition because it is not expressely delivered in Scripture that the Apostles did Baptize Infants nor any expresse precept there found that they should so doe yet is not this so received by bare and naked tradition but that we finde the Scripture to deliver unto us the ground of it Bellarmine and Maldonate both doe confesse that the Baptisme of Infants may be proved by the Scripture and therefore Maldonate concludes nobis verò traditio non est Bellarmine * as Whitaker shewes contradicts himselfe for first he saith that the Baptisme of Infants is an unwritten tradition and after that the Catholicks can prove Baptisme of Infants from the Scriptures To this head we may referre the observation of the Lords day the precept whereof is not found in Scripture though the practise be And if for that cause any shall name it a Tradition we will not contend about the word if he grant withall that the example Apostolicall hath the force of a Law as implying a common equity concerning us no lesse then it did them If any man shall call the summary comprehension of the chief heads of Christian doctrine contained in the Creed commonly called the Apostles Creed a tradition we will not contend about it For although every part thereof be contained in Scripture yet the orderly connexion distinct explication of those principall Articles gathered into an Epitome wherein are implyed and whence are inferred all conclusions Theologicall is an Act humane not divine and in that sense may be called a Tradition But let it be noted withall that we admit it not to have that credit as now it hath to be the rule of faith for this is the priviledge of holy Scripture The Creed it selfe was gathered out of Scripture and is to be expounded by the Scripture therefore it is not given to be a perfect Canon of faith and manners By Tradition is noted 1. Whatsoever is delivered by men divinely inspired and immediately called whether it be by lively voyce or by writing 2. In speciall it notes the word of God committed to writing 1 Cor. 15. 3. 3. It signifies rites expressely contained in writing Act. 6. 14. 4. It betokens that which is not committed to writing but onely delivered by lively voyce of the Apostles 5. It signifieth that which is invented and delivered by men not immediately called In Scripture Tradition is taken 1. in good part for any rite or doctrine of God delivered to his Church either by word or writing whether it concern faith and good works or the externall government of the Church 2 Thess. 2. 15. 1 Cor. 11. 15. 23. 2. In ill part it noteth the vaine idle and unwarrantable inventions of men whether Doctrine or Rites Matthew 15. 3. Marke 7. 8 9. When the Fathers speake reverently of Traditions by the word Tradition either they understand the holy Scripture which also is a Tradition it is a Doctrine left unto us Or by Traditions they understand observations touching Ecclesiastill policy D. Moulin Reasons confirming the sufficiency of Scripture against Popish traditions 1. The whole Church is founded upon the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles which were not true if any doctrin was necessary to salvation not revealed by the Prophets and Apostles 2. The Prophets and Christ and his Apostles condemne Traditions Esay 29. 13. Mathew 15. 3. 6. Col. 2. 8. Therefore they are not to be received Christ opposeth the Commandement and Scriptures to Traditions therefore he condemnes Traditions not written If the Jewes might not adde to the Bookes of Moses then much lesse may wee adde to the Canon of Scripture so much increased since 3. Those things which proceede from the will of God onely can be made knowne to us no other way but by the Revelation of the Scripture all Articles of Faith and Precepts of Manners concerning substance of Religion proceede from the Will of God onely Mathew 16. 17. 1 Cor. 2. 9 10 11. Gal. 1. 8. As in this place the Apostle would have nothing received besides that which he Preached so 1 Cor. 4. 6. He will have nothing admitted above or more then that which is written See Act. 26. 22. John 20. ult whence it is manifest that all necessary things may be found in Scripture since full and perfect Faith ariseth from thence which eternall salvation followeth Bellarmin saith John speakes onely of the miracles of Christ that hee wrote not all because those sufficed to perswade the World that Christ was the Sonne of God Those words indeede in the 30 Verse are to be understood of Christs Miracles but those in the 31. Verse rather are to be generally interpreted for the History onely of the Miracles sufficeth not to obtaine Faith or Life The question betwixt the Papists and us is de ipsa doctrina tradita non de tradendi modo touching the substance of the Doctrine delivered not of the manner of delivering it and of Doctrine delivered as the Word of God not of Rites and Ceremonies They maintaine that there bee doctrinall Traditions or Traditions containing Articles of Faith and substantiall matters of Divine worship and Religion not found in the holy Scriptures viz. Purgatory Invocation of Saints Adoration of Images Papall Monarchy Bellarmin and before him Peresius distinguisheth Traditions both from the authours and the matter From the Authours into Divine Apostolicall and Ecclesiasticall From the matter into those which are concerning Faith and concerning Manners into perpetuall and temporall universall and particular necessary and free Divine Traditions that is Doctrines of Faith and of the worship and service of God any of which we deny to be but what are comprised in the written Word of God Apostolike Traditions say they are such Ordinances as the Apostles prescribed for ceremony and usage in the Church as the observation of the memoriall of the Nativity Death and Resurrection of Christ the alteration of the seventh day from the Jewes Sabbath to the day of Christs Resurrection Ecclesiasticall ancient Customes which by degrees through the Peoples consent obtained the force of a Law Traditions concerning Faith as the perpetuall Virginity of Mary the Mother of Christ and that there are onely foure Gospels of Manners as the signe of the Crosse made in the forehead Fasts and Feastings to be observed on cetaine dayes Perpetuall which are to bee kept to the end of the World Temporall for a certaine time as the observation of certaine legall Ceremonies even to the â—ull publishing of the Gospell Universall Traditions which are delivered to the whole Church to be kept as the observation of Easter Whitsontide and other great Feasts Particular which is delivered to one or more Churches as in the
the Evnuch and Luke 24. 45. also the divers expositions of old and New writers The first place is directly against them for teaching that it is the gift of Gods Holy Spirit obtained by Prayer to understand the Scripture the Spirit through Prayer being as well obtained by the simple as learned sort yea rather by them then the others it followeth that the reading of them belongeth to the simple as well as unto the learned The like answer serveth for the place of Luke 24. 45. for by that abuse of the place they may wring the reading of the Scriptures from all men even Ministers or the word commanded to attend the reading of them since they of whom they say that they understood not the Scriptures were Ministers of the word and that in the highest and most excellent degree of Ministery in the world which was the Aposâ—leship The cause oâ— want of understanding then was this the Spirit of God was not given because Christ was not glorified which can have now no place Besides that in saying they understood not the Scriptures concerning the suffering and glory of Christ it must needs be understood comparatively that they did not cleerly paricularly and sufficiently know them For that place in the 8th of the Acts it is to be understood comparatively viz. that a man faithfull and already gained to the truth as this Eunuch was cannot understand the Scriptures by the bare reading of them so well and throughly as when he hath one to expound them The Lord which helped the indeavor of the Eunuch searching the Scriptures by sending of Philip will never suffer those which seek him in carefull reading of his word to goe away ashamed without finding that which they seeke for in directing unto him some lawfull sufficient ministery to instruct him by The mystery of the Gospell then indeed fulfilled remained notwithstanding unpublished to the world by the Apostles which is now by their preaching and writings laid open and made more manifest The Eunuch which professed that he could not understand the Scripture without an Interpreter did notwithstanding busie himselfe in reading of it The multitude of Commentaries was not so necessary because the Scripture might have beene understood without them although they deserve singular respect amongst all those that are desirous to understand the Scripture who write learned and elaborate expositions on the Scripture That was a witty speech of Maldonates on Luke 2. 34. Nescio an facilior hic locus fuisset si nemo eum exposuisset Secondly These Commentaries are publisht that the Scriptures may better and more easiely be understood 3. The Papists confesse that the Articles of the Apostles Creed being necessary for all are easie Yet there are many commentaries of the Ancients upon the Creed as Ruffinus Augustine Cyrill Chrysostome Chrysologus and of Papists also Some Scriptures are hard for the matter which they handle as are the Books of Daniel Ezechiel Zachary or throng of much matter in few words as are in the Old Testament the Poeticall Books wherein no doubt the verse hath caused some cloud and amongst them the Proverbs from the tenth Chapter and the Prophesie of Hosea CHAP. IX Of the Interpretation of Scripture THis question divides it selfe into 3 parts First concerning the divers senses of the Scripture Secondly to whom the chiefe authority to expound Scripture is committed Thirdly what meanes must be used in the interpretation of Scripture 1. Of the divers senses of Scripture The Interpretation of Scripture is 2 fold One of the words which is called version or Translation this hath been handled already 2. Of things which is called explication the finding out of the meaning of any place which is more Theologicall the other being rather Grammaticall And this signification of the thing they commonly call the sence Nehem. 8. 9. Interpreting Scripture is 1. Ancient Nehem. 8. 8. 2. Honourable Marke 4. 34. The Scripture hath often two senses one of which the latter Divines call Literall Grammaticall or Historicall another mysticall or Spirituall The sense of the Scripture is that which God the Author of the Scripture in and by the Scriptures gives to men to know and understand The right expounding of Scripture consists in 2 things 1. In giving the right sense 2. In a right application of the same 1. Cor. 14. 3. The Literall sense is that which the letter it selfe or the words taken in their genuine signification carry And because the genuine signification of the words is that in which the Author useth them whether speaking properly or figuratively therefore the literall sense is subdivided into plaine and simple and figurative which ariseth from the words translated from their naturall signification into another as where Christ saith 10. John 16. I have other sheep which are not of this fold whereby he understandeth other people besides the Jewes The mysticall of spirituall sense is that in which the thing exprest in the literall sense signifieth another thing in a mystery for the shadowing out of which it was used by God The waters of the Floud with which the Arke was upheld signified Baptisme by which the Church is saved under the new Covenant as the Apostle teacheth 1 Pet. 3. 21. that History Exodus 12. it is a Passeover unto the Lord is spoken figuratively the other words properly The mysticall sense is the bones of Christ were no more broken then of the Paschall Lambe which did signifie Christ. The Papists say the literall sense is that which is gathered immediatly out of the words the spirituall which hath another reference then to that which the words doe properly signifie The last they subdivide into Allegoricall Tropologicall Anagogicall they say that the Scripture beside the literall sense may have these also The Allegoricall sense is when the words of the Scripture besides the plaine historicall and literall meaning signifie something in the new Testament which belongs to Christ or the Church as Gal. 4. besides the truth of the story of the bond and free-woman Saint Paul applyeth it unto the two Testaments Tropologicall when the words and deeds are referred to signifie something which belongs to manners as Paul 1 Cor. 9 teacheth from that place Deut. 25. thou shalt not muzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corne that things necessary are to be allowed to Pastors Anagogigall when words or deeds are referred to signifie eternall life as Psal. 94. I sware unto them they shauld not enter into my rest this is litterally understood of the rest in Canâ—an but applied by Paul 4 Heb to life eternall Becanus saith as there are 3 Theologicall vertues Faith Hope and Charity so there are 3 mysticall sences The allegoricall answers to faith the Anagogicall to hope the Morall to Charity Jerome saith he excelled in the literall sense Ambrose in the Allegoricall Augustine in the Anagogicall Gregory in the Morall The Papists erre three wayes in
foure Evangelists the Popes authority as Papists say being above the authority of the Councels it followeth that his authority is greater then the Evangelists then which what can be more blasphemously spoken We say the true interpretation of Scripture is not to be sought from generall Councels 1. Because even universall Councels have erred the Chalcedonian Councell one of the 4 so much magnified by Pope Gregory in rashly preferring the Constantinopolitane Church before that of Alexandria and Antioch Those that condemned Christ were then the universall visible Church Matth 26. 65. John 11. 47. See Act. 4. 18. 2. Generall councels have beene opposite one to another that of Constance to the other of Basill whereof one setteth downe that Councels could erre and so also the Pope and that a Councell was above the Pope the other affirmeth the quite contrary 3. There were no Generall Councels after the Apostles for 300 yeares till the first Councell of Nice when yet the Church had the true sence of the Scriptures 4. The generall Councels interpreted Scripture by Scripture as Athanasius and Ambrose teach concerning the first Councell of Nice 5. Because they cannot be so easily celebrated to declare any doubtfull sense of Scripture They have expounded but few places of Scripture neither is it likely the Pope will assemble them to expound the rest The Papists say that the Scripture ought to be expounded by the rule of faith and therefore not by Scripture onely But the rule of faith and Scripture is all one As the Scriptures are not of man but of the Spirit so their interpretation is not by man but of the Spirit likewise Let Councels Fathers Churches give their sense of the Scripture it 's private if it be not the sense and interpretation of the Spirit Let a private man give the true sense of the Scripture it 's not private because it 's Divine the sense of the Holy Ghost and private in 2 Pet. 1. 20. is not opposed to publike but to Divine and the words are to be read no Scripture is of a mans own interpretation that is private contrary to Divine The word is interpreted aright by declaring 1. The order 2. The summne or scope 3. The sense of the words which is done by framing a Rhetoricall and Logicall Analysis of the Text. In giving the sense three Rules are of principall use and necessity to be observed 1. The literall and largest sense of any words in Scripture must not be imbraced farther when our cleaving thereunto would breed some dis-agreement and contrariety between the present Scripture and some other Text or place else shall we change the Scripture into a Nose of wax 2. In case of such appearing dis-agreement the Holy Ghost leads us by the hand to seek out some distinction restriction limitation or figure for the reconcilement thereof and one of these will always fit the purpose for Gods word must alwayes bring perfect truth it cannot fight against it selfe 3. Such figurative sense limitation restriction or distinction must be sought out as the word of God affordeth either in the present place or some other and chiefely those that seeme to differ with the present Text being duly compared together The end of the first Booke THE SECOND BOOKE CHAPTER 1. OF GOD. HAving handled the Scripture which is principium Cognoscendi in Divinity I now proceed to Treate of God who is principium essendi or thus the Scripture is the rule of Divinity God and his workes are the matter or parts of Divinity This Doctrine is 1. Necessary 1. Because man was made for that end that he might rightly acknowledge and worship God love and honour him 2. It is the end of all divine Revelation John 5. 39. 3. To be Ignorant of God is a great misery being alienated from the life of God through the Ignorance that is in them 2. Profitable Our welfare and happinesse consists in the knowledge of God Jer. 9. 23. John 17. 3. the knowledge of God in the life to come is called the Beatificall vision 3. Difficult God being infinite and our understanding finite betwixt which two there is no proportion who knowes the things of God save the spirit of God A created understanding can no more comprehend God then a Viall-glasse can containe the waters of the Sea His wisdome is unsearchable Rom. 11. Job 11. 7. and 26. 13. Euclide answered very fitly to one asking many things concerning the Gods Coetera quidem nescio illud scio quod odêre curiosos Simonides being injoyned by Hiero to tell him what was God required a dayes time to be given him before he answered and at the end of that two when they were expired foure still doubling his time for inquiry till at the last being by Hiero asked a reason of his delayes he told him plainely that by how much the more he thought of God by so much the more he apprehended the impossibility of declaring what he was We know God per viam eminentiae negationis causationis 1. All perfections which we apprehend must be ascribed unto God and that after a more excellent manner then can be apprehended as that he is in himselfe by himselfe and of himselfe that he is one true good and holy 2. We must remove from him all imperfections whatsoever he is Simple Eternall Infinite Unchangeable 3. He is the Supream cause of all There is a threefold knowledge of God 1. An implanted knowledge which is in every mans conscience a naturall ingraffed principle about God O anima naturaliter Christiana said Tertullian 2. An acquired knowledge by the Creatures Psal. 19. 1. That is the great Booke in evey page whereof we may behold the Diety Praesentemque refert quaelibet herba Deum 3. Revealed knowledge of faith spoken of Heb. 11. 6. and this is onely sufficient to Salvation The Heathens had the knowledge of God in a confused manner Rom. 1. 19. 21. and 2. 14. a practicall knowledge 15. v. which shew the worke of the Law written in their hearts not the gracious writing promised in the Covenant the light of nature is not sufficient to bring man to Salvation onely in Judah is God known 76. Psal. 1. 2. and 147. 19. See Iâ—hn 14. 6. and 11. 27. Ephes. 2. 11. 12. The Heathen might know Gods nature and attributes that he was the Creator of the world that by his providence he did preserve and rule all things but they could not by the most industrious use of all natures helpes attaine unto any the least knowledge of God as he is mans Redeemer in Christ they knew not the truth as it is Jesus Ephes. 4. 21. In God we will consider 1. His Nature 2. His workes In his nature two things are considerable 1. That he is 2. What he is That God is is the most manifest cleare evident ungainsayable truth in the world It is the first verity
15. 1. Heb. 8. 11. Iâ—hn 14. 26. and by intellâ—ctuall visions Num. 12. 6. to the phantasie God revealed his will by imaginary visions to Prophets awake and by dreames to Prophets asleepe Gen. 40. 8. 41. 8 9. Acts 16. 10 10. 3. Num. 14. 4. to the senses God revealed his will and that either by vision to the eye or lively voyce to the Eare Gen. 3 9. 4. 6. 15. 4 5. Exod. 20. 1 2. 3. 1 2 3 33. 17. And Lastly by writing This Revelation was sometimes immediate by God himselfe after an unspeakable manner or by meanes viz. Angels Vrim Thummim Prophets Christ himselfe and his Apostles The written word forthematter contained in it is called the word of God Rom 9. 6. for the manner of Record the Scripture John 10. 35. 2 Tim. 3. 16. 1 Pet. 2. 6. or Scriptures Matthew 22. 29. John 5. 39. Romans 15. 4. 2. Pet. 3. 16. By an Antonomasie or an excellency of phrase as the most worthy writings that ever saw the light Sometimes with an Epithite the holy Scriptures Rom. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 3. 15. the Sâ—riptures of the Prophets Rom. 16. 26 Some thinke thâ—t Enoch the seventh from Alâ—m wrote but Jude 6. 14. speakâ—th onely of his prophesying which might rather be by word of mouth then writing because our Saviour citing Scripture ever gives the first place to Moses and undertaking by the Scriptures to prove himselfe to be the Messiah that he ought to suffer began at Moses Luke 24. 27. No doubt if there had beene any more ancient then Moses our Saviour would have alleadged it because all the Scripture that was before him was to give testimony of him Of the authority of the Scripture The Author of the Scriptures was God himselfe they came from him in a speciall and peculiar manner commonly called inspiration which is an act of Gods Spirit immediately imprinting or infusing those notions into their braines and those phrases and words by which the notions were uttered 2 Tim. 4. 16. All Scripture is given by Divine inspiration or by inspiration of God Prophesie came not of old time by the will of men but holy men of God spake as they were moved or carried by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 21. They did not write these things of their own heads but the Spirit of God did move and worke them to it and in it 2 Sam. 23. 2. The Spirit of the Lord spake by me that is did immediately guide me and tell me what matter to utter and in what words Stephen saith they resisted the Holy Ghost when they did disobey the Scriptures The Holy Ghost by the mouth of David and the mouth of Esay spake Acts 1. 16. 28. 25. The Inscriptions of many Propheticall bookes and Epistles Apostolicall run thus The word of the Lord which â—ame to Hosea Amos Joel Paul Peter JAmes a servant of God and an Apostle of Christ. The proeme that is set before divers prophecies is this Thus saith the Lord and the Prophets inculcate that speech the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it because they would take off the thoughts of the people from their own persons and lift them up to consideration of God the chiefe author It is all one to say the Scripture saith Rom. 4. 3. 10. 11. 11. 2. Gal. 4. 30. 1 Tim. 5. 10. and God saith Rom 9. 25. Heb. 4. 3. 8. 5. 13. 5. and the word Scripture is put for God speaking in the Scripture the Scripture saith to Pharaoh Rom. 9. 7. and the Scripture hath shut up all men under sinne Galat. 3. 22. for which in another place God hath shut up Rom. 11. 32. All other disciplines were from God and every truth whosoever speaks it is from the holy Ghost but the Scripture in a singular manner is attributed to the Holy Ghost he immediately dictated it to the holy men of God The efficient principall cause then of the Scripture was God the ten Commandements of which most of the rest is an exposition were writen after a secret and unutterable manner by God himselfe therefore they are called the writings of God Exod. 32. 16. Secondly all the rest which was written though men were the instruments was done by his appoinment and assistance Exo. 17. 14. Esay 8. 1. Jer. 30. 2. The Scripture is often attributed to the holy Ghost as the Author and no mention is made of the Pen-men Heb. 10 15. The Prophets and Apostles were the Pen-men of the Scripture whose calling sending and inspiration was certainly divine for whatsoever they taught the Church of God or left in writing they learned not before in the Schooles 1 Cor. 2. 13. The Divine authority of thâ— word may be defined a certain dignity and excellency of the Scripture above all other sayings or writings whatsoever whereby it is perfectly true in word and sence it deserves credit in all sayings narrations of things past present and to come threatnings and promises and as superiour doth binde to obedience if it either forbid or command any thing 1 Tim. 1. 15. 2 Pet. 1. 19. John 5. 39. Heb. 6. 18. Rom. 1. 5. 2 Cor. 10. 5 6. 13. 3. 12. 12. Gal. 1. 1 12 13. though the things in mans judgement seem unlike or incredible or the Commandements hard and foolish to the carnall minde Hereticks have laboured to prove their corrupt and damnable opinions out of the Scripture and have received some bookes if not all as Divine The Turkes at this day so esteem the five books of Moses as they will kisse such patches of Paper as they finde having any part thereof written in the same Aristaeus an Heathen when he had determined to have disputed against Scripture confesseth that he was forbidden by God in a dreame Plato is termed Moses Atticus Moses speaking Greeke The holy Scripture in it selâ—e is Divine and Authenticall though no man in the world should so acknowledge it as the Sunne in it selfe were light though all the men in the world were blind and could not or would not see it but in respect of us it is Divine and Authenticall when it is acknowledged and esteemed so to be The Scripture is the word of God written by holy men as they were inspired by the holy Ghost divinely containing all Divine truth necessary to salvation for the edification and instruction of Gods Church thereunto and for the glory of God That the Scriptures were from God may appeare by reasons contained in or cleaving to the Scripture 1. From the excellency of their matter which is Heavenly the divine and supernaturall matter contained in it It telleth us of such things as doe farre exceed the reach of mans reason and which it was impossible for any man to counterfeit and faine and which being told are so correspondent to reason
to thy face curse God and die and that Psal. 14. 1. Some answer thus these places are historically inspired not dogmatically Another question is whether preaching be not divinely inspired as well as the word written The Preaching of the Prophets and Apostles was divinely inspired but the preaching of our Ministers no further then it agrees with the word Some say the Scriptures are but a device of mans braine to give assistance to Magistrates in civill government Nothing is more repugnant to prudence and policy What policy was it in the Old Testament to appoint circumcision to cut a poore child as soon as he came into the world Two and twenty thousand Oxen were spent at the dedication of one Altar to sacrifice so many Oxen and Sheep such usefull creatures Christ chose silly illiterate men to propagate the Gospell This serves for information of our judgement and assures us of divers truths 1. That the Scriptures are for themselves worthy to be believed they have authority in and of themselves not borrowed from any persons in the world by which they binde the consciences of all men to receive them with faith and obedience for their Authors sake alone and the divine truth which shines in them though they should not be commended unto men by any authority of any creature Such as is the authority of the Authour of any writing such is the authority of the writing it selfe for all the strength of the testimony depends upon the excellency of the person which gives the testimony now God is the authour of these writings Thus saith the Lord therefore such authority as he hath such must they have a supreme highest authority which borroweth from none and is subject to none So this acknowledgement of their originall teacheth that we must not believe them for the authority sake of any man or men for Gods word can borrow no authority from men John 5. 34. I receive not testimony from man saith Christ that is need no mans testimony As the first goodnesse is to be loved for it selfe so is the first truth to be believed for it selfe saith Aquinas And as Christ by himselfe could demonstrate that he was the Messias so the Word by it selfe can prove that it is the Word of God We affirme that the Scriptures are known to be of God by themselves the Papists maintaine that we cannot be certaine of the Scriptures divinity by any other argument then the testimony of the Church which say they doth infallibly propound unto us what is to be believed what is not to be believed and Hermanus saith that the Scripture is no more worth then Aesops Fables without the testimony of the Church As in other Sciences there are alwaies some principles per se nota indemonstrabilia whence other things are proved so in Divinity all conclusions in point of beliefe and practice are proved by the Scripture The Scriptures prove themselves by their own naturall light manifesting their divine originall whence they are and their right meaning how they must be understood They are like light primum visibile which maketh all other things manifest and it selfe too by it own proper qualities 1. The Church rather depends on the Scripture which is an object not principle of Divinity the Church ought to be subject to Christ Ephes. 5. 24. the Scripture is the word of Christ Col. 3. 16. 2. All the words of the Scripture are words of truth Dan. 10. 21. some words of the Church are words of error Esay 1. 21 24. 3. 8 9. 5. 13. But the authority of him that speaks alwaies truth is greater then of him who sometimes lies ergo the authority of the Scripture is greater then that of the Church Goodnesse it selfe cannot deceive wisdome it selfe cannot be deceived God is both Titus 1. 2. The voice of the Scripture is the voice of God 2 Tim. 3. 16. but the voice of the Church is the voice of men Acts 14. 14. 15. 17. 17. 30. 3. Faith and a firme consolation in temptations ought to relie on a sure that is a divine foundation for every humane testimony is uncertaine 4. In vaine shall we dispute against the wicked concerning Religion and divine truth if we shall say it comes from God because we affirme so 5. This is proved by Scriptures John 5. 34 35. Christ in his humiliation did not receive the testimony of John much lesse will he receive the testimony of others now he is glorified John 5 34 35 36. 1 Cor. 2. 4 5. 1 John 5. 9. 6. The authority proving is greater more certaine and more knowne then the conclusion proved by the â—ame Autoritde probans is greater then probata The Papists to prove the authority of the Church flie to the Scriptures For I demand whence doe we understand that the Church erres not in delivering the Canon of the Scripture they answer it is governed by the Holy Ghost and therefore cannot erre in its decrees But how appeares it that it is so governed alwaies they answer God hath promised it and then they alleage those places to prove it Ob. The Church is ancienter then the Scripture because it was before Moses ergo it hath greater authority Sol. 1. The Prophets and John Baptist were ancienter then Christ yet not of greater authority 2. Consider the word 1. quoad formale externum as written and clothed with words so the Church was before the Scripture 2. quoad formale internum the matter and sence or meaning so the Scripture was more ancient than the Church because the Church is gathered and governed by it 1 Pet. 1. 23. John 17. 20. JAmes 1. 18. Semen semper sobole illa cujus est semen antiquius esse necesse est In the thing it selfe the being and substance of the word was before the Church although in this circumstance and manner of being it was after Ob. 2. Non erederem Evangelio nisi me commoveret Ecclesiae Catholicae authoritas saith Augustine Sol. These words saith Whitaker are so well known to the Papists that one can hardly exchange three words with them but they will produce them It is true indeed that we may at the first be much moved to receive and hearken to the Scriptures because the Church gives testimony of them as the woman of Samaria by her speeches of Christ was a meanes of moving the Samaritans to believe but when the men of Samaria had heard Christ himselfe speake they believed in him more for his own words then the womans John 4. 39 41. In which sence those words of Austin so frequently quoted by the Papists are to be interpreted Austin spake this of himselfe being a Manichee when he was a Manichee he was first moved by the authority of the Church to believe the Gospell His meaning is that he had never believed the Gospell if the authority of the Church had not
them for exercising themselves therein he writes to Laeta and Gaudentia and shewes them how they should bring up their daughters Scripturas sacras tenebat memoriter Hieron de Paula in Epitaphio The Apostle would not have commended this in Timothy 2 Tim. 3. 15. that from his childhood he knew the holy Scriptures nor noted it to the praise of his grand-mother and mother that they had trained him up so if he had not known that the holy Scriptures are so plaine that even a child may be able to understand them What may we judge of the other easier bookes when the holy Ghost would have the Revelation the obscurest booke of all the Scripture to be read Revel 1. 3. The people tooke occasion of erring and blaspheming from the humiliation of Christ many abuse preaching and the Sacraments 2. By this reason the Latine Bibles should not be suffered to be read publiquely because many understanding Latine from the reading of them may take occasion of erring There is a greater reason to be had of Gods elect which are edified by reading of the Scripture then of those who wrest them Peter by this reason stirred up the faithfull to read the Scriptures with greater devotion 2 Pet. 3 14 15 16 17. 3. This is common both to the Ecclesiasticall persons and Laity to take occasion of erring and blaspheming from the Scripture If we peruse the Histories of times past we shall finde that learned and Ecclesiasticall men did oftner fall into heresies and blasphenies from misunderstanding and wresting the Scriptures then any of the common sort of people who were often also by the learned drawn into heresie The Papists are not afraid the people should be corrupted by reading their legends and lying fables by their Images which doe naturally teach Idolatry Ob. The Papists further object that the Hebrews did not permit young men to reade part of Genesis Canticles Ezekiel Sol. First we must know the reading of those Scriptures non ablat am hominibus sed dilatam fuisse was not taken away from them but delayed onely Secondly this tradition concerning the age of men did drive away as well the Ecclesiasticke as the lay persons Notwithstanding all this that hath been objected by the Papists we hold that the Scriptures ought to be translated into the vulgar and mother tongues of each nation and that all men ought to read them and meditate diligently in them and that for these reasons 1. From the Commandement and will of God revealed in Scripture he hath commanded all that live in the Church to study the Scriptures and read them Deut. 11. 18 19. John 5. 3. He speaks not to the Scribes and Pharisees but to the people in generall they must try all things 2. From Gods intention which commanded it to be written for that end that it might be obvious to all John 20. 31. Rom. 15. 4. 3. Those are commended which did read the Scripture as the Eunuch 8 Acts 22. the Bereans Acts 17. Acts 11. and dispraised which neglected it as the Israelites Hos. 8. 12. they are pronounced blessed who diligently meditate in the Scriptures Psal. 1. 2. How unlike to Peter 2 Pet. 1. 19. are those which pretend to be his Successors 4. From the fact of the Apostles who as they publiquely preached the mysteries of salvation to the people so also in their Epistles they commended the whole doctrine of salvation to be read by them The Epistles of the Romanes Corinthians Galathians Ephesians were written to the people therefore to be read by them One Epistle of John was written to Gaius a layman another to the elect Lady Timothy from the Cradle was versed in the Scripture 5. From the profit and necessity of this study men are illightned and converted by reading of the Scriptures Psal. 19. 8 9 they are directed by them as most faithfull counsellers in in all their waies Psal. 1. 19. 24. they are armed by them against the fiery darts of Satan Ephes. 6. 16. One seeing a youth reade the Scriptures said it was never well since such were permitted to turne over the Bible but he answered him in the Psalmists words Psal. 119. 9. 6. From the unanimous consent of all the Fathers Chrysostome and Jerome especially who exhort the people to the private reading of the Scriptures and testifie that the Scriptures were publiquely read in their Ecclesiasticall Assemblies not in an unknown tongue but in a tongue understood by the people It was decreed by the Councell of Nice that no Christian should be without a Bible in his house And the Jewes at this day suffer no house amongst them to be without the Bible Christ and his Apostles teaching and disputing before the people appeale to the Law and the Prophets without the name of the Author Booke or Chapter because they knew the Bible text to be familiar to the Israelites In an unknowne tougue they cannot profit the people ergo they ought to be translated into a tongue known to the people 1 Cor. 14. the Apostle in divers verses treateth of this subject V. 6 7 19. He saith all things ought to be done in the Church for the edifying of the people that no man should speak in an unknown tongue without an interpreter and saith that he had rather speak five words be understood then 10000 words in an unknown tongue Those arguments before urged for the peoples reading of the Scripture prove this also for they cannot reade them in every Nation unlesse they be translated into a Tongue they understand Christ and his Apostles taught the people the Scripture in their mother Tongue In the next age after the Apostles saith Gratius l. 3. de veritate Relig. Christ. the new Testament was translated into divers vulgar Tongues the Syriacke Arabicke Aethiopicke and Latine which versionâ— are yet extant and differ not mainly from the Greek In the elder purer times the Scriptures were translated into innumerable yea into all Tongues usuall amongst men See Gregories preface to the notes on passages of Scripture The plain and usuall words the phrase and manner of speech most frequented the comparisons and similitudes in Scripture most familiar taken out of the shops and fields from husbandry and houswifery from the flock and the herd shew that the Scriptures were written for the capacity and understanding of the unlearned John 5. 39. a speciall place if it be indicative it shewes the custome of the Jewes if imperative it shewes what they ought to doe Many amongst us are to be blamed for not having the Scripture in their houses and for not reading it constantly in the same as they ought to doe or else they reade it as other bookes not with such respect to it as the greatnesse of its Authour deserveth I meane with a desire and purpose to believe and obey all that they finde there which must needs be the duty of those that confesse
name at least thrice saying I John Chap. 1. 9. 21. 1 2. 22. 8. whereas in the Gospell he never maketh mention of his name there he writes the history of Christ here he writes of himself and the Revelations declared to him Thirdly in the last Chapter are five testimonies heaped together v. 5 6 7 8. 1. Of the Angels 2. Of God himselfe the Lord of the holy Prophets 3. Of Jesus Christ behold I come shortly 4. Of John I John heard and saw all these things 5. The protestation of Jesus Christ vers 18. Fourthly the matter of the Booke doth convince the authority thereof seeing everywhere the Divinity of a Propheticall spirit doth appeare the words and sentences of other Prophets are there set downe part of the Prophesies there delivered are in the sight of the world accomplished by which the truth and authority of the whole is undoubtedly proved there are extant many excellent testimonies of Christ and his Divinity and our redemption by Christ. Fifthly The most ancient Fathers Greeke and Latine ascribe this Booke to John the Apostle Theophylact Origen Chysâ—stome Tertullian Hilary Austin Ambrose Irenaeus To deny then the truth of this booke is contra solem obloqui to gainsay the shining of the Sunne it selfe The Chyliasts abuse many testimonies out of this Booke but those places have been cleared long agoe by the learned as bearing another sence See Dr Raynolds conf with Hart Chap. 8. p. 406. Calvin being demanded his opinion what he thought of the Revelation answered ingenuously he knew not at all what so obscure a writer meant Se penitus ignorare quid velit tam obscurus scriptor Cajetan at the end of his Exposition of Jude confesseth that he understands not the literall sence of the Revelation and therefore exponat saith he cui Deus concesserit It consists of 22 Chapters the best Expositors on it are Ribera Brightman Pareus Cartwright Dent Forbes Mode Simonds 1. The Scriptures written by Moses and the Propheâ—s sufficiently prove that Christ is the Messiah that was to come the old Testament may convince the Jewes which deny the new Testament of this truth John 5. 39. They that is those parts of Scripture written by Moses and the Prophets there were no other Scriptures then written The 53 Chapter of Esay is a large history of his sufferings We have also another Booke or Testament more clearely witnessing of Christ the Gospel is the unsearchable riches of Christ Ephes. 3. 8. So much may suffice to have spoken concerning the Divine Canon the Ecclesiasticall and false Canon follow CHAP. V. SOme Hereticks utterly abolisht the Divine Canon as the Swingfeldians and Libertines who contemned all Scriptures the Manichees and Marcionites refused all the Bookes of the old Testament as the Jewes doe those of the new as if they had proceeded from the Divell Some diminish this Canon as the Sadduces who as Whitaker and others hold rejected all the other Prophets but Moses some inlarge it as the Papists who hold that divers other Bookes called by us Aprcrypha i. hidden doe belong to the old Testament and are of the same authority with the other before named and they adde also their traditions and unwritten word equalling it with the Scripture both these are accursed Rev. 22. 18. But against the first we thus argue whatsoever Scripture 1. is divinely inspired 2. Christ commandeth to search 3. To which Christ and his Apostles appeale and confirme their doctrine by it that is Canonicall and of equall authority with the new Testament But the holy Scripture of the old Testament is divinely inspired 2 Tim. 3. 16. where he speakes even of the Bookes of the old Testament as is gathered both from the universall all writing viz. holy in the 15 verse and from the circumstance of time because in the time of Timothies infancy little or nothing of the new Testament was published 2. Christ speakes not to the Scribes and Pharisees but to the people in generall to search it John 5. 39. this famous elogium being added that it gives testimony of him and that we may finde eternall life in it 3. Christ and his Apostles appeale to it and confirme their doctrine by it Luke 24. 27. Rom. 3. 21. Acts 10. 43. 17. 11. 20 43 26. 20. the new Testament gives testimony of the old and Peter 2 Pet. 1. 19. of Pauls Epistles The Ecclesiasticall Canon which is also called the second Canon followeth to which these Bookes belong Tobit Judith first and second of the Machabees Wisdome Ecclesiasticus Baruch Additions to Daniel and Hester for these neither containe truth perfectly in themselves nor are sanctified by God in the Church that they may be a Canon of faith and although abusively from custome they were called Canonicall yet properly in the Church they are distinguished from the Canonicall by the name of Apocryphall The false Canon is that which after the authority of the Apocrypha increased was constituted by humane opinion for the Papists as well as we reject for Apocryphall the third and fourth Booke of Esdras the prayer of Manasses the third and fourth of Machabees as Thomas Aquinas Sixtus Senensis Bellarmine and so the Councell of Trent confesse when they omit these and reckon up the whole Canon The state therefore of the controversie betwixt us and the Papists is whether those seven whole bookes with the Appendices be Sacred Divine Canonicall We doe not deny but many of these especially Wisdome and Ecclesiasticus are very good and profitable and to be preferred before all humane Tractates but that they are properly and by an excellency Canonicall and of infallible truth out of which firme arguments may be drawne that we deny Those Bookes which the Jewes of old and the reformed Churches now reckon for truely Canonicall in the old Testament are received all even by our adversaries for Canonicall without any exception 2. for the Canonicall Bookes of the new Testament there is no controversie between us and so far we agree but in the old Testament whole Bookes are reckoned by them for Canonicall which we hold Apocryphall The reason why these Bookes at first were added to holy writ was this the Jewes in their later times before and at the comming of Christ were of two sorts some properly and for distinction sake named Hebrews inhabiting Jerusalem and the holy Land others were Hellenists that is the Jewes of the dispersion mingled with the Graecians These had written sundry bookes in Greeke which they made use of together with other parts of the old Testament which they had in Greeke of the translation of the 70 when they now understood not the Hebrew but the Hebrewes received onely the 22 Bookes before mentioned Hence it came that the Jewes delivered a double Canon of Scripture to the Christian Church the one pure unquestioned and Divine which is the Hebrew Canon the other in Greeke
adulterate corrupted by the addition of certaine bookes written in those times when God raised up no more Prophets among his people Drus. praeterit l. 5. Annotat. ad Act. Apost c. 6. Jun. Animad in Bell. cont 1. l. 1. c. 4. l. 2. c. 15. sect 21. Tertul. in Apol. c. 19. They are called Apocryphall i. secret and hidden not because the names of the writers are unknowne by that reason Judges and Ruth should be Apocryphall but because they were not wont to be read openly in the Church of God as the Canonicall bookes but secretly and in private by private persons or because their authority was obscure and doubtfull with the Ancient These bookes our Church rejecteth as not written by Divine inspiration for these reasons All the Canonicall bookes of the old Testament were written by the Prophets but none of these bookes were written by any of the Prophets for 1. The last of the Prophets of the Jewes was Malachy Mal. 4. 4 5. between whom and John Baptist came no Prophet Marke begins with the same words almost with which Malachy ended a good argument to prove that the new Testament is next to the old But these Bookes were written by such who lived most of them after Malachy 2. All the Prophets wrote in Hebrew the language which the Jewes understood but the Fathers affirme and Papists acknowledge that most of these bookes were written in Greeke ergo being not written by the Prophets they are not Canonicall 2. All the bookes of the old Testament were committed to the Jewes and safely kept by them Rom. 3. 2. our Saviour Christ which reproved the Jewes for corrupting the sence of the Scripture did yet never reprove them for rejecting those bookes which were divinely inspired which sacriledge he would not have concealed yea our Saviour sendeth us unto the Scriptures as they received them John 5. 39. Eâ—ras after the captivity is reported to have gathered all the Bookes of holy Scripture and safely to lay them up If the Jewes should have rejected or not received any bookes being Canonicall they had grievously erred which the Papists themselves will not affirme Yea there should have been some Canonicall Bookes which no Church received for besides the Church of the Jewes at that time there was none in the world The Canonicall Bookes of the old Testament were divided into Moses the Prophets and Psalmes with which agreeth the old distribution of the Hebrews into the Law Prophets and Hagiographa 3 There are two waies to know a booke to be Canonicall one by the testimony of some Prophet or Apostle the other by the certaine testimony of them which did live when the booke was published who did witnesse that the booke was written by some Prophet or Apostle But these bookes are known to be Canonicall neither of these waies they were rejected by the Jewes who lived in the times when they were written our Saviour Christ nor his Apostles never commend these Bookes unto us as endited by the Spirit They are cited by Christ and his Apostles for the confirmation of their doctrine All the Canonicall Bookes in generall John 5. 39. 10. 35. Rom. 16. 26. Luke 16. 29 31. Ch. 24. v. 25 27 44. The most of all in speciall Genesis Matth. 19. 4 5 6. Exodus Matth. 5. 21 27 33 38. Leviticus Gal. 3. 12. Numbers John 3. 14. Deuteronomy Acts 3. 22. Joshâ—a Heb. 11. 30 31. Judges Heb. 11. 32. Ruth Matth. 1. 3. First of Samuel Matth. 12. 3. Second of Samuel Heb. 1. 5. First of Kings Matth. 12. 42. Second of Kings Luke 4. 27. First of Chronicles Matth. 1. 3 7 10 13. Second of Chronicles Acts 7. 48. Ezra Matth. 1. 12 13. Job 1 Corinth 3. 19. Psalmes Acts 4. 25. Proverbs Heb. 12. 5 6 7. Esay Matth. 1. 23. Jeremy Heb. 10. 16 17. Ezechiel Matth. 25. 35. Daniel Matth. 24. 25. All the lesser Prophets Acts 7. 42. 15. 15 16. Hosea Matth. 12. 7. Joâ—l Acts 2. 12. Amos Acts 15. 16. Jonah Matth. 12. 40 41. Micha Matth. 10. 35. Naâ—um Rom. 10. 15. Habacuc Rom. 1. 17. Haggai Heb. 12. 26. Zachary Matth. 21 5. Malachy Luke 1. 16 17. These bookes were not cited by Christ and his Apostles for confirmation of their doctrine Ob. If they be not Canonicall therefore because they are not cited then Naâ—um and Zephany are not Canonicall Aratus Menander and Epimenides prophane Poets are Canonicall because they are cited Acts 17. 28. 1 Cor. 15. 33. Titus 1. 12. Sol. They are not therefore not Canonicall onely because they are not cited but especially because they have not the characters of Divine Scripture 2 Nahuâ— and Zephany are implicitely quoted when the bookes of the Prophets are mentioned Acts 7. 41. 15. 15 16. The Poets are not cited as Canonicall but the Apostle applied himselfe to his hearers who did much esteeme their authority Some have well coucluded from Acts 10. 43. that the Apocrypha are not to be received as Canonicall Scripture because they testifie not of Christ. 4 Those bookes which containe manifest untruths coutrary to the Word of God and the books of holy Scripture were not inspired of God for as God is true so is his word John 17. 17 sweetly agreeeng with it selfe and every part with other these bookes commend false things as true and approve things evill as right Judith chap 9 v 2 commends killing the Sichemites against Gen. 49. 6 7. 2 Mac. 14. 42. Razis is commended for killing himselfe the fact is not onely related but commended also in these words nobly manfully and this commendation doth plainly shew that the Authour thereof was not inspired of God when the Donatists out of this booke urged that it was lawfull for them to kill themselves as Razis did Augustine then was forced to acknowledge that the authority of this booke was uncertaine and questionable and proves it by the judgement of the Jewish Church Christ and the Christians Manifest fables are told in some of them for true histories as that of Toby Judith Bell and the Dragon If any desire a particular conâ—utation of the severall Bookes of the Apocrypha I commend to his reading that learned Treatise of Dr Raynolds de libris Apocryphis who hath so exactly handled this subject that to write of it after him were to write Iliads after Homer or to draw a line after Apelles 5. The most ancient Fathers and Councels which lived the best and first 500 yeeres after Christ rejected the same bookes which we doe Jerome on Matth. 23. saith concerning a testimony cited out of the Apocrypha Hoc quoniam ex Scriptura nihil habet authoritatis eadem facilitate rejicitur qua profertur Because this hath no authority out of Scripture it may as easily be rejected as it is offered All that the Papists object for these Bookes in the generall is that the third Councell at Carthage the
extoll this Latine edition and contend that it is not onely far better than all the Latine versions but then the Greeke it sele which is the Prototype Before we come to defend our owne or disprove that opinion of the Papists it is necessary first rightly and fully to state the question and to premise some things concerning the severall versions and Translations of the Scripture We deny not that part of Daniel and Ezra which was written in the Chaldee dialect to be authenticall because we know the Lord was pleased that in that language as well as the Hebrew some of his Divine truth should be originally written 1. For the more credit of the stories the Lord bringeth forth forraigne Nations and their Chronicles for witnesses least any of them should doubt of the truth thereof 2. The Lord would have some part of those stories come to the knowledge of the Heathen and it was requisite that the Chaldeans should know the sinnes and impieties of that Nation and the judgements that should befall to testifie unto all the truth of God therefore in generall the alteration of the terrene States and Kingdomes is shadowed forth and published in the Chaldee tongue that the Gentiles might take knowledge thereof but the particular Histories of the comming of the Messias of his Office and Kingdome and of the calamities and afflictions which should befall the people of God are set forth in the Hebrew tongue as more especially concerning them Likewise it pleased God for the better credit of the story that the History of those things which were said and done in Chaldea should be written in the same Language wherein they were first spoken and therefore the Epistles and rescrips of the Kings are delivered in the Chaldee speech as taken out of their publique Acts and Records and that the History in Daniel set forth in the Chaldee speech gaining him respect with the Chaldeans might stirre up the Jewes to receive Daniel as a Prophet of God whom the Heathens admired If there be any footsteps of the Chaldee and Arabique in Job as some learned say we doe not exclude them from authentique authority for we say the whole old Testament for the most part in Hebrew and few parcels in Chaldee are the authentique edition of the old Testament The Greeke copies of the new Testament are also from God immediately the very dialect wherein those Prototypes were which the Pens of the Evangelists and Apostles did write For the Gospell of Matthew and the Epistle to the Hebrews being written in Hebrew and Marke in Latine we have refuted that opinion already the Greeke edition of those three Bookes as well as of all the other of the new Testament is authenticall The versions of the Scripture are either the Chaldee and Greeke of the old Testament the Syriacke and Arabicke of the new the Latine Italian French and English of both Testaments All the versions of the sacred Scripture have so far divine authority as they agree with the originall tongue and to say that any Translation is pure and uncorrupt and that the very fountaines are muddy is both a foolish and impions blasphemy The tongue and dialect is but an accident and as it were an argument of the Divine truth which remains one and the same in all Idiomes therefore the faith of the unlearned depends on God not on men although the Translations by benefit of which they are brought to believe be perfected by the labour of men Gods providence and care of the Church is such that he would never let it be long destitute of a fit Translation which being publisht by learned men and approved of by the Church how ever it failed in some things yet following the truth constantly in the more principall and necessary things might be sufficient to all for wholsome instruction The versions differ often much among themselves Arias Montanus differs much from Pagnin a learned Translator and Vatablus from both from all these Luther and from him againe the Vulgar Osiander LXX varie The Chaldee Edition of the old Testament is not a Translation done word for word but a Paraphrase and so called the Chaldee Paraphrase by the Jews Targum though some conceive that there is some kind of distinction to speake accurately between the Chaldee Paraphrase and Targum Targum being a generall word signifying an Interpretation or Paraphrase though it usually now by an excellency denoteth the Chaldee Paraphrase There were three authors of it as it is reported according to the threefold difference of the Hebrew bookes Rabbi Achilam or Aquila who is vulgarly called Onkelos upon the five bookes of Moses Rabbi Jonathan the sonne of Vziel upon the former and later Prophets Rabbi Joseph coecus or as some will a certaine Anonymus upon some of the Hagiographa Those Paraphrases of Onkelos and Jonathan are the ancienter and certioris fidei that upon the Hagiographa is far later and lesse certaine it being doubtfull both who was the authour and in what age it was made The common opinion concerning Onkelos and Jonathan is that one wrote a little before Christ the other a little after him Capellus lib. 1. de punctorum Hebraieorum antiquitote cap. 1. Helvicus de Chaldaicis Paraphrasibus ◠2. These Paraphrases among the Jewes saith Helvicus sunt autoritatis plane aequalis ipsi Scripturae Hebraicae neque 〈◊〉 habent illis contradicere Quorunt Paraphrasin nemo doctus non suspicit saith Capellus of Onkelos and Jonathan The use of them is very great 1 to illustrate the Hebrew Text by circumstances or a more full explication of it 2. To confirme the integrity of the Hebrew text Gen. 3. 15. 3. In controversies against the Jewes In controversiis Judaicis praecipuum robur obtinent saith Helvicus Gen. 49. 10. The Chaldee Paraphrasts both of them most excellently expound the place which themselves understood not being like therein to Virgils Bees which make Honey for others and not themselves First Onkelos interpreteth it in this manner A Magistrate exercising authority of the house of Juda shall not depart nor a Scribe of his posterity for ever till Christ come to whom the Kingdome pertaineth and him shall the people obey The other called the Interpreter of Jerusalem thus Kings of the house of Juda shall not faile neither skilfull Law-teachers of his posterity unto the time wherein the King Christ shall come unto whom the Kingdome pertaineth and all the Kingdomes of the Earth shall be subdued unto him If Christ came when authority was gone and authority went away at Jerusalems fall needs must one comming of Christ be referred to the overthrow of that City The Talmundici and latter Rabbines Rabbi Sal. Jarchi Rabbi Dav. Kimchi expound it of the Messiah as Buxtorf shews There are many profitable explications in that Paraphase on the Pentateuch but it is too late to be of authentique authority and the other Chaldee Paraphrases that excepted
us to the Scripture to learn the doctrine of salvation Luke 16. 29. and proveth his doctrine out of Moses and the Prophets Not after Christs coming then the Testimonies cited 〈◊〉 Christ and his Apostles would have been expunged by them and the speciall prophesies concerning Christ But they are all extant The Jewes have and yet still doe keep the holy Text of Scripture most religiously carefully which may appeare since as Johannes Isaac contra Lind in l. 2. a Learned Jew writeth that there are above 200 arguments against the Jewes opinion more evident and expresse in the Hebrew Text of the old Testament then there be in the Latine translation From the dayes of our Saviour Christ untill this time the Jewes keep the Scripture with so great reverence saith the same Isaac ut jejunium indicunt si illa in terram ceciderit they publish a Fast if it fall upon the ground This Testimony of Isaac Levita is the more to be esteemed because he was Lindans own Master and professor of the Hebrew tongue in the university of Coolen and hath written 3. Bookes in the defence of the Hebrew truth against the cavils of his Scholler Arias Mâ—ntanus for his rare skill of tongues and arts was put in trust by King Philip to set forth the Bible in Hebrew Greek and Latine wherein he hath reproved that Treatise of Lindan and disclosed his folly Muis who hath written a Commentary on the Psalmes a great Hebrician and learned Papist hath written against Morinus about this Subject The most learned Papists Senensis Bannes Lorinus Pagnine Brixianus Valla Andradius and Bellarmine hold that the Jews did not maliciously corrupt the hebrew text Josephus l. 1. contra Appian who lived after our Saviour saith that the Jewes did keep the holy Scripture with so great fidelity that they would rather dye then change or alter any thing in it Euseb. Eccles. Hist. l. 3. cap. 10. teacheth the same thing The Stupendious diligence of the Massorites in numbring of the words and Letters with the variations of pointing and writing lâ—â—st any place or suspicion should be given of falsifying it seemes to be a good plea also against the Jewes wilfull depraving of Scripture Paulo post Hieronymum confecta est massora quam utilissimum thesaurum Arias appellaâ— Chamierus If Origen or Jerome the two chiefest Hebricians among the Fathers had had the least suspicion of this they would never have bestowed so much time in the learning of this tongue nor have taken such indefatigable paines in translating the Bibles out of Hebrew Yet Morinus would seeme to give answer to this viz. that we might convince the Jewes out of their own Books Jerome doth in a thousand places call it the Hebrew truth fontem limpidissimum and preferres it before the translation of the Septuagint and all other versions whatsoever He cals the Hebrew in the old and Greek in the New Testament fontes veritatis Farther if the Jewes would have corrupted the Scripture they could not for the Books were dispersed throughout the whole world how could the Jewes then being so farre dispersed themselves conferre together and corrupt them all with one consent The Books were not onely in the hands of the Jewes but of Christians also and in their Custody and they would never have suffered the Books of the old Testament which are the foundation of faith and life to be corrupted Adde if the Jewes would have corrupted the Scripture they would have corrupted those places which make most against them concerning Christs person and office as that prophesie 9. of Dan. of the Messiahs coming before the destruction of Jerusalem that Hag. 2. 9. which setteth out the glory of the second Temple to be greater then the glory of the first in regard of the presence of the Lord in it that Gen. 49. 10. who is such a stranger in the Jewish controversies as to be Ignorant how stoutly and pertinaciously many of the Jewes deny that by Shilo there is understood the Messias but the threefold Paraphrase there hath expressely added the word Messias and stops the mouths of the Jewes who must not deny their authority so that they feare nothing more then to contest with those Christians who read and understand the Chaldee Paraphrases and interpretations of the Rabbines See Master Mede on that Text. Psalme 2. 12. where the vulgar Latine hath apprehendite disciplinam quae lectio nihil magnificum de Christo praedicat the Hebrewes read osculamini filium which is more forcible to prove the mystery of Christs Kingdome and celebrate his ample dominion over all That place 53. of Esay containes both the prophesie and whole passion of Christ in it selfe Yet what is wanting there in the Hebrew Text is there a letter taken away or altered to violate the sense of the mysteries Isaac Levita saith that this Chapter converted him that he read it over more then a thousand times and compared it with many translations and that more of the mystery of Christ is contained in it than in any translation whatsoever He addeth further that disputing with five Rabbines at Frankford he urged this Chapter against them and thereby brought them into those straights and so stopped their mouths that they could not reply to his arguments We have the second Psalme the 21. the 110. and all others entire and complete in which there are most manifest prophesies concerning Christ. There are many besides the Papists who have stood for the uncorrupt truth of the fountaines and have defended the Jews faithfulnesse in preserving the Hebrew Copies as Whitaker Lubbertas Junius Ames Rivet and others But none hath performed more for the vindicating of particular places which are either suspected or openly charged of corruption by certain Papists then Salomon Glassius a most learned man who in his Philologia sacra hath vindicated 72 places of the Old Testament and 20. of the New All know that that place in the 7th of Esay a virgin shall conceive was constantly objected to the Jewes from the beginning and yet they have left it untouched Chamier de Canone l. 12. c. 4 Objections of the Papist against the purity of the Hebrew Text in the old Testament Bellarmine onely produceth 5. places of Scripture in which he indevours to prove not that the Hebrew text is corrupted by the labour or malice of the Jewes that opinion he evidently and solidly refutes yet that it is not altogether pure and perfect but hath its errours brought in from the negligence of the Scribes and Ignorance of the Rabbines Cotton saith the originals are miserably corrupted and that there is a multitude almost incredible of depravations and falsifications made by the Rabbines and Massorites But Bellarmine who was more learned than he and from whom he hath stollen a great part of his Book against the Genevah translations doth sufficiently confute him Ob. Ps. 22. 16. There is no Christian but
he praised God Joseph was no King aud therefore had no Scepter to fall down before In the Hebrew Gen. 47. for top we read head which by a Metaphor signifies the top because the head is the end and highest part of man and consequently of any thing else And for staffe we now read in the Hebrew bed which fell out because the word mittah there extant pricked with other Vowels signifies a staffe for in the Hebrew matteh is a staffe and mitteh a bed The Septuagint whom the Apostle followes read it matteh and so translated it staffe otherwise thâ—n wâ— now read it in the Hebrew Text. If we follow the Hebrew Text as it is now extant the sence will be That Jacob because he could not raise his body out of his bed therefore he bowed his head forward upon his beds head and so worshipped God Bezâ— speaking of the divers Latine translations of the New Testament onely he saith of the vâ—lgar Latine that he followeth it for the most part and preferreth it before all the rest Maximâ— ex parte amplector claeeris omnibus antepono He speakes of the new Testament onely and of that Latine translation of the new Testament in comparison of all other Latine translations which were before him as Erasmus Castalion and such like These placâ—s may serve to shew that the vulgar Latine is corrupt no Book being entire or free fron errour Isidore Clarius Brixianus praefâ—â—t in Biblia a great learned man of their own affirmeth that it hath 8000 places in which the sense of the Holy Ghost is changed Since the Councell of Trent 2 Popes have set forth this vulgar Edition diversly which of these shall be received as authenticall How often doe the Papists leave the vulgar in all their controversies when it is for their advantage so to doe it is a matter ordinary with them and needlesse to be proved There is no Edition Ancienter then the Hebrew if the Latine have been used a 1000 yeares in the Church the Hebrew hath been used almost 3000 yeares the Chaldee Arbicke Syriacke and Greeke Editions also have beene used above a 1000 yeares and so should be authentique by the Papists argument Having spoken of the authority of the Scriptures the Canonicall Books and the Authenticall Editions I now goe on to treate of the end of the Scripture its adjuncts or properties fitted to that end and the Interpretation of Scripture The end of the Scripture comes next to be considered of this I have spoken somewhat afore but shall now inlarge my selfe The end of the Scripture is considered 1. In respect of God 2. In respect of us In respect of God the end of the Scripture is a glorifying of him by it we may learne to know love and feare him and so be blessed The glory of God is the chiefe end of all things Prov. 16. 4. In respect of us The end of the Scripture is 1. Intermediate temporall edification which is fitly referred to 5 principall uses the two first respect the mind the other three the heart will and affection It is profitable for Doctrine it serves to direct to all saving truth nothing is to be received as a truth necessary to salvation but what is proved out of Scripture Where that hath not a tongue to speake I must not have an eare to heare Hoc quia de scripâ—uris non habet autoritatem eadem facilitate contemuitur qua probatur Hieron 2. Reproofe or Confutation to refute all errours and heterodoxe opinions in Divinity By this sword of the Spirit Christ vanquished Satan Matth. 4. 4. 7. 10. by the Scripture he opposed the Jewes John 5. 45. 46. 47. and 10. 34. by this he refuted the Scribes and Pharisees Matth. 9. 13. and 12. 1. Luke 10. 25. 26. 27. Matth. 19. 34. and 21. 12. 13. the Sadducees Matth. 22 29. By this Austin refuted the Pelagians Irenaeus the Valentinians Tertullian the Mâ—rcionites Athanasius the Arrians In comitijs Vindelicorum cum episcopus Albertus aliquando legeret Biblia referente Luthero in Sermon Convival interrogasset quidam è consiliarijs quid libri hic â—sset nescio equidem respondet qualis sit liber sed omnia quae in eo lego nostrae religioni planè sunt contraria 3. Correction of iniquity setting streight that which is amisse in manners and life 4. Instruction to righteousnesse Instruunt Patriarchae etiam errantes Basil saith the Psalmes are a common Store house and Treasury of good Instruction The Title of the 32 and some other Psalmes is Maschil that is a Psalme of instruction 5. Comfort in all troubles Psal. 19. 8 and 119. 50. and 92. the Greek word for Gospell signifieth glad-tidings The Promises are the Christians best Cordials as Gods Promises are the rule of what we must pray for in faith so they are the ground of what we must expect in comfort 2. Ultimate and chiefest our Salvation and life Eternall John 5. 39. and 20. 31. 2 Tim. 3. 15. It will shew us the right way of escaping hell and attaining Heaven It will shew us what to beleeve and practise for our present and eternall happinesse This was Gods aime in causing the Scripture to be written and we shall find it fully availeable and effectuall for the ends for which it was ordained by God CHAP. VIII THe properties of the Scripture fitted to that end The properties which the Scripture must have for the former end are these It is 1. Of Divine Authority 2. True and Certaine 3. The rule of faith and manners 4. Necessary 5. Pure and Holy 6. Sufficient and Perfect 7. Perspicuous and Plaine 1. It is of Divine Authority and so greater then all exception It is Divine 1. In its efficient cause and Originall which is God the Father dictating in his Sonne declaring and publishing by his holy Spirit confirming and sealing it in the hearts of the faithfull He wrote the Decalogue immediately with his own finger and Commanded the whole Systeme and all the parts of Scripture to be written by his servants the Prophets and Apostles as the publike Actuaries and Pen-men thereof therefore the authority of the Scripture is as great as that of the holy Ghost who did dictate both the matter and words those speeches are frequent the Lord said and the mouth of the Lord hath spoken 2. In the subject matter which is truth according to godlinesse certaine powerfull of venerable antiquity joyned with a sensible demonstration of the Spirit and Divine presence and with many other things atteâ—â—ing its divine authority Whence it follows that the authority of the Holy Scriptures is 1. Infallible which expresseth the minde and will of God to whom truth is essentiall and necessary 2. Supreame and Independent into which at last all faith is resolved from whiâ—h it is not lawfull to appeale By which singular authority the Scripture is distinguished
mensura infallibilis quae nullam vel additionem vel detractionem patitur 3. It is a â—ust rule Lastly It is an universall and perpetuall rule both in regard of time and person ever since the Scripture hath beene it hath been the onely rule in the old Testament to the Law and the Testimony in the new they confirmed all things by the old it directs in every case 2 To all persons this is able to make a Minister yea a Councell a Church wise to salvation to reforme a young man whose lusts are unbridled 119. 9. to order a King 17 Deut. 29. 30. Ob. Faith was before the Scripture therefore the Scripture is not the rule of faith Sol. The word of God is twofold 1. Revealed that preceded faith 2. Written that did not Though it be a rule yet firâ—t it doth not exclude other Ministeriall helps as Prayer Preaching the knowledge of the tongues and the Ministry of the Church these are meanes to use the rule and subordinate to it we need no more rules Therefore it is a vaine and absurd question of the Papists let a man be lockt up in a Study with a Bible what good will he get by it if he cannot read 2. There must be reason and judgement to make use of it and apply it judge what I say saith Paul 1 Cor. 10. 15. The Scripture should rule our hearts thoughts and inward cogitations our words and actions we should pray heare receive the Sacrament according to the directions of it buy sell cloath our selves and carry our selves toward all as that bids us 2 Sam. 22. 23. the people of God wrote after this Copy followed this rule Psal. 119. 5. 59. 111. because they desired in all which they did to please God now God is pleased when his own will is done and to glorifie him in their lives and therefore they framed themselves according to his statutes We cannot better expresse an high esteeme of God and his excellencies then by following him in all things Every one esteems that person most excellent to whom he gives up himself most to be ruled and ordered 4. The Scripture is necessary In respect of the substance thereof it was alwayes necessary in respect of the manner of revealing it is necessary since the time that it pleased God after that manner to deliver his word and shall be to the worlds end It is not then absolutely and simply necessary that the word of God should be delivered to us in writing but onely conditionally and upon supposition God for a long time for the space of 2400 yeares unto the time of Moses did instruct his Church with an immediate living voyce and had he pleased still to goe on in that way there had beene no necessity of Scripture now more then in that age there was a continuall presence of God with them but now there is a perpetuall absence in that way and the word of God was written 1. For the brevity of mans life See the 5. the 11. Ch. of Gen. The Patriarks were long lived before and after the Floud to the times of Moses they lived some centuries of yeares therefore afterward the purity of the word could not fitly be preserved without writing By writing we have the comfort of the holy word of God which from writing receiveth his denomination in being called Scripture which is nothing else but writing 2. That the Church might have a certaine and true rule and Canon whereby it might judge of all questions doubts and controversies of Religion Luke 1. 4. Every mans opinion else would have been a Bible and every mans lust a Law 3. That the faith of men in Christ which was to come might the better be confirmed when they should see that written before their eyes which was done by the Messâ—as and see all things that were fore-told of him verified in the event 4. That the purity of Gods worship might be preserved from corruption and the truth propagated among all Nations 5. To take off excuses from men that they did not know Rom. 10. 18. civill Lawes are written and published that offenders may be excusable The Pen-men had a command from God 1. A publike and outward command as Jeremie 30. 2. and 36. 2 Moses Exod. 17. 14. and 34. 17. and John was commanded 12 times in the Revelation to write Rev. 1. 11. and 2. 1. 8. 12. 18. and 3. Ch. 1. 7. and 14. and 14. 13. and 19. v. 9. 21. 5. 2 an inward command by private inspiration and instinct 2 Pet. 1. 21. 5. The Scripture is Pure and Holy It commands all good and forbids reproves and condemnes all sinne and filthinesse it restraines not onely from evill words and actions but thoughts glances Those are frequent adjuncts of the word of God holy pure and cleane Psal. 12. 6. and 18. 31. and 119. 40 Prov. 30. 5. It is pure in its narrations it speakes purely of things evill and uncleane It is termed holy Rom. 1. 2. and 2 Tim. 3. 15. 1. From its efficient principall cause God who is the holy of holies holinesse it selfe Esay 6. 3. Dan. 9. 24. he is the author and inditer of it Luke 1. 67. 2 In regard of the instrumentall cause the Pen-men of it were holy men 2 Pet. 1. 21. Prophets and Apostles 3. From its matter the holy will of God Aâ—t 20. 27. the Scripture containes holy and Divine mysteries holy precepts of life holy promises Psal 105. 42. holy Histories 4. From its end or effect the holy Ghost by the reading and meditation of the Scripture sanctifieth us John 17. 17. it sanctifieth likewise all the creatures to our use so as we may use them with a good conscience 1 Tim. 4. 5. From the purity of it the Scripture is compared to a glasse Jam. 1. 23. to fire Jer. 23. 29. to light Psal. 119. 105. The reason of it is because God himselfe is pure most pure Psal. 92. ult Hab 1. 13. It is pure 1. Formally in it selfe there is no mixture of falshood or error no corruption or unsoundnesse at all in it Prov. 8. 6. 7. 8. 2. Virtually so as to make others pure John 15. 3. and 17. 17. Act. 20. 32. It begets grace Jam. 1. 18. 1 Pet. 1. 23. and preserves and increaseth it Act. 20. 32. Ephâ—s 4. 11. 12. The assertory part is pure what it affirmes to be is and what it dâ—nyes to be is not Psal 19. 7. and 93. 5. Jam. 1. 18. 2 What it promiseth shall be performed and what it threateneth shall be executed Numb 23. 19. 1 Sam. 2. 30. Zach. 1. 6. 3. What it commandeth is good and what it forbiddeth is evill Deut. 4. 8. Psal. 119. 108. and 19. 8. 9. Rom. 7. 12. In other Bookes some truth is taught some good commended some kinde or part of happinesse promised But in the Inspired Oracles of God all truth is taught all goodnesse commanded
all happinesse promised nay we may invert the words with Hugo de sancto victore and say Quicquid ibi docetur esâ— veritas quicquid praecipitur bonitas quicquid promittitur felicitas All that is there taught is truth all that is there commanded is goodnesse all that is there promised is happinesse It is a wonderfull thing that all the particulars which the Canticles containe being taken from marriage are handled so sincerely that no blemish or spot can be found therein Therefore the Scriptures should be preacht read and heard with holy affections and should be reverently mentioned The â—ewes in their Synagogues will not touch the Bible with unwashed hands they kisse it as often as they open and shut it they sit not on that seat where it is laid and iâ— it fall on the ground they fast for a whole day The Turke writâ—s upon the outside of his Alcoran Let no man touch this Book but he that is pure I would none might meddle with ours Alcorâ—â— signifieth but the Scripture you need not be afraid of the word but such as indeed are what other men doe but think themselvâ—s 6. The Scripture is Perfect The perfection of the Scripture is considered 2 wayes 1. In respect of the matter or the Bookes in which the holy doctrine was written all which as many as were usefull to our salvation have been kept inviolable in the Church so that out of them one most perfect and absolute Canon of faith and life was made and this may be called the Integrity of the Scripture 2. In respect of the forme viz. of the sence or meaning of these Canonicall Books or of Divine truth comprehended in them which Books containe most fully and perfectly the whole truth necessary and sufficient for the salvation of the elect and therefore the Scriptures are to be esteemed a sole adequate totall and perfect measure and rule both of faith and manners and this is the sufficiency of the Scriptures which is attributed to it in a twofold respect 1. Absolutely in it selfe and that in a threefold consideration 1. Of the Principle for every principle whether of a thing or of knowledge ought to be the perfect since demonstration and true conclusions are not deduced from that which it imperfect therefore it is necessary that the holy Scripture being the first only immediate principle of all true doctrine should be most perfect 2. Of the Subject for it hath all Essentiall parts matter and forme and integrall Law and Gospell and is wholy perfect both 1. Absolutely because for the substance it eitheir expressely or Analogically containes the doctrine concerning Faith and Manners which is communicable and profitable for us to know which may be proved also by induction that all necessary opinions of Faith or precepts of life are to be found in the holy Scripture 2. Relatively because as it hath a perfection of the whole so of the parts in the whole that perfection is called essentiall this quantitative For all the Books are Sufficient with an essentiall perfection although integrally they have not a sufficiency of the whole but only their own yet so that at distinct times every part sufficed for their times but all the parts in the whole are but sufficient for us 3. In its effect and operation it makes men perfect 2 Tim 3. 16. 17. Rom. 15. 4. John 2. ult 5. 39. 2. As opposed to unwritten Traditions all which it excludes by its sufficiency but we doe not understand by Traditions generally a Doctrine delivered in Word and Writing but specially a Doctrine not written by Prophets or Apostles whether Dogmaticall Historicall or Ceremoniall for a perfect reason of the primary opinions belonging to Faith and Manners is delivered in Scripture and those things which are out of beside or against the Scripture doe not binde the Conscience 2. Historicall the Sayings and Deedes of Christ and the Apostles are perfectly contained in the Scriptures as many as suâ—fice us for our salvation John 20. 30 31. Those things which are delivered out of Scripture are to be esteemed mans writings 3. Ceremoniall or secondary opinions concerning Ecclesiasticall Rites and Customes are for Essentialls Substantials and Fundamâ—ntals generally contained in the Word of God The accidentals accessaries and circumstantials are free and mutable If Traditions agree with the Scripture they are confirmed by it if they oppose it they are disproved by it The perfection of the Scriptures is not First Infinite and unlimited that is an incommunicable property of God every thing which is from another as the efficiente ause is thereby limited both for the nature and qualities thereof Secondly we doe not understand such a perfection as containeth all and singular such things as at any time have beene by Divine inspiration revealed to holy men and by them delivered to the Church of what sort soever they were for all the Sermons of the Prophets of Christ and his Apostles are not set downe in so many words as they used in the speaking of them for of twelve Apostles seven wrote nothing which yet preached and did many things neither are all the deeds of Christ and his Apostles written for that is contradicted John 20. 30. 31 21. 25. but we meane onely a Relative perfection which for some certaine ends sake agreeth to the Scripture as to an instrument according to which it perfectly comprehendeth all things which have beene are or shall be necessary for the salvation of the Church Thirdly the severall Bookes of Scripture are indeed perfect for their own particular ends purposes uses for which they were intended of the Lord but yet not any one Booke is sufficient to the common end the whole Scripture is compleate in all the parts thereof one speaking of that which another doth wholy passe over in silence one clearely delivering what was intricate in another Paul speakes much of Justification and Predestination in the Epistle to the Romans nothing of the Eucharist or Resurrection Fourthly since God did reveale his will in writing those writings which by Divine hand and providence were extant in the Church were so sufficient for the Church in that Age that it needed not Tradition neither was it lawfull for any humane wight to adde thereto or take therefrom but when God did reveale more unto it the former onely was not then sufficient without the latter Fifthly the holy Scripture doth sufficiently containe and deliver all Doctrines which are necessary for us to eternall salvation both in respect of Faith and good works and most of these it delivereth to us expressely and in so many words and the rest by good and necessary consequence The Baptisme of Infants and the consubstantiality of the Father and of the Sonne are not in those words expressed in Scripture yet is the truth of both cleerely taught in Scripture and by evident proofe may thence be deduced that Article of Christs
descent into Hell totidem verbis is not in the Scripture yet it may be deduced thence Acts 2. Wee shall now lay downe some propositions or Theoremes about the sufficiency of Scripture 1. In every Age of the Church the Lord hath revealed so much supernaturall truth as was for that age necessary unto salvation his wayes he made knowne to Moses Psal. 103. 7. and his statutes to Israel Deut. 4. 6. Psal. 147. 20. Heb. 1. 1. Therefore that is an erroneous opinion that before the Law written men were saved by the Law of nature and in the time of the Law by the Law of Moses and since in the time of the Gospel by the Word of grace 2. The substance of all things necessary to salvation ever since the fall of Adam hath beene and is one and the same as the true Religion hath beene one and unchangeable 1. The knowledge of God and Christ is the summe of all things necâ—ssary to salvation John 17. 3. Col. 2. 2. but this knowledge was ever necessary Jer 9. 23. Acts 4. 12. the Fathers indeed saw Christ more obscurely and aenigmatically we more clearely distinctly and perspicuously but yet they knew him and believed in him unto salvation as well as wee John 8. 56. 2. The Covenant of grace which God made with man is an everlasting Covenant therein the Lord hath revealed himselfe to be one and unchangeable as in nature so in will Heb. 13. 8. Rom 3. 29. shewing that as God is one in nature truth and constancy and that as well toward the Gentiles as toward the Jewes so hee would justifie both the circumcision and uncircumcision the Jew and the Gentile by one way of Religion that is to say through faith and belief in his Son Jesus Christ. 3. Christ and his Apostles professed and taught no new Religion but the same which the Scriptures of the old Testament did before instruct Matâ—hew 5. 17 John 5. 39. Acts 10 43 Luke 24. 25 26 27 44. 45. Acts 18 28. 17. 7. 26. 22. 28. 23. Rom. 6. 26. Therefore the beleeving Jewes and the converted Gentiles are sâ—iled the children of faithfull Abraham being justified by Faith as Abraham was Whence wee may conclude that before under and after the Law since the fall of Adam there was never but one true Catholick Religion or way to Heaven and happinesse The Word of God being uttered in old time sundry ways was at length made knowne by writing the Lord stirring up and by his holy Spirit inspiring his servants to write his Will and Pleasure So long as there was any truth in any Age necessary to bee more fully and clearly knowne then was already revealed in the Bookes of Moses it pleased God to stir up holy men whom he Divinely inspired and sufficiently furnished to make the Truth knowne unto the Church thus after Moses during the time of the Law the Lord raised up Prophets who opened the perfect way of life unto the Church of the old Testament more clearely then it was before manifested in the Bookes of Moses the time and Age of the Church requiring the same The Church of the Jewes in the severall Ages thereof was sufficiently taught and instructed in all things necessary to salvation by the writings of Mâ—ses and the Prophets which appeares 1. In that our Saviour being asked of one what hee should doe that hee might inherite eternall life answered what is written in the Law and Prophets how Readest thou Luke 10. 25 26. and out of the Scripture hee declared himselfe to be the Saviour of the World foretold and promised Matthew 21. 44. 26. 31. Luke 4 21. 24 25 26 27 44 John 3. 14. 2. The answer of Abraham to the Rich man sending his friends to Moses and the Prophets sheweth that they sufficed to instruct the faithfull Jewes in all things necessary to salvation Luke 16. 29 30. by them they might learne how to obtaine Life and escape Death when hee saith Let them heare them he meaneth them onely as that place is meant Mat. 17. 5. 3. The Jewes themselves acknowledged the sufficiency of those writings to leade them unto life and happinesse John 5. 39. 5. The Prophets did expound the Law of God and speake more plainely precisely and distinctly touching the comming of the Messias then Moses did but the last full and cleare Will of God touching the salvation of man was not manifested by them that was together and at once to be published and taught by the Messias who also at his comming did establish that order in the Church of God which was to continue therein for ever For 1. Christ was ordained of the Father to bee the great Doctor of his Church a Prophet more excellent then the rest that were before him both in respect of his Person Office Manner of receiving his Doctrine and the excellency of the Doctrin which he delivered 2. This was well knowne not onely among the Jewes but also among the Samaritanes in so much that the woman of Samaria could say I know when the Messias is come he will tell us all things John 4. 25. 3. The time wherein God spake unto us by his Sonne is called the last dayes or the last time Heb. 1. 2. 1 Pet. 1. 20. to note that we are not hereafter to expect or looke for any fuller or more cleare Revelation of Divine mysteries then that which was then delivered 4. Christ is called a mediator of the New Testament or the new Covenant Heb. 9. 15. because all things are established by him as they ought to continue for ever for that which is old decayeth and is ready to vanish but that which is new abideth Heb. 8. 13. 5. It pleased the Lord in great wisdome to reveale the Covenant of grace to the Church that she might not despaire but obscurely at the first that she might earnestly long for the coming of that Messiah who was to make known what he had heard and seene of the Father which dispensation was needfull that the grace of God might not be contemned as haply it would have been if God had fully revealed and made knowne his bounty unto man before he had seen his misery and the necessity thereof Our Saviour Christ for substance of doctriâ—e necessary to salvation taught nothing which was not before in some sort contained in the writings of Moses and the Prophets out of whom he confirmed his doctrine but that which was in them more obscurely Enigmatically and briefely he explained more excellently fully and cleerely the Apostles proved their doctrine out of the Books of Moses and the Prophets Act. 17. 11. and 26. 22. Luke 24. 27. Rom. 1. 2. Act. 28. 23. 6. All things necessary in that manner as we have spoken were taught and inspired to the Apostles by our Saviour Christ and there were no new inspirations after their times nor are we to expect further hereafter which we prove 1. By places
time of Austin fasting on the Sabbath day which was kept only at Rome Necessary Traditions which are delivered in the forme of a Precept that Easter is to bee celebrated on the Lords Day Free which are delivered in the forme of counsell as sprinkling of holy water Objection The Scripture it not perfect with a perfection of parts because many parts are either defective or excessive 1. Some labour wiâ—h a defect as Genesis 11. 12. a person is omitted in the Genealogy of Cainaan which was the Sonne of Aphâ—xad but it is reckoned in Luke in Christs Genealogy not in the old Testament therefore there is a defect Sol. Luke reckons it according to the vulgar opinion of the Jewes Junius in his paralels would have the fault to be in the Septuagint whom Luke followed not approving of their errour but yeelding to the time least the Gospell otherwise should have beene prejudicâ—d but Bezas opinion is rather to be approved of that this word is inserted from the Ignorance of those who undertooke to correct this Text according to the translation of the Seventy Interpreters For in an Ancient manuscript which Beza followed this word Cainaan was not to be found therefore he omitted it in his translation and so hath our great English Bible Ob. There is something found in the Scripture against the Commandement of God Deut. 4. 2. therefore there is excesse as well as defect for many Bookes which we beleeve to be Canonicall are added Sol. He doth not forbid adding by Gods Command but from the will of man for God himselfe added afterward The Papists arguments for Traditions answered Ob. Bellarmine saith Religion was preserved for 2000 yeares from Adam to Moses onely by Tradition therefore the Scripture is not simply necessary Sol. By the like reason I might argue that Religion was long preserved not onely without the Pope of Rome but also without Baptisme and the Lords Supper with the like institutions therefore they are not simply necessary yet none of ours hold the Scriptures simply necessary Secondly it is false that Religion was preserved all that while by ordinary Tradition onely for the living voyce of God sounded most perpetually in the Church and the doctrine of Religion was conveighed successivly from the Father to the Sonne which living voyce of God by little and little ceasing writing afterward succeeded and hath the same necessity now which Gods living voyce had before Ob. Whatsoever things are commended from Scripture are necessary but so are Traditions ergo they are necessary Joh 16. 12. I have yet many things to say unto you but ye cannot beare them now therefore say they the Lord spake many things which are not written Sol. 1. He saith not that he had many things to tell them which he had not taught them before but which they were not now so well capable of for it appeareth that he taught them that which they understood not and therefore they needed to be further taught of them by the holy Ghost which should not teach them any new thing that Christ had not taught but onely make them understand that which they had beene taught of our Saviour Christ. 2. If the holy Ghost did teach them any thing which our Saviour Christ had not before spoke unto them of yet that makes nothing for Traditions seeing that which the holy spirit taught them he taught them out of the Scriptures 3. If the holy Ghost should have taught the Apostles some things which neither Christ had told them of nor the Scriptures had taught them yet this is rather against the Papists For that which the holy Ghost taught them they undoubtedly left in record unto the Church as being faithfull Stewards and revealing the whole Counsell of God unto the people 4. It hath been the practise of Hereticks as Austine affirmeth at all times to cover their dreames and phantasies with this sentence of our Saviour Christ. Lastly if it be asked what were those grave and great mysteries which the Apostles could not for their rudenesse beare they are forsooth Oyle and Spittle in Baptisme Candles light at noone dayes which was not in the darker time of the Law Baptizing of Bels and such like gue-gaws as the grossest and carnallest men are fittest to receive Ob. 2 Thess. 2. 15. Therefore Brethren stand fast and hold the Traditions which ye have been taught whether by word or our Epistle From these words say our Adversaries it appeares that all things were not written nullum Papistae in Scripturis locum probabiliorem inveniunt saith Whitaker The Hereticks say the Rhemists on this place purposely guilefully and of ill conscience refraine in their translations from the Ecclesiasticall and most usuall word Tradition evermore when it is taken in good part though it expresse most exactly the signification of the Greeke word but when it â—oundeth in their fond fantasie againâ—â— the Traditions of the Church as indeed in true sense it never doth there they use it most gladly Here therefore and in the like plâ—ces that the reader may not so easily like of Traditions unwritten here commended by the Apostle they translate 〈◊〉 â—onstitutions Ordinances and what they can invent else to hide the truth from the Rimple or unwarry Reader whose translations have none other end but to be guile such by art and conveighance Thus farre the Rhemists Paul taught the Thessalonians some things by word of mouth which he taught them not in his two Epistles which he wrote unto them therefore he taught some doctrines which he wrote not as if that Paul wrote no more Epistles then these two whereby that which he taught not them in writing unto them he taught them by writing unto others Secondly how followeth this argument Paul wrote not all the doctrines of God unto the Thessalonians therefore they are not all written in the Propheticall and Evangelicall writings whereas it is plainly testified that the Old Testament containeth a perfect rule of the doctrine of salvation the new being written for a Declaration of the fulfilling and further clearing of that in the Old Testament Thirdly it appeareth manifestly in the Acts what was the summe of that which Paul taught the Thessalonians by word of mouth For there it is witnessed that Paul taught out of the Scriptures that it behoved Christ to suffer and rise againe from the dead and that Jesus was Christ this teaching then by word is there limited to the Scriptures of the Law and Prophets Neither ought it to seeme strange that this was the summe of all which the Apostle taught at Thessalonica where he tarried so small a while when amongst the Corinthians where he remained longest of any place and consequently taught most he sheweth that he taught nothing but Christ and him crucified Fourthly the Apostle himself in this very place calling verse 14. whatsoever he taught by word or wrote by the name of
the Gospell doth declare evidently that he taught nothing but that which is contained in Scripture seeing the Apostle defineth the Gospell which he preached to be that which is contained in the Scriptures Fifthly That the Thessalonians had some part of Christian doctrine delivered by word of mouth that is by the Apostles preaching at such time as he did write unto them and some part by his Epistles the Text enforceth us to grant But that the Church at this day or ever since the Testament was written had any Tradition by word of mouth necessary to salvation which was not contained in the Old and New Testament we will never grant The Papists doe commonly abuse the name of Tradition which signiâ—ieth properly a delivery or a thing delivered for such a matter as is delivered onely by word of mouth and so received from hand to hand that is never put in writing but hath his credit without the Holy Scripture of God as the Jewes had their Cabala and the Scribes and the Pharisees their Traditions besides the Law of God For the justifying of our translation it is true that we alter according to the circumstances of the place especially considering that the word Tradition which of it selfe is indifferent as well to that which is written as to that which is not written hath been of us and them appropriated to note forth onely unwritten constitutions therefore we must needs avoide in such places as this the word Traditions though our last translation useth it where the simple might be deceived to thinke that the Holy Ghost did over commend any such to the Church which he would not have committed to writing in the holy Scriptures and in stead of the word so commonly taken although it doe not necessarily signifie any such matter we doe use such words as doe truly expresse the Apostles meaning and the Greeke word doth also signifie therefore we use these words Ordinances or Instructions Institutions or the doctrine delivered all which being of one or neere sence the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie and the same doth Tradition signifie if it be rightly understood Ob. 1 Tim. 6. 20. O Timothy keep that which is committed to thy trust By the name of pledge saith Bellarmine not the Scripture but the treasure of unwritten doctrine is understood Depositum say the Rhemisis is the whole doctrine of Christianity being taught by the Apostles and delivered their successors Sol. Though other learned men interprete this pledge or gage to be the gift of the holy Ghost yet we willingly acknowledge that it is to be understood of the doctrine of Christianity as that which hath best ground both by circumstance of this and conferrence of other places Whence we inferre that the doctrine of truth is not the Churches dâ—crees but the Lords given to the Church to keepe onely wherewith the title of a pledge cannot stand unlesse one may lay to pledge a thing in his own hands since in Popery the Church her selfe maketh the doctrine which her selfe taketh to pledge Herein they handle it like a pledge that they lock it up fast where the people of God for whose use it is given to be kept cannot come unto it What had become of the Law of God if others had not been more faithfull keepers of it then the Priests to whom the principall Copy thereof written with the singer of God himselfe was committed There are some points of faith not contained in Scripture neither in the Old nor New Testament therefore it is not perfect In the old Testament no doubt but the females had some remedy whereby they might be purged from originall sin as well as the males circumcision was instituted only for the males the Scripture mentions not what was instituted for the females In the new Testament the perpetuall virginity of Mary the mother of Christ. Two things are considered in circumcision 1. Signum 2. Res signata or the end and use of the signe Sol. The thing signified or efficacie of the outward signe of circumcision was common both to Males and Females the very institution of circumcision teacheth that for it was a signe of the Covenant the Covenant belonged to all which were of the seed of Abraham if they renounced it not Although there were no decision of the other point out of the Scripture yet would it not thence â—ollow which the Jesuits pretend that some necessary point of Christianity wanted the ground of holy Scripture it being sufficient for us to know that she was a Virgin when our Saviour Christ was borne of her as the Prophets did foretell Yet as Chamier saith well we beleeve that she continued a Virgin all her life time for in those things saith he which are not properly de fide we hold the authority of the Church is great if it contradict not Scripture or produce no other absurdity Vide Riveti Apologiam pro virgine Maria l. 1. c. 15. Helvidius would gather from those words 1 Matth. 25. untill and first borne that Mary after had Children by her husband The word till doth not import so much See Gen. 8. 7. and 28. 15. 1 Sam. 15. 35. 2 Sam. 6. 23. Matth. 28. 20. He is called the first borne in Scripture which first opens the wombe whether other follow or no. 7. The Scripture is plaine and Perspicuous The Perspicuity of the Scripture is a cleare and evident manifestation of the truth delivered in it It is Perspicuous both in respect of it selfe and us 1. In respect of it selfe as appeares 1. In the things delivered which although they seeme obscure for their Maâ—esty and dignity yet they carry the light of truth before them therefore the Scripture is frequently termed a light Psal. 19. 8. and 119. 105. Deut. 30. 11. Prov. 6. 2. 2 Pet. 1. 19. 2 Cor. 4. 3. 4. 6. the Scripture is a most bright light There are 2 things in Gods revealed will verbum rei the word and res verbi the mystery The Scriptures are hard if we looke to the mystery but not if wee looke to the word as for example the Scripture teacheth that there is one God in three persons the words are plaine and easie every man understands them but the mystery contained in those words passeth the reach of man we may well discerne these things to be so though we cannot fully conceive how these should be so 2. In the manner of delivering or kind of stile which is fitted to the things and persons shewing the greatest simplicity both in words either proper or figurative and in the cleare sence and mosâ— perspicuous propriety of signification viz. that one which is called literall and Grammaticall 2. In respect of us because the Scripture is to us the principle meanes and inâ—â—rument of faith every Principle ought to be by it selfe and in its own nature knowne and most Intelligible and there being 3 degrees of
faith knowledge assent and full assurance these cannot consist without the perspicuity of the Scripture the divine promises also of writing the Law in our heart and concerning the spreading abroad and cleare light of the Gospell should be to no purpose if the Scriptures should not â—e plaine in things necessary to salvation All difficulty in understanding the Scripture ariseth not from the obscurity of it but from the weaknesse of our understanding corrupted by naturall ignorance or blinded by divine punishment and câ—rse therefore it no more followes from thence that the Scripture cannot be an infallible and onely rule of faith and life because some obscure things are found in it not understood of all then that the Bookes of Euclide are not perfect elements of Geometry because there are some abstruse theoremes in them which every vulgar Geometrician can not demonstrate or that Aristotles Organon is not a perfect Systeme of Logicke because a fresh Sophister understands not all its subtilties More distinctly we say that the Scriptures are plaine and obscure in a threefold respect 1. They are plaine and easie to be understood by all men in Fundamentals and the Speciall points necessary to salvation as the Decalogue the Apostles Creed the Lords Prayer and the like unlesse by those whose minds the God of this world hath blinded if they be obscure in some lesse principall and circumstantiall matters there is need of interpretation that the meaning may be more clearely unfolded 2. A difference of persons is to be considered either more generally or more specially 1. More generally as they are elect and regenerate or reprobate and unregenerate to those the Scripture is plaine and pe picuous to whom alone it is destinated and whose minds the Holy Ghost will inlighten by the Scripture John 7. 17. Rom. 12. 2. 1 Cor. 12. 15. Psal. 19. 7. Matth. 11. 5. and 25. 25. Psal. 9. 10. 12. 13. 14. Yet the flesh and unregenerate part in them puts in impediments but that Ignorance is removed at last Luke 8. 10 The reprobates continue involved in perpetuall darknesse and blinded with Ignorance hypocrisie covetousnesse pride and contempt of divine learning even seeing they see not Psal. 36. 3. Esay 29 9. Jer. 5. 21. Esay 6. 9. 2 Cor. 3. 14. there is a vaile over their hearts 2 Cor. 4. 3. 4. which is the cause why is so many ages under the Papacy the Scriptures were not understood because they preferred a lye before the love of the truth 2 Thess. 10. whose Ignorance is a deserved punishment of that contempt which they shewed to the Scriptures and their authority 2. More specially the persons are distinguished according to the diversity 1. Of Conditions of life and vocations for so many places of Scripture are hard to this sort of men which are more easie to another neither is it required that all things be understood of all men the knowledge of more places is necessary in a Minister then in a Trades-man and Husband-man yet it is an 〈◊〉 Rule to every one in his Vocation 2. Of capacities and wits for every one hath his measure of gifts so among Ministers some understanâ— the Word more obscurely some more plainly yet it is to all a perfect rule according to the measure of Gifts 3 Of times all things are not equally obscure or perspicuous to all ages many things are better understood now then in times past as the prophesies and predictions of Christ and the times of the Gospell so in the Mysteries of the Revelation the exposition rather of moderne Interpreters then Fathers is to be received because in our times not theirs there is an accomplishment of those Prophesies and many things were more clearely knowne by them in those dayes the Ceremonies and Types of Moses his Law were better perceived by the Jewes then us God the Author of the Scripture could speak perspicuously for he is wisdom it selfe and He would speake so because he caused the Scripture to be written to instruct us to our eternall salvation Rom. 15. 4. and he commands us to seek in the Scripture eternall life We do not account the prophecy of Esay touching Christ which the Eunuch read to be a dark and obsure prediction but wee know it was cleare and plaine enough though the Eunuch a raw Proselyte understood not the meaning of it The Fathers proved their opinions out of the Scriptures therefore the Scriptures are more clear then the writings and commentaries of the Fathers To every one which readeth with humility and invocation of God the Booke of the Apooalypse the obscurest and hardest Booke to understand of all other blessednesse is promised which when it cannot beâ—all to any that understandeth nothing it is manifest that the promise of blessednesse includeth a warrant of understanding of it so much as is necessary to salvation We affirme that many places in the Scripture are very obscure and that either from the obscurity of the things as in the Prophesies of future things the event must interprete them as Daniels Prophecies of the foure Monarchies were in times past very darke but easier since when all things were fulfilled so the comming of Antichrist in the new Testament drew the Fathers into divers opinions so even yet there are many things obscure in the Revelation which are not accomplished So those things which are spoken of the Messiah in the old Testament are either not understood or not fully without the new Testament Sometimes the ambiguity of words breedes a difficulty as I and the Fathers are one the Arrians understood it of a union of will as when Christ prayed John 17. that the Disciples might be one Hitherto may be referred those places which are to be understood allegorically as the Canticles the first Chapter of Ezechiel 3. Some places are obscure from the ignorance of ancient Rites and Customes as that place 1 Cor. 15. 29. of Baptizing for the dead is diversly explained by interpreters both old and new There are six interpretations of it in Bellarmine l. 1. de purgatorio c. 8. Ambrose saith Paul had a respect to that custome of some who Baptized the living for the dead Piscator Bucane say the custome of the ancient Church is noted here who Baptized Christians at the Graves that so it might be a symbole of their beliefe and confession of the Resurrection of the Dead Tarnovius proves that that rite was not in use in the Apostles time Calvin interprets it of those who were Baptized when they were ready to die but Beza thinkes by Baptizing is understood the 〈◊〉 of washing the bodies before the Buriall Andreas Hyperius sheweth in a peculiar tract what various opinions there are about this place Voetius hath written a tract de insolubilibus Scripturae Estius and Dr. Hall on the hard places of Scripture Divers reaâ—ons may be rendred why God would have many things in the Scripture obscure and difficult 1. To
make us deligent both in Prayer to him to open to us the meaning of the Scriptures and likewise in Reading Meditating Searching and Comparing the Scriptures 2. To remove disdaine from us we quickly slight those things that are easily 3. That we might more prize Heavenly truths gotten with much labour 4. To tame our arrogance and reprove our ignorance John 16. 12. 5. God would not have the holy Mysteries of his Word prostituted to Dogs and Swine therefore many a simple godly man understands more here then the great Rabbies 6. That order might be kept in the Church some to be Hearers some Teachers and Expounders by whose diligent search and travell the harder places may be opened to the people Heare the Lamb may wade and the Elephant may swim saith Gregory The Scriptures have hoth milk for Babes and strong meate for men saith Austin It is a note of a learned Interpreter that the benefit of knowing the prophecies concerning the Church Christ before hee was slain had it not so as Hee had after his death it was the purchase of the Blood of Christ to have those things opened We doe noâ— therefore hold that the Scripture is every where so plaine and evident that it needs no interpration as our adversaries do slander us and here they fight with their own shadow We confesse that the Lord in the Scriptures hath tempered hard and easie things together But this we affirm against the Papists first that all points of Faith necessary to salvation and weighâ—y matters pâ—rtaining to Religion are plainely set forth in the Scriptures 2. That the Scriptures may with great profit and to good edification be read of the simple and unlearned notwithstanding the hardnesse of some places which in time also using the meanes they may come to the understanding of Therefore I migh save that labour in answering the Arguments of our adversaries since they are of no force against us not indeed touch our cause proving only that some places in the Scripture are difficult which we deny not But I shall first take off their answers whereby they would evade the strength of our reasons for the perspicuity of the Scripture and then refute their own Objections First when we urge divers places to prove the Scripture to be a light the use of which is to dispell darknesse which it would not if it selfe were obscure Bellarmine answereth that those places are not to be understood of all the Scripture but only of the Commandements and that these also are called a light not because they are easily understood although that be true but because being understood and known they direct a man in working 2. If it be understood of all the Scriptures they are called light not because they are easily understood but because they illustrate the minde when they are understood But the Apostle Peter speakes not only of the precepts of the Decalogue but of all the Scripture of the old Testament which if it be light much more shall the Scripture of the new Testament and therefore the whole body of Scriptures which the Christians now have shall be light Secondly that place 119. Psal. 130 doth not speake of the precepts alone of thy words by which is signified the whole Scripture in the 19 Psalme David speaketh of the word of God in generall which he adorâ—eth with many titles the Law or Doctrine of the Lord the Testimony of the Lord the Statutes of the Lord the Precepts of the Lord the Feare of the Lord it is so called metonymically because it teacheth us the Feare and Reverence of the Lord hee saith this Doctrine is perfect converts the soule and makes wise the simple therefore he understands the whole Scripture the mistresse of true and perfect wisdome Secondly it is called a light because it hath light iâ— it selfe and because it ilâ—ightneth others unlesse they be quite blind or willingly turn away their eyes from this light Thirdly if the Commandements bee easy the rest of the Scriptures is likewise as the Prophets and Historicall Books being but commentaries and expositions of the Decalogue That evasion of the Papists will not serve their turnes that the Scripture is a light in it selfe but not quoad nos as if the Scripture were a light under the bushell for that the Scripture is light effective as well as formaliter appeares by the addition giving understanding to the simple It was a smart answer which a witty and learned Minister of the reformed Church of Paris gave to a Lady of suspected chastity and now revolted when she pretended the hardnesse of the Scripture why said he Madam what can be more plaine then Thou shall not commit adultery The Scriptures and reasons answered which the Papists being for the obscurity of the Scripture 2 Pet. 3. 16. Peter saith there that in the Epistles of Paul there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some things hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they doe also the other Scriptures unto their own destruction First Peter reâ—traineth the difficulty of Pauls writings to that point himselfe presently wrote of touching the end of the World therefore it is unreasonable that for one hard point in the Epistles the people should be debarred the reading of all the rest Secondly even in that point he affirmeth that some things only are hard and not all Thirdly the understanding of the Scriptures dâ—pendeth not principally on the sharpenesse of mens wits or their learning but on the Spirit of God which is given to the simple that humbly seek it by Prayer therefore though the whole Scripture were hard to be understood yet that is no good cause to bereave the people of God from reading of his word Fourthly Peter assigning the true cause of errour and abuse of the Scripture to be the unstability and unlearnednesse of such as deale with them cannot thereby be understood to speake that of the body of the Church and of the people Laurentius in his Book intitled S. Apostolus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hoc est explieatio locorum difficilium in Epistolis Paulinis reckons up 40 hard places in Pauls Epistles Rom. 1. 19. 20. 28. and 2. 12. 13 14 15. and 4 5. and 5 6. 12 13 14 15. 20. and 7. 9. 14. and 8. 3. 4. 19 20 21 22. and 9. 3. 11. 12. 13. 18. and 11. 25 26. 1 Cor. 2. 15. 1 Cor. 3. 11 12 13 14 15. 1 Cor. 4. 9. and 5. 11. and 6. 2 3. 1 Cor. 7. 1. 7. 10 11 12 13 14 15. 1 Cor. 11. 7. 10. and 15. 29. 51. 2 Cor. 2. 15 16. and 3. 6. 15 16. Galat. 1. 8. and 2. 14. and 3. 10. 1 Thess. 4. 15 16 17. 1 Tim. 1. 9. Heb. 6. 4 5 6. and 10. 26. They say the Scriptures are difficult also in the manner of writing as well as in the matter for which they alleage Psal. 119. 18.
Pastor in the Old Testament had such authority much more the chiefe Priest in the New Sol. This one pastor signifieth neither the High Priest in the old Law nor the Pope in the New but Jesus Christ the High Shepheard for our soules Ob. Matth. 16. 19. Christ saith to Peter to theâ— will I give the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven therefore the Pope hath authority to expound Scripture Sol. First by the Keyes here is meant Commission to preach the Gospell not authority of interpreting the Scriptures When the Gospell is preached the Kingdome of heaven is opened to the beleevers and shut to the unbeleevers 2. That authority of the Keyes was not committed to Peter onely but to the other Apostles also Matth. 28. 18. 19. There is a twofold judgement 1. Of discretion 1 Cor. 10. 15. 2. Of authority as the Parllament judgeth Capitall crimes If the Papists understand the word Judge to â—ignifie Discerning as when we judge of meates by the taste every faithfull person ought to pray unto God for grace to judge to discerne and to know the true sense of the Scripture But if by judging they understand to pronounce decrees definitive and infallible judgements touching the sence of the Scriptures thereby to bind other mens consciences there is no man in the world that hath that power See Moulinâ— Buckler of Faith We have a more compendious way to come to the understanding of the Scripture It were too long when we doubt of any place to stay till we have the generall consent of the Pastors of the Church or to expect a generall counsell or to goe up to Rome But the word of God is amongst us the Scriptures themselves and the Spirit of God opening our hearts doe teach us how to understand them And yet we say not as the Papists falsely charge us that we allow every private mans interpretation of Scripture refusing the judgement of the Pastors of the Church Panoruitan saith the opinion of one godly man ought to be preferred before the Popes if it be grounded upon better authority of the Old and New Testament 2 Pet. 1. 20. No prophesie of the Scripture is of any private interpretation Stapleton saith interpretation is private either ratione personae when the man is private or ratione medij when it is not taken out of the context and circumstances or ratione finis when it is for a false end Now private interpretation in regard of the person if it be publike in regard of the meanes is not forbidden for it is lawfull for one man with Scripture toti resistere mundo saith the Glosse of the Canon-Law the meaning of this place is that the Prophets were no Interpreters or Messengers of their own minds but Gods The Catholickes hold saith Chamier meaning still by that Title the Protestants that the Scripture is to be interpreted by private labour and industry viz. of Augustine Jerome Chrysostome but not in a private sense that is in a sense arising from the braine of the Interpreter It is true saith Cartwright against the Rhemists that the Scriptures cannot be expounded of every private Spirit nor which is more of any private spirit nor yet of all private spirits together but onely of those which are inspired of God viz. the Prophets and Apostles which are here opposed unto private Interpretation And therefore it is evident that the exposition of the Scripture ought not to be fetched from Ecclesiasticall either Fathers or Councels which speake not by inspiration but from the Scriptures themselves what he meaneth he declareth in the next verse where he sheweth the reason of his saying namely that it must be interpreted as it was written and by as high authority Seeing therefore it was first spoken by holy men which spake as they were led by the holy Spirit and were inspired of God it followeth that it must be interpreted by the same authority The interpretation therefore that is brought but of the Apostles and Prophets is not private although it be avowed by one man onely On the other side that interpretation which is not brought from thence although it have the allowance of whole Generall Counsels is but private This is a principall meaning of our Saviour Christ when he willeth that we should call no man father or Master in the earth that is in matter of doctrine we should depend upon the authority of no man nor of all men in the earth but onely upon Christ and upon God Our reasons by which we prove that the chiefest judgement and authority of interpreting Scriptures is to be given not to the Church but to the Scriptures themselves and the Holy Ghost 1. That which onely hath power to beget faith that onely hath the chiefest authority of interpreting Scripture and of determining all controversies concerning faith and religion but the Scriptures onely and the Holy Ghost have this force Rom. 10. 17. the Holy Ghost onely can infuse saving faith into our hearts which is called by the Schoolemen infusa fides The faith which we have from the Church is acquired and sufficeth not to a certaine perswasion 2. The Scriptures cannot be interpreted but by the same Spirit wherewith they were written that spirit is found no where but in the Scripture whosoever have promises from God to understand the Scripture may interpret it but so have all the faithfull 3. Christ himselfe makes the Scripture a Judge John 12. 48. and still appealed to it 4. Although the Fathers were men indued of God with excellent gifts and brought no small light to understanding of the Scriptures yet learned men in our dayes may give a right sense of sundry places thereof which the Fathers saw not yea against the which perhaps they consent Hath any man living read all the Fathers nay have all the men living read them nay can they shew them can they get them I had almost said can they name them In the exposition of those words Tu es Petrus supra hanc petram almost every one of the Fathers at least the most part of them and the best expound it of Peters faith yet the Papists understand it non de fide sed de persona Petri. Here they dis-agree themselves from the Fathers John 10. 16. by the title of one Shepheard Augustine Chrysostome Jerome Cyrill Theodoret Theophylact Euthimius Rupertus Cyprian and other Fathers agree that Christ is there designed but Stapleton saith the Pope is there meant In the division of the Law they goe cleane contrary to the greatest part of the Fathers For they divide the Commandements as we doe but the Papists make the two first one and the tenth two 2. They have no Father to countenance them in this but Augustine There were no writings of the Fathers for a time many of them wrote 400 yeares after Christ but some 500 and 600 yeares after Christ what rule had they before that time of interpreting
Scriptures The Fathers were given too much to allegorizing Cajetane therefore in the Preface of his Commentaries upon the Books of Moses saith that the exposition of the Scripture is not tied by God to the sense of the Fathers therefore he admonisheth his readers not to take it ill if he somtime dissent from the stream of the Fathers 4. The doctrine of the Church must be examined by the Scriptures Act. 17. 11. If Pauls doctrine much more may the decrees of the Pope Church Councels be examined by the Scriptures 5. The interpretation of the Scripture is a gift freely given by God for the edification of the Church Rom. 12. 6. 1 Cor. 12. 10. therefore it is not tied to a certaine kinde of men but common to the faithfull 6. The faithfull are commanded diligently to try and examine every doctrine 1 Thess. 5. 21. 1 John 4. 1. which cannot be altogether done without interpretation 3. What meanes must be used in the interpretation of Scripture The end of the Scripture we heard was to direct the Church to all saving truth The meanes to be used for the attaining of that end by the Minister is diligent Study and humble Prayer by the people attentive reading hearing Prayer and meditating First the teachers must Pray earnestly to God for his spirit to inlighten them Matth. 7. 7. 8 9. Rom. 15. The Scriptures are understood by that spirit that dictated them Secondly The Pastors and teachers of the Church must diligently and painefully study the Scriptures giving themselves to read compare place with place John 5. 39. search the Scriptures it is a metaphore taken from such as search for Gold and Silver Oare in the earth who will search and sift and breake every clod to finde out the Gold Salomon useth the same metaphore Prov. 2. 4. and to this diligence in searching doth the Apostle exhort Timothy 1 Tim. 4. 13. This diligence is often exprest in Scripture in the old Testament by the phrase of meditating in the word Josh. 1. 8. Psal. 1. 2. Thirdly they must labour for a competent knowledge in the originall tongues the Hebrew and Greek in which the Scripture was written that so they may consult with the Hebrew Text in the old and the Greeke in the new Testament and see with their owne not anothers eyes 4. They should likewise be expert in all the liberall Arts especially in Grammer Logicke Rhetoricke generall Philosophy and History All the Treasures of wisedome and knowledge are hid in the Scriptures the treasures of naturall Philosophy in Genesis of Morall Philosophie in Exodus Deuteronomy and Ecclesiastes of the Politicks in the Judicials of Moses and the Proverbs of Solomon of Poetry in the Psalms of History in the Books of Chronicles Judges and Kings the Mathematickes in the dimensions of the Arke of the Temple of the Metaphysicks in the Books of the Prophets and Apocalyps 5. They must consider 1. The severall words 2. The Phrases In the severall words they must consider 1. Whether the word be taken properly or tropically and that they may the better understand the words an inspection 1. Of Lexicons is needfull some of which observed the order of the Alphabet but so as they distinguished betweene the roots and the Derivatives as Pagnine hath done for the Hebrew and Stephanus for the Greek The best Lexicons for understanding the Hebrew Text are Buxtorfe Avenarius Forster Schindler Mercer on Pagnine and Brixianus his arca Noae for the Greeke are Stephanus Budaeus Scapula my owne two I hope may be usefull for understanding both Testaments 2. Of Concordances some much extoll Buxtorfe for the Hebrew Kirchers is a very usefull one both for the Hebrew and the Septuagint Stephanus for the Greeke is the best Cottons Concordance as it is now inlarged by Newman is esteemed the best for the English See Dr. Featlies and Dr. Gouges Prefaces to it commending it and shewing the use of Concordances in generall They must 1. Consider the Text exactly in it selfe the Grammer of it must be sifted the nature of every word by it self and the alteration it admits in diversity of construction 2. The Rhetoricke whether any word leaving the proper signification receiveth a borrowed 3. Above all the Logicke as to know what he proveth and by what 2. Compare paralell places and obscurer with plainer To interprete that place this is my body make use of that other The Bread which we breake is the Communion of the body of Christ because both places are not onely concerning the Eucharist but also one and the same kind 3. Make use of Paraphrases and versions among which the Chaldee and the Septuagint for the Old Testament the Syriacke and the Arabicke for the new excell For the knowledge of the phrase they must proceed the same way and to understand the better both the words and phrases they must diligently consider of the scope and circumstances of the place as the coherence of that which went before with that which followes after and of the matter whereof it doth intreat All expositions ought to agree with the Analogie of faith Rom. 12. 6. Analogie is eitherof faith comprehended in the Doctrine of the Creed L. P. Command Sac. and gathered out of evident places of Scripture or of the Text by the coherence of antecedentia consequentia by the propriety of the phrase 6. The Jewish expositors the Ancient Fathers and other Interpreters Ancient and Moderne Popish and Protestant are usefull for the right understanding of the Scripture if they be read with judgement Not many but a few and those the best commentaries are to be consulted with of the Hebrew Interpretes and Rabbins two were most learned R. David Kimbi and Rabbi Aben Ezra saith Dr. Rainolds The pure Masters of the Hebrewes saith Mayerus in Philologia Sacra are specially Maymonides Rabbi David Kimchi wise Aben Ezra Rabbi Salomon Jarchi although the last two much favour Talmudicall dreames The Cabalists and many of the Rabbines are very fabulous and men in a burning fever cannot dreame of things more ridiculous then some of the Rabbines have seriously written and taught saith Muis against Morinus Vide Spanhem Dub. Evangel parte tertia Dub. 21. Dub 129. Glass Philol. Sac l. 2. partem primam Tract 1. Thalmud liber fabulosissimus Chamier Abarbanel hath done well of the greatest part of the Old Testament Scriptor famosissimus saith Buxtorfe of him in Decalogo Yet he was unknowne it seemes to Mercer and Drusius for neither of them mention him The Jewes say of Rabbi Moses Ben-Maymon that from Moses to Moses there arose not such a Moses He was the first of the Rabbines that ceased to doat Maimonides antiquus celeberrimus inter Judaeos Scriptor Capellus de Literis Ebr. Mr. Gregory stiles him the very learned Maimon The Church of God is much beholding to the Hebrew Rabbines being great helps unto us for understanding
7. For there are â—hree that beare record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost The Arrians wiped this place out of many bookes 2 Cor. 13. 14. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the holy Ghost be with you all The Arrians Samosatenians Sabellians Photinians and others deny the Trinity of persons in one essence of God Servetus a Spaniard was burnt at Geneva in Calvins time he denied that Christ was Gods Sonne till Mary bore him Servetus Trinitatem idolum item Cerberum Tricipitem vocabat See Mr Cbeynels rise of Socinianisme ch 1. p. 6. Socinus cals him Deum tripersonatum ridiculum humanae curiositatis inventum Infaustus Socinus omnium haereticorum audacissimus saith Rivet See Cheynels rise of Socinianisme Chap. 3. That the Father is God is confessed by all and it is manifest from Scripture we are directed to pray to him The Apostle saith Grace to you and peace from God our Father Philem. v. 3. That Christ is God is proved 1 By cleare Texts of Scripture affirming this truth in so many words The Prophet foretelling of him saith this in his name by which you shall call him Jehovah or the Lord our righteousnesse Jerem. 23. 6. and the mighty God Esay 9. 6. Paul saith Rom 9. 5. who is God over all blessed for ever and St John saith 1 John 5. 20. This is very God and St Paul saith 1 Tim. 3. 16. Great is the mystery of Godlinesse God manifested in the flesh and accordingly Thomas made his confession John 20. 28. My Lord and my God which title he accepteth and praiseth Thomas for believing and that he could not have done without extreame impiety had he not been God 2 By evident reasons drawn from the Scripture He hath the Name Titles Workes essentiall Attributes and worship of God ascribed unto him in Scripture 1 Divine Names and Titles are given to Christ He is the onely blessed Potentate 1 Tim. 6. 15. The King of Kings Revel 1. 5. and Lord of Lords Apoc. 17. 14. 19. 16. He is called the Image of the invisible God Col. 1. 25. the brightnesse of his glory Heb. 1. 3. the word and wisdome of the Father Prov. 8. 12. 9. 1. He is called the Word because he is so often spoken of and promised in the Scripture and is in a manner the whole subject of the Scripture he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum articulo John 1. 1. Acts 20. 28. 1 Tim. 3. 16. the great God Titus 2. 13. the true God 1 John 5. 20. God over all or blessed above all Rom. 9. 5. the most high Luke 1. 76. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which name the Septuagint have expressed Jehovah the proper name of God alone John 20. 28. My Lord Jude 4. the onely Lord Acts 10. 36. the Lord of all 1 Cor. 15. 48. the Lord from Heaven 1 Cor. 2. 8. the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2. 8. the Lord of Heaven and Earth Matth. 28. 18. These Titles are too high and excellent to be given unto any meere man whatsoever God therefore who wil not have his glory given to another would never have given these Titles to another if he were not God 2 The workes of God even the principall and most eminent of all which are proper to the Lord onely are ascribed to Christ. 1. The worke of Creation even of creating all things John 1. 3. and Col 1. 16. He for whom and by whom all things were created is very God for Christ and by him all things were created therefore he is very God 2 The worke of preservation and government is attributed to him also he is before all things and by him all things consist Heb. 1. 2. He who upholds all things by his powerfull word is God so doth Christ therefore he is God 3 The working of Divine miracles raising up the dead by his own power is given to him John 6. 54. and John 5. 21. He that can quicken and raise the dead is God so doth Christ therefore he is God 4 Redeeming of mankind Luke 1. 68. Matth. 20 28. Eph. 1. 7. Rev. 1. 5. 5 Sending of the Holy Ghost John 21. 22. 14. 16. and of Angels is ascribed to him Matth. 13. 41. Revel 1. 1. He forgives sinnes Marke 9. 2 5. He gives eternall life 3 The principall and incommunicable attributes of God are given to him 1 Omniscience John 2. 24 25. He knew all men and he knew what was in them John 21. 17. Lord thou knowest all things 2 Omnipotency Rev. 1. 8. Phil. 3. 21. 3 Eternity John 17. 5. Revel 1. 18. John 1. 1. Esay 9. 6. He is called the everlasting Father 4 Omnipresence Matth. 18. 20. 5 Unchangeablenesse Heb. 1. 11 13. 13. 8. He that is Omniscient Omnipotent Eternall Omnipresent Unchangeable equall to the Father in Majesty and glory Phil. 2. 16. is God so is Christ therefore he is God Laâ—â—ly worship due to God is ascribed to him Heb. 1. 6. Let all the Angels of God worship him Revel 5. 13. the Lambe that is Christ hath the same worship tendred to him that the Father hath We are commanded to call upon his name to believe and trust in him John 14. 1. 3. 16. 6. 39. to hope in him Esay 11. 10. we are baptized in his name Matth. 28. 19. Acts 8. 16. and sweare by him Rom. 9. 1. Ob. Christ is called God of God and light of light Sol. Christ as God is from himself but if the Deity of Christ be considered as in the person of the Sonne so it is from the Father The Sonne in respect of his essence is from none in respect of the manner of subsistence he is from the Father Ob. Matth. 19. 17. Christ denieth that he was good because he was not God Sol. Christ applieth himselfe to him to whom he spake now he called Christ good in no other sence then he would have done any other Prophet and in this sense Christ rebuked him for calling him good Ob. John 17. 3. God the Father is called the onely true God Sol. Some referre both these to God himselfe and Christ but others give a generall rule that the word alone is not opposed to the other persons but to the creatures and feigned Gods and so John 8. 9 the woman is not excluded but her accusers the added expressions shew him to be God because it is life eternall to know him as well as the Father Ob. Ephes. 4. 6. Sol. The word Father is not there used relatively or personally for the first person in the Trinity but essentially as Mal. 2. is there not one Father of us all and so he is God called Father in regard of his workes ad extrâ—i Ob. John 14. 28. My Father is greater then I. Sol. As he was man onely or mediator the Father was greater then
our election sure by our calling Rom. 8. 29 30. and our effectuall calling by two things 1. by a new light 2. a new life 2 Cor. 4. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 9. John 12. 36. Ephes. 5. 8. We have a new knowledge wrought in us of our selves we see our miserie by sin and our inability to help our selves Rom. 2. 23. 2 of God God in Jesus Christ is discovered to us 2 Pet. 1. 3. We see our need of Christ and know him to be a mediatour who must reconcile God and us 2. a new life is wrought in us Ephes. 2. 1. We now die to sin and live to God 1. By faith Rev. 17. 14. These three are put together faithfull chosen and called 2. By new obedience CHAP. II. 2. The Execution of Gods Decree GOD executes his Decree by Actions Creation and Providence Gods workes are in time 1. Past Creation of all things 2. Present Governement and preservation Creation is taken 1. Strictly when God makes any Creature of nothing meerly of nothing not as if nothing were the matter but the terme so the souls of men and Angels are created of nothing 2. Largely when of some prejasent matter but very unfit and indisposed a creature is made as Adam of the earth Creation is the action of God whereby out of nothing he brought forth nature it selfe and all things in nature both substances and accidents in and with the substances and finished them in the space of sixe dayes both to his owne glory and the salvation of the Elect. Or it is an action whereby God the Father by his word and holy Spirit made all things exceeding good for the glory of his name Or thus Creation is a transient or externall action of God whereby in the beginning He made the world by a meere command out of his owne free will in sixe dayes space to the glory of his name 1. An action not a motion or change motion argueth some succession but in the things created the fieri factum esse is all one nor is it a change because that supposeth some alteration in the Agent 2. Transient it passeth from the Agent to the thing created whereas in immanent actions as Gods will decrees and personall actions they abide in himselfe 3. Of God The efficient cause of Creation is God the Father Son and Holy Ghost Creation is the proper worke of God alone so that He is God which created the world and he created the world who is God Jer. 10. 11. It is without controversie that the worke of creation agrees to God the Father the same is expressely given to the Sonne John 1 3. Col. 1. 16. and to the Holy Ghost also Psal. 33. 6. 4. In the beginning By the Scripture it is a matter of faith to hold that the world was not from all eternity in the beginning that notes not that there was time first and then God created the world for time is a creature and concreated but it denotes orde that is at first 5. The world that is the Heaven and Earth and all things contained in them Acts 4. 4. and 17. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that well ordered decent beautifull and comely frame of heaven and earth 6. By his meere command as appeares Gen. 1. Let there be light let there be heavens wâ—ich argues his omnipotencie 7. Out of his owne free will for God did not need the world and therefore he created it no sooner 8. The finall cause to the glorie of his name Rom. 2. 20. Three Attrbiutes especially manifest themselves in this work of Creation Gods power wisedome goodnesse his power in that he made all thingâ— by a word and of nothing his wisedome is seene in the order and exceeding wonderfull and particular uses all creatures have his goodnesse in that he would communicate being to the creatures He needed not the world but was happie enough in himselfe without men or Angels The worke of Creation say some set out generally in a generall proposition In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth Which proposition He after explains by its parts That the world was not from eternity but was made by God these arguments may perswade First and principally Faith Heb. 11. 3. which is grounded upon divers places of Scripture as the first and second chapters of Genesis 38 and 39 chapters of Job and some Psalmes almost whole as 104. and 136. this also is the first Article of our Creede that the world was created in time by God The Apostle Paul Acts 14. 15. and 17. 24. doth point out God to the Heathen by this worke above others Secondly and probably the light of nature shining in these reasons 1. The originall of Nations laid downe by Moses Gen. 10. and else where which could not be fained by him since some memorie of them was then extant among many which yet in progresse of time was extinguished 2. The beginning of Arts the first inventers whereof are known and in what time they flourished for it is not probable that so many ages before mankind lived without arts and that in these last times they were all both invented perfected 3. The newnesse of all Heathenish histories the ancientest of which tell of nothing before Noah's flood or the beginning of the Assyrian Empire under Ninus The holy history it selfe is only of 4000. yeares or thereabout which neverthelesse iâ— the greatest monument of antiquity Now it would be a most unworthy reproach and contumelie cast upon all those men who had lived so many infinite ages agoe to say that they were so ignorant that they could not or so sloathfull that they would not deliver in writing what was done in their times 4. The decay of mans bodie and age which from a great strength quantity bignesse and time of life is now come down to a narrow scantling which if had decreased so alwais in infinite ages it would by this time have been brought almost to nothing The certaine series and order of causes and impossibility of their proceeding in infinitum for it must needs be that there should be one first which is the universall cause but first it is not unlesse it be one nor one except it be God 6. As a thing is so it workes but God doth not depend upon another in his being therefore neither in working doth he require a pre-existent matter 7. Art presupposeth nature and nature matter but God in working is a more excellent cause then art or nature therefore presupposeth nothing in working 8. The first cause viz. God is infinite therefore he can do whatsoever implyeth not a contradiction but the Creation of things in time implyeth it not 9. Whatsoever perisheth hath a beginning the world doth perish because all its parts decay and are subject to corruption therefore the whole The Angels and soules of men are changeable by nature as appears by the
did not make themselves They could not possibly be without any beginning at all for they are but parts of the whole world and no part of any whole can be eternall because there must be something before that did unite those parts together wherfore they were made by some superiour essence and more excellent then themselves and that is God How great how wise how good how infinitely excellent is He whose hand framed and ordered these things The Sunne ariseth to us constantly the Moone also keepes her course with like constancie Doth not that mighty armie of stars which in a cleare night shew themselves even speake to us as it were to consider of his incomprehensible excellencie which made and rules them Let us accustome our selves hereafter to these meditations if God had not beautified heaven with these excellent bodies light and heate could not have been equally and in due quantity conveyed into all the quarters of the world We must observe this worke so as to praise God for it to informe our selves of his nature and strive to worke more love feare obedience and confidence in our selves towards him The Apostle saith that in the times before the Gospell the Gentiles might have found God as it were by groping Acts 17. 27. Now we that have the Scripture to direct us as in the day-light shall not wee finde God out by these illustrious works of his CHAP. VI. THe fift dayes worke was the Creation of all living creatures which live and move in the two moist Elements the water and the aire viz. Fishes and moving creatures which live and move in the waters and all kinde of Fowles which flye in the open Region of the aire divers in nature shape qualities and manner of living The Hebrew verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here translated the moving creature is derived is used as here so in other Scriptures frequently first to signifie creeping or moving forward without feete as Genes 7. 21. and Levit. 11. 19. and secondly also to bring forth abundantly as here and also Exod. 1. 7. Fishes breed and bring forth young in great abundance more then any other creatures do by the multitude of spawn they would encrease beyond all measure and number if by one meanes or other the spawne were not devoured and consumed Who can render a reason of their ability to swim so in the waters to support themselves in the midst of the waters convey themselves up and down in it Fishes are in Scripture termed Reptilia Psal. 104. 25. In the great and wide Sea there are things creeping innumerable both small and great so called because things when they swim seeme to creep along in the water As birds have their wings and traines by meanes whereof they cut their way and make smooth passage through the aire so fishes are furnished with finnes wherewith they guide themselves in their swimming and cut the current of the streames aud waves for their more easie passage wherein their course is directed by their taile as shtps are conducted by their Helm The Sea gives more and greater dainties then the earth those that did most affect to please their pallate of olde set great store by fishes and paid dearer for them then flesh God hath furnished them with a strong power of encreasing Birds bring forth some foure or five in a nest some three and some but two the most but twenty as the little Wren for being so little the kinde would bee consumed by the things which devoure such weake creatures if those that be did not bring forth very many but every fish brings forth a great multitude many hundreds as we may see in their spawne That God should give unto these things a power to multiply so very fast is wonderfull and it is agreeable to reason too for the fishes doe more devoure one another then the beasts doe the greater being much more ravenous then any beast as being bigger and their stomacks by an antiperistasis of the cold water more vehement in digesting They are said to bee without number Psal. 104. 25. not simply but to us for wee cannot tell the number of them though God which made them doe know the particular number of them Hee can tell how many fishes there bee in the Sea though to us they exceed the power of counting yet he hath the precise and exact number of them We know not the kinds of fishes how much lesse the particulars There be saith Plinie of fishes and other creatures living in the Sea one hundred seventy and sixe severall and distinct kindes What Philosopher can tel how many Dolphins Herrings Whales sword-fishes there be in the Sea The Echeneis Remora or stop-ship but halfe a foot long is able to stay the greatest ship under saile Keckermannus humori frigido à Remora fuso adscribere videtur qui aquam circa gubernaculum conglaciet in Disput. Phisic The Cramp-fish Torpedo is able to benum and mortifie the armes of the lustiest and strongest Fishers that be by touching onely the end of any part of an angle-rod which they hold in their hands although they stand aloft and a great way from her hence it hath its name quod torpore manus afficiat because it benummeth the hands The Naturalists tell us of one fish which they call the Uranoscope which hath but one eye and that in a verticall point on the top of the head directly upward by which it avoids all rocks and dangers There have been known Whales sixe hundred foot long and three hundred 60. foot broad some like mountains some like Islands God himselfe speaking of his owne power of all the creatures rehearseth onely two the Behemoth Job 40. 15. to the end that is the Elephant and the Leviathan Job 41. per totum that is the Whale this being the greatest among the Fishes as that among the beasts The Sword-fish hath a beake or bill sharp pointed wherewith hee will drive through the sides and planks of a shippe and bore them so that they shall sink withall The Dolphin is said to bee a fish of such exceeding great swiftnesse as that oftentimes he outstrippeth a ship under sail in the greatest ruffe and merriest wind in swiftness of course In this fish is propounded to us an example of charity and kind affection toward our Children as Plinie in his description of the nature of this fish sheweth and Aelianus l. 5. c. 18 As also of his singular love toward man whereof Aelianus produceth strange examples It may seeme strange that it should please the Pope to forbid flesh to men rather then fish i. the lesse dainty and luxurious before the more for what is of some alleadged that the curse fell upon the earth and not the Seas is fondly affirmed seeing when it is said cursed bee the earth By earth is meant the whole globe of the earth consisting
vel minimum articulum qui non disertè constet ac totidem penè dixerim verbis in Scriptura sancta adeo ut merito dici possit opus tesellatum utpote constans ex varijs locis hinc inde excerptis atque in unum collatis artificioseque compositis Chamierus 2 Thess. 2. 15. Hoc fuit primum Pharisaeorum dogma quòd negarunt omnia quae spectant ad religionem scriptâ— esse Joseph Antiq. l. 13. * Tradìtiones istae non Scriptae â—harisaeorum nurquam in N. Test. dicuntur simpliciter absolutè Traditiones sed notantur semper aliquo elâ—gio ut quum dicuntur Traditiones seniorum Traditiones humanae siquando traditionis Vox ponitur simpliciter sumitur in bonam partem ipsum Dei verbum Traditio est Cameron in Mat. 15. Ephes. 2. 20. Apoc. 21. 24. Ephes. 41. 4. Christ taxeth the ignorance of Scripture commends the knowledge of it was carefull to fulfill the Scripture did interprete it gave ability to understand it * Deut. â— 2. 12. ult a Locus est egregiâ—s eoque nastri omnes utuntur qui contra Papisticas Traditiâ—nes aliquid scrâ—bunt Whitakerus longè illustrissimus locus est Chamierus b Nobis adversus Papistas non de quibusviâ— traditionibus controversia est sed duntaxat de traditionibus dogmatum quibus continentur fides mores â—oc est de ipsa Doctrina Chamierus l. 9. de Canone c. 1. * Vir ob ingenium laboremve ob Episcopatus dignitatem inter Papistas non postremi nominis Chamierus vide Malodanat ad Joan 16. 12. Estium ad Rom. 16. 17. Received from Christ himselfe teaching the Apostles Illud erat explicandum quâ— discrimine istae Traditiones tam multiplices graduque habendae sunt Nullum discrimen faciunt forsâ—n ergo volunt Ecclesiasticas etiam Traditiones parem cum divinis Scripturis Authoritatem habere Whitakerus de Scrip c. 3 quaest 6. Traditionum 〈◊〉 perniciosa est hac â—emul aperâ—a nihil est quâ—d non iâ—de â—â—umpat in Ecclesiam Chamierus 1 Chron. 1. 18. Luke 3. 36. Eorum mihi videtur sententia sanior qui negant vel è Lxx veâ—à Luca nomen Cainani fuisse insertum existimaâ—tes potius aliunde irrepsisse post â—vangelium à Lucà conscriptum cujus suae conjecturae rationes habent non lâ—ves in videre est apud Corneliam â Lapidein cap. 11. Geneseos Rivet Isag. ad Script Saâ— c. 10. vide pluâ—a ibid. l. 4 de verbo Dei c quarto Vix ullum vidâ—as de Traditionibus agentem qui non hic magnâ— fastu immoretur Chamierus Distingâ—â—nda sunt tempora personae non erant necessariae Scripturae ante legem ergo ne quidem post legem non erant necessariae Apostolis ergo ne nobis quidem negatur consequentia Ratio est quia aliter Israelitas doceri voluiâ— post legem Deus aliter aâ—te legem Aliter Christus Evangelium voluit Apostolis revelari aliter nobis praedicari Chamierus John â— 2â— Jansenius affirmat haec multa non fuisse diversa ab illis quae hactenus docuerat sed illustriorem illorum explicaâ—ionem hue adducit illud appositè quod habetur 1 Cor. 3. Christus testatur sè discipâ—lis suâ—s omnia tradidisse Joan. 15. 15 nihil ergo tacuit Hic locus omniâ—â—â— celebâ—â—rimus est Papistisque nostris inter primos in delicâ—js Chamierus 2 Tim. 3. 15 16. Luke 16. 29. 31. Act. 17. 3. What the trâ—dition was he preached is expressed 2 Thess. 3. 6. 1 Cor. 2. 2 Doctor â—ulke against Marâ—â—a in his Preface * Papistae maximi qui uâ—quam fueâ—irt Traditionarij Chamierus Syrus interpreâ— habet praecepta sive mandâ—ta Cartw. Annotat. on the Rhem. Test. Hic Achilles est Papistarum mag no fastu oftentatus ab omnibus singulâ—â— qui versantur in hac coâ—â—oversia Chamierus de Canone l. 9. c. 8. * Cicumcisio faeminarum continetur sub illa masculorum Signum in soliâ— masculis erat pro utrisque tamen faciebat si sinem usum ejus spectes Mariae perpetua virginitas non est fidei aâ—ticulâ—s ideò libenter amplectimur eam sententiam quae jam ab initio inter Christianos videtur invaluisse ut virgo fuâ—rit hoc est pura à coitu viri non tantum in toto Christi generationis mysterio quod sanè ut credamus necesse est sed etiam toto deinceps vitae tempore Châ—mierus de canone l. 9. c. 9. * Quam pertinacâ—â—r ludebat Helvidâ—us in primâ—genito Mariae fratribus Christi â— ut negaret perpetuam virginitatem Chamierus * Augustinus dicit nihil ad sidem necessarium obscurè in Scripturis doceri quin idem â—pertioribus locis aliâ—â— exâ—â—iceâ—ur * Verbum Dei coâ—latum cum lace analâ—gia multâ—plex Lucis est d spellere tenebras omnia manifestare aliâ—â— lucere noâ— sibi luce nihil puâ—ius illustrius gratius utilius faecundius caeâ—stis ejus oâ—igâ— odio habâ—tur saeped malis est bâ—num Commune plurium penetrat sordes sine inquinamento Spanhemius Dab Evangel parte tâ—rtia Dub. 94. Scriptura se 〈◊〉 profâ—etur tum formaliter tum effectivè lumiâ—â—sam illuminantem I. l. ibid. Esay 59. 21. Jer. 32 40. and 31 31. * Difficultas aut à rerum ipsarum natura est quae percipiuntur aut ab ipsis percipientibus aut ab ijs quae intercurrunt media Reâ— quae percipiâ—ntur natura sua intellectu difficiles sunt aut per obsâ—uritatem ut res futurae aut per majestatem ipsarum ut mysterium S. Trinitatis Sic quid Solâ— clarius quid difficilius aspectu nam hebâ—scit acies 〈◊〉 nostrorum vi râ—â—liorum â—llius A perciprientibus difficultatem esse quis sanus neget nam res quae sunt Spiritus homo naturalis non potâ—st capere Aâ—edijs quae Deus ipse ecclesiae obtulit id est à Scriptura negamus difficultatem esse lunius The fundamentals in Scripture are plaine to the Elect who are all taught of God so much as is necessary for their salvation John 6. 45. the least as well as the gâ—eatest In the first times of the Church there were no commentaries upon the Scriptures the Fathers read them without and yet then the Scriptuâ—es were nnderstood Origen who lived 200 years after Christ was the first that wrote any Commentary upon Scripture The pure Text of Scripture was ever read to the people and never any Commentaries and yet was understood by them Apoc. 1. 3. * Solet obscuritas lectores absterreve quo modo ajunt olim quendam dixisse Authorem obscurâ—m à se remâ—ventem Tu non vis intelligineque ego te intelligere a Especially in Genesis Job Canticles Ezeck Daniel and the Revelation In regard of the manner of writing there are many obstruse phrases in Scriptures as divers Hebraismes which peâ—haps weâ—e familiar to the Jewes but are obscure to us b The â—0 Chap.
especialy Camierus de Canone l. 15. c. 4. Plato Aristotle Euclid have their nodos and the Scriptures have their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 3. 16. in them are darke sayings Psalme 78. 2. Riddles Ezek 17. 2. Parables Mâ—t. 13. 35. Mysteriâ—s Mat. 4. 13. Mr. Greenhill That is a very difficult place 1. Cor. 3. 15. See Laurentius Augustin saith thisis one of the places of which Peter speaketh 2 Pet. 3. 16. and that Heb. 6. 4. 1 Pet. 3. 19. the last Luther saith is one of the obscurest places in the new Testament Vide Tarnovium in exercitat Bib. Cameronis Myroth Evang. * See Laurentius and D. Featly on the place in the last large Annotations on the Bible Augustinus de Doctrina Christina lib. 2. c. Sexto Ita Scriptuâ—as dicit a Deo temperatas ut locis apâ—â—tiâ—ribus faâ—â—i 〈…〉 fastiâ—ia deâ—er geâ—eâ—tur Idem Augustinus ait nos aperâ—s Scripturae locis pasâ—i obscuris exerâ—eri Apoâ— 5. 1. 4 65. M. Burroughs on â—6 of Isaiah v. 10. Bellarm. l. 3. de verbo Dei c. 1. Psal. 19. 9. 119. 115. 2 Pet. 1. 19. c Genebraâ—dus testatur aliquâ—s de tota Scriptura locum interpretari nec lâ—quitur de nostris sed aut suis aut antiquis Hieronymus quidem a partè est â—jus opinionis Lyranus alii â—ulti Whitakerus M. Durant Dr. Halls peace-maker sect 15. Ob. Sol. 8 Act. 31. * There was a time when the Scriptures were read without Commentaries and there was a time when they were hardly understood with Commentaries Dr. Ames Cartwrights Letter to Mr. Hildersham for the Study of Divinity * The interpretation of the Scripture is necessary in the Church of God 1 because it is commanded by Christ John 5. 39. 1 Cor. 4. 1. 39. 2. It is commended to the faithfull by the Holy Ghost 1 Thess. 5. 19. 20. 3. Iâ— conduceth much to the edification of the Church 1 Cor. 14. 3. 4 It was used by Christ and his Apostles Luke 4. 16. and 24. 27. Marke 4. 34. * Glassius Phil. Sac. l. a parte 1ª Tract 1 Literalis * sensus est is queâ— Sp. Sanctus autor Scripture intendit Chamierus Râ—inoldus de lib. Apoc. Est ille literalis sensus qui proximè per ipsa verba sive propria sive figurata sunt sign ficatur velut Glassius quem intendit proximè Spiritus Sanctus Amâ—ma * Sensus secundarius diversus à literâ—li similiâ— tamen Chamier Not the Letter but the right sense and meaning of the Scripture is Gods word John 19. Litera gesta docet quid creâ—as allegoria Moralis quid agas quo tendas anagogia * In Manuali Controvers c. 1. de Script quaest 3. * Origenes sio Paradiâ—â—â—n terâ—â—strem allego rizat ut historiae auâ—erat veritatem dum pro arboriâ—us Angelos prostâ— minibus viâ—â—utes Caelestes 〈◊〉 ruâ—â—icas pelliceas Adae Evae corpora humana interpretatur Bellarminus ex Hieronymo Concedit Bellarminus ex solo literall sensu peâ—i posse argumenta efficacia To prove any matter of faith or manner no sense must be taken but the literall sense Aquinas * Chamierus tomo 1â— de Scripturae sensu l. 15. c. 3. * Confundunt Pontificij sensum scripturae cum applicatione sâ—nsu accommodatione ejus ad usus Apostolicos 2 Tim. 3 16. dum vel cum literali mystico sensus alios iâ—troducunt vel mysticum subdividunt in allâ—goricum tropologicum anagogicum totidem diversos sensus in Scriptura dari contendunt confundendo heterogenâ— sensum applicationem sensus Spâ—nhem Dub. Evang parte tertia Dub. 66. Theologia Symbolica non est argumentativa This is good reasoning the Oxes mouth muh not be muxled ergo the Minister must be maintained because it is part of the sense The Fathers were too much addicted to Allegories Jerome sometimes went out of the way through a likeing of Allegories as a great reader and follower of Origen who handled the Scriptures too licentiously Rainolds against Hâ—rt Sess. 4. * Judicium est triplex 1 Directionâ—â— quale habet Minister 2 lurisdictionâ—â— quale habet ecclesia 3 Discretionis quale habet privatus ut Act. 17. 10. Dr. Prid. There is Judex Supremus and judex Ministerialâ—s visibilis but not supremus and judicium practicâ— discretionâ—â— which is left to every one B. Downam Primo Non sequitur à lege ad Evangelium Secundo non sequitur â— Mose ad Episcopum Romanum qui hic non eundem lorum tenet inter Christianos quem Moses inter Judaeos Chamierus * Hieronymus in locum aâ—t Etsi plures verbum Dei doceant unus tamen est illius doctrinae author nempe Deus ubi Manichaeos refellit qui unum statuerunt authorem veteris Testament alterum verò novi Alij Spiritum volunt esse hunc unum Pastorem ut Vatabâ—us Alij Christum ut Mercerus Papam nulli praeterquam â—nsulsi Papistae Whitakeâ—us Interpretes omnes de Deo expoâ—â—uerunt cum veteres tum recentes etiam Papistae Chamiâ—ruâ— * Cap significast de Elect. Review of the Councell of Trent l. c. 8. p. 45. * Deum atque homines testamur cum plurima nobis in Papisâ—o displiceant â—um hoc omnino intolerandum videri quod Scripturas quilibet apud eas doc â—or culas ita sibi in manum â—radiâ—as arbitretur ut eas sursum deâ—rsum versare queat quid libet inde conâ—ecturus suo arbitrio suo in quam arbitriâ— suo marte quidlibet excogitans commâ—ntans Ita enim evenâ—t ut qui maximè prae se ferant detestari privatum spiritum ij huâ—c ipsi indulgeant omnium maxima * Enimverò quis docuit prophetiam illam ex Psalmo 72. adorabunt â—um omnes reges terrae omnes gentes servient ei impletam essâ—â— Lâ—oâ—e â—eciâ—o Chamietus tomo 10 de Scâ—pturae interpretatione l. 16. c. 1o. vide Cameronem ad 2 Pet. 1. 20. Matth. 23. 8 9. 10. Matth. 17. 5. Soli scripturae vel spiritui in scriptura loquenti competunt requisita summi Iudicâ—â—que tria sunt 1º ut certo sciamus veram esse sententiam quam pronunciat 2. Vt ab illo ad alium judicem non liceat provâ—care 3. Vt nullo partium 〈◊〉 ducatur Wendelinus in Prolegom Christ. Theol. c. 3. * Cathedrâ—mâ—â—in câ—lo habet qui â— corda doceâ— Aug. Luke 10 21. 22 Jer. 31. 33 34. Convenit inter nos adversarios Scripturas intelligidebeâ—e â—o spiritu quo â—actae sunt id est Spiritu Sancto Bellarm. l. 3â— de verbo dei c. 3. 11. Dr. Rain against Hart. * The number of Ancient Fathers whose workes are yet extant who lived within Six and Seven hundred yeares after Christ are recorded to have beene about 200. Bishop Morâ—on of the Masse l. 7. c 6. The Fathers wrote some things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to confute the adversaries with whom they had to deale and in these they erre sometimes