Hellenists be they where they would they in the Dispersion used no doubt the Greek It may be supposed Philo himself did not understand Hebrew as is observed by Drusius 3. No Judge might be admitted into the great Sanhedrin unless he had Seventy Tongues that is many Languages 4. The Synagogae Libertinorum Cyreniorum c. Acts vi shew Diversity of Nations And there is as little doubt of Diversity of Languages 5. That in Acts vi there is a plain and evident Distinction of the Hellenists and Hebrews living asunder and severally even in the Time of having all things common 11. Again a great Controversie the Assembly had with the Congregational Men about Paul and Barnabas their coming from the Church at Antioch to the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem Acts xv to know what was to be done with the Believing Gentiles since certain that came down from Judea thither had taught that it was needful to circumcise the Brethren and to keep Moses's Law in point of Salvation Now by this Application of Paul and Barnabas about this Question to the Apostles and Elders here in the Name of the Church at Antioch an Argument was raised that that Church submitted it self to be ordered and directed by the Church and Ministers thus met at Jerusalem But to evade this Goodwin in behalf of the Congregational or Independent Party moved to prove that this Meeting was for the Government of Jerusalem only For that there were some of the Sect of the Pharisees there that were of the same Mind v. 5. To him Lightfoot answered that these Churches would never have sent for Determination in point of Government for them had they not known the Presbytery constantly sitting at Jerusalem for Acts of Government of their own Church Bridg to this answered that then it was no Synod And that they met for Acts of Government finally to find out the Truth but not formally to exercise the Acts of Government To this our Divine Replyed That the Consequence did not hold it was a Presbytery before Ergo no Synod now 2. That their meeting about those Pharisees in Jerusalem ver 5. that were of the same mind with them at Antioch as Goodwin had said did make this Consequence that then they met for the Government of their own Church 3. That this did infer their Act of Government formally that Paul and Barnabas Ministers of the Uncircumcision came to Jerusalem to question about a Business which concerned the Converted Gentiles Now if it had been only to find out the Truth Peter and James Ministers of the Circumcision had been most proper for to have determined this Point with them Why then should they convent the Elders if not for an Act of Government 12. When the Assembly was drawing up the Order for the Administration of the Lord's Supper there were these Words used The Bread and Wine being set before him the Minister in PLATTERS the Word Platter was thought to be improper and so it was altered The Bread in comely and convenient Vessels But Lightfoot liked not this Expression but opposed it And when they had used the Word Sanctification of Elements because they avoided the using of the Word Consecrate Lightfoot scrupled at that Word SANCTIFY as an Hebraism as Consecrate was accounted a Romanism And therefore he offered the Word Set apart as a Medium Hence arose a Debate But after a long time it was exprest He shall begin the Act with Sanctifying and Blessing the Elements 13. When Lightfoot had Discoursed Learnedly about the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper and for General Admission to it and explained the institution of it from the Passover and that therefore in Luke there is mention made of two Cups as there was in the Passover Rotherford the Scots Commissioner that liked not our Divine who in truth spared not often to thwart the Scots labouring in this Assembly to bring in their Discipline into this Church of England took upon him to prove against him that there were not two Cups meant by that Evangelist Chap. xxii but that it was an Hysterosis And that there was no mention of a Cup in the Institution of a Passover and no news of that but in the Rabbins speaking contemptibly as it seemed of that sort of Learning But Lightfoot answered 1. That in all the Evangelists there is hardly an Hysterosis in any one of them in so small a Compass And that it is hard to find any Hysterosis in Luke at all unless it be in one or two Places 2. That it is true that Wine was not mentioned in the Institution of the Passover For Israel was not in the Land of Wine But when they came into the Land of Wine why might they not take Wine to the Passover as well as lay down some things that were circumstantial under the Institution Adding that there were divers things in the New Testament which we must be beholden to the Rabbins for the understanding of them or else we should not know what to make of them 14. When the matter of a Synod lay before the Assembly divers would have the Members of a Synod to consist of Laiâ—y as well as the Spiritualty The Proposition ran Pastors and Teachers lawfully called and it was added by some OTHER FITTING PERSONS are constituent Members of a Synod The Scots opposed this Addition exceedingly and so did Palmer Seaman and our Divine Those that were for it were Marshal Vines Herle and the Independents who grounded themselves upon Acts xv 7 13. where Peter and James calls the Council Men and Brethren and ver 22. It pleased the Apostles and Elders with the whole Church to send Chosen Men c. The Apostles and Elders pointing out the Clergy and the whole Church the Laity Where Lightfoot gave this Construction of the Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Viz. by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Brethren was meant the Uncircumcised Converts as at ver 1. and 23 they are understood Now it is most like that the Uncircumcised Churches would send their Ministers and not Laymen And by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not meant the Church but that Meeting of the Council Seaman took at Lightfoot and followed largely Herle applauded the Interpretation but refused it and gave some Reasons why viz. Because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 4. is taken properly for the Church And the Men that brought the Letters to the Churches could not be said to Send Greeting ver 23. The Apostles and Elders and Brethren send Greeting unto the Brethren which are of the Gentiles To this Lightfoot answered That the Interpretation of Scripture is from the scope of the Place as in the Hebrew word that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Translates it is apparent Vines denyed his Interpretation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For that James and Peter called all the Company 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Men and Brethren But Lightfoot shewed that that was a common Hebraism
Holy Catholick Church can we only think of that which is visible as to an outward Profession in which Millions perish and go to Hell for ever No we are to think of the Church invisible the number known to God of his Faithful ones And on the other Hand as a Man may be in the visible Church and yet not be saved So possibly a Man may be out of the visible Church and yet may be saved An Infant not yet Baptized is not yet admitted into the visible Church but it were hard to say all so dying were not saved David's Child not Circumcised died and yet who doubts of his Salvation Consider David's Demeanor upon his Death and compare it with the Demeanor of him upon the Death of Absalom 2 Sam. xviii 33 The King was much moved and went up to the Chamber over the Gate and wept and as he went thus he said Oh my Son Absalom my Son my Son Absalom would God I had died for thee Oh Absalom my Son my Son This for Absalom But for his Infant 2 Sam. xii 18 David 's Servants feared to tell him that the Child was dead For they said Behold while the Child was yet alive we spake unto him and he would not hearken unto our Voice how will he then vex himself if we tell him that the Child is dead But how well he took it see v. 23. Now he is dead wherefore should I fast Can I bring him back again I shall go to him but he shall not return to me He could not but doubt Absalom's Condition because he died in Rebellion But had he doubted so of the Child's Condition could he have been so well apaid upon his Death Had he been of Popish Faith to believe that Children are not saved that receive not the Sign of Admission into the Church could he have been so well satisfied And in another Case a good Man may possibly die excommunicate out of the visible Church It were hard to conclude such a Man's Damnation meerly upon that reason John ix 34 The Jews there cast out a Man for arguing that Christ must be a true Prophet because he cured him who had been born blind And ver 22. The Jews had agreed already that if any Man did confess that he was Christ he should be put out of the Synagogue And Christ told the Disciples that they should be cast out of the Synagogue If they died in that Excommunication out of that visible Church did that prove their Damnation How many Holy Men have died excommunicate out of the Church of Rome Which so little argues their Damnation that it rather argues the contrary Nay it may come to pass that a good Man may die excommunicate out of a true Protestant Church neither for Heresie nor Impiety and yet it were hard to doom such an one to Perdition I speak not this to animate any to separate or withdraw from the visible Church wherein we live For such Divisions of Reuben there are sad Thoughts of Heart But that by observing this needful Distinction you may the better observe the Intent of this Article Learn then this Distinction of Visible and Invisible As the Apostle hath it All are not Israel that are of Israel So all are not the Church of God that are of the Church visible As we may say every Minister is not a Minister every Soldier is not a Soldier And let this be thy Meditation upon this Article God hath a Holy Church that serve him truly whom the World cannot discern And I must get to be of that number or this my Profession will be greater Damnation This needful Distinction will help to answer that Cavil of Papists Where was your Church before Luther Answer God saw his own that profess'd his Truth in the midst of Popery As there was a Lot in Sodom and Seven Thousand that bowed not to Baal This also will afford an Answer to that reproachful Cavil Do you think your Ancestors were damned that lived in Popery And they think they have us in a Strait by this Argument But we may answer 'T is not for us to judge God hath His whom Men cannot discern I doubt not but that many were in the Popish Church that were not of it The Papists indeed brag of the Visibility of their Church They will have it a City on a Hill a Candle on a Candlestick c. Mat. v. 14 15. and make a puff at the Protestant Church because it was not visible Two Hundred Years ago and their Church hath been a Thousand Years They tell us we had had no Scriptures had not their Church preserved them No Ordination of Ministers had it not been conveyed all along in their Church And such things as these they vapour as if there could be no true Church but theirs which hath been visible in all Ages I remember a Story when one had proclaimed a King with a World of Titles the King of France made his Herauld proclaim him nothing but King of France King of France divers times over accounting more Dignity in that one Title than in all the others The Church of Rome proclaims her self pompously in her arrogated Titles that She She is the Mother Church the Holy Church the Catholick Church the Only Church and I know not what The Protestant Church need to say of her self no more than that she is the Church of God The other brags of Antiquity Universality Visibility Succession and other Bravado's whereas the Protestant Church hath but this to glory of and it is enough That she is built upon the Prophets and Apostles Ingenious was that Picture In one Scale you see all the Trinklements of Popery and the Pope and Friars hanging on in the other the Protestants put the Bible and it outweighs This is the Glory and sure Friend of a Church to be built upon the Holy Scriptures altho' there be no Visibility of that Church to the Eyes of Men at all But that we may take up the Consideration of this thing the better and that we may see how needful it is to take the Distinction proposed observe these things It is true the Church of Rome if a Church hath been visible a Thousand Years and more when no Protestant Church was to be seen So the World was visibly of one Religion Two Thousand Years viz. Irreligious Heathenism when but only in one spot of Ground one that served the true God was not to be found Abraham in Chaldea when he first hearkned to God how might this Romish Argument have been used against him What thou only of all the World not worship Gods of Gold and Silver Look thro' Europe Asia and Africa and thou wilt not find one of thy Mind Was Abraham's Religion ever the worse for being so lonely or the other the better for being so universal Michaiah and the false Prophets of Ahab he One they Hundreds Were their Words ever the truer for their Multitudes 'T is true that for
some Hundreds of Years all this Western World was Popish Italy Spain France England Germany and no Religion visible in all these Countries but Popery The Name of Protestant not owned the Protestant Religion not to be seen And where was then your Religion say the Papists to us To whom to give a full Answer let us compound these three or four things together We must tell them or else we speak not as the Truth is that the Popish Religion was far from being the true Religion and the Popish Church from being the true Church all that time or from ever being so I shall not insist upon many Arguments to prove this I shall only give you one Argument from a Scriptural Reason and one Consideration of a Scriptural Expression The Argument from a Scriptural Reason is this That Church that is built more on Traditions and Doctrines of Men than on the Word of God is no true Church nor Religion But the Church of Rome is built more upon Traditions and Doctrines of Men than on the VVord of God Ergo. The Foundation of the true Church of God is Scripture Eph. ii 20 And are built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets But if you look upon what the whole Frame of Popery is built you will find it upon a Sand of Humane Tradition That the Pope is Head of the Church that he pardons Sin rules over Princes where find you this in Scripture They are but Points of the cursed Inventions of Men. That Priests can sing Souls out of Purgatory that the Service of God should be in an unknown Tongue that the Priests can change the Bread into a God and generally the whole Rabble of their Romish Religion hath not so much as any one underpinning of Scripture Warrant but all founded upon the rotten Trash of Humane Invention and Self-ends The Scriptural Expression to be considered is that Title of Rome Rev. xvii 5 MYSTERY Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth For that it speaks of Rome is plain ver 18. The Woman which thou sawest is the great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth And described even as the Roman Writers themselves do describe her ver 9. The Seven Heads are Seven Mountains on which the Woman sitteth She is stiled Mystery Babylon She was a Mystery of Iniquity Babylon while she takes upon her Sion Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth when she takes upon her to be Mother of all Churches and the only Spouse of Christ in the World A Jezabel as Rev. ii 20 that takes on her to be a Prophetess but is a Seducer And Mysterious is the Providence of God in permitting such a Deceiver that should seduce all the Western World with a general Seduction It is observed that Popery and Mahometism rose together one overwhelmed all the East the other the West Where had been Glorious Churches there this Smoke of the Bottomless Pit clouded and darkened all And it is observable that wheresoever the Gospel had been these two came and spoiled all And Popery the more abominable than the other because under the Name of Christ and the Gospel it led Men from Christ and the Gospel We may say upon Thoughts of both as it is Rev. xvi 5 Thou art righteous O Lord which art and wast and shalt be because thou hast judged thus Because they received not the Love of the Truth that they might be saved it was just with thee Righteous God to send them strong Delusions that they might believe a Lie That they all might be damned that believed not the Truth but had Pleasure in Unrighteousness 2 Thess. ii 10 11 12. So that to question where was the Church of God before Luther we must answer 1. That the Roman Church was not it for that was but Babylon the Mystery of Iniquity the Plague of God upon the World for not receiving the Love of Divine Truth 2. Wheresoever there were any in that time that kept to the Truth of God they were the Church of God Ubi Imperator ibi Roma So wheresoever the true Profession of the Truth was there the Church was Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them The Seven Thousand that worshipped not Baal were the true Church I shall not insist to shew that even in the thickest and darkest Times of Popery there were other Churches in the World that were not infected with that Plague as the Grecians Abyssines c. But even Stories do shew that even within the Compass of the Popish Church there were some in all Ages that held to the Truth of God and Abominated the Wickedness and Delusions of the Church But if any such could not be named yet God never left himself without Witness and it hath ever been the Glorious Providence of God to preserve a Noah in a wicked old World a Lot in Sodom an Abraham in an Idolatrous Chaldea a Job in Heathen Arabia and a Jeremy in a most wicked Jerusalem a Church to himself in the worst Times But observe that the Church of God is the least part of the World and so the least part of the visible Church We must distinguish the Church in Opposition to the World and in Opposition to Hypocrites and carnal Gospellers So the Scripture nameth Saints in Opposition to the Heathen and in Opposition to unholy Christians Now take the Word in this latter Sense which is the most proper and the true Church of God is the least part of the Church I deny not that the Church of England Scotland and Ireland is a true Church of God in regard of outward Profession But there are Multitudes in these that are not the true Church in regard of sincere Profession but profane Hypocrites Castaways Imagine a great Parish or Congregation that meet together and in the Church hear and wait on the Ordinances and have the Word and Ordinances truly administred They attend upon them in outward Attendance but out of the Church are Profane and Ungodly We cannot but say here is a Church in Opposition to the Heathen a true Church in Opposition to a false where the Ordinances are not rightly administred Yet we cannot say this is a true and sincere Church of God because they do but outwardly profess and not at all Practice So Israel professed went to the Temple Es. i. had Ordinances rightly administred This was a true Church so far But they lied sware falsely committed Adultery oppressed the Innocent and such like Can we then say they were a true Church of God See that Eph. v. 25 26 27. Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it That he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of Water by the Word That he might present it to himself a Glorious Church not having Spot or Wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be Holy and without Blemish Let us take up all these
is in Truth the Word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe They received it as the Word of God How knew they that From the Scriptures themselves Therefore it is said that they are the Formal Object of Faith as well as the Material They contain what is to be believed and the reason why to believe them And that is especially twofold I. The Majesty of the Spirit of God speaking in them II. Their powerful Working I. The Majesty of the Spirit of God speaking in them such things as Man cannot speak 1 Cor. ii 10 The Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God And we may say the deep things of Man yea and the Depths of Satan as Rev. ii 24 1. How impossible is it for Man to reveal the deep Mysteries of Salvation i. e. the Mind of God 1 Cor. ii 16 Who hath known the Mind of the Lord that he may instruct him But we have the Mind of Christ. In Scripture we have it And ver 7 8 9. of that Chapter But we speak the Wisdom of God in a Mystery even the hidden Wisdom which God ordained before the World unto our Glory Which none of the Princes of this World knew For had they known it they would not have Crucified the Lord of Glory But as it is written Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard c. The hidden Wisdom of God Let all the Wits in the World have conspired together could they have told the secret Wisdom and Mind of God about Salvation God Christ and the Divine Operation of his Spirit the Fruits of Grace and the Weight of Eternal Glory How blind was the Wisdom of all the World to these Mysteries So far that when they were revealed they were accounted but Folly 1 Cor. i. 25 Because the Foolishness of God is wiser than Men and the Weakness of God is stronger than Men. That is as they took them And that Opinion is transplanted into Papacy which will find out a wiser Way to Salvation than the Scriptures have directed Herein the Majesty of Scripture shews it self because it speaks of those sublime Divine hidden things that Men's Wisdom could never find out As they John vii 46 are convinced that Christ was more than other Men because he spake as never Man spake so the Majesty of the Scriptures declares that they are the Divine Word of God because Men never spake Men cannot speak as they speak 2. The Majesty of the Spirit in Scripture appears in that it reveals the very Thoughts and commands the very Heart of Man Heb. iv 12 The Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and of the Joynts and Marrow and is a Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart And 1 Cor. xiv 24 25. But if all Prophesie and there come in one that believeth not or one unlearned he is convinced of all he is judged of all And thus are the Secrets of his Heart made manifest and so falling down on his Face he will worship God and report that God is in you of a Truth It can discover a Hypocrite can make an Atheist tremble can pierce to the very Thoughts and Imaginations of the Heart That as the Woman of Samaria said because Christ had told her the secret Wickedness of her Life John iv 29 Come see a Man which told me all things that ever I did So we must conclude of this it is able to discern check regulate the very Thoughts of the Heart Therefore not the Invention of Men but the Powerful Divine Searching Word of God 3. The Majesty of the Scriptures appears in that it discovers the very Subtilties of Satan We are not ignorant of his Wiles saith the Apostle How come we to know them This Divine Light hath shewed them It would have been hard to have known that there is a Devil had not this discovered it And it would have been impossible to have discovered his Plots and Malice and Temptations else This Divine Word hath done it in despite of Satan Would he ever have had his Plots discovered if he could have hindred That Men should know his Mischief and Malice and Subtilty He would gladly have walked as an Angel of Light that Men might not suspect his Delusions but this Divine Word hath pulled off his Vizar and shewed his Designs in open Light It madded the King of Syria that all his secret Stratagems against the King of Israel were discovered by the Prophet Elisha 2 Kings vi 11 12. It vexeth this King of Darkness that his private Policies and Actings should be laid open But this Sacred Word doth it and he cannot prevent it Thus doth the Scripture reveal it self to be the Word of God by its Divine Majesty wherein it speaketh and by the Wisdom wherein it shews it self II. In its powerful Working breaking Hearts converting Souls conquering the Kingdom of Satan How have the Scriptures gone through the World and made Nations bow before them and have cast out Satan and his Power So that if we should say as they did What Sign shewest thou that thou art Christ So what Sign shew ye that ye are the Word of God They may answer Look through the World how many Thousands have been converted and saved how is the Idolatry and Blindness of the Heathen cast out how hath Satan been bound and many poor Souls taught and armed to resist all his Power Papists talk much what the Sign of the Cross and Holy Water can do for mastering the Devil Fabulae aniles But Thousands of Experiences have shewed what the Divine Word of God in Scripture can do against him And thus do they evidence themselves to be the Word of God and so to be believed for themselves because they are the VVord of God Then is no Man no Company of Men to be believed but as what they say is agreeable to Scripture No Council Father Church If they speak not according to Scripture it is because there is no Light in them and not to be believed Let God be true and every Man a Lyar saith the Apostle So we are to say in this case VVhosoever speaks not according to the Truth of God in Scripture he is but a Lyar and the Truth is not in him You understand that I speak of things of Faith and Religion In Historical Natural Civil Moral Things we deny not but that they speak much Truth But that is to be tryed by our Reading and Reason But in the things of Divine Concernment there is no Truth but that of Scripture or what speaks agreeable to it Gal. i. 8 Though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed I might instance how the Fathers themselves harp upon this String Non quid Augustinus nec quid Hieronymus sed quid Scriptura Not that which
SOME Genuine Remains Of the Late Pious and Learned John Lightfoot D. D. Consisting of Three Tracts VIZ. I. Rules for a Student of the Holy Scriptures II. Meditations upon some Abstruser Points of Divinity and Explanations of divers Difficult Places of Scripture III. An Exposition of Two Select Articles of the Apostles Creed TOGETHER With a large Preface concerning the Author His Learned Debates in the Assembly of Divines His Peculiar Opinions His Christian Piety and the Faithful Discharge of His Ministry LONDON Printed by R. J. for J. Robinson at the Golden-Lion and J. Wyat at the Rose in St. Paul's Church-yard MDCC TO THE RIGHT REVEREND Father in God JOHN L. Bishop of Norwich My Lord I Present this Book to Your Lordship in this Publick and Solemn manner moved thereto by good Reasons Knowing with what Respect and Honour You are wont to treat the Memory of the Reverend and Pious Man the Author and the great Esteem You express to have of his Studies To whom therefore the Sight of these Tracts some Genuine Remains of that excellent Divine will not I know be unacceptable I was willing also this way to express my Sense of Your Lordship's obliging Favours towards me which You have been pleased to shew not only upon Account of our antient Acquaintance and equal Standing in the University but chiefly in respect of those Studies I have of late addicted my self to which You a known Patron and Furtherer of all good Learning have been always ready to assist and promote You have my Lord afforded me the free Use of Your singular Library stored with so many and so choice Manuscripts together with such Antique and to the present Generation scarce heard of Books and Treatises when Printing was but as it were in its Infancy And besides You have got me the sight of other valuable Manuscripts Whereby I must gratefully acknowledge the considerable Improvements I have made in my Searches into the Historical Affairs of this Church when it first began to reform Abuses and to vindicate it self from Rome and as it happily proceeded under our two first Protestant Princes Which must be more amply owned in case any of my Studies of this Nature hereafter see the Light I beseech Your Lordship therefore to take in good part this my Presumption and to accept of the humble Respects of My Lord Your Lordship 's most Obliged Servant John Stryp THE PREFACE Relating to the AUTHOR SINCE these Genuine Pieces of Dr. LIGHTFOOT might be of good use to such as are Studious of Divine Learning I was unwilling they should lye any longer within private Walls For as he was one of the deepliest Studied Men in the Learning of the Jews whether you regard their Language Phrases Customs Laws Times Worship Temple or Land so he made it his main Bent and Business to render all that Knowledge he had therein useful to contribute Light to the Sacred History and to open the Inspired Writings of the Old and New Testament In the doing whereof he had a happy Faculty by his dextrous Application of his said Learning whereby many Knots in Scripture have been untyed many Difficulties explained many abstruse Questions satisfactorily discussed many Dislocations restored to their right Places and the Chronicle and Method of the Books laid in their due and proper Order This Learned Man's usefulness this way hath been so well known abroad that there have been two or three Impressions of his Works there since his Death In the last whereof finisht at Franeker Anno 1698. are added divers Tracts of his Remains Which several of the Learned there and particularly Remfertus the Professor had earnestly desired of me in order to the publishing of them that no Notions of so great a Man might be lost By which Encouragement I have since at my leisure lookt up together these further Remainders that now appear Which having carefully reviewed and considered and finding them according to my poor Judgment not less serviceable to the good Ends the Reverend Author designed in what he published himself I resolved to prepare and give to the Press also These Tracts are three Concerning each of which I shall say something for the Readers satisfaction I. The First viz. The Rules for a Student of Holy Scripture was written compleat and fair by the Author 's own Hand And surely it is one of the pithiest and plainest Discourses that ever I met with of this Nature in so narrow a compass and in so familiar a way framed to instruct any ordinary Reader that comes with an honest Mind to read the Scriptures whereby he may arrive not to some superficial Knowledge in them but be admitted even into the Depths and Mysteries thereof It was composed by him for the Use of some Person who intending to read the Word of God with Profit had desired his Counsel in his Access thereto Who this Person was I cannot assign but conjecture it might be his Son John who was Chaplain to Dr. Bryan Walton late Bishop of Chester the great and chief Undertaker of the Polyglott Bible or Anastasius his Second Son who was a pious Minister in Hertfordshire Or for whomsoever else it was writ the Author designed it for some that desired to be good Textuists As in Truth all that take upon them Holy Orders and to preach and teach Religion ought to be The Holy Scriptures being the infallible Ground of all Divine Truth whence all sound Doctrine is to befetched And therefore if they be not first well or at least tollerably understood by the Preacher he is likely both to deceive himself and those that hear him and to teach Falshood and Error Whereof hath sprung a great part of those Schisms and wild Opinions that have created so much Disturbance in the Church And for the foresaid purpose the Writer of this Tract doth these things First He directs to reduce the Books of the Bible into a continued Chronicle Secondly He sets down many cursory Notes for the Explanation of Things and Phrases not so obvious Thirdly He shews a Method and Course for a distinct reading of the Scripture according the Historical Order of Time which is not always observed by the Sacred Writers for special Reasons whereby it comes to pass that many Chapters are dislocated that so those Holy Books may be the more clearly apprehended and understood and read with more Profit and Benefit And all laid down in a most plain and easie manner as Instruction to Learners and Beginners ought to be This Discourse seems indeed to have been the Ground-plot of that Piece of the Author 's Printed among his Works intitled A Chronicle of the Times of the Old Testament and of those other Pieces of the Harmony and Chronicle of the New But as they are larger so this is more succinct and may be used as a convenient Manuduction into the other Having also much in it whereof the others are silent So that they may serve all very well to
offer himself a living Sacrifice acceptable to God which is his reasonable Service In other things a Man may deceive himself He may think he prays well enough when it may be his Prayers are Sin That he confesses his Sins well enough when it may be he adds to his Sin by his Slightness of Confession But in offering a Man's self to God there can be no Deceit if he do but do it In the other he may offer but Words let him offer himself and there is Substance This is the Sacrifice that God requires Psal. xl 6 Burnt-Offering and Sin-Offering hast thou not required Then said I Lo I come to do thy Will Do but observe the Apostle's Allegation of this Scripture Heb. x. 5 Sacrifice and Offering thou would'st not but a Body hast thou prepared me That is the Sacrifice thou requirest viz. My Body my self to be offered to thee to do thy Will He frequently urged the Obligation of keeping God's Commandments against the Antinomians and others and that from the apparent Agreeableness of so doing to our Reason and that since we are reasonable Creatures we should live as such The very Equity and Justice of the Duties of the Moral Law is not only a Bond upon us to keep them but an apparent and plain Reason why they were given What more reasonable thing in the World tâ—an that we should love God and our Neighbour that we should do Mercy Justice Piety Honesty and the like Do not these things of themselves speak all the Equity and Reason in the World Is it not most agreeable to Reason that reasonable Creatures should live after another manner than unreasonable brute Beasts do God hath made us Men and must there be no Distinction 'twixt us and Beasts What is that that must difference us What meerly this that we have Reason and Understanding and Speech which Beasts have not The Scripture you know calls Men that have these by the Names of Beasts however Herod is a Fox in the terming of our Saviour and Nebuchadnezzar a Lion in the Speech of Jeremy False Teachers are Wolves in the Language of the Apostle and the Scribes and Pharisees Serpents and a Generation of Vipers in the Denomination of our Saviour and the Baptist. These Men had Reason and Understanding and Speech and Knowledge as well as other Men and they would have scorned to have been thought short of other Men in these things But it is living like reasonable Creatures and not like unreasonable brute Beasts that must distinguish us from brute Beasts If a Man live like a Dog a Swine a Fox a Wolf tho' he can talk never so much Sense and Reason does his having the use of Reason do him any Good when he is neither good towards God nor himself nor other Men but lives and dies as the Apostle speaks As natural brute Beasts made to be taken and destroyed 2 Pet. ii 12 He would at other times press upon Men Sobriety and Obedience to God's Laws out of Interest to themselves as tending to their own real Safety and Welfare so to do and excellent Argument to perswade if well managed To this Purpose he spake once God's Laws are the Cords of a Man and his Commands are the Bonds of Love laid upon Men by God for their own Good and without which it could not be well with them Let me ask any one that desires to be lawless this Question Wouldst thou that God should have nothing at all to do with thee That God should leave thee in this Wilderness thou art walking in to thy self and say I know thee not I will have nothing to do with thee Nay leave not all Care of me would'st thou say Withdraw not all Providence from me For then I shall have neither Food nor Rayment I shall have neither Comfort nor Support I shall have neither Health nor Life if God disclaim me and Providence will have nothing to do with me Why Friend I may say in some Sense his Commandments are his Providence in which and under which only thou mayest have Prosperity and Safety As Solomon once to Shimei Stay in Jerusalem and thou shalt be well but know that if e'er thou go over the Brook Kidron thou art but a dead Man Sinner keep within the Bounds of God's Commandments and it will be well with thee and God will be with thee But transgress those Bounds and thou art got where good Providence dwells not God and his good Providence dwell as I may say within the Verge and Compass of his Commandments As in Rev. iv 3 He and his Throne are encompassed with a Rainbow the Sign of his Covenant Keep thou within the Bounds and Compass of his Commandments and and thou art where God is where Mercy is where good Providence is But get out of these Bounds transgress his Commandments thou art then where God is not and where good Providence and Mercy have no Habitation Shimei is gone over the Brook Kidron and he is under Solomon's Protection no more but under the Doom of Death and Danger He mightily preached up a Conformity to the Will of God shewing how this fitted qualified and disposed to the highest Perfection of Man's Nature Thus speaking once of the Saints in Glory he turned his Speech to them after this manner O happy Souls you have attained now to that Perfection for which God created reasonable Creatures viz. To be resolved wholly into the Likeness of God by having your Wills resolved into his And could this ever be done unless the Work were begun here These blessed Souls while here made it their Work to do the Will of God and still were striving that their Will might be agreeable to his Will And now they find that what they did was worth all their Labour And the more they did of his Will the more they were sâ—â—ting for this happy Condition For do but consider how keeping the Commandments and doing the Will of God does dress and prepare for the Enjoyment of God I might observe here how the more a Man keeps the Commandments of God the less Guilt he contracts to himself and the less Barr there is between him and Heaven I might observe that the more he keeps the Commandments the more Comfort of Conscience he gets to himself and the more Hope of Reward in Glory Every good thing he does in doing the Wiâ—l of God lays on a Brick towards the building up his own Hope and Comfort of a blessed Reward But consider we only the thing under this Notion that the more a Man keeps the Commandments the more he purifies himself refines and fits himself for the Embraces of God and his Enjoyment No gross corrupt muddy fleshly thing can unite to God Flesh and Blood cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven For that is too gross and muddy to come into that Place of Purity and Holiness No unclean thing must come into the New Jerusalem but what is refined purified and holy
Bondage of Corruption in-the Glorious Liberty of the Children of God AMong the Children of Men there are some Children of God These Words speak something concerning them and their Condition The Prophets speak much of Multitudes to be brought in to be Sons of God Esay xliii 6 I will say to the North give up and to the South keep not back Bring my SONS from far and my DAUGHTERS from the ends of the Earth And Ch xlv 11 Thus saith the Lord the holy one of Israel and his Maker ask me of things to come concerning my SONS Hos. i. 10 And it shall come to pass that in the Place where it was said unto them Ye are not my People there it shall be said unto them Ye are the SONS of the living God And Caiaâ—has that prophesied but once John xi 51 Propâ—â—sied that Jesus should die for that Nation And not for that Nation only but that also he should gather together iâ—to one the CHILDREN of God that were scattered abroad Therefore the Holy Ghost in the New Testament sets himself to speak to this thing and to shew who these Sons of God are John i. 12 13. shews who are and who are not But as many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name Which were born not of Blood nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will of Man but of God As many as received him those were Sons of what Nation Quality or Rank whatsoever Not born of Blood nor of the Will of Man The Holy Ghost sets the Regeneration in Opposition to natural Generation In natural Generation Men are born of Blood and of the Will of Man but 't is not so in this Or else he sets the true Begetting and Birth of the Sons of God in Opposition to those fancied Ways the Jews thought Men were made Children of the Godly They concluded none were Children but of Israel And if they came to be of Israel then undoubtedly Children So Christ speaks according to their Sense It is not meet to take the Children 's Bread and cast it before Dogs And the Apostle confutes this Arrogant and Erroneous Opinion Rom ix 7 Neither because they are the Seed of Abraham are they all Children but in Isaac shall thy Seed be called that is they which are the Children of the Flesh these are not the Children of God Now they thought they became the Sons of God or Israelites these Ways I. By being born of Blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bloods that is long Descent of Blood of Ancestors even to Abraham or by Bloods of Sacrifice and Circumcision II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Will of the Flesh As they took many Wives and desired many Children accounting all Children of Promise III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the Will of Man as the Consessus or Sanhedrin did bring in Proselites and make them Israelites Not this nor that nor that makes a Son but he that is born of God and he is so that receives Christ and believes on his Name The Apostle is speaking of the same Subject in this Chapter ver 14 15 17. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God For ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father And if Children then Heirs c. And then he comes on to shew whence these Sons especially should come ver 19. The earnest Expectation of the Creature waiteth for the Manifestation of the Sons of God c. By Creature here and whole Creation ver 22. is meant nothing but the Gentiles or Heathen World A Phrase among the Jews ordinarily put so to signifie Mark xvi 15 Col. i. 23 Now this whole Passage is to this Purpose God had prophesied of Sons to come from the Heathen and the earnest Expectation of the Creature that is of the Heathen waited for this Manifestation of the Sons of God Two or three things there were that might awaken the Heathen World a little to consider of their wretched Case 1. It may be they had the Greek Bible 2. Howsoever the Jews scattered abroad among them might something convince them of their Condition 3. We may conceive that against their Call God had stirred up their Hearts by way of Preparative to be weary of Idolatry and groping in Darkness As against the Reformation by Luther all Christendom desired some Reformation and as against the Coming of Christ the People were in Expectation of the Messias Observe that John iv 35 Lift up your Eyes and look on the Fields for they are white already to Harvest By which Words he hinteth at that Multitude of Samaritans and under them of Heathen that were ready to be reaped by the Gospel So the Earnest Expectation of the Heathen World waited now for the Manifestation of the Sons of God Ver. 20. For the Creature was made subject to Vanity c. Not a few understand this of the Frame of the World made subject to Vanity by Sin But the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vanity means Vanity of Mind So Rom. i. 21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gentiles become vain in their Imaginations Eph. iv 17 The Gentiles walk in the Vanity of their Mind So the meaning is that the Heathen were given up to the Vanity and Folly of their own Mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Made subject put under such a Condition by the just Judgment of God as the Apostle handles it Chap. i. But they are put under in Hope that in time it should be better with them For the Creature it self also shall be delivered from the Bondage of Corruption c. By Corruption is signified here as generally in Scripture sinful Corruption not natural Corruptibility or fading away 2 Pet. i. 4 Having escaped the Corruption that is in the World through Lust. And Ch. ii 19 Servants of Corruption And elsewhere evil Men are stiled Men of corrupt Minds and corrupt Communication Meaning that the Gentiles shall be delivered from their sadly sinful Condition into the Evangelical and Spiritual Liberty from Sin that the Sons of God partake of Some understand it of the Change of the Frame of the World at the end of the VVorld and think Peter speaks of the same thing 2 Pet. iii. 13 He does indeed in some Sense but far from theirs viz. A new State of Affairs in the Church when the Gentiles shall be called This is the new Heaven and the new Earth that they looked for of their Calling the Text speaks which was now in Agitation And of that let us first speak a little partly for the observing of Providence in so great a VVork and partly for the understanding of some Passages in Scripture I. The casting off of the Gentiles was at Babel Gen. xi where there were four Punishments inflicted on them 1. Destroying their Building
Christ it is in the Heart and Spirit and there for ever II. This is the Church Militant here Much is spoken of the Church Militant And Scripture Warrants such a Title Ye sight against Principalities and Powers And As a good Soldier of Jesus Christ. Now how many Thousands are there in the visible Church that never strike Stroke that are Lookers on nay scarce so much that mind not the Christian Warfare at all and that never resist the Flesh the World or the Devil II. I come now to the second Question How far to believe the Church As the Church is sometimes taken for Councils Synods or Convocations or Primitive Fathers I mean not barely the Colliar's Faith to believe as the Church believes tho' he knew not what it was but knowing throughly the Determinations of these whether it be absolutely necessary for us to believe them because they are the Determinations of the Church The Romanist saith Yes And he that believes not what Holy Mother Church determines is a Heretick He that believes not according to what the Council of Trent hath determined let him be Anathema 〈◊〉 answer We first begin here That the Scriptureâ— coâ—ntain all things needful for Faith and Life 〈◊〉 in Es. viii 19 20. And when they shall say unto you seek unto them that have familiar Spirits and unto Wizzards that peep and that Mutter Should not a People seek unto their God To the Law and to the Testimony If they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them So may I say also in this case if they say to you Seek to Councils Fathers Canons Determinations of the Church To the Law and to the Testimony to Scripture and Holy Writ that contains every thing you need to enquire after for Salvation What to be believed and what to be done Psal. cxix 105 Thy Word is a Lamp unto my Feet and a Light unto my Path. VVhithersoever you need to walk for the pleasing of God doing your duty to Men or to your own Souls the VVord of God is a Light sufficient In the Place before-mentioned Es. viii 19 20. Should not a People seek unto their God For the living to the dead To the Law and to the Testimony It is curiosity to enquire after Necromancy But if we desire to know what is fit and needful To the Law and to the Testimony Mal. iv 4 Remember ye the Law of Moses my Servant which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel with the Statutes and Judgments Prophecy was then ceasing People might complain what shall we do for Instruction VVhy go to the VVord of God which you have in your Hands to the Law of Moses that will teach you Luke xvi ult Dives desires Abraham to send one from the Dead to teach his Brethren that they might escape that Place of Torment No that needs not Moses and the Prophets will teach all things needful They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them The Apostle speaks this fully 2 Tim. iii. 16 17. All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness That the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good Works The Papist saith it is not sufficient to instruct in all things of Religion True not of the Romish Religion For the Rags that patch that you must go to some Broker For the Divine VVardrobe of Scripture hath none such viz. the Orders of Monks and Friars Pilgrimages single Life of the Clergy Salt Oil Spittle in Baptism Tapers at the Communion Processions Praying to and for the Dead and a Thousand other Trinklements and Trumperies Scripture never knew such base VVare we must go to some other kind of Shop for it And that Pedlar with them is Tradition VVhen they cannot find Authority to warrant them by Scripture then they have Recourse to some Tradition VVhen they have some Bastard-Doctrine or Practice and want Scripture to father it then they go to some old rotten Tradition Just so did the Jews and these are so like them that Egg to Egg is not more You know Christ's Accusation of those Mat. xv 8 9. This People draweth nigh unto me with their Mouth and honoureth me with their Lips but their Heart is far from me But in vain they do worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men. And the very same Quarrel hath he against these The Jews pretended a Thousand Traditions of the Fathers so do these they equalled them with Scripture so do these they spoiled all Religion and made the VVord of God of none Effect and so do these As if God were a Niggard in his VVord and did not afford Food for Salvation but we must seek it in Dunghills The Scriptures are called the Scriptures of Truth the Word of Grace of Salvation able to make Man perfect throughly furnished to every good Work and yet these forsooth must be patch'd out with Traditions or they avail nothing As Argo was patch'd till there was nothing of the old Ship left So these Men have patch'd up a VVord of God till there is nothing of the VVord of God left in it Secondly The Scriptures are to be believed for themselves and they need not fetch their Credit from any thing else Dan. x. 21 I will shew thee that which is noted in the Scripture of Truth They are the TRUTH See John v. 39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have Eternal Life and they are they that testifie of me Observe the Bent of Christ's Discourse To clear that he was the Messias he produceth the VVitness of John ver 33. Ye sent unto John and he bare Witness unto the Truth His own VVorks v. 36. But I have a greater Witness than that of John for the Works which the Father hath given me to finish the same Works that I do bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me A Voice from Heaven ver 37. And the Father himself which hath sent me hath born witness of me But he concludes in Scripture as the most undeniable Testimony Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have Eternal Life and they are they that testifie of me See also 2 Pet. i. 17 18 19. For he received from God the Father Honour and Glory when there came such a Voice to him from the excellent Glory This is my beloved Son c. And this Voice which came from Heaven we heard when we were with him in the Holy Mount We have also a more sure Word of Prophecy A Voice from Heaven might possibly deceive the Jews feigned such but the Word of prophecy is sure that is a more sure Word The Reason of the Scriptures Credibility is because they are the Word of God 1 Thess. ii 13 When ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the Word of Men but as it
Augustine or Hierom say but what the Scriptures say is Truth And Non creditur quia non scribitur It is not believed because it is not written And Non quid Hieronymus sed quid Moses quid Paulus Not that which Hierom saith but what Moses what Paul say Let us determine the thing by the Determination of this Question Is any Man to be damned if he believe not what the Church Councils Fathers have spoken A Papist may chance say so but will either Reason or Conscience say so with him Let any Religious Conscience say Can he think himself damned because he believes not every thing that the Council of Nice hath decreed or what Hierom or Augustine have spoken They have confest themselves Men subject to Error I know they were so and must I be bound upon Pain of Damnation to believe what it may be in time they believed not themselves And let Râ—ason speak Must I be bound to believe every Tradition that a Monk Friar or a whole Church of such hold out fetched no one knows whence Here is the Advantage of your Protestant Religion here the Benefit of the Ministry we refuse not nay we beg that you try the Scriptures whether we speak true or no. If not spit in our Faces Do you think the Apostle took it ill Acts xvii 11 that the Bereans tried his Doctrine by the Scriptures Luke hath honoured them for it with the Title of More honourable than those of Thessalonica And it speaks the Mind of Paul with whom he travailed that he took it well too Our Ministery begs this of you that you consult their Bibles whether we speak true or no and we have but one Request more that if you find it true you would believe embrace and follow it A Popish Preacher would tell you you must believe it whether you understand it or no VVhether it be agreeable to Scripture or no. For the Church such a Council or Father hath said it and they know better than you I may say as it is 1 Cor. xv 19 If in this Life only we have Hope in Christ we are of all Men most miserable So we are in a miserable Condition if upon the Penalty of Salvation we are to believe every Tradition and Trash that foolish or ungodly Men would put upon us But we have a sure VVord of Prophecy and make much of Scriptures and bless God for them that we have what to rely on Miserable Faith to believe as the Church believes we know not What or if we do we know not Why. But we know what we believe viz. The VVord of God and we know why we believe it viz. because it is the VVord of God Object But how do we believe that they are the Scriptures but that the Church hath told us so How do we believe that such and such Books were written by such and such Men but by the Authority of the Church And the Scriptures had never come to you if it were not for the Church of Rome Thus they plead Answer I. If the Church of Rome could have hindred we must never have had the Scriptures as we have Some of the Learned'st of them have called the Scripture a Book of Heresies and wish'd that there were none at all And they keep them from their own People have put not a few to Death for reading them for having Bibles And would they let us have them if they could chuse They are sensible that we by Scripture have discovered their Errors and that we are thereupon withdrawn from them and would they have convey'd them to us No it was the VVork of the Lord and the Mercy of the Lord and it is marvellous in our Eyes that all their Policy and the Slight of Satan could not hinder them from us Like to that Picture where you have a Candle burning and Pope and Friars and the Devil blowing and cannot blow it out This Divine Light is the Sun in the VVorld that cannot be so totally clouded but that God makes it break out here and there VVhat would the Pope give that there were not a Bible in all the Protestant Churches For then should we be led blindfold by them as they would have it But blessed be God who hath shewed us Light that Light is in Goshen VVhich if at the Courtesie of Rome we must never have had it II. As far as we owe our receiving of Scripture to Men we are least beholden to the Romish Church They put us off with a Latin Translation barbarous and wild But we have a surer VVord the Sacred Hebrew and Divine Greek And the Hebrew we owe to the Jews and the Greek to the Greek Church rather than the Roman Rom. iii. 2 Unto them the Jews were committed the Oracles of God And from them we received the Old Testament And not from them neither for could they have prevented we had not had it Consider how many Copies were abroad in the VVorld The Old Testament was in every Synagogue And how many Copies would Men take of the New So that it is impossible but still Scripture must be conveyed Could all the Policy of Satan have hindred he had done it For the VVord of God is his Overthrow So that it was owing to a Divine Hand And our Faith stands not on the Church to believe the Scriptures but God hath carried the Authority of them from Age to Age. I receive not Testimony from Men saith Christ. No more does his VVord But the Scriptures themselves have overpowered the Belief of Men. As to the Comparison commonly made from John iv 42. They said unto the Woman Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ They first believed the VVoman but then they believed not for her VVords but for Christ's sake So first say some Men believe the Scriptures are Scriptures for the Churches sake but after for their own But it is not proper to say we believe Scriptures are Scriptures because of the Church without distinguishing upon believing As Augustin's Non credidissem Scripturis c. I had not believed the Scriptures had not the Church told me That is while he was unconverted But we may satisfie this by an easie Distinction betwixt believing that Scripture is Scripture and believing that the Church all along hath taken them for Scripture To make this plain by a Comparison Canones Apostolorum and Donatio Constantini are believed by the Church of Rome to be from the very Apostles and Constantine I believe that that Church believed them so and yet I believe not a VVord of them to be so My Belief the Church held them so is from the Church but my Belief they are not so is from themselves A good Soul desires to build up its self by the Rule of Faith and Life He finds that the Church hath counted Scripture so and that he believes But as yet he believes not they are