illustrate and amplifie one another And I am confident that were this Method of reading the Scripture pointed to in this Tract and recommended by the Author but practised diligently with due application of Mind the Sense of Scripture would shine out more clearly and the Remembrance of it be more firmly implanted in Mens Minds Let the Pious Student of Scripture make the Trial. And this I find is the Judgment of other Learned Men. And particularly his whose Letter is lately Printed at the end of Bishop Barlow's Directions for the Choice of Books in the Study of Divinity Where he saith That he thinketh Dr. Lightfoot hath prescribed the best Method of reading the Scriptures by digesting the Historical and Prophetical Books into the Order of Time And I add this will prove a better and more expedite way to come to the understanding of those Holy Pages than all that pains he recommends afterwards viz. Reading the Text several times over and observing the Difficulties trying the Construction and Signification of the Words to see what can be made of it and consulting Expositors unless marking the Order of Time and making use of Jewish Learning accompany II. The next Tract consists of Meditations on some Points of Divinity and Explanations of certain difficult Places of Scripture And these are nothing else but faithful Collections out of a great number of his Manuscript Sermons never yet Printed In these Discourses no small number of Places of Scripture are explained by our Author offering such Elucidations as are out of the common Road and scarce before heard of to the pleasing Surprize as well as Instruction of the Reader I remember once waiting upon the most Reverend Father in God Archbishop Sancroft at Lambeth he took occasion to talk with me about Dr. Lightfoot for whose Studies and Learning he exprest a very great Esteem and enquiring after the Papers he had left behind him he told me it were pity but his Remains should see the Light And when I had hinted to him the Jewish or other good Learning and the excellent Light let into many Texts of Scripture which might be found in his Sermon-Notes he exprest a great concern that they should not be lost And for the preserving of them he advised and encouraged me to extract out of the same Notes all such Pieces of Learning and Expositions of Holy Writ and where the Sermons ran upon any Learned Argument to abreviate them taking the Pith and Sum thereof and disposing them in some such Method as was used towards Mr. Medes Discourses Or to digest his Interpretations of any part of God's Word in some such Method as the Annotations of Cameron were published in his Prelections upon some Select Places of Scripture and in his Myrothecium Evangelicum or such like I often afterwards thought on this Advice and at length as leisure served endeavoured to attempt something that way in the Method that I now recommend it to the Readers Which I have digested into three Decads To which many other Discourses of that Nature might be joined Let it be added that these Diatribae were some of the Author's last Thoughts and the Meditations of his Maturest Age being the substance of what he Preached but a few Years before his Death III. The Third Part of this Book consists of two Discourses upon as many Select Articles of the Apostles Creed And great Pity it is his Exercitations upon all the rest of the Articles cannot be retrieved Which by these two and one more viz. That of Christ's Descent into Hell printed among his Works we may conclude to have been replenisht with very good Learning and might have been of use to the World and have imparted divers Notions peculiar to the Author's Learning I have been Inquisitive after these but cannot recover them I conjecture they were embezzelled at Ely where he Died. AS for the Author himself how well he merited of the Learned Christian World is well known And his Figure hath been drawn in part in his Life set before his Works To which more might be added not a few Things remaining worthy to be registred to the Memory of so Good and so Learned a Man Let me detain the Reader a little longer while I take this occasion to revive the remembrance of him in some Particulars Dr. Lightfoot was a Scholar and a Divine and which is to be preferred before both he was a solid good Christian. We shall consider him a little I As a Scholar and a Divine Of whose Scholarship and Judgment in divers Points of Divinity I shall hereafter give some Instances as they have occurred to me He was a Member of that noted Assembly called together by the Parliament Anno 1643. to consult about Religion Whereby he had opportunity offered of shewing his great Abilities I have seen his own Journal diligently kept of the various Debates among the Learned in that Assembly where he put down as well his own Disputations as other Mens Whence I am enabled to give several Specimina both of his Learning and of his Opinions And indeed he was of great use in this Assembly in regard of his Eminent Skill in the Jewish and Oriental Learning For these Divines in their Enquiries into the Primitive Constitution of the Christian Church and Government thereof in the Apostles Days built much upon the Scheme of the Jewish Church which the first Christians being Jews and bred up in that Church no question conformed themselves much to And therefore these levelled at settling the like Government in the English Church Lightfoot very often spake and to good purpose when things of that Nature were under Deliberation and not seldom by this Learning rectified Mistakes among them explain'd their Difficulties and sometimes put to silence great Confidence He spake likewise commonly when Places of Scripture were produced to stand for Proof of such Points of Doctrine or Discipline as were under Decision our Divine being very thoroughly Studied in the Scriptures whereby he often gave Excellent Interpretations of Controverted Places sometimes misunderstood by most of the Assembly who had propounded them to prove things which in truth intended no such Matter But I proceed to some particular Instances of these things 1. When some in the Assembly were for Gathered Churches which must consist only of Saints and produced a place for that purpose taken out of the Revelations Chap. xv 3 Thou King of Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dr. Seaman well objected against it because the reading was doubtful some Copies reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Thou King of Ages or Everlasting And Lightfoot backed him by shewing that the Syrian and Arabick read to the same import 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 King of the World or Ages 2. When a Debate happened about the Persons that should read the Scripture in Publick and some were for the Pastors doing it themselves Gouge and Marshall seem'd
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
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
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