Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	authority_n	divine_a	infallible_a	2,602	5	9.2547	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57377	Clavis Bibliorum The key of the Bible, unlocking the richest treasury of the Holy Scriptures : whereby the 1 order, 2 names, 3 times, 4 penmen, 5 occasion, 6 scope, and 7 principall parts, containing the subject-matter of every book of Old and New Testament, are familiarly and briefly opened : for the help of the weakest capacity in the understanding of the whole Bible / by Francis Roberts ...	Roberts, Francis, 1609-1675.; Calamy, Edmund, 1600-1666.	1648 (1648)	Wing R1583; ESTC R20707	139,238	403

the heaven and earth Exodus Israel's departure out of Egypt c. 2 Some of them declare the instrumentall Authors or Penmen of them as the Titles of Prophets Books Isaiah c. who being extraordinary men of God guided by the Spirit their books are of divine Authority 3 Some denote the Churches or particular persons for whose sakes immediately some parts of Scripture were penned which affords light to divers passages therein 3. The Times of the Books set forth Partly the length or space of time in which things related were done as in Historicall Books which serve to disclose the connection and continuance of the History and Chronology Partly the time or season when the bookes were written which serves to cleare the understanding of divers particular passages which otherwise would be very difficult both in the Prophets and in the Apostles See therefore those two Tables for the Timeing of the Prophets and Epistles p. 104. to 107. and p. 177. to 186. Distinguish well betwixt times and times you dissolve many knots 4. Penmen being holy men of God extraordinarily inspired intimate to us the divine Authority of their writings This incites faith love and awfull Reverence to their books 5. The Occasion upon which the books were written together with 6. The Scope drift or End of the book being well considered give great light to the whole Book the whole frame disposition and chiefe Arguments handled in the book having a singular tendency to the Scope therefore as the Archer fixeth his eye steadily on the mark when he would shoot accurately so still fix your thought upon the Occasion and Scope of every book when you would peruse them understandingly 7. The Principall parts of the Book here Analytically laid down exhibit clearly to your view both the chiefe Subject or matters insisted upon in every Book as also the methodicall and orderly coherence of all the parts of the book with one another Books lookt upon confusedly are but darkly and confusedly apprehended But considered distinctly as in these distinct Analyses or Resolutions into their Principall parts must needs be distinctly and much more clearly discerned This the chiefe Purpose and Aime of this Book By these particulars to familiarize the Scriptures unto Christians that delight to converse with God in his owne book To whom I earnestly commend this direction for the more profitable use of this Book viz. That 1 Before they read any Book of Scripture they would first read what is in this Key said of that Book 2 In reading they would still remember the Occasion and Scope of the book and now and then compare the Principall Parts here with the Text And 3 After the Perusall of the Book they would read againe what this Key speaks of it Hereby the understaning will be cleared the Memory confirmed VII Rule Heedfully and judiciously observe the accurate Concord and Harmony of the Holy Scriptures though written by severall persons at severall times in severall places yet one and the same spirit inditing all is still like himselfe consonant to himselfe in all The Discord is in our mindes rather then in Gods word Hence Augustine let us be at concord in our own heart and the Scripture will have no discord in it There are Principally five notable respects in which Scriptures sometimes seem most contrary repugnant and opposite one to another when yet they are not dissonant but consonant and sweetly concording one with another As 1 When the Word or Phrase is used in severall Places not in the same but in severall senses and Acceptations 2 When they treat not of the same but of severall subjects 3 When they speak not of the same but severall parts of a thing 4 When they speak not in severall places according to the same but severall respects 5 When they intend not the same but severall times These things well considered will lay a notable foundation for reconciling all places of Scripture that seem to be any way opposite one to another Take the illustrations of thē severally 1. Scriptures seem opposite but are not when the same word or phrase in severall places is used not in the same but in severall senses and acceptations for the same words have oft times severall significations In such case distinguish the severall Acceptations and the Scriptures agree As Paul saith Work out your own salvation with feare and trembling But Iohn saith There is no feare in love but perfect love casteth out fear c. These places are not opposite because the word Fear in Iohn signifies a base servile stavish fear in Paul a filial childlike religious fear In this sense it is said of the Samaritās they feared the Lord again they feared not the Lord i. e. they feared the Lord servilly and hypocritically for his Lyons but they feared him not religiously ●ilially sincerely Not to feare God aright is not to feare him at all Again Christ saith If a man keep my saying he shall never see death But Paul saith It is appointed to all men once to dye yet here 's no opposition for Christ speaks of death spiritual and eternall Paul of death temporal or corporall Further Ieremiah saith Cursed be the man that trusteth in man Christ saith except yee eat● the flesh of the Son of man yee have no life in you by eating understand believing v. 47. yet here 's no opposition Man signifies either meer man who is vaine deceitful c. Of him Ieremiah speaks Or man subsisting in the second person of God of him Christ speaks Moses saith God rested on the seventh day from all his work But Christ saith My father worketh hitherto and I worke yet here 's no opposition For the works of God are either Works of Creation whereby new kinds of Creatures are made so Moses intended that God rested from his work or Works of Conservation and Providence sustaining and governing his works created so Christ meant the father and he wrought still Adde hereunto Christ saith If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my disciple But Paul saith Husbands love your wives No man ever yet hated his own flesh yet no opposition for Hatred is taken either Properly and absolutely so understand Paul or comparatively a lesse love being counted hatred of that understand Christ. Moreover Paul saith Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law But Iames saith yee see then how that by works a man is justified and not by faith onely yet no reall opposition For Iustification in Pauls sense signifyes an instrumentall Application of Gods righteousnesse viz. Jesus Christ to our selves and so Faith alone justifies before God but Iustification in Iame's sense signifies a Declarative Manifestation of the Truth of that Faith whereby we

prophecy from the al-knowing God could foretell these things to come Isa● 41.22 2. In the propheticall expressions of it it is consonant to other propheticall books and gives light to them Daniel Zechariah especially Ezekiel As in the particulars of eating up the Book Rev. 10.9 10. with Ezek. 2.8 and 3.3 of sealing Gods promise Rev. 7.2 3. with Ezek. 9. of the foure living Creatures Rev. 4.6 7. with Ezek. 1.5.6 of Gog and Magog Rev. 20.8 with Ezek 38.2 and 39.1 of the measuring of the Temple and City Rev. 21.15 with Ezek. 40.3 c. Of the two olive trees c. Rev. 11.4 with Zech. 4.3 11 14. c. 3. Many things foretold in this Book prophetically are fulfilled and come to passe actually As Interpreters have observed in many particulars Therefore this Book is of divine Authority Ierem. 28.9.4 Promise of explaining how long the Idolatrous and Tyrannicall Kingdome of Anti-Christ should last was made to Daniel the Prophet Dan. 12.4 9. which some conceive to be fulfilled in these Apocalypticall visions Rev. c. 11. and 12. and 13. and 17. c. And had not Christ under the New Testament left his Church some propheticall Record for her comfort against the horrid cruelty idolatry and darknesse of the Anti-christian Dominion showing when it should have an end and how happy at last the Church should be all her enemies being universally made the footstool of the Lambe she were in a worse condition then under the Old Testament which were absurd 4. As the Holy Ghost by Moses the first Penman of the Canon of the Old Testament warned the Jewes against adding to or diminishing from the word of God yee shall not adde unto the word which I command you neither shall you diminish from it Deut. 9.2 and 12.32 So by the Apostle Iohn the last Penman of the Canon of the New Testament Iesus Christ warneth all persons that heare the words of this Prophecy If any man shall adde unto these things God shall adde unto him the plagues that are written in this Book And if any man shall take away from the words of the Book of this Prophecy God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life and out of the Holy City and from the things which are written in this Book Rev. 22.18 19. By which severe Commination the integrity and divine Authority of this Book is asserted by Christ against all whom Christ foresaw would either indeavour to infringe the Authority of it or corrupt the purity of it Hereby then the whole divine Canon is sealed up as fully now compleat and divinely Authenticall after which we are to expect no more Scripture from God 5. The generall current of best Antiquity except some few particular persons and divers of them guilty of such heresies as this Book condemnes hath embraced this Book and accounted it of divine Authority As those formerly cited to prove Iohn the Apostle to be Penman of it and many more that might be enumerated As that ancient Ancyran Councel held before the Nicene in Append. as also the third Councell of Carthage Can. 47. Cyprian frequently alledges the Revelation among the other Canonicall bookes as De exhort martyrum c. 8. c. 11. c. 12. Testimon Advers Iudaeos l. 2. c. 1. Sect. 3.6 11. c. 6. The Cavils and Objections against the divine Authority of this Book reckoned up by Erasmus or others how weak and unsatisfactory they are may appeare in severall writers who have confuted them Especially vid. Bez. Prolegom in Apocylaps Ioannis and Gerh. loc Com. De scrip sac in exeges cap. 10. Sect. 294. ad sin cap. Excellency of this Book is most considerable For 1. The conveyance of it at first to the Church is singular From God to Iesus Christ From Iesus Christ to an Angel From the Angel to Iohn whom Jesus peculiarly loved above all his Apostles and Disciples Rev. 1.1 And this to Iohn when in exile for Christ in the Isle Patmos and that not on a common day but on the Lords day the Queen of dayes and ●o Iohn in Patmos on the Lords day not in an ordinary but extraordinary composure and elevation of his soule when he was in the spirit caught up as it were and transported in an holy extasie and spirituall Rapture that he might the more attend to these mysteries revealed and have more immediate un-interrupted Communion with Jesus Christ the Revealer Rev. 1 9 10. c. what can all this import but some singularly eminent treasure for the Church in this book whereby the Church in her deepest tribulation may be with Iohn spiritually intransed and ravished with many surpassing grounds of joy and consolation 2. The stile is stately and sublime and may wonderfully take the highest notion The expressions quick piercing and patheticall and may pleasingly penetrate the dullest affection The whole contexture is so full of divine majesty that it commands an awfull Reverence in all gracious hearts that read it 3. The matter of it is most heavenly and spirituall and that in exceeding great variety notably describing the Divinity of Christ His offices and the benefits of them clearly pointing out Anti-Christs Seate Tyranny Rise Growth Power Acts and Fall and most lively delineating the Churches condition what it was in the Primitive times after Christ and what it should be afterwards till the worlds end how sad yet s●fe under Anti-christs dominion how sweet and happy after Anti-Christs destruction how comfortable at the day of judgement and how glorious in heaven with Iesus Christ for evermore What Saint would not thirst much to read and here more to understand but most of all to enjoy these things Some of them are laid downe most mystically in abstruse visions to exercise the judgements of the wisest some more familiarly to succour the infirmity even of the weakest In some places the Lamb may wade in others the Elephant may swim Those prevent contempt these anticipate discouragement Ioao●imus Abbas prefers this Prophecy before the Prophecy of all other Prophets Beza saith That those things in other Prophets which were not fulfilled after Christs coming the holy spirit hath heaped them all together in this precious book and also added others so farre as was needfull or usefull for the Church to know them Bez. Prolegom in Apoc. Oecolampadius cals this book The best Paraphrast of all the Prophets Ioh. Oecolamp Praefat. in Dani●l Hierome saith Apocalypsis tot habet sacramenta quot verba Parum dixi pro merito voluminis laus omnis inferior est in verbis singulis multiplices latent intelligentiae i. e. The Revelation hath as many mysteries as words It s but a little I say all praise is too low for the merit of this volume manifold understandings lie hid in every word Hieron in Epist. ad Paulin. 4. The Book it selfe is compleat capable of no Addition or Detraction but upon severest Penalties Rev. 22.18.19 5. The Penman Eminent viz. John that beloved disciple

sweetly closing together in a most intimate Communion in Iesus Christ which is as another Paradise and Heaven on earth In a word what is there not in Holy Scriptures Are we poore Here 's a Treasury of riches Are we sick Here 's a Shop of Soule Medicines Are we fainting Here 's a Cabinet of Cordials Are we Christlesse Here 's the star that leads to Christ. Are we Christians Here 's the bands that keep in Christ. Are we afflicted Here 's our Solace Are we persecuted Here 's our protection Are we deserted Here 's our recovery Are we tempted Here 's our sword and Victory Are we young Here 's our beauty Are we Old Here 's our wisdome While we live here 's the Rule of our conversation when we dye here 's the hope of our Glorification So that I may with Tertullian I Adore the fulnesse of the Scripture Oh blessed Scriptures who can know them and not love them Who can love them and not delight to meditate in them night and day Who can meditate in them and not desire to love them love to desire them and both desire and love to understand them This is the Book of Books as David said of Goliath's Sword there 's none like that Said one Ex aliis paleae viles hinc grana leguntur Aurea tu paleas linquito grana lege I may Engish it Other writings chaffe unfold Scriptures yeeld the purest gold Others dote on chasty games Gather thou these golden Graines Take away our Papers said Augustine and bring amongst us the Book of God he●re Christ saying heare Truth speaking c. I may close up this Paragraph with his words who thus emphatically expresseth himselfe The Sacred Scripture is the Book of life whose Original is eternall whose essence is incorporeall whose knowledge is life whose writing is indelible whose inspect is desireable whose Doctrine is easie whose knowledge is sweet whose depth is unsearchable whose words are innumerable and onely one word All. 4. The forme of the Scripture both Inward and Outward if well considered commands all possible endeavours and industry for the understanding thereof 1. The Inward forme is That accurate conformity of the things laid down in Scripture to that infallible and eternall truth of Gods own understanding that indited and revealed them Writings compiled by men carry in them a conformity to the idea in their understanding which being subject to ignorance errour and corruption through the imperfection that is in them must needs produce writing● semblably imperfect ignorant erroneous and corrupt But no such thing can be incident unto the Scriptures which are conforme to the Divine understanding of the only wise God which is infinite unsearchable and wholly admirable which is all Light without any darknesse at all all Truth without the least errour All perfect without any shadow of imperfection all pure without any colour of Corruption So that the Scriptures of themselves cannot lead us unto errour but the more we truly understand them the more our minds shall be enriched with truth and elevated to a conformity to the supream truth of God 2. The Outward forme of the Scriptures o● manner how things are therein revealed is not onely plaine and easie nor only darke or difficult but rather mixt of both some things being facile some things being hard to be understood some places are such shallowes wherein lambs need not be afraid to made some againe such deeps as Elephants may be enforced to swim By plainnesse God nourishes the weakest by obscurenesse he exercises the accutest As Augustine hath intimated That facility occasion not our contempt of Scriptures there are interwoven some difficulties that difficulties deterre not from the study of Scripture there are intermingled some facilities For as Augustine notes If all were shut up how should obscure things be revealed If all things were hid whence should the soule have ability to knock for the opening of things shut up Is therefore our Capacity weaker Here 's reliefe for our infirmity Is our apprehension deeper Here 's worke enough for the sharpest perspicacity So that the most ignorant need not be afraid the most intelligent need not be ashamed of endeavours after Scripture understanding 5. The End is manifold and excellent for which God committed his word to writing and that writing to us viz. For Doctrine that Faith and Truth may be asserted For Reproofe or conviction that errour may be confuted As Athanasius said Hereticks are to be stoned with Scripture Arguments For correction of manners enormous or offensive For instruction in the paths of righteousnesse and for consolation that drooping dejected distressed spirits may not be overwhelmed Now then if we study not to understand Scriptures How in Doctrinals They ● Assert the Truth 2 Confute errour How in Practicals They 1 Direct in wel-doing 2 Correct for ill-doing we frustrate the chief ends and scope why the Scriptures were imparted unto us 6. How acceptable is our study and understanding of the Scripture unto God! For 1. He commands us this way to bestow our selves Search the Scriptures Let the word of Christ indwell in you richly in all wisdome Not be but dwell with you not dwell with you but dwell in you yea indwell in you Greek Not dwell in you but dwell in you richly nor only dwell in you richly but in all wisdome 2. He Commends them that have industriously acquainted themselves with the Scripture Timothy that from a child he had known the Holy Scripture able to make him wise unto Salvation Apollos That he was an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures The Bereans that they were more noble then those of Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readinesse of mind and searched the Scriptures dayly whether those things were so And he makes it one Character of the godly blessed man that His delight is in the Law of the Lord and therein he meditates day and night 3. He condemns the contrary unskilfulnesse in the Scriptures as the infirmity of Babes Yea as the root of all errour in spirituals do ye not erre because yee know not the Scriptures Appositely saith Chrysostome to this purpose Ignorance of the Scriptures hath brought forth Heresies hath brought in corruption of life hath turned all things upside down Ignorance of the Scriptures is a very Hell And elsewhere he saith It is the cause of all evils to be ignorant of the Scriptures Hierom also to like purpose He that knowes not the Scriptures knowes not the power of God and his wisdome The ignorance of Scriptures is the ignorance of Christ. 4. In a word He promises happinesse to the right understanding of the Scriptures If yee know these things happy are yee if ye do them And sometimes notably rewards them that endeavour to understand them While the Ethiopian Eunuch

Order of the Patriarchs that as Death by reason of sinne had Reigned over the six first Fathers Adam Seth Enos Cainan Mahalelel Iared but could not touch the seventh Enoch so death shall Reigne ove● the world 6000 yeeres which shall so long continue but in the 7000. yeeres eternall life shall begin and death shall be swallowed up in Victory 4. But others best of all understand here as the Text seems evidently to carry it Enochs verbal Prophecie which though not written yet Iude received by Tradition or rather by Revelation of the same spirit of God by which Enoch prophecyed and here recorded as part of the Divine Canon Obj. 3. Jude alleadges other Apostles sayings ver 17. Therefore seemes rather to be a Disciple of the Apostles then an Apostle himselfe especially seeing he cals not himselfe an Apostle but the servant of Jesus Christ ver 1. And therefore this Epistle not authenticall Ans. 1. Though it could be proved Iude was no Apostle yet it therefore followes not his Epistle is not Authenticall Mark and Luke not Apostles yet the three Books they wrote are of unquestionable authority The authority of Books of Scriptur are not from the Penmen writing them but from the Spirit of God inditing them 2. Daniel cites Ieremiah Dan. 9.2 Ezekiel cites Daniel Ezek. 14.19 Were they therefore not Prophets but Prophets Disciples Peter alleadgeth Pauls Epistles 2 Pet. 3.15 16. Was Peter therefore no Apostle but onely a Disciple 3. Iudes alleadging the other Apostles deroga●es not from the authority of his Epistle but proves that Iude wrote after both Paul and Peter in whose Epistle these predictions are extant 1 Tim. 4.1 c. 2 Tim. 3.1 2 Pet. 2.1 c. 4. Finally though Iudas here call not himselfe an Apostle that argues not therefore he was not an Apostle Iames in his Epistle Iohn in his three Epistles Paul in his Epistle to the Philippians and in both his Epistles to the Thessalonians superscribe not themselves Apostles were they therefore no Apostles But Iudas here stiles himselfe the brother of Iames and that 's full as much as if he had stiled himselfe an Apostle for the texts are expresse that Iudas the Brother of Iames was one of the twelve Apostles See Luk. 6.16 Act. 1.13 Obj. 4. But Iude the Apostle taught in Persia and therefore had he written this Epistle he would rather have written it in the Persian then Grecian tongue Ans. 1. It s not infallibly certain that Iude was in Persia when he wrote this Epistle 2. No necessity of the Apostles writing in the language of the people with whom they then lived Matthew lived among the Ethiopians Paul at Rome when he wrote some of his Epistles yet they wrote not in Ethiopick or Latin but in Greek Greek being then the most common language in the world the Holy Ghost would have Greek to be the Originall language for New Testament as the Hebrew especially for the Old And Iudes Epistle is Catholique or Generall and therefore was written in Greek the generall tongue When and Where this Epistle was written is uncertaine Some think this Apostle was in Persia or Asia Minor when he wrote it viz. A yeere before he dyed and that he there dyed anno 68. after Christ. Niceph. l. 4. c. 40.44 Probably he wrote after both Paul and Peter to whose writings he seems to have reference v. 17. the whole Epistle is as an Abstract of Peters second Epistle Occasion seems from the current of the Epistle to be those abominable heresies of the Simonians Nicolaitanes Gnosticks c. abounding in those times times who held Sin to be indifferent womē al things to be common c. Oecumen Epiphan in Haeres Gnostic Sec. Iud. 3.4 Scope To warne all the faithfull in those times of the cursed and detestable Hereticks and Seducers that were cunningly crept in among them that they contend earnestly for the truth against all their damnable errours and Heresies and for purity and holinesse of life against all their impure lustfull licentious and ungodly p●actices Iude 3 4 8 10 20 21. Principall parts To this end are I. Inscription of the whole Epistle expressing 1. Penman who wrote this Epistle 2. Parties to whom it was written 3. The Salutation of them ver 1 2. II. The substance of the Epistle wherein are laid down 1. The maine Proposition or Exhortation To contend earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints ver 3. There being so many lascivious hereticall men crept in among them ver 4. 2. Arguments enforcing this exhortation upon them against these lascivious Heritiques demonstrating the damnablenesse and destructivenesse of their wayes 1. By examples of Gods vengeance for like impieties and impurities in former times viz. Upon Israel for unbeliefe ver 5. Upon Angels for Apostacy ver Upon Sodom and Gomorrha c. For their lusts ver 7. These examples he applyes to these Seducers 1. Describing them by their 1. Uncleannesse ver 8. 2. Despising and reproaching Magistrates ver 8 9. 3. Impudency in reviling what they know not ver 10. 4. Bruitish intemperance in carnall pleasures ver 10. 5. Cruelty to their brethren 6. Covetousnesse 7. Seditiousnesse ver 11. 8. Epicurisme in meats and drinks ver 12. 9. Hypocrisie 10. Instability 11. Deadnesse and Barrennesse to all good fruit ver 12. 12. Wrathfulnesse 13. Shamefull uncleannesse 14. Levity and inconstancy ver 13. 2. Threatning them in generall with woe ver 11 in particular with eternall destruction ver 13. 2. By Testimonies 1. Of Enoch ver 14.15 To which he adds further descriptions of their viciousnesse ver 16. 2. Of the Apostles themselves v. 17 18. where he further describes these Heretiques by their Separation from Church assemblies by their want of Gods Spirit v. 9. 3. Hortatory Directions by way of Remedy for 1. Mutuall edification 2. Prayer v. 20. 3. Love of God ver 21. 4. Different course to be taken by them in recovering severall persons from seducements v. 22 23. 5. Zeale against all impurity v. 23 III. Conclusion of the whole Epistle with adoxology to God who is able to keep them without spot and blamelesse c. v. 24 25. III. THE PROPHETICAL BOOK Viz. THE Revelat. THE PROPHETICAL BOOK of the New Testament prophetically foretelling what shall be the future condition of the Church of Christ in all ages to the end of the world is the REVELATION OF JOHN THE DIVINE This may well be called a Propheticall Book For 1 The Holy Ghost himselfe divers times stiles it A Prophecy Rev. 1.3 and 7.10 18.19 2 And the nature of the Book is chiefly Propheticall as the Series of the Book implyes and also some passages plainly testify that it treats of things which must shortly come to passe Rev. 1.1 and things which shall be hereafter Rev. 1.19 Title This book in Greek is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The Apocalypse or Revelation of John the Divine whereby are indigitated to us both the