EXERCITAT VII Of the divers wayes how God revealed himselfe extraordinarily to his church p. 43 EXERCITAT VIII Of the necessity of the Word written p. 61 EXERCITAT VIIII Of the singular prerogatives which the secretaries of the holy Ghost had who wrote the Scriptures p. 65 EXERCITAT IX Arguments proving the Scriptures to be divine p. 76 EXERCITAT X. In what language the Scriptures were written p. 88 EXERCITAT XI Of the style of the Scriptures p. 101 EXERCITAT XII That the Hebrew Text is not corrupted p. 109 EXERCITAT XIII That no canonicall booke is perished p. 117 EXERCITAT XIIII That the points were not originally with the Letters from the beginning p. 124 EXERCITAT XV. Of the meanes which God hath used to make the Scriptures plaine unto us as Of Translation of Scriptures p. 131 Of the Translation of the Seventy p. 143 Of the Vulgar Latine translation p. 152 Of paraphrasing of Scriptures p. 158 Of interpretation of Scriptures p. 162 EXERCITAT XVI Of the division of the Scriptures p. 163 EXERCITAT XVII Of the division of the Psalmes p. 166 Of the inscriptions of the Psalmes p. 168 EXERCITAT XVIII Of the division of the Law in haphtaroth and parashoth p. 173 EXERCITAT XIX Of the sense of the Scriptures p. 177 The Table of the places of Scripture cleared in this Booke the first number sheweth the Chapters the second the Verse and the third the Page Genesis ca. ver pag. 2 24 161 3 1 138  21 160 4 26 159 9 4 41 12 5 161 22 17 133 31 4 92 32 26 160  32 40 34 30 103 36 24 86 37 7 48 47 25 125 48 7 106  17 4   5 40 3 161  37 Ibid Exod. 1 8 130 3 2 44 4 24 Ibid 10 17 103 11 5 29  10 2  12 2 12 11 134  34 1 13 19 160 16 15 134 17 27 50 21 8 128 24 8 180  9 146 28 30 51  43 89 31 12 113   114   115 33 13 28 Leviticus 5 1 103 7 27 41 17 7 45 19 23 35 Numbers 16 30 138 19 20 103 21 14 120 24 3 139 20 11 167  55 55 27 21 45 Deutero 4 27 103 11 12 2 16 3 2 22 4 103 25 16 161 37 26 134 20 11 80 Ioshua 8 12 128 13 22 138 14 15 137 Iudg. 7 15 162 16 17 70 20 18 54  23 56 1 Sam. 6 6 134 14 19 55  37 54 15 4 161 16 6 69 18 10 74 20 20 182 21 25 103 23 2 54  9 Ibid  12 52 26 12 27   48 28 8 50 2 Sam. 3 29 71 5 33 53 6 6 134 7 12 182  19 Ibid 2 43 27 23 8 137  10 27 1 King 3 5 62 4 32 120  29 26  33 120 10 18 30  22 31 21 20 55 22 35 103  49 128 2 King 4 27 68 8 10 128 9 11 73 18 26 92 1 Chron. 3 5 88 11 11 137 13 3 53  36 166 17 2 69 29 29 121 2 Cron. 29 30 167 33 19 122 Ezra 2 63 59 4 2 128 Nehem. 7 65 59 8 8 124 Esth 9 32 99 10 2 78 Iob. 4 6 104  18 140 12 20 101 13 1 47 23 9 160 24 20 29 28 28 22 Psal 7 12 105 14 10 Ibid 18 42 127 22 12 179 41 13 166 45 1 72  2 32 47 30 166 74 3 103 78 25 2 81 5 93 86 13 138 103 7 28 114 1 39 116 6 138 118 19 169  22 ibid  25 ibid 119 9 6  16 169 121 1 ibid  8 29 137 2 119 Prover 1 4 138  22 Ibid 4 3 130 13 23 51 16 10 57 19 7 128 23 26 128 25 1 121 31 4 128  29 5 Eccles 3 4 128 7 22 38 12 12 74 Cant. 4 5 159 Esay 3 2 138 6 1 47 6 9 184 8 1 79   118 10 8 65  19 103 19 18 8 24 5 39 29 11 89 38 1 55 39 21 107 41 22 79 42 15 11 62 11 186 Iere. 10 11 84 15 1 164  19 68 31 15 183  39 128 36 2 73  17 74 39 3 97 40 1 107 47 15 103 51 3 129 Ezek. 3 27 44 12 16 103 13 9 27 28 3 31 33 35 41 Dan. 7 9 46 8 17 47  27 44 5 25 89 Hose 1 1 75 2 16 37 4 11 113 9 7 71 Ioel. 2 28 49 Ionah 3 4 55 4 6 135 Mich. 3 6 58 Nahum 3 8 135 Habak 2 2 118 Zeph. 3 8 110 Hagg. 1 8 58 2 9 59 Zach. 9 9 186 11 24 103 12 10 113 Matth. 1 1 82  5 97 2 23 165 5 4 136  29 179 6 23 117 7 1 179  12 33  16 31  25 136 10 16 138 11 11 103 13 25 139 19 24 96 21 41 38 22 37 31  40 165 26 26 180  30 170  39 103 27 46 123 Mark 5 4 134 14 3 139 16 5 46 Luk. 10 11 167 11 7 161 13 36 179 18 12 176 Iohn 1 5 99  9 39  18 44  29 103 3 12 88 7 37 174 8 17 110 9 24 186 10 1 100  35 83 13 18 186 17 3 21 19 39 183 20 28 4 Act. 2 4 70 3 16 26  24 164 6 9 138 7 27 27 8 32 137 9 2 96 13 8 132  15 162 15 21 42 16 10 162 19 9 139  23 136 21 4 69 Rom. 9 21 103 12 20 179 14 23 37 1 Cor. 8 9 183 13 1 2 14 11 131 2 Cor. 7 8 69 8 15 188 10 10 110 Gala. 1 12 65 2 14 70 3 10 134 6 6 21 Ephes 1 4 79 3 8 8 26 20 8 5 13 56 Philip. 2 25 136 Colos 2 16 174 1 Thess 2 13 76 4 4 103 1 Timot. 5 23 9 2 Timot. 1 15 168 4 20 67 Heb. 7 2 90  17 16 10 28 60 11 22 116 12 21 44 Iames. 4 6 83 9 4 135 2 Pet. 1 19 67  21 68 5 3 137 1 Ioh. 2 16 13 Iud.  9 96 Revel 1 14 49 15 3 172 18 3 104 22 1 3 A Table of the chiefe Hebrew words explained in this Booke × ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 41 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 58 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 56 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 27 ב ב 75 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 161 × ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 99 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 87 ×— 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 demonst 51 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 locate 138 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 171 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 86 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 140 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 172 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 102 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 168 ×– 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
long a life to record to the posterity the word and the workes of God Againe he did this to obviat the craft of the Divell and the counterfeite writings of the false Apostles God revealeth himselfe most surely to us by his word It was necessary then that the word should be written that the Church might have a greater certainety of their salvation See how farre the Lord commendeth unto us the certainety which wee have by the Scriptures above all other sort of revelation 2 Pet. 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have also a more sure word of prophesie here the certainety of the Scriptures is preferred to the transfiguration in the mount Secondly the Apostle Gal. 1.8 preferreth it to the revelation made by Angels If an Angell should come from heaven and teach any other Gospel let him be accursed Thirdly Christ himselfe preferred the certainety of it to Moyses and the Prophets If one should come from the dead and teach us Luk. 16.31 The Church is not the last resolution of our faith The Church of Rome then doth great wrong to Christians when they would make the last ground and stay of Christian faith to be the Church onely But wee are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Ephe. 2.20 the Lord when he dwelt betweene the Cherubims he set the Candlesticke upon his right hand and the table with the shewbread upon his left hand to teach us that the Scriptures are to be preferred still to the testimony of the Church and that wee must rest upon their testimony primariò Quest Whether is it an Article of our faith to beleeve that the Scriptures are the Word of God or not Ans Something 's de fide de verbo fidej somethings de verbo fidej but not de fide primario somethings neither de fide neither de verbo fidej Some things are both de fide de verbo fidei as Christ is Emmanuel Secondly somethings are de verbo fidei but not de fide primariò as Paul left his cloake at Troas Thirdly somethings are de fide but non de verbo fidei which are the conclusions drawne from the canonicall word by consequence And these are eyther drawne from the word generally as this that the Scriptures are the word of God for this is evident from the whole word generally and although this be a principle in it selfe which ought first to be beleeved yet in my conception and manner of taking up it is a conclusion arising from that majesty and Divine character which is in the word it selfe or the particular conclusions drawne from the word They are de fide non de verbo fidei as when a man concludeth his owne particular justification from the word as I Iames am justified est de fide mea and not a part of the canonicall word but an application arising from it Fourthly something are neyther de fides nor de verbo fidei Secondly we may answer to this whether the word written be an article of our faith or not Articles of our faith taken generally or specially The articles of our faith are eyther taken generally or specially generally for all that is contained in the Scriptures or may be deduced by way of consequence from the Scriptures then it is not an article of our faith to beleeve the canon of the Scriptures Secondly specially for that which is contained in the Creede for the Creede is the substance of that which is contained in the Scriptures and then it is an article of our faith to beleeve the Cannon of the Scriptures The Scriptures of God are considered essentially The Scriptures considered essentially or accidentally or accidentally Essentially as they proceede from God accidentally againe as they were written by such and such men As they proceede from God we must beleeve them to be true and to be the meanes of our salvation for saving truth is onely from God But if we consider them but accidentally as they are written by such and such men then it is not an article of our faith to beleeve them for it maketh not to our salvation primariò to know that they were written by such and such men When the books in holy Scripture carry the names of those who wrote them as the bookes of Moyses carrie his name if a man should deny these bookes to be written by Moses then be ignorant altogether of the matter contained in them then his ignorance were damnable Ignorantia damnabilis negatio haeretical and the denyall of them hereticall they have Moses and the Prophets Luk. 16. But if the writer of the booke be not set downe in the Scripture if a man should deny such a man to write it he should not be reputed as an hereticke for that Negatia est haerètica per accidens sed ignoratio non est damnabilis and to be ignorant that such a man wrote it this were not damnable ignorance Example it is holden that Paul wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews now if a man should deny that Paul wrote this Epistle he were not to be holden a hereticke for that neyther were his ignorance damnable A man may be ignorant of this or that booke and yet be saved and many were saved before the bookes were written and now many are saved who cannot reade the Scriptures Ignorantia hic est infirmitatis negatio est haeritica per accidens But when a man doubteth of the order and number of the bookes in the Canon this argueth but his unskilfulnesse and infirmity and the denyall of the number and order of these bookes is but hereticall by accident and the ignorance is not damnable Quest When we beleeve such a booke to be written by such a man whether beleeve we this by a justifying faith or by an historicall faith Ans When we beleeve that such a man wrote this booke this is but an historicall faith and this we have by the Church but that which is dogmaticall in this booke that we must beleeve out of the word it selfe we being illuminate by the Spirit Conclusi The conclusion of this is Seeing God hath revealed his will in his word written to us and remitted us alwayes to the law and to the testimony Esay 10.8 Ioh. 5.49 search the Scriptures therefore these who leave the Scriptures and make choyse of traditions they forsake the fountaine of living water and digge Cisternes to themselves that cannot hold no water Ier. 2.13 EXERCITAT IX Of the singular prerogatives which the secretaries of the holy Ghost had who wrote the Scriptures 2 Pet. 1.21 And the holy men of God spake as they were mooved by the holy Ghost Prorogative 1 THe holy men of God who were inspired by the holy Spirit to write the Scriptures First they were immediatly called by God Gal. 1.12 for the Gospel which I preached I received it not of man neyther was I taught but
the King when he should sit upon the Throne of his kingdome to write a Copie of this Law Deut. 17.18 and the Iewes adde further that he was bound to write out two copies one which he should keepe in his treasurie and another which he should carry about with him and they say moreover if Printing had beene found out then yet hee was bound to write them out with his owne hand Thirdly the Lord commanded the Prophets to write their visions upon Tables 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocant Graeci and to make them plaine Habak 2.2 Esay 8.1 and the Seventy read it to be graven upon the bush tree which is a sort of wood that corrupteth not and it will preserve that which is written upon it and it were to the worlds end Bookes necessary for the Church albeit lost yet they were found againe Fourthly when any booke which was necessary for the use of the Church was lost the Lord had a care that that booke should be found againe as the booke of the law found by Hilkiah 2 King 22.8 Or the Lord endited it anew againe when it was lost as when Iehojakim cut the roule of the lamentations of Ieremie yet the Lord inspired him a new againe to indite this booke to his Scribe Baruch Iere. 36.32 because he thought it necessary still for the Church therefore he would not have it to perish Fiftly in that generall destruction which the Babylonians made at Ierusalem burning their houses and robbing them of their goods The Israelites kept the musicall instruments in the captivity to put them in minde of the worship of God yet as Hierome and Basil observe well it was a speciall providence of God that they should leave to those captives their instruments of Musicke wherewith they used to serve God in the Temple that they might preserve some memorie of their former worship they brought these instruments to Babel with them Psal 137.2 we hung our harpes on willowes If the Lord had such a care of these instruments to have them preserved for his praise much more care had he to have the Scriptures preserved which taught them to worship and he who had a particular care of the parts of the Scripture before it was compleate and numbreth the haires of our heads Matth. 10.30 and the starres of the heavens Psal 147.4 will he not have a speciall care that none of these Bookes should perish which are canonicall That fable of Esdras then is to be rejected lib. 4. The fable of Esdras rejected cap. 4.23 So cap. 14.21 to the 24. verse he sheweth how the booke of God was lost in the Captivity and that Esdras the Scribe by holy inspiration wrote it all anew againe but this is false see we not how Daniel read out of the prophesie of Ieremie how long the captivitie should last Dan. 2.9 The booke of God then was not lost in the captivity and written anew againe by Esdras Esdras wrote nothing of the Scriptures but onely set the bookes in order but onely he set the bookes in order after the captivity nihil ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fecit sed ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee did nothing in correcting the booke of God but onely set it downe in order But we reade often times in the Scriptures of many Bookes wanting now which were extant before as the Bookes of the battels of the Lord Ans Num. 21.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By this it cannot bee inferred that any canonicall booke is perished for this word Sepher signifieth a relation as well by word as by write Secondly although wee grant that it was a written booke yet it will not follow that it was a holy Booke Thirdly although we grant that it was an holy booke yet it will not follow that it was a canonicall booke The bookes of the Chronicles of the Kings of Iuda and Israel were but civill records Some things written by the Prophets not as they were Prophets and belonged nothing to the canon of the Scriptures Secondly some bookes that were written by the Prophets were not written by them as they were Prophets Salomon wrote of Hearbes Trees and Plants 1 King 4.33 But what bookes were these They were but bookes of things which were under the Moone and of things corruptible and because they served not for the edification of the Church afterwards Hezekiah buried Salomons bookes of physick therefore the Lord suffered them to perish Suidas saith that the booke which Salomon wrote of Physicke was affixed upon the gate in the entrie of the Temple and because the people trusted too much in it neglecting the Lord as Asa put his trust in the Physitians 2 Chro. 13. therefore Hezekiah caused to pull away this booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and bury it And the Talmud saith that Hezekiah did two memorable things First Ganaz Sepher rephuoth Abscondit librum medicinarum He hid the bookes of Physicke which Salomon had written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And secondly Cathath nahhash hannehhushoth shegnashe Moshe Comminuit aeneum serpentem quem fecerat Moses He brake the brasen Serpent which Moyses made Salomon spake three thousand Proverbes 1 King 4.32 yet of all these Proverbes scarce eyght hundred are put in the Canon Some of these Proverbes the servants of Hezekiah King of Iuda copied out Prov. 25.1 And as they saw the King their master bury Salomons booke which he knew was hurtfull to the Church Salomoni Proverbs and Songs which were not profitable to the Church perished so those servants copied out these Proverbes which were profitable for the Church whereas the rest perished So Salomon wrote a thousand and five Songes of all which Songes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est utriusque numeri quae vel quod the Lord made choyse but of one to be insert in the Canon which is called the Song of Songes or canticum canticorum quae Salomonis rather then canticum canticorum quod Salomonis it was the most excellent Song of all Salomons Songs rather then the excellentest Song compared with other Songes But all bookes written by thē for the whole Church none of them are perished as the Prophesies of Nathan Ahija and Iddo For Burgensis observeth well upon 1 Chro. 29. That the first booke of Samuel is holden to be written by Samuel himselfe So the second Booke of Samuel and the second booke of the Kings were written by Nathan and Gad who lived with David and Salomon and wrote untill the death of Salomon then Iddo and Ahija wrote the historie following of Ieroboam interlacing somethings of Salomon and Rehoboam Object 1 Chron. 29.29 Now the acts of David the King first and last behold they are written in the booke of Samuel the Seer and in the booke of Nathan the Prophet and in the booke of Gad the Seer with all his reigne and his might and the times that went over him and over Israel and all
a care for so small an inheritance a little plat of ground in Anathoth that cost but seventeene shekles that he would have the evidence subscribed and sealed before faithfull witnesses and to have them safely laid up till the peoples returne out of the captivity shall not we then be carefull of that great inheritance which is not purchased with gold nor silver 1 Pet. 1. to have the evidence of it sealed subscribed and laid up safely in our hearts Esau was a profane man and a fornicator Heb. 12.16 He sold his birth right for a messe of pottage if Preachers be profane and vile men like Esau they will set their inheritance at a light reckoning but if they be the children of grace they will esteeme much of it as Naboth did of his Vineyard it is the inheritance that our father hath prepared and his sonne dearely purchast for us and therfore we should esteeme highly of it and beware to lose this inheritance that was bought with such a price left if we lose it the shooe be pulled off our feete and we be called discalceati in Israele Now come to Christs answer to the Sadduces objection Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God for in the Resurrection men neither marry nor give in marriage but are like the Angels of God They erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God that is the power of God manifested and set forth in the Scriptures the Scriptures teach us that God by his power shall raise these mortall bodies to immortality and that then we shall be like to the Angels in glory and all these naturall bonds and societies amongst men and women shall cease as to mary and give in marriage c. Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures All error proceedeth from ignorance of the Scriptures therefore Christ biddeth the Iewes search the Scriptures Ioh. 5.39 and the holy Scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 We shall never under stand the truth but out of the Scriptures the Church of Rome are most injurious to the Laickes forbidding them to read the Scriptures what mervaill is it that they be led into all errors when they want this light of the Scriptures to direct them The Church of Rome like a Pyrat she may be justly compared to a Pirate a Pirate when he takes a poore Barke what doeth he First he taketh the compasse from her Secondly the sayles and thirdly the Anchor what becomes of the poore Barke then she is cast away upon the Rockes so the Church of Rome first taketh from the people the compasse that is the Word of God Secondly shee taketh from them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speech borrowed from a full sayle forbidding the people assurance of faith they teach them that they should have a morall perswasion of the remission of their sinnes to hope well that they shall be saved but they say it is presumption to be certainely perswaded of the remission of their sinnes and thus they take away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the full sayle from the people now when assurance of faith The miserable estate of those who live in Popery the full saile is gone then hope the Anchor as the Apostle calleth it Heb. 6.19 must be lost also yee see then the necessity of searching the Scriptures and if we would bee free of error we must study to know them and lamentable is their estate who live in popery exposed to all danger because they have not the use of the holy Scriptures Nor the power of God Twofold power in God There is a twofold power in God first his absolute power Secondly his limited power his absolute power is this when he can doe any that implyeth not a contradiction for that were impotency in God his limitate power is this when his will limitateth his power and his other attributes God by his absolute power could have destroyed Sodom before Lot came out of it but by his limited power he could not Gen. 19.22 God may doe many things by his absolute power which he cannot doe by his limitted power because it made more for the glory of God that Lot should be saved then destroyed with the Sodomites so God by his absolute power might cast away Peter but by his limited power he cannot because it makes more for his mercy to save Peter then to destroy him Christ by his absolute power could have wrought miracles in Nazareth but by his limited power he could not because it made more for his glory not to worke any amongst that unbeleeving people Marke 6 5. So Christ by his absolute power could have prayed for so many millions of Angels to have delivered him but by his limited power he could not because it made more for the glory of his Father that he should die for the redeeming of his Church then that he should escape the cursed death of the Crosse here Christ speaks of that limited power of God and not of his absolute power Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God We should know Gods power out of the Scriptures We must learne to know the power of God onely out of the Scriptures that power which is attributed to God and not found in the Scriptures is not to be counted Gods power there is a question betwixt us and the Church of Rome whether the body of Christ can be both in Heaven and in the Sacrament at once they alledge the power of God for them because God by his power can make this body to be really in the Sacrament but we reply unto them that they erre not knowing the Scriptures and the power of God if they could demonstrate to us out of the Scriptures this power then we would beleeve them but the Scripture saith that Iesus Christs body is in the heavens and must bee contained there till he come to judgement Acts 3.21 Whom the heavens must receive untill the times of the restitution of all things And therefore this power is but an imaginary power contrary to the Scriptures of God We shall be like the Angels of God who neither marry nor give in marriage There is a good axiome in the Schooles that relata extra usum non sunt relata relations out of their use are no relations a Land-marke so long as it stands in the field distinguishing one mans land from another it is in the relation but taken out of that place that relation ceaseth the bread in the Sacrament is holy bread so long as it is in the use but out of this holy use it becommeth common bread againe those things that were eaten in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Idols chappell were idolatrous in state there and might not be eaten but when they were sold in the Shambles they were extra usum and Paul allowed then to eate of them so here the woman is the wife to the husband in this life but in the
Generatio Physica Metaphysica Hyperphysica first a physicall generation secondly a metaphysicall and thirdly an hyperphysicall physicall generation is this when a mortall man begetteth a sonne and this is done in time metaphysicall generation is this when the mind begetteth a word and this is alwayes done in time but hyperphysicall generation is that eternall generation and this is done before all time and Divinity sheweth reason how shee misapplyeth her physicall and metaphysicall generation to this eternall generation Whether is such a proposition true in Divinity Quest and false in reason the Sonne of God begotten from all eternity true in Divinity the Sonne of God begotten from all eternity false in the court of reason So Mary the Virgin bare a Sonne true in Divinity Mary the Virgin bare a Sonne false in the court of reason That which is true in one Science Answ is not false in another In Israel there was a judicatorie of seventy who judged of matters of greatest weight and there was an inferior judicatory consisting of three and these judged of goods and matters of least moment that which was truly concluded in the highest judicatory was not false in this inferior judicatory although they could not judge of a false Prophet as the great Synedrion did yet they held it not false in the lowest judicatory when the great Synedrion concluded such a one to be a false Prophet So that which is true in Divinity is not false in reason but onely above her reach and if any thing were true in one Science and false in another then verum non esset reciproca affectio entis that is that which hath a being should not bee true and that which is true should not have a being these two propositions should not be converted Veritas supra rationem juxta rationem rationem There is a verity that is above reason and there is a verity which is agreeable to reason and there is a verity that is under reason the first is of things taken up by faith the second is of things taken up by reason the third is of things taken up by sense but there is no verity contrary to reason it is not against reason to beleeve that a Virgin conceived and bare a Sonne but it is above reason What use reason hath in Divinity Wee must not seclude reason altogether from Divinity Christ himselfe used the helpe of reason against the Sadduces and Paul against the Iewes Heb. 7.17 Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek This is revealed by God himselfe that Christ is the King of peace and righteousnesse yet to prove this and to make it manifest to the misbeleeving Iewes he borroweth a helpe of a logicall notation saying which is by interpretation the King of righteousnesse the King of peace Heb. 7.2 So Christ useth reason against the Sadduces God is the God of Abraham Isaack and Iacob hence he inferferreth this consequent that they must live Object But they say that Christ and Paul were immediatly directed by God that they could not erre in their Midsts and conclusions as we doe Ans If Pauls extraordinary calling had given him power to use reason then they had spoken to the purpose but he useth reason as common to him and to all other men whether Apostles or not Apostles But they say Object that Christs authority and Pauls was greater than ours is This wee grant Answ they disputed against those who acknowledged not their authority but yeelded onely to them in respect of the force of the arguments is it not lawfull for us to doe the same against our adversaries which Christ did against the Sadduces and Paul against the Iewes But whatsoever was pronounced by Christ against the Sadduces or by Paul against the Iewes Object it became by and by holy Scripture which we cannot say of our conclusions Although arguments used by Christ and his Apostles became by and by the Word of God Answ yet it will not follow that we may not use these midsts brought forth by reason although they become not Scripture but then that would follow if wee brought forth these principles of reason to make them the object of our saving faith Whether were the Sadduces bound to beleeve this argument of Christs as an article of their faith Quest or not By the force of this consequence as it were the worke of reason they were not bound to beleeve it Ans but as it was proved to them out of the Scriptures they were bound to beleeve it Seeing humane midsts have no force to binde of themselves why are they used in proofe against men Quest This is done for the infirmity of man who is hard to beleeve Answ and the Divine midsts will not serve to refute the naturall man Simile These who have good and perfect sight need no other midst to see by but the light but a man who is of a weake sight and purblind useth Spectacles as a helpe to his sight so the perverse heriticks make us to bring in these humane midsts whereas the midsts taken out of the Word of God should serve by themselves to convince When Christ rose againe Thomas doubted of the resurrection and thought that his body had beene but a Spirit but Christ bearing with his infirmity by this humane midst proveth that hee is flesh because hee may bee touched and felt Observe againe that in Divinity some propositions are merely Divine and some are mixtly Divine These that are merely Divine reason can doe little thing here it can but joyne the tearmes together but it cannot take up these great mysteries example if I were disputing against the Monothelites who denyed that there were two natures in Christ and should reason thus Where there are two natures there are two wils but in Christ there are two natures therefore two wils That in Christ there are two wils this is a proposition merely Divine reason can never take up this yet reason sheweth this much where there are two natures there must bee two wills and it judgeth onely of the connexion of these two but it cannot judge of the verity of this whether there be two wills in Christ or not Quest Yee will say then what doth reason in the verity of these propositions which are merely Divine Ans Reason in a regenerate man concludeth not that to be false which is above her reach but onely admireth and resteth in this great mystery and reformed reason enlightened by the Word of God goeth this farre on that she beleeveth these things to be possible with God which shee cannot comprehend but reason in a corrupt man will scorne and mocke these things which shee cannot comprehend as the Stoicke called Paul a babler Act. 17.18 when hee disputed against them for the resurrection and called it a new doctrine In these propositions againe which are mixtly Divine reason hath a further hand example No naturall body can be in moe places at
the beginning of things can onely certainely fortell the event of things as though they were present Hos 12.4 hee wept and made supplication to him he found him in Bethel and there he spake with us Here the thing past he applyeth to the generation which was present because hee knew exordium rei Reason 5 The plaine and cleare manner of setting downe the Scriptures sheweth them to be Divine Esa 8.1 Take a great roule and write in it with a mans pen Behheret enosh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is cleerely that the simplest amongst the children of men may understand it Deut. 30.11 This commandement which I command thee this day is not hidden from thee neyther is it farre off In the Hebrew it is Lo niphleeth non separatum a te 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is it is not separated from thy knowledge that thou cannot understand it and it is not farre from thee for these things which are obscure and doubtfull which we cannot take up are sayd to be farre from us these things which wee understand againe are sayd to be neare us Rom. 10.8 Ob. But it may be sayd that there are many things hard in the Scriptures and cannot well be taken up Ans We must distinguish these three the obscurity in the things themselves Obscuritas est velâ—n rebus ipsis modo tradendi conceptione the perspicuity in the midsts as they are set downe and thirdly the dulnesse of our conception to take them up There are many matters handled in the Scripture which are hard to be understood and we are dull in conception to take up these things yet they are clearely and plainely set downe in the word Christ sheweth all these three Ioh. 3.12 If I have told you earthly things and yee beleeve not how shall yee beleeve if I tell you of heavenly things If I have told you earthly things that is illustrated heavenly things to you by earthly comparisons here is Christs plaine manner in setting downe his word And yee beleeve not here is our dulnesse in taking up these things which are plainely set downe How shall yee beleeve if I shall tell you of heavenly things here is the obscurity of the heavenly matters contained in the Scriptures The Church of Rome confoundeth still these three Obscuritas rei nostri conceptus cum perspicuo modo tradendi the obscurity in the matter the dulnesse of our conception with the cleare manner of manifestation of these things in the Scriptures Reason 6 The Heavenly consent and agreement amongst the writers of the holy Scriptures sheweth them to be Divine The agreement of the writers of the holy Scriptures There were in the Church Patriarches Prophets and Apostles Amongst the Patriarches Abraham was the cheefe therefore the revelations made to the rest of the Patriarches as to Isaack and to Iacob had alwayes relation to the promises made to Abraham Amongst the Prophets Moyses was the cheefe and therefore all the Prophets grounded themselves upon Moyses And upon the revelations made to the Apostles the faith of the Church is grounded under the New Testament and yee shall never finde any contradictions amongst these holy writers there may seeme some contradiction amongst them but indeed there is none Epiphanius useth a good comparison to this purpose when a man saith he Simile is drawing water out of a deepe Well with two Vessels of a different metall the water at the first seemeth to be of a different colour but when he draweth up the Vessels nearer to him Although there seeme some contradiction in the Scriptures we should labour to reconcile them this diversity of colours vanisheth and the waters appeare both of one colour and when we taste them they have but one relish So saith he although at the first there seeme some contradiction in the holy Scriptures yet when we looke nearer and nearer unto them wee shall finde no contrarietie in them but a perfect harmonie When we see the Heathen history or Apocryphall Bookes contradicting the holy History wee should stand for the holy Scriptures against them but when wee see any appearance of contradiction in the Scriptures we should labour to reconcile them when Moyses saw an Aegyptian and an Israelite striving together he killed the Aegyptian and saved the Israelite Exod. 2.12 But when be saw two Israelits striving together he laboured to reconcile them saying yee are brethren why doe yee strive So when we see the Apocryphall Bookes or heathen History to contradict the Scriptures we should kill the Aegyptian and save the Israelite Example Iacob cursed Simeon and Levi for murthering of the Sichemites Gen. 49.7 but Iudith blessed Simeon for killing of them Iudith 9. So Ieremiah saith they shall returne in the third generation Ier. 27.7 but Baruch saith they shall returne in the seventh generation Baruch 6. here let us kill the Aegyptian but save the Israelite but when wee see any appearance of contradiction in the holy Scriptures wee should labour to reconcile them because they are brethren Reason 7 The heavenly order set downe in the Scriptures showeth them to be divine there is in the Scriptures Ordo naturae Ordo naturae conjugalis thori historiae dignitatis Ordo conjugalis thori Ordo historiae Ordo dignitatis all these the Scriptures marke and for sundry reasons setteth one before another and although there be not prius posterius in Scriptura as the Iewes say in respect of the particular occasions yet there is still prius posterius in respect of the generall end of the history First in setting downe the Patriarches it observeth ordinem naturae as they were borne as Ruben in the first place because he was the first borne and then Simeon thirdly Levi and fourthly Iudah c. Secondly The Tribes are set downe sometimes according to their nativity and sometimes as they were borne of free women there is Ordo conjugalis thori according to their birthes and so the free womens sonnes are set first in the Brestplace of Aaron Exod. 28. Thirdly there is Ordo dignitatis as Sem is placed before Iaphet for dignitie although he was younger So the Scripture else where observeth this order Matth. 13. He bringeth fourth new and old Ephe. 2. Apostles and Prophets So the Scripture observeth the order of history Matth. 1.1 The Booke of the generation of Iesus Christ the Sonne of David the Sonne of Abraham why is Abraham put last after David because the history is to begin at him So 1 Chro. 3.5 Salomon is placed last amongst his brethren because the history was to begin at him and if we shall marke the heavenly order that is amongst the Evangelists The heavenly order amongst the Evangelists â—hew the Scriptures to be Divine they will show us that the Scriptures are divine Marke beginneth at the workes of Christ Matthew ascendeth higher to the birth of Christ Luke goeth higher to the conception of Christ
and Iohn goeth highest of all to the divinity of Christ and his eternall generation Who would not admire here the steps of Iacobs heavenly ladder ascended from Ioseph to Adam and from Adam to God Reason 8 The matter contained in the Scriptures shewes them to be divine and to make a wonderfull change in man which no other booke can doe Iam. 4.6 The spirit in us lusteth after envie yet the Scriptures offer more grace The Scriptures offer grace to resist sinne that is the Scriptures offer grace and ability to doe more then nature can doe Nature cannot heale a Spirit that lusteth after envie or after money or after uncleanesse but the Scriptures offer more grace to overcome any of these sinnes be they never so strong The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soule Psal 19.17 when it is dead in sinne it quickneth and reviveth it againe and when it is decayed in grace The Word of God is a restorer of the spirituall life it restoreth it againe even as Boaz is sayd to be a restorer of the life of Naomi and a nurisher of her old age Ruth 4.15 Reason 9 The rebukes and threatnings of the holy Ghost in the Scriptures fall never to the ground in vaine but take alwayes effect when people stand out against them And as Ionathans bow did never turne backe and the Sword of Saul never returned empty 2 Sam. 1.22 So the Arrowes of the King are sharpe to pierce his enemies Psal 45.5 Reason 10 Ioh. 10.35 The Scriptures cannot be broken the arguments set downe in the Scripture are so strong that all the heretickes in the world could never breake them and they stand like a brasen wall against all oppositions therefore the Lord challengeth men to bring forth their strongest reasons Esa 41.21 produce your cause saith the Lord bring forth your strong reasons saith the King of Iacob Ecclesia subtestatur The Church is the Pillar of Truth shee holdeth out the Truth to be seene shee expoundeth and interpreteth the Scriptures yet her testimony in but an inducing testimony and not a perswading testimony shee can teach the Truth but shee cannot seale up the truth in our hearts and make us to beleeve the Truth of the Scripture Actus exercitus signatus Her testimony is but in actu exercito but non signato Her testimony is informativum sen directivum it informeth and directeth us sed non certificativum terminativum fidei that is shee cannot perswade us of the Truth by her Testimony Testimonies of these also who are without the Church prove the Scriptures to be Divine and these are of two sorts eyther Heretickes or Infidels Hereticks prove the Scripture to be Divine ex accidente First the testimonies of Heretickes prove the Scriptures to be Divine for Heretickes labour alwayes to ground themselves upon the Scriptures The habite goeth alwayes before the privation omne falsum innititur vero every falshood laboureth to cover it selfe under the Truth When the Husbandman had sowne his good seede then came the evill one and did sow his Tares when Heretickes labour to ground themselves upon the Scriptures it is as when a theefe goeth to cover himselfe under the pretence of Law This argueth the Law to be just and equall The testimonies also of the Heathen history proveth the Scriptures to be Divine Observe the discent of the Babylonian and Assyrian Kings and looke backe againe to the holy Scriptures yee shall see clearely how they jumpe with the Scriptures and as those who sayle along the Coast have a pleasant view of the Land Simile but those who stand upon the Land and behold the Shippes sayling along the Coast Succession of Heathen Kings proved out of the Scripture have a more setled and pleasant sight of the Shippes so when we looke from the Heathen history and marke the discent of the Heathen Kings wee shall see a pleasant sight but a farre more delectable and sure sight when we looke from the Scriptures to the Heathen history Marke the discent Belochus the third called Pul King of Assyria came against Menahem and tooke his sonne 2 King 15. Then Pileser called Tiglath came against Hoshea King of Samaria and tooke him in the sixt yeare of the reigne of King Ezekias and then Shalmanefer who caried away the ten Tribes into captivity in the ninth yeare of Hoshea 2 King 17. and his sonne Sennacherib 2 King 18. came against Iuda in the foureteenth yeare of Zedekias and Esarhaddon succeeded his father Sennacherib and his sonne Berodach-baladon sent letters and a present to Hezekias then Berodach 2 Chro. 33. caried away Iechonias and then Nebuchadnezzer caried away Zedekias then Nabuchadnezzer the great burnt Ierusalem and caried away the people captive Then Evil Merodach who succeeded him had three sonnes Ragasar Babasar and Belshassar of whom we reade Dan. 5. and in Belshassers time the kingdome was translated to the Medes and Persians Here we see the descent of the Heathen history agreeing with the holy Scriptures There are other testimonies of the Heathen How the Heathen testimonies prove the Scriptures to be divine to prove the Scripture to be Scripture but not so clearely when we finde the rubbish of some old monuments wee gather that there hath beene some great building there So when we finde some darke footesteps of holy Scripture amongst the Heathen we may gather that once the holy Scriptures have beene read amongst them although they have depraved and corrupted them Mâ—ntan in his Essayes Example 1. They of the East Indians have this fable amongst them that the Gods drowned the world for sinne and that they tooke some just men and put them up in the clifts of Rockes to save them those men to try whether the waters were abated or not sent forth some mastive Dogges and the Dogges returning as cleane as they went out they gathered by this that the waters were not yet abated they sent them forth the second time then they returned full of mudde by this they gathered that the waters were abated then they sent them forth the third time and they returned no more Here we see how this fable is taken out of the history of the deluge and from Noahs sending forth the Dove out of the Arke and that this history was knowne of old amongst the Heathen we may perceive because the Dove and the Raven are called the messengers of the Gods by the Heathen Poets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Example 2. Gen. 36.24 This is Anah who found out Hajemim mules in the Wildernesse others reade it Iaminâ— waters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now because it was hard to finde out the right translation of the word some translating it Mules and some translating it Water the Heathen made up a notable lye on the Iewes saying when Anah was feeding his Asses in the Wildernesse because the Mules and Asses found out water in the Wildernesse for them to