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
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
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
AN EXPOSITION OF THE LAWES OF MOSES Viz. Morall Ceremoniall Iudiciall The second Volume Containing an explanation of diverse Questions and Positions for the right understanding thereof Wherein also are opened divers ancient Rites Customes of the Iewes and also of the Gentiles as they haue relation to the Iewish Together with an explication of sundry difficult Texts of Scripture which depend upon or belong unto every one of the Commandements as also upon the Ceremoniall and Iudiciall Lawes Which Texts are set downe in the Tables before each particular Booke All which are cleered out of the Originall Languages the Hebrew and Greeke and out of the distinctions of the Schoolemen and Cases of the Casuists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui ista facit non dimovebitur in aeternum By IOHN WEEMSE of Lathocker in Scotland Preacher of Gods Word LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Iohn Bellamie and are to be sold at his Shoppe at the signe of the three Golden Lyons in Cornehill neere the Royall Exchange 1632. AN EXPLANATION OF THE CEREMONIALL LAVVES OF MOSES AS THEY ARE ANNEXED TO THE TENNE COMMANDEMENTS Wherin are cleared divers customes of the Iewes and also the customes of the Gentiles as they have relation to the Iewish out of the Originall Tongues the Hebrew and Greeke Together with directions how to make the right use of them in Preaching All serving to let us see how they leade us as types to Iesus Christ whom we see more clearely when the vayle is taken away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Omnia tendunt ad praxin By Iohn Weemse of Lathocker in Scotland Preacher of Christs Gospell LONDON Printed by T. Cotes for Iohn Bellamie and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the three Golden Lyons in Cornehill neere the Royall Exchange 1632. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE SIR ROBERT KER of Ankerhome Knight Gentleman of his Ma. Bed-Chamber Honourable Sir WHen the Lord was to give unto his people the Tables of the Law the second time he commanded the people to stand at the foot of the Mount Aaron Nadab Exod. 24.2 3 and 18. and Abihu and the seventy Elders of Jsrael to worship a farre off in the middle of the Mount and that Moses should ascend to the top of the Mount enter within the cloud These three represented very well the three estates of the Church they who stood at the foot of the Mount resembled the Iewish Church Aaron Nadab and Abihu the seventy who ascended to the middle of the Mount resembled the Christian Church and Moses who ascended to the top of the Mount and entred into the cloud resembled the glorified Church and the Fathers say of those three that the Iewish Church was in extimis and and that the Christian Church is in atrijs and that the triumphant Church is in intimis that is the Iewish Church was in the utter court the Christian Church is in the middle court and that the glorified Church is in the inner court Let us make a comparison betwixt the Iewish Church standing at the foot of the Mount and the Christian Church which standeth in the middle of the Mount and we shal see a great difference betwixt them two First let us compare them in the Priesthood Melchizedeck and Aaron Heb. 7.3 Melchisedeck had neither beginnng of his dayes nor end of life he was borne before the flood and none who lived after the flood could tell when he was borne and he lived five hundreth yeares after the flood so that he seemed neither to have beginning nor end of dayes but the Priest who were after the order of Aaron behooved to deduce their genealogies and of whom they were descended Nehem. 7.64 or else they were secluded from the Priesthood Eleaz. in Num. 4. Secondly the Hebrewes say when the Tabernacle removed that Eleazar the Priest carried the oyle for the Lampes in his right hand Luc. 4.8 and 28.45 and the anointing oyle in his left hand the incense in his bosome and the meat offering upon his shoulder Eleazar was but a figure of Iesus Christ the Highpriest in the Christian Church who giveth grace Ioh. 1.16 Revel 8.3 1 Timot 2.5 Ephes 5.26 1 Cor. 5.7 the oyle of the Spirit for the understanding of the Scriptures who putteth the odours of sweet incense to our prayers and lastly he presenteth the Church as a pure meate-offering to his Father Next let us compare the people under the Law with these under the Gospell first their rites were carnall rites consisting in these touch not taste not handle not and even as Fathers forbid their little children to eate of such and such things or handle them not they specially restraine their basest senses but when their sonnes are come to maturity and age they forbid them to hearken unto evill or looke unto evill they restraine their noble senses especially so because the Iewes were but infants he trained thē up this way forbidding them to touch taste or handle but he forbiddeth the Christian Church things of greater moment againe let us compare them them in holinesse under the Law holinesse was written but upon the forehead of the Highpriest but under the Gospell the Prophet Zachariah saith that holinesse shall bee written upon the horse bridles to signifie the great measure of holinesse that should bee in the Church under the Gospell Thirdly compare them in the measure of their love under the Law every seventh yeare they were to let their land rest and to pardon their debtors and to give a full remission to them but see how farre the Gospell exceedeth the Law in this Peter asked of Christ if he should pardon his brother seven times as the Iewes pardoned their debtors the seventh yeare what answered Christ to him thou shalt not pardon seven times nor seven times seven times but seventy times seven times and as farre as the Iubile exceeded the seventh yeare as farre shall your charity exceede the Iubile that is to seventy times seven times Fourthly compare them in the measure of their knowledge their measure of knowledge under the Law was very small all things were covered and wrapped up to them when they carried the brazen Altar in the Wildernesse Numb 4.13 they covered it with a purple cloath When they carried the Arke it was covered with three coverings with a vaile Badgers skins Numb 4 6. and a cloath wholly of blew So the table of the Shewbread had three coverings all was covered save onely the Laver and Moses face was covered to them with a vaile when hee came from the Mount the Priests bare the things which they might not see To signifie a concealing of a part of the mysteries of the Gospell afterwards to be revealed Coloss 1.26 so the people saw but through a grate Heb. 9.1 but now the Temple of God is opened in the heaven and there is seene in his Temple the Arke of the Testament they stood a farre off
Pentecost the full Harvest was gathered in their first Harvest was of their Barley of their basest Graine onely but the full Harvest of their best Graine the Wheate was at the Pentecost Christ said Ioh. 4.35 Say ye not Allusion there are foure Moneths and then commeth Harvest Behold I say unto you lift up your eyes and looke on the Fieldes for they are white already unto Harvest But although the Harvest was great yet there were few Labourers Mat. 9 37. Here is an excellent allusion betwixt the Pentecost when their Cornes were ripe being the time of their full Harvest and the comming downe of the Holy Ghost for at the Pascha there was little Harvest but at the Pentecost all the regions were white so before the holy Spirit came downe there was but a small Harvest but when the Holy Ghost came downe The Apostles gathered that which the Prophets had sowne there was a plentifull and a great Harvest and at the Pentecost they gathered that which the Prophets had sowen Iohn 4.38 Yee reaped that wherein yee bestowed no labour Christ is called the first fruits from the dead Christ the first fruits from the dead 1 Cor. 15.20 as a handfull of the first fruits sanctified the whole field of Corne that was growing so Iesus Christ the first fruits from the dead sanctifieth all those who are lying in the Grave to rise againe by his power even when they are in the dust of death Psal 22.15 The day of the Pentecost was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Pentecost had but one holy day as the last dayes of the Passeover and the feast of Tabernacles were called gnazereth holy dayes there was but one holy day of the Pentecost but the first and the last dayes of the other great feasts were both holy and yet the Pentecost was the most excellent Feast of all for then the Comforter came and the gift of the Holy Ghost came downe plentifully upon the Church Lastly observe the phrase Act. 2.1 When the dayes of the Pentecost were fulfilled The Scriptures speake of things as done whâ—n they are but in the act of doing that is fulfilling So Ier. 25.12 And it shall come to passe when seventy yeares are accomplished that I will punish the King of Babylon and that Nation saith the Lord Seventy yeares were not coÌ„plete here for in the seventieth yeare they returned from the captivity so here when the dayes of the Pentecost were fulfilled that is upon the very day of the Pentecost when it was fulfilling This word gnazareth is usually restrained by the Iewes to the last of the Pentecost and it is translated by the Seventy Amos 5.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word Paul useth Heb. 12.23 for a generall Assembly EXERCITAT XXI Of the Feast of Tabernacles A ceremoniall appendix of Command 4. Levit. 23.33 And the Lord spake unto Moses saying Speake unto the children of Israel saying The fifteenth day of of this seventh moneth shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven dayes unto the Lord. God instituted many things to put his people in memory of his judgements and mercies THe Lord would not have his people forgetfull neither of his mercies nor of his judgements of his mercies Therefore he commanded them to keepe the Passeover in remembrance of their deliverance out of Egypt he gave them the Law fifty dayes after they came out of Egypt therefore hee would have them to keepe the Pentecost he fed them with Manna therefore he commanded the pot with Manna to be reserved they dwelt in Tabernacles or Boothes all the time that they were in the Wildernesse therefore he commanded them to keepe the feast of Tabernacles lest they should forget his benefits Psal 103 2. Forget not all his benefits So he will not have them forget his judgements therefore he commanded the Censers of Nadab and Abihu to be nailed upon the Altar to be a memoriall unto the children of Israel Num. 16.39.40 The feast of Tabernacles was instituted why the feast of Tabernacles was instituted to put them in remembrance that they were but Pilgrimes in the Wildernesse and had not a permanent dwelling there Their first station in the Wildernesse after they came out of Egypt was Succoth a Boothe or a Tabernacle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tabernaculum Tentorium est etiam proprium nomen loci a tiguriissic dicti a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 texit obtexit and they had fortytwo Stations in the Wildernesse from the first to the last and all this time when they were in the Wildernesse they had nothing to dwell in but Tents and Boothes so that here they were but Pilgrimes upon the earth as their fathers were before them Psal 39.19 Because our life is a pilgrimage therefore David saith I am tossed up and downe as the Locust Psal 109.23 The Locust is now here now there so is the life of man tossed to and fro and Micah saith Arise and depart for this is not your rest Micah 2.10 Observe how the Lord doth Minister comfort to his people shewing them a sure dwelling Comforts which God giveth to his children dwelling in their tabernacles here and a place of rest for their transitory Tabernacles we dwell in thesâ— bodies but as in a Tabernacle but this is our comfort 2 Cor. 5.1 We know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of GOD an house not made with hands eternall in the Heavens When the Patriarches dwelt in Canaan they dwelt in Tents and Tabernacles Heb. 11.9 But their comfort was They looked for a City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God Heb. 11.10 When they travelled in the Wildernesse with the ambulatory Arke this Tabernacle the Lord refused and his glory departed from it but in place of it Christ himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dwelt amongst us as in the Tabernacle of his flesh Ioh 1.14 where the Shecinah or Divine Majesty dwelleth for ever This was the Tabernacle which the Lord made and not man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.9 Lastly although the grave be called domus saeculi mans long home Eccle. 12.5 Yet our bodies doe rest there but as in a Tabernacle for a while Act. 2.26 Our bodies rest there but for a short time and he hath prepared another City for us to dwell in This feast of Tabernacles was said to be kept seven dayes Levit. 23.34 And the Evangelist saith Vpon the last and great day of the feast Iesus stood up Ioh. 7.37 This was the most solemne day of the feast this day they kept festum laetitiae legis the feast of joy because they ended the reading of the Law this day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the next Sabbath they called Sabbath berefith because they began againe to read the booke of Genesis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they read three Haphtaroth or Sections that day the first was Haphtaroth elle pekudi
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
of the pollutions of the people Esay 6.5 Woe is me for I am undone Notes for a Minister to know when he is free from the sinnes of his people because I am a man of polluted lipes and I dwell in the midst of a people of polluted lips he that is not touched with a sense of his owne pollutions will never be touched with a sense of the peoples Secondly he shall know if he be free from the pollutions of the people if he be grieved for their sinnes as the soule of just Lot was vexed for the uncleane conversation of the Sodomites 2 Pet. 2.7 and if he say with David woe is me that I sojourne in Mesech that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar Psal 120.5 Thirdly when he dwelleth amongst a corrupt people let him converse little with them and separate himselfe from them in conversation or live like a Pelican in the Wildernesse Psal 102.6 and when he comes abroad amongst them doe as those doe who dwell amongst a people where the sicknesse is that is have his Antidot or Amulet with him that he be not infected with corruption The sacrifice for the Priests since was as great as the sacrifice of the whole people The Priest was guilty of the peoples sins and therefore as great a sacrifice was offered for him as for the whole people we have personall sinnes enough to be charged for but when we are charged likewise for the sinnes of the people and be guilty of them then it will be a fearefull reckoning happy are we if we can say I am free from the blood of this people Act. 20.26 The Hebrewes speake of themselves in the plurall number And the Lord said to Satan the Lord rebuke thee O Satan which may be thus construedâ— I will rebuke thee Satan for it is the manner of the Hebrewes to speake of themselves in the third person as if they were speaking of another as Gen. 4.23 Heare my voyce yee wives of Lamech that is my wives so Gen. 19.24 The Lord rained from the Lord that is from himselfe so Esth 8.8 Write unto the Iewes in the Kings name that is in my name So here The Lord rebuke thee O Satan that is I will rebuke thee Or it may be the speech of the sonne to the father Actiones ad extra fiunt a â—atre authoritative a fiâ—â— vero subauthoritative th father rebukes from himselfe and the sonne from the father desiring the father to rebuke him here he desireth his father to rebuke and Marc. 1.26 he himselfe rebuketh for the actions ad extra as they speake in the Schooles are common to all the three persons when the father doth rebuke he rebuketh by the sonne and by the holy Ghost and when the sonne doth rebuke he rebukes from the father and by the holy Ghost and when the holy Ghost doth rebuke hee rebuketh from the Father and from the Sonne The Lord rebuke thee O Satan What is meant by rebuke here What is meant by rebuke here the Seventy translates it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not a simple rebuke then but conjoyned with opprobry and shame the Greeke Fathers afterward called the censures of the Church as excommunication c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Satan is accursed of God with a last and most fearefull sort of excommunication Maran-atha or Shan-atha Dominus venit Iude 14. the lesser sort of excommunication is used in the Church for the destruction of the flesh and saving of the spirit 1 Cor. 6.5 and I gave them to Satan that they may learne not to blaspheme 1 Tim. 1.20 but this last and fearefull sort of excommunication is a finall and totall rejection of the party when one was excommunicate by this first sort of excommunication he was to be reputed as a Publican none might eat with him salute him or converse with him what a fearefull thing is it then in these times that Witches should be so familiar with the Divell salute him as their Master banquet with him dance with him The manner how they excommunicated the Samaritans and more than that to lye with him these that are without 1 Cor. 5.13 what have we to doe with them the Iewes would not meddle with the Samaritans because they were Apostates from their Religion and fearefully excommunicated they brought 300 Priests and 300 Trumpets and 300 Bookes of the Law and 300 Boyes they blew with the Trumpets the Levites reading Drusius ex Tilmideni qui sepher tanhuma etiam dicitur accursed the Cuttaeans in the name of Tetragrammaton or Iehova and with the curses both of the Superior and Inferior house of judgement And they said Cursed is hee that eateth the bread of the Cuttaean hee that eateth the bread of the Cuttaean or Samaritan is as hee that eateth Swines flesh and let no Cuttaean be a Proselyte in Israel neither have any part in the Resurrection these curses they wrote upon tables and sealed them and sent them through all Israel who multiplied also their great Anathema or curse upon them If the Samaritans were so execrable to the Iewes that they would not eate with them nor salute them that were thus excommunicated what a fearefull sinne is it then to salute the Divell to eate with him who is given over to that last and fearefull curse They said thou art a Samaritan and hee 's a Divell Ioh. 8.48 they hated them as if they had beene Divels should not then men and women much more hate the divell himselfe and count his bread execrable And the Lord said to Satan the Lord rebuke thee O Satan Observe that all the defence of the Church against Satan is onely in Christ I have prayed for thee Peter that thy faith might not faile Luc. 22.32 Now that ye may understand this the better how Christ protecteth his Church it shall not be amisse to marke the Epithites that are given to Satan in the Scripture and then to observe the Epithites given to Christ contrary to these for defence of his Church First the Divell is called Abaddon Apollyon Revel 9.11 The Epethites of Christ and the Epithites of Satan are opposite and Ashmoderus Tobit 3.8 A destroyer but Christ is called Iesus a Saviour Mat. 1.21 Thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall save his people from their sinnes Secondly the Divell is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That evill one Mat. 37. But Christ is called Iesus the Iust Act. 3.14 He denyed the holy One and the Iust So 1 Ioh. 2.1 We have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the Righteous Thirdly the Divell is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an adversary 1 Pet. 5.8 Your adversary the Devill like a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may devour he ever setteth himselfe against us but Christ is called Emmanuel God with us Matt. 1.25 Fourthly the Divell is called the accuser of the brethren Revelat. 12.10 but Christ is our Advocate 1 Ioh. 2.1
and as we looke not to every particular colour in the picture but to the whole picture so wee should not looke in a Parable to every particular circumstance in it but to the generall scope example the rich Glutton lift up his eyes and saw Lazarus in heaven therefore the damned in hell doe see the glorified in heaven False Collections from this Parable a false collection and it is besides the intention of the Parable so the rich Glutton prayed to Abraham therefore we may pray to the Saints departed or that there is water in heaven to quench the thirst of the damned or that the soules departed haue fingers or eyes or tongues or that the damned desire that their brethren come not to those torments all false collections but if they should gather that the children of God are in great joy and the damned in great paine that were pertinent Secondly What may be gathered from this Parable that there is no redemption out of hell thirdly that there is no refreshment to the wicked in hell fourthly that the desires of the wicked shall not be granted to them fiftly that those who will not be instructed by the Word here will not beleeue although one should come from the dead to them and lastly that the Word of God Moses and the Prophets are the onely meanes to beget faith in us here Thus farre we may stretch the Parable and then wee shall bring a good sense out of it but if we stretch it farther then we shall bring a wrong sense out of it the wringing of the nose bringeth forth bloud Prov. 30.33 How the wicked may be inlightned by the Preaching of the Gospel and yet become worse after they be illuminated MAT. 12.43 When the uncleane spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through drie places seeking rest and findeth none then he saith I will returne unto mine house c. CHRIST having taught long amongst the Iewes and illuminated their minds by working sundry miracles amongst them and casting out Devils The scope of the Parable but having wrought no sanctification amongst them he bringeth this Parable of a man dispossessed of a Devill and being cast out finding the house emptie and trimmed returneth with seven spirits worse than himselfe The parts of it There is the Parable here and the application of the Parable the Parable is set downe at large and the application in few words even so shall it also be with this wicked generation The Parable it selfe hath three parts first possession secondly dispossession and thirdly repossession Possession in these words when the evill spirit is gone out of a man which implieth that he must first haue possession before he be cast out secondly dispossession and when he is dispossessed he wandreth in dry places and findeth no rest untill he returne and thirdly repossession he goeth and taketh with himselfe seven other spirits more wicked than himselfe and they enter in and dwell there and the last state of that man is worse than the first When the uncleane spirit is cast out He is an uncleane spirit first in the manner of his apparition secondly in the manner of his revelation and thirdly in the manner of his operation First in the manner of his apparition Satan uncleane in the manner of his apparition he appeareth in the likenesse of a Goat a stinking and a vile creature therefore the Lord saith They shall no more offer their sacrifices to Devils Deut. 17.7 In the Originall it is Leshegnirim to the hayrie ones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are called the hayrie ones because they haue appeared in the likenesse of Satyres or wilde Goates Secondly In his revelation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Devill is an uncleane spirit in the manner of his revelation thou shalt not suffer Obh a Witch to line Exod. 22.18 Obh is called a Bottle or a Bladder the Witches are so called because Satan gaue his answers out of their bellies and out of the secret passages of nature and for this they were called by the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thirdly In his operation he is an uncleane spirit in the manner of his operation where ever he lodgeth he defileth that soule and that bodie therefore the Scriptures call such somtimes dogges and swine Revel 22.15 and the filthiest beasts that are but the holy Spirit is most comely in the manner of his apparition in his revelation and operation First in the manner of his apparition when he appeared it was either in the likenesse of a man or a Doue How the Holy Ghost appeared or in the likenesse of fiery tongues but he never appeared in the likenesse of any filthy beast Againe in the manner of his revelation he revealed himselfe to his Prophets in a most comly manner when he spake in them he spake not out of the secret parts of nature they did not foame at the mouth as those who were blasted by the Devill but the holy Ghost sanctified their tongues and in great modestie and comelinesse they spake the truth Thirdly in the manner of his operation he is most holy for where ever he lodgeth he sanctifieth and purifieth that soule and bodie therefore he is compared in the Scriptures to water and to fire and to the Fullers sope Psal 51.7 Wash me and I shall be whiter than the snow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the originall it is Tecabbeseni play the Fuller upon me We may know then whether we be possessed by Satan or not if we delight in filthinesse or uncleannesse for uncleannesse is the unseparable effect of the uncleane spirit a man may be overtaken by Satan somtimes and Satan may in part pollute him but he delighteth not in it The godly delight not in sinne but if he delight to wallow in that sinne and make no resistance to Satan then he is certainly the habitation of Satan when one offered violence to a woman under the Law Deut. 22.27 if shee cryed out she was not to die the death but if she held her peace and consented to that villany she was to die the death So when Satan commeth to pollute the soule and defile the bodie if he cry out with Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the bodie of this death Rom. 7.24 then we are not to die but if wee hold our peace delight in Satans temptations which pollute the soule and the bodie then wee are to die Is cast out of a man There is no creature in which Satan delighteth to lodge Satans delight is to lodge onely in man but onely in man when he entred into other creatures it was but onely to deceiue man as when he entred into the Serpent it was for this end to deceiue Eva he cared not for the Serpent it selfe so when he entred into the Gergesites swine it was not for the swine that he cared but onely that he might draw
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 ×– 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Prophets understood these things which they phophecied that in all these sorts of visions and apparitions they understood that which they prophesied and therefore the Prophets were called videntes Seers Iob. 13.1 mine eyes hath seene all these things mine eares hath heard them and I understand them all Pharoah did not understand these things which he saw therefore he was not a Prophet So Belthasser when he saw fingers writing upon the wall he under not that which he saw and therefore he was not a Prophet and so Caiphas understood not what he prophesied Ioh. 11. They were like unto men who are purblind and see not a thing distinctly and therefore desires others to tell them more distinctly what it is The Iewes say of these that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were stirred up by God but they sought not the Lord. And of Balaam they say prophetavit ex voluntate Dei sed non cepit quod prophetavit Daniel at the first understood not the prophesie but the Angel revealed it unto him Dan. 8.17 So the Lord appeared to them in Dreames as he did before to them when they were awake and sometimes these dreames were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dreames in which they saw some shapes and visions as Iacob saw a ladder in his dreame so Abraham in his dreame saw the Carkases and foules lighting upon them Gen. 15.8 Daniel saw the foure monarchies represented be foure visible shapes Dan. 4. and sometimes he revealed himselfe sine symbolo without any visible shape as to Ioseph Matt. 2. and to the wise men Mat. 2.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord was onely author of these dreames therefore Gen. 37.7 when Ioseph is called bagnal chalamoth it is not well translated Lord of dreames for God himselfe is onely Lord of dreames The Seventie translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 infomniator and it signifieth not simple a dreamer but him who dreameth often therefore chalamoth is in the plurall number If the Lord revealed himselfe in the forepart of the night as hee did to Abraham then it was called Tardema a dead sleepe 1 Sam. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cecidit sopor domini super eos id est magnus But if in the latter part of the night then it was called chalam a dreame To some hee revealed himselfe in a dreame but he gave then not the interpretation of it as to the Butler and Baker Some had the interpretation of the dreame but not the dreame as Ioseph Nebuchodnezzer had the dreame but Daniel the interpretation of it but the Prophets of God had both the dreame and the interpretation of it as Daniel The heathen sometimes had both the dreame and the interpretation The Prophets had the dreames with the interpretations of them as the Midianites had of the Barly cake Iud. 7. but this was for their destruction but the comfortable dreames and visions with their interpretations were onely revealed to the Prophets for the good of the Church Quest Whether was the revelations by dreames or by visions the more perfect revelation Intensive the revelation by vision was the more excellent Revelatio intensiva Revelatio extensiva but extensive the revelation by dreames was the more excellent and that by vision came nearest to that which was intellectuall for they had no use of their senses in it the visions were presented to their understanding only When we take up a thing by sense Something 's are presented to the sense somethings to the phantasie and some things to the understanding first the sense transmiteth it to the phantasie and then the phantasie sendeth it to the understanding this is the most imperfect sort of knowledge Secondly when the vision is presented to the phantasie onely and the phantasie sendeth it to the understanding this is more perfect then the former And thirdly when the vision is presented to the understanding onely this is a higher degree In the Knowledge which they got by dreames first they had the dreame and when they were awake they got the understanding of it but in a vision they presently understood the thing presented unto them Because the revelation by vision was the more perfect sort of knowledge therefore Ioel saith your young men shall see visions and then he added your old men shall dreame dreames as the more imperfect sort of revelation Ioel. 2.28 Quest It may be asked why God revealed himselfe this way by dreames Ans Reason 1 The reasons were these The reasons why God revealed himselfe by dreames First these things which we begin to thinke upon when we are awake we begin to try them by reason and if reason approve them not then we reject them but in a dreame the mind receiveththings not examining them by reason In matters Divine the lesse that reason have a hand in admitting of them the better it is and here it was better for the Prophets to be ruled by God and fitter for them to be schollers then judges Reason 2 The second reason why he taught his Prophets by dreames was this to let them see how farre his power exceeded the power of man for masters cannot teach schollers but when they are awake and giving heed but God can teach his Prophets in a deepe sleepe and in a dreame which gave the Prophets to understand what great commandement the Lord had over all the faculties of their mindes Reason 3 Hee revealed himselfe in dreames to them to let them understand that death tooke not away all knowledge from man and that there was another way to get knowledge than by discourse or reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How the Lord revealed himselfe to his Prophets by the holy Spirit The third way how the Lord revealed himselfe to his Prophets was by ruah hakkodesh by the holy spirit then the Prophets had all the use of their senses hearing one speaking to them as we doe every one another and seeing c. and the more use that they have of their senses Drusius in Pentateuchum the more unperfect was their revelation Others distinguish this sort of revelation which was by the holy Spirit from that which was properly called prophecie they say these who spake by the holy spirit were Prophets in that sense they were not called to attend still as Prophets such as was David a King Daniel a Courtiour But Esay and Ieremy were Prophets properly so called because they waited still and attended in the schoole of the Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fourth way how God revealed himselfe was by vrim thummim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they are alwayes joyned together except in two places of the Scripture What sort of revelation was by Vrim and Thummim Exod. 17.21 and 1 Sam. 28.8 This was a different kind of revelation from the former for by
the doctrine it selfe they never erred Peter in the transfiguration knew not what hee sayd Luk. 9.33 David was minded to build an house to God he asked of Nathan if he should doe so 1 Chro. 17.2 Nathan sayd to him doe what is in thine heart So when Eliab stood before Samuel 1 Sam. 16.6 Samuel sayd surely the Lords annointed i◠before me So the Disciples erred in their counsell which they gave to Paul forbidding him to goe up to Ierusalem Act. 21.4 But the spirit of God taught the contrary by Agabus vers 17. David Psal 116. sayd in his hast that all men are lyars he meant that Samuel the man of God had made a lye to him because hee thought the promise too long differred in getting of the kingdome So when he wrote a letter to Ioab with vriah in this he was not Gods secretary but the Divels But as they were the secretaries of God and spake by divine inspiration they could not erre But it may seeme Object that all which they wrote in holy Scriptures was not done by divine inspiration for Paul wrote that he would come to Spaine Rom. 15.24 and yet he never came to Spaine We must distinguish betweene their purposes externall and their doctrine Answ they might erre in these externall purposes and resolutions but all which they wrote of Christ and matters of salvation was yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 He wrote that he was purposed to come to Spaine and so he was but he was let that he could not come But Paul repented that he wrote the Epistle to the Corinthians to grieve them Object 2 Cor. 7.8 If this was written by the inspiration of the holy Ghost why did he repent of it Paul wrote this Epistle to humble them Answ and when he saw them excessively sorrowfull that was the thing that greeved him but it greeved him not simply that he wrote to them to humble them When a Chyrurgian commeth to cure a wounded man Simile he putteth the poore patient to great paine and maketh him to cry out that grieveth him but it greeveth him not when he cureth him So it repented not Paul that he had written to the Corinthians but it repented him to see them so swallowed up with greefe Object But if the Scriptures be Divinely inspired how say they Iud. 16.17 there were about three thousand upon the roofe of the house So Act. 2.40 and that day there were added to the Church about three thousand soules Is not the number of all things certainely knowne to God Answ The Scriptures set downe the number that way because it is little matter whether we know the number or not And secondly the Lord speaketh to us this way in the Scripture after the manner of men Object Peter erred in a matter of faith Gal. 2.14 Ans Wherein Peter erred The error was not in the substance but in the circumstance of the fact and where it is sayd Gal. 2.14 That Peter walked not uprightly according to the Gospel it is to be understood onely of his conversation hee erred here onely in this principle of Christian Religion not walking according to his knowledge but hee erred not in his writing Ob. All men are subject to error the Prophets and Apostles are men therefore subject to error Ans The Prophets and Apostles are considered as members of the Church The Apostles considered two manner of wayes and so they might erre and they pray as other men Lord forgive us our sinnes Secondly they are considered according to their functions and immediate calling and then they were above the Church and could not erre Quest What needed Nathan to be sent to David to attend him continually one Prophet to another Answ Although one Prophet stood not in need of another yet he who was both a King and a Prophet had neede of a Prophet to admonish him for Kings stand in slippery places and have neede of others to advertise them The Prophets as they were Prophets could not erre therefore that collection of the Iewes is most impious they say that David wished to the sonnes of Ioab foure things 2 Sam. 3.29 First that some of them might dye by the sword Secondly that some of them might dye of the bloody flixe Thirdly that some of them might leane upon a staffe And fourthly that some of them might begge their bread And so they say it befell Davids posterity for his sinfull wish One of them leaned upon a staffe Asa was goutish One of his posterity was killed by the sword as Iosias One of them dyed of the flixe as Rehoboam And one of them beg'd his bread as Iehojachim But this collection is most impious for David spake not here by a private spirit of revenge but as a Prophet of God and therefore when they assigne these to be the causes why these judgements befell Davids posterity they assigne that for a cause which was not a cause Prorogative 4 The fourth prerogative they were holy men Holinesse distinguished them from those Prophets which were profane and unsanctified who had the gift of illumination but not of sanctification The pen-men of the holy Ghost were holy men the Lord made choyse of none such to be his secretaries who were not sanctified The Lords Prophet is called vir spiritus the man of the Spirit Hos 9.7 because he is ruled and guided by the holy Spirit that he become not profaine If the very women who spun the curtaines to the Tabernacle were wise hearted Exod. 35.25 Much more will the Lord have those who are to build his house wise and holy men Those who translated the Bible into Greeke yee shall see how often they changed their faith and were turne-coates Aquila of a Christian he became a Iew. Symmachus was first a Samaritane and then he became halfe Iew halfe Christian Then Theodoton first he was a fllower of Tatianus the hereticke and then he became a Marcionite and thirdly he became a Iew. But the Prophets of God after they were called continued holy men and never fell backe againe See more of Salomon in the Politiks God will have no man but holy men to be his secretaries Luk. 1.70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets Therefore Salomon being a Prophet and one of Gods secretaries behoved to be a holy man and being holy he could not be a reprobate hence he is called Iedidiah The beloved of God 2 Sam. 12.25 and whom God loveth he loveth to the end The holy men of God wrote as they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inspired by God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit inlightned them and directed them when they wrote they were inspired three manner of wayes Illuminati antecedenter per concomitantiā subsequenter first antecedenter Secondly per concomitantiam and thirdly subsequenter First they were illuminate antecedenter when the Lord revealed things to come to his Prophets and made them to write his prophesies then their tongue was
Num. 12. Miriam loquuta est in Mosem id est maledixit Mosi Conclusion The conclusion of this is Matth. 10.20 It is not yee that speake but the Spirit of our Father which speaketh in you So it was not they who wrote but the Spirit of the Lord in them 2 King 13. When Ioash the King of Israel tooke a Bow in his hand Elisha laid his hands upon the Kings hands and Elisha bad him shoote and he sayd the Arrow of the Lords deliverance and the Arrow of the deliverance from Syria it was not the Kings hand that directed the Arrow here but it was the hand of the Prophet laid upon the Kings hand which gave this mighty blow so it was the hand of the Lord laid upon the hands of his Secretaries which directed them to write the holy Word of God EXERCITAT IX Arguments proving the Scriptures to bee Divine 1 Thess 2.13 Yee received it not as the Word of man but as it is in truth the Word of God THe Testimonies which prove the Scriptures to be Divine are first the Testimonie of God himselfe when he approved them by his Spirit and when they were laid before him by Vrim and Thummim Secondly arguments drawne out of the Scriptures themselves Thirdly the Testimonie of the Church Fourthly the Testimonie of those who were without the Church Deus testatur Scriptura contestatur Ecclesia subtestatur Deus testatur God beareth witnesse to the Scriptures two wayes First by the internall Testimony of his Spirit Secondly by his externall Testimony When the Spirit testifieth unto us such Bookes to be his Word Quest whether is this a publike or a private Testimony This is a publike Testimony Ans which the Spirit Testifieth to the whole Church and to the severall members of it that these Bookes are holy Scripture for the same Spirit which endited the Scriptures to the Church testifieth still to the Church and to the particular members thereof that the Scriptures are the Word of God The second Testimony which God gave to the Scriptures was his externall testimony given by Vrim and Thummim testifying these Bookes of Moyses and the Prophets to be the holy Scriptures What are we to thinke of these Bookes Quest written and set in order after the captivitie seeing they had not the approbation of the Lord by Vrim and Thummim Answ These Bookes were called Ketubhim written Bookes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to put a difference betweene them and these Bookes which were confirmed by Vrim and Thummim they who wrote these Bookes were inspired by the holy Ghost as well as these who wrote the former and they were confirmed by the masters of the great Synagogue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aradice such as were Esdras Zacharie and Malachie The Greekes called these Bookes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abscondere and the Iewes distinguish them still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frō the Apocryphall Bookes called Gannazim abscinditi and the Greekes called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bookes of whose authority it was still doubted Reason 1 Reasons taken out of the Scriptures themselves proving them to be Divine the first reason is taken from the antiquity of the Scriptures Scriptura contestatur all this time was tempus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the heathen that is it was an hid or an unknowne time to them After the flood the Scriptures goe on and they set downe to us the history of the Church Tempus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Historicum but the Heathen history is Tempus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fabulosum as that which we reade of Hercules and Prometheus and nothing is set downe in the Heathen history before the Olympiads of the Graecians which was but in the dayes of Vzziah See how farre Gods Word exceedeth humane history in antiquity It beginneth with the world and endeth with it Luk. 1.70 as he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have beene since the world began Reason 2 Secondly the matter contained in the Scriptures sheweth them to be Divine Many histories shew us the heavy wrath of God upon man for sinne yet the Scriptures only shew us morbum medicinam medicum it sheweth us both the sicknesse the physicke and the Physitian to cure it Reason 3 The Scriptures not written to satisfie mens curiosity Thirdly the Scripture setteth downe things necessary onely for our salvation and nothing for our curiosity It is often repeated in the Bookes of the Kings and Chronicles The rest are they not written in the Bookes of the Chronicles of the Kings of Iuda and Israel So Ester 10.2 The rest are they not written in the Bookes of the Kings of Persia The holy Ghost would meete here with the curious desires of men who desire still to know more and more and to reade pleasant discourses to satisfie their humours as if the Spirit of God should say I have sufficiently told you here of the Kings of Iuda and Israel and of Persia and so farre as concerneth the Church and may serve for your edification it is not my manner to satisfie your curiositie if ye would know more go to your owne Scrowles and Registers where yee shall finde matter enough to passe the time with To bee short the Scriptures are not given to passe the time with but to redeeme the time Reason 4 Fourthly the prophesies set downe in the holy Scriptures shew them to be Divine for they distinguish the Lord from all the Idols of the Gentiles and the Divels themselves Esa 41.22 Let them shew the former things what they be that we may consider them and set our hearts upon them Renunciare proeterita anunciare presentia p. anunciare futura and shew us the things that are to come hereafter that we may know that yee are Gods Here the Prophet distinguisheth the true God from the false Gods and true prophesies from false If they could tell of things by-past and relate them from the beginning and joyne them with the things to come then he would confesse that they were Gods and that their prophesies were true To tell of things past is not in respect of time for the Angels and Divels can tell things fallen out from the beginning of time but it is in respect of the things themselves when they tooke beginning this is onely proper to God Psal 139.16 In thy Booke all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there were none of them Hee can joyne things by-past with things that are to follow and can tell certainely of things to come There is a twofold beginning of things The first is exordium rei The second is exordium temporis Exordium temporis rei The Angels know exordium temporis but not exordium rei for the Lord onely knoweth things before the foundation of the world was laid Ephe. 1.4 He who knoweth certainely
wrote the two Tables with his owne hand in this language And thirdly that language which expresseth the nature of things and their affections most clearely and in fewest words that must be the originall language but the Hebrew doth this therefore it is the first language The Iewes understood these tongues which had affinity with the Hebrew These tongues which were Propagines and Dialects of the Hebrew the Iewes understood them when they heard them spoken and when they read them but they understood not the strange tongues which had but small affinity with the Hebrew When Laban and Iacob made a covenant Laban called the heape of stones jegar Sagadutha in the Aramean tongue which had small affinitie with the Hebrew but Iacob called it Galeed Gen. 31.47 Object But if there was little affinity betwixt the Aramean language and the Hebrew how is it that they say 2. King 18.26 Speake to thy servants in the Syrian language for we understand it Answ The Hebrewes understood not the Syrian language but by learning They might understand it for they were Courtiours and States men and so learned it as we learne now the Italians and French language And Abrahams servant spake to Nachor in the Aramean language hee being borne in Damascus which was in Cylo-Syria and wee may thinke that Nachor and his house understood the Hebrew tongue being of the posterity of Heber and keepe that tongue as Abraham did who came out of Vr of the Chaldees Assyria or Syria hebraice Aram The large extent of the Syrian language comprehended all Paleslina Damascus the Kingdome of Assyria Chaldea babylon Arabia Cylo-Lyria and Antiochia Zoba Adiabena therefore all the languages which were spoken in these parts tooke their generall denomination from Syria as Syro-aramaea the language which Laban spake in Mesopotania Syro-Chaldaea or Babylonica was that which they spake in Babylon Syro-Antiochena which they spake in Antioch or Phoenicia although they were Propagines or Dialects of the Hebrew yet they understood them not while they were taught therefore Nabuchadnezzer caused to instruct the children of the Iewes in the Chaldee tongue Dan. 1.4 but the Syro-Arabean and the Palestine or Cananitish language they might understand it because it came nearer to their owne language The Aegyptian tongue differed much from the Hebrew Psal 81.5 Ioseph heard a language in Aegypt The Iewes understood not the Egyptian tongue which he understood not Ioseph here is put for the whole people of the Iewes because there was no affinity betwixt the Hebrew and the Aegyptian tongue therefore they understood not this tongue So Psal 114.1 they departed from a people of a strange language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a barbarous people they called them all barbarous whom they understood not and because the Iewes understood not the Aegyptian tongue therefore Ioseph made him to speake to his brethren by an Interpreter Genesis 42.23 The Cananitish language The Cananites language a diolect of the Hebrew was a daughter of the Hebrew tongue or rather one with the Hebrew tongue and this we may perceive by the names of the townes men and places which were imposed to them by the Cananites as Iericho Salem Kiriath-arba Kiriath-Sepher Beth-dagon so the names of men Melchizedeck Adonibezek Abimelech And if the Cananitish tongue had not beene all one with the Hebrew how could the Patriarches have kept conference with those in Canaan and made their Bargaines and Contracts with them this is cleare also by the example of Rahab who could speake to the Spyes and they understood her and so Ioshua to the Gibionites The Lord would have this tongue continued amongst the Cananites because the Hebrewes were shortly to inhabite that land and to converse with the Cananites for a while untill they had rooted them out Some of the Old Testament written in the Chaldee tongue There is some of the Old Testament written in the Chaldee tongue which hath great affiance with the Hebrew and some of it written in the Syrian dialect as Iob which the Idumeans used and it differed little from the Hebrew tongue but it differed much from the Syrian language now but more from Arabia Ismaelitica which the Turkes speake now in Asia and Africa There are some words found in the Old Testament which are Egyptian Gen. 41.43 Some Phaenitian as Chabbul 1 King 9.13 Some Persian words as Pur Esth 9.24 and some moabitish One Verse in Ieremie originally written in the Chaldee tongue There is one verse in Ieremy originally written in the Chaldee tongue Ier. 10.11 whereas all the rest of that prophesie is written in the Hebrew tongue The gods that have not made the heaven and earth even they shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens The reason why this verse was written in the Chaldee tongue was this because the Iewes now were to be carried to Babylon and when they should be sollicitated there to worship their gods they should answer them in their owne language cursed be your gods for they made neyther heaven nor earth That of Daniel and Ezra which is written in the Chaldee tongue was transcribed out of the roules Something 's taken of the registers of the Chaldeans and insert in the Scriptures and registers of the Chaldeans and insert in the bookes of God but that which the holy Ghost indited originally to Daniel and Ezra was written in the Hebrew tongue the rest was borrowed but out of their registers as first Nebuchad-nezzers dreames Dan. 2. So Nebuchad-nezzer setteth up a golden image Cap. 3. So Nebuchad-nezzers dreame Cap. 4. and Belshassers visions Cap. 5. all these were written in the Chaldee tongue the seventh Chapter is onely excepted it is written also in the Chaldee tongue although it was originally endited to Daniel because it is a more cleare exposition of the monarchies revealed before to Nebuchad-neZZer and Belshasser and set downe in their owne Registers in the Chaldee tongue but the eight Chapter and the rest are wholly written in the Hebrew tongue which were indited immediatly by God to Daniel and not transcribed out of their registers as the rest were So that part of Ezra which is written in the Chaldee tongue is but transcribed and written out of the decrees and letters of the Kings of Media and Persia from the eleventh verse of the fourth Chapter to the seventh Chapter The Chaldeans and Persians used to register and keepe a Chronicle of all their memorable deedes and what befell them and so of their visions and dreames and they caused to write them and interpret them so did the Persians Esth 9.32 and Daniel wrote these visions in the Chaldee tongue and he set them downe for the good of the Church that they might understand that their conditions should be under the Heathish Kings Something 's in the Scriptures borrowed from the Heathen History The holy Ghost borrowed somethings first from the Poets and secondly from the history
of the Heathen and the Secretaries of the holy Ghost insert them in the Booke of God From the Poets as Paul borrowed from Aratus Menander Epimenides or Callimachus some verses and inserted them in his Epistles So the Scriptures borrow from the history which were eyther Heathenish or Iewish Heathenish againe were of two sorts eyther Chaldean or Persian Daniel borroweth from the Chaldeans So from the history of the Persians as that memorable history of the deliverance of the Iewes under Haman was first written in the Persian language Esth 9.32 and he who wrote the Booke of Esther borrowed the history out of that booke Something 's in the Scripture borrowed from the Iewish History These things which are borrowed from the Iewish history as the facts of those registrate in the Bookes of the Maccabees Heb. 11. So Iude out of the prophesie of Enoch borrowed the history of the strife betweene Michael and the Divell about the body of Moyses So the Apostle Heb. 11. out of the traditions of the Iewes borroweth that Esay was cut with a saw under Menasse So there are sundry proverbiall speeches in the Talmud as Cast out the beame which is in thine owne eye and then thou shalt see chearely to cast out the mote that is in they neighbours eye Matth. 7.5 So it is easier for a Camell to goe thorow the eye of a Needle Matth. 19.24 So it is hard to kicke against prickes Act. 9.5 Some of our Divines to prove that the Apocryphall Bookes are not Canonicall Scripture use this midst because they are not cited by the Apostles in the New Testament but this is false for the Apostle citeth them Heb. 11. And Scaliger in his Eusebianis See Scaliger Euseb Pag. 245. proveth out of Georgius Cyncellus that the Apostle citeth many testimonies out of the Apocryphall Bookes and out of the traditions of the Iewes As Matthew that Salmon maried Rahab Salmon his genealogie is set downe 1 Chro. 2. but not whom he maried this Matthew had by tradition Matth. 1.5 Things in the Heathen history which are not necessary to be knowne to the Church the Scripture passeth by them and remitteth us to Heathen History and saith still The rest are they not written in the bookes of the Chronicles of Iuda and Israel and when the knowledge of them is necessary to the Church it borroweth them out of the Heathen history and inserteth them in the booke of God These things which were written out of the Iewish Heathen sentences were sanctified by the Apostles when they cited them or Heathenish history were not sanctified untill they were insert in the booke of God therefore Tertullian writing to his Wife and citing that verse Evill speeches corrupt good manners 1 Cor. 15.33 saith Memor illius versiculi sanctificati per Apostolum the Apostle sanctified this verse when hee borrowed it from the Heathen And as a woman that was Heathenish when she became a Proselyte shee might enter into the congregation and a Iew might marry her so these Iewish and Heathenish histories God sanctified them that they might enter into the Congregation and become holy Scriptures and so the holy Spirit sweetned the salt waters of Iericho that the children of the Prophets might drinke of them 2 Kings 2.21 There are many proper names set downe in the Scriptures which are not Hebrew names Many names in the Scriptures which are not Hebrew names but some of them are Chaldee some Assyrian and some Persicke names Ier. 39.3 And all the princes of the King of Babylon came in and sat in the middle-gate even Nergal-Sharezer Samger Nebo Sersechim Rabsaris Nergal Sharezer Rabmag with all the residue of the Princes of the King of Babylon And that wee may know what names are Chaldee names what Syriacke and what Persicke Marke this Table following concerning these names and the composition of them taken out of Scaliger  Nomina propria Chaldaeorum 1 Nebo vel lebo 2 Nego 3 Mero 4 Schech chach 5 Meschach 6 Sadrach 7 Letzar retzar netzar 8 Shetzar 9 Metzar 10 Nergal 11 Belti 12 Adan 13 Hevil 14 Ochri 15 Chen 16 Bel 17 Shech 18 Phil 19 Mit 20 Dach 21 Zar 22 Phal 23 Pad 24 Chad  Exempla  Nebuchad nezzar ex 1. 24. 7.  Hevil-mero-dach ex 13 3. 20.  Nebo-zir-adan ex 1 21. 12.  Nomina propria Assyriorum 1 Shadran 2 Shalman 3 Teglath 4 Horib 5 Haddon 6 Neschroth 7 Adar 8 Etzer vel atzer 9 Asar 10 Ballat 11 Osen the vel Osu 12 Chuschan 13 Sen 14 Phul 15 Phar 16 Shar  Exempla  Salman-asser ex 2. 9.  Assar-haddon ex 9. 5.  Sen-ballat ex 13. 10.  Sen-cherib ex 13. 4.  Teglath-phul-asor ex 3. 14. 9.  Nomina propria Persarum 1 Ari 2 Thir 3 Thiri 4 Mithri 5 Pharsam 6 Phar◠7 Esther 8 Zero 9 Datha 10 Sai 11 Manai 12 Stha the 13 Dai 14 Ham 15 Wai 16 Va 17 Zata 18 Arth atha 19 Achos ochos 20 This 21 Thena 22 Sethra 23 Thra 24 Ku vel Kau 25 Ros vel rus 26 Kana  Exempla  Mithri-dates ex 4. 9.  Achos-va-rosh ex 19. 16. 25. How shall we discerne in what language a booke was written Quest There be two speciall notes whereby wee may discerne this the first is Interpretation Answ and the second is Allusion First is Interpretation when the Spirit of God interpreteth a strange word into another tongue To know in what language a booke was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then the booke was written in that language in which the word is interpreted Example Esth 9. Pur this Persicke word is interpreted by the Hebrew goral therefore the booke was written in the Hebrew and not in the Persicke tongue by Mordecai or by him who else wrote the booke Example 2. Abba Pater Rom. 8.15 Abba is the Syriack word and Pater the Greeke word because Abba is interpreted by Pater therefore the Apostle hath written this Epistle in Greeke and not in Syriack And so Thomas is called Didymus Ioh. 11.16 therefore the Gospel of Iohn was written originally in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Contracte and not in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gemelli So Heb. 7.2 Melchisedeck the King of Salem first by interpretation King of righteousnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gemi us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and after that King of peace The word Melchesedick which is one word for the understanding of the Graecising Iewes he divideth it in two and showeth in Greeke Act. 1◠8 Elimas by interpretation Magus this word Magus is degenerate in a Greeke word therefore this booke was written in Greeke that Salem signifieth peace and Zedek Iustitia righteousnesse as if hee would say frugifer qui fert fructum cornifer qui fert cornua here because the interpretation is in Greeke we may know that this Epistle hath beene written originally in Greeke The
〈◊〉 as Ier. 31.39 Behold the day saith the Lord. Here is a blanke in the Text the vowels are onely set downe and the word Baim is understood by the Points of it which are in the Text and so it is Baim although it be not expresly written in the Text. The reason why they set the consonants in the Margent and the vowels in the Text was to signifie that they enclined rather to follow the Marginall reading than the Text and yet not to exclude the Text reading therefore they set the vowels in the Text. The Masoreth put not points to a word which they thinke doth redound Againe when the Masoreth thinke that some words abound they set downe the Consonants of the word in the Text but they point not the word which they would have to be be omitted Example Ier. 51.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Against him that bended let the Archer bend his bow El ijddroch ijddroch hadderech And thus the Masoreth keepe us that we goe not amisse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and their observations are a hedge to the Law therefore the Iewes say Sejag lahhochma shethea Silence is the hedge of wisedome for when a man holdeth his peace he is then thought to be wise So they say Megnasheroth sejag legnosher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tythes are the hedge of our riches and therefore pay thy Tythes and bee rich So Nedarim sejag liphrishoth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vowes are the hedge of the first fruites Lastly they say Masoreth sejag latora 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Masoreth is the hedge to the Law By great paines and wonderfull care those Masoreth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 numbred the letters and words of the Scripture that none of them might perish and as in a well constituted family 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the master of the family taketh a note of all the things in his house from the greatest to the least 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So did these Masoreth of the whole Law therefore the Hebrewes say Gnim shimmureth hatorah that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the studie of the Masoreth was Cum conservationelegis for the preserving of the Law from corruption These diverse readings make not up diverse senses but helpe us better to come by the right sense of the Scripture Diverse reading make not up diverse sense in the Scripture When it is objected to us by the Church of Rome that we have not the true meaning of the Scriptures because of our diverse translations Our Divines answer that these diverse translations make not diverse senses in the Scriptures for the sense is still one and the same but these diverse translations helpe us onely to come to the true meaning of the Scriptures and so we must use these marginall and line readings as we use these interpretations When we see a blanke left in the the Text and supplyed in the Margent this addeth nothing to the Text as a word added sometime by a translatour addeth nothing to the Text So when the Masoreth put another word in the Margent A word set downe for explanation addeth nothing to the text which is not in the Text that word is set downe onely for explanation The meaning of the text is knowne by the antecedent and consequent and it addeth nothing to the Text. We take up the meaning of the Text by the antecedent and consequent Example Prov. 4.3 Tender and young was I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Liphni before my Mother but in the Margent it is Tender and young was I Libhni amongst the Sonnes of my Mother for Salomon had moe brethren 1 Chron. 3.6 But these readings may stand he was tender and young before his Mother and best beloved of all his Mothers Sonnes The Conclusion of this is A certaine Iew gave God thankes for foure things Conclusion First that hee was a Iew and not a Samaritane Secondly that he was bred at Ierusalem and not at Pambiditha ex Tilmideni cap. 7 Thirdly that he said Shibbeth and not Sibboleth Fourthly that hee needed not the helps of Tiberias meaning the Points and Accents But we who are not naturall Iewes should bee thankefull to God because wee have these helpes to further us in the reading EXERCITAT XV. Of the meanes which God useth to make the Scripture plaine unto us 1 Cor. 14.11 If I know not the meaning of the voyce I shall be to him that speaketh a Barbarian c. THere are three speciall meanes by which God maketh the Scriptures plaine unto us Three speciall meanes for making the Scriptures plaine The first is translation of the Scripture The second is paraprasing of the Scripture and the third is the interpretation of the Scripture What things are necessary for translation In the Translation of the Scripture consider first what is a Translation Secondly the necessitie of translation Thirdly what things a Translator should observe and what things he should shunne Fourthly who they were who translated the Scriptures Fiftly the authority of the translation of the Seventy Sixtly the authority of the vulgar Latine translation First what is a translation What is translation We translate when we change out of one language into another and it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If the Translator consider the words a part then it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is great force in the words and therefore the Translator must observe them Plato was wont to call Socrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu obstetricem because when he sought out the words then he brought forth the truth The necessitie of translation proved by sundry reasons Secondly let us consider the necessity of Translation without a Translation wee can not understand a strange language but it is barbarous to us Reasons proving the necessitie of translation Reason 1 First when the old testament hath words altogether unknowne to the Iewes Words in the old Testament unknowne to the Iewes are interpreted it useth to interpret them Example Purim was a Persicke word unknowne to the Iewes therefore the Holy Ghost interpreteth it calling it a Lot So the Evangelists writing in Greeke and having sundrie Hebrew and Chaldee words they expound them in Greeke as Siloe that is sent Ioh. 9.7 Abba interpreted by Pater Rom. 8. So Tabitha kumi by interpretation Daughter arise Mark 5.21 So Thomas called Didymus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Mark 7.34 and Act. 1.27 and Revela 1.7 amen by nai So Abaddon be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reve. 9.11 So Rabboni by Master Ioh. 20.16 why doth the holy Ghost interpret these names but to teach us that he would have the Scriptures translated into knowne tongues that the people might understand them Quest Why doth the holy Ghost interpret Elymas by Magus Act. 13.8 But Elymas the Sorcerer for so his name is by interpretation
withstood them Seeing all translations should be in a more knowne tongue but Magus is as obscure as Elymas Answ Magus was first a Persicke word but afterwards it was well enough knowne to the Iewes The Persians are called Elamites Elymas was but a part of Persia so called from Elam the sonne of Sem therefore the Persians are called Elamites Act. 2. and Luke interpreteth Elymas by Magus as by that which was well enough knowne to the Iewes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 magus a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 formare vel fingere and to us now for we take Magus commonly for a Magitian the Arabick translateth Magus by Hhartom from Hharat fingere or formare because the Magitians draw figures and circles when they conjure Quest Why is the prayer of Christ upon the Crosse set downe in Hebrew by the Evangelists Eli Eli lama sabacthani Matth. 27.46 Ans Why the prayer of Christ upon the crosse is set downe in Hebrew The Evangelist doth this that we may perceive the bitter mocke that the Iewes used against Christ saying He calleth upon Elias for in no other language the mocke will so appeare Secondly Vnknowne tongues were a curse pronounced against the people of the Iewes it was a curse pronounced against the people of God when the Lord should send strangers against them who should speake unto them in an unknowne tongue Esa 28.11 So it is a curse to the Church as the Apostle applyeth it to speake to the people the misteries of their salvation in an unknowne tongue 1 Cor. 14.21 Reason 3 The Lord at the Pentecost gave the gift of tongues to the Apostles that they might speake to the people in a knowne language Every man heard them speake in his owne language Act. 2.6 And to some hee gave the tongues but not the interpretation of them God gave the gift of tongues to some and to others he gave the interptetation of them but lest the people should not understand these languages he gave to others the gift of interpretation 1 Cor. 12.10 but the Church of Rome studieth of purpose to keepe the Scriptures in an unknowne tongue and thinketh that thereby the mindes of the people are more affected and stirred up to devotion A Translator must take heed ex quo in quod vertit The third thing to be considered in a translation is what a Translator should observe and what hee should eschew in his translation A Translator must observe Ex quo vertit in quod vertit or Terminus a quo terminus ad quem and he must consider first the sense and then the words Simile He must have the worth of the words in his translation he must looke first to the sense and see that he carry it with him and next to the words and even as Merchants when they sell their wares they looke for the worth of their wares in Money So should a Translator in his translation see that hee have the worth or meaning of the sense in his Translation hee must consider first the aptnesse of the phrase into which he is to translate it A Translator should consider the aptnesse of the phrase and hee is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 servilly to follow it Example the Hebrew saith I will multiply thy seede as the sand upon the lippe of the Sea Gen. 22.17 But our language saith upon the Sea shoare So the Hebrew saith we must not eate with common hands but we say with unwashen hands now in this metaphrase changing one phrase into another the Translator must take good heede A Translatour may adde a word where the sense beareth it Secondly where the sense beareth it a Translator may adde a word without any hurt to the Text. The originall Text it selfe affecteth sometime more brevity and in other places supplyeth this brevity As 2 Sam. 6.6 Vzzia put fourth to the Arke it is expounded more at large 1 Chron. 13.9 He put forth his hand to the Arke So 2 Chron. 10.9 is expounded by 2 Chron. 13.9 At more length The holy Ghost addeth a word for illustation where the sense beareth it Deut. 27.26 Cursed be hee that confirmeth not the words of this Law to doe them But the Apostle Galat. 3.10 Cursed in every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them So a Translator may adde a word for illustration when the sense beareth it Gen. 3. Hast thou eaten of the tree of which I forbad thee to eate the Seventy adde Hast thou eaten of the tree which I onely forbad thee to eate Quest When Christ Mark 5.4 interpreteth tabitha kumi arise daughter how addeth hee here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tibi dico Answ He doth not this as an interpreter but to show the power and authority of him who speaketh and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Translater must not adde of his owne to the text should be in a parenthesis A Translator must adde nothing of his owne in his translation Exod. 16.15 The vulgar translation addeth something which is not in the originall when the children of Israel saw it they sayd one to another what is this These words what is this are not the words of the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interrogat apud Chaldaeos sed non apud Hebraeos for Man signifieth prepared or ready and therefore it should be interpreted this is ready or prepared meate So Exod. 12.11 they translate Phase id est transitus it should not be translated id est transitus but transitus it is the Lords Passeover A Translator must not affect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an affecting of new words newnesse of words those doe contrary to that of Salomon Prov. 22.28 Remove not the ancient markes which thy fathers have set This was the fault of Castalio who translated Sequester for Mediator Genius for Angelus Insundere for Baptizare Histrio for Hypocrita Respublica When the matter requireth a new word may be used in a translation for Ecclesia and such We are not so bound to words but when the matter requireth a new word may be used Nicephorus telleth of Spiridion when hee heard the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he rose and went out of the Church in a chafe so another could not abide Cucurbita for Hedera Ionas 4.6 Esa 45.9 Woe be to him that striveth with his Maker let the potsheard strive with the potsheards of the earth Hierome hath it testa de Samijs he translated it terra Samiae there is not such a word in the originall neyther were these vasa Samiae in use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is hee who hunteth for strange words that is not in use in the dayes of the Prophet yet because these vessels were in use in his time hee useth it in his translation neyther
The Lord made glorious cloathes which he put upon the skin of their flesh that they might cover themselves Example 2. Gen. 32.26 Dimitte me quia ascendit aurora The Paraphrast maketh this to be one of the seven Angels who stand before the Lord singing continually holy holy Lord of Hoasts and he maketh this Angell to be cheefe of the Quire Example 3. Exod. 13.19 And Moyses tooke the bones of Ioseph with him Targum Hierosolymitanum parâ— phraseth it thus Ascendere fecit Moses vrnam ossium Iosephi ex intimo Nili abduxit secum Hence the Talmudistâ— make a great question how they could finde this Chest of Ioseph being sunke so deepe in the flood Nilus and they flye to their shift of Shem hamphorash 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and R Bechai upon this saith that Moyses tooke a plate and wrote upon it and sayd ascende Bâ—â— meaning Ioseph who was called Bos Dei Deut. 33.17 did cast this plate into Nilus saying O Ioseph thy brethren which are redeemed are waiting for thee and the cloud of glory is waiting for thee if thou wilt not goe up with us now wee are free of our oath Example 4. Deut. 28.18 Decaudicabat debiles Hee cut off the taile or the weake of the hoast but Targum Hierosolymitanum paraphraseth it this wayes sed accepit eos Amalek amputavit loca virilitatis eorum projecitque sursum versus coelum dicens tolle quod elegisti meaning that part which was commanded by the Lord to be circumcised they threw it up into the heavens in contempt and spite against the Lord. Example 5. 1 Sam. 15. And he numbred them Battelahim but Targum paraphraseth it thus He numbred them by the lâ—mbes For Telahim is called lambes also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they say that Saul would not number the people for feare of a plague upon him and his people as it fell out afterwards upon David and his people therefore he caused every one of them to bring a lambe and he numbred all the lambes and so he knew the number of the people such Iewish fables as these the Apostle willeth us to take heede ofâ— Tit. 1.14 But where these Paraphrases cleare the Text Paraphrases where they cleare the Text are to be used then we are to mâ—ke use of them Example Gen. 2.24 He shall leave father and mother and cleave unto his wife Onkelos paraphraseth it thus he shall leave Donium cubilis where the Paraphrast alludeth to the ancient custome of the Iewes fo the children lay in their fathers chamber before they were maried Luk. 11.7 My children are with me in bed Example 2. Gen. 12.5 And Abraham tooke all the soules which he had got in Charan Onkelos paraphraseth it thus Omnes animas quas subjecerat legi Example 3. Gen 49. Ruben excellens munere dignitate Onkelos paraphraseth it thus Excellens principatu Sacerdotio for hee that was the first borne at the first was both the Prince and the Priest in the Family Example 4. Gen. 49 27. Beniamin a ravening woolfe he shall cate the prey in the morning and shall divide the spoyle at night The Paraphrast paraphraseth it thus In his possession shall the Sanctuary bee built morning and evening shall the Priests offer their offerings and in the evening shall they divide the rest of the portion which is left of the sanctified things Of interpretation of Scripture THe third outward meane whereby the Lord maketh the Scripture cleare to his Church is Interpretation and this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Interpretation of the Scriptures maketh the people to understand them for when the Scriptures are not interpreted The Scriptures not being interpreted to the people are like a Nut not broken they are like a Nut not broken When Gideon heard the dreame and the interpretation of of it Iud. 7.15 In the Hebrew it is Veshibhro the breaking of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speech borrowed from the breaking of a Nut for as we breake the shell that wee may get the Kernell So the Scriptures must bee broken for the people and cut up for their understanding It was the manner of the Iewes in their Synagogues after that the Law and the Prophets were read to Interpret the scriptures Act. 13.15 And after the reading of the Law and Prophets the rulers of the Synagogue sent unto them saying ye men and brethren if ye have any word of exhortation for the people say on And therefore the Synagogue was called Beth midresh Domus expositionis we see the practise of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nehem. 8.8 Legerunt cum appositione intellectus They read the Law clearely to the people and caused them to understand those things which were read this was the fruite of their interpretation So they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 16.10 Conferre places with places The giving of the sense here is more than to give the grammaticall interpretation of the words they gave the sense and the spirituall meaning of them when they preached Noah was a Preacher of righteousnesse 2 Pet 2.5 The Church is not onely the keeper of the Scriptures but also an Interpreter of them This word Kara signifieth both to Reade and to Promulgate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Legit Proclamavit Esar 29.12 61.12 Zach. 7 7. Act. 10.20 So Mikra which signifieth Reading signifieth also an Assembly or Convocation to teach us that the holy Scriptures ought to bee read in the congregation and holy assemblies and ought likewise to be expounded The conclusion of this is The Lord useth so many meanes to make the Scripture cleare to the people and yet the Church of Rome goeth about to stoppe these Fountaines of living waters that the people may not drinke of them As the Spies raised a slander upon the Land of Canaan saying that it was unpossible to be won so doe they slander the Scriptures of God with obscurities and say that it is impossible for the people to understand them EXERCITAT XVI Of the division of the Scriptures They have Moses and the Prophets Luc. 16.29 THe scriptures are divided into the old and New Testament The old Testament againe is divided into Moses and the Prophets and sometimes the Law is put for the whole old Testament Rom. 3. So Iob. 7.49 Esay 2.3 And sometimes the Psalmes are called the Law Ioh. 15.25 That the word might be fulfilled which is written in their Law they hated me without a cause So the Prophets are called the Law 1 Cor. 14.21 In the Law it is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pentâ—â—â—â—â—chus in Moses is divided into Hammitzua Commandements Chukkim statutes and Mishpatim judgements that is in Morall Precepts Ceremoniall and Iudiciall The Iewes againe divide the old Testament into the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 priores 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 posteriores 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prophetae the Prophets and
Iewes say that this division in Parashoth was most ancient but the division into Haphtaroth was later and they give this to be the reason why they reade these Haphtaroth they say when Antiochus Epiphanes forbad them under paine of death to reade the Law of Moses 1 Macch. 2. then they made choise of some parts of the Prophets answerable to these parts of the Law Example because they durst not reade Petorah beresith They read Esay 42. So saith the Lord Creator of heaven and earth Example 2. the second Parasha is Elle toledoth Noah now because they durst not read this they read Esay besiman that is The reading of Moyses and the Prophets more ancient than Antiochus at the signe 54. for that which we call a Chapter they call a signe Sing yee barren c. But is it likely that Antiochus that great Tyrant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forbad them onely the reading of the five bookes of Moses wherefore the reading of Moses and the Prophets hath beene much more ancient than the time of Antiochus therefore Act. 15.21 Moses is read of old A Phrase which signifieth a great antiquitie When they read Moses Law They read the whole Law in their Synagogues once in the yeere they divided it in fifty and two Sections and they finished it once in the yeere They had two sorts of yeeres there was Annus impraegnatus or Embolimaeus and Annus Aequabilis Annus Impragnatus was that which wee call Leape yeare and it had fifty three weekes Annus impragnatus embolimaeus in this yeere they divided one Parashah in two parts and so they ended the reading of the Law within the yeare When it was Annus Aequabilis then it had but fifty two weeks then they read one Parashah for every Sabbath and in the last Sabbath of the yeare which was the twentie third of Tishri they read that Parashah called Latitia legis which beginneth Ioshu 1. And the next Sabbath they began beresith againe at the first of Genesis These Parashoth were subdivided into so many parts and there were sundrie who read these parts upon the Sabbath hee that read the first was called Cohen the Preist hee repeated the first part of the Section and then rose up Catzan or Cantor who did sing the same part which the Priests had read then there rose up in the third place a Levite and he read his part Fourthly there rose up an Israelite and hee read his part and at last it came to Maphtir 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cessare in hiphil dimittere and hee read the last part of the Haphtorah he was called Maphtir because when that part was read the people were dismissed and so the Latine Church said Ite missa est In the weeke dayes they read upon the second and the fift day of the weeke some part of those Parashoth but not the whole and the Pharisee meant of these two dayes when he said I fast twise in the weeke Luk. 18.12 The Greeke and Latine Fathers never cite Chapters as we doe now Augustine in his booke of retractations Cap. 24. saith not I have written to Genesis 3. but this wayes I have written to the casting out of our parents out of paradise And Gregorie in his Prologue upon the first of the Kings saith I have expounded to you from the beginning of the booke unto the victory of David Who divided the Scriptures first into Chapters it is not certaine they were divided of old two manner of wayes first they divided them into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 titles for so they called the greater parts and then into Chapters as into lesser parts others againe divided them into Chapters as into greater parts It is holden that Musaeus presbiter Ecclesiae Massiliensis divided them first into titles and subdivided them into Chapters Genebrard Chronologia According to this first division Matthew had sixty three titles and three hundreth and fifty five Chapters So Luke according to the ancient division had forty eight titles and three hundreth and forty eight chapters He who began this latter division into Chapters is holden to be Hugo Cardinalis according to this division Matthew hath twenty and eight Chapters and Luke twenty and foure c. Lastly it was divided into verses this division into Pesuchim or verses the Masoreth found out first amongst the Iewes The Greekes called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scaliger calleth them Commata and Robertus Stephanus calleth them Sectiunculas and some hold that it was hee that found them out first amongst us EXERCITAT XIX Of the sense of the Scriptures THere is but one literall sense in the Scriptures which is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse 2 Tim. 3.16 To make divers senses in the Scripture is to make it like that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Anaxagoras dreamed of making Quidlibet ex quolibet August Epist 48. Augustine writing to Vincentius justly derideth the Donatists who constructing these words Cant. 1.7 Tell me o thou whom my soule loveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy flocks to rest at noone They gathered out of them that the Church of Christ was onely in Africa by their allegoricall application Origen was too much given to these allegories and therefore he missed often the true sense of the Scriptures These who gathered divers senses out of the Scripture doe little better with them than Esope did with an inscription written in a pillar of Marble in which were written these seven letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esope first read them thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est abscedens gradus quatuor fodiens invenies thesaurum auri But Xanthus his master finding as he had spoken a great treasure of Gold and giving nothing to Esope for his conjecture kept all to himselfe therefore Esope read them another way thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est qui tollitis dum abitis dividite quem invenistis thesaurum auri But when Esope got nothing in a rage he read it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est redde Regi Dionysio quem invenisti thesaurum auri The Iewes hold that there is a literall sense in every Scripture and a mysticall sense the literall sense they call Dabhar keton 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rem parvam and the mysticall sense they call it Dabhar gadol rem magnam the literall sense they call it peshath sensum nudum and the mysticall sense they call it darash and most of the Schoolemen hold that there is a double sense in the Scriptures Latomus the Papist saith Theologiam crassam versari circa literalem sensum theologiam subtiliorem versari circa mysticum allegoricum sensum and they call the literall sense panperem grammaticum and the allegoricall Divitem theologicum the rich and theologicall sense But we must strive to finde out the literall sense of the Scriptures
by the revelation of Iesus Christ they had not their calling from man but immediatly from God They had their calling intuitu Ecclesiae Vocatio vel est intuitu ecclesiae intervetu eccles 1 Cor. 3.2 sed non interventu Ecclesiae that is God ordained these offices for the good of the Church and it was for the Church cause that he appointed them but they had not their calling from the Church But Preachers now have their calling both intuitu Ecclesiae interventu Ecclesiae Immediata suppositi virtutis There is immedietas ratione suppositi immedietas ratione virtutis the first is when the person is immediatly separated by God to such a calling the second is when the graces and calling are immediatly given by God When Ministers are called they have their gifts immediatly from God and so they have their calling there interveneth no suppositum or midst betweene God and them but for the appointing and designing of them to such places that they have from the Church But the Apostles were called immediatly both ratione suppositi vÃrtutis they had their gifts immediatly from God neyther were they designed to such and such plaees as the Ministers are now The Prophets and Apostles were immediatly called by God and therefore Matthias was chosen by lot to be an Apostle because the lot is immediatly directed by the hand of God but Preachers now should not be chosen by lot Zeno the Emperor tempted God in this case laying a paper upon the Altar that God might write in the paper the name of him who should be Bishop of Constantinople Nicepherus Lib. 2. but Flavitius corrupting the Sexton of the Church caused him to write in his name and so was made Bishop of Constantinople Object But Moyses learned from the Egyptians and Daniel from the Chaldeans therefore it may seeme that they had not their calling immediatly from God Answ The Apostles and Prophets learned their humane Sciences and Artes from men but not their divine knowledge They had the learning of humane sciences and trades from men as Paul learned from men to be a Tent maker so Moyses learned these humane sciences from the Egyptians Daniel from the Chaldeans but their knowledge as Prophets Apostles imediatly was froÌ„ God Although they had their divine knowledge immediately from God Simile The Prophets knowledge was kept by reading Dan. 2.9 and 1 Tim. 4.13 yet they were to entertaine it by reading As the fyre that came from heaven upon the Altar was miraculous yet when it was once kindled they kept it in with wood as wee doe our fire So the Prophets knowledge was preserved by reading as ours is Prorogative 2 Their second prerogative was the measure of knowledge they had in matters Divine The measure of the Prophets and Apostles knowledge Their knowledge far differed froÌ„ the knowledge of Christ this was visio vnionis this excelled the knowledge of all creatures even of the Angels this was not called prophesie as he was comprehensor but as he was viator here upon the earth this his illumination is called Prophesie he is called the great Prophet Deut. 18.15 and in this sort of knowledge hee excelled both men and Angels Secondly their knowledge differed from the knowledge of Angels and the glorified Spirits for prophesie as Peter saith Visio vnionis gloria raptus prophetiae 2 Pet. 1.19 is like a light shining in a darke place but in Heaven there is no darkenesse Thirdly their knowledge differed from the knowledge that Paul had when he was taken up to the third heaven and this was called visio raptus their knowledge was farre inferiour to all these sorts of knowledge but it farre exceeded all the knowledge that we have Quest Whether had the Prophets of God and the Secretaries of the holy Ghost this their Prophesie and divine knowledge by way of habit or no The Prophets had not the gift of prophesie by habite Answ They had not this gift of prophesie by way of habit as the children of God have their faith and as Bezaliell and Aholiab although they had their knowledge immediatly from God to worke all curious workes in the Tabernacle yet they kept still this their knowledge as an ordinary habit but this gift of prophesie the Prophets had it not as a habit but they had neede still of new illumination when they prophesied Peter compareth prophesie to a light shining in a darke place 2 Pet. 1.19 how long continueth light in a darke house no longer then a candle is there so this coruscation Simile or glimpse of the Spirit continued no longer with them but when the Spirit was illuminating them and teaching them they had the gift of prophesie even as they had the gift of healing but they could not heale when and where they pleased Paul saith I have left Trophimus sicke at Miletum 2 Tim 4 20. So they could not prophesie when and where they pleased 2 King 4.27 The Lord hath hid it from me and hath not told it me they had not this prophesie as a permanent habit but as that which was now and then revealed unto them Ier. 42.7 And it came to passe after ten dayes here the Prophets behoved to attend untill he got a new revelation from the Lord and sometimes they waited longer and sometimes shorter for this revelation Quest How differed the Prophets then from other men when they prophesied not Ans First yee shall see a difference betweene them and others who prophesied Num. 17. It is sayd of those Prophets Prophetia momentanea prophetarunt non addiderunt that is they prophesied but that day onely that the Spirit came upon them but never after as the Hebrews expound it but the Prophets of the Lord prophesied often So 2 King 2.3 The children of the Prophets came forth they prophesied but this gift of the prophesie continued not with them but these Prophets of the Lord often prophesied And although they had not the habit of prophecie yet they were separate by God for that purpose to expect still for new illumination Prorogative 3 The third prerogative which the holy men of God had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was this that they could not erre in their writing 2 Pet. 1.21 The holy men of God spake as they were inspired by the holy Ghost The Peophets erred not in writing the Scriptures Matth. 10 2. Luk. 21.15 Luk. 1.17 therefore the Prophets were called the mouth of God Luk. 1.18 Ier. 15.19 thou shalt be as my mouth Hee spake not onely by their mouthes The Prophets are called the mouth of God but also they were his mouth And contrary to this is that lieing Spirit in the mouth of the false Prophets 1 King 22.22 The secretaries of the holy Ghost erred sometimes in some of their purposes Wherein the Prophets and Apostles erred and in some circumstances of their calling but in