God as well as the man but now consider them as to their sex or as to their relations of man and wife so man is her superiour and in regard of that authority that the man hath over the woman the man is said to be the image of God and the woman the glory of her husband and well may she be called the glory of man for it was a far greater honour for man to have dominion over one of his own kind then over all the beasts Quest. 15. verse 27. 'T is said both man and woman were created the sixth day male and female created he them and yet after the six days were over it is said The Lord caused a deep sleep Gen. 2.21 22. to fall upon Adam and he slept and of one of his ribs he made a woman These Scriptures are easily reconciled In the first chapter the Spirit of God tells Resp us what God did the sixth day viz. he created the man and woman male and female In the second chapter he tels us Gods manner of doing it Quest. 16. verse 28. 'T is said God blessed them and said Be fruitful and multiply and yet our Saviour saies Luke 23. 29. Behold the days are coming when they shall say Blessed are the barren c. and so in another place Woe to them that are with child in those dayes Mat. 24.19 To have children to be fruitful in its self considered is a mercie and to be preferred Resp before barrennesse but yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in some respect barrennesse is to be preferred before it As when enemies are approaching and a place is like to be destroyed with the sword women with childe are not able to flie and shift for themselves and therefore Woe to women with childe in those dayes And 't is better to have no children then to see them butchered and massacred before our eyes And this shewes the singular difference between spiritual mercies and temporal spiritual mercies are alwayes desirable and never out of season Quest 17. verse 29. Whether the eating of flesh or fish was allowed by God to our forefathers before the flood for after the flood we finde this liberty was given Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you but in this Gen 9.3 chapter when God speaks of the provision made for man he only speaks of Trees and Herbs and Vegetables I humbly conceive the Affirmative enclined Resp thereunto by these reasons 1. God did not forbid them eating of flesh therfore left them to their liberty 2. What use could there be made of fish and many other creatures if they had not been allowed for meat 3. They offered up Sacrifices of their cattel Abel brought of the firstlings of his Gen. 4.4 flock Now it was a thing received and taken for granted among the Jews that they might eat of their Sacrifices 4. They wore the skins of beasts and therefore it is likely they ate also the flesh Unto Adam also and unto his wife did the Gen. 3.21 Lord God make coats of skins But after the flood God expressely permitted the eating of flesh and therefore he Object did not permit it before Negativa non probant By the same reason Resp 1 it would follow that because the Rainbowe was not mentioned before the flood the Rainbowe was not before the flood which we have no cause to beleeve for Positâ causâ ponitur effectus Now the Rainbowe is caused by the Sun shining upon a watery cloud It is true it was not the token of Gods Covenant till after the flood but it was before God did not after the flood give man a right to that which he had not before the flood but only reinvested him with those possessions and priviledges which he had been cast out of by reason of his sinne Notes on the second Chapter Quest 1. verse 1 2. HOw is it said that God ended his work the seventh day when God is totus actus and besides John 5. 17 our Saviour saith My Father worketh hitherto and I work Cessavit ab actu creationis non ab actu Resp 1 Moses doth not say simply he rested from all his work but from all his work which he had made viz. from the works of creation and therefore that of our Saviour my Father worketh hitherto and I work must be understood of the works of providence But the souls of all the men and women Object in the world from the beginning have been created to this very day God rested from the creation of species Resp or kinds not from the creation of individuals But the earth afterwards brought forth Object briars and thorns therefore new kinds were created Gen. 3.17 18. I know no inconvenience will follow Resp if we affirme that briars and thornes were created the first six dayes it is true they should not in the least have been prejudicial either to man or to the fruits of the earth if man had not sinned and therefore it is likely if man had continued in his primitive state of integrity briars and thornes should have growen in their place and the fruits of the earth in their place this blending and mixing of briars and thornes amongst the fruits of the earth is the product of the sin of man But there are several things in the world Object the creation whereof we read not the first six dayes as wine milk c. Some things were created in their perfection Resp some things in their principles though wine was not created the grape was though milk was not created the brest was Quest 2. verse 3. Whether God did from the first creation appoint that the seventh day should be kept as an holy Sabbath or whether this be spoken by way of Prolepsis or Anticipation viz. because God rested from his work upon the seventh day therefore he did afterwards at the time of the giving of the Law ordaine that every seventh day of the week should be kept holy as a Sabbath of rest unto the Lord. The Sabbath was appointed from the Resp creation 't is true It cannot be denied but that it is an usuall thing in Scripture to set down things in way of Prolepsis or Anticipation as they call it to set down things aforehand in the History which happened many years afterward but there is no such Prolepsis here as if the meaning should be that he did this two thousand five hundred years after the creation It is observable that throughout the whole Scripture we shall not finde one Prolepsis but that the History is evidently and apparently false unlesse we do acknowledge a Prolepsis and Anticipation to be in the History the necessity of establishing the truth of the History only can establish the truth of a Prolepsis in the History but in this place alledged can any say that the story is apparently false unlesse we imagine the Sabbath to be first sanctified on mount Sinai But Gods sanctifying the Sabbath
may be Object expounded thus God did actually purpose to sanctifie it after the giving of the Law If to sanctifie the seventh day be only Resp to purpose to sanctifie it then the Sabbath was no more sanctified since the creation then ab aeterno for then God purposed it should be sanctified c. For the further clearing of this truth I shall give you the Arguments of some learned persons why they conceive that the Sabbath was not instituted till the giving of the Law on mount Sinai Adam in innocency should not have Arg. 1 needed a Sabbath not his soul for every day was a Sabbath to that nor his body because his body was not then subject to wearinesse neither could it be appointed for the ease of servants because then no such thing as servitude in the world The Sabbath was instituted not for Resp 1 common rest or rest from natural wearinesse principally but for holy rest that the soul might have more immediate communion with God Returne to thy rest O my soule saith the Psalmist The rest of the soule is not a ceasing from all operation for that cannot stand with the nature of a spirit hence the soul is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an act because it is still in action a spirit cannot be and not act but when the soule centers on God then it is said to rest Bodies rest in their proper places and souls rest in the enjoying of their proper objects Now Adam in innocency thogh his body was not subject to wearinesse might stand in need of such a rest as this is Adam was to serve God in a particular calling God took the man put him into the garden of Eden that he might dresse it keep Gen. 2. 5. it now Luther professeth It followes from hence saith he that if Adam had stood in his innocency yet he should have kept the seventh day holy viz. on that day he should have taught his children what was the Word of God wherein his worship did consist and wholly have sequestred himself to his service on other days he should have dressed and kept the garden though every day was to be spent in holinesse mediately in seeing God in the creatures and meeting with God in his labour yet it was not unsuitable for that estate to have one day in the week for more immediate and special converse with God and though it was no paine to him to dresse the garden yet this must needs take up his thoughts while he was about it The Saints and Angels in Heaven have Object had no set Sabbath and why man in innocency The state of innocency on earth should Resp not have been in all things alike to the state of glory in heaven and particularly in this there should have been marriage dressing of the garden day and night in Paradise but no such thing in Heaven We do not read that there was any other Arg. 2 positive precept or law given to our first parents in the state of innocency but only this that they should not eat of the forbidden fruit Now the command of God for the observation of the Sabbath is a positive command and that appears because although the worship of God do belong to the Law natural viz. founded in the Law of nature yet the circumstance of time when God in an especial manner is to be worshipped that we should keep an holy rest unto the Lord every seventh day this is a positive precept and was never determined by the Law of nature That Adam had from the creation at Resp least that which amounted to a positive Law for the observance of the Sabbath is plaine It is said God sanctified the seventh day Now though this word is variously taken in the Scripture yet in this place the seventh day must be said to be sanctified one of these two wayes Either by infusion of holinesse or sanctification into it now the circumstance of a seventh day is not capable of sanctification in this sense only rational creatures Angels and men may be said thus to be sanctified By separation of it from common use and dedication of it to an holy use as the Temple and Tabernacle were which had no inherent holinesse in them Now if the Sabbath were thus sanctified it must either be for the use of God or man either God must impose upon himself the observation of every seventh day to keep it holy which is absurd or else it was dedicated and consecrated for mans sake and use and if so man had that which amounted to a positive Law for the observation of the Sabbath When Moses makes repetition of the Arg. 3 Law of God Deut. 5. 15. he laies downe this as a ground of the observation of the seventh day as a Sabbath the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt therefore the Sabbath was not instituted from the creation This that is urged is placed by God by Resp way of preface and motive as an argument for the observation of all the Commandments yet who will say that none of them were in force till the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt This was one reason why the Sabbath Resp 2 should be sanctified but not the only reason therefore Exod. 20. 6. the reason that is rendered there why the seventh day is the Sabbath is this for in six dayes the Lord made heaven and earth c. The Jewes were to observe the Sabbath not only upon the ground of its first institution but upon reasons proper and peculiar to that Nation It is likely their deliverance out of Egypt was on the Sabbath day and therefore urged by Moses as a ground of their observation of it We finde not any expresse mention Arg. 4 that the Patriarchs before Moses time did sanctifie a Sabbath We may as well argue it was not kept Resp all the time of the Judges and Samuel because no expresse mention made in those Books of any such thing No doubt but they observed it because Object it was published on mount Sinai The like may we say of the Patriarchs Resp 1 before the promulgation of the Law on mount Sinai because it was sanctified from the Creation Abraham is commended for keeping Gods Commandments and the Sabbath is one of Gen. 26.5 them We may as well argue that the Patriarchs for two thousand five hundred yeares together observed not any day at all for the worship and service of God for there is in Scripture as much mention of a Sabbath as any other day yea It is plaine in the Scripture that the Jewes did keep the Sabbath before the Law was given This is that which the Lord hath said To morrow is the rest of the holy Exo 16.23 Sabhath unto the Lord c. I might adde that it is not improbable but the sacrifices of Cain and Abel were upon the Sabbath-day the usual stated time for such services If a time had not beene set apart even in Adams
EXPOSITORY NOTES WITH Practical OBSERVATIONS TOWARDS The opening of the five first Chapters of the first Book of Moses called GENESIS Delivered by way of EXPOSITION In several Lords-dayes Exercises By BENJAMIN NEEDLER Minister of the Gospel at Margaret Moses Friday-street LONDON Hereunto is added by way of Apendix certaine Directions for the right understanding of the Scriptures London Printed by T. R. E. M. for Nathanael Webb and William Grantham at the Bear in Pauls Church yard near the little North-door 1655 To the WORSHIPFULL AND The rest his loving friends The Parishioners of MARGARET MOSES Friday-street London Dearly beloved THe main designe of a Minister of the Gospell next to the glory of God should be the spirituall good and advantage as of the Church of God in generall so of the flock committed to his charge in particular Had not this consideration been very powerfull and prevailing on my Spirit it would not have been able to have broke through those many difficulties and discouragements amongst which the unworthinesse and weaknesse of the Author was not the least that did way-lay the publication of these papers The result of my thoughts being affirmative as to the presenting of them to publike view I determined to dedicate them to you my people The reasons that moved me to this besides your interest in the composer of them having been your Pastor now for some yeares and the equity of it that they that called for and rejoyced in the first-fruits of his Ministery should have tendred unto them the first-fruits of his labours in this kind also were such as these 1. That I might be instrument all to establish you in some of the truths of Christ in these erroneous dayes a fitter expedient hereunto I know not any next to the illumination of the Spirit then the riight understanding of the text For these late yeares especially the Devill hath walked up and downe our streets with a Bible under his arme and upon every turne pleads Scriptum est It is written 2. That you might be the more confirmed concerning the sweet harmony of the Scriptures how one Scripture sweetly embraces and kisses each other although there be many in the world that would if they could Horrendum scelus make them to fall out and mutiny One cals the Old Testament and the New Gods two lips whereby he breatheth out the same truth Some have gone about to finde contradictions in them but the spirit of contradiction was in them that went about it Oh that we could as well agree with them as they agree with themselves while they are at peace in their doctrine we are at warre in their interpretation 3. That you might take notice of the obscurity of some texts of Scripture We may say of the whole booke of the Scriptures as Saint Peter doth of all Pauls Epistles In which are some things hard to be understood Some 2 Pet. 3. 16 things though not all there are some excellent herbes in the garden of the Scriptures whose names we know not Difficilia quae pulchra And these things They that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures unto their own destruction They deale with the Scriptures as Chymists deale with naturall bodies torturing them to extract something out of them which God and nature never put in them Or as torturers deale with an innocent man make him speake that which he never thought A seasonable Item for these dayes when men think a small measure of gifts sufficient for the interpretation of Scripture God would not have the weakest of his people starved and therefore some truths are easy nor the wisest of them cloyd and sated and therefore some truths are obscure Nor have we cause to murmur or repine at this dispensation Since the fall the understandings of men are shrunke up and contracted Shall the little viall be angry because it cannot containe the water in the Ocean Shall the blind man blame the Sun for shining no brighter 4. That however God dispose of me by his providence I might leave something in your hands which might be for your spirituall advantage A Sermon or Exposition if called to minde and I hope this small manuall may be your remembrancer may do your souls good seven ten twenty yeares after its delivery Physick doth not alwayes worke when it is taken no more do the Ordinances 'T is said there That many resorted unto Jesus and said John did no miracle but all things Joh 10. 41 42. that John spake of this man were true and many beleeved on him there John had Preached of Christ before but they did not beleeve in Christ when he Preached But when Christ comes amongst them they upon Johns Sermons preached a great while before then believed You have in these papers for I thought it not safe to go without a guide the way in many places being difficult the conduct of severall eminently learned Authors burning and shining lights at whose torch my candle received light though I may say to the praise of free-grace it shines not altogether unlesse we referre to God with a borrowed and derivative lustre c. One of these things I studied in this small piece was plainenesse it being for a considerable part of it polemicall And besides truth is an excellent Jewel best when plain set I have severall counsells to you lying neere my spirit possibly I may have another opportunity to offer them At present let me exhort you as most pertinent to the businesse in hand to a diligent study of the Word of God To this purpose I have annexed by way of Appendix certain directions for the right understanding of the Scriptures if they may be of any advantage to you blesse God for them Beloved the desire of my soul is that your soules may be saved This is the prayer of Your servant in the work of the Lord Benjamin Needler From my Study at Bun-hill Nov 17 1654. ERRATA Page 42 Line 9 for I read If p 53 l 3 f foure r five p 73 l â—3 f principilis r principiis p 83 l 1 f the calling on r the carrying on p 89 l 11 f Incommodum r Incommodam p 95 l 11 f 8 r or 131 l 3 f gracious evidence r no gracious evidence p 150 l 22 f this r thy p 208 l 2 for esie r esse p 208 l 23 f sinon r sin EXPOSITORIE NOTES towards the opening of the first Chapter of Genesis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THe distribution of Moses writings into five Books was not done by Moses but by others you may observe in our Saviours time when he quotes them he phrases it as it is written in the Law not in Genesis or Exodus c. The distribution of Moses writings into Chapters we owe unto Christians a little before Bernards time The Divine authority of the Pentateuch appears by the Lord Jesus owning of them Luke 20. 37. Now that the dead are raised
dayes for Divine service how improbable is it that Cain and Abel should concurre at the same time in bringing their offerings unto the Lord and if not at the same time how could Cain discerne that Abels offering was respected and accepted of God when his was Gen. 4.3 not and besides it is said In processe of time it came to passe that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. In the processe of time or at the end of days as it is in the margin of your Bibles and as the original will bear it viz. on the Sabbath-day when there is an end of the dayes of the week and they begin again I might adde that it is not improbable but that Noah and his family kept the Sabbath in the Ark for it is said that he stayed Gen. 8. 10 12. other seven dayes and sent forth the Dove out of the Ark and verse 12. He stayed other seven dayes and sent forth the Dove why did Noah this on the seventh day It was likely that then Noah and his family were at prayer and engaged in the worship and service of God and at such times it is good to make experiments of Gods fatherly care of us and providence over us Quest. 3. verse 4. In the first Chapter it is said that God made the heavens and the earth in six dayes and in this verse it is said These are the generations of the heaven and the earth in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens From this place some would gather that Resp 1 all the world was made in one day and that Moses doth divide the creation into six dayes propter captum that it might be the better understood Others conceive that Moses relates to that first matter or substance of which all things were created now this was made in one day Others think with whom I close that Moses doth not speak strictly here but indefinitely in the day the Lord made the earth that is to say in the time the Lord made the earth so it is taken in other places of Scripture To day if you will hear Psal 95.7 his voice c. Quest. 4. verse 5. How God could be said to create every plant of the field before it was in the earth Either the meaning is that they were Resp 1 created potentialiter in the first masse and so created before they were in the earth Or else the meaning is this God created every plant of the field before it was in the earth viz. there was not a plant in the earth before God created it Quest 5. verse 7. It is said God formed man of the dust of the earth How can man be said to be made of dust or earth when he is made of the four elements earth fire aire water Moses saies God formed man of the dust Resp 1 of the earth but not only of the dust of the earth Moses loquitur de terra ut de causa partiali non totali Moses speaks of the dust but as part of that matter of which man was made But he expresses the one and therefore Object by consequence denies the other This is just as if a man by calling one his Resp fathers sonne should deny him to be his mothers Quest 6. verse 7. Why doth the Lord speak distinctly in this verse concerning mans body and soul We shall finde God speaks of other creatures in the bulk body and soul together Let the waters bring forth abandantly the moving creature that hath life and so verse Gen. 1. 20 24 24. Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kinde c. To note the spirituality and immateriality Resp 1 of the soul the soul of man non educitur ex potentiâ materiae as the Learned phrase it but the body was made of one kind of substance and the soul of another for Consider 1. The condition and nature of its object speaks this truth Seneca could say Hoc habet argumentum anima suae divinitatis quòd illam divina delectant This argument of its spirituality hath the soul of man in its own essence that it is delighted with things divine and spiritual If the soul were material we could not reach to the knowledge of any thing but that which is material and we might as well see Angels with our eyes as understand them with our mindes We say Receptio fit per modum recipientis you cannot fill a chest with vertue 2. It s independence on the body it is able of it self to performe its own actions without the help and concurrence of the outward man It seeth when the eys beshut and sometimes seeth not when the eyes be open It travelleth while the body resteth resteth when the body travelleth Rev. 1. 10. When John saw his glorious revelation he is said to be in the spirit when Paul had his revelations and saw things unutterable he knew not whether he were in the body or out of the body for beleevers to know that there are laid up for the Saints such joyes which eye hath not seene nor eare heard what is this but to leave sense behinde us and out-run our bodies 3. Time that wears out all corporeal things addes perfection to the souls and understandings of men old men who have the weakest bodies have the most lively and vigorous souls yea we may observe that men who have the most admirable soul-accomplishments have usually the weakest bodies and are not of the longest lives 'T is a remarkable passage that of Saint John to Gaius I wish saith he that thy body prospered even as thy soul prospers Here is a clear text against the Atheists of these dayes that question whether there be a soul or not the truth is a man cannot doubt of it without it as a man cannot prove Logick to be unnecessary but by Logick as a man cannot say he is dumb without speaking Quest 7. verse 7. In what sense these words are to be understood He breathed into his face the breath of life for the Manichees from hence held that the soul was part of Gods Essence as the breath is part of a mans substance It is true in mans breath there is part of Resp his substance but these words are not spoken of God properly but metaphorically if Moses should have said Jehovah by the power of his Spirit without making use of any elementary matter breathed into man a vital soul An horrid blasphemy to think the Essence of God should be subject to change ignorance sinne c. as the soul is Quest. 8. verse 7. Why is God said to breath into his nostrils or face the breath of life rather then into any other part of the body Because the operations of the soul discover themselves in no part of the body Resp 1 more then in the face hence a living man is usually pictured smiling or reading c. And besides the face and head
sense of it The Lord speaketh those words Ironically Resp as before Quest 14. verse 15. It is said God put the man into the garden of Eden to dresse it and yet afterwards it is pronounced as a curse In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eate thy bread Gen. 3.16 Man should have laboured if he had continued Resp in his first estate but those irksome concomitants of labour paine sweat wearisomeness spending of the strength and spirits are the product of sinne Quest 15. verse 16 17. Here the Lord gives a Law to man Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eate but of the tree of the knowledge of good ond evil thou shalt not eate and yet the Apostle saies The Law is not made for the 1 Tim. 1.9 righteous The Law is not made to the righteous Resp 1 person so as he should be under the vindicative or punishing part of it he continuing in his righteousnesse and in this sense it may be applied to man in innocency man in innocency might be under the directive part of the Law though not under the vindicative part of it The Apostle speaks of Gospel-times when man was in another state his meaning is the law is not made to the beleever so as he should abide under the cursing condemning power of it the godly are under the desert of the curse of the Law but not the actual curse and condemnation thereof nor doth it follow as a Reverend Author very well observes that there is no Law because it doth not curse It is a good rule in Divinity A remotione actûs secundi in subjecto impediti non valet argumentum ad remotionem actûs primi From the removal of an act or operation the argument doth not hold to the removing of the thing it self As it doth not follow The fire did not burne the three Worthies therefore there was no fire God did hinder the act And if that could be in natural agents which work naturally how much rather in moral such as the Law is of condemnation which works according to the appointment of God Quest 16. verse 16 17. Why would God give man a positive 〈…〉 â—esides that natural Law that was 〈…〉 his heart 〈…〉 thereby Gods dominion and powâ—◠〈◊〉 man might be the more acknowâ—â—â—ged man might have submitted to the â—oral Law of God not so much in order â—o the command as because it was suitable to that principle which was within him for the Moral Law at first was written in mans heart Even as the Heathens do abstaine from many sinnes not because forbidden by God but as dissonant to their natural reason therefore God gives him a positive Law Ut nulla alia causa esset obedientiae nisi obedientia So that the forbidding to eat was not from any sinne in the action but from the will of the Law-giver As if a man forbid another to touch such an herb because it is poison this herb is contrary to a mans health whether it be forbidden or not and therefore he may abstaine from it not because of the command but because it is contrary to his health but to forbid the eating of something that is wholsome to the body and delightful to the taste here indeed is a triall of obedience Quest 17. verse 16 17. Whether sensitive creatures be capable of being under the obligation of a Law Neg. Inter bruta silent Leges for Resp 1. There can be no satisfaction to justice in inflicting an evil upon them no satisfaction to be had from such things as are not apprehensive of punishment Seneca Quà m stultum est his irasci quae iram nostram nec meruerunt nec sentiunt 2. A punishment inflicted upon them hath no power to mend brutes or to give an example to others amongst them 3. Nec turpe nec honestum among them no duty nor obedience to be expected from them no praise nor dispraise due to them no punishment nor reward to be distributed among them Levit. 20. 15. I a man lie with a beast Object he shall surely be put to death and ye shall slay the beast The meaning of that place is not this Resp that the beast was guilty of a crime or had violated a Law and therefore was to be condemned and put to death but it was in order to the happinesse and welfare of man bestia cum homine concumbens was to be stoned 1. Because it was the occasion of so foul a fact and so fatall punishment unto man 2. That the sight and presence of the object might not repeat so prodigious a crime in the thoughts of men Exo. 21. 28. If an Oxe gore a man or a Object woman that they dye then the Oxe shall be stoned This was ad poenam exigendam à domino Resp the putting of that to death was a punishment to the owner for not looking to it better Quest 18. verse 17. It is said In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye what is meant by death in that place Spirituall temporal eternal death 1. Spiritual death this is comprehended Resp in the very nature of sinne spiritual death is nothing else but a separation of God from the soule now the nearer the correspondence is between the soule and sinne the further the distance is between the soul and God 2. Temporal death for so the Spirit of God expounds his meaning afterwards In the Gen. 3.19 sweat of thy browes shalt thou eat thy bread dusl thou art and to dust shalt thou returne 3. Eternall death this is cleared by the Apostle Paul when he saies The wages of sinne is death and that he principally Rom 6.23 intends eternall death in that place is clear by the life to which it is opposed The gift of God is eternall life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Quest 19. verse 17. Whether Adam was created mortal or Whether Adam was mortall before his eating of the forbidden fruit Neg. As appears by the threat pronounced Resp against him In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death 'T is said of God Who onely hath immortality Object 1 Tim. 6.16 A thing may be said to be immortall severall Resp wayes 1. Simply and independently immortall omni modo in every respect and so is that Scripture to be understood Who onely hath immortality 2. Immortal secundùm substantiam in regard of its substance there are some beings that are segregated from matter and corporeity and are not è potentiâ Materiae Educti as the Learned phrase it as Angels and rationall soules now these though they are not immortall simply and independently yet they are so as I may phrase it substantially 3. Immortal by the power and mercy of God or immortal by the power and justice of God the power and justice of God given immortality to the bodies of the damned in hel and the power and goodnes of God gives immortality to the bodies of the Saints in
It shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heele you know the Serpent being a creature going upon his belly is obnoxious to be tread upon and to have his head bruised but being not able to reach mans head it is said of the Serpent that it should bruife mans heels Some conceive that the curse was pronounced both upon the brute Serpent and the spirituall Serpent and this I hold to be the Truth the Devil when he beguiled man came not as a naked spirit but in the shape and figure of a Serpent and therefore that his punishment might be suitable and answerable to his offence he was to receive his doome likewise under the figure of a serpent Quest 28. verse 14. Whether Satan was not under the curse of God before this was pronounced Affir but Resp 1. After he had tempted man to sin his curse was augmented 2. In this verse God declares the curse pronounced upon the Serpent to be irrepealable Upon thy belly shalt thou go and dust shalt thou eat all the dayes of thy life We may observe that there is a great difference between the sentence prenounced upon the man and woman and the sentence pronounced upon the Serpent 1. You have a curse pronounced upon the Serpent but none upon the person of man or woman 2. The punishment inflicted upon them is temporall but the punishment inflicted upon the Serpent is eternall which is noted unto us by that expression All the dayes of thy life viz. as long as Satan hath a being Quest 29. verse 14 How it could be just with God to punish the brute Serpent being an unreasonable creature knowing neither good nor evil and had no will to sin but spake meerly as it was acted and possessed by Satan Why should we question the justice of Resp 1 God here more then in Adams Censure vers 17. where the whole earth was cursed for Adams sake what had the earth done or how was it guilty of Adams transgression And afterwards we read And behold I even I do bring a flood of waters on the Earth to destroy all flesh Gen 6.17 How were the beasts the creeping things the fowles of the Aire partakers of mans wickednesse God cursed the Serpent as well as Satan because Satan made use of the Serpent as his instrument to tempt our first parents to sin against God God was so displeased with sinne that he would curse not only the principall cause of it but the instrumentall also so in other cases God doth not onely punish the offender but the instrument made use of in the committing of the offence As if a man defil'd himself with a beast if a man lye with a Lev. 20.15 beast he shall surely be put to death and ye shall slay the beast We may see this in a Case where there is no dispute when a man hath committed murder his body suffers now what is the body but an instrument the soule makes use of The hand cannot move otherwise then as it is acted by the soul yet this would not be a plea in humane Courts Oh see the vilenesse of our hearts we can reason against God when in the very same case we dare not reason against man Quest. 30. verse 14. Whether the Serpent went upon his belly before the curse Some conceive that it did but that Resp 1 this was made ignominious and cursed to him after the fal of man and they illustrate this two manner of wayes 1. Nakednesse was naturall to man at first and yet afterwards he was ashamed of it and it became his punishment 2. Briars and thornes were created before mans fall but afterwards became a curse But to both these instances we may give this answer 1. That nakednesse simply considered was not the cause of mans shame but nuditas turpis Adamus videns faedos et inordinatos membrorum motus pudefactus est 2. For briars and thornes consider them in puris naturalibus in their pure naturalls and so they did not become a curse but as after the fall they grew out of their proper places and were blended and mixed with the fruits of the earth for the punishment of man c. Therefore others conceive that the Serpent did not go on his breast till the curse but had a body erected as man hath and they render these reasons amongst others 1. We know the more excellent and sublime the nature of a creature is the more it raiseth it self upwards the more ignoble and base the more it falls down-ward this we see in the Elements the fire the most excellent operative of the four raiseth it self above the rest the earth the most unactive and basest of all the lowest 2. As there is this difference amongst elements so among living creatures the basest is the most creeping as wormes c. whilest the noble Lyon advanceth his head and breast so farre as the frame of his body is capable so man being of all creatures most excellent is therefore of all others most advanced in body Os homini sublime dedit coelúmque tueri Jussit The Serpent therefore being of a sublime nature insomuch that the Scripture sayes it was more subtile then any beast of the field the frame and shape of his body was suitable thereunto Quest 31. verse 14. In what sense we must understand this phrase Dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life when we find that Serpents feed upon herbes and devour other creatures also These two phrases Upon thy belly shalt Resp thou go and dust shalt thou eat ought to be joyned together in the opening of this Scripture the one ought to be considered as the cause and the other as the effect So that eating dust in this place is not so to be understood as if the Serpent should live and feed onely upon dust but that the Serpent going upon his belly should be forced to eat dust viz. take in dust into his mouth whether he will or not the Learned phrase it thus Haec verba non referuntur ad alimentum sed ad incommodum et velut coactam terrae in os receptionem Against this Exposition some object Object and say that we have a promise concerning the happy and peaceable condition of the Church in the latter dayes and amongst other things it is said The dust shall be the Serpents meat The Wolfe and Is 65.25 the Lambe shall feed together and the Lyon shall eat straw like the bullock and dust shall be the Serpents meat These words are not to be understood literally Resp but allegorically as the very expressions in the text clearly intimate and when it is said The dust shall be the Serpents meat the meaning is no more but this that in those dayes man shall not need to feare hurt from any creature the Serpent it selfe shall be confined to his dust and shall not be able to prejudice man in the least Quest 32. verse 14. Seeing this sentence was
when many neither labour nor sweat and yet have bread enough As for idle persons whilest they think Resp 1 to shake off that yoke that God hath put upon their necks they bind it faster and make it heavier To a person of any ingenuity idlenesse is a toyle nor is a man more weary then when he doth nothing We must distinguish of a three-fold labour 1. Labor Oeconomicus or mechanicus the labour of mechanicks as we call them or handicrafts-men of this the Apostle speaks Let him that stole steale no more Eph. 4.28 but rather let him labour working with his hands the thing which is good 2. Labor Politicus the labour of Magistrates and Governours so the Apostle speaking of the Magistrate He is the Minister of God to thee for good but if thou do Rom. 13.4 that which is evil be afraid for he beareth not the sword in vaine for he is the Minister of God c. 3. Labor Ecclesiasticus the labour of Ministers we may observe that whilest the world takes this to be an easie calling the Spirit of God in the Scripture frequently speaks of the labour and the work that doth attend it He that desires the office of a Bishop desires a good work And The workman is worthy of his hire And They that rule well are worthy of double honour especially they that labour in the Word and doctrine Ministers are called Starres now the Starres are in continuall motion for the good of the Universe they are to cry aloud and to lift up their voice like a Isa 58.1 trumpet Durante pugnâ non cessat Tuba The trumpet must be sounding all the while the battell is fighting The Church of God is Gods husbandry and the Ministers are his husbandmen Redit agricolis labor actus in Orbem The husbandman hath never done his work but the end of one task is still the beginning of another so it fares with the Ministers of the Gospel sometimes they are instructing poor ignorant souls then they are like Starres that shine in a cold winters night another while convincing gain-sayers then they are like those Starres that fought in their course against Sisera every man must be accountable for his idle words and a Minister for his idle silence Qui claves habent Ecclesiae ostia suorum labiorum aperiant A Minister had better be worne out with whetting then with rusting A way then with the fanatick Spirits of our dayes who call upon Ministers to work with their hands as if there were no other labour but hand-labour Consider 1. They confound those things that God would have distingushed there is the labour of the head and brain as well as of the hand 2. They overthrow as much as in them lyes the well-being if not the being of Kingdomes States Common-wealths in which they live for we stand in as much need of the Magistrate and Minister as we do of the Husbandman and handy-craftsman 3. Aaron with his posterity were Priests Ioshua David Iosias were Magistrates yet it might be said of them that they are their bread in the sweat of their browes Quest 46 vers 19. It is said here In the sweat of thy brows thou shalt eat thy bread and yet our Saviour hath taught us to pray Give us this day our daily bread If we earne our bread with our labour how is it a gift We earne it of man but not of God from man it is a debt but from God it is a Resp 1 gift It is an act of free grace that we have bread for our labour God might have said that we should labour and sweat and after all we should eat husks with hogs as the Prodigall or grasse with the Oxe as Nebuchadnezzar that in the sweat of our brows we eat bread is a mercy As the Scripture speaks of bread so of the staffe and stay of bread For behold the Lord the Lord of hosts doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the Isay 3.1 stay and staffe the whole stay of bread And the truth is a man is strengthened more by the staffe that is in his body then by the staffe that is in his hand it is not the corne and floure but the staffe of bread which supports the life and that is not any thing that comes out of the earth but the blessing of God which comes down from heaven The creature cannot hold up it selfe much lesse contribute to the subsistence of other things unlesse God continue the influence of his blessing upon it It is the observation of a Learned Author As soone as ever Christ cursed the figge-tree it withered and dried Ma. 11.20 up from the roots to shew that it was not the root alone but the blessing of Christ which did support the figge-tree it is pronounced Hos 4. 10. as a curse They shall eat and not have enough and again Ye shall eat and not Lev. 26. 26. be satisfied when I have broken the staffe of your bread ye shall eat and not be satisfied As good take a mouthfull of gravel as a mouthfull of bread and as able it is to nourish without Gods blessing The means by which we live are without life If they be living creatures as sheep and oxen and beasts and birds and fishes they must lose their lives before they can come to be helpes to ours so true is that saying mortibus vivimus we live by deaths now reason tells us Nihil dat quod non habet nothing can give that which it hath not How should food of it selfe preserve and further life which in it self is void of life the death of the creatures sheweth that our life is not from them but from something else By all which we may perceive how these Scriptures may be reconciled of Eating our bread in the sweat of our browes and yet to pray according to the forme our Saviour hath prescribed us Give us this day our daily bread Quest. 47. vers 19. Whether from this Scripture we have a command from God to labour To eat our bread in the sweat of our browes I conceive we have though some think that this was laid upon man after his Resp transgression rather as a curse which he must indure then a duty which he should performe for the clearing of this consider 1. It is granted that this was a curse laid upon man for his transgression 1. As some of Gods curses are promises as well as curses to set out his goodnesse so some of Gods curses are precepts as well as curses to set forth hâ—s justice Some of Gods curses are promises as well as curses so I will put enmity between thee and the woman It is a curse on he Serpent and yet a promise of the Messiah Some of Gods curses areprecepts as well as curses so Thy desire shall be to thy husband and he shall rule over thee this is Gen. 3.16 a curse and yet it is a precept Let our
onely earthly punishments as ver 11 12 Because wicked men are not so greatly Resp feared with the punishments of the life to come as carefull to avoid calamities for the present and indeed herein man becomes like the beasts that perish which are carried with an hurry to things present and sensible Quest 19. vers 13. Whether that saying of Cain be well translated My punishment is greater then I can beare Some say it should be rendred my sin Resp is greater then can be forgiven but the context seemes to favour our translation for in the following words he speakes not of his sinne but of his punishment vers 14. Behold thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth and from thy face c. here sinne is taken for the punishment of sin as in severall other places of Scripture The greatnesse of Cains punishment will appeare if you compare it with Adams 1. God did not curse Adam but the earth was cursed for Adams sake but God sayes to Cain vers 11. And now thou art cursed from the earth 2. That which is included in Adams curse viz. That though he should labour and sweat yet he should have bread for it In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat thy bread is denyed to Cain for saith the Lord vers 12. When thou tillest the ground it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength 3. Though Adam was expelled out of Paradise yet there was a commodious place assigned him by God where he and his family might reside and till the earth but the Lord saies of Cain that he should be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth ver 12. Oh have a care of blood What hast thou Gen. 4.7 done the voice of thy brothers blood crieth to mefrom the ground God will give a tongue to the earth speechlesse creatures shall speake rather then blood shall be concealed It is an excellent observation of a learned Author upon that text of Scripture When he maketh inquisition for blood he remembreth them Saith he doth not the Psal 7.12 Lord make inquisition for all sin Or is there any sin that God doth not enquire after Surely no but when it is said God makes inquisition for blood it argues the greatnesse of that sinne We finde not the like expression about any other particular sin in all the whole book of God Though God makes inquisition for all sin yet as if he would let all other sinnes past unsought and uniquired after it is said onely of this sinne that he makes inquisition for it Quest. 20. vers 14. Cain sayes From thy face I shall be hid and yet the Psalmist saith Psal 139.7 Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence God is present every where in regard of Resp his essence and therefore the Psalmist saith Whither shall I flee from thy presence We may run from God as our friend but we cannot escape him as an enemy A man pursued in an Island when he runnes from one end to the other runs from sea to sea if you should flee from one end of the earth unto the other you would run from God unto God The meaning then of this phrase I shall be hid from thy face is this I shall be deprived of communion with God in his Ordinances Though Cain was a wicked man yet he was taught by his parents that there was no way of enjoying God in this world but in and by his Ordinances And he speakes this not from a principle of love to God or his Ordinances but upon the account of education Learne from hence The condition of a person excommunicated is very sad Christ tells us we cannot serve God and Mammon and therefore when we are cast outof Gods service we are said to be delivered into the hands of Satan Hymeneus and Alexander excommunicated persons are 1 Tim. 1. 20. said to be delivered up unto Satan Learne also If the casting out of the Church a particular member though it be in order to cure and repentance be so dreadfull what a black day would that be when the Ordinances of Jesus Christ should as it were be excommunicated and cast out of the Church of Christ Quest 21. vers 14. Cain saith It shall come to passe that every one that findeth me shall slay me The question is who those were whom Cain feared that if they met him they would slay him Some think that Cain speakes this Resp 1 meerely upon the account of terrours of conscience for say they there were none but his Father and Mother living and was it likely they would be his executioners and yet Cain imagines multitudes to meet him and slay him Every one that findeth me shall slay me Prov. 28.1 The wicked fleeth when no man pursueth onely his owne guilt pursues him and makes him flee But this opinion hath not the savour of truth in it for Cain doth not onely suppose a considerable number of persons to live at that time in the world but God himselfe as appeares by what the Lord said unto Cain vers 15. Whosoever slayeth Cain vengeance shall be taken on him seven fold Some are of opinion that this is to be expounded of the beasts every one that findeth me shall slay me that is say they I shall be torne in pieces by every beast I meet But this cannot be the meaning of the words as appeares by that which followes for it is said The Lord set a mark upon Cain lest any finding him should kill him which cannot with any shew of reason be applied to the beasts Others hold that Cain in these words had respect to those that should afterwards be borne But neither can this be for what needed there a present law for those who as yet were not in being Another sort are of opinion that these words are to be applied to the Daughters of Adam and Eve for that Adam had Daughters at that time is more then probable from that which followes for it is said Cain had a wife which must needs be his sister and that she was come to yeares appeares because it is said ver 17. that Cain knew his wife From the whole I conceive we may more then probably conclude that Adam and Eve at the time when Cain spake these words had many Sonnes and Daughters although the Spirit of God doth not make mention of them the History mainly referring to Cain and Abel And to me it seemes very unlikely that Adam and Eve should have no more children after Cain and Abel till they came to yeares of discretion when at the beginning we finde God did make especiall provision for the encrease of the world as appeares by Gods sparing Cains life and his dispensation of his marriage with his sister However we may take notice of the terrours of Cains conscience for those that were in the world were either his parents brethren sisters or neere kindred
suddenly extinguished Scripturall grounds are these The creation of Adam and Eve God's breathing into their face the breath of life is a Argu. 1 good probable argument at least If it be objected that this proves nothing because it was necessary that the soules of Adam and Eve should be by creation when there was nothing pre-existent whereby they might be naturally propagated Answer may be made that if any thing material had necessarily been required to the being of the soul of a man as to the souls of brutes then as the soules of other creatures were concreated in and with the matter of which they were made in the like manner in all reason should God have dealt with the soules of men but we finde it otherwise after the body was made and the matter prepared then the soul is infused The soul of Jesus Christ was created Arg. 2 and he was in all things like unto us sin onely excepted If it be objected that this was extraordinary that Christ might not be tainted with sin We may answer Non magis difficile erat Spiritui sancto semen Josephi quám virginis ab omni vitio purgare c. I suppose Christ was borne after an extraordinary way rather upon the account of the malediction that was pronounced against our first parents in case of eating the forbidden fruit that in the day they did eat thereof they should die the death Then upon the account of generation Ecclesiastes 12.7 Then shall the dust returne Argu. 3 to the earth whence it was and the spirit shall returne unto God who gave it where you have the essentiall parts of man his body and his soul compared one with another The body that was compacted of dust and it returnes to the dust from whence it was the soul created by God and that returnes to God that gave it When the Spirit of God speakes of the body he makes mention of the materiall cause but when of the soul onely of the efficient and the word gave it is empâ—haticall and spoken by way of eminency for God gave the body as well as the soule Heb. 11.9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we Argu. 4 gave them reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits It appeares by the Antithesis the Spirit of God makes between fathers of flesh and Father of spirits that we receive our body from our parents but our soul from God he is the Father of spirits Now marke how the Apostle argues If to those from whom we receive our worser part we give reverence haw much rather should we be in subjection to the Father of spirits It is worthy our consideration that God by a peculiar title is called the Father of spirits and herein he is opposed to the fathers of the flesh Now if the soul be by traduction those that are the fathers of the flesh would also be the fathers of the spirits neither would God by this title be distinguished from others The Objections made against this assertion are such as these Gen. 2. 2. On the seventh day God ended his worke which he had made and he rested on Obje 1 the seventh day from all his work which he had made This Scripture must be understood of the workes of creation therefore the soules of men and women are not now created God after the sixth day ceased from the Resp creation of new species not from the creation of new individuals Now the rationall soules that are now created by God non specie sed numero differunt differ not in kinde but in number from the soule of Adam which was at first created Though God ceased from the work of creation in regard of species yet not in regard of individuals Gen. 46.26 All the soules that came with Obje 2 Jacob into Egypt which came out of his loynes besides Jacobs sons wives all the soules were threescore and six soules coming out of Jacobs loines is the same with this that the soul of man is by generation The soul here is put by a synecdoche for Resp the totum compositum for the whole man Now though the soul may not be said to be generated yet the totum compositum or the man may as hereafter shall be demonstrated If the soul of man be not produced by generation then man is in a worse condition Obje 3 then a plant or a brute which can and do beget soules suitable to their kinde viz. animam vegetativam sensitivam Man is in a better condition then a brute even in regard of generation because by Resp that very act Nobilissima forma unitur cum materia That which is urged advances the condition of man and not lowers or debases it we may observe the lesse use God makes of second causes in the carrying on of any work the more excellent that work is viz. Adam and Eve exceeded their posterity in soul and bodily perfections the body of Christ that was formed in an extraordinary way by the Spirit of God was of a finer make and a more excellent composure then the body of any man or woman in the world and this may be the reason which made his torments on the cross exquisitely painfull It is true we read of some that were rolled in barrells stuck with nayles and of others whose flesh was plucked off with hot iron pinchers and of others that have been broyled on a Gridiron their deaths might be more harsh and severe in themselves considered then the death of Christ and yet Christ might suffer as much or more bodily paine then they According to the rules of Philosophy we say That the nature and quality and measure of paines must be taken not so much from the force or violence of the agent as from the condition and temper of the patient the fire hath not the same operation upon Gold as it hath upon Lead The lead suffers a great deale more from the fire then the gold If a man should deale blowes with an even hand on a sound body and on a sickly crazy body their pain would be unequal though the blowes were equall now to our purpose without question the body of Christ was soft and tender Aristotle hath this rule Quò complexio nobilior mensque dexterior eò mollior ac tenerior solet esie caro The more noble the complexion and the more dextrous the mind the more soft and tender the body The body of Christ was of a most excellent temperament Quae fiunt per miraculum excellentiora sunt quám quae fiunt per naturam Those things that are done by miracle are more excellent then those things that are done by naturall causes viz. the wine that Christ made at a marriage in Cana of Galilee and the body of Christ If God creates the soul of all those that are Object begotten then he concurres with whoremongers and adulterers in the act of generation Nam fornicariis
snout so is a fair woman without discretion Certainly there is a vast difference between a swine and between a woman between a Jewell of Gold in a swines snout and the beauty of a foolish woman Yet the similitude is apt enough for that for which it was urged viz. as a Jewell in a swines snout is rather hurtfull then profitable so is beauty to a foolish woman In the Canticles it is said of Christ that Can. 5. â—3 his lips were like lillies now if the comparison be not marked rightly here we may be deceived for to make Christs lips as white as a lilly were impertinent therefore the comparison is in odore non in colore in regard of the smell not of the colour 16. Rule In Scripture sometimes a number certain is put for a number uncertain numerus finitus ubi intelligi debet infinitus and e contrâ— sometimes a number uncertain is put for a number certain numerus infinitus ubi intelligi debet numerus finitus for instance 1. A number certaine is put for a number uncertain Prov. 24.16 A just man falleth seven times a day viz. many times So. Psa 24.16 Psal 119. 164. David Psal 119. 164. seven times a day do I praise thee viz. crebrô ofttimes do I Esay 4.1 praise thee So the Prophet Esay In that day seven women shall lay hold of one man viz. many women and some times you have more numbers then one in a Scripture when you have this very thing intended by the Spirit of God For instance Psal 91.7 A Psal 91 7. thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy right hand but it shall not come nigh thee A thousand and ten thousand viz. very many So Mat. 18.21 22. Peter came to Christ and said Lord how oft shall my brother Mat. 18.21 sinne against me and I forgive him till seven times Jesus saith unto him I say not unto thee till seven times but untill seventy times seven viz. as oft as thy brother sinnes against thee 2. A number uncertaine is put for a number certaine So the Lord speaking of the Passeover You shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations you shall keepe Ex. 12.14 it a feast by an Ordinance for ever viz. as long as these Ceremoniall rites are in force So it is said of Hannah that she said unto her husband I will not go up untill the 1 Sam. 1. 22. child be weaned and then I will bring him that he may appeare before the Lord and there abide for ever And yet we shall finde Numb 8. 24.25 that the Levites were to wait upon the service of the Tabernacle of the congregation but from twenty five yeares old to Deut. 25. 15 16 17. the age of fifty So in Deuteronomy If thy servant shall say unto thee I will not go away from thee because he loveth thee and thy house because he is well with thee then thou shalt take an Aule and thrust through his eare unto the doore and he shall be thy servant for ever viz as long as he lives 17. Rule In computation of times the Spirit of God frequently speakes by a synecdoche of the whole for the part or the part for the whole For instance When Matthew speakes of the transfiguration Mat. 17.1 2. he speakes of six dayes After six dayes Jesus taketh Peter James and John his brother and bringeth them up into an high mountaine apart and was transfigured before them But now Saint Luke speakes of eight dayes And it came to passe about eight dayes after these sayings he tooke Peter Luc. 9.28 and James and John and went up into a mountaine to pray c. For the reconciling of these places we must know that Saint Luke speakes of part of the first and the last dayes as two dayes and so he reckons upon eight dayes Saint Matthew omits them being but part of two dayes and so reckons but upon six So we say Christ was raised the third day after his crucifixion whereas he lay but one whole day in the grave but per synecdochen part of friday and part of the Lords day are reckoned for two dayes 18. Rule There are some propositions unto which a note of universality is affixed and yet ought not to be accounted altogether universall So Adam called his wives name Eve because she was the mother of all living viz. viventis hominis Gen. 3.20 non bruti of every living man not of every living creature So the Lord Jesus If I be lifted up from the earth I will draw all Joh. 12.32 men unto me viz. all beleevers unto me So All seeke their owne not the things which are Jesus Christs all viz. many So I Phil. 2.21 will poure out my Spirit on all flesh which Joel 2.28 is spoken of beleevers as appeares Act. 2. 17. Now this ought to be heedfully observed that notes of universality in Scripture whether affirmative or negative ought to be restrained or limitted to that subject matter of which the Spirit of God speakes in the context For instance â—auâ— spake not any thing that day viz. concerning David that day 1 Sam. 20. 26. For certainly the King spake concerning other things So in John But ye have an unction from the Holy one and ye know all 1 John 2. 26. things viz. all points necessary to salvation of which Saint John formerly treated So Paul Who gave himselfe a ransome 1 Tim. 2. 6. for all viz. Some of all sorts quaties and conditions and this appeares by the context For in the first and second verses Paul speakes of Kings and all that are in authority and vers 7. he speakes of the Gentiles I am ordained saith Paul a Preacher and an Apostle a teacher of the verse 7. Gentiles in faith and in verity So then the meaning is Christ gave himselfe a ransome for all viz. Kings as well as subjects Gentiles as well as Jewes 19. Rule In Scripture the species is not rarely Lev i9 36 put for the genus For instance A just Ephah and a just Hin shall ye have Where you have one certaine kinde of measure put for every measure So againe Whosoever he be of the children Lev. 20.2 of Israel or of the strangers that sojourne in Israel that giveth any of his seed unto Moloch he shall surely be put to death unto Moloch viz. unto that or any other kinde of Idol 20. Rule Many things are spoken in Scriputre rather ex vulgi opinione according to the common opinion of men then as the things are in themselves considered For instance it is said And God made Gen. 1.16 two great lights the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night meaning the Sun and the Moone whereas the Moone is the least of all the planets onely thought to be one of the greatest by most people So the
it be proved that women are to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper but by consequence That any one particular Church is a true Church but by consequence that fasting daies and thanksgiving-thanksgiving-daies may be observed upon occasion but by consequence And here you have the great vapour of the Anabaptists spending it selfe and coming to nothing viz. where do you finde it expressely said in any place of Scripture that infants are to be baptized if we have it by necessary consequence it is sufficient 25. Rule It is usuall for the Spirit of God to expresse both the duties and the priviledges of the people of God under the New Testament by phrases taken from the Oeconomy and Administration of the Old To instance 1. For the duties of the New Testament to offer sacrifice is a phrase proper to the administration under the Old Testament and yet this is pressed as a dutie under the New So Paul I beseech you therefore brethren Rom. i2 i. by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is our reasonable service 2. For the priviledges of the New Testament for instance It shall come to passe Esay 2.21 in the last dayes that the mountaine of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the mountaines and shall be exalted above the hils and al Nations shall flow unto it The meaning is not that there should be another temple raised like that at Jerusalem but it is to be expounded of the spreading of the Gospel New Testament-priviledges set out by an expression taken from an Old Testament-administration So I will poure Joel 2.28 29. out my Spirit upon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesy your old men shall dreame dreames your young men shall see visions The meaning of this Scripture is not that God in the time of the Gospel would discover himselfe unto his people by dreames and visions but that God would give a greater measure of light and bestow a greater measure of his Spirit on those that should live under the Gospel then those that lived under the Law and that this is the meaning of it is cleare by the Apostle Peters quotation of it Acts 2.17 26. Rule When the Scripture makes mention of â—lthy actions either naturall or sinâ—ull it expresses them in comley termes 1. When it speakes of naturall actions as Judg. 3.24 't is said of Ehud that he covered his feet in the Summer-chamber Judg. 3.24 viz. he was easing of nature for they had long coates which covered their feet when they eased nature 2. When it speakes of sinful uncleannesse So stollen waters are sweet viz. adultery is sweet So see how incest is described saith Jacob to Reuben Thou wentest up to thy Gen. 49 4â— fathers bed And yet this is very observable that the Scripture when it speakes of Idolatry and spirituall whoredome maketh use of plain termes marke how the phrase is altered when God speakes of Idolatry Thou hast Ezek. 16. 2â— built thy high place at every head of the way and hast made thy beauty to be abhorred and hast opened thy feet to every one that passeth by and multiplied thy whoredomes A Learned Author gives this account of it Idolatry is such a subtill thing that we are not sensible of its defilement as we are of bodily whoredome and therefore the Lord expresses it in plain termes that we may hate it the more 27. Rule The circumstance of time with relation to the person or thing that is spoken of in the Scripture must heedfully be observed Hence was that saying of Augustine Distribue tempora concordabit Scriptura Distinguish concerning the time and then Scriptures will agree For instance we read concerning Jotham the Son of Vâ—â—iah 2 King 15 33 that he reigned sixteene yeares in Jerusalem and yet in the same Chapter mention is made of the twentieth yeare of Jotham now distribue tempora concordabit Scriptura 2 King 15. 30 distinguish concerning the time and you will reconcile these Scriptures For Jotham reigned alone onely sixteene yeares but he reigned with his Father Vâ—â—iah who being smitten with Leprosy could not manage the affaires of the Kingdome foure yeares in all twenty yeares 28. Rule We are to consider in the perusall of Scripture what speeches are proper and what speeches are figurative The Scriptures have a proper and literall sense and they have an allegoricall and figurative sense Now it is a dangerous thing when the words are properly to be taken to understand them figuratively or to take them figuratively when they are to be understood properly For instance 1. 'T is dangerous to understand those places of Scripture properly which are to be taken figuratively as in the Prophet Malachi Behold I will send you Elijah the Prophet before the coming of the great and Mal. 4.5 dreadfull day of the Lord. The Jewes expound this properly of Elias Tishbites when the Prophet meant them figuratively of John the Baptist who came with the gifts of Elias for so you have John called But I say unto you â—aith our Saviour unto his disciples that Elias is come already and Mat. 17. 12 13. they knew him not but have done unto him whatsoever they listed c. Then the Disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist Another instance you have Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees Mat. 16.6 The Disciples understood it properly when Christ meant figuratively So Except a man be borne againe he cannot enter into Joh. 3.3 the Kingdome of God That which Christ meant figuratively of regeneration Nicodemus understands literally 2. 'T is dangerous to understand those places figuratively which should be taken properly thus the Familists turne all the history of Christ into an Allegory Heaven and Hell into an allegory and without repentance their salvation also Such an one was he who reading that place of Scripture where it is said of Judas that having received the sop he went immediately out erat nox and it was night puts both together as spoken of Judas He saith he was the night that went out as Christ was the Sun that gave knowledge to his Disciples who were day So Judas was the night who gave knowledge to the Jewes who were darknesse A senselesse conceit but I mention it to shew you the danger of allegorizing the Scriptures Origen was very faulty this way in turning all Scripture almost into an allegory And it is observable that he who was so much for allegories understood that literally which was to be taken mystically There are some Eunuchs which were so borne Mat. 19.12 from their mothers wombe and there are Eunuchs which were made so of men and there be Eunuchs which have made themselves Eunuchs for the Kingdome of heavens sake And truly I think there was the finger of God plainly to be seene in this providence his punishment