in the everlasting flames of hel fire if men sin against the law and under promise of eternall life if they fulfill it Whereas men that require an orderly conversation outwardly threaten and promise onely some outward and temporary good or evill These differences between divine and humane Authority laid together may help us to a description of them severally The description of divine Authority by which their natures are best distinguished Divine Authority is that power of God founded upon the totall dependence of all creatures upon him and upon his infallible wisdome truth and goodnesse by which hee hath right to prescribe and manifest all grounds of truth to be beleeved and assented unto upon his own testimony without contradiction and to give rules of practise to be embraced with all the heart as perfectly holy just and good because he commands them under the rewards and penalties of everlasting life and eternal damnation Humane Authority And humane is a limited power derived from God to man by which he is warranted according to Gods will for the furthering of publique good to prescribe unto such as are put under his power rules of order in their conversation for preserving peace in a way of godlinesse and honesty binding those whom they command in all things not contrary to Gods law to conform their practise and actions thereunto for the Authority which commands them in Gods name under the rewards and penalties of some outward good or evill By this which hath been delivered concerning the grounds and extent of that divine Authority which we challenge and claim to be due to the Scriptures we may observe what power this sacred Word ought to have over mens hearts and consequently in what manner it ought to bee heard read and received Whatsoever it proposeth the heart must assent unto and beleeve without contradiction or debate how probable or improbable soever it appear to carnall reason And whatsoever is commanded therein the whole heart and every thought of it must stoop unto and embrace as holy and good howsoever it please or displease the naturall man and that meerly for the Authority of him that commands it CAP. IV. Of the Pen-men of the Scriptures that they were holy men inspired and guided in that work infallibly and wholly by the Spirit of God BOth the clauses of this Proposition Saint Peter knits up together in one testimony affirming that no prophesie of Scripture is of private interpretation nor that those prophesies came in old time by the will of man but that holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 Who the most of these holy men were it is well known to the Church the titles of their Books bearing their names The Scriptures delivered 1 t By holy men as was most fit And that they were holy men the histories of their lives remaining still upon record and their honorable memory in the Church to this day sufficiently declare such as were Moses David Solomon the Prophets and Apostles And that the rest whose names are either concealed or doubtfull were such likewise will be evident to any indifferent person that shall consider two things First 1. They must bee such that had so near communion with God we know that God will be sanctified in all that come near him Lev. 10.3 as it is meet he should seeing his eyes are purer then to behold evill Heb. 1.13 one that is glorious in holinesse Exod. 15.11 and whose house holinesse becomes for ever Psal 93.5 Now then for Gods honour it was fit that none should be employed in this work of publishing Gods will and law to his people which so nearly concerned his own and his Churches service and wherein they were to be admitted into so near a degree of familiarity with him as to bee made acquainted with his chiefest secrets but onely such persons as were approved for holinesse Secondly 2. And by this means some respect is won to their writings the corrupt nature of men is such as we know that the least occasion would be sufficient to breed distaste of that which nature in it self is so averse from as the dressing vessell or sometimes servitor that presents the sick man the meat which his stomack loaths moves him to abhor it and consequently if there were just exception against the persons that bring it the message it self would quickly be distasted as the Lords offerings were for Elies wicked sons 1 Sam. 2.17 So that it concerned the Lord both for his owne honour and his Churches good to deliver his Word by the hands of holy men It addes something to the estimation of the Scriptures that they were written by such holy men as we have formerly mentioned but this at the uttermost addes unto them onely an humane respect 2. Directed by the Spirit of God but that which procures unto them divine reverence which ought to make all hearts stoop unto them is that they were written by the direction of the holy Spirit the Spirit of truth especially if we throughly consider what manner of direction it was which was given unto these holy Pen-men of these sacred Oracles in the composing therof The Apostle 2 Pet. 1.20 21. describes that kinde of assistance of the holy Ghost in the delivery of the Scriptures two ways First by way of negation that they were neither of private interpretation nor came by the wil of man Secondly he describes the same assistance affirmatively testifying that they spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost In the former of these Not by the abilities of nature wherein he expresseth this manner of delivering the Scriptures by way of negation the Apostle excludes the working of the naturall faculties of mans minde altogether First the understanding when he denies that the Scripture is of any private interpretation or rather of mens own explication that is it was not expressed by the understanding of man or delivered according to mans judgement or by his wisdome So that not onely the matter or substance of the truths revealed Both in the matter and expressions but the very forms of expression were not of mans devising as they are in Preaching where the matter which men preach is not or ought not to be the Ministers own that preacheth but is the Word of truth 2 Tim. 2.15 but the tearms phrases and expressions are his own Secondly he saith that it came not by the will of man who neither made his own choice of the matters to be handled Neither of them suggested by mans understanding nor directed by his wil farther then to understād approve what the Spirit suggested But the Pen-men were carried by the holy Ghost nor of the forms and manner of delivery So that both the understanding and will of man as farre as they were meerly naturall had nothing to doe in this holy work save onely to understand and approve that which
was dictated by God himselfe unto those that wrote it from his mouth or the suggesting of his Spirit Again the work of the holy Ghost in the delivery of the Scriptures is set down affirmatively when the Pen-men of those sacred writings are described to speak as they were moved or carried by the holy Ghost a phrase which must be warily understood For we may not conceive that they were moved in writing these Scriptures as the pen is moved by the hand that guides it without understanding what they did For they not onely understood but willingly consented to what they wrote and were not like those that pronounced the Devils Oracles rapt and carried out of themselves by a kinde of extasie wherein the Devill made use of their tongues and mouths to pronounce that which themselves understood not But the Apostles meaning is that the Spirit of God moved them in this work of writing the Scriptures not according to nature Yet understandingly willingly but above nature shining into their understandings clearly and fully by an heavenly and supernaturall light and carrying and moving their wils thereby with a delight and holy embracing of that truth revealed and with a like desire to publish and make known the secrets and counsels of God revealed unto them unto his Church Yea beyond all this the holy Ghost not only suggested unto them the substance of that doctrine which they were to deliver and leave upon record unto the Church for so far he usually assists faithfull Ministers in dispensing of the Word in the course of their Ministery but besides hee supplyed unto them the very phrases method The holy Ghost made choice both of the expressions and methods and whole order of those things that are written in the Scriptures whereas he leaves Ministers in preaching the Word to the choice of their own phrases and expressions wherein as also in some particulars which they deliver they may be mistaken although in the main fundamentals which they lay before their hearers and in the generall course of the work of their Ministery they do not grosly erre Thus then the holy Ghost not only assisted holy men in penning the Scriptures but in a sort took the work out of their hand making use of nothing in the men but of their understandings to receive and comprehend their wils to consent unto and their hands to write downe that which they delivered When we say that the holy Ghost framed the very phrase and style wherein the Scriptures were written we mean not that he altered the phrase and manner of speaking wherewith custome and education had acquainted those that wrote the Scriptures Yet uttering his own expressions as it were in the sound of their voice but rather speaks his own words as it were in the sound of their voice or chooseth out of their words and phrases such as were fit for his own purpose Thus upon instruments men play what lesson they please but the instrument renders the sound of it more harsh or pleasant according to the nature of it self Thus amongst the Pen-men of Scriptures we finde that some write in a rude and more impolished style as Amos some in a more elegant phrase as Isay Some discover art and learning in their writings as S. Paul others write in a more vulgar way as S. James And yet withall the Spirit of God drew their naturall style to an higher pirch in divine expressions fitted to the subject in hand How needfull it was that the Spirit of God should solely manage and accomplish this work of penning the Scriptures hath been shewed already in the former point wherein we proved that the Scriptures must necessarily be the Word of God seeing faith can stay it self on no other foundation then a divine testimony and our services cannot be accompted a duty of obedience unlesse it be done in obedience to Gods will which can be made known no other way then by his own Word Now the inferences hold strongly thus The Scriptures are Gods own Word therefore they must be delivered by his owne Spirit seeing none else could know Gods minde as none knows the minde of man but the spirit which is in man 1 Cor. 2.11 CAP. V. Of the Subject or Matters handled in the Scriptures that the Scriptures containe all things necessary to salvation IT much concerns such as addresse themselves to the reading of the Scriptures The subject matters revealed in Scriptures are to know what subject they handle of what nature it is whom and what it concerns as being an effectual means to awaken the heart and quicken the affections of men unto that holy exercise For all experience makes it evident that men usually attend carefully to such things as most neerly concern themselves 1. Such as concern men 2. And in the highest degree and are not much moved usually with things in which they have no speciall interest And are serious in matters of importance on which their own safety or their estate depend but sleight things that are of small worth and of no great moment to their gain or losse Wherefore to move men to be serious in reading the Word it is needfull to make it evident that the subject thereof is high and heavenly exceeding mans wisdome and therefore worthy to bee throughly searched into And besides of such importance to us that upon it depends our everlasting happinesse the way whereunto and means whereof are set down therein Seeing therfore it appears that the Position proposed and the consideration thereof are so pertinent to our present purpose and therefore fit to be handled in this place it will be needfull to open it more fully and to that purpose to expresse First what is meant by things necessary to salvation Secondly how the Scriptures doe containe them Concerning the former of these two Necessary imports not 1. A naturall necessity 2. Nor meritorious by necessary we understand not a naturall necessity by which the beeing of one thing depends upon another as the effect doth upon the cause no nor a meritorious necessity by which salvation might be earned as one earns his wages by his labor in either of which senses it is impossible that any thing should be necessary to salvation which can have no cause in nature nor be earned by desert seeing it is a free gift But a necessity imposed by the will of God Rom. 6.23 Eph. 2.8 But by necessary we mean a necessity imposed by the will of God who bestowing eternall life freely had power to bestow it on what conditions he pleased and hath promised it onely under the Covenant of faith and obedience the rules whereof being contained onely in the Scriptures and therein fully they are for that cause said to contain all things necessary to salvation When we say it is onely the will of God that makes faith and obedience necessary to salvation we deny not but this will of his hath in this as
us which discovered them not so fully before To go on then Rules for the finding out of the true sense of Scripture to the finding out and laying down of those rules which must be followed for the finding out of the true sense of the Scriptures we must lay down first the foundation That God intending in them to reveal unto man his mind must of necessity if he would be understood speak unto them after the manner of men and therefore make use of such words and phrases as men use to make their minds known by one to another So that the first thing which we must look unto in seeking out what God means to acquaint us with in his word is to consider what the expressions which we meet withall signifie in common use of speech amongst men This we call the Grāmaticall sense which they hold forth in their native and proper signification and besides that which they signifie in common use of speech figuratively as the womans seed Gen. 3.15 is her posterity and the serpents head is the serpents power For seeing words signifie by institution they must be taken to signifie according to mens intention in common use of speech whether properly or figuratively This Grammaticall sense may be found out by the Scriptures themselves foure waies First 1. To find out the Grammaticall sense 1. By comparing Translations with the originals by comparing the Translations with the originals as where we read Gen. 3.15 He shall breake there are that read it corruptly She shall breake Here the originall soon determines the controversie wherein the pronoune Hu can signifie nothing but He or It both which are all one in effect in this place The second means of finding the sense of Scripture by Scripture 2. By examining the circumstances of the Text is the examining of the circumstances of the text and scope of the place wherewith if any word taken in the usuall sense agree not we must seek out another sense though lesse usuall in which it may agree As 1 Tim. 4.1 Christ is the Saviour of all men the word Saviour must be interpreted in a generall sense for a preserver or deliverer from evill or danger indefinitely not a Saviour from everlasting death and damnation as after it signifies because of the clause which follows especially of those that beleeve which implies that he is so a Saviour of those which beleeve namely from everlasting death and hel as he is not of all other men seeing that in respect of everlasting salvation Christ properly is not the Saviour of any other but only of his own body the Church whereof he is the head 3. By comparing one Scripture with another Ephes 5.23 The third means to find out the true sense of words in Scripture is the comparing of one Scripture with another For truths must agree Wherefore if the words being taken in one sense agree not with themselves and other Scriptures we must find out another sense in which they may agree Gen. 1.27 God in the Creation of man is said to make them Male and Female which according to ordinary construction we might conceive to be done at one time but the larger narration of the Womans creation Gen. 2.11 shews us that the creating them Male and Female must be referred to divers times and actions as likewise because the Woman was made of the Mans Rib we know that when Gen. 2.7 Man is said to be made of the dust of the earth by man must be understood the Sex not the kind that is only the Man not both Man and Woman as Gen. 1.27 The last means 4. By examining the sense given by the Analogy of Faith is the examining of any sense given by the Analogy of faith that is by evident grounds of faith gathered out of Scripture with which if any sense given of any place of Scripture agree not we must have recourse to some other interpretation When it is said Joh. 15.2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit we must not interpret the branches that beare not fruit and are therefore taken away at last to be really in Christ as parts of his mysticall body because we know that no branch which is truly ingraffed into Christ can ever be taken away so that we must understand that phrase of such as are in Christ visibly as members not of his true body but only of his visible Church The Inchanters Rods related to be turned into Serpents Exod. 7.12 must be interpreted to seem so rather then to be so because the changing of the nature of creatures is beyond the Devils reach seeing it is peculiar to God as well as Creation As the words and phrases of Scripture must be understood literally 2. To take all Historicall relations in the order in which they are related so in the histories and relations of things done they must be conceived to be acted in that order in which they are related unlesse for avoiding some manifest contradiction in the circumstances of the narration Unless circumstances of the Text inforce us to allow an Anticipation we be forced to allow an anticipation or inverting of that order as we have sometimes cause to do The Holy Ghost either for the perspicuity of the history or some like occasion relating things together which were done a great distance of time asunder or those things asunder which were done together There are that make many senses of Scripture but upon no sufficient ground There is but one sense of any place of Scripture whereas it is apparent there can be but one true and right sense Yet we grant that some places may have a proper sense or a mysticall or allegoricall as it is called Gal. 4.24 No not in Allegories But if we weigh it well there is but one sense of the words which is proper the other is the sense of the Type expressed by those words which represents unto us some mysticall thing Or if we will needs distinguish them the one is the first sense the other is the full sense Such Allegoricall senses of Scripture Which we must not easily admit unlesse Scripture warrant them we must not easily admit unless the Scripture it self warrant them At least when some things which we read in Scripture may be aptly applied to represent other things Allegorically we have no warrant to obtrude our Allegories upon others Nor obtrude our interpretation of them upon others nor build principles of faith or rules of life upon them as the sense of the Holy Ghost much less to build upon them any ground of faith or rule of life Only it may not be unlawfull to shew the unanswerablenesse of some outward things in the Old Testament to spirituall things manifested in the New for illustration where we find apt resemblances between them so it be done with sobriety It happens sometimes When two different constructions may be made of the same words