unto me all ye that are weary heavy-laden c. He told â—e that coming to Christ was before weary and heavy-laden Whereas if he had read but his Grammar he might have known that though coming to Christ go before being weary and heavy-laden in order of words yet weary and heavy-laden go in construction and in order of sense So it is said there of the Gentiles that As Act. 13 48 many as were or dained to eternall life believed Some tell us the words should be rendered thus As many as were addicted to eternall life beleeved viz. as many as were addicted and disposed heaven-ward afterwards beleeved whereas the words in the Original run thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they beleeved as many of them as were ordained to eternall life that word which is placed in the last place in our English Bibles which I suppose might be one occasion of the mistake is placed in the fiâ—st in the Greek 5. Rule In the interpreting of Scriptures we must observe who it is that speaks whether a Prophet or one of a more private capacity if it be a Prophet whether he speakes in his owne person or in anothers If he speakes in the person of another we must observe whether he speaks in the person of God or man or of a good man or a wicked man These things must carefully be heeded if you would understand the Scriptures for instance Solomon personates the Atheist That which befalleth the sonnes of men befalleth Eccl. 3.19 beasts even one thing befalleth them as the one dieth so dieth the other yea they have all one breath so that a man hath no preeminence above a â—east and whereas the Atheist heard some speak of the ascent of mans spirit he replies Who knoweth the spirit of a ver 21. man that goeth upward viz. Who can tell there is such a difference between a man and a beast This is not known onely talked of and guessed A learned Author enlarges himselfe on this Scripture thus Is it not strange saith he that any of those who are called sober Christians should plant their opinion in this soyle of Atheisme and make that a proofe of their faith which Solomon onely brings as a proof of some mens infidelity there is no more reason to ground the tenet of the soules mortality on this text then there is encouragement unto intemperancy from that Rejoyce Oh young man in thy youth c. Eccl. 11.9 6. Rule The Scripture is the word of truth and yet every thing that is writen in the Scriptures considered without reference to the context or the person that speaks is not truth hence is that rule made use of by Divines in this case Scripturae narratio quamvis verissima sit non tamen omnia quae ibi dicta sunt vera esse dicuntur for instance He casteth out Divels through Beelzebub the Luk. 11.15 chief of Divels The words in themselves considered are blasphemous and false and yet the Scriptâ—ral narration of them is true 7. Rule In the expounding of Scripture we are not so much to respect from whence words are deâ—ived as how they are used this Axiom is out of Aquinas the School-men Verbis non tam spectandum ex quo â—uà m ad quid sumantur as we see the branches of trees spread much further then their roots so derivative words are often of larger extent of signification then their primitives as for instance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a sound or an echo but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to Catechize or to iâ—struct in the principles of religion That thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been iâ—structed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 1.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth tingo to dip or plunge into the water yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is frequently if not alwayes taken more largely for anâ— kind of washing rinsing or cleansing where there is no dipping at all the Apostles were baptized with fire yet they were not dipt into it tables beds are said in the originall to be baptized viz. washed not dipt the Israelites in the wildernesse were baptized with the cloud yet not dipt into it the children of Zebedee were to be baptized with the Baptisme of blood wherewith our Saviour was baptized yet neither he nor they were dipt into blood so the Ancients speake of the Baptisme of tears wherewith all penitents are washed yet there is no dipping in such a Bâ—ptisme 8. Rule We must not only take notice of those phrases or words which are made use of by the Spirit of God in the Scrâ—ptures but also in what respect those phrases or words are made use of in that particular text which we desire to understand for instance it is said This is life eternall that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent If the Father be Joh. 17.3 the only true God how then is the Son or the Holy Ghost God For the answering of this difficulty we must consider upon what account Christ calleth God Father in this place we must know therefore that verse 1. though he â—seth the word Father yet Father is nor there taken for the first person in the Trinity but as a common attribute of the Deity so it is elsewhere taken our Saviour in his Prayer teacheth us Mat. 6.9 to say Our Father so V. 14. If ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you according to which interpretation this text is parallel to that of the Apostle There is one God and one Mediatour betwixt God and man the man Christ 1 Tim. 2.5 Jesus So in John it is said The Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie Joh. 15.26 of me Now if this rule be not observed here will arise a difficulty if the Spirit proceed from the Father onely how doth he proceed from the Father and the Son We must consider therefore upon what account the Spirit is said to proceed from the Father in the place above alledged viz. because he proceedeth from the Father originally not because he proceedeth from the Father only elsewhere he is called the Spirit of the Son And because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into Gal. 4.6 your hearts crying Abba Father 9. Rule In the time of St. Paul the Iewish ceremonies were things indifferent which might be used or not used as they saw-it tend to Gods Glory and the good of the Church now this is profitable to know for the understanding of the History of the Acts where we shall finde Paul using Circumcision and yet writeth against it in his Epistles There are three things observable as to the use of Ceremonies 1. Before the death of Christ the use of Ceremonies was not indifferent but necessary as being commanded of God 2.
After the death of Christ their use was indifferent for a time this time was till the doctrine of Christian liberty might be fully made known to the world which could not be done on a sudden As Acts of Parliament have a day set downe when they shall be in force that so all the subjects of the Land may have time convenient to take knowledge of them so it is in this case 3. But now they are not necessary nor indifferent but absolutely forbidden After the passion of Christ Jewâ—sh Ceremonies were mortuae saith a learned man that is dead But after the divnlgation of the Gospel they becâ—me mortiferae that is deadly Saint Aâ—gustine elegantly expresseth this by a similitude A mans friend dyes he doeth not so soone as the breath is out of his body take him by the heeles and dragge him out of the doores and cast him upon the dunghill but he keeps him a certaine time wraps him in fair cloaths and so with honour accompanies him to the grave so these Ceremonies were alive till Christ and because they had been by divine Ordinance of great use in Gods worship they remained for a time indifferent that so they might be laid down in an honourable manner And here you may see the difference between Lawes Ceremoniall and Lawes morall the one were temporary the other are universall â—nd perpetuall the one were therefore good because they were commanded the other were commanded because they were good Morall Lawes â—ave an inward goodnesse in them which others have not When the Apostle would set forth the glory and excellency of the morall Law he gives these titles to it that it is holy and just and good which holinesse justice Rom. 7.12 and goodnesse he opposeth to his owne wickednesse I am carnall saith he but the Law is holy and just and good Now look as his carnality that was contrary to the Law was evill in it selfe so the Law which was contrary to that carnality was just holy and good in it selfe The Prophet Micah perceiving how forward many were in Ceremoniall duties and sacrifices in opposition hereunto he tells them He hath shewed Mic. 6.8 thee Oh man what is good speaking of morall duties as shewing mercy and walking humbly with God were not sacrifice and offerings good as well as mercy and walking humbly Yes but herein lyes the difference sacrifice and burnt-offerings were not in themselves good but onely as commanded by God but morall obedience as shewing mercy and walking humbly is good in it selfe and therefore said the Prophet He hath shewed thee Oh man what is good 10. Rule Comparisons in Scripture must not be wrested further then the scope of the comparison requires For instance Saint James â—aith As the body without the Jam. 2.26 spirit is dead so faith without workes is dead also The Papists gather from hence as the soul is the forme of the body and animates it so are workes the forme of faith which animate faith but the comparison is wrested for the scope of the Apostle is this as the body is known not to be dead by the operation and presence of the soul so faith is known not to be dead by workes So the Church is called the piller of truth The Papists make the comparison 1 Tim. 3. 15. here as the pillar upholds the house so the Church upholds truth But the comparison is wrested the Church is the pillar of truth viz. it holds out truth we use to hang out things upon pillars but it doth not hold it up 11. Rule When we read concerning Christ in the Scriptures we must consider what expressions referce to Christ as he was God what expressions referre to Christ as he was man and what referre to his person as he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man This Rule must heedfully be observed that we may neither confound the natures of Christ with Eutyches or cry up two persons in Christ with Nestorius As we may say concerning a man that some things are attributed to him which are proper onely to his soul as he is said to understand to grieve to rejoyce to fear to hope some things are attributed to him which are proper onely to his body as to eat and drinke and walk some things again are attributed unto him which are neither proper to the soul alone or the body alone but to the Quid compositum the person consisting of both for instance to laugh to write accurately to speake judiciously In like manner some things are spoken of Christ as he was God for instance he is called the Word the image of the invisible God the expresse image of his substance Some things are spoken of Christ as he was man as that he was acquainted with griefs that he was hungry thuirsty c. some things againe are spoken of Christ neither as he was God nor as he was man distinctly considered but as he was God-man for instance Had they known it they would not have crucified 1 Cor. 2.8 the Lord of glory So Take heed unto your selves and to all the floock c. to feed Act. 20. 28. the Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne blood 12. Rule There are severall promises in the Scriptures which although as to the rinde and outside of them they seem to relate onely to temporals yet if we look within we shall finde that they containe spiritualls Now this must carefully be observed that we may be established concerning the truth of divine promises Abraham was promised a sonne a blessing temporall but there was a spirituall blessing annexed even the greatest that ever the sonnes of men were made partakers of viz. the Lord Jesus Christ whom the Scripture calls the sonne of Abraham that seed in which all the nations of the earth should be blessed You have another instance also in Samuel where Nathan says to David When thy dayes be fulfilled and thou shalt 2 Sam. 7. 12 13 c. sleepe with thy fathers I will set up thy seed after thee which shall proceed out of thy bowels he shall build an house for my Name and I will establish the throne of his Kingdom for ever These words here are spoken of Solomon and yet something else is intended by the Spirit of God in this Scripture then can in propriety of speech be attributed unto Solomon For the power of Solomon was exceedingly weakned before his death and afterward his son even upon the point cast out of his Kingdom by the revolting of the ten tribes But that which is more then all this Solomons race we may see ended in Jeconiah Thus saith the Lord Write ye this man childlesse Jerem. 22. 30. a man that shall not prosper in his dayes for no man of his seed shall prosper sitting upon the throne of David and ruling any more in Juda. Therefore this promise must be extended further then to Solomon and his seed to Christ even of whom
1 Cor. 14. 34. women keep silence in the Churches for it is not permitted unto them to speak but they are commanded to be under obedience as saith the Law Now the truth is this of eating our bread in the sweat of our brows is all these it is a curse it is a promise it is a precept it is a curse in that God will not suffer the earth to afford us bread without our sweat it is a promise in that God assureth us that we shall have bread for our sweat and it is a precept too in that God enjoyneth us if we will have bread to sweat for it Have a care then of relieving common beggers vagrant and idle persons I speak not against Almes God requireth us to feed the hungry but remember as God doth not approove of any other work without charity so neither of charity it selfe without discretion as Paul Honour widows but those that are widdowes indeed 1. Tim 5.3 A woman that hath poysoned her husband is a widow but she is not a widow indeed not to be honoured so you must relieve the poor but those who are poor indeed who are they Those that want not onely the things they aske but want also means to get without asking viz. blind aged past their work that have a greater charge then they can maintain by their work Ierome Pars sacrilegii est rem pauperum dare non pauperibus Whilest you think you relieve the poor you robbe the poor Quest 48. vers 16 17 18 19. What may we learne from these verses considered together That God in the midst of judgement Resp remembers mercy and that he rolls up the sentence pronounced against the man and woman in love and sweetnesse thou shalt conceive and travell in sorrow there is judgement but thou shalt bring forth children there is mercy thy desire shall be subject there is judgement but it shall be to thy husband there is mercy God saith to Adam Cursed is the ground for thy sake there is judgement but not cursed art thou there is mercy Thou shalt labour and sweat there is judgement but it shall not be overmuch you know the face sweats before any part and it shall be the sweat of thy face there is mercy thy face shall sweat there is judgement but in the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat bread there is mercy Quest. 49. vers 21. Why did the Lord God make coats of skinnes and cloath our first parents with them To teach them he had not cast them out Resp 1 of his fatherly care though they had sinned against him That it might be a continuall Item of their sin against God The originall of raiment should never be forgotten by the sonnes of Adam but be remembred as a check to the vanity and pride of apparell we have no more cause to be proud of our cloaths then of a plaister of mastick worne to stay the Rheume from annoying the eyes or Teeth or a paire of spectacles to help the dimnesse of the sight Quest 50. vers 24. In the former verse it is said The Lord God sent man forth from the garden of Eden and in this verse it is said he drove out the man It is like God at first bid him go and Resp then he shewing himselfe unwilling and begging that he might abide there still God with some evidence of wrath drove him out Quest 51. verse 24. What may we Learne from Gods placing at the East of the Garden Cherubims and a flaming sword which turned every way to keep the way of the Tree of life That when man fell out with God he fell out with the good Angels The Resp Angels were loyall subjects and took part with their Prince against the Rebels but through Christ God and we are friends and the Angels and we are friends now in stead of shutting us out of Paradise they carry us into Paradise The Angels conveyed Lazarus into Abrahams bosome Good examples are rare in the world Oh that we could imitate the good Angels The mariners at sea when they have no land-markes to direct them home to their own Countrey are guided by the Starres Truly we have but a few good examples in this world and therefore let us take our patterne from the Angels that continually behold the face of God ready to do his will Despise ye not one of these little Matth. 18. 19. ones for I say unto you that in heaven their Angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven Notes on the fourth Chapter Quest 1. verse 1. It is said here by Eve I have gotten a man from the Lord and yet it is said in the first Epistle of John Not as Cain who 1 John 3. 12. was of that wicked one and slew his brother Eve speaks of bringing forth a sonne Resp which in it selfe considered is a blessing from the Lord as barrennesse was accounted a curse so fruitfulnesse was accounted a mercy Children in Scripture are called The heritage of the Lord Lo children Psa 227 3. are an heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the wombe is his reward There be some that account children but bills of charges but God puts them upon the account of our mercies It was an holy and pious speech of Iacob concerning his children These saith he are the children which God hath graciously given thy servant Gen. 33. 5. A Learned Author observes that children are greater blessings then any outward thing else whatsoever and therefore when a description is made of Jobs goods the best is put first first the Spirit Job 1.1 of God sets down his spirituall blessings Job was a man perfect and upright and one that feared God and eschewed evil and then comes his outward blessings and amongst them his children are set in the first ranke There were borne unto him seven sonnes and three daughters and then comes his sheep and Oxen and Camells So that Eve speaks of bringing forth a sonne which in it selfe is a blessing from the Lord and hence saith she I have gotten a man from the Lord John speaks of Gain with respect unto his wickednesse which was not from God but from the Devil and hence saith he Cain who was of that wicked one and slew his brother Quest 2. vese 1. Whether Eve thought that she had brought forth the Messiah for so many affirme with a great deale of confidence and they render the words not as we do I have gotten a man from the Lord but say they according as it is in the Originall I have gotten a man the Lord. The ambiguous acceptation of the particle Resp 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath given rise to this opinion We grant that this particle is many times a note of the accusative case which transitive verbs governe Withal we say it is not rarely taken for the prepositions cum or a vel abs pro cum ut Gen. 5. 22. Exo. 1.
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
and then we must affirme corpore infici posse spiritum which is an absurdity for 1. Though the truth of this axiome be taken for granted that Corpus non potest agere in spiritum yet I conceive we may demurre to it For though it should be assented unto that this could not be done by the power of nature yet it may be done by the efficacy and power of divine ordination Especially if we consider what a strict union there is between the soul and the body and that according to the various disposition and affecton of the body the soul also is variously affected and disposed We finde by experience that children resemble their parents not onely in their countenance and the outward lineaments of their body but in their manners and inward habiliments of their mind We finde that the soul in a great measure followes the temper of the body and that the spirits humors organs of the body being vitiated and disordered there followes upon this frenzy Melancholy passion and the like The Learned say Potentia materiae est duplex 1. Naturalis quae educibilis est in actum vi alicujus agentis naturalis There is a naturall power in that which that materiall or corporeall which is educible into act by vertue of a naturall agent that is to say wood hath a naturall power to receive heat viz. vi naturalis agentis scilicet ignis 2. Obedientialis an obediential power which is educible into act by vertue of a superior agent this wood or stone hath an obediential power to be formed into astatue for this is not effected by a natural agent which doth necessariò agere but by vertue of an Artist such a power also hath the soul to receive spiritual gifts the supernatural gifts of the Spirit as faith hope c. We say the work of conversion is possibile naturae though impossibile naturâ possible to nature though impossible to be wrought by a natural power Obediential power of a subject to receive a new form puts not any causall power in the thing or matter to be changed all such power is without viz. in the efficient there is onely a power of reception in the thing or matter not a power of causality Now we may take into consideration whether vi superioris agentis corpus may not agere in spiritum To this I might adde the consideration of the fire of hell which for ought I can learne may be material and yet can tâ—rment spirits as calor naturalis hath two properties 1. Calefacere to make warme and this it acts of it selfe 2. Alimentum in debitas partes distribuere To convey nourishment into the severall parts of the body and this it acts as an instrument of the soule so Hel-fire may be considered in its selfe and so it burnes bodies or as an instrument of divine wrath and so it torments spirits 2. Be it granted that the soule is created pure by God and that it cannot be tainted by the body yet it may be polluted ratione suppositi by Gods ordination and appointment as it is the soul of a man son and heir of corrupt Adam If you aske me Supposing this be taken for granted that we are defiled upon the account of divine ordination as a punishment inflicted by God on man for his apostasie by what instrument or second cause this is effected or brought to passe I answer that as there is nothing more secret then the forming of the child in the wombe the union of the soul with the body and the manner how it is united thereunto so this also must needs be a secret by he mediation of what instrument or second cause man comes to be defiled There are also other Objections urged against the doctrine of the creation of the soul It seems not to suit with the justice and Obj. 2 goodnesse of God to shut up a pure and innocent soul into a stincking prison and to thrust it as it were into abridewell that it might be corrupted there The consequence is to be deny'd for he Resp 1 may be said to act unjustly that acts contrary to what he is bound to do according to principles of justice but God is not bound to infuse the soules of the sonnes of Adam who sinned in Adam and merited thereby eternall death into pure bodies But rather the contrary according to the curse In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death We say that God doth infuse a pure soul into an impure body as the phrase may vulgarly be taken for that would imply that our souls before they were united to our bodies were pure which suits not with our principles formerly mentioned Causa causae est etiam causa causatâ— Obj. 3 The cause of the cause is also the cause of that which is caused by that cause viz. if God be the cause of the union of the soul with the body therefore he is the cause of that sinne that is occasioned by that union This rule is to be understood de causis Resp perse not de causis per accidens viz. God is the cause of his divine Law the Law is the cause of sinne per accidens as the Apostle I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandment came sin revived and I Rom. 8.9 died Yet no man will from thence conclude that God was the cause of sin How can Originall sin be propagated Obj. 4 and not the soul Non potest accidens traduci sine subjecto Accidents do frequently transire à subjecto Resp 1 in subjectum non transeunte subjecto as for instance heresie is propaged in these dayes and derived from one to another but so is not the soul which is the subject of these errours The same numericall accident cannot transire à subjecto in subjectum but so may the same in kind as appeares in the former instance Quest 5. vers 4. According to what space of time the yeares of the Patriarchs were measured The great age of the Patriarchs hath Resp enclined some to believe that their yeares did not containe the same space of time with those after the flood and with ours to this day Indeed we read of two periods of time especially by the ancients called yeares 1. There was annus solaris or that which they called their solar yeare which was the same with ours and contained 12. moneths Now this yeare was called solaris because it was measured by the Suns passing through the Zodiack 2. There was annus lunaris or that which they call their lunar yeares the same with our moneth or thereabouts now this was called Lunaris because it is measured by the Moons passing through the Zodiack Some think that the yeares of the Patriarchs were Lunar yeares The dayes of Adam were eight hundred yeares that is say Gen. 5.4 they eight hundred moneths c. Now this cannot in any case be allowed for these reasons 1. Enoch begat children at 65. yeares
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-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