strife amongst them What doth he then He made choise of sixe out of every Tribe and he brought forth seventie two blanke papers upon seventie of the papers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Senex he wrote Zaken senex and upon the two that remained hee wrote Hhelek pars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pars. Now when the Tribes drew their Lots out of the Boxe he who drew Zaken senex Moses said unto him Antea sanctificavit te deus benedictus but he who drew Hhelek pars he said unto him Non cupit te deus The Hebrewes say that Eldad and Medad Num. 11.26 were of those who were written but they went not out into the Tabernacle because they drew Hhelek pars but not Zaken senex they were inter conscriptos say they but not inter electos and so the number seventie is made up without them There were two Presidents in this Councell Two Presidents in the Councell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Princeps the first chosen in respect of his power dignitie and wisedome and he was called Nashi princeps and Rosh hajeshibhah Pater consessus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pater Consessus and he it was as the Iewes say that succeeded Moses The order how they sat in Iudgement who was the principall and the chiefe in the Councell and upon his right hand sat he who was greatest amongst the seventie and he was called Abh beth din pater consistorij 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pater Consistorij the rest sat according to their dignitie and age next to the Prince and they sat in a circuit or a halfe Moone that both the Presidents might haue them in their sight The time when they sat in these Iudicatories The time when they sat the great Iudicatorie sat every day except on the Sabbath and festivall dayes and when they sat the little Synedrion sat but from the morning Sacrifice untill the sixt houre that is untill our twelue but the great Synedrion sat from the morning Sacrifice untill the evening Sacrifice that is untill our three of the clocke in the afternoone What matters were judged in the great Synedrion The matters which they judged in this Iudicatorie were matters of greatest weight as to judge of a false Prophet when to make warres appointing Magistrates for inferior Cities so for cutting off of a Tribe and punishing the high Priest and whether an Apostate Citie should be raised and cast downe or not and they say that none might giue the bitter waters to the woman suspected of Adulterie but this Iudicatorie Num. 5.29 So they say when a man was killed and the killer not knowne none might measure from the place where the man was killed to the next Citie Deut. 21.7 but the Elders of the great Synedrion this case was onely tryed by them So the raising up seed to his brother and pulling off his shoe if he refused these were tryed by the great Synedrion Obiect Bellarmines argument to proue the Pope to be aboue secular Iudges Bellarmine the Iesuite to proue the Pope to be aboue secular Iudges alledgeth Deut. 17.12 The man that doth presumptuously and will not hearken unto the Priest and to the Iudge even that man shall die Here he saith the Magistrate doth onely execute the sentence of the Priest But first ex decreto judicis is not in the originall Answ but according to the sentence of the Law Deut. 17.11 and the word should be read disjunctivè He that hearkeneth not unto the Priest or unto the Iudge c. And by the Priest here is understood not onely the high Priest but other Priests Vers 9. When the high Priest and the Iudges sat together then he that hearkened not to the sentence given by the Iudge and interpreted by the Priest was to die so he who hearkened not unto the Iudge although the Priest was not there was to die for these Iudicatories which are conjoyned are sometimes distinguished Deut. 17.12 2 Chro. 19.8 and they must be interpreted respectiuely as the Lawyers speake In the lesser Iudicatorie When they might judge of capitall crimes in the lesser Iudicatorie they might not judge of a capitall crime unlesse they were twentie three a full number so they judged of a beast that had killed a man or lien with a woman to be put to death Levit. 20.16 The seventie whom Moses chose now at the commandement of the Lord Num. 11.25 The difference betwixt the seventie which Moses chose and the seventie which were chosen at the direction of Iethro differed from the seventie whom he chose at the commandement of Iethro Exod. 18. they excelled the former seventie far in gifts for they had the spirit of Moses upon them and as the Mantle of Elijah when it was put about Elisha then the spirit came upon him The spirit of Moses was not diminished when it was put upon the seventie so came the spirit of Moses upon the seventie and the spirit of Moses was not diminished when it came upon the seventie but the spirit of Moses in that houre was like the middle lamp of the Candlestick from the middle Lamp the rest were lighted but the light of this Lamp was not diminished so the spirit of Moses was not diminished when it came upon the seventie Moses spirit of judgement was upon them all but not his other gifts as Moses was mightie in words and deed but not they Moses was the meekest man in the world but not they One Moses ruling in a Councell will make it famous but to haue seventie like Moses sitting in a Councell for they had the same spirit of ruling which Moses had that made it to excell all the Councels in the world even Areopagus in Athens and the Senate in Rome and if we shall marke the unitie that was in this Councell then we shall more admire it Object Whether had the Seventie this gift of Prophesie continually or not Answ They prophesied for a day but no more therefore the Text said Prophetarunt non addiderunt i.e. prophetare The seventy which Moses chose had not this gift of Prophesie continually and so the phrase is used by the Hebrewes Gen. 8.12 Non addidit redire She returned not againe so 1 Sam. 15. Non addidit Samuel redire ad Saulem that is he saw him no more so Prophetarunt et non addiderunt that is they prophesied that day and no more Conclusion The conclusion of this is the Lord did sit here in the midst of this great judicatorie and he was their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was the President of their Councell and therefore they that hearkened not to this Councell were worthy to die CHAPTER XVII Whether a Iudge is bound to giue sentence according to things prooved and alledged or according to his owne private knowledge EXOD. 23 1. Thou shalt not receiue a report put not thine hand
and as we looke not to every particular colour in the picture but to the whole picture so wee should not looke in a Parable to every particular circumstance in it but to the generall scope example the rich Glutton lift up his eyes and saw Lazarus in heaven therefore the damned in hell doe see the glorified in heaven False Collections from this Parable a false collection and it is besides the intention of the Parable so the rich Glutton prayed to Abraham therefore we may pray to the Saints departed or that there is water in heaven to quench the thirst of the damned or that the soules departed haue fingers or eyes or tongues or that the damned desire that their brethren come not to those torments all false collections but if they should gather that the children of God are in great joy and the damned in great paine that were pertinent Secondly What may be gathered from this Parable that there is no redemption out of hell thirdly that there is no refreshment to the wicked in hell fourthly that the desires of the wicked shall not be granted to them fiftly that those who will not be instructed by the Word here will not beleeue although one should come from the dead to them and lastly that the Word of God Moses and the Prophets are the onely meanes to beget faith in us here Thus farre we may stretch the Parable and then wee shall bring a good sense out of it but if we stretch it farther then we shall bring a wrong sense out of it the wringing of the nose bringeth forth bloud Prov. 30.33 How the wicked may be inlightned by the Preaching of the Gospel and yet become worse after they be illuminated MAT. 12.43 When the uncleane spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through drie places seeking rest and findeth none then he saith I will returne unto mine house c. CHRIST having taught long amongst the Iewes and illuminated their minds by working sundry miracles amongst them and casting out Devils The scope of the Parable but having wrought no sanctification amongst them he bringeth this Parable of a man dispossessed of a Devill and being cast out finding the house emptie and trimmed returneth with seven spirits worse than himselfe The parts of it There is the Parable here and the application of the Parable the Parable is set downe at large and the application in few words even so shall it also be with this wicked generation The Parable it selfe hath three parts first possession secondly dispossession and thirdly repossession Possession in these words when the evill spirit is gone out of a man which implieth that he must first haue possession before he be cast out secondly dispossession and when he is dispossessed he wandreth in dry places and findeth no rest untill he returne and thirdly repossession he goeth and taketh with himselfe seven other spirits more wicked than himselfe and they enter in and dwell there and the last state of that man is worse than the first When the uncleane spirit is cast out He is an uncleane spirit first in the manner of his apparition secondly in the manner of his revelation and thirdly in the manner of his operation First in the manner of his apparition Satan uncleane in the manner of his apparition he appeareth in the likenesse of a Goat a stinking and a vile creature therefore the Lord saith They shall no more offer their sacrifices to Devils Deut. 17.7 In the Originall it is Leshegnirim to the hayrie ones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are called the hayrie ones because they haue appeared in the likenesse of Satyres or wilde Goates Secondly In his revelation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Devill is an uncleane spirit in the manner of his revelation thou shalt not suffer Obh a Witch to line Exod. 22.18 Obh is called a Bottle or a Bladder the Witches are so called because Satan gaue his answers out of their bellies and out of the secret passages of nature and for this they were called by the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thirdly In his operation he is an uncleane spirit in the manner of his operation where ever he lodgeth he defileth that soule and that bodie therefore the Scriptures call such somtimes dogges and swine Revel 22.15 and the filthiest beasts that are but the holy Spirit is most comely in the manner of his apparition in his revelation and operation First in the manner of his apparition when he appeared it was either in the likenesse of a man or a Doue How the Holy Ghost appeared or in the likenesse of fiery tongues but he never appeared in the likenesse of any filthy beast Againe in the manner of his revelation he revealed himselfe to his Prophets in a most comly manner when he spake in them he spake not out of the secret parts of nature they did not foame at the mouth as those who were blasted by the Devill but the holy Ghost sanctified their tongues and in great modestie and comelinesse they spake the truth Thirdly in the manner of his operation he is most holy for where ever he lodgeth he sanctifieth and purifieth that soule and bodie therefore he is compared in the Scriptures to water and to fire and to the Fullers sope Psal 51.7 Wash me and I shall be whiter than the snow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the originall it is Tecabbeseni play the Fuller upon me We may know then whether we be possessed by Satan or not if we delight in filthinesse or uncleannesse for uncleannesse is the unseparable effect of the uncleane spirit a man may be overtaken by Satan somtimes and Satan may in part pollute him but he delighteth not in it The godly delight not in sinne but if he delight to wallow in that sinne and make no resistance to Satan then he is certainly the habitation of Satan when one offered violence to a woman under the Law Deut. 22.27 if shee cryed out she was not to die the death but if she held her peace and consented to that villany she was to die the death So when Satan commeth to pollute the soule and defile the bodie if he cry out with Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the bodie of this death Rom. 7.24 then we are not to die but if wee hold our peace delight in Satans temptations which pollute the soule and the bodie then wee are to die Is cast out of a man There is no creature in which Satan delighteth to lodge Satans delight is to lodge onely in man but onely in man when he entred into other creatures it was but onely to deceiue man as when he entred into the Serpent it was for this end to deceiue Eva he cared not for the Serpent it selfe so when he entred into the Gergesites swine it was not for the swine that he cared but onely that he might draw
of their sinne So the Covenant here is the Lords Covenant and the deceiver is not able to make it of no effect But where the principall intention of the contracter is deceit and the person with whom the contract is made is deceived When the errour of the person maketh the contract of no effect then the contract is nullified as if a man should ignorantly buy a free man for a slaue here the free man should be released error personae irritat contractum Object But yee will say in all contracts God hath an hand and he is never deceived therefore no such contract should be dissolved where there is error personae Answ In the blessing betwixt Isaac and Iacob and the contract betwixt Ioshua and the Gibeonites God had set downe his revealed will God had revealed his will in the blessing of Iacob and the sparing of the Gibeonites what he was minded to doe in both of these and therefore neither the error of Isaac nor the deceit of Rebecca and Iacob made the blessing of no effect so neither in the contract betwixt Ioshua and the Gibeonites But the Lord forbiddeth fraudulent contracts in his Word neither is it his intention that such contracts should be made therefore they are of no effect CHAPTER XX. That a Iudge may giue out sentence by the information of the false witnesses and yet be free 2 SAM 1.16 And David said unto him thy bloud be upon thy head for thy mouth hath testified against thee IN Iudgement the principall part dependeth upon the witnesses and if they testifie an untruth The chiefe part in judgment dependeth upon the witnesses they make a wrong sentence to proceed out of the mouth of a just Iudge David here giueth out sentence against the Amalekite it was a just sentence in respect of the Iudge because he condemned him out of his owne mouth but a wrong sentence in respect of the Amalekite because he did not kill Saul but bragged onely that he had killed him for the Text saith that Saul killed himselfe 1 Sam. 31.5 When the Grecians besieged Troy Simile Palamedes was killed there amongst the rest and when the Greekes had raised their siege from Troy and taken Ship to returne to Greece Nauplius the father of Palamedes to be revenged upon the Greekes tooke a Boate in a darke night and went into the Sea and set up a Beaken upon a rock which when the Greekes did see they tooke it to be the Harbour and directed their Course towards it and so they runne the most of their Shippes upon the rockes and were cast away We cannot say here that the fault was in the Pilots because the Shippes were cast away but the fault was in false Nauplius who held up a wrong light unto them So when a good Iudge giveth out a wrong sentence the fault is not in the Iudge but in the false witnesses who hold up a false light unto him and therefore the Iudge should labour to punish these false witnesses and to restore the partie who is wronged to his right and as Telephus was healed by the speare that hurt him so should they studie to cure the person whom they haue wounded by their sentence A Iudge must not proceed without witnesse If a Iudge call two or three witnesses that is the first thing required of him in tryall of the truth nam testimonio unius non proceditur and one witnes doth not proue There are three witnesses in heaven to certifie us of the truth the Father the Word and the holy Ghost And there are three that beare witnesse to us in the earth of the remission of sinnes the Spirit the water and bloud 1 Ioh. 5.7.8 So in Iudicatories of the Church three witnesses are required 2 Cor. 13.1 This is the third time that I am comming to you in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established So in the tryall of civill causes every thing was established by the mouth of two or three witnesses Deut. 21.15 A Iudge is to make choise of faithfull witnesses Secondly The Iudge must call faithfull witnesses they are called faithfull witnesses when they are reputed so in the common estimation of men Esay 8.2 And I tooke unto me faithfull witnesses Vriah the Priest and Zechariah the sonne of Ierebechiah Vriah was not a faithfull man yet because he was so reputed amongst the people therefore he is called a faithfull witnesse They must be eye-witnesses Thirdly Hee must call witnesses who haue both heard and seene 1 Ioh. 1.1 That which we haue heard that which we haue seene with our eyes which we haue looked upon c. Fourthly They must be contestes and their testimonies must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agreeing in one Mark 14.56 Now if the Iudge proceed this way and the sentence be false it is not his fault for by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established that is shall be holden for truth When a Iudge demaundeth of the witnesses hee asketh them not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what murther is Secondly he asketh not of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the effects and consequents of murther which follow it as the guilt and punishment Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he asketh them whether it were casually or maliciously done And fourthly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they saw him kill such a man this is the speciall thing that they require and if the Iudge giue out sentence this wayes according to things proved then the blame lieth not upon him if there bee a wrong sentence pronounced It may be said Object when a man taketh a thing to bee a truth although it be an untruth he speaketh an untruth why doth not a Iudge then pronounce a sentence which is not true although he take it to be a truth There is a greater vniformitie required betwixt the mind and the tongue Answ then betwixt the sentence of the Iudge and the testimonie of the witnesses for there is nothing required in the Iudge but that he proceed secundùm allegata et probata according to things alledged and proved CHAPTER XXI Of one who killed in suddaine passion 2 SAM 14. And thy hand maid had two sonnes and they two stroue together in the field and there was none to part them but the one smote the other and slew him THere is a difference betwixt those things which wee doe in suddaine passion Difference betwixt things done in passion and deliberately and those things which are done deliberately those things which children mad men and beasts doe they are not said to be done deliberately they come not from the will which is principium agendi possunt laedere sed non injuriâ afficere Violentiâ—â— Coactum Non spontaneum Voluntarium Againe there is a difference betwixt violentum coactum non spontaneum voluntarium Violentum is that which by outward force a man is constrained to
more wicked than others they are not then called worse spirits because they are moe in number onely but they are worse because they are more malicious they are all bad spirits but some exceed others in malice and wickednesse many men doe mistake Satan and his Angels they thinke that some of them are spirits which doe no harme but they are all sworne enemies to mans salvation therefore Satan is called the red Dragon the red Dragon delighteth not onely to kill men for hunger but also for sport to kill them what can we looke for then of those infernall spirits of destruction And the last end of that man is worse than the first The end of the wicked is worse than their beginning three wayes His last end is worse than his beginning in three respects first in respect of God secondly in respect of himselfe thirdly in respect of Satan First in respect of God who justly punisheth him this wise by giving him up unto a reprobate sense because he loved not the truth secondly his last end is worse in respect of himselfe because he is dyed over againe with sinne those sinnes in the Scripture are called Scarlet sinnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scarlet is called Shani or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is twice dyed So men when they fall backe they are dyed anew againe and as recidivatio in morbis est periculosa so is the falling into sinne anew againe So it is worse in respect of himselfe because after that a man is illuminated he is more readie to become prophane Simile if he be not sanctified Take water and heat it and set it in the ayre it will freeze sooner than cold water So if a man be illuminated and haue some taste of sanctification and then fall backe againe he is in a worse case than he was in before Thirdly he is worse in respect of Satan for when Satan catcheth him againe he maketh him twice more the childe of hell A Iailor hath a prisoner fettered by the hands necke and feete the prisoner beggeth of him that he would release him he releaseth him all to the foote he slippeth his foote out of the fetters and escapeth if the Iailor catch him againe he layeth a double weight upon him and fettereth him twice as sure as he was before so when a sinner seemeth to escape from Satan being enlightned and in some shew sanctified it he fall backe againe he bringeth seven worse spirits with him The application of the Parable is The application of the Parable Even so shall it be also unto this wicked Generation As if Christ should say when I came amongst you yee were in darkenesse but by my ministerie yee haue beene illuminated but maliciously now yee impugne this truth and yee are possessed with seven worse spirits than before therefore your end must be worse than your beginning FINIS ¶ An Addition Pag. 122. line 11. TO raise up seed to the brother that is to the eldest brother Deut. 25.5 If brethren dwell together and one of them die that is if the first or eldest die and haue no seede then his second brother was bound to raise up seede to him if he were not married for the Law speaketh of brethren dwelling together and not married or forisfamiliate an example of this we haue in Er and Onan Gen. 38. Secondly if he had no brethren then his neerest Kinsman was bound to performe this duty to him if he had not beene married But it seemeth that this dutie is required of N. Rut. 4. Object although he had children for he saith then I should marre mine owne inheritance It is onely required of him here to redeeme the inheritance but not to marrie his Cousins wife Answ this was onely stare super nomen defuncti that is to make his childe to be reputed as the childe of the dead and so the childe should not be counted his sonne but the sonne of Chilion thus his inheritance should haue beene marr'd and his name rased out and this made N. to refuse but if the Cousin were not married then he was bound to marry the wife of his Kinsman Erratum Page 166. line 13. Dele not EXERCITATIONS DIVINE Containing diverse Questions and Solutions for the right understanding of the Scriptures Proving the necessitie majestie integritie perspicuitie and sense thereof As also shewing the singular prerogatiues wherewith the Lord indued those whom he appointed to bee the pen-men of them Together with the excellencie and use of Divinitie above all humane Sciences All which are cleared out of the Hebrew and Greeke the two originall languages in which the Scriptures were first written by comparing them with the Samaritane Chaldie and Syriack Copies and with the Greeke Interpretors and vulgar Latine translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Viatici parum via longinqua est By Iohn Weemse of Lathocker in Scotland Preacher of Christs Gospell LONDON Printed by T. Cotes for Iohn Bellamie and are to be sold at his shoppe at the signe of the three Golden Lyons in Cornehill neere the Royall Exchange 1632. TO The Right Honorable Sr. Thomas Coventrie Knight Lord Coventrie Baron of Alesborough Lord Keeper of his Majesties Great Seale of ENGLAND Most Honorable and my very good Lord IOB the wisest and the richest Prince in the East Iob. 28.7 searching where wisedome might be found he could not finde the place thereof He could not finde it in the land of the living the depth saith it is not with me and the Sea saith it is not with me the Vultures eye hath not seene it for all his sharpe sight and for the worth of it it cannot be gotten for Gold neyther can Silver be weighed for the price thereof then hee subjoyneth God understandeth the way thereof and he knoweth the place thereof for he looketh to the ends of the earth and seeth under the whole heaven The wisedome which Job speaketh of here is Gods secret wisedome in his workes of nature which none of the world although they were as sharpe sighted as the Eagle can understand Now if man be so ignorant in Gods woTkes of nature much more is he in the workes of grace and he may say as Agur sayd when he considered Jthiel and Vcal Iesus Christ the wisedome of the Father surely I am more brutish then any man Pro. 30.2 and have not the understanding of a man David when he lookt upon the heavens Psal 19.1 the workes of Gods hands he sayd The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth his handy worke then he telleth how they declare his glory and what sort of Preachers they be The vniversality of their preaching their line is gone out through all the earth even to the ends of the world Then their diligence in preaching both day and night Lastly how plainely they preach n all languages Yet this their preaching is but an indistinct fort of preaching in respect of the preaching of
Generatio Physica Metaphysica Hyperphysica first a physicall generation secondly a metaphysicall and thirdly an hyperphysicall physicall generation is this when a mortall man begetteth a sonne and this is done in time metaphysicall generation is this when the mind begetteth a word and this is alwayes done in time but hyperphysicall generation is that eternall generation and this is done before all time and Divinity sheweth reason how shee misapplyeth her physicall and metaphysicall generation to this eternall generation Whether is such a proposition true in Divinity Quest and false in reason the Sonne of God begotten from all eternity true in Divinity the Sonne of God begotten from all eternity false in the court of reason So Mary the Virgin bare a Sonne true in Divinity Mary the Virgin bare a Sonne false in the court of reason That which is true in one Science Answ is not false in another In Israel there was a judicatorie of seventy who judged of matters of greatest weight and there was an inferior judicatory consisting of three and these judged of goods and matters of least moment that which was truly concluded in the highest judicatory was not false in this inferior judicatory although they could not judge of a false Prophet as the great Synedrion did yet they held it not false in the lowest judicatory when the great Synedrion concluded such a one to be a false Prophet So that which is true in Divinity is not false in reason but onely above her reach and if any thing were true in one Science and false in another then verum non esset reciproca affectio entis that is that which hath a being should not bee true and that which is true should not have a being these two propositions should not be converted Veritas supra rationem juxta rationem rationem There is a verity that is above reason and there is a verity which is agreeable to reason and there is a verity that is under reason the first is of things taken up by faith the second is of things taken up by reason the third is of things taken up by sense but there is no verity contrary to reason it is not against reason to beleeve that a Virgin conceived and bare a Sonne but it is above reason What use reason hath in Divinity Wee must not seclude reason altogether from Divinity Christ himselfe used the helpe of reason against the Sadduces and Paul against the Iewes Heb. 7.17 Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek This is revealed by God himselfe that Christ is the King of peace and righteousnesse yet to prove this and to make it manifest to the misbeleeving Iewes he borroweth a helpe of a logicall notation saying which is by interpretation the King of righteousnesse the King of peace Heb. 7.2 So Christ useth reason against the Sadduces God is the God of Abraham Isaack and Iacob hence he inferferreth this consequent that they must live Object But they say that Christ and Paul were immediatly directed by God that they could not erre in their Midsts and conclusions as we doe Ans If Pauls extraordinary calling had given him power to use reason then they had spoken to the purpose but he useth reason as common to him and to all other men whether Apostles or not Apostles But they say Object that Christs authority and Pauls was greater than ours is This wee grant Answ they disputed against those who acknowledged not their authority but yeelded onely to them in respect of the force of the arguments is it not lawfull for us to doe the same against our adversaries which Christ did against the Sadduces and Paul against the Iewes But whatsoever was pronounced by Christ against the Sadduces or by Paul against the Iewes Object it became by and by holy Scripture which we cannot say of our conclusions Although arguments used by Christ and his Apostles became by and by the Word of God Answ yet it will not follow that we may not use these midsts brought forth by reason although they become not Scripture but then that would follow if wee brought forth these principles of reason to make them the object of our saving faith Whether were the Sadduces bound to beleeve this argument of Christs as an article of their faith Quest or not By the force of this consequence as it were the worke of reason they were not bound to beleeve it Ans but as it was proved to them out of the Scriptures they were bound to beleeve it Seeing humane midsts have no force to binde of themselves why are they used in proofe against men Quest This is done for the infirmity of man who is hard to beleeve Answ and the Divine midsts will not serve to refute the naturall man Simile These who have good and perfect sight need no other midst to see by but the light but a man who is of a weake sight and purblind useth Spectacles as a helpe to his sight so the perverse heriticks make us to bring in these humane midsts whereas the midsts taken out of the Word of God should serve by themselves to convince When Christ rose againe Thomas doubted of the resurrection and thought that his body had beene but a Spirit but Christ bearing with his infirmity by this humane midst proveth that hee is flesh because hee may bee touched and felt Observe againe that in Divinity some propositions are merely Divine and some are mixtly Divine These that are merely Divine reason can doe little thing here it can but joyne the tearmes together but it cannot take up these great mysteries example if I were disputing against the Monothelites who denyed that there were two natures in Christ and should reason thus Where there are two natures there are two wils but in Christ there are two natures therefore two wils That in Christ there are two wils this is a proposition merely Divine reason can never take up this yet reason sheweth this much where there are two natures there must bee two wills and it judgeth onely of the connexion of these two but it cannot judge of the verity of this whether there be two wills in Christ or not Quest Yee will say then what doth reason in the verity of these propositions which are merely Divine Ans Reason in a regenerate man concludeth not that to be false which is above her reach but onely admireth and resteth in this great mystery and reformed reason enlightened by the Word of God goeth this farre on that she beleeveth these things to be possible with God which shee cannot comprehend but reason in a corrupt man will scorne and mocke these things which shee cannot comprehend as the Stoicke called Paul a babler Act. 17.18 when hee disputed against them for the resurrection and called it a new doctrine In these propositions againe which are mixtly Divine reason hath a further hand example No naturall body can be in moe places at
long a life to record to the posterity the word and the workes of God Againe he did this to obviat the craft of the Divell and the counterfeite writings of the false Apostles God revealeth himselfe most surely to us by his word It was necessary then that the word should be written that the Church might have a greater certainety of their salvation See how farre the Lord commendeth unto us the certainety which wee have by the Scriptures above all other sort of revelation 2 Pet. 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have also a more sure word of prophesie here the certainety of the Scriptures is preferred to the transfiguration in the mount Secondly the Apostle Gal. 1.8 preferreth it to the revelation made by Angels If an Angell should come from heaven and teach any other Gospel let him be accursed Thirdly Christ himselfe preferred the certainety of it to Moyses and the Prophets If one should come from the dead and teach us Luk. 16.31 The Church is not the last resolution of our faith The Church of Rome then doth great wrong to Christians when they would make the last ground and stay of Christian faith to be the Church onely But wee are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Ephe. 2.20 the Lord when he dwelt betweene the Cherubims he set the Candlesticke upon his right hand and the table with the shewbread upon his left hand to teach us that the Scriptures are to be preferred still to the testimony of the Church and that wee must rest upon their testimony primariò Quest Whether is it an Article of our faith to beleeve that the Scriptures are the Word of God or not Ans Something 's de fide de verbo fidej somethings de verbo fidej but not de fide primario somethings neither de fide neither de verbo fidej Some things are both de fide de verbo fidei as Christ is Emmanuel Secondly somethings are de verbo fidei but not de fide primariò as Paul left his cloake at Troas Thirdly somethings are de fide but non de verbo fidei which are the conclusions drawne from the canonicall word by consequence And these are eyther drawne from the word generally as this that the Scriptures are the word of God for this is evident from the whole word generally and although this be a principle in it selfe which ought first to be beleeved yet in my conception and manner of taking up it is a conclusion arising from that majesty and Divine character which is in the word it selfe or the particular conclusions drawne from the word They are de fide non de verbo fidei as when a man concludeth his owne particular justification from the word as I Iames am justified est de fide mea and not a part of the canonicall word but an application arising from it Fourthly something are neyther de fides nor de verbo fidei Secondly we may answer to this whether the word written be an article of our faith or not Articles of our faith taken generally or specially The articles of our faith are eyther taken generally or specially generally for all that is contained in the Scriptures or may be deduced by way of consequence from the Scriptures then it is not an article of our faith to beleeve the canon of the Scriptures Secondly specially for that which is contained in the Creede for the Creede is the substance of that which is contained in the Scriptures and then it is an article of our faith to beleeve the Cannon of the Scriptures The Scriptures of God are considered essentially The Scriptures considered essentially or accidentally or accidentally Essentially as they proceede from God accidentally againe as they were written by such and such men As they proceede from God we must beleeve them to be true and to be the meanes of our salvation for saving truth is onely from God But if we consider them but accidentally as they are written by such and such men then it is not an article of our faith to beleeve them for it maketh not to our salvation primariò to know that they were written by such and such men When the books in holy Scripture carry the names of those who wrote them as the bookes of Moyses carrie his name if a man should deny these bookes to be written by Moses then be ignorant altogether of the matter contained in them then his ignorance were damnable Ignorantia damnabilis negatio haeretical and the denyall of them hereticall they have Moses and the Prophets Luk. 16. But if the writer of the booke be not set downe in the Scripture if a man should deny such a man to write it he should not be reputed as an hereticke for that Negatia est haerètica per accidens sed ignoratio non est damnabilis and to be ignorant that such a man wrote it this were not damnable ignorance Example it is holden that Paul wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews now if a man should deny that Paul wrote this Epistle he were not to be holden a hereticke for that neyther were his ignorance damnable A man may be ignorant of this or that booke and yet be saved and many were saved before the bookes were written and now many are saved who cannot reade the Scriptures Ignorantia hic est infirmitatis negatio est haeritica per accidens But when a man doubteth of the order and number of the bookes in the Canon this argueth but his unskilfulnesse and infirmity and the denyall of the number and order of these bookes is but hereticall by accident and the ignorance is not damnable Quest When we beleeve such a booke to be written by such a man whether beleeve we this by a justifying faith or by an historicall faith Ans When we beleeve that such a man wrote this booke this is but an historicall faith and this we have by the Church but that which is dogmaticall in this booke that we must beleeve out of the word it selfe we being illuminate by the Spirit Conclusi The conclusion of this is Seeing God hath revealed his will in his word written to us and remitted us alwayes to the law and to the testimony Esay 10.8 Ioh. 5.49 search the Scriptures therefore these who leave the Scriptures and make choyse of traditions they forsake the fountaine of living water and digge Cisternes to themselves that cannot hold no water Ier. 2.13 EXERCITAT IX Of the singular prerogatives which the secretaries of the holy Ghost had who wrote the Scriptures 2 Pet. 1.21 And the holy men of God spake as they were mooved by the holy Ghost Prorogative 1 THe holy men of God who were inspired by the holy Spirit to write the Scriptures First they were immediatly called by God Gal. 1.12 for the Gospel which I preached I received it not of man neyther was I taught but
the pen of a swift writer Psal 45.1 That is he not onely indited these prophesies unto them but also ruled them so and guided them in writing even as a master guideth the hand of a young child when he is learning to write Secondly he inspired them in writing the Histories and Actes after another manner per concomitantiam for that which was done already hee assisted them so in writing it downe that they were able to discerne the relations which they had from others to be true as Luke knew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How Luke differed frō Tertius and Baruch accurately the truth of these things which he had from those who had heard and seene Christ and he made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a perfect declaration of them there was a great difference betwixt him and Tertius who was Pauls Scribe and wrote out his Epistles Rom. 16.22 or betwixt him and Baruch who was Ieremies Scribe Ier. 38. they were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the secretaries of the holy Ghost but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discribebant ab alio they wrote onely these things which Ieremiah and Paul indited to them neyther was sanctification required in them as they were their Scribes But the Evangelists who saw not Christ yet they were the Secretaries of the holy Ghost and holy men as they were his Secretaries and directed by him to write Thirdly he assisted them in writing subsequenter the holy Ghost revealed things to the Prophets long before but when they were to write these things the spirit of the Lord brought the same things to their memorie againe and indited these things unto them which they had seene before in vision Ier. 36.2 Take thee a roule and write therein all the words that I have spoken to thee against Israel and against Iuda and against all the Nations from the day that I spake to thee even from the dayes of Iosias unto this day So Ioh. 14.26 the comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the Father will fend in my name he shall teach you all thing and bring all things to your memory which I have told you These Secretaries of the holy Ghost when they wrote habebant libertatam exercitij sed non specificationis Libertas exercitij specificationis as they say in the Schooles they were not like Blockes or Stones but the Lord inclined their wills freely to write which putteth a difference betwixt them A difference betwixt the Prophets of God and the Sybiles or Prophets of the devill and the Sybils and other Prophets of the Divell who were blasted and distracted in their wits when they prophesied When Elisha sent one of the children of the Prophets to annoynt Iehu one sayd to him wherefore commeth this madde fellow 2 King 9.11 they tooke the Prophets to be madde like unto the Heathish Prophets but they were inlightened by the Spirit when they prophesied and the Lord rectified their understanding and tooke not away from them the right use of their will It is sayd of Saul when he prophesied that the evill spirit of Lord came upon him 1 Sam. 18.10 And the Chaldie Paraphrast paraphraseth it caepit furere he began to be mad the Divell stopping the passages of his body he wrought upon his melancholious humor which is called Esca diaboli the Divels baite and then it is sayd ijthnabbe impulit se ad prophetandum which is never spoken of the true Prophets in this Conjugation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Although the Lords Secretaries had libertatem exercitij yet they had not libertatem specificationis that is they might not leave that subject which they were called to write and write any other thing as they pleased they were necessitated onely to write that although they wrote it freely Againe these men when they wrote as the holy Ghost enspired them The Prophts did not write with paine and studie they did it not with paine and study as we doe but it came freely from them without any paine or vexation of their spirit The Princes when they heard Baruch read the prophesie of Ieremiah after that it was endited they asked how did he write all these words at his mouth and Baruch answered them He pronounced all these words to me with his mouth and I wrote them with inke into the Booke Iere. 36.17.18 Salomon saith Eccles. 12.12 In making many bookes and in reading there is much wearinesse of the flesh but this was no wearinesse to them for they wrote this without any paine or labour and hence it followeth that those to whom their writing hath beene troublesome and painfull have not beene the Secretaries of the holy Ghost as Mac. 2.26 He that assayed to abbridge the five Bookes of Iason sayd that it was not an easie thing to make this abridgement but it required both sweate and labcu Seeing all that wrote the holy Scriptures were enspired by the holy Ghost Quest Why was Iohn called a Divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why was this Epithete appropriate to Iohn to be called a Divine Revela 1.1 For they were all Divines who wrote the holy Scriptures Answ The Greeke Fathers when they spake of Christ Quomodo differunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and specially Chrysostome they distinguish betweene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they say Apud caeteros aeconomiae fulmen sed apud Iohannem theologiae tonitrua extare The rest when they discribe the humanity of Christ they doe it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but when Iohn discribeth the Divinity of Christ hee doth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they say Mattheus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohannes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incipit Observe a difference betwixt these speeches The Lord came to the wicked but the word of the Lord came to his Prophets The Word of the Lord came to Esay to Ieremiah and this phrase The Lord came to Balaam to Abimelech to Laban The first signifieth that the Lord put these holy men in trust with his Word to be his Prophets but he never concredited his word to these prophaine wretches therefore it is sayd onely He came to them but never the Word of the Lord came to them Hee concredited his Word to his Prophets as to Esay and Ieremiah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as a pupill is concredited to the trust of his Tutor but he never concredited his Word to these wretches The Lord spake in his Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Notat internam revelationem Hosea 1.1 The Spirit of the Lord spake in me that is inwardly revealed his secrets to me Marke a difference betwixt these two phrases Loqui in aliquo Loqui in aeliquem Loqui in aliquo is when the Spirit of the Lord speaketh inwardly to the Prophets Loqui in aliquo loqui in aliquem vt differunt sed Loqui in aliquem est maledicere to raile against him thus
Num. 12. Miriam loquuta est in Mosem id est maledixit Mosi Conclusion The conclusion of this is Matth. 10.20 It is not yee that speake but the Spirit of our Father which speaketh in you So it was not they who wrote but the Spirit of the Lord in them 2 King 13. When Ioash the King of Israel tooke a Bow in his hand Elisha laid his hands upon the Kings hands and Elisha bad him shoote and he sayd the Arrow of the Lords deliverance and the Arrow of the deliverance from Syria it was not the Kings hand that directed the Arrow here but it was the hand of the Prophet laid upon the Kings hand which gave this mighty blow so it was the hand of the Lord laid upon the hands of his Secretaries which directed them to write the holy Word of God EXERCITAT IX Arguments proving the Scriptures to bee Divine 1 Thess 2.13 Yee received it not as the Word of man but as it is in truth the Word of God THe Testimonies which prove the Scriptures to be Divine are first the Testimonie of God himselfe when he approved them by his Spirit and when they were laid before him by Vrim and Thummim Secondly arguments drawne out of the Scriptures themselves Thirdly the Testimonie of the Church Fourthly the Testimonie of those who were without the Church Deus testatur Scriptura contestatur Ecclesia subtestatur Deus testatur God beareth witnesse to the Scriptures two wayes First by the internall Testimony of his Spirit Secondly by his externall Testimony When the Spirit testifieth unto us such Bookes to be his Word Quest whether is this a publike or a private Testimony This is a publike Testimony Ans which the Spirit Testifieth to the whole Church and to the severall members of it that these Bookes are holy Scripture for the same Spirit which endited the Scriptures to the Church testifieth still to the Church and to the particular members thereof that the Scriptures are the Word of God The second Testimony which God gave to the Scriptures was his externall testimony given by Vrim and Thummim testifying these Bookes of Moyses and the Prophets to be the holy Scriptures What are we to thinke of these Bookes Quest written and set in order after the captivitie seeing they had not the approbation of the Lord by Vrim and Thummim Answ These Bookes were called Ketubhim written Bookes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to put a difference betweene them and these Bookes which were confirmed by Vrim and Thummim they who wrote these Bookes were inspired by the holy Ghost as well as these who wrote the former and they were confirmed by the masters of the great Synagogue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aradice such as were Esdras Zacharie and Malachie The Greekes called these Bookes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abscondere and the Iewes distinguish them still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frō the Apocryphall Bookes called Gannazim abscinditi and the Greekes called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bookes of whose authority it was still doubted Reason 1 Reasons taken out of the Scriptures themselves proving them to be Divine the first reason is taken from the antiquity of the Scriptures Scriptura contestatur all this time was tempus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the heathen that is it was an hid or an unknowne time to them After the flood the Scriptures goe on and they set downe to us the history of the Church Tempus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Historicum but the Heathen history is Tempus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fabulosum as that which we reade of Hercules and Prometheus and nothing is set downe in the Heathen history before the Olympiads of the Graecians which was but in the dayes of Vzziah See how farre Gods Word exceedeth humane history in antiquity It beginneth with the world and endeth with it Luk. 1.70 as he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have beene since the world began Reason 2 Secondly the matter contained in the Scriptures sheweth them to be Divine Many histories shew us the heavy wrath of God upon man for sinne yet the Scriptures only shew us morbum medicinam medicum it sheweth us both the sicknesse the physicke and the Physitian to cure it Reason 3 The Scriptures not written to satisfie mens curiosity Thirdly the Scripture setteth downe things necessary onely for our salvation and nothing for our curiosity It is often repeated in the Bookes of the Kings and Chronicles The rest are they not written in the Bookes of the Chronicles of the Kings of Iuda and Israel So Ester 10.2 The rest are they not written in the Bookes of the Kings of Persia The holy Ghost would meete here with the curious desires of men who desire still to know more and more and to reade pleasant discourses to satisfie their humours as if the Spirit of God should say I have sufficiently told you here of the Kings of Iuda and Israel and of Persia and so farre as concerneth the Church and may serve for your edification it is not my manner to satisfie your curiositie if ye would know more go to your owne Scrowles and Registers where yee shall finde matter enough to passe the time with To bee short the Scriptures are not given to passe the time with but to redeeme the time Reason 4 Fourthly the prophesies set downe in the holy Scriptures shew them to be Divine for they distinguish the Lord from all the Idols of the Gentiles and the Divels themselves Esa 41.22 Let them shew the former things what they be that we may consider them and set our hearts upon them Renunciare proeterita anunciare presentia p. anunciare futura and shew us the things that are to come hereafter that we may know that yee are Gods Here the Prophet distinguisheth the true God from the false Gods and true prophesies from false If they could tell of things by-past and relate them from the beginning and joyne them with the things to come then he would confesse that they were Gods and that their prophesies were true To tell of things past is not in respect of time for the Angels and Divels can tell things fallen out from the beginning of time but it is in respect of the things themselves when they tooke beginning this is onely proper to God Psal 139.16 In thy Booke all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there were none of them Hee can joyne things by-past with things that are to follow and can tell certainely of things to come There is a twofold beginning of things The first is exordium rei The second is exordium temporis Exordium temporis rei The Angels know exordium temporis but not exordium rei for the Lord onely knoweth things before the foundation of the world was laid Ephe. 1.4 He who knoweth certainely
up against thee ascendeth that is Increaseth continually So Levare peccatum is to take off the burden of sinne Exod. 10.17 and Iohn alludeth to this 1.29 Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lapidare Elapidare And Levare peccatum Is to take up the burden of sinne Levit. 5.1 So Sakal Lapidare Elapidare signifieth eyther to cast stones upon a thing as Deut. 22.24 or to take away the stones out of a place as Esa 62.10 Another example I am like a drunken man whom the wine hath gone over Ier. 23.9 that is whom the wine hath overcome but Matth. 26.39 Let this cuppe passe over me that is let it not touch me in a contrary signification So Gen. 25.18 Cecidit coram fratribus suis He dyed in presence of his brethren The New Testament useth often times the Hebraismes of the Old but the Seventi◠translated it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He dwelt before his brethren The New Testament usually followeth these Hebraismes of the Old Testament as Hos 8.8 A vessel in which there is no pleasure Rom. 9.21 A vessell of dishonour So 1 Sam. 21.5 The vessels of the young men are holy 1 Thess 4.4 That yee may know to possesse your vessels in holinesse So Exod. 1.8 there arose a new King in Aegypt who knew not Ioseph Matth. 11 11. there arose not a greater then Iohn the baptist So in the New Testament there are many peculiar phrases which are found in no other Greeke writers and here we must distinguish inter Hellenisimum Graecismum Difference betwixt Hellenismum Graecismum Hellenismus quid Hellenismus is that sort of phrase which the Seventy use for they translating the Scriptures for the use of the grecizing Iewes followed the Hebrew Chaldee and Syriacke in many things The Seventy follow the Hebrew Chaldee and Syriacke in many things so that they have a peculiar stile which is not to be found in other Greeke writers example 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the New Testament signifieth wrath and poyson Reve. 18.3 Ex vino veneni that is poysoned wine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ira venenum So Iob 4.6 The reason of this is because Hhema in the Hebrew signifieth both wrath and poyson Another example 1 Cor. 5.45 Death is swallowed up into victory the Seventy hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In perpetuum but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signifie perpetuum amongst the Heathen Amos 8.7 and 2 Sam. 2.26 Lament 5.20 why doe they then translate it For ever because the word Netzahh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Victoria Aeternitas signifieth both Victory and Eternitie A third example Gen. 8.21 Dixit ad eor suum dominus but the Chaldee saith Bemeria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which phrase the Evangelist Iohn followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but this is not a phrase used amongst the Greekes A fourth example Give us this day our daily bread Matth. 6.11 The Greeks say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Panem quotidianum but the Syriacke hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Crastinum panem that bread which may feede us to day and to morrow So Iam. 4.6 The Lord exalteth the humble but according to the Hebrew and Syriacke phrase to Exalt is to lift up on the Crosse Ioh. 8.28 When yee have lift up the Sonne of man or exalted the Sonne of man that is lifted him up on the Crosse These particular phrases used by the Seventy would be marked And besides these The simplicity of the stile of the Scripture is admirable if we shall looke more nearely to the stile of the Scripture as to the simplicity of it then we shall much more admire it 1 Cor. 2.4 My preaching was not with inticing words of mans wisedome but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power Againe the Evidence of the stile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oculata fides cum quis ipse videt the judgements of God are set downe so wisely in the Scripture as if a man were looking on with his eyes this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Greekes as we may see in the deludge the overthrow of Sodome and the miracles in the Wilderdernesse set downe so clearely before us as if we had beene eye witnesses of them See a notable example Psal 7.12.13 By a borrowed kind of speech he setteth forth the judgements of God which were to over take the wicked as if we were looking on If he turne not he will whet his Sword he hath bent his bow and made it ready he hath also prepared for him the instruments of death he hath ordained his arrowes against the persecutors Eightly the Fulnesse of the speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Greekes call this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein nothing is wanting neyther in the enumeration of the parts The holy Ghost setteth downe all circumstances belonging to the purpose whereof hee intreateth or explication of the causes or reciting of the circumstances for the holy Ghost setteth downe all the circumstances belonging to the purpose So the Apostle Rom. 1. describeth at large the vanity and impiety of the Gentiles And Rom. 2. the hypocrisie of the Iewes and Cap. 3. he maketh a full description of the corruptions of man reckoning up the parts There is none righteous no not one vers 10. There is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God vers 11. They are all gone out of the way they are altogether become unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Vers 12. Their throate is an open Sepulcher with their tongues have they used deceit the poyson of Aspes is under their lippes Vers 13. Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse Vers 14. Their feete is swift to shed blood Vers 15. Destruction and misery are in their wayes Vers 16. And the way of peace they have not knowne Vers 17. And there is no feare of the Lord before their eyes Vers 18. Ninthly the Shortnesse of the speech and here we cannot enough admire the fulnesse of the stile and the shortnesse of it Every word of the Scripture carrieth a weight that which Cicero sayd of Thucycides may here be applyed fitly Eum esse adeo plenum refertumque rebus ut prope verborum numerum numero rerum exaquet That every word carried a weight with it and therefore we may call it Laconica Scriptura All things in the Scrip are fitly joyned Tenthly the Coherence all things in the Scriptures are fitly joyned and coupled together The Heathen sayd that there were three things unpossible Eripere Iovi fulmen Herculi clavam Homero versum to pull Iupiters Thunder-bolt out of his hand Hercules Club out of his hand and a verse from Homer for they thought that there was such a connexion betweene Homers verses that not one verse could be taken away without a great breach in the
or else we shall never come by the true meaning The literall sense is that which the words beare eyther properly or figuratively therefore he sayd well who sayd bonus grammaticus bonus theologus for we can never come to the true meaning and sense unlesse the words be unfolded A figurative literall sense is eyther in verbis vel in rebus eyther in the words or in the matter In verbis in the words as Luk. 13.32 Herod is a Foxe Psal 22.12 The princes of Israel are Buls of Basan in these words there is but one sense So Let the dead bury the dead Luk 9.50 Dead in soule bury the dead in body here is but one sense but where the words in one sentence have diverse significations then they make up divers senses as judge not that yee be not judged Iudicium libertatis Iudicium potestaâ—is Mat. 7.1 the first is judicium libertatis the second is judicium potestatis When we search to finde out the literall sense of the Scripture that cannot be the literall sense of it which is contrary to the analogie of faith which is eyther in credendis or in faciendis If it be contrary to the articles of our faith or any of the commandements then that cannot be the literall sensâ— as Rom. 12.20 If thine enemy be hungry give him meate if he thirst give him drinke for in so doing thou shalt heape coales of fire upon his head Here to feede the enemy and to give him drinke are to be taken literally because they are commanded in the sixt Commandement but to heape coales of fire upon his head must be taken figuratively because according to the letter it is contrary to the sixt Commandement Example 2. Matth. 5.29 If thy right eye offend thee plucke it out and cast it from thee Here the words are not to be taken literally for this were contrary to the sixt Commandement but figuratively So this is my body is not to be taken literally for it is contrary to the analogie of faith because the heavens must containe the bodie of Christ untill he come againe Act. 3.21 The second is figurative in rebus as in the Sacrament of the Supper when he sate with his Disciples he sayd This is my body he pointeth at the thing present and understandeth the thing that is not present he had the bread and cup in his hand and he sayd This is my body This is my blood In these propositions there is the subject and the attribute the subject is the bread and wine which he doth demonstrate the attribute is that which is signified by the bread and wine and these two make up but one sense propius remotius when Peter had made a confession that Christ was the Sonne of the living God Matth. 16. Christ to confirme this unto him and to the rest of the Disciples saith Tu es Petrus Similie super hanc petram c. he pointeth at Peter but he understandeth himselfe upon whom the Church is built and not Peter When a man looketh upon a picture he saith this picture is my father here he understandeth two things propius remetius to wit the picture it selfe and his father represented by the picture this picture at which hee pointeth is not his father properly but onely it representeth his father Object But some will object when it is sayd Hic est sanguis meus that the article hic agreeth with Sanguis and not with Vinum therefore it may seeme that it is his blood indeed and not wine that he pointeth at Answ This cannot be for in the former proposition when he sayd hoc est corpus meum he should have sayd hic est corpus meum because it repeateth the word panis as it is more cleare in the Greeke therefore the article hic hath relation to some other thing than to the bread at which he pointeth for the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repeateth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bread or the wine but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his body and his blood When Moyses sayd Exod. 24.8 Behold the blood of the Covenant here the word blood is properly to be understood because their covenants were confirmed with blood and there was no sacrifice without blood But when Christ sayd This is my blood of the New Testament there was no blood in the Cup here but he had relation to his owne blood which was signified by the wine in the Cup. Quest When Christ saith This is my body This is my blood how was he present with the bread and the wine there A thing is sayd to be present foure manner of wayes Answ first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and fourthly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when a man is bodily present Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as when a man is present by his picture Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the sunne is present by operation in heating and nourishing things below here Fourthly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when we apprehend a thing in our mind Christ when he sayd this is my body and this is my blood he was present there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he was not in the bread and the wine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for then his blood should have beene there before it was shed then hee should have had two bodies one visible and another invisible but he was present there in the bread and the wine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the bread and the wine represented his body and his blood So hee was present there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by his Spirit working in their hearts and he was present to them by faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they did spiritually eate his body and drinke his blood and this is the true and literall sense of the words Which is the literall sense in those words Quest Hoc facite in mei recordationem doe this in remembrance of me Although there bee many things implyed in these words Answ both upon the part of the Minister and upon the part of the People yet they make up but one sense as upon the part of the Minister Take this bread blesse this bread breake it and give it to the people And upon the part of the people take this bread eate this bread c. yet all these looke but to one thing that is to the remembrance of Christs death and therefore the externall action bringeth to minde the internall action the remembrance of Christs death so that in these words there is but one sense Testimonies of the old Testament cited in the New make but one sense When the testimonies of the old Testament are cited in the new the Spirit of God intendeth propinquius remotius something nearer and something farther off yet these two make not up two divers senses