larger i. e. the place that speaks but briefly of a thing with some other that speaks of it more at large common observation tells us that 't is not the right method to read abstracts first because though they be fuller of matter they are fuller likewise of obscurity And sometimes that of the learned Bacon proves true That Epitomes are the corruptions and moths of Histories Epitomes give us the substance of a matter but full Narratives must clear it up to us with all its due circumstances A compendium gives us the Quintessence Vertue Force and Spirit of a thing but the History at large is necessary to the right understanding of it 3. Let the clearer Scripture clear the obscurer We must compare the obscurer with the clearer i. e. if any place occur which is more obscure but elsewhere propounded to us in words that are more clear we must have recourse to it to clucidâ—te the â—ormer We must compare Moses with the Prophets Of all the Prophets Esaias speaks most clearly who is therefore stiled the Evangelical Prophet and seems rather to write the History than the Prophecie of Christ. We must compare the Old Testament with the New In the Nâ—w Testament the Book of the Revelations is deemed by those Interpreters that are wise unto sobriety and not above what is written to stand in most need of interpretation by the other written Revelations The Sacred Scriptures are written very much historically the Doctrines being interspersed with the History Some Eyangelists speak more clearly than others some most clearly of one part of the History of Christ some of another that all of them collated without conspiring together by a contrived design might give us the compleat History of Christ. That you may see the usefulness of this Rule consult Ioh. 16. 16 17 18. with 28 29 verses compared together 4. Let that Scripture determine the point that intends it You must compare Scripture with Scripture and you must compare them aright compare the place that speaks ex casu occasionally of a matter with some other where it is the main design of the place This Rule is to be attended unto in the Exposition of Parables For if we be strict observers of all by-passages in them instead of Milk we shall wring till blood cometh We must remember that Allegories must not be strained too much and that similitudes aâ—swer not in all Lines but in the chiefest Read for this purpose Luke 16. 5. Out of the scope and intention of the writer is often collected the sense of his words And the scope of the writer may be guessed at by the following circumstances viz. Quorsum quibus contra quos quae ex cujus personâ Why to whom against whom or what of whose pâ—rson he writes which last circumstance clears most passages relating to the Eunuchs Qâ—estion 6. Compare Antecedents and consequents in the place whose sense is dubious and it will much conduce to the right understanding of it Where there is not light enough in the Text there may be a light shining round about it in the Context to enlighten it 7. Negatives are more extensive than affirmatives Affirmativa non valent ubique ad semper negativa ubique or thus Affiâ—mativa valent semper negativa ad semper When God saith Pray it is alwaies true while in this probâ—tionstaâ—e that we must pray but it is not true that we must pray alwaies i. â— do nothing but pray But when 't is said Thou shalt not Kill c. This is our duty at all times there is no time wherein 't is lawful to Kill commit Adultery c. 8. Let an exception straiten and narrow a general Rule Exceptio firmat Regulam in non exceptis terminum praescribit in exceptis An exception confirms the Rule in things not excepted and bounds it against the rest 9. Non est distinguendum ubi Lex non distinguiâ— We must not distinguish where the Law doth not warrant it In Christ Iesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new Creature If this Rule be attended unto we shall easily understand how nice the distinctions of Conformity and non-conformity are and how unavailable either of them will be in attaining Salvation for us without a reformed life 10. We must carefully distinguish of the Scripture which speaks of the growth of the Church from that which speaks of the infancy of it And thus as for the Discipline of the Church of England our English Reformers considered what it was in the purest times of the first good Christ an Emperours when the Church was in its growth For the times of Persecution in the infancy of the Church before temporal Princes embraced the Christian Faith as they were most excellent times for doctrine and manners so very unproper and unfit for a Pattern or example of outward Government and Policy And doubtless that Government is most excellent both in the community as Christian and in the special notion as reformed that keepeth the middle way between the Pomp of superstitious Tyranny and the meanness of Phanatick Anarchy And this can be nothing else but a wâ—â—l regulated moderate Episcopacy according to this Rule 11. That which the Scripture holds forth at all times must not be prejudiced by what may take in one particular case although Necessitas est jus temporis Necessity be a Law in its time This is a Rule at all times Borrow and pay again This must not be prejudiced by that of the Israelites borrowing of the Egyptians This must not determine Ehud destroyed Eglon therefore thou shalt kill because 't is not safe arguing from particulars to general duties 12. Out of the Tradition and Interpretation of the truly Catholick Church out of the consent of the Fathers and of these either of many or of few of them when eminent for sanctity or learning out of the unanimous conspiration of Doctors and Interpreters the true and literal sense of Holy Writ may be often cleared up unto us By universal Tradition is meant Quod ab omnibus quod ubique quod semper receptum fuit What all the Churches of Christ in all places have ever successively received that is universal Tradition and he is no true Catholick that doth not receive it Where there is a Catholick consent and harmony to bear witness to any Interpretation and that sense is universally and solemnly accepted as it will seem a wilful errour to dâ—pâ—rt from it and to choose solitary and dangerous by-paths where the open road is so free and safe so what can be expected in such singularity but many absurdities and implications and violences offered to the word and truth 13. We must interpret according to the Analogy of Faith We must hold fast the form of sound words Examine the Interpretations of the holy Scriptures by those three Forms the Creed the ten Commandments and the Lords Prayer Mistake not you are not to examine the Scriptures by any
AN Explicatory Catechism OR AN EXPLANATION OF THE ASSEMBLIES SHORTER Catechism WHEREIN Those Principles are enlarged upon especially which obviate the great and growing Errors of Popery useful for those Families that desire to hold fast the Form of sound words Aug. lib. 15. de Trin. Cap. ult Domine Deus quaecunque dixi de tuo agnoscant tui Siqua de meo tu ignosce tui London Printed for Henry Mortlock at the Phoenix in St. Paul's Church-yard and White-Hart in Westminster Hall 1675. To the Christian Reader especially Heads of Families THose Catechisms may very well be esteemed the best which are Explanatory of the Creed ten Commandments and the Lords Prayer because these Summaries or Abstracts contain the Essentials of the true Religion or those choice truths which God would have us take extraordinary notice of in our course of reading the holy Scriptures And therefore those that begin with Catechizing begin the most easie and profitable way for any because the weightier matters of the Law are not hard to be understood and such words being Spirit and Life and the very marrow of Christianity must needs feed and nourish us up unto eternal life I have fixed my thoughts upon the Assemblies shorter Catechism because the Principles in it are mostly agreed upon by all sober intelligent unprejudiced Protestant Divines You have also something of the nature of the two Covenants superadded to or rather enlarged upon more particularly and expresly than in the Catechism And because Catechisms ought to contain nothing but received truths you have mostly the Explication of Antient and Modern Divines And therefore where you meet with any thing that is not so elaborate and exact you may conclude it mine and not theirs Hearing occasionally a Discourse of a very learned and godly Divine out of Deut. 6. 6 7. And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children c. who recommended to Parents with the greatest earnestness the work of Catechizing I shall make bold to transcribe a part of it and offer it to publick view You shall have 1. His Reasons to prove that Parents ought diligently to Catechize or teach their Children Servants also included 2. His Answers to the Objections against it And 3. The Motives he laid down to provoke and stir up all Parents to this necessary duty 10. Reasons for the proof of it 1. Every man ought to promote the Glory of God to advance the Kingdom of Christ and to further the Salvation of others as far forth as they are able and have opportunity to it And can we effect these any better way We pray Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come thy will be done Surely the coming of Christs Kingdom into our hearts is one way of his Kingdom 's coming 2. God hath set Parents in Authority over them and they cannot improve it to better purpose This is the most ancient Government Before there was King or Common-wealth there was Parental Government This being most ancient afterwards was the Priest and Prophet God hath laid a command upon Children to obedience in the fifth Commandment Ephes. 6. 1. Only Dignity requires duty improve your authority for God and use it to instruct your Household in the Word of God Do not think you have done till you have done this 3. Even nature it self dictates thus much The Birds and Beasts of the field yea the Sea-monsters take care of their young ones If you do nothing but feed and cloath your Children you do no more than Heathens nay than brute beasts 'T is said of the Ostrich Job 39. 16. that she is hardened against her young ones as though they were not hers And what do ignorant Parents less who are hardened against their own Children who are parts of themselves 4. Children have Souls to be saved or damned therefore some must take care of them and the soul that sinneth must die We see Children die as well as Aged persons In Golgatha there are Skulls of all sorts Yea do but look into the Register of a Parish and you shall see as many young as old have died in it Children may die and what if they die without knowledge in their sins better were it with those Children mentioned 2 Kings 2. 23 24. than these Isa. 27. 11. 2 Thes. 1. 7 8. Thus unchastised Children shall suffer but the Parents shall not go Scot-free If you would have them profit by the publick Ministry you must Catechize them at home To bring them to the publick before they be thus Catechized is setting before them an hard loaf You must give them milk at home that they may be fit for higher truths in publick 5. Your Children are Children of wrath and you have been instruments to conveigh this to them They die and that proves this When your Children are sick you forthwith go to the Physitian and will you take no care of their Souls inheriting their spiritual maladies from you You may say as David to Abiathar 1 Sam. 22. 22. I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy Fathers house 6. What will become of Religion in future Ages if Parents neglect this duty at present If all Parents were as careless as some the Church of God would soon cease on the earth Isa. 38. 19. The Father to the Children shall make known thy truth Psal. 78. 3 4. Which we have heard and known and our Fathers have told us We will not hide them from their Children shewing to the Generation to come the praises of the Lord. If we do not teach our Children how should they teach theirs It was above two thousand years before the Scripture was written how then was piety preserved but by one Generation teaching another Adam taught his Children The sacrificing of Cain and Abel's piety therein were both the fruit of Adam's teaching Noah taught his Children to Abraham and he taught his houshold Isa. 1. 9. Except the Lord of Hosts had left unto us a very small Remnant we should have been as Sodom and we should have been like unto Gomorrah We should have been as Heathenish as Paganish as they 7. God is highly pleased with piety in younger ones The Lord had respect to Abel the younger and Enoch of all the Patriarchs before the Flood the youngest is said to please God How was God pleased with the piety of Samuel and Josiah And we read of Jehojachin that began very young to Reign and did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord 2 Kings 24. 8 9. God takes notice of the evil as well as the good Children might sing Hosanna as well as cry bold-head if they were taught Iesus said Mat. 19. 14. Suffer little Children and forbid them not to come unto me for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven Of such not untaught Children 8. You cannot expect the blessings of the Covenant except yâ—u teach them
or they do not If they do then they worship false Gods and are guilty of gross Idolatry there being no similitude or likeness of the true God If they do not then is ignorance the Mother of that Dâ— votion and with the Samaritans they worship they know not what Or if they do worship the true God they worship him ignorantly and know not the manner of the God that made the Heavens and the Earth Deut. 4. 12 15. Isa. 40. 18. Ioh. 4. 22. Acts 17. 23. 2 Kings 7. 26. Q. Why can there be no manner of similitude of the true God A. Because he dwelleth not in Temples made with hands and is the unapproachable invisible God Acts 17. 24. 1 Tim. 6. 16. Q. The Papists worship God by Images the Protestants worship God without them which way therefore are we to worship the true God A. The way the only infallible Judge of Controversies hath declared unto us Q. Is the Pope this infallible Iudge A. There is no infallible Judge upon Earth and the Pope being but the Hâ—ad of a Party the supream Head of the Romanists neither he nor they can be Judge in their own Cause Iam. 4. 12. Mat. 23. 9 10. Prov. 18. 17. Q. Who then is the infallible Iudge of Controversies A. Christ the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father He is the only infallible Judge of Controversies who hath told us all things and wâ— have his Determinations upon Record Q. Where are his Determinations Recorded A. In the holy Scriptures Q. What are his Determinations concerning God and the manner of his worship A. They are 1. Negative that God dwelleth not in Temples neither is to be worshipped by Images made with mens hands Acts 17. 24. with 1 Kings 8. 27. Acts 17. 25. 2. They are affirmative viz. That God is a Spirit and that they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and truth Ioh. 4. 23 24. Q What other sin is chiefly forbidden in this Commandment A. Superstition Q. What is Superstition A. Superstition in the proper and strict notion of the word is the worshipping of Idols or dead men Act. 17. 22. But this is the same with that Idolatry the giving that worship and glory to others which is due to God alone which is forbidden in the first Commandment Q. What is therefore Superstition in the 〈◊〉 generally received notion and as it is forbidden in this Commandment A. It is when things are either abhorred or observed with a zealous or fearful but erroneous relation to God by means of which the superstitious serve either the true God with needless Offices or defraud him of necessary Duties or bestow such honours and service upon others as is proper for and should be peculiar for him only Or More plainly thus It is the worshipping of God in any other way or by any other means than what he hath appointed in his Word called Ordinances the Commandments and Doctrines of men Q. How manifold is this Superstition A. Twofold Affirmative and Negative Q. What is Affirmative Superstition A. That whereby the Superstitious serve the true God with needless Offices Q. And what the Negative A. That whereby men out of a sâ—â—â—pulous Conscience or ignorant fear of displeasing God abstain from things lawful and laudable as sinful and ungodly Q. Doth the Scripture warrant this distinction A. Yes Q. 1. What is the Idolatry and Superstition of the Church of Rome A. The worshipping of the Bread and Wine in the Eucharist out of a false and groundless perswasion that they are substantially changed into the Body and Blood of Christ. 2. The worshipping and invocation of Saints and Angels and particularly of the Virgin Mary which hath now for some Ages been a principal part of their Religion 3. Their worshipping of Images Which practice notwithstanding all their distinctions about it which are no other but what the Heathens used in the same case flies as full in the face of the second Commandment as deliberate and malicious killing of a man is against the sixâ—h Acts 17. 29. Rom. 1. 23. 4. Their superstitious Fasting and ab staining from Flesh in Lent Their superstitious Holy-daies Their adding Cream Oyl and Spittle to the water in Baptism and their Baptizing of Bells Their praying upon Beads and mary more superstitious customs For which there is not the least command in the Scriptures Q. What if the Doctrine of Transubstantiation be not true A. Then by the confession of several of their own learned Writers they are guilty of gross Idolatry Q. Doth not the Bread in the Communion remain Bread after the words of Consecration A. Yes the Scripture expresly calls it so after the words of Consecration 1 Cor. 11. 26 27 28. Q. But what if the Bread be transubstantiâ—te and turned into the very Body of Christ A. Then all mens senses are deceived in a plain sensible matter wherein 't is as hard for them to be deceived as in any thing in the world Q. Why so A. For two things can hardly be imagined more different a little bit of Waâ—er and the whole Body of â— man Q. But what if the Testimony of sensâ— be not to be relied upon A. Then no man is sure that Christianâ—ty it self is true Q. Why so A. For the utmost assurance that the Apostles had of the Truth of Christianity was the Testimony of their own senses concerning our Saviours Miracles Q. And what if the Testimony of sense 〈◊〉 to be relied upon A. Then it plainly follows that no man no not the Apostles themselves had more reason to believe Christianity to be true than every man hath to believe Transubstantiation to be false Q. But if the case be so plain a man would think that at least the Teachers and Guides of that Church should be sensible of it A. Why they are so and afraid the People should be so too and therefore by their corrupt Glosses and Phâ—risaiâ—al Traditions in their interpreting the holy Scriptures they tye up and keep the Pâ—ople in ignorance of the true meaning of those places which do more expresly condemn their damnable Idolatrous practises and their superstitious customs and in their ordinary Caâ—â—chisms and Manuals of Devotion they leave out the second Commandment and divide the tenth into two to make up the Number lest if the common people should know it their Consciences should startle at the doing of a thing so directly contrary to the plain command of God Q. And is it not well observed by the learned from Deut. 11. 28. That he that professeth Idolatry is as if he denied the whole Law A. Yes Q. But because after all the unanswerable Objections and Arguments of the Protestants against Transubstantiation that Monster aâ—d shame of humane nature and the other Blasphenies and absurd Doctrines of the Papists they do all unanimously betake themselves to the authority of their Church as their main and last Refuge and tell us
Conclusion of the Lords Prayer A. For thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever Amen Q. What doth the Conclusion of the Lords Prayer teach us A. It teacheth us to take our encouragement in Prayer from God only Q. Is this an encouragement to us in Prayer that the Kingdom or Rule or Soveraignty is Gods and therefore he may give us what he pleaseth A. Yes Q And that the Power is Gods and therefore he can do according to and above all our necessities let our case be what it will A. Yes Q. And that the Glory belongs to God and therefore we are encouraged from the glorious excellencies of his nature to expect and for the furtherance and promoting of his own honour to desire the fulfilling of our requests A. Yes Q. What else doth the Conclusion teach us A. It teacheth us in our Prayers to Praise him or to joyn praises to our Prayers by ascribing Kingdom Power and Glory to him only 1 Chron. 29. 11 12 13. Q. And is Gods Kingdom Power and Glory then the matter both of Gods praise and of our encouragement A. Yes Q. Is God praised by us in our ascribing all Kingdom Power and Glory to him and in extoling his excellencies and Prerogatives A. Yes 1 Tim. 6. 15 16. Q. How long must we thus glorifie and praise God A. For ever Q. And why do we say Amen as the Conclusion of this and of all our Prayers A. In testimony of our desire and assurance to be heard Q Is that then the meaning of our saying Amen in the close of our Prayers So let it be and so it shall be as such phrases imply both earnestness in desiring and confidence of speeding A. Yes The Creed I Believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth And in Iesus Christ his only Son our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was Crucified dead and buried he descended into Hell the third day he rose again from the dead he ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead I believe in the Holy Ghost the holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints the forgiveness of Sins the Resurrection of the Body and the Life Everlasting Amen The Ten Commandments Exodus 20. GOD spake all these words saying I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the House of Bondage 1. Thou shalt have no other Gods before me 2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven Image or any likeness of any thing that is in Heaven above or that is in the Earth beneath or that is in the Water under the Earth Thou shalt not bow down thy self to them not serve them For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate me and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my Commandments 3. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain For the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain 4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy Six daies shalt thou labour and do all thy work but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any work thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughter thy Man-servant nor thy Maid-servant nor thy Cattle nor thy Stranger that is within thy Gates For in six daies the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the Seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it 5. Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy daies may be long upon the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee 6. Thou shalt not Kill 7. Thou shalt not commit Adultery 8. Thou shalt not Steal 9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy Neighbour 10. Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours House thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours Wife nor his Man-Servant nor his Maid-Servant nor his Ox nor his Ass nor any thing that is thy Neighbours The Lords Prayer Matth. 6. OVR Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our Debts as we forgive our Debtors And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil For thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever Amen Acts 8. 30. Understandest thou what thou readest GOD avouched Israel to be his peculiar people In Iudah is God known his Name is great in Israel God erected a partition-wall between the Jew and the Gentile but Christ took it down And now in every Nation be that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted with him And this Ethiopian Eunuch although of the Line of cursedâ— Ham becomes a Believer upon Philip's Preaching to him Jesus We see how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called Yet there are some of the most Noble and Officers of great honour and trust whom God is pleased to call over to himself Of this chosen and royal Priesthood whom God called out of darkness into his marvellous light were David Solomon Iehâ—shaphat You may read David's conquests 2 Sam. 8. and 10. Chapters Solomon's honour 2 Chron. 1. 12. How the Realm of Iehoshaphat was quiet for his God gave him rest round about 2 Chron. 17. 6. and 20. 30. And you see of what Authority this Eunuch was under Candace Queen of the Ethiopians Verse 27. The Law is our School-master to bring us unto Christ Yea even Proselytism it self is here an Introduction to such a blessing Philip had a Vision and therein an Angel from Heaven spake unto him to go towards the South unto the way that goeth down from Ierusalem to Gaza which is desart where he light on the Ethiopian Eunuch Vers. 26 27. And finding him studious of the way of God reading the Evangelical Prophet vers 28. by prophetick divine efflation or revelation he is directed to go near to the Chariot and speak to him vers 28. The which he did with the greatest readiness running to the Chariot and there hearing him read Esaias the Prophet said to him in the words of the Text Vnderstandest thou what thou readest Which words we may call the Deacons serious profitable question to the Eunuch with set purpose according to the guidance of Gods Spirit to be an Interpreter unto him The division of the words would be more curious than useful That every sincere serious Christian that doth in good earnest look after the Salvation of his Soul will diligently read the holy Scriptures is here to be supposed
as implied in the godly practice of this Eunuch the Doctrinal truth to be insisted upon as more express is this Doct. That we ought not to content our selves with the bare reading of the holy Scriptures but should labour to understand what we read of them And here you have 1. The proof of this Doctrine 2. Some Rules for the better understanding the holy Scriptures 3. The Application 1. This Doctrine is proved 1. By the practice of the Church of God in all Ages Read Neh. 8. 8. and this practice was not abrogated by Christ or his Apostles but ratified and confirmed Christ expounded to the two Disciples that went to Emaus in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself And you find Christ reading the Book of Esaias the Prophet and expounding that Scripture of himself as that day fulfilled in their ears by his Preaching to them You find the Apostle Iames alledges this why they should not require or force them to be Circumcised who from Gentiles turned Christians for Acts 15. 21. saith he Moses of old hath in every City them that Preach him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day As if he had said Nor need we Jews to fear that this will bring a contempt upon Moses or our Law For the contrary appears by the Christian practice even where these Proselytes of the Gentiles are there the Books of Moses as hath been customary from of old are still continued among them to be read aloud in the Synagogue every Saturday to which the Council of Laodicâ—a did after add the reading of a Chapter in the New Testament to signifie their respect to the Mosaical Law and their not offering it contempt among the Proselytes though they did not require them to be Circumcised And Acts 13. 15 c. you may read Paul's approbation continuation and recommendation of this laudable custom to us by his own practice And that all Nations may be taught our of the holy Scriptures the things that are commanded them of Christ he hath promised his special presence with Ministers unto the end of the world Now to him that shall Question this in our daies I shall give him the two Disciples answer to Christ art thou only a stranger in Ierusalem and hast not known the things which have been and are of ordinary practice with us every Lords day 2. By the command of God Ioh. 5. 39. with Prov 2. 4 5. Till I come give attendance to reading to Exhortation to Doctrine i. e. Betwixt this and the time of my coming to thee see thou be diligent in performing thy office in the several parts of it expounding the Scriptures confirming Believers and admonishing them of any fault or danger and instructing the ignorant or unbelievers Some few Rules for the better understanding and our more profitable reading the holy Scriptures And these are either Antecedent Concomitant or Subsequent 1. Antecedent Rules 1. We must pray and beg of God wisdom to understand the Scriptures We must pray with David that God would open our eyes that we may behold wondrous things out of his Law We must pray that God would acquaint us with the mysterie of the Gospel For if the Gospel be hid it is hid to those that are lost 2. We must lay aside all vain conceit of our own wisdom be humble and hearken to God alone speaking in the Scripturâ—s God hath so disposed the way to Heaven that the most ignorant and most humble not the most illuminate and most proud shall be most ready to receive and embrace the Gospel And we must account our own wisdom foolishness that we may know the holy Scriptures which are able to make us wise unto Salvation We must lie low in the fight and sense of our own ignorance arguing thus with our selves Have we lived so long and read the Scriptures so often and know so little of them Let us thus be wail our ignorance for the humble God will teach The rain falls upon the Rock but rests not there that it may make the Valleys fruitful Divine heavenly wisdom will not rest upon a proud heart but will enrich the lowly with its treasures We must hearken to God alone speaking in the Scriptures Humanum est errare there is no infallible Judge upon Earth If any man Preach any other Doctrine unto us than that we have received from the Canonical Scriptures let him be accursed If Pope or Council or Pope and General Council agreeing together decree or determine any thing against or besides the holy Scriptures Let God be True and every man a Lyar in this case we are not to attend to a Thus faith a Father or a Pope or Council c. but to a Thus saith the Lord. 3. We must go to the Scriptures without prejudice Non reâ—erendus est sensus sed auferendus We must not bring but take our sense from the Scriptures lest we wrest them to our own destruction Take care no body plunder you rob you of all that you have your principles of Christian knowledge through Philosophy or by such vain empty frothy pretended knowledge and wisdom which the Gnosticks of old talked so much of taken out of Pythagoras together with the observances of the Mosaical Law and very distant and contrary to Christian Divinity 4. We must go to the Scriptures with a mind purified by Faith and Repentance and in which is the study of Piety We must lay aside all filthiness and superfluity or naughtiness when we go to the waters of life 5. We must go with reverence and love of the truth We must go with reverence to the holy Scriptures because of their Author and matter We must go to the Scriptures as to the Oracles of God and the Laws of Heaven the which we must stand in awe of and be subject to for Conscience sake We must go with the love of the truth although it be against flesh and blood and thwart and contradict self and carnal interest in the world The want of this love of the truth is given as the reason of that fatal miscarriage of the Gnosticks those carnal Christians 6. We must go to the Scriptures with full purpose of heart to do the Will of God Ioh. 7. 17. 2 Tit. 11. 12. Luk. 11. 28. The fear of the Lord is a step to wisdom Psal. 111. 10. Prov. 1. 7. Quia finis Scripturae non est nuda scientia sed praxis 2. Concomitant Rules 1. Non est recedendum à litera legis absque summa necessitate When the words of Scripture may without any incommodity or incongruiâ—y be taken properly and as they sound and lie in the Text they ought to be so taken neither are they to be inflâ—cted to metaphors or other Tropes or improper senses unless when out of the words taken properly some absurd interpretations should from thence be elicited Aug. Hence it follows that they are the best Interpreters who