329 Chap. 11. Signs of a Christian in regard of sin and that great corruptions may be found in true Christians Pag. 332 Chap. 12. Two Questions resolved about sin Pag. 335 Chap. 13. Of the Saints care to preserve themselves from sin and especially their own iniquities Pag. 336 Chap. 14. Of the cause of forbearing sinne of abhorring it and of small sins Pag. 338 Chap. 15. Of some particular sins and especially of Ambition Apostacy Backsliding Blasphemy Boasting Bribery Pag. 339 Chap. 16. Of carnal confidence Covetousness Cruelty Cursing Pag. 348 Chap. 17. Of Deceit Distrust Divination Division Drunkennesse Pag. 352 Chap. 18. Of Envy Error Flattery Gluttony Pag. 357 Chap. 19. Of Heresie Hypocrisie Idleness Impenitence Injustice Intemperance Pag. 361 Chap. 20. Of Lying Malice Murmuring Oppression Pag. 366 Chap. 21. Of Perjury Polygamy Pride Pag. 368 Chap. 22. Of Railing Rebellion Revenge Scandall Schism Pag. 372 Chap. 23. Of Sedition Self-love Self-seeking Slander Pag. 377 Chap. 24. Of Tale-bearing Vain-glory Violence Unbelief Unkindness Unsetledness Unthankefulness Usury Pag. 381 Chap. 25. Of Witchcraft Pag. 387 BOOK V. Of Mans Recovery by CHRIST Chap. 1. Of Mans Recovery Pag. 389 Chap. 2. Of Christ. I. His Person Pag. 394 Chap. 3. Of Christs being Man Pag. 396 Chap. 4. Of Christs Offices Pag. 404 Chap. 5. Of Christs double state of Humiliation and Exaltation Pag. 424 Chap. 6. Of Christs Exaltation Pag. 438 BOOK VI. Of the Church the Spouse of Christ and Antichrist the great enemy of Christ. Chap. 1. Of the Church of Christ. Pag. 447 Chap. 2. Of Pastors Pag. 454 Chap. 3. Of Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction and Government Pag. 466 BOOK VII Of our Union and Communion with Christ. Chap. 1. Of our Union with Christ. Pag. 485 Chap. 2. Of Effectual Vocation Pag. 489 Chap. 3. Of Conversion and Free-will Pag. 491 Chap. 4. Of Saving Faith Pag. 499 Chap. 5. Of the Communion and Fellowship Beâ—ievers have with Christ and their Benefits by him specially of Adoption Pag. 510 Chap. 6. Of Iustification Pag. 512 Chap. 7. Of the parts and terms of Iustification Remission of sins and Imputation of Christs Righteousness Pag. 519 Chap. 8. Of the Imputation of Christs Righteousness Pag. 522 Chap. 9. Whether one may be certain of his Iustification Pag. 524 Chap. 10. Whether Faith alone doth justify Pag. 528 Chap. 11. Of Sanctification Pag. 530 Chap. 12. The parts of Sanctification are two Mortification and Vivification I. Mortification Pag. 535 Chap. 13. II. Of Vivification Pag. 537 Chap. 14. The Sanctification of the Whole Soul and Body Pag. 540 Chap. 15. Of the Sanctification of the Will Pag. 542 Chap. 16. Of the Sanctification of the Conscience Pag. 544 Chap. 17. Sanctification of the Memory Pag. 546 Chap. 18. Sanctification of the Affections Pag. ib. Chap. 19. Of the particular Affections Pag. 549 Chap. 20. I. Of the Simple Affections Pag. 551 Chap. 21. II. Of Love and Hatred Pag. 555 Chap. 22. II. Desire and Flight Pag. 558 Chap. 23. Ioy and Sorrow Pag. 561 Chap. 24. Of Sorrow Pag. 565 Chap. 24. Of Hope and Fear I. Of Hope Pag. 568 Chap. 25. II. Of Fear and some mixed affections Pag. 571 Chap. 27. Of the sensitive Appetite Pag. 579 Chap. 28. Of the Sanctification of mans body and all the external Actions Pag. 580 Some special Graces deciphered Pag. 584 BOOK VIII Of Ordinances or Religious Duties Chap. 1. Something general of the Ordinances Pag. 605 Chap. 2. Of ordinary religious Duties first Of Hearing the Word Pag. 607 Chap. 3. Of Singing Psalms Pag. 609 Chap. 4. Of Prayer Pag. 611 Chap. 5. The sorts and kindes of Prayer Pag. 625 Chap. 6. Of the Lords Prayer Pag. 637 Chap. 7. Of the Sacraments Pag. 655 Chap. 8. Of Baptism Pag. 662 Chap. 9. Of the Lords Supper Pag. 678 Chap. 10. Of the Masse Pag. 700 Chap. 11. Of extraordinary religious Duties Fasting Feasting and Vows I. Of Fasting Pag. 735 Chap. 12. II. Holy Feasting or religious Thanksgiving Pag. 739 Chap. 13. Of a Religious Vow Pag. 740 BOOK IX Of the Moral Law Chap. 1. Some things general of the Commandments Pag. 749 And the ten Commandments in so many Chapters following BOOK X. Of Glorification Chap. 1. Of the General Resurrection Pag. 857 Chap. 2. Of the Last Iudgement Pag. 859 Chap. 3. Of Hell or Damnation Pag. 864 Chap. 4. Of Everlasting Life Pag. 868 THE FIRST BOOK OF THE Scriptures CHAP. I. Of Divinity in General IN the Preface or Introduction to Divinity six things are to be considered 1. That there is Divinity 2. What Divinity is 3. How it is to be taught 4. How it may be learnt 5. Its opposites 6. The Excellency of Divine Knowledge I. That there is Divinity That is a Revelation of Gods will made to men is proved by these Arguments 1. From the natural light of Conscience in which we being unwilling many footsteps of heavenly Knowledge and the divine Will are imprinted 2. From the supernatural light of Grace for we know that all Divine Truths are fully revealed in Scripture 3. From the nature of God himself who being the chiefest good and therefore most Diffusive of himself must needs communicate the Knowledge of himself to reasonable creatures for their Salvation Psal. 119. 68. 4. From the end of Creation for God hath therefore made reasonable creatures that he might be acknowledged and celebrated by them both in this life and that which is to come 5. From common Experience for it was alwayes acknowledged among all Nations that there was some Revelation of Gods will which as their Divinity was esteemed holy and venerable whence arose their Oracles and Sacrifices II. What Divinity is The Ambiguity of the Word is to be distinguished Theology or Divinity is two-fold either first Archetypal or Divinity in God of God himself by which God by one individual and immutable act knows himself in himself and all other things out of himself by himself Or second Ectypal and communicated expressed in us by Divine Revelation after the Patern and Idea which is in God and this is called Theologia de Deo Divinity concerning God which is after to be defined It is a Question with the Schoolmen Whether Divinity be Theoretical or Practical Utraque sententia suos habet autores But it seems saith Wendeline rather to be practical 1. Because the Scripture which is the fountain of true Divinity exhorts rather to practice then speculation 1 Tim. 1. 5. 1 Cor. 8. 3. 13. 2. Iam. 1. 22 25. Revel 23. 24. hence Iohn so often exhorts to love in his first Epistle 2. Because the end of Divinity to which we are directed by practical precepts is the glorifying of God and the eternal salvation of our souls and bodies or blessed life which are principally practical Wendeline means I conceive that the blessed life in Heaven is spent practically which yet seems to be otherwise Peter du Moulin in his Oration in the praise of Divinity thus
God 2. Epicurism scoffing at Divinity 3. Heresie depraving and corrupting Divinity VI. The Excellency of Divine Knowledge or the study of Divinity appeareth in these particulars 1. In the subject Matter of it which is Divine either in its own Nature as God and Christ Psal. 70. 7. Ioh. 5. 46. or in relation to him as the Scripture Sacraments It is called The wisdom of God Prov. 2. 10. 3. 13. 1 Cor. 2. 6 7. and That wisdom which is from above Jam. 3. 17. If to know the nature of an Herb or the Sun and Stars be excellent how much more to know the Nature of God Aristotle held it a great matter to know but a little concerning the first mover and Intelligences Paul desired to know nothing but Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. that is he professed no other knowledge Si Christum discis satis est si caetera nescis Si Christum nescis nihil est si cetera discis In this Mystery of Christ God is revealed in the highest and most glorious way 2 Cor. 4. 6. there is more wisdom holinesse power justice discovered in the Mystery of the Gospel then was known before to men and Angels Christ is the summe of all divine revealed truths Luk. 24. 27. Acts 10. 43. Here is the onely knowledge which is necessary to make the man of God perfect Col. 2. 3. The Metaphysicks handle not things properly divinely revealed but that which the Philosophers by the light of nature judged to be Divine 2. In the End The principal and main end of Divinity is the glory of God that is the Celebration or setting forth of Gods infinite Excellency the secondary end is mans blessednesse Iohn 17. 3. 3. In the Certainty of it Gods Word is said to be sure and like Gold seven times refined there is no drosse of falshood in it The Academicks thought every thing so uncertain that they doubted of all things 4. In the Cause of it These truths are such as cannot be known but by Gods revealing them to us All Scripture was given by Divine Inspiration Flesh and bloud hath nor revealed this unto thee a humane light is enough to know other things 5. In the Holinesse of it Psal. 19. 5. By them thy servant is fore-warned 1 Tim. 3. 15. The word of God is able to make us wise to Salvation and to furnish to every good work Christ makes this a cause of the errour and wickednesse in mans life that they do not read and understand the Scriptures 6. In the Delight and Sweetnesse of it Iob 23. 12. preferred the Word of God before his food David before thousands of Gold and Silver before the honey and the honey-comb Psal. 19. 10. 119. 103. and when he ceaseth to compare he beginneth to admire Wanderfull are thy Testimonies Archimedes took great delight in the Mathematicks Augustine refused to take delight in Tullies Hortensius because the name of Jesus Christ was not there Nomen Iesu non erat ibi He saiâ—â— in his Confessions Sacrae Scripturae tuae sunt sanctae deliciae meae 7. In the Excellency of the Students of it 1. The Saints of God in the Old Testament the Patriarks and Prophets 1 Pet. 1. 10 11. 2. The Saints of God in the New Testament Matth. 11. 25. Col. 1. 27. 3. It is the study of the Angels and Saints of God sn heaven 1 Pet. 1. 12. Ephes. 3. 10. 1. The natural knowledge and enquiry of the Angels could never have discovered to them the Mystery of Christ in the Gospel 2. They know it by the Church that is saith Oecumenius by the several dispensations of God to his people under the Gospel 8. In that the Devil and Hereticks oppose it The Papists would not have the Bible translated nor Divine Service performed in the vulgar tongue CHAP. II. Of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures TWo things are to be considered in Divinity First The Rule of it the Scripture or Word of God Secondly The Matter of Parts of it concerning God and man Principium essendi in Divinity is God the first Essence Principium cognoscendi the Scripture by which we know God and all things concerning him I shall handle both these principles but begin with the Scripture as many Systematical Writers do IT is necessary that the true Religion have a rule whereby it may be squared else there could be no certainty in it but there would be as many Religions as men It appears by the light of nature the Heathen had known rules for their Rites Ceremonies and Services the Turks have their Alcoran the Iews their Talmud the Papists their Decretals every Art hath its Rule neither can any thing be a Duty which hath not a Rule There are three general Characters whereby we may know any Word to be the Word of God and a Religion to be the true Religion 1. That which doth most set forth the glory of God 2. That which doth direct us to a rule which is a perfect rule of holinesse toward God and righteousnesse toward man 3. That which shews a way sutable to Gods glory and mens necessity to reconcile us to God The word of God sets forth Gods glory in all the perfections and is a compleat rule of holinesse to God and righteousnesse to men All the wisdom of the world cannot shew what is more sutable to the glory of God and the nature of man to reconcile God and men then for him that is God and man to do it God revealed himself divers wayes to the Fathers Heb. 1. 1. The manner of revealing Gods will is three-fold according to our three instruments of conceiving viz. Understanding Phantasie and Senses to the understanding God revealed his Will by engraving it in the heart with his own finger Ier. 31. 33. by Divine inspiration 2 Pet. 1. 21. 2 Chron. 15. 1. Heb. 8. 11. Iohn 14. 26. and by intellectual Visions Numb 11. 5. to the phantasie God revealed his Will by imaginary Visions to Prophets awake and by dreams to Prophets asleep Gen. 40. 8. 41. 8 9. Acts 16. 10. 10. 3. Numb 14. 4. to the Senses God revealed his Will and that either by Vision to the Eye or lively Voice to the Ear Gen. 3. 9. 4. 6. 15. 4 5. Exod. 20. 1 2. 3. 1 2 3. 33. 17. And lastly by writing This Revelation was sometimes immediate by God himself after an unspeakable manner or by means viz. Angels Urim and Thummim Prophets Christ himself and his Apostles The written Word for the Matter contained in it is called The word of God Rom. 9 6 for the manner of Record The Scripture John 10. 35. 2 Tim. 3. 16. 1 Pet. 2. 6. or Scriptures Matth. 22. 29. John 5. 39. Rom. 15. 4. 2 Pet. 3. 16. By an Antonomasie or an excellency of phrase as the most worthy writings that ever saw the light sometimes with an
we are not hereafter to expect or look for any fuller or more clear Revelation of Divine Mysteries then that which was then delivered 4. Christ is called a Mediator of the New Testament or the New Covenant Heb. 9. 15. because all things are established by him as they ought to continue for ever for that which is old decayeth and is ready to vanish but that which is new abideth Heb. 8. 13. 5. It pleased the Lord in great wisdom to reveal the Covenant of grace to the Church that she might not despair but obscurely at the first that she might earnestly long for the coming of that Messiah who was to make known what he had heard and seen of the Father which dispensation was needful that the grace of God might not be contemned as haply it would have been if God had fully revealed and made known his bounty unto man before he had seen his misery and the necessity thereof Our Saviour Christ for substance of Doctrine necessary to Salvation taught nothing which was not before in some sort contained in the writings of Moses and the Prophets out of whom he confirmed his Doctrine but that which was in them more obscurely aenigmatically and briefly he explained more excellently fully and clearly the Apostles proved their Doctrine out of the Book of Moses and the Prophets Act. 17. 11. and 26. 22. Luke 24. 27. Rom. 1. 2. Act. 28. 23. Sixthly All things necessary in that manner as we have spoken were taught and inspired to the Apostles by our Saviour Christ and there were no new inspirations after their times nor are we to expect further hereafter which we prove 1. By places of Scripture Ioh. 14. 26. he that teacheth all things omitteth nothing Christ said all things to his Apostles as appears Iohn 15. 15. and 17. 8. Iohn 16. 13. 2. By reasons drawn from thence 1. The plentiful pouring forth of the Spirit was deferred till the glorifying of Christ he being glorified it was no longer to be delayed Christ being exalted on the right-hand of God obtained the Spirit promised and that was not according to measure and poured the same in such abundance as it could be poured forth and received by men so that was fulfilled which was fore-told by Ioel 2. 28. Acts 2. 33. Iohn 3. 34 35. Acts 2. 16 17. 2. The Scripture and the Prophecies of the Old Testament do teach and declare That all Divine Truth should fully and at once be manifested by the Messias who is the only Prophet high-Priest and King of his Church there is no other Revelation promised none other needful besides that which was made by him Isa. 11. 9. Act. 3. 23 24. Ioel 2. 23. Vide Mercerum in loc therefore the last inspiration was made to the Apostles and none other to be expected The Doctrine of the Law and the Prophets did suffice to Salvation yet it did send the Fathers to expect somewhat more perfect 1 Pet. 1. 10. but to the preaching of the Gospel nothing is to be added we are not sent to wait for any clearer vision 3. So long as any truth needful to be known was unrevealed or not plainly taught the Lord did stir up some Prophet or other to teach the same unto the Church therfore the Lord surceasing to speak since the publishing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the delivery of the same in writing is unto us a manifest token that the whole will of God is now brought to light and that no new Revelation is to be expected Our seventh Proposition is Christ and his Apostles were able to propound and teach by lively voice that Doctrine which pertains to perfection Iohn 1. 18. and 11. 11 32. Iohn 8. 26 and the Apostles perfectly taught all things which are or shall be necessary for the Church Acts 20. 27. Gal. 1. 7 8 9. The Doctrine of repentance and remission of sins in the name of Christ doth summarily contain all things necessarily to salvation Act. 5. 31. and 11. 11. but this Doctrine the Apostles preached Act. 13. 38 39. Luke 24. 47. The Word of God is not only Milk for Babes but strong Meat for men of ripe years 1 Cor. 3. 1 2. Heb. 5. 14. and 6. 1 2. therefore it containeth not only matter of preparation but of perfection Our eighth Proposition is The summe and substance of that heavenly Doctrine which was taught by the Prophets and Apostles was by them committed to writing the holy Ghost giving them a commandment and guiding their hands therein that they could not erre so that the Word preached and written by them is one in substance both in respect of matter which is the will and word of God and inward form viz. the Divine Truth immediatly inspired though different in the external form and manner of delivery Our ninth Proposition is That nothing is necessary to be known of Christian over and above that which is found in the Old Testament which is not clearly anâ— evidently contained in the Books of the Apostles and Evangelists Our last Proposition is that all things which have been are or shall be necessary to the salvation of the Church to the end of the world are perfectly contained in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles long since divinely inspired writteâ— and published and now received by the Church of God so that no new Reveltion or Tradition beside those inspired published and comprehended in the Scripture are necessary for the salvation of the Church There are three opinions 1. Of the Papists who altogether deny it 2. Of the Socinians which would have all things expresly contained in Scripture and if it be â—â—â— totidem verbis they reject it 3. Of the Orthodox who say it contains all things expresly or by consequence Crocius in his Antiweigelius cap. 1. Quaest. 8. shews that private Revelation Dreams Conferences with Angels are not to be desired and expected in matters â—â— faith the Canon of the Scripture being now compleat The Weigelians talk of â—â— Seculum Spiritus Sancti as God the Father had his time the time of the Lâ—â— Christ his time the time of the Gospel so say they the holy Ghost shall â—â—â— his time when there shall be higher dispensations and we shall be wiser then the Apostles See Mat. 24. 14. and 28. 20. 1 Cor. 11. 26. See Mr Gillesp. Miscel. c. 10. Some say the Scriptures are but for the training up of Christians during their â—â—nority as Grammar rules for boyes and are not able to acquaint the soul â—â— the highest discoveries of God and truth And most corruptly they serve themselâ—â—â— with that expression of the Apostle 1 Cor. 13. 11. This Glasse say they is â—â—â— Scriptures through which we see something of God indeed whilst we are â—â—â—â—dren in understanding but very obscurely and brokenly and therefore say theâ—â—â— if ye would discern of God clearly and see him as he is ye must break the Glasse and look quite beyond Scriptures
free gathering of Churches I would wish such to weigh well what M. Baxter hath in his Christian Concord pag. 34. to 4â— For the judgement of divers Reformed Divines holding the Pope to be Antichrist see Vigniers Preface to that excellent Book of his entituled Theatre De L'Antichrist and M. Prinns Canterburian Doom p. 277 278 279. if that be true which I heard from the Professour of Divinity in the University out of the Pulpit Bellarmine saith That since that Doctrine prevailed amongst us that the Pope was Antichrist that they have been of the losing hand I wonder then why some of our Divines should speak and write so warily that way I might adde divers things to that I speak there of the Iesuites and Monks The Dominicans come nearer us then the Fraciscans Friar Francis is highly commended by the Papists for three notable acts First For gathering Worms out of the way Secondly For calling all manner of beasts as Worms and Asses his Brethren Thirdly For taking lice off beggars and putting them on himself yea into his own bosom See Lewis Owens running Register his unmasking of all Popish Monks and Iesuites and also his Speculum Jesuiticum In the seventh Book I speak of Our Union with Christ and the special Benefits by him Adoption John 1. 12. Iustification Act. 13. 38 39. Sanctification 1 Thess. 4. 1. Col. 2. 13. Rom. 12. 9. to the end 1 Cor. 13. 4 5 6 7. Gal. 5. 22 23 24. Ephes. 6. 14. to 19. Philippians 4. 4. to the 9. In the eighth of the Ordinances where I shew the need of them for the ablest Christians here and maintain the several Ordinances For that of Baptism Why should the Priviledge of Infants under the Gospel be straighter then it was under the Law Or actual Faith be more required in all that are to be baptized then it was in those that were to be circumcised when Cirlumcision as well as our Baptism was a Sacrament of Admission into the Church and a Sign and Seal of the righteousnesse of Faith Rom. 4. 11. In the ninth Book I speak of the Decalogue where I acknowledge I have received much help from a Manuscript of M. Wheatleys for the four first Commandments and of M. Bals for the first See M. Caudries second part of the Sabbath In the last I treat of Glorification Mat. 25. 46. 2 Cor. 5. 10. See an excellent Sermon of Master Thomas Goodwins of this Argument stiled The Happinesse of the Saints in Glory on Rom. 8. 18. I have not only gone over the several Heads of Positive Divinity but I have likewise handled many if not most of the chief Controversies betwixt Us and the Papists the Arminians Socinians and also discussed several things about Church-Government to make it more full and generally usefull to settle men in the main Truths It is reported of David Paraeus That his labour was bestowed in polishing the body of Christian Doctrine collected by Zachary Ursine and that he desired not to die till he had finished that task but when he had concluded it he joyfully uttered these words Now Lord suffer thy servant to depart in peace because I have done that which I desired I have cause to bless God as for that good esteem which my other Labours have generally found amongst both learned and pious Christians so for enabling me to accomplish this great work Some may perhaps blame me for gleaning some notions from such as I hear as well as from the Authors I reade To that I might say Habes confitentem sed non reum I know no such guilt in it if I do make use sometimes of some special Observations I hear from the Pulpit though I hear often the same things from several persons Some hold that a mans Sermon is no longer his own when he hath preached it and I think the ears as well as the eyes are senses of Discipline Besides many Divines and some Rabbies though I had but harsh language from one Divine have acknowledged themselves beholding to me for my Labours therefore I hope none will grudge if I do likewise benefit my self and also others by my Collections in that kinde I pray God to guide us all in the truth and to preserve us from Apostasie in these declining dayes Thy hearty Well-willer EDWARD LEIGH Imprimatur Iune 15th 1653 EDMUND CALAMY PROLEGOMENA Hebrews VI. I. THe Apostle chides the Hebrews in the former Chapter for their ignorance and uncapablenesse of Divine Mysteries from vers 11. to the end He tels them they were dull of hearing and that their ignorance was affected they might for their time and means have been teachers and yet now they must be taught and which is strange the very principles of the word of God Here in the beginning of this Chapter he earnestly exhorts them to increase both in knowledge and obedience Leaving The Apostle alludes to men running a race they leave one place and go on forward we must leave the principles of Religion that is not stick there but passe on to a greater perfection The Apostle hath reference to the Schools of the Iews where he was trained up there were two sorts of Schollers 1. Punies or petties 2. Proficients Perfectists Six Principles are named as so many Heads and Common-places of the ancient Catechism not but that there were many other necessary principles yet they might be reduced to these 1. Two main duties that is 1. The Doctrine of Repentance from dead works that every man is dead in sinne by nature and therefore had need to repent 2. The Doctrine of Faith in God in his Nature as manifested in the Word and revealed in Christ. 2. Two means 1. The Doctrine of Baptisms by which in the Plural Number he means both the Sacraments and also the inward Baptism of Christ and that outward Baptism of Iohn that is to say of the Minister though some referre it to the set times of Baptism 2. The Imposition or laying on of hands that is by a Trope or borrowed speech the Ministery of the Church upon the which hands were laid not the Sacrament of Confirmation as à Laâ—ide expounds it So Cartwright in his Harmony See M. Gillespies Miscel. cap. 3. pag. 47 48. and M. Cartw. Rejoynd p. 278. 3. Two Benefits Resurrection of the dead that the same numerical body shall arise again that it dies not with the body and eternal judgement so called metonymically because in that Judgement sentence shall be given concerning their eternal state either in weal or woe Vide Grot. in Matth. 26. 45. Not laying again the foundations Three things are required in a foundation 1. That it be the first thing in the building 2. That it bear up all the other parts of the building 3. That it be firm and immoveable Simply and absolutely in respect of all times persons and things Christ only is the foundation upon which the spiritual building of the Church is
determines the matter That part of Theology which treateth of God and his Nature of his Simplicity Eternity Infinitenesse is altogether contemplative for these things fall not within compasse of action that part of it which treateth of our manners and the well ordering of our lives is meerly practick for it is wholly referred unto action Theology is more contemplative then practick seeing contemplation is the scope of action for by good works we aspire unto the beatificall vision of God Theology amongst the Heathens did anciently signifie the Doctrine touching the false worship of their gods but since it is applied as the word importeth to signifie the Doctrine revealing the true and perfect way which leadeth unto blessednesse It may briefly be defined The knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness teaching how we ought to know and obey God that we may attain life everlasting and glorifie Gods name or thus Divinity is a Doctrine revealed by God in his Word which teacheth man how to know and worship God so that he may live well here and happily hereafter Divinity is the true wisdom of divine things divinely revealed to us to live well and blessedly or for our eternal Salvation Logica est ars benè disserendi Rhetorica ars benè loquendi Theologia ars benè vivendi Logick is an art of disputing well Rhetorick of speaking well Divinity of living well Tit. 2. 11 12. Iam. 1. 26 27. It is such an art as teacheth a man by the knowledge of Gods will and assistance of his power to live to his glory The best rules that the Ethicks Politicks Oeconomicks have are fetcht out of Divinity There is no true knowledge of Christ but that which is practical since every thing is then truly known when it is known in the manner it is propounded to be known But Christ is not propounded to us to be known theoretically but practically It is disputed whether Theology be Sapience or Science The genus of it is Sapience or Wisdom which agreeth first with Scripture 1 Cor. 2. 6 7. Col. 1. 19. 2. 3. Prov. 2. 3. Secondly with Reason for 1. Wisdom is conversant about the highest things and most remote from senses so Divinity is conversant about the sublimest mysteries of all 2. Wisdom hath a most certain knowledge founded on most certain principles there can be no knowledge more certain then that of faith which is proper to Divinity The difference lurketh in the subject Wisdom or Prudence is either Moral or Religious all wisdom whether moral and ethical political or oeconomical is excluded in the definition and this wisdom is restrained to divine things or all those Offices of Piety in which we are obliged by God to our neighbour The third thing in the definition is the manner of knowing which in Divinity is singular and different from all other arts viz. by Divine Revelation The fourth and last thing in the definition is the end of Divinity which is 1. Chiefest The glory of God 2. Next A good and blessed life or eternal salvation begun in this life by the communion of Grace and Holinesse but perfected in the life to come by the fruition of glory This end hath divers names in Scripture it is called The knowledge of God John 17. 3. Partaking of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. Likenesse to God 1 John 3. 2. Eternal Salvation the vision and fruition of God as the chiefest good The next end of Divinity in respect of man is eternal life or salvation of which there are two degrees 1. More imperfect and begun in this life which is called Consolation the chiefest joy and peace of Conscience arising 1. From a confidence of the pardon of sins and of freedom from the punishment of it 2. From the beginning of our Sanctification and Conformity with God with a hope and taste of future perfection in both 2. More Perfect and Consummate after this life arising from a full fruition of God when the soul and body shall be perfectly united with God III. How Divinity is to be taught In the general it is to be handled Methodically There is a great necessity of method in Divinity that being usefull both to enlighten the understanding with the clearnesse of truth and to confirm the memory that it may more faithfully retain things therefore in Divinity there will be a special need of art and orderly disposal of precepts because the minde is no where more obtuse in conceiving nor the memory more weak in retaining There is a different way of handling Divinity according to the several kinds of it Divinity is threefold 1. Succinct and brief when Divine Truth is summarily explained and confirmed by Reasons and this Divinity is called Catechetical Systematical 2. Prolix and large when Theological matters are handled particularly and fully by Definitions Divisions Arguments and Answers this is called handling of Common-Places Scholastical and Controversal Divinity 3. Textual which consists in a diligent Meditation of the holy Scriptures the right understanding of which is the end of other instructions This again is two-fold either more Succinct and applied to the understanding of the Learned as Commentaries of Divinity or more Diffuse and Popular applied to the Capacity and Affections of the Vulgar as Preaching which is called Patheticall Divinity and is especially usefull to correct the manners of men and stirre up their Affections IIII. How Divinity is to be learned There is need of a four-fold minde to the study of it 1. Of a godly and heavenly minde most ardent Prayers in our learning being frequently poured out to God the fountain of light and wisdom that dispelling the darknesse of ignorance and errour he would deign to illuminate our minds with the clear knowledge of himself we cannot acquire Divine Wisdom as we do the knowledge of other arts by our own labour and industry it is a praise to learn humane aâ—â— of our selves here we must be taught of God 2. Oâ— a sober minde that we may not be too curious in searching out the profound Mysteries of Religion as about the Trinity Predestination we must be wise to Sobriety and not busie our selves about perplexed and unprofitable Questions being content to know such things which are revealed to us for our Salvation 3. Of a studious and diligent minde other arts are not wont to be gotten without labour this being the Queen of arts requires therefore much pains both for its difficulty and excellency 4. Of an honest and good minde Luk. 8. 40. We must learn 1. With a denial of our wit and carnal reason not measuring the unsearchable wisdom of God by our shallow capacities 2. With denial of our wicked affections 1 Pet. 1. 2 3. 3. With a firm purpose of Obedience Ioh. 7. 17. Psal. 50. 23. Prov. 28. 28. V. The things contrary to Divinity are 1. Heathenism being altogether ignorant of and refusing the true and saving knowledge of
Epithete The holy Scriptures Rom. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 3. 15. The Scriptures of the Prophets Rom. 16. 26. Some think that Enoch the seventh from Adam wrote but Iude 14. speaketh only of his prophesying which might rather be by word of mouth then writing because our Saviour citing Scripture ever gives the first place to Moses and undertaking by the Scriptures to prove himself to be the Messiah that he ought to suffeâ— began at Moses Luke 24. 27. No doubt if there had been any more ancient then Moses our Saviour would have alledged it because all the Scripture that was before him was to give testimony of him The Author of the Scriptures was God himself they came from him in a special and peculiar manner commonly called inspiration which is an act of Gods Spirit immediately imprinting or infusing those notions into their brains and those phrases and words by which the notions were uttered 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is given by Divine inspiration or by inspiration of God Prophecy came not of old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved or carried by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 21. They did not write these things of their own heads but the Spirit of God did move and work them to it and in it 2 Sam. 23. 2. The spirit of the Lord spake by me that is did immediately guide me and tell me what matter to utter and in what words Stephen saith they resisted the Holy Ghost when they did disobey the Scriptures The Holy Ghost by the mouth of David and the mouth of Isaiah spake Acts 1. 16. 4. 25. 28. 25. The Inscriptions of many Prophetical Books and Epistles Apostolical run thus The word of the Lord which come to Hosea Amos Ioel Paul Peter Iames a servant of God and an Apostle of Christ. The Proeme that is set before divers Prophecies is this Thus saith the Lord and the Prophets inculcate that speech The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it because they would take off the thoughts of the people from their own persons and lift them up to consideration of God the chief Author It is all one to say The Scripture saith Rom. 4. 3. 10. 11. 11. 2. Gal. 4. 30. 1 Tim. 5. 10. and God saith Rom. 9. 25. Heb. 4. 3. 8. 5. 13. 5. and the word Scripture is put for God speaking in the Scripture The Scripture saith to Pharaâ—h Rom. 9. 7. and The Scripture hath shut up all men under sin Galat. 3. 22. for which in another place God hath shut up Rom. 11. 32. All other disciplines were from God and every truth whosoever speaks it is from the Holy Ghost but the Scripture in a singular manner is attributed to the Holy Ghost he immediately dictated it to the Holy men of God The efficient principall cause then of the Scripture was God the ten Commandments of which most of the rest is an exposition were written after a secret and unutterable manner by God himself therefore they are called the writings of God Exod. 32. 16. Secondly all the rest which was written though men were the instruments was done by his appointment and assistance Exod. 17. 14. â—sai 8. 1. Ier. 30 2. The Scripture is often attributed to the Holy Ghost as the Author and no mention is made of the Pen-men Heb. 10. 15. The Prophets and Apostles were the Pen-men of the Scripture whose Calling Sending and Inspiration was certainly Divine for whatsoever they taught the Church of God or left in writing they learned not before in the Schools 1 Cor. 2. 13. The Divine Authority of the Word may be defined a certain dignity and excellency of the Scripture above all other sayings or writings whatsoever whereby it is perfectly true in word and sense it deserves credit in all sayings narrations of things past present and to come threatnings and promises and as superiour doth binde to obedience if it either forbid or command any thing 1 Tim. 1. 15. 2 Pet. 1. 19. Iohn 5. 39. Heb. 6. 18. Rom. 1. 5. 2 Cor. 10. 5 6. 13. 3. 12. 12. Gal. 1. 1 12 13. though the things in mans judgement seem unlike or incredible or the Commandments hard and foolish to the carnal minde Hereticks have laboured to prove their corrupt and damnable opinions out of the Scripture and have received some books if not all as Divine The Turks at this day so esteem the five books of Moses as they will kisse such patches of Paper as they finde having any part thereof written in the same Aristaeus an Heathen when he had determined to have disputed against Scripture confesseth that he was forbidden by God in a dream Plato is termed Moses Atticus Moses speaking Greek The holy Scripture in it self is Divine and Authentical though no man in the world should so acknowledge it as the Sun in it self were light though all the men in the world were blinde and could not or would not see it but in respect of us it is Divine and Authentical when it is acknowledged and esteemed so to be The Scripture is the word of God written by holy men as they were inspired by the holy Ghost divinely containing all Divine Truth necessary to salvation for the edification and instruction of Gods Church thereunto and for the glory of God The holy Scriptures are that Divine Instrument and means by which we are taught to believe what we ought touching God and our selves and all creatures and how to please God in all things unto eternal life Robins Essayes 8th Observ. Divines have given almost fourty several Arguments to prove the Scriptures to be the word of God That the Scriptures were from God may appear by several Reasons 1. Intrinsecal taken out of the Scriptures themselves 2. Extrinsecal acts of God and works of providence about them 1. Intrinsecal 1. From the excellency of their matter which is heavenly the divine and supernatural matter contained in it It telleth us of such things as do far exceed the reach of mans reason and which it was impossible for any man to counterfeit and feign and which being told are so correspondent to reason that no man can see just cause to call them into question as the Doctrine of Creation of all things in six dayes the Doctrine of the fall of our first Parents the Story of the Delivering Israel out of Aegypt of the Delivering of the Law and ten Commandments the Doctrine of the incarnation of Christ Jesus of the Resurrection of the dead of the last Judgement of the life to come and of the Immortality of the soul for though this last was taught also by Philosophers yet it is so doubtfully and unperfectly handled by them in comparison of the delivering thereof in Scripture that it is apparent it was another Spirit which guided the teachers of it here then they were guided withall What Angel
could ever have found out such an admirable temper and mixture of Mercy and Justice together as the Gospel revealeth in the reconciliation of God with man God hath declared himself to be most just yet most merciful Rom. 3. 24 25 26 Justice requires that there should be no freeing of a guilty person without satisfaction sinne deserved an infinite punishment that satisfaction could not be made by man himself mercy therefore provides a Saviour which God bestows on him vers 25. God in giving and establishing his Law useth no other Preface but I am the Lord Exod. 20. nor Conclusion but I the Lord have spoken it upon his absolute authority without other reasons to perswade commanding what is to be done though it be contrary to our natures forbidding what is to be left undone though pleasing to us he promiseth things incomprehensible requiring Faith he relateth and teacheth things strange above likelihood above mans capacity and yet will have them to be believed to be understood There is nothing in the Law against reason or common equity A Jesuite reports in his History that when his fellows came first to preach in the East-Indies the Gentiles and Indies there hearing the ten Commandments did much commend the equity of them See Sr Walter Rawleighs History 2. It teacheth the Nature and Excellency of God and the Works of God more clearly and distinctly than any other writings nay then any without God could have contrived viz. That there are three Persons and one God that God is Infinite Omniscient Omnipotent most Holy that he created all things that he doth by a particular Providence rule all things that he observes all mens actions and will call them to account and give every man according to his works that he alone is to be worshipped and that he must be obeyed in his Word above all creatures 3. It requireth the most exact and perfect goodnesse that can be such as no man could ever have conceited in his brain and yet such as being taught and revealed the conformity of it to right reason will enforce any well-considering man to acknowledge it to be most true and needful for example that a man must love God above all and his neighbour as himself that he must keep his thoughts free from all the least taint of sinne that he must lay up his treasures in Heaven not care for this life and the things thereof but all his study and labour must be to provide well for himself against the future life that he must not at all trust in himself nor in any man but only in God and that he must do all he doth in Gods strength that he can deserve nothing at Gods hand but must look for all of free favour through the merits and intercession of another 4. The end of the Scripture is Divine viz. The glory of God shining in every syllable thereof and the salvation of man not temporal but eternal These writings leade a man wholly out of himself and out of the whole world and from and above all the creatures to the Creator alone to give him the glory of all victories therefore they are from him and not from any creature for he that is the Author of any writing will surely have most respect of himself in that writing The Scriptures manifest Gods glory alone Ier. 9. 23 24. 1 Cor. 1. 31. ascribe infinitenesse of being and all perfections to him Nehem. 9. 6. The Doctrines Precepts Prohibitions and Narrations tend to the setting forth of his glory and bring solid and eternal comfort and salvation to their souls which follow their direction They make us wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15 23. Shew the path of life Psal. 16. 11. Guide our feet into the way of peace Luk. 1. 79. Christ Iohn 7. 18. proves that he came from God because he sought not his own glory but the glory of him that sent him 5. Another reason is taken from the difference of these writings from all other whatsoever in regard of their phrase and manner of writing There is a certain authoritative or God-like speaking unto the creature from place to place See the first Chapter of Isaiah and 53. and the eighth Chapter to the Romans The Prophets and Apostles propound divine truths nakedly and without affectation 1 Cor. 2. 1. Habent sacrae Scripturae sed non ostendunt eloquentiam August They expresse the things they handle with a comely gravity the form of speech is fitted both to the dignity of the speaker the nature of the thing revealed and mans capacity for whose sake it was written All other Writings use perswasive and flourishing speeches these command and condemn all other Gods all other Religions all other Writings and command these only to be had in request and esteem and acknowledged as the will of God without adding or diminishing requiring every conscience to be subject to them and to prepare himself to obedience without any further objecting or gain-saying and to seek no further then to them for direction Both the Simplicity and Majesty of stile shew it to be from God the wonderfull plainnesse and yet glorious Majesty the Simplicity because it is plain in no wise deceitful and because it describes great matters in words familiar and obvious to the capacity of the Reader the Majesty since it teacheth so perspicuouslâ— the chiefest mysteries of Faith and divine Revelation which are above humane capacity Whether we read David Isaiah or others whose stile is more sweet pleasant and â—hetorical or Amos Zachary and Ieremiah whose stile is more rude every where the Majesty of the Spirit is apparent There is an Authority and Majesty in them above all other Writings of other Authors the Scriptures command all both King and People Ier. 13. 18. 1 Sam. 12. ult and binde the heart to its good abearing Ierom could say As oft as I read Paul it seems to me that they are not words but thunders which I hear Iunius reading the first Chapter of Iohn was stricken with amazement by a kinde of Divine and stupendious Authority and so he was converted from Atheism as himself saith in his life Divinitatem argumenti authoritatem sentio Iohannes Isaac a Jew was converted by reading the 53. of Isaiah Our Saviour spakâ— As one having Authority not as the Scribes So this book speaks not as men it simply affirms all things without proof other Authoâ—s use many Arguments to confirm the truth of what they say Therefore Raimundus de Sabunda hence proves That he who speaketh in the Bible is of that Authority that his bare word ought to be believed without any proof whereas Galen Atheistically urged it the other way The Socinians reject all things in Religion which they cannot comprehend by reason Nihil credendum quod ratione capi nequeat They hold That a man is not bound to believe any Article of Faith nor any Interpretation of
then godlinesse and yet though carefull of keeping them they have not been able to preserve them from perpetual forgetfulnesse whereas on the other side these holy Writings hated of the most part and carelesly regarded of a number have notwithstanding as full a remembrance as they had the first day the Lord gave them unto the Church The Roman Empire for three hundred years set it self to persecute and extirpate this new Doctrine and in all these troubles the Church grew and inâ—â—cased mightily Acts 12. 1. Herod killed Iames with the sword yet v. 24. the Word grew and multiplied Calvin with all his Works since the time they were written scarce made so many Protestants in France as I have credibly heard it reported that the Massacre made in one night L. Falk reply about the Infallibility of the Church of Rome The Miracles wrought in the confirmation of Scripture differ much from the wonders wrought by the false Prophets Antichrist and Satan himself Mat. 10. 8. Mat. 24. 24. 2 Thes. 2. 11. Apoc. 13. 13 14 they are neither in number nor greatnesse comparable to these 1. They differ in Substance Divine Miracles are above the force of Nature as dividing of the red Sea the standing still of the Sunne the others seem wonderfull to those which are ignorant of the cause of them but are not true miracles simply above the ordinary course of nature but effected by the art and power of Satan or his instruments by natural causes though unknown to men and many times they are but vain delusions 2. They differ in the end those true miracles were wrought by the finger of God for the promoting of his glory and mans salvation these to seal up falshood and destroy men confirmed in Idolatry and Heathenism 2 Thes. 2. 9. See Deut. 13. 1 2 3. Those were not done in a corner or secretly but openly in the presence of great multitudes nay in the sight of the whole world by the evidence of which an unknown Doctrine before contrary to the nature and affections of men was believed Bainham said in the midst of the fire Ye Papists Behold ye look for miracles and here now ye may see a miracle for in this fire I feel no more pain then if I were in a bed of Down but it is to me as sweet as a bed of Roses The miracles done by our Saviour Christ and his Apostles received Testimony of the bitterest enemies they had 2. The Testimony 1. Of the Church and Saints of God in all ages 2. Of those which were out of the Church 1. Of the Church Both Ancient and Judaical And the present Christian Church 2. Of the Members of the Church 1. The Church of the Jews professed the Doctrine and received the Books of the Old Testament and testified of them that they were Divine which invincible constancy remaineth still in the Jews of these dayes who though they be bitter enemies to the Christian Religion do stifly maintain and preserve the Canon of the Old Testament pure and uncorrupt even in those places which do evidently confirm the truth of Christian Religion 2. The Christian Church hath also most faithfully preserved the Old Testament received from the Jews and the new delivered by the Apostles as a depositum and holy pledge of the Divine Will Col. 4. 16. 2. Of the Members of the Church the constant Testimony which so many worthy Martyrs by their bloud have given to the truth Rev. 6. 9. Four things are to be considered in this Argument 1. The Number which suffered for the same is numberlesse many millions that none can imagine it to arise from pride weaknesse or discontent More Christians were slain as hath been observed under the ten bloudy persecutions then Paschal Lambs were offered up under the State of the Old Testament 2. The Quality and condition of them which suffered noble and base learned and unlearned rich poor old young men women children those which were tender and dainty all these could not suffer out of vain-glory that stubbornly they might defend the opinion which they had taken up 3. The torments used were usual unusual speedy slow some hewed in pieces burnt with slow fire cast in to Lions given to be devoured by the teeth of wilde beasts some beheaded some drowned some stoned with stones 4. All this they endured constantly patiently with great joy even a chearfull heart and merry countenance singing Psalms in the midst of the fire so that the madnesse of the enemy was overcome by the patience of them which did suffer Luther reports of the Martyr St Agatha as she went to prisons and tortures she said she went to Banquets and Nuptials That Martyr Hawks lift up his hands above his head and clapt them together when he was in the fire as if he had been in a triumph So that their testimony was not only humane God enabling them so stoutly to die for the truth Phil. 1. 29. See the History of the Councel of Trent pag. 418. and Dr Taylors Sermon on Dan. 3. 22 23 24. stiled The Roman Fornace Martyrs of other Sects differ from the Martyrs of the true Church 1. They were fewer 2. They suffered not with joy of Conscience which the godly Martyrs did 3. They were punished for their errours discovered the Martyrs were burned for having any part of the Bible and the Bible sometime with them where the Inquisition reigns it is death to have any part of the Bible in the vulgar tongue The Gentiles also which were out of the pale of the Church did give testimony to sundry Stories and Examples in the Bible Suetonius and Tacitus speaks of the miracles of Christ Pliny of the miracles of Moses and of the wise mens Starre Macrobius of the slaughtering of the Infants Iosephus of the death of Herod the Poets of the Floud Plutark of the Dove which Noah sent out Iosephus a Jew saith in his time there was a monument of the pillar of Salt into which Lots wife was turned Of Sodoms destruction speaketh Sâ—rabo Diodorus Siculus Galen in his Book of Simples Pliny Solinus Polyst hist. Tacitus lib. ult Mela acknowledging that the remainders of Gods wrath are still to be seen there as the dead Lake the Fruit fair to the eye but falling to cinders and smoke in the hand The Oracles of the Sybillae were in greatest account among the Heathen and held as true of all men and if those be they which we have there is nothing which can more plainly set forth the birth of Christ his life and death Causabon makes it apparent that those prophecies of Sybil were counterfeited pieces and at first entertained by such as delighted in seeing the Christian Religion strengthned with forreign proofs Hereticks also prove the Scripture to be Divine for they quote that and therefore Luther cals the Bible Librum Haereticorum
Experience teacheth That all Heresies either began or increased from the mis-understanding of Scripture Some particular places of Scripture have been much abused by Hereticks The Arians laid their foundation upon Prov. 8. 22. and much urged that Ioh. 14. 22. The Manichees perverted that place Phil. 2. 7 8. He was found in the form of a servant Montanus yea and the Turks lay hold on that place Ioh. 14. 16. I will send you another Comforter which the Turks say is Mahomet The Papists wrest that place to their purpose Matth. â—6 18. Thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church The Familists bring that Luke 17. 21. The Kingdom of God is within you The Antiscripturists stick not to urge those Scriptures Ioh. 6. 45. 2 Cor. 3. 6. Thirdly The Scripture it self doth give testimony to it self that it is Divine it is called a Light Psal. 119. 105. because it discovers it self The Testimony and the Testimony of the Lord because it bears witness to it self The Prophets give Testimony of Moses Mal. 4. 4. The New Testament of the Old 2 Pet. 1. 19 20. Peter gives testimony of Pauls Epistles 2 Pet. 3. 15. and Paul witnesseth That all Scriture was given of God 2 Tim. 3. 16. which must be meant of all Scripture even of the New Testament that being the last Epistle which Paul wrote as appears Chap. 4. 16. Fourthly None of all these Arguments can undoubtedly perswade the heart Certitudine fidei that the holy Scripture or any Doctrine contained in it is the Word of God till we be taught it of God till the holy Spirit of God have inwardly certified and assured us of it This is called the Scaling of the Spirit of God Ephes. 1. 13. by this the Scripture is imprinted in our hearts as the sign of the Seal in the wax Other Arguments may convince but this is absolutely necessary this is allsufficient to perswade certainly Matth. 11. 25. The holy Ghost is the Author of light by which we understand the Scripture and the perswader of the heart by which we believe the things therein to be truly Divine 1 Iohn 5. 6. It is the Spirit that beareth witnesse because the Spirit i. Metonymically the Doctrine delivered by the Spirit is truth But he that is spiritual saith Paul that is the man enlightned with the holy Ghost judgeth all things 1 Cor. 2. 15. that is all things necessary to salvation So to prove that there is a God reasons may be brought from nature and the testimony of the Church but no man can believe it savingly but by the holy Ghost It is hard to carry the matter even between the Socinians Reason and the Familists Spirit Socinians will have nothing but Reason no infused Habits and so they destroy the Testimony of the Spirit The Familists will have nothing but Spirit they rest wholly in an immediate private Spirit There art three that bear witnesse in earth Blood that is Justification by the bloud of Christ and Water i. Sanctification by his Grace And the Spirit say some witnesseth in these But ye have an Unction from the holy One and ye know all things that is Ye have received from Christ the holy Ghost the Comforter and he hath taught and instructed you in all things which are necessary to the salvation of your souls for you to know and be instructed in See vers 27. The testimony is made up by arguing Whosoever believeth and is sanctified shall be saved So the Antiquity Efficacy and Majesty of the Scripture the Fidelity of the Pen men and its wonderful Preservation prove it to be the Word of God The Spirit of God witnesseth That this Word which hath these remarkable advantages above all other Writings is the Word of God The Spirit doth neither witnesse concerning my salvation nor that the Scripture is the word of God immediately but ultimately Because I am a believer and my faith is sound it assureth me that I am in the state of salvation and so he maketh use of the excellencies in the Word to irradiate my understanding We are commanded to try the Spirits true joy is first heard out of the Word before it be felt Psal. 51. 8. Spiritual joy is an affection proper to spiritual life that life is by faith and Faith cometh by hearing Job 33. 22. See Ioh. 16. 14. Some question whether every part and parcel of the Scripture be divinely inspired as those places Touch him and he will curse thee to thy face Curse God and die and that Psal. 14. 1. Some answer thus these places are Historically inspired not Dogmatically Another Question is Whether preaching be not divinely inspired as well as the Word written The preaching of the Prophets and Apostles was divinely inspired but the preaching of our Ministers no further then it agrees with the Word Some say The Scriptures are but a device of mans brain to give assistance to Magistrates in civil government Nothing is more repugnant to prudence and policy What policy was it in the Old Testament to appoint Circumcision to cut a poor childe as soon as he came into the world Two and twenty thousand Oxen were spent at the Dedication of one Altar to sacrifice so many Oxen and Sheep such useful creatures Christ chose silly illiterate men to propagate the Gospel This serves for Information of our judgement and assures us of divers Truths 1. That the Scriptures are for themselves worthy to be believed they have Authority in and of themselves not borrowed from any persons in the world by which they binde the consciences of all men to receive them with faith and obedience for their Authors sake alone and the Divine Truth which shines in them though they should not be commended unto men by any authority of any creature Such as is the Authority of the Authour of any writing such is the Authority of the writing it self for all the strength of the testimony depends upon the excellency of the person which gives the testimony now God is the Author of these writings Thus saith the Lord therefore such Authority as he hath such must they have a supream highest Authority which borroweth from none and is subject to none So this acknowledgment of their original teacheth that we must not believe them for the Authority sake of any man or men for Gods Word can borrow no Authority from men Iohn 5. 34. I receive not testimony from man saith Christ that is need no mans testimony As the first goodnesse is to be loved for it self so is the first truth to be believed for it self saith Aquinas And as Christ by himself could demonstrate that he was the Messias so the Word by it self can prove that it is the Word of God We affirm That the Scriptures are known to be of God by themselves the Papists maintain that we cannot be certain of the Scriptures Divinity by any other
Argument then the testimony of the Church which say they doth infallibly propound unto us what is to be believed what is not to be believed and Hermanus saith That the Scripture is no more worth then Aesops Fables without the testimony of the Church As in other Sciences there are alwaies some principles per se nota indemonstrabilia whence other things are proved so in Divinity all conclusions in point of belief and practice are proved by the Scripture The Scriptures prove themselves by their own natural light manifesting their divine original whence they are and their right meaning how they must be understood They are like light primum visibile which maketh all other things manifest and it self too by its own proper qualities 1. The Church rather depends on the Scripture which is an object not principle of Divinity the Church ought to be subject to Christ Ephes. 5. 24. the Scripture is the word of Christ Col. 3. 16. 2. All the words of the Scripture are words of truth Dan. 10. 21. some words of the Church are words of error Isa. 1. 21 24. 3. 8 9. 5. 13. But the authority of him that speaks alwaies truth is greater then of him who sometimes lies Ergo The Authority of the Scripture is greater then that of the Church Goodnesse it self cannot deceive wisdom it self cannot be deceived God is both Tit. 1. 2. The voice of the Scripture is the voice of God 2 Tim. 3. 16. but the voice of the Church is the voice of men Act. 14. 14. 15. 17. 17. 30. 3. Faith and a firm consolation in temptations ought to relie on a sure that is a divine foundation for every humane testimony is uncertain 4. In vain shall we dispute against the wicked concerning Religion and Divine truth if we shall say it comes from God because we affirm so 5. This is proved by Scriptures Iohn 5. 34 35. Christ in his Humiliation did not receive the testimony of Iohn much lesse will he receive the testimony of others now he is glorified Ioh. 5. 34 35 36. 1 Cor. 2. 4 5. 1 Ioh. 5. 9. 6. The Authority proving is greater more certain and more known then the conclusion proved by the same Authoritas probans is greater then probata The Papists to prove the Authority of the Church flie to the Scriptures For I demand Whence do we understand that the Church erres not in delivering the Canon of the Scripture they answer It is governed by the Holy Ghost and therefore cannot erre in it's decrees But how appears it that it is so governed alwaies They answer God hath promised it and then they alledge those places to prove it Obj. 1. The Church is ancienter then the Scripture because it was before Moses Ergo It hath greater Authority Ans. 1. The Prophets and Iohn Baptist were ancienter then Christ yet not of greater Authority 2. Consider the Word 1. Quoad formale externum as written and cloathed with words so the Church was before the Scripture 2. Quoad formale internum the matter and sense or meaning so the Scripture was more ancient than the Church because the Church is gathered and governed by it 1 Pet. 1 23. Ioh. 17. 20. Iam. 1 18. Semen semper sobole illa cujus est sâ—men antiquius esse necâ—sse est In the thing it self the being and substance of the Word was before the Church although in this circumstance and manner of being it was after Obj. 2. Non crederem Evangelio nisi me commoveret Ecclesiae Catholicae Authoritas saith Augustine Ans. These words saith Whitaker are so well known to the Papists that one can hardly exchange three words with them but they will produce them It is true indeed that we may at the first be much moved to receive and hearken to the Scriptures because the Church gives testimony of them as the woman of Samaria by her speeches of Christ was a means of moving the Samaritans to believe but when the men of Samaria had heard Christ himself speak They believed in him more for his own words then the womans Iohn 4. 39 41. In which sense those words of Augustine so frequently quoted by the Papists are to be interpreted Augustine spake this of himself being a Manichee when he was a Manichee he was first moved by the Authority of the Church to believe the Gospel His meaning is that he had uever believed the Gospel if the Authority of the Church had not been an introduction unto him not that his faith rested upon it as a final stay but that it caused him so farre to respect the Word of the Gospel to listen unto it and with a kinde of acquisite and humane faith to believe it that he was thereby fitted to a better illumination by force whereof he might more certainly believe it to be of God But that the testimony of one Father in one place in a matter of such consequence should be of that force it is strange We deny not the Ministery of the Church as an external means to move us to imbrace the Word of God but we deny the Authority of the Church to be the principal means When we call the Scriptures Canonical we call them not so passively because they are received into the Canon by men and accepted of but actively because they prescribe a Canon and Rule to us The Office of the Church in respect of the Scripture stands in four things 1. To distinguish Canonical Scripture from that which is not Canonical although the determination of the Church be not the only or chiefest cause why the Apocrypha are rejected 2. To be a faithful keeper of those Books which are inspired by God like a notary which keepeth publick writings 3. To publish declare and teach the truth as a Crier with a loud voice ought to pronounce the Kings Edicts but to pretermit adde or alter nothing Matth. 28. 19 20. Acts 8. 35. 1 Tim. 3. 15. This Church here is not that Church which the Papists make to be the Judge of controversies neither the Church representative which is a general Councel nor the Church virtual which they imagine to be the Pope but the Church Essential the Congregation of all faithfull believers The house of God as he calleth it The Apostle here speaks of a pillar not more Architectonico understanding by it some essential piece of the building but more forensi such a post or pillar on which Tables and Proclamations use to hang. In old time the Gentiles used to write their Laws in Tables and so hang them upon pillars of stone that the people might read them as Proclamations are nailed to Posts in Market Towns The Apostle describing the Church likeneth it to one of these Pillars whose use was to shew what hung thereon It is a Pillar not because it holds up but holds forth the truth as
most unjust means extort money from Gojim that is the Gentiles Paulus Fagius in his Annotat. on Deut. 17. 17. Scripture Arguments are the chiefest to convince an unbeliever Christ by divers Arguments Iohn 5. labours to convince the Jews that he was the Messiah promised 1. Iohn bare witnesse of him vers 33. 2. His works bare witnesse of him verse 36. 3. The Father did bear witnesse of him vers 37. 4. He produceth the Testimony of the Scriptures vers 39. They are they which testifie of me Will you not believe Iohn my miracles my Word from Heaven then believe the written Word If we believe not the Testimomy of Scripture nothing will convince us though one rise from the dead nor Christ himself if he were here in the flesh and should preach unto us Ioh. 5. ult The Lord in executing of his Judgements commmonly observes proportion and retaliation Antichrist is the greatest opposite to Gods Law and Word he is called therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Thess. 2. 8. The lawlesse one He is without Law above Law against Law He abuseth Scripture takes upon him to judâ—â— and interpret Scripture therefore it shall be his ruine 2 Thess. 2. 8. God shall destroy him with the Spirit of his mouth id est Verbo suo Beza God hath consecrated the Word to this purpose the end of it is not only to save but destroy being the savour of death to some and it is a fit instrument for such a work Antichrists strength is in mens consciences only this will pierce thither Heb. 4. 12. God useth the Word for the destruction of Antichrist these wayes 1. It discovers him his doctrine his errors 2. It hardens him 3. It condemneth him and passeth sentence against him CHAP. III. II. The Books of Scripture FRom the Divine â—lows the Canonical Authority of the Scripture The books of Scripture are called Canonical books say some from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word is used 2 Cor. 10. 13. Phil. 3. 16. Gal. 6. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mark the double Emphasis this notable Canon because they were put into the Canon by the Universal Church and acknowledged to be divinely inspired by it and also are made a perfect Canon or Rule of all Doctrine concerning Religion Credendorum agendorum of Faith and Manners of all things which are to be believed or done toward salvation But Cameron thinks it is not termed Canonical because it is a Rule for that book saith he is called Canonical which is put into the Catalogue which the Ancients called a Canon of those writings which are esteemed Divine Becanus saith They are called Canonical both because they contain a Rule which we ought to follow in faith and manners and because they are put into the Catalogue of Divine books The Conditions of a Canon are these 1. It must contain Truth or be an expresse Form and Image of Truth which is in the Divine minde 2. It must be commanded sanctified and confirmed by Divine Authority that it may be a Canon to us in the Church These books were sanctified either commonly all of both Testaments by the Testimony of the Spirit and Church and Canon it self or the books of the Old Testament were specially and singularly confirmed by Word Signs and Event as the Pentateuch but the Prophetical books and Hagiographa before their carrying into Babylon by extraordinary sign the Cloud and Veil in the Temple 1 King 8. 10. Levit. 16. 2. and Gods answer by Ephod Urim and Thummim Exod. 28. 30. after their carrying away into Babylon by singular testimonies of events The books of the New Testament are confirmed by the Son of God revealed in flesh by his sayings and deeds Heb. 1. 2. and by the powerful Ministry of the Apostles by Signs Vertues and Miracles Mark 16. 20. There is a three-fold Canon in the Church Divine Ecclesiasticall and False The Divine Canon is that which properly and by it self is called the Word of God immediately inspired of God into the Prophets and Apostles This according to the divers times of the Church is distinguished into the Old and New Testament 2 Cor. 3. 6 14. this is a common division of the sacred Bible among Christians as in the version of Tremellius and Iunius Testamenti veteris novi Biblia sacra and the Geneva gives that Title to their Bible La Bible qui est toute la Saincte Escriture du viâ—l noveau Testament Augustine thinks they are better called Vetus novum Instrumentum Heinsius Grotius Vetus novum Foedus Vide Grotii Annotat. in libros Evangelii A Covenant is an Agreement between two a Testament is the Declaration of the Will of one It is called in regard of the Form Convention and Agreement between God and man a Covenant in regard of the manner of confirming it a Testament For 1. In a Testament or last Will the Testators minde is declared so is the Will of God in his Word therefore it is called a Testimony often Psal. 19. and 119. 2. Here is a Testator Christ a Legacy eternal life Heirs the Elect a Writing the Scripture Seals the Sacraments 3. Because it is ratified by the death of Christ Heb. 9. 16 17. The Books of the Old Testament are the holy Scriptures given by God to the Church of the Jews shewing them what to believe and how God would be worshipped The New Testament containeth the books which treat of salvation already exhibited and Christ already come in the flesh All the books of the Old Testament were written originally in Hebrew because they were committed unto the Hebrews Rom. 3. 2. except what Daniel and Ezra wrote in the Chaldee The Jewish Church receiving them from God kept them and delivered them to Posterity Many grave Authors hold That the Hebrew was the first Tongue and Mother of all the rest and it may probably be collected from the names of our first Parents It was called Hebrew saith Erpenius not from Heber of the Posterity of Shem as Iosephus Ierom and others think when it is manifest that he rather spake Chaldee then Hebrew because Abraham the Patriarch which drew his original from him was a Chaldean but it was so called saith Erpenius as all the Rabbins Origen and others testifie from the Hebrews which people arose from Canaan It is honoured with the Title of the Holy Tongue saith the same Erpenius because the most holy God spoke it to his Prophets delivered his holy Will written in it to the Church and because it is very probable from the opinion of great men that holy men shall use it with God hereafter in Heaven Vide Buxtorfium de Linguae Hebraeae origine Antiquitate Sanctitate There are many Hebraisms also in the New Testament many words and phrases rather used according to the manner of the Hebrews then the Greeks by which it is manifest that the same Spirit was
Babylon the great Whore with all the Kingdoms of Antichrist The subject of it is two-fold 1. The present state of the Church 2. The future state of it The things which are and the things which shall be hereafter Revel 1. 19. The three first Chapters of this Book contain seven several Epistles to the seven several Churches of Asia the other following Chapters are a Prophetical History of the Church of God from Christs Ascension to his second coming The holy Ghost foreseeing what labour Satan and his instruments would take to weaken and impair the credit and authority of this above all other Books wherein he prevailed so far as some true Churches called the truth and authority of it into question hath backed it with a number of confirmations more then are in any other Book of Scripture First The Author of it is set in the fore-front or face of it The Revelation of Iesus Christ Chap. 1. vers 1. who professeth himself to be the first and the last vers 11. so in the several Epistles to the Churches in several styles he challengeth them to be his Thus saith he 1. That holdeth the seven starres in his right hand 2. He which is first and last which was dead and is alive 3. Which hath the sharp two edged Sword 4. Which hath eyes like a flame of fire and his feet like brass 5. Which hath the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars 6. He who is holy and true who hath the key of David 7. He who is Amen the faithful and true witness the beginning of the creatures of God Secondly The Instrument or Pen-man his servant Iohn the Evangelist the Apostle the Divine who for the farther and more full authority of it repeateth his name at least thrice saying I Iohn Chap. 1. 9. and 21. 1 2. and 22. 8. wheâ—â—â—â— in the Gospel he never maketh mention of his name there he writes the History of Christ here he writes of himself and the Revelations declared to him Thirdly In the last Chapter are five testimonies heaped together vers 5 6 7 8. 1. Of the Angels 2. Of God himself the Lord of the holy Prophets 3. Of Jesus Christ Behold I come shortly 4. Of Iohn I Iohn heard and saw all these things 5. The Protestation of Jesus Christ v. 18. Fourthly The matter of the Book doth convince the Authority thereof seeing everywhere the Divinity of a Prophetical Spirit doth appear the words and sentences of other Prophets are there set down part of the Prophecies there delivered are in the sight of the world accomplished by which the truth and authority of the whole is undoubtedly proved there are extant many excellent Testimonies of Christ and his Divinity and our redemption by Christ. Fifthly The most ancient Fathers Greek and Latine ascribe this Book to Iohn the Apostle Theophylact Origen Chrysostome Tertullian Hilary Austin Ambrose Irenâ—us To deny then the truth of this Book is contrasolem obloqui to gainsay the shining of the Sun it self The Chiliasts abuse many testimonies out of this Book but those places have been cleared long ago by the learned as bearing another sense See Dr Raynolds Conf. with Hart c. 8. p. 406. Calvin being demanded his opinion what he thought of the Revelation answered ingeniously saith one He knew not at all what so obscure a writer meant Se penitus ignorare quid velit tam obscurus scriptor Cajetane at the end of his Exposition of Iude confesseth that he understandâ— not the literal sense of the Revelation and therefore Exponat saith he cui Deus concesserit It consists of two and twenty Chapters the best Expositors of it are Ribera Brightman Paraeus Cartwright Fulk Dent Forbes Mede Simonds Foord 1. The Scriptures written by Moses and the Prophets sufficiently prove that Christ is the Messiah that was to come The Old Testament may convince the Jews which deny the New Testament of this truth Iohn 5. 39. They that is those parts of Scripture written by Moses and the Prophets there were no other Scriptures then written The 53 of Isaiah is a large History of his sufferings We have also another Book or Testament more clearly witnessing of Christ The Gospel is the unsearchable riches of Christ Ephes. 3. 8. So much may suffice to have spoken concerning the Divine Canon the Ecclesiastical and false Canon follow CHAP. V. Of the Books called Apocrypha SOme Hereticks utterly abolisht the Divine Canon as the Swingfeldians and Libertines who contemned all Scriptures the Manichees and Marcionites refused all the Books of the Old Testament as the Jews do those of the New as if they had proceeded from the Devil Some diminish this Canon as the Sadduces who as Whitaker and others hold rejected all the other Prophets but Moses some inlarge it as the Papists who hold that divers other Books called by us Apocrypha i hidden do belong to the Old Testament and are of the same authority with the other before named and they adde also their traditions and unwritten Word equalling it with the Scripture both these are accursed Rev. 22. 18. But against the first we thus argue Whatsoever Scripture 1. Is divinely inspired 2. Christ commandeth to search 3. To which Christ and his Apostles appeal and confirm their Doctrine by it that is Canonical and of equal Authority with the New Testament But the holy Scripture of the Old Testament is divinely inspired 2 Tim. 3. 16. where he speaks even of the Books of the Old Testament as is gathered both from the universal all writing viz. holy in the 15 verse and from the circumstance of time because in the time of Timothies infancy little or nothing of the New Testament was published 2. Christ speaks not to the Scribes and Pharisees but to the people in general to search it Iohn 5. 39. this famous elogium being added That it gives testimony of him and that we may finde eternal life in it 3. Christ and his Apostles appeal to it and confirm their Doctrine by it Luke 24. 27. Rom. 3. 21. Acts 10. 43. and 17. 11. and 20. 43. and 26. 20. the New Testament gives testimony of the Old and Peter 2 Pet. 1. 19. of Pauls Epistles The Ecclesiastical Canon which is also called the second Canon followeth to which these Books belong Tobit Iudith first and second of the Maccabees Wisdom Ecclesiasticus Baruch Additions to Daniel and Esther for these neither contain truth perfectly in themselves nor are sanctified by God in the Church that they may be a Canon of faith and although abusively from custom they were called Canonical yet properly in the Church they are distinguished from the Canonical by the name of Apocryphal The false Canon is that which after the authority of the Apocrypha increased was constituted by humane opinion for the Papists as well as we reject for Apocryphal the third and fourth Book of Ezra the prayer of Manasses the third
and fourth of Maccabees as Thomas Aquinas Sixtus Senenfis Bellarmine and so the Councel of Trent confesse when they omit these and reckon up the whole Canon The state therefore of the controversie betwixt us and the Papists is Whether those seven whole Books with the Appendices be Sacred Divine Canonical We do not deny but many of these especially Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus are very good and profitable and to be preferred before all humane Tractates but that they are properly and by an excellency Canonical and of infallible truth out of which firm arguments may be drawn that we deny Those Books which the Jews of old and the Reformed Churches now reckon for truly Canonical in the Old Testament are received all even by our Adversaries for Canonical without any exception 2. For the Canonical Books of the New Testament there is no controversie between us and so far we agree but in the Old Testament whole Books are reckoned by them for Canonical which we hold Apocryphal The reason why these Books at first were added to holy Writ was this the Jews in their later times before and at the coming of Christ were of two sorts some properly and for distinction sake named Hebrews inhabiting Ierusalem and the holy Land others were Hellenists that is the Jews of the dispersion mingled with the Grecians These had written sundry Books in Greek which they made use of together with other parts of the Old Testament which they had in Greek of the Translation of the LXX when they now understood not the Hebrew but the Hebrews receive only the two and twenty Books before-mentioned Hence it came that the Jews delivered a double Canon of Scripture to the Christian Church the one Pure unquestioned and Divine which is the Hebrew Canon the other in Greek adulterate corrupted by the addition of certain Books written in those times when God raised up no more Prophets among his people Drus. praeterit l. 5. Annotat. ad Act. Apost c. 6. Jun. Animad in Bell. cont 1. lib. 1. c. 4. l. 2. c. 15. Sect. 21. Tertul in Apol c. 19. They are called Apocryphal i. secret and hidden not because the names of the writers are unknown by that reason Iudges and Ruth should be Apocryphal but because they were not wont to be read openly in the Church of God as the Canonical Books but secretly and in private by private persons or because their Authority was obscure and doubtful with the Ancient These Books our Church rejecteth as not written by Divine Inspiration for these reasons All the Canonical Books of the Old Testament were written by the Prophets but none of these Books were written by any of the Prophets for 1. The last of the Prophets of the Jews was Malachi Mal. 4. 4 5. between whom and Iohn Baptist came no Prophet Mark begins with the same words almost with which Malachi ended a good argument to prove that the New Testament is next to the Old But these Books were written by such who lived most of them after Malachi 2. All the Prophets wrote in Hebrew the language which the Jews understood but the Fathers affirm and Papists acknowledge that most of these Books were written in Greek Ergo being not written by the Prophets they are not Canonical 2. All the Books of the Old Testament were committed to the Jews and safely kept by them Rom. 3. 2. our Saviour Christ which reproved the Jews for corrupting the sense of the Scripture did yet never reprove them for rejecting those Books which were divinely inspired which sacriledge he would not have concealed yea our Saviour sendeth us unto the Scriptures as they received them Ioh. 5. 39. Ezra after the Captivity is reported to have gathered all the Books of holy Scripture and safely to lay them up If the Jews should have rejected or not received any Books being Canonical they had grievously erred which the Papists themselves will not affirm Yea there should have been some Canonical Books which no Church received for besides the Church of the Jews at that time there was none in the world The Canonical Books of the Old Testament were divided into Moses the Prophets and Psalms with which agreeth the old distribution of the Hebrews into the Law Prophets and Hagiographa 3. There are two wayes to know a Book to be Canonical one by the testimony of some Prophet or Apostle the other by the certain Testimony of them which did live when the Book was published who did witnesse that the Book was written by some Prophet or Apostle But these Books are known to be Canonical neither of these wayes they were rejected by the Jews who lived in the times when they were written our Saviour Christ nor his Apostles never commend these Books unto us as endited by the Spirit They are cited by Christ and his Apostles for the confirmation of their Doctrine All the Canonical Books in general Iohn 5. 39. and 10. 35. Rom. 16. 26 Luke 16. 29 31. and Chap. 24. 25 27 44. The most of all in special Genesis Matth. 19 4 5 6. Exodus Mat. 5. 21 27 33 38. Leviticus Gal. 3. 12. Numbers John 3. 14. Deuteronomy Acts 3. 22. Ioshua Heb. 11. 30 31. Iudges Heb. 11. 32. Ruth Mat. 1. 3. First of Samuel Matth. 12. 3. Second of Samuel Heb. 1. 5. First of Kings Mat. 12. 42. Second of Kings Luk. 4. 27. First of Chronicles Mat. 1. 3 7 10 13. Second of Chronicles Acts 7. 48. Ezra Matth. 1. 12 13. Iob 1 Cor. 3. 19. Psalms Act. 4. 25. Proverbs Heb. 12. 5 6 7. Isaiah Matth. 1. 23. Ieremiah Heb. 10. 16 17. Ezekiel Mat. 25. 35. Daniel Matth. 24. 25. All the lesser Prophets Acts 7. 42. and 15. 15 16. Hosea Mat. 12. 7. Ioel Act. 2. 12. Amos Act. 15. 16. Ionah Mat. 12. 40 41. Micah Mat. 10. 35. Nahum Rom. 10. 15. Habakkuk Rom. 1. 17. Haggai Heb. 12. 26. Zachary Matth. 21. 5. Malachi Luke 1. 16 17. These Books were not cited by Christ and his Apostles for confirmation of their Doctrine Object If they be not Canonical therefore because they are not cited then Nahum and Zephany are not Canonical Aratus Menander and Epimenides prophane Poets are Canonical because they are cited Acts 17. 28. 1 Cor. 15. 33. Titus 1. 12. Answ. They are not therefore not Canonical only because they are not cited but especially because they have not the characters of Divine Scripture 2. Nahum and Zephany are implicitely quoted when the Books of the Prophets are mentioned Acts 7. 41. and 15. 15 16. The Poets are not cited as Canonical but the Apostle applied himself to his hearers who did much esteem their authority Some have well concluded from Act. 10. 43. that the Apocrypha are not to be received as Canonical Scripture because they testifie not of Christ. 4. Those Books which contain manifest untruths contrary to the Word of God and the Books of holy
Scripture were not inspired of God for as God is true so is his Word Ioh. 17. 17. sweetly agreeing with it self and every part with other these Books commend false things as true and approve things evil as right Iudith Chap. 9. v. 2. commends killing the Sichemites against Gen. 49. 6 7. 2 Maccab. 14 42. Razis is commended for killing himself the fact is not only related but commended also in these words nobly manfully and this commendation doth plainly shew that the Author thereof was not inspired of God When the Dâ—natists out of this Book urged that it was lawful for them to kill themselves as Razis did Augustine then was forced to acknowledge That the Authority of this Book was uncertain and questionable and proves it by the judgement of the Jewish Church Christ and the Christians Manifest Fables are told in some of them for true Histories as that of Toby Iudith Bel and the Dragon If any desire a particular confutation of the several Books of the Apocrypha I commend to his reading that learned Treatise of Dr Raynolds de libris Apocryphis who hath so exactly handled this subject that to write of it after him were to write Iliads after Homer or to draw a line after Apelles 5. The most ancient Fathers and Councels which lived the best and first five hundred years after Christ rejected the same Books which we doe Ierome on Matth. 23. saith concerning a Testimony cited out of the Apocrypha Hoc quoniam ex Scriptura nihil habet authoritatis eadem facilitate rejicitur qua profertur Because this hath no authority out of Scripture it may as easily be rejected as it is offered All that the Papists object for these Books in the general is That the third Councel at Carthage the Florentire Councel and that of Trent do approve the said Books to be Canonical as also Augustine and Innocentius To which it may be answered 1. That the Councel of Carthage was but a Provincial Councel and therefore it cannot binde the whole world Moreover in that Councel there are divers things which the Papists will not endure as in the 26 Canon there is a Decree that no Bishop shall be called chief or universal Bishop no not the Bishop of Rome how should the Papists binde us with the authority of that Councel with which they will not binde themselves 2. The Latine Fathers judged these Books fit to be read for example of life and instruction of manners but not for confirmation of faith or establishing any Doctrine 3. These Books are not Proto-canonical truly and properly Canonical inspired by God containing the immediate and unchangeable truth of God sanctified by him and given to the Church to be a perfect rule of sound doctrine and good life but Deutero-canonical or rather Ecclesiastical as they are styled In this sense Augustine and Innocentius are to be taken when they reckon these Books among the Canonicall 4. No Councel hath Authority to define what Books are Canonicall what not seeing Books truely Divine receive Authority from God himself and are to be esteemed of undoubted truth although all the world should bark against them These two Councels are of too late standing to oppose against the other ancient Councels which reject these Books The Councel of Trent was gathered and kept against all Civil and Ecclesiastical Right neither was there any forme of justice observed in it 1. It was not kept in a lawfull place for whereas it was intended against the Protestants and the Germans were the parties accused it ought to have been kept in Germany according to the request exhibited by the Body of the States of Germany assembled at Noremberg this equity was not observed the parties accused being called into Italy 2. In that Councel matters were concluded and the sentence passed the adversary not being heard speak nor so much as present for the Protestants might not be admitted to hearing neither could they obtain to propound their opinion in the Councel much lesse to avouch it by lawfull reasoning Sleidan fol. 29. and yet were condemned against Divine and Humane Law for they both forbid the condemning of any before he have lawfull liberty granted him to plead for himself 3. In that Councel the Accuser and Judge were the same for the Pope did accuse the Protestants of Heresie he did convocate the Councel he by his Delegates was President and Moderator in it and so together was Accuser Judge and Witnesse whereas the Reformation of the Pope was the thing in question Lastly All Councels ought to be free but in this Protestants might not propound their cause nor defend it neither might any thing be proposed but according to the minde of the Legates or otherwise then they approved no man had any voice in the Councel but such as were sworn to the Pope nothing was there determined which was not first concluded of at Rome by the Pope in the Colledge of Cardinals and sent from Rome to Trent whereupon this Proverb arose Spiritum Sanctum Roma per peram mitti Tridentum The holy Ghost came to Trent packt up in a Cloke-bag We hope therefore since the Apocrypha are justly rejected out of the Canon that hereafter they will neither have the honour to be bound with our Bibles nor read in our Churches The Apocrypha was never received by the Church of the Israelites before Christ his coming nor of the Apostolick and Primitive Church for more then three hundred years after as both Eusebius out of Origen and the Councel of Laodicea Can. 59. confirmed afterward by the sixth general Councel of Constantinople sheweth for the Greek Church and St Ierom for the Latine CHAP. VI. Of the Authentical Edition of the Scripture NOw we must enquire which is the Authentical Edition of holy Scriptures it being necessary that this heavenly truth committed to writing should be delivered in some form of words and in some language which may be understood Lawyers from whom the use of the word Authentick seemeth borrowed do call those instruments and writings Authentick which have a certain and just authority in themselves A Book or writing is Authentick either by Divine or humane institution those are by Divine Appointment and Institution authentical which have from God sufficient and absolute Authority to command and approve themselves worthy credit and faith in as much as God himself doth approve them by humane Institution such writings are held authentical which by the opinion and sentence of learned men in their several professions may be esteemed worthy credit and belief for themselves and for the truth in them There is a great diversity of Editions of holy Scripture all cannot be simply and perpetually Authentical in of and for themselves without reference unto another no more then many draughts of the same Lease or Deed or copy of one pardon can be Some amongst many are authentick whence the others are transcribed yea
it cannot be that there should be many but although there may be many counterpanes of the deed yet there is but one or two principal Deeds so amongst this great variety of Editions one or more ought to be as principal and authentical There is a Question betwixt the Church of Rome and the Reformed Churches about the Authentick Edition of Scripture they say That the Edition of the Bible in Hebrew and Greek is not authentical but rather the Vulgar Latine We hold that the Vulgar Latine is very corrupt and false that the Hebrew for the Old Testament and the Greek for the New iâ— the sincere and authentical writing of God therefore that all things are to be determined by them and that the other versions are so farre to be approved of as they agree with these 〈◊〉 The â—rideâ—tinâ— Councel thus decreeth That in all Sermons Readings Disputations Controversies the Vulgar Latine Translation should be taken for authenâ—â—â—â— before the Hebrew or Greek and that no man should presume upon any ocâ—â—â—on to reject â—â— or to appeal from it When the Councel of Trent saith the Vulâ—â—â— Latine iâ— authentical it compares it with other Latine Translations not with â—he Hebrew Muâ—s de Heb. Edit Author ac ver Vide illum ibid Andradius the chiefest of the Divines at the Councel of Trent thinketh that â—he Councel of Trent did not mean either to condemn the Hebrew truth as he calâ—â—th it or to acquit the Latine Translation from all error when they called it Authenâ—â—cal but only that the Latine hath no such error by which any pestilent opinion in â—aith and manners may be gathered This saith Rainolds against Hart c. 6. p. 202. and Chamier Tom. 1. l. 12. c. 2. The Rhemists in their Preface to the New Testament translated by them prolixly extoll this Latine Edition and contend that it is not onely farre better than all the Latine versions but then the Greek it self which is the Proâ—otype Before we come to defend our own or disprove that opinion of the Papists it is necessary first rightly and fully to state the Question and to premise some things concerning the several Versions and Translations of the Scripture We deny not that part of Daniel and Ezra which was written in the Chaldee Dialect to be Authentical because we know the Lord was pleased that in that language as well as the Hebrew some of his Divine Truth should be originally written 1. For the more credit of the Stories the Lord bringeth forth forraign Nations and their Chronicles for witnesses least any of them should doubt of the truth thereof 2. The Lord would have some part of those Stories come to the knowledge of the Heathen and it was requisite that the Chaldeans should know the sins and impieties of that Nations and the judgements that should befall them to testifie unto all the truth of God therefore in general the alteration of the terrene States and Kingdoms is shadowed forth and published in the Chaldee Tongue that the Gentiles might take knowledge thereof but the particular Histories of the coming of the Messiâ—s of his Office and Kingdom and of the calamities and afflictions which should befall the people of God are set forth in the Hebrew Tongue as more especially concerning them Likewise it pleased God for the better credit of the Story that the History of those things which were said and done in Chaldea should be written in the same Language wherein they were first spoken and therefore the Epistles and Rescripts of the Kings are delivered in the Chaldee speech as taken onâ— of their publick Acts and Records and that the History in Daniel set forth in the Chaâ—dee speech gaining him respect with the Chaldeans might stirre up the Jews to receive Daniel as a Prophet of God whom the Heathens admired If there be any footsteps of the Chaldee and Arabick in Iob as some learned say we do not exclude them from authentick Authority for we say the whole Old Testament for the most part in Hebrew and few parcels in Chaldee are the authentick Edition of the Old Testament The Greek Copies of the New Testament are also from God immediately the very dialect wherein those Prototypes were which the Pens of the Evangelists and Apostles did write For the Gospel of Matthew and the Epistle to the Hebrews being written in Hebrew and Mark in Latine we have refuted that opinion already the Greek Edition of those three Books as well as of all the other of the New Testament is authentical The Versions of the Scripture are either the Chaldee and Greek of the Old Testament the Syriack and Arabick of the new the Latine Italian French and English of both Testaments All the Versions of the sacred Scripture have so farre Divine Authority as they agree with the original Tongue and to say that any Translation is pure and uncorrupt and that the very fountains are muddy is both a foolish and impious blasphemy The tongue and dialect is but an accident and as it were an argument of the Divine truth which remains one and the same in all Idioms therefore the faith of the unlearned depends on God not on men although the Translations by benefit of which they are brought to believe be perfected by the labour of men Gods providence and care of the Church is such that he would never let it be long destitute of a fit Translation which being publisht by learned men and approved of by the Church however it failed in some things yet following the truth constantly in the more principal and necessary things might be sufficient to all for wholsome instruction The Versions differ often much among themselves Arias Montanus differs much from Pagnin a learned Translator and Vatablus from both from all these Luther and from him again the Vulgar Ofiander the LXX varie The Chaldee Edition of the Old Testament is not a Translation done word for word but a Paraphrase and so called the Chaldee Paraphrase by the Jews Targum though some conceive that there is some kinde of distinction to speak accurately between the Chaldee Paraphrase and Targum Targum being a general word signifying an Interpretation or Paraphrase though it usually now by an excellency denoteth the Chaldee Paraphrase There were three Authours of it as it is reported according to the three-fold difference of the Hebrew Books Râ—bbi Achilam or Aquila who is vulgarly called Oâ—â—glos upon the five Books of Moses Rabbi Ionathan the sonne of Uziel upon the former and later Prophets Rabbi Ioseph coecus or as some will a certain Anonymus upon some of the Hagiographa Those Paraphrases of Onkelos and Ionathan are the ancienter and certioris fidei that upon the Hagiographa is farre later and lesse certain it being doubtfull both who was the author and in what age it was made The common opinion concerning Onkelos and Ionathan is that Ionathan wrote a little before Christ the other a
since Tabitha Kumi Eloi Eloi Lammasabachthani Bethesda Gabbatha Golgotha Aceldama are meer Syriack yet the Evangelists often call it Hebrew because it was the language of the Hebrews Iohn 5. 2. and 19. 13 16. Acts 21. 40. and 22. 2. and 26. 14. The Arabick Translation It is uncertain by whom it was made or when sure it is they had the Scriptures in their own Tongue and it were to be wished that that Tongue were more common and better understood that Religion might be spread amongst the Saracens which for the most part speak that Language In the year 1592. the New Testament in Arabick was first divulged at Rome The Arabick Tongue saith Walter is thought to be a Branch of the Chaldee and Syriack proceeding from both but that it exceeds them in six letters there being eight and twenty in the Arabick Tongue It was in use anciently with the Ishmaelites and Hagarens who drew their original from Abraham and afterward would rather be called Saracens from Sarah It is now used thorow all Asia and Africa Mahumed who descended from the Ishmaëlitish Nation wrote his wicked and blasphemous Alcoran in this Tongue Erpenius who was excellently skill'd in this Tongue saith It is more necessary and excellent then either the Syriack Aethiopick Persian or Turkish Language he extols it for its Antiquity Largenesse Elegancy and Profit The Arabians saith he have many more accurate for Geography then Ptolomy Avicenna and other famous Physicians have written in this Tongue He saith thirty two thousand of Arabick Books were to be had in one Library in Mauritania Ioseph Scaliger Raphelengius Isaac Casaubone Emmanuel Tremellius and Franciscus Iunius all learned men of special note much esteemed this tongue and promoted the study of it as their writings shew Mercer who was most versed in the Hebrew and Chaldee tongues in his old age a little before he dyed thought to have travelled into the east onely out of a desire to learn the Arabick tongue The Latine translations were so many that Augustine saith they could not be numbred That new version of Tremellius and Iunius both is best for the old Testament and that of Erasmus and Beza for the new Testament See in Chamiers first Tome l. 12. c. 1. his censure of all three There is a great use also of the Interlineary version put forth by Arias Montanus for the finding out the sense and genuine signification of all the Hebrew and Greek words Amongst many and divers Latine Translations there was one more common then the rest of the old and new Testament usually called the vulgar because it was of vulgar use and received by many Who was the Author of this Edition it is not manifest Some say it was more Antient then that of Ierome Ierome wrote pure Latine being skilful in the Latine tongue but the vulgar Translation is barbarous in many places therefore Pagnine Maldonate Estius Sixtus Senensis Burgensis Valla Lindan deny it to be Ieromes that was translated from the Hebrew by the Greek and not by â—erome but by some uncertain and unknown Author saith Whitaker Bootius in the Index of his Sacred Animadversions ascribes it to Ierome The Geneva translation for the French and our last translation for the English and Deodate for the Italian are the best which is now set out in English Diodatus noster in eximia Bibliorum Iâ—alicorum versione saith Spanhemius The question betwixt us and the Papists now cometh to be considered which of these Editions is Authentical that is which of it self hath credit and authority being sufficient of it self to prove and commend it self without the help of any other Edition because it is the first exemplar or Copy of divine truth delivered from God by the Prophets and Apostles This in respect of the old Testament is the Hebrew and in some Chapters of Daniel and Ezra the Chaldee and in respect of the New Testament is the Greek all other Editions are but of humane authority This proposition true in it self is yet divers ways opposed by the Papists whose opinions may be set down in three propositions 1. That the Hebrew and Greek Text are corrupt and therefore not Authentical for the fountain is to be preferred before the streams if it come unto our hands uncorruptly The Book of Moses which by Gods Commandment was preserved in the Ark and that very Gospel written by Matthew Those autographs saith Morinus are certainly the rule of all versions The second proposition is That the 70 Translaters were not so much Translators as Prophets who wrote by Divine inspiration so that their translation had been authentique if it had come to our hands and had not perished The third is That the vulgar Translation is of authentique authority and ought so to be received neither may any man presume to reject it upon any pretence They say it hanged between the Hebrew and Greek as Christ did between the two Theeves To these three propositions we oppose three which are most true and shall prevail 1. The Hebrew of the Old Testament and the Greek of the New is the authentique Edition and the pure fountain of divine truth 2. The 70 were not Prophets but Translators 3. The vulgar translations neither is authentique nor perfect neither ought it in any case so to be esteemed Reasons proving that the Hebrew of the Old Testament and the Greek of the New are authentical and pure To prove our first proposition these Arguments may be brought 1. The Hebrew of the Old and Greek of the New Testament are the very Scriptures which came immediately from God the very particular and individual writings both for Character and stile of speech yea the dialect as well as the matter of them is immediately by inspiration from above and written by holy men as they were moved by the holy spirit what Edition therefore is worthy to be compared to this When we speak of the original and authentick Text of the holy Scripture that is not to be so understood as if we meant it of the Autographs written by the hand of Moses or the other Prophets or Apostles but onely of the original or the primogenial Text in that tongue out of which divers versions were derived according to the variety of tongues 2. For a long time before the Birth of Christ the Hebrew was not onely the alone Authentique Copy but the onely Edition which was extant in the world In the days of Moses the Kings of Israel and the Prophets before the Captivity what Edition of Scripture had the Church but the Hebrew what did the Jews read in their Synagogues and in their Solemn Meetings but onely this Hebrew Edition After the time of Christ for the space of 600 years the Hebrew Edition of the Old Testament and the Greek of the New were held Authentique and no other 3. If any thing be erroneous doubtful less emphatical or improper
he followeth it for the most part and preferreth it before all the rest Maxima ex parte amplector caeteris omnibus antepono He speaks of the New Testament onely and of that Latine Translation of the New Testament in comparison of all other Latine Translations which were before him as Erasmus Castalion and such like These places may serve to shew that the vulgar Latine is corrupt no Book being entire or free from error Isidore Clarius Brixianus praefat in Biblia a great learned man of their own affirmeth That it hath 8000 places in which the sense of the Holy Ghost is changed Since the Councel of Trent two Popes have set forth this vulgar Edition diversly which of these shall be received as authentical How often do the Papists leave the vulgar in all their controversies when it is for their advantage so to do it is a matter ordinary with them and needless to be proved There is no Edition Ancienter then the Hebrew if the Latine hath been used a 1000 years in the Church the Hebrew hath been used almost 3000 years the Chaldee Arabick Syriack and Greek Editions also have been used above a 1000 years and so should be authentique by the Papists Argument Having spoken of the authority of the Scriptures the Canonical Books and the authentical Editions I now go on to treat of the end of the Scripture its adjuncts or properties fitted to that end and Interpretation of Scripture The end of the Scripture comes next to be considered of this I have spoken somewhat afore but shall now inlarge my self The end of the Scripture is considered 1. In respect of God 2. In respect of us In respect of God the end of the Scripture is a glorifying of him Iohn 7. 18. 2 Cor. 4. 6. by it we may learn to know love and fear him and so be blessed The glory of God is the chief end of all things Prov. 16. 4. In respect of us The end of the Scripture is 1. Intermediate Temporal Edification which is fitly referred to five principal uses The two first respect the minde the other three the heart will and affections It is profitable for Doctrine it serves to direct to all saving truth nothing is to be received as a truth necessary to salvation but what is proved out of Scripture Where that hath not a tongue to speak I must not have an ear to hear Hoc quia de scripturis non habet autoritatem eadem facilitate contemnitur qua probatur Hieron 2. Reproof or Confutation to refute all errors and heterodox opinions in Divinity By this sword of the Spirit Christ vanquished Satan Mat. 4. 4. 7. 10. by the Scripture he opposed the Jews Iohn 5. 45. 46. 47. 10. 34. by this he refuted the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 9. 13. and 22. 1. Luke 10. 25 26. 27. Matth. 19. 34. and 21. 12 13. the Sadduces Matth. 22. 29. Thus Apollus convinced the Jews who denied Jesus to be the Christ Acts 18. 28. Thus the Apostles convinced those which urged Circumcision and the observation of the Jewish Law Acts 15. 15. Hâ—reticks are to be stoned with Scripture-Arguments Lapidandi sunt Heretici sacrarum literarum argumentis Athanasius By this Austin refuted the Pelagians Irenaeus the Ualentinians Tertullian the Mareionites Athanasius the Arrians 3. Correction of iniquity setting straight that which is amiss in manners and life 4. Instruction to righteousness Instruunt Patriarchae etiam errantes Basil saith The Psalms are a common Store house and Treasury of good Instruction The Title of the 32 and some other Psalms is Maschil that is A Psalm of Instruction 5. Comfort in all troubles Psal. 19. 8. and 119. 50. and 92. the Greek word for Gospel signifieth glad-tidings The Promises are the Christians best Cordials as Gods Promises are the rule of what we must pray for in faith so they are the ground of what we must expect in comfort All things which belong to the Gospel are comfortable 1. God the Author of the Gospel and revealed in it is the God of all comfort 2 Cor. 1. 3. 2. Jesus Christ the Subject of the Gospel is called Consolation in the abstract Luke 2. 25. 3. The Holy Ghost which breathes in the Gospel is called The Comforter Iohn Chap. 15. 16. 4. The Ministers or Ambassadors of the Gospel are the Messengers of peace and comfort 2. Ultimate and chiefest our Salvation and Life eternal Iohn 5. 39. and 20. 31. 2 Tim. 3. 15. It will shew us the right way of escaping hell and attaining Heaven It will shew us what to believe and practise for our present and eternal happinesse This was Gods aim in causing the Scripture to be written and we shall finde it fully available and effectual for the ends for which it was ordained by God CHAP. VIII Of the Properties of the Scripture THe properties which the Scripture must have for the former end are these It is 1. Of Divine Authority 2. True and Certain 3. The rule of Faith and Manners 4. Necessâ—ry 5. Pure and Holy 6. Sufficient and Perfect 7. Perspicuous and Plain 1. It s of Divine Authority we must believe it for its own sake It is Divine 1. In its Efficient cause and Original which is God the Father dictating in his Son declaring and publishing by his holy Spirit confirming and sealing it in the hearts of the faithful He wrote the Decalogue immediately with his own finger and commanded the whole Systeme and all the parts of Scripture to be written by his servants the Prophets and Apostles as the publique Actuaries and Pen-men thereof therefore the authority of the Scripture is as great as that of the Holy Ghost who did dictate both the matter and words Those speeches are frequent The Lord said and The mouth of the Lord hath spoken 2. In the subject matter which is truth according to godliness certain powerful of venerable antiquity joyned with a sensible demonstration of the Spirit and Divine presence and with many other things attesting its Divine Authority Whence it follows that the Authority of the Holy Scriptures is 1. Infallible which expresseth the minde and will of God to whom truth is essential and necessary 2. Supreme and Independent into which at last all faith is resolved from which it is not lawful to appeal By which singular authority the Scripture is distinguished both from all prophane and Sacred writings and Paul honors it with this Elogie A faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation 1 Tim. 1. 15. A more sure word 2 Pet. 1. 19. the Comparative for the Superlative in which there is no doubting and uncertainty but all things firm As God is Iehovah of himself so is his word Authoritative of it self and is true and to be obeyed whether thou think it Scripture or no. There is no higher authority for thee to appeal to it is above opinions of men conscience and therefore it must
determine all controversies 2. It is true and certain verity is affirmed of the Scriptures primarily interternally and by reason of it self which is called the truth of the object which is an absolute and most perfect agreement of all things delivered in the Scripture with the first truth or divine will of which the Scripture is a symbole and lively image so that all things are delivered in it as the Holy Ghost hath dictated whence those honorable Titles are given to it the Scripture is called A sure word 2 Pet. 1. 19. Psal. 19. 7. The Scripture of truth Dan. 10. ult words of truth Eccles. 1â— 10 Yea truth it self Iohn 17. 17. having the God of truth for the Author Christ Jesus the truth for the witness the Spirit of truth for the Composer of it and it worketh truth in the hearts of those which hear it 2 Pet. 2. 2. The Apostle prefers the Scripture before the revelation made by Angels Gal. 1. 8. Christ commendâ— the certainty of it above all other sorts of revelation 1 Pet. 1. 19. above information from the dead Luke 16. 31. The word of God is not onely true but eminently true truth it self Primâ— veritas and pura veritas The Scripture hath a twofold truth 1. Of assection it containeth no error 2. Of promise there is no unfaithfulness in it The first truth refer to the matter which is signified properly called Truth oâ— Verity The second refers to the inâ—ention of the Speaker which is properly called veracity or fidelity the latter is implyed Psal. 19. Thy Testimonies are sure and so thâ— sure mercies of David the former is implyed in that the word is purer then gold seven times refined There are two signs of truth in the Scripture 1. The particularity of it it names particulars in geneolagies dolosus versatâ—r in generalibus 2. Impartiality toward friends and their adversaries the most holy men have their faults described they give due commendation to their adversaries The truth of Scripture is 1. More then any humane truth of sense or reason 2. Above all natural reason as the Doctrine of the Trinity the â—ncarnation of Christ Justification by faith in Christ. 3. A truth which evidenceth it self 4. The standard of all truth nothing is true in Doctrine or Worship which is not agreeable to this 3. The Scripture is the rule of faith and manners It is termed Canonical generally by the Fathers of the word Canon which signiâ—ieth a rule because it contains a worthy rule of Religion faith and godliness according whereunto the building of the house of God must be fitted These properties saith Suarez are required in a rule 1. That it be known and easie the Scripture is a light 2. That it be first in its kinde and â—o the measure of all the rest 3. It must be inflexible 4. Universal 1. It is a perfect rule of faith and obedience able to instruct us sufficiently in all points of faith or doctrinals which we are bound to believe and all good duties or practicals which we are bound to practise Whatsoever is needful to believe or to do to please God and save our souls is to be found here whatsoever is not here found is not needful to beleive and practise for felicity Christ proveth the resurrection of the dead being an Article of our faith against the Sadduces Mat. 22. 32. and the use of the Sabbath being a rule of life against the Pharisees by an inference made from the Scripture Mat. 12. 7. The heads of the Creed and Decalogue are plainly laid down in Scripture therefore there we have a perfect rule of faith and manners It is a rule 1. For Faith Ierome in his controversie with Helvidius saith Credimus quia legimus non credimus quia non legimus We believe because we read we do not believe because we do not read Christ often saith Have ye not read is it not written what is written in the Law Luke 10. 26. Faith and the word of God must run parallel This we first believe when we do believe saith Tertullian that we ought to believe nothing beyond Scripture When we say all matters of Doctrine and Faith are contained in the Scripture we understand as the Ancient Fathers did not that all things are literally and verbally contained in the Sripture but that all are either expressed therein or by necessary consequence may be drawn from thence All controversies about Religion are to be decided by the Scripture Deut. 12. 32. and 4. 2. Iosh. 1. 7. Franciscus de Salis a Popish Bishop saith The Gospel was honored so much that it was brought into the Councel and set in the midst of them and to determine matters of faith as if Christ had been there Erasmus in his Epistles tells us of a Dominican that when in the Schools any man refuted his conclusion by shewing it contrary to the words of Scripture he would cry out Ista est argumentatio Lutherana protestor me non responsurum This is a Lutheran way of arguing I protest I will not answer to it 2. It is a perfect rule for our lives and practice Psal. 19. 11. and Psal. 119. 9. In Scriptures there are delivered remedies against all vices and means are there laid down for the attaining of all vertues We must follow the Scriptures exactly and not swerve to the right hand or left a metaphor taken from a way or rule saith Chamier When Linacer a learned English man heard the beginning of the 5 of Matthew read Blessed are the poor in spirit c. he broke forth into these words Either these sayings are not Christs or we are not Christians 1. It is a perfect not a partial and insufficient rule as the Papists make it As God is a perfect God so his word is a perfect word if it be but a partial rule then it doth not perfectly direct and he that should perfectly do the will of God revealed in Scripture should not yet be perfect Secondly if the Scripture be a partial rule then men are bound to be wise above that which is written that is above the Law and Gospel Regula fidei debet esse adaequata fidei aut regula non erit Whitakerus 1. All addition and detraction are forbidden to be made by any man to the word Deut. 4. 2. and 12. 32. Deut. 5. 32. Gal. 1. 8. 2. The Scripture is said to be perfect to beget heavenly and saving wisdom Psal. 19. 8. 2 Tim. 3. 15 16 17. 3. Men in the matter of Faith and Religion are sent to the Scripture onely 2. The Scripture is an infallible rule Luke 1. 4. of which thou hast had a full assent Regula rectè definitur mensura infallibilis quae nullam vel additionem vel detractionem patitur 3. It is a just rule Lastly It is an universal and perpetual rule both in regard of time and person ever since the Scripture hath been it hath been the onely
there promised is happinesse It is a wonderful thing that all the particulars which the Canticles contain being taken from marriage are handled so sincerely that no blemish or spot can be found therein Therefore the Scriptures should be preached read and heard with holy affections and should be reverently mentioned The Jews in their Synagogues will not touch the Bible with unwashed hands they kiss it as often as they open and shut it they sit not on that seat where it is laid and if it fall on the ground they fast for a whole day The Turk writes upon the outside of his Alcorar Let no man touch this Book but he that is pure I would none might meddle with ours Alcoran signifieth but the Scripture you need not be afraid of the word but such as indeed are what other men do but think themselves 6. The Scripture is Perfect The perfection of the Scripture is considered two ways 1. In respect of the matter or the Books in which the holy doctrine was written all which as many as are useful to our salvation have been kept inviolable in the Church so that out of them one most perfect and absolute Canon of faith and life was made and this may be called the integrity of the Scripture 2. In respect of the form viz. Of the sense or meaning of these Canonical Books or of Divine truth comprehended in them which Books contain most fully and perfectly the whole truâ—h necessary and sufficient for the salvation of the Elect and therefore the Scriptures are to be esteemed a sole adequate total and perfect measure and rule both of faith and manners and this is the sufficiency of the Scriptures which is attributed to it in a twofold respect 1. Absolutely in it self and that in a threefold consideration 1. Of the principle for every principle whether of a thing or of knowledge ought to be perfect since demonstration and true conclusions are not deduced from that which is imperfect therefore it is necessary that the holy Scripture being the first onely immediate principle of all true doctrine should be most perfect 2. Of the subject for it hath all Essential parts matter and form and integral Law and Gospel and is wholly perfect Both 1. Absolutely because for the substance it either expresly or Analogically contains the doctrine concerning faith and manners which is communicable and profitable for us to know which may be proved also by induction that all necessary opinions of faith or precepts of life are to be found in the holy Scâ—ipture 2. Relatively because as it hath a perfection of the whole so of the parts in the whole that perfection is called essential this quantitative For all the Books are sufficient with an essential perfection although integrally they have not a sufficiency of the whole but onely their own yet so that at distinct times every part sufficed for their times but all the parts in the whole are but sufficient for us 3. In its effect and operation it makes men perfect 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. Rom. 15. 4. Iohn 2. ult 5. 39. 2. As opposed to unwritten Traditions all which it excludes by its sufficiency but we do not understand by Traditions generally a Doctrine delivered in Word and Writing but specially all Doctrine not written by Prophets or Apostles whether Dogmatical Historical or Ceremonial for a perfect reason of the primary opinions belonging to Faith and Manners is delivered in Scripture and those things which are out of beside or against the Scripture do not binde the Conscience 2. Historical the Sayings and Deeds of Christ and the Apostles are perfectly contained in the Scriptures as many as suffice us for our salvation Iohn 20. 30 31. Those things which are delivered out of Scripture are to be esteemed mans writings 3. Ceremonial or secondary opinions concerning Ecclesiastical Rites and Customs are for Essentials Substantials and Fundamentals generally contained in the word of God the accidentals accessaries and circumstantials are free and mutable If Traditions agree with the Scripture they are confirmed by it if they oppose it they are disproved by it The perfection of the Scriptures is not First Infinite and unlimitted That is an incommunicable property of God every thing which is from another as the efficient cause is thereby limitted both for the nature and qualities thereof Secondly we do not understand such a perfection as containeth all and singular such things as at any time have been by Divine inspiration revealed to holy men and by them delivered to the Church of what sort soever they were for all the Sermons of the Prophets of Christ and his Apostles are not set down in so many words as they used in the speaking of them for of twelve Apostles seven wrote nothing which yet preached and did many things neither are all the deeds of Christ and his Apostles written for that is contradicted Iohn 20. 30 31. and 21. 25. but we mean onely a Relative perfection which for some certain ends sake agreeth to the Scripture as to an instrument according to which it perfectly comprehendeth all things which have been are or shall be necessary for the salvation of the Church Thirdly The several Books of Scripture are indeed perfect for their own particular ends purposes and uses for which they were intended of the Lord but yet not any one Book is sufficient to the common end the whole Scripture is compleat in all the parts thereof one speaking of that which another doth wholly pass over in silence one clearly delivering what was intricâ—te in another Paul speaks much of Justification and Predestination in the Epistle to the Romans nothing of the Eucharist or Resurrection Fourthly Since God did reveal his will in writing those writings which by divine hand and providence were extant in the Church were so sufficient for the Church in that age that it needed not Tradition neither was it lawful for any humane wight to adde thereto or take therefrom but when God did reveal more unto it the former onely was not then sufficient without the latter Fifthly The holy Scripture doth sufficiently contain and deliver all doctrines which are necessary for us to eternal salvation both in respect of faith and good works and most of these it delivereth to us expresly and in so many words and the rest by good and necessary consequence The Baptism of Infants and the consubstantiality of the Father and of the Son are not in those words expressed in Scripture yet is the truth of both clearly taught in Scripture and by evident proof may thence be deduced That Article of Christs descent into Hell totidem verbis is not in the Scripture yet it may be deduced thence Acts. 2 27. Some Papists hold That we must not use the principles of Reason or Consequences in Divinity and require that what we prove be exprest in so many words in scripture These are opposed by Vedelius in
infallible ground there is none such of supernatural truth but the Scripture Because our Adversaries do contend for Traditions not written hotly and zealously against the total perfection of the Scripture that they might thrust upon us many points by their own confession not contained in Scripture and usurp to themselves irrefragable authority in the Church it shall not be amisse largely to consider of this matter And first to enquire of the signification of the words Greek and Latine which are translated Tradition and then to come to the matter which is controverted between us and the Papists The Greek word signifying Tradition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the New Testament is used onely in these places Matth. 15. 2 3 6. Mark 7. 3 5 8 9 13. 1 Cor. 11. 2. Gal. 1. 14. Colos 2. 8. 2 Thess. 2. 15. and 3. 6. and in the vulgar Latine is rendred Traditio Mat. 15. 2 3 6. Mark 7. 3 5 8 9 13. Gal. 1. 14. Col. 2. 6. 2 Thess. 2. 15. and 3. 6. and Praecepta 1 Cor. 11. 2. Whereto the Rhemists translation which seemeth to be but a bare translation of the Vulgar Latin doth wholly agree using the word Tradition every where excepting 1 Cor. 11. 2. where they use the word Pâ—ecepts but set in the margent the word Tradition Arias Montanus in his interlineal Translation doth render it Traditio Beza doth commonly express it by the word traditio In the English Geneva Bible we translate it by the word Instruction Tradition calling mens precepts Traditions the Apostles Doctrine Ordinances or Instructions not that we feared the word Tradition but because we would not have the simple deceived as though the unwritten verities of the Papists were thereby commended or as though we had some honourable conceit of them and what we did herein the signification of the word doth give us free liberty to do in our last English Translation we use the word Tradition as often as the Vulgar Latine or the Rhemists have done not that we were driven by fear or shame to alter what was done before but because we would cut off all occasion of carping at our Translation though never so unjust First We contend not about the name Tradition the word may lawfully be used if the sense affixed thereto be lawful 2. All Traditions unwritten are not simply condemned by us 3. The Apostles delivered by lively voice many observations dispensable and alterable according to the circumstances of time and persons appertaining to order and comelinesse only we say That they were not of the substance of Religion that they were not general concerning all Churches 4. We receive the number and names of the Authors of Books Divine and Canonical as delivered by tradition but the Divine Truth of those Books is in it self clear and evident unto us not depending on the Churches Authority The Books of Scripture have not their Authority quoad nos from the approbation of the Church but win credit of themselves and yield sufficient satisfaction to all men of their Divine Truth whence we judge the Church that receiveth them to be led by the Spirit of God yet the Number Authors and Integrity of the parts of those Books we receive as delivered by Tradition 5. The continued practice of such things as are neither expresly contained in Scripture nor the example of such practice expresly there delivered though the Grounds Reasons and cause of the necessity of such practice be there contained and the benefit and good that followeth of it we receive upon Tradition though the thing it self we receive not for Tradition Of this sort is the Baptism of Infants which may be named a Tradition because it is not expresly delivered in Scripture that the Apostles did baptize â—nfants nor any expresse precept there found that they should so do yet is not this so received by bare and naked Tradition but that we finde the Scripture to deliver unto us the ground of it Bellarmine and Maldonat both do confesse That the Baptism of Infants may be proved by the Scripture and therefore Maldonat concludes Nobis verò traditio non est Bellarmine as Whitaker shews contradicts himself for first he saith That the Baptism of Infants is an unwritten Tradition and after That the Catholicks can prove Baptism of Infants from the Scriptures To this head we may referre the observation of the Lords-day the precept whereof is not found in Scripture though the practice be And if for that cause any shall name it a Tradition we will not contend about the word if he grant withall that the example Apostolical hath the force of a Law as implying a common equity concerning us no lesse then it did them If any man shall call the summary comprehension of the chief heads of Christian Doctrine contained in the Creed commonly called The Apostles Creed a Tradition we will not contend about it For although every part thereof be contained in Scripture yet the orderly connexion and distinct explication of those principal Articles gathered into an Epitome wherein are implied and whence are inferred all Conclusions Theological is an Act humane not divine and in that sense may be called a Tradition But let it be noted withall that we admit it not to have that credit as now it hath to be the Rule of Faith for this is the priviledge of holy Scripture The Creed it self was gathered out of Scripture and is to be expounded by the Scripture therefore it is not given to be a perfect Canon of faith and manners By Tradition is noted 1. Whatsoever is delivered by men divinely inspired and immediately called whether it be by lively voice or by writing 2. In special it notes the word of God committed to writing 1 Cor. 15. 3. 3. It signifies Rites expresly contained in writing Act. 6. 14. 4. It betokens that which is not committed to writing but only delivered by lively voice of the Apostles 5. It signifieth that which is invented and delivered by men not immediately called In Scripture Tradition is taken 1. In good part for any Rite or Doctrine of God delivered to his Church either by word or writing whether it concern faith and good works or the external Government of the Church 2 Thess. 2. 15. 1 Cor. 11. 15. and 23. 2. In ill part it noteth the vain idle and unwarrantable inventions of men whether Doctrine or Rites Mat. 15. 3. Mar. 7. 8 9. When the Fathers speak reverently of Traditions by the word Tradition either they understand the holy Scripture which also is a Tradition it is a Doctrine left unto us Or by Traditions they understand observations touching Ecclesiastical policy Du Moulin Reasons confirming the sufficiency of Scripture against Popish Traditions 1. The whole Church is founded upon the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles which were not true if any Doctrine was necessary to Salvation not revealed by the Prophets and Apostles 2.
in the life to come is called the Beatifical vision 3. Difficult God being infinite and our understanding finite betwixt which two there is no proportion who knows the things of God save the spirit of God A created understanding can no more comprehend God then a vial glass can contain the waters of the sea His wisdom is unsearchable Rom. 11. Iob 11. 7. and 26. 13. The Holy Fathers thought no word lawful concerning God which he hath not in his holy word granted us to use Euclide answered very fitly to one asking many things concerning the gods Coetera quidem nescio illud scio quod odêre curiosos Simonides being asked by Hiero What God was required some days time to be given him to think of it and as many more at the end of them still doubling his time for inquiry till at last being by Hiero asked a reason of his delays he answered him Because saith he quò magis inquiro â—ò minus invenio how much the more I inquire the less I understand The glorified Saints in heaven though they know God to their own perfection being spirits of just men made perfect yet they shall never know God to his perfection None but God himself can know God perfectly Iohn 1. 18. 1 Tim. 6. 16. Tunc enim dicitur aliquid comprehendi quando pervenitur ad finem cognitionis ipsius hoc est quando res cognoscitur ita perfectè sicut cognoscibilis est Aquinas part 1. Quaest. 14. Art 3. qui prè infinita prosequitur et si non contingat aliquando tamen proficiet prodeundo Hâ—l de Trin. l. 2. We know God per viam eminentiae negationis causationis 1. All perfection which we apprehend must be ascribed unto God and that after a more excellent manner then can be apprehended as that he is in himself by himself and of himself that he is one true good and holy 2. We must remove from him all imperfections whatsoever he is Simple Eternal Infinite Unchangeable 3. He is the Supreme cause of all Ier. 2. 13. There is a threefold knowledge of God 1. An implanted knowledge which is in every mans conscience a natural ingrafted principle about God O anima naturaliter Christiana said Tertullian Apologet. c. 17. 2. An acquired knowledge by the Creatures Psal. 19. 1. that is the great Book in every page thereof we may behold the Deity Praesentemque refert quaelibetherba Deum 3. Revealed knowledge of faith spoken of Heb. 11. 6. and this is onely sufficient to Salvation The Heathens had the knowledge of God in a confused manner they might know there was a God and that he was to be worshipped but could not learn who God was or what kinde of God he was and how to be worshipped 2 Tim. 1. 10. Rom. 1. 19 21. and 2. 14. a practical knowledge v. 15. Which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts not the gracious writing promised in the Covenant the light of nature is not sufficient to bring men d to salvation Onely in ludah is God known Psal. 76. 1 2. and 1â—7 19. See Iohn 14. 6. and 1â— 27. Ephes. 2. 11 12. The Heathens might know Gods Nature and Attributes that he was the Creator of the world that by his providence he did preserve and rule all things but they could not by the most industrious use of all natures helps attain unto any the least knowledge of God as he is mans Redeemer in Christ they know not the truth as it is in Jesus Ephes. 4. 21. Vide Barlow exercitat Metaphys de Deo exercit 4. In God we will consider 1. His Nature 2. His Works In his nature two things are considerable 1. That he is 2. What he is That God is is the most manifest clear evident ungainsayable truth in the world It is the first verity and the principal verity from which all other truth hath its original and it is the foundation of all true goodness and Religion truly to believe it so saith the Author to the Hebrews He that cometh to God to do him any service or to receive any benefit from him must believe that is be firmly and undoubtedly perswaded that God is Some think this is a needless subject to treat of but it is necessary 1. Because the most universal and incurable disease of the world is Atheism Psal. 14. 1. fond surmises are wont to grow in the hearts of all where Religion is not setled Foundation-stones indeed cannot be guarded so much by argument as divine testimony 2. Supreme truths should be laid up in the greatest certainty if the principles of Religion were firmly assented to confidence would follow of its own accord 3. It is good often to revive this truth of the being of God the forgetfulness of God is a kinde of denial of him Psal 9. 17. and 10 4. By a God we mean an essence better then all other things and before all other things and of whom all other things are such a first essence is God and such an essence there must needs be neither is any thing of absolute necessity but this one thing even the Divine essence Reasons to confirm this that there is a God are taken from authority or Testimony and reason The Testimonies are 1. Of God himself 2. The Creature 1. General of all men 2. Particular of each mans conscience Reasons may be drawn from two chief places viz. The effects and the contrary The effects are either 1. Ordinary and those 1. Natural both General the making and preserving of the world and Special the framing or maintaining of each man or other like creature in the world 2. Civil the upholding and altering the States of Kingdomes and particular Countreys 2. Extraordinary miracles Arguments from the contrary are two 1. The Being of the Devils 2. The slightness of the reasons brought to disprove this truth or to shew the Contrary Though no man can prove â causa why there should be a God yet every man may collect ab effectu that there is a God By that wisdom which we see to have been in the making that Order in the Governing and that Goodness in the preserving and maintaining of the world All which prove as effectually that there needs must be a God as either warming or burning that the fire must needs be hot That there is a God is proved 1. By Testimony 2. By Reason 1. By the Testimony of God himself he that testifieth of himself either by word or writing is God hath written a Book to us in which he affirms of himself that he is every page almost and line of Scripture point to God He begins his Book with himself saying In the beginning God made heaven and earth He concludes this Book with himself saying If any man shall take ought from this Prophecie God shall take away his part out of the Book of life In every particular prophecie he testifieth the same thing
at Geneva in Calvins time he denied that Christ was Gods Son till Mary bore him Servetus Trinitatem idolum item Cerberum Tricipitem vocabat The Ministers of Transylvania in a most pestilent book of theirs often contumeliously call him Deum Tri-personatum whom we holily worship Hoornbeeck Anti-socin l. 2. c. 5. sect 1. p. 415. Those of Polonia in their Catechism say That there is but one Divine Person and urge Iohn 17. 3. 1 Cor. 8. 6. Ephes. 4. 1. Zanchy long since hath vindicated the truth and refuted them Socinus cals him Deum tripersonatum ridiculum humanae curiositatis inventum Infaustus Socinus omnium haereticorum audacissimus saith Rivet See Cheynels rise of Socinianism chap. 3. and ch 1. p. 6. Some glory in this as a great argument against the three Persons in the Trinity If there be Persons in the Trinity they are either something or nothing Nothing they cannot be Non entis nullae sunt affectiones if something they are either finite or infinite finite they cannot be nor infinite then there should be three Infinites It is 1. plain in Scripture there is but one God 1 Cor. 8. 4. 2. The Scripture speaks of Father Sonne and holy Ghost or Spirit these are said to be three 1 Iohn 5. 7. 3. The God-head is attributed to all and the essential Properties belong to all 4. Something is attributed to one in the Scripture that cannot be said of all The Sonne was made flesh and the Sonne is begotten this cannot be said of the other the Sonne and the Spirit are sent but this cannot be said of the Father It is not strange among the creatures that a Father should be distinguished from himself as a man the Persons are something and infinite each of them infinite as each of them is God yet not three Infinites nor Gods so Athanasius in his Creed A Person is Essentia divina cum proprietate sua hypostatica the divine Nature distinguished by an incommunicable property though we cannot expresse the manner of this great mystery yet we should believe it The ground of Arminianism and Socinianism is because they would examine all the great truths of God by their Reason That saying of Bernard here hath place Scrutari haec temeritas est credere pietas est nosse vero vita aeterna est That the Father is God is confessed by all and it is manifest from Scripture we are directed to pray to him The Apostle saith Grace to you and peace from God our Father Philem. v. 3. See Rom. 1. 7. 1 Cor. 8. 6. Ephes. 1. 3. That Christ is God is proved 1. By clear Texts of Scripture affirming this truth in so many words The Prophet fore-telling of him saith this is his name by which you shall call him Iehovah or The Lord our Righteousnesse Jer. 23. 16. and The mighty God Isa. 9. 6. Paul saith Rom. 9. 5. Who is God over all blessed for ever and St. Iohn saith 1 Iohn 5. 20. This is very God and St. Paul saith 1 Tim. 3. 16. Great is the mystery of Godlinesse God manifested in the flesh and accordingly Thomas made his confession Ioh. 20. 28. My Lord and my God which title he accepteth and praiseth Thomas for believing and that he could not have done without extream impiety had he not been God Vide Bellarm de Christo l. 1. c. 4 5 6 7 8 9. 2. By evident Reasons drawn from the Scripture He hath the Name Titles Works essential Attributes and worship of God ascribed unto him in Scripture 1. Divine Names and Titles are given to Christ He is the only blessed Potentate 1 Tim. 6. 15. The King of Kings Revel 1. 5. and Lord of Lords Apoc. 17. 14. and 19. 16. He is called The Image of the invisible God Col. 1. 15. The brightnesse of his glory Heb. 1. 3. The word and wisdom of the Father Prov. 8. 12. and 9. 1. He is called the Word because he is so often spoken of and promised in the Scripture and is in a manner the whole subject of the Scripture he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum articulo Joh. 1. 1. Act. 20. 28. 1 Tim. 3. 16. The great God Titus 2. 13. The true God 1 John 5. 20. God over all or Blessed above all Rom. 9. 5. The most high Luk. 1. 76. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which name the Septuagint have expressed Iehovah the proper name of God alone Iohn 20. 28. My Lord Jude 4. The only Lord Acts 10. 36. The Lord of all 1 Cor. 15. 48. The Lord from Heaven 1 Cor. 2. 8. The Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2. 8. The Lord of Heaven and Earth Matth. 28. 18. These Titles are too high and excellent to be given unto any meer man whatsoever God therefore who will not have his glory given to another would never have given these Titles to another if he were not God 2. The works of God even the principal and most eminent of all which are proper to the Lord only are ascribed to Christ. 1. The work of Creation even of creating all things Iohn 1. 3. and Col. 1. 16. He for whom and by whom all things were created is very God For Christ and by him all things were created therefore he is very God Heb. 1. 10 11 12. The foundation of the earth and the creation of the Heavens and the change which is to happen to both at the last day are attributed to the Sonne of God 2. The work of Preservation and Government is attributed to him also he is before all things and by him all things consist Heb. 1. 2. He who upholds all things by his powerful word is God So doth Christ therefore he is God 3. The working of Divine miracles raising up the dead by his own power is given to him Ioh. 6. 54. and Ioh. 5. 21. He that can quicken and raise the dead is God So doth Christ therefore he is God 4. Redeeming of mankinde Luke 1. 68. Matth. 20. 28. Ephes. 1. 7. Revel 1. 5. 5. Sending of the holy Ghost Iohn 21. 22. and 14. 16. and of Angels is ascribed to him Mat. 13. 41. Revel 1. 1. He forgives sins Mark 9. 2 5. He gives eternal life 3. The principal and incommunicable Attributes of God are given to him 1. Omniscience Iohn 2. 24 25. He knew all men and he knew what was in them Ioh. 21. 17. Lord thou knowest all things 2. Omnipotency Revel 1. 8. and 4. 8. and 11. 17. Phil. 3. 21. 3. Eternity Ioh. 17. 5. Revel 1. 18. Iohn 1. 1. Isa. 9. 6. He is called The everlasting Father 4. Omnipresence Matth. 18. 20. 5. Unchangeablenesse Heb. 1. 11 12 13. and 13. 8. He that is Omniscient Omnipotent Eternal Omnipresent Unchangeable equal to the Father in Majesty and Glory Phil. 2. 16. is God So is Christ therefore he is God Lastly Worship due to God is ascribed to him Heb. 1. 6. Let all
〈◊〉 saith he de Eccles. Different forms of Churches and Church-government in one State must needs lay a foundation of strife and division therein It is no wisedom saith M. Durie in a Letter in a State to reject an approved way of government which all the best Reformed Churches have received all this while and acknowledged to be Gods way and by experience found to be safe sound and instead of it to take up another which it is not yet known what it is nor was ever tried but in two or at the most three Churches and that for the space of a few years The slighter the cause of Separation the greater the fault of Schisme when men hold the same Faith and Orthodox truths yet separate for lesser matters The true Saints in the 7. Churches of the Revelation were never bid go out of them though they were very corrupt as they were out of Babylon M. Vines The first Separatist in the Scripture saith one was Cain Gen. 4. 16. Enforcements to love are clear 1 Cor. 13. 1. That question of Separation in Scripture is dark See M. Gillespy miscel c. 10. and 15. and M. Manton on Jam. 3. 17. Schisma est secessio in religionis negotio vel temeraria vel injusta Cameron de Eocles Schisme is a causelesse separation from externall communion with any true Church of Christ M. Ball against Separation c. 8. Schism is a breach of the unity of the Church D. Field l. 3. of the Church c. 5. We do not leave communion of true Churches for corruptions and sins but only abstain from the practice of evil in our own persons and witnesse against it in others still holding communion with the Churches of Christ. You send me unto such a Book of M. Robinson as himself doth begin to revoke pubpubliquely as being unsound in divers things whereas I refer you unto a later book of his made with riper deliberation and in no part that I hear of publikely revoked His Book which you send me unto being his Iustification of Separation is sick of King Iehorams incurable disease the guts of it fall out day by day yea he openly plucks out some of the bowels thereof with his own hands This is to be observed by them especially who much follow M. Robinson CHAP. XXIII Of Sedition Self-love Self-seeking Slander SEDITION SEdition is a sin whereto people are much inclined It is to leave our present Governours which rule us according to law and follow other Governours who rise up of their own accord to leave a David and follow a Sheba The Israelites raised sedition against David by means of Absalom and Achitophel and proceeded so farre in their rebellion that they brought it to a pitcht field and would not give over till their Captain with twenty thousand more were slain in the battell 2 Sam. 19. Corah Dathan and Abiram stir up a great multitude against Moses and Aaron At another time of themselves they rose against Moses and were ready to stone him because they wanted water At another time they cry to have a Captain and return back to Egypt M. Hobbs in his Rules of government c. 12. reckons up these two among other wilde ones as seditious opinions that the knowledge of good and evil belongs to each single man and saith Legitimate Kings make the things they command just by commanding them and those which they forbid unjust by forbidding them This is to make Subjects beasts and the Magistrate God 2. That faith and holinesse are not acquired by study and naturall reason but are supernaturally infused and inspired unto man which if it were true saith he I understand not why we should be commanded to give an account of our faith or why any man who is truly a Christian should not be a Prophet This opinion is so contrary to Scripture and the judgement of all sound Divines that I need not spend time to confute it See Phil. 1. 29. Eph. 1. 8. Heb. 12. 2. One indeed saith the habits of Faith Hope and Charity are infused after the manner of acquisite God having ordained not to infuse them but upon the means of hearing praying caring studying and endeavouring Some say there are no graces wrought in us but severall actings of the Spirit as the Spirit acteth with us where grace is wrought we need the Spirit to excite and draw it forth but the Scripture is plain for infused habits grace is called a good work in us Phil. 1. 6. the Law written in our hearts God is said to shine into our hearts 2 Cor. 4. 6. we are said to be partakers of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. See Eph. 2. 10. 1. It is a sin it is plain by Scripture how severely did God punish it in Korah and his accomplices making the earth to gape wide and swallow them up Solomon condemns it saying meddle not with such as be given to change Gal. 5. 20. yea it is a great sin as is evident 1. It is contrary to the light of Scripture in the Law he that cursed that is railed upon or used ill wishes against the Ruler of his people was to be put to death how much more then he that shall rise up against him The Scriptures of the New Testament are full of precepts for duty and subjection Rom. 13. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 13. 14. Give unto Caesar that which is Caesars saith our blessed Saviour Give to every one his due fear to whom fear honour to whom honour belongeth You must needs be subject for conscience sake And the Apostle willeth Titus to put them in minde to obey principalities and powers and be subject to Magistrates and ready to every good work as if a man were unfit for any good work if he be not duly subject to authority The Jesuites are still tampering about Kingdomes Monarchies Common-wealths and temporall States how to bring them into mutinies contentions seditions rebellions and uproars Watsons Quodlibets of Religion and State Quodl 5. Answer to the fourth Article They are like unto Aesops Trumpetter who being taken in war made his lamentation saying that he never drew his sword against any nor shot at any but the enemy answered Thou hast animated others thou hast put courage rage and fury into all the rest Saint Peter and Iude do blame them which despise government and speak evil of them in authority Secondly It is contrary to the light of nature for even among those Nations which never had any divine revelation yet the necessity of duty to Magistrates was alwaies maintained as a thing which they perceived absolutely requisite for the welfare of humane societies seeing without government the societies of men could never continue in a good estate No man could possesse his own goods enjoy his own lands and house live comfortably with his own wife and children or give himself to any profitable calling and endeavour Thirdly It is contrary to those principal vertues by which all men
that is not altogether blind that David and Peter speak of that which happened to Christ after his death Secondly Others say that Christ after his Passion upon the Crosse did really and locally descend into the place of the damned Many of the Ancient Fathers the Papists some Lutherans and Protestants follow this Exposition One Reverend Divine now with God held that Christ descended locally into hell to suffer in his soul the miseries of the damned and urged for his opinion Ephes. 4. 9. where the Apostle saith he makes Christs descending into the lowest parts of the earth in such a kinde of suffering in the locall hell opposite to his ascending farre above all heaven as the highest degree of advancement and lowest degree of abasement that could befall a creature And Acts 2. 24. 31. to take soul said he there for the dead corpse is so hard a kinde of phrase that howsoever it must be yielded to in some places where the circumstances of the place and the thing spoken of compelleth yet so to take it in a place where there is no such necessity seemeth unreasonable The literall text therefore here saith he is agreeable to those texts which speak of Christs sufferings He made his soul a sacrifice for sin which could not be so well done any way as by giving it to suffer the fulnesse of Gods wrath in the place of extreamest torment which might seem to be signifed by burning the sin-offering after it was killed to shew that not alone death was suffered by our Saviour but also the torments of hell and the words of David saith he Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell may very fitly import so much when he speaks of it as of a strange thing that a soul should be in hell and not left there And Peter Acts 2. 24. telling us that God did loose the pains of death might seem to import so much seeing the pains of death may well be interpreted those pains which follow after death and in regard of which to those that know what death is death is only painfull otherwise from the pains of natural death Christ was no more freed neither were they more loosed from him then from every other man seeing every man sees an end of his outward torments by dying Paul also might mean this in mentioning of a cursed death and saying He did bear the curse for us The greatest part of the curse of the Law is To be cast into the place of the damned and into their torments though not into the sinfull things that accompany their torments David as a figure of Christ saith in one Psalm Thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell Now the lowest hell is not the grave but the infernal pit which is farre lower then the grave This saith the same worthy Divine commends Gods justice and mercy and Christs love and shews the abominablenesse and vilenesse of our sins more then any thing else could do All this notwithstanding others hold that Christs locall descent into hell is an unwarrantable conceit and contrary to the word of truth and sound reason Vide Sandford de Descensu Christi ad Inferos l. 3. p. 36 c. Neither in the Creed nor Scriptures where mention is made of hell with relation to Christ is the word gehenna used which is alwaies restrained to the hell of the damned but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word designes the state of the dead in generall and is used of all with no difference In all the New Testament it occurres but once Luke 16. 23. where necessarily it signifies the hell of the damned and yet not there from the force and propriety of the word for it is of larger extent but from the circumstances which are there used For as Bucer learnedly notes the rich man is not simply said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in inferno seu in gehennâ because in torments and in flame 2. The Evangelists have professedly delivered to us the History of our Saviour even to his ascension neither yet have they made even the least mention of this his descent into hell which they would never surely have omitted if they had judged it a thing necessary to salvation Moreover blessed Luke in the Preface of his Gospel tels Theophilus That he having had perfect understanding of all things from the first would write to him in order that he might know the certainty of those things wherein he had been instructed ad verbum in which he had been catechized but of descent ne gry quidem whence it appears that it was no part of the Catechism which Theophilus learnt and certainly knew 3. Blessed Paul 1 Cor. 15. 1 2 3 4. where he rehearseth certain chief heads of the Gospel which he had preached to the Corinthians rehearseth the death burial and resurrection of Christ but not this descent into hell yet that was a fit place to have rehearsed it in if he had preached any such thing Therefore it is manifest enough that he preached it not nor is it necessary to be known he affirmeth to the Corinthians that which he preached would suffice them to salvation if they were not wanting to themselves 4. If Christ did go into the place of the damned then either in soul or in body or in his Godhead But his Godhead could not descend because it is every where and his body was in the grave till the third day and as for his soul it went not to hell but presently after his death it went to Paradise that is the third heaven a place of joy and happinesse Luke 23. 43. which words of Christ must be understood of his manhood or soul and not of his Godhead Some think by Paradise no certain place is designed but that is Paradise where-ever Christ is and wheresoever God may be seen because therefore the soul of the thief was to follow Christ and to see God it is said to be with him in Paradise Many modern Interpreters saith Sandford de Descensu Christi ad Inferos l. 3. p. 39. much favour this opinion and cite Austin and Beda as Authors of it quam verè ipsi viderint He saith he cannot approve this interpretation whosoever is the Author of it for Christ spake of that Paradise where then he was not But if Paradise be nothing but the place whence God was seen when the thief hung on the Crosse he was in Paradise Paradise is put often for heaven in the new Testament Rev. 2. 7. 2 Cor. 2. 4. There is an analogy between the first and second Adam The first Adam was cast out of Paradise the same day he sinned therefore the second Adam did enter into heaven the same day he made satisfaction Some say that to descend into hell is a popular kinde of speech which sprung from the opinion that was vulgarly conceived of the receptacle of the souls under
freely to consent and resist every such motion The Romanists plead for the power of mans will but Protestants for the efficacy of Gods grace If the Question be moved Whether free-will may resist grace It is apparent naturally in the unregenerate it may resist according to that Acts 7. 51. But if the Question be moved of them that are called according to Gods purpose Whether they resist the grace of their calling then removing the humour of contention the truth will easily appear The Question is Whether nature in this case doth resist the omnipotent power of God Deo volenti salvum facere nullum resistit hominis arbitrium There is a twofold resistance of the will say the Schoolmen 1. Connata born with it there is possibility to sinne in the best creatures as creatures 2. Actualis The Spirit of God by an Almighty Power overcomes this Psal. 110. 3. The Arminians have revived the old Pelagian heresie they say they magnifie Gods free grace and it was free grace for God to give Christ to be a Saviour and to send the Gospel to a place but then ask them about Gratia discriminans why Simon Peter receives the Gospel rather then Simon Magus they say God determines no mans will but because Peter receives it and the other rejects it it ariseth wholly from his determining himself then Christ should do no more in his own and Fathers intention for a sav'd then a damned person No man hath power to receive Christ when he is offered unlesse it be given him from above Object Why then doth the Lord exhort us to receive him or complain of us and threaten damnation if we receive him not Answ. The Lord useth these reproofs and exhortations as a means to work upon them whom he purposeth to save 2. To shew that some work is to be done on our part though not by our own strength it must be done à nobis though not ex nobis So the Papists argue from Gods commands God would not command us to do good works if we had not power to do them When our Saviour saith Make the tree good and then the fruit will be good He doth not imply that it is in our power to do so but only sheweth what our duty and obligation is See Rom. 7. 15. Gal. 5. 17. God gave the Law for these ends 1. To shew man his duty the obligation that lies on him I may put my debter in minde of his debt though he be turned bankrupt 2. To shew him his disability 3. To shew him the misery he should be in if God would urge this debt on him to discharge it himself 4. To shew the riches of his grace in providing a means to satisfie his justice and also the exceeding love of Christ in fulfilling the Law for him Object The Arminians say How can the will be free when it is determined How can omnipotent grace and free-will stand together and some talk of a Libertas contrarietatis when one can will good or evil This is a great controversie as between the Jesuites and Dominicans so between us and the Arminians Answ. The freedom of the will doth not consist in this that it is free and indifferent to choose either good or evil For so God and the good Angels should not be free seeing they cannot will any thing but that which is good There is no true liberty but unto that which is good because it is a perfection to be able to sinne is an imperfection 2 Cor. 3. 11. Ubi non est Spiritus Domini non est libertas arbitrii August A power to stand or fall was not a part of Adams liberty his power to fall came from his mutability not liberty It is a Question An faciâ—nti totum quod in se est ex naturae viribus dentur insallibiliter auxilia ad salutem supernaturalia Whether God will give supernatural grace to him that useth well his natural abilities Let any man use the power that God gives him and he shall have more There is not such an infallibilis nâ—xus that God hath bound himself in the use of our natural abilities to adde supernatural graces Mr Fâ—nnâ—r on Ezâ—k 18. 31 32. A man in his natural condition can doe nothing but what is offensive to God No man ever yet by the right use of naturals obtained Evangelical grace that is a vain power which is never reduced into act It is a Question An naturae viribus possit aliqua vera tentatio superari Whether a man by strength of nature be able to conquer corruption or resist temptation Before Conversion we cannot resist sinne as sinne but exchange one sinne with another We cannot discern good from evil sinne is connatural to us Ier. 8. 6. No more are we able to resist temptation without grace All temptations are to draw us to the enjoyment of some temporal good or to the declining some temporal evil by leaving God Till a man be perswaded that God promiseth a greater good and threatneth a greater evil then the world can do he cannot resist such temptations we are saved by faith and stand by faith We had need all to pray Lord lead us not into temptation and keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins See Ephes. 6. 10. Some speak of reconciling Free-will with Gods Decree Grace and sin Others of the Concord of it and Gods Prescience and Providence Tully thought Prescience and Free-will could not stand together and therefore that he might assert the freedome of mans will he denied the Prescience of future things Atque ita dum vult facere liberos facit sacrilegos CHAP. IV. Of Saving Faith FAith in the New Testament is taken 1. For the Doctrine of faith Iude vers 3. Such are sound in the faith that are Orthodox This is the Catholick faith 2. For the habit or grace of faith whereby we receive Christ and accept him for our Saviour so it is often used in the Scripture Faith in its general nature is any assent unto some truth upon the authority of him that speaks it and the general nature of divine faith is to assent to the truth because God sayes it Our assent and perswasion of the truth in matters of Religion may be either humaâ—e meerly because of custome education and the authority of the Church or divine being enclined and moved thereunto because of divine authority Many Protestants have no more then a humane faith It is the Religion of their Fathers and of the place where they live In the grace of Faith there are three things 1. An act of the understanding an assent to the truths of Christ that he is such a one in respect of his Natures Offices Works as the Scripture reveales him 2. An act of the will consenting that Christ should do for me what the Lord sent him to do for poor sinners 3. A siducial assiance and dependance on him The Soc man by faith
in Christ understand nothing but an acknowledgement of the veracity of the sayings and the promises of Christ which ought to be given them not because Christ is true God with the Father but because God after his death raised him from the dead which he also foretold before and for this reason he was worthy to be believed in what he commanded or promised This is their Doctrine of justifying faith and justification as if Christ had come into the world and suffered such things for no other cause but that he might perswade us that an eternal reward is propounded to the obedient that being allured with the hope of reward we might obey him Bellarmine saith Justifying faith is not so much knowledge as assent and it is not a confidence of Gods mercy but an assent to all things which are contained in the Word of God Faith is more then a bare assent to the truth there is in it a fiducial acquiescence and a resting upon Jehovah as it is expressed in the Hebrew he rolled himself upon God as a man being weary of a burden casts himself and that upon something that sustains him Prov. 3. 5. Isa. 10. 20. 28. 16. 50. 10. The chief act of the soul in true faith wherein the essence of it mainly consists is a resting and relying upon Christ and him alone for the obtaining of favour and eternal life In respect of this property faith is oft called a believing in or on Christ and his name Iohn 3. 16 18 36. Iohn 6. 1. 5. 10. a trusting in Christ Ephes. 1. 12. a resting upon God 2 Chron. 14. 11. a resting upon his promise 2 Chron. 32. 8. a relying upon God 2 Chron. 16. 8. a cleaving and sticking close unto him Act. 11. 23. Mr Hilders on Psal. 51. 6. Lect. 83. There is in Faith First An act of acceptation one is willing to receive Christ on his own termes Secondly Of resignation it gives up the whole man unto Christ. The proper object of justifying faith saith Dr. Ames is not some axiome viz. God is favourable to me or my sins are pardoned but Ens incomplexum as they speak viz. Christ or the mercy of God in Christ and so the proper act of justifying faith is incumberâ— or acquiescere Christo. Not barely the promises but the person of Christ is the object of faith we are not to rest in the promises alone but to close with Christ in those promises Acts 6. 31. The Saints take comfort in Christ and prize his person above all his benefits First Because that is the greatest gift in which God shews most love Ioh. 4. 10. Secondly He is the person in whom all good things are deposited Cant. 4. 10. 1 Iohn 5. 10. Thirdly The great thing the soul fals in love with is the person of Christ Cant. 5. Phil. 1. 23. It is a great dispute among Divines What is the proper object of saving faith Some say the Evangelical promise which holds out Christ others Christ himself in a strict sense only Christ himself is the object of saving faith Iohn 7. 37. No proposition nor promise saves me only Christ. The common object of faith is every revealed truth but of justifying faith as it justifies that is in the act of Justification Reconciliation in Christ with a certain confidence There is Fides quae faith which saves the soul this closeth with every divine revelation promise threatning story sides qua as it saves me closeth onely with Christ. Faith which saves the soul hath for its object the whole word of God but as it saves the soul it closeth only with Christ. There is nothing in Scripture but it hath relation to Christ the types and old Sacrifices were shadows of him the moral Law is preparative for Christ yea there is something of him in every story and miracle Faith is an instinct after union with Christ Iohn 5. 12. He lives in me by faith Iohn 11. 26. Gal. 2. 20. This receives Christ Iohn 1. 11. it is the condition of the Covenant and so the qualification of them which shall have interest in Christ and his benefits Iohn 3. 16. Acts 8. 37. 16. 31. Faith carries the consent of the whole man a Chron. 30. 8. Quid est credere nisi consentire He that would receive Christ must 1. Know that Christ is designed by God and tendred as a Saviour to him in the Gospel 2. Must consider the reality and fulnesse of the promise and give consent to this prose this is the very act of faith 3. None can thus receive Christ but those whose hearts the Lord hath opened to close with Christ Iohn 6. 36 37. Acts 16. 1. Man sell by self-exalting and ariseth in a self-abasing which is by beleeving 2. Faith is the only way to dissolve the plots of the devil we fell by beleeving the devil rather then God and rise by renouncing him and by beleeving in the grace of God in Christ. What is the act the soul doth when it beleeves There are three acts of faith Notitia Assensus Fiducia Mr. Hildersam saith The effence and being of justifying faith consisteth in four acts of the soul whereof the former two are acts of the understanding the other two of the will First I must know Christ aright and that which the Gospel revealeth to us concerning him Secondly The assent of the minde to this 1 Tim. 1. 15. Heb. 11. 13. Thirdly The consent of the will Iohn 1. 12. Fourthly A resting and relying upon Christ and him alone for the favour of God and eternal life Knowledge comes three wayes 1. By sense 2. Reason as that the part is lesse then the whole 3. From testimony which is faith and relies wholly on witnesse faith is weak when it relates to humane testimony yet there is no such knowledge as that of faith when it relates to the testimony of God that is more sure then sense or reason God is so wise as he cannot be deceived himself and so good as he will not deceive others Knowledge and faith are ordinarily all one in Scripture and joyned together as things inseparable Isa. 53. 11. Iohn 10. 38. Iohn 6. 69. Iohn 17. 3. 1 Iohn 3. 2. 4. 5. 13 19. A beleever is set forth by the terms of an enlightened man and wise man Ephes. 1. 18 19. I know whom I have beleeved Bellarmine saith faith is better defined by ignorance then knowledge Fides melius per ignorantiam quam per notitiam desinitur It captivates reason unto the word of God that is carnall and rebellious reason but the true light of reason is increased and augmented by it This knowledge which faith works in the heart is distinct and certain 2. Assent they beleeved God and the Prophets that is they gave assent and credit to it because of the authority of God who is most true and cannot deceive not for humane motives This assent is 1.
looks on the good it waits for as not to be obtained by its own strength Secondly The act of what the soul doth in reference to this object an expectation this the Scripture expresseth by waiting patient abiding All hope is either Humane the expectation which the rational creature hath from some second cause this the Scripture cals A vain hope A Spiders-web A lie Divine the expectation of the will to receive good from the hand of God The ground of such a hope must be the Word of God by which alone his power and truth stand ingaged to us and to hope for any thing but from them is vain So we must either have a general or particular promise of the thing hoped for or else it is idle to expect it Therefore David repeateth it more then once that he hoped in Gods Word Psal. 130. 5. Psal. 119. 49 81. So Abraham had Gods promise for a son in his old-age before he expected one The measure of Hope It must be strong and firm without wavering so as to hold out even against hope all likelihood The continuance of it It must hold out against all delaying and procrastination 1 Pet. 1. 13. this is waiting on God which is commanded 2. The Image of God in this affection There will be no use of hope at all in glory there was little use of it in the primitive condition of man The object of his happinesse was present and enjoyed God his favour and communion and all things in him but this did not continue 3. The corruption of this affection 1. The corrupt object of our hope when we are depraved 2. The woful effects and cursed fruits it brings forth First The object that which is the only excellent object of it a wicked man hath wholly lost God his Image favour grace Ephes. 2. 14. 1. 11. That object though sutable is not lookt on by him under that notion 2. There is no declaration of the will of God to reach out this unto him Although there be no real hope yet there is a bastardly hope which the Scripture cals presumption the hope and vain expectation of the wicked will be cut off it is an ungrounded confidence whereby a sinner without warrant will promise himself all good Secondly The woefull effects which this false hope produceth in the soul of man 1. It is a great means to draw them violently into the wayes of sinne Young men are therefore easily beguiled because they are full of hope 2. This corrupt hope wraps up the soul in a cursed carnall security Iob 18. 13 14. 3. When this is cut down it usually ends in bitter despair because the confidence it had to uphold it self was a meer sigment 4. The Sanctification of this affection Because the greatest part of a Christians good is unseen and unenjoyed in this world therefore hope must have a great influence on a believers life to comfort stay and refresh him Rom. 8. 24 25. The work of Gods Spirit in sanctifying this affection 1. In turning it to its right object and upon a right ground 2. In producing the right proper and natural effects of it hope thus rectified is the establishing of the soul in all storms It looks at two things the good to be enjoyed and the means whereby it is to be enjoyed God in Christ and the Spirit is the principal object that hope closeth with Ier. 14. 8. Rom. 15. 13. Col. 1. 27. 1 Pet. 1. 21. 2. The lesse principal are the promises concerning this and a better life Heb. 11. or rather the things promised Secondly The means the good will of God the Intercession of Christ the Ordinances The ground of hope is faith in the Word the act of hope is expectation the putting out of the rational appetite in the expectation of a future good which is difficult not a vain uncertain expectation but a sure expectation of it the object is sure if I believe it this makes the soul possesse it self in patience Rom. 8. 24 25. Heb. 11. 1. Faith looks at the truth as present Hope closeth with it as future There is a Certainty 1. Of the object when the thing I believe or hope for is infallible 2. Of the subject when the thing is made sure to my soul. Two things are contrary to Hope Despair and Presumption Despair is a falling of the heart from the future good conceived as inattainable at least to the parties self It is a soul racking it self with what is and what will be See Iob 13. 14. We must despair of attaining any good thing by our own industry without Gods special help We must not despair of attaining any good thing by Gods gracious blessing favour and mercy viz. power against sinne pardon of it deliverance out of crosses and life eternal It is not a bare absence or privation of hope but a passion contrary to hope as love to hatred Francis Spira in the despair of his soul cried out Verily desperation is hell it self he said My sin is greater then Gods mercy Presumption which is the excesse of hope the Papists expect heaven as a reward of their obedience It is a taking of things asore-hand or a looking for that God hath not promised What the proper use of this holy affection is to Gods people whilst they live in this world 1. To be a stay and safeguard to their souls in all times of difficulty Heb. 6. The Anchor of the soul. 2. It is while we are in this world all the possession we have of the other world Rom. 6. We are saved by hope Marks of a sanctified Hope 1. The holy Scripture breeds it Rom. 15. 4. Col. 1. 23. it discovers thy desperate condition in thy self Lam. 3. 24 25. 2. It is grounded upon true faith in Christ Rom. 15. 13. Col. 1. 27. 3. Such a one minds heavenly things more then earthly Heb. 11. 15 16. 4. He that hath true hope to go to heaven will be careful to prepare and fit himself for it 2 Cor. 5. 9. 1 Ioh. 3. 3. Psal. 37. 3. because the soul expects good from God it labours to walk acceptably with him 5. It carries the soul chearfully on in the use of all those means which the Lord hath appointed for attaining that end Heb. 10. 23. 6. The use of it principally appears when storms and difficulties arise the real use of it is to stay the soul when troubles come it quiets the soul and makes it patient and content under pressures 1 Tim. 4. 10. Motives to Hope First There is a necessity of it we cannot live without it it is an expectation of an absent good we shall be dasht on the rocks continually if we have not this Anchor of our lives Prov. 10. 28. 1 Pet. 1. 13. Secondly When this grace is wrought in the soul it will keep it in a quiet calm condition Thirdly It will be a great help to Holinesse He that hath this
Reasons 1. This wisdome looks only to the things that are inferiour and false goods and so carry a man further from God the chiefest good 2. Such wisdome inableth a man better to devise and contrive sinful enterprizes so that he can finde out means fit and apt to bring to passe any evil design or intention which is within him 3. It knows how if need be to hide and conceal sin and cover it with fair pretences and shifts and to excuse and defend it 4. It causeth him in whom it is to be more regarded by others they listen to his counsel and are ready to take and follow it The understanding of divine truths revealed in Scripture may be found in a greater measure in some hypocrites then some true Saints because of their greater natural abilities more ample instruction and better education We know saith Paul that all men have knowledge He that knows his masters will and doth it not saith our Saviour To him that knows how to do well and doth it not saith Iames. Thus the Pharisees bragged of the knowledge of the Law upbraiding the people with ignorance Those that shall alledge prophesying in the name of Christ had a large measure of knowledge St Paul yeeldeth to the Jews that they had a form of knowledge out of the Law But the difference between the knowledge of a godly and wicked man stands chiefly in these things 1. In the matter of this knowledge the true Christian is ready to know all truths that God doth offer to his knowledge submitting his reason and understanding wholly to God and not detaining any part of the truth in unrighteousnesse not willingly winking or refusing to know but the hypocrite refuseth knowledge in some things and will wink with his eyes as the Pharisees would not understand that Christ was the Messiah and of the mockers Peter saith Of this they are willingly ignorant 2. The hypocrite is most studious and inquisitive into the niceties of the Scripture and of Religion as I may term them matters of doubtfull disputation speculative points But the true Christian is solid in his knowledge cares to know nothing but Christ and him crucified the substantial and essential points of Christian Religion concerning Faith Love and a good Conscience which tend to practise Secondly In the manner the knowledge of the hypocrite is confused of the true Christian is distinct The knowledge of the one is only literal the others is a spiritual knowledge A wicked man may have apprehensions of the truths of the Gospel as great and good the other hath an application of them as good to him Thirdly In the Effects of it 1. The Christian applies his knowledge to himself to discover his own wayes and to rectifice and teach himself but the hypocrite only to teach and instruct others and to censure or only to talk and discourse with applause 2. The Christian man fals to practise his knowledge he hears and does the hypocrite only talketh and though he know how to do well doth it not building upon the sand Lastly The hypocrites knowledge puffs him up 1 Cor. 8. 2. and makes him despise those which do know lesse then himself These people which know not the Law are accursed thou art altogether born in sin and dost thou teach us but the true knowledge of the sanctified man humbleth him Motives to Gospel-knowledge Consider first the necessity of it no knowledge no grace Iohn 6. 44 45. Ephes. 4. 24. Col. 3. 12. 1. Humility comes by it Isa. 31. 18. 2. Strength to bear afflictions Heb. 10. 36. No knowledge no duty our service must be reasonable God regards not blinde obedience 1 Chron. 8. 9. Ioh. 4. 22. without knowledge the heart is not good Secondly The possibility of it God hath appointed the Ministery for this very end Acts 26. 18. Observe how the promises runne Psal. 19. 7. Ier. 31. 34. Isa. 35. 18. Thirdly The dignity of it it is a noble study the excellency of the knowledge of Christ it is the highest wisdome to know God in Christ 1 Cor. 1. 20. 1. In the matter of it onely the Bible teacheth this knowledge 2. The way God alone must teach you you must see God by his own light The Jews were honoured above all other Nations for their knowledge of the true God 3. It is very profitable 1. It hath a healing vertue heals the understanding 2. Makes every one spiritually wise that hath it 3. Will keep the mans soul from every evil way Prov. 2. 4. The Devil much opposeth it he would have the Bible burnt or corrupted Mercy A godly man must be a merciful man 2 Sam. 22. 25 26. Our Saviour imitating or alluding to these words of David saith Matth. 5. Blessed are the mercifull St Paul bids the Colossians As the elect of God holy and beloved to put on humblenesse of minde and bowels of mercy You see what apparel we must wear if we will approve our selves to be chosen and beloved of God that is what vertues we must get and practise as constantly as we put on our cloathes to keep our bodies warm and decent one is bowels of mercy tender mercies Mioah 6. 8. I will have mercy and not sacrifice God prefers it before all Sacrifices Isa. 32. 8. See 2 Cor. 8. 2. 3. 7. Queen Anne of Bullen besides the ordinary of a hundred Crowns and other apparel which she gave weekly a year before she was crowned both to men and women gave also wonderful much prime alms to widows and other poor housholders continually till she was apprehended and she sent her Subalmner to the Towns about where she lay that the Parishioners should make a Bill of all the poor housholders in the Parish and some Towns received seven eight or ten pound to buy Kine withall according as the number of the poor in the Towns were She also maintained many learned men in Cambridge She carried ever about her a certain little purse out of the which she was wont daily to scatter abroad some alms to the needy thinking no day well spent wherein some man had not fared the better by some benefit at her hands Mr Fox himself was so zealous in his love to the poor that he was in a holy manner cruel to himself to give the very cloathes off his back rather then the naked should not be cloathed My Lord Harrington gave the tenth of his allowance to the poor and other good uses his allowance being 1000lb lb per annum Master Whateley did the like as Master Schudder relates in his life he was both very bountifull himself and did much stirre up others to that duty in his preaching The like did Mr. Iohn Underwood of All-Hallows in Bread street Every year when he made up his Books and had summed up his debts and gains he would constantly reserve the tenths and write himself So much debtor to God The better tenth of his estate he gave
Jesus Christ is best refreshed and most perfected We should think upon God in most serious manner constantly upon all occasions and opportunities with livelihood and power being most affected and taken up with the thought of God in Jesus Christ. 2. Perpetual and continual remembrance of God whereby we call back to minde what we know and have learned of God his Power Mercy Love Long-suffering and represent him as present to the soul. The Name of the Lord is most sweet the remembrance of his Holiness the prop of confidence the solace of the heart in time of distress See 1 Sam. 30. 6. 3. Reverent and faithful Invocation wherein we request of God in the Name of Christ all good things whereof we stand in need and that both in prosperity and adversity 1 Thess. 5. 17. Ephes. 6. 16. Iames 5. 16. Psal. 50. 15. 38. 10 Matth. 7. 7. 4. Thanksgiving or celebration of Gods Name whereby we magnifie his Power Goodness Wisdome Grace and Mercy freely acknowledging every good and perfect gift to come from above God is the highest Majesty who oweth nothing to any man from whom we receive body soul life and whatsoever we injoy unto whom we are unable to requite the least kindness vouchsafed Our tongues should be more plentifully busied in speaking of Gods Excellencies to his honour then of any or of all other things Mans speech should more readily constantly largely be set on work in talking of God to his glory then of the whole world besides 5. Holy and religious swearing which is a calling of God to witness that we speak as our minde conceiveth 6. Religious and Divine Adoration Psal. 95. 6. The Greek word notes as much as to fall upon the knees or to worship by falling down at the knees of another Matth. 2. 11. Adoration is implied in this One Evangelist saith that the Leper worshipped Christ another reciting the same History That he kneeled down unto him and a third That he fell upon his face In Hebrew there be divers words to express it which signifie to bow the whole body to kiss the mouth to bend the knee to fall prostrate on the face But in all three Languages it noteth an outward reverence shadowing the internal affection of the heart Adoration implieth in it three Acts First An apprehension of the excellency of that which is adored Secondly An Act of the Will desiring to do something to testifie our acknowledgement of this greatness and our subjection and inferiority Thirdly An outward expressing of the same 7. Seeking the Lord and his favour specially if we have turned away from him To seek the Lord is to bend all our senses and strength to know God aright have communion with him enjoy his favour and worship him purely according to his Ordinance 2 Chron. 31. 21. Iob 8. 5. Ezra 6. 21. 8. Offering and making Vows unto the Lord alone Isa. 19. 21. Psal. 116. 14. 76. 11. Gen. 28. 20. Deut. 23. 21 9. Profession of Gods Name Deut. 26. 17. Isa. 44. 5. 43. 7. Psal. 22. 23. 119. 46. 10. Free and voluntary submission of minde and conscience to the Lord alone as the onely Law giver King and Saviour of his people This Commandment is broken two waies 1. By failing to give God that honour which is due unto him and that either for substance or degree matter or measure in whole or in part 2. By giving his Divine Honour unto any other in whole or part absolutely or in degree in profession or truth The special sins condemned are 1. Atheisme when the heart denieth God in his Deity or Divine Attributes as Wisdome Justice Mercy Omnipresence And this is secret or open Open when a man maintaineth that conceit expresly in his minde Secret and in the bud when he is over-ruled with this vice though he form not such a proposition in his minde Atheism is an high transgression of this Commandment for he that denieth the Godhead cannot glorifie God in spirit and truth Besides every Atheist maketh himself God in that he thinketh he is of and by himself and not of and for the Lord that made Heaven and Earth 2. Ignorance of God in Christ under which dulness to conceive of him and carelesness to seek after the knowledge of him are comprehended Ignorance of God so far as He hath obscured himself from us is no sin Prov. 30. 1 2. Rom. 11. 34. Ignorance of the secrets of God is a holy ignorance Deut. 29. 29. We must know all that we need and all that we may but must not presume above that which is meet to understand That ignorance of God so far as he hath most clearly and carefully revealed himself in his Works and Word is that which is here condemned This ignorance is privative or corruptive both sinful in nature though not equal in guilt or danger Privative ignorance is the simple want of that knowledge of God and Christ that should be had Corruptive is joyned with a perverse disposition whereby the minde is not onely blinded but become grossely carelesse of the knowledge of God and godlinesse if not perverted with false and sinfull opinions 3. Curiosity when men busie themselves in prying into the secrets of Gods nature and works or turn their search after him into meer disputes and idle speculations This perverse desire of knowing the truth is a disease that hath endangered many Our first Parents were bewitched with a desire of more knowledge then the Lord knew to be good for them and so attempting to do what was forbidden they fell from that good estate in which they were created The Lord hath fully manifested himself in the face of Jesus Christ so far as it is needfull or profitable for us to know him and it is our duty to contain our selves within the bounds and limits prescribed of the Lord. 4. Errour or heresie concerning God and Christ as when we conceive amisse of the Properties of God his Covenant the unity of Essence and Trinity of Persons the Person and Office of Christ. Heresie is Idolatry for it transformeth the Majesty of God the Person or Office of Christ Every lie of God is a kinde of Idolatry but heresie ascribeth unto God devised Properties turneth his glorious Essence into a lie 5. Want of acknowledgement when God is known in a sort but not with affection and effect as he ought to be and that either for substance or degree The sons of Eli were sons of Belial they knew not the Lord we cannot think them to be utterly destitute of all knowledge of God but they did not acknowledge his power love and Soveraignty as they professed It is noted as the sinne of Israel that they understood not the wonders of the Lord that is they did not wisely consider or acknowledge them 6. Disesteem or contempt of God in Christ when his favour is not esteemed or not according to
Regeneration ibid. How the Scripture is to be read l. 1. p. 23 24 Reason Reason the uses of it in matters of Religion l. 9. p. 87 Rebaptizing condemned l. 8. p. 676 Rebellion against God and man l. 4. p. 373 374 Recovery What mans Recovery is l. 5. p. 389. to 392 Redeemer Redeemer Christ how l. 5. p. 408 409 Redemption what l. 5. p. 414 Religion Three characters of the true Religion l. 7. p. 5 Remora able to stay the greatest Ship under sail l. 3. p. 262 Repent How God is said to Repent and how not l. 2. p. 151 Repentance what in us l. 8. p. 649 650 Reproach Christ reproached for our sakes l. 5. p. 427 428 Reprobation Reprobation what it signifies and what it is l. 2. p. 222 The word taken three wayes and five evil consequences of it ibid. Resurrection Christ Rose from the dead and why l. 5. p. 438 to 441 Our Resurrection l. 10. p. 857 858 Revelation The manner of Gods Revealing his will threefold l. 1. p. 5 The Book of Revelation why so called l. 1. p. 52 It is canonical l. 1. p. 51 52 Difficult ibid. The best Interpreters of it l. 1. p. 53 Revenge l. 4. p. 374 375 376 Reverence Reverenco l. 7. p. 577 578 In worship l. 9. p 779 780 Righteousnesse Whether original Righteousnesse was natural to Adam l. 3. p. 291 The Properties of original Righteousnes l. 2. p. 292 Christs Righteousnesse is ours l. 7. p. 522 523 Marks to try whether we have it and means to get it ibid. Rivers Rivers Their original use and motion l. 3. p. 251 252 The River Nilus l. 3. p. 246. 252 Romans Romans an excellent Epistle l. 1. p. 47 Who best expound it ib. Rule The properties of a Rule l. 1 p. 82 83 The Scripture is the Rule of faith and life ibid. 84 Ruth Ruth by whom written l. 1. p. 32 The best Expositors of it ibid. S Sacraments SAcraments their name and nature l. 8. p. 655 656 The Church hath ever had Sacraments l. 8. p. 656 The use of Sacraments and their parts l. 8. p. 656 657 The necessity and efficacy of the Sacraments l. 8. p. 657 658 How the Sacraments of the Jewish Church and ours agree and how they differ l. 8. p. 659 660 The Sacraments of the New Testament only two l. 8. p. 660 Sacraments are to be dispensed only by a Minister l. 8. p. 661 The use of the Sacraments of the New Testament ibid. Sadduceâ— confuted l. 3. p. 279. 289 Samuel The Authors of the two books of Samuel and the best Expositors of them l. 1. p. 33 Sanctification Sanctification what l. 7. p. 530 53â— Its parts and properties l. 7. p. 532 Why all godly men must be pure and holy l. 7. p. 532 The excellency of Sanctification l. 7. p. 533 It is imperfect here and why l. 7. p. 533 534 Evidences of Sanctification and means to get it l. 7. p. 534 The Sanctification of the whole man soul and body l. 7. p. 540 541 Of the minde l. 7. p. 541 Of the will l. 7. p. 542 543 Of the conscience l. 7. p. 544 545 Of the memory l. 7. p. 546 Of the affections l. 7. p. 546 to 579 Of the sensitive appetite l. 7 p. 579 580 Of mans body and all the external actions l. 7. p. 580 to 584 Satisfaction Christ satisfied for us l. 5. p. 416 417 It was convenient Christ should satisfie for us l. 5. p. 417 418 The difference between merit and Satisfaction ibid. Saviour Christ is our Saviour and how l. 5. p. 405 406 Scandal l. 4. p. 376 Schism l. 4. p. 376 377 Schoolmen taxed l. 1. p. 25 Scientia media an errour l. 3 p. 120. m Scripture It is the rule of Divinity l. 1. p. 5 Three general characters to know any word to be the word of God ibid. God revealed himself divers wayes to the Fathers ibid. The divers Epithetes of the Scripture l. 1. p. 5 6 Why called the word of God l. 1. p. 5. m Why the Scripture ib. The Divine Authority of the Scriptures proved by many reasons l. 1. p 6. to 16 A description of the Scripture l. 1. p. 7 The Scripture is not repugnant to humane reason and policy l. 1. p. 17 It is for it self worthy to be believed and known to be of God by it self ib. It hath its Authority from it self not the Church l. 1. p. 17 18 It is to be read by the common people l. 1. p. 20 21 How it is to be read l. 1. p. 22 23 24 Many contemn and unreverently handle the Scripture l. 1. p. 25 26 27 The Canonical Books of Scripture l. 1. p. 28 Of the Old and New Testament l. 1. p. 30. to 54 What parts of Scripture have been questioned l. 1. p. 43 The Authentical Edition of Scripture l. 1. p. 58. to 61 Whether any books of the Scripture be lost l. 1. p. 72 73 Whether the Scriptures of the Old Testament had points from the beginning l. 1. p. 73 74 The end of the Scripture l. 1. p. 80 The Properties of the Scripture its Divine Authority truth it is the rule of faith and life necessity purity perfection perspicuity l. 1. p. 81 to 105 The interpretation of the Scripture 1. It s divers senses 2. To whom belongs the chief authority to expound Scripture 3. The means which must be used in the Interpâ—eâ—ation of it l. 1. p. 105. to 121 Sea Sea a great work of God the making of it l. 3. p. 249 252 253 Why called mâ—re ib. m. Divers Questions about it answered l. 3. p. 249 250 251 Sedition l. 4. p. 377 378 379 Self love l. 4. p. 379 Self-denial l. 7. p. 600 Self seeking l. 4. p. 379 380 Septuagint Septuagint The Greek Translation of the Old Testament l. 1. p. 62 Is not authentical l. 1. p. 75 76 Serpents Serpents a three-fold profit redounds to us from them l. 3. p. 267 268 Why Satan is called the old Serpent l. 4. p. 304 Servants Two kindes of them three things commend a Servant l. 9. p. 843 844 Severity l. 7. p. 588 589 Ship the materials of it wonderful l. 3. p. 254 255 Signs several sorts of them l. 8. p. 655 656 Simple God is most Simple l. 2. p. 138 139 Sincerity l. 7. p. 602 Singing of Psalms a duty and how to be performed l. 8. p. 609 610 Sinne. Sin what it is l. 4. p. 307 Divided into original and actual ibid. l. 4. p. 315 That there is original sin its names and what it is l. 4. p. 308 309 310 The subject of it l. 4. p. 310 It is not the substance of a man l. 4. p. 310 311 Many hereticks extenuate it ib. All equally guilty of original sinne l. 4. p. 312 313 How it is propagated l. 4 p. 313 314 We are all guilty of Adams sin l. 4. p. 306 307 What actual sin is l. 4 p.
libri constanter legunt Hu Gen. 3. Septuaginta haben 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chaldaica Paraphrasis hanc lectionem confirmat Temque quidam codices vulgatae Editionis retinent ipse quidam ipsum Postremò pondus ipsum sententiae postulat ut hoc de semine mulieris non de mulicre intelligam Whitak h Ex voce Hebraeapotest emendari prava vulgi consuetudo qui duobus Cornubus pingunt Mosen rident igitur nos execrantur Iudaei quoties Mosen in templis cornuta facie depictum aspiciunt quasi nos eum diabolum quendam ut ipsi stultè interpretantur esse putemus Sixtus Seneâ—sis Biblioth Sanct. l. 5. Annot. 116. Vide Grotium in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX i Invictum in hoc loco prout in Hebraeo extat contra Iudaeos pro Dcitate Christi argumentum situm esse agnosâ—unt Pontificii Amama Antibarb Bibl. lib. 3. Proculdubio eâ—â—iro illo erga Christum Dei silium odio profecta est illa Ebraeiâ—textus detorsic potius quam interpretatio ringi enim videas Iuâ—aeos cum audiunt Messiam Dei esse filium Mayerus in Philologia Sacra Illustre est vaticinium de Christo faedissimè obsâ—uratum à Graeco Latina interprete à quibus neutra vox est expressa Chamierâ—s de Canone l. 13. c. 9. Supersubstantialem id est Ad substantiae nostrae Conservationem necessarium Eman. Sa. Omnes veteres latini Scriptores panem quotidianum legcrunt itaque ineautè quidam nostro tempore in vulgata Editione pro quotidiano Supersubstantialem posuerunt quod corporis Cibo quem à nobis peti probavimus minimè convenit Maldonatus Jansenius idem ferè habet Harm cap. 41. Their own Dictionaries and Doctors expouÌ„d the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gratified or undeservedly accepted or whoÌ„ Gods singular favor had made acceptable a Non habet ex hoc loco prudens lectora Paulo conjugium esse Sacramentum non enim dicit Sacramentum sed mysterium hoc magnum est The Apostle saith he speaketh not of corporal marriage of a man and his wife but of the spiritural marriage of Christ and his Church b Erasinus dicit an fit sacramentum olim dubitatum erat à scholasticis Certè ex hoc loco non possit effici nam particula adversativa ego autem satis indicat hoc mysterium ad Christum ecclesiam pertinere non ad maritum uxorem Mark 6. 8. Vide Salmeronem Riberam in loc Praefat in nov Test. Dr Fulk against Martin Vide Whitakeri Controversiam primam quaest secundum cap. 10. 11. 12. de Scripturis Sixtinus Amama censuram vulgatae versionis in Pentateucho caepit telam pertexturus nisi morte fuisset praeventus Waltherus in officina Biblica Sixtinus Amama Haeretiâ—us versionis Sixtinae inimicissimus ut proinde meritò dici possit Anti-Sixtinus Tract Joan D â— Es ieres de Text. Heb. Disput. 2. Dub. 2 b God in Christ or God and Christ is the object of Christian religion without knowledge of Christ we cannot know God savingly Iohn 11. 37. In Iudah onely is God known No man cometh to the Father but by me The ultimate object of faiâ—h is God 1 Pet 1. 21. c 2 Tim. 3. 16. Rom. 15. 4. The word of God is profitable five ways 1. For confirmation of true Doctrine or teaching men the truth 2 Tim. 3. 16. the Apostle tells us of four ends of Scripture The first two are commonly referred to Doctrinals the last two to Practicals If any of these be wanting a Christian is not perfect so much as in the perfection of parts he is but half a Christian who is an Orthodox believer if he be not practical also and he is but half a Christian who is practical if he be not an Orthodox believer Mr Gillesp. miscel c. 12. 2 Reproof of error 1 Tit. 9. Rectum est index sui obliqui Quibus principiis veritas astruitur iisdem principiis falsicas destruitur Tertullian calls the Scripture Machaera contra haereses Aufer haebreticis quaecunque Ethniri sapiunt ut de scripturis solis quaestiones suas sistant Et stare non poterunt Teicul de resurrectione carnis In comitiis Vindelicorum cum Episcopus Albertuâ— aliquando legerâ—t Biblia referente Luthero in Sermon Convival interrogasset quidam è Consiliariis quid libri hic esset Nescio equidem respondet qualis sit liber sed omnia quae in eo lego nostrae religioni planè sunt contraria Dr Prid. orat octava de vocatione ministrorum 3. Correction of ill behavior 4. Instruction in a good behavior 5. Consolation in troubles Rom. 15. 4. Psal. 119. 29. Vide Zepperi Artem habendi audiendi conciones l. 1. c. 3 p. 34. 35. d Divinae autoritas Scripturâ— est Infallibilis veritas in verbis sensibus ob quam omnes fidem ei obâ—dientiam debent Altingius Exod. 32. 16. 2 Tim. 3. 16. 2 Pet. 1. 21. Heb. 11. Joh. 12. 14. 26. e Divina auctoritas suam trahit originem una ex parte ex immediato Spiritus S. afflatâ— ex alterâ ex sublimitate rerum quas exponit Waltherus in officina Biblica f Mat. 5. 18. Scriptura est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fide digna propter se crâ—denda quia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est Divinitus inspirara Hic illud Pythagoricum valet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We must take heed of believing Scripture to be the word of God because there is the greatest reason for it but for its divine Authority Matth. 24. 35 g The material parts of Scripture are true Historical narrations all the Histories therâ— related are undoubtedly true that of the Creation fall of Christ. â— Threatnings the eternal torments in hell are sure as if thou wast already in them 3. Promises the Scripture calls them the sure mercies of David 4. Predictions and Prophesies in Daniel Revelation as the downfall of Antichrist they speak therefore of things to come in the present tense to note thereby the certainty of the accomplishment Isa. 9. 6. Apoc. 18. 2. Veritas est conformitas rei cum Archeâ—ypo that is a great excellency of the word of God to be the word of truth Ephes. 1. 1â— Iames 1. 18. Acts 26. 27. it is so called â— In opposition to the shadows and types in the Law 1 Iohn 17. 2. By way of exclusion of all falshood iâ— comes from the God of truth 3. It contains all needful and transcendent truths h Ego in huâ—usmodi quorumlibet â—ominum scriptiâ— liber sum quia solis â—anonicis scripturis debeo fine ulâ—a recusatione consensum August de natura gratia c. 6. The essential form of the word is truth informing the whole and every part all divine truth is there set down i Scripturae Sancta appellatur Canonica toâ—um ejus corpus Canon Rationem nominis aut omnes aut ferè omnes esse testantur quia â—it
when ye become men ye must put away these childish things Blow at the Root p. 82 83. The expresse testimonies of Scripture forbidding even Angels to adde any thing to those things which are commanded by the Lord do prove the perfection of the Scripture Deut. 4. 5 12. and 12. 32. and 30. 10. and 5. 12 13 14. and 28. 58. Ioshua 1. 7 8. Prov. 30. 5. wherefore the Apostle commands That no man presume above that which is written 1 Cor. 4. 6. 2 Tim. 3. 15 16. Divers reasons may be drawn from this last place to prove the perfection of the Scripture 1. The Apostle teacheth That the Scriptures are able to make a man wise to salvation therefore there needeth no further counsel nor direction thereunto but out of the Scriptures 2. The Scriptures are able to make the man of God that is the Minister of the Word perfect and compleat unto every work of his Ministery whether it be by teaching true Doctrine or confuting false by exhorting and putting forward to that which is good or dehorting from that which is evil Paul would not have us think that all and every writing viz. of Plato Aristotle is divinely inspired for in ver 15. he not only useth the plural number calling them the holy writings thereby to note the word of God and not one sentence or Book but all the sentences and Books of the Scripture and also useth the Article which hath force of an universal note therefore the Greek words the whole Scripture signifieth the whole altogether and not every part severally in this place 2. No one part of holy Scripture is able to make the Minister perfect therefore it must needs be understood of the whole body of holy Scripture wherein this sufficiency is to be found The Ancient Fathers and other Divines have from this place proved the perfection and sufficiency of the Scripture in all things necessary to salvation We do not reason thus as the Papists charge us it is profitable therefore it is sufficient but because 1. The Scripture is profitable for all these ends viz. to teach sound Doctrine to refute false opinions to instruct in holy life and correct ill manners therefore it is sufficient or it is profitable to all those functions of the Ministery that a Minister of the Church may be perfect therefore much more for the people Argumentum non nititur unica illa voce utilis sed toto sententiae complexu Chamierus Hitherto of the perfection of the Scripture absolutely considered now follows the sufficiency thereof in opposition to unwritten traditions or verities as the Papists speak D Davenant premiseth these things for the better understanding of the sufficiency of the Scripture 1. We speak of the state of the Church saith he in which God hath ceased to speak to men by the Prophets or Apostles divinely inspired and to lay open new Revelations to his Church 2. We grant that the Apostles living and preaching and the Canon of the New Testament being not yet sealed their Gospel delivered Viva Voce was no lesse a rule of Faith and Worship then the writings of Moses and the Prophets 3. We do not reject all the traditions of the Church for we embrace certain Historical and Ceremonial ones but we deny that opinions of faith or precepts of worship can be confirmed by unwritten traditions 4. We call that an opinion of Faith to speak properly and strictly when a Proposition is revealed by God which exceeds the capacity of nature and is propounded to be believed as necessary to be known to Salvation Fundamentall opinions are those which by a usuall and proper name are called Articles of Faith 5. What is not in respect of the Matter an Article of Faith may be a Proposition to be believed with a Theological Faith if you look to the manner of revealing as that the Sun is a great light the Moon a lesse Gen. 1. 16. that Rachel was beautifull Leah blear-eyed The Papists do not cease to accuse the Scripture of imperfection and insufficiency as not containing all things necessary to salvation The Councel of Trent Sess. 4. decret 1. saith That the Truth and Discipline is contained in libris scriptis sine scripto traditionibus The Papists generally divide the word of God into the word written and traditions They affirm that there are many things belonging to Christian faith which are neither contained in the Scriptures openly nor secretly This opinion is maintained by the Papists but it was not first invented by them The Jewish Fathers did use the traditions of the Elders and it hath been said of old Mark 75. Matth. 5. 21. for their errors and superstitions yea at length they affirmed that God gave to Moses in Mount Sinai the Scripture and the Cabala or a double Law the one written the other unwritten The Tridentin Fathers Sâ—s 4. do command Traditions to be received with the same reverend affection and piety with which we imbrace the Scripture and because one Bishop in the Councel of Trent refused this he was excluded In the mean space they explain not what those Traditions are which must be so regarded none of them would ever give us a List and Catalogue of those Ordinances which are to be defended by the authority of unwritten Traditions not of the Word committed to writing onely they affirm in general whatsoever they teach or do which is not in the Scripture that it is to be put into the number of Traditions unwritten The cause of it self is manifest That at their pleasure they might thrust what they would upon the Church under the name of Traditions Vide Whitak de Script contro Quaest. 6. c. 5. See also Moulins Buckler of Faith p. 51. Lindan the Papist was not ashamed to say That it had been better for the Church if there had been no Scripture at all but onely Traditions For saith he we may do well enough with Traditions though we had no Scripture but could not do well enough with Scripture though we had no Traditions Baldwin saith a Testament may be either Scriptum or Nuncupativum set down in writing or uttered by word of mouth But a Nuncupative Testament or Will made by word of mouth without writing must be proved by solemn witnesses The solemn witnesses of Christs Testament are the Prophets and Apostles Let Papists if they can prove by them that part of the Testament of Christ is unwritten Any indifferent Reader will conceive that the Scriptures make most for them who stand most for their Authority and perfection as all the reformed Divines do not only affirming but also confirming that the Scripture is not only a most perfect but the onely infallible rule of faith Titus 1. 2. Rom. 3. 4. God cannot lie and Let God be true and every man a lier that is subject to errour and falshood Every Article of Divine Faith must have a certain and
will destroy the whole world as in the Angels Adam all sin is virtually in every sin It is also a Judge condemning sin Iohn 5. 41. Ezek. 22. 2. it passeth sentence on mens estates and actions 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. Heb. 4. 12 13. 10. 27 mortifies their corruptions Tit. 2 13. 2 Cor. 7. 1. The Spirit mortifies sin not only by infusing a new principle of grace but by restraining the old principle of sinne Rom. 6. 12. Psal. 19. 13. Secondly The Law Habet rationem fraeni hath the nature of a bridle to check and restrain sin 1. By setting before men its perfection Psal. 19. 7 13. Iam. 1. 25. 2. By exalting in a mans heart its authority Iam. 2. 8. 3. By shewing the danger of the curses in it Iob 31. 23. 4. By setting before men its preciousnesse Psal. 119. 103 104. 5. By shewing us that God observes what respect we bear to his Law Isa. 66. 2 3. Thirdly The Law is arule to direct in the way of duty It is 1. A rule within ordering a mans inward disposition The Spirit of God in the work of Regeneration stamps the Law of God in the heart and makes use of it to change the inward disposition Rom. 7. 9. Psal. 19. 7. See Ier. 31. 32. Act. 17. 38. Grace is given by the Gospel but it makes use of the Law Fides impetrat quod lex imperat Aug. 2. It is a rule without to guide a mans way a rule of all Gospel-obedience 1. Because the Gospel sends us to it for a rule Luke 16. 29. Iames 1. 25. and 2. 8. 2. Christ hath left us an example of all obedience Matth. 11. 29. Iohn 13. 15. 3. So far as the best men come short of the Law they sin 1 Ioh. 4. 3. 4. It hath all the properties of a rule it is 1. Recta Psal. 19. 7. 2 Promulgata published Hos. 8. 12. 3. Adaequata Psal. 119. 9. shall be our Judge hereafter Rom. 2. 14 15. God requires not only abstinence from evil but the doing of the contrary good Isa. 1. 16 17. Psal. 34. 14. Rom. 12. 9. Reasons 1. In regard of God 1. He hates evil and delights in good 2. The divine mercies are privative and positive Psal. 84. 11. 2. In regard of the principles of spiritual life we must have communion with Christ both in his death and resurrection Rom. 6. 11. The Law as a Covenant of works is in all these respects a servant to the Gospel and Gospel-ends I. As a Glasse and a Judge 1. By exalting free grace Paul and Luther being cast down with their sins exalted free grace 1 Tim. 1. 13 14. 2. By exalting the bloud of Christ the more one apprehends his sinne the more orient will the bloud of Christ be to the soul Philip. 3. 8 9. Rom. 7. 24 25. 3. By qualifying the soul and preparing it for Christ Luke 3. 5. Matth. 11. 28. 4. By making a man pliable to God ever after the discovery of our sin and misery by the Law and of free grace works a childe-like obedience Isa. 11. 6. 5. By making a man fear sin ever after he hath been under the hammering of the Law Psal. 85. 8. Hos. 3. 5. 6. By making one set a high price on the Spirit of Adoption Res delicata Spiritus Christi Tert. II. As a bridle the Law is the Gospels servant in restraining sinne the Gospel can use the Law above its nature and contrary to the use that sinne makes of it The Law cannot give grace to assist in duty and to restrain in sin Restraining grace serves the ends of the Gospel 1. In respect of wicked men though the Law restraining kils not sin in the ungodly yet the very restraint of the action is a great mercy 1. It makes a man lesse wicked 2. Keeps men from corrupting others 3. Lessens their torments the common graces of the Gospel making use of the restraints of the Law keep some wicked men from those grosse enormities that others run into 2. In respect of the godly 1. Preserves them from sinne before their conversion 2. It restrains their lusts Act. 23. 1. and after their conversion keeps them from sin Psal. 19. 13. by the restraints of the Law and the Gospel I shall in the next place lay down certain general rules which may direct us in the right interpretation of the ten Commandments 1. Because the Law doth comprehend all our duties to be performed both to God and man Luk. 10. 26. therefore the interpretation of it must be sought and fetcht out of the Sermons of the Prophets and Apostles and the Doctrine of our Saviour 2. Whereas some Laws are laid down in the form of a command and most of them viz. eight in the form of a prohibition we must conceive that under every command there is implied a prohibition of whatsoever is contrary to what is commanded and in every prohibition a command of all duties opposite to that which is forbidden For example in the second Commandment which under the name of Images forbids the inventing or using of any form of worship of mans devising there is withall commanded the worship of God according to his own will in the use of the Ordinances prescribed and warranted by his Word as prayer and hearing of the Word receiving the Sacraments And in the third Commandment under the prohibition of taking Gods name in vain is commanded the taking up of it with all holy reverence and fear Thou shalt have no other gods that is thou shalt have me for thy God Keep holy the Sabbath that is do not break it 3. Every Commandment of God is spiritual and doth binde the inward man as well as the outward Humana lex ligat manum linguam divina verò ligat animam Original sinne is condemned in the whole Law but it seemeth to be directly condemned in the first and last Commandment for these two concern properly the heart of man the first respecting it so far as it concerneth God the last so far as it concerns man whether himself or others 4. In respect of the authority that commands all the precepts are equal Iames 2. 11. In respect of the objects of the duties commanded the Commandments of the first Table are of greatest importance Matth. 22. 38. if equal proportion be observed and comparison made because the services therein required are more immediately directed unto God and consequently he is more immediately concerned in them then in the duties of the second Table 1 Sam. 2. 25. Isa. 7. 13. The negative Commandments binde us more strongly then the affirmative for they oblige us alwayes and to all times the affirmative although they binde us alwayes yet they binde us not to all times A man is not bound alwayes to worship God but he is bound never to exhibit divine worship to a creature He is not bound at all times and in all places to professe his faith but he is
alwayes bound not to deny his faith and religion either by word or deed A man is noâ— bound alwayes to speak the truth but he is bound never to lie seign or play the hypocrite All the Commandments are delivered negatively save the fourth and the fifth 5. The Lord that gave us his Law made none for himself and being the Law-giver he is above his own Law and may dispense with it upon his own will and pleasure as he did to Abraham commanding him to offer up his onely Sonne in Sacrifice which being commanded was to him just and honest by speciall prerogative which in another had been dishonest and unjust 6. The meaning of every precept must be taken from the main scope and end for which it was given and all those things to be included without which the precept cannot be performed therefore one and the same work may be referred to divers precepts as it pertaineth to divers ends 7. Under one vice expresly forbidden all of the same kinde and that necessarily depend thereon as also the least cause occasion or incitement thereunto are likewise forbidden Mat. 5. 21 22 27 28 29. 1 Thess. 5. 22. Under one duty expressed all of like nature are comprehended as all meanes effects and whatsoever is necessarily required for the performance of that duty The cause is commanded or forbidden in the effect and the effect in the cause 8. Where the more honourable person is expressed as the man let the woman understand that the precept concerns her where the duty of one man standing in relation to another is taught there are taught the duties of all that stand in like relation one to another as when the duty of one Inferiour toward his Superiour is taught there is taught the general duty which all Superiours owe to those that be under them which Inferiours owe to those that are over them and which Equals owe one to another 9. The Law forbids the doing of evil in our own persons and the helping or furtherance of others in evil though but by silence connivence or slight reproof and it commands not onely that we observe it our selves but that we preserve it and what lieth in us cause others to keep it Thou thy Sonne and thy Daughter must go over all the rest of the Commandments as well as the fourth 10. The Law is set forth as a rule of life to them that be in Covenant with God in Jesus Christ God in Christ is the object of Christian religion and of that obedience which is prescribed in that Covenant That immediate worship and service which we owe to God and must perform according to his prescription which is usually called Piety or Godlinesse is taught in the Commandments of the first Table Our Saviour reduceth the summe of these Commandments to this one Head Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart soul strength and thought that is whatsoever is within thee or without thee even to the losse of thy life goods and good name all must yeeld to the Lords calling whensoever he will make trial of thy love towards him This particular duty may well comprehend all the rest for as is our love so is our faith and obedience God is loved above all things when in all that he promiseth he is believed and in all that he commandeth he is obeyed The general sins against the Commandments of the first Table are 1. Impiety which is a neglect or contempt of Gods true worship and service inward and outward Isa. 43. 22 23. 2. Idolatry which is the worship of false gods or of the true God after a devised manner of our own Amos 5. 26. That duty which we owe unto men by the Lords Commandment and for his glory which is usually called honesty or righteousnesse is taught in the Commandments of the second Table Our Saviour bringeth them to one head Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self that is without fainting coldnesse delay or feigning from the heart fervently when and so long as occasion is given By Neighbour is meant not only our Friend or Kinsman but whosoever and of what Countrey soever that wanteth our help especially he that is of the houshold of faith The general sins against the Commandments of the second Table are 1. Inhumanity and injustice when we disregard our neighbour or deal injuriously with him 2. Partiality in affection when we love our friends but hate our enemies favour some for carnal respects contemn others that are to be respected Six Commandments are set down in many words and four nakedly in hare words as the sixth seventh eighth and ninth because men will easily be brought to yeeld to them The Scripture shews to man two wayes of attaining happinesse one by his own works called the Law the other by faith in Christ called the Gospel The Law driveth us to Christ and faith doth establish the Law Rom 3. 31. The Summe of the Law is abridged in the ten Commandments which God delivered on Mount Sinai and after wrote in two Tables This declareth our whole Duty 1. To God immediately which is in the first Table 1. Principal to make him our God Command 1. 2. Lesse principal in regard of 1. Sorts of worship to be performed unto him which are two 1. Solemn Command 2. 2. Common Command 3. 2. The giving of a set time to him Comman 4. 2. To God mediately and immediately to man for Gods sake in the second Table here his duty is shew'd 1. Severally to 1. Some kinde of persons specially Command 5. 2. To all generally in regard of 1. Their Persons for 1. Life Command 6. 2. Chastity Command 7. 2. The things of their Persons both Goods Command 8. Good Name Command 9. 2. Joyntly to all these in regard of the first motions of the minde and will in Command 10. CHAP. II. Of the first Commandment THou shalt have no other Gods before me SOme Divines judge that those words I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt do contain the affirmative part of the first precept and the latter Thou shalt have no other Gods before my face the negative For these two sentences are elsewhere often joyned together as they be here and our Saviour citing the first Commandment rehearseth it thus Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. Besides say they if the words be not conceived as a form of commandment yet it must necessarily be understood to command the Worship of the true God and it so pertains to the understanding of the Precept that it cannot be separated from it Other Divines hold the first words to be a Preface to all the Commandments Buxtorf de Decalogo saith these words contain an Enunciative not an Imparative speech therefore they are not a Precept but rather a general Preface to the whole Decalogue in which reasons are brought why we are bound to obey him