to be got by the Gospel if a man reade it cursorily and carelesly but if he exercise himselfe therein constantly and conscionably hee shall feele such a force in it as is not to be found againe in any other booke whatsoever Humane writings may shew some faults to bee avoided but give no power to amend them but the feare of the Lord is cleane Nemo adeo fâ—rus est qui non micascere possit Si modò culturae patientem accommodet aurem Hor. saith David and Now are ye cleane by the word that I have spoken unto you saith our Saviour Sanctifie them by thy truth thy Word is truth Philosophy may civilize Abscondit vitia non abscindit Lactan. Siresipuit à vino suit semper tamen temu'entus sacrilegio Ambr. de Elia jejunio cap. 12. not sanctifie hide some sins not heale them cover not cure them barb and curb them not abate and abolish them Ambrose saith well concerning Poleme who of a drunkand by hearing Xenocrates became a Philosopher Though hee forsooke his wine-bibbing yet he continued drunke with superstition Porphyry saith it was pity such a man as Paul should be cast away upon our religion Plato came thrice into Sicily to convert Dionysius the tyrant to morall Philosophy and could not But Peter by the foolishnesse of preaching converted his thousands Hieron de clar scriptorib and Paul his ten thousands And as Scipio was called Africanus Da mihi virum qui sit iracundus maledicus effraenotus paucissimis Dei verbis tam placidum quà m ovem reddam Da cupidum avarum tenacem jam tibi eum libera'em dabâ— c. Da libidinosum crude'em injustum continuò aequue castus clemens c. Nunquis haec Philosophorum aut unquam praestitit aut praestare potest Lactant. lâ—b â— Inst t. cap. 86. another Numantinus a third Macedonicus from the countries they conquered so had this worthy Warriour his name changed from Saul to Paul for a memoriall likely of those first spoiles hee brought into the Church of Christ not the head but the heart of that noble Sergius Paulus After whose conversion he beganne to be knowne by the name of Paul and not till then Act. 13.9 So then the efficacy and vertue of the Scripture to produce the love of God and our enemies to purifie the heart to pacifie the conscience to rectifie the whole both constitution and conversation of a man to take him off from the delights of the world and flesh to make him glory in afflictions sing in the flames triumph over death all these and more doe necessarily conclude the divine authority of the Scriptures What words of Philosophers could ever make of a Leopard a Lamb of a Viper a Childe of a leacher a chaste man of a Nabal a Nadib of a covetous carle a liberall person Isay 23.18 Tyrus turning to God and receiving the Gospel leaves hoarding and heaping her wealth and findes another manner of employment for it viz. to feed and cloath the poore people of God Two or three words of Gods mouth saith that Father worke such an evident and entire change in a man Pauca Dei praecepta sic tâ—tum hominem immutant ut non cognoscaâ— eundem esse Lactant ubi supra that you can scarce know him to be the same as in Zacheus Paul Onesimus and others Neither need we wonder hereat considering that Dei dicere est facere Gods words where he pleaseth to speake home to the heart are operative and carry a vertue in them together with his Word there comes forth a power as his bidding Lazarus arise and came forth caused him to doe so And as in the Creation he said Let there be light and there was light so in the new creation see 2 Cor. 4.6 As there the spirit moved upon the face of the waters and there-hence hatched the creature so here he spake unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 1.2 and at the same time breathed on them the holy Ghost Job 20.22 It is said Luke 5.17 that as Christ was teaching the power of the Lord was present to heale the people so is it still in his Word and Ordinances As for me this is my covenant with them saith the Lord My spirit which is upon thee Isay 59.21 and my words which J have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever The Word and Spirit runne parallell in the soule as the veines and arteries doe in the body The veines carry the blood and the arteries carrie the spirits to beat forth and to quicken the blood Hence 2 Cor. 3.6 spirit is put for the Gospel in and with which it worketh and grace in the heart is elsewhere often likened to seed in the wombe because it is first formed there by an admirable coition of the Word and Spirit till Christ be formed in us It is the worke of the Spirit to make the seed of the Word prolificall and generative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iam. 1.21 to make it an inbred Word as Saint James calleth it not onely able but effectuall to save the soule Surely as the earth is made fruitfull when the heavens once answer the earth Hos 2.21 Rom. 7.4 so are our hearts when the Spirit workes with the Word causing us to bring forth fruit to God And this doubtlesse is that reall testimony given by the Spirit to the Word that it is indeed the Word of God Neither is he wanting in his vocall testimony that inward divine testimony above-mentioned which yet is heard by none but Gods own houshold is confined to the communion of Saints whose consciences he secretly perswadeth of this truth and sweetly seales it up to them This is promised Esay 52.6 They shall know in that day that I am he that doth speake behold it is I. And Joh. 7.17 If any man will doe his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speake of my selfe And as it is promised so is it performed too for he that beleeveth hath the witnesse in himselfe 1 Iohn 5.10 Cant. 2.8 Cant. 5.2 1 Cor. 2.15 1 Iohn 2.20 27. Isay 53.1 Matth. 13.11 so that he can safely say It is the voice of my beloved that knockes The spirituall man discerneth all things for he hath the minde of Christ and an unction within that teacheth him all things to him is the arme of the Lord revealed and to him it is given that which is denyed to others to know the mysteries of the kingdome of heaven So that he no sooner heares but he beleeves Eph 1.13 and is sealed with that holy spirit of promise whose inward testimony of the truth and authority of the Scriptures is ever met by a motion of the sanctified soule inspired by
holy and just and good founded upon so much right reason that if God had not enjoyned it yet had it been our best course in selfe-regard to have observed it Howbeit by accident and through our singular corruption this good Law irritates naughty nature and makes bad men worse as the message of dismission did Pharaoh The waves doe not beate or roare any where so much as at the banke which restraines them nor would the vapour in a cloud make that fearefull report if it met not with opposition Corruption when checkt growes mad with rage and askes who is the Lord Let us breake his bonds say they Psal 2. and live by the lawes of our owne lusts Let us eate and drinke and rise up to play Exod. 34. for as for this Moses we cannot tell what is become of him and as for his Man Luke 19.14 we will not have him to rule ouer us neither will we submit to the lawes of his kingdom But who art thou O man that thus chattest against GOD 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex adâ—erso responsus Rom. 9.20 and quarrellest with his word Gods will therein revealed is the supreme rule of right the Kings standard as it were and the Kings beame and is not therefore to be regulated or corrected by any other but to determine and over-rule all But these Yokelesse Belialists snuffe at it as over-strict and say in effect to it as the Sodomites to Lot Base busie stranger comest thou hither thus Controller-like to preach and prate to us Sylvesters Du-Bartas There is in Peter Lombard this sentence cited out of Austin de vera innocentia cap. 56. The whole life of an Infidell is sinne neither is any thing good without the chiefest good At this truth Ambrose Spiera a certaine postiller shooteth his fooles bolt saying Crudelis est illa sentencia This is a cruell sentence The like censure passeth many a wicked Atheist upon the righteous Oracles of God imputing to them falshood unlikeliehood iniquity extremity what not warding off as well as they can Gods blow motting themselves up against his fire not suffering his terrours to seise upon their soules like Lots sonnes in Law till at last all too late they feele them sticking in their soules and flesh Iob 6.4 Psalme 15.5 as so many venomed arrowes of the Almighty throughout all eternity Section 6. ANother intolerable abuse in daily practise offered to Gods holy word is In hisVltimis pessimis temporibus Bern. when profane persons take liberty to jest at it or out of it a course too too common in these last and loosest times of the world Scurrility and foolish jesting in any kind is flatly forbidden by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arislot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellaâ— Ephes 5.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. as unseemely for a saint reckond among those things that are not convenient or conduce not to the maine end How much lesse lawfull is it to frame jests out of Scripture Sith the greater any good is the greater the abuse and the heavier will be the doome when the Righteous Iudge shall be reveald from Heaven with thousands of his Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to convince the ungodly to set them down and stop their soule mouthes as the word signifies of all their hard speeches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iude 15. dry wipes slye taunts bitter jeares and salt jests that ungodly sinners have utterd against him and his truth This was that that Henoch the seventh from Adam preached of old to those spirits now in prison then in jollity 1 Peter 3. that jeared when they should have feared like those in Ezechiel that scoffed at Gods threats and said Let the word of the LORD come that wee may see it And of the same stampe were their nephewes in Noahs time He as a Preacher of Righteousnesse spared for no paines in foretelling the floud but to little purpose They looked upon him as one drownd in a deepe melancholy they said sure he dreamt not of a dry summer but of a wet Winter Many a bitter flout they give the good old man whilest hee is building his Arke and aske what this madde fellow meanes to make such a vessell whether he intended to saile on the dry land or to make a Sea when hee had made his Shippe They held him in that worke no wiser than the Prior of Saint Bartholmewes in London Hollinshead in Anno 1524. who upon a vaine prediction of an idle and addle-headed Astrologer went and built him an house at Harrow on the Hill to secure himselfe from a supposed floud that that Astrologer foretold And therefore though hee clapped and called early and late proposing their danger and pressing them to provide for their owne safety Psalme 1.1 yet being now sate downe in the seate of the scornefull they stird not a whit neither abated an ace as they say of their loose and lewd living But they ate they dranke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Asyn deton â—legâ—ntiss Luke 17.27 they married they gave in marriage they remitted nothing but passed without intermission from eating to drinking from drinking to marrying from marrying to planting and providing for posterity and would know nothing that is would take no knowledge of any thing but lay buried in deep and desperate security till the very day saith our Saviour that the flood came and buried them all in one universall grave of waters Then might the old Preacher had he had any mind to it as fitly have sat and gibed at them as they once foolishly did at him Now Jubal let 's heare one of your merry songs Now Iubal whether is the wiser work the building of Tents or the building of an Arke Now sirs you that are such men of renowne you that were the brave gallants of the earth now tell me who is the foole and who is the Wiseman now By this time from the tops of the mountaines they descry the Arke and behold that with envie which they erst beheld with scorne Surely Prov 3 34. GOD scorneth these scorners that spend their biting girds and bitter jests upon holy things GOD himselfe will laugh at their destruction Prov. 1. â—6 Plaime 52.6 and mocke when their feare commeth The righteous also shall see it and feare and laugh at such as they did in Iulian the Apostates time that notable scoffer that would smite Christians in contempt on the one cheeke and bid turne t'other also Hee resused to heare their complaints of injuries because Christ bad them patiently suffer nor would hee pay them their wages that they might be poore in spirit â—ibanius sophista and so sitted for the kingdome of Heaven One of his bosome-birds tauntingly asked of them what the Carpenters sonne was now in framing whereunto they replied Septem libros in expeditione Parthica adversus Christum evomuit Et Galilaeum statim in praelio sensit
Theologia Theologiae THE TRUE TREASURE OR A Treasury of holy Truths touching GODS WORD and GOD the WORD Digg'd up and drawn out of that Incomparable Mine of unsearchable Mystery HEB. 1.1 2 3. Wherein the Divinity of the holy Scriptures is asserted and applied By JOHN TRAPPE M. A. Pastor and Preacher of GODS WORD at Weston upon Avon in Glouceste-shire Tertullian Sitanti vitreum quanti verum maâ—garitum LONDON Printed by R.B. for George Badger in S. Dunstane's Church-yard at his shop turning up to Clifford's Inne 1641. TO THE Right Honourable my singular good Lord and Patron LIONELL Earle of Middlesex all the blessings both of Heaven and of Earth RIGHT HONOURABLE MY first adventure into the World I presumed to present some three yeares since to your most Noble and Vertuous Consort for a Consolatory This next being my first fruits at Your Lordships Weston I knew not to whom more fitly to addresse than to your Honourable selfe who may lay as good claime to the Man as to the Mannour The One yeelds You an annuall increase a goodly income And the Other hates to be held either barren or not busie in the Lords Vineyeard whether You have so freely and fairely sent â—im and set him awork King Salomon had a Vineyard at Baal-hamon He let it out to keepers Every of them for the fruits thereof was to bring a thousand silverlings Salomon had his thousand and those that kept the fruit thereof two hundred Cant. 8.11 12. I spare to expound or apply so plaine a Text to your Lordship who can soone see without my shewing Your Noble-selfe in Salomon and unworthy Me Your meanest keeper To come in with Your thousand and yet reserve to my selfe two hundred I cannot But if your Lordship be as I doubt not of Davids mind Psal 119.72 The Law of thy mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver my rent is ready and I here tender it in a Treatise of Gods Word and God the Word All my feare is lest the Divinity of the Scriptures herein asserted and applyed should sustaine some detriment from the utter insufficiency of him that handleth it But what meane I or what need I to feare Psal 52.1 The goodnesse of God endureth yet still He once accepted a handfull of meale for a Sacrifice and a gripe of goates-haire for an Oblation And for men Si desint vires tamen est laudanda voluntas Hac ego contentos auguror esse deos The wise Jeweller cares not though the Ring be not so bright so the Diamond that is set therein have a right sparkle As for the Many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch and especially the Malevolent they know my mind already in a former advertisement If that satisfie not I have no more to say to them Nihil ad nos attiner quid homunculi sentiant Lact. Marke 14.31 Satis est Equitem mihi plaudere Hor. but have learned from our Saviours parle with Peter not childishly to strive for the last word May I but enjoy your Lordships approbation and encouragment I shall of such crave no favour seeke no farther say no more than shut up with that Apostolike perclose The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with your spirit Amen Stratford upon Avon this 25 of January 1641. Your Lordships in all due observance most humbly devoted JOHN TRAPPE The Contents of the following Treatise CHAP. 1. The Text analysed and opened p. 2 CHAP. 2. That the Scriptuurs are of God proved by testimonies Humane and Divine and these both Outward and Inward p. 10 CHAP. 3. The manifold Uses and Praises of the Scriptures p. 40 SEC 1. Of the Antiquity and Authority of the Scripture p. 41 SEC 2. Of the Dignity and Excellency of the Scriptures p. 63 SEC 3. Of the Power and Purity of the Scriptures p. 85 SEC 4. Of the Perfection and Sufficiency of the Scriptures p. 99 SEC 5. Of the Verity and Integrity of the Scriptures p. 122 SEC 6. Of the perennity and perpetuity of the Scriptures p. 139 CHAP. 4. Condemneth those that offer abuse or violence to the holy Scriptures p. 146 SEC 1. Against those that seeke to debase and vilifie the Scriptures p. 146 SEC 2. Against those that alledge Scripture for maintenance of Errors p. 158 SEC 3. Against those that alledge Scripture for countenancing of Enormities p. 167 SEC 4. Against those that carpe at the homelinesse of the stile p. 170 SEC 5. Against those that cavill at the harshnesse of the matter p. 179 SEC 6. Against those that jest at the Scripture or out of it p. 182 SEC 7. Against those that abuse the Scripture to spelles and Charmes p. 192 CHAP. 5. A sharpe Reprehension of the Ignorant SEC 1. p. 198 A sharpe Reprehension of the Incredulous SEC 2. p. 206 A sharpe Reprehension of the Disobedient SEC 3. p. 210 CHAP 6. An Exhortation to Ministers to open and apply the Scriptures with all Assiduity earnestnes SE. 1. p. 214 An Exhortation to Ministers to open and apply the Scriptures with all Fidelity and boldnesse SE. 2. p. 225 An Exhortation to Ministers to open and apply the Scriptures with all Integrity holinesse SE. 3. p. 244 CHAP. 7. An Exhortation to all sorts to bee thankefull for the Scriptures and 1. to God that gave them SEC 1. p. 257 An Exhortation to all sorts to bee thankefull for the Scriptures and 2. to the Jews that kept them SEC 2. p. 287 CHAP. 8. An Exhortation to read the holy Scripture p. 300 SEC 1. Motives to the reading of the Scriptures p. 301 SEC 2. Rules Reade though you yet understand not p. 312 SEC 3. Meditate on that you have read p. 315 SEC 4. Pray for understanding yea pray with teares p. 319 SEC 5. Conferre propound doubts and seeke satisfaction p. 325 SEC 6. Attend upon the Word preached p. 328 CHAP. 9. An Exhortation to rest and rely upon the Scriptures for direction of life p. 340 CHAP. 10. An Exhortation to rest and rely upon the Scriptures for consolation both in life and in death p. 356 Erratis vâ—nâ—am poscentiâ— reddere sas est PAG. 2 l. 25. for to a threefold r. under a fourefold p. 7 l. 7. it is worthily agitated r. unworthily exagitated p. 56 l. 4 dese verse p. 80 l. 2 Iacob r. Isaac p. 94 l. 6. â— note p. 178 l. 6 â— holy p. 194 l. 26 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 220 l. 7 r teach p. 2â— p l. 5 r. inclosure p 274 l. 1â— r. sweâ—â—e p. 283 l. 25 r. â—enoti p. 286. l. 19 r. wherefore forasmuch p. 330 l. 25 r. bark p. 358. l. 2â— r. bethought p. 304 l. 23 r. Not not not p. 5â—4 l. 24 r. Nots p. 368. l. 22 for her r. his THE True TREASURE OR A Treasury of holy Truths Touching God's Word and God the Word Digg'd up and drawne out of that Incomparable Mine of unsearchable Mystery HEBREWES 1.1 God
Quod tamen Chananaeus suerit c. plures habet assertores textum multò faventiorem D. Prid. Lect. p. 95. who perhaps was Melchisedech Noah Enoch and the rest of the Anti-diluvian Patriarchs up to Adam Scarce was there any age that afforded not some or other holy man of God extraordinarily inspired enabled to deliver the doctrine of divine truth from the immediate mouth of God Although there were intermissions other-whiles as the history sheweth and the Church complaineth Psal 74.9 In diverse manners Three severall wayes as is well observed God revealed his will to mankinde 1. By the light of nature imprinting in man certaine principles common notions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or small sparkes and spinthers of divine light 2. By the bookes of the Creatures whereby he blew up those sparkes and kindled them into a flame Hence Tertullian Praemisit Deus Naturam magistram submâ—ssurus prophetiam quò faciliùs credas prophetiae d scipulus Naturae God first set us to schoole to dame nature that being entred there we might more readily understand better beleeve the Scriptures For when by mans fall the two former failed and proved insufficient God revealed himself lastly by his Word but after a diverse maner as the text here hath it Sometimes mouth to mouth as to Adam and those Ancients sometimes by the ministery of others whether Angels or men and to these either in dreames or visions representing to their senses or otherwise imprinting upon their mindes and so imparting to the world whatsoever he would have understood and uttered Num. 12.6 Job 33.15 16. sometimes lastly by his son Jesus Christ in humane shape of old but in these last dayes in a true humane nature revealing unto us all and all at once and no more by peeces and parcels Hence these times 1 Cor. 10.11 wherein Christ and the Apostles lived are called here the last dayes and elsewhere the ends of the world though so many ages afore the worlds end because there shall be no more alteration in Religion nor any more additions made to that which Christ hath taught by himselfe and his Apostles Rev. 21.14 who are therefore also said to be the foundations of the new Jerusalem Eph. 2.20 and of the whole Scriptures as now whereupon the houshold of God is built Jesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner-stone God spake unto the Fathers God spake to us c. Note hence that It is God that speaketh in the holy Scriptures of both old and now Testament Doct. It is the very minde of God that is there set forth unto us Prov. 1.23 the expresse patterne and platforme of that truth that is originally in God the fountaine of all truth It is the very voice of the Almighty comming as it were out of his secret seat out of his unapproachable light and disclosing to his creatures his ineffable essence his unsearchable counsell All Scripture is divinely inspired 2 Tim. 3.16 saith Saint Paul And holy men spake it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1.21 as they were acted and carried thereunto by the holy Ghost saith Saint Peter Luc. 1.70 God spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have been since the world beganne saith Zachary in his Canticle And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee speake saith that great Apostle for himselfe and his fellowes not in the words which mans wisdome teacheth 1 Cor. 2.13 but which the holy Ghost teacheth whose not onely matter as vers 12. but words they are also that wee utter These are the very sentences yea notions that were written as I may so say of old in the minde of God and are now clothed with his owne very termes and expressions though by some of his servants he hath uttered himselfe more loftily by some in a lower language according to the severall abilities of the speakers and capacitie of the hearers But it was God that did dictate unto them both matter and words 2 Cor. 13.3 it was Christ that spake in them How prove you that may some say Saint Augustine answers Confess l. 6. c. 5. Piscatoribus credimus non Dialecticis Ambros Fidei Christianae mysteria meliùs credendo intelliguntur quam intelligendo creduntur Ruperius Abbas Tic ciensis Credo non probo I beleeve it I need not prove it That the Scripture is Gods owne word is a principle of faith and therefore cannot be demonstrated à priori as they call it We beleeve and know saith Peter Principles of faith are apprehended by faith and this faith howsoever it bringeth with it certainty yet doth it not clearnesse whether you looke upon the matter which are things not seene Heb. 11. or the manner it being through a glasse darkly 1 Cor. 13. And here the Schools lay down two remarkable propositions the one Tho. Aquin. 1. pâ—t q. 1. art 8. that Divinity is not argumentative to prove her principles but onely to prove her conclusions The other that against one which absolutely denyes her principles and namely the Scriptures one cannot proceed probando but solvendo that is not by proving the truth thereof but by dissolving the reasons brought to the contrary But for arguments à posteriori as they call it there is and may be enough and enough said to settle weake consciences and to silence all such wicked Atheists and adversaries as whose mouths the devill hath borrowed at any time to call the matter into question The venerable Antiquity matchlesse majestie lively efficacy beautifull harmony incorrigible purity invincible perennity and continuance of the Scriptures notwithstanding the injury and iniquity of times and tyrants who have sought to suppresse them doe all plainly evince them to be the undoubted word of God Besides the confirmation by miracles confession of Martyrs destruction of oppugners fulfilling of prophecies consent of Churches yea assent of enemies As 1. of heretikes who in oppugning of Scripture doe yet alledge Scripture so fighting against God with his owne forces Irenaeus l. 3. adv haer c. 11. Tertull. lib. de praescrip adv haer cap. 15. as Jehu did against Jehoram his master with his owne sword as David did against Goliah the Gittite but with unlike successe to their owne utter destruction 2 Pet. 3.16 2. Of Jewes Aug in Psal 56 p. 384. Gods Library-keepers as Austin calleth them for to them were committed the lively Oracles the bookes of the Old Testament which they studiously read and curiously kept by a singular providence of God for our behoofe and benefit As for the New Testament those Jewes of Italy complain they can never see it That Italian translation which they had is now called in and taken from them by those of the Inquisition alledging that they will have no dispute in matter of Religion either way Sands his Relation of west Religion Much like to an Edict set up at Dole by the Jesuites forbidding any talke of God
Scripture the subject matter or the admirable effects thereof The Pen-men besides their divine vocation mission inspiration were plaine men poore men shepherds neat-herds fishers publicans c. neither eloquent Oratours nor cunning-headed Politicians Romani sicut non acumina ita nec imposturas habent Bell. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 4.13 to art out an imposture nor witty enough to deceive as Bellarmine saith but how truly of his Italians The Rulers and Elders tooke them for no better than unlearned and ignorant persons Adde hereunto their unpartiall faithfulnesse in relating the naked truth enough to the discredit as it might bee deemed of themselves and their best friends Adulatione enim multa celat aut velat imò palam aliter norrat Ald. Manut. Ne amori erga suum parentem nimium aliquando indulserit nonnulli hand leviter suspicantur Deg. Wheâ— in Method In quamlibet partem nimius odio amore gratia simultate quoniam pecuniam amabat c. Mel. Canus Paterculus is an honest faithfull Historian saith one till he comes to the Caesars but then he smoothes and smothers many foule facts through flattery yea plainly falsifies in many particulars Anna Comnena daughter to the Emperour Alexius Comnenus wrote a Chronicle of the noble acts of her father and called it Alexias But being over-borne by naturall affection she reports not matters so sincerely as many could have wished Paulus Jovius the Historian was too much carried by love and hatred to some particular persons and because he loved money well in writing his history also hee was the slave of money In that famous battle at Belgrade where Mahomet the great Turke was foiled and driven out of the field Capistranus the Friar Minorite Bucholcer Index Chronol De quo ita Sylvius exclamat Ingens dulcedo gloriae faciliùs contenmenda dicitur quam contemnitur Exulat à Pontificiis talis ingenuitas quae Dei dona in hoste agnosceret D. Pâ—ideaux cont Eudoem Ioh. Facit Annales non scribit and Hunniades were chiefe commanders Both of these wrote the history of that battle without once making mention the one of the other each one assuming the entire honour of that dayes worke to himselfe Bellarmine in his booke of Ecclesiasticall writers â—ath not the honesty to name any one of our side notwithstanding it is certaine that he pickt up the best crums that he hath under their tables And Baronius writes not Annales but frames them saith learned Scaliger Not so the Pen-men of holy Scripture Moses reports the sinne and doome of his grandfather Levi of his brother Aaron and sister Miriam nay of himselfe how he sinned and was sentenced at the waters of strife David shames himselfe in his preface to the 51. Psalm Isay tells the world of the wickednesse of Ahaz and weaknesse of Hezekiah Esay 7. 39. his naturall Princes Ezekiel makes honourable mention of Daniel his coetaneus Ezek. 14.14 28.3 and Peter of Paul 2 Pet 3.15 with Gal. 2.11 1 Tim. 1.13 who yet tooke him up publikely for halting at Antioch I was a blasphemer an oppressour a persecutor saith that blessed Apostle This shewes the Scripture to have beene indited and the Pen-men guided by some higher Spirit it being so free from partiality or flattery From the Men come wee next to the Matter of the Scripture the majesty whereof is such besides the stately plainnesse of the stile as farre surpasseth the creatures capacity the fathom of flesh the reach of reason There is no jot nor tittle of it that savours of any earthlinesse But as Xenophon said of Cyrus his Court 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyrop l. 8. that though a man should seeke or chuse blindefold he could not misse of a good man there so neither can you misse of a good text in the whole Bible Every word of Gods mouth is pure De Thucidide Cicero scribit eum esse adeo plenum vefertâ—mque rebus ut prope verberum numerum â—umero rerum exâ—equâ—t Si animalibus dixit Xenâ—phanes pingere daretur Deum proculdubiò sibi similem fingerent quia nihil animal animali supertus cogitare potest Mornaeus de veril rel precious and profitable not a syllable superfluous The very majesty of the sentence is such as cannot be conceived and yet is it alwayes more powerfull in matter than in words It sets forth such an admirable concurrence of Gods Mercy and Justice in mans redemption by the man Christ Jesus as no creature could possibly contrive or if they could yet certainly would not Not good men or Angels for they would never have put upon the world such a notorious imposture Not evill men or devils for it crosseth and controuleth their contrary courses and condemnes them to the pit of hell It utterly over turns the devils kingdome who therefore sharply eggeth and edgeth all his instruments against it yea and tempts better men other whiles to doubt of it Whereas if it were forged and false he would like a lyar as he is foment and fight for it promote and propagate it as he doth Turâ—isme Paganisme and other falshoods abroad the world though never so absurd and impious Thus we have seene how the holy Scripture by the divine matter of it proves it selfe to be no lesse than divine and that as plainly and with as much evidence of truth as if it should say to us as the Angell did to John Rev 21 â— Rev. 22.6 Iohn 21.24 These words of God are true And againe These words are faithfull and true Looke how wee learne not Grammar but by Grammar see not the Sunne but by the light of the Sunne and as a learned man proves himselfe to be learned So doe the Scriptures prove themselves to be the undoubted Word of God Ad probandani veritatent 〈◊〉 efficacius testimonio adversariorum Greg. Arch. Nazar Libros Scripturae canmicos esse divinâ—s praeter argumenta alia etiam haberi ex Scriptura ipsa lib. 1. cap. 2. de Verbo Dei the Wisdome of God in a mystery and Wisedome is justified of her children nay of her enemies Bellarmine impudently affirmes in one place that it cannot possibly be proved out of Scripture that any Scripture is of God But in another discourse forgetting what hee had elsewhere said hee gives himselfe the lye telling us that among other arguments tending to evince the divinity of the Canonicall bookes of Scripture there is sufficient said in the Scipture it selfe Lastly looke we upon its admirable effects and irresistible power to effect the thing whereunto it is appointed to breake the stubborne binde up the broken-hearted c. not onely to informe as other writings but to reforme yea transform the soule from glory to glory till it be wholly conformed to that heavenly patterne 1 Cor. 24 5. Num. 24.17 Christ shall unwall or cast down the wals of all the children of Seth is by the Gosp Rev. 6.2 Gods
must first beleev the truth and integrity of the Scriptures because they are of God and then we shall know whether these things are of God or not And why should this seeme so unreasonable to any man Mahomets dictates may not bee disputed on paine of death The Pope though he draw thousands to â—ell with him yet no man must dare say so much as what doest thou The Fryars though their Governors command them a voyage to China or Peru Sands his Survey of West p. 18 without dispute or delay they are presently to set forward Sicum Angelo iniissescolloqutii avocame Superiore actutù nest obtemperandum Si Bâ—ata Virgo sua praesentia freter ulum dignaretur interpellante vel suo inseriore non debut manere D. Prid. in Eudaemond Ioh. ex Epist ad fratres in Lusitan To argue or debate on their Superiours Mandats were high presumption to search their reasons proud curiosity to detract or disobey them breach of vow equall to sacriledge Such authority do these men usurpe such absolute and blind obedience doe they exact of their Vassals and votaries Oh give God the glory of beleeving and obeying him simply and only because he speakes it Rom. 4.20 Deo agnito collaudato ut Luc. 17.18 and for his bare words sake This is to glorifie God indeed as Abraham did being strong in faith and not doubting of the promise This is to set to our seale that God is true This is to give him a testimoniall as it were Joh. 3.33 such as is that Deut. 32.4 A God of truth and without iniquity just and righteous is he than the which I know not what greater honour can be done the Creatour by the creature or befall the creature from the Creator Contrary to Iam. 3.1 Math. 23.8 Those Masters of opinions as Magistri nostri Parisienses for so they will needs bee called are to be exploded that seek to obtrude upon Gods inheritance their conceits and placits the brood of their own braine without sound proofe of Scripture Wee should sooner beleeve even a lay-man saith honest Panormitan affirming any thing according to Gods word than a full Councell determining besides or against the word Let us stand saith S. Basil Stemus arbitratui inspiratae à Deo Scripturae apud quos inveniuntur dogmata divinis oraculis consimâ— illis veritas adjudicetur sententia Epist 8◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 17.11 Heb. 5.14 1 Iohn 4.1 1 Thess 5.20 Math. 23.8 to the arbitrement of holy Scripture and let them bee thought to have the truth on their side whose opinions are found agreeable thereunto The Beraans would not trust S. Pauls doctrine till they had tried it and are therefore commended as more generous or better-descended then those of Thessalonica that did not so Those dull Hebrews also are sharply censured by our author for not having all that while their senses better exercised to discerne good and evill to try the spirits to prove all things and hold fast that which is good Christ is the only Rabbin the irrefragable Doctor Prov. 8.8 Rev. 5.5 Math. 7.24 the Ipse dixit all the words of whose mouth are right words He only was found worthy to open the seales of the book he taught with authority and not as the Scribes All the confirmation he used against all their corrupt glosses set upon the Law was Verily verily I say unto you It hath been thus and this said of old c. But I say unto you Sometime t is true hee prooved his doctrine by Scripture but this was either for the weaknes of those whom he instructed according to that these things speake I not for any other need but that ye may be saved John 5.34 whence hee called the Law which he alledged their Law Iohn 8.17 or else to confirme to them the authority of the Scriptures and leave us an example John 13.15 For otherwise if he but say to the righteous It shall go well with him Isay 3.10 11. and but say to the wicked the reward of his hands shal be given unto him it is suerty security enough H. b. 6.13 As he sweares by himselfe because he hath none greater by whom to sweare so he affirmes of himself and needs not confirme it by any other his naked assertion is selfe-sufficient his authority most authentike his bare word to bee taken without any further proofe or pawne Thus it ought to be with all but thus alas it is not with most men now-adayes who deale with the faithfull God as they would do with some slippery persons or patching companions trust him no further than they see him or than they can see cause or reason to yeeld unto him such of his precepts as crosse their carnall humors and corrupt dispositions they give no credit to but are ready to rise up against them as a Horse against his rider and to reply with Pharaoh who is the Lord that I should obey him 1 Sam. 25.11 or with Nabal to Davids servants shall I take my bread and my water and my flesh and give it to men I know not they will needs turne schollars to their owne reason though they are sure to have a foole to their Master they looke upon Gods Jordan with Syrian eyes as Naaman Iohn 3. and after all ask with Nicodemus How can these things bee The like we may say for the menaces of Gods mouth those terrible threats of the Law against mens loose and lewd practices these they think to put off as those miscreants in the Gospel Luc. 20.16 with a God forbid They take up bucklers straight against the strokes of the Spirits sword and boldly blesse themselves when God curseth Deut. 19.19 which is that enraging sinne that God cannot speake of with any patience but is therefore absolute in threatning because he will be resolute in punishing And deale not many as ill with him in the matter of his promises which bee they never so faithfull sayings and therefore worthy of all acceptation 1 Tim. 1.15 yet either they be above ordinary beleefe as Gods plenty in Samaria was to that infidell Prince of Ahab or 2 King 7. 2. not presently performed as soone as ever the word is out of his mouth they distrustfully cry out where is the promise of his comming 2 Pet. 3.4 2 King 6.33 What should J waite for the Lord any longer Surely GOD hath forsaken the earth forgotten to bee mercifull c. But is it fit to prescribe to tâ—e Almightie Psalme 78.41 to limit the holy one of Israel to send for God by a Post and to set him a time or els he comes too late as those Bethulians in Iudith did The Chinois whip their Gods when they come not at a call help not at a pinch Deale not these men as coursely with the Lord upon the matter whom they eftsoons distrust and basely withdraw from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
same of the holy Scriptures The Platonists affirme that in the heavenly bodies is a certaine flower and quintessence in these inferiour bodies a kind of dregs and sediment Sure it is that all sciences whatsoever are but drosse and dregs to the doctrine of Divinity contained in the Scriptures there 's not a leafe nor a line not a syllable nor a particle saith S. Jerome but hath its sense and substance well worthy to be weighed and observed Here some make question whether it be their part to reade on in Chronicles Ezra and other places where are nothing but names and Genealogies which they conceive to be to us now of no great use The resolution is Pemble of the Pers Monar that they must reade on if it be but to shew their obedience to God in reading over all his sacred Word But besides there is much to be had out of the Genealogies and Chapters full of names to a wise and diligent Reader And what if we understand not can pick nothing out of some such Chapters yet we must know that those places have in them an immanent power to edifie though as yet it be not transient conveighing the profit of it to us till in some measure we doe understand it Sect. 3. SEcondly make the best of that you reade by serious and set meditation thereupon Psal 119 98 99 100. David hereby became wiser then his Teachers Elders Enemies And why Psal 62.11 when the Lord spake once he heard him twice to wit by an after-meditation Reading and meditation are both expressed by one and the same word in the holy tongue pointing us to what we must doe if we will either understand what we reade or retaine what we understand Meditation is a studious act of the minde searching the knowledge of an hidden truth by the discourse of reason A most sweet exercise to those that are any whit acquainted with it who could even wish themselves pent up as Anchorets in the voluntary prison-walles of divine meditation This this is that that makes a man see farre into Gods secrets and enjoy both God and himselfe with unspeakeable comfort We reade of Socrates that he would stand plodding of points of Philosophy A. Gellius in the same posture of body for divers houres together not sensible of any thing that was done about him And of Chrysippus that he was so transported at his study that he had perished with hunger had not his maid Melissa thrust meate into his mouth Democ. junior Crede mihi in Mathematicarum studijs etiam mo ri dulcissimum esset 'T were a sweet thing saith one to die studying the Mathematicks as Archimedes did Vir ingeniosa prosunda meditatione c sine cibo somno nisi queâ— cubito innixus capiebat per triduum totum Thuan Thuanus writes of one Franciscus Vieta Fontaneio a Frenchman so close and constant a student that he would sit many times three whole daies together in a deepe muse without food or so much as sleepe but what he took a little now and then leaning on his elbow Valere est Philosophari the study of Phylosophy is truly health saith Seneca who therfore salutes his freind Lucilius thus si Philosapharis bene est Epist 15. But I say the onely true health is to meditate with David Horum meditatio valetuâ—o mea vita mea Scultet Annoâ— in Marc. day and night on the Word of God S. Bernard saith that he had once no other masters but oakes and beech-trees Author vitae Bern. lib. 1. â— 4. that among them he had got that skill he had in the holy Scriptures that he had profited more therein by meditation and prayer Ascendamus meditatione oratione veluti duobus pedibus c. Bern. then by reading the largest Commentaries These two were the wings whereby he flew into Heaven and had his hearts desire to be taught of God Therefore shall yee lay up these my words in your heart Luk. 2.13 and in your soule c. Deut. 11.18 as the Virgin Mary did laying up what shee understood not and chewing upon it And as David did Psal 16.7 Psal 4 4. Psal 119.24 Act. 109 10. Esay 6.1 2. Anno a dâ—â—uvio 1540Vide quaeso quà m di versa siant â—oc anno in Ecclesia extra Ecclesiam Ethnici in Graecia spectant ludos â—uos Esaias in Iudea contemplatur revelatä Dei gloriam c. Buchol Chron. 541. whose reynes instructed him in the night season whilst he communed with his owne heart upon his bed and advised with Gods statutes as the men of his counsell So Eliah on Mount Carmel Daniel by the river Vlay Peter on the leads Isaac in the fields Esay among the Seraphims seeing and setting forth the Lord sitting upon his throne high and lofty when the vaine Graecians were at the same time tumultuating triumphing at their Olympick games O quà m sordeant huius mundi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 animo ad coelum erecto * D. Prid Lect. O how vile are the tastlesse foolerics of earthly pleasures or the best contents that Philosophy can affoord to a mind lift up in heavenly meditation Such a mans thoughts feed hard upon the fairest objects such as are those set downe in that briefe of the Bible Iam. 1 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch saith that Corioâ—anus had so used her weapons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they seemed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In vita Cor. Philip. 4.8 till he hath turned them in succum sanguinem till the Word become an ingrafted Word setled on his soule as the science on the stock and close applyed as the playster to the sore that will surely heale Sect. 4. THirdly to Meditation joyne hearty prayer to the Father of lights for the Spirit of Revelation that unction from on high that spirituall eye-salve that so plowing with his heyfer we may understand his riddles No man knowes the things of a man save the spirit of a man that is in him Prov. 20.27 1 Cor. 1.11 Rom. 8.27 which is therefore called Gods candle searching all the inward parts of the belly Even so the deepe things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God But as God understandeth the mind of the Spirit so doth the Spirit understand the meaning of God and we by the Spirit have the mind of Christ 1 Cor 2. ult Reade not therefore but pray first and last that God would give us his Spirit to instruct us that he who commanded the light to shine out of darkenesse would shine into our hearts that he would beate out windowes in these dark dungeons and let in the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 Prayer is as the Merchants ship to fetch in heavenly commodities Prov. 31.14 2 Sam 1.22 2 Sam. 18.27 as Jonathans bow that never returned empty
the same spirit more stedfastly resting it selfe in that testimony 1 Cor. 12.3 1 Cor 14.37 than if he should heare from heaven as Austin did Sae penumeâ—ò mâ—ceum cogitans unde tam sitadibilis sit haec scriptura unde tam potenter instuat c. Vide an id sit in causa quod persuasi sumus eam à pr mâ— veritate sluxisse Sed undè sumus ita persuasi nisi a â— ipsa c. Becanâ— baculus pag 104. Tolle lege take and reade this booke of God or than if some Angell should bring him a Bible and say This is the very word of the living God For such a voice might haply be suspected for a delusion of the devill who can easily transforme himselfe into an Angell of light But this testimony of the Spirit we know to be true Joh. 14.17 because he is both a Spirit of truth and a searcher of the deepe things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 Onely it must be remembred that this inward witnesse is not to be pretended or produced for confirmation of doctrine to others or for confutation of adversaries but that every one for himselfe might be hereby certified and satisfied in his very conscience that the holy Scriptures are of God The Churches testimony without this is of little value or validity with us Testatuâ— Ecclesia sed ut index non ut judex Eph. 2.20 Lib. contra ep Fundam cap. 5. it being meerly informativum directivum non certificativum terminativum fidei And whereas Austin saith I should not beleeve the Gospel but that the authority of the Church moved me thereunto we must know that hee speaketh there of himselfe as then unconverted to the faith and so not acquainted with the Spirits testimony Testificatio Ecclesiae potest apud infidel s esse occasio ut credere incipiant at nihil facit ad fidei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alsted syst Th. Now what wonder if such be moved by the consent and authority of the Church which is to them an introduction whereby they are better prepared to beleeve the Scriptures yea inclined at first to thinke them to be the Word of God and so made willing to reade and heare them This is all that that Father intends and as much as the Scripture allowes As for the Papists that are all for their holy mother-Church in this businesse they plainly proclaime hereby that they are an adulterous generation a bastardly brood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spuria soboles whereas the babes of Christ know their Father 1 Joh. 2.13 and that the excellency and authority of his Word is above all both men and Angels Gal. 1.8 how much more above that Church malignant which they resolve at last into the Pope whom they say to be the Church vertuall Illud nescio an sit argumentum omnibus argumentis m jus quod qui vere Christians sunt ita se animo divinitùs affectos esse sentiant ut praecipuè quidem propter nullum argumentum sed propter supernaturalem divinam revelationem c. Greg. de Valentia de analysi fidei lib. 1. c. 20. But how can I better shut up this part of my discourse than with that of a famous Jesuite subscribing to this truth I know not saith he but that this is an argument above all arguments that they that are Christians indeed finde themselves so affected from heaven toward the Scriptures that they beleeve them to be divine for no other argument so much that can be drawne from their antiquity efficacy number of Martyrs confession of adversaries c. as for a supernaturall divine revelation that strongly perswadeth them thereunto CHAP. III. THe Doctrine of the Scripture hath as many uses at the Scripture it selfe hath offices 2 Tim. 3.16 and those according to S. Paul are foure 1. To teach or informe our judgements 2. To reprove and refute errours 3. To correct ill manners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnibus numeris absolidus 4. To instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect thoroughly furnished or every way accomplished unto all good workes First then by way of Inference and Information this Doctrine sets before us divers irrefragable truths touching 1. the Antiquity and Authority of the holy Scriptures 2. their dignity and excellency 3. their power and purity 4. their perfection and sufficiency 5. their verity and integrity 6. their perpetuity and perennity Sect. 1. FOr the Antiquity first of the sacred Scriptures they are the words of the Eternall God the conceptions and expressions that were before all beginnings in the minde of the Most High Verbum Patris idâ—ò dictum est quia per ipsum innotescit Pater Aug. de fide c. 3. Prov. 1.23 Jesus Christ that came out of the bosome of his Father and is both the Essentiall and Enunciative Word Dan. 8.13 hee alone is that Palmoni hammedabber that excellent speaker in Daniel that knowes all the secrets of his Father as perfectly and uttors them as readily as if they were numbred before him as the word there imports Hee it was that went of old and preached by Noah unto the spirits now in prison 1 Pet. 3.19 that spake in times past to the Fathers by the Prophets or otherwise and afterwards in the dayes of his flesh revealed to the world those things that he had heard of the Father Joh. 8 26. This was his office as Mediatour and Archprophet and this hee faithfully fulfilled from the beginning of the world The Father never spake or appeared immediately but in the baptisme and transfiguration of the Sonne For this is a rule in Divinity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theolog Rules out of Iâ—â—â—â—â—s and Tertullâ—â— that where the Old Testament brings in God appearing and speaking to the Patriarchs and Prophets we are to understand it alway of the second Person Rev. 1.14 whose head and whose haire when he delivered the Revelation to his servant John are said to be white like wooll yea as white as snow denoting his venerable Antiquity or rather Eternity Mark 16.5 The Cherubims were framed and the Angels ever appeared in the forme of young men not so the Ancient of Dayes Dan. 7.9 He it was that had no sooner made man upon the earth and is then first stiled Jehovah Elohim but he rejoyced in the habitable part of Gods earth Genes 1. that Microcosme Man that miracle of daring Nature as the Heathen called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Trismegist in Pâ—nuvidio his delights were with the sonnes of men Prov. 8.31 to whom he appeared with whom he parled in Paradise After the fall hee gently called them to account and reasoned it out with them which he would not deigne to doe for the Serpent but presently doomed him not once asking What hast thou done Hee preached the first Gospel to them and there delivered them that grand Charter of their and our salvation
Gen. 3.15 1 Iohn 3.8 The seed of the woman shall breake the Serpents head dissolve the devils worke as S. John expounds it By immediate revelation from him it was that Adam taught his sonnes to sacrifice Gen. 4.3 26. and his nephewes to call publikely on the name of the Lord. Yea out of the mouth of Adam divinely-directed as out of a fountaine issued all the profitable doctrine discipline knowledge and skill that is in the world Josephus tells us that by Adam and Seth two tables or pillars were made and erected Antiq. l. 1. the one of brasse the other of stone and that therein was written the word of God and certaine prophecies whereby that word was preserved for the use of the old world De civ Dei lib 15. cap. 24. Austin thinkes it may be proved out of the Epistle of Saint Jude that Enoch wrote something To mee truly saith that divine Chronologer it seemes probable Bucholcer Chron. that Moses in his Genesis collected and contrived into an entire and just body of a continuate History such things as had beene occasionally noted and here and there observed by the Fathers and left to posterity For Moses himself saith he makes mention of the Booke of the warres of the Lord. Numb 22. Iosh 10.13 And Joshua his disciple cites the booke of Jasher Hieron in Ezek 18. Parcus prolegâ—m in Genes which Hierome will have to be Genesis but others of good note dissent and doubt of it It is not unlikely that even afore Moses his time there were extant some remaines of ancient Records and Annotations the diligent perusall and carefull collection whereof together with a most profitable addition of other as yet unwritten verities to the knowledge whereof he came either by Revelation or Tradition was committed by God to his servant and Secretary Moses for the support and comfort of his poore people then groning under the Egyptian bondage or wandring in the wildernesse and of succeeding ages The late Jewes make such reckoning of Genesis that they have numbred the very letters of it which amount to 4395. Those three first Chapters thereof are the fountaine of all the following Scriptures and the common Catechisme of the Churches of both Testaments in explaining and applying whereof are spent all the Sermons and other labours of the Prophets Apostles The time betweene the Creation and the Flood Varro that great Antiquary and the most learned of the Romanes as Saint Austin holds him calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Degor Whear Method p. 25. or obscure and uncertaine which to us out of Moses is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 clear and well known A very ancient Priest of Egypt that had read Moses likely told Solon the Athenian Law-giver 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato in Timaeo You Grecians are all boyes and babies in matter of Antiquity neither is there one old man amongst you The Athenians bragge of Cecrops the founder of their City and the Thebanes of their King Ogyges and of them they terme all ancient things Cecropian and Ogygian Eras Chiliad And peradventure they will tell us that at that time folke bred out of the earth in the country about Athens as though they spake of Mush-romes and Grashoppers Long time after this came their gods and Oracles insomuch that all the Greeke History is as you would say tongue-tyed for many hundred yeares after like a brooke that loseth it selfe within thirty paces of its first spring There is not any notable thing in that story of the Greekes afore the captivity of Babylon Ezra is the latest one of them in the canon of the Hebrew writers and yet he lived afore the time that Socrates taught in Athens about three thousand and six hundred yeares after the Creation and afore any Chronicles of the world now extant in the world Diodâ—rus Siculus confesseth that all Heathen Antiquities before the Theban and Troian warres are either fabulous narrations or little better Eusebius and Clemens Alexandrinus shew that whatsoever in Plato savours of Divinity hee borrowed it from Moses whom hee meanes alwayes as some guesse by this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex Strom â—â— 1. as the old saying hath it Hence also he was called by Numâ—nius the Pythagorist Moses Attiâ—us Pythagoras bade his Schollers search till they came to Unity in every thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Pythag. Deut 6.4 Iliad 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proleg in Genesin pointing thereby as is thought to the one God according to that of Moses Jehovah thy God Jehovah is one Homer saith parents must be honoured that wee may be long-lived Socrates in his Apology I love and embrace you saith he O ye Athenians but yet I will obey God rather than man David Chytraus affirmeth the morall writings of Philosophers to bee nothing else but a commentary on the Decalogue Which of the Poets or Philosophers saith Tertullian hath not drunk at the Well of Moses and the Prophets Whereupon Theodoret rightly calls Moses the great Ocean of Divinity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Serm. 2 de prm out of which all the Prophets and Apostles to the last of them have watered their severall gardens What peece soever of holy Scripture followeth this is but a commentary upon this saith Pareus in the perclose of his commentary upon Genesâ— After Moses comes Joshua and gives record to Moses The Judges succeed Joshua Samuel the Judges Kings and Chronicles Samuel and the Prophets succeeded them all Among that goodly fellowship of Prophets Samuel is reckoned the first after Moses Act. 13.20 God indeed is said to have come to Balaam Abimelech Laban and some other profane persons before and after but he never concredited his Word to these as he did to the holy Prophets which have beene since the world beganne of whom it is said that the Word of the Lord came unto them like as it did to Moses the man of God None of them 't is true conversed so familiarly with God as hee did whom God spake with face to face Exod. 33.11 as a man doth with his friend Yet ought not the Prophets writings to be rejected as they were by the brain-sicke Sadducees whom therefore our Saviour refutes out of Moses onely Math. 21.31 Neither yet to be sleighted in comparison as they are by the Jewes at this day who in then Church Liturgy reade one lesson out of the Law by some chiefe person Sands his Relation of the West Relig. and another out of the Prophets by some boy or meane companion For they will in no sort saith mine Authour doe honour neither attribute that authority to any part of the Bible that they doe to their Law But this is to have the glorious faith of our Lord Jesus Christ in respect of persons Iam 2.1 For was it not one God that spake by the mouth as of one of his holy Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 1.70 which have beene since the world beganne In other cases I grant that antiquissimum quódque est verissimum adulterinum quod posterius truth is more ancient than falshood that classicke Authours are to be preferred before moderne and that of Aristotle holds true of humane witnesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rhet. l. 1. Vinum quò magis tran funditur evanesi it magis tandemque fit vappa Degor Whear The ancientest are most to be credited as lesse corrupted For as wine the oftner it is poured from vessell to vessell the more it loseth of its spirits and sparkinesse and as a picture that is taken at the lively image loseth somewhat of its nature that which is taken at the patterne somewhat more and so from one to another they vary in the end so far from the originall that there is scarce left any resemblance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nihil mihi antiquiùs i. potius This may be true in humane testimonies and transactions But for the severall parts and peeces of holy Scripture may we not aske of them as the Prophet in another case Who is their Father 1 Sam 10.12 Malach. 2.10 Esay 9.6 Have they not all one Father even the Father of eternity to whom a thousand yeares by reason of the vastnesse of his being are but as yesterday Psal 40.4 when it is past Were they not all dictated and indited by the same Spirit and are therefore of equall antiquity and authority Come they not all from so authenticall an Authour as is the Authour and finisher of our faith the Alpha and Omega the first and the last I speake not here of Apocryphall books which were neither penned by the Prophets or Apostles Omnes literae quibus Christus prophetatus est apud Iudaeos sunt August in Psal 56. nor written in Hebrew and kept among the Jewes neither yet have they in them the print of the Spirit which the spirituall man discerneth but containe some things frivolous and some things false not dissonant onely but repugnant to the holy Scriptures Reade them fruitfully we may for morall instruction and for the better understanding of the story of the Church but reade wee must with judgement and choice and where wee finde them contradicting the Scriptures we must kill the Egyptian and save the Israelite But for the holy Prophets take that of our Saviour Math 10 41. Hee that receives a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophets reward We cannot now receive them into our houses into our hearts we may and must as the Church of God hath ever done before us Who the pen-men were of those bookes that are called by the Hebrewes Nebim Resâ—onim the former Prophets that is Joshua Judges Samuel Kings and Chronicles and of those other among the Hagiographa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose Authors are not expressed there needs no great enquiry When Letters come from the King saith Gregory Regiis epistolis acceptis quo calamo scriptae sint ridiculum est quaerere Greg. it were an odde thing to bee much inquisitive with what penne they were written It is not altogether improbable that Ezra that perfect Scribe either himselfe or with the helpe of other his holy colleagues did by the immediate motion and inspiration of the holy Ghost compile those bookes of Joshua Judges Samuel Kings and Chronicles out of diverse ancient and honourable Records charily kept by the Church as written by the Prophets of those severall ages Davids acts are expresly said to have beene set downe by Gad and Nathan and that he or they digested and disposed them in that order that now of a long time the Church hath had and read them For it is not likely that Samuel himselfe when hee should relate the words of Saul seeking to him for advice about the Asses that he I say should preface thus He that is now-adayes called a Prophet was anciently called a Seer No Scultet Annal. Epist dedic but they sound rather in any mans eares like the words of another that reports things done long before As for the later Prophets as they call them Isay Jeremy and the rest Calvin tells us and he gathers it out of Habac. 2. and Esay 8. that after the Prophets had preached to the people their manner was to set down a briefe summe of their Sermon and to fasten it to the doores of the Temple that all men might know and take more notice of the Prophecie Calvin in Isai praefat Which when it had hung there for a certaine number of dayes as long as was thought fit the Priests office was to take it downe and lay it up safe in the Treasury that it might there remain for a perpetuall monument And hence hee conceives the bookes of the Prophets to have beene made up and notes it for a singular providence of God Iunius in orat de Test Vet. that the Priests which yet were often ill-minded men and profest enemies to the Prophets should bee used as Gods instruments to conserve and convey the prophecies entire as wee have them to posterity Now for the writings of the Apostles Nulli ne ipsis quidem Prophetis tam ampliter contigit insallibilitatis privilegium ac Apostolis quippe cum hisâ—e perpetuum illud fuerit illis verò saepiùs intervallatum fâ—rè non extra ipsos prophetandi paroxysmos durans Tayler Bâ—oâ—ius contra Maximum ex Gatakeâ—o besides that priviledge of Infallibility wherewith they were endued even above the Prophets as some are of opinion no wise man doubteth saith Scultetus but that the Disciples of our Saviour recorded and registred his daily Oracles and miracles in their day-books and private annalls out of which afterwards the Evangelicall history was extracted composed and compiled Saint Luke is reputed the first of the foure that wrote the Gospel what others attempted onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 1.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee effected Luke 1.1 The Fathers held many of them that he received his Gospel from Saint Paul but himselfe tells us he had it from those that were eye-witnesses which Paul was none Saint Ambrose rightly preferres him for setting downe things more distinctly and orderly than the rest according to his promise to his most excellent Theophilus Chap. 1 vers 3. And as he doth it orderly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cohaerenter Bez. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and coherently as the word signifies so originally and from the very first verse or from a high as himselfe speakes For he begins his history not at the workes of our Saviour as Saint Marke nor at his birth onely as Saint Mathew but at his conception Yea at the conception and parentage of his forerunner Saint John indeed soareth higher even to our Saviours Divinity and is therefore called the Divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hieron in Ezech 1.10 Greg Mag. Hom. 4. in