there contained and the benefit and good that foloweth of it we receive upon tradition though the thing it selfe we receive not for tradition Of this sort is the Baptisme of Infants which may be named a Tradition because it is not expressely delivered in Scripture that the Apostles did Baptize Infants nor any expresse precept there found that they should so doe 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 Maldonate both doe confesse that the Baptisme of Infants may be proved by the Scripture and therefore Maldonate concludes nobis verò traditio non est Bellarmine * as Whitaker shewes contradicts himselfe for first he saith that the Baptisme of Infants is an unwritten tradition and after that the Catholicks can prove Baptisme 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 practise 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 Apostolicall 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 distinct explication of those principall Articles gathered into an Epitome wherein are implyed and whence are inferred all conclusions Theologicall 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 selfe 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 voyce or by writing 2. In speciall it notes the word of God committed to writing 1 Cor. 15. 3. 3. It signifies rites expressely contained in writing Act. 6. 14. 4. It betokens that which is not committed to writing but onely delivered by lively voyce 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 externall government of the Church 2 Thess. 2. 15. 1 Cor. 11. 15. 23. 2. In ill part it noteth the vaine idle and unwarrantable inventions of men whether Doctrine or Rites Matthew 15. 3. Marke 7. 8 9. When the Fathers speake 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 Ecclesiastill policy D. 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 doctrin was necessary to salvation not revealed by the Prophets and Apostles 2. The Prophets and Christ and his Apostles condemne Traditions Esay 29. 13. Mathew 15. 3. 6. Col. 2. 8. Therefore they are not to be received Christ opposeth the Commandement and Scriptures to Traditions therefore he condemnes Traditions not written If the Jewes might not adde to the Bookes of Moses then much lesse may wee adde to the Canon of Scripture so much increased since 3. Those things which proceede from the will of God onely can be made knowne to us no other way but by the Revelation of the Scripture all Articles of Faith and Precepts of Manners concerning substance of Religion proceede from the Will of God onely Mathew 16. 17. 1 Cor. 2. 9 10 11. Gal. 1. 8. As in this place the Apostle would have nothing received besides that which he Preached so 1 Cor. 4. 6. He will have nothing admitted above or more then that which is written See Act. 26. 22. John 20. ult whence it is manifest that all necessary things may be found in Scripture since full and perfect Faith ariseth from thence which eternall salvation followeth Bellarmin saith John speakes onely of the miracles of Christ that hee wrote not all because those sufficed to perswade the World that Christ was the Sonne of God Those words indeede in the 30 Verse are to be understood of Christs Miracles but those in the 31. Verse rather are to be generally interpreted for the History onely of the Miracles sufficeth not to obtaine Faith or Life The question betwixt the Papists and us is de ipsa doctrina tradita non de tradendi modo touching the substance of the Doctrine delivered not of the manner of delivering it and of Doctrine delivered as the Word of God not of Rites and Ceremonies They maintaine that there bee doctrinall Traditions or Traditions containing Articles of Faith and substantiall matters of Divine worship and Religion not found in the holy Scriptures viz. Purgatory Invocation of Saints Adoration of Images Papall Monarchy Bellarmin and before him Peresius distinguisheth Traditions both from the authours and the matter From the Authours into Divine Apostolicall and Ecclesiasticall From the matter into those which are concerning Faith and concerning Manners into perpetuall and temporall universall and particular necessary and free Divine Traditions that is Doctrines of Faith and of the worship and service of God any of which we deny to be but what are comprised in the written Word of God Apostolike Traditions say they are such Ordinances as the Apostles prescribed for ceremony and usage in the Church as the observation of the memoriall of the Nativity Death and Resurrection of Christ the alteration of the seventh day from the Jewes Sabbath to the day of Christs Resurrection Ecclesiasticall ancient Customes which by degrees through the Peoples consent obtained the force of a Law Traditions concerning Faith as the perpetuall Virginity of Mary the Mother of Christ and that there are onely foure Gospels of Manners as the signe of the Crosse made in the forehead Fasts and Feastings to be observed on cetaine dayes Perpetuall which are to bee kept to the end of the World Temporall for a certaine time as the observation of certaine legall Ceremonies even to the â—ull publishing of the Gospell Universall Traditions which are delivered to the whole Church to be kept as the observation of Easter Whitsontide and other great Feasts Particular which is delivered to one or more Churches as in the
of Ales is called Doctor Irrefragabilis Thomas Aquinas after him Doctor Angelicus John Scot the last Doctor Subtilis Yet a learned Doctor of our owne saith of the Schoolmen Scholastici vel hoc nomine non tanti sunt à nobis faciendi quia in Justificationis articulo vix quicquam tradiderunt solidi The Papists themselves note twenty Articles in which their great Master Lombard erred so that that is ascribed to them hic magister non tenetur But now Paul the great Doctor of the Gentiles of whom Chrysostome writes severall Homilies is indeed an Angelicall Subtill Irrefragable Doctor Austin desired three things to have seen Christ in the flesh Rome in its glory and to have heard Paul preach What he speakes is true as Gospell and we can not apply to him what the Papists doe frequently to Peter Lumbard hic magister non tenetur We may exercise our judgement upon the writings of men there being few that write much and contradict not themselves but we must believe the Divinely inspired Writings There is a Booke in the Law called Liber Judiciarius or Doomesday-Booke because as Matthew Paris saith it spared no man but judged all men indifferently as the Lord in that great day will doe The Bible is the true Liber judiciarius or Doomesday Booke The word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day I shall now in a few words discover the usefulnesse of this threefold Treatise Having been in these times of spoile unhappily plundered of my Bookes and Manuscripts which I esteemed as a precious treasure recovering this twice with some others I did resolve for preventing any future dammages in that kind to transcribe it faire for the Presse which was the worke of a whole yeere I know first the subject is very necessary for all Christians to search into and I have perused all the best writers I could find that I might handle it fully common-place wise according to the excellency of the Theme I have made use also of some Manuscrips of three worthy men now with God whose memory I shall ever honour for the compleating of the worke I have gleaned a few observations from some of the worthy Lecturers in Westminster from M. Ley of Budworth in his Lectures in the City and from divers others of the Assembly in their printed Sermons This worke I conceive may be beneficiall for these purposes Chiefly for setling and establishing of Christians in some maine principles of Divinity viz. that there is a God against the Atheists of these times that the Scripture is the Word of God against the Anti-Scripturists that Christ is God against all Arrians Socinians and other Heretickes ejusdem farinae vel potius furfuris that the so 〈◊〉 of man is immortall against such who in these daiâ—â— deny the same 2. For enabling a Christian to all dâ—â—ties prayer meditation holy conference catechizing his family For example suppose a Christian desire to instruct his family in the principles of Religion and would make use of M. Bals Catechisme for that purpose for I know not a better yet extant he may by the helpe of this worke open the heads of Religion from the beginning of that Booke to the Fall of man I would there were the like out on the whole body of Divinity But lest I trangresse the bounds of an Epistle I commend the worke to Gods blessing and desire thy benigne interpretation of my labours still resting Thy faithfull friend and hearty wel-wisher EDWARD LEIGH PROLEGOMENA HEBR. 6. 1. THe Apostle chides the Hebrews in the former Chapter for their ignorance and uncapablenesse of Divine mysteries from v. 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 encrease both in knowledge and obedience Leaving The Apostle alludes to men running a race they leave one place and goe on forward we must leave the principles of Religion that is not sticke there but passe on to a greater perfection The Apostle hath reference to the Schooles of the Jewes where hee 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 Catechisme not but that there were many other neâ—â—â—â—ary principles yet they might be reduced to 〈◊〉 â— Two maine duties that is 1. the doctrine of repentance from dead workes that every man is dead in sinne by nature and therefore had need to repent 2 The doctrine of faith in God 2 Two meanes 1 The doctrine of Baptismes by which in the plurall number he meanes both the Sacraments and also the inward Baptisme of Christ and that outward baptisme of John that is to say of the Minister though some refer it to the set times of Baptisme 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 a Lapide expounds it 3 Two benefits Resurrection of the dead that the same numericall body shall rise againe and eternall judgement so called metonymically because in that judgement sentence shall be given concerning their eternall state either in weale or woe Not laying againe the foundation Three things are required in a foundation 1 That it be the first thing in the building 2 That it beare up all the other parts of the building 3 That it be firme and immoveable Simply and absolutely in respect of all times persons and things Christ onely is the foundation upon which the spirituall building of the Church is raised The first principles of heavenly doctrine are named here a foundation because they are the first things which are knowne before which nothing can be known and because upon the knowledge of these things all other parts of heavenly knowledge doe depend The Apostles are also the foundation of the Church Ephes. 2. 20. Rev. 21. 14. in three respects 1 Because they were the first which founded Churches and converted unbelievers to the faith 2 Because their doctrine which they received immediately from God by most undoubted revelation without mixture of errour or danger of being deceived is the rule of faith to all after-commers 3 Because they were Heads Guides and Pastors of the whole universall Church The Proposition or Observation which ariseth from these words thus opened may be this The Principles and Foundations of Christian Religion must be well laid Or thus Catechizing and instructing of the people in the principles of Religion is a necessary duty to be used The Apostle illustrates this by a comparison first from Schooles secondly from building the foundation
aliquem sanctorum convertere hence the Papists would prove invocation of Saints whereas it should be translated voca quaeso seu voca jam an sit qui respondeat ad quemè Sanctis respicies q.d. ad neminem The vulgar makes it a simple speech without any interrogation the meaning of Eliphaz is q.d. Go to I pray thee call or bid any one appear or come that by his consent approves of thy opinion try whether any one is of thy mind which acknowledgest not that great calamities are inflicted by God for great sinnes to which of the Saints that ever have lived or yet doe live in the earth wilt thou turne by whose testimony thou shalt be helped in this thy complaint against God Psal. 2. 12. The vulgar hath Apprehendite disciplinam apprehend discipline or instruction whereas in the Hebrew it is Osculamini filium kisse the son Thus an evident place against the Jewes for the second person in Trinity is obscured and overthrown by the corrupt Latine Text. To say the sense is the same is in vaine for an Interpreter ought not to change the words and then say he hath kept the sense neither is the sense of the words the same who will say to kisse the Sonne is the same with lay hold of discipline We must needs embrace the doctrine of Christ if we acknowledge him to be our Messiah but hence it doth not follow that these 2 are the same for then all things which agree should be one the same which will not stand The Chaldee Paraphrast favouring that reading doth it to defend the errour of the denying the diety of the eternall Sonne of God Saepe Codices Hebraei magis Judaeos vexant quam Graeci aut Latini Certe in 2 Psal. Latini Graeci habent Apprehendite disciplinam ne irascatur Dominus ex quo nihil apertè contra Judaeâ—s deduci potest at in Hebraeo est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Osculamini Filium ne irascatur id est reverentiam exhibete filio Dei ne ipse irascatur c. qui locus est invictissimus contra Judaeos Bellarminus de verbo Dei l. 2. c. 2. Psalmi videntur data opera versi in contumeliam Latini Sermonis Chamierus The vulgar Latine of the New Testament is no lesse corrupted then of the old Matth. 6. 11. The English Papists at Rhemes who translated the New Testament into English not out of the Greek Text but out of the vulgar Latine read give us to day our super-substantiall bread the Latine hath it panem super-substantialem for Quotidianum daily bread The Rhemists note upon the same is by this bread so called here according to the Latine and greek-Greek-word we aske not onely all necessary sustenance for the body but much more all spirituall food viz. the blessed Sacrament it self which is Christ the true bread that came down from heaven and the bread of life to us that eate his Body Our Saviour Christ which condemned vaine repetition and by a forme of prayer provided against the same is made here of the Jesuits to offend against his own rule for that which is contained in the second Petition they teach to be asked in the fourth Secondly they lodge in one Petition things of divers kinds and farre removed in nature spirituall and corporeall heavenly and earthly yea the creature and the creator Thirdly hence it should follow that he taught them expressely to aske that which he had neither instituted nor instructed them of and whereof his Disciples were utterly Ignorant Salomon from whom our Saviour seemeth to have taken this Petition confirmes that exposition of things tending to uphold this present life Prov. 30. 8. Lechem Chukki the bread which is ordained for me The Jesuites will never be able to justifie the old interpreter which translateth one word the same both in syllables and signification in one place Supersubstantiall and in another viz. in Luke Quotidianum or Daily against which interpretation of his he hath all antiquity before that translation and some of the Papists themselves retained the words of Daily Bread Bellarmine l. 1. de bonis operibus c. 6. preferres Quotidianum and defends it against the other Tostatus applyeth it to temporall things The Syriacke saith Panis indigentiae vel sufficientiae nostrae Luke 1. 18. Plena gratia for gratis dilecta as Chrysostome renders it Haile Mary full of grace for freely beloved The word signifieth not any grace or vertue inherent in one but such a grace or favour as one freely vouchsafeth and sheweth to another the word retained by the Syriacke in this place is Taibutha and signifieth happiness blessednesse goodnesse bountifulnesse Tremelius turneth it gratia which may and ought to be Englished favour as the Greek word signifieth and is expounded by the Angell and the Virgin Mary themselves the Angell adding in the same verse the Lord is with 〈◊〉 meaning by his speciall favour and in v. 30. saying she had found favour with God The Virgin in her thankfull song magnifying the mercy of God toward her that he had so graciously looked on her in so meane estate as to make her the Mother of her own Saviour after so marvellous a manner They foolishly salute her who is removed from them by infinite space and whom their Haile cannot profit being in Heaven as the salutation of the Angell did and might doe whilst she was here in the vale of misery Their Alchymie also is ridiculous to make that a Prayer unto her which was a Prayer for her to make it daily that served in that kinde for one onely time to make it without calling which the Angell durst not doe unlesse he had beene sent Ephes. 5. 32. Vulg. Sacramentum hoc magnum est and the Rhemists This is a great Sacrament for great mystery Sacraments are mysteries but all mysteries are not properly Sacraments How can it be a Church Sacrament which hath neither element nor word of promise Secondly Sacraments are the peculiar and proper possession of the Church of Christ how can that be a Sacrament which is and lawfully may be used out of the Church amongst the Turkes and Jewes to whom the benefit of Matrimony cannot be denyed The old Interpreter Coless 1. 27. translateth the same word a mystery or secret Chemnitius reckons this place among those which the Papists abuse not among the corrupted for Sacrament is the same with the Ancient Latine Divines that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is with the Greeks Chamier Heb. 11. 21 The vulgar hath Jacob adoravit fastigium virgae the Rhemists adored the top of his rod. whereas the words are he worshipped upon the top of his stasse and not as they have falsely turned it so also doth the Syrian Paraphrast read â—t The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used else-where in the New Testament for a walking staffe agreeth fitly unto Jacob who being both old and sick had need to stay himselfe thereupon whilst
they are divided ibid. Authenticall what it is l. 1 p. 91 Which are the Authenticall editions of Scripture l. 1 p. 92 100 101 102 Neither the Translation of the Seventy nor the vulgar Latine are Authenticall l. 1 p. 119 120 121 122 Authority of Scripture is Divine l. 1. p. 8 to 24. 130 131 B BEasts their usefulnesse l. 3 p. 81 to 85 Bees for what they are notable l. 3. p. 80 Bible why so called l. 1. p. 8. m. Who first distinguished the Bible into Chapters and Verses l. 1. p. 46 Blessed God is most Blessed l 2 p. 119 to 126 What Blessednesse is l. 2 p. 120 121 Blindnesse naturall and Spirituall l. 3. p. 42 43 Body taken three waies l. 2. p. 25 God is not a Body l. 2. p. 24 25 Bounty in God what it is l. 2 p. 83 84 85 86 C CAnon why the Scripture is called a Canone or Canonicall l. 1. p. 42 43 The condition of a Canon l. 1. p. 43 There is a threefold Canon in the Church l. 1. p. 43 44 83 84 Some abolish some adde to others diminish the Canone ibid. Which are the Canonicall Bookes of the old Testament l. 1. p. 48 to 60 Which of the New l. 1 65 66 67 Seven Epistles are called Canonicall and why l. 1 p. 77 78 Canticles why so called and who best expounds it l. 1 p. 56 Catholique why seven Epistles are so called l. 1. p. 77 78 Chaldee why some part of the old Testament was written in Chaldee l. 1. p. 93 94 The Chaldee Paraphrast l. 1 p. 94 95 96 Christ is God l. 2. p. 131 132 133 Chronicles why so called and who best expounds them l. 1 p. 51 52 Christall what it is l. 3. p. 53 Church it hath a fourfold office in respect of the Scripture l. 1 p. 29 The true Church hath given testimony to the Scripture in all ages l. 1. p. 20 21 We believe not the Scripture chiefly for the Churches testimony l. 1 p. 26 27 28 29 30 Clemency in God what it is l. 2 p. 77 Cloudes what they are a great worke of God l. 3. p. 47 48 49 Colosse the chiefe City of Phrygia l. 1. p. 74 Who best expound the Colossians ibid. Conclusion whether that of the Lords prayer be true Scripture l. 1. p. 115 Conscience what it is the testimony of it is strong to prove that there is a God l. 2. p. 6 Corinth famous for divers things l. 1. p. 73 Who best interpret â—oth the Corinthians ibid. Councell the Florentine and Trent Councels not lawfull Councels l. 1. p. 89 90 Creation what it is l. 3. p. 13 14 Taken strictly and largely ib. The efficient cause matter form and end of it l. 3. p. 14 17 19 20 Consectaries from it l. 3. p. 20 21 22 The workes of each day l. 3 p. 23 24 25 26 D DAniel why so called and who best expounds it l. 1 p. 58 59 Day what it is and the benefit of it l. 3. p. 40 41 42 Decree what the word signifieth and how it is defined l. 3 p. 2 How far it extends and the properties of it l. 3. p. 3 4 The kinds of it and the execution of it l. 3. p. 4 Devils their names and nature l. 3. p. 105 106 What the sinne of the Devils was l. 3. p. 106 107 Why they fell irrecoverably l. 3 p. 107 108 They are malicious subtill powerfull l. 3. p. 108 109 110 Some questions about the Devils l. 3. p. 110 111 112 113 114 Deuteronomy why so called and who best expounds it l. 1 p. 49 Dew what it is l. 3. p. 52 Divine why John so called l. 1 p. 69 Divinity that it is l. 1. p. 1 2 What it is l. 1. p. 3 4 The severall kinds of it l. 1 p. 2 4 How it is to be taught l. 1 p. 4 5 How to be learnt l. 1. p. 5 The excellency of it l. 1. p. 6 7 The opposites of it l. 1. p. 6 Dominion what it is Gods Dominion l. 2. p. 52 53 E EArth the Creation of it is a great worke l. 3. p. 31 32 It is firme and stable l. 3. p. 32 to 36 Earthquake l. 3. p. 33. m. Ecclesiastes why so called and who best expound it l. 1. p. 55 56 Election the severall acceptions of the word and how it is defined l. 3. p. 6 The object and end of it l. 3 p. 7 8 All are not elected l. 3. p. 9 Consectaries from Gods Election l. 3. p. 11 12 Element what it is and the number of the Elements l. 3 p. 31 32 Elephant whence derived his excellency l. 3. p. 82 83 End the Ends of the Scripture l. 1. p. 128 129 Ephesus a famous City l. 1 p. 73 Who best expounds the Ephesians l. 1. p. 73 74 Epistles why so called l. 1. p. 67 How they are divided and who best expounds them l. 1 p. 70 71 72 In what order they were written l. 1. p. 70 VVhich Epistles were doubted of for a time l. 1. p. 65 Esay an Evangelicall Prophet l. 1. p. 57 How often quoted in the new Testament and who have best expounded it l. 1. p. 57 Esther why so called and who hath best expounded it l. 1 p. 52 53 Eternall God is Eternall l. 2 p. 40 41 42 43 The world was not Eternall l. 3. p. 15 16 17 Evangelists who l. 1. p. 68 How they agree and differ l. 1 p. 64 65 VVho best expound them l. 1 p. 67 Exodus why so called and who are the best Expositors on it l. 1. p. 48 Expositors on Scripture who are the best among the Jewes Fathers Papists Protestants l. 1. p. 183 to 189 Ezekiel why so called and who hath best interpreted it l. 1 p. 58 Ezra why so called and who hath best expounded it l. 1. p. 52 F FAithfull God is faithfull l. 2. p. 97 98 99 Fire the qualities of that Element l. 3 p. 38 Fishes their nature and use l. 3 p. 75 76 77 80 81 Fowles their nature and use l. 3 p. 78 79 80 Frost what it is l. 3. p. 52 G GAlatians the subject of that Epistle and who best expounds it l. 1. p. 73 Ghost the Holy Ghost is God l. 2. p. 135 136 Glorious God is glorious l. 2 110 to 120 God how he is called in severall languages l. 2. p. 1. m. The knowledge of God is necessary profitable and difficult l. 2. p. 1 2 VVe know God three waies and there is a threefold knowledge of him l. 2 p. 2 VVhat the Heathens knew of God l. 2. p. 3 That there is a God l. 2. p. 3 to 16 VVhat God is l. 2. p. 18 19 How the word God is taken in Scripture l. 2. p. 19 The Names of God l. 2. p. 19 20 His Attributes what they be l. 2. p. 20 How they differ from Properties and what rules are to be observed in attributing them to God l. 2. p.
grace of the sanctifying Spirit of God whereby the soule doth freely submit to the will of God in bearing its owne burden without inordinate sorrow or fretting discontent Pâ—tience is 1. Commanded Luke 21. 19. Jam 5. 7. 2 It is commended to us by speciall exampâ—eâ— 1 Of Christ Heb. 12. 2. Rev. 1. 9. 2 Of all the Saints 1 Pet 2. 20 21. James 5. 10. Periissem nisi periissem There is a twofold holinesse 1 Originall absolute and essentiall in God which is the incommunicable eminency of the divine Majesty exalted above all and divided from all other eminences whatsoever For that which a man taketh to be and makes an account of as his God whether it be such indeed or by him fancied onely he ascribes unto it in so doing a condition of eminency above and distinct from all other eminencies whatsoever that is of Holinesse Psal. 49. 18. Esay 17. 7. Habak 1. 12. 2 Derived or relative in the things which are his properly called Sacra holy things Mede on Matth. 6. 9. Our holinesse is terminated in him Exod. 28. 36. Why God must be holy God hath manifested his holinesse 1. In his word his precepts 2 By instituting the Sabbath to be kept holy Esay 58. 3. 3 By causing a holy Tabernacle and Temple to be erected wherein were all holy things 4 By instituting holy Priests 5 By inflicting his judgements on those which prophane holy things 2 Sam. 6. 7. 1 Sam. 6. 19 20. Gods Word will make holy persons and families Mr. Scudder Holinesse is as it were the Character of Christ Jesus the Image of God the beauty the strength the riches the life the soule of the soule and of the whole man It is a very beame of the Divine light called therefore by the Apostle the divine nature Consectaries from Gods â—olinesse * Qua de re lepida sabula accidisse narratur in Concilio Tridentino de quodam Episcopo quem offendit ille papae titulus propterea Nam si Deus inquiâ—bat tantum sanctus quomodo ejus vicarius dici potest sanctissimus Adiit magnumspericulum ea de causa Drusius in 15 num c. 64. We should esspecially think of the holinesse of God when we worship him 17 John 11 22 Psalm 3. because then we draw nigh to God Levit. 10. 3. If we may judge of the privation by the habits perfection how great an evill must sinne be when God is so great a good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the Eâ—ymologists Holy is as much as not earthly Holinesse is a separation both from sinne and the world The will of God is the rule of holinesse as his nature is the patterne of it See Acts 13. 22. This Attribute of kindnesse is the same with goodnesse before spoken of viz. communicative goodnesse Esay 48. 11. 42. 8. Exod. 20. 5. Psalm 113. 5 6. Gen. 18. 1 Sam. 30. 8. God is Omnipotent 2 Cor. 6. 18. Revel 1. 8. Luke 18. 28. Matth. 19. 26. * Matth. 3 9. Ephes. 1. 19. Phil. 3. 21. a Psalm 135. 6. 115. 3. b Ephes. 3. 20. 1 In se per se quia idem est cum essentia divina Wendelinus * Potentia Dei infinita est respectu objectorum quia innumera sunt quae produci ab ea possint Respectu actionis infinita est quia nunqnam effectum producit tam praestantem quin praestantiorem possit producere Wendelinus Luke 1. 37. Revel 15. 3. Omnipotent is often put for God Ruth 1. 20 21. Job 21. 15. 27 10. 31. 2. There is strength in Angels Men beasts and all creatures in their kind therefore it is much more perfectly and eminently in God from whom they have it Power is Gods originally and pâ—imarily all power of all creatures is derived from him and continued and ordered by him God can doe all things quae â—abent rationem fallibilitatis quae contradictionem non implicam Titus 2. 2. 2 Tim. 2. 13. There are impossibilia naturae which excâ—ed natures sphere as to make a thing of nothing to raise the dead to life these God can doe and impossibilia naâ—ura those things which are by themselves simply impossible Gâ—d can not will the same thing at the same time to be and not to be nor cause that which hath been not to be this would argue inconstancy Propterea quaedam non potest qâ—ia omnipotens est There is impossibility ex parte Dei ex parte rei See Dr. Willet on Gen. 18. 12. * Matth 3. 9. Psam 148. 5. Consectaries from Gods power or omnipotency Whatsoever God hath promised or uttered we may be sure shall be fulfilled Acts 26. 8. Matth. 22. 29. Ephes. â— 20. Prov. 18. 10. John 10. 39. Rom. 8. 38. 2 Tim. 1. 12. This power of God is not idle but creates sustaines and governes all things Of all the Attributes of God this onely is mentioned in the Creed I believe in God the Father Almighty and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty because our faith is specially to be fixed on the power of God and Christ. Esay 6. 1. Ezâ—k 1. 28. Numb 12. 8 Exod. 33. 23. Non perceperunt vim gloriae qui eam defâ—â—erunt nâ—titiam claram cum laude nam si ita se res haberet ne ita quidem Deus gloriosus esset volo dicere praeditus gloria nam Latinâ—â— gloriosus superbus est Cameron de Ecclesia Gloria quasi claria saith Aquinaâ— it is the manifestation and shining forth of Excellency God is said to glorifie himselfe when he manifesteth his unspeakable and incomprehensible excellency Num. 14. 21. Psalm 72. 19. Levit. 10. 3. Angels and men glorifie him when they extoll his greatnesse and testifie their acknowledgement of his glory Esay 6. 3. Psalm 29. 1 2. Luke 2. 14. Rev. 4. 11. Exod. 16. 10. Ezek. 1. 28. * Exod. 9. 15. Fearfull in praises because Gods Majesty is so excellent that even with trembling we are to praise him but especially because he workes such miraâ—ulous deliverances and sheweth his terrible power Salomons glory was in part visible the shining of his Throne his glittering apparell but his wisdome and understanding were not God perceives his owne glory and that it shall continue for ever the Apostle beheld the glory of Christ as of the onely begotten Son John 17. 5. Consectaries from Gods glory Those that doe not take notice of Gods name lose the chiefe fruit of his workes * It is said of Fulgentius when he came out of Affrica to Rome that he said Quantum fulget Câ—lestis Hierosolyma cum adeo splendet â—â—â—estris Roma It is a comfort to Gods people when they goe to him foâ— any favour Let them not be out of heart because they finde nothing in themselves upon which to ground their prayers or faith There is enough in his own Name the Lord doth not looke upon any thing in us but upon himselfe for
Saviour did not give the people whole Loaves but distributed them by pieces 4 Such an instructing as acquaints them with the meaning of things and spiritually applyes the same for practice It is not enough to say the Creed and Lords prayer but to understand the sence and apply it to practice 5 An instruction by way of question and answer which is thereby made more plaine and familiar The exercise of catechizing hath been proved to be most ancient and very necessary and usefull and therefore it should be alwaies continued in the Church 1 Because there will alwaies be found Babes which stand in need of Milke not being able to beare strong meate 2 Because as no building can stand without a foundation and none can be expert in an Art except he learne the principles thereof so none can have sound knowledge in Divinity except he be trained up in the grounds thereof The best way to performe this exercise is 1 By short questions and answers the Minister demanding the question the people answering 2 It must be done purely â— Cor. 2. 4. 3 Plainly 2 Cor. 3. 2. Heb. 5. 11. 4 Soundly Titus 2. 7. 5 Orderly 6 Cheerfully and lovingly 2 Tim. 2. 24. praising the forward encouraging the willing patiently bearing with all admonishing such as are unruly Amesius his Christianae eatechesios Sciagraphia is usefull this way and Nowels catechisme in Latine in English there are Bishop Vshers Mr Baines Master Cartwrights Mr Balls Catechismes and Mr Crookes Guide Here is a fault that both teachers and hearers must share betweene them Ministers doe not teach principles sufficiently happy is that man which can say with Paul I have kept backe nothing that was profitable 2 Those are to blame which will not be taught children and servants which are stubborne and unwilling to be catechized some say they are too old to learne but are they too old to repent and be saved some say they are past principles they are not now to be grounded but we may say with the Apostle Whereas they ought to be teachers they had need themselves to be taught Such people rebell against their Minister or Master whose duty it is to teach them and God who commands it Let men be exhorted to practice this duty Ministers Masters Parents Schoolmasters teach the A. B. C. and the Grammer suffer little children to come unto me Consider 1. thou broughtst thy children into the world blind and deformed 2 Thou canst not else have comfort in thy children or servants many are crost in their family for want of this and many at the gallowes will cry out if they had lived where they had been instructed they had never died a dogges death Greenham saith thy children shall follow thee up and down in Hell and cry against thee for not teaching them He that will not provide for his family saith Paul is worse then an Infidell and he that will not teach them is worse then a beast The old Nightingale teacheth the young to sing and the old Eagle her young ones to fly Children ill brought up were devoured by Beares to teach parents that since they have done lesse then Beares who shape their whelpes by much licking and smoothing them though Dr. Browne deny this they therefore by beares were bereft of them It is good therefore to season our children with wholsome truths betime a vessell will long keepe the savour of that with which it is at first seasoned and the devill will begin betime to sow his seed Mr. Bolton upon his death-bead spake unto his children thus I doe believe saith he there is never a one of you will dare to meet me at the Tribunall of Christ in an unregenerate condition It will be a great comfort to thee and benefit to them when they are instructed in the points of religion if thy children die yet thou mayst have great hope of them when thou hast acquainted them with the principall grounds of religion The Papists in the preface to the catechisme of the Councell of Trent confesse that all the ground we have got of them is by catechizing and let us looke that we loose not our ground againe for want of it Julian himselfe could not devise a readier meanes to banish Christian Religion then by pulling down the Schooles and places of educating children Egesippus saith that by vertue of catechizing there was never a Kingdome but received alteration in their heathenish religion within forty yeeres after Christs passion All ignorant persons though they be growne in yeeres must be willing to be instructed and catechised See Esay 27. 11. 2 Thess. 1. 8. Theophilus a Noble man and of ripe yeeres was catechized as the Greeke word shewes ignorance bringeth men to the very pit and gulph of destruction Hos. 4. l. and v. 14. 1. Pet. 3. 15. Christians should be ready to give an answer to every man which doth aske them a reason of the hope which is in them the foundation is that which is first and surest laid and hath an influence into all the building The Scriptures are fundamentum quo the fundamentall writings which declare the salvation of Chistians John 5. 39. Christ fundamentum quod the fundamentall meanes and cause which hath purchased and doth give it John 4. 42. The person we must build on is Christ 1 Cor. 3. 11. He is called the foundation of foundations Esay 28. The doctrinall foundation is the written Word of God which is not onely the object and matter of our faith but the rule and reason of it Hold Christ as your Rock build on him the Scripture as your rule and the reason of your believing this is generall there are some particulars 1 Some things are simply necessary It were a notable worke for one to determine this how much knowledge were required of all 2. not absolutely necessary Some make the foundation too narrow some againe too wide some say that if a man meane well and goe on according to the light he hath though he know not Christ he shall be saved others say that all are bound to know distinctly the Articles of the Creed Fundamentall truths are all such points of doctrine which are so plainly delivered in Scripture that whosoever doth not know or follow them shall be damned but he that doth know and follow these though erring in other things shall be saved These points said a reverend Divine now with God are twelve three concerning God three concerning man three concerning the Redeemer three concerning the meanes of attaining good by this Redeemer Concerning God 1 There is one God which is an Infinite Perfect and Spirituall essence 2 This one God is distinguished into three persons or manners of subsistence after an incomprehensible way which we believe but cannot perfectly understand The Father begetting the Sonne begotten and the holy Ghost proceeding 3 This one God the Father Sonne and Holy
15. 1. Heb. 8. 11. Iâ—hn 14. 26. and by intellâ—ctuall visions Num. 12. 6. to the phantasie God revealed his will by imaginary visions to Prophets awake and by dreames to Prophets asleepe Gen. 40. 8. 41. 8 9. Acts 16. 10 10. 3. Num. 14. 4. to the senses God revealed his will and that either by vision to the eye or lively voyce to the Eare 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 himselfe after an unspeakable manner or by meanes viz. Angels Vrim Thummim Prophets Christ himselfe and his Apostles The written word forthematter 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 Matthew 22. 29. John 5. 39. Romans 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 Epithite the holy Scriptures Rom. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 3. 15. the Sâ—riptures of the Prophets Rom. 16. 26 Some thinke thâ—t Enoch the seventh from Alâ—m wrote but Jude 6. 14. speakâ—th onely 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 himselfe to be the Messiah that he ought to suffer began at Moses Luke 24. 27. No doubt if there had beene any more ancient then Moses our Saviour would have alleadged it because all the Scripture that was before him was to give testimony of him Of the authority of the Scripture The Author of the Scriptures was God himselfe they came from him in a speciall and peculiar manner commonly called inspiration which is an act of Gods Spirit immediately imprinting or infusing those notions into their braines and those phrases and words by which the notions were uttered 2 Tim. 4. 16. All Scripture is given by Divine inspiration or by inspiration of God Prophesie came not of old time by the will of men 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 worke 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 Esay spake Acts 1. 16. 28. 25. The Inscriptions of many Propheticall bookes and Epistles Apostolicall run thus The word of the Lord which â—ame to Hosea Amos Joel Paul Peter JAmes 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 chiefe 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 Pharaoh Rom. 9. 7. and the Scripture hath shut up all men under sinne 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 Commandements of which most of the rest is an exposition were writen after a secret and unutterable manner by God himselfe 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 appoinment and assistance Exo. 17. 14. Esay 8. 1. Jer. 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 Schooles 1 Cor. 2. 13. The Divine authority of thâ— 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 sence 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. John 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 Commandements hard and foolish to the carnall minde Hereticks have laboured to prove their corrupt and damnable opinions out of the Scripture and have received some bookes if not all as Divine The Turkes 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 dreame Plato is termed Moses Atticus Moses speaking Greeke The holy Scripture in it selâ—e is Divine and Authenticall though no man in the world should so acknowledge it as the Sunne in it selfe were light though all the men in the world were blind and could not or would not see it but in respect of us it is Divine and Authenticall 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 That the Scriptures were from God may appeare by reasons contained in or cleaving to the Scripture 1. From the excellency of their matter which is Heavenly the divine and supernaturall matter contained in it It telleth us of such things as doe farre exceed the reach of mans reason and which it was impossible for any man to counterfeit and faine 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 daies the doctrin of the fall of our first parents the story of the delivering Israel out of Egypt of the delivering of the Law and ten Commandements 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 soule 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 Angell 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 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 Jesuit reports in his History that when his fellows came first to preach in the East-Indies the Gentiles and Indies there hearing the ten Commandements did much commend the equity of them See Sir Walter Raleighs 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 braine 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 needfull for example that a man must love God above all and his neighbour as himselfe that he must keepe his thoughts and cogitations 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 himselfe against the future life that he must not at all trust in himselfe nor in any man but onely in God and that he must doe all he doth in Gods strength that he can deserve nothing at Gods hand but must looke 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 temporall but eternall These writings lead a man wholy out of himselfe and out of the whole world 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 Authour of any writing will surely have most respect of himselfe in that writing The Scriptures manifest Gods glory alone Jerem. 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 eternall comfort and salvation to their soules 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 Luke 1. 79. Christ John 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 from the difference of these writings from all other whatsoever in regard of their phrase and manner of writing All other writings use perswasive and flourishing speeches these command and condemne all other Gods all other religions all other writings and command these onely 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 gainsaying and to seeke 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 plaine in no wise deceitfull and because it describes great matters in words familiar and obvious to the capacity of the Reader the Majesty since it teacheth so perspicuously the chiefest mysteries of faith and divine revelation which are above humane capacity Whether we read David Esay or others whose stile is more sweet pleasant and rhetoricall or Amos Zachary and Jeremy whose stile is more rude everywhereâ— 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 Jerem. 13. 18. 1 Sam. 12. ult and bind the heart to its good abearing Jerome could say as oft as I read Paul it seâ—mes to me that they are not words but thunders which I heare Junius reading the first Chapter of John was stricken with amazement by a kind of Divine and stupendious authority and so he was converted from Atheisme as himselfe saith in his life Johannes Isaac a Jew was converted by reading the 53. of Esay Our Saviour spake as one having authority not as the Scribes So this booke speaks not as men it simply affirmes all things without proofe other authors use many arguments to confirme 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 proofe whereas Galene Atheistically urged it the other way The Socinians reject all things in Religion which they cannot comprehend by reason The Philosophers called the Christians by way of scorn credentes Julian derided the Christian beliefe because it had no other proofe then thus saith the Lord. 6. Another argument is taken from the experience of the truth of the predictions and prophesies thereof For seeing it is generally confessed that onely the Divine essence can certainly foresee
these writings come from God We should receive it with reverence believe it with confidence exercise our selves in it with diligence and delight practice it with obedience Reading the Scripture is a rehearsing out of the booke such things as are there written barely without any interpretation It is to be done publikely as it was in the Synagogues of the Jewes who had the reading of the Law and Prophets amongst them the Prophets were read in their eares every day saith Paul and after the lecture of the Law and the Prophets in another place We honour God more by a publique then a private reading of it 2. Privately the godly Jewes of Berea did search the Scriptures and the King is commanded to read in the Law Some good Divines hold that the Scriptures barely read though preaching be not joyned with it may be the instrument of regeneration since the doctrine of the Gospell is called the ministration of the Spirit Psal. 19. the law of the Lord converteth the soule it is so when not preached but the word of God is made effectuall by the Spirit more often more ordinarily to beget a new life in the preaching that is the interpreting and applying of it then in the bare reading 1 Tim. 4. 13. Matth. 28. 29. Christs custome was as we may collect out of Luke 4. where one instance is recorded to make us conceive his ordinary practice when he had read to interpret the Scripture and often to apply it Let us all learn constantly to exercise our selves in the writings of God which if we strive to doe in a right manner we shall attaine true knowledge of the way to Heaven and also grace and help to walke in that way If the Lord should deny to any man the publique helps of preaching and conference yet if that man should constantly reade the word praying to God to teach him and guide him by it and strive to follow it in his life he should finde out the truth and attaine saving grace the word would illighten and convert but if God afford publique preaching and interpretation we must use that too as a principall ordinance Let us all reade the Scripture 1. With hearty prayers to God to direct us and open the sence of it to us Psal. 119. 18. JAmes 1. 5 17. and with a resolution to put in practice that which we learne Jam. 1. 25. Matth. 7. 24. and we shall finde the word read Gods power to our edification and salvation Onely a Spirituall understanding can discerne an excellency in the Scripture Nunquam Pauli mentem intelliges nisi prius Pauli spiritum imbiberis 2. Diligently attend unto reading 1 Tim. 4. 13 15. John 5. 39. Search the Scriptures whether the Greeke word be a metaphor from hunting dogges or from diggers in mines both import diligence It was a solemne speech used in holy actions hoc age The passions of the Martyrs may be read when their anniversarie daies are celebrated Whence the name of Legends Chamier 3. Orderly that we may be better acquained with the whole body of the Scriptures We should reade on in Chronicles and Ezra and other places wherein are nothing but names and Genealogies to shew our obedience to God in reading over all his sacred word and we shall after reape profit by that we understand not for the present though it will be convenient to begin with the new Testament as more plain before we reade the old 4. With faith Heb. 4. 2. The word of God consisteth of foure parts 1. History 2. Commandements 3. Promises 4. Threats All truths taught in the History of the Scripture ought to be believed As that the world was made of nothing onely by the word of God Heb. 11. 3. and that the bodies of men howsoever they died shall rise againe at the last day Job 19. 26. 2 All precepts Genes 22. 6. Abraham went doing that commandement though strange 3 All promises as that God could give Abraham when he was 100 yeeres old a seed and posterity which should be as innumerable as the Stars in the Firmament Genes 15. 5. and that by Sarah an old and barren woman Gen. 17. 16. Abraham and Sarah believed it Rom. 4. 20 21. Heb. 11. 11. 4. Threatnings as that Gen. 6. 13. 17. though unlikely Noab believed it 2 Pet. 2. 5. because God had said it Heb. 11. 7. and that Jonah 3. 4. the people of Nineveh believed v. 5. In narrando gravitas in imperando authoritas in promittendo liberalitas in minando severitas Spanhemius or at de officio Theologi 5. Constantly Cyprian was so much delighted with the reading of Tertullian that he read something in him every day and called him his Master Da Magistrum Let Gods command the examples of the godly and our owne benefit quicken us to a frequent reading of the holy Scriptures Mr Bifield hath a Kalender shewing what number of Chapters are to be read every day that so the whole Bible may be read over in the yeere The number of Chapters while you are reading the old Testament is for the most part three a day and when you come to the new Testament it is but two sometimes where the matter is Historicall or Typicall or the Chapters short he hath set down a greater number The Martyrs would sit up all night in reading and hearing After we have read and understood the Scripture we must 1. give thanks to God for the right understanding of it and pray him to imprint the true knowledge of it in our hearts that it may not fall out 2. We must meditate in the word of God now understood and so fix it in our minds One defines meditation thus It is an action of the soule calling things to mind or remembrance and discoursing of them that they might be the better understood retained affected and possessed It is as it were every mans preaching to himselfe and is a setting ones selfe seriously to consider in his mind and apply to his owne soule some necessary truth of Gods word till the mind be informed and the heart affected as the nature thereof requires and is the wholesomest and usefullest of all exercises of piety This is to ingrast the word into ones soule to give the seed much earth this is to bind it to the Tables of our heart and to hide it in the furrows of our soules this is to digest it and make it our owne 3. We must apply to our owne use whatsoever things we reade and understand the precepts and examples of the Law to instruct our life the promises and comforts of the Gospell to confirme our faith It serves for thankfulnesse 1. that now we have the Scripture the world was a long time without it it was the more wicked because they had no canon of Scripture We are not like to erre by tradition as former ages have done 2. That we have so great a
part of Scripture and in our vulgar tongue the Martyrs would have given a load of Hay for a few Chapters of St JAmes or Paul in English 3. That we have so great helps for the opening of the Scripture so many excellent Expositors compare Mollerus on the Psalmes with Austin As the latter thoughts are usually the more advised so the latter Interpreters are generally the quicker sighted All those are to be reproved which contemne or unreverently handle the Scriptures 1. Atheists who impiously oppose the word of God and all prophane wretches who live loosely and wickedly their doom is written in this book Julian the Apostate said of Apollinarius his Booke wherein he defended the Divine truth against the Gentiles Vidi legi contempsi I have seen them I have read them I have contemned them To whom Basil replied Vidisti legisti non intellexisti si intellexisses non contempsisses Thou hast seen and read them but not understood them if thou hadst understood them thou wouldst not have contemned them 2. Papists who 1. Set up Images and Pictures instead of the Scripture the Scriptures they say may teach men errors but may not Pictures 2. Equall the Apocrypha and unwritten verities or rather vanities with the sacred Scriptures 3. Charge the Scriptures with insufficiency and obscurity allow it not to be a perfect rule 4. Make it of no force to binde our consciences unlesse the Pope ratifie it 5. Give the Pope power to dispense with things therein forbidden yea and with oathes and vowes which no Scripture dispenseth withall 6. Teach that the vulgar Latine is to be received as Authenticke 7. Wrest and turn it which way they please Esay 28. 16. Cardinall Bellarmine in praefat l. de Summo Pontifice Baronius say that by precious and corner stone in this place the Pope of Rome although lesse principally is meant who is a stumbling stone to Hereticks and a rocke of offence but to Catholicks a tried precious corner stone yet Peter 1. 2. 6. 8. expoundeth those words not of himselfe but of Christ. Bellarmine from Matth. 21. Feed my Lambs and Sheep would inferre the Popes universall dominion Baronius from the Acts kill and eate Psal. 8. 6. under his feet that is say they of the Pope of Rome Sheep i. Christians Oxen that is Jewes and Hereticks Beasts of the field i. Pagans Fowles of the ayre i. Angels Fishes of the Sea i. soules in Purgatory They have Tapers in their Churches in the day time because Christ saith I am the light of the world or because they had such at midnight Acts 20. 8. where Paul preached This is the great fault of the Schoole Divines that they handle Paul and Aristotle Suae curiositati litantes potius quam pietati so that he is counted most learned amongst them who dares to seeke and presumes to define most things out of the Scripture What distinctions orders degrees and offices doe they make of Angels what curious questions doe they raise what use would there have been of sexes if Adam had not sin'd whether Christ should have been incarnate if there had been no sinne and infinite such like The Schoole men perverting the Scriptures have prophaned Divinity with Philosophy or rather Sophistry and yet are called Schoole Divines when they are neither Schollers in in truth nor Divines Behold two Swords Luke 22. 83. therefore the Pope hath two Swords one Spirituall another Temporall 1 Cor. 2. 14. ergo The Pope judgeth of all things and is judged of none The Papils stile the Scripture Regulam Lesbiam nasum cereum Evangelium nigrum Theologiam atramentariam A Lesbian rule a nose of wax the black Gospell inky Divinity Bishop Bonners Chaplaine called the Bible his little pretty Gods book Giford and Raynolds said it contained somethings prophane and Apocryphall The Rebels in Ireland tooke the Bibles threw them into the chanels and cast them into the fire and called it Hell fire and wished they could serve all the rest so But I may say of the Gospell as the French Lady of the Crosse Never dog barkt at the Crosse but he ran mad Contrarationem nemo sabrius contra Ecclesiam nemo pacificus contra Scripturas nemo Christianus Thirdiy The Brownists vainly and idly quote the Scripture filling their margents with many Texts of Scripture but nothing to the purpose and misapply it they alledge those Texts of Esay 52. 51. and Rev. 18. 4. to draw men from all the assemblies of Gods people whither any wicked men doe resort Fourthly The Antinomians or Antinomists who cry down the Law of God and call those that preach the law Legall Preachers and stand for Evangelicall grace the Law is part of Canonicall Scripture and hath something peculiar in it being written with the finger of God and delivered with Thunder and Lightning See Mr Gatakers Treatise on 23 Numb 21. and Mr Burgesse his Lectures on 1 Tim. 1. 8 9. Fifthly Stage-players who jest with Scriptures Witches and others which use charmes writing a piece of St Johns Gospell to cure a disease or the like are to be condemned for abusing the Scripture Per vâ—â—es sacras puta Evang. Johannis orationem Dominicam frequenter cum Ave Maria recitatam Symbolum Apostolicum c. morbos curare magicum est Voetius Sixthly Printers who print the Bible in bad Paper a blind print and corruptly are likewise to be blamed Seventhly the Heathens and Jewes Tacitus cals the doctrine of the Gospell Superstitionem quandam exitiabilem The moderne Jewes call Evangelium aven gilion a volume of lies word for word the iniquity of the Volume The blasphemous Jewes meane I suppose the volume of iniquity Elias Levita in Thishi mentions this Etymologie or rather Pseudologie of the word but P. Fagius abhorred to translate it Scripture arguments are the chiefest to convince an unbeliever Christ by divers arguments John 5. labours to convince the Jewes that he was the Messiah promised 1. John bare witnesse of him vers 33. 2 His works bare witnesse of him vers 36. 3 The Father did beare witnesse of him vers 37. 4 He produceth the testimony of the Scriptures v. 39. They are they which testifie of me Will you not believe John my miracles my word from Heaven then believe the written word If we believe not the testimony of Scripture nothing will convince us though one rise from the dead nor Christ himselfe if hee were here in the flesh and should preach unto us John 5. ult The Lord in executing of his judgements commonly 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 judge and interpret Scripture therefore it shall be his ruine 2 Thess. 2. 8.
God shall destroy him with the Spirit of his mouth idest verbo suo Beza God hath consecrated the word to this purpose the end of it is not onely to save but destroy being the savor of death to some and it is a fit instrument for such a worke Antichrists strength is in mens consciences onely this will pierce thither Heb. 4. 12. God useth the word for the destruction of Antichrist these waies 1. It discovers him his doctrine his errours 2. It hardens him 3. It condemneth him and passeth sentence against him CHAP. III. 2. The Bookes of Scripture FRom the Divine flowes the Canonicall authority of the Scripture The bookes of Scripture are called Canonicall bookes say some from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word is used 2 Cor. 10. 13. Phil. 3. 16. Gal. 6. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 marke the double emphasis this notable Canon because they were put into the Canon by the Universall Church 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 Canonicall because it is a rule for that booke saith he is called Canonicall which is put into the Catalogue which the ancients called a Canon of those writings which are esteemed Divine Becanus saith they are called Canonicall both because they containe a rule which we ought to follow in faith and manners and because they are put into the Catalogue of Divine bookes The conditions of a Canon are these 1. It must containe truth or be an expresse form and image of truth which is in the divine mind 2. It must be commanded sanctified and confirmed by Divine authority that it may be a Canon to us in the Church These bookes were sanctified either commonly all of both Testaments by the testimony of the Spirit and Church and Canon it selfe or the books of the old Testament were specially and singularly confirmed by word signes and event as the Pentateuch but the Propheticall books and Hagiographa before their carrying into Babylon by extraordinary signe the cloud and vaile in the Temple 1 Kings 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 Sonne of God revealed in flesh by his sayings and deeds Heb. 1. 2. and by the powerfull ministery of the Apostles by signes vertues and miracles Marke 16. 20. There is a threefold Canon in the Church Divine Ecclesiasticall and False The Divine Canon is that which properly and by itselfe 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 Tremelius and Junius Testamenti veteris novi Biblia sacra and the Geneva gives that title to their Bible La Bible qui est toute la Saincte Escriture du viel novean Testament Austin thinkes 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 forme convention and agreement betweene 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 mind is declared so is the will of God in his word therefore it is called a Testimony often Psal. 19. 119. l 2. Here is a Testator Christ a Legacy eternall life Heires the elect a writing the Scripture Seales the Sacraments 3. Because it is ratified by the death of Christ Heb. 9. 16 17. The Bookes of the old Testament are the holy Scriptures given by God to the Church of the Jewes shewing them what to believe and how God would be worshipped The new Testament containeth the bookes which treate of salvation already exhibited and Christ already come in the flesh All the bookes 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 Authours 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 Sem as Josephus Jerome and others thinke when it is manifest that he rather spake Chaldee then Hebrew because Abraham the Patriarke which drew his originall from him was a Chaldean but it was so called saith Erpenius as all the Rabbines 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 Hebraismes 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 mauifest that the same Spirit was the Authour of the old and new Testament The knowledge of the Hebrew much conduceth to the learning of those famous Orientall Tongues the Chaldee Syriacke Arabicke and Aethiopicke by reason of the great affinity which they have with their mother The bookes of the old Testament may be divided severall waies in respect of the stile some were written in prose some in verse in respect of time some were written before their being taken captives into Babylon as Samuel Esay Hâ—sea and many others some in the Captivity and some after as Haggai Zachary Malachy The Hebrewes divide the Bible ex instituto Esdrae into three speciall parts 1. The Law the five Bookes of Moses 2. The Prophets 1. The former Joshua Judges two bookes of Samuel and two of the Kings 2. The latter 1. Greater three 2. Lesser twelve 3. The Hagiographa for want of a more speciall name by which title all the rest are understood and they are eleven Our Saviour himselfe mentions this most ancient distinction Luke 24. 44. calling all the rest of the bookes besides the Law and Prophets Psalmes All the Scriptures of the old Testament in other places are comprised in the Law
and Prophets Matth. 5. 17. 7. 12. 11. 13. 20. 40. Acts 13. 15. 24. 14. 26. 22. 28. 23. Rom. 3. 21. or Moses and the Prophets Luke 24. 27. 16. 29. or in the Scriptures of the Prophets Rom. 16. 26. or the Prophets alone Luke 1. 70. 24. 25 27. Rom. 1. 2. Heb. 1. 1. the name Prophet being taken as it is given to every holy writer The Jewes and the Ancient reckon 22 Bookes in the old Testament according to the number of the Letters of the Alphabet for memory sake Ruth being joyned with the Booke of Judges and the Lamentations being annexed to Jeremy their Author Hebraeis sunt initiales medianae literae 22 finales quinque Quamobrem V. T. modo in 22. modo in 27. libros partiuntur All the bookes of both Testaments are 66. 39 of the old and 27 of the new Testament Some would have Hugo Cardinall to be the first Authour of that division of the Bible into Chapters which we now follow No man put the verses in the Latine Bibles before Robert Stephen and for the new Testament he performed that first being holpen by no Booke Greeke or Latine Vide Croii observat in novum Testam c. 7. This arithmeticall distinction of Chapters which we have in our Bibles was not from the first authours Of which that is an evident token that in all the quotations which are read in the new Testament out of the old there is not found any mention of the Chapter which would not have been altogether omitted if all the Bibles had then been distinguished by Chapters as ours distinguishing of the Bible into Chapters and Verses much helpes the reader but it sometimes obscures the sense Dr Raynolds gives this counsell to young Students in the study of Divinity that they first take their greatest travell with the helpe of some learned interpreter in understanding St Johns Gospell and the Epistle to the Romans the sum of the new Testament Esay the Prophet and the Psalmes of David the summe of the old and in the rest they shall doe well also if in harder places they use the judgement of some godly writer as Calvin and Peter Martyr who have written best on the most part of the old Testament The Bookes of the old Testament are 1. Legall 2. Historicall 3. Poeticall 4. Propheticall 1. Legall which the Hebrews call from the chiefe part Torah Deut. 31. 9. 33. 4. the Grecians from the number Pentateuch the five Bookes of Moses Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy all written by Moses as it is commonly agreed except the last Chapter in the end of Deuteronomy concerning his death written by Joshua In which five Bookes are described the things done in the Church from the beginning of the world to the death of Moses The Sadduces as some say received no other Scripture but these five Bookes of Moses therefore Christ Matth. 23. 32. proves the resurrection of the dead which they denied out of the second Booke of Moses but Scultetus saith that they rejected not the Prophets l. 1. exercit evang c. 22. Anciently it was not the custome of holy writers to adde Titles to what they had written but either left their workes altogether without Titles or the first words were Titles the Titles now in use as Genesis Exodus were prefixed according to the arbitrement of men and the like is to be thought of those before the historicall bookes of the new Testament as Matthew Marke Luke John With the Hebrews the Titles of bookes are taken sometimes from the subject matter or argument as in the bookes of Judges Ruth Kings Proverbs and others of that kinde sometimes from the Authors or amanuenses rather as in the bookes of Joshua and the Prophets sometimes from the initiall words with which the bookes begin which Jerome followes The Bookes of Moses are denominated from the initiall words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. in principie i. e. Genesis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Haec nomina h. e. Exodus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. vocavit h. e. Leviticus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. in deserto i. e. Numeri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. verba sive Deuteronomium These are subdivided againe into 54 Sections that the reading of them may be finished in so many Sabbaths which is signified Acts 15. 12. Junius Ainsworth and Amama with Calvin Cornelius a Lapide and Piscator have done well on the Pentateuch 1. Genesis in Hebrew Bereshith the first word of the book by the Septuagint it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which appellation the Latine Church retained because it sets forth the first generation of things Ch. 2. v. 4. and of Adam or mankind Gen. 5. 1. It consists of 50 Chapters and containes a History of 2368 yeeres from the creation of the world to the death of Joseph The best Expositors of this booke are Mercer River Pareus Caelvin Peter Martyr on 40 Chapters Willet Ainsworth Origen upon the Canticles and Jerome upon Ezekiel say that the Hebrewes forbad those that had not attained to the age of the Priesthood and judgement viz. 30 yeeres to reade in three bookes for their profundity and difficulty that is the beginning of the world which is contained in the three first Chapters of Genesis the beginning and end of Ezekiel since that treats of the Cherubins and the Divine Majesty this of the structure of the third Temple and the Song of Songs in which those things which ought to be understood of the Divine Authour are easily through youthfull affection elsewhere drawne and wrested This booke of Genesis is not onely profitable but very necessary for doctrine as Moses is the Prince and as it were Parent of Divines so Genesis is the foundation and excellent compendium of all Divinity propounding evidently the chiefe parts of it 2 Exodus The second booke of Moses is called in Hebrew Shemoth in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word the Latines have retained It consists of 40 Chapters and containes a History say Junius and Tremelius of 142 yeeres viz. from the death of Joseph even to the building of the Tabernacle The best Expositors of it are Rivet Willet Calvin Ainsworth 3 Leviticus in Hebrew Vaiicra in Greeke and Latine Leviticus from the matter which it handleth because it treats especially of the Leviticall Priesthood and the Leviticall or Ceremoniall Lawes in it It consists of 27 Chapters and containes a History of one Moneth viz. of the first in the second yeere after their going out of Egypt The best Expositors of it are Calvin Ainswarth and Willet 4 Numbers in Hebrew Vaie dabber in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Numeri in English Numbers because it begins with declaring the number of the people and because many numberings are reckoned up in this booke It containes a History of 38 yeeres and consists of 36 Chapters The
best Expositors of it are Calvin Attersoll Ainsworth 5 Deuteronomy in Hebrew Haddebarim from the first words in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Latine retaines because it containes a second repetition of many necessary points of the Law It consists of 34 Chapters and containes a history of the two last moneths of the yeere Some say concerning the 34 Ch. 10. that part of it was written by Ezra contemporary with Malachy The best Expositors of it are Calvin Ainsworth Wolphius Cornelius a Lapide 2 Historicall 1. Before the Captivity Joshua Judges Ruth Samuel Kings 2 After the Captivity both the Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah The sixth Booke in the old Testament is called Joshua because it containes a History of things done by Joshua the servant of Moses which he by the will of God put in writing it being all written by him except some of the last Chapter where mention is made of his death and thought to be written by Samuel It consists of 24 Chapters and containes a History of 18 yeeres viz. from the death of Moses even to the death of Joshua The best Expositors of it are Masius and Serarius for Papists Drusius and Lavater of Protestants The seventh booke is called Shophetim Judges because it containes things done under the government of the 12 Judges There is nothing certaine of the authour of this Booke though some would have Samuel but he rather collected and compiled into one Volume what was written by many It describes the state of the government of Israel from the death of Joshua even to the Priesthood of Eli. It consists of 21 â—â—hapters and containes a History of 299 yeeres say some of 300 at least saith Spanhemius The best Expositors of it are Peter Martyr Drusius Lavater Serrarius The eighth is Ruth the authour of which booke is unknowne many thinke it was written by Samuel who added this as a part or conclusion of the booke of Judges It consists of foure Chapters and is an History concerning the marriage and posterity of Ruth The best Expositors of it are Deusius Wolphius Lavater Topsell The ninth in order are the two bookes of Samuel which containe in them an History of 120 yâ—eres The first beginning an History of 80 yeeres of 40 under Eli 1 Sam. 4. 18. and of 40 under Samuel and Saul Acts. 13. 21. and consists of 31 Chapters The second Booke is a History of 40 yeeres even from the death of Saul to the end of Davids Kingdome and consists of 24 Chapters These two Bookes in the Originall have two severall Titles The one is the first and second of Kings the other the first and second of Samuel The former Title it hath received as it stands in relation to the two next Bookes and in opposition to that of Judges for as in that Story the Regiment of Judges was described in one Booke so in this Story of which these two are but one part the Regiment of Kings is described this is the reason of the first Title The other likewise of the first and second of Samuel is given unto it 1. Because there is very frequent mention made of Samuel therein he being a principall subject of the first part thereof 2. Because it continueth the narration so farre till the infallible truth of Samuels principall Prophesie which seemed to remaine in great doubtfulnesse at least when he ended his daies was fully accomplished in establishing the Kingdome upon the person and family of David the sonne of Jesse The best Expositors of both the Samuels are Peter Martyr Drusius Willet also hath expounded them but not so well as he hath other Bookes of Scripture The tenth is the two Bookes of the Kings in Hebrew Melachim is Greeke and Latine the third and fourth of the Kings from the subject matter of them because they relate the Acts of the Kings of Israel and Judah This History was written by divers Prophets but who digested it into one Volume is uncertaine many ascribe it unto Esdras The first Booke consists of 22 Chapters and containes a History of 118 yeeres The second Booke consists of 25 Chapters and containes a History of 320 yeeres The best Expositors of both the Kings are Peter Martyr and Gaspar Sanctius The eleventh Booke is the two Bookes of Chronicles which is called Dibrei Hajamim verba dierum because in them the deeds of the Kings of Israel are particularly described The Greekes and Latines divide it into two with the Greekes it is called liber 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q. d. praetermissorum because he summarily explaines somethings either omitted or not fully described in the Pentateuch the bookes of Joshua Judges Samuel and the Kings Of the Latines liber Chronicorum q. d. Chronologicum which appellation Luther retaines in the Dutch version of the Bible There is nothing certaine of the authour of these Bookes though Esdras be thought to be the authour The first Booke consists of 29 Chapters and containes a History of 2985 yeeres viz. from the creation of the world even to the Kingdome of Salomon The second consists of 32 Chapters and describes a History from the beginning of the Kingdome of Salomon even to the returne out of the captivity of Babylon The best Expositor on both the Chronicles is Lavater Twelfthly the two Bookes of Ezra they are counted for one Volume with the Hebrewes the Greekes and Latines devide them into two Bookes and assigne the first to Ezra the second to Nehemiah Ezra was so called from the Authour which was a Scribe most skild in the law of God as appeares in the 7 Chap. 1 6 11 verses The best Expositors of it are Junius and Wolphius Nehemiah It is called by the Latines the second Booke of Ezra because the History begun by Ezra is continued in it but usually Nehemiah because it was written by him and also because it containes the re-edifying of the City of Jerusalem caused by Nehemiah It consists of 13 Chapters and containes a Hiâ—tory of 55 yeeres viz. from the 20 yeere of Artaxerxes to the Kingdome of the last Darius The best Expositors of it are Wolphius and Pilkinton The next Booke is Esther called in Hebrew the Volume of Esther Many of the Jewes thinke this Booke was written by Mordechai which those words in the 9 Chap. v. 20. 23. seem to favour Isidore saith Esdras is thought to have written Esther but some say it was composed after by another Moses Camius saith it was written by the men of the great Synagogue Philo Judaeus saith Joachim a Priest of the Hebrewes sonne of the hight Priest was the composer of it and that he did it at the intreaty of Mordecai the Jew It consists of ten Chapters and containes a History of 10 or as others will of 20 yeeres concerning the preservation of the Church of the Jewes in Persia by Hester Drusius Serrarius and Merlin have done well on this Booke 3.
study it The best Expositors are Mercer Brightman Ainsworth Dr Gouge This Booke which treats of that Spirituall and Heavenly fellowship the sanctified soule hath with Christ cannot be throughly understood in the true life of it but by those that are Sanctified 4. Propheticall The Greater Prophets 4. Lesser Prophets 12. Esay Jeremy Ezechiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habbakuk Zephany Haggai Zachary Malachy Grotius orders them thus Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jona Esay Micha Nahum Habbacuc Zephany Daniel Jeremy Ezechiel Haggai Zachary Malachy They are called Propheticall Bookes because they were written by Prophets by Gods Commandement Prophets were distinguished by the Temples some were Prophetae priores those of the first Temple other Posteriores of the latter Temple Esay Is placed first not because he is more Antient then all the rest for some say that Jonah and Amos were before him in time others that Hosea was before him for Isays beginning was in the dayes of Vzziah Now Hosea was in the dayes of Jerobeam and Jeroboam was before Vzziah This Master Burrouhs saith is one reason why though he intends to goe over the whole propheticall Bookes yet he rather pitcheth upon Hosea first because indeed he was the first Prophet but Isay was rather set first for the Dignity of the Propheticall Oracles which he explaines and because his prophesie is longer then all the rest He is eloquent in his speech being a Noble man therefore the translation can hardly expresse his elegancie He brings so many and such evident Testimonies of the coming incarnation miracles preaching life passion death and resurrection of Christ that he seemes rather to write a History of things past then to prophesie of things to come and one calls him the fifth Evangelist Hence saith Senensis our Lord Jesus Christ made choice of this among all the Prophets first of all to read publikely and expound in the Synagogue of his own Country and in the new Testament he is oftner cited then all the rest of the Prophets He began to Prophesie in the yeare 3160 seven hundred yeares before Christ was borne Vzziah the King of Judah yet reigning and came to the last times of Hezekiah Isay 1. 1. and 39. 3. therefore he was almost contemporary with Hosea Ames and Micha and finished the course of his life under foure Kings of Judath viz. Vzziah Jathan Achaz and Hezehiab The Hebrewes say he was of the Bloud Royall and that he was sawed to death with a woodden Saw by Manasseth an Idolatrous King after he taught 60 yeares His Prophesie consists of 66 Chapters The best Expositors of it are Calvin Scultetus Forerius Mâ—llerus Jeremie This Booke was alwayes esteemed as Canonicall and written by Jeremie He prophesied under Josiah Jehoahaz Joachim and Zedekiah His prophesie consists of 52. Chapters He prophesied partly in the Land of Judea and partly in the Land of Egypt In the Land of Judea he prophesied 41. yeares and afterward 4. yeares in Egypt See Jackson on Jer. 7. 16. p. 4. 5. The best expositors of it are Bullinger Polanus Lamentations It is called in Hebrew Echa 1. quomodo because it begins with this word the Septuagint translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idest lamentationes vel fletus for the Subject or matter of it It containes sad and mourning complaints of the State of the Common-wealth of Israel into which it fell after the death of Josiah it consists of five Chapters Jeremie is thought to be Author of it The best expositors of it are P. Martyr Vdall Ezechiel signifieth the strength of God or one strengthened hy God He prophesied at the same time with Jeremy Ezechiel in the City of Babylon Jeremy at Jerusalem It consists of 48. Chapters The best expositors of it are Junius Polanus and Villalpandas This Prophesie is full of Majesty obscurity and difficulty Calvin spent his last breath on this Prophet Daniel He wrote his prophesie after the Captivity Chap. 1. 21. and 10. 1. while the visions are generall and not dangerous to the Jewes Daniel writeth in the Syriacke tongue generall over the East from Chap. 1. v. 4. to the 8. Chapter But when the oppressors are named Medes and the Jewes plainly described to be the people whom God defendeth then in the 8. Chapter and all after he writeth in Hebrew and hath a Commandement to keepe close to the plaine exposition in Chapter 12. 4. Some reckon Daniel among the Prophets but the Jewes place it among the Hagiographa It consists of 12. Chapters the six first of which containe matters Historicall the six last Propheticall The best Expositors of it are Polanus Junius Willet Broughton Huit The Latines give the first place to the greater Prophets the Greekes to the lesser because there are many among them very Antient. Gratius The 12. lesser Prophets are so called because their writings are briefer then the foure first greater the Hebrewes have them all in one Booke the later Prophets spake more plainly precisely and distinctly touching the coming of the Messiah then the former Daneus Gualter Ribera Tarnovius and Drusius have done best on all the small Prophets Mercer and Livelie have done well on the five first of them The Hebrewes thus place them Hosea Amos Micha Joel Obadiah Jonah Nahum Habakkuk Zephanie Haggai Zecharie Malachi Hosea Is the first among them whose Prophesie although it consist of more Chapters then Daniel yet the other is more prolixe Hosheang noteth Salvator Saviour he is therefore so called because he published Salvation to the house of Judah and spake of the Saviour of the world and was a Type of Christ our Saviour He Prophesied before the Babylonish Captivity in the time of King Jeroboam under foure Kings of Judah Vzziah Iothan Achaz and Hezekiah and was contemporary as some say with Jonah 2 King 14. 26. Isay Is. 1. 1. Amos 1. 1. and Micha 1. 1. all which prophesied destruction to the Kingdome of Israel It consists of 14 Chapters The best Expositors of it are Zanchius Tremelius Pareus Rivet Livelie Diu vixi Osee Prophetam egit â—ut volunt Hebraei per annos 90 ita multos habuit Prophetas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut Isaiam Ioelem Amosum Abdiam Iouam Michaeam ut notat Hieronymus Joel he prophesied in the time of Hezeohia it consists of three Chapters which containe partly exhortation to repentance and partly comfort to the penitent Daneus Pareus Drusius and Livelie are the best Expositors of it Amos Of a Shepheard he was made a Prophet 1 Chap. 1. v. and 7. 14. He was contemporary to Isay and Hosea He prophesied to the Kingdome of Israel or the ten Tribes 1. 1. and 3. 1. and 4. 1. and 5. 1. He utters a few things concerning the Kingdome of Judah 2. 4. and 6. 1. It consists of nine Chapters Daneus Pareus Livelie and Drusius are the best Interpreters of it Doctor Benfield hath done well on two
the Reformed Church with one consent admit this Epistle for Canonicall Vide Polani Syntagma I light upon an old Dutch Testament of Luthers Translation saith Wâ—itaker against Raynolds with his preface wherein he writeth that JAmes his Epistle is not so worthy as are the Epistles of St Peter and Paul but in respect of them a strawen Epistle his censure I mislike and himselfe I thinke afterwards seeing these words in a latter edition are left out It is nowhere found in Luthers workes that he called the Epistle of JAmes inanem stramineam Edmund Campian was convicted of falshood about that in England where when he had objected that he could finde no such thing at any time in the Bookes he produced Some in the preface of the German edition say that Luther wrote that it cannot contend in dignity with the Epistles of Paul and Peter but is strawie if it be compared with them Which judgement of Luther we approve not of and it is hence manifest that it was disliked by him because these words are found in no other edition from the yeere 1526. Luthers disciples now hold that it is Canonicall and Apostolicall and they answer the arguments of those that are opposite thereto as we may see in the exposition of that Article concerning the Scripture by that most learned and diligent man John Gerard. Gravitatem ac zelum Apostolicum per omnia prae se fert saith Walther We may reply against the Papists who often object this opinion of Luthers that Cajetan their Cardinall denieth the Epistle to the Hebrews to be Canonicall yea which is far worse he affirmeth that the Authour thereof hath erred not onely in words but in the sence and meaning of the Scriptures Nay Cajetan saith Whitaker rejected JAmes second of Peter and second and third of John and Jude It consists of five Chapters Pareus and Laurentius have done best on it First of Peter This Epistle is called in the Title Catholicall because it is not written to any one person as that of Paul to Timothy Titus and Philemon nor to any one particular Church as those of Paul to the Romans Corintâ—s but to the converted of the Jewes dispersed here and there as appeares by the inscription It consists of five Chapters Gerhard Laurentius Gomarus and Dr Ames have expounded both these Epistles Bifield hath interpreted part of the first Epistle Second of Peter Some in the Primitive Church doubted of its authority and the Syriack hath it not but the Church generally allowed it and many reasons may perswade that it is Apostolicall and was written by Peter 1. Because the Authour of It expresly calleth himselfe Simon Peter the Apostle of Jesus Christ. He wrote it in his old age to confirme them in the doctrine which before he had taught them 2. It s inscription is to the same Jewes that the former viz. dispersed by the Romane Empire and converted to Christ whose Apostle Peter was 3. It shewes an Apostolicall spirit 4. It s stile and composition is agreeable to the former Epistle 5. The Authour of this Epistle witnesseth that he was a Spectator of the transfiguration in the mount Chap. 1. v. 16. now Peter together with JAmes and John were present with Christ. 6. He makes mention of the Former Epistle Chap. 3. v. 1. 7. He cals Paul his deare brother Chap. 3. v. 15. It consists of three Chapters First of John consists of five Chapters Second and third of John They were also in times past doubted of by some as Erasmus Cajetan but there are good reasons to prove them Canonicall 1. Their Authour cals himselfe an Elder so doth Peter 1 Pet. 5. 1. by which name an Ecclesiasticall office is often signified but here age rather now it is manifest that John came to a greater age then the rest of the Apostles 2. The salutation is plainly Apostolicall Grace mercy and peace 3. In sentences and words they agree with the first Epistle 4. The Fathers alledge them for Johns and reckon them among the Canonicall bookes Each of these Epistles is but a Chapter Jude This Epistle also in times past was questioned by some but that it is Apostolicall first the inscription shews the Author expresly cals him a servant of Christ and brother of JAmes 2. The matter it agreeth both for words and sentences with the second of Peter of which it containes as it were a briefe sum and recapitulation That the writer of the Epistle doth not call himselfe an Apostle is of no moment to infringe the authority thereof for the judgement of the writer is free in that case that Title was specially used by Paul and Peter JAmes and John quit the same Title yea Paul in his Epstles to the Philippians Thessalonians and Philemon doth not call himselfe an Apostle and yet those Epistles were never doubted of It is but one Chapter Willet and Mr Perkins have done well upon it Revelation It is called according to the Greeke Apocalyps and according to the Latine Revelation that is a discovery or manifestation of things which before were hidden and secret for the common good of the Church Eusebius l. 3. c. 17. saith Domitian cast John the Evangelist into a fornace of scalding Oyle but when he saw he came forth unhurt he banished him into the Isle Pathmos where he writ this Revelation This booke describeth the state of the Church from the time of John the last of the Apostles untill Christs comming againe and especially the proceedings pride and fall of Babylon the great whore with all the Kingdomes of Antichrist The holy Ghost therefore foreseeing what labour Satan and his instruments would take to weaken and impaire the credit and authority of this above all other Bookes 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 Booke of Scripture First the Authour of it is set in the forefront or face of it the Revelation of Jesus Christ Chap. 1. vers 1. who professeth himselfe to be the first and the last vers 11. so in the severall Epistles to the Churchs in severall stiles 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 sharpe two edged Sword 4. Which hath eyes like a flame of fire and his feete like brasse 5. Which hath the seven Spirits of God and the seven starres 6. He who is holy and true who hath the key of David 7. He who is Amen the faithfull and true witnesse the beginning of the creatures of God Secondly the instrument or pen-man his servant John the Evangelist the Apostle the Divine who for the farther and more full authority of it repeateth his
name at least thrice saying I John Chap. 1. 9. 21. 1 2. 22. 8. whereas in the Gospell 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 v. 5 6 7 8. 1. Of the Angels 2. Of God himselfe the Lord of the holy Prophets 3. Of Jesus Christ behold I come shortly 4. Of John I John heard and saw all these things 5. The protestation of Jesus Christ vers 18. Fourthly the matter of the Booke doth convince the authority thereof seeing everywhere the Divinity of a Propheticall spirit doth appeare the words and sentences of other Prophets are there set downe part of the Prophesies 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 Greeke and Latine ascribe this Booke to John the Apostle Theophylact Origen Chysâ—stome Tertullian Hilary Austin Ambrose Irenaeus To deny then the truth of this booke is contra solem obloqui to gainsay the shining of the Sunne it selfe The Chyliasts abuse many testimonies out of this Booke but those places have been cleared long agoe by the learned as bearing another sence See Dr Raynolds conf with Hart Chap. 8. p. 406. Calvin being demanded his opinion what he thought of the Revelation answered ingenuously he knew not at all what so obscure a writer meant Se penitus ignorare quid velit tam obscurus scriptor Cajetan at the end of his Exposition of Jude confesseth that he understands not the literall sence of the Revelation and therefore exponat saith he cui Deus concesserit It consists of 22 Chapters the best Expositors on it are Ribera Brightman Pareus Cartwright Dent Forbes Mode Simonds 1. The Scriptures written by Moses and the Propheâ—s sufficiently prove that Christ is the Messiah that was to come the old Testament may convince the Jewes which deny the new Testament of this truth John 5. 39. They that is those parts of Scripture written by Moses and the Prophets there were no other Scriptures then written The 53 Chapter of Esay is a large history of his sufferings We have also another Booke or Testament more clearely 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 Ecclesiasticall and false Canon follow CHAP. V. SOme Hereticks utterly abolisht the Divine Canon as the Swingfeldians and Libertines who contemned all Scriptures the Manichees and Marcionites refused all the Bookes of the old Testament as the Jewes doe those of the new as if they had proceeded from the Divell 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 Bookes called by us Aprcrypha i. hidden doe 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 appeale and confirme their doctrine by it that is Canonicall and of equall authority with the new Testament But the holy Scripture of the old Testament is divinely inspired 2 Tim. 3. 16. where he speakes even of the Bookes of the old Testament as is gathered both from the universall 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 speakes not to the Scribes and Pharisees but to the people in generall to search it John 5. 39. this famous elogium being added that it gives testimony of him and that we may finde eternall life in it 3. Christ and his Apostles appeale to it and confirme their doctrine by it Luke 24. 27. Rom. 3. 21. Acts 10. 43. 17. 11. 20 43 26. 20. the new Testament gives testimony of the old and Peter 2 Pet. 1. 19. of Pauls Epistles The Ecclesiasticall Canon which is also called the second Canon followeth to which these Bookes belong Tobit Judith first and second of the Machabees Wisdome Ecclesiasticus Baruch Additions to Daniel and Hester for these neither containe truth perfectly in themselves nor are sanctified by God in the Church that they may be a Canon of faith and although abusively from custome they were called Canonicall yet properly in the Church they are distinguished from the Canonicall by the name of Apocryphall 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 Apocryphall the third and fourth Booke of Esdras the prayer of Manasses the third and fourth of Machabees as Thomas Aquinas Sixtus Senensis Bellarmine and so the Councell 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 bookes with the Appendices be Sacred Divine Canonicall We doe not deny but many of these especially Wisdome and Ecclesiasticus are very good and profitable and to be preferred before all humane Tractates but that they are properly and by an excellency Canonicall and of infallible truth out of which firme arguments may be drawne that we deny Those Bookes which the Jewes of old and the reformed Churches now reckon for truely Canonicall in the old Testament are received all even by our adversaries for Canonicall without any exception 2. for the Canonicall Bookes of the new Testament there is no controversie between us and so far we agree but in the old Testament whole Bookes are reckoned by them for Canonicall which we hold Apocryphall The reason why these Bookes at first were added to holy writ was this the Jewes in their later times before and at the comming of Christ were of two sorts some properly and for distinction sake named Hebrews inhabiting Jerusalem and the holy Land others were Hellenists that is the Jewes of the dispersion mingled with the Graecians These had written sundry bookes in Greeke which they made use of together with other parts of the old Testament which they had in Greeke of the translation of the 70 when they now understood not the Hebrew but the Hebrewes received onely the 22 Bookes before mentioned Hence it came that the Jewes delivered a double Canon of Scripture to the Christian Church the one pure unquestioned and Divine which is the Hebrew Canon the other in Greeke
extoll this Latine edition and contend that it is not onely far better than all the Latine versions but then the Greeke it sele which is the Prototype Before we come to defend our owne 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 severall versions and Translations of the Scripture We deny not that part of Daniel and Ezra which was written in the Chaldee dialect to be authenticall 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 forraigne 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 sinnes and impieties of that Nation and the judgements that should befall to testifie unto all the truth of God therefore in generall the alteration of the terrene States and Kingdomes is shadowed forth and published in the Chaldee tongue that the Gentiles might take knowledge thereof but the particular Histories of the comming of the Messias of his Office and Kingdome 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 rescrips of the Kings are delivered in the Chaldee speech as taken out of their publique Acts and Records and that the History in Daniel set forth in the Chaldee speech gaining him respect with the Chaldeans might stirre up the Jewes to receive Daniel as a Prophet of God whom the Heathens admired If there be any footsteps of the Chaldee and Arabique in Job as some learned say we doe not exclude them from authentique authority for we say the whole old Testament for the most part in Hebrew and few parcels in Chaldee are the authentique edition of the old Testament The Greeke 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 Gospell of Matthew and the Epistle to the Hebrews being written in Hebrew and Marke in Latine we have refuted that opinion already the Greeke edition of those three Bookes as well as of all the other of the new Testament is authenticall The versions of the Scripture are either the Chaldee and Greeke of the old Testament the Syriacke and Arabicke of the new the Latine Italian French and English of both Testaments All the versions of the sacred Scripture have so far divine authority as they agree with the originall tongue and to say that any Translation is pure and uncorrupt and that the very fountaines are muddy is both a foolish and impions 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 Idiomes 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 how ever it failed in some things yet following the truth constantly in the more principall 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 againe the Vulgar Osiander 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 kind of distinction to speake accurately between the Chaldee Paraphrase and Targum Targum being a generall word signifying an Interpretation or Paraphrase though it usually now by an excellency denoteth the Chaldee Paraphrase There were three authors of it as it is reported according to the threefold difference of the Hebrew bookes Rabbi Achilam or Aquila who is vulgarly called Onkelos upon the five bookes of Moses Rabbi Jonathan the sonne of Vziel upon the former and later Prophets Rabbi Joseph coecus or as some will a certaine Anonymus upon some of the Hagiographa Those Paraphrases of Onkelos and Jonathan are the ancienter and certioris fidei that upon the Hagiographa is far later and lesse certaine it being doubtfull both who was the authour and in what age it was made The common opinion concerning Onkelos and Jonathan is that one wrote a little before Christ the other a little after him Capellus lib. 1. de punctorum Hebraieorum antiquitote cap. 1. Helvicus de Chaldaicis Paraphrasibus ◠2. These Paraphrases among the Jewes saith Helvicus sunt autoritatis plane aequalis ipsi Scripturae Hebraicae neque 〈◊〉 habent illis contradicere Quorunt Paraphrasin nemo doctus non suspicit saith Capellus of Onkelos and Jonathan The use of them is very great 1 to illustrate the Hebrew Text by circumstances or a more full explication of it 2. To confirme the integrity of the Hebrew text Gen. 3. 15. 3. In controversies against the Jewes In controversiis Judaicis praecipuum robur obtinent saith Helvicus Gen. 49. 10. The Chaldee Paraphrasts both of them most excellently expound the place which themselves understood not being like therein to Virgils Bees which make Honey for others and not themselves First Onkelos interpreteth it in this manner A Magistrate exercising authority of the house of Juda shall not depart nor a Scribe of his posterity for ever till Christ come to whom the Kingdome pertaineth and him shall the people obey The other called the Interpreter of Jerusalem thus Kings of the house of Juda shall not faile neither skilfull Law-teachers of his posterity unto the time wherein the King Christ shall come unto whom the Kingdome pertaineth and all the Kingdomes of the Earth shall be subdued unto him If Christ came when authority was gone and authority went away at Jerusalems fall needs must one comming of Christ be referred to the overthrow of that City The Talmundici and latter Rabbines Rabbi Sal. Jarchi Rabbi Dav. Kimchi expound it of the Messiah as Buxtorf shews There are many profitable explications in that Paraphase on the Pentateuch but it is too late to be of authentique authority and the other Chaldee Paraphrases that excepted
for holy men wrote as they were moved by Gods Spirit 4. Some thinke it the errour of heedlesse writers who might easily so erre but all the oldest Copies and the most Ancient Fathers have the name of Jeremy 5. Some say that Zachariah being Instructed and trained up with Jeremy did deliver it by tradition from Jeremy and so Jeremy spake it by Zachariah which might be true because it is said in the Text as was spoken by Jeremy not written But sixthly the most compendious and likely way of reconciling is this that Zachary and Jeremy was the same man having 2 names which was very usuall among the Jewes as Salomon was called Jedidiah Iehoiacim Jeconias and Coniah Simon Peter Cephas and Bariona Matthew Levi. So farre Junius and Doctor Taylor See Mr. Robert Baily on Zach. 3. 1. 2. p. 11. and last large Annotat. The best of the Popish writers cannot deny but that the name Jeremy the Prophet is put for Zachary either through the negligence of the Scribes or else it was inserted into the Text out of the Margent the Evangelist saying no more but that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet as both Iansâ—nius and Maldmate in loc doe confesse 1 Chamier distinguisheth of a twofold depravation one of Interpretation herein we excuse not nor defend the Jewes Second of the letter herein they are to be patroniz'd against the Papists who thorow their sides strike at the very Scriptures and labour to overthrow their authority The Hebrew Edition then notwithstanding these and such like frivolous objections is sincere and uncorrupt and if any errours crept in through negligence or Ignorance of the Pennien which Copyed out the Bookes yet Bellarimine himselfe granteth they arâ— of no great moment in matters pertaining to saith and manners saith he there is nothing wanting in the integrity of the Scriptures Haud negare ausim temporum injuria descriptorum iucuria errata quadam sphalmata in textum hebraum irrepsisse Amâ—ma Antibarb bibl What reasons can the Jesuites alledge why the Hebrew and the Greeke which kept their integrity 400 yeares together after Christ amidst as bitter Enemies as ever they had as troublesome and tempestuous times as ever were since should after in time of lesse danger and greater quiet loose not their beauty onely but their Chastity also And we marvell that the Jesuites are not afraid to suffer this blot to fall upon their Popish government which boasteth and saith it is the pillar of truth and yet hath had no better care to preserve the truth Objections of the Papists against the purity of the Greeke Text in the New Testament Ob. They instance in Rom. 12. 11. to be corrupt the Greek hath serving the time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for serving the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sol. Many of the ancient Greek Copies and Scholiasts have also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Salmerond the Jesuite confesseth serving the Lord and it appeareth in the Syriacke translation and who seeth not that it might rather be an oversight of the writer taking one word for another rather then a fault in the Text and the cause of the mistake saith Beza was the short writing of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was taken by some for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas they should have taken it for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If we should admit the other reading we must not understand the Apostle as if he commanded us to be temporizaers or to apply our selves to the corrupt customes and manners of the times but to keep time in all our actions and doe them in the fittest season as Col. 4. 5. Ephes. 5. 16. Ob. Erasmus the best translator of all the later by the judgement of Beza saith that the Greek sometimes hath superstuities corruptly added to the Text of holy Scripture as Matth. 6. The doxologie for thine is the Kingdome the power and the glory for ever and ever He calleth these words trifles rashly added to the Lords Prayer and reprehends Valla for blaming the old vulgar Latine because it hath them not Tertullian Cyprian Ambrose Jerome and Augustine doe expound the Lords Prayer and yet make no mention of these words Beza confesseth it to be magnificam illam quidem sanctificam a most high and holy forme of expression sed irrepsisse in contextum quae in vetustissimis aliquot codicibus Graecis desit it is not to be found in that vetustissimus codex by Beza to the university Library of Cambridge that Copy perhaps was corrupted by the Heretickes It is not presently trifles whatsoever Erasmus or any other man shall reject out of the Greek Copy under that name and yet they doe Erasmus wrong to say that he called that part of the Lords Prayer trifles absolutely for he stiles it so conditionally if it be not part of the Ancient Text. 2. If Erasmus had understood that that passage had beene taken out of the Book of Chronicles written by the penne of the holy Ghost he would no doubt have taken heed how he had called this conclusion of the Lords Prayer trifles for it appeareth manifestly that this sentence was borrowed from David 1 Chron. 29. 11. with some Abridgement of the Prophets words 3. That cannot be superstuous without the which we should not have had a perfect form of Prayer for since Prayer standeth as well in praising of God and thanksgiving as in petitions and requests to be made unto him it is evident that if this conclusion had beene wanting there had wanted a forme of that Prayer which standeth in praise and thanksgiving 4. If to give a substantiall reason of that which goeth before be superfluous then this conclusion may be so 5. For confirmation of this reading we may alleadge besides the consent of the Greek Copies the Syrian interpretation which is very Ancient Chrysostome Theophylact and Euthymius expound it The Lords Prayer in Luke is perfect in respect of the Petitions yet nothing hindereth but that in Matthew might be added the confirmation and conclusion Matthew hath many other things in his Gospell which Luke hath not Salmeron reproves Cajetan for calling this Multilâ—quium since there is a notable confession of 4 properties of God his Kingdome Power Glory and Eternity I should now shew that neither the translation of the Seventy nor of the vulgar Latine are authenticall but there are two questions of great moment first to be discussed The first is whether any Bookes of the Scripture be lost The second whether the Scripture of the Old Testament was punctata from the beginning To the first question that we may give a right answer we must distinguish of the Bookes of Scripture some were Historicall Ethicall or Physicall others Dogmaticall The former might perish and fall away but not the latter Therefore that common objection of divers Books mentioned in the Old Testament whereof we finde none so
both from all prophane and Sacred writings and Paul honours it with this Elogie a faithfull 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 firme As God is Iâ—hovah of himself so is his word autoritative of it selfe and is true and to be obeyed whether thou think it Scripture or no. There is no higher authority for thee to appeale to it is above opinions of men conscience and therefore it must determine all controversies 2. It is true and certaine verity is affirmed of the Scriptures primarily internally and by reason of it selfe which is called the truth of the object which is an abâ—olute 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 honourable 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. 12. 10. Yea truth it self John 17. 17. having the God of truth for the Authour Christ Jesus the truth for the witnesse the Spirit of truth for the Composer of it and it worketh truth in the hearts of those which heare it 2 Pet. 2. 2. The Apostle preferres the Scripture before the Revelation made by Angâ—ls Gal. 1. 8. Christ commends 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 selfe prima veritas and pura veritas The Scripture hath a twofold truth 1. Of assertion it containeth no errour 2. Of promise there is no unfaithfulnesse in it The first truth referres to the matter which is signified properly called truth or verity The second referres to the intention of the Speaker which is properly called veracite or fidelity the latter is implyed Psal. 19. thy Testimonies are sure and so the sure mercies of David the former is implyed in that the word is purer then Gold 7 times refined There are two signes of truth in the Scripture 1. The particularity of it it names particulars in genealogies dolosus versatur 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 naturall reason as the doctrine of the Trinity the incarnation of Christ justification by faith in Christ. 3. A truth which evidenceth it self 4. The standard of all truth nothing is true in doctrin or worship which is not agreeable to this 3. The Scripture is the rule of faith and manners It is termed Canonicall generally by the Fathers of the word Canon which signifieth a rule because it containes a worthy rule of religion faith and godlinessâ— according whereunto the building of the house of God must be sitted 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 kind and so the measure of all the rest 3. It must be inflexible 4. Universall 1. It is a perfect rule of faith and obedience and able to instruct us sufficiently in all points of faith or doctrinals which we are bound to beleeve and all good duties or practicals which we are bound to practise Whatsoever is needfull to beleeve or to doe to please God and save our soules is to be found here whatsoever is not here found is not needfull to beleeve and practise for felicity Christ proveth the resurrection of the dead being an article of our faith against the Sadduces Matth. 22. 32. and the use of the Sabbath being a rule of life against the Pharisees by an inference made from the Scripture Matth. 12. 7. The Heads of the Creed and Decalogue are plainely laid downe in Scripture therefore there we have a perfect rule of faith and manners It is a rule 1. For faith Jerome in his controversie with Helvidius saith Credimus quia legimus non credimus quia non legimus We beleeve because we read we doe not beleeve because we doe 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 beleeve when we doe beleve saith Tertullian that we ought to beleeve 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 Scripture but that all are either expressed therein or by necessary consequence may be drawne from thence All controversies about religion are to be decided by the Scripture Deut. 12. 32. and 4. 2. Josh. 1. 7. Franciscus de Sâ—lis a Popish Bishop saith the Gospell was honoured so much that it was brought into the Councell and set in the midst of them and to determine matters of faith as if Christ had been there 2. It is a perfect rule for our lives and practise Psal. 19. 11. and Psal. 119. 9. In the Scriptures there are delivered remedies against all vices and meanes 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 metaphore 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 poore in spirit c. he broke forth into these words either these sayings are not Christs or we are not Christians It is a perfect not a partiall and insufficient rule as the Papiâ—â—s make it as God is a perfect God so his word is a perfect word if it be but a partiall rule then it doth not perfectly direct and he that should perfectly doe the will of God revealed in Scripture should not yet be perfect Secondly if the Scripture be a partiall rule then men are bound to be wise above that which is written that is above the Law and Gospell 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 wisdome 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 Regularectè definitur
of Scripture John 14. 26. he that teacheth all things omitteth nothing Christ said all things to his Apostles as appeares John 15. 15. and 17. 8. John 16. 13. 2. By reasons drawne from thence 1. The plentifull 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 foretold by Joel 2. 28. Act. 2. 33. John 3. 34. 35. Act. 2. 16 17. 2. The Scripture and the prophesies of the old Testament doe teach and declare that all Divine truth should fully and at once be manifested by the Messias who is the onely Prophet High-Priest and King of his Church there is no other Revelation promised none other needfull besides that which was made by him Esay 11. 9. Act 3. 23. 24. Joel 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 Gospell nothing is to be added we are not sent to waite for any clearer vision 3. So long as any truth needfull to be known was unrevealed or not plainly taught the Lord did stirre up some Prophet or other to teach the same unto the Church therefore the Lord surceaâ—ng to speake since the publishing of the Gospell 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 7th Proposition is Christ and his Apostles were able to propound and teach by lively voyce that doctrine which pertaines to perfection John 1. 18. and 11. 11. 32. John 8. 26. and the Apostles perfectly taught all things which are or shall be necessary for the Church Act. 20. 27. Gal. 1. 7. 8. 9. The doctrine of repentance and remission of sinnes in the name of Christ doth summarily containe 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 onely Milke for Babes but strong Meat for men of ripe yeares 1 Cor. 3. 1. 2. Heb. 5. 14. and 6. 1. 2. therefore it containeth not onely matter of preparation but of perfection Or 8th Proposition is The sum 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 commandement 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 forme viz. the divine truth immediately inspired though different in the externall forme and manner of delivery Our 9th Proposition is that nothing is necessary to be known of Christians over and above that which is found in the old Testament which is not clearly and evidently contained in the Bookes of the Apostles and Evangelists Our last Proposition is that all things which have beene 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 written and published and now received by the Church of God so that now no new Revelation or Tradition beside those inspired published and comprehended in the Scripture are necessary for the salvation of the Church There are 3 opinions 1. Of the Papists who altogether deny it 2. Of the Socinians which would have all things expressely contained in Scripture and if it be not totidem verbis they reject it 3. Of the Orthodoxe who say it containes all things expressely or by consequence The expresse testimonies of Scripture forbidding even Angels to adde any thing to those things which are commanded by the Lord doe prove the perfection of the Scripture Deut. 4. 5. 12. and 12. 32. and 30. 10. and 5. 12 13 14. and 28. 58. Josh. 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 famous 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 counsell 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 worke of his Ministery whether it be by teaching true doctrine or confuting false by exhorting and setting forward to that which is good or dehorting from that which is evill Paul would not have us thinke that all and every writing viz. of Plato Aristotle is divinely inspired for in the 15. v. he not onely useth the plurall number calling them the holy * writings thereby to note the word of God and not one sentence or Booke but all the sentences and Bookes of the Scripture and also useth the Article which hath force of an universall note therefore the Greeke word 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 doe 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 muchâ—more for the people Argumentum non nititur unica illa voce utilis sed toto sententiae camplexu Chamierus Hitherto of the perfection of the Scripture absolutely considered now followes the sufficiency thereof in opposition to unwritten traditions or verities as the Papists speake Doctor Davenant premiseth these things for the better understanding of the sufficiency of the Scripture 1. We speake of the State of the Church saith he in which God hath ceased to speake to men by the Prophets or Apostles divinely inspired and to lay open new Revelations to his
Church 2. We grant that the Apostâ—es living and preaching and the Canon of the New Testament being not yet sealed their Gospell delivered viva voce was no lesse a rule of faith and worship then the writings of Moses and the Prophets 3. We doe not reject all the traditions of the Church for we embrace certaine Historicall and Ceremoniall 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 speake properly and strictly when a Proposition is revealed by God which exceeds the capacity of nature and is propounded to be beleeved as necessary to be knowne 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 saith may be a Proposition to be beleeved with a Theologicall faith if you looke to the manner of revealing as that the Sunne is a great light the Moone a lesse Gen. 1. 16. that Rachel was beautifull Leah bleare-eyed The Papists doe not cease to accuse the Scripture of imperfection and insufficiency as not containing all things necessary to salvation The Councell 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 affirme 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 Marke 7. 5. Matth. 5. 21. for their errours and superstitions yea at length they affirmed firmed that God gave to Moses in mount Sinai the Scripture and the Cabala or a double Law the one written the other unwritten The Tridentine Fathers session 4th doe command Traditions to be received with the same reverend affection and piety with which we embrace the Scripture and because one Bishop in the Councell of Trent refused this he was excluded In the meane space they explaine 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 affirme in generall whatsoever they teach or doe which is not in the Scripture that it is to be put into the number of Traditions unwritten The cause of it selfe is manifest that at their pleasure they might thrust what they would upon the Church under the name of Traditions Vide Whitak de Script controviae quaest Sexta 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 doe well enough with Traditions though we had no Scripture but could not doe well enough with Scripture though we had no Traditions Baldwin saith a Testament may be either scriptum or nuncupativum set downe 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 solemne witnesses The solemne 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 Because our Adversaries doe contend for Traditions not written hotly and zealously against the totall perfection of the Scripture that they might thrust upon us many points by their owne confession not contained in Scripture and usurpe to themselves irrefragable authority in the Church it shall not be amisse largely to consider of this matter And 1. 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 Greeke word signifying Tradition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the new Testament is used only in these places Matth. 15. 2. 3. 6. Marke 7. 3. 5. 8. 9. 13. 1 Cor. 11. 2. Gal. 1. 14. Col. 2. 8. 2 Thess. 2. 15. and 3. 6. and in the vulgar Latine is rendred Traditio Matth. 15. 2. 3. 6. Marke 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 Latine doth wholly agree using the word Tradition every where excepting 1 Cor. 11. 2. where they use the word precepts but set in the margent the word Tradition Arias Montanus in his Interlineall translation doth render it traditio Beza doth commonly expresse 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 conceite of them and what we did herein the signification of the word doth give us free liberty to doe 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 feare 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 lawfull 2. All traditions unwritten are not simply condemned by us 3. The Apostles delivered by lively voyce many observations dispensable and alterable according to the circumstances of time and persons appertaining to order and comelinesse onely we say that they were not of the substance of Religion that they were not generall concerning all Churches 4. We receive the number and names of the authors of Books Divine and Canonicall 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 winne credit of themselves and yeeld 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 practise of such things as are neither expressely contained in Scripture nor the example of such practise expressely there delivered though the grounds reasons and cause of the necessity of such practise be
time of Austin fasting on the Sabbath day which was kept only at Rome Necessary Traditions which are delivered in the forme of a Precept that Easter is to bee celebrated on the Lords Day Free which are delivered in the forme of counsell as sprinkling of holy water Objection The Scripture it not perfect with a perfection of parts because many parts are either defective or excessive 1. Some labour wiâ—h a defect as Genesis 11. 12. a person is omitted in the Genealogy of Cainaan which was the Sonne of Aphâ—xad but it is reckoned in Luke in Christs Genealogy not in the old Testament therefore there is a defect Sol. Luke reckons it according to the vulgar opinion of the Jewes Junius in his paralels would have the fault to be in the Septuagint whom Luke followed not approving of their errour but yeelding to the time least the Gospell otherwise should have beene prejudicâ—d but Bezas opinion is rather to be approved of that this word is inserted from the Ignorance of those who undertooke to correct this Text according to the translation of the Seventy Interpreters For in an Ancient manuscript which Beza followed this word Cainaan was not to be found therefore he omitted it in his translation and so hath our great English Bible Ob. There is something found in the Scripture against the Commandement of God Deut. 4. 2. therefore there is excesse as well as defect for many Bookes which we beleeve to be Canonicall are added Sol. He doth not forbid adding by Gods Command but from the will of man for God himselfe added afterward The Papists arguments for Traditions answered Ob. Bellarmine saith Religion was preserved for 2000 yeares from Adam to Moses onely by Tradition therefore the Scripture is not simply necessary Sol. By the like reason I might argue that Religion was long preserved not onely without the Pope of Rome but also without Baptisme and the Lords Supper with the like institutions therefore they are not simply necessary yet none of ours hold the Scriptures simply necessary Secondly it is false that Religion was preserved all that while by ordinary Tradition onely for the living voyce of God sounded most perpetually in the Church and the doctrine of Religion was conveighed successivly from the Father to the Sonne which living voyce of God by little and little ceasing writing afterward succeeded and hath the same necessity now which Gods living voyce had before Ob. Whatsoever things are commended from Scripture are necessary but so are Traditions ergo they are necessary Joh 16. 12. I have yet many things to say unto you but ye cannot beare them now therefore say they the Lord spake many things which are not written Sol. 1. He saith not that he had many things to tell them which he had not taught them before but which they were not now so well capable of for it appeareth that he taught them that which they understood not and therefore they needed to be further taught of them by the holy Ghost which should not teach them any new thing that Christ had not taught but onely make them understand that which they had beene taught of our Saviour Christ. 2. If the holy Ghost did teach them any thing which our Saviour Christ had not before spoke unto them of yet that makes nothing for Traditions seeing that which the holy spirit taught them he taught them out of the Scriptures 3. If the holy Ghost should have taught the Apostles some things which neither Christ had told them of nor the Scriptures had taught them yet this is rather against the Papists For that which the holy Ghost taught them they undoubtedly left in record unto the Church as being faithfull Stewards and revealing the whole Counsell of God unto the people 4. It hath been the practise of Hereticks as Austine affirmeth at all times to cover their dreames and phantasies with this sentence of our Saviour Christ. Lastly if it be asked what were those grave and great mysteries which the Apostles could not for their rudenesse beare they are forsooth Oyle and Spittle in Baptisme Candles light at noone dayes which was not in the darker time of the Law Baptizing of Bels and such like gue-gaws as the grossest and carnallest men are fittest to receive Ob. 2 Thess. 2. 15. Therefore Brethren stand fast and hold the Traditions which ye have been taught whether by word or our Epistle From these words say our Adversaries it appeares that all things were not written nullum Papistae in Scripturis locum probabiliorem inveniunt saith Whitaker The Hereticks say the Rhemists on this place purposely guilefully and of ill conscience refraine in their translations from the Ecclesiasticall and most usuall word Tradition evermore when it is taken in good part though it expresse most exactly the signification of the Greeke word but when it â—oundeth in their fond fantasie againâ—â— the Traditions of the Church as indeed in true sense it never doth there they use it most gladly Here therefore and in the like plâ—ces that the reader may not so easily like of Traditions unwritten here commended by the Apostle they translate 〈◊〉 â—onstitutions Ordinances and what they can invent else to hide the truth from the Rimple or unwarry Reader whose translations have none other end but to be guile such by art and conveighance Thus farre the Rhemists Paul taught the Thessalonians some things by word of mouth which he taught them not in his two Epistles which he wrote unto them therefore he taught some doctrines which he wrote not as if that Paul wrote no more Epistles then these two whereby that which he taught not them in writing unto them he taught them by writing unto others Secondly how followeth this argument Paul wrote not all the doctrines of God unto the Thessalonians therefore they are not all written in the Propheticall and Evangelicall writings whereas it is plainly testified that the Old Testament containeth a perfect rule of the doctrine of salvation the new being written for a Declaration of the fulfilling and further clearing of that in the Old Testament Thirdly it appeareth manifestly in the Acts what was the summe of that which Paul taught the Thessalonians by word of mouth For there it is witnessed that Paul taught out of the Scriptures that it behoved Christ to suffer and rise againe from the dead and that Jesus was Christ this teaching then by word is there limited to the Scriptures of the Law and Prophets Neither ought it to seeme strange that this was the summe of all which the Apostle taught at Thessalonica where he tarried so small a while when amongst the Corinthians where he remained longest of any place and consequently taught most he sheweth that he taught nothing but Christ and him crucified Fourthly the Apostle himself in this very place calling verse 14. whatsoever he taught by word or wrote by the name of
thing but all things are in him God is a Spirit a being voyd of all dimensions circumscriptions and divisiblenesse of parts Other Spirits are compounded of substance and accidents at least and exist in a place by limitation of Essence by which they are here and not there but God is an Essence altogether simple and immateriall utterly free from all manner of composition any way in whom are no qualities nor any limitation of essence Hee is a Spirituall Simple and Immateriall essence His essence is substantiall an essence which hath a being in it selfe not in another simply and wholly immateriall Hee is one most pure and meere Act but incomprehensible goes quite beyond our knowledge so that wee cannot comprehend his essence nor know it as it is He only perfectly knowes himselfe but he may be known in some sort 1. By his Names 2. By his Attributes The word God is attributed First properly to him who is essentially God Esay 42. 8. 1 Cor. 8. 6. and either personally commonly without a determination of a certaine Person John 4. 24. Or singularly to some one person by a Synecdoche John 3. 16. Acts 20. 28. 1 Tim. 3. 16. Secondly improperly to those which by nature are not God 1 Cor. 8. 5. Gal. 4. 8. and that name is given to these either from Gods ordination for the dignity and excellency of their office as to Angels Psal. 8. 6. to Magistrates Psal. 82. 6. to Moses Ex. 4. 16. or from their owne unjust usurpation as to the Devill who is called the God of the World 2 Cor. 4. 9. or from the erroneous perswasion of men as to Idoles 1 Cor. 8. 4 5. For the ten Hebrew names of God having handled them in another place I shall say but little of them here The name Jehovah Jah Ehejeb signifie Gods Perfect Absolute and simple being of and by himselfe 2. Such a being as giveth being to other things and upon whom they depend 3. Such a God as is true and constant in his promises ready to make good whatsoever he hath spoken His names El Elohim Schaddai Adonai signifie a God all-sufficient in himselfe strong and powerfull able to blesse protect and punish The Jewes in Pronouncing or writing the Names of God were reverent even to superstition D. Fulk against Martin In the new Testament Gods most frequent Names are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and Lord. He is also called the Father of lights JAmes 1. 17. The essentiall names of God are 1. Proper which agree to no Creature not Analogically 2. Common which are applied to others but agree to God principally by way of excellency as God King and good The Name of God is used five wayes in Scripture First essentially for God himselfe Esay 30. 27. Secondly for the power and efficacy which comes from God Ps. 118. 10 11 12. Thirdly for the command and authority of God 1 Sam. 17. 45. Fourthly passively for those actions whereby he is acknowledged by us Mat. 18. 19. that is nothing but worshiping and calling upon the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost for assistance Lastly for that Word whereby he is distinguished from creatures and by which we are to have our thoughts directed about him 2. God may be known by his Attributes and essentiall properties of which some shew what he is in himselfe 2. What he is to us They are called Attributes because they are rather said to be attributed to God that we might by them better conceive what he is then to be in him They are that one most pure God diversly apprehended and the same with the Divine essence but for the weaknesse of our capacity they are diversly distinguished They are called properties because they are peculiar to his Majesty and are so in him as they are not in any Creature Some doe distinguish of Gods Attributes and Properties Attributes are those which belong to the Essence and Properties to the Persons themselves A property in God is an essentiall Attribute in him whereby his nature is knowne in it selfe and is distinguished from all other things Some Rules are to bee observed in attributing these to God First they are all essentiall to God for in him is no accident at all whatsoever is in God the same is God All these are also one in him his Mercy is his Justice and his Justice is his Mercy and each are his essence onely they differ in our apprehension Secondly they are all absolute properties in God and so distinguished from those respective properties whereby every person in the Trinity hath his own subsistence Thirdly they are all equall to all the three Persons and alike affirmed of all The Father Eternall most Holy Almighty mercifull so is the Sonne and Holy Ghost Fourthly these Attributes are altogether in God alone and that in the highest degree and measure yea above all degree and measure they are eternall and infinite in him Hee alone is good Mat. 19. 17. and only wise Rom. 16. 27. And Kings of Kings 1 Tim. 6. 15. They are affirmed of him both in the concrete and abstract Hee is not onely wise and good but wisdome and goodnesse it selfe Life and Justice it selfe Fifthly they are all actually and operatively in God He doth and will his holinesse makes us holy 6. All these are in God objectively and finally our holinesse lookes upon his holinesse as the face in the looking-glasse on the man whose representation it is and our holinesse ends in his 7. The attributes of God are everlasting constant and unchangeable for ever in him at one time as well as another This may minister comfort to Gods people Gods attributes are not mutable accidents but his very essence his love and mercy are like himselfe infinite immutable and eternall 2. We should imitate God and strive to be immutably good and holy as he is Levit. 11. 44. Matth. 5. 48. These attributes are diversly divided 1. They are Affirmative and Negative as Good Just Invisible Immortall Incorporeall Proper and Figurative as God is good wise members and humane affections are also attributed to him Absolute and Relative without any relation to the creatures as when God is said to be Immense Eternall he is likewise said to be a Creator King Judge Some describe God as he is in himselfe he is an essence Spirituall Invisible most Simple Infinite Immutable and Immortall Some as he is to us he is omnipotent most good just wise and true Some declare Gods own sufficiency so he is said to be Almighty infinite perfect unchangeable eternall others his efficiency as the working of his power justice and goodnesse over the creatures so he is said to be patient just mercifull Some are incommunicable and agree to God alone as when he is said to be eternall infinite Others are communicable in a sort with the creatures as when he is said to be wise
good Those two kind of properties which are said to be in God differ from those properties which are given to men and Angels In God they are infinite unchangeable and perfect even the Divine essence it selfe and therefore indeed all one and the same but in men and Angels they are finite changeable and imperfect meere qualities divers they receiving them by participation onely not being such of themselves by nature It is hard to observe an accurate methode in the enumeration of the Attributes Zanchie Doctor Preston and Mr. Storke have handled some few of them none that I know hath written fully of them all CHAP. III. GOd in respect of his nature is a Spirit that is a substance or essence altogether incorporeall This the Scripture expressely witnesseth John 4. 24. 2 Cor. 3. 17. An understanding Spirit is either created or uncreated Created Spirit as the soule of man or an Angell Psal. 104. 4. 1 Cor. 6. ult uncreated God Whatsoever is affirmed of God which is also communicable to the creatures the same must be understood by a kinde of excellencie and singularity above the rest Angels are Spirits the soules of men are spirits but God is a spirit by a kind of excellency or singularity above all spirits the God of spirits Num 16 22. the Father of spirits Heb. 12. 9. the Authour of spirits and indeed the spirit of spirits The word spirit in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrew Ruach is used chiefely of God and secondarily of the creatures when it is used of God it is used either properly or metonymically properly and so first essentially then it signifieth the Godhead absolutely as Iâ—hn 4. 24. or more restrictively the divine nature of Christ Heb. 9. 14. 1 Pet. 3. 18. secondly personally for the third person in the Trinity commonly called the Holy spirit or Ghost 1 Cor. 2. 11. Iâ— the word be taken metonymically it signifieth sometimes the effects of grace either the common graces of Gods spirit propheticall 1 Sam. 10. 6. 10. miraculous or the sanctifying graces Ephes. 5. 13. Reasons 1. God is a spirit because a spirit is the best highest and purest nature God being the most excellent and highest nature must needs be a spirit too 2. God is a most simple and noble being therefore must needs be incorporeall Angels and Souls have a composition in them their essence and faculties are distinguished they are compounded of Subject and Accidents their nature and qualities or graces but Gods holinesse is his nature 3 God is insensible therefore a Spirit Spirits are not subject to senses John 1. 18. This confutes 1. Tertullian who held God to be Corporeall then he should consist of matter and forme 2. The Anthropomorphites who ascribed to God the parts and members of a man they alleage that place Gen. 1. 27. But some thinke the soule is the onely subject and seat in which the Image of God is placed grant that it was in the body likewise it being capable of immortality yet a man was not said to be made after the Image of God in respect of his corporall figure but in respect of knowledge righteousnesse and holinesse Ephes. 4. 23. Col. 3. 10. not in respect of his substance but qualities Ob. God is said to have members face hands eyes in some places of Scripture and yet in others he is said not to be a body but a Spirit and consequently to have no hands nor eyes Sol. The word hand and eye is taken figuratively for the power of seeing and working which are actions that men performe with the hand and eye as an instrument and so it is attributed to God because he hath an ability of discerning and doing infinitely more excellent then can be found in man Sometimes againe those words are taken properly for members of the body of some such forme fashion making so they are not to be attributed unto God who because he hath no body cannot have an hand an eye A body is taken three wayes 1. For every thing which is opposite to a fancy and notion and so what ever hath a being may be called a body in this sence Tertullian attributes a body to God 2. For that thing which hath some composition or change so God onely is incorporeall 3. More strictly for that which consists of matter and forme so Angels are incorporeall 3. This shewes the unlawfulnesse then of painting the Godhead Cajetane disliked it Bellarmine argues thus Man is the Image of God but man may be pictured therefore the Image of God may be pictured Man is not the Image of God but in the faculties of his soule which cannot be pictured therefore the Image of God cannot be pictured Although the whole man may be said Synecdochically to be pictured yet is not man called the Image of God in his whole but in a part which is his reasonable and invisible soule which cannot be pictured 1. We must call upon God and worship him with the Spirit our Saviour Christ teâ—cheth us this practicall use John 4. 24. Blesse the Lord O my soule Psal. 103. whom I serve in the Spirit saith Paul The very Heathen made this inference Si Deus est animus sit pura mente colendus 2. God though invisible in himselfe may be knowne by things visible He that seeth the Sonne hath seene the Father John 14. 9. We should praise God as for other excellencies so for his invisibility 1 Tim. 1. 17. 2. Learn to walk by faith as seeing him who is invisible Heb. 11. 27. 3. Labour for pure hearts that we may see God hereafter 4. Here is comfort against invisible Enemies we have the invisible God and invisible Angels to help us 3. God hath immediate power over thy Spirit to humble and terrifie thee He is the Father of Spirits he cannot onely make thee poor sick but make thy conscience roare for sinne it was God put that horrour into Cain Judas Spira's spirits He is a Spirit and so can deale with the Spirit 2. Take heed of the sinnes of the heart and spirit pride unbeleefe insincerity 2 Cor. 7. 1. 1 Thess. 5. 23. such as not onely arise from but are terminated in the spirit These are first most abhorred by God He is a Spirit and as he loveth spirituall performances so he hates spirituall iniquities 6 Gen. He punisht the old world because all the imaginations of the thoughts of their hearts were evill 2. Most contrary to the Law of God which is chiefely Spirituall 3. Sinne is strongest in the spirit as all evill in the fountaine Matth. 15. 19. 4. Spirituall evill make us most like the Devils who are Spirituall wickednesses All sinne is from Satan per modum servitutis these per modum imaginis God is most Simple Ens Simplicissimum Simplicity is a property of God whereby he is voide of all composition mixtion and division being all
affections of love and joy shall have their full content the memory shall represent to you perpeâ—ually all the good that ever God did for you God is most Blessed 1 Cor. 11. 31. Rom. 9. 4. 1 Tim. 1. 11. 6. 15. 2 Cor. 11. 31. yea blessednesse it selfe he is blessed in himselfe and to be blessed by us Gods Blessednesse is that by which God is in himselfe and of himselfe Al-sufficient Or thus Gods happinesse is that Attribute whereby God hath all fulnesse of delight and contentment in himselfe and needeth nothing out of himselfe to make him happy The Hebrews call blessed Ashrei in the abstract and in the plurall number Blessednesses Psal. 1. 1. 32. 1. Because no man saith Zanchy can be called and be blessed for one or another good unlesse he abound with all goods Blessednesse is a state of life wherein there is a heape of all good things The Greeks called blessed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that is not subject to death miseries By the etymologies and significations of these two words it appeares saith Zanchy that there are two parts of blessednesse one to be free from all miseries another to abound with all goods and so to abound with them that thou desirest nothing more A third particle saith he is to be added per se sua natura and a fourth condition that he wel know his owne blessednesse So that he is truly blessed saith Zanchy which of himselfe and from his owne nature is alwaies free from all evils and abounds with all goods perfectly knowing his own felicity and desiring nothing out of himselfe but being fully content with himselfe which description agreeth onely to God God is blessed essentially primarily originally of himselfe such and not by the helpe of any other thing Reasons 1 He that is the fountaine of all blessednesse to others how can he be but infinitely blessed himselfe He makes all those things happy to whom he vouchsafeth in any sort to communicate himselfe Wherefore as that which maketh hot and light that is more hot and light then that which is made so so must he exceede all other things in blessednesse which makes all those persons blessed which have any part of blisse 2 Either he hath blessednesse or there should be none for if it be not found in the first and best essence and cause of all other essences it can not be found in any other thing All men and things affect it therefore such a naturall and universall inclination can not be wholly in vaine as it should be if there were no blessednesse to satisfie it The happinesse of every thing stands in the perfect enjoying of it selfe when it hath all which it inclineth to have and inclineth to have all and onely that which it hath then it is fully satisfied and contented and full contentment is felicity Goodnesse filleth the reasonable appetite of mans soule therefore must he needs be happy whose will is filled with good for then he enjoyes himselfe then is his being truely comfortable to him and such as he cannot be weary of Nothing is happy in enjoying it selfe and of it selfe but God alone all other things doe enjoy themselves by helpe and benefit of some other things besides themselves And if they enjoy themselves by helpe favour and communication of a perfect lasting constant eternall and full goodnesse then have they a reall solid and substantiall happinesse but if by a vaine short momentany partiall defective goodnesse then have they but a shew and resemblance of happinesse a poore weake feeble imperfect nominall happinesse The happinesse of a man consists in enjoying himselfe by vertue of the possession of the greatest good whereof he is capable or which is all one by enjoying the greatest good for enjoying it he enjoyes himselfe in and by it and enjoying himselfe by it he doth enjoy it these are inseparably conjoyned So when a man is possessed of such a thing as doth remove from him all that may be discontentfull and hurtfull to him and can fill him full of content then is he happy and that is when he hath possession of God as fully as his nature is capable of possessing him Accordingly we must conceive Gods happinesse to be in the enjoyment of himselfe he doth perfectly enjoy his being his life his faculties his Attributes his vertues I say himselfe in himselfe and of himselfe doth perfectly enjoy himselfe and this is his perfect happinesse He liveth a most perfect life abounds with all perfect vertues sets them a worke himselfe in all fulnesse of perfection and in all this enjoyes himselfe with unconceivable satisfaction Blessednesse or felicity is the perfect action or exercise of perfect vertue in a perfect life The Lord hath a most perfect life and perfect faculties and also most perfect vertues and doth constantly exercise those perfect vertues and faculties He is blessed because he is strong and enjoyes his strength wise and enjoyes his wisdome just and enjoyes his justice eternall and enjoyes his eternity Infinite Perfect and that without any dependence reference or beholdingnesse to any other God is Happy 1 Formally in himselfe which implies 1. that there is no evill of sinne or misery in him neither is he lesse happy because men offend him Secondly that he abounds with all positive good he hath infinitely himselfe and after a transcendent manner the good of all creatures this is implied in that name when he is called a God Al-sufficient he made not the Angels or the world because he needed them 3. That he is immutably happy because he is essentially so Happinesse is a stable or setled condition therefore Saints and Angels also are happy but dependently they have it from God Gods happinesse is more then the happinesse of any creature The creatures are happy by the aggregation of many good things together they are happy in their knowledge in their love joy and these are divers things but now God is happy by one act which is the same with his essence A man here on earth is happy but it is not in Act alwaies it is sometimes in habit 2 Those Acts by which Angels are happy are successive they have one act of understanding one of love one of joy after another but Gods happinesse can be no more multiplied then his very nature or being can 3. He is happy effectively he makes his children happy Deut. 28. 3. Happy are the people whose God is the Lord. He can blesse the conscience with peace though Hell and divels rage the soule with grace he is the authour of all blessednesse all the blessednesse in Heaven is from him 4. He is objectively blessed God the onely object and good thing which if a man have he must needs be blessed God is also to be blessed by us which blessing addes nothing to his blessednes but is therefore required of us that we may somewhat enjoy his blessednesse The reasonable creature
7. For there are â—hree that beare record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost The Arrians wiped this place out of many bookes 2 Cor. 13. 14. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the holy Ghost be with you all The Arrians Samosatenians Sabellians Photinians and others deny the Trinity of persons in one essence of God Servetus a Spaniard was burnt at Geneva in Calvins time he denied that Christ was Gods Sonne till Mary bore him Servetus Trinitatem idolum item Cerberum Tricipitem vocabat See Mr Cbeynels rise of Socinianisme ch 1. p. 6. Socinus cals him Deum tripersonatum ridiculum humanae curiositatis inventum Infaustus Socinus omnium haereticorum audacissimus saith Rivet See Cheynels rise of Socinianisme Chap. 3. 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. That Christ is God is proved 1 By cleare Texts of Scripture affirming this truth in so many words The Prophet foretelling of him saith this in his name by which you shall call him Jehovah or the Lord our righteousnesse Jerem. 23. 6. and the mighty God Esay 9. 6. Paul saith Rom 9. 5. who is God over all blessed for ever and St John saith 1 John 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 John 20. 28. My Lord and my God which title he accepteth and praiseth Thomas for believing and that he could not have done without extreame impiety had he not been God 2 By evident reasons drawn from the Scripture He hath the Name Titles Workes essentiall Attributes and worship of God ascribed unto him in Scripture 1 Divine Names and Titles are given to Christ He is the onely blessed Potentate 1 Tim. 6. 15. The King of Kings Revel 1. 5. and Lord of Lords Apoc. 17. 14. 19. 16. He is called the Image of the invisible God Col. 1. 25. the brightnesse of his glory Heb. 1. 3. the word and wisdome of the Father Prov. 8. 12. 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 John 1. 1. Acts 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 Luke 1. 76. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which name the Septuagint have expressed Jehovah the proper name of God alone John 20. 28. My Lord Jude 4. the onely 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 meere man whatsoever God therefore who wil not have his glory given to another would never have given these Titles to another if he were not God 2 The workes of God even the principall and most eminent of all which are proper to the Lord onely are ascribed to Christ. 1. The worke of Creation even of creating all things John 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 2 The worke 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 powerfull 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 John 6. 54. and John 5. 21. He that can quicken and raise the dead is God so doth Christ therefore he is God 4 Redeeming of mankind Luke 1. 68. Matth. 20 28. Eph. 1. 7. Rev. 1. 5. 5 Sending of the Holy Ghost John 21. 22. 14. 16. and of Angels is ascribed to him Matth. 13. 41. Revel 1. 1. He forgives sinnes Marke 9. 2 5. He gives eternall life 3 The principall and incommunicable attributes of God are given to him 1 Omniscience John 2. 24 25. He knew all men and he knew what was in them John 21. 17. Lord thou knowest all things 2 Omnipotency Rev. 1. 8. Phil. 3. 21. 3 Eternity John 17. 5. Revel 1. 18. John 1. 1. Esay 9. 6. He is called the everlasting Father 4 Omnipresence Matth. 18. 20. 5 Unchangeablenesse Heb. 1. 11 13. 13. 8. He that is Omniscient Omnipotent Eternall Omnipresent Unchangeable equall to the Father in Majesty and glory Phil. 2. 16. is God so is Christ therefore he is God Laâ—â—ly worship due to God is ascribed to him Heb. 1. 6. Let all the Angels of God worship him Revel 5. 13. the Lambe that is Christ hath the same worship tendred to him that the Father hath We are commanded to call upon his name to believe and trust in him John 14. 1. 3. 16. 6. 39. to hope in him Esay 11. 10. we are baptized in his name Matth. 28. 19. Acts 8. 16. and sweare by him Rom. 9. 1. Ob. Christ is called God of God and light of light Sol. Christ as God is from himself but if the Deity of Christ be considered as in the person of the Sonne so it is from the Father The Sonne in respect of his essence is from none in respect of the manner of subsistence he is from the Father Ob. Matth. 19. 17. Christ denieth that he was good because he was not God Sol. Christ applieth himselfe to him to whom he spake now he called Christ good in no other sence then he would have done any other Prophet and in this sense Christ rebuked him for calling him good Ob. John 17. 3. God the Father is called the onely true God Sol. Some referre both these to God himselfe and Christ but others give a generall rule that the word alone is not opposed to the other persons but to the creatures and feigned Gods and so John 8. 9 the woman is not excluded but her accusers the added expressions shew him to be God because it is life eternall to know him as well as the Father Ob. Ephes. 4. 6. Sol. The word Father is not there used relatively or personally for the first person in the Trinity but essentially as Mal. 2. is there not one Father of us all and so he is God called Father in regard of his workes ad extrâ—i Ob. John 14. 28. My Father is greater then I. Sol. As he was man onely or mediator the Father was greater then
he but as he was God that is true John 10. 38. I and my Faher are one not in union of will as John 17. 21. but in unity of nature See Phil. 2. 6. Ob. Prov. 8. 22. Arrius objected this place Sol. This place much puzled the Fathers for want of skill in the originall Tongue it is in the Hebrew possessed me in the beginning not created me in the beginning See Verse 25. Ob. Col. 1. 15. Christ is called the first-borne of every creature therefore he is a creature Sol. It is a figurative speech Christ had the preheminence over the creatures was Lord over them as the first-borne An Arrian executed at Norwich for blasphemy against Christ in the daies of Q. Elizabeth being moved to repent that Christ might pardon him replied to this effect and is that God of yours so mercifull indeed as to pardon so readily those that blaspheme him then I renounce and defie him The Socinians deny Christ to be God and oppose his merits and satisfaction unto God for our sinnes they hold Christ is God salvo meliori judicio or prout mihi videtur till they can examine it better Many Heretickes denyed the Godhead of Christ as Ebion Cerintbus Arrius the Jewes also and Mahometans some denying him to be God others saying that he was not absolutely God but inferiour to him He is God not by office nor by favour nor by similitude nor in a figure as sometimes Angels and Magistrates are called Gods but by natuâ—e he is equall and coessentiall with his Father there is one Godhead common to all the three persons the Father the Sonne and the Spirit and therefore it is said Phil. 2. 6. that He was in the the forme of God and thought it no robbery to be equall with God Loâ—anequality to God the Father ascribed to him he is not God in any secondery or inferiour manner but is in the very forme of God equall to him the Godhead of all the three Persons being one and the same To beate down Arrius his hereâ—â—e the first Councell of Nice was called the Nicene Creed made The difference between the Councell of Nice and Arrius was but in a Letter whether Christ was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. like in essence or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coessentiall to the Father The Arrian hereticke presseth Austin to shew where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is read in Scripture Austin asketh what is Homoousion Consubstantiall but I and my Father are one See of Arrius his heresie and end Heilius Geog. p. 725. 3 That the holy Ghost is also God is proved by the same arguments 1 The names and titles of God are given to him 1 Cor. 3. 16. Acts 5 3 4. Compare Acts 1. 16. with Acts 4. 24. Numb 12. 6. with 2 Pet. 1. 21. He is called the Spirit of Glory 1 Pet. 4. 14. 2 Divine Attributes are given to the Holy Ghost 1 Omniscienâ—e he knoweth all things 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. John 14. 26. 2 Omnipresence Psalm 139. 7. Rom. 8. 9. John 14. 26. 3 Omnipotency Heb. 3. 7. 4 Eternity Heb. 9. 14. 3 The workes of the true God are given to the Holy Ghost 1 Creation Job 26. 13. Psalm 33. 6. 2 Preservation and sustentation of all things created is attributed to the holy Ghost Gen. 1. 2. Zach. 4. 6. 3 Redemption 1 Cor. 2. 10. 4 The power of working miracles is ascribed to the holy Ghost Matth. 12. 28. Acts 2. 4. Rom. 15. 19. the resurrection of the flesh is ascribed also to the Holy Ghost Rom. 8. 11. 5 Distributing of graces according to his pleasure 1 Cor. 12. 4. 11. instructing of the Prophets 2 Pet. 1. 21. governing of the Church and making Apostles Acts 13. 2. 20. 28. 4 Divine honour and worship is given to him Apoc. 2. 29. we are baptized in his Name as well as in the Name of the Father and Sonne Matth. 28. 19. we are commanded to believe in him and call upon him Blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall never be forgiven Matth. 12. 31. therefore he is no lesse religiously to be worshipped then the Father and the Sonne In the first Constantinopolitane Councell assembled against Macedonius who denied the Divinity of the holy Ghost there were 150 Bishops The communion and distinction of these three persons is to be considered 1 Their communion the same numericall essence is common to the three in one God or of one essence there are thre persons by reason of which community of Deity all the three persons remain together and are coeternall delight to themselves Prov. 8. 22. 30. John 14. 10. 2. The Persons differ 1. From the Essence not really as things and things but modally as manners from the things whereof they are manners as degrees of heat from heat and light from light 2 They differ amongst themselves as degrees from degrees as relations in a subject from other relations in the same as for example if three degrees should remaine distinctly in the same heate this is a distinction not of degree state or dignity since all the Persons are equall but in other respects and it is either Internall or Externall Internall is threefold 1 In order the Father is the first person from himselfe not from another both in respect of his Essence and person The Sonne is the second Person from his Father in respect of his Person and filiation existing by eternall generation after an ineffable manner and is so called God of God by reason of his Essence he is God himselfe The holy Ghost is the third Person proceeding or flowing coeternally from the Father and the Sonne in respect of his person by reason of his Essence God of himselfe with the Father and Sonne 2 In the personall property unchangeable and incommunicable which is called personality and it is 1 Of the Father paternity and to beget in respect of the Sonne to send out or breath in respect of the holy Ghost 2 Of the Sonne generation or to be begotten of the Father Psal. 2. 7. Heb. 1. 5. John 3. 16. 5. 18. 1 John 4. 9. Absque ulla essentiae temporis gloriae imparitate Chamier In this generation we must note 1 That the begetter and begotten are together in time 2 He that begets communicates to him that is begotten not a part of his Essence but the whole Essence that which is begotten is within not without the begetter In respect of this generation the Sonne is called the Word of the Father John 1. 1. not a vanishing but an essential word because he is begotten of the Father as the word from the mind He is called the Word of God both internall and conceived that is the Divine understanding reflected upon it selfe from eternity or Gods knowledge of himselfe so also he is the inward wisdome of God Prov. 8. because God knowes himselfe as the first and most worthy object of contemplation and externall
or uttered which hath revealed the councels of God to men especially the elect that we may know the Father by the Sonne as it were by an Image John 1. 18. so also he is the externall wisdome instructing us us concerning the will and wisdome of the Father to salvation 1 Cor. 1. 21. and v. 30. 3 The Property of the Sonne in respect of the Holy Ghost is to send him out Iâ—hn 15 26. Hence arose the Schisme between the Westerne and the Easterne Churches they affirming the procession from the Father and the Sonne these from the Father alone To deny the procession of the holy Ghost from the Sonne is a grievous errour in Divinity and would have grated the foundation if the Greeke Church had so denied the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Sonne as that they they had made an inequality between the Persons But since their forme of speech is that the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father by the Sonne and is the Spirit of the Sonne without making any difference in the consubstantiality of the Persons it is a true though an erroneous Church in this particular divers learned men thinke that à Filio per Filium in the sense of the Greeke Church was but a question in modo loquendi in manner of speech and not fundamentall 3 The personall propriety of the holy Ghost is called procession or emanation John 15. 26. neither hath the word defined nor the Church known a formall difference between this procession and generation The third internall difference among the Persons is in the number for they are three subsisting truly distinctly and per se distinguished by their relations and properties for they are internall workes and different and incommunicably proper to every person There follows an externall distinction in respect of effects and operations which the persons exercise about externall objects namely the creatures for though the outward works are undivided in respect of the Essence yet in respect of the manner and determination all the persons in their manner and order concur to such workes As the manner is of existing so of working in the persons The Father is the originall and principle of action works from himselfe by the Sonne as by his Image and wisdome and by the holy Ghost But he is said to worke by his Sonne not as an instrumentall but as a principall cause distinguished in a certaine manner from himselfe as the Artificer workes by an Image of his worke framed in his mind which Image or Idea is not in the instrumentall cause of the worke but his hand To the Sonne is given the dispensation and administration of the action from the Father by the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 8. 6. John 1. 3. 5. 19. To the holy Ghost is given the consummation of the action which he effects from the Father and the Sonne Job 26. 13. 1 Cor. 12. 11. The effects or workes which are distinctly given to the Persons are Creation ascribed to the Father Redemption to the Sonne Sanctification to the holy Ghost all which things are done by the Persons equally and inseparably in respect of the effect it selfe but distinctly in respect of the manner of working The equality of the Persons may be proved 1. by the worke of Creation joyntly Psalm 33. 6. severally for the Father those places prove it 1 Cor. 8. 6. Heb. 1. 2. the Sonne John 1. 3 10. Col. 1. 16. the holy Ghost Job 33. 4. 2 By the worke of Redemption the Father sends and gives the Son the Son is sent and given by him the holy Ghost perfects the worke of conception and incarnation Luke 1. 35. 3 By the worke of Sanctification the Father sanctifieth John 17. 17. Jude v. 1. the Son Ephes. 5. 26. the holy Ghost 2 Thess. 2. 13. 1 Pet. 1. 2. 4 By the worship of religious adoration The Father is religiously adored often in the Scripture Ephes. 1. 17. the Sonne Acts 7. 59. Heb. 1. 6. the holy Ghost Acts 28. 25 26. Rom. 9. 1. This is a wonderfull mystery rather to be adored and admired then inquired into yet every one is bound to know it with an apprehensive knowledge though not with a comprehensive No man can be saved without the knowledge of the Father he hath not the Father who denieth the Sonne and he receives not the Holy Ghost who knowes him not John 14. 17. 2 We must worship the Unity in Trinity and Trinity in Unity as it is in Athanasius Creed We must worship God as one in substance and three in Persons as if Thomas John and Matthew had one singular soule and body common to them all and entirely possessed of every one we were baptized in the Name of Father Sonne and Holy Ghost 3 We should praise God for revealing this mystery to us in his word and be assured that what he promiseth or threatens shall be accomplished being confirmed by three witnesses The end of the Second Booke A Treatise of Divinitie The third Booke CHAP. I. Of Gods Workes HAving spoken of the Scripture and God the Workes of God in the next place are to bee handled which some make two the Decree and the Execution of the Decree others three Decree Creation Providence The Works of God whereby he moves himselfe to his Creatures are three Decree Creation Providence not three individually for so they are innumerable but in the species and kindes of things The Workes of God are 1. Before time or eternall his Decree 2. In time 1. Past Creation of all things 2. Present Gubernation and Susteâ—tation Government and Preservation Or thus Gods Workes are 1. Internall which are in the very will of God from eternity and they are called the Decrees of God by which God determined from eternitie what he would doe in time We follow the received Phrase of Divines when we call the Decrees the works of God and speake of God after our capacity Therefore we call Decrees of God his Works because the Decrees of man are Works or Actions from man and really distinct from his understanding and will by which we conceive the Decrees of God or rather God decreeing 2. Externall Creation and Providence 1. Of Gods Decree Decree is a speech taken from the affaires of men especially Princes in the determination of causes between parties at variance whose sentence is called a Decree or secondly it is a resolution of things consulted of either negatively or affirmatively according to the latter use of the Phrase it is applyed to God Esay 46. 10. Decretum in the Latine is indifferent to signifie either in the Abstract Gods Decree or in the Concrete a thing decreed Gods Absolute Decree is that whereby the Lord according to the Counsell of his owne Will hath determined with himselfe what he will doe command or forbid permit or hinder together with the circumstances of the same Acts 2. 23. and 4. 28. Luke 22. 22. John 7. 30. Or
fall of the Devill and mans fall 10. Either the world was eternall or had a beginning it could not be eternall 1. Because it is compounded of divers parts those in nature contrary one to another which could not meete together in that order themselves therefore it was made by some-what and then either by it selfe which could not be for that which maks is before that which is made and the same thing cannot be before it selfe or by some creature which could not be because that is but a part of the whole and therefore meaner then it considered as whole and not able to make it 2. The world could not be eternall because it is limited in respect of place quantity power therefore it is not infinite in time That which is eternall is the first thing consequently the best therefore God is only so having no parts nor being subject to corruption By these reasons it is evinced that the world is not eternal but was created by the chiefe work-man of all things in time But concerning the time of the yeare when the world was made whether in Summer Autumn or the Spring wee will not raise any curious and unprofitable questions See Sarsons Chronologia vapulans page 123. Let it suffice to know that it was created by God in the beginning Gen. 1. 1. that is in the beginning of time or rather together with time then in time for the instant and moment of Creation was the beginning of all following but not the end of precedent time Hitherto concerning the efficient cause there followeth the matter of Creation Of the first and immediate Creatiâ—n there was no matter at all the Divine power drew out nature it selfe not out of any pre-existent matter but out of meer nothing Materiam noli quaerere nulla fuit Nâ—thing but nothing had the Lord Almighty Whereof wherwith whereby to build this Citie Thus were created all incorporeall and immateriall substances the Angels the reasonable soule and the highest Heaven as some say for those things which are void of matter cannot be framed out of matter 2. The mediate Creation is when a thing is brought forth of a praexistent matter yet so rude and indisposed that it may be accounted for nothing so Adams body was created of the Dust or Slime of the earth Gen. 2. 7. Beasts and Birds out of the earth Gen. 1. 19. which yet God did meerely of his good pleasure no necessity compelling him nor the matter he took any way helping him in working it was nothing privatively as they call it Divines observe foure things in Gods Creation 1. His command whereby he said Let there be light and there was light Gods words are things 2. His approbation whereby all things are acknowledged as good God saw they were good That is apt for the end for which they were made free from all defect and deformity or punishment Gen. 1. 31. 3 Ordination and appointment whereby He assigned unto all creatures their use Jeremy 52. 1â— He made nothing in vaine 4 A sanction of a Law and Decree which the creatures must alwayes observe called a Covenant with day and night Hitherto of the efficient cause and the matter there followeth the forme of Creation which may be considered either in respect of God or in respect of the things created 1 The manner of Creation in respect of God is this He did not create the World by a necessity of nature but according to the Eternall and Immutable yet most free decree of his will 2 By his word and bâ—ck alone without any change wearinesse or toyle He made and established all things 2 The forme of Creation in respect of the things created is two fold 1. Internall viz. the very force and power of nature imprinted by God both in all things in a common manner and respect and in the severall kinds according to the particular essence and condition of every thing by which they are made powerfull to proper or common operations 2. The externall forme is two-fold partly a suddaine and momentary production of all things partly a most beautifull disposing and excellent order of all things produced both in themselves and among one another The world hath its name in Greek from beauty God could have created them all at once but he made them in the space of siâ—e daies that he might shew 1. His power in producing whatsoever effects he would without their generall causes while he enlightned the world made the earth fruitfull and brought plants out of it before the Sun and Moone were created 2. His goodnesse and liberality while he provides for his creatures not yet made and brings the living creatures into the earth filled with plants and nourishment men into a world abundantly furnished withall things for necessity and delight 3. That we might thereby more easily conceive that the world was not made confusedly or by chance but orderly and by counsell and might not perfunctorily but diligently consider the works of Creation How should we deliberate in our actions which are subject to imperfection 〈◊〉 it pleased God not out of need to take leasure So much for the forme of Creation there remaines in the last place the end which is two-fold 1. The last and chiefest the glory of God the Creator in manifesting his goodnesse power and wisedome which excellencies of God shining forth in the existence order and wonderfull workmanship of all creatures and in the wise government and administration of them God would have acknowledged and praised by reasonable creatures Psal. 19. 1. and 10. 24. Prov. 16. 4. Rom. 1. 20. 36. 2. The next end for the worke it selfe that all things should serve man and be usefull to him especially to further the salvation of the Elect. Genesis 1. 20. Psalme 8. 4 5 6. 1 Corinth 3. 21. 22. It serves to confute sundry errors 1. The Arrians which said the world was made by Christ as the instrument and secondary cause that place Rom. 11. 36. doth not prove an inequality of persons 2. The Manichees which held two beginnings contrary to themselves God the authour of good things and the devil the authour of evil this is blasphemy against God and is contrary to what Moses saith Gen. 1. 31. 3. Aristotle that held the world was eternall though some say he did not Democritus who held that the world was made by a casuall concourse of atomes and that there were infinite worlds when the Scripture speaketh but of one God sent his Sonne into the world not worlds See the discovery of the world in the Moon Proposit. 2. Galene who having read the fifth Chapter of Genesis said that Moses said much but proved little 2. It condemes 1. Those which set their affections on the creature if there be beauty in that what is in the Creatour 2. Those that abuse the creatures by cruelty or pretended Lordship 3. Those which mock
pleasant a place was Paradise and what made it so but the artificiall order fashion and growing of all sorts of trees fit for food and shadow Wee must observe our owne faultinesse with sorrow and humiliation for that we have not observed more seriously and usefully this worke of God Wee have perpetuall use of Timber and fuell we eate much fruit from these trees we reape the benefit of this work of God from time to time We sit upon wood we feed upon wood we dwell under wood under trees cut downe and fitted for our use wee cannot step out of doors but our eyes are fixed upon some tree or other great or small but we take not notice of God in this worke and praise his name that made all these trees Let us mend this fault and stir up our selves to consider God in this worke praise him for fruitfull trees and all other kinds of trees Let us acknowledge his power wisdome goodnesse in them his exceeding bounty tender care to man that hath so furnished the world with innumerable sorts of trees Let us bee carefull of preserving these workes of nature for our owne use and the use of Posterity let us set and plant trees for after ages CHAP. V. ON the fourth day were made the Sunne Moone and Starres which are as it were certaine Vessells wherein the Lord did gather the light which before was scattered in the whole body of the Heavens The Hebrew word translated Lights signifieth Lamps Torches or other things which shine forth and give light It was a great work of God in making and ordering the Sun Moone and other heavenly bodies This worke is often spoken of in Scripture Gen. 1. 14. Psalm 104. 19. 20. 21 22 23. Psalme 136. 7. 8. 9. Psalm 148. He calleth upon the Sunne Moone and Starres of light to praise God and Psal. 19. Hee saith of the Sun God hath set a Tabernacle for the Sun In another place he saith he guideth the stars and calleth them by their names The wonderfulnesse of these works of God is seene First in the very matter and substance of them which is wonderfull and inexplicable who can tell what the Sunne is made of 2. In their quantity both in respect of multitude greatnesse For multitude they be innumerable and for magnitude many of the starres are farre greater then the earth 3. In their qualities which are principally three 1. Their figure the fittest for motion and use round and orbicular 2. Their brightnesse and shining especially the splendour of the Sun and Moon 3. Their durablenesse they doe not change 4. In their motion which is very swift and regular 5. In their effects working so constantly and variously in the seasons of the yeare The most beautifull bodies of the Starres which we see fastned in Heaven are not Gods as Plato in Timaeo called the Starres by the worshipping of which the blinde Gentiles and the Jewes also horribly polluted themselves but excellent workes of God by the contemplation of which wee ought to be stirred up to acknowledge and celebrate the Majestie glory wisedome and power of the Creator Psal. 8. 3. 4. First for the Sunne that is called the greatest light and that most truly and properly both for the body and substance of it and also for the brightnesse and abundance of light which is in it For the most skilfull Mathematicians have demonstrated that the very body of the Sunne doth exceed the whole earth in bignesse 166. times King David did aptly compare the Sun to a Giant for strength refreshed with wine for the heate to run his course for his swift motion The Sun is the glorious servant of all the world therefore it hath its name in Hebrew from serving The continuall motion great swiftnesse exceeding heate admirable brightnsse of the Sun doth utter the praise of God Psal. 19. 3 4 5. The Sun is the fountaine of heate and light the life of the Universe the great Torch of the world and the Ornament of Heaven The Sun is fitly scituated being in the midst of the sixe other Planets neither too high nor too low Altins egressus coelestia tecta cremabit Inferius terras medio tutissimus ibis Ovid. lib. 2. de Metamorph. See Dr. Brownes Enquiries lib. 6. chap. 5. Secondly the Moone is also called a great light not for the bignesse of the body of it but because it is the lowest of all the Planets nearest unto the earth and therfore appears biggest of all next unto the Sunne and gives to the earth a greater light then any of the starres which are farre greater in substance and brighter in light Some say it is the cause of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea for it agreeth exactly with the revolution of the Moon it causeth it 1. by its motion as it brings its beames 2. by its beame as that brings the influence 3. by infusion as that stirs the waters It is called in Latine Luna à lucendo saith Tullie or because solâ lucet nocte saith Varro In Hebrew Jareach Jerech which words signifie a month because it is renewed every moneth A starre is the thicker part of Heaven round and full of light In the day the glistering light of the Sunne obscures all the stars but in the night how many hundred thousand of them doe we see besides those that are hidden from us in the other part of the Sphere which is not seene by us The number of stars set upon the Globe are 1025. and divers of them have proper names All the stars of the Heaven are not numbred nor cannot since divers of them are so small but these 1025. are the principallest amongst them and all that have ever beene accounted of Philosophers distinguish them into fixed stars and Planets The Planets are apparently 7. Saturn Jupiter Mars then the Sun in the midst as it were the King of all after Venus Mercury and the Moone Neither Moses Job nor the Psalmes the most frequent in Astronomicall observations mention any of the Planets but the Sun and Moone Of these stars some are greater then other and are distinguished into sixe sorts of bignesses Their proportions are thus delivered viz. A star of the first bignesse or magnitude is 107 times bigger then the earth A Starre of the second magnitude ninety times bigger then the Earth A Starre of the third bignesse 72. times bigger then the Earth A Star of the fourth bignesse is 54. times bigger then the globe of the earth A starre of the fift magnitude is 36. times bigger then the Earth A starre of the sixt bignesse is eighteene times bigger then the globe of the earth We are to bewaile our own great folly and blindness that wee have not more admired honoured feared loved that great worker to whom these Creatures doe point us We do not often enough tell our selves this Moone this Sunne these stars could not nor
description of a horse Job 39. 19. to 26. If Bankes had lived in elder times he would have shamed all the Inchanters of the world for whosoever was most famous among them could never master or instruct any beast as hee did his Horse That story of Androdus the Lion is commonly known Vide Auli Gellii noctes Atticas l. 5. c. 14. There is in some kind as much of the Creator in the Ant as in the Lion in the former excellent skilfulesse in the other power and majestie CHAP. VII AMong the works of Creation the principall are the reasonable Creatures Angels and Men. The name Angell comes of the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a Messenger sent forth from some superiour person or State to deliver a message and to declare the mind of him or them that sent him The Hebrew name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the name of an Angell in the Old Testament signifies also a Messenger but yet in a more full and large sense For it siguifies such a Messenger as doth not onely deliver and declare a Message by word of mouth but also doth act and execute indeed the will of him that sent him and doth performe his worke enjoyned as a faithfull Minister and servant First of all it signifieth that chiefe and principall Messenger and Ambassadour of God his Sonne Jesus Christ who is called Mal. 3. 1. The Angell of the Covenant 2. Pastors are called Angels Revel 2d. and 3d. Chapters being Gods messenger sent to the Church Thirdly this word is most frequently used to signifie the heavenly Spirits who are so called because they are both ready to be sent on Gods message and often are sent out to doe the will of God Gen. 19. 1. Psal. 103. 20. 21. Matth. 18. 10. That there are Angels is proved out of Scripture where they are often mentioned Psal. 68. 17. Dan. 7. 10. Col. 1. 16. and 2. 10. Hebrews 12. 12. and by the manifold apparitions of them Genesis 3. 24. Cherubims that is Angels appearing in the forme of flying men to keepe the entrance into the Garden Abraham entertained Angels unawares They were sent to destroy the filthy Sodomites and the Cities about them that ranne into the like exorbitancies An Angel stopped Abrahams hand which he lifted up according to Gods Commandement to slay his only sonne Isaac Abraham told Eleazar that God would send his Angel with him to prosper him in the businesse of taking a wife for his son Isaac An Angel of the Lord met Hagar and sent her backe to her Mistresse when through discontent shee had plaid the Fugitive An Angel appeared to Zacharie and foretold the conception and birth of John the Baptist. An Angel acquainted the blessed Virgin that she should conceive our Saviour in her wombe by the over-shadowing of the Holy Ghost A multitude of Angels celebrated the Nativity of our Blessed Saviour with an hymne of joy Angels Ministred to Christ after his temptation in the wildernesse and in his bloody agony in the Garden An Angel acquainted the women with his resurrection after he had terrified the men that were set to keepe the Sepulchre and rolled the stone from the doores thereof An Angel also set Peter at liberty when he was imprisoned betweene two souldiers An Angel shooke the foundation of the Prison wherin St. Paul and Silas were laid fast in the stockes An Angel shewed unto John the vision of the Revelation at the appointment of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now besides these and many more apparitions of the heavenly Spirits we read that the Angels of God are many thousands yea millions and of the company of innumerable Angels and of Angels pitching their tents about the righteous and holding them up in their hands and chasing the wicked and destroying them And besides the testimonie of Scriptures the Heathens also had some notions of them as appeares in their writings but indeed it was in some respect a false notion for they conceived them to bee a certaine kinde of pettie Gods and did performe worship unto them the evill Angels beguiling them and if there bee evill Angels there must needes bee likewise good The Angels are diversly called in Scripture Psalme 104. 4. to expresse their nature and Angels to their office as Messengers sent from God they are called Sonnes of God Job 1. 6. 38. 7. Yea Elohim Gods Psal. 8. Cherubims Gen. 3 24. Ezek. 10. 1. from the form they appeared in viz. like youths Seraphims Esa 6. 2. for their ardour and fiercenesse in the execution of Gods anger Watchmen or the watchfull ones Dan. 4. 10. 13. being in heaven as a watch tower and keeping the world Starres of the morning Job 38. 7. from their brightnesse of nature a flaming fire Psal. 104. 4. because God useth their helpe to destroy the wicked In the New Testament they are called Principalities for their excellencie of nature and estate and powers for their wonderfull force Reasons why God made Angels The will power of God therefore they are because God saw it fit to make them yet two reasons may be rendred of this worke 1. God saw it fit to raise up our thoughts from meaner to more excellent creatures till we came to him first things say some were made which had no life then living things without sense as plants and trees then sensible then reasonable 2. It was convenient that every part and place of the world should be fill'd with Inhabitants fit for the same as the aire with birds the earth with beasts and men the Sea with fishes and the heavens which we behold with Stars the highest Heavens with Angels God is the maker of Angels These glorious Creatures which shall have no end had a beginning as well as the silliest beast bird or fish and they are equally beholding nay more because they have received more excellent endowments unto God for their being with the silliest worme And though Moses mentions not in particular either the act of creating them or the time yet St. Paul saith that by him were all things made visible and invisible and it is evident by discourse of reason that the Angels were made by God For either they must be made by God or some other maker or else they must be eternall for whatsoever is not made by some maker cannot be made at all and whatsoever is not at all made is eternall Now if the Angels were eternall then were they equall with God in selfe-being they might bee called selfe-subsisting essences and so should be equall with God standing in no more neede of him then hee of them owing no more service homage and praise to him then hee oweth to them and so they were Gods as well as he and then wee should have multitude of Gods not onely one God and so should not God bee the first and best Essence there being so many others beside him as
1. natural which they had from the Creation John 4. Some abode in the the truth others fell from it 2. revealed 1 Pet. 1. 12. Eph. 3. 10. the Greek word signifies to look into it narrowly Piscator thinkes it hath reference to the Cherubims who did turne their faces to the propitiatory which was a type of Christ. 3. Experimentall which they have by the observation of those things which are done among us so they know the repentance of the godly Luke 16. 10. 2. The will of * Angels is to bee considered will in the good Angels is that whereby they desire good things known and forsake evill The Angels would never have sinned if they had not beene voluntary for although the good Angels be now so confirmed in holinesse that they can will nothing but good yet that hinders not liberty no more then it doth in God or Christ himselfe to be a free Agent is a perfection to sin is a defect and ariseth not from the liberty but the mutability of the will 3. Their motion and place That they are in a place is plaine by Scripture which witnesseth that they are sometimes in heaven and sometime on earth as their service and office doth require They are not in a place as bodies are they are not circumscribed by place for a legion of Devills was in one man they are so here that they are not there and therefore one Angel cannot be in many places although many Angels may bee in the same place and they move not in an instant though they move very speedily They continue in the highest heavens unlesse they be sent thence by the Lord to doe something appointed by him where being freed from all distractions and humane necessities they behold the glorious presence of God their understanding and will being pitcht upon him 4. Their society and communion for it cannot bee conceived that these glorious Spirits should not signifie to one another their meaning but how this should be it is hard to determine they say that the Angels make known their minds to one another by their meer will 5. Their multitude and order That there are many Angels appeares Dan. 7. 10. and Heb. 12. 22. an innumerable company of Angels But that is a foolish dreame that just so many Angels fell as there are men elected and they are chosen by God to make up their number againe Some say the good Angels exceed the number of the wicked Angels by how much evill men exceed the good the greatest number of evill angels that we read of is but legion the good very many as that place in Daniel and Revel 5. 11. will shew As for their order the Apostle indeed Coloss. 1. sheweth that there is an order among them so that one may be above another in dignity but not in power and command hence they are called an host which word signifieth chiefly what hath a compleat order Dyonisius Areopagita makes nine orders of Angels and distinguisheth them into threes The first containing Cherubims Seraphims Thrones The second Dominions Armies and powers The third Principalities Arch-angells and Angels Much more modest is Augustin qui fatetur se rationem hujus distinctionis ignorare cont Priscil c. 11. c. 57. Lau-See Doctor Prideaux on Matth. 18. 10. for their nature properties order and Ministrie The Scripture makes mention only of two orders of Angels Angels and Arch-angels Heb. 1. 4. 1 Thess. 4. 16. Seraphim is a common name unto all Angels they are all described to be flames of fire Psal. 104. 4. and all the Angels are Cherubims as is evident by the Curtaines of the Tabernacle which were set forth and garnished with Cherubims onely Exod. 26. 31. signifying the presence of the Angels in the Assembly of the Church as the Apostle expounds it 1 Cor. 11. 10. It is evident saith Mr. Cartwright that the Apostle Col. 1. 16. heapeth up divers words of one and the same signification thereby the more effectually to set forth the supereminent power of our Saviour Christ above all 6. The names of the Angels The first and most common name is that of Angel which name is common to the good and evill angels yet in a farre different sense The evill spirits are seldome called so simply though they be sometimes to note the excellencie of their originall because they fell from their blessed condition 1 Cor. 6. 3. Jude 6. In the first place to shew the prerogative of the Saints and in the second to shew the reason of Gods justice The evill spirits are called Angels the name which was first given them Otherwise they are not absolutely called Angels that name being peculiar to the Angels which stood but Angels of the Divell angels of Satan viz. because they are sent by the Divell their Prince Some as proper names are given to certaine Angels Michael Dan. 10. 13. which is compounded of 3. Hebrew particles Mi-ca-el who is like or equall to the strong God It signifieth the power of God because by him God exercised his power and Gabriel Dan. 8. 16. 9. 21. Luke 17. 19. that is the glory of God who executed the greatest Embassages in Gods name to men Vide Sculteti exercitat Evangel l. 1. c. 9 7. The Angels Ministrie and service Their service may be considered either in respect of God the Church or the enemies of the Church Respecting God and the Church and the people of God they have divers services The office of good Angels in respect of God 1. They enjoy God and glory Matth. 18. 10. 22. 30. This implieth their great purity and happinesse and withall their Ministrie what God bids them doe they are ready to doe They shall attend Christ when hee comes to judgement 2. They praise God and celebrate his Name cleave inseperably unto him and obey his Commandements Esay 6. Psalm 103. 20 21. 104. 4. Dan. 7. 10. Job 1. 6. they see the worth and excellencie of God that he deserves more praise then they can give 3 They praise and worship Christ as the head of the Church Apoc. 5. 11 12. Heb. 1. 6. Phil. 2. 10. also as his Ministers Matth. 4. 11. Luke 22. 43. Matth. 28. 2. they stand alwaies ready to doe him service so in his agonie an Angel comforted him 2. Their service in respect of the Church and people of God 1. They are glad for the good which befalls the Elect so when Christ came into the world how glad were they Luke 2. they cryed glory be to God on high they further rejoyce at their conversion Luke 15. 10. 2. They reveale unto them the will of God Dan. 8. 9 Rev. 1. 11. 3. They keepe the elect from dangers both of soule body so far as is expedient Gen. 19. 16. 28. 12. 25. 7. 32. 1. 2. Psal. 34. 7. and 91. 11. Numb 22. 1 King 19. 7. 2 Kings 6.
7. 1. Cor 10 20. The Hebrew names for the Devill are 1. Satan an adversarie 2. Sam. 19 22. of Satan to oppose and resist 2. Pet. 2 14. Belial 2. Cor. 6. though some read it Beliar unprofitable He is likewise called Beelsebub or Beelsebul which word comes of Bagnall Dominus a Lord or Master and Zebub a flie the Idoll of the Achronnes because they thought these best of those pestiferous creatures or else because the Devils were apprehended as flying up and downe in the aire but if it be read Zebul then it signifieth by way of contempt a Dunghill-God Levit. 17 7. the Devils are called Shegnirim the hairie ones because they appeared to their worshippers like hairy goates and in the mountaines The Devill is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to accuse because he accuseth men to God God to men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scio because they know much by creation and by experience The Deuill is called an enemie or the envious man Math. 13 39. the Tempter Matth. 4 3. 1. Thes. 3 5. a Destroyer Apoc. 9 11. the old serpent Apoc. 12 7 9. a roaring Lion 1. Pet. 5. 8. the strong man armed Matth. 12 24. the Prince of the world 2. Cor. 4 4. John 12 31. 2. Their nature The evill Angels are Spirits created at first entire and good Gen 1. vlt. But by a willing and free Apostacie from their Creator are become enemies to God and man and for this eternally tormented John 8. 44. That they are Spirits appeares by the opposition Ephes 6. Wee wrestle not with flesh and blood and this is to bee opposed to those that deny that there are any Spirits or that the Divels are Incorporeall For their sinne what when and how it was it is hard to determine That they did sinne is plaine but the sin is not specified Some say it was lust with women misunderstanding that place the Sonnes of God saw the Daughters of men for it is plaine the Divels were fallen before Chrysostome and our Divines generally conclude it was pride from that place in Timothie 1 Tim 3. 6. though there be different opinions about what this pride shewed it selfe whether in affecting a higher degree than God created them in or refusing the worke and office God set them about which some conceive was the ministration or the guardianship of man which trust they diserted or scorned Zanchius thinketh their sin was that they were not contented with the truth of the Gospell Concerning Christ propounded to them at the beginning and that they chose rather to leave their heavenly mansion then subscribe to the truth An inordinate desire of power to be like God in omnipotencie say the Schoole-men Concerning the time when the Devill first sind it is uncertaine Tempus lapsus non definit scriptura It seemeth they continued in their integritie till the sixth day was past Gen 1 31. It is likely that neither man nor Angel did fall before the 8th day Gen. 2. 1. 2. The Divels stood not long John 8. Hee was a manslâ—yer from the begining they fell before man that is plaine 3. How the Devill sinned seeing his understanding and will were perfect It was initiatively in his understanding and consummativly in his will Many of them fell as appeareth Luke 8 30 there was a legion in one man one of the cheifest as some conceive fell first and drew the rest with him by his perswasion example yet Voetius seemes to doubt of this They fell irrecoverably being obstinate in wickednesse The Schoolemen and Fathers give reasons why they fell soe and not man Aquinas gives this reason from the condition of an Angels will whose nature is such they say that what it hath chosen with full deliberation it cannot refuse it againe but this is noe good reason because the choice made cannot alter the nature of the will The Fathers give these reasons 1. The Divell sinned of himselfe but man was tempted 2. In mans fall all mankinde would have beene damned but in the Angels fall not all Angels The best answer is this when thy had sinned God out of his justice refused to give them any help of grace by which they might rise from sinne and without which it was impossible for them to recover and this is the Apostles argument if God were so severe that he would not give these so great and noble Creatures time of repentance neither would he others The Angels were intellectuall Spirits dwelling in heavenly places in the presence of God and the light of his countenance and therefore could not sinne by error or misperswasion but of purposed malice which is the sin against the Holy Ghost and irremissible But man fell by misperswasion and being deceived by the lying suggestion of the Spirit of errou The Devils malice against man-kinde appeares Gen. 3. where there is an imbred enmitie in the Devill as likewise 1 Pet. where he is saide to be a roaring Lion a Lion roares when he hath got his pray by way of triumph or when hee is hungrie and almost starved and so most cruell This malice of his appeares in his going up and downe the whole world to damne men that though hee get no good by it nay though his condemnation bee so much the greater and therefore if God should let him doe what he would against us He would first bring all outward miserie as upon Job and then eternall damnation And though he knowes God will defend the godly yet he never leaveth to vex them to tempt them to sinne to overwhelme them with griefe and dispaire so that he is opposite to God The Devils malice is beyond his wisedome else he would never oppose the people of God as he doth since hee doth hereby advance their glory and his owne ruine Their craft is seene in their divers and sutable temptations 2 Cor. 2. 12. we read of his methods Ephes. 6. and depths Rev 3. His first stratagem and device is to observe the natural constitution of every mans minde and bodie and to fit his temptations thereunto 2. To observe our naturall abilities and endowments and accommodate his temptations thereunto 3. To apply his temptations to mens outward estate condition and place 4. To tempt us by method begining with questionable actions thence proceeding to sinnes of infirmitie and soe to wilfull transgressions and at last to obstinacie and finall impenitencie 5. To bring us from one extreame to another 6. To perswade that this suggestions are the motions of Gods Spirit 7. To make advantage of time by alluring every age to the peculiar vices thereof as children to idlenesse and vanitie youth to lust perfect age to violent and audacious attempts old age to covetousnesse and every one to the sinnes of the time The Devill is called the Tempter because of his trade and way He takes advantages
21 22 How the Attributes are divided l. 2. p. 22 23 Goodnesse what it is and what in God l. 2. 79 to 84 Graciousnesse what it is in God l. 2. p. 83 84 Grasse the usefulnesse of it l. 3 p. 67 68 Great God is exceeding great in nature works and authority l. 2. p. 48 to 51 Greeke the Greeke translation is not Authenticall l. 1. p. 119 120 121 H HAbakuk who interprets him best l. 1. p. 61 Haggai why so called and who best expounds him l. 1. p. 61 Haile what it is l. 3. p. 52 Hatred what it is and what in God l. 2. p. 73 74 Heavens the creation of the Heavens is a wonderfull worke of God l. 3. p 26 to 30 Its motion is exceeding swift l. 3. p. 41 Hebrew Text in the old Testament Authenticall l. 1. p. 104 105 VVhether the Hebrew Text had Vowels or Points from the beginning l. 1. p. 116 to 119 Hebrewes whether that Epistle be Canonicall written by Paul and in Greeke l. 1. p. 75 76 77 VVho best interprets it ibid. Herbes their usefulnesse l. 3. p. 65 66 67 High God is most High l. 2. p. 51 52 History is delightfull especially of the Scripture l. 1. p. 16 VVhy some Bookes of the new Testament are called Historicall l. 1. p. 66 Holy God is Holy l. 2. p. 102 to 105 The Scripture is Holy l. 1 p. 136 137 138 Hosea why so called and when he wrote it l. 1. p. 60 Who expounds him best ibid. The chiefest among the small Prophets l. 1. p. 59 I JAmes how it came to be doubted of by same l. 1. p. 78 79 Who best expounds it l. 1. p. 79 Ice what it is l. 3. p. 52 Jeremy when he prophesied and who best interprets him l. 1 p. 58 Jewes corrupted not the Hebrew Text of the old Testament l. 1 p. 103 to 111 Image fourfold l 3 p. 116 Immortall God is Immortall l 2. p. 31 32 The soule of man is Immortall l. 3. p. 119 120 Immutability what it is l. 3 p. 44 God is Immutable l. 3 p 44 to 48 Impossible l. 2. p. 108 Independent God is in Independent l. 2. p. 36 Infinite God is Infinite l. 2 p. 32 to 35 Inspiration what it is l. 1. p. 9 Interpretation of Scripture l. 1 p. 171 172 173 179 180 To whom it belongs l. 3. p. 173 174 Meanes to interpret Scripture l. 1. 180 to 184 Job who the Authour of it and who best expounds it l. 1. p. 54 Joel who best expounds him l. 1 p. 60 When he prophesied l. 1. p. 69 John what it signifieth and what Bookes of Scripture he wrote l. 1. p 69 Who best interprets him why he is called The Divine he hath something more then all the other Evangelists l. 1 p. 69 The second and third Epistles are doubted of by some l. 1 p. 80 Who best expounds them all three ibid. m. Joshua why so called and who best expounds him l. 1 p. 49 Jude doubted of by some l. 1. p. 80 who best interprets him l. 1 p. 81 Judges why so called and who have best expounded that book l. 1. p. 50 Just God is Just l. 2. p. 91 to 94 K KInd God is Kind l. 2 p. 105 Kings why so called and who best expounds both those Books l. 1. p. 51 Knowledge God knowes all things l. 2. p. 60 to 63 L LAmentations why so called and who best expounded them l. 1. p. 58 Latine translation of the Bible l. 1. p 99 100 Legends why so called l. 3. p. 36 Leviticus why so called l. 1. p. 48 49 Who best expounds it l. 1 p. 49 Lexicons which are the best Lexicons for expounding the words both Hebrew and Greek in Scripture l. 1. p. 182 Life Gods life differs from ours l. 2. p. 30 Light what it is and the benefits of it l. 3. p. 38 39 40 Lightning why we see that before we heare the Thunder l. 3 46 Living God is Living l. 3. p. 28 to 31 Long-suffering God is Long-suffering l. 2. 100 101 Love what it is in God l. 2. p. 70 71 72 Luke what he was and who best expound him l. 1. p. 69 M MAlachy why so called and who best expounds him l. 1. p. 62 Man created after Gods Image l. 3. p. 115 116 117 Marke when he wrote l. 1. p. 20 And whether originally in Latine or Greek l. 1. p. 64 68 who best interprets him p. 68. Martyrs divers suffered for the truth l. 1. 21 22 How they of the true Church differ from other Martyrs l. 1 p. 22 23 Matthew when he wrote l. 1 p. 68 Whether he wrote in Hebrew or Greeke l. 1. p. 63 68 Who best expounds him l. 1 p. 68 Meditation what it is l. 1. p. 38 And what in God l. 2. p. 86 to 91 Meteors what they are how divided and of what they consist l. 3. p. 44 45 Metals what they are l. 3. p. 54 Micah why so called and who best expounds him l. 1. p. 60 Miracle what it is l. 2. p. 12 Miracles twofold l. 1. p. 19 The true Miracles differ much from the false l. 1. p. 20 The Divels workes are called lying wonders and why l. 3. p. 109 110 Moone the nature and use of it l. 3. p. 73 Montaines a great worke of God l. 3. p. 56 N NAhum why so called and who best expounds him l. 1. p. 61 Navigation the benefit of it l. 2 p. 61 64 Necessary God is a Necessary Essence l. 2. p. 56 The Scripture is Necessary l. 1 p. 135 136 Nehemiah why so called and who best expounds it l. 1. p. 52 Night the benefit of it l. 3. p. 42 43 Numbers why so called and who best interprets it l. 1. p. 49 O OBadiah why so called and who best expounds it l. 1 p. 60 Omnipotent God is Omnipotent l. 2. p. 106 to 109 Omnipresent God is Omnipresent l. 2. p. 36 to 39 Christs body is not everywhere l. 2. p. 39 40 One God is wholly One l. 2. p. 56 to 60 P PAradise not allegorically to be understood l. 3. p. 121 122 What it signifieth and whether it was destroyed by the flood ibid. Patient God is Patient l. 2 p. 99 100 101 Pentateuch why so called l. 1 p. 47 Who have written well on it l. 1. p. 47 48 The Turks honour it l. 1. p. 48 It is often quoted in the new Testament ibid. Perfect the Scripture is perfect l. 1. 138 to 148 God is perfect l. 2. p. 48 49 50 Person what it is in the Trinity l. 2. p. 128 129 130 How the Persons in the Trinity differ l. 2. 136 137 138 Perspicuous the Scripture is plaine and perspicuous l. 1 p. 161 to 171 Peter why those Epistles are called Catholicall l. 1. p. 79 Who hath best expounded both the Epistles the second is Canonicall l. 1. p. 79 80 Philippi the Metropolis of Macedonia who best expounds the Philippians p.
1. p. 74 Preaching whether it be divinely inspired as well as the word written l. 1. p. 25 Predestination what it is l. 3. p. 4 5 Predictions the truth of the Scriptures predictions proves it to be of God l. 1. p. 14 15 The difference betweene the predictions of the true Prophets and those of the Heathen l. 1. p. 15 Prescience what it is in God l. 2 p. 67 Properties of the Scripture l. 1 p. 130 to 171 Proverbs why so called and who best expounds them l. 1. p. 55 56 Providence that there is a Providence l. 3. p. 125 What providence is the extent of it l. 3. p. 125 126 The kinds of it l. 3. p. 127 128 The degrees and parts of it l. 3 p 128 129 Psalmes how called and divided by the Hebrews l. 3. p. 54 55 The chiefest part of Scripture and often quoted in the new Testament ibid. Who best interprets the Psalms ibid. Pure the Scripure is pure and holy l. 1. p. 136 137 138 R RAine what it is the usefulnesse of it l. 3. p. 50 51 52 Rainbow the cause of it and what the colours in it signifie l. 3. p. 52 Reading all are commanded to read the Scriptures l. 1. p. 32 33 What reading of the Scriptures is l. 1. p. 35 36 It may be the instrument of regeneration ibid. How the Scripture is to be read l. 1. p. 36 37 The Papists will not suffer the Scriptures to be read by the people l. 1. p. 303 Religion not a humane invention l. 2. p. 131 Reprobation what and the object of it l. 3. p. 10 Reveale God reâ—â—aled his will three waies to our fathers l. 1 p. 7 8 We must now expect no further revelation l. 1. p. 65 Revelation why so called l. 1. p. 81 The subject of the Booke it is Canonicall l. 1. p. 81 Difficult l. 1. p. 82 83 Who best interpret it l. 1. p. 83 Rivers their originall and use l. 3. p. 59 Romans that Epistle is an Epitome of Christian Religion l. 1. p. 73 Who best interpret it ibid. How we may most profitably read it l. 3. p. 11 Rule the Scripture is the rule of faith and life l. 1. p. 132 133 134 Ruth why so called and who best expound it l. 1. p. 50 S SAmuel why so called and who best expounds both books l. 1. p. 50 51 Scripture the rule of Divinity l. 1. p 7 The rule of faith and life l. 1 p. 132 133 134 VVhy it is called Scripture and the divers Epithites given to it l. 1. p. 8 The authority of the Scripture l. 1. p. 8 to 25 The description of Scripture l. 1. p. 11 It was no device of mans brain l. 1. p. 25 It hath its authority from it selfe not the Church l. 1. p. 25 to 31 The Scriptures are to be read by the common people l. 1. p. 30 to 35 It crosseth humane wisdome l. 2. p. 14 VVho contemne and unreverently handle the Scriptures l. 1. p. 39 40 41 What parts of Scripture have been questioned l. 1. p. 65 66 75 79 80 Some titles and Subscriptions are not part of Scripture p. 66 Whether any bookes of the Scripture be lost l. 1. p. 116 117 Sea the largenesse and usefulnesse of it l. 3. p 60 to 63 Sence of Scripture what it is l. 1 p. 171 172 173 Septuagint Translation l. 1 p. 96 97 Ship the materials and uses of it l. 3. p. 65 Simple God is most Simple l. 2 p. 26 27 Soule its excellency l 2. p. 10 It is Immortall l. 3. p. 117 118 Spirit God is a Spirit l. 2 p. 23 24 Consectaries of it l. 1. p. 25 26 Starres their nature and usefulnesse l. 3. p. 74 Sunne the name nature and usefulnesse of it l. 3. p. 70 71 Syriack Translation l. 1. p. 98 T TEmptation how Gods temptations and Satans differ l. 3. p. 112 Testament why the Scripture is called a Testament l. 1. p. 34 The Scripture is distinguished into the books of the old and new Testament l. 1. p. 44 The Bookes of the old Testament were written in Hebrew ibid. Of the new in Greek l. 1. p. 62 63 The Books of the old Testament how divided l. 1. p. 45 47 The new Testament how divided and who best expounds it l. 1. p. 62 The number of the Bookes both of the old and new Testament l. 1. p. 46 Theology what it is l. 1. p. 2 Thessalonica the chiefe City in Macedonia l. 1. p. 74 Who best interprets the Thessalonians ibid. Thunder what it is l. 3. p. 45 A great worke of God and the use of it l. 3. p. 45 46 47 Timothy what it signifieth who best interprets both the Epistles l. 1. p 74 Titus what it signifieth like the first to Timothy who best expounds it ibid. Traditions what they signifie l. 1. p. 150 151 153 The severall kinds of them p. 155 Reasons against the Popish Traditions l. 1. p. 153 154 The Papists arguments for Traditions answered l. 1 p. 158 159 160 Translate the Scriptures ought to be translated into vulgar tongues l. 1. p. 33 34 Vulgar Translation is very faulty l. 1. p. 122 123 124 Trees their nature and usefulnesse l. 3. p. 68 to 71 Trees of life and of knowledge of good and evill why so called l. 3. p. 122 123 Trinity There are three distinct Persons in the Trinity l. 2 p. 126 to 132 True The Scripture is True and certaine l. 1. p. 131 132 God is True l. 2. p. 94 95 96 97 V VErsion The severall Versions of Scripture l. 1. p. 94 95 96 Vertues what in God and man l. 2. p. 78 79 Vulgar whether the Vulgar Latine be Authenticall l. 1. p. 122 123 It is very faulty l. 1. p. 123 to 127 W WAter the use of that Element l. 3. p. 36 37 Will what it is and what in God l. 3. p. 68 69 Winds are a great worke of God l. 3. p. 53 54 Wisdom what it is God is most wise l. 2. p. 64 65 66 Word why the Scripture is called the Word and why the Word of God l. 1. p. 8 Works the Workes of God divided l. 3. p. 1 2 Wrong sin wrongs God divers waies l. 2. p. 75 76 Z ZEchary why so called and who best expounds it l. 1 p. 61 Zephany why so called and who best expounds him ibid. FINIS * Quia de advisamento â—ssensu consilij nostri pro quibusdam or duiâ—s urgentibus negotijs nos Statum dâ—fensionem Regni nostri Angliae Ecclesiae concernentibus â—uoddam Parliamentum nostrum apud Civitatem Westmonasterium tertio die Novembâ—is proximo teneri ordinavimus Jer. 7. 25. and 35. 15. * Those Gentlemen of the House and others that live neere Westminster may heare 500 Sermons yearly at least one every Morning and foure every Sabbath Foxe in his Booke of Martyrs Speeds Chronicle Chap. 24. p. 858. * Jer. 9. 3. Jude 3. v.
tertic Vide Gerhardi loc-commun de magistratu Zanchius tomâ— secundâ— Miscellin Cap. de Magistratu Aâ—â—tius hath written the Hâ—story of Valmitius Gentilis put to death at Berne There was a Statute against Lollards in England and Hugonots in France Haeretitus egoâ—â—â—tion tu mihi See the Statute 10. ot Q Eliz. c. t. Propriè Heretici vocantur qui ea pertinaciter rejiciunt quae in Satris Scripturu docentur Dav. de judice controver Haeresis est error pugnans cum fundamento religionis Christianae isque pertinax Alâ—ingius Tomo secundo Problem Theol. parâ—e 2. Prob. 14. * Lib. 3. of the Church c. 3. See Dr Prideaux his sermon on â— Coâ— 11. 19. Errours are practicall or doctrinall onely fundamentall or circa-fundamentall or neither of the two * Arrius in Alexandria una scintilla suit Sed quoniam non statim oppressus est totum orbem ejus flamma populata est Aquinas a See M. Clarkes Sermons on Matth. 8. 13. and M. Cranfords Haereseomachia on 2 Tim. 2. 17. b Vbi supra Cum agitaretur de ista quaestione An morte mulctandi cogendi haeretici in Synodo quadam Londini perrogarentur singuloruÌ„ sententiae surrexit quidam senex Theologus atque hoc planum esse asserit ex ipso Apostolo Haereticum hominem post unam aut alteram admonitionem devita De vita inquit ergo manifestum est haereticos istos homines post unam aut alteram admonitionem è vita tollendos Eras. Annotat. in Tit. 3. Rom. 13. 4. * Magistrates in the Scripture in thâ— Hebrew are called Masters of restraint Qui non vetat peecare cum potest jubet Seneca * Mr. Hildersham on Psalm â—1 As all blasphemous Hereticks Levit. 24. 16. so seducing Hâ—reticks are to be put to deâ—th The whole 13 Chapter of Deutrâ—nomy is spent about the seducing of false Prophets Are not Moses morall Lawes of perpetuall equity and therefore to be observed in all ages Is blasphemy more tolerable in the new Testamenâ— Mr. Cotton on 16 of Rev. third Viall We are not obliged saith Beza to the Judiciall Laws as they were given by Moses to one people yet so far we are bound to observe them as they comprehend that generall equity which ought to prevaile every where 1. That there is Divinity Rom. 1. 18â—19 20. 2 14 15. * Omne bonum est sui diffusivuÌ„ ergo maximè bonum est maximâ— sui diffusivum Vt se habet simile ad simâ—le ita se habet magis ad magis Locus topicus 2. What Divinity is Theology if thou looke after the etymology of the word is a speech of God aâ—d he is commonly called a Theologer or Divine who knoweth or professeth the knowledge of Divine things Peter du Moulin Lâ—â—tanius de ira Dei 2. What Divinity is Titus 1. 1. 1 Tim. 6. 3. Col. 1. 5. 2 Tim. 2. 18. Theologia est doctrina de deo ac rebus divinis Divinity is the knowledge of God Theologia est scientia vâ—l sapientiâ— rerum divinarum divinitus râ—velata ad Dei gloriam rationalium Creaturarum salutem Walaeus in loc Commun De genere Theologiae est quaestio quod idem ab omnibus non assignatur Nam illis arridet scientia aliis sapientia aliis prudentia Litem hanc dirimere nostri non est instituti etsi verè scientem verè 〈◊〉 vere prudentem cum judicamus quâ— verus sincerus est Theologus Wendeliâ—â—s Christ. Theol. â— 1. c. 1. 3. How Divinity is to be taught 1 Discenda est Theolegia imprimis texâ—u alu 2. Systematica seu dâ—gmatica 3 elenâ—tica problematica Veâ—tiuâ— Biblioth Theol. l. 1. c. 6. How Divinity is to bee learned Job 28. 1. 2. Mat. 7. 7. John 20. 21. * Hoc scrutari temeritas credere pietas nosse vita Beru Deut. 29. 29. Rom. 12. 3. 6 7. 2 Tim. 2. 23 Mat. 11. 25. * 2 Prov. 2. 8. 4 5. 8. 17. 33. 5. The opposites of Divinity 6 The Excellency of divinity a Paul cals it the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Phil 3. 8. Ps. 40. 8. Christ is the principall subject of the whole Bible being the end of the Law and the substance of the Gospel M. Perkins Quicquid est in suo genere singulare et eximium id Divinum b Agreeable to which is the French proveâ—â— Ministre nè doit scavoir que sa Bible a Minister must know nothing but his Bible * Ps. 12. â— Mahomet would have had others believe that he learned the Doctrine of his Alcaron from the holy ghost because he caused a pigeon to come to his Eare. Origen saith of the Devills there is no greater tormeÌ„t to them then to see men addicted to the Scriptures â—um â—om 27. in hoc eorum omnis staâ—â—â—a est in hoc uruntur incendio Of the Scripture c The Scripture is called the word of God Eph. 6â— Pet. 1. 15. The counsell of God Acts 2â— 27. The Oracles of God Râ—m 3. 2. The Law of Gâ—d Psal. 1. 2. The minde of God Prov. 1. 23. d It is called word because by it Gods wil is manifested and made known even as a man maketh known his minde and wil by his words It is also said to be the word of God in regard 1. of the Author which is God himselfe 2 Tim. 3. 16. 2. Of the matter which is Gods will Eph. â— 93. Of the end whâ—â— is Gods glory Eph. 3. 10. 4. Of the efficacy which is Gods Power Rom. 1. 6. e So it is called the Bible or Booke by an excellency t is the onely Book As f August de civit dei l. 15. c. 23. * The principall Author of all Scriptures is God the Father in his Son by the holy Ghost Hos. 8. 12. 2 Pet. 1. God the Authour of the Sâ—riptures Inspiration whâ—t it is The Father hath revealed the Sonne confirmed and the holy Ghost sealed them up in the hearts of the faithfull * Acts 7. 50. 1 Cor. 11. 23. Exod. 4. 12. Deut. 18. 18. 2 Cor. 13. 3. John 1. 56. Heb. 1. 1. Ezech. 12. 25 28. Rom. 1. 2. Esay 58. 14â— Evangelium dicitur sermo Christi 3 Col. 16. utroque respectu Authoris materiae Davonanâ—ius * Rainoldus in Apologia Thâ—sium de sacrâ— Script Eccles. * Tria concurrunt ut hoc dogma recipiam Scripturam esse verbum Dei. Esse quosdam libros â—anonicos divinos atque â—os ipsissimos esse quos in manibus habemus Primum est Ecclesiae traditio quae id affirmat ipsos libros mihi in manum tradit secundum est ipsoruus librorum divina materia tertium est interna Spiritus efficacia Episc. Dav. de Judicâ— Controvers c. 6. What the Divine authority of the Scripture is * Formale objectum fidei generaliter absolutè conâ—iderawum est divina revelatio in tota sua amplitudine accepâ—a seu divina authorâ—tas cujuslibet
omnia vivificat ut meritò sic ut vocatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ita appellari possit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a vivere est esse actuosum in se perse singulari vi unde Latinis vivâ— Ã vi ut Graecis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur Deut. 30. 20. Act. 17. 28. Gen. 2. 7. God lives because life is originally in him Psal. 36. 9 John 1. 4. in him was life A man hath foure kindes of faculties in the exercise of which he liveth and life in him is an ability to exercise them He hath understanding will affections and a power to move and woâ—ke outwardly The living God sees it fit to ascribe all thâ—se to himselfe Their life hath a cause his none His life consisteth in râ—st and he possesseth all his life in one instant our life is a fluxe and succession of parts Consectaries from Gods lâ—fe Dan 6. 27. Heb. 9. 14 15. Rev. 4. 9 10. Psal. 18. 46. John v. 5. 21. * The Latine word for men is mortales ipso vo cabulo suae conditionis admonentur Erasmus in colloq Psal. 17. 15. Zanchius de immortalitate l. 2. C. 8. Col. 3. 3. Exod. 40. 12. 15. 17. Psal. 145. 3. Spiritu Iufinitus non corpore non inquam quantitate magnitudine mole sed qualitate virtute bonitate si quid praestantius ab homine de Deo dici vel cogitari potest Mornaeus Cap. quarto de veritate Relig. Christ. Infinitas absoluta est essentiae Dei proprietas qua neque causae neque mensurae ullim terminis finitur Gomaâ—us (*) Infinitenesse is that whereby God cannot be limited measured or determined of any thing being the first cause from whom and the end wherefore all things were made (a) All his properties are infinite b Nature triumpheth in nothing so much as in dissimilitude c All creatures have such a measure and degree as the authour of them would communicate unto them * Infinite power is that whereby God can doe more tben all creatures can doe yea more then all creatures can conceive he can doe infinite understanding by which he knowes more then all creatures doe know or can conceive that he doth know Gen. 17. This one Attribute of Gods all-sufficiency may answer all the scruples of a Christian. Consectaries from Gods infinitenesse See Gen. 18. 17. Esay 6. 2. a God is infinitely good therefore deserves all our love and obedience the best Angell in heaven cannot love God according to his excellency we should love him with a love 1. of vnion 2. complacency 3 friendship 4. dependance b This Attribute of Gods being everywhere is called Immensity Omnipresence or Vbiquitie c Immensitas est proprietas Dei qua omnes essentia terminos excludit vbique quoad essentiam simul in caelo in terra imo extra caelum est absque ulla tamen expansione vel multiplicatione Wendelinus Christ. Theol l. 1. c. 1. * The Jewish Doctors call God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is place as containing all things himselfe being not contained of any thing * The Angels are in an ubi though not in a place properly in English we cannot so well distinguish these words They are limitted and confined to some space an Angell cannot be at the same time in heaven and earth God is said to descend and ascend two wayes Cameron praelect in Psal. 68. 19. Psal. 103. 49. and 115. 3. Matth. 6. 9. John 14. 2. Act. â— 49. Consectaries from Gods Immensity or Omnipresence Job 31. 14. * Boetius defines Eternity to be interminabilis vitae tota simul perfecta possessio l. 5. de â—onsol pros 6. The Schoolemen define it to be duratio interminabilis indivisibilis independens interminabilis quia excludit terminum à quo ad quem indivisibilis quia excludit omnem successionem temporis independens quìa excludit omnem imperfectionem mutationem Philosophi distinguunt inter aeternitatem aevum tempus aeternitatem principio fine carentem tribuunt soli Deo Aevum solo fine carens orâ—aturis nunquam desituris Tempus nec principio nec fine carens creaturis aliquando desituris Wendelinus Thou Lord remainest for ever say the Scrptures often Prov. 23. 25. He was said to be before the world Psal. 90. 2. Ephes. 1. 4. Of necessity there must be a first cause and therefore must be something without a beginning * Vide Augustine Confess l. 11. c. 12. Gnâ—lam from Gnalam because the beginning and end of eternity lyeth hid Consectaries from Gods eternity Psal 48 13. 14. Isay 46. 4. Hâ—b 1. 12. 13. Zeuxâ—â— the Painter was exact and curious because he did pingere aeternitati We are to pray live speake and doe all for eternity Crede stude vive aeternitati Cornel à Lap. in Evangel Psal. 117. 2. and 146. 6. Precious aâ—e the serious thoughts of eternity the treasures of eternity are are opened in the times of Gospell 2 Tim. 1. 10 Angels have an externall though no internall mutability * Geth loc commune Marimâ—us de Deo Wendelinus Christ. 1 â—el l. 1. C. 1. Psal. 120. 27. 28. Heb 4. 13. Matth. 5. 18. * Cum nos paenitet destruimus quod fecimus Sic Deus paenituisse dicitur secundum similitudinem operaâ—ionis in quamum hominem quem fecerat per diluvium à terrae facie delevit Aquinas quaest 19. Artic. 7. partis primae * Mutat facta non mutat confilia August Aliud est mutare voluntatem aliud velle mutationem Aquinas quaest 19. Artic. Septimo partis primae * Jer. 18. 8. and 26. 2. 3. Wenlelinus Christ. Theol. l. 1 c. 1. Câ—osectaries from Gods Immutability 1 Sam. 15. 18. 19. Gods promises are faithfull and firme words What good thing the Lord hath promised what grace or priviledge as Christians any ever received or succour found the same may the faithfull looke for Gal. 6. 9. â— Tim. 3. 14. 1 Cor. 15. ult Queene Elizabeths word was Semper eadem Deut. 32. 3. Nihil magnum nisi magnus Deus Of Gods Perfection Greatnesse is attributed to God metaphorically and denoteth an incomprehensible and unmeasurable largenesse of all excellencies The Apostle by an Hebrew pleonasme saith the same thing twice illustrating it by thâ— contrâ—â—y Reasons of Gods Perfection 1. That which is the chiefest being and Independent is most Perfect 2. That which is Infinite in essence can want nothing * Psal. 7. 10. and 7. 6. 8 and 137. 9. Psal. 56. 3. and 11. 1. 3. The more Simple a thing is the more perfect Rom. 12. 2. Perfect in the generall is that to which nothing is wanting therefore that is most Perfect to which agreeth no imperfection Little workes of nature and of providence have a greatnesse in them considered as done by God 2 Sam. 22. 31. All Gods workes are perfect Gen. 1. 31. Alphansus was wont to say if he had been of councell with God in the making of his
most Perfect 2. Truly blessed therefore most free b The Scripture often ascribes a will to God Isay 46. 10. Rom 9. 19. John 6. 39. The will of God is an essentiall property whereby the Lord approveth that which is good and dis-proveth the contrary Matth. 19. 17. Jam. 1. 17. Psal. 5. 4. * Every distinction of Gods will must be framed ex parte volitorum non ex parte volentis Doctor Jackson Sâ—e Doctor Prideaux his Sermon on 2 Chron. 32. 24. p. 17. a Miro ineffabili modo not fit praeter ejus voluntatem quod etiam contra ejus fit voluntatem quia non â—â—eret si non siâ—eret nec utique 〈…〉 sed volent Nec siâ—eret bonus fieri malè nisi omnipâ—tens etiam de malo facere pâ—ssit 〈◊〉 August Enchir. ad Laurent c. 100. Psal. 115. 3. Ephes. 1. 11. Rom 9 18. called the will oâ— God concerning us Rom. 9. 20. 21. 22. * Psal. 110. Deut. 16. 14. * Psal. 119. * Psal. 51. 8. a Rev. 2. 4. Levit. 10. 3. Joâ— 1. 21. Psal. 39. 19. Psal 119. 6. Prov. 30. 6. 2 Sam 6. 7. and 7. 7. * Aug. Ench. ad â—aur c. 101. * Deut. 19. 29. Râ—m 9. 20. Eccles. 7. 15. 16. * Master Pemble vinâ—licie gratiae p 108. 109. Apostolus 1 Tim. 2. 4. non intelligit siâ—gulos homines 〈◊〉 quosâ—is â—omiâ—es hoc est omâ—lâ— genrâ—◠〈◊〉 genera singulâ—rum non singulâ— generum * God pleaseth to ascribe to himselfe our humane affections not because he hath any perturbation or passion or troublesome stirring and working within as we have but because he hath an aptnesse to produce such effects as we out of those passions doe accustome to produce but without any manner of those weaknesses or distempers which accompany us in such actions * It is an attribute whereby God loveth himselfe above all and others for himself a Amor Dei est quo se oblectat in eo quod approbat eique bene vult â—ibi unit Wendelinus God is first affected toward himselfe and his owne glory John 14. 23. Ezek. 33. 11. Amor Divinus est 1. Naturallâ— quo Deus necessario amat seipsum 2. Voluntatius 1. universalis quo omnes creaturas aliquo modo Deus diligit Amare enim est velle alicui bonum Matth. 5. 45. 2. Speciallâ— quo deus inaequaliter amat has illas creaturas respectu boni inaequalis quod ijs vult sic magis diligit creaturas rationales inter illas electos Christum Wendelinus 1 John 4. 16. John 3. 35. Rom. 5. 8. Mal. 1. 2. 1 John 4. 10. 19. Jer. 31. 3. Rom. 8. 1. 2. and 5. 5. God is the onely immediate and proper object of love Psal. 103. 1. Beatus qui amat te amicum in te inimicum propter te August Master Bradford when others were merry at Table fell a weeping because he could not get his dull heart to love God * Gods hatred is that whereby he is ready to that which we doe when we hate even to separate a thing from himselfe Ezek. 33. 11. Rom. 9 14. Psal. 45. 7. 5. 6 Esay 1. 14. Hatred is of things contrary to us as God hates sinne being contrary to his 1 Nature 2 Law 3 Hononr Psal 45. 8. Prov. 6. 16. Hatred in a reasonable creature is a motion of the will whereby it flieth from that which it apprehends to be evill and opposeth it It ariseth from a disconformity of the object There is a twofold hatred â— Odium abominationis a flying onely from a thing 2. Odium inimicitiae whereby I pursue what is evill As much of our originall corruption is found in his affection as any * Anger is given to God Non secundum turbationis affectum sed secundum ulâ—ionis effectum say the Schoolmen Gods wrath is his revenging justice which justice of God as it simply burns against sinne the Scripture cals his anger when it doth most fiercely sparkle out it is called his wrath the same justice when it pronounceth sentence is called his judgement when it is brought into execution it is called his vengeance M. Marshall on 2 King 23. 26. Gods anger signifieth three things 1 The eternall decree whereby God hath purposed in himselfe to take vengeance upon all evill doers John 3. 36. Rom. 1. 18. 2 His menacings or threatnings Psal. 6. 1. Jonah 3. 9. Hos. 11. 9. 3 It is put for the effects of his anger for punishment and revenge Rom. 3. 5. Matth. 3. 7. Ephes. 5. 6. Dr. Benfields Sermon 10 on Heb. â—0 30. See Nehem. 9. 32. Heb. 10. 27. Revel 6. 16 17. See those words Zagnam Zagnath Charad in my Hebrew Critica * To this belongs the Catalogue of curses repeated Deut. 21. Levit. 26. God is infinitly just a perfect hater of sin * The word Chamah in the the originall is rendred excandescentia burning or fiery wrath which the last Translation fitly cals fury * Dr Burges on Psal. 76. 10. Consectaries from Gods anger Deut. 9. 9. Psal. 103. 10. God commandeth meeknesse in his word Christ patterneth it in his life and death the holy Spirit produceth it in our hearts Matth. 5. 5. Much what the same with desirâ— and detestation * Vertues in men are certain excellent and confirmed habits by which they are made apt and prompt to use their faculties well and orderly Luke 18. 19. Matth. 19. 17. Exod 33 19. Psal 34 8 9. 73. 1. 117. 2. Rom. 2. 4. * Bonum est id quod omnes appetunt Aristotle seu quod natura sua appetibile est Goodnesse is a property of things by which they are fit to produce actions requisite for their owne and the common welfare David seemeth to give us this description of Gods goodnesse Psalm 119. 68. Bonitas Dei est qua Deus in se maximè perfectâ—â— appetibilis oâ—niumque extra se appetibilium bonorum causa est Wendeliâ—us Goodnesse is the fitnesse of every thing for its owne end and for the actions which for that â—nd it ought to performe Whatsoever thing is excellent in the creatures is much more in God Jaâ— 1. 17. Psal. 25. 8. There are naturally the good Heavens the good Sun and Moone good Food and Rayment Spiritually good Angels and Men because there is a good God Psal 34. James 1. Râ—â—etor sortis Bonitas Dâ—i erga creaturas est merè voluntaria atque arbiâ—ria nisi quum est aliquid in creatura quod referat Dei imaginem qua sanctus est Fieri non potest ut creaturam suam non â—met in qua re fulgere videt imaginem suam at cum aliquid est in creatura ab illa imagine abhorrens ei repugnans tum sapientia moderatur bonitatem Cameron praelect in Manh. 16. 20. Consectaries from Gods goodnesse Two things make men happy in Heaven 1. Because they wâ—ll nothing but what is good 2. They enjoy what they will Gâ—lat 5. 22.