bestowed anew againe in the second Temple under the new Testament Ioel. 2. I will powre out my spirit upon all flesh and your young men shall see visions c. This gift lasted in the Church till the second Temple was destroyed The Iewes by a certaine kind of Kabbala called gematrja 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 observe upon Hagg. 1.8 it is written there ekkabhda I will be glorified because the word wanteth the letter ה in the end of it which letter standeth for five they say that the want of this ה sheweth the want of five things in the second Temple which were in the first The Arke the mercy seate and Cherubims Secondly the fire from Heaven Thirdly the majesty of Divine presence called shekena Fourthly the holy Ghost And fiftly Vrim and Thummim But this rabbinicall observation is most impious The Iewes cabbalisticall observation blasphemous and serveth to overthrow all the whole New Testament to deny Iesus Christ and to condemne his Apostles and Evangelists as though they had not the gift of the holy Spirit when they wrote during the time of the second Temple and this is contrary to the very scope of the Prophet Hagg. 1.8 Goe up into the mountaine and bring wood to build this house and I will take pleasure in it and I will be glorified saith the Lord and Hagg. 2.9 The glory of the latter house shall be greater then the former and in this place will I give peace saith the Lord. Whether were the Arke the Vrim and Thummim Quest and the holy fire in the second Temple or not Answ Although there was greater spirituall beauty in the second Temple than in the first The Arke was not in the second Temple yet the second Temple wanted this typicall Arke the Vrim and Thummim and the fire therefore it is but a fable of theirs Iosephus ant lib. 14. who say that Titus after he had destroyed the second Temple brought the Arke to Rome in his triumphes but the Arke was never seene in the second Temple and Iosephus who was an eye witnesse of Titus triumphes sheweth that it was onely but the table of the shew-bread which Titus carried away in his triumphes and is seene yet pictured there The Vrim and Thummim were not in the second Temple but the graces signified by them Object But it may be sayd Nehem. 7.65 and Ezra 2.63 That they should not eate of the most holy things untill there stood up a Priest with Vrim and with Thummim Answ It is the manner of the Scriptures to expresse the nature of the Church under the New Testament The new Testament expresseth things sometimes under types of the old Testament by figures and types which were under the Old Testament so by Vrim and Thummim which were in the first Temple to expresse the perfection of the Priests which should be in the second Temple The last way How the Lord revealed himselfe by the poole Bethesda how God revealed himselfe in the second Temple was by the poole Bethesda when the Angel came downe at certaine times to stirre the poole then whosoever after the first troubling of the water stepped in he was cured of whatsoever disease Ioh. 5.4 It was not the Angell that cured them here for it is a true Axiome of the Schoolemen An Angell cannot worke a Miracle pars naturae non potest superare naturam an Angell is but a part of nature therefore hee cannot worke a miracle What Angell wrought this Miracle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is above nature It was Christ himselfe who wrought the miracle it was hee who loosed the prisoners Psal 146. Mattir is so to loose the bound that they have use both of their hands and feete to leape as freely as the Grashopper doth which hath legges to leape upon the earth Levit. 11.21 So the diseased were loosed that they might leape and goe streight upon their owne feete By Angell here some understand the power of God who useth his Angels as his ministers to worke many things below here and therefore the Seventy put God in place of the Angell as Eccles 5.6 Say not before the Angell that it was an errour But the Seventy translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Chaldes use to ascribe the worke of God to his ministers the Angels But it is better to ascribe this miracle here to the Angell of the covenant Iesus Christ Tertullian saith that the operation of the fish-poole being now to cease and to loose the vertue of it our Saviour curing him who had beene long diseased being at the poole gave thereby an entrance to all sicke persons to come unto him as if he should have sayd he that desires to be whole let him not come to the poole or expect the comming downe of the Angell for when he commeth he healeth but one but come unto me and I shall heale you all Conclusion The conclusion of this is seeing wee have a more cleare manifestation of the will of God by Christ than they had under the Law let us beware to offend him now He that despised Moyses law Heb. 10.28 dyed without mercy under two or three witnesses of how much sorer punishment shall we be thought worthy of if we treade under foot the Sonne of God EXERCITAT VIII Of the necessity of the Word written Ioh. 20.31 But these are written that yee might beleeve GOd thought it necessary after that he had taught his Church by Word next to teach her by write There is a twofold necessity The first is called an absolute necessity the second of expedience Againe Necessitas absoluta Necessitas expedientia Gods revealed will was necessary to all men as a cause but his written word was necessary as an instrumentall cause and this word is considered eyther essentially Scriptura est necessaria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word considered essentially or accidentally Simile or accidentally Essentially for the written word this written and unwritten word differ onely as a man naked and cloathed for there is no change in the nature and substance here And that we may the better underderstand the necessity of the writing of the word wee must distinguish here the states of the Church First The estate of the Church considered three wayes shee was in a family or oeconomike Secondly she was Nationall dispersed through the countrey of the Iewes Thirdly she was Ecomenicall or Catholicke dispersed through the whole world So long as shee was in a family and the Patriarches lived long to record to the posterity the word and the workes of God then God taught his Church by his word unwritten But when his Church began to be enlarged first through Iudea then through the whole world then he would have his word set downe in write Why God would have his word written because then the Fathers were not of so
long a life to record to the posterity the word and the workes of God Againe he did this to obviat the craft of the Divell and the counterfeite writings of the false Apostles God revealeth himselfe most surely to us by his word It was necessary then that the word should be written that the Church might have a greater certainety of their salvation See how farre the Lord commendeth unto us the certainety which wee have by the Scriptures above all other sort of revelation 2 Pet. 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have also a more sure word of prophesie here the certainety of the Scriptures is preferred to the transfiguration in the mount Secondly the Apostle Gal. 1.8 preferreth it to the revelation made by Angels If an Angell should come from heaven and teach any other Gospel let him be accursed Thirdly Christ himselfe preferred the certainety of it to Moyses and the Prophets If one should come from the dead and teach us Luk. 16.31 The Church is not the last resolution of our faith The Church of Rome then doth great wrong to Christians when they would make the last ground and stay of Christian faith to be the Church onely But wee are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Ephe. 2.20 the Lord when he dwelt betweene the Cherubims he set the Candlesticke upon his right hand and the table with the shewbread upon his left hand to teach us that the Scriptures are to be preferred still to the testimony of the Church and that wee must rest upon their testimony primariò Quest Whether is it an Article of our faith to beleeve that the Scriptures are the Word of God or not Ans Something 's de fide de verbo fidej somethings de verbo fidej but not de fide primario somethings neither de fide neither de verbo fidej Some things are both de fide de verbo fidei as Christ is Emmanuel Secondly somethings are de verbo fidei but not de fide primariò as Paul left his cloake at Troas Thirdly somethings are de fide but non de verbo fidei which are the conclusions drawne from the canonicall word by consequence And these are eyther drawne from the word generally as this that the Scriptures are the word of God for this is evident from the whole word generally and although this be a principle in it selfe which ought first to be beleeved yet in my conception and manner of taking up it is a conclusion arising from that majesty and Divine character which is in the word it selfe or the particular conclusions drawne from the word They are de fide non de verbo fidei as when a man concludeth his owne particular justification from the word as I Iames am justified est de fide mea and not a part of the canonicall word but an application arising from it Fourthly something are neyther de fides nor de verbo fidei Secondly we may answer to this whether the word written be an article of our faith or not Articles of our faith taken generally or specially The articles of our faith are eyther taken generally or specially generally for all that is contained in the Scriptures or may be deduced by way of consequence from the Scriptures then it is not an article of our faith to beleeve the canon of the Scriptures Secondly specially for that which is contained in the Creede for the Creede is the substance of that which is contained in the Scriptures and then it is an article of our faith to beleeve the Cannon of the Scriptures The Scriptures of God are considered essentially The Scriptures considered essentially or accidentally or accidentally Essentially as they proceede from God accidentally againe as they were written by such and such men As they proceede from God we must beleeve them to be true and to be the meanes of our salvation for saving truth is onely from God But if we consider them but accidentally as they are written by such and such men then it is not an article of our faith to beleeve them for it maketh not to our salvation primariò to know that they were written by such and such men When the books in holy Scripture carry the names of those who wrote them as the bookes of Moyses carrie his name if a man should deny these bookes to be written by Moses then be ignorant altogether of the matter contained in them then his ignorance were damnable Ignorantia damnabilis negatio haeretical and the denyall of them hereticall they have Moses and the Prophets Luk. 16. But if the writer of the booke be not set downe in the Scripture if a man should deny such a man to write it he should not be reputed as an hereticke for that Negatia est haerètica per accidens sed ignoratio non est damnabilis and to be ignorant that such a man wrote it this were not damnable ignorance Example it is holden that Paul wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews now if a man should deny that Paul wrote this Epistle he were not to be holden a hereticke for that neyther were his ignorance damnable A man may be ignorant of this or that booke and yet be saved and many were saved before the bookes were written and now many are saved who cannot reade the Scriptures Ignorantia hic est infirmitatis negatio est haeritica per accidens But when a man doubteth of the order and number of the bookes in the Canon this argueth but his unskilfulnesse and infirmity and the denyall of the number and order of these bookes is but hereticall by accident and the ignorance is not damnable Quest When we beleeve such a booke to be written by such a man whether beleeve we this by a justifying faith or by an historicall faith Ans When we beleeve that such a man wrote this booke this is but an historicall faith and this we have by the Church but that which is dogmaticall in this booke that we must beleeve out of the word it selfe we being illuminate by the Spirit Conclusi The conclusion of this is Seeing God hath revealed his will in his word written to us and remitted us alwayes to the law and to the testimony Esay 10.8 Ioh. 5.49 search the Scriptures therefore these who leave the Scriptures and make choyse of traditions they forsake the fountaine of living water and digge Cisternes to themselves that cannot hold no water Ier. 2.13 EXERCITAT IX Of the singular prerogatives which the secretaries of the holy Ghost had who wrote the Scriptures 2 Pet. 1.21 And the holy men of God spake as they were mooved by the holy Ghost Prorogative 1 THe holy men of God who were inspired by the holy Spirit to write the Scriptures First they were immediatly called by God Gal. 1.12 for the Gospel which I preached I received it not of man neyther was I taught but
Num. 12. Miriam loquuta est in Mosem id est maledixit Mosi Conclusion The conclusion of this is Matth. 10.20 It is not yee that speake but the Spirit of our Father which speaketh in you So it was not they who wrote but the Spirit of the Lord in them 2 King 13. When Ioash the King of Israel tooke a Bow in his hand Elisha laid his hands upon the Kings hands and Elisha bad him shoote and he sayd the Arrow of the Lords deliverance and the Arrow of the deliverance from Syria it was not the Kings hand that directed the Arrow here but it was the hand of the Prophet laid upon the Kings hand which gave this mighty blow so it was the hand of the Lord laid upon the hands of his Secretaries which directed them to write the holy Word of God EXERCITAT IX Arguments proving the Scriptures to bee Divine 1 Thess 2.13 Yee received it not as the Word of man but as it is in truth the Word of God THe Testimonies which prove the Scriptures to be Divine are first the Testimonie of God himselfe when he approved them by his Spirit and when they were laid before him by Vrim and Thummim Secondly arguments drawne out of the Scriptures themselves Thirdly the Testimonie of the Church Fourthly the Testimonie of those who were without the Church Deus testatur Scriptura contestatur Ecclesia subtestatur Deus testatur God beareth witnesse to the Scriptures two wayes First by the internall Testimony of his Spirit Secondly by his externall Testimony When the Spirit testifieth unto us such Bookes to be his Word Quest whether is this a publike or a private Testimony This is a publike Testimony Ans which the Spirit Testifieth to the whole Church and to the severall members of it that these Bookes are holy Scripture for the same Spirit which endited the Scriptures to the Church testifieth still to the Church and to the particular members thereof that the Scriptures are the Word of God The second Testimony which God gave to the Scriptures was his externall testimony given by Vrim and Thummim testifying these Bookes of Moyses and the Prophets to be the holy Scriptures What are we to thinke of these Bookes Quest written and set in order after the captivitie seeing they had not the approbation of the Lord by Vrim and Thummim Answ These Bookes were called Ketubhim written Bookes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to put a difference betweene them and these Bookes which were confirmed by Vrim and Thummim they who wrote these Bookes were inspired by the holy Ghost as well as these who wrote the former and they were confirmed by the masters of the great Synagogue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aradice such as were Esdras Zacharie and Malachie The Greekes called these Bookes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abscondere and the Iewes distinguish them still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frō the Apocryphall Bookes called Gannazim abscinditi and the Greekes called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bookes of whose authority it was still doubted Reason 1 Reasons taken out of the Scriptures themselves proving them to be Divine the first reason is taken from the antiquity of the Scriptures Scriptura contestatur all this time was tempus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the heathen that is it was an hid or an unknowne time to them After the flood the Scriptures goe on and they set downe to us the history of the Church Tempus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Historicum but the Heathen history is Tempus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fabulosum as that which we reade of Hercules and Prometheus and nothing is set downe in the Heathen history before the Olympiads of the Graecians which was but in the dayes of Vzziah See how farre Gods Word exceedeth humane history in antiquity It beginneth with the world and endeth with it Luk. 1.70 as he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have beene since the world began Reason 2 Secondly the matter contained in the Scriptures sheweth them to be Divine Many histories shew us the heavy wrath of God upon man for sinne yet the Scriptures only shew us morbum medicinam medicum it sheweth us both the sicknesse the physicke and the Physitian to cure it Reason 3 The Scriptures not written to satisfie mens curiosity Thirdly the Scripture setteth downe things necessary onely for our salvation and nothing for our curiosity It is often repeated in the Bookes of the Kings and Chronicles The rest are they not written in the Bookes of the Chronicles of the Kings of Iuda and Israel So Ester 10.2 The rest are they not written in the Bookes of the Kings of Persia The holy Ghost would meete here with the curious desires of men who desire still to know more and more and to reade pleasant discourses to satisfie their humours as if the Spirit of God should say I have sufficiently told you here of the Kings of Iuda and Israel and of Persia and so farre as concerneth the Church and may serve for your edification it is not my manner to satisfie your curiositie if ye would know more go to your owne Scrowles and Registers where yee shall finde matter enough to passe the time with To bee short the Scriptures are not given to passe the time with but to redeeme the time Reason 4 Fourthly the prophesies set downe in the holy Scriptures shew them to be Divine for they distinguish the Lord from all the Idols of the Gentiles and the Divels themselves Esa 41.22 Let them shew the former things what they be that we may consider them and set our hearts upon them Renunciare proeterita anunciare presentia p. anunciare futura and shew us the things that are to come hereafter that we may know that yee are Gods Here the Prophet distinguisheth the true God from the false Gods and true prophesies from false If they could tell of things by-past and relate them from the beginning and joyne them with the things to come then he would confesse that they were Gods and that their prophesies were true To tell of things past is not in respect of time for the Angels and Divels can tell things fallen out from the beginning of time but it is in respect of the things themselves when they tooke beginning this is onely proper to God Psal 139.16 In thy Booke all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there were none of them Hee can joyne things by-past with things that are to follow and can tell certainely of things to come There is a twofold beginning of things The first is exordium rei The second is exordium temporis Exordium temporis rei The Angels know exordium temporis but not exordium rei for the Lord onely knoweth things before the foundation of the world was laid Ephe. 1.4 He who knoweth certainely
The Lord made glorious cloathes which he put upon the skin of their flesh that they might cover themselves Example 2. Gen. 32.26 Dimitte me quia ascendit aurora The Paraphrast maketh this to be one of the seven Angels who stand before the Lord singing continually holy holy Lord of Hoasts and he maketh this Angell to be cheefe of the Quire Example 3. Exod. 13.19 And Moyses tooke the bones of Ioseph with him Targum Hierosolymitanum parâ— phraseth it thus Ascendere fecit Moses vrnam ossium Iosephi ex intimo Nili abduxit secum Hence the Talmudistâ— make a great question how they could finde this Chest of Ioseph being sunke so deepe in the flood Nilus and they flye to their shift of Shem hamphorash 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and R Bechai upon this saith that Moyses tooke a plate and wrote upon it and sayd ascende Bâ—â— meaning Ioseph who was called Bos Dei Deut. 33.17 did cast this plate into Nilus saying O Ioseph thy brethren which are redeemed are waiting for thee and the cloud of glory is waiting for thee if thou wilt not goe up with us now wee are free of our oath Example 4. Deut. 28.18 Decaudicabat debiles Hee cut off the taile or the weake of the hoast but Targum Hierosolymitanum paraphraseth it this wayes sed accepit eos Amalek amputavit loca virilitatis eorum projecitque sursum versus coelum dicens tolle quod elegisti meaning that part which was commanded by the Lord to be circumcised they threw it up into the heavens in contempt and spite against the Lord. Example 5. 1 Sam. 15. And he numbred them Battelahim but Targum paraphraseth it thus He numbred them by the lâ—mbes For Telahim is called lambes also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they say that Saul would not number the people for feare of a plague upon him and his people as it fell out afterwards upon David and his people therefore he caused every one of them to bring a lambe and he numbred all the lambes and so he knew the number of the people such Iewish fables as these the Apostle willeth us to take heede ofâ— Tit. 1.14 But where these Paraphrases cleare the Text Paraphrases where they cleare the Text are to be used then we are to mâ—ke use of them Example Gen. 2.24 He shall leave father and mother and cleave unto his wife Onkelos paraphraseth it thus he shall leave Donium cubilis where the Paraphrast alludeth to the ancient custome of the Iewes fo the children lay in their fathers chamber before they were maried Luk. 11.7 My children are with me in bed Example 2. Gen. 12.5 And Abraham tooke all the soules which he had got in Charan Onkelos paraphraseth it thus Omnes animas quas subjecerat legi Example 3. Gen 49. Ruben excellens munere dignitate Onkelos paraphraseth it thus Excellens principatu Sacerdotio for hee that was the first borne at the first was both the Prince and the Priest in the Family Example 4. Gen. 49 27. Beniamin a ravening woolfe he shall cate the prey in the morning and shall divide the spoyle at night The Paraphrast paraphraseth it thus In his possession shall the Sanctuary bee built morning and evening shall the Priests offer their offerings and in the evening shall they divide the rest of the portion which is left of the sanctified things Of interpretation of Scripture THe third outward meane whereby the Lord maketh the Scripture cleare to his Church is Interpretation and this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Interpretation of the Scriptures maketh the people to understand them for when the Scriptures are not interpreted The Scriptures not being interpreted to the people are like a Nut not broken they are like a Nut not broken When Gideon heard the dreame and the interpretation of of it Iud. 7.15 In the Hebrew it is Veshibhro the breaking of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speech borrowed from the breaking of a Nut for as we breake the shell that wee may get the Kernell So the Scriptures must bee broken for the people and cut up for their understanding It was the manner of the Iewes in their Synagogues after that the Law and the Prophets were read to Interpret the scriptures Act. 13.15 And after the reading of the Law and Prophets the rulers of the Synagogue sent unto them saying ye men and brethren if ye have any word of exhortation for the people say on And therefore the Synagogue was called Beth midresh Domus expositionis we see the practise of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nehem. 8.8 Legerunt cum appositione intellectus They read the Law clearely to the people and caused them to understand those things which were read this was the fruite of their interpretation So they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 16.10 Conferre places with places The giving of the sense here is more than to give the grammaticall interpretation of the words they gave the sense and the spirituall meaning of them when they preached Noah was a Preacher of righteousnesse 2 Pet 2.5 The Church is not onely the keeper of the Scriptures but also an Interpreter of them This word Kara signifieth both to Reade and to Promulgate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Legit Proclamavit Esar 29.12 61.12 Zach. 7 7. Act. 10.20 So Mikra which signifieth Reading signifieth also an Assembly or Convocation to teach us that the holy Scriptures ought to bee read in the congregation and holy assemblies and ought likewise to be expounded The conclusion of this is The Lord useth so many meanes to make the Scripture cleare to the people and yet the Church of Rome goeth about to stoppe these Fountaines of living waters that the people may not drinke of them As the Spies raised a slander upon the Land of Canaan saying that it was unpossible to be won so doe they slander the Scriptures of God with obscurities and say that it is impossible for the people to understand them EXERCITAT XVI Of the division of the Scriptures They have Moses and the Prophets Luc. 16.29 THe scriptures are divided into the old and New Testament The old Testament againe is divided into Moses and the Prophets and sometimes the Law is put for the whole old Testament Rom. 3. So Iob. 7.49 Esay 2.3 And sometimes the Psalmes are called the Law Ioh. 15.25 That the word might be fulfilled which is written in their Law they hated me without a cause So the Prophets are called the Law 1 Cor. 14.21 In the Law it is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pentâ—â—â—â—â—chus in Moses is divided into Hammitzua Commandements Chukkim statutes and Mishpatim judgements that is in Morall Precepts Ceremoniall and Iudiciall The Iewes againe divide the old Testament into the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 priores 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 posteriores 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prophetae the Prophets and
the Schoolemen speake their Synagogues and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 houses of prayer were but Loci ut loci therefore they might not sacrifice in them but when they worshiped in them they turned alwayes their faces towards the Temple The Tabernacle which was the first place commanded for the worship of God was a type of heaven Psal 15.1 Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle and when they could not have accesse to the Tabernacle they thought themselves but like the wandring Arabians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellative hic sumitur a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 protraxit we reade not that Daevid ever dwelt in the tents of Keâ—ar therefore it should be translated as in Kedar that knew not God nor his worship Psal 120.5 Woe is me that I sojourne so long dwelling as in the Tents of Kedar This Tabernacle was divided in three parts the holiest of all the holy place and the court of the people The holiest of all signified heaven the second place signified the state of the old Law where the Priests entered in daily and offered for themselves and the people and the court of the people signified the Church here below The people might not come into the court of the Priests The people might not come into the holiest of all but Esay 56.7 My house shall be called the house of prayer he applyeth this both to the Iewes and Gentiles which Christ applyeth to the Iewes onely in the Temple of Ierusalem and the Prophet speaketh in prototype as Christ in type the Proselytes might not come into the court of the Israelites they stood but in Atrio Gentium in the court of the people but Esay foretelleth that the Gentiles shall have as free accesse to the house of God as the Iewes because his house is the house of prayer and this Salomon foretold 1 King 8.41 If a stranger come from a farre country to call upon thy name then heare thou in heaven that is grant that they may have as great accesse to thee as the Iewes have When Herod built the Temple he wrote an inscription upon the gate of the court of Israel that no stranger should enter in there under the paine of death but now this inscription is changed that whatsoever stranger he be that doth not enter into the house of the Lord shall dye the death before The Levites might not goe into the holy place the people might not enter into the court of the Priest but now wee are all Kings and priests to God 1 Pet. 2.9 before the Levites might enter where the people might not goe they might goe into the court of the Priests but not into the holy place but now all the people are the Lords Levites Mal. 2.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellative hic sumitur quia habet ×” praefixum Yee have corrupted the covenant of Levi saith the Lord of hostes Levi here is put for the whole people and therefore they have as great accesse now as the Priests had Before none might enter into the holiest of all but the High priest once in the yeere Heb. 9.7 but now all have accesse to the throne of grace Heb 4.16 Rom. 5.2 The Tabernacle and the Temple were alike in many things first in the forme A comparisen betwixt the Tabernacle and Temple for the Tabernacle was a paterne to the Temple Againe there was no light in the holiest of all in the Tabernacle In what things they were alike So neyther in the holiest of all in the Temple and the signification was this Rev. 21.23 and the City had no neede of the Sunne neyther of the Moone How the Lord is sayd to dwell in a cloud to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lambe is the light thereof In the holiest of all there was no light and the High priest when he entred into it kindled smoke and he saw nothing because the Lord dwelleth in a cloud Psal 18.11 he was not able to behold the shecina or glory that dwelt in the holiest there was no externall light that came there but the Lambe was the light and when we shall be glorified wee shall not see that inaccessible light in which hee dwelleth So in the holyest both in the Tabernacle and temple there was no light but the light of the Candlestick no light in the Temple but that which the lampe gave for there were no windows in the Temple to give light to it and it was compassed round about with Chambers that it could have no light Ob. 1 Sam. 3.3 And ere the lampe of God went out in the Temple of the Lord where the Arke of God was and Samuel was layd downe to sleepe Then it may seeme that they had other light than the light of the candlestick Answ Before the lampe of God went out that is before the lampes were changed by the Priests and new lights added and the signification of this was the Church should be directed by no light but by the light of the Word 2 Pet. 1.19 We have also a more sure word of Prophesie whereunto yee doe well that yee take heede as unto a light that shineth in a darke place untill the day dawne and the day starre arise in your hearts The Court of the Priests was not covered There was a court for the Priests both in the Tabernacle and Temple and it was not covered above to signifie that the Church here hath more of the light of nature than of the light of grace Againe the Tabernacle and Temple had the like implements both in the Holiest and Holiest of all And last the Tabernacle and the Temple served for the same use for Gods worship In what things the Tabernacle and Temple differed Now let us see wherein they differed First the Tabernacle was moveable and the other was fixed the moveable Tabernacle signified our estate and condition here and the Temple which was unmoveable signified our estate in future glory The Tabernacle had not the court of the Gentiles Secondly the Temple was much more large than the Tabernacle the Tabernacle had not the court of the Gentiles as the temple had there was but one golden candlesticke in the Tabernacle and ten in the Temple 1 King 7.49 So in the Tabernacle was but one brasen Laver in the Temple there were ten so there were but two Cherubims in the Tabernacle but foure in the Temple Lastly the Tabernacle indured not so long as the Temple did and when the Tabernacle had no use it was layd up in the Temple The Conclusion of this is Conclusion the Tabernacle gave place to the Temple So both the Temple and the Tabernacle gave way to Iesus Christ who was both the true Tabernacle and Temple and of whom they were but types EXERCITAT IIII. Of the Arke A Ceremoniall Appendix of Command 2. Exod. 25.17 And thou shalt make a Mercie seate of pure Gold c.
Ezek. 24.18 The wings are put for their hands They are made with wings and in that vision of Ezekiel with hands under their wings Eze. 1.8 but where they are described with wings and no mention made of their hands then their wings served them for hands and so the Hebrews put a wing for a hand Psal 7.4 If there be iniquitie in mine hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all 's vel manibus meis in the Hebrew it is becaphai in my wing And they appeared in these formes quae notant Christi trophaeum The divers formes of the Cherubims signifie Christ glorious triumph which sheweth Christs triumph and victorie who was borne as a man killed as a Calfe rose like a Lyon and ascended like an Eagle and so in the revelation made to Iohn were foure beasts full of eyes before and behind and the first beast was like a Lyon and the second beast like a Calfe and the third beast had the face of a man and the fourth beast was like a flying Eagle Revel 4.7 Now let us observe the difference betwixt the Cherubims in the Tabernacle and the Cherubims in the Temple The difference betwixt the Cherubims in the Temple and Tabernacle there were but two in the Tabernacle and foure in the Temple those who stood in the Tabernacle looked downeward with their faces towards the propitiatorie but two of the Cherubims which were in the Temple and stood upon the ground looked with their faces to the entrie of the Temple and they had their wings stretched out not as their wings which stood upon the Arke in the Tabernacle and the signification was this that now their charge was to be extended and the Gentiles were to be called to waite upon them also Againe Difference betwixt the Cherubims which Ezekiel saw and them in the Tabernacle and Temple marke a difference betwixt the Cherubims in Ezekiels vision and these in the Tabernacle and Temple In Ezekiels vision they are described full of eyes but in the Tample and Tabernacle they are not so described they are described full of eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie that the Lord whom they attend is full of eyes and seeth all things Those Cherubims in Ezekiels vision moved but these in the Temple and Tabernacle stirred not when these moved they moved forwards but never backeward or in a circle they stood still at the commandement of the Lord or went forward at his commandement In Esaiahs vision they cryed holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts Esa 6.13 but in Ezekiels vision they made but a sound or a noyse What an Angell is Of this which hath beene sayd wee may describe a Cherub or an Angell after this manner An Angell is a creature most understanding most strong most swift and most obedient First they are most understanding therefore they have the face of a man and they are full of eyes to teach us that they exceede man in knowledge men are but ratiocinantes creaturae and they are intelligentes creatura they learne hoc post hoc sed non hoc ex hoc as men doe Quest. Why was the blood then commanded to be sprinkled upon the Lintels of the doores of the Israelites in Egypt but to teach them to passe by their houses as we are led by the Signe to know the house Answ The blood was not sprinkled upon the Lintels of the doors for the Angels cause that they might be led to know the houses by this signe but it was to confirme the Israelites that the Angels should not destroy them The second property of Angels is their strength represented by the Lyon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Robustissimi and therefore they are called the strong ones Psal 78.25 one of them killed an hundred fourescore and five thousand in one night 2 King 19.35 The third property of the Angels is their sweetnesse represented by the Eagle one Angell killed all the first borne of Egypt in one night Exod. 12.29 The fourth propertie is their obedience represented by the Oxe therefore we pray thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven Matth. 6.10 Conclusion The Conclusion of this is this doth minister great comfort to the faithfull that they have such ministering spirits attending upon them continually The children of God have protection by the Angels to keepe them in all their wayes Alexander the Great slept soundly one night when the enemie was neare by him and being asked how he could sleepe so soundly he answered because Parmenio waked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vigilantes So may the children of God lye downe in peace and sleepe Psal 4.8 because they have gnirin the watchfull ones attending them Dan. 4.17 Salomon had sixtie valiant men of the valiant of Israel having all swords because of feare in the night Cant. 3.7 but the children of God have more strong and valient onâ—s waiting upon them so that they neede not be affrayd neither in the day or in the night EXERCITAT X. Of the golden Candlesticke A eremoniall Appendix of Command 2. Exod. 25.31 And thou shalt make a Candlesticke of pure Gold of beaten worke shall the Candlesticke be made his shaft and his branches his bowels his knops and his flowers shall be of the same THe matter of which this Candlesticke was made was pure Gold and it had a shaft branches bowlse knops and flowers The pure gold signified how excellent the word of God is Psal 19.10 more to be desired are they then gold The signification of the Candlesticke yea then much fine gold We are not curiously here to seeke the difference of the knops branches and flowers but onely to rest in the generall that the Candlesticke signified the Word The Candlesticke had seven branches it signified the divers gifts bestowed upon his Church by the word The branches of the Candlesticke signified the divers gifts bestowed upon the Church and Iohn alludeth to the seven branches of this Candlesticke Revel 1.13 And in the midst of the seven Candlesticks one like the Sonne of man cloathed with a garment this was but typus arbitrarius or an allusion for the golden Candlesticke was not made to be a type of the seven Churches in Asia but it is onely an allusion to it So Prov. 11.30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life here is an allusion onely that it is like to the tree of life The oyle in the Tabernacle was pure oyle The oyle which was in this Candlesticke was pure oyle Levit. 24.2 Command the children of Israel that they bring unto thee pure oyle Olive beaten for the light to cause the lampes to burne continually 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aurum hic est oleum sic dictum quod purâ—m splendidum nit idum fuit sine mixtura This pure oyle is called golden oyle or gold for the puritie of it Zach. 4.12 because the oyle was bright cleare
and glistering like gold So Iob. 37.22 Gold commeth out of the north that is faire and cleare weather It was beaten oyle to signifie with what paine and travell the word is prepared and with patience preached and made to shine in his Church No Waxe might be burnt in these lampes because Honey was uncleane therefore Waxe was uncleane Honey might be in no Sacrifice because it fermenteth Levit. 2.11 So no Waxe might serue for light So there was no silke in the Tabernacle because the Worme which maketh silke was an uncleane thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 baccae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spicae The Prophet Zacharie in a vision saw two Olive branches empyting themselves thorow the two golden pipes into the Candlesticke and they are compared to two eares of corne What the two Olive trees were in the vision of Zacharie because they were full of Olive berries as the eares were of graines These Olive trees were the cause of the preservation of the Church and the cause of the maintenance in the Candlesticke The two annointed ones which stand before the Lord of the whole earth vers 14. Targum paraphraseth them to be Zerubbabel and Ioshua who represented the Church and commonwealth The Lord commanded to make snuffers of pure gold for the snuffing of the lampes The snuffers of gold what they signified and snuffe-dishes to receive the snufle he would have the snuffe taken from the light to signifie that he would have the word kept in sinceritie and puritie and hee would have the snuffers of gold to teach them to be blamelesse and holy who are censurers and correctors of others and he would have the snuffe-dishes of gold to teach them that the covering of the offences of their brethren was a most excellent thing Lastly in what manner the Priests dressed the lamps The manner how the Priests trimmed the lampes when the lampe was out he lighted it and when it was not out he dressed it when the middlemost lampe was out he lighted it from the Altar but the rest of the lampes every one he lighted from the lampe that was next and he lighted one after another to signifie that one Scripture giveth light to another they say in the Talmud that the cleansing of the innermost Altar was before the trimming of the five lamps and the trimming of the five lamps before the blood of the daily sacrifice and the blood of the daily sacrifice before the trimming of the two lamps and the trimming of the two lamps before the burning of incense That the Priests should order and trimme the lamps The signification of the trimming of the lamps signifieth how Christ and his Ministers should continually looke unto the purity of doctrine and preaching of the light of the Gospel from evening to morning in the darke place of this world untill the day dawne and the day starre arise in our hearts Reve. 1.13 2 Pet. 1.19 EXERCITAT XI Of the Table of the shewbread A ceremoniall appendix of Commande 2. Exod. 25.23 Thou shalt also make a Table of Shittim wood c. vers 30. And thou shalt set upon the Table shewbread before me alway THe Lord commanded to make a Table and to set twelve loaves upon it The loaves represent the Church First the Church is represented by loaves here as many graines make up one loafe so many beleevers make up one Church 1 Cor. 10.17 for we being many are one bread The loaves made of fine flower Secondly these loaves were made of fine flower and not of barley which was a base graine and therefore used in no other sacrifice but in the offering for jealousie Num. 5.15 So Gideon represented by a barley cake Iudg. 7.13 and I bought her for so many Homers of Barley Hos 3.2 but the Wheate was most excellent graine and the flower of the Wheat was most excellent bread Deut. 32.14 he made them eate the fat of the kidneys of Wheate The twelve loaves represented the twelve tribes Thirdly there stood twelve loaves upon this Table to represent the twelve Tribes who came of the twelve Patriarchs The Tribes were represented by many things these twelve Tribes were represented by many things by the twelve stones set up in Iordan and so by the twelve stones set up in the land of Canaan So by the twelve stones set upon the breastplate of Aaron and upon his shoulders in onyx stones So by Canaan divided into twelve parts and from them the twelve Apostles in the New Testament and the new Ierusalem built upon twelve foundations Revel 21.14 These twelve loaves stood before the Lord Why called shewbread therefore they were called panis facierum or propositionis and they signifie that the Church is alwayes the object of the eye of God and therefore he saith set up no Idoll 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gnal panai in my presence Why the bread was removed every Sabbath They were removed every Sabbath and new loaves put in their places to signifie the renuing of the graces of God to his Church None might eate of these loaves Who might eate of the shewbread but the Priests who served in their course that weeke and their children the Priests daughter did eate of this bread when she was a widdow and returned home to her father againe Levit. 22.18 So we being maried to the Law and it having dominion over us Rom. 7.1 we were out of our fathers house and might not eate of his holy bread but being dead to the Law Rom. 7.4 and divorced from our sinnes as widowes we may come home to our fathers house and be partakers of the holy things The Priests so long as they were in this holy service The legall sanctification of the Priests and eate this holy bread they were not to keepe company with their wives for this was a part of their ceremoniall uncleannesse Exod. 19.14 Moyses commanded them to wash their cloathes and not to come at their wives This abstinence 1 Sam. 21. How David asked the shewbread is called via munda a cleane way and to eate in this uncleannesse is called via polluta When David in necessity came to Ahimelech the Priest to aske bread for him and his men the Priests had no common bread to give them but this holy bread this bread the Priests sayd they might not eate of it if they were in via polluta and their vessels not sanctified by via polluta is meant here to keep company with their wives and by the sanctification of the vessels is meant the sanctification of our bodies Our bodies called our vessels for our bodies are called our vessels 1 Thessalon 4.4 That euery one of you should know how to possesse his vessell in sanctification honour And that this is the meaning it is cleare by Davids answer when he saith they have abstained from women this three dayes 1 Sam. 21. In their necessity David
and his men might eate of this shewbread although they were not Priests and it had not beene lawfull for them to have eaten of this bread if they had had any other bread but if they had beene uncleane this way they might not have eaten this bread at all so that there were some sorts of legall uncleannesse greater than others The Church of Rome erre in drawing arguments from the Leviticall ceremonies The Church of Rome from this place goes about to prove that ministers because they handle holy things should abstaine from mariage as the Priests were to abstaine from their wives when they were to eate this holy bread and so they ground many other of their ordinances upon the Leviticall Law as none might be a Priest that had any irregularitie or defect in him as defectus natalium a defect in his birth as if he had beene a bastard or defectus persona a defect in his person and a number such which are legall ceremonies and bind not the Church now Castitas abjuga conjuga There is duplex castitas abjuga conjuga abjuga is that sort of chastitie when a man liveth chastly out of mariage conjuga when hee liveth chastly in mariage Heb. 13.4 mariage is honorable in all and the bed undefiled and if they would conclude any thing out of this place it would but inferre thus much the Priests abstained from this holy bread but twise in the yeere because there were foure and twenty courses of them and they served but weekely and so long as they served they abstained from their wives this will not inferre their conclusion therefore those who serve under the Gospel should live altogether unmaried What argument may be drawne from the Priests mariage This argument might be rather inverted against them this wayes the Priests under the law were maried therefore the Priests under the Gospel may marry And lastly theologia symbolica non est argumentativa those conclusions hold not which are deduced after this manner from types which are not destinate types Conclusion 1 The Conclusion of this is the Lord looketh upon his Church continually therefore the Church should looke backe againe to him continually and as the Angels behold the face of God continually in glory Mat. 18.10 So should the Church behold the face of the Lord in his word as in a glasse 1 Cor. 13.12 and as Zedekiahs Courtiers had this credit to see the Kings face alwayes 2 King 25.19 So the Church should studie to see the face of the Lord continually Conclusion 2 Secondly if such legall cleannesse was required of the Priests when they came to eate the shewbread much more is morall holinesse required in us when we come to eate the holy bread in the Sacrament EXERCITAT XII Of the Altar A ceremoniall appendix of Command 2. Exod. 27.1 And thou shalt make an Altar of Shittim wood five cubits long and five cubites broad c. THere were typicall Altars under the Law and the mysticall Altar Iesus Christ signified by them under the Gospel Two Altars The typicall Altars under the Law were the Altar of burnt offering and the Altar of incense the Altar of burnt offering under the Law in the Wildernesse was built of earth The matter of the Altars in the Temple it was made of wood overlayd with brasse and the Altar of incense was made of wood overlaid with gold Why the Altar in the Wildernesse was made of earth and not of hewen stone The Altar of burnt offering in the Wildernesse was made of earth and the Lord would have it made of earth onely because he would not have it permanent to remaine after they were gone out of the wildernesse and he would not have it made of hewen stone to signifie that mens inventions doe but pollute the worship of God Exod. 20.25 Moyses Altar and Salomons in what they agree The Altars of Moyses Tabernacle and Salomons Temple were the same in matter and forme Moyses made his of Shittim wood and Salomon made his of Cedar wood and the substance was all one although different in colour and name onely They differed in their bases height breadth and length They differed in their bases the proportion was double there were two bases of the Altar in the Tabernacle and foure in the Temple Secondly they differed in height there was a triple proportion three and ten Moyses Altar was three cubits high and Salomons Altar was ten cubits high Thirdly in length breadth there was a fourefold proportion the Altar of Moses was five cubits long and five cubits broad and the Altar of Salomon was twenty cubits long and twentie cubits broad Salomon made all the vessels of the Temple except the Arke Salomon made all the vessels that pertained to the house of the Lord the Altar of gold the Table of gold whereupon the shewbread was and the Candlesticke 1 King 7.48 but he made not a new Arke because Christ who was represented by the Arke is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 Quest Why doth not Ezekiel when he describeth the new Temple make mention of the Arke and the Candlesticke as he doth of the Altar and the Temple it selfe at large Answ Because there was not an Arke to be in the second Temple Why Ezekiel maketh no mention of the Arke and Candlesticke in the second Temple and the light of that Candlesticke was not lighted with fire from the heaven as in the Tabernacle and first Temple and thus the Scriptures in wisedome doe passe many things and out of the silence of the Scriptures we may learne sometimes as when the Scripture passeth by Melchizedecks father and his mother So when the Scripture setteth downe the curses at large upon mount Ebal Why the curses in the Law are expressed and the blessings concealed and the blessings are concealed to teach us that the Law curseth us for the breach of it and that the blessings are reserved for the Gospel Matth. 5. The golden Altar had a crowne round about it as the Arke of the Testimonie had and the Table of shew-bread There arose foure hornes from the crowne of the Altar The hornes of the golden Altar what they signified every one in the forme of a broach small in the top which signified the strength which was in Christ who was able to overthrow that lord with two hornes Dan. 6.8 and all the hornes of the wicked Psal 75.11 It had a hole like a window in the east side The place where they emptyed the Altar of the ashes was not towards the holiest of all to take out the ashes which fell through the grate as the brasen Altar and this was upon the east side of the Altar and not towards the holiest to signifie that impurity should be farre from the holiest of all This golden Altar was called the Table of the Lord Mala. 1.7 The Apostle Heb. 9.4 why
a care for so small an inheritance a little plat of ground in Anathoth that cost but seventeene shekles that he would have the evidence subscribed and sealed before faithfull witnesses and to have them safely laid up till the peoples returne out of the captivity shall not we then be carefull of that great inheritance which is not purchased with gold nor silver 1 Pet. 1. to have the evidence of it sealed subscribed and laid up safely in our hearts Esau was a profane man and a fornicator Heb. 12.16 He sold his birth right for a messe of pottage if Preachers be profane and vile men like Esau they will set their inheritance at a light reckoning but if they be the children of grace they will esteeme much of it as Naboth did of his Vineyard it is the inheritance that our father hath prepared and his sonne dearely purchast for us and therfore we should esteeme highly of it and beware to lose this inheritance that was bought with such a price left if we lose it the shooe be pulled off our feete and we be called discalceati in Israele Now come to Christs answer to the Sadduces objection Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God for in the Resurrection men neither marry nor give in marriage but are like the Angels of God They erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God that is the power of God manifested and set forth in the Scriptures the Scriptures teach us that God by his power shall raise these mortall bodies to immortality and that then we shall be like to the Angels in glory and all these naturall bonds and societies amongst men and women shall cease as to mary and give in marriage c. Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures All error proceedeth from ignorance of the Scriptures therefore Christ biddeth the Iewes search the Scriptures Ioh. 5.39 and the holy Scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 We shall never under stand the truth but out of the Scriptures the Church of Rome are most injurious to the Laickes forbidding them to read the Scriptures what mervaill is it that they be led into all errors when they want this light of the Scriptures to direct them The Church of Rome like a Pyrat she may be justly compared to a Pirate a Pirate when he takes a poore Barke what doeth he First he taketh the compasse from her Secondly the sayles and thirdly the Anchor what becomes of the poore Barke then she is cast away upon the Rockes so the Church of Rome first taketh from the people the compasse that is the Word of God Secondly shee taketh from them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speech borrowed from a full sayle forbidding the people assurance of faith they teach them that they should have a morall perswasion of the remission of their sinnes to hope well that they shall be saved but they say it is presumption to be certainely perswaded of the remission of their sinnes and thus they take away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the full sayle from the people now when assurance of faith The miserable estate of those who live in Popery the full saile is gone then hope the Anchor as the Apostle calleth it Heb. 6.19 must be lost also yee see then the necessity of searching the Scriptures and if we would bee free of error we must study to know them and lamentable is their estate who live in popery exposed to all danger because they have not the use of the holy Scriptures Nor the power of God Twofold power in God There is a twofold power in God first his absolute power Secondly his limited power his absolute power is this when he can doe any that implyeth not a contradiction for that were impotency in God his limitate power is this when his will limitateth his power and his other attributes God by his absolute power could have destroyed Sodom before Lot came out of it but by his limited power he could not Gen. 19.22 God may doe many things by his absolute power which he cannot doe by his limitted power because it made more for the glory of God that Lot should be saved then destroyed with the Sodomites so God by his absolute power might cast away Peter but by his limited power he cannot because it makes more for his mercy to save Peter then to destroy him Christ by his absolute power could have wrought miracles in Nazareth but by his limited power he could not because it made more for his glory not to worke any amongst that unbeleeving people Marke 6 5. So Christ by his absolute power could have prayed for so many millions of Angels to have delivered him but by his limited power he could not because it made more for the glory of his Father that he should die for the redeeming of his Church then that he should escape the cursed death of the Crosse here Christ speaks of that limited power of God and not of his absolute power Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God We should know Gods power out of the Scriptures We must learne to know the power of God onely out of the Scriptures that power which is attributed to God and not found in the Scriptures is not to be counted Gods power there is a question betwixt us and the Church of Rome whether the body of Christ can be both in Heaven and in the Sacrament at once they alledge the power of God for them because God by his power can make this body to be really in the Sacrament but we reply unto them that they erre not knowing the Scriptures and the power of God if they could demonstrate to us out of the Scriptures this power then we would beleeve them but the Scripture saith that Iesus Christs body is in the heavens and must bee contained there till he come to judgement Acts 3.21 Whom the heavens must receive untill the times of the restitution of all things And therefore this power is but an imaginary power contrary to the Scriptures of God We shall be like the Angels of God who neither marry nor give in marriage There is a good axiome in the Schooles that relata extra usum non sunt relata relations out of their use are no relations a Land-marke so long as it stands in the field distinguishing one mans land from another it is in the relation but taken out of that place that relation ceaseth the bread in the Sacrament is holy bread so long as it is in the use but out of this holy use it becommeth common bread againe those things that were eaten in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Idols chappell were idolatrous in state there and might not be eaten but when they were sold in the Shambles they were extra usum and Paul allowed then to eate of them so here the woman is the wife to the husband in this life but in the
of their sinne So the Covenant here is the Lords Covenant and the deceiver is not able to make it of no effect But where the principall intention of the contracter is deceit and the person with whom the contract is made is deceived When the errour of the person maketh the contract of no effect then the contract is nullified as if a man should ignorantly buy a free man for a slaue here the free man should be released error personae irritat contractum Object But yee will say in all contracts God hath an hand and he is never deceived therefore no such contract should be dissolved where there is error personae Answ In the blessing betwixt Isaac and Iacob and the contract betwixt Ioshua and the Gibeonites God had set downe his revealed will God had revealed his will in the blessing of Iacob and the sparing of the Gibeonites what he was minded to doe in both of these and therefore neither the error of Isaac nor the deceit of Rebecca and Iacob made the blessing of no effect so neither in the contract betwixt Ioshua and the Gibeonites But the Lord forbiddeth fraudulent contracts in his Word neither is it his intention that such contracts should be made therefore they are of no effect CHAPTER XX. That a Iudge may giue out sentence by the information of the false witnesses and yet be free 2 SAM 1.16 And David said unto him thy bloud be upon thy head for thy mouth hath testified against thee IN Iudgement the principall part dependeth upon the witnesses and if they testifie an untruth The chiefe part in judgment dependeth upon the witnesses they make a wrong sentence to proceed out of the mouth of a just Iudge David here giueth out sentence against the Amalekite it was a just sentence in respect of the Iudge because he condemned him out of his owne mouth but a wrong sentence in respect of the Amalekite because he did not kill Saul but bragged onely that he had killed him for the Text saith that Saul killed himselfe 1 Sam. 31.5 When the Grecians besieged Troy Simile Palamedes was killed there amongst the rest and when the Greekes had raised their siege from Troy and taken Ship to returne to Greece Nauplius the father of Palamedes to be revenged upon the Greekes tooke a Boate in a darke night and went into the Sea and set up a Beaken upon a rock which when the Greekes did see they tooke it to be the Harbour and directed their Course towards it and so they runne the most of their Shippes upon the rockes and were cast away We cannot say here that the fault was in the Pilots because the Shippes were cast away but the fault was in false Nauplius who held up a wrong light unto them So when a good Iudge giveth out a wrong sentence the fault is not in the Iudge but in the false witnesses who hold up a false light unto him and therefore the Iudge should labour to punish these false witnesses and to restore the partie who is wronged to his right and as Telephus was healed by the speare that hurt him so should they studie to cure the person whom they haue wounded by their sentence A Iudge must not proceed without witnesse If a Iudge call two or three witnesses that is the first thing required of him in tryall of the truth nam testimonio unius non proceditur and one witnes doth not proue There are three witnesses in heaven to certifie us of the truth the Father the Word and the holy Ghost And there are three that beare witnesse to us in the earth of the remission of sinnes the Spirit the water and bloud 1 Ioh. 5.7.8 So in Iudicatories of the Church three witnesses are required 2 Cor. 13.1 This is the third time that I am comming to you in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established So in the tryall of civill causes every thing was established by the mouth of two or three witnesses Deut. 21.15 A Iudge is to make choise of faithfull witnesses Secondly The Iudge must call faithfull witnesses they are called faithfull witnesses when they are reputed so in the common estimation of men Esay 8.2 And I tooke unto me faithfull witnesses Vriah the Priest and Zechariah the sonne of Ierebechiah Vriah was not a faithfull man yet because he was so reputed amongst the people therefore he is called a faithfull witnesse They must be eye-witnesses Thirdly Hee must call witnesses who haue both heard and seene 1 Ioh. 1.1 That which we haue heard that which we haue seene with our eyes which we haue looked upon c. Fourthly They must be contestes and their testimonies must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agreeing in one Mark 14.56 Now if the Iudge proceed this way and the sentence be false it is not his fault for by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established that is shall be holden for truth When a Iudge demaundeth of the witnesses hee asketh them not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what murther is Secondly he asketh not of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the effects and consequents of murther which follow it as the guilt and punishment Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he asketh them whether it were casually or maliciously done And fourthly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they saw him kill such a man this is the speciall thing that they require and if the Iudge giue out sentence this wayes according to things proved then the blame lieth not upon him if there bee a wrong sentence pronounced It may be said Object when a man taketh a thing to bee a truth although it be an untruth he speaketh an untruth why doth not a Iudge then pronounce a sentence which is not true although he take it to be a truth There is a greater vniformitie required betwixt the mind and the tongue Answ then betwixt the sentence of the Iudge and the testimonie of the witnesses for there is nothing required in the Iudge but that he proceed secundùm allegata et probata according to things alledged and proved CHAPTER XXI Of one who killed in suddaine passion 2 SAM 14. And thy hand maid had two sonnes and they two stroue together in the field and there was none to part them but the one smote the other and slew him THere is a difference betwixt those things which wee doe in suddaine passion Difference betwixt things done in passion and deliberately and those things which are done deliberately those things which children mad men and beasts doe they are not said to be done deliberately they come not from the will which is principium agendi possunt laedere sed non injuriâ afficere Violentiâ—â— Coactum Non spontaneum Voluntarium Againe there is a difference betwixt violentum coactum non spontaneum voluntarium Violentum is that which by outward force a man is constrained to
the hearts of the Gergesites from Christ by drowning of their swine and the reason wherefore he delighteth to dwell in no other creature but man is because there is no visible creature that can commit sinne but man where there is not a Law there is no transgression for sinne is the transgression of the Law Rom. 4.15 but no Law is given to any visible creature but onely to man This should be a great motiue to humble man A motiue to humilitie when he seeth such a great change that he who was the Temple of the holy Ghost should now become a cage for uncleane spirits and to make the house of God a den of theeues Mat. 21.13 Was not this a great change when a mans house in which he dwelt was made a dunghill Ezra 6.11 But this is a farre greater change when man who should be the Temple of the holy Ghost is made a receptacle for uncleane Devils it was a great change in Naomi when her beautie was changed into bitternes and when the Nazarites that were whiter than the snow became blacke like the cole Lament 4.8 and when Nebuchadnezzar who was a mightie King became a beast Dan. 4.33 but those changes were nothing to this change when man who was the Temple of the holy Ghost should become the cage of uncleane Devils When the uncleane spirit is gone out of a man Whether did Satan goe out willingly here Quest or was he cast out by force He was cast out by force here Answ he goeth not out willingly but by collusion this is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Satan goeth not out willingly by force to cast him out Satan doth not cast out Satan but when the Lord casteth him out by his power then he is cast out by force Whether is this gift in the Church now or not Quest to cast out Satan Answ This extraordinary gift to compell Satan to goe out of a man is not in the Church now we haue prayer and fasting now desiring the Lord to cast him out Mat. 17.21 but to charge him to goe out or to conjure him the Church hath no such power Not lawfull to use the signe when the thing signified is not to use the signe when the thing signified is not this is a great abuse if the high Priest under the Law should haue put in two counterfeit stones in the brestplate when there was neither Vrim nor Thummim and promised by them to haue the Lord to answere him had not this beene a delusion so for men now to use the words of authority to charge Satan to goe out when this power is not in the Church this is but a delusion the Church hath power now by excommunication to giue over wicked men into the hands of Satan but yet they become not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 really possessed as it was in the Primitiue Church So the Church now hath power to pray to God for the delivery of the partie but they haue not power with authoritie to charge the uncleane spirit the Church in her infancie had some extraordinary gifts which are now ceased as to speake tongues to cure the sicke to cast out Devils and to kill as Peter did Ananias and Saphira Act. 5.5 to strike blind as Paul did Elymas the sorcerer Act. 13.11 God never withdrawes from hi◠Church gifts which are simply good Those gifts which are the best gifts God never withdraweth them from his Church altogether but other gifts which are not simply the best gifts he withdraweth them example to speake diverse Languages was a gift profitable for the planting of the Church at the first but yet it was not simplie necessary Paul said he had rather speake fiue words in a knowne tongue than ten thousand words in an unknowne tongue 1 Cor. 14.19 Those gifts which are most excellent and simply necessary in the Church he taketh not away I shew unto you a more excellent way 1 Cor. 12.31 And the Lord hath turned these gifts into more excellent gifts Ioh. 14.12 He that beleeveth in me the workes that I doe shall he doe also and greater workes than these shall he doe When Christ was here bodily present with his Disciples his bodily presence was not so comfortable to them as his spirituall presence so when he was present by miracles signes and wonders in the Primitiue Church this was but a bodily presence in respect of his spirituall presence with us now when the LORD wrought these miracles then it was either to convict the Infidels or to strengthen the faith of the weak ones these miracles were signes not to them that beleeue Why miracles were wrought but to them that beleeue not 1 Cor. 14.22 When Paul healed the father of Publius the Consull of a Fever he healed him by a miracle and made him presently to arise Act. 28.8 but he healed not Timothy that way but seemeth rather to play the Physitian to him bidding him drinke no longer water but wine 1 Tim. 5.23 What was the reason of this Timothy beleeved therefore he needed not a miracle but the father of Publius beleeved not he was an Infidell as yet and therefore a miracle was more necessary for him He walketh through dry places That is he counteth all other places but deserts in respect of his former habitation Seeking rest and findeth none Satan hath three places Three places of Satan first his place of pleasure secondly his place of wandring and thirdly his place of torment his place of pleasure is an uncleane soule in which he delighteth to wallow his place of wandring is when he goeth about compassing the earth too fro seeking whom he may devout and his place of torment is hell Satan is tormented now when he is in his place of pleasure and in his place of wandring but his full torment is not come Art thou come hither to torment us before the time Mat. 8.29 The childe of God hath three places So the childe of God hath three places his place of pleasure as Psal 84.1 How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts my soule longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord so he hath his place of griefe Woe is me that I sojourne in Mesech that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar Psal 120.5 and he hath his place of joy in the Heavens The spirits haue their rest And findeth none Spirits haue their rest they are not like quick-silver which hath principium motus in se sed non quietis but they haue principium motus quietis the soule resteth when it is delighted as the bodie resteth when it lyeth or sitteth Satans rest is sinne but this is a restlesse rest the true rest of the soule is God onely When the soule resteth therefore David said returne my soule to thy rest Psal 116.7 When the soule is not set upon God the right object Simile then it is extra centrum and as the Needle
EXERCITAT VII Of the divers wayes how God revealed himselfe extraordinarily to his church p. 43 EXERCITAT VIII Of the necessity of the Word written p. 61 EXERCITAT VIIII Of the singular prerogatives which the secretaries of the holy Ghost had who wrote the Scriptures p. 65 EXERCITAT IX Arguments proving the Scriptures to be divine p. 76 EXERCITAT X. In what language the Scriptures were written p. 88 EXERCITAT XI Of the style of the Scriptures p. 101 EXERCITAT XII That the Hebrew Text is not corrupted p. 109 EXERCITAT XIII That no canonicall booke is perished p. 117 EXERCITAT XIIII That the points were not originally with the Letters from the beginning p. 124 EXERCITAT XV. Of the meanes which God hath used to make the Scriptures plaine unto us as Of Translation of Scriptures p. 131 Of the Translation of the Seventy p. 143 Of the Vulgar Latine translation p. 152 Of paraphrasing of Scriptures p. 158 Of interpretation of Scriptures p. 162 EXERCITAT XVI Of the division of the Scriptures p. 163 EXERCITAT XVII Of the division of the Psalmes p. 166 Of the inscriptions of the Psalmes p. 168 EXERCITAT XVIII Of the division of the Law in haphtaroth and parashoth p. 173 EXERCITAT XIX Of the sense of the Scriptures p. 177 The Table of the places of Scripture cleared in this Booke the first number sheweth the Chapters the second the Verse and the third the Page Genesis ca. ver pag. 2 24 161 3 1 138  21 160 4 26 159 9 4 41 12 5 161 22 17 133 31 4 92 32 26 160  32 40 34 30 103 36 24 86 37 7 48 47 25 125 48 7 106  17 4   5 40 3 161  37 Ibid Exod. 1 8 130 3 2 44 4 24 Ibid 10 17 103 11 5 29  10 2  12 2 12 11 134  34 1 13 19 160 16 15 134 17 27 50 21 8 128 24 8 180  9 146 28 30 51  43 89 31 12 113   114   115 33 13 28 Leviticus 5 1 103 7 27 41 17 7 45 19 23 35 Numbers 16 30 138 19 20 103 21 14 120 24 3 139 20 11 167  55 55 27 21 45 Deutero 4 27 103 11 12 2 16 3 2 22 4 103 25 16 161 37 26 134 20 11 80 Ioshua 8 12 128 13 22 138 14 15 137 Iudg. 7 15 162 16 17 70 20 18 54  23 56 1 Sam. 6 6 134 14 19 55  37 54 15 4 161 16 6 69 18 10 74 20 20 182 21 25 103 23 2 54  9 Ibid  12 52 26 12 27   48 28 8 50 2 Sam. 3 29 71 5 33 53 6 6 134 7 12 182  19 Ibid 2 43 27 23 8 137  10 27 1 King 3 5 62 4 32 120  29 26  33 120 10 18 30  22 31 21 20 55 22 35 103  49 128 2 King 4 27 68 8 10 128 9 11 73 18 26 92 1 Chron. 3 5 88 11 11 137 13 3 53  36 166 17 2 69 29 29 121 2 Cron. 29 30 167 33 19 122 Ezra 2 63 59 4 2 128 Nehem. 7 65 59 8 8 124 Esth 9 32 99 10 2 78 Iob. 4 6 104  18 140 12 20 101 13 1 47 23 9 160 24 20 29 28 28 22 Psal 7 12 105 14 10 Ibid 18 42 127 22 12 179 41 13 166 45 1 72  2 32 47 30 166 74 3 103 78 25 2 81 5 93 86 13 138 103 7 28 114 1 39 116 6 138 118 19 169  22 ibid  25 ibid 119 9 6  16 169 121 1 ibid  8 29 137 2 119 Prover 1 4 138  22 Ibid 4 3 130 13 23 51 16 10 57 19 7 128 23 26 128 25 1 121 31 4 128  29 5 Eccles 3 4 128 7 22 38 12 12 74 Cant. 4 5 159 Esay 3 2 138 6 1 47 6 9 184 8 1 79   118 10 8 65  19 103 19 18 8 24 5 39 29 11 89 38 1 55 39 21 107 41 22 79 42 15 11 62 11 186 Iere. 10 11 84 15 1 164  19 68 31 15 183  39 128 36 2 73  17 74 39 3 97 40 1 107 47 15 103 51 3 129 Ezek. 3 27 44 12 16 103 13 9 27 28 3 31 33 35 41 Dan. 7 9 46 8 17 47  27 44 5 25 89 Hose 1 1 75 2 16 37 4 11 113 9 7 71 Ioel. 2 28 49 Ionah 3 4 55 4 6 135 Mich. 3 6 58 Nahum 3 8 135 Habak 2 2 118 Zeph. 3 8 110 Hagg. 1 8 58 2 9 59 Zach. 9 9 186 11 24 103 12 10 113 Matth. 1 1 82  5 97 2 23 165 5 4 136  29 179 6 23 117 7 1 179  12 33  16 31  25 136 10 16 138 11 11 103 13 25 139 19 24 96 21 41 38 22 37 31  40 165 26 26 180  30 170  39 103 27 46 123 Mark 5 4 134 14 3 139 16 5 46 Luk. 10 11 167 11 7 161 13 36 179 18 12 176 Iohn 1 5 99  9 39  18 44  29 103 3 12 88 7 37 174 8 17 110 9 24 186 10 1 100  35 83 13 18 186 17 3 21 19 39 183 20 28 4 Act. 2 4 70 3 16 26  24 164 6 9 138 7 27 27 8 32 137 9 2 96 13 8 132  15 162 15 21 42 16 10 162 19 9 139  23 136 21 4 69 Rom. 9 21 103 12 20 179 14 23 37 1 Cor. 8 9 183 13 1 2 14 11 131 2 Cor. 7 8 69 8 15 188 10 10 110 Gala. 1 12 65 2 14 70 3 10 134 6 6 21 Ephes 1 4 79 3 8 8 26 20 8 5 13 56 Philip. 2 25 136 Colos 2 16 174 1 Thess 2 13 76 4 4 103 1 Timot. 5 23 9 2 Timot. 1 15 168 4 20 67 Heb. 7 2 90  17 16 10 28 60 11 22 116 12 21 44 Iames. 4 6 83 9 4 135 2 Pet. 1 19 67  21 68 5 3 137 1 Ioh. 2 16 13 Iud.  9 96 Revel 1 14 49 15 3 172 18 3 104 22 1 3 A Table of the chiefe Hebrew words explained in this Booke × ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 41 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 58 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 56 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 27 ב ב 75 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 161 × ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 99 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 87 ×— 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 demonst 51 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 locate 138 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 171 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 86 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 140 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 172 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 102 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 168 ×– 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
we touch the needle of the compasse with a Loadstone that the stone may draw it right to the pole againe So the mind must be touched with the Loadstone of the Spirit of grace that it may come backe againe to the Lord as to the pole EXERCITAT VI. Of the seven Precepts given to Noah Act. 15.20 We write unto them that they abstaine from things strangled and from blood BEfore the Law was written the Hebrewes say that the Lord gave to Noah seven Precepts which were delivered of Noah by tradition to his posterity after him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these the Iewes call pirke abhoth capitula patrum the traditions of the fathers The most ancient first tradition that we reade of was that Gen. 32.32 because Iacob halted upon his thigh therefore the children of Israel eate not of the sinew which shranke which is upon the hollow of the thigh unto this day So were these seven precepts delivered by tradition The first was against strange worship or idolatry 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they should not worship false gods and this they called gnabhuda zar◠strange worship The second they called it gnal birkath hashem that is they should blesse the name of God The third was gnal shepukoth dammim that is he was forbidden to shed innocent blood The fourth was gnalui gniria that is he should not defile himselfe with filthy lusts The fift was gnad hagazael de rapina that he should take nothing by violence or theft The sixt was gnal hadinim de judiciis The seventh was abhar min achai ne menbrum de vivo that he should not pull a member from a living creature and eate of it This precept they say was given last to Noah Gen. 9.4 but the flesh with the life thereof which is the blood thereof shall yee not eate that is How this precept of Noah not to eate blood is to be understood as the Iewes interpret it yee shall not pull a member from a living creature eate of it as the wild beast doth but to stay untill the beast be killed and then eate the flesh thereof neyther shall ye eate the blood while it is hot as if it were yet in the body this is cruelty against a morall precept to eate hot blood while the life is in it Where the reason of the Law is perpetuall the Law is perpetuall for where the reason of the Law is perpetuall the Law must be perpetuall The reason of the Law is ye shall not eate blood because the life is in it so long as the life is in it yee must not eate it and see how this sinne Ezek. 33.35 is matched with other great sinnes Yee eate with the blood and lift up your eyes towards your Idols and shed blood and shall yee possesse the land The morall transgressions of the Law joyned with it here sheweth that it is cruelty to eate hot blood But Levit. 7.27 was the ceremoniall part of the Law and the Apostles in the councill Act. 15. forbiddeth them to eate any thing that was strangled whereby they meant the ceremoniall part of the Law Quest Whether are we to take these precepts as ceremoniall or as morrall Answ The most of these are morrall precepts and the same which are set downe againe in the Law For when the Apostles biddeth them abstaine from fornication Act. 15. See Beza Act. 15. It is the same that is forbidden in the fourth precept given to Noah not revelare turpitudinem and to interpret here fornication for eating of things sacrificed to Idols seemeth to be a strained sense for that is forbidden already by the first precept to Noah And to uncover the nakednesse according to the phrase of the Scripture is meant of bodily pollution and not of spirituall fornication Of eating of blood see more in the appendix of Command 6. Now besides these morrall precepts set downe by the councill they interlace this ceremoniall precept de suffocato forbidding to eate things strangled and they give the reason wherefore the Gentiles should abstaine from these Act. 15.21 For Moyses is read in their Synagogues every Sabbath Why the Apostles forbid to eate blood or things strangled as if Iames should say they professe not onely the morrall Law but also the ceremoniall Law yet therefore yee Gentiles shall doe well to abstaine from these things which may give them offence The Iewes respected these precepts most because they were kept in the Church even from Noahs dayes The Hebrewes adde further that there was no other precept given untill Abrahams dayes then God added the precept of circumcision and afterwards taught them to separate tithes God at the beginning taught his Church by tradition and not by write The Lord taught his Church in her infancie this wayes by traditions and not be write and even as parents teach their children the first elements by word Simile and afterwards by write so the Lord taught his Church first by word and then by write Conclusion The conclusion of this is The Lord never left his Church without his word to direct her before the fall he spake immediatly to Adam and Eve taught them In the second period he taught them by these seven precepts In the third period by the Law written and in the fourth period by the Gospel EXERCITAT VII Of the diverse wayes how God revealed himselfe extraordinarily to his Church Heb. 1.1 God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets GOd manifested himselfe to his Church God revealed himselfe to his Church foure wayes first by prophesie secondly by the holy Spirit thirdly by Vrim and Thummim and fourthly by the poole Bethesda First by prophesie Sundry sorts of prophecie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There were sundry sorts of prophecie the first was lepi face to face to Moyses onely This sort of prophesie was the highest degree of revelation and it drew nearest to that sort of vision which we shall get of God in the heavens He manifested himselfe to Moyses face to face How the Lord manifested himselfe to Moses and hee knew him by his name that is not onely by the face as Princes know many of their Subjects but he knew him inwardly and liked him this was notitia approbationis Moyses saw God face to face yet he saw not the essence of God for hee dwelleth in a light inaccessable Iohn saw Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohn saw God three manner of wayes First in his incarnation he saw God dwelling amongst men in the flesh here Secondly in his transfiguration upon the Mount Thirdly in the Spirit upon the Lords day Rev. 1.10 Although Iohn lay in the bosome of Christ and
whole worke but this may bee much more sayd of the Scriptures of God which have such a dependance and connexion that if yee take away but one verse the whole shall be marred Ob. But it may be sayd that there are sentences which seeme not to cohere or agree fitly together Gen. 48.7 And as for me when I came from Padan Rachel died by me in the Land of Canaan in the way when there was but yet a little way to come to Ephrath and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath the same is Bethlehem Vers 8. And Israel beheld Iosephs sonnes How doth this cohere with that which goeth before it would seeme that there is no dependance here Ans They cohere well enough with the words going before How sentences in the Scripture seeming to disagree cohere very well for Iacob had adopted two of Iosephs children then hee giveth the reason of this adoption in these words as if he should say whereas I might have had moe children by my first wife Rachel if shee had lived it is great reason that I supply this defect in her by placing some in sted of these children which she might have borne to me and I adopt those thy sonnes since she is dead The second place which seemeth to have no coherence with things going before Esa 39.21 Take a lumpe of sigges and lay it for a plaister unto the boyle and he shall recover vers 22. Ezekias also had sayd what is the signe that I shall goe up into the house of the Lord. What coherence is betwixt these words and the words going before There is a right coherence here and hee setteth downe that last which was first for brevities cause which is more at large set downe in the booke of the Kings and therefore Iunius translateth it well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vajo ner In plusquam perfecto Esay had sayd Ier. 40.1 Object The word which came to Ieremiah from the Lord c. Answ The words following seeme not to cohere with the former The beginning of the fortieth Chapter with the seventh Verse of the fortiesecond Chapter and these things which are insert betweene them doe containe but the occasion of the prophesie to wit when Godoliah was killed the rest of the Iewes would have gone into Aegypt which Ieremiah forbiddeth them to doe And it came to passe ten dayes after Chap. 42. 7 c. This should be joyned with the first Verse of the fortieth Chapter and all the rest should be included in a parenthesis As we have spoken of the stile of the Scripture in generall so let us observe the stile of some of the writers in particular Esayes stile differed much from the stile of Amos he being a Courtiour and he but a Neat-herd So the stile of Ezekiel differed from the stile of the rest of the Prophets he calleth himselfe The Sonne of man not because it is a Chaldee phrase but because of the excellent visions which he saw therefore he is called the Sonne of man that is an excellent man as Iesus Christ in the New Testament is called The Son of man that is an excellent man So this is peculiar to Iohn the Evangelist to call Christ the Sonne of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Chaldees and the Talmud usually call him so Iohn opposed himselfe to Ebion and Cerinthus two Iewes who denyed the divinity of Christ wherefore he hath usually the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Ioh. 7.5 which was frequent in the Chaldee paraphrast and read often by the Iewes So there are some things peculiar to Paul for hee useth some words according to the manner of the speech in Tarshish and Cilicia as Collos 2.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their language signifieth insidiose alteri praeripere palmam So 1 Cor. 4.3 Mans day according to the phrase of Tarshish is put for the time of judgement because they had some appointed times for judgement Conclusion The Conclusion of this is here we may admire the wisedome of God who gave most excellent gifts to his Secretaries for the edification of his Church Moses was a man of a slow speech God gave excellent gifts to his Secretaries for the good of his Church and of a slow tongue and Aaron must be his spokesman Exod. 4. Yet Moyses was mighty in words and deeds Act. 7.22 It is sayd of Paul that his bodily presence was weake but his letters were weighty 2 Cor. 10.11 By his preaching he converted many from Ierusalem to Illiricum Rom. 15.19 but by his letters hee converted moe Paul converted moe by his writing than by his preaching both in Europe Africa and Asia such was the majesty and grace in his writing that they acknowledged it to be from the Lord. EXERCITAT XII That the Hebrew Text is not corrupted Psal 119.140 Thy word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it THe Church of Rome The Church of Rome maketh the vulgar Latin translation to be canonicall that they may advance the authority of the vulgar Latine translation which they have made canonicall doe labour to disgrace the originall Text the Hebrew and Greeke Controvers 1. Gordonij cap. 9. holding that they are corrupt in many things Master Iames Gordon our Country man observeth foure distinct periods of time The first period he maketh to bee the Iewes Synagogue before Christ came in the flesh he granteth that all this time the Hebrew Text was not corrupted by the Iewes The second period of time he maketh to be from the ascension of Christ untill the dayes of Hierome and Augustine and he saith that in this second period the Iewes went about to corrupt the translation of the Seventy because the Christians then began to use arguments taken out of that translation against them as Iustine Martyr testifieth writing against Tripho The third period he maketh to be after the death of Saint Hierome untill the time that the Talmud was composed and set together and then he saith there arose great contention betwixt the Orientall and Occidentall Iewes the Orientall Iewes were those who dwelt upon the East side of Euphrates in Babylon Media Persia What Iewes were called orientall and what occidentall those Peter called the Church at Babylon 1 Pet. 5.13 The Occidentall Iewes were those to whom he wrote Scattered abroad in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia 1 Pet. 1.1 because of the diversity of their reading and corruptions in the Text. He saith that the Iewes met at Tiberias Anno 508. and there set downe the Points and made their Masora to obviat this that no more corruption should enter into the Text. The fourth period he maketh to be after the Iewes had met at Tiberias they decreed that none should use any copy but such as were corrected by the Masoreth and so from this time he freeth the Text from corruption but hee laboureth much to prove that the Hebrew Text was corrupt before and that
can he be thought to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a hunter of new words for this So Nahum 3.8 Art thou better than No. But Hierome translateth it art thou better than Alexandria because in his time No was called Alexandria being built anew by Alexander 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pigmenta oratoria the flowing speeches of Orators A Translatour must not use a great circuite of words or the floorishing speeches of Rhetoricke in his translation Simile for as men pouring wine out of one Vessel into another take heede that the vent bee not too great for then the wine would corrupt So the Translator if he take too much liberty to himselfe he may corrupt the sense Words that are transeunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passing and received in all languages should not be translated as Sabbath Amen Halleluia Hosanna So Iam. 5.4 and the cryes of them which have reaped Simile are entred into the eares of the Lord of Sabbath For as some sort of coine passeth in all countries so doe some words Secondly some words which come not originally from the Hebrew but from the Greeke yet they should be kept still untranslated as Phylacterie Many Latine words made Greeke in the new Testament Tetrach and such There are many Latine words which are made Greeke in the New Testament and these are to bee translated For as Daniel borrowed some words from the Ionians who dwelt in Asia minor and made Chaldee words of them as sabucha from sambucha an instrument which they played upon Latin words which are made Greeke should be translated Angaria a Persicke word made Greeke Matth. 5.41 So Gazophylacium all these should be translated So the Latine words which are made Greeke should bee translated as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Census Matth. 17.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Centurio quadrans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 5.26 So Colonia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 16.12 So custodia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 26. So Legio linteum Macellum membrana modius praetorium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 27. sudarium Luk. 19.20 Spiculator Matth. 6.27 Semicinctum Act. 19.12 and Sicarius Act. 21.38 All these should bee translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Words appropriate should not be translated to any other use but unto the use to which they are appropriated Example Rachab received into her house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Translator cannot translate it Angels because that word is appropriated to the blessed Angels but Messengers Example 2. Phil. 2.25 Epaphroditus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Translator cannot translate it your Apostle for that word is appropriated to the the Apostles but your Messenger So Act. 19.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Translator cannot translate it The Church was confused because this word Church is appropriated to the meeting of the Saints of God for his worship but onely The assembly was confused Words not appropriate should not be appropriate So words not appropriat should not bee appropriat as the Church of Rome doe appropriat this word Synagoga to the Old Testament and Ecclesia to the New Testament but Synagoga is sayd of the Church of the New Testament and Synagoga Ecclesia are promiscuusly taken So this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should not be translated Gods Cleargie but Gods inheritance 1 Pet. 5.3 This word which is common to all Gods people should not be appropriated to a few Words that are degenerate Words degenerate should not be used in a translation we cannot use them in a translation Example 1 Cor. 14.16 He that occupieth the roome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it cannot be translated Idiot here unlesse we would begge them for fooles but Vnlearned So the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a degenerate word in our language and taken in an evill sense we cannot translate it the Magitians came from the East Vide Rainoldum contra Hart. but the Wise men came from the East Matth. 2.1 So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should not bee translated Priest for the word Priest now is taken for a sacrifycing Preist and God himselfe would not be called Baal but ishi because Baal was a word degenerate and given to Idols Hos 2. So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the first was he that had the charge of the corne which the Latines called Epulo but now both are degenerate So should not a degenerate word be used in a translation Words that are proper should not be translated as appellatives or contra 2 Sam. 23.8 Words that are proper are not to be translated as appellatives The Tachmonite that sat in the seate cheefe amongst the Captaines this same was Hadino the Eznite but 1 Chro. 11.11 Iashobeam an Hachmonite the cheefe of the Captaines he lift up his Speare against three hundred It was a proper name of a man as we may see 1 Chro. 27.2 And therefore should not be translated he sate in judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gratum erat huic hastaeto So Adino and Eznite are not proper names but are to be translated thus His delight was to lift up his speare against three hundred So Iosh 14.15 The Vulgar translation hath it thus This is Adam who was buried amongst foure Adam here is an appellative name and not proper therefore the article He 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put before it Secondly he addeth Situs est which is not in the originall Thirdly he translateth Arba Four which is a proper name here and hence came that fable that foure men and their wives are buried there Adam and Eve Abraham and Sara Isaac and Rebekah and Iacob and Lea. So Act. 19.9 Schola Tyranni cannot be translated in the Schoole of a Tyrant but In the Schoole of Tyrannus because it is not an appellative but a proper name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Words that are Mediae significationis a Translator must take heed how he translateth thē Example 1. Esa 3. 2. I will take away your Kosem from you The Translator cannot translate it here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your Soothsayer but your Prudent So Ioshu 13.22 Balaam also the sonne of Beor the Kosem did the children of Israel slay It cannot be translated Balaam the Prudent but Balaam the Soothsayer Another example gnarum is called subtile or craftie and also prudent or wise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 3.1 the Serpent was gnarum it cannot be translated More wise than any beast of the field but More craftie and Prov. 1.4 It cannot bee sayd to give Subtiltie but Wisedome to the simple So Matth. 10.16 It cannot be sayd be yee Craftie as Serpents but Wise as Serpents Vide Simeon de Muis in Psal 9. A third example Sheol signifieth both the grave and hell when it is set downe without He locale then it ever signifieth the grave 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 locale but when He locale is put to it and the godly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
men Psal 101. when hee entred to his kingdome 144. So a Psalme to his Sonne Salomon when hee was to succeed into the kingdome Psal 72. Lastly Psalmi alphabetici some Psalmes are divided according to the Letters of the Alphabet as Psal 25.134.111.112.119.145 These Psalmes were distinguished by the Letters that they might keepe them the better in their memories and as Matthew summeth up the genealogie of Christ into three foureteene generations for the memories cause So these Psalmes are set downe after the order of the Alphabet to helpe the memory Psal 25 wanteth three Letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 111. every verse hath two letters of the Alphabet and the two last verses have three letters to make up the Alphabet So Psal 112. hath the letters after the same manner The 119. is distinguished by the letters of the Alphabet and here yee shall see that every Section as it beginneth with the letter so all the verses of that section began with that same letter as the first Section beginneth with × therefore all the eight verses in the first Section begin with × c. So Psal 145. Is set downe after the order of the Alphabet The Syriak Arabick Seventy and vulgar Latin adde this verse to Psalme 145. and make it the 4. verse but it wanteth the Letter × Here some goe about to prove by this that the originall Copie is defective and therefore the Arabicke translation addeth a verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fideiis dominus in omninus verbis suis benigbutin omnibus operibus suis so doe the Seventy and the Vulgar Latine but if it be defective here why doe they not supply a verse likewise in Psal 34. where ו is defective in the Alphabet we are not to thinke that there is any defect in the matter because these letters of the Alphabet are wanting for the Lord fitted these letters to the matter onely and not the matter to the letters and because the holy Ghost hath not set downe the matter here therefore the Letter × is left out but not this wayes because the Letter × is wanting here therefore the letter is wanting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The five last Psalmes begin with Halleluia and end with it because they are the conclusion and summe of the whole praises of God So the Church in the revelation concludeth after the victory with the same words Reve. 19.1 Alleluia salvation and glory and honour and power unto the Lord our God Conclusion The Conclusion of this is the Psalmes are generally intituled Tehilim praises from the most excellent part of them Therefore our chiefe care should bee to praise God here in this life and then in the life to come we shall sing the song of Moyses the servant of God and the song of the Lambe Reve. 15.3 EXERCITAT Of the division of the Law and the Prophets in parashoth and haphtaroth Act. 15.21 For Moyses of old time had in every City them that preach him being read in their Synagogues every Sabbath day THe Scriptures were not divided into Chapters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we have them now divided therefore the Iewes say that the whole Law is Instar vnius pesuk that is but as one verse The Old Testament was divided into parashoth and Haphtaroth this division into parashoth was most ancient Act. 8.32 The place of Scripture which he read was this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Section and the Syriacke calleth it pasuka They distinguished not these parashoth and haphtaroth by numbers as we doe our Chapters they sayd not the first parashah the second parashah but they distinguish them by the first words of the Section as the first parashah is called Bereshith the second Elle toledoth Noah c. They used to divide and distinguish these great parashoth and haphtaroth three wayes First they distinguished them with three great P P P. Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they distinguished them with three great Samechs as Gen. 20.10 these Samechs or Semucheth make not so great a distinction as when they are distinguished by three great P P P 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for there is some coherence whch they are distinguished by Samech with that which goeth before So in the particular parashoth when yee see them distinguished by parashah or by Semuchah but onely with great letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Gen. 32.2 this word vaijshlahh beginneth the parashah in great letters Ioh. 7.37 In the last day that great day of the feast Iesus stood and cryed saying c. This was the eight day of the feast of the Tabernacles They read three sections upon the eight day of the feast of tabernacles when the Law was ended and it is called the great Sabbath This day they kept Festum laetitiae legis The feast of joy because they ended the reading of the Law that day and the next Sabbath they called it Sabbath bereshith because they began to reade the booke of Genesis againe And yee shall see that this day they read three Haphtaroth or Sections 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first was haphtaroth elle pekudi lejom sheni shel Succoth and it began 1 King 7.51 So was ended all the words which King Salomon made c. And that day Salomon stood up and blessed the people So the true Salomon Iesus Christ blessed the people In that great and last day of the feast The second haphtarah which was read this day was Iosh 1. haphtaroth shimhhath torah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sectio laetitiae legis because the Law was ended and Ioshua began the Prophets The third parashah which they read was Malac. 3. Haphtaroth sabbath hagadol 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it ended thus Behold I will send you Eliah the Prophet and so they joyned the last Section of the Law and the last Section of the Prophets both together and it was in this day that Iesus Christ stood up and spake to them the true Salomon the true Ioshua the end of the Law and the Prophets And whereas the Iewes on this day delighted themselves much with banqueting and drinke Iesus Christ calleth all those to him who thirst and he promiseth to refresh them If any man thirst let him come unto me and drinke Scaliger holdeth that the Apostle Coloss 2.16 Let no man Iudge you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in parte Sabbathi In Elencho trihares cap. 21. pag. 217. signifieth that which the Hebrewes call Parashah and which the Talmud calleth Perek or Chelek or which the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Apostle meaneth onely here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he would not have the Iewes to condemne the Colossians for not observing their Iewish Sabbaths as he would have the Gentiles to abstaine from things strangled and blood Act. 15.29 That they might not give offence to the weake Iewes The