the Reformed Church with one consent admit this Epistle for Canonicall Vide Polani Syntagma I light upon an old Dutch Testament of Luthers Translation saith Wâ—itaker against Raynolds with his preface wherein he writeth that JAmes his Epistle is not so worthy as are the Epistles of St Peter and Paul but in respect of them a strawen Epistle his censure I mislike and himselfe I thinke afterwards seeing these words in a latter edition are left out It is nowhere found in Luthers workes that he called the Epistle of JAmes inanem stramineam Edmund Campian was convicted of falshood about that in England where when he had objected that he could finde no such thing at any time in the Bookes he produced Some in the preface of the German edition say that Luther wrote that it cannot contend in dignity with the Epistles of Paul and Peter but is strawie if it be compared with them Which judgement of Luther we approve not of and it is hence manifest that it was disliked by him because these words are found in no other edition from the yeere 1526. Luthers disciples now hold that it is Canonicall and Apostolicall and they answer the arguments of those that are opposite thereto as we may see in the exposition of that Article concerning the Scripture by that most learned and diligent man John Gerard. Gravitatem ac zelum Apostolicum per omnia prae se fert saith Walther We may reply against the Papists who often object this opinion of Luthers that Cajetan their Cardinall denieth the Epistle to the Hebrews to be Canonicall yea which is far worse he affirmeth that the Authour thereof hath erred not onely in words but in the sence and meaning of the Scriptures Nay Cajetan saith Whitaker rejected JAmes second of Peter and second and third of John and Jude It consists of five Chapters Pareus and Laurentius have done best on it First of Peter This Epistle is called in the Title Catholicall because it is not written to any one person as that of Paul to Timothy Titus and Philemon nor to any one particular Church as those of Paul to the Romans Corintâ—s but to the converted of the Jewes dispersed here and there as appeares by the inscription It consists of five Chapters Gerhard Laurentius Gomarus and Dr Ames have expounded both these Epistles Bifield hath interpreted part of the first Epistle Second of Peter Some in the Primitive Church doubted of its authority and the Syriack hath it not but the Church generally allowed it and many reasons may perswade that it is Apostolicall and was written by Peter 1. Because the Authour of It expresly calleth himselfe Simon Peter the Apostle of Jesus Christ. He wrote it in his old age to confirme them in the doctrine which before he had taught them 2. It s inscription is to the same Jewes that the former viz. dispersed by the Romane Empire and converted to Christ whose Apostle Peter was 3. It shewes an Apostolicall spirit 4. It s stile and composition is agreeable to the former Epistle 5. The Authour of this Epistle witnesseth that he was a Spectator of the transfiguration in the mount Chap. 1. v. 16. now Peter together with JAmes and John were present with Christ. 6. He makes mention of the Former Epistle Chap. 3. v. 1. 7. He cals Paul his deare brother Chap. 3. v. 15. It consists of three Chapters First of John consists of five Chapters Second and third of John They were also in times past doubted of by some as Erasmus Cajetan but there are good reasons to prove them Canonicall 1. Their Authour cals himselfe an Elder so doth Peter 1 Pet. 5. 1. by which name an Ecclesiasticall office is often signified but here age rather now it is manifest that John came to a greater age then the rest of the Apostles 2. The salutation is plainly Apostolicall Grace mercy and peace 3. In sentences and words they agree with the first Epistle 4. The Fathers alledge them for Johns and reckon them among the Canonicall bookes Each of these Epistles is but a Chapter Jude This Epistle also in times past was questioned by some but that it is Apostolicall first the inscription shews the Author expresly cals him a servant of Christ and brother of JAmes 2. The matter it agreeth both for words and sentences with the second of Peter of which it containes as it were a briefe sum and recapitulation That the writer of the Epistle doth not call himselfe an Apostle is of no moment to infringe the authority thereof for the judgement of the writer is free in that case that Title was specially used by Paul and Peter JAmes and John quit the same Title yea Paul in his Epstles to the Philippians Thessalonians and Philemon doth not call himselfe an Apostle and yet those Epistles were never doubted of It is but one Chapter Willet and Mr Perkins have done well upon it Revelation It is called according to the Greeke Apocalyps and according to the Latine Revelation that is a discovery or manifestation of things which before were hidden and secret for the common good of the Church Eusebius l. 3. c. 17. saith Domitian cast John the Evangelist into a fornace of scalding Oyle but when he saw he came forth unhurt he banished him into the Isle Pathmos where he writ this Revelation This booke describeth the state of the Church from the time of John the last of the Apostles untill Christs comming againe and especially the proceedings pride and fall of Babylon the great whore with all the Kingdomes of Antichrist The holy Ghost therefore foreseeing what labour Satan and his instruments would take to weaken and impaire the credit and authority of this above all other Bookes wherein he prevailed so far as some true Churches called the truth and authority of it into question hath backed it with a number of confirmations more then are in any other Booke of Scripture First the Authour of it is set in the forefront or face of it the Revelation of Jesus Christ Chap. 1. vers 1. who professeth himselfe to be the first and the last vers 11. so in the severall Epistles to the Churchs in severall stiles he challengeth them to be his Thus saith he 1. that holdeth the seven starres in his right hand 2. He which is first and last which was dead and is alive 3. Which hath the sharpe two edged Sword 4. Which hath eyes like a flame of fire and his feete like brasse 5. Which hath the seven Spirits of God and the seven starres 6. He who is holy and true who hath the key of David 7. He who is Amen the faithfull and true witnesse the beginning of the creatures of God Secondly the instrument or pen-man his servant John the Evangelist the Apostle the Divine who for the farther and more full authority of it repeateth his
15. 1. Heb. 8. 11. Iâ—hn 14. 26. and by intellâ—ctuall visions Num. 12. 6. to the phantasie God revealed his will by imaginary visions to Prophets awake and by dreames to Prophets asleepe Gen. 40. 8. 41. 8 9. Acts 16. 10 10. 3. Num. 14. 4. to the senses God revealed his will and that either by vision to the eye or lively voyce to the Eare Gen. 3 9. 4. 6. 15. 4 5. Exod. 20. 1 2. 3. 1 2 3 33. 17. And Lastly by writing This Revelation was sometimes immediate by God himselfe after an unspeakable manner or by meanes viz. Angels Vrim Thummim Prophets Christ himselfe and his Apostles The written word forthematter contained in it is called the word of God Rom 9. 6. for the manner of Record the Scripture John 10. 35. 2 Tim. 3. 16. 1 Pet. 2. 6. or Scriptures Matthew 22. 29. John 5. 39. Romans 15. 4. 2. Pet. 3. 16. By an Antonomasie or an excellency of phrase as the most worthy writings that ever saw the light Sometimes with an Epithite the holy Scriptures Rom. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 3. 15. the Sâ—riptures of the Prophets Rom. 16. 26 Some thinke thâ—t Enoch the seventh from Alâ—m wrote but Jude 6. 14. speakâ—th onely of his prophesying which might rather be by word of mouth then writing because our Saviour citing Scripture ever gives the first place to Moses and undertaking by the Scriptures to prove himselfe to be the Messiah that he ought to suffer began at Moses Luke 24. 27. No doubt if there had beene any more ancient then Moses our Saviour would have alleadged it because all the Scripture that was before him was to give testimony of him Of the authority of the Scripture The Author of the Scriptures was God himselfe they came from him in a speciall and peculiar manner commonly called inspiration which is an act of Gods Spirit immediately imprinting or infusing those notions into their braines and those phrases and words by which the notions were uttered 2 Tim. 4. 16. All Scripture is given by Divine inspiration or by inspiration of God Prophesie came not of old time by the will of men but holy men of God spake as they were moved or carried by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 21. They did not write these things of their own heads but the Spirit of God did move and worke them to it and in it 2 Sam. 23. 2. The Spirit of the Lord spake by me that is did immediately guide me and tell me what matter to utter and in what words Stephen saith they resisted the Holy Ghost when they did disobey the Scriptures The Holy Ghost by the mouth of David and the mouth of Esay spake Acts 1. 16. 28. 25. The Inscriptions of many Propheticall bookes and Epistles Apostolicall run thus The word of the Lord which â—ame to Hosea Amos Joel Paul Peter JAmes a servant of God and an Apostle of Christ. The proeme that is set before divers prophecies is this Thus saith the Lord and the Prophets inculcate that speech the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it because they would take off the thoughts of the people from their own persons and lift them up to consideration of God the chiefe author It is all one to say the Scripture saith Rom. 4. 3. 10. 11. 11. 2. Gal. 4. 30. 1 Tim. 5. 10. and God saith Rom 9. 25. Heb. 4. 3. 8. 5. 13. 5. and the word Scripture is put for God speaking in the Scripture the Scripture saith to Pharaoh Rom. 9. 7. and the Scripture hath shut up all men under sinne Galat. 3. 22. for which in another place God hath shut up Rom. 11. 32. All other disciplines were from God and every truth whosoever speaks it is from the holy Ghost but the Scripture in a singular manner is attributed to the Holy Ghost he immediately dictated it to the holy men of God The efficient principall cause then of the Scripture was God the ten Commandements of which most of the rest is an exposition were writen after a secret and unutterable manner by God himselfe therefore they are called the writings of God Exod. 32. 16. Secondly all the rest which was written though men were the instruments was done by his appoinment and assistance Exo. 17. 14. Esay 8. 1. Jer. 30. 2. The Scripture is often attributed to the holy Ghost as the Author and no mention is made of the Pen-men Heb. 10 15. The Prophets and Apostles were the Pen-men of the Scripture whose calling sending and inspiration was certainly divine for whatsoever they taught the Church of God or left in writing they learned not before in the Schooles 1 Cor. 2. 13. The Divine authority of thâ— word may be defined a certain dignity and excellency of the Scripture above all other sayings or writings whatsoever whereby it is perfectly true in word and sence it deserves credit in all sayings narrations of things past present and to come threatnings and promises and as superiour doth binde to obedience if it either forbid or command any thing 1 Tim. 1. 15. 2 Pet. 1. 19. John 5. 39. Heb. 6. 18. Rom. 1. 5. 2 Cor. 10. 5 6. 13. 3. 12. 12. Gal. 1. 1 12 13. though the things in mans judgement seem unlike or incredible or the Commandements hard and foolish to the carnall minde Hereticks have laboured to prove their corrupt and damnable opinions out of the Scripture and have received some bookes if not all as Divine The Turkes at this day so esteem the five books of Moses as they will kisse such patches of Paper as they finde having any part thereof written in the same Aristaeus an Heathen when he had determined to have disputed against Scripture confesseth that he was forbidden by God in a dreame Plato is termed Moses Atticus Moses speaking Greeke The holy Scripture in it selâ—e is Divine and Authenticall though no man in the world should so acknowledge it as the Sunne in it selfe were light though all the men in the world were blind and could not or would not see it but in respect of us it is Divine and Authenticall when it is acknowledged and esteemed so to be The Scripture is the word of God written by holy men as they were inspired by the holy Ghost divinely containing all Divine truth necessary to salvation for the edification and instruction of Gods Church thereunto and for the glory of God That the Scriptures were from God may appeare by reasons contained in or cleaving to the Scripture 1. From the excellency of their matter which is Heavenly the divine and supernaturall matter contained in it It telleth us of such things as doe farre exceed the reach of mans reason and which it was impossible for any man to counterfeit and faine and which being told are so correspondent to reason
that time of the writing of the new Testament did speake Syriacke and not Hebrew which language is mixt consisting of Hebrew and Chaldee therefore saith Whitaker it is more probable that Matthew and he which wrote the Epistle to the Hebrewes wrote in Greek because the Greeke tongue was not unknowne to the Jewes which were Hellenists Act. 6. 1. and other Apostles wrote in Greeke which wrote peculiarly to the Jewes as JAmes and Peter Matthaeum Hebraicè scripsisse convenit inter antiquos Citat Irenaeum Origenem Athanasium Epiphanium Chrysostomum Hieronymum Vossius de genere Christi dissertat Scripsit Haebraea lingua quiae praecipuè Judoeorum quos viva voce hactenus docuisset haberet rationem Id. ibid. vide Grotium in libros Evangel It was needfull that the Gospell should be written by many First for the certainty Secondly for the perfection of it Amongst all the Evangelists there is a Generall agreement and a speciall difference they all agree in the maine scope and Subject Christ they differ in the speciall argument and order All describe the life of Christ some more largely some more briefely some more loftily some more plainely yet because all were inspired by the same Spirit they all have equall authority The difference of Evangelists in some smaller matters proveth their consent in the greater to be the voyce of truth for had they conspired all together to have deceived the world they would in all things have more fully agreed The doctrine of the Covenant of grace is more plainly expounded the will of God and way to salvation more plentifully set down in the new Testament then ever it was in the daies of Moses or the Prophets and in these bookes of the new Testament all things are so established as to continue to the end so that we must not looke for any new revelation All these Bookes we receive as Canonicall because they are divine for matter and forme divinely inspired by God sanctified and given to the Church for their direction written by the Apostles or Apostolicall men sweetly consenting with other parts of holy Scripture and with themselves received alwaies by the greatest part of the Church of God They were written after the death of Christ by the direction of the holy Ghost the Apostles by lively voyce first preached because it was needfull that the doctrine of the Gospell should by their preaching as also by signes and wonders be confirmed against the contradictions and cavils of the Jewes and Gentiles and allowed by the assent of believers generally before it was committed to writing that we might be assured of the certainty of those things which were written These bookes are acknowledged Canonicall both by us and the Papists so that touching this matter there is no controversie between us and them The Epistles doubted of by some for a while were first the Epistle to the Hebrews the Epistle of JAmes the second Epistle of Peter the second and third Epistles of John the Epistle of Jude and the Revelation of which I shall treate more when I come to handle the bookes of the new Testament particularly The story of the woman taken in adultery hath met with very much opposition See Gregories preface to his notes upon some passages of Scripture Crojus defends the truth of it Observat. in nov Testam c. 17. Vide Seldeni uxorem Ebraicam c. 11. The inscriptions and titles prefixed before the Epistles are no part of holy Scripture written by the Apostles but added to the Epistles by some others The Subscriptions and Postscrips also of divers bookes are false counterfeit and erroneous not written by the Apostles but added afterward by the Scribes which copied out the Epistles The subscriptions of the latter Epistle to Timothy and also to Titus are supposititious they are neither found in the Syriacke nor in all Greeke copies nor yet in the vulgar Latin translation these additions were made some 100 yeeres after the Apostles The Canonicall Bookes of the new Testament are either Historicall Doctrinall or Propheticall 1. Historicall containing matters of fact the history of 1. Christ exhibited in the foure Evangelists or Gospels as they are stiled by God himselfe Marke 1. 1. Matthew Marke Luke and John so called because they containe a message of joy and gladnesse They all treate of one subject Christ Jesus incarnate most true Historians Luke 1. 2. John 21. 24. 2. His Apostles in the Acts written by Luke thirty yeeres after Christs ascention so termed of the principall subject of the History though the acts of others not Apostles are there recorded Dogmaticall or Doctrinall such as were written by the Apostles for the instruction of the Church of God in faith and manners commonly called Epistles and that by warrant of the Scriptures 1 Thess. 5. 27. 2 Pet. 3. 1. 16. because they were sent to them who had already received and professed the Gospell of God These are 21. written 1. By Paul 1. To whole Churches To the Romans Corinthians Galathians Ephesians Philippians Colossians Thessalonians 1. Gentiles 2. Jewes To the Hebrews 2. To particular persons 1. Timothy 2. Titus 3. Philemon 2. JAmes one 3. Peter two 4. John three 5. Jude one 3. Propheticall wherein under certaine resemblances the state of the Church of Christ till the end of the wolrd from the time of John the Evangelist is most truely and wonderfully described and receiveth its name Apoealyps of the Argument Beza Piscator Calvin Erasmus have doâ—e well on all the new Testament Of the Papists Jansenius hath done well on the harmony of the Lutherans Chemnitus and Gerhard of the Protestants Calvin Maldonate de Dieu Cameron Scultetus and Grotius have done well likewise on the Evangelists Matthew and John were Apostle of the twelve Marke and Luke Evangelists Apostles is a name of office or dignity It notes one sent from another with command in speciall certain famous Ambassadours of Christ. The Evangelists accompanied the Apostles in preaching the Gospell Matthew There was never any in the Church which doubted of its authority Some say he wrote in Hebrew but that is uncertaine as hath been already declared He interprets the Hebrew name Emanuel Chap. 1. 23. and those words Chap. 27. v. 46. therefore it is likely he wrote not in Hebrew for why should one that writeth in Hebrew interpret Hebrew words to such as understand Hebrew and how came this authenticall Copy and Prototype to be lost for it is not now extant How ever the Greeke edition is Authenticall because it came forth when the Apostles were living and was approved by them which the Ancients confirme Of the time when Matthew wrote Authours agree not Eusebius saith that he wrote in the third yeere of Cajus Caesar others say he wrote after Claudius He wrote his Gospell in the fifteenth yeere after Christs ascention saith Nicephorus the 21 saith Irenaeus in the eighth yeere saith Theophylact.
Church 2. We grant that the Apostâ—es living and preaching and the Canon of the New Testament being not yet sealed their Gospell delivered viva voce was no lesse a rule of faith and worship then the writings of Moses and the Prophets 3. We doe not reject all the traditions of the Church for we embrace certaine Historicall and Ceremoniall ones but we deny that opinions of faith or precepts of worship can be confirmed by unwritten traditions 4. We call that an opinion of faith to speake properly and strictly when a Proposition is revealed by God which exceeds the capacity of nature and is propounded to be beleeved as necessary to be knowne to salvation Fundamentall opinions are those which by a usuall and proper name are called Articles of faith 5. What is not in respect of the matter an Article of saith may be a Proposition to be beleeved with a Theologicall faith if you looke to the manner of revealing as that the Sunne is a great light the Moone a lesse Gen. 1. 16. that Rachel was beautifull Leah bleare-eyed The Papists doe not cease to accuse the Scripture of imperfection and insufficiency as not containing all things necessary to salvation The Councell of Trent sess 4. decret 1. Saith that the truth and discipline is contained in libris scriptis sine scripto traditionibus The Papists generally divide the word of God into the word written and traditions They affirme that there are many things belonging to Christian faith which are neither contained in the Scriptures openly nor secretly This opinion is maintained by the Papists but it was not first invented by them The Jewish Fathers did use the traditions of the Elders and it hath been said of old Marke 7. 5. Matth. 5. 21. for their errours and superstitions yea at length they affirmed firmed that God gave to Moses in mount Sinai the Scripture and the Cabala or a double Law the one written the other unwritten The Tridentine Fathers session 4th doe command Traditions to be received with the same reverend affection and piety with which we embrace the Scripture and because one Bishop in the Councell of Trent refused this he was excluded In the meane space they explaine not what those traditions are which must be so regarded none of them would ever give us a list and Catalogue of those Ordinances which are to be defended by the authority of unwritten traditions not of the word committed to writing onely they affirme in generall whatsoever they teach or doe which is not in the Scripture that it is to be put into the number of Traditions unwritten The cause of it selfe is manifest that at their pleasure they might thrust what they would upon the Church under the name of Traditions Vide Whitak de Script controviae quaest Sexta c. 5. See also Moulins Buckler of Faith p. 51. Lindan the Papist was not ashamed to say that it had been better for the Church if there had been no Scripture at all but onely Traditions For saith he we may doe well enough with Traditions though we had no Scripture but could not doe well enough with Scripture though we had no Traditions Baldwin saith a Testament may be either scriptum or nuncupativum set downe in writing or uttered by word of mouth But a nuncupative Testament or Will made by word of mouth without writing must be proved by solemne witnesses The solemne witnesses of Christs Testament are the Prophets and Apostles Let Papists if they can prove by them that part of the Testament of Christ is unwritten Because our Adversaries doe contend for Traditions not written hotly and zealously against the totall perfection of the Scripture that they might thrust upon us many points by their owne confession not contained in Scripture and usurpe to themselves irrefragable authority in the Church it shall not be amisse largely to consider of this matter And 1. to enquire of the signification of the words Greek and Latine which are translated Tradition and then to come to the matter which is controverted between us and the Papists The Greeke word signifying Tradition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the new Testament is used only in these places Matth. 15. 2. 3. 6. Marke 7. 3. 5. 8. 9. 13. 1 Cor. 11. 2. Gal. 1. 14. Col. 2. 8. 2 Thess. 2. 15. and 3. 6. and in the vulgar Latine is rendred Traditio Matth. 15. 2. 3. 6. Marke 7. 3. 5. 8. 9. 13. Gal. 1. 14. Col. 2. 6. 2 Thess. 2. 15. and 3. 6. and praecepta 1 Cor. 11. 2. Whereto the Rhemists translation which seemeth to be but a bare translation of the vulgar Latine doth wholly agree using the word Tradition every where excepting 1 Cor. 11. 2. where they use the word precepts but set in the margent the word Tradition Arias Montanus in his Interlineall translation doth render it traditio Beza doth commonly expresse it by the word traditio In the English Geneva Bible we translate it by the word instruction tradition calling mens precepts traditions the Apostles doctrine Ordinances or instructions not that we feared the word tradition but because we would not have the simple deceived as though the unwritten verities of the papists were thereby commended or as though we had some honourable conceite of them and what we did herein the signification of the word doth give us free liberty to doe in our last English Translation we use the word tradition as often as the vulgar Latine or the Rhemists have done not that we were driven by feare or shame to alter what was done before but because we would cut off all occasion of carping at our translation though never so unjust First we contend not about the name tradition the word may lawfully be used if the sense affixed thereto be lawfull 2. All traditions unwritten are not simply condemned by us 3. The Apostles delivered by lively voyce many observations dispensable and alterable according to the circumstances of time and persons appertaining to order and comelinesse onely we say that they were not of the substance of Religion that they were not generall concerning all Churches 4. We receive the number and names of the authors of Books Divine and Canonicall as delivered by tradition but the Divine truth of those Books is in it self clear and evident unto us not depending on the Churches authority The Books of Scripture have not their authority quoad nos from the approbation of the Church but winne credit of themselves and yeeld sufficient satisfaction to all men of their divine truth whence we judge the Church that receiveth them to be led by the Spirit of God yet the number authors and integrity of the parts of those Books we receive as delivered by tradition 5. The continued practise of such things as are neither expressely contained in Scripture nor the example of such practise expressely there delivered though the grounds reasons and cause of the necessity of such practise be
Pastor in the Old Testament had such authority much more the chiefe Priest in the New Sol. This one pastor signifieth neither the High Priest in the old Law nor the Pope in the New but Jesus Christ the High Shepheard for our soules Ob. Matth. 16. 19. Christ saith to Peter to theâ— will I give the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven therefore the Pope hath authority to expound Scripture Sol. First by the Keyes here is meant Commission to preach the Gospell not authority of interpreting the Scriptures When the Gospell is preached the Kingdome of heaven is opened to the beleevers and shut to the unbeleevers 2. That authority of the Keyes was not committed to Peter onely but to the other Apostles also Matth. 28. 18. 19. There is a twofold judgement 1. Of discretion 1 Cor. 10. 15. 2. Of authority as the Parllament judgeth Capitall crimes If the Papists understand the word Judge to â—ignifie Discerning as when we judge of meates by the taste every faithfull person ought to pray unto God for grace to judge to discerne and to know the true sense of the Scripture But if by judging they understand to pronounce decrees definitive and infallible judgements touching the sence of the Scriptures thereby to bind other mens consciences there is no man in the world that hath that power See Moulinâ— Buckler of Faith We have a more compendious way to come to the understanding of the Scripture It were too long when we doubt of any place to stay till we have the generall consent of the Pastors of the Church or to expect a generall counsell or to goe up to Rome But the word of God is amongst us the Scriptures themselves and the Spirit of God opening our hearts doe teach us how to understand them And yet we say not as the Papists falsely charge us that we allow every private mans interpretation of Scripture refusing the judgement of the Pastors of the Church Panoruitan saith the opinion of one godly man ought to be preferred before the Popes if it be grounded upon better authority of the Old and New Testament 2 Pet. 1. 20. No prophesie of the Scripture is of any private interpretation Stapleton saith interpretation is private either ratione personae when the man is private or ratione medij when it is not taken out of the context and circumstances or ratione finis when it is for a false end Now private interpretation in regard of the person if it be publike in regard of the meanes is not forbidden for it is lawfull for one man with Scripture toti resistere mundo saith the Glosse of the Canon-Law the meaning of this place is that the Prophets were no Interpreters or Messengers of their own minds but Gods The Catholickes hold saith Chamier meaning still by that Title the Protestants that the Scripture is to be interpreted by private labour and industry viz. of Augustine Jerome Chrysostome but not in a private sense that is in a sense arising from the braine of the Interpreter It is true saith Cartwright against the Rhemists that the Scriptures cannot be expounded of every private Spirit nor which is more of any private spirit nor yet of all private spirits together but onely of those which are inspired of God viz. the Prophets and Apostles which are here opposed unto private Interpretation And therefore it is evident that the exposition of the Scripture ought not to be fetched from Ecclesiasticall either Fathers or Councels which speake not by inspiration but from the Scriptures themselves what he meaneth he declareth in the next verse where he sheweth the reason of his saying namely that it must be interpreted as it was written and by as high authority Seeing therefore it was first spoken by holy men which spake as they were led by the holy Spirit and were inspired of God it followeth that it must be interpreted by the same authority The interpretation therefore that is brought but of the Apostles and Prophets is not private although it be avowed by one man onely On the other side that interpretation which is not brought from thence although it have the allowance of whole Generall Counsels is but private This is a principall meaning of our Saviour Christ when he willeth that we should call no man father or Master in the earth that is in matter of doctrine we should depend upon the authority of no man nor of all men in the earth but onely upon Christ and upon God Our reasons by which we prove that the chiefest judgement and authority of interpreting Scriptures is to be given not to the Church but to the Scriptures themselves and the Holy Ghost 1. That which onely hath power to beget faith that onely hath the chiefest authority of interpreting Scripture and of determining all controversies concerning faith and religion but the Scriptures onely and the Holy Ghost have this force Rom. 10. 17. the Holy Ghost onely can infuse saving faith into our hearts which is called by the Schoolemen infusa fides The faith which we have from the Church is acquired and sufficeth not to a certaine perswasion 2. The Scriptures cannot be interpreted but by the same Spirit wherewith they were written that spirit is found no where but in the Scripture whosoever have promises from God to understand the Scripture may interpret it but so have all the faithfull 3. Christ himselfe makes the Scripture a Judge John 12. 48. and still appealed to it 4. Although the Fathers were men indued of God with excellent gifts and brought no small light to understanding of the Scriptures yet learned men in our dayes may give a right sense of sundry places thereof which the Fathers saw not yea against the which perhaps they consent Hath any man living read all the Fathers nay have all the men living read them nay can they shew them can they get them I had almost said can they name them In the exposition of those words Tu es Petrus supra hanc petram almost every one of the Fathers at least the most part of them and the best expound it of Peters faith yet the Papists understand it non de fide sed de persona Petri. Here they dis-agree themselves from the Fathers John 10. 16. by the title of one Shepheard Augustine Chrysostome Jerome Cyrill Theodoret Theophylact Euthimius Rupertus Cyprian and other Fathers agree that Christ is there designed but Stapleton saith the Pope is there meant In the division of the Law they goe cleane contrary to the greatest part of the Fathers For they divide the Commandements as we doe but the Papists make the two first one and the tenth two 2. They have no Father to countenance them in this but Augustine There were no writings of the Fathers for a time many of them wrote 400 yeares after Christ but some 500 and 600 yeares after Christ what rule had they before that time of interpreting
Philemon were at the same time written from Rome and sent by the same viz. Tychicus and Onesimus First that the Epistle to the Colossians was written by Paul in his bonds it is manifest from Chap. 4. v. 3 18. but it was sent by Tychicus and Onesimus Chap. 4. v. 7 8 9. That to Philemon was written at the same time with that to the Colossians since he salutes Philemon in their name in whose he saluted the Colossians viz. in the name of Epaphras Aristarchus Marke Luke Demas as is manifest by comparihg the fourth Chapter of the Epistle to the Colossians v. 10 12 14. with the 22 24. of the Epistle to Philemon For this and other reasons Capellus supposeth they were both written at the same time That the Epistle to the Ephesians was written also at the same time it may be thus confirmed 1. Because it was written by Paul in his bonds viz. from Rome as is manifest Chap. 3. vers 1. 4. 1. 2. It was sent by Tychicus Chap. 6. 21 22. by which also that to the Colossians was sent That these three Epistles were written also by Paul in his former not latter bonds it is hence manifest because Phil. 1. 25. 26. 2. 24. also in the 22 verse of Philemon Paul sheweth that he had a most certaine hope that he should be freed shortly The Epistle to the Hebrews was written by Paul from Rome toward the end of his former bonds He expresly mentions his bonds Chap. 10. 34. and sheweth that he hopes shortly to be set free Chap. 13. v. 19. The latter Epistle to Timothy was the last of all Pauls Epistles written by him in his latter bonds of which he writes Chap. 1. 8. 2. 9. and from Rome Chap. 1. v. 17. a little before his martyrdome which he seems to intimate Chap. 4. v. 6 7 8. Thus having by the â—helpe of Capellus something cleared the order of Pauls Epistles for the time of their writing I shall speake of them now according to the method wherein they are commonly disposed in our Bibles Romans That Epistle is the first not in time of writing but in dignity because of the majesty of the things it handleth Justification and Predestination It is rightly called Clavis Theologiae or the epitome of Christian religion It consists of 16 Chapters The best Expositors of it are Dr Selater on the first three chapters and Pareus with Peter Martyr and Pâ—r on the whole Voetius saith Willetus est instar omnium First to the Corinthians How much authority the Epistle to the Romans hath in establishing controversies of faith So much the first to the Corinths hath in establishing Ecclesiasticall Discipline therefore Antiquity hath placed it next the other It consists likewise of 16 Chapters The best Expositors of it are Pareus Peter Martyr Morton Dr Sclater The second to the Corinthians consists of 13 Chapters The best Expositors of it are Museulus and Dr Sâ—later Galathians St Jerome taketh the argument of the Epistle to the Galathians to be the same with the argument of the Epistle to the Romans wherein the Apostle proveth that by the workes of the Law whether ceremoniall or morall no flesh can be justified before God using the same words in both Rom. 3. 20 28. and Galat. 2. 16. It consists of six Chapters The best Expositors of it are Mr Perkins and Parâ—â—s Ephesians Ephesus was a Mother-city in the lesser Asia famous for idolatry and the Temple of Diana as the Acts of the Apostles testifie so given to all ryot that it banished Hermodore because he was an honest sober man yet here God had his Church It consists of six Chapters The best Expositor of it is Zanchiâ—â— Mr Baines hath done well on the first Chapter and Dr Gouge on some part of it Philippians The Apostle had planted a Church at Philippi which was the Metropolis of Mâ—cedonia Acts 16. 12. In this Epistle he commends their godly study It consists of foure Chapters Zanchy and Dr Airie have done well on this booke Colossâ—ans Colosse was the chiefe City of Phrygia in lesser Asia the Apostle directs this Epistle to the inhabitants of that City It consists of foure Chapters Bishop Davenant Bifield and Elton have done best on this Booke Thessalonians 2. These were written to those which dwelt at Thessalonica it is a chiefe city in Macedonia whither how the Apostle came we may see Acts 17. The first Epistle consists of five Chapters the second of three Zanchius and Dr Sâ—later have done well on both these Epistles Jackson and Bradshaw also on the second Timothy 2. signifieth the honour of God or precious to God He honoured God and was precious to him The first Epistle consists of six Chapters Barlow hath done well on three of them and Scultetus on the whole The second to Timothy this consists of foure Chapters Scultetus hath done well on it and Espensaeus on both those Epistles Titus Titus to whom this Epistle was written was a faithfull Minister and beloved friend of the Apostle 2 Cor. 2. 13. 7. 6. and 8. 23. Paul sent his Epistle to him out of Macedonia which is of the same Subject with the first to Timothy It consists of three Chapters Scultetus Espencaeus and Dr Tailor have done best on this booke Philemon he was the minister of the Church at Colosse V. 17. it is but one Chapter Scultetus and Dike have well interpreted it Hebrews The Epistle to the Hebrews was rejected by some Heretickes as Marcion aud Arius it is now received as Canonicall because it was inspired of God doth in all things fully agree with all other parts of Propheticall and Apostolicall writings and was received of the greatest part of the ancient Church though upon weake and slender grounds the Latine church for a time did not receive the same Hierom in Catalogo scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum after he hath recited all the Epistles of Paul at length he commeth to this Epistle but the Epistle to the Hebrews saith he is not thought to be his for the difference of the stile and speech but either written by Barnabas as Tertullian holds or Luke the Evangelist or Clement Some ascribe it to Tertullian saith Sixtus Senensis The diversity of the stile and inscription of this epistle and manner of reasoning makes some doubt of the writer thereof and also something in the epistle shewes that it was written not by Paul as in the beginning of the second chapter vers 3. The doctrine of salvation is confirmed to us by them which heard it which seemeth to agree with the profession of Luke in the beginning of his Gospell whereas St Paul denieth Gal. 1. 12. that he received it of man An ancient Greeke copy whereof 〈◊〉 speakes leaves out the name of Paul in the Title and also divers printed Bookes Augustine speakes often of this epistle as if it were of doubtfull
name at least thrice saying I John Chap. 1. 9. 21. 1 2. 22. 8. whereas in the Gospell he never maketh mention of his name there he writes the history of Christ here he writes of himself and the Revelations declared to him Thirdly in the last Chapter are five testimonies heaped together v. 5 6 7 8. 1. Of the Angels 2. Of God himselfe the Lord of the holy Prophets 3. Of Jesus Christ behold I come shortly 4. Of John I John heard and saw all these things 5. The protestation of Jesus Christ vers 18. Fourthly the matter of the Booke doth convince the authority thereof seeing everywhere the Divinity of a Propheticall spirit doth appeare the words and sentences of other Prophets are there set downe part of the Prophesies there delivered are in the sight of the world accomplished by which the truth and authority of the whole is undoubtedly proved there are extant many excellent testimonies of Christ and his Divinity and our redemption by Christ. Fifthly The most ancient Fathers Greeke and Latine ascribe this Booke to John the Apostle Theophylact Origen Chysâ—stome Tertullian Hilary Austin Ambrose Irenaeus To deny then the truth of this booke is contra solem obloqui to gainsay the shining of the Sunne it selfe The Chyliasts abuse many testimonies out of this Booke but those places have been cleared long agoe by the learned as bearing another sence See Dr Raynolds conf with Hart Chap. 8. p. 406. Calvin being demanded his opinion what he thought of the Revelation answered ingenuously he knew not at all what so obscure a writer meant Se penitus ignorare quid velit tam obscurus scriptor Cajetan at the end of his Exposition of Jude confesseth that he understands not the literall sence of the Revelation and therefore exponat saith he cui Deus concesserit It consists of 22 Chapters the best Expositors on it are Ribera Brightman Pareus Cartwright Dent Forbes Mode Simonds 1. The Scriptures written by Moses and the Propheâ—s sufficiently prove that Christ is the Messiah that was to come the old Testament may convince the Jewes which deny the new Testament of this truth John 5. 39. They that is those parts of Scripture written by Moses and the Prophets there were no other Scriptures then written The 53 Chapter of Esay is a large history of his sufferings We have also another Booke or Testament more clearely witnessing of Christ the Gospel is the unsearchable riches of Christ Ephes. 3. 8. So much may suffice to have spoken concerning the Divine Canon the Ecclesiasticall and false Canon follow CHAP. V. SOme Hereticks utterly abolisht the Divine Canon as the Swingfeldians and Libertines who contemned all Scriptures the Manichees and Marcionites refused all the Bookes of the old Testament as the Jewes doe those of the new as if they had proceeded from the Divell Some diminish this Canon as the Sadduces who as Whitaker and others hold rejected all the other Prophets but Moses some inlarge it as the Papists who hold that divers other Bookes called by us Aprcrypha i. hidden doe belong to the old Testament and are of the same authority with the other before named and they adde also their traditions and unwritten word equalling it with the Scripture both these are accursed Rev. 22. 18. But against the first we thus argue whatsoever Scripture 1. is divinely inspired 2. Christ commandeth to search 3. To which Christ and his Apostles appeale and confirme their doctrine by it that is Canonicall and of equall authority with the new Testament But the holy Scripture of the old Testament is divinely inspired 2 Tim. 3. 16. where he speakes even of the Bookes of the old Testament as is gathered both from the universall all writing viz. holy in the 15 verse and from the circumstance of time because in the time of Timothies infancy little or nothing of the new Testament was published 2. Christ speakes not to the Scribes and Pharisees but to the people in generall to search it John 5. 39. this famous elogium being added that it gives testimony of him and that we may finde eternall life in it 3. Christ and his Apostles appeale to it and confirme their doctrine by it Luke 24. 27. Rom. 3. 21. Acts 10. 43. 17. 11. 20 43 26. 20. the new Testament gives testimony of the old and Peter 2 Pet. 1. 19. of Pauls Epistles The Ecclesiasticall Canon which is also called the second Canon followeth to which these Bookes belong Tobit Judith first and second of the Machabees Wisdome Ecclesiasticus Baruch Additions to Daniel and Hester for these neither containe truth perfectly in themselves nor are sanctified by God in the Church that they may be a Canon of faith and although abusively from custome they were called Canonicall yet properly in the Church they are distinguished from the Canonicall by the name of Apocryphall The false Canon is that which after the authority of the Apocrypha increased was constituted by humane opinion for the Papists as well as we reject for Apocryphall the third and fourth Booke of Esdras the prayer of Manasses the third and fourth of Machabees as Thomas Aquinas Sixtus Senensis Bellarmine and so the Councell of Trent confesse when they omit these and reckon up the whole Canon The state therefore of the controversie betwixt us and the Papists is whether those seven whole bookes with the Appendices be Sacred Divine Canonicall We doe not deny but many of these especially Wisdome and Ecclesiasticus are very good and profitable and to be preferred before all humane Tractates but that they are properly and by an excellency Canonicall and of infallible truth out of which firme arguments may be drawne that we deny Those Bookes which the Jewes of old and the reformed Churches now reckon for truely Canonicall in the old Testament are received all even by our adversaries for Canonicall without any exception 2. for the Canonicall Bookes of the new Testament there is no controversie between us and so far we agree but in the old Testament whole Bookes are reckoned by them for Canonicall which we hold Apocryphall The reason why these Bookes at first were added to holy writ was this the Jewes in their later times before and at the comming of Christ were of two sorts some properly and for distinction sake named Hebrews inhabiting Jerusalem and the holy Land others were Hellenists that is the Jewes of the dispersion mingled with the Graecians These had written sundry bookes in Greeke which they made use of together with other parts of the old Testament which they had in Greeke of the translation of the 70 when they now understood not the Hebrew but the Hebrewes received onely the 22 Bookes before mentioned Hence it came that the Jewes delivered a double Canon of Scripture to the Christian Church the one pure unquestioned and Divine which is the Hebrew Canon the other in Greeke
adulterate corrupted by the addition of certaine bookes written in those times when God raised up no more Prophets among his people Drus. praeterit l. 5. Annotat. ad Act. Apost c. 6. Jun. Animad in Bell. cont 1. l. 1. c. 4. l. 2. c. 15. sect 21. Tertul. in Apol. c. 19. They are called Apocryphall i. secret and hidden not because the names of the writers are unknowne by that reason Judges and Ruth should be Apocryphall but because they were not wont to be read openly in the Church of God as the Canonicall bookes but secretly and in private by private persons or because their authority was obscure and doubtfull with the Ancient These bookes our Church rejecteth as not written by Divine inspiration for these reasons All the Canonicall bookes of the old Testament were written by the Prophets but none of these bookes were written by any of the Prophets for 1. The last of the Prophets of the Jewes was Malachy Mal. 4. 4 5. between whom and John Baptist came no Prophet Marke begins with the same words almost with which Malachy ended a good argument to prove that the new Testament is next to the old But these Bookes were written by such who lived most of them after Malachy 2. All the Prophets wrote in Hebrew the language which the Jewes understood but the Fathers affirme and Papists acknowledge that most of these bookes were written in Greeke ergo being not written by the Prophets they are not Canonicall 2. All the bookes of the old Testament were committed to the Jewes and safely kept by them Rom. 3. 2. our Saviour Christ which reproved the Jewes for corrupting the sence of the Scripture did yet never reprove them for rejecting those bookes which were divinely inspired which sacriledge he would not have concealed yea our Saviour sendeth us unto the Scriptures as they received them John 5. 39. Eâ—ras after the captivity is reported to have gathered all the Bookes of holy Scripture and safely to lay them up If the Jewes should have rejected or not received any bookes being Canonicall they had grievously erred which the Papists themselves will not affirme Yea there should have been some Canonicall Bookes which no Church received for besides the Church of the Jewes at that time there was none in the world The Canonicall Bookes of the old Testament were divided into Moses the Prophets and Psalmes with which agreeth the old distribution of the Hebrews into the Law Prophets and Hagiographa 3 There are two waies to know a booke to be Canonicall one by the testimony of some Prophet or Apostle the other by the certaine testimony of them which did live when the booke was published who did witnesse that the booke was written by some Prophet or Apostle But these bookes are known to be Canonicall neither of these waies they were rejected by the Jewes who lived in the times when they were written our Saviour Christ nor his Apostles never commend these Bookes unto us as endited by the Spirit They are cited by Christ and his Apostles for the confirmation of their doctrine All the Canonicall Bookes in generall John 5. 39. 10. 35. Rom. 16. 26. Luke 16. 29 31. Ch. 24. v. 25 27 44. The most of all in speciall Genesis Matth. 19. 4 5 6. Exodus Matth. 5. 21 27 33 38. Leviticus Gal. 3. 12. Numbers John 3. 14. Deuteronomy Acts 3. 22. Joshâ—a Heb. 11. 30 31. Judges Heb. 11. 32. Ruth Matth. 1. 3. First of Samuel Matth. 12. 3. Second of Samuel Heb. 1. 5. First of Kings Matth. 12. 42. Second of Kings Luke 4. 27. First of Chronicles Matth. 1. 3 7 10 13. Second of Chronicles Acts 7. 48. Ezra Matth. 1. 12 13. Job 1 Corinth 3. 19. Psalmes Acts 4. 25. Proverbs Heb. 12. 5 6 7. Esay Matth. 1. 23. Jeremy Heb. 10. 16 17. Ezechiel Matth. 25. 35. Daniel Matth. 24. 25. All the lesser Prophets Acts 7. 42. 15. 15 16. Hosea Matth. 12. 7. Joâ—l Acts 2. 12. Amos Acts 15. 16. Jonah Matth. 12. 40 41. Micha Matth. 10. 35. Naâ—um Rom. 10. 15. Habacuc Rom. 1. 17. Haggai Heb. 12. 26. Zachary Matth. 21 5. Malachy Luke 1. 16 17. These bookes were not cited by Christ and his Apostles for confirmation of their doctrine Ob. If they be not Canonicall therefore because they are not cited then Naâ—um and Zephany are not Canonicall Aratus Menander and Epimenides prophane Poets are Canonicall because they are cited Acts 17. 28. 1 Cor. 15. 33. Titus 1. 12. Sol. They are not therefore not Canonicall onely because they are not cited but especially because they have not the characters of Divine Scripture 2 Nahuâ— and Zephany are implicitely quoted when the bookes of the Prophets are mentioned Acts 7. 41. 15. 15 16. The Poets are not cited as Canonicall but the Apostle applied himselfe to his hearers who did much esteeme their authority Some have well coucluded from Acts 10. 43. that the Apocrypha are not to be received as Canonicall Scripture because they testifie not of Christ. 4 Those bookes which containe manifest untruths coutrary to the Word of God and the books of holy Scripture were not inspired of God for as God is true so is his word John 17. 17 sweetly agreeeng with it selfe and every part with other these bookes commend false things as true and approve things evill as right Judith chap 9 v 2 commends killing the Sichemites against Gen. 49. 6 7. 2 Mac. 14. 42. Razis is commended for killing himselfe the fact is not onely related but commended also in these words nobly manfully and this commendation doth plainly shew that the Authour thereof was not inspired of God when the Donatists out of this booke urged that it was lawfull for them to kill themselves as Razis did Augustine then was forced to acknowledge that the authority of this booke was uncertaine and questionable and proves it by the judgement of the Jewish Church Christ and the Christians Manifest fables are told in some of them for true histories as that of Toby Judith Bell and the Dragon If any desire a particular conâ—utation of the severall Bookes of the Apocrypha I commend to his reading that learned Treatise of Dr Raynolds de libris Apocryphis who hath so exactly handled this subject that to write of it after him were to write Iliads after Homer or to draw a line after Apelles 5. The most ancient Fathers and Councels which lived the best and first 500 yeeres after Christ rejected the same bookes which we doe Jerome on Matth. 23. saith concerning a testimony cited out of the Apocrypha Hoc quoniam ex Scriptura nihil habet authoritatis eadem facilitate rejicitur qua profertur Because this hath no authority out of Scripture it may as easily be rejected as it is offered All that the Papists object for these Bookes in the generall is that the third Councell at Carthage the
of the Interlineary version put forth by Arias Montanus for the finding out the sence and genuine signification of all the Hebrew and Greek words Amongst many and divers Latine translations there was one more common then the rest of the Old and New Teâ—â—ament usually called the vulgar because it was of vulgar use and received by many Who was the Author of this Edition it is not manifest Some say it was more Ancient then that of Jerome Jerome wrote pure Latine being skilfull in the Latine tongue but the vulgar transâ—ation is barbarous in many places Therefore Pagnine Maldonate Esâ—ius Sixtus Senensis Burgensis Valla Lindon deny it to be Jeromes that was translated from the Hebrew by the Greek and not by Jerome but by some uncertaine and unknown Authour saith Whitaker Bootius in the Index of his Sacred Animadversions ascribes it to Jerome Vide Whitakerum de Scripturis Quoest. secund controversiae Cap. Sexto Waltheri officinam Biblicam The Geneva translation for the French and our last translation for the English and Deodate for the Italian are the best which is now set out in English Diodatus noster in eximia Bibliorum Italicorum versione saith Spanbemius The question betwixt us and the Papists now cometh to be considered which of these Editions is authenticall that is which of it selfe hath credit and authority being sufficient of it selfe to prove and commend it selfe without the help of any other Edition because it is the first exemplar or Copy of divine truth delivered from God by the Prophets and Apostles This in respect of the old Testament is the Hebrew and in some Chapters of Daniel and Esra the Chaldee and in respect of the New Testament is the Greeke all other Editions are but of humane authority This proposition true in it selfe is yet divers wayes opposed by the Papists whose opinions may be set downe in three propositions 1. That the Hebrew and Greeke Text are corrupt and therefore not Authenticall for the fountaine is to be preferred before the streames if it come unto our hands uncorruptly The Book of Moses which by Gods Commandement was preserved in the Arke and that very Gospell written by Matthew those autographs saith Morinus are certainely the rule of all versions The second proposition is that the 70. Translaters were not so much Translaters as Prophets who wrote by divine inspiration so that their translation had been authentique if it had come to our hands purely and had not perished The third is that the vulgar Translation is of authentique authority and ought so to be received neither may any man presume to reject it upon any pretence they say it hangeth betweene the Hebrew and Greek as Christ did between the two Theeves To these 3. Propositions we oppose 3. which are most true and shall prevaile 1. The Hebrew of the old Testament and the Greeke of the new is the authentique Edition and the pure fountain of divine truth 2. The 70. were not Prophets but Translators 3. The vulgar translation neither is authenticall nor perfect neither ought it in any case so to be esteemed Reasons Proving that the Hebrew of the old Testament and the Greeke of the New are authenticall and pure To prove our first Proposition these arguments may be brought The Hebrew of the old and Greek of the New Testament are the very Scriptures which came immediately from God the very particular and individuall writings both for Character and stile of Speech yea the dialect as well as the matter of them is immediately by inspiration from from above and written by holy men as they were moved by the holy spirit what Edition therefore is worthy to be compared to this When we speake of the originall and authenticke Text of the Holy Scripture that is not to be so understood as if we meant it of the Autographs written by the hand of Moses or the other Prophets or Apostles but onely of the originall * or the primogeniall Text in that tongue out of which divers versions were derived according to the variety of tongues 2. For a long time before the Birth of Chirst the Hebrew was not only the alone authentique Copy but the only Edition which was extant in the world In the dayes of Moses the Kings of Israel and the Prophets before the Captivity what Edition of Scripture had the Church but the Hebrew what did the Jewes read in their Synagognes and in their solemne meetings but onely this Hebrew Edition After the time of Christ for the space of 600 yeeres the Hebrew Edition of the old Testament and the Greeke of the new were held Authentique and no other 3. If any thing be erroneous doubtfull lesse emphaticall or improper or if in the Articles of religion any doubt or difficulty arise which cannot be decided out of translations we must necessarily then have recourse to the Hebrew of the old and the Greeke of the new Testament as Augustine witnesseth and Jerome in lib. Contra Helvidium Beliarmine grants that sometimes we must have recourse to the Hebrew Greek fountaines 1. When in the Latine Edition there be any errours of the Scribe 2. When there are divers readings 3. When there is any thing doubtfull in the words of sentence 4. To understand the force and Energy of the word because all things are more emphaticall in the originall 4. If the authority of the authenticall Copies in Hebrew Chaldee and Greek fall then there is no pure Scripture in the Church of God there is no high court of appeale where controversies riâ—ing upon the diversity of translations or otherwise may be ended The exhortation of having recourse unto the Law and to the Prophets and of our Saviour Christ asking how it is written and how readest thou is now either of none effect or not sufficient The Papists differ among themselves in this controversie about the corruption of the originals some of them say that the Hebrew of the old and the Greeke of the New Testament is not generally corrupted and yet is not so very pure a fountain that whatsoever differs from it is necessarily to be corrected by it Others say that the Jewes in hatred of the Christian faith depraved and much corrupted the Hebrew Text of the Old Tesâ—ament Which opinion as absurd is rejected by Bellarmine and is easily refuted I shall first lay down some reasons against the grosser opinion and also that of Bellarmines before I come to answer the particular objections of the Papists 1. Jerome and Origen thus argue if the Jewes corrupted the Hebrew Text of the Old Testament then they did this before the coming of Christ or after it not before his coming for there was no cause why the Jewes should do it and our Saviour Christ would never have suffered so grosse a crime to have passed without due reproof when he was not silent for lesser faults On the contrary our Saviour sendeth
he praised God Joseph was no King aud therefore had no Scepter to fall down before In the Hebrew Gen. 47. for top we read head which by a Metaphor signifies the top because the head is the end and highest part of man and consequently of any thing else And for staffe we now read in the Hebrew bed which fell out because the word mittah there extant pricked with other Vowels signifies a staffe for in the Hebrew matteh is a staffe and mitteh a bed The Septuagint whom the Apostle followes read it matteh and so translated it staffe otherwise thâ—n wâ— now read it in the Hebrew Text. If we follow the Hebrew Text as it is now extant the sence will be That Jacob because he could not raise his body out of his bed therefore he bowed his head forward upon his beds head and so worshipped God Bezâ— speaking of the divers Latine translations of the New Testament onely he saith of the vâ—lgar Latine that he followeth it for the most part and preferreth it before all the rest Maximâ— ex parte amplector claeeris omnibus antepono He speakes of the new Testament onely and of that Latine translation of the new Testament in comparison of all other Latine translations which were before him as Erasmus Castalion and such like These placâ—s may serve to shew that the vulgar Latine is corrupt no Book being entire or free fron errour Isidore Clarius Brixianus praefâ—â—t in Biblia a great learned man of their own affirmeth that it hath 8000 places in which the sense of the Holy Ghost is changed Since the Councell of Trent 2 Popes have set forth this vulgar Edition diversly which of these shall be received as authenticall How often doe the Papists leave the vulgar in all their controversies when it is for their advantage so to doe it is a matter ordinary with them and needlesse to be proved There is no Edition Ancienter then the Hebrew if the Latine have been used a 1000 yeares in the Church the Hebrew hath been used almost 3000 yeares the Chaldee Arbicke Syriacke and Greeke Editions also have beene used above a 1000 yeares and so should be authentique by the Papists argument Having spoken of the authority of the Scriptures the Canonicall Books and the Authenticall Editions I now goe on to treate of the end of the Scripture its adjuncts or properties fitted to that end and the Interpretation of Scripture The end of the Scripture comes next to be considered of this I have spoken somewhat afore but shall now inlarge my selfe The end of the Scripture is considered 1. In respect of God 2. In respect of us In respect of God the end of the Scripture is a glorifying of him by it we may learne to know love and feare him and so be blessed The glory of God is the chiefe end of all things Prov. 16. 4. In respect of us The end of the Scripture is 1. Intermediate temporall edification which is fitly referred to 5 principall uses the two first respect the mind the other three the heart will and affection It is profitable for Doctrine it serves to direct to all saving truth nothing is to be received as a truth necessary to salvation but what is proved out of Scripture Where that hath not a tongue to speake I must not have an eare to heare Hoc quia de scripâ—uris non habet autoritatem eadem facilitate contemuitur qua probatur Hieron 2. Reproofe or Confutation to refute all errours and heterodoxe opinions in Divinity By this sword of the Spirit Christ vanquished Satan Matth. 4. 4. 7. 10. by the Scripture he opposed the Jewes John 5. 45. 46. 47. and 10. 34. by this he refuted the Scribes and Pharisees Matth. 9. 13. and 12. 1. Luke 10. 25. 26. 27. Matth. 19. 34. and 21. 12. 13. the Sadducees Matth. 22 29. By this Austin refuted the Pelagians Irenaeus the Valentinians Tertullian the Mâ—rcionites Athanasius the Arrians In comitijs Vindelicorum cum episcopus Albertus aliquando legeret Biblia referente Luthero in Sermon Convival interrogasset quidam è consiliarijs quid libri hic â—sset nescio equidem respondet qualis sit liber sed omnia quae in eo lego nostrae religioni planè sunt contraria 3. Correction of iniquity setting streight that which is amisse in manners and life 4. Instruction to righteousnesse Instruunt Patriarchae etiam errantes Basil saith the Psalmes are a common Store house and Treasury of good Instruction The Title of the 32 and some other Psalmes is Maschil that is a Psalme of instruction 5. Comfort in all troubles Psal. 19. 8 and 119. 50. and 92. the Greek word for Gospell signifieth glad-tidings The Promises are the Christians best Cordials as Gods Promises are the rule of what we must pray for in faith so they are the ground of what we must expect in comfort 2. Ultimate and chiefest our Salvation and life Eternall John 5. 39. and 20. 31. 2 Tim. 3. 15. It will shew us the right way of escaping hell and attaining Heaven It will shew us what to beleeve and practise for our present and eternall happinesse This was Gods aime in causing the Scripture to be written and we shall find it fully availeable and effectuall for the ends for which it was ordained by God CHAP. VIII THe properties of the Scripture fitted to that end The properties which the Scripture must have for the former end are these It is 1. Of Divine Authority 2. True and Certaine 3. The rule of faith and manners 4. Necessary 5. Pure and Holy 6. Sufficient and Perfect 7. Perspicuous and Plaine 1. It is of Divine Authority and so greater then all exception It is Divine 1. In its efficient cause and Originall which is God the Father dictating in his Sonne declaring and publishing by his holy Spirit confirming and sealing it in the hearts of the faithfull He wrote the Decalogue immediately with his own finger and Commanded the whole Systeme and all the parts of Scripture to be written by his servants the Prophets and Apostles as the publike Actuaries and Pen-men thereof therefore the authority of the Scripture is as great as that of the holy Ghost who did dictate both the matter and words those speeches are frequent the Lord said and the mouth of the Lord hath spoken 2. In the subject matter which is truth according to godlinesse certaine powerfull of venerable antiquity joyned with a sensible demonstration of the Spirit and Divine presence and with many other things atteâ—â—ing its divine authority Whence it follows that the authority of the Holy Scriptures is 1. Infallible which expresseth the minde and will of God to whom truth is essentiall and necessary 2. Supreame and Independent into which at last all faith is resolved from whiâ—h it is not lawfull to appeale By which singular authority the Scripture is distinguished
holy Scripture in many places as well of the New Testament as the Old 2. The Fathers Doctores scil probati antiquae ecclesiae qui scriptis suis fidem illustrarunt as Voetius speakes For the Fathers Jerome among the Latines and Origen among the Greekes were learned in the Hebrew saith Chamier Jerome was the chiefest among them for skill in the Hebrew Chaldee Greeke Latine tongue and the most diligent searcher of the Jewish affaires he spared no labour cost nor time that he might attaine to skill in that tongue He made use of the Jewes for that purpose and the skilfullest amongst them Whose labour he purchased with a great deale of Money this he often witnesseth of himselfe 5 times saith Morinus he made use of them That one labour of his deserveth eternall praise that he translated the Scripture out of the Hebrew into Latine That was a most laborious worke of Origens in gathering together divers Editions of Scripture 1. The Greeke of Aquila Symmachus the Septuagint and Theodosion into one Volume distinguisht by 4 Columnes called Tetrapla to which he after added 2 more one in Hebrew the other in Greeke Characters and called it his Hexapla at last he joyned two other Editions and then called it Octapla by them one might have compared the severall Greeke Editions together and with the Hebrew Text. It was said of him Vbi benè nemo melius Vbi malè nemo pejus Quod attinet ad Originem mea certè nihil interest quid ille senserit quem scio Theologum fuisse audaciorem quam saniorem Chamierus Salmasius Whitaker Sixtus Senensis and others say Origen was skilfull in the Hebrew He wrote so many Books that Jerome saith Quis nostrum tanta potest legere quanta ille conscripsit Vir tantae fuit eruditionis in genij ut ei parem doctissima Graecia faelicissimâ—rum ingeniorum parens nunquam habuerit Sixtus Senensis Bibliothecae sanctae l. quarto He saith much more there in his commendation Tantum in scripturas divinas habuerit studium ut etiam Haebraeam linguam contra aetatis gentisque suae naturam edisceret Hieronymus de viris illustribus Austen for the Latine Church and Golden-mouth'd Chrysosostome for the Greek Church were most famous He is abridged by Theophylact. A Father so Ancient so learned so godly so skilfull in the Scriptures saith Rainolds of Chrysâ—stome Austen for disputations Jerome for the tongues Gregory for Morals Augustine Vir supra omnes qui ante eum post eum huc usque fuerunt mortales admirabili ingenij acumine praeditus omnibus liberalibus disciplinis instructus Divinis scripturis longè omnium eruditissimus in earum explanatione ultra quam dici queat incomparabili subtilitate sublimis omnes Latinae ecclesiae scriptores scribendi labore lucubrationum multitudine superavit Sixtus Senensis Biblioth Sanct. lib. quarto Subtilissimus Patâ—um Augustinus Dr. Prideaux lectione quarta Gregory Nazianzene for his excellencie in divine knowledge was sirnamed the Divine Irenaeus saith Capellus was almost the ancientest of all the Fathers whose genuine writings are extant He was Polycarpus his Disciple Tertullian was one of the Latine Fathers most Ancient and very neere the Apostles flourishing in the raigne of Severus the Emperour about 200 yeares after Christs Birth and not past one hundred after the death of John the Evangelist Jerome being urged with his authority said De Tertulliano nihil aliud respondâ—o quamecclesiae hominem illum non fuisse In Graecia celebres agnosco Patres Clementem Athanasium Cyrillum Damascenum Montacutius Analect Eccles. exercit 1. Sect. 6. Cyprian the Martyr was of great authority amongst all for his holinesse of life He was so diligent a reader of Tertullian that he intermitted no day but would call to have his Master meaning Tertullian given him Doctor Hall cals Lactantius the Christian Cicero Jerome cals him eloquentiae Tullianae Flievium Epist. ad Paul tom 1. and Mr. Selden de Dis Syris cals him Politissimum Patrum Sententious Tertullian grave Cyprian resolute Hierome * flowing Chrysostome divine Ambrose devout Bernard heavenly Augustine Bish. Hals 4th Decade of Epist. Epist. third One saith he that looks upon the Fathers works would think they did nothing but write he that looks on their devotions would thinke they did nothing but pray he that lookes on their learning would think they did nothing but read Bernard was a worthy man in the corrupt age in which he lived but Bernardus non vidit omnia say the Papists Bernardum non admitto ut pote recentiorem longè post confirmatam Romani Pontificis tyrannidem scribentem ex more errore sui temporis Chamierus de Canone l. 3. c. 3. c. 5. Dandâ— venia bonis illis sanctis patribus qui ignorantia linguarum multae saepe aliena à germana scriptura senserunt pia alioquin attulerunt 3. For Protestant Interpreters Calvin is not onely commended by our own writers but by the very Papists See Watson in his Quodlibets I would content my selfe among the new writers with Mr. Calvin who performeth best of all other that which he of himselfe professeth that a man in reading his expositions reapeth this benefit that for the shortnesse he useth he departeth not farre from the Text it selfe Cartw. letter to Mr. Hildersham Piscator hath done well in his Scholia on all the Bible He follows Junius for the Old Testament and Beza for the New and in his Aphorismes he follows Calvins Institutions Bucer also was an excellent Divine He hath written a twofold Exposition on all the Psalmes one more large and Paraphrasticall the other briefer and ad verbum Francis Junius the very Oracle of Textuall and Scholasticall Divinity as Dr. Hall cals him Epist. 7. Deead 1. Vatablus his Annotations upon the Old Testament and Bezas on the New are commended by Zanchie in his Miscellanies But Arnoldus Boot in his Jndex Autorum before his Animadversiones Sacrae saith Robert Stephens and not Vatablus was the Authour of those Scholia which are in Vatablus his Bible Quid hac phrasi denotetur optimè exposuit D. Beza suis in novum Testamentum nunquam satis laudatis notis Constantin L' Empereur in Dan. c. 2 v. 8. See more of him in Zanchies Epistles Amania Paulus Fagius Drusius Ludovicus Capellus Livelie Cameron Ludoviâ—us de Dieu have beene Great lights and by their skill in the tongues have excellently interpreted Scripture Peter Martyr Lavater Musculus Zanchie Pareus Rollock Rivet are sound Expositors Ex omnibus antiquis recentioribus medullam variarum interpretationum circa eos disceptationem collegit Willetus in hexaplis ad Genesin Exodum Leviticum Danielem Epistolam ad Romanos in libros Samuelis sibi dissimilis est compendio atque alia plane methodo commentatur optandum esset telam illam à Willeto tam faeliciter câ—â—ptam eadem methodo in
volunt quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aven Gilion id est mendacium seu iniquitatem voluminis Gualtperius 1 Cor. 1. 22. 6 Consectary It is a gradation Luke 16. 31. Tum antiqui theologi Basilius Chrysostomus Augustinus tum recentiores celeberrimi nominis inter adversarios Thomas Aquinas Ferus Andradius aliique Scripturam Canonis nomine designant aut designatam asserunt tanquam intellectus voluntatis regulam ad cuncta seu credenda seu agenda perfectissimam Rainâ—ldus 1 Thess. * Scripturae dicuntur Canonicae quia quid nos credere quemadmodum vivere operteat praescribunt ut huc fidem omnem vitamque nostram reseramus quemadmodum lapicida aut architectus ad amussâ—m perpeudiculum opus suum exigit Whitakerus de Script Controver primae quaestione prima Cap. 2. Libri sacrae Scripturae Canonici dicuntur quiâ— fidei morum que regulam continent Woitakerus Scharpius de sacra Scriptura Proprii Canonis dicti univocè due conditiones sunt inseparabiles quod veritatem divinam contineat divinitus materia forma quod authoritate divins publica Ecclesia datus sanctificatus ut sit Canon sive regula ipsiu atque hic verè divinus Canon Jun. animadvers in Bellarm. Est mater Ecclesia ubera ejus duo Testamenta divinaruÌ„ Scripturarum Aug. tract 3. in Epist. Joh. * Vt veterum librorum fides de Hebraeis vs. luminibus examinanda est ita novorum veritas Greci sermonis nornâ—am desiderat Augustinus a From the fourth verse of the second Chapter of Daniel to the end of the seventh Chapter and from the eighth verse of the fourth Chapter of Esaras unto the end of the seventh the Chaldee Dialect is used * Erpenius oâ— at de ling. Ebr. dignitate Some say the Hebrewes were so called from Abrahams passing over Euphratâ—s id ib. a Omnes libri Canonici vâ—teris Testamenti Ebraicâ— scripti fuerunt Dantele Ezra sunt quedam partes Chaldaicae nempè quae ab iis ex publicis Annalibus fastis regni desumptae fuerant in quorum monarchia tum vive bant ut obsenvavit doctissimus Iuâ—ius b As Ezechiel Daniel Jerome hath followed this division of the Hebrewes * Both the Chronicles the Psalmes Proverbs Job Ruth Daniel Ecclesiastes Canticles Lamentations Hester Ezra and Nehemiah counted for one booke * Joseph contra Appion l. 1. Euseb. l. 3. c. 10. Some of the Jewes reckon 24. See Sextus Senensis his Biblieth l. 1. sect 2. Some 27. Waliherus in efficina Biblioa p 237. As the Massorites reckoned all the words and letters so some Christians all the verses of the Bible a Henric Steph. Lect. in Cancordant Graec. N. T. Grotius de Iure Belli l. 1. c. 2. Riveâ—us Isag. ad Script sac c. 29. b We are not too superstitiously to adhere to our late division See Heinsius prolegom ad exercit Dr. Rainolds his Letter for the study of Divinity Pentatenchum 〈◊〉 quinque voluminâ—bus dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—nim Graecis quinque 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 volumen vocatur Ifid l. 6. In Judaica Ecclesia â—tsi summa fuerit omnium librorum veteris Testamenti dignitas autoritas maxima tamen suâ—t quinque librorum Mosis Rivetus Spanhem Dub. Evangel parte tertia Dab 1. * Nomina hâ—rum quinque librorum ab Hebraeis sumuntur de primis verbis librorum Graeci Latini denominant hos libros à materia dequa agitur in principlâ— librl Bellarminus a See my Epistle to my Hebrew Critica sacra and Thorndike of Religious Assemblies Chap. 6. p. 175 176. 2308 saith Sixtus Senensis * Hieron in prologo in Ezech. Epist. jam l. 1. Epist. 32. Eustocbio Mercer praefat in Gen. Cantic Vossius in Thesibus de creatione Vide Estium ad Ezech. 40. v. 46. 146 saith Senensis Barbara Turcarum gens hâ—die Mosis doctrinam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comprehensam non aliter quam divinam veneratur adeo ut etiam chartarum lacinias quibus aliquid ejus foriè inscriptum sit deosculetur Pareus praefat de libris Mosis Evangelistae Apostoli in nove Testamento centies quinquagies amplius in narrationibus cencionibus suis Mosaicâ— Cononis authoritatem adducunt ut suum cum Mose Prophetis consensum comprobent Id ib. The Hebrewes divide the bookes into 4 Classes The first is called Thorah that is the law containing the five Bookes of Moses The second Nebiiâ—n Râ—shonim the Books of the former Pâ—â—phets as Joshua Judges Samuel Kings The third Nebiius Acharouim later Prophets Esay Jeremy Ezekiel And the lesser being 12. but one booke A Sepher Ketubim the Hagiographall bookes It was written as t is likely by divers Prophets Matth. 2 ult Vide Bezam Bucer Calvin in loc * Petrus Martyr in praefat com in lib. Judic scribit alios putare unumquenque judicem suorum temporum res gestas conscripsisse quae postea Samuel eorum monimenta cum difiecta essent in unum quoddam corpus seu volumen cocgerit * The Authors of these Books of Samuel are thought to be Samuel Nathan and Gad 1 Samuel of the first Booke to the 25 Chapter where his death is reheased Nathan and Gad continued it 1 Chron. 29. 29. a They are called the first and second of Kings by the Greeks and Latines They containe a large History of things done by Kings the History of Samuel being praeposed The ordinary glosse saith he wrote a good part of the first Booke Scriptor hâ—rum librorum quatuor Hebraeorum eruditissimis creditur esse Jeremias Sermonis forma non discrepat Eum credibile est usum commentariis illis Nathanis Gadis Prophetarum quorum mentio 1 Paral. 29. 29. Grotius Because they reckon the first and second of Samuel also among those of the Kings Esdras and Jeremiah are thought to be the authors of the Kings Munster rendred it the bookes of Annals Libri praeteritorum appellantur ab Hieronymo Ab Eâ—dra scriptos hos duos libros constans semper fuit apud Hebraeâ—s fama qui bos libros vocant verba dierum id est excerpta ex regum diurnis Grotius Ezra signifieth an helper Nehemiah a comforter Nehemiah in English is a Comfort sent from God to comfort his people in those troublesome times Nomen huic libro est à potiore persona Martinius LXX huic historiae somnium quoddam Mardochaei praemittunt quod non est in Hebraeo Grotius Drusius Animad l. 2. c. 34. * Martinius Grotius reckons the Lamentations among the Poeticall bookes Mr. Caryll on Job 3. v. 2. p. 334. Singula in eo verba plena sunt sensibus Hâ—eron Quis libri scriptor fuit incertum est nec nisi levissimâ— conjecturis nititur quiequid de ea dici potest Bâ—za vid Grotium Waltherus in Offiecina Biblica Ludov. de Tena Isag. ad totam Sac. Script The Apâ—stle 1 Cor. 3. 19. proves it to be of divine authority