unto me all ye that are weary heavy-laden c. He told â—e that coming to Christ was before weary and heavy-laden Whereas if he had read but his Grammar he might have known that though coming to Christ go before being weary and heavy-laden in order of words yet weary and heavy-laden go in construction and in order of sense So it is said there of the Gentiles that As Act. 13 48 many as were or dained to eternall life believed Some tell us the words should be rendered thus As many as were addicted to eternall life beleeved viz. as many as were addicted and disposed heaven-ward afterwards beleeved whereas the words in the Original run thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they beleeved as many of them as were ordained to eternall life that word which is placed in the last place in our English Bibles which I suppose might be one occasion of the mistake is placed in the fiâ—st in the Greek 5. Rule In the interpreting of Scriptures we must observe who it is that speaks whether a Prophet or one of a more private capacity if it be a Prophet whether he speakes in his owne person or in anothers If he speakes in the person of another we must observe whether he speaks in the person of God or man or of a good man or a wicked man These things must carefully be heeded if you would understand the Scriptures for instance Solomon personates the Atheist That which befalleth the sonnes of men befalleth Eccl. 3.19 beasts even one thing befalleth them as the one dieth so dieth the other yea they have all one breath so that a man hath no preeminence above a â—east and whereas the Atheist heard some speak of the ascent of mans spirit he replies Who knoweth the spirit of a ver 21. man that goeth upward viz. Who can tell there is such a difference between a man and a beast This is not known onely talked of and guessed A learned Author enlarges himselfe on this Scripture thus Is it not strange saith he that any of those who are called sober Christians should plant their opinion in this soyle of Atheisme and make that a proofe of their faith which Solomon onely brings as a proof of some mens infidelity there is no more reason to ground the tenet of the soules mortality on this text then there is encouragement unto intemperancy from that Rejoyce Oh young man in thy youth c. Eccl. 11.9 6. Rule The Scripture is the word of truth and yet every thing that is writen in the Scriptures considered without reference to the context or the person that speaks is not truth hence is that rule made use of by Divines in this case Scripturae narratio quamvis verissima sit non tamen omnia quae ibi dicta sunt vera esse dicuntur for instance He casteth out Divels through Beelzebub the Luk. 11.15 chief of Divels The words in themselves considered are blasphemous and false and yet the Scriptâ—ral narration of them is true 7. Rule In the expounding of Scripture we are not so much to respect from whence words are deâ—ived as how they are used this Axiom is out of Aquinas the School-men Verbis non tam spectandum ex quo â—uà m ad quid sumantur as we see the branches of trees spread much further then their roots so derivative words are often of larger extent of signification then their primitives as for instance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a sound or an echo but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to Catechize or to iâ—struct in the principles of religion That thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been iâ—structed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 1.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth tingo to dip or plunge into the water yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is frequently if not alwayes taken more largely for anâ— kind of washing rinsing or cleansing where there is no dipping at all the Apostles were baptized with fire yet they were not dipt into it tables beds are said in the originall to be baptized viz. washed not dipt the Israelites in the wildernesse were baptized with the cloud yet not dipt into it the children of Zebedee were to be baptized with the Baptisme of blood wherewith our Saviour was baptized yet neither he nor they were dipt into blood so the Ancients speake of the Baptisme of tears wherewith all penitents are washed yet there is no dipping in such a Bâ—ptisme 8. Rule We must not only take notice of those phrases or words which are made use of by the Spirit of God in the Scrâ—ptures but also in what respect those phrases or words are made use of in that particular text which we desire to understand for instance it is said This is life eternall that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent If the Father be Joh. 17.3 the only true God how then is the Son or the Holy Ghost God For the answering of this difficulty we must consider upon what account Christ calleth God Father in this place we must know therefore that verse 1. though he â—seth the word Father yet Father is nor there taken for the first person in the Trinity but as a common attribute of the Deity so it is elsewhere taken our Saviour in his Prayer teacheth us Mat. 6.9 to say Our Father so V. 14. If ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you according to which interpretation this text is parallel to that of the Apostle There is one God and one Mediatour betwixt God and man the man Christ 1 Tim. 2.5 Jesus So in John it is said The Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie Joh. 15.26 of me Now if this rule be not observed here will arise a difficulty if the Spirit proceed from the Father onely how doth he proceed from the Father and the Son We must consider therefore upon what account the Spirit is said to proceed from the Father in the place above alledged viz. because he proceedeth from the Father originally not because he proceedeth from the Father only elsewhere he is called the Spirit of the Son And because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into Gal. 4.6 your hearts crying Abba Father 9. Rule In the time of St. Paul the Iewish ceremonies were things indifferent which might be used or not used as they saw-it tend to Gods Glory and the good of the Church now this is profitable to know for the understanding of the History of the Acts where we shall finde Paul using Circumcision and yet writeth against it in his Epistles There are three things observable as to the use of Ceremonies 1. Before the death of Christ the use of Ceremonies was not indifferent but necessary as being commanded of God 2.
Virgin Mary says unto Jesus Son why hast thou dealt thus Luc. 2.48 with us thy Father and I have sought thee sorrowing thy Father viz. thy supposed Father as he is elsewhere called So Christ calls Judas friend for he was so accounted though indeed he was but a face-friend and an heart-enemy So the Pharisees are stiled by the Holy Ghost righteous just persons such as need no repentance because they were so in the conceit of the world 21. Rule Prophâ—sies in Scripture are shaped into severall formes 1. Some Prophecies are delivered formâ optandi by way of wish or desire Gen. 49. 18. I have waited for thy salvation Oh Lord. Quo ipso non optat solùm sed prophetat He doth not onely wish that his salvation might come but prophecies that his salvation should come So the Psalmist Psal 14.7 Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Sion when the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people Jacob shall rejoyce and Israell shall be glad 2. Some Prophecies are delivered formâ imperandi by way of command So Come Esay 47.1 downe and sit in the dust Oh virgin daughter of Babylon sit on the ground there is no throne Oh daughter of the Caldeans for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate So ver 5. Sit thou silent and get thee vers 5 into darknesse Oh daughter of the Caldeans for thou shalt no more be called the Lady of Kingdomes 3. Some Prophecies are delivered formà imprecandi by way of imprecation so the Psâ—lmist Poure out thy wrath upon the Heathen Psal 79 6. that have not known thee and upon the Kingdomes that have not called upon thy vers 12. Name So vers 12. Render unto our neighbours seven-fold into their bosome the reproch wherewith they have reproached thee Oh Lord. 22. Rule In reading of the Evangelists we should take notice what things are specified by one Evangelist what by two what by three and what by all the foure For instance Some of Christs workes are specified onely by one Evangelist as his turning of water into wine as his healing the sick man at the poole of Bethesda his healing that blind man John 9. Some of them are specified by two Evangelists as the History of Christs birth by Matthew and Luke Some things are recorded by three of them as the institution of the Sacrament of the Supper Some things by all foure as Christs death and passion Onely two write the History of his birth all foure the History of his death possibly to teach us that though all Christs workes and actions are to be seriously minded meditated upon and remembred yet none so espcially as his death and sufferings 23. Rule Although we should finde the holy Penmen of God differ from each other in things of a lesser import or consideration we should not from hence in the least scruple the divine authority of the Scripture For instance in the History of Christs temptations Matthew for the second temptation Mat. 4 5. puts the devills taking Christ up into the holy City and setting him one a pinacle of the temple now the Evangelist Saint Luke seemes to invert the order and for the second temptation puts the devills taking Luc. 4.5 Christ into an high mountaine and shewing him all the Kingdomes of the world in a moment of time Now if the question be how these Evangelists must be reconciled Answer may be made if there be an harmony as to the temptations that are written by the Evangelists it is enough though they differ as to the order of the temptations We do not use to accuse a man of a falshood who tells us many things that be true though they be something out of order unlesse he promise that he will not onely tell us the things that were done but also the order of the doing of them So then if Matthew speaks of that temptation in the second place which Luke doth in the third place as long as they differ not about the maine as to the temptations concerning which they write there is an harmony still between Matthew and Luke Yea some think that this is a good argument to prove the divine authority of the Scriptures viz. that the Holy Penmen did not lay their heads together about the framing of the Gospels nor did transcribe one anothers coppies they agreeing in the maine and yet differing in things of a lesser consideration 24. Rule When the Evangelists urge a Scripture out of the Old Testament many times they referre not to the words in themselves considered but to the scope and aime of the Spirit of God in that place to which they relate For instance He came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth that it might be fulfilled which Mat. 2.23 was spoken by the Prophets He shall be called a Nazaren which saying cannot be found in terminis in any of the Prophets and therefore the Evangelist referres to those Scriptures were the Spirit of God speaks to the same purpose though he makes not use of the same words So Saint Luke Now that the dead are raised even Moses Luke 20. 37 38. sheweth at the bush when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob for he is not a God of the dead but of the living Moses shewed not that the dead are raised in terminis but indeed this is inferred from what he said by consequence for he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob and he is not the God of the dead but of the living And from hence let us be established in this truth that necessary consequences from Scripture do proove a jus divinum a divine right yea our Lord Jesus calleth consequence from Scripture Scripture He Joh. 7.38 that believeth on me as the Scripture saith out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water Now these words strictly taken are not to be found in the whole booke of God excepting this place where they are urged the place of Scripture neerest to this that I know of is in Esay I will poure water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the Isa 44. 3. dry ground And indeed if this should be denied we should fall into grosse ab surdities A Learned Author observes that all kinds of unlawfull and forbidden marriages are not expressely mentioned in the Law but divers of them to be collected by consequence that is either by parity or greater strength of reason For instance The nakednesse of thy sonnes daughter or of Lev. 18. â—0 thy daughters daughter even their nakednesse thou shalt not uncover Now from this text it is collected à fortiori that much lesse a man may uncover the nakednesse of his owne daughter Which yet is not expressely forbidden by the Law but left to be thus collected by necessary consequence from this very text How can
the salvation of our children is a duty incumbent on parents in point of justice from the parents they received the filement and misery of their nature and therefore they owe them all possible help for their recovery It is a piece of cruelty for a parent to suffer his children to lye in their blood if we hurt but a stranger yea though against our wills we think it our duty to help to cure him It is worthy of our consideration that the promise of a blessing to be continued to posterity is annexed to the second commandment in the Decalogue which is concerning the worship and service of God God thereby intimating what parents and others should principally apply themselves to have planted in their families if they would have Gods blessing entailed upon their issue It is an idle conceit of many that Religion and godlinesse are not for children surley most equall it is as the first-fruits of other things so the first-fruits of our yeares should go also to God Ut primitiae rerum it á primitiae dierum Greg. Quest 6. vers 3 4. It is said here Cain and Abel brought their offerings unto the Lord and yet it is said after Seth's time Then began men to call upon the Name of the Lord Was not the Name of the Lord called upon Gen. 4.26 before by Abam and Eve and Abel Yes But for some time the greater Resp part of the world were corrupted with Cains wicked progeny insomuch as it is probable the good people at first worshipped God in their families but after Seth the family of the righteous encreasing the worship of God became more publick and solemne This then that is said vers 26 of this Chapter that then began men to call up-the Name of the Lord is not spoken simpliciter sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quest 7. verse 3 4. Why did Abel bring the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof as an offering unto the Lord The firstlings of the flock were accounted Resp the best as also were the first-fruits Abel would not offer up unto God that which cost him nothing It is our duty to be at some cost for the carrying on of the worship and service of God Buy the truth and sell it not He Prov. 23. 23. doth not say take the truth as if it might be had for taking up but buy it What is the meaning of that phrase You know in buying of a commodity we are willing to part with something that we may have and enjoy the thing we buy There are severall things you must part withall if you would have the truth and amongst the rest you must part with your purses It is true indeed Gods grace and truth is not to be had for money but though you cannot buy grace you may buy Preaching maintaine a godly Ministery whereby you may come to get grace We may observe in that Parable The Merchant finding a rich treasure hid in the field he is said To sell all and buy the Mat. 13. 44. field He doth not buy the treasure but the field the field is the Ministery of the Gospell in which the treasure of grace is hid now in buying the field he buyes the treasure hid in the field The Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a free gift and yet you must buy the truth and maintaine the Ministery But is it not a wicked thing to set the Object Gospel to sale Yes without question but pray mark Resp you say sometimes you have bought a Bible the truth is a Bible in some sense cannot be said to be bought what then do we buy I answer you buy the cover and the paper and the binding and the printing but the Bible it selfe is Gods gift So people do not buy the Gospel nor Ministers sell it But you will say if you do not sell the Gospel what else do you sell We answer we sell our study our pains the spending of our strength and spirits but the Gospel is Gods gift That Minister and he alone may be said to sell the Gospel that would make the Gospel to serve his base carnall interest and so make a market of it And truly in this sense others may be said to sell the Gospel as well as Ministers there are some that put the Gospel to the same drudgery that they put their foot-boyes and make it lackey after their Coaches Quest 8. verse 3 4. Why the Lord had respect to Abels offering and not unto Cains Some and indeed the most conceive Resp that Cain offered unto the Lord of the fruits of the ground any thing he cared not much what but Abel of the firstlings of the flock of the best he had and this say they was a main reason why the Lord had respect to Abels offering and not Cains But by the leave of so many Learned and reverend Divines I shall enter a demurrer against this judgement of theirs for consider 1. As you heard before they brought those offerings that were suitable to that way or calling in which God had set them 2. There is not the least hint in the Scripture that Cain brought the worser sort of the fruits of the ground but for ought we read the best of the kinde 3. That God is to be served with the best is a Notion that lyes with its face upwards in the understandings of men 4. That though it must be acknowledged that the best of the kinde was to be offered up in sacrifice unto God as you read Ye offer the blind for sacrifice is it Mal. 1.8 not evil And ye offer the lame and sick is it not evil Offer it now unto thy Governour will he be pleased with thee or accept thy person saith the Lord of Hosts Yet when the Scripture clearly makes the difference of the issue of Cain and Abels offering to consist in the persons who offered and not in the offering why should we enquire any further concerning it By faith Abel offered unto God a moâ—e excellent sacrifice then Cain Heb. 11.4 This should teach us to mixe all our holy duties with faith It is said when Christ was baptized Lo a voice from Mat 3. 17. heaven saying This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased Not with whom I am well pleased but in whom God the Father is not only well pleased with Christ himselfe but in him with the graces duties and persons of his people It is not with our duties as with our posies the posie gives sweetnesse to the bosome but the bosome gives no sweetnesse to the posie But in regard of our holy duties the case is quite contrary The Lord Jesus as it were takes our duties and puts them into his bosome and they receive all their goodnesse and fragrancy from the bosome of Christ It is said That the smoke of the Incense which came with the prayers of the Saints ascended Rev. 8.4 up before God out of the
as those which would follow now viz. disgrace and reproach upon the persons committing this sin and upon their seed 9. Prop. That though having of many wives were a fault yet it would be something an unsavoury speech to affirme that Abraham and the holy Patriarchs were Adulterers I conceive the Poligamy of the Fathers may be placed in the middle between adultery and holy wedlock they took not wives of a lewd minde for the satisfying of their lust but of a conscience not rightly informed in this point 10. Prop. That upon a serious consideration of the premises I think it safest to joyne issue with those who hold that even the Patriarchs themselves sinned in having more wives then one Learne from hence to detest that dangerous errour of some sort of the Anabaptists who hold plurality of wives under the Gospel Though this assertion be so unsavoury as that I verily beleeve it stinks in the nostrils of all those that hold Christ to be the Lord yet because we live in such times when the Serpent casts out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman that he might Rev. 12.15 cause her to be carried away of the flood I shall endeavour to hold up your head above water by severall considerations 1. That all the actions of the holy Patriarchs though not blame-worthy are not recorded by the Spirit of God for our imitation but for other ends and purposes 2. That unto the following of the example of any holy person it is not enough that we do what he did but we must do it upon the same grounds and for the same ends as he did it The Apostles did not imitate Elias by calling down fire from heaven 3. That in the Gospel wherever our Lord Jesus or his Apostles speake of marriage mention is made but of one man and one woman 4. That although Ephes 5. 22. Col. 3. 18. in those two places of Scripture mention be made of wives yet there is also mention made of husbands an ordinary eye may see haec verba accipi per distributionem 5. Our Saviour saith Whosoever shall put away his wife except it be for fornication and shall marry another committeth adultery Mat. 19.9 Now if a man when he puts away his wife and marries another commits adultery then if he keeps his wife and marries another he commits adultery Our Saviour there speaks not of marrying Object more wives then one but of putting away those whom a man hath married The same Argument that our Saviour Resp urges against Divorce or putting away of wives the same may be urged against Polygamy he that puts away his wife and marries another commits adultery now thus it is in Polygamy in part though not altogether there is a kinde of putting off the first wife in marrying another the wife hath not the same power over the husband that formerly she had and so by consequence not the same interest in him 6. It is said in Timothy A Bishop must be blamelesse the Husband of one wife now we 1 Tim. 3 2. must not think that these words referre ad bigamiam successivam as some phrase it to the marriage of a second wife after the decease of the first for this kinde of Polygamy is not blame-worthy but the meaning is this A Bishop must be blamelesse the husband of one wife viz. of one wife at one time Polygamy is forbidden to Bishops therefore Object it is granted to other persons This is a strange Consequence as if a Resp man should say A Bishop must be sober and of good behaviour therefore another may be intemperate c. Besides all this I might adde Polygamy is against that naturall principle or maxime Quod tihi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris Whatever you would others should do unto you do ye unto them 8. Against one main end of marriage to avoid fornication If a man had halfe as many wives as Solomon I would know how the ends of marriage could be accomplished Quest 28. vers 23. What may be the meaning of that speech of Lamech to his wives I have slaine a man to my wounding and a young man to my hurt if Cain shall be avenged seven-fold truely Lamech seventy and seven-fold Some conceive that these words speake Lamâ—chs horrour of conscience and feare of judgement for the murders he had committed as if he should say If God will be avenged on Cain much more on me But here is suppositum non supponendum for it is not said God would be avenged on Cain but on him who killed Cain The Jewes have a tradition that Lamech was so exceedingly delighted in Hunting that notwithstanding he was old and blind yet taking Tub all-Cain a youth along with him engaged in that sport and by the direction of Tuball-Cain he instead of his game killed Cain which he understanding afterwards was very wroth and in his fury killed Tuball-Cain But this opinion hath more absurdities following it then one 1. 'T is very unlikely Lamech being old and blind would go on hunting 2. That Tuball-Cain was killed when a youth being the text saith he was an inventor of arts 3. 'T is not likely that Cain was wandering up and down in the woods at this time having built a City and his family very numerous Others therefore more probably conceive that Lamechs speech noted his insolent contempt of Gods judgements and abuse of his patience towards Cain Eccl. 8. 11. Because sentence against an evil worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart â—f the sonnes of men is fully set in them to do evil The Scripture being silent who they were that were murdered by Lamech it is our best way to be silent also Notes on the fifth Chapter Quest 1. vers 2. It is said God created male and female and Gen. 2. 5. blessed them and called their name Adam How is it then said That Adam called his wives name Eve Eve was the womans proper name Adam was a name common to them both Resp Quest 2. verse 3. Why is it not said that Adam begat Cain or Abel in his owne likenesse as well as Seth The opinions of the Learned are divers concerning this expression he begat a sonne Resp in his owne likenesse 1. Some would have it expounded of the rational soul as we may say of any other animal that it begets a creature according to its likenesse when a creature of its owne kinde is begotten and brought forth But according to this exposition Adam begat Cain and Abel after his own likenesse as well as Seth for who doubts but Cain and Abel were true men 2. Some would have it expounded thus he begat Seth in his own likenesse viz. a good man like himselfe viz de imagine pietatis But if so why was not this said concerning Abel being a good man as well as Seth 3. Others therefore expound it rightly de privatione originalis justitiae corruptione mentis He begat a