long a life to record to the posterity the word and the workes of God Againe he did this to obviat the craft of the Divell and the counterfeite writings of the false Apostles God revealeth himselfe most surely to us by his word It was necessary then that the word should be written that the Church might have a greater certainety of their salvation See how farre the Lord commendeth unto us the certainety which wee have by the Scriptures above all other sort of revelation 2 Pet. 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have also a more sure word of prophesie here the certainety of the Scriptures is preferred to the transfiguration in the mount Secondly the Apostle Gal. 1.8 preferreth it to the revelation made by Angels If an Angell should come from heaven and teach any other Gospel let him be accursed Thirdly Christ himselfe preferred the certainety of it to Moyses and the Prophets If one should come from the dead and teach us Luk. 16.31 The Church is not the last resolution of our faith The Church of Rome then doth great wrong to Christians when they would make the last ground and stay of Christian faith to be the Church onely But wee are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Ephe. 2.20 the Lord when he dwelt betweene the Cherubims he set the Candlesticke upon his right hand and the table with the shewbread upon his left hand to teach us that the Scriptures are to be preferred still to the testimony of the Church and that wee must rest upon their testimony primariò Quest Whether is it an Article of our faith to beleeve that the Scriptures are the Word of God or not Ans Something 's de fide de verbo fidej somethings de verbo fidej but not de fide primario somethings neither de fide neither de verbo fidej Some things are both de fide de verbo fidei as Christ is Emmanuel Secondly somethings are de verbo fidei but not de fide primariò as Paul left his cloake at Troas Thirdly somethings are de fide but non de verbo fidei which are the conclusions drawne from the canonicall word by consequence And these are eyther drawne from the word generally as this that the Scriptures are the word of God for this is evident from the whole word generally and although this be a principle in it selfe which ought first to be beleeved yet in my conception and manner of taking up it is a conclusion arising from that majesty and Divine character which is in the word it selfe or the particular conclusions drawne from the word They are de fide non de verbo fidei as when a man concludeth his owne particular justification from the word as I Iames am justified est de fide mea and not a part of the canonicall word but an application arising from it Fourthly something are neyther de fides nor de verbo fidei Secondly we may answer to this whether the word written be an article of our faith or not Articles of our faith taken generally or specially The articles of our faith are eyther taken generally or specially generally for all that is contained in the Scriptures or may be deduced by way of consequence from the Scriptures then it is not an article of our faith to beleeve the canon of the Scriptures Secondly specially for that which is contained in the Creede for the Creede is the substance of that which is contained in the Scriptures and then it is an article of our faith to beleeve the Cannon of the Scriptures The Scriptures of God are considered essentially The Scriptures considered essentially or accidentally or accidentally Essentially as they proceede from God accidentally againe as they were written by such and such men As they proceede from God we must beleeve them to be true and to be the meanes of our salvation for saving truth is onely from God But if we consider them but accidentally as they are written by such and such men then it is not an article of our faith to beleeve them for it maketh not to our salvation primariò to know that they were written by such and such men When the books in holy Scripture carry the names of those who wrote them as the bookes of Moyses carrie his name if a man should deny these bookes to be written by Moses then be ignorant altogether of the matter contained in them then his ignorance were damnable Ignorantia damnabilis negatio haeretical and the denyall of them hereticall they have Moses and the Prophets Luk. 16. But if the writer of the booke be not set downe in the Scripture if a man should deny such a man to write it he should not be reputed as an hereticke for that Negatia est haerètica per accidens sed ignoratio non est damnabilis and to be ignorant that such a man wrote it this were not damnable ignorance Example it is holden that Paul wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews now if a man should deny that Paul wrote this Epistle he were not to be holden a hereticke for that neyther were his ignorance damnable A man may be ignorant of this or that booke and yet be saved and many were saved before the bookes were written and now many are saved who cannot reade the Scriptures Ignorantia hic est infirmitatis negatio est haeritica per accidens But when a man doubteth of the order and number of the bookes in the Canon this argueth but his unskilfulnesse and infirmity and the denyall of the number and order of these bookes is but hereticall by accident and the ignorance is not damnable Quest When we beleeve such a booke to be written by such a man whether beleeve we this by a justifying faith or by an historicall faith Ans When we beleeve that such a man wrote this booke this is but an historicall faith and this we have by the Church but that which is dogmaticall in this booke that we must beleeve out of the word it selfe we being illuminate by the Spirit Conclusi The conclusion of this is Seeing God hath revealed his will in his word written to us and remitted us alwayes to the law and to the testimony Esay 10.8 Ioh. 5.49 search the Scriptures therefore these who leave the Scriptures and make choyse of traditions they forsake the fountaine of living water and digge Cisternes to themselves that cannot hold no water Ier. 2.13 EXERCITAT IX Of the singular prerogatives which the secretaries of the holy Ghost had who wrote the Scriptures 2 Pet. 1.21 And the holy men of God spake as they were mooved by the holy Ghost Prorogative 1 THe holy men of God who were inspired by the holy Spirit to write the Scriptures First they were immediatly called by God Gal. 1.12 for the Gospel which I preached I received it not of man neyther was I taught but
〈◊〉 as Ier. 31.39 Behold the day saith the Lord. Here is a blanke in the Text the vowels are onely set downe and the word Baim is understood by the Points of it which are in the Text and so it is Baim although it be not expresly written in the Text. The reason why they set the consonants in the Margent and the vowels in the Text was to signifie that they enclined rather to follow the Marginall reading than the Text and yet not to exclude the Text reading therefore they set the vowels in the Text. The Masoreth put not points to a word which they thinke doth redound Againe when the Masoreth thinke that some words abound they set downe the Consonants of the word in the Text but they point not the word which they would have to be be omitted Example Ier. 51.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Against him that bended let the Archer bend his bow El ijddroch ijddroch hadderech And thus the Masoreth keepe us that we goe not amisse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and their observations are a hedge to the Law therefore the Iewes say Sejag lahhochma shethea Silence is the hedge of wisedome for when a man holdeth his peace he is then thought to be wise So they say Megnasheroth sejag legnosher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tythes are the hedge of our riches and therefore pay thy Tythes and bee rich So Nedarim sejag liphrishoth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vowes are the hedge of the first fruites Lastly they say Masoreth sejag latora 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Masoreth is the hedge to the Law By great paines and wonderfull care those Masoreth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 numbred the letters and words of the Scripture that none of them might perish and as in a well constituted family 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the master of the family taketh a note of all the things in his house from the greatest to the least 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So did these Masoreth of the whole Law therefore the Hebrewes say Gnim shimmureth hatorah that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the studie of the Masoreth was Cum conservationelegis for the preserving of the Law from corruption These diverse readings make not up diverse senses but helpe us better to come by the right sense of the Scripture Diverse reading make not up diverse sense in the Scripture When it is objected to us by the Church of Rome that we have not the true meaning of the Scriptures because of our diverse translations Our Divines answer that these diverse translations make not diverse senses in the Scriptures for the sense is still one and the same but these diverse translations helpe us onely to come to the true meaning of the Scriptures and so we must use these marginall and line readings as we use these interpretations When we see a blanke left in the the Text and supplyed in the Margent this addeth nothing to the Text as a word added sometime by a translatour addeth nothing to the Text So when the Masoreth put another word in the Margent A word set downe for explanation addeth nothing to the text which is not in the Text that word is set downe onely for explanation The meaning of the text is knowne by the antecedent and consequent and it addeth nothing to the Text. We take up the meaning of the Text by the antecedent and consequent Example Prov. 4.3 Tender and young was I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Liphni before my Mother but in the Margent it is Tender and young was I Libhni amongst the Sonnes of my Mother for Salomon had moe brethren 1 Chron. 3.6 But these readings may stand he was tender and young before his Mother and best beloved of all his Mothers Sonnes The Conclusion of this is A certaine Iew gave God thankes for foure things Conclusion First that hee was a Iew and not a Samaritane Secondly that he was bred at Ierusalem and not at Pambiditha ex Tilmideni cap. 7 Thirdly that he said Shibbeth and not Sibboleth Fourthly that hee needed not the helps of Tiberias meaning the Points and Accents But we who are not naturall Iewes should bee thankefull to God because wee have these helpes to further us in the reading EXERCITAT XV. Of the meanes which God useth to make the Scripture plaine unto us 1 Cor. 14.11 If I know not the meaning of the voyce I shall be to him that speaketh a Barbarian c. THere are three speciall meanes by which God maketh the Scriptures plaine unto us Three speciall meanes for making the Scriptures plaine The first is translation of the Scripture The second is paraprasing of the Scripture and the third is the interpretation of the Scripture What things are necessary for translation In the Translation of the Scripture consider first what is a Translation Secondly the necessitie of translation Thirdly what things a Translator should observe and what things he should shunne Fourthly who they were who translated the Scriptures Fiftly the authority of the translation of the Seventy Sixtly the authority of the vulgar Latine translation First what is a translation What is translation We translate when we change out of one language into another and it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If the Translator consider the words a part then it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is great force in the words and therefore the Translator must observe them Plato was wont to call Socrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu obstetricem because when he sought out the words then he brought forth the truth The necessitie of translation proved by sundry reasons Secondly let us consider the necessity of Translation without a Translation wee can not understand a strange language but it is barbarous to us Reasons proving the necessitie of translation Reason 1 First when the old testament hath words altogether unknowne to the Iewes Words in the old Testament unknowne to the Iewes are interpreted it useth to interpret them Example Purim was a Persicke word unknowne to the Iewes therefore the Holy Ghost interpreteth it calling it a Lot So the Evangelists writing in Greeke and having sundrie Hebrew and Chaldee words they expound them in Greeke as Siloe that is sent Ioh. 9.7 Abba interpreted by Pater Rom. 8. So Tabitha kumi by interpretation Daughter arise Mark 5.21 So Thomas called Didymus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Mark 7.34 and Act. 1.27 and Revela 1.7 amen by nai So Abaddon be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reve. 9.11 So Rabboni by Master Ioh. 20.16 why doth the holy Ghost interpret these names but to teach us that he would have the Scriptures translated into knowne tongues that the people might understand them Quest Why doth the holy Ghost interpret Elymas by Magus Act. 13.8 But Elymas the Sorcerer for so his name is by interpretation
Num. 12. Miriam loquuta est in Mosem id est maledixit Mosi Conclusion The conclusion of this is Matth. 10.20 It is not yee that speake but the Spirit of our Father which speaketh in you So it was not they who wrote but the Spirit of the Lord in them 2 King 13. When Ioash the King of Israel tooke a Bow in his hand Elisha laid his hands upon the Kings hands and Elisha bad him shoote and he sayd the Arrow of the Lords deliverance and the Arrow of the deliverance from Syria it was not the Kings hand that directed the Arrow here but it was the hand of the Prophet laid upon the Kings hand which gave this mighty blow so it was the hand of the Lord laid upon the hands of his Secretaries which directed them to write the holy Word of God EXERCITAT IX Arguments proving the Scriptures to bee Divine 1 Thess 2.13 Yee received it not as the Word of man but as it is in truth the Word of God THe Testimonies which prove the Scriptures to be Divine are first the Testimonie of God himselfe when he approved them by his Spirit and when they were laid before him by Vrim and Thummim Secondly arguments drawne out of the Scriptures themselves Thirdly the Testimonie of the Church Fourthly the Testimonie of those who were without the Church Deus testatur Scriptura contestatur Ecclesia subtestatur Deus testatur God beareth witnesse to the Scriptures two wayes First by the internall Testimony of his Spirit Secondly by his externall Testimony When the Spirit testifieth unto us such Bookes to be his Word Quest whether is this a publike or a private Testimony This is a publike Testimony Ans which the Spirit Testifieth to the whole Church and to the severall members of it that these Bookes are holy Scripture for the same Spirit which endited the Scriptures to the Church testifieth still to the Church and to the particular members thereof that the Scriptures are the Word of God The second Testimony which God gave to the Scriptures was his externall testimony given by Vrim and Thummim testifying these Bookes of Moyses and the Prophets to be the holy Scriptures What are we to thinke of these Bookes Quest written and set in order after the captivitie seeing they had not the approbation of the Lord by Vrim and Thummim Answ These Bookes were called Ketubhim written Bookes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to put a difference betweene them and these Bookes which were confirmed by Vrim and Thummim they who wrote these Bookes were inspired by the holy Ghost as well as these who wrote the former and they were confirmed by the masters of the great Synagogue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aradice such as were Esdras Zacharie and Malachie The Greekes called these Bookes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abscondere and the Iewes distinguish them still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frō the Apocryphall Bookes called Gannazim abscinditi and the Greekes called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bookes of whose authority it was still doubted Reason 1 Reasons taken out of the Scriptures themselves proving them to be Divine the first reason is taken from the antiquity of the Scriptures Scriptura contestatur all this time was tempus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the heathen that is it was an hid or an unknowne time to them After the flood the Scriptures goe on and they set downe to us the history of the Church Tempus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Historicum but the Heathen history is Tempus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fabulosum as that which we reade of Hercules and Prometheus and nothing is set downe in the Heathen history before the Olympiads of the Graecians which was but in the dayes of Vzziah See how farre Gods Word exceedeth humane history in antiquity It beginneth with the world and endeth with it Luk. 1.70 as he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have beene since the world began Reason 2 Secondly the matter contained in the Scriptures sheweth them to be Divine Many histories shew us the heavy wrath of God upon man for sinne yet the Scriptures only shew us morbum medicinam medicum it sheweth us both the sicknesse the physicke and the Physitian to cure it Reason 3 The Scriptures not written to satisfie mens curiosity Thirdly the Scripture setteth downe things necessary onely for our salvation and nothing for our curiosity It is often repeated in the Bookes of the Kings and Chronicles The rest are they not written in the Bookes of the Chronicles of the Kings of Iuda and Israel So Ester 10.2 The rest are they not written in the Bookes of the Kings of Persia The holy Ghost would meete here with the curious desires of men who desire still to know more and more and to reade pleasant discourses to satisfie their humours as if the Spirit of God should say I have sufficiently told you here of the Kings of Iuda and Israel and of Persia and so farre as concerneth the Church and may serve for your edification it is not my manner to satisfie your curiositie if ye would know more go to your owne Scrowles and Registers where yee shall finde matter enough to passe the time with To bee short the Scriptures are not given to passe the time with but to redeeme the time Reason 4 Fourthly the prophesies set downe in the holy Scriptures shew them to be Divine for they distinguish the Lord from all the Idols of the Gentiles and the Divels themselves Esa 41.22 Let them shew the former things what they be that we may consider them and set our hearts upon them Renunciare proeterita anunciare presentia p. anunciare futura and shew us the things that are to come hereafter that we may know that yee are Gods Here the Prophet distinguisheth the true God from the false Gods and true prophesies from false If they could tell of things by-past and relate them from the beginning and joyne them with the things to come then he would confesse that they were Gods and that their prophesies were true To tell of things past is not in respect of time for the Angels and Divels can tell things fallen out from the beginning of time but it is in respect of the things themselves when they tooke beginning this is onely proper to God Psal 139.16 In thy Booke all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there were none of them Hee can joyne things by-past with things that are to follow and can tell certainely of things to come There is a twofold beginning of things The first is exordium rei The second is exordium temporis Exordium temporis rei The Angels know exordium temporis but not exordium rei for the Lord onely knoweth things before the foundation of the world was laid Ephe. 1.4 He who knoweth certainely
translated from the family of Phinehas to Ithamars posterity Ob. for Eli was of the posterity of Ithamar and not of Phinehas and from Eli it came to his sonne Phimehas and then to Achitub and then to Achiaz the brother of Ahimelech and then it was restored to Zadoc see 1 Chron. 24.3 for foure generations the posteritie of Phinehas wanted the Priesthood Elies posterity had it de facto et non de jure Ans therefore it is to be marked what bad successe most of them had in the Priesthood Eli brake his necke his sonne Phinehas was killed in the battell Abiathar was put from the Priesthood and his soone Ahimelech was slaine by Doeg and all this time when they wanted the Priesthood the posterity of Elcazer farre surpassed the posterity of Ithamar 1 Chron. 24.4 Againe it was promised to Phinehas posterity conditionally if they should walke in their fathers wayes This promise of the Priesthood was not made so absolutely to Phinehas but that Phinehas posterity for their sinnes might be deprived of it for a time even as the promise made to David that the Kingdome should continue with his posterity for ever did not exclude the captivity of Babylon and the overthrow of the kingdome for a time yet by vertue of this promise made to Phinehas his posterity could not want it for ever And thirdly it is so promised to his posterity that it should not be taken for ever from him as it was from the posterity of Eli. This rod brought forth Almonds without a roote the fathers reason out of this place against the Iewes who will not beleeve that the Virgin could beare a sonne why will ye beleeve this say they that Aarons rod brought forth Almonds without a roote and cannot beleeve that a Virgin can beare a sonne ye beleeve that Eva was created out of the side of Adam and that Adam was created out of the dust why may yee not beleeve this likewise that God can create a child in the Wombe of the Virgin Yee beleeve that Sara an old withered stocke conceived by the power of God and why ye will not beleeve this that God by his power created the Child in the Wombe of the Virgin The tree blossomed although it was withered Hence we may gather that the withered tree the Church of the Iewes shall flourish againe a man looking with a naturall eye upon that heape of dry bones Ezek. 37. would never thinke that they should rise againe but the Lord by the mighty wind of his Spirit gathered these bones together and made them to live so the Lord by his mighty power shall make the withered tree of the Iewes to flourish againe Obj. But ye will say that Christ cursed the figtree which represented the Church of the Iewes and said Never fruit grow upon thee henceforth Mat. 21.19 Then it may seeme that this tree shall never flourish againe Answ That figtree that was accursed by Christ never to beare fruit againe represented the Iewes who lived then and those who shall live till the conversion of the Iewes but when the wrath of God is come upon them to the full as the Apostle speakes then the Lord shall call them and their rod shall flourish againe Quest Whether kept this rod still the buds blossomes and Almonds when it was laid up before the Lord or not No question it did Answ for the Lord commandeth to lay it up as a testimony against the rebels now when it kept the buds blossomes and Almonds it testified the more vively against them and as the Manna lasted so many hundreth yeares in the golden pot so did this rod keepe the blossomes and Almonds When Aarons rod budded it was a token to him that he was called of the Lord he that runneth and is not sent by the Lord shall never doe good in that holy Calling these Agrippa who were borne with their feet formost it was a bad token of their evill government to follow as it fell out in Herod Agrippa who was a very bad Governour so when a Preacher is not sent by God to his people and the Lord doth not make his rod to bud he shall never be a profitable Minister in his Calling Of the priviledges of the first borne under the Law and what he was bound to doe to his brethren and kinsmen Matth. 22.24 If a man die having no children his brother shall marry his wife and raise up seed unto him AFter that the Pharisees had tempted Christ the same day the Sadduces came to tempt him who denyed the Resurrection and they reason with Christ ab absurdo if there were a Resurrection then this absurdity would follow that seven men should have one wife at the Resurrection but this is absurd therefore c. and thus they goe about to ground upon Moses Law For Moses commanded in the Law that if a man dye without seed then his brother should raise up his seed unto him Deut. 35.5 Now there fell out a case among us that a man married a wife and dyed without children his brother married his wife and he dyed without children also and seven brethren had her to wife Whose wife then shall she be in the Resurrection Our Lord answereth that they erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God for in the Resurrection men neither marry nor give in marriage but are like the Angels of God The Sadduces who denyed the Resurrection put this question to Christ He that denyeth the immortality of the soule cannot hold one sound point in Religion the Sadduces denyed the immortality of the soule they held the soule to be like Quickesilver which made the body to stirre or like Salt that kept the body from corruption as Epicurus held and the best that they made of it they said it was an exact temperature of the humours of the body and then for the Angels they said they were but good thoughts but not subsisting spirits Now if the soule be not an immortall substance the body cannot be joyned to it againe for the weale of the body dependeth upon the soules immortality they held the soule to be mortall and therefore of necessity they behoved to deny the resurrection Tertullian called the Marcionites and Valentinians qui credebant reditum animae non corporis partiarios Saducaeos We who professe our selves to be Christians say the Creed and repeate this Article often I beleeve the resurruction of the body but yet if we will looke to the lives of most part of men we shall heare than say no other thing but that which the Sadduces and Epicures said 1 Cor. 15.32 Let us eate let us drinke for to morrow we shall dye that is be quite extinguished in soule and body as if there were no more of us after our death thā beasts when they are knockt on the head when the Pharises reasoned with the Sadduces they said unto thē Why study ye to keep the Law seeing ye beleeve not the immortality
prevaile against it The Lord hath chosen Ierusalem although the Lord made choise of Ierusalem yet this notable vine which he planted degenerated Iere. 2.21 and then he rejected it and brought great desolations upon it Esay 29.1 I will make Ierusalem like Ariel when Ierusalem killed the Prophets then he sprinkled it with blood like Ariel the Altar which was sprinkled with blood Is not this a brand pluckt out of the fire As if the Lord would say he is new brought out of the captivity and therefore no mervell though his cloathes be yet soiled There are three sorts of wants in the Church First Three sorts of wants in the Church wants of necessity Secondly occasionall wants Thirdly contracted wants wants of necessity are these when God with-draweth the meanes Wants of necessity what that the Church cannot have them when the people were in the Wildernesse and sacrificed there they had neither wine nor oyle to joyne to their sacrifice yet their sacrifice was accepted because it was a want of necessity The anointed of the Lord. so the Highpriest in the second Temple he wanted Vrim and Thummim and he wanted the holy oyle therefore he was not called in the second Temple Vnctus Iehovae but vir multarum vestium the man with the many cloathes because he had five ornaments belonging to him which none of the rest of the Priests had although he wanted this holy oyle yet he was accepted and his sacrifice because this was a want of necessity Secondly occasionall wants are these when men for the time cannot so conveniently have their defects supplyed as Num. 10. Eleazar and Ithamar when they should have eaten the sinne offering in the holy place they forgot to eate it and suffered it to burne because they were in such griefe for Nadab and Abihu Aaron taketh the defence of them in this case and sayeth such things have befallen me this day and no mervaile that both I and my sonnes should have forgotten to eate the sinne offering in the holy place Num. 10. Occasionall wants what if wee being in our sinne should have taken upon us to purge the sinnes of the people should it have beene accepted in the sight of the Lord Moses accepteth of this occasionall want because they were in great griefe it was no mervaile that they forgot to eate it So they now lately comming out of the captivity no mervaile that Ioshua was not so handsomely dressed as hee should have beene for in their captivities they contracted much corruption as in Egypt they forgot their Circumcision and that was called opprobrium Egâ—pti Iosh 5. Vnder Antiochus attrahebant praeputium for feare they drew the skin of their prepuce that they might not bee knowne to be Iewes The Israelits learne corruption in the captivity and the Apostle alludes to this Circumcisus es noli attrahere praputium 1 Cor. 7.18 And when they were in Babylon they married strange women and no mervaile that his cloathes were now soiled and foule when he was lately come out of the captivity a man that is newly risen out of the ague no mervaile that his colour be not good and if hee be weake and fall we excuse him Contracted wants what Thirdly there are contracted wants and these are not excusable if a man should drinke untill he were drunke and then stagger and fall no man will excuse him as they doe him who falleth through sicknesse the Lord that excuseth Ioshua here for his occasionall want he will not excuse Vrijah the Highpriest when he brings the paterne of the Altar of Damascus to Ierusalem 2 King 18.11 This is a contracted guilt and not occasionall when our forefathers came out of popery first no mervaile that there were great wants amongst them and that they savoured of the dregges of Rome but now when we have lived so long out of popery and yet desire to be backe againe to Egypt what a shame is that the Lord will not be beholden to idolatrous Egypt to borrow any thing from her Christ stands here for the occasionall wants of the Highpriest but not for the contracted wants our father 's lived in constituenda ecclesia and we live in constituta ecclesia and that which was tolerable in them may be abhomination in us God accepted of their little knowledge but he craves a greater measure of knowledge of us because we live in the sunne shine of the day And he answered and spake to them that stood before him saying take away these filthy Garments And he answered that is To answer is to begin to speake he began to speake according to the manner of the Hebrewes for no speach passed betwixt him and the Angels before Thomas marketh well that Christ speaketh after one manner to the Angels and the Angels speake another way to Christ for when Christ speakes to them he is sicut agens illuminans revelans but when the Angel speakes to Christ he is Velut passum admirans consulens accipiens revelationem ab eo And he spake to those that stood before him That is ministred unto him The Angels serve Christs but attend us The Angels are ministering spirits to serve Christ but they are ministering spirits to attend vs as a Nurse doth her young infant they attend not Christ to defend and protect him in danger for he is their head they onely Minister to him therefore when the devill cited the Psalme to Christ Cast thy selfe downe for he hath given his Angels charge to keepe thee this place was falsely cited two wayes by Satan First he leaveth out in all thy wayes Secondly he applyed it falsely to Christ they shall keepe thee this part onely belonged to Christus mysticus to Christs members they keepe Christs members in all their wayes but they keepe not Christ himselfe Christ hath procured this their ministery to us and he is that Ladder up which they goe up and downe to serve us Gen 28.12 Take away the filthy garments from him It may be asked here Quest how the Angels could take away Ioshua's filthy garments seeing they have no hand in our justification or sanctification Christ the mediator justifieth us and the holy spirit sanctifieth us Answ God speakes oftentimes after the manner of men This is but spoken humanitus after the manner of men for as men cause their servants to take away the foule cloathes off the person which is to be brought before them and put new apparell upon him as Ioseph was brought before Pharao so doth the Lord speake heare after the manner of men Some parts of Prophesies and visions are not to be expounded literally Those parts of visions and Prophecies which seeme contrary to other parts of Scripture we are not to expound them literally but we are to hold that they were onely done in vision Example Ieremiah is commanded to carry his girdle to Babel and there to hide it beside Euphrates Iere. 13.4 these words
day farre from them and they said Let us eate let us drinke for tomorrow wee shall die 1 Cor. 15.32 Many men live now as though they should never dye they make a covenant with death as the Prophet saith Esay 28.16 We have made a covenant with death and with hell are we at agreement But they are deceived death is unmercifull it will mak a league with no man this league is made only in the imagination of their owne hearts Fiftly consider the comforts which we have against the grave it is very terrible in it selfe it is called a pit Esa 38.18 darknesse and the Land of oblivion Psal 88.13 The shadow of death Iob 10.21 corruption and destruction and for the power of it it is said to have gates and doores Iob 38.13 and a soule Esay 5.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dilatat sepulchrum animam suam Hirhhibbah sheol naphshah the grave hath enlarged her soule so to have hands Psal 49.16 and 89.49 so to have a mouth Ps 141.7 so a sting 1 Cor. 15.55 all those Epithites are to shew how terrible and fearefull it is to a wicked impenitent sinner who lyeth down in it with his sins upon him but to the godly it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sleeping place it is a place that all men yea even the best must come into Iacob made account to go thither Gen. 37.35 and Iob desired to be there O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave Iob 14.13 Because he knew that it was his house Iob. 17.13 Yea Christ himselfe was there and sanctified it first he bought the grave the price of him that was valued after that Iudas had cast it backe againe was given for a potters field for the buriall of strangers this is the first right which gentiles have to the grave because Christ purchased it unto them Againe Christ was buried in Golgotha where his blood ranne downe upon the graves of the dead that were buried there Thirdly he hath lyen downe in it and whereas it was loathsome before now he hath persumed it so that we may safely lye downe in that bed in which his blessed body lay and lastly he hath the key of the grave to open it when hee pleaseth so that it hath no power to keepe us Revela 1.18 I have the keyes of hell and of death this is a singular comfort to us then who are the Children of God so that we may say better is the day of our death than the day of our birth Sixtly wee should remember that our dead bodies are within the covenant and the Lord forgetteth them not When Iacob went downe to Egypt the Lord promised to bring him backe againe Gen. 46.4 but how did the Lord bring him backe againe seeing he dyed in Egypt The Lord was with him when his bones were brought out of Egypt so the Lord preserveth all the bodies of his Saints and he keepeth all their bones Psal 34.20 yea even when they are in the grave because they are within the Covenant therefore it is called domus viventium the house of the living Lastly that our death may be comfortable unto us let us remember that it doth not onely put an end to our miseries in this life but it is the entrance to glory and everlasting happinesse where we shall see the Lord and his Angels and abide with them eternally Moses is renowned unto the worlds end because hee saw the Lords backe parts onely but we shall not onely see his backeparts but we shall see him as he is even face to face 1 Iohn 3.2 1 Cor. 13.12 The Queene of Sheba heard many things of Salomon and yet the halfe was not told her but when shee saw him face to face then shee said Happy are thy men happy are thy servants that stand continually before thee 1 King 10.8 So in this life wee heare many things of Christ the true Salomon and his kingdome but yet the halfe are not told us for the eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 But at the day of our death when our soule shall be separated from our bodies then wee shall see these things and shall say with the Queene of Sheba happy are thy men happy are thy servants that stand continually before thee and blessed are the dead that die in the Lord Revel 14.13 If wee consider these things seriously wee shal be inforced to conclude with Salomon here better is the day of death thā the day that one is borne Errata Pag. 32. line 6 for Ezek. r. Esa pag. 43. l. 15. for eate of this r. eate not of this bread but other lesse holy things pag. 68. l. 30. were essentially r. as the cause and the effect pag. 73. l. 8. r. first fruits pag. 82. l. 20. dele done upon pag. 95. l. 1. Pentecost r. Passeover pag. 101. l. 11. dele therefore p. 114. l. 25. r. they blew not at all in the fifty yeere as Masius holdeth but in the forty nine yeere pag. 156. l. 22. for neither r. and his sonnes but not his daughter pag. 168. l. 27. for thee r. his FINIS AN EXPLICATION OF THE IVDICIALL LAWES OF MOSES Plainely discovering divers of their ancient Rites and Customes As in their Governours Government Synedrion Punishments Civill Accompts Contracts Marriages Warres and Burialls Also their Oeconomicks Vizt their dwellings Feasting Clothing and Husbandrie Together with two Treatises the one shewing the different estate of the godly and wicked in this life and in the life to come The other declaring how the wicked may be inlightned by the preaching of the Gospel and yet become worse after they be illuminated All which are cleered out of the Originall Languages and doe serue as a speciall helpe for the true understanding of divers difficult Texts of Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Venia danda primum aliquid experienti By IOHN WEEMSE of Lathocker in Scotland Preacher of Gods Word LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Iohn Bellamie and are to be sold at his Shoppe at the signe of the three Golden Lyons in Cornehill neere the Royall Exchange 1632. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE COLENE EARLE OF SEAFORT Lord Mackenzee and Kintaill one of his MAIESTIES most Honorable Privie Councell in the Kingdome of Scotland Honorable and my very good Lord GOD who is the God of order and not of confusion from whom all good things descend hath placed here below sundry sorts of people Prov. 30.25.26.27.28 the Ants are a people not strong yet they prepare their meat in the Summer the Conies are but a feeble folke yet make they their houses in the Rocks the Locusts haue no King yet goe they forth all of them by bands the Spider taketh hold with her hands and is in Kings palaces this sort of people differ very much for some of them are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which provide onely
two for one Three sorts of Precepts amongst the Hebrewes or foure for one or at the most fiue for one not aboue The Hebrewes had three sorts of Commandements 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graviae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Levia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Media 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praecepta first they had Mitzboth Hhamuroth Praecepta gravia and Mitzboth Kalloth Praecepta levia those which they call Praecepta gravia here they say the punishment is alwayes indispensable as the murtherer is alwayes to die the death Secondly they had Praecepta levia as not to kill the dam sitting upon the egges this was one of the judiciall Lawes of the lightest sort for there was no punishment in Israel for transgression of this Law so if an Oxe had killed a man his flesh was not to be eaten this was one of their judiciall Lawes but if a man had eaten the flesh of such an Oxe he was not to die for it Thirdly they say they had Praecepta media where the punishment might be enlarged or diminished but not unto death as in theft How affirmatiue and negatiue Precepts bind Affirmatiue commandements binde not so strictly as Negatiues doe this is a Negatiue yee shall not suffer a Witch to liue but this is an Affirmatiue that the theefe shall pay fourefold or fiue this Law had sundry exceptions and mitigations it might be extended or mitigated he was bound to pay fourefold but yet the Magistrate might haue mitigated this and taken but twofold from him and they might haue extended it further as Salomon extendeth it to sevenfold Proverb 6.31 Ieshallem Shibhgnathaijm he shall pay sevenfold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VVhat the doubling of the duall nūber among the Hebrewes signifieth the Hebrewes double the duall number ten in the duall number is twentie three is thirtie and foure is fortie but when they come to seaven here they double not The light of the Moone shall be as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sunne shall be sevenfold then he addeth for explanation as the light of seven dayes Esa 30.26 Here Shibhgnathaijm doubleth not in the duall number as in the former numbers but onely standeth for seven he shall pay Shibhgnathaijm VVhat the number seven signifieth that is seven for one some interpret it a definite number for an indefinite or he shall pay sevenfold that is as much as two for foure but it is not the manner of the Scriptures to take the number under seven for seven or he shall pay seven-fold that is much more then he tooke and the words following seeme to approue this interpretation he shall pay all the substance of his house And sometimes this punishment was extended to death as Davids sentence was that he should die the death because he tooke the poore mans onely sheepe Some answere that it was not for his theft that David gaue out sentence of death upon him but for his oppression and violent theft as if a man had come by night and had broken into a mans house and had stollen any thing then he might haue safely killed him by the Law and he was not to die for it but if he had come after the Sunne rose and had stolen any thing and the owner of the goods had killed him then he was to die for it But out of Davids answere we may obserue this The person against whom the theft is committed aggravateth the sinne that the person against whom the sinne is committed aggravateth the sinne as for a rich man to steale a poore mans sheepe so the time aggravateth the sinne if the theefe came in the night to steale then the owner of the goods might safely kill him because of his violent theft But it may be asked what is violent theft If a man steale to satisfie his hunger that is not violent theft but if a man steale who may get his living other wayes and liue upon the sweat of other mens browes or if he steale from one that hath small means to liue on or if he haue meanes to liue upon who stealeth this is judged violent theft Tom. 1.2 Municipall Lawes bind onely in the Countrey where they are made and the Magistrate for this may put him to death Thomas observeth well that the Magistrate may adde to the judiciall Law of Moses according to the necessitie of the time and greatnesse of the offence and as the Municipall Lawes of other Countries oblige not men but in the Countrey where they are made so doth not Moses judiciall Law A Magistrate in Israel was bound when a malefactor was whipt not to giue him aboue fortie stripes this Law bindeth not the Magistrate now sed crescentibus delictis exasperantur paenae but the equitie of Moses judiciall Lawes bindeth all people this is the equitie of Moses Law that for violent theft a man should alwaies die and the Law judged that violent theft which is not for a mans necessitie to satisfie his life Quest What if a poore man had but a little to saue his life and another were in as great extremitie whether were this violent theft for him to take from the poore man in such a case Answ How Christs words are to be understood in workes of charitie No doubt it were therefore Christ sayth hee that hath two coats let him giue his neigbour one to wit in his necessitie but not he that hath one coat for then he was not bound to giue it Object It is alledged Prov. 6.30 that the theife should pay seven-fold and not be put to death but the jealous husband will kill the adulterer Answ This place proveth nothing it sheweth onely what the jealous husband doth it sheweth not what he may doe And secondly for the theife it sheweth onely what was the usuall punishment amongst the Iewes by their judiciall Lawes to take seven fold but it sheweth not what may bee done by the positiue lawes of other Countries The conclusion of this is Now under the Gospell theft is a greater sinne then under the Law A difference betwixt that which is done and that which should bee done and the necessitie is greater amongst us generally then it was amongst them And thirdly that selling of men to make restitution for things taken by theft is not in use amongst us and therefore theeues may bee put to death CHAPTER XXXIX Of their proceeding in judgement before they executed the malefactor EzEK 9.10 Goe through the midst of Ierusalem and set a marke upon the forehead of those that sigh c. Those that were to bee saved the Lord caused to marke them THose who were appointed to be saved amongst the people of God he used to set a marke upon them Exod. 12. When the Egyptians were to be destroyed the Lord commanded his people to sprinkle the bloud of the Paschall Lambe upon the lintels of their doores and from this as Epiphanius marketh Lib. 1.
Generatio Physica Metaphysica Hyperphysica first a physicall generation secondly a metaphysicall and thirdly an hyperphysicall physicall generation is this when a mortall man begetteth a sonne and this is done in time metaphysicall generation is this when the mind begetteth a word and this is alwayes done in time but hyperphysicall generation is that eternall generation and this is done before all time and Divinity sheweth reason how shee misapplyeth her physicall and metaphysicall generation to this eternall generation Whether is such a proposition true in Divinity Quest and false in reason the Sonne of God begotten from all eternity true in Divinity the Sonne of God begotten from all eternity false in the court of reason So Mary the Virgin bare a Sonne true in Divinity Mary the Virgin bare a Sonne false in the court of reason That which is true in one Science Answ is not false in another In Israel there was a judicatorie of seventy who judged of matters of greatest weight and there was an inferior judicatory consisting of three and these judged of goods and matters of least moment that which was truly concluded in the highest judicatory was not false in this inferior judicatory although they could not judge of a false Prophet as the great Synedrion did yet they held it not false in the lowest judicatory when the great Synedrion concluded such a one to be a false Prophet So that which is true in Divinity is not false in reason but onely above her reach and if any thing were true in one Science and false in another then verum non esset reciproca affectio entis that is that which hath a being should not bee true and that which is true should not have a being these two propositions should not be converted Veritas supra rationem juxta rationem rationem There is a verity that is above reason and there is a verity which is agreeable to reason and there is a verity that is under reason the first is of things taken up by faith the second is of things taken up by reason the third is of things taken up by sense but there is no verity contrary to reason it is not against reason to beleeve that a Virgin conceived and bare a Sonne but it is above reason What use reason hath in Divinity Wee must not seclude reason altogether from Divinity Christ himselfe used the helpe of reason against the Sadduces and Paul against the Iewes Heb. 7.17 Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek This is revealed by God himselfe that Christ is the King of peace and righteousnesse yet to prove this and to make it manifest to the misbeleeving Iewes he borroweth a helpe of a logicall notation saying which is by interpretation the King of righteousnesse the King of peace Heb. 7.2 So Christ useth reason against the Sadduces God is the God of Abraham Isaack and Iacob hence he inferferreth this consequent that they must live Object But they say that Christ and Paul were immediatly directed by God that they could not erre in their Midsts and conclusions as we doe Ans If Pauls extraordinary calling had given him power to use reason then they had spoken to the purpose but he useth reason as common to him and to all other men whether Apostles or not Apostles But they say Object that Christs authority and Pauls was greater than ours is This wee grant Answ they disputed against those who acknowledged not their authority but yeelded onely to them in respect of the force of the arguments is it not lawfull for us to doe the same against our adversaries which Christ did against the Sadduces and Paul against the Iewes But whatsoever was pronounced by Christ against the Sadduces or by Paul against the Iewes Object it became by and by holy Scripture which we cannot say of our conclusions Although arguments used by Christ and his Apostles became by and by the Word of God Answ yet it will not follow that we may not use these midsts brought forth by reason although they become not Scripture but then that would follow if wee brought forth these principles of reason to make them the object of our saving faith Whether were the Sadduces bound to beleeve this argument of Christs as an article of their faith Quest or not By the force of this consequence as it were the worke of reason they were not bound to beleeve it Ans but as it was proved to them out of the Scriptures they were bound to beleeve it Seeing humane midsts have no force to binde of themselves why are they used in proofe against men Quest This is done for the infirmity of man who is hard to beleeve Answ and the Divine midsts will not serve to refute the naturall man Simile These who have good and perfect sight need no other midst to see by but the light but a man who is of a weake sight and purblind useth Spectacles as a helpe to his sight so the perverse heriticks make us to bring in these humane midsts whereas the midsts taken out of the Word of God should serve by themselves to convince When Christ rose againe Thomas doubted of the resurrection and thought that his body had beene but a Spirit but Christ bearing with his infirmity by this humane midst proveth that hee is flesh because hee may bee touched and felt Observe againe that in Divinity some propositions are merely Divine and some are mixtly Divine These that are merely Divine reason can doe little thing here it can but joyne the tearmes together but it cannot take up these great mysteries example if I were disputing against the Monothelites who denyed that there were two natures in Christ and should reason thus Where there are two natures there are two wils but in Christ there are two natures therefore two wils That in Christ there are two wils this is a proposition merely Divine reason can never take up this yet reason sheweth this much where there are two natures there must bee two wills and it judgeth onely of the connexion of these two but it cannot judge of the verity of this whether there be two wills in Christ or not Quest Yee will say then what doth reason in the verity of these propositions which are merely Divine Ans Reason in a regenerate man concludeth not that to be false which is above her reach but onely admireth and resteth in this great mystery and reformed reason enlightened by the Word of God goeth this farre on that she beleeveth these things to be possible with God which shee cannot comprehend but reason in a corrupt man will scorne and mocke these things which shee cannot comprehend as the Stoicke called Paul a babler Act. 17.18 when hee disputed against them for the resurrection and called it a new doctrine In these propositions againe which are mixtly Divine reason hath a further hand example No naturall body can be in moe places at
our Divinity is more in practise than in contemplation therefore these onagri or wilde asses the Heremites who lived without all society of men forget the cheife end wherefore they were let here living rather like beasts than like men and if wee shall take a view of the ecclesiasticall history as out of Theodoret and Zozomen wee shall see how unprofitablie these men have spent their time leaving the congregation of the Saints of God Theodoret writeth of one Macedonius qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gubba dictus est Cap. 13. de historia religiosa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gubba in the Syriacke tongue is a Ditch he was called gubba because he stoode in a Ditch all his time and he was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he eate nothing but Barley pulse See how unprofitablie this man spent his time not giving himselfe to reading of the holy Scriptures for he was altogether ignorant of them for when Flavianus the Bishop sent for him that hee might make him a Minister he was so ignorant of that which the Bishop had done unto him when he ordained him Minister that being required the next Sabbath day to come againe to the Church answered him who came for him that he was affraid to be made Minister the next Sabbath day also and so refused to come see how this holy man spent his life for forty yeares in contemplatin and what great progresse he made in Christian Religion From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pillar So Theodoret maketh mention of one Styllites who stoode under a pillar all his life time and never came into a house So Zozomen in his ecclesiasticall history Lib. 6.29 writeth of one Pior who going out of his fathers house into a desert vowed solemnely that he should never see any of his kinsmen or friends againe and living fifty yeares there he had a sister who longed to see him before shee dyed the Bishop pitying the poore woman granted leave to Pior to come and visit her and he returning into his countrey standing before the doore called out his sister and shutting his eyes he said unto her behold I am your brother Pior looke upon mee as much as you please but shee entreating him earnestly to come to her house he altogether refusing went backe againe to the Wildernesse and so wee reade in Theodoret of one Adynus In Sacra hist lib. 14. 8. who lived ninety yeares in the Wildernesse and never spake to any man as if he had beene possessed with a dumb Divell this is that holy contemplative life which the Church of Rome commendeth so much but this is pure Religion to visite the fatherlesse and widdow in their necessity Iam. 1.27 These Heremites living this contemplative life were like Polyphemus having but one eye in his head and looking ever up but never downe The opinion of the Schoolemen in this point The Schoolemen differ but little in this poynt how Divinity teacheth us practise Thomas and his followers say that fides non est recta ratio agendi sed recta ratio sentiendi and therefore Contra gentiles hee compareth faith to hearing rather than to sight but he addeth that practise followeth faith as the fruit of it but Scotus maketh faith to be habitus practicus Yee see how both of them insist in this that Divinity consisteth in practise The end of the Sadduces and Pharises Divinity The Lord Num. 15.38.39 commanded the Israelites to make fringes upon the borders of their garments that they might remember the Commandements of the Lord and keepe them the Sadduces gave themselves onely to looke upon the fringes and if they had onely remembred the Law they thought then they had discharged their duties but the end of the Pharises was to remember their owne traditions The end of the Monks and Iesuites Divinity So the end of the Monkes Divinity now is onely idle contemplation with the Sadduces and the end of the Iesuites Divinity now is onely to practise mischeefe and many Christians when they reade the Scriptures now they reade them not for practise but for to passe the time with they are like little children who seeke Nuts to play but not to breake them and eate the kernels The conclusion of this is Iam. 1.22 Conclusi Be yee doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiving your selves EXERCITAT IIII. Of Adams knowledge before his fall Gen. 2.19 Whatsoever Adam called every living creature that was the name of it FIrst consider in Adams knowledge the manner how he got this knowledge and secondly the measure of his knowledge His knowledge was inbred knowledge and not acquired for as soone as he did behold the creatures Of the manner how Adam got his knowledge never having seene them before he gave them all names according to their nature This knowledge being inbred it could not be acquired also nam duplex ejusdem scientiae in vno subjecto non datur causa there cannot be two causes given of one the selfe same knowledge in one subject although one and the selfe same knowledge cannot be said both to be acquired and inbred Adams inbred knowledge and our acquired knowledge are not diverse sorts of knowledge yet Adam might have had experimentall knowledge afterward of his inbred knowledge His inbred knowledge and our acquired knowledge are not divers sorts of knowledge for as the sight restored to the blind although it was miraculous yet when he saw it was one sort of sight with our sight so these inbred habites and acquired habites are but one sort of habits but these inbred habits in Adam and infused habits were more excellent than acquired habits for these things which God doth are such that nature cannot produce the like or so perfect as that wine which Christ made miraculously at the marriage of Cana in Galilee Things done miraculously are more excellent than nature can produce them Iob. 2. was more excellent wine than other naturall wine so when Christ cured the blind their sight was more perfect than our naturall sight so when he made the lame to goe Act. 3.16 So the habites of inbred knowledge in Adam were more perfect than any other sinfull man could ever attaine unto after him Of the measure of Adams knowledge The creatures are lesse than the knowledge of God they were equall with the knowledge of Adam before his fall but they exceed our knowledge now When the eye looketh upon the white colour Simile it scattereth the sight and the white colour exceedeth it but when it looketh upon the greene colour exaequat visum and it is a proportionable object for the eye but when it looketh upon a taunie colour it is lesse than the sight So the creatures are lesse than Gods sight they were equall with Adams sight before his fall like the greene colour and they exceed our sight since the fall as the white colour doth exceede
of the creatures that he gave them fit names in the Hebrew expressing their natures he was a good nomenclator to give every thing the right name Plato in Cratillo sheweth that he who giveth the right name to a thing must know the nature of it very well but since the fall men impose wrong names to things as they call light darknesse and darknesse light To what things Adam gave names and to what he gave no names When hee gave names to the creatures hee gave not names to these creatures in particular that had not principium individuationis in se and which differed not something in subsistence from others as all hearbes of the same kind and trees and stones of the same kind he gave not a name to every one of them in particular but gave one name to them all of the same kind but these who differed not in essence but in the manner of their subsisting to these he gave diverse names as hee called himselfe Adam and his wife Eve Adam gave names to many things which are not found now in the Scripture And wee are to observe that there are many names which Adam gave to the creatures in the first imposition which are not found in the Scriptures now the Elephant the greatest beast upon the earth yet it hath no proper name given to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dens eboris compositum ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ebur in the Scripture it is called Behemoth Iob 40.15 and the teeth of the Elephant are called Shenhabbim the teeth of Ivorie but not the teeth of the Elephant and usually the Scripture expresseth onely the word teeth as 1 King 10.18 he made a Throne of teeth but not of the teeth of the Elephant because the Elephant was not so knowne to the Iewes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cornua dentis Ezek. 27. therefore the Scripture doth onely circumscribe this beast and the hornes of it but Adam gave the greatest beast a proper name when he imposed names to the beasts Adam gave proper namer to the creatures When Adam imposed names to the beasts he imposed proper names to them not circumscribing them as the Scripture doth now for our capacity example Shemamith with the hands of it takes hold on kings houses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seemeth to be Simia and Solomon sent for such 1 King 10.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because this word is a hard word to be understood and may signifie eyther a Spyder weaving with her hands or else 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Monkie with a long tayle for kings are delighted in their palaces with such when they see them hung by the hands because wee cannot take up the nature of this beast by the name alone therefore the Scriptures by the effects and properties of it describeth it more at large for our capacity but Adam at the first imposed the simple name Names which Adam gave were perfect names These names which Adam gave to the beasts at the first were most perfect names therefore yee shall see other languages to keepe some footesteppe still of the first imposition as 1 King 10.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tukkijm are called Peacoks the Talmud calleth it Tabhas the Arabick called it Taus and the Latine Pavo David came nearest to Adam in prudencie A comparison betwixt David and Adam for although he was not so wise as Salomon yet erat prudentior Salomone he was more prudent than Salomon therefore the woman of Tekoah sayd to him Thou art wise as an Angell of God 2 Sam. 14.20 The Lord asked the king of Tyrus if he could march Daniel in wisedome Ezek. 28.3 A comparison betwixt Adam and Daniel Behold thou art wiser than Daniel there is no secret that they can hide from thee Daniel exceeded all the Chaldeans in wisedome and the Chaldeans exceeded the Tyrians therefore Daniel farre exceeded all the Tyrians but yet if we will compare Daniels wisedome with the wisedome of Salomon it will come farre short for Salomon exceeded all the children of the East in wisedome and came nearest to Adams knowledge no sort of wisedome was hid from Salomon Daniel onely exceeded in interpreting of secrets and heavenly visions Ioseph came nearest to him in oeconomie Psal 105.22 A comparison betwixt Ioseph and Adam he exceeded the Princes of Egypt in wisedome taught their senators A companion betwixt the first Adam and the second Adam Christ Iesus Christ the second Adam the personall wisedome of God his Father farre excelled Salomon here is a greater than Salomon Iesus Christ the second Adam as he excelled Salomon farre so did he the first Adam in wisedome Psal 45.2 Thou art fairer than the Children of men in the originall it is Iophjaphitha which the Hebrews doubling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expresse the great beauty that was in him and sometimes it is put in two words as Ier. 46. gnegla jephe pija 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is very faire Christ the second Adam in outward beauty exceeded not Non erat decor in facie ejus He had no forme nor comelinesse and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him Esay 53.2 but in inward wisedome and grace he was fairer than the Sonnes of men and excelled the first Adam Conclusion The conclusion of this is Adam having such measure of knowledge before his fall what great presumption was it in him to presume above that which was revealed unto him Let us be content not to be wise above that which is written 1 Cor. 4.6 and let us remember that saying of Augustine Multi propter arborem scientiae amittunt arborem vitae EXERCITAT V. How the Law is said to be written in the heart of man after the fall Rom 2.15 Which shew the worke of the Law written in the hearts FIrst let us enquire how these first Principles which are called primo-prima are made up in the hearts of man Secondly how these secundo-prima principia are deduced out of these And thirdly how these principia make up this which wee call Conscience and lastly we shall shew that man by this naturall knowledge ingraft in his heart cannot come to the true and saving knowledge of God These first Principles are made up after this manner The Lord hath put two faculties into the Soule one which we call speculative in the understanding and another which we call a practik facultie in the will to prosecute these things which the understanding sheweth to her God hath placed first the speculative in the understanding that it might follow that eternall reason that is in Gods Law for as it is the perfection of Art to imitate nature so it is the perfection of nature to imitate this eternall reason which is Gods Law Then he hath placed the will into the soule of man to prosecute those things which the understanding the speculative
the beginning of things can onely certainely fortell the event of things as though they were present Hos 12.4 hee wept and made supplication to him he found him in Bethel and there he spake with us Here the thing past he applyeth to the generation which was present because hee knew exordium rei Reason 5 The plaine and cleare manner of setting downe the Scriptures sheweth them to be Divine Esa 8.1 Take a great roule and write in it with a mans pen Behheret enosh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is cleerely that the simplest amongst the children of men may understand it Deut. 30.11 This commandement which I command thee this day is not hidden from thee neyther is it farre off In the Hebrew it is Lo niphleeth non separatum a te 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is it is not separated from thy knowledge that thou cannot understand it and it is not farre from thee for these things which are obscure and doubtfull which we cannot take up are sayd to be farre from us these things which wee understand againe are sayd to be neare us Rom. 10.8 Ob. But it may be sayd that there are many things hard in the Scriptures and cannot well be taken up Ans We must distinguish these three the obscurity in the things themselves Obscuritas est velâ—n rebus ipsis modo tradendi conceptione the perspicuity in the midsts as they are set downe and thirdly the dulnesse of our conception to take them up There are many matters handled in the Scripture which are hard to be understood and we are dull in conception to take up these things yet they are clearely and plainely set downe in the word Christ sheweth all these three Ioh. 3.12 If I have told you earthly things and yee beleeve not how shall yee beleeve if I tell you of heavenly things If I have told you earthly things that is illustrated heavenly things to you by earthly comparisons here is Christs plaine manner in setting downe his word And yee beleeve not here is our dulnesse in taking up these things which are plainely set downe How shall yee beleeve if I shall tell you of heavenly things here is the obscurity of the heavenly matters contained in the Scriptures The Church of Rome confoundeth still these three Obscuritas rei nostri conceptus cum perspicuo modo tradendi the obscurity in the matter the dulnesse of our conception with the cleare manner of manifestation of these things in the Scriptures Reason 6 The Heavenly consent and agreement amongst the writers of the holy Scriptures sheweth them to be Divine The agreement of the writers of the holy Scriptures There were in the Church Patriarches Prophets and Apostles Amongst the Patriarches Abraham was the cheefe therefore the revelations made to the rest of the Patriarches as to Isaack and to Iacob had alwayes relation to the promises made to Abraham Amongst the Prophets Moyses was the cheefe and therefore all the Prophets grounded themselves upon Moyses And upon the revelations made to the Apostles the faith of the Church is grounded under the New Testament and yee shall never finde any contradictions amongst these holy writers there may seeme some contradiction amongst them but indeed there is none Epiphanius useth a good comparison to this purpose when a man saith he Simile is drawing water out of a deepe Well with two Vessels of a different metall the water at the first seemeth to be of a different colour but when he draweth up the Vessels nearer to him Although there seeme some contradiction in the Scriptures we should labour to reconcile them this diversity of colours vanisheth and the waters appeare both of one colour and when we taste them they have but one relish So saith he although at the first there seeme some contradiction in the holy Scriptures yet when we looke nearer and nearer unto them wee shall finde no contrarietie in them but a perfect harmonie When we see the Heathen history or Apocryphall Bookes contradicting the holy History wee should stand for the holy Scriptures against them but when wee see any appearance of contradiction in the Scriptures we should labour to reconcile them when Moyses saw an Aegyptian and an Israelite striving together he killed the Aegyptian and saved the Israelite Exod. 2.12 But when be saw two Israelits striving together he laboured to reconcile them saying yee are brethren why doe yee strive So when we see the Apocryphall Bookes or heathen History to contradict the Scriptures we should kill the Aegyptian and save the Israelite Example Iacob cursed Simeon and Levi for murthering of the Sichemites Gen. 49.7 but Iudith blessed Simeon for killing of them Iudith 9. So Ieremiah saith they shall returne in the third generation Ier. 27.7 but Baruch saith they shall returne in the seventh generation Baruch 6. here let us kill the Aegyptian but save the Israelite but when wee see any appearance of contradiction in the holy Scriptures wee should labour to reconcile them because they are brethren Reason 7 The heavenly order set downe in the Scriptures showeth them to be divine there is in the Scriptures Ordo naturae Ordo naturae conjugalis thori historiae dignitatis Ordo conjugalis thori Ordo historiae Ordo dignitatis all these the Scriptures marke and for sundry reasons setteth one before another and although there be not prius posterius in Scriptura as the Iewes say in respect of the particular occasions yet there is still prius posterius in respect of the generall end of the history First in setting downe the Patriarches it observeth ordinem naturae as they were borne as Ruben in the first place because he was the first borne and then Simeon thirdly Levi and fourthly Iudah c. Secondly The Tribes are set downe sometimes according to their nativity and sometimes as they were borne of free women there is Ordo conjugalis thori according to their birthes and so the free womens sonnes are set first in the Brestplace of Aaron Exod. 28. Thirdly there is Ordo dignitatis as Sem is placed before Iaphet for dignitie although he was younger So the Scripture else where observeth this order Matth. 13. He bringeth fourth new and old Ephe. 2. Apostles and Prophets So the Scripture observeth the order of history Matth. 1.1 The Booke of the generation of Iesus Christ the Sonne of David the Sonne of Abraham why is Abraham put last after David because the history is to begin at him So 1 Chro. 3.5 Salomon is placed last amongst his brethren because the history was to begin at him and if we shall marke the heavenly order that is amongst the Evangelists The heavenly order amongst the Evangelists â—hew the Scriptures to be Divine they will show us that the Scriptures are divine Marke beginneth at the workes of Christ Matthew ascendeth higher to the birth of Christ Luke goeth higher to the conception of Christ
and Iohn goeth highest of all to the divinity of Christ and his eternall generation Who would not admire here the steps of Iacobs heavenly ladder ascended from Ioseph to Adam and from Adam to God Reason 8 The matter contained in the Scriptures shewes them to be divine and to make a wonderfull change in man which no other booke can doe Iam. 4.6 The spirit in us lusteth after envie yet the Scriptures offer more grace The Scriptures offer grace to resist sinne that is the Scriptures offer grace and ability to doe more then nature can doe Nature cannot heale a Spirit that lusteth after envie or after money or after uncleanesse but the Scriptures offer more grace to overcome any of these sinnes be they never so strong The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soule Psal 19.17 when it is dead in sinne it quickneth and reviveth it againe and when it is decayed in grace The Word of God is a restorer of the spirituall life it restoreth it againe even as Boaz is sayd to be a restorer of the life of Naomi and a nurisher of her old age Ruth 4.15 Reason 9 The rebukes and threatnings of the holy Ghost in the Scriptures fall never to the ground in vaine but take alwayes effect when people stand out against them And as Ionathans bow did never turne backe and the Sword of Saul never returned empty 2 Sam. 1.22 So the Arrowes of the King are sharpe to pierce his enemies Psal 45.5 Reason 10 Ioh. 10.35 The Scriptures cannot be broken the arguments set downe in the Scripture are so strong that all the heretickes in the world could never breake them and they stand like a brasen wall against all oppositions therefore the Lord challengeth men to bring forth their strongest reasons Esa 41.21 produce your cause saith the Lord bring forth your strong reasons saith the King of Iacob Ecclesia subtestatur The Church is the Pillar of Truth shee holdeth out the Truth to be seene shee expoundeth and interpreteth the Scriptures yet her testimony in but an inducing testimony and not a perswading testimony shee can teach the Truth but shee cannot seale up the truth in our hearts and make us to beleeve the Truth of the Scripture Actus exercitus signatus Her testimony is but in actu exercito but non signato Her testimony is informativum sen directivum it informeth and directeth us sed non certificativum terminativum fidei that is shee cannot perswade us of the Truth by her Testimony Testimonies of these also who are without the Church prove the Scriptures to be Divine and these are of two sorts eyther Heretickes or Infidels Hereticks prove the Scripture to be Divine ex accidente First the testimonies of Heretickes prove the Scriptures to be Divine for Heretickes labour alwayes to ground themselves upon the Scriptures The habite goeth alwayes before the privation omne falsum innititur vero every falshood laboureth to cover it selfe under the Truth When the Husbandman had sowne his good seede then came the evill one and did sow his Tares when Heretickes labour to ground themselves upon the Scriptures it is as when a theefe goeth to cover himselfe under the pretence of Law This argueth the Law to be just and equall The testimonies also of the Heathen history proveth the Scriptures to be Divine Observe the discent of the Babylonian and Assyrian Kings and looke backe againe to the holy Scriptures yee shall see clearely how they jumpe with the Scriptures and as those who sayle along the Coast have a pleasant view of the Land Simile but those who stand upon the Land and behold the Shippes sayling along the Coast Succession of Heathen Kings proved out of the Scripture have a more setled and pleasant sight of the Shippes so when we looke from the Heathen history and marke the discent of the Heathen Kings wee shall see a pleasant sight but a farre more delectable and sure sight when we looke from the Scriptures to the Heathen history Marke the discent Belochus the third called Pul King of Assyria came against Menahem and tooke his sonne 2 King 15. Then Pileser called Tiglath came against Hoshea King of Samaria and tooke him in the sixt yeare of the reigne of King Ezekias and then Shalmanefer who caried away the ten Tribes into captivity in the ninth yeare of Hoshea 2 King 17. and his sonne Sennacherib 2 King 18. came against Iuda in the foureteenth yeare of Zedekias and Esarhaddon succeeded his father Sennacherib and his sonne Berodach-baladon sent letters and a present to Hezekias then Berodach 2 Chro. 33. caried away Iechonias and then Nebuchadnezzer caried away Zedekias then Nabuchadnezzer the great burnt Ierusalem and caried away the people captive Then Evil Merodach who succeeded him had three sonnes Ragasar Babasar and Belshassar of whom we reade Dan. 5. and in Belshassers time the kingdome was translated to the Medes and Persians Here we see the descent of the Heathen history agreeing with the holy Scriptures There are other testimonies of the Heathen How the Heathen testimonies prove the Scriptures to be divine to prove the Scripture to be Scripture but not so clearely when we finde the rubbish of some old monuments wee gather that there hath beene some great building there So when we finde some darke footesteps of holy Scripture amongst the Heathen we may gather that once the holy Scriptures have beene read amongst them although they have depraved and corrupted them Mâ—ntan in his Essayes Example 1. They of the East Indians have this fable amongst them that the Gods drowned the world for sinne and that they tooke some just men and put them up in the clifts of Rockes to save them those men to try whether the waters were abated or not sent forth some mastive Dogges and the Dogges returning as cleane as they went out they gathered by this that the waters were not yet abated they sent them forth the second time then they returned full of mudde by this they gathered that the waters were abated then they sent them forth the third time and they returned no more Here we see how this fable is taken out of the history of the deluge and from Noahs sending forth the Dove out of the Arke and that this history was knowne of old amongst the Heathen we may perceive because the Dove and the Raven are called the messengers of the Gods by the Heathen Poets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Example 2. Gen. 36.24 This is Anah who found out Hajemim mules in the Wildernesse others reade it Iaminâ— waters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now because it was hard to finde out the right translation of the word some translating it Mules and some translating it Water the Heathen made up a notable lye on the Iewes saying when Anah was feeding his Asses in the Wildernesse because the Mules and Asses found out water in the Wildernesse for them to
wrote the two Tables with his owne hand in this language And thirdly that language which expresseth the nature of things and their affections most clearely and in fewest words that must be the originall language but the Hebrew doth this therefore it is the first language The Iewes understood these tongues which had affinity with the Hebrew These tongues which were Propagines and Dialects of the Hebrew the Iewes understood them when they heard them spoken and when they read them but they understood not the strange tongues which had but small affinity with the Hebrew When Laban and Iacob made a covenant Laban called the heape of stones jegar Sagadutha in the Aramean tongue which had small affinitie with the Hebrew but Iacob called it Galeed Gen. 31.47 Object But if there was little affinity betwixt the Aramean language and the Hebrew how is it that they say 2. King 18.26 Speake to thy servants in the Syrian language for we understand it Answ The Hebrewes understood not the Syrian language but by learning They might understand it for they were Courtiours and States men and so learned it as we learne now the Italians and French language And Abrahams servant spake to Nachor in the Aramean language hee being borne in Damascus which was in Cylo-Syria and wee may thinke that Nachor and his house understood the Hebrew tongue being of the posterity of Heber and keepe that tongue as Abraham did who came out of Vr of the Chaldees Assyria or Syria hebraice Aram The large extent of the Syrian language comprehended all Paleslina Damascus the Kingdome of Assyria Chaldea babylon Arabia Cylo-Lyria and Antiochia Zoba Adiabena therefore all the languages which were spoken in these parts tooke their generall denomination from Syria as Syro-aramaea the language which Laban spake in Mesopotania Syro-Chaldaea or Babylonica was that which they spake in Babylon Syro-Antiochena which they spake in Antioch or Phoenicia although they were Propagines or Dialects of the Hebrew yet they understood them not while they were taught therefore Nabuchadnezzer caused to instruct the children of the Iewes in the Chaldee tongue Dan. 1.4 but the Syro-Arabean and the Palestine or Cananitish language they might understand it because it came nearer to their owne language The Aegyptian tongue differed much from the Hebrew Psal 81.5 Ioseph heard a language in Aegypt The Iewes understood not the Egyptian tongue which he understood not Ioseph here is put for the whole people of the Iewes because there was no affinity betwixt the Hebrew and the Aegyptian tongue therefore they understood not this tongue So Psal 114.1 they departed from a people of a strange language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a barbarous people they called them all barbarous whom they understood not and because the Iewes understood not the Aegyptian tongue therefore Ioseph made him to speake to his brethren by an Interpreter Genesis 42.23 The Cananitish language The Cananites language a diolect of the Hebrew was a daughter of the Hebrew tongue or rather one with the Hebrew tongue and this we may perceive by the names of the townes men and places which were imposed to them by the Cananites as Iericho Salem Kiriath-arba Kiriath-Sepher Beth-dagon so the names of men Melchizedeck Adonibezek Abimelech And if the Cananitish tongue had not beene all one with the Hebrew how could the Patriarches have kept conference with those in Canaan and made their Bargaines and Contracts with them this is cleare also by the example of Rahab who could speake to the Spyes and they understood her and so Ioshua to the Gibionites The Lord would have this tongue continued amongst the Cananites because the Hebrewes were shortly to inhabite that land and to converse with the Cananites for a while untill they had rooted them out Some of the Old Testament written in the Chaldee tongue There is some of the Old Testament written in the Chaldee tongue which hath great affiance with the Hebrew and some of it written in the Syrian dialect as Iob which the Idumeans used and it differed little from the Hebrew tongue but it differed much from the Syrian language now but more from Arabia Ismaelitica which the Turkes speake now in Asia and Africa There are some words found in the Old Testament which are Egyptian Gen. 41.43 Some Phaenitian as Chabbul 1 King 9.13 Some Persian words as Pur Esth 9.24 and some moabitish One Verse in Ieremie originally written in the Chaldee tongue There is one verse in Ieremy originally written in the Chaldee tongue Ier. 10.11 whereas all the rest of that prophesie is written in the Hebrew tongue The gods that have not made the heaven and earth even they shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens The reason why this verse was written in the Chaldee tongue was this because the Iewes now were to be carried to Babylon and when they should be sollicitated there to worship their gods they should answer them in their owne language cursed be your gods for they made neyther heaven nor earth That of Daniel and Ezra which is written in the Chaldee tongue was transcribed out of the roules Something 's taken of the registers of the Chaldeans and insert in the Scriptures and registers of the Chaldeans and insert in the bookes of God but that which the holy Ghost indited originally to Daniel and Ezra was written in the Hebrew tongue the rest was borrowed but out of their registers as first Nebuchad-nezzers dreames Dan. 2. So Nebuchad-nezzer setteth up a golden image Cap. 3. So Nebuchad-nezzers dreame Cap. 4. and Belshassers visions Cap. 5. all these were written in the Chaldee tongue the seventh Chapter is onely excepted it is written also in the Chaldee tongue although it was originally endited to Daniel because it is a more cleare exposition of the monarchies revealed before to Nebuchad-neZZer and Belshasser and set downe in their owne Registers in the Chaldee tongue but the eight Chapter and the rest are wholly written in the Hebrew tongue which were indited immediatly by God to Daniel and not transcribed out of their registers as the rest were So that part of Ezra which is written in the Chaldee tongue is but transcribed and written out of the decrees and letters of the Kings of Media and Persia from the eleventh verse of the fourth Chapter to the seventh Chapter The Chaldeans and Persians used to register and keepe a Chronicle of all their memorable deedes and what befell them and so of their visions and dreames and they caused to write them and interpret them so did the Persians Esth 9.32 and Daniel wrote these visions in the Chaldee tongue and he set them downe for the good of the Church that they might understand that their conditions should be under the Heathish Kings Something 's in the Scriptures borrowed from the Heathen History The holy Ghost borrowed somethings first from the Poets and secondly from the history
second note to know in what language bookes have beene written is by the Allusion of words in the Scriptures for there are many allusions in the Hebrew and in the Chaldee tongue when they are translated in the Greeke or any other language they loose that grace as Cabhal is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Câ—bhel is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cobal apud Targumislos est caligare E egans Paranomasia apud Thargumâ—slos inter â—â—â—hal Cebheâ— but Ioh. 1.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the light shined in darkenesse and the darkenesse comprehended it not Here the sweet allusion which is in the Chaldee perisheth in the Greeke So Ioh. 10.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Syriacke expresseth it by a sweet allusion Min tirghna letira which is not in the Greeke Eâ—egans paranomasia apud Syroâ— inter tirghna tira where the words fall alike which will not fall out in other languages There was a question betwixt Origen and Africanus whether the history of Susanna was written in Hebrew or in Greeke Africanus denyed that it was written in Hebrew but in Greeke and he proved it thus When Daniel examined the Witnesses who testified against Susanna he tooke the witnesses a part and enquired at one of them under what tree hee saw her commit that villanie he said it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lentish tree then Daniel alluding to this sayd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Angel of God hath received sentence of God to cut thee in peeces 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divido seco findo So he inquired at the other under what tree he saw her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Serra divido seco he answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnder a Prime tree Then Daniel sayd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Angel of the Lord waited with the sword to cut thee in two Africanus by this allusion of words gathered that this history was not originally written in Hebrew but in Greeke Conclusion The Conclusion of this is the Old Testament was first written in Hebrew This was the first language by which the Lord spake to the Patriarches and in which the Angels spake to men and it was the language which all the world spake before the confusion of Babylon and it is the mother tongue from whence many other tongues are derived and it is holden by some to be that tongue in which we shall speake one to another in the life to come Therefore we should be desyrous to understand this holy language EXERCITAT XI Of the Stile of the Scriptures Ioh. 7.46 Never man spake like this man VVHen we describe a mans speech first we describe it by that which is naturall as whether he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a weake voyce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a slow tongue Secondly in what language hee speaketh Thirdly in what Dialect he speaketh Fourthly whether it be Soluta oratio or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fiftly the Property of the speech Sixtly the Evidence of the speech Seventhly the Fulnesse of the speech Eighthly the Shortnesse of the speech Ninthly the Coherence and lastly the Efficacie of the speech First we describe that which is naturall and proceedeth from some defect of the organs as if he spake with a weake voyce or be of a stammering tongue or thicke lippes which Exod. 6.12 are called Vncircumcised lippes Contrary to this is a thinne lippe which is a signe of Eloquence Iob. 12.20 for these who have thinne lippes commonly are Eloquent Moses the Penman of the holy Ghost although he was defective in speech yet read his writings and yee shall see such eloquence in him that no Heathen could ever match it The writers of the Scriptures although weake in person yet powerfull in words and as it is sayd of Paul when he was present in person he was weake 2 Cor. 10.10 and his speech base and contemptible yet his letters were weighty and powerfull so whatsoever want or infirmity was in Moyses person yet there was no want or defect in his writings Secondly in what language hee speaketh The holy Ghost spake and wrote in Hebrew in the Old Testament The Old Testament was written in Hebrew and the New in Greeke and in the New in Greeke Hee wrote the Old Testament in Hebrew a language which had this blessing spoken of in the Law Deut. 28.12 Thou shalt lend and not borrow so this language lendeth to many Nations but borroweth of none Hee wrote the New Testament in Greeke The Hebrew tongue lendeth to many but borroweth of none a most copious and fertile tongue which was then Lingua communis to the Iewes although not vulgaris Thirdly in what Dialect he speaketh The Dialects of the Hebrew tongue were sundry first Dialectus Hierosolymitana that Dialect which was spoken in Ierusalem and about it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ast. 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In their owne Dialect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or proper tongue So the Dialect of the Ephramites who sayd Sibboleth not Shibboleth Iudg. 12.6 and the Dialect of the Galileans as Peter spake in the Galilean Dialect Matth. 26.73 So in the new Testament there are sundry Dialects as Ionick Dorick Attick c. Fourthly whether it be in prose or in verse The Iewes divide the Old Testament according to the style into Charuz rithmum Shir carmen Halatza Orationem solutam that is prose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rithmus CharuZ is Soluta oratio but in fiue Rithmo colligata that is it beginneth in prose but endeth as it were in meeter such is Iob. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Carmen Shir canticum writen in meeter as the Psalmes and Canticles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oratio soluta Hallatza written in prose such are the Histories and the most of the prophets Fiftly the property of the speech The phrase in Hebrew is much to be observed for in the Hebrew it will signifie one thing and in other languages another thing Example Num. 19.20 Dies numeri Dies numeri quid apud Hebraeos signifieth A few dayes so Homines numeri Gen. 34 30. A few men Deut. 4.27 Ezek. 12.16 So Esay 10.19 The rest of the Trees of his Forrest shall be number that a child may write them that is They shall be few In other languages this phrase would signifie many men and many trees c. So some phrases of the Scripture have a contrary signification with the Hebrews Some phrases with the Hebrewes have a contrary signification as Zack 11.24 Ascendit visio a me that is It perished So Ier. 47.15 Moab is spoyled and gone up out of her Cities that is Shee is destroyed Sometimes againe it signifieth to waxe and increase as 1 King 22.35 Bellum ascendit The battell increased So Psal 74.23 The tumult that arise
up against thee ascendeth that is Increaseth continually So Levare peccatum is to take off the burden of sinne Exod. 10.17 and Iohn alludeth to this 1.29 Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lapidare Elapidare And Levare peccatum Is to take up the burden of sinne Levit. 5.1 So Sakal Lapidare Elapidare signifieth eyther to cast stones upon a thing as Deut. 22.24 or to take away the stones out of a place as Esa 62.10 Another example I am like a drunken man whom the wine hath gone over Ier. 23.9 that is whom the wine hath overcome but Matth. 26.39 Let this cuppe passe over me that is let it not touch me in a contrary signification So Gen. 25.18 Cecidit coram fratribus suis He dyed in presence of his brethren The New Testament useth often times the Hebraismes of the Old but the Seventi◠translated it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He dwelt before his brethren The New Testament usually followeth these Hebraismes of the Old Testament as Hos 8.8 A vessel in which there is no pleasure Rom. 9.21 A vessell of dishonour So 1 Sam. 21.5 The vessels of the young men are holy 1 Thess 4.4 That yee may know to possesse your vessels in holinesse So Exod. 1.8 there arose a new King in Aegypt who knew not Ioseph Matth. 11 11. there arose not a greater then Iohn the baptist So in the New Testament there are many peculiar phrases which are found in no other Greeke writers and here we must distinguish inter Hellenisimum Graecismum Difference betwixt Hellenismum Graecismum Hellenismus quid Hellenismus is that sort of phrase which the Seventy use for they translating the Scriptures for the use of the grecizing Iewes followed the Hebrew Chaldee and Syriacke in many things The Seventy follow the Hebrew Chaldee and Syriacke in many things so that they have a peculiar stile which is not to be found in other Greeke writers example 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the New Testament signifieth wrath and poyson Reve. 18.3 Ex vino veneni that is poysoned wine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ira venenum So Iob 4.6 The reason of this is because Hhema in the Hebrew signifieth both wrath and poyson Another example 1 Cor. 5.45 Death is swallowed up into victory the Seventy hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In perpetuum but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signifie perpetuum amongst the Heathen Amos 8.7 and 2 Sam. 2.26 Lament 5.20 why doe they then translate it For ever because the word Netzahh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Victoria Aeternitas signifieth both Victory and Eternitie A third example Gen. 8.21 Dixit ad eor suum dominus but the Chaldee saith Bemeria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which phrase the Evangelist Iohn followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but this is not a phrase used amongst the Greekes A fourth example Give us this day our daily bread Matth. 6.11 The Greeks say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Panem quotidianum but the Syriacke hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Crastinum panem that bread which may feede us to day and to morrow So Iam. 4.6 The Lord exalteth the humble but according to the Hebrew and Syriacke phrase to Exalt is to lift up on the Crosse Ioh. 8.28 When yee have lift up the Sonne of man or exalted the Sonne of man that is lifted him up on the Crosse These particular phrases used by the Seventy would be marked And besides these The simplicity of the stile of the Scripture is admirable if we shall looke more nearely to the stile of the Scripture as to the simplicity of it then we shall much more admire it 1 Cor. 2.4 My preaching was not with inticing words of mans wisedome but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power Againe the Evidence of the stile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oculata fides cum quis ipse videt the judgements of God are set downe so wisely in the Scripture as if a man were looking on with his eyes this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Greekes as we may see in the deludge the overthrow of Sodome and the miracles in the Wilderdernesse set downe so clearely before us as if we had beene eye witnesses of them See a notable example Psal 7.12.13 By a borrowed kind of speech he setteth forth the judgements of God which were to over take the wicked as if we were looking on If he turne not he will whet his Sword he hath bent his bow and made it ready he hath also prepared for him the instruments of death he hath ordained his arrowes against the persecutors Eightly the Fulnesse of the speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Greekes call this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein nothing is wanting neyther in the enumeration of the parts The holy Ghost setteth downe all circumstances belonging to the purpose whereof hee intreateth or explication of the causes or reciting of the circumstances for the holy Ghost setteth downe all the circumstances belonging to the purpose So the Apostle Rom. 1. describeth at large the vanity and impiety of the Gentiles And Rom. 2. the hypocrisie of the Iewes and Cap. 3. he maketh a full description of the corruptions of man reckoning up the parts There is none righteous no not one vers 10. There is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God vers 11. They are all gone out of the way they are altogether become unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Vers 12. Their throate is an open Sepulcher with their tongues have they used deceit the poyson of Aspes is under their lippes Vers 13. Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse Vers 14. Their feete is swift to shed blood Vers 15. Destruction and misery are in their wayes Vers 16. And the way of peace they have not knowne Vers 17. And there is no feare of the Lord before their eyes Vers 18. Ninthly the Shortnesse of the speech and here we cannot enough admire the fulnesse of the stile and the shortnesse of it Every word of the Scripture carrieth a weight that which Cicero sayd of Thucycides may here be applyed fitly Eum esse adeo plenum refertumque rebus ut prope verborum numerum numero rerum exaquet That every word carried a weight with it and therefore we may call it Laconica Scriptura All things in the Scrip are fitly joyned Tenthly the Coherence all things in the Scriptures are fitly joyned and coupled together The Heathen sayd that there were three things unpossible Eripere Iovi fulmen Herculi clavam Homero versum to pull Iupiters Thunder-bolt out of his hand Hercules Club out of his hand and a verse from Homer for they thought that there was such a connexion betweene Homers verses that not one verse could be taken away without a great breach in the
whole worke but this may bee much more sayd of the Scriptures of God which have such a dependance and connexion that if yee take away but one verse the whole shall be marred Ob. But it may be sayd that there are sentences which seeme not to cohere or agree fitly together Gen. 48.7 And as for me when I came from Padan Rachel died by me in the Land of Canaan in the way when there was but yet a little way to come to Ephrath and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath the same is Bethlehem Vers 8. And Israel beheld Iosephs sonnes How doth this cohere with that which goeth before it would seeme that there is no dependance here Ans They cohere well enough with the words going before How sentences in the Scripture seeming to disagree cohere very well for Iacob had adopted two of Iosephs children then hee giveth the reason of this adoption in these words as if he should say whereas I might have had moe children by my first wife Rachel if shee had lived it is great reason that I supply this defect in her by placing some in sted of these children which she might have borne to me and I adopt those thy sonnes since she is dead The second place which seemeth to have no coherence with things going before Esa 39.21 Take a lumpe of sigges and lay it for a plaister unto the boyle and he shall recover vers 22. Ezekias also had sayd what is the signe that I shall goe up into the house of the Lord. What coherence is betwixt these words and the words going before There is a right coherence here and hee setteth downe that last which was first for brevities cause which is more at large set downe in the booke of the Kings and therefore Iunius translateth it well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vajo ner In plusquam perfecto Esay had sayd Ier. 40.1 Object The word which came to Ieremiah from the Lord c. Answ The words following seeme not to cohere with the former The beginning of the fortieth Chapter with the seventh Verse of the fortiesecond Chapter and these things which are insert betweene them doe containe but the occasion of the prophesie to wit when Godoliah was killed the rest of the Iewes would have gone into Aegypt which Ieremiah forbiddeth them to doe And it came to passe ten dayes after Chap. 42. 7 c. This should be joyned with the first Verse of the fortieth Chapter and all the rest should be included in a parenthesis As we have spoken of the stile of the Scripture in generall so let us observe the stile of some of the writers in particular Esayes stile differed much from the stile of Amos he being a Courtiour and he but a Neat-herd So the stile of Ezekiel differed from the stile of the rest of the Prophets he calleth himselfe The Sonne of man not because it is a Chaldee phrase but because of the excellent visions which he saw therefore he is called the Sonne of man that is an excellent man as Iesus Christ in the New Testament is called The Son of man that is an excellent man So this is peculiar to Iohn the Evangelist to call Christ the Sonne of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Chaldees and the Talmud usually call him so Iohn opposed himselfe to Ebion and Cerinthus two Iewes who denyed the divinity of Christ wherefore he hath usually the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Ioh. 7.5 which was frequent in the Chaldee paraphrast and read often by the Iewes So there are some things peculiar to Paul for hee useth some words according to the manner of the speech in Tarshish and Cilicia as Collos 2.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their language signifieth insidiose alteri praeripere palmam So 1 Cor. 4.3 Mans day according to the phrase of Tarshish is put for the time of judgement because they had some appointed times for judgement Conclusion The Conclusion of this is here we may admire the wisedome of God who gave most excellent gifts to his Secretaries for the edification of his Church Moses was a man of a slow speech God gave excellent gifts to his Secretaries for the good of his Church and of a slow tongue and Aaron must be his spokesman Exod. 4. Yet Moyses was mighty in words and deeds Act. 7.22 It is sayd of Paul that his bodily presence was weake but his letters were weighty 2 Cor. 10.11 By his preaching he converted many from Ierusalem to Illiricum Rom. 15.19 but by his letters hee converted moe Paul converted moe by his writing than by his preaching both in Europe Africa and Asia such was the majesty and grace in his writing that they acknowledged it to be from the Lord. EXERCITAT XII That the Hebrew Text is not corrupted Psal 119.140 Thy word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it THe Church of Rome The Church of Rome maketh the vulgar Latin translation to be canonicall that they may advance the authority of the vulgar Latine translation which they have made canonicall doe labour to disgrace the originall Text the Hebrew and Greeke Controvers 1. Gordonij cap. 9. holding that they are corrupt in many things Master Iames Gordon our Country man observeth foure distinct periods of time The first period he maketh to bee the Iewes Synagogue before Christ came in the flesh he granteth that all this time the Hebrew Text was not corrupted by the Iewes The second period of time he maketh to be from the ascension of Christ untill the dayes of Hierome and Augustine and he saith that in this second period the Iewes went about to corrupt the translation of the Seventy because the Christians then began to use arguments taken out of that translation against them as Iustine Martyr testifieth writing against Tripho The third period he maketh to be after the death of Saint Hierome untill the time that the Talmud was composed and set together and then he saith there arose great contention betwixt the Orientall and Occidentall Iewes the Orientall Iewes were those who dwelt upon the East side of Euphrates in Babylon Media Persia What Iewes were called orientall and what occidentall those Peter called the Church at Babylon 1 Pet. 5.13 The Occidentall Iewes were those to whom he wrote Scattered abroad in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia 1 Pet. 1.1 because of the diversity of their reading and corruptions in the Text. He saith that the Iewes met at Tiberias Anno 508. and there set downe the Points and made their Masora to obviat this that no more corruption should enter into the Text. The fourth period he maketh to be after the Iewes had met at Tiberias they decreed that none should use any copy but such as were corrected by the Masoreth and so from this time he freeth the Text from corruption but hee laboureth much to prove that the Hebrew Text was corrupt before and that
the vulgar Latine is sound and free from corruption which was translated by Saint Hierome under Pope Damasus and so continued in the Church of Rome The Iewes kept faithfull the booke of God without corruption The Iewes to whom The Oracles of God were committed Rom. 3.2 therefore it was called Their Law Ioh. 8.17 would they have corrupted their owne Evidents Augustine calleth the Iewes Capsarios nostros who faithfully kept the booke of God and reserved it unto us without corruption he saith Dispersos esse Iudaeos infidelesut testarentur Scripturas esse veras The unbeleeving Iewes were scattered through the world that they might testifie the Scriptures to be true The Iewes numbred the Verses Words and Letters of the Bible and shall wee thinke that the Iewes would have corrupted the Text who have numbred the words letters and verses of the Bible and R. Zaddias hath numbred the letters words and verses and summed up all the verses at the end of every booke and they have observed that all the letters are found in one verse Zeph. 3.8 as also foure of the finall letters they carry such respect to the Law that if it but fall to the ground they institute a fast for it They would write no language but in Hebrew letters The superstitious Iewes at this day are so carefull to keepe the letters and words of the Law that they will have neither Chaldee Syriacke nor Hebrew words wrirten but in Hebrew letters and it greeved them when they saw in Origens Hexupla Vide Guiliel Schiekardum de jure regio Hebrew words written in Greeke Characters when they saw the copie which was presented to Alexander the Great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having the name Iehova still written in Golden letters they were much greeved at it and when they see any thing changed in our copies now in disdaine they call it Hhomesh pesul she l gelahhim that is Pentateuchus rasorum Monachorum the Pentateuch of the shaven Monkes The Iewes after the death of Christ were dispersed among many Nations and they never met together againe and albeit they would have corrupted the Scripture how could they have falsified all the Copies Bellarmin maketh this objection to himselfe Bellarm. lib. 2. Cap. 2. De verbo dei Some men will say that the Hebrew Text was corrupted after the dayes of Saint Hierome and Augustine Hee answereth that Augustins reasons serve for all times against the corruption of the Hebrew Text Serrarius in prolegom Bibliacâ—s And Serrarius acknowledgeth that there is but small or no corruption in the Hebrew Text Corruptio Physica Mathematica Moralis he maketh a threefold corruption The first Physicall the second Mathematicall and the third Morall Physicall corruption he maketh to be this when it wanteth any member which it should have Mathematicall corruption hee maketh to bee this when there are some faults in the print which we call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And a morall corruption he maketh to be this when one of purpose goeth about to corrupt the Text and in effect he commeth to this that the errours which are found in the Text are but errours in the print and not in the matter But now lately there is one risen up called Morinus who hath set himselfe to improve the originall Hebrew Text and to preferre the Samaritan to it as the originall Difference betwixt hebraeo-samaritana and hebraeo-samaritano-samaritana in their Copies We must put a difference betwixt Hebraeo-Samaritana and Hebraeo-samaritano-samaritana Hebraeo-samaritana is that which Moyses wrote from the Lord and delivered to the Iewes it is called Hebraeo-samaritana because the Hebrew was written in the Samaritan Character at the first and so kept still till after the captivity and this wee grant to be the first and originall writing by which the Church should be ruled But that this Hebraeo-samaritano-samaritana should be the first originall that in no way must we grant and the reasons are these Reason 1 Reasons to prove that the Samaritan copy is not the originall First the Samaritans were Idolaters they were brought out of Assyria by Salmanasses and they erected a false worship in Iudea for the which they were hated by the people of God Ioh. 4. They branded them alwayes with these two letters Gnaijn Zain that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cultus alienus strange worship The Lord concredited his oracles to his owne people Deut. 33.4 The Law is the inheritance of the congregation of Iacob Therefore the Law was not committed to their custodie who were not Gods people they had no right to his inheritance Reason 2 Secondly if the Samaritan copie were the originall then it should follow that the Church hath wanted the true originall Text untill the yeare of God 1626. when Petrus de Valle brought it from Damascus Reason 3 The Samaritan Copie differed as much from the originall The Samaritan differeth as much from the originall as the Seventy doe as the Seventy doe but none of them hold that the translation of the Seventy is the originall by which all others should be tryed why then should they give this prerogative to the Samaritan Copie to be the originall this Samaritan Copie addeth to the originall Text which was The inheritance of the Iewes Deut. 33.4 and diminisheth also from it It addeth to the originall Text Iosh 21. two Verses 36.37 Verses So Gen. 4. it addeth a long speech or conference betwixt Cain and Abel which is not in the originall Text. So Targum Hierosolymitanum supplyeth the same 28. verses here which are not in the originall Hebrew Text a conference betwixt Cain and Abel whether there be any providence of God or not or whether there be any reward for the just or punishment for the wicked Abel holdeth the affirmative and Cain the negative part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But this note of the Masoreth in the margent should not be read this wayes Pesu pesuki bimtzegno pesuk Viginti octo versus desiderantur in medio hujus versus There are twenty eight Verses wanting in the midst of this verse But it should be read this wayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pesukim pasekin bimtzeghnoth pasuk that is There are twenty eight verses whose sense endeth in the midst of the verse therefore when the Scripture saith that Cain talked with his brother it was to perswade him to goe out to the field and not that he had a long conference with him Both the Samaritan Copie then and the Targum of Ierusalem wrong the Text as defective putting in these 28. verses which the Spirit of God never indited As it addeth to the originall Hebrew Text so it diminisheth somethings from it Hos 4.11 I have called my Sonne out of Egypt These words are not in the Samaritan Copie So these words Zach. 12.10 They shall behold him whom they pierced Reason 4 If this Samaritan Copie were the
the King when he should sit upon the Throne of his kingdome to write a Copie of this Law Deut. 17.18 and the Iewes adde further that he was bound to write out two copies one which he should keepe in his treasurie and another which he should carry about with him and they say moreover if Printing had beene found out then yet hee was bound to write them out with his owne hand Thirdly the Lord commanded the Prophets to write their visions upon Tables 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocant Graeci and to make them plaine Habak 2.2 Esay 8.1 and the Seventy read it to be graven upon the bush tree which is a sort of wood that corrupteth not and it will preserve that which is written upon it and it were to the worlds end Bookes necessary for the Church albeit lost yet they were found againe Fourthly when any booke which was necessary for the use of the Church was lost the Lord had a care that that booke should be found againe as the booke of the law found by Hilkiah 2 King 22.8 Or the Lord endited it anew againe when it was lost as when Iehojakim cut the roule of the lamentations of Ieremie yet the Lord inspired him a new againe to indite this booke to his Scribe Baruch Iere. 36.32 because he thought it necessary still for the Church therefore he would not have it to perish Fiftly in that generall destruction which the Babylonians made at Ierusalem burning their houses and robbing them of their goods The Israelites kept the musicall instruments in the captivity to put them in minde of the worship of God yet as Hierome and Basil observe well it was a speciall providence of God that they should leave to those captives their instruments of Musicke wherewith they used to serve God in the Temple that they might preserve some memorie of their former worship they brought these instruments to Babel with them Psal 137.2 we hung our harpes on willowes If the Lord had such a care of these instruments to have them preserved for his praise much more care had he to have the Scriptures preserved which taught them to worship and he who had a particular care of the parts of the Scripture before it was compleate and numbreth the haires of our heads Matth. 10.30 and the starres of the heavens Psal 147.4 will he not have a speciall care that none of these Bookes should perish which are canonicall That fable of Esdras then is to be rejected lib. 4. The fable of Esdras rejected cap. 4.23 So cap. 14.21 to the 24. verse he sheweth how the booke of God was lost in the Captivity and that Esdras the Scribe by holy inspiration wrote it all anew againe but this is false see we not how Daniel read out of the prophesie of Ieremie how long the captivitie should last Dan. 2.9 The booke of God then was not lost in the captivity and written anew againe by Esdras Esdras wrote nothing of the Scriptures but onely set the bookes in order but onely he set the bookes in order after the captivity nihil ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fecit sed ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee did nothing in correcting the booke of God but onely set it downe in order But we reade often times in the Scriptures of many Bookes wanting now which were extant before as the Bookes of the battels of the Lord Ans Num. 21.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By this it cannot bee inferred that any canonicall booke is perished for this word Sepher signifieth a relation as well by word as by write Secondly although wee grant that it was a written booke yet it will not follow that it was a holy Booke Thirdly although we grant that it was an holy booke yet it will not follow that it was a canonicall booke The bookes of the Chronicles of the Kings of Iuda and Israel were but civill records Some things written by the Prophets not as they were Prophets and belonged nothing to the canon of the Scriptures Secondly some bookes that were written by the Prophets were not written by them as they were Prophets Salomon wrote of Hearbes Trees and Plants 1 King 4.33 But what bookes were these They were but bookes of things which were under the Moone and of things corruptible and because they served not for the edification of the Church afterwards Hezekiah buried Salomons bookes of physick therefore the Lord suffered them to perish Suidas saith that the booke which Salomon wrote of Physicke was affixed upon the gate in the entrie of the Temple and because the people trusted too much in it neglecting the Lord as Asa put his trust in the Physitians 2 Chro. 13. therefore Hezekiah caused to pull away this booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and bury it And the Talmud saith that Hezekiah did two memorable things First Ganaz Sepher rephuoth Abscondit librum medicinarum He hid the bookes of Physicke which Salomon had written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And secondly Cathath nahhash hannehhushoth shegnashe Moshe Comminuit aeneum serpentem quem fecerat Moses He brake the brasen Serpent which Moyses made Salomon spake three thousand Proverbes 1 King 4.32 yet of all these Proverbes scarce eyght hundred are put in the Canon Some of these Proverbes the servants of Hezekiah King of Iuda copied out Prov. 25.1 And as they saw the King their master bury Salomons booke which he knew was hurtfull to the Church Salomoni Proverbs and Songs which were not profitable to the Church perished so those servants copied out these Proverbes which were profitable for the Church whereas the rest perished So Salomon wrote a thousand and five Songes of all which Songes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est utriusque numeri quae vel quod the Lord made choyse but of one to be insert in the Canon which is called the Song of Songes or canticum canticorum quae Salomonis rather then canticum canticorum quod Salomonis it was the most excellent Song of all Salomons Songs rather then the excellentest Song compared with other Songes But all bookes written by thē for the whole Church none of them are perished as the Prophesies of Nathan Ahija and Iddo For Burgensis observeth well upon 1 Chro. 29. That the first booke of Samuel is holden to be written by Samuel himselfe So the second Booke of Samuel and the second booke of the Kings were written by Nathan and Gad who lived with David and Salomon and wrote untill the death of Salomon then Iddo and Ahija wrote the historie following of Ieroboam interlacing somethings of Salomon and Rehoboam Object 1 Chron. 29.29 Now the acts of David the King first and last behold they are written in the booke of Samuel the Seer and in the booke of Nathan the Prophet and in the booke of Gad the Seer with all his reigne and his might and the times that went over him and over Israel and all
the Kingdomes of the Countries But these words cannot be understood of the bookes of Samuel for wee reade not in these bookes what David did abroad in these Countries therefore some other bookes must be understood here written by Gad and Nathan which are not extant Ans Not onely the things which David did in Israel are set downe in the booke of Samuels but also the things which he did abroad in other Countries as against Zoba King of Hadadezzar Hierom. in Esa 13. against the Moabites and against Tobh King of Hemath And where it is sayd over all the kingdomes of the countries it is the manner of the Scripture as Hierome marketh by the whole Countries to understand the next adjacent countries whereof it speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore in the originall it is Haaratzoth Of that carth Ob. 2 Chro. 33 19. The prayer of Manasseh and how God was intreated of him and all his sinne and his trespasse and the places wherein he built high places and set up groves and graven images before he was humbled behold they are written among the saying of the Seers or Hosai But in the whole booke of the Kings there is no mention made of his affliction or of the cause which mooved him to repent or of his prayers which he made to God in time of his affliction then this booke of the prophet is not now extant So the acts of Baasha Zimri and Omri are they not written in the Bookes of the Chronicles of Israel 1 Kings 16.5 27. But nothing concerning their actes are found in the bookes of the Kings or in the Chronicles therefore those bookes are perished when the Scriptures remit us to those bookes it giveth us to understand that these bookes are worthy to be trusted as written by the Seers of God neyther doth the Scripture cite them as it doth some short sentences out of the Heathen Poets The Apostle saith of those Poets that they sayd the truth Tit. 1.13 But the Spirit of God remitteth us to these bookes that we may be fully instructed by them in the whole truth of the Acts of those Kings Answ First we must know that there were many Prophets who prophesied whose prophesies were never written as the prophesies of the children of the Prophets Some prophesies of the Prophets were not written and the prophesies of those who prophesied from the dayes of Eli to David as some of Asaph Heman and Ieduthun Secondly all the things which were written by the Seers were not written by them as Seers Salomon wrote many things which he wrote not as a Prophet and so did David Thirdly Something 's written by the Prophets profitable for the Church then but not profitable now many things which they wrote then as Seers and were profitable to the Church for that time were not profitable for the Church now and the Spirit of God remitted them then to the civill records and to some prophesies which were then extant but are perished now because now they were not necessary for the Church but all these things which the Lord endited to them by his Spirit and which he thought to be necessary for his Church to be the Canon and rule of our faith all those the Lords watchfull eye hath kept and preserved that none of them are perished The Conclusion of this is Conclusion The bookes of Emperours and Kings are lost yet the Lord hath kept the register of the little Kings of Iuda and Israel both in whole and in parts although they were but Shepherds and banished men And the Church would rather spend her best blood then shee would part with that pretious Iewell or any part of it therefore they called those who delivered the booke of God to the persecuting Tyrants Traditores EXERCITAT XIIII That the points were not originally with the Letters from the beginning Neh. 8.8 So they read in the Booke the Law of God distinctly and gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading of the Law WE have showne that the Scriptures are not corrupt and that no essentiall or integrall part is wanting in the holy Scriptures Now it resteth to show that the Points the accidentall ornaments were not from the beginning The Iewes who are faithfull keepers but bad interpreters of the Scriptures interpret these words Nehe. 8.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after this manner vaijkren bassepher betorath They read in the booke of the Law this they expound to be the litterall sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Ezra gave Mephorash distinctly that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adding the Points and distinctions Veshom Shâ—cel Appenentes intellectum and gave the sense that is he added the Targum or paraphrase to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vajabhinu bammikra and caused them to understand the reading of the Law that is he added the Kabbala But this is a false Glosse Ezra read the Law to them gave them not onely the grammaticall sense but also the spirituall and true meaning of the words he neither added points nor Targum or Kabbala to it The points were not then from the beginning as may be seene by these reasons following Reason 5 The first reason is taken from the Samaritan Character The Iewes acknowledge that the letters of the law which they have now are not the ancient Characters in which Moyses wrote the Law But to these ancient Characters there is no vowell subjoyned as we may see in the forme of the Shekell set downe by Arias Montanus Beza and Villalpand upon Ezekiel Reason 2 The second reason is taken from the first exemplar of the Iewes which they kept in their Synagogues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they have most exactly written and rouled up this booke which is the cheefe booke in their estimation and whereof they account more then of any other Hebrew Bible yet there is neyther Poynt nor Accent in this booke but onely Consonants This may be seene also in their ancient billes of divorce wherein are neyther Points nor Accents Therefore the Points were not from the beginning Reason 3 The third reason is taken from the names of the Points and Accents which are Chaldee names therefore they were imposed after the captivity Object But they who maintaine that the Poynts were from the beginning say that this reason holdeth not for the names of the Moneths are Chaldee names imposed after the captivity and yet the Moneths were from the beginning So the Points may be from the beginning although the Chaldee names were given to them after the captivitie Answ As the Moneths were from the beginning and had Chaldee names given unto them after the captivity so the value of the Points were from the beginning but the figures and the names of the Points were set downe a long time afterwards Reason 4 The fourth reason is taken from the translation of the Seventy for when the Seventy read the Hebrew Text wanting the
and so they will have the Councill to be understood but they of old sayd plainely that in every thing this translation was Authenticke Lastly when wee demand of them whether the Church may make a new Version yet or not or mend that which is alreadie done Gretserus who taketh the defence of Bellarmine Lib. 2. cap. 10. pag. 540. against Whittaker denyeth that there can be any thing added to this translation In Prolegom bible or be made more perfect But Serrarius holdeth that this Version may be yet helped and that it is not come yet to such a perfection but that it may grow to a greater if the Church would condescend The translation of the Seventy although the Apostles themselves followed it in many things yet it was never holden to be Originall and Divine by the Church neyther were the Churches commanded to receive it under the paine of a curse Hierome marketh in his Preface upon the first of the Chronicles that the Churches of Alexandria in Egypt followed the Translation of Hesychius which was a translation set forth after the Seventies translation rather then the translation of the Seventy but froÌ„ Constantinople to Antioche they followed the translation of Lucian the Martyr but the Churches of Palestina which lay betwixt these two followed Origens Hexapla And so he saith the whole world was divided into thâ—se three then what great presumption is it in the Chuâ—ch of Rome to make the Vulgar Latine Authenticke and Originall and to injoyne it to be read in all the Churches Franciscus Ximenius Cardinal of Toledo in his Preface before the Bible set out at Complutum in Spaine saith that he set the Vulgar Latine betwixt the Hebrew and the Greeke as Christ was set betwixt two Theeves is not this a fine comparison to preferre the Vulgar Latine to the Hebrew and Greeke The Syriack translation was first translated into Latine by Guido Fabricius and afterwards by Tremellius Genebrard and Serarius taking occasion upon this translation charged Tremellius with great forgerie First that he tooke away all the Titles from the Epistles but this was no forgerie for neyther the Superscriptions nor the Subscriptions are any part of the Canonicall Scripture as may be seene before in the postscripts added to the Syriacke translation Secondly they charge him that he tooke away the Calender for the reading of the Gospel upon holy dayes but neyther the Hebrew Calender nor the Syriacke Calender are Divine Scripture and that use for which they say this Calender served for reading of the Gospel upon holy dayes was onely used in the westerne Romish Churches but not in the Easterne Churches Thirdly they say that he committed Plagium in stealing his translation from Guido Fabricius and setting it out under his owne name but what diligence he used in translation of the Syriack he who wrote his life testifieth And will any man thinke that he who was a native Iew borne and trained up in these tongues was so ignorant that he had no skill but that which he did steall from another and Gretserus addeth that first he was a Iew and then he became a Monke thirdly a Calvanist or Hugonite and lastly that hee returned to his vomite againe and dyed a Iew. But that yee may perceive what a Railer this was who spared neyther the living nor the dead I will set downe a memorable proofe of his death he who wrote Apophthegmata morientium the notable sayings which sundry uttered at the last houre of their death relateth this of him When they demanded of him what confession hee would make of his faith he sayd Vivat Christus pereat Barabbas Whereas the rest of the Iewes cryed Vivat Barabbas pereat Christus this he sayd to signifie that he renounced Iudaisme and tooke him onely to the merites of Christ Was this to dye like a Iew the Name of this worthy man should smell to us as the Wine of Lebanon Hos 14.7 Of a Paraphrase THe second way how God maketh the Scripture plaine unto us is by paraphrasing it which goeth in a larger circuit of words than a translation doth and this is called tirgam a Paraphrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Ecphrasis is an exposition of this Paraphrase The first Paraphrase was the Paraphrase of Ionathan the sonne of Vzziel who paraphrased the great Prophets thirty yeeres before Christ both plainely and without Allegories but upon the small Prophets hee runneth out more upon Allegories The second Paraphrase was the Paraphrase of Onketos otherwise called Rabbi Aquila adding Nun and changing a into o as Aquila Onkelos as Bonarges Banuarges It was hee who translated the Old Testament into Greeke also he paraphrased the five bookes of Moyses ninety yeeres after Christ not long after the destruction of the Temple The third Paraphrase was Targum Hierosolymitanum upon the five bookes of Moyses most fabulous and most impure but because Targum Ionathan was in great request among the Iewes and not so fabulous as this Targum the Printers amongst the Iewes put these two letters Tan Iod before that Paraphrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make the Reader beleeve that it was Targum Ionathan Ionathans Paraphase for these two letters stand both for Targum Ionathan and for Targum Hierosolymitanum Lastly Rabbi Ioseph Caecus paraphrased Cetubhim or the written bookes All these Paraphrases if yee will respect the langu ge were eyther in the Babylonian or Hierosolymitan tongue three in the Babylonian and Targum Hierosolymitanum in the Hierosolymitan tongue These Paraphrases Paraphrases when they are blasphemous are to rejected where they paraphrase against Christ are to be detested Exam. 1. Gen. 4. Incaeptum est nomen domini profanari but Targum Hierosolymitanum paraphraseth it blaspemously In diâ—bus illis coeperunt Idola colere fecerunt fibi Deos erroneos quos cognominabant de nomine Sermonis domini And here he implyeth Christ who is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sermo dei This paraphrase is blasphemous against the Sonne of God and therefore to be detested Example 2 Can. 4.5 Thy two breasts are like two young Roes Targum paraphraseth these two Roes to be two Messiases the one the sonne of Ioseph the other the sonne of David the one Poore and the other mighty that is a blasphemous Paraphrase and therefore to bee detested Example 2. Iob. 23.9 He paraphraseth it this wayes Michael is upon his right hand and Gabriel upon his left hand Michael is upon his right hand and he is fire and Gabriel is upon his left hand and he is water and the holy creatures are partly fire and partly water This Paraphrase is blasphemous because it maketh the Sonne of God but a Creature and matcheth Gabriel with Michael Paraphrases when they are ridiculous are to be rejected Secondly where these Paraphrases are fabulous they are to be rejected Example 1 Gen. 3.21 The Lord made coates of skin for Adam and Eve Targum Hierosolymitanum paraphraseth it this wayes
The Lord made glorious cloathes which he put upon the skin of their flesh that they might cover themselves Example 2. Gen. 32.26 Dimitte me quia ascendit aurora The Paraphrast maketh this to be one of the seven Angels who stand before the Lord singing continually holy holy Lord of Hoasts and he maketh this Angell to be cheefe of the Quire Example 3. Exod. 13.19 And Moyses tooke the bones of Ioseph with him Targum Hierosolymitanum parâ— phraseth it thus Ascendere fecit Moses vrnam ossium Iosephi ex intimo Nili abduxit secum Hence the Talmudistâ— make a great question how they could finde this Chest of Ioseph being sunke so deepe in the flood Nilus and they flye to their shift of Shem hamphorash 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and R Bechai upon this saith that Moyses tooke a plate and wrote upon it and sayd ascende Bâ—â— meaning Ioseph who was called Bos Dei Deut. 33.17 did cast this plate into Nilus saying O Ioseph thy brethren which are redeemed are waiting for thee and the cloud of glory is waiting for thee if thou wilt not goe up with us now wee are free of our oath Example 4. Deut. 28.18 Decaudicabat debiles Hee cut off the taile or the weake of the hoast but Targum Hierosolymitanum paraphraseth it this wayes sed accepit eos Amalek amputavit loca virilitatis eorum projecitque sursum versus coelum dicens tolle quod elegisti meaning that part which was commanded by the Lord to be circumcised they threw it up into the heavens in contempt and spite against the Lord. Example 5. 1 Sam. 15. And he numbred them Battelahim but Targum paraphraseth it thus He numbred them by the lâ—mbes For Telahim is called lambes also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they say that Saul would not number the people for feare of a plague upon him and his people as it fell out afterwards upon David and his people therefore he caused every one of them to bring a lambe and he numbred all the lambes and so he knew the number of the people such Iewish fables as these the Apostle willeth us to take heede ofâ— Tit. 1.14 But where these Paraphrases cleare the Text Paraphrases where they cleare the Text are to be used then we are to mâ—ke use of them Example Gen. 2.24 He shall leave father and mother and cleave unto his wife Onkelos paraphraseth it thus he shall leave Donium cubilis where the Paraphrast alludeth to the ancient custome of the Iewes fo the children lay in their fathers chamber before they were maried Luk. 11.7 My children are with me in bed Example 2. Gen. 12.5 And Abraham tooke all the soules which he had got in Charan Onkelos paraphraseth it thus Omnes animas quas subjecerat legi Example 3. Gen 49. Ruben excellens munere dignitate Onkelos paraphraseth it thus Excellens principatu Sacerdotio for hee that was the first borne at the first was both the Prince and the Priest in the Family Example 4. Gen. 49 27. Beniamin a ravening woolfe he shall cate the prey in the morning and shall divide the spoyle at night The Paraphrast paraphraseth it thus In his possession shall the Sanctuary bee built morning and evening shall the Priests offer their offerings and in the evening shall they divide the rest of the portion which is left of the sanctified things Of interpretation of Scripture THe third outward meane whereby the Lord maketh the Scripture cleare to his Church is Interpretation and this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Interpretation of the Scriptures maketh the people to understand them for when the Scriptures are not interpreted The Scriptures not being interpreted to the people are like a Nut not broken they are like a Nut not broken When Gideon heard the dreame and the interpretation of of it Iud. 7.15 In the Hebrew it is Veshibhro the breaking of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a speech borrowed from the breaking of a Nut for as we breake the shell that wee may get the Kernell So the Scriptures must bee broken for the people and cut up for their understanding It was the manner of the Iewes in their Synagogues after that the Law and the Prophets were read to Interpret the scriptures Act. 13.15 And after the reading of the Law and Prophets the rulers of the Synagogue sent unto them saying ye men and brethren if ye have any word of exhortation for the people say on And therefore the Synagogue was called Beth midresh Domus expositionis we see the practise of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nehem. 8.8 Legerunt cum appositione intellectus They read the Law clearely to the people and caused them to understand those things which were read this was the fruite of their interpretation So they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 16.10 Conferre places with places The giving of the sense here is more than to give the grammaticall interpretation of the words they gave the sense and the spirituall meaning of them when they preached Noah was a Preacher of righteousnesse 2 Pet 2.5 The Church is not onely the keeper of the Scriptures but also an Interpreter of them This word Kara signifieth both to Reade and to Promulgate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Legit Proclamavit Esar 29.12 61.12 Zach. 7 7. Act. 10.20 So Mikra which signifieth Reading signifieth also an Assembly or Convocation to teach us that the holy Scriptures ought to bee read in the congregation and holy assemblies and ought likewise to be expounded The conclusion of this is The Lord useth so many meanes to make the Scripture cleare to the people and yet the Church of Rome goeth about to stoppe these Fountaines of living waters that the people may not drinke of them As the Spies raised a slander upon the Land of Canaan saying that it was unpossible to be won so doe they slander the Scriptures of God with obscurities and say that it is impossible for the people to understand them EXERCITAT XVI Of the division of the Scriptures They have Moses and the Prophets Luc. 16.29 THe scriptures are divided into the old and New Testament The old Testament againe is divided into Moses and the Prophets and sometimes the Law is put for the whole old Testament Rom. 3. So Iob. 7.49 Esay 2.3 And sometimes the Psalmes are called the Law Ioh. 15.25 That the word might be fulfilled which is written in their Law they hated me without a cause So the Prophets are called the Law 1 Cor. 14.21 In the Law it is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pentâ—â—â—â—â—chus in Moses is divided into Hammitzua Commandements Chukkim statutes and Mishpatim judgements that is in Morall Precepts Ceremoniall and Iudiciall The Iewes againe divide the old Testament into the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 priores 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 posteriores 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prophetae the Prophets and
Iewes say that this division in Parashoth was most ancient but the division into Haphtaroth was later and they give this to be the reason why they reade these Haphtaroth they say when Antiochus Epiphanes forbad them under paine of death to reade the Law of Moses 1 Macch. 2. then they made choise of some parts of the Prophets answerable to these parts of the Law Example because they durst not reade Petorah beresith They read Esay 42. So saith the Lord Creator of heaven and earth Example 2. the second Parasha is Elle toledoth Noah now because they durst not read this they read Esay besiman that is The reading of Moyses and the Prophets more ancient than Antiochus at the signe 54. for that which we call a Chapter they call a signe Sing yee barren c. But is it likely that Antiochus that great Tyrant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forbad them onely the reading of the five bookes of Moses wherefore the reading of Moses and the Prophets hath beene much more ancient than the time of Antiochus therefore Act. 15.21 Moses is read of old A Phrase which signifieth a great antiquitie When they read Moses Law They read the whole Law in their Synagogues once in the yeere they divided it in fifty and two Sections and they finished it once in the yeere They had two sorts of yeeres there was Annus impraegnatus or Embolimaeus and Annus Aequabilis Annus Impragnatus was that which wee call Leape yeare and it had fifty three weekes Annus impragnatus embolimaeus in this yeere they divided one Parashah in two parts and so they ended the reading of the Law within the yeare When it was Annus Aequabilis then it had but fifty two weeks then they read one Parashah for every Sabbath and in the last Sabbath of the yeare which was the twentie third of Tishri they read that Parashah called Latitia legis which beginneth Ioshu 1. And the next Sabbath they began beresith againe at the first of Genesis These Parashoth were subdivided into so many parts and there were sundrie who read these parts upon the Sabbath hee that read the first was called Cohen the Preist hee repeated the first part of the Section and then rose up Catzan or Cantor who did sing the same part which the Priests had read then there rose up in the third place a Levite and he read his part Fourthly there rose up an Israelite and hee read his part and at last it came to Maphtir 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cessare in hiphil dimittere and hee read the last part of the Haphtorah he was called Maphtir because when that part was read the people were dismissed and so the Latine Church said Ite missa est In the weeke dayes they read upon the second and the fift day of the weeke some part of those Parashoth but not the whole and the Pharisee meant of these two dayes when he said I fast twise in the weeke Luk. 18.12 The Greeke and Latine Fathers never cite Chapters as we doe now Augustine in his booke of retractations Cap. 24. saith not I have written to Genesis 3. but this wayes I have written to the casting out of our parents out of paradise And Gregorie in his Prologue upon the first of the Kings saith I have expounded to you from the beginning of the booke unto the victory of David Who divided the Scriptures first into Chapters it is not certaine they were divided of old two manner of wayes first they divided them into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 titles for so they called the greater parts and then into Chapters as into lesser parts others againe divided them into Chapters as into greater parts It is holden that Musaeus presbiter Ecclesiae Massiliensis divided them first into titles and subdivided them into Chapters Genebrard Chronologia According to this first division Matthew had sixty three titles and three hundreth and fifty five Chapters So Luke according to the ancient division had forty eight titles and three hundreth and forty eight chapters He who began this latter division into Chapters is holden to be Hugo Cardinalis according to this division Matthew hath twenty and eight Chapters and Luke twenty and foure c. Lastly it was divided into verses this division into Pesuchim or verses the Masoreth found out first amongst the Iewes The Greekes called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scaliger calleth them Commata and Robertus Stephanus calleth them Sectiunculas and some hold that it was hee that found them out first amongst us EXERCITAT XIX Of the sense of the Scriptures THere is but one literall sense in the Scriptures which is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse 2 Tim. 3.16 To make divers senses in the Scripture is to make it like that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Anaxagoras dreamed of making Quidlibet ex quolibet August Epist 48. Augustine writing to Vincentius justly derideth the Donatists who constructing these words Cant. 1.7 Tell me o thou whom my soule loveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy flocks to rest at noone They gathered out of them that the Church of Christ was onely in Africa by their allegoricall application Origen was too much given to these allegories and therefore he missed often the true sense of the Scriptures These who gathered divers senses out of the Scripture doe little better with them than Esope did with an inscription written in a pillar of Marble in which were written these seven letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esope first read them thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est abscedens gradus quatuor fodiens invenies thesaurum auri But Xanthus his master finding as he had spoken a great treasure of Gold and giving nothing to Esope for his conjecture kept all to himselfe therefore Esope read them another way thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est qui tollitis dum abitis dividite quem invenistis thesaurum auri But when Esope got nothing in a rage he read it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est redde Regi Dionysio quem invenisti thesaurum auri The Iewes hold that there is a literall sense in every Scripture and a mysticall sense the literall sense they call Dabhar keton 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rem parvam and the mysticall sense they call it Dabhar gadol rem magnam the literall sense they call it peshath sensum nudum and the mysticall sense they call it darash and most of the Schoolemen hold that there is a double sense in the Scriptures Latomus the Papist saith Theologiam crassam versari circa literalem sensum theologiam subtiliorem versari circa mysticum allegoricum sensum and they call the literall sense panperem grammaticum and the allegoricall Divitem theologicum the rich and theologicall sense But we must strive to finde out the literall sense of the Scriptures
or else we shall never come by the true meaning The literall sense is that which the words beare eyther properly or figuratively therefore he sayd well who sayd bonus grammaticus bonus theologus for we can never come to the true meaning and sense unlesse the words be unfolded A figurative literall sense is eyther in verbis vel in rebus eyther in the words or in the matter In verbis in the words as Luk. 13.32 Herod is a Foxe Psal 22.12 The princes of Israel are Buls of Basan in these words there is but one sense So Let the dead bury the dead Luk 9.50 Dead in soule bury the dead in body here is but one sense but where the words in one sentence have diverse significations then they make up divers senses as judge not that yee be not judged Iudicium libertatis Iudicium potestaâ—is Mat. 7.1 the first is judicium libertatis the second is judicium potestatis When we search to finde out the literall sense of the Scripture that cannot be the literall sense of it which is contrary to the analogie of faith which is eyther in credendis or in faciendis If it be contrary to the articles of our faith or any of the commandements then that cannot be the literall sensâ— as Rom. 12.20 If thine enemy be hungry give him meate if he thirst give him drinke for in so doing thou shalt heape coales of fire upon his head Here to feede the enemy and to give him drinke are to be taken literally because they are commanded in the sixt Commandement but to heape coales of fire upon his head must be taken figuratively because according to the letter it is contrary to the sixt Commandement Example 2. Matth. 5.29 If thy right eye offend thee plucke it out and cast it from thee Here the words are not to be taken literally for this were contrary to the sixt Commandement but figuratively So this is my body is not to be taken literally for it is contrary to the analogie of faith because the heavens must containe the bodie of Christ untill he come againe Act. 3.21 The second is figurative in rebus as in the Sacrament of the Supper when he sate with his Disciples he sayd This is my body he pointeth at the thing present and understandeth the thing that is not present he had the bread and cup in his hand and he sayd This is my body This is my blood In these propositions there is the subject and the attribute the subject is the bread and wine which he doth demonstrate the attribute is that which is signified by the bread and wine and these two make up but one sense propius remotius when Peter had made a confession that Christ was the Sonne of the living God Matth. 16. Christ to confirme this unto him and to the rest of the Disciples saith Tu es Petrus Similie super hanc petram c. he pointeth at Peter but he understandeth himselfe upon whom the Church is built and not Peter When a man looketh upon a picture he saith this picture is my father here he understandeth two things propius remetius to wit the picture it selfe and his father represented by the picture this picture at which hee pointeth is not his father properly but onely it representeth his father Object But some will object when it is sayd Hic est sanguis meus that the article hic agreeth with Sanguis and not with Vinum therefore it may seeme that it is his blood indeed and not wine that he pointeth at Answ This cannot be for in the former proposition when he sayd hoc est corpus meum he should have sayd hic est corpus meum because it repeateth the word panis as it is more cleare in the Greeke therefore the article hic hath relation to some other thing than to the bread at which he pointeth for the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repeateth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bread or the wine but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his body and his blood When Moyses sayd Exod. 24.8 Behold the blood of the Covenant here the word blood is properly to be understood because their covenants were confirmed with blood and there was no sacrifice without blood But when Christ sayd This is my blood of the New Testament there was no blood in the Cup here but he had relation to his owne blood which was signified by the wine in the Cup. Quest When Christ saith This is my body This is my blood how was he present with the bread and the wine there A thing is sayd to be present foure manner of wayes Answ first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and fourthly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when a man is bodily present Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as when a man is present by his picture Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the sunne is present by operation in heating and nourishing things below here Fourthly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when we apprehend a thing in our mind Christ when he sayd this is my body and this is my blood he was present there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he was not in the bread and the wine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for then his blood should have beene there before it was shed then hee should have had two bodies one visible and another invisible but he was present there in the bread and the wine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the bread and the wine represented his body and his blood So hee was present there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by his Spirit working in their hearts and he was present to them by faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they did spiritually eate his body and drinke his blood and this is the true and literall sense of the words Which is the literall sense in those words Quest Hoc facite in mei recordationem doe this in remembrance of me Although there bee many things implyed in these words Answ both upon the part of the Minister and upon the part of the People yet they make up but one sense as upon the part of the Minister Take this bread blesse this bread breake it and give it to the people And upon the part of the people take this bread eate this bread c. yet all these looke but to one thing that is to the remembrance of Christs death and therefore the externall action bringeth to minde the internall action the remembrance of Christs death so that in these words there is but one sense Testimonies of the old Testament cited in the New make but one sense When the testimonies of the old Testament are cited in the new the Spirit of God intendeth propinquius remotius something nearer and something farther off yet these two make not up two divers senses