directly answered by me whither on man or many should be judge of controversies To this he saith I dare not answer because I will not grant the power either to the high Bishop or general council nevertheless he findeth this to have been the constant practise of the Church both in the Old and New Testament established by the express word of God and received by the Fathers in all ages for in the Old Testament from Deut. 17. from 8. to 13. we read that GOD did command the people in matters of controversie to go to the Priests Levits and judge who should be in those days appointed by him for that end saying and thou shalt do according to the sense of the law which they shal teach thee and according to the judgement which they shal tell thee Remark he saith not according to the sense of the law which thou shalt read but which they shal teach thee not taken according to the privat judgement and spirit but according to the judgmeÌ„t which they shal tel thee where God promiseth out of their mouth judicii veritateÌ„ truth and verity in judgement or as you turn it sentence of judgement See for this also 2. Chr. 19. 8. where Jehosophat established what was first instituted Viz. a council of Levits Priests and chief fathers of Israel to judge not only between brethren and brethren blood and blood but also betwixt law and coÌ„mandments statutes and judgements Not leaving law and commandments to the peoples privat reading and interpretation as you do in your rule of faith In the 11. verse he concludeth thus Amaziah is over you in all matters of the Lord where it is evident that the council and chief Priest is established judge of controversie and not the written Word as every one readeth and expoundeth In the New Testament again you have this practise clearly set down Acts. 15. Where Paul and Barnabas though Apostles themselves go up to Jerusalem about the question of circumcising the Gentiles converted to the faith And there was holden the first council in which this is decided not out of Scripture but by the authority of the Council it self It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and us said they having the assured promise of the assistance of the Holy Ghost as the Church hath at all time Wherefore after the Apostles councils have decided with the same authority and upon the same infallible ground of the Holy Ghosts assistance promised to the Church Many controversies are acknowledged by Protestants for points of faith without express passage of Scripture Marcion teaching that Baptism should be conferred more then once and Donatists that Baptism conferred by Hereticks should be reiterated as invalid are condemned in the council holden at Rome under Melchiadâ—s Pope in the year 313. now what passage of Scripture I pray you is for this Sâ—bellius putting one person only in the God-head is câ—ndemned in the council of Alexandria under Pope Cornelius in the year 319. but scripture maketh no mention of persons Nestorius putting two persons in Christ is condemned in the Generall Council holden at Ephesus under Pope Caelestin the year 434. Yet neither doth the Scripture speak of thâ—â— The Monotheliâ—s giving to Christ one will in two Natures are condemned in the third general Câ—uncil holden at Constantinople under Pope Agathon the year 679. albeit there be no formal scripture for this So you see it belongeth both in the Old and New Testament to the high Priest and general Council to decide controversie either by Scripture if there be any passage clear for that point or without Scripture by Apostolick tradition conserved in the Church which scripture it self warranteth 2. Thess 2. 15. Hold fast the traditions which ye have learned either by word or our epistle but it seemeth you care not who be condemned or by whom if you take away all power on earth to condemne your selves Every Protestant will be condemned by none but Scripture and yet will make none judge of the Canon Version and sense of Scripture but himself All your answer is that we grant the Promulgation of the law to the pure Gospel Church but you shew not what is this pure Gospel Church neither can you infallibly prove the purity of the Gospel it self or that there is a Gospel or the true sense of the Gospel but by the Catholick Church her authority Hear Aug. contta Ep. fund cap. 5. Where he saith I my self would not have believed the Gospel were it not that the authority of the Church moved me to it Now the Catholick Church is that whose faith is spread through all the world in the Apostle Paul his time which maketh her to be justlie called the Catholick Roman Church and whose faith hath been in all ages since Christ which all the records of the Protestant writters witness of the Roman Church wherein the succession of Popes Bishops Councils is made conspicuous to all who have written Chronology or Church history in every age none whereof make mention of your Church or of men professing your tenets before Luther and Calvin from whom ye dissent in many things Answer first This is a prolix reply the Pro. Du. 1 substance of which might have been taken up in seven or eight lines As it is spacious so it is an impertinent rapsodie and like a beggers cloak clouted here and there with divers parcells without any method or cohesion It seemeth to have been taken out of some Index and cast in here to fill the page For the answer was That the promulgation of the law is not denyed to the pure Gospell-Church which is not the Roman-Church for it is impure Is not this a direct answer You prove that there hath been a Ministerial-Church in the old and new Testament which we doe not deny but this is the point did they so pronounce sentence and decide Controversies that all discretive judgement was taken from people or called they themselves infallible whether they had scripture warrand or not Or wil the promise of presence to the Apostles Prophets and penners of Scripture in measure and duration agree to any Church Officers now on Earth Or should promises made to the Universal-Church agree to any particular Church such as Rome Or will promises made to the collective body of the Church agree to the representative unless these be proved you fight with your own shadow For we are much for the authority of Christs Church and think that her judgment of old and late should sway privat men unless they can prove by scripture or sound reason that she erreth We are much for the authority of all lawful Councils and we give them all reverence in regard of the authority of their constitution but if they depart from the scriptures we owe them not active obedience Well speaketh our learned Camero tom 1. tract de infallibilitate ecclesiae So oft as any thing is decreed by a Council or assembly of men appointed by lawfull autharity
unlearned as well as the unstable wrest the scripture to their own destruction then Scripture can neither be the determiner of faith nor the judge of controversies to them and so they must have another both to instruct the ignorant and settle the unstable as we must all have some infallible judge to know who wrest the Scripture who not otherwise we may well agree in the letter but we will never agree in the sense and meaning thereof But as much say you as containeth the way to salvation is plain so that he may runne who readeth it Sir doth it not belong to salvation that there be three persons in God one in Christ that Baptism is a Sacrament c. Now where find you this in Scripture either running or siting Or if Scripture be so plaine clear as ye make it why be there so many Comments on it among your own men and so different Why is there amongst Protestants 200. expositions upon these four words This is my Body As Cusaâ—us in his holy court observeth Answer first I am glade that the written Pro. An. 1 word of GOD pleaseth you so who have all this time spent words to throw all power out of its hand and hang it at the Popes foot But you say it refuteth what was said formerly This cannot be made good for still I said it was the rule of faith to right discerners and sometime you grant this as in the latter part of your fifth Reason whereby indeed you refute all you have said and yeelds the cause fully Now what contradiction can be here The scripture is the rule to all right discerners and as many as walk according to this rule peace shal be on them but men who wrest the word unlearned unstable soules fall into perdiâ—ion for abuse of the word and destroy themselves hence proceedeth many controversies Is it not a strange consequence to inferre thence that these unlearned unstable soules should have another rule and another judge In the 19. of Luke v. 27. it is said by our Lord that his enemies who would not have him to reign over them should be brought forth and slain before him will it therefore follow that he should not reign over them Or that they Jure should have another King The case is just alike here It is granted that many have their consciences seared 1. Tim. 4. 2. are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Tim. 3. 8. self-condemned Tit. 3. 11. under stronge delusions 2. Thess 2. 11. Is the Scripture to blame for this You have many faults to that which you like not Hear Optatus Milevitanus adversus Paliner Donatistam Vos dicitis licet nos non licet inter licet vestrum non licet nostrum nutant animi populorum If you seek a judge saith he a Pagan cannot do it nor a Jew they are enemies Christians by their discerning faculty cannot they being impeded studio partium Then upon earth there can be no judge shal we go to Heaven for one Quorsum cum hic habemus iâ— Evangelio testamentum i. e. To what purpâ—se seeing we have the Testament here in the Gospel If there be a contention among brethren saith he quaritur Testamentum the Testament is sought So we must decide our controversies by the Old and New Testament etenim praesentia quae modo facitis futura conspexerat Christus i. e. For Christ did foresee these things as future which ye make to be now present and hath he foreseen it and will he not provide a remedie for it Secondly These unlearned unstable ones Pro. An. 2 who are to be destroyed will not hear understand nor obey his word then is it like that they will understand the voluminous decrees of the Pope May they not wrest his sentence and sense more easily then Scripture words Or dare any say that humane ordinanceâ— will sooner compesâ—e command or regulat them then the word of GOD Thirdly We do not deny Mâ—nisterial Pro. An 3 helps for instructing and seâ—ling the ignorant and unstable nor judicial sentences subaltern and subordinat â—o the law But that there is an infallible man 〈◊〉 to whose sentence I must implicitly submiâ—â—â— is â—â—â—culous to averie it and the broaching of that errour hath occasioned more controversies then were formerly in the Church so far is it from composing differences If ye were more in catechising the unlearned and leâ—s in regal commands the law of GOD would be both better understood and obeyed Fourthly Albeit some places be hard to Pro. An. 4 be understood by the unlearned 1. Pet. 3. 16. other places are not so difficult In the scripture an Elephant may swime and a Lamb may wade And the same particulars you again object are clearly holden forth in scripture as is formerly proved in the vindication of my answer to your 1. Qu. in answer to Rea. 2. Yea the way to salvation is fair and patent there and if we perish our destruction is of our selves seeing that book is not sealed to us Commentaries Church-canons Ecclesiastick sentences are helps and means for edification but scripture is the authentick instrument and all the authority is originally from it And different expositions according to the analogy of faith may be and will be so long as there be diversity of gifts But I ask why ye make use of Commentars Seeing ye resolve all into the sentence of the Pope And why do your Commentators differ so amongst themselves If this hinder not your Ecclesiastick supremacie why should it be brought to weaken scripture authority It is hard to find where you are for sometimes ye would have a judge to authorize scripture to you sometimes you would have only one for the sense of scripture then at last you are for one only to the unlearned and unstable such is your instability in this matter that I wish the word of God may determine you aright in the point Question fourth Were it not better to establish Pa. Qu. 4 a man or an assembly of men judge of Controveâ—sies seeing the Church is the pillar of truth 1. Tim 3. 15. aâ—d hath the promise of presence Matth. 28. 20. then th◠〈◊〉 Sect should be laying claim to the Scripture and yet taking sundry wayes Answer The promulgation of the law is Pro. An. not denyed to the pure Gospel Church truth is mantained and preserved there as the law was keeped in the Ark thus it is called the pillar of it But the Church of Rome is not such being a very strumpet and making the Kings of the earth drunk with the cup of her fornications Rev. 17. 2. thaâ— promise of presence is made to the universal Church but no particular Church such as Rome can claim the measure or duration of it who of these can say that they shal last to the end of the world Albeit Sects lay claim to Scripture yet their abuse cannot take away our lawful use of it To this a Papist replyeth That the question Pap. Reply is not
but Aristocratical Under the New Testament the Lord appointed no visible Monarch on earth to be an officer in his church for our last appeal in dubious cases is regulated by that well known Scripture Matth. 18. 17. If he will See Bish Laud. againstâ— Fisher not hear the church let him be to thee as a publican Now it is absurd to say that this should be the sense of it tell the Pope for in no language the word Church can signifie a visible Monarch Secondly The council of Jerusalem maketh not for this for not only proceed they upon Scripture grounds but although they were infallible men yet none of them took the Papal way and the government was not Monarchical It seemed good to the holy Ghost and us Thirdly Church power is Ministerial Matth. 20. 25. 26. 2. Cor. 1. 24. 1. Pet. 5. 3. but Monarchy is Magisterial therefore it agreeth not with church power And when Papists reason for the power of the church and mention councils the argument may be thus propounded church officers councils have been appointed to rule and order the affairs of the house of God Ergo they may do what they will and who can say unto them what dost thou I deny the consequence Ergo the Pope is one of these officers it is absolutly refused And this is summa totalis of the prolix answer to the fourth question which may be taken away with a word Ergo if the word make not for them theâ— they may betake themselves to their own traditions and rule by them That is denyed also by us And suppose they should give the Law to their own Vassals will it therefore follow that they empire it over the whole Christian-church And seeing all churches are bound to a rule can any be infallible which have need of a rule When you make the Pope your church do ye not build your faith on him Is this like the foundation Eph. 2. 20. What is this but to make your faith humane And is it not absurd to say that Alexander the siâ—â—h Pope Iohn 22. in the cathedra were infallible as the Prophets and Apostles in dyting Scripture they cannot blush who speak so Fifthly As for the fifth particular viz. That place of Augustin cont ep fund cap. 5. I would not have believed the Scripture Pro. An. 5 unless the authority of the church had moved me Our Divines have answered fully long ago so it is a threed bare argument for he speaketh not there concerning the formal reason why Scripture is believed but concerning the mean and motive by which intrants are brought at first to the knowledge of the Scripture I mean the consused knowledge of the Scripture as when a man delivereth a letter he may tell from whom it is but the faith of it is from the subscription So here then by the church he understandeth not the church or Pope of Rome but the Primitive-church of the faithful which did hear see Christ and his Apostles So saith Durand †Dur lib. dist 24. qu. 1. he had to do with the Manichees who would make him believe their Gospel No saith he the testimony of those who did see with their eyes hear with their ears and handle the word of life is to be preferred to your assertion and this is a motive which made me at first quite Manichism and close with the Gospel of Christ so speaketh Melchior Canus lib. 2. de loc cap. 8. therefore it maketh nothing for the imperious supremacie of the Pope or Church in matters of faith fot there is a difference between coÌ„muma motivafidei and formalis ratio credendi See learned and perspicuous Dr. Barron against Turnebul Tract 4. pag. 188. Who hath unanswerably demonstrated this truth and so interpreteth these words of Augustin The testimony of the church is a principle inductive and a motive to new intrants to read hear and consider the holy Scriptures and it produceth only an humane faith the inward testimony of the holy Spirit is the principle effective of divine faith and the Scriptures themselves are the formal reason and terminative principle whereinto divine faith is resolved as a building upon its foundation Eph. 2. 20. To conclude this answer We judge that the pure Gospel Church is and should be the pronouncer of divine sentence from the Scripture that the authority of Councils should be inrerposed for making men willing and obedient to the divine law so should the Magistrat concurre in his station for that effect But the church of Rome is not pure nor like that which once it was in the Apostle Paul his time and at no time could she be called the Universal church far less now Albeit then her faith was spoken of throughout all the world Is this a good argument the faith of the Church of Brittain is mentioned throughout all the reformed churches of Transylvania Hungaria Polland Germany Bohaemia Flanders France and Helveâ—ia therefore it is the Universal-church no we claim no more but to be a Sister church to these in the confession of faith according to the Scriptures †Alb. Pighius lib. 6. Eccl. hierarc cap. 3. and all together make up the Universal-church And any one of these is preferable to the church at Rome as it is now corrupted and apostatized Will ye hear Albertus Pighius Quis unquam per Romanam Ecclesiam intellexit universalem who ever did by the Roman Church understand the Church universal Why do ye then speak so and ambitiously empire it over all the world Question fifth Seeing no Scripture is of Pa. Qu. 5 privat interpretation 2. Pet. 1. 20. should privat men take upon them to interpret the same Answer The sense of that text is no scripture Pro. An. is the indytment of a privat spirit but proceedeth from the holy Ghost for it followeth holy men of GOD spake as they were moved by the holie Ghost and it came not of old by the will of men Therefore it is no ways to be thought that privat men should be barred from searching the Scripture seeing Christ Jesus commanded the contrar Io. 5. 39. This was spoken to a whole multitude of persecuting Jews The word is the sword of the spirit Eph. 6. 17. should any privat man be disarmed amongst his foes And blessed is he whither privat or publict who meditateth in the law of the Lord day and night Ps 1. Reply In your fifth answer you grant with the Apostle that no prophecie of the Scripture Pa. Rep. is of any privat interpretation so should you grant also that the Scriptures cannot be rightly expounded of every privat spirit and fancie of the vulgar Reader but by the same spirit wherewith they were writren which resolveth in the Church And I am very confident no learned or wise Protestant will allow any privat man to expound scripture against the common consent of the whole Catholick Church wherein they were immediatly before But you insist that it is
pâ—â—loineth honour from the Lord and giveth it to others beside him as adultery giveth conjugal benevolence to others beside the husband or wife Idolum saith Isiodorus in suis Origin lib. 8. cap. 11. Est simulachrum quod humana effigie factum consecratum est That is an Idol which is made like a man and consecrated for worship So the exhibition of Religious worship to that is Idolatrie according to him Aug. epist. 119. ad Jan. saith in primo praecepto prohibetur coli aliqua in sigmentis hominum DEI similitudo quia nulla imago ejus coli debet nisi illa quae hoc est quod ipse nec pro illo aut cum illo In the first Command where he taketh in the second to us every similitude of GOD is forbidden to be worshiped because nothing should be woâ—shiped with him or for him but He himself alone Then according to him worship given to any Image made with hands not being God is Idolatrie Then it will follow first that the Gentiles did not alwayes worship a false GOD as ye shal afterwards hear And next that the Images representing â—he true God worshiped by them were Idols So that worship must be Idolatrie wâ—erever it is The Adulterie of a Pagan and a Christian are one So the Idolatrie of the one and the other cannot be diverse whatever difference may be otherwise amongst them Gerson sayeth Varietas imaginum plurimâ—s ad idololatriam pervertit Thereby implying that statue worship as practised by Romanists was Idolatrie Josephus a Jew con Appio saith it is abominable to place any Image in the temple of God and declaimeth against Pilat for intending the like It is known how averse the Jewes after the captivitie were from this way whatever pollutions formerly they committed Religious worship rendered to Images was detested by them and reckoned Idolatrous Varro a heathen as he is cited by Aug. lib. 4. de civit Dei sayeth that at Rome in the beginning fuit purior Dei cultus sine simulachris centum septuaginta annis Then by the twilight of Pagans the worship is polluted which is by Images And in Pagan Rome it was free of that 170. years Afterwards they took in Images and multiplyed their Gods so were they given up as the Apostle telleth Rom. 1. 23. By all these it is evident that Idolatrie is religious worship given to that which is not GOD. Idolatry Superstition and Will-worship may be thus distinguished Superstition is according to the Etymolygie of the word supra statutum and may be in many cases where there be no worship at all As when men are afraid of the signs in Heaven Jer. 10. 1. 2. If they meet such a foot in the morning if people be affrighted with dreams vain divinations as the falling of salt c. And be charmed from dependance by faith on the word of GOD. That is superstition which ordinarily prophecieth according to their sentiments all the fears they imagine The Papists would willingly take with superstition if we make Scripture the sole rule of faith and manners In this they are not unlike some Witches who will acknowledge when pannelled gross crims such as adultery drunkenness swearing Sabbath breaking that they may be thought the more ingenuous in denying Witch-chraft Bell. lib. 2. de Imag. cap. 8. saith no less Non est tam certum an imagines DEI sanctae Trinitatis sint faciendae in Ecclesia It is not so certain whither the Images of GOD and the holy Trinity should be made in the Church And he thinketh that worship given to these to be founded only upon opinion Therefore he must acknowledge it at least to be superstition Will worship is where there is no statute terminating it As the worshipping of Angels Col. 2. and they go away from it with this return who hath required it at your hands Thus all Idolatrie is superstition and Will-worship For the Apostle Acts 17. calleth the Athenian worship such and maketh use of a general smooth word to dispose them the more for hearing or because it may be there was no Image there but an Altar to the unknown God Yet all superstition and will-worship is not Idolatrie although all of them are damnable Ezek. 43. 8. and religious worship should not be ex arbitrio humano sed imperio divino †Tertull de Jejunio cap. 13. in vain do they worship me Matth. 15. 9. saith our Lord who do so There be no difference in scripture betwixt a consecrated Image and an Idol If an image terminat worship make it the brazen Serpent it is an Idol And that sculptile forbidden in the second Command the Hebrew word signifying it is Pesel which is ordinarily rendered by the 70. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 4. 16. and in the 4. of the Judges the word is twice rendered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a name giveÌ„ to paga idols Rom. 1 2 3 the image of the beast Re. 13. 14 is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the worship whereof no Christian can deny to be idolatrie Image in Latine is quasi imitago and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is ordinarily tendered simulachrum imago Hippocrates Aph. 18. calleth the body of a man without the soul Idolum The truth of this causeth Lorinus confess that apud profanos authâ—res i. e. Criticks and Humanists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aeque late patent si latinitate utraque daretur eadem est significatio idoli iconis Sed apud Ecclesiasticos i. e. Popish writters it is not So now let any reasonable man judge whither byassed Papists or learned Criticks not involved in the controversie can give the soundest sense of these words And seeing the Hebrew signifying both is one if it be safe to hazard Salvation upon a distinction meerly nominal without a sure ground of Scripture or reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in scripture and amongst Humanists are promiscuously taken for the Hebrew word Gnabad is indifferently taken and signifieth service wâ—ich is rendered by the 70. interpreters sometimes by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For instance Daniel 6. 20. the speach of the King Darius to Daniel is thus tendered by the 70. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Daniel servant of the living GOD is the Lord whom thou servest constantly able to deliver thee from the Lyons In one verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are taken for one And it is ordinar in the Old Testament to render the word Gnabad by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea more in it self the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coming from dal signifieth the most submisse service so it is absurd to say it belongeth to Saints and not to GOD whom we should most humbly serve And in the New Testament in more then 40. several places as Pasor proveth fully these
Hereticks and Schismaticks have abused it therefore we should not make use of it as the rule of faith and manners This is a Paralogism and confused rapsodic but I pass it for sons of Babel must daub with untempered mortar and be Babel-like in their way Although these 5. Reasons be answered § 1. sufficiently yet for further satisfaction to the Reader these two particulars shal be discussed Question 1. Whose it is to interpret Scripture R. In the first place it belongeth to the Ministerial Church Pastors and Officers called of GOD to that employment are ordinarily better gifted for that work then other men I say ordinarily because in some cases it may be otherwise and the Lord may raise up extraordinary interpreters this appeareth from 1. Cor. 14. 29. And the judgement of a pure Church in dubious cases should weigh much with privat Christians Secondly Privat Christians may read the Scriptures search for their sense improve them privatly for edification and examine what is said by others for they have the promise to attain Jer. 31. 34. a precept to improve 1. Pet. 4. 10. and a priviledge to try Acts 17. 11. 1. Cor. 10. 15. this judgement of discretion no man can take from them Io. 10. 4. Matth. 7. 15. more then the taste from a man Is not that spirit which dyted the scripure the best interprerer of it But privat men may have that 1. Cor. 2. 15. This their judgement is not authoritative nor judicial yet bindeth themselves and he is a better Christian who followeth then he who stiffleth it so speak all Casuists Chrysost hom 13. in act Apost reproveth such as professed they would be Christâ—ans yet doubted to whom they should adhereâ— have ye not judgement sayeth he and have ye not scriptures Aug. Confes lib. 13. sub sinem cap. 22. cap. 23. explaining that place 1. Cor. 2. 15. sayeth Quisque fidelis est spiritualis every beleever is spiritual and hath a judgment of discretion Picus Mirandula Theor. 16. sayeth If the greatest part of a Councill conclude against the word of God Si rusticus if a rurall man have the Gospel for him he is most to be beleeved and adhered to This sheweth that the scripture should be read and searched by such and privat men having this priviledge should make use of it in a Gospel way for edification not for destruction Question second How shall Scripture be interpreted Answer first Not by the Pope §. 2. for people are commanded to search the Scriptures before there was a Pope in the world Iohn 5. 39. therefore that cannot be a necessar mean Secondly Nor can all make use of Generall Councills seeing these are more hard to be understood then the Scripture Thirdly Not by carnall reason For the naturall man perceiveth not the things of God 1. Cor. 2. 14. But first by Prayer and Meditation for the Lord giveth the Spirit to them that ask him Luke 11. 13. and this mean is practised by experienced beleevers Ps 119. 18. Secondly By a docile cleanly frame of heart Ps 25 9. 10. Matth. 5. 8. Thirdly By comparing Scripture with scripture obscure places with these which are clear ex Gr. who can interpret Ps 8. v. 2. so well as the Evangelist Matth. 21. 16. or the 4. and 5. verses so as the Apostle to the Heb. 2. 7. 8. or these words Matth. 26. 28 so as the Evangelist Luke 22. 20. with Mat. 26. 29. where after the consecration of the Cup it is called the fruit of the vine Or that text Matth. 19. 23. A rich man shal hardly enter into the kingdom of Heaven so as the interpretation of the Evangelist Mark cap. 10. 34. How hard it is for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God Fourthly By the Commentats of ancient and late writters by the preaching of those who are called of God to that work with this caution that we try the spirits whither they be of God or not 1. Io. 4. 1. Fifthly For the exact interpretation of places which should be propounded to others for edification the knowledge of the Original tongues History Chronology Topography is in measure requisit This is the way by which the ancient Fathers expounded Scripture Chrysost in Gen. hom 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socra Scriptura cum nos tale quid docere vult serpsant exponit auditorem errare non sinit i. e. The holy Scripture when it will have us to teach any such thing it expounds it self and suffereth not the hearer to erre Yea a Jesuit Acosta lib. 3. de Christo revelato ch 25. confesseth so much being overcome with the truth Nihil perinde scripturam mihi aperire videtur atque ipsa scriptura itaque diligens attenta frequensque lectio meditatio oratio collatio scripturarum summa regula ad intelligendam scripturam mihi semper visa est i. e. Nothing seemeth to me more useful for opening up scripture then scripture it self therefore the diligent attentive and frequent reading of the Scriptures meditation prayer and comparing of them together hath ever seemed to me the best rule for understanding scripture Aug. de doct Christi lib. 2. cap. 9. In his enim quae aperte in scriptura proposita sunt inveniuntur illa omnia quae continent fidem spem charitatem moresque vivendi de quibus libro superiore tractavimus tum vero facta quadam familiaritate cum ipsa lingua divinarum scripturarum in ea quae obscura sunt aperienda discutienda pergendum est ut ad obscuriores locutiones illustrandas de manifestioribus suÌ„mantur exempla quaedâ—m certatum sententiarum testimonia dubitationem de incertis auferant Question secoâ—d How can the Scripture be judge seeing it is the rule â—a Qu. â— Answer fiâ—st It is a speaking rule the Spirit of God speaketh there The Acts of Parliament are both the law and judge of a Pro. An. case albeit men pronounce the sense of them So the Church hath the herauldry of this and hence may pronounce the sentence but the determination is from the word alone for humane testimonie can adde no weight to the Divine To this it is returned that the second answer Pa. Rea is no better then the first The Scripture say you is a speaking rule and may be both rule and judge But the Acts of Parliament and civil laws be as well speaking laws in matters of temporal government as the scripture is in spiritual and yet parties should never agree if the Lords of Council and Session did not expound them and pronounce sentence from them not as heraulds but as judges albeit they be tyed to conform their sentence both to Acts of Parliament customs and laws Even so scripture is indeed our law book but the Church is our judge for this our experience may prove that there hath been no agreement amongst them who make any other judge then the Church as all Sectaries commonly do Beside it would
not to be thought that privat mâ—n should be barred from searching the scripture seeing it is contrar to that text John 5. 39. where if by searching the Scripture you mean the reading and interpretation of it that cannot be the sense of it For the Apostle Paul saith 1. Cor. 12. GOD hath set in the Church Prophets Apostles Doctors c. Then he addeth are all Apostles are all Prophets are all Doctors do all interpret Then this doth not belong to every man to read and interpret Scripture but to search the deep meaning and sense thereof from the Doctors of the Church For the Jews did search the scripture reading and hearing it read in their Synagogues and yet did deny Christ to be the Messiah which scripture doth clearly testifie Even as Protestants do read Scripture and in it the real presence the power to forgive sins granted to men justification by faith and good works anointing the sick virginity preferred to marriage and yet deny all this Wherefore as Christ exhorteth the Jews to do it with greater reflection and attention not superficially turning and shuffling it over as Protestants do so do I exhort them The word is the sword of the spirit upon which you inferre should any privat man be disarmed amongst his soes So let me tell you that the Apostle calling it a sword sheweth that it should not be put into a mad mans hand or in the hand of a fool i. e. Poor ignorants who as Peter saith wrest it to their own destruction and yet this is your consequence if it should be granted to all privat men Children and fools get not arms amongst their foes wherewith they might rather wrong themselves then their enemies but are under the protection of their Paedagogues and attendants And so the ignorant should not easily handle the sword of the word being ignorant and only capable of the letter but should receive the sense thereof from the Church and her Pastors that it may be to them an arme of defence Pro. Duply 1 Answer first All this is answered fully in the return of the first question to which place I referre the Reader lest I make idle repetition If the rule of right reasoning had been observed nothing of this ought to have come in formerly but here in its own proper place I distinguished betwixt privat men and privat interpretations then betwixt the extraordinar gift of interpreting and the ordinar Thirdly Betwixt the priviledge and the exercise Privat men have the priviledge to search the Scriptures you say it should be by no other then doctors if that be true then the Lord Jesus did not direct the people who heard him to use prayer and meditation for knowing the Scriptures but to go to their rulers Scribes and Pharisees who did what they could to make the Scriptures testifie against him and all his I appeal to the conscience or reason of any if this exposition on the place can hold water Or if an indvidual act such as this being performed by another is an obedience to a command If this exposition be good then when the Lord pronounceth the man blessed who meditats in the Law day and night the sense of it must be if his Pastors do it for him it is enough Who will admit this But the one is as true as the other Secondly You contradict your self for once you say that privat men should not interpret Pro. An. 2 Scripture but take it from the mouth of the church then immediatly you exhort them to do it not superficially but with attention and we exhort to no more Thirdly You make all the people who are Pro. An. 3 privat men mad fools and Children by your coÌ„parison in whose hand the word of GOD should not be put then it must be taken from them and how agreeth this with the former exhortation What if this were told to the Kings and Queens who are Popâ—sh By the testimony of your doctors ye are all de clared unfit to rule others for mad men fools children caÌ„not govern In effect ye guide theÌ„ as such in divine matters for ye muzle and blindfold the people all this passeth under the notion of Paedagogy But sad is the case of such pupils â—f they knew what belonged to their peace Let ignorants be catechised and trained in the ways of GOD this may make them more discerning of the sense and meaning of the word of God Seneca telleth Coenant nobiscum quidam quia sunt docti alii ut sint doâ—li Some men suppe with us because they are learned others that they may be learned The testimonies of the Lord make wise the simple should they then be deprived of them Question sixth Ye agree not about the Pa. Qu. 6 rule for some cast at the Epistle of James others receive it Answer None of the pure reformed do Pro. Qu. so it was only rejected by some Lutherians in which we do not owne them Secondly The number of Scripture books is not the question but whither these mantained by all be the rule of saith Seeing all men are murable creatures and at their best state vanity Popes clash with Popes Councils with Councils Pulpits with Pulpits let any judge whither it be safest that the revealed will of God be our rule or the dictats of self contradicting men Reply You say none of these pure reformed Pa. Reply reject the Epistle of James and you disclaime the Lutherians who do so and they you for I am confident they will acknowledge none for pure reformers who take an Epistle for scripture which they hold to be none Then you say the number of Scripture books is not the question Sir you move questions as you please but hear Mr. Hooker one of your most learned Protestants lib. 1. Eccl. pol. Sect. 14. pag. 36. of these things necessar saith he the very chief is to know what books we esteem holy which is impossible for it self to teach Apply this to your only determiner of faith in your first answer And truely I think this should be the first question of all to the pure reformed according to the pure word of God as you cal them which are the books of the pure word of GOD Now if you answer these are mantained by all which you make the rule of faith how few books of Scripture shal be this rule if any at all For there be few or none whereof some have not doubted or flatly denyed Saint Augustin contra Faustum Manichaeum and lib. de mor. Eccl. cap. 1. Saith the Manichees did deny Moses and the Prophets the Jews did deny the New Testament What books of Scripture are mantained by all For by that you make the consent of all judge of canonical Scripture how then can you disclaim tradition and say immediatly after men are mutable creatures and at their best state vanity Seeing upon the consent of men ye take up your rule of faith and number of Scripture books I know other Protestants
Air that whore â—itteth on many waters if ye stand on the brink and â—ook long to these your head may take a round and ye fall into the deep Wherefore is it that there be such pompous schenick actings charming musick 〈◊〉 Casuists amongst Romanists if not for â—â—trapping those who go by An old noble man in this land who lived and died a good Protestant told me that when he was young he travelled to Rome and out of curiosity desired he might be admitted to see the Popish ceremonies monuments and rites which the Conclave at first refused but the next day Bellarmin being present who was absent in the former dyet it was granted by his mediation He in this was more wirry then the rest and did take the nearest way for ensnaring the Nobleman albeit it pleased the Lord to preserve him Abstaine then from all appearance of evil and knit not a snare to your self with your own hands The fume of that cup of fornication hath made some drunk make as quick dispatch as ye may home-ward some temptations are best overcome by resisting and standing it out Eph. 6. 14. 1. Pet. 5. 9. others are foiled better by flying nor medling as Idolatry Adultery Fornication 1. Cor. 6. 18. 1. Cor. 10. 14. Flee fornication flee from idolatry saith the Apostle Therefore carry in this as men in infected places come away quickly longe citâ— tarde and lingeâ— nor there lest ye be taken up in the snare Counsel fourth Be bussie in secret when the occasion of publick worship is denyed to you They who have nor the opportunity of a publick market saith one should be the more diligent to have nurseries or store at home In cases of this kind closing of the door and secret work is necessar then ye are called to spend the Lords-day in spiritual meditation prayer praises So was that divine man of GOD employed in the Isle Pathmos and received rich alowance from on high Rev. 1. 10. VVhen David was driven from the Temple he had Temple work alone in the wilderness of Maon the Lord was no wilderness to him When Jacob was retired â—e wrestled and prevailed he found the Lord at Bethel and there he spoke with us Hâ—s 12. 4. That is the fruit of that work and the examplaâ—y carriage of this tender Believer belongeth to the whole Israel of GOD much of the work of a Christian is transacted in secret and we under the Gospel have this priviledge which was not under the Law that the Christian sacrifice reasonable service may be offered every where lo. 4. 23. 1. Tim. 2. 8. it's men when a Christian hath fewest diversions may enjoy much of GOD and himself use greatest freedom have most accesse and word his particular cases best One saith that Jesus Christ is sweet company but frequently sweetest to the sense alone And what is more edifying for a particular Believer amongst Augustines works nor his Soliloquies Tâ—erefore in this exigence meâ—itat much on the Lords Word his Workes your own weakâ—ess wâ—nts receits experiments the excellency of Jesus Christ the bitterness of sin of death judgement eternity and how precious your souls are beyond the gold of Ophir Consider serâ—ously that no merchandise can avail you if ye purchase not the pearle of price who â—â—oweth the worth of that jewel None but he to whom the arm of the Lord is revealed In your secret retirements the Lord may acquaint your hearts with himself and give you songs in the night Baldwin in his cases propoundeth some directions page 206. how men shal be exercised when they are necessitated to desert the publick worship First If the administration of the Word and Sacraments be not embezeld nor corrupted contrar to the written word then none conscionably betake themselves to privat exercise in the time of publick worship because it is contrar to that Heb. 10. 25. forsake not the assembling of your selves as the manner of some is The publick hath more of the promise Matth. 18. 20. This by the context must be understood of such publick meetings as have power of binding and loosing Micah fell into a sin not only of Schism but of Idolatry when in that place where the Lord had called a Ministry he without a call set up privat worship in his house to the prejudice of the publick Iudg. 17. This is his first position which he layeth down as a foundation Secondly If the worship be corrupted as in Popery then Christians should call an orthodoxe Minister who is called of GOD to the work and hath the promise Rom. 10. 14. and go about their worship at home for this he citeth Luther Tom. 6. fol. 275. Thirdly If no Minister can be had in the place where the Lord casteth the lot of a Christian for the time then he should be diligent in reading and searching the Scriptures If his â—ands bâ—come weak here he should take help from conference eiâ—hâ—r with the dead who yet speak by their books or with the living If he be a Master of a family then he may pray read the word of GOD which is an ordinance Deut. 11. 19. and instruct his family according to his ability Now from these posiâ—ions this may be proportionably gatheâ—ed that when Merchants travelling in Popish Countreys stay there on the Sabbath they should be well employed on that day by doing the work of the Lord diligently with both their hands This is the way to be free of the power of teÌ„ptation throughout the week to make you prosper the better in your affairs Our successe in temporalls hath ordinarily a connexion with our through bearing in spirituals as appeareth from the case of Abrahams servant Gen. 24. 14. 15. Câ—urselâ—ifth When ye are deprived thus of the publick worship regrate your mispent Sabbaths mis-heard sermons and that ye made so frequently that feast-day of the Lord a fast-day and starved your self without necessity it is the Winter-season and a providenced retirement to you which in denoâ—nced as a calamity Matth. 24. 24. Beside the sinnes and snares of your calling which are not few the evil use of ordinances at home may bring to your minde this much that it is just with the Lord morally to shut you up that ye cannot come forth Many Prophers and righteous men desired to see the dayes of the Son of man which ye did see and depretiated As in temporals fulness of bread procureth famine so in spirituals when men who have the occasion will not serve the Lord Deut. 28. 47. Spiritual famine is threatned to such Amos 8. Thereforâ— song much for a communion in publick Ordinances with your mother Church And when ye remember her towers bulwarks and how a high throne in the Sanctuary is for the Lord there then let your soul be poured forth in you Psalm 42. 4 and with these who did hang up their harps Psalm 137. by the rivers of Babylon lay bonds on your selves neveâ— to forget your Jerusalem the valley of vision and if the Lord return you home in peace spit not in her face who is the joy of the whole earth but glorifie the Lord in the house of his glorie upon his own day according to the prophecie Isai 60. 7. which now to us is a precept in the beauty of ordinances as in former dayes where the man amongst the myrtle trees cloathed with a garment down to the foot girt about with a golden girdle whose voice is as the sound of many waters shal be seen walking amongst the golden candle-sticks That is festus dies Domini saith Ambrose lib. 2. de Caâ—n Abel cap. 2. ubi perfecta virtutum gratia est ubi victor animus liber est a seculo Then ye dedicat a day to the Lord when ye worship him in spirit and truth thus Fill your heart in secret with fixed purposes to enter on this work at your home-coming seeing ye may better know the worth of Ordinances by the want of them Counsel sixth Pray much in secret for a discovery to Papists of their sinful worship the sight whereof is sufficient to confirm discerning men in the truth professed by us It is lamentable that so many knowing men should upon a secular interest for upholding the pompous Papacie detain the truth in unrighteousness When Ezekiel chap. 8. did see the image of jealousie he mourned and received with the rest of the mourners for the abomination of the place a mark of preservation chap. 9. so should ye do for these abominations Peccatum tuum est quod tibi non dispâ—â—cet said Augustin How shal your displacency be better attested unless ye were called to a publick confession Overcome their evil with good and pray for them who are ready to presecute you that the Lord would turne them from darkness to light and the power of errour to truth As also that he would enlarge the Gospell by the power of his own Arme that yet Rivers may run in that Deseâ—t and the Myrtle may grow where the Bramble is The zeal of the Lord of Hosts can performe this The times are like the latter dayes being so peâ—â—illous See Brightman in Apoc. Mr. Medes Synchronismus and concerning the Apostacie of the latter time Master Durrham on the Revelation then it is that knowledge shall encrease and Babylon fall if many mistake not his minde who governeth all Roma diu titubans variis erroribus acta Corruet mundi desinet esse caput Rome toâ—tering long possest with errours strong Shal tumble down and prime no â—ore ere long FINIS