Pentecost the full Harvest was gathered in their first Harvest was of their Barley of their basest Graine onely but the full Harvest of their best Graine the Wheate was at the Pentecost Christ said Ioh. 4.35 Say ye not Allusion there are foure Moneths and then commeth Harvest Behold I say unto you lift up your eyes and looke on the Fieldes for they are white already unto Harvest But although the Harvest was great yet there were few Labourers Mat. 9 37. Here is an excellent allusion betwixt the Pentecost when their Cornes were ripe being the time of their full Harvest and the comming downe of the Holy Ghost for at the Pascha there was little Harvest but at the Pentecost all the regions were white so before the holy Spirit came downe there was but a small Harvest but when the Holy Ghost came downe The Apostles gathered that which the Prophets had sowne there was a plentifull and a great Harvest and at the Pentecost they gathered that which the Prophets had sowen Iohn 4.38 Yee reaped that wherein yee bestowed no labour Christ is called the first fruits from the dead Christ the first fruits from the dead 1 Cor. 15.20 as a handfull of the first fruits sanctified the whole field of Corne that was growing so Iesus Christ the first fruits from the dead sanctifieth all those who are lying in the Grave to rise againe by his power even when they are in the dust of death Psal 22.15 The day of the Pentecost was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Pentecost had but one holy day as the last dayes of the Passeover and the feast of Tabernacles were called gnazereth holy dayes there was but one holy day of the Pentecost but the first and the last dayes of the other great feasts were both holy and yet the Pentecost was the most excellent Feast of all for then the Comforter came and the gift of the Holy Ghost came downe plentifully upon the Church Lastly observe the phrase Act. 2.1 When the dayes of the Pentecost were fulfilled The Scriptures speake of things as done whâ—n they are but in the act of doing that is fulfilling So Ier. 25.12 And it shall come to passe when seventy yeares are accomplished that I will punish the King of Babylon and that Nation saith the Lord Seventy yeares were not coÌ„plete here for in the seventieth yeare they returned from the captivity so here when the dayes of the Pentecost were fulfilled that is upon the very day of the Pentecost when it was fulfilling This word gnazareth is usually restrained by the Iewes to the last of the Pentecost and it is translated by the Seventy Amos 5.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word Paul useth Heb. 12.23 for a generall Assembly EXERCITAT XXI Of the Feast of Tabernacles A ceremoniall appendix of Command 4. Levit. 23.33 And the Lord spake unto Moses saying Speake unto the children of Israel saying The fifteenth day of of this seventh moneth shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven dayes unto the Lord. God instituted many things to put his people in memory of his judgements and mercies THe Lord would not have his people forgetfull neither of his mercies nor of his judgements of his mercies Therefore he commanded them to keepe the Passeover in remembrance of their deliverance out of Egypt he gave them the Law fifty dayes after they came out of Egypt therefore hee would have them to keepe the Pentecost he fed them with Manna therefore he commanded the pot with Manna to be reserved they dwelt in Tabernacles or Boothes all the time that they were in the Wildernesse therefore he commanded them to keepe the feast of Tabernacles lest they should forget his benefits Psal 103 2. Forget not all his benefits So he will not have them forget his judgements therefore he commanded the Censers of Nadab and Abihu to be nailed upon the Altar to be a memoriall unto the children of Israel Num. 16.39.40 The feast of Tabernacles was instituted why the feast of Tabernacles was instituted to put them in remembrance that they were but Pilgrimes in the Wildernesse and had not a permanent dwelling there Their first station in the Wildernesse after they came out of Egypt was Succoth a Boothe or a Tabernacle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tabernaculum Tentorium est etiam proprium nomen loci a tiguriissic dicti a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 texit obtexit and they had fortytwo Stations in the Wildernesse from the first to the last and all this time when they were in the Wildernesse they had nothing to dwell in but Tents and Boothes so that here they were but Pilgrimes upon the earth as their fathers were before them Psal 39.19 Because our life is a pilgrimage therefore David saith I am tossed up and downe as the Locust Psal 109.23 The Locust is now here now there so is the life of man tossed to and fro and Micah saith Arise and depart for this is not your rest Micah 2.10 Observe how the Lord doth Minister comfort to his people shewing them a sure dwelling Comforts which God giveth to his children dwelling in their tabernacles here and a place of rest for their transitory Tabernacles we dwell in thesâ— bodies but as in a Tabernacle but this is our comfort 2 Cor. 5.1 We know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of GOD an house not made with hands eternall in the Heavens When the Patriarches dwelt in Canaan they dwelt in Tents and Tabernacles Heb. 11.9 But their comfort was They looked for a City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God Heb. 11.10 When they travelled in the Wildernesse with the ambulatory Arke this Tabernacle the Lord refused and his glory departed from it but in place of it Christ himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dwelt amongst us as in the Tabernacle of his flesh Ioh 1.14 where the Shecinah or Divine Majesty dwelleth for ever This was the Tabernacle which the Lord made and not man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.9 Lastly although the grave be called domus saeculi mans long home Eccle. 12.5 Yet our bodies doe rest there but as in a Tabernacle for a while Act. 2.26 Our bodies rest there but for a short time and he hath prepared another City for us to dwell in This feast of Tabernacles was said to be kept seven dayes Levit. 23.34 And the Evangelist saith Vpon the last and great day of the feast Iesus stood up Ioh. 7.37 This was the most solemne day of the feast this day they kept festum laetitiae legis the feast of joy because they ended the reading of the Law this day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the next Sabbath they called Sabbath berefith because they began againe to read the booke of Genesis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they read three Haphtaroth or Sections that day the first was Haphtaroth elle pekudi
of their sinne So the Covenant here is the Lords Covenant and the deceiver is not able to make it of no effect But where the principall intention of the contracter is deceit and the person with whom the contract is made is deceived When the errour of the person maketh the contract of no effect then the contract is nullified as if a man should ignorantly buy a free man for a slaue here the free man should be released error personae irritat contractum Object But yee will say in all contracts God hath an hand and he is never deceived therefore no such contract should be dissolved where there is error personae Answ In the blessing betwixt Isaac and Iacob and the contract betwixt Ioshua and the Gibeonites God had set downe his revealed will God had revealed his will in the blessing of Iacob and the sparing of the Gibeonites what he was minded to doe in both of these and therefore neither the error of Isaac nor the deceit of Rebecca and Iacob made the blessing of no effect so neither in the contract betwixt Ioshua and the Gibeonites But the Lord forbiddeth fraudulent contracts in his Word neither is it his intention that such contracts should be made therefore they are of no effect CHAPTER XX. That a Iudge may giue out sentence by the information of the false witnesses and yet be free 2 SAM 1.16 And David said unto him thy bloud be upon thy head for thy mouth hath testified against thee IN Iudgement the principall part dependeth upon the witnesses and if they testifie an untruth The chiefe part in judgment dependeth upon the witnesses they make a wrong sentence to proceed out of the mouth of a just Iudge David here giueth out sentence against the Amalekite it was a just sentence in respect of the Iudge because he condemned him out of his owne mouth but a wrong sentence in respect of the Amalekite because he did not kill Saul but bragged onely that he had killed him for the Text saith that Saul killed himselfe 1 Sam. 31.5 When the Grecians besieged Troy Simile Palamedes was killed there amongst the rest and when the Greekes had raised their siege from Troy and taken Ship to returne to Greece Nauplius the father of Palamedes to be revenged upon the Greekes tooke a Boate in a darke night and went into the Sea and set up a Beaken upon a rock which when the Greekes did see they tooke it to be the Harbour and directed their Course towards it and so they runne the most of their Shippes upon the rockes and were cast away We cannot say here that the fault was in the Pilots because the Shippes were cast away but the fault was in false Nauplius who held up a wrong light unto them So when a good Iudge giveth out a wrong sentence the fault is not in the Iudge but in the false witnesses who hold up a false light unto him and therefore the Iudge should labour to punish these false witnesses and to restore the partie who is wronged to his right and as Telephus was healed by the speare that hurt him so should they studie to cure the person whom they haue wounded by their sentence A Iudge must not proceed without witnesse If a Iudge call two or three witnesses that is the first thing required of him in tryall of the truth nam testimonio unius non proceditur and one witnes doth not proue There are three witnesses in heaven to certifie us of the truth the Father the Word and the holy Ghost And there are three that beare witnesse to us in the earth of the remission of sinnes the Spirit the water and bloud 1 Ioh. 5.7.8 So in Iudicatories of the Church three witnesses are required 2 Cor. 13.1 This is the third time that I am comming to you in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established So in the tryall of civill causes every thing was established by the mouth of two or three witnesses Deut. 21.15 A Iudge is to make choise of faithfull witnesses Secondly The Iudge must call faithfull witnesses they are called faithfull witnesses when they are reputed so in the common estimation of men Esay 8.2 And I tooke unto me faithfull witnesses Vriah the Priest and Zechariah the sonne of Ierebechiah Vriah was not a faithfull man yet because he was so reputed amongst the people therefore he is called a faithfull witnesse They must be eye-witnesses Thirdly Hee must call witnesses who haue both heard and seene 1 Ioh. 1.1 That which we haue heard that which we haue seene with our eyes which we haue looked upon c. Fourthly They must be contestes and their testimonies must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agreeing in one Mark 14.56 Now if the Iudge proceed this way and the sentence be false it is not his fault for by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established that is shall be holden for truth When a Iudge demaundeth of the witnesses hee asketh them not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what murther is Secondly he asketh not of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the effects and consequents of murther which follow it as the guilt and punishment Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he asketh them whether it were casually or maliciously done And fourthly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they saw him kill such a man this is the speciall thing that they require and if the Iudge giue out sentence this wayes according to things proved then the blame lieth not upon him if there bee a wrong sentence pronounced It may be said Object when a man taketh a thing to bee a truth although it be an untruth he speaketh an untruth why doth not a Iudge then pronounce a sentence which is not true although he take it to be a truth There is a greater vniformitie required betwixt the mind and the tongue Answ then betwixt the sentence of the Iudge and the testimonie of the witnesses for there is nothing required in the Iudge but that he proceed secundùm allegata et probata according to things alledged and proved CHAPTER XXI Of one who killed in suddaine passion 2 SAM 14. And thy hand maid had two sonnes and they two stroue together in the field and there was none to part them but the one smote the other and slew him THere is a difference betwixt those things which wee doe in suddaine passion Difference betwixt things done in passion and deliberately and those things which are done deliberately those things which children mad men and beasts doe they are not said to be done deliberately they come not from the will which is principium agendi possunt laedere sed non injuriâ afficere Violentiâ—â— Coactum Non spontaneum Voluntarium Againe there is a difference betwixt violentum coactum non spontaneum voluntarium Violentum is that which by outward force a man is constrained to
stood foaming and roaring before them but hurt them not and therfore they were glad to put the skinnes of wild beasts upon them to make the Lyons runne upon them and teare them Thou that art a wicked man and hast no part of this Image of God to defend thee no marvaile if thy dogge bite thee thy horse braine thee or thy oxe gore thee Let us studie then for to haue this Image repaired in us if we would be in league with the beasts of the field Beasts surpasse man in many duties The dogges came and licked his sores The beasts many times out-strip man in many duties The Kine of Bethshemesh went streight forward with the Arke and declined neither to the right hand nor to the left but man many times declineth either to the right hand or to the left and he keepeth not this midst The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his Masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doe not consider Esay 1.3 and Ier. 8.7 Yea the storke in the heaven knoweth her appointed times and the turtle and the crane and the swallow obserue the time of their comming but my people know not the judgement of the Lord. And the Lord sendeth man to the Ant to learne wisedome Prov. 6.6 Goe to the ant thou sluggard consider her wayes and be wise Balaams Asse saw the Angell sooner then Balaam himselfe and therefore is it that the Scripture calleth men beasts and sendeth them to be taught by beasts which sheweth how farre man is degenerated from his first estate and what a low forme hee is in when the beasts are set to teach him Why God gaue his children a small portion in this life It may seeme strange why the Lord distributeth things so that he giveth such plentie and abundance to the rich glutton and so little to Lazarus seeing the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof Psal 24.1 God who doth all things in wisdome doth not this without good reason The Lord dealeth with his children in this life Simile as he did with the Israelites when he brought them to Canaan Numb 13.17 When he brought them to Canaan South a barren Countrey he made them to goe Southward into the Mountaines the South was a dry and barren part Iudg. 1.15 Thou hast given me a South-land giue me also springs of water so Psal 126.4 Turne againe our captivitie O Lord as the streames in the South hee prayeth that the Lord would refresh them now in the midst of bondage as the waters refreshed the dry and barren South And Iarchi noteth that the Lord did with his people here as Merchants doe who shew the worst cloath first Simile so dealeth the Lord with his children hee sheweth them the worst first and as at the wedding in Cana of Galilie the last wine was the best so is it here the Lord sheweth his children great afflictions and troubles the South part as it were at first but afterwards he bringeth them to the Land that floweth with milke and honey Secondly he bestoweth these outward and temporarie things but sparingly upon his children that hee may draw their hearts to the consideration of better things he giveth the wicked their portion in this life Psal 17.14 Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things Luke 16.25 but he reserveth the good things for his owne children that is the holy Ghost the graces of the Spirit Luk. 11.9 It is a matter of great consequence to discerne what are the gifts of Gods favour Great skill required in discerning the gifts of Gods right hand many men thinke because they haue wealth and prosperitie they are the gifts of Gods favour and they seeme to stand under the Lords right hand but they are deceived Simile When Ephraim and Manasseh were brought before Iacob Ephraim was set at Iacobs left hand and Manasseh at his right hand but Iacob crossed his hands and laid his right hand upon Ephraims head and his left upon the head of Manasseh Gen. 48. So many men who seeme to stand at the Lords right hand shall be set at his left hand and many who seeme to stand at his left hand shall be set at his right hand Lazarus seemeth to stand now at his left hand but stay till you see him die and the Angels carry him to glory and then yee shall see him stand at the Lords right hand It is a point of great wisedome to know the Lords dispensing hand David prayeth Psal 17.7 separa benignitates tuas as if he should say giue us something O Lord that we may be discerned to be thy children from the wicked for by these outward favours wee shall never be knowne to be thy children The Lord careth not to throw a portion of this world to a wicked man as if one should throw a bone to a dogge but he will know well to whom hee giveth this rich gift of eternall life Death separateth the godly from the wicked And it came to passe that the beggar dyed and the rich man also dyed Death maketh a full separation betwixt the children of God and the wicked the sheepe and the goates may feed together for a while but the shepheard separateth them the wheat and the chaffe may lie in one floore together but the fanne separateth them and the good and the bad fish may be both in one net untill they be drawne to the land and the tares and the wheat may grow in one field for a while until the time of harvest so may the godly and the wicked liue together here for a while Simile but death maketh a totall and full separation Moses said to the Israelites stand still and see the salvation of the Lord which hee will shew to you to day for the Egyptians whom yee haue seene to day yee shall see them no more for ever Exod. 14.13 the red Sea made a separation betwixt the Israelites and the Egyptians for ever So death separateth the children of God from the wicked that they shall never meete againe Betwixt us and you there is a great gulfe fixed so that they which would passe from hence to you cannot neither can they passe to us Gods children should haue little medling with the world that would come from thence Luk. 16.26 This should teach the children of God to haue little medling with the wicked why because one day there shall be a totall and finall separation and this is a great comfort to his children oftentimes now they are afraid of the incursions of the wicked and of their bloodie hands but then they shall never be afraid of them The gates of the new Ierusalem were not shut at all Revel 21.25 to signifie that there shall be no feare of the enemie there And he was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome Here consider three things first how it commeth that the Angels are ministring spirits to man secondly what
the hearts of the Gergesites from Christ by drowning of their swine and the reason wherefore he delighteth to dwell in no other creature but man is because there is no visible creature that can commit sinne but man where there is not a Law there is no transgression for sinne is the transgression of the Law Rom. 4.15 but no Law is given to any visible creature but onely to man This should be a great motiue to humble man A motiue to humilitie when he seeth such a great change that he who was the Temple of the holy Ghost should now become a cage for uncleane spirits and to make the house of God a den of theeues Mat. 21.13 Was not this a great change when a mans house in which he dwelt was made a dunghill Ezra 6.11 But this is a farre greater change when man who should be the Temple of the holy Ghost is made a receptacle for uncleane Devils it was a great change in Naomi when her beautie was changed into bitternes and when the Nazarites that were whiter than the snow became blacke like the cole Lament 4.8 and when Nebuchadnezzar who was a mightie King became a beast Dan. 4.33 but those changes were nothing to this change when man who was the Temple of the holy Ghost should become the cage of uncleane Devils When the uncleane spirit is gone out of a man Whether did Satan goe out willingly here Quest or was he cast out by force He was cast out by force here Answ he goeth not out willingly but by collusion this is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Satan goeth not out willingly by force to cast him out Satan doth not cast out Satan but when the Lord casteth him out by his power then he is cast out by force Whether is this gift in the Church now or not Quest to cast out Satan Answ This extraordinary gift to compell Satan to goe out of a man is not in the Church now we haue prayer and fasting now desiring the Lord to cast him out Mat. 17.21 but to charge him to goe out or to conjure him the Church hath no such power Not lawfull to use the signe when the thing signified is not to use the signe when the thing signified is not this is a great abuse if the high Priest under the Law should haue put in two counterfeit stones in the brestplate when there was neither Vrim nor Thummim and promised by them to haue the Lord to answere him had not this beene a delusion so for men now to use the words of authority to charge Satan to goe out when this power is not in the Church this is but a delusion the Church hath power now by excommunication to giue over wicked men into the hands of Satan but yet they become not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 really possessed as it was in the Primitiue Church So the Church now hath power to pray to God for the delivery of the partie but they haue not power with authoritie to charge the uncleane spirit the Church in her infancie had some extraordinary gifts which are now ceased as to speake tongues to cure the sicke to cast out Devils and to kill as Peter did Ananias and Saphira Act. 5.5 to strike blind as Paul did Elymas the sorcerer Act. 13.11 God never withdrawes from hi◠Church gifts which are simply good Those gifts which are the best gifts God never withdraweth them from his Church altogether but other gifts which are not simply the best gifts he withdraweth them example to speake diverse Languages was a gift profitable for the planting of the Church at the first but yet it was not simplie necessary Paul said he had rather speake fiue words in a knowne tongue than ten thousand words in an unknowne tongue 1 Cor. 14.19 Those gifts which are most excellent and simply necessary in the Church he taketh not away I shew unto you a more excellent way 1 Cor. 12.31 And the Lord hath turned these gifts into more excellent gifts Ioh. 14.12 He that beleeveth in me the workes that I doe shall he doe also and greater workes than these shall he doe When Christ was here bodily present with his Disciples his bodily presence was not so comfortable to them as his spirituall presence so when he was present by miracles signes and wonders in the Primitiue Church this was but a bodily presence in respect of his spirituall presence with us now when the LORD wrought these miracles then it was either to convict the Infidels or to strengthen the faith of the weak ones these miracles were signes not to them that beleeue Why miracles were wrought but to them that beleeue not 1 Cor. 14.22 When Paul healed the father of Publius the Consull of a Fever he healed him by a miracle and made him presently to arise Act. 28.8 but he healed not Timothy that way but seemeth rather to play the Physitian to him bidding him drinke no longer water but wine 1 Tim. 5.23 What was the reason of this Timothy beleeved therefore he needed not a miracle but the father of Publius beleeved not he was an Infidell as yet and therefore a miracle was more necessary for him He walketh through dry places That is he counteth all other places but deserts in respect of his former habitation Seeking rest and findeth none Satan hath three places Three places of Satan first his place of pleasure secondly his place of wandring and thirdly his place of torment his place of pleasure is an uncleane soule in which he delighteth to wallow his place of wandring is when he goeth about compassing the earth too fro seeking whom he may devout and his place of torment is hell Satan is tormented now when he is in his place of pleasure and in his place of wandring but his full torment is not come Art thou come hither to torment us before the time Mat. 8.29 The childe of God hath three places So the childe of God hath three places his place of pleasure as Psal 84.1 How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts my soule longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord so he hath his place of griefe Woe is me that I sojourne in Mesech that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar Psal 120.5 and he hath his place of joy in the Heavens The spirits haue their rest And findeth none Spirits haue their rest they are not like quick-silver which hath principium motus in se sed non quietis but they haue principium motus quietis the soule resteth when it is delighted as the bodie resteth when it lyeth or sitteth Satans rest is sinne but this is a restlesse rest the true rest of the soule is God onely When the soule resteth therefore David said returne my soule to thy rest Psal 116.7 When the soule is not set upon God the right object Simile then it is extra centrum and as the Needle
bestowed anew againe in the second Temple under the new Testament Ioel. 2. I will powre out my spirit upon all flesh and your young men shall see visions c. This gift lasted in the Church till the second Temple was destroyed The Iewes by a certaine kind of Kabbala called gematrja 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 observe upon Hagg. 1.8 it is written there ekkabhda I will be glorified because the word wanteth the letter ה in the end of it which letter standeth for five they say that the want of this ה sheweth the want of five things in the second Temple which were in the first The Arke the mercy seate and Cherubims Secondly the fire from Heaven Thirdly the majesty of Divine presence called shekena Fourthly the holy Ghost And fiftly Vrim and Thummim But this rabbinicall observation is most impious The Iewes cabbalisticall observation blasphemous and serveth to overthrow all the whole New Testament to deny Iesus Christ and to condemne his Apostles and Evangelists as though they had not the gift of the holy Spirit when they wrote during the time of the second Temple and this is contrary to the very scope of the Prophet Hagg. 1.8 Goe up into the mountaine and bring wood to build this house and I will take pleasure in it and I will be glorified saith the Lord and Hagg. 2.9 The glory of the latter house shall be greater then the former and in this place will I give peace saith the Lord. Whether were the Arke the Vrim and Thummim Quest and the holy fire in the second Temple or not Answ Although there was greater spirituall beauty in the second Temple than in the first The Arke was not in the second Temple yet the second Temple wanted this typicall Arke the Vrim and Thummim and the fire therefore it is but a fable of theirs Iosephus ant lib. 14. who say that Titus after he had destroyed the second Temple brought the Arke to Rome in his triumphes but the Arke was never seene in the second Temple and Iosephus who was an eye witnesse of Titus triumphes sheweth that it was onely but the table of the shew-bread which Titus carried away in his triumphes and is seene yet pictured there The Vrim and Thummim were not in the second Temple but the graces signified by them Object But it may be sayd Nehem. 7.65 and Ezra 2.63 That they should not eate of the most holy things untill there stood up a Priest with Vrim and with Thummim Answ It is the manner of the Scriptures to expresse the nature of the Church under the New Testament The new Testament expresseth things sometimes under types of the old Testament by figures and types which were under the Old Testament so by Vrim and Thummim which were in the first Temple to expresse the perfection of the Priests which should be in the second Temple The last way How the Lord revealed himselfe by the poole Bethesda how God revealed himselfe in the second Temple was by the poole Bethesda when the Angel came downe at certaine times to stirre the poole then whosoever after the first troubling of the water stepped in he was cured of whatsoever disease Ioh. 5.4 It was not the Angell that cured them here for it is a true Axiome of the Schoolemen An Angell cannot worke a Miracle pars naturae non potest superare naturam an Angell is but a part of nature therefore hee cannot worke a miracle What Angell wrought this Miracle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is above nature It was Christ himselfe who wrought the miracle it was hee who loosed the prisoners Psal 146. Mattir is so to loose the bound that they have use both of their hands and feete to leape as freely as the Grashopper doth which hath legges to leape upon the earth Levit. 11.21 So the diseased were loosed that they might leape and goe streight upon their owne feete By Angell here some understand the power of God who useth his Angels as his ministers to worke many things below here and therefore the Seventy put God in place of the Angell as Eccles 5.6 Say not before the Angell that it was an errour But the Seventy translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Chaldes use to ascribe the worke of God to his ministers the Angels But it is better to ascribe this miracle here to the Angell of the covenant Iesus Christ Tertullian saith that the operation of the fish-poole being now to cease and to loose the vertue of it our Saviour curing him who had beene long diseased being at the poole gave thereby an entrance to all sicke persons to come unto him as if he should have sayd he that desires to be whole let him not come to the poole or expect the comming downe of the Angell for when he commeth he healeth but one but come unto me and I shall heale you all Conclusion The conclusion of this is seeing wee have a more cleare manifestation of the will of God by Christ than they had under the Law let us beware to offend him now He that despised Moyses law Heb. 10.28 dyed without mercy under two or three witnesses of how much sorer punishment shall we be thought worthy of if we treade under foot the Sonne of God EXERCITAT VIII Of the necessity of the Word written Ioh. 20.31 But these are written that yee might beleeve GOd thought it necessary after that he had taught his Church by Word next to teach her by write There is a twofold necessity The first is called an absolute necessity the second of expedience Againe Necessitas absoluta Necessitas expedientia Gods revealed will was necessary to all men as a cause but his written word was necessary as an instrumentall cause and this word is considered eyther essentially Scriptura est necessaria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word considered essentially or accidentally Simile or accidentally Essentially for the written word this written and unwritten word differ onely as a man naked and cloathed for there is no change in the nature and substance here And that we may the better underderstand the necessity of the writing of the word wee must distinguish here the states of the Church First The estate of the Church considered three wayes shee was in a family or oeconomike Secondly she was Nationall dispersed through the countrey of the Iewes Thirdly she was Ecomenicall or Catholicke dispersed through the whole world So long as shee was in a family and the Patriarches lived long to record to the posterity the word and the workes of God then God taught his Church by his word unwritten But when his Church began to be enlarged first through Iudea then through the whole world then he would have his word set downe in write Why God would have his word written because then the Fathers were not of so
long a life to record to the posterity the word and the workes of God Againe he did this to obviat the craft of the Divell and the counterfeite writings of the false Apostles God revealeth himselfe most surely to us by his word It was necessary then that the word should be written that the Church might have a greater certainety of their salvation See how farre the Lord commendeth unto us the certainety which wee have by the Scriptures above all other sort of revelation 2 Pet. 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have also a more sure word of prophesie here the certainety of the Scriptures is preferred to the transfiguration in the mount Secondly the Apostle Gal. 1.8 preferreth it to the revelation made by Angels If an Angell should come from heaven and teach any other Gospel let him be accursed Thirdly Christ himselfe preferred the certainety of it to Moyses and the Prophets If one should come from the dead and teach us Luk. 16.31 The Church is not the last resolution of our faith The Church of Rome then doth great wrong to Christians when they would make the last ground and stay of Christian faith to be the Church onely But wee are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Ephe. 2.20 the Lord when he dwelt betweene the Cherubims he set the Candlesticke upon his right hand and the table with the shewbread upon his left hand to teach us that the Scriptures are to be preferred still to the testimony of the Church and that wee must rest upon their testimony primariò Quest Whether is it an Article of our faith to beleeve that the Scriptures are the Word of God or not Ans Something 's de fide de verbo fidej somethings de verbo fidej but not de fide primario somethings neither de fide neither de verbo fidej Some things are both de fide de verbo fidei as Christ is Emmanuel Secondly somethings are de verbo fidei but not de fide primariò as Paul left his cloake at Troas Thirdly somethings are de fide but non de verbo fidei which are the conclusions drawne from the canonicall word by consequence And these are eyther drawne from the word generally as this that the Scriptures are the word of God for this is evident from the whole word generally and although this be a principle in it selfe which ought first to be beleeved yet in my conception and manner of taking up it is a conclusion arising from that majesty and Divine character which is in the word it selfe or the particular conclusions drawne from the word They are de fide non de verbo fidei as when a man concludeth his owne particular justification from the word as I Iames am justified est de fide mea and not a part of the canonicall word but an application arising from it Fourthly something are neyther de fides nor de verbo fidei Secondly we may answer to this whether the word written be an article of our faith or not Articles of our faith taken generally or specially The articles of our faith are eyther taken generally or specially generally for all that is contained in the Scriptures or may be deduced by way of consequence from the Scriptures then it is not an article of our faith to beleeve the canon of the Scriptures Secondly specially for that which is contained in the Creede for the Creede is the substance of that which is contained in the Scriptures and then it is an article of our faith to beleeve the Cannon of the Scriptures The Scriptures of God are considered essentially The Scriptures considered essentially or accidentally or accidentally Essentially as they proceede from God accidentally againe as they were written by such and such men As they proceede from God we must beleeve them to be true and to be the meanes of our salvation for saving truth is onely from God But if we consider them but accidentally as they are written by such and such men then it is not an article of our faith to beleeve them for it maketh not to our salvation primariò to know that they were written by such and such men When the books in holy Scripture carry the names of those who wrote them as the bookes of Moyses carrie his name if a man should deny these bookes to be written by Moses then be ignorant altogether of the matter contained in them then his ignorance were damnable Ignorantia damnabilis negatio haeretical and the denyall of them hereticall they have Moses and the Prophets Luk. 16. But if the writer of the booke be not set downe in the Scripture if a man should deny such a man to write it he should not be reputed as an hereticke for that Negatia est haerètica per accidens sed ignoratio non est damnabilis and to be ignorant that such a man wrote it this were not damnable ignorance Example it is holden that Paul wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews now if a man should deny that Paul wrote this Epistle he were not to be holden a hereticke for that neyther were his ignorance damnable A man may be ignorant of this or that booke and yet be saved and many were saved before the bookes were written and now many are saved who cannot reade the Scriptures Ignorantia hic est infirmitatis negatio est haeritica per accidens But when a man doubteth of the order and number of the bookes in the Canon this argueth but his unskilfulnesse and infirmity and the denyall of the number and order of these bookes is but hereticall by accident and the ignorance is not damnable Quest When we beleeve such a booke to be written by such a man whether beleeve we this by a justifying faith or by an historicall faith Ans When we beleeve that such a man wrote this booke this is but an historicall faith and this we have by the Church but that which is dogmaticall in this booke that we must beleeve out of the word it selfe we being illuminate by the Spirit Conclusi The conclusion of this is Seeing God hath revealed his will in his word written to us and remitted us alwayes to the law and to the testimony Esay 10.8 Ioh. 5.49 search the Scriptures therefore these who leave the Scriptures and make choyse of traditions they forsake the fountaine of living water and digge Cisternes to themselves that cannot hold no water Ier. 2.13 EXERCITAT IX Of the singular prerogatives which the secretaries of the holy Ghost had who wrote the Scriptures 2 Pet. 1.21 And the holy men of God spake as they were mooved by the holy Ghost Prorogative 1 THe holy men of God who were inspired by the holy Spirit to write the Scriptures First they were immediatly called by God Gal. 1.12 for the Gospel which I preached I received it not of man neyther was I taught but
the doctrine it selfe they never erred Peter in the transfiguration knew not what hee sayd Luk. 9.33 David was minded to build an house to God he asked of Nathan if he should doe so 1 Chro. 17.2 Nathan sayd to him doe what is in thine heart So when Eliab stood before Samuel 1 Sam. 16.6 Samuel sayd surely the Lords annointed i◠before me So the Disciples erred in their counsell which they gave to Paul forbidding him to goe up to Ierusalem Act. 21.4 But the spirit of God taught the contrary by Agabus vers 17. David Psal 116. sayd in his hast that all men are lyars he meant that Samuel the man of God had made a lye to him because hee thought the promise too long differred in getting of the kingdome So when he wrote a letter to Ioab with vriah in this he was not Gods secretary but the Divels But as they were the secretaries of God and spake by divine inspiration they could not erre But it may seeme Object that all which they wrote in holy Scriptures was not done by divine inspiration for Paul wrote that he would come to Spaine Rom. 15.24 and yet he never came to Spaine We must distinguish betweene their purposes externall and their doctrine Answ they might erre in these externall purposes and resolutions but all which they wrote of Christ and matters of salvation was yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 He wrote that he was purposed to come to Spaine and so he was but he was let that he could not come But Paul repented that he wrote the Epistle to the Corinthians to grieve them Object 2 Cor. 7.8 If this was written by the inspiration of the holy Ghost why did he repent of it Paul wrote this Epistle to humble them Answ and when he saw them excessively sorrowfull that was the thing that greeved him but it greeved him not simply that he wrote to them to humble them When a Chyrurgian commeth to cure a wounded man Simile he putteth the poore patient to great paine and maketh him to cry out that grieveth him but it greeveth him not when he cureth him So it repented not Paul that he had written to the Corinthians but it repented him to see them so swallowed up with greefe Object But if the Scriptures be Divinely inspired how say they Iud. 16.17 there were about three thousand upon the roofe of the house So Act. 2.40 and that day there were added to the Church about three thousand soules Is not the number of all things certainely knowne to God Answ The Scriptures set downe the number that way because it is little matter whether we know the number or not And secondly the Lord speaketh to us this way in the Scripture after the manner of men Object Peter erred in a matter of faith Gal. 2.14 Ans Wherein Peter erred The error was not in the substance but in the circumstance of the fact and where it is sayd Gal. 2.14 That Peter walked not uprightly according to the Gospel it is to be understood onely of his conversation hee erred here onely in this principle of Christian Religion not walking according to his knowledge but hee erred not in his writing Ob. All men are subject to error the Prophets and Apostles are men therefore subject to error Ans The Prophets and Apostles are considered as members of the Church The Apostles considered two manner of wayes and so they might erre and they pray as other men Lord forgive us our sinnes Secondly they are considered according to their functions and immediate calling and then they were above the Church and could not erre Quest What needed Nathan to be sent to David to attend him continually one Prophet to another Answ Although one Prophet stood not in need of another yet he who was both a King and a Prophet had neede of a Prophet to admonish him for Kings stand in slippery places and have neede of others to advertise them The Prophets as they were Prophets could not erre therefore that collection of the Iewes is most impious they say that David wished to the sonnes of Ioab foure things 2 Sam. 3.29 First that some of them might dye by the sword Secondly that some of them might dye of the bloody flixe Thirdly that some of them might leane upon a staffe And fourthly that some of them might begge their bread And so they say it befell Davids posterity for his sinfull wish One of them leaned upon a staffe Asa was goutish One of his posterity was killed by the sword as Iosias One of them dyed of the flixe as Rehoboam And one of them beg'd his bread as Iehojachim But this collection is most impious for David spake not here by a private spirit of revenge but as a Prophet of God and therefore when they assigne these to be the causes why these judgements befell Davids posterity they assigne that for a cause which was not a cause Prorogative 4 The fourth prerogative they were holy men Holinesse distinguished them from those Prophets which were profane and unsanctified who had the gift of illumination but not of sanctification The pen-men of the holy Ghost were holy men the Lord made choyse of none such to be his secretaries who were not sanctified The Lords Prophet is called vir spiritus the man of the Spirit Hos 9.7 because he is ruled and guided by the holy Spirit that he become not profaine If the very women who spun the curtaines to the Tabernacle were wise hearted Exod. 35.25 Much more will the Lord have those who are to build his house wise and holy men Those who translated the Bible into Greeke yee shall see how often they changed their faith and were turne-coates Aquila of a Christian he became a Iew. Symmachus was first a Samaritane and then he became halfe Iew halfe Christian Then Theodoton first he was a fllower of Tatianus the hereticke and then he became a Marcionite and thirdly he became a Iew. But the Prophets of God after they were called continued holy men and never fell backe againe See more of Salomon in the Politiks God will have no man but holy men to be his secretaries Luk. 1.70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets Therefore Salomon being a Prophet and one of Gods secretaries behoved to be a holy man and being holy he could not be a reprobate hence he is called Iedidiah The beloved of God 2 Sam. 12.25 and whom God loveth he loveth to the end The holy men of God wrote as they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inspired by God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit inlightned them and directed them when they wrote they were inspired three manner of wayes Illuminati antecedenter per concomitantiā subsequenter first antecedenter Secondly per concomitantiam and thirdly subsequenter First they were illuminate antecedenter when the Lord revealed things to come to his Prophets and made them to write his prophesies then their tongue was
the pen of a swift writer Psal 45.1 That is he not onely indited these prophesies unto them but also ruled them so and guided them in writing even as a master guideth the hand of a young child when he is learning to write Secondly he inspired them in writing the Histories and Actes after another manner per concomitantiam for that which was done already hee assisted them so in writing it downe that they were able to discerne the relations which they had from others to be true as Luke knew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How Luke differed frō Tertius and Baruch accurately the truth of these things which he had from those who had heard and seene Christ and he made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a perfect declaration of them there was a great difference betwixt him and Tertius who was Pauls Scribe and wrote out his Epistles Rom. 16.22 or betwixt him and Baruch who was Ieremies Scribe Ier. 38. they were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the secretaries of the holy Ghost but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discribebant ab alio they wrote onely these things which Ieremiah and Paul indited to them neyther was sanctification required in them as they were their Scribes But the Evangelists who saw not Christ yet they were the Secretaries of the holy Ghost and holy men as they were his Secretaries and directed by him to write Thirdly he assisted them in writing subsequenter the holy Ghost revealed things to the Prophets long before but when they were to write these things the spirit of the Lord brought the same things to their memorie againe and indited these things unto them which they had seene before in vision Ier. 36.2 Take thee a roule and write therein all the words that I have spoken to thee against Israel and against Iuda and against all the Nations from the day that I spake to thee even from the dayes of Iosias unto this day So Ioh. 14.26 the comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the Father will fend in my name he shall teach you all thing and bring all things to your memory which I have told you These Secretaries of the holy Ghost when they wrote habebant libertatam exercitij sed non specificationis Libertas exercitij specificationis as they say in the Schooles they were not like Blockes or Stones but the Lord inclined their wills freely to write which putteth a difference betwixt them A difference betwixt the Prophets of God and the Sybiles or Prophets of the devill and the Sybils and other Prophets of the Divell who were blasted and distracted in their wits when they prophesied When Elisha sent one of the children of the Prophets to annoynt Iehu one sayd to him wherefore commeth this madde fellow 2 King 9.11 they tooke the Prophets to be madde like unto the Heathish Prophets but they were inlightened by the Spirit when they prophesied and the Lord rectified their understanding and tooke not away from them the right use of their will It is sayd of Saul when he prophesied that the evill spirit of Lord came upon him 1 Sam. 18.10 And the Chaldie Paraphrast paraphraseth it caepit furere he began to be mad the Divell stopping the passages of his body he wrought upon his melancholious humor which is called Esca diaboli the Divels baite and then it is sayd ijthnabbe impulit se ad prophetandum which is never spoken of the true Prophets in this Conjugation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Although the Lords Secretaries had libertatem exercitij yet they had not libertatem specificationis that is they might not leave that subject which they were called to write and write any other thing as they pleased they were necessitated onely to write that although they wrote it freely Againe these men when they wrote as the holy Ghost enspired them The Prophts did not write with paine and studie they did it not with paine and study as we doe but it came freely from them without any paine or vexation of their spirit The Princes when they heard Baruch read the prophesie of Ieremiah after that it was endited they asked how did he write all these words at his mouth and Baruch answered them He pronounced all these words to me with his mouth and I wrote them with inke into the Booke Iere. 36.17.18 Salomon saith Eccles. 12.12 In making many bookes and in reading there is much wearinesse of the flesh but this was no wearinesse to them for they wrote this without any paine or labour and hence it followeth that those to whom their writing hath beene troublesome and painfull have not beene the Secretaries of the holy Ghost as Mac. 2.26 He that assayed to abbridge the five Bookes of Iason sayd that it was not an easie thing to make this abridgement but it required both sweate and labcu Seeing all that wrote the holy Scriptures were enspired by the holy Ghost Quest Why was Iohn called a Divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why was this Epithete appropriate to Iohn to be called a Divine Revela 1.1 For they were all Divines who wrote the holy Scriptures Answ The Greeke Fathers when they spake of Christ Quomodo differunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and specially Chrysostome they distinguish betweene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they say Apud caeteros aeconomiae fulmen sed apud Iohannem theologiae tonitrua extare The rest when they discribe the humanity of Christ they doe it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but when Iohn discribeth the Divinity of Christ hee doth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they say Mattheus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohannes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incipit Observe a difference betwixt these speeches The Lord came to the wicked but the word of the Lord came to his Prophets The Word of the Lord came to Esay to Ieremiah and this phrase The Lord came to Balaam to Abimelech to Laban The first signifieth that the Lord put these holy men in trust with his Word to be his Prophets but he never concredited his word to these prophaine wretches therefore it is sayd onely He came to them but never the Word of the Lord came to them Hee concredited his Word to his Prophets as to Esay and Ieremiah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as a pupill is concredited to the trust of his Tutor but he never concredited his Word to these wretches The Lord spake in his Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Notat internam revelationem Hosea 1.1 The Spirit of the Lord spake in me that is inwardly revealed his secrets to me Marke a difference betwixt these two phrases Loqui in aliquo Loqui in aeliquem Loqui in aliquo is when the Spirit of the Lord speaketh inwardly to the Prophets Loqui in aliquo loqui in aliquem vt differunt sed Loqui in aliquem est maledicere to raile against him thus
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