Mixture of Scholastical Divinity with Practical Part 2, Excerpt and reply 34 – Excerpt and reply 35
Dr. Hammond. sect. 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48.
But there is yet a second charge behind against my rendering foreign, according to appointment] which he hath managed in these words.
44. As for the other part of the words, Let all things be done in order; Ames in the place forementioned sheweth, that order requireth not such Ceremonies as ours, and he giveth this reason, because order requireth not the institution of any new thing, but onelyonly the right placing, and disposing of things, which are formerly instituted: and this he makes good from the notation of the word, from the definitions of order, which are given by Philosophers and Divines, &c. from the context of the Chapter, and from the usage of the word elswhere. But the Doctor, that the words, may give some countenance unto our Ceremonies, adventureth upon a new interpretation of them.
The words foreign (saith he) literally import, according unto appointment, foreign sometimes signifies to appoint, as Matth. 28. 16. Acts 22. 10. and 28. 23. And wee may hereupon argue à conjugatis, that foreign may bee sometimes rendered appointment. But because it may sometimes be rendered appointment, will it therefore follow that it must be so rendred in this place?
We may say as well as the Doctor, that the words foreign literally import according unto order, as order is taken … for the right placing, and ordering of things one before, another after, and this we have confessed even by Doctor John Burgesse in his Rejoinder unto Ames, pag. 78. a booke published by the speciall command of the late King. Moreover this sense is favoured by the coherence; for v. 31, we have a particular instance of order in this acception of the word, ye may all … one by one &c. and not all or many speak at once. 2. We have the opposite of order taken in this sense. 1. v. 33. confusion. Let all things be done in order, then, is as much, as, let all things be done without consusion. And I hope confusion may be avoided in the worship of God without such Ceremonies as ours.
But we will for once suppose, though not grant, that the clear importance of the words, is that all be done in the Church according to custome and appointment. Yet the D. … a hard taske to performe, before he can come nigh his conclusion, that the words of Paul, are a proof of the more than lawfulnes of prescription of such Ceremonies as ours, in a Church. For he must prove that … and order here, are taken in such a latitude, as that they include not onelyonly the customes and appointments of the Apostolical Churches, but also of all the Churches of God in succeeding ages: and the performance of this he will find not to be so easy, as he may imagine.
I am sensible that I have by this discourse provoked a very learned and formidable adversary, but it is onelyonly love of the truth that ingaged me in so unequal an incounter, and therefore I hope the D. will pardon and excuse my boldnes. If he can by dint of argument prove the truth to be on his side, I shall not be sorry or ashamed to be overcome by him.
45. To this, my answer will be very brief, 1. By giving the reason of my rendring, 2. By evidencing, that if the vulgar were acknowledged the righter rendring, yet my conclusion would very regularly follow thence, and that therefore I have no need to contend with any gainsayer, about my rendring. 46. For the first it is manifest to any that knowes but the elements of Greek, that foreign literaly and properly signifies (according to ordination or appointment) foreign signifies [according to] not (in) and foreign [an ordinance or constitution] millions of times in authors, and foreign […, or in order] lying more … with foreign, … reason can be rendred, why if that had been the designed meaning, that word should not have been used there.
47. That it may so signify M. J. acknowledges, and so I have obtained all I seek in my first proposal, which was not that it must necessarily thus signify, but that this being the literal regular rendring of it, I had sufficient reason to tender it thus.
48. I proceed then to the second thing, that if what be pretends to be possible also, were indeed the onelyonly possible, or (by way of supposition, but not …) if foreign … did really inport no more than [in order] as that is opposed to disorder or confusion, yet I say, it will soon appear, that that Apostles commanding such order or orderliness, and forbidling all confusion in … …, must by consequence he interpreted to command the instituting and observing uniformity of Ceremonies in a Church.
Jeanes.
1. Our last translators of the Bible surely knew something more then the Elements of Greek, or else King James was ill advised to make such a choice of them, and yet they thought fit to translate foreign in order.
2. Few mortals perhaps, besides your self, have read foreign millions of times in Authors; but to know the meaning of that word, there is no need of such great reading, one that knowes but the Elements of Greek may by the help of a Greek Concordance and Stephanus his Thesaurus Linguae Graecae, make it manifest, that foreign signifieth literally & properly order in opposition to confusion.
But foreign you say signifieth according to, not in. But, Stephonus in the book, but now mentioned, will furnish the Reader with store of instances, wherein, foreign signifies [in] and a school boy may be able to do as much, for the Latine word, Secundum, out of Cicero and Suetonius.
But suppose that foreign were translated here, according, yet this will no waies disadvantage our sense, for, according, applied to actions. signifieth, usually, the manner of such actions; so that both it, and the … unto which it is joined, may be paraphrased, by an adverb, and so foreign may be as much as, orderly.
Adde unto all this, that foreign signifies many times, with, and so it is translated in the Dutch Bible; and let all things be done with order is equivalent unto, let all things be done in order.
Dr. Hammond sect. 47.
That it may so signify Mr. J acknowledges, and so, I have obtained all I seek in my first proposal, which was not, that it must necessarily thus signify, but that this being the literal regular rendring of it, I had sufficient reason to render it thus.
Jeanes.
Indeed I acknowledged that foreign may sometimes be rendred appointment; but I added, that it doth not therefore follow that it must be so rendred in this place, & unlesse you can prove that it must be so rendred in this very place, I am to seek, what sufficient reason you had to render it thus: for if a word hath several acceptions, that is to be imbraced that hath most countenance from the context, now I gave you for the vulgar sense a reason from the Coherence, unto which you say nothing, and you say as little from the coherence for the justification of your own reading, and therefore I am not to be blamed for adhering unto the vulgar reading, especially seing 'tis favoured by the generall consent of both Translators, and Commentators, though, as you observe in the foregoing section, foreign lye more consonant in sound with foreign, for I doe not think that the Apostle was bound alwayes to observe Paronomasies.