Body of Divinity, Book 1 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Of the Seventy and Vulgar Translation▪
NOw I proceed to shew that neither the Translation of the Seventy, nor the vulgar Latine are authentical.
1. The Greek Translation of the Old Testament, which is commonly ascribed to the Seventy Interpreters, is not Divinely aIn editione Graecā librorum Mosis, Psalmorum & Prophetarum, nihil fermè est quod peregrinum non sonet, & quod Hebraicam non ol…at loquendi rationem. Croii observ. Augustinus hanc versionem ait esse f… ctam divina dispensatione, eamque apud Ecclesias peritiores maximi fieri, cum tanta Spiritus Sancti praesentia hi interpretes adjuti esse dicantur in interpretando, ut omnium & unum fuerit.inspired.
The chief Pillars of the Primitive Church ran into this errour, whence sprung many other errors. The Greek Fathers, who were generally unskilful both in HebrewVide Capel. Critic. Sac. l. 4. c. 18. and Latine (some few excepted) were the lesse to be blamed here, since they made use of no other Editions, therefore they more confidently affirmed their own to be Authentical. Augustine, Tertullian, and many of the Latine Fathers (whom divers Divines follow) ascribed too much to the Seventy Interpreters. Yet there was a controversie between Augustine and Ierom concerning their Authority, as is evident by both their Epistles. Bellarmine bLib. 2. de verb. Dei, cap 6.is large in commending this version, saying, That it is most certain, that those Interpreters did very well translate the Scripture, and had the holy Ghost peculiarly assisting them, least they should erre in any thing, so that they may seem rather to be Prophets then Interpreters. Gretzer bestoweth a prophetick spirit upon them, because they did so agree and absolved their task in so short a space of time, viz. in 72 cValido stomacho opus est, ut concoqui possit narratio de Lxx cellulis, de consensu illo miro, & de exiguo temporis intervallo, quo totum opus confectum fertur. Spanhem. Dub. Evang. part. 1. Dub. 22.dayes.
They are said to have been put a part in 72 Cels, and to have all agreed in their Translation, and the ruines thereof were (as is reported) shewed a long time after at Alexandria.
But Hierom and many of the *Masius praefat. in Graec. edit. Josuae & Bellarm. lib. 2. de verbo Dei. cap. 6.Papists held this to be a Fable of the 72 Cels, since neither Aristaeus, who was a chief man about King Ptolomy, that set the Seventy Interpreters on work, nor Iosephus, (who was most desirous of the honour of his Nation) maketh any mention thereof. And as touching the Interpreters themselves, Ierom saith, Aliud est vatem agere, aliud Interpretem. It is one thing to be a Prophet, another to be an Interpreter. And as for the Translation, he saith, Germana illa & antiqua translatio corrupta & violata est.
That ancient and true Translation d* Distinguimus nos inter versionem LXX. primaevam purioremque, & inter posteriorem corruptam. Hac Auctoritatis est perexiguae, Illa autem meruit quidem quondam auctoritatem aliquam▪ Waltherus in officina Biblica.of the Septuagint, is corrupted and violated, which (as Hierom saith) was agreeable to the Hebrew, but so is not the Greek Copy now extant, which is full of corruptions, and seemeth to be a mixt and confused Translation of many.
If the Seventy, as well as the Hebrew, had been Authentical, the Lord would have been careful to have kept it pure and uncorrupt unto our dayes, as well as he hath done the Hebrew. There is indeed a Greek Edition extant, which goeth under the name of the Seventy; but Whitaker eDe Script. Controversiae primae quaest. Secunda c. tertio. Aut haec Graeca versio, quae ad nostra tempora pervenit, non illa est quam Septuaginta Iudaici seniores ediderunt, aut est tam infinitè faedéque depravata, ut authoritatis perexiguae nunc sit. nam ne ipse Hieronymus puram habuit translationem Graecam Septuaginta interpretum. Illam …nim, quam habuit, corruptam vitiosamque esse, saepe in Commentariis conqueritur. Whitakerus ibid. Vide Bezam in Matth. 17. 9.saith, That the true Seventy is lost, and that this which we now have is mixt and miserably corrupted. Danda LXX Interpretibus venia, ut hominibus; juxta Jacobi sententiam Multa peccamus omnes. Hieron. ad Pamach. The Apostles and Evangelists writing in Greek, often followed the version of the Septuagint then common amongst the Greci…ns▪ and cited it sometimes where there is a most manifest difference from the Hebrew Text, but yet they did not alwaies use that Translation, which they would have done, if they had esteemed it Divine and Authentical.
Spanhemius Dub. Evangel. part. 1. Dub. 23. and Amama Antibarb. Bibl. lib. 2. both think that conjecture of Heinsius (in his holy Aristarchus) very probable, viz that the fable of the number and consent of the Interpreters, took its original from Exod. 24. Hence (saith Heinsius there) without doubt the History concerning Ptolomy; hence those famous Cels which Ierom scoffs at; hence that invention, that none of all that number differed in their Interpretations.
Therefore since that version when pure was but a humane, not divine work, and proceeded from Interpreters not Prophets; it could be neither Authentical, nor side digna, any farther then it agreed fGraeci ab Hebraeis sapè recedunt. Mercerus ad Job 15. 32. Vide Drusium in Gen. 6. & Fulleri Miscel. Sac. lib. 2. cap. 6. pag. 201. Mendas in Chronologicis numeris habet complures. See Dr Willet on Gen. 47. and Chamiers first Tome de Canone, lib 13. cap. 8, 9, 10. Libri Mosis omnium sunt optimè translati: & Psalmi omnium deterrimè. Chamierus ib. cap. 8. Psalmo primo foreign postilentes pro irrisoribus & foreign non resurgent impii in judicio: Periculosa amphibolia, ne fortè videantur à resurrectione excludi impii; debuit autem verti, non consistent in judicio, nimirum quia condemnabuntur. Chamierus ibid. Vide Capel. Critic. Sac. l. 4. c. 18. Et R. Episcopi Usserii ad illum Epistolam.with the Hebrew Text.
The Ancients themselves commenting upon Scripture, used not the Septuagint Edition as Authentick, from which it would not have been then lawful to depart; but rather often correct it, as Origen and Ierom from the Hebrew fountains: which every one knoweth that is versed in their works.
They are most bold in changing numbers without any reason, as Genes. 5. to S…th, Enos, Cainaan, Malaleel, they give each a hundred years beyond the Hebrew truth. In the 46 Chapter of Genesis for Seventy souls they say Seventy five.
The Seventy reade Prov. 8. 23. In the beginning God created me; for, In the beginning Quod ipsi Ario, ut ait Epiphanius, erroris principium.God possessed me, whether because they mistook the Hebrew word Chava for Cava, upon their likenesse in the Hebrew Characters, or their Translation was at the first foreign possedit, possessed, and the Copies slipping in one letter, made it foreign creavit, created, as Bellarmine after Zanchy thinketh
2. The vulgar Edition is not Authentical.
We are now come to shew, that the vulgar Latine Edition gDe vulgata latina translatione, Vide collationem Rainoldi cum Harto, c. 2. p. 23 & cap. 6. p. 201, 202. & cap. 8. p. 447. & Drusium in Num. 1. cap. 8. & cap. 96. Rivetus in Catholico Orthodo…o. Wendelin. in Christiana Theologia. Gerh. loc. prim. de Script. Sac. with learned Papists hold that it was not Ieroms translation. Capel Crit Sac. l. 5. c. 7. saith it was. De latina Editione longè animosissima Catholicis est & Papistis controversia. Cham. Tom. 1. l. 14. c. 1.is not Authentical, a thing of it self manifest, but yet to be proved by some Arguments, because our Adversaries stand upon it. Our Arguments are these:
1. It was not Divinely inspired in respect of Ma…ter, Form, Speech, as the Hebrew of the Old Testament, and the Greek of the New were, but was translated by humane endeavour, and therefore it is against both religion and reason to say it is Authentical; a work of men cannot in perfection be equal with a work of God; for as Ierom saith, Aliud est esse vatem, aliud est esse Interpretem.
It is the office of an Interpreter, to translate the Authentical Scripture, no… to make his Translation Authentical; for both Ierom and every other Interpreter might erre, so did not the Prophets and Apostles; the Councel of Trent first decreed that this Translation should be Authentical: before it many learned Papists themselves did disallow that Translation, as Paulus Brugensis, Valla, Eugubinus, I…idorus Clarius, Iohannes Isaacus, Cajetan, Erasmus, Iacobus Faber, I…dovio…s Vives, and divers others.
2. The vulgar Translation doth oft change the sentence of the holy Ghost, yea, it doth dangerously and heretically deprave the sense of holy Scripture, and translate senslesly many times, therefore it is not to be held Authentical.
Gen. 3. 15. ipsa for ipse, viz. Christ, or ipsum, viz. semen, which place it seemeth was corrupted idolatrously to extoll the praises of the Virgin Mary, and to prove her patronageHebraici libri constanter legunt Hu, Gen. 3. Septuaginta haben foreign, Chaldaica Paraphrasis hanc lectionem confirmat: Temque quidam codices vulgatae Editionis retinent ipse, quidam ipsum. Postremò pondus ipsum sententiae postulat, ut hoc de semine mulieris, non de mulicre intelligam. Whitak. and protection. This reading drew Bernard into this opinion, Maria abstulit opprobrium matris Evae, & patri pro matre satisfecit quod promittitur, Gen. 3. 15. ipsa conteret; & cui servanda est victoria nisi Maria? B…rn. See Bedels answer to Wadesworths Letters, ch. 6. Vide Capel. Crit. Sac. l. 5. c. 11.
Ho… conteret, Tremel. & alii, that is that same seed, rather he, viz. that one person. Hier. Ipse conteret caput tuum, accordingly in the Septuagint and our Translation, Gen. 4. 13. Major est iniquitas mea quam ut veniam merear, a corrupt Translation serving to countenance the errour touching merit de congrno. In the Hebrew there is nothing which hath the least signification of merit; it should be translated Ut feram vel sustineam, vel remissionem consequ…r. Translatio ista potest tolerari si sumatur mereri pro consequi, ut saepissimè olim apud veteres. Chamier.
Exod. 34. 29. The vulgar hath Videbant faciem Mosis cornutam, hEx voce Hebraeapotest emendari prava vulgi consuetudo, qui duobus Cornubus pingunt Mosen; rident igitur nos & execrantur Iudaei quoties Mosen in templis cornuta facie depictum aspiciunt, quasi nos eum diabolum quendam, ut ipsi stultè interpretantur, esse putemus. Sixtus Sene…sis Biblioth. Sanct. l. 5. Annot. 116. Vide Grotium in loc.for radiantem which the Hebrew word signifieth; the 70 translate it (the Apostle Paul approving of it, 2 Cor. 3. 7, 10) was glorified. This interpretation of the vulgar is reprehended by Valla, Vatablus, Arias Montanus, Ste…chus, Cajetan, Ferus, Ol…aster, …ho. Aquinas and Bellarmine himself De Ecclesia triumphante, l. 2. c. 4. which is also confirmed by the Text it self, for the Scripture witnesseth, That the people could not behold the face of Moses for the brightnes thereof, Exod. 34. 30. and therefore his whole face, not the highest part of his forehead, or his head was covered with a vail, v. 33. of that Chapter, 2 Cor. 3. 3.
Iob 5. 1. The vulgar Latine hath, Voca ergo si est qui tibi respondeat, & ad aliquem sanctorum convertere; Hence the Papists would prove invocation of Saints, whereas it should be translated Voca quaeso, seu voca jam an sit qui respondeat, & ad quem è Sanctis respicies? q. d. ad neminem. The vulgar makes it a simple speech without any interrogation; the meaning of Eliphaz is, q. d. Go to I pray thee, call or bid any one appear or come, that by his consent approves of thy opinion, try whether any one is of thy minde, which acknowledgest not that great calamities are inflicted by God for great sins; To which of the Saints that ever have lived, or yet do live in the earth, wilt thou turn, by whose testimony thou shalt be helped in this thy complaint against God?
Psal. 2. 12. The vulgar hath Apprehendite Disciplinam, apprehend Discipline orforeign, LXX. Instruction, whereas in the Hebrew it is, Osculamini filium, iInvictum in hoc loco prout in Hebraeo extat, contra Iudaeos pro Dcitate Christi argumentum situm esse agnos…unt Pontificii. Amama Antibarb. Bibl. lib. 3. Proculdubio e… …iro illo erga Christum Dei silium odio, profecta est illa Ebraei…textus detorsic, potius quam interpretatio; ringi enim videas Iu…aeos, cum audiunt, Messiam Dei esse filium. Mayerus in Philologia Sacra. Illustre est vaticinium de Christo faedissimè obs…uratum à Graeco & Latina interprete à quibus neutra vox est expressa. Chamier…s de Canone, l. 13. c. 9.Kiss the Sonne. Thus an evident place against the Jews for the second Person in Trinity is obscured and overthrown, by the corrupt Latine Text. To say the sense is the same, is in vain; for an Interpreter ought not to change the words, and then say he hath kept the sense; neither is the sense of the words the same; Who will say, to kiss the Sonne is the same with lay hold of Discipline? We must needs imbrace the Doctrine of Christ, if we acknowledge him to be our Messiah; but hence it doth not follow that these two are the same, for then all things which agree should be one and the same, which will not stand. The Chaldee Paraphrast favouring that reading, doth it to defend the errour of the denying the Deity of the eternal Sonne of God.
Saepe Codices Hebraei magis Iudaeos ve…ant quam Graeci, aut Latini. Certe in Psal. …. Latini & Graeci habent, Apprehendite Disciplinam, ne irascatur Dominus, ex quo nihil aperte contra Iudaeos deduci potest: at in Hebr…o est foreign Osculamini Filium ne irascatur, id est, reverentiam exhibete filio Dei, ne ipse irascatur, &c. qui locus est invictissimus contra Iudaeos. Bellarminus de verbo Dei. lib. 2. cap. 2.
Psalmi videntur data opera versi in contumeliam Latini Sermonis. Chamier.
Ierom praefat. in Prov. saith, That he had allotted himself but three dayes for the translating of the three Books of Salomon, viz. the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Canticles; which yet a man will hardly be able to reade over well and exactly in a monethmonth, by reason of the great difficulties he will there meet withall, as well in the words and phrases, as in the sense. And neverthelesse (if the pretences of the Church of Rome be true) this little three dayes work hath been so happy, as to be not only approved and esteemed, but even canonized also by the Councel of Trent. Now whether the will of God be that we should receive this Translation of his, as his pure word, or not, I shall leave to those, who have a desire and ability to examine: However I dare considently affirm, that Saint Hierome himself never had any the least thought or hope that ever this piece of his, should one day come to this honour, it being a thing not to be imagined, but that he would have taken both more time, and more pains in the thing, if ever he had either desired or foreseen this, Daille, du vrai usage des Peres, l. 2. c. 3.
The vulgar Latine of the New Testament is no lesse corrupted then of the Old.
Matth. 6. 11. The English Papists at Rhemes (who translated the New TestamentSupersubstantialem, id est, Ad substantiae nostrae Conservationem necessarium. Eman. Sa. into English, not out of the Greek Text, but out of the vulgar Latine) reade, Give us to day our super-substantial bread, the Latine hath it, Panem super-substantialem for Quotidianum, Daily bread. The Rhemists note upon the same is, By this Bread so called here according to the Latine and Greek word, we ask not onelyonly all necessary sustenance for the body; but much more all spiritual food, viz. the blessed Sacrament it self, which is Christ the true Bread that came down from Heaven, and the Bread of life to us that eat his Body. Our Saviour Christ which condemned vain repitition, and by a form of prayer provided against the same, is made here of the Jesuites to offend against his own rule: for that which is contained in the second Petition, they teach to be asked in the fourth. Secondly, They lodge in one Petition things of divers kindes, and farre removed in nature, spiritual and corporeal, heavenly and earthly; yea the creature and the Creator. Thirdly, Hence it should follow, that he taught them expressely to ask that which he had neither instituted, nor instructed them of, and whereof his Disciples were utterly ignorant. Salomon, from whom our Saviour seemeth to have takenOmnes veteres latini Scriptores panem quotidianum legcrunt, itaque ineautè quidam nostro tempore in vulgata Editione pro quotidiano Supersubstantialem posuerunt, quod corporis Cibo quem à nobis peti probavimus, minimè convenit. Maldonatus, & Jansenius idem ferè habet Harm. cap. 41. this Petition, confirms that exposition of things tending to uphold this present life, Prov. 30. 8. Lechem Chukki, The Bread which is ordained for me. The Jesuites will never be able to justifie the old Interpreter, which translateth one word the same both in syllables and signification, in one place Supersubstantial, and in another, viz. in Luke, Quotidianum or Daily, against which interpretation of his, he hath all Antiquity before that Translation, and some of the Papists themselves retained the words of Daily Bread.
Bellarm. l. 1. de bonis operibus, c. 6. prefers Quotidianum, and defends it against the other. Tostatus applieth it to temporal things.Their own Dictionaries and Doctors expoūd the Greek word foreign gratified or undeservedly, accepted, or whō Gods singular favor had made acceptable.
The Syriack saith Panis indigentiae, vel sufficientiae nostrae.
Luke 1. 18. Plena gratia for gratis dilecta, as Chrysostome renders it, Hail Mary full of grace, for freely beloved. The word signifieth not any grace or vertue inherent in one, but such a grace or favor as one freely vouchsafeth and sheweth to another; the word retained by the Syriack in this place is Taibutha, and signifieth happiness, blessedness, goodness, bountifulnes. Tremellius turneth it gratia, which may and ought to be Englished favour, as the Greek word signifieth, and is expounded by the Angel and the Virgin Mary themselves, the Angel adding in the same verse, The Lord is with thee, meaning, by his special favour; and in v. 30. saying, She had found favor with God. The Virgin in her thankful song magnifying the mercy of God toward her, that he had so graciously looked on her in so mean estate, as to make her the mother of her own Saviour, after so marvellous a manner.
They foolishly salute her, who is removed from them by infinite space, and whom their Hail cannot profit, being in Heaven, as the salutation of the Angel did and might do, whilst she was here in the vale of misery. Their Alchymie also is ridiculous, to make that a prayer unto her, which was a prayer for her; to make it daily, that served in that kinde for one onelyonly time; to make it without calling, which the Angel durst not do, unless he had been sent.
Ephes. 5. 32. aNon habet ex hoc loco prudens lectora Paulo, conjugium esse Sacramentum, non enim dicit Sacramentum sed mysterium hoc magnum est. The Apostle saith, he speaketh not of corporal marriage of a man and his wife, but of the spiritural marriage of Christ and his Church.Vulg. Sacramentum hoc magnum est, and the Rhemists, This is a great Sacrament, for great mystery. Sacraments are mysteries, but all mysteries are not properly Sacraments. How can it be a Church Sacrament, which hath neither element, nor word of promise? Secondly, Sacraments are the peculiar and proper possession of the Church of Christ; how can that be a Sacrament, which is (and lawfully may be used) out of the Church, amongst the Turks and Jews, to whom the benefit of Matrimony cannot be denied? The old Interpreter, Coloss. 1. 27. translateth the same word a mystery or secret.
Chemnitius reckons this place among those which the Papists abuse, not among the corrupted; for bErasinus dicit an fit sacramentum olim dubitatum erat à scholasticis, Certè ex hoc loco non possit effici; nam particula adversativa ego autem satis indicat hoc mysterium ad Christum & ecclesiam pertinere, non ad maritum & uxorem. Mark. 6. 8. Vide Salmeronem & Riberam in loc. Praefat in nov. Test. Dr Fulk against Martin. Vide Whitakeri Controversiam primam quaest. secundum cap. 10. 11. & 12. de Scripturis. Sixtinus Amama censuram vulgatae versionis in Pentateucho caepit, telam pertexturus nisi morte fuisset praeventus Waltherus in officina Biblica. Sixtinus Amama Haereti…us, & versionis Sixtinae, inimicissimus, ut proinde meritò dici possit Anti-Sixtinus. Tract. Joan D• Es ieres de Text. Heb. Disput. 2. Dub. 2Sacrament is the same with the Ancient Latine Divines, that foreign is with the Greeks. Chamier.
Heb. 11, 21. The vulgar hath, & Iacob adoravit fastigium virgae, the Rhemists adored the top of his rod; whereas the words are, He worshipped upon the top of his staff, and not as they have falsely turned it; so also doth the Syrian Paraphrast read it. The word foreign used elswhere in the New Testament for a walking staff, agreeth fitly unto Iacob, who being both old and sick, had need to stay himself thereupon, whilst he praised God. Ioseph was no King, and therefore had no Scepter to fall down before. In the Hebrew, Gen. 47. for top we read head, which by a metaphor, signifies the top, because the head is the end and highest part of man, and consequently of any thing else. And for staff we now read in the Hebrew bed, which fell out, because the word mittah there extant, pricked with other vowels, signifieth a staff, for in the Hebrew matteh is a staff, and mitteh a bed. The Septuagint whom the Apostle follows, read it matteh, and so translated it staff, otherwise then we now read it in the Hebrew Text. If we follow the Hebrew Text, as it is now extant, the sense will be, That Iacob, because he could not raise his body out of his bed, therefore he bowed his head forward upon his beds head, and so worshipped God.
Beza speaking of the divers Latine Translations of the New Testament onelyonly, he saith of the vulgar Latine, That he followeth it for the most part, and preferreth it before all the rest. Maxima ex parte amplector & caeteris omnibus antepono. He speaks of the New Testament onelyonly, and of that Latine Translation of the New Testament, in comparison of all other Latine Translations which were before him, as Erasmus, Castalion, and such like.
These places may serve to shew, that the vulgar Latine is corrupt, no Book being entire or free from error. Isidore Clarius Brixianus (praefat. in Biblia) a great learned man of their own affirmeth, That it hath 8000 places, in which the sense of the Holy Ghost is changed. Since the Councel of Trent, two Popes have set forth this vulgar Edition diversly; which of these shall be received as authentical? How often do the Papists leave the vulgar in all their controversies, when it is for their advantage so to do? it is a matter ordinary with them, and needless to be proved
There is no Edition Ancienter then the Hebrew; if the Latine hath been used a 1000 years in the Church, the Hebrew hath been used almost 3000 years; the Chaldee, Arabick, Syriack and Greek Editions also have been used above a 1000 years, and so should be authentique by the Papists Argument.
Having spoken of the authority of the Scriptures, the Canonical Books, and the authentical Editions; I now go on to treat of the end of the Scripture, its adjuncts or properties fitted to that end, and Interpretation of Scripture.
The end of the Scripture comes next to be considered, of this I have spoken somewhat afore, but shall now inlarge my self.
The end of the Scripture is considered, 1. In respect of God. bGod in Christ or God and Christ is the object of Christian religion; without knowledge of Christ we cannot know God savingly, Iohn 11. 37. In Iudah onelyonly is God known. No man cometh to the Father but by me. The ultimate object of fai…h is God 1 Pet 1. 21.2. In respect of us.
In respect of God, the end of the Scripture is a glorifying of him, Iohn 7. 18. 2 Cor. 4. 6. by it we may learn to know, love and fear him, and so be blessed. The glory of God is the chief end of all things, Prov. 16. 4.
In respect of us, The end of the Scripture is,
1. Intermediate, Temporal Edification, which is fitly referred to five c2 Tim. 3. 16. Rom. 15. 4. The word of God is profitable five ways: 1. For confirmation of true Doctrine, or teaching men the truth. 2 Tim. 3. 16. the Apostle tells us of four ends of Scripture: The first two are commonly referred to Doctrinals; the last two to Practicals: If any of these be wanting, a Christian is not perfect, so much as in the perfection of parts; he is but half a Christian, who is an Orthodox believer, if he be not practical also; and he is but half a Christian, who is practical, if he be not an Orthodox believer. Mr Gillesp. miscel. c. 12.principal uses: The two first respect the minde, the other three the heart, will and affections.
It is profitable for Doctrine, it serves to direct to all saving truth; nothing is to be received as a truth necessary to salvation, but what is proved out of Scripture. Where that hath not a tongue to speak, I must not have an ear to hear: Hoc quia de scripturis non habet autoritatem, eadem facilitate contemnitur, qua probatur, Hieron.
2. Reproof or Confutation, to refute all errors and heterodox opinions in Divinity.2 Reproof of error, 1 Tit. 9. Rectum est index sui & obliqui. Quibus principiis veritas astruitur, iisdem principiis falsicas destruitur. Tertullian calls the Scripture Machaera contra haereses. Aufer haebreticis quaecunque Ethniri sapiunt, ut de scripturis solis quaestiones suas sistant: Et stare non poterunt. Teicul. de resurrectione carnis. In comitiis Vindelicorum, cum Episcopus Albertu…, aliquando leger…t Biblia (referente Luthero in Sermon. Convival.) & interrogasset quidam è Consiliariis, quid libri hic esset: Nescio equidem (respondet) qualis sit liber, sed omnia quae in eo lego, nostrae religioni planè sunt contraria. Dr Prid. orat. octava de vocatione ministrorum. By this sword of the Spirit, Christ vanquished Satan, Mat. 4. 4. 7. 10. by the Scripture he opposed the Jews, Iohn 5. 45. 46. 47. & 10. 34. by this he refuted the Scribes and Pharisees, Mat. 9. 13. and 22. 1. Luke 10. 25, 26. 27. Matth. 19. 34. and 21. 12, 13. the Sadduces, Matth. 22. 29. Thus Apollus convinced the Jews who denied Jesus to be the Christ, Acts 18. 28. Thus the Apostles convinced those which urged Circumcision, and the observation of the Jewish Law, Acts 15. 15. H… reticks are to be stoned with Scripture-Arguments, Lapidandi sunt Heretici sacrarum literarum argumentis. Athanasius. By this Austin refuted the Pelagians, Irenaeus the Ualentinians, Tertullian the Mareionites, Athanasius the Arrians.
3. Correction of iniquity, setting straight that which is amiss in manners and3. Correction of ill behavior. life.
4. Instruction to righteousness, Instruunt Patriarchae etiam errantes. Basil saith,4. Instruction in a good behavior. The Psalms are a common Store house and Treasury of good Instruction. The Title of the 32 and some other Psalms is Maschil, that is, A Psalm of Instruction.
5. Comfort in all troubles, Psal. 19. 8. and 119. 50. and 92. the Greek word5. Consolation in troubles. Rom. 15. 4. Psal. 119. 29. Vide Zepperi Artem habendi & audiendi conciones. l. 1. c. 3 p. 34. 35. for Gospel, signifieth glad-tidings. The Promises are the Christians best Cordials; as Gods Promises are the rule of what we must pray for in faith, so they are the ground of what we must expect in comfort.
All things which belong to the Gospel are comfortable: 1. God the Author of the Gospel, and revealed in it, is the God of all comfort, 2 Cor. 1. 3. 2. Jesus Christ the Subject of the Gospel, is called Consolation in the abstract, Luke 2. 25. 3. The Holy Ghost, which breathes in the Gospel, is called The Comforter, Iohn Chap. 15. 16. 4. The Ministers or Ambassadors of the Gospel, are the Messengers of peace and comfort.
2. Ultimate and chiefest, our Salvation and Life eternal, Iohn 5. 39. and 20. 31. 2 Tim. 3. 15. It will shew us the right way of escaping hell, and attaining Heaven: It will shew us what to believe and practise, for our present and eternal happinesse.
This was Gods aim in causing the Scripture to be written, and we shall finde it fully available and effectual for the ends for which it was ordained by God.