Commentary on Habakkuk, Commentary · Chapter 3 · Verse 6
Verſe 6. He ſtood and meaſured the earth, he beheld, and drove in ſunder the Nations, and the everlaſting Mountains were ſcattered; the perpetuall hils did bow: his ways are everlaſting.
2 HEre is a commemoration of the power and glory of God, in giving to his Iſrael the Land of Canaan, for their poſſeſſion.
Diverſe judgments have made diverſe conſtructions of theſe words.
Mr. Calvine is of opinion, that they declare God in his glorious Lordſhip, over all the world, for as David, when he ſhould come to be abſolute Monarch of Judah and Iſrael, ſaid, I will rejoyce therefore, and divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth, &c. So God is here declared abſolute Monarch▪ in this phraſe of meaſuring of the earth: as David would caſt his ſhooe over the Philiſtines would rejoyce: So God is here declared Conquerour of all by dividing in ſunder the nations, &c.
St. Auguſtine turnes all into Allegory, and applieth it to Chriſt.
You remember, how before, I found that the Church doth comfort their preſent miſeries, with remembrance of Gods former mercies, therefore I chooſe to keep pace with the ſtory of Gods former mercies to his Iſrael. And as before he ſpake of the comming of God from Teman and Paran, when he appeared glorious to them in giving the law, ſo now he comes to another powerfull mercy, that is, when he gave them the promiſed Land, for then he that went before them all the vvay of their journey in their removes, now ſtood ſtill, as declaring that novv they vvere come to the land of their reſt, as he had promiſed it.
And there, He meaſured the Earth, it is aſcribed here to God, that he divided the land amongſt the Tribes, becauſe it vvas done by lot, vvherein not chance, but God anſwered.
This hath reference to that ſtory vvhichwhich vve read Joſhua 5. for when the people vvere entred into the land of Canaan, and vvere come ſo far in to it as Gilgall, that the Ark of God was ſetled in Gilgall.
Then God commanded the Sacrament of Circumciſion to be revived, vvhichwhich in the vvhole journey between their comming out of Aegypt to this place had been omitted, ſo long vvas it omitted, becauſe of the journey that there entred into Canaan, but two of all that came out of Aegypt, who had received the Sacrament of Circumciſion, vvho vvere Caleb and Joſhua.
Novv all the males are circumciſed at Gilgall, there the children of Iſrael kept the Paſſeover, and there they began to eat of the old proviſion of corn, that they found in the land, and as ſoon as they had eaten thereof, Manna ceaſed, and there, Verſe 13.
There ſtood a man over againſt him, with his ſword drawn in his hand, to whom Joſhua went, and ſaid unto him. Art thou for us, or for our adverſaries? he ſaid, nay; but as a Prince of the hoaſt of the Lord, am I now come, and Joſhua fell on his face, and did worſhip.
Compare that ſtorie with this text, and you ſhall ſee that this man that ſtood before Joſhua, is he that ſtood in my text, and after meaſured the earth: and ſo Joſhua conceived him to be, elſe he had not worſhipped him, for Joſhuah was not to learn that Angels are not to be worſhipped.
So this place will not help the Church of Rome for the maintenance of the worſhip of Angels, though Lyranus ſay, that it was adoratio duliae, quia cognovit eum eſſe Angelum. The man that ſtood there was that Son of man, that Prince of the Lords Armies, which brought Iſrael out of the Land of Aegypt, out of the houſe of bondage.
And he ſtood there, for there was the Ark ſetled, and the Sacrament revived, and they were at home when they began to feed upon the proviſion of the promiſed Land: and next it followeth, that He meaſured the Earth.
For in the next Chap. Jericho was taken; Chap. 8. Ai is overcome; and ſhortly after the land is meaſured, and by lott aſſigned to the Tribes. The Nations are drove in ſunder:] for they took and deſtroyed Jericho: Ai, and the five Kings that made war againſt Gibeon, as David ſaith, He caſt out the Nations and planted them in. Then the everlaſting mountains were ſcattered, and the perpetuall hils did bow.
Theſe titles and attributes of Everlaſting and Perpetuall, are in true propriety of ſenſe onelyonly belonging to God, but this is a poeticall and figurative hymne, and by an Hyperbole, theſe words do ſignifie the mighty power of God, who ſtooped theſe unconquered mountains, fixt and ſetled in their places, to the obedience of his people, and brought the ſtrenght of the land into their ſubjection.
Declaring that by no ſtrength of their own, they got the quiet poſſeſſion of that land, but they received it of the gift of God, who ſubdued the impregnable ſtrength to their hand, and gave them victory, for it followeth;
His ways are everlaſting] that is, as David doth render it; He doth whatſoever he will. He long before promiſed Abraham this land, and though the poſterity of Canaan have held the land in poſſeſſion for many ages, yet there is no preſcription againſt God: Nullum tempus occurrit regi, he will goe in the way, that the counſel of his wiſedome hath long agoe trode out for them.
There was an old curſe which lay in the deck, and ſlept all this while, ever ſince Cham the youngeſt, the ſon of Noah, diſcovered his fathers nakedneſs, for then Noah awoke and knew what his ſons had done to him, and he ſaid, Curſed be Canaan, that is, Let a curſe fall upon the poſterity of Cham: theſe be the ways of God, for the iſſue of Shem drove out Canans ſeed and poſſeſſed their Land.
Here is another argument drawn from the ſame head with the former; for the Church doth comfort her it ſelf in preſent miſery, by remembring what God did for them, in giving to them the poſſeſſion of the promiſed Land, which is wholly aſſcribed to God, as the Pſalmiſt;
For they got not the Land in poſſeſſion by their own ſword, Pſal. 44.3.neither did their own arm ſave them: but thy right hand, & thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, becauſe thou haſt a favour unto them.
This commemoration of Gods ſetling them in the promiſed land ſerveth to comfort the captivity of Iſrael in Babylon, becauſe it teacheth them;
1 That their tenure of that land howſoever interrupted by calamities and deportations is a good tenure, they hold it by the free gift of God, who is able to maintain the right of his donation againſt all.
2 That there is no counſail or ſtrength againſt the Lord, for he that can ſubdue mountains, & eternal hils, and he whoſe ways are everlaſting, is not to be reſiſted.
From which premiſes they conclude, comfortably, that they ſhall have their land again, and that their enemies ſhall not be able to keep them out of it with all their ſtrength.
For God did not do ſo great things for them, to plant them in Canaan, for no long time his ſtanding there: as if he would ſay, now I have brought them to their reſt.
His driving out of the Nations to make them room, his ſcattering of the mountains and bowing of the hils, all this was not done that Iſrael might hold the land of promiſe no longer: for the promiſe was made to Abraham, and St. Mathew ſaith,Ma. 1.17. that from Abraham to David are 14 generations: and from David to the deportation into Babylon 14 generations; there were from the promiſe of this land to the captivity but 28 generations: and the firſt 14 generations from Abraham to David were wel ſpent, before the land was poſſeſt; and ſo much God foretold Abraham, and foure hundred years delay, and expectation of the promiſe we have hereof from the mouth of God to Abraham, Ge. 15.13.before they ſhould come out of Egypt: and thirty years, were found added to that reckoning before they had a deliverance, and forty more ſpent in the wilderneſs, four hundred and ſeventy years, which will make up much of the time between the promiſe and the poſſeſſion of this land, that is, four of the generations.
Compare this with the promiſe of this Land, and you ſhall finde it ſo.
But in the fourth generation they ſhall come hither again.Ge. 15.16.
Now, for the terme for which they ſhould have this land, that is ſet down before.
For all the Land which thou ſeeſt, Ge. 13.15.to thee will I give it, and to thy ſeed for ever.
Yet we finde that for 70 years, they loſt the poſſeſſion of their land being carried captive into Babylon, and our Church ſtories, and the hiſtories of the heathen writers old and modern, do ſhew that the Jews have loſt this land almoſt 1600 years; which may ſeeme to fruſtrate that deed of gift in reſpect of the terme, and ſo it doth for matter of fact, for matter of right it is queſtionable, and thereupon, ſome have determined: 1 that that Land is by right as yet belonging to the ſeed of Abraham, by vertue of that promiſe.
2. That in the laſt calling of the Jews, it ſhall be reſtored to them again, and that the Common-wealth of the Jews ſhall be reſetled there before the end of the world, as it was after the return from the captivity of Babylon, ſo that though there have been interruption of poſſeſſion for ſo many years, there ſhall be no impeachment of title, but their right doth run on, till the time appointed for the reſtoring of them.
Concerning the calling of the Jews, and the reſtoring of them to the Church, St. Paul hath prophecyed ſo plainly,Rom. 11. as there can be no doubt thereof.
But for the reſtoring of them to the land of promiſe, we have no good ground in holy Scripture.
1 Becauſe they have forfeited their eſtate therein, which they held with condition of obedience.
When thou ſhalt beget children, Deut 4.25and childrens children in the land, and ſhalt have remained long in the land, and ſhall corrupt your ſelves; and make a graven image or the likenes of any thing, and ſhall do evill in the ſight of the Lord thy God to provoke him to anger.
I call Heaven and Earth to witneſſe againſt you this day, that ye ſhall ſoon utterly periſh from of the Land, whereunto you goe over Jordan to poſſeſſe it, ye ſhall not prolong your dayes upon it, but ſhall utterly be deſtroyed.
And the Lord ſhall ſcatter you among the nations. This is not without hope, for as by ſin they loſt their inheritance there, ſo by repentance it was recoverable.
When thou art in tribulation, Verſe 3.and all theſe things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and be obedient to his voyce.
He will not forſake thee, nor deſtroy thee, nor forget the Covenant with thy Fathers.
This proves their tenure conditional, and their reſtitution to this land after their return frō captivity was alſo upon the ſame condition of obedience, as appeareth in the words of Chriſt.
How often would I have gathered thy children together, Mo…h. 23.37, 38, 39.even as an hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not.
Behold, the houſe is left unto you deſolate.
For I ſay unto you, you ſhall not ſee me henceforth, till ye ſhall ſay, bleſſed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord.
That place is plain, that the habitation of Jeruſalem, that is, Domus veſtra, and the temple of which our God ſaid, Domus mea, now become by abuſe Domus veſtra, ſhall be deſolate till the ſecond comming of Chriſt.
2 The Propheſies do ſpeak plain.
Thus ſaith the Lord of hoaſts, Jer. 19.11.even ſo will I break this people, and this city, as one breaketh a potters veſſell that cannot be made whole again. My concluſion therefore is, that
Though the argument drawn from the free gift of that land to the people meaſuring out the ſame to the tribes, do ſerve to comfort their captivity in Babylon, with hope of reſtitution, yet now in theſe times, and ever ſince the diſperſion of the Jews for the cauſe of Chriſt, this can miniſter no comfort at all to that nation, to promiſe them their land again.
I come to matter of inſtruction.
1 Theſe words aime not at the generall ſcope of this Section, in which is declared that,
The remembrance of Gods former mercies is a ſweet conſolation of preſent afflictions.
2 Becauſe he nameth the meaſuring out of the land of Canaan, to the tribes, the driving in ſunder the nations, the ſcattering of the mountains, the bowing of the hils.
1 Docemur, We are taught, The beſt form of thankſgiving is that which maketh perticular commemoration of the mercies of God to his Church, or to any member of it.
2 That the matter of thankſgiving is an acknowledgment of all benefits, as received from the hand and free gift of God.
3 From the phraſe and manner of ſpeech here uſed, we are taught, that figurative forms of ſpeech, are in uſe in holy Scripture.
In thankſgiving,1 Doct. let us be perticular in our commemoration, we have Davids example for it.
Prayſe the Lord, Pſal. 103.2.O my ſoul, and forget not all his benefits: ſo he ſtirreth up himſelf to remember them, to remember them all.
The two Pſalmes 105.106. are full examples of this perticular thankfulneſſe, and they are good guides to ſuch as would learn it.
This is neceſſary. Reaſ. 1 1 Becauſe the more perticularly we recompt the favours of God to us, the more we diſcerne Gods love to us, as in the example of this people,Deut. 4. Moſes ſaith.
That God had done much for this people, never ſo much for any, read from Verſe 32. ad finem 38. And all thoſe favours grew out of one root, Becauſe he loved thy Fathers.
It is the Apoſtles note. Ecce quantam charitatem, behold, how great love. Sic Deus dilexit mundum, God ſo loved the world.
2 Seeing Gods temporall favours are not always beſtowed in love, but are made rods to whip the ungodly, Reaſ. 2 this is a certain rule, that theſe favours of God are evermore tokens of his love to ſuch as are thankfull for them, and to none elſe.
3 They that keep an inventorie of their receipts, Reaſ. 3 and are always reckoning and reporting the bounty of God to them, ſhall finde that their receipts of favours have been more and greater then their iſſues of prayers.
For how many great bleſſings have we from God, that we never prayed for, ſo that God giveth us much more cauſe of thankſgiving and prayſe of his name, then of prayer and ſupplication.
4 Thankſgiving is a work of juſtice: as David, Reaſ. 4 it well becommeth the juſt to be thankfull, and again, give to the Lord the glory due to his name, that is for every perticular benefit, perticular prayſe and thanks.
Thankſgiving doth put us in mind of our unableneſſe to requite God, Reaſ. 5 we cannot make him amends for his favours done to us, we ſhall finde, that our wel-doing extendeth not to him, we muſt therefore do good to all, propter Dominum, for the Lord.
6 Thankſgiving doth put us in mind of our unworthineſſe, Reaſ. 6 as Mephiboſheth to David, What is thy ſervant, that thou ſhouldſt look upon ſuch a de ad dog as I am. Jacob, Non ſum dignus, I am not worthy. David himſelf, What is man, 2 Sam. 9.8.that thou art ſo mindfull of him?
7 If we will forget, God will remember us, as to David: Reaſ. 7 I anointed thee King over Iſrael, I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul, I gave thee thy Maſters houſe, and thy Maſters wives into his boſome: Domus Iſrael. Domus Judae.
Surely, Ʋſe. we have not well taken out the leſſon of thankſgiving to God, for to ſhuffle it up with generall. God be thanked, for all comes, if but coldly, and is a poor rependam, for all the benefits beſtowed upon us.
St. Auguſtine upon thoſe words of David: And forget not all his benefits, ſaith, pro quibus bonis? primo quia es, cum non eſſes, ſedeſt & lapis, deinde quia vivis, ſed vivit & pecus, ſed fecit te ad ſimilitudiuem ſuam, ſuum exigit retribue ei ſimilitudinem ſuam in te.
Look to the common bleſſings of the God in generall: upon the Church in which thou liveſt, pay God his debt for the good he hath done, before thou finde fault with the defect in it: recompt what he hath done for the Common-wealth in which thou liveſt.
Looke home to thine own family, to thine own perſon: recompt thy ſpirituall graces, thy temporall bleſſings: conſider what God hath given thee, what he hath forgiven thee, the preventions, the ſubventions of his love: what ſpirituall, what temporall evils thou haſt either not felt by his keeping of thee, or eſcaped by his delivering of thee: and to all, and to each of theſe ſay; The Lord be thanked.
It is a ſmall duty that is required of us, to repeat what God hath done for us.
2 Doct. Hee ſtood and meaſured the Earth, he drove aſunder the Nations, hee ſcattered the everlaſting mountains. Here wee are taught to give the whole glory and prayſe of all good to God.
We know that Joſhua brought this people into the promiſed land, that he cauſed the land to be meaſured, that he led them againſt the Inhabitants of God, and that the people of God did valiantly; yet, Not unto us, not unto us, but to thy name give the praiſe.
We need no other reaſon for this Doctrine, then that of St. James, Reaſon. For every good and perfect gift cometh from him
Thanks are given to creatures as the miniſters and inſtruments of God, by whom he worketh the good pleaſure of his will, but none hath a proper right to them but God onelyonly. The Lord giveth, the Lord forgiveth: in both he uſeth the miniſteriall means, for both he muſt be thanked.
1 This ſerveth to inform our underſtanding in the truth of this Doctrine, Ʋſe 1 becauſe the ignorance hereof is the mother of unthankfulneſs: It is Gods complaint: The Oxe hath known his own, the Aſſe his maſters Crib: but my people do not know, Iſa. 1.3.&c.
It was charged on them in Hoſea.
She did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oile, Hoſ. 2.8.and multiplyed her ſilver and gold.
2 This ſerveth to reprove all thoſe that aſcribe the benefits which they receive to themſelves,Jer. 2.8. like them in the firſt Chapter of this Prophecy, that did ſacrifice to their net, Hab. 1.16.and burn incenſe to their dragge, becauſe by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.
3 This reproveth them that murmur, for ſeeing God is the Author and giver of all good, we muſt ſeek all from him, but we muſt not be our own carvers, we muſt learn to abound if the Lord giveth, and to want if the Lord taketh away.
4 This chideth thoſe that repine at common bleſſings, when they do abate any thing of their own perticuler profits.
Of this God hath given us a fearfull example, for the laſt year our portion was fat, and our bread plenteous, great was the unthankfulneſs of many to God for it.
Then the Landlord complained he could not have his rent: the Tenant that he could not pay it, plenty had undone him.
Such is the unconſcionable rack of rents, generally through the Common-wealth, that plenty is a puniſhment to many, even a ſharpe and ſmarting rod. And doth not God begin to viſit our land with ſudden dearth, how much of the hope of the earth doth now lye in ſteep in the drowned earth, never likely to pay the ſeed that the earth borrowed.
It is time for the Lord to pull thy hand out of thy boſome, and to whet thy ſword, when thy mercies become burthens to the ſons of men.
5 This reproveth all thoſe that ſtudy men, and tender all their addreſſes to them, ſeeing their advancement and eſtabliſhment here on earth by the purchaſed love and favour of men, they ſeek not the Lord.
Did ever age ſow precedents ſo thick for poſterity, of drooping, declining and falling greatneſs. Truly God is the Lord, and his name onelyonly is excellent; If God muſt have the glory, all that is done for us, whatſoever is done for us muſt be done by him, elſe it muſt needs miſcarry.
6 This ſerves to eſtabliſh the hearts of thoſe who have obteined any competency for the ſupport of this life with contentment, for if God be the giver of my daily bread, and if his hand do miniſter to my neceſſities, he knows beſt what ſtate of life is fitteſt for me, I will not aſpire higher: he knows how much will ſerve me, I will not covet more; this reſolution wil give thee much peace, For it caſteth all thy care upon God, who will never leave thee, nor forſake thee.
7 This alſo ſtirreth us up to walk in the obedience of the Laws of God, for if we conſent and obey, we ſhall eat the good things of the land; let us ſeek the face of God, and depend upon his providence for all things: let us conſider the fowls of the air, and the lillies of the field, and wherein we are better then they, even in our reaſonable ſervice of God, & conclude, that God will not let them want any thing that lead a godly life: ſo will he furniſh us with matter of praiſe, that we may ever be telling of his goodneſs from day to day.
Unlawful and indirect means of bettring our eſtates, by corrupting of our conſciences, do break our bags, and ſpring leaks in our Ships, that we and our good periſh, but the fear of the Lord maketh us rich; and what wanteth in the peace of the world, is ſupplied in the peace of a good conſcience.
3. Doct. Figurative ſpeeches are in uſe in holy Scripture: this Text is full of them, ſo is this whole Pſalm.
I will onelyonly note theſe figures, which in this verſe do offer themſelves to us, for a taſt.
1 It is here ſaid that God ſtood.
This is ſpoken after the maner of men, for when hearing and ſeeing, and ſmelling, and touching, and taſting, which are our ſenſes are attributed to God: when our parts of body, our eyes, ears, mouth, hands, feet, armes are given to him: our motions: as ſetting, ſtanding, riſing, going, ſtriking and ſuch like are ſpoken of God, know that theſe be figurative forms of ſpeech, wherein the holy Ghoſt doth retein our weak capacities, and under thoſe forms of words, doth preſent to our underſtandings the unconceiveable operations of the moſt high God.
And let us take heed that we do not conceive God in our thoughts like to man in the ſtructure and compoſition of the body as the Anthropomorphites did.
For it is here underſtood by the ſtanding of God, that when he brought the people to the promiſed land, there the progreſſe ended, he ſtood there where he brought them to reſt.
2 It is here ſaid, that he meaſured the earth, that is, alſo a figurative manner of ſpeaking, wherein that is charged upon him, which was done by his direction and warrant.
3 He beheld and drove in ſunder the Nations.
God is all eye, and beholdeth all things, all ear, and heareth all things; all hand, and maketh all things, and doth whatſoever he wil: all foot and ſtandeth in all places: he is here ſaid to behold, which denoteth his provident care of his work, and he is ſaid to drive in ſunder the Nations, becauſe he ordeined their expulſion, and he gave commiſſion for the deſtruction of them, that he might give their land, according to his promiſe, to his own people.
4 Where he cals the mountains everlaſting and the hils perpetuall, this is alſo a figure. For theſe be attributes onelyonly belonging to God to be everlaſting and perpetuall, and it ſheweth the ſtability and ſetledneſſe thereof.
5 There is alſo another figure in the very name of mountains, for we muſt not literally underſtand that there was any violence offered to the mountains and hils, but thereby the ſtrength and proceſſe and ſetled eſtate of thoſe nations that dwelt in the land of Canaan, is ſignified, and ſo the ſcattering and bowing of theſe moutains, doth expreſſe the diſperſion of thoſe nations, or the bringing of them under the yoake of ſubjection to the people of Iſrael.
6 His wayes are everlaſting, this is alſo figurative, for by the ways of God are underſtood here the counſels and decrees of God, and his executions of his will, which are no ſudden operations, but proceed from everlaſting wiſedome.
And this is the wiſedome of the Reader of holy Scripture, to obſerve, what is ſpoken literally, and what figuratively, elſe many errours and hereſies may ariſe.
As even in this attribution of the parts and motions, and actions of the body of man to God, the Anthropomorphites, not underſtanding the figure, did conceive God in body like to man.
The hereſie of tranſubſtantiation grew out of the miſtake of thoſe words, hoc eſt corpus meum, this is my body, wherein the figure not obſerved, the Romaniſts do believe a reall tranſmutation of the bread into the body of Chriſt: whereas that is to be underſtood only by ſacramentall repreſentation, as as the ſacrament of Circumciſion is called the covenant of God in the fleſh, and the water of Baptiſme, is called the laver of regeneration, being the ſign and ſeal thereof.
You know that when Chriſt ſaid to his Diſciples; Beware of the leaven of the Phariſes: Mat. 16.16they underſtood him not to ſpeak figuratively, and ſaid; It is becauſe we have taken no bread.
So when he ſaid, Deſtroy this Temple: the Jews underſtood him of the temple at Jeruſalem. The Scriptures of both Teſtaments, are full of examples of figurative ſpeaking.
The whole book of the ſong of Solomon, is a continued figure, and all the poeticall part of holy Scripture abound therewith.
The reaſons why the wiſedome of God hath thus expreſt it ſelf, are:
1 Becauſe herein he would commend to us the uſe of that excellent ſcience of the Rhetorick, which teacheth the uſe of figures, for there is no eloquence or oratory in all the wiſedome of the world, comparable to the holy elocution of Scripture, the majeſty whereof is ſuch, that it convinceth the judgment of man, and maketh it to yield it to the breath of God.
2 Becauſe this cripticall manner of ſpeaking doth involve the ſecrets of Gos wiſedome in ſome obſcurity, to ſtirre up and awake our diligence in the ſearch, that we may be put to it to ſtudy holy Scriptures, as Chriſt ſaith, foreign, ſearch; for eaſie things do ſoon cloy us and make us idle.
3 Becauſe this difficulty, doth put us to our prayers, to be ſeech God to open to us the ſecrets of his wiſdome.
4 This makes us fear God, becauſe the ſecrets of the Lord are onelyonly revealed to them that fear God.
5 This difficulty is ſo ſweetned with the pleaſant mixture of art, as it hath omne punctum in it, for it mingleth utile dulci.
6 It doth teach us to be ſpirituall, for the carnall man cannot perceive the things of God, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned, and the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life: this Spirit he hath left to teach his Church, and to bring all things to our remembrance.
7 This obſcurity doth call upon us to ſet apart ſome time for the ſtudy and ſearch of Scriptures, and we cannot employ our ſpare hours of leaſure better then in this ſearch, for here are the treaſures of wiſedome and knowledge, and theſe are able to make the man of God wiſe to ſalvation, perfect, then to throughly, perfect to all good works.
8 He hath diſtributed his graces in his Church accordingly, and hath ordained ſome to be teachers of others, whoſe whole time is conſecrated to the ſtudy of this book of Scripture, that they may be able to underſtand this word aright: divide it aright to their hearers.
Herein you have a great advantage, if you conſider the goodneſſe of God to you, for in one hour, you reap the harveſt of our labours in many hours of our readings, of our inventions, judgments, ſearch.
Theſe reaſons I gather from Clemens Alexandrinus, St. Auguſtine, and St. Gregory, and ſome others.
Ʋſe 1 This teacheth us that the worthie Miniſter of the Word muſt be no ſmatterer in thoſe neceſſary arts and learning, which is helpfull to the ſtudy of Divinity, for want whereof many bunglers handle the Word of God too homelily, and inſtead of giving a conſtant light do only make a blaze, which yet like one of our night-walking fires devours more admiration, that the full Moon that ſhines all night long.
Logick and Rhethorick, are two ſuch neceſſary and requiſite parts in a Miniſter, as without which, neither can the method of Scripture, nor the power of the arguments therein uſed, nor the clear interpretation of the words be given.
Ʋſe 2 This teacheth the hearer and reader of the World, to put his ſtrength to it, not to parrat the words of Scripture, but to ſtudy the ſenſe thereof.
St. Origen ſaith, that as man, ſo the whole Bible doth conſiſt of a body and a ſoul, the body is the better, the ſenſe is the ſoul of Scripture.
That is the ſpirituall Manna that giveth ſtrength to the weak, that is, the true Light that giveth underſtanding to the ſimple.
Ʋſe 3 Let not this diſcourage any zealous Chriſtian from exerciſing himſelf in the reading and ſtudy of holy Scripture: becauſe we do confeſſe, that the figurative forms uſed therein, do often make the Scripture obſcure.
For we do alſo affirme, that figures do ſometimes give light to our apprehenſion, and make the mind of God better known to us: as when Chriſt ſaith;
I am the good Shepheard: as David ſaid, The Lord is my Shepheard: this doth make Chriſt better known to us in his carefull protection of us, and his watchfull keeping, and his plentifull feeding, and ſafe foulding of us, and in ſuch like.
Now, becauſe the Church of Rome, hath taken advantage of the obſcurity of the Scripture, to forbid the tranſlation thereof, into the vernacle tongues of nations, and to prohibit lay perſons, or any other without ſpeciall leave. Thus much I dare affirm, that holy Scripture are plain and eaſie in all dogmaticall points, all the articles of faith are plainly ſet forth, and the whole doctrine of godly life, and the way to ſalvation is openly declared. So far our Church doth avouch, yet withall we muſt conſider, that there is a double plainneſſe of Scripture.
1 Rationall and Intellectuall, which apprehendeth the true meaning of the words in Grammaticall conſtruction, in Logicall compoſition, and in Rhetoricall illuſtration, thus all the dogmaticall part of Divinity is plain to a naturall man, that is capable of theſe helps.
2 Spirituall and Metaphyſicall, which is, ſaving knowledge, and is the work of the Holy Ghoſt in us, making us thereby wiſe to ſalvation, this knowledg is both the daughter and mother, of faith, for by faith we hear the word, elſe it would not profit us, and by hearing commeth faith, elſe it were unfruitfull.
Therefore I muſt indite many of the learned of the Church of Rome of ſlander, who have given out in print, that we do hold the whole body of Scripture ſo eaſie, both in the whole, and in every part thereof, that any unlearned men & women may read, and underſtand, all as they go, and that they need no interpreter. This no ſober man will affirm; but that the difficulty is not ſuch as ſhould deter us from the ſtudy thereof, rather that it is ſuch as inviteth us thereto, that we affirme.
Ʋſe 4 This ſerveth us for caution;
1 Though the Scripture be full of figures, let us not make figures where there are none, and ſtrein plain and evident Texts from their genuine and proper ſenſe, to forreign and far-fetcht myſteries, as the Papiſt doth often.
For when Peter ſaith, Ecce hic duo gladii, they underſtand the double power of Peter, and ſo of al Popes as his ſucceſſours Eccleſiaticall and temporall; ſo on theſe words:
He made two great lights, the greater to rule the day, the leſs to rule the night; that theſe two lights are the Pope to rule the day; that is to ſay, the Church: and the Emperour to rule the night, that is, the lay people.
Where note, that as the Moon borroweth all the light it hath of the Sun, So muſt the Emperour borrow all his glory of the Pope.
Some of our own brethren have trode awry in this way, for an Article of Faith lyes bleeding in the unreſolved judgements of many, by this fault of making a figure where none is.
The words of Chriſt, Thou wilt not leave my ſoul in hell, are plain enough:
For we know that Chriſt had a ſoul, we know that there is an hell, and we hear Chriſt ſay; that God would not leave it there.
But Mr. Calvine turns this into a figure, and his words be all oracles with ſome that take their upon truſt, his figure is that, deſcendit ad inferos diros in anima cruciatus damnati, ac perditi hominis pertulet: he deſcended into hell, that is, he bare in his ſoul all the torments of the damned.
Maſt. Perkins refuſeth this as the meaning of the article, for he ſaith, all this is conteined in the former: he ſuffered, was crucified dead.
And he findeth another figure in theſe words, by ſoul, he meaneth the body; and by hell, he meaneth the grave; for he thus rendreth it.
He deſcended into hell, that is, he was held captive in the grave, and lay in bondage under death for three daies.
Which need not, for the Article that ſaith, he was buried contemneth that: for then God did not ſuffer his holy one to ſee corruption.
This turning of Articles of faith into figures, doth deſtroy faith, therefore without figure the ſafeſt way is to underſtand the word of the Prophets in their own proper ſenſe & natural ſignification: by ſoul, to underſtand the living ſoul of Chriſt, which by death was ſeparated for a time from his body.
By hell, to underſtand the place of the damned, in which Chriſt triumphed victoriouſly over the Devil and his angels, and brought away the keys thereof, that he might open it to the reprobate, and ſhut it again: the elect to whom the promiſe is made, that, The gates of hell ſhall not prevail againſt them.
2 Let us alſo take heed, that where there is a plain figure, we do not underſtand that literally, to corrupt the Text: which was the errour of the Diſciplies, to whom when Chriſt had ſpoken of reſtoring the Kingdom to Iſrael, they underſtood it literally, of the temporall Kingdom of the Jews, which was meant of the ſpirituall Kingdom of Chriſt.
So the woman of Samaria thought Chriſt had ſpoken of an Elementary water, and the Capernaites miſtook Chriſt, ſpeaking of the bread of life.
Therefore, let common judgements take good counſel, how they expound Scriptures, leſt they pervert them to their own damnation, for as Aug. Hinc natae ſunt omnes haereſes, quia ſcripturae bonae intelleguntur non bene, hence all hereſies grow, &c.