Exposition of the Laws of Moses, Exegesis 9 · Part 9
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 by the revelation of Ieſus Chriſt, they had not their calling from man, but immediatly from God. They had their calling intuitu Eccleſiae, Vocatio vel eſt intuitu eccleſiae. intervetu eccleſ.1 Cor. 3.2. ſed non interventu Eccleſiae: that is, God ordained theſe offices for the good of the Church, and it was for the Church cauſe that he appointed them; but they had not their calling from the Church. But Preachers now have their calling both intuitu Eccleſiae, & interventu Eccleſiae. Immediata ſuppoſiti virtutis.There is immedietas ratione ſuppoſiti & immedietas ratione virtutis: the firſt is, when the perſon is immediatly ſeparated by God to ſuch a calling; the ſecond is, when the graces and calling, are immediatly given by God When Miniſters are called, they have their gifts immediatly from God, and ſo they have their calling; there interveneth no ſuppoſitum, or midſt betweene God and them: but for the appointing and deſigning of them to ſuch places; that they have from the Church. But the Apoſtles were called immediatly, both ratione ſuppoſiti & vírtutis; they had their gifts immediatly from God, neyther were they deſigned to ſuch and ſuch plaees as the Miniſters are now.
The Prophets and Apoſtles were immediatly called by God, and therefore Matthias was choſen by lot to be an Apoſtle, becauſe the lot is immediatly directed by the hand of God; but Preachers now ſhould not be choſen by lot. Zeno the Emperor tempted God in this caſe, laying a paper upon the Altar, that God might write in the paper the name of him, who ſhould be Biſhop of Conſtantinople: Nicepherus, Lib. 2.but Flavitius corrupting the Sexton of the Church, cauſed him to write in his name, and ſo was made Biſhop of Conſtantinople.
Object. But Moyſes learned from the Egyptians, and Daniel from the Chaldeans: therefore it may ſeeme that they had not their calling immediatly from God.
Anſw. The Apoſtles and Prophets learned their humane Sciences and Artes from men but not their divine knowledge.They had the learning of humane ſciences and trades from men; as Paul learned from men to be a Tent maker: ſo Moyſes learned theſe humane ſciences from the Egyptians, & Daniel from the Chaldeans; but their knowledge, as Prophets & Apoſtles imediatly was frō God. Although they had their divine knowledge immediately from God,Simile. The Prophets knowledge was kept by reading. Dan. 2.9. and 1 Tim. 4.13. yet they were to entertaine it by reading, As the fyre, that came from heaven upon the Altar was miraculous; yet when it was once kindled, they kept it in with wood, as wee doe our fire: So the Prophets knowledge was preſerved by reading, as ours is.
Prorogative. 2 Their ſecond prerogative, was the meaſure of knowledge they had in matters Divine.The meaſure of the Prophets and Apoſtles knowledge. Their knowledge far differed frō the knowledge of Chriſt; this was viſio vnionis, & this excelled the knowledge of all creatures, even of the Angels: this was not called propheſie, as he was comprehenſor; but as he was viator here upon the earth, this his illumination is called Propheſie; he is called the great Prophet, Deut. 18.15. and in this ſort of knowledge hee excelled both men and Angels. Secondly, their knowledge differed from the knowledge of Angels, and the glorified Spirits: for propheſie as Peter ſaith,Viſio vnionis gloria raptus prophetiae 2 Pet. 1.19. is like a light ſhining in a darke place, but in Heaven there is no darkeneſſe.
Thirdly, their knowledge differed from the knowledge that Paul had, when he was taken up to the third heaven; and this was called viſio raptus: their knowledge was farre inferiour to all theſe ſorts of knowledge; but it farre exceeded all the knowledge that we have.
Queſt. Whether had the Prophets of God, and the Secretaries of the holy Ghoſt; this their Propheſie, and divine knowledge, by way of habit or no?The Prophets had not the gift of propheſie by habite.
Anſw. They had not this gift of propheſie by way of habit, as the children of God have their faith: and as Bezaliell and Aholiab, although they had their knowledge immediatly from God, to worke all curious workes in the Tabernacle; yet they kept ſtill this their knowledge as an ordinary habit; but this gift of propheſie, the Prophets had it not as a habit, but they had neede ſtill of new illumination when they propheſied. Peter compareth propheſie to a light ſhining in a darke place, 2 Pet. 1.19. how long continueth light in a darke houſe? no longer then a candle is there: ſo this coruſcation,Simile. or glimpſe of the Spirit, continued no longer with them; but when the Spirit was illuminating them, and teaching them: they had the gift of propheſie even as they had the gift of healing; but they could not heale when and where they pleaſed. Paul ſaith, I have left Trophimus ſicke at Miletum, 2 Tim 4 20. So they could not propheſie when and where they pleaſed, 2 King. 4.27. The Lord hath hid it from me and hath not told it me, they had not this propheſie as a permanent habit; but as that, which was now and then revealed unto them. Ier. 42.7. And it came to paſſe after ten dayes; here the Prophets behoved to attend, untill he got a new revelation from the Lord; and ſometimes they waited longer, and ſometimes ſhorter for this revelation.
Queſt. How differed the Prophets then from other men, when they propheſied not?
Anſ. Firſt, yee ſhall ſee a difference betweene them and others who propheſied. Num. 17. It is ſayd of thoſe Prophets,Prophetia momentanea. prophetarunt & non addiderunt, that is, they propheſied but that day onelyonly, that the Spirit came upon them, but never after; as the Hebrews expound it: but the Prophets of the Lord, propheſied often. So 2 King. 2.3. The children of the Prophets came forth: they propheſied, but this gift of the propheſie continued not with them: but theſe Prophets of the Lord, often propheſied: And although they had not the habit of prophecie, yet they were ſeparate by God for that purpoſe, to expect ſtill for new illumination.
Prorogative. 3 The third prerogative, which the holy men of God had,foreign. was this, that they could not erre in their writing, 2 Pet. 1.21. The holy men of God ſpake as they were inſpired by the holy Ghoſt, The Peophets erred not in writing the Scriptures.Matth. 10:2. Luk. 21.15. Luk. 1.17. therefore the Prophets were called, the mouth of God, Luk. 1.18. Ier. 15.19. thou ſhalt be as my mouth. Hee ſpake not onelyonly by their mouthes,The Prophets are called the mouth of God. but alſo they were his mouth. And contrary to this is that lieing Spirit in the mouth of the falſe Prophets. 1 King. 22.22.
The ſecretaries of the holy Ghoſt, erred ſometimes in ſome of their purpoſes,Wherein the Prophets and Apoſtles erred. and in ſome circumſtances of their calling; but in 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 onelyonly of his converſation; hee erred here onelyonly, 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 foreign, inſpired by God,foreign. 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 onelyonly 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 foreign,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 foreign, 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 foreign the ſecretaries of the holy Ghoſt, but foreign diſcribebant ab alio, they wrote onelyonly 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 ſpecificationisas 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.foreign
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 onelyonly 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. foreign. 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 foreign & foreign. and ſpecially Chryſoſtome, they diſtinguiſh betweene foreign, & foreign, 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 foreign; but when Iohn diſcribeth the Divinity of Chriſt, hee doth it foreign; and they ſay Mattheus foreign & Iohannes foreign, 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 onelyonly, 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 foreign, 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,foreign 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.