The Christian Synagogue, Book 2
THE SECOND BOOKE.
CAP. I.
Of the Sense of the Scriptures.
HAving now attained the meanes to come by the Sense of the Scripture: Wee come of the Sense of the Scripture it selfe, which is either simple or compound.
Compound, is not taken here to make two Senses out of one scripture (for that were contradictory:) but onelyonly it shewes the divers wayes how theseverall parts of a Scriptue hauehave beene fulfilled, either literally or figuratiuely.
Some hold, that in a simple speech there cannot be two senses: but these distinguish onelyonly betwixt the signification of the words, and the signification of the matter.
A Simple sense, is that sense, which agrees to one Canon.onelyonly, and hath but one part (to wit, the literall sense) to make vp one sense.
Thou wilt not leaue my soule in graue; neither suffer thy Psal. 16 10. Act. 2. 27.holy one to see corruption: this Scripture hath but one simple sense, for it agrees onelyonly to Christ, and no waies to Dauid.
I will establish his Throne for ever: this can no wayes Heb. 1. 8.be applyed to Dauid or Salomon, therefore it is a simple sense.
Sacrifices and Oblations thou wouldst not hauehave: this no Heb. 10. 5. Psal 40. 6. 7wayes can agree to Dauid; for he was bound to sacrifice; therefore onelyonly to Christ.
A compound sense, is that whereof there are two parts, Canon.literall and figuratiue, to make vp one sense, which is fulfilled two manner of wayes, Historicè and Propheticè in the type, and literally in the thing signified.
I called my Sonne out of Aegypt: this Scripture is true Hos. 11. 1. Math 2. 15.both of the Iewes and Christ, and it was fulfilled literally in them both.
Here am I, and the Children whom thou hast giuen me: Esay 8. 18. Heb. 2. 13.in the Hebrewes it is applyed to Christ & his Children; but first to Esay and his Schollers.
A bone of it shall not be broken: it was literally fulfilled Exo. 12. 46. Ioh. 19. 36.in the Paschall Lambe, and also in Christ.
Sometimes the compound sense is typically fulfiled in the Type; Canonand literally in the thing signified.
They cast lots vponupon my garments: it was literally fulfilled Psal. 22 18. Mat. 27. 35.in Christ; but typically in Dauid, (that is) they parted his honour and dignitie, as if they were casting lots vponupon them.
They gaue me gall in my drinke: it was literally fulfilled Psal. 69. 22. Mat 27. 34.in Christ; but figuratiuely in Dauid: (that is) they vexed him, as if they had put gall in his drinke.
Sometimes it is literally fulfilled in the Type, and Canon.figuratiuely in the thing signified.
Thou wilt bruise them with a Scepter of Iron: it was figuratiuely Psal. 2. 9.fulfilled by Christ, and literally by Dauid, 2 Sam. 12. 31.who bruised the Ammonites with flailes of Iron.
Sometimes it is figuratiuely fulfilled in both.Canon.
He who eates bread with me, lifts his heele against me: this is meant of Achitophel and Iudas.
A sense againe, is either Historicall or Allegoricall.Canon.
An Historicall sense, is that sense which the words afford, either proper of figuratiue.
It is a dangerous thing, when the words are properly Canon.to be taken, for to take them figuratiueily, or contra.
Behold Eltas shall first come. The Iewes expound the Mal. 4. 5. Mat. 17. 12.Iewes.words properly of Elias Tisbites, when the Prophet meant them figuratiuely of Iohn, who came with the gifts of Elias.
Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees: The Disciples Math. 16. 6.Disciples.tooke it properly, when Christ meant figuratiuely of their Doctrine.
Vnlesse a man be borne againe, he cannot enter into the Ioh. 3. 3.Naturall.Kingdome of God: that which Christ meant figuratiuely of Regeneration, Nicodemus takes it literally.
Vnlesse a man be baptized with fire and the holy Ghost, Mat. 3. 11.Abysseni.he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God: that which Iohn meanes figuratiuely, the Abyssent take literally; when they Baptize their children, they powre water vponupon them, and marke them with an hot Iron, as we doe out Lambs.
Some hauehave gelded themselues for the Kingdome of God: Mat. 19. 12.Origen.which words Origen taking literally, gelded himselfe: whereas he expounded almost all the rest of the Scriptures figuratiuely.
This is my body: The Papists take the words literally, Papists.when they should be figuratiuely taken.
The literall sense is then to be left, when it is contrary Canon.to modestie, pietie, or good manners.
Contrary to modesty. Esay is bidden goe naked; these Esay 20. 2.words wee cannot expound them literally, because it were contrary to modestie for him to goe naked; then he went naked, that is, he wanted his Propheticall garment: So Saul was naked, (that is) he wanted his Military 1 Sam. 19. Mark. 15.coate; so the young man fled naked, (that is) wanting his vpper garment. Esay was but naked in this sense.
Contrary to Pietie. To cut off the right hand, and pull out Math. 5. 29.the right eye: these words cannot be expounded literally; because it is forbidden in the sixt Commandement.
If thy enemy thirst, giuegive him drinke: these words are literally Pro. 25. 21. 22.to be epxounded; because this dutie is commanded in the sixt Commandement: but heape coales vponupon Rom. 12. 20. Pro. 25 21.his head, we cannot expound these words literally; for that were contrary to the sixt Commandement.
Contrary to good manners. When the Prophet Ezechiel 3. Ezech. 4. 12was commanded to eate his Bread bakt with mans dung: this literally was not fulfilled, because it was contrary to good manners, but onelyonly in vision.
So when the Prophet Hosea is bidden marry a whore, Hos. 1. 2.this was onelyonly in vision, and not literally; for it had been contrary to pietie, and his calling.
An Allegoricall sense is that sense which the words Canon.meane not at the first; but that which the Author intends either in words or matter.
It differs from a Parable, a History, an Example, an Apologue, a Proverbe, and a Riddle.
In an Allegory wee consider both the literall sense, 1 Parable.and the mysticall; but in a Parable there is but one sense signifying some other thing.
God hath so tempered the Scriptures, that he hath not onelyonly expressed his will in words, but also in matter, in types, and figures.
There is an Allegory in words, and an Allegorie in matter; in words, Metaphors; in matter, Types; in Figures, the Antecedent signifies the thing consequent; and the literall sense, is fulfilled before the mysticall sense.
It differs from an History, for an History is the commemoration 2. History.of a thing already done, and in it we consider onelyonly, Quid in facto dicitur, What is to be done.
It differs from an Example, for an Example is a part 3. Example.of a History, setting out one thing by similitude of another, taken onelyonly from reasonable Creatures, 1 Cor. 10. These are examples to vsus.
It differs from an Apologue: because in it, examples 4. Apologue.are fained: to which we ascribe the actions of men, to bruite beasts,l or things without life: as, the Trees of the Iudg. 9. 2 King. 14.field went out to choose a King; The Cedar of Lebanon married with the Thistle of Lebanon: and something is drawne out of this, which we make vse of, and it is called foreign. In this we consider not, Quid in facto dicitur, sed quid in sensu, What is said to be done, but what in sense.
It differs from a Prouerbe: for a Proverbe is a short 5. Proverbe.saying much in vse, somewhat obscure, for the most part expressing by Metaphoricall words something vntounto vsus, and alluding to something, not distinctly expressed.
It differs from a Riddle, which is an obscure Allegory, Iudg. 14. 126. Riddle.as, Out of the eater came meate.
Whether is the historicall sense, or the spirituall Quest. sense more noble?
The spirituall sense is more noble, as in this, Thou Answ. shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe which treadeth out Deut. 25. 4.the Corne. The Apostle giues a more noble sense, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Minister who labours in 1 Cor. 9. 9.the Gospel. When Ionathan shot two arrowes, and sayd to his Boy, Bring these two arrowes, hee meant two 1 Sam. 20.things, Propius & remotius, propius was the taking vp of the arrowes, remotius was the flight or abiding of Dauid: propius was the baser sense; but Dauids flight was the nobler sense.
The mysticall sense of the Scriptures, is Allegoricall, Canon.Tropologicall, or Anagogicall.
These are not properly divers senses, but diuers applications of one sense to our instruction, faith, and manners.
The Allegoricall application is, when the things in Canon.Allegoricall.the old Testament, shadowe out some things in the estate of the new Testament; as, Abrahams two sonnes, Gal. 4. 22.the one by a handmaide, the other by a free-woman, which (Paul saith) signifie the two Couenants, the Law and the Gospell.
The Tropologicall, is, when the thing deliuered, signifies Canon.Tropologicall.some other thing to expresse manners; as, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe, (that is) thou shalt not defraud the Preacher of his maintenance.
The Anagogicall application, is, when thins literally Canon.Anagogicall.expressed, doe signifie something in heavens blisse.
God swore in his wrath, that they should not enter into his rest: but Heb. 4. the Apostle concludes from this, That vnbeleevers shall not enter into the eternall rest.
Ipse conteret caput Serpentis, that is, 1. the seed (Christ) Gen. 3.shall tread the head of the Serpent: this is the literall sense. 2. aChrysost. Homilia 17.The Church shall tread downe the head of the Serpent; this is the Anagogicke sense; Chrysostome and Ambrose follow this: 3. bVt notat Lyranus de Bernardo.Reason shall tread downe Appetite: this is the Allegoricall sense; Augustine and Lyra follow this. 4. The Virgin Mary shall tread downe the head of the Serpent: this is the blasphemous sense, Bernard and sundry of the Papists follow this. Beware to fall from the literall sense to the Allegoricall, and the Anagogicall sense, least thou fall at last to the blasphemous sense.
EueryEvery Scripture cannot hauehave these divers applications: Canon.cHieron. cent. Appton.Non ex legenis voluntate, sed ex scribentis authoritate Confir.intelligenda est Scriptura, The Scripture is not to be vnderstood, according to the will of the Reader; but according to the authoritie of the Writer, and they should not be sought out, but where they Spirit of God hath applied them.
Philo-Iudaeus was a great affecter of these Allegories; Illust.Philo-Iud.as Paradise he expounded to be the Soule, Man to be the Minde, the Woman to be the Sense, the Serpent to be Delight, the Tree of knowledge of good and evill, to be Wisedome, the rest of the Trees to be the vertues of the minde.
Ther Fathers hauehave beene too great followes of this Allegoricall exposition, making the Scriptures like materiam primam, (as wee call it in the Schooles) capable of all fromes, or like vntounto that foreign, which Anaxagoras dreamed of, making quidlibet ex quolibet.
The Iewes divide the interpretation of the Scriptures Canon.three manner of wayes.
Gnal derech happoresh, per viam lectionis, by reading, Illust.they call this the Grammaticall or literall sense, those who followed this were called Carraim, lectores, Lectionarii, foreign, Readers; so they were called, Bagnale pesukim, domini versuum, the masters of verses, the Interpretation they compared to a Candle, by the light of which a man may finde a shinning pearle, but the mysticall sense, they called it, the shinning Pearle.
You hauehave heard of old. dAnt Neb. in voces nov. Test.Christ alludes here to their Math. 5.formes of teaching: First, they had foreign, auditionem, when they heard the Law read and literally expounded vntounto them: Secondly, they had Agadta, extensionem, the Interpretation of the thing they heard when they gaue the mysticall sense, Allegoricall or Anagogicall. Christ would say, in none of these expositiōs hauehave they taught you the right meaning of the Commandements.
Gn…l derech hamidresh: per viam interpretationis, by interpretation, this was not according to the literall sense; but according to the hid and Allegoricall: and because the Pythagoricke and Platonicke Philosophy was mysticall and symbolicall, they beganne to follow this kind of teaching. The Pharisies (teaching traditions) followed this Allegoricall kinde of teaching, and they were called tannaim, and their traditions foreign. Secondary lavves or traditions of men.The Sadduces followed the literall sense throughout …illel who taught traditions, he was called Prosanus. Sammai his opposite, vvas called Dissipator, for the rent vvhichwhich he made in the Church.Moses Law.
The third way of Interpretation, was Gnal derech Hacabala, per viam cabalae, by obscure writing: and they were called Mecabbalim, who received the traditions from their Fathers, and delivered them by tongue to their posteritie, this sense was like the Anagogicall sense.
CAP. II.
Of the manner how to obserue Doctrine out of the Scriptures.
IN a Speech wee consider first the veritie Canon.or falshood of it: secondly, the propriety of it: thirdly, the spiritualitie of it.
The veritie and falshood are tryed Illust.by affirmation and negation, which are the two Cardines of Poles (as the Iewes *Tam. lib. Iom.speake) vponupon the which all things are turned.
Of the gathering of Doctrine from Affirmations in a Text.
VVHen the Scriptures affirme a thing earnestly, Canon.they vse a double affirmation.
1 Kings 10. 21. So they say, Amen, Amen; Matthew Confir.hath foreign, verily, and the other Evangelist foreign, indeed, Mark. 9. 1. Math. 5. 26. Luke 9. 27.this they did that they might be beleeved the more, they were so sparing of their Oath.
An affirmation must be distinguished from an Hypotheticall Canon.or conditionall Proposition.
A conditionall Proposition doth not simply affirme; Canon.therefore conclusions gathered from it, as it wree, affirmatiue, hold not: as in this; If he finde some vncleannes Deut. 24. 1.in her, let him write her a bill of divorcement, and put it in her hand, and send her out of his house: The Iewes gathered from this, that it was lawfull for them to put away their wiues, as if the Lord had commanded it, when the speech is onelyonly Hypotheticall.
If he tarry till I come, what is that to you? The Disciples Ioh. 21. 22.gathered from this, that Iohn should not dye till Christ came againe.
If Daniel, Noah, and Iob were among them: The Papists Ezech. 14. 14.gather hence, that the Saints departed intercede for the Saints liuing.
An hypotheticall Propositiō presupposes not any veritie Canon.of the simple Proposition; but considers onelyonly the connexion, therefore those who reason, If the Miracles Mat 11. 21. 22.which were wrought in thee, had beene done in Tryre and Sydon, they had repented logn agoe; that there was some inclination in Tyre and Sidon to repentance, are mistaken.
If these hold their peace the stones would speake: It will Luke 19 37not follow hence, that there is any inclination in the stones to speake.
An hypotheticall Proposition, the truth of falshood of Canon.it, depends vponupon a simple enunciation, in which it is resolued: therefore those who hold that there is an hypotheticall Proposition contingent, which may be either true or false, are deceived.
If a speech be affirmatiue, the exception is negatiue; Canon.if the speech be negatiue, the exception is affirmatiue.
Dauid was a man according to Gods heart: but in the 1 Kin. 15. 5.Matter of Vriah. Here the speech is affirmatiue, therefore the exception must be negatiue, oin the matter of Vriah, he was not a man according to the heart of God.
Christ was like to vsus in all things, excep sinne; therefore Heb. 4. 15.in these bands I would ye were not lke vntounto me.
Of the gathering of Doctrine from Negations in a Text.
THe Negatiues in Scriptures denie not, sometimes, Canon.simply, but onelyonly in comparison.
Ye shall not be called Iacob, but Isarel; that is, Ye shall be Gen. 32 28rather called Israel then Iacob.
I will hauehave mercy, and not sacrifice; that is, I will hauehave Math. 9. 13.rather mercy then sacrifice.
Buy wisedome, and not gold, that is, rather wisedome Pro. 8. 10.then gold.
When you make a Feast, bid not your Brethren, but the Luk. 14. 12 13poore; that is, rather the poore then your Brethren.
He sent me not to baptize, but to preach; that is, rather to 1 Cor. 1. 17.preach then to baptize.
This teacheth vsus, that the chiefe part of a Pastors dutie Doctrine. is Preaching.
Their Negatiues denie not, sometmes, simpliciter, Canon.but onelyonly modum.
Hitherto ye hauehave asked nothing in my name; that is, ye Ioh. 16. 24.hauehave not directly asked in my name: they asked implicitè, and indirectly, when they looked to the Arke, and when they sought for his servant Dauids sake; but they asked not by the name of Iesus Christ explicitè.
Those who conclude hence, that the Iewes vnderunder Doctrine. the Law knew not Christ, are deceived.
A man shall not teach his neighbour, but he shall be taught Ioel 2. 28.of God: Here it denies not simply, but onelyonly the manner (for the Ministry is not taken away here) that is, They Heb. 8. 11.shall not teach their neighbour so obscurely, by Ceremonies, Types, and Figures.
Their Proverbiall speeches deny a thing commonly, Canon.but not alwayes.
Who planteth a Vineyard, and eates not of the fruit of it? 1 Cor 9. 7. Deu 28. 39and yet God threatens in his Law, that they shall plant a Vineyard, and not eat of the fruit of it.
The Disciple is not aboue the master: that is, vsually he Mat 10. 24.excells not; yet Daud, Psal. 119. excelled all his teachers. If these Proverbs hold vsually, it is sufficient.
Sometime they set downe the affirmation of a thing, Canon.with the denyall of the contrary, to shew their earnestnesse.
Set thy house in order, for thou must die and not liue; that Esay. 37.is, certainly dye.
Let Reuben liue and not dye, that is, certainly liue.Deut. 33. 6.
He who curseth his Father and his Mother, and blesseth Pro. 30. 11.them not; that is, certainly curseth.
Be not faithlesse but faithfull; that is, certainly faithfull.Ioh. 26. 26.
If thou remeber me, and forget me not; that is, if thou 1 Sam. 1. 11certainly remember me.
This teacheth vsus, how earnest Anna hath beene in her Doct. Prayer, and how earnest the Lords Prophets hauehave beene with his servants.
Some of their Negatiues denie onelyonly, according to Canon.the conceit and opinion of the hearers.
God is not the God of the dead, but of the liuing; that Mat. 22. 32.is) of such dead, whom the Sadduces thought dead, who should neuer rise againe.
It is not my Doctrine, but his who sent me: )that is) It is not mine as ye take me to be a meere man.
I commanded you nothing touching sacrifices: (that is) Ier. 7.Cum opinione cultus, vt vos putatis, With opinion of worship, as you thinke. They thought the very sacrificing pleased God.
Sometimes the negatiue is onelyonly vnderstood in such Canon.a cause.
There is no iniquitie in my handes (that is) touching Psal. 7.Saul.
Speake neither good nor bad to him (that is) touching his Gen. 31.returne to thee.
When the note of denyall is put with the Verbe, it Canon.denies wholly.
Non est qui facit bonum vsque ad vnum, id est, nullus. Psal. 14 3.there is not one that doth good, (that is) none.
Non iustificabitur iin conspectu tuo omnis vivens, id est, Psal. 143. 2.nullus. All men shall not be iustified before thee (that is) none. So Dan. 11. 37.
Non est impossible apud Deum omne verbum idest, nullum: Luke 1. 37.EueryEvery word is not impossible, (that is) no word.
Nisi abbreuiarentur dies illi, non seruaretur omnis caro, Mat. 24. 22.id est, nulla: All flesh should not be saued, (that is) no flesh. Therefore Bellarmine (who holds that there is no difference whether the note of deniall be set before the Verbe or after) erres. Reading Ei qui operatur, merces imputatur, non secundaum gratiam, sed secundum debitum, to make the better for his purpose, in establishing some merit in man, before righteousnesse be imputed to him by grace. The true reading, is, Merces non imputatur.Rom. 4. 4.
When the Negatiue is ioyned with the Particle, then it denies not vniversally.Canon.
Non omnis qui dicit Domine, Domine, intrabit regnum Math. 7. 21.Coelorum: id est, aliquis intrabit, aliquis non: Not eueryevery one that sayes vntome, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdome of heaven, (that is) Some shall enter, and some shall not enter.
The Negatiue denies (sometimes) but in comparison.Canon.
Ephes. 6. We wrestle not against flesh and bloud, (that is) Confir.in comparison, Not so much against flesh and bloud.
Non sic] non negat modum sed negat simpliciter: Canon.this Negation (not so) denies not the manner, but it denies simplie.
Ye should not hauehave taken away the prey so: (that is) Ye 2 Sam. 2.should no wayes hauehave parted the prey.
he did not so to any Nation: (that is) He did it not at Psal. 147.all to any Nation. So MAth. 9. 33. and 18. 14. foreign rem ipsam notat, non modum.
When the note of deniall is set betwixt the finit Canon.and the infinite Verbe, then it certainly denies, Gen. 3. comedendo, non comedatis. So where it is placed before the finit and infinit, Gen. 3. Non comedendo comedetis. So Psalm. 49. Non redimendo rediment fratrem suum. Therefore those who gather, When the negatiue is place before the finit and infinit, then it denies but doubtfully, seeme to be mistaken.
Of a double Negatiue there will follow a double affirmatiue; Canon.and of a double Affirmatiue, a double Negatiue, but not an Affirmatiue and a negatiue.
Melchisedek had neither beginning nor end of his dayes, Heb. 7. 3.therefore other Priests hauehave both a beginning and an end of their dayes: but it will not follow Affirmatiuely, and Negatiuely: Other Priests hauehave a beginning of their dayes, but not an end.
The vniust Iudge feareth neither God nor Man: the Luke 18.Affirmatiue, The Iust Iudge feares both God and Man; but it will not follow affirmatiuely and negatiuely, The iust Iudge feares God, but not man.
Some sinnes are neither remitted in this life, nor in the MAt. 12. 32.life to come: the affirmatiue, Some sinnes are remitted both in this life, and in the life to come: but it will not follow affirmatieuly and negatiuely, some sinnes are not pardoned in this life, which are pardoned in the life to come: as the Papists conclude, in Purgatory.
To confirme this, wee may vse Bellarmines owne comparison: fBellar de Purgatorio.Philip King of Spaine, pardons some sinnes both in Spaine nor Bruxels; but it will not follow this way, some sinnes he pardons not in Spaine, which he pardons in Bruxels.
If a negatiue be true, the affirmatiue must be false, & Canon.contra, by the rule of contradiction.
thou wilt not leaue my soule in graue, or hell, neither suffer Psal. 16.they holy One of see corruption. this negatiue is false of Dauid, for Peter sahyes of him, Acts 2. That he saw corruption; and that his buriall was there to this day: then the affirmatiue must be true of Christ, that he saw no corruption, neither was his soule left in the graue, or hell. Here by the rule of contradiction, is proved that Christ went not downe to hell, (contrary to the Papists) for Sheol signifies that same of Christ, that it signified of David, to wit, the graue.
If a speech be Negatiue, the exception is Affirmatiue.Canon.
No man takes this honour vponupon him, but he that is called Heb 5. 4.as Aaron was: therefore, he that is called as Aaron was, takes this honour vponupon him, Mat. 19. 9.
CHAP. III.
Of the gathering of Doctrine from the proprietie or manner of speech in the Scripture.
THe proprietie and phrase of the speech Canon.in Scripture, is a profitable helpe for to gather Doctrine by.
1. When a speech is spoken foreign, Illust.borrowing a word from one thing to another. 2. When it speakes foreign, by way of exceelency. 3. When it speakes foreign, suppressing some thing. 4. When it speakes foreign, when in modest tearmes it vtters vncomely things. 5. foreign, oculariter dictum, when by an holy taunt or mocke, it vilifies a thing. 6. When it speakes a thing per foreign, by a comly sort of speech. 7. When it vvtters a thing per foreign, by representaton of a thing. 8. When it speakes foreign, in passion. 9. When it speakes foreign, excessiuely. 140. Per foreign, abiectly of a thing.
The Scripture speakes of God, humanitus, borrowing Canon.from man sundry things.foreign.
1. Hand feet, eyes, are attribute to god, per foreign. Illust.2. Passions, as ioy, anger, repentance, per foreign. 3. it brings him in, sitting in judgement after the manner of man, per foreign; as, I saw the Lord 2 King. 11.sitting vponupon the throne, and the Angels about him. So Psal. 68. To him that rideth vponupon the mo?st high heavens.
This teacheth vsus that wee cannot take vp God, Doctrine. but according to our weake capacitie, and by things that we are best acquainted with: for if the Scriptures (because we cannot conceiue what our owne soule is) expresse the soule by the members of the body, EueryEvery knee in heauen shall bow to the Lord. So the rich Glutton Phil. 2. 10. Luk. 16. 24.desired Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger, and coole his tongue. Farre lesse can can we conceiue of God, vnlesse the Lord speak to vsus by things which we are most acquainted with.
If it be said, that, this way wee may take vp a wrong Obiect. conception of God. I Answere.
gAlsted. metaph.There is a threefold conception of God. Answ.
1. Adaequatus conceptus, when God conceiues himselfe fully, as he is; neither Man nor Angell can this way take him vp. 2. Analogicus conceptus, although we cannot conceiue him fully, as he is; yet when by way of Analogie, we are led by these outward things, that he is a Spirit, who sees all, by his eyes; that he is a Spirit, who hath all power, by his hands. 3. Falsus conceptus, when the Papists conceiue him falsely, painting him like an old man.
The Villages about great Cities, are called the daughters Iudg. 11. 26. Gal. 4. 26.of the Cities: so Ierusalem whcih is from aboue, is the mother of vsus all: this is a Metaphoricall speech.
As no Village about Ierusalem, might hauehave claimed Doct. this tile, to hauehave bin called the Mother of the Townes about; so no particular Church can be called simply the Mother of other Churches. The Iewish Church cals the Gentiles their Sister; We hauehave a little Sister, what Cant. 8. 8.shall we doe for her? This prerogatiue belongs onelyonly to Ierusalem, which is from aboue.
The nature of a Metaphor, is to proceed from sensible Canon.things to spirituall, and not contrarily.
Therefore shoel, or haides, doth not properly, first signifie the estate of the damned; and then of a Metaphor, the graue, s the Paipists hold; but contrarily, first the graue, and then the state of the damned.
The Scripture when it speakes of God, it speakes by Canon.II. foreign.way of excellencie of him.
High Mountaines, it cal & them Gods Mountaines: so Confir.tall Cedars, it cals them Gods Cedars: so, Faciam cum ipso Psal. 80. 11. 1 Sam. 9. 11. Ionah 3. 3. 1 Sam. 28. 2so bonitatem Dei, id est maximam: so MosEs was faire to God, that is, very faire: so Niniuie was great to God, that is, very great: so strong to God, that is, very strong: so to expresse a great thing, they compound it with the name of God, Iah; to increase the signification of it, Ier. 2. 31. Cant. 2. 8. and sometimes with El, 2 Sam. 23. 20. So, to shew the vanitie of things, they call them after the name of Idols. Iob 1. 13.
We come to the knowledge of God three manner of Illust.wayes. 1. hAlsted. Metaph.Per viam negationis, Godis not this nor this; Ergo, He is this: we proceed here, as the Caruer of an Image doth, when he heweth off from the stone, this and this, to make it this. 2. Per viam causatonis, as when we take him vp by his effects. 3. Per viam eminentiae; Rom. 1.what excellent thing we see in the creatures, that leads vsus to take vp what excellency is in God.
This teacheth vsus, when we see any exceelent thing Doct. in the creatures, let vsus not rest there; but elevate our minds to the infinite beautie and greatnesse that is in God.
Sometimes the Scripture teacheth vsus by silence altogether, Canon.III. foreign.and sometimes by defectiue speeches not expressing the full sentence.
The holy Ghost, when he passeth by the Parents of Heb. 7. Gen. 14.Melchisedech, betokeneth great mysteries.
Although God had appointed sixe Tribes to blesse, Deut. 26. 27.and sixe to curse; yet they expre?sse not the blessins.
This was to teach them that they should looke to Doctrine. him who should come after to blesse, and that the curse was by the Law, and not the blessing.
For reverence of God, the Scripture omits sometimes Canon.the name of God.
At the right hand of the power: but Luke 22. 63. At the Mark. 14. 62.right hand of the power of God.
This should teach vsus to sanctifie the name of God. Doct.
Why doe the Iewes neuer reade the name of God, Quest. Iehovah; but Adonai, or Elohim for it?
The reason why the 70. translated it foreign, Lord, and Answ. i Drus. quest. When the name Iehovah is expressed, they call it Shem Hamporesh.not Iehovah, seemes to be this; because it could not be expressed: well in the Greeke tongue, for the Greeke tongue wants the aspiration foreign, and … expresses not …, as Dauid, foreign, Valerius, foreign, this made the name Iehovah first to be called foreign: but it was never the Lords mind, that it should never be expressed: but it came in through superstition, that they put Adonai or Elohim for it: and they say that Adonai cum cametz semper sanctum, because it borroweth it from Iehovah; but Adoni Dominus meus, and Adonai Domini mei, cum Patach, are semper prophana, and they hold that noen might pronounce this name Iehovah, but the Priest when he was blessing the people in the Temple, and that the Egyptian Levit. 24.was stoned to death, because hee expressed the name Iehovah, and since the destruction of the Temple, none can tell how to pronounce it, sometimes reading it Iaue, and sometimes Iahaue. They hold that the pronunciation of this name had power to worke miracles, and that it was by this name that Christ wrought his miracles.
In their imprecation they expresse not the curse.Canon.
God so doe to me and more. Iob 1. the Devill expresseth Psal 65. 11.it not; and the Lord himselfe, If they shall enter into my rest.
This teacheth vsus, that it is a fearefull thing to fall into Doctr. the hands of the liuing God.
The people in the Captituitie seeme to hauehave expressed Obiect. the oath? for they say, If we forget thee O Ierusalem, Psal. 137.then let out tongue cleaue to the roofe of our mouth?
This kBuxtorf. Gramm.Imprecation was not expressed, when they Answ. were scoffingly vrged by the Baby lonians to sing; but afterward when the Psalme was penned in remembrance of this mockery: as if they should say; The Babylonians desIred of vsus songs of mirth when we were in sadnesse, but wee had rather that our right hand had dryed vp, and our tongue had cleaued to the roofe of our mouth, then we had pleasured them in singing.
If I hauehave done this, then let the enemy pursue my life. It Obiect. seemes here that Dauid expressed the curse?Psal. 7. 4.
Here Dauid expresses not the curse, but defends his Answ. innocency, desiring to be freed from his enemies: As if he should say; If I had done these things, then they had had iust cause to pursue me; but seeing I am not guiltie of any such thing, but rather I may say, I hauehave deserued well at their hands, therefore I desire the Lord that He would free me from them.
For modestie sometimes they suppresse a thing.Canon.
When thou goest to the field, take a Padle with thee. The Deu. 23. 15.scripture suppresses what to do in the field, for modesty, to wit, to ease nature.
This teacheth vsus that we should be loth to speake of Doctr. filthie things, either naturall or sinfull. The Schoolemen when they speake of the sinne of Sodome, they call it mutum peccatum, a dumbe sinne, not giuing it the owne name.
When the Scripture expresses filthie actions, either Canon.IIII. foreign.naturall of sinfull, it expresses them in comely tearmes.
Ehud was couering his feete: that is, easing nature: for Iudg. 3. 24.they had long coates which couered their feete when they eased nature. Targum. Ipse feeit necessitatem suam: He was doing his needs.
A vessell in the which there is no delight: thus they call Hosea 8.a chamber-pot, or a stoole of ease, for modestie.
So Mephihosheth had not made his feete: that is; Ier. 22. 28.He had not washed them. So him who had the tunning of the reines, or gonorrhaa, for modestie of speech, they said of him, foreign, that he suffered some bodily thing.
As they were modest in their speech, so in their practise and doings.
Heshall not leaue one to pisse against the wall: that is, He 2 Sam. 25. 22.shall not leaue a young boy: for such was the modestie of the men when they came to age, that they went aside where they might not be seene; but the little children which were not ashamed stood vp against the wall. It is not meant of a dogge here. Targum translates it, filium intelligentem, a childe of vnderstanding.
When they speake of adulterie and sinfull vncleannesse, Canon.they expresse it also in modest termes.
If he had not plowed with my Heifer: that is; If ye had Iud. 14. 18.not lyen with Dalila. So the Latines, fundum alinum *Arare in re obsco…a.arat; He tills another mans ground. So by grinding, Ioh 31. 10. Let my wife grinde to another. So Gen. 19. 31. And we hauehave none to goe in to vsus after the way of all flesh: Gen 19. 31via omnis carnis, they call it modestly, lying with a woman.
Stollen waters axe sweete, that is, adulterie. They call adulterie Pro. 9. 17.and filthie lust, water; as Moab, of his fathers water. And the Latines, Abstine ab aqua aliena; Abstaine from another mans conduit: and it is calle aqua furtiua, stollen water.t Targum. Ruth 2. for modestie calleth membrum virile, foedue circumcision is Vide 7. pracepta Noach, & decem membra radicalus.
And it is to be marked, that such is the puritie of this holy tongue, that there is no proper name in it, by the wich the sexe is disginguished, as in other languages: *Pes pro puden. is.as the mans yeard is onelyonly called his nakednes, his flesh, Esay. 7 20. Dout. 28.his feete, the haire of his feet, that is, of his privie parts: so the womans is called her fountaine, Levie. 15. 19. Marc. 5. 29. and her thigh, Num. 5. 27. and her cisterne, Esay 51. and her skirts, Nahum. 4.
This teacheth vsus as we put honour vponupon our shamefull Doctr. parts, 1 Cor. so the Spirit of God would hauehave vsus to put comely termes vponupon vncomely things,
In speaking of idolatrie and spirituall whoredome, Canon.the Scripture expresses it in plaine termes.
Ezech. 16. Thou spred thy legs vnderunder eueryevery greene tree.
Ezech. 23. Fluxus equorum, fluxus tuus: Thy issue was the issue of an horse.
Ezech. 23. Thou coueted the issue of an Asse.
This teacheth vsus, that idolatry is such a subtle thing, Doctr. that we cannot take it vp, as we do bodily whore dome, therefore the Lord expresses it in plaine termes, that we may abhorre it the more.
When God would vilifie sinne and sinners, he speakes Canon.V. foreign.basely of them, with an holy kinde of taunt.
God shall destroy the sonnes of Sheth: that is, the Moabites, Numb. 23.who stood behinde Balaams backe (as yee would say) the sonnes of the buttocks: and the Hebrewes say, they were so called, because they were onelyonly begotten by the flesh; they were not the children of the promise, as the Israelites: or, the sonens of the buttockes, that is, loathsome Haskumi.excrements, the Lord abhorred them as the very excrements.
They of Eckron called their God Baalzebhah, the God of sacrifice; but God in disdaine called him, *They would not call their ovvne God so basely.Baalzebub, the God of flies: and Christ in the New Testament, *Zebul in the Syriack is called Stercus.Baalzebul, Math. 9. 34.the God of dung.
They of Moab called their God, Baalrgonez, the God of thunder; but the Lord in scorne called him, Baalpeor, Num. 25. 8the God of opening, or of a *Crepitue.Cracke: they called their God foreign, mScaliger in Etencho.the God of thunder; but the Lord called him foreign.
This teacheth vsus, in how great contempt we should Doctr. speake of idolatrie.
The Mount Olivet was called foreign the hill Hammishkeh.2 King. 23. 14.of spoyle: but because idolatrie was set vp there, the Lord by an holy taunt playes vponupon the name of it, and calls it foreign the hill of corruption. So they played hammischeth.vponupon the name of Epiphanes, and called him Epimanes, mad-man. So they played vponupon the name of Sardanapalus, when he became effeminate, and they called him foreign.* foreign. est id quo virisumus. membrum virile.
This teaches vsus that it is lawfull sometimes to giuegive a Doctrine. quip or taunt to beastly sinners or Idolaters.
Sometimes the Scripture expresses things by their Canon.contraries, especially in swearing.foreign.
Naboth had blessed God: that is, cursed God.1 Kin. 2. 13
Blesse God and die; that is, curse God. So Ptolomaus Iob 4.Philopater, who killed his Father. This kinde of speech differs from Ironia, for the contrary is knowne in their speeches by the sense; but in Ironia the contrary is knowne by the gesture.
This teacheth vsus that we should abhorre cursing. Doctr.
Sometimes the Scripture speakes in the person of another, Canon.VI. per foreign.when it is meant of him that speakes.
I know a man who was taken vp to the third heaven. Paul foreign.2 Cor. 12. 2.will not say of himselfe, that he was taken vp to the third heaven: but speakes as if another man had beene taken vp to heaven.
There came a man of God to Eli. Samuel will not say of 1 Sam. 2. 27him-selfe, that he, the man of God, came to Eli: and yet it is holden generally, that it was Samuel who came to Eli.
The Disciple who leaned on the bosome of Christ. Iohn will Ioh. 13. 23.not say, that he himselfe leaned in the bosome of Christ for modestie.
This teacheth vsus that of Salomon, Pro. 27. 2. Let another Doctrine. mans mouth praise thee and not thine owne. When Math. 9. 10.Matthew speakes of the entertainement which he gaue to Christ in his owne house, marke how sparingly he speakes of it, That he came home and eat bread in Levies Luke 5. 27, 18, 29.house: but when Luke speakes of it, he sayes; And Levi made a great feast to Christ.
But Moses writes of himselfe, that he was the meekest Obiect. man in the world?Num. 12. 3.
Moses durst not hold backe that commendation, Answ. more then he durst in other places not set downe his owne belmishes; to let them see, that it was not his owne particular that moued him here, but the glory of God.
Secondly, the Scripture taxes another man in the Canon.person of him that sepaketh.
Pavl in his owne person, and in the person of Apollo, 1 Cor. 4. 6.findes fault with the schismaticall and false Teachers in Corinth.
This teacheth vsus, that there is great wisedome required Doctrine. in reprouing.
The Scriptures speake something in passion.Canon.VII. foreign. Veats tedabber alenn.
foreign Tu autem loquitor ad nos, Deut. 5. 27.Speake thou to vsus: These are the words of the people speaking to Moses, they put him in the soeminie Gender, speaking in perturbation.
And if foreign thou deale thus with me, kill me I pray thee.
These are the words which Moses speakes to God in Num. 11. 15the soeminie gender, being troubled in minde.
This teacheth vsus, that a man in perturbation is not fit to serue God. Doctrine.
The Scripture sometimes teacheth vsus by hyperbolicke CanonVIII. foreign.and exceeding speeches, either in excesse, or in defect.
In excesse: If all that Christ had done were written, the Ioh. 21. Iudges 20. 15.world would not containe it. So, The men of Beniamin could hit at an haire.
In defect: I am a worme and not a man.Psal. 22.
This teacheth vsus, that there is a naturall infidelitie in Doctrine. man, to misbeleeue, which makes the Lord to vse such excessiue speeches.
They speake lesse, and vnderstand more.Canon.IX. foreign.
The father of the foolish reioyceth not: that is, he is very Pro. 17. 21.sad.
It is not good to accept persons in iudgement: that is, it is Pro. 24. 23.very evill.
He will not bold him guiltlesse who takes his name in vaine: Exod. 20. 7.that is, he will certainly punish him.
It shall not be remitted in this life, nor in the life to come: Mat 12. 32.that is, it shall be certainly punished.
This teacheth vsus, that we should bridle our affections, Doctrine. and moderately vtter our passions.
Sometimes the Scripture teachets vsus foreign, by Canon.X.distinction.
It puts a difference betwixt the revelation of God to those who were not prophets, and those who were the Prophets of God. When it speakes of the first sort, it sayes, And the Lord came to Laban: And the Lord came to Abimelech: And the Lord came to Balam. But when it speakes of the second sort, it sayes, The word of the Lord came to them: Thus saith the Lord: The hand of the Lord was vponupon them.
Hence the Iewes gather, that Balaam had lost the gift Doctrine. of Prophecy now, and was onelyonly a Divinor: (So the Scripture cals him, Ios. 13. And they killed Balaam, the sonne of Peor, the divinor) and they apply this proverbe to him; Camelus, cornua quaerens aures amisit, The Camel seeking bornes, lost her eares: that is, Balaam seeking preferment, lost the gift of Propehcy.
Sometimes the Scripture speakes as the people conceiue Canon.XI.of a thing, foreign.
Gen. 3. The Scripture cals the Angels, Cherubims: because the people were most acquainted with Cherubims in the Tabernacle.
1 King. 10. 18. And SAloman made a throne of teeth. The Scripture cals the hornes of the Elephant, teeth; because they seeme so to the people, growing out of his mouth, like the tuskes of a Bore; but they are, Cornua resupinata, as *Quod multi dentes vocant, sum cornua resupina….Varro cals them, and grow not straight vp as the hornes of other beasts: they serue the Elephant for the same vse that hornes doe to other beasts. And as the Hart casts his hornes every third yeare; so doe they their hornes every tenth yeare, and hide them in the ground: therefore Ezec. 23. they are called Filij egressum, because men tread vponupon them when they are hidden in the ground; this is the most excellent Iuory.
Marke 1. 32. And the Sunne was dipping: beacause to those who dwell about the Sea-side, the Sunne seemes to dip in the Sea when it goes downe; therefore the holy Ghost vseth this phrase.
This should teach Preachers to submit themselues to Doctrine. the capacitie of their hearers, and to speake to them as they can conceiue. There is a Proverbe in the Talmud, That it is easier of an Elephant to goe through a needles eye: Which Christ repeats thus, It is easier for a Camel to goe through a needles eye: Why? because the people of God in Iudos, were more acquainted with Camels then Elephants.
Sometimes the Scripture teacheth vsus, foreignCanon.XII.
Psal. 139. 15. How wonderfully hast thou fashioned me below in the …ther parts of the earth? that is, How am I conceiued? So …. 4. Christ is said to come downe into the lower parts of the earth: that is, into the wombe of the Virgin Mary.
This … vsus the great humiliation of the Lord, Doctrine. and his examination, how he came downe from the place of glory, into darke places, darke as the bowels of the earth.
The Scripture sometimes teacheth vsus, per foreign, Canon.and foreign.
Per foreign, when the Scriptures bring in the Lord XIII.sitting vponupon a throne, as a King: 1 King. I saw the Lord sitting vponupon a throne.
This teacheth vsus our great infirmitie, that we cannot Doctrine. conceiue the Lord, but by things that we are acquainted with.
Per foreign, when the Lord i… brought in, speaking XIIII.to things without life: Hic tam persona, tum res fi…guntur: as in the former, Non persona sed mores. O earth, earth, earth, heare the Word of the Lord.
This teacheth vsus our great stupiditie, that the senselesse Doctr. creatures will sooner heare then man:
Per foreign, when the Scriptures bring in the dead XV.speaking, as Lazarus, and the rich Glutton.
This teacheth vsus our great infidelitie, that we will not Doct. beleeue the Scriptures of God, but would hauehave some come from the dead to teach vsus.
Sometimes the Scriptures by a diminutiue word, expresse Canon.Ieshurin (nun) est diminut… rum.great louelove and affection.
Let me die the death of the little righteous ones.Numb. 23.
This …eacheth vsus how deare to the Lord is the Doctr. death of the Saints▪ …n their death he embraceth them …s wee doe little babes in our armes. Deut. 34. 5. Moses died, Lepi Iehova, ad…s Iehovae, At the mouth of the Lord. The Ch…ldee Paraphrast paraphraseth it, Ad …sculum …ris Ieh…vae: At a kisse of the mouth of God. So that death to the righteous, is a kisse of the mouth of God.
Sometimes i… speakes disdainfully of athing. And Ezekiah 2 Kin. 18. 4.brake that *Nehushtan.little piece of Brasse, which was that huge brazen Serpent that was set vp in the wildernesse.
This teacheth vsus how basely wee should thinke of Idols, Doctr. us to call …, a little peece of w…xe …an idoll, a little peece of wood.
CHAP. IIII.
Of the morall instructions gathered from the Morall Law.
GOD taught his people their duties, by Precepts Canon.and examples.
By Precepts, which are contained in his Law.
The morall Law hath sundry properties which no other Canon.Law hath.
First, it is a royall Law, Iames 2. 8. because all were Illust. 1.bound to walke in it. Some Ceremonies of the Ceremoniall Law of the Iewes, obliged all the Iewes at some Exod. 12. 15times; as none might eate leauen at the Passeover: some of the Ceremonies obliged some of the Iewes at all times; as no Nazarite to drinke wine: some of the Ceremonies Num. 6. 3.obliged all the Iewes at all times; as no Iew in no place might eate swines flesh; but they never obliged Lev. 11. 7.the Gentiles.
The iudicall Law onelyonly obliged the Iewes in Iudea; Deut. 10. 9.No Levit might hauehave a possession in Israel: yet Acts 4. 36. a Levit of Cyprus sod his possession, and laid it downe at the feete of the Apostles: this Levit dwelling in Cyprus, migh hauehave a possession, although not in Iudea.
The iudiciall Law belonged onelyonly to the people in Iudea, Doctr. therefore nCarolst.Carolostadius, who vrged the Iudiciall Law to be observed in all Countries, did as those who would hauehave one shooe to serue all sorts of feete: So the Iewes were to blame, who vrged the observation of the Ceremoniall Law to the Gentiles.
It is spirituall Law, it reaches to the internall sinnes, Mat. 5. 28. 11.as well as to the externall.
It condemnes not onelyonly passiones, but propassiones: That is, subditos animi motus, sed non diutur nos; suddaine motions in the minde, but not continuing. As the Sunne shi…ing lets vsus see the little atomes or moats, which are the leasts things that we can discerne: so the bright Law of God lets vsus see the smallest things to be sinne, ever before they come to consent. If a man had smitten out his neighbours tooth, or his eye, the Iudiciall Law required no more of him but this, that his tooth should …ee smitten out againe; but it tooke not order wi… the internall hatred of the heart.
This puts a difference betweene this and all other Doctr. Lawes. The Ciuilian sayes, Cogitationis poenam in nostro foro nema luat; Let no man be punished in our Lurie for a cogitation. A man may be a good Citizen, who is not a good man in the Civill Common-wealth: but not so in Gods Church, because Gods Law requires internall obedience. The quickest of the Pharises could not conceiue that it was sinne before it came to consent, and they tooke it onelyonly for the restraint of the outward man, Matth 5. And Iosephus seemes to be a Pharisie in this point, oIoseph.finding fault with the sentence of Polybius, who said, that pPolyb.Antiochus perished miserably, because he thought to hauehave rob'd the Temple of Diana: Iosephus denies this, and sayes, it deserved such a punishment, not because he would hauehave done it, but if he had done it.
This Morall Law is spirituall: it condemnes sinnes in act: 1. from, the least to the greatest: 2. the antecedents: Matth. 5. Rom. 7.and 3. the consequents of sinne.
From the least to the greatest. Ye shall not revenge. Lev. 19. 18.All sort of revenge is here condemned: First, the Pharisies revenge, tooth for tooth, and eye for eye, Math. 5. Secondly, Cains revenge seauen for one, Gen. 4. Thirdly, Lamechs revenge, seventie for one, Gen. 4. Fourthly, Sampsons revenge, three thousand for one: Now let me be revenged Iudg. 16. 28.for one of mine eyes, and hee killed three thousand.
The antecedents and consequents of sinne.
The occasions or antecedents of sinne. Iacob must Gen. 35. 4.bury the eare-rings, least they make an Idoll of them: so the men of Ephesus, when they repented of their forceries, they burnt their Bookes.
The consequences of sinne: Yee shall not revenge, neither Lev. 19. 18remember. Here the Lord condemnes the dreggs and consequents of sinne, as well as the sinne it selfe. As he will not hauehave them to revenge, so hee will not hauehave them to remember. The Hebrewes illustrate this Talm. Babylon.by this example: Reuben sent to borrow of Simeon a hatcher; Simeon refuses him; the next day Simeon sends to borrow of Reuben a sicke; if he refuse it, it is vltio; but if he say, loe here it is, I will not doe to him, as he did to me, when he refused me his hatchet the last day, it is retentio, although it be not vltio▪ Ier. 3. 5. Servare is put for *foreign, the contrary is, foreign.servare iram.
There is nothing that we keepe so well in minde, as Doctr. iniuries.
The Morall Law is perpetuall: *Ahrog are legem; der rogare: & obragart. This is to mitigate the extremitie of the Lavv.the Ceremoniall Law was kept but onelyonly till the time of correction, and lasted but onelyonly the time of the infancie of the Iewes: but the Morall Law is perpetuall.
If the Morall Law be perpetuall, how is it that God Quest. hath given a dispensation to some to breake these commands?
Scotus markes well, that the Law standing in force, it Answ. implyes a contrandiction to dispense with it: but by dispensation, he vnderstands onelyonly the revocation of it for such a time, to such a person.
The gScotus.Law of Nature (saith he) is taken two manner of wayes; strictly, and largely: Strictly, which by necessarie and evident consequences are concluded: Largely, which inferres not a necessarie and evident consequences as the first.
Of the first he giues an Example, the whole is more then the part, therefore a house is more then any part of it: this consequence followes in the strictest signification: so, good is to be embraced, therefore euill is to be shunned.
Of the second he giues this Example, we ought to liue peaceably with others in the Common-wealth. Of this principle, it will not follow necessarily, therefore Possessions are to be divided, or not tobe divided: for both may stand, if the Common-wealth were well constitute, and people agreed together. Communitie of goods would not breake the peace of the Common-wealth; but because people are much giuen to selfe-louelove, therefore diuision of goods is a good meane, to make the people liue peaceably together.
So (saith he) this conclusion followes necessarily in the strictest signification, God is to be worshipped, therefore, we cannot worship an Idoll. But this followes not in the strictest signification, neither hath it intrinsecam connexionem; God is to be loued, therefore man is to be loued: there is onelyonly a conformitie betwixt these two.
Is it not sinne to kill thy neighbour? Quest.
Scotus answeres, this sinne comes by revelation of a new Law by God himselfe: so the precepts of the second Table are so neere vntounto the first principles, that they are called the Law of Nature in the largest sense; and Reason teacheth all men to keepe the same, as neerest vntounto the first Principles.
Precepts of the first Table cannot be dispensed with, without a staine of his owne holinesse, for they are the Principles of nature in the strictest sense. God cannot dispense that a man should hate him, sine intrinseca repugnantia; so, that one should worship an Idol.
The Precepts of the second Table, flow not from him necessary, as his iustice and holinesse; but freely hee willes or not willes the same, without any staine of his holinesse. God is to be loued, therefore A man may not marry his Brothers wife, this conclusion will not follow necessarily in the strictest signification.
But did not God dispense with the Israelites, when Quest. he bad them borrow the Egyptians Iewels? Scotus answers, that there was not a dispensation here from the eight Commandement; but onelyonly a revocation to them for that time, and in such a case, they being oppressed so long, and their wages kept from the; the Lord takes these Iewels and giues them for their wages.
But it is said of the Ceremonies, that they shall endure Obiect. for ever?
1. There is Propriè aternum, as God. 2. Aeternum ex Answ. hypothest; as Adams body had endured for ever if he had not fallen. 3. Valere aeternum, as Christs sacrifice. 4. Typicè eternum, as that which was a Type of an eternall thing, Exod. 12. I shall giuegive you Canaan for a possession for ever: because it was a Type of the eternall inheritance. 5 Catachrestilè aeternum, that which endured long, was said to be eternall, as Exod. 17. Circumcision is said to be a covenant for ever, that is, for a long time, till the comming of Christ. The continuance of the Ceremonies, is of this last sore.
After the death of Christ, first, the Church vsed Ceremonies, non propter se, sed propter aliud, not for themselues, but for author end: as when Paul shaued his head in Act. 18. 18.Cenchrea. He did not shaue his head as the Law of the Nazarites required; for he should hauehave gone then to Ierusalem, and there to hauehave shaued his head, and to hauehave cast the haire of his head vnderunder the Altar, and Numb. 6. 18.burnt it there: but hee doth it onelyonly here for bearing with the weake Iewes, which he could not hauehave done, if the Law had beene in vigour. Secondly, they kept these Ceremonies after the death of Christ at Ierusalem, but not at Antioch: Paul findes fault with Peter for Iudazing there. Thirdly, They kept them onelyonly among the Iewes till the destruction of the Temple, which was the Wardrobe of the Ceremonies. Fourthly, They went never againe to the brazen Altar to sacrifice, after the death of Christ, but vsed onelyonly some of these meanor Ceremonies, not for themselues, but for an other end.
The Ceremonies were appointed for the Iewes vntill Doctrine. the time of correction, and their in fancie: therefore when shee is come to maruiritie of age, distinguish not the times aright: Augustine hath a very fit similitude to this purpose; bee iEpist. …. ad Marcellinum.tells of a diseased youth, who came to that notable Phys…ian Vindecianus, who gaue him a medicine fit for his age and cured him: but long after, the man fell into the same discease againe, and he applyes the same receipt which he had vsed before in his youth, which had almost killed him: hee comming to the Physitian said vntounto him, that he marvelled why be would giuegive him such Physicke which would hurt him? The Physician demands of him when hee gaue him that Receipt? he answeres, when hee was a youth, and withall shewed him that then it cured him, which was now likely to kill him: the Physician replyed, that the Physicke was not good, because it was not taken at his command, and that which was wholsome to him being a youth, was now deedly to him being of age. So the Ceremonies of the Law were profitable for the Iewes being children, (taken it the commandement of God) but now they are deadly, when wee are become men in Christ.
The morall Law is equitable, it giues every man his owne, it requries a further dutie also, that the vse of our goods should helpe the poore in their necessitie: Prou. 3. 27. With-hold not thy goods from the *The 70. foreign. Indigenti.owner: the poore are called Bagnale tobh, Lords of thy goods. There is a double right, Ius proprietatis, & ius charitatis, the right of proprietie, and the right of charitie; ius charitatis, that belongs to the poore, ius proprietatis, belongs to the owner. Iure charitatis, so much as may refresh the poore in his necessitie, belongs to him, although the proprietie be not his.
The Lord appointed in his Law, that a man when Deut. 23. 24.he came into a Vineyard, might eate as many of the Grapes as hee pleased, this is ius charitatis; but hee might carry none away with him, this is ius proprietatis. So, the Disciples travelling through the fields vponupon Math. 12. 1.the Sabbath, pull the eares of the Corne when they were hungry, this was ius charitatis, but they put not in their sickle to cut downe the Corne, and carry it away, because they had not ius proprietatis of the owner.
Doctrine. This condemnes those vile niggards, like Nabal, who know no right, but ius proprietatis; so it condemnes the Anabaptists, who take away ius proprietatis, and turne all into ius charitatis.
All the Lawes must be rectified by it; it obliges all people; in all places, at all times; it binds the inward man as well as the outward; it yeelds not to the infancie of the Church, as the Ceremoniall; neither to be broken for necessitie; neither yeelds it to the hardnesse of the peoples hearts, as the Iudiciall.
God taught his people by temporary Precepts, by Canon.personall Precepts, by Precepts of tryall, and Precepts of conviction the Morall Law is all Precepts of obedience.
Temporary Precepts, were such Precepts as lasted I.but for a short time.
When Christ sent his Disciples in their first expedition, Luk 9.he forbis them to take with them a staffe, or weapon of defence.
Anabaptists gather hence, that it is not lawfull for a Doctr. Christian to vse any defensiue weapon; but they conclude here from a temporary Precept, as if it were morall.
A Personall Precept binds onelyonly the person to whom Canon. II.it is directed, Christ sayes to the young man, Sell all and follow me.Mat. 19. 21.
The Papists gather hence, that such as would be perfit, Doctr. should take vponupon them the estate of Povertie, and renounce all: but they conclude here from a personall Precept, as though it were morall.
Precepts of tyrall, are those Precepts which God Canon. III.gaue to some, onelyonly to try them; but ot which hee would hauehave them to performe.
When God bad Abraham offer his sone Isaack in Gen. 22. 2.a burnt-offering, it was but a Precept of tyrall, as the event shewed; for God would not hauehave him to performe it.
When Christ bad his Disciples giuegive the People Luke 9.meate to eate, it was but a Precept of tryall, for hee knew well enough that theyhad no meate to giuegive them.
When Salomon called for a sword, to cut the Child in 1 Kings 3 24.two, it was but a Precept of tryall.
If a Magistrate from this should conclude, that it Doctr. were lawfull for him so to doe; then hee should take a Precept of tryall for a Precept morall, and of obedience.
Precepts of conviction are those Precepts, which the Canon. IIII.Lord giues to wicked men, to make them the more inexcusable.
God sayes to Pharaoh; Let the people goe: hee knew Exod. 8. 1.well enough that Pharaoh would not let the people goe: why bad he him the let them goe? to make Pharaoh the more inexcusable.
Those who gather from this, that there were two Doctr. contrary wills in God, to let them goe, and not let them goe, are mistaken: for the one was a Precept of conviicton.
When God speakes to an vnregenerate man, and bids Quest. him repent; whether is it a Precept of obedience, a Precept of tyrall, or a Pecept of conviction?
If the man be appointed to salvation, to him it is Answ. a Precept of obedience; for at the selfe-same time when Gold bids him repent, he giues him grace to repent.
When Lazarus was lying dead in the graue, Christ Ioh. 11. 43bids him come out, at the selfe same time hee breathes life into him, it was a Precept of obedience to him.
So, when God bids a wicked man repent, and giues him grace to repent, it is a Precept of obedience to him; but to the wicked man who is appointed for destruction, it is a Precept of tryall and conviction to him.
CHAP. V.
How the Scriptures teach vsus by Examples.
AN Argument from Examples doth then Canon.necessarily conclude, when wee proue one particular by another, by way of similitude, which is common, Toti generi, to the whole kind, vnderunder which both are comprehended.2 Pet. 2. 9.
To strengthen the godly in hope of their deliverance out of affliction, Peter sets downe first genus, (god will deliver his owne, and preseue the wicked to destruction) this he proues, why? because it agrees not onelyonly to the wicked Angels, and to the Sodomites, but to all the wicked.
By outward things, good or bad, wee cannot know Eccles. 9. 2.the favour of God: this is genus, (All things befall alike to the iust, and the sinner: to the cleane, and to the vncleane: to him who sacrifiiceth, and him who sacrificeth not: to him who sweareth, and him who feareth the Oath.
The Hebrewes giuegive example of these. 1. sTalm. lib. Musar.To the iust, and to the sinner: as to the Egyptians and hezechias, Exod. 9.for both of them had the Plague. So, Dauid gathered 2 King. 20.the materialls to buld the Temple, and Nebuchadnetzar burnt the Temple; yet hoth of them reigned forty 1 Kings 16. 1 Chro. 29.yeares.
2. To the cleane, and to the polluted: as to the Spyes and to Moses stood for the defence of the Num. 14.good Land, and the Spyes raised an evill report vponupon the Land, yet both of them dyed in the Wildernesse.
3. To him who sacrificeth, and him whosacrificeth not: as losias restored the worship of God, and Achap polluted 2 Kings 23. 2 Kings 25.the worship of God; yet both of them dyed in the battell.
4. To him who swearth, and him who feareth Oath: Sampson was religious in his Oath, Zedechiah borke his Iudg 16 211 Kin. 25. 4.Oath; yet both of their eyes were pulled out of their head: here the genus agrees to all.
If the matter be proued by many Examples, and the Canon.genus agree not to all; then the conclusion is not good.
No Church-man should marry? why, because Paul, Ahanasius, Ierome, and Ambrose were not married: this genus agrees not to all Church-men; for wee can shew moe who hauehave beene married, as Peter, Philip the Evangelist, Spiridion, Bishop of Cyprus, Gregory Nazianzen, Polycrates, Bishop of Ephesus, who testifies that he was the eight, linally succeeding at Ephesus, one after another.
The Examples of Gods mercy and his iustice hold Canon.ever.
Abraham was iustified by faith, Rom. 4. Therefore all the faithfull are iustified by saith. So in the examples of his iustice, Luke 17. 32. Remember Lots wife, 1. Cor. 10. These are Examples for vsus.
And the Hebrewes hauehave a saying, Quod accidit patribus, est signum filijs; The thing that fell out to the Fathers, is a signe to the Sonnes.
If the Examples bee of the most notable men, Canon.then they hauehave the greater force to inferre the conclusion.
If Noah, Daniel, and Iob, would interce…e for this people; Ezech. 14.yet would I not heare them; why makes he choyce of these three? The Hebrewes answere, tTalmud. lib. Tehellin.that he makes choyce of them, because every one of them saw three Worlds. Noah saw the first World, the destroyed World, and the renewed World. … himselfe flourishing, himselfe in a miserable estate, and all … from him, and himselfe rest … to a flourishing estate againe. So Daniel saw the first Temple, the destroyed Temple, and (as they hold) the second Temple.
Wee are to follow Christ onelyonly in his morall Canon.and Theologicall vertues:
Be yee followers of me as I am of Christ.Confir.
Christs workes are either, Miraculosa, Admiranda, 1 Cor. 4. 16Illust.exemplaria: Marvellous, Wonderfull, or Exemplary. Miraculosa, as his fasting fortie dayes, he is not to Matth. 3.be followed in this: Admiranda; as when of rich he became poore for vsus: therefore men should renounce all, and professe voluntary Povertie; he is not to bee followed in this. Hee washed his Disciples feete; we are not bound to follow him in this, because it was admirandum in him. But wee should follow him onelyonly in exemplaribus, as his meeknesse, humilitie, and such.
In following Examples, we must marke foure things. Canon.1. How they did it. 2. When they did it. 3. Where they did it. 4. Why they did it.
How they did it. The Apostles healing the sicke, I.laid oyntment vponupon them; therefore the Priest now may giuegive Extreame vnction, it followes not; for they consider not what sort of oyle this was that they laid vponupon the sicke, and how they cured them: it was miraculous oyle, ad sanationem, for healing. The Fathers vsed it afterward, Iam. 5. 14.ad imitationem, for imitation; the Papists, ad viaticum, for a iourney. The first was sanctum, the second was non necessarium, the third was profanum.
Elias by extraordinary Calling, called for fire from Heaven, and burnt the Captaines, therefore the Disciples may call for fire from heaven to burne the Samaritans, it followes not, because they had not that same spirit.
The Apostles in choosing Matthias cast Lots; therefore Act. 1. 29.a Minister now is to be chosen by Lot, it followes not: why? because the Apostles were immediately called of God, and Lot being immediately directed by God, he was immediately chosen by him. But a Minister is mediately called by the Church: therefore the rules of the Apostle are to be followed in choosing of Act. 1. 26.him. Zeno, uNicephor. Eccles. Hist.the Emperour tempted God in this case, laying a paper vponupon the Altar, that God might were in the paper the name of him whom he would hauehave Bishop of Constantinople: Flauitias corrupting the Sexton of the Church, caused write in his owne name, and to he was made Bishop of Constantinople: Ecclesiastica munera non debent sorte conferri, Church affaires ought not to be guided by Lot.
Ehud killed Gneglon: therefore a Fryer may kill a Prince; this conclusion is exercrable: they therefore distinguish Iudg. 3. 20.not the divers sorts of Revenge; which is, 1. either divine, as when Phineas killed Cosbi, this was publica extraordinaria, publique extraordinary. 2. Ordinaria publica, ordinarily publique, by the Magistrate. 3. Prioata coacta, cum quis vim virepellit, Priuately compelled, when one repells violence by violence: this is called inculpata tatela, an inculpable defence. 4. Temeraria & illicita, rash and vnlawfull.
The woman of Tekoah said to Dauid, Remember the Law of the Lord: One of her sonnes had killed the other in 2 Sam. 14.the field: (this was inculpata tutela) in defence of himselfe; 2 Sam. 14. 12.and so shee wills Dauid to remember the Law of the Lord. In this case a man in his owne defence, is a Magistrate.
The Magistrate mall pull forth tooth for tooth, it was not well concluded by the Pharisies, that it was Mat. 5.lawfull for every private man so to doe, they confound here ordinatam publicam, and illicitam.
When they did it.II.1 Sam. 21. 6.
Dauid, in time of necessitie eat the Shew-bread, which otherwise hee could not hauehave done; neither would the Priests hauehave given it vntounto him, but in his necessitie.
The Apostles kept the Ceremonies after the death Act. 14.of Christ, for an interim, and a time, vntill the vnion should be made vp, betwixt the Iewes and the Gentiles, but it was not lawfull afterward for the Iewes to keepe them.
So long as the Temple of Ierusalem stood, they 1 Kin. 8. 48.were bound to pray with their faces towardes it, but it will not follow now, that the Iewes should turne their faces towards the place of the Temple now when they pray.
Samuel built an Altar at Ramah, and offered vponupon it. 1 Sam. 7. 4.It was lawfull for them all the time betwixt the destruction of the Tabernacle in Shilo, and the building of the Temple, to sacrifice there: but from that time that the Temple was built, it was vnlawfull altogether; therefore the Kings of Iuda are blamed when they destroyed not the high places. Prudentius called the Arke at this time Circumvage, before it was established at Ierusalem.
Where they did it.III.
The Apostles kept the Ceremonies after the death of Christ at Ierusalem, but not at Antioch: and so of any other place where the Prophets and Apostles resorted.
Why they did it.IIII.
Christ wrought no miracles in Nazareth, because Luk. 4. 26.he had no Calling to worke any there, as Elias wrought no miracles in Israel, but to the widdow of Sarepta: so Elizeus to the Shunamite, because hee had onelyonly a Luke 4. 26.Calling to worke there.
The sinnes of the Saints are not to be followed.Canon.
Rockes are set downe in a Mappe, that the Saylors Illust.may shunne them, and not runne their Shippes against them.
Lots wife (sayes Augustine) was turned into a Pillar of Salt, Vt condiret te suo exemplo, that shee might season thee not to doe the like.
If the fact be approued in tanto, sed non in toto, in so Canon.farre, but not in the whole; it is not to be made an Example of imitation.
Zipporah Circumcised her Childe, and so the Angell Exod. 4. 25.left off to kill Moses; therefore a Midwife may Baptize a Childe, this followes not. The Angell ceased to trouble Moses, because his sonne was circumcised, and not because he was circumcised by a woman.
After that the Samaritans worshipped the true God 2 King. 17. 23.with their Idols, the Lyons hurt them no more; the Lyons ceased to hurt them, why? because they worshipped the true God; and not, because they worshipped the true God and their Idols: this obedience of Zipporah 1 King. 21. 29.dit not simply please God, but in part, as Achabs obedience.
Apish imitation of the Saints is ridiculous.
The Israelites compassed the walles of Iericho sixe Canon.Ios. 6.dayes, but vponupon the seaventh day they compassed the Wall seaven times: *Talmud. lib. Tebellin.therefore the Iewes in the feast of the Tabernacles compassed the Altar sixe dayes, every day once; but in the seaventh day they compassed it seaven times: this was ridiculous; for it was in corrupt time.
Christ put his fingers in the eares of the deafe, and Mark 7. 33.said Epphata, Be thou opened; therefore a Priest may doe the like when a childe is baptized; this is ridiculous.
What if the example be neither approved nor disapproved Quest. in Scripture, What shall we doe?
If they be done by men whose faith is approved, and Answ. against whom no exception can be taken, such are set downe for imitation, and hauehave the force of a generall rule.
CHAP. VI.
Of gathering doctrine from the externall meanes.
WHen the marginall reading is put for the Canon.line reading, we cannot gather any instruction from that.
From wrong Analogy or Collation Canon.of Scriptuure with Scripture, wrong Doctrine si gathered.
Salomon was wiser then all those of the East. Esay. 2. 1 Kin. 4. 30. Esay 2. 6.Thou art full of the manners of the East. The Iewes gathered from the Collation, that Salomon was skilfull in Magicke.
Behold the Elephant which I hauehave made with thee, who Iob 40. 10.eates hay as the Oxe. He cals the Elephant Behemoth, as if he were many beasts, in the Plurall number: but Behemoth, Psal. 50. signifies the bheasts of the field. Esdras 4. Esdras 6. 49.the Apocryph writer, conferring these two places inequally, makes vp a fable, that God made two creatures, Behemoth and Leviathan, and thence separated the one from the other, because the water could not containe both, and he put Behemoth vponupon the earth, which was dryed the third day, that he might dwell vponupon a thousand mountaines, because it is written, Psal. 50. 10 Behemoth in montibus mille: taking Behemoth in Iob, and in the Psalme 50. after one manner.
Secondly, he goes forward in his fable, yBuxtrof. de Synag. Iuda…c.because these two, Leuiathan and behemoth, are ioyned together, Psal. 104. 26. he thought that Behemoth was also a Fish as Leuiathan; but because there was not space enough for them both in the Sea, he put him vponupon the mountaines, and gaue Leuiathan the seventh part of the waters, and kept her to be meat to whom he would, and where he would: He sayes that shee is kept in deuorationem, passiuè, that shee may be meat. For this is the fable of the Iewes, that the Lord killed one of those great Whales which he made, and salted her with salt, that shee might be kept to be meate for the iust in the life to come. Morne Plesse compares them to little Children, who in their tales can goe no higher then to meat and drinke, and sweet dainties; and they thinke that there is no other pleasure in heaven, but of such things. Thus you see what it is to compare places vnequally.
From wrong translation false doctrine is gathered.Canon.
LoueLove thy neighbour as thy selfe: The Pharisies translate it, him who was a friend onelyonly. Hence they gathered that they might hate their enemies: but the Apostle, Rom. 12. translates it, thou shalt louelove thy neighbour, foreign that isd, any man whatsoever he is.
The Lord swore by the excellencie of Iacob, that is, by Amos 6. 8.him-selfe; but the Pharisies interpret the place, that he sware by, the Temple, which was his excellency: Hence they gathered, that it was lawfull to sware by the Temple, Matth. 23. 16.
This is Ana, who found out haijamim, Mules in the Wildernesse: Gen. 36. 24.Iamim signifies also Waters. Because the foreigntranslation of this place was heard, some translating it Mules, and some Water; the Heathen made a notable Aquae. Mulae.lye vponupon the Iewes, when Moses was feeding Asses in the Wildernesse; becausE the Asses or Mules seeking Plutarch. sympos. lib. 4. cap. 5. Cornelius Tacitus. l. 5.drinke, found out water vntounto them, therefore they worshipped the golden head of an Asse. aTertull. in Apolog.Afterward the Romanes in like hatred against the Christians, called them Asinarios, in detestation of Christ, whom they called not foreign, but foreign, and they painted Christ having Asses eares, one of his feete *Anungulatus.not clouen, carrying a Booke, and a gowne vponupon him, and this superscription aboue his head, Deus Christianorum foreign; which picture and inscription when Tertullian did reade, he could scarse refraine from laughter.
Bellarmine following the vulgar translation, and not the Originall, Abraham surrexit ab officio funeris; Abraham Gen. 23.rose from the office of his dead, gathereth hence Purgatory. Because this word officium, was taken amongst the Christians, for doing offices to the dead; he gathered, that it was to pray for them to deliver them out of Purgatorie.
And thus much concerning the sense of the Scripture, and the gathering of doctrine from any part thereof: as from affirmations and negations; from the proprietie of the speech; from the morall Law; from the examples of those that are registred in the Scripture; and from the externall meanes, spoken of in the first Booke. From those fiue, necessarily all doctrine is gathered: and must be knowne immediately after the true knowledge of the sense of the Scripture.