religion-第6部分

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thou　shalt　not　Steale；　thou　shalt　not　beare　false　witnesse；　thou
shalt　not　Covet；　For　they　are　the　Lawes　of　nature；　Also　the
precept　of　not　taking　Gods　name　in　vaine；　for　it　is　a　part　of
naturall　worship；　as　hath　beene　declar'd　in　the　foregoing　Chap。
Art。　15。　In　like　manner　the　second　Commandement　of　not
worshipping　by　way　of　any　Image　made　by　themselves；　for　this　also
is　a　part　of　naturall　Religion；　as　hath　beene　shewed　in　the　same
Article。　Of　the　second　sort　is　the　first　Commandment　of　the
Decalogue；　of　not　having　any　other　Gods；　for　in　that　consists　the
essence　of　the　Covenant　made　with　Abraham；　by　which　God　requires
nothing　else；　but　that　he　should　be　his　God；　and　the　God　of　his
seede：　Also　the　Precept　of　keeping　holy　the　Sabbath；　for　the
Sanctification　of　the　seventh　day　is　instituted　in　memoriall　of
the　six　dayes　Creation；　as　appeares　out　of　these　words；　Exod。　31。
ver。　16；　17。　It　is　a　perpetuall　Covenant；　（meaning　the　Sabbath）
and　a　signe　betweene　me；　and　the　Children　of　Israel　for　ever；　for
in　sixe　dayes　the　Lord　made　Heaven；　and　Earth；　and　on　the　seventh
day　he　rested；　and　was　refreshed。　Of　the　third　kind　are　the
Politique；　judiciall　and　Ceremoniall　lawes；　which　onely　belong'd
to　the　Jewes。　The　lawes　of　the　first　and　second　sort　written　in
Tables　of　stone；　to　wit　the　Decalogue；　was　kept　in　the　Ark　it
selfe。　The　rest　written　in　the　volume　of　the　whole　Law；　were　laid
up　in　the　side　of　the　Arke。　Deut。　31。　ver。　26。　For　these
retaining　the　faith　of　Abraham　might　be　chang'd；　those　could　not。
　　　　XI。　All　Gods　Lawes　are　Gods　Word；　but　all　Gods　Word　is　not
his　Law。　I　am　the　Lord　thy　God　which　brought　thee　out　of　the　Land
of　AEgypt；　is　the　word　of　God；　it　is　no　Law：　Neither　is　all　that
which　for　the　better　declaring　of　Gods　Word　is　pronounc't；　or
written　together　with　it；　instantly　to　be　taken　for　Gods　Word：
For；　Thus　saith　the　Lord；　is　not　the　voice　of　God；　but　of　the
Preacher　or　Prophet。　All　that；　and　onely　that；　is　the　word　of　God
which　a　true　Prophet　hath　declar'd　God　to　have　spoken。　Now　the
writings　of　the　Prophets　comprehending　as　well　those　things　which
God；　as　which　the　Prophet　himselfe　speaks；　are　therefore　called
the　word　of　God；　because　they　containe　the　word　of　God。　Now
because　all　that；　and　that　alone；　is　the　Word　of　God　which　is
recommended　to　us　for　such；　by　a　true　Prophet；　it　cannot　be
knowne　what　Gods　Word　is；　before　we　know　who　is　the　true　Prophet；
nor　can　we　beleeve　Gods　Word；　before　we　beleeve　the　Prophet。
Moyses　was　beleev'd　by　the　People　of　Israel　for　two　things；　His
Miracles；　and　his　Faith；　for　how　great；　and　most　evident　Miracles
soever　he　had　wrought；　yet　would　they　not　have　trusted　him；　at
least　he　was　not　to　have　beene　trusted；　if　he　had　call'd　them　out
of　AEgypt　to　any　other　worship　then　the　worship　of　the　God　of
Abraham；　Isaac；　and　Jacob　their　Fathers。　For　it　had　beene
contrary　to　the　Covenant　made　by　themselves　with　God。　In　like
manner　two　things　there　are；　to　wit；　supernaturall　Prediction　of
things　to　come；　which　is　a　mighty　miracle；　and　Faith　in　the　God
of　Abraham　their　deliverer　out　of　AEgypt；　which　God　propos'd　to
all　the　Jews　to　be　kept　for　marks　of　a　true　Prophet。　He　that
wants　either　of　these　is　no　Prophet；　nor　is　it　to　be　receiv'd　for
Gods　word　which　he　obtrudes　for　such。　If　Faith　be　wanting；　he　is
rejected　in　these　words；　Deut。　13。　ver。　1；　2；　3；　4；　5。　If　there
arise　among　you　a　Prophet；　or　a　dreamer　of　dreams；　and　giveth
thee　a　signe；　or　a　wonder；　and　the　signe　or　the　wonder　come　to
Passe；　whereof　he　spake　unto　thee；　saying；　Let　us　goe　after　other
Gods；　&　c。　That　Prophet；　or　that　dreamer　of　dreames　shall　be　put
to　death。　If　Praediction　of　events　be　wanting；　he　is　condemn'd　by
these；　Deut。　18。　ver。　21；　22。　And　if　thou　say　in　thine　heart；　how
shall　we　know　the　word　which　the　Lord　hath　not　spoken？　When　a
Prophet　speaketh　in　the　name　of　the　Lord；　if　the　thing　follow
not；　nor　come　to　Passe；　that　is　the　thing　which　the　Lord　hath　not
spoken；　but　the　Prophet　hath　spoken　it　presumptuously。　Now；　that
that　is　the　word　of　God　which　is　publisht　for　such　by　a　true
Prophet；　and　that　he　was　held　to　be　a　true　Prophet　among　the
Jewes；　whose　faith　was　true；　and　to　whose　praedictions　the　events
answer'd；　is　without　controversie。　But　what　it　is　to　follow　other
Gods；　and　whether　the　events　which　are　affirm'd　to　answer　their
praedictions；　doe　truly　answer　them；　or　not；　may　admit　many
controversies；　specially　in　praedictions　which　obscurely；　&
aenigmatically　foretell　the　Event；　such　as　the　praedictions　of
almost　all　the　Prophets　are；　as　who　saw　not　God　apparently　like
unto　Moyses；　but　in　darke　speeches；　and　in　figures。　Numb。　12。
ver。　8。　But　of　these　we　cannot　judge　otherwise　then　by　the　way　of
naturall　reason；　because　that　Judgment　depends　on　the　Prophets
interpretation；　and　on　its　proportion　with　the　Event。
　　　　XII。　The　Jewes　did　hold　the　booke　of　the　whole　Law　which　was
called　Deuteronomie；　for　the　written　word　of　God；　and　that　onely；
（forasmuch　as　can　be　collected　out　of　sacred　history）　untill　the
Captivity；　for　this　booke　was　deliver'd　by　Moyses　himselfe　to　the
Priests　to　be　kept；　and　layd　up　in　the　side　of　the　Ark　of　the
Covenant；　and　to　be　copyed　out　by　the　Kings；　and　the　same　a　long
time　after　by　the　authority　of　King　Josiah　acknowledg'd　againe
for　the　Word　of　God。　Kings　23。　ver。　2。　But　it　is　not　manifest
when　the　rest　of　the　books　of　the　Old　Testament　were　first
receiv'd　into　Canon。　But　what　concernes　the　Prophets；　Isaiah　and
the　rest；　since　they　foretold　no　other　things　then　what　were　to
come　to　passe；　either　in　or　after　the　Captivity；　their　writings
could　not　at　that　time　be　held　for　Prophetique；　by　reason　of　the
Law　cited　above。　Deut。　18。　ver。　21；　22。　Whereby　the　Israelites
were　commanded　not　to　account　any　man　for　a　true　Prophet　but　him
whose　Prophecies　were　answer'd　by　the　events；　And　hence
peradventure　it　is　that　the　Jews　esteem'd　the　writings　of　those
whom　they　slew　when　they　Prophesied；　for　Prophetique　afterward；
that　is　to　say；　for　the　word　of　God。
　　　　XIII。　It　being　known　what　Lawes　there　were　under　the　old
Covenant；　and　that　Word　of　God　receiv'd　from　the　beginning；　we
must　farthermore　consider　with　whom　the　authority　of　judging；
whether　the　writings　of　the　Prophets　arising　afterward；　were　to
be　receiv'd　for　the　Word　of　God；　that　is　to　say；　whether　the
Events　did　answer　their　praedictions　or　not；　and　with　whom　also
the　authority　of　interpreting　the　Lawes　already　receiv'd；　and　the
written　Word　of　God；　did　reside；　which　thing　is　to　be　trac't
through　all　the　times；　and　severall　changes　of　the　Commonwealth
of　Israel。　But　it　is　manifest　that　this　power　during　the　life　of
Moyses；　was　intirely　in　himselfe；　for　if　he　had　not　been　the
Interpreter　of　the　Lawes　and　Word；　that　office　must　have　belong'd
either　to　every　private　Person；　or　to　a　congregation；　or
Synagogue　of　many；　or　to　the　High…Priest；　or　to　other　Prophets。
First；　that　that　office　belong'd　not　to　private　men；　or　any
Congregation　made　of　them；　appeares　hence；　that　they　were　not
admitted；　nay　they　were　prohibited；　with　most　heavy　threats；　to
heare　God　speake；　otherwise　then　by　the　means　of　Moyses；　for　it
is　written；　Let　not　the　Priests　and　the　people　break　through　to
come　up　unto　the　Lord；　lest　he　break　forth　upon　them。　So　Moyses
went　downe　unto　the　people；　and　spake　unto　them。　Exod。　19。　24；
25。　It　is　farther　manifestly；　and　expresly　declar'd；　upon
occasion　given　by　the　Rebellion　of　Core；　Dathan　and　Abiram；　and
the　two　hundred　and　fifty　Princes　of　the　Assembly；　that　neither
private　men；　nor　the　Congregation　should　pretend　that　God　had
spoken　by　them；　and　by　Consequence　that　they　had　the　right　of
interpreting　Gods　Word；　for　they　contending；　that　God　spake　no
lesse　by　them　then　by　Moyses；　argue　thus；　Yee　take　too　much　upon
you；　seeing　all　the　Congregation　are　holy；　every　one　of　them；　and
the　Lord　is　among　them；　wherefore　then　lift　yee　up　your　selves
above　the　Congregation　of　the　Lord？　Numb。　16。　ver。　3。　But　how　God
determin'd　this　controversie　is　easily　understood　by　the　33。　and
35。　verses　of　the　same　Chapter；　where　Corah；　Dathan；　and　Abiram
went　downe　alive　into　the　Pit；　and　there　came　out　fire　from　the
Lord；　and　consumed　the　two　hundred　and　fifty　men　that　offer'd
Incense：　Secondly；　that　Aaron　the　high　Priest　had　not　this
authority；　is　manifest　by　the　like　controversie　betweene　him
（together　with　his　Sister　Miriam）　and　Moyses；　For　the　question
was；　whether　God　spake　by　Moyses　only；　or　by　them　also；　that　is
to　say；　whether　Moyses　alone；　or　whether　they　also　were
interpreters　of　the　Word　of　God。　For　thus　they　said；　Hath　the
Lord　indeed　spoken　onely　by　Moyses？　Hath　he　not　also　spoken　by
us？　Numb。　12。　ver。　2。　But　God　reprov'd　them；　and　made　a
distinction　betweene　Moyses　and　other　Prophets；　saying；　If　there
be　a　Prophet　among　you；　I　the　Lord　will　make　my　selfe　knowne　unto
him　in　a　vision；　and　will　speake　unto　him　in　a　dreame：　My　Servant
Moyses　is　not　so；　&c。　For　with　him　will　I　speake　mouth　to　mouth；
even　apparently；　and　not　in　darke　speeches；　and　the　Similitude　of
the　Lord　shall　he　behold；　wherefore　then　were　yee　not　afraid　to
speake　against　my　Servant　Moyses？　Ibid。　ver。　6；　7；　8。　Lastly；
that　the　interpretation　of　the　Word　of　God　as　long　as　Moses
liv'd；　belong'd　not　to　any　other　Prophets　whatsoever；　is
collected　out　of　that　place　which　we　now　cited　concerning　his
eminency　above　all　others；　and　out　of　naturall　reason；　for　as
much　as　it　belongs　to　the　same　Prophet　who　brings　the　Commands　of
God　to　unfold　them　too；　but　there　was　then　no　other　Word　of　God；
beside　that　which　was　declar'd　by　Moyses。　And　out　of　this　also；
that　there　was　no　other　Prophet　extant　at　that　time；　who
Prophesied　to　the　people；　excepting　the　70。　Elders　who　Prophesied
by　the　Spirit　of　Moyses；　and　even　that　Joshuah；　who　was　then
Moyses　his　Servant；　his　successour　afterward；　beleev'd　to　be
injuriously　done；　till　he　knew　it　was　by　Moyses　his　Consent；
which　thing　is　manifest　by　Text　of　Scripture；　And　the　Lord　came
downe　in　a　clowd；　&　c。　and　tooke　of　the　spirit　that　was　upon
Moyses；　and　gave　it　unto　the　70。　Elders。　Numb。　11。　ver。　25。　Now
after　it　was　told　that　they　Prophesied；　Joshuah　said　unto　Moyses；
Forbid　them　my　Lord。　But　Moyses　answered；　Why