A treatise of the necessity of humane learning for a Gospel-preacher shewing the use of I. Languages, II. Rhetoric, III. Logic, IV. Natural philosophy, V. Moral philosophy, VI. History, VII. Chronology, VIII. Arithmetic, IX. Geometry, X. Astronomy, XI. Geography, and the benefits of learning in all ages : also this question is determined, whether grace be essential to a minister of the Gospel? / by Edward Reyner ...

SECT. I. Of History in general, as useful to under∣stand Scripture.

THe knowledge of History both sa∣cred and civil affords both profit and pleasure, and is of great use to a Minister of the Gospel in three re∣spects, scil.

For knowing and improving

• 1. The word of God,
• 2. The works of God,
• 3. The examples of Men.

First of all, for understanding and im∣proving the holy Scriptures.

Reas. 1. Because the greatest part of Scripture is written in a way of History.

Reas. 2. Much spiritual and profitable Doctrine is laid up in Histories, to wit,

• Of Persons, Families, Nations, Polities, in the Old Testament:
• and of Churches, in the New.

Yea some Scripture-histories contain Gospel-mysteries wrapt up in them. As

the Mystery of God's Election and Reje∣ction in the History of Isaac and Ismael, Rom. 9.6, 7, 8. of Jacob and Esau, ver. 11, 12, 13.—the Mystery of God's wrath, se∣verity, obduration and rejection, in that of Pharaoh, ver. 17. Exod. 9.16.

—Of the two Covenants, in the History of the two places Sinai and Jerusalem, and of the two Mothers, Sarah and Hagar, Gal. 4.22. to the end.

Reas. 3. Because many passages of Scripture, both in the Old and New Testa∣ment, cannot be well understood, explica∣ted, illustrated or made use of to the be∣nefit of our selves, or others, but out of Histories, or without the knowledge of Histories. As those Prophetical Scriptures, which speak of the four Monarchies, of the Pope and Turk; of the various state of the Church of God in several Ages.

There is in Scripture a mixture of Ci∣vil with Sacred stories, as

Of the Jews affairs, and transactions with the Nations round about them, and with other Nations, that were remote from them; and what was done to the Jews (God's people) in the times of the Old Te∣stament, to Christ and his Church, or to any of his members, under the New; by Kings, Emperors, Rulers, or their Offi∣cers,

at their Command, as by Herod, Matth. 2.3, &c. Acts 12.1, 2, 3. and by others, as Claudius, Acts 18.2. Nero, 2 Tim. 4.17.

Or, what befell them in the times of these Kings, or Emperors, as of Cesar Au∣gustus, Luc. 2.1, 2. of Claudius Cesar, Acts 11.28.

Many passages in the Prophets may be best explaned out of the Histories of the Times, and Places, to which they proper∣ly belong. * 1.1 A learned man saith that Josephus, Herodotus, Quintus Curtius, Xe∣nophon, and other Heathen Writers, con∣duce not a little to the Textual know∣ledge of Chronicles, Nehemiah, Esther, Daniel: as those that write of the Baby∣lonish, Assyrian, and Persian Kingdoms, and Empires, and the Roman History may add light to the Prophets and Evangelists, Acts, and Epistles of Paul in the New Testament.

The Scriptures have much of the An∣tiquities, Maners, Customes, both of the Jews, and of other Countries also, in them, and there be many Allusions in them thereunto; and the Scriptures receive il∣lustration from them.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mr. Ruther∣ford.