An exposition of the lawes of Moses: Viz. Morall. Ceremoniall. Iudiciall. The second volume. Containing an explanation of diverse questions and positions for the right understanding thereof. Wherein also are opened divers ancient rites & customes of the Iewes, and also of the Gentiles, as they haue relation to the Iewish. Together with an explication of sundry difficult texts of Scripture, which depend upon, or belong unto every one of the Commandements, as also upon the ceremoniall and iudiciall lawes. Which texts are set downe in the tables before each particular booke. All which are cleered out of the originall languages, the Hebrew and Greeke, and out of the distinctions of the schoolemen and cases of the casuists. / By Iohn Weemse, of Lathocker in Scotland, preacher of Gods Word.

EXERCITAT. VIII. Of the necessity of the Word written.

Ioh. 20.31. But these are written that yee might beleeve.

GOd thought it necessary, after that he had taught his Church by Word; next to teach her by write. There is a twofold necessity. The first is called an ab∣solute necessity: the second, of expedience. Againe, Gods revealed will was necessary to all men, as a cause; but his written word was necessary as an instrumentall cause; and this word is considered eyther essentially, or accidentally. Essentially for the written word: this written, and unwritten word, differ onely as a man na∣ked, and cloathed; for there is no change in the nature and substance here. And that we may the better under∣derstand the necessity of the writing of the word, wee must distinguish here the states of the Church. First, shee was in a family or oeconomike. Secondly, she was Nationall, dispersed through the countrey of the Iewes. Thirdly, she was Ecomenicall or Catholicke, dispersed through the whole world. So long as shee was in a fa∣mily, and the Patriarches lived long, to record to the posterity, the word and the workes of God; then God taught his Church by his word unwritten. But when his Church began to be enlarged, first through Iudea, & then through the whole world, then he would have his

word set downe in write; because then the Fathers were not of so long a life, to record to the posterity, the word and the workes of God. Againe he did this to obviat the craft of the Divell, and the counterfeite writings of the false Apostles.

It was necessary then, that the word should be writ∣ten, that the Church might have a greater certainety of their salvation. See how farre the Lord commen∣deth unto us, the certainety which wee have by the Scriptures; above all other sort of revelation. 2 Pet. 1.19. We have also a more sure word of prophesie: here the certainety of the Scriptures, is preferred to the trans∣figuration in the mount. Secondly, the Apostle Gal. 1.8. preferreth it to the revelation made by Angels, If an Angell should come from heaven and teach any other Gospel, let him be accursed. Thirdly, Christ himselfe pre∣ferred the certainety of it to Moyses and the Prophets. If one should come from the dead and teach us. Luk. 16.31.

The Church of Rome then doth great wrong to Chri∣stians; when they would make the last ground and stay of Christian faith, to be the Church onely; But wee are built upon the foundation of the Prophets, and Apostles, Ephe. 2.20. the Lord when he dwelt betweene the Che∣rubims, he set the Candlesticke upon his right hand, and the table with the shewbread upon his left hand: to teach us, that the Scriptures are to be preferred still to the testimony of the Church; and that wee must rest upon their testimony primariò.

[Quest.] Whether is it an Article of our faith, to beleeve that the Scriptures are the Word of God or not?

[Ans.] Some things are both de fide, & de verbo fidei; as Christ is Emmanuel. Secondly, somethings are de ver∣bo fidei but not de fide primariò; as Paul left his cloake at Troas. Thirdly, somethings are de fide, but non de verbo

fidei, which are the conclusions drawne from the cano∣nicall word by consequence. And these are eyther drawne from the word generally; as this, that the Scrip∣tures are the word of God. for this is evident from the whole word generally, and although this be a princi∣ple in it selfe, which ought first to be beleeved; yet in my conception, and manner of taking up, it is a con∣clusion arising from that majesty and Divine character which is in the word it selfe, or the particular conclu∣sions drawne from the word. They are de fide, non de verbo fidei, as when a man concludeth, his owne parti∣cular justification from the word; as I Iames am justi∣fied, est de fide mea, and not a part of the canonicall word, but an application arising from it. Fourthly, something are neyther de fides nor de verbo fidei.

Secondly, we may answer to this: whether the word written be an article of our faith or not. The articles of our faith are eyther taken generally, or specially: ge∣nerally, for all that is contained in the Scriptures, or may be deduced by way of consequence from the Scrip∣tures: then it is not an article of our faith, to beleeve the canon of the Scriptures. Secondly, specially for that which is contained in the Creede; for the Creede is the substance of that which is contained in the Scrip∣tures; and then it is an article of our faith to be∣leeve the Cannon of the Scriptures.

The Scriptures of God, are considered essentially, or accidentally. Essentially, as they proceede from God; accidentally againe, as they were written by such and such men. As they proceede from God, we must beleeve them to be true, and to be the meanes of our salvation; for saving truth is onely from God. But if we consider them but accidentally, as they are written by such and such men, then it is not an article of our faith to beleeve them; for it maketh not to our

salvation primariò, to know that they were written by such and such men.

When the books in holy Scripture, carry the names of those who wrote them; as the bookes of Moyses carrie his name; if a man should deny these bookes to be writ∣ten by Moses, & then be ignorant altogether of the mat∣ter contained in them; then his ignorance were damnable, and the denyall of them hereticall; they have Moses and the Prophets, Luk. 16.

But if the writer of the booke be not set downe in the Scripture; if a man should deny such a man to write it, he should not be reputed as an hereticke for that; and to be ignorant that such a man wrote it, this were not damnable ignorance. Example, it is holden that Paul wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews; now if a man should deny that Paul wrote this Epistle, he were not to be holden a hereticke for that, neyther were his ignorance damnable. A man may be ignorant of this or that booke, and yet be saved, and many were saved before the bookes were written, and now many are saved who cannot reade the Scriptures.

But when a man doubteth of the order and number of the bookes in the Canon, this argueth but his un∣skilfulnesse and infirmity, and the denyall of the num∣ber and order of these bookes, is but hereticall by acci∣dent, and the ignorance is not damnable.

[Quest.] When we beleeve such a booke to be written by such a man, whether beleeve we this by a justifying faith, or by an historicall faith?

[Ans.] When we beleeve that such a man wrote this booke, this is but an historicall faith, and this we have by the Church: but that which is dogmaticall in this booke, that we must beleeve out of the word it selfe; we being illuminate by the Spirit.

The conclusion of this is. Seeing God hath revealed

his will in his word written to us, and remitted us al∣wayes to the law and to the testimony, Esay 10.8. Ioh. 5.49. search the Scriptures: therefore these who leave the Scriptures, and make choyse of traditions; they for∣sake the fountaine of living water, and digge Cisternes to themselves that cannot hold no water, Ier. 2.13.

Notes

• • Necessitas absoluta
  • Necessitas expedientia
• Scriptura est necessaria 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 verbum 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. The word considered essentially or acci∣dentally. Simile.
• The estate of the Church considered three wayes.
• Why God would have his word written.
• God revealeth himselfe most surely to us by his word.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• The Church is not the last resolution of our faith.
• Somethings de fide & de verbo fidej, somethings de verbo fidej, but not de fide primario, some∣things neither de fide neither de verbo fidej.
• Articles of our faith, taken generally or spe∣cially.
• The Scriptures conside∣red essentially or acci∣dentally.
• Ignorantia damnabilis negatio haeretical.
• Negatia est haerètica per accidens sed ignoratio non est damnabilis.
• Ignorantia hic est infir∣mitatis & negatio est hae∣ritica per accidens.
• Conclusi.