An examination of the political part of Mr. Hobbs his Leviathan.: By George Lawson, rector of More in the county of Salop.

CAP. V. Of the third part; the 36. of the Book. Of the word of God and of Prophets.

T. H.

THe word of God or man may be understood some∣times of the speaker; sometimes of the subject, as the book of Chronicles hath the Title Verba Die∣rum, for the acts done in such times. So in the Scriptures many times the word of God is not that which is spoken by God, but concerning God, &c.

G. L.

This is the substance, though not the very words of the Author in the beginning of this Chapter: yet we may observe in Scripture according to the Heb e.v and the Greek, That Dabar 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Raema signifie things as well as words: and that the word of God is either verbum Dei, or verbum de Deo, or both, or verbum quod est Deus. There is an usual distinction of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. an inward or outward word. An outward word whereby we speak to others: or an inward word whereby we speak unto our selves: This inward word is either of things, or acts out of our selves:

or of, acts or operations in our selves, or our own being and essence. Now the word of God, which is God, is his word in himself of himself. And this term [Word] signifying the eternal Son of God and the Messias, is taken out of the Chaldee Para∣phrast, as many expressions of the New Testament are: And some learned men have observed, that the Chaldee Paraphrast took that term from the Pro∣phet, Esay 40.8. The word of our God shall stand for ever: as also the Title of Messias from Daniel 9.25. Of this word of God its written, John 1.1. In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God: and ver. 14. The word was made flesh. Yet if we may believe Mr. Hobbs, this word is the purpose of God: and then the sense is, the purpose of God is God; and the purpose of God was made flesh, and the purpose of God dwelt amongst us, and we saw the glory of this purpose, as of the onely begotten Son of God. This is his cursed and blasphemous gloss upon these blessed Texts of Scripture, whereupon depends so much our faith and eternal salvation.

If any man would give an accurate account of the several significations of the word of God as its used in Scripture, he ought diligently to observe how oft its used in Scripture, consider the Context and drift of those places where its read; examine the origi∣nals, and find out first the Proper signification, se∣condly the Tropical, and also distinguish them. The reason why we say the Scripture is the word of God written, is, 1. Because it was revealed by God, and the writers thereof were infallibly directed, And this is the most proper signification: yet secondly by

a Metonymie its so called, because it principally speaks of God: and he is the subject of it, to which all particulars may be some ways referred or reduced. But let no man that loves the truth, hearken un∣to this man, least he be seduced. For with some truths he mixeth abominable Errours.

T. H.

The name of Prophet in Scripture, signifies some∣times a Prolocutor, sometimes a Predictor, &c.

G. L.

In the rest of this Chapter he informs us.

• 1. Of the several senses and significations of the word Prophet.
• 2. Of the several distinct kinds of them.
• 3. Of Rules how to try Prophets.

And his end is to make a civil soveraign Christian the supreme and infallible Judge. Prophets in Scripture are true or false, for false Prophets have the name. True are extraordinary, ordinary. Extraordinary are such as either were Penmen of the Scripture; or such only as whose Prophesies are related in Scripture. These Prophets he divides into supreme and subordinate. Yet the Prophets extraordinary, as such, can admit of no such distinctions. Amongst the supreme he reckons Moses, the high Priests, Kings. Yet the high Priests were neither supreme, nor Prophets, except very rarely.

That God did make use of the Priest with the Ʋrim and Thummim in giving his answers, did not make the Priest a Prophet in proper sense. That David and Solomon were Prophets, seems peculiar to them. That some of the Kings also called for the Priest to con∣sult with God, according to the ordinary way In∣stituted by God, who promised to give answer, so as he did to no people in the world, it could neither make Kings or Priests supreme. Neither did Solo∣mon take the Priesthood from Abiathar, but for his treason suspended him ab offi io. That the Christian Soveraign should now be the supreme Prophet, in whose Judgement all their subjects must acquiesce, is to be derided and rejected as a thing which nei∣ther can be proved or approved.