Corn. r. The divifioti of the decalooue. Chap., 2. &9 fpecium homirnm efñcgunt, the 7ews conceive one only God in the mind, and account them profane who reprefent him by material Images, and Plutarch gives this reafon why N urna would fifer. no Imagesiin Temples , ar ix is 7 r., 8. dùv.H, ixxrt n á,et, be- .caufe God cannot be conceived , but only in the mind. 3. The third fisp ofes Gods knowledge of humane aEhons, even of thoughts , for this is the ground of an Oath. 4. In the fourth God is acknowledgedthe Author of the vij ble frame of Heaven and Earth , in remembrance of which the Sabbath was inJlituted , and that with great- er flriElnefs than other rites , for here the punifhment was capitali, if any offend- ed; in others arbitrary : for the willful violation of this precept did imploy a de- nyall , that God created the world. And from thefe contemplative nations , arife thofe pratlicall Virtues , of loving, fearing , honouring God , invocation obedi- ence, &c. The confederation hereof thews the Wifdome of God in the excellent or- der and perfalion_ of the firft Table , the like may be popped in the fecond Table, when it comes to be handled. Vide. Hug. Grotium. De jure belli & pacts. lib. asap. 20. n. 45. The Lawof the Lord, faith theProphet David is a perfea Law, and therefore cdmmandeth all things that we are to do, and forbiddeth all things that are not to be done : which if it be interpreted only according to the letter, we that!omit thehundreth part of thofe things which are commanded or prohibited implicitely in them thereforethere muft bean interpretation of them. This we muff hold for an infallible conclufion that every Law ftandeth up- on aSynechdoche. The reafon is, becaufe the Law being to take order for at-lions, and the anions of man being infinite, both in variety and number ( becaufe the circumfiances, objefts, and degrees, are infinite,) itfolloweth that the rules alto (hould beinfinite, and fo exceed the memory of man. Therefore hath God only fet down generali things , and fo doth man after his example. And thefe generally are to receive Interpretation , and to be applied to par- ticulars. Now if it be demanded, where, and whence this interpretation is to be had? Therefolution of this we have from iWofes. If there arife a matter too hard, &c. Deur. Thou (halt come to the Priefts and Levites, &c. and they (hall Phew thee, &c. And the Prophet Malachi tells us, The Priefts lips preferve knowledge, and they ,,,M1 Mal, a. 7. feek the Law at his Mouth : And the reafon he gives, for he is the =anger of the Lordof Hofts. The Lord Treafurer to Candace Queen of Ethiopia, could not go forward without Phillips inftruEtion. How can I underftand without a Guider Ads a. 31. But this may beget a fecond doubt, which is, Whether every thing they deliver be good, or the interpretation they make of every thing be true, and infallible? To this we anfwer, That there are rules to be obferved in their in- terpretation. And unlefs their interpretation be according to thofe rules, it is nei- ther goodnor true: and if it manifefty fwerve from them, ought not to be recei- ved. Our Saviour Chrift reprehended the Lawyers, for not interpreting according to the rules: the condition of a Law (landing upon a more particular refpeet,Mar. zoo there muff be more particular rules than the bare Letter or Sentence affordeth; the interpretation mutt be to (hew the compafsof the Law, how far it extendeth, and how far it reftraineth : fo that to know the true meaning of everyprecept; thefe two things are to be confidered to which the rules of interpretation dó deferr. And they arcbut two. s. Amplifìcatio, the extent. z. Limitano, the exception or reftraint. The firft rule is generalI, viz. Intentio adfeopum, becaufe the Law depends not meetlyupon the letter, but upon the meaning, Certain efl ghod is committit in Le. gem, quiLegis verba obfervans contra voluntatem Legi flaroris faeit, it is withoutquefti- on that he offends againft the Law that by obferviogthe words of the Law, goes againft the will of the Law-maker. Now the purpofe of the Law is belt knownby the intent of the Lawgiver: Intentio Legiflatoris voluntas Legit, the intent of the Law -maker is the will of the Law; for as the Law is regula mentis, M the
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