Intfodua. Their difference a lnterpreting$criptures. Chap.I the mindsormen tothinkZ,the pointsofReligion that be manifefí.ta becertain petty Points, `frame worth the learning. It rs notfo. Thofe thatare neceffary he kathmade plain, theft ' that arenot plain, not neceffary. T1 it were a Adger), yea, agreat one ( Religionbath ` no greater)yet manifefl, and in confeífa with all Chriftians. .4way of Peace therelima ` be whereof all parties ¡ball agree, even in the mall of a world of Controverftes. That ` there need notfach ado in complaining, if men did notdelight rather to be treading ma- ' Les, than towalk in the ways ofpeace ; forevenfrill fac& a way there is, which lieeh fair enough, andwould lead'usPreenough tofalvation, if leaving Chofeotherrough labyrinths, ` we would bebut (boawith the preparation of the Gofpel of peace. Z'eafarther theApofi(ç ` clothaffare tie, that if whereunto weare come, and wherein we all agree, we wouldcon- Viand), proceedby the rule,thofe things wherin we otherwifebe minded,even themwould God `reveal to su, Ephefians 6. i 5 that is he makes no cvnrroverlie,but contreverfiewould Seale, o IfConfcience were made of prasfife of that which is out ofControverlie, Phil. 3. 1$. The Papifts hold that the Scriptures are to be interpreted by one of thefe four ways. r. Either by the Fathers. z. Or Councils. g. Or the Church. 4. Qr the Pope, whom they call the chief Father of the Church. Concerning which we do partly agree, and partly differ from them. 1. Wehold that there is a certain and infallible role, viz. the Word of God, whereupon a man may relie, elfe we may begin to build, but not upon a Rock, and then our buildingwill be fubjen to be overthrown andbeaten down with everyWaft of falfe Doftrine. 2. That the Scriptures ( as Saint Peter tells us ) not being of any private Iute/. a per, a,ao. pretation, we are to beware that every man interpret it not after his own ramie, be- caufe ( as the fame Apoftle fpeaks elfewhere of Saint Paolo Epiftles ) fame things 4'9- are hard in them to be nuclei-flood, which they which are unlearned and unftable maywreft, which ought not to be : but we are ( as Hilary faith ) referre fenfum Scriptoria, nonauferre, to give to the Scriptureitsproper fenfe, not take it away, or devif one for it. 3 Wehold, that God bath given thegift of Interpretationto fame(asSaint Poi affirms) and they are fuch to whom God (as he faith) hath revealed it by his r Cor. t í.ta: Spirit, that is, a natural man cannot Interpret them aright ; nor yet the vulgar or t tt°,t4r common fort, whom (as Saint Aagnfline faith) non.vivacit,a intcßigendi,fed fm. plicitas credendi falvos rendir, rather their fitnplicity in believing, than vivacity or qutcknefs of apprenfion and underftanding bringeth to falvation. And if the Eunuch aman of great place, were not able to Interpret without Saint Philip, much lets the vulgar fort. God beftoweth this gift upon the learned, yet all thole that are Learned have not the gift of Interpretation. The extraordinarygift of Interpre- ration, is one of thofe er.tw" r Cor. t z. which Godgave at thefrrfi planting of the Vide Greiírm Church, with the other gifts of tongues, miracles , &c. Sometimes to men un-rn t Cor.za. learned, and this was not tied to any one rankof men : but the ordinarypower and 8(14. gift of Interpretation always was and is in the chore:), and the Pifbops and Pafiers thereof. 4. Now foraftnucit as God(according to St. Paul) divides his gifts fngelioproue volt, to every one according to hisgoodpleafurc, it were hard to reftrain it to anyone Or- r Cor,ta,tt, der (as to that of, Bishops) as tome of the more rigid I3apifts would haveit. And Stapleron(oneof thetn)when he had done all he could to maintain his tenet,in the end Liá;róa,Z.. was forced to confefs, that God gives thefe gifts extraordinary, as well to others, as to them : as well to Ames an Herdfman, calledand gifted extraordinarily, as to 7e- remie a Prieft. Yet Andradisu, and others of them ho!d, that the Interpretation of 13ilhops alfembled together, maybetaken howfoevcr. 5. Now concerning the fenfe of the Scriptures. As it is well Paid by theLawyers, that Apicesjuris nonfont jeu,fo is itin the Scriptures,not the Letters or words,but the meaning is that which is Scripture indeed. To finde out which Aquinas gives theft Rules. Lin matters of faith and tntnners,mliasfenfus fumend,et niftliterali, none but the literal fenfe is to be taken. 2. In point of exhortation or inftruftion, uti liner fenfe tropologico , socipotres übi. cue, it is lawful for us to.ule a figurative fenfe, so the lathers often did. 3. Albeit aman may raw fundry con equences acontrariis, fiinilibm, &c. by con.,
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