Verf. 8. the Epffle to the Rolrians. lio! y Scrip- tures are fo tempered, asthat is plain in one place, which is dark in another. Aug. It is law fuit for us tore. jet fome- thing in mens wri- tings, if they have othertvilk written then the truth will bear. Auguft. us to receive no do&rive which will not admit probation from Scripture, .nod legimttr id credimus, (faith Hierome) we beleeve fo much as we read : we are for- -bid by Paul to be wife above that which is written. . The fecond ufeof holy Scripture is, to ferve us not only to prove, but to declare and interpret Do &rines. Even as the light of the Sunue fheweth it felt and other things, fo cloth "holy Scrip- ture, though the Spiritbe the principali interpreter of Scripture, yet the Scrip- tures be the foveraign and moft cer - "I tain mean of interpretation, one place which is obfcureand hard, being made more eafie by Tome place which is plain. Asfor the learned Fathers, what - foever the Councell of Trent have attri- buted to their uniforme confent, as if that were the fttrcft rule of interpretati- on, yet they are but fttbordinate and fecondary means of expofition,and not that neither, further then they fpeak and write the truth, and prove their interpretations by the Word. Again, how often are the Fathers found to jarre amongft themfelves ?Further, how fhall we know :what is Gods minde, but from God hinifelf, declaring it in his word.? for according to it, an expofiti- on is lawfull without danger or blaf- pherny : as here (hardneffe) is interpre- ted by [fpirit of (lumber,] and this de- dared by eyes which fee.not, and cars that hearnot,and heart which underflan- deth not. Our fenfes and enarrations, faith Ireneus,without witneffe of Scrip- ture have no credit. T M. What thinc are we now to note out of the fecond part of our Text, namay the place orteflimony of Efay ? S t t..Three things: Firfl,the defcrip- tion of hardneffe. Secondly, that hard neffe is a great and heavie judgement as any in the world. Thirdly, that God is the Author or chiefcaufe of this punifh- mentofhardneffe. T s us. What it the defcription of hard- neffe or hardning ? S t L. It is (not a thickneffe of skin in a mans bands or feet, but) a fpirituall (lumberpoffetfing, and ruling, and hol- 439 ding fall lock up,thecycs, the cars, and hearts of wicked men, left they hear, and fee,and perteiveand be laved. T I M. What it fign fiedby ['lumber ?] S t f.: It lignifes properly a dead and deep fleep,called (Lethargy,) which fo blindeth the fentes of Men, ias they can- not be awaked with pricking and much pinching; fifth a flap as Adam was colt into, Gen. 2. But by a Metaphor it doth imply fpirituall fenfelefnelfè or drowfinefle and blockifhneffe in divine [natters, which pertain to Gods wor- fhip and plans falvation ; it is called in Efay 5 í.22r a cep of fury and madneffe, by a fpeech borrowed from filch as being made drunk, behave themfelves as mad andfrantick men. Stich a thing is this (lumber, it takes from men all fenfe of godlineffe, and makes them even as fu- rious beafls and drunken men, which feel and fear nothing in the midit of ex. acme dangers. Whereas fome tranflate that(comptut &ion or pricking) which is here Englifhed (flumber,) indeed the Greek word lign i fies fo,as 40.2 .3 7.Thcn it doth fet forth the fame thing by a Me. taleplis,. of the effelì for the caufe; "for they which are overtaken with hard - neffe, and the dead {-Jeep of finne, they are both pricked with grief, and even 'vexed at the heart with anger, at the word rebuking and threatning them, 411.7. 54. and yet being thus pricked and vexed they be not awaked out of their'fiumber to return to God, and forfake their evill wayes, no morethen one in an heavie fleet). can be awaked by thaking.and pinching, and hollow- ing or crying, or blowing an horn in his ear. T r rn.What it meant ty the [ fpiritof Humber ?] S I t.. Spirit though fometimes it fgnifies.no more then the minde, as. Ezr.rt. Efay 19. 3. Yet here it noteth the inflrumentall caufè of this flumber, to wit, the evi11 fpirit,orSatan,which God isajuft Judge fendeth into wick-, ed men in his righteous judgement, to dire& and drive their hearts to wicked things,as he fendeth a good Spirit into his Children, to dire& and mov_a their. P p 3 hearts Interpre- tation.'
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