An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth, & tenth chapters of…

And so Hilary, (saith he) for the sense of Scripture and understanding them, He is the best Interpreter, that rather takes the sense from out of Scripture, and by comparing one Scripture with another, than bring any new sense; therefore the understanding of Scripture is more by Scripture than by the Writings of any man living. And yet still no question we may make use of the gifts of God in others, but so as to keep us close to the written Word for the Rule, yea, and for the meaning of the Rule; they may help us to see whether the Scripture will justify this Truth, or this sense, for there lies the mistake; Most people in the world will think this indeed, That whatsoever any man writes, if it be contrary to the Word,¹ we may not receive it, but we must understand the Word in what sense they take it; now we must not go so far; For the Scripture written, is not only that we might know what the Rule is, but it is written, that we might understand the meaning of the Rule, and we must fetch out the meaning of Scriptures by ⟨p. 88⟩Scripture: Now so far as the Writings of men will help us to fetch out the meaning of Scripture by Scripture, so far we may make use of them; but we cannot say, this is the meaning, because it is the judgment of such and such Learned men;² but such and such Learned men will give you Reasons, and compare one Scripture with another, to show why it is the meaning of it, and they will show you the History of the time, and show you how to compare old and new Testament one with another; and this is the use of Writers for understanding the Scriptures. Then you will say, Why do we make use of Writers so much? Why thus, they show how one Scripture looks towards another, and to compare one Scripture with another, and show the coherence of things.

And so Hilary, (saith he) for the sense of Scripture and understanding them, He is the best Interpreter, that rather takes the sense from out of Scripture, and by comparing one Scripture with another, than bring any new sense; therefore the understanding of Scripture is more by Scripture than by the Writings of any man living. And yet still no question we may make use of the gifts of God in others, but so as to keep us close to the written Word for the Rule, yea, and for the meaning of the Rule; they may help us to see whether the Scripture will justifie this Truth, or this sense, for there lies the mistake; Most people in the world will think this indeed, That whatsoever any man writes, if it be contrary to the Word,