Hereticks viz. the Marcionists and Valentinians and perhaps the Disciples of Lucanus or Lucianus for in this he could not be positive tho this Lucanus was a follower of Marcion IX There are still extant Copies of great Antiquity The Cambridge Copy in Greek and Latin containing the four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles and that which is supposed to be the second part of it containing St Paul's Epistles in the French Kings Library and another the like Copy which is in the Library of th Benedictines of St Germains * F. Simon Crâ—t Hist of the N. Test Part 1. c. 31. Mabil de Re Diplom lib. 5. Tabell 1. are concluded to be a thousand years old at least Morinus thought them to be ancienter than St Jerom's time The Alexandrian Copy is believed to have been written by Thecla above one thousand three hundred years ago Morinus †Epist 54. inter Antiquâ— Eccl. Orient acknowledgeth it to be of above twelve hundred years date Bishop * Prolegom ix 34. Walton supposes the Alexandrian MS. to be at least as old as that in the Vatican which is allowed to be twelve hundred years old There is †F. Sim. Crit. Hist of the N. T. part 2. c. 4. one Syriack MS. of the Gospels in the Library of the Duke of Florence of above a thousand years Antiquity and another not much less ancient A * Gruter Inscript p. 146. Gothick Translation of the Four Evangelists in the Abbey of Werdin is likewise of above a thousand years Antiquity And what ancient Books are there of which the Originals are still extant or of which there are so ancient Copies as of the Scriptures X. Sufficient reasons may be given to shew how it came to pass that the Authority of some Books was at first doubted of 1. The Epistle to the Hebrews had no name prefixt either because the Jews were prejudiced against St Paul or because the Gentiles were his more peculiar care or for some other reason unknown and in this it differs from the rest of St Paul's Epistles and the †Hieroâ— Catal. i Petr. Paul style is different which occasioned the first doubts about it as it happend likewise to St Peter's second Epistle upon the account of its style and then the Novatians alledging some Texts in the Epistle to the Hebrews in favour of their opinion this made the Orthodox the less inclined to receive a Book which before had been disputed and therefore tho it was received in the East it was questioned at Rome where Novatian begun his Schisms The second Epistle of St Peter might be scrupled on the same account and both that and the Revelation of St John being alledged for the Millennium by such as undestood it in a gross sense this caused the Authority of those Books to be called in question which is said * Euseb Hist lib. vi c. 25. expresly of the Revelation 2. Some Epistles were written to particular persons or directed to such as lived at a great distance and by reason of Persecutions arising the Authentick Epistles might not readily be produced 3. Some Books were not usually read in the Churches as the rest were All the Books of Scripture except the Revelation of St John are inserted in the Catalogue of the Council of Laodicea and this was omitted because by reason of the abstruse Mysteries contained in it it was not publickly read in Churches for that Catalogue was designed to shew what Books ought to be read in the publick Assemblies But the Revelation was long before acknowledged to be genuine by †Justin Mart. Dialog Tertull. de Resur c. 27 38. Adv. Marcion lib. ii c. 5. iii. c. 14. Euseb Hist lib. iv c. 18. v. c. 8. Hierom. Catal. in Johannum Justin Martyr by Irenaeus and by Tertullian and others both Justin Martyr and Irenaeas wrote a comment upon the Revelation of St John The Epistle to the Hebrews the Epistle of St James and the the second Epistle of St Peter are cited by Clemens Romanus in his first Epistle which was itself wont to be read in Churches 4. The Hereticks would use all their endeavours and subtilty to hinder the reception of those Books by which their Heresies were disproved and they might so far have effect as to make some doubt for a while of their Authority For instance Diotrephes an ambitious aspiring man who prated against St John with malicious words and had so much power as to cast the Brethren out of the Church would forbid the receiving of St John's Epistles as well as the receiving the Brethren of that Apostles Communion and that he did this St John himself intimates when he says I wrote unto the Church but Diotrephes who loveth to have the Pre-eminence among them receiveth us not Joh. Epist iii. 9. that is he received not St John's Epistle for that would have been to receive him as an Apostle or to acknowledge his Authority XI Tho the Authority of some Books hath been questioned by private men yet those Books were never rejected by any Council of the Church tho frequent Councils were called in the first Ages of Christianity and had this very thing under consideration * Tertull. de Pudicit c. 10. Tertullian after he had turned Montanist rejecting the authority of Hermas's Pastor as not being received into the Canon of Scripture says that it was reckoned amongst the Apocryphal Books by all the Councils of his Adversaries the Orthodox From whence it is evident that in Tertullian's time divers Councils had past their Censure upon the Apocryphal Books and that the Canon of Scripture had been fixt long before So that the time in which some of these Councils were held must probably be whilst St Polycarp a Disciple of St John was yet living whose Martyrdom by the earliest computation was not till A. D. cxlvii at least they must be held in Irenaeus life time who conversed with St Polycarp and lived at the same time with Tertullian Thus was the Canon of Scripture vouched by those who had received it from St John and Councils upon occasion were called which †Tertull. de Jejun c. 13. Tertullian elsewhere mentions as very numerous and frequent in Greece to give testimony to the Genuine Canon and censure Apocryphal Books It is manifest that the Canon of Scripture was settled before the Council of Laodicea which in the lixth Canon appoints that no Books * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conc. Laod can lix which are extra Canonem but only Canonical Books should be read in the Christian Assemblies and then subjoyns the Titles of the Canonical Books which Title they had as Zonaras and Balsamon observe because they were inserted into the Apostles Canons and all others were styl'd uncanonical And it is concluded after the strictest examination by the best Criticks that those which go under the Name of the Apostles Canons are the Canons of Councils assembled before the Council
signal Judgment from Heaven and Moses advanced neither of his and both Moses and Aaron died by the particular Appointment and Command of God for their Offences against him never enjoying nor for a long time before expecting to enjoy the Land of Promise And therefore as they could never have performed what they did but by the Almighty Power of God so they could have no Motive or Inducement to attempt it but his Command and Promise of Assistance revealed to them CHAP. IV. Of the Pentateuch AS the Books entitled to Moses are confessed by all to be of the greatest Antiquity so we have it confirmed to us by the Authority of Heathen Writers themselves that the Books which go under his Name are indeed of his writing besides the unanimous Testimony of the whole Jewish Nation ever since Moses's Time from the first writing of them Which is infinitely better Proof of their being Authentick and entitl'd to the true Author than can be pretended for any Books but the Holy Scriptures Divers Texts of the Pentateuch imply that it was written by Moses and the Book of Joshua as well as other Books of Scripture import as much and though some Passages have been thought to imply the contrary yet this is but a late Opinion and has been sufficiently confuted by Learned Men. It is observable whoever wrote these Five Books that there is no Partiality shewn to any one whomsoever Noah is said to be overcome with Wine and expos'd to the Mockery of one of his Sons Lot is describ'd not only to have been drunken but to have lain with his own Daughters Abraham himself denies his Wife twice and Isaac imitates him in it Jacob gets the Blessing by Fraud and Subtilty from his Brother Esau Joseph's Brethren sell him into Aegypt and he when he is there learns to swear By the Life of Pharaoh The Faults of Aaron and of Moses himself as I have already observ'd are not conceal'd On the other side particular Notice is taken how Melchizedeck bless'd Abraham and receiv'd Tythes of him And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better Heb. vii 7. The Advice of Jethro is recorded and the Prophecies of Balaam himself are punctually set down It was no Design of the Sacred Pen-Man to write a Panegyrick upon any Man but to represent the Failings and Infirmities as well as the Excellencies of each Person and to shew by what various Methods the Providence of God brought to pass his gracious Designs how he turn'd Evil into Good and made use even of the Infirmities and Sins of Men to accomplish his Purposes In the Book of Genesis we have a short Account of the most Memorable and Remarkable Things which had past to the Times of Moses as the Creation of the World the Institution of the Sabbath the Fall of Man the Promise of the Messiah and the Custom of Offering Sacrifices as Types of his Death Who first committed Murther and who first brought in Polygamy the Inventon of divers Arts the Flood the Confusion of Tongues the Original of the several Nations of the World with the Chronology of the whole all which is comprehended in a little Compass but a larger and more particular Account is given of Abraham and his Family For here the Scene begins to open to the main Design of the Work the Book of Genesis being as an Introduction to the rest of the Pentateuch and containing such things as were requisite to be premis'd And in the beginning of the History of Abraham it is noted that the Canaanite was then in the land Gen. xii 6. even at that very time when Abraham erected an Altar to the Lord ver 7. this being a great Encouragement to the Israelites to excite them to follow the Example of their Father Abraham who worshipp'd the True God in a publick and solemn Manner in that Land which they were now going to possess and amongst that People which they were now to drive out and which at that time when the Land was promis'd them were the Inhabitants of it and God who had protected Abraham in so signal a Manner would no less assist them And if we consider those things particularly wherein Moses himself is concen'd as an Agent as well as an Historian there can be no Pretence for any Man to doubt but that at least the principal Points of the History of Moses are true that is that Moses was the Governor or General of the People of Israel who conducted them out of Aegypt that they travell'd for many Years in the Wilderness that they fought divers Battels with the several Nations who oppos'd their Journeying into the Land of Canaan and that Moses gave them the Laws which we find there recorded These are the chief Points of the History of Moses which are as it were the Foundation of all the rest the rest being but as Circumstances to shew the Manner of doing it and the Power by which all this was done And that these main Points are true it was never deny'd by those Heathens themselves who most reproach'd and vilify'd the Jewish Nation They acknowledg'd that Moses was the great General and Law-Giver of the Israelites they own'd that the Israelites came out of Aegypt they could deny nothing of the History it self but only gave wrong Accounts partly out of Ignorance and partly out of Malice and Design of the Manner and Means by which this was effected and the Reasons and Occasions upon which it came to pass From the Books of Josephus against Apion in which he gives an Account of what the most Ancient Authors of other Nations have deliver'd concerning the Jews and from what the latter Heathens Strabo Tacitus Justin and others after the Jews became so odious and contemptible in the eyes of all Nations have written it is evident that the great and fundamental Points as to the Matters of Fact are confess'd and the only Dispute is concerning the Manner in which they were brought about and the Means whereby all was effected Now we take the Histories of all other Nations rather from themselves than from Foreigners and Strangers to their Affairs or professed Enemies and it were extreme Partiality to admit the Accounts we have of the Jewish Affairs from Authors who liv'd so much too late to have any certain Information of the things they write about and who upon every Occasion shew such Disaffection to their Name and Nation and contradict each other and themselves too as Josephus shews it would I say be notorious Partiality to follow such Authors rather than credit the Jewish Records attested and deliver'd down to us by the unanimous Approbation and Testimony of the whole Nation And when I come to consider the Miracles wrought by Moses I shall prove That they were of that Nature and perform'd in such a Manner as that they could not be feign'd or counterfeit at first nor the Account given of them in the Pentateuch falsify'd afterwards and therefore
Nations to report that after so many loathsome and grievous Plagues inflicted upon Pharaoh and his People they came out of Aegypt and at last by the destruction of him and his whole Army in the Red-Sea made their escape and that they forced their way thro' all the other Nations that withstood their passage into Canaan and vanquished and destroyed them as they went and then to proclaim a sacred War against all the Nations whose Land they were to possess and many of whose Posterity were remaining in Solomon's time and probably long after and might have been able to confute great part of what the Israelites affirmed of themselves if it had been false and of a late invention for any People I say to invent such Accounts of Themselves and their Ancestors and then to make such Laws and to have the one believed and the other obeyed is altogether incredible When they had enraged all the neighbouring Nations to their destruction they obliged themselves by their Laws to leave all their Borders naked thrice every year and to give them an opportunity to destroy them and no People could have lived half an Age in such a condition under such Laws unless they had been protected by God himself the Author of them It appears therefore that as neither Moses himself nor any Party of Men either in his time or after it could either invent or change and falsified the Books which are under his Name so it is still more extravagant if possible to conceit that the whole People of Israel should either in Moses's time or afterwards be conscious to such an Imposture and yet that no man should ever discover it but it should to this day be concealed from all other Nations and that neither at the time of the Division of the Ten Tribes when Jeroboam was forced to set up Altars in other Places to keep the People from going up to Jerusalem to worship nor upon any other occasion this Secret if that may be called so which must be known to so many thousands should ever come to light Besides that they could never have invented those Laws by unanimous consent amongst themselves which they were so hardly brought to obey and if they had not been disobedient they would never have pretended they were and have invented Miracles to make it believed and if they had been never so forward in their obedience they could not have lived in the observation of the Law without a perpetual Miracle If then the Miracles of Moses and consequently the Divine Authority by which he gave his Law to the Israelites be sufficiently attested supposing the Matters of Fact to be true which are contained in the Pentateuch and if neither Moses himself could feign the Matters of Fact nor any other Person or Persons either in his time or afterwards could insert them or change the Law and the whole Jewish Nation could not at any time conspire in such a Fiction and Imposture We have all the Assurance that it is possible to have and all that any sober Man can desire both of the Truth of the Miracles wrought by Moses and of the Divine Authority of the Books penn'd by him And it will be found that after all the Reflections made by Infidels upon the Credulity as they esteem it of others there are none so credulous as they for they reject the most certain to believe the most incredible things in the World The Divine Mission and Authority of Moses being sully proved from thence it will follow 1. That God having instituted the Jewish Government was in point both of Wisdom and Honour concerned in the administration of it and that a more especial and peculiar Care and Providence must he watchful over this holy Nation and peculiar People 2 That whatever befell them either by Prophesies or by Miracles and the extraordinary Appointments of God according to the Revelations made in the Law of Moses has besides its own proper and intrinsick Evâ—dence the additional Proof of all the Miracles and Prophesies of Moses So that the Proof of the Divine Authority of Moses his Books is at the same time a Proof of all the other Books of Scripture so far as they are in the Matter and Subject of them consequent to these 3. That the Pentateuch and the other Parts of the Old Testament not to mention the New Testament in this place reciprocally prove each other like the Cause and the Effect the Pentateuch being the Cause and Foundation of These and these the Effect and the Consequence of the Pentateuch and the fulfilling the several Predictions of it CHAP. VII Of Joshua and the Judges and of the Miracles and Prophecies under their Government IT is generally agreed that Joshua himself was the Author of the Book under his Name and some who are of another opinion yet acknowledge that it must be written by his particular Order in his life-time or soon after his death The nature of the thing it self required that the Division of the Land of Canaan amongst the several Tribes should forthwith be committed to Writing for no People can be named who had the use of Letters that trusted the Boundaries of their Lands to Memory and there is no delay to be used in such cases Joshua therefore who did by Lot set out the Bounds of the Tribes at the same time put them down in Writing which he lest upon Record to Posterity to prevent Disputes and to be appealed to in case any Controversie should arise But the bare Distribution of the Land was not to be transmitted without an Account of the miraculous Conquests of it which might dispose them to be conâ—ented with their several Lots and remind them of their Duty in the possesssion and enjoyment of a Land which they were settled in thy the immediate Hand of God The Book of Joshua appears to have been written during the life-time of Rahab Jos vi 25. and to have been written in part at least by Joshua himself and annexed to the Law of Moses chap. xxiv 26. But the five last Verses giving an Account of the Death of Joshua and of what followed after it were added by some of the Prophets probably by Samuel who according to the Jewish Tradition is the Author of the Book of Judges where we find the same things repeated concerning the Death of Joshua Judg. ii 7. The Book of Judges is reckon'd among the Books of the Prophets Mat. ii 23. Judg. xiii 5. and It seems to be entitl'd to Samuel Act. iii. 24. where Samuel is mention'd as the first of the Prophets that is the first Author of the Books written by them That the Book of Judges was peâ—n'd before the Taking of Jerusalâ—â—â— by David we may learn from Judg. i. 22. After the death of Moses Joshua undertakes the Government and Conduct of the People of Israel according to God's Appointment and his Investiture to it by Moses Num. xxvii 22. who also foretold the great Success that