Reasons why the Apocryphal Writings are not received into the Canon of the Bible with an Answer to the Objections made by the Romanists SEcondly I proceed to the External Testimonies of the Truth of the Scriptures which being added to those Arguments which proved them to be True in Themselves will exceedingly corroborate our Belief of the Divine Authority of those Books And here I might mention the Testimony given to them by God in the wonderful Preservation of them through all Ages since they were first written In all the Changes of Affairs and the Overthrow of so many Cities and Kingdoms that Incomparable Treasure hath not been lost The Books of the Old Testament were kept untouched and inviolable at the sacking and burning of Ierusalem and all the time of the Captivity in Babylon and of the Dispersion of the Jews And ever since that time the Scriptures have been Unaltered in Words and Sense notwithstanding the frequent Endeavours of Satan's busy Agents to corrupt them yea utterly to destroy them And next to God's Providence in preserving these Books thrô all Times and Ages we might add the marvellous Success which hath attended the Holy Faith and Doctrine contained in these Writings They have prevail'd against the Power of Men and Devils and to this very day they are maintained and upheld maugre the Attempts of both of them to root them out of the World But I wave this intending not to insist upon Divine but Humane Testimony in this place By External Testimony then I mean here no other than this that Scripture is attested by Vniversal Tradition and this Tradition is both of Jews and Christians And what would a Man desire more in a humane way for attesting the Truth of these Writings From the joint Attestation of these Witnesses I shall make it appear that these Books which we now have are the true Copies of the first Originals that the same Books and Authors are faithfully delivered down to us which were first of all delivered to the Jews and to the Primitive Christians and that there is nothing in these Writings as we now have them that is falsified or corrupted First to begin with the Books of the Old Testament the Names of which are as follow Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Ioshuâ— Iudges Ruth the 1st and 2d Books of Samuel thâ— 1st and 2d Books of Kings tho 1st and 2d Books 〈◊〉 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Iob the Psalmâ— Proverbs Ecclesiastes the Song of Solomon the foâ—â— Greater Prophets and the twelve Lesser These and none but these were admitted into the Canâ— of the Holy Scriptures by the antient Church oâ— the Iews whose Testimony is very Authenticâ— here yea indeed we cannot have a better They acquaint us that these were the Only Writingâ— that were universally agreed by them to be extraordinarily Inspired and they further tell us that these Books which were writ by different Persons and at diverse Times were first compiled and collected into One Body or Volume by Ezra and the Assembly of Doctors for that purpose and consequently that the Canon of Sacred Scripture of the Old Testament as it is at this time was not constituted till Ezra's days by the Great Synagogue as they call it Upon his Return from the Captivity he undertook this good Work he gathered together all those dispersed Books before named and after he had reviewed them he publickly owned and solemnly vouched the Authority of every one of them that the Church for the future might not doubt of their being Authentick and True But some add here by way of Objection that this holy Man caused these Books to be written over in a New Character because the Jews had lost their knowledg of the former one as well as of the Tongue and consequently the Bible is not the same that it was at first Eusebius and Ierom are alledged for this especially the latter who seems to say that the Samaritan Character was the Old Hebrew Character in which the Bible was first writ and that it was first changed by Ezrd after the Return from Babylon he writing â—he Sacred Volume over in Assyrian or Chaldee Letters and neglecting the Old Hebrew ones which were the same that the Samaritan are And the reason of this was they say because the Jews were best acquainted with this Character at that time And some Modern Writers are gain'd over to this Opinion who talk much of the Change of the Character and endeavour to perswade us that the first and old Letters of the Hebrew Text were Samaritan but that those which we now have are Assyrian and of quite another sort But upon an impartial Enquiry I find little or no Foundation for this Opinion It rather seems to me to be an Invention and Dream of those who design to disparage the Hebrew Bible They would perswade us that the Authority of the Original is impaired because we have it not now as it was at the beginning for the Old Bible was in Samaritan Letters these being the first and antientest Hebrew Characters This is like the Story of the Hebrew Points being invented five hundred Years after Christ of which afterwards which tends to the same End namely to discredit the Hebrew Text which we now have and wholly to take away its Authority for if the Letters were changed it is probable some Words and consequently the Sense of some Places are altered But that this is groundless and that the Hebrew Bible is written in the same Characters now that it was at first you will find very largely and convincingly proved by the famous Buxtorf from the Authâ—rity of the Talmud especially the Gemara 〈◊〉 the Cabala from the Suffrage of the most Notâ— Rabbins of old and of the Learned Modern Jeâ—â— as Aben Ezra R. Solomon R. Ben Maimon â— who without doubt are very competent Judges 〈◊〉 this Case To these may be added several of 〈◊〉 Christian Perswasion as Picus Mirandula F. Iuniâ— Skikkard Postellus with those three Eminent Persons of our own Countrey Nic. Fuller Broughtâ—â— Lightfoot If you consult these they will satisfyâ— you that the Hebrew Letters which we have now in the Bible were the Primitive ones the very same that were of old But to give you my Thoughts impartially in this Point I do believâ— from what I find asserted by Writers on both sides that there were two sorts of Characters used by the Jews as there were two sorts of Cubits and Shekels the Sacred and Common and I gather that the Samaritan Letter was of the latter sort that which was commonly used and even sometimes in transcribing the Bible but the Sacred Character in use among the Jews was this which we now have and in which the Bible is at this day This is the true Original Hebrew Letter and was used from the beginning by them This I think may reconcile the Disputes among Writers for so far as I can perceive the Quarrels arise from this that there is
and twenty after the number of the Hebrew letters And Cyril of Ierusalem hath these express Words Read these two and twenty Books but have nothing to do with the Apocryphal ones Study and meditate only on these Scriptures which we conâ—idently read in the Church The Apostles and first Bishops were true Guides and were more wise and religious than thou art and these were the Men that delivered these Scriptures to us Thou then being a Son of the Church do not go beyond her Bounds and Orders but acknowledg and study only the two and twenty Books of the Old â—â—â—stament And other Fathers of the Churâ—â— as Melito Bishop of Sardis Athanasius Amphiloâ—â—us Epiphanius Eusebius Gregory Nazianzen Gâ—â—gory the Great Basil Chrysostom testify that 〈◊〉 Books and no others of the Old Testamâ—â—â— which we receive now were the Canonical Booâ—â— of old and received so by the first Christiâ—â— Those eminent Lights of the Latin Church Râ—t Ierom Hilary disown as Uncanonical 〈◊〉 Books of Apocrypha The two latter especially 〈◊〉 very positive Ierom expresly tells us that 〈◊〉 Canonical Books of the Old Testament are but 〈◊〉 and twenty just the number of the Hebrew Alâ—phabet and no more and he enumerates the particular Books which constitute the whole 〈◊〉 saith indeed that some make them four and twâ—â—ty but 't is the same Account for they reckâ—â— Ruth and Lamentations separately But as for 〈◊〉 others he saith they are not part of Inspired Scripture and the Church doth not receive theâ— among the Canonical Writings So Hilary givâ— us the just Catalogue of the Books of the Old Tâ—stament and peremptorily affirms that there 〈◊〉 but two and twenty Canonical Books of it in all which are the same with the thirty nine according to the reckoning in our Bibles To Fathers wâ— might add Synods and Councils as that antieâ—â— one of Laodicea conven'd A. D. 364. which drew up a Catalogue of the Books of Scripture and makes mention only of these which we now râ—ceive but leaves out the Apocryphal ones This Canon was received afterwards and confirmed by the Council of Chalcedon one of the first four General Councils And the sixth General Council held at Constantinople A. D. 680. expresly ratified the Decrees of that old Laodicean Council and particularly this that the Canonical Books of the Old Testament were but two and twenty There is another Reason also besides the Universal Suffrage of the Christian Church why the Apocryphal Books are ejected out of the Canon viz. because some things in them are false and contrary to the Canonical Scriptures as in Ecclesiasticus 46. 20. 2 Esdras 6. 40. and some things are vitious as in 2 Maccab. 14. 42. After all this it is easy to answer what the Romanists say on the other side They quote the third Council of Carthage which they tell us received the Apocryphal Books into the Canon And among the Fathers St. Augustin they say owns them besides that two Popes viz. Innocent the First and Gelasius took those Books which we stile Apocryphal into the Canon As for the Council which they alledg it was but a Provincial one and therefore is not to be set against those more Authentick and General Councils which I produced Nor must that one single Father whom they name stand out against that great number of Greek and Latin Fathers whom I mentioned The Popes bear a great Name among our Adversaries but they are but two and must not be compared with those Councils and that multitude of Fathers who are on our side Or if they lay such great stress on a Pope I can name them one and he one of the most eminent they ever had viz. Pope Gregory the Great who declares that the Book of Maccabees a main Piece of the Apocryphal Wrâ—â—tings is no part of the Canon of Scripture Wâ— may set this One Pope for he is Great enough against the other Two Besides their own 〈◊〉 are against them the Apocryphal Books are 〈◊〉 received as part of holy Inspired Scripture by Iâ—â—dorus Damascen Nicephorus Rabanus Maurus Hâ—go Lyranus Cajetan and others who are of greâ—â— Repute in the Church of Rome We regard 〈◊〉 what the pack'd Council of Trent hath decreed viz. That besides the two and twenty Books 〈◊〉 the Hebrew Canon those also of Tobias Iuditâ— the Wisdom of Solomon Ecclesiasticus Maccabeâ—â—â— Baruch are to be received as Canonical and thâ— they are of equal Authority with the Canon oâ— the Old and New Testament What is this to the general Suffrage of the Primitive Councils Fathers and Writers who have rejected the Apocryphal Books and received but twenty two into the Canon of Scripture belonging to the Old Testament You see what Ground we have no other than the Vniversal Church We reject some Books as Apocryphal because they were generally rejected by the antient Primitive Church and we receive the rest as Canonical because they were believed and owned to be so by the universal Consent of the Church See this admirably made good in Bishoâ— Cousins's History of the Canon of Scripture Yet aâ—ter all that hath been said we count the Apocryphâ— Writings worthy to be read and perused The there be some things amiss in them yet we give great Deference and Respect to them as containing many Historical Truths and furnishing us witâ— Matter of Jewish Antiquity as likewise because there are many Doctrinal and Moral Truths in them especially in the Books of Wisdom and Ecâ—lesiasticus For this Reason I say we bear great Respect to them and rank them next to the Holy Canon and prefer them before all Profane Authors This was done by the antient Fathers who frequently alledg'd them in their Sermons and Discourses which is one Reason I question not why these Apocryphal Books came to be made Canonical by some of the Church of Rome namely because they were so often quoted by the Fathers and in some Churches read publickly But this is no Proof of their being Canonical but only lets us know that these Books were in their Kind useful and profitable as indeed they are Therefore St. Ierom saith the Church receives not these Books into the Canon of Scripture though she allows them to be read And concerning these Writings our Church saith well quoting St. Ierom for it She doth read them for Example of Life and Instruction of Manners but yet doth not apply them to establish any Doctrine Which gives us an exact account of the Nature of these Books namely that they contain excellent Rules of Life and are very serviceable to inform us of our Duty as to several weighty things but they being not dictated by the Holy Ghost as the other Books of Scripture are they are not the infallible Standard of Divine Doctrine and therefore are not to be applied and made use of to that purpose This and the other Reasons before mentioned may prevail with us to think that these Writings ought not to be
numbred among the Books of Canonical Scripture And thus we have argued from the Tradition and the Testimony of the Church And if this be done as it ought to be done it is valid for the Truth of the Copies the Canonicalness of the Books and the like are not decidable by Scripture it self but in the Way that all other Controversies of that nature are As you would prove any other Book to be Authentick so you must prove the Bible to be viz. by sufficient and able Testimony There is the same reason to believe the Sacred History that there is to believe any other Historical Writings that are extant Nay the Testimonies on behalf of the Holy Scriptureâ— are more pregnant than any that are brought for other Writings Besides all that can be said for the Sacred Volume of the Bible which is wont to be said for other Writings I have shewed you that there are some things peculiar to this above aâ—â— others The main thing we have insisted upon is this that the Books of the Old and New Testament have been faithfully conveyed to us and that they are vouched by the constant and universal Tradition both of the Jewish and Christian Church and that these Books and no others are of the Canon of Scripture for to be of the Canon of Scripture is no other than to be owned by the Universal Church for Divinely Inspired Writings The Church witnesseth and confirmeth the Authority of the Canonical Scriptures for she received them as Divine and she delivers them to us as such Yet I do not say that the Church's Testifying these Books to be the Holy Scriptures gives an Absolute and Entire Authority to them A Clerk in the Parliament or any other Court writes down and testiâ—ies that such an Act or Decree or Order was pass'd by the King Magistrate or People and he witnesses that he hath faithfully kept these by him and that they are the very same that at such a time were made by the foresaid Authority but the Authority of this Act Decree or Order rests not in the Clerk but wholly in the King Magistrate or People So the Church recordeth and keepeth the Sacred Writings of the Bible and bears witness that they have been faithfully preserved and that they are the Genuine Writings of those Persons whose Names are presixed to them bâ—t the Divine Authority of the Scriptures depends not on the Church but on the Books and Authors themselves namely their being Inspired And indeed this Authority of the Scriptures cannot depend on the Church because the Church itself depends on the Scriptures These must be proved before the Church can pretend to be any such thing as a Church We cannot know the Church but by the Scriptures therefore the Scriptures must be known before the Church It follows then that the Papists are very unreasonable and absurd in making the Ultimate Resolution of Faith to be into the Testimony and Authority of the Church This we disown as a great Falsity but yet it is rational to hold that the Church's Testimony is one good Argument and Proof of the Truth of the Sacred Scripture according to that known Saying of St. Augustine I should not believe the Gospel if the Authority of the Church did not move me Not that he founds the Gospel i. e. the Doctrine of Christianity and the Truth of it on the Testimony of the Church as the Papists are wont to infer from these Words and frequently quote them to this purpose No the Father's meaning is this that by the Testimony and Consent of the Church he believed the Book of the Gospel to be verily that Book which was written by the Evangelists This is the Sense of the Place as is plain from the Scope of it for he speaks there of the Copies or Writings not the Doctrine contained in them The good Father relies on this that so great a number of knowing and honest Persons as the Church was made up of did assert the Evangelical Writings to be the Writings of such as were really inspired by the Holy Ghost and that they were true and genuine and not corrupted And the whole Body of Sacred Scripture is attested by the same universal Suffrage of the Church i. e. the unanimous Consent of the Apostles and of the First Christians and of those that immediately succeeded them several of which laid down their Lives to vindicate the Truth of these Writings This is the External Testimony given to the Holy Scriptures It is the general Perswasion and Attestation of the Antient Church that these are the Scriptures of Truth that they were penn'd by holy Prophets and Apostles immediately directed by the Spirit who therefore could not err It was usual heretofore among the Pagan Lawgivers to attribute their Laws to some Deity tho they were of their own Invention intending thereby to conciliate Reverence to them and to commend them to the People But here is no such Cheat put upon us God himself is really the Author of the Holy Scriptures these Sacred Laws come immediately from Him they are of Divine Inspiration There is no doubt to be made of the Divinity of the Scriptures and consequently there is assurance of the Infallibility of them CHAP. III. The Authority of the Bible manifested from the Testimonies of Enemies and Strangers especially of Pagans These confirm what the Old Testament saith concerning the Creation the Production of Adam and Eve their Fall with the several Circumstances of it Enoch's Translation the Longevity of the Patriarchs the Giants in those Times the Universal Flood the building of the Tower of Babel I Have propounded some of the chief Arguments which may induce us to believe the Truth and Certainty of the holy Writings of the Old and New Testament I will now choose out another for the sake chiefly of the Learned and Curious which I purpose to inlarge upon yea to make the Subject of my whole ensuing Discourse I consider then that we have in this Matter not only the Testimony of Friends but of Enemies and Strangers and it is a Maxim in the Civil Law and vouched by all Men of Reason that the Testimony of an Enemy is most considerable The Iewish and Christian Church as I have shewed already give their Testimony to the Scriptures but besides these Witnesses there are Others there is the Attestation of Foreigners and Adversaries These fully testify the Truth of what is delivered in the Holy Bible we have the Approbation of Heathen Writers to conâ—irm many of the things related in the Old Testament and both Professed Heathens and Iews for we must now look upon these latter as profess'd Enemies when we are to speak of the Christian Concern attest sundry things of the New Testament and vouch the Truth and Authority of them Here then I will distinctly proceed and first begin with the Old Testament and let you see in several Particulars that even the Pagan World gives Testimony to this Sacred Volume
be great Moral and Religious Qualifications likewise for this is the Book of God and therefore we must come to it with agreeable Inclinations Wills and Affections Men complain that there is a great Contention about the interpreting of Scripture and Different Parties can't agree whence they proceed to blame the Obscurity and Uncertainty of the Scripture it self But herein these Persons themselves are very blameable for this Disagreement in the interpreting of Sacred Writ arises not wholly from the Obscurity of it nor doth it proceed from the Uncertainty of it as some would suggest but from Mens Depraved Minds and Passions Wherefore our main Care ought to be 1st To free our selves from all Wilful Prejudice and Perverseness which have been the first and original Causes of misunderstanding the Scriptures Thus the Infernal Spirit when he tempted our Saviour most perversly quoted Psal. 91. 11. and misapplied it to his purpose And from him Hereticks and Seducers have learnt to cite and make use of Scripture to evil Designs viz. to uphold some Error or Vice What an Antient Writer of the Church saith of one sort of Heretical Teachers that they interpret the Sense of the Holy Writ according to their own Pleasure is true of them all their constant Practice is to strain and distort these Sacred Writings to construe them according to their own Fancies and to make them like an Echo speak what they please Their great Work in consulting and turning over this Volume is to find something they may misinterpret for their own Ends. Their Affection to a particular Cause makes them believe and assert any thing though never so improbable and then they alledg Scripture to back it though it be wholly foreign to the purpose These Persons are of the Number of those Depravers of Truth who as One of the Antient Fathers gives us their Character do not accommodate their Minds to the Scripture but pervert and draw the Mind of the Scripture to their own Wills This glossing and expounding of the Bible according to Mens corrupt Fancies is as M. Luther hath expressed it like straining Milk through a Colesack it blackens and deâ—iles the pure Word of God it depraves and falsifies the Mind of the Spirit Those Men are to be abhorr'd that submit not their Thoughts and Conceptions to this Sacred Standard who compel the Scripture to serve their Private Opinions who make no conscience of putting a Text upon the Rack to make it speak what it intended not of miserably torturing it that they may force it to confess what it never meant These Persons should be reminded how great a Sin it is to distort and deprave the Holy Writ and designedly to draw it to another Sense than it naturally bears And the Penalty is as grievous as the Crime for as the Apostle St. Peter informs us this Generation of Men wrest the Scripture unto their own Destruction 2 Pet. 3. 16. Wherefore let none presume to be guilty in this Nature and dare to follow their own sinister Imagiâ—ations in the interpreting of the Inspired Writings but let them attend to that Advice of a Pious and Learned Author We should be more willing to take a Sense from Scripture than to bring one to it Let us strive to know the naked and pure Meaning of the Spirit and in order to that read the Bible with an Unprejudiced and Sincere Mind which is an Excellent Interpreter Whereas 't is a certain Truth that Perverse Minds will pervert the Scriptures 2dly We ought to read these Divine Writings with great Modesty and Humility Let it not trouble us that some Parts of them are not level to our Understandings And where we cannot solve some things let us not arrogantly pretend to do it It is no Disgrace to confess our Ignorance here I can assure you this hath been done by the Learnedest Heads There is a Learned Ignorance as St. Augustin terms it and we need not be ashamed to be Masters of it These four things mention'd in Eccles 12. 6. I understand not saith Castellio I scarcely understand the thousandth Part of this Book saith he concerning the Apocalypse And 't is frequent with this Learned Man to say I know not the Meaning of this Place That Man is impudently rash who dares profess that he understands one single Book of the Bible in all its Parts saith Luther I own it that I am so blind that I cannot see any thing at all in that dark Place of Scripture Amos 5. 26. saith the Great Selden But the contrary Temper and Spirit have swell'd some with proud Conceits of their understanding some Passages of this Book when they have no true Apprehension of them in the least and accordingly they have endeavour'd in a supercilious manner to impose their crude Sense upon others not craving but commanding Assent to what they have propounded These bold Men forget what the Wise King saith It is the Glory of God to conceal a Matter to speak sometimes in so dark and hidden a manner that there is need of great searching studying and enquiring into the things that are said and yet at last they remain abstruse and unintelligible It hath pleased God the Wise Governour of the World that the Scripture should have Difficulties and Obscurities in it that there should be some things hard to be understood But as Socrates said of Heraclitus's Writings What he understood of them was very good and so he believed that to be which he understood not the like may we with more Reason pronounce concerning the Sacred Scriptures The Matters which we have Knowledg of which are the main Body and Substance of the Book are Excellent and Divine and so there is Reason to conclude that those Parts of it which are hidden from us are of the same Nature There is no occasion to find fault with the Sovereign Wisdom of God but it is our apparent Duty to lay aside Pride and to exercise Humility which will capacitate us to understand even those Great Mysteries and Abstrusities when we have with much Diligence and frequent Study search'd into them 3dly We must think our selves concern'd to purge our Hearts and Lives from all Deâ—ilements of Vice For 't is certain that a quick Brain a subtile Head and a nimble Wit are not so much required to the understanding of Divine Truth as an Honest Mind and a Religious Practice To Men of polluted Consciences and profane Manners the Scriptures seem dark and mysterious but to those of sanctified Minds and holy Lives they are as to the most part plain and clear These Qualifications render them as bright as a Sun-beam What the Turks are said to write on the back-side of the Alcoran Let none touch this Book but he that is pure may with great Reason and Justice be written on the Holy Book of Scripture and that only for a Pure Life is the best Commentator on these Writings A wonderful measure of
Industry to preserve Scripture from Corruption We may gather from this Diversity of Readings that Men have been very inquisitive and careful in their comparing of Copies but we cannot thence argue that the Text is adulterated yea rather we may infer that it is not for from this comparing and vying of Copies we come to know and be ascertain'd which is the True and Authentick one And we may farther add with the same excellent Author That it is morally impossible since our Saviour's time and indeed for many hundred Years before that that the Scriptures particularly of the Old Testament should have been corrupted for the Multitude of Copies was then such hath been since much more such and so far dispersed that neither one Man nor one Body of Men could ever get them into their hands to corrupt them and if some few or mâ—â—â—ny Copies had been corrupted but not all thâ—â— sincere Number would have detected the corrupt Again let it be consider'd that the antient Orthodox Writers of the Church do all ciâ—â— these Scriptures as we now have them in everything material Yea that most Hereticks have pleaded these same Scriptures and denied them not to be genuine To establish us yet further we must remember that these Writings have been openly read to the People in all their solemn Assemblies in the several Ages since Christianity began and they being thus constantly used could not possibly be altered and corrupted Besides that all private Christians were exhorted to read and use them in their Families whereby they became so known and familiar that whenever any Alteration was made they could presently observe it Lastly notwithstanding the Author of a late Tractate hath brought divers Objections against the usual Tradition that such and such Books of the Bible were wrote by the Authors whose Names they bear and though Mr. Hobbs before him had done the same yet neither of them have effected it with any Success This is all they have done they have only shewed that they are not so civil to the holy Writings as they are to the profane ones for it is every whit as clear that the Books of the Holy Scripture were written by the Persons under whose Names they go as that any other Writings were put out by those whose Names they bear Nor can these Men vouchsafe to shew that Civility to these Sacred Books which even Iews and Gentiles have done for when both â—hese opposed these Books you will not find that they ever questioned the Authors but the Doctrine only We are therefore to look upon these Men and such as take part with them as acting with higher Prejudice than either Jews or Heathens did and accordingly we are to slight what they say unless it be thus far that from their impotent and malicious Cavils we may be further confirmed in this Perswasion that these Books of the Old and New Testament were indeed written by those Authors under whose Names they are now received that these Scriptures which we now have are the same which the Primitive Church received from the Apostles that the Copies we have of the Bible are not corrupted that God hath preserved the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament from all considerable Change and Depravation his Providence not suffering any such thing that the Canon of Scripture which is now received is the very same that it was at first and which is the Sum of all that the Truth and Authority of it are impregnable It may be expected I should speak of the Apoâ—ryphal Books which I have not reckoned among the Inspired Writings For doing this I have good reason for I find them excluded from the Canon of Scripture by those that are the best Judges of it I mean the Iews who were the great Keepers of the Scripture They never took these into the number of the Books of Holy Writ and that for these two Reasons First because they were not writ by the Prophets The Jews believed that the Spirit of Prophecy ceased among them as soon as Malachi had done prophesying They owned no Divine Inspiration after his time and accordingly received not the Apocryphal Books into the Canon of Scripture i. e. Books Divinely inspired 〈◊〉 was written after Malachi's time who was 〈◊〉 last Prophet was not Canonical was not of 〈◊〉 Authority and therefore is not emphatical called Scripture For as St. Paul informs us 〈◊〉 Scripture is given by Inspiration of God 2 Tim. 3. 〈◊〉 That is the Mark and Criterion of Scripture 〈◊〉 is back'd by St. Peter 2 Pet. 1. 21. Holy Men 〈◊〉 God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 those Writings which were not by Inspiration 〈◊〉 God nor from the immediate Motion of the 〈◊〉 Ghost are not to be reckoned as Holy Scriptuâ—â— and such are the Apocryphal Writings they werâ—â— written after the cessation of Prophecy and Diviâ—â— Inspiration and so they are not of Divine Authâ—â—rity and cannot be esteemed Canonical Scriptureâ—â— Secondly the Jews received not the Apocrypha 〈◊〉 to their Canon because it was written in Greek not in Hebrew as all the Canonical Books are For God would not they say give them Scripturâ— in an Unknown Tongue The Oracles of Goâ— were to be committed to his People in the Authentick Language which is that of the Jews The Apocryphal Writings being not such are rejected by them and not taken into the Canon of Sacreâ— Writ And as they were not received by the Jewiâ— Church so not by the Christian one You cannot but observe that Christ and the Apostles who frequently quote the Canonical Books never quoâ—â— any of the Apocryphal ones which gives us to understand that they were not reputed as Inspired Writings otherwise it is most reasonable to think that our Saviour or his Apostles and Evangelists would at one time or other have cited some one Passage at least out of these Books it being their great Work as you may see to prove the Truth of what they delivered from the holy Scriptures which were inspired by God in former Times They embraced all Occasions of establishing Christianity upon the Writings of the Inspired Prophets who went before therefore if the Apocryphal Writers had been of that number they would certainly have been quoted by them and because they are not it is an Argument that they are not Inspired Writers Again the Christian Church which immediately succeeded that which was in the Days of Christ and the Apostles received not these Writings as Divinely inspired and therefore excluded them from the Canon of Scripture Look into the Writings of the antient Fathers of the Church who without doubt made it their business to search into the Canon of Scripture and to be satisfied which were the Divinely inspired Books and there you will see that those of the Eastern Church received only the Jews Canon of Scripture as to the Old Testament Thus Origen recites the Canonical Books of it as they are now reckoned viz. two
Church's Hands by the Prophets and Apostles shall by her be deliver'd over to her Children to the World's End which way of Transmission is the great Prop of our Religion Besides the Apostle enjoins the Thessalonians to hold fast the Traditions which they had been taught whether by Word or his Epistle for he had used two ways of delivering the Truth to them namely Preaching and Writing and other Apostles committed the chief and necessary Heads of their Doctrine to Writing So that the Traditions meant here are the Revealed Truths of the Gospel delivered by the Apostles and Evangelists and are no other than what Christ deliver'd to them according to that of St. Paul I delivered to you that which also I received whence they have the Name of Traditions i. e. they are Evangelical Doctrines delivered to us from those that were taught them by Christ. And whether they were imparted by Word or by Epistle by Preaching or Writing they are the same the same as to substance the otherwise there may be some difference But that which we condemn and that most justly the Papists for is this that they magnify and rely upon Traditions which have no affinity with the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles yea which contradict it in many things and yet they equalize these with the Word of God and sometimes prefer them and the Authority of the Church before that of the Sacred Writings of the Old and New Testament Thus One saith The Church sometimes doth things contrary to the Scriptures sometimes besides them therefore the Church is the Rule and Standard of the things that are delivered in the Scriptures and therefore we believe the Church though she acts counter to the formal Decisions of the Scriptures And an other Famous Doctor gives it for good Divinity that the Decrees and Determinations of a Council are binding though they be not confirmed by any probable Testimony of Scripture nay though they be beyond and above the Determination of Scripture Thus the Holy Writings of the Bible are most impiously disparaged and vilisied by the Pontificians Whereas there is nothing defective or redundant nothing wanting or superfluous in these Writings they assert in the open face of the World that they are short and imperfect and therefore have need of being supplied by Traditions which in some things are of greater Value and Authority than they Again that the Church of Rome oppugneth or rather denieth the Perfection of the Scriptures might be evinced from their constant care and endeavour to keep them in an Vnknown Tongue It is true they have translated them But 1. There was a kind of necessity of doing it the Protestants having turned them into so many Tongues By this means they were compelled as it werâ— to let some of their people see what the Bible was in their own Language But 2. It is so corruptly translated that it is made to patronize several of their Superstitious Follies and Errors And yet 3. They dare not commit these Translations to common View Although in all Countries where People were converted to Christianity in elder times the Scripture was turned into their Language and every one was permitted yea exhorted to read it as is proved by many Writers the Learned Dr. Stillingfleet particularly yet the Church of Rome denieth the common People the Use of it as a thing hurtful and pernicious The Bible as some Bad Book is tolerated to be read with great Caution and Restriction in some Countries only and by some Persons It is like the Sibyls Prophecies of old among the Romans not to be look'd into without the permission and Authority of the Senate none can read it without a Licence from their Superiours so dangerous a thing is the Bible From this Practice the People generally imbibe a strong Prejudice against the Scriptures and believe they cannot be good for them because the Pope and their Pastors tell them they are not Wherefore as one who was once of the Communion of the Church of â—ome hath well observed As soon as ever any Man imbraces Popery he presently throws the Bible out of his Hands as altogether useless to say no worse Which unreasonable and wicked Behaviour of theirs was one great Reason or Motive as he professeth of his returning to the Church of England again For what Considerate Man can think That to be a True Church which teacheth its Members to slight and reject the Word of God which is the Source of all Divine Truth and without which we can neither believe nor practise aright we can neither have Comfort here nor arrive to Happiness hereafter This indeed is not only to null â—â—e Perfection of Scripture but to abolish the whole Body of Scripture it self A third sort of Persons that are Opposers of the Perfection of Scripture are Enthusiasts and such who act out of a truly Fanatick Principle Such were the Familists heretofore whose Pretences to the Spirit were so high that they excluded and renounced the Letter of Scripture which according to their Stile was a dark Lanthorn a liveless Carcass a Book shut up and seal'd with seven Seals the Scabbard not the Sword of the Spirit or if it be a Sword it is the Sword of Antichrist wherewith he kills Christ. This was the impious Jargon of these High-flown Men who made no other Use of the Bible than to Allegorize it and to turn it all into Mystery These have been followed by Others of a like Fanatick Spirit who have made it a great part of their Religion to despise and reproach the Sacred Writ A late Enthusiast or rather one that pretends to be such but designs the Overthrow of all Religion tells the World that the Bible is founded in Imagination that God's Revelations in Scripture are ever according to the Fancy of the Prophets or other Persons he spoke to and that all the Phrases and Speeches all the Discoveries and Manifestations yea all the Historical Passages in the Old and New Testament are adapted to these The Quaker comes next and refuseth to own the Scripture to be the Word of God and the Perfect Rule by which we are to direct our Lives It is a great Error and Falsity saith one of the most considerable Persons of that Perswasion that the Scriptures are a filled up Canon and the only Rule of Faith and Obedience in all things and that no more Scriptures are to be writ or given forth from the Spirit of the Lord. With whom agrees another of as great Repute among that Tribe I see no Necessity saith he of believing that the Canon of Scripture is filled up And again The Scriptures saith he are not to be esteemed the Principal Ground of all Truth and Knowledg nor yet the Adequate Primary Rule of Faith and Manners but they are only a Secondary Rule subordinate to the Spirit And accordingly he adds That the inward Inspirations and Revelations which Men
Knowledg and Insight into these Divine Truths which are here contain'd is the Effect of observing and practising the Holy Precepts of this Book This then we ought to urge upon our selves to come to the reading of Scripture with defecate and purged Minds with Love to what it dictates and with Obedience to it This should be our principal Care to live well and to walk according to this Excellent Rule All our Religion and the whole Conduct of our Actions in this World depend upon the Scriptures therefore let us be directed and govern'd by the Infallible Maxims Precepts Promises and Threatnings of this Book We see Men live by Custom by the Dictates of Others or by their Own Opinions which oftentimes prove erroneous and lead them into unwarrantable Practices But they would not be thus misguided if they consulted These Lively Oracles of God this sure Word of Prophecy if they regulated their Actions by this Exact Canon And hereby we are certain to improve our Knowledg in this Holy Book for by living according to it we shall the better understand it by minding the Practical Contents of it we shall have a full Discovery of its Principles and Doctrines Lastly That we may attain to a right understanding of the Sense of Scripture that we may have a due Perception of the Meaning of what is deliver'd here let us most earnestly invoke the Divine Aid and Assistance He that reads this Book without Prayer can never expect to be bless'd with a compleat Knowledg of it For it is the sole Work of the Divine Spirit to illuminate our Minds effectually There is required the special Help of this Heavenly Instructor to direct us into Truth wherefore he is call'd the Spirit of Truth and the Vnction from the Holy One whereby we know all things The same Spirit that endited these Holy Writings must enlighten our Minds to understand them Which I find thus expressed in the Words of our Church The Revelation of the Holy Ghost inspireth the true meaning of the Scripture into us in truth we cannot without it attain true Saving-knowledg And a Learned and Pious Son of our Mother gives his Suffrage in these Words Wicked Men however learned do not know the Scriptures because they feel them not and because they are not understood but with the same Spirit that writ them Seeing then a Spiritual Illumination is requisite in order to the comprehending of Scripture-Truths we ought with great Fervour and Zeal to request it we ought with a singular Devotion to repair to this Infallible Teacher and with mighty Importunity beseech him to open our Eyes that we may behold wondrous things out of the Divine Law and to conduct our Reasons aright in our Enquiry into this Sacred Volume And He that commands us to implore his Help will certainly vouchsafe it to all sincere and devout Supplicants The Eyes of our Understanding shall be irradiated with a Celestial Beam and we shall feel an internal Operation of the Spirit on our Hearts communicating Light and Wisdom By the Assistance of this Blessed Guide we shall not miscarry in our Searches and Endeavours This Divine Book shall be laid open to us and we shall have its Mysteries and Depths disclosed to us so far as is convenient for us and no rational Man ought to desire any more Yea as it is with some of those that have studied for the Phâ—losophick Elixar though they attain not to it yet in their impetuous Search after it they find out many Excellent Things admirably useful for Mankind which are a Recompence of their Labours so though we may fall short of some Grand Secrets which are treasured up in this Inspired Volume yet we shall not faâ—l of some Choice Discoveries that will make us amends for our most laborious Enquiries We shall mightily improve our Knowledg and we shall likewise be under the special Benediction of Heaven The Rabbins tell us that when R. Ionathan writ his Targum on the Bible if at any time the least Fly lit upon his Paper it was presently consumed with Fire from Heaven But though this be Romantick and after the rate of the Rabbins yet it is a sober Trutlâ— that God will protect us in reading and studying the Holy Scriptures Whilest we are thus employed nothing shall disturb or hurt us the Divine Arm will defend and prosper us and we shall peruse this Book with that happy Success which we pray'd for In short by continual conversing with this Book which is the only one that hath no Errata's we shall know how to correct all the Failures of our Notions and of our Lives we shall enrich our Minds with a Stock of Excellent Principles and we shall be throughly furnish'd unto all good Works we shall be conducted to the highest Improvements of Knowledg and Sanctity in this Life and to the most Conâ—â—mmate Happiness in another FINIS Books written by the Reverend Mr. John Edwards AN Enquiry into several 〈◊〉 Texts of the Old and New Testament which contain some Difficulty in them with a Probable Resolution of them In two Volumes in 8â— A Discourse concerning the Authority Stile and Perfection of the Books of the Old and New Testament Vol. I. with a Continued Illustration of several Difficult Texts throughout the whole Work A Discourse conâ—â—rning the Authority Stile and Perfection of the Books of the Old and New Testament Vol. II. wherein the Author 's former Undertaking is further prosecuted viz. An Enquiry into several Remarkable Texts which contain some Difficulty in them A Discoeurs concerning the Authority Stile and Perfection of the Books of the Old and New Testament Vol. III. treating of the Excellency and Perfection of the Holy Scriptures and illustrating several difficult Texts occurring in this Undertaking All sold by Ionathan Robinson Iohn Taylor and Iohn Wyat. * Plataic †Panegyr Plataic ‡ Plataic * Orat. 2. ad Nicocl †Panegyr Orat. ‖ Orat. ad Philip. ‡ Panegyr ad Philip. Epist. ad Philip. Epist. ad Mitylen * Panegyr Orat. †Plataic Orat. 1. ‖ Orat. ad Philip. * Panegyr Orat. Plataic Orat. bis †Olynth 1. ‖ Philip. 1. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. in Protrept †Gen. 9. 27. * Deut. 28. 49 c. †1 Kings 13. 2. * Antiqu. 1. 11. c. 1. †Dr. Jackson * Dan. 2. †Temporum conscius totius Mundi Polyhistor Epist. ad Paulin. * Ver. 2. †Ver. 20. ‖ Ver. 5. * Ibid. * John 21. 18. †Ver. 22. * Earum rerum quae foâ—â—uitae putantur praedictio atque praesentio De Divinat l. 1. * Lib. 3. c. 8. * Colloqu Mensal * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orig. cont Celâ— l. 6. * Lib. 1. †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isid. Pelus Ep. l. 5. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just. Mart. Dialog cum Tryph. †Arnob. lib. 1. ‖ Sozom. l. 1. c. 11. ‖‖ Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 2.
been said it appears that the Jews weâ—â— very careful and studious very exact and curioâ—â— in Scripture by which means it happens that theâ— is an Impossibility of making any Alteration in 〈◊〉 without being discovered That is the only Reâ—son of my alledging here the Masoretick Notes 〈◊〉 I undertake not to defend the superstitious Râ—â—marks and Criticisms of the Masorites I applaud not their laborious Niceties their childish Transmutations and shuflling of Letters and Syllables their trifling Annotations on the Figure and Make of some Hebrew Letters But I only take notice of God's Providence in making these Critical Men to be very serviceable towards the preserving the Bible of the Old Testament in its Purity The Observations of these Masoretick Doctors who were Persons of great Skill in the Language and well acquainted with all the antient Copies and Manuscripts and who above a thousand Years ago exactly numbred all the Verses Words Letters and even the minutest parts of the Hebrew Text have been a great Security and Preservative to it they have kept it undepraved and uncorrupt and have made the Reading of it certain and unalterable This is the reason why that Excellent and Noble Personage the Learned Picus Mirandula so highly extols the Hebrew Cabala without doubt he saw this Usefulness and Excellency in it Nay before these Doctors of Tiberias drew up their Masoretick Notes there was it is probable extant something of this nature They had before this time some Accompt not only of all the Letters of the Bible but of all the Apices of them for to this our Saviour alludes in Mat. 5. 18. Not one Iot or one Tittle which latter is meant of those little Horns Pricks and Dots belonging to the Hebrew Letters Not only the smallest Letters as Iod but the Cuttings of those Letters were diligently observ'd by the Masoretick Jews And this their nice and almost fond Criticism was serviceable to the keeping of the Hebrew Text entire and unchanged Thus the Masoreth as they express it is a Hedg or Fence to the Law Theâ— critical Notes and Remarks of the old Jews havâ— preserved the Text of the Bible from being corrupted and abused So that we may from henâ— gather that we have in our hands the same Heâ—brew Text which was at first given by God to 〈◊〉 People But some tell us that the Old Testament 〈◊〉 bâ—rnt at the same time when the Temple was 〈◊〉 that Ezra after the Captivity dictated and writ 〈◊〉 over again according to what we find recordâ—â— in 2 Esdras 14. 21 23 24. So there was some Recovery of the Law but the Original Book beinâ— lost it cannot be imagined but that there are many â—aults and Mistakes in This which we have 〈◊〉 present I answer Either this Passage in the Aâ—pocryphal Writer speaks of some other Book distinct from that of the Mosaick Law or it is to bâ— reckoned as fabulous and supposititious and so 〈◊〉 Creditâ— is to be given to it for in Nehem. 8. 2 3. there is mention of the Book of the Law being broughâ— before the Congregation and its being read before 〈◊〉 Men and the Women but not a Syllable of the Maâ—tâ—r mentioned in Esdras is hero to be found Yes 't is implied that the Book of the Law was still the same for you may observe that there is a particular Account of what the Chaldeans destroyed and burnt and carried away at the taking of Ierusâ—â—em but there is not a word of these holy Books which most certainly would have been taken notice of they being of so inestimable a Vaâ—â—â— Morcover if we should suppose the Law was burnt in the Temple yet there were many Copies of it among the Jews which without doubt were preserved We have no reason therefore to suspect that the Hebrew Original of the Old Testament is corrupted But some of the Antient Fathers in the Christian Church as well as some Learned Moderns have asserted that the Hebrew is corrupted I answer first as to the Fathers it is granted that Iustin Martyr declares himself to be of this Opinion In his Dialogue with Trypho he considently assirms that the Jews erased many things out of the Bible and he assigns particular Instances in the Psalms Isaiah and Ieremiah And this they did saith he because they hated Christ and his Religion and thought some of those Places favoured the Christian Cause too much Here by the by you may take notice of that great Mistake and Oversight in Bishop Ward 's Essays where he peremptorily asserts that never any of the Antient Fathers have in their greatest heat of Zeal against the Iews accused them of such Corruption i. e. of the Scriptures But this is not the first time that Iustin Martyr hath suffer'd himself to be impos'd upon in matter of Historical Truth This among others is questionless a gross Mistake of that good Man and his strong Averseness to the Jews and his belief of their Willingness and Readiness to deprave the Scriptures for their own Ends betrayed him to it As for other Fathers as Tertullian Irenaecus Origen Eusebius who it is true sometimes complain that the Scripture is corrupted by the Jews they speak of their adulterating the Text rather as to the Sense than as to the Words they mean that the Translations which the Jews used were false for they generally adhered to Aquila's and Theodotion's Version and preferr'd it before that of the Seventy Whence their Interpretations of Scripture were unsound and erroneous and thereby they sometimes set up Judaism against Christianity But this was done without corrupting thâ— Hebrew Copies of the Bible And that the Jewâ— had been guilty of no such thing is expresly asserted and maintained by Ierom and Augustine two Antient Fathers of a great Fame for Learning and Piety as those before named These worthy Persons refute that Suspicion and Rumour which it seems were then risen namely that thâ— Jews had adulterated the Hebrew Text. Thesâ— Fathers not only declare that they did no such thing but they praise them for their Faithfulness in preserving the Bible pure and uncorrupt Then as to some of the Moderns who have asserted the Hebrew Copies to be faulty and depraved it is easy to see what it was that prompted them to it The Hebrew Text is corrupted and so is that of the Septuagint say the Romanists but the old Vulgar Latin is uncorrupt and infallible so determines the Tridentine Council Several of that Communion have written against the Purity of the Hebrew Copies and laboured to prove them corrupt but Morinus hath shewed himself more zealous than all of them in this Point and he frankly confesseth this was his main Design in it viz. to baffle the Protestants who make the Scripture the Rule of their Faith and Manners If the Originals of the Bible be lost and the Transcripts be defective and erroneous how can the Bible be a certain Rule What will become then of the
Books with us We need not stay to attend here to what a late Learned Writer before named hath with much Confidence but slender Reason suggested viz. that the Bible of the Old Testament is an Abbreviated Collection from Antient Records which were much more large He confesseth that the Canon of Scripture is taken out of Authentick Registeries but the Authors who collected it added and diminished as they pleased especially he asserts this concerning the Historical Books that they are Abridgments of larger Records and Summaries of other larger Acts kept in the Jewish Archives and these publick Scribes who writ them out took the liberty to alter Words as they saw occasion So that in short according to this Critick here are only some broken Pieces and Scraps taken out of the first Authentick Writings A bold and daring Assertion and founded on no other Bottom than F. Simon 's Brain Who would expect this from one that is a Man of great Sense and Reason one that is a great Master of Critical Learning and hath presented the World with very choice Remarks on the History of the Bible for truly I am not of his Opinion who saith he sees not any thing in this Author's Writings buâ— what is common It is to be lamented that a Person otherwise so Judicious and Observing hath given himself up here to his own Fancy and Conceit He invents a new Office of publick Registers that were Divinely inspired he makes Notaries and Prophets the same He gives no Proof and Demonstration of that Adding and Diminishing which the Scribes he talks of made he hatâ— not one tolerable Argument to evince any of thâ— Books of Scripture to be Fragments of greater ones Indeed I should mightily have wondred that so Ingenious so Sagacious so Learned a Man haâ— broach'd such groundless Notions if I did noâ— consider that this subtile Romanist designs hereâ—â— as most of that Church generally do to depreciaâ—â—â— the Bible and to represent it as a Book of Fragments and Shreds that so when our Esteem 〈◊〉 the Authority of Scripture is weakned yea taken away we may wholly rest upon Tradition anâ— found our Religion as well as the Scriptures 〈◊〉 that alone This is that which he drives at in 〈◊〉 Critical History both of the Old and New Testamenâ— But all sober and considerate Persons will bewarâ— of him when they discover this Design Theâ— will easily see through his plausible Stories foâ—â— Surmises bold Conjectures and seeming Argâ—mentations and they will have the greater Reverence for the Bible because he and others havâ— attacked it with so much Contempt and Rudenesâ— and purposely bring its Authority into question that they may set up something else above 〈◊〉 Notwithstanding then the Cavils and Objection of designing Men we have reason to believe anâ— avouch the Authority of the Old Testament and to be thorowly perswaded that the Books are entirely transmitted to us without any Corruption and are the same that ever they were without and Diminution or Addition We have them as they were written by the first Authors we have them entire and perfect and not as some fondly suggest contracted abbreviated curtail'd Unto the Iews the antient People of God were committed his Oracles as the Apostle speaks and they shewed themselves conscientious and diligent Conservators of them The Jewish Nation saith St. Augustin have been as 't were the Chest-keepers for the Christians they have faithfully preserv'd that Sacred Depositum for them they have safely kept that Ark wherein the Law and the Prophets were Lock'd up God would have the Jews to be Librarii Christianorum saith Drusius Keepers of those Sacred Volumes for us Christians and it is certain they kept them with great Care the like whereof is not to be found to have been taken in preserving any other sort of Writings under Heaven And seeing they have so carefully handed the Old Testament down to us we are concern'd to receive it with a proportionable Thankfulness and to reckon this their Delivering of those Writings down to us as no mean Argument of their Truth and Certainty Secondly The Authority of the New Testament is confirmed by External Testimony or Tradition no less than that of the Old Testament We have the Authentick Suffrage of the Primitive Church the Unanimous Consent of the Christians of the first Ages that this Book is of Divine Inspiration and that it is Pure and Uncorrupted Some of the Fathers and first Writers give us a Catalogue of the Books of the New Testament and they are the very same with those which we have at this day Athanasius particularly enumerating those Books sets down all those which we now embrace as Canonical and no others And many of the Fathers of the first Ages after Christ as Irenaeus Iustin Martyr Clemens Alexandrinus Origen Tertullian c. quote the Places in the New Testament as they are now If it be objected that in the Fathers sometimes the Text of Scripture is not exactly what we find it and read it at this day This must be remembred that they sometimes quoted the Meaning not the very Words At other times their Memories fail'd them as to the Words and thence they chang'd them into others and instead of those in the Text used some that were like them So when they were in haste and not at leisure to consult the Text they made use of such Words and Expressions as they thought came nearest to it Heinsius shews this in a vast many places Sometimes they contract the Word of the Text and give only the brief Sense of it at other times they enlarge it and present us with a Comment upon it yea sometimes as they see occasion and as their Matter leads them to it they invert the Words and misplace the Parts of the Text. But no Man ought hence to infer that the Scriptures of the New Testament then and now are not the same And as for the Number of the Sacred Writers and their Books it hatâ— been always the same i. e. the same Catalogue and Canon have been generally acknowledged and received by the Christian Church It is true some Particular Books have been questioned but by a few only and for a time but the Church was at last fully satisfied about them the Generality oâ— Christians agreed to own all those Books which are now owned by us All the Eastern Churches held the Epistle to the Hebrews to be Canonical though the Latins it is granted were not so unanimous This Epistle and that of St. Iames the second Epistle of St. Peter the second and third of St. Iohn and the Epistle of St. Iude and the Apocalypse were questioned in the first Century saith Eusebius but he acquaints us withal that they were afterwards by general Consent received into the Canon of Holy Scripture for the Doubts were resolved upon mature Deliberation So that the questioning of those Books is now a Conâ—â—rmation of the Truth and Authority of
to King Ptolomee by the foresaid Demetrius a very serious Man and it was assigned as a Reason why the Contents of these Sacred Writings which were so Divine and Admirable were but rarely mention'd by the Historians and Poets These Examples had struck a terrour into some of them having heard how some Prophaners of these Holy Things were Animadverted upon by a Divine Hand they were afraid to Record any passages in the Old Testament Therefore some of them chose rather to disguise the Sacred Stories and to stuff them with Fabulous Narrations that they might scarcely be known to have been borrowed from that Holy Book Lastly the Devil hath a design in all this Tertâ—lian's Words are remarkable when he had said that the Things which are contrary to Truth i. e. the Heathen Fables Rites and Usages are made out of the Truth i. e. the Holy Scriptures he further adds that this Imitating of the Truth is wrought by the Spirits of Error that is the Devils who affect sometimes to Ape God and what he doth This is most apparent that they are a Mimical fort of Creatures and shew themselves sometimes diligent Emulators of the most Holy Pâ—rsons and Things Their great Subtilty and Craft are to be discern'd here for when they brought the Hebreâ— Rites and Ceremonies of Gods own appointment into the 〈◊〉 Worship and Service they did this to Prophane them and â—o make them contemptible and ridiculous They did it that those Divine and Sacred Things might be despised and that they might be turn'd into Superstition and Idolatry So likewise they cunningly mixed something of sacred Truth with Fables that thereby they might make the things that are True to be suspected Satban is desirous to pervert and even erase the whole Sacred Scripture and Antient Truth but because he sees he cannot effect this he therefore contrives how he may disguise the Scripture-Stories he sets the Poets to work to make them into Fables and thinks by that means to take off our Esteem of those Inspired Writings and to diminish that Credit which we ought to give to those Sacred Truths He pushed on those Grecian Wits to obscure and deface the Old Names in Scripture that the Original of them might not be known He out of direct malice moved those fanciful Men to invent Fables to defame the Primitive Stories to blemish the Sacred History to obscure and pervert the Truth The Poets turning the Scriptures into Fabulous Narrations was the way to invalidate the Testimony of them and to make them seem a meer Poetick Fiction a Dream a Fansie that hath no real bottom It is no wonder then that the Devil imped their Fancies and assisted their Inventions and help'd them to change the Truth into a Lie that thereby he might rob God and the Scripture of their Honour This I say might be a device of that Evil Spirit as he hath Devices and Wiles of all sorts to elude the Authority of Sacred History and to take away the Credit of Divine Truth Again as that Crasty Spirit designs by this means to disparage yea to null the Truth so he thinks hereby to gain assent to Falshood and to promote the greatest Impiety imaginable for when Truth is mixed with Falshood he hopes that this latter will be entertain'd for the sake of the former And when Lewd and Vitious Practices are founded in those that are Innocent and Religious he expects that these should justifie those Perhaps when he added the Sacred Ceremonies of the Iews to the prophane Worship of the Gentiles he thought thereby to take away the difference between them and to render them alike so that Men should not be able to distinguish between a True and False way of Worship Thirdly the Devil's Design in introducing several Sacred rites and Customs into the practice of the Heathens was to conciliate to himself a greater Authority and Esteem a greater Glory and Repute among them He commends those things to the Pagans which were Religiously used and even by God's own People and prescrib'd by God himself this he doth to inveigle the Pagan World and to bring them to Admire and Worship him Wherefore an Answer may easily be return'd to that Objection of a late Learned Writer What advantage can the Devil have by his imitating the Divine Worship He ever Acts for some end that may be prositable to himself but how can this prove so seeing it would be more advantageous to him to institute a Worship and Ceremonies that are Diametnically contrary to those in the Divine Law that by those as by so many proper and peculiar Characters his Herd might be distinguished from the Flock of the Shepherd of Israel The Answer I say to this is very easie and obvious for there can be nothing more Advantageous to that Evil Spirit than his emulating of Divine Worship and appointing Ceremonies suitable to it for by this means his Kingdom is most sensibly advanced and that with the greatest Artifice and Craft imaginable because this Vile Fiend is Adored even whilst the Divine Worship of the True God seems to be earried on It was the Subtilty of this Great Mimick to approach as near to God and True Religion as he could to make use of those things which by God's own express Command were used in his Worship This is a cunning way of gaining Proselytes and increasing the number of his Worshippers Thus he Acts for some End and that a very Profitable one too certainly much more Profitable to him than if he had Instituted Proper and Peculiar Ceremonies of Worship for these would too palpably have distinguish'd his Herd from the True Flock whereas those bring them into a kind of Rivalty with it Besides this fond Emulation in the Devil is a gratifying of his first Proud Inclination and aspiring to be like God He is still Ambitious of Divine Honour otherwise certainly he would not have desired to be Worship'd by the Son of God himself And he would be Worshipp'd in the same way that God is with the same Signs and Badges of Adoration Hence most of those Sacred Rites enjoyned by God himself and made use of in his Worship by the Iewish Church were transferred by Sathan to his Idolatrous and Impious Worship This is the effect of his Haughty Spirit which thirsteth after Divine Honour even such as is given to the only True God Thus I have amply shew'd you how it came to pass that the Rites and Practices and the greatest Truths contained in the Holy Scripture were corrupted disguised misapplied and abused by the Pagans I have given you the Reasons and Arguments which may convince you of this and render you an account of the manner of it CHAP. IX The Author's Assertions Confirmed by the ample Suffrage of the Ancients and Moderns Consectaries drawn from the whole viz. That we cannot with any shew of Reason admit of the Opinion of those who hold that the Jews borrow'd all or most of
Prophetesses for such they suppos'd them to be to assert the Writings of the New Testament It may be said that it doth not absolutely and necâ—ssarily follow that because the Fathers used the Sibylls Verses to confute the Pagans therefore they were true for they might suppose them to be such though they did not expresly declare it In answer to which I return that it cannot but be granted that there is a great probability of these Sibylline Writings being true because they are quoted by the Fathers For 1. Many of these knowing Persons use their Testimony If one or two only did so we could make no conclusion from thence but since it is certain that great numbers of them not only those before named but others expresly appeal'd to those Books we cannot with any Reason slight their Allegations 2. If these Books were quoted by the Fathers but seldom and rarely there would not be so great a Motive to attend to them but seeing we find them not only once or twice but very often made use of by them it argues that they deliberately did it and it invites us to give the greater attention and credit to them 3. They quote them not as on Supposition only but as True and Genuine and such as may and ought to be depended on 4. The Fathers were Persons that were Competent Judges in this Case Many of them were Men of Sagacity and of a Critical Genius and were not easily to be imposed upon They had also time and leisure to examine these Writings and to enquire whether they were forged or no and we are sure it was their Concern to do it for their Religion depended much upon it Wherefore those who blast the Authority of the Fathers in this point have little reason to do so They were no credulous Fools and such who took up any thing on trust they were able to discern these Writings to be Counterfeit if they had been such as well as any other Persons But notwithstanding this there have been of old and are of late several Men that reject the Sibylls Writings as Spurious and Counterfeit And who should forge them but Christians Here then I am obliged to answer that Cavil that the Writings which go under the name of the Sibylls were â—orged by Christian Hereticks This it seems was an old Objection for Origen acquaints us that it was made by the Arch Pagan Celsus And Lactantius after him saith that this Objection was renewed against the Sibylls Books by some other Pagan Adversaries viz. that they were forged by some Christians themselves Behold also the Moderns concurâ—ing with the Pagans to defame the Sibylls Scaliger is very warm against them and holds that the Fathers were much deceived about them Isaac Casaubon against Baronius endeavors to prove the credit of the Sibylls to be suspected Becman is against the authority of these Writings and saith they are Supposititious David Blondel uses all ways to prove them to be Forgeries and Impostures and he holds they were the Fictions of some busie Christians who had the boldness to impose upon the World by these Cheats and Romances As many of the ancient Christians and Fathers saith he received counterfeit Gospels Acts and Epistles so they were cheated and abused by â—hese spurious Pieces of the Sibylls The Learned Dallé is of the same Opinion and tells us that the Predictions concerning our Saviour and his Kingdom were put out under the names of the Sibylls â—y some Châ—istians who were fallen into Hereâ—â—e They had a mind to use a kind of pious Fraud â—o establish some part of Religion they thought it to cheat the World for their good and so they â—â—blish'd these Writings under the names of those â—rophetesses The Learned Dr. Cave who is â—ot wont to doat on these Moderns follows them 〈◊〉 this Opinion very closely and leaves the anciâ—nt Fathers of the Church for their sake He peâ—emptorily tells us that the Sibylls Verses were made â—nd feign'd on purpose by the Châ—istians to upâ—old their Religion and Faith and they are daâ—â—d by him from the Year 130 in Adrian's Reign 〈◊〉 is the first flight of them he saith But all â—â—is is Suspition and Prejudice and bold Affirmaâ—â—ves but no proof which will evidently appear 〈◊〉 you consider besides what hath been said alreaâ—y these following things 1. Some of the Siâ—â—lls Verses were extant before Christ's coming into the World as is conâ—essed by ancient Christians â—nd Pagans and by all the Learned Antiquaries The Acrosticks which are concerning the Last Judgment and the Consummation of the World of which I spoke before which consist of so many Verses as there are Letters in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first Verse beginning with Ι the second with Η c. these I say are mentioned by Tully in his Second Book of Divination and are in an other place inserted into his Works as Eusebius testifies in the Life of Constantine and saith they are translated into Latin Verse by him where he adds that this is not a Poem of a mad and frentick Person for the Composure and Contrivance of the Verse argues the contrary and shews attention of Mind Skill and Diligence These Sibylline Verses the Initial Letters of which point at our Lord Christ are mentioned not only by Tully but by Varro who also lived before our Saviour's time If then they were extant and famous before Christ's Birth it is impossible they could be invented by the Christians Whence it is plain that all the Writings of the Sibylls were not obtruded by Christians unless you will say there were any such before Christ. Again Virgil's Fourth Eclogue is not denied to be the same now that it was at first and yet there he Comments on the Cumaean Sibyll's Oracle which is a clear Prediction of Christ. Accordingly in Constantine's Oration part of this Poem is applied to Christ and look'd on as a Prophesie of him although the Poet makes use of it in a way of Panegyrick to the Emperor Augustus and to Asinius Pollio his good Patron yea he ridiculously applies it to Pollio's Son who was born that Year He understands those words borrow'd from the Sibylls Oracle Iam redit Virgo concerning Astraea but the sense was much higher there being a reference in those words to the Sign mentioned by the Evangelical Prophet A Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son Isai. 7. 14. Of that golden Age which was to come he saith Incipient magni procedere menses What Magnitude is in Bodies that Diuturnity or Length is in Time and so here is intimated the duration of Christ's Reign Whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and shall stand for ever Dan. 2. 44. 7. 27. Or those Days and Months shall be Great because they are the Lord's to whom whatever appertaineth is Great whence every thing that is in its kind the greatest is called God's Several other things in that Eclogue are transcribed out of
use of this Testimony especially that the first of these in his Dialogue with Trypho where his design is to convert that Iew to Christianity omits it wholly But to him that considers things aright this will not seem strange for if he looks into these Fathers he will find that their grand enterprize and design were to convince the Iews out of the Old-Testament which they profess'd they heartily believed and imbraced and therefore those learned and pious Writers fixed here and were not solicitous to go any farther What need was there of flying to human Authors when this divine and inspired Volume furnished them with abundant Arguments and Proofs against Iudaism It would have been unnecessary and superfluous to alledge the Testimony of this Person though never so credible when they had so many infallible Authors to vouch them and the Religion which they had espoused Again this late Critick tells us that this Testimony is against Iosephus's mind he being a Iewish Priest a legal Sacrificer and most tenacious of the Iewish Religion He was of the Sect of the Pharisees and one of the Princes of the Mosaick Church therefore it is unlikely that he would leave any such thing upon record in his Writings Those that know Iosephus's Sect and Life cannot believe saith he that these words were his Yes they very well may for he doth not absolutely assert our Saviour to be the true Messias but only that he was the Person who was called Christ and that excellent Worth and even Divinity appeared in him and he farther bears witness that this excellent Person who was of old prophesied of was not treated according to his transcendent merits but was barbarously put to death by his Country-men and yet that in a miraculous manner he was revived and thereby gave an undeniable proof of his Innocency and Integrity All this though it be a most remarkable Attestation of our Saviour yet might have been said as really it was by a Iewish Sacrificer by a strict Pharisee by a tenacious asserter of the Mosaick Riligion The whole Testimony is but the result of an unprejudiced and honest Mind such as this Historian was Master of And if it be true what this Criticizer mentions and attempts to prove out of Origen that Iosephus had before this writ against Christ the Testimony thereby becomes the more remarkable because it is a great argument of the irresistible power of the Truth and that there was a wonderful change wrought in this Person And truly this Objector himself mentions that which may induce us to believe it for we read saith he in Iosephus's Book which he writ of his own Life that he having gone through all the Iewish Sects was admitted at last into the discipline of Banus a Disciple of Iohn the Baptist. Thus this Author answers himself and what he had before objected namely that this Historian wrote against his own mind if these words of his were true It is not likely that he spoke contrary to his Perswasion if he was entred into the discipline of Iohn Baptist who had been Christ's fore-runner for thereby this Author imbibed a good opinion to say no more of the Founder of Christianity What this Critick farther saith that if this Testimony were Iosephus's he would have said a great deal more than he doth is very fâ—ivolous and not worth taking notice of And so is that that the Stile plainly betrays the Cheat it being frigid and lax putid and inert as he saith whereas it is evident to any competent Judge that the Language is nothing of this nature but is like the rest of the Historian's Stile Lastly we are beholding to him for finding out the Author of the Cheat who he affirms is Eusebius as if he had lived before or at the same time with Iosephus that is as if one of the Fourth Century was contemporary with him that flourish'd in the First He perempâ—oâ—ily tells us that Eusebius clapt in this Passage meerly out of design namely to gratifie a party of Christians and to carry on the Cause And that we may give credit to this he falls very severely on this worthy Man and both ignorantly and maliciously finds fault with him This is the course that our angry Critick takes but no sober and judicious Person can allow of it for it may be plainly discern'd that this Writer was resolv'd upon it to run down this Testimony of the Iewish Historian by any kind of artifice whatsoever but when we come to examine the Methods he takes they are found to be of no force what he offers for proof is groundless precarious and inconsistent After all that he hath said this Iewish Testimony and the Credit of its Author remain impregnable What though we have granted that in some things he is faulty and where is their an Historian that is not what though he omits some remarkable Occurrences and mistakes the order of Time of which he could not come to a certain knowledge Notwithstanding this his Testimony in this matter may be valid nay we have all the reason imaginable to believe it is such for he was capable of attaining to a full knowledge of what he here writeth There is then no ground to think that he imposed upon his Reader or spoke against his Perswasion but on the contrary it is reasonable to look upon him as one that freely uttered his mind and shew'd himself to be Ingenuous Faithful and Impartial Such was he esteemed to be by those ancient Writers who had oceasion to make use of his Testimony and such was his Character with all those Persons who have since used the same in Confirmation of the History of the Gospel And truly it is a full and pregnant Ratification of it an attesting no less than the Life Death and Resurrection of our Saviour This latter especially being attested by a Iewish Priest is considerable This Person knew nothing of that Cheat which the Iews labour'd at first to put upon some and therewith to stifle the truth of Christ's rising from the dead namely that his Disciples came by night and stole him away He tells us plainly and expresly that Christ was restor'd to Life on the Third Day after he was put Death which is exactly according to the Narrative in the Gospels I will conclude then with the words which a Pious Father useth after he had recited Iosephus's Testimony of Christ If our very Enemies saith he dare not oppose the truth who will shew himself so obstinate as not to give credit to those things which are as clear as the Sun yea much clearer If Iews and Pagans bear witness to Christ we Christians are obliged to listen to their Testimony and to abominate the practise of those who endeavour and that with no little art and pains to enervate and destroy it Again Iosephus confirms the Truth of the Evangelical History by relating several other things which are recorded there Thus he speaks
Master clothed his Divine Doctrine in he chose this way of delivering things to them on purpose to work the more powerfully on their Affections A fit Parable moves the Mind with a wonderful Force and Efficacy it representing Matters to us in their livelieâ—t Colours and moâ—t natural Shapes and applying them to the particular Circumstances we are in so that it seemeth to say in the final Close of it as that Parabolical Prophet to David Tâ—ou art the Man It comes up close to us and with great Plainness and Freedom tells us our Case and affects us proportionably To have Dominion or Authority and to speak in a Parabolical way are expressed by the same word in the Hebrew This is most certain that our Saviour reduced this Criticism into Practice and by this moving way of Preaching let the World see that he taught as one that had Authority Thus I have briefly shewed you the Nature of Parables and given some Account of our Saviour's so frequently using them I shall only add that useful Rule of St. Chrysostom which is to be observed by us if we would rightly underâ—tand the Nature of the Stile of Scripture in this mystical way of expressing it self We must not saith he over-curiously fift every Word and Passage that we meet with in Parables but our main Business must be to understand the Scope and Design at which they aim and for which this sort of Discourse was composed and having gathered this out we ought to enquire no further it is in vain to busy our selves any longer And that of Maldonate is a very good Rule For the right interpreting of Parables we mâ—st know this that it is in vain to observe any Accuracy in comparing Persons with Persons and to be curious in suting particular things to things but we are to look at the grand Matter and as it lies before us in gross So he For this is to be remembred that there are several Circumstances inserted into Parables meerly to adorn and set off the Matter and to make the Representation and Similitude more graceful Therefore we must not insist on every Particular and think that an Argument may be drawn from all the Circumstances which we meet with in such Diâ—courses No the main thing which is the Design is to be attended to in a Parable If we observe this Rule we shall gain a sufficient Knowledg of our Saviour's Meaning in his Parables but otherwise we shall busy our Heads to little Purpose and mistake the true Design and Intention of our Lord in this kind of Instructions There are other Paâ—sages in the New Testament wherein a secondary or mystical Sense is to be observed as the 24th Chapter of St. Matthew one part of which according to most Expositors speaks of the Forerunners of Ierusalem's Destruction and the other Part of the Signs of Christ's Coming to Judgment But if you look narrowly into the whole Chapter you will observe that these Forerunners and Signs of both Sorts are intermixed and so promiscuously placed that it is difficult to tell precisely which precede the Destruction of Ierusalem and which the Day of Judgment Which gave me this Hint first of all that this whole Chapter or the greatest part of it is to be understood as those other Places of Scripture before-mentioned in a double Sense viz. a primary and a secondary In the former you must understand our Saviour speaking of those Prodigies and Calamities which should befal the Jews before the final Overthrow of their City and Temple In the latter you must conceive him foretelling the dreadful Signs and Concomitants of the last Day wherein not only Jews but all the World are concerned Here is a twofold Meaning of Chriâ—t's Words here is a double literaâ— or historical Sense and the latter of them being not so obvious and evident as the other and that is the Reason why it hath not been found out may be called the mystical Sense for it is so indeed in comparison of the other Whereas then Expositors are divided in interpreting this Chapter some referring some Passages in it to the Devastation of Ierusalem and others interpreting other Parts wholly of the Day of Judgment we may compromise the Matter and reconcile the different Interpreters by asserting that both the Destruction of Ierusalem and the Calamities of the Last Day are understood by both Parts of the Chapter excepting only one or two particular Expressions which may seem to refer altogether to one of these In short the Forerunners and Harbingers of the Ruine of the Jews and of the last Coming of our Saviour are the same So that while he speaks of one he also foretels the other This shews that there is a double meaning a simple and a compound one in the very same Words of this Chapter When the Apostle in Eph. 5. had spoken of the married State and of the Duties of Husband and Wife and particularly of the Love of the one and the Submission of the other he tells us in the Close that this Part of his Epistle hath a higher Meaning than every ordinary Reader of it would find out for besides the literal Import of the Words there â—s a more sublime and spiritual one This is a great Mystery saith he and I speak concerning Christ and the Church v. 32. Those Words in Gen. 2. 24. mentioned immediately before have a mystical as well as a literal Meaning they are to be understood of the sacred Union of Chriâ—â— and his Church as well as of the conjugal Union of Man and Wife For Marriage is an Emblem of the sacred and inviolable Tie between Christ and Belâ—evers and accordingly whilst the Apostle discours'd in that Part of the Chapter concerning the Love and Submission of Husband and Wife he lets us know that it is to be understood in a secondary Sense of Christ's Love to his Church and of the Church's Subjection unto Christ. And divers other Passages in St. Paul's Epistles have besides their literal a spiritual inward and mysterious Acception Even as to this the Apostle's Words are true viz. that he speaks the Wisdom of God in a Mystery I Cor. 2. 7. Thus I have abundantly proved the double Sense which is to be found in many Places of the Sacred Writings and it were easy to evinâ—e it from many more Instances if it were requisite I will only here in the Close produce the Words of a very profound and judicious Man a worthy Light of our Church that I may not be thought to be â—ingular in what I have asserted under this Head Many Passages saith he as well in the Prophets as other Sacred Oracles admit of Amphibologies and ambiguous Senses and the same Prophecies are oftentimes fulâ—illed according to both Senses And he instances in several Again a little after he hath these admirable Words Seeing our sacred Oracles were given many hundreds of Years before the Events foretold by them and since exhibited
who thereby destroys the whole System of Theology and of Christianity it self for if there were none of those things before mentioned if in a literal and historical Sense there was no such thing as that first Disoâ—edience of Adam if there be nothing true concerning the Temptation and the Apostacy of our first Parents and the Evils and Misery that ensued upon it then it will follow thence that Mankind had no need of a Saviour and Redeemer then Christ's Coming in the Flesh was in vain then all Christianity falls to the Ground then when the Writings of the New Testament speak of Eve's being deceived and being in the Transgression when they acquaint us that the Serpent beguiled Eve through his Subtility and that by one Man's Disobedience many were made Sinners and that in Adam all died all is mere Romance and Fiction there was nothing of these in Reality And then likewise we have as good Reason to believe that the other Parts of the New Testament which speak of our Saviour and all his Undertakings are to be understood in the same manner that is they are but a cunningly devised Parable they may have some moral meaning as Esop's Fables have but they contain nothing of real Fact This is the natural Result of allegorizing the 3d Chapter of Genesis By dealing thus with this Part of the Bible he hath baffled all the rest he hath wretchedly subverted the whole Scheme of our Religion he hath spoil'd the whole Fabrick of Christianity and he hath made the Scripture useless and insignificant So that by this one Attempt of his he hath shaken not to say overturn'd the Foundations of Religion he hath taken part with the known Despisers of all revealed Theology he hath encouraged and patronized the wild Conceits of Scepticks he hath strengthned the Hands of the Profane he hath abundantly gratified the whole Tribe of Atheists and Deists he hath won their Hearts for ever And indeed we cannot but observe what fort of Men they are that applaud his Undertaking viz. the Wits of the Town as they are call'd Men disposed to very ill Thoughts of Religion and the Scriptures yea Men generally indulging themselves in Immorality and Debauchery These are the Persons that promote his Notions and cry up his Writings This Theorist is become much more pleasing to them than Mr. Hobbs This new Archaeologist is far more taking than the Leviathan because he nips the Bible more closely and also because he is not as the other a Layman but a professed Divine and that of the Church of England This makes his Enterprize so acceptable to these Men for now they have a Clergyman to vouch them they have the Warranty of a Church-man I will not question or so much as suspect the Prudence of our Ecclesiastical Governors but in my Judgment if there be no publick Censure pass'd upon such a daring Attempt as this by a Member of our Church Atheists will have just Ground to laugh at our Discipline as well as they do at our Doctrine To excuse himself he saith this way of speaking is used in the Writings of the New Testament and confessed to be Metaphorical and Symbolical and why not then in Genesis I answer Because though there are some Expressions of that Nature as the Trumpet sounding and the Books opened at the Day of Judgment which are but metaphorical it is likely yet it is easy to discern it And in other Places it is intimated and sometimes plainly declared that the Passages are metaphorical and myâ—â—ical as in the Parables of the Prophets and of our Saviour But it is quite anothâ—r thing which we are speaking of viz. not an Expression or two but a whole entire History delivered in plain Words and with all its Circumstances as Matter of Fact and there is not the least Intimation of any other Sense yea many of the Particulars are mentioned in other Places of the Old and New Testament as direct Matter of Fact Wherefore when he attempts to solve his Undertaking by alledging some Passages in the New Testament of Christ and his Apostles he cannot but see that it is very foreign to his Business Again in a short Appendix to his Book where he seems to retract in a manner what he â—ad said having been informed he â—aith that it was displeasing to pious and wife Men he excuses himself by alledging the Fathers who 't is true present us with several allegorical Interpretations and Descants on some Places of Scripture and particularly on the 3d Chapter of Genesis but this is â—othing to his purpose because those antient Writers do not deny the literal Sense which he doth He is not content to allegorize that Chapter but he wholly rejects the literal Meaning and confidently avers that Moses all along tells a Story that â—ath nothing of Truth in it and is not spoken according to the Nature of the things So I grant that some of the old Iewish Doâ—tâ—rs moralized Mâ—ses's History but they did not slight much less â—upersede and lay aside the historical Sense And moreover he hath neither the Fathers nor the Rabbies as an Example of ridiouling the Mosaick History which yet he doth throughout his whole Discourse on that Chapter shewing his little Talent of Jesting and Droâ—ling So that in brief it might become Hudibras better than a Doctor of Divinity I appeal to any that are acquainted with the antient Monuments of the Church whether he doth not perfectly tread in the Steps of the old Adversaries and Blasphemers of Christianity Iulian Celsus c. The former of these speaking of and deriding what is said in Genesis concerning Adam and Paradise and eating the forbidden Fruit c. positively declares that these are altogether fabulous And again afterwards What Difference is there saith he between these and the Fables of the Greeks What Dr. Burnet saith amounts to the same for when he expresly saith Moses delivered nothing of the Physical Truth concerning the Creation of the World c. but wisely dissembles to accommodate himself to the People and when he tells us that Moses said these things only to conciliate Force and Authority to his Laws which are his own Words he doth as good as say that what he delivers is a Fable He might in plain Terms have stiled the Mosaick History a Fabulous Tradition as Simplicius calls the Account which Moses gives of the Creation Yea he might as well have spoken the Language of his Friend Celsus who call'd the Mosaick Relation concerning Adam and Eve an old Wife's Fable Thus we see what Examples he follows some of the craftiest and subtilest but yet the most malicious Enemies of the Christians who laugh'd at their Religion whilst others persecuted it and did more harm by that dâ—riding it than others by violent oppressing it But lo a remarkable Example of the Divine Justice viz. on the bold Gentleman who lately englished that part of the Doctor 's Book
same import with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Philo. I conceive this may be the plain sense of the Evangelist's words however I propound it only by way of Conjecture and am willing in this as in other things to submit to the Arbitration of the Wise. I will mention another Instance of this Agreement of the Stile of Pagan and Inspired Writers It is usually among the former to honour a Good Man with the Title of the Friend of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is usual in Homer and among the Philosophers Plato especially it is very frequent Who are the Friends of God is excellently discoursed of by this brave Man in his fourth Book of Laws A Religious Man is a Friend of God saith Max. Tyrius with whom concurs another Eminent Moralist directly asserting that Good Men are the Friends of the Deity Epictetus and Arrianus speak of God as a Friend and the Best Friend Caâ—byses's Advice to his Son Cyrus was Be thou the Friend of God as Xenophon relates In short it was the common Stile and Language of the best Moralists as Socrates Antoninus Seneca Plotinus besides those before named to call a Vertuous Person a Friâ—nd or one Beloved of God Especially this Epithet was given him if he prospered in his vertuous Enterprizes if he found Success in his laudable Endeavours Yea Epictetus that Excellent Stoick Philosopher and Great Master of Ethicks was honoured with this Title as the highest that could be when he left the World as we learn from his Epitaph The same Expression we meet with often in Scripture the same honourable Epithet is vouchsafed there to Holy Men. Abraham the Father of the Faithful is particularly signalized by it and that no less than thrice 2 Chron. 20. 7. Isa. 41. 8. Iam. 2. 23. Of Moses 't is said that God spake to him as to his Friend Exod. 33. 11. Solomon was named Iedidiah i. e. the Beloved of the Lord 2 Sam. 13. 25. In that Mystical Book of the Canticles this Name is attributed to both those entire Lovers Christ and the Church Eat O ye Friends drink O Beloved saith the former This is my Beloved this is my Friend saith the latter In which places Rang and Dod are the like endearing Titles with Obâ—b which was the word used in the Texts before-mentioned And this further I could observe to you that the words Obeb and Obebim which are translated Friend and Friends in those places might be rendred so in many others where our Translators english them him or those that love God In the Evangelical Writings the same Stile is observable thus those words in Lâ—ke 12. 4. are spoken by our Saviour particularly to his dear Companions and Disciples where he calls them his Friends And in three Verses together these his faithful Followers and Associates and with them all True Believers and Holy Men are stiled his Friends Joh. 15. 13 14 15. And hear what an Honourable Epitaph our Saviour bestowed on Laâ—arus John 11. 11. Our Friend Lazarus sleepeth What is more usual in the Language of the New Testament than to say a Wicked Man is dead This my Son was dead saith the Father of the Prodigal Son Luke 15. 24. giving us to understand that the Profligate and Debauch'd are morally dead And so some think this Term is to be understood in the former part of those words Let the Dead bury their Dead Mat. 8. 22. Of the Widow giâ—en to Luxury 't is said she is dead while she liveth I Tim. 5. 6. And to be dead in Sin is in Scripture-Phraseology applied after the same manner Ephes. 2. 1 5. Col. 2. 13. And in several other places the like mode of Speech is observable To which the Antient Philosophers were no Strangers in whose account Vicious Men were reputed as dead Hence an Antient Writer of the Church observes that even in the Barbarick Philosophy they were wont to call those Dead who abandon'd the right Sentiments of things which they had and made their Souls slaves to the Animal Passions Not only Pythagoras himself was wont to place a Coffin in the room of his outcast Scholars as if they had been dead but his Followers and the Platonists in imitation of him had the same Practice among them For it was an acknowledg'd Notion that Vertue makes us live and consequently that wicked Men do not properly live but that in true Morality they are rightly said to be dead There is wanting in them an inward Principle of Life as the Spartan said after all his trials of erecting a dead Body into a living Posture Hence Vice is deservedly stiled the Death of the rational part of Man and the Mortality of the Soul With relation to which guise of Speech intermortui mores are in Plautus Corrupt and Vicious Manners And the like Phrase is used by the Jews the Wicked say they are Dead while they live and again they tell us that a Dead Carcase is better than a Disciple that is void of Knowledge and true Wisdom And other such like Expressions there are not only among the Hebrews but the Arabians Once more I will observe how the Scripture speaks as the best Moralists do viz. when it calls Death a Sleep The Hebrew Verb Shacab signifies to lie down to sleep Gen. 19. 4. and likewise to die â— Sam. 7. 12. Isa. 14. 8. whence to sleep with their Fathers is an usual Phrase in the Historical Books of the Old Testament Thence the Grave is call'd a Bed Isa. 57. 2. Gneres is both lectus and feretrum the Bed of those that sleep and the Bed or Bier of those that are dead as perhaps our Saxon word grave or grab as other Germans write it is from grabatus The Psalmist mentions the Sleep of Death Psal. 13. 3. And it seems this was the Stile of the Antient Arabs as appears from Iob 7. 21. I shall sleep in the Dust. If we descend to the New Testament we shall read there that Lazarus sleepeth Joh. 11. 11. and of St. Stephen 't is said that he fell asleep and of other holy Men that they sleep in Iesus and are fallen asleep in Christ. When a good Man dies he lays himself down to Rest he betakes himself to his Repose bidding the World good night he shuts his Eyes and opens them no more till the Morning of the Resurrection The like Expression is in use among the Pagans to sleep and to die are synonymous Terms with them With the Prince of Poets Sleep is not only the Brother of Death but it is the very word to express Death it self Nox est perpetuò una dormienda saith Catullus Perpetuus Sopor is Horace's Language Nox perpetua is Propertius's which is the same with Virgil's Nox aeterna Alluding to which Phrase is that of Tully and other good Authors decumbere to lie down to betake himself to sleep i. e.
Excellency Preeminence and Authority And this is yet more clear from our Saviour's words Ioh. 5. 27. where he assigns the Reason why the Judgment of the World is committed to him by the Father He hath saith he given him Authority to execute Iudgment because he is the Son of Man because he is Head and Ruler of the Church because all Government and Authority in this lower World are devolv'd upon him because he hath all Rule and Dominion put into his Hands This is the true account as I conceive of the Expression this Title was attributed to him to signify his Authority and Exaltation and not as is commonly said and believ'd and as the Learned Grotius defends it his Meanness Condescension and Humility though I will not exclude Other Reasons which may be consistent with this as that he is call'd the Son of Man to attest the reality of his Manhood to ascertain us of the Truth of his Suffering in our Humane Nature to assure us of his Sympathy with us and that he is touch'd with the feeling of our Infirmities I will only add this That whereas it is generally said by Writers and even by the Critical 〈◊〉 among the rest that this Epithet is given to our Saviour by Himself only and not by any other in the New Testament this is a Mistake for in Acts 7. 56. he is call'd by St. Stephen the Son of Man and so he is twice by St. Iohn Rev. 1. 13. Chap. 14. 14. The Original of which must be fetch'd as I have shew'd from the Hebrew Stile in the Old Testament And so must that Expression which the Apostle uses 2 Cor. 4. 17. a Weight of Glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here answers to the Hebrew cabod a Weight and yet is rendred Glory Gen. 31. 1. and the Tongue is call'd cabod Glory Psal. 57. 8. So the Verb cabad signifies both to be weighty and to be glorious or honourable Isa. 66. 5. Prov. 13. 18. And the Adjective cabed approaches to this sense as is clear from Gen. 13. 2. Thus it is with the word jakar gravis fuit but it is understood in a treble sense as if there were a threefold Gravity viz. of Weight Price and Honour Accordingly it signifies 1. To be heavy weighty 2. To be precious Isa. 43. 4. 3. To be in Honour and Glory Job 31. 26. as also to glorify and honour and therefore the word is rendred by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Version of the 70. Thus you see that after the manner of the Hebrews Glory or Greatness is express'd by words that denote Weight and thence it is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here us'd by the Apostle to denote that Superlative Glory which is the attainment of the other World And 't is not improbable that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thess. 2. 6. is to be understood thus and should not be rendred to be Burdensom but to be Honourable or to be in Authority or Dignity which our English Translators were sensible of when they rendred it in the Margin to use Authority This I take to be of Hebrew extraction and in imitation of the use of the words â—abad and jakar And hence also in the Seventy's Translation of the Old Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports Grandeur or Glory and is applied in several places to a Royal Train and to a Mighty Host 1 Kings 10. 2. 2 Kings 6. 14. Chap. 18. 7. 2 Chron. 9. 1. So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Weight or Burden is equivalent with Honour or Splendor in one of St. Chrysostom's Homilies I could remark that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gravis and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gloria differ but in the Accents and among the Latins honos and onus are not unlike Vir gravis is used by the Latin Orator for a Person of Authority and Worth And Graves viri in the old Roman way of Speaking are Men of Authority and Eminency And Baro which comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used by Tully as a Name of Dignity and is as much as Patricius a Nobleman though I know some Criticks interpret the word in another sense Thence our word Baron a Lord a Person of Greatness and Authority And Grave answers to Baron whence Palsgrave Landgrave Margrave Burgrave for Grave among the Germans signifies a Magistrate a Ruler And we in England heretofore used the word Grave or Greve in the same sense thus Portgreve was the Name of the Chief Magistrate of the City of London till King Iohn's time who turn'd it into that of Mayor These things I here mention only to intimate the Affinity that is to be observ'd in Languages not only the Learned ones as they are call'd but others and to shew you the particular cognation betwixt Gravity and Honour or Authority betwixt Weight and Glory which it is probable was derived first of all from the Hebrews The Writers of the New Testament sometimes make use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same sense that the Hebrews use the word gnanah respondere that is not to signify a Person 's Answering or Replying to what another had said but only to denote his going on with his Speech his proceeding in what he had said before Persons are said to Answer though there be no Question put to them though there be no Reply intended as Iesus answer'd and said Mat. 11. 25. Then answer'd Peter and said Mat. 17. 4. The Angel answer'd and said Mat. 28. 5. One of the Elders answer'd saying Rev. 7. 13. which is as appears from the Context no more than this They spake and said for this oftentimes is the acceptation of that word in the Hebrew Writings and particularly in the Book of Iob Chap. 3. ver 2. Job answer'd and said though no body had spoke to him or asked him any Question The words therefore import no more than this Job spake and said and so our Translators render it I might further observe that the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the New Testament hath by an Hebraism the force of all the Prepositions it answering to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lastly I am inclined to think that what is said of St. Paul in Acts 9. 15. is spoken after the Hebrew manner for the Hebrews call any thing that is Choice and Delectable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vas desiderii and the Rabbins accordingly call the Law by this Name viz. a Desirable Vessel or a Desirable Instrument or Utensil for Cheli is of a vast Latitude and signifies whatever is for the use of Man Answerably to which St. Paul is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a chosen Vessel or Instrument It is spoken after the Propriety of the Hebrews with whom a Thing or Person that is made use of to some Excellent Purpose is not only stiled a Vessel but to denote yet further the Worth of it is called a Vessel of Desire
in the next Clause by the Inspiration of the Almighty So David in Spirit Mat. 22. 43. is David Inspired I will pour out of my Spirit upon all Flesh Acts 2. 17. taken from Ioel 2. 28. i. e. I will bestow the Gift of Prophecy and Revealing of Mysteries upon them for of This it is principally understood as you may learn from the following words Your Sons and your Daughters shall prophesy and ver 18. On my Servants and on my Hand-maids I will pour out of my Spirit and they shall prophesy So in Rev. 1. 10. I was in the Spirit is as much as if he had said I had great Revelations imparted to me Thirdly The Dispensation and Preaching of the Gospel especially as it is opposed to the Law and as it contains the more hidden Mysteries of Christianity in it is stiled the Spirit Thus the Evangelical Preachers are call'd Ministers not of the Letter but Spirit 2 Cor. 3 6. i. e. not of the Law but of the Gospel not of mere Externals of Religion but of the Inward and Hidden Secrets of it Fourthly The Spiritual meaning of what Christ speaketh is call'd by this Name as in Iohn 6. 63. It is the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh profiteth nothing the Words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and they are Life As if he had said you must not understand me in a gross and carnal sense when I tell you that you must eat my Flesh and drink my Blood ver 53 54. My meaning is not that you should turn Canibals and feed upon Man's Flesh. No this Eating and Drinking which I have spoken of to you are to be interpreted in a Spiritual Sense and in no other My Words have an Abstruse and Mystical meaning I am Spiritually to be Eaten and Drunk that is by a Lively Faith only It is the Spirit that quickeneth that enliveneth that which is comprehended in the Spiritual import of my Words is the thing that is most Active and Powerful in Religion and in the Lives of Men. Fifthly By Spirit is meant the Person that is Inspired 1 Iohn 4. 2. Every Spirit that confesseth that Iesus is come in the Flesh is of God Nay Sixthly He that pretends to the Spirit but really is not inspired by the Holy Ghost is thus called as in the next Verse Every Spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the Flesh is not of God and in the first Verse of that Chapter Believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits i. e. Teachers that pretend to the Spirit and Inspiration who are call'd False Prophets in the same place and Seducing Spirits 1 Tim. 4. 1. Therefore discerning of Spirits 1 Cor. 12. 10. was that Gift in the Church whereby they knew who were truly Inspired and who not who were True and who False Prophets And as the Persons pretending to immediate Discoveries from the Spirit are thus stiled so the â—eigned Discoveries or Revelations themselves which they boast of are called Spirit 2 Thess. 2. 2. Seventhly The word Spirit in Scripture is meant of the Soul of Man and its different Functions Operations Dispositions Inclinations and in short the whole Frame and State of it 1. I say that Distinct Part of Man which is call'd his Soul hath the Denomination of Spirit and that very justly because it is a Spiritual or Immaterial Being Into thy Hands I commit my Spirit saith the Psalmist Psal. 31. 5. i. e. I trust thee with my Soul It is call'd the Spirit of a Man Prov. 18. 14. ch 20. 27. Eccles. 3. 21. This is the Spirit that shall return to God Eccles. 12. 7. Wherefore this was the Language of our dying Saviour Into thy Hands I commend my Spirit Luke 23. 46. and of that expiring Martyr Acts 7. 59. Lord Iesus receive my Spirit The Souls of the Saints are stiled the Spirits of just Men made perfect Heb. 12. 23. and those of the Wicked the Spirits in Prison 1 Pet. 3. 19. And hither is to be referr'd that of St. Iames ch 2. 26. the Body without the Spirit i. e. without the Soul is dead 2. The Vital Principle which is the immediate Operation of the Soul is termed the Spirit the Spirit of Life Gen. 7. 22. especially the more Active and Vigorous Operation of the Soul and Body is so called Iosh. 5. 1. Nor was there Spirit in them Whence you read of the reviving and coming again of the Spirit Gen. 45. 27. Judg. 15. 19. and of the Spirits being refreshed 2 Cor. 7. 13. and giving Spirit i. e. Life to the Image of the Beast Rev. 13. 15. 3. The Vnderstanding is often call'd the Spirit and the Spirit of the Mind and when you read of Soul and Spirit this latter generally denoteth the Intellectual and Rational Part of Man and the more exalted and refined Operations of it as it respects Religion Luke 1. 47. 1 Thess. 5. 23. Heb. 4. 12. 4. That Function of the Rational Soul which is called Conscience hath this Name A wounded Spirit who can bear Prov. 18. 14. The Spirit i. e. the Third Person in the Sacred Trinity beareth witness with our Spirit that is with our Consciences Rom. 8. 16. 5. The Will and Affections are commonly set forth by this Expression Thus you read of ruling the Spirit Prov. 16. 32. that is subduing and well-ordering Those Faculties of the Mind especially You read of a New Spirit Ezek. 11. 19. ch 18. 31. of a contrite and broken Spirit Psal. 34. 18. Psal. 51. 17. a right Spirit Psal. 51. 10. which are principally meant of the Will the Passions and Desires of the Soul And another Spirit Numb 14. 24. may be understood in this Sense as well as in that above-mention'd In the New Testament our Saviour pronounceth those Blessed that are poor in Spirit Matth. 5. 3. He tells us that we must worship the Father in Spirit John 4. 23. St. Paul professeth that he served God with his Spirit Rom. 1. 9. and exhorts us all to be servent in Spirit Rom. 12. 11. In all which Places the word Spirit signifies either the Will or the Hearty Affections of the Soul or both of them 6. In a more general way it signifies the Nature and Temper of a Man Ye know not of what Spirit ye are Luke 9. 55. And this Large and General Acception of the Word is very usual in the Holy Stile 7. More particularly and especially it denotes an Effectual and Operative Inclination Power and Ability to some particular Good or Evil Whence you read of the Spirit of Knowledg Vnderstanding Wisdom of Meekness of Fear and on the contrary of the Spirit of Slumber of Whoredoms of Antichrist and of a perverse Spirit 8. The Rational and Regenerate Part of Man is emphatically stiled the Spirit and is opposed to the Flesh which is the Sensual and Unregenerate Part of Man The Spirit is willing but the Flesh is weak Matth. 26.
and to rely wholly on the Charity of the Christian Brethren These were some choice Skins which he had left behind him at Troas when he wrought in this his Trade there And if it be objected that Troas was a great way off the Answer is that they might as easily be brought to him as the Books he writ for if these were of any considerable Number and Bigness And this Notion is yet more probable if you consider that St. Paul was in way of Contempt call'd by the Pagans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Coriarius because he cut out Hides and Skins in order to the making of Tents Yea some of the Christian Writers give him the foresaid Titles thereby to magnify the Grace of God towards him He is often stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Theodoret and so he is by Chrysostom Coriarius Cilix is the Epithet given by Ierom. This makes it not improbable that the fore-mention'd Text hath reference to the Practice of those times the making of Tents or the covering of Booths and Pavilions with Skins These it is likely are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Paul speaks of As he sends for his Cloak to defend himself from the Cold so he sends for the Skins which he left behind him to make Tents to shelter and keep others warm For though it is granted that one Signification of Membrana is Parchment of which I had occasion to speak before yet it also signifies the Vppermost Skin or Hide of any Creature as appears from that of Lucretius Membranas mittunt vituli de corpore summo And it hath its Denomination from Membrum saith Priscian because it covers the Limbs and other external Parts Nay you must note that this is the first and most proper Signification of the word Membrana in Tully Pliny and other Authors whereas afterwards in a secondary Sense it came to signify Parchment These things may render my Interpretation of this Place not improbable However I presumed to offer the Criticism on the Word and let the Learned entertain it as they please But this is not to be question'd that the not attending to the Usages and Practices of old in the Countries to which some things spoken of in Scripture belong is one Reason why we miss of the right Sense of some Places 3. The Hebrew Text which is the greater part of the Bible hath some things proper to it self which render it perplex'd and obscure in some Places for in Hebrew there are no Moods in the Verbs but the Indicative and Insinitive no Tenses but the Past and Future Participles being made use of to express the Present Time which oftentimes renders the Meaning obscure and intricate Instead of an Interrogative Point the Hebrews make use of their Interrogative He otherwise there are no Notes or Marks of Interrogation which is another Cause as might be shew'd of misunderstanding the Text sometimes There are frequent Parentheses in the Hebrew Bible and if they be not diligently observed they mar the Sense as to instance but in one Place at present Isa. 9. 3 c. The 3d 4th and 5th Verses are a Parenthesis you must join the 6th Verse to the 2d and then you will see how the word for in the 6th Verse comes in not otherwise But there are no Marks or Characters whereby we may know when there is such a Parenthesis which cannot but trouble the Sense very much and confound the Meaning of the Place unless it be with extraordinary Care taken notice of And I might add that the Pauses and Periods in the Hebrew Copies are not so distinct as might be wished The greater ought our Care and Diligence to be in perusing and studying this Holy Book 4. It is the way of the Hebrews and indeed of all the Eastern Writers to express things in a brief and concise manner which renders the Place sometimes dark and confused In the second Psalm several Persons are introduced speaking but it is not in the least intimated that there is this Change of Persons but all is express'd in a short and promiscuous way The whole Psalm is a Dialogue wherein the Church speaks ver 1 2. then the Enemies of the Church v. 3. the Church again V. 4 5. then God ver 6. then Christ the Son of God ver 7 8 9. And lastly the Psalmist ends with his own Exhortation All which Parts if we do not take notice of though they are not distinguish'd for Brevity sake the true Import and Scope of the Psalm are lost It is common to recite Words which are said by Persons and yet to bring them in abruptly and not to signify that they are said or spoken by them As in Psal. 22. 8. He trusted in the Lord i. e. they said so but this is not here express'd Thus in Isa. 33. 14. Who among us c. i. e. the Sinners in Zion mentioned in that Verse said those Words In v. 18. where is the Scribe c. to make the Sense perfect you must insert thou shalt say So in Isa. 49. 24. these Words say the Enemies must be inserted In Ier. 6. 4. these or such like Words are left out the Enemy shall say The like is observable in Ier. 22. 28. ch 31. 20. In Hos. 5. 15. the word saying is necessarily implied for the first Verse of the next Chapter contains the Words which were to be said Sometimes this is supplied by the Translation though it be not in the Hebrew as in 2 Sam. 2. Isa. 64. 11. But in Obadiah ver 1. before Arise ye the word saying is to be supposed In 1 Cor 15. 45. but is left out otherwise you can't understand the Apostle And many other Words are omitted in the Old and New Testament and ought to be supplied by the diligent Reader who on that account is obliged to be very Attentive when he reads these Sacred Writigs for their short and contracted way of speaking makes them the less intelligible whereas when Matters are amplified by Words they become more clear and plain 5. There is in the Hebrew Language a certain Peculiar Idiom or Force of Signification which when it comes to be translated into another Tongue is wholly lost at least a great part of its Vigour and Elegancy is taken away and at the same time it is not so well understood because it is a Strange Idiom and no ways agreeable to our manner of expressing our selves 6. Order and Time are not always observ'd in these Holy Writings which too often begets Mistakes Upon these several Accounts and others there must needs be some Obscurity and Difficulty in the Stile of Holy Writ But you may observe that this happens through the All-wise Providence of God in those Places where the Great and Momentous things of Religion are not concern'd where the Grand Truths of the Law and the Gospel are not in the least endanger'd And when in other Parts of the Bible we meet
of the Scripture said Tertullian and to him have ecchoed the rest of the Antient Fathers especially St. Cyprian Ierom Augustine Chrysostom who have highly magnified the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles and have been very Rhetorical in their Panegyricks upon them These and some other Brave Men in the first Ages of the Church signalized themselves by their Reverence and Esteem of the Scriptures and some of them consecrated their Wit and Poetry to this Noble Cause Nor have thse latter Ages been destitute of Persons of the most Celebrated Parts and Learning that have adored the Fulness and Perfection of the Scripture and have used their Wit and Eloquence in setting forth its Praiâ—â—s 〈◊〉 â—icinus that Great Philosophick Soul and the Noble Piâ—us Mirandula who was the best Linguist and Scholar of his age two as Learned Italians as that Nation ever bred and who may more than compound for those two other Italians mentioned in my former Discourse who so impiously vilified the Sacred Writings after they had read all good Authors rested in the Bible as the only Book and particularly it was pronounced by the latter of them that now he had found the 〈◊〉 Eloqueâ—â—e and Wisdom Yea these last Times have produced Men of the Choicest Brains of the Briskest Parts of the Greateâ—t Humane Learning who have employâ—d these excellent Talents in embelishing the Sacrâ—d Scriptures witness Caâ—â—â—llio who hath turned the Whole Bible into Purâ— Terse Elegant Latin able to tempt us to read this Book And â—rotius hath incompaâ—ably asserted the Propriety and Elegancy of the Sacred Stile and many Other excâ—llâ—â—t Persons who have defended this Holy Book against the Insults and Cavils of profane Men. We could name Others of the most Sparkling Wit and Fancy who have exercised their Poetick Genius in descanting either on the Sacred Hiâ—tory of the Bible or on those Divine Matters which are contained in it and have thought their Pens yea Poetry it self â—nobled by such a Subject We could mention others of the most Serious Thoughts and of the most Impartial Judgment not only among those that are Prâ—â—essed Divines and that have adorned the Sacred Scripture by their Learned Expositions Comments Annotations Paraphrases Lectures Sermons Discourses but also among Persons of another Rank and Capacity who have given the Bible the Pre-eminence of all Writings I will at present mention only Mr. Selden and Judg Haâ—e the former was one of the greatest Scholars and Antiquaries of this Age and made a vast Amassment of Books and Manuscripts from all Parts of the World a Library perhaps not to be equall'd oâ— all Accounts in the Universe This Man of Books and Learning holding some serious Conference with Archbishop Vsher a little before he died professed to him that notwithstanding he had poâ—â—essed himself of that vast Treasure of Books and Manuscripts in all antient Subjects yet he could rest his Soul on none but the Scriptures And hear what the other Gentleman of the same Studies and Profession declares I have been acquainted somewhat with Men and Books and have had long Experience in Learning and in the World There is no Book like the Bible for excellent Learning Wisdom and Vse and it is want of Vnderstanding in them that think or speak otherwise This is sufficient to shew that the most Noble and Refined Wits the most Knowing and the most Judicious Heads bear the greatest Regard and Esteem for the Holy Scriptures and prefer them before all other Writings in the World It may pass for a Certain Maxim that the more learned any Man is the more he prizeth the Bible the greater Regard he hath for these Sacred Records It was said of old that it was a Sign of a great Proficiency in Good Letters to love Tully's Writings It is much more a Sign of our Improvement in true Learning that we delight in the Holy Scriptures and love them above all Writings whatsoever We shew our Proficiency by reverently esteeming the Bible and preferring it before all other Authors We discover that we have a Sense of True and Useful Knowledg when we value this Book wherein it is contain'd when we admire this Volume where all Excellencies meet together To evince this I will undertake these following things I. To shew the matchless Usefulness of the Bible in respect of Spiritual Divine and Supernatural Matters II. To demonstrate its Transcendent Excellency in regard of things Temporal and Secular such as are for the Improvement of all kinds of Humane Learning and for the Use of Life III. To give a Proof of this Excellency and Perfection by a particular displaying of the several Books contain'd in this Holy Volume IV. To let you see that this Perfection is not impaired by what is objected and alledged 1. Concerning the Loss of some Books which had formerly been a part of the Old and New Testament 2. Concerning the great Difference between the Hebrew of the Old Testament and the Greek Translation of the Seventy Where I will endeavour to discover the true Grounds and Foundations of those Mistakes that are in the LXX's Version and shew whence it arises that there is such a Discrepancy between that and the Original Verity V. I will attempt an Emendation of the present English Version which in several Places seems to me to be defective that I may hereby restore the New Testament for of that I shall chiefly speak to its native Perfection and Lustre Lastly I will invite and solicit the Reader to the Study of the Bible and direct him in so laudable and worthy an Employment First I will demonstratively prove the Transcendent Excellency of these Writings in respect of the things which are Divine and have an immediate relation to Religion Thus they are the only Canon of our Faith the exact Standard of our Lives and they mark us out the Way to solid Comfort peace and Happiness These are the three things I will insist upon 1. This Holy Book is the Absolute and Perfect Rule of our Faith This comprises in it every thing that is the Object of our Belief the Maâ—â—â—r of our Assent Here we are taught to believeâ— a God an Immortal Independent All-sufficient Self-subsisting Spirit who is infinitely Wife powerful Just and Merciful who though he was ineffably happy in the fruition of his own immense and transcendent Perfections yet that he might communicate his Goodness to others was pleased to frame the World with all the excellent Furniture which we behold in it By the Word of the Lord the Heavens were made and all the Host of them by the Breath of his Mouth Psal. 33. 6. He laid the Foundations of the Earth and gave to the Sea his Decree and set a Compass on the Face of the Deep Psal. 104. 5. Prov. 8. 27 29. We are assured from these Writings that God's Providence governs the World and all things in it whether great or small Psal. 147. 8 c. Matth. 10. 29
contain'd and here are those Choice Materials which no other Histories furnish us with But I should be endless if I should enlarge here by particularizing therefore I will not launch out but only commend to the Reader the Learned Endeavours of Strigelius in his Commentaries on the Books of Samuel Kings Chronicles where he will be amply convinc'd of the unparallell'd Diversity Multiplicity and Peculiar Excellency of the Historical Examples in Scripture The Antientest Poetry is in the Old Testament for as Moses was the first Historian so he is the first Poet that is â—xtant A Proof of this we have in that Eucharistick Song which he composed upon his passing the Red Sea and is recorded in Exod. 15. An Admirable Hymn it is and in Hexameter Verse if Iosephus may be Judg in this Matter and if a Christian Father may be credited who had more Hebrew than most of the Writers of the Church in his time yea more than all of them except Origen But whether this be true or no this is without Controversy that there is no Piece of Poetry in the World that hath the Priority of this of Moses for Orpheus who is reckon'd by the Pagans as the First Poet was according to the most favourable Computation of some of their Historians three hundred Years after Moses and Homer was towards six hundred Besides this Divine Hymn there are other Antient ones of the like nature recorded in the same Authentick Writings viz. Deborah's Song Iudg. 5. which hath many Noble Flights of Poetry and that of Hannah the Mother of Samuel 1 Sam. 2. 1 c. which hath Excellent Poetick Raptures And here by the way I will offer this Conjecture that perhaps from Miriam's bearing her part in Moses's Song Exod. 15â— 20 21. and from these other Womens Poetick Inspiration which came to be celebrated among the neighbouring Nations the Poets who as I have largely shew'd elsewhere have frequent References to the Old Testament took occasion to report that Poetry was of Female Extraction and that Calliope one of that Sex was the Author of their Faculty Other famous Instances there are here of this Sacred Art as David's Incomparable Elegy on the Death of Saul and Ionathan 2 Sam. 1. 16 c. that Gratulatory Hymn in the 12th Chapter of Isaiah Hezekiah's Song of Praise in the 38th of the same Prophet Habakkuk's Lofty Description of the Divine Majesty and Greatness in Poetick Numbers chap. 3. the Stile of which is far more sublime and majestick than any of Orpheus or Pindar's Odes I appeal to any Man of Skill and that hath a right Poetick Genius whether this be not true And as there are these single Hymns and Songs so there are Just Poems for of the Books of the Old Testament there are six that are composed and writ in Verse viz. the Books of Iob the Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Canticles Lamentations As to the Nature of the Hebrew Poesy and the Kinds of Verses which are in the Bible the Learned Mersennus and others have given us some Account of them but it is very short and mean and much of it is mere Surmise and therefore I will not trouble the Reader with it A late Writer hath attempted to prove that the Hebrew Verse or Poetry of the Old Testament is in Rhythm which I believe is true in many Places and if the Pronuntiation and Sound were the very same now that they were when these Poetick Books were composed we should observe the Cadence in them more frequently But he goes too far in asserting that all the Hebrew Poesy in Scripture is Rhythmed for they were not so exact at first though the Verses end with the same Sound sometimes yet generally they took a Liberty Upon Examination we may find this to be true and I may have occasion to say something further of it when I come to speak particularly of the Psalms But the other Assertion viz. that the Psalms and other Pieces of Hebrew Poetry are always Rhythmical necessarily infers a great many Faults and Mistakes in the Scripture it supposes several Places to be corrupted and mangled for we do not find all the Poetry of the Bible to be such at this day and consequently subverts the Truth and Authority of the Bible which is by no means to be allowed of All that I will add under this Head is that even among the Gentiles the first and antientest Writers were Poets Strabo undertakes to shew that Poetry was before Prose and that this is but an Imitation of that It can't be denied that the First Philosophers writ in Verse as Orpheus parmenides Empedocles Theognis Phocylides c. and thence as One of the Learnedest Men of our Age observes the Moral Precepts of the Philosophers were call'd of old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Carmina The Grecian Oracles were delivered in Verse Concerning the Agathyrsi we are told by Aristotle that their Laws were all in Metre Concerning the Old Germans Tacitus relates that their very Records and Annals were in Verse And all this it is probable was in Emulation of the First Sacred Writers the Penmen of the Old Testament in whose Writings there are several things dictated in Measure and some entire Books are altogether Metrical for it was the Design of the Holy Ghost to delight as well as profit With Poetry let us join Musick it being of so near Affinity with it and the First Inventer of this also is to be known only from the Scripture which informs us that Iubal the Son of Lamech the sixth from Adam was the Father of such as handle the Harp and Organ Gen. 4. 21. From whose Name some have thought the Iubilee was called because it was proclaim'd with Musick The poets tell us that Apollo and Mercury were the first Authors of it by whom it is not improbable they meant Moses who first gives an Account of the Original of this Art and might well be represented by Apollo because of his Singular Wisdom and by Mercury because he was the First Interpreter of the Divine Will in his Writings and on other Accounts merited that Name as I have evidenc'd in another Place Perhaps the Story of Pythagoras's finding our Musical Notes from the Strokes of the Hammers upon the Smith's Anvil was suggested from this that the first Musical Instrumeâ—â—â— were made of Iron and Brass the Metals of the Smith and Brasier Or if I should guessâ— it a downright Mistake of Tuâ—al for Iubal Sons of the same Father a Smith for a Musician or that it was suggested from the Musick of their Nameâ— Tuâ—al and Iubal having some affinity in the Sound it would be hard to disprove it But that which is certain is this that as the First Inventers oâ— other things are recorded in Scripture so particularly is he that found out Musick and by the Harp and the Organ all other Musical Inâ—trumentâ— are meant whether Pulsative or Pneumatick And it is not improbable that the
Jests which Macrobius relates But a Multitude of Authors agree that 't was the Mode of the other Sex among them the Wealthy Matrons especially to adorn that Part with Pearls and Precious Stones and they purposely made their Incisions very large and wide for the Reception of Rings and Jewels of a great Magnitude according to that of the Satyrist Auribus extensis magnos commisit Elenchos The Females underwent those troublesome and uneasy Perfossions in the Lappets of their Ears in assurance of having them loaded with some Rich Pendants as a Recompence Those tender Women ventur'd to wound their Flesh because these Wounds were to be fill'd up with Gold They became at last so extravagantly lavish as to this Ornature that as Pliny observes either of these or some other Women no part of them was so expensive and costly as their Ears It was Seneca's Complaint that whole Patrimonies and more dangled at the Tips of Ladies Ears And some of the Antient Doctors of the Church were wont to lash this unsufferable Prodigality among the Christian Women telling them that they were so shamefully profuse as to hang a whole Year's Revenue at this Part. Furthermore I take occasion from Scripture to remark that this Ornament was heretofore used to Idolatrous Ends for else we can't give any Account of the Patriarch Iacob's Injunction to his Servants and Houshold to put away the strange Gods that were in their Hand and the Ear-rings that were in their Ears Gen. 35. 2 4. These two would not have been thus join'd together unless the latter had been made use of in a Superstitious and Idolatrous manner Enchanted Rings were usual of old as we are informed from several Passages in History besides that concerning Gyges And this may be one Reason perhaps why those Rings that were peculiar to the Ears were call'd Lechashim as we heard before viz. because they were wont to be made use of in Enchantments Gold Rings were a sort of Talismans and were used as Petronius testifies by the People of the Isle of Samothracia in a Magical way to drive away Diseases and to do strange Feats and they learn'd this from the Egyptians he saith An Ecclesiastical Writer upon the Place before alledged tells us that among the Gentiles their Ear-rings had in them the Effigies of their Deities and that they were made by them the Phylacteries of their Gods That they were used in way of Magick is attested by the same Antient Writer who reproves and condemns the Execrable Superstition of Ligatures in those Days which was performed by Ear-rings which the Men wore in summis ex unâ parte auriculis Whence a late Learned Critick would infer that the African Servants wore their Ear-rings not as others did but on the top of their Ears But I conceive there is no ground for this Inference from St. Augustine's Words for if we consult the Place we shall find that he speaks in general and consequently not of Servants any more than others And moreover there may be another and more proper Construction of summae auriculae for summae may be as much as extremae and then not the upper part of the Ears but the lowest i. e. the Tips of them where all Ear-rings are hung are meant here And ex unâ parte seems to me to signify their wearing their Ear-rings on one Side only not in both Ears This I conceive is the true and genuine Sense of that African Father's Words But the main thing we observe from them is that this sort of Ornament was employed heretofore to wicked and Diabolical Purposes and thence were deservedly call'd by this Pious Writer in the same Epistle the Mark of the Devil And this it is probable was derived from that more antient Practice of some of Iacob's Houshold before cited As the Pagans used to conseâ—rate their Hair their Clothes and things of all kinds to their Demons so here some of Iacob's Family engraved the Image of some Idol on their Ear-rings and wore them in remembrance of the feigned Deities Or perhaps the Good Patriarch saw some ground to fear that they would do thus and therefore that these Ornaments might not be serviceable to Idolatry or as Grotius saith left some Golden Calf should be made of their Ear-rings he bids them cast them away and when they had done so he took them and hid them under an Oak ver 4. buried them and their Gods together It is to be lamented that the Number of those who dedicate their Ornaments to false Gods and make them serviceable to some sort of Idolatry is too great at this day Indeed the fond Bigotry of the Emperor Severus was reprovable who when a pair of Pearls of inestimable Value was presented to his Lady order'd them to be hung at the Ears of Venus but there are those who wear the richest Jewels themselves and at the same time devote them to this Goddess i. e. they make them wholly subservient to Lust and Lewdness to Wantonness and Luxury and other vitious Purposes and when 't is thus Iacob'S Injunction should be put in practice the Choicest Ornaments are to be laid aside it is time now to inter these Pernicious Idols But those who know how to use their Ornaments in a right manner that is to substract them from all vicious Principles and Ends to suffer them not to administer to Levity and Vanity to Softness and Effeminacy to lewd Desires and Inclinations to Pride and Vain-glory these and only these are the Persons to whom the using of them is lawful And this must more particularly be applied to that kind of Ornament which I have been speaking of which seems to be no effeminate one in it self both because it was used by Men and likewise because 't is accompanied with some Hardship and requires some Valour to endure the piercing of the Bodkin They must bleed first before they wear it and afterwards those little Wounds are continually kept gaping And it cannot be thought unlawful and vicious in its own Nature seeing the Israelites deck'd themselves with it but are never reproved and check'd for it They are not blamed for wearing Ear-rings but for making an Idol of them The religious Rebekah who wore the Frontal Jewel did not boggle at the Auricular one for questionless this is comprehended in the Keli Zahab the Iewels of Gold which she was presented with Gen. 24. 53. Yea Holy Iob whose Spirit had been unspeakably broken and mortified by his Afflictions yet refused not this Innocent Gift which was of general Use in that Country from the Hands of his Friends So much of this Ornament which was the Antientest the most Universal the Simplest and the most Unaffected of any that we read of in the Sacred Records on which Accounts it hath the Precedence of all others But this and other Adornings in these licentious times are abused by their Commonness whereby that Distinction which ought to
the Case of Samuel who though he had been an eminent Person yet chose an obscure Burial Nay it is likely that all Persons at first of a mean Figure and private Capacity were lodg'd when they were dead in the same Ground on which they dwelt when they were alive Which is Servius's Remark on a Passage in Virgil Of old saith he all Men were buried in their Houses And Isidore agrees with him Another Instance of this private Interment was Ioab who though he had been a Great Man yet went off the Stage in very ill Circumstances and was buried in his own House in the Wilderness 1 Kings 2. 34. And King Manasses who had been so exorbitant an Offender voluntarily chose a mean and humble Grave in the Garden of his own House 2 Kings 21. 18. as thinking himself unworthy of the Royal Sepulchre of his Fathers which was in the City of David And here also is remarkable another Exception viz. as to the Burial of some of the Iewish Kings who were not buried without the Walls but in the City it self viz. Zion the upper Part of Ierusalem where the Temple and the King's Palace were seated the City of David as we expresly read concerning the Burial of David 1 Kings 2. 10. Solomon 1 Kings 11. 43. Iehoram 2 Chron. 21. 20. and others The rest had a Royal Burying-place without the City and King Vzziah being a Leper was not interred with some of the other Kings but in the Field of the Burial which belong'd to the Kings 2 Chron. 26. 23. And in the Fields or Places separated from their Cities and great Towns they generally disposed of their Dead heretofore Rachel was buried in the way to Ephrath i. e. Bethlehem Gen. 35. 19. Not to speak of Moses's Burial in a Valley Deut. 34. 6. which was of God's own disposal we read that Aaron before him was buried on Mount Hor Numb 20. 28. Deut. 10. 6. and Ioshua after both these on Mount Ephraim on the Side of a Hill there Josh. 24. 30. The Son of the Widow in Naim was carried to be buried without the Gates of the City Luck 7. 12. Lazarus's Grave was without the Town of Bethany John 11. 30 32. Ioseph's Sepulchre where our Saviour was laid was in a Garden without Ierusalem John 19. 41. in the Place where he was crucified there was a Garden And that the Graves of the Jews were without the Cities is evident also from Mat. 27. 52 53. The Graves were opened and many Bodies of Saints which slept arose and came out of the Graves and went into the holy City Thence the Devils are said to abide among the Tombs Mat. 8. 28. these being Places of Solitude remote from the City Hence we read of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graves that appear not and the Men that walk over them they being in the Fields and High-ways are not aware of them Luk. 11. 44. To prevent which they sometimes wash'd them over with White Lime that Passengers might the better discern and discover them and thereby avoid Desilement These are the whited Sepulchres Mat. 23. 27. to which our Saviour compares the Pharisees These were situated in the Commoâ— Ways and Fields at least some were in the suburbs This was the Law and Practice of the Greeks and from them the Romans borrow'd this Custom who as several Authors witness buried none within the City but without the Gates in the Fields and High-way Sides whence the Epitaphs were directed ad Viatores Thus it was among the Christians of old We bury our dead without the City saith Chrysostom therein letting us know what was the antient Custom of the Eastern Churches But afterwards People were loth to lie in the wide and open Fields and desired their dead Bodies might be taken into Cities then into Church-yards and Constantine the Great was peculiarly favour'd to be interr'd in the Church-porch Afterwards when some presum'd to bury their dead in Churches there were Canons made against it But by degrees it became lawful to do it in most Countries where Christianity was received and as to England Bodies were first brought to be buried in Churches here by the Means and Procurement of Cuthbert Archbishop of Canterbury A. D. 758. The Turks at this Day refuse to bury in their Mosches or Temples or within the Walls of their Cities though if you will believe it their Prophet had the Privilege to be exempted from the common way of Burial and was entomb'd at Mecca I have this likewise to observe that as Persons of great Rank had particular Apartments and Places set apart for the burying of themselves and their Family as is evident from what hath already been said and may be confirmed from 2 Sam. 19. 37. I Kings 13. 22 31 32. where these peculiar Repositories are call'd the Graves of their Fathers and of their Mothers and the Sepulchers of their Fathers so the poor and meaner sort of Persons were buried in a common and promiscuous Place of Sepulture Ier. 7. 32. 26. 23. the Graves of the Sons of the People To Burying appertains Embalming of which we have the first Instance in Gen. 50. 2. And the next is in the 26th ver for Ioseph who had taken that care of his Father was embalmed himself and then put in a Coâ—â—in a Chest as the word Aron signifies No History whatsoever goes so far back as this though 't is true we have these particular Passages of Moses's History confirmed by Pagan Historians afterwards for Herodotus tells us this was the Practice of the Egyptians and fully describes the manner of it yea he mentions the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Coffins wherein the Corps were deposited after the Embalming was finish'd Pliny doth the like shewing us how they open'd the Bodies disbowell'd them and fill'd them with Aromaticks Moses records that forty Days were fulfill'd in Embalming Gen. 50. 3. which agrees with what Herodotus and Diodore of Sicily say of this Egyptian Performance viz. that it was done with great Curiosity and Art and that Considerable Time was spent about it And seeing there was required Skill to know and choose out the best Herbs Drugs Ointments and Spices it is no wonder that this was as you heard before the Physicians work From the Egyptians this was derived to other Nations and particularly to the Iews who constantly used it more or less towards the Bodies of such as were of any Rank and Quality Hence we read of the Embalming of King Asa 2 Chron. 16. 4. of King Zedekiah Jâ—r 34. 5. of which more anon And it was used to our Saviour as is particularly recorded Iohn 1â— 40. They took the Body of Iesus and wound it in liâ—eâ— Clothes which was a Custom generally observ'd by all other Nations though the Lacedemonians by a particular Order of Lycurgus buried all in Woollen as we do at this Day with the Spices viz a mixture of Myrrh and Aloes about a
a Consequent of them the many Disappointments and Crosses he met with the various Judgments and Plagues which were inflicted on him and his People by God The Books of the Kings are the History of the Kingdoms of Israel and Iudah under the Reigns of their several Kings The first contains the latter Part of the Life of David and his Death the Glory and Prosperity of that Nation under Solomon who succeeded him his erecting and consecrating of the Temple at Ierusalem his scandalous Defection from the true Religion the sudden Decay of the Jewish Nation after his Death when it was divided into two Kingdoms under Rehoboam who reign'd over the two Tribes of Iudah and Benjamin and under Ieroboam who was King over the other ten Tribes that revolted from the House of David The rest of it is spent in relating the Acts of four Kings of Iudah and eight of Israel The second Book which is a Continuation of the History of the Kings is a Relation of the Memorable Acts of sixteen Kings of Iudah and twelve of Israel and the End of both Kingdoms by the carrying of the Ten Tribes Captive into Assyria by Salmanasser and the other two into Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar the just Rewards of that People's Idolatry and Impenitency after so many Favours shew'd to them This and the former Book together comprehend the History of about four hundred Years The Chronicles or Iournals according to the Hebrew are the filling up of those Parts of the History which are omitted in the Books of the Kings And though we know not which of these Histories viz. of the Kings or the Chronicles I speak as to the main Body of the Books not one particular Passage as that in the Close of the Second Book of Chronicles where mention is made of the Deliverance of the Iews by Cyrus which might be added afterwards were written first for the Book of Kings refers to the Book of Chronicles and this again sends the Reader to that yet this we see that this of the Chronicles is more full and ample sometimes than that of the Kings what was left out or not so fully set down in the one is supplied in the other And thence these Books are call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Remains Supplements Additions by the Greek Interpreters The first Book of Chronicles relates the Rise and Propagation of the People of Israel from Adam which is the entire Subject of the first Nine Chapters which consist wholly of Genealogies and then afterwards most punctually and accurately gives an Account of the Reign of David The second Book as faithfully sets down the Progress and End of the Kingdom of Iudah even to the Year of their return from the Captivity in Babylon These Books of Chronicles together with those of the Kings and Samuel make up the Best and Choicest History in the World Here we are abundantly furnish'd with such Useful Notices Truths and Maxims as these all confirmed by Noted and Illustrious Examples and such Instances as are Certain and Unquestionable Crowned Heads are encircled with Cares and seldom find rest and repose though their Lives are more Splendid yet they are not less Calamitous than those of the Common People Good Kings are rare and the Number of them is inconsiderable in comparison of those that are Bad. The best Kings have their Faults and some of them of a very scandalous Nature There is little Piety in Princes Courts and as little Integrity and Honesty The People are easily induced to follow the Examples of their Governours and Religion and Manners too often vary according to the Wills of Superiours Good Kings are the greatest Blessing and Wicked Ones are the greatest Curse to a Nation Princes mistake their Measures when they either disobey God or oppress their People Tyrannical Princes procure their own Ruine The Sins and Vices of Rulers prove fatal to their Subjects Publick Enormities are punish'd with Publick and National Calamities Kings may be known by the Ministers they choose and make use of Those Counsels that are founded in Religion are most successful Evil Counsellours contrive their own Destruction Wars are the Effect and Consequence of fighting against God The Success of Arms depends upon the Divine Blessing The Church is never more shock'd than under Bad Princes Religion and Reformation are never effectually promoted unless the Great Ones have a Hand in them Divisions and Rents about Religion have immediate influence on Secular Affairs and when the Church is divided the State is so too The Revolutions in both are by the particular Disposal of the Wise Over-ruler of the World True Religion and Godliness are attended with Earthly Rewards and Blessings and the contrary bring down the greatest Plagues even in this World The worst Times afford some of the Best and most Holy Religious and Zealous Men. Whatever Changes and Revolutions happen in the Kingdoms of the Earth the Church of God remains secure Though there are great and frequent Defections yet there never is a total Extinction of it In a Word the Church is impregnable this Rock is immoveable And many other Propositions and Maxims of the like Nature which are of great Service in the Life of Man are to be deduced from these Excellent Histories Ezra is a Continuation of the aforesaid Book of Chronicles and compriseth the History of the Jews from the time that Cyrus made the Edict for their Return until the twentieth Year of Artaxerxes Longimanus which was about a hundred Years For the Jews return from Babylon was at two several Times viz. first in the Days of Cyrus the first Perâ—â—an Monarch under the Conduct of Zerubbabel their Captain and Ieshua their High Priest Here are recorded the Number of those that returned Cyrus's Proclamation for the rebuilding of the Temple the Laying of the Foundations of it the Retarding of the Work under the Reign of two of the Kings of Persia at last the Finishing of the Temple in Darius's Reign The second Return of the Jews was in the Reign of Artaxerxes under the Conduct of Ezra a Priest who had been a Courtier in the Persian Court and was sent into Iudea by Artaxerxes in the seventh Year of his Reign which was above eighty Years after the first Return in Cyrus's Time to expedite the Building of Ierusalem This Pious Reformer observing the Peoples 〈◊〉 with Strangers and Inâ—idels and their joining themselves to them in Marriage proclaim'd a â—olemn Fast and Pray'd and Mourn'd and Lamented their gross Miscarriages and with great Earnestness and Zeal exhorted them to Reformation and Amendment of their Ways that they might thereby avert God's Wrath and conciliate his Favour and Pardon This is that Ezra who was the Penman of this Book and who was also a Restorer of the Sacred Books of the Old Testament and collected and methodized them into certain Order and reviewed the Copies and amended all Errata's that were contracted in the time of the Captivity Nehemiah who
wonderful Efficacy of the Holy Spirit in those Days the Rejection of the Unbelieving Jews the utter Destruction of their City Temple and whole Nation by the Romans for their rejecting and crucifying the Messias and other particular things belonging to the times of the Gospel which none of the Lesser Prophets speak of but this Malachi is the last of these Prophets yea of all the Prophets of that Dispensation After him ceased Vision and Prophecy in Israel until Christ's appearing when Zachary Simeon Mary Elizabeth Anna were illuminated with the Prophetick Spirit He prophesied about 300 Years before our Saviour's time reproving the Jews for their Ungrateful and Wicked Living after their Return from Babylon particularly he chargeth them with Rebellion Sacrilege Adultery Profaneness Infidelity but especially he reprehends the Priests for being Careless and Scandalous in their Ministry which one thing was sufficient to give Authority to others to be Vicious At the same time he forgets not to take notice of and incourage the Pious Remnâ—nt in that corrupted Age who feared the Lord and thought upon his Name whose Godly Converse and Associating with one another in that debauched time he assures them were registred in a Book of Remembrance by God himself This Prophet who had pointed before at the Messias to be exhibited for he expresly â—aith He shall suddenly come to his Temple now shuts up his Prophecy and indeed all the Prophecies of the Old Testament with an Exhortation to remember the Law i. e. to live according to its holy Rules and Injunctions and with a Promise of the Coming of the Lord who was to be usher'd in by Elijah the Prophet i. e. by Iohn the Baptist who came in the Spirit and Power of Elias Luke 1. 17. And so this Close of the Old Testament refers to the New to which I now hasten CHAP. X. An Account of the Writings of the Four Evangelists the peculiar Time Order Stile Design of their Gospels The Act of the Apostles shew'd to be an Incomparable History of the Primitive Church The Epistles of St. Paul particularly delineated He is proved to be the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews An Enquiry into the Nature of this Apostle's Stile and manner of Writing The excellent Matter and Design of the Epistles of St. James St. Peter St. John St. Jude An Historical Series or Order is not observ'd in the Book of the Revelation NEXT follow the Sacred Books of the New Testament the Evangelical Novels the New Laws of Christianity the True Authenticks which present us with the actual Discoveries of the Glorious Light of the Gospel and of the Blessed Author of it These were writ in Greek for the same Reason that Ioseph the Jew chose to write his Books not in his own Language but in this because as he saith himself in his Preface to the Iewish War he would have them read and understood by Greeks and Romans and all Persons So Aelian was a Roman yet writ his Books of Animals and Various History c. in Greek because this was the Universal Language at that time These Writings of the New Testament are either Histories or Epistles The Histories are the Four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles As for the former the Writings of the Four Evangelists there were none of them extant whilest Christ was on Earth for till his being taken up to Heaven which was the Consummation of all he had before done and suffer'd they could not make the Evangelical History perfect But afterwards some of the Apostles and Disciples resolving according to their Master's Order to go and preach in foreign Regions and to disperse the Christian Religion over all the World put forth the History of the Gospel in Writing before they went about this great Work St. Matthew was the first Inspired Person that committed the Evangelical Transactions to Writing which he did about eight Years after Christ's Passion A. D. 42. He alone of all the Evangelists say St. Ierom Eusebius St. Augustine Chrysostom and most of the Antient Writers of the Church wrote his Gospel first in Hebrew which partly appears from this that some of the Hebrew Words are explained by the Person who translated it into Greek who it is probable was St. Matthew himself as the Antients generally agree and so the Hebrew and Greek Copies are both of them the Originals Then St. Mark and St. Luke writ their Gospels the one about ten tho others say twenty the other about twenty some say thirty Years after our Saviour's Death and there are some that invert the Order and give the Priority to St. Luke But all agree that St. Iohn was the last of the Evangelists and wrote towards the latter end of the first Century But as for the Punctual Time when the Evangelists put forth the Gospels it is doubtful and I do not find any certain ground whereoâ— we may â—ix a satisfactory resolution of the Doubtâ—punc This may be observ'd that St. Matthew and St. Iohn were Eye-witnesses of what they wrote 〈◊〉 St. Mark and St. Luke had what they wrote from the relation of others Particularly St. Mark who was St. Peter's Companion composed his Gospel by his Order and Direction and with his especial Approbation saith Eusebius Again it is to be observ'd that tho every Evangelist relates nothing but the Truth yet no one of them relates the Whole Truth concerning Christ's Life and Actions Tho the Substance of the Gospel be contain'd in every one of these Writers yet some Particulars are found in one that do not occur in another which makes it necessary to consult them all and to compare them together As for St. Matthew and St. Mark we may take notice that they do not always observe the Order of Time and the true Sâ—ries of the Matter especially the former of these is not curious in this particular But as for thâ— other two Evangelists they are very punctual and inviolably observe the Order of things as they happen'd excepting only that Parenthesis for such it is in Luke 3. 19 20. concerning Herod Of all the Evangelists St. Luke is the fullest and gives the compleatest mosâ— circumstantial and orderly Relation of things which he himself takes notice of in his Preface to his Gospel in those Words to Theophilus It seâ—med good to me having had perfect Vnderstanding of all things from the very first to write unto thee in order And yet though his Gospel be ample and more methodical in the Narrative or History than the rest yet he is but brief in relating things that our Saviour did till the last Year of his Preaching St. Matthew having been full in them and in some other things he hath need of a supply from the rest of the Evangelists and more especially from St. Iohn whose Gospel from the Beginning of the 14th Chapter to the End of the 17th contains those Excellent Discourses of our Saviour before his Passion which were wholly
Acts and Works of Holiness Wherefore he offers several Plain Marks and Tokens whereby they may certainly know whether they be Real Christians truly Religious and the Children of God The Sum of all he propounds is this that if they love God and their Brethren and demonstrate this Love by the proper and geâ—â—ine Fruits of it then they may conclude they are Christians indeed otherwise they are mere strangers to Christianty and to all Religion they deceive themselves and there is no Truth in them This the Beloved Disciple and Divine Amorist inculâ—ates with that Spirit Warmth and Earnestness which so Weighty a Subject deserves His second Epistle is written to the Elect Lady and her Children that is saith St. Ierom to some Eminent Select Church in Asia and to all the Christians belonging to it for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Athenians and Curia with the Romans are of the same Import with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Assembly Perhaps Ephesus is meant saith a Learned Man which was the Metropolis of Asia and so may more signally be call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But it is the general Opinion of the Antients and Moderns that a person not a Church 〈◊〉 meant here and that St. Iohn the Evangelist not another Presbyter of that Name as St. Ierom thinks writes to a Vertuous Lady who was an 〈◊〉 Servant of Christ a very Godly and Religions Woman or it may be her Proper Name was Elect as a Learned Critick hath conjectured Which may seem the more probable because the word hath no Article prefix'd to it It was usual with our Saviour himself as the Evangelical Writings inform us to make his Applications to those of this Sex to cherish and commend their Vertues It is particularly recorded that of the Chief Women afterwards call'd Honourable Women not a few were St. Paul's Proselytes And to descend lower we read that St. Ierom took great Pains in instructing the Roman Ladies and in commending and incouraging their Study of the Holy Scriptures Yea many of his Writings were directed and dedicated to Noble Women Widows and Virgins as Paula Eustochium Salvina Celantia and several others that were Roman Ladies and of noble Extraction Such is our Elect here who is the only Person of that Sex to whom an Inspired Epistle is written She is commended for her vertuous bringing up her Children she is exhorted to abide in the Doctrine of Christ to perservere in the Truth and to be careful to avoid all Delusions of False Teachers But chiefly the Apostle beseecheth this Noble Matron to practise the great and indispensable Commandment of Christian Love and Charity His third Epistle was writ to Gaius a Converted Iew or Gentile as others think because he hath a Roman Name a Man of a fair Estate and who had been very bountiful and hospitable to the Saints The Design of the Epistle is to own and commend his Hospitality especially his seasonable Beneâ—icence and Charity to Strangers to those that were Exiles for the Cause of Christianity and to stir him up to continue in the Exercise of the same Charity and Liberality to the distressed Brethren Demetrius is propounded as an eminent Example of this for which and all other Vertues he had the good Report of all Men yea and of the Truth it self that is as he was spoken well of by every one so he really deserv'd it On the other side he complains of the Uncharitable Insolent and Ambitious Diotrephes a Prating Opposer not only of him and his Doctrine but of all the true Servants of Iesus The General Epistle of Iude or Iudas as we render it in Iohn 14. 22. it being the same Name with that of the Traitor for it is no unusual thing for good and bad Men to have the same Names as in the Old Testament Eliab Iehu Hananiah c. in the New Testament Simon Iohn Ananias are Instances of this This Epistle I say of this Good Apostle with a Bad Man's Name was written to all Christian Churches or at least to all the Iewish Christians Dispersed the same to whom St. Iames and St. Peter wrote wherein he exhorts them to contend for the Faith against those Dreaming Hereticks and Seducers that were at that time crept into the Church whose Erroneous Tenents and Ungodly Practices he here particularly deciphers and from the Examples of God's Vengeance on other Great Offenders infers the Certainty of these Mens Ruine In short this Epistle hath all the Marks of a true Apostolick Spirit and is of the same Argument with the second Epistle of St. Peter and is a kind of Epitome of it and therefore I need not be very Particular in rehearsing the Contents The last Book of the New Testament is the Revelation of St. John the Divine which Epithet is signally given to him here because of the Divinity and Sublimity of his Raptures because he of all the Apostles had the greatest Communications of Divine Mysteries It may be referr'd either to the Historical Books or to the Epistles to the former because it is a Prophetick History of the State of the Church from the Apostles times to the end of the World to the latter because it is in the Form of an Epistle after the three first Verses by way of Preface viz. to the Seven Churches of Asia at first planted by and now under the Government of St. Iohn and as it begins so it ends after the usual way of concluding Epistles The Grace of our Lord Iesus â—brist be with you all Amm. Concerning the precise time when St. Iohn receiv'd and when he wrote this Revelation there is some Dispute but the most probable if not the most generally received Opinion is that he being â—â—nish'd into Patmos an Isle in the Archipelago situated about forty Miles from the Continent of Asia by Domitian under whom was the Second persecution this Revelation was deliver'd to him about the middle of the Emperor's Reign but at several times and that he committed it to Writing about the latter end of it As to the Visions themselves I will not here particularly inâ—ist upon any of them only in general it is commonly said and believed that the Vision of the Seals sets forth the State of the Church under the Heathen Persecâ—tions from Nero to the end of Dioclesian's Persecâ—tion the Vision of the Trumpets which follows that shews the Calamity of the Church by Herâ—sies Schisms and Persecutions afterwards in the times succeeding the Pagan Roman Emperors viz. under Papacy And then the Vials tell what Vengeance befals the Papal Antichrist and all the Churches Enemies So that the Seals Trumpets and Vials give an Account of the three Grand Periods of the Church There is great Probability of this but I must add and I will offer it to the Reader as a thing necessary to be taken notice of in order to the right understanding of this Book that the Order of Time and History is
Acts 20. 35. It 〈◊〉 more blessed to give than to receive is recited as the Words of the Lord Iesus yet we find them not recorded in the Gospel But our Blessed Master freqâ—ently utter'd Words that were of the like Import as is easy to prove or rather I conceive we may truly say that he spoke this very Sentence for it may be observ'd that what is here quoted is not only call'd the Words of the Lord Iesus but this is added how he said to let us know that he said these very Words when he was upon Earth And many the like Excellent Sayings and Aphorisms he prenounced which as well as innumerable Actions that he did were kept in remembrance by the Apostles but were not written down of which St. Iohn speaks ch 20. v. 30. 21. 25. So that it is impossible to prove hence that any Book belonging to the Sacred Canon is lost As for the Objection grounded on St. Iude v. 14. viz. that Eâ—och's Book which is quoted by this Apostle and if it had not been Canonical it would not have been quoted by him is lost some as Origen Ierom Augustine grant it to be so but deny it to be Canonical it being their Judgment that St. Iude might if he thought â—it alledg an Apocryphal Writer But according to my Apprehension the brief and satisfactory Answer is that there is no mention there of any Book or Writing of â—â—och and therefore none can infer thence that â—ny Book or Writing of his is lost It is only said He prophesied saying c. which he might do and questionless did without penning down any of hiâ— Prophetical Sayings but they were transmitted from Generation to Generation and thence it was 〈◊〉 the Apostle Iude inserted this into his Epistle Nor are we to be concern'd that a Book of Enooh is mention'd by some of the Antient Writers of the Church for 't is well known that they had several Spâ—rious Authors among them and as a Learned Doctor of the sorbon observes all the Fathers exâ—â—pt Terâ—ullian reckon this that went under the Name of Enoch as such But are not some of the Writings of the New Teâ—â—ament wanting seeing there was a Third Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians in order the first I â—rote unto you in an Epistle not to keep Company with â—ornicators 1 Cor. 5. 9. Therefore it appears hence that there was another before this which passes commonly for the first But this is not extant for we have now but two that bear the Name of that â—lessed Apostle Answ. Nor were there ever any more for when he saith he wrote to them in an Epistle he means this very First Epistle he was now writing He refers to what he had said bâ—fore in the former Part of that Chapter and the meaning is When I even now wrote unto you in this Epistle ver 2. not to keep Company with Fornicators I do not mean the Fornicators of this World Thus St. Chrysostom and Theophylact interpret the Place But if I may be permitted to vary from those Excellent Fathers I would propound one of these two ways of understanding the Apostle's Words First it may be he hath reference here to what he saith afterwards in this Epistle ch 6 v. 13. and again v. 18. ch 7. v. 2. where he writes to them to avoid Fornication Wherefore upon reading over this Epistle after he had finish'd it he thought good to insert this and to take notice here of what he saith afterwards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have saith he written to yâ—â— in this Epistle viz. in some of the following Chapters against Fornication and joining your selves to Persons that are noted for that Vice Or else I conceive the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Preterit for the present Tense of which there are very near an hundred Instances in the New Testament and all Men vers'd in Criticism know that there is nothing more common Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used in this very Epistle ch 9. v. 15. Neither have I written these things i. e. at this time in this Epistle that I am now writing This any Man that consults the Context will be forc'd to acknowledg to be the true Sense of the Place whence it appears that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is equivalent with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So you will find the Word must be taken in the 1st Epistle of St. Iohn 2d Chapter you will see and be throughly convinced that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 12 13. is expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 14 21. And thus in the Text that is before us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no other than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I write unto you in this Epistle not to c. Which that it ought to be rendred so is evident from ver 11. which is but a Repetition or Reassumption of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now I write unto you the Adverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shews that it is spoken of the Present Instant Time though the Greek Verb be in the Praeterit This then I offer as the plain Sense of the Text and Context I write unto you O Corinthians in this my Letter not to be mingled so the Word properly denotes with Fornicators or with the Covetous or Extortioners or Idolaters for then you must needs go out of the World there being so great a Multitude of them but this is that which I mean that you should avoid the Company of a Brother i. e. a Professed Christian if he be given to Fornication Covetousness Extortion or Idolatry This is the Thing which I at this time write and signify to you So that you see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the simple and plain Tenour of the Words may convince any Man of it And therefore the true and genuine Translation both of the former and latter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is I write which makes the Apostle's Sense clear and perspicuous I appeal to any Man of Judgment and Sagacity whether this Account of the Words be not exactly adjusted to Grammar and Criticism to the Scope of the Apostle and the Design of the Context besides that it is serviceable to the Business in hand viz. utterly to overthrow the Surmise of an Epistle written to the Corinthians before this which the Apostle is here writing If the Learned Drusius or the Excellent Grotius had weighed these things which I have suggested I doubt not but they would have chang'd their Minds they would not have cried out that this Epistle here spoken of is lost But it is further said that the Apostle writ 〈◊〉 Epiâ—â—le to the Lâ—odiceaâ—s as may be collected from Câ—l 4. 16. which is wanting at this Day that is although iâ— be extant and allowed of by somâ— Authors yet it is not put into the Canon of the New Testament wherefore the Canon is
Task we have no reason to deny the Authority of their Version i. e. that it was really Theirs and that it is Genuine We are certain that it was approved of by the Testimony of all the Iews who flourish'd before the Destruction of Ierusalem viz. Aristaeas Eupolemus Aristobulus both the Philo's Iosephus c. We are certain that the Hellenist Iews i. e. such as lived among the Grecians and read the Scriptures in this Version and pray'd and performed all other Offices in Greek esteemed it equally with the Original and read it constantly in their Synagogues We are certain that Christ and the Apostles followed this Translation generally And we are sure that the Greek and Latin Church for 400 Years received and approved it as the most Authentick of all the Greek Translations But this you will say makes the Objection stronger For if the LXX's Version be of such Authority and yet differs from the Hebrew then this shakes the Credit and Authority of the Hebrew which is the Original Scripture But I answer we are giving the Greek Translation of the Seventy its due but we do not intend hereby to wrong the Hebrew Yea our design is to give unto both what belongs to them which I find several Learned Writers of late are unwilling to do When I affirm that the Septuagint's Version was not only heretofore but is to this Day of undoubted Authority and is the most Authentick Greek Translation of the Old Testament that is extant I do not say it is Faultless and that it is to be equall'd with the Hebrew but I positively assert that it hath many Errors and Mistakes many faulty Omissions and Additions many Disorders and Corruptions in it and yet that nowithstanding this it is the most Authentick and justly esteemed Version among all the Antient ones and is of great use in the Church It was hotly disputed of Old which of these two the Hebrew Bible or the Seventy's Translation should have the Preheminence Some in a very high Manner extoll'd the latter and disparaged the former then came Ierom and was not content to cry up this but immoderately inveigh'd against the other and cried it down as not to be suffered And we have seen this Old Controversy newly started and revived by some of late Some on one side applauding the Hebrew to the Height that they wholly disregard the Greek Version of the 70 Elders others on the other side crying up this with a vilifying of the Hebrew Text. Ludovicus Capellus goes this latter way but he is outdone by Morinus who shews himself a Sworn Enemy to the Hebrew Text and at a high Rate defends the Greek Translation of the Seventy in all things insomuch that a Man may plainly see he resolves to do it at a Venture whether there be any reason for it or no. He is back'd by Isaac Vossius who pretending he saw the Hebrew Text magnified and adored by some Men Half-Iews he calls them thereupon undertook to stand up for the Septuagint and destroy the Authority of the Hebrew Original It will not suffice this Gentleman to say the Greek Version of the Elders is Divine but from his Discourse he would have us gather that the Hebrew Text is scarcely Humane it being so disorder'd so lame so miserably corrupted These are the Extreams which Men unadvisedly run into that they may extol the Greek Version they shamefully vilify the Hebrew Text. But I will take another Course not endeavouring to oppose one of these to the other but so far as it is sitting reconcile them both Which I will do by shewing you what is the true Difference between these two and whence it ariseth First then the Difference which we observe to be between the Hebrew Bible and this Greek Version proceeds from the mistaking of one Hebrew Vowel for another Though the 70 Interpreters were sufficiently skill'd in the Hebrew yet they sometimes translated it amiss because they did not make use of the Hebrew Vowels or Points they translated by those Copies which had not the Points added to the Hebrew Text. Some indeed have alledged the Difference between the Hebrew and the Seventy Version as an Argument to prove that Points were not antiently annexed to the Hebrew Bible for hence it is say they that there is that Variety of Reading The Bible was at that time without Vowels and consequently a great many Words were capable of being read and accordingly translated Diversly But this is a Fallacy for though the Mistakes in the Greek Version proceeded partly from the want of Points in the Hebrew Bibles i. e. those Bibles which the 70 Interpreters used yet it doth not follow thence that no Hebrew Bibles had Points For so it was that all their Bibles were not written with Points but some Persons to expedite the writing them over left them out The short is that though these were from the beginning as hath been said in the Entrance of these Discourses on the Scriptures yet they were not always used and when they were used they were not always carefully attended to Whence happen'd many of those Mistakes which we may take notice of in the Version of the Iewish Elders They either had those Bibles which had been transcribed without Points or they mistook the Points themselves out of Carelessness or something that is worse The Instances of this kind are very numerous but I will content my self with naming a few only In Gen. 14. 5. Beham in Ham i. e. the Land of Ham was read by the LXX Behem in ipsis and accordingly rendred by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Gen. 15. 11. the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diffiavit â—latu abegit was read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consedit they attending not to the Vowels but the Consonants only and thence they translated it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he sat by them whereas according to the Original we rightly translate it he drove them away The Septuagint did not read it Ba Gad two Words Gen. 30. 11. but Begad and accordingly translated it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So in Gen. 47. 31. according to the Hebrew we read it Israel bowed himself upon the Bed's Head but according to the Septuagint upon the Top or Head of his Staff for these Interpreters in their unpricked Bibles mistook 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. a Staff instead of a Bed and accordingly translated it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Errror proceeded hence that those Hebrew Words have the same Letters but the same Points do not belong to them In Chap. 49. 6. Cabodi my Glory is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whence it is plain that they took Cabedi to be the Word And in another Place the Mistake is quite contrary as in Lam. 2. 11. Cabedi my Liver is translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they read it Cabodi my Glory Instead of Lachem Shegnarim War in the Gates Judg. 5. 8. the Seventy thought it
of all the Latin Editions was the most generally received and used and was really the Antientest of all the Latin Translations But this was but a Translation of a Translation viz. that of the 70 and must have undergone the same Censure with the Greek Version of which I spoke before if it had been now extant But it is not it is wholly lost only the Psalms remain and as much as is found quoted here and there in the Fathers and Antient Writers 2. St. Ierom's Version for this Learned Father observing the Errors in the several Latin Versions the Italian especially which were in his time did as I said before translate both the Old and New Testament himself the first he wholly did by a New Translation out of the Hebrew Original the second was rather a Correction and Emendation of the Old Latin or Italian Version than a New One. The Psalms because they were daily sung in the Churches and could not without offence to the People be changed remained the same that they were in the Old Version There is no occasion to add any Censure of Ours here concerning this Translation because it agrees with the Original Hebrew Only we will observe that when St. Ierom had finished it it was not presently received by the Latin Church but many Bishops refused it and St. Augustin particularly forbad it to be read in his Diocess so greatly did they esteem the Greek Version of the LXX Many that were ignorant in the Hebrew Tongue spoke against this Translation as a meer Innovation and fell heavily upon the Author of it But he with great earnestness defended his Work and sometimes repaid the Invectives of his Adversaries with too much Bitterness Though some Bishops and others disliked his Translation yet it was authorized and approved of by Damasus the then Bishop of Rome by whose Command it was first undertaken and a great Number of other understanding Persons who saw its conformity to the Hebrew Text and perceived it was void of those Mistakes which the other Latin Translations abounded with whilst this Division Iasted both the Translations were publickly read i. e. they read some Books of the Bible in Ierom's Version and others in the Italian and this lasted till the time of Gregory the Great At length another Translation prevail'd viz. 3. The Vulgar which we now have which is made up of both the former and is call'd by the Romanists Vetus Vulgata This by degrees got the better of all the others in the Roman Church and was generally used by them and is still Authentick there and is the Vulgar Latin which they now so commend yea which some of the Church of Rome hold to be of Divine Inspiration and consequently free from all Faults either in Words or Matter and there are others of them as Genebrard and Mariana who extravagantly extol it and they would perswade us that both the Italian and St. Ierom's Version and comprised in this one But it is evident that this is not the Old Italian Translation which was used before Ierom and Augustin's Time for that was made out of the Greek Version of the 70 Interpreters whereas this differs from it in many Places Nor is this Vulgar Latin of the Church of Rome St. Ierom's Version because that was exactly according to the Hebrew Text but this though it comes nearer to the Hebrew than to the 70 Interpreters yet it often varies from the Hebrew and adds many things to it as in the Book of Kings especially and in other Places So that this Modern Vulgar Edition is not the Pure Version of Ierom but mixt of his Translation and of the old one which was in the Latin Church before his Time And this is the Opinion even of those Great Romanists Baronius and Bellarmine We know then what censure to give of this Latin Edition of the Bible it is for the greatest Part of it very Antient and hath been used many Ages in the Church and is justly reckon'd to be a very Learned Translation for which reason Fagius who was well skill'd in the Hebrew Tongue and Drusius whom all acknowledg to be a Learned Critick had a great Reverence for this Edition and give a very high Character of it and Beza and Grotius prefer it before all other Latin Translations Yet this is certain it hath many things faulty in it it leaves the Hebrew very often and follows the Septuagint or the Chaldee Paraphrase or even some Rabbin Luoas Brugensis took notice of above six hundred Faults in it and Isidore Clarius a Spanish Abbot and afterwards of the Council of Trent observed eight thousand Errata's in it Besides that it hath many Barbarous Words the Sense in many Places is corrupted and sometimes quite lost Sometimes it runs directly contrary to the Original Text as in Gen. 8. 7. non revertebatur instead of revertebatir And in 1 Cor. 15. 51. Omnes quidem resurgemus sed non omnes immutabimur whereas according to the Greek it should have been Non omnes dormiemus sed omnes mutabimur And several Instances might be produced of the like Nature So far is the Vulgar Latin from being absolutely Authentick as the Council of Trent determined it to be even before that Edition was mended But see how that Council baffles it self it defines the Vulgar Latin to be the Authentick and then orders it to be Corrected and printed again Accordingly the Popes set about the mending of it first Sixtus the Fifth put forth a mended Copy and tied all Persons to that when he was dead Gregory the Fourteenth set about the correcting of that Edition and afterwards Clement the Eighth amended Pope Gregory's in many Places This was done after the Council of Trent had declared the Vulgar Latin to be the Authâ—ntick Copy Which with what we have suggested before is a clear Proof that it deserves not that Epithet but that there were and are still in it many Corruptions In vain therefore doth the Church of Rome prefer this Vulgar Latin Edition of the Bible before the Hebrew and Greek Originals unreasonably do the Doctors of that Church complain of the Defects and Errors of these yea maliciously do they urge the Disagreement between these especially the Hebrew and the Vulgar Latin and thereby endeavour to accuse the Sacred Scriptures of Imperfection The Sum is notwithstanding what the Romanists and some others that are their Abettors endeavour to impose upon the World the latter i. e. the Vulgar Latin is ever to be corrected by the former viz. the Hebrewd and not this by that Besides these 3 Old Latin Versions there are others that may justly be called Modern for soon after the Year of our Lord 1500 there arose several Learned Men well skill'd in the Tongues who seeing the Corruptions that were in the Latin Versions and comparing these with the Originals endeavoured to correct them by those Fountains Hence after the Attempts of Ximenius Archbishop of Toledo in hiâ—
understand them aright I propound these ensuing Rules and Directions First It is requisite that we furnish our selves with other Learning to make our selves capable of understanding the Bible All Arts require a Master and Teacher even the lowest and mechanical All Trades and Sciences are to be learn'd none presumes to meddle with them till they have been instructed in them And yet we may observe that all degrees of Persons pretend to interpret the Scriptures though they were never instructed never prepared as St. Ierom complain'd of old A great many imagine that the Weakest Brains can comprehend the Contents of this Book and without all other knowledg attain to the meaning of them But this is a gross Mistake and is one cause of Mens wresting and corrupting the Scriptures They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 3. 16. unlearned and unwilling to be taught for so the Word imports they neglect the means of Knowledg they use not the proper Helps conducing to it Or whatever they were in St. Peter's Time we are sure that now a competent Measure of Humane Learning is required to understand these Writings For though they surpass all Humane Wisdom yet it is as true that they have strictures of all Arts and Sciences in them and are written in the Learned Languages and as I have shew'd formerly contain in them all sorts of Words Phrases and Idioms Wherefore there is a Necessity of the Arts and Tongues for understanding this Book In the Writings of Moses and the Prophets of the Apostles and Evangelists there are the Rites Customs Manners Opinions Sayings Proverbs of almost all Nations in the World especially of the Antient Hebrews Wherefore a Knowledg of their Writings and Antient Monuments a Converse with History and Antiquities are absolutely requisite especially for explaining the difficult Places And to have a true Notion of several Passages in the Epistles of the Apostles Ecclesiastical History in needful which gives us nitice of the Hereticks of that time or of those concerning whom the Apostles prophetically speak The Writings of the Fathers are to be consulted and that with great application of Mind that we may not mistake the Interpretations which those Learned and Pious Men give of the respective Places of Scripture that we may be ediâ—ied by their Religious Comments but not imbibe any of their Errors This which I now say principally concerns the Guides and Ministers of the Church who are supposed to be Men of Learning and Scholarship and truly a great Part of the Bible is more especially fitted for such It is their province to expound and teach this Holy Book which is it self a Library and is of that Nature that it cannot be rightly understood and explain'd without acquaintance with the Antient Writers of the Church without skill in the Tongues Rhetdrick Logick Philosophy History Criticism for as it is furnish'd with all Literature so it requires all to unfold it aright As for the Apostles tho some of them had no knowledg in Arts and Sciences yet that Defect was abundantly recompensed by the extraordinary Gifts and Endowments of the Holy Ghost So most of the Primitive Christians in the Apostles Days who were not Hebrews understood the Language in which the Old Testament was written by their Gift of Tongues And as for the Greek of the New Testament it was universally known and so was in a manner the native Tongue both to the Jews and others of that time But Men are not now instructed in Strange Languages by the Spirit nor are they born with Hebrew or Greek neither are they Inspired with Arts and Humane Knowledg and consequently Study and Reading and Long Exercise are indispensably requisite Clement of Alexandria would have his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. his Perfect and Compleat Theologuâ— be skill'd in Humane Literature and Philosophy Inshort to be a Consummate Divine and thorowly knowing in the Bible it is necessary that he be a Man of Universal Learning Secondly that we may read and understand the Scriptures it is requisite that we be exceeding Attentive Observing Considerate that we be very Inquisitive Thoughtful and Diligent This Rule may be explain'd in several Particulars 1. We must use great Thoughtfulness Diligence and Care in penetrating into the Design and Sense of those Inspired Writings St. Chrysostom delivers the Rule thus we must not only examine the meer naked Words and insist upon them simply and absolutely consider'd but we must chiefly attend to the Mind and Intent of the Writer Sometimes instead of an Absolute meaning of the Words in Scripture they are to be taken Comparatively or with Limitation they must be restrain'd to the Matter in Hand As to Instance No Man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost 1. Cor. 12. 3. i. e. no Man can say so from his Heart There is that Reserve implied Where I am ye eannot come John 7. 34. i. e. ye can't come yet but afterwards you shall All that came before me are Thieves and Robbers John 1 o. 8. i. e. all False Prophets for he means them are such It is reported that there is such Fornication among you as is not so much as named among the Gentiles that one should have his Father's Wife 1 Cor. 5. 1. This sort of Fornication was not only named but practis'd among the Gentiles for there are several Examples in Pagan Story of marrying the Father's Wife therefore here must be meant the more Sober Sort of Gentiles And so in many other Places things which seem to be absolutely spoken are to be understood in a restrained Sense 2. It is necessary that we be very thoughtful and inquisitive about the Context the Dependance the Connection of those Places which we search into We are to be exceeding mindful what the Words refer to what Coherence they have with what went before and what follows To Know the true Sense of them we must carefully observe the Subject-matter for this is certain that Propositions are true or not true according to this You will meet with several Instances of this in my former Discourses on the Holy Scriptures and therefore I will forbear to mention any here Only I offer this at present as a General Rule for guiding us to the true and genuine meaning of Scripture 3. This Attentiveness and Care must be exercis'd in Comparing one Place with another or with divers others if there be occasion For as an Intelligent Person rightly suggests all Truth being consonant to it self and all being penn'd by one and the self-same Spirit it cannot be but that an industrious and judicious Comparing of Place with Place must be a singular help for the right understanding of the Scriptures This One Rule if well and duly observ'd will carry us through most of the Difficulties of the Bible For this we may depend upon that the Scripture is its own Interpreter that the best Comment on this Book is it self Wherefore let
nothing in Scripture that looks like Inconsistent and Contradictory Upon a diligent Search we shall discern a mutual Correspondence in the Stile Matter and Design of these Writings we shall find a happy Concurrence of Circumstances and an admirable Consistency in the Doctrines and Discourses in so much that we shall be forced to acknowledg that upon this single Consideration it is reasonable to believe that these Writings were endited by the Holy Spirit This Harmony then of the Scriptures I may justly reckon among the Inward Notes of the Truth of Scripture because it is adjoined to the Matter of it which is of the very Intrinsick Nature of it What Iustinian professes and promises concerning his Digests in his Preface to them that there is nothing Clashing and Contradictory in them but that they are all of a piece is true only of the Sacred Laws of the Evangelical Pandects which contain in them nothing Dissonant and Repugnant The Old and New Testament the Prophets and Apostles are consonant to themselves and to one another which is a great Argument of the Truth of them There is nothing in one Place of Scripture opposite to the true Meaning which the Holy Ghost hath revealed and asserted in another The Contents of the whole Book whether you look into the Doctrinal or Historical Part of it have nothing contradictory in them All the Authors of it agree in their Testimonies and assert the same thing and consent among themselves It is the Nature of Lies and Forgeries that they hang not together as Lactantius on the like Occasion hath observed Especially if you search very inquisitively and narrowly into them you will perceive that they are thin and slight and may easily be seen through But the Contents of these Writings have been diligently inquired into and with great Care and Industry examined by all sorts of Persons and yet they are found to be every ways Consistent with themselves and the Testimony of the Writers is known to be Concurrent and Agreeing All wise and curious Observers must needs grant that there is no Book under Heaven that parallels the Scriptures as to this Which shews that they are more than Humane Writings yea that they were Divinely inspired and dictated And this I take to be the Sense of St. Peter who assures us that no Prophecy of the Scripture is of private Interpretation He speaks of the first Rise of those Prophecies which are in Scripture they are from God they are not of private Interpretation they are not from Man's Invention they are not of his own Brain and Fancy but they are to be esteem'd to be as they are Divine and Heavenly Oracles Thus the Word of God is Witness to it self and stands in need of no others The Scripture is sufficiently proved by what is in it and is to be believed for its own sake Which made an antient Writer say We have compleat Demonstrations out of the Scriptures themselves and accordingly we are demonstratively assured by Faith concerning the Truth of the things therein delivered Which cannot be said of any humane Writings in the World for they carry no such Native Marks with them But the very Inward Notes of the Truth and Authority of the Scriptures create in us a certain and unshaken Belief They may be known from all other Writings whatsoever by the Excellent Transcendent and Divine Matter contained in them and by the peculiar Manner of delivering and publishing it These I call Internal Proofs because they are taken from the Books themselves because they are something that we find there These assure us that they were written not by Man but by God There is yet another Internal Testimony I call it so because it is within Vs though not in the Scriptures As I have shewed you that the Holy Spirit speaks in the Scriptures and bears Testimony to the Truth of them so now I add that this Spirit speaks in Vs and works in our Hearts a Perswasion that the Scriptures are the Word of God By this Spirit we are enabled to discern the Voice of the same Spirit and of Christ in those Writings This witnessing Power of the Spirit in the Souls of Believers is asserted in Acts 5. 32. 15. 7 8. and in 1 Iohn 5. 6. From these Places it is clear that there is an Illumination of the Spirit joining with our Consciences and Perswasions and this Spirit powerfully convinces all Believers of the Truth of the Scriptures This Testimony follows immediately on our setting before us the Inward Excellencies of the Scripture as I have represented them for God makes use of those Evidences and Arguments to beget a Belief in us of the Divine Authority of Scripture The Spirit enlightens and convinces Mens Minds by those Means but more especially he urges these Evidences on the Hearts of the Religious and Faithful and thereby brings them to a firm Perswasion of the Scriptures being the Word of God This is no Enthusiasm because it is discovered to us by proper Means and Instruments whereas that is without any and is generally accompanied with the despising of them But the Evidences and Notes in the Scripture are the Reasons and Motives of our Belief only the Holy Spirit comes and prepares and sanctifies our Minds and illuminates our Consciences and causes those Arguments and Motives to make Impression upon us and effectually to prevail with us and to silence all Objections to the contrary Thus the Truth of Scripture is attested by the Holy Spirit witnessing in us But when I say the Testimony of the Spirit is a Proof of the Truth of the Scripture I must adjoin this that this Proof serves only for those that have this Spirit it may establish them but it cannot convince others No other Man can be brought to be perswaded of the Truth of those Sacred Writings by the Spirit 's convincing me of the Truth of them Besides this Proof is not in all that really believe the Truth of these Books some may be convinced of the Truth of them without this but where this is it is most Powerful and Convictive and surpasses all other degreâ— of Perswasion whatsoever There is no such câ—tain knowledg of the Truth of these Holy Wâ— tings as by the Testimony of the Sacred Spirit 〈◊〉 the Hearts of Men produced there in a ration â— way and in such a manner as is most sutable 〈◊〉 our Faculties CHAP. II. External Proofs of the Truth of the Holy Scriptureâ— Viz. the wonderful Preservation of them and Vniversal Tradition Which latter is defended against the Objections of those that talk of a New Character wherein the Old Testament is written Thâ— Iewish Masoreth attests the Authority of these Writings The Hebrew Text is not corrupted The Points or Vowels were coexistent with the Letters F. Simon 's Notion of Abbreviating the Historicâ—â— Books of the Old Testament rejected The New Tement vouched by the unanimous Suffrage of the Primitive Church The