A VINDICATION Of the DIVINE AUTHORITY and INSPIRATION of the Writings Of the OLD and NEW TESTAMENT In Answer to a Treatise lately Translated out of French Entituled Five Letters concerning the INSPIRATION of the Holy SCRIPTURES By William Lowth B. D. Fellow of St. John's College in Oxford OXFORD Printed at the THEATER And are to be sold by John Wilmot Bookseller An. Dom. 1692. Imprimatur JONATH EDWARDS Vice-Can OXON June 13. 1692. TO THE Right Reverend Father in God PETER Lord BISHOP of WINCHESTER AND PRELATE of the Most Noble ORDER of THE GARTER May it Please Your Lordship IT is the Misfortune of our times to have Religion at once assaulted by a Rude and Ignorant Profaneness by a Confident pretence to reason and by Sceptical Sophistry Its Foundations are attack'd by the Profess'd Enemies of God and Goodness Its Mysteries are Ridicul'd by Hereticks as if they intended to invite Atheists to their Assistance to joyn a Helping Hand to the Carrying on so Good a Work as the Exposing Religion and making it appear Absurd and Contemptible And as if it were not Task enough to Encounter Open Enemies it hath the Hard Fate of it's Blessed Author to be Wounded in the House of it's Friends whilest many of those who seem to Embrace it are much more Industrious to Raise Doubts and Scruples about it than to Establish the Fundamental Truths of it or else lay down such Loose Principles that Wicked Men may deduce their own Conclusions from them and can't but please themselves to see their Work done to their Hands and Christianity Undermin'd by the Imprudence or Treachery of it's own Votaries Thus by Degrees Men have proceeded from Arguing about Obscure and Nice Matters to question Known and Certain Truths and from Disputing about the Points and Tittles of the Law to Reject the Divine Authority of the whole from thence to Decry all Revelation because they cannot exactly Comprehend how God's Spirit Influences and Cooperates with Man's Understanding and at last to cast off Religion in General So True is that which a Great Man has Observ'd That the Disesteem of the Scriptures is the Decay of Religion and through many Turnings and Windings at last leads Men into the very Depth of Atheism My LORD The Design of the Letters which I have Undertaken to Answer is to Perplex Men's minds with Difficulties about the Nature of Inspiration and thereby render the Divine Authority of those Writings suspected which the Church has always lookt upon as the Sacred Depositum of Divine Truth which God has committed to it's Trust and Design'd for it's Guide and Oracle When first I saw this Treatise turn'd into English I was in Hopes that some of our Eminent Divines whose Writings are so Deservedly Admir'd for their Strength and Clearness would have Vindicated the Authority of the Scriptures and Clear'd their Title to Inspiration from those Difficulties with which Men that are Better at Pulling down than Building up have perplexed it The Subject has never yet been throughly Handled and is Worthy the Thoughts of those Great Masters of Learning Reason and Judgement But after I had waited some time and could not hear that any Abler Person Intended to take this Work in hand I resolved to do my Best Endeavour toward the Defence of so Good a Cause and give a Check to those Opinions which tend to Undermine all Revelation And when I had finished my Design there were many Considerations moved me to present it to your Lordship not doubting but your Known Candor and Goodness would pardon the Confidence of this Address Your Eminent Dignity in the Church makes You deservedly Esteem'd a Pillar of Religion and Truth Your Constant Residence in Your Diocess and Your Care and Vigilance to keep up the Good Orders and Discipline of the Church there preserve the Purity of it's Doctrine and give a Due Lustre to it's Constitution and your Generous and Obliging Temper Charms Men into a Complyance with your Good Counsel and their own Duty And as these Considerations Embolden'd me to Present this Treatise to your Lordship which is writ in Vindication of those Sacred Truths for the Defence and Confirmation of which your Lordship is Placed in that High Station so Your Signal Courage in Opposing the Enthusiasts of the Late Times whose Vile Hypocrisy and Lewd Pretences to Inspiration have made way for Open Profaneness and Contempt of all Revel'd Religion Encourages me to hope that your Lordship will favourably accept this Work how mean soever whose Design 't is to put some stop to those Lasting Ill-Effects which have proceeded from such Pernicious Principles And beside these Publick Considerations this Work does Implore your Lordship's Protection as being Visitor and Patron to the College of which the Author is a Member who readily Embraces this Opportunity of Declaring to the World how Happy that Society esteems it Self in having the Honour of your Lordships Patronage whose Government they formerly found to be so Great a Blessing and withal is glad of so good an Occasion of making this Publick and Grateful Acknowledgement of those Favours wherewith your Lordship has been pleased to Oblige My LORD Your Lordship 's Most Dutiful Servant WILLIAM LOWTH THE PREFACE THE Age we live in deservedly bears the Character of a Curious and Inquisitive Age which does not love to take things upon Trust or blindly follow the Determinations of others And I must profess for my own part that I reckon a free use of Reasoning and Judging as Valuable a Blessing as the Injoyment of our Civil Liberties and look upon no sort of Tyranny so grievous as that of forcing Persons of Ingenuous and Inquisitive Tempers exactly to square their Sentiments of things to other mens Opinions But as the Best things are liable to be abus'd so this Freedom of Enquiry has been made use of to Ill Purposes and has Accidentally produced very bad Effects For men have been so Fond of this Liberty as to think no Bounds or Limits ought to be set to it and at last to believe the Submitting to the Authority of God himself to be an undue Restraint upon the Vse of Humane Reason and the very pretending to such an Authority to be one of the Arts of Designing Priests who by this Device endeavour to Enslave the rest of the World and make them Think and Act just as they would have them Thus many men have Reason'd themselves first into Socinianism and then which is but one Remove from the former into Deism or at least into a Coldness and Indifferency to all Reveal'd Religion They think 't is to Impose upon them to Oblige them to Believe or Practise any thing unless they can see a Reason why it should be so and cannot be perswaded that they owe God so much service as to submit to those Laws which seem to them to have no other ground but his Arbitrary Will and Pleasure Vpon this account they reject the Use of the Sacraments the
Rule of Faith Dr. Stillingfl Defence of A. B. Laud. Dr. Sherlocks Protestant Resolution of Faith Learned Defenders of the Protestant Resolution of Faith against those Popish Writers that set up Tradition in Opposition to it and the Absurdity of the latter is evident at first sight and none but meer Enthusiasts ever made any Pretence to it But on the other side for God to communicate his Will by Writing implies nothing in it but what is Natural and Easie there is nothing requisite to continue this to Posterity but God's preserving the Writings themselves by the ordinary Methods of Providence and then men may as well learn his Will from thence as they can know the Histories of former Ages the Opinions of Philosophers the Laws of their own and other Countries from the Writings which record each of these particulars unless we will say that God cannot order a Book to be writ in as Intelligible a manner as men can indite it when they are left to themselves But 't will further appear that 't is more reasonable to suppose that God should preserve the Knowledge of Christianity by appointing a written Rule of Faith than by any other means if we consider III. That he made use of the same means formerly for the Instruction of the Jewish Church With God is no variableness and what he once approves of he does not afterward lay aside but upon some great reason Moses wrote his Law in a book by God's direction e Exod. 34.27 the Prophets appeal to the Law and to the Testimony f Is 8.20 as the only safe Guide and by which men must judge whether a Doctrine come from God or not Our Saviour bids the Jews g Joh. 5.39 search the Scriptures for in them they were perswaded and so far they were in the right was contain'd the way to Eternal Life and in all his Contests with the Jews he desired no other Vouchers for the Truth of what he said but Moses and the Prophets And 't will appear very reasonable to believe that God should use the same Method to instruct the Christian Church which he did the Jewish if we consider that our Saviour and his Apostles conform'd the External parts of their Religion to the Customs received among the Jews as much as they could being resolv'd to give no offence by studiously affecting Novelties The Two Sacraments were taken from Jewish Rites the Government of the Christian Church was framed after the Pattern of the Jewish Hierarchy the Apostles as 't is natural for all men to do being willing to retain the Customs they had been bred up in wherever the Nature of Christiany did not oblige them to the contrary From whence 't is natural to suppose that the Apostles should take care before they left the world to provide some certain means of Instruction for the Christian Church in Conformity to the Jewish which might supply their place when they were dead and gone or else they would not have been so faithful in their office as Moses was who delivered the Book of the Law to the Priests before his Decease h Deut. 31 9 26. And 't is likely the Christians themselves would expect to be provided with as good and sufficient means of knowing their duty as the Jews enjoyed or else they would have had just cause to complain that they came behind them in the Advantages of Knowledge and Instruction And that this is not a meer Conjecture but the real Sense of the first Christians is plain from the Account which the Ancient Writers give us of the occasion of St. Matthew and S. Mark 's writing their Gospels Eusebius tells us i H. E. l. 3. c. 24. that St. Matthew wrote his Gospel particularly for the use of the Jews to whom he had preached because going into other parts he would supply the Want of his Presence by Writing Clemens Alexandrinus saies k Ap Eus H. E. l. 2. c. 15. That St. Mark wrote his Gospel at the Request of the Christians at Rome who were not satisfied with an unwritten Tradition of the Word and therefore desir'd him to commit it to Writing Which St. Peter coming to understand approved and confirmed this Gospel for the use of the Church And when these and the other Apostolical Writings came into the hands of Christians there was no need of a particular Command from God to make them be received as the Rule of the Christian Faith For the Character of the Persons who wrote them the Example of the Jewish Church and the Parity of Reason why these Writings should be of equal Authority among Christians as the Writings of the Old Testament were among the Jews and lastly the Necessity of having some Standing and Settled Rule of Faith these were all sufficient Inducements to Christians to look upon the Apostolical Writings as ordained by God for the Perpetual Use and Instruction of the Church And this will further appear if we consider IV. That God has actually made use of no other way for the conveying down the Doctrine of Christianity that can be assign'd but the Writings of the N. Testament 'T is a very weak Argument to infer that things must be so because we think it Convenient they should be so This is indeed to prescribe to God Almighty and tell him he ought to have ask'd our Advice in the Managing of things And therefore tho the Arguments for the Infallibility of Tradition for an Infallible Judge of Controversies or whatever other Guide men have set up in opposition to the Scriptures were never so plausible and were as real Demonstrations as the Authors of them fancy them to be yet as long as 't is plain by Experience that Tradition is not Infallible and that there is no Infallible Judge of Controversies all these Pretences to Demonstration signify nothing for a man may demonstrate his heart out before he will be able to confute Experience And that neither the Authority of the Church Representative nor the Tradition of the Church Diffusive neither Pope nor Council jointly or separately are Infallible Guides to Christians or equivalent to the Scriptures has been made out with such admirable Clearness and unanswerable Strength of Reason by the Learned Defenders of the Protestant Cause against Popery that without further insisting upon this Point I shall refer to them for further Satisfaction and proceed to the V. Proposition That the Apostles themselves design'd their Writings for the Perpetual Vse of the Church and look'd upon them of Equal Authority with the Writings of the Old Testament The Supernatural Assistance which attended the Apostles in every thing of Moment and tending to the Edification of the Church was so Extraordinary and even their Private Judgment as men was so Upright and void of all Self-interest and Corruption that 't will very much illustrate this matter to consider what Judgment and Opinion they themselves had of their own Writings The very Design of the
g Ezek. 13.18 that they may sleep on securely in their Sins The True Prophets accuse the False Ones of several Vices in their Conversation and Manner of Living of making h Jer. 6.13 Ezek. 13.19 Mich. 3.5 11. This was one of the Arguments made use of to prove Montanus his followers False Prophets because they took Mony for Prophesying beside that they were guilty of Theft and other Crimes v. Euseb H. E. l. 5. c. 18. a gain of their Profession and speaking smooth things for advantage i Is 30.10 of Adultery k Jer. 23 14.-29.23 and Riot l Is 28.7 Mic. 2.11 of being Fearless and Unconcern'd at God's Judgements and not indeavouring by Prayers or other eminent Acts of Piety to avert them m Ezek. 13.5 Jer. 27.18 And as to the other Mark of True Prophets viz. their Agreement with other Prophets we find Jeremy Appealing to it in the Contest between him and Hananiah who Prophesied n Jer. 28 3 4. of the return of Jechoniah's Captivity contrary to what Jeremy had foretold Upon which Jeremy tells him o Ib. ver 8 9. The Prophets that were before me and before thee of old prophesied of War and Evil and Pestilence the Prophet that prophesieth of Peace when the word of the Prophet shall come to pass then shall the Prophet be known that the Lord hath sent him Where Jeremy argues against the Truth of Hananiah's Prophecy and proves that what himself had prophesied was much more Credible of the two because many other Prophets agreed with him in prophesying evil against the Jews and several other Countries whereas he being single in his Prophecy concerning Peace nothing but the Punctual Answering of the Event could give him the Authority of a Prophet and people must Suspend their judgments till Time shouuld discover whether he were in the Right or no. Which place seems likewise to imply that Hananiah had never before given a Sign to attest his Mission and therefore his Credit would justly be questionable till men could see whether his Sign came to pass or not From what has been said we may conclude it probable that where a Prophet gave no Sign whereby men might make Tryal of the Reality of his Pretensions they made a judgment of it by considering his Education whether he had been brought up in the Schools of the Prophets which were the Seminaries of Inspir'd persons by examining his Manner of Life his Doctrine and his Agreement with other Prophets and the more any of these was liable to Exceptions the more need was there that he should give a Sign to attest his Mission So for Example 't was more requisite that Amos should give a Sign who was no Prophet by Education or Prophets Son but a Herdman p Amos 8.14 by Profession than any of those Prophets who were of the Priestly Order or brought up among the Sons of the Prophets CHAP. V. Concerning the Inspiration of the Canonical Books of the Old Testament in General and of the Historical and Poetical Books in Particular THe Two Preceding Chapters concerning Prophecy being a Digression with respect to the Book which I undertook to Answer tho not with Respect to the General Design of this Treatise which is to Vindicate the Authority of the Scriptures I return to Mr. N's Memorial as 't is Communicated by the Author of the Letters and shall Examine in this Chapter the Exceptions which he makes against the Authority of the Old Testament Writings Which are of two sorts General and Particular The General Exceptions are levell'd against the Authority of the Old Testament Canon which this Author supposes a Fr. p. 279. En. p 106. to consist of all the Ancient Writings whether Perfect or Imperfect whether Inspir'd or not which were remaining among the Jews at the time when this Collection was made The Particular Exceptions relate to Particular Books which he supposes not to be Inspir'd either because the matter of them is such as Men may know and faithfully relate without Inspiration such as are the Historical Books b Fr. p. 233. En. p. 31. or else because they contain something in them which is Vnworthy of God being its Author which Exception he advances against several Passages in the Psalms and the Proverbs and against the Intire Books of Job Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon c Fr. p. 271 c Eng. p. 93 c. In Answer to these Twofold Exceptions I shall I. Say something concerning the Authority and Inspiration of the Old-Testament Canon in General II. I shall make a Reply to his Objections against the Particular Books which are part of this Canon 1. As to the First it must be confess'd that we cannot give an Exact Account by whose Authority the Canon of the Old Testament was setled for we have no Writings extant that give us a History of that Affair But 't is very probable the Collection of the Canonical Books was made in Ezra's time or not long after 1. Because the Scripture-History ends about that time I know nothing of later date in it than the mention of Jaddus by Nehemiah d Neh. 12.10 22. who was Contemporary with Ezra which Jaddus was High Priest at the Beginning of Alexander the Great 's Reign And whatever others may have objected to the contrary the mentioning of this Jaddus is very reconcileable with the time when Nehemiah writ as a Great Prelate has lately made out with Incomparable Learning and Clearness e Letter to Dr. Sherlock about a passage in Josephus c. 2. Because Malachi the Prophet that lived much about the same time seems to Seal up the Vision and Prophecy among the Jews by referring them to the Law of Moses as their standing Instructor till the Gospel should be revealed and pointing out to Elias the Forerunner of the Messiah as the next great Prophet that was to be reveal'd f Mal. 4.4 5. And indeed his Prophecy looks as if it were design'd to Connect the Old and New Testament together by putting a period to the Old Testament Revelation and directing men to the New for further Instruction This Argument will appear more probable if we consider 3ly That under the Maccabees the Jews look'd upon the Gift of Prophecy as wholly ceased and were of Opinion it had been so for a considerable time g See 1 Macc. 4 46.-9.27.-14.41 The same Opinion is confirm'd not long after by the Author of Ecclesiasticus h Ecclus. 36.14 15 16. 4. If we suppose the LXX Interpreters Translated all the Old Testament which is an Opinion that Learned men i Walton Prolegom 9. in Bibl. Polygl n. 11. Vales. in Eus H.E. l. 5. c. 8. have brought good Reasons for then 't is plain the Canon must have been settled before the time when that Version was made which was done under Ptolomee Philadelphus and as 't is very probable at the Beginning of his Reign k
Order of Ministers and Church-Governours who have the Power of Dispensing them the Necessity of being Incorporated into the Church as a Society Founded upon a Divine Charter and to whose Members alone belong the Priviledges of the New Covenant the Meritorious Efficacy of Christ's Sacrifice and Intercession towards the Procuring men's Salvation these Doctrines I say they will by no means admit to be True because as they pretend they cannot see what Natural Force there is in these things toward their producing their intended Effects And when they have deprived Christ of his Titles of Saviour and High-Priest tho perhaps they may still be contented to acknowledge him a Prophet and a Teacher come from God yet they look upon his Coming into the World as a matter of no Great Consequence and which men do well to believe if they see good Reason for it or if after having used Reasonable Diligence they are not convinc'd that 't is True there 's no great Harm done since he came only to Reinforce the Principles and Duties of Natural Religion which men's Reason will sufficiently instruct them in and if they do but live up to its Directions and lead good Moral Lives they may be saved whatever their Opinions are as to what they call the Speculative Points of Religion These Opinions every body is sensible are very much in Vogue especially among those who value themselves for being Free Thinkers and Reasoners 'T is evident likewise that men of these Principles are apt to look upon the Bible as a Book of no great Value and which the World might very well be without and are ready to declare that the Disputes it has occasion'd have done more harm than the Book has done good and so from Vndervaluing its Worth they come to question its Authority From what has been said it appears very probable that the Prevailing of these Loose Notions concerning a Church-state and Revealed Religion at first gave Rise or at least hath since given Continuance to those Controversies that have been so much Debated of late concerning the Integrity and Authority of the Scriptures And the Atheistical Party have been Industrious to keep alive this Dispute as well knowing that 't is doing no small piece of Service to their Cause to weaken the Authority of the Holy Writings Mr. Hobbs and the Author of Theologo-Politicus are the Chief of that Party who have engag'd in this Controversie tho indeed they ought to pass but for one Writer since the latter has taken the Substance of what he says from the former and seems to have little of his own Invention unless it be the Quoting of a Text now and then in Hebrew which he does I suppose to raise in his Vnlearned Readers an Admiration of his Profound Reading and Schollarship And this Design of his has in some measure taken Effect for his Atheistical Admirers are generally Ignorant enough to take him for a Writer of Sense and Learning But to pass by these Profess'd Advocates of Atheism and Irreligion the most considerable Writers that have been concern'd in the Controversie about the Integrity and Authority of the Holy Writings are Mr. Simon and his Adversaries Whose Learning as I do not intend to disparage so neither will I take upon me to judge of their Secret Intention in the Management of this Dispute I acknowledge them to be men of Learning and as to their Design I am willing to think as Charitably as I can But yet I cannot forbear saying that tho they differ very much in their Notions as to other Matters yet they seem to agree in speaking slightly and irreverently of the Holy Writers they readily lay hold of any Difficulties which tend to weaken their Credit and do not take half so much pains to Improve any of the Arguments that may be produc'd for them as they do to Vrge Objections against them But however I must say thus much in behalf of Mr. Simon that many to shew their good Will to the Bible make him say much Worse things than he really does and such as they would fain have him say and would be glad if they could Vouch his Authority for They are Industrious to make the world believe that if we will take his Judgment there have been so many Corruptions and Alterations made in the Text of the Bible that 't is impossible to tell which is the True and which is the False Reading Mr. Dryden particularly in his Religio Laici makes this Comment upon Mr. Simon 's Critick and tells us as delivering that Author's sense that the Jews have Let in Gross Errors to corrupt the Text Omitted Paragrahs and With vain Traditions stop'd the Gaping Fence Now one would think by this Account of his Work that Mr. Simon had expresly asserted that the Jews had Wilfully and Designedly Corrupted the Original by Adding to and Taking away from it as they thought fit But in my Opinion 't is taking a greater Liberty than Poetry it self will allow to make a man speak quite contrary to his Sense and Meaning For Mr. Simon makes it his Business to prove in several places of his Book a Critique upon the O. T. l. 1. ch 17 18 19 l. 2. c. 4. that the Jews have not corrupted the Hebrew Text and answers the Arguments that are usually brought for that Opinion All that he affirms as to this matter is that the Bible has been obnoxious to the same Corruptions that other Books are through the Ignorance or Negligence of Transcribers and that such kind of Faults crept into the Text in those Ages chiefly that did not mind the Niceties of Criticism and therefore the proper way to Reform those Errors is by Correcting the Suspected Places according to the Rules of that Art and by diligent Comparing of Copies as Criticks correct other Books and the Massorets have already the Hebrew Text. And as for the Additions which are supposed by many to have been made to the Original Text he supposes them inserted by Prophets whereof there was a constant Succession whose Business 't was to take Care of the Publick Records How true this Hypothesis is 't is not my Business to examine 't is sufficient to my present Purpose that Mr. Simon does not represent these Additions as so many Corruptions of the Text. So that in this Case Mr. D. has Misrepresented Mr. Simon 's Text aswell as that of the Bible and put such a Gloss upon it as it does not appear that he ever intended as far as can be gathered from his Words But I shall pursue this Matter no further because Mr. D. may think it hard measure to urge any thing said in his Religio Laici against him at this time of day when he has alter'd his Mind in so many Particulars since the Writing of that Poem and has made Amends for his Former Incredulity by turning Advocate for Implicite Faith One of Mr. Simon 's Antagonists whom he and the rest of the World take to
If the Marriage Contract be broke on the Unbelievers side the Believer is no longer tied q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 V. ver 39. Rom. 7.1 2 3. by it Which is not true of a Marriage where the Laws of Christianity take place for there the Breach of the Marriage Covenant on one side does not dissolve the Bond nor release the other party from the Obligation of it except in the Case of Adultery which St. Paul does not here suppose Which seems to me plainly to prove that St. Paul did not think the Laws of Christianity were to be extended to such Marriages as these This seems too to have been the sense of the Primitive Christians by the Story which gave occasion to Justin Martyrs first Apology as 't is usually reckon'd concerning a Woman r Apol. 1. init that being Converted to Christianity after having used many endeavours to reclaim her Husband from his vicious course of Life when they all proved ineffectual sent him a Divorce drawn up according to the form prescribed by the Roman Laws a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. This action of hers is commended by Justin Martyr which I suppose he would not have done if he had thought the Laws of the Gospel took place in such a Marriage as this which was contracted in a state of Heathenism For certainly Christianity does not allow the Wife to put away her Husband upon any account whatsoever since that was never allowed by Moses's Law nor ever practis'd among the Jews till Herod's time when Salome sent a Bill of Divorce to her Husband which was done contrary to the Jewish Laws as Josephus b Antiq. l. 15. c. 9. p. 532. B. who relates it observes And if this be the true state of the case concerning Marriage where one party is a Convert to Christianity and the true ground of S. Paul's resolving the question proposed to him concerning this matter the reason is plain why he introduces his answer with this Preface I not the Lord c 1 Cor. 7.12 for this case is of the same nature with the other Indifferent things S. Paul discourses of in the same Chapter where he gives his judgement about the state of Virginity and Widowhood The doubts concerning which matters he resolves by the Rules of Prudence and with respect to the present Distress d 1 Cor. 7.26 and the difficulties which attended the Profession of Christianity The Apostle indeed says I give my Opinion about these questions as one that hath obtain'd mercy of the Lord to be faithful e 1 Cor. 7.25 and again After my judgement and I think that I also have the Spirit of God f ver 40. But this is not spoke with the Authority of an Apostle or Teacher sent by God but in such a style as implies only an ordinary Assistance such as any Pious skilful Pastor may still expect for 't is as if he had said I do sincerely give you the best Advice I can my judgement is not byass'd by any corrupt end I have no other design but to promote God's Glory and your good and therefore I may be pretty confident that the Spirit of God whose influences I have often felt hath now so far Assisted me that I have advised you for the best 3. Another Instance wherein we may reasonably suppose the Apostles spoke without Inspiration is when they discourse of such things as our Saviour told them they must be content to be ignorant of Such as was the time when the Day of Judgment should come which was a secret God had reserved g Matt. 24.36 to himself and of Restoring the Kingdom to Israel h Act. 1.6 As to the former of these 't is plain the Apostles thought the Day of Judgement would come in their own time or within a very little while afterward i See 1 Thes 4.14 2 Thes 2.2 1 Cor. 10 11. 15.52 2 Cor. 5.3 2 Pet. 3.4 1 Pet. 4.7 Heb. 9.26 But this they only gathered by Humane Reasoning and conjectures drawn from some Expressions found in the Old Testament or used by our Saviour such as the Calling the times of the Gospel the Latter Days an Expression often used by the Prophets and our Saviour's joining together the Destruction of Jerurusalem and the End of the World in S. Matthew the 24th And as the event has proved that they were mistaken so they themselves did not pretend to Revelation for what they said in this case but spoke of it in doubtful terms as may be seen in the place above cited k 2 Cor. 5.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If so be we shall be found Cloth'd not naked for so the Words should be Translated In these cases I think 't will be no prejudice to the Divine Inspiration of the Apostles to allow them to have spoke like Men. And 't is unreasonable for any to pretend that if we grant thus much we do in effect give up the Cause and that then 't will be impossible to distinguish what the Apostles say by the Spirit and what they speak of themselves For sure Men may distinguish if they please the Mysteries of Faith and the Rules of Practice from a Cloke and Parchments or a Journey to Corinth which belong to the first excepted Case And in the second we have the Apostle himself plainly distinguishing this from his usual way of Writing and telling us that 't is he speaks not the Lord l 1 Cor. 7.12 V. 2 Cor. 11.17 and that he had no Commandment from the Lord but only gave his Judgement m 1 Cor. 7.25 The same Expression we find elsewhere in a like case n 2 Cor. 8.8 10. viz. concerning the measures of Charity which are to be settled by the Rules of Prudence and don 't fall under a Divine Command Now if an Exception confirms a Rule in Cases not Excepted we may justly infer from the Apostles setting a mark upon these Discourses to distinguish them from Divine Commands that where there is no such distinguishing mark we must suppose him to deliver what he says under the Character of an Apostle and a Messenger of God unless the nature of the Discourse do plainly imply the contrary and be such as properly belongs to the two other Heads of excepted Cases As to the third Instance of Excepted Cases the Evangelists have sufficiently forewarn'd us not to look upon any Mans Judgement as Infallible in this matter since they have Recorded o Matt. 24.36 Mark 13.32 those words of our Saviour where he tells his Disciples that the Day and Hour of the General Judgement was a secret God has reserved to himself and has not thought fit to reveal it to any Creature of what Rank or Degree soever no not to the Son himself and tho he were the great Prophet of the Church yet 't was no part of his Commission to reveal the Counsel of God in this matter and therefore to be
the Heathen Tribunals wherein he seems not only to attack two or three Passages of Scripture but to endeavour to overthrow one of the principal Arguments for the Truth of Christianity for certainly never was there greater Evidence of a Divine Power present with its Professors than when they were summon'd before the Magistrates to give a reason of the Hope that was in them I proceed in the Vth place to Answer the Objections which he has advanc'd against the Inspiration of the Apostles 1. The first which I shall take notice of is The Apostles Disputing and Conferring with each other before they came to a Resolution at the Synod of Jerusalem q Fr. p. 248 249. Eng. p. 57. which he thinks was needless among persons Inspir'd As likewise that Prophets should submit what they say to the Judgment of other Prophets according to St. Paul's order r 1 Cor. 14.29 But the force of this Objection will be taken away if we consider that God distributed his Gifts to each person severally as he thought fit a 1 Cor. 12 11. so that even the greatest Apostles might think it necessary to advise with their Brethren in matters of Consequence where the Edification and Peace of the whole Church was nearly concern'd And indeed one reason why God gave his Spirit by Measure to them seems to be this that he design'd to engage all the Members of the Church into a strict Union and Alliance with each other by this means because they stood in need of one another's help and direction and the eye could not say to the hand I have no need of thee nor the head to the feet I have no need of you b Ibid. v. 21. i. e. the more Eminent Members of the Church very often stood in need of the Assistance and Direction of the Inferior and less considerable ones And accordingly we find the Apostles and Heads of the Church were inform'd by the Inferior and more ordinary Members of it of several particulars they were ignorant of before so Agabus inform'd St. Paul of his sufferings at Jerusalem c Act. 21.11 and the Holy Ghost witness'd the same in every City d Act. 20.23 no doubt by persons of a much Inferior station in the Church than St. Paul himself Thus the distribution of Spiritual Gifts in different Measures and Degrees was very effectual to prevent Schism in the Body e 1 Cor. 12.25 of the Church and to oblige the Members to have the same care one for another And we may observe to this purpose that our Saviour made an especial promise of his presence among his Disciples where two or three are gather'd together f Matth. 18 2â— to engage them thereby to preserve the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace and not to forsake the Assembling themselves together And as by their exercising their gifts in the publick Assemblies each Man 's private gifts were produced in Common and made serviceable to the Church in general so this prevented False Prophets creeping in among them because they would presently be detected Whereas if private Prophecying had been in use an Impostor might have took his opportunity and by imposing upon the weaker sort have got such a reputation before the Cheat could have been discovered that it would have been difficult afterward to have convinc'd Men of the Imposture But by making every one that pretended to Inspiration undergo a publick Tryal a false Prophet could not hope to escape long without being convinc'd by all and Judg'd by all And this shews the reasonableness of that Command of St. Pauls that the Prophets should submit what they say to the judgement of their Brethren g 1 Cor. 14.29 for since from the very beginning there were False Prophets and deceitful Workers who indeavour'd to transform themselves into the true Apostles and Messengers of Christ h 2 Cor. 11.13 the Apostles thought fit to lay down Rules for the Trying of spirits i 1 Cor. 12.3 1 Joh. 4 1 c. and the discerning of spirits was a particular Gift design'd for this purpose k 1 Cor. 12 10. Now the fittest way of doing this was by the joynt advice of the Governors of the Church assembled together as we find the Bishops of Asia meeting together discovered the falseness of Montanus and his Followers pretences to Prophecy l v. Euseb II. E. l. 5. c 16.19 To all which we may add that besides the usefulness of this method to secure the Church against Impostures it has this further advantage in it that what several Inspir'd persons did agree in brought along with it greater evidence of its coming from God than if it had been deliver'd only by one For tho every thing which comes from God deserves equal Credit in It self yet there may be greater evidence to Vs of the Divine Original of one Doctrine than of another m v. Cl. Dodwell Prolegom in Dissert Iren. n. 6-9 Dissert 2. in Iren. n. 26. And as there were greater and more evident proofs of the Divine Mission of the Apostles than of the Prophets in the Christian Church and therefore the Apostles had the Precedence of the Prophets n 1 Cor 12.28 and the Prophets were to submit to their Orders and Regulate their Gifts by their Injunctions o 1 Cor. 14 3â— tho what a true Prophet spoke was as much the word of God as what an Apostle did so in like manner that which was confirm'd by the concurring Testimony of Two or Three Inspir'd Witnesses brought greater evidence of its Divine Authority than that which relyed wholly upon the Credit and Integrity of One because two or three were less lyable to mistake than one And therefore we find our Saviour himself argues from the common Sentiments of Men and appeals to the concurring Testimony of John p Joh. 5.33 as a Corroborating Evidence tho his Miracles sufficiently proved the truth of his Mission nay he reckons that the joint Testimony of his Father and himself is more credible Humanely speaking than either of them singly q Joh 8 17 18. And what has been said concerning Inspir'd persons of an Inferior Rank holds true of the Apostles themselves for tho I make no question but the Holy Ghost was always so far present with them as to guide and direct them in all matters that were of Consequence such as that was which gave occasion to the Synod at Jerusalem yet to make them capable of this Assistance we must suppose that they observed those Rules of our Saviour which were necessary Conditions in order to the procuring this Assistance one of which as I have observ'd already was their Assembling together when they had opportunity and where the Case concern'd the whole Church in general And since the Apostles themselves did but know in part and prophesie in part r 1 Cor. 13.9 and consequently might receive further Light from others what
Wonder or foretelling one Event which might come to pass by meer Chance should overthrow the Authority of so many more and greater Works For tho God doth suffer Impostors to work Strange Feats sometimes for the Trial of his people f Deut. 13.3 Matth 24.24 yet I doubt not but he always takes care that his own Works shall visibly exceed theirs both in Power in Gravity and in Vsefulness so that their Tricks shall appear as just nothing when compar'd with his Miracles as Aaron's Rod swallowed up those of the Magicians g Exod. 8.12 Or else God would allow too great an Authority to Impostors and make Miracles by themselves no Evidence of a Divine Mission since 't would be in some Cases impossible to distinguish True ones from Counterfeit And this I take to be a satisfactory Answer to that Question Whether God's permitting Evil Spirits and Seducers to shew Signs and Wonders does not evacuate the Authority of Miracles in general tho I grant there are other Marks h V. Orig. c. Cels l. 1. p. 53. l. 2. p. 90 91. Ed. Cant. Bp. Stillingfl Orig. sacr l. 2. c. 10. whereby to distinguish True Miracles from False which 't is not my Business at present to discourse of 2. 'T is reasonable to think that the Prophets when they first entred upon their Prophetick Office gave some Sign of their Mission either by working a Miracle or by revealing some Secret Remote or Future thing which was not within the Compass of Humane Knowledge and the Nature of which was such that a little time would quickly discover whether the Prophet spake True or not We may find footsteps in Scripture of these several ways being accounted the Marks of a Prophet We find the Pharisees demand a sign from Heaven i Matth. 16.1 Joh. 6.30 Matth. 12.38 of our Saviour such as Joshua k Jos 10.12 Samuel l 1 Sam. 12.18 Isaiah m Is 38.8 and Elias n 2 King 1.10 had wrought And the Samaritan Woman judg'd our Saviour to be the Christ because he told her all things that ever she did o John 4.29 This shews that in the common Opinion the Discovering of some Hidden thing and out of the ordinary reach of Humane Knowledge was esteem'd the Mark of a Prophet and the Messias being the Prophet the Jews at that time Expected the Woman concludes from thence that he who knew such Secrets must be the Messias And perhaps for this Reason the Jews who lookt upon our Saviour as a Pretender only to Prophecy demand of him the Discovery of a Mock-secret p Matth. 26.68 viz. Who it was that smote him when he was Blindfolded It appears from other places that the Prophets did commonly foretell something which should Shortly come to pass and the Accomplishment of this their Predidiction did establish their Authority for the Future and gave Credibility to those Prophecies of theirs whose Accomplishment was at a greater distance So the Man of God that Prophesied against the altar of Bethel q 1 Kings 13.1 2. beside his foretelling above 300. years before the Birth of that Prince that one of David's Family Josiah by name should Defile that Altar at the same time gave another Sign of his Mission that was presently to come to pass viz. that the Altar should be rent and the Ashes of it pour'd out r Ib. v. 3. The fulfilling of which was an Argument of his Veracity as to the other part of his Prophecy where the Event was at such a Distance that tho it should not Correspond with the Prophecy it could not at present be Disproved and therefore the bare Foretelling it did not bring along with it sufficient Evidence that the Prophet who spoke it was really sent from God In like manner 't is said of Samuel Å¿ 1 Sam. 3.19 20. c. 9.6 that all Israel knew him to be an Establisht Prophet of the Lord's when they saw that none of his Prophetick words fell to the ground So Ezekiel having deliver'd a Prediction adds t Ezek. 33.33 When this shall come to pass then they shall know that a Prophet has been among them as if he had said However Men may slight my Words now and value them no more than a Song u ver 32. which Men hearken to only to pass away the time yet the fulfilling of what I say will establish my Authority beyond Contradiction Which is an Argument that Men commonly suspended their Judgement concerning the Authority of a Prophet till they had Tried his Veracity by seeing whether some one Prophecy of his which he delivered as a Test of his Mission came to pass or no. 3. Tho Prophets usually gave a Sign in Testimony of their Mission yet Some Prophets did not who were therefore to be Tried by other Rules 'T is Recorded particularly of John Baptist that he did no Miracle x John 10.41 and yet the people counted him a Prophet y Matth. 21.26 which they would not have done if a Prophet had always given a Sign before he was accounted so and we see that even the Priests and Elders could not find any thing to Object against his Authority z Ibid ver 25. Now in such a Case I suppose they judged of a Prophet's Pretences by some of these following Tokens by the Holiness of his Life and Doctrine by the Agreement of what he said with the Predictions or discourses of other Prophets and especially if another Prophet of undoubted Authority bare witness to him according to that Maxime of the Jewish Masters a Maimonid Fundam Legis c. 10. Sect. 9. The Prophet of whom some other Vndoubted Prophet witnesseth that he is a Prophet is assuredly such All these Marks concurr'd in John Baptist his Office was plainly describ'd by Isaiah b Is 40.3 and both that and his Person by Malachi c Mal. 3.1 4.5 his Doctrine was Holy and his Life an exact Copy of what he taught so here was no room to suspect him a Counterfeit tho he gave no Sign to attest his Mission We may farther observe that the Prophets of the Old Testament insist upon these three things viz. Purity of Doctrine Holiness of Life and Agreement with other Prophets as the Tokens whereby they distinguisht themselves from the False Prophets They tell us there is as plain a difference between the Visions of True Prophets and the Dreams of False Ones as betwixt Chaff and Wheat d Jer. 23.28 which must be upon this account that the one sort tends to discourage Sin and set forth the terrible Consequences of it e Ibid. ver 29. whereas the other designs to sooth Men up in their Vices by Healing the Wounds of the Conscience Slightly saying Peace Peace f Jer. 6.14 and promising Men Prosperity without their Repentance and Amendment of Life To the same purpose Ezekiel says of the False Prophets that they Sow pillows to men's elbows
Vales. ibid. 5. However that be yet 't is certain that when the Book of Ecclesiasticus was writ the Canon of the Old Testament was settled for he makes mention of the Twelve Prophets altogether l Ecclus. 49.10 which is an Argument that the Smaller Prophets were then Collected and Compil'd into one Book which Book was afterward call'd the Book of the Prophets m See Act. 7.42 Justin M. c. Tryph. p. 45.50.57 Ed. Steph. Cyprian Epist 59. Ed. Oxon. Nay further the Author of the Prologue to that Book speaks of the Law Prophets and other Books of Scripture as then Translated into Greek which is an Undeniable Argument that the Canon was then Completed And tho we suppose that Prologue to be made by the Grandchild of the principal Author Jesus the son of Syrach which Younger Syracides lived in the time of Euergetes II. commonly called Ptolomee Physcon yet it appears by the Beginning of that Prologue that his Grandfather studied the same Holy Books which he afterwards says were turn'd into Greek And this Elder Siracides speaks of Simon the son of Onias the High Priest as one whom he very well remembred n c. 50. 1 c. now that Simon was High Priest in the Beginning of Philopator's Reign o See 3 Macc. 2.1 com with c. 1.1 who was next in Succession but one to Philadelphus So that the Canon of Scripture will appear to be as old as Philadelphus's time because 't is evident from hence that 't was Translated all into Greek in a little time after tho we should not suppose the whole work performed by the LXX Lastly to these Considerations we may add the Concurring Testimony of all the Ancient Writers both Jewish and Christian who agree in supposing the Canon of the Old Testament to have been Compil'd in or about Ezra's time and who probably had the Authority of some Ancient Writers for what they say which now are lost And if these Considerations taken all together have any Force in them to prove the Canon of the Old Testament to have been settled in Ezra's time or in the next Age I say if it were settled so early this very thing will add great Weight to its Authority For 1. 't is agreed on all hands that Ezra who calls himself a Ready Scribe in the Law of Moses p Ezr 7.6 Revis'd the Holy Writings Retriev'd them from the Corruptions which the Scarcity of Copies and the Disuse of the Hebrew Language during the Captity had brought into them supplied and completed many of them and put them into Order and Method And when a man of so great Authority as Ezra was had done all this so lately it cannot be imagin'd but that the Compilers of the Canon must have had a particular Regard to his Judgment and admitted no Books into their Collection but what were allow'd of by Ezra or if they were of Later date than his time the Writing of them must have been within the Memory of these Compilers so that they were proper Judges whether a Book deserv'd to be esteem'd Sacred or not So that from hence 't will follow that the Authority of the main Body of the Canon bottoms upon the Judgment and Authority of Ezra whom if we should grant to have been no Prophet yet we canot think but in a matter of such Moment as the Revising and putting in order the Holy Writings he would not only use the best Skill he had himself but likewise consult with Haggai Zechary or Malachi the last of which must needs have been alive in his time and possibly the other Two also and do nothing without their Advice For we find that at the first Return from the Captivity in a matter of much less moment viz. where some that pretended to the Priesthood could not prove their Pedigree the Governour would determine nothing but left the matter undecided till a Priest should arise who had Vrim and Thummim q Ezr. 2.62 63. And if any such Priest did arise afterward as if we believe Josephus there did for he tell us that that Oracle ceas'd but 200. years before his time r Antiq. Jud. l. 3. c. 9. p. 90. C. Ed. Gen. 't is very probable that the Judgment of the Canonical Books was left to him to determine which were such as the Learned Mr. Dodwell has made appear in the Appendix Å¿ Sect. 9. to his Lectures now in the Press 2. This Early date of the Canon of the Old Testament quite destroys that Fancy of our Authors x Fr. p. 279. Eng p. 106. that the Jews put together all the Fragments that remain'd of their Ancient Books so that the Canon of Scripture was their whole Library For in the First place 't is plain that the Chronicles are Extracts out of larger Records which they often Refer to and yet these Books were Compil'd after the Captivity as appears by several passages y 1 Chr. 3.17 〈…〉 c. in them and 't is not likely that the Originals which escaped the Destruction of Records occasion'd by the Ruine of the Commonwealth and the Captivity which ensu'd should be lost in so little a time as was between the Compiling the Chronicles and making the Canon Especially since Josephus z L. 1. c. App. p. 136. D. tells us that the Genealogies of the High-Priests and their Succession for above Two Thousand years past were preserved in the Publick Records and remain'd to his own time Again several Books which never were in the Canon were Extant when the New Testament was writ and are Cited there as Writings of Credit and Antiquity such as are the Prophecy of Enoch and the Assumption of Moses both referr'd to by St. Jude a Jude 〈◊〉 and 14. as also several other Ancient Books from whence both Christ and his Apostles take many Passages concerning Historical Matters which are not Extant in the Canonical Writers b â—ee Matth. 23 3â— Luk. 4.25 Jam. 5.17 Act. 7.22 52. Heb. 11 37.-12.21 2 Tim. 3.8 V. Orig. Epist and African And 't was from such Ancient Writings probably that Josephus took some Stories which he relates of Moses c Antiq. l. 2. c. 5. and of other Persons Besides we find Apocryphals quoted by Barnabas in every Page of his Epistle almost by Clemens Alexandrinus and other Ancient Writers in several places many of which 't is likely were Written Originally in Hebrew since by the Matters they Treat of we may reasonably judge them to be as old as the Collection of the Canon and were certainly lookt upon as Books of great Antiquity or else they would not have been Cited by these Authors under the Venerable name of Scripture From all which it appears that the Compilers of the Canon did not take in Promiscuously whatever Hebrew Writings they could find but used all possible diligence to distinguish Sacred Writings and such as were design'd by God for the Use of the Church from those
which were not so The Reasons which Confute this Opinion of our Author concerning the Collection of the Canon of the Old Testament I thought fit to represent all together when I was upon this Subject tho I am sensible that 't is only the first of these Considerations which can be inferr'd as a Corollary from what has been said concerning the Early Date of the Old Testament Canon What I have hitherto said concerning the Authority and Antiquity of the Old Testament Canon I cannot call Absolutely Certain or Demonstrative but I may safely say thus much that it carries in it a greater Degree of Probability than any thing the Adversaries of the Canon have advanc'd to the Contrary So that tho we should grant what our Author says d Fr. p. 276. Eng. p. 102. That there is no proof at all that Esdras and the Great Sanhedrim of that time among whom were Haggai Zachary and Malachi Compil'd the Canon yet still 't is probable 't was made by those that were so near their time that they knew what their Sentiments were in this Matter and made this Collection accordingly But if this Proof be not thought Satisfactory I should think any Christian ought to acquiesce in the Judgement of our Saviour and 't is plain he lookt upon the Jewish Canon which was Undoubtedly the same in his time which is now received in the Protestant Churches I say he lookt upon it as a Collection of Holy Writings design'd by God for the Instruction of his Church and the Rule the Jews were to have recourse to when they would inform themselves what was the Will of God He bids them e Jâ—h 5.39 Search the Scriptures without distinguishing as our Author does f Fr. p. 277 279 285. Eng p. 10â— 106 116. the Truly Inspir'd Books from those which are not so for in them saith he ye think and so far ye are in the right that ye have Eternal Life 'T is strange our Saviour should not correct this Mistake of theirs if some of the Books they had such a great Veneration for favour'd such Dangerous Doctrines as our Author thinks the Book of Ecclesiastes does g Fr. p. 272. Eng. p. 96. and contain'd Expressions very like Blasphemies as he is pleas'd to speak concerning the Book of Job h Fr. p. 275. Eng. p. 101. For if this were true 't was certainly very dangerous for Men to Search or be too much Conversant in these Books especially since they came Recommended under the Character of a Divine Inspiration 'T is strange our Saviour i Luk. 24.44 should prove the Passion and Resurrection of the Messias not only out of Moses and the Prophets but also out of the Psalms by which our Author k Fr. p. 277. Eng. p. 123. understands those Writings which the Jews call Chetubim if these Books be of so little Authority as he would perswade us they are Mr. N. would fain Evade the Force of this Argument taken from our Saviours Authority by telling us l Fr. p. 278. Eng. p. 104 105. that Christ never design'd to Criticize upon the Sacred Books or to Correct those Errors of the Jews which were of small Importance But since our Saviour Criticiz'd so far upon the Sacred Books as to Confute the false Glosses m Matt. 5. c. 23. which the Scribes and Pharisees had made upon them and to Reject the Traditions n c. 15.1 which they had Equall'd to the Word of God and in some Cases Prefer'd before it it seems as necessary for him to have distinguisht between the True Scriptures and those Books which were Undeservedly esteem'd such Especially if these Latter advance Doctrines that do not well agree with the Former as our Author o Fr. p. 272 c. Eng p. 95 c. indeavours to prove concerning several places of the Proverbs Ecclesiastes and Job for then the Admitting the Authority of such Writings is of as Ill Consequence as the Receiving the Traditions of the Pharisees could be Nay with his leave I think it an Error of more dangerous Consequence to Equal a Book that is not Inspir'd when it contains False Doctrine with one that is truly Divine than to Equal such Traditions as the Pharisees held with an Inspir'd Writing Because a Tradition will probably in time be forgotten and so lose all its Authority which we see has been the Fate of most of the Pharisaical Traditions whereas a Book that has once been generally Reputed of Divine Authority 't is likely will maintain that Character for ever For its very Character will make Men careful to preserve it and the Older it grows the Stronger will the Plea of Prescription be for its Divine Original and Consequently the More will be Impos'd upon by it as we see hath Actually happen'd in the Case we are now speaking of if our Author's Opinion be true For the whole Christian and Jewish Church hath time out of mind lookt upon the Books contain'd in the Jewish Canon to be Inspir'd and have upon all Occasions appeal'd to their Authority as such From whence it appears that our Saviours taking notice of this Error if it had been one would have been much more beneficial to after Ages than his Confuting an Unwritten Tradition could be But further we find the Apostles Judgment does evidently concur with our Saviours in this matter St. Paul says a Rom. 3.2 that the Jews were intrusted b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Oracles of God but surely he would have told us that they were not True to their Trust if he had thought they had mix'd Prophane Books with the Sacred ones But that Text of the same Apostle c 2 Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God is so clear a Proof of the Apostles Judgment in this matter that 't will admit of no Evasion For the Apostle tells Timothy in the foregoing Verse that from a child he had known the Scriptures by which he must mean the Body of Writings which the Jews look'd upon as such for in that Religion he had been Educated by the Care of his mother who was a Jewess d Act. 16.1 Then it follows in this verse All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God where the Apostle certainly understands the word Scripture in the same sense which he took it in the Verse before viz. for that Collection of Writings which the Jews received as the Word of God But pray let us hear our Authors Paraphrase e Eng. p. 192. Fr. p. 270. upon these two Verses It is as if he had said to Timothy that he ought to keep close as he had done hitherto to the Study of the Old Testament which would instruct him sufficiently in the way of Salvation by joyning thereunto Faith in Christ Jesus because all Scripture Inspired AS IS A GREAT PART OF THE OLD TESTAMENT Is profitable for Instruction I think I may appeal to any Indifferent Man
't is of no long standing since 't is contrary to the Sense of the Ancient Jews For Josephus often calls Daniel a Prophet p Antiq. l. 10. c. 12. nay one of the greatest q Ib. p. 353. G. Ed. Genev Prophets And agreeably to the Received Opinion our Saviour gives him the same Title r Matth. 24.15 But further the same Josephus Å¿ L. 1. c. App. p. 1036. G. makes use of another Division of the Old Testament Writings viz. into the Books of Moses the Prophetical under which he comprehends the Historical because they were writ by Prophets as he with very good Reason supposes and the Poetical Books as they are commonly call'd or those which contain Hymns to God and Precepts of good Life Which Division agrees much better with that mention'd by our Saviour t Luke 24.44 viz. into the Books of Moses the Prophets and the Psalms than the other which the Jews have since that time Invented Thus far I have shew'd that Mr. N. by rejecting some of the Receiv'd Books of the Jewish Canon rejects the Authority of the whole Jewish and Christian Church nay and of Christ and his Apostles too What Reasons he has for this we shall see by and by but at present let us examine what Authority he has to oppose to such a Powerful one as all these join'd together amount to And I can find no body that stands by him in this Opinion but Grotius and him he calls in to his Assistance at every Turn But tho I have a great value for Grotius's Judgment yet I think if it be laid in the Balance to counterpoise that of Christ and his Apostles 't will be found too Light That Great man's Extraordinary Learning and Merits and particularly his having so well deserv'd of several Parts of Scripture and given such Light into their true Sense and Design makes me willing to pass over his Failures and not be severe upon his Memory for those False Glosses and some of them deserve a Harder Name which he has made upon other Books of it Only I can't but observe that this Opinion of his concerning the Old Testament Canon is very Inconsistent with the Main Design of his Votum pro Pace and those other Treatises where he has asserted it For the Great Design of those Projects for Peace is to magnify Antiquity Tradition and the Authority of the Church and to shew that Catholick Unity is never to be restor'd but by submitting all Controversies to the Decision of these three as so many Arbitrators or Umpires between the different Parties And yet at the same time when he Pleads for the Authority of the Church of Antiquity and Tradition he Rejects those Books which have all the Authority that the Universal Church Uninterrupted Tradition and the Consent of all the Ancients both Jews and Christians can give them II. I come now in the Second Place to consider the Exceptions which our Author makes against Particular Books of the Old Testament and the Books he Excepts against are either Historical or those they commonly call Poetical As to the Historical Writings I agree with him thus far that the Sacred Historians were not usually Inspir'd with the things themselves which they relate nor with the Words by which they Express the things But I think I have prov'd in the First Chapter u P. 37. of this Treatise that a Book may be written by God's Direction and yet not without the Use of Humane means And as there is no Reason to think that God Inspir'd the Evangelists with the Knowledge of those Passages of our Saviour's Life which they themselves were Eye-witnesses of or might easily learn from those that were so so 't is every whit as groundless to suppose that God Reveal'd those Particulars to the Writers of the Old Testament History which they could come to the Knowledge of by Consulting the Records and Ancient Monuments in which these Matters were related But notwithstanding this 't will appear that these Books were writ by God's Direction and Design'd by him for the Use of the Church if we consider what Mr. N. himself grants x Fr. p. 231. En. p. 28. That they were not writ meerly to satisfy our Curiosity but to be a standing proof of a Providence to after Ages to shew us the Care that God always takes of Good People and the Punishments he inflicts upon the Wicked to give us Examples of Piety and Vertue and lastly to inform us of several Matters of Fact which tend very much to confirm our Faith as containing many Types and Predictions of our Saviour To which we may add that setting aside the Squabbles between F. Simon and his Adversaries about the Scribes and Keepers of the Publick Registers of the Jews 't is highly probable that the Prophets usually writ the Histories of their Kings and those Books which are so often quoted under the name of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah and Israel and were Annals from whence the Substance of the Books of Kings and Chronicles are taken For we find a Considerable part of the History of Hezekiah Incorporated into Isaiah's Prophecy a Is c. 36 37 38 39. which is a Strong Presumption that the whole History of that King's Reign was Recorded by the same Hand And indeed so much is expresly asserted 2 Chron. 32.32 So the Acts of David were Recorded by Samuel the Seer by Nathan the Prophet and by Gad the Seer b 1 Chr. 29.29 The Acts of Solomon were written in the Book of Nathan the Prophet in the Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite and in the Visions of Iddo the Seer c 2 Chr. 9.29 The History of Rehoboam's Reign was written by Shemaiah the Prophet and by Iddo the Seer in his Genealogies d 2 Chr. 12.15 the last of these Recorded likewise the Acts of Abijah Rehoboam's Son e Chap. 13.22 Jehu the Son of Hanani who was a Prophet f 1 King 16.1 2 Chron. 19.2 writ the History of Jehoshaphat g 2 Chr. 20.34 The Acts of Vzziah were Recorded by the Prophet Isaiah h Ch. 26.22 and those of Manasses among the sayings of the Seers i Ch. 33.19 To the same purpose I think we may most probably Interpret those words of Josephus k Joseph c. Appion l. 1. p. 1036. Ed. Genev. which have been so often quoted of late upon this Subject where he tells us that the Histories of the Jewish Nation were writ only by Prophets and therefore they look upon none of them as Authentick which were writ after Artaxerxe's time because there was no Clear and Vndoubted Succession of Prophets in the following Ages Nor is Huetius's Objection l Demon. Evangel p. 161. against this Passage of Josephus of any Weight who affirms that Josephus Contradicts what he had said but just before viz. That the Chief Priests as well as the Prophets had the Care of Writing the Publick
its Plain Sense without those Stroaks of Passion which are meerly Poetical Ornaments is no more but this That 't is better never to have been Born than to live in a great deal of Misery and that there is this Benefit in Death that it puts an End to the Troubles which are incident to Humane Life And this seems not unfit to be spoken by a Wise and Good man In the next place I would desire them to reflect upon those many Excellent Sayings in this Book which are most Devout Expressions of Jobs Patience Submission and Resignation to the Will of God x Job 1 21.-2.10 c. 9.2 3 15. c. 40.4 5. c. 42.3 c. and of his Trust and Confidence in him y Ib. c. 13. 15. -14. 13 14 15 -19. 25 26 27. in the midst of Afflictions grounded upon the Testimony of a Good Conscience and the Sense of his own Integrity z c 23. 3 c. c. 29. 31. per tot -27. 3 c. And if they readily acknowledge that upon these Accounts Job's Behaviour is worthy to be recorded for an Example of Integrity of Sufferings and of Patience let them withal consider that the other parts of the Book which seem more liable to Exception are of use to teach us that the best of men are subject to the Passions and Infirmities to which Humane Nature is obnoxious and are not able to bear up against the First Assaults of Afflictions and the sudden and sharp Twinges of Pain till they have recollected their Strength arm'd themselves with new Vigour and Resolution and have incourag'd themselves in God and call'd in the Divine Assistance Thus we find the Spirit of the Psalmist stir'd in him at the Consideration of the Prosperity of the Wicked a Ps 73.2 3. and tempted to that Degree of Impatience as to begin to say 'T was in vain to serve God b Ib v. 13. 14. but he presently checks such thoughts as unbecoming a Religious man c Ib. v. 15. And I question not but God was pleas'd that those Expressions of Job in which he seems to forget his Character should be Recorded as well as the Infirmities of other his eminent Servants on purpose to shew us that they had the Heavenly Treasure of Grace in Earthen Vessels and thereby teach us to cease from valuing Man for wherein is he to be accounted of and to give God the Glory and Magnify the Power of his Grace whose Strength is made perfect in Weakness and more eminently seen in the midst of Humane Infirmities And notwithstanding these Expressions 't is no such unaccountable thing as our Author supposes d Fr. p. â—75 En. p. 161. that the Writer of this Book should bring in God Almighty approving what Job had said and condemning the Assertions of his Friends e Job 42.7 For we find that just before f Ib ver 3 6. Job had begg'd Pardon for his Rash Speeches in a most Submissive manner And as to the main of the Dispute Job certainly was in the Right for the Design of the Book as our Author g Fr. p. 275. Eng. p. 100. himself confesses is to shew by Job's Example that God oftentimes Afflicts Good People not to punish them for any particular Sin as if they had deserv'd Afflictions more than others but simply to try them and give them Occasion to shew their Vertue And this is what Job maintaines throughout the Dispute and wherein he perfectly agrees with what our Saviour saith on purpose to check Men's Rashness in taking upon them to Interpret God's Judgments b Luke 13.2 Suppose ye that these Galileans whose Blood Pilate mingled with their Sacrifices were sinners above all the Galileans because they suffer'd these things I tell you Nay Whereas Job's Friends all along go upon this Principle that Good Men are always Prosperous and none are Miserable but the Wicked and to prove this they Appeal to Experience the Histories of Former Ages c Job 8.8 c. 15.10 18 -20.4 c. 22.15 16. and the Examples which their own Times furnisht them with d c. 4.7 8 9 10 11. From all which they don 't only conclude as our Author Imperfectly Represents it e Fr. p. 275. En. p. 101. that Job was afflicted for his sins for if this had been all they had maintain'd Job would never have contested the matter with them for he freely acknowledges his sins and owns that they deserve Punishment f Job 7 2â— 21 -9.14 15. But that which they contend for is that Job must needs be a Grievous Sinner and Greater than other Men however he had made a Shift to conceal his Wickedness from the Eyes of the World or else he had never been so terribly Afflicted Nay Eliphaz is so confident that it must be some Extraordinary Wickedness that had brought down these heavy Judgements upon him that at last he ventures to give a Catalogue of Job's Sins g Job 22.5 c. for which God had thus Afflicted him 'T was this Uncharitable Behaviour of theirs provoked Job to Impatience more than all the rest of his Afflictions 't was upon this account he tells them that they had Reproached him ten times had vext his soul and broke him in pieces with words h Job 19.2 3. this makes him so often protest his Innocency and appeal to God to Judge him according to the Integrity that was in him i c. 16.17 21. c. 27.5 6. c. 31. per tot c. 23.3 c. And here I think Job's Friends were very faulty not only in pronouncing so rashly concerning the Reasons of Providence and of God's Judgements but likewise in passing such Unkind and Uncharitable Censures upon their Friend whereas they ought to have had pity upon him as he tells them k c. 19.21 22. since the Hand of God had toucht him and not persecute him as God and add Affliction to the Afflicted And this their Confidence in taking upon them to be Interpreters of God's Judgements together with their Uncharitable and Inhumane Behaviour toward a Man in Affliction might justly provoke God's Wrath against them for what they had said when at the same time he pardon'd the Impatient and Undecent Expressions of Job because he could plead the Infirmity of Humane Nature in his own behalf which is easily provok'd to be Impatient under violent Afflictions especially where Men persecute those whom God has smitten whereas Job's Friends had no such excuse to alledge for themselves But still it may be Demanded Upon what account we Reckon this Book to be Inspir'd In Answer to which Question I shall crave leave to deliver my Opinion Freely but with all due Submission to Better Judgements I suppose therefore that this Book is not to be reckon'd Inspir'd upon the account of the Persons who maintain the Dispute in it and tho I question not but that they were Extraordinary Men for Piety and Vertue yet I see no
Gospels shews that they were writ for the General Vse of the Church to Record the Doctrine and Miracles of our Saviour the Author and Finisher of our Faith whom all are to hear and obey And tho it were some particular Emergency that might induce the Evangelists to set about this Work which yet is to be look'd upon as a Providential Motion yet the Gospels themselves not only answer that particular End which was the first Occasion of their being writ but are of General Use and fitted to all Ages and times We have already mention'd the Occasion of St. Matthew and St. Mark 's writing their Gospels St. Luke gives an l Luk. 1.1 Account of his Undertaking himself the substance of which is That since many had written an History of our Savior's Life and Actions who wanted some Advantages of knowing the Particulars which he had he himself being exactly inform'd by those who were Eye-witnesses and Parties concern'd set about a more accurate account of these Matters to the end that every Christian who will be at the pains to read it might know the Certainty of those things wherein he has been instructed It seems from hence that committing things to Writing was in St. Lukes judgment the most certain means of Conveying the Knowledge of them to others As for St. John 't is plain by comparing his Gospel with the other Three that he had seen the Rest and approved them a V. Eus H. E. l. 3. c. 24 and therefore supplied what he thought fit which the former Evangelists had omitted that so all of them together might be a Complete Account of all that Jesus did and taught And he 〈◊〉 himself tells us that his Design in writing his Gospel was b Joh. 20.31 That men might believe that Jesus is Christ and that believing they might have life thro' his Name To proceed to the Epistles of the Apostles it must be confess'd that many of St. Paul's were written upon the particular Exigencies of the Churches to which they are directed and were occasion'd by some Disputes that were proper to those times which may be thought an Argument that they were not design'd for the General Use of the Church But yet if we consider that the Fundamental Doctrines of Christianity are admirably illustrated by them and many of the more Mysterious parts of the Gospel-Dispensation more fully treated of in them than by Christ himself because there were many things which the Apostles were not able to bear c Joh. 16.12 while he was with them and therefore they were referred to the Teaching of the Holy Ghost for fuller Instruction in such matters I say if we lay these things together we must acknowledge it necessary to add the Apostolical Epistles to the Gospels in order to the making up a Complete Rule of Christian Faith or else we shall be much to seek for an Authentick Explication of several Important Points of Christianity But of this I shall discourse more largely in the next Chapter To return to S. Paul's Epistles I cannot but observe how the Wisdom of God has made St. Paul's Style and way of Writing to be admirably serviceable to the Edification of the Church which yet if we examine it by the Rules of Criticism is far from being Regular and Exact But his free use of Digressions and those long ones too sometimes opens him a way into a larger Subject and of more General Use and does not suffer him to confine himself to that one particular Point which 't was his main Design to treat of And when we find him take occasion from every hint to explain the Mysteries of the Gospel to set forth the Excellency of it and to perswade men to live up to the Height of its Precepts this is not only a sign that his holy Soul was full of this noble Subject but is likewise an argument that the Holy Spirit Influenc'd his Pen and made him enlarge himself upon those Points which were of Universal Concern and would be for the Perpetual Benefit of the Church in all succeeding Ages A signal Instance of this you may see in that large Digression in the second Epistle to the Corinthians which reaches from the 13. verse of the Second Chapter to the 5. verse of the Seventh Where he discourses of some of the Fundamentals of Christianity with such a true Spirit of Piety and with such a powerful Force of Natural Eloquence that if we may prefer one part of that Inspir'd Teacher's Writings before another we might call this one of the most Elevated Discourses in all St. Paul's Epistles And as both the Matter of his Epistles and the Manner how they are writ discover to us that they were design'd for the Perpetual Use of Christians so we shall find St. Peter to have been of the same mind whose words justify all that I have said For he places St. Paul's Epistles in an equal Rank with those holy Writings which were on all hands agreed upon to be the Word of God Thus much his words import II. Pet. 3.15 16. where speaking of St. Paul's Epistles that there were some things in them hard to be understood which ignorant and unstable men wrested and applied to ill purposes to establish corrupt Doctrines he adds As they do also the OTHER SCRIPTURES to their own destruction which Expression of other Scriptures plainly implies that St. Peter look'd upon St. Paul's Epistles as part of the Canon of Scripture and rank'd them among those Divine Writings which were design'd for our Edification and Instruction in Righteousness and which 't was dangerous to pervert to a contrary Purpose And if St. Paul's Epistles which were writ upon the Exigencies and with Regard to the State of Particular Churches were yet still design'd to be of general Use the same may be said with much greater reason concerning the Epistles of the rest of the Apostles with aim only at this General Design to confirm those in the Faith to whom they were directed to exhort and testifie that this is the true Grace of God wherein they stood d 1 Pet 5.12 and to keep up the Remembrance of the Apostles Doctrine after their decease e 2 Pet. 1.15 as St. Peter speaks concerning the Intent of his two Epistles And we find St. John addresses himself to all Christians without Restriction and even to all Ranks and Degrees of them whom he divides into Children Young men and Fathers f 1 Joh. 2.12 13. Thus much I think sufficient to prove that the Apostles themselves design'd their Writings for the Perpetual Use of the Church and look'd upon them as of Equal Authority with the Inspir'd Books of the Old Testament I proceed to the VI. and last Proposition viz. The Age immediately following that of the Apostles look'd upon their Writings as the Standing Rule of Faith to the Christian Church Certainly next to the Apostles themselves the Age immediately following was best able to know what the