the Jews look'd upon to be all Scripture In the Main the observation of Grotius does my argument no harm though it were well grounded for the design of that Author is only to deprive the Historical Books of the Old Testament of the Honour of Inspiration He acknowledges in another place that Moses Isaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel David and Daniel were divinely Inspired So that according to Grotius the Jewish Church had Books wherein the Holy Ghost spake Had they need of the Spirit of God they found it in the writings of the Prophets and this Light has constantly endur'd in all Ages of the Jewish Church even in the later times as corrupt as they were Ought we not to have a Light at least equal to it under an Oeconomy wherein it is agreed that God has manifested himself with more advantage than under the Law We have no longer any Apostles there are no longer any men inspir'd if we have not writings which repair that loss by means of that Infallibility with which the Holy Ghost would have invested them To whom is it not apparent that our condition is worse than that of the ancient Jews The Day shin'd out to them but it is Night with us All the advantage is on the side of the Carnal posterity of Abraham even of that which is rejected The Jews had formerly and still have Books wherein they find the infallible Voice of God But if we believe M. N. we must rely upon the Credit of Histories which some persons of sincerity have written for the Doctrine of our Saviour and to the arguments which only sound Reason and Judgement dictated to Authors without Logic or Education I cannot believe that this Hypothesis will ever be relished by those who are never so little acquainted with the Prerogatives of the Christian Church CHAP. XI Wherein the Inspiration of the Books of the New Testament is made out by the Prerogatives of the Apostles THE best way which we have to know certainly whether the Christian Church has not as great a share of divine Illumination as the Jewish Church is to see what sort of Persons the Authors of the New Testament were The Jewish Church had Prophets and we have Apostles our Books except two or three which were made under the inspection of the Apostles were written by the order and with the approbation of the Apostles There needs no more than to see whether our Apostles were not equal in worth to the Prophets of the Old Testament In the Epistle to the Ephesians I find them equalled together C. 2. v. 20. in the work of Salvation being built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets In this place to speak of Equality would be an injury to the Apostles in regard that here they are named before the Prophets Nor is it without good Ground that I make this observation since St. Pauls Custom is to put the Apostles at the head of the Ministers of the Christian Church She had also Prophets and Prophets inspir'd like those of the Old Testament Would you know which are the most Excellent the Apostles or the Prophets There needs no more than to see what rank they hold in the Catalogue which St. Paul gives of the Ministers of Grace 1 Cor. 12.28 First Apostles secondarily Prophets then Teachers Besides that this is a Place where the Apostle is bound to mark out to every one his Station Chance had no share in Ranging them under that Order So that we find that St. Paul observes the same Order in the sequel of his Argugument Are all Apostles 1 Cor. 13.29 are all Prophets are all Teachers In his Epistle to the Ephesians the Evangelists are set before the Teachers but he is constant in the precedency which he gives the Apostles before the Prophets He has appointed some for Apostles and others for Prophets Nevertheless notwithstanding his humility he gives the first Place to his own Dignity when he acted in his Apostleship he gave way to no Man If we may believe him the Apostles of the Christian Church were more excellent than the Prophets Nor do we too highly exalt the Apostleship by adding that it included in it self all the advantages affixed to the inferiour Degrees The Apostles were Prophets and Teachers they had the Gift of working Miracles which the Holy Ghost divided among them Had they all the Gift of Healing Did they all speak divers Languages Did they all Interpret No but the Apostles did all this the Grace of the Apostleship included all other Graces We ought not slightly to pass by the words of Saint Paul when designing to set forth that subordination which Grace had established in the Primitive Church by the variety of Gifts he declares that to every one is given the manifestation of the Holy Ghost so far as is expedient Though St. Paul had not said it 't is a Truth which common Sence would have given us to understand For do we not find that it is incumbent upon the wisdom of God to order the Means according to the Purpose which he proposes to himself Let us then say that the Apostles had a measure of the Holy Ghost proportionable to the designs of the Apostleship They had at least as much of the Spirit of Truth as the Prophets had received We say at least for in regard the Apostolic Writings were to be serviceable toward the edification of the Church at all times and in all places 't is clear that those Writings wanted a more especial assistance than those other of which the primitive use was only for a particular Nation and for a very limited time But 't is sufficient for me to extend the force of my Argument so far that the Prerogative ought at least to be equal If then the writings of the Prophets were inspir'd as I have prov'd certainly the writings of the Apostles who were the more excellent ought à fortiore to be inspired 'T is not any thing of personal Excellence which is the Business in dispute for the Prophets and Apostles are not to be here considered but with reference to the Use that they were made for The Prophets were not Prophets for themselves 1 Pet. 1.12 unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the Things c. The Apostles were not Apostles for themselves but it was for our sakes that they administer'd They are our Masters we are grounded upon their Writings Let us compare the Prophets and the Apostles we shall find that as it is certain that the Apostles were much more excellent than the Prophets 't was requisite they should have a more advantageous share of the Holy Ghost They stood in need of a lively and durable Light which was not to be extinguish'd by time but to enlighten all Ages I do not believe this argument is to be eluded with the least Tittle of Solidity Some will say that we ought to look upon the Writings of
in this Treatise which I divide into two parts First I shall shew in General that the Sacred Books of the New Testament were inspir'd and while I demonstrate what the nature of that Inspiration is I shall produce Principles whereby to resolve all difficulties that are already or may be rais'd upon this Subject We have but two sorts of Proofs to satisfie a Christian about matters which have no dependance upon the first Principles of Reason the unanimous consent of those Doctors that liv'd in the Primitive times of the Church and the Holy Scripture when it speaks after a plain and decisive manner These are the two sorts of Proofs which I shall make use of to shew that the Sacred Books are inspir'd I begin with the Belief of the Primitive Church after I have given the Reader two Admonitions the one that I do not undertake to drain all the Proofs that are to be found in this Fountain it being my design to confine my self to what may bring the matter to a point of Demonstration and to derive my Proofs from the first or most Primitive Ages of the Church My second Advertisement is that as M. N. assails the Body of the Sacred Books of the New Testament in gross I am not bound to defend them otherwise than in the same manner That Author believes that they are no way inspir'd that is to say that the Holy Ghost was never concern'd in the Composition of them For the repelling of this Attacque it is not requisite to follow the Sacred Books one after another by shewing upon the Subject of every one of them that they were effectually inspir'd I shall therefore consider the several Sacred Books as one single Book and I shall produce to the advantage of all together all the Testimonies which I shall find favourable to any one in particular 'T is according to this Method that M. N. attacques them for when he thought he had observ'd in any one of the Sacred Books any slip of human weakness he infers from thence an Argument against all the rest Let him in like manner be pleas'd to permit me to extend to all the Sacred Books whatever I shall meet with advantageous to any one which ought to be allow'd me so much the rather because there is not any one single where there is not something to be met withal which M. N. takes for a good Objection If only one of the Sacred Books proves to be inspir'd the Inspiration of that single Book secures the rest from the Objection which are made against them Though I speak in this manner 't is not that I am in fear for any one Sacred Book of the New Testament the whole is safe if men will but take the pains to consider the Testimonies of the Primitive Church in favour of the Inspiration of the Sacred Books they will not find any one for which there is not the Testimony of the Ancients or if any one be more remiss than the rest that negligence will be repair'd by the General Proofs that relate to all the parts of the New Testament CHAP. II. The first Proof of the Inspiration of the Sacred Books of the New Testament drawn from the manner after which the Ancients speak of it 'T IS known how the Christians speak at this day of the Holy Scripture of the New Testament According to their Stile 't is call'd The Scripture by way of Excellency the Sacred Oracles the Word of God when the Preacher takes his Text he says as it is written in the word of God and the People for that Reason believe themselves oblig'd to hearken with a devout Attention This Language no way agrees with M. N's System who looks upon the Sacred Books as a work purely Human and wherein there are faults which he would not pardon Livy or any other prophane Historian Were I of this Authors Opinion I should be dreadfully troubled to hear the Christians speak as they do of the Holy Scripture I should cry out Blasphemy I should never indure that they should say of the Voice of a mortal man 't is the Voice of God and not of man 'T is to be suspected that M. N. says to himself that it is one of those pieces of Superstition which are so rooted in the minds of the People that it is not safe to decry them But let him think what he pleases the language of the Christians is the same at this day as it has been all along in that particular there has been no variation In the purest Ages they exprest themselves in reference to the Scripture as we do now I defie the most Zealous Disciples of M. N. to deny it They cannot do it without speaking against their Consciences or without shewing that they are altogether strangers to Antiquity To fortifie this Proof which I draw from the Appellations that the Ancients gave the Scripture I think my self bound to make two Observations The first is that the Language cannot proceed from any superstitious Aggravation It was in use in the very first times when Christians spoke according to the simplicity of their Hearts and when they had no leasure to corrupt the Truth by Rhetorick or Superstition In that same Age of Innocence they call'd the Writings of the New Testament the Oracles of Heaven the Word of God the Holy Scripture Nor can this language be accus'd to have sprung up from the Corruption of after Ages when Superstition extended her Empire I love to speak as they spoke at a time when the Church was a Virgin if I may be allow'd to make use of the words of an Ancient Author My second Observation is this that the Ancients when they thus expressed themselves honoured the New Testament as the New Testament had honoured the Ancient I explain my self thus when the Old Testament is cited by the Apostles they usually call it the Scripture without any addition that is the Scripture by way of Excellency as when St. Paul speaking of an Oracle dictated by the Mouth of God himself says For what saith the Scripture Gal. 4.30 cast out the Bondwoman and her Son And in another place Gal. 3.8 And the Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through faith preached before the Gospel unto Abraham saying In thee shall all Nations be blessed I made choice of these two Passages on purpose wherein St. Paul cites certain Oracles that M. N. would not himself deny but that it was God who spake them The Apostle calls them Scripture As he phrases it The Scripture saith this or God spoke This comes all to one sence This is so true that having said to the Romans Rom. 11.32 That God had concluded them all in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all He speaks the same thing to the Galathians in these words Gal. 3.22 But the Scripture has concluded all under sin c. By which it appears that the Voice of God and Scripture signifie
were left to their own Judgment and that there is no necessity of admitting the Assistance of the Holy Ghost into the Composition of their Writings On the other side I pretend to make it out in the Series of this Discourse that without that assistance the Scripture is of little use Now as the Argument upon which I insist in this Chapter is drawn from a serious Inspection into the Sacred Books I assert that if they be well considered it will appear that their Composition is not purely human I shall not prove this Proposition by heaping together the noble Passages that are to be found from time to time in the Writings of the Apostles I only ask who these new Authors were that spake so worthily of the Religion which they preach We find among 'em Galileans that is to say home-bred ignorant People born in a Country where there was nothing of Politeness we find 'em to be Fishermen that is to say People by their Profession rude and unpolish'd By them let us judge of the rest since 't is agreed that if any one of the Apostles were inspir'd in Writing the Question is decided Where was it then that these Authors learn'd to write well Let us grant that their Writings are not so fine as the Books which the World esteems The Authors of those Books had the Help both of Study and Art which is all human But where was it that the Sacred Authors learn'd their Manner of Writing We find that the Question is not whether the Writings of the Apostles are more eloquent than those which the World admires Suppose an Equality as to that matter that 's nothing to my purpose the Business is to know where the Apostles learn'd their Manner of writing those things which they deliver Upon the Day of the Pentecost they spoke new Languages that other Men spoke But the Miracle was this that the Apostles spake Languages which they had never learn'd before Some will say tho to little purpose where was the Miracle seeing that others spoke as well as they 'T is true indeed the Apostles write as other Men but here is the Difference not to be contested that the Apostles had never learn'd to write and I think this may pass for a good proof of the Inspiration of the New Testament CHAP. X. Wherein the Inspiration of the Books of the New Testament is made out from the Nature of the Covenant of which they are the Writings IT appears by inspecting into these Books that they belong to a Covenant which God has manifested with much more Advantage than the Old Testament The Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews says that Jesus Christ was the Mediator of a better Covenant This Covenant is better in divers Respects It is not to be contested but that it is better in respect of Light and Certainty I understand from the Writings of the New Testament that the Old one presented nothing but Types and Shadows S. John opposes Truth to the Law in point of Evidence The Law says he John 1.17 was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ S. Paul insists upon the same Opposition in his Second Epistle to the Corinthians But if the Gospel be hid says he 2 Cor. 4.3 6. it is hid to those that perish And he gives this Reason for it For God says he who commanded the Light to shine out of darkness hath shin'd in our Hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ These Expressions are very clear and make out as evidently as it is possible the Inspiration of S. Paul It is necessary to bear it in remembrance but I insist at present only upon the Advantage of the New Covenant which is to be more full of Light and Clearness than the former This being granted I consider the Degrees of Light that enlighten'd the Old Covenant I find that the Prophets who were inspir'd by the Holy Ghost instructed the Ages they liv'd in but they also transmitted that Inspiration to the succeeding Ages by their Writings which were consulted with as much Religion as they would have consulted their Authors had they been alive Those Sacred Monuments were read as they would have hearken'd to the Prophets themselves The Mouth of God spake still in their Writings The Nation of the Jews was of this Opinion except as it is commonly thought a Handful of Sadducees who the better to defend their Errors entrench'd themselves in the Pentateuch However this does not hinder Josephus from saying in general Answer to Apâ—â—â— c. 2. Moreover there can be nothing more certain than the Writings authoriz'd among us in regard they are not liable to any Contrariety in regard there is nothing approv'd but what the Prophets wrote several Ages since according to the Purity of Truth by the Inspiration and by the Impulse of the Spirit of God Neither do we trouble our selves with infinite Numbers of Books that contradict one another as having no more than Twenty two c. And a little after We have so profound a Respect for these Books that never any Body was so hardy as to undertake either to add or diminish or alter the least Tittle We look upon 'em as Divine we call 'em so we profess to observe 'em inviolably and joyfully to lay down our Lives if there be occasion in defence of ' em Nothing can more clearly express the high Opinion which the Jewish Church had of the Sacred Books that compose the Old Testament And Josephus is more to be believ'd upon this Subject than a modern Author who tell us that the Prophets had no other Assistance of the Holy Ghost than a pious Disposition which made 'em write like persons of Sincerity but without any Prerogative of Infallibility But this was not Josephus's Opinion this was not the Belief of the Jewish Church this was not the Judgment of S. Peter who declares that Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Nor is there any father doubt to be made of it after the Decision of St. Paul The whole Scripture is divinely inspir'd and profitable for Instruction I shall not make any stop at the nice Cavil of Grotius who would make S. Paul to say The whole Scripture which is divinely inspired is profitable c. The Answer of Theophilact is sufficient They are to know says he that the Apostle said thou hast been bred up from thy Infancy in the Holy Scriptures He says All Scripture what Scripture does he mean The same of which he said that it was Sacred It was in truth in all the parts of Scripture that Timothy had been instructed from his Infancy St. Paul therefore exhorting him to persevere in the things which he had learn'd would not have argu'd rightly if when he urg'd it as a motive for his perseverance that all Scripture was inspir'd he had not spoke of the whole Book which
go about to inform my self of the real Design which the Author had in composing a Work so injurious to Scripture but I thought it necessary to prevent the evil Consequences of such a dangerous Book Monsieur Witsius of Holland and Mr. Lowth a Divine of Oxford Father Simon and Father Le Vassour have set forth Answers to it which I have read But in regard it was their only Design to trace their Adversary step by step and not to handle this matter throughly there is therefore still room left for a new management of it The English Divine indeed in my Opinion has gone somewhat farther than the rest but I shall take the liberty to say that he might have built the Inspiration of the Holy Writings upon better foundations that he has not so sufficiently explained the nature of it as he might have done and that he has ventur'd to advance some things which in my judgment need a great deal of softning I hope he will be pleas'd to pardon me the Expression without which I could not be able to justifie my Design of writing after him In his Preface he acknowledges that the matter is nice and new and after he has besought the Readers not to censure him as if he intended to betray the cause which he defends he invites them to uphold it themselves According to this Invitation I shall make some steps in order to it If my Example should excite some other more Learned Pen to write upon the same Subject the Publick will be oblig'd to me for it I shall be well satisfied with my weak endeavours provided they may give occasion to the publishing any Treatise that shall maintain the Inspiration of the Holy Writings as effectually as the truth of them hath been asserted It will be found that I have tied my self to consider only the Writings of the New Testament there was no medling with the Books of the Old Testament without cutting out too much work for my self in a time when the Public receives not well any but small Treatises especially in matter of Divinity Therefore that I might accommodate my self to the Palate of the Age I was enforc'd to shorten my Subject After I had taken this Resolution it was no difficult thing for me to chuse which of the two Parts of Scripture it behov'd me to handle So that I determind in favour of the New Testament as being that Part upon which there has least been said We have several Books in defence of the Inspiration of the Prophets and their Writings because they have been so often attacqu'd But the Writers of the New Testament having peaceably enjoy'd the Honour pay'd them by the uninterrupted belief of their Inspiration Authors have not made it so much their Business to examine the nature of it or if any Libertine has attempted to contest it with them they have altogether relied upon the belief which the Church has had of it from time to time Besides this I may say that by maintaining the New Testament I defend the Old The Apostles have given such honourable Testimonials of the Writings of the Prophets that no Man can better maintain their honour than by demonstrating that Men inspir'd by the Holy Ghost have given Testimony to them But the chief Reason which made me chuse to defend the Writings of the New Testament is this because it is properly the Book that makes us Christians It is our Duty indeed to read the Writings of the Prophets there are to be seen those Oracles the Accomplishment of which is of glorious Consequence to the Gospel there we are inform'd of a great number of Actions wherein God appears magnificent in his Works and thence may be drawn Instructions effectual for the Sanctification of the Heart all these things were written for our Instruction but still a Christian must chiefly repair to the Writings to the New Covenant there it is that he ought to be most intent and stedfast from thence it is that he is chiefly oblig'd to receive his Faith and his Instructions in order to put himself into a state of Salvation The New Testament is that Book which God deliver'd as a Legacy to Mankind in these later times 'T is our Duty to cherish as much as in us lies the Respect which is due to that Sacred Book and to prevent it from being reckoned in the Catalogue of Common Writings for fear the Religion which it teaches us should be look'd upon as a Piece of Human Invention THE HOLY SCRIPTURES Inspir'd c. CHAP. I. The State and Importance of the Question and Division of the Work IT being my design to treat of the Inspiration of the Sacred Books of the New Testament I cannot forbear exactly to set down the state of the Question Which being done it will be found that all my Arguments aim at the same Mark and that I have made it my business not to amuse my Reader with any unprofitable Digression In the first place then the Reader is to be admonish'd that the Dispute is not here which are Canonical Books and which Apocryphal We suppose that those with whom we Contend agree that there is no contradiction to be made against the Canonical Authority of the New Testament according as we enjoy it at this day but that those Sacred Books were actually written or dictated by the Authors whose Names are affixed to ' em 'T is agreed that these Holy Men both saw and heard the matters of Fact which they relate and which they have written with extraordinary Fidelity and Sincerity Which being granted the Work begun is already in so great a forwardness that there is no need at all of entring into the discussion of several Difficulties which concern the Question relating to the Apocryphal Books By this means also we are freed from the trouble of proving that the Sacred Books were written by Men who were Witnesses of all the matters of Fact which are contain'd in the History of Jesus Christ or who themselves wrought great Miracles by which it appear'd that their Mission was Celestial In a word we are agreed upon the truth of these Books so that nothing remains farther to be known but whither they are inspir'd The Verity and the Inspiration make two different Questions of which the first is decided the Sacred Books of the New Testament are stedfastly and undeniably true at least so far as concerns Essential Things The main dispute is whether they are inspir'd or no So that there are some who let 'em alone with the Honour of being true but ravish from them that of Inspiration 'T is against these Innovators that I undertake the defence of the New Testament of which I maintain'd alike and equally assert both the Inspiration and the Truth even to the meanest Circumstances I could wish with all my heart that I might be able to handle this Question without chusing any certain Adversary My aim was to examine this important Matter without having any
the Ancients made of Scripture to confirm the Faith of the Christians The Doctors of the Primitive Church allow a Sovereign Rank to the New Testament There is no longer any Hesitation after the Voice of these Oracles has been once heard These are the Urims and Thummims of the New Covenant after they once had seen their Decision it was a Crime to appeal When we seriously consider that this is a Submission and Compliance in Religion it self we ought to acknowledge that this Honor was not paid to the Sacred Books but because they were or at least because they were thought to be the Books of God who is the only Lord of the Conscience And the Truth of this Reflection will be agreed to whenever it shall be call'd to mind that we speak of a time when the Christians perfectly understood this privilege of the Almighty They were very nice in this particular Wherefore did they not obey those Emperors that oppos'd the Course of Christianity It was the Lord had spoken Wherefore did they not believe so many Philosophers whose Example and Illusions so strongly supported Paganism It was the Lord had said it Wherefore did they forsake the Synagogue that Synagogue which Divine Mercy had appointed to be the Guardian of the ancient Oracles It was the Lord had spoken The Scripture of the New Testament was more powerful than the Emperors and triumph'd over the Reputation which the great Doctors had enjoy'd so long in all the Schools of the World The Reason is because that in comparison of God Man is nothing when God speaks no Body else is to be heard Therefore the Christians being convinced that the Almighty spoke in the Writings of the New Testament they yielded with an awful Submission to the Decisions which they found therein This was never contradicted by Hereticks they durst not appeal from the Words of an Apostle because they were persuaded that they were the Words of the Holy Spirit The Method which they usually made use of to avoid the Weight of that Authority was to mutilate the Scriptures or to corrupt the Sense by wrested Explanations But when it could be prov'd that such a Writing was Apostolical or that such a Sense was the meaning of the Apostle the most obstinate Hereticks would submit at least they had nothing to say It is needless to cite Authors upon a Subject for which Proofs may be found almost in every Page of the Writings of the Primitive Church Moreover there have been so many Occasions to shew that she has always look'd upon the Scripture as the Rule of Faith that these Proofs are become common There needs no more for a Man to do but cast his Eye upon our Books of Controversie to see what have been the Opinions of the Fathers upon this Subject CHAP. VI. The Fifth Proof drawn from hence that the Ancients positively asserted the Books of the New Testament to be inspir'd THus far I have prov'd the Inspiration of the Books of the New Testament by Arguments drawn from Antiquity 'T is now high time to produce something more express and absolute So I call the express Declarations of the Ancients upon this Subject My Design as I have already said is to tie my self particularly to those who liv'd before the Nicene Council that is to say at a time which the greatest Enemies of Antiquity mention with some kind of Veneration I am apt to think they will pardon me if here I produce a Crowd of ancient Testimonies 'T is a Collection that may prove serviceable for I believe there has not as yet been any made upon this Subject Thereby it will be the better understood that we teach nothing new concerning the Inspiration of the Sacred Books of the New Testament and that M. N. has no reason to insinuate from time to time that the Ancients are of his side If he be willing that the Question shall be decided by Antiquity that which I am going to say tho I only pick and chuse would quickly shew where the Innovation lâ—es Clemens Romanus is very express in the Epistle which he wrote to the Corinthians Clem. 1. Ep. ad Cor. Certè divinitùs inspiratus de se de Cepha Apollo per Epistolam vos monuit According to Junius 's Version for he affirms that S. Paul writing to the same Church concerning the Schisms that rent it to pieces was divinely inspir'd Justin Martyr is no less express in his Conference with Tryphon the Jew where he says Assistenti namgue tibi auscultanti probabo non vanis nos sidem habuisse fabulis neque Demonsrratioonis exportibus sed Spiritu Divino plenis Just Martin Dial. cum Tryph. p. 226. that he would under take to prove that the Christians did not build their Faith upon Fables nor upon vain Arguments but upon Demonstations full of the Holy Ghost Theophilus Bishop of Antiochia citing the Authors of the Old and New Testament says Theoph. ad Antol. l. 3. p. 125. Quia utriusque Testamenti Ministri uno eodemque spiritu inspirati locuti sunt Quapropter hoc spiritu impulsi consona nullo modo pugnantia praedixere Ibid. p. 128. that both the one and the other spoke as being inspir'd with one and the same Spirit Who is that Spirit To which he answers a little after That it was the Spirit of God Divino Spiritu afflati The Testimony of Irenaeus is very positive in one place where he goes about to prove Iren. l. 2. p. 47. Credero autem haec talia debemus Deo qui nos fecit rectissime ' scientes quâ—a Scripturae perfectae sunt quippe à verbo Dei Spiritu ejus dictae that we ought not to dispute against the Decisions of the Holy Scripture Wherefore Because it is the Word of God and of his Spirit For thus we explain what the same Author says in another Place of the Word which was preach'd by the Spirit Ibid. l. 3. c. 21. Verbum incarratum praedisatum à Prophetis Apostolis â—b ipso Spiritu The Word made Flesh says he which was Preach'd by the Prophets by the Apostles and by the Spirit as if he had said by the Spirit which inspired both the one and the other This is the Explanation of Ireneus himself for he says in another place Vnus enim idem Spiritus Dei qui in Prophet is quidem praeconavit c. ipse in Apostolis annunciavit Id. l. 3.25 That the Spirit of God that spoke by the Prophets Preached the Gospel also by the Apostles In a Word 't is the stedfast Doctrine of that ancient Author Omnis Scriptura nobis data consonans nobis invenietur Id. p. 203. that the whole Scripture proceeded from God Clement of Alexandria is of the same Opinion when he speaks in his Stromata of the equivocal Words which we meet with in Scripture At mens Prophetici loquentis spiritus occultè I
to his Opinion Every Body knows that Origen would have a Mystery conceal'd in every part of Scripture pretending that God had infus'd something considerable into every Letter of the Scripture Quod sacrae Literae ne unum quidem Apicem habeant vacuum sapientia Dei Origen in Jerem. Ita nos censemus de omnibus ex afflatu divino scriptis tanquam illa quae sapientiam humana superiorem tradit Magna Providentia per divinas Literas hominum generi salutaria Dooumenta inseruerit ut ita dicam Literis quo ad unaquaeque potest capere vestigia sapientia impresserit Id. ib. ex Tom. 1. in Psalm I have cited a sufficient Number of Authors of the three first Ages to prove that at that very time the Christians were convinced as at this day that the Sacred Books of both Testaments were inspir'd by the Holy Ghost Therefore I thought it needless to extend the Chain of my Citations any farther because no Body can deny but after the Nicene Council when they had more Occasion to explain themselves upon this Subject the universal Voice of the Church was for the Inspiration of the New Testament CHAP. VII Wherein the Objections that may be brought against the Testimony of Antiquity are answered M. N. does not so far despise Antiquity but that he makes use of it when he believes it never so little favourable to him He omits nothing that may give an advantageous Air to his Opinion Had he found in his way any lucky Fragment to his purpose he would not have failed to have made the best of it I remember what he says in one place Sentiments Lect. 12. p. 262. Thus you see that the most able and subtle Interpreters of Scripture which Christian Antiquity produced have been of the same Opinion as my self that is to say as it is apparent by some Lines before that they did not acknowledge any Inspiration that continually and stedfastly impuls'd the Apostles to write what they wrote It might be thought that this Conclusion was the product of a croud of Citations after which there was no question to be made but that the Ancients were of M. N's Opinion But it was no small wonder to us that the beginning of the Conclusion should be reduc'd to these two or three words It behoves us to joyn with St. Jerome Origen from whom he had drawn this Opinion touching the Dispensation which he attributes to these two Apostles and several other Greek Fathers Should I say that neither St. Jerome nor Origen nor any of the other Greek Fathers ever contradicted the Inspiration of the Apostles such as we affirm it to be permanent and constant M. N. has an answer ready and will tell us that he did not cite those Ancients but to shew how they believed that St. Peter and St. Paul conmade use of Dispensation at what time Saint Paul contradicted St Peter Certain it is that no other use can be made of that Quotation but it is placed so cunningly after these words It appears from thence that they did not acknowledge a continual Inspiration c. That it is easie to be perceived that the Author had a desire to dazzle those people who have any respect for Antiquity but who are not acquainted with it but at a distance However it is to be seen by the Passages which I have cited out of Origen that he is positive in the Point of Inspiration of the Sacred Books Nor does St. Jerome speak less expresly neither shall I consult any other Part but that which M. N. has marked out for me See says he the Preface of St. Jerome to his Comment upon the Epistle to Philemon Would not any Man who read that Reference believe that it would be infallibly found in that Preface that St. Jerome proves by the little Things which are to be met with in Scripture that he did not believe the Holy Ghost concern'd in the Composition of all the Sacred Books I have read the Preface very seriously and I am confident that M. N. has read it also for the Persons which he there mentions spoke much after the rate as he does Wherefore then had he not so much sincerlty as to acknowledge that the Objection drawn from the Minute things in Scripture give me leave to make use of the expression is like the rest in the mouths of those Adversaries which St. Jerome undertakes to refute He declares at first that he speaks of those who refused to admit the Epistle of St. Paul to Philemon and who said exactly the same thing as M. N. and Spinosa say Non semper Apostolum nec omnia Christo in se loquente dixisse They alledged what St. Paul says of the Cloak which he left at Troas that the Prophets were wont expresly to tell the people when they spoke in the Name of the Lord because they were not always Prophets These are exactly M. N's scruples But St. Jerome supports them no manner of way quite the contrary he declares that they are in the wrong for not admitting the Epistle to Philemon under pretence that it contains several things of little moment and makes use of a Comparison which Origen has made use of upon the same Subject If says he they have a mind to deny that the great and the little Things come from one and the same hand then let them admit two Creators one Creator of the Insects and another of Heaven and Earth Is this any satisfaction for a Man that would favour the Opinion of M. N. It seems by the Preface of St. Jerome upon Philemon that from that very time there have been anonymous Persons who thought as M. N. does I will also grant him that we find in Epiphanius that the Anomeans explained themselves much after the same manner Haeres 76. which the Anomaean Aetius corrupted them sufficiently to the persuading them to defame the Prophets and Apostles Did any man cite the Prophets These Sectaries cried out VVhat d' ye tell us of the Old Testament Did ye press hard upon them any Argument taken from any of the Apostles Quid tu mihi vetus Testamentum objicis The Apostle say they in that part spoke like a Man Ista inquiunt Apostolus tanquam Homo dixit Were I not precisely confin'd to the three first Ages I could shew how Epiphanius maintain'd the Honour and Inspiration of the Apostolical Writings For there is not any one of the Fathers from whence there might be drawn more express Passages for the Belief which I defend Epiph. Heres 51. However it behoves me to quote some few to shew that I do not talk at Random disputing against the Alogians who rejected the Apocalyps he takes an occasion to set forth the true original of the four Evangils which he pretends to be divinely inspir'd He says that Mark full of the Holy Ghost Marcus spiritu sancto completus conscribendi Evangelii munus accepit receiv'd a
Commission to write his Gospel That Luke was excited and constrain'd by the secret impulses and instigations of the Holy Ghost §. 7. Spiritus Sanctus B. Lucam occultis quibusdam stimulis cogit excitat That the Holy Ghost enforc'd St. John to write his Gospel against his will §. 6. Spiritus Sanctus Joannem invitum licet ad scibendum Evangelium impulit §. 9. Quae cum Apostolus ex sancti spiritus afflatu pronunciaret necesse non habuit spiritus sancti mentionem facere Cum igitur Apostolus vel potius spiritus sanctus per Apostolum loqueretur ibid. quippe Apostolus sancto spiritu impulsus ibid. de quibus adeo mihi videtur in Epistola Judae commotus spiritus hoc est in Catholica ejus Epistola in qua per Apostoli vocem sanctus inquam spiritus Haeres 26. which is the Gnostic §. 11. That St. John has related all things faithfully under the Conduct of the Holy Ghost Spiritu sancto Gubernant an expression that ought to be born in mind for the better understanding of the nature of the Inspiration of the sacred Writings that the Holy Ghost spoke by Saint Paul That the Holy Ghost spoke by the mouth of Saint Jude in his General Epistle Thus it is that the Fathers generally express themselves after the Nicene Council But I have laid an Injunction upon my self not to descend too low and I have only spoken of Epiphanius by reason of Aetius who profest the same Opinion with M. N. Nor do I find that that same Arian was able any more than his Disciples to interrupt the Series of Tradition or to hinder the common Belief of the Universal Church from being altogether for the Inspiration of the Sacred Books of the New Testament As for Saint Jerom's anonymous Persons and Epiphanias's Anomeans they make not a part of the Church considerable enough for any man whatever to produce them as Testimonies But in regard it has been all along my aim to confine my self to the three first Ages of the Church I shall say no more than this that 't is apparent that these Innovators who appear'd not till the Ages following cannot hinder me from concluding that I have on my side the Universal testimony of the Church truly Primitive This Testimony is of great moment in the Minds of all men that consider those Ages to be the most pure at what time they had things deliver'd to them as it were from the first hand I know not what I ought to think of a Christian who despises such Antiquity Such a Scorn may be excus'd in people who are ignorant of it but when we find the learned neglecting a Testimony so authentick 't is a temptation to believe that either they have not well considered the influences which that Testimony has upon the Foundations of the Christian Religion or that else they would not be sorry to see that Foundation shaken It may be said that the Fathers which we so highly extol were guilty of divers Errors I grant it 't was by the permission of God that by that means the Writings which he has solely abandon'd to human Wisdom should be distinguish'd from those which he infallibly directed by his Spirit But we ought to know what those Errors are before we draw an argument against what the Fathers have said for the Inspiration of the Sacred Books First I observe that those Errors are not universal among the Fathers now that wherein they contradict themselves can never be said to be the unanimous Voice of Antiquity This is the Character of the Errors with which the first Authors of Christianity were upbraided Some deviated after one manner others after another but they were not found in company under the same deviation Such Errors have nothing common with the truths which they teach both constantly and without variation of which nature is the Inspiration of the Sacred Books of the New Testament I add to this consideration that it is requisite to examine well the nature of the Errors of which the Fathers are accus'd before an argument be rais'd from thence against their unanimous Testimonies for the inspiration of the Scripture Sometimes they mistake in speaking of something to come which never was revealed to them as when they discourse with too much confidence how near at hand the end of the World is Sometimes they err in matters of Fact which they have admitted with too much Credulity as when they tell the Story of a Phoenix rising again out of her ashes But nothing of all this does any injury to what they have averr'd touching the inspiration of the Sacred Books That is a Truth that marches step by step with the delivery it self of those Books They were deliver'd from hand to hand with this Advertisement that they were inspir'd by the Holy Ghost It is as certain that the Holy Ghost directed and order'd the Composition and structure of the Gospels as that the Gospels were written by St. Matthew Saint Mark Saint Luke and Saint John This is one of those things that were essential to the Honour of the Sacred Books and which were every day said of them So that 't was impossible that this Tradition so lively and universal as it was should come from any other hand than the Apostles themselves who when they left their works behind them acknowledged they had been written by the enlivening inspiration of the Holy Ghost This has no resemblance in the least with the story of a Phoenix nor with what the Father 's imagin'd about the end of the World while they crosly interpreted the words of the Apostles There is not any more plausible Objection than that which may be drawn from the judgment of the Fathers upon the Version of the Septuagint Justin Martyr Ireneus and Clement of Alexandria were of Opinion that those Interpreters were guided by the Spirit of God However at this day many people believe that they were subject to Error like the rest of the Interpreters and by consequence left to themselves Upon which some may raise this argument Since the Fathers were deceived in their Opinion touching the inspiration of the Greek Interpreters of the Old Testament the testimony which those Fathers give in relation to the Apostolic Writings ought not to be so strongly urged 't is from thence to be seen that 't is not an infallible Testimony I have several things to observe by way of solid answer to this Objection 1. There are learned Men of the first Rank who indeed maintain that the Seventy Interpreters were really guided by the Holy Spirit It cannot be deny'd but that it was by a special direction of Providence that the Sacred Books were translated into a Language that was almost Universal It was proper that at a time when God would not be known but in a small corner of the World the Sacred Books should be in Hebrew But when Grace was ready to disperse them over the Earth was
it not convenient that the Books where God had revealed himself should be put into the most universal Language That Translation prepar'd the way for the Messiah and the Apostles had the advantage of quoting a Version which the VVorld had admir'd for a long time This so well agrees with Gods design of calling all People to the knowledge of himself that it cannot be deny'd but that by his Providence he manag'd the opportunities which produc'd the Version of the Septuagint No body can deny what I have said but several there are who go a great way farther and maintain that the Greek Interpreters were effectually inspired To prove this they quote divers Authors They pretend that S. Jerome was the first who adventured to contradict that Tradition After they had cited the Christians to support their Tenent they search for it in Philo the Jew De vita Mosis l. 2. sub fin Tanquam numine correpti prophet abant non alia alii sed omnes ad verbum eadem quasi quopiam dictante singulis invisibiliter who speaks of the Version of the Septuagint as of an inspired Piece 'T is well known that Josephus's * Joseph Antiq. l. 12. c. 2. Opinion was not so much in favour of it For he says no more than that it was a very exact Translation though it were compleated within the space of seventy two days according to the number of the Interpreters 'T is said that we ought not to draw any argument from that indifferency wherewith Josephus expresses himself upon the Version of the Septuagint because the Custom of that Author is to turn aside when he relates the Miracles believ'd by the Jews They who are willing to justifie him say that his aim was to win himself a greater Reputation amongst the Romans for whom he wrote and that he does not nakedly relate those Miracles which are the best confirm'd for fear of disobliging Foreiners by the rehearsal of actions seemingly Romantick 'T is for that reason 't is believed he did not speak all he thought of the Version of the Seventy but that he insinuates it sufficiently when he writes that the High Priest the Interpreters and the Magistrates of the Jews desired that it might no longer be lawful to change the least Tittle in that Version If it be true that the Greek Interpreters were particularly guided by the Holy Ghost as several learned Men assert 't is evident that the Objection has no foundation I add to this that the Apostles while they most commonly made use of the Version of the 70 Interpreters have in some measure rendred them Canonical and that it is become a work of the Holy Ghost at least by way of approbation which in some measure justifies what the Ancients have said of it 2. I grant that the Fathers who believed the inspiration of the Interpreters were deceiv'd But that Tradition not being to be compar'd in extent to that which I have alledged in favour of the inspiration of the Apostolic Writings there is no consequence to be inferr'd from the one against the other For the one they own they only cite some of the Ancients contradicted by Saint Jerome whereas I have produced the unanimous Testimony of Antiquity 3. Let them but a litle examine the nature of the matter in Question The act of Inspiration of the Greek Interpreters was an Act that happen'd as they pretend about three hundred Years before the Birth of Christ and which was convey'd through the Channel of a Pagan and some Jews so that it was no such impossible thing but that the Primitive Fathers of the Church over credulous in reference to that Version for which they had an esteem should be deceiv'd in honouring it with a Celestial Original But the inspiration of the Sacred Books of the New Testament is quite of another nature That was a matter of Fact which the Ancients took as I may so say from the Lips of the Apostles and which was perpetuated by a Tradition repeated every day and that too among Christians remote one from the other Since then there is so great a difference between these two matters of Fact 't is evidently apparent that though all the Fathers were in an Error when they spoke of the inspiration of the Greek Interpreters it cannot be thence concluded that they were mistaken in the infallible Inspiration which they adscribe to the Apostolic Writings By searching into the Objections against the Truth which I have proved I imagin'd with my self that one might object an ancient Custom of the Church to honour the Gospels by causing the People to hear them read standing whereas every body might sit down at the reading of the Epistles Does not this signifie will some body say that the Gospels being full of things that issue immediately from the Lips of our Saviour it was ackowledged by that reverend Posture that they were look'd upon as infallible Oracles but that there was not the same Veneration paid the Epistles in regard they were deemed to be Pieces purely Human However this Objection brings little advantage to M. N's Opinion who denies the Gospels to be any more inspir'd than the Epistles He believes the Evangelists attested the Truth no otherwise than ordinary Historians and that the Apostles wrote their Epistles no otherwise than like more Doctors who utter what comes into their Fancies in matters of Religion According to this Idea the Historian is no more considered than the Doctor so that the Objection will not serve M. N's turn But if any other would make a Benefit of it he ought to know that the Custom which he lays hold of is neither so ancient nor so universal as may be imagin'd Though were it as ancient as the Apostles or as universal as the Church which it is not there is no conclusion to be drawn from thence that the Epistles are the works of Men. And to be convinced of this there needs no more that to call to mind that the Custom in Dispute was taken from the Synagogue where the Law and the Prophets were heard with distinguishing Marks of Veneration not that they believed the Prophets were not inspir'd but they look'd upon the Prophets as only infallible Commentators upon the Law and thought that they were to pay a greater Honour to the Text than to the Commentary to Moses than the Prophets A Custom which afterwards slided I know not how from thence into the Christian Church By which they have in some measure advanced the Gospels into the place of the Law and the Apostles into the room of the Prophets not that the Apostles were thought to be less inspir'd than the Evangelists but only to give the advantage of Honour to the Gospels whether it were because the Gospels as I said before contain those things that issued immediately from the Lips of our Saviour Jesus Christ or whether it were as Cardinal Bona said to shew that we are or ought to be always
an assistance I cannot repose upon Commentators who setting aside the Succour of the Holy Ghost were less learned and of less Abilities than many Doctors at this day Moreover had the Apostles always distinguish'd what they knew by Revelation from what they spoke of their own Heads there would be less difficulty in the thing but they present us almost all the whole Bulk in a Mixture where it is a hard matter to discern what is Divine from what is not My Conscience cannot be satisfied with this Method I am always in doubt whether I ought to argue after the Apostles or whether I ought to appeal from their Decisions to my own Reason I can never be able to stop the Progress of Error if after I have found a Passage which utterly and clearly destroys it it shall be reply'd upon me this comes from the Apostle not from God and thus there will be never any thing of Certainty But most assuredly God has not made Choice of a Means that authorises our Doubts for a Rule of our Faith Of Necessity therefore all the Parts of Scripture must be divinely inspir'd to the end the Scripture may render the Man of God accomplish'd in all good Works CHAP. IX Wherein the Inspiration of the Sacred Books of the New Testament is demonstrated by the manner of their Composition It is a difficult Thing to conceive that the Sacred Books of the New Testament should be inspir'd by the Holy Ghost and yet that there should appear no Footsteps in it of that Inspiration and this is that which I design to examine I do not pretend by any means to prove that every Page or every Line of the Holy Scripture carries imprinted in it a sensible Character of the Splendor of the Holy Ghost that inspir'd it Take the best Book if you pull it to pieces you lessen the Value of it 'T is only esteemed for the happy Assemblage of Words and Things of which it is compos'd After you have destroy'd the Proportion and the Symmetry you will no longer find what caus'd it to be admir'd Let the whole Scripture be but duly consider'd and it will be found to be a Work worthy of Heaven There are some Peices of it without question which being considered apart cease not however to deserve our Admiration But there are others which being remov'd out of their proper place will appear very common Let us look upon the Scripture in that Point of Perfection as the Holy Ghost represents it to us and we must needs acknowledge it to be his Work It were to be wish'd some will say that the Holy Ghost had manifested himself more distinctly in the Writings of the New Testament How would ye that the Holy Ghost should not have spoken the Language of Men I confess indeed that he might have spoken the Language of the Third Heaven but it would not have been intelligible to us who are not there as yet Since he spoke to Men to the end they might understand him 't was necessary he should conform his Style to human Apprehension He was oblig'd to take upon him our Manners our Words our Shape and our Air to convert us To that purpose he made choice of Men made as we are after they were sufficiently instructed in what they had to say to us and he was to guide their Pens for fear they should make any false step Had the Holy Ghost either sent an Angel or form'd a Voice in the Air to settle the Doctrine of Heaven such means had appear'd more extraordinary but they were not fit for Instruction It was the Wisdom of God to prefer Useful before Miraculous The only Difficulty is to know which way to find out that they who wrote like other Men were guided by the Holy Ghost There are two Ways whereby to attain to this Knowledge the One is the Attestation of the Apostles strengthened by the Proofs which they have given of their Sincerity and by the Miracles by which they made it appear that they were Men who were sent from God The other Way is to search into the Composition it self of the Sacred Books for Proofs of their Inspiration As to the first way 't is not our Intention at present to call it in question As to the Second I shall conclude in a few Words 'T is a strange thing to consider the various Oppositions of human Wit This Book wherein some behold the Finger of God by others is look'd upon as a Piece of human Workmanship Let us impartially examine the Matter The profane must acknowledge that they are prepossessed in their Judgments which they make of the Scripture for when they read another Peice that is but a little study'd according to the Rules of Art they are charm'd with it they cry 't is all divine they affirm that there is nothing great without Inspiration Nihil magnum sine afflatu divino But when they come to the Scripture they are quite of another Opinion they despise what they would have admir'd in another Book Nevertheless it has so happen'd that upon some Occasions the Force of Truth has extorted several Approbations in favour of Moses the Prophets and S. Paul The World has found that there was something extraordinary in those great Men. But if we would but search into the Original of the Scripture without prepossession we should soon confess that it is a Work of Heaven This does not appear perhaps upon the first Reading Read it again and the more you read that Book the less you will be weary of reading it nay it will appear more lovely the last time than the first Had I to do with Christians only that with delight have read over and over again the New Testament I would refer 'em to their own Experience and ask 'em whether their Hearts ever found that Satisfaction in any other Book which they found in this But it behoves us to speak something which may be more generally satisfactory Was ever known a Doctrine more sublime or Instructions of a purer Extraction 'T is true that there are in the World certain People who have so disguis'd this Doctrine as to make it appear low and mean Now I consider it such as it is in it self in this Prospect I dare say that Men never saw any Book so much worthy of their Admiration This Argument is not proper but for persons that have absolutely declared themselves against the Christian Religion M. N. will say that the Question whether it be inspired or no is not the Subject of the Dispute He grants that Jesus Christ was divinely inspir'd and in regard it was by him that his Evangelists and Apostles were instructed 't is clear that the Religion which they preach'd bears the Character of its first Author I must confess that the Question between M. N. and my self chiefly concerns the Manner how they publish'd those Truths which they learn'd from the Lord. Our Author believes that in that respect they
what was spoken by the Prophet Jeremy They took the Thirty pieces of Silver the price of him that was valued Now the words are in Zachary Zach. 11.12 13. not in Jeremy therefore say they S. Matthew mistook one name for another But though the mistake be of little moment I believe the Sacred Writer ought to be justified and it is easie to do it in a few words There are several Methods that Interpreters make use of to shew that Saint Matthew was not mistaken The greatest part are very good I shall produce those which seem to me to be the best For brevities sake I confine my self to some few I begin with the learned Lightfoot Hor. heb in loc who proves by the Talmud and by Kinchi that Jeremy was the running Title of the rest of the Prophets in one and the same Volume Whence it came to pass that in the answer which the Disciples gave our Lord Jeremy is the chiefest Prophet Some say thou art John the Baptist Others Eliah Others Jeremy Which being so all the Prophets were cited under the name of Jeremy He bequeath'd his Name as I may so say to the whole Volume in like manner as the Volume of the Hagiographers is call'd the Psalms of David because that Davids Psalms make up the first part of the Volume So that according to this Explanation Saint Matthew did but follow the common Custom in citing the words of Zachary under Jeremy's name Grotius quoted by M. N. to authorize the defects which he imputes to the memory of the Apostles makes no use of this means to free Saint Matthew from the Scandal thrown upon him He very judiciously observes that Saint Matthew does not say that Jeremy wrote the words which he attributes to him Then was fulfilled what the Prophet Jeremy had spoken These words are not to be found in Jeremy and consequently he never wrote ' em He had only pronounced them and they were preserved by Tradition from whence Zachary took them Grotius to make out his Opinion proves that the Prophets commonly made use of the same words which other Prophets had left behind them and that Zachary in particular strives to imitate Jeremy so that the Jews were accustomed to say that the Spirit of Jeremy was upon Zachary And then according to this Exposition Saint Matthew makes Jeremy to say no more than what he said indeed I shall add another wherein still farther satisfaction may be met with if one of the two former does not satisfie Saint Austin says that the Holy Ghost suffered the name of Jeremy and not that of Zachary to drop upon the Evangelists Pen and that Saint Matthew was unwilling to correct himself as being persuaded that the design of the Holy Ghost was to shew that all the Prophets spoke by the same Spirit Singula esse omnium omnia singulorum all the Prophetic Writings belong'd in common to all the Prophets But this Explanation seems to me a little too much forc'd and therefore I could more willingly assent to another which is to be found in the same place That the words which S. Matthew reports Cum igitur ea quae dicta sunt perâ—â—eremiam tam sint Zachariâ—e quam Jeremiae qâ—ae sunt dicta per Zachariam tam sint Jeremae quam Zachariae quod â—pus erat ut emendaret Maâ—â—â—â—us being to be found part in Zacary part in Jeremy both together make a Compleat Oâ—acle which the Evangelist might attribute to Jeremy as being the more considerable of the two Prophets To support this Explanation several Examples are cited wherein an Oracle compos'd of words drawn from two different Prophets is alledg'd under the name of one only In a word there are several Copies of the New Testament wherein the second Verse of the Gospel according to Saint Mark is thus render'd according as it is written in the Prophet Isaiah though the words are drawn from both Isaiah and Malachy So that the Oracle of Saint Matthew being taken part out of Jeremy part out of Zachary 't is no wonder that only one Prophet should be cited and Jeremy before the other There is another Conjecture which Great Authors have made use of L. 4. Ep. 31. I mean Mede and Hammon The first has enclosed in one Epistle several scruples like to those which I examin He says that Saint Matthews intention in citing the words in question under the name of Jeremy was to let us understand that the Chapter where those words are found was really written by Jeremy and adds that if we exactly consider the Contents of the nine ten and eleven Chapters of Zachary we shall find that they were written before the time of that Prophet The Eleventh Chapter which is that quoted by S. Matthew foretels the destruction of the Temple which no way agrees with Zacharies time when the main Business of the Prophets was to exhort the Jews to rebuild the Temple For this reason among others Mede maintains that the last Chapters of Zachary were written by some Prophet more ancient than he which Prophet could be no other than Jeremy seeing Saint Matthew assures us of it and for that we find nothing to the contrary in any part of Scripture It would be in vain to alledge that those Chapters are join'd to the Prophecies of Zachary That argument is of no greater force than if they should go about to prove that the whole Book of Psalms was written by David or the whole Book of Proverbs by Solomon because they go under their Names They must be very scrupulous that will not be satisfied with one of these Solutions I am persuaded they will satisfie any man that is not resolv'd whatever it cost him to maintain that Saint Matthew was deceiv'd 'T is now time therefore to pass to the second Example which they make use of to shew that the Evangelists contradicted one another for want of Memory Saint Matthew Matth. 27.5 in the same place tells us that Judas after he had cast down the pieces of Silver departed and went and hang'd himself But Saint Luke seems to observe that this miserable Wretch perished by another sort of death For says he And falling headlong he burst asunder Acts 1.18 and all his Bowels gushed out Now they pretend that in this the two Sacred Authors have contradicted each other M. N. loudly triumphs upon it as if there were no answer to be given to it There says he is a manifest Contradiction which the Learned in vain endeavour to reconcile Sentiments p. 235. Let us see whether it be so apparent as he would make us believe By admitting the Contradiction 't is to be suppos'd that one of the two Evangelists was deficient in his memory Must it be Saint Matthew How one of the Twelve one of Judas's Colleagues could he forget how Judas died This is that which no body will presume to affirm I should almost rather chuse to say that the Apostles