the Watch-Tower eat drink arise ye Princes anoint the Shield express the Speediness of the Preparations made for Babylon's Fall They are so order'd that the Quickness of the Dispatch is signified by them There are six Parts or Divisions in this Verse without a Copulative meerly to signify the Celerity of the Vndertaking And the Vision wherein this Speedy Ruine of that Nation is foretold is thus represented v. 7. He saw a Chariot a couple of Horsemen a Chariot of Asses a Chariot of Camels There is Expedition in the very Words there is no Conjunctive Particle to retard them You may in the very Frame of the Words perceive the Chariots running speedily But if we look into those Parts of the Bible which are strictly and properly Poetical that is which consist of certain Measures and Numbers we shall find Examples of this sort very frequently The Egyptians furious Pursuit after the Israelites is thus express'd in Moses's Song Exod. 15. 9. I will pursue I will overtake c. Where there are â—ix Verbs denoting Action and Expedition and not one Conjunction between them In the Conciseness and Roundness of the Words especially if we consult the Original which is more Emphatick we may discern the Speediness of the thing it self spoken of The like might be taken notice of in the Song of Deborah Iudg. 5. and in several Places of the Psalms and the Lamentations Thus if we would be very Curious we might parallel the Inspired Poetry with that of the best Masters in that Art among the Gentiles But because these things are but mean in respect of those Weightier ones wherein the Bible's Excellency doth appear I have not inserted them or any other Observations of the like Nature into the ensuing Discourse and the rather because it was my Design to mention only those Particulars which are of Vniversal Vse and which may without Exception be acceptable to all Persons who have a due Esteem either of True Learning or Piety Those who value the former and are well acquainted with it will most readily give their Suffrage here and proclaim to the World that Scripture-Learning outvies all others that the Original of most Arts and Sciences is to be fetch'd hence that a Library without the Bible is an imperfect thing Those who have a Sense of the latter will be as forward to assert the Preheminence of this Sacred Volume for here is the Source of all Religion and no Man can be Devout and Pious who is a Stranger to this Wherefore when with a becoming Regret I saw that the Sense of Religion and Piety is generally lost among us at this Day I apprehended that the best way to retrieve it is to read and peruse the Scriptures And that this may be done with Success I thought it requisite to set forth the Excellency and Perfection of this Holy Book that thence Persons might be effectually invited to acquaint themselves with it And I hope how meanly soever I have performed this Task some who light upon these Papers will from them be inspired with a hearty Regard and Reverence an entire Love and Veneration of the Holy Writ and be reminded from what is here suggested to converse more intimately with it themselves and to encourage others to follow their Example This would in a short time make a great Change in the World and the Bible it self would be read in the Lives and Behaviour of Mankind Wherefore with great Seriousness and Importunity I request the Reader that he would entertain such Thoughts and Perswasions as these that Bible-Learning is the Highest Accomplishment that this Book is the most Valuable of any upon Earth that here is a Library in on single Volume that this alone is sufficient for us tho all the Libraries and Books in the World were destroyed And this is the Grand Truth which I have laboured to demonstrate in the following Papers A CATALOGUE of most of the Texts of Scripture which are interpreted in the following Discourse according to the Author 's Particular Iudgment GENESIS THE whole first Chapter Page 3 â— Chap. 3. v. 7. They made themselves Aprons What the word Câ—agoroth signifies p. 235 Ver. 21. Vnto them the Lord God made Coats of Skins Why so called p. 237 Ch. 4. v. 20. Jabal was the Father of such as dwell in Tents p. 112 Ch. 18. v. 7. He took the Calf which he had dressed and set it before them p. 117 Ch. 24. v. 22. The Man took a Golden Ear-ring What is meant by Nezem zahab p. 242 Ch. 50. v. 2. Joseph commanded the Physicians Rophim to embalm his Father The large Extent of that Word is fully shew'd p. 187 EXODUS Ch. 21. v. 7. His Master shall bore his Ear through with an Awl and he shall serve him for ever p. 247 NUMBERS Ch. 21. v. 14. The Book of the Wars of the Lord. Besides several other Texts from which some indeavour to infer that some part of the Writings belonging to the Bible is lost p. 453 JOSHUA Ch. 2. v. 4. The Woman took the two Men and hid them p. 153 Ch. 7. v. 26. They raised over him a great Heap of Stones p. 280 Ch. 23. v. 2. Joshua called for their Elders and for their Heads and for their Iudges and their Officers p. 85 JUDGES Ch. 20. v. 16. There were seven hundred chosen Men left-handed or shut of their right Hands p. 212 SAMUEL Book I. Ch. 17. v. 6. He had a Target Cidon of Brass between his Shoulders p. 204 SAMUEL Book II. Ch. 1. v. 21. There the Shield of the Mighty is vilely cast away the Shield of Saul as though he rather it had not been anointed with Oil. p. 206 207 Ch. 3. v. 35. All the People came to cause David to eat Bread KINGS Book I. Ch. 9. v. 28. And they came to Ophir In what Part of the World this is p. 194 CHRONICLES Book II. Ch. 21. v. 19. His People made no Burning for him like the Burning of his Fathers p. 273 JOB Ch. 1. v. 21. Naked came I out of my Mother's Womb and naked shall I return thither p. 264 PROVERBS Ch. 1. v. 17. Surely in vain is the Net spread in the Sight of any Bird. p. 385 JEREMIAH Ch. 34. v. 5. He died with the Burnings of his Fathers p. 272 EZEKIEL Ch. 24. v. 17. Bind the Tire of thy Head upon thee p. 275 AMOS Ch. 2. v. 8. They lay themselves down upon Clothes p. 134 St. LUKE Ch. 10. v. 42. Mary hath chosen the good Part. p. 141 ACTS Ch. 7. v. 22. He was mighty in Words and in Deeds p. 312 c. CORINTHIANS 1 Epist. Ch. 5. v. 9. I wrote unto you in an Epistle p. 467 Ch. 7. v. 6. I speak this of Permission and not of Command p. 472 Ver. 12. To the rest speak I not the Lord. ibid. CORINTHIANS 2 Epist. Ch. 3. v. 17. Now the Lord is that Spirit p. 434 Ch. 8. v. 8. I speak not by Commandment p. 472
recorded in the last Chapter of this Book for either as we said before concerning Moses they were written by him through a Prophetick Spirit that foresaw these things or else they were added by some other Inspired Writer So perhaps were those Words unto this Day ch 4. v. 9. ch 5. v. 9. though it is not necessary at all to believe so for Ioshua relating some Passages that happen'd a good while before he wrote this Book which was a little before his Death might speak after this manner very well And some few other Words may seem to have been inserted after Ioshua's Death but that the Main was written by Himself there is no ground of questioning The History of the Iudges followeth which relates the State of the Iewish People in the Land of Canaan in the time of the Iudges from Ioshua's Death until Eli that is about three hundred Years These Iudges were Men of Heroick Spirits raised up by God out of the several Tribes to govern the People and to deliver them from their present Dangers They were Supream Rulers but Temporary and some of them were Types of our Blessed Saviour and Deliverer In the time of this peculiar Polity of the Israelites there were very Notable Occurrences which are faithfully recorded in this Book Here we are acquainted with the gross Impiety and Wickedness of that new Generation which came up after Ioshua's Death here are recorded to their perpetual Infamy their Intimate Converse with those Idolatrous People that were left remaining in that Land their Approving of their Superstitious and Irreligious Customs and their Serving their Gods Here is a particular Account of the Corruption of their Manners of their Prophane and Scandalous Practices which occasion'd the very Heathens to open their Mouths against them yea to blaspheme God whose Name they were call'd by Here also we have a brief View of the Different Dispensations of Heaven towards this People sometimes Relieving and Delivering them at other tâ—mes most severely Chastising them and causing them to groan under Tyrants and Oppressors Here are contain'd in this History most admirable Examples of God's Displeasure against Apostates and such as revolt from the True Religion and here are on the contrary as memorable Instances of his Rewarding those that adhere to Him and his Cause and hold fast their Integrity in the worst and most perillous Times Here are most amply displayed his Love and Care of his Church in stirring up so many Eminent Worthies and Champions to fight for her and to push them on by no less than an Extraordinary Impulse of Spirit to enterprize and effect such Mighty Things for the welfare of his Chosen Servants To conclude here and in the Book of Ioshua occurs such a plenty of Antient Rites Customs and Practices relating both to Peace and War to Civil and Religious Matters as is able to stock an Antiquary of the first Size We are not certain who was the Penman of this Book It was written by Samuel say the Talmudists and it may be after one of the Books of Samuel and then 't is no wonder if some things are here mention'd or referr'd to that are spoken of there Others say it was not composed till Ezrâ—'s Time by Ezra The Book of Ruth is an Appendix to that of the Iudges in whose time the Things were done that are here related Particularly a little before Eli's Time they happen'd then it was that there being a Famine in Canaan Elimelech and his Wife Naomi and their Sons went into the Land of Moab and there these latter were married one to Ruth and the other to Orphah After ten Years were expired Elimelech and his Sons died whereupon Naomi and her Daughter-in-Law Ruth for the other Daughter stay'd behind returned to their own Country and coming to Bethlehem were kindly received by Boaz their Kinsman The Particulars of this kind Reception and Entertainment are set down here and the Close was that he married Ruth who bare to him Obed who was the Grand-father of David It is true this is but a Private History yet as it is such it contains in it many things worthy of our observation viz. the Difference of Children in their Affection and Regards to their Parents Orphah with great Ease and Willingness left Naomi but Ruth clave unto her the Prudent Instructions and Wise Demeanour of that Excellent Matron towards her Daughter the young Widow Though I must needs add with reference to Ruth's Behaviour that her Boldness and almost endangering of her Chastity are not to be Examples to others for Modesty and Shamefacedness are the proper Qualities of that Sex Wedlock is not to be sought after by them with such peril And therefore this daring Fact of this Venturous Widow is to be look'd upon as an extraordinary Instance and not to be imitated by other Females Here is remarkable the Merciful Providence of God towards the Afflicted the Widows and Fatherless the Reward of Constancy and Obedience the Blessing of God upon those that fear him and trust in him Besides here are observable the Antient Right of Kinsmen and of Redemption and the Manner of buying the Inheritance of the Deceased with other Things of great Antiquity Nay this is more than Private History as will appear if we consider that this Pious Woman Ruth was the Mother of Obed the Father of Iesse the Father of David of whom our Lord Christ came and therefore you find her inserted into his Genealogy by St. Matthew Again Ruth a Moabitish Woman of the Posterity of the Daughters of Lot was a Type or rather indeed an Eminent Instance of the Calling of the Gentiles into the Church which is a Thing of no private Concern but of the largest Extent imaginable The Two Books of Samuel are Publick Histories the former whereof contains Things done under the two last Iudges Eli and Samuel and under the first King who was Saul as also the Acts of David whilest he lived under Saul Here is a Narrative of the Change of the Iudges into Kings of the Republick or Aristocracy of the Iews into a Monarchy and of the Great and Many Evils which they suffer'd as consequent upon it all worthy of our serious Perusal and Consideration Here is an Account of their New King 's being deposed by God viz. for his rash and prophane Sacrificing and his wilful disobeying the express Command of God concerning the total Destruction of the Amalekites and whatever belonged to them The latter Book â—s wholly spent in the History of King David's Reign that is his Acts after Saul's Death These â—re either his Military Acts his Troublesom and Dangerous and sometimes Successful Enterprizes in War or his Political Acts shew'd in the wise Administration of Civil Government or his Ecclesiâ—â—tical and Religious Undertakings which respect 〈◊〉 Church of God in those Days With these are mixed the great Failings and Miscarriages of that King which are as particularly recorded as his other Acts and as
a Consequent of them the many Disappointments and Crosses he met with the various Judgments and Plagues which were inflicted on him and his People by God The Books of the Kings are the History of the Kingdoms of Israel and Iudah under the Reigns of their several Kings The first contains the latter Part of the Life of David and his Death the Glory and Prosperity of that Nation under Solomon who succeeded him his erecting and consecrating of the Temple at Ierusalem his scandalous Defection from the true Religion the sudden Decay of the Jewish Nation after his Death when it was divided into two Kingdoms under Rehoboam who reign'd over the two Tribes of Iudah and Benjamin and under Ieroboam who was King over the other ten Tribes that revolted from the House of David The rest of it is spent in relating the Acts of four Kings of Iudah and eight of Israel The second Book which is a Continuation of the History of the Kings is a Relation of the Memorable Acts of sixteen Kings of Iudah and twelve of Israel and the End of both Kingdoms by the carrying of the Ten Tribes Captive into Assyria by Salmanasser and the other two into Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar the just Rewards of that People's Idolatry and Impenitency after so many Favours shew'd to them This and the former Book together comprehend the History of about four hundred Years The Chronicles or Iournals according to the Hebrew are the filling up of those Parts of the History which are omitted in the Books of the Kings And though we know not which of these Histories viz. of the Kings or the Chronicles I speak as to the main Body of the Books not one particular Passage as that in the Close of the Second Book of Chronicles where mention is made of the Deliverance of the Iews by Cyrus which might be added afterwards were written first for the Book of Kings refers to the Book of Chronicles and this again sends the Reader to that yet this we see that this of the Chronicles is more full and ample sometimes than that of the Kings what was left out or not so fully set down in the one is supplied in the other And thence these Books are call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Remains Supplements Additions by the Greek Interpreters The first Book of Chronicles relates the Rise and Propagation of the People of Israel from Adam which is the entire Subject of the first Nine Chapters which consist wholly of Genealogies and then afterwards most punctually and accurately gives an Account of the Reign of David The second Book as faithfully sets down the Progress and End of the Kingdom of Iudah even to the Year of their return from the Captivity in Babylon These Books of Chronicles together with those of the Kings and Samuel make up the Best and Choicest History in the World Here we are abundantly furnish'd with such Useful Notices Truths and Maxims as these all confirmed by Noted and Illustrious Examples and such Instances as are Certain and Unquestionable Crowned Heads are encircled with Cares and seldom find rest and repose though their Lives are more Splendid yet they are not less Calamitous than those of the Common People Good Kings are rare and the Number of them is inconsiderable in comparison of those that are Bad. The best Kings have their Faults and some of them of a very scandalous Nature There is little Piety in Princes Courts and as little Integrity and Honesty The People are easily induced to follow the Examples of their Governours and Religion and Manners too often vary according to the Wills of Superiours Good Kings are the greatest Blessing and Wicked Ones are the greatest Curse to a Nation Princes mistake their Measures when they either disobey God or oppress their People Tyrannical Princes procure their own Ruine The Sins and Vices of Rulers prove fatal to their Subjects Publick Enormities are punish'd with Publick and National Calamities Kings may be known by the Ministers they choose and make use of Those Counsels that are founded in Religion are most successful Evil Counsellours contrive their own Destruction Wars are the Effect and Consequence of fighting against God The Success of Arms depends upon the Divine Blessing The Church is never more shock'd than under Bad Princes Religion and Reformation are never effectually promoted unless the Great Ones have a Hand in them Divisions and Rents about Religion have immediate influence on Secular Affairs and when the Church is divided the State is so too The Revolutions in both are by the particular Disposal of the Wise Over-ruler of the World True Religion and Godliness are attended with Earthly Rewards and Blessings and the contrary bring down the greatest Plagues even in this World The worst Times afford some of the Best and most Holy Religious and Zealous Men. Whatever Changes and Revolutions happen in the Kingdoms of the Earth the Church of God remains secure Though there are great and frequent Defections yet there never is a total Extinction of it In a Word the Church is impregnable this Rock is immoveable And many other Propositions and Maxims of the like Nature which are of great Service in the Life of Man are to be deduced from these Excellent Histories Ezra is a Continuation of the aforesaid Book of Chronicles and compriseth the History of the Jews from the time that Cyrus made the Edict for their Return until the twentieth Year of Artaxerxes Longimanus which was about a hundred Years For the Jews return from Babylon was at two several Times viz. first in the Days of Cyrus the first Perâ—â—an Monarch under the Conduct of Zerubbabel their Captain and Ieshua their High Priest Here are recorded the Number of those that returned Cyrus's Proclamation for the rebuilding of the Temple the Laying of the Foundations of it the Retarding of the Work under the Reign of two of the Kings of Persia at last the Finishing of the Temple in Darius's Reign The second Return of the Jews was in the Reign of Artaxerxes under the Conduct of Ezra a Priest who had been a Courtier in the Persian Court and was sent into Iudea by Artaxerxes in the seventh Year of his Reign which was above eighty Years after the first Return in Cyrus's Time to expedite the Building of Ierusalem This Pious Reformer observing the Peoples 〈◊〉 with Strangers and Inâ—idels and their joining themselves to them in Marriage proclaim'd a â—olemn Fast and Pray'd and Mourn'd and Lamented their gross Miscarriages and with great Earnestness and Zeal exhorted them to Reformation and Amendment of their Ways that they might thereby avert God's Wrath and conciliate his Favour and Pardon This is that Ezra who was the Penman of this Book and who was also a Restorer of the Sacred Books of the Old Testament and collected and methodized them into certain Order and reviewed the Copies and amended all Errata's that were contracted in the time of the Captivity Nehemiah who
Historical Part of the Bible Those Books then for so the Hebrews call any Writings which those Authors above-named wrote are not lost as some imagine â—â—t are still extant in the Bible for they are Parâ— of the Books of Samuel and the Kings This Answer is grounded on 1 Chron. 29. 29. The Acts of David the King first and last behold they are written in the Book or History of Samuel and in the Book of Nathan the Prophet c. which shews that the foresaid Books were a Collection made by several Prophets viz. Samuel Nathan Gad c. This I think is very plain and the foresaid Objection is wholly removed by it Then as to the rest of those Books which are said to be lost as the Sayings of the Seers 2 Chron. 33. 19. and the Book of the Acts of Solomon 1 Kings 11. 41. and the Book of Jehu the Son of Hanani 2 Chron. 20. 34. or any other which the Objectors mention it is granted by some very Sober Writers not only Foreigners but of our own Country that these Books are really lost but they deny that this is any Argument of the Imperfection of Scripture because these Books were not absolutely necessary neither are we certain that they were Divinely endited And this was the Opinion of the Antients as well as the Moderns Yea St. Chrysostom and some others of the Fathers who speak of these Books say positively that they were not written by Inspiration from Heaven To this Purpose St. Augustine hath this useful Distinction the Penmen of the Sacred Scripture saith he write some things as they are Men with Historical Care and Diligence other things they write as Prophets by Inspiration from God This then may satisfy us that all that was written by the Prophets and even by those Holy Men who were Authors of some Part of the Bible was not Canonical and Divine because they writ some things not as Inspired Persons but as meer Historians Some of this sort of Writings are referr'd to in the forecited Places and though they be not extant now yet the Scripture is not hereby rendered Imperfect because these were not such Parts of it as were Essential to it or were of Divine Inspiration The like may be said when in the Book of Kings there is frequent reference to the Book of Chronicles those of the Bible are not always meant being not then penned Besides that many things that are referr'd unto there are not found in these Books Wherefore it is probable that these were Additional Writings not belonging to the Body of the Canonical Scripture nor written by Persons that were Inspired and consequently though they are lost yet the Canon of the Bible is not impaired And indeed we find that those of the Protestant Perswasion as Whitaker Willet c. and among Foreigners Calvin Beza c. who acknowledg the loss of these Books do at the same time strongly assert the Perfection of the Holy Scriptures which they very consistently may do because they hold these Books to be no part of the Canon of the Bible Again if what we have said be not fully satisfactory this may be further added that the Complaint of the Loss of some Books of Holy Writ proceeds from the mistaking of the Word Sepher which is translated a Book but among the Hebrews is oftentimes no more than a Rehearsal or Commemoration of something a brief Narrative or Memoir a setting down any thing in Writing as you 'l find in these following Places Num. 5. 23. Iosh. â—8 9. 1 Sam. 10. 25. Esth. 9. 20. Isa. 30. 8. Ier. 32. 12 14. And sometimes it is nothing but a meer Genealogy as Gen. 5. 1. The book of the Generations of Adam So St. Matthew begins his Gospel The Book of the Generation of Iesus Christ Mat. 1. 1. i. e. his Genealogy or Pedigree a brief Enumeration of the Persons he descended from which is the proper Denotation of the Word Sepher from Saphar numerare recensere whence Siphra or Ciphra a Word that is used in most Languages Some not attending to this have fancied that a great many Books of the Sacred Writ are embezzled because they do not find such Formal Books as those of Iehu or of the Acts of Solomon c. now belonging to the Bible This arises from a misunderstanding of the Hebrew Word which signifies generally any Short kind of Writing or Memorandum This with the Answer before given will solve all Doubts concerning the Places afore alledged As to the common Objection concerning the Loss of Solomon's Books which are said to be mentioned in 1 Kings 4. 32 33. I answer 1. That when some call them Books it is more than they can prove it is not said that Solomon wrote but that he Spake of Trees and spake of Beasts c. i. e. he learnedly discoursed of these several Subjects upon occasion and Spake such a Number of Proverbs Here can be no Loss of Books then But 2. Suppose he committed these Disquisitions and Discourses to Writing and they are now lost it may be consumed when Nebuchadnezzar burnt Ierusalem or by some other Means imbezzled afterwards yet still this is nothing to the purpose because they were no Part of Canonical Scripture His Universal History of Vegetables from the Cedar even to the Hysop that grows out of the Wall and his Books of the Nature of all Animals in the Sea on the Land and in the Air appertained to Philosophy and might indeed have serv'd to have set up a Royal Society and have been advantageous to the Men who are employ'd in the Study of Nature for these questionless were full of Admirable Philosophy according to that great and matchless Measure of Wisdom which God had endued him with Thus far the Loss of those Writings is great but none but Philosophers ought to bewail it Tho I must suggest this by the way that perhaps there is no ground of complaining for them neither for it may be these Books of Plants and Animals were extant till Alexander the Great 's Days and being perused and understood by Aristotle and Theophrastus by the Help of an Interpreter they were transcribed by them and so set down as we find them in their Writings which have gain'd them so great Fame and Renown This may be the more credible especially as to Aristotle because we read that he was a Great Plagiary and burnt or otherwise made away those Writings from whence he borrowed his Notions If this be true it is likely we have these Books of Solomon extant still in those forenamed Authors we read his Natural History concerning Vegetables and Animals But as touching the three thousand Proverbs which he spake it is most reasonable to believe that most of them were only spoken not written down and as for those that were penn'd we have them at this Day in the Book of Proverbs which is Part of the Canon of Scripture There we have those Proverbs which the Holy
Reasons why the Apocryphal Writings are not received into the Canon of the Bible with an Answer to the Objections made by the Romanists SEcondly I proceed to the External Testimonies of the Truth of the Scriptures which being added to those Arguments which proved them to be True in Themselves will exceedingly corroborate our Belief of the Divine Authority of those Books And here I might mention the Testimony given to them by God in the wonderful Preservation of them through all Ages since they were first written In all the Changes of Affairs and the Overthrow of so many Cities and Kingdoms that Incomparable Treasure hath not been lost The Books of the Old Testament were kept untouched and inviolable at the sacking and burning of Ierusalem and all the time of the Captivity in Babylon and of the Dispersion of the Jews And ever since that time the Scriptures have been Unaltered in Words and Sense notwithstanding the frequent Endeavours of Satan's busy Agents to corrupt them yea utterly to destroy them And next to God's Providence in preserving these Books thrô all Times and Ages we might add the marvellous Success which hath attended the Holy Faith and Doctrine contained in these Writings They have prevail'd against the Power of Men and Devils and to this very day they are maintained and upheld maugre the Attempts of both of them to root them out of the World But I wave this intending not to insist upon Divine but Humane Testimony in this place By External Testimony then I mean here no other than this that Scripture is attested by Vniversal Tradition and this Tradition is both of Jews and Christians And what would a Man desire more in a humane way for attesting the Truth of these Writings From the joint Attestation of these Witnesses I shall make it appear that these Books which we now have are the true Copies of the first Originals that the same Books and Authors are faithfully delivered down to us which were first of all delivered to the Jews and to the Primitive Christians and that there is nothing in these Writings as we now have them that is falsified or corrupted First to begin with the Books of the Old Testament the Names of which are as follow Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Ioshuâ— Iudges Ruth the 1st and 2d Books of Samuel thâ— 1st and 2d Books of Kings tho 1st and 2d Books 〈◊〉 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Iob the Psalmâ— Proverbs Ecclesiastes the Song of Solomon the foâ—â— Greater Prophets and the twelve Lesser These and none but these were admitted into the Canâ— of the Holy Scriptures by the antient Church oâ— the Iews whose Testimony is very Authenticâ— here yea indeed we cannot have a better They acquaint us that these were the Only Writingâ— that were universally agreed by them to be extraordinarily Inspired and they further tell us that these Books which were writ by different Persons and at diverse Times were first compiled and collected into One Body or Volume by Ezra and the Assembly of Doctors for that purpose and consequently that the Canon of Sacred Scripture of the Old Testament as it is at this time was not constituted till Ezra's days by the Great Synagogue as they call it Upon his Return from the Captivity he undertook this good Work he gathered together all those dispersed Books before named and after he had reviewed them he publickly owned and solemnly vouched the Authority of every one of them that the Church for the future might not doubt of their being Authentick and True But some add here by way of Objection that this holy Man caused these Books to be written over in a New Character because the Jews had lost their knowledg of the former one as well as of the Tongue and consequently the Bible is not the same that it was at first Eusebius and Ierom are alledged for this especially the latter who seems to say that the Samaritan Character was the Old Hebrew Character in which the Bible was first writ and that it was first changed by Ezrd after the Return from Babylon he writing â—he Sacred Volume over in Assyrian or Chaldee Letters and neglecting the Old Hebrew ones which were the same that the Samaritan are And the reason of this was they say because the Jews were best acquainted with this Character at that time And some Modern Writers are gain'd over to this Opinion who talk much of the Change of the Character and endeavour to perswade us that the first and old Letters of the Hebrew Text were Samaritan but that those which we now have are Assyrian and of quite another sort But upon an impartial Enquiry I find little or no Foundation for this Opinion It rather seems to me to be an Invention and Dream of those who design to disparage the Hebrew Bible They would perswade us that the Authority of the Original is impaired because we have it not now as it was at the beginning for the Old Bible was in Samaritan Letters these being the first and antientest Hebrew Characters This is like the Story of the Hebrew Points being invented five hundred Years after Christ of which afterwards which tends to the same End namely to discredit the Hebrew Text which we now have and wholly to take away its Authority for if the Letters were changed it is probable some Words and consequently the Sense of some Places are altered But that this is groundless and that the Hebrew Bible is written in the same Characters now that it was at first you will find very largely and convincingly proved by the famous Buxtorf from the Authâ—rity of the Talmud especially the Gemara 〈◊〉 the Cabala from the Suffrage of the most Notâ— Rabbins of old and of the Learned Modern Jeâ—â— as Aben Ezra R. Solomon R. Ben Maimon â— who without doubt are very competent Judges 〈◊〉 this Case To these may be added several of 〈◊〉 Christian Perswasion as Picus Mirandula F. Iuniâ— Skikkard Postellus with those three Eminent Persons of our own Countrey Nic. Fuller Broughtâ—â— Lightfoot If you consult these they will satisfyâ— you that the Hebrew Letters which we have now in the Bible were the Primitive ones the very same that were of old But to give you my Thoughts impartially in this Point I do believâ— from what I find asserted by Writers on both sides that there were two sorts of Characters used by the Jews as there were two sorts of Cubits and Shekels the Sacred and Common and I gather that the Samaritan Letter was of the latter sort that which was commonly used and even sometimes in transcribing the Bible but the Sacred Character in use among the Jews was this which we now have and in which the Bible is at this day This is the true Original Hebrew Letter and was used from the beginning by them This I think may reconcile the Disputes among Writers for so far as I can perceive the Quarrels arise from this that there is
Alah nor Chi Alon nor Chi gnolam but Chi Elohim or Chi El take which you please that is referr'd to here by the Poet for these are the very words used in Scripture and we read that one of them especially is the express form of Swearing among the Hebrews Which is the thing I alledged this passage for viz. To let you see how Pagan Writers have frequent references to the Book of God and particularly the Name of the True God and to the Customs and Usages there spoken of and thereby do in some measure give testimony to the Truth and Reality of those Writings I would offer to the Learned another Notion in prosecution of the Subject I have been so long upon I am of the Opinion that from The frequent mention of Horns in the Old Testament the Heathens borrow'd the like expression and apply'd it in that very sense in which 't is used in those Holy Writings The Hebrew Keren whence the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latin Cornu and the German and English Horn signifies Might Strength Fortitude as also Ioy Safety Prosperity whence you read of the Horn of Salvation 2 Sam. 22. 3. Psal. 18. 2. and the exalting lifting up and setting 〈◊〉 the Horn 1 Sam. 2. 1. Ps. 75. 4 10. Ps. 89. 17. Ps. 112. 9. Lam. 2. 17. Zach. 1. 21. On the contrary cutting off the Horn signifies debasing degrading a mournful unsafe afflicted Condition 〈◊〉 is clear from Ps. 75 10. Ier. 48. 25. Lam. 2. 3. And defiling the Horn is of the same import 〈◊〉 16. 5. From the signification of the Verb Kuran we may be partly confirmed in this sense of the Noun Keren for 't is said of Moses's Face that it shone Ex. 34. 29. it was very Bright and Glorious The vulgar Latin renders it it was Horn'd and thence was said before Moses is â—sually Pictured with Horns But we must unâ—â—rstand it spoken Metaphorically viz. of those â—ays or Beams of Light which darted from his face and which were as 't were Horns of Light So in Hab. 3. 4. by Horns is meant Brightness or Light and it is so expresly interpreted in that rerse The Radiency the Splendour of Moses's Face was very great and is rightly called by the Apostle the Glory of his Countenance 2 Cor. 3. 7. So that hence we may gather that the word imports Outward Glory And as this word Keren signifies more generally Power Grandeur Ourward Glory and Prosperity so it more particularly denotes Kingly Power Soveraign Dominiou and Empire the Greatness and Splendor of Crowned Heads Whence by the way I propound it as probable that from the Eastern words Karan and Keren are derived the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dominus Imperator and the Latin Corona Thus Horn is applied in 1 Sam. 2. 10. He shall give strength unto his King and exalt the Horn of his Annointed And in the Psalms you will find that this word hath particular reference to David as King Ps. 89. 24. 91. 10. So in Ps. 132. 17. 't is spoken of him as the Lord 's Annointed and 't is joyn'd with a Crown in the next verse In the Book of Daniel this Language is very common in the 7th and 8th Chapters a Horn and Horns signifie Princely Dominion and the Persons that exercis'd it and in the latter of these Chapters those two Horn'd Beasts a Ram and a Goat are Representatives of Kings and Kingdoms It is in express words said in two places Horns are Kings Dan. 7. 24. 8. 7. Now from this particular stile and idiom of the Ancient Holy Book of the Scriptures the Heathen Writers learnt to speak after the same manner Not only in a general way was the word Horn used by some of their Authors to express Vigour Spirit Strength and Power but more especially and signally they makâ— use of it to signifie Supream Power and Dignity such as that of their Gods and of their Kings Thus Corniger was the Epithet of Iupiter Hammon and we may inform our selves from several Writers that he was commonly pictured with Horns which had its rise I conceive from the like representation of Great Ones in the Old Testament as you have heard I know other Reasons are alledg'd as that of Servius who thinks this Iupiter had that Title and was represented Horned because of his Winding Oracles because his Answers had as many crooked Turnings as a Ram's Horn. Macrobius and some others tell us that this Hammon was no other than the Sun whose Beams are Cornute whose Rays are in the fashion of Horns If the Moon had been meant then I confess the Epithet of Horned had been very Natural But I don't think that the Metaphorical Horns of the Sun which are its Rays were thought of here by the Antients Wherefore I look upon these as mean and trifling Reasons But the true occasion if I mistake not of their describing Iupiter Hammon with Horns and of representing other Gods as Pan and Bacchus after the same manner was this that they complied with the Stile of the Sacred Writings as was an usual thing with them which set forth Great Power Magnificence and Glory especially Kingly Power and Greatness by the expression of Horns This suited well with their Gods who were Great Folks and generally Deified Kings We read that a Ram and a Goat are Symbols of Regal Strength in the Prophetick Writings in imitation of which it is probable Iupiter Hammon was worshipp'd in Afsrick in the shape of an Image which had partly the proportions of a Ram and partly of a Goat And from the same Original viz. the Holy Scriptures it was that Antiently the Pagan Kings and Monarchs were represented and stiled Horned as we may satisfie our selves from several Authors It is well known that Alexander the Great was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bicornis of which some give this Reason because say they of the amplitude of his Empire which was extended to both the extream Horns of the World East and West Others say he would have been thought to be the Son of Iupiter Hammon who was Cornute and accordingly they drew Alexander so And there are other Reasons assign'd by Authors why this Great Conquerour had the denomination of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but they seem to be far fetch'd and not to give us the true and genuine account of it which I take to be this viz. That this Title was derived to the Gentiles from the frequent Language and Phraseology of the Old Testament which expresses Kingly Power by Horns and more especially from the Prophecy of Daniel where the Grecian Monarchy is deseribed by a He Goat an Horn'd Animal and the first King of that third Monarchy viz. Alexander the Great is signified by Keren Chazuth a Notable Horn Dan. 8. 5. a Great and Visible Horn as the Hebrew word properly signifies And again he is call'd in the same Chapter the Great Horn v. 21. All Interpreters agree in
Moses or of others who writ those Books whence it is that we now read of the Names of Places which were not given at that time when they are mentioned but are only by way of Anticipation inserted into the History Near of kin to this is Hysterosis another Usual Figure in Scripture which is when the proper and genuine Order of the Words is not kept And this is observable either in some single Words and Verses or in some Chapters Of the former sort is Gen. 10. 1. where the Sons of Noah are reckoned in this order Shem Ham and Iapheth yet Iapheth was the Eldest Brother It is true Scaliger holds the very order of the Generation which this Verse sets down and saith Shem was Noah's First-born and Iapheth his youngest But 't is generally agreed on by the Learned that this is not the right order for first the Septuagint expresly say Iapheth was the Elder Brother of Shem v. 21. Again Iosephus in his Jewish Antiquities reckons them thus Iapheth the eldest Son C ham the next and Sheâ— the youngest of all Moreover according to the Chaldee Paraphrast who is of good Repute this is the true Order Lastly you will find it observ'd in the following Parts of this Chapter the Generations begin first with Iapheth then pass to Cham and end with Shem. All which shews that there is a Transposition in the first Verse and that the true ranking of them is not there kept We read in Gen. 11. 26. that Terab begat Abram Nahor and Haran but the naming of Abram first of the three Brethren doth not prove that he was eldest but there is some Ground to believe that he was not And as the true Order of Words in some Verses is not always exact so neither is the true Series of History observ'd in some Chapters Thus in Gen. 2. after God's resting on the seventh Day v. 1. you read of God's forming Man and Woman v. 7. 18. which was the Sixth Day 's Work and therefore according to the True Order of things should have been part of the Contents of the First Chapter So the Division of the Earth which is the Subject of the 10th of Genesis is set before the Confusion of Tongues spoken of in the 11th Chapter notwithstanding this was before that and was the occasion of it And some Instances of this Nature are in those Historical Books of Samuel the Kings and Chronicles The seventh and eighth Chapters of Daniel are misplaced they should of right have been inserted before viz. immediately after the 4th Chapter for they speak of what happened in Belshazzar's time although the foregoing Chapter relates what was done by Darius after Belshazzar was slain and the Kingdom of Babylon became his And in many other Places of the Sacred Writings there is a Transposing of things and sometimes that is placed first which was done last To which purpose the Hebrew Doctors have long since pronounced that there is neither Before nor After in the Law A late Author tells us that the Reason is because the Books of the Pentateuch and some others were written upon little Scrolls or Sheets of Paper not so well fastned together as our Books now are and so the Order of these Scrolls was changed But this is an upstart Invention of this Gentleman's Brain and hath no Foundation but his own Fancy for as he mistakes Paper for Parchment there being perhaps no such thing as the former in those Days so he is mistaken in his Conceit about fastning those Parchment-Writings together First I say he proceeds upon a wrong Foundation because he asserts the antientest Books of the Bible to have been written on Paper whereas it doth not appear that this Invention is so old and on the other side there are undeniable Proofs of the great Antiquity of Parchment and that it was made use of for Books to write upon That which hath occasioned some Learned Men and 't is likely our present Author who is most justly rank'd in the Number of the Learned to think otherwise was that Passage in Pliny's Natural History where he reports that Ptolomee Philadelph King of Egypt forbad the exporting of the Papyrus of which Paper was made at that time out of his Territories Whereupon Eumenes King of Pergamus found out another way of making Paper of the inmost Skins of Beasts which was call'd Pergamena because 't was invented in Pergamus first But this was a great Oversight of Pliny for that was not the first Use of them they were much antienter than that time Diodorus the Sicilian tells us that the Persian Annals were writ in Parchment which is a great Proof of its being very Antient. Salmuth in his Commentary upon Pancirol thinks the Antiquity of this Membrana is proved from Iovis diphthera the Skin of the Goat that suckled Iupiter in which the Antientest Memorials of things in the World were thought to be written And out of Herodotus the great Father of History he hath a very considerable Quotation who relates that some of the Old Grecians made use of the Skins of Goats and Sheep to write in and therefore they call their Books Skins And he adds that many of the Barbarians write in such Skins Now we know who they were that the Pagans used to call Barbarians viz. the Iews and therefore it is probable these are meant here It may have relation to their writing the Books of the Old Testament in Parchment But if This concerning the particular Reference of these Words to the Iews be a Conjecture only yet the other things which have been suggested are a clear and evident Proof of the Antient Use of the Membrana and we have no reason to question that the Bible it self was written in it That it was so we learn from Iosephus who assures us that Eleazar the High Priest sent away the 72 Elders or Interpreters to Ptolomee with the Bible written in â—ine Parchment and he tells us in the same Place which is very remarkable and to our purpose that King Ptolomee was astonished to see the Parchments so fine and delicate and to observe the whole Form of them so exactly joined together that no one could possibly discern where the Seams were From which Testimony of this Learned Jew it is evident that there was Parchment found out and used in Writing before the time that Pliny talks of i. e. before Eumenes's time And as for this Eumenes who is by some Writers also call'd Attalus for it appears plainly that 't is the same Man the same King of Pergamus he was not the Person that invented it nor was it in his time invented he only procured a great Quantity of it to be made and so it became common in Greece and Asia whence some and Pliny among the rest thought he was the first Inventer of it This was the Rise of the Mistake But the Truth of the Matter is this which the Learnedest Men
of it Anah's Invention of Mules Writers borrow from one another The Bible only is the Book that is beholden to no other Here is the Antientest Learning in the World and that of all Kinds 'T is common with Authors to contradict themselves and one another they are uncertain lubricous and fabuâ—ous But the Divine Writers alone are certain and infallible How strange and improbable soever some of the Contents of this Holy Book may seem to be they justly command our firm Assent to them p. 263 CHAP. VII A particular Distribution of the several Books of the Old Testament Genesis the first of them together with the four following ones being written by Moses his ample Character or Panegyrick is attempted wherein there is a full Account of his Birth Education Flight from Court retired Life his Return to Egypt his conducting of the Israelites thence his immediate Converse with God in the Mount his delivering the Law his Divine Eloquence his Humility and Meekness his Sufferings his Miracles and his particular Fitness to write these Books A Summary of the several Heads contain'd in Genesis to which is added a brief but distinct View of the Six Days Works wherein is explained the Mosaick Draught of the Origine of all things and at the same time the bold Hypotheses of a late Writer designed to confront the First Chapter of the Bible are exposed and refuted The Contents of the Book of Exodus to which is adjoined a short Comment on the Ten Plagues of Egypt A Rehearsal of the remarkable Particulars treated of in Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy That Moses was the Pen-man and Author of the Pentateuch notwithstanding what some have lately objected against it p. 305 CHAP. VIII A short Survey of the Books of Joshua Judges Ruth which is a Supplement to the History of the Iudges Samuel the Kings Chronicles Ezra which is a Continuation of the Chronicles Nehemiah Esther The Author Stile Composure Matter of the Book of Job discuss'd An Enquiry into the Penmen Subjects Kinds Titles Poetick Meter and Rhythm of the Psalms p. 350 CHAP. IX The Book of Proverbs why so call'd The transcendent Excellency of these Divine and Inspired Aphorisms Some Instances of the Different Application of the Similitudes used by this Author The Book of Ecclesiastes why so entituled The Admirable Subject of it succinctly displayed The particular Nature of the Canticle or Mystical Song of Solomon briefly set forth It is evinc'd from very cogent Arguments that Solomon died in the Favour of God and was saved The Books of the Four Great Prophets Isaiah Jeremiah with his Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel are described So are those of the Twelve Lesser Prophets Hosea c. p. 379 CHAP. X. An Account of the Writings of the Four Evangelists the peculiar Time Order Stile Design of their Gospels The Acts of the Apostles shew'd to be an Incomparable History of the Primitive Church The Epistles of St. Paul particularly delineated He is proved to be the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews An Enquiry into the Nature of this Apostle's Stile and manner of Writing The excellent Matter and Design of the Epistles of St. James St. Peter St. John St. Jude An Historical Series or Order is not observ'd in the Book of the Revelation p. 415 CHAP. XI None of the Books of the Holy Scripture are lost Not the Book of the Covenant Nor the Book of the Wars of the Lord Nor the Book of Iasher Nor the Acts of Vzziah An Account of the Book of Samuel the Seer the Book of Nathan the Prophet the Book of Gad the Seer the Book of Iddo the Books of Shemaiah Iehu c. What is to be thought concerning the Books of Solomon mention'd 1 Kings 4. 32 33. Objections drawn from Jam. 4. 5. from Luke 11. 49. from Acts 20. 35. from Jude v. 14. from 1 Cor. 5. 9. from Col. 4. 16. fully satisfied Other Objections from 1 Cor. 7. 6 12 25. 2 Cor. 8. 8. 11. 17. particularly answer'd p. 451 CHAP. XII A short View of the Eastern Translations of the Old Testament especially of the Targums The several Greek Translations more especially that of the LXX Jewish Elders The impartial History of them and their Version Some immoderately extol it others as excessively inveigh against it The true Grounds of the Difference between the Hebrew Text and the Greek Translation of the Septuagint assigned viz. One Hebrew Vowel is put for another One Consonant for another Sometimes both Vowels and Consonants are mistaken The Difference of the Signification of some Hebrew Words is another Cause sometimes the Sense rather than the Word it self is attended to Some Faults are to be attributed to the Transcribers Some because the LXX are Paraphrasts rather than Translators they take the liberty to insert Words and Passages of their own The Greek Version hath been designedly corrupted in several Places Why the Apostles in their Sermons and Writings made use of this Version though it was faulty Sometimes the Sacred Writers keep close to the Hebrew Text and take no notice of the Seventy's Translation of the Words At other times in their Quotations they confine themselves to neither but use a Latitude The Greek Version is to be read with Candour and Caution and must always give way to the Hebrew Original The chief Latin Translations of the Bible especially the Vulgar examined Modern Latin Translations and lastly our own English one consider'd p. 477 CHAP. XIII Our English Translation shew'd to be faulty and defective in some Places of the Old Testament But more largely and fully this is performed in the several Books of the New Testament where abundant Instances are produced of this Defect and particular Emendations are all along offer'd in order to the rendring our Translation more exact and compleat The Date of the Division of the Bible into Chapters and Verses p. 532 CHAP. XIV The Reader is invited to the Study of the Bible as he values the Repute of a Scholar and a Learned Man That he may successfully study this Holy Book he must be furnish'd with Tongues Arts History c. It is necessary that he be very Inquisitive and Diligent in searching into the Mind and Design of the Sacred Writers In examining the Coherence of the Words In Comparing Places together In observing and discovering the peculiar Grace and Elegancy and sometimes the Verbal Allusions and Cadences of the Holy Scripture of which several Instances are given He must also be Morally qualified to read this Book i. e. he ought to banish all Prejudice He must be Modest and Humble He must endeavour to free himself from the Love of all Vice He must with great Earnestness implore the Assistance of the Holy Spirit p. 532 OF THE EXCELLENCY PERFECTION OF THE Holy Scriptures CHAP. I. The different Esteem and Sentiment of Persons concerning the Authors they make choice of to read No Writings can equal the Bible It hath been highly valuâ—d in all Ages by
contain'd and here are those Choice Materials which no other Histories furnish us with But I should be endless if I should enlarge here by particularizing therefore I will not launch out but only commend to the Reader the Learned Endeavours of Strigelius in his Commentaries on the Books of Samuel Kings Chronicles where he will be amply convinc'd of the unparallell'd Diversity Multiplicity and Peculiar Excellency of the Historical Examples in Scripture The Antientest Poetry is in the Old Testament for as Moses was the first Historian so he is the first Poet that is â—xtant A Proof of this we have in that Eucharistick Song which he composed upon his passing the Red Sea and is recorded in Exod. 15. An Admirable Hymn it is and in Hexameter Verse if Iosephus may be Judg in this Matter and if a Christian Father may be credited who had more Hebrew than most of the Writers of the Church in his time yea more than all of them except Origen But whether this be true or no this is without Controversy that there is no Piece of Poetry in the World that hath the Priority of this of Moses for Orpheus who is reckon'd by the Pagans as the First Poet was according to the most favourable Computation of some of their Historians three hundred Years after Moses and Homer was towards six hundred Besides this Divine Hymn there are other Antient ones of the like nature recorded in the same Authentick Writings viz. Deborah's Song Iudg. 5. which hath many Noble Flights of Poetry and that of Hannah the Mother of Samuel 1 Sam. 2. 1 c. which hath Excellent Poetick Raptures And here by the way I will offer this Conjecture that perhaps from Miriam's bearing her part in Moses's Song Exod. 15â— 20 21. and from these other Womens Poetick Inspiration which came to be celebrated among the neighbouring Nations the Poets who as I have largely shew'd elsewhere have frequent References to the Old Testament took occasion to report that Poetry was of Female Extraction and that Calliope one of that Sex was the Author of their Faculty Other famous Instances there are here of this Sacred Art as David's Incomparable Elegy on the Death of Saul and Ionathan 2 Sam. 1. 16 c. that Gratulatory Hymn in the 12th Chapter of Isaiah Hezekiah's Song of Praise in the 38th of the same Prophet Habakkuk's Lofty Description of the Divine Majesty and Greatness in Poetick Numbers chap. 3. the Stile of which is far more sublime and majestick than any of Orpheus or Pindar's Odes I appeal to any Man of Skill and that hath a right Poetick Genius whether this be not true And as there are these single Hymns and Songs so there are Just Poems for of the Books of the Old Testament there are six that are composed and writ in Verse viz. the Books of Iob the Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Canticles Lamentations As to the Nature of the Hebrew Poesy and the Kinds of Verses which are in the Bible the Learned Mersennus and others have given us some Account of them but it is very short and mean and much of it is mere Surmise and therefore I will not trouble the Reader with it A late Writer hath attempted to prove that the Hebrew Verse or Poetry of the Old Testament is in Rhythm which I believe is true in many Places and if the Pronuntiation and Sound were the very same now that they were when these Poetick Books were composed we should observe the Cadence in them more frequently But he goes too far in asserting that all the Hebrew Poesy in Scripture is Rhythmed for they were not so exact at first though the Verses end with the same Sound sometimes yet generally they took a Liberty Upon Examination we may find this to be true and I may have occasion to say something further of it when I come to speak particularly of the Psalms But the other Assertion viz. that the Psalms and other Pieces of Hebrew Poetry are always Rhythmical necessarily infers a great many Faults and Mistakes in the Scripture it supposes several Places to be corrupted and mangled for we do not find all the Poetry of the Bible to be such at this day and consequently subverts the Truth and Authority of the Bible which is by no means to be allowed of All that I will add under this Head is that even among the Gentiles the first and antientest Writers were Poets Strabo undertakes to shew that Poetry was before Prose and that this is but an Imitation of that It can't be denied that the First Philosophers writ in Verse as Orpheus parmenides Empedocles Theognis Phocylides c. and thence as One of the Learnedest Men of our Age observes the Moral Precepts of the Philosophers were call'd of old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Carmina The Grecian Oracles were delivered in Verse Concerning the Agathyrsi we are told by Aristotle that their Laws were all in Metre Concerning the Old Germans Tacitus relates that their very Records and Annals were in Verse And all this it is probable was in Emulation of the First Sacred Writers the Penmen of the Old Testament in whose Writings there are several things dictated in Measure and some entire Books are altogether Metrical for it was the Design of the Holy Ghost to delight as well as profit With Poetry let us join Musick it being of so near Affinity with it and the First Inventer of this also is to be known only from the Scripture which informs us that Iubal the Son of Lamech the sixth from Adam was the Father of such as handle the Harp and Organ Gen. 4. 21. From whose Name some have thought the Iubilee was called because it was proclaim'd with Musick The poets tell us that Apollo and Mercury were the first Authors of it by whom it is not improbable they meant Moses who first gives an Account of the Original of this Art and might well be represented by Apollo because of his Singular Wisdom and by Mercury because he was the First Interpreter of the Divine Will in his Writings and on other Accounts merited that Name as I have evidenc'd in another Place Perhaps the Story of Pythagoras's finding our Musical Notes from the Strokes of the Hammers upon the Smith's Anvil was suggested from this that the first Musical Instrumeâ—â—â— were made of Iron and Brass the Metals of the Smith and Brasier Or if I should guessâ— it a downright Mistake of Tuâ—al for Iubal Sons of the same Father a Smith for a Musician or that it was suggested from the Musick of their Nameâ— Tuâ—al and Iubal having some affinity in the Sound it would be hard to disprove it But that which is certain is this that as the First Inventers oâ— other things are recorded in Scripture so particularly is he that found out Musick and by the Harp and the Organ all other Musical Inâ—trumentâ— are meant whether Pulsative or Pneumatick And it is not improbable that the
History both domestieâ— and foreign All that are conversant in this way of Study complain and that justly of the erroneous Misrepresentations of Passages of all sorts among Historians and of our Darkness and Ignorance by reason of these But no such thing is to be fear'd or so much as suspected in the Sacred History because God himself speaks there and therefore we have the surâ—â— ground for our Faith that we can desire There is no Authority so firm as that which is Divine there is no Testimony so strong and valid as that which is from the Holy Spirit And such is that of the Holy Scriptures and consequently it most justly challengeth yea commandeth our Faith and Assent This is the singular Pre-eminence and Advantage which this Book hath above all others that the Penmen of it were directed by the unerring Spirit of God This alone is sufficient to determine and six us it being the most stable as well as the most proper Basis of our Belief even where things that are very Improbable are propounded to us to be assented to Besides as to the seeming Improbability of some things that are related in the Historical Part of the Bible this ought not to hinder us from giving Credit to them Many Persons are wont to look upon these Passages and Stories as Strange and almost Incredible which they observe are not sutable to the Manners Customs Arts and Conversation of the World as it is at present and thence they are enclined to think that there were no such things heretofore But these Men do not well consider nor distinguish between those times and these which are exceedingly Different And moreover if they suspend their Belief of some things which they read in the Old Testament because they see other things now things of a Different Nature they may as well disbelieve all the Other Histories of the Antients that are extant which yet we see they are very backward to do And they have good Reason on their Side because the World is not now as it was then and therefore we must not expect that the things which we read of in those times should be fully conformable and agreeable to what occurs in these latter Days For this Reason a very Solid and Judicious Writer hath defended the Antient History of the Greeks and Latins whereof whatever is strange is in Herodotus and Pliny shewing that though some fabulous Narrations and many gross Mistakes and Errors are intermingled the Strangeness of some Passages which we meet with in them proceeds from the Diversity of Times the Posture of the World having much changed since those things happened Let us make use of the same Reasoning in the present case and when we find several Strange Unusual and Surprizing Matters in the Writings of the Old Testament impute this to the Antientness of them and the great Discrepancy between those Days and these we now live in If we do so there will be no Impediment to our steady Belief of the Truth of them Nay if we weigh things well we shall see it is ridiculous to expect that the Guises and Manners of the World should be the same now that they were 4 or 5000 Years ago for there must needs be new things when the Numbers of Persons are so vastly increased when the Difference of Climes produces such Diversity of Dispositions when Casualty Necessity Industry Wit c. are the Occasions of so many new Occurrences Let this be remembred and seriously thought of and it will dispel our vain Scruples and Disbelief Or if there be any remaining the former Consideration will throughly extirpate them i. e. if we call to mind the Undoubted Certainty and Infallibility of the Scripture which is its peculiar Prerogative and Excellency CHAP. VII A particular Distribution of the several Books of the Old Testament Genesis the first of them together with the four following ones being written by Moses his ample Character or Panegyrick is attompted wherein there is a full Account of his Birth Education Flight from Court retired Life his Return to Egypt his conducting of the Israelites thence his immediate Converse with God in the Mount his delivering the Law his Divine Eloquence his Humility and Meekness his Sufferings his Miracles and his particular Fitness to write these Books A Summary of the several Heads contain'd in Genesis to which is added a brief but distinct View of the Six Days Works wherein is explained the Mosaick Draught of the Origine of all things and at the same time the bold Hypotheses of a late Writer designed to confront the First Chapter of the Bible are exposed and refuted The Contents of the Book of Exodus to which is adjoined a short Comment on the Ten Plagues of Egypt A Rehearsal of the remarkable Particulars treated of in Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy That Moses was the Pen-man and Author of the Pentateuch notwithstanding what some have lately objected against it To demonstrate yet further the Excellency of these Holy Writings I will enter upon the Third way of Proof which I proposed that is I will give you a Particular Account of the several Books contained in the Old and New Testament and I will shew all along the particular Usefulness and Excellency of them I begin first with the Old Testament which is divided by the Jews into three general Parts first Torah the Law which contains the five Books of Moses then Nebiim the Prophets which comprehends the Books of Ioshua Iudges first and second Book of Samuel the first and second of the Kings Isaiah Ieremiah Ezekiel the twelve Small Prophets all which make the second Volume then the Chetubim the Holy Writers in which are included the Psalms Proverbs Iob Canticles Ruth Lamentations Ecclesiastes Esther Daniel Ezra Nehemiah Chronicles and these made the third Volume The Books of this last Rank were written say the Jewish Doctors by the Inspiration of the Spirit but the Writers were not admitted into the Degree of Prophets because they had no Vision but their Senses remained perfect and entire all the while only the Holy Spirit stirr'd them up and dictated such and such things to them which they writ down For you must know that the Old Jews thought nothing to be right Prophecy but what was conveyed in Dreams or Visions But though this be a Rabbinical Conceit and hereby they strike David and some others out of the Number of the Prophets who were the Chief of them yet the Partition of the Old Testament as it may be rightly understood is not altogether to be rejected nay it seems to be allowed of by our Saviour himself Luke 24. 44. where he tells his Apostles that all things must be fulfilled which were written concerning him in the whole Old Testament viz. in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms under these last comprising all the other Parts of the Hagiographa Or you may divide the Books as they stand in their order in the
Septuagint and Latin Version and according to them in our English Bibles into these three sorts Historical Doctrinal and Prophetical The Historical Books are Narratives of things done and these are fifteen whereof Genesis is the first and Iob the last Or if you reckon the two Parts of the History of Samuel and the Kings and those likewise of the Chronicles as distinct Books then there are eighteen in all The Doctrinal Books are such as purposely and wholly instruct us in our Devotion and a Holy Life these are four the Psalms the Proverbs Ecclesiastes and Solomon's Song The Prophetick Books are those which consist chiefly in Predictions concerning the Deliverance of the Church the Punishment of its Enemies and the Coming of Christ in the Flesh. These were written either by the Greater Propbets as Isaiah Ieremiah Ezâ—kiel Daniel to which also appertain the Lamentations of Ieremiah or by the Lesser whereof the first is Hosea and Malachi the last Having thus given you a Distribution of the Several Books I come now to a Particular Survey of them the first whereof is Genesis which together with the other Parts of the Pentateuch was written by Moses who being the First Writer that we know of extant in the World and being every ways so Remarkable and Admirable a Person I think my self obliged before I proceed any further to present you with the Character of this Excellent Man that in what we shall deliver concerning this One Penman of Scripture you may guess how large we might be in commendation of the rest But because we cannot have leisure to do so in all the others that follow I will offer here a Specimen of it in this First Inspired Writer whom we have occasion to mention He was born about the Year of the World 2370 in Egypt of Hebrew Parents who presently read in his Face extraordinary Marks of Divinity and therefore were unwilling to discover his Birth to the Egyptians that he might not according to Pharaoh's Order be hurried into Nile and there drowned However in this River they resolve to expose him in an Ark of Bull-rushes and to commit both Him and the Care of this Little Vessel in which he was embarked to the Great Pilot of the World And behold it arrived at a safe Harbour and no meaner a Person than the King's Daughter received the little Passenger into her Embraces and caused him to be brought to Court and bred up as her own Son Here he became Learned in all the Wisdom of the Egyptians in all those Arts and Sciences wherein they used to instruct their Youth which they chiefly designed for the Service of their Country viz. in Arithmetick Geometry Musick Astronomy for these were Sciences that they thought were Natural to Mens Minds and were the first things taught not only by the Egyptians but the rest of the Antients in their Schools Hence it was written in great Letters over the Entry of Plato's School 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 None must be admitted into this Place but such as have been initiated into Geometry such as have had a taste of it at least Therefore this and the forenamed Arts were termed Mathematicks i. e. Learning or Discipline by way of Eminency In all these was this young Courtier brought up and skilled in all Philosophical Accomplishments and the Knowledg of Nature Besides he was more especially instructed in that Abstruse and Recondite Knowledg which the Egyptians were peculiarly Masters of namely their Hieroglyphick Cyphers their Mystical Symbols and Figures whereby they represented the choicest Truths to Mens Minds This way of Symbolical Learning furnish'd them with all kinds of Notions that were serviceable in the Life of Man they were taught hence the best Rules of Morality the profoundest Maxims in Politicks and the most useful Sentiments in Theology This was the Celebrated Wisdom of the Egyptians in which Moses was educated being sent by Pharaoh's Daughter to the best Academies and Schools of Learning and committed to the best Tutors and having moreover the Advantage of his own Excellent Parts and Quick Ingeny for he who was so Eminent as to his Bodily Features and Proportions had without doubt as Fair a Soul But 't is time now for Moses to leave the Court and to add to all his other Accomplishments that of Travelling And truly he was neceslitated to this for the Court could not bear him any longer because He could not bear it he every Day more and more disliked their Manners contemned their Gay Follies laugh'd at their empty Titles and refused to be call'd the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter He was now resolv'd to help and assist his oppressed Brethren though by that Attempt he should lose the Favour of the King and his Royal Patroness and with that all Possibility of being Great yea though he should incur the Danger of being Miserable above the degree of his former Happiness He chose rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God his Hebrew Brethren than to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a Season in Pharaoh's Court esteeming the Reproach of or for Christ greater Riches than the Treasures in Egypt In pursuance of this he visited his Brethren the Children of Israel who now groaned under their extreme Bondage and Slavery in that Country he boldly defended them when â—e saw them suffering wrong and avenged the Cause of the Oppressed and smote the Egyptians This made him taken notice of by the Egyptian Lords and Taskmasters who presently went and represented his Carriage to the Court and thereupon he was banished thence for his daring to take the part of any of those Hebrew Bondslaves Then fled Moses into the Land of Midian and was a Shepherd there forty Years just as many as he had been a Courtier This was the sudden Change of his Condition and he made it serviceable to the best Ends. He went out of the World as it were to come into it with the greater Vigour for his Retired Life fitted him for Publick Atchievements afterwards his Contemplative and Solitary way of living prepared him for Action his Low and Mean Estate was the Forerunner of his being call'd to an High one God bestows not on a Man Magnificence unless he first makes Trial of him in some Small thing say the Rabbies and they instance in Moses and David who kept Sheep Kings were antiently stiled Shepherds and sometimes were really such God calls Cyrus his Shepherd Isa. 44. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Epithet of a Prince in Homer which ' Plato explains by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Feeder and Nourisher of the Flock of Mankind The three Hebrew Verbs nahag nahal ragnah signify to lead or feed Sheep and to govern So do the Greek Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is both a Palace Luke 11. 21. John 18. 15. and a Sheepfold John 10. 1. The Word Shebet is both a Scepter and a Pastoral Rod. The Shepherd's Employment saith
I find it is yea flatly denied by Aben Ezra and Pererius and lately by Hobbs and Spinosa A very little Portion of them was writ by him saith Monsieur Simon who hath a new Notion of certain Publick Scribes or Registers that penn'd this and other Parts of the Old Testament which sort of Abbreviating Notaries he borrows from the Egyptians as he confesâ—es himself because there were such Officers in the Egyptian Court who had a Privilege to add to or take away from to amplify or abridg the Publick Records he thence groundlesly infers there were such among the Iews who made what Alterations they pleased in the Sacred Writings which Paradox of his I have consider'd and made some Reflections upon in a former Treatise This I may truly say that it is not necessary that we should know who was the Particular Penman of this or any other Book of the Holy Scripture because the Authority of them depends not on the Writers of them but on the Holy Ghost who endited them They are the Books of God that is their peculiar Character and Dignity and that alone makes them Authentick after they have been delivered to us by the unanimous Consent of the Church so that there is no absolute Necessity of our certain knowing who penn'd them Yet this must be said that it cannot with Reason be denied that the Authors of some of these Sacred Books are well known and particularly there are very convincing Proofs that Moses wrote the Books which I have been giving an Account of This may be evinc'd from our Saviour's Words Luke 16. 31. 24. 27. where by Moses as is most evident he means the Books of the Pentateuch and consequently thereby lets us know that Moses was the Writer of them And more expresly the Book of Exodus is call'd the Book of Moses by our same Infallible Master Mark 12. 26. And St. Paul tells us that when these Books are read Moses is read 2 Cor. 3. 19. And both our Saviour and this Apostle distinguish between Moses and the Prophets Luke 16. 29. Acts 26. 22. plainly signifying that as those Books which pass under the Prophets Names are theirs so these that are said to be Moses's were written by him I think this is very plain and needs not to be further insisted on As to the Objections of those Men before named against this I forbear to produce them and to return particular Answers to them because this is so lately done by Monsieur Clerk and because another Learned Frenchman hath laudably performed this Task Especially he hath with great Vigour and as great Success attack'd Spinosa a Iew as they tell us by Birth but neither Iew nor Christian by Profession but a Derider of both We may also find his Arguments which are generally borrow'd from Aben Ezra refuted with great Clearness by the Learned Professor of Diâ—inity at Paris who at the same time betakes himself to the Positive Part and renders it unquestionable that Moses himself was the Author of the Five Books that go under his Name Wherefore the particular Fancies of those few Objectors and those no Friends to the Sacred Text are not to be heeded by us As to that common Scruple which is so much insisted upon that in the last Book of the Pentateuch there is mention of Moses's Death and some things that happen'd after it whence they conclude that Moses wrote not those Books or at least not the last of them I take this to be a sufficient Answer that Moses being a Prophet might foresee and have revealed to him a particular Account of his own Death and so he committed it to writing by a Prophetick Spirit wherefore none can from thence prove that he was not the Penman of all this Book However we will not contend here for perhaps the Conclusion of this Book was affixed by Ioshua or afterwards by Ezra who was an Inspired Person likewise and who revised the Books of the Old Testament and inserted some things into them by the same Spirit that endited the rest Notwithstanding then the foresaid Objection which refers only to a few Passages in the End of the Book of Deuteronomy wâ— have Reason to assert that the whole Five Books excepting that little Addition in the Close were written by Moses these are his Authentick Records consisting chiefly of History which compriseth in it the Occurrences of about 2400 Years and Laws which were given by God Himself to his own People and will be of use to the End of the World Here is the Cabinet of the greatest Antiquity under Heaven here are the First and Oldest Monuments of the World CHAP. VIII A short Survey of the Books of Joshua Judges Ruth which is a Supplement to the History of the Iudges Samuel the Kings Chronicles Ezra which is a Continuation of the Chronicles Nehemiah Esther The Author Stile Composure Matter of the Book of Job discuss'd An Enquiry into the Penmen Subjects Kinds Titles Poetick Meter and Rhythm of the Psalms NExt unto this is that Excellent History written by Ioshua the Captain General of the Israelites and Moses's famous Successor whose very Name without doubt was as terrible to the Canaanites as those of Hunniades and Scanderbeg were afterwards to the Turks Here he admirably describes the Holy War the Martial Atchievements and Stratagems of the People of God against those Nations whose Lands they were to possess and at length their Victory over them Here are very particularly set down their Conquests over those Kings and Countries This Book is the Fulfilling of the Promises which were made to them concerning the entring into Canaan and enjoying that Land which is a Type of the Heavenly Canaan the everlasting Rest which remaineth to the People of God Heb. 4. 9. Here is the Actual Possession of that Promised Inheritance and the Division of it among the several Tribes by Lot The short is in the whole Book which I must not now give you by retail there are abundant Demonstrations of the Divine Providence repeated Instances of the Infinite Kindness of God to his Servants remarkable Examples of the Divine Vengeance on his Enemies yea and visible Proofs of his Severe Dealings with his own People when they refuse to obey his Will and when they act contrary to it Here is in the large Account which is given of Ioshua and his Actions an Exact Character of a Worthy Prince a Ruler a General who ought to signalize himself by his Exemplary Piety and Zeal for Religion by his constant Sobriety Justice and Charity by his undaunted Courage Valour and Prowess by his deep Wisdom Policy and Conduct And his Great and Wonderful Success which is so much required in a General crowned all The Whole contains the History of the Jews from Moses's Death till the Death of their Great Commander Ioshua in all about eighteen Years And 't is not to be wondered at that the Age Death and Burial of this latter are
Close of it when Christ shall come to Judgment Thus I have attempted to evince the Perfection of Scripture by enumerating all the Books of both TESTAMENTS and giving you a brief Account of them These Excellent and Incomparable Books are the True Pandects indeed the Books that comprehend all that treat of every thing that is necessary They are the most Valuable Collection of Writings under Heaven they are of all the Books in the World the most worthy of all Acceptation because they are our Infallible Rule and Surest Guide to Wisdom Holiness and Blessedness to the Attainment of the most Desirable Things here and of the most Eligible hereafter If this and all that I have said before do not prove them to be Compleats and Perfect I despair of ever telling you what will CHAP. XI None of the Books of the Holy Scripture are lost Not the Book of the Covenant Nor the Book of the Wars of the Lord Nor the Book of Iasher Nor the Acts of Vzziah An Account of the Book of Samuel the Seer the Book of Nathan the Prophet the Book of Gad the Seer the Book of Iddo the Books of Shemaiah Iehu c. What is to be thought concerning the Books of Solomon mention'd Kings 4. 32. 33. Objections drawn from Jam. 4. 5. from Luke 11. 49. from Acts 20. 35. from Judev. 14. from 1 Cor. 5. 9. from Col. 4. 16. fully satisfied Other Objections from 1 Cor. 7. 6 12 25 2 Cor. 8. 8. 11. 17. particularly answer'd But tho this be a clear and demonstated Truth yet it is question'd and doubted of by some Wherefore the Fourth General Undertaking which I propounded was this to clear the Point of those Objections which are wont to be brought against it and to shew that notwithstanding these the Prefection of Scripture is unshaken First Some tell us that there is a considerable Number of Books mention'd or quoted in Scripture as the Books of the Covenant the Book of the Wars of the Lord the Book of Iasher c. which seem to have been once a Part of this Holy Volume but now are lost Among the Fathers St. Chrysostom who is followed by Theophilact is of this Opinion Bellarmine and several of the Papists hold it Yea some Protestants acknowledg as much Calvin and Musculus and our Whitaker encline this way And Drusius is very angry with any Man that denies that there any Books of Holy Scripture missing Now if this be true there is ground to complain of a Defect and Imperfection in the Sacred Writings by reason of the loss of these Books That therefore which I am to undertake here is to shew that there are no Books mentioned in Scripture as belonging to it but what are now to be found in it and are really a Part of it and consequently that the Holy Writings are not Defective that the Body of Sacred Scripture is not Maimed and Imperfect First As to the Book of the Covenant mention'd in Exod. 24. 7. which some fancy is lost it is not any distinct Book from the Body of the Iewish Laws If we impartially weigh the Place we shall find that it is no other than a Collection or Volume of those several Injunctions and Institutions which we read in the foregoing Chapters viz. 20 21 22 23. which God delivered to Moses on the Mount It is the very same with the Book of the Law Deâ—t 31. 9. That which hath caused a different Perswasion in some is this that these Laws are call'd a Book but I shall make it evident afterwards that this Appellation is of a great latitude and is applied to any sort of Writing by the Hebrews Secondly As for the Book of the Wars of the Lord Numb 21. 14. which is thought to be now wanting the Answer given by some is that this was an Apocrypbal Author and so cannot be said to belong to the Holy Scriptures and consequently the loss of this Book doth not argue the Imperfection of the Bible But tho this way of Solution be tolerable when made use of as to some Other Books hereafter mentioned yet I think there is no need at all of using it here because it is not unlikely according to the Judgment of our Learned English Rabâ—i that Moses refers here to himself and a Book of his own composing for we read that upon the Discomfiture of Amalek God commanded Moses to write it for a Memorial in a Book Exod. 17. 14. and as it follows to rehearse it in the Ears of Joshua So that it may seem to have been some Book of Directions written by Moses for Ioshua's managing of the Wars after him Thus this Learned Writer makes this Book only to be of private use and dictated by an Ordinary not a Divine Spirit wherefore it cannot be one of the Books of the Bible And if this be true then though it be lost yet no Canonical Scripture is lost hereby But from what I shall propound I think it will be found reasonable to believe that the Book in this Place mention'd is one of the received Books of the Old Testament i. e. it is the Book of Iudges which deservedly hath the Name of the Book of the Wars of the Lord because it recounts those Warlike Enterprizes which those Heroâ—ck Spirits stirr'd up by God in an extraordinary Manner were famous for Or Milchamoth Iehovah the Wars of the Lord are as much as the Great Wonderful and Renowned Wars for perhaps the Name of God is used here as in several other Place to augment the Sense and to express the Greatness and Excellency of the Thing fought by the Valiant Iews To any one that consults the Text together with the 26th v. of that Chapter it will plainly appear that this Passage particularly refers to the 11th Chapter of Iudges v. 15 16 17. But if you ask how Moses who was dead long before could write this I answer though he undoubtedly writ the Book of Numbers as well as the rest of the Pentateuch yet some few Passages in this and the other Books may reasonably be supposed to be inserted afterwards by some other Inspired Persons as I have had Occasion to advertise before Ezra it is likely revising this Book added this of what God did in the Red Sea and at the Brooks of Arnon And to give yet more ample Satisfaction to this Scruple I desire it may be observed that though we translate the Text thus It is said in the Book of the Wars c. yet in the Original the Verb is in the future Tense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diceture it shall be said and so we may look upon it as a Prophecy of Moses He here foretels that afterwards it shall be commemorated how God fought for his People When there shall be at solemn Times a Rehearsal of the Jewish Wars then this Passage shall be call'd to mind and made mention of And then we must look upon these two Verses not as cited
out of the Book of Iudges but proposed to be inserted there afterwards The plain Answer then is that the Book of the Wars of the Lord is the Book of Iudges together with that of Ioshua where are related the Particulars of the Holy War i. e. the War of the Jews against the Infidels and that in one of these it shall be particularly remembred and recorded what God did in the Red Sea and in the Brooks of Arnon c. and accordingly we find it inserted in the forecited Place in Iudges Thus you see it can't be proved hence that the Church hath lost any Part of the Book of God Another Book said by some to be lost is the Book of Iasher mention'd in Iosh. 10. 13. 2 Sam. 1. 18. But some of the most celebrated Hebrew Doctors say they have found it telling us that it is the Book of Genesis wherein are contain'd the Acts of Abraham Isaac Iacob and other Patriarchs who were by way of Excellence call'd Iasherim Recti Iusti. But surely that Man is easily satisfied who can acquiesce in this Dr. Lightfoot holds the Book of Iasher to be the same with that which I asserted the Book of the Wars of God to be But there is little Foundation for it for though the particular Narrative of the Sun 's standing still be in the Book of Iasher as we learn from the Text yet there is no intimation that all Ioshua's Wars or the Wars of the Israelites were registred there This Book was according to the Excellent Grotius an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Triumphal Poem in which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was for the Verse sake contracted into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But though this be very Ingenious yet it wants solidity and it is not probable that the Word would be twice mention'd i. e. both in the Book of Ioshua and in the 2d Book of Samuel in its Abbreviated Form The Learned Iewish Historian seems to me to bid fairest for Truth who â—aith by this Book are to be understood certain Records kept in some safe Place on purpose and afterwards in the Temple giving an Account of what happen'd among the Jews from Year to Year and particularly the Prodigy of the Sun 's standing still and the Directions and Laws about the Vse of the Bow i. e. setting up of Archery and maintaiâ—ing Military Exercises And if it be ask'd why the Title given to these Jewish Annals was the Book of Iasher i. e. Rects this may be rendered as a probable Reason viz. because it was by all Persons reckon'd as a very Faithful and Authentick Account of all those Events and Occurrences which it recorded it was composed with great Vprightnesâ— and Truth Thencâ— it was commonly known by the Name of Iasher's Book or Chronicle And if you remember that Iasher is translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by thâ— Seventy in several Places of the Book of Ioâ— it will â—urther confirm what I say and induce us to believe that Iasher's Book is as much as a True Book a Book that is not counterfeited It was not the Work of any Inspired Person but was of the Nature of Common Civil Annals and consequently we cannot infer hence that any Book properly belonging to the Holy Scripture i. e. that was written by Inspiration of the Holy Ghost is at this Day missing Again some reckon the Acts of Uzziah written by Isaiah the Prophet 2 Chron. 26. 22. in the Cataâ—ogue of such Books of Scripture as are lost But they have little reason to do so for by thoâ—â— Words is plainly meant that Part of the Life and History of that King which we now have in the Prophecy of Isaiah for the first six Chapters are â— Relation of what was done in his Days They give an Account of several Passages which belong to the Church and State in that King's Reign And Isaiah is truly said in the foremention'd Place in the Chronicles to have written his Acts first and last because you will find that the Prophecy of Isaiah begins at the Days of Uzziah v. 1. and the sixth Chapter relates what happen'd in the Year that King Uzziah died v. 1. So that something of what was first and last in his Time is here recorded This I look upon as a very substantial and satisfactory Answer to the Scruple about that Place Also some would infer from 1 Chron. 29. 29. that all the Canonical Books of the Bible are not extant at this Day bâ—cause there is mention of the Book of Samuel the Seer and the Book of Nathan the Prophet and the Book of Gad the Seer in which it is said all David ' s Acts were written But no such Inference can rationally be made only this we gather which is the Solution of the Difficulty that Nathan and Gad as well as Samuel compiled the History that goes under the Name of this last and because it was made by them all three therefore it is represented here as three different Books But the true Account is that those two Books in the Old Testament which bear the Name of Samuel were written partly by him the greatest Part of the first Book relating things that happen'd in his time and partly by Nathan and partly by Gad two eminent Prophets in those Days and who survived Samuel Then as to 2 Chron. 9. 29. where we are told that Solomon's Acts were written not only in the Book Hebr. Dibrim the Words as the Book of Chronicles is call'd the Words of Days of Nathan of which before but in the Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite and in the Visions of Iddo the Seer which last are call'd Midrash the Story or Commentary of the Prophet Iddo Chap. 13. v. 22. And as to 2 Chron. 12. 15. where we read also of this Book of Iddo the Seer and of Shemaiah the Prophet in which it is said Rehoboam's Acts were written the Answer which I give relating to these Books in brief is this that few of them if any are different from those of the Kings but are only a Part of them though they are here spoken of as Distinct Books and that for this reason because that individual Part of the Story viz. concerning Solomon and Rehoboam is quoted which these particular Persons here named wrote You must know then that this Historical Part of the Old Testament was the Work of several Persons it was a Collection made by sundry Prophets and Holy Men as Samuel Nathan Gad Ahijah Iddo Shemaiah and the Books which they wrote are called the Books of Samuel and the Books of the Kings and are generally known by these Names but when those Parts of them which were particucularly inserted and written by Samuel himself or Nathan c. are quoted or referr'd to in the Books of the Chronicles they are mentioned as Distinct Books the meaning of which is that they are Distinct Parts of such a History and wrote by such Particular Persons who altogether made up that
this that Alexander the Great is meant here although they differ in expounding other parts of the Chapter Hence this Mighty Monarch would in his Pictures and Coins be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 represented as Horn'd yea his choice Horse which he most prized is known by this Character And from this Great Man his Successors learnt to stamp their Coine with Horned Images and Impressions Hence â—lexander is called Dulcarnain in the Alcoran by Mabomet which is equivalent to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that I suppose to be the meaning of that Eastern word And 'till some others give a better Interpretation of Chaucer's at Dulkernoon I presume to say it signifies as much as to be in a â—aze to be at ones wits end to be dilemma'd to be push'd at on one side and the other as 't were with a double Horn. So much for that Name given to that Great Monarch of which many Writers have disputed and I have made bold to put in among the rest and to offer my apprehensions concerning that Epithet I refer it to the Old Testament which was not unknown to some of the wisest of the Gentiles who thence borrow'd many Words and Phrases and more Customs and Practices Hence Horns came to be significatâ—ve of Kingly Greatness and Power Hence it was a Custom among the Persians to wear a Rams Head of Gold for a Diadem Hence Attila King of Hunns was pourtray'd with Horns as is to be seen in Ancient Medals And that Horns were a Badge of Regality and Dominion is clear from what we read in Valerius Maximus viz. That when on a sudden Horns were seen to appear on the head of Genitius Cippus as he was going out at the door the Response was that he should be King if he return'd into the City I have now almost finish'd my Task I mean so far as it respects the Old Testament Let me only add this after all That many things in Homer Euripides Sophocles Theognis c. may not only be reduced to but seem to be borrow'd from David's Psalms Solomon's Proverbs the Book of Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus which are but an imitation of these and other parts both of the Canonical and Apocriphal Writings This hath been partly shew'd by some of late but might be carried on much further I do not think every Saying that is like another in Scripture was taken thence That of the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 9. which he takes from Isai. 64. 4. Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither hath it enter'd into the Heart of Man is very like that passage in Empedocles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but no Man can think there was any reference to it I do not say that Lucretus's Cedit item retro de terrâ quod fuit ante In terras Et quod missum est Aetheris oris c. was copied out of Solomon Eccles. 12. 7. Toen shall the dust return to the Earth as it was and the Spirit shall return unto God who gave it I know many Sentences may happen to be alike yea the same in Sacred and Prophane Writers The Moral Subject they Treat upon might afford the like matter and words sometimes but in comparing the Hagiographa and those Writings you will find that that there is more than this the Genius of the Stile is the same the manner of Expression the forms of Speech the particular Phrases and proverbial Sayings which had their first rise among the Hebrews are the very same This is excellently shewed by the Learned Hugh Grotius in his Annotations and it plainly discovers whence the Pagan Writers had those things Some of the Prophane Poets borrow'd their strain of Love-Songs and Epithalamiums from Solomon's Canticle Especially Theocritus as Sanctius hath observed from whom the rest learnt that way of Verse hath not a few passages in his Idyllia expresly taken out of that Sacred Song And in that Dialogue of Plato which he entitles Symposium or his Eroticks there are several things which you would guess are allusions to Solomon's Love-Dialogue or Epithalamium And to heap up several particulars together it was said by Solon in his Discourse with Craâ—sus as both Herodotus and Diogenes Laertius report that the Term of Mans Life is threescore years and ten as if he had had it from the Pen of the Holy Psalmist Psal. 90. 10. The Acclamation or Shout which was used among the Heathens in War when there was an occasion of Joy and Thanksgiving was 〈◊〉 which you may eaâ—ily conceive was a corruption of Allelujah Some Chapters and Psalms of the Old Testament are disposed in an Alphabetical Order which gave rise to that sort of Verses call'd Acrosticks Such are the Arguments of Plautus's Comedies and the Elogium of Christ in one of the Sibylls which you will find also in Tully This piece of Wit and Fancy was borrowed from the Holy Writings which were Endicted by the Sacred Spirit And here when I am speaking of the Pagans borrowing from the Hebrews I might even observe to you that the very Greek Alpbabet is taken from them which the Grecians themselves in part confess for they say they had their Letters from the phaniâ—ians who were near Neighbours to the Hebrews and who indeed are usually mistaken for these I will add in the last place that the Old Testament hath left some remains of it in most remoto Countries of the World as China India America as our Modern Travellers will inform us In all these parts there are evident and apparent footsteps of the History of the Bible Mastinius in his History of China acquaints us that the Chineses have Records concerning the Vniversal Flood and that there are among that People several Memorials of the Old Patriarchs and accordingly one hath given us a brief account out of him of Cain Enoch and Noah That in India the footsteps of Mosaick Doctrine remain among the Brachmans is proved by Huetius The highest Mountain of Zeilan an Isle in the East-Indies is call'd by the Inhabitants Adam's Top and there is Adam's Cave where he lamented himself after his Fall The Ceremony of putting their Hands under one another's Thighs when they solemnly Swear to one another of which we read in Gen. 24. 2. 47. 29. is observ'd among some of the Indians at this day The Americans saith â—â—osta have Traditions of the Deluge and make mention of it in their Discourses And Huetius â—â—eweth that several Rites and Laws of Moses are observed by them The Antient Patriarchs left behind them remembrances of their Actions even in these places their Memory is still preserv'd and retained in many Names Customs and Practices that are among them The Name Ioseph is often found there and Hallelujah is used in their Songs as Hornius observes The People of Peru report that all their Earth was overwhelm'd with waters and lay cover'd with them a long time that
come to pass without the Divine Permission Grant and Superintendence This is that which is more especially aimed at in this Book we are taught here not to quarrel with our Maker not to find fault with Heaven This doth not become us in the least it is rather the Deportment of a Chinoise Priest who hath so much Power over his Gods that he is suffer'd to beat and whip them when they don't act as he thinks as he would have them We have likewise the Wretched State of Wicked Men and Hypocrites most graphically set forth in these Dialogues We have God's Infinite Justice and Unfearchable Wisdom fully asserted and vindicated We have the Mighty Power of God in some of his Creatures described by Himself in a Stile befitting his Majesty In the Close of all we have the happy Period of Innocence and Integrity The End of them is Peace God oftentimes rewards good and upright Men in this Life with a great Plenty of outward Blessings and Favours he is pleased to recompense them abundantly for all their past Calamities by doubling upon them all those Mercies which he before deprived them of God blessed the latter End of Job more than his Beginning He gave him twice as much as he had before All Blessings flow in now upon him in abundance first God accepts him and then he is caressed by his Kindred and Friends by his Bretbren and Sisters and Acquaintance he is presented with Gifts his Stock of Cattle wherein the chief Wealth of those Countries consisted is increas'd and he is blessed with a desirable Number of Children the Sons wise and the Daughters fair Finally after all the Storms were blown over he lived an hundred and forty Years in Peace and Plenty in his Country now Arabia the Happy he enjoy'd the Confluence of all kinds of Good Things relating both to himself and his Relations and at length died in a good old Age full of Days and full of the Blessings of the Almighty To conclude this Antient Book is infinitely worthy of the Studies of the Curious and Philosophical of the Lovers of Learning and Antiquity of those that value the Primitive Tongues Arts and Customs for here is an Excellent Mixture of all these which cannot but be a grateful Entertainment to Inquisitive Spirits Wherefore a Learned Gentleman of great and subtile Observation hath left us this Censure on the Book of Iob Whoever considers the Subject and Stile of it will hardly think it was written in an Age or Country that wanted either Books or Learning The Psalms are the next Poetick Book and they bear the Name of David the Chief Author of them Some indeed of the Antients held that he was the sole Author but they can scarcely be credited in that because the Title of the 90th Psalm and others tells us that they were composed by Moses Some of them it is thought were made by Asaph Heman Ethan Ieduthun who were in David's time but others think these were not Sacred Poets but only skilful Musicians or Masters of the Quire and did not endite these Psalms which bear their Names but only set them to Tunes and sung them Though a Modern Writer is of the Opinion that Heman and Ethan liv'd in the time of the Egyptian Bondage and penn'd the 88th and 89th Psalms on that occasion in the former condoling their present Distress in the latter prophesying of Deliverance The 92d Psalm was made by Adam saith the Targum and the Hebrew Doctors generally agree to it It is evident and scarcely denied by any that the 137th Psalm was writ in the time of the Jews Captivity in Babylon and therefore could not be made by David and other Psalms seem to be made after their Return the Authors of which are not known And some it is likely were endited by Solomen as the 45th which is a Song of Loves as the Title acquaints us and is of the same Strain with his other Nuptial Song inserted by it self into the Holy Scriptures It may be concluded then that the Book of Psalms is not the Issue of One Inspired Brain only but yet that the Greatest Part of it was endited and written by David who had an excellent Gift of Poetry and Psalmody of composing making and singing of Pious Songs Such are these Psalms which excepting a few of them were the Work of this Holy Man and therefore they are deservedly called David's Psalms the Denomination being taken from the greater Part. They are divided into five Lesser Books which you may know thus where you find a Psalm ending with Amen as the 41st 72d 89th 106th and the last Psalm there is the Period of the Book and another begins By this you may understand that Passage in Psal. 72. v. ult The Prayers of David the Son of Jesse are ended i. e. here is an End of the Second Book of David's Psalms the rest that follow are other Collections of them Of these some are Alphabetical i. e. composed according to the Order of the Hebrew Letters such is the 119th Psalm and is stiled by the Masora the Great Alphabet the eight first Verses beginning with the first Hebrew Letter the succeeding eight with the second and so throughout the whole Number of the Hebrew Letters and such are the 25th 34th 37th 111th 112th 145th all written in Alphabetic Order the Holy Ghost even inspiring the Psalmist's Fancy in this Particular It is likely the Acrosticks 〈◊〉 antient way of Wit used by one of the Sibylls and others of old the Initial Letters of which Verses made up certain Words were partly in imitation of this Some are stiled Psalms of Degrees or Ascents as those fifteen which immediately follow the 119th Psalm either because the Voice was lifted up more than ordinarily when they were sâ—ng or because of the Advantage of the Ground or Place where they were sung viz. the Steps in Solomon's Temple which were fifteen and which those who were appointed to sing these Psalms were wont to ascend Other Psalms are known by their Peculiar Titles as Maschil i. e. Psalms of Instruction Michtam i. e. Golden Psalms call'd so it is probable because of the Precious Matter couched in them And several other Distinctive Titles there are which are not so well understood as that of Psal. 22. Aâ—ieleth ha shachar which in the Margin is rendred the Hind of the Morning perhaps referring to our Saviour of whom this Psalm speaks who is call'd a Hind or young Hart Cant. 2. 9 17. Others interpret it the Strength of the Morning but they know not how to apply it Otherâ— the Morning-Star some the Instrument of Musâ—ck on which this Psalm and others were plaid And the like Obscure Words as Shiggaion Gittith Ieduthun Altashith Shushan eduth are prefix'd to many of these Sacred Hymns There is the Word Selah oftenâ— used sevenâ—y times at least in these Divine Poems but 't is not easy to assign the
as This of the Pious King and Prophet Here are all things that are proper to beget Religion and Piety in us here is every thing that is serviceable to nourish and sustain all our Vertues and Graces and that in the utmost height of them Before I pass to the next Book I will add a few Words concerning the Nature of the Poetry here used This is to be said with great Truth that these Poetical Measures are far different from those which we have been acquainted with in Other Writers But then it is not to be question'd that tho we are ignorant of the true Quality of these Poetick Numbers yet they are very Melodious and Lofty and not unworthy of the best Poets It is not to be doubted that there is a certain Artificial Meter observ'd in this Book which renders the several Odes and Hymns very delightful The Younger Scaliger denies and that with some Earnestness and Sharpness otherwise he would not shew himself his Father's own Son that there is any thing like this in this Book though at the same time he grants that the Proverbs and almost all Iob are Metrical But Iosephus and Philo two Learned Jews and who may reasonably be thought to be Competent Judges in this Matter attest the Meter of these Psalms as well as of the Books of Iob c. So do Origen Eusebius Ierom and some of the most Judicious Criticks among the Moderns But then they confess that the Meter is not so regular as that of succeeding Poets And who sees not that even these exceedingly vary in their Measures It is not denied that Sophocles and Euripides Plautus and Terence write in Verse but they can scarcely be said to do so in comparison of Homer and Virgil. There are some Hexameters Iambicks Saphicks and other known kinds of Verses in David's Psalms but they are very rare and seldom pure and unmix'd but notwithstanding this it is easy to perceive if we be observant and attentive that there are several Verses together that are Matrical The Arabian Criticks tell us that the Alcoran is written in a sort of Verse and sometimes in Rythme but every Reader cannot find this No more can an ordinary Eye or Ear discern the Numbers in the Hebrew Verse for the Hebrews way of measuring their Feet was different from that which is in use among the Greek and Latin Poets yet so as we may oftentimes perceive a certain Harmony of Syllables And as the Psalms are Metrical so some of them are Rhythmical This is clear in the very Entrance of these Divine Hymns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Again in Psal. 6. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is evident in Psal. 8. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is plain in Psal. 12. 4. 51. 16. 63. 3. 116. 7. 148. 1 2. And in abundance of other Places there is not only a certain Orderly Number of Syllables but the last Words of the Verses end alike in Sound CHAP. IX The Book of Proverbs why so call'd The transcendent Excellency of these Divine and Inspired Aphorisms Some Instances of the Different Application of the Similitudes used by this Author The Book of Ecclesiastes why so entituled The Admirable Subject of it succinctly displayed The particular Nature of the Canticle or Mystical Song of Solomon briefly set forth It is evinc'd from very cogent Arguments that Solomon died in the Favour of God and was saved The Books of the Four Great Prophets Isaiah Jeremiah with his Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel are described So are those of the Twelve Lesser Prophets Hosea c. WHO should succeed David but Solomon as in the Throne so in the Sacred Canon of the Bible And He like his Father was a Divine Poet his three Books viz. the Proverbs Ecclesiastes and his Song being written in Hebrew Verse The first of these Books is composed of Excellent Proverbs whence it hath its Name By this word Mishle which is here rendred Proverbs sometimes are signified I. Parables strictly so call'd which are no other than Apologues or Artificial Fables of which I have spoken under the Stile of Scripture but there are none such in this Book 2. By this Word is meant any Trite and Commonly received Saying any Vulgar Proverbial Speech as that in ch 26. v. 11. The Dog returneth to his Vomit But there are few of this sort here 3. Sarcastick Speeches Gibes Taunts as in 2 Chron. 7. 20. Psal. 69. 11. are intended by this Expression and this Book of Solomon is not wholly destitute of these 4. The Hebrew Word denotes such Speeches as are by way of Similitude Ezek. 18. 2. of which kind there are many in this Book as that in ch 11. 22. As a Iewel of Gold in a Swine's Snout so is a fair Woman without Discretion and in ch 25. 11. A Word fitly spoken is like Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver This we find to be the frequent manner of the Wise Man's speaking in this Book he generally illustrates and amplifies his Doctrine by some fit Simily or Comparison so that thereby it is as it were twice deliver'd 5. Sayings that are mixed with some Obscurity and Intricacy such Speeches as require Sharpness of Wit and Understanding both for propounding and conceiving them are denoted by this Word in Scripture Thus an Intricate Question or Problem Mashal is set down in Psal. 49. 4 5. and in the rest of the Psalm there is an Answer to this Problem a Resolution of this Difficult Point Proverbial Sentences are sometimes Enigmatical and have a Meaning far different from what the Words directly signify Thus you 'l find some Sayings that carry a Mystical Sense with them in this Book as that in ch 9. 17. Stolen Waters are sweet and in ch 25. v. 27. It is not good to eat much Honey and such like Allegorical and Allusive Speeches which contain in them a higher Sense than the bare Words import This Proverbial manner of Speaking and Writing was in great Use and Esteem among the Hebrews and all the Eastern Countries whence it was that the Queen of Sheba came to prove Solomon with hard Questions 1 Kings 10. 1. Parables according to the Chaldâ—e Problems Riddles These were the Chidoth which the propounded to be solv'd by him Yea this way of Speaking may generally be taken notice of in the Writings of most of the Wise Men of Antient Times Pythagoras and Plato were much addicted to this Abstruse way and all their Followers were delighted in Mystical Representations of things 6. By this Word we are to understand all Wise and Excellent Sayings graviter dicta as the Latins call them Sentences of great Weight and Importance but plain and easy to be understood The Hebrews antiently call'd any Saying that had Graces and Wit in it Mashal but especially any Eminent Speech or Smart Saying for the Use of Life and Direction of Manners went under that Name A Moral or Religious Saying that was of singular
and went after Strange Gods and Strange Women And we never read in Scripture that he repented either of his Idolatry or his Whoredoms Is it likely that this Gross Apostate was inspired by the Holy Ghost Is it probahle that he had the Honour of being one of the Penmen of Sacred Writ Answ. It is true Solomon was as great a Reproach to the True Religion as ever any Person was if we consider all his Circumstances His Sins were of a very High Nature his Faults were most Heinous and Scandalous and that Man is half guilty of them that endeavours to excuse them A most provoking Crime it was in him that had been so highly favour'd of God to give himself up to his Lusts a most horrid Offence it was even in his old Age in the close of his Life as if now his Years had made him Decrepid and Idolatrous too to bow down to Idols But shall we think that Solomon bowed so low that he could not rise again that he fell and never recovered himself I confess no meaner a Man than St. Augustin seems to be of this Opinion This Hard Father of Infants was as harsh against Solomon pronouncing him a Person wholly cast out of God's Favour and never received to Mercy again and some Other Fathers as St Cyprian and Prosper question his Salvation Bellarmin and Pererius positively conclude he was damned but then we find three others of that Communion and of the same Order peremptorily asserting the contrary Maldonate declares he doth not know what to determine Of which Mind it seems was that Archbishop of Toledo who â—aus'd King Solomon to be painted on the Walls of his Chappel half in Hell and half in Heaven But to wave the Opinions and Censures of Particular Persons at present it is generally the Judgment of the Christian Church that Solomon repented and was saved And there are such Reasons as these to induce us to believe it 1. There is no absolute concluding from the Greatness of his Sins that he repented not and that he was damned for we are assured that King Manasseâ— was a Greater Sinner than ever he was for unto all manner of Idolatry he added the Diabolical Practices of Witchcraft and Inchantment 2 Chron. 33. 3 c. and yet his hearty Repentance and Turning unto God are recorded v. 12 13 19. Yea David Solomon's own Parent was a very Heinous Criminal if the Sins of Studied Murder which we do not find his Son guilty of and Adultery could make him such and yet such was the Divine Goodness that upon his humble Acknowledgment of these Crimes and reforming his Ways he was acquitted of these Offences And why may not the same Mercy be shew'd to the Son and what ground have we to exclude him from partaking of it upon his unfeigned Repentance 2. That he did repent and was saved may be gather'd from 2 Chron. 11. 17. where the walking in the Way of David and Solomon is mention'd as walking Holily and so as is Acceptable to God Upon which Passage a Judicious Writer hath these Words This very Place and Passage saith he may resolve that Solomon was no more finally cast away for his Idolatry than David was for his Adultery and Murder We see that David and Solomon are here joined together their way of Walking is represented as the same as much as to tell us that as David was a Man after God's own Heart excepting the Murder of Vriah and Debauching his Wife so was his Son Solomon excepting the latter Part of his Life 3. Solomon's Book of Ecclesiastes as hath been suggested already is a plain Testimony of his Repentance Here he bewails his former Follies here he makes a Publick Retractation of them and doth as it were Penance for them before all the World We may therefore sâ—fely vote him a True Penitent a Real Convert at last and now a Saint in Heaven 4. In express Words according to the Septuagint his Repentance is recorded Prov. 24. 32. Afterwards or at last I repented Or if this Version be not admitted and although we cannot produce an Express Text though that is not necessary for it is not any where recorded that Lot repented of his Incest or that some Others whose Salvation we question not were heartily sorry for their Miscarriages yet there is ground to believe his Conversion not only from what hath been said but from what we are able further to alledg 5. Therefore we must consider that this Inspired Secretary of the Holy Spirit was of the Number of the Prophets concerning whom our Infallible Teacher saith that they are all in the Kingdom of God Luke 13. 28. It is not to be question'd but that those Prophets who were made use of by God in so Extraordinary a manner as to be Sacred Writers of the Bible were all admitted into the Kingdom of Heaven and are placed in the Mansions of Glory Besides such Persons as these who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost are pronounced Holy Men of God by St. Peter 2 Ep ch 1. v. 21. None had that Honour but those who were of Real Saâ—ctity i. e. the Prophecy of Scripture which he speaks of in that place was vouchsafed to none but such And therefore though Solomon's Repentance be not expresly recorded yet when we know that he was one of the most Eminent Penmen of the Sacred Scripture we have Reason to think that notwithstanding God suffer'd him for a time to fall into those scandalous Sins yet he return'd afterwards to him by unfeigned Repentance and was Renewed and Reformed and died a Holy and Righteous Person 6. This is evident from that Promise which God made to Solomon 2 Sam. 7. 15. My Mercy shall not depart away from him Which is commented upon by the wise Son of Sirach speaking of this King's Follies and Extravagancies and the sad Events of them The Lord saith he will never leave off his Mercy neither shall any of his Works perish neither will he abolish the Posterity of his Elect and the Seed of him that loveth him he will not take away Ecclesiastic 47. 22. Whence we may rationally gather that Solomon was not cast off by God but still continued in his Favour Some argue from his Name Agur which they say implies his former Failings and his being Reclaimed Others think his Name Iedidiah Beloved of the Lord is a good Intimation that he became a True Penitent and was saved And some conceive that because he was a Type of the Blessed Iesus he could not miscarry But whether these have any Weight or no I am confident no considerate Person can deny the Force of the Reasons before alledged We may from them alone conclude that Solomon was not finally rejected by God yea that he was upon his hearty Repentance received into Favour and is now in the Number of the Blessed And this was the Judgment of those Antient and Learned Writers of the Church