now agree to that Parchments which were made of Sheepskins dress'd were long before the Emulation between Ptolomee and Eumenes who both at the same time were ambitious to procure an Universal Library but when this Quarrel arose Ptolomee forbad Paper to be sent out of Egypt whereupon Eumences caused Parchments to be made in greater Abundance than before that so there might be no need of the Paper Again 't is evident from this Testimony of Iosephus that the Books of the Old Testament were written in Parchment And seeing we have proved that Parchment was long before it is credible that the Bible was copied out at first into it That Proverbial Saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shews the great Antiquity of this sort of Writing-materials for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Membrana and it is also a Book made of the same which they of old used to write in I might take notice of the antient Practice of the Jews viz. their wearing of Phylacteries which were pieces of Scrolls of Parchment whereon they wrote some part of the Law and bound it to their Heads and Hands whence we may probably gather that the Books of the Old Testament were first of all Parchment-Writings for the Jews were strict Observers as well as Admirers of Antiquity and therefore their writing some Sentences of the Law in Parchments shews that the Bible it self from whence they were taken had been usually and of old transcribed into those very Materials Much more might be said but I will only add that the Jews Rolling up their Sacred Writings whence their Books were call'd Megilloth Volumina is a plain Argument that they were not composed of Egyptian Paper which was thin and weak and consequently was not capable of this Rolling But a Long and Broad Skin or Parchment would endure this without tearing and therefore it is not to be doubted that this was made use of The Sense of which besides the common Report and Notion among the Jews caused the Famous Rabbi Ionathan to say in his Targum on Deut. 31. 24. that Moses writ the Law upon Parchment Which shews that it was the Opinion of the Learned Jews that the Bible was originally written in Parchment not on Paper And the Talmud often mentions this Parchment-Writing as a known thing It is rational then to believe and assert that these Holy Records were written in Parchment and though we are informed from sufficient Authors that other Materials of old were used as the Egyptian Papyrus Leaves as also the Inward Bark or Coat of Trees c. when they wrote but few Words yet Parchment was the old and usual Matter on which they wrote when they had occasion to compose a whole Book which confutes F. Simon 's Notion that the Old Testament was written in Paper which upon serious Reflection so searching a Person as he is cannot but discern to be a Mistake and he knows that Charta Writing-Paper was not generally used till Alexander the Great 's time as Pliny himself acknowledges who quotes Varro for this that the first use of Paper made of the Cortex of the Egyptian Papyrus was found out in Egypt in that Monarch's Reign and that before that time they wrote upon Leaves of Trees on Wax c. Then in the next Place it were easy to disprove this Ingenious Author's Conceit about the fastning or rather as he would have it the not fastning of these Parchments together whence he fancies it was that the Transposition and Misplacing of some Parts of the Bible happened He tells us that heretofore they wrote upon Sheets or Leaves rolled together one over another round a piece of Wood and these being not well joined together there was sometimes a misplacing of what was written in them because their Order was altered This may be partly true and I cannot deny that it so happened sometimes that is when there was no Care taken to sow or other ways to fasten the Leaves or Sheets to the Stick of Wood about which they were rolled or to one another But it was not so in the present Case for you may be sure that they took all the Care imaginable to secure the Order of the Sheets and they were not destitute of a particular way of doing it so that their Books were sufficiently fastned But if he means that they were not bound as our Books are now a days then his new Discovery is only this that the Trade of Book-binding was not set up in Moses or Ezra's Days Or if he means that the written Sheets and Scrolls were loose and not well tack'd together he wilfully speaks against his own knowledg of this Matter for he knows very well that the Jews wrote in Rolls or continued Sheets or Skins which were not liable to be separated as our Writings are now He is Antiquary enough to confute himself from what he hath read concerning their manner of making their Books or Volumes their fixing the Sheets of Parchment at one end by sowing or fastning the first Sheet between two Sticks or Pieces of Wood their joining the several Sheets together as appears from the forecited Testimony of the Jewish Historian who saith the Parchments in which the Bible was written were so closely and firmly joined together that 't was not possible to discern the Seams or Places where they were joined their Rolling them up close and their keeping them in safe Repositories for they had places on purpose for all Valuable Books so that it was not likely yea scarcely possible that any of these Scrolls or Sheets which were not little ones as he suggests but of a considerable size should be put out of their places much less lost for he goes so far as to assert that many of these Scrolls were embezzel'd and lost and thence the Scriptures of the Old Testament are so maimed and imperfect But we know the Man and his Design which is to depretiate and vilify the Scriptures thereby to advance the Credit of Tradition and by that means to exalt the Church of Rome though this is not so forward to exalt him This was it which made him give us this Specimen of his Wit and Invention of which it must be confessed he hath no small Stock this made him attempt by these Paper-Proofs to lessen the Authority of the Bible Otherwise it is certain this Parisian Critick is a Person of great Worth and Learning and it is his singular Commendation that he is no Furious Bigot but is Moderate and Discreet in many things and is one that dotes not on the Opinions and Assertions of the Catholick Doctors But if you would know the true Reason or Occasion of that Transposition which you sometimes meet with in the Holy Writings not only of the Old but New Testament it is chiefly this as I conceive The Holy Writers study not Exactness they are more intent upon the Thing and Matter which they write than upon the due Order and Marshalling of it they
Kingdom though from very small Beginnings compares them to a Grain of Mustard-seed and by a Lessening Hyperbole calls this the Least of all Seeds though in exact speaking it be not so But if this way of interpreting Christ's Words which I now offer be not approved of then you may expound them thus that this Seed is oâ—e of the least of all Seeds or you may understand them spoken Respectively that is it is the Least of all such Seeds as extend to large Productions no Seed so little sendeth forth Branches so wide or bringeth forth its Fruit after that plentiful manner Thus you may understand the Words but in my Judgment the resolving them into an Hyperbole is the best way though it be not made use â—f by Expositors And how indeed could it when they took the Seed of Mustard to be Absolutely the least of all Grains whatsoever That of our Saviour in Luke 19. 44. They shall not leave in thee one Stone upon another which is spoken of the Last and Final Devastation of Ierusalem is generally supposed to be an Hyperbolical Expression and consequently not true in Strictness of Speech for can we think say some that the Roman Armies had nothing else to do but to pick out all the Stones in the Foundations and throw them away Those who talk thus do not remember what was done at several times towards the compleat and total Destruction of that Place This Passage of our Blessed Lord seems to refer particularly and signally to the digging up the Foundations of the City and Temple and the very ploughing up the Ground by Titus's Command which the Jews themselves do not deny and also to that Prodigious Earthquake in Iulian's time whereby the remaining Parts of the Foundations were wholly broken up and scattered abroad Here was an Exact fulfilling of Christ's Prediction without any Hyperbole As for that Close of St. Iohn's Gospel Even the Woâ—ld it self could not contain the Books that should be written chap. 21 25. Eusâ—bius and St. Aâ—gustin of old and others more lately understand it thus The World that is the Men of the World could not contain that is conceive comprehend and digest the Books that should be written concerning our Saviour's Deeds Their Understandings are weak and must needs have been oppressed with so many Books on that Subject So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here used is to be taken in Matth. 19. 11. All Men cannot receive or contain this Saying and in this Sense it is used by Philo who speaking of the Knowledge of the Nature of God and how unsearchable it is saith that neither Heaven nor Earth are able to contain i. e. to comprehend it But a modern Critick thinks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here signiâ—ies to entertain and approve of and accordingly his Gloss on the Words is this The whole World would scorn reject and slight all the Books which should be writ of Christ it having despised these that are already writ The World hath other Employment it would not read and peruse such Writings This seems to be the meaning of the Verb in 2 Cor. 7. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receive entertain approve of us And Dionys. Halicarn uses the word thus saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the City admits not of i. e. scorns good Men. But though this and the other be the meaning of the Word sometimes yet it is very Rare and Unusual besides that it is Improper and Metaphorical and in such a case it is more reasonable to choose and imbrace that Sense of the Word which is common and usual as also genuine and proper and then the meaning is that the World as capacious and wide as it is is not able to hold oâ— contain all the Books that might have been written concerning Christ and his Works But this cannot be the Sâ—nsâ— here you will say because then our Saviour'â— Words would not be true for the World is able is wide enough to contain to hold those Books and many more besides I answer I grant this to be true in the strict way of speaking but the Evangelist St. Iohn had a mind to conclude his Book with some Great Word concerning his Dear Master and Saviour and therefore expresseth himself thus in a High and Hyperbolical manner The World it self could not contain the Books that should be written of him As if he had said Though I and otherâ— have recorded the Sayings and Doings of the Blessed Jesus yet this is nothing in comparison of what might be said on this vast Subject Theâ—e is unspeakably much more reâ—naining than hath been told you What he said and did was so Great and so Admirable that Innumerable Volumes might be filled with enlarging on that copious Matter I may say to you the Whole World as wide and ample as it is is not able to contain those Immense Treatises those Infinite Discourses which might be written in relating all the Passages that concern'd our Blessed Lord and in commendation of them Observâ— it the Evangelist saith the World it self i. e. this Material Local World therefore it cann't be understood of the Men of the world as those of the former Opinions fancied Besides it is observable that he speaks not Absolutely here but in a Qualified Manner I suppose I think I conceive the World it self cannot contain c. which plainly shews that the Words cannot be meant in the former Senses For what Sense can you make of this I suppose I think that all the Men in the World cannot comprehend the Books which should be written or I suppose all the Men in the World cannot entertain and approve of them Whether he supposed it or not it would be so and this is a thing not to be supposed but really believed and directly asserted if it be true But if you admit of the plain Sense of the Words which I have propounded then his supposing may be very pertinent and consisâ—ent here for it is but a kind of a Supposition not an Exact and Strict Truth which he here uttereth it is a Lofty Strain or Hyperbole which he shuts up his Gospel with I think in a manner â—aith he that the Whole World it self cannot contain the Books that might be composed and written on this Glorious Theme which is so Various so Voluminous Thus you see the Words must be understood in this way for the others are not reconcilable to good Sense And indeed this manner of Stile is but parallel with other Passages in Scripture as Gen. 13. 6. The Land was not able â—o bear them viz. Lot and Abraham and their Flocks which expresses how exceeding Numerous they were So some understand Luke 2. 1. There went out a Decree that all the World should be taxed which sets forth the Largeness and Vast Extent of the Emperor's Dominions not that all the World strictly speaking was to be taxâ—d for 't was not all in his Power It was said of our
it should be believed as an Article of the Faith or be thought requisite or necessary to Salvation And this is a sufficient and solid Proof of a thing 's not being Necessary to Salvation that it is not contain'd in Scripture This then we assert that these Writings are Plain and Perfect as to all Matters that are Necessary and accordingly are able to put an End to all Controversies which relate to Salvation And if Men will not end them with This Rule they will never do it with any This is the Chief Perfection of Scripture that in it the whole Will of God as to those things that have a necessary Tendency to our Happiness and consequently are the only Necessary Things to be known and done by us is plainly revealed The New Testament particularly is the last Revelation of God's Will and Counsel and nothing is to be added to it or taken from it which makes it a Perfect Standard of Belief and a Compleat Rule of our Lives in which there is nothing short and defective nothing superfluous and redundant Here are all the Principles of True Religion and all the Measures of Holy Living so that whilst we proceed according to this Perfect Canon we are infallibly certain of the Truth of what we believe and of the Rectitude and Lawfulness of what we act On this sole Account the Holy Writ excels all Writings in the World besides 3. We are to adjoin this that as it is a Light to our Vnderstandings and a Rule of our Lives so it is the grand Procurer of our Comfort Ioy and Tranquillity Alas they are Cold Topicks of Consolation which the Writings of the Best Moralists afford us When our outward Distresses and Miseries much more when our inward and spiritual Maladies increase upon us Epictetus and Seneca with all their Spangled Sayings are too mean Physicians to take us in Hand The Great Cicero when in the Close of his Life he was reduced to marvelous Difficulties declared that his Learning and his Books afforded him not any Considerable Arguments of Comfort that the Disease of his Mind which he lay under was too great and too strong to be cured by those Ordinary Medicines which Philosophy administred to him There must be some greater Traumatick some more powerful Application to these Wounds to work a perfect Cure And this Divine Book is able to furnish us with it This alone can remove our Pains and Languors and restore us to an entire Health This faith the Psalmist is my Comfort in my Affliction Thy Word hath quickned me And again Vnless thy Law had been my Delight I should then have perished in my Affliction It was this which upheld and chear'd him in his greatest Straits and yielded him Light and Joy when all things about him look'd black and dismal If but a small part of the Bible had this blessed Effect how powerful and successful will All of it prove if we duly consult it seriously meditate upon it and give it admittance into our Hearts If the Apostle could say Whatsoever things were written asore time in this Book were written for our Learning that we through Patience and Comfort of the scriptures might have Hope how much greater Hope must needs be administred to us in all Conditions of Life but more especially in the Day of Trouble and Calamity when we have the Scriptures not only of the Old but New Testament to repair unto This latter especially will be a never-falling Spring of Contentment and Joy to us In these Books we have a true and perfect Landskip and View of the World Here is unmask'd and laid open the Vanity of it Here we are assured that many of the Gay things which it presents us with and which fond Minds so dote upon are but empty Bubbles deceitful Phantoms and Apparitions mere Conceits and Castles in the Air. Here we are inform'd that a Prosperous State is not really Good that an Overplus of Riches and Worldly Abundance does frequently prove a Clog to vertuous Minds and that Excess of Pleasures is too fulsom and luscious and takes away that purer Relish of spiritual and heavenly Delights yea that Men generally find a worse Effect of them for when they are gorged and clogg'd with them they revolt from God when they are waxen fat they kick against Heaven So their Worldly Plenty is turn'd into the worst of Punishments and this Plethory is their Disease On the other side we are taught in these Writings that Crosses and Afflictions are not evil in themselves yea that they are Good and Medicinal and advance our spiritual Health that they are so far from being a hindrance to our Happiness that they are a part of it for otherwise the Afflicted would not be so often pronounced Blessed That God's Afflicting a Man is Magnifying of him and setting his Heart upon him It shews that God is greatly concern'd for his Good and that the Almighty hath more care of him than he hath of himself Here we are instructed that we have ground to suspect our Condition if we be wholly exempted from the Distresses of this Life and that not to be Chastised is a Mark of Bastardy Here we learn the true use and end of all those Adverse Dispensations which we meet with viz. that they were designed to try us to make us know our selves and to inform us how evil and bitter a thing it is to offend the Divine Majesty to awaken us out of our Sloth and Security to hold us in Action to keep us in Breath and Exercise as Carthage was useful to rouze Rome's Valour to abate our Pride and Haughtiness and make us humble and submissive Creatures to check our immoderate Passions and Pursuits after earthly things to disintangle us from these Snares to free us from these Charms to keep us from being suck'd in and swallowed up in the powerful Circle and Eddy of this World as who knows not that it is True Philosophy that the World is made up of Vortices to cause us to look after Better Things when these are taken from us to reclaim us from our evil Courses and to reduce us unto Vertue and Goodness to excite us to a Renunciation of all Trust and Confidence in our selves and the transitory Enjoyments of this World and to depend upon God alone It is this Book whence we are acquainted that our Sufferings make us conformable to Christ our Master and therefore are Honourable Badges of Christianity That the Curse which usually attends outward Crosses is taken away by our Saviour's Death That the Calamities of the Faithful are Chastisements rather than Punishments That no Adverse Accidents can do us any hurt if we believe in Jesus and abandon our Sins That the Pressures of this Life are serviceable to make us pity those that are in Misery to know and relish the Love of Christ in suffering for us to inhanse the Comforts of a Good Conscience to commend
Olâ— Roman Laws that were fix'd up in publick were written on Plates of Brass as a great Number of good Latin Authors testify And â—ome to preserve what they writ imprinted Characters on Slices of Ivâ—ry thence call'd Libri Elephantini in Tacitus and Flavius Vopiscus Thus Sculpture was one antient way of Writing among Men of whiâ—â— the First Instances are to be found in the Holy Scripture And I doubt not but Aâ—oliab who wâ—â— the Chief Master of Engraving and that by the particular Inspiration of Heaven was the fiâ—â—â— Improver of this sort of Letters This was 〈◊〉 Primitive Writing of Mankind the First Lettâ—â—â— were cut and engraven which indeed may be fouâ—â— in the very Word for to grave is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is thence derived without doubt As hither to we have seen by Help of the Sacrâ—â— Records that Sculpture or Eâ—â—râ—tion was the anâ—â— entest sort of Characters so These likewise inâ—oâ— us that Painting was the next i. e. that Lettâ—â—â— were generally drawn and pouâ—trayed in some blaâ—â— or â—able kind of â—olouring And to this end iâ—â—stead of those Hard Materials which were madâ— use of in writing before there were others aâ—terwards found out of a more tractable Nature The Scripture doth not mention those that were 〈◊〉 seldom and little used as Leavâ—s of Trees espeâ—â—â—ally Palms which was the way â—f the Siâ—â—â— transmitting some of their Verses And that of old they wrote sometimes on Leaves not only of Trees but Flowers is more than once witnessed by Virgil and Ovid. Still to this Day we seem to retain the Memory of this antient way of Writing when we say a Leaf of Paper and Books in Folio Nor are the thin Coats or Rinds which were between the Bark and Body of Trees and were used in Writing of old as several relate and from whence came the Name of Liber at first mention'd by the Holy Writers because their Use continued but a little time and they were of little Service Much less is there any thing said of writing in Linen which yet Livy Pliny Vopiscus and others take notice of because this was used among the Indians and such remote People as the Sacred History had no occasion to speak of But those Materials for writing which were of constant Use and that among most Nations as Papyr and Parchment are either expresly mention'd or tacitely referr'd to The former was made of broad Rushes and Flags which grew in great abundance in Egypt of which the Prophet Isaiah foretelling the Confusion of that Country speaketh ch 19. v. 6 7. The Reeds and Flags shall wither the Paper-Reeds by the Brooks shall wither be driven away and be no more The Gnaroth the Materials for Writing which were so celebrated all the World over and which were the peculiar Commodity of Egypt and which brought in so great Revenues to that Nation these even these shall decay the Traffick of them shall cease Yea when 't is said that Moses was laid in an Ark of Bull-rushes Exod. 2. 3. a Great Critick tells us that the Papyrus is meant here and for this he quotes Lucan Conseritur bibulâ Memphitis cymba papyro And before him St. Ierom the most Critical of all the Fathers thought the Egyptian Rushes of which the first Paper was made are to be understood in this Place and therefore Gome which is the Word here used is rendred by him Papyrâ—â— And he it is likely had this from Iosepâ—us who acquaints us that the Ark in which Moses was secured was made of this great Flag growing on the Banks of Nile of which they made Leaves to write on and whence our Paper at this Day hath its Name It was divided into thin Flakes which were press'd and dried in the Sun and so were made serviceable to write upon in some tolerable manner Of this Pliny and several other Writers speak and thence Nile is call'd Papyriferus by Ovid. Parchment which was made of Sheep Skins or the thinner Skins of other Animals dress'd was another thing they writ upon The best of this sort was made at Pergamus and thence had its Name Pergamena but it was invented before Attalus King of Peragamus his time though the contrary hath been believ'd by some Men and was in use at the same time that the Egyptian Papyrus was only this was used for common Purposes and the other for more choice Writing and such as they designed should last a long time Therefore it is most probable that the Books of the Mosaick Law and the rest of the Old Testament were transcrib'd into this Moses writ the Words of the Law gnal sepher upon a Book Deut. 31. 24. i. e. on Parchment saith Ionathan the Chaldee Paraphrast on the place for so he and other Learned Jews understood the Text. This is meant by Megillah a Roll Ezra 6. 2. and Megillah sepher a Roll of a Book Jer. 36. 2. and Gillaion a Roll Isa. 8. 1. and a Scroll rolled together Isa. 34. 4. for it was Parchment which is of some Consistency not thin and weak Paper that was capable of being thus rolled up To this Herodotus refers when he saith that writing on Skins was used by the Barbarians meaning the Eastern People especially the Iews And Iosepâ—us avoucheth that the Books of the Old Testament were written in Sheets of Parchment exactly joined and fastned together of which Testimony of his I have spoken in another Place It is the general Opinion of Interpreters that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are meant Writing Parchments 2 Tim. 4. 13. but I have heretofore proposed another Sense of that Word and therefore I make no use of this Place here It is likely that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Scroll rolled together Rev. 6. 14. refers to this And though I will not aver that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators render Paper 2 Ioh. v. 12. is to be understood Parchment yet it is not wholly improbable for this was the usual Word to signify any thing that they writ upon whether Egyptian Reeds or Leaves of Lead or Gold or Stone or Wood or any of the other writing Materials before specified The Matter whatever it was was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Charta from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this from the Hebrew Charath seulpsit exaravit for this was a general Term and signified any thing that had Characters engraven or written upon it But the Scripture hath not only taken notice of the Materials on which they wrote of old but of the Instruments with which they form'd their Letters on them I mean here such as were of common Use and therefore we must not expect that it should say any thing of the Rubrica mention'd by Persius and others which serv'd sometimes instead of Pen and Ink. With this they writ oâ— rather mark'd their Titles of Books whence that of Iuvenal
Pâ—rlege rubras Majorum leges At other times they made use of Chalk and of Coal both which are mention'd by Persius Illa priùs cretà mox bâ—â—c carbone notasti But these were used only on special Occasions and were not the ordinary manner of Writing therefore 't is no wonder that the Bible is wholly silent aâ— to this But it mentions the Writing Instruments that were of common Use as first those which were peculiar to the Harder Materials those wherewith they made Incision into Stone Wood c. Accordingly it tells us that they used an Iron Pen or Style and therewith cut what Characters they thought fit in them Of this we have mention in Iob 19. 24. where that holy Man wisâ—â—th that his Complaints were written down and recorded that future Ages might take notice of them which Moses or some other Inspired Person who digested and compiled this Book thus expressetâ— O that my Words were engraven with an Iron Pen and Lead with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Seventy made of Iron and with Lead plumbi laminâ as the Vulgar Latin a thin Sheet or Plate of Lead on which they engraved Letters with this Iron Pen. And in the next Clause of this Verse he wisheth yet further that his Words might be written in the Rock 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the LXX render it ut sculpantur in silice the Vulgar Latin following the Septuagint as it generally doth every where which refers to the antient manner of writing in those Days which was by Engraving of Letters not only on Leaden Tables but on Stone and Flint with Iron Pens or Bodkins These were the first Instruments used in writing in the World And when Ieremiah saith The Sin of Judah is written with a Pen of Iron and graven upon the Table of their Hearts it is an Allusion to this Practice though here another Word is used viz. Cheret from Charath sculpsit whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a graving Tool and so is rendred Exod. 32. 4. With this they made the Letters on Wood and Stone and such like hard Substance and in Wax-Tables Next the Scripture takes notice of the antient Instrument which was proper to the other way of writing viz. upon the softer Materials as the Papyrus and Parchment This is called Shebet which Word in other Places is rendred a Scepter We read that the Tribe of Zebulon afforded some that handled the Pen of the Writer Judg. 5. I4 such as were dexterous at this Instrument such as knew how to wield this Shebet this Writing-Scepter with Art and Skill In other Places it hath the same Names that were given to the Engraving Pen thus it is stiled Cheret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Septuagint Isa. 8. 1. the Pen of a Man i. e. such a Pen as Men usually writ with in those Days when they wrote upon any soft and yielding Matter and that was a Reed which is confirm'd to us by Ier. 8. 8. where Gnet the Pen of the Scribes is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek Interpreters And in Psal. 45. 1. where it is again call'd Gnet the Pen of a ready Writer the same Interpreters render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Vulgar Latin Calamus which is the Word used by Martial and others for the Egyptian Reed Which was the Writing Pen in their time Dat chartis habiles calamos Memphitica tellus And Aquila a Learned Jew who knew the genuine Meaning of the Hebrew Word in this Place renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. juncus arundo aquatica wherewith they antiently writ It appears then that Egypt afforded both Paper and Pens the former was of that Rushy Plant before described the latter were of a Reed growing in the same Place viz. about the River Nile and the fenny Parts of Egypt which being dried and hardned and conveniently shaped was the usual Instrument of writing before the Invention of Quills It was so made that it would contain and convey in it a black sort of Liquor which answers to our Ink which we use at this Day into which they used to dip it To this antient writing with Ink or such like dark Substance some have thought Ezek. 9. 2. hath reference where we read of the Writers Inkhorn but though the Hebrew Word be rendred Atramentarium by the Vulgar Latin yet in its Original Signification it hath no reference to that particular thing but may be translated a Pen-case or a Writing-Table as well as an Inkhorn From the bare Sound of the English Word we cannot infer the thing it self We may as well affirm the Art of Printing was found out and practised in Iob's Days because he wisheth that his Words were printed in a Book Job 19. 23. But there is a Place to our purpose and that is Ier. 36. 18. I wrote them i. e. the Words which Ieremy spoke with Ink in a Book The Antient way of writing appears from what Baruch here saith that he wrote Ieremiah's Prophecy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 atramento which was the black and inky Matter whatever it was that was laid on by his Pen in writing This is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mention'd 2 Cor. 3. 3 2 Ep. Iohn v. 12. and again 3 Epist. v. 13. where it is joined with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which shews what was at that time the way of writing viz. with Reed-Pens dipp'd in Ink which as we are told by Pliny and Persius was variously prepared The Greeks and Romans made it of Soot saith the former of these Writers and from him and Persius we learn that the Africans used the dark Excrementitious Humour which the Sepia afforded them and other black Juices serv'd for Ink in other Countries Thus the most Antient as well as the most Authentick Memoirs concerning Letters and the Manner of Writing are in the Books of the Holy Penmen Thus the Foundation of all Grammar and the Root of all Learning is laid here Next unto Grammar I might mention History the first Father of which was Moses whose Writings begin the Bible All that I will say of him under this present Character is this that we are solely indebted to him for our Knowledg of the Transactions of the First Ages of the World As he wrote before all other Historians so he gives us an Account of those things which none besides doth wherefore his Books are the Key of all History To him are added Others who are not only of admired Antiquity but ought to be prized as much for the Admirable and Various Matter they communicate Here are Excellent Historical Passages of all sorts Religious and Civil Sacred and Profane Foreign and Domestick relating to Politicks and Oeconomicks to Publick and Private Affairs Yea the Title of Procopius's History belongs only and properly to these Sacred Chronicles for here the Secrets and Depths of all Antient Occurrences are
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
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
wrote the Book which bears his Name was a Jew Cup-bearer to the King of Persia and return'd into Iudea thirteen Years after Ezra There is another Nehemiah who came with those that returned at first from Babylon Ezra 2. 2. but he whom we now speak of came afterwards by Artaxerxes's Leave in the twentieth Year of his Reign and went back to Persia again twelve Years after Neh. 5. 14. This Writer begins where Ezra left of and continues the History of the Building of Ierusalem and of the Deportment of the Iews in those times from the twentieth Year of Artaxerxes to the Reign of Darius about fifty Years in all As Ezra chiefly related the Restoring of Religion and Erecting the Temple so this Author gives us an Account of the Building of the City and the Reformation of the Religion which had been restored In several Particulars he shews what were the Abuses and Corruptions of the People and how they were redressed even by his own Hand He tells us what Methods he took of regulating both their Ecclesiastical and Civil Affairs in short of Reforming both Church and State which were even then so early corrupted From the whole both here and in the Book of Ezra we are taught many useful Lessons but This above all that the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against the Church that they shall never have Power to extinguish this Little Flock Israel is not always a Captive in a strange Land Babylon sends back her Prisoners and Bondmen Her very Enemies by an extraordinary Direction of Heaven promote her Peace and Prosperity For we are informed from this Part of Sacred History that God stirr'd up even the Persian Monarchs to restore his People to Ierusalem and when they were there to help and assist them and to baffle all their Opposers The Book of Esther is a Particular History of what happen'd to the Jews in their Captivity in the Reign of Ahasuerus one of the Kings of Persia whether he was Artaxerxes Longimanus as some think or Artaxerxes Mnemon as most Authors both Antient and Modern say or Artaxerxes Ochus as Serarius holds or Xerxes the fourth Persian Monarch according to Scaliger or Darius the Son of Hystaspes or Cambyses for so various aâ—e the Opinions of Authors I will not here dispute Only we know that the Sacred Writings and the Profane intend the same Person sometimes though they give different Names The Story is this Haman a great Favourite and Minion of the King and advanced to great Honour by him was highly incens'd against Mordecai one of the Captive Jews because he refused to do him Reverence and to Bow to him Whereupon he resolv'd for his sake to compass the Destruction of all the Iews in those Territories and to that end gain'd a Decree from the King to put them all to the Sword But this wicked Design was happily frustrated by means of Esther a Jewish Captive Virgin who for her transcendent Beauty had a little time before been advanced to the Throne and now prevail'd with her Royal Husband to spare the Life of her dear Countrymen In this manner Haman's cursed Conspiracy was defeated he himself advanced to a Gibbet and that of his own preparing the Jews delivered from their Fears and Dangers Mordecai who discover'd this Bloody Design to Queen Esther and who had before that discover'd another Conspiracy viz. against the King which was recorded in the Chronicles and about this time read to him and was in a great measure serviceable by the Divine Providence to bring about this happy Frustration of Haman's Plot this Mordecai I say was preferr'd unto the greatest Honours in the Kingdom and by the by let me suggest that perhaps from his riding the King's Horse and thereby being preferr'd to Kingly Dignity the Story of Darius's being made King of Persia by the Neighing of his Horse had its Rise for as I have often had occasion in another Place to prove the Gentile Historians mistook one Person for another the Hearts and Mouths of all the Jews in the King's Provinces were filled with Joy and an Annual Festival was appointed to be kept in all succeeding Generations in remembrance of this singular and unexpected Deliverance vouchsafed to them This is the Sum of this Short History in which there are many Admirable and Surprizing Circumstances which though they could not be particularly related here commend it to the Reader It is certainly a most Remarkable Instance of God's Singular Providence and Goodness to his Church in discovering and defeating the Contrivances of her malicious and cruel Enemies in delivering her in her greatest Extremities and in bringing Vengeance and Ruine on the Heads of those who plot her Downfal As to the Author of this Book there is no Agreement among Writers though one would be enclined to think that it was Mordecai's by reading ch 9. v. 20. and ch 12. of Apocryphal Esther v. 4. The next Penman of the Old Testament is Iob whose Book might have been placed next to the Pentateuch if it be true as is generally believ'd that he lived about Moses's time Though some are of opinion that he lived a considerable time before the Israelites came out of Egypt and that he was before Moses It was writ by himself say Origen and Suidas but the Rabbins generally pronounce Moses the Author Others make Solomon the Author of this Book discovering as they think his manner of speaking in it The most probable Account is that the Materials of this Book were drawn up first by Ioâ— himself or one or all of his Pious Friends that were concern'd in the things spoken of here and that they coming to Moses's Hands as some of the Jewish Masters tell us or afterwards to Solomon's were made up into Hebrew Verse as we now find it For the greatest Part of the Book is of this Composure and indeed is the first Poetical Book we meet with in the Bible Whence we may infer something concerning the Nature of it viz. that as M. Luther well observ'd Iob and his Friends spake not all the very Words which are set down in this Book for Men do not use to speak in Verse in their Discourse one with another and especially in such a Lofty Stile of Poetry as we read here sometimes But this is true that both their Thoughts and Words were exactly agreeable to what is here written and Things actually and really happen'd as they are here represented only the Whole Argument being clothed in Verse the individual and express Words which they all the time used are not always written down neither indeed could be But we must by no means attend to the Talmudick Doctors who tell us that this Book is not a Relation of Matter of Fact but writ in a Parabolical way to exhibit to the World an Eminent Example of Patience Nor are the Words of the Parisaan Professor to be tolerated who saith the History is true but the
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
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
Ghost saw to be most profitable and necessary for the Church That one would think should content us So as to his Songs which were a thousand and five as we read in the fore-mentioned Place there is but One of them that hath arrived at our Hands and was thought worthy to be inserted into the Sacred Writings unless we reckon the Forty fifth Psalm to be a Song of his This then adds to the Excellency of these Writings of Solomon which we have that they are Choice Pieces selected even by the Holy Ghost who was the Prime Author of them This surely may satisfy us that the Books or Writings of this Wise Prince which were most Excellent and which were dictated by the Spirit are transmitted to us and are Part of the Bible Thus there is nothing lost that belongs to the Canonical Scripture of the Old Testament And whereas it is Objected that some Places are quoted in the New Testament as taken out of the Old and yet are not to be found there as Mat. 2. 23. Iames 4. 5. Iude v. 14. I answer as to the first that from those Words That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophets He shall be called a Nazarene no Man can gather that some of the Canonical Books of Scripture are missing because if you take the Prophets here for Prophetick Men who spoke only and did not write then there were no Books of theirs to be lost Or if by Prophets you understand the Penmen of the Bible it may be shew'd that what they foretold is still extant in their Writings For though those individual Words He shall be call'd a Nazarene are not found among the Prophecies of the Old Testament yet the Purport and Sense of them are there and the Places to which they have reference are very obvious as I have shewed in that particular Interpretation of the Words which I have offered to the Publick in my Enquiry into some Remarkable Texts of the New Testament Thence I hope it will appear that the Objectors have no ground for what they alledg and also that the Iews Cavil against this Place of St. Matthew where they say he quotes a Text out of the Prophets which is not to be found in any of them is void of all Reason Another Place which is wont to be mention'd on this Occasion is Iam. 4. 5. Do you think that the Sâ—ripture saith in vain The Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to Envy Which Words are no where to be found in Scripture therefore say they some Part of the Holy Writings is lost And Sir N. Knatchbull seems to say that this is Passage taken out of the Writings of the Prophets which â—re missing at this Day In answer to this some say that Gen. 6. 3. is the Place of Scripture here referr'd to but after they have taken a great dealâ—of Pains to make this out their labour is in vain for surely no Man of free and unprejudiced Thoughts will be perswaded that those Wordâ— My Spirit shall not always strive with Man are of the same Import with these The Spirit that dwelleâ—â— in us lusteth to Envy This Exposition is built upon a mistaken Notion of the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contendet which our Translators truly rendâ—â— shall strive some fancying that it is to be derivâ—â— from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sheath and then forsooth the Soul or Spirit is a Sword Lowis Chappel and some Others as groundlesly make these Words an Interrogation Doth the Spirit that dwelleth in us lust to Envy and think they refer to Numb 11. 29. Enviest thou for my sake The Question say they is a Negâ—tion and is as much as if it had been said Doth the Scripture and the Holy Spirit teach you to contend to be envious and quarrelsom No. But this likewise is forced and strained and an impartial Eye cannot possibly see any Affinity between the two Places of Scripture besides that there is one Interrogation to introduce another which confounds the Stile The plain and unforced Answer is this that St. Iames doth not here quote any Particular Place of Scripture as if there were such express Words in the Old Testament as are here set down by him He only tells us what is generally deliver'd in Scripture viz. that Man's Nature is depraved and corrupted that it is enclined to Envy as well as to other Lusts and Unlawful Affections Or If any â—ne Particular Place be referr'd to more than another it is probable it is that of Gen. 6. 5. or ch 8. v. 21. where we are told that the Imaginations or the Purposes and Desires of Mens Hearts are evil from their Youth yea they are only evil and that contiâ—ually The Words then are not to be understood of the Divine Spirit but of that Corrupt Spirit which is in Men not the Spirit which is of God â—â—t the Spirit of the World as the Apostle Paul distinguisheth 1 Cor. 2. 12. This Spirit lusteth to Envy and prompts Men to all other Vices And 〈◊〉 for the next Words He giveth more Grace they refer not to the Spirit here spoken of but to God who though he be not named in this Verse is twice in the immediately foregoing one He giveth 〈◊〉 Grace he according to his good Pleasure restrains Mens Lusts and envious Desires and teâ—cheth them Humility Submission and all other Divine Vertues Or according to a late Worthy Critick it i. e. the Scripture giveth more Grace for that it saith c. In this Holy Book there are Examples of some Persons in whom this Spirit of Envy was restrained When the Apostle then here saith Do you think that the Scripture saith in vain c. we must not wonder that those very Words are not found in any Part of the Old Testament for the Apostle only speaks here of what may be deduced from these Sacred Writings or what is said in them to the same purpose though in other Words There are many Places of Scripture which speak of the Lusts of that corrupt Spirit which is in us whereby we are stirr'd up to Envy and Strife From several Texts we may gather that Man's Nature is prone to these and the like Passions This I take to be the true Account of the Words In the same manner we are to understand Luâ—â— 11. 49. Therefore said the Wisdom of God I will send them Prophets and Apostles c. There is no partâ—cular Text that hath these Words but there are several Prophecies to this Purpose So Ephes. 5. 14. He saith Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give the Light is not meanâ—â— of any such particular and individual Words 〈◊〉 of the Spirit 's speaking in the Gospel to that Effect though I know Dr. Hammond and others refer i◠〈◊〉 Isa. 60. 1. and some Interpreters to Isa. 51. 9. 〈◊〉 you will not find these or such Words in either of those Places That Passage in
before it It is not sit that the same Word should have two diverse Readings in the same Verse In v. 6 8 9. let living Creatures be taken out of the Margin and be set in the Text it self in the Place of Beasts which is not a sit Word for those that are represented by that Vision especially when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here is the word which is rightly translated the Beast in this Book In ch 11. v. 17. those Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are not rightly rendred which art and wast and art to come but thus who is and was and is to come In ch 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in v. 13. is translated Wonders in the 14th Miracles which ought to be corrected for the Reason so often given viz. because the same Greek Word should be rendred by the same English one if there be no apparent Cause for the contrary In ch 14. v. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be rendred with them their Works follow with them In ch 16. v. 12. the way of the Kings who are from the Risings of the Sun is the true and literal Version of the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in our present English Translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is absorp'd These are the several Places which I conceive ought to be altered and translated more exactly I say not this to impair or derogate from the Credit and Honour of our English Translation much less to condemn the Present Edition or to expose the Scriptures themselves but my Design is to represent them in their native Excellency and Purity and to contribute by this Critical Essay towards so worthy an End For it is certain that nothing can more commend the Holy Writ than an Exact Translation i. e. such a one as faithfully represents to us the Express Text of Scripture Wherefore I humbly offer the forementioned Places to the Consideration of the Learned and Judicious and leave the whole or part to be approved or rejected as they shall think fit Perhaps when our Church-Affairs are settled this will not seem unworthy of the Thoughts of a Convocation who I question not will see that the Revising and Correcting of our English Translation of the Bible in all or in most of those Places and in several others which I have not here propounded is very requisite It is my judgment that as out of the Vulgar Latin and the Modern Latin Versions one entire one might be made in that Language that should be generally used in Quotations among the Orthodox Learned so a New English Translation might be composed out of this Last Edition as to the main but with such New Alterations and Amendments as should render the Stile and Sense in many Places more accurate and should make it acceptable to the most Curious English Readers And here I advise that the Marginal Notes of the Present English Bible be often consulted because the best and most genuine Translations of Words are frequently put there But in the foregoing Animadversions I have taken no notice of those different Significations of Words which are placed there I have only offer'd those that have not hitherto been observed In the last Place I might add something concerning the Division of the Bible into Chapters and Verses It is not to be doubted that Moses the Prophets Evangelists and Apostles writ their Books without any such Partition and this was the way of all other Writers of old But it appears that the Books of the Prophets were divided afterwards into Parashes before our Saviour's Time and this distribution of them is often mention'd in the Talmuds This was done by the Jews for the more methodical reading of them in the Synagogues Some of the Greek Fathers take notice of this Distribution and consequently it was made before their Time for they mention the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Old Testament which signify the same thing and Ierom speaks of a Pericope of Ieremiah Yea if I mistake not this sort of Sections or Parashes is mention'd in Acts 8. 32. and is call'd there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Books of the Evanglists and Apostles were afterwards divided into certain Sections by some of the Primitive Bishops and Pastors for the more convenient reading of them herein imitating the Iews who had done the same in the Old Testament These are call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Eastern Fathers and Lectiones by the Latin Ones They were the same that we call Chapters Verses were also antient but not the same that are at present nor were all the Books so divided St. Ierom tells us he distributed the Books of the Chronicles and that of Ezekiel into Verses And some of thâ— Books of the New Testament were thus divided particularly the Epistle to the Galatians was parted into these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Origen as Ierom informs us But it is certain that all these Partitions whether into Chapters or Verses wâ—re very much different from what we have at this Day To this purpose 't is observable as Heinsius and some other Criticks out of Suidas relate that the New Testament was divided into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so far as I can gather from the Account which they give of these two the former of these was the division of a Book into Chapters and the latter into Verses or some such small Portion though at this Day there is a quite different Sense of the Words for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the greater division and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lesser As to the Division of the whole Bible consisting of 39 Books of the Old Testament and 27 of the New into distinct Chapters as they are now among us viz. 779 in the Old Testament and 260 in the New it was made by Lanfrank Archbishop of Canterbury about the Year 1060 others say by Stephen Langton who was Archbishop of the same See in K. Iohn's Time about the Year 1200. It is said by others that Cardinal Hugo twenty or thirty Years afterwards was the first that contrived the Distinction of Chapters of the Old Testament for fitting the Hebrew Text to the Concordance of the Bible which he was Author of The dividing of Chapters into Verses was more lately being the Work of the Industrious and Learned Robert Stephens about eightscore Years since But whoever were the first Authors of this Division of the Bible into Chapters and Verses it is certain that it is not rightly made The beginning of the 10th Chap. of Isaiah should not be cut of from the 9th Chapter for it belongs to it and at the Close of the 5th v. of the 10th Chap. which is so now the 9th should end And many other Chapters in the Old Testament are ill divided But especially in the New Testament one may see that the distinction of Chapters and Verses now in
understand them aright I propound these ensuing Rules and Directions First It is requisite that we furnish our selves with other Learning to make our selves capable of understanding the Bible All Arts require a Master and Teacher even the lowest and mechanical All Trades and Sciences are to be learn'd none presumes to meddle with them till they have been instructed in them And yet we may observe that all degrees of Persons pretend to interpret the Scriptures though they were never instructed never prepared as St. Ierom complain'd of old A great many imagine that the Weakest Brains can comprehend the Contents of this Book and without all other knowledg attain to the meaning of them But this is a gross Mistake and is one cause of Mens wresting and corrupting the Scriptures They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 3. 16. unlearned and unwilling to be taught for so the Word imports they neglect the means of Knowledg they use not the proper Helps conducing to it Or whatever they were in St. Peter's Time we are sure that now a competent Measure of Humane Learning is required to understand these Writings For though they surpass all Humane Wisdom yet it is as true that they have strictures of all Arts and Sciences in them and are written in the Learned Languages and as I have shew'd formerly contain in them all sorts of Words Phrases and Idioms Wherefore there is a Necessity of the Arts and Tongues for understanding this Book In the Writings of Moses and the Prophets of the Apostles and Evangelists there are the Rites Customs Manners Opinions Sayings Proverbs of almost all Nations in the World especially of the Antient Hebrews Wherefore a Knowledg of their Writings and Antient Monuments a Converse with History and Antiquities are absolutely requisite especially for explaining the difficult Places And to have a true Notion of several Passages in the Epistles of the Apostles Ecclesiastical History in needful which gives us nitice of the Hereticks of that time or of those concerning whom the Apostles prophetically speak The Writings of the Fathers are to be consulted and that with great application of Mind that we may not mistake the Interpretations which those Learned and Pious Men give of the respective Places of Scripture that we may be ediâ—ied by their Religious Comments but not imbibe any of their Errors This which I now say principally concerns the Guides and Ministers of the Church who are supposed to be Men of Learning and Scholarship and truly a great Part of the Bible is more especially fitted for such It is their province to expound and teach this Holy Book which is it self a Library and is of that Nature that it cannot be rightly understood and explain'd without acquaintance with the Antient Writers of the Church without skill in the Tongues Rhetdrick Logick Philosophy History Criticism for as it is furnish'd with all Literature so it requires all to unfold it aright As for the Apostles tho some of them had no knowledg in Arts and Sciences yet that Defect was abundantly recompensed by the extraordinary Gifts and Endowments of the Holy Ghost So most of the Primitive Christians in the Apostles Days who were not Hebrews understood the Language in which the Old Testament was written by their Gift of Tongues And as for the Greek of the New Testament it was universally known and so was in a manner the native Tongue both to the Jews and others of that time But Men are not now instructed in Strange Languages by the Spirit nor are they born with Hebrew or Greek neither are they Inspired with Arts and Humane Knowledg and consequently Study and Reading and Long Exercise are indispensably requisite Clement of Alexandria would have his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. his Perfect and Compleat Theologuâ— be skill'd in Humane Literature and Philosophy Inshort to be a Consummate Divine and thorowly knowing in the Bible it is necessary that he be a Man of Universal Learning Secondly that we may read and understand the Scriptures it is requisite that we be exceeding Attentive Observing Considerate that we be very Inquisitive Thoughtful and Diligent This Rule may be explain'd in several Particulars 1. We must use great Thoughtfulness Diligence and Care in penetrating into the Design and Sense of those Inspired Writings St. Chrysostom delivers the Rule thus we must not only examine the meer naked Words and insist upon them simply and absolutely consider'd but we must chiefly attend to the Mind and Intent of the Writer Sometimes instead of an Absolute meaning of the Words in Scripture they are to be taken Comparatively or with Limitation they must be restrain'd to the Matter in Hand As to Instance No Man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost 1. Cor. 12. 3. i. e. no Man can say so from his Heart There is that Reserve implied Where I am ye eannot come John 7. 34. i. e. ye can't come yet but afterwards you shall All that came before me are Thieves and Robbers John 1 o. 8. i. e. all False Prophets for he means them are such It is reported that there is such Fornication among you as is not so much as named among the Gentiles that one should have his Father's Wife 1 Cor. 5. 1. This sort of Fornication was not only named but practis'd among the Gentiles for there are several Examples in Pagan Story of marrying the Father's Wife therefore here must be meant the more Sober Sort of Gentiles And so in many other Places things which seem to be absolutely spoken are to be understood in a restrained Sense 2. It is necessary that we be very thoughtful and inquisitive about the Context the Dependance the Connection of those Places which we search into We are to be exceeding mindful what the Words refer to what Coherence they have with what went before and what follows To Know the true Sense of them we must carefully observe the Subject-matter for this is certain that Propositions are true or not true according to this You will meet with several Instances of this in my former Discourses on the Holy Scriptures and therefore I will forbear to mention any here Only I offer this at present as a General Rule for guiding us to the true and genuine meaning of Scripture 3. This Attentiveness and Care must be exercis'd in Comparing one Place with another or with divers others if there be occasion For as an Intelligent Person rightly suggests all Truth being consonant to it self and all being penn'd by one and the self-same Spirit it cannot be but that an industrious and judicious Comparing of Place with Place must be a singular help for the right understanding of the Scriptures This One Rule if well and duly observ'd will carry us through most of the Difficulties of the Bible For this we may depend upon that the Scripture is its own Interpreter that the best Comment on this Book is it self Wherefore let
Import signifies a disposing of something is most commoâ—â—ly applied to such a Disposal as is either by Covenâ—â— or Testament Hence it is sometimes rendred 〈◊〉 Covenant and sometimes a Testament especially among the Lawyers the latter Sense prevails and accordingly you will find that a Last Will and Testament is express'd by this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Imperial Institutions and other law-Law-Books translated into Greek We may here join both Senses together for what God hath agreed to by Covenant with Man that Christ bequeaths and gives by Testament Now we must prove both these i. e. we must make it evident that the Covenant and Testament are True before we can receive any Advantage and Benefit from them There is a Necessity of evidencing the Truth of the Scriptures which are this Covenant and this Testament otherwise we can build nothing upon them Here then I. I will evince the Truth and Authority of the Scriptures which is the great Basis of all Theology II. After I have largely insisted on this I will proceed to give you an account of the Nature of the Stile and Phrase of these Holy Books III. I will advance yet farther and demonstrate the Excellency and Perfection of them The Subject of our present Undertaking is the first of these in handling of which I shall but briefly and concisely make use of those Arguments which are commonly insisted upon by Learned Writers till I come to fix upon a Topick which is not commonly yea which is very rarely and by the by used in this Cause and this I will pursue very largely and fully I hope with some Satisfaction to the Reader There are many Arguments to demonstrate the Truth and Authority of the Holy Scriptures and shew that they are worthy to be believed and imbraced by us as the very Word of God Some of these Arguments which are to prove the Truth of these Writings are in common with those that prove the Truth of the Christian Religion on which I shall have occasion to insist at another time but my Design at present is to propound those which are more peculiarly and properly fitted to evince the Truth of the Scriptures And these are either Internal or External The Internal ones I call those which are either in the Scriptures themselves or in Vs. The Characters of Divinity which the Scriptures have in Themselves are either their Matter or the Manner of the writing them I begin with the first the Matter of them and here I will mention only these three Particulars 1. The Sublime Doctrines and Verities which are in Holy Writ In reading this Book we meet with such things as cannot reasonably be thought to come from any but God himself In other Writings which are most applauded the choicest things which entertain our Minds are the excellent Moral Notions and Precepts which they offer to us which are all the Result of Improved Reason and Natural Religion But here are besides these Notices of a peculiar Nature and such as are above our natural Capacity and Invention as the Creation of the World in that Manner as is represented to us in these Writings the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity the Eternal Decrees the Incarnation of Christ the Son of God the Redemption of the World by his Blood the whole Method of Man's Salvation the stupendous Providence of God over his Church in all Ages the Coming of Christ to Judgment and in order to that the raising of all Men out of their Ashes These and several other Doctrines deliver'd in the Sacred Writings cannot be imagined to come from any but God they carry with them the Character of Divinity as being no common and obvious Matters but such as are towring and lofty hidden and abstruse and not likely to be the Product of Humane Wisdom A God is plainly discovered in them for the most Improved Creatures could never have reach'd to this pitch Any serious and thinking Man cannot but discern the peculiar Turn and singular Contrivance of these Mysterious Doctrines which argue them to be Divine We may therefore believe the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles to be the Word of God because of the wonderful Height and Sublimity of those Truths which are contained in them 2. The Exact Purity and Holiness both of Body and Soul of Heart and Life which are enjoin'd in these Writings are another Testimony of their being Divinely Inspired For though some other Books dictate Religion and Piety yet this is certain that all the true and just Measures of them were taken originally from this one Exact Standard which was prior to them all as I shall shew afterwards Besides the Love and Charity the Humility Meekness and all other Vertues which the Scriptures describe to us far exceed the most advantageous Representations the most exalted Ideas which the Heathen Moralists give of them These therefore are emphatically and eminently called by St. Paul the Holy Scriptures 2 Tim. 3. 15. because they breath the most consummate Goodness and Piety and that antecedently to all Writings whatsoever because every thing in them advanceth Holiness and that in Thought Word and Actions The End and Scope of them are to promote Sanctity of Life to make us every way better and even to render us * like God himself The Holy Scripture was intended to set forth the Divine Perfections to display the Heavenly Purity and thereby to commend the Excellency of a holy Life And it is certain that if with sincere and humble Minds we peruse this Book of God we shall find this blessed Result of it it will marvellously instruct us in the Knowledg of the Divine Attributes especially of God's Unspotted Holiness it will tincture our Minds with Religion it will pervade all our Faculties with a Spirit of Godliness and it will thorowly cleanse and sanctify both our Hearts and Lives which proves it to be from God But because I shall have occasion to say more of this when I treat of the Perfection of the Scriptures I will now dismiss it 3. To the Matter of Scripture we must refer the Prophecios and Predictions which are contained in it These I reckon another Internal Argument because they are drawn from what is comprehended in the very Scripture it self What a vast number is there of Prophecies of the Old and New Testament which we find fulfilled and accordingly are Testimonies of the Truth of these Scriptures Here I will a little enlarge and first I will begâ—n with that ancient Prophecy of Noah God shall enlarge Japheth and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem and Canaan shall be his Servant Where are foretold things that happened above two thousand Years afterward for the Posterity of Iapheth viz. the Europeans especially the Greeks and Romans among other Conquests gain'd the possession of Iudea and other Eastern Countries which were the Portion of Shem. Again it was fulfilled thus by Christ's coming and preaching the Gospel and by his
or Historical and you 'l presently find that the way oâ— Expression in them is different from what the Authors of themselves would have used If they had been left to their own Genius they would have delivered things in another Method and Manner than you see them in The Stile of them therefore shews the Author In short had the Scriptures been written in the common way of other Writers this would have disparaged them and we should have had no reason to think that they were Divinely inspired which is the thing I am now proving Nay I will adjoin this that the very Words and Phrases of Scripture were dictated by the Spirit the very particular Expressions and Modes of Speech were under the particular Guidance and Direction of the Holy Ghost I know there are many of a contrary Judgment among whom the worthy Writer whom I last quoted is not the least confident and positively asserts that the Stile and Language of Scripture were not dictated by the Holy Ghost but the Matter only The Words saith he were left to the Writers themselves who as Men of Sense could express their Minds in fit Terms And to prove that the Words were not dictated by the Spirit he urgeth this that Christ and his Apostles quote Places out of the Old Testament as they are translated by the Seventy which is not verbatim Now saith he they would have cited the Passages in the very original Phrases and Words if these had been from Divine Inspiration It is evident therefore that they are not because the Apostles use other Words and Terms far different from those in the Hebrew But this is no valid Argument if you rightly consider it for though the Apostles thought fit for some Reasons which I shall have occasion afterwards to offer to you to make use of the Septuagint Version which is but a Paraphrase in many places on the Original Text yet it doth not follow hence that the very Words of the Original were not dictated by the Holy Ghost Neither our Saviour nor the Evangelists and Apostles do hereby declare that the Hebrew Text was not inspired and that even as to the Phrase and Words but all that we gather from their using of the Greek Translation is this that they found it convenient at that time for Reasons which shall afterwards be alledged to quote some Places as they are rendred by those Translators and not exactly according to the Original This doth not necessarily imply much less prove that the Penmen of the Old Testament were not assisted by the Spirit in the very Words which they used But the contrary is grounded on very good Reason for these Sacred Writings being of a more excellent and transcendent Nature than all others in the World besides it was meet that they should surpass them all in This viz. the Divinity of the very Stile If you grant not this you acknowledg these Writings in one respect at least and that no inconsiderable one to be no better than the common Writings of other Men which certainly cannot but be look'd upon as a great vilifying of the Bible Christ promised his Disciples that when they should be brought before Governours and Kings for his Sake it should be given them what they should speak for as he adds it is not they that speak but the Spirit of their Father that speaketh in them Mat. 10. 19 20. And is it not most reasonable to think that the same Spirit taught the Writers of the Old and New Testament what they should speak and commit to writing and gave them Words to that purpose Especially if you consider that this was a Book which was to last to all Generations in the Church anâ— was designed for the use of the Faithful and for the confuting of their Adversaries to the World'â— End and accordingly was to be produced upon all Occasions and therefore was to be of an extraordinary Composure and every Word and Syllable was to be from God and the Direction of his Holy Spirit St. Peter assures us that the Writerâ— of the Old Testament spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost their Speaking and consequently their Writing because this was according to that was by the special Motion and Influence of the Infallible Spirit therefore their very Words for those are necessarily included in speaking were dictated and directed by the same Spirit And the other Great Apostle tells us indefinitely and absolutely and without any restriction that 〈◊〉 Scripture is given by Inspiration of God Now if 〈◊〉 the Scripture be by Divine Inspiration it follows that the very Words of it are for the Words and Expressions and manner of Speech are a part of the Scripture wherefore if we grant that the Whole is by Inspiration we must necessarily grant likewise that the Parts of it are for the Parts constitute the Whole We have reason therefore to assert that every Word in Scripture is endited by God and that every Letter and Syllable of it is exact and that there is nothing wanting nothing superfluous no Fault nor Blemish in the Stile and Phraseology of it I cannot but here take notice of the fond Presumption of some of the Iewiâ—â— Rabbies and Masorites who alter some Words and Expressions in Scripture and put others into their place They forsooth in a more modest way as they pretend read instead of Vrine in 2 Kings 18. 27. Isa. 36. 12. the Water of the Feet instead of Shagal they read Shacab in all Texts for Gnapholim Deut. 28. 27. 1 Sam. 5. 6. they read Techorim so in other places where they think some Words are obscene they substitute others in their room These Men would be more modest than the Scripture and more chaste than the Holy Ghost and yet they herein contradict themselves for some of them have said the Hebrew Tongue is called Holy because it hath nothing obscence in it nothing of that nature can be utter'd and express'd in it This we are certain of that there cannot be better and fitter Words than what the Scripture hath for the Spirit endited them all and therefore the Practice of the conceited Rabbies is to be exploded There is not one Iota or the least Apex in Scripture which is put there to no purpose And the same Father as truly saith in another place It speaks nothing in vain nothing by chance And the reason is because All of it Words no less than Matter is dictated and delivered from above by an unerring Spirit Yet I speak not this as if the Sacred Writers of the Bible were so tied up by the Spirit that they cannot or do not make use of their own natural or acquired Skill Though the Words be dictated by the Spirit yet the Penmen might write and speak according to the Improvements they had made in Speech I do not by what I have said exclude the peculiar Eloquence or Strain of the Writers or their using the Helps of their Education
or their conforming to the Dialect of their Countrey for these are consistent with That Isaiah being a Courtier and a Person of Quality hath a neat and elegant Stile and yet so as he knows how to vary it according to the Matter he treats of But generally he is Lofty and Eloquent his Stile being raised by his Education which was sutable to his Noble Extraction for he was of the Blood Royal. Ieremiah and Amos being used to the Countrey are mean and homely in their Language the latter especially discovers his Condition and way of Life in his low and rural Strain So in the New Testament St. Luke who had improved himself by Art and Study is very observant of the Greek Elegancy and avoids all improper and exotick Terms in his Gospel and in the Acts. Indeed the Stile of the Sacred Penmen is very different and that Difference is an Excellency in this Book of God But that which I say is this the Writers leave not off their peculiar Stile though they were moved by the Spirit As this furnished them with new Expressions so it let them make use of their own usual ones but immediately directed and assisted them in the applying of them So that at the same time when they used their Natural Stile they were Divinely help'd to make it â—erviceable to that purpose which the Holy Ghost intended Hence I conclude that the Stile and Words and Composure of the Sacred Writings are such as ought to be reckoned Divine For this is one difference between this Book and others that every thing of it is Divine And therefore those Persons who dream of Solecisâ—â— in Holy Scripture are the greatest Solecisers themselves but especially those who assert there are Mistakes and literal Falsities in the Holy Book are utterly to be condemned Such is Episcopius who dares affirm That the Spirit left the Writers of the Holy Scripture to their own humane Frailty in delivering such things as belonged to Circumstances of a Fact Their Knowledg and Memory were deficient and fallible The Spirit did not tell St. Iohn how many Furlongs Christ's Disciples went chap. 6. 19. The same is to be asserted he saith as to some Names and other Circumstances of Time and Place which are not of the substance of the thing And before this you are told by â—â—o others that the Pen-men of Scripture 〈◊〉 in some light things not that they would falâ—â—ty but that they might forget some Passages Melchior Canus is of the opinion that there are some considerable Slips in Scripture from the weakness of the Evangelists and Apostles Memories Yea among the antient Fathers there was one who more grosly held that the Writers of the New Testament sometimes abused the Testimonies of the Prophets of the Old Testament and that they applied them to their present purpose although they were nothing to it Thus St. Paul he saith quoteth the Old Testament in his Epistles to the Romans Galatians and Ephesians only to serve his turn and to confute the Jews his Adversaries Read saith he these Epistles wherein the Apostle is wholly on the Polemick part and you will see how prudently and dissemblingly he acts in those Texts which he citeth out of the Old Testament And at other times this bold Man is not afraid to say that some of the Matters and Things in Scripture are set down wrong This is no less than Profane and Blasphemous Doctrine wherefore that Father is to be read with great Caution in such places as these We on the contrary assert that God was not only the Author of the Matter and Contents of Holy Writ but also of the Words and Expressions yea even when those Writers express their Sense in their own Terms i. e. according to the Way and Dialect which they were Masters of and which was most familiar to them even then they were immediately assisted 〈◊〉 the Spirit Which was absolutely necessary that this Book might have no Errors and Failings in it of any kind but that it might transcend all other Writings whatsoever If you do not hold this you make no considerable difference between the Holy Scriptures and other Writings Therefore I am thorowly convinced that this is a Truth and ought to be maintained viz. that the Holy Spirit endited the very Stile of Scripture that even this was by the immediate Inspiration of Heaven To the Manner of its writing I may well annex its Harmony and thence also prove it to be Divine Though there are several seeming Repugnancies of which I shall treat afterwards in a Discourse of the Stile of Scripture and endeavour to clear them up to the Satisfaction of every sober and considerate Person yet it cannot but be acknowledged that all the Parts of this Book do entirely agree and are consistent with one another This in other Books which are composed and written by one Author is not so admirable tho in those Pieces we oftentimes meet with very palpable Disagreements and Contradictions but here we are able to remember that notwithstanding these Books were written by different Persons and those many in number and disagreeing in Quality and extremely distant as to Time and Place yet their Writings contradict not one another but there is an excellent Harmony in all their Parts there is a perfect Concord and Consent among them all such as is not to be found in any other Authors in the World though of the same Sect and Party Excellently to this purpose a very Wise and Judicious Man thus speaks When several Men in several Ages not brought up under the same Education write it is not possible to find Unity in their Tenents or Positions because their Spirits Judgments and Fancies are different but where so many several Authors speaking and writing at several times agree not only in Matters Dogmatical of sublime and difficult Natures but also in Predictions of future and contingent Events whereof it is impossible for humane Understanding to make a Discovery without a superiour Discovery made to it I must needs conclude one and the same Divine Spirit declared the same Truths to these several Men. And as to the seeming Contrarieties of some Places of Scripture this should not at all trouble us for this is rather an Argument of the Truth and Authority of it it is a sign the Writers did not combine together to cheat and delude us If they had designed any such thing we should not have met with any Difficult and seemingly Repugnant Places in these Writings But seeing we do so this among other things may confirm us in this Belief that the Scriptures were not contrived by Men who had a design to impose upon us for if they had had such a Design they would have so ordered it that not the least appearance of Contradiction and Difference should have been found But truly there is no necessity of proceeding thus in this Discourse for to an unprejudiced and industrious Enquirer there is
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
been said it appears that the Jews weâ—â— very careful and studious very exact and curioâ—â— in Scripture by which means it happens that theâ— is an Impossibility of making any Alteration in 〈◊〉 without being discovered That is the only Reâ—son of my alledging here the Masoretick Notes 〈◊〉 I undertake not to defend the superstitious Râ—â—marks and Criticisms of the Masorites I applaud not their laborious Niceties their childish Transmutations and shuflling of Letters and Syllables their trifling Annotations on the Figure and Make of some Hebrew Letters But I only take notice of God's Providence in making these Critical Men to be very serviceable towards the preserving the Bible of the Old Testament in its Purity The Observations of these Masoretick Doctors who were Persons of great Skill in the Language and well acquainted with all the antient Copies and Manuscripts and who above a thousand Years ago exactly numbred all the Verses Words Letters and even the minutest parts of the Hebrew Text have been a great Security and Preservative to it they have kept it undepraved and uncorrupt and have made the Reading of it certain and unalterable This is the reason why that Excellent and Noble Personage the Learned Picus Mirandula so highly extols the Hebrew Cabala without doubt he saw this Usefulness and Excellency in it Nay before these Doctors of Tiberias drew up their Masoretick Notes there was it is probable extant something of this nature They had before this time some Accompt not only of all the Letters of the Bible but of all the Apices of them for to this our Saviour alludes in Mat. 5. 18. Not one Iot or one Tittle which latter is meant of those little Horns Pricks and Dots belonging to the Hebrew Letters Not only the smallest Letters as Iod but the Cuttings of those Letters were diligently observ'd by the Masoretick Jews And this their nice and almost fond Criticism was serviceable to the keeping of the Hebrew Text entire and unchanged Thus the Masoreth as they express it is a Hedg or Fence to the Law Theâ— critical Notes and Remarks of the old Jews havâ— preserved the Text of the Bible from being corrupted and abused So that we may from henâ— gather that we have in our hands the same Heâ—brew Text which was at first given by God to 〈◊〉 People But some tell us that the Old Testament 〈◊〉 bâ—rnt at the same time when the Temple was 〈◊〉 that Ezra after the Captivity dictated and writ 〈◊〉 over again according to what we find recordâ—â— in 2 Esdras 14. 21 23 24. So there was some Recovery of the Law but the Original Book beinâ— lost it cannot be imagined but that there are many â—aults and Mistakes in This which we have 〈◊〉 present I answer Either this Passage in the Aâ—pocryphal Writer speaks of some other Book distinct from that of the Mosaick Law or it is to bâ— reckoned as fabulous and supposititious and so 〈◊〉 Creditâ— is to be given to it for in Nehem. 8. 2 3. there is mention of the Book of the Law being broughâ— before the Congregation and its being read before 〈◊〉 Men and the Women but not a Syllable of the Maâ—tâ—r mentioned in Esdras is hero to be found Yes 't is implied that the Book of the Law was still the same for you may observe that there is a particular Account of what the Chaldeans destroyed and burnt and carried away at the taking of Ierusâ—â—em but there is not a word of these holy Books which most certainly would have been taken notice of they being of so inestimable a Vaâ—â—â— Morcover if we should suppose the Law was burnt in the Temple yet there were many Copies of it among the Jews which without doubt were preserved We have no reason therefore to suspect that the Hebrew Original of the Old Testament is corrupted But some of the Antient Fathers in the Christian Church as well as some Learned Moderns have asserted that the Hebrew is corrupted I answer first as to the Fathers it is granted that Iustin Martyr declares himself to be of this Opinion In his Dialogue with Trypho he considently assirms that the Jews erased many things out of the Bible and he assigns particular Instances in the Psalms Isaiah and Ieremiah And this they did saith he because they hated Christ and his Religion and thought some of those Places favoured the Christian Cause too much Here by the by you may take notice of that great Mistake and Oversight in Bishop Ward 's Essays where he peremptorily asserts that never any of the Antient Fathers have in their greatest heat of Zeal against the Iews accused them of such Corruption i. e. of the Scriptures But this is not the first time that Iustin Martyr hath suffer'd himself to be impos'd upon in matter of Historical Truth This among others is questionless a gross Mistake of that good Man and his strong Averseness to the Jews and his belief of their Willingness and Readiness to deprave the Scriptures for their own Ends betrayed him to it As for other Fathers as Tertullian Irenaecus Origen Eusebius who it is true sometimes complain that the Scripture is corrupted by the Jews they speak of their adulterating the Text rather as to the Sense than as to the Words they mean that the Translations which the Jews used were false for they generally adhered to Aquila's and Theodotion's Version and preferr'd it before that of the Seventy Whence their Interpretations of Scripture were unsound and erroneous and thereby they sometimes set up Judaism against Christianity But this was done without corrupting thâ— Hebrew Copies of the Bible And that the Jewâ— had been guilty of no such thing is expresly asserted and maintained by Ierom and Augustine two Antient Fathers of a great Fame for Learning and Piety as those before named These worthy Persons refute that Suspicion and Rumour which it seems were then risen namely that thâ— Jews had adulterated the Hebrew Text. Thesâ— Fathers not only declare that they did no such thing but they praise them for their Faithfulness in preserving the Bible pure and uncorrupt Then as to some of the Moderns who have asserted the Hebrew Copies to be faulty and depraved it is easy to see what it was that prompted them to it The Hebrew Text is corrupted and so is that of the Septuagint say the Romanists but the old Vulgar Latin is uncorrupt and infallible so determines the Tridentine Council Several of that Communion have written against the Purity of the Hebrew Copies and laboured to prove them corrupt but Morinus hath shewed himself more zealous than all of them in this Point and he frankly confesseth this was his main Design in it viz. to baffle the Protestants who make the Scripture the Rule of their Faith and Manners If the Originals of the Bible be lost and the Transcripts be defective and erroneous how can the Bible be a certain Rule What will become then of the
its original Purity But here it is objected That the Hebrew Copies of the Bible might easily be corrupted and altered because they had no Points or Vowels at first This could not but make the Reading very uncertain and doubtful and almost arbitrary especially in some Places whence it is easy to imagine how great Alterations and consequently great Corruptions might creep into the Text. In answer to this you must know that those only who are against the Purity of the Hebrew Bible as Morinus Vossius Simon c. hold that the Points were of late Invention And this they have pick'd up out of Elias Levita who lived about a hundred Years ago and was of opinion that the Vowels were invented by the Jewish and Masoretick Doctors of Tiberias a famous School for the Hebrew Tongue So that it was about â—ive hundred Years after Christ when the Hebrew Points were found out and the Rabbins and Masorites of Tiberias were the first Authors of them This is the Judgment of Elias the Levite and he is the only Iew of this Opinion Nor is he followed by any Christians but those who have a design to vilify the Hebrew Bible and to prefer and magnify the LXX or some other Translation Of this sort are the Writers before mentioned who largely inveigh against the Authority of the Hebrew Edition And to promote a Disesteem of it one of them tells us that the Masorites of Tiberias who as he saith were the first Inventers of the Hebrew Vowels Points and Tittles borrowed them from the Turks the Bible according to him had these from the Alcoran And another tells us that if Moses were alive he would not know one Apex in the Jewish Books for they have their Letters from the Chaldees and their Points from the Mâ—â—soreths Nay he ventures to say that if Kiâ—â— David were alive again and heard his Psalâ—â— read or sung in the Jews Synagogues he woulâ— ask what Tongue they used for the right Souâ—â— and Pronunciation of the Hebrew is quite loâ— and no Man understands it unless it be thâ—â— Writer himself All this is Romance and sâ—â— on foot only to disparage the Bible and to makâ— us believe that the Old Testament is not the same that it was To which end also the Hebrew Points or Vowels are condemned for their Novelty and are said to be invented by the Talmudick Doctoâ— and Masorites Whereas there is mention made in several Jewish Writers of the Points and Vowels long before the Doctors of Tiberias which is said to be about the Year of our Lord 500. And from what we have observ'd already concerning the Masoretick Notes on the Bible it is easy to prove that the Hebrew Vowels were before that time for if the Masorites criticized on the Vowels as well as the other Letters and Accents aâ— was said before then 't is not probable in the least that they invented them We find that they take notice of the Irregularity of these Points in several places whereas if they had made them themselves they would have been all regular It is Nonsense to think that they that made the one viz. the Critical Notes made the other namely the Vowels and Points Hear likewise what the Learned Pocock saith It is an Argument that the Vowels were antienter than the Masoretick Notes in regard that they seem thereby to be governed in judging of the Consonants And in some other place in his Commentary he delivers his Judgment that the Vowels were not invented by the Masorites but were long before them yea were of the same Antiquity with the Letters or Consonants It is well known that all the Jews but him before named hold the Antiquity of the Hebrew Points yea some of them carry them back as far as Adam and vouch they were found out by him Other Learned Men among them assert that these Vowels were given at the time of the delivering the Law on Mount Sinai then it was that God writ the Decalogue with Points and gave it to the Jews by the hands of Moses And as to the rest of the Writings and the whole Body of the Old Testament the common Opinion of the Jews is that Ezra was the Author of the Vowels which are annexed to them and that he and the great Synagogue of which he was President first invented them after the Captivity Thus whether they commenced from Adam or from Moses or Ezra they all agree in this that they were very antient and in a manner coeval with the Letters and Words and consequently that they are part of the Text and of Divine Authority This being so old and so recent an Opinion it hath gain'd the Suffrage of the wisest and learnedst Christians in the World You may particularly find it maintained in the Writings of Munster Pagninus Buxtorf Vsher Cappellus Broughton Lightfoot Walton all of them singularly well skill'd in Jewish Antiquity and therefore fit Judges in this Cause They have proved by undeniable Arguments that the Hebrew Bible had Vowels or Pricks from the beginning and that it was never without them The Opinion then which the Objectors have espoused is justly to be exploded It is against the unanimous Testimony of the Jewish Church thâ— the Points are but Mens Invention It is unsaâ—â— and dangerous to assert that these Vowels werâ— added since the first writing of the Old Testament for the Certainty of the Truth of thosâ— Writings and consequently of the Writings oâ— the New Testament wherein those are so ofteâ— alledged is shaken hereby For no Man of Sensâ— can believe that the right reading of the Text could continue some thousands of Years witâ—oâ—â— the Points this is an incredible Fiction And then it is as impossible that the genuine Sense oâ— Scripture which depends on the Words as theâ—â— upon the Vowels as well as the Consonants could have been preserved unless the Bible had beeâ— Pointed Whence it was said in the Jewish Taâ—mud that Letters without Points are like a Body without a Soul Hence was that Saying Hâ—â— that reads without Points is like a Man that rides without a Bridle We therefore firmly maintain and that with the approbation of Antiquity that the Words of the Hebrew Text had Points added to them at the beginning and that these Points which we now have are the same with them To this purpose we here appeal to the Testimony of the Jews who will bear witness that the Books of the Old Testament which we now receive answer exactly to the Pointed Text which they havâ— received and always did Nay we may end the Controversy without an Appeal for our own Eyes and Ears will satisfy us If we compare our English or Latin or other Bibles with the Hebrew one which is used among the Jews and is daily put forth by the present Rabbies in the several parts of the World we shall find that they agree and we shall be convinced that they own the same
Books with us We need not stay to attend here to what a late Learned Writer before named hath with much Confidence but slender Reason suggested viz. that the Bible of the Old Testament is an Abbreviated Collection from Antient Records which were much more large He confesseth that the Canon of Scripture is taken out of Authentick Registeries but the Authors who collected it added and diminished as they pleased especially he asserts this concerning the Historical Books that they are Abridgments of larger Records and Summaries of other larger Acts kept in the Jewish Archives and these publick Scribes who writ them out took the liberty to alter Words as they saw occasion So that in short according to this Critick here are only some broken Pieces and Scraps taken out of the first Authentick Writings A bold and daring Assertion and founded on no other Bottom than F. Simon 's Brain Who would expect this from one that is a Man of great Sense and Reason one that is a great Master of Critical Learning and hath presented the World with very choice Remarks on the History of the Bible for truly I am not of his Opinion who saith he sees not any thing in this Author's Writings buâ— what is common It is to be lamented that a Person otherwise so Judicious and Observing hath given himself up here to his own Fancy and Conceit He invents a new Office of publick Registers that were Divinely inspired he makes Notaries and Prophets the same He gives no Proof and Demonstration of that Adding and Diminishing which the Scribes he talks of made he hatâ— not one tolerable Argument to evince any of thâ— Books of Scripture to be Fragments of greater ones Indeed I should mightily have wondred that so Ingenious so Sagacious so Learned a Man haâ— broach'd such groundless Notions if I did noâ— consider that this subtile Romanist designs hereâ—â— as most of that Church generally do to depreciaâ—â—â— the Bible and to represent it as a Book of Fragments and Shreds that so when our Esteem 〈◊〉 the Authority of Scripture is weakned yea taken away we may wholly rest upon Tradition anâ— found our Religion as well as the Scriptures 〈◊〉 that alone This is that which he drives at in 〈◊〉 Critical History both of the Old and New Testamenâ— But all sober and considerate Persons will bewarâ— of him when they discover this Design Theâ— will easily see through his plausible Stories foâ—â— Surmises bold Conjectures and seeming Argâ—mentations and they will have the greater Reverence for the Bible because he and others havâ— attacked it with so much Contempt and Rudenesâ— and purposely bring its Authority into question that they may set up something else above 〈◊〉 Notwithstanding then the Cavils and Objection of designing Men we have reason to believe anâ— avouch the Authority of the Old Testament and to be thorowly perswaded that the Books are entirely transmitted to us without any Corruption and are the same that ever they were without and Diminution or Addition We have them as they were written by the first Authors we have them entire and perfect and not as some fondly suggest contracted abbreviated curtail'd Unto the Iews the antient People of God were committed his Oracles as the Apostle speaks and they shewed themselves conscientious and diligent Conservators of them The Jewish Nation saith St. Augustin have been as 't were the Chest-keepers for the Christians they have faithfully preserv'd that Sacred Depositum for them they have safely kept that Ark wherein the Law and the Prophets were Lock'd up God would have the Jews to be Librarii Christianorum saith Drusius Keepers of those Sacred Volumes for us Christians and it is certain they kept them with great Care the like whereof is not to be found to have been taken in preserving any other sort of Writings under Heaven And seeing they have so carefully handed the Old Testament down to us we are concern'd to receive it with a proportionable Thankfulness and to reckon this their Delivering of those Writings down to us as no mean Argument of their Truth and Certainty Secondly The Authority of the New Testament is confirmed by External Testimony or Tradition no less than that of the Old Testament We have the Authentick Suffrage of the Primitive Church the Unanimous Consent of the Christians of the first Ages that this Book is of Divine Inspiration and that it is Pure and Uncorrupted Some of the Fathers and first Writers give us a Catalogue of the Books of the New Testament and they are the very same with those which we have at this day Athanasius particularly enumerating those Books sets down all those which we now embrace as Canonical and no others And many of the Fathers of the first Ages after Christ as Irenaeus Iustin Martyr Clemens Alexandrinus Origen Tertullian c. quote the Places in the New Testament as they are now If it be objected that in the Fathers sometimes the Text of Scripture is not exactly what we find it and read it at this day This must be remembred that they sometimes quoted the Meaning not the very Words At other times their Memories fail'd them as to the Words and thence they chang'd them into others and instead of those in the Text used some that were like them So when they were in haste and not at leisure to consult the Text they made use of such Words and Expressions as they thought came nearest to it Heinsius shews this in a vast many places Sometimes they contract the Word of the Text and give only the brief Sense of it at other times they enlarge it and present us with a Comment upon it yea sometimes as they see occasion and as their Matter leads them to it they invert the Words and misplace the Parts of the Text. But no Man ought hence to infer that the Scriptures of the New Testament then and now are not the same And as for the Number of the Sacred Writers and their Books it hatâ— been always the same i. e. the same Catalogue and Canon have been generally acknowledged and received by the Christian Church It is true some Particular Books have been questioned but by a few only and for a time but the Church was at last fully satisfied about them the Generality oâ— Christians agreed to own all those Books which are now owned by us All the Eastern Churches held the Epistle to the Hebrews to be Canonical though the Latins it is granted were not so unanimous This Epistle and that of St. Iames the second Epistle of St. Peter the second and third of St. Iohn and the Epistle of St. Iude and the Apocalypse were questioned in the first Century saith Eusebius but he acquaints us withal that they were afterwards by general Consent received into the Canon of Holy Scripture for the Doubts were resolved upon mature Deliberation So that the questioning of those Books is now a Conâ—â—rmation of the Truth and Authority of
and twenty after the number of the Hebrew letters And Cyril of Ierusalem hath these express Words Read these two and twenty Books but have nothing to do with the Apocryphal ones Study and meditate only on these Scriptures which we conâ—idently read in the Church The Apostles and first Bishops were true Guides and were more wise and religious than thou art and these were the Men that delivered these Scriptures to us Thou then being a Son of the Church do not go beyond her Bounds and Orders but acknowledg and study only the two and twenty Books of the Old â—â—â—stament And other Fathers of the Churâ—â— as Melito Bishop of Sardis Athanasius Amphiloâ—â—us Epiphanius Eusebius Gregory Nazianzen Gâ—â—gory the Great Basil Chrysostom testify that 〈◊〉 Books and no others of the Old Testamâ—â—â— which we receive now were the Canonical Booâ—â— of old and received so by the first Christiâ—â— Those eminent Lights of the Latin Church Râ—t Ierom Hilary disown as Uncanonical 〈◊〉 Books of Apocrypha The two latter especially 〈◊〉 very positive Ierom expresly tells us that 〈◊〉 Canonical Books of the Old Testament are but 〈◊〉 and twenty just the number of the Hebrew Alâ—phabet and no more and he enumerates the particular Books which constitute the whole 〈◊〉 saith indeed that some make them four and twâ—â—ty but 't is the same Account for they reckâ—â— Ruth and Lamentations separately But as for 〈◊〉 others he saith they are not part of Inspired Scripture and the Church doth not receive theâ— among the Canonical Writings So Hilary givâ— us the just Catalogue of the Books of the Old Tâ—stament and peremptorily affirms that there 〈◊〉 but two and twenty Canonical Books of it in all which are the same with the thirty nine according to the reckoning in our Bibles To Fathers wâ— might add Synods and Councils as that antieâ—â— one of Laodicea conven'd A. D. 364. which drew up a Catalogue of the Books of Scripture and makes mention only of these which we now râ—ceive but leaves out the Apocryphal ones This Canon was received afterwards and confirmed by the Council of Chalcedon one of the first four General Councils And the sixth General Council held at Constantinople A. D. 680. expresly ratified the Decrees of that old Laodicean Council and particularly this that the Canonical Books of the Old Testament were but two and twenty There is another Reason also besides the Universal Suffrage of the Christian Church why the Apocryphal Books are ejected out of the Canon viz. because some things in them are false and contrary to the Canonical Scriptures as in Ecclesiasticus 46. 20. 2 Esdras 6. 40. and some things are vitious as in 2 Maccab. 14. 42. After all this it is easy to answer what the Romanists say on the other side They quote the third Council of Carthage which they tell us received the Apocryphal Books into the Canon And among the Fathers St. Augustin they say owns them besides that two Popes viz. Innocent the First and Gelasius took those Books which we stile Apocryphal into the Canon As for the Council which they alledg it was but a Provincial one and therefore is not to be set against those more Authentick and General Councils which I produced Nor must that one single Father whom they name stand out against that great number of Greek and Latin Fathers whom I mentioned The Popes bear a great Name among our Adversaries but they are but two and must not be compared with those Councils and that multitude of Fathers who are on our side Or if they lay such great stress on a Pope I can name them one and he one of the most eminent they ever had viz. Pope Gregory the Great who declares that the Book of Maccabees a main Piece of the Apocryphal Wrâ—â—tings is no part of the Canon of Scripture Wâ— may set this One Pope for he is Great enough against the other Two Besides their own 〈◊〉 are against them the Apocryphal Books are 〈◊〉 received as part of holy Inspired Scripture by Iâ—â—dorus Damascen Nicephorus Rabanus Maurus Hâ—go Lyranus Cajetan and others who are of greâ—â— Repute in the Church of Rome We regard 〈◊〉 what the pack'd Council of Trent hath decreed viz. That besides the two and twenty Books 〈◊〉 the Hebrew Canon those also of Tobias Iuditâ— the Wisdom of Solomon Ecclesiasticus Maccabeâ—â—â— Baruch are to be received as Canonical and thâ— they are of equal Authority with the Canon oâ— the Old and New Testament What is this to the general Suffrage of the Primitive Councils Fathers and Writers who have rejected the Apocryphal Books and received but twenty two into the Canon of Scripture belonging to the Old Testament You see what Ground we have no other than the Vniversal Church We reject some Books as Apocryphal because they were generally rejected by the antient Primitive Church and we receive the rest as Canonical because they were believed and owned to be so by the universal Consent of the Church See this admirably made good in Bishoâ— Cousins's History of the Canon of Scripture Yet aâ—ter all that hath been said we count the Apocryphâ— Writings worthy to be read and perused The there be some things amiss in them yet we give great Deference and Respect to them as containing many Historical Truths and furnishing us witâ— Matter of Jewish Antiquity as likewise because there are many Doctrinal and Moral Truths in them especially in the Books of Wisdom and Ecâ—lesiasticus For this Reason I say we bear great Respect to them and rank them next to the Holy Canon and prefer them before all Profane Authors This was done by the antient Fathers who frequently alledg'd them in their Sermons and Discourses which is one Reason I question not why these Apocryphal Books came to be made Canonical by some of the Church of Rome namely because they were so often quoted by the Fathers and in some Churches read publickly But this is no Proof of their being Canonical but only lets us know that these Books were in their Kind useful and profitable as indeed they are Therefore St. Ierom saith the Church receives not these Books into the Canon of Scripture though she allows them to be read And concerning these Writings our Church saith well quoting St. Ierom for it She doth read them for Example of Life and Instruction of Manners but yet doth not apply them to establish any Doctrine Which gives us an exact account of the Nature of these Books namely that they contain excellent Rules of Life and are very serviceable to inform us of our Duty as to several weighty things but they being not dictated by the Holy Ghost as the other Books of Scripture are they are not the infallible Standard of Divine Doctrine and therefore are not to be applied and made use of to that purpose This and the other Reasons before mentioned may prevail with us to think that these Writings ought not to be
numbred among the Books of Canonical Scripture And thus we have argued from the Tradition and the Testimony of the Church And if this be done as it ought to be done it is valid for the Truth of the Copies the Canonicalness of the Books and the like are not decidable by Scripture it self but in the Way that all other Controversies of that nature are As you would prove any other Book to be Authentick so you must prove the Bible to be viz. by sufficient and able Testimony There is the same reason to believe the Sacred History that there is to believe any other Historical Writings that are extant Nay the Testimonies on behalf of the Holy Scriptureâ— are more pregnant than any that are brought for other Writings Besides all that can be said for the Sacred Volume of the Bible which is wont to be said for other Writings I have shewed you that there are some things peculiar to this above aâ—â— others The main thing we have insisted upon is this that the Books of the Old and New Testament have been faithfully conveyed to us and that they are vouched by the constant and universal Tradition both of the Jewish and Christian Church and that these Books and no others are of the Canon of Scripture for to be of the Canon of Scripture is no other than to be owned by the Universal Church for Divinely Inspired Writings The Church witnesseth and confirmeth the Authority of the Canonical Scriptures for she received them as Divine and she delivers them to us as such Yet I do not say that the Church's Testifying these Books to be the Holy Scriptures gives an Absolute and Entire Authority to them A Clerk in the Parliament or any other Court writes down and testiâ—ies that such an Act or Decree or Order was pass'd by the King Magistrate or People and he witnesses that he hath faithfully kept these by him and that they are the very same that at such a time were made by the foresaid Authority but the Authority of this Act Decree or Order rests not in the Clerk but wholly in the King Magistrate or People So the Church recordeth and keepeth the Sacred Writings of the Bible and bears witness that they have been faithfully preserved and that they are the Genuine Writings of those Persons whose Names are presixed to them bâ—t the Divine Authority of the Scriptures depends not on the Church but on the Books and Authors themselves namely their being Inspired And indeed this Authority of the Scriptures cannot depend on the Church because the Church itself depends on the Scriptures These must be proved before the Church can pretend to be any such thing as a Church We cannot know the Church but by the Scriptures therefore the Scriptures must be known before the Church It follows then that the Papists are very unreasonable and absurd in making the Ultimate Resolution of Faith to be into the Testimony and Authority of the Church This we disown as a great Falsity but yet it is rational to hold that the Church's Testimony is one good Argument and Proof of the Truth of the Sacred Scripture according to that known Saying of St. Augustine I should not believe the Gospel if the Authority of the Church did not move me Not that he founds the Gospel i. e. the Doctrine of Christianity and the Truth of it on the Testimony of the Church as the Papists are wont to infer from these Words and frequently quote them to this purpose No the Father's meaning is this that by the Testimony and Consent of the Church he believed the Book of the Gospel to be verily that Book which was written by the Evangelists This is the Sense of the Place as is plain from the Scope of it for he speaks there of the Copies or Writings not the Doctrine contained in them The good Father relies on this that so great a number of knowing and honest Persons as the Church was made up of did assert the Evangelical Writings to be the Writings of such as were really inspired by the Holy Ghost and that they were true and genuine and not corrupted And the whole Body of Sacred Scripture is attested by the same universal Suffrage of the Church i. e. the unanimous Consent of the Apostles and of the First Christians and of those that immediately succeeded them several of which laid down their Lives to vindicate the Truth of these Writings This is the External Testimony given to the Holy Scriptures It is the general Perswasion and Attestation of the Antient Church that these are the Scriptures of Truth that they were penn'd by holy Prophets and Apostles immediately directed by the Spirit who therefore could not err It was usual heretofore among the Pagan Lawgivers to attribute their Laws to some Deity tho they were of their own Invention intending thereby to conciliate Reverence to them and to commend them to the People But here is no such Cheat put upon us God himself is really the Author of the Holy Scriptures these Sacred Laws come immediately from Him they are of Divine Inspiration There is no doubt to be made of the Divinity of the Scriptures and consequently there is assurance of the Infallibility of them CHAP. III. The Authority of the Bible manifested from the Testimonies of Enemies and Strangers especially of Pagans These confirm what the Old Testament saith concerning the Creation the Production of Adam and Eve their Fall with the several Circumstances of it Enoch's Translation the Longevity of the Patriarchs the Giants in those Times the Universal Flood the building of the Tower of Babel I Have propounded some of the chief Arguments which may induce us to believe the Truth and Certainty of the holy Writings of the Old and New Testament I will now choose out another for the sake chiefly of the Learned and Curious which I purpose to inlarge upon yea to make the Subject of my whole ensuing Discourse I consider then that we have in this Matter not only the Testimony of Friends but of Enemies and Strangers and it is a Maxim in the Civil Law and vouched by all Men of Reason that the Testimony of an Enemy is most considerable The Iewish and Christian Church as I have shewed already give their Testimony to the Scriptures but besides these Witnesses there are Others there is the Attestation of Foreigners and Adversaries These fully testify the Truth of what is delivered in the Holy Bible we have the Approbation of Heathen Writers to conâ—irm many of the things related in the Old Testament and both Professed Heathens and Iews for we must now look upon these latter as profess'd Enemies when we are to speak of the Christian Concern attest sundry things of the New Testament and vouch the Truth and Authority of them Here then I will distinctly proceed and first begin with the Old Testament and let you see in several Particulars that even the Pagan World gives Testimony to this Sacred Volume
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
Prophetesses for such they suppos'd them to be to assert the Writings of the New Testament It may be said that it doth not absolutely and necâ—ssarily follow that because the Fathers used the Sibylls Verses to confute the Pagans therefore they were true for they might suppose them to be such though they did not expresly declare it In answer to which I return that it cannot but be granted that there is a great probability of these Sibylline Writings being true because they are quoted by the Fathers For 1. Many of these knowing Persons use their Testimony If one or two only did so we could make no conclusion from thence but since it is certain that great numbers of them not only those before named but others expresly appeal'd to those Books we cannot with any Reason slight their Allegations 2. If these Books were quoted by the Fathers but seldom and rarely there would not be so great a Motive to attend to them but seeing we find them not only once or twice but very often made use of by them it argues that they deliberately did it and it invites us to give the greater attention and credit to them 3. They quote them not as on Supposition only but as True and Genuine and such as may and ought to be depended on 4. The Fathers were Persons that were Competent Judges in this Case Many of them were Men of Sagacity and of a Critical Genius and were not easily to be imposed upon They had also time and leisure to examine these Writings and to enquire whether they were forged or no and we are sure it was their Concern to do it for their Religion depended much upon it Wherefore those who blast the Authority of the Fathers in this point have little reason to do so They were no credulous Fools and such who took up any thing on trust they were able to discern these Writings to be Counterfeit if they had been such as well as any other Persons But notwithstanding this there have been of old and are of late several Men that reject the Sibylls Writings as Spurious and Counterfeit And who should forge them but Christians Here then I am obliged to answer that Cavil that the Writings which go under the name of the Sibylls were â—orged by Christian Hereticks This it seems was an old Objection for Origen acquaints us that it was made by the Arch Pagan Celsus And Lactantius after him saith that this Objection was renewed against the Sibylls Books by some other Pagan Adversaries viz. that they were forged by some Christians themselves Behold also the Moderns concurâ—ing with the Pagans to defame the Sibylls Scaliger is very warm against them and holds that the Fathers were much deceived about them Isaac Casaubon against Baronius endeavors to prove the credit of the Sibylls to be suspected Becman is against the authority of these Writings and saith they are Supposititious David Blondel uses all ways to prove them to be Forgeries and Impostures and he holds they were the Fictions of some busie Christians who had the boldness to impose upon the World by these Cheats and Romances As many of the ancient Christians and Fathers saith he received counterfeit Gospels Acts and Epistles so they were cheated and abused by â—hese spurious Pieces of the Sibylls The Learned Dallé is of the same Opinion and tells us that the Predictions concerning our Saviour and his Kingdom were put out under the names of the Sibylls â—y some Châ—istians who were fallen into Hereâ—â—e They had a mind to use a kind of pious Fraud â—o establish some part of Religion they thought it to cheat the World for their good and so they â—â—blish'd these Writings under the names of those â—rophetesses The Learned Dr. Cave who is â—ot wont to doat on these Moderns follows them 〈◊〉 this Opinion very closely and leaves the anciâ—nt Fathers of the Church for their sake He peâ—emptorily tells us that the Sibylls Verses were made â—nd feign'd on purpose by the Châ—istians to upâ—old their Religion and Faith and they are daâ—â—d by him from the Year 130 in Adrian's Reign 〈◊〉 is the first flight of them he saith But all â—â—is is Suspition and Prejudice and bold Affirmaâ—â—ves but no proof which will evidently appear 〈◊〉 you consider besides what hath been said alreaâ—y these following things 1. Some of the Siâ—â—lls Verses were extant before Christ's coming into the World as is conâ—essed by ancient Christians â—nd Pagans and by all the Learned Antiquaries The Acrosticks which are concerning the Last Judgment and the Consummation of the World of which I spoke before which consist of so many Verses as there are Letters in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first Verse beginning with Ι the second with Η c. these I say are mentioned by Tully in his Second Book of Divination and are in an other place inserted into his Works as Eusebius testifies in the Life of Constantine and saith they are translated into Latin Verse by him where he adds that this is not a Poem of a mad and frentick Person for the Composure and Contrivance of the Verse argues the contrary and shews attention of Mind Skill and Diligence These Sibylline Verses the Initial Letters of which point at our Lord Christ are mentioned not only by Tully but by Varro who also lived before our Saviour's time If then they were extant and famous before Christ's Birth it is impossible they could be invented by the Christians Whence it is plain that all the Writings of the Sibylls were not obtruded by Christians unless you will say there were any such before Christ. Again Virgil's Fourth Eclogue is not denied to be the same now that it was at first and yet there he Comments on the Cumaean Sibyll's Oracle which is a clear Prediction of Christ. Accordingly in Constantine's Oration part of this Poem is applied to Christ and look'd on as a Prophesie of him although the Poet makes use of it in a way of Panegyrick to the Emperor Augustus and to Asinius Pollio his good Patron yea he ridiculously applies it to Pollio's Son who was born that Year He understands those words borrow'd from the Sibylls Oracle Iam redit Virgo concerning Astraea but the sense was much higher there being a reference in those words to the Sign mentioned by the Evangelical Prophet A Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son Isai. 7. 14. Of that golden Age which was to come he saith Incipient magni procedere menses What Magnitude is in Bodies that Diuturnity or Length is in Time and so here is intimated the duration of Christ's Reign Whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and shall stand for ever Dan. 2. 44. 7. 27. Or those Days and Months shall be Great because they are the Lord's to whom whatever appertaineth is Great whence every thing that is in its kind the greatest is called God's Several other things in that Eclogue are transcribed out of
for Prestegian or Protegian as some think but this is disputable Maldon in Essex by the Saxons called Malodune is a Corruption of Camalodunum the old Colony of the Romans here Godmanchester in Huntingdon shire is so written in stead of Gormonchester from one Gormon a Danish Prince that had this part of the Country alotted to him But Charter-House for Chartreuse the Covent heretofore of the Carthusians and Shingles the common word for St. Anthony's Fire because it incompasses the Body like a Girdle for Cingles and Good Morrow for Good Morning are not so great Depravations of the Words Refer this to Page 254. Line 25. If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signified any such thing as furtum we might perhaps think the English Felony came thence If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or stola signified Sedile we should be inclined to fetch Stool thâ—nce We should have derived Smoke from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if it had signified any thing like fumus and so a Spade from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Spado Nay If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denoted any thing like Placenta or laganum we then should have vouched even our English word of that sound to be derived from it FINIS BOOKS Sold by Richard Wilkin at the King's-Head in St. Paul's Church-Yard THE Glorious Epiphany with the Devout Christian's Love to it The Second Edition Octavo Search the Scriptures A Treatise shewing that all Christians ought to Read the Holy Books With Directions to them therein Twelves A Discourse concerning Prayer especially of frequenting the Daily Publick Prayers Twelves All Three by the Reverend Dr. Patrick now Lord Bishop of Ely The Old Religion demonstrated in the Principles and described in the Life and Practice thereof By I. Goodman D. D. The Second Edition Twelves Imprimatur April 6. 1694. CAROLUS ALSTON R. P. D. Hen. Episc. Lond. à sacris A DISCOURSE Concerning the Authority Stile and Perfection OF THE BOOKS OF THE Old and New Testament Vol. II. Wherein the Author 's former Underta king is further prosecuted viz. an Enquiry into several Remarkable Texts which contain some Difficulty in them with a Probable Resolution of them By IOHN EDWARDS B. D. sometime Fellow of St. Iohn's College in Cambridge LONDON Printed by I. D. for Ionathan Robinson at the Golden Lion and Iohn Wyat at the Rose in St. Paul's Church-yard MDCXCIV Imprimatur Cantab. Oct. 19. 1693. Geo. Oxenden LL. D. Procan Jo. Beaumont S. T. D. Regius Theologiae Professor Nath. Coga S. T. D. Aul. Pembr Custos Jo. Covell S. T. D. Coll. Christi Praefect TO THE Right Reverend Father in God SIMON Lord Bishop of ELY My LORD I Once more presume to prefix your Lordship's Name which is so Great and Celebrated to my Obscure Papers thereby to create them some Credit and to derive a Repute upon my self Your Matchless Pen hath purchas'd You a lasting Renown and Your Exemplarly Life and Practice have added a farther Glory to You. So that all the understanding World counts You worthy of douâ—le Honour If You had lived in the Primitive times You would have been one of the most Eminent Fathers of the Church in those Days as You have the Honour to be now in these And Your Strict Life would have entituled You a Saint You do all the Parts of an Excellent Man and a Christian Bishop You perform Great and Worthy things Your self and You countenance even the lower and meaner Attempts of others In a word all that are intelligent proclaim You the Chief Glory of our English Prelacy My Lord I do not apprehend that this can offend You for He that is eminently Vertuous and Learned provokes the World to speak his Worth and they would be infinitely blameable if they robb'd him of his due Praise Therefore I must confess I do not see the Reasonableness of those Writerâ— that tell their Patrons they will not praise them lest they should offend their Modesty I would not dedicate my Labours as mean as they are to a Person of a mean Figure in the Learned World or in the Accounts of the Religious For the Design of the Dedication is to let the World know that such a Person is really Praise-worthy and tâ—at even to a Wonder that he is one that ought to be extremely honoured and venerated for his Transcendent Excellencies and that he is to be a Pattern to the rest of Mankind And yet my Lord You see I do not enter on the Task of Enlarging on Your Lordship's Praises the Reason is not because it is unlawful or unfit but because it is too Great for me Not to give Your Lordship any farther Trouble if I have offended by this repeated Presumption I have this to plead in my Excuse that Your Merits as well as my Own Inclinations have made me Criminal And seeing my Fault bears the Name of Duty I despair not but that it will meet with a Pardon and that Your Lordship will aceept of this poor Oblation from My Lord Your Lordship 's most Devoted Son and Servant J. EDWARDS THE PREFACE WHen I had by my long Forbearance satisfied the World that I was not fond of shewing my self in Publick and offering any Discourses in Print at leâ—st with open Face I at last prevail'd with my sâ—lf to venture visibly to the Press And truly I think I may appear now with the more Confidence because I have a great while deliberated on what I have done in this Nature Though I was very shy at first yet now being enter'd into thiâ— employment I believe I shall make a Practice of it till it may be I shall be thought by some to run into another Extream But I shall not consult or attend to the Opinion of a few prejudiced or envious Folks but go on with my Work which I design'd And if it be said that some of the Texts and Other Subjects which I discourse upon have been often treated of by others my Answer is that I â—m glad they have for then it will appear what I have done then the Reader will see I hope that I am no Filching Plâ—giary no Apish Imitator no Rash and Credâ—lous Swearer unto other Mens Opinions that when I handle the same Matter which others have before me I present the World with something beside Different Phrase and New Method that by offering a fresh Critical Gloss upon several Dubious and Difficult Passages in the Old and New Testament I have cleared up the Sâ—â—se of them and in short that I hâ—ve made some Remarkable Observations on the Best Book in the World If I have not perform'd this which the Iudicious only can be Iudges of I â—m sure I have endeâ—vour'd it and have all along made it my grand Design and Business to â—elp my Readers to understand the Bible aright which certainly is of the highest Concern next to the Religioâ—s Practice of it In order to the pursuit of this I had sufficient Warrant to break out of my Retirement to
Christ into Heaven as it is expounded by that infallible Interpreter Ephes. 4. 8. Wherefore he saith When he ascended up on high he led Captivity captive and gave Gifts unto Men which refers to the abovesaid Psalm but is applied to Christ's Ascension by the Apostle here The 45th Psalm is originally a Song of Loves an Epithalamium on the Nuptials of King Solomon and the King of Egypt's Daughter but in a remote and mystical Sense it is meant of the Majesty and Glory of Christ's Kingdom and the admirable Benefits which accrue to the Church in the Times of the Gospel And many other Psalms might be produced wherein the double Sense before-mentioned is clearly to be discerned To proceed Though the whole Book of Canticles be in its literal Capacity no other than Solomon's Wedding-song yet it is to be look'd upon in the more sublime Acception of it as a Dialogue between Christ and his Church setting forth all those divine Amours which are mutually experienc'd by them And that this Part of Holy Scripture called the Song of Solomon is of a higher Strain than the bare Letter imports and that it contains great Mysteries and Abstrusities in it may be gathered from that extraordinary Reverence which the Jews paid to this Book For Origen tells us that this as well as the Beginning of Genesis was not permitted to be read by them till they had attain'd to some Maturity of Years I come next to the Evangelical Prophet Isaiah who hath many things concerning Christ and his spiritual Kingdom or Church but it is to be acknowledged that some of them in the first and literal Sense may and ought to be interpreted otherwise Yea the learned Grotius and Hammond are of the Opinion that that famous Prophecy in Isa. 7. 14. Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call â—is Name Immanuel hath a double Sense The Words literally and primarily respect a strange and wonderful Birth in those very Days Secondarily and mystically they are spoken of the Messias who was to be born miraculously of a Virgin Whether this Opinion be true or no we are certain that there is a mystical Meaning to be added to the literal or rather as I said before it might be more expressive to say a secondary Meaning is added to the primary one in sundry Passages which we meet with not only in this Prophet but in Ieremiaâ— and Ezekiel Concerning the former of these the Jewish Historian hath these Words Ieremiah saith he in his Book foretold the Captivity which the Israelites were to undergo in Babylon which was just then approaching and also the Slaughter and Destruction which we of this Age have seen There was a twofold Sense according to this learned Writer in some of this Prophet's Predictions Yea there was a double literal or historical Sense which was the thing that I asserted before Whence you see I had reason to make the Distinction of a first and a second Meaning of Scripture rather than of a literal and a mystical though I bring the mystical Meaning when there is such an one under the second As to the latter of these Prophets when we find him relating strange things acted in Visions and Dreams which are things only imaginary and represented to the Fancy we must not think them true in a strict literal Sense for they are only or most commonly done in Appearance and many times will not admit of a real Performance as they are related and described But we are to look upon them as Enigmatical Representations and to fix only a mystical Sense upon them that is to understand them as signiâ—icative of some greater and higher thing than they represent in themselves Which may be one Reason why among the Jews those that had not arrived to some considerable Age were not allowed to read the Beginning and End of the Prophecy of Ezekiel in which Parts chiefly those more mystical Visions are inserted I might pass to the other Prophets and mention some Places in which we must needs acknowledg a secondary Meaning as in that of Daniel chap. 9. 27. For the overspreading of Abominations or with the Wing or Army of Abominations he shall make it desolate which was meant without doubt of Antiochus's desolating Armies which were so abominable to the Jews and who as we read set up the Abomination of Desolation upon the Altar But yet our Saviour himself the best Expositor of the Place le ts us know that this was meant also in a prophetical and secondary way of the Roman Armies that sat down before Ierusalem and after a long Siege made their way into the City and Temple and so might be said to stand in the holy Place When ye shall see the Abomination of Desolation saith he spoken of by Daniel the Prophet stand in the holy Place then c. It is manifest therefore that Daniel spoke of both these destroying Armies His Words are to be taken in a twofold Sense a primary and secondary one In the former they speak of what happen'd to the Jews when Antiochus's Army invaded them In the latter they speak of what befel them when Titus Vespasian came against them and destroyed their City and Nation This is the double Sense and therefore you may observe what our Saviour inserts Whoso readeth let him understand As much as to say when you read that Passage in the Prophet Daniel you are to understand something more than ordinary in it you must take notice of a hidden Sense in those Words they speak not only of what was to come to pass in Antiochus's but in Vespasian's Reign which was about 250 Years after The abominable desolating Armies of both are here meant You see then here is a double literal Sense and that was the Reason why I chose rather the Division of the Scripture-Sense into primary and secondary and of this latter into historical and mystical than that received one of literal and mystical because both the Sense sometimes may be literal This ought to be carefully observed by all those who are desirous to attain to a right Understanding of the Holy Scriptures And it is the want of attending to this that hath often hindred Mens due Apprehensions of several Texts We see here in the Instance before us that the Letter of this Text in Daniel may be applied both to the Syrian and the Roman Armies I might produce those Words in the Prophecy of Hosea Out of Egypt have I called my Son ch 11. 1. Which are to be understood not only of the Patriarchs of old God's Children or Sons being brought by God out of Egypt but of Christ the Son of God call'd out thence after the Death of Herod Matth. 2. 15. This Place of Hosea must be understood of both Hither may be referred some other Places of the Old Testament made use of in the New where it is said This was done that it might be fulfilled which was
had any seminal Cause or observable Original out of which they were to grow the greater the Variety of their Senses or Constructions is the more admirable Proof doth their Accomplishment exhibit of that infinite Wisdom which did dictate them â—nto the Prophets And he instances in such Prophecies as were fulfilled in a double Sense and at two different times as Isa. 9. 23. Ier. I. 6 8. and others which had a first and second Accomplishment This is the very thing which I have been asserting and which I hope I have made sufficiently evident The historical Books of the Old Testament are not bare Narratives and naked Stories of what is past but in the largest and most comprehensive Construction of them they refer even to the Affairs of future Times So that what Thucydides called his History a Possession or Treasure that was to last for ever a Monument to instruct all the Ages to come we may most truly and justly apply to the historical Part of the Old Testament It is of never-failing Use to the World Whatever is recorded here concerning the Transactions of Divine Providence towards the Jews and other People is typical and representative of what God now doth and will always do to the End of the World In the several Particulars of the sacred Story we may read the Condition and Lot of the Church in all succeeding Ages for what is to come is but a Transcript of what we find here And as for the Doctrinal Part it is mysterious and allegorical in many Places there is a hidden and invisible Treasure lies under the visible and outward Letter Many of the Precepts Prohibitions Threatnings and Promises reach a great deal farther than the Words simply and absolutely denote and spiritual and heavenly Matters are couched in those Texts which primarily speak of earthly and temporal ones Lastly when you read a prophetick Passage in the Bible the bare thing there literally expressed is not all that is intended but there is oftentimes much more implied As Ezekiel tells us of a Wheel within a Wheel so 't is as true there is a Prophecy within a Prophecy in the Holy Scriptures One and the same Prediction there is to be fulfilled more than once In short the Bible is not like other Books In the History Doctrines and Prophecies both of the Old and New Testament there are secret and hidden Meanings besides those which are plain and obvious and which lie uppermost in the bare Letter This is the peculiar and transcendent Excellency of the inspired Writings This one thing alone may invite us to study this sacred Volume and with incessant Labour penetrate into the inmost Sense of it and acquaint our selves not only with the literal Meaning which first comes to our View but with that which is more remote and mysterious Here then we must carefully avoid these two Extreams viz. of laying the Letter of Scripture aside and of resting altogether in the Letter First some despise the Letter of Scripture and mind nothing in it but the Mystery Of this sort were the Cabalistick Iews who depraved the most substantial Parts of the Old Testament by interpreting them in a mystical Sense only Some of the Christian Fathers were too guilty of this especially Origen the Prince of the Allegorists St. Hilary in his Commentaries on St. Matthew and on the Psalms explains several Places in this mystical way whereby he fastens on them a Sense very different from that which they naturally have Indeed his Comments are generally taken from Origen St. Ambrose in his Exposition of the Scripture is generally allegorical Optatus Bishop of Milevi is too often faulty as to this in his Books against the Donatists But it is to be observed that none of these Fathers do utterly exclude the literal and historical Meaning And as there have been Cabalists and Allegorists of Old so some high-flown Men of late have run all the Bible into moral and mystical Interpretations and in the mean time have either disbelieved or slighted the historical and literal Sense I cannot wholly condemn those who have indeavoured to present us with Mysteries in all the several Steps of the Creation in the whole six Days Works and in every particular Instance of the Mosaick Philosophy For this without doubt is not wholly external material and sensible and to be interpreted only according to the most obvious Signification of the Words it is most true even here that Moses hath a Vail over his Face and there are certain Mysteries and Allegories contained under the very History But though we are not to be mere Sons of the Letter yet we have no Reason to think that the Mosaick Philosophy or Hiâ—â—ory are made up of Allusions and Metaphors and are altogether mysterious This were to soar aloft with our modern Chymists to dote after the rate of a Rosy-crucian whose Brains are so inchanted that they turn all into Spectres Dreams and Phantasims But especially that Part of the Beginning of the Book of Genesis which gives an Account of the Fall of our first Parents must not be turned into mere Mystery and Allegory for it is sufficiently evident that Moses speaks of Matter of Fact Wherefore a late Writer cannot be enough râ—â—uked for his Attempt of turning all the Mosaick History concerning Adam and Eve the Serpent Paradise eating the forbidden Fruit and all the Passages relating to them into Parable yea into Ridicule for he makes himself hugely merry with the several Particulars recorded by Moses Yea his Fancy was so low and groveling that he picks up any vulgar Stuff to present the Reader with Upon those Words They sewed Fig-leaves and made themselves Aprons he triflingly cries out Behold the first Rise of the Tailors Trade And then that trite and popular Cavil is fetch'd in to embelish his Book Where had Adam and Eve Needle and Thread And again this he saith exceedingly troubles and puzzles his Brain How the Woman's Body could be made of one single Rib. Such is the profound Wit and Philosophy of this Allegorical Gentleman who because the Scripture sometimes speaks as I shall have occasion to shew afterwards after the manner of Men and in compliance with their common though mistaken Apprehensions he here stretches this too far and extravagantly tells us That all the Account given by Moses not only of the Origine and Creation of the World but of Adam and the first Transgression and the Serpent and the cursing of the Earth and other Matters relating to the Fall is not true in it self but only spoken popularly to comply with the dull Israelites lately â—lavish Brickmakers and â—â—elling strong of the Garlick and Onions of Egypt To humour these ignorant Blockheads that were newly broke loose from the Egyptian Task-masters and had no Sense nor Reason in their thick Sculls Moses talks after this rate but not a Syllable of Truth is in all that he saith This is very strange Language from a Reverend Divine
which derides the 3d Chapter of Genesis and who committed it to the Press for the sake of some of the witty Folks of the Town and to please the Atheistical Rabble This signal Act of avenging Providence is well known to the World and I wish the ingenious Theorist would seriously reflect upon it and learn thence to make Sport with the Bible no more And I request him not to be offended at my plain Dealing with him for I assure him that I have said nothing out of any disrespect or ill Will to his Person but wholly from a deep Sense of the great Mischief which is like to ensue upon this late Attempt of his I abhor the treating of any learned Man's Writings with Contempt yea on the contrary I have always paid a due Respect and Deference to them though they are not adjusted to the Notions which I have of things But when I see the Holy Scriptures struck at and Religion it self shock'd and extremely hazarded I cannot forbear from uttering my Sentiments and â—hewing my just Indignation on such an Occasion Christian Charity which beareth all things endureth all things cannot by any Means brook this And I must freely tell this learned Writer that let his Character otherwise be never so fair and 't is not my Design to â—isown it or blemiâ—â— it in the least it is certain that the better this is the worse is his Enterprize for he seems to come sober and demure to undermine the Bible and destroy Christianity as many a Cracovian Reasoner hath done before him But truly there is little Sobriety in jesting and buffooning in jeering and drolling away our Religion and that under the Pretence of Philosophick Antiquity Nay let me tell him and I hope by this time his own Thoughts do so too that to trifle and droll after the Rate that he doth on the inspired History concerning Adam and Eve is a near Approach to Blasphemy I heartily wish he may be apprehensive of his Delinquency in this kind and that for the future he may guide himself by that wholsome Rule viz. that we are not to quit the literal Interpretation in any Place of Scripture unless there be a necessity of doing so And 't is certain there is none in the present Case nay there is an absolute Necessity of acknowledging the literal and historical Meaning unless we will subvert the very Foundations of our Religion He that makes this first Book of the Bible to be wholly mystical doth not observe the Distance between Genesis and some Part of the Revelation We must be careful that we follow not the Masters of abstruse Divinity so far that we exclude the literal Sense of Scripture for this will prove fatal to the Scriptures themselves and to all Religion especially Christianity If we dote upon Allegories and defy the Letter and History of the Bible we quite null these Sacred Writings because we thereby render them ambiguous and precarious we authorize any wild Interpretations that can be made of them If we may leave the literal Sense of Scripture when we please and fly to metaphorical and mystical ones then the Certainty of the Word of God will soon vanish for then we cannot tell what is true or what is false or if we know it we can never confute any Error or maintain any Truth from the Holy Writ For by this Means theâ—â—will be innumerable Explications of Scripture and who can possibly determine which of them is to be made choice of If you offer any Text to prove â—uch or such a Doctrine it will easily be evaded if the Letter may not be our Guide for it is but saying The Place is not meant as the Words sound but must be taken figuratively and mystically Thus Scripture it self is destroyed by cashiering the literal Acception of the Words Yea we destroy the whole Gospel and pluck up the Foundations of Christianity we deny Christ and all his blessed Undertakings for our Redemption and Salvation for these being Matter of Fact are founded upon the literal Account we have of them upon the historical Relation of them which we have in the Writings of the Evangelists and Apostles Thus dangerous and fatal it is to let go the literal Sense of Scripture and to catch at a mystical one only By this wild Practice Men attempt to thrust Religion out of the World or which is the same thing to present us with a metaphorical and allegorical Religion instâ—ad of a true and real one Therefore there is good Reason why we should not quit the literal Construction of Scripture Secondly The other Extream which is to be avoided by us is the resting altogether in the outside the looking no farther than the literal Meaning of Scripture There is such a thing as mystical or symbolical Divinity however some have mistaken and abused it and this if it be rightly used is exceeding profitable yea necessary for it is no other than the Reâ—ult of the mystical Sense of Scripture which I have been speaking of He is truly a Divine he may deservedly be said to have Skill in Christian Theology who contents not himself with the primary or literal Import of the Sacred Writings but dives into the secondary but more abstruse Meaning of them who penetrates into the hidden Mind of the Word of God If there be a 〈◊〉 Sense in Scripture as I have proved in several Instances it must be reckoned a great Oversight to say no worse in the Expositors of this Holy Book not to take notice of this Interpretation but to acquiesce wholly in the literal Meaning This is observable in the Expositions which some of the Rabbins give of the Bible for as the Jewish Caâ—alists are too allegorical as we took notice before so another Set of their Doctors is too much devoted to a literal Interpretation This they stick to when there is no Reason for it yea when the Words are plainly figurative and must needs be taken so Yet even then they interpret them according to the Letter and thence are produced some of those foolish Propositions and childish Assertions those groundless Fables and Legends yea those gross Lies and Forgeries which are found in the Books of the Rabbins Erasmus was faulty in this kind his Readers may observe that he neglected the mystical Sense of Scripture and resolutely adhered to the bare Letter In which he is followed by Calvin who generally leaves out the secondary and more sublime Sense of many Texts of Scripture and satisfies himself with the literal one only This he doth in his Comment on Gen. 3. 15. I will put Enmity between c. which he interprets simply of the Antipathy between Men and Serpents which is the poor and lank Interpretation which Iosephus the Jew gives of it as you have heard whereas those Words in the highest Meaning of them as the antientest and learnedest Fathersâ— have suggested are the first and grand Promise of the Messias made to our first Parents and
calls the Life of Man the Pilgrimage or Sojourning of a Stranger gives it also the Denomination of a Warfare Arrianus very excellently descants on this Aphorism that every Man's Life is a kind of Militia and that we are with all Diligence and Faithfulness to discharge the Office of Souldiers the chief Part of which is to do all that our Commander bids us Another famous Moralist adorns this Subject with noble Reflections upon it Reckon upon this saith he that God is our Commander and Chief Captain that this Life is a Military Expedition that every Man is to be an Armed Souldier c. Seneca hath the same Conceptions of Humane Life and once and again resembles it to the State of War and the Exploits of Martial Men. As soon as we come into the World we open the Campagne and in a short time after we draw into a Line of Battle and we are continually making use of our Ammunition and Artillery till at length Death raises the Camp and discharges us from our Warfare Several Passages might be produced out of other Pagan Writers who frequently fall into this Comparison and use this Excellent Metaphor and very finely illustrate it but what I have said is sufficient to shew what I aim at viz. that there are the same Phrases and Expressions in the Holy Scriptures that there are in other Authors This I will further make good in another Excellent Notion and Maxim viz. that Good and Vertuous Men are Free but that all Vitious Persons are Slaves The Stile of Scripture runs this way not only in the Old Testament where David desires to be upheld by the free Spirit of God i. e. by such a Divine and Generous Principle as would make him act with the greatest Freedom in the ways of Religion and where Sinners and Ungodly Men are stiled Prisoners and Captives once and again as in Zech. 9. 11. Isa. 42. 6 7. ch 49. 8 9. ch 61. 1. Nor is it to be doubted whether these Places speak of such Persons seeing our Saviour himself alledges one of them which is of the same Nature with the rest to this Purpose and tells us it is his Office to proclaim Liberty to these Captives Luke 4. 18. i. e. to offer Pardon to Sinners But in the New Testament also and there chiefly this is the Language of the Holy Ghost the Freedom that accompanies Holiness and the Servitude of Sin are expresly declared in those Words of Christ The Truth shall make you free John 8. 32. Whosoever committeth Sin is the Servant of Sin ver 34. If the Son shall make you free ye shall be free indeed ver 36. The whole sixth Chapter to the Romans treats of this very thing the Service of Sin and the Freedom from it by Christ. The Servants of Sin mentioned here by St. Paul are the same with the Spirits in Prison whom St. Peter speaks of as I have proved in another Place and have shewed the Inconsistency of other Interpretations Whilst Men continue in their Sins and addict themselves to their Vices their Spirits their Souls are deservedly said to be in Prison their Persons are in Custody they live in Durance and Thraldom they are continually in Bonds and Chains they are fetter'd Slaves and Vassals They may perhaps flatter themselves and vaunt of Freedom but they are Prisoners still they promise Liberty but are themselves Servants of Corruption Whereas on the contrary True Religion enstates Men in a real and substantial Freedom Christianity is the perfect Law of Liberty Where the Spirit of the Lord is where Evangelical Sanctity is there is Liberty In short no Man that loves to be vicious and lives in the practice of Sin can be said to be a Free-man for he is wholly at the command of his Lusts There is not a greater Slave in Algiers or Tripoli than such an one This not only the Sacred Scriptures but Heathen Writers inculcate Tully defends that Maxim Quòd omnes sapientes liberi stulti servi and enlarges on it most admirably This Zeno and all the Stoicks maintain'd as we learn from Laertius and Isocrates more than once in his Orations to Demonicus and Nicocles speaks thus So doth Epictetus who expresly asserts that Vice and Immorality are the greatest Drudgery and Slavery So doth Arrianus who tells us that he is a Freeman who lives as he willeth i. e. who makes the Rational Dictates of his Will the Rule of his Life which none but a Good Man doth Horace's admirable Character of a Free-man is worth the consulting Quisnam igitur Liber Sapiens sibique imperiosus Quem neque pauperies neque mors neque vincula terrent Responsare cupidinibus contemnere honores Fortis in seipso totus teres atque rotundus And more he hath to the same purpose which acquaints us what Apprehensions the Moralists had of Freedom Free-men saith Euripides are very rare in the World for there is scarcely a Man to be found who is not a Slave to his Wealth or Fortune or some other thing A Man that extremely loves his Money is a Golden Slave in Socrates's Language That is the worst kind of Servitude saith Boethius when the Souls of Men are given up to Vice and are faln from the possession of their own Reason There is no Man saith Seneca can be said to be Free that is a Slave to his corporeal and sensual Part. You see saith he in another Place what a base and pernicious Slavery that Man hath brought himself into who suffers unlawful Pleasures and Sorrows those unconstant and impotent Mistresses to domineer over him by turns Thus 't is the Stile of the Pagan as well as Inspired Writers that Goodness is the true Freedom and that Vice is real Bondage and Slavery So that Other Notion that Good Men are only Wise and that Sinners are Fools is the Language both of Scripture and Profane Writers Moses assures the Israelites that to keep and do God's Commandments is their Wisdom and Understanding Deut. 4. 6. with which is parallel Iob 28. 28. The Fear of the Lord that is Wisdom and to depart from Evil is Understanding But on the contrary he that is destitute of the true and saving Knowledg and Fear of God is a Fool in the Stile of Holy Writ The Fool hath said in his Heart There is no God And the following Words acquaint us that this Fool is one of a Vicious and Corrupt Life This their Way is their Folly saith the same Pious King And his Royal Son had learn'd to speak the same Language whence in the Book of Proverbs Wicked Men and Fools are Synonymous they are such Fools as make a mock of Sin So in the New Testament the Man that studied nothing but his Unlawful Gain and Pleasure is pronounc'd a Fool by Him who throughly understood the right Measures of Wisdom and Folly This is
are not Nice and Accurate in giving every Occurrence or Event its right Place whence it is that you meet with some things in these Writings that are transposed and out of Order and it is left to the Diligent and Inquisitive Reader to amend and reform thoâ—e Dislocations Those who would see farther Reasons of that frequent Metathesis and Misplacing which are in the Sacred Books may consult the Learned Dr. Lightfoot in his Chronicle of the Times of thâ— Old Testament CHAP. IV. There are not only Grammatical but Rhetorical Figures in the Sacred Volume The Psalmist's Words Psal. 120. 5. are Hyperbolical though not generally interpreted to be such So are our Saviour's Words Matth. 13. 32. though commonly expounded otherwise Luke 19. 44. rejected form being Hyperbolical John 21. 25. proved to be an Hyperbole This way of speaking in Scripture is no Lie Ironies are frequent in this Holy Book of which several Examples are produced Luke 22. 36 is shew'd to be of this sort And so is Acts 23. 5. I wist not that he was the High Priest This manner of speaking is not unworthy of the Sacred Penmen Synecdoches frequent in Scripture proved from several Instances Metaphors also common Solomon's Metaphorical Description of Old Age in Eccles. 12. expounded in all its Parts THere are not only Grammatical but Rhetorical Figures in this Sacred Volume the chief of which I will briefly speak of not to say that I have mentioned some of them already And though as I said of the former they have been observed by several Writers yet one Reason why I mention them here is because I shall have occasion to reduce some Texts to these Figures which have not been so interpreted by other Authors First Hyperboles are not unusual in these Holy Writings these are such Speeches as seem to surpass the bare Truth either by augmenting or diminishing it Thus a Great Caldron one of the Vessels of the Temple that held a vast Quantity of Water is call'd a Sea a molten Sea 1 Kings 7. 23. a brazen Sea 2 Kings 25. 13. It is said that the Cities were walled up to Heaven Deut. 1. 28. and that Solomon made Silver in Jerusalem as Stones 1 Kings 10. 27. and that at his being anointed King the People rejoiced with great Ioy so that the Earth rent with the Sound of them 1 Kings 1. 40. Upon which Places and some others the Jews found that Saying of theirs The Law sometimes speaks Hyperbolically The Description of Behemoth is full of this sort of Language He moveth his Tail like a Cedar his Bones are as strong pieces of Brass and Bars of Iron he drinketh up a River he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his Mouth Job 40. 17 c. Xerxes's Army was said to drink whole Rivers dry in that Hyperbolical Sense in which this is spoken of Behemoth which proves what I have asserted that the Scripture symbolizeth with other Writers or rather they with it The like Hyperbolical Description you have of the Leviathan Job 41. 18 to the end And such is that of the Locusts Joel 2. 2 12. all which is indeed one Continued Hyperbole wherein he elegantly and pathetically describes them as a well-formed Army as Virgil in his Georgicks loftily doth the Ants It nigrum campis agmen So all is Poetical and Hyperbolical in Psal. 18. 7 16. As for Psal. 120. 5. Wo is me that I sojourn in Mesech and dwell in the Tents of Kedar few Expositors take it to be of this kind Becausâ— Mesech signifies protracting or prolonging some interpret the first Clause thus I have a LONG time dwelt and because Kedar signifies Blackness they understand it of the Sadness of his Condition Others would translate the pious King to those Places and Countries which bear the Name of Mesech and Kedar thinking that he was for some time confined to those Places And there are other Conjectures about the Words but the true Import of them in my Apprehension is this David being banished from home expresseth it as if he were among the barbâ—rous Scythians as if he were in the wild Desarts of Arabia Or if you take Mesech and Kedar to be both of them in Arabia as some do then still the Sense is the same I sojourn I dwell I inhabit among the inhospitable People of Arabia call'd Scenitae because they lived in Tents or in that part of the Wilderness where the Israelites pitchâ—d in Tents when they travell'd to the Land of Canaan There is my Abode at present I am no longer one of Iudea This is an Hyperbolical Speech to set forth the Nature of those Inhumanâ— and Malicious People into whose Hands he was fallen and with whom he was forced to converse at that time To this sort of Speech we may refer Psal. 97. 5. The Hills melted like Wax Isa. 34. 3. The Mountains shall be melted with their Blood Ezek. 32. 6. I will water with thy Blood c. I will makâ— the Blood of the slain so abundant that it shall reach upto the very Mountains and all the Rivers shall be â—ill'd with Blood which is to be look'd upon as an Hyperbolical Description of Egypt's Destruction So Ezek. 39. 9 10. They shall burn the Weapons with â—ire seven Years so that they shall take no Wood out of the Field nor cut down any out of the Forests is an elevated Strain of speaking to express the Multitude of the Weapons and Spoils taken from the Enemy and the vast Slaughter of them At the first View those Words in Obadiaâ— ver 4. Though thou set thy Nest among the Stars must be acknowledged to be highly Hyperbolical Neither is the New Testament without this kind of speaking as to instance in Matth. 13. 32. which I grant is not reckoned by Writers among the Hyperboles of Scripture but I appeal to the Learned whether it ought not Of the Mustard-seed there in the Parable Christ saith It is indeed the least of all Seeds for though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be the Greek Word yet as hath been noted before it is here put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as is plain from its being joined with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so it is rightly rendred the least of all Seeds but this is not exactly true for the Seeds of Sweet-marjoram and Wild Poppy are far less and the Seeds of Tobacco are so small that a thousand of them make not above one single Grain in Weight but all must give place to the Seed of Moon-wort which câ—rtainly is a Seed of the least size that is And another reckons among the smallest Seeds of Plants those of Reed-mace and of Harts-tongue and of some sorts of Mosses and Ferns And of these latter I have read that some of them are so small that they cannot be seen without the Help of a Microscope But our Saviour to set forth and magnify the wonderful Power of the Word of God and the Increasing and Spreading of his
many other Hebrew Modes of Speech the Vse of God's Name to augment and inhanse the Sense the Vse of the word Sons or Children not only applied to Persons but Things the Import of the word first-born or first-begotten and of those Expressions the Son of Man a Weight of Glory are chiefly insisted upon There are no Soloecisms in Scripture St. Jerom Erasmus Calvin Beza Castellio Dr. Hammond censured for asserting the contrary Sir Norton Knatchbull salves the Grammatical Part of the New Testament and olears it of Soloecisms The same things which some call Soloecisms and undue Syntax are found in the best Classical Authors There are Chasms Expletives Repetitions and at other times unexpected Brevity seeming Inconsistencies and Incoherencies in the best Greek and Latin Authors The Propriety and Excellency of the Sacred Stile may be justiâ—ied from the Writings of the most celebrated Moral Philosophers Orators Poets c. 4thly I Further offer this to your Observation that there is in the Scriptures a great and delightful Variety of Tongues and Languages There are in the Old Testament besides the Hebrew of which it is composed many Chapters written in Chaldee as in Ezra part of the 4th Chapter all the 5th and 6th with part of the 7th in Daniel the greatest part of the 2d Chapter and all the rest that follow till the 8th in Ieremiah one single Verse viz. the 11th of the 10th Chapter And besides these greater Portions there are many Chaldee Words dispersed up and down in several Places as Chartummim Magicians Astrologers Gen. 41. 24. used also in Dan. 1. 20. ch 2. 2. Nishtevan an Epistle or Letter Ezra 4. 7. Pithgam a Word or Decree Esther 1. 20. Sethav Winter Cant. 2. 11. Saga to magnify Iob 36. 24. Tiphsar a Captain Ier. 51. 27. and some think Macha Numb 34. 11. is a Chaldaick Verb. Other Words are of Persian Extraction as Pardes and Pardesim Eccles. 2. 5. Cant. 4. 13. Orchards or Gardens whence the word Paradise for so the Persians call'd their Orchards Gardens and Parks saith Philostratus and we read the like in Iul. Pollux Partemim Nobles or Princes Esther 1. 3. is a Word borrowed from the Persians and is proper to that Country So is Pur a Lot Esther 3. 7. and Achashdarpanim Lieutenants or Governours of Provinces Esth. 3. 12. ch 9. 3. and Chiun Amos 5. 26. passes for a Persian Name among some Learned Men. From Egypt with which the Hebrews had great Commerce several Words are borrowed as Zaphnath Paaneah Gen. 41. 45. the Title of Honour which King Pharaoh conferr'd on Ioseph which some interpret a Revealer of Secrets as both Ionathan and Onkelos render it and most of the Rabbies but others with St. Ierom translate it the Saviour of the World But whatever the meaning of it is 't is not to be doubted that 't is Egyptian for a Title given by an Egyptian King was certainly such And some think the same of the word Abrech Gen. 41. 43. the Term of Applause and Acclamation which the Egyptian People made use of when Ioseph was advanced to be the Second Man in the Kingdom and rid in Royal State through the Streets Zephardegnim Frogs Exod. 8. 3. and Zephardeang a Frog Psal. 78. 45. are of Egyptian Race and such is Ob an Inchanter Deut. 18. 10. if we may credit the Learned Kircher and Manor a Weaver's Beam 1 Sam. 17. 7. and Sarim an Eunuch 2 Chron. 18. 8. and Sarisim Eunuchs 2 Kings 20. 18. and several other Words were brought with the Israelites out of Egypt or were learn'd by Converse Totaphoth Frontlets Exod. 13. 16. Deut. 6. 8. is a compound Word as Scaliger thinks from Tot and Photh the first an Egyptian Word the second used in some other part of Africa Atad a Thorn Psal. 58. 9. is also reckon'd an African or Punick Word From Arabia others are fetch'd as Raphelingius and Golius and other great Linguists have observ'd especially in the Book of Iob they find several Arabick Words for he was of that Countrey Leviathan is of this fort saith Bochart and signifies a Dragon and any Great Fish Seranim Lords 1 Sam. 6. 18. and Cabul 1 Kings 9. 13. and many others are look'd upon as Phoenician Zamzummim Giants Deut. 2. 20. is purely an Ammonitish Word Gnerabon a Pledg Gen. 38. 17. is Syriac and Sharbit a Scepter Esth. 4. 11. ch 5. 2. used here and no where else is such rather than a pure Hebrew Word The Names of the Months among the Hebrews several of which occur in the Old Testament are generally taken from other Languages And many other foreign Words are brought into the Hebrew Tongue and mix'd with it which was caused by Correspondence with other Nations of whom they were taught these Words and particularly by Traffick and Importing of foreign Goods as Avenarius has observed the Things and the Names being brought at the same time from foreign Parts and accordingly we find them in the Writings of the Old Testament Here that of the Rabbies is true though they applied it as I have shewed before in another Sense The Scripture oftentimes speaks in the Language of the Sons of Men it hath Words which are used in other Tongues and borrowed from other Nations Thus likewise it is in the New Testament there is a Variety of Languages in it For though the main of it be Greek yet there are sundry Words there of a different Original Some Hebrew ones are made use of by the Holy Ghost as Allelujah Rev. 19. 1 3 4 6. Sabaoth Rom. 9. 29. Iam. 5. 4. Amen Rom. 1. 25. Eph. 3. 21. and in several other Places and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 14. 16. and often used in the Gospels and in 1 Cor. 5. 7. Heb. 11. 28. is originally Hebrew These Words were so much in use among the Faithful that the Apostles thought fit not to translate them but to retain them as they are Again some Words in this Part of the Bible are Persian as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 2. 7 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 8. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 5. 41. Mark 15. 41. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paradise Luke 23. 43. 2 Cor. 12. 4. Rev. 2. 7. is of Persick Extract Remphan Acts 7. 43. is thought by some to be Egyptian It is certain that there are a great many Latin Words Grecized as Quadrans Matth. 5. 26. Legio Matth. 5. 9. ch 26. 53. Census Matth. 17. 25. Praetorium Matth. 27. 27. Acts 23. 35. Phil. 1. 13. Custodia Matth. 27. 65. ch 28. 11. Spiculator Mark 6. 27. Centurio Mark 15. 45. Opsonium Luke 3. 14. Rom. 6. 23. Modius Luke 11. 33. Sudarium Luke 19. 20. Colonia Acts 16. 12. Semicinctium Acts 19. 12. Sicarius Acts 21. 38. Macellua 1 Cor. 10. 25. Membrana 2 Tim. 4. 13. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same Verse is a Greek Word made out of the Latin one Penula with
Excellency Preeminence and Authority And this is yet more clear from our Saviour's words Ioh. 5. 27. where he assigns the Reason why the Judgment of the World is committed to him by the Father He hath saith he given him Authority to execute Iudgment because he is the Son of Man because he is Head and Ruler of the Church because all Government and Authority in this lower World are devolv'd upon him because he hath all Rule and Dominion put into his Hands This is the true account as I conceive of the Expression this Title was attributed to him to signify his Authority and Exaltation and not as is commonly said and believ'd and as the Learned Grotius defends it his Meanness Condescension and Humility though I will not exclude Other Reasons which may be consistent with this as that he is call'd the Son of Man to attest the reality of his Manhood to ascertain us of the Truth of his Suffering in our Humane Nature to assure us of his Sympathy with us and that he is touch'd with the feeling of our Infirmities I will only add this That whereas it is generally said by Writers and even by the Critical 〈◊〉 among the rest that this Epithet is given to our Saviour by Himself only and not by any other in the New Testament this is a Mistake for in Acts 7. 56. he is call'd by St. Stephen the Son of Man and so he is twice by St. Iohn Rev. 1. 13. Chap. 14. 14. The Original of which must be fetch'd as I have shew'd from the Hebrew Stile in the Old Testament And so must that Expression which the Apostle uses 2 Cor. 4. 17. a Weight of Glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here answers to the Hebrew cabod a Weight and yet is rendred Glory Gen. 31. 1. and the Tongue is call'd cabod Glory Psal. 57. 8. So the Verb cabad signifies both to be weighty and to be glorious or honourable Isa. 66. 5. Prov. 13. 18. And the Adjective cabed approaches to this sense as is clear from Gen. 13. 2. Thus it is with the word jakar gravis fuit but it is understood in a treble sense as if there were a threefold Gravity viz. of Weight Price and Honour Accordingly it signifies 1. To be heavy weighty 2. To be precious Isa. 43. 4. 3. To be in Honour and Glory Job 31. 26. as also to glorify and honour and therefore the word is rendred by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Version of the 70. Thus you see that after the manner of the Hebrews Glory or Greatness is express'd by words that denote Weight and thence it is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here us'd by the Apostle to denote that Superlative Glory which is the attainment of the other World And 't is not improbable that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thess. 2. 6. is to be understood thus and should not be rendred to be Burdensom but to be Honourable or to be in Authority or Dignity which our English Translators were sensible of when they rendred it in the Margin to use Authority This I take to be of Hebrew extraction and in imitation of the use of the words â—abad and jakar And hence also in the Seventy's Translation of the Old Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports Grandeur or Glory and is applied in several places to a Royal Train and to a Mighty Host 1 Kings 10. 2. 2 Kings 6. 14. Chap. 18. 7. 2 Chron. 9. 1. So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Weight or Burden is equivalent with Honour or Splendor in one of St. Chrysostom's Homilies I could remark that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gravis and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gloria differ but in the Accents and among the Latins honos and onus are not unlike Vir gravis is used by the Latin Orator for a Person of Authority and Worth And Graves viri in the old Roman way of Speaking are Men of Authority and Eminency And Baro which comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used by Tully as a Name of Dignity and is as much as Patricius a Nobleman though I know some Criticks interpret the word in another sense Thence our word Baron a Lord a Person of Greatness and Authority And Grave answers to Baron whence Palsgrave Landgrave Margrave Burgrave for Grave among the Germans signifies a Magistrate a Ruler And we in England heretofore used the word Grave or Greve in the same sense thus Portgreve was the Name of the Chief Magistrate of the City of London till King Iohn's time who turn'd it into that of Mayor These things I here mention only to intimate the Affinity that is to be observ'd in Languages not only the Learned ones as they are call'd but others and to shew you the particular cognation betwixt Gravity and Honour or Authority betwixt Weight and Glory which it is probable was derived first of all from the Hebrews The Writers of the New Testament sometimes make use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same sense that the Hebrews use the word gnanah respondere that is not to signify a Person 's Answering or Replying to what another had said but only to denote his going on with his Speech his proceeding in what he had said before Persons are said to Answer though there be no Question put to them though there be no Reply intended as Iesus answer'd and said Mat. 11. 25. Then answer'd Peter and said Mat. 17. 4. The Angel answer'd and said Mat. 28. 5. One of the Elders answer'd saying Rev. 7. 13. which is as appears from the Context no more than this They spake and said for this oftentimes is the acceptation of that word in the Hebrew Writings and particularly in the Book of Iob Chap. 3. ver 2. Job answer'd and said though no body had spoke to him or asked him any Question The words therefore import no more than this Job spake and said and so our Translators render it I might further observe that the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the New Testament hath by an Hebraism the force of all the Prepositions it answering to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lastly I am inclined to think that what is said of St. Paul in Acts 9. 15. is spoken after the Hebrew manner for the Hebrews call any thing that is Choice and Delectable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vas desiderii and the Rabbins accordingly call the Law by this Name viz. a Desirable Vessel or a Desirable Instrument or Utensil for Cheli is of a vast Latitude and signifies whatever is for the use of Man Answerably to which St. Paul is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a chosen Vessel or Instrument It is spoken after the Propriety of the Hebrews with whom a Thing or Person that is made use of to some Excellent Purpose is not only stiled a Vessel but to denote yet further the Worth of it is called a Vessel of Desire
sufficiently dispatch'd it I hope I have let you see that those are no impartial Judges of Scripture-Stile who cry out of its Barbarisms but the Truth is they betray both their Ignorance and Irreligion at once in giving such a Judgment of it their Ignorance in that they shew themselves unacquainted with the Best Authors who are not always wont to bind themselves to the strict Observation of Grammatical Rules To this purpose the Learned Henry Stephens's Animadversions and Appendix at the End of his Thesaurus Gr. L. are worthy of the Perusal of all Curious Persons that would be fully acquainted with the Genius of the Attick Phrase and Idiom and the reading of these will abundantly satisfy them that the New Testament is like other Greek Writers and that the most Classick Greek Authors speak in the same strain that this doth This Accomplish'd Critick shews that there are pure Atticisms sometimes in these Holy Writings and particularly that an Ellipsis which is so frequent in them is a common Atticism in the best Grecians If those who raise Objections against the Stile of the New Testament would converse with These they might see that those Passages which seem not so proper or elegant in Scripture and that whatever looks like Soloecisms and favours of Rudeness or Defect of Language in these Holy Writings may be parallelled with what they meet with in the most Applauded Authors Their Irreligion likewise is discovered in this that nothing pleaseth them in the Holy Book and that what is not thought Improper or Rude in other Writings is accounted such in These yea that what are Soloecisms in a Sacred Writer are look'd upon as Atticisms and Elegancies in a Profane One. Having hitherto been in pursuance of this that the Holy Scripture hath many things in it according to the Strain of Other Writers I am to pass to the next Proposition CHAP. VII The Scripture-Stile hath some things in it that are not in common with Other Writers but are proper and peculiar to it self The LXX's Greek Version and the New Testament have words that are not extant in any other Authors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 14. 3. was coin'd by the Evangelist It s true Signification enquired into Inward Goodness or Righteousness is express'd by Terms which are unknown to other Writers Instances of several other Peculiar ways of Speaking Some Profane Authors differ from the rest as to the use of some particular Words and Phrases Ecclesiastical Writers have Words proper to themselves The Difficulty of Scripture proceeds partly from the Different Acception of Words which we meet with there Many Instances in the Old and New Testament The various Significations of the Word Spirit enumerated and reduc'd to distinct Heads The Author confines himself to the Hebrew Verbs of the Old Testament and shews how Different the Senses of the same words are and endeavours to remove the Ambiguity of them in the several Texts which he cites and to determine the Sense which is Proper to those particular Places The like he attempts in those Texts where Hebrew Nouns of a different meaning occur THE Third Proposition is That the Scripture-Stile hath some things in it that are not in common with Other Writers but are Proper and Peculiar to it self For though it is true some Other Authors have words proper to themselves which are not found in others thus in Pindar Plato Isocrates Homer Aristophanes Hippocrates c. there are some particular Words and Phrases peculiar to them alone yet the Bible hath Words and Expressions which are not to be met with in any of these nor in any other Writers The Original Hebrew hath greater choice of Words than any Book extant in that Language it is the most Copious Vocabulary that is in the World and all Hebrew Writers of note borrow from this The Septuagint have words peculiar to themselves as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is proper to them and was made on purpose to answer to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Writers of the New Testament took it from them They also made the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cant. 4. 9. to express the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ex. 2. 5. is of their coining and the Apostle thought fit to use it Tit. 2. 14. And some have thought the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it signifies Sleep or Slumber Isa. 29. 10. was made by them as if it were from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word is also used by the Apostle Rom. 11. 8. The New Testament in Greek hath words never heard of before as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Lord's Prayer a word which was first used by the Evangelists And St. Luke's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Angels Salutation of the Virgin Mary Luk. 1. 28. is a new Greek word which the Evangelist himself made as some have thought but that is a Mistake because the Apocryphal Writer had used it before Eccles. 18. 17. Yet this is not to be denied that the word is no where to be found in any other Greek Author i. e. any Prophane one but St. Paul useth it viz. the Active 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though not the Passive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Eph. 1. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Passive Voice have a peculiar Signification in Mat. 5. 24. Rom. 5. 10. 1 Câ—r 11. 7. 2. Cor. 5. 20. which is in no other Writer saith Grotius upon Mat. 5. 24. That likewise in Mark 14. 3. and Iohn 12. 3. is scarcely used by any Writer whatsoever and therefore the Grammarians and Criticks know not well how to assign the meaning of it some deriving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the word there used and joined with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so it denotes that Ointment to have been faithfully prepared and compounded for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to this Etymology is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 true pure not adulterated approved it being rightly and faithfully made This is according to the Syriac Version and 't is approved of by St. Ierom and Theophylact Others think 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put here for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vulgar Latin having it Spicata and so it is translated Spikenard by us Beza and Camerarius are of this Opinion and think the Ointment had this Name because it was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spicis nardi that is of the choicest part of Nard A third fort among whom Casaubon is Chief tell us that it is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potabilis à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so signifies such a Liquid Ointment as might be drank And lastly some have thought that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if it were call'd so from a place viz Opis a City not far from Babylon whence
the best Nard came This is Hartungus's Notion but then the word should have been Opick not Opistick Thus the Etymology of the Word hath been disputed but we are certain of the Thing the Nard it self or rather the Ointment which was made of it which was very Precious and in great Esteem of old It was made of several Ingredients as we learn from Pliny and other Writers viz. the sweet Cane or Rush Costum Amomum Myrrh Balsam and other Simples When this Precious Compound this Excellent Aromatic which was very Costly and used only by Rich and Wealthy Persons was made up as it should be it was then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—ides sincerely and faithfully prepared it had all its Ingredients it was of the best sort This seems to be the most elegible Derivation of the Word but so far as we know it was of the Evangelist's making for there is no such Greek Word in any other Authors And as the New Testament hath its peculiar words so you may observe it hath a peculiar way of using some words which yet are common in other Writers Thus Inward Holiness or Inherent Righteousness are express'd by such terms as These which have no such Signification in any other Writers Circumcision Col. 2. 11. Crucifying Rom. 6. 6. Gal. 6. 14. Mortifying Rom. 8. 13. Col. 3. 5. Dying Rom. 6. 2 8. Col. 3. 3. Resurrection Eph. 2. 6. Eph. 5. 14. Col. 2. 12. Regeneration or being born again John 3. 3. Tit. 3. 5. 1 Pet. 1. 23. Renovation Rom. 12. 2. Eph. 4. 23. the New Man and New Creature 2. Cor. 5. 17. Gal. 6. 15. Eph. 4. 24. Washing John 13. 8. 1 Cor. 6. 11. Rev. 7. 14. The way of using and applying these words is proper to the New Testament There are other peculiar ways of speaking in this part of the Bible which are altogether unknown to other Writers as the Engraffed Word Jam. 1. 21. Children of Light and of the Day Luk. 16. 8. Eph. 5. 8. 1 Thess 5. 5. the Sword of the Spirit Eph. 6. 17. the Savour of Death 2 Cor. 2. 16. the Body of Sin Rom 6. 6. the Body of Death Rom. 7. 24. the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 8. 2. a Law in the Members Rom. 7. 23. Who over met in any other Author with these Expressions Conscience of an Idol 1 Cor. 8. 7. the Earnest of the Spirit 2 Cor. 5. 5. the Vnction of the Spirit 1 Joh. 2. 20 27. Circumâ—ision of the Heart and of the Letter Rom. 2. 29. a Iew outwardly and a Iew inwardly in the same Verse Who ever read of the foolishness of God and the weakness of God 1 Cor. 1. 25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Phrase proper to Scripture and so are these to mortify the Members on Earth Col. 3. 5. to put off the Old Man and put on the New Man Eph. 4. 22. to sow to the Flesh to reap of the Flesh to sow to the Spirit to reap of the Spirit Gal. 5. 8. to walk after the Flesh Rom. 8. 1 4. Who ever spoke after the following rate to eat and drink Damnation to himself 1 Cor. 11. 29. to be justified by Faith Rom. 3. 28. Gal. 2. 16. to be clothed upon with an House from Heaven 2 Cor. 5. 2 And what strange and unheard-of Expressions are those to be baptized or washed with Fire Mat. 3. 2. to be salted with Fire Mark 9. 49 Thus the Sacred Penmen of Scripture differ from all others in their Stile And yet herein also they agree with them for even some of those Writers differ from the rest as to the use of some particular Words and Phrases Some of them take a word or more in a sense that it is not taken in by any Others There are words in Homer that are not in Aristophanes and some in Lycophron that are not in either of these and there are some in these three which are not found in any other Writer whatsoever Plato as 't is observ'd of him useth words in a way different from other Authors as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Simplex and in other places for Pulcher and sometimes for Parvus And as the same word is used by him to denote several things so he uses different words in the same sense and meaning as his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and others Nay he brings in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the same Author observes to express contrary things sometimes There are some Ecclesiastick words for they may be thus differenc'd from others because they have a peculiar Interpretation as they are used by Ecclesiastical Writers as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Synaxis which among Christian Writers signify either the Sacred Meetings and Assemblies of the Faithful or the Lord's Supper and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Temple among the same Writers and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath the same Signification sometimes but they have no such sense in other Authors So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a Towel or Napkin is used in some of the Greek Fathers to denote the express Image or likeness of a Person And from other Examples it might be made good that the Profane and Ecclesiastick use of a word are far different There are Thousands of words otherwise taken in the Greek Fathers than in Classick Writers and you in vain look for the meaning of them in Hesychius Phavorinus Suidas in Scapula Constantine or Stephens Yea the words themselves which occur in Ecclesiastick Writers are not to be found in Profane ones many of them are omitted in Lexicons Onomasticks Etymologicks and Glossaries And shall not the Inspired Wriâ—ers have the same liberty viz. to use peculiar Words and Phrases of their own or to use Words in a singular meaning and proper to themselves If a Catachreâ—is the Abuse of Words be reckon'd by the Greek Orators an Embellishment of Speech certainly we must account it no Disparagement but rather an Ornament to the Language when the Holy Ghost in the Scriptures alters the use of some Words He may make use of what Words he pleaseth He that bestow'd the Gift of Tongues knows how to apply them Hence in these Writings you meet with some New words and Singular ways of Expression as I have let you see in some Instances and many more I might have added wherein the peculiar Phraseology of this Sacred Book is observable The very Words in the Holy Stile are precious Antiquaries and Criticks spend much time in mere Phrases but they never employ it so well as when they are searching into These There are several Other things might be noted as to the Peculiar Stile and Idiom of the New Testament but this shall suffice at present As I have â—hew'd before that the Stile of Scripture is like that of Other Writers so you see it is not inconsistent with what I have now asserted that the Holy Stile is not like that of Others
as we english it or People cannot be determined because the Word signifies both in several Places of Scripture Because Zaba denotes both a determinate Time and military Order that of Iob 7. 1. may be rendred either thus Is there not an appointed time to Man or Is there not a Warfare to Man And so in ch 14. 14. you may read it All the Days of my appointed Time or all the Days of my Warfare In all these Places there is no point of Religion endanger'd if you take the Words in either Sense There must needs be a double Reading in Iosh. 11. 20. because the word Techinnah signifies Grace or Favour and likewise Prayer or Supplication so that we may translate it either that there might be no Favour for them or that there might be no Supplication for them Both which Senses may be united thus that there might be none to pray for Grace and Favour for them And so both the Translations meet There is a great deal of Difference between the Rain filleth the Pools and the Teacher is fill'd or cover'd with Blessings and yet Psal. 84. 6. the latter part of the Verse may be read either of these ways because the word Moreh is pluvia and doctor and Beracoth is both piscin◠and benedictiones These two have but little Affinity he hath given you the former Rain moderately and he hath given you a Teacher of Righteousness and yet the Hebrew Words in Ioel 2. 23. are capable of being rendred either ways and accordingly our English Translators imbrace the former and the Vulgar Latin the latter Sense The Reason is because Moreh is a Teacher and Rain The word beged is perfidia Ier. 12. 1. and also vestis in above a hundred Places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an Isle Job 22. 30. a Region or Province Isa. 20. 6. a Bird or other Animal that frequents Islands Isa. 13. 22. Cir signifies a Laver Exod. 20. 18. a Hearth Zech. 12. 6. a Scaffold or Pulpit 2 Chron. 6. 13. Chajah is the Soul Life a Beast a Company a Village wherefore 't is no wonder that the Word in these Places admits of different Constructions Psal. 68. 30. Psal. 74. 19. Isa. 57. 10. but the Scope of the Texts will conduct a diligent Enquirer to the proper Denotation of the Word in each Place Pagnam is a Blow a Stroke Judg. 5. 28. a Foot or Footstep Psal. 85. 14. an Anvil Isa. 41. 7. and moreover it hath the Force of the Latin vice or hac vice this once 1 Sam. 26. 8. How vastly different are the Senses of the Word Tsir viz. Grief Isa. 13. 8. a Hinge Prov. 26. 14. an Ambassador or Messenger Prov. 25. 13. Idols Isa. 45. 16. So the Word which we translate Frost Psal. 78. 47. is of a large Import and signifies not only Frost but vehement Hail and therefore in the Margin of our Bibles is rendred great Hail-stones Avenarius renders it Thunder or Thunder-bolts R. Chasen understands by it not a Meteor but an Infect and reads the Place thus He destroyed their Sycomore Trees with the Locusts Tzitz hath five distinct Rendrings a Flower Isa. 28. 1. a Feather or Quill or Wing Jer. 48. 9. a Plate Exod. 28. 36. a Fringe Numb 15. 38. a Lock of Hair Ezek. 8. 3. The words Bad and Baddim signify Linen or Linen Cloth Ezek. 9. 3. Branches Ezek. 19. 14. Bars Exod. 27. 6. Greatness or Strength Job 18. 13. Members or Ioints Job 41. 3. Liars and Lies Jer. 50. 36. Isa. 44. 25. Iob 11. 3. Here are six different Senses of one Word and there is not any Affinity or Resemblance between any of them Basar to which answers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek is subject in the Sacred Writings to as great a Multiplicity of Meanings as might easily be proved And to conclude the word Iad is of a vast Latitude I know none that equals it as to its wonderful Variety of Senses It is to be understood and applied at least twenty several ways in the Old Testament but yet though it is sometimes difficult it is never impossible to distinguish the Senses These Words and many more are Proofs of what I at first asserted that there is a great Number of Words in the Scripture of Different Significations and that the Hebrew Tongue especially abounds with such For the Hebrews have but few Words very few in comparison of what there are in other Languages but they make their small Stock go as far as it can by making one Word serve for diverse things so that oftentimes the subject Matter must determine the Signification I need say no more Look but into the Margins of the English Bible and there you may be fully satisfied from the Diversity of rendring the Texts that many Nouns as well as Verbs have different and unlike Meanings which we must needs apprehend to be the Cause why some Places are Obscure and Difficult CHAP. VIII Many Hebrew Nouns whereby the several sorts of Brute Animals are signified admit of different Interpretations which is one Reason why some Places of Scripture are obscure and difficult The Great Fish Ion. 1. 17. which devour'd Jonas was a Whale properly and strictly so called but perhaps the Belly of this Fish is not to be understood in a strict Sense of the Abdomen or Iower Venter but of the Wide and Capacious Mouth of that Animal The proper Names of some Birds and Insects are ambiguous The Author 's particular Opinion concerning Kirjonim 2 Kings 6. 25. the Doves Dung that was sold at so dear a rate at the Siege of Samaria What the Locusts were that John Baptist fed on in the Wilderness The Names of Flowers Trees Plants mentioned in the Bible are somewhat uncertain So are the Words for Minerals Precious Stones Musical Instruments Yet this is so far from being a Blemish to the Sacred Writings that it is a Commendation of them The Hebrew Measures whether of Longitude or Capacity are another Instance of the Difficulty which arises from our being ignorant of the exact Significations of some Words in the Bible The Words whereby the Hebrew Weights are express'd are something dubious And so are those whereby the Jewish Coins are denoted Likewise there is Vncertainty in the Greek and Roman Coins mentioned in the New Testament IN farther Prosecution of this I will observe that many Hebrew Words which signify Brute Animals whether four-footed Beasts and other Creatures on the Earth or Fishes and Birds and Insects admit of Different Interpretations and may be applied to Animals of divers kinds It is acknowledged both by the Antient and Modern Jews themselves that they have no certain Account of the Proper Names of divers of those Animals which are mentioned in the 11th Chapter of Leviticus some of which were forbidden others allowed to be eaten by that People When they come to speak of some of them particularly they exceedingly disagree about them and variously determine what they are Sus is
was in the way of a Miracle It is said the Lord prepared this Fish to swallow up Jonas ver 7. God in an unusual and wonderful manner effected the Deliverance of the Prophet by appointing this Whale to receive him and rescue him from the raging Sea He fitted and prepared him to take him down into the Caverns of his Belly 〈◊〉 he so framed his narrow Throat that he was able to swallow him down whole The Parts were so stretch'd at that time that a greater than Ionas might have pass'd through There is no reason then to object the Natural Frame and Make of the Fish But we may rest in the Septuagint's rendring the word who expresly call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Whale and especially we may be satisfied with our Saviour's Determination who hath limited the Signification of those words a great Fish and hath expresly told us that Ionas was in the Whale's Belly Mat. 12. 40. Though the Book of Ionas mentions not a Whale yet here we 〈◊〉 â—ssured that it was that very Fish which was made the happy means of the Prophet's preservation And yet here may be some Uncertainty still for a Whale perhaps may not be taken strictly in this place but may only signify one of the Cetaceous Animals among which those are reckon'd that have Lungs as the Dolphin Seal or Sea-calf Porpus Pristis or Saw-fish Tuny We may hold that some other Fish of the Nature of a Whale but not of that particular Frame as to its Throat is here meant and so the former Objection vanisheth But I think there is a way to reconcile this and yet at the same time we may assert that our Saviour means a Whale properly and strictly so called that is as 't is credibly said to be a Great Fish with a Little Throat so little besure that a Man cannot have any passage through it and consequently that Ionas had not If I may be allowed to offer my particular Opinion I conceive that when 't is said by the Prophet Ionas concerning himself that he was in the Belly of the Fish Chap. 1. 17. and when it is said by our Saviour that he was in the Belly of the Whale Mat. 12. 40. the word Belly is not to be understood in a strict Sense The Hebrew word in the former place is of a Large Extent and denotes rather the Bowels than the Belly i. e. it is oftentimes in the Sacred Writ understood of the Inward and Vnseen Parts of any thing which are call'd the Bowels The Greek word in the latter place is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is of a larger Signification and imports any middle or any inward and deep place as in Iohn 7. 38. especially some remote hollow place and so here we are to understand by it some hollow part 〈◊〉 the Fish's Body and consequently it may denote to us not the Lowest Ventricle which is usually call'd the Belly but the Mouth which is a Concave Part of the Body And this is here most Emphatically applied to this particular Fish because as we are certainly informed it hath a Mouth by which I mean all that large place on both sides and in the middle between the Lips or outward Mouth and the Passage down the Throat all which is of a most Wonderful and Prodigious Magnitude it hath I say a Mouth of so vast a Capacity that it may rather be call'd a Belly than a Mouth and therefore is not unfitly termed so although in propriety and strictness of Speaking it is not the Belly but the Mouth We must take notice then that this is the Language and Idiom of the Sacred Writers So Beten venter signifies not always the Belly properly but the inward Parts in general as in 1 Kings 7. 20. and Prov. 22. 18. which latter we translate within thee Kereb likewise which is another word for venter is usually rendred medium intimum intestinum the word is used as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Greeks and as Vmbilicus among the Latins for the middle of any thing That Belly or Bowels are used to signify what is inmost and hidden is clear from Psal. 40. 8. Thy Law is in the midst of my Bowels shut up and reposited within my Heart and so in Iob 15. 35. Ch. 30. 27. The Belly in the Stile of Scripture and in other Writers is usually mention'd to express any Inward Receptacle or Place to receive and contain a thing Among Anatomists it hath been made use of in the latitude of the word to signify not only the 〈◊〉 properly so call'd but the other Cavities of the Body the Head and Breast So in that Comparison which our Saviour made between himself and Ionas you may remember that the Heart of the Earth answers to the Whale's Belly to let you see that both these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the same and signify some dark and remote Receptacles where Things or Persons are laid up for a time As Ionas was in the Whale's Belly so Christ was in the Heart of the Earth to acquaint us that as the word Heart is not understood here strictly and properly so neither is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it signifies Belly The Heart of the Earth was the Grave or Sepulcher where our Saviour lay though 't was not strictly speaking the Heart so by the Whale's Belly is meant the place where Ionas was held and imprison'd though it was not the Belly in the strictness of Speech But as the Grave is to the Earth so is the Mouth to the Body our Saviour was hidden in the one Ionas was preserv'd in the other viz. in the Mouth of the Whale And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used in Iob. 7. 38. to denote not properly the Belly though we render it so but the inward Part of Man Out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of living Water alluding to the Cisterns or Vessels of Stone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 call'd by the Seventy Interpreters Prov. 5. 15. out of which by certain Pipes or Cocks they let out the Water in abundance And further it might be observ'd that those words which express these inward and invisible Parts have their Denomination from the hollowness of them as Kebah ventriculus is from Kab or Kabab cavavit and so Kobah of the same Signification is from the same Root and is so named from its Cavity and that for this reason because these inward Vessels and Parts are able to hold and contain things and also are Channels and Passages to convey and transmit them These are properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and are call'd so from their hollowness and capaciousness Thus in the Matter before us though we do not restrain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Abdomen the Belly strictly so named yet we take it in its proper and genuine Denotation that is as it signifies that Vast and
for a Fir and others for a Turpentine-Tree And Pererius that he might say something singular and different from all the rest fancies it was not the Wood of one sort of Tree but that it was made of divers Kinds But the Translators of the English Bible retain the Hebrew word it self because they were not satisfied with any of these Significations Eolah and allah and allon Ezek. 6. 13. Josh. 24. 26. Isa. 6. 13. according to different Interpreters are rendred not only an Oak but an Elm an Alder-Tree a Turpentine a Lime or Teil-Tree a Pine a Chesnut What kind of Trees Algummim or Almuggim 1 Kings 10. 11. 2 Chron. 2. 8. Chap. 9. 10 11. were is not easy to tell yea the Hebrew Doctors think Coral which we can't properly call a Tree is meant by them But Grotius hath warn'd us not to trust to the Rabins especially the latter ones in their Interpretations which they give of Herbs and Trees What particular kind of Wood that is which is call'd Shittim of which you read so often in Exodu◠and is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incorruptible Wood by the LXX is not agreed among the Learned some thinking it to be Cedar others the Pitch-Tree others Box but Ierom and Theodotion take it to be the White-Thorn or a Tree very like it The truth is we are certain of nothing but this that it was some very excellent and choice Wood which they found to be very Useful in Building It is probable that it was denominated from the Place where it grew and whence it was fetched for of Shittim we read in Numb 25. 1. Iosh. 2. 1. and in other places but what kind of Tree it was is uncertain for which reason both the Vulgar Latin and English Translators thought fit to retain the Hebrew word it self For we are in the dark as to these things and how can it be otherwise seeing 't is not to be doubted that they had Trees and Plants in the Eastern Countries which are not in these places and therefore we know them not So for Animals of which we spake before there were some proper to those Regions and because these Western Parts of the World have them not we are ignorant of them Wherefore 't is no wonder that several Names of Sensitive and Vegetative Creatures mention'd in the Old Testament are unintelligible Whether the Hebrew Bedolach Bdellium Gen. 2. 12. be a Tree or a Stone or a Gum or a Pearl is disputed Pliny and Diascorides mention Bdellium as Wood or a Tree and Iunius upon the place is of the same Mind Others and particularly Iosephus understand it to be an Aromatick Gum or the Juice of some Odoriferous Tree The Jews generally hold it to be a Precious Stone but some of them think it is a Crystal others a Jasper and others of them a Carbuncle it being so rendred by the Septuagint Bochart and some other Moderns tell us that Bedolach is not Bdellium or any other Precious Stone but a Margarite a Pearl of the Sea which is usually fetch'd up in that Maritime Part of Arabia which is call'd Havilah in the foremention'd Text. And to corroborate this Opinion he further adds that Manna is said to be Numb 11. 7. of the colour of Bdellium i. e. white which is the singular Ornament and Beauty of a Pearl It might be observ'd here that the words for Minerals and Precious Stones are very ambiguous I will mention only one viz. Nophek the first Precious Stone in the second Order of those in the High Priest's Breast-plate this is rendred by St. Ierom a Carbuncle by Onkelos an Emerald by some Interpreters a Topaz and by others a Ruby And there is almost the like difference in interpreting some of the other Words whereby other Stones are signified For indeed it is the Confession of the Hebrew Doctors as Buxtorf and others tell us that the Names of Precious Stones in Scripture are unknown to us There is such a discrepancy saith a Learned Hebrician about these among all Interpreters whether Christians or Jews that no Man is able to determine any thing certain The same may be said of Musical Instruments mention'd in Scripture which have employ'd many Criticks and Grammarians but with little Satisfaction But I have said enough for my present purpose viz. to shew you that the Hebrew Names of divers things are not well understood which sometimes begets a misunderstanding concerning the things themselves There are indeed among the Greeks and Latins a great number of words of Different Senses but the number is far greater in Hebrew by reason of the paucity of words in this Tongue for there being many Things but few Words to express them it will follow that sundry of them must be of various Significations and consequently that it is no easy matter to distinguish between them This may be the reason why the Septuagint have inserted several Hebrew words into their Version namely because they could not tell how to express them in Greek their Signification being so Doubtful Hence also some Proper Names are translated by these Interpreters as Appellatives which is done also sometimes by the Vulgar Latin because those Names are seemingly and as to their Sound no other than Appellatives however the Dubious meaning of them prompted the Translators to take them as such Nor are we to think that this Ambiguity is any Blemish or Disparagement to the Bible and that for this reason because we find it no where but in those Matters which are Indifferent and the Knowledg of which is not indispensably required of us Nay on the contrary this Difficulty which we meet with in many Words and Passages in these Holy Writings is so far from disparaging them that it is an undeniable Proof of the Unparallell'd Antiquity of them We are assured hence that they have the Priority of all other Books we may rationally gather that a great part of this Volume at least was composed and written before any other Writings were extant If this Sacred Book were of a later Date we should have had few or none of those Difficult Terms that it abounds with now We could not then have a more Convincing Argument of its being Exceeding Antient than its being Dark in some places And therefore instead of complaining of the Obscurity of these Writings let us reverence and admire its Matchless Antiquity and congratulate our own Happiness that the Divine Providence hath entrusted us with the First and Oldest Records of Truth in the World I will go on then still with my present Undertaking and shew in other particulars the Dubious Import of some words in these Sacred Writings and attempt to clear some of them I will here speak of the Measures Weights and Coins mention'd in Scripture which are another Instance of the Difficulty which arises from our being ignorant of the exact Significations of some Words in the Sacred Volume The Hebrew Measures are either of Application or
in the Catalogue of the Kings of Persia viz. Cyrus the First Cambyses the Second Darius Hystaspis the Third Xerxes the Fourth Artaxerxes Longimanus the Fifth c. Yet in the Book of Ezra we read that These five were successively viz. Cyrus Ahasuerus Artaxerxes Darius Artaxerxes How is this to be reconciled Both by saying that the same Persian Kings had different Names and also that several of them had one Name which are both very true One of them was call'd Cambyses and Ahasuerus another had the Name Darius and Artaxerxes a third was call'd Xerxes and Darius And besides this they were all call'd by one General Name that is Artaxerxes was a common Name of the whole Race of the Persian Kings Many of the Learnedst Jews were of this Opinion and it is the more probable because this hath been usual in other Kingdoms and Countries as we learn from the Sacred Records There we find that there was one Common Name for all the Kings of Philistia or Palestine and that was Abimelech as is clear from Gen. 20. 2. Ch. 26. 1 4. Ch. 34. 1. 1 Sam. 21. 11. and also from the Title of the 34th Psalm it appears that this was the Universal Name of the Kings of the Philistines So Agag was the Common Title of all the Kings of the Amalekites as may be inferr'd from Numb 24. 7. 1 Sam. 15. 8. It is probable that Hiram was the Catholick Name of the Kings of Tyre but that Pharaoh was so of all the Egyptian Kings of old is undeniably clear from Gen. 12. 15. which speaks of a Pharaoh in Abraham's time from Gen. 39. 1 c. where we read of another of that Name in Ioseph's days And in Exodus there is frequent mention of that Pharaoh that enslaved the Israelites and order'd all their Male-Children to be drowned and of another whose Heart was hardned and who was drown'd in the Red Sea There was a Pharaoh in Solomon's time 1 Kings 3. 1. and in Iosias's 2 Kings 23. 29. In Isaiah we read of a King of Egypt of this Name Ch. 19. 11. Ch. 30. 2 3. So in Ieremiah Ch. 25. 19. Ch. 44. 30. Ch. 46. 17. and in Ezekiel very often That this was the constant Title of the Egyptian Kings is attested by Suidas Eusebius and Iosephus yea if we may believe this last Pharaoh in the Egyptian Tongue signifies a King Which seems truly to be confirm'd from that passage in Gen. 41. 44. I am Pharaoh which is as much as to say I am King I am Supreme Ruler I will not part with this Name i. e. I will not lose my Royal Dignity and Power And accordingly he retain'd this Name himself and gave Ioseph another as you read in the next Verse It might well then be the General Name of their Kings it signifying Royal Authority and Rule But after the time of Alexander the Great the Kings of Egypt were generally called Ptolomees and after the renouncing of the Greek Emperour they were a long time call'd Caliphs for the General of the Saracens whom the Egyptians took for their King was named Caliph whence the succeeding Kings were denominated after his Name To proceed in this Subject Attalus was a Standing Title to all the Kings of Pergamus though it is true some of them had a particular peculiar Name besides whence that King of Pergamus who was thought to be the Inventer of Parchment to write upon is call'd Attalus by Aelian and St. Ierom but Eumenes by others Antiochus was generally the Name of the Syrian Kings and Mithridates of those of Pontus All the Kings or Dynasts of Edessa in Syria had the Name of Abgarus Herod was the Name common to all the Successors of Herod the first as we learn from the Gospels and the Acts. Candace gave the Denomination to all the Queens of Ethiopia or of one part at least of that Country Arsaces to all the Kings of Parthia Sylvius to those of the Albans i. e. the Latin Kings of the Trojan Race Chagan was antiently the common word to express all the the Kings of the Hunns Caesar was the Title for all the Roman Emperours after Iulius Caesar. Cosâ—oe or Kosroes was the Appellation of the Kings of Persia heretofore after that of Artaxerxes as Sophi of late and Sultan is the distinguishing Title of the Turkish Empire and Miramolin or Miramomolin of all the Princes of Mauritania Thus briefly I have shew'd that it was usual for all the Kings of a Country to have the same Name for a very considerable time at least The observing of which may be of some use to us in reading the Sacred History when it refers to any of those Kings whom I first named and in reading Profane Authors who mention any of the others Lastly I could observe concerning Places in Scripture the same that I have concerning Persons viz. that sometimes they have different Names which we ought carefully to heed in reading this Holy Book One eminent Mountain in Palestine and the adjacent Parts hath several Denominations it is call'd Zion Psal. 2. 6. and frequently in other Books of the Old Testament It is also named Moriah 2 Chron. 3. 1. the same Mount where Moses saw the Burning Bush not consumed and where Isaac was offer'd and where the Temple afterwards was built This Name was so celebrated that from this the Land of Canaan is call'd the Land of Moriah Gen. 22. 2. The same Mountain is named Hermon as is evident from those express words Deut. 4. 48. Mount Sion which is Hermon It is also call'd Sirion Deut. 3. 9. which Name was given it by the Sidonians And in the same place it hath the Name of Shenir which was given it by the Amorites This Multiplicity of Names may I conceive be grounded on this that Sion or Hermon or call it by any of the other Names is properly speaking a long Ledg of several Hills that go through Palestine and a great part of Arabia Some add Gilead and Seir and Lebanon the famous Alpes of the Holy Land upon the North and East part of it noted for its snowy tops its lofty Cedars and other Trees and its fragrant Herbs and Plants Some I say add these to the foregoing ones and rightly determine that they were but one continued Mountain with divers Names as Mount Taurus though far greater is a ridg of Hills that hath several Names according to the different Parts of it Hence Psal. 133. 3. and some other places of Scripture mention some of those Names before spoken of as if they belong'd to different Mountains and the reason is because though they are the same Mountain yet those Names refer to the different parts of the same great ridg of Hills and so are accounted as it were different Hills and accordingly the great Mass of Dew which was in part distill'd on Mount Hermon one division of that great Mountain did partly also fall on Mount Zion a neighbouring part of
when he rid forth in State signifying as they think that the People ought to salute him most humbly and even to bow the Knee to him This is certain that Barak is a general Word for Saluting whether at meeting or parting either by Word or Gesture and is equivalent with the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And because at such times they generally used to bow the Knee it hath that particular Signification as in 2 Chron. 16. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the LXX So in Dan. 6. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in Gen. 24. 11. the Kneeling down of Camels to take up their Burden is expressed by it Yea the word Barak is sometimes transferr'd from its signification of Civil Respect and Kneeling and applied unto Religious Worship as in 2 Chron. 6. 13. Solomon when he pray'd kneeled upon his Knees c. And in Psal. 95. 6. Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker The Word is here made use of to denote bending the Knee in Divine Worship and prostrating themselves before God So that this word Barak in the Original Denotation of it answers to the word Nashak which signifies to salute in a lowly and humble manner to submit and do Obeisance and more particularly Kissing is express'd by it which was a Token of Homage and Subjection of old 1 Sam. 10. 1. But from this first and simple Import of the Word another ariseth which is this viz. to take leave of one because Salutations and Greetings at last end in this Men part and go their way after a short saluting and accosting one another Thus the Word is taken in 2 Sam. 14. 22. Joab â—ell to the Ground on his Face and bowed himself and thanked the King Hebr. Jeberek he took his leave of him he made that Salutation which was becoming at his going out of his Presence In which Notion it likewise answers to Nashak which besides its former Sense signifies to take leave of to bid adieu to one as in Gen. 31. 28. therefore that Valedictory Salutation of Kissing was call'd Neshikah Parashah osculum separationis the Kiss at parting or taking their leave of one another And then there is another derivative Sense of the Word which flows both from this and the former meaning of it and that is twofold for Persons are wont at Saluting and taking Leave to wish well or ill to one another and to express these by good or evil Words whence it is that Barak is either benè or malè precari it imports either to bless or to curse This as I take it is the true and exact Account of the Word and so you see what is the primary and more restrain'd Acception of it and what is the secondary and more general Sense of it Now that which I offer is this that the Word in that Place of Iob is to be understood chiefly in the first and most proper Denotations of it i. e. as it signifies humbly to salute to bow down and do Obeisance or as it signifies to take one's leave According to the former Acception of the Word Iob's Wife speaks thus to him Do not continue to retain thine Integrity or to hold fast thy Perfection as it is in the Original Do not justify thy self before God as if thou wert void of all Guilt but with humble Reverence bow thy self before the Lord adore and worship the most High and submit thy self to him and acknowledg thy Meanness and Sinfulness Do thus and then thou mayst die with Peace and Comfort In this only she might incur the Imputation of speaking foolishly because she like Iob's Friends afterwards had wrong Apprehensions of this Good Man and imagined that he justified himself and was in his own Thoughts a Sinless Person Or else this was the Worser Language of that Woman Take now thy leave of God and die i. e. seeing thou art in this miserable Condition smote with fore Boils from the Sole of thy Foot to the Crown of thy Head ver 7. think not of living but rather desire to quit this World and to be gone Bid God adieu take your Farewel of him and only beg this of him that you may die as soon as may be Or you may suppose this Woman's Language or Meaning rather to be much worser yet even after this sort Take your last Valâ— of Heaven utterly renounce God as well as your Integrity shake him off and have nothing to do with him since he deals so severely with you abandon him for ever and hasten out of the World Though this be not so harsh as downright Cursing of God yet this was indeed speaking like one of the foolish sottish Women as he roundly told her v. 10. The Stile was something too rough to say Curse God She would not speak after that rate to her Pious Confort but she impiously counsels him to take his Leave of God and Religion and to bid an eternal Farewel to both In three other Places in this Book the Word is taken in this latter Sense for it is most probable that in this particular Book the Word is always used in the same Meaning as in ch 1. 5. It may be my Sons have as 't were taken their leave of i. e. tacitely renounced God in their Hearts in the midst of their Pleasures and Entertainments it may be they have had an Aversion to God they have in some measure departed from him for it is not likely that Iob's Children openly blasphemed or strictly speaking cursed God So that part of the 11th Verse of this Chapter and of the 5th of the next which we translate he will curse thee to thy Face seems to be too harsh a Representation even from the Mouth of the Devil of that Holy Man's Carriage for though he cursed the Day of his Birth he never curs'd and blasphemed the Almighty and that to his Face i. e. openly and audaciously but he might be said in some Degree to have forsaken and abandoned God and to have turned himself from him by indulging too much to Impatience and Murmuring And not only these Places in Iob but that in 1 Kings before-mentioned which we translate thus Naboth blasphemed or cursed God and the King may be understood in this Sense He by certain Actions discovered as was pretended that he had forsaken God and revolted from his Duty to the King But I submit this to the Judgment of the Learned Thus you see that Words of Different much more of Contrary Significations occasion some Difficulty in interpreting the Texts where they are found There are many Other Hebrew Words in Scripture which signify Contrary things the Sense sometimes as well as the Letters must be read backwards Nor is the Greek wholly destitute of such Words as in Tit. 1. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be rendred either slow or quick Bellies for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is both piger and celer The Cretians of whom this is spoken might be said
both to the Ismaelites and Midianites because the Company of Merchants who bought him consisted of both it is probable they were joint-Traders and did traffick in common Thus we see here is nothing inconsistent Some object against the Geography of Scripture because Zippora Moses's Wife is call'd an Ethiopian Nâ—mb 12. 1. although she was of another Country namely the Land of Midian as appears from Exod 2. 15 16. In answer to which Iosâ—phâ—s would perswade us that Moses had two Wives one an Ethiopian the other a Midianitess or Arabian But there is no Foundation at all for this and therefore some other Answer is to be given Some are of opinion that Cushith which is the Word used in the Book of Numbers should not be translated an Ethiopian but an Arabian Woman for Arabia was call'd Cush because the Seat of Cush the eldest Son of Ham was there saith Sir W. Raleigh Whence he concludes that Moses's Wife was not an Ethiopian though a Woman of Cush but an Arabian And Bochart asserts the same and on the same Ground viz. because Cush was seated in Arabia not in Etâ—iopia But this Opinion hath found but little Reception among those who have further enquired into this Matter and have found that sometimes the word Cush in the Old Testament must necessarily be understood of Etâ—iopia Therefore it is more reasonable to adhere to those Authors who affirm that Cush is an ambiguous Word and that not only Arabia but Ethiopia is expressed by that Name Or rather there is a double Etâ—iopia one in Africa beyond Egypt under the Torrid Zone the other in Asia and particularly in some part of Arabia And that there are both these Ethiopia's is testified by Philostratus Herodotus and Pausanias This latter viz. the Asiatick Ethiopia is meant in the forenamed Place where 't is said Moses married a Cushite an Ethiopian Woman She was not of the African but the Asian Cush or Ethiopia and so it well agrees with the other Text where we are told she was a Midianite Nor is this to be wondred at that Cush is thus differently taken for it might be proved from several Examples that one and the same Name is given to two or three Countries Thus there is Caesarea in Palestine and in the Lesser Asia There is Antioch in Syria in Pisidia and in Caria There is Babylon in Chaldea and Egypt There is Thebes in Baeotia in Egypt and in Cilicia There is Heliopolis in Egypt in Coelosyria and Cilicia There is Albania in Greece and Armenia And so in our neighbouring Countries there is Zeland in Denmark and in the Netherlands And not only in France but England several Places have the same Name But although this be very satisfactory yet I am inclined to offer another Resolution of the Place viz. that Midian was divided from Ethiopia only by the Red Sea a short Passage and by reason of this Nearness Midian is call'd in Soripture the Land of Cush or Ethiopia and thence Zippora is call'd a Cushite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Seventy Interpreters an Ethiopian She is call'd so I say because the Midianites dwelt near to the African Ethiopians and thence sometimes had their Name communicated to them Midian being a neighbouring Country was call'd Ethiopia and those other Parts of Asiâ— and Africa that lay about the Red Sea had the like Dâ—nomination as at this Day among Cosmographers some Places that border on other Countries are sometimes said to belong to them and to be Parts of them and are call'd by their Name Thus Tyre and Sidon of old were reckon'd both in Syria and Palestine And in our modern Geography â—ome Places in the Netherlands and Gâ—rmany are sometimes rank'd among those of France Some Geographers place Lorain in Germany others in France The Alpes are divided among the Germans Italians French and so are said to belong to all of them Piedmont is reckon'd both in France and Italy So it is in the present Case the Vicâ—nity of the Place to some other causes the Name to be communicated to both The Midianites and other People because they bordered on Ethiopia were call'd Ethiopians hence Cushan or Ethiopia and the Land of Midian are join'd together Hab. 3. 7. Lastly it is probable that Cush the eldest Son of Cham was seated not only in Ethiopia but in those Parts of Arabia which were bordering upon it and thence it comes to pass that a Cushite or a Woman of Cush is an Arabian as well as an Ethiopian properly so call'd She that is call'd a Woman of Canaan Mat. 15. 22. is call'd a Syrophoenician Mark 7. 26. which some imaginâ— are inconsistent and therefore they think the former Word should be Cana which was a Town in Phoeniâ—ia and was known by the Name of the Greater Cana for there was a Lesser in the lower Galilee where Christ turn'd Water into Wine But there is no Necessity of â—hanging the Word because Canaan and Phoenicia are but different Names for the same Region Thus in Gen. 16. 35. the Land of Canaan is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the LXX and in Exod. 6. 15. a Canaaniâ—â—â— Woman is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We must know then that the whole Country of Palestine is a part oâ— Syria and Phoenicia is a part of Palestine and Syro-Phoenicia as well as Phoenicia is the North Part of Canaan But especially the People of this Country that lived on the Sea-coasts were call'd Phoenicians and that in a peculiar manner as is evident from Straâ—o pliny and others Yea and those were properly and strictly of old câ—ll'd Canaanites that dwelt at Tyre and Sidon and inhabited near the Sea The Canaanites dwell by the Sea Numb 13. 29. and some quote Isa. 23. 8. where the Tyrians are call'd Canaanim So this Woman who came out of the Coasts of Tyre and Sidon as is expresly said ver 21. is rightly stiled both a Canaanite by St. Matthew and a Phoenician or Syro-Phoenician by St. Mark for the word Syrian is added as Grotius well notes only to distinguish the Asian Phoenicians from those of some Colonies in Africk Thus there is no Reason to find fault with the Chorography of the Bible Here for the better clearing some Passages in the Holy Writings and the removing some Cavils which ill-disposed Men are wont to raise I will further remark that the Chorography of the Scriptures is sometimes different from that in Profane Authors Several Places mention'd in Holy Writ have not the same Names which they are known by in other Writers of which the Learned Mr. Selden hath taken notice which may sometimes occasion Dispute about certain Places in Scripture Bahylon is call'd Shinar Gen. 11. 2. Egypt hath the Name of Ham Psal. 78. 51. 105. 23. and Raâ—ab Psal. 87. 4. 89. 10. Of old On and Bethshemesh were the Names of that Place in Egypt which since is call'd Heliopolis Gen. 41. 45 50. Ier. 43. 13. Some gather
against Tarsus or Cilicia which it washed Secondly the word is taken more largely for the Sea in general for the African or Mediterranean Sea being the only Noted Sea to the Hebrews they call'd all other Seas and the Ocean it self Tarsis as the Latins call any Sea Pontus though that word be proper only to one particular Sea Thus Tarshish is used in Psal. 48. 7. thou breakest the Ships of Tarshish i. e. of the Sea with an East Winâ— and in Isa. 2. 12 16. The Day of the Lord of Hosts shall be upon all the Ships of Tarshish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Seventy And in several other Places it hath this large Signification but not in Ion. 1. 3. as is said by many Interpreters for Tarshish here is the City call'd Tarsus a noted Place in Cilicia Though Tarshish be a common Word in Scripture to signify the Sea as hath been said yet here we must take it in the most restrained Sense of all we must understand by it the Town of that Name and from whence the Sea but more particularly the Phoenician and Tyrian Sea had the Denomination of Tarshish The Reason which I give of this Interpretation is this because in that Place of Ionah Tarshish and the Sea are expresly distinguish'd and that not once but often as you may satisfy your selves by perusing ver 3. and the rest that follow in that Chapter where you will see that Hajam the Sea is mentioned nine or ten times in distinction from Tarshish whence I gather that this latter Word is not to be translated the Sea but that it denotes that known City Tarsus of Cilicia To this Place the Timerous Prophet had a mind to flee because it was sufficiently remote and also because there was a safe Harbour to put into There need not then be any Dispute about the word Tarshish for where-ever it is used in Scripture except in this Place last mentioned it signifies either the Sea in general or more especially the Phoenician or African Sea which the Tyrian Merchants were most used to but it hath its Name from Tarsus or Tarsis near to which was the most famous Port of all the East Country from whence they took Ship for Africa and India and the most remote Parts of the World To close up all the Geographical Scruples I will only adjoin this concerning the mentioning of East and West in the Old Testament that these are generally to be understood according to the Situation of Iudea more especially Ierusalem and as the Places spoken of had respect to these but in the Prophecy of Ezekiel it is for the most part otherwise because Ezekiel writ in Babylon and thence it is that East and West are contrary here to what they are in other Prophets This I thought fit to add to prevent Cavils against the Sacred Writ I might in the next place take notice of the different Meanings which arise from the Relation which certain Words in some Texts have to the neighbouring Verses Thus it is said the Poor shall never cease out of the Land Deut. 15. 11. yet it is implied if not expressed ver 4. that there shall be no Poor among them But the Answer is that this 4th Verse refers to the releasing and forgiving their Debtors ver 2 3. They must not by their exacting make their Neighbours poor yea they must do what lies in their power that there may be no Poor but as to the Event there will be Poor and always shall be Their Strength is to sit still saith the Prophet Isa. 30. 7. which their if you refer to the Egyptians who are named in that Verse then the Sense is Their Strength their Aid their Assistance is to no purpose they had as good sit still as help the Jews But if you refer their to the Iews then the Interpretation is this The Jews had best to sit still in their own Land and not to require Aid from Egypt for it shall not prosper This is the true Sense of the Words because their Proper Reference is to the Iewish People which we are sure of because these are the subject Matter of this Part of the Chapter The right fixing of the Relation of the Words especially of the Pronoun their leads us to the true meaning of the Place And this is put out of all Controversy by ver 15. In Râ—â—urning and Rest ye shall be saved in Quietness and Confidence shall be your Strength which is a plain Comment on the former Words and shews that we have pitch'd upon the true Reference I interpret those Words in Heb. 12. 24. The Blood of Sprinkling which speaks better things than that of Abel by observing what they particularly refer to viz. ver 4. of the foregoing Chapter By it he being dead yet speaketh I conceive that this Speaking is referr'd to by the Apostle in the other Place and so by searching into the true Meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he speaks we shall be able to arrive to the true Sense of the other This Word hath been variously interpreted for Grotius seems to think it is meant that he i. e. Abel speaks in the Book of Genesis which speaks of him But this is very dilute because the Apostle mentions not here what Book speaks of Abel but by what he himself speaks viz. his Faith Others say his Faith and Righteousness speak i. e. call to us to imitate and practise them but this might have been said of any of the other Worthies mentioned in this Chapter and therefore is not peculiar to Abel alone Others take the word in a Passive Sense and expound it he is yet spoken of his eminent Faith and Innocency are to this Day as in several Generations before spoken of celebrated praised remembred with Honour But this as well as the former is common to all the other Holy Patriarchs and Worthy Saints named in this Chapter and therefore this doth not reach that particular and proper Meaning of the Place Much less doth that odd Exposition of Sir N. Knatchbull who reads it thus For it i. e. his Faith he is yet said to be dead for he will have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be inserted after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then the meaning is As Abel suffered at first for his Faith so he is still to this Day said to have died for his Faith But besides the needless inserting of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thereby making very bald Greek he joins in Construction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas according to the usual way of Trajection which he so often takes notice of in other Places though he overlooks it here it belongs to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the Words are to run thus By it he though he be dead yet speaks that is because of his Faith and Holiness he yet speaks aloud or cries unto God for Vengeance against his Brother Cain who inhumanly murder'd him for he
with Hard and Dark Passages we ought to be so far from blaming and disparaging this Divine Book because of these that we should rather reckon them an Ornament to it The Dubiousness of Scripture in some things is part of its Excellency It is a great Commendation of this Sacred Volume that it is not destitute of Absâ—rusities and Difficulties that we are not wholly tied up and confined in our Interpretation of it that there is a Freedom of Disquisition allowed us that in several Places every Man is at his Liberty to imbrace what Sense he pleaseth of the Words so it be according to the Analogy of Faith and the Tenour of the other Parts of this Inspired Book This gives us an opportunity of exciting our Care of exerting our Industry of improving our Knowledg of enlarging our Faculties by continual Researches and Examinations Thus the Obscurity of some Parts of Scripture is of great and excellent Use. But then where-ever the Indispensible and Necessary Points of Faith and Manners are treated of in these Writings their Stile is sufficiently clear and plain and the Matter which is express'd by it is easy to be understood In brief the Scripture is plain where it should be so But if in some other Places there be Controversy and Perplexity if some Texts seem to oppose and clash with one another let us remember this that the Scriptures were inspired by the Holy Ghost and therefore there can be no real Oppositions or Repugnancies in them because Truth cannot contradict it self By impartial Study and Enquiry let us dive into the Meaning of these Antient Writings and by the Helps which I have tendred in the foregoing Discourse endeavour to reconcile those Places which seem to differ but let us never be so daring as to accuse the Scriptures which were endited by God himself of Contradiction FINIS FINIS ADDENDA Refer this to Page 267. Line 19. HEBREW Verbs of different Significations 1. Those of two Significations Anah in Kal to grieve or mourn Isa. 3. 26. ch 19. 8. in Piel to deliver up Exod. 21. 13. Dabar in Kal to speak in Piel to reduce into order Chalatz in Piel to save in Hiphil to arm Iaal in Hiphil to will or desire in Niphal to be foolish or mad Pala in Niphal to be admired in Piel to separate Alam in Niphal to be silent in Piel to gather Mashal in Kal to rule in Niphal to be compared with or likened to any thing or Person Sabar in Kal to consider in Piel to expect to hope for Rakah in Kal to spit in Hiphil to attenuate Tanah in Kal and Niphil to hire in Piel to discourse with Gaal in Kal to redeem in Piel to pollute Bara in Kal to create in Hiph to make fat Cacash in Kal to be lean in Piel to tell a Lie Lamad in Kal to learn in Piel to teach Cabad in Kal to be heavy in Piel and Niph to be honoured Puk to stumble to produce Gnarak to ordain to esteem Saphak to suffice to clap Hands Shabar to break to buy Kut to loath or abominate to contend Katar to offer Incense to bind Kam or Kum to stand or rise to be dim-sighted Ragang to quiet to break or cut asunder Ramah to dart to deceive Shaal to request to borrow Panah to behold to remove Nakaâ— to bore or make a Hole to curse Samaâ—h to rejoice to shine Pharash to separate to interpret Lutz to laugh to arguâ— or dispute Zachah to be innocent to overcome Lacham to eat to fight Gnatsam to strengthen to shut Gnatsab to disturb to fashion or form Gnaraph to cut the Throat to distil Gnathak to wax old to be removed 2. Those of three Significations Rab or Rahab and so the Verb Rabah to be many or much to shoot Arrows to educate Ragal to search to calumniate to walk or make to walk or go Halal to praise to shine to be mad Shalam to be peaceable to be perfect to recompense Gnabar to pass to be with Child to be angry Nashaâ— to forget to let out Money upon Interest to put out of joint Gnur to be watchful to make blind to make naked Alaph to learn to teach to make or produce a thousand Ruang to do Evil to break or bruise to make a great Noise Charash to plough to think to be silent Gnaraâ— to be emptied or poured out to make naked to adhere Mahar to make haste to be liberal to be foolish or inconsiderate Gur to travel abroad to gather together to fear Damah to be quiet to be like to one to consent Pharang to be open or naked to be free to vindicate Aphah to boil to bake to fry Zur to abhor to sneeze to compress Gnanaâ— to answer to humble to commit Adultery Shar to sing to walk to observe Shalah to be quiet to be fortunate to err or be faulty Kutz to rise or awake betimes to be weary of or nauseate to summer or spend the Summer-time Kara to call to read to meet one 3. Verbs of four or more Significations Natzah to bud forth to fly to fight to overcome Salad to strengthen to warm or heat to harden to desire or beg Kalal to be light or vile to curse to destroy to polish Shagnah to behold to be astonish'd to abstain or desist to shut Pathach to open to engrave to plough to expose to loose Carah to open to pierce to dig to prepare to entertain one with a Feast to traffick or merchandize Chalal to begin to profane to bring forth Young to wound to mourn or grieve to cut or bore to leap Lastly no Verb in the Holy Tongue hath so many different Significations as Gnarab the Import of which is to mingle to negotiate to be sweet or pleasant to undertake for or be Surety to be dusky as in the Evening c. Refer this to Page 274. Line 1. Hebrew Nouns of two Significations Ed a Vapour Calamity Siach a Shrub Speech Tagnar a Whetstone a Sheath Goel a Redeemer a Kinsman Sheber Corn or any Food interpreting or unriddling Racham the Womb a Girl so Mother hath this double Signification with us Lahat a Flame the Edg of a Sword Kesil a Fool a certain Constellation Aven Iniquity Vanity Nagnal a Shoe a Glove Nouns of three Significations Nachal an Inheritance a Floud or Torrent a Valley Alluph a Teacher a Prince a Bull or Ox. Keren a Horn Strength Splendor Gevah Pride Excellency a Body Nouns of four or more Significations Chebel Corruption Grief a Rope or Cable a Croud or Multitude besides other collateral ones as an Inheritance c. Shebet a Rod a Staff a Scepter a Tribe a Stroke or Plague a Quill a Writing-Pen Charutz cut off industrious Gold pretious a Ditch a Flail a Rake Refer this to Page 343. Line 7. Hebrew Words that have Contrary Significations Nacar to be known to be unknown Kalas in Piel to slight or disesteem in Hithpael to praise or extol Ragang to move and roll up
and down to rest or be quiet Sharash to take root to eradicate or extirpate Taab to desire in Kal to abominate in Piel Gnuph to shine to be obscure Natzar to save to destroy Gnazab to desert to help Batzar to rob or prey to defend one's self from â—obbers Bara to make or create also to remove or destroy Salah to tread under foot to esteem Garaph to gather to disperse Asaph to gather or preserve also to remove or destroy Nacham to grieve or repent to abandon Grief or to be comforted Chissed to consecrate to desecrate There are Instances of all or most of these viz. the same Hebrew Verbs and Nouns which have not only Different but Contrary Senses in the Writings of the Old Testament which the Reader may consider at his leisure and thereby be help'd to a distinct understanding of the Words in those Texts where they occur BOOKS written by the Reverend Mr. JOHN EDWARDS AN Enquiry into several Remarkable Texts of the Old and New Testament which contain some Difficulty in them with a Probable Resolution of them In two Volumes 8o. A Discourse concerning the Authority Stile and Perfection of the Books of the Old and New Testament Vol. I. with a continued Illustration of several Difficult Texts throughout tâ—e whole Work 8o. A Discourse concerning the Authority Stile and Perfection of the Books of the Old and New Testament Vol. II. wherein the Author 's former Undertaking is further prosecuted viz. An Enquiry into several Remarkable Texts which contain some Difficulty in them 8o. All sold by Ionathan Robinson Iohn Everingâ—am and Iohn Wyat. Imprimatur Ian. 10. 1694 5. CAROLUS ALSTON R. P. D. Hen. Episc. Lond. Ã sacris DISCOURSE Concerning the Authority Stile and Perfection OF THE BOOKS OF THE Old and New Testament Vol. III. Treating of the Excellency and Perfection of the Holy Scriptures Wherein are also several Remarkable Texts interpreted according to the Author 's Particular Judgment By IOHN EDWARDS B. D. sometime Fellow of S. Iohn's College in Cambridge LONDON Printed by I. D. for Ionathan Robinson at the Golden Lion Iohn Taylor at the Ship and Iohn Wyat at the Rose in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCXCV Octob. 13. 1694. I judg the Reverend Author shall do well to print the following Discourse wherein he hath Learnedly demonstrated the Excellency and Perfection of the Books of the Old and New Testament Io. Beaumont D. D. The King's Professor of Divinity in Cambridge TO THE Most Reverend Father in God His Grace THOMAS Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Primate and Metropolitan of all England and one of his Majesties most Honourable Privy Council May it please Your Grace I Imbrace this welcome Opportunity of congratulating Your late Access to the Highest Station in our Church which all Wise and Good Men look upon as an Happy Omen of the future Felicity of these Realms For in Your Grace conspire all those things which can render us by the Divine Blessing a Prosperous People viz. Your unstained Faithfulness and Loyalty to his Majesty Your most Ardent Love to Your Country Your Great Ability for Publick Counsels and Affairs Your perfect Abhorrence of all Immorality and Debauchery Your Zealous Concern for the Church of England and in that for the whole Protestant Religion Of this last You have afforded the World such an Illustrious Proof as will give an immortal Reputation to Your Name For you have not only with Your Learned Pen encountred the Idolatry of the Church of Rome and therein vindicated the Reformed Cause but in all Your Actions You have demonstrated Your singular Care for this latter and Your Detestation of the former Especially when in the late Reign this Idol began to be set up again and too many fell down to it You with the utmost Zeal Vigour and Courage remonstrated against this Practice You bore the Insolencies and Insults of the Enemy with an unimitable Bravery You withstood their Boldness with a Confidence becoming the Goodness of Your Cause You obviated their Folly and Madness with a profound Wisdom and Prudence You defeated their Diligence by a more unwearied Industry And in brief You were the Successful Maul and Scourge of the Hectoring Jesuits that lifted up their Heads in that Day For this You were hated and defamed and are so at this Hour by all the sworn Friends to the Pontifician Interest who look upon You and that justly as their most Dreadful Enemy But this very thing deservedly makes Your Grace to be loved admired and honoured by all Sincere Protestants and True English men I am one that glory in being of that Number and accordingly I now attempt to express my infinite Regards and Veneration of Your Grace's Transcendent Undertakings in behalf of our Religion and our Church and of the Whole Nation And as a Testimony of my Resentments and Duty I here offer to Your Grace a Discourse of the Perfection of the Holy Scriptures which was designed to be presented to Your Lordship before you were advanced to this Supreme See to which Your Merits have called You. Wherefore I having then consecrated it to Your Name I hold it unlawful now to alienate it especially it being the Choicest and Noblest Subject that I have yet treated of and therefore I hope not unworthy of Your Grace's Patronage I submit the Work wholly to Your Grace's Judgment and beg leave to have the Honour of professing my self to be Your Grace's most Humble and Obedient Son and Servant JOHN EDWARDS The PREFACE I Now present the Reader with that Part of my Discourses concerning the Holy Scriptures wherein I have attempted to display the matchless Worth and Perfection of those Divine Records Besides the Great and Important Remarks which I have offer'd I could have mention'd other things barely Critical and which though they be of an inferiour Nature in comparison of those which I have insisted upon are deemed to be Excellencies and Embelishments in other Authors of good Rank Thus some Criticks have observed concerning that of Virgil Aen. 8. Quadrupedante putrem sonitu quatit ungula campum That in the very Sound of the Words the swist Career of the Horses beating and shaking the Ground with their Hoofs seems to sâ—rike the Ear. The Poetick Feet are so form'd that they express those of the Steeds And so in the same Writer Aen. 5. Procumbit humi bos is thoght to be a great Elegancy and Pulchritude as if it represented in a lively manner the Dull and Heavy Fâ—ll of that Creature Both in this and the former Instance the very Noise of the Words the very Composure of the Syllables are justly applauded by the Admirers of that Poet. The like I could have observ'd in the Inspired Writings especially those that are Poetical among which I reckon the Book of Isaiah to be one for tho it be not in Verse yet a Poetick Genius and Strain may be observ'd in most Parts of it Those Words ch 21. v. 5. Prepare the Table watch in
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
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
Men of the greatest Learning Wit and Judgment A Scheme of the following Discourse briefly propounded The Holy Scriptures are the perfect Rule of Faith They are the best Conduct of our Lives and Actions They are the only Ground of solid Consolation Joy and Happiness This Perfection of Scripture is opposed by many of the Rabbins An Account of their Cabala and Oral Law The Papists by preferring their Traditions before the Scriptures and by indeavouring to keep these latter in an unknown Tongue deny the Perfection of them So do Familists Quakers and all Enthusiasts IT may be observed that the Minds of Men have been differently disposed as to the choice of the Authors they would read and their Esteem and Value of them have been as various It hath been usual for Persons to express a particular Kindness for one Writer above another Thus Homer of old was excessively magnified by those famous Warriors Agesilaus and Alexander the Great The former read him continually at home and in the Camp and whenever he had any time to spare for Reading The latter could not sleep without his Iliads under his Pillow Scipio â—irnamed the African had a great Opinion of Xenophon's Institution of Cyrus and was always consulting it and valued it at a high rate So among Christians St. Cyprian was a great Admirer of Tertullian and when he had a mind to read him his usual Saying was Give me my Master Charles the Great was hugely taken with St. Augustine de Civitate Dei and had it constantly read to him yea even at Supper King Alphonsus in all his Expeditions and at all other times carried Iulius Caesar's Commentaries others say Livy's History with him Theodore Gaza gave his Vote for Plutarch's Works and was so pleased with them that he protested if he could have but one Man's Writings he would certainly choose His before all others Thomas Aquinas was no less in love with St. Chrysostom on St. Matthew and expressed his high Esteem of him by saying he preferr'd him before the goodly City of Paris Charles the V th gave a greater Deference to Comines than to any other Writer and perpetually conversed with him Scaliger would rather be the Author of the ninth Ode of Horace than be Emperor of Germany And to come down yet lower Grotius gives Cujacius the Prefâ—rence to all the other Commâ—ntators on the Imperial Laws Salmasius admired no Divine so much as Calvin and particularly preferred his Institutions And the Reverend Mr. B. Oley tells us if he were to be conâ—ined to one Author he would choose Dr. Iackson's Works Thus have Mens Sentiments and Esteems been various about Books â—ome preferring one Writer and some another according as their Genius or Studies led them â—ut when we mention the Bible i. e. the Book of Books we are certain there is no Comparison between This and any others whatsoever This Sacred Volume is emphatically and by way of Eminence call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if other Books in respect of This deserv'd not the Name For in what other Writings can we deâ—cry thoâ—e Excellencies which we find in This None of them can equal it in Antiquity for the first Penman of the Sacred Scripture who relates the Origine of the World and whose Writings contain the Acts and Monuments of the Patriarchs hath the start of all Philosophers Poets and Historians and is abâ—olutely the Antientest Writer extant in the World No Writings are equal to these of the Bible if we mention only the stock of Humane Learning contain'd in them Here Linguists and Philologists may find that which is to be found no where else Here Râ—etoricians and Orators may be entertained with a more loâ—ty Eloquence with a choicer Composure of Words and with greater Variety of Stile than any other Writers can afford them Here is a Book where more is understood than expressed where Words are few but the Sense is full and redundant No Books equal This in Authority because 〈◊〉 is the Word of God himself and dictated by an unerring Spirit It excâ—ls all other Writings in the Excellency of its Matter which is the Highest Noblest and Worthiest and of the Greatest Concern to Mankind Lastly to name no more at present that I may not anticipate what is intended in the following Discourse the Scriptures transcend all other Writings in their Power and Efficacy This Word of God is pure enlightning the Eyes irradiating Mens Minds with Supernatural Truth affecting their Hearts and Consciences subduing the Refracotriness of their Wills transforming their Lives and changing them into other Persons Thence it is that all Men of well-disposed Souls find a plain Differene between their reading This and other Books When they read those it is true they are something affected and pleased the Stile or the Matter give them some Satisfaction but if they read them often and confine themselves to them their former Pleasure and Satisfaction abate and the Authors seem not to be so entertaining and acceptable as they were before and at length they become burdensom and nauseous and hence it is that some Writers grow out of fashion and other New ones are called for But it is far otherwise with this Holy Book the Affection and Pleasure which you feel in the reading it are lasting and durable because this Blessed Word sinks down into the Center of the Soul and is always present with it Though you lay this Book aside and afterwards take it up and do so again and again yea never so often you will not â—ind it grow worse but much better i. e. it will yield you greater Delight and Satisfaction and the oftner you converse with it the more you will discern the Worth of it yea the more pleasing will the very Words and Syllables of these Divine Writings be to you For what the Great Critick observes of Homer's Poem that there is a certain kind of Peculiar Easiness and Sliding in his Verse which are not to be found in any other Poets is eminently true of the Holy Scriptures if compared with other Authors there is a peculiar Sweetness a matchless Softness and Pleasantness in the Stile of these Holy Books the Words as well as the Matter are Winning and Ravishing and all pure and sanctified Minds have a clear Perception of this yea the clearer because they so frequently converse with these Inspired Writers We may then on this Account as well as on others challenge the World to shew us where there is any Book like this where there is any Author comparable to it In all Humane Writers there is something wanting something imperfect but in this Sacred Volume there are all things and every thing here is compleat To the Holy Scriptures therefore all other Writings must vail to this Best of Books they must all submit and acknowledg their Meanness and Inferiority Hence it was that the Wisest and Best Men as we may observe did always extol the Scriptures I adore the Plenitude
Authority of them equal with that of the Bible For as the Canonical Scriptures were dictated by Divine Inspiration so these Laws they hold were from God Himself and are of the same Authority with those Scriptures They make no difference between the Inspired Writings of the Old Testament and the Books of Mishnaioth or the Talmuds which are in truth an Amassment only of the Traditions of the Jews and of the Diverse Decisions of the Schools of Hillel and Shammai of the Different Determinations of R. Akiba and R. Eliezer of R. Simeon and R. Ioshua c. bandying against one another or rather if we speak plainer they are a Rhapsody of Idle Dreams Groundless Fables Cursed Errors Superstitious Rites and Practices yea if we should instance in the Babylonick Talmud of Horrid Blasphemies against Christ of Obloquies against the Mosaick Law it self and of Contradictions even to the Law of Nature These are part of the Books so highly prized by the Jewish Masters these go along with their Oral Law which was first given by God himself and consequently is of the same Original with the Canon of Scripture But they go yet higher for they do not only equalize these Traditions with Scripture but they prefer them before it They do not only say in a Proverbial Manner that they cannot stand upon the Foundation of the Written Law without the Help of the Vnwritten one i. e. the Oral Law which they talk of and that the Words of the Law as they are found in the Text are poor and wanting but as they are expounded by the Doctors have great Riches and abundance in them And again that very Great and Weighty Matters depend upon these Little Traditions which they contend for but they are so bold and presumptuous as to proceed further and give a far Greater Deference to these Traditions and Doctrines of their Wise Men as they call them than to the Holy Scriptures themselves For they tell us that their Doctors have done more good viz. as to strengthning and confirming of Religion by their own Sayings than by the Words of this Holy Book it self And accordingly their Advice is My Son attend more to what the Scribes say than to what is said by the Law though I know this may admit of another Sense viz. that we ought to look more to the Sense of the Law than the bare Letter of it But that in the Talmud is plain and can have no other Meaning To read the Holy Scripture and to be studious in searching out the Sense of it is good and not good i. e. it is not of any considerable Advantage but to turn over the Mishnah Night and Day is a Vertue which will have a great Reward hereafter and to learn the Gemara is an incomparable Vertue Yea the Jews blasphemously say that God himself studies in the Talmud every Day Here you see they prefer their Delivered Law before the Written one they make the Infallible Scriptures truckle to the Fabulous Traditions of the Mishnah To this purpose it is a Noted Saying of the Hebrew Rabbies that the Text of the Bible is like Water the Mishnah like Wine and the Six Books of the Talmud are like the Sweetest Honey'd Wine Thus to magnify the Traditions of their Fathers they vilify the Scriptures They are not content with the Rites and Injunctions written in the Law which in way of Contempt they call the Precepts of the Law but they admire those most which are taken from their Wise Men which they call the Precepts of the Rabbins and which are summarily contain'd in the Talmud these they hold to be of greater Value than the other The Persons that are skill'd in these are sliled by them Tannaim Profound Masters and Doctors but they that study the Scriptures only are but Karaim Poor Readers and Men of the Letter All this shews how these Men depretiate the Written Word of God and exalt above it their Oral Law which is a mere Fiction and Forgery as to the pretence of its being given to Moses by God and therefore is not owned by the Karaint among them who stick close to the Text nor by some of their Perushim their sobrest sort of Expositors who think those Traditions are derogatory to the Holy Scriptures Secondly Papists as well as Ieâ—s disparage the Holy Scriptures and deny its Perfection Nor by the way is this the only thing wherein they agree with the Jews a great Part of their Religion being no other than Jewish Rites and Ceremonies These Modern Talmudists will not own the Sufficiency of the Sacred Writings they have their Cabala the Doctrine Received from their Ancestors they are for their Oral Law delivered from one to another they supply the defect of Scripture so they are wont to speak with their Traditions They are of the same Mind with the Jews that there must be a Fence made about the Law that it must be hedged in with Traditions The Scripture is not a Perfect Rule of Faith and Manners say they but the things which are necessary to Salvation are partly contained in the Scripture and partly in unwritten Traditions A very absurd and wild Doctrine because they have no way to prove any thing to be necessary to Salvation but by proving it to be found in the Scripture Whatever was or is necessary for the Universal Church is revealed in these Writings and no New Doctrine necessary to Salvation is delivered since to the Church or any particular Person But notwithstanding the Absurdity of this Tenent they hold it fast and make it a Great Article of their Belief For they are taught by an Oecumenical Council as they repute it that Unwritten Traditions are of equal Authority with the Scriptures that they are to be received with the same pious Affection and Reverence those are the words wherewith the Infallible Writings of the Prophets and Apostles are to be entertained and consequently they are to be made a Rule of Faith equal with the Scriptures But they rest not here they not only equal Humane and Ecclesiastical Traditions with the Written Word of God but following the Steps of the Old Talmudists they proceed yet further preferring Traditions before Scripture Thus a Renowned Divine in their Church tells us plainly that Traditions are exceeding necessary for the welfare of the Church yea that they are more requisite than the Scripture it self and this he endeavours to make good With him concur several others of their Writers whom we find extolling Traditions but at the same time speaking very meanly and slightly of the Holy Writ Hence they blasphemously call it a Nose of Wax and a Leaden Rule and many such vilifying Terms are used by Pighius and Melchior Canus and other Great Doctors of that Church We deny not the Usefulness nay even the Necessity nay the Perpetuity of Tradition viz. That Tradition whereby the Doctrines which were entrusted in the
former of which wore a Mitre Mitsnepheth Exod. 29. 6. 39. 28. and the latter Bonnets Migbanoth which were of of fine Linen Exod. 29. 9. 39. 28. as well as the Mitre and are said to be bound upon their Heads for that is the true Import of the Hebrew Word in the forecited Place in Exodus and in Lev. 8. 13. which plainly shews that these Mitres and Bonnets were of the Nature of Turbants and so were the same with the Tsaniph which was a Covering rolled up in Folds and tied about the Head from tsanaph circumvolvere circumligare And indeed Tsaniph if we exactly enquire into it will be found to be the same Word with Mitsnepheth only this latter is with a Mem Heemantick in the beginning and a Tau in the End of it If I had time I could shew that other Ornaments were borrow'd from the Jews and that what God himself enjoined the High Priests was afterwards used by the Eastern Princes As to the antient Head-Covering of Women I had occasion given me to speak of it when I discours'd on 1 Cor. 15. 29. therefore now I shall only speak of what was meer Ornament the most eminent of which sort was their Frontal Iewel which though it was fastned on their Foreheads hung down lower and thence is call'd Nezem Haaph a Nose-Iewel Isa. 3. 21. Gemma in fronte pendens as the Vulgar Latin renders it and St. Ierom tells us that the Women in his time had Rings or Jewels hung from their Foreheads dangling over the Nose Nor was this of old reputed an immodest and unbecoming Ornament for we find that Rebekah was presented in the Name of her absent Lover with this Forehead-Pendant as a Pledg of his Conjugal Faith and Love Gen. 24. 22. For it is a Vulgar Errour yea 't is a Mistake which I find hath prevail'd among some Learned Writers that Part of the Love-Token which was sent Rebekah was an Ear-Ring there is no ground at all for it for in express Terms it is said that the Nezem Zahab the Iewel of Gold as 't is call'd in this v. 22. which our Translators render a Golden Ear-ring was put gnal Aphah upon her Nose v. 47. or as our Translators themselves render it upon her Face for the Word Aph is largely taken sometimes for the Face But we never find that it is taken for the Ear and therefore this place can't be meant of an Ear-ring yea our Translators themselves acknowledg as much when gnal Aphah is rendered by them upon her Face wherefore there was no reason to render Nezem an Ear-ring at the same Time and in the same Place Besides the Women wore that sort of Ornament by Couples and consequently we may gather thence that this Golden Nezem which was sent to Rebekah was no Ear-ring but a Pendulous Jewel upon her Face or Forehead Isaac had more of Generosity and Courtship in him than to make an offer to his Mistress of a Half-Present The truth then of the Matter is this they had of old Forehead-Ornaments as well as those that they wore in their Ears The plain and unquestionable Difference between these is observable in Ezek. 16. 12. I put a Iewel on thy Forehead and Ear-rings in thine Ears The Nezem gnal Aph the Iewel on the Forehead or on the Nose or Face for 't is the same with Gen. 24. 47. is distinguish'd from the Ear-Ornaments the Rings and Pendants that hung at that part Some have thought and St. Augustin was of that number that the Nezem before mention'd Gen. 24. 22. and the Nose-Iewels mention'd Isa. 3. were Rings in their Nostrils for as this Father observes there was such a Custom among some of the African Women and others since that time tell us the like of some of the Eastern People Particularly a Modern Traveller informs us that at this Day not only in Persia but other Oriental Regions it is usual with the Women to bore their Nostrils and wear Pendants there But whatever may be the Custom at this Day there is no Author that makes mention of it as practis'd of old by the People of the East and particularly of Syria and Iudea Therefore we may conclude that the Nezem Haaph was a Jewel for the Forehead but had its Denomination from its hanging above or over the Nose So much of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Nose-Ornament as Symmachus renders it and very properly whereas the LXX most absurdly translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that too in the forenamed Place in Ezekiel where it is plainly distinguish'd from the Ear-Ornament I thought therefore I was obliged to give you a true and exact Account of the Original Word And truly if we observe what large Searches Eustathius and Servius make into a single Word in Homer and Virgil and how busily and concernedly other Critical Commentators on Prophane Authors dive into some dubious Expressions which occur in them we cannot think this present Criticizing or any other undertaken in this Discourse upon the Words in this Holy Book to be superfluous and impertinent unless we can perswade our selves that the Terms which the Holy Ghost makes use of in this Sacred Volume are not as well worth our enquiring into as those in other Authors Another Ornamental Furniture which I will name and which of all others is most frequently mention'd in the Books of the Old Testament is that which is appropriated to the Ears Concerning which these useful Remarks may be made Firâ—â— we may take notice of the Words whereby this Pendulous Ornament is express'd The Word Nezamim the Plural of the former Word Nezem is not only a general Term for Jewels but it is particularly used concerning those which are woâ—â— in the Ears Gen. 35. 4. Exod. 32. 2. and accordingly are render'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Seventy Interpreters Another Word is used in Isa. 3. 20. viz. Lechashim from lacash to whisper or mutter also to charm because these are the Ornaments of that part the Ear which is most affected and wrought upon in Charms and by which the Inchantment is receiv'd But the more particular and restrained Word is Gnagil Numb 31. 50. Rotula sphaerula a round Ring from Gnagol Circulus and the Plural Gnagilim we read in Ezek. 16. 12. which is render'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. rotulae by the LXX Ear-rings had this Denomination because of their circular Figure and the Jewels and Pearls which hung at thâ—m were known by this Name because they hung at these Circles these round Wires of Gold put into the Ears These then are the Ear-Ornaments properly so call'd being peculiar to this part alone and no other It seems they antiently chose the lower part of the Ear as the fittest Place to have little Incisions made in it because it is spungy and flexible and will safely admit of these soft Penetrations and indeed it seems as it were to be made to receive some Ornament to
part of it extant before there were any Writers in the World and so it was utterly impossible to borrow from Others This is the Peculiar Excellency of this Book this is the Particular Commendation of these Writings that they were the First of all and could not be taken from any else These Holy Scriptures borrow from none unless you will say they do so from Themselves as the 18th Psalm is taken out of 2 Sam. 22. or this out of that The Evangelists borrow from one another The Virgin Mary's Magnificat refers in several Places of it to Hannab's Song 1 Sam. 2 and St. Paul takes some things out of his Epistle to the Epbesians and puts them into that which he wrote to the Colossians and so st Iude may be said to borrow from St. Peter but this is not the Plagiarism which Other Writers are guilty of and which is an Argument of their Wants and Defects whereas the Holy Spirit supplied the Penmen of the Bible both with Matter and Words In the Old Testament especially and more particularly in the Books of Moses there is nothing at second hand all is fresh and new thâ— things there spoken of were never delivered by any Writer before But most of the Profane Historians began when the Holy History was just ending And Herodotus himself the Father of History writ not till Ezra and Nehemiah's time The Greeâ— Historians go no further back than the Persjan Eâ—piâ—e and most of the Roman History takes not its Rise so high Indeed the Egyptians boasted that they had been ruled by Kings above ten thousand Years as Herodotus relates and thence perhaps it was that one of their Pharaoh's which was the common Name of all their Kings bragg'd that he was the Son of antient Kings Isa. 19. 11. The Chinoises pretend to give an Account of Passages almost three thousand Years before Christ and we are told by Martinius in his Atlas that they preserve a continued History compiled from their Annual Exploits of four thousand and five hundred Years yea they have if we may credit the younger Vossius Writers antienter than Moses But these high Flights are exploded by all Considerate Men and upon a View of whatever Pretences are made by Others they conclude that Moses was the Antientest Writer and that the earliest Discovery of Transactions and Occurrences in the World is to be learnt from him alone Some of the Wisest Pagans had a hint of this and travell'd into the Eastern Countries to acquaint themselves with these Records And it was observ'd long since by Plato as I took notice before that the Oldest and most Barbarous Tongues meaning the Hebrew and Chaldee were very requisite for the finding out the first Beginnings of things for the first Names of them which are now grown obsolete by length of time are preserved in those Languages they being the antientest of all In the Hebrew especially are to be found the Primitive Origines of things and most of the Pagan Historiâ—â—s have borrowed from these And so have their Poâ—ts Orators and Philosophers as a great Number of the Christian Fathers whom I have particularly quoted in another Place to evince the Authority of the Scriptures have largely proved In a word all other Antient Writings refer to these or suppose them this Inspired Volume alone being the Fountain from whence either they or we can derive any Truth and Certainty And as there is the Antientest Learning so there is All Learning I speak now of that which is Humane and is reckon'd the Accomplishment of Rational Persons and all the kinds of it in this Book of Books Here is not only Prose but Verse here are not only Poems but Histories Annals Chronicles Here are things Profound and Mystical and here are others that at the first sight are Intelligible and Clear here are Prophecies Visions Revelations for even in the Narratives which are given of These there are some things serviceable to promote the Study of Humanity here are Proverbs Adagies Emblems Parables Apologues Paradoxes Riddles and here are also Plain Questions and Answers Propositions Discourses Sermons Orations Letters Epistles Colloquies Debates Disputations Here are Maxims of Law and Reason Rules of Iustice and Equity Examples of Keen Wit and Deep Politicks Matters of Church and State Publick and Private Affairs and all manner of Subjects either treated of or referr'd unto Thus the Bible is excellently sitted to entertain any Persons as they are Students and Scholars for here is a Treasury of all Good Letters here are laid up all things that conduce to Humane Knowledg Porphyrius is said to have writ a Book of Homer's Philosophy wherein he attempts to prove that he was as much a Philosopher as a Poet and no less a Person than Maximus Tyrius affirms him to be the Prince of Philosophers and another Grave Author undertakes to shew that the Seeds of all Arts are to be found in Homer's Works This is said by his Admirers to inhanse his Credit and Repute but far greater things and more justly may be pronounced concerning these Famous Records of Learning and Antiquity With more Reason may we maintain that the chiefest Arts and Inventions are originally in the Sacred Volume and that the Foundations of all Humane Learning and Science are laid here for though these are not the chief things designed in this Book it being writ to higher Purposes yet they are occasionally interspersed every where and a Studious Enquirer cannot miss of them It is rationally and undeniably to be inferr'd from the Particulars above-mention'd though many more might have been added that the Bible is the most Compleat Book and hath All Learning in it This truly deserves the Name which Diodore the Sicilian gives his History that is it is indeed a Library an Universal one and contains All Books in it As the Writers of it were Persons of Several Conditions Kings Noblemen Priests Prophets c. so the Matters of it are Various and Different and by reading and studying these Writings we may Commence in all Arts and Sciences we may be accomplish'd Grammarians Criticks Chronologers Historians Poets Orators Disputants Lawyers Statesmen Preachers Prophets Many valuable Monuments of Learning have been lost The famous Library of Alexandria which contain'd six or seven hundred thousand Volumes and that of Constantinople which consisted of an hundred and twenty thousand perished by Fire And the Works of Varro the Learnedsâ— Man of all the Romans are extinct And many others might be reckon'd up besides those that Historians say nothing of But having the Scriâ—ture Hacatub as the Jews rightly call'd it by way of Eminence the most Excellent Writings in the World fraught with all manner of useful Literature we may afford to be without the other for this is a certain Verity that if we have the Bible we want no Book And more particularly I have made it appear that the Choicest Antiquities are to be found here A prying Antiquary may
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
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
Worth and Excellency was stiled a Proverb for this as the Hebrew Word denotes is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dominatrix sententia a Speech that hath the Preheminence above others a Saying of great Authority and Force and therefore deserves to be highly esteemed by all These Wise Moral Speeches were taken notice of and held in great Repute of old Homer was a Noted Master of this Excellency and is applauded for it by the Learned And indeed when I read in the skilfullest Accomptants of Times that this Poet flourish'd not long after Solomon's Days I am apt to credit Casaubon and Grotius and a Famous Homerist of our own who all agree in this that Homer borrow'd many of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Sage Sayings or Proverbs from our Royal Author and they produce very fair Instances out of his Poems to prove it After this Great Poet I might mention those Minor ones Theognis and Phocylides who are famed for their Excellent Moral Sentences Pythagoras is celebrated for his Golden Sayings or Verses and so are some of his Scholars for their Worthy Speeches proper to their School and truly if we remember that these Pythagoreans were enjoined by their Master a five Years Silence we may well expect some Handsome Sentences from them at last when they began to speak I might add here the Set Sayings of the Stoicks such as Tully's Paradoxes Yea I might remind you that the Sages of all Schools and Sects had their Peculiar Motto's and Devices As in Theoretical Philosophy there are Axioms and Maxims in Medicks there are Aphorisms in Mathematicks there are Theorems among Rhetoricians there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Select Themes and Matters to declaim upon so in Ethicks there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pithy Short Sentences Wise and Weighty Apophthegms containing Great Morals in few Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proverbs Short but Studied Sayings of great and frequent Use in our Lives This Book of Solomon is chiefly made up of this sort and they outvy all that ever were extant before or since The Queen of Sheba came to hear the Wisdom of this Matchless Prince and to be benefited by his Divine Accomplishments but we save our selves the Labour of so long a Pilgrimage he having visited us and his Admirable Writings being brought home to us fraught with the most desirable Treasures Here is a great Number of Useful Maxims and Rules for our Practice in the several Occurrences of our Lives Here are Faithful Sayings and wortâ—y of all Acceptation as the Apostle speaks Here are Smart and Quick here are Grave and Sage Apophthegms Here are Concise and Pithy Adagies the very Extracts and Essences of the Strongest Sense and most Precious Truth Here you will find Solomon as a Father and with a Paternal Affection instructing his Readers and Hearers as his Sons whom therefore he calls by that affectionate Title more than once in this his Admirable Treatise of Morals directing them in the various Passages and Affairs of this Life and framing their Manners most becomingly and successfully in order to another The whole Book is divisible into three main Parts 1. The Inscription or Title of the Book which contains the Use and Scope of it The Proverbs of Solomon the Son of David King of Israel to know Wisdom Instruction to perceive the Words of Vnderstanding c. v. 1 2 c. to the 7th that i to make Men truly Wise and Understanding or which is the same thing Holy and Religious 2. The Preface or Introduction to the Book which is a General Exhortatory to True Wisdom and Holiness This is the Subject of the first Nine Chapters 3. The Main Body of the Book from the Beginning of the 10th Chapter to the Close of all which comprehends in it several Excellent Precepts Rules and Cautions of a mixt and various Nature applicable to the different Circumstances Cases and Occasions of Persons These are more signally called Mishlim the Proverbs a Collection of Sâ—cred Aphorisms useful in the Lives of all Men whether we look upon them in a Natural Civil or Religious Capacity whether we consider them Alone or as Members of a Society whether we speak of them as they are desirous to live happily here or hereafter or rather as they desire both To all these excellent Purposes they may be plentifully furnished by this Royal Author this Great Master of the Sentences this Divine Penman of the Proverbs There is mention of the Words of Agur ch â—0 v. 1. who was the same with Solomon say R. Levi among the Iews and several Christian Expositors However if he be not Solomon under that Name but a different Person yet the Words or Prophecy for so they are alâ—o call'd there contain'd may be said to be Solomon's because collected and preserved by him So Bathsheba's Instructions to Solomon ch 31. 1. 10. may be call'd his because he had carefully recorded them and in the greatest Part of his Life had observ'd them But whether the Encomium of a Vertuous Woman or a Good Wife from v. 10. to the End was penn'd by Solomon or his Mother is disputable however this we are sure of that it was dictated by Divine Inspiration as the rest of the Sacred Writ and moreover it is observable that it is composed in Alphabetical Order i. e. according to the Series of the Hebrew Letters as â—everal Psalms are which I took notice of before Before I dismiss this Book it may not be improper here to observe concerning several of the Proverbs that they may be applied several ways Accordingly as we interpret the Similitude which is made use of in them so we may form the Sense of the Place and this ought not to offend any good or wise Man To give an Instance or two As he that bindeth a Stone in a Sling so is he that giveth Honouâ— to a Fool Prov. 26. 8. The Meaning of which may be that Honour conferr'd on an undeserving Person is thrown away and lost like a Stone cast out of a Sling Or thus he that bestows Preferment and Dignity on such an one doth as 't were Arm him against himself he helps to do himself a Mischief because he puts him into a Capacity of doing it Others have a different Notion of the word Margemah which is here translated a Sling and by it understand a Heap of Stones and they frame such an Interpretation as this He that gives Respect and Honour to a Fool to an unworthy vile Person is like him that casts a Pretious Stone for so they limit the Sense of the word Ebâ—n as Laâ—illi among the Latins and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Greeks have that particular Signification sometimes among common Pebbles Others expound it thus As one single Stone thrown into a great Heap is scarcely discern'd and makes no Accession to it so by the Honour and Favour that are collated on a Fool there is no real Addition made to him there 's â—o
omitted by the other Evangelists Besides that this Evangelist in the Entrance into his Gospel is more Sublime and Soaring than the rest and for that Reason is represented by an Eagle asserting the Divinity of Christ against the bold Hereticks of that time who openly confronted that Doctrine And in other Places of his Writings he hath a Peculiar Strain and Excellency which Luther expresses thus after his plain way Every Word in John weigheth two Tuns Concerning the Evangelists I may note this that though they do not all of them set down the very individual Words that Christ or others spake for we see that sometimes one represents them in Terms different from the rest yet those that do not so deliver always the Sense of what was said and even that was dictated by the Holy Spirit which is sufficient And concerning St. Iohn particularly I remark this that seeing he was the last of all the Evangelists i. e. he wrote his Gospel last it is rational upon that Account to interpret the other Evangelists by him namely where any Doubt or Controversy arises for he having perused the other Evangelists and observ'd what Exceptions unbelieving Men had made against any Passages in their Writings it is not to be doubted but that he expresses himself with greater Plainness and Perspicuity where those Matters are concern'd This the intelligent and observant Reader will find to be true if he consults the respective Places It is endless to give a Particular and Distinct Survey of every one of the Evangelists Writings This only can be said here in pursuance of our grand Undertaking that these Books are the Choicest History that ever were committed to Writing because they contain the Birth the Life the Actions the Doctrine the Miracles the Sufferings the Death the Resurrection the Ascension of our Lord IESVS Christ our most Compassionate Saviour and Redeemer All of which are the most Stupendous and Amazing as well as the most Necessary Matters to be known in the whole World If this brief and summary Account of the Gospels be not sufficient to recommend them to our Studies and Meditations and to beget in us the utmost Esteem of them nothing more largely said will ever be able to do it To the Historical Part of the New Testament belong the Acts of the Apostles wherein there is an Account given of what all the Apostles were concern'd in viz. their choosing Matthias into Iudas's room their Meeting together on the Day of Pentâ—cost at which time they were all inspired by the Holy Ghost according to Christ's Promise visibly descending upon them their Determinations in the Council held at Ierusalem with their Letters which they sent to the Churches abroad and several other things in which the Apostles were jointly interested This Book contains also the History of the first Founding of the Christian Church of its happy Progress and Success especially among the Gentiles of the Opposition and Persecution it encountred with of the Undaunted Courage of the Apostles of the Course of their Ministry of their Disputations Conferences Apologies Prayers Sermons Worship Discipline Church-Government Miracles Here we are informed what were the Vsages of the first Apostolical Ages In a word here we may find the Primitive Church and Religion All which are plain Evidences of the singular Usefulness Worth and Excellency of this Book But it is chiefly confined to the Acts and Atchievements of those most Eminent Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul and especially and most largely here are related the Conversion Travels Preaching and Sufferings of the latter of these for St. â—uke being St. Paul's Companion all along and well acquainted with whatever he did and whatsoever happen'd to him gives us the fullest Narrative of this Apostle The whole Book is a History of about forty Years namely from Christ's Ascensionâ— to the second Year of St. Paul's Imprisonment at Rome The New Testament consists likewise of several Epistles of the Apostles which are Pious Discourses occasionally written more fully to explain and apply the Holy Doctrine which they had delivered to confute some growing Errors to compose Differences and Schisms to reform Abuses and Corruptions to stir up the Christians to Holiness and to incourage them against Persecutions For the Apostles having converted several Nations to the Faith when they could not visit them in Person wrote to them and so supplied their Presence by these Epistles To begin with St. Paul's Epistles they were written either to Whole Churches viz. of Believing Gentiles i. e. the greatest Part of them were such tho some of Iewish Race might be mix'd among them as the Epistles to the Romans Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians Thessalonians or of Believing Iews wholly as the Epistle to the Hebrews Or they were written to Particular Persons as the Epistles to Timothy Titus Philemon The Epistle to the Romans is made up of several Profound Discourses on such Subjects as these the Prerogatives of the Iews their Rejection notwithstanding those Prerogatives the Wonderful Dispensation of God towards the Gentiles the Nature of the Law Justification by Faith alone Election and Free Grace the Conflict between the Flesh and Spirit Christian Liberty Scandal the Use of Indifferent Things c. But the chief thing which he designs in this Epistle is to shew that neither the Gentiles by the Law of Nature nor the Iews by that of Moses could attain to Righteousness and Justification and consequently Salvation but that these are to be obtained only by Faith in Christ Jesus for whose Merits alone we are accounted righteous in the Sight of God And then to shew that this Faith is not separated from Good Works he addeth Exhortations to the Practice of Holiness Obedience of Life and a Religious Conversation So that this Epistle is both Doctrinal and Practical it directs us in our Notions and in our Manners It decides some of the greatest Controversies and withal it informs us about the most indispensable Offices of Christianity The next Epistles are to the Church of Corinth the chief City of Peloponneâ—us which is now call'd the Morea And Cenchrea which you read of Rom. 16. 1. Acts 19. 18. was the Station of Ships for this maritime City but was a distinct Town from it To the Converted Inhabitants of this great Metropolis famed for its Wealth and therefore sirnamed the Rich as Thucydides saith â—ea to all the Saints in Achaia the Apostle here writes His first Epistle to them is against the Unsound Perswasions and Vicious Practices which he observ'd among them at that time His Design was to reform them as to their Schisms and Dissensions their Idolatrous Communion their Unseemly Habits their Confusions and Disorders in their Assemblies their Prophaning the Lord's Supper their Toleration of Incest and the like scandalous Behaviour Besides there are other considerable Matters which he treats of as Marriage Divorce Virginity eating of Meats sacrificed to Idols Christian Liberty going to Law before Heathens
not always observ'd here things are not related constantly in a certain continued Method and Series nor are we to understand or take them as written so A great and prevailing Mistake it hath been to think that the Course and Order of Time are duly and all along observ'd in these Writings Whereas to a considerate Person it will appear that there is no such thing and that the Chapters are not writ and disposed in any Method This because it may be look'd upon and censured as a New Notion I will make good thus the Day of Iudgment is represented and described three or four times in these Visions and Revelations as first at the opening of the Sixth Seal ch 6. v. 12 to the end where the Description of the Last Day agrees exactly with others in the New Testament especially that of our Saviour in Mat. 24. and therefore to allegorize it where there is no Occasion for it is unreasonable If it be said that the Disorder of the Sun Moon and Stars which is here spoken of signifies sometimes temporal Judgments as the Destruction of Babylon Isa. 13. 10. and of Egypt Ezek. 32. 7. I answer that though it doth so yet these Remarkable Judgments and Devastations were Figures and Representations of the Last and Terrible one and were so design'd by Heaven and therefore this may well be set forth to us by the Holy Ghost in this manner nay the darkning of the Sun and Moon and the like Expressions are but Metaphorical in those former Instances but here are Proper Natural and Real and therefore ought so to be understood in this Place Again St. Iohn hath another Revelation of this Great Day in the End of the 11th Chapter from ver 15 to the Close of the Chapter but especially those plain Words in ver 18. Thy Wrath is come and the time of the Dead that they should be judged place it beyond all doubt that the Final Iudgment of the last Day is here meant Again the Seventh Vial mention'd Rev. 16. 17. which contains the Last Plague is no other than the Indignation and Punishment of That Day as appears from the Prodigies which accompany it and particularly from what is said ver 20. Every Island fled away and the Mountains were not found which expresses the terrible Dissolution of the World at that time Besides that it is observable in the Conclusion of the preceding Vial which made way for this last that Christ saith I come as a Thief v. 15. which manner of Expression is particularly applied and made use of when the Day of Iudgment is spoken of Mat. 24. 43. 1 Thess. 5. 2 4 2 Pet. 3. 10. And lastly in the 20th Chapter from the 11th Verse to the end there is another Vision of this Last and General Appearance of the World as is universally acknowledg'd by Interpreters and therefore we need not stand to clear it Now from all this it is evident that there is not observed in the Visions of this Book an Historical Order or Course of Time for if there were the General Day of Doom which is the last thing of all could not be represented here three or four times This must have come in the shutting up of all when all other things were past whereas now we see it is represented in the Beginning in the Middle and in the End of these Revelations Which if it be well attended to is one admirable Key to open the Secrets of this Book for hence we understand that this Prophecy is not what it hath been thought to be one Entire Historical Narration of what shall be and that first one thing is foretold and then what follows that in time is next set down and so on in order No the Day of Judgement being thrice at least inserted shews that the Visions of this Book end and then begin again and then have a Period and commence again and after that the same or the like Scene is opened and things of the same Nature are repeated Which is a most evident Argument that this Book consists of Three or Four Grand Prophecies or Prophetick Representations of the Condition of Christ's Church from the time when this was â—â—nned to the Consummation of all things Here are represented by different Types Prophetick Symbols and Visions the most remarkable things which happen on the Stage of the World and theâ— are these three the Troubles and Persecutions which â—befal the Servants of the most High the â—â—liverâ—â—de of them out of those Trials and God's 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—shing of their Enemies These you will 〈◊〉 set forth and illustrated by diverse Schemes and Apparitions by different and reiterated Reâ—â—esentations And the Reason why things tho the same are diversly represented i. e. in diffeâ—â—nt Visions over and over again and why they are express'd in different Terms and Words the â—â—â—son I say why they are so often repeated is â—â—â—use they so often come to pass in the several Ages of the World by the wise Disposal of Proviâ—â—noâ— These Prophecies have been and they â—â—all be yet fulfilled for the State of the Church as to the Cruelty of its Enemies and Persecutors and the Wonderful Deliverance from them and Avenging their Cause upon their Heads is the same in different Ages until the time when Babyâ—â—â— shall fall and never rise again To use the Words of a most Eminent and Learned Bishop of our own One may easily see saith he that Rome is here intended and not Pagan but Christian Rome which is degenerated into an Idolatrous and Tyrannical State It is easy to see in the Book of the Revelation that the Roman Church is doomed in due time to Destruction You see then how Useful this Book is you may be convinc'd of the Truth of what is said in the Beginning of it Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the Words of this Propheoy ch 1. v. 3. Thâ— we cannot so clearly descny the Particular and 〈◊〉 dividual Things times and Personâ— contain'd in tâ—â— tho this last Book of the Holy Scripture be in this Respect the Obscurest of them all tho in some Places there be as many Mysteries as Words yet thus far it is properly Revelation that herein the State of the Christian Church and the Particular Methods of God's Providence towards it in all times are plainly revealed and discovered to us plainly I say because they are so often repeated that it is impossible to mistake them As Pharaâ—â—'s Dream was doubled to shew the Certainty of the things represented Gen. 41. 32. so these Prophecies and Visions are doubled and tribbled yea more than so to assure us of the Certain Truth and Reality of these Events to confirm us in this Perswasion that tho the Church of Christ here on Earth be often troubled and persecuted yet she hath her times of Restoration and Reviving and there is a time of Vengeance and Recompence to her Enemies even in this World but more especially at the
kadosh In Psal. 109. 13. Achar is translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but they read it Achad una And 〈◊〉 it not reasonable to think that a Daleth was in the Place of a Resh in Zeph. 3. 9. i. e. that their Copies had it bedurah instead of berurah electum â—urum and accordingly they rendred it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for they took it to be two distinct Words with a Prefix thus be dur ah otherwise it is impossible to imagine how they could translate it â—o Sometimes the Likeness of Beth and Caph causes a Mistake so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall eat Eccles. 5. 16. is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Greek Interpreters because they read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 luctu In Psal. 29. 2. there can be no ground of their Version 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this that they took a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in decore they read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in conâ—lavi In Isa. 51. 18. there is a Mistake of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and likewise of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 otherwise they would not have rendred Menahel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consoldtor It is evident that they read Menachem instead of Menahel And sometimes where there is no Similitude in the Letters they take one Word for anoâ—â—er So they read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and â—pon that Mistake translated the Word by the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the known Word that signifies a Forehead but in Ezek. 3. 8. it is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which I can give no other Account but this that the Word in their Copies was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viâ—â—oria a Nun for a Mem. I am apt to think that whereas the Hebrew Word in Zeph. 2. 15 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 desolatio their Books had it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corvus and thence they render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When I observ'd the Difference between the Original there shall be a Fountain opened Zech. 13. 1. and the Seventy's Version there shall be a Place opened I soon found the Mistake in this latter viz. their reading of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 locus whence they render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sons Lastly I am perswaded that the Verb Barak was thought to be the Root in the latter Clause of v. 19. of 1 Sam. 2. and thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Word used by the LXX but the right Word is baraâ— which is mistaking one Consonant for another a Caph for an Aleph But I submit my Thoughts concerning these Texts to the Judicious who will either join with me or candidly accept of my Conjectures I mention not here any of those Instances which the foresaid Learned Father hath given shewing how the Seventy take one Letter in a Word for another and so have made quite another Word of it and accordingly have translated it Hottinger also hath brought sundry Examplâ—â— to shew that they erred as to Consonants that they palpably mistook them from the Likeness of one to another and so rendred the Text falsly whenâ—â— there must needs be a Difference between the Hâ—brew and the Greek Bible 3. They sometimes mistake both Vowels and Consonants As in Iudg. 5. 10. the Word was thought by them to be Tsacharajim and on that Supposal was translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the right Word was Tsecharoth candidae In Isa. 26. 14. Rephaim mortui is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the Word was supposed to be Rophim medici In both which Instances not only Letters but Points are mistaken That Place Gen. 49. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was the antient Greek Version as Iustin Martyr and Origen testify is rendred so from their taking Shelo ille cujus or cui for Shiloh And in the same Verse instead of the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Congrâ—gatio they took the Word to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expectavit and thence they render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expectatio Again in â— 22. of this Chapter instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incedebat they read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 minorennis and accordingly the Greek Word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They took a Daleth for a Resh and moreover were mistaken as to the Points So in 1 Sam. 6. 18. they read Eben for Abel and so interpreted it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Mistake of a Nun for a Lamed together with an Oversight as to the â—ricks And in ch 19. 16. Kebir pulvinar would â—ot have been rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unless the Word had seemed to them to be Cabed jecur so that it appears they fail'd not only in a Consonant but two Vowels I doubt not but they thought the Word â—as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vivet Job 8. 17. and accordingly they â—nder it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whenas the right Word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—idebit Can there be any Reason assign'd why Beâ—â—jeth is translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in visione Numb â—6 30. but this that they read it Baroeth Vau and Iod are alike and so were mistaken one for the other and â— instead of in the beginning of the Word Any observant Eye may perceive by the Seventy's Version 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa. 29. 3. that they took the Hebrew Word to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—hereas the true Word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caddur pila 〈…〉 In Hos. 12. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boves is according to the Greek Translators 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence one may â—â—ess that Sharim was thought by them to be the Original Word Lamnatseach is the Title of the fourth Psalm and several others but they thought it to be Lanetsach and hence rendred it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Netsach is a very large Word and both with and without Lamed before it is sometimes adveâ—bially taken and is as much as in finom Thus they err'd both as to a Letter and the Vowels And so they did in Psal. 22. 24. where the Word 〈◊〉 Mimmennu but they read it Mimmâ—ani as appears by their translating it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is worth observing that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalâ— be feared or as Our Translators render it thou mayst be feared Psal. 130. 4. is strangely rendred by the Greek Interpreters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for thy Name'â— sake which is a Fault of the Transcribers theâ— writing those Words instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for thy Laâ—'s sake This we may gather from the Vulgar Latin which continually follows the LXX in the Translation of the Psalâ—s and
that so this Sacred Volume may be presented to the Readers in its Vtmost Perfection There is a great Number of Places both in the Old and New Testament which ought to be otherwise rendred but I will chiefly confine my self to the New Testament at present It is true the Margin of our Bibles doth give us another Sense or Version of the Words in many Places but those I shall pass by because they are already before the Reader 's Eye I shall take notice of those Words only which are not otherwise translated in the Margin Many Corrections of the English Translation are attempted by that Excellent Knight Sir Norton Knatchbull in his Annotations on the New Testament but I have not inserted any of them here because I design to mention those only which are of my own Observation and which at several Readings of the Bible have occurred to me I will instance in those Mistakes and Faults alone which are â—ot that I know of found out and observed â—y any other Persons Nor am I in this Attempt endeavouring so much to discover a False Version as â—o render the present one which is Good and Excellent bâ—tter by laying aside some unfit Words and Modes of Speech and by substiâ—â—â—â—ng others in their room and by changing the â—rame and Disposition of some particular Periods Those few Places of the Old Testamant which I offer to be amended are these Gen. 27. 38. Hast â—â—ou but one Blessing where there is a Word left out viz. that distinctive Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that according to the Hebrew it should be rendred thus hast thou but that one Blessing The Omission of that is a Fault in Our Translation as well as in some others In 2 Kings 5. 18. the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is thrâ—â—e used which signifies to bow but we translate it to worship in one of the Places which I reckon as faulty because the same Words ought to be translated alike Iâ— Psal. 14. 2. the true Version is the Sons of Adam In Psal. 104. 25. the Hebrew Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be rendred Swimming for that is the Denotation of the Word when 't is applied to Fishes In the Old English Translation of the Book of Psalms which is used in our Divine Service there are many things that require Correction but because it may be our Church retains it for the same Reason that when St. Ierom translated the Bible into Latin he did not alter the former Version of the Psalms but left it entire as it was because these were sung in the Publick Assemblies and People generally had them by Heart wherefore he was loth to discompose so settled a piece of Devotion for this Reason I will say nothing here towards the Amendment of this Translation In Isa. 1. 13. we read of vain Oblations the new Moons and Sabbaths but in the Hebrew these are in the singular Number and therefore should be so translated Particularly as to the wordâ— Chodesh the new Moon it will not be distinguish'd from Chodashim new Moons which you find in the next Verse unless you observe the Distinction between the singular and plural Isa. 2. 10. is translated thus Hide thee in the Dust for fear of the Lord but not rightly for the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be rendred either in these Words from the Face of the terrible Lord or these from or because of the Presence of the Lord of Terror or thus from the Presence of the Terror of the Lord and so it must be translated in ver 19. where the Words recur again It may be some may look upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as an Expletive here because it is so in many Places but we know that in many other Places it is not and seeing that Word here may bear a Positive Signification there is Reason we should take it so It is my Perswasion that the applying of the word Fury to God in Lev. 26. 28. Iob 20. 23. Dan. 9. 16. Mic. 5. 15. Zech. 8. 2. and above forty times in Isaiah Ieremiah and Ezekiel is very blameable for the Hebrew Words Aph Charon Chemah Chamath have no such ill Import they only signify the Heat or Height of Anger and are rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Seventy But Fury is something of another Nature and denotes Excess and Exorbitancy of Wrath and even Madness it self Therefore I apprehend our Translators have done ill though I question not their innocent Meaning in attributing such a Passion to God Wherefore instead of Fury let great Anger or great Wrath be used in the Translation Again iâ— I would be Curious I could blame our Translators for using the word Benjamite or Benjamites Iudg. 3. 15. and in half a score Places more instead of Benjaminite or Benjaminites for as I have hinted before the Word being used to signify the Children of Benjamin or the Sons of Iemini as 't is in the Hebrew in some Places it must needs have those two Letters more inserted into it otherwise you cannot derive it from those Words wherefore it must needs be Benjaminites not Benjamites as our English Translators have curtail'd it As to the Words Tyre and Tyrus the former of which is to be found in Isaiah and Ioel and the latter in Ieremiah Ezekiel and other Prophets I conceive it were better to use one of these only for why should not the Name of the same Place be express'd and written the same Let it then be Tyre or Tyrus but not both Here also I might take notice of some Unfit and Obsolete Words the changing of which for others that are more in use would render the English Version much better Thus fet 1 Kings 9. 28. or ever Eccles. 12. 6. Dan. 6. 24. chaws Ezek. 29. 4. 38. 4. grins Psal. 140. 5. 141. 9. taches Exod. 26. 6. aliant Job 19. 15. Psal. 69. 8. might be chang'd into fetch'd before Iaws Gins or Traps or Snares Tacks or Clasps alien especially this last being the Word which is used in other Places both in the Old and New Testament Instead of the word after in several Places it were better to use according to Who should be put in the Place of which when there is reference to a Person not a Thing otherwise there is a Confusion and Misunderstanding in many Texts unless we have Recourse to the Original But they are the Defects in our English Translation of the New Testament which I principally designeâ— to insist upon therefore those I hâ—sten to which are as follow In Mat. 3. 7. and so in ch 23. v. 33. our Translators render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Generation but it should be in the Plural This Fault is amended in Luke 3. 7. in the marginal Reading where there is added Broods and in Mat. 12. 34. in some English Bibles it is translated Generations it should be so in this Place and where-ever else the Word is mentioned for if we will
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be translated other and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the midst as also this latter in ch 10. v. 3. There is a misplacing of the Words in ch 11. v. 36. the bright shining of a Candle instead of a Candle by bright shining for the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In ch 12. v. 39. the good Man of the House is too vulgar an Expression and may be chang'd into the Master of the House which is the genuine Signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those Words in v. 46. at an Hour when he is not aware may well be altered thus in an Hour in which he knoweth not for so it is according to the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In ch 16. v. 8. the due rendring of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not wiser in the Generation as 't is rendred but for or towards it And besides 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which ought to be translated for their own Generation In ch 17. v. 9. I trow not may be changed for I think not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it is best to leave out all Obsolete and Antiquated Words as I wist I wot or ere c. and change them for those that are more in use In v. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the singular is wrongly translated Voices in the plural In v. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is transâ—ated the same Day but in the next Verse 't is in the Day when one of these viz. the former is not the right Translation Neither is that in ch 19. v. 44. one Stone upon another for in the Original it is a Stone upon a Stone That is not an accurate Version in ch 22. v. 22. as it was determined for the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to what was determined And that is not exact in ch 23. v. 46. I commend my Spirit for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being in the future Tense should be rendred I will commend In ch 24. v. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sad but this is short and defective and so the Translators thought when they rendred this very Word in Mat. 6. 16. of a sad Countenance which is the true import of the Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in v. 38. of this Chapter should be rendred do ascend or rise up if we will express the full meaning of the Word Some Texts of St. Iohn are not so well translated as they might be as chap. 1. v. 15. Iohn bare witness of him which being in the present Tense in the Greek should be rendred beareth witness In ch 3. v. 2. the same is not according to the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies this Man In v. 8. canst not tell may be changed for knowest not which is more simple and according to the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So in 2 Cor. 12. 2. the like alteration may be made In v. 16. whosoever is not the true English of the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one Our Translators in ch 4. v. 23. turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus he seeketh such to worship him but query whether it will not be better thus he seeketh such worshippers of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being put here for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of whom he spake in the former Clause of this Verse In the last v. of this chap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is translated Miracle but then it would not be amiss to put the proper Signification of the Word which is a Sign in the Margin at least In ch 6. v. 9. the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one is left out in the Translation The 53d v. according to the Greek is thus Ye have not Life in you but in the English thus Ye have no Life in you In v. 63. it is better to use the Word enliveneth than the Word quickneth because this latter to those that understand not the Original and consider not what follows in the Verse is a dubious Word and they may think that it signifies to make quick agile or nimble wherefore 't is better for the sake of some English Readers to lay aside the old Word quickneth both here and in some other Places and to use the Plainer Word enliveneth or maketh alive Ch. 7. v. 17. is translated thus If any Man will do his Will but it is short of the Greek according to which the Words must run after this manner if any one willeth i. e. desireth purposeth or resolveth to do his Will Again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 26. is not exactly english'd thus this is the very Christ but thus this is verily or truly or indeed the Christ. In ch 8. v. 3. the Preter perfect Tense is mistaken for the Present Tense brought for bring this latter must be used here especially because the Words go on in the next Verse in the Present Tense and are accordingly rendred by the Translators The 14th v. of this Chap. though I bear record of my self my record is true should be translated after the manner of ch 5. v. 31. if I bear witness of my self my witness is not true because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the Words in both Places and therefore it is fit in the same Book to render them alike and not as here record in one Text and witness in another bear record in one Place and bear witness in another In v. 56. to see my day is not an exact rendring of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but this rather that he may see my Day In chap. 10. v. 10. for is redundant and therefore may be omitted Or else turn for into that he may which is according to the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In ch 11. v. 26. he shall never die is not the strict Version of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. he shall not for ever die In ch 12. v. 43. the Praise of Men and the Praise of God should be the Glory of Men and the Glory of God for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Word in both Places In ch 13. v. 28. there is no mention in the Greek of a Table though there be in the Translation but however if this must be mentioned here then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be rendred thus none of those that sat or lay at the Table not as it is now no Man at the Table See ch 12. v. 2. In ch 15. v. 22. the Word Cloke may be chang'd for Pretence for the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Translators make these Words in ch 17. v. 2. that he should give eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him to be the English of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the right rendring is this that he should give eternal Life to them which is all that thou hast given to him for them or that all which thou hast given to him he may give unto them namely
eternal Life In ch 19. v. 8. that should be this according to the Greek which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Query whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ch 20. v. 4. may not be better exprest than by that single Word outrun In the 8th v. of this Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore is forgot in our Translation and ought to be supplied Those Words in the 10th v. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be rendred thus Therefore the Disciples came again or returned to themselves of which Translation I have given a particular account in another Place And here before I quit the Evangelists I might take notice of an undue rendring of the Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which occur in all of them as Mat. 9. 10. 26. 7 20. Mark 6. 22 40. 8. 6 11. 14. 18. 16. 14. Luke 5. 29. 22. 27. Iohn 6. 10. 12. 2. 13. 12. and several other Places where they are express'd in our English Translation by sitting or sitting down but they properly signify lying down leaning lying along or lying on one side and so should be rendred In the Acts of the Apostles ch 1. v. 12. the English Version is very deficient for whereas it runs thus which is from Jerusalem a Sabbath-day's Iourney in the Greek 't is after this manner which is near to Jerusalem containing a Sabbath-day's Iourney Those two Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are omitted In ch 2. v. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be rendred sweet Wine i. e. the best and most generous Wine which would soon intoxicate those who took a great Portion of it as well as new Wine which is generally sweet and luscious at least the former rendring of the Word may be set in the Margin In v. 40. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is be ye saved not as we render it save your selves though 't is true some Copies read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In v. 47. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 refers to this Place and is to be rendred the saved ones not as 't is in our English Bibles such as should be saved In ch 4. 14. we read they could say nothing against it but according to the Greek it is they had nothing to say against it The 32d v. is rendred thus the Multitude of them that believed were of one Heart and of one Soul but the Greek runs thus the Heart and Soul of the Multitude of them that believed was one The 9th v. of the 9th ch cannot but be thought to require some Correction for there is no Word in our Translation that answers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore thus the Verse should be rendred And he preaching boldly for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought to be rendred and there is an Example of it v. 27. in the Name of the Lord Iesus spake and disputed against the Grecians But in our English Version the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is left out untranslated In ch 10. v. 10. eaten is instead of tasted for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of the latter import In ch 11. v. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be who not what was I In ch 12. v. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be rendred and Praying but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is forgot In ch 13. v. 20. the direct rendring of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is after these things not after that In v. 22. there is something redundant and something wanting for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be rendred after my Hâ—art not after my own Heart and in the next Clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should have been translated Wills in the Plural I might add also that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might here be more plainly and simply rendred he shall do than he shall fulfil Besides not only in this Place but in all others in the Old and New Testament after when it bears this Signification should be exchanged for according to In v. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred because they knew him not whereas the plain Translation is knowing him not or having not known him In v. 42. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred to be preached but that is not the usual Translation of the Word in other Places for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be spoken and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be preached In ch 15. v. 20 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought to be englished thus from what is strangled and not as 't is now in the Plural Number from things strangled In ch 16. v. 1 and in many other Places Timotheus is in the English Translation whereas this Word is express'd with some Variation elsewhere and he is call'd Timothy This is to be blamed because as hath been hinted more than once the same Greek Word especially a Proper Name ought to be rendred the same in all Places In ch 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is translated Areopagus v. 19. and Mars-hill v. 22. as if â—t were not the same Word This I here blame again and shall afterwards animadvert upon viz. the Unâ—itness of translating the same Word differently in the same Chapter or Book Either one or the other Version is to be stuck to In v. 21. there is no notice taken of the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which should be rendred sojourning or who sojourned there In ch 19. v. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is englished fifty thousand Pieces of Silver but not rightly for there is not the Word fifty in the Verse but the true rendring of the Greek is five Myriads or five times ten thousand Pieces of Silver It is granted that this is the same with fifty thousand but the Translation should be according to the Words in the Original which are five Myriads I dislike the rendring of v. 24 25. for the reason before-mention'd viz. because the very same Word is differently translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the former Verse is rendred Gain in the latter Crafâ— but without doubt it ought to be rendred alike in both which will suggest unto us the True Translation of that Word Demetrius the Silver-smith brought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no small Trade so I render it to the Craftsmen whom he called together and said Sirs ye know that by this Trade so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be translated again we have our Wealth This I take to be the true rendring of the Words for it is not probable in the least that the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should signify two Different things in so short a Space Besides it is plain that it is meant here as I have represented it for Demetrius here spoken of was a Man of a very Great Trade and had several 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Artificers and Workmen as they are here call'd under him and so is said to have brought them no small Work or Trade wherefore he warmly stirr'd up these and their Fellows
use was drawn up in haste whereby some Matters that should have been united are severed and vice versâ The 1st Verse of the 4th Chapter to the Colossians should have been joined to the third Chapter and the Division of the Verses in many other Places ought to be corrected and altered as Sir N. Knatchbull hath in several Instances shew'd We may take Iunius and Tremellius for an Example who have alter'd the Chapters sometimes in the Latin and it might be as convenient to imitate them both in the Old and New Testament in English Nor will this Changing or any other Alteration which I have before suggested be any Argument at all of the Imperfection of Scripture This remains entire in it self and is not in the least changed And the â—esign of my present Enterprize was to assert this and to evince the Perfection of the Original Text and to let us see that all Translations must be regulated by that No Version of the Bible is so absolutely Authentick that we ought to adhere to that and no other The Hebrew of the Old Testament and the Greek of the New are the only Standard and all must be examined and tried altered and amended by this It is granted there is some Variation in the Copies but the Diligent and Unprejudiced may find out what is Genuine Some have fancied that the carelessness of Transcribers hath caused some Literal Faults but then they acknowledg that none of them are Material and Considerable they relate not to Faith and Good Manners This is the very Confession of Spinoza who hath spoken so ill of the Bible This I can certainly affirm saith he that I have not found any fault or variety of readings about the moral Documents which may render them obscure and dubious Wherefore our Assertion still remains impregnable and unshaken that the Sacred Volume of the Scriptures is Compleat and Perfect and hath all things in it which can speak it a most Consummate Work 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 IT remains that I conclude with a serious Address and Invitation to the Reader to admire and value this Book which is so transcendently Excellent and Compleat to prize it above all others whatsoever constantly to read peruse and study these Holy Writings The Laws of that Vile Impostor Mahomet are stiled the Alcoran from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 legit as much as to say the Book is to be read And shall we not think that that Sacred Volume which contains the Laws of our Heavenly Master and Infallible Teacher deserves that Respect from us For this reason the Hebrews call the Holy Scripture Mikra i. e. lectionem because it is to be read by all because this Divine Book is to be universally perused revolved and searched into We are not forbid to be acquainted with Other Authors such as may conduce to uâ—eful Knowledg whether secular or religious especially such as may be someways helpful towards the understanding of the Scriptures But there is a great Number of Writers that are trifling vain and useless others are dangerous and pernicious Meddle with neither of these or if you have lay them out of your Hands forthwith and take up the Bible the only Book that is Worthy of your most serious perusal Behold here the Book of God! There are no Writings any where like these none can afford any thing comparable to them It may be observed that the Holy Spirit hath made use of divers Sorts of Persons in the penning of this Volume Moses bred up in the Schools of the Egyptians Daniel one of the chief of the Wise Men and Princes of the Persian Court David and Solomon Kings Ieremy and Ezekiel Priests Amos a Herdsman in the New Testament Matthew a Converted Publican Paul broâ—ght up at the Feet of Gamaliel the rest of the Evangelists and Apostles Fithermen and Tradesmen that hence Persons of all Ranks and Degrees may be admonish'd to converse with these Sacred Writings that they may think themselves concern'd in these Messages deliver'd by different Embassadors I have sometimes observed that some Men of no contemptible Learning and Reading and who are acquainted with store of Good Authors have no regard for this Excellent Book and never think themselves obliged to look into it But this argues a great defect of Judgment to say no worse now for even in the Point of Scholarship they cannot be without the Knowledg of the Bible So far as they are Ignorant of this they are deficient in Learning for as I have demonstrated this Book is fraught with all Humane Learning and gives Instructions concerning the choicest Arts and Sciences Upon which account it is of such universal use tâ—at no sort of Persons can be ignorant of it without great Inconvenience and Damage He is no Antiquary that is not skill'd in these Writings which are of the greatest Antiquity He is no Historian that is not acquainted with the Important Transactions of this Book He is no Statesman or Politician who hath not insight into the Excellent Maxims and Laws which are found here He is no right Natural Philosopher who is not acquainted with the Origin and Make of this Mundane System as they are represented in the Mosaick Physiology in the first Chapter of Genesis He is no Accomplish'd Grammarian Critick or Rhetorician who is ignorant of that Philological Learning which these Writings afford And chiefly he is no Good Man or Christian who is a Stranger to those Admirable Rule which are here laid down Wherefore it is the concern of all Persons to converse with the Scriptures and to apply themselves with great diligence to the reading of them and that daily and frequently Let this Holy Book be seldom out of your Hands Though you have often perused it yet continue to do so still for you will thereby receive infinite Advantage There is ever something gain'd by a fresh and repeated reading of it Some new Matter is discover'd or the old is illustrated and confirm'd We either know more or know better than we did before That our Reading of the Holy Scriptures may be of this Nature and that we may study and
are to understand their Stomachs and whole Bodies and by nourishing them is meant feeding and pampering of them The Apostle rebukes the Gluttony and Intemperance of the Voluptuous Men of that Age who made every Day a Day of Slaughter a Day of Feasting and Revelling I could parallel this with a Passage in the Old Testament where leb hath the same ambiguous Signification with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Comfort ye your Hearts Gen. 18. 5. which is spoken of Abraham's entertaining the Angels and refers to the Morsel of Bread there mention'd for so he was pleas'd to call his Generous Provision which he made for his Guests Stay saith he support sustain for so the word sagnad signifies your Stomachs and thereby refresh and comfort your Hearts with this Entertainment So the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used in an equivocal Sense by Homer on the like occasion for speaking of Mercury's being entertain'd by Calypso he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He supp'd and stay'd his Heart or his Stomach with Meat Thence Bread is call'd Mishgnan fulcrum sustentaculum Iâ—a 3. 1. a Stay a Staff And among the Old Hebrews Segnudah i. e. fulcimentum was a Dinner and so Food among us is known by the vulgar Name of Sustenance I hope that from all these things which I have alledged the Critical Notion which I offer'd is made very plain and obvious And in several other Instances I could make it good that there are those Peculiar Graces of Speech in the Sacred Writings which the most Exquisite Translations cannot fully reach I will particularly instance in one sort which are usually call'd Paranomasia's i. e. Elegant Allusions and Cadences of Words Thus there is a clear Allusion to Iapheth's Name in Gen. 9. 27. Iapht lejepheth There are no less than three of these in one Verse Gen. 11. 3. Nilbenah lebenim nisrephah lisrephah hachemar lachomer In Gen. 49. there are several of these Verbal Allusions as Iehudah joduka v. 8. Dan jadin v. 16. Gad gedud jegudennu v. 19. which are plain References to the Names of Iudah Dan and Gad. There is a Paranomasia in the word Chamor Judg. 15. 16. which signifies both an Ass and a Heap but this is quite lost in our Translation Heaps upon Heaps with the Iaw-bone of an Ass. The Mount of Olives is in way of Contempt call'd the Mount of Corruption Mashchith 2 Kings 23. 13. alluding to Mishchah anointing for which the Oil of Olives was serviceable In Psal. 39. 11. the Pâ—almist alludes to the Names of Adam and Abel when he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All Adam is Abel or every Man is Vanity And Selah is here added to denote the Emphatick Elegancy of this Passage And again Psal. 144. 4. Adam is like Abel We render the Hebrew right enough Man is like Vanity but then the Nominal Allusion is not express'd There is a great Number of Paranomasia's in Isaiah as in ch 1. v. 23. Sare sorerim the Princes are rebellious Ch. 5. v. 7. he looked for Mishphat Iudgment but behold Mishpah Oppression for Tzedekah Righteousness but behold Tzegnakah a Cry Four of these pleasant Cadences you meet with together in ch 24. v. 3 4. Hibbok tibbok hibboz tibboz dibber dabar oblab noblah Ch. 32. v. 7. Chelai chelav the Instruments of the Churl Some observe the Likeness of Sound in the Hebrew Words for Bridegroom and decketh himself and for Bride and Iewels ch 61. v. 10. We may observe in Ier. 6. 1. a plain Allusion to the word Tekoah in the Word preceding it A remarkable Cadence is to be taken notice of in Mic. 1. 14. the Houses of Aczib the Name of a Place shall be Aczab a Lie and the Learned Dr. Pocock observes that the Prophet in the next Verses hath Allusions to the Names of those other Cities Mareshah and Adullam in what he there saith of them The like you find in Zeph. 2. 4. where the Destruction of Gaza and Ekron is foretold but there are no Footsteps of it in the Translation The last Place I will mention in the Old Testament is Zech. 9. 3. Tyre built her self a strong-hold Tzor built her self Matzor This way of speaking is used also in the New Testament by our Saviour and his Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Wind bloweth where it listeth so is every one that is born 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Spirit John 3. 8. The same Word signifying Wind and Spirit Christ takes occasion thence to speak after this Allusive Manner which no Translation can express So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 16. 18. cannot be discern'd in the English Translation St. Paul hath several Verbal Likenesses in his Epistles as 1 Cor. 0. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 5. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philein v. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Thess. 3. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Henry Stephens hath express'd by the like Paranomasy in Latin â—iâ—il agentes sed curiosè satagentes And several others of this kind there are in this Apostle's Writings which are more commonly taken notice of and therefore I omit them Grotius and some others think there are Allusions to the Names of the Seven Asiatick Churches in the things that are said of them in the Epistles to them Rev. 2d and 3d Chapters but perhaps that is too fanciful This we are certain of that this Mode of Speech was not unusual among the Oriental Writers and so 't is no wonder that it occurs sometimes in the Holy Scripture Even among some of the best Roman Authors this is no unfrequent thing thus Verres the Avaritious and Extorting Pretor of Sicily is by Tully call'd Verrens Sweep-all And many such Verbal Iests this Grave Pleader hath in his Orations and other Parts of his Writings which shews it was thought to be a Pulchritude in their Stile So Martial plaid upon the idle Mariners Non nautas puto sed vos Argonautas Horace begins his Epistle to one Albius a Patron of his thus Albi nostrorum sermonum candide judex Alluding in that Epithet to his Name and he hath several other of these Charientisms Which we cannot but sometimes observe likewise in other Antient Writers of good Account But that which I remark at present is that even the Sacred and Inspired Stile disdains not this manner of speaking which none are capable of taking notice of but those that have some Knowledg of the Original Languages in which the Sacred Text is writ And in several other Particulars it were easy to shew the Gracefulness of the Holy Stile and that singular Turn and Peculiar Air in the Original which cannot be express'd in the Translation There are many Words Phrases and Sentences which must lose a great deal of their native Weight and Spirit by being done into another Language Therefore on this as well as on the other Accounts before-named we must be very Considerate and Attentive when we read this Divine Book Thirdly There must
Knowledg and Insight into these Divine Truths which are here contain'd is the Effect of observing and practising the Holy Precepts of this Book This then we ought to urge upon our selves to come to the reading of Scripture with defecate and purged Minds with Love to what it dictates and with Obedience to it This should be our principal Care to live well and to walk according to this Excellent Rule All our Religion and the whole Conduct of our Actions in this World depend upon the Scriptures therefore let us be directed and govern'd by the Infallible Maxims Precepts Promises and Threatnings of this Book We see Men live by Custom by the Dictates of Others or by their Own Opinions which oftentimes prove erroneous and lead them into unwarrantable Practices But they would not be thus misguided if they consulted These Lively Oracles of God this sure Word of Prophecy if they regulated their Actions by this Exact Canon And hereby we are certain to improve our Knowledg in this Holy Book for by living according to it we shall the better understand it by minding the Practical Contents of it we shall have a full Discovery of its Principles and Doctrines Lastly That we may attain to a right understanding of the Sense of Scripture that we may have a due Perception of the Meaning of what is deliver'd here let us most earnestly invoke the Divine Aid and Assistance He that reads this Book without Prayer can never expect to be bless'd with a compleat Knowledg of it For it is the sole Work of the Divine Spirit to illuminate our Minds effectually There is required the special Help of this Heavenly Instructor to direct us into Truth wherefore he is call'd the Spirit of Truth and the Vnction from the Holy One whereby we know all things The same Spirit that endited these Holy Writings must enlighten our Minds to understand them Which I find thus expressed in the Words of our Church The Revelation of the Holy Ghost inspireth the true meaning of the Scripture into us in truth we cannot without it attain true Saving-knowledg And a Learned and Pious Son of our Mother gives his Suffrage in these Words Wicked Men however learned do not know the Scriptures because they feel them not and because they are not understood but with the same Spirit that writ them Seeing then a Spiritual Illumination is requisite in order to the comprehending of Scripture-Truths we ought with great Fervour and Zeal to request it we ought with a singular Devotion to repair to this Infallible Teacher and with mighty Importunity beseech him to open our Eyes that we may behold wondrous things out of the Divine Law and to conduct our Reasons aright in our Enquiry into this Sacred Volume And He that commands us to implore his Help will certainly vouchsafe it to all sincere and devout Supplicants The Eyes of our Understanding shall be irradiated with a Celestial Beam and we shall feel an internal Operation of the Spirit on our Hearts communicating Light and Wisdom By the Assistance of this Blessed Guide we shall not miscarry in our Searches and Endeavours This Divine Book shall be laid open to us and we shall have its Mysteries and Depths disclosed to us so far as is convenient for us and no rational Man ought to desire any more Yea as it is with some of those that have studied for the Phâ—losophick Elixar though they attain not to it yet in their impetuous Search after it they find out many Excellent Things admirably useful for Mankind which are a Recompence of their Labours so though we may fall short of some Grand Secrets which are treasured up in this Inspired Volume yet we shall not faâ—l of some Choice Discoveries that will make us amends for our most laborious Enquiries We shall mightily improve our Knowledg and we shall likewise be under the special Benediction of Heaven The Rabbins tell us that when R. Ionathan writ his Targum on the Bible if at any time the least Fly lit upon his Paper it was presently consumed with Fire from Heaven But though this be Romantick and after the rate of the Rabbins yet it is a sober Trutlâ— that God will protect us in reading and studying the Holy Scriptures Whilest we are thus employed nothing shall disturb or hurt us the Divine Arm will defend and prosper us and we shall peruse this Book with that happy Success which we pray'd for In short by continual conversing with this Book which is the only one that hath no Errata's we shall know how to correct all the Failures of our Notions and of our Lives we shall enrich our Minds with a Stock of Excellent Principles and we shall be throughly furnish'd unto all good Works we shall be conducted to the highest Improvements of Knowledg and Sanctity in this Life and to the most Conâ—â—mmate Happiness in another FINIS Books written by the Reverend Mr. John Edwards AN Enquiry into several 〈◊〉 Texts of the Old and New Testament which contain some Difficulty in them with a Probable Resolution of them In two Volumes in 8â— A Discourse concerning the Authority Stile and Perfection of the Books of the Old and New Testament Vol. I. with a Continued Illustration of several Difficult Texts throughout the whole Work A Discourse conâ—â—rning the Authority Stile and Perfection of the Books of the Old and New Testament Vol. II. wherein the Author 's former Undertaking is further prosecuted viz. An Enquiry into several Remarkable Texts which contain some Difficulty in them A Discoeurs concerning the Authority Stile and Perfection of the Books of the Old and New Testament Vol. III. treating of the Excellency and Perfection of the Holy Scriptures and illustrating several difficult Texts occurring in this Undertaking All sold by Ionathan Robinson Iohn Taylor and Iohn Wyat. * Plataic †Panegyr Plataic ‡ Plataic * Orat. 2. ad Nicocl †Panegyr Orat. ‖ Orat. ad Philip. ‡ Panegyr ad Philip. Epist. ad Philip. Epist. ad Mitylen * Panegyr Orat. †Plataic Orat. 1. ‖ Orat. ad Philip. * Panegyr Orat. Plataic Orat. bis †Olynth 1. ‖ Philip. 1. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. in Protrept †Gen. 9. 27. * Deut. 28. 49 c. †1 Kings 13. 2. * Antiqu. 1. 11. c. 1. †Dr. Jackson * Dan. 2. †Temporum conscius totius Mundi Polyhistor Epist. ad Paulin. * Ver. 2. †Ver. 20. ‖ Ver. 5. * Ibid. * John 21. 18. †Ver. 22. * Earum rerum quae foâ—â—uitae putantur praedictio atque praesentio De Divinat l. 1. * Lib. 3. c. 8. * Colloqu Mensal * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orig. cont Celâ— l. 6. * Lib. 1. †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isid. Pelus Ep. l. 5. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just. Mart. Dialog cum Tryph. †Arnob. lib. 1. ‖ Sozom. l. 1. c. 11. ‖‖ Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 2.