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
City of Macedony and converted by St. Paul Silas and Timothy was writ on the Occasion of the Persecutions which those Christians felt from the Iews and in it the Apostle after he had expressed his Joy for their Conversion and Sincerity of Faith exhorts them to Constancy and Perseverance in his Doctrine and not to be discouraged by their Sufferings but to continue in the Practice of Holiness as well as in the Profession of the Gospel To encourage them to which he reminds them of his Boldness Faithfulness Sincerity Affectionateness in preaching the Gospel to them and of his Present Care and Concernedness for them He gives several Particular Precepts of Charity and Piety and warns them of Christ's Second Coming of which he adds a very Lively Description In his Second Epistle he corrects some Misinterpretations which had been made by them of what he had said in the first For it seems they mistook the Apostle concerning the Coming of Christ as if it were presently to happen whereas as he acquaints them there must first be a Visible Departure and Declension from the Faith and the Man of Sin whom he briefly delineates must appear in the World before that Day cometh He heartens and encourages them under their Sufferings and admonisheth them to continue in their Duty from the Consideration of the Certainty of Christ's Appearing he prays most ardently and affectionately for them and interchangeably craveth their Prayers for him These are the Choice and Admirable Contents of these Epistles In the first Epistle to Timothy there are many Remarkable things treated of namely the Right Use of the Law Praying for all Mankind Womens modest Apparel their Silence in the Churches the Apostacy of the latter times the Duty of Servants the Gain of Godliness the Mischief of Covetousness besides several other Heads that are only glanced at But the main thing insisted and enlarged upon is Timothy's Duty as he was a Bishop where we have an Excellent and Compleat Character of a Faithful Ruler or Overseer of the Church Here he is directed how to behave himself in that High Calling how to discharge all the Offices of that Sacred Function Upon which Account this Epistle may justly be stiled a Pastoral Letter because it doth more immediately concern those Persons who have the Charge of Christ's Flock and have the Honour to be Guides and Instructers of Souls Here they may be taught all the Parts of their Ministerial Employment here they may furnish themselves with Exact Rules of their Duty This is the best Rubrick and Canon for this Purpose Nor are there wanting particular Instructions concerning the Deacons Office and concerning Elders And such is the Second Epistle where in likewise are farther Directions about the Office and Behaviour of an Evangelical Bishop and he is exhorted to all Vigilancy Patience Prudence Faithfulness Diligence and Constancy in the Ministerial Function notwithstanding the Labours and Afflictions which accompany it notwithstandiâ—g the Discouragements Hardships and Sufferings which attend the conscientious Discharge of it Besides many Other Things of great Moment there is inserted a Prophecy concerning the Impious Seducers that should come in the last Days with a particular Description of them The Epistle to Titus is of the same Nature with those former ones especially the first to Timothy wherein he gives Directions how he ought to demean himself as a true Evangelical Bishop or Pastor inserting the Lively Pourtraiture of such an Officer in the Church For which Reason it is more peculiarly sitted for the Use of those who are invested with that High Character in the Ministry of the Church But there are also Instructions belonging to those of another Rank and to all Christians in general for they are enjoined to be subject to Principalities and Powers to live soberly righteously and godlily to maintain good Works to avoid foolish Questions and Controversies and in brief to behave themselves in their several Stations as it becometh the Followers of Christ So full so large so pregnant is this Short Epistle The Epistle to Philemon was written by the Apostle from Rome when he was in Prison upon this particular Occasion Philemon one of St. Paul's Converts and afterwards a Fellow-Labourer with him in the Gospel had a Servant who defrauded him and then ran away from him and coming to Rome when St. Paul was Prisoner there was converted by him whereupon he sends him back again to his Master with this Epistle wherein he desires Philemon to forgive his fugitive Servant and to be reconciled to him and to receive him again into his Service and Favour and to look upon him as a Christian Brother rather than a Servant This the Apostle pursues with Expressions of extraordinary Love and Compassion towards Onesimuâ— whom he had begotten in his Bonds and with great Tenderness and Affection to Philemon who was also his son in the Lord and in his Behaviour towards both he shews the Authority and Bowels of a Spiritual Father The Epistle to the Hebrews i. e. to those Converted Jews whom St. Paul had known in Iudea and Syria or who were dispersed in other Countries and at that time being persecuted by the Unbelieving Iews began to fall off from the Christian Faith and the Assemblies of the Faithful was written to establish them in Christianity to assert the Prehâ—minence of Christ above Moses and the Preference of the New Testament to the Old to shew that the Priesthood of Christ was preâ—igured by that of Melchisedec and that it far â—urpassed the Aaronical or Levitical Priesthood to evince the Excellency of the Evangelical Dispensation above that of the Law to prove that the Mosaick Rites and Ceremonies were abolished being all accomplish'd in Iesus our High Priest especially that all the Legal Sacrifices were fulfill'd in his once offering up himself upon the Cross for us and that this Offering was Satisfactory unto God the Father for the Sins of the World This is managed with very strong Reasoning with a very singular and close Application and with such a peculiar Light and Spirit as this Divine Penman was Master of This I may truly say that this Part of the Epistle to the Hebrews is the most illustrious Confutation of the Socinian Heresy that is in the whole New Testament For here is plainly and fully asserted the Efficacy of Christ's offering himself as a Sacrifice on the Cross for the expiating the Sins of Mankind In sundry Particulars this is most demonstratively proved that a Compleat and Full Satisfaction was made unto God by his Death which for ever confounds that impious and blasphemous Doctrine of Socinus and his Followers that the Sufferings of Christ had no more Virtue and Efficacy in them than the Sufferings of any mere Man whatsoever After the Apostle had thus maintain'd the transcendent Worth and Virtue of our Saviour's Priesthood and thence undeniably inferr'd that the Gospel is a most Admirable and Excellent Institution he exhorts them to a
by reason of or because of or on the account of our Sins for our Sins were the proper Impulsive meritorious Cause of Christ's Death though we must not exclude the Final Cause because he suffered to take away our Sins And Vossius goes something higher who assures us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and ob propter pro preâ—ixed to Sins or Faults and join'd with Suffering or Punishing whether in Scripture or any other good Author always signifies the Antecedent or meritorious Cause but never the Final And I verily believe that Vossius was as good a Grammar-Scholar as Socinus whom he opposeth in this particular There are other Texts which I might have produced as Iohn 11. 4. this Sickness is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for or on the account of God's Glory and 2 Thess. 1. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for which viz. the Kingdom of God ye suffer in both which places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes an impulsive Cause And perhaps that place 2 Phil. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be understood so It is sufficient then to have proved that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used in several places of the New-Testament in the Sense before-named i. e. that it is as much as on the account or because of or for the sake that it signifies some Reason Account or Motive why a Man should do such a thing We need not search into other Authors to find whether this be the import of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among them this is not requisite for the New-Testament is able to vouch it self But though to prove this Sense of the Preposition in Classical Authors be more than I need to do yet for the Satisfaction of the Scrupulous for Vindicating my Interpretation of that Text and for the Establishing it beyond all Exceptions for the future I will shew that this very signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that with a word in the Genitive Case is not uncommon in the Pagan â—â—ile and particularly I will make it evident that it hath not always a reference to a Benefit as some think For Proof of this I might send you to Stephens's Thesaurus where in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he produces some Passages out of Herodian Demonsthenes and as I remember Plutarch which do in some measure evince the foresaid Acception of the Preposition and out of Homer's Sixth Iliad he hath a a plain place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not rendred de te as the common Veâ—sion is but causâ tuâ or propter te because of thee I hear ill of the Trojans Accordingly the great admired Scholiast Eustathius interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 't is as much he saith as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of thee or on thy account But whether this be the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place it is not so much material as that we need controvert it but this is sufficient for my purpose that this famous Commentator who understood Greek so well acquaints us that the Signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signifie or imply a Benefit as is clear in this place for these words of Hector cannot possibly be carried to any such Sense that is undeniable Wherefore their Fancy falls to the ground who think the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is for the benefit or emolument of such a one I have something yet more to prove and that even from Pagan Authority which is this that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frequently imports an impulsive Cause and that directly and plainly and that it ought to be translated on the account by reason of because of To evince this I will choose out an Author against whom there can be no Exception I mean Isocrates whose Writings are famed for their Propriety of Phrase and Clearness of Stile There he hath these Expressions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fight on account of the Leagues made between them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fight for or on the account of their Liberty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fight for or because of their own safety These are all Impelling Causes the Consideration of their League of their Liberty and their Common Safety excited them to do what they did As in a higher Sense I proved that many in the Apostles Times were excited to initiate themselves into the Church by Baptism by the Consideration of what the Holy Martyrs underwent for the Cause of Iesus They were Baptized on the account of by reason of for the sake of those dead Saints those glorious Champions whom they saw die with so much Courage To proceed in the same Author he expresses himself thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fight for Rewards i. e. because of those Rewards which they expected These effectually stirred them up to behave themselves with great bravery So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Translated famae gratiâ by Wolfius to die on the account of that Fame and Glory which they knew they should purchase after Death And of the same sort is that Passage There are those saith he that would not change their Lives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on any other account whatsoever yet are most willing to lose their Lives in the Wars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the account or for the sake of getting a Name This was the moving the Impulsive Cause of their dying And that other set of Phrases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. To render Thanks for this or that confirms that Interpretation which I have given for those Favours and Kindnesses which they received moved them to pay that tribute of Thanks What we meet with in another place is to our purpose Is it just saith he to inflict so unequal and seveâ—e Punishments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for or on the account of such Faults And so 't is used in the same Oration again with reference to Punishment And when he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quarum rerum metu perterritus as the foresaid Translator renders it it is evident that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of the same import with because of by reason of and that he speaks of those things which excited Fear in them Lastly It may be observed in this famous Orator that when he is about winding up a Cause he uses these Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which his Interpreter rightly renders quare quapropter propterea which is in English on which account or because of what hath been said He moves them to do this or that on the Consideration of what he had propounded to them in the foregoing part of his Oration I could produce many more Quotations out of the same Author and several others
Apostles propagating it the Gentiles who were of the Race of Iapheth were admitted into the Church of God which at first indeed consisted of those of the Posterity of Shem. Moses foretold the besieging of Ierusalem by the Assyrian Armies and the Calamities and Miseries which attended it which were very near a thousand Years after Moses's time The Deliverance of the Israelites from the Oppression and Slavery which they underwent in Egypt was promised to Abraham above four hundred Years before it happened King Iosias was expresly named three hundred Years before his Birth and consequently it was a longer time before he could demolish the Altars and destroy Idolatry at Bethel which was also particularly foretold by a Man of God Cyrus who first united the Kingdom of the Medes and Persians and was the first Emperour of the Second Chief Monarchy viz. the Persian was honourably named and foretold by Isaiah to be the Deliverer of the Jews out of their Captivity and the Restorer of their Temple almost two hundred Years before he was born and before that Deliverance was accomplished Isa. 44. 28. and 45. 1 -5. This is that Cyrus who conquered Astyages the last King of the Medes and translated the Empire to the Persians and brought Asia and all the East under his Power This is that Cyrus whose Life Xenophon wrote saith Sir W. Raleigh and from some things there related especially his last Oration at his Death we may probably gather that he received the Knowledg of the True God from Daniel when he govern'd Susa in Persia and that he had read Isaiah's Prophecy wherein he was expresly named And indeed Iosephus tells us that he had so and that when the Jews shewed Cyrus that Place of Scripture which foretold his Wars and Victory and likewise his Beneficence to the Jews he admired the Divinity of the Book and to make good what he read he conferr'd many great Kindnesses on that People It is no wonder therefore saith a Judicious Writer that the History of Cyrus's Life wrote by the foresaid Historian is thought by some to be a Fiction he being so Extraordinary a Person designed by God and signally foretold before-hand An extraordinary Spirit and Vigor actuated him which makes that Historical Account of him look like a Romance But notwithstanding what these Learned Men say I am doubtful whether this famous Cyrus whom I am now speaking of was he that this Historian gives us an account of for that Cyrus whom he describes died a Natural Death and expired peaceably on his Bed and among his Friends but this Cyrus that set up the Persian Monarchy died in the Wars and was overcome by Tomyris Queen of the Scythians Therefore 't is thought by others that the Life of Cyrus the Second is described by Xenophon To proceed the taking of Babylon and its being brought under the Power of the Medes and Persians were predicted by Isaiah many Years before they came to pass Isa. 47. 1 c. And this Noble Prophet hath deservedly gain'd the Title of Evangelical because he so exactly sets down what happened several hundred Years afterwards upon the Arrival of Christ and the Dispensation of the Gospel Ieremiah another noted Prophet prefixed the seventy Years of the Babylonian Captivity And in other Prophets who were Pen-men of the Old Testament there are very plain Predictions of future Events and the Accomplishment of them hath proved them to be True But the Spirit of Prophecy is most eminent and wonderful in Daniel who hath foretold the State of the World from the time of the Captivity wherein he lived till the Coming of Christ in the Flesh which was about five hundred Years after The Succession of the most famous Empires or Monarchies of the World is prophetically represented by him in his Interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's Dream There as St. Ierom saith he shews that he had knowledg of all Times and was fore-acquainted with the various History of the whole World There you will see the Babylonian Medo-Persian Greek and Roman Monarchies decipher'd by the four known Metals Gold Silver Brass and Iron The Head of Gold is the Assyrian or Babylonian Empire which was the First and Richest Monarchy and was the Beginning and Head of the rest which were to follow The Breast and Arms of Silver are the Medo-Persian Empire which because it consisted of two People it is therefore fitly set forth by two Arms. Belly and Thighs of Brass are the Greek Empire which because it was chiefly divided into two Kingdoms of the Lagidae and Selâ—â—cidae it is well express'd by two Thighs Legs of Iron are the Roman Empire which being 〈◊〉 into Eastern and Western by occasion of Consâ—â—â—tine's tine's removing his Seat from Rome to Byzantium is not unfitly set forth by two Legs Its Feet are said to be partly Iron and partly Clay because being divided it was not all of a piece but was of a different Nature they could no more unite and cement than Iron and Clay Then you read of a Stone cut out without Hands i. e. the Lord Christ not born after the ordinary and humane way This Stone was first visible in the Days of those Kings ver 44. i. e. the Kings that make up the Roman Empire for then Christ was born then Christianity was first set up This Stone shall become a great Mountain and fill the whole Earth ver 35. and destroy the Gold Silver Brass and Iron i. e. put an end to these Empires Christ and his Church shall constitute another viz. a Fifth Empire much more Glorious and Renowned than the former ones This famous Prophecy of above two thousand Years date was in a signal manner verified at the Coming of Christ the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and it shall have a further Completion when the Christian Religion shall be propagated anew in the remote Parts of the World and at last shall become the Religion of the whole World and a Glorious Church shall be establish'd on the Earth In the seventh Chapter of this Prophecy you have the Vision of the Four Beasts which foretells the very same which was represented by the Four Metals but more particularly and largely First there is the Lion i. e. the Assyrian Monarchy which hath two Wings which denote the two part of that Empire Babylon and Assyria They are said to be plucked i. e. shattered and destroyed as we read they were by Darius and Cyrus This Lion is the same with the Golden Head in Nebuchadnezzar's Dream Next comes the Bear which is the Persian Monarchy set up by Cyrus as the former by Ninus and expired in Darius whom Alexander the Great slew in Battel The three Ribs in its Mouth are the three Chief Emperours or Kings of this Monarchy namely Cyrus Darius Artaxerxes who devoured much Flesh i. e. added many Nations to their Monarchy Or the three Ribs may signify the Persian Kingdom which had united to it the Medes
foretold concerning Xerxes that by his Strength through his Riches he should stir up all against the Realm of Greece ver 2. which we read was punctually fulfilled for he entred Greece with an Army that consisted of a Million of Men. And what is said concerning Alexander the Great viz. that his Kingdom should be broken and divided towards the four Winds of Heaven and not to his Posterity c. ver 4. we know was really accomplish'd The rest of the Chapter is a Prophetical History of the Exploits of those several lesser Kings among whom the Grecian Monarchy after Alexander's Death was divided especially of Antiochus the Great and of Antiochus Epiphanes Here as in the former Chapters you may see many things foretold a long time before they were fulfill'd which is a certain and undeniable Argument of the Prophetick Spirit in the Scriptures We might proceed to the Predictions and Prophecies of the New Testament which we see also are performed in great measure Here was foretold the wonderful Propagation of the Gospel the Rejection of it by the Jews the Receiving of it by the Gentiles the Destruction of Ierusalem and all the Calamities of that Nation These Predictions we know are accomplished Besides in the Writings of the New Testament we read that Christ foretold many things concerning himself and his Followers as the Scandal which his Disciples especially Peter would give Mat. 26. 31. Peter's triple Denial of him Luke 22. 31. and yet at the same time he foretold that it should not be accompanied with a final falling away ver 32. He foretold that he should be betrayed and that he should be mock'd and scourg'd and at last crucisied and that the third Day he should rise again Mat. 20. 17 18 19. And as he predicted his own Death the Place Time and Kind of it with the time of his Resurrection and I might have added also of his Ascension and of his sending the Holy Ghost so he did the same as to the manner of Peter's Death and he foretold Iohn the Evangelist's long Life He told his Disciples what should befal them after his Departure what Calamities and Sufferings they should meet with for their professing the Gospel and owning his Cause He acquainted them that the Gospel should be preach'd throughout the whole World that Scandals and Heresies should come into the Church that many should apostatize from the Faith and desert Christianity Mat. 24. And the Evangelists and Apostles as well as our Saviour from that Spirit of Prophecy which was in them foretold sundry things which we see since are fulfilled In their Writings are Predictions concerning the Calling of the Gentiles the Conversion of the Jews the State of the Christian Church the Rise of Antichrist his Character his Progress and his dreadful Downfal a great part of which is already fulfill'd Much of the Fate of the World which they foretold God hath brought to pass which gives us assurance that the rest will be accomplish'd in due time Yea there are at this day Prophecies fulfill'd every hour as that of the Blessed Virgin in her Magnificat From henceforth all Generations shall call me Blessed Luke 1. 48. The Memory of this holy Woman is daily celebrated in the Christian Church and her Name is blessed throughout all the Assemblies of the Saints They with one accord rejoice that of her was born the Holy JESUS who is Blessed for evermore And so likewise what Simeon and Anna foretold of Christ are every day accomplished some part of their Prophecies is at this very instant made good That is another Prophecy which is now fulfilling 2 Tim. 3. 1. In the last Days perillous Times shall come for c. with several others that might be named the Accomplishment of which no unprejudiced Man and of common Ingenuity will refuse to acknowledg Now this wonderful Prophetick Spirit in Scripture is a strong Argument that these Writings were inspired by God and that the Matter of them is Divine For the foreknowing or foretelling of things to come is one Character of the True God as you read in Isa. 41. 22 23. From thence it is evident that none can predict them unless he be immediately enlightned and taugh◠of God The certain and infallible Knowledg of future Contingences which depend on free Causes is from Him alone Wherefore when we see as in our present Case that things were expresly foretold several hundreds of Years before they came to pass and when we see that the Events exactly answer'd to the Predictions we cannot but acknowledg that these Predictions were from God and could not be from any else If it be objected That other Writings beside◠the Bible have Predictions in them and that Men of Skill and Sagacity do sometimes foretel Futurities yea that those who have the least Converse with God those who deal with Evil Spirits have predicted things to come and therefore this Argument is of no force I answer first It is true that Natural Skill especially improved by Art by Reason and Philosophy and the knowledg of the Laws of Nature will give Men Insight into some Futurities For God hath impress'd a particular Quality on Natural Bodies and they keep a constant Course He hath fixed a way for his Creatures to act in and they never go out of it of themselves The Operations and Effects of Fire and Water of Gravity and Levity in Bodies the Motion of the Sun and Moon and the Eclipses of either and the several Aspects of the Heavens may certainly be foretold for they continually and unerringly keep their Progress unless God pleaseth sometimes to cross their usual Course as when the Waters of the Red-Sea stood up on a heap whilst the Israelites passed over The Fire in Nebuchadnezzar's Furnace was restrain'd from doing any harm to those that were cast into it the Sun stood still in Ioshua's time and was retrograde in King 〈◊〉 And so there are monstrous and mishapen Creatures born into the World which deviate from the common Procedure of Nature But supposing that God suffers his Creatures to act according to the Laws of Nature it is easy to make a Judgment of them and to foretel what shall happen But the things we are speaking of and which are foretold in the Holy Writings are of another kind they are not fixed and determined by Nature and therefore 't is not in Man's power to predict their Events Again Physicians have their Prognosticks whereby they foretel what will become of the Patient whether the Disease will be hardly cured or easily or not at all But because these Prognosticks are founded on a great many Symptoms and these are uncertain and dubious it follows that those are so likewise though 't is certain an experienc'd Artist will see very far here Then as to future Occurrences in Bodies Politick a wise Man may by careful Observation and Remarks on the Affairs of the World gain some Insight into these by being long
Industry to preserve Scripture from Corruption We may gather from this Diversity of Readings that Men have been very inquisitive and careful in their comparing of Copies but we cannot thence argue that the Text is adulterated yea rather we may infer that it is not for from this comparing and vying of Copies we come to know and be ascertain'd which is the True and Authentick one And we may farther add with the same excellent Author That it is morally impossible since our Saviour's time and indeed for many hundred Years before that that the Scriptures particularly of the Old Testament should have been corrupted for the Multitude of Copies was then such hath been since much more such and so far dispersed that neither one Man nor one Body of Men could ever get them into their hands to corrupt them and if some few or mâ—â—â—ny Copies had been corrupted but not all thâ—â— sincere Number would have detected the corrupt Again let it be consider'd that the antient Orthodox Writers of the Church do all ciâ—â— these Scriptures as we now have them in everything material Yea that most Hereticks have pleaded these same Scriptures and denied them not to be genuine To establish us yet further we must remember that these Writings have been openly read to the People in all their solemn Assemblies in the several Ages since Christianity began and they being thus constantly used could not possibly be altered and corrupted Besides that all private Christians were exhorted to read and use them in their Families whereby they became so known and familiar that whenever any Alteration was made they could presently observe it Lastly notwithstanding the Author of a late Tractate hath brought divers Objections against the usual Tradition that such and such Books of the Bible were wrote by the Authors whose Names they bear and though Mr. Hobbs before him had done the same yet neither of them have effected it with any Success This is all they have done they have only shewed that they are not so civil to the holy Writings as they are to the profane ones for it is every whit as clear that the Books of the Holy Scripture were written by the Persons under whose Names they go as that any other Writings were put out by those whose Names they bear Nor can these Men vouchsafe to shew that Civility to these Sacred Books which even Iews and Gentiles have done for when both â—hese opposed these Books you will not find that they ever questioned the Authors but the Doctrine only We are therefore to look upon these Men and such as take part with them as acting with higher Prejudice than either Jews or Heathens did and accordingly we are to slight what they say unless it be thus far that from their impotent and malicious Cavils we may be further confirmed in this Perswasion that these Books of the Old and New Testament were indeed written by those Authors under whose Names they are now received that these Scriptures which we now have are the same which the Primitive Church received from the Apostles that the Copies we have of the Bible are not corrupted that God hath preserved the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament from all considerable Change and Depravation his Providence not suffering any such thing that the Canon of Scripture which is now received is the very same that it was at first and which is the Sum of all that the Truth and Authority of it are impregnable It may be expected I should speak of the Apoâ—ryphal Books which I have not reckoned among the Inspired Writings For doing this I have good reason for I find them excluded from the Canon of Scripture by those that are the best Judges of it I mean the Iews who were the great Keepers of the Scripture They never took these into the number of the Books of Holy Writ and that for these two Reasons First because they were not writ by the Prophets The Jews believed that the Spirit of Prophecy ceased among them as soon as Malachi had done prophesying They owned no Divine Inspiration after his time and accordingly received not the Apocryphal Books into the Canon of Scripture i. e. Books Divinely inspired 〈◊〉 was written after Malachi's time who was 〈◊〉 last Prophet was not Canonical was not of 〈◊〉 Authority and therefore is not emphatical called Scripture For as St. Paul informs us 〈◊〉 Scripture is given by Inspiration of God 2 Tim. 3. 〈◊〉 That is the Mark and Criterion of Scripture 〈◊〉 is back'd by St. Peter 2 Pet. 1. 21. Holy Men 〈◊〉 God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 those Writings which were not by Inspiration 〈◊〉 God nor from the immediate Motion of the 〈◊〉 Ghost are not to be reckoned as Holy Scriptuâ—â— and such are the Apocryphal Writings they werâ—â— written after the cessation of Prophecy and Diviâ—â— Inspiration and so they are not of Divine Authâ—â—rity and cannot be esteemed Canonical Scriptureâ—â— Secondly the Jews received not the Apocrypha 〈◊〉 to their Canon because it was written in Greek not in Hebrew as all the Canonical Books are For God would not they say give them Scripturâ— in an Unknown Tongue The Oracles of Goâ— were to be committed to his People in the Authentick Language which is that of the Jews The Apocryphal Writings being not such are rejected by them and not taken into the Canon of Sacreâ— Writ And as they were not received by the Jewiâ— Church so not by the Christian one You cannot but observe that Christ and the Apostles who frequently quote the Canonical Books never quoâ—â— any of the Apocryphal ones which gives us to understand that they were not reputed as Inspired Writings otherwise it is most reasonable to think that our Saviour or his Apostles and Evangelists would at one time or other have cited some one Passage at least out of these Books it being their great Work as you may see to prove the Truth of what they delivered from the holy Scriptures which were inspired by God in former Times They embraced all Occasions of establishing Christianity upon the Writings of the Inspired Prophets who went before therefore if the Apocryphal Writers had been of that number they would certainly have been quoted by them and because they are not it is an Argument that they are not Inspired Writers Again the Christian Church which immediately succeeded that which was in the Days of Christ and the Apostles received not these Writings as Divinely inspired and therefore excluded them from the Canon of Scripture Look into the Writings of the antient Fathers of the Church who without doubt made it their business to search into the Canon of Scripture and to be satisfied which were the Divinely inspired Books and there you will see that those of the Eastern Church received only the Jews Canon of Scripture as to the Old Testament Thus Origen recites the Canonical Books of it as they are now reckoned viz. two
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
that the Gentiles relate the very same things that this doth that the Great Truths and Notable Histories Notions and Practices in the Books of the Old Testament are to be met with in Profane Writings but taken from these Sacred ones The Heathens borrowed many of their Rites and Vsages from Traditions which were founded in the Holy Scriptures They derived many things in their Religion and Manners from these Sacred Fountains though it is as true that they have laboured to pollute them But I will make it clear and manifest that they fetch'd them thence and I will abundantly prove that most of the chief things in the Old Testament have been attested both by the Fables and the Serious History of the Pagans There have been some High-fliers I know who have carried on this Notion to a ridiculous Extravagancy Thus Zimmeranus speaks of an odd Capuchin who hath vented very wild things in prosecuting this Argument viz. that the Gentile Mysteries were taken from the True God and from the Scriptures inspired by him And one Iacobâ— Hugo in his Historia Romana is quoted by the same Person as very extravagant in this kind for he holds that the Roman Story was a Narrative of the History of the Gospel Pious Aeneas was St. Peter and his sailing from Troy to Latium was the Story of St. Peter's leaving the Chair at Antioch and going to Rome Homer and Virgil's Heroick Poems are an account of St. Peter and the Church and of the Shipwrack and Misfortunes which this latter meets with in the World Ilium or Aelia is Ierusalem that was the Name which Aelius Adrianus gave it The Acts of the Apostles the Jewish War and the Destruction of Ierusalem are contain'd in Homer's Iliads and so are the Life and Death of Christ and the whole Gospel He tells us that Romulus and Remus signify the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul the Founders of the Roman Church And more extravagantly yet he goes on telling us that Diana signiâ—ies the Holy Trinity Curtius on Horse-back swallowed up in the Lake is the Virgin Mary whose Temple is seen there in the Market-place at Rome with this Inscription D. Virginis Templum à poenis inferni liberantis And a great deal more of such Stuff this Hugo hath which no Man of Consideration and Sense is able to bear Indeed such wild and far-fetch'd Conceits may be justly entertain'd with Laughter and Contempt Nor do I look upon some things which some others of more composed Thoughts mention as any real Testimonies given to the Scriptures They strangely fancy an Affinity between Scripture and Paganism between what they read in the one and what they meet with in the other though there be no Cognation at all Thus the Greek Fable of Minerva's being the Offspring of Iove's Brain took its Rise from the Doctrine of the Trinity and the Eternal and Ineffable Generation of the Son of God saith a Learned Man and Isis the Egyptian Goddess is saith he Ishah Mulier or Virgo i. e. the Virgin Mary from a Tradition among them that a Virgin shoulâ— bring forth a Son who was to be the Redeemer 〈◊〉 the World And I could mention others whoâ—â— Names are better known who have been too eâ—travagant in this kind carrying the Notion on toâ— far and strongly fancying every thing almoâ—â— which they meet with in Pagan Story to havâ— some reference to and be taken from the holâ— Scriptures But I shall very industriously avoâ—â— this Vanity and Folly and only represent to the curious and critical Reader those Passages in Pagâ—â— Writers which with great Probability and Reasoâ— we may conclude to have been taken from the Books of the Old Testament I shall endeavoâ—â— to let you see the Sacred History of the Bible eveâ— through the Fables and feigned Stories of the Heathens and thereby confirm you in the belief of the Truth and Reality of that Sacred History whence they were taken 1. To begin first where all things began the Creation this as it is particularly described iâ— the first Chapter of Genesis is plainly to be found in Pagan Authors who without doubt had it froâ— this first Entrance of the Scripture For thougâ— a Man by the Light of Nature may know that the World had a Beginning yet this particular way of its beginning as 't is there set down could not be attained to but by Divine Revelation wherefore it is rationally to be asserted that the Pagaâ—â— took this Notion from God's Revealed Will in Scripture and at the same time they do hereby attest the Truth of that holy Book The genâ—râ—â— Opinion of the antient Gentiles was that the World was made out of a preceding Chaos which they represent to be a rude disordered and indigested Mass of Matter reduced to no Shape and Form Sanconiathon the Phoenician Historian so much prais'd by Porphyrius the Philosopher in Eusebius makes mention of this Chaos as the Source of all things in his Fragments of Phoenician Theology The antient Poet Orpheus held that this Chaos was the first Principle of all things And Hesiod agrees with him affirming that the Chaos was that out of which all Bodies were made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. It is described by Ovid after this manner Ante mare terras quod tegit omnia Coelum Vnus erat toto naturae vultus in orbe Quem dixere Chaos c. Where in forty or â—ifty pair of good smooth Verses he most excellently describes the Origine of all things and makes the very Chaos beautiful This is the same with Hyle the first original Matter of all things the Poets Demogorgon which was borrowed from the shapeless Lump of the Chaos And in the Phoenician Language we may find it in the very sound of the words Thoth and Bau which are but a small Variation from Tohu and Bohu in the Hebrew Text the same with Chaos among the Greeks and Latins This is founded on those Words of Moses Gen. 1. 2. The Earth was without form and void and Darkness was on the face of the Deep This dark and formless Heap of Water and Earth mingled together contain'd in it the fiâ— Elements of all things that were made afterwardâ— hence sprang the World as it is now shaped 〈◊〉 modelled From this Account which Moses givâ— here of the Creation the old Pagan Theologer i. e. the Pocts made the Ocean to be the Origiâ— of all Generation which is no other than thâ— if you give the plain meaning of it that thâ— moist and fluid Matter gave beginning to all Bodâ— that are Orpheus own'd this Hypothesis calliâ—â— the Ocean the Parent of all things in one of 〈◊〉 Hymns and out of some other Pieces of 〈◊〉 Works the same might be proved Homer 〈◊〉 the like asserting the Ocean to be the Antiente of the Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iliad On which Words the Scholiast gives this Reason
mystical Sense of Christ who was the true Melchisedek that is King of Righteousness and King of â—eace This mystical Interpretation of that historical Passage is vouched by the inspired Penman who wrote the Epiâ—tle to the Hebrews Again it is written viz. in Gen. 16 21. that Abraham had two Sons the one by a Bond-maid the other by a Free-woman This is the Letter or History Now observe the figurative Interpretation of it which things saith the Apostle are an Allegory for these are the two Covenants that is these two Mothers Hagar and Sarah denote the two Covenants the Law and the Gospel the one from the Mount Sinai which gendreth to Bondage which is Hagar for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia that is the Law was given on Mount Sinai and brings Servitude and strict Observances with it this is represented by Hagar for the Name of Hagar signifies the Mount where the Law was given and answereth to Jerusalem that now is that is the present State of the Jews The Hagarens i. e. the Arabians and all that spring from Ismael as Historians tell us no less than the Apostle intimates here are bound by their own Laws to be circumcised and observe therein the Mosaical Law like the Iews and so they like Hagar their Mother are in a servile Condition still are in Bondage with their Children But Jerusalem which is above is free which is the Mother of us all that is Sarah which denotes the State of the Gospel that new City which Christ brought with him from Heaven of which all Christians are free Denizens is a free Woman and signifies that we Christians Gentiles as well as Jews for she is the Mother of us all are free from all Moses's Rites and are justified without them Gal. 4. 22 24 25 26. Thus it appears from the Apostle that besides the historical Sense there is a higher and nobler in the Old Teâ—tament and particularly in that Place of Genesis where the two Mothers Sarah and Hagar and the two Sons Isaac and Ishmael were designed to signify the different State of those in the Church of God they respect the Law and the Gospel the Mosaical and Christian Dispenâ—ation There was this besides the bare historical Sense From the same Divine Writer we learn that the Pillar of the Cloud the passing through the red Sea the Mannah the Drink out of the Rock and the Rock it self which you read of in Exodus had a spiritual meaning and therefore some of these especially are expresly called spiritual they did eat the same spiritual Meat and drink the same spiritual Drink for they drank of that spiritual Rock which followed them and that Rock was Christ. 1 Cor. 1 c. 1 2 3 4. Hence it is evident that this historical Part of the Book of Exodus is likewise symbolical and capable of a spiritual Construction though still the Truth and Reality of the History remain entire So what we read in Numb 22. 9. viz. that Moses made a Serpent of Brass and put it upon a Pole that if any Man bitten with a Serpent beheld it he might live i. e. be cured of the venemous Biting hath a secondary meaning in it as our Saviour himself interprets it namely that the Son of Man should be lifted up that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting Life John 3. 14 15. The lifting up of the brazen Serpent upon a Pole in the Wilderness signified the lifting up of Christ upon the Cross for the healing and saving of all that look up to him with an Eye of Faith Thus when we read that God swore in Numb 14. 28. that the murmuring and unbelieving lsraelites should not enter into Canaan which the Psalmist calls their Rest Psal. 95. 11. the primary historical Sense is well known but besides this there is a secondary or spiritual one which our Apostle hath acquainted us with in Heb. 4. 1 c. Whence you may gather that in the History of the Israelites entring into the Promised Land and of the greatest Part of them that came out of Egypt being shut out there is a secondary meaning included viz. that Believers shall possess the Heavenly Canaan they shall enter into their everlasting Rest that Rest which remains to the People of God but Unbelievers shall come short not only of the Promise whicâ— is left of entring into this Rest but the Rest it self Thus you will find that Place in Numbers interpreted by the inâ—allible Apostle Again this mystical or secondary Sense is observable in those Places in the Mosaick Law which speak of the Rites and Services and Levitical Priesthood which the Jews were under as you may infer from three Chapters together in the Epistle to the Hebrews where the Apostle applies those things in a higher Sense viz. to Christ himself and his offering himself upon the Cross than ever was intended by the Letter But this double Sense of Scripture is no where more remarkable than in the Book of Psalms The 22d Psalm though primarily it be meant of David when he was in great Distress and forsaken of God yet secondarily i. e. mystically it is to be understood of our Blessed Savioâ—r when he was in his Passion and hung upon the Cross and accordingly you will find the first Words of it applied by himself Mattâ— 27. 46. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And other Passages of this Psalm the 8th 16th 18th Verses are taken notice of by the Evangelist as fulfilled at that time Matth. 27. 35 43. Now it is certain they could not be fulfilled unless they had been meant in this mysterious Sense of Christ. The latter Part of the 16tâ— Psalm is spoken in David's Person and is without doâ—bt in the first and immediate Sense of it to be understood of him and of his Hopes of rising after Death to an endless Life But it is as clear from Acts 2. 25 c. that it was spoken of Christ the Son of David and who was typified by that holy King and Prophet for St. Peter saith there in his Sermon to the Jews David speaketh concerning him I foresaâ— the Lord always before my Face for he is on my right Hand that I should not be moved Therefore did my Heart rejoice and my Tongue was glad Moreover also my Flesh shall rest in Hope Because thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell neither wilt thou suffer thy Holy One to see Corruption Thou wilt shew me the Path of Life c. Which are the four last Verses of that Psalm before-named and you may see in the following Words of this Chapter what the mystical Interpretation of them is according to that Apostle who had the Spirit to direct him to the utmost meaning of those Words Part of the 68th Psalm though it be David's Thanksgiving for the present Mercies he received yet undoubtedly it is a Prophetick Praising of God for the glorious Ascension of
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
Master clothed his Divine Doctrine in he chose this way of delivering things to them on purpose to work the more powerfully on their Affections A fit Parable moves the Mind with a wonderful Force and Efficacy it representing Matters to us in their livelieâ—t Colours and moâ—t natural Shapes and applying them to the particular Circumstances we are in so that it seemeth to say in the final Close of it as that Parabolical Prophet to David Tâ—ou art the Man It comes up close to us and with great Plainness and Freedom tells us our Case and affects us proportionably To have Dominion or Authority and to speak in a Parabolical way are expressed by the same word in the Hebrew This is most certain that our Saviour reduced this Criticism into Practice and by this moving way of Preaching let the World see that he taught as one that had Authority Thus I have briefly shewed you the Nature of Parables and given some Account of our Saviour's so frequently using them I shall only add that useful Rule of St. Chrysostom which is to be observed by us if we would rightly underâ—tand the Nature of the Stile of Scripture in this mystical way of expressing it self We must not saith he over-curiously fift every Word and Passage that we meet with in Parables but our main Business must be to understand the Scope and Design at which they aim and for which this sort of Discourse was composed and having gathered this out we ought to enquire no further it is in vain to busy our selves any longer And that of Maldonate is a very good Rule For the right interpreting of Parables we mâ—st know this that it is in vain to observe any Accuracy in comparing Persons with Persons and to be curious in suting particular things to things but we are to look at the grand Matter and as it lies before us in gross So he For this is to be remembred that there are several Circumstances inserted into Parables meerly to adorn and set off the Matter and to make the Representation and Similitude more graceful Therefore we must not insist on every Particular and think that an Argument may be drawn from all the Circumstances which we meet with in such Diâ—courses No the main thing which is the Design is to be attended to in a Parable If we observe this Rule we shall gain a sufficient Knowledg of our Saviour's Meaning in his Parables but otherwise we shall busy our Heads to little Purpose and mistake the true Design and Intention of our Lord in this kind of Instructions There are other Paâ—sages in the New Testament wherein a secondary or mystical Sense is to be observed as the 24th Chapter of St. Matthew one part of which according to most Expositors speaks of the Forerunners of Ierusalem's Destruction and the other Part of the Signs of Christ's Coming to Judgment But if you look narrowly into the whole Chapter you will observe that these Forerunners and Signs of both Sorts are intermixed and so promiscuously placed that it is difficult to tell precisely which precede the Destruction of Ierusalem and which the Day of Judgment Which gave me this Hint first of all that this whole Chapter or the greatest part of it is to be understood as those other Places of Scripture before-mentioned in a double Sense viz. a primary and a secondary In the former you must understand our Saviour speaking of those Prodigies and Calamities which should befal the Jews before the final Overthrow of their City and Temple In the latter you must conceive him foretelling the dreadful Signs and Concomitants of the last Day wherein not only Jews but all the World are concerned Here is a twofold Meaning of Chriâ—t's Words here is a double literaâ— or historical Sense and the latter of them being not so obvious and evident as the other and that is the Reason why it hath not been found out may be called the mystical Sense for it is so indeed in comparison of the other Whereas then Expositors are divided in interpreting this Chapter some referring some Passages in it to the Devastation of Ierusalem and others interpreting other Parts wholly of the Day of Judgment we may compromise the Matter and reconcile the different Interpreters by asserting that both the Destruction of Ierusalem and the Calamities of the Last Day are understood by both Parts of the Chapter excepting only one or two particular Expressions which may seem to refer altogether to one of these In short the Forerunners and Harbingers of the Ruine of the Jews and of the last Coming of our Saviour are the same So that while he speaks of one he also foretels the other This shews that there is a double meaning a simple and a compound one in the very same Words of this Chapter When the Apostle in Eph. 5. had spoken of the married State and of the Duties of Husband and Wife and particularly of the Love of the one and the Submission of the other he tells us in the Close that this Part of his Epistle hath a higher Meaning than every ordinary Reader of it would find out for besides the literal Import of the Words there â—s a more sublime and spiritual one This is a great Mystery saith he and I speak concerning Christ and the Church v. 32. Those Words in Gen. 2. 24. mentioned immediately before have a mystical as well as a literal Meaning they are to be understood of the sacred Union of Chriâ—â— and his Church as well as of the conjugal Union of Man and Wife For Marriage is an Emblem of the sacred and inviolable Tie between Christ and Belâ—evers and accordingly whilst the Apostle discours'd in that Part of the Chapter concerning the Love and Submission of Husband and Wife he lets us know that it is to be understood in a secondary Sense of Christ's Love to his Church and of the Church's Subjection unto Christ. And divers other Passages in St. Paul's Epistles have besides their literal a spiritual inward and mysterious Acception Even as to this the Apostle's Words are true viz. that he speaks the Wisdom of God in a Mystery I Cor. 2. 7. Thus I have abundantly proved the double Sense which is to be found in many Places of the Sacred Writings and it were easy to evinâ—e it from many more Instances if it were requisite I will only here in the Close produce the Words of a very profound and judicious Man a worthy Light of our Church that I may not be thought to be â—ingular in what I have asserted under this Head Many Passages saith he as well in the Prophets as other Sacred Oracles admit of Amphibologies and ambiguous Senses and the same Prophecies are oftentimes fulâ—illed according to both Senses And he instances in several Again a little after he hath these admirable Words Seeing our sacred Oracles were given many hundreds of Years before the Events foretold by them and since exhibited
Doctrine that it clearly baffles and confutes it I will pass to another Text They have not rejected thee but they have rejected me 1 Sam. 8. 7. They did reject Samuel from being Judg in that they chose a King over them yet God saith They have not rejected thee i. e. Comparatively they have not they have not so much by this Action of despising Samuel their Judg rejected him as they have manifested their Rejection of Me who am their Chief Judg and Ruler and who set Samuel over them as my Deputy They may be said to have rejected Me rather than him The Psalmist faith Against thee thee only have I sinned Psal. 51. 4. But though he speaks Exclusively and in a manner Negatively for it is as much as if he had said Against thee have I sinned and not against any one besides yet he is to be understood Comparatively for it is certain that he sinn'd against Others namely against Uriah in a signal manner whom he made drunk and whose Blood he shed and whose Bed he desiled yea as he was King he notoriously sinn'd against all his Subjects and People But because he Chiefly and Principally sinn'd against God who had raised him to the Throne and done such wonderful things for him because he had most of all offended God he confesses that he had sinn'd against Him and Him only Him and none else A Negative is used for a Comparative And so it is in Hos. 6. 6. I desired Mercy and not Sacrifice which is explained in the next Clause of that Verse and the Knowledg of God more than Burnt-offerings Not is interpreted by more God values Acts of Mercy and Charity and such indispensable Duties of the Moral Law more than all the Performances of the Ceremonial one So that the Antithesis here is but in way of Comparison as we may see in 1 Sam. 15. 22. To obey is better than Sacrifiâ—e The New Testament speaks after this manner there you will frequently observe that our Saviour and his Apostles pronounce many things simply and absolutely which yet we ought to understand and interpret with a Limitation She is not dead but sleepeth faith Christ of Iairus's deceased Daughter She was dead that cannot be denied therefore this Negative must be expounded so as to qualify the Sense She rather sleepeth than is dead Her Departure is a Sleep to her and I will soon awaken her out of it as you shall see Thus our Saviour must be supposed to have spoken Again he faith When thou makest a Dinner or a Supper call not thy Friends nor thy Brethren neither thy Kinsmen nor thy rich Neighbours but call the Poor the Maimed the Lame the Blind The meaning is rather call these than them yea rather wholly omit these Feasts and Invitations than forget to be charitable to the Poor If the Necessitous be not excluded from your Charity you may feast your rich Friends and Relations but you must not feast Them and neglect These yea you must chiefly and most of all take care of these So is that other Passage of our Saviour to be understood Labour not for the Meat which perisheth John 6. 27. i. e. labour more for that Meat which endureth unto Everlasting Life which he immediately after speaks of than for this You may labour for the perishing Meat but let your greatest Care and Indeavour be for that which never perisheth Still you see the Negative is to be explain'd by a Comparative And so it is in Iohn 16. 24. Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my Name i. e. ye have asked little which is comparatively Nothing Thus the Apostle is to be meant when he saith 2 Cor. 2. 5. He hath not grieved me that is me only as is clear from the following Words but in part all for so it should be rendred according to the Greek and a Parenthesis should be made In part saith the Apostle he hath brought Grief and Trouble to you all I say in part that I may not overcharge him that I may not aggravate his Fault too much But to speak Comparatively and with respect to the whole Church he hath not grieved me because I am inconsiderable in comparison of all of you The following Texts of St. Paul are to be explained thus 2 Cor. 5. 4. We that are in this Tabernacle do groan being burdened not for that we should be unclothed i. e. not for that only or Comparatively not for that Charity seeketh not her own 1 Cor. 13. 5. i. e. not solely and chiefly In respect of her generous Designs of Good for Others she may be said not to seek her Own Good and Advantage From which Sense of the Words we may know to interpret those other Texts Let no Man seek his own but every Man another's Wealth 1 Cor. 10. 24. All seek their own Phil. 2. 21. When this Apostle faith We wrestle not against Flesh and Blood but against Principalities c. Eph. 6. 12. the Sense certainly must be this We wrestle not only or chiefly against those but rather yea most against these Though we combate with our selves and our corrupt Natures and with evil Men yet our main Conflict is with the Spirits of Darkness the Apostate Angels who are hourly tempting and solicâ—ting us to Vice that they may bring us into the same State of Condemnation with themselves So when we are told that the Law is not made for a righteous Man but for the lawless and disobedient for the Ungodly and for Sinners c. 1 Tim. 1. 8. we must not with an Antinomian Gloss upon the Words exempt righteous and godly Men from their Obligation to the Moral Law for the Negative here hath not the Import of an Absolute Denial but signifies only that the delivering of the Law and especially the Commination of it were not primarily and chiefly designed for the Righteous for those that by the Grace of God observe the Precepts of it but for those notorious Offenders particularly enumerated in the following Words the Comminatory Part belongs to them Women are bid to adorn themselves not with broidered it should be broided Hair or Gold or Pearls or câ—stly Array but with good Works 1 Tim. 2. 9 10. With which we may join that of another Apostle Whose adorning let it not be the outward adorning of plaiting the Hair and of wearing of Gold or of putting on of Apparel but let it be the â—idden Man of the Heart 1 Pet. 3. 3 4. None can imagine that all outward adorning and wearing of Gold or putting on Apparel or costly Array are utterly unlawful and consequently forbidden here wherefore the Words are to be taken with some Restriction they are spoken Comparatively that is the Inward Adorning is far better and much more to be look'd after than the Outward and Bodily one Christian Women must adorn themselves rather with Humility and Sobriety than with these They ought not to be so solicitous about Apparel as about the Inward
our selves with some that commend themselves c. are spoken meerly in Derision of the False Apostles and Teachers who had gain'd upon the Corinthians and other Churches by their confident Boasting and vain Brags I dare not presume â—aith the Apostle to think my self as worthy as they are and so rank my self with thâ—se high-flown Teachers Yet we know he commends himself in the beginning of the 11th Chapter and again in ch 12. 11. which shews that these Words are said in an Ironical way This is that which he seems to say in ch 11. 17 c. That which I speak I speak not after the Lord but as it were foolishly in this Confidence of Boasting Seeing many glory after the Flesh brag of their Parts and Attainments I will glory also For ye suffer Fools gladly seeing ye your selves are wise Which is all of the same biting Strain and is as much as if he had said You that are so great Admirers of the false Apostles and are Men of such wise Heads and of so profound Capacities I know it is below you to censure such a shallow Fool as I am who cannot forbear prating of my Gifts and Abilities of my great Feats and Exploits forsooth which alas are nothing in comparison of what your famous Teachers and new Evangelists may glory in and value themselves upon But then in the following Verses he leaves off and 't was time to do so this looser sort of Stile and in a plain and close manner vindicates his Reputation and Dignity by vying with those bragging Impostors Are they Hebrews so am I c. That is a plain downright Irony in 2 Cor. 11. 4. If he that cometh preacheth another Iesus ye might well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fairly and honestly bear with him As if he had said Yes indeed you Men of Corinth are a civil easy sort of People if a new upstart Teacher should bring another Gospel to you you would do very well to receive him and bid him welcome Thus he in an Illusory kind of way rebukes their shameful Inconstancy and Levity In the same Vein is that in 2. Cor. 12. 13. Forgive me this wrong He had told them in the same Verse that they were inferiour to no Churches in any thing i. e. in any Privileges or Excellencies whatsoever except it was in this that he was not burdensom to them that is he put them to no Charges for his Preaching he preach'd the Gospel gratis For which great Wrong and Injury done to them he hopes he saith they will pardon him A very smart and pleasant Irony Thus it appears that this Figurative way of Speech is frequent in the Holy Writings Some perhaps would scarcely believe that there are so many Ironical Passages in this Holy Book they may think it is below the Gravity of the Sacred Stile to use Expressions of this kind But herein they are mistaken for the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures uses several different ways of dealing with Mankind and sutes himself to the various Dispositions Genius's and Inclinations of Men and therefore among other ways of Address and Application he disdains not This in particular because it may be made serviceable to very good Ends and be fitted to the Purposes of Religion Even in the Holy Tongue the same Word signiâ—ies to Deride and to Argue or Ratiocinate Both these may go together when there is a fit occasion for them A Man may use his Rational and Risible Faculty at once Ridentem dicere verum Quid vetat A Man may laugh and speak Truth at the same time This Urbanity may sometimes be very useful Very excellent things may be suggested in a Scommatick way For this Reason it is not unworthy of the Holy Ghost it is not unbecoming the Gravity and Seriousness of the Holy Prophets Apostles and even Christ himself to use this nipping sort of Raillery sometimes A Synecdoche is another common Figure in the Holy Writings whereby the Whole is mentioned instead of a Part and a Part instead of the Whole Of the former which is but rare there are some Instances in Glassius and such other Writers as treat of the Grammatical and Rhetorical Part of the Bible which the Reader may consult if he please Of the latter which is most observable there are various kinds but it will be sufficient to mention these which follow Sometimes the Soul which is but one half of Man is put for the whole Person All the Souls that came with Jacob into Egypt were threescore and ten Gen. 46. 26. i. e. so many Men and Women came with him And there are abundant Examples of this sort both in the Old and New Testament Sometimes the other Moiety the Body is expressive of the Whole Man as Rom. 12. 1. Present your Bodies i. e. your selves a living Sacrifice And Phil. 1. 20. Christ shall be magnified in my Body i. e. by me my whole person There is another Text which I will name Luke 21. 34. wherein there is this kind of Synecdoche though I find not that it is observed by those that comment on it Take heed to your selves lest at any time your Hearts be overcharg'd with Surfâ—iting and Drunkenness and Cares of this Life your Hearts i. e. your selves It must be meant of the Whole Man Body and Soul because not only Surfeiting and Drunkenness which belong to the Body only but Cares of this life which belong to the Soul and Mind are expresly mentioned Again some Parts of the World are mentioned for the whole as in Zâ—ch 8. 7. I will save my People from the East Country and from the West Country i. e. from all Regions and Parts of the World And in other Places two or three of the Cardinal Points stand for them all To the Synecdochical way of speaking belongs the using of an Even Number for an Odd one or a Round Number for one that is lesser or greater So some think the Year of Iubilee is call'd the Fiftieth Year Lev. 25. 10. meerly for the Evenness or Roundness of the Number and not because full Fifty Years go to every Jubilee for they hold that Forty nine Years make a Jubilee or rather that the forty ninth Year is the Year of Jubilee And truly it is adjusted to Reason and the Discovery we have concerning this Matter for the Jubilee is the Great Sabbath of Years and is composed of seven times seven Years which is exactly forty nine the last of which is the Jubilaean Year Odd Numbers are not regarded sometimes The Scripture is not so minute and critical as always to reckon preciâ—ely It is not unusual to omit a small Number of Years in a greater and bigger one In Numb 11. 24. the Elders are said to be seventy though two of the Number be wanting as is plain from ver 26. But others solve this by saying the full Number of them was seventy two It is recorded that the Persian King reigned over a hundred
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
of the Scripture said Tertullian and to him have ecchoed the rest of the Antient Fathers especially St. Cyprian Ierom Augustine Chrysostom who have highly magnified the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles and have been very Rhetorical in their Panegyricks upon them These and some other Brave Men in the first Ages of the Church signalized themselves by their Reverence and Esteem of the Scriptures and some of them consecrated their Wit and Poetry to this Noble Cause Nor have thse latter Ages been destitute of Persons of the most Celebrated Parts and Learning that have adored the Fulness and Perfection of the Scripture and have used their Wit and Eloquence in setting forth its Praiâ—â—s 〈◊〉 â—icinus that Great Philosophick Soul and the Noble Piâ—us Mirandula who was the best Linguist and Scholar of his age two as Learned Italians as that Nation ever bred and who may more than compound for those two other Italians mentioned in my former Discourse who so impiously vilified the Sacred Writings after they had read all good Authors rested in the Bible as the only Book and particularly it was pronounced by the latter of them that now he had found the 〈◊〉 Eloqueâ—â—e and Wisdom Yea these last Times have produced Men of the Choicest Brains of the Briskest Parts of the Greateâ—t Humane Learning who have employâ—d these excellent Talents in embelishing the Sacrâ—d Scriptures witness Caâ—â—â—llio who hath turned the Whole Bible into Purâ— Terse Elegant Latin able to tempt us to read this Book And â—rotius hath incompaâ—ably asserted the Propriety and Elegancy of the Sacred Stile and many Other excâ—llâ—â—t Persons who have defended this Holy Book against the Insults and Cavils of profane Men. We could name Others of the most Sparkling Wit and Fancy who have exercised their Poetick Genius in descanting either on the Sacred Hiâ—tory of the Bible or on those Divine Matters which are contained in it and have thought their Pens yea Poetry it self â—nobled by such a Subject We could mention others of the most Serious Thoughts and of the most Impartial Judgment not only among those that are Prâ—â—essed Divines and that have adorned the Sacred Scripture by their Learned Expositions Comments Annotations Paraphrases Lectures Sermons Discourses but also among Persons of another Rank and Capacity who have given the Bible the Pre-eminence of all Writings I will at present mention only Mr. Selden and Judg Haâ—e the former was one of the greatest Scholars and Antiquaries of this Age and made a vast Amassment of Books and Manuscripts from all Parts of the World a Library perhaps not to be equall'd oâ— all Accounts in the Universe This Man of Books and Learning holding some serious Conference with Archbishop Vsher a little before he died professed to him that notwithstanding he had poâ—â—essed himself of that vast Treasure of Books and Manuscripts in all antient Subjects yet he could rest his Soul on none but the Scriptures And hear what the other Gentleman of the same Studies and Profession declares I have been acquainted somewhat with Men and Books and have had long Experience in Learning and in the World There is no Book like the Bible for excellent Learning Wisdom and Vse and it is want of Vnderstanding in them that think or speak otherwise This is sufficient to shew that the most Noble and Refined Wits the most Knowing and the most Judicious Heads bear the greatest Regard and Esteem for the Holy Scriptures and prefer them before all other Writings in the World It may pass for a Certain Maxim that the more learned any Man is the more he prizeth the Bible the greater Regard he hath for these Sacred Records It was said of old that it was a Sign of a great Proficiency in Good Letters to love Tully's Writings It is much more a Sign of our Improvement in true Learning that we delight in the Holy Scriptures and love them above all Writings whatsoever We shew our Proficiency by reverently esteeming the Bible and preferring it before all other Authors We discover that we have a Sense of True and Useful Knowledg when we value this Book wherein it is contain'd when we admire this Volume where all Excellencies meet together To evince this I will undertake these following things I. To shew the matchless Usefulness of the Bible in respect of Spiritual Divine and Supernatural Matters II. To demonstrate its Transcendent Excellency in regard of things Temporal and Secular such as are for the Improvement of all kinds of Humane Learning and for the Use of Life III. To give a Proof of this Excellency and Perfection by a particular displaying of the several Books contain'd in this Holy Volume IV. To let you see that this Perfection is not impaired by what is objected and alledged 1. Concerning the Loss of some Books which had formerly been a part of the Old and New Testament 2. Concerning the great Difference between the Hebrew of the Old Testament and the Greek Translation of the Seventy Where I will endeavour to discover the true Grounds and Foundations of those Mistakes that are in the LXX's Version and shew whence it arises that there is such a Discrepancy between that and the Original Verity V. I will attempt an Emendation of the present English Version which in several Places seems to me to be defective that I may hereby restore the New Testament for of that I shall chiefly speak to its native Perfection and Lustre Lastly I will invite and solicit the Reader to the Study of the Bible and direct him in so laudable and worthy an Employment First I will demonstratively prove the Transcendent Excellency of these Writings in respect of the things which are Divine and have an immediate relation to Religion Thus they are the only Canon of our Faith the exact Standard of our Lives and they mark us out the Way to solid Comfort peace and Happiness These are the three things I will insist upon 1. This Holy Book is the Absolute and Perfect Rule of our Faith This comprises in it every thing that is the Object of our Belief the Maâ—â—â—r of our Assent Here we are taught to believeâ— a God an Immortal Independent All-sufficient Self-subsisting Spirit who is infinitely Wife powerful Just and Merciful who though he was ineffably happy in the fruition of his own immense and transcendent Perfections yet that he might communicate his Goodness to others was pleased to frame the World with all the excellent Furniture which we behold in it By the Word of the Lord the Heavens were made and all the Host of them by the Breath of his Mouth Psal. 33. 6. He laid the Foundations of the Earth and gave to the Sea his Decree and set a Compass on the Face of the Deep Psal. 104. 5. Prov. 8. 27 29. We are assured from these Writings that God's Providence governs the World and all things in it whether great or small Psal. 147. 8 c. Matth. 10. 29
Church's Hands by the Prophets and Apostles shall by her be deliver'd over to her Children to the World's End which way of Transmission is the great Prop of our Religion Besides the Apostle enjoins the Thessalonians to hold fast the Traditions which they had been taught whether by Word or his Epistle for he had used two ways of delivering the Truth to them namely Preaching and Writing and other Apostles committed the chief and necessary Heads of their Doctrine to Writing So that the Traditions meant here are the Revealed Truths of the Gospel delivered by the Apostles and Evangelists and are no other than what Christ deliver'd to them according to that of St. Paul I delivered to you that which also I received whence they have the Name of Traditions i. e. they are Evangelical Doctrines delivered to us from those that were taught them by Christ. And whether they were imparted by Word or by Epistle by Preaching or Writing they are the same the same as to substance the otherwise there may be some difference But that which we condemn and that most justly the Papists for is this that they magnify and rely upon Traditions which have no affinity with the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles yea which contradict it in many things and yet they equalize these with the Word of God and sometimes prefer them and the Authority of the Church before that of the Sacred Writings of the Old and New Testament Thus One saith The Church sometimes doth things contrary to the Scriptures sometimes besides them therefore the Church is the Rule and Standard of the things that are delivered in the Scriptures and therefore we believe the Church though she acts counter to the formal Decisions of the Scriptures And an other Famous Doctor gives it for good Divinity that the Decrees and Determinations of a Council are binding though they be not confirmed by any probable Testimony of Scripture nay though they be beyond and above the Determination of Scripture Thus the Holy Writings of the Bible are most impiously disparaged and vilisied by the Pontificians Whereas there is nothing defective or redundant nothing wanting or superfluous in these Writings they assert in the open face of the World that they are short and imperfect and therefore have need of being supplied by Traditions which in some things are of greater Value and Authority than they Again that the Church of Rome oppugneth or rather denieth the Perfection of the Scriptures might be evinced from their constant care and endeavour to keep them in an Vnknown Tongue It is true they have translated them But 1. There was a kind of necessity of doing it the Protestants having turned them into so many Tongues By this means they were compelled as it werâ— to let some of their people see what the Bible was in their own Language But 2. It is so corruptly translated that it is made to patronize several of their Superstitious Follies and Errors And yet 3. They dare not commit these Translations to common View Although in all Countries where People were converted to Christianity in elder times the Scripture was turned into their Language and every one was permitted yea exhorted to read it as is proved by many Writers the Learned Dr. Stillingfleet particularly yet the Church of Rome denieth the common People the Use of it as a thing hurtful and pernicious The Bible as some Bad Book is tolerated to be read with great Caution and Restriction in some Countries only and by some Persons It is like the Sibyls Prophecies of old among the Romans not to be look'd into without the permission and Authority of the Senate none can read it without a Licence from their Superiours so dangerous a thing is the Bible From this Practice the People generally imbibe a strong Prejudice against the Scriptures and believe they cannot be good for them because the Pope and their Pastors tell them they are not Wherefore as one who was once of the Communion of the Church of â—ome hath well observed As soon as ever any Man imbraces Popery he presently throws the Bible out of his Hands as altogether useless to say no worse Which unreasonable and wicked Behaviour of theirs was one great Reason or Motive as he professeth of his returning to the Church of England again For what Considerate Man can think That to be a True Church which teacheth its Members to slight and reject the Word of God which is the Source of all Divine Truth and without which we can neither believe nor practise aright we can neither have Comfort here nor arrive to Happiness hereafter This indeed is not only to null â—â—e Perfection of Scripture but to abolish the whole Body of Scripture it self A third sort of Persons that are Opposers of the Perfection of Scripture are Enthusiasts and such who act out of a truly Fanatick Principle Such were the Familists heretofore whose Pretences to the Spirit were so high that they excluded and renounced the Letter of Scripture which according to their Stile was a dark Lanthorn a liveless Carcass a Book shut up and seal'd with seven Seals the Scabbard not the Sword of the Spirit or if it be a Sword it is the Sword of Antichrist wherewith he kills Christ. This was the impious Jargon of these High-flown Men who made no other Use of the Bible than to Allegorize it and to turn it all into Mystery These have been followed by Others of a like Fanatick Spirit who have made it a great part of their Religion to despise and reproach the Sacred Writ A late Enthusiast or rather one that pretends to be such but designs the Overthrow of all Religion tells the World that the Bible is founded in Imagination that God's Revelations in Scripture are ever according to the Fancy of the Prophets or other Persons he spoke to and that all the Phrases and Speeches all the Discoveries and Manifestations yea all the Historical Passages in the Old and New Testament are adapted to these The Quaker comes next and refuseth to own the Scripture to be the Word of God and the Perfect Rule by which we are to direct our Lives It is a great Error and Falsity saith one of the most considerable Persons of that Perswasion that the Scriptures are a filled up Canon and the only Rule of Faith and Obedience in all things and that no more Scriptures are to be writ or given forth from the Spirit of the Lord. With whom agrees another of as great Repute among that Tribe I see no Necessity saith he of believing that the Canon of Scripture is filled up And again The Scriptures saith he are not to be esteemed the Principal Ground of all Truth and Knowledg nor yet the Adequate Primary Rule of Faith and Manners but they are only a Secondary Rule subordinate to the Spirit And accordingly he adds That the inward Inspirations and Revelations which Men
wonderful Efficacy of the Holy Spirit in those Days the Rejection of the Unbelieving Jews the utter Destruction of their City Temple and whole Nation by the Romans for their rejecting and crucifying the Messias and other particular things belonging to the times of the Gospel which none of the Lesser Prophets speak of but this Malachi is the last of these Prophets yea of all the Prophets of that Dispensation After him ceased Vision and Prophecy in Israel until Christ's appearing when Zachary Simeon Mary Elizabeth Anna were illuminated with the Prophetick Spirit He prophesied about 300 Years before our Saviour's time reproving the Jews for their Ungrateful and Wicked Living after their Return from Babylon particularly he chargeth them with Rebellion Sacrilege Adultery Profaneness Infidelity but especially he reprehends the Priests for being Careless and Scandalous in their Ministry which one thing was sufficient to give Authority to others to be Vicious At the same time he forgets not to take notice of and incourage the Pious Remnâ—nt in that corrupted Age who feared the Lord and thought upon his Name whose Godly Converse and Associating with one another in that debauched time he assures them were registred in a Book of Remembrance by God himself This Prophet who had pointed before at the Messias to be exhibited for he expresly â—aith He shall suddenly come to his Temple now shuts up his Prophecy and indeed all the Prophecies of the Old Testament with an Exhortation to remember the Law i. e. to live according to its holy Rules and Injunctions and with a Promise of the Coming of the Lord who was to be usher'd in by Elijah the Prophet i. e. by Iohn the Baptist who came in the Spirit and Power of Elias Luke 1. 17. And so this Close of the Old Testament refers to the New to which I now hasten CHAP. X. An Account of the Writings of the Four Evangelists the peculiar Time Order Stile Design of their Gospels The Act of the Apostles shew'd to be an Incomparable History of the Primitive Church The Epistles of St. Paul particularly delineated He is proved to be the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews An Enquiry into the Nature of this Apostle's Stile and manner of Writing The excellent Matter and Design of the Epistles of St. James St. Peter St. John St. Jude An Historical Series or Order is not observ'd in the Book of the Revelation NEXT follow the Sacred Books of the New Testament the Evangelical Novels the New Laws of Christianity the True Authenticks which present us with the actual Discoveries of the Glorious Light of the Gospel and of the Blessed Author of it These were writ in Greek for the same Reason that Ioseph the Jew chose to write his Books not in his own Language but in this because as he saith himself in his Preface to the Iewish War he would have them read and understood by Greeks and Romans and all Persons So Aelian was a Roman yet writ his Books of Animals and Various History c. in Greek because this was the Universal Language at that time These Writings of the New Testament are either Histories or Epistles The Histories are the Four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles As for the former the Writings of the Four Evangelists there were none of them extant whilest Christ was on Earth for till his being taken up to Heaven which was the Consummation of all he had before done and suffer'd they could not make the Evangelical History perfect But afterwards some of the Apostles and Disciples resolving according to their Master's Order to go and preach in foreign Regions and to disperse the Christian Religion over all the World put forth the History of the Gospel in Writing before they went about this great Work St. Matthew was the first Inspired Person that committed the Evangelical Transactions to Writing which he did about eight Years after Christ's Passion A. D. 42. He alone of all the Evangelists say St. Ierom Eusebius St. Augustine Chrysostom and most of the Antient Writers of the Church wrote his Gospel first in Hebrew which partly appears from this that some of the Hebrew Words are explained by the Person who translated it into Greek who it is probable was St. Matthew himself as the Antients generally agree and so the Hebrew and Greek Copies are both of them the Originals Then St. Mark and St. Luke writ their Gospels the one about ten tho others say twenty the other about twenty some say thirty Years after our Saviour's Death and there are some that invert the Order and give the Priority to St. Luke But all agree that St. Iohn was the last of the Evangelists and wrote towards the latter end of the first Century But as for the Punctual Time when the Evangelists put forth the Gospels it is doubtful and I do not find any certain ground whereoâ— we may â—ix a satisfactory resolution of the Doubtâ—punc This may be observ'd that St. Matthew and St. Iohn were Eye-witnesses of what they wrote 〈◊〉 St. Mark and St. Luke had what they wrote from the relation of others Particularly St. Mark who was St. Peter's Companion composed his Gospel by his Order and Direction and with his especial Approbation saith Eusebius Again it is to be observ'd that tho every Evangelist relates nothing but the Truth yet no one of them relates the Whole Truth concerning Christ's Life and Actions Tho the Substance of the Gospel be contain'd in every one of these Writers yet some Particulars are found in one that do not occur in another which makes it necessary to consult them all and to compare them together As for St. Matthew and St. Mark we may take notice that they do not always observe the Order of Time and the true Sâ—ries of the Matter especially the former of these is not curious in this particular But as for thâ— other two Evangelists they are very punctual and inviolably observe the Order of things as they happen'd excepting only that Parenthesis for such it is in Luke 3. 19 20. concerning Herod Of all the Evangelists St. Luke is the fullest and gives the compleatest mosâ— circumstantial and orderly Relation of things which he himself takes notice of in his Preface to his Gospel in those Words to Theophilus It seâ—med good to me having had perfect Vnderstanding of all things from the very first to write unto thee in order And yet though his Gospel be ample and more methodical in the Narrative or History than the rest yet he is but brief in relating things that our Saviour did till the last Year of his Preaching St. Matthew having been full in them and in some other things he hath need of a supply from the rest of the Evangelists and more especially from St. Iohn whose Gospel from the Beginning of the 14th Chapter to the End of the 17th contains those Excellent Discourses of our Saviour before his Passion which were wholly
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
constant Profession of it without wavering and to a Holy Life and Conversation sutable to so excellent â— Doctrine he with great Industry endeavours to convince them of the Danger of Apostacy he confirms them in the Christian Doctrine amidst all the Persecutions and Difficulties they labour'd under And lastly he is solicitous to prevent their revolting by setting before them the most Eminent Examples of Faith and Patience These are the Momentous Themes which are observable in this Epistle I know some have doubted whether this Incomparable Epistle be St. Paul's and others have absolutely denied that it is his yet still allowing that it was written by some Inspired Person and belongs to the Canon of Holy Scripture The Learned Grotius endeavours to prove that St. Luke wrote it But for my Part I have no Inclination to believe that any other Person than St. Paul penn'd this Epistle for this is most clear from that one Place 2 Pet. 3. 16. Even as our beloved Brother Paul also according to the Wisdom given unto him hath written unto you St. Peter here speaks to the Iews for to them this Epistle as well as the former was written as appears from the Title of it To the Strangers scatter'd throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia i. e. the Iews dispersed up and down the World who by St. iames are call'd the twelve Tribes which are scatter'd abroad These tho they neither lived in Palestine nor used the Hebrew Tongue but lived among the Greeks and spoke that Language generally and used the Greek Bible viz. the Translation of the Septuagint in their Synagogues and were commonly known by the Name of Hellenists and consequently were not Hebrews or Iews in the strictest and properest Sense yet because they were of Iewish Parentage and professed or had once professed the Iewish Religion they were still call'd Iews or Hebrews and accordingly have that Denomination here So that St. Paul here and St. Peter and St. Iames write their Epistles to the same Persons that is to the Converted Iews that were dispersed abroad especially in Greece and which is the Argument I make use of at present St. Peter particularly takes notice of St. Paul's Writing to these Dispersed Jews But how doth it appear that he writ to them Thus all the Epistles of this Apostle which we have mentioned before excepting this which we are now speaking of were written either to the Churches of believing Gentiles or to some Particular Persons as hath been noted already whence it follows that seeing he wrote to the Iews or Hebrews as St. Peter testifies he was the Author of this remaining Epistle which is inscribed to them We are certain that St. Paul writ to the Iews because St. Peter tells us so that is he tellâ— us that St. Paul wrote to those to whom he wrote but St. Peter wrote to the Iews or Hebrews both his Epistles therefore St. Paul wrote to them likewise and this Epistle to the Hebrews which we now have must be that very Epistle because thâ—râ— is no other of his to them besides it Wherefore it is an undeniable Consequence that the Epistle to the Hebrews was writ by St. Paul and by none else which was the thing to be proved Again I might further add that what the Apostle Peter saith concerning St. Paul's Epistles or concerning the Matters contain'd in them for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may refer rather to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. that there are in them some things hard to be understood doth agree well to the Sublime Matter of the Epistle to the Hebrews wherein so many Prophecies Types Allegories and Mysteries are treated of and applied so that it may probably be inferr'd hence that this Epistle is referr'd to in particular and consequently that St. Paul was the Author of it To corrobate this we may subjoin the unanimous Testimony of the Greek Fathers who generally attribute this Epistle to St. Paul With whom agree the Schoolmen and all the Writers of the Church of Rome but Erasmus and Cajetan and Ludovicus Vives assert the same Most of the Lutherans are of this Opinion though herein they dissent from their Master Luther and the Reformed Churches as distinct from the Lutherans are of the same Perswasion though Calvin be of another Mind which shews that there are very Cogent Reasons for this Opinion otherwise these Parties would not dissent from their Masters It may be added that Our English Church in the Title calls it the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews As for the Reason of the Omission of his Name in the Beginning of this Epistle which is not to be observ'd in his Others perhaps it was as Clement of Alexandria Athanasius Chrysostom Theophilact conjecture because his Name was odious to most of the Iews he having been once a Iews but afterwards abandon'd that Religion wherefore he advisedly left out his Name that it might not prejudice what he writ and that the Epistle might not be thrown away for the Author's sake But whether this was the Reason why his Name is not inserted as in the rest of his Epistles I am not able to determine only I am sufficiently convinced from what St. Peter saith that this Epistle was writ by St. Paul that single Testimony is Proof enough Here I might take occasion having hitherto given you a brief Account of the Excellent Matter of this Apostle's Writings which are so great a Part of the New Testament to speak something concerning his Stile or rather to add to what I have already said of it in another Place under this Proposition There are no Solaecisms in the Holy Writings This I am the more willing to do because some have look'd upon this Apostle as a Man of no Eloquence yea scarcely of any Grammar and Consistency of Sense which Imputation would argue a great Defect and Imperfection in Scripture and therefore I am obliged to take notice of it It is true there are several things which render his Stile somewhat dark and perplexed in sundry Places He brings in Objections sometimes but doth not intimate that the Words are spoken in that way as in Rom. 3. 5 6 7. and other Places which makes the Sense difficult to those that do not carefully examine the Context In the 4th Chapter of that Epistle ver 1. a Negative is left out viz. the Answer to the preceding Question which should have been thus No he hath not found And in ver 8. the Note of Parenthesis is omitted as 't is in several other Places Further 't is observable that the Apostle hath sometimes references to Words and Things which he had mention'd before but which he seem'd to have quite laid aside in his Discourse Thus he turns back again in 2 Cor. 3. 17. and refers to what was said before in ver 6. for those Words in the latter Place The Lord is that Spirit refer to the former
Acts and Works of Holiness Wherefore he offers several Plain Marks and Tokens whereby they may certainly know whether they be Real Christians truly Religious and the Children of God The Sum of all he propounds is this that if they love God and their Brethren and demonstrate this Love by the proper and geâ—â—ine Fruits of it then they may conclude they are Christians indeed otherwise they are mere strangers to Christianty and to all Religion they deceive themselves and there is no Truth in them This the Beloved Disciple and Divine Amorist inculâ—ates with that Spirit Warmth and Earnestness which so Weighty a Subject deserves His second Epistle is written to the Elect Lady and her Children that is saith St. Ierom to some Eminent Select Church in Asia and to all the Christians belonging to it for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Athenians and Curia with the Romans are of the same Import with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Assembly Perhaps Ephesus is meant saith a Learned Man which was the Metropolis of Asia and so may more signally be call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But it is the general Opinion of the Antients and Moderns that a person not a Church 〈◊〉 meant here and that St. Iohn the Evangelist not another Presbyter of that Name as St. Ierom thinks writes to a Vertuous Lady who was an 〈◊〉 Servant of Christ a very Godly and Religions Woman or it may be her Proper Name was Elect as a Learned Critick hath conjectured Which may seem the more probable because the word hath no Article prefix'd to it It was usual with our Saviour himself as the Evangelical Writings inform us to make his Applications to those of this Sex to cherish and commend their Vertues It is particularly recorded that of the Chief Women afterwards call'd Honourable Women not a few were St. Paul's Proselytes And to descend lower we read that St. Ierom took great Pains in instructing the Roman Ladies and in commending and incouraging their Study of the Holy Scriptures Yea many of his Writings were directed and dedicated to Noble Women Widows and Virgins as Paula Eustochium Salvina Celantia and several others that were Roman Ladies and of noble Extraction Such is our Elect here who is the only Person of that Sex to whom an Inspired Epistle is written She is commended for her vertuous bringing up her Children she is exhorted to abide in the Doctrine of Christ to perservere in the Truth and to be careful to avoid all Delusions of False Teachers But chiefly the Apostle beseecheth this Noble Matron to practise the great and indispensable Commandment of Christian Love and Charity His third Epistle was writ to Gaius a Converted Iew or Gentile as others think because he hath a Roman Name a Man of a fair Estate and who had been very bountiful and hospitable to the Saints The Design of the Epistle is to own and commend his Hospitality especially his seasonable Beneâ—icence and Charity to Strangers to those that were Exiles for the Cause of Christianity and to stir him up to continue in the Exercise of the same Charity and Liberality to the distressed Brethren Demetrius is propounded as an eminent Example of this for which and all other Vertues he had the good Report of all Men yea and of the Truth it self that is as he was spoken well of by every one so he really deserv'd it On the other side he complains of the Uncharitable Insolent and Ambitious Diotrephes a Prating Opposer not only of him and his Doctrine but of all the true Servants of Iesus The General Epistle of Iude or Iudas as we render it in Iohn 14. 22. it being the same Name with that of the Traitor for it is no unusual thing for good and bad Men to have the same Names as in the Old Testament Eliab Iehu Hananiah c. in the New Testament Simon Iohn Ananias are Instances of this This Epistle I say of this Good Apostle with a Bad Man's Name was written to all Christian Churches or at least to all the Iewish Christians Dispersed the same to whom St. Iames and St. Peter wrote wherein he exhorts them to contend for the Faith against those Dreaming Hereticks and Seducers that were at that time crept into the Church whose Erroneous Tenents and Ungodly Practices he here particularly deciphers and from the Examples of God's Vengeance on other Great Offenders infers the Certainty of these Mens Ruine In short this Epistle hath all the Marks of a true Apostolick Spirit and is of the same Argument with the second Epistle of St. Peter and is a kind of Epitome of it and therefore I need not be very Particular in rehearsing the Contents The last Book of the New Testament is the Revelation of St. John the Divine which Epithet is signally given to him here because of the Divinity and Sublimity of his Raptures because he of all the Apostles had the greatest Communications of Divine Mysteries It may be referr'd either to the Historical Books or to the Epistles to the former because it is a Prophetick History of the State of the Church from the Apostles times to the end of the World to the latter because it is in the Form of an Epistle after the three first Verses by way of Preface viz. to the Seven Churches of Asia at first planted by and now under the Government of St. Iohn and as it begins so it ends after the usual way of concluding Epistles The Grace of our Lord Iesus â—brist be with you all Amm. Concerning the precise time when St. Iohn receiv'd and when he wrote this Revelation there is some Dispute but the most probable if not the most generally received Opinion is that he being â—â—nish'd into Patmos an Isle in the Archipelago situated about forty Miles from the Continent of Asia by Domitian under whom was the Second persecution this Revelation was deliver'd to him about the middle of the Emperor's Reign but at several times and that he committed it to Writing about the latter end of it As to the Visions themselves I will not here particularly inâ—ist upon any of them only in general it is commonly said and believed that the Vision of the Seals sets forth the State of the Church under the Heathen Persecâ—tions from Nero to the end of Dioclesian's Persecâ—tion the Vision of the Trumpets which follows that shews the Calamity of the Church by Herâ—sies Schisms and Persecutions afterwards in the times succeeding the Pagan Roman Emperors viz. under Papacy And then the Vials tell what Vengeance befals the Papal Antichrist and all the Churches Enemies So that the Seals Trumpets and Vials give an Account of the three Grand Periods of the Church There is great Probability of this but I must add and I will offer it to the Reader as a thing necessary to be taken notice of in order to the right understanding of this Book that the Order of Time and History is
Acts 20. 35. It 〈◊〉 more blessed to give than to receive is recited as the Words of the Lord Iesus yet we find them not recorded in the Gospel But our Blessed Master freqâ—ently utter'd Words that were of the like Import as is easy to prove or rather I conceive we may truly say that he spoke this very Sentence for it may be observ'd that what is here quoted is not only call'd the Words of the Lord Iesus but this is added how he said to let us know that he said these very Words when he was upon Earth And many the like Excellent Sayings and Aphorisms he prenounced which as well as innumerable Actions that he did were kept in remembrance by the Apostles but were not written down of which St. Iohn speaks ch 20. v. 30. 21. 25. So that it is impossible to prove hence that any Book belonging to the Sacred Canon is lost As for the Objection grounded on St. Iude v. 14. viz. that Eâ—och's Book which is quoted by this Apostle and if it had not been Canonical it would not have been quoted by him is lost some as Origen Ierom Augustine grant it to be so but deny it to be Canonical it being their Judgment that St. Iude might if he thought â—it alledg an Apocryphal Writer But according to my Apprehension the brief and satisfactory Answer is that there is no mention there of any Book or Writing of â—â—och and therefore none can infer thence that â—ny Book or Writing of his is lost It is only said He prophesied saying c. which he might do and questionless did without penning down any of hiâ— Prophetical Sayings but they were transmitted from Generation to Generation and thence it was 〈◊〉 the Apostle Iude inserted this into his Epistle Nor are we to be concern'd that a Book of Enooh is mention'd by some of the Antient Writers of the Church for 't is well known that they had several Spâ—rious Authors among them and as a Learned Doctor of the sorbon observes all the Fathers exâ—â—pt Terâ—ullian reckon this that went under the Name of Enoch as such But are not some of the Writings of the New Teâ—â—ament wanting seeing there was a Third Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians in order the first I â—rote unto you in an Epistle not to keep Company with â—ornicators 1 Cor. 5. 9. Therefore it appears hence that there was another before this which passes commonly for the first But this is not extant for we have now but two that bear the Name of that â—lessed Apostle Answ. Nor were there ever any more for when he saith he wrote to them in an Epistle he means this very First Epistle he was now writing He refers to what he had said bâ—fore in the former Part of that Chapter and the meaning is When I even now wrote unto you in this Epistle ver 2. not to keep Company with Fornicators I do not mean the Fornicators of this World Thus St. Chrysostom and Theophylact interpret the Place But if I may be permitted to vary from those Excellent Fathers I would propound one of these two ways of understanding the Apostle's Words First it may be he hath reference here to what he saith afterwards in this Epistle ch 6 v. 13. and again v. 18. ch 7. v. 2. where he writes to them to avoid Fornication Wherefore upon reading over this Epistle after he had finish'd it he thought good to insert this and to take notice here of what he saith afterwards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have saith he written to yâ—â— in this Epistle viz. in some of the following Chapters against Fornication and joining your selves to Persons that are noted for that Vice Or else I conceive the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Preterit for the present Tense of which there are very near an hundred Instances in the New Testament and all Men vers'd in Criticism know that there is nothing more common Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used in this very Epistle ch 9. v. 15. Neither have I written these things i. e. at this time in this Epistle that I am now writing This any Man that consults the Context will be forc'd to acknowledg to be the true Sense of the Place whence it appears that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is equivalent with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So you will find the Word must be taken in the 1st Epistle of St. Iohn 2d Chapter you will see and be throughly convinced that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 12 13. is expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 14 21. And thus in the Text that is before us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no other than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I write unto you in this Epistle not to c. Which that it ought to be rendred so is evident from ver 11. which is but a Repetition or Reassumption of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now I write unto you the Adverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shews that it is spoken of the Present Instant Time though the Greek Verb be in the Praeterit This then I offer as the plain Sense of the Text and Context I write unto you O Corinthians in this my Letter not to be mingled so the Word properly denotes with Fornicators or with the Covetous or Extortioners or Idolaters for then you must needs go out of the World there being so great a Multitude of them but this is that which I mean that you should avoid the Company of a Brother i. e. a Professed Christian if he be given to Fornication Covetousness Extortion or Idolatry This is the Thing which I at this time write and signify to you So that you see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the simple and plain Tenour of the Words may convince any Man of it And therefore the true and genuine Translation both of the former and latter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is I write which makes the Apostle's Sense clear and perspicuous I appeal to any Man of Judgment and Sagacity whether this Account of the Words be not exactly adjusted to Grammar and Criticism to the Scope of the Apostle and the Design of the Context besides that it is serviceable to the Business in hand viz. utterly to overthrow the Surmise of an Epistle written to the Corinthians before this which the Apostle is here writing If the Learned Drusius or the Excellent Grotius had weighed these things which I have suggested I doubt not but they would have chang'd their Minds they would not have cried out that this Epistle here spoken of is lost But it is further said that the Apostle writ 〈◊〉 Epiâ—â—le to the Lâ—odiceaâ—s as may be collected from Câ—l 4. 16. which is wanting at this Day that is although iâ— be extant and allowed of by somâ— Authors yet it is not put into the Canon of the New Testament wherefore the Canon is
Imperfect I answer 1. It is true there is an Epistle to the Laodicâ—ans which goes under St. Paul's Name but it is generally voted to be Spâ—rioâ—s and Counterfeit 2. The Apostle in that Place to the Colossians speaks not of an Epistle to the Laodiceans buâ— from Laodicea for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot conveniently be â—ranâ—â—â—ted otherwise Yet I know 〈◊〉 how it comes to pass that so sharp a Critick as Sir N. Kâ—aâ—chbull holds it was an Epistle written by the Apostle to the Laodicâ—ans and saith it is lost Hiâ— Critical Genius fail'd him here for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carries no such Sense with it As he himself illustrates the Phrase it should be an Epistle not 〈◊〉 but of th◠〈◊〉 for he saith this way of speaking is frequent as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some of the Synagogue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Stoicks or those that â—elong'd in the Stoa According to this Idiom whicâ—â—his Learned Gentleman alledgeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be an â—pistle of the Laodiceans and then 't is nothing to his purpose unless he could have proved that of the Laodiceans or of Laodicea is the same with to Laodioea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is â—endred by the Old Latin ea qua est Laodicensiurn which Version this Learned Man produces and applauds as if it were on his side but I conceive the â—mport of the Latin is not what he represents it to be viz. the Epistle which was written to the Laodiceans by the apostle At least there is no necessity of making this Construction for it may as well signify an Epistle written from Laodicea by the Apostle If it be demanded what Epistle this was and conâ—â—quently what Epistle is here meant The Answer is that it is probable it is the first Epistle to Timothy that being written from Laodiâ—ea as you will find in the Close of it Or 3. if he speaks of an Epistle brought to the Colossians from Laodicea it being wrote to the Christians of that Place by St. Paul it may be the Epistle to the Ephesians because Laodicea was a Church within the Circuit of the Ephesian Church which was the Metropolitan of all Asia And Ephesus being the chief City of this Proconsular Asia this Epistle may refer to all the Province As to the Ground and Occasion of producing an Epistle to the Laodiceans perhaps it was this St. Paul order'd that his Epistle to the Colossians should be read in the Church of the Laodiceans which was near to Colosse Col. 4. 16. And we must remember this that though Colosse was a considerable City yet Laodicea was more considerable in that Province But it is likely there were more Christians in the former than in the latter and that moved the Apostle to direct his Epistle to the Colossians but withal he enjoins it to be read in the Church of Laodicea the chief City Now it being read there it was said to be an Epistle to the Laodiceans whence in time some feigned this Epistle which is now extant This I conceive may be the Cause of the Mistake and Forgery Lastly if after all we should suppose though I see no Reason for it that the Epistle which St. Paul here speaks of is lost yet if the Substance of it be contain'd in the Other Epistles or in the rest of the Books of the New Testament which we have the Scripture is not maimed and therefore the Objectors have no Reason to cavil against it as Imperfect and Defective But an Objection of another Nature is shaped oâ—t of 1 Cor. 7. 6. I speak this of permission and not of Commandment And v. 12. To the rest speak I nâ—â— the Lord And v. 25. I have no Commandment of the Lord yet I give my Iudgment And 2 Cor. 8. 8. I speak not by Commandment And again Chap. 11. v. 17. I speak not after the Lord. From all which Texts they gather that there is something in St. Paul's Epistles that is not divinely dictated He acknowledgeth as much himself say they and we ought to give credit to him And if it be thus wherein doth this Part of Scripture excel any other Writings I will return a distinct Answer to the several Quotations The first speaks of the mutual rendering that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 3. required in the Conjugal State and the Apostle shews the Extent of the Obligation of this Advice which he gives about it I speak this saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in way of Permission that is I herein permit you to do as you shall see Occasion as you shall find your selves disposed If you can refrain in those Circumstances I mention then do so but if not I allow you to act otherwise I speak to you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of Commandment i. e. in a peremptory way I am not positive I do not command you I have no Absolute Injunction to lay upon you in this Matter If you can forbear you had best to do so but I have no Authority to force it upon you Thus the Apostle lets them see how far his Doctrine obliges and what Authority it hath And this he speaks as an Inspired Person So that it is ridiculous to collect hence that he was not Inspired when he wrote this Passage in his Epistle The Second Place speaks of Divorce or the Separation of married Persons in case of unequal Marriages viz. between Christians and Infidels These are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Rest which he now distinctly applies his Discourse to To these saith he speak I i. e. I as an Apostle I as a Person divinely enlightn'd declare this that their best course is to live together and not to think of parting This is that which I say to those who are married to Unbelievers and I say it by immediate Revelation â—rom God That is the true Meaning of Speak I And any considerate Man that well weighs the Words cannot but discern it It follows and not the Lord i. e. God hath given us no express Command about this We find nothing of it in Moses's Law which was from the Lord himself The Apostle refers here to what he had said before in this Chapter about Married Persons v. 2 3. which was according to the Mosaick Law Exod. 21. 10. and a Law before that viz. in Genesis ch 2. v. 24. which obligeth the Married Couple to be faithful to one another But here saith he in our present Case the Lord hath left no positive and Absolute Precept or Prohibition Or it may have respect also to Christ our Lord and then the meaning of I speak and not the Lord is this what I now deliver to you is not from our B. Saviour directly It is not expresly set down in the Gospel as spoken by Him when he was here on Earth but I gather it from the general Doctrine of the Gospel and I make this Collection and Inference by the
Task we have no reason to deny the Authority of their Version i. e. that it was really Theirs and that it is Genuine We are certain that it was approved of by the Testimony of all the Iews who flourish'd before the Destruction of Ierusalem viz. Aristaeas Eupolemus Aristobulus both the Philo's Iosephus c. We are certain that the Hellenist Iews i. e. such as lived among the Grecians and read the Scriptures in this Version and pray'd and performed all other Offices in Greek esteemed it equally with the Original and read it constantly in their Synagogues We are certain that Christ and the Apostles followed this Translation generally And we are sure that the Greek and Latin Church for 400 Years received and approved it as the most Authentick of all the Greek Translations But this you will say makes the Objection stronger For if the LXX's Version be of such Authority and yet differs from the Hebrew then this shakes the Credit and Authority of the Hebrew which is the Original Scripture But I answer we are giving the Greek Translation of the Seventy its due but we do not intend hereby to wrong the Hebrew Yea our design is to give unto both what belongs to them which I find several Learned Writers of late are unwilling to do When I affirm that the Septuagint's Version was not only heretofore but is to this Day of undoubted Authority and is the most Authentick Greek Translation of the Old Testament that is extant I do not say it is Faultless and that it is to be equall'd with the Hebrew but I positively assert that it hath many Errors and Mistakes many faulty Omissions and Additions many Disorders and Corruptions in it and yet that nowithstanding this it is the most Authentick and justly esteemed Version among all the Antient ones and is of great use in the Church It was hotly disputed of Old which of these two the Hebrew Bible or the Seventy's Translation should have the Preheminence Some in a very high Manner extoll'd the latter and disparaged the former then came Ierom and was not content to cry up this but immoderately inveigh'd against the other and cried it down as not to be suffered And we have seen this Old Controversy newly started and revived by some of late Some on one side applauding the Hebrew to the Height that they wholly disregard the Greek Version of the 70 Elders others on the other side crying up this with a vilifying of the Hebrew Text. Ludovicus Capellus goes this latter way but he is outdone by Morinus who shews himself a Sworn Enemy to the Hebrew Text and at a high Rate defends the Greek Translation of the Seventy in all things insomuch that a Man may plainly see he resolves to do it at a Venture whether there be any reason for it or no. He is back'd by Isaac Vossius who pretending he saw the Hebrew Text magnified and adored by some Men Half-Iews he calls them thereupon undertook to stand up for the Septuagint and destroy the Authority of the Hebrew Original It will not suffice this Gentleman to say the Greek Version of the Elders is Divine but from his Discourse he would have us gather that the Hebrew Text is scarcely Humane it being so disorder'd so lame so miserably corrupted These are the Extreams which Men unadvisedly run into that they may extol the Greek Version they shamefully vilify the Hebrew Text. But I will take another Course not endeavouring to oppose one of these to the other but so far as it is sitting reconcile them both Which I will do by shewing you what is the true Difference between these two and whence it ariseth First then the Difference which we observe to be between the Hebrew Bible and this Greek Version proceeds from the mistaking of one Hebrew Vowel for another Though the 70 Interpreters were sufficiently skill'd in the Hebrew yet they sometimes translated it amiss because they did not make use of the Hebrew Vowels or Points they translated by those Copies which had not the Points added to the Hebrew Text. Some indeed have alledged the Difference between the Hebrew and the Seventy Version as an Argument to prove that Points were not antiently annexed to the Hebrew Bible for hence it is say they that there is that Variety of Reading The Bible was at that time without Vowels and consequently a great many Words were capable of being read and accordingly translated Diversly But this is a Fallacy for though the Mistakes in the Greek Version proceeded partly from the want of Points in the Hebrew Bibles i. e. those Bibles which the 70 Interpreters used yet it doth not follow thence that no Hebrew Bibles had Points For so it was that all their Bibles were not written with Points but some Persons to expedite the writing them over left them out The short is that though these were from the beginning as hath been said in the Entrance of these Discourses on the Scriptures yet they were not always used and when they were used they were not always carefully attended to Whence happen'd many of those Mistakes which we may take notice of in the Version of the Iewish Elders They either had those Bibles which had been transcribed without Points or they mistook the Points themselves out of Carelessness or something that is worse The Instances of this kind are very numerous but I will content my self with naming a few only In Gen. 14. 5. Beham in Ham i. e. the Land of Ham was read by the LXX Behem in ipsis and accordingly rendred by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Gen. 15. 11. the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diffiavit â—latu abegit was read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consedit they attending not to the Vowels but the Consonants only and thence they translated it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he sat by them whereas according to the Original we rightly translate it he drove them away The Septuagint did not read it Ba Gad two Words Gen. 30. 11. but Begad and accordingly translated it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So in Gen. 47. 31. according to the Hebrew we read it Israel bowed himself upon the Bed's Head but according to the Septuagint upon the Top or Head of his Staff for these Interpreters in their unpricked Bibles mistook 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. a Staff instead of a Bed and accordingly translated it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Errror proceeded hence that those Hebrew Words have the same Letters but the same Points do not belong to them In Chap. 49. 6. Cabodi my Glory is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whence it is plain that they took Cabedi to be the Word And in another Place the Mistake is quite contrary as in Lam. 2. 11. Cabedi my Liver is translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they read it Cabodi my Glory Instead of Lachem Shegnarim War in the Gates Judg. 5. 8. the Seventy thought it
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