Ch. 11. v. 6. Though I be rude in Speech p. 437 Ver. 17. I speak not after the Lord. p. 472 St. JAMES Ch. 4. v. 5 6. Do you think that the Scripture saith in vain The Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to Envy But he giveth more Grace p. 463 St. PETER 2 Epist. Ch. 3. v. 5. This they are willingly ignorant of that by the Word of God the Heavens were of old and the Earth standing out of the Water and in the Water p. 62 St. JOHN 2 Epist. Ver. 12. I will not write with Paper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 167 Besides sundry Texts mention'd in that Part of the Discourse where the Emendation of the present English Version of the New Testament is attempted ERRATA PAge 30. line 1O r. able fully to P. 79. l. 29. r. who were P. 104. l. 33. r. as P. 11O l. 5. r. Foundâ—rs P. 117. l. 28. r. Greeks P. 121. l. 33. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 139. l. 25. r. aâ— P. 140. â— 33. r. from its P. 146. l. 27. r. require either of P. 159. l. 15. r. recorded that the Letters of their Alphabet were P. 188. l. 14 after Times dele l. 15. after these dele P. 196. in the Margin r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 206. l. 20. r. this P. 216. l. 1. r. which we read of in P. 230. l. 15. r. Places P. 244. l. 27. r. which we and include the following words which is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. rotulae by the LXX in a Parenthesis P. 322. l. 33 34. r. the former and f. were r. was P. 336. l. 30. r. might P. 340. l. 3. r. the deadly P. 361. l. ult r. Lives P. 432. l. 1. after thus insert P. 433. l. 3. before but leave out P. 491. l. 13. r. that P. 493. l. 4. r. in the. P. 504. l. antepenult r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 554. l. 32. delâ— all P. 558. l. 9. r. they did P. 562. l. 5. r. for one P. 563. l. 30. r. mist. P. 565. l. 15. r. are The Faults in the Hebrew are leâ—t to be corrected by the Learned The CONTENTS of the Several CHAPTERS 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 valued in all Ages by Men of the greatest Learning Wit and Judgment A Scheme of the following Discourse briefly propounded The Holy Scriptures are the perfect Rule of Faith They are the best Conduct of our Lives and Actions They are the only Ground of solid Consolation Joy and Happiness This Perfection of Scripture is opposed by many of the Rabbins An Account of their Cabala and Oral Law The Papists by preferring their Traditions before the Scriptures and by indeavouring to keep these latter in an unknown Tongue deny the Perfection of them So do Familists Quakers and all Enthusiasts pag. 1 CHAP. II. The Bible is furnish'd with all sorts of Humane as well as Divine Learning Hebrew wherein the Old Testament was written is the Primitive Language of the World The True Origine of the World is plainly recorded in no other Writings but these The first Chapter of Genesis is a real History and records Matter of fact It is largely proved that the Mosaick History gives us a particular Account of the first Rise of the several Nations and People of the Earth and of the Places of their Habitation Also the true Knowledg of the Original of Civil Government and the Increases of it and the different Changes it underwent is derived from these Writings The Courts of Judicature and the severâ—l kinds of Punishment among the Jews distinctly treated of The Government among the Heathen Nations The four Celebrated Monarchies or Empires of the World p. 45 CHAP. III. In these Sacred Writings we have the first and earliest Account of all useful Employments and Callings viz. Gardening Husbandry feeding of Sheep preparing of Food The antient manner of Threshing Grinding of Corn and making Bread is enquired into What was the Primitive Drink The Posture which they used at eating and drinking Sitting preceded Discubation The particular manner of placing themselves on their Beds Eating in common not always used Discalceation and Washing the Feet were the Attendants of Eating and Feasting So was Anointing They had a Master or Governour of their Feasts Who were the first Inventers of Mechanick Arts. The first Examples of Architecture Houses were built flat at top and why p. 111 CHAP. IV. The first Original of Letters and Writing is recorded here The several kinds of Materials they wrote upon of old The Instruments with which they formed their Letters or Characters The Antientest as well as the most Excellent History is in the Bible So is the Antientest and most Admired Poetry The first Invention and Practice of Musick and on what Occasions it was wont to be made use of The Rise of Natural Philosophy and who were the first Founders of it The Knowledg of the Holy Scriptures necessary in order to the due Study of Natural Philosophy The first Instances of Anatomy Medicks Chirurgery Embalming and the Apothecaries Employment are in the Old Testament Here are the first Examples of Shipping and Navigation An Enquiry into the Place whither Solomon's Navy went every three Years A Conjecture concerning Ophir Astronomy and Judiciary Astrology mention'd in Scripture Of War and Skill in Arms. The Nature of those Military Weapons which are spoken of in Scripture particularly and distinctly enquir'd into The Antiquity of Martial Ensigns and Standards The vast Numbers which the Armies of old consisted of The Scripture is not silent concerning Sportive Diversions and Exercises some of which but especially Dancing are considered p. 157 CHAP. V. We are furnish'd in the Bible with the Knowledg of the first Vsages relating to Matrimony Of Nuptial Feasts and other Antient Feasts We have here the first Notices of Buying and Selling and the Antient use of Money We learn hence what was the first Apparel and what Additions there were afterwards The chief Ornaments of Men and Women viz. Crowns Mitres Frontal Jewels Ear-rings the occasion of wearing these at first and among what Persons and Nations together with the Abuse of them Chains Bracelets Finger-Rings and Signets Changes of Garments The Antient Vse of White Apparel Fullers Earth Looking-Glasses Rending of the Garments P. 225 CHAP. VI. Here we are informed concerning the Primitive Institution of Burying Graves and Sepulchres were generally in the Fields and without the Walls of Cities They usually embalmed the dead Bodies Why they sometimes burnt them Burning also signifies Embalming There was a Difference between the Funeral Burning of the Jews and of the Heathens The Manner and Time of Mourning for the Dead Both Vocal and Instrumental Musick used at Funerals The Antiquity of Funeral Monuments The old way of erecting great Heaps of Stones over the Dead Stone-heng is a Sepulchral Monument and in imitation
have are not to be subjected to the Examination of the outward Testimony of the Scriptures but are above them Thus these bold Men out of a pretence of Inspiration vilify the Sacred Volume of the Bible Thus absurdly and irreligiously these deluded Persons out of an Enthusiastick Heat prefer their own private Spirit before the Holy Spirit of God speaking in the Scriptures The Men hold themselves to be Perfect but the Scripture must by no means be so it is weak and imperfect and ought to give way to the Inward Impressions in their Minds which according to them are that more sure Word of Prophecy whereunto they think they do well to give heed as unto a Light shining in a dark Place But we see that they are thereby led into gross Error and Darkness And as to this particular Perswasion concerning the Meanness of the Scriptures they therein as in several other things symbolize with the Church of Rome whence they had their Original They confound Natural Light or Reason with Revelation they hold that Pagans are in as good a Condition as Christians they make their private Dictates as Authentick as the Bible yea they must needs hold that there is no Infallible Rule of Truth or Practice but their own Notions and Sentiments which some of their Writers call Canonical I might observe to you that besides Iews Papists and Enthusiasts there are Others that deny the Excellency and Perfection of the Holy Scriptures as Atheists and mere Politicians who indeavour to perswade the World that all Religion is a Cheat and that This Book is so too Likewise the Generality of Hereticks Seducers and Impostors who it is no wonder debase that which they design to pervert But the bare mentioning of these Persons is sufficient to beget a Dislike of them with all that are Wise and Sober and who are convinc'd of the Scriptures perfection from those Topicks which I have propounded It may be said of most Books as Martial said of his There are some good and some bad things in them and some of a middle Nature But in this Divine Book there are no such Allays all is pure and uncorrupt entire and unmixed there are no Defects no Mistakes in this Infallible Volume given us from Heaven Shall the Turks then when they find a Leaf or any part of the Alcoran on the Ground take it up and kiss it and deposite it in some safe place affirming it to be a great Sin to suffer that wherein the Name of God and Mahomet's Laws are written to be trodden under Feet And shall not we Christians highly value and reverence the Sacred Volume of the Bible the Writings of the Old and New Testament which contain the Words of God Himself and the Laws of the Blessed Jesus which enrich us with that Sublime and Supernatural Learning which is the Rule of our Faith the Conduct of our Manners and the Comfort of our Lives CHAP. II. The Bible is furnish'd with all sorts ofHumane as well as Divine Learning Hebrew wherein the Old Testament was written is the Primitive Language of the World The True Origine of the World is plainly recorded in no other Writings but these The first Chapter of Genesis is a real History and records Matter of â—act It is largely proved that the Mosaâ—ck History gives us a particular Account of the first Rise of the several Nations and People of the Earth and of the Places of their Habitation Also the true Knowledg of the Original of Civil Government and the Increases of it and the diffâ—rent Changes it underwent is derived from these Writings The Courts of Judicature and the several kinds of Punishment among the Jews distinctly treated of The Government among the Heathen Nations The four Celebrated Monarchies or Empires of the World I Proceed now to the Second General Head of my Discourse viz. the Vniversal Vsefulness of the Bible as to things that are Temporal and Seculaâ— Not only all Religious Divine and Saving Knowledg is to be fetch'd hence but that likewise which is Natural and Humane and bâ—longs to the World and Arts. Many believe the former but can't be induc'd to credit the latter for they think the Bible was writ only for the saving of Mens Souls but that all other Knowledg and Discoveries are to be derived wholly from other Writers I have sometimes observ'd that Persons who have had a good Desire to Learning and were greedy Devourers of all other Authors yet have no regard to the Scriptures and fondly imagine there is no Improvement of Mens Notions no enlarging of their Understandings no Grounds of Excellent Literature from the Sacred Writ They perswade themselves that the Bible may serve well enough for the Use of those that study Divinity or make Sermons but that the Writings of Profane Authors must be wholly consulted for other things But this is a gross Surmise and possesses the unthinking Heads of those only that consider not the Matchless Antiquity of the Bible or that on a worse Account refuse to acquaint themselves with these Writings and care not for that Book which speaks so much of God and Religion and checks the Disorders of Mens Lives All honest industrious and impartial Enquirers into Learning know that the Scriptures are the Greatest Monument of Antiquity that is Extant in the whole World and particularly that the First and Earliest Inventions of things are to be known only from the Old Testament especially the five first Books of it In vain do you look for these in the Writings of other Men for though some of them relate very Antient Occurrences yet they are not so old as these and as for those Writers who pretend to some Greater Antiquity and have been so impudent as to think that they could impose upon the World they have been exploded by all Persons of Sobriety and serious Thoughts In Pagan Writers we have some wild Guesses at the Origine of things and the First Inventors of Arts but he that is desirous to have Certain and Infallible Information concerning these must consult the Writings of Moses and other Books of the Old Testament From these alone we learn what were the Antientest Usages in the World and what was the first Rise and Original of them Wherefore I may safely pronounce that no Man can have the just Repute of a Scholar unless he hath read and studied the Bible for in this one Book there is more Humane Learning than in all the Books of the World besides And therefore here by the way I cannot but look upon it as a very Scandalous Mistake that the knowledg and Study of the Holy Scriptures are for Divines only as if these were not to be skill'd in any Humane Learning They that talk after this rate understand not what the Study of Divinity and True Scholarship are for there is no Compleat Divine that is not well vers'd in Humane Literature and there is no Compleat Scholar that is not skill'd in
the Father of the Ethiopans cannot be denied by any Man that well observes what the use of the Name Cushi or Cushim is in the Sacred Writings Havilah one of Cush's Sons gave Name to Havilah which Strabo places in the Confines of Arabia and Mesopotamia Whether the Arabian or Ethiopian Saba or Saba be denominated from Sheba the Son of Cush or another of that Name who was his Grandson or from a Third Sheba the Son of Ioctan whom also we find in this 10th Chapter of Genesis it is to little purpose here to dispute Mesraim the second Son of Cham was questionless the Founder of Egypt for that is the known Name that it hath in the Hebrew of the Old Testament From Iosephus we learn that the Metropolis of this Province by some call'd Memphis had the Name of Mezzara given it by the Jews in his Time And to this day Egypt is call'd Mizraim by the Jews and Arabians Phut a third Son is believed by most Writers to have peopl'd Mauritania Numidia Lytia Thence Pliny makes mention of a River in Mauvitania call'd Phut of which also St. Ierom speaks telling us that there was in his time a Region in Africk that had its Name from it I doubt not but some part of Africa if not the whole Countrey is meant by Phut in Nah. 3. 9. And it can't be look'd upon as an Extravagant Conjecture if I guess that Phetz or Fez a Kingdom of Mauritania is a Corruption of that Word The fourth and last Son of Cham was Canaan from whom sprang the Canaanites His Sons were Sidon Emori Iebuss c. from whom were the Sidonians including the Tyrians Amorites Jebusites c. often spoken of in the Old Testament All this Country of Palestine was as I said before part of Shem's Portion but Canaan invaded it and thence it bore his Name The Learned Bocbart thinks this was the antient and Primitive Phoenicia it being call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the LXX Exod. 16. 35. and she whom St. Matthew calls a Woman of Canaan is said by St. Mark to be a Syro-Phoenician It is this Great Critick's perswasion that the Phoenicians were originally Canaanites and that they fled out of Canaan when Ioshua came and took Possession of their Country then they went and seated themselves on the Sea-Coast of Palestine call'd by them afterwards Phoenicia as the Britains upon the coming of the Saxons betook themselves to that part of the Country which is now known by the Name of Wales This Excellent Person hath with great and manifold Arguments attempted the Establishment of this Assertion and hath abundantly shew'd that there are several plain Footsteps of those first Planters in the Names in Geography I might confirm this from a very remarkable Passage in St. Augustine who assures us that in his time the Peasants of Hippo who were known to be of the Race of the Phaenicians when they were ask'd who they were used to answer they were Canaans which plainly shews that Canaan and Phoenicia were the same But this I would add here that Phoenicia is a larger and more extensive Term than Canaan because I conceive the former takes in all those Countries that border'd on the Red Sea for I am perswaded that Phoenicia had its Denomination from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Name of Esau or Edom turned into Greek I had occasion heretofore to shew that this Noted Person was call'd Erythras or Erythroeus by the Pagan Historians which Name I am now to observe is of the like Signification with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Rufus So that Esau Edom Erythraeus Phoenix are the same and consequently the Phaenicians properly speaking were all those People that lived near the Red Sea which is call'd so from Edom the Hebrew of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Red and were under the Dominion of that Great Lord and Potentate Esau. This is the Division of the World among the Sons of Noah thus the most High divided to the Nations their Inheritance he separated the Sons of Adam he set Bounds to the People Iapheth's Possession was the Northern and Western Parts of the Earth Shem had the East and Cham had his lot between both Moses reckons up in this Chapter fourteen Persons of the Posterity of Iapheth six and twenty of the Race of Shem and nine and twenty of that of Cham who all with Iapheth Shem and Cham themselves amount to seventy two and just so many Languages or rather Dialects some think there were and the very same number of Nations occasion'd by the rise of those Languages It is a most difficult Task to assign exactly the several Particular Regions and People derived from the Posterity of Noah and their proper Seats and Habitations Arias Montanus Bochart Raleigh Heylin besides others before them who have writ of this Subject seem to differ not a little and yet they all agree in the main Nay where you see different Places and Regions assigned by them they may all be true for one may set down the first Seats of Noah's Offspring another may mention the Colonies they sent forth which lie it may be a great way off of the first Seats and another may take notice of their Encroachments and Invasions But whatever it is that is said by any Authentick Writer concerning this peopling of the several Parts of the Earth it is all founded on the Mosaick History Here we are told that the Parts of the World were divided by the Sons of Noah every one after his Tongue after their Families in their Nations Gen. 10. 5. The Confusion of Tongues was that which divided Families and yet by the Affinity of the Tongues there was an Union made for those that agreed in the same Idiom joined together and went and seated themselves together And who these First Planters were the Sacred History particularly acquaints us As we have no Book but this that lets us know who were the first People in the World who were before the Flood so none but this tells us who the most Considerable Persons after it and by whom the Several Nations of the World were first erected and Colonies were sent forth into all the Parts of the Earth Fourthly The true Knowledg of the Original of Civil Government and the Increases of it and the Different Changes it underwent is to be drawn from these Sacred Fountains We may inform form our selves here and no where else that the Primitive Government was Paternal i. e. it was seated in Fathers of Families as first in Adam and other Heads of Families who then lived a very long Time It is true we are told by Aristotle that the Power of Parents over their Children was a Regal and Sovereign Dominion the one i. e. Parents were the first Kings the other i. e. Children were the first Subjects But this the Philosopher could learn from no other Book but the Bible or from those Traditions which were
thereupon incident to are to be 〈◊〉 described in the Writings of those Pagans espâ—â—â—â—ally of that Renowned Poet before mentionâ—â— who was so thorowly skill'd in all the Pagan Tâ—â—â—ology And this proves what I designed that 〈◊〉 most considerable Passages of the Sacred Histâ—â— of the Bible are asserted by the Writers among the Gentiles IV. From the Fall of Man till after the Confusion and Dispersion at Babel there are many considerable things spoken of by Pagans which they could not have any notice of but from the Old Testament Enoch's being taken up by God together with the Translation of Elias afterwards gave occasion to the Stories of their Hâ—roes being Translated of Astrea and others leaving the World and ascending to Heaven alive and being turn'd into Stars and Celestial Signs as also the Apotheosis among the Gentiles might be founded on this Again the Testimony of the Pagans concerning the Long Lives of the People of the first Age of the World was plainly without any Disguise taken from the Sacred History All that have committed unto writing the Antiquities either of the Greeks or Barbarians attest this Longevity of the Men before the Flood saith Iosephus And immediately he subjoins Manetho the Egyptian Writer Berosus the Chaldean Mochus Hestiaeus Ierom the Egyptian who have treated of the Egyptian Affairs agree with us in this Also Hesiod with Hecatâ—us Hellanicus and Acusilaus Ephorus and Nicolas tell us that those People of old lived a thousand Years Which is a Confirmation of the Truth of what we read so often in Moses's Account of the first People of the World viz. that they commonly lived seven eight or nine hundred Years The Greek and Latin Poets relate likewise that there were Giants in the first times of the World which most probably was borrowed from Gen. 6. 4. where Moses speaking of the Times before the Flood tells us that there were Nephilim Giants in the Earth in thâ—â—â— Days And from what is said in the same Versâ— The Sons of God came in unto the Daughters of Meâ— and they bare Children to them arose the Fiction 〈◊〉 Orpheus Hesiod and other Greek Poets that theâ—â— Heroes were partly the Race of Gods that tâ—â— Giants were the Sons of Heaven and Earth that is according to the plain and intelligible Language of Scripture they sprang from the Sons of God anâ— the Daughters of Men. This I verily think is the Foundation of what Poetick Writers tell us concerning the old Heroes especially viz. that they were the By-blows of the Gods that they were begot by some Deity upon a Woman or were the Product of some Goddess and a Man To proceed Berosus the Chaldean Priest and Historian relates how wicked and debauched the Old World was how Noah told them of it and of their approaching Ruine by the Vniversal Flood which is the next thing to be spoken of The Fame and Memory of this Deluge and of Noah's Arâ— were among the Pagans every-where Not only the foreâ—aid Berosus quoted by Iosephus but Nicolaus Damascenus quoted by the same Aâ—â—hor Abydenus the Assyrian cited by Eusebius Alexander Polyhistor Melo Hieronymus Egyptiâ—â— Apollodorus and all the Barbarian Historians as Iosephus saith i. e. according to his way of speaking all the Pagan Historians have made mention of Noah's Flood If the Credit of these Writers now named be called in question as I confess they are by some there is abundant mention of that Flood and of several Circumstances belonging to it in others whose Writings are not suspected In Lucian's Dea Syria are most of the Particulars which are recorded in the sixth and seventh Chapters of Genesis concerning that Deluge as first the Natural Cause of it the excessive Rain or Fall of Waters from Heaven and the opening of the Fountains below then the Moral Cause of it the Corruption and Wickedness of the World The People at that time kept not their Oaths entertained not Strangers were hard-hearted to those who were in Distress they were every ways vitious and profligate and thereby merited this great Judgment Next there is mentioned the Preservation of Noah and his Family with the Manner of their being preserved namely by sheltering themselves in a Great Ark and thus he and his Wife and Children were reserved for a Second Generation This befel Noah because of his great Prudence and singular Piety as this Author adds With him entred into the Ark two of every sort of Animals and being shut up in that safe Custody they all sailed together without any Harm nay with a great Friendship and Concord Lastly Noah's erecting an Altar after he came out of the Ark is expresly taken notice of These are the things saith he which the Greeks relate out of their Archives of the Flood All which you will find to be like the Narrative of Moses only Deucalion is put instead of Noah Plutarch another credible Writer speaks of the sending of the Dove out of the Ark as a sign of the abating of the Flood or rather to discover whether the Waters were decreased and he adds that it returned 〈◊〉 to the Ark again But this Author as well as tâ—â— former disguiseth Noah under the Name of â—â—â—calion it being the usual way of the Grecâ—ans 〈◊〉 affix new Names to Persons From the Doâ—â— bringing an Olive-branch we find in all Ages 〈◊〉 this hath been ever the Symbol of Peace and 〈◊〉 cord of Agreement and Friendship Livy 〈◊〉 us it was so among the Carthaginians and amâ—â— the Greeks Polybius saith it was the same amâ—â— the most Barbarous Nations for when 〈◊〉 was passing the Alpes those People came and 〈◊〉 him with Olive-branches in their Hands Tâ— as he subjoins being a Badg and Sign of Frieâ—â—â—ship among all those Barbarous People Wheâ— more probably was this derived than from the â—â—story of the Flood written by Moses From thâ— same Authentick Narrative we learn that â—â—â—sent forth a Raven and that first of all indeed out of the Ark but it seems to be said that he returned not again Gen. 8. 7. to which the following Fable of the â—aven or Crow seems to relatâ—â— Apollo was pleased once upon a time to emploâ— this Bird on an Errand and send him out to fiâ—â— fresh Water and fetch it to him but he retuâ—â—â—ed not till after the time that Figs were ripe anâ— he staid and sat on a certain Tree which he spâ—â—â— till they ripened Ovid tells us it was an Aâ—ple-Tree and others as Aelian reports say 〈◊〉 Messenger of Apollo made no â—aste because he 〈◊〉 the Corn very fair though not yet fit for Harveâ—â— and this tempted him to neglect his Master's Comâ—â—nds and not mind what he sent him about for which Apollo turn'd him into such a Black Bird as 〈◊〉 is The Main of this Fable is the thing we are to look after and that is that the Crow was sent abroad to find and discover Water and that he returned not
Thus among the Pagans we find unquestionable Monuments of the Truth of the Bible The next remarkable thing after the Flood was the Attempting to build the Tower of Babel and this is not omitted in Pagan Records Berosus's Chaldee History mentions it but with such Additions as these if I may call them Additions seeing they have some kind of ground in the Sacred Story That it was built by Giants and those Giants were Terrae filii out of the Earth and that they waged War against the Gods and were at last dispersed and that the Building was quite beaten down by a great Wind. The Erecting of this Tower of Babel is mentioned by Hestiaeus and by one of the Sibyls saith Iosephus in his Antiquities and by Abydenus and Eupolemus as Eusebius testiâ—ieth in his Evangelical Preparation It is likely that Belus's Tower mention'd by Herodotus is the Tower of Babel That it was made of Brick and Slime as you read in Gen. 11. 3. is attested by Iustin Q. Curtius Vitruvius and others for what these Writers say of the Walls of Babylon is applicable to that And as for the Poets the History of the Babel-Builders is turn'd by them into tâ—â— Fable of the Titans whom they feign to haâ—â— heaped Mountain upon Mountain to scale Hâ—â—â—ven and fight the Gods and by name they mâ—â—â—tion Iapheth one of Noah's Sons as a doughâ— Giant among them for they pick'd up any Naâ—â— that they had by Tradition and clapp'd it in Homer tells us they cast up three Hills on one â—â—nother Ossa on Olympus and shady Pelion 〈◊〉 Ossa hoping thereby to make their way to tâ—â— Heavens but this proved succesless and the boâ—â— Invaders were scatter'd and broken by Thunder from Iupiter All this Grecian Fable of the Thâ—omachy of the Giants was derived from what the History of Moses relates in Gen. 11. 3 c. that Nimrod a great Hunter a Giant-like Man with his sturdy Fellows attempted to build a City and Tower whose Top should reach up to Heaven which the Pagans interpreted to be Defying of the Gods and making War with them And truly they did not come short of the true Meaning of their grand Design which was to defy Heaven and to exalt and magnify themselves Though I grant it was Hyperbolically spoken when they said Let 〈◊〉 build us a City and Tower to reach up to Heaven for they could not dream of performing this in reality because they knew the Height of the late Flood which lifted up the Ark fifteen Cubits above the highest Mountains was short of Heaven besides they would not have built on the Plain as they did but on the highest Hills if they had had any such Project in their Heads Nor was it to be a Refuge from the Waters of another Flood for they had God's Word for it that no such 〈◊〉 should ever be again Gen. 9. 15. But their Design is plainly set down chap. 11. ver 4. Let us make us a Name lest we be scatter'd abroad on the face of the whole Earth i. e. Let us go about this Work that we may have here a Place to six in that by erecting this vast City and Tower we may have room enough and live together in one Body and make our Lusts our only Law and act as we please without the Controul of others and that afterward when by reason of our great Numbers and Increase we must be forced to remove we may by this famous Monument be known and when we leave this World we may hereby purchase a Name in future Ages and even survive after Death Thus their Intentions and Enterprizes were prophane and impious and no less than an arrogant Contempt of God But some of the Poets interpreting the foresaid Words in a gross Manner as if those daring Sinners did actually scale the Heavens have presented us with their Conceits upon this remarkable Occurrence but as to the main it must be acknowledg'd that they confirm the Truth of the Sacred History And even this last Particular the making them a Name seems to be transcribed into the Fable when they tell us that after the Giants who were begot of the Earth had fought the Gods their Mother Earth being incens'd at the Defeat of her Sons brought forth Fame This was the Giants last Sister according to that of the Poet Illam terra parens irâ irritata Deorum Extremam ut perhibent Caeo Enceladâ—que sororem Progenuit We read that when these Builders were hot 〈◊〉 their Work God on a sudden defeated their Projects by confounding their Language v. 7. and thereby scatter'd them abroad from thence upon the face 〈◊〉 all the Earth v. 8. Of which Confusion or 〈◊〉 of Languages there is this Remembrance 〈◊〉 the Greek Tongue That in it Men are callâ—◠〈◊〉 which Epithet was given them 〈◊〉 Eustathius on the account of the Division 〈◊〉 Tongues which the World suffer'd at Babel 〈◊〉 this saith he was the common Opinion of tâ—â— antient Christians Then as to the Division of 〈◊〉 Earth among the Sons of Noah set down in the 〈◊〉 Chapter of Genesis it is not to be doubted 〈◊〉 the Fiction of dividing the World among 〈◊〉 Brethren the Sons of Saturn was taken from 〈◊〉 So that there are some Remainders and Foot 〈◊〉 of the Sacred Truth to be observ'd which way 〈◊〉 ever you look This I might further shew in tâ—â— Account which Moses's History gives of the 〈◊〉 Plantations upon the Division of the Earth among Noah's Sons as in the Posterity of Iavan wheâ—â—â— were the Iavans or Greeks called 〈…〉 But because I shall afterward have an occasion 〈◊〉 speak of this namely when I treat of the Pâ—â—fection of Scripture shewing it to be the most Aâ—tient and Compleat History in the World I wiâ—â— defer it till then and at the same time let you 〈◊〉 that the Mosaick History gives us the best Account of those First Planters and also that in several 〈◊〉 those Names are to be read the Names of Coâ—â—â—tries and Nations which we meet with in Pagâ—â— Authors CHAP. IV. Several things relating to the Patriarch Abraham the Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah the Oppression of the Israelites in Egypt the History of Joseph the Pass-over the Conducting the Israelites through the Red-Sea their Travels in the Wilderness the Brazen Serpent attested by Heathens An Enquiry into the rise of the Report concerning the Iews worshipping an Ass's Head and also their worshipping of Clouds BEtween the Confusion of Tongues and the Giving of the Law by Moses there are many observable Passages in the Old Testament which are also taken notice of and attested tho in an obscure and oblique Manner by Pagan Wriâ—ers The great Patriarch Abraham is mentioned by Berosus Heeataeus Nicolas Damascenus Eupolemus Alex. Polyhistor as Iosephus and Eusebius acquaint us in their Writings before named The wise Men of Grâ—â—â—â— asking their Gods whence the Knowledg of Arts came received this Answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Though this might put them upon offering part of their Increase to those from whom they thought they received the whole yet this particular Quota is no Dictate of Nature They were not bid by the Law of exact Reason to consecrate the Tithe of all to the Gods It is as reasonable and accountable to give a ninth or eleventh Part to them as the Tenth Therefore this must proceed from some positive Law and particular Institution And hence I gather that the Pagans received this Rite and Custom from the Iews who were under a Law of Tithes by the special Command of God as the Scripture informs us And though a late Author of great Learning reckons Tithes to have had their Rise from the Pagan World yet he cannot but be sensible that the contrary is universally imbraced by the Learned Selden particularly proves that the Phoenicians and Egyptians and others who were near Neighbours to the Jews received that Custom from the Jewish Nation and that afterwards it was transmitted from those neighbouring Heathens to others farther off as the Greeks Romans c. Or if it could be found that some Heathens before the Jewish Dispensation offered Tithes we might reasonably assert that some of the Patriarchs before the Law gave occasion to the Heathens to do so But this can no where be found but on the contrary the antientest Instance of giving Tithes is that of Abraham we read that after a great Victory he devoted the Tithes of all the Spoils to the Priest of the most High God From this and the like Practice the offering of Tithes among the Heathens took its beginning Fourthly Abstaining from certain kinds of Foâ— among the Jews caused it is probable the samâ— Custom among other Nations The Distinction 〈◊〉 Clean and Vnclean Meats was derived from the Jews to the Egyptians thus Herodotus and Plutarch report that these eat no Swines Flesh yea if they do but touch it they wash themselves Sâ— it is related concerning the Phoenicians Cretianâ— and Syrians that they abstain'd from this sort 〈◊〉 Flesh. These last also eat neither Fish nor Pigeons Some of the Greek Philosophers observ'd this Difference of Meats very strictly as Diogenes Pythagoras Apollonius Tyanaeus as Laertius Plutarch and Philostratus assure us The Old Pythagoreans abstain'd from several kinds of Food especially they refrain'd from eating of Fish What God tacitly forbad in Sacrifices as the Brain and the Heart for neither of these are commanded to be sacrificed unto God those Philosophers openly forbad at their Tables And they derived from the Hebrews their not eating things that died of themselves or that had Blood in them In many other Usages it might be shewed that the Pythagorean Way was an Imitation of Judaism Fifthly The Heathen Priests Garments were in imitation of those which the Jewish Priests wore The Pagan Pontiffs wore a Mitre on their Heads as Philostratus testifies and a White Vest or Linen Ephod was the usual Apparel of their Priests in their Holy Service as Valerius Maximus and others inform us A worthy Writer before mentioned asserts that the Priests Vestments of Linen were a Ceremony taken from the Egyptians and quotes Authors to prove that the Egyptian Priests used such a sort of Vesture But it is more probable that the Egyptians and other Nations had it from the Jews I am not singular in this it was the Sense of the Antients as Photius intimates that the Worshippers of Idols in imitation of God's Priests clothed theirs with a peculiar sort of Garments which were after the fashion of the Ephod With which agrees the Learned Bochart The Egyptians saith he being in many things followers of the Jews permitted their Priests to wear no other Vestments but Linen ones And again in the same Place he saith Plutarch doth greatly philosophize concerning the Linen Garments which the Egyptians wore but more subtilely thâ—n solidly he being ignorant that many Rites and Usages of this nature were derived from the Jews to the Egyptians And Huetius is poâ—itive in this Notion saying The Priests of Isâ— i. e. the Egyptian Priests wore Linen and therein imitated the Linen Garments of the Hebrew Priests Sixthly The carrying of the Heathen Gods in little Tabernacles Tents or portable Temples as you read of the Tabernacle of Moloch Amos 5. 25. and Acts 7. 43. was taken from the Jews carrying the Ark which was the Symbol of God's Presence So Gaspar Sanctius The Tabernacle saith he of Moloch was a certain Bier on which Moloch was carried about in solemn Pomp whom the Jews after the fashion of the Gentiles carried with them whithersoever they went in a Religious Manner and for Protection-sake making him the Companion and Guide of their Travels even as the Jews of old observe that carried the Ark and in it the Divine Oracle through the Wilderness Thus Dr. Godwin The bearing or taking up of this Tabernacle â—ay seem to have its Original among the Heathens from an unwarrantable Imitation of Moses's Tabernacle which was nothing else but a portable Temple to be carried from place to place as need required For as he goes on it cannot be denied that many Superstitions were derived unto the Heathen from the true Worship of God which he himself had prescribed unto his People But the worthy Author afore-cited is of another Opinion telling us That the Tabernacle of Moloch was the first Original of tho Tabernacle of God God saw that the Pagans took up on their Shoulders the Tabernacle of Moloch and thereupon made a Tabernacle for himself and an Ark to be born upon Shoulders Thus he And if you would see the Parallel between Moloch's Tabernacles and God's Tabernacle take it from that Learned Pen thus Moloch's Tabernacle was portable therefore God's was so Moloch's Tabernacle contained in it his Image so the Tabernacle of Testimony had in it the Ark and a pair of Images viz. the Cherubims In Moloch's Idolatrous Temple Moloch shewed himself present by his Image and by giving Answers thence Accordingly in the Jewish Tabernacle the True God inhabited and exhibited frequently a sensible Testimony of his Presence The Idolatrous Tabernacle was called the Tabernacle of Moloch i. e. the King Semblably the Mosaick Tabernacle was accounted and held to be the Palace and Mansion of the Highest King i. e. God The Tabernacle dedicated to Moloch represented the Sun placed in its Celestial Tabernacle In imitation of this Moses's Tabernacle was a Representation of the Heavens and the Stars and the whole World Seeing the Learned Author was pleased to publish this Parallel to the World I hope it is no Offence to repeat it here and with submission to so accomplish'd a Person to deliver my Thoughts freely of it He will not permit it to be said that the Devil apes the Almighty this he discards and brands as a Vulgar Error But I crave leave to ask this Question Is not this more
refers to Cursed Cham Noah's Son who saw his Father's Nakedness and told it with derision to his Brethren Gen. 9. 22. The Pagans mistook this Text for whereas the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he told or revealed they perhaps read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he cut whence they report that Cham or Ham whom they call'd Iupiter made an Eunuch of his Father And truly that Iupiter Hammon was the same Ham Noah's Son may be gather'd from the place where Ham and his posterity were Seated namely in Africa Here in the Desarts of Lybia was the Famous Oracle of Iupiter Hammon who had his Name from that Wicked Son of Noah who in this place vented his Blasphemies which pass'd for Oracles with some and thereby debauched the Minds of the generality of that Age and in process of time he came to be Worshipped there under the Name of Iupiter Ham or Hammon I know some have thought Hamon is Chamah Sol because he is reckon'd the same with the Sun And others derive it from Hamon Multitudo as Abraham's Name is Compounded of his former Name Abram and Hamon a Multitude whence he is called a Father of many Nations Gen. 17. 5. So that Abraham is but an abbreviature of Abrahammon But there is great reason to think that this Hammon is the same with Ham Noah's Son whose Posterity were Inhabitants of Africa whence Egypt is call'd the Land of Ham. This Affrican or Egyptian Hammon is mentioned as Bochart thinks in Ezek. 30. 15. I will cut off the Multitude of No in the Hebrew Hamon of No. And so in Iâ—r 46. 25. Amon of No i. e. Amon the God of No And in Nahum 3. 8. No of Amon But the main Argument to prove Noah and Saturn to be the same is yet behind which is this that Saturn by the Heathens is said to have had three Sons Iupiter Neptune and Pluto and that he divided the World among them This Fable of dividing the World among three Brethren the Children of Saturn did plainly arise from the dividing the Earth between the three Brethren the Sons of Noah Of these three was the whole Earth overspread Gen. 9. 19. By these were the Nations divided in the Earth after the Flood Gen. 10. 32. The Hot Country of Africa was Cham's division who might have his Name given him from a foresight of the place where he and his Race were to Inhabit the Land of Cham from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caluit this is no unlikely derivation Again Iaphet another of Noah's Sons was Neptune as Bochart indeavours to shew for the Isles and Peninsulae fell to his share Gen. 10. 5. And Vossius is very positive in this that the Antientest Neptune for there were Neptunes as well as Ioves many was this Iaphet to his Lot fell Europe for Iapetus or Iaphet is reckon'd the Parent of the Europeans These are the true Iapeti genus Shem was Pluto and what may be said for it you may see in the fore-named Writer From the whole there is some reason to believe that Noah the Father of those three Sons among whom the World was divided was one Person at least that was represented by the Heathen God Saturn In the next place it is not difficult to prove that the Egyptian God Apis or Serapis was no other than Ioseph the Renowned Ruler in Egypt under King Pharaoh This Person had abundantly merited of all Egypt and infinitely obliged the whole Country by laying up Corn in store and thereby providing for them against the time of Scarcity and Famine For this singular Benefit to them they erected an Ox or Cow to preserve his Memory for in that Figure Apis or Serapis appear'd and was Worshipp'd by the Egyptians And under what Symbol more fitly than that of an Ox could Ioseph be represented For not to mention the Fame he got by his Wonderful Interpreting Pharaoh's Dream of the Fat and Lean Kine whence perhaps that sort of Animals was afterwards in great reverence and esteem on this account as carrying with them some thing Mystical and Hieroglyphical which made them the more acceptable to this People who were then inclining to hearken to such things Not to mention this I say Ioseph might most appositely be signified by that Animal which is made use of in Ploughing in order to the Sowing and coming up of the Corn that Creature which is serviceable to the treading out the Corn for that was another great employment of the Ox in those days Therefore the Holy Spirit in Scripture seems to refer to this in Gen. 49. 6. which Text speaking of Ioseph's Brethrens wicked Design to kill him calls him an Ox or Bull according to the 70 Interpreters and so according to the Hebrew if you read it Shor and not Shur And in Deut. 33. 17. Ioseph is compared by Moses to an Ox or Bullock Which manner of expression denotes him to be a Great and Eminent Person as well as it hath reference to the particular thing I am now speaking of Shor which is the Word here and is Synonimous with Alaph Bos signiâ—ies a Prince a Great Man a Potentate as knowing Criticks have observed Because an Ox is reputed the Prince and Head of Animals you 'll find that in a Metaphorical way Princes and Captains are so called in Scripture Whence among Prophane Writers also they are thus named sometimes for a Bull or Ox is a Symbol of Superiority or Government saith Diogenes On this account the Famous Patriarch Ioseph who was Constituted by Pharaoh the Chief Ruler and Prince of Egypt hath this Name given him But there is something more particular intended here in this Title for it hath respect to Ioseph as he was Grand Proveditor of that Country for there could not be a better Symbol of Provision of Corn and Bread than this Creature Hence is that of Solomon much increase i. e. as the Hebrew imports plenty of Corn and Grain is by the strength of the Ox. And it may be to this which I am now insisting upon viz. that Ioseph was represented by this sort of Animals Ier. 46. 20. refers Egypt is like a fair Heifer The Egyptian Serapis then in the form of a Cow or Ox was a true Hieroglyphick of Ioseph especially when we add that a Bushel was plac'd on its head as saith Ruffinus to signifie that Ioseph was the giver out of Corn that he caus'd it to be measur'd and proportioned according to the needs of those to whom he dispens'd it By this Wise as well as Liberal Act his Fame grew great among the Egyptians and other adjoyning Nations and at length they Worshipp'd him as a God by the Symbol of an Ox which they stiled Serapis as not only Ruffinus Augustin Suidas Iulius Firmicus of old but Vossius Bonfrerius Pierius and Kircher of late have maintain'd And I am enclin'd to think that the word Serapis was Originally Sorapis a Compound of Sor an
observe how grosly the Latin Writers were mistaken it was a common thing with them to confound Iews and Christians and to make no distinction between them as I have shew'd on another occasion Tacitus's description of the Nation and Religion of the Iews together with the Original of them shews that that Excellent Historian was extremely ignorant of the Affairs of that People They were at first call'd Idaei faith he from the Mount Ida and afterward by an addition of a Letter they had the Name of Iudaei Their Sabbath was Consecrated to Saturn he saith and many such false and fabulous passages are to be found in the Account which he gives of them So Iustin shamefully errs in several things belonging to the Iewish History he makes Abraham the third King of the Iews Israel the Fourth Ioseph the Fifth and Moses whom he reckons to be Ioseph's Son the Sixth In his whole Thirty Sixth Book where he describes the Original and Increase of the Iewish Nation he hath almost as many mistakes as words The rest of the Pagan Historians exceedingly mistake when they Treat of that People because they did not rightly inform themselves and indeavour to have a perfect Account of the Iewish Matters Thus Iosephus himself excuses in part the Heathen Writers when they speak of things done in Iudea imputing their Errors to want of Knowledge and Information Yea he wonders not that the Iewish Nation was not known to some of them and that they write not a word of it for the most diligent Historians saith he were ignorant of France and Spain and he instances in Ephorus who he observes had so little knowledge of Spain that he took it for one single City and no more We might observe likewise that little or nothing is mention'd of this our Isle of Britain either by Greek or Roman Historians before Casar's Commentaries And in the same place he takes notice that neither Herodotus nor Thucydides nor any that were of that Age make mention of Rome although it had been in great power a long time and had waged so many Wars He adds that all Things of the Greeks are new and of yesterday giving this as one Reason why the Greek Historians make no mention of the Iewish Affairs They were themselves but upstarts in respect of the Iews But though they knew but little of them yet they feigned many things and represented them as they pleas'd Especially their Poets who were very ignorant of the Iewish Institution and of the true meaning of the most things which they had from those of that Nation or from their Books yet took the liberty to invent and add and to mingle their own Conceits and Fancies with that little which they had heard or knew of them 10. Some if not most of the Heathens out of Averseness and Hatred to the Iews perverted those things which had any Relation to that People This was a Nation that was separated from all others and was different from not to say contrary to the rest of the World in many things wherefore they grew odious and detestable and the Pagans wilfully Misrepresented and Traduced them and delighted to load them with all sorts of Calumnies All Writers bandied against the Iews and Christians they were all in League against these however they disagreed among themselves Hence it is that when-ever they present their Readers with any thing concerning them they generally shew that Ill-Will which they bore to them Thus Manethon the Egyptian Historian though he hath many things that agree with what the Scripture saith of the Iews yet he mis-represents several particulars and adds others in disgrace of Moses and the Israelites And indeed from Egypt was the rise of those Malicious Calumnies against them for the People of that Nation were sensible of and retain'd in their Minds the many Plagues that were inflicted on them for their sakes and the last Mortal Farewel in the Red-Sea and they expressed their implacable prejudice against them by reproaching them and they taught others to do so too Thus Iustin or rather Trogus Pompeius whom he Epitomizes tells us that the Iews were expell'd Egypt because God had Reveal'd to the Egyptians that the Plague which then raged among them could by no other way be allay'd than by that Nation 's being turn'd out Diodorus the Sicilian and Tacitus write that the Iews were thrust out of Egypt by the Inhabitants because they were Scabby and Leprous Apion with a detestable Impudence rails against this People and out of meer malice invents and forges Lies to disgrace them He not only repeats the foresaid Calumny viz. That they were expell'd out of that Country because their Bodies were over-run with Leprosie but he adds several others and miserably perverts the History of Moses Pliny avoucheth that Moses was a Magician and Strabo reckons him among Astrologers and Diviners So Ioseph is said to have been skill'd in Magick Arts. Though perhaps it might proceed from Ignorance only that some of the Pagan Historians reckon these in the number of Magicians for they had heard of what wonderful things these Great Men had done in Egypt the one when he grapled with the Egyptian Sorcerers the other in Interpreting of Dreams and they concluded they were effected by Magick accordingly they represented them as Persons of that Character But even the mistakes of these Gentile Writers concerning them and others shew that they had heard of such Men and the things they did and they are a Testimony of the reality of the History in general Then as for the Pagan Poets the same prejudice and Hatred reigned in them and discover'd themselves in Lies and Fictions about the Iews and what is related concerning them in the Old Testament When they refer to any passage in the Sacred Story they malitiously desile it with their own Inventions they distort and falsly deliver the circumtances and they blend it so with their own ridiculous Fancies that they turn it into a Fable Again if we may give credit to Deme 〈◊〉 Phalereus Library-Keeper to King Ptolo 〈◊〉 and who was the Man that first excited him to promote that notable work of Tran 〈◊〉 the Old Testament into Greek there was this Notion among the Pagan Writers that this Holy Book was not to be prophanely handled nor the Matters of it made common by every one that undertook to write yea that 〈◊〉 inserting of them into their Writings was I gross Prophaning of them and had met with ◠suitable punishment Thus one Theopompus who had inserted some passages of the Bible into his Writings was struck with Madness and another named Theodectes who made use of some place of Scripture in a Tragedy of his was almost deprived of his sight for it but the former when he was made sensible of his fault was restor'd to a right mind again and the latter upon acknowledging the like Offence recover'd his Eye-sight This was related saith Iosephus
Demonstration hath out-done them and â—ost that have writ on it Among our own Countrymen these deservedly are to be numbred viz. Sir Walter Raleigh who among several other passages hath these Remarkable â—ords The Heathens did greatly enrich their Inventions by venting the stoln Treasures of Divine Letters alter'd by Prophane Additions and disguis'd by Poeticaâ— Conversions as if they had been conceived out of their own Speculations Next to this Worthy Knight the Famous Mr. Selâ—â—â— may be mention'd who avers that the â—ost impious Customs among the Gentiles had â—â—eir Original from Scripture-History which 〈◊〉 confirms by several Examples You will 〈◊〉 the Reverend Bishop Montague though â—â—is Author's Adversary in another point â—greeing with him in this The Heathens saith he of Old made use of many things which were taken from the Divine Polity in the Old Testament but were afterwards cloak'd and disguis'd by the Malice and Fraud of the Devil The Judicious Dr. 〈◊〉 hath two distinct Chapters of the Gentile Stories and Fictions being â—orrowed â—rom the Bible I will mention a passage or two out of some other places of his Works If Moses saith he was forty days in the Mount to receive Laws from Gods own mouth Minos will be Iupiter's Auditor in his Den or Cave for the same purpose In emulation of Shiloh or Kirjath-jearim whilst the Ark of God remained there the Heathens had Dodona And for Ierusalem they had Delphi garnish'd with rich Donatives as if it had been the intended parallel of the Holy City And he hath these remarkable words in the same place Any Judicious Man from the continual and serious observation of this great Register of Truth he means the Scriptures may find out the Original of all the principal Heads or Common places of Poetical Fictions or Ancient Traditions which cannot be imagin'd should ever have come into Man's fancy unless from the imitation of the Historical Truth A Worthy Prelate whom I have already Named hath giveâ— us his suffrage most freely in this cause and hath undertaken to defend it in the close of his Origines Sacrae I could produce half 〈◊〉 hundred more Authors of good Note anâ— Learning but I forbear because I have donâ— sufficiently From these I have quoted you may see that what I have maintained in this Discourse is no idle fancy no notion taken up by shallow Heads but that the deepest Judgments the most Judicious and Impartial Pens have adopted it for a Truth We have it upon the Authority of all these Excellent Persons and many more in former in later and even in our present times as well as upon the plain Evidences Reasons and Arguments before alledged that the Ancient Philosophers and Poets borrowed from the Bible that many of the Gentile Fables are founded on the most Sacred Verities that the Scripture is the Source and Fountain from whence many of their Opinions Customs and Practices sprang that most of the Gentile Theology arose from the mistaken and depraved sense of the Holy Writings of the Old Testament From the whole let me offer these three or four Consectaries 1 We cannot with any shew of Reason admit of that Opinion which holds that the Iews borrowed all or most of their Religious Rites and Ceremonies from the Gentiles This though it bids desiance to that Reason and Testimony which I have produced hath had some Abbettors and Patrons Thus Origen acquaints us that Celsus stifly maintain'd that the Mosaick History was borrowed from the Fables of Heathens And with him other Heathens at that time concurred and to defend their Idolatrous Traditions and Usages asserted that Scripture History was a corruption of some of their Fables The Story of the Flood they said was taken from Deucalion and Paradise from Alcinous's Gardens and the Burning of Sodom and Gomorrah from Phaeton's setting the World on fire c. But Origen shews the absurdity of these allegations from the Antiquity of those Relations in Sacred Scripture and thence proves that the Greeks had these from the Iews and not on the contrary He makes it evident that the Iewish Nation had the Original Traditions and that others were corrupted and changed from these by the Heathens This Pagan Conceit which was taken up on purpose as an evasion against Christianity is revived by some Writers of late but by none more designedly and industriously carried on and improved than by a late Learned Man of our own who hath delivered such admirable and choice things on occasion of pursuing this subject and hath snewed himself so Great a Master of all kinds of Literature that we can scarcely be displeas'd with his Notion that 〈◊〉 at the head of all I will not pretend tâ—enter the Lists with this Great Champion being conscious to my own inabilities but this I will do I will set some Great Men upon him though I have partly done it already and leave him to grapple with them Iosephus the Learned Iew was a Competent Judge in this matter viz. Whether the Iews â—orrow'd their Sacred and Religious Rites from the Gentiles or whether on the contrary these borrow'd from them Let us bear what he saith There hath been a long time saith he among most Nations a great Zeal and Emulation towards our way of Religion and Worship There is not a City among the Greeks or Barbarians yea not any Nation which hath not received from us the Custom of Resting on the Seventh day and of Fasting and of Lighting up of Candles And several things which relate to Meats forbidden us by our Law are also observed by Foreign Nations Here this Knowing Person acquaints us that the Gentiles were followers of the Iews not these of them and particularly mentions some â—ites which they receiv'd from them With this agrees what two considerable Rabbies have said viz. Our Law is the Law of Truth and all Nations glory in it and every one of them hath taken a Branch from our Law and in it they glory For the Laws that are among the Gentiles are as it were Branches cut off from our Law Whence it undeniably follows that the Iewish Laws and Ceremonies were not taken from â—hose of the Pagans Christians agree in this with the Iews Thus Iustin Martyr in his Dialogue with a Iew expresly declares that as Circumcision had its Original from Abraham so the Sabbath and Sacrifices and Offerings and Feasts had theirs from Moses and not from the Gentiles And Tertullian speaking of the Devil 's seducing and perverting of Hereticks tells us that he doth the like also among the Pagans for he apes the most Sacred and Divine things even in the Idolatrous aud Mysterious Worship of the Gentiles and makes use of them therein to prophane and impious purposes This hath been the general sense of the Christian Church whether Papists or Protestants Upon those words in Deut. 12. 30. Estius concludes and all Understanding Men may do so too that from thence
agrees with this Author and tells us that it was an ancient and constant Opinion among the Eastern People that some should come out of Iudea about that time and have the universal Sway and Reign over the World Iosephus the Jewish Historian relates the same and acquaints us that it was the common rumour and vogue among the Iews that one of their own Country should be an Universal Emperor which he as well as the fore-cited Authors applieth to Vespasian because he conquer'd the Iews and with Titus came from Iudea in Triumph to Rome Other Iews thought this common Fame was meant of Herod asserting him to be the Person fore-told by the Prophets and to be the expected Messias These were the Herodians mentioned in Mat. 22. 16. Thus though through Ignorance they knew not how to fix this Rumour aright yet out of Flattery they could apply it to their Princes But it is most evident that this Fame of an Universal Monarch arose from the Scriptures of the Old Testament which frequently speak of a great King and Ruler that should come out of the East and particularly out of Iudea Out of thee Bethlehem shall He come forth unto me that is to be the Ruler in Israel Mic. 5. 2. Which is interpreted of the Messias by the Iewish Sanhedrim whom â—erod gathered together demanding of them where Christ should be born Mat. 2. 4 5. That Prophecy of Micah speaks plainly of a Iew one that by birth â—as of Iudea yea of Bethlehem and therefore it was most falsly applied to those Roman Emperors before-named who came not out of Iudea but â—ut of Italy not from Bethlehem but from Rome And as for Herod he was not a Iew but an Iduâ—ean he was not born in Bethlehem but in Ascalon â—ut in our Blessed Saviour this remarkable Propheâ—y is exactly accomplish'd he being a Iew by â—â—rth and of the City of David and constituted â—y God a matchless King and Governor over his People Behold a King shall Reign in Righteousness 〈◊〉 32. 1. And in several other places of this Prophecy Christ is represented as a King and his Coming is express'd after that manner There was â—iven him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that â—ll People Nations and Languages should serve him His Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall 〈◊〉 pass away and his Kingdom that which shall not 〈◊〉 destroyed Dan 7. 14. Which is expresly applied to Christ by the Angel from Heaven Luke 1. 33. And in many other places of Scripture this Divine Person who was to come to redeem and save Mankind is set forth as a King or Great Lord and Prince one that should â—ear Sway in the World and wield his Scepter over all Nations Hence this Rumour was spread among the Eastern People and especially about the time of Christ's birth that a Great Lord or King should arise in those parts and spread his Dominion over the World Hence those Pagan and Jewish Writers beforeâ— mentioned speak of this Great Ruler and Monarch who is no other than our Lord Christ the King of Kings and Lord of Lords This they had from the Prophesies of the Bible where 't is so often fore-told that a King shall arise and gain an Universal Empire over Mankind To this we may refer that which Suetonius reports and he quotes his Author for it that a few Months before Augustus was born there was this publick Prodigy viz. a Proclaiming of this That Nature was bringing forth a King to the Roman People Whereupon the Senate being allarmed and frighted made a strange Decree That no one born that Year should be Educated This Prodigy without doubt refer'd to Christ whose Birth was in Augustus's Reign this was the King that was to be born to all the World which was then in a manner subject to the Roman Empire and therefore might be call'd the Roman People So the Sibylls Oracles or Prophesies are of a middlâ— nature and Consideration and therefore are justly to be treated of in this place As they were borrow'd from the Scriptures of the Old Testament they belong indeed to the former part of this Discourse but as they attest the Truth of the maiâ— things in the New-Testament they are reducible to this I will consider them first as they are taken out of the Scriptures of the Old-Testament This may seem to be strange at first because the Opinions of Writers have run an other way but after I have plainly laid the matter before you I doubt not but the thing which I offer will easily gain your assent and then it will rather seem strange that it was not taken notice of and imbraced before There have been these four Opinions among the Learned concerning the Sybills Oracles or Verses 1. Some say they are Counterfeit yea that some Christians but Hereticks have imposed upon the World in this matter This I will account for afterwards because it will more pertinently be handled under the Second Consideration viz. as they are used as an Attestation of the Truth of the New-Testament Indeed this Opinion rudely takes away the Subject of the Question and therefore must be consider'd in the last place in the mean time we suppose the thing spoken of to be real and not counterfeit 2ly Then some have asserted that the Sibylls were divinely Inspired and consequently that their Verses are Sacred and Divine Iustin Martyr Arâ—obius Lactantius and some other ancient Fathers cry them up as equal to the holiest Prophets As God say they spake by the Prophets to the Iews concerning Christ before he came so he foreâ—told him to the Gentiles by the Sibylls and the same Prophetick Spirit was in the latter that was in the former Baronius Bellarmine and the Roman Doctors generally think the same of them and therefore they use their Testimony as very Sacred and altogether Irrefragable By the way I might observe that they are sometimes quoted by these and others of the Church of Rome to assert and countenance some of their Popish Doctrines So that it seems Popery was a Religion before there were any thoughts of it in the World and before it had a Being But here Authors are divided again for some hold these Gentile Prophetesses were Good and Holy Person others that they were not The former Opinion is grounded on that Tenent of the Iewish Doctors that never any vicious and unhallowed Persons were honored with the Prophetick Spirit and that those Irradiations and extraordinary Impressions of the Holy Ghost were made only upon Men of holy Lives and innocent Behaviours Besides these Prophetick Women speak of One only True God and they inveigh against the False Gods and their Altars which is a sign they were good and religious People Others have a contrary Opinion of them and think they were Irreligious and Prophane for that Opinion of the Hebrew Doctors before spoken of is not always true though it be generally so We read of Baalam the Sorcerer
not Authentick as truly I cannot say much for them I will produce those that are so in all Mens Judgments You may observe that those Writers who have undertaken to compile all the laudable things and Manners of divers Nations and have even prais'd the Brachmans and Gymnosophists and ransack'd the most remote parts of the World for things excellent and observeable yet have said nothing of the Essenes who far out-did all of them and were in the face of the World most eminent and conspicuous Neither Strabo nor Tacitus nor Iustin nor Aristaeas who have particularly spoken of the Iews say any thing of these Nay Iosephus a Iew and who in his two Books against Apion hath heaped up all that is Great and Noble of that Nation hath nothing there though as you shall hear anon he hath something in his other Writings of this famous Sect of Philosophers among them shall we therefore be quarrelsome and deny there were Essenes before or in Christ's time Again I could observe to you that the Romans are not so much as mentioned either by Herodotus or Thucydides or any other Greek Writers of that time though they were in the same quarter of the World and growing great and formidable It is somewhat strange but is very true and is taken notice of by Iosephus against Apion though this Author as you have heard was himself desective in the like case Suetonius writ the Lives of the first twelve Roman Emperors yet if you compare his Relations with the things set down in others you will find that he hath pass'd by many considerable things he hath omitted sundry matters which were very obvious Let us apply this to our present purpose What if none of the Heathen Historians who have related the Roman Acts had spoken of that famous Census or Tax in Augustus's time What though the Eclipse at Christ's Passion had not been taken notice of by Historians though both this and the other are recorded yet it would not have followed thence that there were no such things for you see 't is not unusual with Historians to pass by some Persons and Things which are very remarkable and worth recording If then some matters spoken of by the Evangelists be not mentioned in other Histories we cannot with any Reason thence conclude that the Evangelists recorded that which is false No such thing can be inferr'd for even among Pagan Writers there are many peculiar historical Paâ—sages mentioned by some of them which none else speak of Tacitus and Valerius Maximus and others have Narrations which are not to be found in any others and yet they are not suspected of falshood Why then may we not credit those things which the New Testament Records although no Gentâ—le Historians say a word of them Nay we have observed this before of the Evangelical Historians themselves that they do not all Record the same things Though all of them mention some Passages yet there are others which are spoken of only by one or two of the Evangelists and there are some Things or Persons which none of them make mention of and yet they are as remarkable as some of those which they have committed to Writing Thus the Gospels speak of the Pharisees and Sadducees yea of the Galileans and Herodians and yet say not a word of the Essenes who were a considerable Sect as was noted before We are not to be troubled then that some things occur in the New Testament which are not to be met with in very approved Authors No History Sacred or Prophane relates every thing The Evangelists themselves pretend not to this you must not expect all Christ's doings in their Writings for one of them who wrote last of all closeth his Gospel thus There are many other things which Jesus did the which if they should be written every one I suppose that even the World it self could not contain the Books that should be written 3. We are to know this that both Jewish and Pagan Historians concealed or misrepresented some things which relate to Christianity and that willfully and out of design I begin with the first sort of Historians and offer this Instance we read in Philo and Iosephus the Character of the Essenes whom I mention'd before viz. that they were the most Devout Men of all the Jewith Nation that they were a retired People and given to Husbandry that they were famed for their mutual Love to one another and that as an effect of this they had all things in common like those Primitive Christians spoken of in the Acts or like the Colidei or Culdees among the Scots in the first Ages that though they were the devoâ—â—est Worshippers among the Iews yet they offered no Sacrifices but composed their minds wholly to 2 severe Sanctity that they were celebrated for their great Austerity of Life for their Temperance Chastity and Self-denial that their bare Word was of more force with them than an Oath and that they avoided all Swearing counting it far worse than Perjury that they were generous Despisers of all those things which affright and trouble others and that they vanquish'd all Torments and Persecutions with Forâ—itude and Steadiness of mind And as for Death if it was to be undergone with honour and repute they judged it â—o be better than Immortality This is the true but admirable Character of that People and both these Authors tell us that they were Iews It is true there were such People as Iewish Esseâ—es and Iosephus neckons them as one of the three Sects of Philosophers among the Iews But it is probable that this excellent Character or all of it at least belongs not to These but to the Christians of Alexandria at that time Philo then in his Treatise of a Comtemplative Life where he pretends to describe the Essenes wriâ—eth in praise of these Iewish Christians who were under the Tuition and Conduct of St. Mark Bishop of Alexandria for this Evangelist Preaching the Gospel in Egypt setled a Church here This was the Opinion of that Learned Father St. Ierom That Church saith he did at that time Judaize and therefore Philo the Iew thought it to be for the praise of his Nation to describe their excellent Order Life and Institution For this Reason this Author is numbred by that Father among the Ecclesiastical Writers namely because he hath left an Encomium of these Christians who lived thus religiously under St. Mark the Evangelist Eusebius is of the same Judgment and saith what Philo writes of the Essenes is to be understood of those Primitive Christians who were disciplin'd under St. Mark Epiphanius and Chrysosâ—om were of this Perswasion and so were some others of the Fathers Baronius holds they were old Christian Monks and a great number of Protestant Writers agree in this that they were devout Christians bred up as Disciples under that holy Man This is the more credible because it is said of them that they used no
Macrobius that act of his being somewhat a-kin to the Edict of the Roman Senate 4. I adjoin this that the Christian Religion and the Professors of it were generally look'd upon by Prophane Writers as very contemptible so that some of these scorn'd to record those things which had any relation to them Hence it is that Christ's Miracles and other things appertaining to Christianity are not so much as mention'd They would not vouchsafe to record such mean sorry things and which indeed some of them took for Fables and mere Falsities On this account likewise it cannot be expected that the Roman History should at any time particularize the Christian Affairs unless when War and Tumults suppos'd by them to be caused by the Christians invited those Writers to it Then the Roman Glory is concern'd to let the Conquest be told and to have an Account given of the Particulars But other Things relating to Christianity are deemed low and mean and are passed over in filence as not of any Concern and Moment The Pagan Historians do purposely omit the Acts of the Christians because they think them not worth the reciting 5. To speak more plainly Prejudice Hatred and Malice may be assign'd also as the Causes why some of the most remarkable Passages in the Evangelical History are not mention'd by Pagan or Jewish Writers It is no wonder that Valerius Maximus who hath made a Collection of the memorable Acts and Sayings of other Nations as well as Rome and dedicated them to Tiberius yet hath not a word of Jewish Acts much less hath inserted any Christian ones His Aversness to the Christian Religion may solve this very well unless you will say that Christianity was but just risen at that time when he wrote and the materials of History concerning it were not yet brought to him But this cannot be said of Tacitus who lived in the next Age and who was a great Hater of the Christians and was very severe upon them in his Writings on which account he cannot be thought to have related things impartially concerning them Suetonius was bitter against them and who then can look for any â—air Account from him The same may be said of Lucian and Pliny who though they deliver some Truths and not inconsiderable ones concerning the Christians yet their Aversness to them and their Religion which by the latter of them is call'd Pervicacia inflexibilis obstinatio would not permit them to speak what they knew of them Plutarch of all that lived and writ about that time was the civilest to the Christian Religion he no where jeers or slanders it or makes any Reflections upon it which made Theodâ—â—â—t think he was almost a Christian and had a favour for their Religion But the rest some of whom I have named before hated the Christians yea their very name was odious to them hence when they speak of Christians or Christianity they mingle Calumniâ—s and Lies with what they say Christians with them pass for fond and superstitious People nay for flagitious and profligate nay sometimes for Diabolical Impostors and Wizards and the most execrable sort of Persons under heaven I might here mention Zosimus a fierce Pagan and therefore shews it in his History when he speaks of the Christians Being a great Hater of these Persons he doth upon all occasions speak ill of them and particularly of Constantine the Great because he was the first Emperor that threw off Heatheanism and imbraced Christianity He tells us that he Murder'd his Empress his Son and other near Relations and that he was smitten with Leprosie for these unnatural and horrid Crimes in brief he relates the Particulars of this great Man's Life contrary to all ancient Historians that have written concerning him The ground of which was no other than this that he had entertain'd a particular Grudge and Prejudiâ—e against the Emperor and bore a hatred to Christianity it self so that whatever he wrote concerning them â—avor'd of ill will and malice It is not then to be marvell'd at that such Men mis-represent many Passages which relate to the Professors of Christianity and faâ—siâ—ie all reports concerning them They can by no means speak well of a People that they hate A Religion that they so abhor can have no Persons Good of it they think You must not expect they will relate Truths which they have a dislike of This is one reason why Pagans are defâ—ctive in their Historical Narrations why many things spoken of by the Evangelists are not mention'd by them or are vilely mis-represented This is the cause why so few of Christ's Actions and the Affairs of Christians are taken notice of and why thosâ— that are are so miserably perverted Prejudice and Envy Splâ—en and Malice are the Source of this Miscarriage 6. I add this that many pieces of History are lost as hath been acknowledged and complain'd of by the Learned whence it is that many Occurrences which we meet with in the History of the Gospel are not to be found in the Writings of the Pagans We have but a few of these left us in comparison of their number at first and those that we have are but Relicks of those Histories before written Particularly the Stupendous Acts of our Saviour and the Monuments of the bravest and noblest things done in that Age wherein He was born are now missing All Dio's History from the Consulships of Antistius and Balbus unto the Consulships of Messala and Cinna that is for the space of Ten Years Five Years before Christ's Birth and Five after it is quite lost and so is Livy's History of that time In vain therefore doth any Man think to find the remarkable Passages referring to Christ's Birth in these Writers much more vain is it to look for these things in those Writers whose Histories are altogether missing at this day Thus to instance only in the Universal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which makes the greatest noise with the Objectors that without doubt was set down by some Roman Historians but their Writings either by Negligence or by Fire or by the Invasion of the Barbarous Nations into Italy or by age and length of time are lost It is clear that some did make mention of it otherwise whence had Suidas all that which he relates of the Twenty Persons that were sent to make the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God perhaps would in his Providence approve the loss of these that holy History might be partly imbraced by Faith and not owe its Authority wholly to Human Testimony But such as is remaining I have produced and that is enough to satisfie any sober any confiderate Person Lastly I remark this in the close of all that there are two of the most celebrated Roman Historians from whom we can expect nothing that hath Relation to Christ's Birth or any great Occurrence that happened about that time For Livy wrote but to Augustus's beginning which was before Christ and for that
of God whereas the Prophet who speaks this intimates in the whole Chapter afterwards that the Church shall flourish and that it shall be impossible for its Enemies to do it harm So that in Nah. 3. 14. Draw thee Waters for the Siege fortify thy strong Holds is said in way of Derision to Niniveh whose unavoidable Ruine is foretold in that Chapter And besides many such Sarcasms in the Old Teâ—â—ament there are several in the New as that of our Blessed Lord to his drowzy Disciples Sleep on â—ow and take your Rest Matth. 26. 45. This is a downright Irony because Christ here intends a different thing nay contrary to what he saith His meaning is not that they should sleep when both he and they were in so great Danger but his Intention rather was that they should watch and pray as you read ver 41. By this way of speaking he corrects them for their unseasonable Drowsiness that they could not watch at such a time as that when he had just before foretold them that he was to be betrayed That is another clear Text Full well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fairly as Sir Nort. Knatchbull renders it ye reject the Commandment of God saith our Saviour to the Pharisees Mark 7. 9. Ye do very well and laudably in preferring the Traditions and Constitutions of Men before the express Commands of God This is a commendable piece of Religion indeed Is it not Do you think that this will be acceptable to God There is another Passage of our Saviour which seems to me to be perfectly Ironical though Commentators generally carry the Sense another way But now saith Christ he that hath a Purse let him take it and likewise his Scrip and be that hath no Sword let him sell his Garment and buy one Luke 22. 36. Which is thought by Expositors to be a plain and direct Exhortation to the Apostles to furnish themselves with Money Provision and Swords But this cannot be meant here because 1. Christ had declared against Fighting for he tells Pilate Iohn 18. 36. that if his Kingdom were of this World then would his Servants i. e. his Apostles and Disciples fight that he should not be delivered to the Iews Swords then were to no purpose 2. When they brought two Swords to him his Answer is observable It is enough If he had meant real Swords he would not have said that two of them were enough for those could serve but two Men They should all of them be appointed with that sort of Weapons and have stood on their Guard When therefore he saith It is enough he doth as good as say I do not mean Carnal Weapons You mistake me as you have often done and dream of a Temporal Kingdom of the Messias 3. It is evident that Christ meant not Swords in the usual Signification of the Word because afterwards he sharply blamed Peter for making use of this Weapon Matth. 26. 52. It appears that he had no Commission from our Saviour to draw his Sword I cannot therefore subscribe to those who interpret these Words of our Lord in the direct and obvious Sense But if we understand them to be spoken â—ronically they are very intelligible and are consistent with what Christ saith at other times And let no Man wonder that our Blessed Master uses this sort of Stile here for I have shewed you before in two undeniable Instances that he made use of it yea even when he was approaching to Death as when he said to his Apostles Sleep on and take your Rest. And so he speaks after the same manner here upbraiding his Apostles who he knew were afraid of Suffering and had so often been talking of Christ's Kingdom on Earth and of the Prosperous Times that were to accompany it He now in a Sarcastick way chastises their fond and groundless Conceit and bids them go and buy Swords and lay in Provisions If you are for a Temporal Reign saith he then sight for it You are specially well skill'd in your Weapons without doubt you are excellent Sword-men This I take to be the Sense of the Words and truly a Man might gather it from that one Passage before mentioned It is enough said our Saviour to them when they brought him a couple of Swords This it self is an Ironick Quip it is as if he had said This is brave Armour indeed Now you are well appointed surely You are like to defend me and your selves against all that come against us Two Swords amongst you all are a very great Armory This plainly shews what our Saviour's meaning was when he bid them buy Swords he handsomly check'd them for their Cowardice and Fear of Suffering But yet I will not deny that something more may be included and comprized in these Words he bids them make the best Provision they can against the Calamitous Times that were coming he exhorts them to be provided with Spiritual Weapons Faith and Patience and thâ— Sword of the Spirit yea with the Whole Armour of God This higher and spiritual meaning may be contained in what Christ here uttereth But if you take the Words as they sound and in the more direct and literal Tendency of them I do not see that they can be interpreted in a better way than I have offered And as our Blessed Saviour himself so the Apostle St. Paul sometimes uses this Figure which I am now speaking of I am enclined to think that those Words in Acts 23. 5. I wist not that he was the High Priest are to be taken in this Sense He makes use of an Irony and is to be understood as if he had said Is this the High Priest Alas I did not know that this was that Reverend Gentleman I should have shewed my self more civil to him if I had been acquainted that this was that Worshipful Man that Gay Pontiff to whom you pay so great Veneration But who would take this Person to be the High Priest the Great Leading Officer of the Church who is to be an Example of Mildness and Gentleness to all Men His furious way of speaking and acting towards me doth not discover him to be one of that High Character and Order He doth not shew himself to be a Spiritual Man Surely this cannot be He This Behaviour speaks him to be another Person So it is spoken in a jtering way Nor is this Sense of the Words as â—â—me may think too light and jocular for the Apostle though he was before the Sanhedrim the most Grave and Solemn Council of that Nation For in several of the Instances before mentioned we see this way of speaking hath been made use of before very Great and Venerable Persons and in Causes that were exceeding Serious and Weighty And whereas the Apostle immediately adds For it is written Thou shalt not speak Evil of the Ruler of thy People which may make it seem incredible that St. Paul spoke in a Sarcastick way which is speaking one thing and meaning another
barbarously and maliciously took away his Life because he was a faithful and righteous Person Thus I interpret the Words because I discern that the Apostle alludes to Gen. 4. 10. The Voice of thy Brother's Blood crieth unto me from the Ground Wherefore when he saith Abel yet speaketh it is as much as if he had said his Blood speaketh or crieth It spake long ago and it yet speaks like the Souls under the Altar Rev. 6. 10. How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judg and avenge our Blood Now by this Text I expound that other in Heb. 12. 24. The Blood of Sprinkling that speaketh better things than Abel for so it is in the Greek The Apostle having said before Abel yet speaks i. e. the Voice of his Blood speaketh or crieth to Heaven for Vengeance he here with particular reference to that Passage assures us that Christ's Blood speaks better things than Abel or than the Blood of Abel which was shed by his Brother for whereas that spoke and cried for Punishment this pleads for Mercy and Pardon Christ's Oblation of himself on the Cross by the Effusion of his Blood speaks better things doth more atone and appease the Wrath of God than the Blood of Abel who was spitefully murder'd did incense and provoke it Thus this is a good way of interpreting Scripture sometimes by comparing one Text with another and observing their mutual Relation Many obscure and less intelligible Passages are clear'd by this Means I will content my self with mentioning one Place more viz. Mat. 24. 34. This Generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled Which remarkable Words of our Saviour may seem to have been mistaken by those Interpreters that I have met with and merely because they have not minded the Reference of the Words Some have taken this Generation for the Generation then in being in our Saviour's time and so they apprehend him to speak of something that was soon after to be accomplish'd not unlike some of St. Iohn's Visions which were to come to pass in a short time and consequently that those Signs of his Coming which he had foretold in that Chapter were to be every Day expected and if they were meant of his General and Final Coming then that the Overthrow of Ierusalem and of the World should be about the same time And that some of the Signs mentioned by Christ are to be understood properly and peculiarly of the Iewish Nation soems to be clear from that one Passage in ver 20. Pray that your Flight be not on the Sabbath-day which intimates that the Iewish People were particularly concern'd who solemnly observed that Day By this Generation then they understand the present Generation of the Jews which was at that time and to confirm this they observe that this Generation is applied by Christ to the Jews of that Age Mark 8. 12. The Meaning then of this Generation shall not pass c. according to this Acception of the Word is this that whilst the Jews then living were upon the Earth those things which our Saviour had foretold in that Chapter yea all those things should be fulfill'd This were a very good Interpretation of the Words if the thing it self could be proved that is that within so short a time all those Predictions of Christ were accomplish'd But the contrary is very evident for the Chapter speaks of the Day of Judgment as well as of the Devastation of Ierusalem wherefore all the things that our Lord spoke of were not fulfill'd within the Compass of that Generation and consequently that Period of Time could not be meant when it is said This Generation shall c. Secondly therefore others who are sensible of the Invalidity of this Interpretation understand this Generation in a wider and larger Sense and think that by it is meant the Evangelical Dispensation the whole Series of Time from our Saviour's Days to the End of the World the final Upshot of all things And this is a good Exposition of the Text and salves the Sense very well only there is no Proof that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the last Age of the World This Period of Time is call'd by St. Iohn the last time by St. Peter the End of all things and by St. Paul the Ends of the World but I do not find that it is any where stiled this Generation therefore I do not see any good Ground to apply it here in that manner as some Expositors have done Wherefore I will offer another Interpretation which I hope will not be unacceptable to the Learned though I confess I do not expect it should be presently received because it is wholly new and unheard of But let Impartial Minds judg of it who will not suffer the mere Novelty of an Exposition to hinder their imbracing of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Generation of the Heaven and Earth the Whole Creation of the World this vast Mundane Fabrick So St. Iames uses the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ch 3. 6. making it the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Rom. 8. 19 22. And even among Profane Authors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath sometimes the like Acception and is rendred Seculum the World This shall not pass i. e. be destroyed till all these things be fulfilled as if our Saviour had said The World shall continue as it hath hitherto done till all these things which I have foretold but especially these concerning my Last Coming be accomplished but immediately after the fulfilling of them this Generation of the Heavens and Earth this Frame of the World shall be set on Fire shall be consumed And that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath this Signification here i. e. that it imports this System of Heaven and Earth I gather from the Reference of this Verse to the immediately ensuing one Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my Words shall not pass away where you see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is explained by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Generation of Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my Words my Predictions concerning future things which you have just now heard from my Mouth shall not pass away Which is as much as if he had said This great Structure of the World shall perish at last Heaven and Earth shall be destroyed by a general Conflagration but new Heavens and a new Earth shall arise in their room which shall be a Building not made with Hands not of perishing Materials but such as shall last eternally And of this Nature is my Word and Promise such are all my Predictions and particularly this of the Signs of my Coming it shall never be null'd and abolish'd The applying of the words shall pass to the Heavens and Earth immediately after shews that Christ means by this Generation the whole World expressed by Heaven and Earth You see then how sitly 't is said here
mention'd in the Books of the Kings Chronicles Ieremiah Ezekiel Daniel and lastly Belshazzar Dan. 5. 22. in whom this Monarchy had its Period And so these Sacred Writings acquaint us not only with the Rise but the Progress Duration and End of this Empire hence we learn that it lasted from Nimrod to the close of Belshazzar's Reign i. e. from the year of the World 1717. to the Year 3419. which is in all 1702 Years a much longer time than any of the other Monarchies endured Again in these Writings is recorded the Original of the Next viz. the Persian usually known by the Name of the Second Monarchy Here we read that Belshazzar the last Chaldean Monarch he that impiously carouzed in the Holy Vessels belonging to the Temple was slain by Darius the Mcde Dan. 5. 30 31. who joined with Cyrus the Persian in the Expedition against Belshazzar and they both had Right to the Babylonian Monarchy on that Account and accordingly jointly ruled so it was a Medo-Persian Monarchy Darius is spoken of in the 6th and 9th Chapters of Daniel but being aged before he came to the Throne he lived but about two Years after whereupon Cyrus reigned alone and is generally reputed the First Founder of the Persian Monarchy This famous Cyrus sirnamed the Great was prophesied of long before he appeared in the World Isa. 44. 28. 45. 1. This is he that was the Happy Restorer of the Jews to their own Country and was a great Favourer of the Pious of that Nation Ezr. 1. And in the following Chapters and in the Book of Nehemiah is infallibly related what Persian Kings hindred the Building of the Temple and who they were that promoted it Besides the Book of Esther and a great part of Daniel are a Narrative of what was done under the Kings of Persia. Next it might be added that Alexander the Great the First Founder of the Grecian Monarchy is spoken of in these Sacred Writings as in Dan. 2. 32 39. 7. 6. 8. 5 6 7 8. 10. 20. 11. 3 4. whence Iaddus the High Priest shewed the Prophecy of Daniel to that Great Monarch and particularly turned to that Place where his Conquering of the Persians and the Translation of the Empire to him are foretold Here also the Division of the Empire among his Captains is predicted Dan. 2. 33. 7. 7 19. 8. 22. 11. 5 6 c. Lastly the History of the New Testament mentions the Author and Erecter of the Roman which generally passes for the Fourth Monarchy and some of his Actions and Decrees This was Augustus for if we speak properly this Empire began not â— Iulius Câ—sar but in him when he vanquished â— Anthony and Cleopatra in the Battel of Actium anâ— all Egypt became a Roman Province Thus Niâ— rod Cyrus Alexander Augustus the Founder â— those four renowned Monarchies and many of thâ— most eminent and remarkable Passages in some of them are recorded in the Sacred Scriptures whereby the Truth of those things is confirmed and some obscure Places in Pagan Writers are enlightned and some Mistakes may be corrected Indeed it is impossible to understand the Gentile History aright in sundry Matters relating to the First Kingdoms and Governments unless we are acquainted with the Bible CHAP. III In these Sacred Writings we have the first and earliest Account of all useful Employments and Callings viz. Gardening Husbandry feeding of sheep preparing of Food The antient manner of Threshing Grinding of Corn and making Bread is enquired into What was the Primitive Drink The Posture which they used at eating and drinking Sitting preceded Discubation The particular manner of placing themselves on their Beds Eating in common not always used Discalceation and Washing the Feet were the Attâ—ndanâ—s of Eating and Feasting So was Anointing They had a Master or Governour of their Feasts Who were the first Inventers of Mechanick Arts. The first Examples of Architecture Houses were built flat at top and why In the fifth Place here and only here is to be learned the Original of all Employments Callings Oecupations Professions Mysteries Trades and of all Arts and Inventions whatsoever First here is the earliest Mention of Gardening Husbandry Plougbing keeping of Sheep which are of ordinary Use and for the necessary Support of Man's Life God placing Adam in Paradise a Garden of Delight instructed him how to dress and keep it Gen. 2. 15. to work and belabour the Ground for so it is according to the LXX to dig and delve with great Care and Art to open the Earth to let in the Influences of Heaven to prune the Trees and cherish the Plants to preserve the Fruits from the Beasts and Fowls which had Admittance into that Place as we read in Gen. 2. 19 20. and to keep all things in good order as a skilful Gardiner and Husbandman for both these made up the First Employment and Trade in the World And when Man was ejected out of Paradise he was still set about the same Work Gen. 3. 23. for the Hebrew Word that is used here is the same with that in ver 15. and is translated there to dress but it is certain that gnamad which is the Verb in both Places is of a large Import and signifies all Husbandly managing and improving of Ground And truly there was more need of exercising that Art now than before the Earth being not a little endamaged by the Curse which God denounced against it and executed upon it which was one Reason why Adam brought up his Son Cain to Husbandry and Tilling the Ground Gen. 4. 2. for now it wanted Manuring and Cultivating And as this his eldest Son was brought up to take care of the Fruits of the Earth so his next was bred up to feeding of Sheep which is the Second Employment or Calling that we read of in the World Afterwards Iabal advanced higher and became the First Grasier for so I understand those Words Gen. 4. 20. He was the Father of such as have Cattel i. e. that have other Cattel besides Sheep for these and the keeping or feeding of them had been mention'd before He lived upon Pasturage and for that purpose was the Father of such as dwell in Tents as it is said in the same Place The Meaning of which is that whereas others generally lived in one fix'd Place and Habitation he and others of his Calling went from one place to another feeding They travell'd as their Cattel did and for this Reason it was requisite to have Tents Accordingly that they might look after their Flocks and Herds the better he invented these that they might lie out in the Fields all Night under this Shelter Thus you see what was the Primitive State of things Adain and his first-born Son were Husbandmen and his second Son a Shepherd and others of his Race were busied in feeding of Cattel Such was the Employment of those that were the First Heirs of the World And so for
Olâ— Roman Laws that were fix'd up in publick were written on Plates of Brass as a great Number of good Latin Authors testify And â—ome to preserve what they writ imprinted Characters on Slices of Ivâ—ry thence call'd Libri Elephantini in Tacitus and Flavius Vopiscus Thus Sculpture was one antient way of Writing among Men of whiâ—â— the First Instances are to be found in the Holy Scripture And I doubt not but Aâ—oliab who wâ—â— the Chief Master of Engraving and that by the particular Inspiration of Heaven was the fiâ—â—â— Improver of this sort of Letters This was 〈◊〉 Primitive Writing of Mankind the First Lettâ—â—â— were cut and engraven which indeed may be fouâ—â— in the very Word for to grave is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is thence derived without doubt As hither to we have seen by Help of the Sacrâ—â— Records that Sculpture or Eâ—â—râ—tion was the anâ—â— entest sort of Characters so These likewise inâ—oâ— us that Painting was the next i. e. that Lettâ—â—â— were generally drawn and pouâ—trayed in some blaâ—â— or â—able kind of â—olouring And to this end iâ—â—stead of those Hard Materials which were madâ— use of in writing before there were others aâ—terwards found out of a more tractable Nature The Scripture doth not mention those that were 〈◊〉 seldom and little used as Leavâ—s of Trees espeâ—â—â—ally Palms which was the way â—f the Siâ—â—â— transmitting some of their Verses And that of old they wrote sometimes on Leaves not only of Trees but Flowers is more than once witnessed by Virgil and Ovid. Still to this Day we seem to retain the Memory of this antient way of Writing when we say a Leaf of Paper and Books in Folio Nor are the thin Coats or Rinds which were between the Bark and Body of Trees and were used in Writing of old as several relate and from whence came the Name of Liber at first mention'd by the Holy Writers because their Use continued but a little time and they were of little Service Much less is there any thing said of writing in Linen which yet Livy Pliny Vopiscus and others take notice of because this was used among the Indians and such remote People as the Sacred History had no occasion to speak of But those Materials for writing which were of constant Use and that among most Nations as Papyr and Parchment are either expresly mention'd or tacitely referr'd to The former was made of broad Rushes and Flags which grew in great abundance in Egypt of which the Prophet Isaiah foretelling the Confusion of that Country speaketh ch 19. v. 6 7. The Reeds and Flags shall wither the Paper-Reeds by the Brooks shall wither be driven away and be no more The Gnaroth the Materials for Writing which were so celebrated all the World over and which were the peculiar Commodity of Egypt and which brought in so great Revenues to that Nation these even these shall decay the Traffick of them shall cease Yea when 't is said that Moses was laid in an Ark of Bull-rushes Exod. 2. 3. a Great Critick tells us that the Papyrus is meant here and for this he quotes Lucan Conseritur bibulâ Memphitis cymba papyro And before him St. Ierom the most Critical of all the Fathers thought the Egyptian Rushes of which the first Paper was made are to be understood in this Place and therefore Gome which is the Word here used is rendred by him Papyrâ—â— And he it is likely had this from Iosepâ—us who acquaints us that the Ark in which Moses was secured was made of this great Flag growing on the Banks of Nile of which they made Leaves to write on and whence our Paper at this Day hath its Name It was divided into thin Flakes which were press'd and dried in the Sun and so were made serviceable to write upon in some tolerable manner Of this Pliny and several other Writers speak and thence Nile is call'd Papyriferus by Ovid. Parchment which was made of Sheep Skins or the thinner Skins of other Animals dress'd was another thing they writ upon The best of this sort was made at Pergamus and thence had its Name Pergamena but it was invented before Attalus King of Peragamus his time though the contrary hath been believ'd by some Men and was in use at the same time that the Egyptian Papyrus was only this was used for common Purposes and the other for more choice Writing and such as they designed should last a long time Therefore it is most probable that the Books of the Mosaick Law and the rest of the Old Testament were transcrib'd into this Moses writ the Words of the Law gnal sepher upon a Book Deut. 31. 24. i. e. on Parchment saith Ionathan the Chaldee Paraphrast on the place for so he and other Learned Jews understood the Text. This is meant by Megillah a Roll Ezra 6. 2. and Megillah sepher a Roll of a Book Jer. 36. 2. and Gillaion a Roll Isa. 8. 1. and a Scroll rolled together Isa. 34. 4. for it was Parchment which is of some Consistency not thin and weak Paper that was capable of being thus rolled up To this Herodotus refers when he saith that writing on Skins was used by the Barbarians meaning the Eastern People especially the Iews And Iosepâ—us avoucheth that the Books of the Old Testament were written in Sheets of Parchment exactly joined and fastned together of which Testimony of his I have spoken in another Place It is the general Opinion of Interpreters that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are meant Writing Parchments 2 Tim. 4. 13. but I have heretofore proposed another Sense of that Word and therefore I make no use of this Place here It is likely that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Scroll rolled together Rev. 6. 14. refers to this And though I will not aver that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translators render Paper 2 Ioh. v. 12. is to be understood Parchment yet it is not wholly improbable for this was the usual Word to signify any thing that they writ upon whether Egyptian Reeds or Leaves of Lead or Gold or Stone or Wood or any of the other writing Materials before specified The Matter whatever it was was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Charta from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this from the Hebrew Charath seulpsit exaravit for this was a general Term and signified any thing that had Characters engraven or written upon it But the Scripture hath not only taken notice of the Materials on which they wrote of old but of the Instruments with which they form'd their Letters on them I mean here such as were of common Use and therefore we must not expect that it should say any thing of the Rubrica mention'd by Persius and others which serv'd sometimes instead of Pen and Ink. With this they writ oâ— rather mark'd their Titles of Books whence that of Iuvenal
of the Pentateuch that Excellent Philosopher Law-giver Historian that Captain that Prince that Prophet that Man of God who was the Inspired Writer of the five first Books of the Bible The first of which as I said before is Genesis which begins with the History of the Creation And I call it a History in opposition to the fond Conceit of those Men who read the Beginning of this Book with Cabalistick Spectacles only and think there are nothing but Allegories and Mysteries in the whole Text. But the contrary is very evident to unprejudiced Minds and to such as are not so I have propounded Arguments in another Place viz. when I treated of the Literal and Mystical Sense of Scripture to take off their Prejudces and Mistakes This I did because it is necessary to be firmly perswaded of the Truth and Certainty of what we meet with here in our Entrance into the Bible It is indispensably requisite that we believe Moses to have delivered these things as an Historian and that he speaks real Matter of Fact when he gives us a Narrative of the Beginning of all things and particularly of the Original of Man his Innocency and Happiness and after that his Fall which was the Source of all Sin of the Devil's Tyranny of Death of Hell and of all Evils whatsoever The Knowledg and Belief of This are the Basis of all Religion and that perhaps was the Meaning of Luther's Saying that the First Chapter of Genesis comprehends the whole scripture Wherefore this is with great Wisdom premised in the Entrance of this Sacred Volume To which afterwards are adjoined the Propagation of Mankind the Rise of Religion and of the Church of God the Invention of Arts the General Defection and Corruption of the World the Universal Delâ—ge which drown'd all Mankind but Noah and his Family the Restoration of the World the Certain Distinction of Times before the Flood and partly after it the Confusion of Toâ—gues and thereupon the Division of the Earth among the Sons of Men the Plantation of Families the Original of Nations and Kingdoms as the Assyrian Monâ—â—chy begun in Nimrod or Belus and the Egyptian Dynasty the History of the first Patriarchs not only before but after the General Deluge as of Noab the Preacher of Righteousness of Abraham the Father of the Faithful of Isaac the Seed in which all Nations were to be blessed of Iacob the Father of the twelve Tribes of Ioseph whose Memorable Actions are here fully recorded and with which this First Book of Moses â—nds unless the Book of Genesis may be said to reach as far as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of that Promise contain'd in it concerning the Seed of the Woman that was to break the Serpent's Head Viz. Christ the Redeemer made of a Woman and sent to subdue the Devil and to destroy Sin and Death But because this First Book begins with the Creation of the World and is therefore by the Rabbins call'd the Book of the Creation I will here annex a brief View of the several Distinct Steps of this Great Work as they are represented to us by this Inspired Writer and Divine Philosopher who acquaints us that there were six Days spent in erecting this glorious Fabrick of the World And this will be a farther Proof of what I said before viz. that in Scripture is the Truest Philosophy When Moses saith In the Beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth Ver. 1. he doth in these Words give us a summary Account of all that he intended to say afterwards in this Chapter for Heaven and Earth comprehend the Whole Creation This first Verse then is to be look'd upon as a General Draught of the Production of all things and the Particulars of it follow in the next Verses where the several Days Works are distinctly set down The Product of the first Day was two-fold viz. the Terraqueous Mass call'd here the Earth and Light There was first of all created a Rude Confused Heap by Profane Writers call'd the Chaos an Indigested Mass of Earth and Water mix'd together out of which God afterwards made all Corporeal things which belong to this lower World For we must not as some imagine that the Celestial Bodies were composed out of the Earthly Chaos that all the Vast Spaces of the Heavenly Mansions owe their Rise to this Mass below and that the very Stars were the Offspring of the Earth No Moses gives us to understand that this Confused Lump was the Original only of the Lower World for the Earth in this first Verse is mention'd as one Part of the new-created World as distinct from Light the other Part of the Creation As Light then of which I shall speak next was the Primordial Matter of the Ethereal Celestial and Shining Bodies so this Gross and Lumpish Heap was that of which all Dark and Heavy Bodies were compounded This Unshapen Mass without Form and void is here by a general Name call'd the Earth though it was not in a strict sense such for the Earth as a distinct Body from all others was the Work of the third Day In this Place therefore by Earth is meant Earth and Water blended together which made one Great Bog or Universal Quagmire This is the plainest and truest Conception we can have of the Primitive State of the World And hence without doubt was derived the Opinion of Thales and some other Antient Philosophers that Water or Slime or Mud for they express it variously was the Source of all Beings whatsoever And certain it is that this Terraqueous Matter was the first Origine of all those material Beings before-mention'd Accordingly Sir W. Raleigh in the Beginning of his History of the World determines that the Substance of the Waters as mix'd in the Body of the Earth is by Moses understood in the word Earth Hitherto according to the Mosaick History Nature is in her Night-clothes the World is overspread with Darkness which is especially said to be on the face of the Deep by which is meant either the whole Disorder'd Mass which was an Abyss or else as is most probable the Watry Part of it for though this and the Earthy Parts were mix'd together yet these latter being lightest were generally uppermost and floted above all and appear'd on the Surface of the Earth Therefore that Learned Knight before mention'd observes that the Earth was not only mix'd but cover'd with the Waters But the Spirit of God as Moses proceeds to tell us maved or hover'd over this Dark Abyss this Mix'd Chaos especially the Waters as 't is particularly said because these were uppermost and hereby the Rude Matter was prepared to receive its several Forms and then the World began to throw off its Dark and Sable Mantle and to appear in a Bright Dress For the other Product of this first Day and which indeed made it Day was Light i. e. some Lucid Body or Bodies which yet cast but a Glimmering Splendor a
true and proper import of it I cannot find the certain meaning of it saith Avâ—narius though I have consulted all the Comments of the Rabbies The Chaldee Paraphrast renders it perpetuò semper and so several Rabbins expound it but can assign no sufficient reason for it Some take it for a Musical Note of no signiâ—icancy in it self but a meer made Word to direct the Masters of Musick in singing or playing But then there is some difference among those of this Opinion For some of the Hebrew Writers think it denotes the Elevation of the Voice and that where-ever this Word is in the Psalms the Choristers were put in mind to lift up their Voices Others of them believe it is a Note to signify a Pause a Resting or Breathing for a time And accordingly some of the Jewish Doctors say that they were admonish'd by this Word to begin another Sentence or Period But another Classis of Interpreters look upon this Word not as a Note of Musick but of Observation or Remark and are perswaded that it is affix'd to some Sentences that are very Notable and more especially worthy of our consideration In my mind R. Kimâ—hi is in the right who joins this and the former Expositions of the Word togethere telling us that Selah is both a Musical Note and a Note of Emphasis in the Sense whereby we are bid to observe something more than usually remarkable It is derived from sal or salal exaltavit and denotes the elevating of the Voice in singing and at the same time the lifting up of the Heart the serious considering and meditating upon the thing that is spoken It is an Argument to me that this was of use in Musick and Singing because it is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Greek Interpreters and which is more considerable because we meet with it in the Psalms only and in Haâ—akkuk chap. 3. v. 3 9 13. which Chapter is a kind of Psalm or Canticle as you 'l see in the Title of it And that it is also a Mark of Observation and Meditation may be gather'd from its being join'd in Psal. 9. 16. with Higgaion which signifies Meditation for the Word is from Hagah meditatus fuit And though in some Places Selah seems to be used where there is â—o Emphatick Word or Sense yet we ought to consider that this must be referr'd and applied not only to the immediately preceding Word or Verse but to the whole Set of Verses or Periods about which it is placed If we thus apply it we shall see that it is used to good purpose viz. to point out to us something very Observable and Notable It calls upon us to revolve in our Minds with great Seriousness the Matter that is before us and to give Glory to God and to this purpose it may be observ'd that Selah in Psal. 46. 11. is rendred by the Seventy Interpreters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But it is the Excellent and Noble Matter which most of all commends these Divine Poems Some of them are Historical giving an Account of God's wonderful Dispensations in the foregoing Ages of the World especially towards the Iewish People in their first Election out of the rest of the World their Condition in Egypt in the Wilderness in Câ—naan with a Rehearsal of the particular Mercies and Judgments shew'd towards them Other Psalms are Didactick fraught with most wholesom and useful Doctrine with most solid and necessary Instruction What is there saith Basil the Great that we are not taught here Are we not instructed here concerning all Moral Vertues the Magnificence of Fortitude the Exactness of Justice the Gravity of Temperance the Perfection of Prudence Are we not iâ—form'd hence concerning the manner of Repentance the measure of Patience and whatever other good and vertuous things we can name Here is the Treasure of compleat Theology here is the common Store-house of all good Documents Other Psalms are Prophetical foreshewing the great and astonishing things which have happen'd since in the World as the Coming of the Messias in the Flesh his Sufferings Death Resurrection Ascension and most of the considerable Circumstances appertaining to these the Rejection of the Jewish Nation the Conversion of the Gentiles the Wonderful Propagation of the Gospel and the Success of Christ's Kingdom upon Earth Again some of these Psalms are Petitory begging with the highest Zeal and Devotion those things which are the proper Object of our Prayers and thereby teaching us what we ought to implore of Heaven and in what manner we should put up our Addresses Others are Eucharistical wherein the Psalmist discovers the Grateful Resentments of his Mind by an open Recognition of the Divine Bounty to him and by sending up continual Praises unto the Author of all those Favours and Blessings daily heaped upon him at the same time teaching us to pay the like Tribute of Devotion to the same Bountiful Hand and to take all Occasions as he doth of testifying our Thankful Sense of the Divine Goodness Of this sort more especially is the 113th Psalm with the five following ones which are call'd by the Jews the Great Hallelujah or rather as Buxtorf saith the Great Hymn which they used at their three Chief Feasts especially at the Passover This it is probable is meant by the Hymn Mat. 26. 30. which Christ with his Apoâ—tles sung after their eating of the Paschal Lamb. Some are Hortatory with singular Earnestness inviting the World to acknowledg and obey the Lord of Heaven and Earth pathetically calling upon wicked Men to abandon their sinful Ways and to repent and turn unto God with a more special Love and Tenderness beseeching the Servants of the most High to fear and reverence his Name to trust at all times in him and to be obedient unto his holy Laws and Statutes Others are Consolatory administring Peace and Joy to all that are upright in Heart and Life breathing nothing but Heavenly Solace and Satisfaction to distressed Minds such as never came from any Mouth but what was Inspired Some of them are Penitential besides those Seven which are usually stiled so wherein the Holy Man with infinite Sorrow and Remorse of Soul declares his Abhorrence of his former Sins and his firm Resolves and Purposes of relinquishing them for the future Lastly some of the Psalms are of a Mixt Nature comprehending several of the foremention'd Heads in them so that there is no Book of Devotion extant in the World that is made up of such Variety of Matter as this is and therefore is not only the more delightful and entertaining but is also the more useful and advantageous the more sutable to the various Conditions and Occasions of Mankind the more fitted for the several Purposes of the Devout the more serviceable to all the great Ends of Religion and Godliness For this and many other Reasons I may conclude that there is not such another Excellent Collection of Devotions under Heaven
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