have seen that there is no Reason to complain of Inequality in the Six Days Works But he mistook the System of the World which Moses describes and thence was his Error I wish it was not wilful and presumptuous for from several bold Strokes in this Ingenious Man's Writings one would be apt to think he enclined to Alphonsus's Humour who declared that if he had been at the Creation of the World he could have taught God to have formed the System of it better But I will retain a more charitable Opinion concerning this Author And I expect that he shoud shew his Charity as I have mine in not censuring this my free Descant upon what he hath publish'd to the World for I have as great a Regard as any Man to True and Sober Philosophy and I own the Great Worth and Excellency of it but I must needs protest that I abhor the Practice of those who exclude the Sacred Writings whilest they adhere to their own Hypothesis who set up such Philosophical Principles and Conclusions as directly oppose and contradict the Revealed Truths of the Bible And this is the Case now before us or else I should not have troubled the Reader with any Reflections on what this Learned Author hath written Let us have as much 〈◊〉 Philosophy as he pleases but none that subverts our Old Religion To proceed on the fifth Day the Inhabitants of the Seas and of the Lower Heaven were form'd For though the chearing and warming Light before it was embodied and gather'd together into certain Receptacles was instrumental by the Divine Power to produce Vegetables yet it was not vigorous enough to beget the Animal Life But now this Noble and Cherishing Virtue being mightily increas'd by immense Accessions of Light and Heat made to it and being more advantagiously placed and fix'd we find the Effect of it in the Production of Fish and Feather'd Animals Now a Living or Sensitive Soul is first made ver 21. On the sixth and last Day the Earth brought forth all kinds of Beasts and Cattle i. e. all Tâ—rrestrial Animals as on the foregoing Day all Animals belonging to the Sea and Rivers and to the Air were created And lastly Mun the Top and Glory of the Creatures the most Elaborate Piece of the whole Creation was framed out of the Dust and in respect of his Diviner Part especially made according to the Image of God himself He is too Great and Noble a Being to be spoken of by the by and therefore I shall not discourse of him here Only I will observe the Unreasonableness of the Archaeologist who positively avers that this last Day 's Performance was not proportionable to the rest and thence condemns the Mosaick History of the Creation But this Disproportion is either in respect of more or of less done on this Day than on the others If he complains that more was done he shews himself inconâ—iderate for hereby it appears that he takes no notice of the Creation's rising higher and higher towards the latter end besides that he confines the Creator himself But if he complains as I suppose he doth that less was done he shews what low and unworthy Thoughts he hath of Man as if Mud Water Earth Clouds Seas Plants Fish and Fowl the Productions of the former Days were much better than Him whom God purposely reserv'd to be the Complement and Perfection of all Him to whom every Creature pays a Tribute Him for whose Use and Benefit the whole World was made These are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Primitive Works of God and the Several Days in which they were made For we are not to imagine as some do that this Division of the Creation into so many Parts is only set down for Order sake but that really all was done at once and in a Moment for then the Reason given in the Fourth Commandment of sanctifying the Sabbath Day viz. because in six Days the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested on the seventh Day is to no purpose yea it is absolute Nonsense Therefore we must necessarily own the Gradual Progress of the Creation And let us not only do so but observe the Wisdom and Providence of the Infinite Architect in the Order and Method which he used He in creating began with the lowest and meanest Rank of Beings and so ascended to higher and nobler Simple Elements as Earth Water Fire or Light Air were produced before the more mixt and concrete Bodies Yea these Elements were placed according to the Order and Degree of Gravity first the Earth subsiding in the lowest Place of all for the Great and Renowned Tycho disdains not this Hypothesis then the Waters or Abyss placed immediately about the Earth next the Air or Expansion whose Position was above the Waters lastly the Fire call'd Light which comprehends all the Ethereal and Heavenly Bodies which are surmounted above all the rest As for the Planets which are so many Earths i. e. if by Earth we mean an opake Body they are to be accounted for at another time and in another Place where it will be most proper to speak of them It is also observable that things that were Inanimate were first brought into Existence and afterwards such as had a Vegetative Life then things that had Sense and Spontaneous Motion and lastly Reasonable Creatures Man was the concluding Work of the Creation and his Soul was the last of all to let us know that this sort of Beings is much more valuable than Bodies to assure us from the Method of God's creating that Minds or Spirits surpass Maâ—ter Finally when I say that the Creation ceased in Man as in the most Perfect Work of the Divine Artificer as in the End to which all the rest were designed I do not exclude Angels who are a Perfecter Classis of Creatures and are not united to Bodies as the Souls of Men are and for that very Reason are not taken notice of by Moses in this Account of the Visible Creation I am enclin'd to believe that these Glorious Spirits were made presently after Man they being an Order of Creatures superiour to him The Order of the Creation so far as we certainly know any thing of it invites me to embrace this Perswasion for according to this those Excellent Beings should have the last Place According to the Steps and Degrees of the Creation I say it was thus Exodus is the next Book which relates the Tyranny of Pharaoh the Bondage of the Israâ—lites under him in Egypt and their Wonderful Deliverance from it More particularly here are recorded the Prodigious Increase and multiplying of these oppressed Hebrews which were the Posterity of Iacob the Plagues inflicted on the Egyptian King and his People because he refused to dismiss them their Departure thence without his leave though not without the Peoples their Miraculous Passing through the Red Sea or Arabian Gulf the Overthrow of Pharaoh and
and this Abgarus among the Ecclesiastical Writers of the First Age and farther professeth that upon a diligent enquiry into these Letters he cannot discern any flaw or falshood in them he cannot find any appearance of Fraud and Imposture he sees nothing unworthy of our Blessed Lord in the stile or contexture of that Epistle which is attributed to him Yea next to the Bible he thinks these are the most remarkable and venerable piece of Antiquity that respects Christianity As to those Objections which are started against the Authority of these Epistles by a Learned Divine of the Sorbon it must be said that they are unworthy of him for they are very frivolous and groundless and he might have used the same Arguments â—gainst many parts of the Evangelical History and the passages that occur there But suppose after all that these Epistles were not really written by Christ and by Abgarus yet notwithstanding this they are no mean Testimony for us If we should only grant that Eusebius â—ound them among the Records of Edessa this is â—ery considerable Though I think there is good Evidence of the Truth of these Writings yet I am not mightily concern'd whether these Writings were real or feigned that is whether Abgarus did send such a Letter to Christ and whether our Saâ—â—our return'd an Answer to it This is sufficient that Eusebius who translated them out of Syriack â—nto Greek was welâ— satisfied that there were such Records at that time in Edessa Whether they were Spurious or not is not so material for whether they were such or not they give a Testimony of the Person whom we speak of they certifie â—s of this Truth that such a one really was at that time when these Records bear date For suppose the People of Edessa forged them as being ambitious to retain the Memory of their Prince and to celebrate it by this particular Memorial inserted into their Records yet this makes not a little for our purpose for though we should grant the Letters to be Supposititious as some Learned Men have concluded them to be yet the Registring of such may be true though they â—eigned these in a poletick Remembrance of one whose Name they intended to transmit to Posterity yet the Recording of them is thus far an Attestation given to Christ that hereby his Person and Worth were acknowledg'd by these Edessens so long ago But I pass this by I could relate here what was done by Pagans in Testimony of their acknowledging and approving of Christ. Thus the Emperor Augustus refused the Title of Lord saith Dio and it is not improbable that he did it on our Saviour's Account Some indeed tell us that it was upon another occasion viz. when at a Play Dominus aequus bonus was pronounced and thereupon the People as if the words were said of Augustus with great signs of Joy shewed their Approbation of them the Emperor labour'd by signs to stifle their Flattery and the day after put forth an Edict forbidding any to call him Lord. Such a thing as this might happen and yet the first and truest Motive to his refusing that Title might be with reference to our Lord Christ who was born not long before The reason to believe it is this that this Emperor was much changed after Christ's Birth and after the Fame of him was spread abroad he became a great favourer of the Iews and their Religion as Philo the Iew acquaints us in the Account which he gives of his Embassy to Caius in behalf of his Country-men of Alexandria He there relateth several particular kindnesses which he shew'd to the Iewish Nation and all grant that Philo is a very credible Author in this case And though Suetonius gives an Instance of his Aversion to the Iews and to Ierusalem it self yet it is likely this was before the other and so it inhanseth the Emperor's after-Esteem and Favour for that Nation and People If you thus consider that he was now much altered it is not hard to believe that his putting out the foresaid Edict was done in honour to Christ He would not be called Lord after our Saviour was come into the World who was Lord of Lords and King of Kings And this may appear to be the more probable if that be true which is farther related of Augustus that about the close of his Reign he inquired at Apollo's Oracle who was to adminster the Affairs of the Empire after him and received this Answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Hebrew Babe a God himself and King Of blessed Subjects bids me quit this place And trudge again to Hell wherefore great Sir From these our Altars silently be gone Whereupon the Emperor left off Sacrificing and returning to Rome built in the Capitol an Altar with this Inscription Ara Primogeniti Dei But because no very ancient Historian reports this and those that do are thought to be sometimes fabulous therefore I offer it not as if I much relied upon it Nor do I on that other passage in Suidas viz. that one Theodosius a Iew ascertain'd a Christian whom he discours'd with that Christ was chosen one of the Priests of the Temple upon the death of another and that they writ him down as the Custom was to Register the Names of those that were elected Priests and to assign also their Parents Names The Son of God and of the Virgin Mary The Book wherein this was recorded was kept in the Temple till the Destruction of Ierusalem and it was well known to the Priests and Rulers of the People This is a remarkable Testimony but because it wants evident Authority I will not insist on it That which I have said already may suffice towards the proving what I undertook that Christ's Life is attested even by Pagan Witnesses Thirdly his Death with some of the most considerable attendants of it is related by Persons of the same Character Thus the great Roman Historian expresly voucheth this Article of our Chri-Christian Belief that Christ suffered under Pontius Pilate and that in the Reign of Tiberius Lucian who was famed for his Taunts and Scoffs at the Christians calls their Great Master and Founder The Man that was fastned to a Gibbet and hung up upon it in Palestine And this is confess'd by Iews as well as Pagans the particular manner of his Suffering namely on the Cross is acknowledg'd by the Talmudick Writers very often and by the Iews in Contempt and Scorn our Saviour is blasphemously call'd Talui suspensus He that was hang'd The Eclipse at Christ's Passion mentioned by the Evangelists and that as an Universal One is left upon Record also by Heathens Dionysius an Athenian by Birth before he was converted to the Faith when he was a Student in Egypt was an Eye-witness of this miraculous Eclipse which he gives an Account of in an Epistle that he
nothing in Scripture that looks like Inconsistent and Contradictory Upon a diligent Search we shall discern a mutual Correspondence in the Stile Matter and Design of these Writings we shall find a happy Concurrence of Circumstances and an admirable Consistency in the Doctrines and Discourses in so much that we shall be forced to acknowledg that upon this single Consideration it is reasonable to believe that these Writings were endited by the Holy Spirit This Harmony then of the Scriptures I may justly reckon among the Inward Notes of the Truth of Scripture because it is adjoined to the Matter of it which is of the very Intrinsick Nature of it What Iustinian professes and promises concerning his Digests in his Preface to them that there is nothing Clashing and Contradictory in them but that they are all of a piece is true only of the Sacred Laws of the Evangelical Pandects which contain in them nothing Dissonant and Repugnant The Old and New Testament the Prophets and Apostles are consonant to themselves and to one another which is a great Argument of the Truth of them There is nothing in one Place of Scripture opposite to the true Meaning which the Holy Ghost hath revealed and asserted in another The Contents of the whole Book whether you look into the Doctrinal or Historical Part of it have nothing contradictory in them All the Authors of it agree in their Testimonies and assert the same thing and consent among themselves It is the Nature of Lies and Forgeries that they hang not together as Lactantius on the like Occasion hath observed Especially if you search very inquisitively and narrowly into them you will perceive that they are thin and slight and may easily be seen through But the Contents of these Writings have been diligently inquired into and with great Care and Industry examined by all sorts of Persons and yet they are found to be every ways Consistent with themselves and the Testimony of the Writers is known to be Concurrent and Agreeing All wise and curious Observers must needs grant that there is no Book under Heaven that parallels the Scriptures as to this Which shews that they are more than Humane Writings yea that they were Divinely inspired and dictated And this I take to be the Sense of St. Peter who assures us that no Prophecy of the Scripture is of private Interpretation He speaks of the first Rise of those Prophecies which are in Scripture they are from God they are not of private Interpretation they are not from Man's Invention they are not of his own Brain and Fancy but they are to be esteem'd to be as they are Divine and Heavenly Oracles Thus the Word of God is Witness to it self and stands in need of no others The Scripture is sufficiently proved by what is in it and is to be believed for its own sake Which made an antient Writer say We have compleat Demonstrations out of the Scriptures themselves and accordingly we are demonstratively assured by Faith concerning the Truth of the things therein delivered Which cannot be said of any humane Writings in the World for they carry no such Native Marks with them But the very Inward Notes of the Truth and Authority of the Scriptures create in us a certain and unshaken Belief They may be known from all other Writings whatsoever by the Excellent Transcendent and Divine Matter contained in them and by the peculiar Manner of delivering and publishing it These I call Internal Proofs because they are taken from the Books themselves because they are something that we find there These assure us that they were written not by Man but by God There is yet another Internal Testimony I call it so because it is within Vs though not in the Scriptures As I have shewed you that the Holy Spirit speaks in the Scriptures and bears Testimony to the Truth of them so now I add that this Spirit speaks in Vs and works in our Hearts a Perswasion that the Scriptures are the Word of God By this Spirit we are enabled to discern the Voice of the same Spirit and of Christ in those Writings This witnessing Power of the Spirit in the Souls of Believers is asserted in Acts 5. 32. 15. 7 8. and in 1 Iohn 5. 6. From these Places it is clear that there is an Illumination of the Spirit joining with our Consciences and Perswasions and this Spirit powerfully convinces all Believers of the Truth of the Scriptures This Testimony follows immediately on our setting before us the Inward Excellencies of the Scripture as I have represented them for God makes use of those Evidences and Arguments to beget a Belief in us of the Divine Authority of Scripture The Spirit enlightens and convinces Mens Minds by those Means but more especially he urges these Evidences on the Hearts of the Religious and Faithful and thereby brings them to a firm Perswasion of the Scriptures being the Word of God This is no Enthusiasm because it is discovered to us by proper Means and Instruments whereas that is without any and is generally accompanied with the despising of them But the Evidences and Notes in the Scripture are the Reasons and Motives of our Belief only the Holy Spirit comes and prepares and sanctifies our Minds and illuminates our Consciences and causes those Arguments and Motives to make Impression upon us and effectually to prevail with us and to silence all Objections to the contrary Thus the Truth of Scripture is attested by the Holy Spirit witnessing in us But when I say the Testimony of the Spirit is a Proof of the Truth of the Scripture I must adjoin this that this Proof serves only for those that have this Spirit it may establish them but it cannot convince others No other Man can be brought to be perswaded of the Truth of those Sacred Writings by the Spirit 's convincing me of the Truth of them Besides this Proof is not in all that really believe the Truth of these Books some may be convinced of the Truth of them without this but where this is it is most Powerful and Convictive and surpasses all other degreâ— of Perswasion whatsoever There is no such câ—tain knowledg of the Truth of these Holy Wâ— tings as by the Testimony of the Sacred Spirit 〈◊〉 the Hearts of Men produced there in a ration â— way and in such a manner as is most sutable 〈◊〉 our Faculties CHAP. II. External Proofs of the Truth of the Holy Scriptureâ— Viz. the wonderful Preservation of them and Vniversal Tradition Which latter is defended against the Objections of those that talk of a New Character wherein the Old Testament is written Thâ— Iewish Masoreth attests the Authority of these Writings The Hebrew Text is not corrupted The Points or Vowels were coexistent with the Letters F. Simon 's Notion of Abbreviating the Historicâ—â— Books of the Old Testament rejected The New Tement vouched by the unanimous Suffrage of the Primitive Church The
and a Play-day for School-Boys From these and several other Instances which we may find in Clemens Alexandrinus and Eusebius it might be proved that the more Solemn Services of Religion among the Gentiles and their Cessations from Work were on the Seventh Day of the Week Now no wise Man will assert that this Custom was founded on Nature for no Light of Reason could dictate this Division of Days into just seven and no more therefore 't is reasonable to think that the general Agreement of the World in this Arithmetick was derived from the Jews who were particularly signalized by their Observation of the Seventh-Day which was enjoin'd them by God himself as in Exod. 20. 9. Six Days shalt thou labour and do all thy Work but the Seventh Day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God In it thou shalt not do any Work c. And in other places the Institution and Observation of this Particular Day are mention'd Or I might have traced the Original of this yet higher and found it dated from the very Creation from the beginning of all things when we read of God's resting on the Seventh Day Gen. 2. 2. and his Blessing the Seventh Day and Sanctifying it v. 3. From whence without doubt the Custom among several Gentiles of observing some Seventh Day in the Week had its first rise Again the Gentiles took their several 〈◊〉 Lustrations and Purifications from the 〈◊〉 of which the Books of Moses treat When 〈◊〉 Contents of these Writings or the Practice of 〈◊〉 Jewish People came to be known to the Paâ— they presently set themselves to imitate them 〈◊〉 most of the Washings and Purifyings used by 〈◊〉 Jews came to be part of their Religion The Jewâ— Priests washed their Hands and Feet before thâ— went about their Sacred Office before they saâ—â—ficed and touched Holy Things and they had 〈◊〉 the Temple Lavers for that very purpose Likeâ—wise they used Aspersion toward others and weâ— enjoin'd to cleanse and purify them from thâ— Defilements which they had contracted In a woâ— every Thing and Person belonging to the Jewâ— Service and Worship were hallow'd and cleans 〈◊〉 by certain ways of Purification prescribed by 〈◊〉 Law Hence we read of frequent Washings 〈◊〉 Sprinklings among the Pagans Idem ter socios purâ circumtulit undâ Spargens rore levi ramo felicis olivae Lustravitque viros And Macrobius assures us that the Gentile Deâ—tionists when ever they addressed themselves 〈◊〉 their Gods whether Celestial or Infernal prepâ—â—red themselves before-hand by using of Watâ—â— more or less Hence it became a Maxim amoâ— them that all Sacred Things must be sprinkled wiâ—â— pure Water And they had Vessels for this purpose which contained that Consecrated Element It might be proved from good Authors as you may see in the Learned Dr. Spencer that they for the most part sprinkled the Worshippers as they went into their Temples The truth is these Rites of Washing and Purifying which were used both by Iews and Gentiles are so like one another that we cannot but conclude either the Gentiles took them from the Jews or these from them The latter is in no wise probable because it is unworthy of God and of the Religion which he instituted among the Jews to imagine that he would take Example from the Pagans and make their Religion the Standard of that which he gave to his own People though it is true the Jews often imitated the Pagans in their Customs and Rites but neâ—er by the Command and Order of God but absolutely against it therefore the former is most likely and reasonable viz. that the Pagans in way of Imitation took their Ceremonies of Washing and Lustration from the Jews The same Argument may be used in all the Particulars which we shall mention afterwards under this Head by this we may prove that those Ceremonious Observances commanded the Jews were not originally from the Gentiles but first of all were enjoin'd by the True God But concerning these Purifications which we are now speaking of see what was the â—udgment of Iustin Martyr of old who producing the Prophet Isaiah's words Wash ye make ye â—â—an chap. 1. ver 16. and commenting upon â—hem adds this When the Devils heard of this Washing spoken of by the Prophet they caus'd this to be the effect of it namely whenever they go into their Temples or approacâ— near them or are about to be employ'd in their Sacrifices and Offerings they sprinkle Water 〈◊〉 themselves This Learned Father was clearly of the Opinion that this Rite of Aspersion whicâ— the Gentiles used was stolen from the Jewiâ—â— Church and not that this stole them from the Heathens With whom agrees a late Learned Antiquary who speaking of the particular Mosaick Lustrations or Purgations used by the Jewiâ—â— Priests viz. of Washing themselves before they entred into the Temple saith thus This kind of Purgation was taken from the Jews by the People of other Nations who when they entreâ— into their Temples had their Lustrations and Rites of Washing in Imitation of the Jews Thirdly The Gentile Custom of offering Firstâ—fruits and Tenths was borrow'd from the Jews and the Old Testament That it was a general Usage among the Pagan Worshippers to offer their First-fruits to some of their Deities is amply testified by Censorinus And that the Custom of paying Tithes was as general and antient might be proved from the respective Histories which speak of this Matter This was a considerable Part of the old Romans Religion who as Plutarch writes were wont to bestow a tenth Part of the Fruits which the Earth yielded them and of other Goods and Profits on their Sacred Feasts Sacrifices and Temples in honour of the Gods but this was not every Year or by any compulsive Law but freely and out of Gratitude He tells us that Camilâ— faithfully pay'd to Apollo the Tenth of his Bootâ— and Spoils taken from the Enemy and that Luculluâ— grew rich because he religiously practis'd that laudable Custom of paying Tithes to Hercules That the Greeks also paid Tithes appears from that Dictate of the Oracle to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and from that Delphick Inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From whence Apollo was call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Among the Persians also this Custom prevail'd for Cyrus as Herodotus saith offer'd Tithes to Iupiter after a Victory obtained And this might easily be proved of other Nations it was grown into an universal and fixed Custom to offer the Tenths to some God or Goddess post rem bene gestam as Servius speaks after any considerable Success either at home or abroad Insomuch that at last it came to be an indispensible Part of the Gentile Religion and thence as Suidas observes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Greeks was as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consecrare Now this Sacred and Religious Rite of Dedicating just a tenth Part to their Gods is no Law of Nature
Ox and Apis an Egyptian word perhaps of the same signification And this is the more credible because the word Apis alone is sometimes used for Serapis Some have thought that Mercury was a Name given by the Pagans to this Ioseph he being Hermes an Interpreter for it is particularly recorded that he Interpreted Dreams Gen. 41. 42 and was a Diviner Gen. 44. 5. whence he was called Zaphnath Paaneah i. e. a Revealer or Interpreter of Secrets Gen. 41. 45. But I rather think these words are better rendred by St. Ierom who tells us he learnt the meaning of them from some that well understood the Egyptian Tongue Salvator Mundi and so they refer to Ioseph's timely Saving that part of the World from perishing by Famine In this sense he was a Saviour and he was for this made a God Thus the Ancient Patriarchs were the Poets Gods the first Fathers whom the Bible speaks of were the Pagan Deities To proceed Moses also was the Person intended by Mercury as is excellently well proved from a numerous company of Circumstances and very naturally and without any forcing by a late Learned French-Man to whom I refer you It hath no less ingenuously been proved by Vosâ—ius and some others that Moses was represented in Liber or Bacchus for they shew out of Pausaâ—as how it was a Tradition that as soon as Bacchus was Born he was shut up in an Ark and expos'd to the Waters as Moses was Liber was call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Moses besides the Mother that bore him had Pharaoh's Daughter who took him and nourished him for her own Son Exod. 2. 10. Acts 7. 21. Liber was Fair and Beautiful and excell'd others in Comliness as Diodorus saith and as the Poets represent him semblably Moses was noted for his singular Beauty Exod. 2. 2. Acts 7. 20. and the Iewish Historian tells us the King's Daughter Adopted him because â—e was of Divine Shape as well as of a Generous Mind The very same is Recorded by a Pagan Historian which let me observe is a great Confirmation of the Sacred History Orpheus stileth Liber 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which answers to Moses's being Legistator and he attributes to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of the Two Tables of the Law Moreover Liber is called by the said Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by Euripides he is named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be occasion'd by a mistaking of those words in Exod. 34. 29. Moses's Face shone which is rendred by the Latin cornuta erat facies sua the Hebrew Karan whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cornu being the ground of that mistake and causing Moses to be Pictured with two Horns Lastly saith Vossius though Moses found not out Wine as Bacchus yet in regard of This too he may have the Name of Liber for he was the Conductor of the Israelites to a Land not only flowing with Milk and Honey but abounding with Wine and he it was that incouraged the faint-hearted Israelites by the sight of that Bunch of Grapes which was the burthen of two Men Numb 13. 20 23. This is the Sum of what Vossius saith This Moses was so eminent and signal a Person and his Actions so well known to the Pagan World that Monsieur Huet thinks and indeavours to prove that he was represented not only by Mercury and Bacchus but by Apollo Aesculapius Pan Priapus Prometheus Ianus and by those Egyptian Deities especially Osiris Apis Serapis Orus Anubis The Neighbouring People of Phoenicia and Egypt could not but hear of Iosuah and his Acts and thence made their Hercules out of him and from them he was sent down to the Greeks who you may be sure would augment the Stories which they heard I say Iosua was the Pagans Hercules for he fought with Giants whose great Stature at first frighted the Israelites In the Land of Canaan which he Conquer'd were the Sons of Anak Men of a vast size Numb 13. 33 34. Bashan more signally is call'd the Land of Giants Deut. 3. 13. Whilst Iosua was fighting with these Canaanitish Giants the Lord cast down great Stones from Heaven upon them The remembrance of which saith Vossius is kept among the Gentiles and applied to Iove assisting Hercules in the very same sort when he grapled with Giants and was put hard to it Samson as well as Iosua was the Greeks Hercules and from the one the History or rather Fable of the other is taken First as Vossius observes the times of both agree Hercules and Samson were Contemporary as appears from comparing the Greek and Jewish accounts of time When these hit together there is a presumption at least Again Hercules slew the Nemaean Lion which answers to what we read of Samson Judg. 14. 5 6. A young Lion roared against him and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him and he rent him as he would have rent a Kid and â—e â—ad nothing in his hand Hercules subdued many Tyrants and Oppressors that is the meaning of Hydra's Centaurs Stymphalides c. Thus Samson was rais'd up on purpose to suppress and vanqâ—liâ— those who had miserably oppress'd and 〈◊〉 the Israelites Hercules was sent Captive by Iupiter to Eurysthaeus and put to many Labours to 〈◊〉 deem his Freedom so Samson served the Fâ—â—â—listines and undertook Great and Wonderful thiâ—â—â— for his and his Countrie 's Liberty Hercules wâ—â— of great strength of Body and that Samson was so we have several remarkable Instances Hercules was Eâ—feminate and most vilely served Oâ—phale our Samson was enslaved to a Womaâ— and was undone by Dalilah Hercules and Samsâ—â— agree in their Deaths for they were both of them Spontaneous and Voluntary From such shoâ—â— hints as these we may gather that the Fable oâ— Hercules one of the Heathen-Gods or Heroes aâ— least was meant concerning Samson the Famous Judge of Israel What think you of Ionas's being signified iâ— some Circumstances by Hercules who when he returned from Colâ—his with the Argonaâ—tes as Lycophron in his Cassandra tells us was devoured by a great Fish which the Scholiast on that place saith was a Whale And Hercules lay three Days and three Nights without any considerable harm in the Belly of this Whale whence he is call'd by that Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which the Scholiast gives the true reason because saith he all that time it was as it were Evening with Hercules the Belly of the Fish being Dark and Shady Phâ—vorinus gives the like account of the foresaid Epithet telling us that all the while he was in the Caverns of the Whale it was Night And both Cyril and Theophylact take notice of the likeness of this Greek Fable of Hercules to the Story of Ionah I will only alledge this one thing more that those Argonautes before mention'd are said â—o have Sail'd in the Euxine-Sea which was the very
is remembred and retain'd the longer by them which is one singular Advantage of delivering things in this Parabolical manner 6. Paâ—ables are not only useful to fasten Divine Truths on the Memory but to move the Affections and to beget in us a Delight in those excellent Truths For it is very entertaining and pleasant to hear the most Heavenly Matters express'd and set forth by those which are earthly and worldly because hereby at once both our Minds and our corporeal Senses are gratisied We are let into Celestial and Spiritual Mysteries by those Objects which are sensual and bodily we attain to an Insight of those things which are supernatural and extraordinary by a Representation of those which are merely natural and common This certainly must be very delightful and have a mighty Influence on the affectionate Part of Man this must needs stir up his Desires and Love his Joy and Satisfaction For this Reason among others it is probable Christ made use of this pathetick and winning way of Discourse He borrowed most of his Parables from very vulgar things such as were well known to his Hearers and which they had a very sensible notice and feeling of that by that Means he might work the more powerfully on them and by discoursing of worldly things bring them to an affectionate liking of the things of God and the great Concerns of another Life that by a wise and artificial representing the Objects which were daily before their Eyes they might be able to discern and approve of the invisible Excellencies of a future State Our Saviour was a very popular Preacher he purposely made choice of that way of Discourse to the People which he knew would be most taking and moving with them And such was this his Preaching in Parables which for the most Part consisted of familiar Comparisons and Similitudes and set forth divine and spiritual things by those which were bodily and sensible yea ordinary and vulgar and which they daily convers'd with Such was his Parable of the ten Virgins Matth 25. 1 c. which is a plain Allusion to those things which were common at the Iewish Marriages in those Days for they at that time had borrowed many of the nuptial Rites from the Romans as first of all the Use of Torches and Lamps because they celebrated their Weddings at Night at which time they prepared a solemn Supper and brought home the Spouse and carried her to that Entertainment at the Bridegroom's House Again the Custom of going forth to meet the Bridegroom which is the most considerable Part of this Parable was well known at that time The Bride-maids used to go out with burning Lamps or Torches in their Hands to meet the Bridegroom and to conduct him to the House where the Marriage was and from whence they came with their Lights To this that of the Comedian refers Primùm omnium lucebis novae nuptae facem And that of Claudian on the nuptial Solemnities of Honorius and Martia Alii funalibus ordine ductis Plurima venturae suspendunt lumina nocti And who knows not that those Words of another Poet Novas incide faces tibi ducitur uxor have reference to the Custom of bringing home the Spouse late at Night with Torches and Flambeaus Nay when a much antienter Poet and he an inspired one compares the Sun's glorious rising to a Bridegroom coming out of his Chamber i. e. the ushering the Bridegroom out of his Chamber with Lights and Torches which is a very elegant Simile and apposite to his Purpose we may thence inform our selves that this Practice was of very antient Date Moreover the tarrying of the Bridegroom which this Parable mentions was known and common in those Days this happened generally by reason of the many Solemnities that were observed and the leading about of the Bride which took up much time the young Maids or Virgins gins staying at the Marriage-house expecting the Bridegroom and Bride so that â—ometimes it happen'd when they sat up late that they all slumbeâ—'d and slept However some of them used to keep their Lamps trimmed whilst others suffered them to go out Then when the Bridegroom and his Bride were solemnly brought home at Midnight as was usual they that were ready with their Lamps went in with them to the Marriage i. e. the Nuptial â—east but the Door was shut upon the rest for it was the Custom that when the Bridegroom and Bride returned they presently went into their Chamber and shut the Door with their Companionâ— and if any of the Bridemaids were never so urgent and cried Open to â—s the Bridegroom gave Order to let none in he knew them not for they had forfeited their Right to enter into the Bridal Chamber by their Negligence and Drowâ—iness by their not watching the exact Time of the new-married Couples Return home on the Wedding-night Thus this Parablo was suted to the Cuâ—toms of the Jews at that time Nay the very Number of the Virgins mentioned by the Evangelist that brought and lighted home the Bridegroom hath reference to the particular Usage at those Weddings for from that Passage in Statius in his Epithalamium on Stella and Violantillâ— Procul ecce canoro Demigrant Helicone Deae quatiâ—ntque novenâ Lampade solennem thalamis coeuntibus ignem We may gather that the Number of those Bridal Virgins was wont to be teâ— or eleven And sometims five only to which Number the Virgins are unhappily reduced in this Parable attended the Nuptial Solemnities Accordingly Plutarch lahours to give Reasons such as they are why no more were made use of for this Purpose The whole Parable is made up of the Rites used by the Eastern as well as the Roman People at their Marriages and all the particulars of it were such things as were commonly known to them because every Day practised by some of them In like manner the Parables of the Candle Luke 8. 16. of the Soâ—er and the Seed of the Tares of the Mustard-seed of the Loves of Leaven of the Net cast into the Sea all in one Chapter Matth. 13. of the Labouâ—ers in the Vineyard ch 20. I. of the Housholder that planted a Vineyard and let it out to Husbandmen ch 21. 33. are Representations of usual and common Occurrences and such as the Generality of our Saviour's Hearers were daily conversant with and for that very Reason were made use of by him as being most moving and affecting Luther had an odd saying as he had many an one that Esop's Fables is the best Book next to the Bible His meaning I suppose was that that fort of instructing viz. by way of Apologues by annexing an useful Moral to a Feigned Story was a very excellent and profitable manner of teaching it being so familiar and delightful and upon that account so conducible to enforce and illustrate any Moral or Religious Truth This and much more is the Excellency of the Parables whâ—ch our Blessed
Master clothed his Divine Doctrine in he chose this way of delivering things to them on purpose to work the more powerfully on their Affections A fit Parable moves the Mind with a wonderful Force and Efficacy it representing Matters to us in their livelieâ—t Colours and moâ—t natural Shapes and applying them to the particular Circumstances we are in so that it seemeth to say in the final Close of it as that Parabolical Prophet to David Tâ—ou art the Man It comes up close to us and with great Plainness and Freedom tells us our Case and affects us proportionably To have Dominion or Authority and to speak in a Parabolical way are expressed by the same word in the Hebrew This is most certain that our Saviour reduced this Criticism into Practice and by this moving way of Preaching let the World see that he taught as one that had Authority Thus I have briefly shewed you the Nature of Parables and given some Account of our Saviour's so frequently using them I shall only add that useful Rule of St. Chrysostom which is to be observed by us if we would rightly underâ—tand the Nature of the Stile of Scripture in this mystical way of expressing it self We must not saith he over-curiously fift every Word and Passage that we meet with in Parables but our main Business must be to understand the Scope and Design at which they aim and for which this sort of Discourse was composed and having gathered this out we ought to enquire no further it is in vain to busy our selves any longer And that of Maldonate is a very good Rule For the right interpreting of Parables we mâ—st know this that it is in vain to observe any Accuracy in comparing Persons with Persons and to be curious in suting particular things to things but we are to look at the grand Matter and as it lies before us in gross So he For this is to be remembred that there are several Circumstances inserted into Parables meerly to adorn and set off the Matter and to make the Representation and Similitude more graceful Therefore we must not insist on every Particular and think that an Argument may be drawn from all the Circumstances which we meet with in such Diâ—courses No the main thing which is the Design is to be attended to in a Parable If we observe this Rule we shall gain a sufficient Knowledg of our Saviour's Meaning in his Parables but otherwise we shall busy our Heads to little Purpose and mistake the true Design and Intention of our Lord in this kind of Instructions There are other Paâ—sages in the New Testament wherein a secondary or mystical Sense is to be observed as the 24th Chapter of St. Matthew one part of which according to most Expositors speaks of the Forerunners of Ierusalem's Destruction and the other Part of the Signs of Christ's Coming to Judgment But if you look narrowly into the whole Chapter you will observe that these Forerunners and Signs of both Sorts are intermixed and so promiscuously placed that it is difficult to tell precisely which precede the Destruction of Ierusalem and which the Day of Judgment Which gave me this Hint first of all that this whole Chapter or the greatest part of it is to be understood as those other Places of Scripture before-mentioned in a double Sense viz. a primary and a secondary In the former you must understand our Saviour speaking of those Prodigies and Calamities which should befal the Jews before the final Overthrow of their City and Temple In the latter you must conceive him foretelling the dreadful Signs and Concomitants of the last Day wherein not only Jews but all the World are concerned Here is a twofold Meaning of Chriâ—t's Words here is a double literaâ— or historical Sense and the latter of them being not so obvious and evident as the other and that is the Reason why it hath not been found out may be called the mystical Sense for it is so indeed in comparison of the other Whereas then Expositors are divided in interpreting this Chapter some referring some Passages in it to the Devastation of Ierusalem and others interpreting other Parts wholly of the Day of Judgment we may compromise the Matter and reconcile the different Interpreters by asserting that both the Destruction of Ierusalem and the Calamities of the Last Day are understood by both Parts of the Chapter excepting only one or two particular Expressions which may seem to refer altogether to one of these In short the Forerunners and Harbingers of the Ruine of the Jews and of the last Coming of our Saviour are the same So that while he speaks of one he also foretels the other This shews that there is a double meaning a simple and a compound one in the very same Words of this Chapter When the Apostle in Eph. 5. had spoken of the married State and of the Duties of Husband and Wife and particularly of the Love of the one and the Submission of the other he tells us in the Close that this Part of his Epistle hath a higher Meaning than every ordinary Reader of it would find out for besides the literal Import of the Words there â—s a more sublime and spiritual one This is a great Mystery saith he and I speak concerning Christ and the Church v. 32. Those Words in Gen. 2. 24. mentioned immediately before have a mystical as well as a literal Meaning they are to be understood of the sacred Union of Chriâ—â— and his Church as well as of the conjugal Union of Man and Wife For Marriage is an Emblem of the sacred and inviolable Tie between Christ and Belâ—evers and accordingly whilst the Apostle discours'd in that Part of the Chapter concerning the Love and Submission of Husband and Wife he lets us know that it is to be understood in a secondary Sense of Christ's Love to his Church and of the Church's Subjection unto Christ. And divers other Passages in St. Paul's Epistles have besides their literal a spiritual inward and mysterious Acception Even as to this the Apostle's Words are true viz. that he speaks the Wisdom of God in a Mystery I Cor. 2. 7. Thus I have abundantly proved the double Sense which is to be found in many Places of the Sacred Writings and it were easy to evinâ—e it from many more Instances if it were requisite I will only here in the Close produce the Words of a very profound and judicious Man a worthy Light of our Church that I may not be thought to be â—ingular in what I have asserted under this Head Many Passages saith he as well in the Prophets as other Sacred Oracles admit of Amphibologies and ambiguous Senses and the same Prophecies are oftentimes fulâ—illed according to both Senses And he instances in several Again a little after he hath these admirable Words Seeing our sacred Oracles were given many hundreds of Years before the Events foretold by them and since exhibited
agreeable to the Language of the Moral Philosophers in their Writings especially of the Stoicks whose Wise Man it is well known is no other than the Vertuous In Cicero's Paradoxes this is expresly maintain'd and proved Goodness and Integrity are a stable and solid Wisdom saith Maximus Tyrius and others of the Platonick School talk after that manner He that lives as without God in the World he that is irreligious and profane is a Person void of Understanding saith another Excellent Man Nay the Stoicks went further and pronounced all Vicious Men to be Mad. The Founder of that Sect was wont to say as Diogenes Laertius informs us that all Fools are Frentick i. e. all Wicked Men are so A Man given to Vice is compared by Maximus Tyrius to one whose Brain is disorder'd with Drunkenness or Madness and though as he saith he hath his Intervals and now and then makes use of his Reason yet his Head is extreamly disorder'd And Horace who hath as many Excellent Moral Axioms as any of the Antients speaks after this rate Quid avarus Stultus insanus Which is the very Stile of the Holy Scripture likewise Madness is in in their Heart Eccles. 9. 3. which is explain'd in the words immediately foregoing The Heart of the Sons of Men is full of Evil. And from the ensuing Texts you may see this made good Eccles. 2. 2. Ier. 50. 38. and 51. 7. Acts 26. 11. Where Excess of Wickedness bears the Name of Madness Conformably to which it is said of the Debauched Son in the Parable that he came to himself Luke 15. 17. which manner of Expression lets us know that he that runs into Excess of Riot is besides himself and that an extravagant Sinner is a Bedlam And here I will make bold to interpret another Text to this purpose altho all those Commentators upon it that I have seen are pleased to be of another Mind Iohn 20. 10. which in Greek is thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hath this Translation in English Then they went away again to their own home but it seems not to be rightly translated For first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not then but therefore and gives a Reason of what went before 2dly There is not any word in the Text that denotes Home and therefore we cannot put that word into the English Translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the Greek Word signifies themselves not their own Home It should have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if it were to be translated they went to their home as you find the Greek rendred in Mark 3. 19. Luke 15. 6. 3dly We do not read that the Disciples or Apostles of whom these words are spoken went before to their Home or that they came from thence How then can it be said that they went again Wherefore I render it thus They therefore came again to themselves i. e. were reduced to a sober Mind It is the same Phrase with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is spoken of the Prodigal he came to himself For sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 venire as is clear from Plato and other Writers And so here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to come to themselves i. e. to be of a right and sound Mind It is a way of speaking used by very good Authors In Arrianus and others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bears the same sense Yea the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 redire as we may inform our selves from Suidas who tells us that Tâ—ucydides takes the word in this sense And so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answers exactly to ad se redire which is a Phrase among the Latins that signifies to come to a right Mind or Understanding Or if you take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for venire only yet the Adverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being join'd with it directs us to this very sense which I offer for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iterum ad se venire is all one with ad se redire to return to himself So the Apostles Peter and Iohn of whom this Text speaks returned to themselves or came again to themselves i. e. to a found Mind and Understanding which they had lost for some time For notwithstanding Christ had so frequently told them when he was alive that he would rise again after his Death yea and had set the time of his Resurrection viz. within three days yet when they saw he was dead they had no belief of any such thing but utterly despair'd of it Herein they shewed themselves very Discomposed Persons this argued them to be besides themselves and that Conduct of Reason and Faith which might have been expected from them But when they went into the Sepulchre and saw the Linen Clothes lie by themselves v. 6 7. which was a plain sign that the Body was not stolen away for then the Clothes would have been taken away too because they would not have staid to strip the Body When the Disciples saw this they believed v. 8. tho as it follows as yet they knew not the Scripture that he must rise again from the Dead v. 9. The meaning is they were not induced to this Belief by considering the Prophecies in the Old Testament concerning Christ's Resurrection but they believed because they saw The sight of the Linen Clothes and the Napkin lest in the Sepulchre cured them of their former Unbelief and convinced them that Christ was really risen and had thrown off those Ensigns of Mortality and lest them behind him in the Sepulchre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. therefore the Disciples came again to themselves This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gives a Reason of what is here spoken of from what is said before St. Peter and St. Iohn were heal'd of the former Distemper and Malady of their Minds which they laboured under by descending into the Grave and seeing what was there Now their Ignorance and Infidelity vanish now they are brought to a due Composure of Thoughts which they wanted before And indeed this is not the first time that these very Apostles were disordered in Mind They knew not what they said Mat. 9. 6. when they were on the Mount at Christ's Transfiguration one or both of these discovered how disordered they were in their Practice as well as Notions when they call'd for Fire from Heaven upon the Samaritans Luke 9. 54. and at several other times they acted contrary to sober Reason and the right Apprehensions which they ought to have had of things But they afterwards recovered themselves and had better Notions of things and acted more conformably to the Dictates of a Composed Intellect Thus here they recollected themselves they came again to themselves And thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of the
was their rightful Governour They had no Authority to depose him and to choose a King in his room and therefore Samuel might be look'd upon as their True and Lawful Governour as long as he lived Yet this time of his Rule is made here a part of Saul's Reign because he was forced at last to anoint him King and because he suffered his own Government to be swallowed of his Hence it is that the forty Years assigned to him by St. Paul do include Samuel's Judicature that is Samuel and Saul reigned forty Years together This also will salve many Chronological Differences that the Kings of Israel did often make their Sons Kings in their own Reign to settle them in the Kingdom before their Death and so the time of the Reign is sometimes set down as it respects the Father only sometimes as it respects the Son and sometimes as it includes both Iehoram is said to have reigned eight years in Ierusalem 2 Kings 8. 17. but by Collection out of the Text it is clear that either seven of those eight Years or at least four are to be reckoned in the Life of his Father Iehosaphat for Iehoram reign'd as Vice-roy in his Father's time or he reigned with his Father and so his Father's Years and his are reckoned too But when upon the Death of his Father he came to reign alone then 't is said Jehoram his Son reigned in his stead 2 Chron. 21. 1. So Iotham reigned Sixteen Years 2 Kings 15. 33. yet mention was made before of his twentieth year ver 30. which we reconcile thus Iotham reigned alone sixteen Years only but with his Father Vzziah who was a Leper and therefore unfit for the sole Government four Years before which makes twenty Thus we take away that seeming Repugnancy between 2 Kings 24. 8. Jehoiachin was eighteen Years old when he began to reign and 2 Chron. 36. 9. He was eight Years old when he began to reign that is he was eight Years old when he began to reign with his Father but he was eighteen when he began to reign by himself It was common both with the Kings of Iudah and Israel to take their Sons into Partnership with them in the Throne This is the way of resolving other Places of the like Nature in the Books of Kings and Chronicles Sometimes the Sons are made Kings with their Fathers and the Years of their Joint Reign are put together At other times they are spoken of as ruling separately and hence it comes to pass that the Years vary We are concern'd then to take notice that in the foresaid Books the Reigns of some Kings are mentioned twice first as they were Contemporary and Sharers with some others and then as they ruled alone We may sometimes solve the Doubts about the different Account which is given us of the Duration of some Kings Reigns by Interregnums or Vacancy of Kingly Government for few or more Years which was not unusual Thus of King Ahaziah who succeeded Iehoram in the Throne it is recorded 2 Kings 8. 26. that he was two and twenty Years old when he began to reign but in 2 Chron. 22. 2. it is said he was forty and two Years old when he began to reign If this latter Account be true then besides that it is a contradicting of the former it will follow hence that the Son was two Years older than the Father for of Iehoram who was his Father it is said in 2 Chron. 21. 20. Thirty and two Years old was he when he began to reign and he reign'd in Jerusalem eight Years whence it appears that he was forty Years old when he died but of his Son who succeeded him in the Throne it is said He was two and forty Years old when he began to reign 2 Chron. 22. 1. This is thought to be so great a Difficulty that Malvenda and others cry out it is not to be solved But why I pray Because say they according to this Relation the Father died at forty and the Son who immediately succeeded him was above forty so then Iehoram begat his Son two Years before himself was born which to assert is as ridiculous as the thing is impossible But those who talk after this manner make Difficulties and then complain there is no possibility of answering them They affirm that Ahaziah immediately succeeded Iehoram whereas they find not this asserted in the History There might be an Interruption of the Royal Government Ahaziah might be kept from the actual Possession of the Throne a long time So then it is truly said He was two and twenty Years old when he began to reign if you reckon from his Father's Death for then a King's Heir is said to begin his Reign But if you compute from the time when he was peaceably settled in the Kingdom he was two and forty Years old when he began to reign for by that time he got securely to the Throne twenty Years were expired and after this he reigned but one Year as we read in the same Place Thus besides that it might have been said that Ahaziah reigned with his Father twenty two Years the Difficulty is answer'd by supposing an Interregnum for several Years which was very frequent in those Days and there is Reason Sometimes to grant this Vacancy to have been although it be not expresly mention'd in the Place for many things of this kind are omitted in the Sacred History and are left to be inferr'd from the Reasonableness of the thing it self and from the Circumstances which attend it Again there are those who avoid some Scruples in Chronology by holding that the Years of Bad Kings are sometimes omitted as if they had not reigned at all So some have interpreted that Place 1 Sam. 13. 1. which speaks of the two Years Reign of Saul not but that he reign'd many more which are not there reckon'd because of his evil Government Thus Solomon they say reigned many more Years than are set down for the time of his sinful and idolatrous Reign is suppressed Lastly it hath been observed in order to the taking away those Doubts which arise about the different Assignation of Time in the Old Testament that the Scripture gives us the Computation of the Times of the Iewish Republick or Kingdom but altogether omits the Spaces of Servitude Oppression Captivity and Anarchy excepting only the time of the Egyptian Bondage which is reckoned by Moses The Author of Seder Olam and Other Jewish Writers and the Learned Broughton from them give an Account of some Chronological Disputes by adhering to this Expedient With whom agrees Dr. Lightfoot who hath admirably performed this Task adding several things of his own Observation whereby the Differences in Chronology are fully reconciled The Result then of what we have said is this that if in some Places of Scripture the Years seem not to be rightly set down we may recur to the foregoing Resolutions and satisfy our selves with them
this purpose and which shews the Antiquity of this Military Usage and will give us an Account of the first and most early Marshalling of Armies is Numb 2. 2. Every Man of the Children of Israel shall pitch by his own Standard with the Ensign of their Fathers House For the explaining of which we must know that when Moses had received the Law and finish'd the Tabernacle he mustered all the Tribes and Families of Israel and disposed them for their March through the Wilderness This Great Army as this Chapter informs us was divided into four Battalions or Squadrons each of which contain'd three whole Tribes The first contain'd the three Tribes of Iudah Issachar and Zebulon and every Tribe being distinguish'd by his particular Standard this Squadron marched under the Standard of Iudah And it was peculiar to this Tribe to encamp always on the East Side of the Tabernacle and to hold the first Place and lead the Vanguard The second Battalion consisted of the Tribes of Reuben Simeon and Gad and Reuben's Standard was that which they were placed under These had the second Place in the Army and encamped on the South Side of the Tabernacle The third Division marched under the Standard of Ephraim to whom were joined the Regiments of Manasse and Benjamin and they were situated always on the West Quarter The fourth Squadron were rank'd under the Standard of Dan to whom belonged the Tribes of Naphthali and Asher These were placed on the North Side of the Tabernacle and always march'd in the Reer In every Standard or Banner there was a particular Ensign or Badg by which those of that Squadron were known In that of Iudah which march'd in the Van there was pourtrayed a Lion in that of Reuben a Man in that of Ephraim an Ox and in that of Dan an Eagle Where by the way we may observe here the Invention of Badges and Coats of Arms. The Tribes were distinguish'd by their different Scutcheons which were of diverse Figures and 't is not to be doubted of different Colours Though truly this Invention seems to have been begun first of all in Gen. 49. where the several Tribes have assigned them by Iacob their particular Distinctive Ensigns and Armorial Cognizances as Iudah a Lion Dan a Serpent Issachar an Ass c. which were certain Arms or Badges by which they were known and distinguish'd In these and the forenamed Instances Heraldry had its Original hence it may fetch its Pedigree Thus that Noble Camp was disposed and situated thus the several Tribes and Princes of them were marshall'd Thus the Tabernacle was placed in the midst of the four Divisions of the Army which pitched round about it as a Guard to Defend and Protect it But I should note withal that the Tabernacle was more Immediately surrounded by the Priests and Levites Moses and Aaron and Eleazar and his Brethren were lodg'd on the East at the Entrance of the Court of the Tabernacle the Families of Cohath were placed on the South the Families of Merari on the North the Geshurites on the West and all others that were dedicated to the Service and Attendance on the Tabernacle were quartered near it This was the Excellent Order that was observ'd the Ecclesiastical Persons were placed next to the Tabernacle because of their Employment and Office and to guard both them and the Tabernacle the whole Host was drawn about them in a Circle I might further take notice that there was not a fixed Distance of Ground from every part of the Camp to the Tabernacle for it was necessary that some should be further off than others but this was enjoined them that the Limits of their travelling on the sabbath-Sabbath-Day should not be above two thousand Cubits Iosh. 3. 4. But by reason of the different Acception of the Cubit it is not easy to determine exactly the Length of the Way which they were permitted to travel If it was two thousand Paces it amounted to two Miles but most of the Rabbins agree that it was 2000 lesser Cubits which make a large Mile So far the furthest Part of the Israelites Camp was distant from the Tabernacle according to the general Opinion of the Hebrew Doctors This whatever it is is call'd a Sabbath-Day's Iourney Acts 1. 12. i. e. as much space of Ground as it was lawful for the Jews to go on a Sabbath-Day This shall suffice to be said concerning the Antient Situation of the Camp of Israel A very Curious and Excellent Prospect it is and worthy of our Observation it being the First Platform of a Military Encamping To close this Head I will take notice of the Vast Numbers which some of the Armies mention'd in Scripture consisted of of old That of the Jews in the Wilderness which I last spoke of according to the Muster-Roll in Numb 1. contain'd no less than six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty There were enrolled about a thousand thousand fighting Men in Israel and about half as many in Iudah when David numbred the People 2 Sam. 24. 9. 1 Chron. 21. 5. King Vzziah had an Host of three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred besides a choice Band of two thousand and six hundred 2 Chron. 26. 12 13. King Asa's military Force consisted of about six hundred thousand 2 Chron. 14. 8. And against him came an Ethiopian Army of above a thousand thousand Chariots 2 Chron. 14. 9. whence we must collect that the whole Force was much more Numerous for the Chariots generally had more than one single Person in them King Ieroboam brought eight hundred thousand Men into the Field of whom five hundred thousand were slain 2 Chron. 13. 3 17. And other vast Numbers we read of in the Books of Kings and Chronicles that were brought into the Field in those Days Which I the rather mention because some have questioned the Truth of it and have thought that it is by the Fault of Transcribers that the Arithmetick mounts so high And I am sorry to find a Great Man whom I will not name enclining this way I doubt not but if he had lived to revise his Writings he would have expung'd what seems to favour this for so Great an Asserter of the Authentick Verity of the Scriptures as well as of the Christian Religion could not have done otherwise But this I desire may be considered by those that think the Number of the Men in the foremention'd Armies is mistaken by those who copied out the Bible they setting down as they imagine one Arithmetical Figure instead of another I desire I say this may be consider'd that the Numbers in these Sacred Writings are set down in Words at length and not in Figures which these Objectors did not think of and therefore those who transcrib'd the Bible did not mistake the Numbers by writing down one Figure for another and consequently these Mens Conceit is groundless Again we are to remember what is said in
meant of the conâ—uming of their Intestines in the Fire with sweet-smelling Gums and precious Ointments But Iehoram was wholly incapable because of the unusual Malady whereof he died of this Fragrant Burning which was the Funeral Ceremony generally used at the Deaths of his Progenitors This I take to be the genuine meaning of the Place but however I submit this to the Judgment of Learned and Impartial Criticks who whether this Comment be true or conjectural only will not disdain this free offer of my Sentiments on this Text. It appears from what hath been said that the Funeral Burning of the Iews and of the Heathens was not of the same kind The former was only a committing of the Bowels of the Dead to the Flames the latter was a Burning of their whole Bodies Besides among the Jews their Conflagration was used to their Kings and Great Ones only but among the Pagans to all Rurying in the Ground as Plâ—y acknowledeth had the Priority among the Romans and others of Burning the dead Bodies for this latter had its Rise he saith from the barbarous and inhumane digging up of the Carcases by Enemies to prevent which they consumed a great Part of them in their Funeral Pyres and what what was remaining was preserv'd in Sepulchral Urns and Pitchers and deposited so deep in the Earth that they were for the most part out of the Reach of the Adversary This was the Custom of the Old Germans as Tacitus reports and from other Authors it appears that the Antient Galls Spaniards and other Nations were no Strangers to it Yea some Old Britains took it up and Polydore mentions particularly the Flaming the Blazing Obsequies of Belinus King of the Britains This Pagan Usage was first left off among the Romans in the Reigns of the Antonines And when Christianity got a firmer Footing in the World it was quite laid aside and extinct and they return'd to the old Primitive Institution of burying the dead Bodies in the Earth from whence they had their Original Of other things relating to Funeral Rites we have the antientest Account in these Inspired Writings as namely that they used to mourn for the Dead in a solemn manner rending their Garments and putting on Sackcloth as may be gathered from what Iacob did thinking his Son Ioseph was dead Gen. 37. 34. and as may be made appear from more positive Texts which make mention of exchanging their usual Habit for Hair-cloth or some such coarse sort of Covering known by the Name of Sac not only among the Hebrews but all other Nations whereby they used to testify their Grief This altering the Habit and Wearing of Mourning Apparel at Funerals was afterwards practised among thâ— Iews 2 Sam. 14. 2. So was the Ceremony of covering the Face and Head 2 Sam. 19. 4. for in that manner David express'd his Mourning for the Death of his dear Absalom Whence we may understand the Meaning of Lev. 10. 6. Vncover not your Heads i. e. put not off your usual Head-Aâ—tire to put on the Covering of Mourners it is not God's Will that you should lament the Death of those wicked Men Nadab and Abihu And from this you may know how to interpret Ezek. 24. 17. Bind the Tire of thy Head upon thee i. e. keep on thy ordinary Head-Apparel and do not change it for a Mourning one such as is uâ—ed at Funerals The Prophet is here forbid upon the Death of his Wife to use any such Funeral Ceremony There was antiently a peculiar Space of Time allotted for lamenting the Deceased which they call'd the Days of Mourning Gen. 27. 41. 50. 4. Thus the Egyptians who reverenced the Patriarch Iacob as a Prince and a Great Man lamented his Death threescore and ten Days Gen. 50. 3. which is confirmed by what Diodorus the Sicilian saith that the Egyptians mourned for their Kings when they died seventy two Days wherein he is either guilty of a small Mistake of the Number or those People afterwards added two Days more to the Time of Mourning But it must needs be an Oversight in Iosephus when he saith the Time of Publick Mourning among the Egyptians was forty Days Which Mistake perhaps was grounded on what is said in the preceding Words of the forecited Place forty Days were fulfilled for the embalming so that it is likely he mistook the time of Embalming or making Preparations in order to the Funeral for the time of Mourning which was distinct from that and was seventy Days The Hebrews Term of Condoleance was far short of this for Ioseph mourned for his Father but seven Days Gen. 50. 10. And generally afterwards the Funeral Mourning was confined within a Week both among the Iews 1 Sam. 31. 13. and the Arabians Job 2. 13. Thus the Time of Mourning was Proportionable to that of Feasting which as I have observed lasted seven Days Yet at some Times and for extraordinary Reasons it was lengthned out to a much longer Season thus they mourned for the Death of Aaron thirty days Numb 20. 29. and so long a Time they lamented the Death of Moses Deut. 34. 8. And this particular Period of Funeral Lamentation is mention'd in Deut. 21. 13. Mourning at Funerals was heretofore help'd and advanced by Musick and that both of Voice and Instrument Thence 't is said that King Iosias's Death was lamented by all the singing Men and the singing Women 2 Chron. 35. 25. And thence you read of the Mourning Women Jer. 9. 17. the same with those that were afterwards call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bewailers Lamenters of whom Buxtorf speaks The same with the Praeficae among the Romans and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Greeks who were hired at Funerals soften and melt the Relations of the Deceased into Fits of dolorous Passion by their mournful Notes Of this sort are the Mourners that go about the Streets Eccl. 12. 5. that attend the Corps to the Grave the long Home as 't is stiled in that Verse for the Chaldee Paraphrast expounds Beth Gnolam by the House of the Sepulture The Forms used at these Funeral Lamentations and Outcries are mention'd in Ier. 22. 18. Ah my Brother ah my Sister c. and in Ch. 34. v. 5. To the mournful Musick on such Occasions refer the Prophet's Words Ier. 48. 36. my Heart shall found like Pipes i. e. with a Mourning-sound such as Minstrels made at Funerals as a Modern Critick rightly guesses tho Dr. Hammond is positive that there is no mention of Instruments of Musick at Funerals in the Old Testament In the New Testament we read of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Players on the Pipe or Flute at the Houses of those who were deceased Mat. 9. 23. For this Musick was used before the Dead were carried forth to Burial but chiefly at the time of Interment That this Custom was received among the Gentiles is clear from that of Ovid Cantabis moestis tibia funeribus And
History both domestieâ— and foreign All that are conversant in this way of Study complain and that justly of the erroneous Misrepresentations of Passages of all sorts among Historians and of our Darkness and Ignorance by reason of these But no such thing is to be fear'd or so much as suspected in the Sacred History because God himself speaks there and therefore we have the surâ—â— ground for our Faith that we can desire There is no Authority so firm as that which is Divine there is no Testimony so strong and valid as that which is from the Holy Spirit And such is that of the Holy Scriptures and consequently it most justly challengeth yea commandeth our Faith and Assent This is the singular Pre-eminence and Advantage which this Book hath above all others that the Penmen of it were directed by the unerring Spirit of God This alone is sufficient to determine and six us it being the most stable as well as the most proper Basis of our Belief even where things that are very Improbable are propounded to us to be assented to Besides as to the seeming Improbability of some things that are related in the Historical Part of the Bible this ought not to hinder us from giving Credit to them Many Persons are wont to look upon these Passages and Stories as Strange and almost Incredible which they observe are not sutable to the Manners Customs Arts and Conversation of the World as it is at present and thence they are enclined to think that there were no such things heretofore But these Men do not well consider nor distinguish between those times and these which are exceedingly Different And moreover if they suspend their Belief of some things which they read in the Old Testament because they see other things now things of a Different Nature they may as well disbelieve all the Other Histories of the Antients that are extant which yet we see they are very backward to do And they have good Reason on their Side because the World is not now as it was then and therefore we must not expect that the things which we read of in those times should be fully conformable and agreeable to what occurs in these latter Days For this Reason a very Solid and Judicious Writer hath defended the Antient History of the Greeks and Latins whereof whatever is strange is in Herodotus and Pliny shewing that though some fabulous Narrations and many gross Mistakes and Errors are intermingled the Strangeness of some Passages which we meet with in them proceeds from the Diversity of Times the Posture of the World having much changed since those things happened Let us make use of the same Reasoning in the present case and when we find several Strange Unusual and Surprizing Matters in the Writings of the Old Testament impute this to the Antientness of them and the great Discrepancy between those Days and these we now live in If we do so there will be no Impediment to our steady Belief of the Truth of them Nay if we weigh things well we shall see it is ridiculous to expect that the Guises and Manners of the World should be the same now that they were 4 or 5000 Years ago for there must needs be new things when the Numbers of Persons are so vastly increased when the Difference of Climes produces such Diversity of Dispositions when Casualty Necessity Industry Wit c. are the Occasions of so many new Occurrences Let this be remembred and seriously thought of and it will dispel our vain Scruples and Disbelief Or if there be any remaining the former Consideration will throughly extirpate them i. e. if we call to mind the Undoubted Certainty and Infallibility of the Scripture which is its peculiar Prerogative and Excellency CHAP. VII A particular Distribution of the several Books of the Old Testament Genesis the first of them together with the four following ones being written by Moses his ample Character or Panegyrick is attompted wherein there is a full Account of his Birth Education Flight from Court retired Life his Return to Egypt his conducting of the Israelites thence his immediate Converse with God in the Mount his delivering the Law his Divine Eloquence his Humility and Meekness his Sufferings his Miracles and his particular Fitness to write these Books A Summary of the several Heads contain'd in Genesis to which is added a brief but distinct View of the Six Days Works wherein is explained the Mosaick Draught of the Origine of all things and at the same time the bold Hypotheses of a late Writer designed to confront the First Chapter of the Bible are exposed and refuted The Contents of the Book of Exodus to which is adjoined a short Comment on the Ten Plagues of Egypt A Rehearsal of the remarkable Particulars treated of in Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy That Moses was the Pen-man and Author of the Pentateuch notwithstanding what some have lately objected against it To demonstrate yet further the Excellency of these Holy Writings I will enter upon the Third way of Proof which I proposed that is I will give you a Particular Account of the several Books contained in the Old and New Testament and I will shew all along the particular Usefulness and Excellency of them I begin first with the Old Testament which is divided by the Jews into three general Parts first Torah the Law which contains the five Books of Moses then Nebiim the Prophets which comprehends the Books of Ioshua Iudges first and second Book of Samuel the first and second of the Kings Isaiah Ieremiah Ezekiel the twelve Small Prophets all which make the second Volume then the Chetubim the Holy Writers in which are included the Psalms Proverbs Iob Canticles Ruth Lamentations Ecclesiastes Esther Daniel Ezra Nehemiah Chronicles and these made the third Volume The Books of this last Rank were written say the Jewish Doctors by the Inspiration of the Spirit but the Writers were not admitted into the Degree of Prophets because they had no Vision but their Senses remained perfect and entire all the while only the Holy Spirit stirr'd them up and dictated such and such things to them which they writ down For you must know that the Old Jews thought nothing to be right Prophecy but what was conveyed in Dreams or Visions But though this be a Rabbinical Conceit and hereby they strike David and some others out of the Number of the Prophets who were the Chief of them yet the Partition of the Old Testament as it may be rightly understood is not altogether to be rejected nay it seems to be allowed of by our Saviour himself Luke 24. 44. where he tells his Apostles that all things must be fulfilled which were written concerning him in the whole Old Testament viz. in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms under these last comprising all the other Parts of the Hagiographa Or you may divide the Books as they stand in their order in the
Faint Radiancy in comparison of what was afterwards on the fourth Day when we are told in what certain Subjects the Light resided and was as it were fix'd But now it was feeble and vagrant and was the first Result of some â—iry and luminous Matter which the Divine Spirit by his powerful Moving and Incubation had engender'd This Bright and Glorious Matter was the Second General Source of all Beings that is out of it were made the pure Aether the Sun and Stars and whatever belongs to the superiour Part of the World but these appertain to the fourth Day 's Work Now we are only to take notice of this Light as it is here the Catholick Term for the First Rudiment of the whole Celestial Creation as Earth was the word to express the First Matter of the Inferiour Part of the World And what is this Light but Fire or Flame that subtile Matter which heats and enlightens the World For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is both lux and ignis as also the Greek Word imports So Heat is put for Light Psat. 19. 6. And I could observe that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used not only in Isa. 18. 4. but in other Places to express the Hebrew Word for Heat Which shews the Affinity if not the Identity of these two This Original Light then which was the Second Principle in the Creation is no other than those fine and brisk Particles of Matter whose Nature is to be in a Continual Agitation and which by their restless Motion and Pressure communicate Warmth and Light Vigour and Lustre where-ever there is need of them in the Universe Some refer the Creation of Angels to this first Day 's Work by reducing them to the word Heaven in the first Verse but I have suggested already that that Verse is a General Account of the Whole Creation and not of any Particular Day 's Production or else by Heaven and Earth there is meant the First Matter or Rude Draught of both therefore no such thing can be inferr'd thence Nor are we to think that the Angelick Order is comprehended under Light as I find some imagine because they read of an Angel of Light 2 Cor. 11. 14. for it is Material Light only that is the Product of the first Day 's Work I rather think that Moses designed not to include Angels in any Part of that Account which he gives of the Creation for he makes it his Business to speak of those Works of God which were visible and sensible and therefore 't is no wonder that the Angelick Spirits are not mention'd for they come not within the Compass of his Undertaking Hitherto we have had a View of the Two Primitive Materials of all visible Beings in the World viz. 1. The Formless Mass or Chaos whence 't is likely Aristotlâ— derived his First Matter which is according to him neither this nor that but mere passive Potentiality yet susceptive of any Form 2. The Active Light which was made to envigorate the dull and inert Matter of the Chaos and afterwards to be the Original of the Vast Luminaries of the Celestial Part of the World These are the General Elements of the Mundane System one gross and unactive the other subtile and penetrating the one the Matter of this inferiour Part of the Universe the other of those more spacious and extended Orbs above This I take to be the true Account of the Origine of the World though I have but few if any that concur with me in laying it down thus for the Chaos is generally made the Universal Source of the World But to me it seems to be but One Part of it and that of this Lower Division only which is very small in respect of the other I have only this to add here that it is this First Day 's Work alone that in the most proper and strict Sense ought to be call'd the Creation because now was made the First and Universal Substance out of which the Works of the other Days were produced though it is true in a latitude of speaking the Formation of the distinct Species of Beings was a Creation also And of these I proceed now to speak according to the Mosaick Method the same with that of the Creator On the second Day was the Lower Heaven or Firmament made call'd by this Divine Philosopher Rakiang i. e. the Expansion or according to the Seventy Interpreters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom the Vulgar Latin follows and renders it Firmamentum This was produced in the midst of the Waters and the Design of it was to divide the Waters from the Waters v. 6. i. e. as it follows the Waters under this Firmament from the Waters above it The Meaning of which is after all the wild Comments on these Words that whereas the Waters at first were heap'd together very high above the Earth in some Places the All-wise Disposer began this Day to make a Separation of them and to frame an Expansion for that is the simple and downright Import of the Hebrew Word between the lower and the higher Parts of the Waters so that now there was a Distance between them which was caused by the Interposition of Air between these lower and higher Parts of the Waters The Almighty Creator by attenuating and rarifying these transmuted them into an Aerial Body which shall always continue so i. e. shall remain really distinct from the crasser Subsistence of Water Therefore in plain Terms this Expansum is the Whole Region of Air and we cannot imagine any other Expansum or Out-spread Firmament which divides the superiour from the inferiour Waters i. e. the Clouds from that vast Body and Mass of Waters which at first cover'd the Earth and soon after as you shall hear were disposed of into particular Receptacles and were denominated the Seas But yet in a large way of speaking this Firmament here spoken of is all that Extended Space for that I say is the proper Denotation of the Word which reacheth from the Earth to the Place of the Stars which was made afterwards If it be asked why this Second Day 's Work hath not the same Approbation that the rest have I answer the Reason is not because it was not good but because it was but an Essay or Specimen of the two next Days Works for the Waters were but now begun to be separated which afterwards we find finish'd on the third Day and this Firmament was but a Beginning or Preparative to the Production of a higher and nobler Expansum on the fourth Day This we may conceive to be the Reason why the Epiphonema which is added to every Day 's Work God saw that it was good is not adjoined here On the third Day there was this fourfold Work 1. A Compleat Separating or dividing of the Waters 2. A Gathering of them into one Place which was then and is since call'd the Sea And it is most reasonable to believe that on the same Day that
the Seas were made by depressing some Parts of the Earth for the Waters to run in the Channels also of the Rivers were fix'd and the Currents of Water let into them For if as some imagine Rivers were made afterwards by Men the Banks of them or one Side of them at least would be higher than the rest of the Ground by reason of the Earth dug out and cast up 3. A Drying of the Land which was a necessary Consequence of that collecting the Waters into certain Cavities and Channels in the Earth for they being drain'd and sunk down into these the Land became dry and had the Denomination of Earth properly so call'd given to it Virgil expresses it thus for he as well as other Poets as I have shew'd in another Place borrowed several things from the Sacred Records Et durare solum discludere Nerea Ponto Coepit And this was not only in order to render it a sutable Habitation for Men and Beasts afterwards but to sit it immediately for Plants and Herbs for Trees and Fruits and more especially for the Plantation of Paradise which were the fourth and last Production of this Day The next Day was employ'd in creating of an Etherial Heaven or Firmament and furnishing it with Glorious Lights As the former Firmament or Expanse was the Space between the Earth and Aether so this is that vast Extension which comprehends the Aether and all the Luminaries placed in it and whatever is above it even the Place of the Blessed call'd the Heaven of Heavens The Generality of Expositors I grant make the other Firmament and this the same and think that the Firmament here spoken of is not mention'd as the Product of this Day 's Creation but that here is only a new mentioning of the preceding one But this Mistake hath run them into great Absurdities and hath made them unable to give any tolerable Account of the Waters under the Firmament and those above it But if you quit the usual Road of Interpreters and take the Firmament in the 14th Verse to be different from that in ver 6 7. you solve all Difficulties whatsoever and the Texts are clear and evident Wherefore I distinguish between the Firmament of Air and that of Aether i. e. that wherein the Clouds and Meteors are and the other which contains the Luminaries of Heaven And you may observe that this in contradistinction to the former is signally stiled thrice the Firmament of Heaven ver 14 15 17. This Celestial Expansion being fix'd the next Work was to garnish and adorn it To which purpose the Light made the first Day is now abundantly and almost infinitely augmented and refined and disposed of into certain particular Orbs or Spheres or Vortices which are form'd in this upper Part of the World As all the formerly dispersed Light which was scatter'd over the whole Face of the Earth and Deep was as we expresly read ver 4. divided from the Darkness whereby one half of the Globe was enlightned and the other was in the dark it was Day with one Hemisphere whilest it was Night with the other so now on the third Day this Wandring Light is gather'd into the Bodies of the Sun and Stars This is the Mosaick Philosophy concerning the Earth and Heavens and if it were my Business here I could shew that upon true Principles of Reason it is more consistent than any Philosophical Hypotheses of another Strain and especially more congruous to the Laws of Motion and the Operations of Nature than that of Monsieur Des Cartes who tells us that there were nothing but Suns and Stars at first there were no Earths nor Planets but in process of Time some of these Suns were overspread with Spots and Scum and became opake and being suck'd in by their Neighbour-Vortices turn'd into Planets or Earth But truly to give this worthy Person his due he propounded this only as a Handsome Hypothesis a neat Philosophick Fiction which he thought might serve as a good Expedient to solve some Celestial Phaenomena But he intended not that any Man should look upon it as a Reality and thereby exclude the Mosaick Doctrine For his own Words are these It is not to be doubted that the World was at the very first created with all its Perfection so that there were then existent the Sun Earth and Moon This the Christian Faith teacheth us and even natural Reason perswades us to think so for when we attend to the Immense Power of God we can't imagine that he ever made a thing which was not every ways entire and perfect Thus he establisheth the Mosaick System according to which the Earth was before not after the Heavens yea as gross as it was it was the First-born of the Creation and consequently the Hypothesis about its being made by Absorption is a Fiction So according to Moses the Earth was the Basis and Foundation of the World and the Sun and other Luminaries were placed in the Firmament which is said to be above the Earth wherefore the System that makes the Earth the Center and not the Sun is founded on this Before I dismiss this Head I might take notice how mightily concern'd the Arcâ—aeologist is about the Inequality of the Days Works and especially that of this Fourth Day which he tells us exceeds all the other five and therefore he cannot give Credit to Moâ—es's Hexaëmeron This is the wild Reasoning of this Philosophick Adventurer Indeed both here and in other Places where he descants on the Mosaick History he uses a most extravagant and to speak plainly a most irreligious Liberty confronting the Text with an unsufferable Boldness and playing upon it with a most unbecoming Raillery Is he to set the Almighty Creator his Tasks and proportion them as he think fit Must every Day 's Work be equal or else must it not be believed Yea is he able to tell what is equal or unequal with the Omnipotent Deity and most Wise Architect of the World Surely this is not the Language of a Christian Man Yea which perhaps will affect him more 't is as sure that he dotâ— not talk like a Philosopâ—er for it is certain and all Intelligent Men will acknowledg it that Dull Gross heavy Matter aboâ—t which the foregoing Days Works were conversant is not if we speak of the Nature of the thing so soon moved shaped and order'd as that which is Tenuious Fluid subtile and active The Make of the Heavens and all the spatious Bodies of the Stars was quickly dispatch'd because the Matter of them was Ethereal light tractable and by reason of their â—iry and agile Nature they presently ran into that Shape which they now appear in This should have been consider'd by this Cavilling Gentleman and he ought to have made a Distinction between what in it self is Dull and what is Active i. e. the Tâ—o Different Principles of the Creation which I have before asserted If he had done so he would
out of the Book of Iudges but proposed to be inserted there afterwards The plain Answer then is that the Book of the Wars of the Lord is the Book of Iudges together with that of Ioshua where are related the Particulars of the Holy War i. e. the War of the Jews against the Infidels and that in one of these it shall be particularly remembred and recorded what God did in the Red Sea and in the Brooks of Arnon c. and accordingly we find it inserted in the forecited Place in Iudges Thus you see it can't be proved hence that the Church hath lost any Part of the Book of God Another Book said by some to be lost is the Book of Iasher mention'd in Iosh. 10. 13. 2 Sam. 1. 18. But some of the most celebrated Hebrew Doctors say they have found it telling us that it is the Book of Genesis wherein are contain'd the Acts of Abraham Isaac Iacob and other Patriarchs who were by way of Excellence call'd Iasherim Recti Iusti. But surely that Man is easily satisfied who can acquiesce in this Dr. Lightfoot holds the Book of Iasher to be the same with that which I asserted the Book of the Wars of God to be But there is little Foundation for it for though the particular Narrative of the Sun 's standing still be in the Book of Iasher as we learn from the Text yet there is no intimation that all Ioshua's Wars or the Wars of the Israelites were registred there This Book was according to the Excellent Grotius an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Triumphal Poem in which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was for the Verse sake contracted into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But though this be very Ingenious yet it wants solidity and it is not probable that the Word would be twice mention'd i. e. both in the Book of Ioshua and in the 2d Book of Samuel in its Abbreviated Form The Learned Iewish Historian seems to me to bid fairest for Truth who â—aith by this Book are to be understood certain Records kept in some safe Place on purpose and afterwards in the Temple giving an Account of what happen'd among the Jews from Year to Year and particularly the Prodigy of the Sun 's standing still and the Directions and Laws about the Vse of the Bow i. e. setting up of Archery and maintaiâ—ing Military Exercises And if it be ask'd why the Title given to these Jewish Annals was the Book of Iasher i. e. Rects this may be rendered as a probable Reason viz. because it was by all Persons reckon'd as a very Faithful and Authentick Account of all those Events and Occurrences which it recorded it was composed with great Vprightnesâ— and Truth Thencâ— it was commonly known by the Name of Iasher's Book or Chronicle And if you remember that Iasher is translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by thâ— Seventy in several Places of the Book of Ioâ— it will â—urther confirm what I say and induce us to believe that Iasher's Book is as much as a True Book a Book that is not counterfeited It was not the Work of any Inspired Person but was of the Nature of Common Civil Annals and consequently we cannot infer hence that any Book properly belonging to the Holy Scripture i. e. that was written by Inspiration of the Holy Ghost is at this Day missing Again some reckon the Acts of Uzziah written by Isaiah the Prophet 2 Chron. 26. 22. in the Cataâ—ogue of such Books of Scripture as are lost But they have little reason to do so for by thoâ—â— Words is plainly meant that Part of the Life and History of that King which we now have in the Prophecy of Isaiah for the first six Chapters are â— Relation of what was done in his Days They give an Account of several Passages which belong to the Church and State in that King's Reign And Isaiah is truly said in the foremention'd Place in the Chronicles to have written his Acts first and last because you will find that the Prophecy of Isaiah begins at the Days of Uzziah v. 1. and the sixth Chapter relates what happen'd in the Year that King Uzziah died v. 1. So that something of what was first and last in his Time is here recorded This I look upon as a very substantial and satisfactory Answer to the Scruple about that Place Also some would infer from 1 Chron. 29. 29. that all the Canonical Books of the Bible are not extant at this Day bâ—cause there is mention of the Book of Samuel the Seer and the Book of Nathan the Prophet and the Book of Gad the Seer in which it is said all David ' s Acts were written But no such Inference can rationally be made only this we gather which is the Solution of the Difficulty that Nathan and Gad as well as Samuel compiled the History that goes under the Name of this last and because it was made by them all three therefore it is represented here as three different Books But the true Account is that those two Books in the Old Testament which bear the Name of Samuel were written partly by him the greatest Part of the first Book relating things that happen'd in his time and partly by Nathan and partly by Gad two eminent Prophets in those Days and who survived Samuel Then as to 2 Chron. 9. 29. where we are told that Solomon's Acts were written not only in the Book Hebr. Dibrim the Words as the Book of Chronicles is call'd the Words of Days of Nathan of which before but in the Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite and in the Visions of Iddo the Seer which last are call'd Midrash the Story or Commentary of the Prophet Iddo Chap. 13. v. 22. And as to 2 Chron. 12. 15. where we read also of this Book of Iddo the Seer and of Shemaiah the Prophet in which it is said Rehoboam's Acts were written the Answer which I give relating to these Books in brief is this that few of them if any are different from those of the Kings but are only a Part of them though they are here spoken of as Distinct Books and that for this reason because that individual Part of the Story viz. concerning Solomon and Rehoboam is quoted which these particular Persons here named wrote You must know then that this Historical Part of the Old Testament was the Work of several Persons it was a Collection made by sundry Prophets and Holy Men as Samuel Nathan Gad Ahijah Iddo Shemaiah and the Books which they wrote are called the Books of Samuel and the Books of the Kings and are generally known by these Names but when those Parts of them which were particucularly inserted and written by Samuel himself or Nathan c. are quoted or referr'd to in the Books of the Chronicles they are mentioned as Distinct Books the meaning of which is that they are Distinct Parts of such a History and wrote by such Particular Persons who altogether made up that
Ionathan the Rabbi before mention'd on the Pentateuch and the Targum of Ioseph the Blind on the Psalms Iob Proverbs Esther Canticles And there were other Versions of some other Books of the Bible which were made for the sake of the dispersed Jews in Chaldea and were likewise call'd Targumim all which are unanimously acknowledg'd by the Learnedest of the Antients and Moderns to be faithful Translations of the Original and none but prepossessed Minds can find any disagreement between them as to the Main It is true these are Paraphrasts rather than Translators and therefore it can't be expected that these Targumists should render the Hebrew Word for Word It cannot rationally be thought that in this free way of giving the Sense of the Original they should be exact They intended a Comment only in some places and not an exact Version To pass then from the Translations which have been made in the Oriental Tongues to some Others I will in the next Place speak of the Greek Versions of the Bible and more especially of that of the Septuagint The Greek Translations of the Old Testament are either those that were made since our Saviour's Time or that Celebrated One made before it As for those that were made since Christ's Time the Author of the first of them was Aquila who lived under the Emperor Adrian and was converted from Gentilism to Christianity and then forsook Christianity and turned Jew and translated the Old Testament out of Hebrew into Greek He was a very Morose Interpreter even to Superstition adhering to the Hebrew Letter and altogether averse from the Seventy's Translation The next Greek Version was that of Theodotion in the Emperor Commodus's Time who was an Ebionite or Judaizing Christian. A third was put out in the Emperor Severus's Reign by Symmachus who was first a Jew of the Samaritan Sect and afterwards a Christian but an Eâ—ionite or Judaizing Heretick wherefore he is call'd Semi-christianus by St. Ierom. These were the Authors of the three first Interpretations of the Old Testament that were composed after our Saviour's Days and you hear what kind of Persons they were One of these Translations was wholly Literal the other took a Liberty and followed the Sense and the third was of a middle Nature But none of them were ever publickly received and read by the Church Wherefore there is no reason to quarrel with the Hebrew Text and to accuse it of Corruption if we find that these vary from it Though to speak impartially the Translations of these foresaid Men notwithstanding that they bear the Chracter of Apostates and Hereticks dissent not from the Hebrew in any thing of considerable Moment There are two other Translations mentioned but we know not the Authors of them These five with the LXX's Version made up Origen's Hexapla As for the other Greek Interpretations of the Old Testament which were publish'd afterwards viz. that of Lucian the Martyr and the other of Hesychius they were not properly speaking New Versions but only New and Correct Editions of the Septuagint Translation which was purged from its Errors and Faults by these Worthy Undertakers So much concerning the Greek Translations since Christ. Our main Business is with that which was before our Saviour's Days that First Translation which was made of the Bible by the Jews that most Famous Work of the Seventy Elders about 250 others say about 260 Years before Christ's Birth It is true before the LXX set about the Version of the whole Bible some part of it was translated into Greek viz. Moses's Writings in the time of the Persian Monarchy if we may believe Megasthenes who is quoted by Eusebius And Clement of Alexandria attests that some part of the Old Testament was turn'd into Greek a little before Alexander the Great 's Time Which is not improbable if we consider that from about the time that Alexander the Great transferr'd the Persian Monarchy to the Greeks the Greek Tongue spread it self and became the Universal Language insomuch that the Iews in Asia Egypt and Greece forgot their Hebrew and understood the Greek only But this is not the Version which I am now to speak of which is the Celebrated Translation of the Seventy Iews who rendred the whole Book of the Old Testament into Greek And it seems according to what hath been said there was a kind of Necessity for it because in the East the Hebrew was grown to be an unknown Tongue and the very Iews generally understood nothing but Greek Some have observ'd a considerable Disagreement between the Hebrew Text and this Greek Version and hereupon they undertake to form an Argument against the Perfection of the Holy Scriptures for they argue thus There is great reason to assert the Authority of this Translation and to believe it is True and Genuine Which if it be granted makes the Hebrew Text to be suspected nay it will follow thence that it is faulty and defective because there is so vast a Difference between the one and the other If this of the Seventy be a True Version then the Hebrew of the Bible which we have is not the True Original but is corrupted and depraved and consequently there is a sufficient Prooof of the Scripture's Imperfection Now because this may seem to have something of Reason in it and because the greatest Controversy is about This Translation I will insist much larger on this than on any of the others and endeavour from the whole to evince the Truth of this Proposition that the Hebrew Text is not at all faulty but that it remains still in its Original Purity and Perfection Here first it will be necessary to enquire into the Occasion and into the Authors of this famous Greek Version and also into the Manner of their performing it and from these to gather of what Authority it is Ptolomee surnamed Philadelphus King of Egypt about the Year of the World 3730. erected a vast Library at Alexandria and furnish'd it with all the choicest Books he could procure But notwithstanding this he thought it imperfect till the Hebrew Bible was added to it Accordingly by the Direction of Demetrius Phalereus who was the Library-keeper he caused this Excellent Monument of Learning to be deposited in it But because he was ignorant of the Language in which it was written he by Letters importuned the High Priest and the Rulers at Ierusalem to send him some Persons to translate it out of the Hebrew into the Greek Whereupon they sent him Seventy or Seventy two Interpreters in imitation perhaps of that Number of Elders which Moses was commanded to take with him when he went up to the Mount to receive the Law And these Select Persons betook themselves to the Employment which the King set them about and first translated the Pentateuch and a while after the rest of the Old Testament into Greek This is generally allowed by the most Exact Searchers into History to be real Matter of Fact as being
vouched by Writers of very good account and whose joint Authority in this Case we have no reason to suspect As for some Particular Circustances which relate to this Matter as the Place where they met their Mavellous Consent in the Work and the Time they dispatched it in these may be doubted of though for my part I see no solid ground of denying them altogether The whole Translation was finish'd in 72 Days saith Aristaeas or Aristaeus for his Name is written both Ways one that was a great Favourite of King Ptolomee and writ the History of this Greek Translation of the Jewish Elders But this Author is thought to be spurious by Vossius and by some other Learned Men before him As to the Place Philo the Jew Iustin Martyr and others tell us it was the Great Tower in the Isle of Pharos which was set up to direct the Mariners in the dangerous Seas about Alexandria Upon which a Great Critick turns Devout and exerts his Fancy very piously observing this to be a proper Place for such a Work the Bible being truly a Light to lighten the Gentile World a Light hung out to guide all doubting and troubled Souls in the Storms and Tempests they meet with And there were Distinct Places if you will credit some Jewish and Christian Writers wherein these Interpreters separately performed the task which they were set about They did the Work each of them in diverse Rooms say the Talmud and the Rabbins They were put into 70 distinct Cells when they translated the Bible saith Iustin Martyr in his Apology to the Roman Emperor And moreover he adds that he was at Pharos and saw what was left of those Cells And with him agree Irenaeus Clemens of Alexandria Epiphanius Cyril of Ierusalem and Augustine And further though an Arabick Commentator on the Pentateuch whom Mr. Gregory cites reports that the 70 Seniors disagreed in their Translation the first time and so were set to it again yet these Fathers take notice of no such thing but tell us that though these Translators were separated into distinct Places by themselves yet they all agreed in the same very Words and Syllables Which they borrowed it is likely from Philo who had expresly said they all exactly agreed on the same Names and Words to interpret the Chaldee by for he calls it the Chaldee instead of the Hebrew as if some Person stood by them and invisibly dictated to them although the Chaldee might be translated diverse ways the Greek Tongue being so copious And he further adds that there was a Feast yearly in the Pharos whither the Iews went to solemnize it and to see the Place where this Version was made But how can this be reconciled with the Fast appointed to be kept by the Iews on the 8th Day of Thâ—bet or December because the Law of Moses was translated into the Greek Tongue by the Jews of Alexandria in Ptolomee's Time at which time they say there was Darkness three Days together over the whole World That therefore which Philo saith seems rather to be said on purpose to inhanse the Credit of this Translation for which reason we may justly question the Truth of it Iosephus who purposely treats of the turning the Law into Greek by King Ptolomee's Order saith nothing of the Different Cells nor doth he represent the Interpreters as Inspired Persons And St. Ierom who was a Searching Man was the first of the Fathers that opposed and contradicted this Story declaring that he could not believe any thing concerning these Distinct Rooms and Apartments and the Miraculous Agreement of the Interpreters in these separated Cells giving this Reason for it because neither Aristaeas nor Iosephus speak a Word of them But some are not satisfied with this but roundly tell us that Ierom had made a New Translation of the Bible out of the Hebrew himself wherein he very much differ'd from the LXX and so he was obliged to disparage the Cells and the Translators to make way for his own Translation This is the uncharitable Censure which One gives of this Great Father And as for Aristâ—as he comes off thus with him it is no wonder that he saith nothing of the Cells for this Aristaeas who is quoted by St. Ierom is not the genuine Author but a spurious one for the Fathers quote many things out of him which are not to be found in this Book But Another tells us another Story viz. that the Hellenist Jews who read the Translation of the â—0 in their Synagogues were the Inventers of this History of the Translators and put it out in one Aristâ—us's Name And the same Person moreover presents us with this New Conceit that it was call'd the Translation of the Seventy not from Seventy Translators who were the Authors of it but from the Seventy Iudges i. e. the Sanhedrim at Ierusalem who authorized and approved of it Then as for Iosephus we are put off thus by Mr. Gregory viz. that he is wont to comply with his Readers and useth not to put Great and Wonderful things on their Belief if he can help it as appears in his Relation of the Israelites passing the Red Sea and Nebuchadnezzar's going to Grass c. so here he omits the Seventy Seniours their Consenting in that wonderful Manner in the Translating the Hebrew Bible because it would have been incredible to the Gentiles that Persons separated and shut up from one another should agree so exactly To this effect you 'l â—ind that Notable Critick speaking But it will appear to be a very Sorry Evasion as those of the other Persons before mention'd are if any Man look narrowly into it for upon the same ground that he gives here that Iewish Historian might have omitted most of the things he relates because they are very Great and Wonderful and far exceed the Belief of a Pagan We are not then to attend to such poor Suggestions as these and to swallow all that hath been related by Writers concerning the Seventy Interpreters Neither is there reason to disbelieve all they have said but in this as in most Historical Relations we ought to credit what is most Probable and to reject the rest We need not with Epiphanius and Augustine hold that the Seventy Interpreters were divinely inspired and that their Translation of the Bible was done in a Miraculous Manner and that it is of Divine Authority which we may â—ind some Writers aiming at but on the other hand there is no ground to affirm that all which Aristaeas and Aristobulus say concerning the Seventy's Version is Fable and Fiction as the Parisian Professor of Divinity pronounceth but very rashly in my Judgment We have no reason to deny the Chief and General things which are related concerning the Seventy Seniours who were employed in turning the Old Testament into Greek we have no reason to question their Skill and Ability as to the Main to perform that
Opus Biblicum Complutense wâ—ich came out A. D. 1515. and was the first Polyglot Bible and after the publishing of Psalterium Octoplum in a short time afterwards by Iustinian an Italian Bishop there appear'd in the World the Translation of all the Hebrew Bible into Latin by Santes Pagninus a Dominican Friar This Version was made Interlinear with the Hebrew Bible by Aâ—ias Montanus or rather this Version which Pagniâ— had put out being not exactly Literal Montanus supplied it and fitted it to the very Hebrew Words and then put out a New Edition and many Years after this it was reprinted in the King of Spain's Great Bible which Montanus put forth Cardinal Cajetan also turned the Old Testament out of Heâ—brew into Latin Isidorus Clarius cannot so properly be call'd a Translator as a Corrector of the Vâ—â—gar Latin Malvenda a Dominican rendred somâ— Books of the Old Testament into this Languagâ— The Renowned Erasmus whom F. Simon takes nâ— notice of in his Catalogue of Transtaâ—oâ—s turâ—'â— the New Testament into Latin Hitherto I have mention'd Roman 〈◊〉 next follow Protestants and those of the 〈◊〉 Religion the first whereof was Sebastian 〈…〉 German who publish'd his New Latin Version oâ— the Old Testament three Years before 〈…〉 came forth and afterwards corrected it and put in out anew He is a most exact Renderer of the 〈◊〉 Sense of the Hebrew Text. Leo Iuda a Zuinglian of Helvetia translated the Old Testament out of Hebrew and it was published after his Death about the Year 1543 the last Edition of which is usually call'd Vaâ—ablus's Bible because he added 〈◊〉 to it or the Biblia Tigurina from the Place 〈◊〉 where the Translator was Pastor He 〈◊〉 a kind of Paraphrase to make the Sense 〈◊〉 easy and plain whereas Munster more rigidly follow'd the very Words Afterwards Castellio put forth a Latin Translation of the whole Bible for which he is severely reproved both by Papists and Protestants as if it were too light and florid too quaint and fanciful but if we consider the Design of this Translator which was to recommend the Holy Scriptures by presenting them in a Neat and Elegant Stile we shall see little reason to blame him The New Testament was turn'd into the same Language by Theodore Beza And last of all Ianius and Tremellius did both of them jointly translate the Old Testament out of Hebrew and Tremellius alone the New Testament out of Syriack a Work which is mightily applauded by the Learned Buxtorf who had Skill to judg of it and is constantly made use of in his Lexicon As to the Osiâ—â—ders Father and Son though they be reckon'd among the Modern Translators by F. Simon yet I do not see that it can properly be done because they only put forth the Antient Latin Version Word for Word in the Old Edition with some Corrections of their own in the Margin not altering the Text at â—ll These are the Latter Versions of the Bible all which have more or less amended the Faults of the Vulgar Latin and have brought us nearer to the Fountain Upon the whole I conclude that these several Learned Translators are all of them in their kind very useful some by keeping close to the Original others by using a Latitude They have presented us but in a Different Stile and Mode with the true genuine meaning of the Original â—nd none but Frivolous Objectors can complain of â—ny considerable Disagreement between these Verâ—â—ns and the Hebrew or Greek Text. The Differencâ— that is between the Translations themelves is usually in the Diversity of Expressions used by the Translators which causeth no Disagreement between them and the Originals But if any other Difference be found we know that the Latin must always give way to the Hebrew and Greek and be regulated by them as the Clock by the Sun Take this in the Words of a Great Man even of the Roman Perswasion Wheresoever saith he the Latin Translators disagree or a reading is suspected to be corrupted we must repair to the Original in which the Scriptures weres writ as St. Iâ—rom and Augustin and other Writers of the Church direct so that the Truth and Sincerity of the Translations of the Old Testament must be examined by the Hebrew Copies and of the New by the Greek Ones So Cardinal Ximenius in his Preface to Pope Leo. Having gone thus far I will now proceed farther and speak concerning Our Own Translation Our Countrey-man Bede about 700 Years after Christ translated the Bible into Saxon. Wickliff about 600 Years afterwards translated it into the English Language then understood and used by the People of this Place Not long after this Iohn Trevisa a Cornish Divine set forth the whole Bible in English In the Year 1527 Tindal translated the Pentateuch and the New Testament and afterwards both he and Coverdale joined in the Work and finish'd the Translation of the whole Bible Tunstal and Heath both Bishops translated it anew and in the beginning of Q. Elizabeth's Reign Archbishop Parker and other Bishops made another more Correct Translation which was call'd the Bishop's Translation or Bible In K. Iames's Time another came forth which we make use of and read in our Churches at this Day It is certain that this last English Translation of the Bible is in great repute among Foreigners and is acknowledged by them to be the most exact that is extant We have as great reason to own it to be such especially if we take it with the Margin where are set down the several Senses of many Original Words whether Hebrew or Greek so that where there is any doubt of the meaning of the Word which occurs we may take our choice Our English Bibles surpass all other Translations as to this and hereby it comes to pass that the Holy Scriptures are faithfully and fully represented to our People and they are laid before them in their native Purity and Perfection so far as the Skill and Labours of those Translators attain'd to at that time And yet I conceive it would be no Derogation to our English Bible if it were once more revised and the Translation made more accurate and exact in some Places than it is Which leads me to the Next General Part of my Undertaking viz. the Emendation on of the present English Version CHAP. XIII Our English Translation shew'd to be faulty and defective in some Places of the Old Testament But more largely and fully this is performed in the several Books of the New Testament where abundant Instances are produced of this Defect and particular Emendations are all along offer'd in order to the rendring our Translation more exact and compleat The Date of the Division of the Bible into Chapters and Verses I Will now according to what I propounded in the Entrance into this Discourse attempt to shew the Defect of the present English Translation and at the same time to let you see how it is to be supplied and remedied