Writer that I know as our Author himself observes e Ubi sup so that as he truly adds A man must fetch all out of his own Stock that intends to Answer him However if this Discourse do not prove satisfactory I hope 't will be the occasion of Engaging some Abler Pen in this Cause and if that be the only Good it does it will not be altogether Vnserviceable In the last place I must desire of those who think I have not carried the Inspiration of the Scriptures so high as I ought not to be Angry with me or uncharitably Censure me as if I design'd to Betray the Cause which I pretend to maintain but if they are not satisfied with my Performance to Vndertake the Argument themselves and do Justice to so Good a Causa I assure them I shall heartily wish them Success in their Vndertaking and shall be glad if my Arguments appear weak because theirs are stronger for I can do nothing against the Truth but for the Truth The Contents CHAP I. General Considerations concerning the Inspiration of the writings of the New-Testament THe Method of the whole Treatise proposed Pag. 1 The Proof of the Inspiration of the New-Testament Writings contain'd in Six Propositions p. 3 I. Proposition God design'd to provide a means for Preserving the Doctrine of Christianity to the End of the World p. 5 II. Prop. The best means of preserving Christianity in an Ordinary way was by conveying the Doctrine of it to after Ages by Writing p. 6 III. Prop. 'T is reasonable to think that God would deliver the Christian Doctrine in Writing because he used the same means formerly for the Instruction of the Jewish Church p. 10 The Reasons which enduced St. Matthew and St. Mark to write their Gospels as they are related by the Ancient Church-Writers p. 12 IV. Prop. God has actually made use of no other way for the Conveying the Doctrine of Christianity but the Writings of the New Testament p. 13 V. Prop. The Apostles themselves design'd their Writings for the Perpetual Use of the Church and lookt upon them to be of equal Authority with the Divine Writings of the Old Testament p. 15 The Reasons which moved St. Luke and St. John to write their Gospels p. 16 The Apostolical Epistles were design'd for General Use tho many of them writ upon Particular Occasions p. 17 Reflections upon the Style and way of writing used by St. Paul p. 18 Concerning the General Epistles p. 21 VI. Prop. The Age immediately following that of the Apostles lookt upon their Writings as the Standing Rule of Christian Faith p. 22 Reflections upon a Passage in Mr. Hobs's Leviathan concerning the Date of the New Testament Canon p. 26 An Answer to Mr. N.'s Objection That some Books are received into the New Testament Canon whose Authors are not known p. 28 Four Corollaries or Inferences drawn from the whole 1 Inference That the Holy Ghost Assisted the Apostles as fully when they Writ as when they Preach'd p. 29 2 Inference The Holy Ghost in several Cases Dictated to the Apostles the Words and Style they should Use and in all Cases preserved them from using such Expressions as would naturally lead men into Error p. 31 What Cautions are to be observed in Interpreting the Style of the Apostles and arguing from the Terms they use p. 35 3 Inference Since the Writing of the New Testament is owing to God's Providence and Care of his Church the Composing the several parts of it does not exclude the Use of Natural Means no more than other Acts of Providence do p. 37 4 Inference 'T is no Argument against a Book 's being design'd by God for the Perpetual Use of the Church that 't was at first Written upon a particular Exigency and with respect to the Circumstances which were peculiar to that time p. 40 CHAP. II. A More Particular Enquiry into the Nature of the Apostolical Gifts and Inspiration p. 42 The General Heads treated of in this Chapter p. 44 In what Cases the Apostles deliver'd their Judgements as Men and did not speak by Inspiration Three Instances of this Nature propos'd p. 45 1 Cor. 7.12 at large Explain'd p. 46 To grant that the Apostles spoke some things without Inspiration does not prejudice their Authority as to others p. 53 In all other Cases beside those before Excepted the Apostles Preach'd and Writ by the particular Direction and Assistance of the Spirit p. 55 The Scripture Notion of an Apostle p. 57 1 Cor. 2.10 c. and 1 Thes 4.8 considered p. 58 The Assistance which the Spirit gave the Apostles did not consist only in bringing to their remembrance what Christ had said to them p. 62 This proved 1. From those Discourses of our Saviour's concerning the Kingdom of Heaven where he represents it as a Temporal State in Complyance with the prejudices of his Disciples p. 63 2 From his Parables concerning the Future State of the Gospel p. 65 3 From the Gift which the Apostles had of Explaining the Types and Prophecies of the Old Testament p. 68 The Apostles had an Extraordinary Assistance when they were summon'd to appear before Magistrates upon the account of their Religion p. 73 S. Matt. 10.20 Vindicated from the Gloss of Mr. N. p. 74 Several Instances given of his and other Modern Writers Arts to Evade the true force of Scripture Expressions Ibid. Mr. N.'s Unsincerity in passing by the plain Instances which are in Scripture of the Boldness and Courage of the Apostles p. 78 St. Paul's Behaviour before the Council Acts 23. Clear'd from Mr. N.'s Aspersions p. 80 St. Stephen's Behaviour Acts 7. Vindicated p. 84 Mr. N.'s Objections against the Inspiration of the Apostles particularly Answer'd 1 Objection That the Apostles Disputed and Conferr'd with each other Answer'd p. 88 2 Objection That St. Peter after the Descent of the Holy Ghost had need of a Vision to instruct him Answer'd p 95 3 Objection That St. Paul and St. Barnabas were forc'd to go to Jerusalem to have that Controversy decided Whether the Gentile Converts were bound to observe the Law Answer'd p. 97 4 Objection St. Peter's Dissimulation at Antioch Answer'd p. 104 5 Objection That the Spirit of Prophecy mention'd in the New Testament was only a Disposition of Mind which made men fit to Instruct Answer'd p. 104 1 Tim. 4.13 14. Clear'd p. 106 Why St. Paul gave Directions to the Prophets and Inspir'd Persons at Corinth p. 110 A brief Answer to some Lesser Cavils p. 112 CHAP. III. Concerning the Inspiration of the Prophets p. 115 The Personal Qualifications of the Prophets consider'd both as to their Intellectual Accomplishments p. 116 and their Moral Ones p. 121 The Original design of God's sending Prophets to the Jews was to hinder them from having recourse to Heathen Oracles and Divinations p. 126 The Prophetical Office design'd for Greater Purposes p. 129 1 To admonish the People of their Duty p. 130 2 To keep up a sense of
their Authority was immediately Establisht And so much for the proving the Sixth Proposition And I think supposing these Six Propositions proved this Conclusion will plainly follow from what has been said that the Books of the New-Testament were Written by God's Direction and design'd by Him for the Perpetual use and Instruction of the Church and are the only Fixt Rule which he has appointed for this purpose I shall draw some Conclusions from these Premises which will tend to illustrate and explain the Divine Inspiration of the Holy Writings 1. It follows from hence that the Holy Ghost assisted the Apostles as fully when they Writ as when they Preached How far this assistance extended and wherein it consisted I shall examine particularly in the next Chapter at present I intend only to shew that we may presume there is as great a degree of Inspiration to be found in their Writings as was in their Preaching For since the reason why this Assistance accompanied them in their Preaching was the benefit of the Church that they might Guide it into all Truth without any danger of mixing error with it the same reason holds much stronger for their Writings which do not serve for the Instruction of One Age only as their Preaching did but of Many And therefore tho we should suppose that they use Arguments ad Hominem sometimes and proceed upon such Principles as were generally admitted in the Age they lived without nicely examining whether they were true or not yet this only shews that they thought fit to explain Divine Truths in such a manner as was most suitable to the Capacity of the persons they were immediately to Instruct And as we must grant that tho the New Testament was design'd for the use of future Ages yet the Phrase and Style and Argumentation used in it is wholly accommodated to the Sentiments and Usage of that Age in which 't was writ so S. Paul himself does plainly imply that he does not always use the Best Arguments but sometimes such as are best fitted to the Capacities and Notions of those he Writes to For thus we find him express himself by way of excuse for the Argument he makes use of d Rom. 6.19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh which is as much as if he had said I could bring a better argument to prove what I say but this which I make use of is more suitable to your Capacities and may perhaps more effectually convince you than a better 2. It follows secondly that since the Books of the New Testament and the same reason holds as to any other Writings of the same rank and use were design'd to be a standing rule of Faith to Christians the Holy Ghost tho he did not generally Dictate the words which the holy Writers used yet directed them to express their minds in such a manner that those who have a regard to the Dialect and way of speaking in which they write might rightly understand them or at least the Holy Spirit prevented their giving just occasion for Men's errors and mistakes in matters of Consequence by their Phrases and Expressions And such a degree of assistance is absolutely necessary to make these Books a standing Rule of Faith For tho we suppose the Holy Writers used a Popular style and consequently made use of such Hyperboles and Metaphors and other Improprieties of Speech which common practise allows of in all Languages especially where they occasionally speak of Philosophical matters and things not immediately relating to Religion yet unless we suppose them to speak properly in those Terms of Art which are of fundamental use in the explaining the Doctrines of Christianity and upon the sense of which whole Controversies turn and as they are differently taken they alter the very face of the Christian Religion I say except we suppose the Apostles to speak properly i. e. agreeably to their own Simplicity and Plainness of Speech and in such a manner as was most likely to be understood by those they writ to when they treat of matters of great Importance and such as are justly to be reckon'd Fundamental Doctrines the New Testament will not answer the ends of a Rule of Faith For a Book is of no use to explain or decide any Controversy if we can have no sixt rule whereby to judge of its style so as to be in some measure certain what is its true sense And 't is very strange if a Book writ by persons who had an extraordinary assistance from God and which was design'd for Universal use should not be worded with that care which Humane Industry uses in matters of Importance And therefore we have reason to rely upon the assistance of the Holy Spirit even with relation to the Phrase and Letter of the Scripture and to believe that he has so far directed the holy Pen-men that their Phrases and Expressions should not lead Men into error in matters of Consequence but may be rightly understood by those that acquaint themselves with the Dialect in which they writ and consult the Ages nearest the Apostles who must needs be next to their own style the best Judges of their sense If indeed the Socinian Doctrines concerning the Nature and Satisfaction of Christ were true it must be confessed there would be little reason to believe that the Holy Ghost had a hand in wording the Scriptures nay then the Scriptures will appear to be written in such a style as if the Writers design'd to lead Men into error And the Socinians themselves when they make Reason the sole Judge of Sripture and tell us they will not believe any thing contrary to Reason tho it were never so plainly asserted in Scripture do in effect confess that the expressions of Scripture taken in their natural and most obvious sense do not at all favour their Opinions e Socin de Christ Servat l. 3. c. 6. And therefore 't is no wonder to find these Gentlemen warn their Readers so often not to make Inferences from the Phrases of Scripture as if they were used strictly and properly that they so often tell us of the Improprieties and Metaphors which the Eastern Writers and those who imitate them abound with that the Apostles play with Words as Socinus with Reverence speaks f Amavit Paulus in Execrationis verbo esse argutus Socm de Chr Serâ— l. 2. c. 1 and take them sometimes in one sense and sometimes in another Our Author follows them in this as well as in some other things g v Fr. p 234. Eng p. 146. and often cautions h Eng. p 107 111. Fr. p. 280 281. En. p. 11â— Fr. p. 285. Eng. p. 145 146. Fr. p. 233 234. us not to subtilize about the expressions nor stick too close to the Letter of the Scripture since the style of Scripture is so far from being exact that 't is very careless and tells us i Eng. p. 107 116.
Order of Ministers and Church-Governours who have the Power of Dispensing them the Necessity of being Incorporated into the Church as a Society Founded upon a Divine Charter and to whose Members alone belong the Priviledges of the New Covenant the Meritorious Efficacy of Christ's Sacrifice and Intercession towards the Procuring men's Salvation these Doctrines I say they will by no means admit to be True because as they pretend they cannot see what Natural Force there is in these things toward their producing their intended Effects And when they have deprived Christ of his Titles of Saviour and High-Priest tho perhaps they may still be contented to acknowledge him a Prophet and a Teacher come from God yet they look upon his Coming into the World as a matter of no Great Consequence and which men do well to believe if they see good Reason for it or if after having used Reasonable Diligence they are not convinc'd that 't is True there 's no great Harm done since he came only to Reinforce the Principles and Duties of Natural Religion which men's Reason will sufficiently instruct them in and if they do but live up to its Directions and lead good Moral Lives they may be saved whatever their Opinions are as to what they call the Speculative Points of Religion These Opinions every body is sensible are very much in Vogue especially among those who value themselves for being Free Thinkers and Reasoners 'T is evident likewise that men of these Principles are apt to look upon the Bible as a Book of no great Value and which the World might very well be without and are ready to declare that the Disputes it has occasion'd have done more harm than the Book has done good and so from Vndervaluing its Worth they come to question its Authority From what has been said it appears very probable that the Prevailing of these Loose Notions concerning a Church-state and Revealed Religion at first gave Rise or at least hath since given Continuance to those Controversies that have been so much Debated of late concerning the Integrity and Authority of the Scriptures And the Atheistical Party have been Industrious to keep alive this Dispute as well knowing that 't is doing no small piece of Service to their Cause to weaken the Authority of the Holy Writings Mr. Hobbs and the Author of Theologo-Politicus are the Chief of that Party who have engag'd in this Controversie tho indeed they ought to pass but for one Writer since the latter has taken the Substance of what he says from the former and seems to have little of his own Invention unless it be the Quoting of a Text now and then in Hebrew which he does I suppose to raise in his Vnlearned Readers an Admiration of his Profound Reading and Schollarship And this Design of his has in some measure taken Effect for his Atheistical Admirers are generally Ignorant enough to take him for a Writer of Sense and Learning But to pass by these Profess'd Advocates of Atheism and Irreligion the most considerable Writers that have been concern'd in the Controversie about the Integrity and Authority of the Holy Writings are Mr. Simon and his Adversaries Whose Learning as I do not intend to disparage so neither will I take upon me to judge of their Secret Intention in the Management of this Dispute I acknowledge them to be men of Learning and as to their Design I am willing to think as Charitably as I can But yet I cannot forbear saying that tho they differ very much in their Notions as to other Matters yet they seem to agree in speaking slightly and irreverently of the Holy Writers they readily lay hold of any Difficulties which tend to weaken their Credit and do not take half so much pains to Improve any of the Arguments that may be produc'd for them as they do to Vrge Objections against them But however I must say thus much in behalf of Mr. Simon that many to shew their good Will to the Bible make him say much Worse things than he really does and such as they would fain have him say and would be glad if they could Vouch his Authority for They are Industrious to make the world believe that if we will take his Judgment there have been so many Corruptions and Alterations made in the Text of the Bible that 't is impossible to tell which is the True and which is the False Reading Mr. Dryden particularly in his Religio Laici makes this Comment upon Mr. Simon 's Critick and tells us as delivering that Author's sense that the Jews have Let in Gross Errors to corrupt the Text Omitted Paragrahs and With vain Traditions stop'd the Gaping Fence Now one would think by this Account of his Work that Mr. Simon had expresly asserted that the Jews had Wilfully and Designedly Corrupted the Original by Adding to and Taking away from it as they thought fit But in my Opinion 't is taking a greater Liberty than Poetry it self will allow to make a man speak quite contrary to his Sense and Meaning For Mr. Simon makes it his Business to prove in several places of his Book a Critique upon the O. T. l. 1. ch 17 18 19 l. 2. c. 4. that the Jews have not corrupted the Hebrew Text and answers the Arguments that are usually brought for that Opinion All that he affirms as to this matter is that the Bible has been obnoxious to the same Corruptions that other Books are through the Ignorance or Negligence of Transcribers and that such kind of Faults crept into the Text in those Ages chiefly that did not mind the Niceties of Criticism and therefore the proper way to Reform those Errors is by Correcting the Suspected Places according to the Rules of that Art and by diligent Comparing of Copies as Criticks correct other Books and the Massorets have already the Hebrew Text. And as for the Additions which are supposed by many to have been made to the Original Text he supposes them inserted by Prophets whereof there was a constant Succession whose Business 't was to take Care of the Publick Records How true this Hypothesis is 't is not my Business to examine 't is sufficient to my present Purpose that Mr. Simon does not represent these Additions as so many Corruptions of the Text. So that in this Case Mr. D. has Misrepresented Mr. Simon 's Text aswell as that of the Bible and put such a Gloss upon it as it does not appear that he ever intended as far as can be gathered from his Words But I shall pursue this Matter no further because Mr. D. may think it hard measure to urge any thing said in his Religio Laici against him at this time of day when he has alter'd his Mind in so many Particulars since the Writing of that Poem and has made Amends for his Former Incredulity by turning Advocate for Implicite Faith One of Mr. Simon 's Antagonists whom he and the rest of the World take to
sure his Disciples would never pretend to know more then their Master Having thus considered the Cases in which the Apostles spake or writ without Inspiration I proceed in the II. Place to shew that Excepting those Cases the Apostles writ and spake by the particular Assistance and Direction of the Spirit Our Author confines the Infallibility of their Preaching and Writing to those things which they Learn'd from Christ or related as spoken by him p Fr. p. 256 257. Eng. p. 69 70. But as to the Arguments which they fram'd upon those Principles and the Consequences they deduc'd from the Old Testament here he supposes them to have used only their own Memory and Judgment tho he grants these Discourses of theirs are to be received because there 's nothing in them but what is conformable to the Doctrine of Christ and to right Reason and nothing that can lead us into the Belief of what is false or contrary to Piety q En. p. 112 131 135. Fr. p. 282 283. 224 227. This as exactly as I can gather is all the Authority he allows the Sermons and Writings of the Apostles and this indeed is as much Authority as can be given to any Humane Discourse and tho it does not exclude all possibility yet it excludes all likelyhood of error But as we look upon the Apostles to have been somewhat more than Sound Divines or Men that very well understood the Doctrine which they were to teach others so their Discourses and Writings have been always esteem'd of an higher Rank than any Religious Treatises purely Humane which however solid and true they may be are to be judged of by these Writings and are no further true than they agree with them The Scripture makes this the Characteristick of an Apostle whereby he was distinguisht from the other Inspir'd persons who were then in the Church viz. that he did not learn the Gospel in an Humane way r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 1.11 compar with ver 12. 1. v. 1 Cor. 2.10 but purely by Revelation S. Paul might have been sufficiently instructed in the Gospel by those who were Pillars in the Church ſ v. Gal. 2.6 9. so as to have been out of all likelyhood either of mistaking any part of it himself or leading others into error but we see this way of Instruction was not sufficient to advance him to the Dignity of the Apostolate and therefore Christ himself made a particular Revelation of the whole Gospel to him t v. Ubi supr 1 Cor. 11.23 Eph. 3.3 4. that he might not be Inferior in any respect to the chiefest Apostles And since the Gospel was communicated to him and the rest of the Apostles by Divine Revelation only that they might teach it to others whether by Word or Writing with the greater assurance and certainty and without any danger of error their Discourses which were design'd for the Instruction of the Church must be the effects of this supernatural habit of Christian Knowledge which God infus'd into their minds I have shewed in the former Chapter u P. 29. that the same Assistance accompanied the Apostles in their Writing which did in their Preaching and therefore shall now speak of these two indifferently and shew what kind of Authority the Apostles claim'd in either of them S. Paul says w 1 Cor. 2.10 that God has revealed the deep things and the Mysteries of the Gospel to the Apostles by the Spirit which probably were the same things Christ told his Disciples they were not able to bear while he was with them x John 16.12 Such was particularly the Doctrine of the Cross which S. Paul's Discourse chiefly relates to in that place y 1 Cor. 1.18 c c. 2.2 These things S. Paul says z Ib. ver 13. they spoke and taught others and that too in the Words which the Holy Ghost taught them Where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comprehends their style a Ver. 1. 4. as well as their Arguments and shews there 's a greater regard to be had to the style of the Apostles than our Author b v. loc supr citat p. 35. is willing to allow and even for that very Reason which he alledges as an Argument why 't is not dictated by the Spirit viz. because 't is plain and without any Affectation of Wit or Learning and conform'd to the style of the Old Testament For this style however Negligent and Careless our Author may think it c Fr. p. 233. En. p. 145. the Apostles used by the direction of the Holy Ghost as appears from this place It follows immediately Comparing Spiritual things with Spiritual where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signify Explaining Illustrating d v. Grot. in locum i. e. proving one Divine Revelation by another the Revelations of the New Testament by those of the Old At last the Apostle concludes e Ib. ver 16. We have the mind of the Christ and therefore ye are to hearken to us and receive what we say tho in many things not agreeing with the Principles of Philosophy or Worldly Wisdom which the Apostle in the Verses before f 1 Cor. 1.20 c. c. 2.1 c. had undervalued in comparison of the Gospel In all which Discourse S. Paul plainly ascribes his and the rest of the Apostles Preaching to the Instructions the Holy Ghost gave them without making any restrictions and particularly that part of it which consisted in drawing Consequences and bringing Proofs from the Old Testament Again we find the same Apostle threatning those that despise his Advice as not despising man but God who gave the Apostles his holy Spirit g 1 Thes 4.8 that they might teach with uncontroulable Authority And I think we may fairly conclude from hence that St. Paul expected all his Precepts and Instructions should be submitted to not meerly as coming from one of the Governours of the Church but as having something more then Humane Authority and being derived from the Spirit of God For what he says in this place tho it immediately respect only those Advices which are contain'd in the foregoing part of the Chapter may by parity of Reason be applied to all other Apostolical injunctions for as the words are general and do not specify that the Apostle deliver'd these particular Rules by an extraordinary Revelation more than any others which he elsewhere gives so neither are the Advices such in their own Nature as require a greater degree of Inspiration to deliver them than the other Exhortations and Commands which are every where to be found in the Apostolical Writings From whence I conclude we ought to look upon those Writings as a Divine Rule of Faith and Practise and that he who despises or undervalues them despises not man but God who gave his holy Spirit to the Authors of them And how far our Author may be guilty of this fault
the First Ages in the World and received in the Religious Rites and Mysteries of all the Ancient especially the Eastern Nations ſ V. Clem. Aleuand Strom. l. 5. per tot And therefore God who as has been observed already t P. 140. adapted the Mosaical Institutions to the Opinions and Customs already receiv'd in the world thought fit so to contrive the Ceremonial part of the Law that the more remarkable Rites and Usages of it should be a shadow of Spiritual and Heavenly things and by this means suited it both to the Greatest and Meanest Capacities retaining the latter in a sense of their Duty by the Gaudiness and External Pomp of his Service which struck and affected their Senses and imploying the Inquisitive in the search of those Spiritual and Heavenly things which were wrapt up in Figures and Shadows and were the Wisdom of God hid in a Mystery And as the Diligence of Industrious persons and those who were Lovers of Truth was sufficiently rewarded with the finding out of these Deep things of God which were hid under a Vail so the Slothfulness of Carnal and Worldly Men and their Contempt of Divine Truths was punish'd by leaving them in Ignorance with the Veil still drawn over the Rites and Institutions of the Law so that they could not look to the Ultimate End and Design of it Which is the very Reason our Saviour gives why he spake to the multitude in Parables Matth. 13.11 c. where he tells his Disciples that they who would not be at any pains in the search of the Truth when it concerns their Souls do not deserve to know it whereas the Disciples that were careful Hearers of what Christ said unto them were Rewarded with the Knowledge of the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven But to return Since the Law had its double Meaning and Aspect 't was reasonable that the Prophets should have so too The Jews having been used to this way of Instruction would expect it the Reasons why God used it before were the same still for the Jewish Nation to whom the Prophets were sent was the same Carnally minded people they ever were their Thoughts were not much affected with any thing but Temporal Blessings and therefore 't was necessary to set forth the Glories of the Messiah's Kingdom by the splendid Representations of Worldly Grandeur which being a Happiness that they understood and valued might serve to raise in their dull and earthly Minds some Desire and Expectation of his Coming Whereas if the nature of his Kingdom had been set forth plainly as it was in it self the Spiritual Glories of it were too Refin'd for them to understand they would have been far above out of their sight and if they had seen some Glimpse of them yet they would have discover'd no Beauty in them that they should desire them 'T is for this Reason the Prophets set forth the State of the Gospel by the Representation of such things as were in Use among the Jews and were most Glorious and Excellent in their Eyes to whom they wrote So Isaiah expresses the Conspicuousness of Christ's Kingdom and the Figure it was to make in the World by saying that the Mount of the Lord's House shall be establish'd upon the top of the mountains u Is 2.1 And both he and the Prophet Zachary describe the Conversion of the Gentiles by the Nations going up to Jerusalem to worship there and keep the solemn Feasts appointed by the Law x Is 66.20.23 Zech. 14.16 because Worshipping at Jerusalem was the highest Notion of Religious Worship which the Jews could apprehend For the same Reason 't was necessary that the Temporal Deliverances which were wrought by those persons whom God rais'd up to be Saviours to the Jews in their Distress should be the Types and Figures of that great Salvation which the Messias was to purchase and therefore 't was fit that the Prophets should joyn both together in their Writings and make use of the Former to Illustrate the Latter by 2. God's making the Great Persons and remarkable Actions of Former Ages the Types and Figures of what should come to pass in the Latter days the times of the Messias is as I observed before a P. 138 139. an Argument that God made all his Dispensations subservient to this one Great Design and made all the different Lines of his Providence meet in this one Center Which shews that the Coming of Christ was the End of the Law and the Prophets and the Eternal Purpose which God purposed with himself before the World began And accordingly St. Paul says b 1 Cor. 10.11 that all things happen'd to the Jews as Types c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of what should come to pass under the Gospel And therefore he d 1 Cor. 10.2 and likewise St. Peter e 1 Pet. 3.20 21. speak of the Deluge and the Israelites passing thro the Red Sea as Types of Baptism he argues from Jacob and Esau Isaac and Ishmael f Rom. 9.6 c. Gal. 4.21 c. as Prefigurations of the Rejection of the Jews and the Calling of the Gentiles And several other Allegorical Applications of the Rites and Histories of the Old Testament to the times of the New are to be found in the Apostolical Writings Which kind of Interpretations are not so Precarious as some are apt to imagine since besides that the Divine Assistance did certainly accompany these Expositors and that this way of Interpreting Scripture was allowed by the Jews for whose use the Writings of the Apostles were immediately and principally design'd I say besides these Considerations the Expositions themselves of this kind may be reduced to Fixt Rules and Principles the chief of which are these two the First that which I mention'd just now out of St. Paul g 1 Cor. 10.11 the Second is this viz. Whatever Priviledges belong'd to the Jews as the Segullah or Peculiar People of God do in a more Eminent manner belong to the Christian Church which is the Mystical Israel h See 1 Pet. 2.9 compar with Exod. 19.5.6 and Deut. 7.6 1 Cor. 9.13.14 Which Rules if Men would have a regard to and take Directions from the Mystical Interpretations of the Old Testament which are to be found in the Writings of the Apostles 't would keep them from indulging their Fancies too much in these Expositions and thereby making the Sense of Scripture Precarious which are the usual Objections against this way of Expounding it and to which many Men's Expositions of this kind are liable 3. A third Reason why the Prophecies should have a Mystical Sense as well as a Literal may be taken from the Nature and Vse of Prophecy in general which makes it requisite that Prophecies should be deliver'd with some degree of Obscurity and therefore the Involving a Mystical sense within a Literal One is a proper Style for a Prophetical Writing where the matters spoken of ought
Reason to believe that either Job or his Friends spoke every thing which they say by Inspiration As to the Latter the Case is plain for God himself says that they had not spoken of him the thing that is right l Job 42.8 And even Job himself tho he maintain'd the Right side in the Controversy yet now and then is guilty of too vehement Expostulations m c. 7.11 c. 10.2 with God Almighty he stands too much upon his own Justification n c. 9 17.-10.7.-16.17.-13.23 See c. 33.9 10 11 -34.5 6. and Vindication of his Innocency and takes upon him to Censure the Methods of Providence too freely o c. 9.22 23 -19.7.-23.13 for which Faults we find afterwards he earnestly begs God's Pardon and p c. 42.3 c. Repents of them in Dust and Ashes I willingly acknowledge what the Jews themselves allow q See Bp. Patrick's Appendix to his Paraphrase tho they are very Jealous of giving this Honour to any that are not of their own Nation that Job and his Friends were Prophets among the Gentiles And indeed there 's reason to grant this for we find Eliphaz himself professes that he had a Night-vision r Job 4.13 which was not altogether Å¿ See c. 33.15 16. unusual in those days But Job had the Gift of Prophecy in a more Eminent manner as appears not only from that Famous Passage of his t Job 19.25 26 27 I know that my Redeemer lives c. which St. Jerom u In locum justly calls a Prophecy of the Resurrection but also because God spake x Job 31.8 to him by a Voice from Heaven and 't is probable he saw a Shekinah y c. 42.5 or Visible Appearance of the Divine Glory But allowing all this I see no proof that the Discourses set down in this Book ought to be lookt upon as spoken by the Spirit of Prophecy and therefore the Inspiration of the Book it self seems to me to consist in this viz. As 't is an Historical account of Job's Behaviour before and under his Afflictions and of his happy Issue out of them all together with his reflections and the discourses he had with his Friends upon that Occasion written by God's Direction for the Use of his Church to be an Example of Patience under Sufferings and a Vindication of God's Providence in permitting the Righteous to be Afflicted And since by Reason of the Antiquity of the Book the Author is not certainly known and Consequently we cannot Argue that 't is Inspired from the Character of its Author the Evidence for its being Inspired or Written by God's Direction for the Use of the Church must be Resolved into the Authority of the Jewish Canon as that is confirmed to us by Christ and his Apostles and this Book particularly Recommended by St. James z James 5.11 to the Use of Christians especially since the Design of it does exactly Answer the Character which St. Paul a Rom. 15.4 gives of the Old Testament Writings in General viz. That they were written for our Instruction that we thro Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures might have Hope And thus much I think may suffice in Answer to Mr. N's Objections against the Book of Job I shall only add that besides the Powerful Comforts this Book affords to the Afflicted and the submission it teaches us to yield to God's Will and to Adore the Unsearchableness of his Judgements which are the principal and obvious Designs of this Book 't is likewise of excellent Use upon another account viz. as it gives us a True Idea of Natural Religion b See c. 31. when it was in its Prime and as it was practis'd in those early Ages before the Tradition of the Creation was lost or the World quite overrun with Idolatry I proceed in the next place to consider what our Author alledges against the Book of Psalms His Opinion concerning these in general is b Fr. p. 230. Eng. p. 27. That there was no need of Inspiration but only of Piety and Zeal for the composing them and he further says That any Devout man may easily now-a-days praise God in that manner But all the Pious men that ever were in the Christian Church have been of another mind and never look'd upon their own Composures as Equal to the Psalms whereas if the Authors of the Psalms were assisted only with an Ordinary Degree of Piety and Devotion I can not see why the members of the Christian Church should not think themselves as well qualified to make Hymns to God as any of the Jewish that were no more than Pious and Devout men But saith Mr. N. c Ubi sup Fr. p. 277. Eng. p. 104. David never saith Thus saith the Lord as the Prophets who speak by God's Authority use to do Now tho it be false that David never uses this Expression for in several places he uses those very Words or such as are Equivalent d 1 Sam. 23.2 Psal 2.7.110.1 yet if 't were true I do not see what Service 't would do Mr. N. unless he can prove that Praising God by Inspiration is the same as Delivering a Message from him and Instructing the people in his Name which is the only proper occasion to usher in what is said with Thus saith the Lord e see Mr. Smith of Prophecy c. 7. Sure Mr. N. thinks that because we grant Prophecy to be the Highest Degree of Inspiration therefore there can be really no other sort But I am much mistaken if St. Paul was not of another mind when he said with Relation to the Diversity of Spiritual Gifts Are all Apostles are all Prophets f 1 Cor. 12.29 And If the foot shall say because I am not the hand I am not of the body is it therefore not of the body g Ib. v. 15. And we may easily apply the Apostles Reasoning to our present Case on this manner If Mr. N. shall say Because Composing of Psalms and Hymns is not Prophecying nor bringing a Message from God 't is not Inspiration is it therefore not Inspiration On the contrary 't is plain that the Holy Writers look'd upon Praising God by Spiritual Songs when 't was perform'd by Gifted Persons as a Real and Distinct sort of Inspiration and therefore call'd it Prophesying h 1 Sam. 10.5 1 Chr. 25.1 1 Cor. 11.5 Exod. 15.20 See Mr. Smith of Prophecy ch 7. and 8 And Dr. Hammond up on St. Luke 1.67 as that word is taken in a large Sense for Inspiration in General And methinks without Descanting so Nicely upon the several Degrees of Divine Inspiration and Weighing God's Gifts in a Balance to try it they can be found Wanting as our Author does this might be sufficient to convince Men that God Design'd the Book of Psalms for the Perpetual Use of the Church viz. That the Psalms have been one of the most considerable parts of