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
Demosthenes more especially who no less than three times in one Oration uses the Word in this manner and in another place once or twice but I think I have sufficiently establish'd my Notion already by what I have produced You see plainly that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath not absolutely a reference to a Benefit or Advantage but that 't is of a large import and signifies in general on the account or for the sake and more especially that it denotes an Impulsive Cause properly so call'd and is used to express those things or Persons that put Men upon Action which was the thing I undertook to make good and I challenge any Man to disprove it I have defended the Signification of the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of Classical Authors that I might thereby obviate the Scruples of some Inquisitive Persons and give some Satisfaction to the Curious and make my Exposition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more clear and demonstrative when 't is seen that it is founded on the Acception of that Preposition not only in the New-Testament but in Prophane Authors and in a Word that I may render my whole Undertaking on that Text the more acceptable to the Learned part of Mankind To this rank of Persons I devote all my Endeavours of this kind but that which I now offer to the World is more especially designed for the Use of younger Students in Sacred Learning such as are Beginners and Candidates in Theology though I am well satisfied that these Critical Researches will â—ot be useless to those of a higher Character A CATALOGUE of the Difficult Chapters and Verses in Holy Scripture which are Explain'd in this Book being set down in the same Order that they are there mentioned II. CHap. of Daniel Concerning the Image whose Head was of Gold c. Page 9 VII Chap. of Daniel Concerning the Four Beasts p. 10 VIII Chap. of Daniel Concerning the Ram and He-Goat p. 13 XI Gen. 4. Let us make us a Name lest we scattered abroad c. p. 127 XXXVI Gen. 24. This was that Anah that found the Mules in the Wilderness c. p. 147 XV. Judg. 15 16 17 c. Concerning the Iaw-bone of the Ass wherewith Sampson slew a thousand Men. p. 149 XXXVIII Isai. 8. The Sun returned Ten degrees by which degrees it was gone down p. 200 XXXIII Deut. 17. Where Joseph is compared to an Ox or Bullock and why p. 214 II. Luke 1 2. There went out a Decree from Caesar Augustus that all the World should be Taxed p. 352 II. Matth. 2. We have seen his Star in the East Vers. 7. Herod enquired of them diligently what time the Star appeared Vers. 9. The Star which they saw in the East went before them c. Vers. 16. Herod slew all the Children that were in Bethlehem from two Years old and under according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the Wise Men. p. 360 XXIV Matth. The former part which speaks of the Destruction of Ierusalem and the parallel Chapter of St. Luke viz. the XXI p. 394 The Author's Vindication of his Interpretation of 1 Cor. 15. 29. Praef. ERRATA PAge 18. l. 28. for Ahaz read Hezekiah p. 37. l. 15. for end r. erre p. 99. l. 8. dele not p. 151. l. 15. dele not p. 212. l. 30. r. with Ham. and l. 26 27. correct the Hebrew words And do the same in other places p. 227. l. 21. r. unutterable p. 238. l. 11. r. on p. 241. l. 9. r. deus is p. 248. l. 18. r. ex Aetheris l. ult for that r. at other times p. 250. l. 17. r. Martinius p. 255. l. 26. r. tornare p. 334. Marg. Quotations misplaced p. 349. Marg. 3 last lines put Apolog. 2. ad Sen. after the Quotation Sed cum c. And put b before Adv. Gent. p. 363. l. 33. r. other Pagans p. 364. l. 26. r. Silver locks p. 376. l. 11. dele citeth the same testimony and. p. 411. l. 7 10. r. Cedrenus What other Faults have escaped the Reader is desired to Correct Advertisement AN Enquiry into several Remarkable Texts of the Old and New-Testament which contain some difficulty in them With a probable Resolution of them By Iohn Edwards B. D. In Two Volumes in Octavo Sold by I. Robinson I. Everingham and I. Wyat in St. Paul's Church-Yard and Ludgate-street OF THE Truth and Authority OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES CHAP. I. The Internal Testimonies or Arguments to evince the Authority of the Holy Scriptures viz. 1. The Matter of them that is the Sublime Verities the Holy Rules the Accomplish'd Prophecies contain'd in them Vnder which last Topick several particular Predictions chiefly in the Book of Daniel are explain'd and shew'd to be fulfilled Further 't is demonstrated that the foretelling of future Contingences of that nature especially so long before they come to pass could be from God only 2. The Manner of these Writings which is peculiar as to their Simplicity Majesty and their being immediately dictated by the Holy Ghost 3. Their Harmony 4. The particular Illumination of the Spirit I HAVE chosen a very Noble and Important Subject to exercise my Pen and to entertain both my own and the Reader 's Thoughts and Contemplations with for no Book under Heaven can possibly be the Rival of the Holy Bible none in the World can pretend to the transcendent Worth and Excellency of these Sacred Writings Here not only all Natural or Morâ—â— Religion but that also which is Supernatural is fulâ—ly and amply contain'd Here is the Decalogâ—â— written by God himself and transcrib'd out of the Law of Nature besides that there are frequentlâ— interspersed in these Writings other choice Rulâ—â— and Precepts of Morality But Supernatural Relâ—gion being the chief this is the main Subject of thâ—â— Sacred Volume and this you will find partly deâ—livered by the Inspired Prophets of the Old Testament and partly by Christ Iesus himself in perâ—son and by the Evangelists and Apostles in the New Testament Of these Holy Scriptures I am tâ— treat which are the Standard of Truth the infallible Rule of Faith and Holiness and the Ground work of all Divinity for this being the Doctrinâ— which is according to the Word of God deliver'â— in Sacred Writ we must necessarily be acquainted with This and know in the â—irst place that it iâ— True and make it evident that it is so If aâ—â— Estate be given a Person by Will he must firâ—â— prove that Instrument to be True and Authenticâ—â— before he can challenge any Right to what is demised him in it So it is here God bequeaths us aâ— Inheritance i. e. Life and Salvation and Eternaâ— Happiness and the Scriptures are as it were the Will and Testament wherein this is plainly exprest and whereby it is conveyed to us Especially thâ— Writings of the Evangelists and Apostles deservâ— that Name and thence are stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Greek word which in its Original
lived with Seleucus as Eusebius in the same place affirms seeing there was a Greek Translation of a considerable part of the Old Testament before Alexander the Great 's time as Clemens of Alexandria Testifieth And accordingly Demetrius Phalereus Library-Keeper to King Ptolomeo Sirnamed Philadelphus in an Epistle to him which Eusebius citeth saith that before the Septuagint Version many things were Translated out of the Bible But this is most certain and agreed to by all that upon Alexander the Great his Conquests the Iews and Greeks had converse with one another and were no longer Strangers being now United under the same Empire And as an effect of this soon after Alexander the Great all the Old Testament was entirely Translated into Greek by Seventy two Iews whom the foresaid King of Egypt appointed for that purpose Hence the knowledge of those things contained in the Sacred Writings could not but be communicated to the Gentiles 4. This Communication was made by the Travels of Philosophers and inquisitive Men among the Pagans Of Pythagoras we are told by Laertius that when he was young and being very desirous to Learn he left his Country and was initiated into all the Mysteries not only of the Greeks but Barbarians And particularly he testifies that he Travell'd into Egypt and Chaldea Of the same Philosopher it is asserted by Origen Clemâ—ns the Alexandrian Porphyry and others that he went into Chaldea in the time of the Captivity where he had the opportunity of conversing with the Iews Ludovicus Vives thinks that he Travel'd also into Egypt and was acquainted with Ioremiah there Mr. Seldon likewise holds that he went and visited Iudea and there Convers'd with Ezekiel with whom he was Contemporary and learnt the Tetragrammaton and other Mysteries of him Concerning Plato it was believ'd by many saith St. Augustin that he took a journey into Egypt and was there the Prophet Iereâ—niah's Auditor and read the Prophetick Writings and though this Father himself was not inclin'd as he declares to believe this because he thinks that Philosopher was born after that time yet he most readily assents to this that he had many things from the Books of the Old Testament and to prove this he citeth several passages out of that Heathen Writer It is most evident to all that have convers'd with this Author's Writings that there are sundry things in them above the strain of common Philosophy as concerning the Creation of the World the Formation of the First Man out of the Earth the Innocent and Happy State of Mankind the loss of that Primitive State and the vile degeneracy of the Sons of Men with many other Particulars which are fetch'd from the Sacred Writings I might mention likewise how loftily he speaks of God and his Nature how admirably he Discourses of the Soul how clearly he asserts a Future Life and the Rewards and Punishments of another World how feelingly he treats of Vertue and Goodness how Divinely he writes concerning Religion which he represents as Pure and Spiritual and Purged from the Heathen Superstitions This Sublime and Extraordinary Knowledge the Ancients think he gained by Travelling into Syria Iudea and Egypt and holding converse with those that understood the inspired Writings And it is their Opinion that though he Convers'd with some of the Iewish Nation and imbibed their Sentiments yet he carefully avoids mentioning their Name because they were odious to other Nations and consequently those structures of true Theology which are in his Works would have fared the worse for it But though he would not speak this out plainly yet he seems to utter it in a disguised manner Perhaps he hinteth that he receiv'd those Notions from the Iews when he mentions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Syrians and Phaenicians who were the Neighbouring People to Iudea generally pass'd for Iews That other Great Philosophers as Solon Democritus Heraclitus c. Travel'd into Egypt and Babylon is testified by Diogenes Laertius in their Lives The same is attested by Diodorus concerning Orpheus Musaeus Homer Lycurgus and other Wise Grecians viz. That they went and visited those Foreign Parts and thence came furnish'd with the Knowledge of those things which they had learnt in those Countries The like is confirmed by the testimony of some Christian Fathers who also add that those Chief Philosophers of Greece when they sojourn'd among the Egyptians learn'd many things of their Priests which they had from the Tradition of the Iews who had been among them And there they perused the Mosaick Writings which were of great account among some of them Hence the Religion Rites and Practices Recorded in those Books were divulg'd and spread abroad in the World Indeed it is very probable in the Nature of the thing it self that this would happen for the Iews being a People so Renowned for Religion and their Fame and Glory being every where Celebrated it could not be but that foreign People especially the most Philosophical and Inquisitive among them should be desirous to confer with the Bible or Iewish Authors and to know their Laws Ways and Customs and that whole Nations should be forward to imitate and make use of them This is more than Prophetically intimated in Deut. 4. 6. where 't is said that when the Nations shall hear all those Excellent Statutes given to the Iews They shall say surely this great Nation is a wise and understanding People If the Pagans should so admire and value the Iewish Customs and Ceremonies they would as the consequent of that imitate and practise them Thus you have a Rational Account of the Consonancy of Pagan Writings and Customs to the Sacred Scriptures you see how they were derived from these Fountains In the next place I am to enquire how the Scriptural Stories and Truths came to be corrupted whence it is that they are mixed with Obscurity and Falsity in the Writings of the Pagans how it comes to pass that one thing is put for another and that it is so hard oftentimes to understand what they deliver I will give you an Account of this in these following particulars 1. The confusion of Languages did not a little contribute to these Mistakes Corruptions and Falsities When the World was of one Tongue the notices of things which were imparted by Speech were very clear and intelligible when they all joyn'd in one Language they could easily apprehend one another and there could arise no mistakes by Ambiguity in the variety of words But upon confounding the first I anguage and dividing it into many there follow'd a great disorder among Mankind for then it became difficult to understand one another The Words being confused the Conceptions and Things which were convey'd to Men by those words were also confused obscure and uncertain The variety and multiplicity of Words begot mistakes and confusions among so many millions of words it was impossible but that there should be a great
their Religious Rites from the Gentiles That from what hath been premised we may take notice of and admire the singular Providence of Heaven That we are ascertain'd of the Antiquity Reasonableness and Certainty of our Religion That we are reconcil'd to the writings of Prophane Authors That we are assured of the Truth and Authority of the Scriptures of the Old Testament I Will now add unto Reason and Evidence the Suffrage of the Learned and Wise whether Ancients or Moderns It was averr'd long since by Demetrius Phalereus that Great Historian and Philosopher in an Epistle of his to King Ptolomey that the Gentile Philosophers took many things from the Holy Scriptures as you will find him cited by Eusebius in his Evangelical Preparation This is an early Testimony to the truth of what I have asserted By this it appears that the Notion which I have offered is above two thousand years Old Iosephus the Learned Iew who lived about half a thousand years after attests the same and professedly proves that both Philosophers and Poets borrowed from the Sacred Fountains of Scripture This is abundantly testified by the Christian Fathers as Tatianus who hath a set Oration on this Subject that what Learning the Greeks gloried in was received all of it from the Barbarians as they call'd the Iews Tâ—eophilus Bishop of Antioch who lived likewise in the Second Century asserts this in defence of Christianity proving that whatever the Pagan Poets writ of Hell and the pains of it and several other Subjects in Divinity was stolen from the Writings of the inspired Prophets and that the Christian doctrine which is in a great part taken from them is the Ancientest Religion Iustin the Christian Philosopher and martyr speaks to the like purpose and proves that all the true Notions in Theology among the Pagans sprang from Moses and the Holy Writings and he instanceth in and enlargeth on many Particulars shewing that Orpheus Homer and Plato had several of their Words Phrases Opinions Traditions Descriptions from the Prophetick Writings He maintains that the Fables of Bacchus Hercules Aesculapius c. were made out of the depraved sense and meaning of the Holy Writ At another time he pursueth the same Argument and attempts to demonstrate that all the Great and Brave things in the Philosophers and Poets Writings are from the Holy Book Clement of Alexandria is very copious on this Theme The Scope of the first Book of his Stromata is to shew that the Philosophy of the Hebrews was many Generations older than that of the Gentiles and in prosecution of this he endeavours to evince that the Opinions of the Greek Philosophers and others were taken from Moses and other Hebrews And in the Second Book of his Stromata he farther insisteth on this Subject and proves that the Greeks were Notorious Plagiaries and stole their Philosophy from the Barbarians And so he goes on in the following Books to prove that all the good Notions among the Greeks came from the Hebrews that whatever Excellent Truths the former taught thâ—y had from the latter they Sacrilegiously took them from the Holy Patriarchs and Iews This is the sense of the forty seventh Chapter of Tertullian's Apologetick he there maintains that both Poets and Philosophers were beholding to the Prophets and derived all their best things from them Yea those very Arguments which the Pagans bring against the Christian Truth are fetch'd from it as I observ'd from him before I have mention'd Origen already but if you consult his Fourth Book against Celsus you will find this more largely asserted viz. That the Pagan Rites and Stories were taken from the Scriptures Eusebius likewise hath been quoted before but if the Reader think good to peruse the Author he will see this Argument insisted on in four or five Books together where he proves that the Greeks had some understanding of Moses's Theology and follow'd the Iewish Writers in several things which he makes good by alledging several passages out of Theophrastus Hecataeus Porphyrius Numenius Megasthenes c. And afterwards he goes on and more designedly clears this Proposition that what is good in the Writings of the Gentile Philosophers is all stoln from the Hebrews and that the Wisdom of the Greeks especially came from the Iews I might add the Testimony of St. Augustin who shews that the Platonists borrowed from the Scripture And of Theodoret who agrees with him in this and farther proves that other Philosophers had their Theologick Notions from Moses and the Prophets Thus we see this is an Old and Received Truth Nor doth it want the Sâ—ffrage of the most Learned Modern Writers some of whom without any order of time I will briefly mention Stuckius is very plain and peremptory and speaks the Sum of what we have delivered in the preceeding Discourse The whole Religion of the Old Pagans saith he proceeded from a depraved perverse and preposterous kind of imitating that Ancient and truly Divine Religion which the Patriarchs and their posterity the Iews had such a reverence for as being prescribed them by God himself Villalpandus on the Pentateuch professedly declares that the Sacrifices and other Usages among the Gentiles came from the Iews Who can deny saith another that the Laws which were given to those Holy Men the Hebrews came first to the Egyptians and then out of Egypt went to Greece The Elder Vossius hath in almost innumerable places assorted this that the Gentiles made a great number of their Fables out of the Histories which are in the Sacred Writings Bochart hath with great Wit and Learning traced and discovered the footsteps of Scripture-History among the Heathens in their Mythology It is the Opinion of Marcus Marinus that the Theological Sentiments concerning Divine Things were the same among all the Ancient Hebrews and Patriarchs but afterwards they were depraved by the Greeks and Converted into Fables Lewis Capell hath these express words In the Old Fables of the Greeks you may perceive some shadow and Image some dark and flying footsteps as 't were of several of the Histories in the Bible Which might be demonstrated by a manifold induction of particulars It is the declar'd judgment of another that the Gentiles were wont to transferr the more remarkable Histories of the Old Testament and the Divine Miracles related therein to their false Gods And he instances in several And because I have asserted in the foregoing Discourse that the Sacred Mysteries and Rites of God's own appointment have been prophaned and abused even to Magical purposes I will adjoyn here the Testimony of Petrus Crinitus who expresly tells us that the Egyptians and others made and invented Magical Ceremonies out of the Scacred Rites and Observances of the Iews and that they were wholly indebted to these for them Kircher and Isaac Vossius have done their part in this Subject but Huetius in his Evanâ—â—lical
the uppermost parts of the Foundation which they could conveniently come at and then tear up the Ground with a Plough for as it was a Custom among the Romans to make use of the Plough when they laid the Foundations of a City so they dug up the Ground in the like manner when they destroy'd it The Iews themselves Record this we find both in the Talmudick Chronicles and in R. Maâ—monides as Dr. Lightfoot assures us that Ierusalem was ploughed up after the Destruction of it At which time there was a literal accompliâ—hment of that Prophecy of Micaâ— c. 3. v. 12. Sion shall be ploughed as a Field Afterwards in Adrian's Reign the Iews rebelling under the Conduct of Barchocâ—ab as hath been said the Emperor caused all the remaining footsteps of the City and Temple to be defaced and demolish'd and commanded the three Towers which by Titus's Order were left standing to be pull'd down and then strewed the City with Salt Nay the very name of the City was extinguished for Adrian after this total Desolation causing the City to be built anew but much more contracted than before call'd it by his own name Aelia and here he set up the Heathen Worship and in deâ—iance and abhorrence of Iudaism erected the Image of a Sow over one of the greatest Gates of the City And after this when Iulian out of that hatred and malice which he bore to the Christians and their Religion set the Iews on work to rebuild the Temple at Ierusalem lo a terrible Earthquake spoilt all and those Stones of the Foundation which lay unmoved before were now thrown out of their places Then were those words of Christ in the beginning of this Chapter exactly fulfill'd There shall not be left here one Stone upon another that shall not be thrown down v. 2. Lastly I will add this that this direful and tragical end of the holy City was usher'd in with several strange Spectacles and Signs according to our Saviour's Prediction not only in this Chapter v. 29. but in Mark 13. 24. Luke 21. 25. And even these are particularly mentioned and described by Iewish and Pagan Authors Ierusalem was compassed with Armies in the Sky as well as with those below Of these strange Sights the chief Roman Historian speaketh saying There were Armies seen in the Air encountring one another that their Weapons were exceeding bright and glistering and that the Temple seem'd to be all of a Light by the continual flashings of the Clouds And he proceeds to enumerate other prodigious Accidents which were the preâ—ages of Ierusalems Destruction Thus the Twenty-fourth of St. Matthew and the other parallel Chapter in St. Luke which treat of the forerunners of Ierusalems Destruction and the Destruction it self may be particularly made good out of mere Heathen Writers who knew nothing of Christ's Predictions concerning it But not only of these but of all the other strange Apparitions Voices and portentous Events Iosephus gives us a particular Account in an intire Chapter on this Subject There you will find that the Prognosticks of Ierusalems Destruction the Signs and Tokens in Heaven or Earth which the Evangelists speak of are faithfully Recorded by that Jewish Historian I have yet another Evidence to exhibit and that is concerning Christ's Followers and Servants in the Age next after him whence it will appear from the Relation given by a professed Heathen what the Christians were And by a fair and rational Deduction we may gather what manner of Persons they were at the very first and consequently that the Evangelical History represents them aright Pliny the younger Writing to Trajan gives an account of the Religion and Practise of these Persons for he being Proconsul of Bithynia in that Emperors time and appointed by him to inspect the carriage of the Christians he was careful to inform himself of that matter thereby to gratifie his Master who had employ'd him Accordingly he tells how strangely that Religion increased and gathered strength every day in that Province and that not only great Cities but Towns and Villages were filled with the Professors of it and in proportion to this that the Pagan Worship daily decreased He testifies how resolute and constant they were in their Profession for he saith he had some Persons before him under Examination who were accused of being Followers of Christ but he presently found them to be no Christians because they were so ready upon his Suggestion to adore the Emperors Image and even to curse Christ himself Which was a sufficient Evidence to him he saith that they were not Christians indeed for he had been imformed he tells the Emperor that Persons of that Character could not possibly be forced to any thing of that nature but that they were immoveable and unshaken in their Religion Lastly he gives some account from their own Mouths and Confessions of their way of Religion and how devoutly they served God and that they worship'd Christ as such Then there is also Trajan's Rescript to Pliny concerning the Christians wherein he expresses it to be his pleasure that these Persons should no longer be under the Inquisition i. e. they shall not be sought for to be punished notwithstanding their stedfastness and Pervicaciousness as Pliny had represented it in their Religion for he was satisfied of their good moral Qualities and that they were neither perjur'd Persons nor Sacrilegious nor Adulterers nor Homicides nor Malefactors of any sort This Character and Account which were given at the beginning of the Second Century by the Emperor himself and by Pliny who had certain knowledge of the Christians may create a Perswasion in us that they were at first the same holy and Innocent Persons and that their Religion wonderfully increased and flourish'd and that all the Severities which were used towards them were not able either to stifle them or their Religion and consequently may assure us that the History of the New-Testament rightly and truly describes them and gives a faithful Account of Christianity and the Author of it After this ample Testimony it would be needless to insist on what Arrianus and Galen and several other credible Writers have deliver'd concerning the manisold Sufferings of the first Christians and that invincible Patience Resolution and Constancy wherewith they underwent them After all that hath been said I will conclude with the Testimony of that Arch Infidel Mahomet who hath these express words in the Alcoran The Spirit of God hath given Testimony to Christ the Son of Mary a Divine Soul was put into him He is the Messenger of the Spirit and the Word of God His Doctrin is perfect c. And again the Gospel is called the Light and Confirmation of the Testament and the right way to fear God And moreover he brings in God speaking and declaring thus that he had sent Christ the Son of Mary and that he had given the Gospel to no other end but
Macrobius that act of his being somewhat a-kin to the Edict of the Roman Senate 4. I adjoin this that the Christian Religion and the Professors of it were generally look'd upon by Prophane Writers as very contemptible so that some of these scorn'd to record those things which had any relation to them Hence it is that Christ's Miracles and other things appertaining to Christianity are not so much as mention'd They would not vouchsafe to record such mean sorry things and which indeed some of them took for Fables and mere Falsities On this account likewise it cannot be expected that the Roman History should at any time particularize the Christian Affairs unless when War and Tumults suppos'd by them to be caused by the Christians invited those Writers to it Then the Roman Glory is concern'd to let the Conquest be told and to have an Account given of the Particulars But other Things relating to Christianity are deemed low and mean and are passed over in filence as not of any Concern and Moment The Pagan Historians do purposely omit the Acts of the Christians because they think them not worth the reciting 5. To speak more plainly Prejudice Hatred and Malice may be assign'd also as the Causes why some of the most remarkable Passages in the Evangelical History are not mention'd by Pagan or Jewish Writers It is no wonder that Valerius Maximus who hath made a Collection of the memorable Acts and Sayings of other Nations as well as Rome and dedicated them to Tiberius yet hath not a word of Jewish Acts much less hath inserted any Christian ones His Aversness to the Christian Religion may solve this very well unless you will say that Christianity was but just risen at that time when he wrote and the materials of History concerning it were not yet brought to him But this cannot be said of Tacitus who lived in the next Age and who was a great Hater of the Christians and was very severe upon them in his Writings on which account he cannot be thought to have related things impartially concerning them Suetonius was bitter against them and who then can look for any â—air Account from him The same may be said of Lucian and Pliny who though they deliver some Truths and not inconsiderable ones concerning the Christians yet their Aversness to them and their Religion which by the latter of them is call'd Pervicacia inflexibilis obstinatio would not permit them to speak what they knew of them Plutarch of all that lived and writ about that time was the civilest to the Christian Religion he no where jeers or slanders it or makes any Reflections upon it which made Theodâ—â—â—t think he was almost a Christian and had a favour for their Religion But the rest some of whom I have named before hated the Christians yea their very name was odious to them hence when they speak of Christians or Christianity they mingle Calumniâ—s and Lies with what they say Christians with them pass for fond and superstitious People nay for flagitious and profligate nay sometimes for Diabolical Impostors and Wizards and the most execrable sort of Persons under heaven I might here mention Zosimus a fierce Pagan and therefore shews it in his History when he speaks of the Christians Being a great Hater of these Persons he doth upon all occasions speak ill of them and particularly of Constantine the Great because he was the first Emperor that threw off Heatheanism and imbraced Christianity He tells us that he Murder'd his Empress his Son and other near Relations and that he was smitten with Leprosie for these unnatural and horrid Crimes in brief he relates the Particulars of this great Man's Life contrary to all ancient Historians that have written concerning him The ground of which was no other than this that he had entertain'd a particular Grudge and Prejudiâ—e against the Emperor and bore a hatred to Christianity it self so that whatever he wrote concerning them â—avor'd of ill will and malice It is not then to be marvell'd at that such Men mis-represent many Passages which relate to the Professors of Christianity and faâ—siâ—ie all reports concerning them They can by no means speak well of a People that they hate A Religion that they so abhor can have no Persons Good of it they think You must not expect they will relate Truths which they have a dislike of This is one reason why Pagans are defâ—ctive in their Historical Narrations why many things spoken of by the Evangelists are not mention'd by them or are vilely mis-represented This is the cause why so few of Christ's Actions and the Affairs of Christians are taken notice of and why thosâ— that are are so miserably perverted Prejudice and Envy Splâ—en and Malice are the Source of this Miscarriage 6. I add this that many pieces of History are lost as hath been acknowledged and complain'd of by the Learned whence it is that many Occurrences which we meet with in the History of the Gospel are not to be found in the Writings of the Pagans We have but a few of these left us in comparison of their number at first and those that we have are but Relicks of those Histories before written Particularly the Stupendous Acts of our Saviour and the Monuments of the bravest and noblest things done in that Age wherein He was born are now missing All Dio's History from the Consulships of Antistius and Balbus unto the Consulships of Messala and Cinna that is for the space of Ten Years Five Years before Christ's Birth and Five after it is quite lost and so is Livy's History of that time In vain therefore doth any Man think to find the remarkable Passages referring to Christ's Birth in these Writers much more vain is it to look for these things in those Writers whose Histories are altogether missing at this day Thus to instance only in the Universal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which makes the greatest noise with the Objectors that without doubt was set down by some Roman Historians but their Writings either by Negligence or by Fire or by the Invasion of the Barbarous Nations into Italy or by age and length of time are lost It is clear that some did make mention of it otherwise whence had Suidas all that which he relates of the Twenty Persons that were sent to make the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God perhaps would in his Providence approve the loss of these that holy History might be partly imbraced by Faith and not owe its Authority wholly to Human Testimony But such as is remaining I have produced and that is enough to satisfie any sober any confiderate Person Lastly I remark this in the close of all that there are two of the most celebrated Roman Historians from whom we can expect nothing that hath Relation to Christ's Birth or any great Occurrence that happened about that time For Livy wrote but to Augustus's beginning which was before Christ and for that
30 c. And that he doth whatsoever he pleaseth both in Heaven and Earth Psal. 115. 3. But more especially the Divine Oracles acquaint us that this Divine and Benign Author gave existence unto Man the Choicest of all the Creatures of this lower World whom he created in his own Image after his Likeness Gen. 1. 26 27. that is in Knowledg Righteousness and true Holiness Col. 3. 10. Eph. 4. 24. And we are told in these Sacred Writings how Man lost this Image and miferably defaced and corrupted his Nature viz. by listning to the Temptation of Satan and by wilful disobeying the Divine Command Here also we are informed that all Flesh is desiled and polluted by this Transgression of our First Parents in Paradise and that their Sin is become the Sin of All Mankind Rom. 5. 12. Hence we learn moreover that the Merciful Creator out of his infinite and boundless Philanthropy vouchsafed to promise that the seed of the Woman the Blessed Iesus who was to be born of a Virgin should bruise Satan's Head Gen. 3. 15. and save and redeem lost Mankind and restore them to their former State of Happiness Here is taught the Rise of Religion and the Church which began with our Peâ—tent First Parents and their Children of whom Abol was the Chief Their first and early way of expressing their Devotion and Religion was by Offerings and Sacrifices unto God Gen. 4. 4. To which end without doubt they erected Altars though these are not mentioned till after the Flood Gen. 8. 20. We are told at what time there was established an Open and more Solemn worshipping of God viz. in Seth's days then it was that Men began to call upon the Name of the Lord and to form a Visible Church Gen. 4. 26. i. e. an Orderly and Solemn Society of Men gather'd and chosen out as a peculiar People to serve God For as Men encreased they began to embody themselves into Communions and to worship God more signally and openly and with a joint Consent Here and no where else we have an Account of the Church's Progress and Increase under the good Patriarchs Noah Abraham c. Here we are informed what were the several Defections and Restorations of Religion in the first Ages Here we have an Account of the Erection of the Levitical or Mosaick Service the whole System of Religious Rites and Ceremonies unto which the Jewish Church was obliged This yields abundant Matter of Contemplation and Enquiry to the Studious who will find that these Observances were instituted after the Israelites had been a while in the Wilderness and had shew'd themselves inclinable to commit Idolatry Then it was that God by Moses gave them these Laws and prescribed them these Usages which he knew would be the best Antidote against the Idolatrous Practices of the Nations that were round about them And withal if we look into these Ceremonies with a discerning Eye we shall see that they had a farther End and were Presignifications of the great and wonderful Transactions of the Evangelical Dispensation that they obscurely pointed unto the Messias and his Blessed Undertakings for the Redemption of Mankind They were Forerunners and Harbingers of the Blessed Child Iesus that Child that was to be born that Son who was to be given and on whose shoulders the Government was to be settled Isa. 9. 6. And we are ascertained that in the fulness of time God actually sent forth this his Son made of a Woman Gal. 4. 4. that He so loved thâ— World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life John 3. 16. All â—e like Sheep have gonâ— astrâ—y we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the Iniquity of us all Isa. 53. 6. He bare our Sins in his own Body on the Tree 1 Peâ— 2. 4. He was wounded for our Transgressions he was â—ruised for our Iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his Stripes we are healed Isa. 53. 5. The True Nature the Admirable Method and the Inestimable Worth of this Healing and Saving us are the main Subject of these Inspired Writings where we are taught likewise that this Salvation is Free and Undeserved and founded on the Meer Grace and Bounty of God and is not the Acquist of any Merit and Worth in us We are justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God â—ath set forth to be a Propitiation for Sin through Faith in his Blood Rom. 3. 24. And in the Evangelical History we are told that this Blessed Redeemer who laid down his Life for us took it up again rising from the Grave by the irresistible Power of his Godhead and after a few Days Ascended gloriously into Heaven from whence He shall come at the last Day to call the whole World to an Account for He hath appointed a Day in which he will judg the World in Righteousness Then all the Dead shall hasten out of their Dormitories and stand before that Great Tribunal and receive Sentence according to their past Behaviour These are some of the Grand Principles of our Faith these are the Fundamental Verities of our Religion and they are originally fetch'd from this Sacred Volume and are established and confirmed there by unanswerable Arguments and Demonstrations Behold here the Eminency of Scripture-Notions see the Transcendency of these Excellent Truths which are contain'd in the Bible Here are things of a higher Nature than any Moral Writings afford us These say nothing of the Gracious Oeconomy of the Gospel of the Incarnation of the Son of God of Satisfaction made for Sins through the Blood of Christ of Justification by his Righteousness and other the like unparallell'd Discoveries which are to be learn'd out of Scripture only In short the Bible is the Standard of all Notions Propositions and Articles in Religion it is the Rule and Square of all our Opinions Discourses and Arguments relating to Christianity and all our Conceptions though they seem never so sine and plausible are of little worth and nse unless they be regulated according to This. If there arise any Disputes and Controversies concerning Matters of Christian Faith This is the Judg that we must have recourse to or rather This is the Rule by which we are to judg for every Man is to judg and choose and the Rule whereby he is to guide his Judgment and Choice is the Scripture It is true Reason or Conscience is our Immediate Guide or Rule but then we must have a Mediate Rule that is a Guide or Rule for our Reasons and Consciences and That in all Sacred and Religious things is the Word of God and That is the only Rule By This and This alone all Controversies of Faith which are necessary to be decided may and ought to be decided And it is the Excellency and Perfection of this Rule that it is
True Philosophers There were notable Examples of this in Athens where Aristides Themistocles Miltiades Pericles Phocion Alcibiades and several others were as celebrated Philosphers as Commanders and Captains They were renowned for their Great Wit and Judgment and for as Great Valour and Conduct As wife Men they knew how to regulate themselves and their own Manners as skilful Rulers and Governours they knew how to rectify the Behaviour of others We are sure that Moses wanted not this double Advantage being versed both in the Principles of the Best Philosophy and the Wisest Government and being able to act according to both His Learning and Contemplation were reduced into Exercise he by them not only understood but practis'd the Arts of War and well Governing He knew how to give Laws to the People and knew how to lead them into the Field like Caesar afterwards who was both Scholar and Souldier the Master of Eloquence and of Arms. The great Variety of Life which he had gone through made him universally Knowing and sitted him for all sorts of Actions David is a like Instance in Scripture and I know not another He was like Moses a Shepherd a Courtier a King's Favourite and afterwards out of Favour a Fugitive a Warriour a Ruler a Prophet a Writer This Difference of Scenes rendered both of them Compleat Actors this Diversity of States furnish'd them with Political Wisdom which being added to that which was Divine enabled them to act so laudably in those Publick Stations to which they were advanced And for this reason our Moses is the more Acceptable Historian because he was one of such vast Knowledg and Wisdom and had pass'd through so many and various Stages of Life and especially because he was personally engaged in most of the things he writes We count it a good Qualification in those that pen Histories that they write things done in their own time and that they bore a Part in what they describe Thus Dictys Cretensis if we may begin with him writ the Trojan War wherein he himself had served Thucidides as he tells us in the beginning of his History was present at the things he wrote concerning the Peloponnesian War and saw and knew much of it Xenophon was both Historian and Captain and knew many of the Things he transmits to Posterity Diodorus Siculus as he acquaints us in the Entrance of his History travell'd a great Part of Asia and Europe to inform himself of the Things he relateth and that he might be an Eye-witness of most of them and it appears from what he saith elsewhere that he went into Africa Iulius Caesar's Commentaries which Name he was pleas'd out of Modesty to apply to the best History in the World of that sort are an Account of the Military Acts of his own Army He fought and writ his Battels were transcribed into his Book his Blood and his Ink were equally free his Sword and his Pen were alike famous Iosephus accompanied Titus to the Siege of Ierusalem and knew himself the Acts done in the War he writes Polybius travell'd to most of the Parts which he describes and saw those very things which he writes of Procopius sets down what he knew for he was present with Belisarius at the Wars which he treats of and was Eye-witness of what he relates Herodian writ the History of the Emperors of his own Time and so had the exacter Knowledg of their Actions Suetonius was Contemporary with the three last Emperors whose Lives he writes Among the Modern Historians Comines Guicciardine Sleidan Thuanus are commendable on this account they lived at the same time when most of the Things which they record were done and they were themselves actually concern'd in many of them Now if these who were interested in the Matters they deliver'd are thought to be well qualified on that Account for Historians then we ought to have the greater Regard to our Divina Writer who was engaged in so great a Part of the Things which he commits to Writing He describes those Battels at which he was present and records those Passages in which he had a Share and that a very considerable one so that having the Relation of these things from his Mouth we do not only read them but as 't were see them And here by the way we may see the unreasonableness of those Mens Cavils who think it a diminishing of the Authority of Moses's Writings that he so often records his Own Actions and Deportment as if they did not sound well nay could not be true from his own Mouth But it is certain that this very Thing commends his Writings and strengthens the Authority of them especially when we know that he was a Person of Integrity and would not tell a Lie We think not the worse of Iosephus's Life because 't was writ with his own Hand nor of the Emperor Antoninus's Books concerning Himself nor of St. Austin's Confessions wherein he gives an Account of his own Actions nor of Cardan or Iunius or Bp. Hall who writ their Own Lives nor of Montaign who in one Book more especially makes Himself the Subject and relates his own Temper Studies Fortunes c. And shall we think the worse of Moses because he sets down the Passages of his own Life in the Books which he hath written No this rather advanceth their Credit among wise and understanding Men who are satisfied that none was so fit to give an account of his own Actions as this Author himself both because he knew them better than any Man and because he was of that entire Faithfulness that he would relate nothing but what was exactly true And that he was thus faithful and impartial is evident from those Passages which relate to Himself which are frequent in these Writings where his own Infirmities Imperfections and Follies are registred where his unseemly Wrath and Passion where his gross Unbelief and Distrusting of God as at the Waters of Meribah especially and several other Miscarriages of his Life are set down This shews that he spared not Himself and that he was not guilty of Partiality this shews that he was devoted to Truth and not led by Applause and Vain Glory Whereas he might have composed his own Panegyrick and transmitted it to future Ages you see he chose the contrary and recorded his own Faults and Misdemeanours whence it is rational to conclude that he would not falsify in the least in any other Part of his Writings And as for that Aphorism of Machiavel He that writes an History must be of no Religion it is here disproved and consuted Moses was the most Absolute Historian and yet the most Religious and his being the latter capacitated him to be the former For no Man can so impartially deliver the Truth as he that speaks it from his own Breast and especially as in the present Case hath a practical Sense of those Divine Things which he delivers This is that Person who was the Author
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
reasonably think that St. Paul tho he was an Hebrew by Parentage was well skill'd iâ— Greek it being his native Tongue Therefore a Modeâ—n Critick of great Acuteness hath well observ'd that the Greek Tongue was as familiar to him as Hebrew or Syriac Shall any rational Maâ— then think that he was not able to speak Properly and Grammatically Nay shall we not concludâ— from his Admirable Writings that he knew how to plaâ—e his Words and to speak with a good Grace St. Ierom who particularly takes notice that St Paul's Writings are full of Parentheses Transitions Digressions Concise and Abrupt Sayings yet acknowledgeth that he was a most Astonishing peaker and Thundered as often as he spoke Yea tho on the 3d Chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians he hints that St. Paul's Writings were destitute of Rhetorick yet at another time to let us know that he said not this absolutely he owns him to be flumen Eloquentiae a Flood or rather a Torrent of True Eloquence Eusebius who was a Good Judg of Eloquence pronounceth St. Paul a most Powerful Spokesman and one that was admirably skill'd in the whole Parade and Furniture of Words and could do more this way than the most Celebrated Orators among the Pagans so that Luther was in the right when he said One of St. Paul ' s Words containeth well three of Tully ' s Orations In fine no Tongue can express the Excellency of his Profound Writings which not only comprise in them all the Depths and Mysteries of Christianity and astonish us with their High and Heavenly Matter but moreover do furnish us with many Elegancies and Embellishments of Oratory with many Florid and well Composed Periods and abound every where with a most Winning Eloquence with the Charms of a most Melting and Affectionate Rhetorick insomuch that in some of his Epistles his Warmest Blood seems to be the Ink he wrote with and every Leaf is as it were the very Membrane of his Heart Besides St. Paul's Epistles which are fourteen in all there are seven others viz. one of St. Iames two of St. Peter three of St. Iohn and one of St. Iude all which except the two latter of St. Iohn are call'd Catholick or General Epistles because they were not directed to Particular Churches in one Place but to the Dispersed Converts through a great Part of the World St. Iames's Epistle was written to the Christian Jews that dwelt in other Regions besides Iudea who consisted partly of the Ten Tribes carried captive by Salmanassar King of Assyria who never that we read of return'd again and partly of the Two Tribes many of which still remain'd in Exile wherefore St. Iames sends this Epistle to the Twelve Tribes scatter'd abroad The two main things in it are first concerning the Affictions and Persecutions which were to be undergone for Christ's sake where he exhorts them to Patience under those great Trials Secondly concerning the Necessity of a Holy Life where he shews them that Justifying Faith must â—e known and manifested by Good Works Besides many Excellent Caveats and Admonitions are intermingled touching Riches Covetousness Hearing the Word Swearing Unruliness of the Tongue Envy Wrath Pride Rash Judging of others Self-Confidence Forgetfulness of God's Soveraignty and Providence in the World and sundry other things of very great Use in the Lives of Christians especially of those that are in Affliction and Adversity Wherefore this Epistle is chiefly calculated for such St. Peter also who was the Apostle of the Circumâ—ision writes to the Dispersed Iews such as were scattered throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia i. e. the Lesser and Bithynia five Provinces of the Roman Empire those that voluntarily lived among the Gentiles ever since the Great Dispersion and were now become Christians and fared the worse among the Heathens and Obstinate Jews for being so And perhaps here may be meant those likewise that by Persecution were driven from their Homes in Iudea and therefore are called Strangers 1 Epist ch 1. v. 1. To these distressed Iews or of what kind soever they were for St. Augustine and some others think the Converted Gentiles in several Countries are not here excluded he writeth his first Epistle to confirm and strengthen them in the Doctrine of the Gospel and in the Profession of the Christian Faith which they had hitherto made and to exhort them to a Greater Proâ—iciency in it and to comfort them in their Persecutions against the Scandal of the Cross and lastly to stir them up to the Exercise of all Christian Graces and Duties many of which as Mutual Love Patience Watchfulness Perseverance Obedience to Magistrates with the particular Duties of Servants to their Masters of Husbands and Wives towards one another of Spiritual Pastors towards their Flock he most excellently though briefly describeth His Second Epistle for it is undoubtedly his as well as the first though Hugo Grotius or he that publish'd those Posthumous Annotations labours to offer Arguments to the contrary which are enervated by Dr. Hammond in his Notes on this Epistle is of the same Nature with the first exhorting the Believing Jews to a Life worthy of Christians to add one Vertue to another and to increase in all the Graces of the Holy Spirit He asserts the Truth and Authority of the Gospel he shews the Danger of Backstiding he warns them against Heretical Teachers and Profane Scoffers that should come in the last Days of whom he gives a very Lively Character in several remarkable Particulars He voucheth the Certainty of Christ's Coming to Judgment and the Conflagration of the World and thence infers the Reasonableness of preparing themselves for that last Catastrophe by a blameless Life and Conversation All which is express'd in most apt and choice Words and with that Concernedness and Zeal which became so Eminent an Apostle The first Epistle of St. John which is called Catholick or General as being written to all the Christian Jews wheresoever they were is partly directed against Seducers and Impostors whom he calls Antichrists risen up in those Days who subverted the Fundamentals of Religion but more especially the Deity and Humanity of Christ as the Simonians Gnosticks Carpocratians Cerinthians Ebioniâ—es and others mention'd by Epiphanius and Austin whence he adviseth the Christians to try the Spirits and not to be too credulous and hasty in imbracing every Doctrine that is offer'd them He hath obâ—ervable Notices concerning the grand Privilege of Adoption concerning the Love of the World concerning the Sin unto Death But the main Design of this Epistle is to urge a Godly and Righteous Life to convince those who are called by Christ's Name of the Necessity of their walking answerably to it Indeed this Apostle was forced as St. Iames before was to write on this subject to press Good Works and Outward Righteousness because some in those Days turned the Grace of God into Licentiousness making Faith exclude all External
Acts and Works of Holiness Wherefore he offers several Plain Marks and Tokens whereby they may certainly know whether they be Real Christians truly Religious and the Children of God The Sum of all he propounds is this that if they love God and their Brethren and demonstrate this Love by the proper and geâ—â—ine Fruits of it then they may conclude they are Christians indeed otherwise they are mere strangers to Christianty and to all Religion they deceive themselves and there is no Truth in them This the Beloved Disciple and Divine Amorist inculâ—ates with that Spirit Warmth and Earnestness which so Weighty a Subject deserves His second Epistle is written to the Elect Lady and her Children that is saith St. Ierom to some Eminent Select Church in Asia and to all the Christians belonging to it for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Athenians and Curia with the Romans are of the same Import with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Assembly Perhaps Ephesus is meant saith a Learned Man which was the Metropolis of Asia and so may more signally be call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But it is the general Opinion of the Antients and Moderns that a person not a Church 〈◊〉 meant here and that St. Iohn the Evangelist not another Presbyter of that Name as St. Ierom thinks writes to a Vertuous Lady who was an 〈◊〉 Servant of Christ a very Godly and Religions Woman or it may be her Proper Name was Elect as a Learned Critick hath conjectured Which may seem the more probable because the word hath no Article prefix'd to it It was usual with our Saviour himself as the Evangelical Writings inform us to make his Applications to those of this Sex to cherish and commend their Vertues It is particularly recorded that of the Chief Women afterwards call'd Honourable Women not a few were St. Paul's Proselytes And to descend lower we read that St. Ierom took great Pains in instructing the Roman Ladies and in commending and incouraging their Study of the Holy Scriptures Yea many of his Writings were directed and dedicated to Noble Women Widows and Virgins as Paula Eustochium Salvina Celantia and several others that were Roman Ladies and of noble Extraction Such is our Elect here who is the only Person of that Sex to whom an Inspired Epistle is written She is commended for her vertuous bringing up her Children she is exhorted to abide in the Doctrine of Christ to perservere in the Truth and to be careful to avoid all Delusions of False Teachers But chiefly the Apostle beseecheth this Noble Matron to practise the great and indispensable Commandment of Christian Love and Charity His third Epistle was writ to Gaius a Converted Iew or Gentile as others think because he hath a Roman Name a Man of a fair Estate and who had been very bountiful and hospitable to the Saints The Design of the Epistle is to own and commend his Hospitality especially his seasonable Beneâ—icence and Charity to Strangers to those that were Exiles for the Cause of Christianity and to stir him up to continue in the Exercise of the same Charity and Liberality to the distressed Brethren Demetrius is propounded as an eminent Example of this for which and all other Vertues he had the good Report of all Men yea and of the Truth it self that is as he was spoken well of by every one so he really deserv'd it On the other side he complains of the Uncharitable Insolent and Ambitious Diotrephes a Prating Opposer not only of him and his Doctrine but of all the true Servants of Iesus The General Epistle of Iude or Iudas as we render it in Iohn 14. 22. it being the same Name with that of the Traitor for it is no unusual thing for good and bad Men to have the same Names as in the Old Testament Eliab Iehu Hananiah c. in the New Testament Simon Iohn Ananias are Instances of this This Epistle I say of this Good Apostle with a Bad Man's Name was written to all Christian Churches or at least to all the Iewish Christians Dispersed the same to whom St. Iames and St. Peter wrote wherein he exhorts them to contend for the Faith against those Dreaming Hereticks and Seducers that were at that time crept into the Church whose Erroneous Tenents and Ungodly Practices he here particularly deciphers and from the Examples of God's Vengeance on other Great Offenders infers the Certainty of these Mens Ruine In short this Epistle hath all the Marks of a true Apostolick Spirit and is of the same Argument with the second Epistle of St. Peter and is a kind of Epitome of it and therefore I need not be very Particular in rehearsing the Contents The last Book of the New Testament is the Revelation of St. John the Divine which Epithet is signally given to him here because of the Divinity and Sublimity of his Raptures because he of all the Apostles had the greatest Communications of Divine Mysteries It may be referr'd either to the Historical Books or to the Epistles to the former because it is a Prophetick History of the State of the Church from the Apostles times to the end of the World to the latter because it is in the Form of an Epistle after the three first Verses by way of Preface viz. to the Seven Churches of Asia at first planted by and now under the Government of St. Iohn and as it begins so it ends after the usual way of concluding Epistles The Grace of our Lord Iesus â—brist be with you all Amm. Concerning the precise time when St. Iohn receiv'd and when he wrote this Revelation there is some Dispute but the most probable if not the most generally received Opinion is that he being â—â—nish'd into Patmos an Isle in the Archipelago situated about forty Miles from the Continent of Asia by Domitian under whom was the Second persecution this Revelation was deliver'd to him about the middle of the Emperor's Reign but at several times and that he committed it to Writing about the latter end of it As to the Visions themselves I will not here particularly inâ—ist upon any of them only in general it is commonly said and believed that the Vision of the Seals sets forth the State of the Church under the Heathen Persecâ—tions from Nero to the end of Dioclesian's Persecâ—tion the Vision of the Trumpets which follows that shews the Calamity of the Church by Herâ—sies Schisms and Persecutions afterwards in the times succeeding the Pagan Roman Emperors viz. under Papacy And then the Vials tell what Vengeance befals the Papal Antichrist and all the Churches Enemies So that the Seals Trumpets and Vials give an Account of the three Grand Periods of the Church There is great Probability of this but I must add and I will offer it to the Reader as a thing necessary to be taken notice of in order to the right understanding of this Book that the Order of Time and History is