to die Accordingly the Poets feign the Palace of Sleep to be bordering on the Infernal Regions of Hell and Death Thus I have let you see in several Particulars and many more might have been produced that there are the very same Expressions in Scripture that we â—eet with in other Writers and certainly it is some Satisfaction to intelligent Minds to observe the handsome Agreement between both CHAP. III. There are in the Sacred Writ the same Grammatical Figures which are found in other Writers as an Enallage of Person of Number of Time One Bodily Sense is mentioned instead of another There is an exchange of the Positive Comparative and Superlative A Negative is put for a Comparative this shew'd in a great number of Instances in the Writings both of the Old and New Testament An Hendyadis is usual in Scripture So is a Prolepsis And an Hysterosis The reason which Monsieur Simon gives of this latter is refuted 1. By proving the Antiquity of Parchment-scrolls used in writing 2. By shewing that they were well fastned together so that they could not easily be misplaced and transposed much less be lost as this Writer imagines Josephus's remarkable Testimony produced to confirm both these The true reason and occasion of some Transpositions in the Old Testament assigned IN the next place I will shew you that there are in the Sacred Writ the same Grammatical and Rhetorical Figures which are found in Other Writers It will be very useful to insist a while upon these because we cannot attain to a right understanding of the Scriptures unless we have some insight into them yea we shall sometimes miserably mistake the sense and meaning of this Holy Book if we are not acquainted with the nature of the Scripture-Stile as to this very thing I know these Figures some of them especially are observed and taken notice of by several Writers but my chief Design is to give some Instances of them which are not taken notice of by Others and yet are very necessary to be known in order to the right understanding the Holy Scriptures There are several of these I shall produce You must know then that those Grammatical Figures or Defective Modes of speaking which are found in the Bible are such as these First there is an Enallage of the Person i. e. it is usual to put one Person in Grammatical Construction for another Thus we is instead of they Psal. 66. 6. your Heart for their Heart Psal. 22. 26. They for he Eccles. 7. 29. they have sought out which refers to Man in the preceding Clause They instead of ye Isa. 61. 7. They for she as in 1 Tim. 2. 15. if they continue i. e. if she viz. the Woman spoken of before continue in Faith c. and she is expresly mentioned in the Clause immediately foregoing So in Gal. 6. 1. thy self should be themselves for it refers to ye in the preceding words But the Instances are almost numberless wherein I might shew you this Change of Persons It is enough to have hinted this at present that you may continually take notice of this in the Stile of the Sacred Writers and that you may direct your selves in the understanding of some places which cannot rightly be interpreted unless we observe this Grammatical Alteration and thereby guide our Thoughts to the sense of the words And this also might be suggested that this way of Speech is used then generally when there is a sudden Transition from one thing to another or when there is a Distribution of the Matter treated of and sometimes when there is a Familiar and Easy expressing of things yea at other times when a near Concernedness of the Persons spoken of is to be taken notice of Next you may observe the Change of Number you will find it common in Scripture to express one Number by another especially the Singular by the Plural As 't is said the Ark rested on the Mountains of Ararat i. e. on one of those Mountains Gen. 8. 4. for it could not rest on them all The Graves are ready for me Job 17. 1. instead of the Grave and so in ch 21. v. 32. according to the Hebrew tho not in our Translation A single River is meant when Rivers are named as you read of the Gates of the Rivers when Tigris only is meant Nah. 2. 6. That Sacrifices is put for a Sacrifice in Heb. 9. 23. is plain for the Apostle there speaks of the Sacrifice and Death of Christ. In these and many other places the Plural Number supplies the room of the Singular And in some other Texts the Singular is mentioned instead of the Plural as in Iob 37. 6. Cloud for Clouds Psal. 9. 20. That the Nations may know themselves to be but Man for so 't is in the Hebrew instead of Men. Isa. 3. 12. Child for so you have it in the Original for Children Ezek. 31. 3. Branch as the Hebrew hath it for Branches A Sheaf for Sheaves Amos 2. 13. And the like is observable in the New Testament that they may shave their Head so 't is in the Greek Acts 21. 24. for Heads Loin for Loins Heb. 7. 5. Body for Bodies Phil. 3. 21. Heart for Hearts Rom. 1. 21. and the same Enallage is in 1 Cor. 4. 2. Thus it is the usual way of the Sacred Writers who in this as in many other things are followed by the best Greek and Latin Authors to exchange one Number for another and it will be requisite for the Inquisitive Reader to observe this manner of speaking because otherwise sometimes he will miss of the true Sense of the Place where this kind of Stile is made use of I pass to the Enallage of Time which is very frequent in the Holy Writ In the Prophetick Writers especially this is observable there the Present or rather the Praeterperfect Tense for the Hebrews have no Present Tense is used very commonly for the Future as in 1 Kings 13. 2. A Child is born according to the Hebrew for shall be born Isa. 9. 2. The People that walked in Darkness have seen a great Light prophetically for shall see Ch. 9. 6. Unto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given instead of shall be born shall be given So in the New Testament in that Prophecy of Enoch quoted by St. Iude ver 14. The Lord cometh or hath come with ten thousand of his Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supplies the place of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I come unto you John 14. 18. for so 't is in the Greek should in Propriety of Speaking be I will come unto you and therefore it is so translated in our Eâ—glish Bibles In such like Places things are spoken in the Present or Praeterperfect Tense to signify the Reality and Certainty of them to let us know they shall as surely be fulfill'd as if they were so already And as the Present or Praeterit is put for the Future so this is sometimes
both to the Ismaelites and Midianites because the Company of Merchants who bought him consisted of both it is probable they were joint-Traders and did traffick in common Thus we see here is nothing inconsistent Some object against the Geography of Scripture because Zippora Moses's Wife is call'd an Ethiopian Nâ—mb 12. 1. although she was of another Country namely the Land of Midian as appears from Exod 2. 15 16. In answer to which Iosâ—phâ—s would perswade us that Moses had two Wives one an Ethiopian the other a Midianitess or Arabian But there is no Foundation at all for this and therefore some other Answer is to be given Some are of opinion that Cushith which is the Word used in the Book of Numbers should not be translated an Ethiopian but an Arabian Woman for Arabia was call'd Cush because the Seat of Cush the eldest Son of Ham was there saith Sir W. Raleigh Whence he concludes that Moses's Wife was not an Ethiopian though a Woman of Cush but an Arabian And Bochart asserts the same and on the same Ground viz. because Cush was seated in Arabia not in Etâ—iopia But this Opinion hath found but little Reception among those who have further enquired into this Matter and have found that sometimes the word Cush in the Old Testament must necessarily be understood of Etâ—iopia Therefore it is more reasonable to adhere to those Authors who affirm that Cush is an ambiguous Word and that not only Arabia but Ethiopia is expressed by that Name Or rather there is a double Etâ—iopia one in Africa beyond Egypt under the Torrid Zone the other in Asia and particularly in some part of Arabia And that there are both these Ethiopia's is testified by Philostratus Herodotus and Pausanias This latter viz. the Asiatick Ethiopia is meant in the forenamed Place where 't is said Moses married a Cushite an Ethiopian Woman She was not of the African but the Asian Cush or Ethiopia and so it well agrees with the other Text where we are told she was a Midianite Nor is this to be wondred at that Cush is thus differently taken for it might be proved from several Examples that one and the same Name is given to two or three Countries Thus there is Caesarea in Palestine and in the Lesser Asia There is Antioch in Syria in Pisidia and in Caria There is Babylon in Chaldea and Egypt There is Thebes in Baeotia in Egypt and in Cilicia There is Heliopolis in Egypt in Coelosyria and Cilicia There is Albania in Greece and Armenia And so in our neighbouring Countries there is Zeland in Denmark and in the Netherlands And not only in France but England several Places have the same Name But although this be very satisfactory yet I am inclined to offer another Resolution of the Place viz. that Midian was divided from Ethiopia only by the Red Sea a short Passage and by reason of this Nearness Midian is call'd in Soripture the Land of Cush or Ethiopia and thence Zippora is call'd a Cushite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Seventy Interpreters an Ethiopian She is call'd so I say because the Midianites dwelt near to the African Ethiopians and thence sometimes had their Name communicated to them Midian being a neighbouring Country was call'd Ethiopia and those other Parts of Asiâ— and Africa that lay about the Red Sea had the like Dâ—nomination as at this Day among Cosmographers some Places that border on other Countries are sometimes said to belong to them and to be Parts of them and are call'd by their Name Thus Tyre and Sidon of old were reckon'd both in Syria and Palestine And in our modern Geography â—ome Places in the Netherlands and Gâ—rmany are sometimes rank'd among those of France Some Geographers place Lorain in Germany others in France The Alpes are divided among the Germans Italians French and so are said to belong to all of them Piedmont is reckon'd both in France and Italy So it is in the present Case the Vicâ—nity of the Place to some other causes the Name to be communicated to both The Midianites and other People because they bordered on Ethiopia were call'd Ethiopians hence Cushan or Ethiopia and the Land of Midian are join'd together Hab. 3. 7. Lastly it is probable that Cush the eldest Son of Cham was seated not only in Ethiopia but in those Parts of Arabia which were bordering upon it and thence it comes to pass that a Cushite or a Woman of Cush is an Arabian as well as an Ethiopian properly so call'd She that is call'd a Woman of Canaan Mat. 15. 22. is call'd a Syrophoenician Mark 7. 26. which some imaginâ— are inconsistent and therefore they think the former Word should be Cana which was a Town in Phoeniâ—ia and was known by the Name of the Greater Cana for there was a Lesser in the lower Galilee where Christ turn'd Water into Wine But there is no Necessity of â—hanging the Word because Canaan and Phoenicia are but different Names for the same Region Thus in Gen. 16. 35. the Land of Canaan is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the LXX and in Exod. 6. 15. a Canaaniâ—â—â— Woman is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We must know then that the whole Country of Palestine is a part oâ— Syria and Phoenicia is a part of Palestine and Syro-Phoenicia as well as Phoenicia is the North Part of Canaan But especially the People of this Country that lived on the Sea-coasts were call'd Phoenicians and that in a peculiar manner as is evident from Straâ—o pliny and others Yea and those were properly and strictly of old câ—ll'd Canaanites that dwelt at Tyre and Sidon and inhabited near the Sea The Canaanites dwell by the Sea Numb 13. 29. and some quote Isa. 23. 8. where the Tyrians are call'd Canaanim So this Woman who came out of the Coasts of Tyre and Sidon as is expresly said ver 21. is rightly stiled both a Canaanite by St. Matthew and a Phoenician or Syro-Phoenician by St. Mark for the word Syrian is added as Grotius well notes only to distinguish the Asian Phoenicians from those of some Colonies in Africk Thus there is no Reason to find fault with the Chorography of the Bible Here for the better clearing some Passages in the Holy Writings and the removing some Cavils which ill-disposed Men are wont to raise I will further remark that the Chorography of the Scriptures is sometimes different from that in Profane Authors Several Places mention'd in Holy Writ have not the same Names which they are known by in other Writers of which the Learned Mr. Selden hath taken notice which may sometimes occasion Dispute about certain Places in Scripture Bahylon is call'd Shinar Gen. 11. 2. Egypt hath the Name of Ham Psal. 78. 51. 105. 23. and Raâ—ab Psal. 87. 4. 89. 10. Of old On and Bethshemesh were the Names of that Place in Egypt which since is call'd Heliopolis Gen. 41. 45 50. Ier. 43. 13. Some gather
or their conforming to the Dialect of their Countrey for these are consistent with That Isaiah being a Courtier and a Person of Quality hath a neat and elegant Stile and yet so as he knows how to vary it according to the Matter he treats of But generally he is Lofty and Eloquent his Stile being raised by his Education which was sutable to his Noble Extraction for he was of the Blood Royal. Ieremiah and Amos being used to the Countrey are mean and homely in their Language the latter especially discovers his Condition and way of Life in his low and rural Strain So in the New Testament St. Luke who had improved himself by Art and Study is very observant of the Greek Elegancy and avoids all improper and exotick Terms in his Gospel and in the Acts. Indeed the Stile of the Sacred Penmen is very different and that Difference is an Excellency in this Book of God But that which I say is this the Writers leave not off their peculiar Stile though they were moved by the Spirit As this furnished them with new Expressions so it let them make use of their own usual ones but immediately directed and assisted them in the applying of them So that at the same time when they used their Natural Stile they were Divinely help'd to make it â—erviceable to that purpose which the Holy Ghost intended Hence I conclude that the Stile and Words and Composure of the Sacred Writings are such as ought to be reckoned Divine For this is one difference between this Book and others that every thing of it is Divine And therefore those Persons who dream of Solecisâ—â— in Holy Scripture are the greatest Solecisers themselves but especially those who assert there are Mistakes and literal Falsities in the Holy Book are utterly to be condemned Such is Episcopius who dares affirm That the Spirit left the Writers of the Holy Scripture to their own humane Frailty in delivering such things as belonged to Circumstances of a Fact Their Knowledg and Memory were deficient and fallible The Spirit did not tell St. Iohn how many Furlongs Christ's Disciples went chap. 6. 19. The same is to be asserted he saith as to some Names and other Circumstances of Time and Place which are not of the substance of the thing And before this you are told by â—â—o others that the Pen-men of Scripture 〈◊〉 in some light things not that they would falâ—â—ty but that they might forget some Passages Melchior Canus is of the opinion that there are some considerable Slips in Scripture from the weakness of the Evangelists and Apostles Memories Yea among the antient Fathers there was one who more grosly held that the Writers of the New Testament sometimes abused the Testimonies of the Prophets of the Old Testament and that they applied them to their present purpose although they were nothing to it Thus St. Paul he saith quoteth the Old Testament in his Epistles to the Romans Galatians and Ephesians only to serve his turn and to confute the Jews his Adversaries Read saith he these Epistles wherein the Apostle is wholly on the Polemick part and you will see how prudently and dissemblingly he acts in those Texts which he citeth out of the Old Testament And at other times this bold Man is not afraid to say that some of the Matters and Things in Scripture are set down wrong This is no less than Profane and Blasphemous Doctrine wherefore that Father is to be read with great Caution in such places as these We on the contrary assert that God was not only the Author of the Matter and Contents of Holy Writ but also of the Words and Expressions yea even when those Writers express their Sense in their own Terms i. e. according to the Way and Dialect which they were Masters of and which was most familiar to them even then they were immediately assisted 〈◊〉 the Spirit Which was absolutely necessary that this Book might have no Errors and Failings in it of any kind but that it might transcend all other Writings whatsoever If you do not hold this you make no considerable difference between the Holy Scriptures and other Writings Therefore I am thorowly convinced that this is a Truth and ought to be maintained viz. that the Holy Spirit endited the very Stile of Scripture that even this was by the immediate Inspiration of Heaven To the Manner of its writing I may well annex its Harmony and thence also prove it to be Divine Though there are several seeming Repugnancies of which I shall treat afterwards in a Discourse of the Stile of Scripture and endeavour to clear them up to the Satisfaction of every sober and considerate Person yet it cannot but be acknowledged that all the Parts of this Book do entirely agree and are consistent with one another This in other Books which are composed and written by one Author is not so admirable tho in those Pieces we oftentimes meet with very palpable Disagreements and Contradictions but here we are able to remember that notwithstanding these Books were written by different Persons and those many in number and disagreeing in Quality and extremely distant as to Time and Place yet their Writings contradict not one another but there is an excellent Harmony in all their Parts there is a perfect Concord and Consent among them all such as is not to be found in any other Authors in the World though of the same Sect and Party Excellently to this purpose a very Wise and Judicious Man thus speaks When several Men in several Ages not brought up under the same Education write it is not possible to find Unity in their Tenents or Positions because their Spirits Judgments and Fancies are different but where so many several Authors speaking and writing at several times agree not only in Matters Dogmatical of sublime and difficult Natures but also in Predictions of future and contingent Events whereof it is impossible for humane Understanding to make a Discovery without a superiour Discovery made to it I must needs conclude one and the same Divine Spirit declared the same Truths to these several Men. And as to the seeming Contrarieties of some Places of Scripture this should not at all trouble us for this is rather an Argument of the Truth and Authority of it it is a sign the Writers did not combine together to cheat and delude us If they had designed any such thing we should not have met with any Difficult and seemingly Repugnant Places in these Writings But seeing we do so this among other things may confirm us in this Belief that the Scriptures were not contrived by Men who had a design to impose upon us for if they had had such a Design they would have so ordered it that not the least appearance of Contradiction and Difference should have been found But truly there is no necessity of proceeding thus in this Discourse for to an unprejudiced and industrious Enquirer there is
Reasons why the Apocryphal Writings are not received into the Canon of the Bible with an Answer to the Objections made by the Romanists SEcondly I proceed to the External Testimonies of the Truth of the Scriptures which being added to those Arguments which proved them to be True in Themselves will exceedingly corroborate our Belief of the Divine Authority of those Books And here I might mention the Testimony given to them by God in the wonderful Preservation of them through all Ages since they were first written In all the Changes of Affairs and the Overthrow of so many Cities and Kingdoms that Incomparable Treasure hath not been lost The Books of the Old Testament were kept untouched and inviolable at the sacking and burning of Ierusalem and all the time of the Captivity in Babylon and of the Dispersion of the Jews And ever since that time the Scriptures have been Unaltered in Words and Sense notwithstanding the frequent Endeavours of Satan's busy Agents to corrupt them yea utterly to destroy them And next to God's Providence in preserving these Books thrô all Times and Ages we might add the marvellous Success which hath attended the Holy Faith and Doctrine contained in these Writings They have prevail'd against the Power of Men and Devils and to this very day they are maintained and upheld maugre the Attempts of both of them to root them out of the World But I wave this intending not to insist upon Divine but Humane Testimony in this place By External Testimony then I mean here no other than this that Scripture is attested by Vniversal Tradition and this Tradition is both of Jews and Christians And what would a Man desire more in a humane way for attesting the Truth of these Writings From the joint Attestation of these Witnesses I shall make it appear that these Books which we now have are the true Copies of the first Originals that the same Books and Authors are faithfully delivered down to us which were first of all delivered to the Jews and to the Primitive Christians and that there is nothing in these Writings as we now have them that is falsified or corrupted First to begin with the Books of the Old Testament the Names of which are as follow Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Ioshuâ— Iudges Ruth the 1st and 2d Books of Samuel thâ— 1st and 2d Books of Kings tho 1st and 2d Books 〈◊〉 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Iob the Psalmâ— Proverbs Ecclesiastes the Song of Solomon the foâ—â— Greater Prophets and the twelve Lesser These and none but these were admitted into the Canâ— of the Holy Scriptures by the antient Church oâ— the Iews whose Testimony is very Authenticâ— here yea indeed we cannot have a better They acquaint us that these were the Only Writingâ— that were universally agreed by them to be extraordinarily Inspired and they further tell us that these Books which were writ by different Persons and at diverse Times were first compiled and collected into One Body or Volume by Ezra and the Assembly of Doctors for that purpose and consequently that the Canon of Sacred Scripture of the Old Testament as it is at this time was not constituted till Ezra's days by the Great Synagogue as they call it Upon his Return from the Captivity he undertook this good Work he gathered together all those dispersed Books before named and after he had reviewed them he publickly owned and solemnly vouched the Authority of every one of them that the Church for the future might not doubt of their being Authentick and True But some add here by way of Objection that this holy Man caused these Books to be written over in a New Character because the Jews had lost their knowledg of the former one as well as of the Tongue and consequently the Bible is not the same that it was at first Eusebius and Ierom are alledged for this especially the latter who seems to say that the Samaritan Character was the Old Hebrew Character in which the Bible was first writ and that it was first changed by Ezrd after the Return from Babylon he writing â—he Sacred Volume over in Assyrian or Chaldee Letters and neglecting the Old Hebrew ones which were the same that the Samaritan are And the reason of this was they say because the Jews were best acquainted with this Character at that time And some Modern Writers are gain'd over to this Opinion who talk much of the Change of the Character and endeavour to perswade us that the first and old Letters of the Hebrew Text were Samaritan but that those which we now have are Assyrian and of quite another sort But upon an impartial Enquiry I find little or no Foundation for this Opinion It rather seems to me to be an Invention and Dream of those who design to disparage the Hebrew Bible They would perswade us that the Authority of the Original is impaired because we have it not now as it was at the beginning for the Old Bible was in Samaritan Letters these being the first and antientest Hebrew Characters This is like the Story of the Hebrew Points being invented five hundred Years after Christ of which afterwards which tends to the same End namely to discredit the Hebrew Text which we now have and wholly to take away its Authority for if the Letters were changed it is probable some Words and consequently the Sense of some Places are altered But that this is groundless and that the Hebrew Bible is written in the same Characters now that it was at first you will find very largely and convincingly proved by the famous Buxtorf from the Authâ—rity of the Talmud especially the Gemara 〈◊〉 the Cabala from the Suffrage of the most Notâ— Rabbins of old and of the Learned Modern Jeâ—â— as Aben Ezra R. Solomon R. Ben Maimon â— who without doubt are very competent Judges 〈◊〉 this Case To these may be added several of 〈◊〉 Christian Perswasion as Picus Mirandula F. Iuniâ— Skikkard Postellus with those three Eminent Persons of our own Countrey Nic. Fuller Broughtâ—â— Lightfoot If you consult these they will satisfyâ— you that the Hebrew Letters which we have now in the Bible were the Primitive ones the very same that were of old But to give you my Thoughts impartially in this Point I do believâ— from what I find asserted by Writers on both sides that there were two sorts of Characters used by the Jews as there were two sorts of Cubits and Shekels the Sacred and Common and I gather that the Samaritan Letter was of the latter sort that which was commonly used and even sometimes in transcribing the Bible but the Sacred Character in use among the Jews was this which we now have and in which the Bible is at this day This is the true Original Hebrew Letter and was used from the beginning by them This I think may reconcile the Disputes among Writers for so far as I can perceive the Quarrels arise from this that there is
many ambiguous and equivocal and thence the Phrases Sentences and Speeches must needs be so too This is one Reason why the Sacred Truths of Scripture were corrupted when they came into the Hands of the Heathens The Eastern words and forms of speaking were misunderstood by the Grecians the Hebrew Dialect and Idiom were mistaken by the People of another Language and Country The Oriental Expressions were misinterpreted by the Europeans who were Strangers to the literal and proper Sense of them Hence arose Fables Fancies and groundless Conceits which they mixed with the Spiritual Verities and almost defaced and extinguished them 2. The Sacred History of Scripture and the Traditions of the First Ages of the World were easily corrupted because they were Transmitted to Ignorant and Barbarous People God was pleas'd not to vouchsafe that Light and Knowledge to the Gentiles which he bestowed on his own People but he thought fit to leave them in that darkness and blindness which their gross Sins had brought them to and which were now become the just Punishment of them Many of them were so besotted that when they heard of those Holy and Mysterious Truths they were not able to bear them they could not apprehend the true meaning and import of them But because some of them who were the most Contâ—mplative would be exercising themselves about them they resolved to make something of them or out of them And accordingly when they committed them to Writing they applied them to some Person or Thing which was known and famous among them and thus an Historical passage in Holy Scripture became a Story of their own or a Divine Truth was turn'd into a Fable By this means the things which they borrowed from the Word of God came to be Dâ—praved and Disguised 3. The long tract of Time and diversity of years have partly introduced this corruption and alteration For length of time blotted out some of the former Accounts and defaced the Memoirs of things The Antient Names of several Persons and Places are worn out and others quite different from them are used in their stead The true Original Occasion and Meaning of many things were forgotten and in place of them New but False Relations crept in Then came to pass at last when the right Notions of things were worn out that Men of Poetry and Invention thrust upon silly People their own Fancies and Conceits and perswaded them to accept of the most unlikely Stories for Truth 4. The Historical passages of Scripture and the strange Events which hapned among the Iews being spread abroad and passing through many Hands or rather Mouths could not but for that Reason be corrupted By the great diversity of Relators they were changed some adding to them and others diminishing them so that at the last they were quite different from what they were at first 5. As Superstition and Idolatry increased the greater Corruptions there were of True History Men making that to Administer to their Idolatrous Worship So that in those Countries especially where there were the fiercest Bigots for the Pagan Devotion there was alwaies a more plentiful coyning of these Fables under which were hid very useful Truths taken out of the Old Testament 6. This must be added that it was the Custom of the Antient Pagans to wrap up their Notions in obscure and dark Terms and to represent them in an Aenigmatical way Origen thinks Plato in one of his pieces hath something of that Paradise which Moses in the beginning of his Writings speaks of and he gives this Reason why he thinks so viz. because it is Plato's usual way to describe things obscurely and to disguise the greatest and most excellent Verities under the vail of Mysteries and Fables And this was the guise of others besides Plato especially of the Pagan Poets they affected obscurity and difficulty of Stile whence sprang several of the Fabulous Histories of the Gods and other odd passages in their Writings And so when they took some things of moment from Scripture or from those who were acquainted with those Sacred Records they cloath'd them with their dark and Mystical Expressions in so much that it was hard to know whence they had them 7. The Grecian Humour was to Invent and Romance their Poets especially who were their first Writers were famous for this They abused mangled jumbled and confounded the Stories in Holy Writ they turn'd those Sacred Things into Magical Pranks sometimes and from the Names of Holy Persons spoken of in the Old Testament they took occasion to invent new Deities and shape new Gods Their frequent practice was to piece out Scripture with their own Fancies and to add something of their own heads This is owing to the Greek Vanity it is to be ascribed to the Levity and Capriciousness of these Fabulous Men whose very Genius led them to affect Banter and Fictions The Poets dealt with Sacred History as the Legendaries do with the Lives of Saints they have some general ground for what they say but they make plentiful additions to it there is perhaps something of Truth at bottom but then you have their own Inventions besides Thus the Grecian Writers counterfeited all along the shape of Real Truths in most of their Fables there was a medly of Falshood and Truth together 8. This is also certain that the Pagan Philosophers did out of fear sometimes disguise the Notions of Truth which they received from Scripture Plato saith Iustin the Martyr had learnt in Egypt the True Doctrine concerning God One only God with several other Sacred Truths but lest some Melitus or Anytus should Accuse him he would not divulge them to the People For fear of incurring Socrates's Misfortune he either conceal'd or disguis'd all He dreaded the Poysonous Cup and so would not discover those Sacred Things but rather chose to lap them up in Poetick Conceits and Fables in Mysteries and Riddles which his Writings are full of And this it is likely was the Case of other Philosophers and Writers among the Gentiles they were Timorous and dared not Transgress the Publick Laws and incur the punishment due to Innovators in Religion and therefore they spoke ambiguously and obscurely and corrupted those Truths which they had received from the Holy Fountains 9. Some out of meer Ignorance of the Iewish Religion and Affairs misrepresent and corrupt those things This is seen plainly in Strabo and Diodorus the Siciâ—ian who as was hinted afore make the Iews to be Egyptians and Strabo particularly saith of Moses that he was an Egyptian Priest So Herodotus because the Hebrews had lived among the Egyptians saith those things of the former which belong to the latter and so perhaps vice versâ I remember he particularly saith that Circumcision was first of all used among the Ethyopians and Egyptians and from them went to the Phaenicians and Syrians and thence some thought Abraham receiv'd this Rite and commended it to his Posterity It is as easie to
four thousand p. 369. KINGS Book 2. ch 6. v. 25. The fourth Part of a Cab of Doves Dung was sold for five Pieces of Silver p. 288. CHRONICLES Book 2. ch 14. v. 5. He took away out of all the Cities of Judah the High Places and the Images p. 358. JOB Ch. 1. v. 5. It may be my Sons have cursed God in their Hearts p. 342. Ver. 11. He will curse thee to thy Face ibid. Ch. 2. v. 9. Curse God and die p. 337. Ch. 4. v. 18. His Angels he charged with Folly p. 269. PSALMS Psal. 120. v. 5. Wo is me that I sojourn in Meshec and dwell in the Tents of Kedar p. 115. Psal. 133. v. 3. As the Dew of Hermon and as the Dew that descendeth upon the Mountains of Zion p. 331. ECCLESIASTES Ch. 12. v. 2. While the Sun or the Light or the Moon or the Stars be not darkned nor the Clouds return after the Rain Ver. 4. And the Doors shall be shut in the Streets He shall rise up at the Voice of the Bird. Ver. 5. The Grashopper shall be a Burden and Desire shall fail Ver. 6. Or ever the Golden Bowl be broken or the Pitcher be broken at the Fountain or the Wheel broken at the Cistern p. 139. ISAIAH Ch. 59. v. 19. The Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a Standard p. 205. St. MATTHEW Ch. 10. v. 14. Shake off the Dust of your Feet p. 189 Ver. 34. Think not that I am come to send Peace c. p. 363. Ch. 12. v. 40. Jonas was in the Whales Belly Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 281. Ch. 13. v. 32. Which indeed is the least of all Seeds p. 117. Ch. 24. v. 34. This Generation shall not pass away till all these things are fulfilled p. 391. Ch. 26. v. 64. The Son of Man Why our Saviour is called so p. 221. St. LUKE Ch. 22. v. 36. But now he that hath a Purse let him take it and likewise his Scrip he that hath no Sword let him sell his Garment and buy one p. 126. St. JOHN Ch. 20. v. 10. Then the Disciples went away again unto their own home Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 82. ACTS Ch. 7. v. 15. Jacob went down into Egypt and died â—e and our Fathers Ver. 16. And were carried over into Sychem and laid in the Sepulâ—â—re that Abraham bought for a Sum of Money of the Sons of Emmor â—he Father of Sychem p. 361. Ch. 13. v. 20. After that he gave them Iudges about the Space of four hundred and fifty Years until Samuel the Propâ—et p. 402. Ch. 23. v. 5. I wist not that he was the High Priest p. 128. CORINTHIANS 2d Epist. Ch. 2. v. 5. He hath not grieved me but in part p. 99. COLOSSIANS Ch. 1. v. 15. Who is the first-born of every Creature p. 215. Ver. 18. The first-born from the Dead p. 217. THESSALONIANS 2d Epist. Ch. 3. v. 1. That the Word of the Lord may have free Course and be glorified And Other Texts which refer to the Olympick Games p. 180. HEBREWS Ch. 9. v. 4. Wherein was the Golden Pot that had Manna and Aaron's Rod that budded and the Tables of the Covenant p. 365. Ch. 12. v. 24. The Blood of Sprinkling which speaks better things than that of Abel p. 389. TIMOTHY 1st Epist. Ch. 1. v. 8. The Law is not made for a righteous Man Ch. 4. v. 8. Bodily Exercise profiteth little p. 167. TIMOTHY 2d Epist. Ch. 4. v. 13. Especially the Parchments p. 420. St. PETER 2d Epist. Ch. 1. v. 20. No Prophecy of the Scripture is of any private Interpretation The rest of the Texts are interpreted according to the Sense of Other Expositors OF THE STILE OF THE Holy Scriptures CHAP. 1. There is a primary or literal and a secondary or mystical Sense in the Sacred Writings A brief Explication of both Several Instances of them in the Old Testament Episcopius's Opinion concerning the fulfilling of some Passages of the Old Testament by way of Accommodation animadverted upon Instances in the New Testament of the double Sense of Scripture The Nature of Parables especially of those that our Saviour useth fully discussed The several Reasons of this parabolical and mystical way of instructing the People The Parable of the Ten Virgins particularly illustrated A double historical Sense in the 24th Chapter of St. Matthew The like in other Places asserted by Dr. Jackson Whence the peculiar and transcendent Excellency of the inspired Writings is inferred A just Censure of those Writers who vilify the Letter of Scripture and mind nothing in it but the mystical Interpretation Dr. Bufnet's allegorizing and at the same time ridiculing the 3d Chapter of Genesis rebuked The great Mischiefs of excluding the literal Sense of Scripture The other Extream viz. of resting altogether in the literal meaning of the Bible condemned Erasmus Calvin Grotius tax'd for this Rules to be observed for knowing what Places are to be understood in a primary literal Sense and what in a secondary or mystical HAving in a former Discourse treated of the Authority of the Sacred Writings of the Old and New Testament I am now obliged according to what â— then undertook to give a particular Account of their Stile By which taking it in a large and extensive Notion I understand the Sense and Import of the Holy Writ as well as the Composition of the Words The Stile of Scripture comprehends the Divine Meaning no less than the Phraseology of it Accordingly I will reduce all that I intend to say upon this Subject to these ensuing Propositions I. There is a mystical as well as a literal Sense of many Passages of these inspired Writings and we are carefully to attend to both II. The Stile of Holy Scripture hath several things in it which are according to the Phrase and Strain of other applauded Writers which therefore we ought to be acquainted with that we may the more easily understand the sacred Penmen III. As there are many things in the Stile and Composure of the Bible common to it with other Authors so there are some things peculiar and proper to it which we are more especially concern'd to take notice of that the Singularity and Propriety of them may be rightly understood by us IV. The Stile and Expression of Scripture are such that there are many Passages in it which are obscure and difficult And here a particular but full Account must be given of that Obscurity and Difficulty And likewise I shall make it my Task to remove them by a particular Explication and Illustration of those Texts which shall be alledged The first Proposition This is to be laid down in the first Place that there is both a literal and a mystical Sense in Scripture The literal Sense is when the Words are taken as they originally and properly signify The mystical one is when the Words are to be understood in a more sublime Sense than the bare Letter of them imports This mystical
which derides the 3d Chapter of Genesis and who committed it to the Press for the sake of some of the witty Folks of the Town and to please the Atheistical Rabble This signal Act of avenging Providence is well known to the World and I wish the ingenious Theorist would seriously reflect upon it and learn thence to make Sport with the Bible no more And I request him not to be offended at my plain Dealing with him for I assure him that I have said nothing out of any disrespect or ill Will to his Person but wholly from a deep Sense of the great Mischief which is like to ensue upon this late Attempt of his I abhor the treating of any learned Man's Writings with Contempt yea on the contrary I have always paid a due Respect and Deference to them though they are not adjusted to the Notions which I have of things But when I see the Holy Scriptures struck at and Religion it self shock'd and extremely hazarded I cannot forbear from uttering my Sentiments and â—hewing my just Indignation on such an Occasion Christian Charity which beareth all things endureth all things cannot by any Means brook this And I must freely tell this learned Writer that let his Character otherwise be never so fair and 't is not my Design to â—isown it or blemiâ—â— it in the least it is certain that the better this is the worse is his Enterprize for he seems to come sober and demure to undermine the Bible and destroy Christianity as many a Cracovian Reasoner hath done before him But truly there is little Sobriety in jesting and buffooning in jeering and drolling away our Religion and that under the Pretence of Philosophick Antiquity Nay let me tell him and I hope by this time his own Thoughts do so too that to trifle and droll after the Rate that he doth on the inspired History concerning Adam and Eve is a near Approach to Blasphemy I heartily wish he may be apprehensive of his Delinquency in this kind and that for the future he may guide himself by that wholsome Rule viz. that we are not to quit the literal Interpretation in any Place of Scripture unless there be a necessity of doing so And 't is certain there is none in the present Case nay there is an absolute Necessity of acknowledging the literal and historical Meaning unless we will subvert the very Foundations of our Religion He that makes this first Book of the Bible to be wholly mystical doth not observe the Distance between Genesis and some Part of the Revelation We must be careful that we follow not the Masters of abstruse Divinity so far that we exclude the literal Sense of Scripture for this will prove fatal to the Scriptures themselves and to all Religion especially Christianity If we dote upon Allegories and defy the Letter and History of the Bible we quite null these Sacred Writings because we thereby render them ambiguous and precarious we authorize any wild Interpretations that can be made of them If we may leave the literal Sense of Scripture when we please and fly to metaphorical and mystical ones then the Certainty of the Word of God will soon vanish for then we cannot tell what is true or what is false or if we know it we can never confute any Error or maintain any Truth from the Holy Writ For by this Means theâ—â—will be innumerable Explications of Scripture and who can possibly determine which of them is to be made choice of If you offer any Text to prove â—uch or such a Doctrine it will easily be evaded if the Letter may not be our Guide for it is but saying The Place is not meant as the Words sound but must be taken figuratively and mystically Thus Scripture it self is destroyed by cashiering the literal Acception of the Words Yea we destroy the whole Gospel and pluck up the Foundations of Christianity we deny Christ and all his blessed Undertakings for our Redemption and Salvation for these being Matter of Fact are founded upon the literal Account we have of them upon the historical Relation of them which we have in the Writings of the Evangelists and Apostles Thus dangerous and fatal it is to let go the literal Sense of Scripture and to catch at a mystical one only By this wild Practice Men attempt to thrust Religion out of the World or which is the same thing to present us with a metaphorical and allegorical Religion instâ—ad of a true and real one Therefore there is good Reason why we should not quit the literal Construction of Scripture Secondly The other Extream which is to be avoided by us is the resting altogether in the outside the looking no farther than the literal Meaning of Scripture There is such a thing as mystical or symbolical Divinity however some have mistaken and abused it and this if it be rightly used is exceeding profitable yea necessary for it is no other than the Reâ—ult of the mystical Sense of Scripture which I have been speaking of He is truly a Divine he may deservedly be said to have Skill in Christian Theology who contents not himself with the primary or literal Import of the Sacred Writings but dives into the secondary but more abstruse Meaning of them who penetrates into the hidden Mind of the Word of God If there be a 〈◊〉 Sense in Scripture as I have proved in several Instances it must be reckoned a great Oversight to say no worse in the Expositors of this Holy Book not to take notice of this Interpretation but to acquiesce wholly in the literal Meaning This is observable in the Expositions which some of the Rabbins give of the Bible for as the Jewish Caâ—alists are too allegorical as we took notice before so another Set of their Doctors is too much devoted to a literal Interpretation This they stick to when there is no Reason for it yea when the Words are plainly figurative and must needs be taken so Yet even then they interpret them according to the Letter and thence are produced some of those foolish Propositions and childish Assertions those groundless Fables and Legends yea those gross Lies and Forgeries which are found in the Books of the Rabbins Erasmus was faulty in this kind his Readers may observe that he neglected the mystical Sense of Scripture and resolutely adhered to the bare Letter In which he is followed by Calvin who generally leaves out the secondary and more sublime Sense of many Texts of Scripture and satisfies himself with the literal one only This he doth in his Comment on Gen. 3. 15. I will put Enmity between c. which he interprets simply of the Antipathy between Men and Serpents which is the poor and lank Interpretation which Iosephus the Jew gives of it as you have heard whereas those Words in the highest Meaning of them as the antientest and learnedest Fathersâ— have suggested are the first and grand Promise of the Messias made to our first Parents and
Church's Hands by the Prophets and Apostles shall by her be deliver'd over to her Children to the World's End which way of Transmission is the great Prop of our Religion Besides the Apostle enjoins the Thessalonians to hold fast the Traditions which they had been taught whether by Word or his Epistle for he had used two ways of delivering the Truth to them namely Preaching and Writing and other Apostles committed the chief and necessary Heads of their Doctrine to Writing So that the Traditions meant here are the Revealed Truths of the Gospel delivered by the Apostles and Evangelists and are no other than what Christ deliver'd to them according to that of St. Paul I delivered to you that which also I received whence they have the Name of Traditions i. e. they are Evangelical Doctrines delivered to us from those that were taught them by Christ. And whether they were imparted by Word or by Epistle by Preaching or Writing they are the same the same as to substance the otherwise there may be some difference But that which we condemn and that most justly the Papists for is this that they magnify and rely upon Traditions which have no affinity with the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles yea which contradict it in many things and yet they equalize these with the Word of God and sometimes prefer them and the Authority of the Church before that of the Sacred Writings of the Old and New Testament Thus One saith The Church sometimes doth things contrary to the Scriptures sometimes besides them therefore the Church is the Rule and Standard of the things that are delivered in the Scriptures and therefore we believe the Church though she acts counter to the formal Decisions of the Scriptures And an other Famous Doctor gives it for good Divinity that the Decrees and Determinations of a Council are binding though they be not confirmed by any probable Testimony of Scripture nay though they be beyond and above the Determination of Scripture Thus the Holy Writings of the Bible are most impiously disparaged and vilisied by the Pontificians Whereas there is nothing defective or redundant nothing wanting or superfluous in these Writings they assert in the open face of the World that they are short and imperfect and therefore have need of being supplied by Traditions which in some things are of greater Value and Authority than they Again that the Church of Rome oppugneth or rather denieth the Perfection of the Scriptures might be evinced from their constant care and endeavour to keep them in an Vnknown Tongue It is true they have translated them But 1. There was a kind of necessity of doing it the Protestants having turned them into so many Tongues By this means they were compelled as it werâ— to let some of their people see what the Bible was in their own Language But 2. It is so corruptly translated that it is made to patronize several of their Superstitious Follies and Errors And yet 3. They dare not commit these Translations to common View Although in all Countries where People were converted to Christianity in elder times the Scripture was turned into their Language and every one was permitted yea exhorted to read it as is proved by many Writers the Learned Dr. Stillingfleet particularly yet the Church of Rome denieth the common People the Use of it as a thing hurtful and pernicious The Bible as some Bad Book is tolerated to be read with great Caution and Restriction in some Countries only and by some Persons It is like the Sibyls Prophecies of old among the Romans not to be look'd into without the permission and Authority of the Senate none can read it without a Licence from their Superiours so dangerous a thing is the Bible From this Practice the People generally imbibe a strong Prejudice against the Scriptures and believe they cannot be good for them because the Pope and their Pastors tell them they are not Wherefore as one who was once of the Communion of the Church of â—ome hath well observed As soon as ever any Man imbraces Popery he presently throws the Bible out of his Hands as altogether useless to say no worse Which unreasonable and wicked Behaviour of theirs was one great Reason or Motive as he professeth of his returning to the Church of England again For what Considerate Man can think That to be a True Church which teacheth its Members to slight and reject the Word of God which is the Source of all Divine Truth and without which we can neither believe nor practise aright we can neither have Comfort here nor arrive to Happiness hereafter This indeed is not only to null â—â—e Perfection of Scripture but to abolish the whole Body of Scripture it self A third sort of Persons that are Opposers of the Perfection of Scripture are Enthusiasts and such who act out of a truly Fanatick Principle Such were the Familists heretofore whose Pretences to the Spirit were so high that they excluded and renounced the Letter of Scripture which according to their Stile was a dark Lanthorn a liveless Carcass a Book shut up and seal'd with seven Seals the Scabbard not the Sword of the Spirit or if it be a Sword it is the Sword of Antichrist wherewith he kills Christ. This was the impious Jargon of these High-flown Men who made no other Use of the Bible than to Allegorize it and to turn it all into Mystery These have been followed by Others of a like Fanatick Spirit who have made it a great part of their Religion to despise and reproach the Sacred Writ A late Enthusiast or rather one that pretends to be such but designs the Overthrow of all Religion tells the World that the Bible is founded in Imagination that God's Revelations in Scripture are ever according to the Fancy of the Prophets or other Persons he spoke to and that all the Phrases and Speeches all the Discoveries and Manifestations yea all the Historical Passages in the Old and New Testament are adapted to these The Quaker comes next and refuseth to own the Scripture to be the Word of God and the Perfect Rule by which we are to direct our Lives It is a great Error and Falsity saith one of the most considerable Persons of that Perswasion that the Scriptures are a filled up Canon and the only Rule of Faith and Obedience in all things and that no more Scriptures are to be writ or given forth from the Spirit of the Lord. With whom agrees another of as great Repute among that Tribe I see no Necessity saith he of believing that the Canon of Scripture is filled up And again The Scriptures saith he are not to be esteemed the Principal Ground of all Truth and Knowledg nor yet the Adequate Primary Rule of Faith and Manners but they are only a Secondary Rule subordinate to the Spirit And accordingly he adds That the inward Inspirations and Revelations which Men
Divine Architect Deut. 22. 8. Thou shalt make a Battlement foâ— thy Roof And the reason of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Muruâ— per circuitum as the Vulgar Latin renders it is adâ—ded That thou bring not Blood upon thy House if any Man fall from thence The flat Roofs of their Houses were rail'd in that none might slip off of them and hazard their Lives And here by the by I may add that this was the very Structure of the Temple it was flat at top and accordingly was encompassed round with a Peribolus a â—ett of Rails or Battlements and this we are to unâ—erstand by the Pinnacle of the Temple Mat. 4. 5. i. e. some Part Side or Wing as the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports of the Battlements wherewith the Temple was surrounded at top lest any â—hould fall down thence And to confirm this Interpretation I willl produce that Passage of Hegeâ—ippus quoted by Eusebius who relates that some of the Pharisees and others of the unbelieving Jews came and requested Iames the Iust the Brother of our Lord and Bishop of Ierusalem to preach at the Passover when the People came from all Parts to Ierusalem and that he might be both seen and heard of all they deâ—ired him to stand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the Battlement of the Temple and he further tells that he did so It was a Place then that they might safely stand upon otherwise St. Iames would not have consented to their request Dr. Hammâ—nd thinks this was the Top of the Battlement and adds that it was broad enough to stand upon but supposing it was yet it was unsafe to trust their Feet there lest they should slip Therefore I rather think that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in St. Matthew must not be taken as it is in the foremention'd Story in the one it signifies the Top of the Rails or Battlement a dangerous Place to stand upon and for that reason the Devil set our Saviour there but in the other we are to understand by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Place within the Battlements for the whole Space encompass'd with these had that Denomination However we are hence inform'd that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not a Pinnacle or Spire for the Jewish Temple had no such thing though some of our Churches have but the exterior Circuit which compassed the Top of the Temple and was made to be an Ornament to it as well as to prevent the Danger of falling down This is the proper Notion of it among Grammarians as Dr. Hammond hath rightly noted and not only the Temple but every House had this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Battlement about it This is the short Account which I thought fit to insert here of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as the Latins call them Solaria because they lay open to the Sun and Air the Flat Roofs with which the Houses heretofore especially in the Asiatick Regions were built And this is certain that there is not so Early an Account in any Writers whatsoever of the Structure of the Antient Houses as this of the Sacred Penmen is CHAP. IV. The first original of Letters and Writing is recorded here The several kinds of Materials they wrote upon of Old The Instruments with which they formed their Letters or Characters The Antientest as well as the most Excellent History is in the Bible So is the Antientest and most Admired Poetry The first Invention and Practice of Musick and on what Occasions it was wont to be made use of The Rise of Natural Philosophy and who were the first Founders of it The Knowledg of the Holy Scriptures necessary in order to the due Study of Natural Philosophy The first Instances of Anatomy Medicks Chirurgery Embalming and the Apothecaries Employment are in the Old Testament Here are the first Examples of Shipping and Navigation An Enquiry into the Place whither Solomon's Navy went every three Years A Conjecture concerning Ophir Astronomy and Judiciary Astrology mention'd in Scripture Of War and Skill in Arms. The Nature of those Military Weapons which are spoken of in Scripture particularly and distinctly enquir'd into The Antiquity of Martial Ensigns and Standards The vast Numbers which the Armies of old consisted of The Scripture is not silent concerning Sportive Diversions and Exercises some of which but especially Dancing are considered FROM Mechanical I proceed to Ingenious Arts and Sciences or such as are approaching to them and I am to shew that the Sacred History relates the first Rise and Original of these And what Liberal Art should I begin with but Grammar what should this part of my Discourse commence with but Letters and Writing Many have been very inquisitive about the First Author of these and truly it is worth the Enquiry it being the Foundation of all Learning in the World The Rabbins held that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Writing and consequently Letters were created among other things at the close of the sixth Day 's Work of the Creation but few that are sober will give Credit to this They were found out before the Flood by Seth â—aith the Jewish Antiquary for according to him there were two Pillars one of Stone another of Brick erected by that Godly Patriarch on which he caused his Astrological Notions to be written Afterwards for we may suppose this Invention lost by the Flood though the Pillars and Characters on them remain'd Abraham retrieved the Art of Writing yea in manner invented it anew saith Philo. But there is no Proof at all of what he or Iosephus saith concerning this Matter and therefore we may justly question the Truth of both But supposing that Seth began this Art and that Abraham improved it we are certain of this that Moses came and perfected it having that moâ—t Compleat Copy before him to instruct and direct him the Tables written with the Finger of God Exod. 31. 18. We read of no Writing in Scripture till this writing or engraving the Law on the Two Tables which is call'd in another Place the Writing of God Deut. 32. 16. There is no mention I say of any such thing before wherefore it is likely God was the First Inventer of Letters or Writing and that Moses learnt it of him and communicated it to the Jews from whom other Eastern People received it and so Letters were imparted to the rest of the World Eupolemus and Artapanus two very Antient Historians quoted by Clement of Alexandria were of this Opinion and asserted that Letters had their original from Moses This is favour'd by Clement himself by Eusebius by Cyril of Alexandria and St. Augustin inclines to it And this is confirmed from that general report of the Pagans that from the Phoenicians all Letters were derived Particularly concerning the Greeks Herodotus and Plutarch testify that they recorded the Letters of their Alphabet from the Phoenicians and that therefore they were call'd the Phoenician Letters Yea the Word
Pâ—rlege rubras Majorum leges At other times they made use of Chalk and of Coal both which are mention'd by Persius Illa priùs cretà mox bâ—â—c carbone notasti But these were used only on special Occasions and were not the ordinary manner of Writing therefore 't is no wonder that the Bible is wholly silent aâ— to this But it mentions the Writing Instruments that were of common Use as first those which were peculiar to the Harder Materials those wherewith they made Incision into Stone Wood c. Accordingly it tells us that they used an Iron Pen or Style and therewith cut what Characters they thought fit in them Of this we have mention in Iob 19. 24. where that holy Man wisâ—â—th that his Complaints were written down and recorded that future Ages might take notice of them which Moses or some other Inspired Person who digested and compiled this Book thus expressetâ— O that my Words were engraven with an Iron Pen and Lead with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Seventy made of Iron and with Lead plumbi laminâ as the Vulgar Latin a thin Sheet or Plate of Lead on which they engraved Letters with this Iron Pen. And in the next Clause of this Verse he wisheth yet further that his Words might be written in the Rock 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the LXX render it ut sculpantur in silice the Vulgar Latin following the Septuagint as it generally doth every where which refers to the antient manner of writing in those Days which was by Engraving of Letters not only on Leaden Tables but on Stone and Flint with Iron Pens or Bodkins These were the first Instruments used in writing in the World And when Ieremiah saith The Sin of Judah is written with a Pen of Iron and graven upon the Table of their Hearts it is an Allusion to this Practice though here another Word is used viz. Cheret from Charath sculpsit whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a graving Tool and so is rendred Exod. 32. 4. With this they made the Letters on Wood and Stone and such like hard Substance and in Wax-Tables Next the Scripture takes notice of the antient Instrument which was proper to the other way of writing viz. upon the softer Materials as the Papyrus and Parchment This is called Shebet which Word in other Places is rendred a Scepter We read that the Tribe of Zebulon afforded some that handled the Pen of the Writer Judg. 5. I4 such as were dexterous at this Instrument such as knew how to wield this Shebet this Writing-Scepter with Art and Skill In other Places it hath the same Names that were given to the Engraving Pen thus it is stiled Cheret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Septuagint Isa. 8. 1. the Pen of a Man i. e. such a Pen as Men usually writ with in those Days when they wrote upon any soft and yielding Matter and that was a Reed which is confirm'd to us by Ier. 8. 8. where Gnet the Pen of the Scribes is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek Interpreters And in Psal. 45. 1. where it is again call'd Gnet the Pen of a ready Writer the same Interpreters render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Vulgar Latin Calamus which is the Word used by Martial and others for the Egyptian Reed Which was the Writing Pen in their time Dat chartis habiles calamos Memphitica tellus And Aquila a Learned Jew who knew the genuine Meaning of the Hebrew Word in this Place renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. juncus arundo aquatica wherewith they antiently writ It appears then that Egypt afforded both Paper and Pens the former was of that Rushy Plant before described the latter were of a Reed growing in the same Place viz. about the River Nile and the fenny Parts of Egypt which being dried and hardned and conveniently shaped was the usual Instrument of writing before the Invention of Quills It was so made that it would contain and convey in it a black sort of Liquor which answers to our Ink which we use at this Day into which they used to dip it To this antient writing with Ink or such like dark Substance some have thought Ezek. 9. 2. hath reference where we read of the Writers Inkhorn but though the Hebrew Word be rendred Atramentarium by the Vulgar Latin yet in its Original Signification it hath no reference to that particular thing but may be translated a Pen-case or a Writing-Table as well as an Inkhorn From the bare Sound of the English Word we cannot infer the thing it self We may as well affirm the Art of Printing was found out and practised in Iob's Days because he wisheth that his Words were printed in a Book Job 19. 23. But there is a Place to our purpose and that is Ier. 36. 18. I wrote them i. e. the Words which Ieremy spoke with Ink in a Book The Antient way of writing appears from what Baruch here saith that he wrote Ieremiah's Prophecy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 atramento which was the black and inky Matter whatever it was that was laid on by his Pen in writing This is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mention'd 2 Cor. 3. 3 2 Ep. Iohn v. 12. and again 3 Epist. v. 13. where it is joined with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which shews what was at that time the way of writing viz. with Reed-Pens dipp'd in Ink which as we are told by Pliny and Persius was variously prepared The Greeks and Romans made it of Soot saith the former of these Writers and from him and Persius we learn that the Africans used the dark Excrementitious Humour which the Sepia afforded them and other black Juices serv'd for Ink in other Countries Thus the most Antient as well as the most Authentick Memoirs concerning Letters and the Manner of Writing are in the Books of the Holy Penmen Thus the Foundation of all Grammar and the Root of all Learning is laid here Next unto Grammar I might mention History the first Father of which was Moses whose Writings begin the Bible All that I will say of him under this present Character is this that we are solely indebted to him for our Knowledg of the Transactions of the First Ages of the World As he wrote before all other Historians so he gives us an Account of those things which none besides doth wherefore his Books are the Key of all History To him are added Others who are not only of admired Antiquity but ought to be prized as much for the Admirable and Various Matter they communicate Here are Excellent Historical Passages of all sorts Religious and Civil Sacred and Profane Foreign and Domestick relating to Politicks and Oeconomicks to Publick and Private Affairs Yea the Title of Procopius's History belongs only and properly to these Sacred Chronicles for here the Secrets and Depths of all Antient Occurrences are
before it It is not sit that the same Word should have two diverse Readings in the same Verse In v. 6 8 9. let living Creatures be taken out of the Margin and be set in the Text it self in the Place of Beasts which is not a sit Word for those that are represented by that Vision especially when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here is the word which is rightly translated the Beast in this Book In ch 11. v. 17. those Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are not rightly rendred which art and wast and art to come but thus who is and was and is to come In ch 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in v. 13. is translated Wonders in the 14th Miracles which ought to be corrected for the Reason so often given viz. because the same Greek Word should be rendred by the same English one if there be no apparent Cause for the contrary In ch 14. v. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be rendred with them their Works follow with them In ch 16. v. 12. the way of the Kings who are from the Risings of the Sun is the true and literal Version of the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in our present English Translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is absorp'd These are the several Places which I conceive ought to be altered and translated more exactly I say not this to impair or derogate from the Credit and Honour of our English Translation much less to condemn the Present Edition or to expose the Scriptures themselves but my Design is to represent them in their native Excellency and Purity and to contribute by this Critical Essay towards so worthy an End For it is certain that nothing can more commend the Holy Writ than an Exact Translation i. e. such a one as faithfully represents to us the Express Text of Scripture Wherefore I humbly offer the forementioned Places to the Consideration of the Learned and Judicious and leave the whole or part to be approved or rejected as they shall think fit Perhaps when our Church-Affairs are settled this will not seem unworthy of the Thoughts of a Convocation who I question not will see that the Revising and Correcting of our English Translation of the Bible in all or in most of those Places and in several others which I have not here propounded is very requisite It is my judgment that as out of the Vulgar Latin and the Modern Latin Versions one entire one might be made in that Language that should be generally used in Quotations among the Orthodox Learned so a New English Translation might be composed out of this Last Edition as to the main but with such New Alterations and Amendments as should render the Stile and Sense in many Places more accurate and should make it acceptable to the most Curious English Readers And here I advise that the Marginal Notes of the Present English Bible be often consulted because the best and most genuine Translations of Words are frequently put there But in the foregoing Animadversions I have taken no notice of those different Significations of Words which are placed there I have only offer'd those that have not hitherto been observed In the last Place I might add something concerning the Division of the Bible into Chapters and Verses It is not to be doubted that Moses the Prophets Evangelists and Apostles writ their Books without any such Partition and this was the way of all other Writers of old But it appears that the Books of the Prophets were divided afterwards into Parashes before our Saviour's Time and this distribution of them is often mention'd in the Talmuds This was done by the Jews for the more methodical reading of them in the Synagogues Some of the Greek Fathers take notice of this Distribution and consequently it was made before their Time for they mention the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Old Testament which signify the same thing and Ierom speaks of a Pericope of Ieremiah Yea if I mistake not this sort of Sections or Parashes is mention'd in Acts 8. 32. and is call'd there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Books of the Evanglists and Apostles were afterwards divided into certain Sections by some of the Primitive Bishops and Pastors for the more convenient reading of them herein imitating the Iews who had done the same in the Old Testament These are call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Eastern Fathers and Lectiones by the Latin Ones They were the same that we call Chapters Verses were also antient but not the same that are at present nor were all the Books so divided St. Ierom tells us he distributed the Books of the Chronicles and that of Ezekiel into Verses And some of thâ— Books of the New Testament were thus divided particularly the Epistle to the Galatians was parted into these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Origen as Ierom informs us But it is certain that all these Partitions whether into Chapters or Verses wâ—re very much different from what we have at this Day To this purpose 't is observable as Heinsius and some other Criticks out of Suidas relate that the New Testament was divided into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so far as I can gather from the Account which they give of these two the former of these was the division of a Book into Chapters and the latter into Verses or some such small Portion though at this Day there is a quite different Sense of the Words for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the greater division and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lesser As to the Division of the whole Bible consisting of 39 Books of the Old Testament and 27 of the New into distinct Chapters as they are now among us viz. 779 in the Old Testament and 260 in the New it was made by Lanfrank Archbishop of Canterbury about the Year 1060 others say by Stephen Langton who was Archbishop of the same See in K. Iohn's Time about the Year 1200. It is said by others that Cardinal Hugo twenty or thirty Years afterwards was the first that contrived the Distinction of Chapters of the Old Testament for fitting the Hebrew Text to the Concordance of the Bible which he was Author of The dividing of Chapters into Verses was more lately being the Work of the Industrious and Learned Robert Stephens about eightscore Years since But whoever were the first Authors of this Division of the Bible into Chapters and Verses it is certain that it is not rightly made The beginning of the 10th Chap. of Isaiah should not be cut of from the 9th Chapter for it belongs to it and at the Close of the 5th v. of the 10th Chap. which is so now the 9th should end And many other Chapters in the Old Testament are ill divided But especially in the New Testament one may see that the distinction of Chapters and Verses now in
be great Moral and Religious Qualifications likewise for this is the Book of God and therefore we must come to it with agreeable Inclinations Wills and Affections Men complain that there is a great Contention about the interpreting of Scripture and Different Parties can't agree whence they proceed to blame the Obscurity and Uncertainty of the Scripture it self But herein these Persons themselves are very blameable for this Disagreement in the interpreting of Sacred Writ arises not wholly from the Obscurity of it nor doth it proceed from the Uncertainty of it as some would suggest but from Mens Depraved Minds and Passions Wherefore our main Care ought to be 1st To free our selves from all Wilful Prejudice and Perverseness which have been the first and original Causes of misunderstanding the Scriptures Thus the Infernal Spirit when he tempted our Saviour most perversly quoted Psal. 91. 11. and misapplied it to his purpose And from him Hereticks and Seducers have learnt to cite and make use of Scripture to evil Designs viz. to uphold some Error or Vice What an Antient Writer of the Church saith of one sort of Heretical Teachers that they interpret the Sense of the Holy Writ according to their own Pleasure is true of them all their constant Practice is to strain and distort these Sacred Writings to construe them according to their own Fancies and to make them like an Echo speak what they please Their great Work in consulting and turning over this Volume is to find something they may misinterpret for their own Ends. Their Affection to a particular Cause makes them believe and assert any thing though never so improbable and then they alledg Scripture to back it though it be wholly foreign to the purpose These Persons are of the Number of those Depravers of Truth who as One of the Antient Fathers gives us their Character do not accommodate their Minds to the Scripture but pervert and draw the Mind of the Scripture to their own Wills This glossing and expounding of the Bible according to Mens corrupt Fancies is as M. Luther hath expressed it like straining Milk through a Colesack it blackens and deâ—iles the pure Word of God it depraves and falsifies the Mind of the Spirit Those Men are to be abhorr'd that submit not their Thoughts and Conceptions to this Sacred Standard who compel the Scripture to serve their Private Opinions who make no conscience of putting a Text upon the Rack to make it speak what it intended not of miserably torturing it that they may force it to confess what it never meant These Persons should be reminded how great a Sin it is to distort and deprave the Holy Writ and designedly to draw it to another Sense than it naturally bears And the Penalty is as grievous as the Crime for as the Apostle St. Peter informs us this Generation of Men wrest the Scripture unto their own Destruction 2 Pet. 3. 16. Wherefore let none presume to be guilty in this Nature and dare to follow their own sinister Imagiâ—ations in the interpreting of the Inspired Writings but let them attend to that Advice of a Pious and Learned Author We should be more willing to take a Sense from Scripture than to bring one to it Let us strive to know the naked and pure Meaning of the Spirit and in order to that read the Bible with an Unprejudiced and Sincere Mind which is an Excellent Interpreter Whereas 't is a certain Truth that Perverse Minds will pervert the Scriptures 2dly We ought to read these Divine Writings with great Modesty and Humility Let it not trouble us that some Parts of them are not level to our Understandings And where we cannot solve some things let us not arrogantly pretend to do it It is no Disgrace to confess our Ignorance here I can assure you this hath been done by the Learnedest Heads There is a Learned Ignorance as St. Augustin terms it and we need not be ashamed to be Masters of it These four things mention'd in Eccles 12. 6. I understand not saith Castellio I scarcely understand the thousandth Part of this Book saith he concerning the Apocalypse And 't is frequent with this Learned Man to say I know not the Meaning of this Place That Man is impudently rash who dares profess that he understands one single Book of the Bible in all its Parts saith Luther I own it that I am so blind that I cannot see any thing at all in that dark Place of Scripture Amos 5. 26. saith the Great Selden But the contrary Temper and Spirit have swell'd some with proud Conceits of their understanding some Passages of this Book when they have no true Apprehension of them in the least and accordingly they have endeavour'd in a supercilious manner to impose their crude Sense upon others not craving but commanding Assent to what they have propounded These bold Men forget what the Wise King saith It is the Glory of God to conceal a Matter to speak sometimes in so dark and hidden a manner that there is need of great searching studying and enquiring into the things that are said and yet at last they remain abstruse and unintelligible It hath pleased God the Wise Governour of the World that the Scripture should have Difficulties and Obscurities in it that there should be some things hard to be understood But as Socrates said of Heraclitus's Writings What he understood of them was very good and so he believed that to be which he understood not the like may we with more Reason pronounce concerning the Sacred Scriptures The Matters which we have Knowledg of which are the main Body and Substance of the Book are Excellent and Divine and so there is Reason to conclude that those Parts of it which are hidden from us are of the same Nature There is no occasion to find fault with the Sovereign Wisdom of God but it is our apparent Duty to lay aside Pride and to exercise Humility which will capacitate us to understand even those Great Mysteries and Abstrusities when we have with much Diligence and frequent Study search'd into them 3dly We must think our selves concern'd to purge our Hearts and Lives from all Deâ—ilements of Vice For 't is certain that a quick Brain a subtile Head and a nimble Wit are not so much required to the understanding of Divine Truth as an Honest Mind and a Religious Practice To Men of polluted Consciences and profane Manners the Scriptures seem dark and mysterious but to those of sanctified Minds and holy Lives they are as to the most part plain and clear These Qualifications render them as bright as a Sun-beam What the Turks are said to write on the back-side of the Alcoran Let none touch this Book but he that is pure may with great Reason and Justice be written on the Holy Book of Scripture and that only for a Pure Life is the best Commentator on these Writings A wonderful measure of