Wide Cavity of the Whale which Ionas was taken into in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this Capacious Hollowness was the distressed Prophet lodged three Days and three Nights In this Belly of Hell for so likewise he calls it Chap. 2. 2. and by this Phrase we further see that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the word here used by the Septuagint is not properly taken but signifies some Dark Invisible Receptacle he was both tormented and preserved and at last as we read in the Sequel of this History when the Lord spake unto this Fish it vomited out Jonah on the dry Land Chap. 2. 10. which let me observe to you further intimates to us the truth of this Notion which I have presented to you for Vomiting is an Emission of something not out of the Belly but out of the Mouth or Stomach If Ionas had been in the Belly or Entrails of the Fish he had been emitted another way not by Vomition Thus I have briefly given my Conceptions of that Text of Scripture and from the whole it is evident that it speaks of a Whale properly so call'd for our Blessed Saviour positively and expresly determines it to be such and of the Vast Cavity of its Mouth and Iaws which in respect of their huge extension may deserve the Name of a Belly rather than of those Parts I know that the Almighty God who made the Creature at first could afterwards have framed and disposed its Throat or any other Passages as he pleas'd With the greatest Reverence I acknowledg this But if we can solve the Works of God and his Providence in a natural way I think we are obliged to do it and at the same time we adore the God of Nature Although it must be confess'd that if we respect the Power and Soveraignty the Providence and Will of God it might be the Belly of this Fish properly so denominated which was the Place where the Fugitive Prophet was lodged yet seeing Naturalists have given us this Account of the Whale that the Passage of its Throat is so strait that a Man's Body cannot be convey'd through it and seeing we are not sure that God alter'd the Frame and Disposition of this Part and seeing likewise that the Word which the Holy Ghost useth is capable of a double Sense we may be invited on these Considerations to think that it was the Vast Mouth of this Fish which is here meant And truly the Wonderfulness of the Occurrence is not at all hereby abated for to preserve Ionas so long in the Whale's Mouth was as great a Miracle if we consider all things as to preserve him in its Lower Belly Then as for Fowls Birds and Insects there is a great Ambiguity in the Old Testament as to some of these Tsippor is a common Name of all Fowls as in Psal. 104. 17. and other Places but sometimes it is more particularly taken for a Sparrow as in Psal. 102. 7. So in Psal. 84. 3. some certain Species of Birds are signified because the Swallow is mentioned in the same Place Kore 1 Sam. 26. 20. which we translate a Partridg is a Night-raven according to the 70 Interpreters It is a Woodcock or Snipe saith One whom I have often quoted Ajah Lev. 11. 14. Iob 28 7. is rendred in the Septuagint and Vulgar Version and in ours a Vulture but according to Arias Montanus it is varia a vis i. e. a Pie according to others it is a Crow and 't is thought by others to be a Kite But we need not be solicitous to know which of these it is for it is likely we can never attain it or if we could it would be of little Advantage to us for the Sense of these Places of Scripture depends not on our knowing what sort of Animal this or that is Deror Psal. 84. 4. is in our English Translation a Swallow but according to the Greek and Latin it is a Turtle and so Bochart indeavours to prove Kippod which we translate a Bittern Isa. 14. 23. ch 34. 11. is according to R. Solomon a kind of Owl but Luther will have it to be an Eagle Yea some rank it among other Species of Animals for according to the Vulgar Latin and Pagnin it is a Hedg-hog according to R. Kimchi and R. Ioseph a Snail according to others a Beaver Avenarius comes nearest the Truth who tells us it is the Name of a Fowl unknown to us in these Parts But this we are certain of and we need not look any further that it is some Fowl or other Animal that frequents desert and desolate Places because of these the Text speaks So when the Psalmist complains that he is like a Pelican in the Wilderness and like an Owl of the Desart Psal. 102. 6. we need not be inquisitive whether the former word Kaath be rightly translated or whether it should be rendred a Bittern as 't is by Ierom and Bochart nor are we to care whether that latter word Kos certainly signifies that flying Creature which we call an Owl or whether it be an Houp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vpupa according to Symmachus or a Night-raven according to the Seventy and St. Ierom or a Falcon according to R. Solomon and Pagnin or a Pelican according to some others I. R. Kimchi was in the right who saith 't is the Name of some unclean Bird not known to us But this is enough that it was some Solitary Creature of the feather'd Order that kept in remote Places because it is said to be an Inhabitant of the Desart and so it is used here to set forth the present Solitude and mournful Condition of the Psalmist Chasidah which we translate a Stork Psal. 104. 17. and Ier. 8. 7. is according to St. Ierom a Kite but the same Word in Iob 39. 13 is rendred by us an Ostrich and so 't is in the Vulgar Latin which shews the Ambiguity of the Word Tachmas Lev. 11. 16. is translated by us a Night-hawk by the Targum the Seventy St. Ierom and Arias Montanus an Owl by the Arabick and Avenarius a Swallow by Bochart an Ostrich The like Disagreement is there in rendring the word Tinshemeth Lev. 11. 18. which we english a Swan but according to Arias Montanus it is Porphyrio according to R. Solomon a Bat according to Bochart a Chameleon Some say 't is a Bittern others an Owl others a Daw. And to let you see the Uncertainty of the Word in the very same Chapter it is reckon'd among the Creeping things ver 30. and is rendre◠a Mole To add one more viz. Anaphah which we render a Heron Lev. 11. 19. but according to the Seventy it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Vulgar Latin Charadrios i. e. a Sea-bird call'd by some Icterus It is a Kite say the Talmudists and Targum It is a Ring-dove a Pie a Lapwing a lesser sort of Owl say others It is a Bird call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
the same Mountain which I take to be the true and genuine meaning of those words of the Psalmist which have exercised the Brains of so many Interpreters As the Dew of Hermon that descended as it is according to the Hebrew or as we translate it As the Dew of Hermon and as the Dew that descended upon the Mountains of Zion both which Translations are reconcil'd by this Exposition and the Sense is rendred entire and perfect The Dew which descended on both these places was the same for some of it fell on this part of the whole Mountain and some on that so that successively Hermon and Zion were partakers of this Blessing Part of that Fructifying Moisture which came down upon the one soon after came down upon the other In the Desarts of Arabia the Mountain whence God gave the Law to Moses is call'd Sinai Exod. 19. 18. and in other places yet in Deut. 4. 10. and elsewhere frequently Horeb is the Name of the same Mountain Though St. Ierom is of a contrary Opinion and thinks they are two distinct Mountains or at least two ridges of one Mountain The like may be said of Mount Nebo the Arabian Parnassus which had two Tops Pisgah and Hor and by these Names as well as by the other it was call'd Numb 20. 23 25. Ch. 27. 12. Deut. 34. 1. and it was named also Mount Abarim Deut. 32. 49. Numb 27. 12. It may not be improbable that Aaron and Moses died on the same Mount though they are represented under different Names But it is most apparent that a double or treble Name is given to several other places thus the Salt-Sea Gen. 14. 3. Numb 34. 3. the Sea of the Desart Deut. 3. 19. and the Sea of the Plain Deut. 4. 49. signify one and the same place viz. the Sea of Sodom which is call'd by others the Dead Sea the Lake Asphaltites which was caused by the Destruction of Sodom The Sea or Lake of Chinnereth Numb 34. 11. of Genesareth Luke 5. 1. of Tiberias John 21. 1. of Galilee John 6. 1. are but one Lake Who doubts that Assyria Chaldea and Babylon are sometimes promiscuously used for the same Region and that Mesopotamia Charan Padan-Aram are one Country So Galilee and Decapolis are the same so are Sichem and Sychar Gen. 33. 18. John 4. 5. And the like is to be said of Egypt and Sihor Isa. 23. 3. Thus Places have more Names than one in the Holy Writings which we ought carefully to attend to lest we run into Mistakes as some have done by this Diversity of Names given to the same Place And this Difference of Names might be observed in other Instances which are frequent in Gentile Writers as Sparta and Lacedaemon Troy and Ilium Thraâ—ia and Romania c. And this likewise is to be noted that some Names of the same Place differ but a little i. e. as to a Letter or two and no more as Haran Gen. 12. 5. and Charran Acts 7. 2. are the same so are Sechem Shechem and Sychem Gen. 33. 18. Josh. 20. 7. Acts 7. 16. The same is to be said of Shiloah Isa. 8. 6. Siloah Neh. 3. 15. Siloam John 9. 7. Luk. 13. 4. all three the same as Kidron 2 Sam. 15. 23. and Cedron John 18. 1. are the same Brook So Zarephath 1 Kings 17. 9. and Sarepta Luk. 4. 26. are the same Town Megiddo 2 Kings 9. 27. and Megiddon Zech. 12. 11. the same Valley Zin Numb 13. 21. Deut. 32. 51. and Sin Exod. 16. 1. Numb 33. 12. the same Wilderness though some have thought these two latter words denote different places Concerning some things mention'd in Scripture we should distinguish between them though they differ not much in Writing and Pronunciation especially when they are of the same Species as Sardine Rev. 4. 3. Sardius the same precious Stone Rev. 21. 20. but Sardonix is a Stone different from that Rev. 21. 20. Though some Names differ a little yet they signify the same thing as Sycamine Luk. 17. 6. and Sycamore Ch. 19. 4. But these are small things and in which there is no great danger if there should be any mistake and therefore I will not entertain you any longer with these but hasten to more important Matter But having spoken so largely of this First Head I will be brief in that which followeth CHAP. X. There are Words in the Hebrew Text which have not only Different but Contrary Significations which is another cause of some Difficulty in Scripture This exemplified in several Hebrew Nouns more especially Tsagnir Mic. 5. 2. which signifies both little and great and accordingly this place is reconciled with Matth. 2. 6. Likewise Hebrew Verbs bear a Contrary Sense of which sundry Instances are given More particularly the true import of the Verb Barak Iob 2. 9. is narrowly search'd into and the Author 's particular Sense concerning that Text is propounded and defended Some Greek words in the New Testament signify Contrary things And the like Discrepancy is observ'd in some words in other Greek Authors and in some among the Latins I Proceed in the second place to observe That there are words in the Hebrew Text which have not only Different but Contrary Significations which cannot but render some parts of the Scripture difficult That is they will be so till we have throughly examin'd the words and found out the peculiar Signification which they have in the Texts that are before us Thus Shethum is rendred open as in Numb 24. 3. the Man whose Eyes are open and yet this Hebrew word signifies in all other places of Scripture where it is shutting of the Eyes Chesed denotes Beneficence Goodness Piety and the height of them and also Cruelty Malice and all Excess of Evil and whatever is Reproachful and Ignominious in the Life of Man thence some render those words Vechesed leummim chattah Prov. 14. 34. The Piety of Nations is Sin because whilst they worship Idols they think they serve God and others understand the place according to our Translation Sin is the Reproach of any People which is much to be preferr'd before the other Version because it exactly answers to the former Clause The word Cherem is both that which is consecrated to God and that which is Accursed and devoted to the Devil as I have shew'd in another place An impure Catamite a Sodomite is call'd Kadesh from Kadash â—acer fuit and Kedeshah which is no other than Sanctificata is taken for a Common Prostitute The word Tsagnir is both little and great and accordingly Mich. 5. 2. may be rendred either Thou Bethlehem Ephratah thou art little or art great among the thousands of Judah The not attending to this hath occasion'd no small trouble among Expositors whilst they labour to reconcile this Text with Mat. 2. 6. where it is quoted by the Jewish Doctors and Priests and Bethlehem is said to be not the least But the Learned Dr. Pocock on the place saith that
express it by the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sanare because reviving or healing the Stones in this Place are synonymous In 2 King 20. 7. Hos. 6. 2. the same Hebrew Verb is express'd by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Gen. 47. 25. Prov. 15. 27. Ezek. 33. 12. and other Places by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they being Words of the like import with Chajah Dibre hajamim Esth. 2. 23. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not amiss but the Sense not the Words is attended to In Prov. 11. 8. Mitsadah angustia is according to the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Venatio Persecutio which is a Word of the like tho not the very same Import In the Close of Esth. 10. 3. the Hebrew Noun is Zarang semen but the Greek Word here used is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is of the same Signification in this Place for to speak Peace to all his Seed or to all his Nation which were of the same Seed and Race are the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Word that the Seventy make use of in Iob 6. 4. but Ruach is the Original yet any observing Man cannot but discern the Congruity of the Greek Word for the Blood is the Vehicle of the Spirits and besides to drink up the Blood is an Elegant way of Expression The Hebrew Word Keren a Horn Job 16. 15. is not unâ—itly translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strength the Sense being minded and not the Word The Drops of Water Job 36. 27. are explain'd by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Drops of Rain Keren happuk Job 42. 14. is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 referring to the Greek Fable of Amalthea's Horn which signifies all manner of Good things and so comprehends in it the meaning of that Name given to one of Iob's Daughters And in several other Places in this Book the Hebrew Terms are explain'd rather than translated Bagnal Canaph Prov. 1. 7. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bagnal Aph ch 22. v. 24. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bagnal Nephesh ch 23. v. 2. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all which Versions are Exegetical So is that in Eccl. 10. 20. Bagnal Hakephanim Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iathad a Nail Isa. 22. 23. is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Ruler but the Sense is preserved for that Promise that Eliakim should be a Nail fastned in a sure Place imports his being advanced to Shebna's Office or Place of Rule as the foregoing Verses as well as those that follow plainly shew The Daughter of Tarshish Isa. 23. 10. is Carthage according to the Seventy because they thought this Place was meant by those Words They render Dibre Haberith Jer. 34. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas it should be the Words of the Coveâ—ant according to the Original but who sees not that it amounts to the same What according to the Hebrew is the Mountain of the Lord Mic. 4. 2. is the House of the Lord according to the Septuagint but these two differ not in the Sense because the Temple the House of God was built on Mount Sion The Word Derek a Way Jer. 23. 22. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 1 Kings 22. 52. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Ezek. 20. 30. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 2 Chron. 13. 22. 27. 7. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Iob 34. 21. 36. 23. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Prov. 31. 3. it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in all these Places the true meaning of the Hebrew Word is maintain'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 1 Chron. 2. 20. Ieâ— 16. 14. Ezek. 2. 3. 35. 5. 37. 21. 43. 7. is rendred by the Greek Translators 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in all these Texts you 'l find the Sense of the Hebrew Word kept up So Iehovah Tsebaoth is rendred in above fifty Places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but instead of it we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Sam. 15. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 17. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Numb 3. 16. So Lashon which exactly speaking is the Tongue is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iob 15. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa. 54. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esth. 8. 9. In accuracy and propriety of Translation Shaphah is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the general Signification of the Word is preserv'd when the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezek. 24. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 11. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 16. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezek. 36. 3. are used I could add several hundreds more of the like Nature but I will at present mention only a few Instances out of the Book of Psalms That is a very remarkable one Psal. 2. 12. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apprehendite disciplinam is the rendring of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 osculamini filium the LXX not intending here barely to Translate but taking the Liberty to render the Sense not the Exact Words of the Original When Heathen Kings and Governours are admonished to kiss the Son i. e. to submit to the Government of Christ the Meaning is that they should accept of his Doctrine and Discipline and live and act according to these But others solve this Translation by telling us that the word Bar had heretofore different Significations and denoted both a Son and Discipline If this could be made good it belongs to the Fourth Particular where we spoke of the Diversity of Significations which some Hebrew Words have Again in Psal. 18. 2. 31. 3. they intended not an exact Version but rather chose to give the Sense of the word Selang a Rock when they express'd it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the former Place and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the latter In Psal. 19. 4. their Line Cavvam is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Sound or Voice because it amounts to the same Sense and Intention of the Psalmist unless you will say they read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then it is to be reduced to one of the former Particulars The word Machol Dancing is not improperly rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 30. 11. because it is of the very same Import In Psal. 40. 6. the Sense of the Seventy is the same with that of the Hebrew Text although the Translation be not Word for Word Mine Ears hast thou â—pened saith the Hebrew a Body hast thou prepared me say the LXX Here is one meaning though the Words differ Christ is here introduced speaking of his Incarnation when God the Father gave him a Body and prepared and fitted it for the Cross where it was to be nailed as the Ear of that Servant who loved his Master and would not depart from his Family was fastned for a time to the Door-post Exod. 21. 6. Deut. 15.
Books with us We need not stay to attend here to what a late Learned Writer before named hath with much Confidence but slender Reason suggested viz. that the Bible of the Old Testament is an Abbreviated Collection from Antient Records which were much more large He confesseth that the Canon of Scripture is taken out of Authentick Registeries but the Authors who collected it added and diminished as they pleased especially he asserts this concerning the Historical Books that they are Abridgments of larger Records and Summaries of other larger Acts kept in the Jewish Archives and these publick Scribes who writ them out took the liberty to alter Words as they saw occasion So that in short according to this Critick here are only some broken Pieces and Scraps taken out of the first Authentick Writings A bold and daring Assertion and founded on no other Bottom than F. Simon 's Brain Who would expect this from one that is a Man of great Sense and Reason one that is a great Master of Critical Learning and hath presented the World with very choice Remarks on the History of the Bible for truly I am not of his Opinion who saith he sees not any thing in this Author's Writings buâ— what is common It is to be lamented that a Person otherwise so Judicious and Observing hath given himself up here to his own Fancy and Conceit He invents a new Office of publick Registers that were Divinely inspired he makes Notaries and Prophets the same He gives no Proof and Demonstration of that Adding and Diminishing which the Scribes he talks of made he hatâ— not one tolerable Argument to evince any of thâ— Books of Scripture to be Fragments of greater ones Indeed I should mightily have wondred that so Ingenious so Sagacious so Learned a Man haâ— broach'd such groundless Notions if I did noâ— consider that this subtile Romanist designs hereâ—â— as most of that Church generally do to depreciaâ—â—â— the Bible and to represent it as a Book of Fragments and Shreds that so when our Esteem 〈◊〉 the Authority of Scripture is weakned yea taken away we may wholly rest upon Tradition anâ— found our Religion as well as the Scriptures 〈◊〉 that alone This is that which he drives at in 〈◊〉 Critical History both of the Old and New Testamenâ— But all sober and considerate Persons will bewarâ— of him when they discover this Design Theâ— will easily see through his plausible Stories foâ—â— Surmises bold Conjectures and seeming Argâ—mentations and they will have the greater Reverence for the Bible because he and others havâ— attacked it with so much Contempt and Rudenesâ— and purposely bring its Authority into question that they may set up something else above 〈◊〉 Notwithstanding then the Cavils and Objection of designing Men we have reason to believe anâ— avouch the Authority of the Old Testament and to be thorowly perswaded that the Books are entirely transmitted to us without any Corruption and are the same that ever they were without and Diminution or Addition We have them as they were written by the first Authors we have them entire and perfect and not as some fondly suggest contracted abbreviated curtail'd Unto the Iews the antient People of God were committed his Oracles as the Apostle speaks and they shewed themselves conscientious and diligent Conservators of them The Jewish Nation saith St. Augustin have been as 't were the Chest-keepers for the Christians they have faithfully preserv'd that Sacred Depositum for them they have safely kept that Ark wherein the Law and the Prophets were Lock'd up God would have the Jews to be Librarii Christianorum saith Drusius Keepers of those Sacred Volumes for us Christians and it is certain they kept them with great Care the like whereof is not to be found to have been taken in preserving any other sort of Writings under Heaven And seeing they have so carefully handed the Old Testament down to us we are concern'd to receive it with a proportionable Thankfulness and to reckon this their Delivering of those Writings down to us as no mean Argument of their Truth and Certainty Secondly The Authority of the New Testament is confirmed by External Testimony or Tradition no less than that of the Old Testament We have the Authentick Suffrage of the Primitive Church the Unanimous Consent of the Christians of the first Ages that this Book is of Divine Inspiration and that it is Pure and Uncorrupted Some of the Fathers and first Writers give us a Catalogue of the Books of the New Testament and they are the very same with those which we have at this day Athanasius particularly enumerating those Books sets down all those which we now embrace as Canonical and no others And many of the Fathers of the first Ages after Christ as Irenaeus Iustin Martyr Clemens Alexandrinus Origen Tertullian c. quote the Places in the New Testament as they are now If it be objected that in the Fathers sometimes the Text of Scripture is not exactly what we find it and read it at this day This must be remembred that they sometimes quoted the Meaning not the very Words At other times their Memories fail'd them as to the Words and thence they chang'd them into others and instead of those in the Text used some that were like them So when they were in haste and not at leisure to consult the Text they made use of such Words and Expressions as they thought came nearest to it Heinsius shews this in a vast many places Sometimes they contract the Word of the Text and give only the brief Sense of it at other times they enlarge it and present us with a Comment upon it yea sometimes as they see occasion and as their Matter leads them to it they invert the Words and misplace the Parts of the Text. But no Man ought hence to infer that the Scriptures of the New Testament then and now are not the same And as for the Number of the Sacred Writers and their Books it hatâ— been always the same i. e. the same Catalogue and Canon have been generally acknowledged and received by the Christian Church It is true some Particular Books have been questioned but by a few only and for a time but the Church was at last fully satisfied about them the Generality oâ— Christians agreed to own all those Books which are now owned by us All the Eastern Churches held the Epistle to the Hebrews to be Canonical though the Latins it is granted were not so unanimous This Epistle and that of St. Iames the second Epistle of St. Peter the second and third of St. Iohn and the Epistle of St. Iude and the Apocalypse were questioned in the first Century saith Eusebius but he acquaints us withal that they were afterwards by general Consent received into the Canon of Holy Scripture for the Doubts were resolved upon mature Deliberation So that the questioning of those Books is now a Conâ—â—rmation of the Truth and Authority of
of Many of them are founded on meer imagination and are altogether precarious In answer to this I must needs say there are some who in this Theme shew themselves too Curious and Fanciful they stretch things too far and what they assert hath no other bottom than their own bold imagination The Fathers are not altogether to be excus'd in thâ—â— matter Those that have impartially perus'd Clement of Alexandria's Stromata Iustin Martyr's Exhortatory Orations to the Gentiles Eusebius's Evangelical Preparation and some other Writings of the Ancients cannot but observe that they are something extravagant in this kind and they have a conceit that several Verses in the Poets and other Passages in the re 〈…〉 of the Heathen Authors are taken out of the Bible where there is little or no ground to believe any such thing Some Persons fancy every thing to be borrowed from Scripture these Men would vouch that the Story of Romulus and Remus's being cast into Tiber in a Basket of Osiers and Faustulus's finding them and bringing them to his Wife who nourish'd them refers to Moses's being exposed in an Ark of Bull-rushes and taken up and Educated by Pharaoh's Daughter Had Orpheus's going to Hell been after Christ's time they would have said it referr'd to Christ's Descending into Hell I am as forward to blame such Men as the Objectors are and it never entred into my thoughts that every thing which hath a Resemblance to what we meet with in Scripture is therefore taken from it But this must not prejudice â—ober enquiry and true Improvement of this Notion which I offer Because some foolishly think that all or most of the passages among the Poets relate to the Bible shall we say therefore none were taken thence Because some things are made out by meer invention and wit shall we affirm that every thing is so This is fond and ridiculous Wherefore I have been very Cautious in this Subject and have kept my self within bounds I have not promiscuously propounded things but have used Choice and pitched on those particulars only which carry some probability and likelyhood with them Some observing that the Hebrew word used by Moses in Gen. 1. 2. signiâ—ies to hatâ—h as a Bird doth her Eggs by sitting upon them have thought that the Pagans had thence the notion of the World 's being an Egg and to this purpose some things are offer'd to shew that they had â—uch an apprehension And to pass by the Ancients we are told by Late Writers that some of the People in the Southern parts of the East-Indies have the same Notion of the Origine of the World The Chinoise say all things were from an Egg yea their first Man had the same rise But why might it not pass for an Egg in a plain Philosophical way as at this day there are some Philosophers who tell us that all things are from an Egg all Living Creatures at least are propagated by Eggs yeâ— Man himself Thus the World may be thought to be a Great Egg. But I rather think it was from the Oval or Round Figure of the World that they represented it by an Egg and you must know it was believ'd that this sort of Figure had some perfection in it and so on that account they took the more notice of it and this Spherical shape of the Universe was much admired and Celebrated by them yea it was thought to be Sacred and Divine so that by this means the World came to be a very Worshipful Egg. But I cannot satisfie my self that it was said to be so from the fore-cited place of Scripture where 't is said the Spirit of God moved on or hovered over the face of the Waters I do not think that a single word used in a Metaphorical way is foundation enough for this Notion Therefore I have not made use of it in the foregoing part of my Discourse but I rather reckon it to be something akin to the fancy of that Ingenuous Writer who tells us that the Generation of Castor and Pollux out of an Egg was founded on this that they were Born and brought up in an Upper-Room according to the import of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sometimes hath this signification But did not this Learned Man mistake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which indeed carries that sense with it Some have thought that the Story of Darius Hystaspis being chosen King of Persia by the Neighing of his Horse was grounded in the History of Mordâ—cai and the King's Horse which he rode upon for this Darius they take to be Ahasuerus But I have omitted this as well as several others because it hath little or no foundation Besides that they greatly disparage Mordecai by such an application as this for Darius got the Kingdom of Persia by his trusty Groom Oebares rather than by his Horse for he Communicated the Design to him over Night who took effectual Care to have his Master chosen Emperour the next Day And chosen he was a jockey made him a Monarch I have not had the considence to say that Homer's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 refers to the History of Shamgar's Smiting the Philisâ—ines with an Ox-Goad which is in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and doing such wonderful Execution with that Weapon though 't is the conjecture of no meaner a Man than Bochart that that Fable was borrow'd from this real Truth I have not pretended to aâ—firm that the Story of Arion which Pliny and Ovid relate viz. That he being cast into the Deep by the Seamen of the Ship wherein he was struck up with his Harp and the Dolphins presently came about him and he mounted upon one of their backs and so escaped that this Story I say was taken from the Hiâ—â—ory of Ionas though there is a very considerable Writer who makes no question of it and to advance the belief of it would have us observe that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies both a Minstrel and a Prophet If I had inserted into the Parallel of Samson and Hercules that Hercules's Pillars spoken of by Geographers refer to the two Pillars of the House which Samson took hold of and pull'd down it might justly have been objected that I stretch'd the Parallel too far and yet I must tell you that there are no contemptible Authors among whom Vossius is one who have made one a Reference to the other I have purposely avoided such far-fetch'd Conceits and have all along declin'd the suggestions of those Writers who have let their imaginations run too high This I consider'd that among the Poets especially there are many things which are the pure product of their Luxuriant Fancy and have no ground at all in the things themselves It is their way as I have said before to insert their own whimsies to lard True Story with their own wild Conceits and Capricio's which we must never mind for they
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
Christ into Heaven as it is expounded by that infallible Interpreter Ephes. 4. 8. Wherefore he saith When he ascended up on high he led Captivity captive and gave Gifts unto Men which refers to the abovesaid Psalm but is applied to Christ's Ascension by the Apostle here The 45th Psalm is originally a Song of Loves an Epithalamium on the Nuptials of King Solomon and the King of Egypt's Daughter but in a remote and mystical Sense it is meant of the Majesty and Glory of Christ's Kingdom and the admirable Benefits which accrue to the Church in the Times of the Gospel And many other Psalms might be produced wherein the double Sense before-mentioned is clearly to be discerned To proceed Though the whole Book of Canticles be in its literal Capacity no other than Solomon's Wedding-song yet it is to be look'd upon in the more sublime Acception of it as a Dialogue between Christ and his Church setting forth all those divine Amours which are mutually experienc'd by them And that this Part of Holy Scripture called the Song of Solomon is of a higher Strain than the bare Letter imports and that it contains great Mysteries and Abstrusities in it may be gathered from that extraordinary Reverence which the Jews paid to this Book For Origen tells us that this as well as the Beginning of Genesis was not permitted to be read by them till they had attain'd to some Maturity of Years I come next to the Evangelical Prophet Isaiah who hath many things concerning Christ and his spiritual Kingdom or Church but it is to be acknowledged that some of them in the first and literal Sense may and ought to be interpreted otherwise Yea the learned Grotius and Hammond are of the Opinion that that famous Prophecy in Isa. 7. 14. Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call â—is Name Immanuel hath a double Sense The Words literally and primarily respect a strange and wonderful Birth in those very Days Secondarily and mystically they are spoken of the Messias who was to be born miraculously of a Virgin Whether this Opinion be true or no we are certain that there is a mystical Meaning to be added to the literal or rather as I said before it might be more expressive to say a secondary Meaning is added to the primary one in sundry Passages which we meet with not only in this Prophet but in Ieremiaâ— and Ezekiel Concerning the former of these the Jewish Historian hath these Words Ieremiah saith he in his Book foretold the Captivity which the Israelites were to undergo in Babylon which was just then approaching and also the Slaughter and Destruction which we of this Age have seen There was a twofold Sense according to this learned Writer in some of this Prophet's Predictions Yea there was a double literal or historical Sense which was the thing that I asserted before Whence you see I had reason to make the Distinction of a first and a second Meaning of Scripture rather than of a literal and a mystical though I bring the mystical Meaning when there is such an one under the second As to the latter of these Prophets when we find him relating strange things acted in Visions and Dreams which are things only imaginary and represented to the Fancy we must not think them true in a strict literal Sense for they are only or most commonly done in Appearance and many times will not admit of a real Performance as they are related and described But we are to look upon them as Enigmatical Representations and to fix only a mystical Sense upon them that is to understand them as signiâ—icative of some greater and higher thing than they represent in themselves Which may be one Reason why among the Jews those that had not arrived to some considerable Age were not allowed to read the Beginning and End of the Prophecy of Ezekiel in which Parts chiefly those more mystical Visions are inserted I might pass to the other Prophets and mention some Places in which we must needs acknowledg a secondary Meaning as in that of Daniel chap. 9. 27. For the overspreading of Abominations or with the Wing or Army of Abominations he shall make it desolate which was meant without doubt of Antiochus's desolating Armies which were so abominable to the Jews and who as we read set up the Abomination of Desolation upon the Altar But yet our Saviour himself the best Expositor of the Place le ts us know that this was meant also in a prophetical and secondary way of the Roman Armies that sat down before Ierusalem and after a long Siege made their way into the City and Temple and so might be said to stand in the holy Place When ye shall see the Abomination of Desolation saith he spoken of by Daniel the Prophet stand in the holy Place then c. It is manifest therefore that Daniel spoke of both these destroying Armies His Words are to be taken in a twofold Sense a primary and secondary one In the former they speak of what happen'd to the Jews when Antiochus's Army invaded them In the latter they speak of what befel them when Titus Vespasian came against them and destroyed their City and Nation This is the double Sense and therefore you may observe what our Saviour inserts Whoso readeth let him understand As much as to say when you read that Passage in the Prophet Daniel you are to understand something more than ordinary in it you must take notice of a hidden Sense in those Words they speak not only of what was to come to pass in Antiochus's but in Vespasian's Reign which was about 250 Years after The abominable desolating Armies of both are here meant You see then here is a double literal Sense and that was the Reason why I chose rather the Division of the Scripture-Sense into primary and secondary and of this latter into historical and mystical than that received one of literal and mystical because both the Sense sometimes may be literal This ought to be carefully observed by all those who are desirous to attain to a right Understanding of the Holy Scriptures And it is the want of attending to this that hath often hindred Mens due Apprehensions of several Texts We see here in the Instance before us that the Letter of this Text in Daniel may be applied both to the Syrian and the Roman Armies I might produce those Words in the Prophecy of Hosea Out of Egypt have I called my Son ch 11. 1. Which are to be understood not only of the Patriarchs of old God's Children or Sons being brought by God out of Egypt but of Christ the Son of God call'd out thence after the Death of Herod Matth. 2. 15. This Place of Hosea must be understood of both Hither may be referred some other Places of the Old Testament made use of in the New where it is said This was done that it might be fulfilled which was
spoken by the Prophet then was fulfilled that which was spoken and the like The Places speak not primarily of those things which they are alledged for but secondarily they do and so are truly said to be fulfilled I know Episcopius and some others before him tell us that these Scriptures are said to be fulfilled when there happens something like them when there is a Representation or Similitude of the things when there may be a fair Accommodating of one Event to another then this Phrase is used But a judicious Writer saith well No Prophecy can be truly said to be fulfilled only by way of Accommodation or Allusion for there is no allusive Sense of Scripture distinct from the literal and mystical ones This then is a new way of fulfilling Predictions of the Old Testament and was never heard of among the antient Expositors of Scripture They never dreamt of a way of Accommodation but understood by those Words a strict Completion of those Texts in the Old Testament for it is said they were fulfilled But how Namely there being a double Sense in those Texts the Evangelists take notice and leave upon Record that they were accomplished and fulfilled in the secondary or mystical Sense And this I take to be the true Import of the Apostle's Words 2. Pet. 1. 20. No Prophecy of the Scripture is of any private Interpretation though I know there is another Exposition generally given of them by those that comment on these Words But freely and impartially scan them and you will find this to be the genuine Sense of them Scripture-Prophecies are not fulfilled according to the literal or proper Signification of them only they frequently have a mystical Sense with the literal is joined a typical one or one literal one is added to another This is the secondary and as 't were the improper Sense but the other is the first and more proper one for that is the word here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of proper Interpretation And if you consult the Greek of the Text you 'll see there is Reason to translate it thus Every Prophecy of Scripture is not of proper Interpretation i. e. there are some Predictions that contain a secondary as well as a primary meaning in them they are fulfilled according to both these and therefore cann't be said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of proper Interpretation This Exposition of the Place is confirmed by the Reason that follows for the Prophecy came not of old time by the Will of Man but holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost i. e. these Predictions were of an extraordinary Nature there was a deeper and farther Meaning in them than is in the Writings of Men they are not bounded by a single Sense and therefore neither are they to be interpreted so This might be made good from several Instances besides those aâ—ore alledged Many other Places in the Old Testament might be mentioned to prove that the same Texts are to be taken in a different manner that there is sometimes a double meaning in them which is plain from the Quotations in the New Testament for the Evangelists and Apostles quoting of them is a clear Proof that there is a primary and secondary Sense of those Texts and that this latter is sometimes historical and sometimes spiritual for we see these inspired Writers of the New Testament take no notice of the first literal Sense of those Places but understand them wholly in the secondary way If we look into the Books themselves of the New Testament we shall discover there likewise this double Meaning in several Places Witness the many Parables which are used by our Saviour and which are recorded by the Evangelists It is true the Old Testament is not destitute of this â—ort of Enigmatical Instructions but because those in the New are most numerous and because our blessed Master himâ—elf hath thought fit to express himâ—elf in this parabolical way therefore I choose to speak of it here Parables as the Greek Word signifies are properly a comparing of things together setting one against another a making use of one Thing or Narrative to set forth and represent to us another of a higher Nature Therefore in a Parable the Antients used to observe two Parts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the former being the Ground-work and Plot as it were and it might be either true or feigned and the latter was the Application or if you will the Moral of the other The Hebrew Word used for a Parable will give us further Light into it It signifies first any Sentence or Saying that is by way of Similitude or Comparison and so answers to the Greek Word and is rightly translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Septuagint for the Verb Mashal from whence the Noun comes signifies to compare and lay things together and liâ—en one to another Wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is synonymous with Mashal signifies any Compariâ—on or Similitude as in Mattâ— 24. 32. Now learn a Parable of the Figtree When his Branch is yet tender and pâ—tteth forth Leaves ye know that Summer is nigh So likewise ye c. Here Câ—â—ist explains the Etymology and Import of a Parable in its first and more simple Signification it is only a Simile as you see here in these Words and so it is taken in several other Places of the New Testament But this is not all it signifies such a comparative Saying Speech or Narration as is obscure and intriâ—ate and contains some greater and higher Meaning than the bare Words offer to us Thus what is darkly and â—iguratively expressed is called a Parable in Matth. 15. 15. And so the Rabbins call any Figure or Allegory the way of a Parable But most properly and strictly a Parable is a feigned declaring of a thing as if it were done when indeed it is not really done but something else is signified by what is so declared Now put these things together and a Parable may be defined thus it is such an artificial Speech wherein one thing is compared and likened with another but with some Obâ—curity and Intricateness and we are to understand what is said not according to the usual Soâ—nd and literal Meaning of the Words but with reference to some other thing thereby mystically signiâ—ied as â—s evident in the Parables of our Saviouâ— If you ask why he so often delivered things and consequently why Part of the Scrâ—pture is written in this mystical way I answer 1. It had been the Custom and Use of the Antients to express themselves after this manner and our Saviour in this as in some other things was pleased to follow their Example That the allegorical and mystical way of Teaching was antient and used not only by the Poets but Philosophers of old is sufficiently known Orpheus represented his Mysteries in a kind of Fables Pythagoras by Numbers and Symbols Plato
Master clothed his Divine Doctrine in he chose this way of delivering things to them on purpose to work the more powerfully on their Affections A fit Parable moves the Mind with a wonderful Force and Efficacy it representing Matters to us in their livelieâ—t Colours and moâ—t natural Shapes and applying them to the particular Circumstances we are in so that it seemeth to say in the final Close of it as that Parabolical Prophet to David Tâ—ou art the Man It comes up close to us and with great Plainness and Freedom tells us our Case and affects us proportionably To have Dominion or Authority and to speak in a Parabolical way are expressed by the same word in the Hebrew This is most certain that our Saviour reduced this Criticism into Practice and by this moving way of Preaching let the World see that he taught as one that had Authority Thus I have briefly shewed you the Nature of Parables and given some Account of our Saviour's so frequently using them I shall only add that useful Rule of St. Chrysostom which is to be observed by us if we would rightly underâ—tand the Nature of the Stile of Scripture in this mystical way of expressing it self We must not saith he over-curiously fift every Word and Passage that we meet with in Parables but our main Business must be to understand the Scope and Design at which they aim and for which this sort of Discourse was composed and having gathered this out we ought to enquire no further it is in vain to busy our selves any longer And that of Maldonate is a very good Rule For the right interpreting of Parables we mâ—st know this that it is in vain to observe any Accuracy in comparing Persons with Persons and to be curious in suting particular things to things but we are to look at the grand Matter and as it lies before us in gross So he For this is to be remembred that there are several Circumstances inserted into Parables meerly to adorn and set off the Matter and to make the Representation and Similitude more graceful Therefore we must not insist on every Particular and think that an Argument may be drawn from all the Circumstances which we meet with in such Diâ—courses No the main thing which is the Design is to be attended to in a Parable If we observe this Rule we shall gain a sufficient Knowledg of our Saviour's Meaning in his Parables but otherwise we shall busy our Heads to little Purpose and mistake the true Design and Intention of our Lord in this kind of Instructions There are other Paâ—sages in the New Testament wherein a secondary or mystical Sense is to be observed as the 24th Chapter of St. Matthew one part of which according to most Expositors speaks of the Forerunners of Ierusalem's Destruction and the other Part of the Signs of Christ's Coming to Judgment But if you look narrowly into the whole Chapter you will observe that these Forerunners and Signs of both Sorts are intermixed and so promiscuously placed that it is difficult to tell precisely which precede the Destruction of Ierusalem and which the Day of Judgment Which gave me this Hint first of all that this whole Chapter or the greatest part of it is to be understood as those other Places of Scripture before-mentioned in a double Sense viz. a primary and a secondary In the former you must understand our Saviour speaking of those Prodigies and Calamities which should befal the Jews before the final Overthrow of their City and Temple In the latter you must conceive him foretelling the dreadful Signs and Concomitants of the last Day wherein not only Jews but all the World are concerned Here is a twofold Meaning of Chriâ—t's Words here is a double literaâ— or historical Sense and the latter of them being not so obvious and evident as the other and that is the Reason why it hath not been found out may be called the mystical Sense for it is so indeed in comparison of the other Whereas then Expositors are divided in interpreting this Chapter some referring some Passages in it to the Devastation of Ierusalem and others interpreting other Parts wholly of the Day of Judgment we may compromise the Matter and reconcile the different Interpreters by asserting that both the Destruction of Ierusalem and the Calamities of the Last Day are understood by both Parts of the Chapter excepting only one or two particular Expressions which may seem to refer altogether to one of these In short the Forerunners and Harbingers of the Ruine of the Jews and of the last Coming of our Saviour are the same So that while he speaks of one he also foretels the other This shews that there is a double meaning a simple and a compound one in the very same Words of this Chapter When the Apostle in Eph. 5. had spoken of the married State and of the Duties of Husband and Wife and particularly of the Love of the one and the Submission of the other he tells us in the Close that this Part of his Epistle hath a higher Meaning than every ordinary Reader of it would find out for besides the literal Import of the Words there â—s a more sublime and spiritual one This is a great Mystery saith he and I speak concerning Christ and the Church v. 32. Those Words in Gen. 2. 24. mentioned immediately before have a mystical as well as a literal Meaning they are to be understood of the sacred Union of Chriâ—â— and his Church as well as of the conjugal Union of Man and Wife For Marriage is an Emblem of the sacred and inviolable Tie between Christ and Belâ—evers and accordingly whilst the Apostle discours'd in that Part of the Chapter concerning the Love and Submission of Husband and Wife he lets us know that it is to be understood in a secondary Sense of Christ's Love to his Church and of the Church's Subjection unto Christ. And divers other Passages in St. Paul's Epistles have besides their literal a spiritual inward and mysterious Acception Even as to this the Apostle's Words are true viz. that he speaks the Wisdom of God in a Mystery I Cor. 2. 7. Thus I have abundantly proved the double Sense which is to be found in many Places of the Sacred Writings and it were easy to evinâ—e it from many more Instances if it were requisite I will only here in the Close produce the Words of a very profound and judicious Man a worthy Light of our Church that I may not be thought to be â—ingular in what I have asserted under this Head Many Passages saith he as well in the Prophets as other Sacred Oracles admit of Amphibologies and ambiguous Senses and the same Prophecies are oftentimes fulâ—illed according to both Senses And he instances in several Again a little after he hath these admirable Words Seeing our sacred Oracles were given many hundreds of Years before the Events foretold by them and since exhibited
who thereby destroys the whole System of Theology and of Christianity it self for if there were none of those things before mentioned if in a literal and historical Sense there was no such thing as that first Disoâ—edience of Adam if there be nothing true concerning the Temptation and the Apostacy of our first Parents and the Evils and Misery that ensued upon it then it will follow thence that Mankind had no need of a Saviour and Redeemer then Christ's Coming in the Flesh was in vain then all Christianity falls to the Ground then when the Writings of the New Testament speak of Eve's being deceived and being in the Transgression when they acquaint us that the Serpent beguiled Eve through his Subtility and that by one Man's Disobedience many were made Sinners and that in Adam all died all is mere Romance and Fiction there was nothing of these in Reality And then likewise we have as good Reason to believe that the other Parts of the New Testament which speak of our Saviour and all his Undertakings are to be understood in the same manner that is they are but a cunningly devised Parable they may have some moral meaning as Esop's Fables have but they contain nothing of real Fact This is the natural Result of allegorizing the 3d Chapter of Genesis By dealing thus with this Part of the Bible he hath baffled all the rest he hath wretchedly subverted the whole Scheme of our Religion he hath spoil'd the whole Fabrick of Christianity and he hath made the Scripture useless and insignificant So that by this one Attempt of his he hath shaken not to say overturn'd the Foundations of Religion he hath taken part with the known Despisers of all revealed Theology he hath encouraged and patronized the wild Conceits of Scepticks he hath strengthned the Hands of the Profane he hath abundantly gratified the whole Tribe of Atheists and Deists he hath won their Hearts for ever And indeed we cannot but observe what fort of Men they are that applaud his Undertaking viz. the Wits of the Town as they are call'd Men disposed to very ill Thoughts of Religion and the Scriptures yea Men generally indulging themselves in Immorality and Debauchery These are the Persons that promote his Notions and cry up his Writings This Theorist is become much more pleasing to them than Mr. Hobbs This new Archaeologist is far more taking than the Leviathan because he nips the Bible more closely and also because he is not as the other a Layman but a professed Divine and that of the Church of England This makes his Enterprize so acceptable to these Men for now they have a Clergyman to vouch them they have the Warranty of a Church-man I will not question or so much as suspect the Prudence of our Ecclesiastical Governors but in my Judgment if there be no publick Censure pass'd upon such a daring Attempt as this by a Member of our Church Atheists will have just Ground to laugh at our Discipline as well as they do at our Doctrine To excuse himself he saith this way of speaking is used in the Writings of the New Testament and confessed to be Metaphorical and Symbolical and why not then in Genesis I answer Because though there are some Expressions of that Nature as the Trumpet sounding and the Books opened at the Day of Judgment which are but metaphorical it is likely yet it is easy to discern it And in other Places it is intimated and sometimes plainly declared that the Passages are metaphorical and myâ—â—ical as in the Parables of the Prophets and of our Saviour But it is quite anothâ—r thing which we are speaking of viz. not an Expression or two but a whole entire History delivered in plain Words and with all its Circumstances as Matter of Fact and there is not the least Intimation of any other Sense yea many of the Particulars are mentioned in other Places of the Old and New Testament as direct Matter of Fact Wherefore when he attempts to solve his Undertaking by alledging some Passages in the New Testament of Christ and his Apostles he cannot but see that it is very foreign to his Business Again in a short Appendix to his Book where he seems to retract in a manner what he â—ad said having been informed he â—aith that it was displeasing to pious and wife Men he excuses himself by alledging the Fathers who 't is true present us with several allegorical Interpretations and Descants on some Places of Scripture and particularly on the 3d Chapter of Genesis but this is â—othing to his purpose because those antient Writers do not deny the literal Sense which he doth He is not content to allegorize that Chapter but he wholly rejects the literal Meaning and confidently avers that Moses all along tells a Story that â—ath nothing of Truth in it and is not spoken according to the Nature of the things So I grant that some of the old Iewish Doâ—tâ—rs moralized Mâ—ses's History but they did not slight much less â—upersede and lay aside the historical Sense And moreover he hath neither the Fathers nor the Rabbies as an Example of ridiouling the Mosaick History which yet he doth throughout his whole Discourse on that Chapter shewing his little Talent of Jesting and Droâ—ling So that in brief it might become Hudibras better than a Doctor of Divinity I appeal to any that are acquainted with the antient Monuments of the Church whether he doth not perfectly tread in the Steps of the old Adversaries and Blasphemers of Christianity Iulian Celsus c. The former of these speaking of and deriding what is said in Genesis concerning Adam and Paradise and eating the forbidden Fruit c. positively declares that these are altogether fabulous And again afterwards What Difference is there saith he between these and the Fables of the Greeks What Dr. Burnet saith amounts to the same for when he expresly saith Moses delivered nothing of the Physical Truth concerning the Creation of the World c. but wisely dissembles to accommodate himself to the People and when he tells us that Moses said these things only to conciliate Force and Authority to his Laws which are his own Words he doth as good as say that what he delivers is a Fable He might in plain Terms have stiled the Mosaick History a Fabulous Tradition as Simplicius calls the Account which Moses gives of the Creation Yea he might as well have spoken the Language of his Friend Celsus who call'd the Mosaick Relation concerning Adam and Eve an old Wife's Fable Thus we see what Examples he follows some of the craftiest and subtilest but yet the most malicious Enemies of the Christians who laugh'd at their Religion whilst others persecuted it and did more harm by that dâ—riding it than others by violent oppressing it But lo a remarkable Example of the Divine Justice viz. on the bold Gentleman who lately englished that part of the Doctor 's Book
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
in them to all their Posterity Those Places Psal. 22. 16. They pierced my Hands and my Feet And ver 18. They part my Garments among them and cast Lots upon my Vesture Calvin is enclined to interpret simply and not concerning Christ he would have them to be only metaphorical Expressions of David's Calamities and Sufferings notwithstanding it is expresly said by the Evangelist St. Matthew that those things were done to Christ that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet Matth. 27. 35. And by the Evangelist St. Iohn This was done that the Scripture should be fulfilled ch 19. 36 37. And so as to that Text Ier. 31. 22. The Lord hath created a new thing in the Earth a Woman shall compass a Man The same Author will not have this Prophecy for such it is though it seems to speak of a thing past it being the Custom of prophetick Writers to signify the future Time by the past as you shall hear afterwards he will not I say have this Prediction refer in the least to Christ and the Virgin Mary It is ridiculous he saith to understand it so And some other Prophecies which are meant of Christ he understands otherwise confining himself to the bare Letter of the Words Thus this excellent Person out of an Affectation of Novelty perverts those Scriptures which the antient Fathers quoted as spoken of Christ and he plainly tells us that the Fathers abused those Places But which is far worse he refuseth to expound some of those Texts of the Old Testament concerning Christ notwithstanding the Evangelical Writers in the New Testament alledg them as punctually fulfilled in him and in what he suffered For this Reason that renowned Man may be thought to incline to Iudaism or Arianism as much as Erasmus is thought by some for you shall find the one as well as the other interpreting Places of Scripture which speak of Christ quite to another Sense One of the Worthies of our Church excuseth the former of these Persons after this manner and why may not the same Excuse serve for the latter It was saith he rather fear lest he should give Offence unto the Jews than any Desire or Inclination to comply with them which makes him sometimes give the same Interpretations of Scriptures which they do without Search after farther Mysteries than the Letter it self doth administer It was the Candour of this excellent Divine to apologize thus for that great Man and the same Apology may serve for the other yet certainly we ought to supply the Defect of their Expositions on those Places by adding the secondary and mystical Sense to them else we leave those Texts maimed and imperfect yea we rob them of that which is most considerable and precious in them that which is the Dabar Gadol as the Jewish Masters call the mystical Sense this being great in comparison of the literal one which is call'd by them Dabar Katon little and inconsiderable viz. in respect of the other This was the Fault of another great Man great in Name as well as Worth Herein he disdains not to tread in the Steps of Mr. Calvin though in many other things he is very averse to his Expositions We shall find that when he treats of the Texts in the Old Testament which speak concerning Christ he generally interprets them in the first and literal Sense contrary to the Practice of all Apostolical and Antient Expositors who constantly search into the mystical Sense of Scripture as the choicest Treasure that is to be found in it Gold and Diamonds and the richest Gems lie hid in the Bowels of the Earth The richest and most precious Truths of Heaven are treasured up in the Entrails of this Holy Book they are hid in the most inward Recesses of it Demoâ—ritus could say Truth lies hid in a deep Pit This is most certain of Divine Truth contained in the Holy Scripture besides what we meet with in the Letter and Surface of it there is yet a more choice Discovery to be made by searching into the Depths of it and by Discerning the spiritual Meaning those deep things of God which lie covered under the Letter and History It is a Rule that holds good concerning the Divine as well as Humane Laws He that conâ—ines himself to the Letter sticks in the mere Bark and Outside and can go no further he reacheth not to the inward Sense Pith and Mind of those Laws We must needs fall short of the Truth of Scripture that sacred Law given us by God unless we indeavour to acquaint our selves with both these not only the historical but the more sublime and mystical Sense of it Both these jointly make up Divine Truth Therefore that is a good Rule in interpreting Scripture which was practised by Athanasius We saith he do not take away the Literal Sense to bring in the Spiritual one but we maintain the more powerful Meaning of the Spirit by keeping up the literal Sense These two must go together If we lay aside the former the Scripture is no longer Scripture i. e. a written Law made up of Letters and if we lay aside the latter we do Despite to the Spirit of Grace who hath lodged a farther Meaning in the Holy Scriptures which were inspired by him than that which is contained in the Letter Wherefore to understand the Scriptures as we should do we must be careful to find out the secondary or mystical Interpretation of the Words as well as the primary or literal And that we may know when the Sense is of the former and not of the latter sort it will be needful to observe these following Rules The first is given us by R. Ben-Ezra thus If any Precept in Scripture be not consonant to Reason it must not be taken in the simple or literal Sense as that Place Circumcise the Foreskin of your Hearts Deut. 10. 16. We cannot suppose this to be understood literally because saith he it is so unreasonable and absurd a thing yea indeed it is utterly impossible for there is no such thing as the Praeputium of the Heart In these and the like Places a spiritual Sense must be searched for otherwise we must assert that the Scripture enjoins us the doing of those things which cannot be done Besides if we understand it literally i. e. of the circumcising or paring off any Part of the Heart this is an inhumane and bloody thing to do this is to be cruel to our selves yea 't is Self-murder Therefore according to a second Rule which I am to propound this cannot be the Sense of the Place and consequently the literal Meaning is not intended here The Rule is this That all Precepts or Prohibitions which as to their Sound are wholly repugnant to the Moral Law and the express Command of God there contain in them some mystical or spiritual Sense By this you may judg of the Meaning of those Places of Scripture Prov. 23. 2. Put a
excellent Philosophy in several Places of Holy Scripture yet these Writings were never intended mainly for this End but for one far higher and nobler Hence it is that you hear the Holy Writers speaking sometimes not according to the very Nature of the things but according to their Appearance and the Opinion Men have of them Yea they oftentimes express themselves according to the received Opinions although they be erroneous and false as in the Instance before mentioned Theodoret gives us the Reason of it in his first Interrogatory upon Genesis he bâ—gins his Work with This that the Holy Script 〈◊〉 wont to sute its 〈◊〉 of Teaching to the 〈◊〉 of the Learne◠〈◊〉 d in another Place 〈◊〉 like purpose 〈◊〉 Scripture saith he 〈◊〉 as is most 〈◊〉 and fit for Men. The 〈◊〉 Ghost in it is pleased to condescend to their Capacities and to adapt himself to their shallow Apprehensions Thus frequently in the Scripture corporeal Properties are attributed to God you read of his Face and Back-parts Exod. 33. 23. and that these latter were seen by Moses which is spoken by way of Anthropopathy as Divines commonly speak i. e. after the manner of Men in compliance with their weak Capacities As when a Man's Face and Fore-parts are seen there is a considerable Discovery and Knowledg of his Person but when he is seen behind only it is imperfectly so was it when God appeared to Moses he shew'd himself to him not fully but in part as when a Man turns away his Face from another and lets him see only his Back-parts And so in other Places of Scripture we read of God's Eyes Ears Hands Feet and other bodily Parts and Members but we must not forget here the old Rule of Cyril of Alexandria When Members and Parts are attributed to God it is said after the manner of Men but it is to be understood in a Sense sutable to the Divine Nature And Athanasius hath the like Words on this Occasion But the not attending to this gave Rise to the Sect of the Anthropomorphites who pervesly understanding those Texts which ascribe these Parts to God held him to be Corporeal and of Humane Shape Tâ—ey 〈◊〉 not knowing not rightly interpreting the 〈◊〉 which sometimes speak after the Guise of 〈◊〉 in condescension to 〈◊〉 shallow Understandâ—â—â— Thus Gen. 6. 6. It 〈…〉 Lord that he 〈◊〉 Man and 1 Sam 〈◊〉 The Lord repented 〈◊〉 he made Saul King are 〈◊〉 that is as spoken in a vulgar manner and after the way of Mortals who when they repent abandon their former Doings So when God is said to repent that which we are to understand by it is this that he acts in a contrary manner to what he did before As in the forementioned Places it repented the Lord that he made Man the meaning is that he purposed to destroy Mankind viz. with a Deluge for so you find it explain'd in the next Verse the Lord said I will destroy Man whom I have created And when 't is said The Lord repented that be made Saul King the meaning is that he â—â—â—â—osed to depose him and set up another as you read he gave Order in the Words immediately following in the next Chapter Therefore Theodoret saith well God's Repenting is no other than the changing of his Dispensation And thus we are to interpret this Expression where-ever it occurs in Holy Writ for in many other Places God is said to repent of what he did as knowing that the Phrase of this Sacred Book is oftentimes fitted to the Apprehensions and Language of Men and not the absolute Reality of the thing That of St. Chrysostom is certainly true God accommodates himself sometimes to humane Infirmity when he speaks in Scripture So those Words are to be understood in Gen. 11. 5. The Lord came down to see the City And again ver 7. Let us go down which are spoken in a vulgar manner and with respect to the shallow Conceptions of Mankind And the same Expression is used in Gen. 18. 20 21. Exod. 3. 7 8. Psal. 144. 5. Isa. 64. 1. God is here said to come down which signifies God's taking more than ordinary Notice of the Actions of Men and his designing to do some extraordinary thing The Scripture calls the Angels that appeared to Abraham Men because they feem'd to be such The Man Gabriel you read of in Dan. 9. 21 because he appear'd in the Shape of Man And so in the New Testament the Angles at our Saviour's Sepulchre are stiled young Men because as to outward Appearance they were such Nothwithstanding what some Commentators have said upon 1 Sam. 28. 15. Samuel said to Saul and again ver 16. Then said Samuel I am fully perswaded that those Words are spoken according to the Appearance not the real Truth of the thing The Name of Samuel is given to the Devil or Spectre that appeared but we are not to think that Samuel himself in Body and Soul appear'd for 't is ridiculous as well as impious to imagine that the departed Saints are at the Command and Disposal of a Necromantick Witch a Cursed Sorceress a Hellish Hag as if she could fetch them down from the Celestial Regions when she pleaseth But this she did she raised a Spectre or substituted some Person who resembled Samuel whom she represented to Saul's Sight as if he were the Prophet Samuel indeed Thence we read in this Sacred History that Samuel said to Saul because he who appear'd in Samuel's Likeness was thought to be Samuel and thought to speak to Saul Thus a Learned Father long since expounded this Passage of Scripture and gives us this as the Reason of it We find this saith he to be the Custom of Scripture that oftentimes it relates that which is only in appearance instead of what is true and real And with him agrees another of the learned Antients The Sacred History saith he calls the Apparition Samuel because Saul believed it to be the real Samuel for the Scripture speaks frequently according to other Mens Belief and Notions So it usually calls those Gods that are not really such but because the false and feigned Deities of the Heathens were reputed True Gods by them therefore the Name of Gods is given them often in the Old Testament and sometimes in the New But to confine my self to this latter here we find several things delivered not according to the Reality of the Matter spoken of but according to the Sense and Notion of others So I understand our Saviour's Words Matth. 12. 5. The Priests in the Temple profane the Sabbath i. e. by killing of Beasts and doing other laborious Work they according to you profane that Holy-day according to the Notion which you Pharisees have of keeping and breaking the Sabbath and according to which you condemn me and my Disciples as Profaners of that Day The Phrase used by St. Mark ch 1. 32. is according to a very vulgar Conceit
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sun did dip And the same Expression is in Luke 4. 40. for the Sun seems to dive or be drowned in the Sea when it goes down This is the Apprehension of those that inhabit near the Sea In such a Sense as this must the Apostle be understood when he saith It pleased God by the Foolishness of Preaching to save them that believe 1 Cor. 1. 21. It is call'd Foolishness not as if it were really such but because it was commonly reputed so by those that were not competent Judges because as Theodoret excellently saith it was by Fools call'd Foolishness Especially it was denominated so by those who thought themselves great Masters of Wisdom wherefore the Apostle explains himself afterwards and saith this Preaching was to the Greeks Foolishness ver 23. Nay you read of the Foolishness of God ver 25. which can be meant in no other Sense than this that this Excellent Dispensation of preaching the Gospel which was of God's own Appointment was reckon'd as a weak and foolish Institution by those doughty Boasters and Pretenders to Wisdom To them and such as they were it seem'd to be Foolishness but really it was no such thing for the Apostle calls it the Wisdom of God ver 24. Thus the Scripture speaks sometimes according to the Opinion of others though it be not true So I apprehend those Expressions of the Apostle are to be understood 2 Cor. 5. 13. Whether we be besides our selves or whether we be sober i. e. we seem to our Enemies to be besides our selves to be distracted when we commend our selves and then only they think us sober when we speak submissively and in a self-denying Stile In the same Sense we are to take Chap. 11. 1 16 17. where he calls his necessary apologizing for himself Folly and speaking foolishly not that 't was so in it self but because it was accounted so by some In another Place he calls Epimenides the Cretian Poet a Prophet because he was thought to be such an one by his Countrymen not that he deserv'd that Name Here likewise you will see that things are sometimes expressed in a popular way and according to the vulgar Sense and Opinion as when it is said the Stars of Heaven fell unto the Earth Rev. 6. 13. which cannot be really and philosophically true for these Luminaries by reason of their vast Magnitude cannot fall upon the Earth there is no room for them in so small a Compass But perhaps by the falling of these heavenly Lights from their Stations is meant some Great and Notable Defection in the World a Mighty Confusion and Disorder so that the Fabrick of the Universe was as 't were broken up and dissolved Or by Stars here are meant Great Men and Magistrates and their falling to the Earth signifies their being displaced from their high Station and so 't is a Metaphor and belongs to another Place And many other Passages there are which I will not now particularly enumerate And indeed some of these are so common and obvious that I should have forborn the mentioning of them but that it was somewhat requisite to touch upon them when I am representing to you the different and various Guises of the Scriptural Stile It is common also in the Writings of the Evangelists and Apostles to speak with reference to humane Properties and bodily Actions even when God himself and the most Divine things are treated of So we often read of Christ's sitting at the right Hand of God whereas 't is acknowledged that a right Hand cannot properly be attributed to God nor can our Saviour in strictness of Speech be said to sit at God's right Hand for then he could not be said to stand there Acts. 7. 56. Wherefore it is evident that these Expressions are used only in compliance with the common Language of Men who generally prefer the right Hand before the left and to sit or stand at one's Right Hand denotes great Advancement and Honour So that when those Modes of Speaking are applied to our Blessed Lord the plain Meaning is that after all his Labours and Sufferings he is highly dignified by God he is exalted to unspeakable Honour he is advanced to such a Glorious State wherein he is invested with absolute Power and Soveraignty and is able to protect defend and reward his Church and to confound their most powerful and malicious Adversaries This is to sit at the right Hand of God So he is said to be in the Bosom of the Father John 1. 18. which bears the same Signification with Matth. 3. 17. This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased for whom we Love we familiarly embrace and take into our Bosoms So in the Gospel we find our Saviour setting forth many Divine and Spiritual things by those that are Humane and Carnal herein comporting with our Infirmities and delivering those Sacred things in such Language and Expression as are adequate to our imperfect Ideas of those things It is a known Maxim among the Jews and a very true one The Law speaks in the Language of the Sons of the Men that is the Words of Scripture are accommodated to the Vulgar Speech and in that to the meanest Apprehensions And this holds good not only of the Old but New Testament Wherefore it was unreasonably and maliciously objected by Celsus against the Scriptures that they were not politely and accurately writ Origen in answer to this tells him that this was purposely and designedly done namely that all Persons might profit by the Holy Writings that the Vulgar and Illiterate as well as the Learned might be edified by them We have saith he using the Apostle's Words this Treasure in Earthen Vessels that the Excellency of the Power may be of God and not of Men. 2. It may further be observed that the Holy Scripture resembles the Phrases in Other Writers If any Critick should dare to find fault with the Holy Stile it were easy to defend it by maintaining and proving that it speaks as the Best Authors and Writers do the Phraseology in them is alike in sundry Places Many Expressions of Heathens fall in exactly with the Terms of Scripture To be at the Feet of one in the Sacred Stile signifies to follow to be his Servant 1 Sam. 25. 27. 2 Sam. 15. 16. 1 Kings 20. 10. I call'd him to my Feet Deut. 33. 3. i. e. I call'd him to follow me to be my Servant and in several other Places the Scripture speaks after this manner The very same way of Speaking is not unusual among profane Authors To stand at their Feet was among the Romans applied to Servants in respect of their Masters for they waited on them at Table or as they lay on their Beds with their Feet stretch'd out Whence that of Seneca Servus qui coenanti ad pedes steterat c. or this was said because they stood behind them at their Heels So in
Hunter before the Lord where saith One the Name of the Lord is added to heighten the sense as is frequent in the Hebrew Stile But two things I here urge to enervate this Interpretation First It is not the bare Name of God or Lord that is here added as in other Texts The exact rendring of Lipni Iehovah which are the words here is ad facies ad conspectum Domini and is well translated before the Lord which signifies the bold and impudent Usurpation and Tyranny of this first Monarch This hardned Oppressor had no regard either to God or Man yea he committed his Violences and Ravages in defiance of the Great Lord and Soveraign of the World this is to be a Hunter a Persecutor a Tyrant before the Lord and so you see it is not that Hebraism we are now to treat of Secondly There was no need of that way of Speech here for the Greatning and Heightning of the sense were before express'd by the term Gibbor mighty wherefore there was no occasion to add the Name of God as a mark of Intension If you observe the Instances which I shall afterward produce you will find that God's Name is used when there was no word to express Greatness or Eminency in the preceding words For these Reasons I expunge this first Text out of the Number of the Instances which ought to be mention'd here And after the same rate I must deal with that other Prov. 20. 27. The Spirit of Man is the Candle of the Lord where the last word is asserted by a late Learned Critick to be added in which he follows Drusius in his Hebrew Proverbs as an Auxesis that is only to augment the sense and therefore he saith the Candle of the Lord is no more than a most Excellent Candle or Light But if we consider the words aright we shall not find such an Hebraism in them The Text is easie and plain without any thing of this Nature for the Wise Man here acquaints us that the Spirit of Man his Nobler and Divine part the Intellect especially that Bright and Glorious Faculty was given to him by God on purpose to be a Light and Guide to him to make him capable of enquiring into and attaining a knowledge of the Profoundest Truths the most remote and recondite Mysteries either in Nature or Religion that is meant here by searching all the inward Parts of the Belly Thus the Sagacious Mind of Man is the Candle or Lamp of the Lord the word Lord here signifying to us the Author and Giver of this Noble Faculty And therefore I something wonder at what this Learned Writer adds in the same place viz. That our English Translation the Spirit of Man is the Candle of the Lord is an odd Expression and somewhat difficult surely to make a good sense of whereas the same Expression is used in the Scripture in other places and bears a very good sense as you have heard Some have thought that Musical Instruments of God 1 Chron. 16. 42. and Instruments of Musick of the Lord 2 Chron. 7. 6. denote the Loudness or Excellency of the Temple-Musick but this Fancy arose from their not attending to the true Reason which is given in the latter of these places where after Instruments of Musick of the Lord is immediately added which David the King had made to Praise the Lord therefore they were so call'd Nor can I be perswaded that a Man of God which we often read of imports only an Excellent Man as some have suggested but it speaks his more particular and peculiar Relation to God as a Prophet I come now to offer some Examples where the Hebrew way of Speaking by mentioning God to signify the Greatness or Excellency of a thing is very apparent and unquestionable as Gen. 30. 8. Wrestlings of God according to the Hebrew i. e. great strong and vehement Wrestlings 1 Sam. 14. 15. a Trembling of God which we rightly translate a very great Trembling 1 Sam. 10. 5. the Hill of God Psal. 36. 6. the Mountains of God i. e. the great Hills and Mountains Cedars of God Psal. 80. 10. rendred goodly the Trees of the Lord Psal. 104. 16. i. e. exceeding great or high Trees To which Texts that are generally acknowledg'd to bear this sense I will presume to add another viz. Psal. 65. 9. the River of God i. e. a Vast Great River And what is that The Clouds or Rain which are poured down upon the Earth in great abundance For if you read that part of the Psalm you 'll see it speaks of the great Blessing of Rain Thou visitest the Earth and waterest it thou greatly enrichest it with the River of God c. to the end of the Psalm This Vast Mass of Waters is according to the Hebrews stiled a River of God it is as 't were a Great Excellent River flowing down from Heaven Though I do not exclude the other sense contain'd in it that 't is from God and that 't is a singular Argument and Token of God's Care and Providence Cant. 8. 6. is a place little taken notice of the Flame of the Lord i. e. as we truly translate it a most Vehement Flame So the Voice of God Ezek. 1. 24. 10. 5. that is a very loud and terrible Voice The Breath of God Job 37. 10. i. e. a Vehement sharp Wind. And it is not unlikely that Isa. 59. 19. is to be understood thus Ruach Iehovah not as we translate it the Spirit of the Lord but the Wind of the Lord i. e. a great tempestuous Wind. I gather this to be the meaning from what went before when the Enemy shall come in like a Floud then saith the Prophet the Almighty Power of God like some Great and Vehement Wind shall drive it back shall put it to flight as we see great Waters and Floods are oftentimes beat back as well as violently thrust forward by mighty Winds Another place which hath not been observed is Iob 15. 11. Are the Consolations of God small with thee which are Eliphaz's words wherewith he reproves Iob for undervaluing the Consolatory Arguments which had been offer'd to him by himself and his other Friends and these Topicks of Comfort were not mean and ordinary but of a very peculiar Nature Iob's Fault is aggravated from this that he despised and slighted so Great Comforts when they were tender'd to him and Great they were as you read in the 9th and 10th Verses because they were offer'd by Persons of great Vnderstanding Age and Experience And the Antithesis which is here doth shew this to be the sense of the place Are these Great Consolations saith he Small with thee Dost thou look for Greater and Stronger Arguments to support and cheer thee than these are I am of opinion therefore that Tanchumoth El the Consolations of God are the same with Great Consolations Jon. 3. 3. is a known Text where it is said Nineâ—eh was an Exceeding great City Hebr.
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this as well as the other Texts beforenamed Which manner of Speech is borrowed from the Hebrews who use this way of expressing themselves and from whom some Heathen Authors have derived it as may be seen in some of their Writings Next we may take notice of that Hebraism in the New Testament which I observ'd before to be in the Old one viz. the using of God's Name to augment and inhanse a thing Of this Nature seems to be that in Acts 7. 20. Moses was fair to God for so 't is according to the Greek but is fitly rendred by our English Translators exceeding fair for the Name of God being here adjoined advanceth the sense and denotes to us that Moses was transcendently and superlatively Fair he was a Child of Extraordinary Beauty he was as the French Version hath it divinement beau divinely beautiful of most Astonishing and Divine Features The like Expression I conceive is that of the Apostle when he saith The Lord shall descend from Heaven with a Shout with the Voiâ—e of the Arâ—hangel and with the Trumpet of God 1 Thess. 4. 16. This Trumpet of God may be that kind of Hebraism whereby the Greatness and Wonderfulness of a thing are expressed by adding the Name of God to it And accordingly in Mat. 24. which gives us an account of the Signs of the Day of Judgment you read that the Son of Man shall send his Angels with a Great sound of a Trumpet ver 31. which is the same that the Apostle calls the Trumpet of God Of this sort is 2 Cor. 10. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exceeding Powerful as Sir N. Knatchbull rightly translates it and 2 cor 11. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am zealous toward you with a Zeal of God i. e. I exceedingly affect you in an extraordinary manner I am Zealous for you So the Harps of God Rev. 15. 2. are Excellent Heavenly Musick And I will offer one Place more which I think may be referr'd to this Head Iohn 6. 28 29. the Works of God i. e. Some Great and Eminent Works of Religion which surpass all others Thus you see that God's Name is used in the Sacred Stile as an Intensive Term and to Aggrandize the thing which is spoken of So in Conformity to the Hebrew Phrase in the Old Testament mention'd before we read of the Sons or Children of this or that which signifies according to the Hebrew Propriety of Speech that they are Sharers or Partakers of such a thing or that they are obnoxious and liable to it or that they have great Inclination and Dâ—sire towards it or are Conversant in it or much given and addicted to it or do in a special manner belong and appertain to it In one or other of these Senses the following places are to be understood the Children of the Bride-Chamber Mat. 9. 15 i. e. those that belong'd to it and had the favour to be admitted into it those that were invited to the Marriage and were interested in the Bridegroom and Bride the Children of Hell Mat. 23. 15. i. e. those that are liable to it and shall partake of its Torments or it is as much as the Children of the Devil i. e. those who have given themselves to him by a voluntary addicting themselves to Vice the Children of Wisdom Luk. 7. 35. those that are conversant in it the Sons of Peace Luk. 10. 6. such who addict themselves to Peace or who shall be sharers in the Blessing of Peace the Children of this World Luk. 16. 8. those whose Inclinations and Desires are chiefly after this World to whom are opposed in the same Verse the Children of Light they who despise this dark World here below and breath and long after the Light and Glory of another State of a future Life the Children of the Resurrection Luk. 20. 36. those who have a part a share in the blessed Resurrection to Life everlasting Children of Disobedience Eph. 5. 6. Col. 3. 6. those that give themselves up whollâ— to Disobediencce the same with Sons of Belial before-mentioned the Sons of Perdition John 17. 12. 2 Thess. 2. 3. those that are certainly liable to Perdition and Destruction Children of Promise Rom. 9. 8. Gal. 4. 28. those who shall share in the Promise Children of Wrath Eph. 2. 3. those who are liable to God's Wrath. This is the Hebrew way of speaking he is call'd the Son of this or that who hath some special relation to it That also savours of the Hebrew Idiom Are ye able to drink of the Cup that I shall drink of Mat. 20. 22. Joh. 18. 11. The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it If it be possible let this Cup pass from me Mat. 26. 39. And you read of the Cup of the Wine of the fierceness of God's Wrath Rev. 16. 19. And again Chap. 14. 10. Ch. 18. 6. The Cup signifies with the Hebrews any thing good or bad that befals a Man because those of the same Family or Table drink of the same Cup or Vessel every one hath his part and share of it better or worse as the Drink is And so the Phrase denotes either the Good or Evil that happens to us but most commonly the latter Or perhaps the occasion of the Phrase was this the Guests had antiently their certain Quantity and Measure of Drink and Meat appointed them at Feasts by the Master or Governour of the Feast from which Custom of distributing a certain Portion God is said to Give or Distribute his Cup and the Cup and Drinking are used for the Calamities and Sufferings which he is pleased to allot them So our Saviour's Words are to be understood the Cup which he was to drink and which his Father gave him was the Sufferings which he was to undergo The Cup of the Wine of the Fierceness of God's Wrath was no other than the Plagues and Judgments which were to be inflicted on Mystical Babylon This manner of Speaking was taken from the Old Testament where you read of the Cup of God's Fury and the Cup of Trembling Isa. 51. 17. and many such other Expressions there are in the Books of the Prophets That of the Apostle in 1 Tim. 1. 17. is a pure Hebraism Now to the King Eternal or as 't is in the Original to the King of Ages which is an Expression to set forth Eternity Accordingly the Psalmist saith Thy Kingdom is a Kingdom of all Ages which we rightly translate an everlasting Kingdom Psal. 145. 13. In the Lord Iehovah is the Rock or Strength of Ages Isa. 26. 4. which is truly rendred Everlasting Strength And that in Isa. 9. 6. the Father of the Age or of Eternity or the everlasting Father as we translate it is something like it Bread is the general word in the New Testament to signify all Food and Provision for the sustaining of Man's Life as in that Prayer which our Lord taught his Disciples Give
that is the Scripture hath Words and Phrases proper to it self it hath some things extraordinary and which are unusual with the rest of Authors But I will insist no longer on this here because I may have occasion in my next Discourse viz. concerning the Excellency and Perfection of Scripture to suggest several things which will discover the Peculiar Straiâ— of the Bible The Fourth â—â—oposiâ—â—on is That there are somâ— things Obscure and Difficult in the Stile of Scripture I will give you an account of this in these following Particulars 1. Obscurity and Difficulty may arise from the Different Signification of the same words in Scripture 2. From the Contrariety of the same words as to their Signification 3. From Other Causes relating to the Matter it self spoken of and the Time c. Under which Heads I intend to prosecute that Design which I formerly was upon viz. An Enquiry into several Remarkable Texts of the Holy Scripture which contain some Difficulty in them I shall have occasion here to discover the Grounds of that Difficulty and to shew how it may be removed And when the Sentiments of others are not satisfactory I will make bold to interpose my own Judgment First Sometimes in Scripture there are Words of Different Signification whence it comes to pass that it is very hard to understand those places where these words are And it is impossible to satisfy our selves about the meaning of them in the Texts where we find them unless we take pains to examine the particular Congruity of one Sense rather than another to that particular Thing or Person to which it is applied Yea sometimes when we meet with such a Doubtful Word we shall find it reasonable to make use of both the Senses of it that is to propound them both and to leave it free to Persons to make choice of which they please I will give some Instances of this as that in Gen. 39. 1. Captain of the Guard which may as rightly be translated according to Iosephus Antiq. l. 2. c. 3. Chief of the Cooks for the LXX render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Hebrew Tabbach the Plural whereof is here used is a Cook 1 Sam. 8. 13. Ch. 9. 23 24. and is so translated The truth is the genuine rendring of Tabbach is Mactator a Slayer and so is applicable either to a Cook or a Soldier The double sense of the Word occasions some doubt about the Translation but it is of no moment at all for we are not to be concern'd whether Potiphar was Pharaoâ—'s Head-Cook which without doubt was an Honourable Place or the Captain of his Guard or Army as the Vulgar Latin gives it So in Gen. 41. 43. they cried before him Abrek the word Abrek may be differently rendred viz. either according to Aben-Ezra Aquila the Vulgar Latin and our own English Translation bow the Knee deriving it from barak genu flexit or according to Solomon Iarchi and the Paraphrases of Onkelos and Ionathan Father of the King for Rek in the Aramaean Tongue is â—ex and thence perhaps this Latin word or according to the Ierusalem Targum Father of the King and tender in Years or according to Symmachus tender Father from Ab Pater and Rech tener sen delicatue because Ioseph was as to his Prudence a Father as to his Age a Tender Youth Thus this word being of a dubious Signification according to the different Etymologies it hath may be diversly translated and every one is at liberty to choose which of these Senses he most approvâ—s of I cannot see how the Doubtfulness of such words as this can be wholly taken away and consequently the Scripture as to such words must remain Dubious and Obsâ—ure that is as to the particular and close import of them But 't is sufficient that we have the general sense of them as here though we are ignorant of the right and only Derivation of the word Abrâ—â—h and after all the foremention'd Surmises it is most probable as hath been said before that 't is an Egyptian word yet this we are certain of that it was a word of Acclamation and Honour that the People used toward Ioseph and 't is not requisite to know any more in order to the understanding of the Place It is thus in the New Testament it is said of Iudas that he went and hanged himself Mat. 27. 5. So we translate it indeed and very well but the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of a more general import signifying that he was strangl'd or choak'd which may be done either by a String which is properly Hanging or by Excessive Grief which stifled his Spirits and accordingly we may render the Word either of these ways viz. Actively he hanged himself i. e. he ended his Life with a Halter or Passively he was Choaked namely by a sudden stopping of his Breath and Suffocation of his Spirits through Melancholy and Grief Either of these Senses may be admitted yea both of them as I have shew'd in another place Wherefore the best rendring of the words is I conceive this Judas strangled himself or was strangled because this takes in both It is said of the Pharisees Mark 7. 3. Except they wash their Hands oft they eat not where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is translated oft hath different Significations and accordingly may be rendred diversly First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the Fist or Hand closed and so here is meant their way of Washing their Hands by thrusting the Fist into the Palm of the Hand Secondly The Greek word signifies also the Elbow and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as up to the Elbow and denotes another particualar way of Washing among the Conceited Pharisees by letting the Water drop from their Hands being held up to the very Elbows Thirdly The word may be rendred diligently or according to the Syriack accurately and so signifies to us that great Care and Exactness they used in their Ceremonious Washings Lastly Our Translators according to another acception of the word and following the Vulgar Latin render it oft Any of these four ways the word may be taken and the Dubiousness of it should not in the least trouble us because we understand the grand thing contain'd in the words viz. That the Jews but especially the Pharisees were very superstitiously addicted to their Washings and placed the greatest part of their Religion in that and the like External Observances I could instance in 2 Tim. 2. 19. The Foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal c. which Text may admit of this Translation also The Covenant of God standeth sure having this Inscription for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies not only a Foundation but a Covenant or Instrument of Contract and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies an Inscription as well as a Seal There were two Parts of the Covenant I will be your God and ye shall be my People So here in the
following words The Lord knoweth them that are his And Let every one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from Iniquity See further in Dr. Hammond Next I will mention that of the Apostle Heb. 12. 1. The Sin which doth so easily beset us So we translate it and so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth but it hath three other Significations and according to them may be differently rendred S. Chrysostom gives the senâ—e thus the Sin which may easily â—e avoided for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence the word comes hath such a Signification and then the meaning is that not only the great and heavy Sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the weight but lighter and lesser Sins must be declined must be carefully avoided There is another Signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. That Sin which hath fair Arguments and Pretences for it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is applied when there are no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no favourable Circumstances no plausible Reasons and Arguments to commend a thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then signifies that which hath Goodly Circumstances and Arguments to recommend it Such have some Sins especially as those that are accompanied with much Profit or Pleasure against these therefore the Apostle exhorts us here to arm our selves he would have us in a more especial manner to beware of those Vices which are so Tempting There is yet another rendring of the words according to Theophylact for he observes that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Periculum Discrimen and indeed the Stoicks generally use the word in this sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is according to Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies Affliction Necessity Trouble And the Fathers sometimes use it thus in their Writings So that the Apostle adviseth us here to shun those Sins especially which bring us into great Dangers and Difficulties those that are accompanied even with bodily Calamities and Judgments as some kinds of Sins generally are Those Vices that are thus circumstantiated are to be avoided with singular Caution But I confess I do not think this to be the meaning here for the Adverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 join'd with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather shews that the Circumstances are good And of the other three Interpretations I look upon the first to be the best because it is according to the clearest and most obvious sense of the Greek word and withal it agrees with the Mind of the Apostle in the whole Verse where taking his Metaphor from the Olympick Races he exhorts the Jewish Converts to run with Patience the Race that was set before them and in order to that to lay aside every Weight or Incumbrance as the Racers were wont to do and the Sin which did so easily beset them compass them about hinder and retard them in their Christian Course as Long or Heavy Garments are an hindrance to those that run for any observing Eye may see that he continues the Metaphor Thus you see words have Different Senses and so may be translated differently and hence the true Meaning is difficultly to be reach'd sometimes I will mention one Instance more which is to be found both in the Old and New Testament There we often read of the Spirit no word is more usual with the Sacred Writers than this and it is as true that no word hath more Various Significations whence sometimes doth arise no small Difficulty in interpreting some of those places where this word occurreth Suffer me then to give a full and ample Account of the Different Significations of it that it may not administer occasion of Obscurity in the Stile of Scripture First The word Spirit is applied to God and particularly to the Third Person in the Undivided Trinity who is Emphatically call'd the Spirit in the Old Testament as in Gen. 1. 2. Gen. 6. 3. and in almost iunumerable other places and the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost by way of Eminency in the New Testament Mat. 3. 16. Iohn 1. 32. Rom. 8. 14 c. Secondly It signifies the Gifts Graces Fruits Effects and Operations of the Holy Spirit as 1. Any Signal Qualities or Endowments whatsoever any Skill or Ability to do things well and laudably Thus Bezaliel was filled with the Spirit of God Exod. 31. 3 5. to work in all manner of Workmanship And Gifts of any sort are call'd the Spirit in other places 2. The Saving Graces of the Holy Spirit as in Iude ver 19. having not the Spirit and in several other places 3. The Power of the Spirit to accomplish some very great and extraordinary thing thus Caleb had another Spirit Num. 14. 24. i. e. he had Power to effect those things which he could not do before Ioshuah was a Man in whom was the Spirit Num. 27. 18. Thus the Spirit of God and the Spirit of the Lord are said in Scripture to come upon to fall upon to be poured out to be put upon Persons that is they had an unusual and extraordinary Power to do this or that To be moved and to be led by the Spirit are in the same Signification viz. to be enabled to enterprize and atchieve some Wonderful Thing 4. Those Extraordinary and Miraculous Gifts which were conferr'd on the Apostles and other Christians in the Infancy of the Gospel as Healing all manner of Diseases Speaking strange Languages These are express'd by this Word in 1 Cor. 14. 12. Ye are zealous of Spirits i. e. Spiritual Gifts the Extraordinary Vouchsafements of the Spirit whereby they were able to do things above Humane Power Hence you read of Speaking in the Spirit Praying with the Spirit and Singing with the Spirit 1 Cor. 14. 14 15. And in the same Chapter there is mention of the Spirits of the Prophets ver 32. i. e. the Gifts of Prophecy which they were indued with and enabled to exert in the Publick Congregation Before Christ's Ascension these Gifts were not bestow'd in a very large and liberal manner and that is the meaning of Iohn 7. 39. the Holy Ghost was not yet given And even after our Saviour's Ascension the Ephesian Christians had not heard whether there was any Holy Ghost Acts 19. 2. that is they knew nothing of these Extraordinary Gifts bestow'd on some in the Church Wherefore we read there that by the Imposition of St. Paul's Hands the Holy Ghost came upon them and they spake with Tongues and prophesied ver 6. This latter Clause explains the former letting us see that by the Holy Ghost is here meant the Miraculous Endowments of the Spirit such as speaking with strange Tongues and Prophesying in an unusual manner Of these chiefly the Apostle is to be understood in 1 Thess. 5. 19. Quench not the Spirit 5. Extraordinary Revelations and Discoveries whether under the Old or New Testament are express'd by this Word Thus 't is said there is a Spirit in Man Job 32. 8. which is explain'd
that both they and the Jews who came from Shem should embrace Christianity and this enlarging of Iapheth's Borders should be done by Perswasion by the mild and gentle Methods of the Spirit by the Perswasive Power of the Gospel preach'd to them Thus I decide the quarrel among Grammarians and Criticks about the Hebrew word by joining both the Senses of it together And this we shall find to be a good Expedient some other times The Hebrew word Chush signifies to make haste and to be ashamed saith our Learned Pocock and thence that place in Isa. 28. 16. he that believeth shall not make haste is otherwise worded in Rom. 9. 33. he that believeth on him shall not be ashamed If there be this Different acception of the Verb it is impossible without a Revelation which we have no reason to expect to tell which Sense is peculiarly designed by the Prophet for we have no Light at all from the Context to help us But seeing the Word is capable in this place of both Significations let us as before unite them together for it is certain that he who believeth will neither make haste nor be ashamed Kaphatz is claudere and also transilire viz. è loco suo whence you may read the word in Iob 24. 24. either thus they are shut up viz. in Destruction or in the Grave or they are taken out of the way The Subject Matter will permit both Translations The Signification of Rad is both dominari and plangere plorare whence there may be a double Interpretation of that place Gen. 27. 40. when thou shalt have the Dominion or when thou shalt have Mourned and both Sentences are applicable Sacal is intelligere prosperum felicem esse therefore it is hard to determine whether the word in Ios. 1. 7 8. Isa. 52. 13. Ier. 23. 5. be to be rendred in the first or the second Sense But neither in this nor the foregoing Text is any Point of Faith concern'd The meaning of the word Shanah is not only mutare but errare and accordingly it is no wonder that the word in Eccl. 8. 1. be differently rendred and may be so in some other places Dam or damam signifies either to be silent or to wait and expect consequently Psal. 62. 1. may be rendred my Soul is silent or waiteth on God Mahar is festinare and dotare or donare and therefore in Psal. 16. 4. Maharu may be either english'd they hasten or they give Gifts i. e. they bring Sacrifices and Oblations viz. to another God And we may suppose these zealous Idolaters hastned to bring these Gifts these Sacrifices and then both Senses are reconciled Palal according to the different Conjugations it is in signifies to pray and to judg thence Psal. 106. 30. is differently translated viz. Then stood up Phineas and pray'd according to our Old Translation of the Psalms or executed Iudgment according to the later Version We may join both the Senses for it is probable this zealous Man join'd Prayer with this eminent act of Justice Ashar is to walk and to pronounce blessed so discrepant are the meanings of some words whence Prov. 4. 14. may be english'd either go not in the way of Evil Men as we render it or bless not in the way of Evil Men i. e. account not pronounce not thy self Blessed or Happy whilst thou art in the way of Evil Men. And so Veasher in Prov. 23. 19. may be translated either dirige or beatifica Either of these Versions yield us a good notion of the place So because of the ambiguity of the word Tizachar which may be rendred masculum â—ascetur or memorabitur that Text Exod 34. 19. may be differently translated The double Signification of Puach is flare spirare illaqueari so that 't is doubtful whether this word in Psal. 12. 5. should be rendred pusseth at him or ensnareth him but the Sense is not impaired by either Chalam is not only somniavit but sanus fuit convaluit which makes the Original Psal. 126. 1. to be capable of either of these Translations we were like to them that dreamed or we were like to them that are restored to health both which Versions admit of a very good Sense To instance in some words that have more than two Significations Seeing the word Pharang signifies to be abandon'd and lost and likewise to be stript naked and moreover to rebel as also to be idle it is not to be wonder'd at that a Clause in Prov. 29. 18. be rendred by our English Translators the People perisheth by others as Coeceius the People is made naked by some as Arias Montanus the People is rebellious and by others as Pagnin the People are idle In such variety of Significations we cannot be Certain which to take sometimes It is sufficient that we choose that which we find most agreeable to the place Batzar in Kal is vindemiavit in Niphil abruptus est sublatus est in Piel munivit arduum fecit In these several Significations 't is taken in Scripture as it were easy to shew out of the Hebrew Concordances Bagnar according to its different Conjugations signifies to burn to feed to be furious to be stupid or brutish to take away or remove and this cannot but occasion some difference in Translations The Verb Pakad and the Nouns that are derived from it are of very dubious Signification in Scripture which must needs cause sometimes a disagreement among Interpreters Aman in Kal is nutrivit educavit in Niphal verax fuit fidelis fuit in Hipbil credidit there are divers Examples of this in the Bible Shur is canere intueri munera deferre from which triple Signification of the Word I could shew that some Texts are capable of different Versions Tsalal is obumbrari opacum reddi Ezek. 31. 3. mergi Ex. 15. 10. tinnire palpitare 1 Sam. 3. 11. Hab. 3. 16. Sacan is wonderfully diversified as to its Significations Sometimes it signifies to help or profit sometimes to attempt or make trial sometimes to accustom one's self to a thing whence there may arise some difference in translating some places but in none of these is any Grand Point of Religion concern'd Nasa hath no less than Eight Significations in the Bible as ferre portare auferre tollere elevare attollere accipere honorare consumere comburere condonare remittere pronuntaire nominare jurare And many Others Verbs there are in this Language which have more Senses than one and therefore those Texts where they occur are not so easy as others to understand There is a great variety of Significations in the Greek Verbs some whereof as the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have strangely discrepant meanings but they are not to be compared with the Hebrew ones whether you respect the Multiplicity of them or the Unlikeness and Inconsistency of the Significations among themselves This therefore must be assigned as one reason why the Sense of some Texts is dubious
he had it from a very Understanding Jew that the Hebrew word Tsagnir signifies both little and great and others that have good Skill in that Tongue assert the same It is to be understood in this place in the latter Sense and so the words ought to be rendred thus Thou Bethlehem Ephratah thou art great among the Thousands or among the Princes of Judah for the Principalities were divided into Chiliads or Thousands Iudg. 6. 15. 1 Sam. 10. 19. Thus the Prophet Micah and the Evangelist Matthew agree for great and not the least are here the same And certainly it is a far better way of reconciling them than that which a Late Writer propounds viz. That whereas we read it Tsagnir it should be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 progredere go forth for besides that this somewhat marr's the Sense of the place if we go this way to work we may alter a great many places in the Old Testament and in the New too and substitute one word for another when we please and so we shall lose a great part of the Bible in a short time this therefore is not to be allow'd of by any means There are other Nouns of a Contrary Signification as Terugnah which is both a Ioyful Shout Psal. 33. 3. and a Mournful Cry Jer. 20. 16. Chesel is not only Inconstancy or Levity but Constancy or Stedfastness and Confidence And there is a very great Discrepancy if not Contrariety in the rendrings of the word Deshen which is sometimes Ashes and sometimes Fatness But if we be mindful of the Subject Matter spoken of we can't miss of the true Sense But the Verbs which bear a Contrary Sense are most remarkable thus Sakal is lapidare lapidibus obruere commonly also elapidare lapides amovere Isa. 62. 10. Chasar is consecrari Psal. 18. 26. and execrari Prov. 25. 10. Salah is aestimare Job 28. 16 19. and spernere conculcare Psal. 119. 118. Shub is reducere convertere and avertere rebellare both Senses are common in Scripture Iaphang is to be bright and shining yet it may seem to be taken in a contrary Signification in Iob 10. 22. according to Pagnin's Translation tenebrescit sicut caligo and the Vulgar Latin favours it Tamam or tam hath a contrary Sense for it signifies to perfect or finish as in Dan. 9. 24. to finish the Vision and also to consume as in Ezek. 22. 15. I will consume thy Filthiness out of thee Kadash in the usual Import of it is to sanctify but it is used in a quite opposite Sense in Deut. 22. 9. lest the Fruit of thy Vineyard be defiled So for other Verbs it is common to find them in Contrary Meanings as Iarash to possess or inherit commonly in Scripture and to dispossess or disinherit to expel reject and impoverish Gen. 45. 11. and in other Places both which contrary Senses occur together in Iosh. 23. 5. He shall expel them from before you and ye shall possess their Land Expelling and Possessing are the same Hebrew Verb though in different Conjugations So Chata in Kal is to sin but in Piel to expiate or take away Sin There is no other way to know the proper Rendrings of these and other Words before-mentioned but by a diligent attending to the Scope and Design of the Texts where they are And thus we shall perceive which of the Senses is designed though sometimes this is done with some Difficulty I will make choice of a Text to enlarge upon to this purpose The Instances are very usual in Scripture Barak signifies both to bless and to curse and in some Places it may seem not very easy to tell which of these is intended as in those Words of Iob's Wife Iob 2. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Vulgar Latin renders benedic Deo bless God Arias Montanus and Munster follow this Version and so doth the Learned and Pious Mr. Perkins and accordingly he renders the Verse thus Dost thou still retain thine Integrity bless God and die and makes this to be the Sense of it Thou being now sorely afflicted by God and brought even to Death's Door begin now at length to cast away thy Conceitedness of thy own Righteousness acknowledg God's Hand upon thee for thy Sins confess those Sins before him pray for the Pardon of them and so end thy Days This was good Counsel saith this Worthy Person although the applying of it was mix'd with Mistake and Folly and therefore Iob told his Wife that she spoke like one of the foolish Women But the Septuagint seem to take the Words in Another and Contrary Sense and render Barek Elohim by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speak some Word or say something against the Lord for the Praeposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signify so which approacheth towards Our Translation Curse God As if Iob's Wife had said to her Husband Thou hast no reason to speak well of God thou hast been undeservedly tormented by him thou hast been an upright and righteous Man and yet none hath met with such Calamities and Plagues as thou hast done therefore my Advice to thee is that thou wouldst even curse and blaspheme God himself and then make an end of thy miserable Life by laying violent Hands on thy self In this Sense the word Barak is thought generally to be taken in 1 Kings 21. 13. Naboth did blaspheme God though even there the Greek Interpreters render it he blessed God unless by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the Word used by them be meant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which very Good Authors tell us is the Sense of the Word sometimes by an Antiphrasis Thus as the Apostle saith with the same Tongue with the same Mouth so with the same Word we both bless and curse for the same Word both in Hebrew and Greek is used sometimes for both But it is my Opinion that the Word in the former Place need not be rendred either bless or curse but that there is a middle Signification of it there That we may apprehend this the better we must know what the first and original Sense of the Verb Barak is which I perceive few have enquired into It appears from the best Hebrew Grammarians and Lexicographers that I have met with that this Word primitively signifies to salute or greet in which abstract Sense it is used twice in 2 Kings 4. 29. If thou meet any Man salute him not and if any salute thee answer him not again The Hebrew Word which we translate salute is Barak So in Gen. 47. 7. 10. this Word is used to express Iacob's solemn Saluting of Pharaoh at his coming before him and at his going out of his Presence Iacob saluted we render it blessed Pharaoh But because Kneeling was a Posture of Salutation Barak signifies also to kneel or to salute one with bowing the Knee And thence Berek a Knee and thence some have imagin'd the word Abrek comes which we read was proclaim'd before Ioseph
else two Beds held five apiece and one of them only three who it is likely were our Saviour St. Iohn and St. Peter for as next to Iohn he intimates that he should ask of Christ who was to be the Traitor This Bed whereon our Blessed Master and these two Apostles lay was the Middle Bed viz. that which was set at the End of the Table but in respect of the Beds which were placed on the two Sides was the Middle one for this was reckon'd as the uppermost and most honourable Christ lay at thâ— Head or upper End of this Bed for this was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Chief Place of Recumbency and was always reserv'd for the Worthiest Persons though I confess there was some Variation as to this among the Romans and so might be among the Jews their Imitators among whom the other End of the Middle Bed was sometimes the uppermost and most valued Moreover we may gather from Mat. 26. 23. that the Table about which the Beds were placed was square and short so that all of them could eat out of the same Dish He that dippeth his Hand with me in the Dish the same shall betray me Mat. 26. 23. In which Words our Saviour points not at one particular Person for all dipp'd their Hands in the Dish they did eat all in common for their Beds were close to the Table and the Table was not broad so that they could all conveniently reach to the Vessels in which the Meat was They could all put that is the Meaning of Dipping their Hands into the same Dish and among these that did so at this time there was one that designed to betray our Blessed Lord. But though this was the Usage then yet I must adjoin this that at the Entertainment of some Special Guests and to shew a more than ordinary Kindness to them there was another Custom antiently in use that is every one had his Portion apart at the Table Homer makes all his Heroes eat after this fashion particularly he tells us that Ajax's Allotment who 't is likely was as good at eating as fighting was a Chine of Beef for the more worthy and honourable the Guest was the greater was his Allowance But the Sacred History gives us the earliest Examples of this kind as indeed it doth of all other sorts of Usages Here we read that Ioseph when he entertained his Brethren took and sent Messes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the LXX particular Portions unto them from before him Gen. 43. 34. If it be said that the Egyptians â—ight not eat Bread with the Hebrews for that was an Abomination to the Egyptians ver 32. and that was the Reason why they had particular Parts or Messes allotted them and therefore it doth not follow thence that this was a Custom either among the Hebrews or Egyptians when they feasted asunder I answer the true Reason why the Hebrews and Egyptians did not sit and eat together at the same Table was because the one eat Flesh and the other did not and on that Account their Different Customs were abominable to one another But the dividing of the Meat and distributing a Particular Portion to every one had no reference at all to this but was a General Custom in those times and was I conceive partly founded upon this that hereby they had no Opportunity of shewing their particular Respects to the Guests according to their different Quality for the greatest and choicest Portion of Viands was allotted to those whose Place and Dignity required more than ordinary Deference or for whom they had the greatest Kindness and Love Thus in the Relation here given us Benjamin's Mess was five times so much as any of his Brethren This was a Mark of singular Favour and Affection for Ioseph was more nearly related to Benjamin than to any of the rest who indeed were but his half-Brethren but Benjamin was his Brother both by the Father's and the Mother's side Hence it may be gather'd that this Practice was not grounded on the Difference of Meats on which the Hebrews and Egyptians fed And indeed from other Instances in this Divine Book it appears that though Persons sat at the same Table and differ'd not about the sort of Food yet they had particular Messes or Portions distributed to them So when Elkanah and his Family and Friends feasted together on a solemn Occasion to shew his more especial Love and Regard to Hannah he gave to her a worthy Portion 1 Sam. 1. 5. Manah aphajim where aphajim is the same with panim as is usual in the Holy Stile a Distribution of Faces such a liberal share of Meat as shew'd a favourable Countenance a particular Respect and Love such a Portion as was usually given to the best and most beloved sort of Guests Another Remarkable Example of this we have in 1 Sam. 9. 23 24. where we read that Samuel invited Saul to a Feast and made him sit in the chiefest Place among them that were bidden for there was a Precedency in those times according to the Rank of the Persons that were invited and he said unto the Cook whom he had spoken to before to prepare this Entertainment Bring the Portion which I gave thee of which I said unto thee Set it by thee which I ordered thee to have in Readiness against the time that I call'd for it And the Cook took up the Shoulder for that was the peculiar Joint of Meat which was design'd for his Portion and indeed it appears from being the Priest's particular Portion Lev. 7. 32. that it was accounted the choicest part and that which was upon it it may be some lesser and daintier Morsels which were serv'd up in the same Dish and set it before Saul Whence it is evident that in old times they had a certain Measure and Quantity of Meat appointed them at Feasts by the Governour and Master of it This is the appointed Portion rendred by our Translators necessary Food Iob 23. 12. and this is the Food of Allowance or Appointment Prov. 30. 8. which we render Food convenient attending to the Sense rather than the Original Word The set Portions of Meat were called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Name of the Servants or Waiters that distributed them to the Guests according to the Order which they received from the Master of the Feast was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we may satisfy our selves in Lucian and other Good Writers And in this very Sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken in Mat. 20. 28. Mark 10. 45. Luke 12. 37. We read of the Ruler of the Houshold whose Office was to give them their Portion of Meat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 12. 12. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which that Word is compounded is a general Term for all Food and so the Word signifies a certain Demensum a Set Portion or Dividend of Meat that was allotted to every one at Meals And
as the Original if we will be exact in rendring it expresses it And if we interpret this Proverb in this Sense it Exactly comports with the next Verse They lay wait for their own Blood they lurk privily for their own Life Those that thus design Mischief against innocent Persons bring Ruine upon themselves and are frequently taken in that Net which they spread for others This seems to be the most Genuine Exposition of the Words but every one is left to his Liberty to choose any other Interpretation which is agreeable to the Context and opposes no other Text of Holy Scripture Which of all these Senses was at first design'd by the Holy Ghost we cannot certainly tell It may be in such Places as these of which there is a considerable Number in this Book there is a Latitude and questionless it is best it â—â—ould be so that we may with the greater Freedom search into and descant upon these Sacred Writings that we may understand the full Extent of these Excellent Moral Observations and Remarkable Sayings of this Wise King which for the most part are short and concise and therehy sometimes become somewhat difficult But if 〈◊〉 Imâ—eratoria brevital as Tacitus calls it was commendable no wise Man surely will dislike it in Solomon especially when such Divine and Admirable Truths are couched in it His next Book is entituled Ecclesiastes for the LXX by whom the worâ—â— Kabal is generally rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do accordingly render Kobeleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is probable he penn'd it when 〈◊〉 was Old and had pass'd the several Stages of Vanity It is an open Disowning of his former Folies and Extravagancies it is the Royal Preacher's Recantation-Sermon wherein he tenders himself a Publick Penitentiary Which is the Meaning as One thinks of that Title of this Book in the Hebrew Kohelâ—th or the Gathering Soul because iâ— this Book he recollects himself and gathers and râ—duceth others that wander after Vanity To this end he makes a clear and ample Discovery of the Vanity of all things under the Sun i. e. in this Life or in the whole World a Phrase peculiar to Solomon and in this Book only where it is often used Here the Wise Man convinceth us from his own Experience that none of the Acquists of this World are able to satisfy the Immortal Spirit of Man that the greatest Wit and Learning the most exquisite Pleasures and Sensual Enjoyments the vastest Confluence of Wealth and Riches and the highest Seat of Honour even the Royal Throne it self are insufficient to make a Man Happy and consequently that our Happiness must be â—ought for some where else Here we are taught that notwithstanding this World is Changeable and â—â—bieâ—t to Vanity though at one time or other all things come alike to all in it yet the Steady and Unâ—rring Providence of God rules all Affairs and Events here below and in the Conclusion of all God will bring every Work into Iudgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil Here are â—articular Directions given us how we are to discharge our Duty first with reference to our selves viz. that we ought very strictly to observe the Laws of Sobriety and Temperance and to live iâ— a Thankful Use of the good things of this World and to be Content with our Portion and Allotment in this Life and to banish all Covetous Desires and Projects As we must go to the House of Mourning i. e. be very retired and solemn very â—â—â—lous and composed and banish all superfluous Mirth and Gaiety so we must eat our Bread with Ioy i. e. live in a comfortable Fruition of these earthly Blessings and delight in these Enjoyments so far as they are lawful and innocent Our Duty to Others is here also briefly prescribed us viz. that we ought to pay a Profound Respect to Good Kings and to keep their Commandments yea that our very Thoughts towards them ought to he Reverent Then as to those who are of an Equal Level with us or inferiour to us that we shew our selves Just and Righteous to them in all our Converse and Dealings and that when we see any of them reduced to Poverty and Straits that we extend our Charity to them that we cast our Bread upon these Waters that we relieve their Wants and Necessities Lastly we are instructed in our Duty to God we are taught to approach him with â—everence and Devotion to keep our Feet when we go to his House to pay our Vows to him to remember him our Creator and Preserver to fear him and keep his Commandments and we are assured that this is the whole of Man his whole Duty and his whole Concern The Canticles or Solomon's Song is another Piece of Hebrew Poetry which he writ when he was Young and in an Amorous Vein and yet breathing most Divine and Heavenly Amours If you take it according to the Letter only it is King Solomon's Epithalamium or Wedding-Song of the same Nature with the 45th Psalm which is a Song on his Nuptials with the King of Egypt 's Daughter but in a Spiritual Sense it sets forth the Glory of Christ and his Kingdom and the Duty and Privileges of the Church which is there called the King's Daughter Such is this Dramatick Poem wherein are brought in the Bridegroom and Bride and the Friends of both alternately speaking but we must not be so gross in our Apprehensions as to conceive this to be barely a Marriage-Song as Castellio groundlesly fancieth and therefore deems it to be Scripture not of the same Stamp with the rest Besides the Literal Import of the Words in this Love-Song there is a Mystical Sense couched in them Carnal Love is here made to administer to Religion the Flesh is subservient to the Spirit and therefore by reason of this Mystery in this Love-Poem the Iews were not permitted to read it till they were of Maturity of Years If we take this Mystical Weddingâ— Song in the highest Meaning of it it is an Allegorical Description of the Spiritual Marriage and Communion between Christ and the Church it iâ— a Representation of the Mystical Nuptials of thâ— Lord Christ Jesus and Believers Their Mutuâ—â— Affections and Loves are deciphered by the Soâ— Passions and Amours of Solomon and his Royal Spouse This though the Name of God be not in it makes it a most Divine Poem and highly worthy of our most serious Perusal and Study For here we see the Gospel anticipated and the most Glorious Subject of the New Testament betimes inserted into the Old Object But is it not a great Disparagement to this and the other before-mentioned Books of Solomon that â—e was a Reprobate and finally rejected by God Are we not discouraged from receiving these Writings as Canonical Scripture when we know that the Author of them was a Damned Person For what can He be else who towards his latter end revolted from the True Religion
renders 〈◊〉 propter legem tuam and thence we may see how the Mistake arose viz. from their reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fo◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or they derived the Word from Iarah which in Hiphâ—l signifies to teach whence Torah wherâ—â— the rigth Root or Theme is jara timuit The Sventy render Ier. 16. 7. thus they shall not break Bread for them but according to the Hebrew 't is they shall not tear themselves for them whence it may be gather'd that instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So in Ezek. 34. 16. a Letter as well as a Voâ—el is mistaken viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Vau for Iod instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will destroy they read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will keep The Hebrew in Hos. 14. â— is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Calves but the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where it is evident that the Seventy read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fructus for pâ—rim vituli This certainly is a plainer and fairer Account of this Difference between the Hebreâ— and the LXX in this Place than what Dr. Pocock fancifully suggests who tells us that the Seventy's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the Word they use for an Holocaust which being of young Bullocks but we know that sort of Sacrifices was of other Animals as well as these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is made use of for â—alves for these Sacrifices were like Fruit or Banquet after a Meal But a Man would rather think they were the Meal it self for these whole Burnt-Offerings were the substantial Service of the Jews even when there were no other Sacrifices besides at the same time But we must give these Arabian Criicks leave to propound their Conjectures as well as other Men. In Hab. 1. 5. they erroneously read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so translated it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. It happens that the Translation of the Sevenâ—y differs from the Hebrew Original because the same Words in Hebrew signify different things and consequently the Rendring of them may be vaâ—ious and sometimes seem to disagree with the Original Text. As in Isa. 58. 9. because the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies both a Pot and a Thorn the Seventy render the Plural Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thorns before the Thorns feel the Briars i. e. are entangled in one another which is presently done This seems to be the Sense they intended What we according to the Hebrew render the Vally of Baca or in the Margent Mulberry-trees Psal. 8â— 6. is translated by the Septuagint the Valley of the Mourner or Weeper because the Hebrew Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be derived either from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Morus or from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flere plorarc is equivocal and so may be differently rendred And in the same Verse from the Ambiguity of the Word Moreh which is Doctor Legislator as well as Pluvia the Seventy render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa. 28. 16. is truly translated by us He that believeth shall not make haste but according to the Seventy Seniours it is thus He shall not be ashamed which is a true Translation also for the Hebrew Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies both as is evident in the Writings of the Hebrews The like is observable in Ier. 31. 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we translate I was a Husband but the Seventy render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which by the way we may take notice is a Fault of the Transcribers for it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we learn from Heb. 8. 9. where this Place is alledged I regarded not The Ground of the different Version is this the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath both these Significations viz. to be a Husband and to despise or not have regard to I have already on another Occasion set down the Different Significations of Hebrew Verbs which the Reader may consult and thence enlarge upon this Head Indeed the Places are almost innumerable wherein you may see this Particular exemplified This therefore will in a great Measure solve the Difference between the Hebrew and the LXX's Version viz. that one Word signifies two or more things and thence may be differently rendred Where there is a Variety of Significations in the Words there may well be expected some Diversity in the translating of them 5. It is no wonder that the Translation of the 70 varies in many Places from the Hebrew because these Interpreters do sometimes rather express the Sense of the Hebrew Words than exactly render them Thus in Gen. 23. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Word to express 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sons of the People By the Life of Pharaoh Gen. 42. 15 16. is in the LXX's Version 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. by the Health of Pharaoh because this bears the same Sense with the other So Shebet a Scepter Gen. 49. 10. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Prince or Ruler according to the Greek Translation To be deliver'd from the Sword of Pharaoh according to the Hebrew or from the Hand of Pharaoh Exod. 18. 4. according to the Seventy is the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Son of a Bull or Cow Lev. 1. 5. is rightly according to the Sense rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Calf 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 25. 2. a Son of Stripes is according to the true meaning translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy of Stripes Chereb the Sword is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 War Lev. 26. 6 36 37. Iob 5. 15. and to fall by War Numb 14. 3. as the Greek Interpreters render it is the same as to fall by the Sword as the Hebrew hath it Bene Elohim Deut. 32. 8. Iob 1. 6. 38. 7. are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the LXX for by the Sons of God are meant Angels Iad is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iosh. 4. 24. because the Hand of the Lord and the Power of the Lord are equivalent The Seventy make bold to turn Majim Water into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wine 1 Sam. 25. 11. for as by Bread in this Place is meant all Manner of Food so by Water we are to understand all Sorts of Drink and consequently Wine it self for the Text speaks of a Feast yea such a one as was like the Feast of a King v. 36. They do not fully render 1 King 22. 5. 2 Chron. 18. 4. when they translate it enquire of the Lord to Day for according to the Hebrew it should be enquire at the Word of the Lord to Day but the meaning is the same In Neâ— 4. 2. you read according to the Hebrew of reviving the Stones for the Root is Chajah but these Interpreters
ver 3. they take several Passages out of Scripture which are applicable as they thought to that Place and there insert them whence instead of seven Verses in this Psalm according to our last English Translation which follows the Hebrew there are eleven it it according to the Old one used in our Service which follows the Septuagint Thus in Prov. 6. after what is said there v. 6 7 8. of the Ant they make bold to add something concerning the Bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. So in Isaiah and Ieremiah and other Books they take a great Liberty there are several whole Sentences added that are not in the Hebrew and many are left out that are in it To instance at present only in two of this latter sort those Words in Prov. 22. 6. Train up a Child in the way he should go and when â—e is old he will not depart from it are wholly omitted and the whole thirtieth Chapter of the Proverbs and part of the one and thirtieth are left out in this Translation This is the Greatest Fault we have hitherto met with in the Greek Interpreters but now cometh one which is much greater and indeed unpardonable if it be true 9. Then It is thought by some that in many Places they have wilfully corrupted and perverted the Text. It is thought at least that they did not exactly translate some Places because they were loth to expose the Bible to the Gentiles This was too rich and precious a Treasure to be imparted to them It would be a profaning and polluting of it to lay it open to all Men. It is Galatinus's Perswasion that in their turning the Hebrew into Greek they alter'd several things because the Ethnicks were at that time unworthy of the Knowledg of those Divine Mysteries contain'd in the Bible and this the Talmud it self witnesseth The Pagan World was not able to bear several of those things they would have seem'd Absurd and Ridiculous to them if they had been translated as they were in the Original Hence saith he the Seventy's Version is imperfect and seems to differ yea really doth differ from the Hebrew in many Places And a Learned Doctor of our own tells us That they translated the Bible unwillingly they being loth to impart the Knowledg of the Scripture to Heathens therefore though being commanded by Ptolomy they undertook this Work yet going about it with unwilling Minds they did it Slightly and Perfunctorily and it is likely Falsly in some Places And this was long ago the Opinion of St. Iâ—rom who plainly declared that where-ever any thing occurred in the Old Testament concerning the Sacred Trinity it was either misinterpreted or wholly concealed by these 70 Elders and this he saith was done by them partly to please King Ptolomee and partly becaâ—se they had no mind to divulge the Mysteries of their Faith to the World Thus as he observes 〈◊〉 Isa. 9. 6. they left out five or 〈◊〉 Names of Christ and put in the place of them the Angel of the Great Caunâ—el They would not let it be known that That Child was God lest they should be thought 10 worship another God and therefore they purposely and â—allciously concealed those Glorious Titles attributed to Christ and more especially That the Mighty God But this Author is more candid and mild in his Censure of these 70 Elders when in other Places he tells us that many of those Copies and Editions of the Greek Translation which were then abroad were corrupted by the Fault of the Transcribers and that it was his Design in his Latin Version to correct them Again he imputes their Mistakes to their Ignorance saying they made this Translation before the coming of Christ and so knew not what they rendred in many Places and therefore did it obscurely and dubiously Wherefore he professeth he condemns not the Seventy but only prefers the Apostles before them their Writings being nearer to the Hebrew Original And truly I am not throughly convinced that the Interpreters themselves did wilfully corrupt the Translation that they designedly misinterpreted the Hebrew Text and falsâ—â—ied in the forementioned Place and several others for the Messiah the Christ was not come then and there was no Controversy about him and therefore according to my Apprehension of things it was too early time of Day to misrepresent or corrupt the Bible where it speaks of him I rather think this was done afterwards namely after our Saviour appear'd in the World and had been rejected by the Jews as an Impostor Then these Places before mentioned and several others began to be perverted then the Circumcised Doctors attempted to pare off some Passages to make some Alterations in the Copies of the LXX which they got into their Hands Then it was that they corrupted the Chronology of the Bible which was of great Use to them Hence it is that you find such a Difference between the Hebrew Copies and those of the Seventy about the Age of the World It is not to be question'd that the Jews made an Alteration in the Years mention'd in the Pentateuch which relate to the Lives of the Patriarchs more especially those before the Flood in that Catalogue in Gen. 5. According to the Hebrew Text there were 1656 Years from the Creation to the Flood but according to the Greek there were about 2250. The younger Vossius is a smart Advocate for the Septuagint and following their Computation tells us that 4000 wanting â—ive or six Years were expired before Moses's Death and that from thence to our Saviour's Coming were above 2000 Years so that Christ was incarnate at the end of the Sixth Millenary or the beginning of the Seventh The Sum is that according to Vossius and the LXX's Reckoning the time of the World's Beginning anticipates the Vulgar Aera at least 1400 Years This lengthning of the Accompt in the Greek Bible we owe to the Jews after the Coming of Christ especially after the Destruction of Ierusalem They then out of their Hatred to Christians changed the Chronology of the Greek Interpreters expunged the Contracted Aera and introduced a larger one i. e. they added one thousand four hundred Years to these Books And their Design in doing this was to confute the Opinion of the Messias's Coming It would appear hence that the time was past according to the general Sense of the Rabbies For this Reason they made this Alteration in the Greek Translation though they could not effect it in the Hebrew Copies Hence arises the Difference between the Hebrew and Greek Computation But we are assured that the Sacred Chronology deliver'd by Moses is certain and the Calculation true and authentick because the Hebrew Text is so which I have demonstrated in another Place and consequently the Greek Version is to be corrected by this But this Error of the Septuagint is not originally theirs but is to be imputed to the latter Jews I mean those soon after our
translated purging our Sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 14. is to inherit Salvation not to be Heirs of Salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ch 4. v. 12. had better be rendred living or lively than quick because this is an ambiguous Word and signifies not only Life but sometimes Swiftness Why should not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 15. be plainly and simply rendred to sympathize with or have Compassion on rather than to be touched with a feeling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ch 10. v. 8. is according to the Law not by the Law In ch 10. v. 1◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should for the expressing the Sense more clearly be rendred the Lord saith that it may not be thought that saith the Lord belongs to the foregoing Clause but that it may appear it refers to the following one For the Words run thus After that the Holy Ghost in the Scripture had said before This c. the Lord said viz. in the next Words I will put my Laws c. In v. 23. of this Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Confession or Profession of Hope not of Faith as our Bibles read it Again in v. 34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seems to be misplaced in our Translation and the Words should not be rendred knowing in your selves that ye have but knowing that ye have for your selves viz. laid up for your selves in Heaven c. for the Greek Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will well bear this Signification here it being in the New Testament of a very large Extent However this rendring of it and the referring of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be taken notice of in the Margin In ch 11. v. 12. as good as dead is but a vulgar way of speaking and seeing the plain English of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as to these things dead I see no Reason for using this manner of Speech in this Place In v. 23. our English Word proper especially as 't is now used doth not express the Sense of the Greek Word and cannot well be applied to Moses when he was an Infant Therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should rather be rendred fair as the Word is translated in Acts 7. 20. or goodly as we render it in Exod. 2. 2. where the LXX use this Greek Word to express the Hebrew Tob. In v. 37. the English Version of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is this they were slain with the Sword but it is very deficient the true rendring of the Greek being this they died by Slaughter of the Sword No Man can translate it otherwise therefore here is need of correcting our English Bibles In ch 12. v. 1. there is a palpable misplacing of the Words which ought to be amended seeing we also are compassed about with so great a Cloud of Witnesses must be altered thus according to the Greek we having such a Cloud of Witnesses encompassing us and instead of let us lay aside read let us laying aside c. In v. 16. one Morsel of Meat doth not answer to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which should be rendred for one eating or rather for one feeding which comprehends both eating and drinking for this Place refers to Gen. 25. 34. Jacob gave Esau Bread and Pottage and he did eat and drink Which shews that one Morsel doth not fully contain the Sense of the Words In ch 13. v. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not so properly translated be not forgetful to entertain Strangers as thus forget not the entertaining of Strangers or the loving of Strangers or Hospitality as 't is rendred in Rom. 12. 13. for this Translation shews which is the Verb and which is the Noun In v. 8. is is left out without Cause for though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Greeks be sometimes omitted in such Propositions yet 't is always understood to make the Sentence entire But in the English it ought to be express'd and particularly here Iesus Christ is the same or else nothing is affirmed and so the Sense is left imperfect Our Translators render v. 16. thus to do Good and to communicatâ— forget not but it is most exactly rendred in this manner forget not doing of Good and communicating for these latter are Substantives not Verbs and there should be a Distinction made between them in our Translation In 1 Pet. 1. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred at the appearing but in v. 13. at the Revelation This latter is the true Word and therefore let it be used in both Places In ch 3. v. 20. leave out a. In ch 4. v. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should have been translated Prayers not Prayer Concerning 2 Pet. 1. 10. No Prophecy of Scripture is of any private Interpretation I animadvert 1. That any is not in the Greek nor need it be in the English 2. It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and consequently should be rendred every Prophecy is c. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not private but proper and so these Words every Prophecy of Scripture is not of proper Interpretation may be understood thus Some Prophecies in Scripture have besides the Proper and Primary Interpretation a Secondary one Or the first and literal Signification of them is not the only Sense to be look'd after in them but there is a higher and greater which is the second and as 't were the improper Sense couched in them In câ— 2. v. 16. he was rebuked is not according to the Greek but it should be he had a Rebuke or Check In v. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great swelling may better be rendred over-swelling and so in Iude v. 16. In 1 Iohn 2. 20. you read an Vnction and v. 27. the anointing but there is the same Greek Word viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherefore the rendring of it should be alike in both Places In St. Iude's Epistle v. 8. filthy should be left out for there is no such Word in the Original Our Margin indeed takes notice of it but then the word filthy should have been in different Letters as those Words that are not in the Greek usually are distinguish'd in the New Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 13. is rendred the Blackness of Darkness but the same Words are english'd tâ—e midst of Darkness 2 Pet. 2. 17. which seems to be the most proper Translation however as I have suggested on the like occasion let one of them only be retain'd In v. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be rendred and most properly prophesied unto these viz. denouncing Judgment against them as you read in the next Verse Lastly in the Revelation I might observe that in ch 3. v. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may most properly be translated I have stood therefore let it be so englished in the Margin if not in the Text. In ch 4. v. 4. instead of Seats let Thrones be read with the word other in different Characters
Knowledg and Insight into these Divine Truths which are here contain'd is the Effect of observing and practising the Holy Precepts of this Book This then we ought to urge upon our selves to come to the reading of Scripture with defecate and purged Minds with Love to what it dictates and with Obedience to it This should be our principal Care to live well and to walk according to this Excellent Rule All our Religion and the whole Conduct of our Actions in this World depend upon the Scriptures therefore let us be directed and govern'd by the Infallible Maxims Precepts Promises and Threatnings of this Book We see Men live by Custom by the Dictates of Others or by their Own Opinions which oftentimes prove erroneous and lead them into unwarrantable Practices But they would not be thus misguided if they consulted These Lively Oracles of God this sure Word of Prophecy if they regulated their Actions by this Exact Canon And hereby we are certain to improve our Knowledg in this Holy Book for by living according to it we shall the better understand it by minding the Practical Contents of it we shall have a full Discovery of its Principles and Doctrines Lastly That we may attain to a right understanding of the Sense of Scripture that we may have a due Perception of the Meaning of what is deliver'd here let us most earnestly invoke the Divine Aid and Assistance He that reads this Book without Prayer can never expect to be bless'd with a compleat Knowledg of it For it is the sole Work of the Divine Spirit to illuminate our Minds effectually There is required the special Help of this Heavenly Instructor to direct us into Truth wherefore he is call'd the Spirit of Truth and the Vnction from the Holy One whereby we know all things The same Spirit that endited these Holy Writings must enlighten our Minds to understand them Which I find thus expressed in the Words of our Church The Revelation of the Holy Ghost inspireth the true meaning of the Scripture into us in truth we cannot without it attain true Saving-knowledg And a Learned and Pious Son of our Mother gives his Suffrage in these Words Wicked Men however learned do not know the Scriptures because they feel them not and because they are not understood but with the same Spirit that writ them Seeing then a Spiritual Illumination is requisite in order to the comprehending of Scripture-Truths we ought with great Fervour and Zeal to request it we ought with a singular Devotion to repair to this Infallible Teacher and with mighty Importunity beseech him to open our Eyes that we may behold wondrous things out of the Divine Law and to conduct our Reasons aright in our Enquiry into this Sacred Volume And He that commands us to implore his Help will certainly vouchsafe it to all sincere and devout Supplicants The Eyes of our Understanding shall be irradiated with a Celestial Beam and we shall feel an internal Operation of the Spirit on our Hearts communicating Light and Wisdom By the Assistance of this Blessed Guide we shall not miscarry in our Searches and Endeavours This Divine Book shall be laid open to us and we shall have its Mysteries and Depths disclosed to us so far as is convenient for us and no rational Man ought to desire any more Yea as it is with some of those that have studied for the Phâ—losophick Elixar though they attain not to it yet in their impetuous Search after it they find out many Excellent Things admirably useful for Mankind which are a Recompence of their Labours so though we may fall short of some Grand Secrets which are treasured up in this Inspired Volume yet we shall not faâ—l of some Choice Discoveries that will make us amends for our most laborious Enquiries We shall mightily improve our Knowledg and we shall likewise be under the special Benediction of Heaven The Rabbins tell us that when R. Ionathan writ his Targum on the Bible if at any time the least Fly lit upon his Paper it was presently consumed with Fire from Heaven But though this be Romantick and after the rate of the Rabbins yet it is a sober Trutlâ— that God will protect us in reading and studying the Holy Scriptures Whilest we are thus employed nothing shall disturb or hurt us the Divine Arm will defend and prosper us and we shall peruse this Book with that happy Success which we pray'd for In short by continual conversing with this Book which is the only one that hath no Errata's we shall know how to correct all the Failures of our Notions and of our Lives we shall enrich our Minds with a Stock of Excellent Principles and we shall be throughly furnish'd unto all good Works we shall be conducted to the highest Improvements of Knowledg and Sanctity in this Life and to the most Conâ—â—mmate Happiness in another FINIS Books written by the Reverend Mr. John Edwards AN Enquiry into several 〈◊〉 Texts of the Old and New Testament which contain some Difficulty in them with a Probable Resolution of them In two Volumes in 8â— A Discourse concerning the Authority Stile and Perfection of the Books of the Old and New Testament Vol. I. with a Continued Illustration of several Difficult Texts throughout the whole Work A Discourse conâ—â—rning the Authority Stile and Perfection of the Books of the Old and New Testament Vol. II. wherein the Author 's former Undertaking is further prosecuted viz. An Enquiry into several Remarkable Texts which contain some Difficulty in them A Discoeurs concerning the Authority Stile and Perfection of the Books of the Old and New Testament Vol. III. treating of the Excellency and Perfection of the Holy Scriptures and illustrating several difficult Texts occurring in this Undertaking All sold by Ionathan Robinson Iohn Taylor and Iohn Wyat. * Plataic †Panegyr Plataic ‡ Plataic * Orat. 2. ad Nicocl †Panegyr Orat. ‖ Orat. ad Philip. ‡ Panegyr ad Philip. Epist. ad Philip. Epist. ad Mitylen * Panegyr Orat. †Plataic Orat. 1. ‖ Orat. ad Philip. * Panegyr Orat. Plataic Orat. bis †Olynth 1. ‖ Philip. 1. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. in Protrept †Gen. 9. 27. * Deut. 28. 49 c. †1 Kings 13. 2. * Antiqu. 1. 11. c. 1. †Dr. Jackson * Dan. 2. †Temporum conscius totius Mundi Polyhistor Epist. ad Paulin. * Ver. 2. †Ver. 20. ‖ Ver. 5. * Ibid. * John 21. 18. †Ver. 22. * Earum rerum quae foâ—â—uitae putantur praedictio atque praesentio De Divinat l. 1. * Lib. 3. c. 8. * Colloqu Mensal * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orig. cont Celâ— l. 6. * Lib. 1. †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isid. Pelus Ep. l. 5. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just. Mart. Dialog cum Tryph. †Arnob. lib. 1. ‖ Sozom. l. 1. c. 11. ‖‖ Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 2.