them they were once doubted of that for the future they might be unquestionable And to come down to latter Times what if two or three Men of late as Hemmingius Baldwin Eckard think some of the Books of the New Testament Apocryphal And what if Luther himself seem'd to say as much What doth this signify in respect of the universal and concurrent Judgment of others And as for the rest of the Books of the New Testament they were never doubted of at all but have the Approbation of the whole Church And that the new Testament was first written in Greek as we now receive it is attested by the Universal Consent of the Antients who made enquiry into these things Only two Books are excepted by some for though many of the Learned Moderns maintain that St. Matthew's Gospel was written originally in Greek yet it is not to be denied that some of the Fathers hold it was written first in Hebrew for the sake of the believing Jews and if you will believe St. Ierom the original Hebrew was extant in his time and he translated the Gospel into Latin from that Copy Who turn'd it into Greek is not certain but it was either by St. Matthew himself or by some Apostolical Person inspired by the Holy Ghost so that the Greek we now have is from the same Spirit and of the same Authority with the other The Fathers likewise generally say that St. Paâ—â— writ the Epistle to the Hebrews in their own Tongue and that St. Luke or St. Clement turn'd it into Greek The contrary is held by some Moderns particularly Cajetan among the Romanists and by many of the Reformed-Way But excepting I say these two Books it is universally agreed that the whole New Testament was written in Greek and one Reason might be because so great a number of Jews lived among the Greeks and used their Tongue and therefore this part of the Bible was sitly writ in Greek as the other was long before translated into that Tongue for the use of the Jews For the sake of these dispersed Jews therefore called the dispersed among the Gentiles or according to the Original the Dispersion of the Greeks John 7. 35. who understood and spake the Greek Language the New Testament was put forth in that Tongue Moreover this was the most generally received Language at that time and therefore the fittest for the propagating the Gospel This is a very good Argument for tho I do not think the jâ—ws at Ierusalem spake no other than the Greek Tongue among themselves as Isaac Vossius confidently holds and is therein rightly blamed and confuted by the late French Critick yet I am satisfied that the Greek Tongue was universally undâ—rstood and was with the Latin the Language of the Empire and therefore was most proper for the communicating the Christian Religion to the World Tully acquaints us that in all the Roman Empire Greek was vulgarly understood It is no wonder therefore that the New Testament was writ in that Tongue and that St. Paul writes not only to the Galatians c. but to the Romans in Greek for they all understood it It was the Modish and Courtly way of Speech at Rome as the French is now with us Their very Women affected to learn and speak Greek for which they are jeer'd by the Satyrist who calls Rome the Greek City In short all the Eastern People spoke Greek more or less from the time that Alexander the Great and his Captains spread their Dominion in the East The Syrians Egyptians Persians and People of the Lesser Asia were acquainted with that Language The Jews of any considerable Quality understood Greek as well as their own Tongue whence Iosephus a Jewish Priest or of the Priestly Stock writ his Books in Greek The Evangelists and Apostles then might well write in the same Tongue it being so common and every where understood Especially it is no wonder on another account that St. Paul writ in Greek for it was his native Tongue he being of Tarsus which was a City of Greece We may then very justly look upon the Greek Language as the Original Text of the New Testament And it is generally agreed that these Greek Copies which we now have and use are True and Authentick though in some things they differ and none are observed to oppose this but those who do it upon some Interest and Design i. e. to maintain some peculiar Opinion which they have taken up The Variety of Readings should not prejudice us much less ought we to alter the Readings of the Copies and to substitute new ones at our pleasure Which is the Fault of Theodore Beza though on other accounts an Excellent Person and one that hath highly deserved of the Church of God yet he is unsufferably bold in coining new Readings of the Text. When he cannot find the Sense of a Place he presently questions the Truth of the Copy and produceth a new Reading which hath brought a great Scandal upon his Annotations on the New Testament which otherwise are fraught with admirable Learning and discover his profound Skill in Divine Criticism It is certain that the Greek and Latin Manuscripts which he pretends to are a Cheat for questionless they would have been taken notice of in the first Ages of Christianity if there had been any such thing Therefore it is downright Imposture and Beza was grosly deluded by it Let us from his Miscarriage learn to be cautious and not to venture so boldly upon altering the Greek Copies This is a very rash and unaccountable Undertaking especially in a single Person and much more when it is very usual and frequent To speak next both of the Old and New Testament together The Authority of them is established by considering this that though Bellarmine and others of the Roman Communion who are followed by Lewis Cappel and some others that go under the Name of Protestants cry out that the Bible is altered and corrupted by the Negligence of the Transcribers and that the Text is uncertain by reason of the different Readings and Variety of Translations which is done out of design viz. to debase the Authority of the holy Writings and to make Men fly to Traditions and rest wholly in the Authority of the Church and I wish I might not add thereby to undermine some of the Foundations of Religion yet this is certain that the various Readings of the Old and New Testament are not so many as are pretended and all the various Copies in Hebrew and Greek which are found in all Nations at this Day do agree in all material Points and the Scriptures being translated from those Copies into many Languages concur in the same substantial things Again as to those various Readings which are produced we may justly alledg the Words of an Excellent Man They are not Arguments saith he of the Scriptures Corruption but of God's Providence and of Human
Renowned Acts of several of the Patriarchs and first Worthies c. It is a great establishing of our Faith that those Pagans derived so many things from Scripture The Gentile Writers vouch a great part of our Religion Wherefore we must needs imbrace it when it is attested by such Disinteressed Persons 3. We ought to take notice of the Wonderful Providence of God in this matter Behold the Scripture is attested by those who never owned its Authority yea the very Enemies of these Holy Writings ratiâ—ie the Truth and Certainty of them The Heathen Poets whilst they Corrupt Divine Truth assert it Their very Lies and Fictions bear witness to the Sacred Verities their Fables confirm the Infallibility of the Bible This is the Lord 's doing here the Great and Over-ruling Wisdom of God is seen Here his Almighty Power in baâ—â—ing Satan's Contrivances and Designs may be discern'd He as was said before intended the Corruption of the Scriptures the silencing of the Truth the Exalting of himself and the Advancing of his Kingdom But the All-Wise and Powerful Moderator of the World disappointed his Designs and made this thing we are speaking of serviceable and beneficial to Religion he made it become an Argument of its Antiquity Reasonableness and Certainty against the Cavils of Atheists and Infidels 4. Henceforth we are reconciled to the Writings of Prophane Authors We have this considerable advantage by reading the Works of the Ancient Heathens and by perusing their Stories and Fables that we shall find some Greater Thing couched in them than the bare Narrative For these Writers borrow'd many things from the Holy Book their broken Stories are often-times an imperfect account of Scripture Relations Sundry things in their Writings are gather'd out of the Divine Volume but are strangely wrested pervertrd and obscured by having new Names and â—eigned Circumstances affix'd to them Almost all the Gentile Fables and Theology flowed from a depraved sense of the Sacred Writings The Poets disguise true Stories with many Fictions and some Reliques of Divine Truth are buried under their ingenuous Fancies and Fabulous Narrations Ovid Transcribed the Greek Theology from Orpheus Homer Hesiod and other Ancient Poets and these had it from the Bible The very Poetick Fictions refer unto real Story and are drawn from the Divine Source of Truth So that we are reading the Holy Scripture in a manner whilst we are turning over Pagan Writers In these we meet with Truths Transplanted from the Sacred Book we find many passages stollen from the Hebrew Fountains It is not to be denied then that Scholars and Students yea the very Candidates of Sacred Theology may with great profit prie into these Writings of the Pagans for here are the footsteps of Divine Verities Prophane and Sacred Learning are to be joyn'd The Gentile Monuments illustrate the inspired ones We may notwithstanding the disguise which Poets have put upon the Stories see the foundation of them and perceive that those vain Figmentsâ— are grounded on some Solid Truth and that a Sacred Treasure lies hid under those confused Fables For this is not to be denied that Palestine afforded Greece matter of fancy and invention the Pagan Poets were befriended by the Iews Athens was indebted to Ierusalem Parnassus was beholding to Sinai and Helicon to Iordan You see then the advantage we may reap by being acquainted with Prophane Writers whilst we look further than the outward shape which they have given to many things and search into that Truth which lies hid under it even the Sacred and undoubted History of the Old Testament Thus we may make them serviceable to far higher and better ends than they are intended This is the best improvement that can be made of them to see the true Source of what is written by them to understand whence they borrowed their matter and to confirm our selves in the belief of the Truth of the Sacred Writings by perusing these which are Prophane 5thly and lastly then See the Authority Truth and Certainty of the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament which is the main thing I have been aiming at I had proved this before by several Arguments and those perhaps on some accounts more Forcing and Convictive than this but I thought good to add this to them as no contemptible way of proving the Antiquity and Authority of the Sacred Book The Truth of the Historical part of the Old Testament is evidenced from Heathen Writers not only Historians but Philosophers and Poets A Man may by comparing these with the Sacred Volume find out the Original of the Pagan Traditions and Fictions and observe the Lineaments of true and unquestionable History among them Hence we shall have no reason to doubt that there were such Persons and Things in being as are spoken of in the Old Testament and that the Passages and Transactions there mention'd were real and true This admirably serves to evince the Authority of those Writings this proves the Truth of the Records of Holy Writ and that they ought to be received as the Oracles of God i. e. as Infallible CHAP. X. The Authority of the Books of the New-Testament confirmed by Pagan and Iewish Writers who speak of a King or Lord that should come out of the East and particularly out of Judaea An Enumeration of the Opinions of the Learned concerning the Sibylls with the particular Sentiment of the Author viz. That the Contents of their Verses were horrow'd from the Old-Testament and that those Women were not Prophetesses but only related what they found in the Inspired Writings or heard of thence A full Answer to the Objections of those who hold the Sibylline Writings to be Spurious NExt I am to shew how the Scriptures of the New-Testament are vouched and confirmed by an External Testimony i. e. how professed Pagans â—nd Iews Enemies to Christianity have related â—nd asserted the very same things that are set down â—n those Evangelical Writings First I will begin with that which is of a middle nature between what I have been discoursing of before and what â— am now to ingage in which therefore may aptâ—y serve as a Transition from one to the other I â—ean the belief and report recorded in Pagan Writers that a King or Lord should come from the â—ast and do great and mighty things This was deâ—ived from the Scriptures of the Old Testament and 〈◊〉 belongs to the former Discourse but becaâ—se it is mentioned by Historians that were after Christ's time and the Application is with all reason to be made to Him I rightly bring it in here It was I say a constant Report that prevail'd about the time of our Saviour's Birth and afterwards that some eminent Person or Persons should rise out of those Eastern Nations and be Lords of the World We find Tacitus asserting this and that great Politician and Statesman would needs have it fulfilled in Vespasian and Titus because they were called out of Iudea unto the Empire of Rome Suetonius
Testimony of the Truth of Christianity as they were at that time But it is also Objected that the Number of the Sibylline Books is unknown and we can neither tell how many the Sibylls or their Writings were and as for their Quality and Condition of Life these are uncertainly delivered Nor do we well know their Names as appears from this that Cumaea in Virgil is put for Cumana and other Mistakes there are It is true the Opinions were various concerning these things their Names and Verses are often confounded and it is hard to distinguish them from one another This is granted and even by those who have with great Eagerness maintain'd the Credit and Authority of the Sibylls they acknowledge that it is much controverted What and how many these Prophetick Persons were and in what Times they lived and in what Countries they weâ—e bred Some say there was only One they think it was with thâ— Sibylls as with thâ— Iupiters and Hercules's and other Gods who were many and yet but One. Boisardus is perswadâ—d that the same Sibyll travelled into divers Countries and took her Name from the different places she leâ—t her Verses in And so a latâ— Author tells us there was but one Sibyll There were two of these Prophetesses saith Martianus Capella three saith Pliny four saith Aelian seven saith Salmasiâ—s Lactamius out of Varro that great Roman Antiquary concludes them to be Ten and names them thus The Delphick who was the Eldâ—st the Erythraean the Samian the Cumane the Cumaean the Hellespontiack or Trojan the Lesbick or Iabyck the â—hrygian the Tiburtine the Persian or Chaldaean Others add two more viz. Epiroâ—iâ—k and Egyptian and make them a compleat Douzen Thus the Reckoning is not alike but this is no Argument against what we have asserted It is not material how many the Sibylls or their Writings were it is frivolous to insist upon this They might all of them been put into one if Authors pleas'd or they might divide them into more as the way at some Coffee Houses now is to deal out Pamphlets Wherefore there is no reason to reject them on this account seeing we have proved that their Books were they more or fewer are owned as to the main by the Fathers and Primitive Christians to be true and seeing they were frequently made use of by them as sufficient Witnesses to the Truth of a great part of the Christian Religion And as for those Moderns who have rejected these Witnesses we may with reference to them take up that Lamentation of a late Learned Writer who himself is partly guilty of the Fault he complains of Verily the Christian Religion hath no Enemies more set against it than Christians themselves for you may observe that there is searcely any Prophecy or Testimony to be found concerning Christ among the Ancients which many even of the most Learned Men have not endeavoured to weaken yea utterly to destroy and annull This is a very deplorable Thing but it were easie to prove it most true in several Instances You will meet with some of them in the following part of this Discourse and more particularly in the Testimony concerning Christ which Iosephus gives But this which is now before us is as Signal a one as any that can be named for the Sibylls Verses are very express Attestations conceâ—ning our Saviour and his Great Undertakings Yet how strangely do Christian Men endeavor to enfeeble yea to baffle and subvert these Testimonials concerning our Lord They tell us they are the Forgeries of Iews and the Impostures of Heretical Christians and all manner of Objections they invent against them yea a late Writer pronounces these Sibylls to be mad and frentick People and so there is no heed to be given to what they say When it hath pleased God to afford us such a remarkable Confirmation of our Religion from the Mouths of Pagans is it not unpardonable Ingratitude thus to vilisie and reject it Is it not an Argument of a vile and perverse Spirit to use all means and those very shameful ones too to disprove that plain Evidence which these Sibylls bring and to shut their Ears to that repeated Testimony which they give to Christianity and the Blessed Author of it In short the Pagans had their Temples and Priests and Sacrifices and Oblations and Prayers and they had also their Scriptures i. e. the Sibylls Books In these was discovered the Council of God for the Sibylls according to the import of their Name were Interpreters of God's will to the Heathens In these were expresly fore-told the Birth of the Holy Jesus and many other remarkable things relating to Him By these Oracles the Gentiles were pre-admonished of Christ's Coming it seemed good to God to prepare them for the Gospel by these Forerunners and Messengers as he did the Iews by their extraordinary Prophets And they are usefull to Us as well as to the Gentiles we may be fortified in the Belief of our holy Religion by what they delivered They give a plain and clear suffrage for Christianity and the Founder of it The ancient Christians thought their Writings to be Authentick Records though now some are pleased to slight and vilifie them They look'd upon them as good Evidences of the Christian Faith and of the New-Testament which containeth it and there is still the same Reason that we should esteem them as such especially since the Objections to prove the falsity of these Books are very mean and weak Therefore to conclude till they can produce better Reasons against these Testimonials I think we may safely and reasonably make use of them CHAP. XI It is proved from particular unquestionable Testimonies of professed Enemies of Christ that there was a Person of such a Name and that all the great and eminent Circumstances of his Birth Life and Death are really true As to his Birth they attest the particular time of it the general Tax or Enrolling the wonderful Star the Murthering of the Infants of Bethlehem Then as to his Life and Actions Abgarus's Letter to our Saviour and our Saviour's Answer to it are proved to be an Authentick Evidence What the Emperor Augustus did in relation to Christ is considerâ—d The Defection of the Sun 's Light and the Earth-quake at our Saviour's Passion are not wholly pass'd over in silence by Heathen Writers HAving thus premised those Particulars which are of a middle kind between the former part of the Discourse and this I will now wholly insist on such things as are more Appropriated to the Subject I am Treating of This then I will prove from Witnessâ—s who are professed Enemies of Christ i. e. Pagans and Iews that there was a Peâ—son of such a Name and that all the great and â—minent Circumstances of this Persons Birth Life and Death are really true First The Pagan Historians pâ—esent us with his Name Tacitus telling how the Christians suffered for the firing of
this purpose and which shews the Antiquity of this Military Usage and will give us an Account of the first and most early Marshalling of Armies is Numb 2. 2. Every Man of the Children of Israel shall pitch by his own Standard with the Ensign of their Fathers House For the explaining of which we must know that when Moses had received the Law and finish'd the Tabernacle he mustered all the Tribes and Families of Israel and disposed them for their March through the Wilderness This Great Army as this Chapter informs us was divided into four Battalions or Squadrons each of which contain'd three whole Tribes The first contain'd the three Tribes of Iudah Issachar and Zebulon and every Tribe being distinguish'd by his particular Standard this Squadron marched under the Standard of Iudah And it was peculiar to this Tribe to encamp always on the East Side of the Tabernacle and to hold the first Place and lead the Vanguard The second Battalion consisted of the Tribes of Reuben Simeon and Gad and Reuben's Standard was that which they were placed under These had the second Place in the Army and encamped on the South Side of the Tabernacle The third Division marched under the Standard of Ephraim to whom were joined the Regiments of Manasse and Benjamin and they were situated always on the West Quarter The fourth Squadron were rank'd under the Standard of Dan to whom belonged the Tribes of Naphthali and Asher These were placed on the North Side of the Tabernacle and always march'd in the Reer In every Standard or Banner there was a particular Ensign or Badg by which those of that Squadron were known In that of Iudah which march'd in the Van there was pourtrayed a Lion in that of Reuben a Man in that of Ephraim an Ox and in that of Dan an Eagle Where by the way we may observe here the Invention of Badges and Coats of Arms. The Tribes were distinguish'd by their different Scutcheons which were of diverse Figures and 't is not to be doubted of different Colours Though truly this Invention seems to have been begun first of all in Gen. 49. where the several Tribes have assigned them by Iacob their particular Distinctive Ensigns and Armorial Cognizances as Iudah a Lion Dan a Serpent Issachar an Ass c. which were certain Arms or Badges by which they were known and distinguish'd In these and the forenamed Instances Heraldry had its Original hence it may fetch its Pedigree Thus that Noble Camp was disposed and situated thus the several Tribes and Princes of them were marshall'd Thus the Tabernacle was placed in the midst of the four Divisions of the Army which pitched round about it as a Guard to Defend and Protect it But I should note withal that the Tabernacle was more Immediately surrounded by the Priests and Levites Moses and Aaron and Eleazar and his Brethren were lodg'd on the East at the Entrance of the Court of the Tabernacle the Families of Cohath were placed on the South the Families of Merari on the North the Geshurites on the West and all others that were dedicated to the Service and Attendance on the Tabernacle were quartered near it This was the Excellent Order that was observ'd the Ecclesiastical Persons were placed next to the Tabernacle because of their Employment and Office and to guard both them and the Tabernacle the whole Host was drawn about them in a Circle I might further take notice that there was not a fixed Distance of Ground from every part of the Camp to the Tabernacle for it was necessary that some should be further off than others but this was enjoined them that the Limits of their travelling on the Sabbath-Day should not be above two thousand Cubits Iosh. 3. 4. But by reason of the different Acception of the Cubit it is not easy to determine exactly the Length of the Way which they were permitted to travel If it was two thousand Paces it amounted to two Miles but most of the Rabbins agree that it was 2000 lesser Cubits which make a large Mile So far the furthest Part of the Israelites Camp was distant from the Tabernacle according to the general Opinion of the Hebrew Doctors This whatever it is is call'd a Sabbath-Day's Iourney Acts 1. 12. i. e. as much space of Ground as it was lawful for the Jews to go on a Sabbath-Day This shall suffice to be said concerning the Antient Situation of the Camp of Israel A very Curious and Excellent Prospect it is and worthy of our Observation it being the First Platform of a Military Encamping To close this Head I will take notice of the Vast Numbers which some of the Armies mention'd in Scripture consisted of of old That of the Jews in the Wilderness which I last spoke of according to the Muster-Roll in Numb 1. contain'd no less than six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty There were enrolled about a thousand thousand fighting Men in Israel and about half as many in Iudah when David numbred the People 2 Sam. 24. 9. 1 Chron. 21. 5. King Vzziah had an Host of three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred besides a choice Band of two thousand and six hundred 2 Chron. 26. 12 13. King Asa's military Force consisted of about six hundred thousand 2 Chron. 14. 8. And against him came an Ethiopian Army of above a thousand thousand Chariots 2 Chron. 14. 9. whence we must collect that the whole Force was much more Numerous for the Chariots generally had more than one single Person in them King Ieroboam brought eight hundred thousand Men into the Field of whom five hundred thousand were slain 2 Chron. 13. 3 17. And other vast Numbers we read of in the Books of Kings and Chronicles that were brought into the Field in those Days Which I the rather mention because some have questioned the Truth of it and have thought that it is by the Fault of Transcribers that the Arithmetick mounts so high And I am sorry to find a Great Man whom I will not name enclining this way I doubt not but if he had lived to revise his Writings he would have expung'd what seems to favour this for so Great an Asserter of the Authentick Verity of the Scriptures as well as of the Christian Religion could not have done otherwise But this I desire may be considered by those that think the Number of the Men in the foremention'd Armies is mistaken by those who copied out the Bible they setting down as they imagine one Arithmetical Figure instead of another I desire I say this may be consider'd that the Numbers in these Sacred Writings are set down in Words at length and not in Figures which these Objectors did not think of and therefore those who transcrib'd the Bible did not mistake the Numbers by writing down one Figure for another and consequently these Mens Conceit is groundless Again we are to remember what is said in
Import signifies a disposing of something is most commoâ—â—ly applied to such a Disposal as is either by Covenâ—â— or Testament Hence it is sometimes rendred 〈◊〉 Covenant and sometimes a Testament especially among the Lawyers the latter Sense prevails and accordingly you will find that a Last Will and Testament is express'd by this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Imperial Institutions and other Law-Books translated into Greek We may here join both Senses together for what God hath agreed to by Covenant with Man that Christ bequeaths and gives by Testament Now we must prove both these i. e. we must make it evident that the Covenant and Testament are True before we can receive any Advantage and Benefit from them There is a Necessity of evidencing the Truth of the Scriptures which are this Covenant and this Testament otherwise we can build nothing upon them Here then I. I will evince the Truth and Authority of the Scriptures which is the great Basis of all Theology II. After I have largely insisted on this I will proceed to give you an account of the Nature of the Stile and Phrase of these Holy Books III. I will advance yet farther and demonstrate the Excellency and Perfection of them The Subject of our present Undertaking is the first of these in handling of which I shall but briefly and concisely make use of those Arguments which are commonly insisted upon by Learned Writers till I come to fix upon a Topick which is not commonly yea which is very rarely and by the by used in this Cause and this I will pursue very largely and fully I hope with some Satisfaction to the Reader There are many Arguments to demonstrate the Truth and Authority of the Holy Scriptures and shew that they are worthy to be believed and imbraced by us as the very Word of God Some of these Arguments which are to prove the Truth of these Writings are in common with those that prove the Truth of the Christian Religion on which I shall have occasion to insist at another time but my Design at present is to propound those which are more peculiarly and properly fitted to evince the Truth of the Scriptures And these are either Internal or External The Internal ones I call those which are either in the Scriptures themselves or in Vs. The Characters of Divinity which the Scriptures have in Themselves are either their Matter or the Manner of the writing them I begin with the first the Matter of them and here I will mention only these three Particulars 1. The Sublime Doctrines and Verities which are in Holy Writ In reading this Book we meet with such things as cannot reasonably be thought to come from any but God himself In other Writings which are most applauded the choicest things which entertain our Minds are the excellent Moral Notions and Precepts which they offer to us which are all the Result of Improved Reason and Natural Religion But here are besides these Notices of a peculiar Nature and such as are above our natural Capacity and Invention as the Creation of the World in that Manner as is represented to us in these Writings the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity the Eternal Decrees the Incarnation of Christ the Son of God the Redemption of the World by his Blood the whole Method of Man's Salvation the stupendous Providence of God over his Church in all Ages the Coming of Christ to Judgment and in order to that the raising of all Men out of their Ashes These and several other Doctrines deliver'd in the Sacred Writings cannot be imagined to come from any but God they carry with them the Character of Divinity as being no common and obvious Matters but such as are towring and lofty hidden and abstruse and not likely to be the Product of Humane Wisdom A God is plainly discovered in them for the most Improved Creatures could never have reach'd to this pitch Any serious and thinking Man cannot but discern the peculiar Turn and singular Contrivance of these Mysterious Doctrines which argue them to be Divine We may therefore believe the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles to be the Word of God because of the wonderful Height and Sublimity of those Truths which are contained in them 2. The Exact Purity and Holiness both of Body and Soul of Heart and Life which are enjoin'd in these Writings are another Testimony of their being Divinely Inspired For though some other Books dictate Religion and Piety yet this is certain that all the true and just Measures of them were taken originally from this one Exact Standard which was prior to them all as I shall shew afterwards Besides the Love and Charity the Humility Meekness and all other Vertues which the Scriptures describe to us far exceed the most advantageous Representations the most exalted Ideas which the Heathen Moralists give of them These therefore are emphatically and eminently called by St. Paul the Holy Scriptures 2 Tim. 3. 15. because they breath the most consummate Goodness and Piety and that antecedently to all Writings whatsoever because every thing in them advanceth Holiness and that in Thought Word and Actions The End and Scope of them are to promote Sanctity of Life to make us every way better and even to render us * like God himself The Holy Scripture was intended to set forth the Divine Perfections to display the Heavenly Purity and thereby to commend the Excellency of a holy Life And it is certain that if with sincere and humble Minds we peruse this Book of God we shall find this blessed Result of it it will marvellously instruct us in the Knowledg of the Divine Attributes especially of God's Unspotted Holiness it will tincture our Minds with Religion it will pervade all our Faculties with a Spirit of Godliness and it will thorowly cleanse and sanctify both our Hearts and Lives which proves it to be from God But because I shall have occasion to say more of this when I treat of the Perfection of the Scriptures I will now dismiss it 3. To the Matter of Scripture we must refer the Prophecios and Predictions which are contained in it These I reckon another Internal Argument because they are drawn from what is comprehended in the very Scripture it self What a vast number is there of Prophecies of the Old and New Testament which we find fulfilled and accordingly are Testimonies of the Truth of these Scriptures Here I will a little enlarge and first I will begâ—n with that ancient Prophecy of Noah God shall enlarge Japheth and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem and Canaan shall be his Servant Where are foretold things that happened above two thousand Years afterward for the Posterity of Iapheth viz. the Europeans especially the Greeks and Romans among other Conquests gain'd the possession of Iudea and other Eastern Countries which were the Portion of Shem. Again it was fulfilled thus by Christ's coming and preaching the Gospel and by his
and twenty after the number of the Hebrew letters And Cyril of Ierusalem hath these express Words Read these two and twenty Books but have nothing to do with the Apocryphal ones Study and meditate only on these Scriptures which we conâ—idently read in the Church The Apostles and first Bishops were true Guides and were more wise and religious than thou art and these were the Men that delivered these Scriptures to us Thou then being a Son of the Church do not go beyond her Bounds and Orders but acknowledg and study only the two and twenty Books of the Old â—â—â—stament And other Fathers of the Churâ—â— as Melito Bishop of Sardis Athanasius Amphiloâ—â—us Epiphanius Eusebius Gregory Nazianzen Gâ—â—gory the Great Basil Chrysostom testify that 〈◊〉 Books and no others of the Old Testamâ—â—â— which we receive now were the Canonical Booâ—â— of old and received so by the first Christiâ—â— Those eminent Lights of the Latin Church Râ—t Ierom Hilary disown as Uncanonical 〈◊〉 Books of Apocrypha The two latter especially 〈◊〉 very positive Ierom expresly tells us that 〈◊〉 Canonical Books of the Old Testament are but 〈◊〉 and twenty just the number of the Hebrew Alâ—phabet and no more and he enumerates the particular Books which constitute the whole 〈◊〉 saith indeed that some make them four and twâ—â—ty but 't is the same Account for they reckâ—â— Ruth and Lamentations separately But as for 〈◊〉 others he saith they are not part of Inspired Scripture and the Church doth not receive theâ— among the Canonical Writings So Hilary givâ— us the just Catalogue of the Books of the Old Tâ—stament and peremptorily affirms that there 〈◊〉 but two and twenty Canonical Books of it in all which are the same with the thirty nine according to the reckoning in our Bibles To Fathers wâ— might add Synods and Councils as that antieâ—â— one of Laodicea conven'd A. D. 364. which drew up a Catalogue of the Books of Scripture and makes mention only of these which we now râ—ceive but leaves out the Apocryphal ones This Canon was received afterwards and confirmed by the Council of Chalcedon one of the first four General Councils And the sixth General Council held at Constantinople A. D. 680. expresly ratified the Decrees of that old Laodicean Council and particularly this that the Canonical Books of the Old Testament were but two and twenty There is another Reason also besides the Universal Suffrage of the Christian Church why the Apocryphal Books are ejected out of the Canon viz. because some things in them are false and contrary to the Canonical Scriptures as in Ecclesiasticus 46. 20. 2 Esdras 6. 40. and some things are vitious as in 2 Maccab. 14. 42. After all this it is easy to answer what the Romanists say on the other side They quote the third Council of Carthage which they tell us received the Apocryphal Books into the Canon And among the Fathers St. Augustin they say owns them besides that two Popes viz. Innocent the First and Gelasius took those Books which we stile Apocryphal into the Canon As for the Council which they alledg it was but a Provincial one and therefore is not to be set against those more Authentick and General Councils which I produced Nor must that one single Father whom they name stand out against that great number of Greek and Latin Fathers whom I mentioned The Popes bear a great Name among our Adversaries but they are but two and must not be compared with those Councils and that multitude of Fathers who are on our side Or if they lay such great stress on a Pope I can name them one and he one of the most eminent they ever had viz. Pope Gregory the Great who declares that the Book of Maccabees a main Piece of the Apocryphal Wrâ—â—tings is no part of the Canon of Scripture Wâ— may set this One Pope for he is Great enough against the other Two Besides their own 〈◊〉 are against them the Apocryphal Books are 〈◊〉 received as part of holy Inspired Scripture by Iâ—â—dorus Damascen Nicephorus Rabanus Maurus Hâ—go Lyranus Cajetan and others who are of greâ—â— Repute in the Church of Rome We regard 〈◊〉 what the pack'd Council of Trent hath decreed viz. That besides the two and twenty Books 〈◊〉 the Hebrew Canon those also of Tobias Iuditâ— the Wisdom of Solomon Ecclesiasticus Maccabeâ—â—â— Baruch are to be received as Canonical and thâ— they are of equal Authority with the Canon oâ— the Old and New Testament What is this to the general Suffrage of the Primitive Councils Fathers and Writers who have rejected the Apocryphal Books and received but twenty two into the Canon of Scripture belonging to the Old Testament You see what Ground we have no other than the Vniversal Church We reject some Books as Apocryphal because they were generally rejected by the antient Primitive Church and we receive the rest as Canonical because they were believed and owned to be so by the universal Consent of the Church See this admirably made good in Bishoâ— Cousins's History of the Canon of Scripture Yet aâ—ter all that hath been said we count the Apocryphâ— Writings worthy to be read and perused The there be some things amiss in them yet we give great Deference and Respect to them as containing many Historical Truths and furnishing us witâ— Matter of Jewish Antiquity as likewise because there are many Doctrinal and Moral Truths in them especially in the Books of Wisdom and Ecâ—lesiasticus For this Reason I say we bear great Respect to them and rank them next to the Holy Canon and prefer them before all Profane Authors This was done by the antient Fathers who frequently alledg'd them in their Sermons and Discourses which is one Reason I question not why these Apocryphal Books came to be made Canonical by some of the Church of Rome namely because they were so often quoted by the Fathers and in some Churches read publickly But this is no Proof of their being Canonical but only lets us know that these Books were in their Kind useful and profitable as indeed they are Therefore St. Ierom saith the Church receives not these Books into the Canon of Scripture though she allows them to be read And concerning these Writings our Church saith well quoting St. Ierom for it She doth read them for Example of Life and Instruction of Manners but yet doth not apply them to establish any Doctrine Which gives us an exact account of the Nature of these Books namely that they contain excellent Rules of Life and are very serviceable to inform us of our Duty as to several weighty things but they being not dictated by the Holy Ghost as the other Books of Scripture are they are not the infallible Standard of Divine Doctrine and therefore are not to be applied and made use of to that purpose This and the other Reasons before mentioned may prevail with us to think that these Writings ought not to be
it were easy to prove All which it is likely had its first Rise from the Old Testament and the Practice of the Antients recorded there Is it not reasonable to think that the Cities of Refuge among some Pagan Nations whither Offenders fled for Protection had their Origine from those so expresly mentioned in Numb 35. 13 14 15. Hence we read that Cadmus when he built Thebes founded a Place for all sorts of Criminals to repair to and Romulus at the building of Rome erected a Sanctuary for Offenders to fly to Further I could observe that the New-Moons were celebrated by the Athenians and other Grecians Concerning the first Plutarch is very positive and as to the rest that Proverbial Saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in use among them shews that they solemnly observ'd the first Day of the Month. The Romans likewise had the same Custom as is manifest from that of Ovid Vendicat Ausonias Iunonis cura Calendas And these New-Moon Festivals are referr'd to by Horace more than once as you may see in Turâ—â—bus All which is of Hebrew Extraction I could take notice that the Latin Iubilare and Iubilatio which are found in Varro and other old Romans which signify great Rejoicing and Shouting for Joy are from the old Jewish Law of Iubilee a Time of exceeding Gladness being the Year when Servants and Debtors were restored to their Liberty and Possessions which occasioned great Rejoicing And I could propound more Instances yet to prove that several Customs among the Heathens were extracted from the Holy Scriptures and that Heathen Worshippers shaped New Strange and Profane Rites and Ways of Worship out of the Passages they â—ead or heard of there and that most of the Heathen Usages are corrupt Imitations of the Jews I will add to the several Particulars this one more which though I will not confidently pronounce was borrowed from the Jews yet I propose it as a thing very probable It is this that the Hieroglyphicks of the Egyptians were in imitation of that People for they were brought up under Shadows Types and Symbols dark Representations and mystical Rites which might give occasion to the Egyptians to teach Religion and Morality by Hieroglyphick Figures I am not positive here nor would I be any where else unless I had good Grounds to go on because I am not altogether certain that the Hieroglyphick Learning began after Moses But there is great probability that it did and consequently that it was derived from what they observ'd among the Jews This is the Perswasion of the Inquisitive Kircher who without â—â—y hesitation averreth that the Symbolical and Hieroglyphick Learning was imbibed from the Hebrews Nay to go yet farther now we are come thus far there are those who conjecture that a great part of the Antient Gentile Philosophy was collected from the Holy Book of Scripture Among the antient Persians the Mosaick Religion might be â—iscovered in many Instances which might be given of their Principles and an Ingenious French Author hath lately proved that their Zoroastres was the same with Moses And as for the Pythagâ—rick and Platonick Philosophy which consists much in Figures and Numbers in Dark and Symbolical Precepts it is evident that it was made up out of the Sacred Hebrew Writings The Platonists Books concerning God the Genii the Spirits and Souls of Men though stuff'd with many Errors and Superstitions discover a great Resemblance and Affinity with those things which the Bible delivers about the Nature of God Angels and Humane Souls Eusebius particularly insists on this and derives the Platonick Doctrines from the Scriptures Hence both he and Clement of Alexandria take notice of what Numenius the Pythagorean Philosopher said of Plato namely that he was the Greek Moses And indeed most of the antient Sages and Philosophers were obscure and mystick in their Stile and way of delivering their Notions as the Sacred Writers are observ'd to be very often Hence it is said by the antient Father whom I last quoted That the way of Philosophizing among those Pagans was after the manner of the Hebrews that is Aenigmatical But as to the Matter as well as Stile the chiefest of the old Greek Poets and Philosophers as Orpheus Homer Hesiod Thales Anaxagoras Parmenides Empedocles Democritus Socrates besides Pythagoras and Plato before named agree with Moses We may say of them all as an Historian saith of the first of them after he had set down several Particulars of sound Philosophy in his Poems They have pronounced many things concerning God and Man which are consonant to that Truth which we who are taught by the Holy Writings profess This may give light to what an Egyptian Priest told Solon Yoâ— Grecians saith he are but of yesterday and know nothing of the Rise and Antiquity of Arts there is not one of you that is Old and there is no Learning among you that is Antient. His meaning was that all their Knowledg was borrowed and that the Sacred Mosaick Philosophy and Theology were the oldest of all From this the Heathens took theirs though sometimes they express it in different Terms Thus we have gone through the Moâ—aick Records and in many Instances shew'd the Derivation of Gentile Philosophy Principles Praâ—tices and Usages from those Sacred Writings and consequently we have evinced the Truth and Antiquity of these Records Before I leave this Head of my Discourse I will here add the Testimony of Pagan and Profane Authors concerning this great Law-giver Moses the first Penman of Holy Scripture which is still in prosecution of what I undertook to shew that the Writings of the Old Testament and with them their Authors and Penmen are attested by Profane Writers It appears first from what these have said that there was such a Person and that he was what his Writings represent him to be This is he that is called by Orpheus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alluding to his Name Mosheh Exod. 2. 10. which was given him because he was drawn out of the Water He is celebrated by Alexander Polyhistor Philochorus Thallus Appion cited by Iustin Martyr by Manethon and Numenius alledged by Origen and Eusebius by Lysimachus and Molon quoted by Iosephus by Chalcidius Sanchoniathon Iustin Pliny in Porphyrius Moses is placed by Dioâ—orus the Sicilian in the Front of his famous Law-givers only a little disguised under the Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is there said to have received his Laws from Mercury And why from Mercury Perhaps because some Chronologers acquaint us that the Great Mercurius stiled Trismegistus the antientest Philosopher among the Egyptians was either contemporary with Moses or is thought to have lived about his time But St. Augustine tells us in his Noted Book de Civitate Dei that this 〈◊〉 was Nephew to another Mâ—râ—urius whose 〈◊〉 was Atlas the famous Astrologer and he it was belike that flourished in Moses's time Whâ—â—â—â— if I
of meer Fictions Whence Eusebius complains that there were nothing but meer Fables in the Greek Histories if they may be call'd Histories before the beginning of the Olympiads that Famous Greek Epoche or Computation which began from the Instauration of the Olympick Games by Iphitus but when this was is not very clear for some say it was in the time of Azariab King of Iudah above two hundred years after the Death of Solomon others say in the Reign of Vzziah King of Iudah A. M. 3173. Others fix it A. M. 3189 eight years before the Birth of Romulus and Remus four hundred and seven years after the Destruction of Troy Others place the Olympiads lower about A. M. 3228 others A. M. 3256 about seven hundred and fifty years before Christ. Varro's Division of Times into Vnknown Fabulous and Historical the last of which he begins not 'till the Greek Olympiads proves this very thing The most Ancient Greek Historians were Archiloâ—us Aristeas Proconnesius Hecataeus Milesius Charon Lampsacenus c. but nothing of their Writings is preserved Herodotus is the Ancientest Greek Historian we have extant and therefore is called the Father of History but he begins his Historical Relations but a little before the Prophetick Histories of Ezra Nehemiah and Daniel make an end You will find this Argument prosecuted by Clemens Alexandrinus who shews that the Learning and Knowledge of the Hebrews was before that of the Greeks as much as the Iewish Nation was before the Seven Wise Men and the Sacred History before the Argolick He shews that Thales and Solon two of their Wise Men lived about the forty sixth and the fiftieth Olympiad and Pythagoras about the sixty second than which the Iews were much older by the confession of Philo Pythagoreus Aristobulus Peripateticus and Megasthenes He compares the Age of Moses with Bacchus the Seven Wise Men and some of the Grecian Gods and proves that he was above six hundred years before any of these He demonstrates from Chronological Computations that Hâ—ggai aâ—d Zachary were Elder than Pythagoras and that Solomon was much Seniour to the Wise Men. And all this is in order to this that the Greeks as well as the Chaldeans and Egyptians had their Knowledge from the Hebrews and not these from them Seeing then that the Ancientest Pagan Writers are short of the Holy Scriptures seeing all Authors and Writers are after Moses for he indeed was before all the Great things that are in Pagan History 400 years before the Trojan War which is the first starting of History with the Greek and Roman Authors His Laws had the precedency of all others whatsoever yea the very name of Law was scarce extant at that time in all Homer you can't find the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they had no written Rules to direct their Manners by the will of their Princes was the only Law since these things are thus the Transcendant Antiquity of the Writings of the Old Testament is hence undeniably proved These are the ancientest Memorials in the World these are the oldest Monuments of Truth and consequently the Iews were the first People that had these things set before them and as a consequent of that all others took from them From this comparing the Antiquity of Writers it is clear that Moses's Laws and the Customs of the Patriarchs were not borrowed from the Pagans as some have imagin'd but that the Chaldeans Phaenicians and Egyptians yea that the Arabians and Persians as might have been shewn and as the Learned Dr. Stillingfleet now a worthy Prelate of our Church hath proved in his Admirable Discourse on this Subject and that the Greeks and Latins have derived their Mysteries from the Hebrews and that all the Gentile Theologers borrowed their Great Truths from the Books of the Old Testament for these being the ancientest and first Records it is most reasonable to believe that those that came after them took from them and that these Sacred Writings yielded matter to those others This is the first Reason to prove that the Pagan Historians Philosophers and Poets were beholding to the Scriptures Secondly I will prove it from the way of Communicating those Scriptural Truths and Histories to them 1. This happen'd by reason of the Commerce which the Iews had with the Neighbouring Nations Chaldeans Phaenicians Egyptians and others Especially in King Solomon's time there was a great Commerce between the Hebrews and these latter and then it is probable the Egyptians learnt many things of the Iews As Solomon Married a Wife thence so it is likely they affected some of the Rites and Manners of his People and espoused their Customs and Usages together with their Notions and Opinions It must be remembred also that the Chaldeans Phaenicians and Egyptians were the Nations which Greece Traded with and so this Country had an opportunity of receiving the Iewish Traditions and Customs at the second hand and hence it is that you have the footsteps of them so frequently in the Greek Authors as well Poets as others Nay to speak more generally Iudea was very well â—ituated for the propagating of Laws and Usages to all other Nations for it was placed in that Climate of the World which was fit for this purpose viz. in the middle of the then Inhabited Earth To which convenient situation perhaps the Psalmist refers in Psal. 74. 12. God worketh Salvation in the midst of the Earth And so that of Ezekiel concerning Ierusalem I have set it in the midst of the Nations Ch. 5. v. 5. Secondly A great part of the Hebrews being dispersed over all the World by Divine Providenâ—e had an opportunity of Communicating these things to the Gentiles The main Body of them were sent into Assyria and Babylon by Nehuchadnezzar where they had converse with those Sâ—rangers seventy years and a part of them were carried at the same time into Egypt with Ieremiah It is not to be doubted that they carried with them the Holy Writings which were then extant and out of them they daily imparted the passages of the History of the Creation of the World and Noah's Flood and the Propagation of Mankind and other the like particulars contained in those Books Afterwards when they were beaten by Pompey and made Slaves they were carried Captive into Egypt Syria Greece Rome Besides that in the times of the Maccabees some had freely left their Country and went into Egypt to make Proselytes there When they were thus scattered into these Foreign Countries it is no wonder that the People in these parts attain'd to some knowledge of the Sacred Books and of the Traditions of the Iews They must needs hear and learn something of those Matters Conversing familiarly with the Iews 3. The Iewish Notions and Customs might easily be Communicated to the Gentiles seeing Moses's Writings were Translated into Greek in the time of the Persian Monarchy if not before it as Eusebius reports from Megasibenes a Man well Skill'd in History and who
many ambiguous and equivocal and thence the Phrases Sentences and Speeches must needs be so too This is one Reason why the Sacred Truths of Scripture were corrupted when they came into the Hands of the Heathens The Eastern words and forms of speaking were misunderstood by the Grecians the Hebrew Dialect and Idiom were mistaken by the People of another Language and Country The Oriental Expressions were misinterpreted by the Europeans who were Strangers to the literal and proper Sense of them Hence arose Fables Fancies and groundless Conceits which they mixed with the Spiritual Verities and almost defaced and extinguished them 2. The Sacred History of Scripture and the Traditions of the First Ages of the World were easily corrupted because they were Transmitted to Ignorant and Barbarous People God was pleas'd not to vouchsafe that Light and Knowledge to the Gentiles which he bestowed on his own People but he thought fit to leave them in that darkness and blindness which their gross Sins had brought them to and which were now become the just Punishment of them Many of them were so besotted that when they heard of those Holy and Mysterious Truths they were not able to bear them they could not apprehend the true meaning and import of them But because some of them who were the most Contâ—mplative would be exercising themselves about them they resolved to make something of them or out of them And accordingly when they committed them to Writing they applied them to some Person or Thing which was known and famous among them and thus an Historical passage in Holy Scripture became a Story of their own or a Divine Truth was turn'd into a Fable By this means the things which they borrowed from the Word of God came to be Dâ—praved and Disguised 3. The long tract of Time and diversity of years have partly introduced this corruption and alteration For length of time blotted out some of the former Accounts and defaced the Memoirs of things The Antient Names of several Persons and Places are worn out and others quite different from them are used in their stead The true Original Occasion and Meaning of many things were forgotten and in place of them New but False Relations crept in Then came to pass at last when the right Notions of things were worn out that Men of Poetry and Invention thrust upon silly People their own Fancies and Conceits and perswaded them to accept of the most unlikely Stories for Truth 4. The Historical passages of Scripture and the strange Events which hapned among the Iews being spread abroad and passing through many Hands or rather Mouths could not but for that Reason be corrupted By the great diversity of Relators they were changed some adding to them and others diminishing them so that at the last they were quite different from what they were at first 5. As Superstition and Idolatry increased the greater Corruptions there were of True History Men making that to Administer to their Idolatrous Worship So that in those Countries especially where there were the fiercest Bigots for the Pagan Devotion there was alwaies a more plentiful coyning of these Fables under which were hid very useful Truths taken out of the Old Testament 6. This must be added that it was the Custom of the Antient Pagans to wrap up their Notions in obscure and dark Terms and to represent them in an Aenigmatical way Origen thinks Plato in one of his pieces hath something of that Paradise which Moses in the beginning of his Writings speaks of and he gives this Reason why he thinks so viz. because it is Plato's usual way to describe things obscurely and to disguise the greatest and most excellent Verities under the vail of Mysteries and Fables And this was the guise of others besides Plato especially of the Pagan Poets they affected obscurity and difficulty of Stile whence sprang several of the Fabulous Histories of the Gods and other odd passages in their Writings And so when they took some things of moment from Scripture or from those who were acquainted with those Sacred Records they cloath'd them with their dark and Mystical Expressions in so much that it was hard to know whence they had them 7. The Grecian Humour was to Invent and Romance their Poets especially who were their first Writers were famous for this They abused mangled jumbled and confounded the Stories in Holy Writ they turn'd those Sacred Things into Magical Pranks sometimes and from the Names of Holy Persons spoken of in the Old Testament they took occasion to invent new Deities and shape new Gods Their frequent practice was to piece out Scripture with their own Fancies and to add something of their own heads This is owing to the Greek Vanity it is to be ascribed to the Levity and Capriciousness of these Fabulous Men whose very Genius led them to affect Banter and Fictions The Poets dealt with Sacred History as the Legendaries do with the Lives of Saints they have some general ground for what they say but they make plentiful additions to it there is perhaps something of Truth at bottom but then you have their own Inventions besides Thus the Grecian Writers counterfeited all along the shape of Real Truths in most of their Fables there was a medly of Falshood and Truth together 8. This is also certain that the Pagan Philosophers did out of fear sometimes disguise the Notions of Truth which they received from Scripture Plato saith Iustin the Martyr had learnt in Egypt the True Doctrine concerning God One only God with several other Sacred Truths but lest some Melitus or Anytus should Accuse him he would not divulge them to the People For fear of incurring Socrates's Misfortune he either conceal'd or disguis'd all He dreaded the Poysonous Cup and so would not discover those Sacred Things but rather chose to lap them up in Poetick Conceits and Fables in Mysteries and Riddles which his Writings are full of And this it is likely was the Case of other Philosophers and Writers among the Gentiles they were Timorous and dared not Transgress the Publick Laws and incur the punishment due to Innovators in Religion and therefore they spoke ambiguously and obscurely and corrupted those Truths which they had received from the Holy Fountains 9. Some out of meer Ignorance of the Iewish Religion and Affairs misrepresent and corrupt those things This is seen plainly in Strabo and Diodorus the Siciâ—ian who as was hinted afore make the Iews to be Egyptians and Strabo particularly saith of Moses that he was an Egyptian Priest So Herodotus because the Hebrews had lived among the Egyptians saith those things of the former which belong to the latter and so perhaps vice versâ I remember he particularly saith that Circumcision was first of all used among the Ethyopians and Egyptians and from them went to the Phaenicians and Syrians and thence some thought Abraham receiv'd this Rite and commended it to his Posterity It is as easie to
to King Ptolomee by the foresaid Demetrius a very serious Man and it was assigned as a Reason why the Contents of these Sacred Writings which were so Divine and Admirable were but rarely mention'd by the Historians and Poets These Examples had struck a terrour into some of them having heard how some Prophaners of these Holy Things were Animadverted upon by a Divine Hand they were afraid to Record any passages in the Old Testament Therefore some of them chose rather to disguise the Sacred Stories and to stuff them with Fabulous Narrations that they might scarcely be known to have been borrowed from that Holy Book Lastly the Devil hath a design in all this Tertâ—lian's Words are remarkable when he had said that the Things which are contrary to Truth i. e. the Heathen Fables Rites and Usages are made out of the Truth i. e. the Holy Scriptures he further adds that this Imitating of the Truth is wrought by the Spirits of Error that is the Devils who affect sometimes to Ape God and what he doth This is most apparent that they are a Mimical fort of Creatures and shew themselves sometimes diligent Emulators of the most Holy Pâ—rsons and Things Their great Subtilty and Craft are to be discern'd here for when they brought the Hebreâ— Rites and Ceremonies of Gods own appointment into the 〈◊〉 Worship and Service they did this to Prophane them and â—o make them contemptible and ridiculous They did it that those Divine and Sacred Things might be despised and that they might be turn'd into Superstition and Idolatry So likewise they cunningly mixed something of sacred Truth with Fables that thereby they might make the things that are True to be suspected Satban is desirous to pervert and even erase the whole Sacred Scripture and Antient Truth but because he sees he cannot effect this he therefore contrives how he may disguise the Scripture-Stories he sets the Poets to work to make them into Fables and thinks by that means to take off our Esteem of those Inspired Writings and to diminish that Credit which we ought to give to those Sacred Truths He pushed on those Grecian Wits to obscure and deface the Old Names in Scripture that the Original of them might not be known He out of direct malice moved those fanciful Men to invent Fables to defame the Primitive Stories to blemish the Sacred History to obscure and pervert the Truth The Poets turning the Scriptures into Fabulous Narrations was the way to invalidate the Testimony of them and to make them seem a meer Poetick Fiction a Dream a Fansie that hath no real bottom It is no wonder then that the Devil imped their Fancies and assisted their Inventions and help'd them to change the Truth into a Lie that thereby he might rob God and the Scripture of their Honour This I say might be a device of that Evil Spirit as he hath Devices and Wiles of all sorts to elude the Authority of Sacred History and to take away the Credit of Divine Truth Again as that Crasty Spirit designs by this means to disparage yea to null the Truth so he thinks hereby to gain assent to Falshood and to promote the greatest Impiety imaginable for when Truth is mixed with Falshood he hopes that this latter will be entertain'd for the sake of the former And when Lewd and Vitious Practices are founded in those that are Innocent and Religious he expects that these should justifie those Perhaps when he added the Sacred Ceremonies of the Iews to the prophane Worship of the Gentiles he thought thereby to take away the difference between them and to render them alike so that Men should not be able to distinguish between a True and False way of Worship Thirdly the Devil's Design in introducing several Sacred rites and Customs into the practice of the Heathens was to conciliate to himself a greater Authority and Esteem a greater Glory and Repute among them He commends those things to the Pagans which were Religiously used and even by God's own People and prescrib'd by God himself this he doth to inveigle the Pagan World and to bring them to Admire and Worship him Wherefore an Answer may easily be return'd to that Objection of a late Learned Writer What advantage can the Devil have by his imitating the Divine Worship He ever Acts for some end that may be prositable to himself but how can this prove so seeing it would be more advantageous to him to institute a Worship and Ceremonies that are Diametnically contrary to those in the Divine Law that by those as by so many proper and peculiar Characters his Herd might be distinguished from the Flock of the Shepherd of Israel The Answer I say to this is very easie and obvious for there can be nothing more Advantageous to that Evil Spirit than his emulating of Divine Worship and appointing Ceremonies suitable to it for by this means his Kingdom is most sensibly advanced and that with the greatest Artifice and Craft imaginable because this Vile Fiend is Adored even whilst the Divine Worship of the True God seems to be earried on It was the Subtilty of this Great Mimick to approach as near to God and True Religion as he could to make use of those things which by God's own express Command were used in his Worship This is a cunning way of gaining Proselytes and increasing the number of his Worshippers Thus he Acts for some End and that a very Profitable one too certainly much more Profitable to him than if he had Instituted Proper and Peculiar Ceremonies of Worship for these would too palpably have distinguish'd his Herd from the True Flock whereas those bring them into a kind of Rivalty with it Besides this fond Emulation in the Devil is a gratifying of his first Proud Inclination and aspiring to be like God He is still Ambitious of Divine Honour otherwise certainly he would not have desired to be Worship'd by the Son of God himself And he would be Worshipp'd in the same way that God is with the same Signs and Badges of Adoration Hence most of those Sacred Rites enjoyned by God himself and made use of in his Worship by the Iewish Church were transferred by Sathan to his Idolatrous and Impious Worship This is the effect of his Haughty Spirit which thirsteth after Divine Honour even such as is given to the only True God Thus I have amply shew'd you how it came to pass that the Rites and Practices and the greatest Truths contained in the Holy Scripture were corrupted disguised misapplied and abused by the Pagans I have given you the Reasons and Arguments which may convince you of this and render you an account of the manner of it CHAP. IX The Author's Assertions Confirmed by the ample Suffrage of the Ancients and Moderns Consectaries drawn from the whole viz. That we cannot with any shew of Reason admit of the Opinion of those who hold that the Jews borrow'd all or most of
their Religious Rites from the Gentiles That from what hath been premised we may take notice of and admire the singular Providence of Heaven That we are ascertain'd of the Antiquity Reasonableness and Certainty of our Religion That we are reconcil'd to the writings of Prophane Authors That we are assured of the Truth and Authority of the Scriptures of the Old Testament I Will now add unto Reason and Evidence the Suffrage of the Learned and Wise whether Ancients or Moderns It was averr'd long since by Demetrius Phalereus that Great Historian and Philosopher in an Epistle of his to King Ptolomey that the Gentile Philosophers took many things from the Holy Scriptures as you will find him cited by Eusebius in his Evangelical Preparation This is an early Testimony to the truth of what I have asserted By this it appears that the Notion which I have offered is above two thousand years Old Iosephus the Learned Iew who lived about half a thousand years after attests the same and professedly proves that both Philosophers and Poets borrowed from the Sacred Fountains of Scripture This is abundantly testified by the Christian Fathers as Tatianus who hath a set Oration on this Subject that what Learning the Greeks gloried in was received all of it from the Barbarians as they call'd the Iews Tâ—eophilus Bishop of Antioch who lived likewise in the Second Century asserts this in defence of Christianity proving that whatever the Pagan Poets writ of Hell and the pains of it and several other Subjects in Divinity was stolen from the Writings of the inspired Prophets and that the Christian doctrine which is in a great part taken from them is the Ancientest Religion Iustin the Christian Philosopher and martyr speaks to the like purpose and proves that all the true Notions in Theology among the Pagans sprang from Moses and the Holy Writings and he instanceth in and enlargeth on many Particulars shewing that Orpheus Homer and Plato had several of their Words Phrases Opinions Traditions Descriptions from the Prophetick Writings He maintains that the Fables of Bacchus Hercules Aesculapius c. were made out of the depraved sense and meaning of the Holy Writ At another time he pursueth the same Argument and attempts to demonstrate that all the Great and Brave things in the Philosophers and Poets Writings are from the Holy Book Clement of Alexandria is very copious on this Theme The Scope of the first Book of his Stromata is to shew that the Philosophy of the Hebrews was many Generations older than that of the Gentiles and in prosecution of this he endeavours to evince that the Opinions of the Greek Philosophers and others were taken from Moses and other Hebrews And in the Second Book of his Stromata he farther insisteth on this Subject and proves that the Greeks were Notorious Plagiaries and stole their Philosophy from the Barbarians And so he goes on in the following Books to prove that all the good Notions among the Greeks came from the Hebrews that whatever Excellent Truths the former taught thâ—y had from the latter they Sacrilegiously took them from the Holy Patriarchs and Iews This is the sense of the forty seventh Chapter of Tertullian's Apologetick he there maintains that both Poets and Philosophers were beholding to the Prophets and derived all their best things from them Yea those very Arguments which the Pagans bring against the Christian Truth are fetch'd from it as I observ'd from him before I have mention'd Origen already but if you consult his Fourth Book against Celsus you will find this more largely asserted viz. That the Pagan Rites and Stories were taken from the Scriptures Eusebius likewise hath been quoted before but if the Reader think good to peruse the Author he will see this Argument insisted on in four or five Books together where he proves that the Greeks had some understanding of Moses's Theology and follow'd the Iewish Writers in several things which he makes good by alledging several passages out of Theophrastus Hecataeus Porphyrius Numenius Megasthenes c. And afterwards he goes on and more designedly clears this Proposition that what is good in the Writings of the Gentile Philosophers is all stoln from the Hebrews and that the Wisdom of the Greeks especially came from the Iews I might add the Testimony of St. Augustin who shews that the Platonists borrowed from the Scripture And of Theodoret who agrees with him in this and farther proves that other Philosophers had their Theologick Notions from Moses and the Prophets Thus we see this is an Old and Received Truth Nor doth it want the Sâ—ffrage of the most Learned Modern Writers some of whom without any order of time I will briefly mention Stuckius is very plain and peremptory and speaks the Sum of what we have delivered in the preceeding Discourse The whole Religion of the Old Pagans saith he proceeded from a depraved perverse and preposterous kind of imitating that Ancient and truly Divine Religion which the Patriarchs and their posterity the Iews had such a reverence for as being prescribed them by God himself Villalpandus on the Pentateuch professedly declares that the Sacrifices and other Usages among the Gentiles came from the Iews Who can deny saith another that the Laws which were given to those Holy Men the Hebrews came first to the Egyptians and then out of Egypt went to Greece The Elder Vossius hath in almost innumerable places assorted this that the Gentiles made a great number of their Fables out of the Histories which are in the Sacred Writings Bochart hath with great Wit and Learning traced and discovered the footsteps of Scripture-History among the Heathens in their Mythology It is the Opinion of Marcus Marinus that the Theological Sentiments concerning Divine Things were the same among all the Ancient Hebrews and Patriarchs but afterwards they were depraved by the Greeks and Converted into Fables Lewis Capell hath these express words In the Old Fables of the Greeks you may perceive some shadow and Image some dark and flying footsteps as 't were of several of the Histories in the Bible Which might be demonstrated by a manifold induction of particulars It is the declar'd judgment of another that the Gentiles were wont to transferr the more remarkable Histories of the Old Testament and the Divine Miracles related therein to their false Gods And he instances in several And because I have asserted in the foregoing Discourse that the Sacred Mysteries and Rites of God's own appointment have been prophaned and abused even to Magical purposes I will adjoyn here the Testimony of Petrus Crinitus who expresly tells us that the Egyptians and others made and invented Magical Ceremonies out of the Scacred Rites and Observances of the Iews and that they were wholly indebted to these for them Kircher and Isaac Vossius have done their part in this Subject but Huetius in his Evanâ—â—lical
agrees with this Author and tells us that it was an ancient and constant Opinion among the Eastern People that some should come out of Iudea about that time and have the universal Sway and Reign over the World Iosephus the Jewish Historian relates the same and acquaints us that it was the common rumour and vogue among the Iews that one of their own Country should be an Universal Emperor which he as well as the fore-cited Authors applieth to Vespasian because he conquer'd the Iews and with Titus came from Iudea in Triumph to Rome Other Iews thought this common Fame was meant of Herod asserting him to be the Person fore-told by the Prophets and to be the expected Messias These were the Herodians mentioned in Mat. 22. 16. Thus though through Ignorance they knew not how to fix this Rumour aright yet out of Flattery they could apply it to their Princes But it is most evident that this Fame of an Universal Monarch arose from the Scriptures of the Old Testament which frequently speak of a great King and Ruler that should come out of the East and particularly out of Iudea Out of thee Bethlehem shall He come forth unto me that is to be the Ruler in Israel Mic. 5. 2. Which is interpreted of the Messias by the Iewish Sanhedrim whom â—erod gathered together demanding of them where Christ should be born Mat. 2. 4 5. That Prophecy of Micah speaks plainly of a Iew one that by birth â—as of Iudea yea of Bethlehem and therefore it was most falsly applied to those Roman Emperors before-named who came not out of Iudea but â—ut of Italy not from Bethlehem but from Rome And as for Herod he was not a Iew but an Iduâ—ean he was not born in Bethlehem but in Ascalon â—ut in our Blessed Saviour this remarkable Propheâ—y is exactly accomplish'd he being a Iew by â—â—rth and of the City of David and constituted â—y God a matchless King and Governor over his People Behold a King shall Reign in Righteousness 〈◊〉 32. 1. And in several other places of this Prophecy Christ is represented as a King and his Coming is express'd after that manner There was â—iven him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that â—ll People Nations and Languages should serve him His Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall 〈◊〉 pass away and his Kingdom that which shall not 〈◊〉 destroyed Dan 7. 14. Which is expresly applied to Christ by the Angel from Heaven Luke 1. 33. And in many other places of Scripture this Divine Person who was to come to redeem and save Mankind is set forth as a King or Great Lord and Prince one that should â—ear Sway in the World and wield his Scepter over all Nations Hence this Rumour was spread among the Eastern People and especially about the time of Christ's birth that a Great Lord or King should arise in those parts and spread his Dominion over the World Hence those Pagan and Jewish Writers beforeâ— mentioned speak of this Great Ruler and Monarch who is no other than our Lord Christ the King of Kings and Lord of Lords This they had from the Prophesies of the Bible where 't is so often fore-told that a King shall arise and gain an Universal Empire over Mankind To this we may refer that which Suetonius reports and he quotes his Author for it that a few Months before Augustus was born there was this publick Prodigy viz. a Proclaiming of this That Nature was bringing forth a King to the Roman People Whereupon the Senate being allarmed and frighted made a strange Decree That no one born that Year should be Educated This Prodigy without doubt refer'd to Christ whose Birth was in Augustus's Reign this was the King that was to be born to all the World which was then in a manner subject to the Roman Empire and therefore might be call'd the Roman People So the Sibylls Oracles or Prophesies are of a middlâ— nature and Consideration and therefore are justly to be treated of in this place As they were borrow'd from the Scriptures of the Old Testament they belong indeed to the former part of this Discourse but as they attest the Truth of the maiâ— things in the New-Testament they are reducible to this I will consider them first as they are taken out of the Scriptures of the Old-Testament This may seem to be strange at first because the Opinions of Writers have run an other way but after I have plainly laid the matter before you I doubt not but the thing which I offer will easily gain your assent and then it will rather seem strange that it was not taken notice of and imbraced before There have been these four Opinions among the Learned concerning the Sybills Oracles or Verses 1. Some say they are Counterfeit yea that some Christians but Hereticks have imposed upon the World in this matter This I will account for afterwards because it will more pertinently be handled under the Second Consideration viz. as they are used as an Attestation of the Truth of the New-Testament Indeed this Opinion rudely takes away the Subject of the Question and therefore must be consider'd in the last place in the mean time we suppose the thing spoken of to be real and not counterfeit 2ly Then some have asserted that the Sibylls were divinely Inspired and consequently that their Verses are Sacred and Divine Iustin Martyr Arâ—obius Lactantius and some other ancient Fathers cry them up as equal to the holiest Prophets As God say they spake by the Prophets to the Iews concerning Christ before he came so he foreâ—told him to the Gentiles by the Sibylls and the same Prophetick Spirit was in the latter that was in the former Baronius Bellarmine and the Roman Doctors generally think the same of them and therefore they use their Testimony as very Sacred and altogether Irrefragable By the way I might observe that they are sometimes quoted by these and others of the Church of Rome to assert and countenance some of their Popish Doctrines So that it seems Popery was a Religion before there were any thoughts of it in the World and before it had a Being But here Authors are divided again for some hold these Gentile Prophetesses were Good and Holy Person others that they were not The former Opinion is grounded on that Tenent of the Iewish Doctors that never any vicious and unhallowed Persons were honored with the Prophetick Spirit and that those Irradiations and extraordinary Impressions of the Holy Ghost were made only upon Men of holy Lives and innocent Behaviours Besides these Prophetick Women speak of One only True God and they inveigh against the False Gods and their Altars which is a sign they were good and religious People Others have a contrary Opinion of them and think they were Irreligious and Prophane for that Opinion of the Hebrew Doctors before spoken of is not always true though it be generally so We read of Baalam the Sorcerer
mention'd by Three of the Evangelists the Iewish Historian expresly testifieth and he is as good a Witness as we can desire in this Affair CHAP. XII After particular Testimonies now more general ones are produced as that of Pontius Pilate in his Letters to Tiberius The respect which this Emperor and others bore to Christ. Josephus's famous Testimony concerning him as also concerning others mention'd in the New-Testament Attestations of Pagans concerning St. Paul St. Peter and the Truth of some Passages in the Acts. All Christ's Predictions about the Destruction of Jerusalem confirmed by Heathens and Jews What Pliny and Trajan relate of the Christians Mahomet bears Witness to Christ. THus you have particular Testimonies as to those Three great Things our Saviour's Birth Life and Death Now in the next place I have general Testimonies to produce There are some Pagan and Iewish Witnesses that confirm all these yea and more than what hath been hitherto testified namely Christ's Resurrection As other Governors and Deputies of Provinces used to send an Account to the Emperors and Senate of the most remarkable Things that happened in their Provinces so Pontius Pilate Procurator of Iudea did the like and his Relation is the more valuable because it is the Testimony of a Person who Condemn'd our Saviour to death His Letter or Letters rather there being two of them to the Emperor Tiberius soon after Christ's Death give an Account of his Life Miracles Crucifixion and rising to life again And as Publick Acts were wont to be transmitted and reserved in the Imperial Archives so these were kept there whence the Christian Fathers had them Hegesippus an ancient Champion of the Christian Cause made use of them against the Pagans as we are informed from Eusebius Iustin Martyr tells the Roman Emperors that as for the Death and Sufferings of Christ they were to be seen in the Acts of or under Pontius Pilate and refers them to those as satisfactory and undeniable Tertullian with great boldness alledgeth the same Records as a sufficient Confirmation of the History of Christ in his Apology c. 5. 21. Whereupon one of the Learned'st Men of our Age concludes that this ancient Father found this among the Acts of the Roman Senate where all things of this nature were set down It is not to be questioned saith he that Pontius Pilate sent this Account to Tiberius if we consider that this was the constant practise of all the Governors and Deputies of Provinces to transmit the Relation of every remarkable Occurrence to the Emperors by whom they were placed in those Stations for this purpose viz. to inform them concerning the Affairs of those particular Places Now the Crucifying of our Saviour and his Rising again were certainly very considerable and remarkable Passages and therefore 't is not to be doubted that Pilate as Procurator of Iudea sent the Emperor a Relation of them On which account this Judicious Writer asserts the Authority of these Letters and there are other Arguments which he useth to enforce the Truth of them which are worth the consulting Thus it plainly appears from the fore-mention'd Fathers that there were such Letters from Pilate to Tiberius and that there was such an Account of our Saviour extant at that time otherwise they would not have made their Appeals to them in their Apologies otherwise they would not have call'd upon the Emperors to consult their own Records which testified of Christ and his Actions Wherefore I look upon Du Pin's Judgment as flat here who saith That though this Relation cannot be absolutely charged with falshood yet it is to be reckoned as doubtful Tertullian adds and from him Eusebius that Tiberius would have put Christ into the number of the Gods upon Pilate's Writing such strange things to him concerning Him he refer'd the Matter to the Senate desiring them to rank Him among those that were Worship'd and Deified but the Senate refused it because they themselves did not first order and approve of it for it was an old Roman Law that no God should be set up by the Emperor unless first approved of by the Senate for this reason only they rejected Christ from being admitted among the Gods However the Emperor still retain'd the same Reverence and Esteem of Christ as a most Divine Person and in Honour to him favoured the Christians and by Edict ordered that none should accuse and disturb them meerly for their Religion and the name of Christians annexing a severe Penalty on such as dared to transgress this Edict Nay Tertullian and other Fathers assure us that he had so great a Reverence for Christ that he intended to erect a Temple to him This was from that Information which Pilate sent him concerning our Saviour I might mention the Kindnesses which other Emperors had for Christ as no contemptible Testimony to that purpose which I design this Discourse for Lampridius reports that Alexander Severus Worshipped our Lord and had his Picture in great Veneration and that he had thoughts of erecting a Temple to him and taking him into the number of the Gods Which Adrian likewise he saith intended to have done but was hindred from it by being told that all would turn Christians and the Temples Consecrated to the other Gods would be forsaken These are ample Attestations of Pagans concerning Christ and which is greater they are their Approbations of him Next I produce the Testimony of a Famous Iew whom I have so often made mention of who forty or fifty Years after some of the Evangelical Writings gave an account of the Iews Affairs and of Christ and of many things relating to Him Among other Passages he hath this memorable one At this time saith he there was one Jesus a Wise Man if I may call him a Man for he did most wonderful Works and was a Teacher of thâ—se who received the Truth with delight He brought many to his Perswasion both of the Jews and Gentiles This was Christ who though he was by the Instigation of some of the Chief of our Nation and by Pilate ' s Doom hung on the Cross yet those who loved him at first did not cease to do so for he came to Life again the third day and appeared to them the Divine Prophets having fore-told these and infinite other Wonders of him and to this day remains that sort of Men who have from Him the name of Christians Both Eusebius and St. Ierom alledge this Famous Testimony of Iosephus concerning Christ as an undeniable Confirmation of the Christian Religion And the latter of these Writers places this Iew among the Ecclesiastical Writers of the Church because he speaks of our Saviour with this great respect A late Writer hath a great many idle foolish Cavils against this so notable a Memorial of Iosephus concerning our blessed Lord. He thinks it strange that Iustin Martyr Tertullian and Clemens Alexandrinus writing against the Iews make no
this Simon goes under the fabulous name of Icarus the famous Flyer among the Poets This Person faith he at his very first attempt fell down near the Emperor's Bed-Chamber and besprinkled him with his Blood The Representation of Icarus in that Play which Nero exposed to the People might be a mistaking of the true Story of Simon Magus whose downfal happening at Rome in that Emperor's Reign in the sight of all the People might well be remarked in his Life by this Historian But this is propounded in way of Conjecture only Thus I have briefly shew'd what some Heathen Witnesses testifie concerning St. Iohn our Saviour's fore-runner and concerning those chieif Apostles St. Iames Paul and Peter who are so often spoken of in the New-Testament Which is a farther Confirmation of what I have undertaken to make good viz. that the Truth of the holy Writings of the New-Testament is vouched by those who are the greatest Adversaries of them I pass to another Historical matter recorded in these Sacred Writings viz. the Universal Famine fore-told by Agabus Acts 11. 28. which if you will credit Pagan Historians happen'd in accordingly the fourth Year of Claudius's Reign and was over all the World in the sixth Year Dion Cassius who had compiled his History out of the Fasti of Rome through the several Years speaks of this Famine under that Emperor and mentions his great care of the City that the Inhabitants might not be starved So Suetonius commends him for his Diligence and Providence in furnishing the City with Provision Iosephus also mentions this grievous Famine in Claudius's days with some particular Circumstances and Accidents which agree with what is delivered by St. Luke concerning the relief which was sent at that time by the Disciples at Antioch to the Brethren in Iudea that being a Place where the Famine exceedingly raged Thus we find that of Eusebius to be true who speaking of this dreadful Famine recorded in the Acts tells us that even those Writers who were averse from the Christian Religion have deliver'd the same in their Histories The next thing I undertake is to treat of Christ's Predictions concerning the Overthrow of Ierusalem and some things which were to follow upon it and to shew that they are expresly confirm'd by Heathens and Iews In the 24th Chapter of St. Matthew and the 21st of St. Luke which speak of the Destruction of Ierusalem both City and Temple and the whole Nation yea with some remarkable Consequences of it though I know these Chapters have been and may be applied another way viz. as a Description of the fore-runners of the end of the World and the day of Judgment as I shall shew elsewhere there being a primary and secondary meaning of this Chapter as well as of some other places of holy Scripture there is I say first fore-told That many shall come in Christ's name saying I am Christ and shall deceive many v. 5. And again v. 11 Many false Prophets shall rise and shall deceive many i. e. they shall pretend to be Messiasses and Deliverers of the People though indeed they are very Impostors Of the truth of this Iosephus will inform you who relates that there was a vast number of these Pretenders and Mock-Saviours that drew the People after them particularly he tells us of a certain Egyptian in Felix's time and of Theudas when Vadus was Procurator and of Iudas the Gaulanite which two last some think are not the Theudas and Iudas spoken of by Gamaliel Acts 5. 36 37. but others are of Opinion that these are the same with them only that Iosephus mistakes a Gaulanite for a Galilean and is also mistaken in the time for he saith Iudas was in the the Reign of Archelaus If so this Impostor cannot be meant in this 24th of St. Matthew But I will not stand now to dispute whether there were two Iudasses and two Theudasses or whether St. Luke's and Iosephus's Iudas and Theudas are the same It is sufficient for my purpose that these and other Seducers and Disturbers arose and stirred up the People to Sedition and drew many after them in expectation of the Messias's coming and partly pretended that they themselves were He. So it was after the Destruction of Ierusalem there rose up Ionathas Barchochebas who being the most famous of those Impostors is taken notice of by Iosephus and others as a great Ring-leader of the Iews in Adrian's time He confidently profess'd himself the Messias applying Baalams Prophecy to himself Num. 24. 17. A Star shall rise out of Jacob His name Barchochab which signifies the Son of a Star being not a little serviceable to this Imposture He prevail'd on a great number of People to adhere to him by his inviting Promises and perswading them he was to be their Deliverer Yea he brought over a great part of the Learned'st Iews to him not only in Iudea but in Greece and Egypt but he and his Party being vanquished by the Emperor the Iews no longer call'd him Barchochab but changed his name into Barchozab the Son of a Lye a false Prophet a lying Impostor Divers others in those days took upon them the name of Messias and said they were to restore the Iewish Nation and to that end led People after them into the Deserts for in such places the pretended Prophets and Leaders drew up their forces as the fittest rendesvouz for them as Iosephus faith in several places which gives an Account of our Saviour's words in this Chapter vers 26. If they shall say unto you behold he is in the Wilderness go not forth to them Again Wars and rumours of Wars are fore-told to be the fore-runners and attendants of that fatal time which should befall Ierusalem v. 6. Of this we have plentiful mention in the Pagan and Iewish History Those were properly rumours of War when Caius threatned the Iews and offered to set up his Image in the Temple of which Tacitus Iosephus and Philo speak telling us in what Consternation the Iews both in Alexandria and Iudea were at that time There were actual Wars when those slaughters were committed on the Iews in Caius's time at Alexandria and Babylon of which Iosephus makes mention Likewise when upon the cruelty of Cestius Florus the President of Iudea there was a Rebellion of the Iews against the Romans in the Twelfth Year of Nero's Reign and an open War followed that Rebellion which was the first occasion of their final Overthrow by the Roman Armies who came soon after and sat down before their City Or by Wars and Commotions for so St. Luke words it are to be understood those Civil Wars and Intestine Broils among the Iews themselves of which we read in Iosephus and other Iewish Records of those Times There we may be informed concerning the Tumults of the Seditious and the Zealots the former were those that endeavoured to cast off the Roman Yoke and in order to
Sacrifices this plainly shews they were no Iews as to their Religion although Philo and Iosephus were willing to represent them as such in honour of their Nation they being so much admired for the Piety and Inâ—egrity of their Conversations And the rest of the Character is a plain Description of the Primitive Christians as they are represented in the History of the Gospel i. e. as having for a time all things Common as being Exemplary for their brotherly Love as Persons of singular Moderation and Self-denial as those who were bid not to Swear at all as those who underwent the severest Persecutions with an undaunted Courage and Fortitude and resisted even unto Blood and loved not their Lives unto the Death Now the Jewish Writers for Politick Ends would not give this Account of them as Christians but as Iews that the Credit of it might not redound to Christianity but to their Own Religion and way of Worship Then for Pagan Historians they also out of Design omit some things and insert others that are very false Thus as Budaeus hath well observ'd Pliny the Natural Historian could not be ignorant of the Eclipse at Christ's Passion it being recorded in the Roman Archives and he being a diligent Searcher in those Acts but he would not insert that into his Writings which he knew Princes were desirous should be conceal'd for the Doctrin and Religion of Iesus were to be as little plausible as could be among proud and voluptuous Men whom the Christian Religion so much abhors and condemns To have mention'd that Prodigy might exalt that Religion too much and the Eclipse might make it shine the brighter and be more admired and reverenc'd by the World For this Reason it is probable the Heathen Writers neglected to record this so prodigious an Accident it making for a new Religion contrary to their own I will give you another notable Instance which is this when M. Aurelius Antoninus's Army was in great streights and wanted Water they were suddenly and unexpectly supplied with Rain but at the same time their Enemies against whom they fought were over-whelm'd with Hail and Thunder Dion Iulius Capitolinus Claudian Lampridius report this thing but say it was from the Emperor 's own Prayers to Iupiter and from the Inchantments of the Iewish Magicians But the plain truth is that the Christian Soldiers by their Prayers procured this extraordinary and unexpected Rain for the relief of their Thirst and brought down Thunder and Storms upon their Enemies The relating of this would have been too great an Honour to the Christians and to their Religion and the Master of it wherefore the Pagan Historians out of Policy would not ascribe this Wonder to the Prayers of the Christians but to those of the Emperor and tell us the very words he used But they have not wholly concealed the Truth for as you have heard they impute this wonderful Accident partly to the Inchantments of the Iewish Magicians We know how common a thing it is with the Pagan Writers to mistake Iews for Christians and so the Iewish Magicians here are no other than the Christians in that Army who because they brought to pass such a wonderful and astonishing Thing are said to be Inchanters and Magicians These religious pious Christians were employ'd in the Expedition against the Germans and Sarmatians and when the Army was ready to perish with Thirst obtained and fetch'd down by their effectual Prayers great showers of Rain for themselves and destructive Thunder and Lightning on their Enemies Camp and thereby procured a Victory over them whence the Emperor got the Names of Germanicus and Sarmaâ—icus This is alledged and made use of in the Cause of Christianity by Apollinaris in his Apology to the Emperor as Eusebius restiâ—ies And this is mentioned by Tertullian as a thing every where known in his Apology to the Senate and he tells them there that the Emperor 's own Letter to them not long before sent to them out of Germany acknowledged the same viz that God wrought a Miracle for the sake of the Christians who were in his Army and he owed the Victory wholly to their pious Addresses to Heaven This Father would never have said this to the Romans if there had been any possibiliâ—y of conâ—uting it yea if it had not been a thing certainly known by them This Story of the Thundering Legion you have also at large in Eusebius who assures us that this Name was given them for this very reason because by their ardent Prayers they procured Thunder to fright and disperse their Enemies and Rain to refresh themselves And if what some have endeavour'd to prove were true viz. that this was the name of a Legion in Augustuâ—'s time and was named so from the Tunderbolt which it carried in the Shield yet I do not â—ee any reason to disbelieve this ancient Author for why may not a Name be given on different accounts Why may it not be call'd the Thundering Legion for this reason which he mentions as well as for that which others Assign I don't perceive that these are inconsistent Eusebius goes on and adds that the Emperor hereupon recall'd his Edicts against the Christians and by a new Decree appointed a severe Punishment to be inflicted on the Accusers of them The Gentile Historians say nothing of this and will not let us know that that miraculous Event was by means of the Christians A Victory gain'd by the Prayers of Christians would sound ill This would have been too signal a Testimony of the Truth and Prevalency of Christianity therefore it is suppressed For the same reason you may reckon Christ's Mriacles are omitted in Pagan Historians if you suppose they came to their Ears It is their cunning to write nothing of these for hereby they would at the same time commend Christianity and disparage their own Way Besides some of them were affraid to own the miraculous Acts of Christ and his Followers for they saw that this sort of Men were persecuted and put to death so that they dared not relate the Wonders they did lest they should be suspected to favour Christianity and by that means become liable to Capital Punishment Or if they fear'd not this yet they were affraid to displease the great ones as I said before If they knew any thing would be ungrateful and unacceptable to their Masters they pass'd it by Thus when it was given out by the Sibylline Oracle in the Year before our Saviour was born that Nature did then bring forth a King to the World the Roman Senate thereupon ordered that no Child born that Year should be brought up as appears in Suetonius Which was sufficient to give check to the Roman Historians and so 't is not to be wondred as the Learned Vossius observes that the killing of the Children of Bethlehem by Herod's command is not mention'd by any but the Evangelists he might have said unless by
are not Nice and Accurate in giving every Occurrence or Event its right Place whence it is that you meet with some things in these Writings that are transposed and out of Order and it is left to the Diligent and Inquisitive Reader to amend and reform thoâ—e Dislocations Those who would see farther Reasons of that frequent Metathesis and Misplacing which are in the Sacred Books may consult the Learned Dr. Lightfoot in his Chronicle of the Times of thâ— Old Testament CHAP. IV. There are not only Grammatical but Rhetorical Figures in the Sacred Volume The Psalmist's Words Psal. 120. 5. are Hyperbolical though not generally interpreted to be such So are our Saviour's Words Matth. 13. 32. though commonly expounded otherwise Luke 19. 44. rejected form being Hyperbolical John 21. 25. proved to be an Hyperbole This way of speaking in Scripture is no Lie Ironies are frequent in this Holy Book of which several Examples are produced Luke 22. 36 is shew'd to be of this sort And so is Acts 23. 5. I wist not that he was the High Priest This manner of speaking is not unworthy of the Sacred Penmen Synecdoches frequent in Scripture proved from several Instances Metaphors also common Solomon's Metaphorical Description of Old Age in Eccles. 12. expounded in all its Parts THere are not only Grammatical but Rhetorical Figures in this Sacred Volume the chief of which I will briefly speak of not to say that I have mentioned some of them already And though as I said of the former they have been observed by several Writers yet one Reason why I mention them here is because I shall have occasion to reduce some Texts to these Figures which have not been so interpreted by other Authors First Hyperboles are not unusual in these Holy Writings these are such Speeches as seem to surpass the bare Truth either by augmenting or diminishing it Thus a Great Caldron one of the Vessels of the Temple that held a vast Quantity of Water is call'd a Sea a molten Sea 1 Kings 7. 23. a brazen Sea 2 Kings 25. 13. It is said that the Cities were walled up to Heaven Deut. 1. 28. and that Solomon made Silver in Jerusalem as Stones 1 Kings 10. 27. and that at his being anointed King the People rejoiced with great Ioy so that the Earth rent with the Sound of them 1 Kings 1. 40. Upon which Places and some others the Jews found that Saying of theirs The Law sometimes speaks Hyperbolically The Description of Behemoth is full of this sort of Language He moveth his Tail like a Cedar his Bones are as strong pieces of Brass and Bars of Iron he drinketh up a River he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his Mouth Job 40. 17 c. Xerxes's Army was said to drink whole Rivers dry in that Hyperbolical Sense in which this is spoken of Behemoth which proves what I have asserted that the Scripture symbolizeth with other Writers or rather they with it The like Hyperbolical Description you have of the Leviathan Job 41. 18 to the end And such is that of the Locusts Joel 2. 2 12. all which is indeed one Continued Hyperbole wherein he elegantly and pathetically describes them as a well-formed Army as Virgil in his Georgicks loftily doth the Ants It nigrum campis agmen So all is Poetical and Hyperbolical in Psal. 18. 7 16. As for Psal. 120. 5. Wo is me that I sojourn in Mesech and dwell in the Tents of Kedar few Expositors take it to be of this kind Becausâ— Mesech signifies protracting or prolonging some interpret the first Clause thus I have a LONG time dwelt and because Kedar signifies Blackness they understand it of the Sadness of his Condition Others would translate the pious King to those Places and Countries which bear the Name of Mesech and Kedar thinking that he was for some time confined to those Places And there are other Conjectures about the Words but the true Import of them in my Apprehension is this David being banished from home expresseth it as if he were among the barbâ—rous Scythians as if he were in the wild Desarts of Arabia Or if you take Mesech and Kedar to be both of them in Arabia as some do then still the Sense is the same I sojourn I dwell I inhabit among the inhospitable People of Arabia call'd Scenitae because they lived in Tents or in that part of the Wilderness where the Israelites pitchâ—d in Tents when they travell'd to the Land of Canaan There is my Abode at present I am no longer one of Iudea This is an Hyperbolical Speech to set forth the Nature of those Inhumanâ— and Malicious People into whose Hands he was fallen and with whom he was forced to converse at that time To this sort of Speech we may refer Psal. 97. 5. The Hills melted like Wax Isa. 34. 3. The Mountains shall be melted with their Blood Ezek. 32. 6. I will water with thy Blood c. I will makâ— the Blood of the slain so abundant that it shall reach upto the very Mountains and all the Rivers shall be â—ill'd with Blood which is to be look'd upon as an Hyperbolical Description of Egypt's Destruction So Ezek. 39. 9 10. They shall burn the Weapons with â—ire seven Years so that they shall take no Wood out of the Field nor cut down any out of the Forests is an elevated Strain of speaking to express the Multitude of the Weapons and Spoils taken from the Enemy and the vast Slaughter of them At the first View those Words in Obadiaâ— ver 4. Though thou set thy Nest among the Stars must be acknowledged to be highly Hyperbolical Neither is the New Testament without this kind of speaking as to instance in Matth. 13. 32. which I grant is not reckoned by Writers among the Hyperboles of Scripture but I appeal to the Learned whether it ought not Of the Mustard-seed there in the Parable Christ saith It is indeed the least of all Seeds for though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be the Greek Word yet as hath been noted before it is here put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as is plain from its being joined with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so it is rightly rendred the least of all Seeds but this is not exactly true for the Seeds of Sweet-marjoram and Wild Poppy are far less and the Seeds of Tobacco are so small that a thousand of them make not above one single Grain in Weight but all must give place to the Seed of Moon-wort which câ—rtainly is a Seed of the least size that is And another reckons among the smallest Seeds of Plants those of Reed-mace and of Harts-tongue and of some sorts of Mosses and Ferns And of these latter I have read that some of them are so small that they cannot be seen without the Help of a Microscope But our Saviour to set forth and magnify the wonderful Power of the Word of God and the Increasing and Spreading of his
Saviour The World is gone after him John 12. 19. which only expresses the Vast Numbers of People that flock'd to him wheresoever he went Such is the Stile here The World it self cannot contain c. The Evangelists and Apostles must in a manner have fill'd the World with their Writings concerning Christ the Books would have been so Numerous that even the Whole World could scarcely have held them that is in plainer terms there must have been an Incredible Number of Books to have contain'd all those Matters There are many other Instances of this Hyperbolical Manner of speaking in the Holy Writings but my Design is only to give you a Taste of these and the like Figurative Expressions in order to your being better acquainted with the Stile of Scripture There is a Learned Modern Divine who thinks there is no such thing as an Hyperbole in Scripture he will by no means grant that this way of speaking is to be found in the Sacred Writings because it is a kind of Lie But all that is to be said in answer to him is this that it is impossible to give any other Account of some of the forenamed Instances and several others than by resolving them into an Hyperbole which is no Lie nor a kind of one because it is not contrary to the Mind of him that speaks it nor is it spoken to impose upon them that hear it Yet it is to be granted that there is a Moderation to be observed by us as there is in Scripture in using this sort of speaking You meet with but few Hyperboles in the Holy Writers and as they are rarely and sparingly used so it is done in a fit and convenient Subject and where there is no likelihood of their degenerating into a Lie and where the Story or other subject Matter is not thereby falsly misrepresented But it is otherwise where Writers immoderately affect an Hyperbolick Strain for they make use of it in Matters where it is not fit to be used and where the Truth and Reality of the Subject are endangered and where it administers to Falshood Thus it is in the Poems of that Historical Poet Lucan who is a Prodigious and Unsufferable Hyperbolizer And thus it is in Monsieur Balsac An Extravagant Hyperbole goes all along through his Letters though to the Greatest Persons and Men of profess'd Gravity A great Fault certainly it is in those Ingenious Pieces of his But there is no such thing in the Sacred Writings there is nothing there Romantick and Extravagant the Hyperbole is seldom used and when it is it is Modest and Becoming Fit and Convenient and doth not in the least administer to Levity or impair and endamage the Truth Again in this Holy Book as well as in Other Writings there is that sort of Speaking which is call'd an Irony i. e. when something is said in way of Derision or Scoff contrary to what is meant as in that commonly observed Place Gen. 3. 22. Behold the Man is become as one of us to know Good and Evil which refers to Satan's Words to Adam Ye shall be as Gods knowing Good and Evil ver 5. And so Man is here upbraided with his Belief of the Devil before the God of Truth Look you now is not Man become a God Yes this mightily appears indeed from what hath befallen him he hath lost the Divine Image wherein he was created and is become a Wretched Sinner and Apostate Is not this Creature then become as one of us or now he hath been as one of us he hath already experienced what it is to be like God Hath he not Thus he is justly derided for his wilful Folly by the Sacred Trinity And if they think fit to speak after this manner it will not unbecome the Sons of Men. This Ironical way of speaking you meet with in 1 Kings 18. 27. Cry aloud for he that is Baal is a God either he is talking or he is pursuing or he is on a Iourney or peradventure he sleepeth and must be awaked Thus the Prophet Elijah mocks those deluded Priests of Baal he makes himself pleasant with them Even Grave and Austere Elijab laughs at the Baalites invoking of a Deaf Deity he plays upon their serious but idolatrous Devotion Whence I gather that it is not light and unbecoming to scoff at Superstition and jeer Idolatry Those Words of the Prophet Micaiah to King Abab 1 Kings 22. 15. Go and prosper are a plain Ironical Concession In this Sense those Woâ—ds are to be understood Iob 5. 1. Call now if there be any that will answer thee and to which of the Saints will thou turn And chap. 12. 2. No doubt but ye are the People and Wisdom shall die with you And that of Solomon to the Youthful Sinner Rejoice O young Man in thy Youth c. Eccles. 11. 9. Which manner of speaking is more particularly suted here to the Humour and Genius of the Young Man whose Fashion is immoderately to scoff and to entertain himself and others with Pleasantry and Drollery But that he might see that this was intended as a Rebuke to him and that he might be sure that Solomon was serious and in good earnest notwithstanding this way of speaking 't is added in the Close of the Verse Know that for all these things God will bring thee to Iudgment And he that considers that will have no Reason to rejoice i. e. to be loose and inordinate in his Mirth but rather to be sober and retired and to be preparing for Judgment and to set about so great a Task betimes and not fondly presume on Health and Length of Days No Man need question whether those Words of Isaiah ch 8. 9. Associate your selves O ye People be not spoken Ironically which are parallel with Ioel 3. 11. Assemble your selves and come all ye Heathen and gather your selves round about c. And those in Isa. 50. 11. Walk in the Light of your Fire and in the Sparks that you have kindled i. e. trust in those things that cannot help you Sparkâ— that give a short Light and soon vanish That is a terrible Biting Taunt in Ier. 22. 23. How gracious shalt thou be when Pangs come upon thee the Pain as of a Woman in Travail And so is that other Lam. 4. 21 Rejoice and be glad O Daughter of Edom the Cup viz. of Vengeance shall pass through to thee Who doubts whether Ezek. 20. 39. be not Sarcastical Thus faith the Lord God Go ye serve ye every one his Idols The like Command we read in Amos 4. 4 5 Come to Bethel and transgress at Gilgal multiply Transgression c. That also in Mic. 5. 1. must be reckon'd as spoken Ironically Now gather thy self in Troops O Daughter of Troops c. i. e. O Assyrians come and do your worst with your joint Forces invade us and most severely treat our Prince and People yea by all means destroy extirpate and even annihilate the Church
Heretical Perswasions To be girt about with Truth is the same they think with holding fast the Form of sound Words or the embracing of the pure Doctrine of the Gospel But this Exposition is not to be admitted because it confounds this piece of Armour with another that is afterwards mentioned it makes the Girdle and the Sword which is the Word or Doctrine of God the same Therefore it is more reasonable to assert that Truth here is synonymous with Faithfulness or Sincerity and that it stands in opposition to Hypocrisy Thus Sincerity and Truth are equivalent Terms 1 Cor. 5. 8. and in several other Places Wherefore when the Christian Souldier is commanded to have his Loins girt about with Truth the plain Import of it is that he ought to be established with Sincerity and Integrity of Consâ—ience Hypocrisy enervates and dissolves the Mind renders it loose and unsettled but Uprightness and Faithfulness keep it close and entire make it firm and steady yea strengthen and confirm all the other Graces as the Girdle of War was used to fasten their Clothes together and to keep their Loins firm It is not unlikely that this Place refers particularly to Isa. 11. 5. Faithfulness shall be the Girdle of his Reins This Truth also implies Fortitude Resolution and Constancy that they will never revolt from the Captain of their Salvation but fight under his Banner even unto Death for he that is Sincere and Faithful will do so This is the first Martial Accoutrement of the Christian Souldier and 't is of indispensable Use and Necessity in the Holy Warfare as among the antient Warriors there was no fighting without the Military Girdle or Belt Whence Cinctus simply without any Addition is as much as Miles And we read that it was a Punishment inflicted on delinquent Souldiers to expose them without their Girdles to make them stand Vngirt in some publick Place This piece of Warlike Furniture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was so considerable of old that is was a word as â—ausanias testiâ—ies to signify all sorts of Weapons for War It is often mentioned by Homer Synecdochichally for the Whole Military Armour and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as to be compleatly Armed The Girdle of Truth which this Great Commander here enjoins us is as requisite in the Christian Warfare there is no Fighting without it because this fastens all the other Parts of our Spiritual Armour a Sincere and Upright Heart is of universal Influence in the Life of a Christian. 2. The next Accoutrement is the Breast-plate of Righteousness i. e. a Holy and Pious Conversation Impartial and Universal Obedience to the Will of God This guards the Breast against all Assaults as we see in the Example of our Apostle 2 Cor. 1. 12. for he had this as well as the foregoing piece of Armour on when he said Our rejoicing is this the Testimony of our Coscience that in Simplicity and godly Sincerity not with fleshly Wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our Conversation in the World And again I have fought a good Fight I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith 2 Tim. 4. 7. And in other Places he defends himself against the malicious Cavils of others by appealing to his own Innocency his Sanctity and Exemplary Life This perhaps may have particular reference to Isa. 59. 17. He put on Righteousness as a Breast-plate But this Breast-plate of Righteousness must be covered with another viz. that of our Blessed Redeemer which is Compleat and Perfect and will amply protect and secure us from all Dangers The Inherent Righteousness of the best of Men is exceedingly defective and cannot shelter them from the Divine Wrath this Breast-plate is too narrow too thin too little too mean to cover us but that of the Meritorious Righteousness of Christ Jesus is great and large enough and is able to hide all our Defects and perfectly to defend us from the Anger of our offended God This Evangelical Breast-plate must be put on by Faith of which afterwards 3. The Shoe of the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace is an Allusion to that Military Provision which the Infantry among the antient Warriors made for their Feet to defend them from what was offensive in their way For the Armies heretofore as appears both from Greek and Roman Authors were wont to fix short Stakes or cast Gall-traps in the way before their Enemies to wound their Feet and to cause them to fall Wherefore it was usual to have Harness for their Legs and Feet they wore a particular sort of Shoe or Boot to secure them from being hurt and gall'd So the Christian Souldier ought to have his Feet shod and that with the Preparation of the Goslpel i. e. he must be sitted and prepared by the preaching of the Gospel for all Hardships and Distresses I do not much like St. Augustin's way of proving this Interpretation viz. by telling us that by the Shoe the Preaching of the Gospel was meant when the Psalmist said Over Edom will I cast out my Shoe Psal. 60. 8. which he labours to confirm from Isa. 52. 7. How beautiful are the Feet of him that bringeth good Tidings And this Pious Writer is so fanciful as to say that when our Saviour bid the Disciples be shod with Sandals Mark 6. 9. he meant the open and free Preaching of the Gospel But waving this weak sort of Proof yet I am satisfied that in this place the Christians Military Shoe is the Gospel and the Preaching of it he is then shod with the Preparation of it when he is enabled to make his way through all Hindrances and Diâ—â—iculties whatsoever by virtue of those Excellent Principles which the Gospel hath discovered to him by virtue of those Extraordinary Helps which this affords him And 't is â—itly added the Gospel of Peace because the Consideration of that Peace and Reconciliation which the Gospel tenders through the Blood of Christ mightily influences upon his Spirit and gives Courage and Valour amidst all the Hardships he meets with in his Christian Warfare 4. The Shield of Faith is another necessary part of Spiritual Armour And it is signally added that we must take this above all which it is probable is said with allusion to what was the sense of the Old Warriors viz. That their Shield was their Principal Armour This they prized above all the rest and were most careful in keeping it of which we have several Instances in Antient History and there was a Remarkable Punishment inflicted on those saith Plutarch who lost their Shields in Battel Much more Valuable is this Evangelick Armour our Faith a Firm Assent to all Revealed Truths a Steady Belief of the Promises of Eternal Life through the blessed Undertakings of our Lord a Hearty Compliance with the Gracious Terms of the Gospel which enjoins Universal Obedience to the Laws of Christ a Well-grounded Trust and Aâ—â—iance in the
there to the Iewish Proverbs only Our Saviour in his excellent Sermon on the Mount makes use of that Usual Saying among the Iews which was used in a Proverbial way No Man can serve two Masters Mat. 6. 24. which he applieth to a higher purpose than they designed it Ye cannot saith he serve God and Mammon it is impossible you should be Servants to these two Masters No Man can devote himself to God's Service as he ought and yet at the same time prosecute with the utmost Zeal and Concernedness the things of this World especially the Riches or Profits of it for either he will hate the one and love the other or he will hold to the one and despise the other he cannot serve both with equal care and zeal Again it was a Common Proverb among the Hebrews Measure against Measure and in the Talmud more than once it is spoken by way of Adage With the Measure that a Man measureth they measure to him again Which is applied by our Blessed Teacher to Mens Censuring and Judging of others With what Iudgment ye judg saith he ye shall be judged With what Measure ye mete in this kind it shall be measured to you again Mat. 7. 2. If you be rash and unadvised in the Doom which you pass on your Neighbours you may expect that the like Sentence may pass on you And in Luke 6. 37. this very Proverb is spoken with reference to Giving and Forgiving as much as to say if you withhold your Charity from others either in relieving their Wants or passing by their Offences against you you shall one time or other experience the same your selves you shall neither be relieved nor forgiven thus with the very same Measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again In this Sermon he useth again another Jewish Proverb which was to this purpose Pull the Beam out of thine Eye v. 5. applying it to the former Subject of Judging others Why beholdest thou the Mote that is in thy Brother's Eye but considerest not the Beam that is in thy own Eye Why art thou so Sharp-sighted abroad why so quick in discerning the least Fault in others when at the same time thou art Blind at home and canst not see those gross Miscarriages which thou thy self art guilty of This is too Evident an Argument of Hypocrisy therefore Christ adds Thou Hypocrite first cast out the Ream out of thine own Eye abandon those Visible Enormities which are in thy own Life and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the Mote out of thy Brother's Eye i. e. then thou shalt be more fit to judg of other Mens Failings and to correct them for them Again ver 6. Christ useth this Common Saying which was usual among the Jews Give not that which is holy unto Dogs neither cast ye your Pearls before Swine in which without doubt was included an Excellent Lesson and such as was very seasonable at that time viz. That his Disciples for to them chiefly he speaks in this Sermon should Prudently dispense the Gospel and where they saw it was obstinately refused by any there they should not expose themselves to Dangers when they perceived that they could do no good among such Persons They must not throw away Pearls among such Swine that would trample them under their feet and turn again and rend them as our Saviour adds there It was an Old Hebrew Proverb near of Kin to the former It is not good to throw the Childrens Bread to Dogs which you find made use of by our Saviour in Mat. 15. 26. When the Woman of Canaan besought him in behalf of her Daughter who was grievously vexed with a Devil he put her off by telling her That he was not sent but unto the lost Sheep of the House of Israel and she being an Alien from the Common-wealth of Israel had no right to the Privileges which were to be dispens'd to these alone It is not meet saith he to take the Childrens Bread and cast it to Dogs But this Woman would not be put off so but wisely retorted his Proverb by another Common and Acknowledged Truth that the Dogs eat of the Crumbs which fall from their Master's Table If she might not have the Childrens Bread she requested he would not deny her that Common Allowance which fell from his bountiful Hand and which she firmly believed he would not keep from her This great Faith of hers made her capable of receiving this and a higher Blessing from our Compassionate Master The Talmud uses that Proverbial Saying An Elephant cannot go through the Eye of a Needle but Christ instead of an Elephant which was an Animal that few saw in that Country mentions a Camel which was a Creature well known and he expresseth himself after a Proverbial manner thus It is easier for a Camel to go through the Eye of a Needle than for a rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of God Mat. 19. 24. which in plainer terms he had said in the Verse before A rich Man shall hardly enter into the Kingdom of Heaven which is explain'd further in another place It is hard for them that trust in Riches to enter into the Kingdom of God Mark 10. 24. It is hard yea it is impossible for you may as well draw a Camel through the Eye of a small Needle Those are said to be Jewish Proverbs The Disciple is not above his Master nor the Servant above his Lord Mat. 10. 24. They are blind Leaders of the Blind Mat. 15. 14. Ye strain at a Gnat and swallow a Camel Mat. 23. 24. A Prophet hath no honour in his own Country John 4. 44. These and many other Proverbial Speeches among the Jews are applied by our Saviour he being pleas'd to conform to the Language as well as the Rites and Usages of his Countrymen Any one that hath read the Books of the Mishnah where the several Sayings and Sentences of the Jewish Rabbies are recorded knows how near they come to sundry Speeches and Expressions used by our Saviour That was an Old Hebrew Proverb though used sometimes by Pagans The Dog is return'd to his Vomit again and you find the same in St. Peter 1 Ep. 2. 22. who had it originally from Solomon's Proverbs Chap. 26. 11. where it is used to express a Fool 's return to his Folly To the Proverbial Sayings among the Jews I may refer that of our Saviour's bidding the Apostles shake off the Dust of their Feet Mat. 10. 14. or under their Feet Mark 6. 11. which I have reserv'd for this place because I wil more distinctly speak of it than I have of the rest It was Christ's Injunction that when they came into a House or City and found not reception they should behave themselves in this manner and he further tells them what they must say Luk. 10. 11. Even the very Dust of your City which cleaveth on uâ— we do wipe off against you Some
which is of the like Signification with a Vessel of Choice for what is desired is chosen Thus in a few Instances I have shewed that the Evangelical Writers do Hebraize and in many more I might have done the same For tho the New Testament hath not so many Hebraisms as is imagined by some Criticks yet it is not to be doubted that Christ and his Apostles used them very frequently It is evident that a great part of the Phrases of the New Testament are according to the Hebrew Propriety yea sometimes they agree more especially with the Rabinical and Talmudick way of Writing as Ludovicus Capellus and others have endeavoured to demonstrate Thus the Pillar and Ground of Truth 1 Tim. 3. 15. is the Title by which the Great Sanhedrim of the Jews was ordinarily stiled saith Dr Lighfoot Raca which is used Matth. 5. 22. as a Word of Reproach is common among the Talmudick Doctors for their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with the Syriac 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifies a vain empty Fellow Christ follows the Language of the Rabbins and Talmudâ—sts when he uses the Word Heaven for God as in Matth. 21. 25. he ask'd the Jews whether Iohn's Baptism was from Heaven i. e. from God or of Men. I have sinned against Heaven i. e. God saith the Prodigal Son to his Father Luke 15. 18. This was the Stile of the Eastern People and of the Jews particularly as you find in Dan. 4. 23. 1 Macc. 3. 18. And this was the usual Language of their Rabbins they used Shamajim instead of God And in other Instances it might be shewed that the Sense of several Places in the New Testament is manifested and illustrated by the Knowledg of the Hebrew Phrase and Stile For which Reason it was necessary to say something of this Matter having undertaken to discourse of the Stile of Scripture We must remember that there are frequent Hebraisms in these Greek Writings the Authors themselves being Hebrews and they likewise making use of the Stile of the Old Testament and fetching thence several Expressions which are purely Hebrew Thus they must needs retain the Hebrew Idiom and way of Speaking and thus the Old Testament and New agree the better and the former gives constant Light towards the understanding of the latter 6thly Though there is a Great Variety of Words and Phrases in the New Testament and though this Part of the Bible was not written in Attick but Hebrew Greek yet this is to be asserted that there are no Soloecisms in it I add this here because some of old and others of late have unadvisedly suggested the contrary and have been so hardy and presumptuous as to aver that the Sacred Scripture especially the New Testament abounds with Soloecisms This is particularly said of St. Paul's Epistles by an Antient Father whose Unhappiness it was to speak several things too daringly and presumptuously That Cilician Currier saith he for so he calls St. Paul that sorry Tradesman was skill'd only in Hebrew which was as it were his Mother-Tongue to him and therefore hath many Soloecisms and Barbarisms in Greek And the same Author in another Place speaks to the like purpose and taxeth this Apostle for want of Grammar and Syntax Among the Moderns you 'l find Erasmus charging not only St. Paul but the rest of the Apostles with this Defect in their Writings There are many Soloecisms saith he in their Stile by reason of the frequent Hebraisms which are used by them And those worthy Reformers Luther and Calvin were not afraid to talk after this rate The former after his bold manner imputes false Grammar to the Evangelists and Apostles as you may see in his Writings And the latter expresly avoucheth that the Greek of the New Testament is Defective and particularly he holds that St. Peter writ false Greek as in 1 Epist. ch 3. v. 20. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Dative for a Genitive Case And he fastens this Grammatical Soloecism on him merely to evade the Doctrine of Purgatory which cannot but greatly scandalize the Papists when they shall consider that this Great Reformer is not ashamed to disparage and vilify the Scriptures that he may thereby evade a Popish Doctrine yea this must needs be offensive to all others likewise who cannot but see that there was not the least Reason for his fancying the Change of one Case for another in this Place for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exactly answers to and agrees with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had been the Word here it had indeed been false Greek but now 't is impossible for Calvin or any Man else to make it such Beza follows his Master and outdoth him for he every where finds fault with the Greek of the New Testament and holds that the Stile is disturb'd and corrupted yea that there are frequent Soloecisms in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 12. 40. should have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saith and therefore he condemns it for naughty Grammar Whereas any unprejudiced Man may see that there is only an ordinary Ellipsis in the Words the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is understood as it is in several other Texts But the unsufferable Boldness of this Writer is partly founded on that Perswasion of his that the Spirit did not dictate Words to the Prophets and Apostles but only the Matter which I have shew'd before in another Discourse to be an incredible Assertion Castellio though of a different Judgment in other things from Calvin and Beza agrees with them in this that there are several Ungrammatical Passages in the Apostles Writings Upon Rev. 1. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he noteth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is a Soloecism saith he but such do often occur in St. Paul Cannot this Author be content with the Credit and Reputation of having turned the Bible into neat Latin unless he condemns the Apostles for their false Greek And where I pray is this false Greek Not in this Place which he mentions and conâ—equently it is not reasonable to believe that it is in any other In this Place any impartial Eye may see that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Relative for another which is a common thing among Writers I could shew him forty Places in the Best Greek Authors where the like Change is made And that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is frequently left out in the most Approved Writers among the Grecians cannot be denied by any Man that hath had any Acquaintance with them yea 't is often left out in the New Testament and no fault is found with the Stile where it is so Why therefore should we think it a strange thing that it is omitted in this Place Here is Good
the known Hebrew Word for a Horse and yet it is the Word for a Crane in Isa. 38. 14. Reim or Reem which we translate Vnicorn Numb 23. 22. Iob 39. 9. and Psal. 92. 10. and in other Places is thought by some to be the Monoâ—eros or Indian Ass but Bochart dislikes it and with great Industry endeavours to prove it to be another Beast viz. an Oryx a kind of wild Goat with very sharp Horns It is rendred a wild Bull Deut. 33. 17. in our Margin because perhaps the Text speaks of Horns in the Plural which our Translators thought could not be attributed to the Vnicorn But when we read there of the Horns ' of an Vnicorn for so ' 'tis in the Original though 't is translated Vnicorns why may we not say that the Plural is put for the Singular as is very usual There is an Vnicorn properly so call'd if we may credit Antient Writers and such an one was seen in the last Age if Faith is to be given to Modern Writers An Unicorn saith a late Traveller is an African Creature only known in the Province of Agaos in the Kingdom of Damotes though perhaps heretofore it wa no Stranger in other Parts I will not dispute here how the Vnicorn and Rhinoceros differ or whether they do at all which Mr. Ray denies and thinks he hath sufficient Ground for it from Modern Voyages but 't is enough for our understanding the foresaid Texts of Scripture that it is the Name of a sierce strong Animal famous for its Horn or Horns If it be the Rhinoceros its Horn ariseth out of its Trunk and turns up if it be the Monoceros or Vnicorn properly so call'd the Horn is in the middle of its Forehead and exalted St. Ierom sometimes renders it an Vnicorn and sometimes a Rhinoceros and we may suppose it to be either Very strangely different are the Significations which are assigned of that Name which the Wise Man gives to an Animal that he commends for its going well calling it Zarzir Motnajim Prov. 30. 31. which in express Terms in English is girt in or about the Loins which our Translators render a Greyhound according to R. David and several other Hebrew Writers who affirm that this Creature is here meant because it is slender in the Loins girt up as 't were in those Parts According to the Chaldee Paraphrase and Vulgar Latin it is a Cock according to R. Levi a Leopard that being a Beast that is slender and strong in the Loins R. Aben Ezra and some others think it to be a Bee that brisk and nimble Insect and some fancy it to be a Starling But Iunius and Tremellius and Buxtorf who render it a Horse seem to me to bid fairest for Truth here Nay indeed what fitter Epithet could there be to express this Animal than this Zarzir Motnajim Girt about the Loins It is a Creature of great Use and Service in Journeying 〈◊〉 â—herefore oftentimes girt for that purpose it is â—generous Beast and useful in War and therefore â— girt for riding Which I take to be the meaning of a Horse tied for it is in the Singular in the Hebrew 2 Kings 7. 10. i. e. girt for the Battel for theâ— ext speaks of War-horses And then going well for which it hath particular Commendation here is the known Property of this Animal for the most part so that without any straining we must acknowledg this to the Periphrasis of a Horse a Girted Animal Iacmur in Deut. 14. 5. we translate a Fallow-Deer but according to the LXX St. Ierom and Pagnin it is a Buffle or Wild Oxe it is a kind of a Goat say R. Kimchi and Ionah and Bochart it is a Wild Ass saith Forster But what particular Species of Beasts it is perhaps no Man can exactly tell nor is it at all necessary that he should Our own Translation which agrees with that oâ— Iunius and Tremellius seems to be most eligible If Bochart may be credited Cats wild ones he means not those that are tame are spoken of iâ— Scripture for though 't is difficult iâ— not impossible to determine what sort of Creatures is meant by Zijim and Ijim Isa. 13. 21. Ch. 34. 24. Jerâ— 50. 39. yet he by the former will needs have cati feles to be understood but truly he might as well have assigned any other Wild Animal Koach Lev. 11. 30. is translated a Chameleon according to the Septuagint and Latin Version but 't is a â—izard according to Pagnin and Bochart Some think 't is a Weesel others a Frog or Toad some a Snail and thus they run divisions when perhaps there 's no ground for any of them for the Name of Animals are very uncertain and dubious and therefore it 's great folly to be very solicitous especially to be peremptory about them Moses's Rod was turn'd into a Crocodile saith the Learned Lightfoot for he holds that that is the meaning of Nacash in Exod. 4. 3. The Leviathan described in Iob 41. is a Whale say Interpreters generally and very truly I think but Pagnin holds it to be a Sea-Serpent or Dragon and Beza and Bochart and Deodate say 't is a Crocodile And Behemoth is join'd with the Leviathan because as one of these Writers thinks it was its Fellow-fish and Companion in the same place If the former was the Crocodile of Nile this is saith he the Hippotamus or River-Horse there But if we peruse the Description given of this Creature we shall find that it belongs rather if not only to a Land-Animal and therefore I take the part of the Old Interpreters who by Behemoth understand the Elephant the greatest that we know of Terrestrial Beasts If it be not that Creature it is not now known what it is A Whale is generally believ'd to be that Great Fish which swallow'd up Ionas but the Author I last named and Aldrovandus and some others hold that it was a Carcharias or Lamia a sort of Dog-fish which hath a vast Gullet so that a Man may pass through it and accordingly Men have been often found in the Bellies of this kind of Fish But as for the Whale it hath as all Creatures that have Lungs and do breathe a narrow Gullet 〈◊〉 a strait passage is more convenient to let out the Air and draw it in with greater force and vehemency and therefore say they this could not be the Fish that swallowed Ionas That this is the particular Make of this Fish I do not deny for Scaliger affirms upon his own Inspection and Knowledg that a Whale hath a narrow Throat scarce half a Foot in compass Aldrovandus and other Natural Historians attest the straitness of these Parts But as for the Inference which these Persons draw from such Premises I cannot admit of it Nor could these Learned Men have done so if they had consider'd that Ionas's being swallow'd up by this Fish was an Extraordinary thing and such as
the Favour of God to us to prepare us for Heaven and to increase the Happiness of it Thus the Scriptures reconcile our Minds to those Disappointments Dangers and Calamities which are our Allotment in this World thus they allay the evil Spirit of Discontent they effectually cast out and vanquish those Legions of Impatient and Tumultuous Thoughts which are the frequent Attendants of Adversity They assure us that these Afflictive Dealings of Heaven towards us are intended for our real Advantage that they are the greatest Kindness and Favour that can be shew'd us that they are undeniable Tokens of Divine Love and in brief that Good Men are happier in their worst Circumstances than others are or can be in their greatest worldly Felicities Upon these rational Grounds the Holy Scriptures become the most effectual Anodynes to take away or at least to mitigate all our Pains and Sorrows They successfully remove all those Murmurings and Discontents which russle and imbroil the Soul they quash and defeat all those troublesome Passions which embarass and plague the Mind By the help of these Divine Instructions which the Holy Writ affords us we are enabled to encounter the greatest Evils with courage and bravery to receive the Shock to weather the Storm to bear all the Insolencies and Insults of our Enemies to break through all Difficulties to have Peace within though we find none without to keep a Sabbath in our own Breasts to entertain our selves with the Serenades of a Good Conscience This is the Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures and no Writings in the World can bless us with them but these And indeed this necessarily follows from those foregoing Assertions viz that Scripture is a Perfect Rule of Faith and also of Manners As it is the former it is a sure Basis for us to rest upon we know whom we have believed and so we are fixed and determined which doth effectually contribute towards our Peace and Solace As it is the latter also we cannot but receive Comfort from it because being a Certain and Unerring Guide in all our Actions it must needs administer great Satisfaction and Joy to us through our whole Lives when we consider that we have a Stable Rule to walk by and that we cannot do amiss if we follow that but especially when we reflect on our Manners and see that they are adjusted to this Canon and that we have in Simplicity and godly Sincerity had our Conversation in the World This will be our Rejoicing and Exultation Again the Scripture yields an inconceivable Joy by prescribing the Best Means for attaining Peace and Unity which are Comfortable Blessings of this Life by allowing us all Innocent and Harmless Delights such as will neither destroy the Peace of our Souls nor impair the Health of our Bodies by throughly convincing us that Christianity in it self is most Satisfactory to our Minds and is made to convey Joy and Peace into our Hearts by teaching us Contentedness in all Conditions by assuring us that Christianity provides for our greatest and most Important Wants and supplies our most Urgent Necessities and therefore we ought to acquiesce in it and solace our selves with it Thus it administers the most Chearing Cordials and so it doth by directing us to the Worthiest Ends by setting before us the Strongest Motives the most Powerful Perswasives to our Duty whereby we are enabled not only to undertake it but to discharge it with Chearfulness and Delight by propounding and presenting to us the Best Rewards viz. Forgiveness of our Sins Assurance of God's Love and Eternal Life and Blessedness For as a Great Man saith No Book in the World but this shews a Man the Adequate End of his Being his Supreme Good his Happiness nor directs the Means of acquiring it The Bible is the Great Instrument as it was emphatically call'd by the Fathers of our Salvation and Happiness By these Writings we hold our Everlasting Inheritance And these are the Great Deeds and Evidences whereby we prove our Title to it In a word as these sustain and support us in all Conditions of our Life and give us a happy Prospect of a better State so they render Death welcom and joyful to us they enable us by virtue of those Sacred Truths contained in them to expire our last Breath with Peace and Tranquillity On all which Accounts we must acknowledg them to be the greatest Support and Relief of our Souls yea the Only Source of Comfort and Content Thus if you consider the Holy Scriptures as they dictate the Best Principles as they beget in us the greatest Holiness and Purity and as they are the Solace of our Lives we must be forced to acknowledg their Incomparable Excellency These three Particulars wherein I have endeavoured to display the Perfection of Scripture are to be found together in Psal. 19. 7 8. where These Properties are ascribed to the Law of God namely that it enlightens the Eyes and so is a Director of our Faith that it converts the Soul and so is a Reformer of the Manners and that it rejoiceth the Heart and so is the Fountain of True Comfort You find all these in conjunction in that other remarkable Place 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture whereby we may understand not only the Old Testament but part of the New viz. St. Matthew's Gospel which was extant when Timothy to whom the Apostle here speaks was a child V. 15. is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness It is not to be doubted that Doctrine refers to the Understanding and Belief and Reproof and Instruction in Righteousness to the Will and Manners and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rectifying restoring setting all streight again as the World imports includes in it that Comforting and Chearing which I spoke of These are the Main Contents of the Holy Scripture First it is a Body and System of the Best and most Consistent Notions it regulates the Apprehensions and presents us with True Conceptions of things Here is nothing delivered that thwarts our rectified Understandings or is a Contradiction to the most refined Faculties of our Minds Moreover it most successfully conducts us into the Ways of Piety and a Holy Life The Design of it is to perfect humane Nature to exalt Men to the highest Pitch their Condition is capable of both by Moral and Revealed Truth the latter of which none but the Blessed Redeemer was able to communicate to bring them to the Noblest improvement and Exaltation of Vertue which they can possibly arrive to on this side of Heaven In brief to make us act not only as Rational but as Divine Creatures yea even to render us like God Himself And lastly it not only inspires us with Excellent Principles and promotes the Practice of Holiness but administers the greatest Matter of Joy imaginable This raises our Spirits and fills our Souls with Delight and Pleasure this
a long time after in the first and most uncorrupted Ages this was the Entertainment of the Greatest Persons In those more innocent Times of the World the Wealthiest Men imbraced this kind of Life as mean as it is accounted now Some of the Old Patriarchs were plain honest Grasiers and the richest of them as Abraham Isaac and Iacob were busied in looking to their Grounds and their Flocks Moses the Great Law-giver was a Shepherd Nabal and Absdlom were Sheep-masters Elisah when he was busy at the Psough with twelve Yoke of Oxen was call'd thence to the Prophetick Dignity and office and Amos of a Herdsman became a Divine Messenger and Preacher Shamgar was taken from the Herd to be a Judg in Israet and with the same Goad that he drove his Oxen slew six hundred Men. Gideon's Seat of State and Justice was a Threshing-floor and he had no other Mace than a Flail Iudg. 6. 14. The renowned Iair and Iephthah kept Sheep and were fetch'd from that Employment to be Judges David the Son of Iesse a Worthy Parent in Israel was took from the Sheep-folds from following the Ewes great with young to feed Jacob to rule Israel Psal. 78. 71. Thus the Pastoral Art hath been a Preâ—â—dâ—â— to Empire and Government the taking care of these tame Creatures hath made way for the presiding over the stubborn Flock of Mankind We read that Crowned Heads have not disdained this Art King Vzziah or as he is call'd elsewhere Azariah for I have shewed in another Place that it was common with the Jews to have two Names was a Lover of Husbandry 2 Chron. 26. 10. And one of the Greatest Kings that ever swayed a Scepter acknowledgeth that as the Profit of the Earth i. e. of Agriculture 〈◊〉 for all is of universal Advantage so more especially the King himself is a Servant to the Field Eccles. 5. 9. for so it is according to the Hebrew It is worthy of his Royal Care and Study to support Tillage and Husbandry which were heretofore the Employment of those of the highest Rank And thus it was also among the Profane Nations of old Knowledg and Skill in Rustick Affairs ushered in Rule and Command The Gordian Knot was but Plough-tackling hamper'd in a Knot and he that untied it was to be Monarch of the World Araunah King of Iebus condescended to be a Thresher 2 Sam. 24. 18. 1 Chron. 21. 20. and which is aâ— unparallell'd Exaltation of this Primitive Husbandry his Threshing-floor was the Spot of Ground which King David made choice of to build an Altar to God upon 2 Sam. 24. 25. and this was the very Place where Solomon's Temple was afterwards erected 2 Chron. 3. 1. Mesha King of Moab was a Sheep-master 2 Kings 3. 4. Noked is the Hebrew Word and it is simply and barely used for a Shepherd Amos 1. 1. Spartacus the dreaded Enemy of the Romans was of the same Calling Dioclesian the Emperor left his Throne and turned Gardiner After he had laid down the Empire he took up Husbandry Attalus abdicated his Kingly Government and applied himself wholly to the same Employment The Great Scipio left his Commands to exercise and enjoy the Pleasures of Agriculture In the Old Roman History we read that the Chief Men among them studied and practised this by the same Token that several of them were fetch'd from their Tillage to Arms from their Country Carts to Triumph from Harvest-work to the Senate from the Field to the Camp from the Plough to bear the high Offices of Consuls and Dictators They that were sent from the Roman Senate to desire Attilius to take upon him the Government found him sowing in his Grounds They tell us that Romulus the Founder of the Roman Empire was bred up first to the Sheep-hook and we know that the Riches of the Antient Romans was Plenty of Cattel From the Country-Exercise of feeding of Beasts came the Sirnames of the Families of the Vituli Porcii Tauri Caprae and others And here by the by let me insert that it may be Eglon the Name of a Man and so Rachel and Dorcas the Names of Women in Scripture which sighnify a Calf a Sheep a Deer were given at first on the like Account Women as well as Men being imployed of old in looking after Cattel From their sowing of Beans Pease c. arose the Names of the Fabii Pisones â—â—cerones Lentuli c. And it is not to be denied that the Exercises of Husbandry have been treated of and applauded by the Wisest Men as Cato Varro Cicero Pliny Columella Virgil. And when among the Pagans their very Deities are represented as Lovers of a Country-Life when Pan was said to be the God of Shepherds and Mercury and Apolâ—â— fed Sheep and the last of these was cried up for the Chief Patron of this Calling they intended to signify to us that this and the like Country-Employments are Princely and Divine Which very thing we are assured of from the Word of Truth the Infallible Records of the Bible which tell us that these were the Early Business and Practice of the Greatest and the Best Men. The Greatest Princes heretofore were esteemed according to the Numbers of their Cattel Among the First and Necessary Employments and Advantages of humane Life may be justly reckon'd the Preparing of Food and the Scriptures alone can furnish us with the certain Knowledg of this It is undeniable from those plain and express Words in Gen. 1. 29. that there was no Food allow'd at first to Mankind but Plants and Herbs Corn and all other Fruits of the Earth I have wondred sometimes that any who believe the Sacred Text can question this for the Words are positive and downright utterly excluding all other kind of Sustenance but this Yea unless you can prove that Milk is no part of any Living Creature but is a Fruit of the Earth you have reason to think that they were debarr'd of this also But after the Flood which had much impaired the Virtue of the Earth and exhausted somewhat of its Seminal Power there was a Licence to eat Flesh Every moving thing that liveth shall be Meat for you Gen. 9. 3. in which is included the Product of Flesh Milk which was denied to the Antediluvians But now all are at liberty to feed on it and that was not all they were so skilful as to make it afford them Cheese and Butter neither of which we read of before the Deluge And questionless they that fed not on Milk knew not the Use of these but among the Post-diluvians Charitze hachalab 1 Sam. 17. 18. Cheeses of Milk were a common Food which are without doubt meant by Shephoth bakar 2 Sam. 17. 29. Coagulationes bovis as Pagnine renders it Cheeses of the Milk of Cows according to the Targum and they are called by the Hebrews in their peculiar way of speaking the Sons of Milk And in Iob 10. 10. gebinah is the Word for
proceed now to the other Books of Moses in which I shall be briefer Leviticus hath its Name because it treats chiefly of the Offices of the Levites and the whole Levitical Order It gives us an Account of the Iewish Service and Worship of the particular Employments and Charges of the Ministers of the Jewish Church of their several kinds of Sacrifices and Oblations viz. Burnt-Offerings Meat-Offerings Peace-Offerings Sin-Offerings Trespass-Offerings of the Consecration of Aaron and his Sons to the Priesthood of Laws about Clean and Vnclean things and of Difference of Meats Here they are forbid to eat Blood here they are taught how to discern the Leprosy and how to cleanse it Here are Laws concerning Vows and Things and Persons devoted There are also other Ordinances and Injunctions concerning their Solemn Feasts viz. the Sabbath of the seventh Year the Passover the Feasts of First-Fruits of Pentecost of Trumpets of Expiation of Tabernacles and many the like Usages and Rites which were strictly commanded this People on purpose to keep them from the Idolatrous and Superstitious Ceremonies of the Gentiles that were round about them and would be enticing them to imitate their Practice Besides these Rites were design'd by God to be Types and Representatives of things of a far higher Nature even of Christ himself and the great things which appertain to the Gospel There is likewise a great Number of Iudicial Laws as concerning the Year of Jubilee about the Redemption of Lands and Houses against taking of Usury of the Poor as also concerning Servants and Bondmen Here are Laws touching the Degrees of Affinity and Consanguinity and consequently what Marriages are lawful and what unlawful may thence be inferr'd and several other things belonging to the Iews Civil Law Furthermore here are inserted several Moral Instructions and Excellent Precepts of Natural Religion respecting both God and Men. Lastly towards the Close of all there are Blessings and Curses pronounced the former to such as carefully observe these Laws the latter on those that wilfully break them These aâ—e the Admirable Things contain'd in this Book and which have been the acceptable Entertainment of the Inquisitive and Religious of the Wise and Good in all Ages since they have been extant The Book of Numbers hath its Denomination from the Numbring of the Families of Israel as we may collect from ch 1. v. 3 4. where we read that Moses and Aaron had a special Command from God to Muster the Tribes and to take the Number of all that were fit for War and to Order and Marshal the Army when it was once formed For now in their Passage through the Wilderness they were like to meet with many Enemies and therefore 't was convenient to take an Account of their Forces and to put themselves into a Posture ready to engage A great Part of this Book is Historical relating several Remarkable Passages in the Israelites March through the Wilderness as the Sedition of Aaron and Miriam the Rebellion of Corah and his Companions the Murmurings of the whole Body of the People their being plagued with firy Serpents Baalam's Prophesying of the Happiness of Israel instead of Cursing them the Miraculous Budding of Aaron's Rod. Here also are distinctly related their Several Removings from Place to Place their two and forty Stages or Iourneys through the Wilderness and sundry other things which befel them whereby we are instructed and confirmed in some of the weightiest Truths that have immediate Reference to God and his Providence in the World But the greatest Part of the Book is spent in enumerating those Laws and Ordinances whether Ceremonial or Civil which were given by God and were not mention'd before in the preceding Books as some Particulars of the Levites Office and the Number of them the Trial of Iealousy the Rites to be observ'd by the Nazarites the Renewing of the Passover the making of Fringes on the Borders of their Garments the Water of Separation to be used in purifying the Unclean the Law of Inheritance of Vows of the Cities of Refuge of the Cities for the Levites and some other Constitutions either not inserted into the other Books of Moses or not so distinctly and plainly set down Thus this Book both in respect of the Historical Part of it and of the Addition of Laws not spoken of in the foregoing Books hath its peculiar Use and Excellency Deuteronomy which signifies a Second Law is a Repetition of the Laws before delivered It is the Canonick Mishnah or New Rehearsal of the Divine Law Which was necessary because they that heard it before died in the Wilderness and there being now sprung up another Generation of Men the Law was to be promulged to them The major Part of the People that were living at that time had not heard the Decalogue or any other of the Laws openly proclaimed or being young they had neglected or forgot them That is the Reason why Moses in this Book rehearseth them to this new People and withal adds an Explication of them in many Places yea and adjoins some New Laws viz. the taking down of Malefactors from the Tree in the Evening making of Battlements on the Roofs of their Houses the Expiation of an unknown Murder the Punishment to be inflicted on a Rebellious Son the Distinction of the Sexes by Apparel Marrying the Brother's Wife after his Decease also Orders and Injunctions concerning Divorce concerning Man-stealers concerning Vnjust Weights and Measures concerning the Marrying of a captive Woman concerning the Servant that deserts his Master's Service and several other Laws not only Ecclesiastical and Civil but Military There are likewise inserted some New Actions and Passages which happened in the last Year of their Travels in the Wilderness Moreover Moses in this Part of the Pentateuch shews himself a True Father Pastor and Guide to that People a Hearty Lover of them and their Welfare in such manifest Instances as these his often Inculcating upon them the many Obligations which they lay under from God the Innumerable Favours they had received from him his frequent and pathetick Exhortations to Obedience and living answerably to the singular Mercies which were conferr'd upon them his constant Reminding them of their former Miscarriages their Murmurings and Rebellions against Heaven and all their Unworthy Deportment towards their Matchless Benefactor his compassionate Forewarning them of the Judgments of God of the Various Plagues and Punishments which would certainly be the Consequence of their persisting in their Sins Lastly his Affectionate Encouraging them to Obedience from the Consideration of the endearing Promises which God had made to them and which he would assuredly make good if they did not frustrate his Designs of Mercy towards them by their own wilful Obstinacy These are the Excellent Subjects of this Divine Book and which render it so unvaluable a Treasury Hitherto of the Pentateuch or Five Books of Moses And that he was the Penman of them I think need not be question'd though
Church-Discipline Ministers Maintenance Spiritual Gifts especially the Gift of Prophesying Some particular Cases concerning which are resolved with great Plainness and Dexterity and may be serviceable to determine our Judgments in all Cases of the like Nature He also admirably descants on the Nature and Necessity of Charity and he by multiplied Arguments asserts the Doctrine of the Resurrection When the Corinthians had received this First Epistle and as soon as the Apostle was informed by Titus what Reformation it had wrought in them he writ a Second to them in Defence of his Ministry and Apostleship against some that labour'd to bring him into Contempt among them He threatens Offenders he encourages the Obedient he animates the Faint-hearted he confounds his Antagonists and that by a new way of Argument viz. by boasting of his Sufferings and giving a full Inventory of them He displays his Calamities he blazons his Crosses and Victories and Triumphs do not more elevate others than these do him He excellently discovers the hypocritical Pretences of False Prophets he vindicates his own Person and Authority he answers the Calumnies and Aspersions of Erroneous Teachers he clears himself from the Imputation of Levity Pride Vain-Glory Severity and other things laid to his Charge He asserts the Truth of his Doctrine and the Laudableness of his Actions and exhorts to all Holiness and Righteousness of Life But the greatest Part of this Epistle is Apologetical whence we learn that it is not unseemly or unchristian to enlarge on one's own Actions and Sufferings when there is a necessary Occasion The Epistle to the Galatians i. e. the Christian Brethren in Galatia a Region in the Lesser Asia call'd also Gallo-Graecia because it was of old inhabited by Gauls and Greeks is directed against the False Apostles among them who mingled the Law with the Gospel Legal Works with Faith and made the former necessary to Justification Whereupon he again asserts the Doctrine of Justification by Faith so that this Part of the Epistle is a brief Summary of the Epistle to the Romans He proves that these Gentile Converts need not become Proselytes of the Iews nor observe the Law of Circumcision or any other Mosaick Rite But he tells them the right Use of Circumcision and of the Law and bids them stand fast in the Evangelical Liberty and be careful that they do not abuse it but walk in Love and Meekness Humility Modesty and Charity which are the Great and Noble Vertues that are to shine in the Lives of Christians It is easily observable that the Apostle is more Warm and Vehement in this Epistle than in any of his others the Reason of which is because he saw his Galatians so greatly endanger'd by their listning to the perverse Reasonings of the Gnosticks as some think or other Iudaizing Teachers that were crept in among them and were perswading them to imbrace another Gospel to diâ—own and reject the Principles which he had taught them and to come off from Christianity to Iudaism This kindles a holy Indignation in his Breast and makes him with an unwonted Keenness and Severity cry out against them and complain of their gross Folly yea their wilful suffering themselves to be bewitched and infatuated by those Impostors His Epistle to the Ephesians i. e. the faithful Christians of Ephesus the Head-City of Asia the Less which was written from Rome when he was a Prisoner there divinely sets forth the Great and Astonishing Mystery of our Redemption and Reconciliation the Freeness and Riches of Grace in Christ Jesus the Admirable Benefits and Privileges of the Gospel the Marvelous Dispensation of God to the Gentiles in revealing Christ to them the Excellency and Dignity of his Apostolick Charge He adds most Pathetick Exhortations to Constancy in the Faith notwithstanding the Calumnies of False Teachers and the Peril of the Cross. He propounds the most Cogent Motives to Love and Unity he urgeth the conscientious Performance of all the Duties of Religion and gives Particular Rules and Precepts for the discharging of every Christian Office so admirable so Entire so Comprehensive is this Part of the Apostle's Writings The Epistle to the Philippians i. e. the Christians of Philippi a City of Macedonia and a Roman Colony was writ also when the Apostle was imprisoned at Rome and in it he thanks them for their Liberality towards him in his Bonds and for their sending Epaphroditus their Minister with a Supply of Money to him This Epistle is chiefly writ to them in return to this seasonable Kindness of theirs and as that to the Galatians was the Sharpest so this is the Smoothest and Sweetest the most Endearing and Pathetick of all St. Paul's Epistles and is fullest of Paternal Affection He here likewise takes notice of and extols their Proficiency in the Gospel and then labours to confirm them in it he exhorts them to Increase and Persevere in the Christian Faith to bear their Persecutions with Patience and Constancy of Mind to be Humble and Peaceable and to be Loving to one another He cautions them against Seducers and False Teachers who bad them rely on the Righteâ—â—sness of the Law and on the contrary assures them that their only Trust and Dependance ought to be on the Righteousness which is of God by Faith in Christ Iesus He earnestly beseecheth them to be Exemplary in their Conversations and to live in the Practice of all Christian Duties He lovingly and passionately Salutes them and Prays for them he is every where Obliging and Affectionate in sum the whole Epistle is written with a Pen dipp'd in Oil. In the Epistle to the Colossians i. e. the People of Colosse a City in Phrygia not far from Laodieea and Hierapolis in the Proconsular Asia who were converted by the Preaching of Epaphras whom St. Paul had sent to them but now is his Fellow-Prisoner at Rome the chief Design of the Apostle is to Reduce those that were led away by False Teachers whether Iews or Philosophers The former introduced the Mosaick Ceremonies and Observations the latter brought in Unsound Notions and Speculations and both of them perverted the Simplicity and Purity of the Gospel Wherefore the Apostle endeavours to establish them in the true Evangelical Doctrine in opposition to Iudaism and the Vain Deceits of Philosophy He is earnest with them to adhere only to Christianity and to persevere in the Practice of all those Excellent Precepts that belong to it And accordingly first he mentions some General and then some Particular Graces and Duties This Epistle is of the same Tenour Subject and even the same Expression generally with that to the Ephesians for the Apostle about the same time that he wrote to the Ephesians did so likewise to the Colossians whilest the very same things were still fresh in his Memory whence it is that he uses the same Words often to both The first Epistle to the Thessalonians or rather the Thessalonicians for they were Inhabitants of Thessalonica the chief
Acts and Works of Holiness Wherefore he offers several Plain Marks and Tokens whereby they may certainly know whether they be Real Christians truly Religious and the Children of God The Sum of all he propounds is this that if they love God and their Brethren and demonstrate this Love by the proper and geâ—â—ine Fruits of it then they may conclude they are Christians indeed otherwise they are mere strangers to Christianty and to all Religion they deceive themselves and there is no Truth in them This the Beloved Disciple and Divine Amorist inculâ—ates with that Spirit Warmth and Earnestness which so Weighty a Subject deserves His second Epistle is written to the Elect Lady and her Children that is saith St. Ierom to some Eminent Select Church in Asia and to all the Christians belonging to it for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Athenians and Curia with the Romans are of the same Import with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Assembly Perhaps Ephesus is meant saith a Learned Man which was the Metropolis of Asia and so may more signally be call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But it is the general Opinion of the Antients and Moderns that a person not a Church 〈◊〉 meant here and that St. Iohn the Evangelist not another Presbyter of that Name as St. Ierom thinks writes to a Vertuous Lady who was an 〈◊〉 Servant of Christ a very Godly and Religions Woman or it may be her Proper Name was Elect as a Learned Critick hath conjectured Which may seem the more probable because the word hath no Article prefix'd to it It was usual with our Saviour himself as the Evangelical Writings inform us to make his Applications to those of this Sex to cherish and commend their Vertues It is particularly recorded that of the Chief Women afterwards call'd Honourable Women not a few were St. Paul's Proselytes And to descend lower we read that St. Ierom took great Pains in instructing the Roman Ladies and in commending and incouraging their Study of the Holy Scriptures Yea many of his Writings were directed and dedicated to Noble Women Widows and Virgins as Paula Eustochium Salvina Celantia and several others that were Roman Ladies and of noble Extraction Such is our Elect here who is the only Person of that Sex to whom an Inspired Epistle is written She is commended for her vertuous bringing up her Children she is exhorted to abide in the Doctrine of Christ to perservere in the Truth and to be careful to avoid all Delusions of False Teachers But chiefly the Apostle beseecheth this Noble Matron to practise the great and indispensable Commandment of Christian Love and Charity His third Epistle was writ to Gaius a Converted Iew or Gentile as others think because he hath a Roman Name a Man of a fair Estate and who had been very bountiful and hospitable to the Saints The Design of the Epistle is to own and commend his Hospitality especially his seasonable Beneâ—icence and Charity to Strangers to those that were Exiles for the Cause of Christianity and to stir him up to continue in the Exercise of the same Charity and Liberality to the distressed Brethren Demetrius is propounded as an eminent Example of this for which and all other Vertues he had the good Report of all Men yea and of the Truth it self that is as he was spoken well of by every one so he really deserv'd it On the other side he complains of the Uncharitable Insolent and Ambitious Diotrephes a Prating Opposer not only of him and his Doctrine but of all the true Servants of Iesus The General Epistle of Iude or Iudas as we render it in Iohn 14. 22. it being the same Name with that of the Traitor for it is no unusual thing for good and bad Men to have the same Names as in the Old Testament Eliab Iehu Hananiah c. in the New Testament Simon Iohn Ananias are Instances of this This Epistle I say of this Good Apostle with a Bad Man's Name was written to all Christian Churches or at least to all the Iewish Christians Dispersed the same to whom St. Iames and St. Peter wrote wherein he exhorts them to contend for the Faith against those Dreaming Hereticks and Seducers that were at that time crept into the Church whose Erroneous Tenents and Ungodly Practices he here particularly deciphers and from the Examples of God's Vengeance on other Great Offenders infers the Certainty of these Mens Ruine In short this Epistle hath all the Marks of a true Apostolick Spirit and is of the same Argument with the second Epistle of St. Peter and is a kind of Epitome of it and therefore I need not be very Particular in rehearsing the Contents The last Book of the New Testament is the Revelation of St. John the Divine which Epithet is signally given to him here because of the Divinity and Sublimity of his Raptures because he of all the Apostles had the greatest Communications of Divine Mysteries It may be referr'd either to the Historical Books or to the Epistles to the former because it is a Prophetick History of the State of the Church from the Apostles times to the end of the World to the latter because it is in the Form of an Epistle after the three first Verses by way of Preface viz. to the Seven Churches of Asia at first planted by and now under the Government of St. Iohn and as it begins so it ends after the usual way of concluding Epistles The Grace of our Lord Iesus â—brist be with you all Amm. Concerning the precise time when St. Iohn receiv'd and when he wrote this Revelation there is some Dispute but the most probable if not the most generally received Opinion is that he being â—â—nish'd into Patmos an Isle in the Archipelago situated about forty Miles from the Continent of Asia by Domitian under whom was the Second persecution this Revelation was deliver'd to him about the middle of the Emperor's Reign but at several times and that he committed it to Writing about the latter end of it As to the Visions themselves I will not here particularly inâ—ist upon any of them only in general it is commonly said and believed that the Vision of the Seals sets forth the State of the Church under the Heathen Persecâ—tions from Nero to the end of Dioclesian's Persecâ—tion the Vision of the Trumpets which follows that shews the Calamity of the Church by Herâ—sies Schisms and Persecutions afterwards in the times succeeding the Pagan Roman Emperors viz. under Papacy And then the Vials tell what Vengeance befals the Papal Antichrist and all the Churches Enemies So that the Seals Trumpets and Vials give an Account of the three Grand Periods of the Church There is great Probability of this but I must add and I will offer it to the Reader as a thing necessary to be taken notice of in order to the right understanding of this Book that the Order of Time and History is
be great Moral and Religious Qualifications likewise for this is the Book of God and therefore we must come to it with agreeable Inclinations Wills and Affections Men complain that there is a great Contention about the interpreting of Scripture and Different Parties can't agree whence they proceed to blame the Obscurity and Uncertainty of the Scripture it self But herein these Persons themselves are very blameable for this Disagreement in the interpreting of Sacred Writ arises not wholly from the Obscurity of it nor doth it proceed from the Uncertainty of it as some would suggest but from Mens Depraved Minds and Passions Wherefore our main Care ought to be 1st To free our selves from all Wilful Prejudice and Perverseness which have been the first and original Causes of misunderstanding the Scriptures Thus the Infernal Spirit when he tempted our Saviour most perversly quoted Psal. 91. 11. and misapplied it to his purpose And from him Hereticks and Seducers have learnt to cite and make use of Scripture to evil Designs viz. to uphold some Error or Vice What an Antient Writer of the Church saith of one sort of Heretical Teachers that they interpret the Sense of the Holy Writ according to their own Pleasure is true of them all their constant Practice is to strain and distort these Sacred Writings to construe them according to their own Fancies and to make them like an Echo speak what they please Their great Work in consulting and turning over this Volume is to find something they may misinterpret for their own Ends. Their Affection to a particular Cause makes them believe and assert any thing though never so improbable and then they alledg Scripture to back it though it be wholly foreign to the purpose These Persons are of the Number of those Depravers of Truth who as One of the Antient Fathers gives us their Character do not accommodate their Minds to the Scripture but pervert and draw the Mind of the Scripture to their own Wills This glossing and expounding of the Bible according to Mens corrupt Fancies is as M. Luther hath expressed it like straining Milk through a Colesack it blackens and deâ—iles the pure Word of God it depraves and falsifies the Mind of the Spirit Those Men are to be abhorr'd that submit not their Thoughts and Conceptions to this Sacred Standard who compel the Scripture to serve their Private Opinions who make no conscience of putting a Text upon the Rack to make it speak what it intended not of miserably torturing it that they may force it to confess what it never meant These Persons should be reminded how great a Sin it is to distort and deprave the Holy Writ and designedly to draw it to another Sense than it naturally bears And the Penalty is as grievous as the Crime for as the Apostle St. Peter informs us this Generation of Men wrest the Scripture unto their own Destruction 2 Pet. 3. 16. Wherefore let none presume to be guilty in this Nature and dare to follow their own sinister Imagiâ—ations in the interpreting of the Inspired Writings but let them attend to that Advice of a Pious and Learned Author We should be more willing to take a Sense from Scripture than to bring one to it Let us strive to know the naked and pure Meaning of the Spirit and in order to that read the Bible with an Unprejudiced and Sincere Mind which is an Excellent Interpreter Whereas 't is a certain Truth that Perverse Minds will pervert the Scriptures 2dly We ought to read these Divine Writings with great Modesty and Humility Let it not trouble us that some Parts of them are not level to our Understandings And where we cannot solve some things let us not arrogantly pretend to do it It is no Disgrace to confess our Ignorance here I can assure you this hath been done by the Learnedest Heads There is a Learned Ignorance as St. Augustin terms it and we need not be ashamed to be Masters of it These four things mention'd in Eccles 12. 6. I understand not saith Castellio I scarcely understand the thousandth Part of this Book saith he concerning the Apocalypse And 't is frequent with this Learned Man to say I know not the Meaning of this Place That Man is impudently rash who dares profess that he understands one single Book of the Bible in all its Parts saith Luther I own it that I am so blind that I cannot see any thing at all in that dark Place of Scripture Amos 5. 26. saith the Great Selden But the contrary Temper and Spirit have swell'd some with proud Conceits of their understanding some Passages of this Book when they have no true Apprehension of them in the least and accordingly they have endeavour'd in a supercilious manner to impose their crude Sense upon others not craving but commanding Assent to what they have propounded These bold Men forget what the Wise King saith It is the Glory of God to conceal a Matter to speak sometimes in so dark and hidden a manner that there is need of great searching studying and enquiring into the things that are said and yet at last they remain abstruse and unintelligible It hath pleased God the Wise Governour of the World that the Scripture should have Difficulties and Obscurities in it that there should be some things hard to be understood But as Socrates said of Heraclitus's Writings What he understood of them was very good and so he believed that to be which he understood not the like may we with more Reason pronounce concerning the Sacred Scriptures The Matters which we have Knowledg of which are the main Body and Substance of the Book are Excellent and Divine and so there is Reason to conclude that those Parts of it which are hidden from us are of the same Nature There is no occasion to find fault with the Sovereign Wisdom of God but it is our apparent Duty to lay aside Pride and to exercise Humility which will capacitate us to understand even those Great Mysteries and Abstrusities when we have with much Diligence and frequent Study search'd into them 3dly We must think our selves concern'd to purge our Hearts and Lives from all Deâ—ilements of Vice For 't is certain that a quick Brain a subtile Head and a nimble Wit are not so much required to the understanding of Divine Truth as an Honest Mind and a Religious Practice To Men of polluted Consciences and profane Manners the Scriptures seem dark and mysterious but to those of sanctified Minds and holy Lives they are as to the most part plain and clear These Qualifications render them as bright as a Sun-beam What the Turks are said to write on the back-side of the Alcoran Let none touch this Book but he that is pure may with great Reason and Justice be written on the Holy Book of Scripture and that only for a Pure Life is the best Commentator on these Writings A wonderful measure of
numbred among the Books of Canonical Scripture And thus we have argued from the Tradition and the Testimony of the Church And if this be done as it ought to be done it is valid for the Truth of the Copies the Canonicalness of the Books and the like are not decidable by Scripture it self but in the Way that all other Controversies of that nature are As you would prove any other Book to be Authentick so you must prove the Bible to be viz. by sufficient and able Testimony There is the same reason to believe the Sacred History that there is to believe any other Historical Writings that are extant Nay the Testimonies on behalf of the Holy Scriptureâ— are more pregnant than any that are brought for other Writings Besides all that can be said for the Sacred Volume of the Bible which is wont to be said for other Writings I have shewed you that there are some things peculiar to this above aâ—â— others The main thing we have insisted upon is this that the Books of the Old and New Testament have been faithfully conveyed to us and that they are vouched by the constant and universal Tradition both of the Jewish and Christian Church and that these Books and no others are of the Canon of Scripture for to be of the Canon of Scripture is no other than to be owned by the Universal Church for Divinely Inspired Writings The Church witnesseth and confirmeth the Authority of the Canonical Scriptures for she received them as Divine and she delivers them to us as such Yet I do not say that the Church's Testifying these Books to be the Holy Scriptures gives an Absolute and Entire Authority to them A Clerk in the Parliament or any other Court writes down and testiâ—ies that such an Act or Decree or Order was pass'd by the King Magistrate or People and he witnesses that he hath faithfully kept these by him and that they are the very same that at such a time were made by the foresaid Authority but the Authority of this Act Decree or Order rests not in the Clerk but wholly in the King Magistrate or People So the Church recordeth and keepeth the Sacred Writings of the Bible and bears witness that they have been faithfully preserved and that they are the Genuine Writings of those Persons whose Names are presixed to them bâ—t the Divine Authority of the Scriptures depends not on the Church but on the Books and Authors themselves namely their being Inspired And indeed this Authority of the Scriptures cannot depend on the Church because the Church itself depends on the Scriptures These must be proved before the Church can pretend to be any such thing as a Church We cannot know the Church but by the Scriptures therefore the Scriptures must be known before the Church It follows then that the Papists are very unreasonable and absurd in making the Ultimate Resolution of Faith to be into the Testimony and Authority of the Church This we disown as a great Falsity but yet it is rational to hold that the Church's Testimony is one good Argument and Proof of the Truth of the Sacred Scripture according to that known Saying of St. Augustine I should not believe the Gospel if the Authority of the Church did not move me Not that he founds the Gospel i. e. the Doctrine of Christianity and the Truth of it on the Testimony of the Church as the Papists are wont to infer from these Words and frequently quote them to this purpose No the Father's meaning is this that by the Testimony and Consent of the Church he believed the Book of the Gospel to be verily that Book which was written by the Evangelists This is the Sense of the Place as is plain from the Scope of it for he speaks there of the Copies or Writings not the Doctrine contained in them The good Father relies on this that so great a number of knowing and honest Persons as the Church was made up of did assert the Evangelical Writings to be the Writings of such as were really inspired by the Holy Ghost and that they were true and genuine and not corrupted And the whole Body of Sacred Scripture is attested by the same universal Suffrage of the Church i. e. the unanimous Consent of the Apostles and of the First Christians and of those that immediately succeeded them several of which laid down their Lives to vindicate the Truth of these Writings This is the External Testimony given to the Holy Scriptures It is the general Perswasion and Attestation of the Antient Church that these are the Scriptures of Truth that they were penn'd by holy Prophets and Apostles immediately directed by the Spirit who therefore could not err It was usual heretofore among the Pagan Lawgivers to attribute their Laws to some Deity tho they were of their own Invention intending thereby to conciliate Reverence to them and to commend them to the People But here is no such Cheat put upon us God himself is really the Author of the Holy Scriptures these Sacred Laws come immediately from Him they are of Divine Inspiration There is no doubt to be made of the Divinity of the Scriptures and consequently there is assurance of the Infallibility of them CHAP. III. The Authority of the Bible manifested from the Testimonies of Enemies and Strangers especially of Pagans These confirm what the Old Testament saith concerning the Creation the Production of Adam and Eve their Fall with the several Circumstances of it Enoch's Translation the Longevity of the Patriarchs the Giants in those Times the Universal Flood the building of the Tower of Babel I Have propounded some of the chief Arguments which may induce us to believe the Truth and Certainty of the holy Writings of the Old and New Testament I will now choose out another for the sake chiefly of the Learned and Curious which I purpose to inlarge upon yea to make the Subject of my whole ensuing Discourse I consider then that we have in this Matter not only the Testimony of Friends but of Enemies and Strangers and it is a Maxim in the Civil Law and vouched by all Men of Reason that the Testimony of an Enemy is most considerable The Iewish and Christian Church as I have shewed already give their Testimony to the Scriptures but besides these Witnesses there are Others there is the Attestation of Foreigners and Adversaries These fully testify the Truth of what is delivered in the Holy Bible we have the Approbation of Heathen Writers to conâ—irm many of the things related in the Old Testament and both Professed Heathens and Iews for we must now look upon these latter as profess'd Enemies when we are to speak of the Christian Concern attest sundry things of the New Testament and vouch the Truth and Authority of them Here then I will distinctly proceed and first begin with the Old Testament and let you see in several Particulars that even the Pagan World gives Testimony to this Sacred Volume
that the Gentiles relate the very same things that this doth that the Great Truths and Notable Histories Notions and Practices in the Books of the Old Testament are to be met with in Profane Writings but taken from these Sacred ones The Heathens borrowed many of their Rites and Vsages from Traditions which were founded in the Holy Scriptures They derived many things in their Religion and Manners from these Sacred Fountains though it is as true that they have laboured to pollute them But I will make it clear and manifest that they fetch'd them thence and I will abundantly prove that most of the chief things in the Old Testament have been attested both by the Fables and the Serious History of the Pagans There have been some High-fliers I know who have carried on this Notion to a ridiculous Extravagancy Thus Zimmeranus speaks of an odd Capuchin who hath vented very wild things in prosecuting this Argument viz. that the Gentile Mysteries were taken from the True God and from the Scriptures inspired by him And one Iacobâ— Hugo in his Historia Romana is quoted by the same Person as very extravagant in this kind for he holds that the Roman Story was a Narrative of the History of the Gospel Pious Aeneas was St. Peter and his sailing from Troy to Latium was the Story of St. Peter's leaving the Chair at Antioch and going to Rome Homer and Virgil's Heroick Poems are an account of St. Peter and the Church and of the Shipwrack and Misfortunes which this latter meets with in the World Ilium or Aelia is Ierusalem that was the Name which Aelius Adrianus gave it The Acts of the Apostles the Jewish War and the Destruction of Ierusalem are contain'd in Homer's Iliads and so are the Life and Death of Christ and the whole Gospel He tells us that Romulus and Remus signify the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul the Founders of the Roman Church And more extravagantly yet he goes on telling us that Diana signiâ—ies the Holy Trinity Curtius on Horse-back swallowed up in the Lake is the Virgin Mary whose Temple is seen there in the Market-place at Rome with this Inscription D. Virginis Templum à poenis inferni liberantis And a great deal more of such Stuff this Hugo hath which no Man of Consideration and Sense is able to bear Indeed such wild and far-fetch'd Conceits may be justly entertain'd with Laughter and Contempt Nor do I look upon some things which some others of more composed Thoughts mention as any real Testimonies given to the Scriptures They strangely fancy an Affinity between Scripture and Paganism between what they read in the one and what they meet with in the other though there be no Cognation at all Thus the Greek Fable of Minerva's being the Offspring of Iove's Brain took its Rise from the Doctrine of the Trinity and the Eternal and Ineffable Generation of the Son of God saith a Learned Man and Isis the Egyptian Goddess is saith he Ishah Mulier or Virgo i. e. the Virgin Mary from a Tradition among them that a Virgin shoulâ— bring forth a Son who was to be the Redeemer 〈◊〉 the World And I could mention others whoâ—â— Names are better known who have been too eâ—travagant in this kind carrying the Notion on toâ— far and strongly fancying every thing almoâ—â— which they meet with in Pagan Story to havâ— some reference to and be taken from the holâ— Scriptures But I shall very industriously avoâ—â— this Vanity and Folly and only represent to the curious and critical Reader those Passages in Pagâ—â— Writers which with great Probability and Reasoâ— we may conclude to have been taken from the Books of the Old Testament I shall endeavoâ—â— to let you see the Sacred History of the Bible eveâ— through the Fables and feigned Stories of the Heathens and thereby confirm you in the belief of the Truth and Reality of that Sacred History whence they were taken 1. To begin first where all things began the Creation this as it is particularly described iâ— the first Chapter of Genesis is plainly to be found in Pagan Authors who without doubt had it froâ— this first Entrance of the Scripture For thougâ— a Man by the Light of Nature may know that the World had a Beginning yet this particular way of its beginning as 't is there set down could not be attained to but by Divine Revelation wherefore it is rationally to be asserted that the Pagaâ—â— took this Notion from God's Revealed Will in Scripture and at the same time they do hereby attest the Truth of that holy Book The genâ—râ—â— Opinion of the antient Gentiles was that the World was made out of a preceding Chaos which they represent to be a rude disordered and indigested Mass of Matter reduced to no Shape and Form Sanconiathon the Phoenician Historian so much prais'd by Porphyrius the Philosopher in Eusebius makes mention of this Chaos as the Source of all things in his Fragments of Phoenician Theology The antient Poet Orpheus held that this Chaos was the first Principle of all things And Hesiod agrees with him affirming that the Chaos was that out of which all Bodies were made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. It is described by Ovid after this manner Ante mare terras quod tegit omnia Coelum Vnus erat toto naturae vultus in orbe Quem dixere Chaos c. Where in forty or â—ifty pair of good smooth Verses he most excellently describes the Origine of all things and makes the very Chaos beautiful This is the same with Hyle the first original Matter of all things the Poets Demogorgon which was borrowed from the shapeless Lump of the Chaos And in the Phoenician Language we may find it in the very sound of the words Thoth and Bau which are but a small Variation from Tohu and Bohu in the Hebrew Text the same with Chaos among the Greeks and Latins This is founded on those Words of Moses Gen. 1. 2. The Earth was without form and void and Darkness was on the face of the Deep This dark and formless Heap of Water and Earth mingled together contain'd in it the fiâ— Elements of all things that were made afterwardâ— hence sprang the World as it is now shaped 〈◊〉 modelled From this Account which Moses givâ— here of the Creation the old Pagan Theologer i. e. the Pocts made the Ocean to be the Origiâ— of all Generation which is no other than thâ— if you give the plain meaning of it that thâ— moist and fluid Matter gave beginning to all Bodâ— that are Orpheus own'd this Hypothesis calliâ—â— the Ocean the Parent of all things in one of 〈◊〉 Hymns and out of some other Pieces of 〈◊〉 Works the same might be proved Homer 〈◊〉 the like asserting the Ocean to be the Antiente of the Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iliad On which Words the Scholiast gives this Reason