nothing in Scripture that looks like Inconsistent and Contradictory Upon a diligent Search we shall discern a mutual Correspondence in the Stile Matter and Design of these Writings we shall find a happy Concurrence of Circumstances and an admirable Consistency in the Doctrines and Discourses in so much that we shall be forced to acknowledg that upon this single Consideration it is reasonable to believe that these Writings were endited by the Holy Spirit This Harmony then of the Scriptures I may justly reckon among the Inward Notes of the Truth of Scripture because it is adjoined to the Matter of it which is of the very Intrinsick Nature of it What Iustinian professes and promises concerning his Digests in his Preface to them that there is nothing Clashing and Contradictory in them but that they are all of a piece is true only of the Sacred Laws of the Evangelical Pandects which contain in them nothing Dissonant and Repugnant The Old and New Testament the Prophets and Apostles are consonant to themselves and to one another which is a great Argument of the Truth of them There is nothing in one Place of Scripture opposite to the true Meaning which the Holy Ghost hath revealed and asserted in another The Contents of the whole Book whether you look into the Doctrinal or Historical Part of it have nothing contradictory in them All the Authors of it agree in their Testimonies and assert the same thing and consent among themselves It is the Nature of Lies and Forgeries that they hang not together as Lactantius on the like Occasion hath observed Especially if you search very inquisitively and narrowly into them you will perceive that they are thin and slight and may easily be seen through But the Contents of these Writings have been diligently inquired into and with great Care and Industry examined by all sorts of Persons and yet they are found to be every ways Consistent with themselves and the Testimony of the Writers is known to be Concurrent and Agreeing All wise and curious Observers must needs grant that there is no Book under Heaven that parallels the Scriptures as to this Which shews that they are more than Humane Writings yea that they were Divinely inspired and dictated And this I take to be the Sense of St. Peter who assures us that no Prophecy of the Scripture is of private Interpretation He speaks of the first Rise of those Prophecies which are in Scripture they are from God they are not of private Interpretation they are not from Man's Invention they are not of his own Brain and Fancy but they are to be esteem'd to be as they are Divine and Heavenly Oracles Thus the Word of God is Witness to it self and stands in need of no others The Scripture is sufficiently proved by what is in it and is to be believed for its own sake Which made an antient Writer say We have compleat Demonstrations out of the Scriptures themselves and accordingly we are demonstratively assured by Faith concerning the Truth of the things therein delivered Which cannot be said of any humane Writings in the World for they carry no such Native Marks with them But the very Inward Notes of the Truth and Authority of the Scriptures create in us a certain and unshaken Belief They may be known from all other Writings whatsoever by the Excellent Transcendent and Divine Matter contained in them and by the peculiar Manner of delivering and publishing it These I call Internal Proofs because they are taken from the Books themselves because they are something that we find there These assure us that they were written not by Man but by God There is yet another Internal Testimony I call it so because it is within Vs though not in the Scriptures As I have shewed you that the Holy Spirit speaks in the Scriptures and bears Testimony to the Truth of them so now I add that this Spirit speaks in Vs and works in our Hearts a Perswasion that the Scriptures are the Word of God By this Spirit we are enabled to discern the Voice of the same Spirit and of Christ in those Writings This witnessing Power of the Spirit in the Souls of Believers is asserted in Acts 5. 32. 15. 7 8. and in 1 Iohn 5. 6. From these Places it is clear that there is an Illumination of the Spirit joining with our Consciences and Perswasions and this Spirit powerfully convinces all Believers of the Truth of the Scriptures This Testimony follows immediately on our setting before us the Inward Excellencies of the Scripture as I have represented them for God makes use of those Evidences and Arguments to beget a Belief in us of the Divine Authority of Scripture The Spirit enlightens and convinces Mens Minds by those Means but more especially he urges these Evidences on the Hearts of the Religious and Faithful and thereby brings them to a firm Perswasion of the Scriptures being the Word of God This is no Enthusiasm because it is discovered to us by proper Means and Instruments whereas that is without any and is generally accompanied with the despising of them But the Evidences and Notes in the Scripture are the Reasons and Motives of our Belief only the Holy Spirit comes and prepares and sanctifies our Minds and illuminates our Consciences and causes those Arguments and Motives to make Impression upon us and effectually to prevail with us and to silence all Objections to the contrary Thus the Truth of Scripture is attested by the Holy Spirit witnessing in us But when I say the Testimony of the Spirit is a Proof of the Truth of the Scripture I must adjoin this that this Proof serves only for those that have this Spirit it may establish them but it cannot convince others No other Man can be brought to be perswaded of the Truth of those Sacred Writings by the Spirit 's convincing me of the Truth of them Besides this Proof is not in all that really believe the Truth of these Books some may be convinced of the Truth of them without this but where this is it is most Powerful and Convictive and surpasses all other degreâ— of Perswasion whatsoever There is no such câ—tain knowledg of the Truth of these Holy Wâ— tings as by the Testimony of the Sacred Spirit 〈◊〉 the Hearts of Men produced there in a ration â— way and in such a manner as is most sutable 〈◊〉 our Faculties CHAP. II. External Proofs of the Truth of the Holy Scriptureâ— Viz. the wonderful Preservation of them and Vniversal Tradition Which latter is defended against the Objections of those that talk of a New Character wherein the Old Testament is written Thâ— Iewish Masoreth attests the Authority of these Writings The Hebrew Text is not corrupted The Points or Vowels were coexistent with the Letters F. Simon 's Notion of Abbreviating the Historicâ—â— Books of the Old Testament rejected The New Tement vouched by the unanimous Suffrage of the Primitive Church The
Demosthenes more especially who no less than three times in one Oration uses the Word in this manner and in another place once or twice but I think I have sufficiently establish'd my Notion already by what I have produced You see plainly that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath not absolutely a reference to a Benefit or Advantage but that 't is of a large import and signifies in general on the account or for the sake and more especially that it denotes an Impulsive Cause properly so call'd and is used to express those things or Persons that put Men upon Action which was the thing I undertook to make good and I challenge any Man to disprove it I have defended the Signification of the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of Classical Authors that I might thereby obviate the Scruples of some Inquisitive Persons and give some Satisfaction to the Curious and make my Exposition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more clear and demonstrative when 't is seen that it is founded on the Acception of that Preposition not only in the New-Testament but in Prophane Authors and in a Word that I may render my whole Undertaking on that Text the more acceptable to the Learned part of Mankind To this rank of Persons I devote all my Endeavours of this kind but that which I now offer to the World is more especially designed for the Use of younger Students in Sacred Learning such as are Beginners and Candidates in Theology though I am well satisfied that these Critical Researches will â—ot be useless to those of a higher Character A CATALOGUE of the Difficult Chapters and Verses in Holy Scripture which are Explain'd in this Book being set down in the same Order that they are there mentioned II. CHap. of Daniel Concerning the Image whose Head was of Gold c. Page 9 VII Chap. of Daniel Concerning the Four Beasts p. 10 VIII Chap. of Daniel Concerning the Ram and He-Goat p. 13 XI Gen. 4. Let us make us a Name lest we scattered abroad c. p. 127 XXXVI Gen. 24. This was that Anah that found the Mules in the Wilderness c. p. 147 XV. Judg. 15 16 17 c. Concerning the Iaw-bone of the Ass wherewith Sampson slew a thousand Men. p. 149 XXXVIII Isai. 8. The Sun returned Ten degrees by which degrees it was gone down p. 200 XXXIII Deut. 17. Where Joseph is compared to an Ox or Bullock and why p. 214 II. Luke 1 2. There went out a Decree from Caesar Augustus that all the World should be Taxed p. 352 II. Matth. 2. We have seen his Star in the East Vers. 7. Herod enquired of them diligently what time the Star appeared Vers. 9. The Star which they saw in the East went before them c. Vers. 16. Herod slew all the Children that were in Bethlehem from two Years old and under according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the Wise Men. p. 360 XXIV Matth. The former part which speaks of the Destruction of Ierusalem and the parallel Chapter of St. Luke viz. the XXI p. 394 The Author's Vindication of his Interpretation of 1 Cor. 15. 29. Praef. ERRATA PAge 18. l. 28. for Ahaz read Hezekiah p. 37. l. 15. for end r. erre p. 99. l. 8. dele not p. 151. l. 15. dele not p. 212. l. 30. r. with Ham. and l. 26 27. correct the Hebrew words And do the same in other places p. 227. l. 21. r. unutterable p. 238. l. 11. r. on p. 241. l. 9. r. deus is p. 248. l. 18. r. ex Aetheris l. ult for that r. at other times p. 250. l. 17. r. Martinius p. 255. l. 26. r. tornare p. 334. Marg. Quotations misplaced p. 349. Marg. 3 last lines put Apolog. 2. ad Sen. after the Quotation Sed cum c. And put b before Adv. Gent. p. 363. l. 33. r. other Pagans p. 364. l. 26. r. Silver locks p. 376. l. 11. dele citeth the same testimony and. p. 411. l. 7 10. r. Cedrenus What other Faults have escaped the Reader is desired to Correct Advertisement AN Enquiry into several Remarkable Texts of the Old and New-Testament which contain some difficulty in them With a probable Resolution of them By Iohn Edwards B. D. In Two Volumes in Octavo Sold by I. Robinson I. Everingham and I. Wyat in St. Paul's Church-Yard and Ludgate-street OF THE Truth and Authority OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES CHAP. I. The Internal Testimonies or Arguments to evince the Authority of the Holy Scriptures viz. 1. The Matter of them that is the Sublime Verities the Holy Rules the Accomplish'd Prophecies contain'd in them Vnder which last Topick several particular Predictions chiefly in the Book of Daniel are explain'd and shew'd to be fulfilled Further 't is demonstrated that the foretelling of future Contingences of that nature especially so long before they come to pass could be from God only 2. The Manner of these Writings which is peculiar as to their Simplicity Majesty and their being immediately dictated by the Holy Ghost 3. Their Harmony 4. The particular Illumination of the Spirit I HAVE chosen a very Noble and Important Subject to exercise my Pen and to entertain both my own and the Reader 's Thoughts and Contemplations with for no Book under Heaven can possibly be the Rival of the Holy Bible none in the World can pretend to the transcendent Worth and Excellency of these Sacred Writings Here not only all Natural or Morâ—â— Religion but that also which is Supernatural is fulâ—ly and amply contain'd Here is the Decalogâ—â— written by God himself and transcrib'd out of the Law of Nature besides that there are frequentlâ— interspersed in these Writings other choice Rulâ—â— and Precepts of Morality But Supernatural Relâ—gion being the chief this is the main Subject of thâ—â— Sacred Volume and this you will find partly deâ—livered by the Inspired Prophets of the Old Testament and partly by Christ Iesus himself in perâ—son and by the Evangelists and Apostles in the New Testament Of these Holy Scriptures I am tâ— treat which are the Standard of Truth the infallible Rule of Faith and Holiness and the Ground work of all Divinity for this being the Doctrinâ— which is according to the Word of God deliver'â— in Sacred Writ we must necessarily be acquainted with This and know in the â—irst place that it iâ— True and make it evident that it is so If aâ—â— Estate be given a Person by Will he must firâ—â— prove that Instrument to be True and Authenticâ—â— before he can challenge any Right to what is demised him in it So it is here God bequeaths us aâ— Inheritance i. e. Life and Salvation and Eternaâ— Happiness and the Scriptures are as it were the Will and Testament wherein this is plainly exprest and whereby it is conveyed to us Especially thâ— Writings of the Evangelists and Apostles deservâ— that Name and thence are stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Greek word which in its Original
may be suffered to give my Conjectur◠〈◊〉 Poets did very â—itly relate how Atlas bore up 〈◊〉 Heavons when in the mean time they meant 〈◊〉 Moses who giving us the Authentick Records 〈◊〉 the World's Creation and beginning his History with the Production of the 〈◊〉 is the Tâ—â—â— Atlas that supports the Spheres nay he may be rightly said not only to bear up the Heavâ—â—s 〈◊〉 the Earth and to keep them from sinking into their first Chaos by transmitting the Account and Memory of them to all Posterity I question 〈◊〉 but that Moses was represented by Heâ—â—mes Trismegistus for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no more than a very Great i. e. an Excellent Man and such none caâ— deny Moses to have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Interpreter is appliable to none better than to Him who was the first Sacred and Inspired Interpreter of the Mind of God in Writing Letters were invented by this Hermes saith Iamâ—licâ—us from his Maâ—â—â—â— Plato Moses being the first Writer may well be said to be the first Inventer of Letters Diâ—dorus also tells us that this Moses was the first that gave the Egyptians he should have said Iews but those Mistakes are common with him and other Pagan Authors Written Laws and that â—e was a Man of a great Soul and very powerful in his Life And in another place he saith he was one that excelled in Wisdom and Valour Strabo makes honourable mention of this Great â—â—rsonage yea speaks not only of him but of the Religion establish'd by him with great Respect He ranks him among the best Legislators and highly praiseth his Laws and gives them the Preeminence before all others He reciteth some of his Sayings and Deeds telling us that he left Egypt and came into Syria because he disliked the Egyptians for their making and worshipping of Corporeal Gods of the Figure and Proportion of Brutes and that Moses profess'd that God could not be represented by any Image or Likeness whatsoever There are other Gentiles who speak of Moses and his Laws and Constitutions and they would have been more favourable in their Testimonials concerning him if their Heathen Principles had not biass'd them to a more undue Character Which is taken notice of by Philo in the Life of Moses Though saith he some Pagan Historians speak of him yet they say but little and that not truly neither Out of Envy it is likely or because of the great Disagreement between his and the Laws of other Law-givers they vouchsafe not to remember him But that Testimony which we have is sufficient and we may thence be satisfied that Moses was the most Authentick Historian and the Antientest Law-giver and we may gather from what they say that his Laws were the first and gave beginning to all otherâ— The famous Law-givers and Politicians among the Grecians as Lycurgus and Solon had the main of their Politicks from Moses's Laws whence afterwards the Romans took some of theirs And as Moses received his Laws immediately from God so in imitation of him the greatest Law-givers said they had theirs from some Deity as Numa from Aegeria Minos from Iupiter Lycurgus from Apollo Zabeucus from Minerva c. Still this establisheth our Notion that the Writings and Practices of the Jews gave rise to many things among the Pagans which I will yet farther pursue CHAP. VI. Prophane Writers testify the Truth of these Particulars mention'd in the Old Testament viz. The Gigantick Race of the Canaanites The Sun 's standing still Jephthah's Sacrificing his Daughter Sampson's loss of his Hair The Foxes which he made use of against the Philistines Elias's rapture to Heaven Some passages relating to King Solomon King Hiram c. The Sun 's going back in King Hezekiah's time Nebuchadnezzar's Transformation into a Beast His Dream of an Image with a Golden Head c. Next it is proved that the Heathens had their Deities from the Old Testament Their Saturn was Adam Their Minerva was Eve Their Jupiter Cain Their Vulcan Tubal-Cain Their Bacchus as also their Saturn and Janus Noah Their Apis Joseph Their Mercury and Bacchus Moses Their Hercules Joshua and Sampson Their Apollo Jubal Their Ganymed Elias c. â—venthly SOme other things which the Old Testament acquaints us happened after 〈◊〉 giving the Law by Moses till the Babylonian 〈◊〉 are to be found among Prophane Writers We read in Numb 13. 33. of the Gigantick race of Canaanites who are called the Sons of Anak 〈◊〉 in Deut. 9. 2. Ios. 11. 〈◊〉 they are called Anakims Is there not some prob 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the 〈◊〉 daridae or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and there were more than Câ—stor and Pollux that were call'd by that name Tully will inform you who by the Greeks wâ—â— called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as several Authors acquaint 〈◊〉 had their Name from those Great Men who wâ—â—â— the Offspring of Anak These being driven Iosuaâ— out of Palestine when he overcame 〈◊〉 Country it is likely went into Greece and froâ— them the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Athens and Sparta descended and hence it was that the Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was given not only to the Tyndaridae but all Great Mâ—â— and Princes I will add that 't is probable thâ— word gave Origination to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signiâ—â—â— Great and Principal Men such as those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were From that Miracle in Ios. 10. 13. of the 〈◊〉 standing still perhaps the Poets Fiction arose concerning the Night doubled or trebled by Iupitâ—â— for Alcmena's sake For as hath been suggesâ—â—â— already this sort of Men when they get a Story by the end make what they please of it and turn it into quite another thing than it was at first The rumour of that strange Accident had come to their Ears and they presently turn'd it into a Fable And who should stop the Course of the Suâ— but Iupiter the Supream God And after the raâ—â— that they represented their Gods that which is further added is apposite enough for they are not ashamed to tell us that they are Lewd and Obscene and indulge themselves in all Lustful Practices Now when the Sun stood still in one Hemisphere the other wanted his presence and light and â—o they had as it were a double Night for the Sun 's â—â—aying here so long But you shall have another fable shortly that will speak to the same purpose Porphyrius tells us that Sanchoniathon had his Historical Narrations and Secrets from one Ierombaal Priest of the God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which shews that that Hiâ—torian had his Matter from the Sacred Scriptures the Hebrew Fountains of Truth though he oftentimes corrupts them And it is evident that they had partly learnt the Name of the true God from the Hebrews or their Writings for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was Iehovah the true God whom the Iews Worshipped as I shall â—â—â—w more afterwards Besides from
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