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
suâ—â—ice to have mention'd the foregoing ones the explaining of which is sufficient to give us an account of the Stile of Scripture so far as it is Figurative And from what hath been said we may gather that these Divine Writings come not short of the most Applauded Pieces of the Greek or Latin Orators for here are those very Schemes and Modes of Speech which imbellish those Authors Works here are all the Graces and Elegancies which enrich and adorn them Therefore in that place beforementioned where Origen saith the Scriptures are not written Politely his meaning is that that is not the Scope and Design of those Writings and that it is not the thing that is pursued generally there being a Greater and Higher Design yet in many places there are very Excellent Strains of Oratory there are very Artificial Periods and Sentences there are Words Phrases and Expressions in a very Rhetorical Dress But where you find others that are as you think Inartificial Uncouth and no ways Graceful you must remember this to take off your prejudice against the Sâ—ripture-Stile that the Eastern Eloquence is vastly different from ours in the West The Mode and Guise of their Oratory were unlike that of the Greeks and Romans and of Ours at this Day and therefore we are not to expect that they should be fitted to it It is certain though we perceive it not that their Stile was Graceful and Fashionable which is clear from the considering the Persons that were the Penmen of some parts of Scripture namely Moses David Solomon Isaiah Daniel Men of great Improvements and Accomplishments and Masters of the Language they spoke Neither are the Scriptures in some parts of them Defective in the Western Oratory they abound with the Choicest Schemes of Speech with the Greatest Ornaments of Language with the Chiefest Elegancies which Greece or Rome were famous for Yet notwithstanding this there are those who have vilified the Stile of Scripture Some Pretenders to Criticism but of debauched Minds and loose Lives have endeavour'd to render it very Mean and Despicable You have heard of the Canon of Florâ—nâ—â— who preferr'd an Ode of Pindar before the Psalms of David though he could not deny as Caspar Peucer tells us that there were Excellent Sentences Histories Examples and Figures of Speech in this Divine Poem Yet such was the Sottishness of Politian for that was his Name that he profess'd he never spent his time worse than in reading this and other parts of the Bible and at last he desisted from reading any further because of the Barbarity of the Stile But observe what Character Ludovicus Vives a Man of his own Religion gives him he represents him as a Person who though he had more Polite Learning than was frequent in those Days made but ill use of it and employ'd it wholly in the worst sort of Criticism and Playing with words It was this Busy but Idle Critick that spoke so contemptibly of the Bible where because he met with some things unsutable to his Grammatical and Critical Genius he censured and condemned all Of the same Profane Disposition was Domitius Calderinus who advis'd his Friends especially those that were Youthful not to read the Bible for it would be of no use to them But what it was that these two Persons were employ'd about which wholly estrang'd their Minds from that Sacred Book may be guess'd from the Shameful Epigram which the former composed and the Obscene Comment which the latter made both which they publish'd to the World It is no wonder such Men disrelish'd the Sacred Truths contain'd in the Inspired Writings and found fault with the Language and Stile of them this proceeded from their aversion to that Purity and Holiness which those Holy Writers urge upon the Practices of Men and which these two Vile Italians knew were directly contrary to what they both loved and acted Who would not think the better of this Holy Book because it was despised and vilified by these Men Who would not highly esteem those Writings which by such Dissolute Wretches as these were scorn'd and trampl'd under Feet If it was an Argument that Christianity was Good because Nero persecuted it then we may with as much reason infer that the Bible is an Excellent Book because this pair of Lewd Varlets disparaged it This certainly was founded in the Wickedness and Profaneness of their Lives They could not think or speak well of those Writings which contradicted their beloved Lusts and Vices It was thus with Ierom and Augustin whilst they were wicked and unreclaim'd Persons the Scripture-Language seem'd very harsh and unpleasant to them so far were they from discerning any Elegancy in it The former of these tells his Eustochium that he us'd when he awaked in the Night and could not sleep to read Plautus and if after that he read the Prophets as sometimes he did their Speech seem'd to be horribly rough and â—npolished devoid of all Fineness and Eloquence And the latter of these Persons freely confesseth that before his Conversion the Stile of Scripture was deemed by him very Rude and Unstudied and as having nothing Neat and Delicate in it This is the apprehension which those Men have of it who are not Competent Judges and they are not so not because they have not Understanding enough but because they have an Inward Abhorrence of the Sacred Verities which they find in that Book This is the true Reason why so many in this Age yea within our own Borders scoff at and ridicule the Language of the Bible The Matter of this Volume makes them dislike the Stile of it Nothing can be Eloquent which speaks against their Vices Bâ—t let it offend none that this most Excellent Book is depretiated by some Vitious or by some Half-witted Men for there are no other that ever spoke against it In the Stile of this Book of God there are no Blemishes but what are approved of in the Best Classical Authors as those who were of the greatest Skill in Grammar and Rhetorick have fully demonstrated therefore the Bible is not a Book to be disparag'd no not by the greatest Grammarians and Rhetoricians The Excellent and Choice Wording of the Scripture is commended by St. Chrysostom When I read the Bible saith St. Augustin I find that as nothing is more Wisely said so nothing is more Eloquently spoken than there And particularly I have shew'd that it is beautified and enrich'd with many Figures Thus I have largely proved that the Stile of Scripture is generally of the strain of Other Approved Writers as to its Phraseology or manner of Expression I proceed and add 3dly This Observation that Proverbial Sayings and commonly received Adagies used by other Writers are mention'd also in the Holy Scriptures This is abundantly proved by those who have Purposely writ on this Subject I will remit you to them and at present only confine my self to the New Testament and
Proposition it is impossible it should gain the Assent of any intelligent and sober Person When we consider the Nature of these Prophecies and what they aim at we must needs own them to be from Him to whom all Future Things are Present and who is the Cause as well as the Foreseer of them And therefore when we observe that the things which the Writers of Holy Scripture have delivered are actually come to pass we may with reason conclude that their Writings are not Forgeries but on the contrary that the Penmen of them were Inspired Persons that they had the Gift of Prophecy which is an infallible Testimony of their Authority These things being thus foretold so long before and being exactly verified since it undeniably follows that the Books which contain these Predictions and are founded on them are True and Certain These Predictions coming from God are an aâ— red Proof that these Writings were endited him they being so great a part of them Thiâ— that which an antient Father long since deliverâ— The foretelling of future things saith he 〈◊〉 Characteristick Note of the Divine Authority 〈◊〉 the Scriptures for this is a thing that is aboâ—â— humane Nature and the Powers of it and 〈◊〉 only â—e effected by the Virtue of the Divine â—â—â—rit We may rely upon it as an impregnaâ— Maxim that the Spirit of Prophecy and the Fâ— filling of Prophecies are a Divine Proof of 〈◊〉 Truth of the Scriptures and are a sufficient Grouâ— to us of believing them to be the Word of Goâ— Thus from the Matter of the Holy Scriptures 〈◊〉 have undeniable Evidence of the Authority aâ— Truth of them Again the Manner of these Writings is anotheâ— Proof of the Divine Authority of them Theâ— are not writ as others are wont to be the Penmeâ— of these Sacred Books do not speak after the raâ—â—â— of other Writers How admirable is the Simplâ— city and Ingenuity of these Men all along Theâ— do not hide their own or others Failings yea eveâ— when they are very gross and scandalous thuâ— Moses recorded not only Noah's Drunkenness and Lot's Incest but his own rash Anger and Unbelieâ— and David registers in the 51st Psalm his own Murder and Adultery Ieremiah relates his own unbecoming Fears Discontents and Murmurings chap. 20. 7 8 14. The Writers of the New Testament conceal not the Infirmities and Defects 〈◊〉 the gross Miscarriages of themselves and of â—heir Brethren as their cowardly leaving of Christ 〈◊〉 his Passion Iohn's falling at the Feet of an Anâ—el to worship him Thomas his Infidelity Iohn â—nd Iames the Sons of Zebedee their unseasonaâ—le Ambition Peter's denying of Christ even with â—erjury This free and plain dealing of the Wriâ—ers of the Old and New Testament shews that â—hey are not the Writings of Men. A Man may â—ee that there is no worldly and sinister Design â—â—rried on in them but that the Glory of God is â—holly intended by their impartial discovery of â—he Truth Which was long since taken notice of â—y Arnobius in answer to that Cavil of the Pagans hat the History of the Gospel was writ by poor 〈◊〉 People and in a simple Manner Therefore â—aith he it is the more to be credited because they write so indifferently and impartially and out of Simplicity This Impartiality and Sincerity of theirs are an irrefragable Argument of the Truth of their Writings And here also you will find an excellent and admirable Composition of Simplicity and Majesty together Though the Strain be High and Lofty yet you may observe that at the same time it is Humble and Condescending To which purpose a Learned Father saith well The Language of Divine Wisdom in the Scripture is Low but the Sense is Sublime and Heavenly whereas on the contrary the Phrase of Heathen Writers is Splendid but the things couched in them are Poor and Mean The Scripture-Writers make it not their work to set off and commend thâ— Writings by being Elaborate and Exact Hâ— are no set Discourses no pointed Arguments 〈◊〉 affected Strains of Logick The Writers 〈◊〉 the Bible saith another antient Father did 〈◊〉 make their Writings in a way of Demonstration these unquestionable Witnesses of the Truth being above all Demonstration Nor shall yâ—â— find here that the Writers strain for Eleganciâ— and florid Expressions as other Authors are wonâ— here is no quaint and curious Method no formâ— Transitions no courting of the Readers no unnecessary Pageantry of Rhetorick to gain Admiration and Attention Especially the Stile of the Evangelists and Apostles is not tumid and affected but plain and simple and scorns the Ornamenâ— and Embellishments of Fancy for as an oâ— Christian said rightly Truth needs no Fucus anâ— Artifice and therefore the Sense not Words are minded in Scripture All good Men ought to be pleased with this Simplicity and Plainness of the Holy Stile of which there is a memorable Instance in an Ecclesiastical Historian who tells us that Spiridion a notable Confessor for the Christian Faith reproved one Tryphilius an Eloquent Man and converted by him to Christianity some time before because speaking one time in the famous Council of Nice he did instead of those Wordâ— of Christ Tolle grabatum tuum say Tolle lectum tuum humilem he reproved him I say and that very sharply for disdaining to use the word which the Scripture it self useth It is true the Words of Scripture seem sometimes to be common and rude and altogether ungraceful sometimes I say for I shall shew afterwards that Scripture is not destitute of its Graces of Speech but that seeming Commonness and Rudeness are great Tokens of the peculiar Excellency of the Stile of Scripture Gregory the Great excusing the Plainness and Rudeness of his Stile in his Comments on Iob professeth that he thought it unworthy of and unbecoming the Heavenly Oracles to restrain them to the nice Rules of Grammar Surely the Writers of the Bible might say so with more reason it became them not to stand upon those Niceties and Formalities of Speech which are so frequent in other Authors for it is fitting there should be a difference between Humane Writings and Divine I agree with a late Ingenious Author who declares that it fits not the Majesty of God whose Book this is to observe the humane Laws of Method and Niceness of Art Inspired Writings must not be like those of Men. The singular Grace of these is that they are not Artificial and Studied but Simple Plain and Careless and that their whole Frame and Contexture are not such as ours An artificial Method is below the Majesty of that Spirit which dictated them This would debase the Scriptures and equal them with the Writings of Men. Wherefore the oftner I look into that Sacred Volume and the more I observe it the more I am convinced that the Pens of the Writers were wholly directed by a Divine Hand For take any of the Books either Doctrinal
or their conforming to the Dialect of their Countrey for these are consistent with That Isaiah being a Courtier and a Person of Quality hath a neat and elegant Stile and yet so as he knows how to vary it according to the Matter he treats of But generally he is Lofty and Eloquent his Stile being raised by his Education which was sutable to his Noble Extraction for he was of the Blood Royal. Ieremiah and Amos being used to the Countrey are mean and homely in their Language the latter especially discovers his Condition and way of Life in his low and rural Strain So in the New Testament St. Luke who had improved himself by Art and Study is very observant of the Greek Elegancy and avoids all improper and exotick Terms in his Gospel and in the Acts. Indeed the Stile of the Sacred Penmen is very different and that Difference is an Excellency in this Book of God But that which I say is this the Writers leave not off their peculiar Stile though they were moved by the Spirit As this furnished them with new Expressions so it let them make use of their own usual ones but immediately directed and assisted them in the applying of them So that at the same time when they used their Natural Stile they were Divinely help'd to make it â—erviceable to that purpose which the Holy Ghost intended Hence I conclude that the Stile and Words and Composure of the Sacred Writings are such as ought to be reckoned Divine For this is one difference between this Book and others that every thing of it is Divine And therefore those Persons who dream of Solecisâ—â— in Holy Scripture are the greatest Solecisers themselves but especially those who assert there are Mistakes and literal Falsities in the Holy Book are utterly to be condemned Such is Episcopius who dares affirm That the Spirit left the Writers of the Holy Scripture to their own humane Frailty in delivering such things as belonged to Circumstances of a Fact Their Knowledg and Memory were deficient and fallible The Spirit did not tell St. Iohn how many Furlongs Christ's Disciples went chap. 6. 19. The same is to be asserted he saith as to some Names and other Circumstances of Time and Place which are not of the substance of the thing And before this you are told by â—â—o others that the Pen-men of Scripture 〈◊〉 in some light things not that they would falâ—â—ty but that they might forget some Passages Melchior Canus is of the opinion that there are some considerable Slips in Scripture from the weakness of the Evangelists and Apostles Memories Yea among the antient Fathers there was one who more grosly held that the Writers of the New Testament sometimes abused the Testimonies of the Prophets of the Old Testament and that they applied them to their present purpose although they were nothing to it Thus St. Paul he saith quoteth the Old Testament in his Epistles to the Romans Galatians and Ephesians only to serve his turn and to confute the Jews his Adversaries Read saith he these Epistles wherein the Apostle is wholly on the Polemick part and you will see how prudently and dissemblingly he acts in those Texts which he citeth out of the Old Testament And at other times this bold Man is not afraid to say that some of the Matters and Things in Scripture are set down wrong This is no less than Profane and Blasphemous Doctrine wherefore that Father is to be read with great Caution in such places as these We on the contrary assert that God was not only the Author of the Matter and Contents of Holy Writ but also of the Words and Expressions yea even when those Writers express their Sense in their own Terms i. e. according to the Way and Dialect which they were Masters of and which was most familiar to them even then they were immediately assisted 〈◊〉 the Spirit Which was absolutely necessary that this Book might have no Errors and Failings in it of any kind but that it might transcend all other Writings whatsoever If you do not hold this you make no considerable difference between the Holy Scriptures and other Writings Therefore I am thorowly convinced that this is a Truth and ought to be maintained viz. that the Holy Spirit endited the very Stile of Scripture that even this was by the immediate Inspiration of Heaven To the Manner of its writing I may well annex its Harmony and thence also prove it to be Divine Though there are several seeming Repugnancies of which I shall treat afterwards in a Discourse of the Stile of Scripture and endeavour to clear them up to the Satisfaction of every sober and considerate Person yet it cannot but be acknowledged that all the Parts of this Book do entirely agree and are consistent with one another This in other Books which are composed and written by one Author is not so admirable tho in those Pieces we oftentimes meet with very palpable Disagreements and Contradictions but here we are able to remember that notwithstanding these Books were written by different Persons and those many in number and disagreeing in Quality and extremely distant as to Time and Place yet their Writings contradict not one another but there is an excellent Harmony in all their Parts there is a perfect Concord and Consent among them all such as is not to be found in any other Authors in the World though of the same Sect and Party Excellently to this purpose a very Wise and Judicious Man thus speaks When several Men in several Ages not brought up under the same Education write it is not possible to find Unity in their Tenents or Positions because their Spirits Judgments and Fancies are different but where so many several Authors speaking and writing at several times agree not only in Matters Dogmatical of sublime and difficult Natures but also in Predictions of future and contingent Events whereof it is impossible for humane Understanding to make a Discovery without a superiour Discovery made to it I must needs conclude one and the same Divine Spirit declared the same Truths to these several Men. And as to the seeming Contrarieties of some Places of Scripture this should not at all trouble us for this is rather an Argument of the Truth and Authority of it it is a sign the Writers did not combine together to cheat and delude us If they had designed any such thing we should not have met with any Difficult and seemingly Repugnant Places in these Writings But seeing we do so this among other things may confirm us in this Belief that the Scriptures were not contrived by Men who had a design to impose upon us for if they had had such a Design they would have so ordered it that not the least appearance of Contradiction and Difference should have been found But truly there is no necessity of proceeding thus in this Discourse for to an unprejudiced and industrious Enquirer there is
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
Industry to preserve Scripture from Corruption We may gather from this Diversity of Readings that Men have been very inquisitive and careful in their comparing of Copies but we cannot thence argue that the Text is adulterated yea rather we may infer that it is not for from this comparing and vying of Copies we come to know and be ascertain'd which is the True and Authentick one And we may farther add with the same excellent Author That it is morally impossible since our Saviour's time and indeed for many hundred Years before that that the Scriptures particularly of the Old Testament should have been corrupted for the Multitude of Copies was then such hath been since much more such and so far dispersed that neither one Man nor one Body of Men could ever get them into their hands to corrupt them and if some few or mâ—â—â—ny Copies had been corrupted but not all thâ—â— sincere Number would have detected the corrupt Again let it be consider'd that the antient Orthodox Writers of the Church do all ciâ—â— these Scriptures as we now have them in everything material Yea that most Hereticks have pleaded these same Scriptures and denied them not to be genuine To establish us yet further we must remember that these Writings have been openly read to the People in all their solemn Assemblies in the several Ages since Christianity began and they being thus constantly used could not possibly be altered and corrupted Besides that all private Christians were exhorted to read and use them in their Families whereby they became so known and familiar that whenever any Alteration was made they could presently observe it Lastly notwithstanding the Author of a late Tractate hath brought divers Objections against the usual Tradition that such and such Books of the Bible were wrote by the Authors whose Names they bear and though Mr. Hobbs before him had done the same yet neither of them have effected it with any Success This is all they have done they have only shewed that they are not so civil to the holy Writings as they are to the profane ones for it is every whit as clear that the Books of the Holy Scripture were written by the Persons under whose Names they go as that any other Writings were put out by those whose Names they bear Nor can these Men vouchsafe to shew that Civility to these Sacred Books which even Iews and Gentiles have done for when both â—hese opposed these Books you will not find that they ever questioned the Authors but the Doctrine only We are therefore to look upon these Men and such as take part with them as acting with higher Prejudice than either Jews or Heathens did and accordingly we are to slight what they say unless it be thus far that from their impotent and malicious Cavils we may be further confirmed in this Perswasion that these Books of the Old and New Testament were indeed written by those Authors under whose Names they are now received that these Scriptures which we now have are the same which the Primitive Church received from the Apostles that the Copies we have of the Bible are not corrupted that God hath preserved the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament from all considerable Change and Depravation his Providence not suffering any such thing that the Canon of Scripture which is now received is the very same that it was at first and which is the Sum of all that the Truth and Authority of it are impregnable It may be expected I should speak of the Apoâ—ryphal Books which I have not reckoned among the Inspired Writings For doing this I have good reason for I find them excluded from the Canon of Scripture by those that are the best Judges of it I mean the Iews who were the great Keepers of the Scripture They never took these into the number of the Books of Holy Writ and that for these two Reasons First because they were not writ by the Prophets The Jews believed that the Spirit of Prophecy ceased among them as soon as Malachi had done prophesying They owned no Divine Inspiration after his time and accordingly received not the Apocryphal Books into the Canon of Scripture i. e. Books Divinely inspired 〈◊〉 was written after Malachi's time who was 〈◊〉 last Prophet was not Canonical was not of 〈◊〉 Authority and therefore is not emphatical called Scripture For as St. Paul informs us 〈◊〉 Scripture is given by Inspiration of God 2 Tim. 3. 〈◊〉 That is the Mark and Criterion of Scripture 〈◊〉 is back'd by St. Peter 2 Pet. 1. 21. Holy Men 〈◊〉 God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 those Writings which were not by Inspiration 〈◊〉 God nor from the immediate Motion of the 〈◊〉 Ghost are not to be reckoned as Holy Scriptuâ—â— and such are the Apocryphal Writings they werâ—â— written after the cessation of Prophecy and Diviâ—â— Inspiration and so they are not of Divine Authâ—â—rity and cannot be esteemed Canonical Scriptureâ—â— Secondly the Jews received not the Apocrypha 〈◊〉 to their Canon because it was written in Greek not in Hebrew as all the Canonical Books are For God would not they say give them Scripturâ— in an Unknown Tongue The Oracles of Goâ— were to be committed to his People in the Authentick Language which is that of the Jews The Apocryphal Writings being not such are rejected by them and not taken into the Canon of Sacreâ— Writ And as they were not received by the Jewiâ— Church so not by the Christian one You cannot but observe that Christ and the Apostles who frequently quote the Canonical Books never quoâ—â— any of the Apocryphal ones which gives us to understand that they were not reputed as Inspired Writings otherwise it is most reasonable to think that our Saviour or his Apostles and Evangelists would at one time or other have cited some one Passage at least out of these Books it being their great Work as you may see to prove the Truth of what they delivered from the holy Scriptures which were inspired by God in former Times They embraced all Occasions of establishing Christianity upon the Writings of the Inspired Prophets who went before therefore if the Apocryphal Writers had been of that number they would certainly have been quoted by them and because they are not it is an Argument that they are not Inspired Writers Again the Christian Church which immediately succeeded that which was in the Days of Christ and the Apostles received not these Writings as Divinely inspired and therefore excluded them from the Canon of Scripture Look into the Writings of the antient Fathers of the Church who without doubt made it their business to search into the Canon of Scripture and to be satisfied which were the Divinely inspired Books and there you will see that those of the Eastern Church received only the Jews Canon of Scripture as to the Old Testament Thus Origen recites the Canonical Books of it as they are now reckoned viz. two
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
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
appear bare-faced and to salute the Publick Besides I thought my self obliged to give the World some Account of the spending of my Time and to let it be seen that I have not wholly thrown away my Hours Moreover I have a great and passionate Desire to serve the Church to vindicate our Holy Religion to advance the Cause of Christianity to demonstrate the transcendent Worth of the Holy Scriptures which are the Standard of all Excellent Notions and Regular Manners and to promote and set forward the Glory of the ever Blessed Trinity I am sensible what Multitudes of Writers there are already how many Printed Discourses are published that might well be spared to say no worse We are told that Tully's Offices wâ—â— the first Book thâ—t was printed in Europe which was a Good Specimen of that new-invented Art It had been a happy thing if the Press had proceeded as well as it begun if Books of vse and Worth only had been handed into the World by it But it is to be lamented that there is another Vse too often made of this Invention whilst too many Men that are Masters of no other Conceptions than those that are flat and useless or else erroneous and pernicious take the Pains to let the World know as much in Print Others scribble to satisfy a certain Itch of Writing that they have got and the Press seldom cures the Distemper but rather increases it Other mercenary Souls make their Pens wag for Bread and they may generally be known by this Property that the Front belies the Fabrick the Title doth not tell what is in the Book but only sets it to sale so that indeed it is a mere Pretence and Shew and stands as R. B's Sham-name is wont to do of late in the Title-Page But none of these Miscarriages have discouraged me from appearing in Publick and pursuing those Good Ends I before mentioned which alone are sufficient to legitimate the Press and to License the Author's Vndertakings And if the Questioâ— be Why more Books still the Answer is made by another Question Why more Men still As long as the World increases Writing will do so too for all Men are not alike their Notions and Conceptions are not the same wherefore for these different Readers there must be different Books St. Augustin's arguing of old is useful and seasonable at this Day It is of great Advantage to the World saith that Learned Father that there should be many Books composed by many Men in a different Stile though not a different Faith about the same Questions and Subjects that so hereby the thing it self and the Truth enquired into may the better be convey'd to the Readers to some of them in one manner to others in another For this is certain that all Persons are not convinced and wrought upon by the same Arguments wherefore there is liberty to use all kinds of Topicks Thus the Excellent Grotius acquaints us that he pick'd out the Best and most Convictive Arguments as he thought to prove the Truth of Religion and particularly the Christian and yet some of them as Signatures Fire Ordeal c. are neglected by other Learned Men for Evidences work more or less according to the Diversity of Mens Genius's and Dispositions Hence the Iudicious Doctor Jackson in his Preface to the Reader before his First Volume confesses that the Grounds anâ— Motives which he makes use of and which most of all prevait'd with him may have little or no Operation upon others Whereupon is fouâ—ded the Vsefulness yea Necessity of propounding divers sorts of Arguments that if sâ—me of them prove not forcible and perswasive others may So is it in Illustrating and Commenting upon the Holy Text the Diversity of Interpretations is requisite and useful and it may be the Mind of the Holy Spirit cannot be penetrated into without these different ways of Enquiry The Wise Man is a Physician of the Law say the Iewish Doctors i. e. whereas the Vnlearned and Unskilful corrupt the Text and deprave the Sense of it he comes and heals it by restoring it to its genuine and proper meaning But in effecting this it is not necessary that he should tie himself to the same Methods and Arts of Cure which others have used before him Some superstitiously confine themselves to one Man's Critical Determination on the Place as Bishop Montague saith of Mr. Selden they take a Grammarian for a God They do so in the worst Sense they deify Criticism they idolize an Expositor and fall down to his particular Interpretation But we must be more Catholick and Generous if we are desirous to have right Apprehensions of the Sacred Text and if we would be intimâ—tely acquainted with the Divine Truth contain'd in it This justifies the Variety of Comments and Critical Researches into the Holy Scriptures and this furnishes me with an Apology for thrusting my self in among the Writers of the Age. And being now of that Number I have this 〈◊〉 say farther to the Reader that though I am sensible of my own Defects and particularly of the Miscarriages and Mistakes that may occur in this Work it reaching to so great a Variety of Texts and Diversity of Matters yet on the other hand I hope I shall find him as sensible of the Arduousness of the Vndertaking and the Liableness of himself and others to fall short in so Weighty and Difficult a Subject In fine in these and all other my Endeavours which I shall expose to the publick View I covet only the Approbation of the Candid and Wise and I shall make it my Business I will not say to merit but to purchase it ERRATA PAge 41. line 31. read there P. 54. l. 4. r. purposed P. 61. l. 4. r. Air instead of Fire P. 67. l. 3. after Counsel insert So Theocritus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 69. l. 2. r. an other P. 94. l. 12. after as in insert Exod. 20. 18. the People saw the Noise of the Trumpet P. 145. l. 15. r. bony P. 155. l. 2. r. Nephritick P. 178. l. 15. dele by P. 269. l. 32. r. have no. P. 278. l. 11. r. to be P. 280. l. 17. after Belly insert as it iâ— generally thought P. 300. l. 1. after ordinary insert or profanâ— P. 333. l. 8. after more insert according to the different reading of them P. 385. l. 1. r. it as P. 402. l. 11. r. this The Hâ—brâ—w requires Correction which is left to the Learned A CATALOGUE of the Texts of Scripture which are expounded and resolved in the ensuing Discourse according to the Author 's PARTICULAR Judgment GENESIS CHAP. 15. ver 7. I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees Page 371. NUMBERS Ch. 12. v. 1. He had married an Ethiopian Woman p. 375. Ch. 23. v. 21. He hath not beheld Iniquity in Jacob neither hath he seen Perverseness in Israel p. 96. Ch. 25. v. 9. Those that died in the Plague were twenty and
Thus among the Pagans we find unquestionable Monuments of the Truth of the Bible The next remarkable thing after the Flood was the Attempting to build the Tower of Babel and this is not omitted in Pagan Records Berosus's Chaldee History mentions it but with such Additions as these if I may call them Additions seeing they have some kind of ground in the Sacred Story That it was built by Giants and those Giants were Terrae filii out of the Earth and that they waged War against the Gods and were at last dispersed and that the Building was quite beaten down by a great Wind. The Erecting of this Tower of Babel is mentioned by Hestiaeus and by one of the Sibyls saith Iosephus in his Antiquities and by Abydenus and Eupolemus as Eusebius testiâ—ieth in his Evangelical Preparation It is likely that Belus's Tower mention'd by Herodotus is the Tower of Babel That it was made of Brick and Slime as you read in Gen. 11. 3. is attested by Iustin Q. Curtius Vitruvius and others for what these Writers say of the Walls of Babylon is applicable to that And as for the Poets the History of the Babel-Builders is turn'd by them into tâ—â— Fable of the Titans whom they feign to haâ—â— heaped Mountain upon Mountain to scale Hâ—â—â—ven and fight the Gods and by name they mâ—â—â—tion Iapheth one of Noah's Sons as a doughâ— Giant among them for they pick'd up any Naâ—â— that they had by Tradition and clapp'd it in Homer tells us they cast up three Hills on one â—â—nother Ossa on Olympus and shady Pelion 〈◊〉 Ossa hoping thereby to make their way to tâ—â— Heavens but this proved succesless and the boâ—â— Invaders were scatter'd and broken by Thunder from Iupiter All this Grecian Fable of the Thâ—omachy of the Giants was derived from what the History of Moses relates in Gen. 11. 3 c. that Nimrod a great Hunter a Giant-like Man with his sturdy Fellows attempted to build a City and Tower whose Top should reach up to Heaven which the Pagans interpreted to be Defying of the Gods and making War with them And truly they did not come short of the true Meaning of their grand Design which was to defy Heaven and to exalt and magnify themselves Though I grant it was Hyperbolically spoken when they said Let 〈◊〉 build us a City and Tower to reach up to Heaven for they could not dream of performing this in reality because they knew the Height of the late Flood which lifted up the Ark fifteen Cubits above the highest Mountains was short of Heaven besides they would not have built on the Plain as they did but on the highest Hills if they had had any such Project in their Heads Nor was it to be a Refuge from the Waters of another Flood for they had God's Word for it that no such 〈◊〉 should ever be again Gen. 9. 15. But their Design is plainly set down chap. 11. ver 4. Let us make us a Name lest we be scatter'd abroad on the face of the whole Earth i. e. Let us go about this Work that we may have here a Place to six in that by erecting this vast City and Tower we may have room enough and live together in one Body and make our Lusts our only Law and act as we please without the Controul of others and that afterward when by reason of our great Numbers and Increase we must be forced to remove we may by this famous Monument be known and when we leave this World we may hereby purchase a Name in future Ages and even survive after Death Thus their Intentions and Enterprizes were prophane and impious and no less than an arrogant Contempt of God But some of the Poets interpreting the foresaid Words in a gross Manner as if those daring Sinners did actually scale the Heavens have presented us with their Conceits upon this remarkable Occurrence but as to the main it must be acknowledg'd that they confirm the Truth of the Sacred History And even this last Particular the making them a Name seems to be transcribed into the Fable when they tell us that after the Giants who were begot of the Earth had fought the Gods their Mother Earth being incens'd at the Defeat of her Sons brought forth Fame This was the Giants last Sister according to that of the Poet Illam terra parens irâ irritata Deorum Extremam ut perhibent Caeo Enceladâ—que sororem Progenuit We read that when these Builders were hot 〈◊〉 their Work God on a sudden defeated their Projects by confounding their Language v. 7. and thereby scatter'd them abroad from thence upon the face 〈◊〉 all the Earth v. 8. Of which Confusion or 〈◊〉 of Languages there is this Remembrance 〈◊〉 the Greek Tongue That in it Men are callâ—◠〈◊〉 which Epithet was given them 〈◊〉 Eustathius on the account of the Division 〈◊〉 Tongues which the World suffer'd at Babel 〈◊〉 this saith he was the common Opinion of tâ—â— antient Christians Then as to the Division of 〈◊〉 Earth among the Sons of Noah set down in the 〈◊〉 Chapter of Genesis it is not to be doubted 〈◊〉 the Fiction of dividing the World among 〈◊〉 Brethren the Sons of Saturn was taken from 〈◊〉 So that there are some Remainders and Foot 〈◊〉 of the Sacred Truth to be observ'd which way 〈◊〉 ever you look This I might further shew in tâ—â— Account which Moses's History gives of the 〈◊〉 Plantations upon the Division of the Earth among Noah's Sons as in the Posterity of Iavan wheâ—â—â— were the Iavans or Greeks called 〈…〉 But because I shall afterward have an occasion 〈◊〉 speak of this namely when I treat of the Pâ—â—fection of Scripture shewing it to be the most Aâ—tient and Compleat History in the World I wiâ—â— defer it till then and at the same time let you 〈◊〉 that the Mosaick History gives us the best Account of those First Planters and also that in several 〈◊〉 those Names are to be read the Names of Coâ—â—â—tries and Nations which we meet with in Pagâ—â— Authors CHAP. IV. Several things relating to the Patriarch Abraham the Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah the Oppression of the Israelites in Egypt the History of Joseph the Pass-over the Conducting the Israelites through the Red-Sea their Travels in the Wilderness the Brazen Serpent attested by Heathens An Enquiry into the rise of the Report concerning the Iews worshipping an Ass's Head and also their worshipping of Clouds BEtween the Confusion of Tongues and the Giving of the Law by Moses there are many observable Passages in the Old Testament which are also taken notice of and attested tho in an obscure and oblique Manner by Pagan Wriâ—ers The great Patriarch Abraham is mentioned by Berosus Heeataeus Nicolas Damascenus Eupolemus Alex. Polyhistor as Iosephus and Eusebius acquaint us in their Writings before named The wise Men of Grâ—â—â—â— asking their Gods whence the Knowledg of Arts came received this Answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
among the Heathens of closing or shutâ— the Eyes of the dying Person and this by one â— was the most beloved of him was derived 〈◊〉 Gen. 46. 4. Joseph shall put his Hand upon thine Eâ—â—â— Accordingly we find this last Office of Friendâ—â— spoken of in Homer and other antient Writâ— both Greek and Latin The Gentile Story of Busiris's sacrificing of 〈◊〉 hath a very solid Foundation for we 〈◊〉 easily perceive that this arose from the true 〈◊〉 unquestionable History in Exodus where we 〈◊〉 of a New King over Egypt who set over the Isâ—â—lites Task-masters to afflict them with their Burdâ—â—â— and who made their Lives bitter with hard Bondâ—â— Exod. 1. 11 14. and this was He that made 〈◊〉 Edict of drowning the Hebrew Children ver 22â— This great Oppressor of Israel was that Busâ—â— whom the Gentiles speak of as a noted Tyrant 〈◊〉 Egypt and several agree that that was his tâ—â—â— Name The Israelites who came out of Canaâ— into Egypt were the Strangers and are truly called so The sacrificing of them is the cruel aâ—â— bloody handling of them That Egyptian Oppressor and Tyrant might rightly be said to sacrifice his Strangers when he used the poor Hebrâ—â— so inhumanely Ioseph's Great Fortunes and Noble Acts in Egyâ— are celebrated by professed Historians as well as Poets among the Pagans and therefore I need not mention these latter And of the former sâ—â—â— is sufficient to name Iustin who acquaints us that Ioseph was the youngest of his Brethren and â— his excellent Wit and Parts were dreaded by 〈◊〉 which very thing moved them to sell him â—to Egypt where in a short time he became a â—at Favourite of the King He goes on and tells That this Brave Man was very skilful in doing Wonders and was the first that found out the Meaning and Interpretation of Dreams The Scarcity or Dearth which happened to Egypt he foresaw many Years before it came That Land had perished if the King had not by his Advice laid up Corn in store He was a kind of Divine Oracle and consulted by the World because of his infinite Sagacity his transcendent Knowledg and Wisdom Any 〈◊〉 that hath read the Sacred History may see â—â—at this Character was borrowed thence And it â—s a very notable and illustrious Confirmation of the Truth of the Mosaick History and in that of the whole Sacred Scripture Next I will mention this that the Annual Custom of the Egyptians which Epiphanius speaks of of marking their Trees and their Flocks with something of a Red Colour as a kind of Preservative against any Harm and Mischief that might befal them was from the Israelites Practice of old in Egypt when they sprinkled the Lintels and Posâ—s of the Doors with Blood Exod. 12. 22. which preserved them from the last and worst Plague which befel the Egyptians In remembrance of this oâ— rather in a superstitious Imitation of it the People of Egypt afterward set a red Mark on their Hoâ—â— and Goods And that this Custom was borrow thence will appear the more probable by 〈◊〉 dering that this was done by them at the entrâ— of the Vernal Equinox as Epiphanius relates wâ—â—â—â— was the very time as we learn from Exod. 12. â— when the Israelites distinguish'd their Houses that Bloody Token Again I might offer it â— enquired into by the Learned whether the ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sacrifices for Passing which weâ—â— use among the Grecians especially the Lacedâ— nians and are mention'd by Xenophon Thucyâ—â— and Plutarch be not an Imitaâ—â—on of or an A 〈◊〉 sion unto the famous Jewish Pesach which is ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transitus the Pass-over viz. when the â— stroying Angel passed over the Israelites Hoâ— and did the Inhabitants of them no harm Miâ—â—â—â— not this give occasion first to those Grecian ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Passover-Sacrifices especially considerâ— that that Jewish Feast is call'd not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Philo Cyril of Alexandria â—â— gory Nazianzen and others The Conducting of the Children of Israel â— of Egypt and their miraculous Passing through 〈◊〉 Red-Sea and the overthrow of the Egyptians â— it could not but be famous among the Pagâ— though they endeavour'd to stifle or at leastâ— mince it whereof Iustin only tells us that tâ—â— King of Egypt followed the Jews when they 〈◊〉 Egypt but was forced to return back by reason â— a great Tempest which arose of a sudden Tâ—â— Fame of Moses's dividing the Red-Sea was kept â— among the Gentiles as Dâ—odorus Siculus witnâ—â—â—seth There is saith he a Report spread among the Ichthyophagi a People inhabiting the Shore near the Arabian Gulph which is 〈◊〉 Name given to the Red-Sea among Geographers namely that all that Place where that Gulph is was dried up the Waters flying back but after the Bottom had appear'd for some time the Place by a reflux of the Sea was â—â—rn'd into its former Condition So he And â—â—â—â—in he gives a most remarkable Testimony to â— Truth of those words in Exod. 14. 21. The 〈◊〉 caused the Sea to go back and made the Sea dry 〈◊〉 and the Waters were divided and in v. 27 â— The Sea returned to its Strength and the Waters â—red the Host of Pharoah It seems the Ichthyoâ—â— handed this Report to the Historian not the Egyptians though he had Converse with these a long time and they had Correspondence with the â—yophagi but the Egyptians were so cunning 〈◊〉 to conceal their Disgrace and Misfortune and hence it is that there is so little said among the Pagans concerning this matter As to the Red-Sea it self Mare Erythrâ—um there is in that Name a Remembrance of a known Person spoken of in the Old Testament viz. Esau. For as to what hath been said by some that this Sea had its Name from its Red Colour proves an arrant Falshood Coral at the bottom of it which some talk of is not red enough to give it such a Colour And the Weed which grows in it whence `t is call'd Iam Suph Mare algosum as Iunius and Tremellius always render it or Mare junci as others as if it were the Rush or Reed-Sea cannot give it the Denomination of Red because whatever some say of this weedy Stuff at the bottom of it the Water of this Sea is of the same Colour with other Seas as all Travellers attest Yea though that be true which hath been lately 〈◊〉 gested by some inquisitive Persons that this Wâ—â—â— call'd Suph is a kind of Saffron of which when 〈◊〉 taken out of the Sea is made a red Colour callâ— Sufo by the Ethiopians used for dying Cloth 〈◊〉 India and Ethiopia yet seeing the Sea it self is 〈◊〉 dyed with it but retains the Colour of other Sâ—â—â— I cannot think it is called the Red merely becaâ—â— of that Weed or Sedg used by Dyers Othâ— have said it hath this Epithet because the Stoâ—â— Cliffs Banks
are only Poetick Flourishes and therefore must not be thought to refer to any real thing The fixing this on my mind kept me from running into those Extravagancies which some have been guilty of whilst they imagined that the Poets in all or most of the particulars with which their Fables are stuffed allude to so many express passages in True History I attended to the main thing in their Writings which I saw came so near to Scripture the rest I pass'd by as meer Poetick Flash and Foolery and not to be taken notice of In short I have always trod where there is some tolerable ground and footing and I have omitted several particulars which others insist upon meerly because they have so sandy a bottom So little Reason have any to blame me for indulging of Fancy in this present undertaking where I have endeavour'd in abundant instances to make it probable that the Pagans borrowed from the Sacred Writings CHAP. VIII The Antiquity of the Writings of the Old Testament asserted The way oâ— communicating Scriptural Truths and Historieâ— to the Pagans viz. by the Commerce which the Iews had with other Nations by their being dispers'd over all the World by the Translation of the Bible into Greek by the Travels of Philosophers and other Studious Men among the Heathens How the Sacred Truths but especially the Historical part of the Old Testament came to be misunderstood and corrupted viz. by the confusion of Tongues by being Transmitted to Barbarous People by length of time by passing through many hands by the Superstition and Idolatry of the Receivers by the affectation of Mysteries and Abstrusities by the Grecian Humour of Inventing and Romancing by Mens being Timerous by Ignorance of the Jewish Religion and Affairs by aâ— Averseness and Hatred to the Jews It was thought by some dangerous to insert the Holy Text into their Writings What designs the Devil had in corrupting the Scripture and mixing it with Falsities iâ— the Books of the Pagans BUT not withstanding all I have said there are some who will by no means entertain this Discourse but with great earnestness and violence oppose it I am obliged therefore in the next place to fortifie it by Reason I will discover to you the Foundations on which my Opinion is built and give you a Rational Account how it comes to pass that the Heathens bear witness to the Old Testament This I will do first by shewing you how they came by these Traditions and Truths Secondly whence and how they disguis'd and corrupted them For the First It is not likely the Gentiles could light on these things by Natural Reason for those discoveries concerning the Creation and the Paradisiacal State of Man and the particular mannâ—r of his Fall and several other things which I mention'd are beyond Nature's Ken they are not such things as fall within the cognizance of Men as they are Rational Creatures therefore they must be particularly Revealed to Mankind And the Authentick Body of Divine Revealed Truth being the Bible we cannot but infer that those things were borrowed from that Sacred Volume And as for Matters of Fact relating to the Old Patriarchs and other Eminent Men in former days on which I have asserted that many of the Pagan Stories and Fables depend these were Recorded in those Sacred Books first of all and therefore these Books are the Fountains from which the Heathens took these Relations This Argument I take to be unanswerable namely that the Old Testament is the First and Antientest Book that ever was extant and therefore when the Pagan Writers mention things in this Book they took them thence or from those Persons who had them out of these Writings Here then it is necessary to insist a little on the Antiquity of this Holy Volume That Moses's Writings were long before all others is proved by several of the Fathers of the Christian Church You may reckon the Date of his Books to be about A. M. 2460 which was above 400 Years before the Trojan War before which we do not hear of any Writers whatsoever Yea it was above a Thousand Years after it that the Antientest Historian unless you will reckon those Fabulous ones Dares Phrygius and Dictys Cretensis appeared Without controversie Moses was the Oldest Historian either Natural or Ecclesiastical The Antiquity of his Works is beyond all other Books they all begin long after him And as for some other Books of the Old Testament they were before the Writings of any Heathens To begin first with the Antientest Egyptian Writers some tell us that in Moses's time flourish'd those Excellent Philosophers Zoroastres and Mercurius Trismegistus but whâ—n yoâ— come to Examine this you find no less than four Zoroastres's and to which of these the Writings are to be attributed and what date they bear iâ— uncertain so that we can conclude nothing there There are also great Disputes about Herâ—os or Trismegistus namely who he was and when he Lived and at what time the Writings that go under his Name were written and whether they be genuine Kircher holds them to be such but Casaâ—bon attempâ—â— the contrary His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is quoted by 〈◊〉 â—artyr Lactantius and Augustin and therefore 〈◊〉 Ancient but his Antiquity cannot be proved 〈◊〉 be equal with that of the Holy Writers Manetho or Manethos who writ the Egyptian History lived but in Ptolomaeus Philadelphus's time Then for the Phaenician Antiquities which Sanâ—athon writ in the Phaenician Tongue and which Philo Biblius who lived in Adrian's time â—â—rn'd into Greek of which Version Eusebius hath â—â—eserv'd us a Famous Fragment though Scaliâ—â— hath labour'd to prove them Supposititious 〈◊〉 some others reckon them not as such and â—â—rticularly the Learned Bochart hath Commentâ—â— upon them as true and Genuine Writings 〈◊〉 as for the Anâ—iquity of this Phaenician Histoâ—â—â—n and Theologer though it may be acknowâ—â—dg'd to be great yet without question he was â—oses's junior by many hundred years And so was the Author of the Babylonian or Chaldean 〈◊〉 for Berosus who is said to compile â—â—â—m lived at the same time that Manetho did And though perhaps Frier Annius hath imposed 〈◊〉 the World by the Name of this Author as some think and accordingly bring several Arguments to prove this new Berosus a Cheat 〈◊〉 it doth not follow that the old one of â—hom both Iosephus and Eusebius have preserv'd the fragments was such Some Greek Writers plead great Antiquity next Orpheus and Muâ—â—â—s the Ancientest of them all are â—aid to have Lived in Gideon's days which was about 200 years after Moses And 200 years after this Lived Dares Phrygius and Dictys Cretensis who wrote the Trojan War And 100 years after this Homer wrote his Poem who Flourish'd not 'till at least 150 years after David the Divine Poet. This is observable that the Greeks as soon as they had gain'd any knowledge of Letters and Arts fell to inventing of incredible Stories and writing
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
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
it is manifest that the Iewish Ceremonies were not taken from Gentilism but Instituted by God himself Among the Reformists you will see this more plainly attested All that consent saith one which is between the Iewish and Gentile Rites ariseth from the Devil's study to deprave many things which are in the Iewish Worship of God and to transfer them to his own And another thus It is a wicked and detestable thing to imagine that the Rites commanded in the Mosaick Law were as it were Play-games and Sports only in imitation of the Pagans Therefore that those Rites may have that honour and dignity which is due to them we must hold this as an infallible Truth that all the things in the Iewish Worship were according to the Spiritual Pattern which was shew'd to Moses in the Mount To which I add Cocceius's notable words I admit not that the Iewish Law is an imitation of the Gentile Ceremonies For on the contrary it is certain that it was made to draw off the Israelites from many of the Pagan Rites by those several Laws which were in it contrary to those Rites So it became a Hedge or Partition Wall between the Iews and Gentiles that they might not come near one another as to their Ceremonies for from a likeness in these there would have followed a mutual Converse and Communion and consequently a Depravation As to Particular Rites among the Gentiles as that of Sacriâ—ices and using of Salt in them Spanhemius refers the Original of them to the Iewish Law and the practice of God's People adding that This Iewish Custom was by a fond imitation in the Devil who sometimes is Gods Ape made use of in the impious and idolatrous services of the Pagans So as to the Ark of the Testimony which the Learned Dean saith was in imitation of the Heathens the contrary is expresly vouched by another worthy Writer in such plain terms as these Having thought of the whole matter viz. the Arks or Chests which he had said before were used in the Religious Mysteries of the Pagans my Opinion concerning them is this that the Devil as he was ever an Ape and a Ludicrous imitator of God's Works and Institutions so here particularly he had a mind to set up these his Arks against the Ark of the Covenant made by God And hear what a late Learned Author often commended by the Worthy Dean himself saith Chests or Arks used at the Greek and Egyptian Feasts especially in the Eleusinian Solemnities with the Toys shut up in them of which Clement of Alexandria speaks these were Images or Imitations of the Ark of the Covenant among the Iews All these Allegations and Testimonies together with those before are absolutely repugnant to the Learned Doctor 's assertion which he so often repeateth that many of the Mosaical Laws about Religious Rites and Ceremonies were taken from the Rites and Usages among the Pagan Idolaters But this Author is so Considerable and Worthy a Writer that it may be thought his single Authority is able to counterpoize if not out-weigh the joint Suffrage of the Persons before named wherefore I will make bold to Combat his Notion with a plain Text of Scripture which carries irresistible Authority with it The express words of it are these in Deut. 12. 30 31 32. Take heed to thy self that thou be not snared by following them i. e. the Heathens and that thou enquire not after their Gods saying How did these Nations serve their Gods even so will I do likewise Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God for every abomination to the Lord which he hateth have they done unto their Gods What thing soever I command you observe to do it thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it Observe here the Iews were forbid to follow the Customs and Rites of the Gentiles and in order to that to enquiâ—â—â—â—ter their Idolatrous Service and the manner of it They must by no means 〈◊〉 the true God as the Nations served their false Gods and Idols The Reason 〈◊〉 this is râ—ndâ—ed because every abomâ—nation to the Lord which he hateth was done by them to their Gods The Rites and Ceremonies which they used in Worshipping their Gods were abominable to the God of Israel Wherefore it is absurd to think that he would appoint his People such Religious Rites and Services as were abominable and hateful to him unless you will say that which was abominable in the Heathens was not so in God's own People But this increases the absurdity rather than takes it away No Man of sober thoughts can talk after this rate for if God disliked those things in the Idolatrous Worshippers it is certain that he did much more so in the true ones Wherefore he instituted such a Service as was most opposite to the Heathen way of Worship and had not the least affinity with it Hence it is added what thing soever I command you observe to do it as much as to say you must not follow the directions or example of those Pagaus in your Worshipping of me you must do nothing in my Service but what I expresly Command you neither adding thereto nor diminishing from it How then can any Man with Reason assert that the Iews borrowed their Rites in Religious Worship from the Gentiles A Person of so bright an intellect as our Learned Author is cannot but see the force of this Text and be convinc'd that it ruines his Hypothesis which he was pleas'd to take up it may be only to give proof of his own Skill to the Learned World and to try that of his Opponents So much for the first Corollary from the preceeding Discourse 2. From the Premises we may learn the Excellency of our Religion viz. 1. That it is the Ancientest Religion in the World We may plainly see the Footsteps of it in the oldest Times that were The memory of it is among the most Celebrated Monuments of Antiquity The Truths of it are to be read in the Histories of the First Ages yea in the Fables of the Old Poets in the rusty and antique fragments of the Primitive Times of the World 2. See the Reasonableness which is another Excellency of our Religion Many of the Scripture-Truths were receiv'd by the Philosophers and Sages among the Gentiles who had no other Conduct than that of their Rational Faculties These Masters of Reason entertain'd some of the Grand Principles of our Religion and approved of them and acknowledg'd them as Rational 3. See the Certainty of our Holy Religion It is attested not only by Friends but Enemies It hath even the Approbation of Heathen Writers who have Recorded and thereby confirmed some of the most remarkable things reported in the Sacred Writings as the Creation of the World our first Parents Happiness and afterwards their Fall Noaâ—'s Flood the long Lives of the first Persons the Building of the Tower of Babel the Confusion of Languages the
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
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
reason no Man can rationally think that such Notable Concomitants of our Saviour's Nativity as the General Taxing and the Appearing of the Star could be recorded by this Historian And as for Tacitus who is the other Celebrated Historian there is as little reason to expect any of these notorious Matters in his Writings because he goes not back so far as Augustus His Annals begin with Tiberius and continue to the death of Nero and his Books of History begin where his Annals left off and go on to the end of Titus Vespasian's Expedition against the Iews and there have their Period L. Florus is but an Abbreviator of Livy and therefore we can look for nothing there So Velleius Paterculus though he goes something farther is an Epitomizer a Scantling of an Historian As for Iustin who flourished in the Emperor Antoninus Pius's time he was but an Epitomizer of Trogus Pompeius and goes no farther than he went therefore we cannot expect any thing of him concerning the Christian Affairs Thus you see what are the boundaries of these Chief Historians and what you may look for or rather not look for from them and also you have the Reasons given you why but few things which have reference to the History of the Gospel are found recorded in Pagan Writers But all that could be rationally look'd for is recorded as I have shew'd you by the best Historians among the Pagans These are the several Considerations which I undertook to offer and I question not but that they will fully satisfie the Scruples and Objections before started and abundantly clear up this Truth to us that we have sufficient Testimony from Pagan and Iewish Writers concerning the Gospel-History This Proposition is evident that the New-Testament is confirmed by Prophane Writers that the Evangelical Records are attested by the authority even of those who were without These have transmitted to us many of those things which are registred by the holy Evangelists The Memoirs of these things are in Prophane Story in the Writings of those that opposed the Christian Religion Thus I have finish'd what I attempted that is I have proved the Truth and Authority of the Scriptures from the suffrage and attestation of Strangers I have let you see that the Confession of our Adversaries agrees with that of our best Friends We appeal to the Iews and to the Gentile-World even these bear witness to the Sacred Writings And their witness cannot be rejected by any reasonable Person because a Testimony is least to be suspected when it comes from an Enemy yea because such a Testimony is reputed firm and solid because it is worthy to be believed bâ—cause it is most valid for the Commendation and Establishment of the Truth This then rendâ—rs the Books of the Old and New-Testament worthy of all Acceptation viz. that they are vouched by Profesâ— d Adversaries And this is that which I have been urging in this Discourse viz. that Iews and Pagans testifie the same things which the Inspired Writers deliver A great part of the memorable Passages set down in these Sacred Writings are left on Record in those others This is a mighty Confirmation of the Truth of these holy Books this is a clear Evidence that they are not forged and supposititious but that the Matters contain'd in them are real and certain that they give a just and faithful Account of the things they treat of in brief that they are the Word of Truth and endited by the Spirit of Truth And thus much in pursuance of the First General Head concerning the Holy Scriptures viz. the Truth and Authority of them FINIS ADDENDA Refer this to Page 261. Line 15. THe English Iay from the Hebrew Ajaâ— pica cornix To abash is taken from the Hebrew â—ush puduit And from the Greek we borrow many words with the omission of a Letter or two in the beginning as Licourice for Glicourice from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Emonies vulgarly so call'd for Anemonies from the Flower 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence the Latin Anemone Sciatica for Ischiatica ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Hip or Huckle-bone Scaroticks among Physicians for Escharoticks Scar from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 crusta cauterio in carne facta Sol from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rice from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oryza Star from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Box from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maurâ—s a Moor from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obscurus Tanâ—ie from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To gaze from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admiror stupeo Gay from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 elegans and perhaps Trull from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 laena And I have taken notice of several Words from the Latin with the first Letter or more cut off in the beginning as Uncle from avunculus qu. avuncle Tills as they are call'd in some Countries from Lentils Lenticula Story from History Historia Bishop qu. Pischop from Episcopus Spain from Hispania Sparagus for Asparagus A Plaister from Emplastrum Stum from mustum Dropsy from Hydrops Gypsy for Egypsy of Latin original Pouch for Capouch a Cowl or Hood whence the Capuchin Friars have their Name from Caputium a Hood worn on the Head Picked i. e. sharp at the end qu. spiked from Spica an Ear of Corn Or if it comes from a Pike then that seems to come from Spiculum a Pike or Spear and that is from Spica it is likely Sides men corruptly for Assisting-men it being their Office to Assist the Church-Wardens unless you will rather understand by them Testes Synodales Synods-Men who were anciently joined with the Church-Wardens There are other English Words derived after the same manner from the English Saxon and French Thus Poppy with the p left out in the beginning and middle seems to give the denomination to Opium which is now a Word that may pass for English and signifies the Juice of Poppy as if Popium were the Word Sterling for Easterling Bour or Bowr from Arbour Spittle or Spital for Hospital Valis for Avail Vantage for Advantage Say for Essay Grees Stairs for Degrees Cantle in Heraldry quasi Scantling Prentice vulgarly for Apprentice Stover for Cattle from the French Estover Squire for Esquire à Gall. Esâ—uyer Quiry or Querry for Equerry a Place a Stable where Race-Horses are set To Ply for Employ Instead of Sacristan we corruptly say Sexton For God be with you we say Good By For Koningstable or Kingstable we say Constable the Officer that is appointed and establish'd by the King or to conserve the King's Peace We vulgarly a say Spice for a Specimen Hogo for Haut-goust Carfax for Quatre voix the place were Four Ways meet in Oxford Some have thought that Elphs and Goblins with which they frighted Children heretofore are derived from the famed and so â—alked of Feud between the Guelphs and Guibilines Saragosa in Spain is most corruptly pronounced for Caesar Augusta The Emperor of the Abyssines is called Prestor-Iohn
Excellency Preeminence and Authority And this is yet more clear from our Saviour's words Ioh. 5. 27. where he assigns the Reason why the Judgment of the World is committed to him by the Father He hath saith he given him Authority to execute Iudgment because he is the Son of Man because he is Head and Ruler of the Church because all Government and Authority in this lower World are devolv'd upon him because he hath all Rule and Dominion put into his Hands This is the true account as I conceive of the Expression this Title was attributed to him to signify his Authority and Exaltation and not as is commonly said and believ'd and as the Learned Grotius defends it his Meanness Condescension and Humility though I will not exclude Other Reasons which may be consistent with this as that he is call'd the Son of Man to attest the reality of his Manhood to ascertain us of the Truth of his Suffering in our Humane Nature to assure us of his Sympathy with us and that he is touch'd with the feeling of our Infirmities I will only add this That whereas it is generally said by Writers and even by the Critical 〈◊〉 among the rest that this Epithet is given to our Saviour by Himself only and not by any other in the New Testament this is a Mistake for in Acts 7. 56. he is call'd by St. Stephen the Son of Man and so he is twice by St. Iohn Rev. 1. 13. Chap. 14. 14. The Original of which must be fetch'd as I have shew'd from the Hebrew Stile in the Old Testament And so must that Expression which the Apostle uses 2 Cor. 4. 17. a Weight of Glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here answers to the Hebrew cabod a Weight and yet is rendred Glory Gen. 31. 1. and the Tongue is call'd cabod Glory Psal. 57. 8. So the Verb cabad signifies both to be weighty and to be glorious or honourable Isa. 66. 5. Prov. 13. 18. And the Adjective cabed approaches to this sense as is clear from Gen. 13. 2. Thus it is with the word jakar gravis fuit but it is understood in a treble sense as if there were a threefold Gravity viz. of Weight Price and Honour Accordingly it signifies 1. To be heavy weighty 2. To be precious Isa. 43. 4. 3. To be in Honour and Glory Job 31. 26. as also to glorify and honour and therefore the word is rendred by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Version of the 70. Thus you see that after the manner of the Hebrews Glory or Greatness is express'd by words that denote Weight and thence it is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here us'd by the Apostle to denote that Superlative Glory which is the attainment of the other World And 't is not improbable that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thess. 2. 6. is to be understood thus and should not be rendred to be Burdensom but to be Honourable or to be in Authority or Dignity which our English Translators were sensible of when they rendred it in the Margin to use Authority This I take to be of Hebrew extraction and in imitation of the use of the words â—abad and jakar And hence also in the Seventy's Translation of the Old Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports Grandeur or Glory and is applied in several places to a Royal Train and to a Mighty Host 1 Kings 10. 2. 2 Kings 6. 14. Chap. 18. 7. 2 Chron. 9. 1. So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Weight or Burden is equivalent with Honour or Splendor in one of St. Chrysostom's Homilies I could remark that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gravis and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gloria differ but in the Accents and among the Latins honos and onus are not unlike Vir gravis is used by the Latin Orator for a Person of Authority and Worth And Graves viri in the old Roman way of Speaking are Men of Authority and Eminency And Baro which comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used by Tully as a Name of Dignity and is as much as Patricius a Nobleman though I know some Criticks interpret the word in another sense Thence our word Baron a Lord a Person of Greatness and Authority And Grave answers to Baron whence Palsgrave Landgrave Margrave Burgrave for Grave among the Germans signifies a Magistrate a Ruler And we in England heretofore used the word Grave or Greve in the same sense thus Portgreve was the Name of the Chief Magistrate of the City of London till King Iohn's time who turn'd it into that of Mayor These things I here mention only to intimate the Affinity that is to be observ'd in Languages not only the Learned ones as they are call'd but others and to shew you the particular cognation betwixt Gravity and Honour or Authority betwixt Weight and Glory which it is probable was derived first of all from the Hebrews The Writers of the New Testament sometimes make use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same sense that the Hebrews use the word gnanah respondere that is not to signify a Person 's Answering or Replying to what another had said but only to denote his going on with his Speech his proceeding in what he had said before Persons are said to Answer though there be no Question put to them though there be no Reply intended as Iesus answer'd and said Mat. 11. 25. Then answer'd Peter and said Mat. 17. 4. The Angel answer'd and said Mat. 28. 5. One of the Elders answer'd saying Rev. 7. 13. which is as appears from the Context no more than this They spake and said for this oftentimes is the acceptation of that word in the Hebrew Writings and particularly in the Book of Iob Chap. 3. ver 2. Job answer'd and said though no body had spoke to him or asked him any Question The words therefore import no more than this Job spake and said and so our Translators render it I might further observe that the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the New Testament hath by an Hebraism the force of all the Prepositions it answering to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lastly I am inclined to think that what is said of St. Paul in Acts 9. 15. is spoken after the Hebrew manner for the Hebrews call any thing that is Choice and Delectable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vas desiderii and the Rabbins accordingly call the Law by this Name viz. a Desirable Vessel or a Desirable Instrument or Utensil for Cheli is of a vast Latitude and signifies whatever is for the use of Man Answerably to which St. Paul is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a chosen Vessel or Instrument It is spoken after the Propriety of the Hebrews with whom a Thing or Person that is made use of to some Excellent Purpose is not only stiled a Vessel but to denote yet further the Worth of it is called a Vessel of Desire
have studied to impair the Truth and Authority of the Holy Scriptures and particularly of Moses's Writings have exposed this Place as disagreeing with the rest of the Sacred Story concerning the first Rise and Propagation of the World But this is a very shallow and vain Attempt and grounded chiefly on Prejudice and Ill-will against the Inspired Volume of Scripture I have made it clear that there is no Absurdity or any thing that looks like it in the words above-mentioned and I defy that Man who pretends to give any Satisfactory Answer to the Particulars which I have offered in defence of them Again 't is said That none save Caleb and Joshua should come into the Land of Canaan Numb 14. 30. and yet we read that Eleazar and others entred into that Land Ios. 14. 1. Chap. 22. 13. This is objected by some as a Passage in Scripture derogatory to the Truth of it But if we will read the Holy Book with the same Candour and Ingenuity wherewith we read other Authors we shall not be offended at this or the like Passages For nothing is more common in the most serious and considerate Writers than to speak things by way of Restriction and Limitation as those words are spoken and yet to leave them to be understood with some Latitude which shall afterwards be express'd and explain'd when they speak of the same Matter So here we read that none but Caleb and Ioshua entred into the Land of Promise this being spoken of the Chief Leaders that had that Privilege and Honour but then if we consult other places where this thing is more particularly related we shall find that a Larger meaning was not excluded We cannot think that the Tribe of Levi were denied entrance into that blessed Land because 't is evident from the History that they murmured not and 't is as evident that 't was threatned to the Murmurers only that they should not see the Land which God swore unto their Fathers Numb 14. 22 23. therefore Eleazar and Phineas being Priests are excepted Again it cannot be meant of those that at that time were gone to spy the Land of Canaan for they were none of the Murmurers and therefore that Threatning before cited doth not reach them and consequently those words are consistent with what we read in other places relating to this matter But That in 1 Sam. 16. 22 23. is cried out against as an unanswerable Repugnancy to Chap. 17. 55. for in the former we are told that David came to Court and stood before King Saul i. e. waited continually upon him and play'd upon the Hart before him and was greatly beloved of him and became his Aymour-bearer and yet in the latter we read that Saul did not know David but ask'd who he was Whose Son is this Youth These seem to be very repugnant to one another but there is really no such thing all is clear and obvious for in Chap. 17. 15. it is said David went and returned from Saul to feed his Father's Sheep at Bethlehem He stay'd not long at Court either because he liked not that manner of Life or because Saul was weary of him David then having been absent from Saul a considerable time and following a Country-Life and now appearing perhaps in his Shepherd's Weeds it is no wonder that Saul did not well know him This I think is sufficient of it self and clears the Text of all Contradiction though I know there are other Solutions used by the Learned as that of our English Rabbi Saul saith he asked whose Son David was not that he was ignorant who he was but he only enquired who that was that had such a Son The question is not of David's Person but Parentage So Lightfoot Others are more Curious in their Objections as thus Whereas the Diameter in respect of the Circumference is as seven to two and twenty this is not observ'd in 2 Chron. 4. 2. speaking of the brazen Laver and by consequence the Geometry of Scripture is faulty In answer to these men who are such Well-willers to the Mathematicks I say first That the Proportion of a Diameter to its Circle is not exactly as seven to two and twenty therefore these Gentlemen are not exact themselves Secondly I say this that the Scripture oftentimes speaks after the Vulgar manner as I have shew'd elsewhere and it is likely it doth so here and then we must not expect Accuracy of Words or Things The Bible was not calculated for them only that can square a Circle or that understand all the Mysteries of Algebra Thirdly If this doth not satisfy I answer that the Circumference of the brazen Sea was not exactly Round but it may be towards an Oval Figure which makes some alteration as to the Proportion of the Diameter It was ten Cubits from brim to brim and a Line of thirty Cubits did compass it round about saith the Text but if it had been quite orbicular the Circumference must have been one and thirty Cubits Or perhaps in this place as in several others a round Number is express'd and the remainder being so small and inconsiderable is omitted But further 't is Objected that this Molten Sea or Laver is said to contain 2000 Baths 1 Kings 7. 26. but in 1 Chron. 4. 5. we read that it received and held 3000 Baths therefore some infer that one of these places is faulty and ought to be corrected I answer there is no need of it because both these are consistent The Laver was of that vast dimension that it could hold 3000 Baths of Water but it generally and usually contain'd but 2000. In a Synagogue of the Jews at Amsterdam there is one of these Lavers and thence we may solve the seeming difficulty they fill it up to the Neck but not higher but if they would fill it higher it would contain much more The Neck is large and of another figure and is capable of receiving a third part more Another Place which they alledg cannot they will tell you be answer'd any of these ways for it plainly Contradicts another place of Scripture It is said of Asa 2 Chron. 14. 5. he took away the high Places but in 1 Kings 15. 14. it is expresly recorded that the high Places were not removed by him I answer first there were two sorts of high Places namely some where they worship'd Idols and False Gods others where they worship'd the True God The former were taken away as is intimated to us when 't is said he took away the high Places and Images i. e. the high Places where those Images were adored but the latter were not taken away the Reformation which he had set on foot had not gone so far Besides 't is observable that he took away the high Places out of all the Cities of Judah which signifies to us that he removed them out of all the Chief Places of his Kingdom though he had not time to effect it in some other less considerable places
from Gen. 2. 13. that Nile was at first call'd Gibon Memphis had the Title of Noph Isa. 19. 13. Jer. 46. 14. The City of Alexandria call'd so from Alexander the Great who built it after it had been laid waste by the Chaldeans and gave it that Name was at first call'd No Jer. 46. 25. Ezek. 30. 15. Nahum 3. 8. The antient Name of Mesopotamia was Padan Aram Gen. 25. 20. ch 28. 6. Before Cyrus's time the Country which is now call'd Persia was known by no other Titles than Cuth and Elam Ifa 11. 11. oh 22. 6. but afterwards it had that new Denomination from Paras a Horse because the Persians were great Riders on Horse-back Canaan and the Holy Land are Terms in Scripture for that known Country which is stiled Syria and Iudea by the Greek and Roman Writers Ierusalem was first call'd Salem then Iebus then by putting both together Iebusalem and afterwards for better sound sake Ierusalem I might proceed and observe this Change of Names in other Regions of the World yea in our own Thus Albion was the antient Name of this Isle then Britain then England This I mention to remind us that there is a great Alteration of Names as to several Places and Countries Either by Conquest or otherwise it hath come to pass that the former ones by which they were known are worn off and new ones are come in their room Whence it happens sometimes that we have no Help from Profane Historians to understand many Places mentioned in the Bible and we are not able to know to what Countries and Nations some of those Names refer which we meet with in these Antient Records This I will more largely insist upon in some few particular Instances And first that in 1 Kings 10. 1. doth partly belong to this Place there is mention of the Queen of Sheba who is call'd the Queen of the South by our Saviour Mat. 12. 42. but whether she came from Arabia or Ethiopia both which Countries are South of Iudea is as much controverted as whether Moses's Wife was an Arabian or an Ethiopian Monsieur Bochart and some others say she was the former for there was a Saba or Seba as Strabo informs us in that Country Some tell us it is the Metropolis of Arabia Felix now call'd Zibet whence the Zivet-Cat hath its Name The Inhabitants of this Place were antiently call'd Sabaei by the Latins But for my part I cannot think that this was the Country whence this Royal Visitant came and that for this one good Reason because our Saviour himself hath informed us that She came from the utmost Parts of the Earth which cannot be said of her if she came from Arabia for that was near to Iudea Iosephus saith he found the antient Name of Meroe in Africa to be Saba and thence he affirms that she was an African viz. the Queen of Egypt and Ethiopia and others more particularly vouch her to belong to the upper Ethiopia i. e. the Kingdom of the Abyssines and 't is certain as a late Inquisitive Writer hath informed us that the Abassyne People challenge her for theirs But now if we come to examine things and to make someâ— Proof of this latter Opinion viz. that the Queen who took a long Journey to visit King Solomon and behold his Glory was an Ethiopian we are not able to effect any thing for we cannot trust to the Iewish Historian who had little Skill in foreign Matters and we cannot rely upon Pliny's Saba Aethiopica or gather any thing certainly thence And a more Authentick Writer tells us that there was not only a Sheba but a Seba so that that Saba might refer to this latter rather than to the former We have then no â—ure footing but all that we are able to say is this that there was a Nation of this Name in some very distant part of the World in a Southerly Position from Iudea but we have no Geographer to acquaint us what particular Region it was and what the Name of it is at this Day and consequently we cannot determine the Place whence that Brave Woman came What the aforesaid Jewish Historian observ'd hath great Truth in it that the Names of Nations have been chang'd by new Comers who with new Manners brought a Language of a resembling Quality and alter'd the former Names of Places This we find true in another Instance viz. Ophir the Place that King Solomon's Navy went to and form whence they furnish'd him with Plenty of Gold 1 Kings 9. 26 c. ch 10. 11. But in what part of the Earth this Ophir was is hotly disputed Some say it was in that Region of it which we now call America They think that the Phoenicians or Tyrians for 't is said that Hiram the King of Tyre sent in the Navy his Servants Shipmen that had Knowledg of the Sea with the Servants of Solomon 1 Kings 9. 27. they think I say that these Tyrians who were famous for their Skill in Navigation fail'd to those remote Parts in Solomon's time passing through the Mediterranean to this Ophir which some imagine to have been in the Pâ—â—eiâ—ick Sea in the Southern Part of America for there is an Island in that Sea which the Spaniards call'd the Isle of Solomon because they thought that was the Place which Solomon's Ships were sent to for Gold Arias Montanus and some others are perswaded that Ophir is the same with Peru and indeed there are the same Radical Letters in both only with a Metatheâ—is And from Peru is the dual Paâ—vajim 2 Cliron 3. 6. as the foresaid Author thinks which is a very Ingenious and Learned Conjecture but is entertained but by few because 't is thought that Columbus was the first that found out the Western World But whether that be true or no it is not probable that they had Skill enough in Solomon's Days to conduct a Navy to the West-Indies Navigation was not so perfect at that time that they could find a safe Passage thither Hercules's Pillars which are now the Cape of Good Hope were said to be the Limits of their Maritime Travels Before the Use of the Compass it was impossible to havigate cross the Ocean and consequently Solomon's Mariners could not find Peru which is in America Besides some think that the Quality of some of the Commodities viz. Wood and Ivory which were brought home in the Ships argues that they came not from that Western Quarter of the World Again 't is added by some that if Solomon had sent for Gold to the West-Indies he would have set out his Fleet for that Voyage from some Port of the Mediterranean and not of the Red Sea as we read he did 1 Kings 9. 26. Others therefore say it was a Country in the East-Indies Ophir was so call'd from Ophir the Son of 〈◊〉 Gen. 10. 29. who as Iosâ—phus saith inhabited in the East Wherefore it is likely saith
the Watch-Tower eat drink arise ye Princes anoint the Shield express the Speediness of the Preparations made for Babylon's Fall They are so order'd that the Quickness of the Dispatch is signified by them There are six Parts or Divisions in this Verse without a Copulative meerly to signify the Celerity of the Vndertaking And the Vision wherein this Speedy Ruine of that Nation is foretold is thus represented v. 7. He saw a Chariot a couple of Horsemen a Chariot of Asses a Chariot of Camels There is Expedition in the very Words there is no Conjunctive Particle to retard them You may in the very Frame of the Words perceive the Chariots running speedily But if we look into those Parts of the Bible which are strictly and properly Poetical that is which consist of certain Measures and Numbers we shall find Examples of this sort very frequently The Egyptians furious Pursuit after the Israelites is thus express'd in Moses's Song Exod. 15. 9. I will pursue I will overtake c. Where there are â—ix Verbs denoting Action and Expedition and not one Conjunction between them In the Conciseness and Roundness of the Words especially if we consult the Original which is more Emphatick we may discern the Speediness of the thing it self spoken of The like might be taken notice of in the Song of Deborah Iudg. 5. and in several Places of the Psalms and the Lamentations Thus if we would be very Curious we might parallel the Inspired Poetry with that of the best Masters in that Art among the Gentiles But because these things are but mean in respect of those Weightier ones wherein the Bible's Excellency doth appear I have not inserted them or any other Observations of the like Nature into the ensuing Discourse and the rather because it was my Design to mention only those Particulars which are of Vniversal Vse and which may without Exception be acceptable to all Persons who have a due Esteem either of True Learning or Piety Those who value the former and are well acquainted with it will most readily give their Suffrage here and proclaim to the World that Scripture-Learning outvies all others that the Original of most Arts and Sciences is to be fetch'd hence that a Library without the Bible is an imperfect thing Those who have a Sense of the latter will be as forward to assert the Preheminence of this Sacred Volume for here is the Source of all Religion and no Man can be Devout and Pious who is a Stranger to this Wherefore when with a becoming Regret I saw that the Sense of Religion and Piety is generally lost among us at this Day I apprehended that the best way to retrieve it is to read and peruse the Scriptures And that this may be done with Success I thought it requisite to set forth the Excellency and Perfection of this Holy Book that thence Persons might be effectually invited to acquaint themselves with it And I hope how meanly soever I have performed this Task some who light upon these Papers will from them be inspired with a hearty Regard and Reverence an entire Love and Veneration of the Holy Writ and be reminded from what is here suggested to converse more intimately with it themselves and to encourage others to follow their Example This would in a short time make a great Change in the World and the Bible it self would be read in the Lives and Behaviour of Mankind Wherefore with great Seriousness and Importunity I request the Reader that he would entertain such Thoughts and Perswasions as these that Bible-Learning is the Highest Accomplishment that this Book is the most Valuable of any upon Earth that here is a Library in on single Volume that this alone is sufficient for us tho all the Libraries and Books in the World were destroyed And this is the Grand Truth which I have laboured to demonstrate in the following Papers A CATALOGUE of most of the Texts of Scripture which are interpreted in the following Discourse according to the Author 's Particular Iudgment GENESIS THE whole first Chapter Page 3 â— Chap. 3. v. 7. They made themselves Aprons What the word Câ—agoroth signifies p. 235 Ver. 21. Vnto them the Lord God made Coats of Skins Why so called p. 237 Ch. 4. v. 20. Jabal was the Father of such as dwell in Tents p. 112 Ch. 18. v. 7. He took the Calf which he had dressed and set it before them p. 117 Ch. 24. v. 22. The Man took a Golden Ear-ring What is meant by Nezem zahab p. 242 Ch. 50. v. 2. Joseph commanded the Physicians Rophim to embalm his Father The large Extent of that Word is fully shew'd p. 187 EXODUS Ch. 21. v. 7. His Master shall bore his Ear through with an Awl and he shall serve him for ever p. 247 NUMBERS Ch. 21. v. 14. The Book of the Wars of the Lord. Besides several other Texts from which some indeavour to infer that some part of the Writings belonging to the Bible is lost p. 453 JOSHUA Ch. 2. v. 4. The Woman took the two Men and hid them p. 153 Ch. 7. v. 26. They raised over him a great Heap of Stones p. 280 Ch. 23. v. 2. Joshua called for their Elders and for their Heads and for their Iudges and their Officers p. 85 JUDGES Ch. 20. v. 16. There were seven hundred chosen Men left-handed or shut of their right Hands p. 212 SAMUEL Book I. Ch. 17. v. 6. He had a Target Cidon of Brass between his Shoulders p. 204 SAMUEL Book II. Ch. 1. v. 21. There the Shield of the Mighty is vilely cast away the Shield of Saul as though he rather it had not been anointed with Oil. p. 206 207 Ch. 3. v. 35. All the People came to cause David to eat Bread KINGS Book I. Ch. 9. v. 28. And they came to Ophir In what Part of the World this is p. 194 CHRONICLES Book II. Ch. 21. v. 19. His People made no Burning for him like the Burning of his Fathers p. 273 JOB Ch. 1. v. 21. Naked came I out of my Mother's Womb and naked shall I return thither p. 264 PROVERBS Ch. 1. v. 17. Surely in vain is the Net spread in the Sight of any Bird. p. 385 JEREMIAH Ch. 34. v. 5. He died with the Burnings of his Fathers p. 272 EZEKIEL Ch. 24. v. 17. Bind the Tire of thy Head upon thee p. 275 AMOS Ch. 2. v. 8. They lay themselves down upon Clothes p. 134 St. LUKE Ch. 10. v. 42. Mary hath chosen the good Part. p. 141 ACTS Ch. 7. v. 22. He was mighty in Words and in Deeds p. 312 c. CORINTHIANS 1 Epist. Ch. 5. v. 9. I wrote unto you in an Epistle p. 467 Ch. 7. v. 6. I speak this of Permission and not of Command p. 472 Ver. 12. To the rest speak I not the Lord. ibid. CORINTHIANS 2 Epist. Ch. 3. v. 17. Now the Lord is that Spirit p. 434 Ch. 8. v. 8. I speak not by Commandment p. 472
Infallible This is that more sure Word of Prophecy which St. Peter preferreth before Eye-Witnesses and Voices from Heaven 2 Pet. 1. 16 c. Yea though an Angel from Heaven should preach any other Doctrine than what the Apostles preach'd and afterwards committed to Writing St. Paul pronounceth him accursed Gal. 1. 8. These Infallible Records these undoubted Oracles of the Holy Ghost in Scripture are the standing Rule of Belief to all christians even to the End of the World On this they may rely with Confidence as on an Unerring Guide for it is not like other Books which are made by Men and therefore are not void of Errors and Mistakes but the Author of it is God who is Truth it self and can neither deceive nor be deceived Thus the Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament are the Compleat and Absolute Rule of our Belief and of all Supernatural Truth 2. They are the Perfect Rule of Life and Manners they contain all things to be Done as well as to be Believed Here is the Decalogue the Sum of all our Duty towards God and Man and the Necessary Precepts of Life comprised in it are often repeated enlarged upon and explained through the whole Sacred Book To these are added the Evangelical Duties of Self-denial Mortification Poverty of Spirit Purity of Heart Brotherly Love Heavenly-Mindedness Circumspect Walking Redeeming the Time Abstaining from all appearance of Evil Giving no Offence to any and many others of the like Nature The Writings of the Gospel forbid us to be Carnal Sensual and Earthly and call upon us to converse with Spiritual and Celestial Objects to to set our Affections on things Above and to work our Minds to such a Temper that we may desire to depart out of this Body and to be with Christ which is far better than groveling here below And Christianity promotes this Heavenly-mindedness by giving us a Power over Our selves by restoring us to a Government of our Bodily Appetites and Passions so that the Soul thereby becomes Pure and Defecate purged from all mundane Dross and Filth fitted for Heavenly Joys and therefore most earnestly breathes and longs after them Here we learn that Christianity is repugnant in all things to Satan's Kingdom and designedly promotes the Kingdom of God it bids us not seek our selves and aim chiefly at worldly Respects but it enjoineth us to Humble and Debase our selves and to Glorify God in all to advance his Honour in the World and next to that to look after the Salvation of our own and others immortal Souls These are the Noble and Worthy Designs of Christianity and the Laws of it their Business is to take us off from those low and mean Projects which Men of the World carry on and to set the Soul of Man in a right Posture and to fix it on right Ends. The Christian Precepts reach to the Hearts of Men they restrain the secret Thoughts and inward Motions of the Mind they curb the inordinate Desires and Wishes they temper the Affections and Passions especially they forbid Revenge Malice Hatred and they direct us to love God and to bear Love to all Men for his Sake The Christian Laws give Rules for our Words and Speeches and will not allow them to be Idle and Vain much less Prophane and Impious but they command our Discourse to be always with Grace season'd with Salt to favour of Goodness and Piety and to be for the Edifying of those we converse with The Commandments of the Gospel do also govern the Outward Actions of our Lives and bid us be Holy in all manner of Conversation They enjoin Chastity and Continence Temperance and Sobriety they forbid Lust and Luxury Pride and Sensuality They teach Courtesy Affability Meekness Candour Gentleness towards our Brethren They bid us be Kind and Charitable to all and even to love our Enemies Christianity is a Religion that is exactly Just and gives the strictest Rules of dealing Honestly and Uprightly with our Neighbours Even Morality which is the very Foundation and Ground-work of All Religions is most Illustrious here Christianity hath the Impress of Reason Civility and all Acceptable Qualities It forbids nothing that is Fitting and Decorous it countenances all that is Manly and Generous it is agreeable to the Law of Nature and the Reason of Mankind In these Sacred Writings the Duty of Christians is set down not only as they are Single but as they stand in relation to others and as they are Members of the Community There are Peculiar Lessons for Persons in every Condition for Husbands and Wives for Masters and Servants for Parents and Children for Superiours Equals and Inferiours They are all provided here with Instructions and Directions proper to that State they are in They are very Remarkable Words which a Reverend Divine of our Church uttered Would Men apply their Minds saith he to study Scripture and observe their own and others Course of Life Experience would teach them that there is no Estate on Earth nor humane Business in Christendom this Day on foot but have a Ruled Cafe in Scripture for their Issue and Success This is a Great Truth and is no mean Demonstration of the Excellency of these Holy Writings which I am speaking of Here are also the most Notable Instances of all those Vertues and Graces which adorn the Life of Man Here is the Example of Abel's sincere and acceptable Devotion of Enoch's walking with God of Noah's untainted Faithfulness amidst the Temptations of the corrupt World of Abraham's Faith and Self-denial when he offered his only Son on the Altar of Ioseph's Resolved Chastity when he once and again resisted the lustful Solicitations of his Mistress Here is the Example of Moses's Publick Spirit who desired his Name might be blotted out of the Book of Life rather than that Nation should perish Here you read of Aaron's submissive Silence of Reuben's fraternal Commiseration of Rohab's Seasonable Wisdom which was the Effect of her Faith in concealing the Spies that were search'd for Here we may observe Phineas's Active Zeal Eli's Entire Submission to the Divine Pleasure Iob's Invincible Patience Iosiah's Early Piety his and Iehosaphat's Care to reform the Church Ionathan's entire Friendship Manasses and Peter's Repentance Iohn Baptist's Austerity the Centurion's Faith Stephen's Charity to his Enemies at his Death Briefly here is commemorated the Religious and Holy Demeanour of all Ranks and Degrees of Persons whether in Prosperity or Adversity whether in Youth Manhood or Old Age or in whatsoever Condition of Life they were placed Where can we find such glorious Atchievements as the Sacred History recounts unto us Where are there such Perfect Paterns of Vertue Where do you meet with such Noble Acts as some of the Holy Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles are celebrated for The Great Heroes spoken of in the Writings of the Pagans are generally but Ideas of Vertue and a kind of Harmless Romances to preach Goodness to Men. Virgil's Aeneas Xenophon's
Church's Hands by the Prophets and Apostles shall by her be deliver'd over to her Children to the World's End which way of Transmission is the great Prop of our Religion Besides the Apostle enjoins the Thessalonians to hold fast the Traditions which they had been taught whether by Word or his Epistle for he had used two ways of delivering the Truth to them namely Preaching and Writing and other Apostles committed the chief and necessary Heads of their Doctrine to Writing So that the Traditions meant here are the Revealed Truths of the Gospel delivered by the Apostles and Evangelists and are no other than what Christ deliver'd to them according to that of St. Paul I delivered to you that which also I received whence they have the Name of Traditions i. e. they are Evangelical Doctrines delivered to us from those that were taught them by Christ. And whether they were imparted by Word or by Epistle by Preaching or Writing they are the same the same as to substance the otherwise there may be some difference But that which we condemn and that most justly the Papists for is this that they magnify and rely upon Traditions which have no affinity with the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles yea which contradict it in many things and yet they equalize these with the Word of God and sometimes prefer them and the Authority of the Church before that of the Sacred Writings of the Old and New Testament Thus One saith The Church sometimes doth things contrary to the Scriptures sometimes besides them therefore the Church is the Rule and Standard of the things that are delivered in the Scriptures and therefore we believe the Church though she acts counter to the formal Decisions of the Scriptures And an other Famous Doctor gives it for good Divinity that the Decrees and Determinations of a Council are binding though they be not confirmed by any probable Testimony of Scripture nay though they be beyond and above the Determination of Scripture Thus the Holy Writings of the Bible are most impiously disparaged and vilisied by the Pontificians Whereas there is nothing defective or redundant nothing wanting or superfluous in these Writings they assert in the open face of the World that they are short and imperfect and therefore have need of being supplied by Traditions which in some things are of greater Value and Authority than they Again that the Church of Rome oppugneth or rather denieth the Perfection of the Scriptures might be evinced from their constant care and endeavour to keep them in an Vnknown Tongue It is true they have translated them But 1. There was a kind of necessity of doing it the Protestants having turned them into so many Tongues By this means they were compelled as it werâ— to let some of their people see what the Bible was in their own Language But 2. It is so corruptly translated that it is made to patronize several of their Superstitious Follies and Errors And yet 3. They dare not commit these Translations to common View Although in all Countries where People were converted to Christianity in elder times the Scripture was turned into their Language and every one was permitted yea exhorted to read it as is proved by many Writers the Learned Dr. Stillingfleet particularly yet the Church of Rome denieth the common People the Use of it as a thing hurtful and pernicious The Bible as some Bad Book is tolerated to be read with great Caution and Restriction in some Countries only and by some Persons It is like the Sibyls Prophecies of old among the Romans not to be look'd into without the permission and Authority of the Senate none can read it without a Licence from their Superiours so dangerous a thing is the Bible From this Practice the People generally imbibe a strong Prejudice against the Scriptures and believe they cannot be good for them because the Pope and their Pastors tell them they are not Wherefore as one who was once of the Communion of the Church of â—ome hath well observed As soon as ever any Man imbraces Popery he presently throws the Bible out of his Hands as altogether useless to say no worse Which unreasonable and wicked Behaviour of theirs was one great Reason or Motive as he professeth of his returning to the Church of England again For what Considerate Man can think That to be a True Church which teacheth its Members to slight and reject the Word of God which is the Source of all Divine Truth and without which we can neither believe nor practise aright we can neither have Comfort here nor arrive to Happiness hereafter This indeed is not only to null â—â—e Perfection of Scripture but to abolish the whole Body of Scripture it self A third sort of Persons that are Opposers of the Perfection of Scripture are Enthusiasts and such who act out of a truly Fanatick Principle Such were the Familists heretofore whose Pretences to the Spirit were so high that they excluded and renounced the Letter of Scripture which according to their Stile was a dark Lanthorn a liveless Carcass a Book shut up and seal'd with seven Seals the Scabbard not the Sword of the Spirit or if it be a Sword it is the Sword of Antichrist wherewith he kills Christ. This was the impious Jargon of these High-flown Men who made no other Use of the Bible than to Allegorize it and to turn it all into Mystery These have been followed by Others of a like Fanatick Spirit who have made it a great part of their Religion to despise and reproach the Sacred Writ A late Enthusiast or rather one that pretends to be such but designs the Overthrow of all Religion tells the World that the Bible is founded in Imagination that God's Revelations in Scripture are ever according to the Fancy of the Prophets or other Persons he spoke to and that all the Phrases and Speeches all the Discoveries and Manifestations yea all the Historical Passages in the Old and New Testament are adapted to these The Quaker comes next and refuseth to own the Scripture to be the Word of God and the Perfect Rule by which we are to direct our Lives It is a great Error and Falsity saith one of the most considerable Persons of that Perswasion that the Scriptures are a filled up Canon and the only Rule of Faith and Obedience in all things and that no more Scriptures are to be writ or given forth from the Spirit of the Lord. With whom agrees another of as great Repute among that Tribe I see no Necessity saith he of believing that the Canon of Scripture is filled up And again The Scriptures saith he are not to be esteemed the Principal Ground of all Truth and Knowledg nor yet the Adequate Primary Rule of Faith and Manners but they are only a Secondary Rule subordinate to the Spirit And accordingly he adds That the inward Inspirations and Revelations which Men
have are not to be subjected to the Examination of the outward Testimony of the Scriptures but are above them Thus these bold Men out of a pretence of Inspiration vilify the Sacred Volume of the Bible Thus absurdly and irreligiously these deluded Persons out of an Enthusiastick Heat prefer their own private Spirit before the Holy Spirit of God speaking in the Scriptures The Men hold themselves to be Perfect but the Scripture must by no means be so it is weak and imperfect and ought to give way to the Inward Impressions in their Minds which according to them are that more sure Word of Prophecy whereunto they think they do well to give heed as unto a Light shining in a dark Place But we see that they are thereby led into gross Error and Darkness And as to this particular Perswasion concerning the Meanness of the Scriptures they therein as in several other things symbolize with the Church of Rome whence they had their Original They confound Natural Light or Reason with Revelation they hold that Pagans are in as good a Condition as Christians they make their private Dictates as Authentick as the Bible yea they must needs hold that there is no Infallible Rule of Truth or Practice but their own Notions and Sentiments which some of their Writers call Canonical I might observe to you that besides Iews Papists and Enthusiasts there are Others that deny the Excellency and Perfection of the Holy Scriptures as Atheists and mere Politicians who indeavour to perswade the World that all Religion is a Cheat and that This Book is so too Likewise the Generality of Hereticks Seducers and Impostors who it is no wonder debase that which they design to pervert But the bare mentioning of these Persons is sufficient to beget a Dislike of them with all that are Wise and Sober and who are convinc'd of the Scriptures perfection from those Topicks which I have propounded It may be said of most Books as Martial said of his There are some good and some bad things in them and some of a middle Nature But in this Divine Book there are no such Allays all is pure and uncorrupt entire and unmixed there are no Defects no Mistakes in this Infallible Volume given us from Heaven Shall the Turks then when they find a Leaf or any part of the Alcoran on the Ground take it up and kiss it and deposite it in some safe place affirming it to be a great Sin to suffer that wherein the Name of God and Mahomet's Laws are written to be trodden under Feet And shall not we Christians highly value and reverence the Sacred Volume of the Bible the Writings of the Old and New Testament which contain the Words of God Himself and the Laws of the Blessed Jesus which enrich us with that Sublime and Supernatural Learning which is the Rule of our Faith the Conduct of our Manners and the Comfort of our Lives CHAP. II. The Bible is furnish'd with all sorts ofHumane as well as Divine Learning Hebrew wherein the Old Testament was written is the Primitive Language of the World The True Origine of the World is plainly recorded in no other Writings but these The first Chapter of Genesis is a real History and records Matter of â—act It is largely proved that the Mosaâ—ck History gives us a particular Account of the first Rise of the several Nations and People of the Earth and of the Places of their Habitation Also the true Knowledg of the Original of Civil Government and the Increases of it and the diffâ—rent Changes it underwent is derived from these Writings The Courts of Judicature and the several kinds of Punishment among the Jews distinctly treated of The Government among the Heathen Nations The four Celebrated Monarchies or Empires of the World I Proceed now to the Second General Head of my Discourse viz. the Vniversal Vsefulness of the Bible as to things that are Temporal and Seculaâ— Not only all Religious Divine and Saving Knowledg is to be fetch'd hence but that likewise which is Natural and Humane and bâ—longs to the World and Arts. Many believe the former but can't be induc'd to credit the latter for they think the Bible was writ only for the saving of Mens Souls but that all other Knowledg and Discoveries are to be derived wholly from other Writers I have sometimes observ'd that Persons who have had a good Desire to Learning and were greedy Devourers of all other Authors yet have no regard to the Scriptures and fondly imagine there is no Improvement of Mens Notions no enlarging of their Understandings no Grounds of Excellent Literature from the Sacred Writ They perswade themselves that the Bible may serve well enough for the Use of those that study Divinity or make Sermons but that the Writings of Profane Authors must be wholly consulted for other things But this is a gross Surmise and possesses the unthinking Heads of those only that consider not the Matchless Antiquity of the Bible or that on a worse Account refuse to acquaint themselves with these Writings and care not for that Book which speaks so much of God and Religion and checks the Disorders of Mens Lives All honest industrious and impartial Enquirers into Learning know that the Scriptures are the Greatest Monument of Antiquity that is Extant in the whole World and particularly that the First and Earliest Inventions of things are to be known only from the Old Testament especially the five first Books of it In vain do you look for these in the Writings of other Men for though some of them relate very Antient Occurrences yet they are not so old as these and as for those Writers who pretend to some Greater Antiquity and have been so impudent as to think that they could impose upon the World they have been exploded by all Persons of Sobriety and serious Thoughts In Pagan Writers we have some wild Guesses at the Origine of things and the First Inventors of Arts but he that is desirous to have Certain and Infallible Information concerning these must consult the Writings of Moses and other Books of the Old Testament From these alone we learn what were the Antientest Usages in the World and what was the first Rise and Original of them Wherefore I may safely pronounce that no Man can have the just Repute of a Scholar unless he hath read and studied the Bible for in this one Book there is more Humane Learning than in all the Books of the World besides And therefore here by the way I cannot but look upon it as a very Scandalous Mistake that the knowledg and Study of the Holy Scriptures are for Divines only as if these were not to be skill'd in any Humane Learning They that talk after this rate understand not what the Study of Divinity and True Scholarship are for there is no Compleat Divine that is not well vers'd in Humane Literature and there is no Compleat Scholar that is not skill'd in
mention'd in the Books of the Kings Chronicles Ieremiah Ezekiel Daniel and lastly Belshazzar Dan. 5. 22. in whom this Monarchy had its Period And so these Sacred Writings acquaint us not only with the Rise but the Progress Duration and End of this Empire hence we learn that it lasted from Nimrod to the close of Belshazzar's Reign i. e. from the year of the World 1717. to the Year 3419. which is in all 1702 Years a much longer time than any of the other Monarchies endured Again in these Writings is recorded the Original of the Next viz. the Persian usually known by the Name of the Second Monarchy Here we read that Belshazzar the last Chaldean Monarch he that impiously carouzed in the Holy Vessels belonging to the Temple was slain by Darius the Mcde Dan. 5. 30 31. who joined with Cyrus the Persian in the Expedition against Belshazzar and they both had Right to the Babylonian Monarchy on that Account and accordingly jointly ruled so it was a Medo-Persian Monarchy Darius is spoken of in the 6th and 9th Chapters of Daniel but being aged before he came to the Throne he lived but about two Years after whereupon Cyrus reigned alone and is generally reputed the First Founder of the Persian Monarchy This famous Cyrus sirnamed the Great was prophesied of long before he appeared in the World Isa. 44. 28. 45. 1. This is he that was the Happy Restorer of the Jews to their own Country and was a great Favourer of the Pious of that Nation Ezr. 1. And in the following Chapters and in the Book of Nehemiah is infallibly related what Persian Kings hindred the Building of the Temple and who they were that promoted it Besides the Book of Esther and a great part of Daniel are a Narrative of what was done under the Kings of Persia. Next it might be added that Alexander the Great the First Founder of the Grecian Monarchy is spoken of in these Sacred Writings as in Dan. 2. 32 39. 7. 6. 8. 5 6 7 8. 10. 20. 11. 3 4. whence Iaddus the High Priest shewed the Prophecy of Daniel to that Great Monarch and particularly turned to that Place where his Conquering of the Persians and the Translation of the Empire to him are foretold Here also the Division of the Empire among his Captains is predicted Dan. 2. 33. 7. 7 19. 8. 22. 11. 5 6 c. Lastly the History of the New Testament mentions the Author and Erecter of the Roman which generally passes for the Fourth Monarchy and some of his Actions and Decrees This was Augustus for if we speak properly this Empire began not â— Iulius Câ—sar but in him when he vanquished â— Anthony and Cleopatra in the Battel of Actium anâ— all Egypt became a Roman Province Thus Niâ— rod Cyrus Alexander Augustus the Founder â— those four renowned Monarchies and many of thâ— most eminent and remarkable Passages in some of them are recorded in the Sacred Scriptures whereby the Truth of those things is confirmed and some obscure Places in Pagan Writers are enlightned and some Mistakes may be corrected Indeed it is impossible to understand the Gentile History aright in sundry Matters relating to the First Kingdoms and Governments unless we are acquainted with the Bible CHAP. III In these Sacred Writings we have the first and earliest Account of all useful Employments and Callings viz. Gardening Husbandry feeding of sheep preparing of Food The antient manner of Threshing Grinding of Corn and making Bread is enquired into What was the Primitive Drink The Posture which they used at eating and drinking Sitting preceded Discubation The particular manner of placing themselves on their Beds Eating in common not always used Discalceation and Washing the Feet were the Attâ—ndanâ—s of Eating and Feasting So was Anointing They had a Master or Governour of their Feasts Who were the first Inventers of Mechanick Arts. The first Examples of Architecture Houses were built flat at top and why In the fifth Place here and only here is to be learned the Original of all Employments Callings Oecupations Professions Mysteries Trades and of all Arts and Inventions whatsoever First here is the earliest Mention of Gardening Husbandry Plougbing keeping of Sheep which are of ordinary Use and for the necessary Support of Man's Life God placing Adam in Paradise a Garden of Delight instructed him how to dress and keep it Gen. 2. 15. to work and belabour the Ground for so it is according to the LXX to dig and delve with great Care and Art to open the Earth to let in the Influences of Heaven to prune the Trees and cherish the Plants to preserve the Fruits from the Beasts and Fowls which had Admittance into that Place as we read in Gen. 2. 19 20. and to keep all things in good order as a skilful Gardiner and Husbandman for both these made up the First Employment and Trade in the World And when Man was ejected out of Paradise he was still set about the same Work Gen. 3. 23. for the Hebrew Word that is used here is the same with that in ver 15. and is translated there to dress but it is certain that gnamad which is the Verb in both Places is of a large Import and signifies all Husbandly managing and improving of Ground And truly there was more need of exercising that Art now than before the Earth being not a little endamaged by the Curse which God denounced against it and executed upon it which was one Reason why Adam brought up his Son Cain to Husbandry and Tilling the Ground Gen. 4. 2. for now it wanted Manuring and Cultivating And as this his eldest Son was brought up to take care of the Fruits of the Earth so his next was bred up to feeding of Sheep which is the Second Employment or Calling that we read of in the World Afterwards Iabal advanced higher and became the First Grasier for so I understand those Words Gen. 4. 20. He was the Father of such as have Cattel i. e. that have other Cattel besides Sheep for these and the keeping or feeding of them had been mention'd before He lived upon Pasturage and for that purpose was the Father of such as dwell in Tents as it is said in the same Place The Meaning of which is that whereas others generally lived in one fix'd Place and Habitation he and others of his Calling went from one place to another feeding They travell'd as their Cattel did and for this Reason it was requisite to have Tents Accordingly that they might look after their Flocks and Herds the better he invented these that they might lie out in the Fields all Night under this Shelter Thus you see what was the Primitive State of things Adain and his first-born Son were Husbandmen and his second Son a Shepherd and others of his Race were busied in feeding of Cattel Such was the Employment of those that were the First Heirs of the World And so for
contain'd and here are those Choice Materials which no other Histories furnish us with But I should be endless if I should enlarge here by particularizing therefore I will not launch out but only commend to the Reader the Learned Endeavours of Strigelius in his Commentaries on the Books of Samuel Kings Chronicles where he will be amply convinc'd of the unparallell'd Diversity Multiplicity and Peculiar Excellency of the Historical Examples in Scripture The Antientest Poetry is in the Old Testament for as Moses was the first Historian so he is the first Poet that is â—xtant A Proof of this we have in that Eucharistick Song which he composed upon his passing the Red Sea and is recorded in Exod. 15. An Admirable Hymn it is and in Hexameter Verse if Iosephus may be Judg in this Matter and if a Christian Father may be credited who had more Hebrew than most of the Writers of the Church in his time yea more than all of them except Origen But whether this be true or no this is without Controversy that there is no Piece of Poetry in the World that hath the Priority of this of Moses for Orpheus who is reckon'd by the Pagans as the First Poet was according to the most favourable Computation of some of their Historians three hundred Years after Moses and Homer was towards six hundred Besides this Divine Hymn there are other Antient ones of the like nature recorded in the same Authentick Writings viz. Deborah's Song Iudg. 5. which hath many Noble Flights of Poetry and that of Hannah the Mother of Samuel 1 Sam. 2. 1 c. which hath Excellent Poetick Raptures And here by the way I will offer this Conjecture that perhaps from Miriam's bearing her part in Moses's Song Exod. 15â— 20 21. and from these other Womens Poetick Inspiration which came to be celebrated among the neighbouring Nations the Poets who as I have largely shew'd elsewhere have frequent References to the Old Testament took occasion to report that Poetry was of Female Extraction and that Calliope one of that Sex was the Author of their Faculty Other famous Instances there are here of this Sacred Art as David's Incomparable Elegy on the Death of Saul and Ionathan 2 Sam. 1. 16 c. that Gratulatory Hymn in the 12th Chapter of Isaiah Hezekiah's Song of Praise in the 38th of the same Prophet Habakkuk's Lofty Description of the Divine Majesty and Greatness in Poetick Numbers chap. 3. the Stile of which is far more sublime and majestick than any of Orpheus or Pindar's Odes I appeal to any Man of Skill and that hath a right Poetick Genius whether this be not true And as there are these single Hymns and Songs so there are Just Poems for of the Books of the Old Testament there are six that are composed and writ in Verse viz. the Books of Iob the Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Canticles Lamentations As to the Nature of the Hebrew Poesy and the Kinds of Verses which are in the Bible the Learned Mersennus and others have given us some Account of them but it is very short and mean and much of it is mere Surmise and therefore I will not trouble the Reader with it A late Writer hath attempted to prove that the Hebrew Verse or Poetry of the Old Testament is in Rhythm which I believe is true in many Places and if the Pronuntiation and Sound were the very same now that they were when these Poetick Books were composed we should observe the Cadence in them more frequently But he goes too far in asserting that all the Hebrew Poesy in Scripture is Rhythmed for they were not so exact at first though the Verses end with the same Sound sometimes yet generally they took a Liberty Upon Examination we may find this to be true and I may have occasion to say something further of it when I come to speak particularly of the Psalms But the other Assertion viz. that the Psalms and other Pieces of Hebrew Poetry are always Rhythmical necessarily infers a great many Faults and Mistakes in the Scripture it supposes several Places to be corrupted and mangled for we do not find all the Poetry of the Bible to be such at this day and consequently subverts the Truth and Authority of the Bible which is by no means to be allowed of All that I will add under this Head is that even among the Gentiles the first and antientest Writers were Poets Strabo undertakes to shew that Poetry was before Prose and that this is but an Imitation of that It can't be denied that the First Philosophers writ in Verse as Orpheus parmenides Empedocles Theognis Phocylides c. and thence as One of the Learnedest Men of our Age observes the Moral Precepts of the Philosophers were call'd of old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Carmina The Grecian Oracles were delivered in Verse Concerning the Agathyrsi we are told by Aristotle that their Laws were all in Metre Concerning the Old Germans Tacitus relates that their very Records and Annals were in Verse And all this it is probable was in Emulation of the First Sacred Writers the Penmen of the Old Testament in whose Writings there are several things dictated in Measure and some entire Books are altogether Metrical for it was the Design of the Holy Ghost to delight as well as profit With Poetry let us join Musick it being of so near Affinity with it and the First Inventer of this also is to be known only from the Scripture which informs us that Iubal the Son of Lamech the sixth from Adam was the Father of such as handle the Harp and Organ Gen. 4. 21. From whose Name some have thought the Iubilee was called because it was proclaim'd with Musick The poets tell us that Apollo and Mercury were the first Authors of it by whom it is not improbable they meant Moses who first gives an Account of the Original of this Art and might well be represented by Apollo because of his Singular Wisdom and by Mercury because he was the First Interpreter of the Divine Will in his Writings and on other Accounts merited that Name as I have evidenc'd in another Place Perhaps the Story of Pythagoras's finding our Musical Notes from the Strokes of the Hammers upon the Smith's Anvil was suggested from this that the first Musical Instrumeâ—â—â— were made of Iron and Brass the Metals of the Smith and Brasier Or if I should guessâ— it a downright Mistake of Tuâ—al for Iubal Sons of the same Father a Smith for a Musician or that it was suggested from the Musick of their Nameâ— Tuâ—al and Iubal having some affinity in the Sound it would be hard to disprove it But that which is certain is this that as the First Inventers oâ— other things are recorded in Scripture so particularly is he that found out Musick and by the Harp and the Organ all other Musical Inâ—trumentâ— are meant whether Pulsative or Pneumatick And it is not improbable that the
a Consequent of them the many Disappointments and Crosses he met with the various Judgments and Plagues which were inflicted on him and his People by God The Books of the Kings are the History of the Kingdoms of Israel and Iudah under the Reigns of their several Kings The first contains the latter Part of the Life of David and his Death the Glory and Prosperity of that Nation under Solomon who succeeded him his erecting and consecrating of the Temple at Ierusalem his scandalous Defection from the true Religion the sudden Decay of the Jewish Nation after his Death when it was divided into two Kingdoms under Rehoboam who reign'd over the two Tribes of Iudah and Benjamin and under Ieroboam who was King over the other ten Tribes that revolted from the House of David The rest of it is spent in relating the Acts of four Kings of Iudah and eight of Israel The second Book which is a Continuation of the History of the Kings is a Relation of the Memorable Acts of sixteen Kings of Iudah and twelve of Israel and the End of both Kingdoms by the carrying of the Ten Tribes Captive into Assyria by Salmanasser and the other two into Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar the just Rewards of that People's Idolatry and Impenitency after so many Favours shew'd to them This and the former Book together comprehend the History of about four hundred Years The Chronicles or Iournals according to the Hebrew are the filling up of those Parts of the History which are omitted in the Books of the Kings And though we know not which of these Histories viz. of the Kings or the Chronicles I speak as to the main Body of the Books not one particular Passage as that in the Close of the Second Book of Chronicles where mention is made of the Deliverance of the Iews by Cyrus which might be added afterwards were written first for the Book of Kings refers to the Book of Chronicles and this again sends the Reader to that yet this we see that this of the Chronicles is more full and ample sometimes than that of the Kings what was left out or not so fully set down in the one is supplied in the other And thence these Books are call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Remains Supplements Additions by the Greek Interpreters The first Book of Chronicles relates the Rise and Propagation of the People of Israel from Adam which is the entire Subject of the first Nine Chapters which consist wholly of Genealogies and then afterwards most punctually and accurately gives an Account of the Reign of David The second Book as faithfully sets down the Progress and End of the Kingdom of Iudah even to the Year of their return from the Captivity in Babylon These Books of Chronicles together with those of the Kings and Samuel make up the Best and Choicest History in the World Here we are abundantly furnish'd with such Useful Notices Truths and Maxims as these all confirmed by Noted and Illustrious Examples and such Instances as are Certain and Unquestionable Crowned Heads are encircled with Cares and seldom find rest and repose though their Lives are more Splendid yet they are not less Calamitous than those of the Common People Good Kings are rare and the Number of them is inconsiderable in comparison of those that are Bad. The best Kings have their Faults and some of them of a very scandalous Nature There is little Piety in Princes Courts and as little Integrity and Honesty The People are easily induced to follow the Examples of their Governours and Religion and Manners too often vary according to the Wills of Superiours Good Kings are the greatest Blessing and Wicked Ones are the greatest Curse to a Nation Princes mistake their Measures when they either disobey God or oppress their People Tyrannical Princes procure their own Ruine The Sins and Vices of Rulers prove fatal to their Subjects Publick Enormities are punish'd with Publick and National Calamities Kings may be known by the Ministers they choose and make use of Those Counsels that are founded in Religion are most successful Evil Counsellours contrive their own Destruction Wars are the Effect and Consequence of fighting against God The Success of Arms depends upon the Divine Blessing The Church is never more shock'd than under Bad Princes Religion and Reformation are never effectually promoted unless the Great Ones have a Hand in them Divisions and Rents about Religion have immediate influence on Secular Affairs and when the Church is divided the State is so too The Revolutions in both are by the particular Disposal of the Wise Over-ruler of the World True Religion and Godliness are attended with Earthly Rewards and Blessings and the contrary bring down the greatest Plagues even in this World The worst Times afford some of the Best and most Holy Religious and Zealous Men. Whatever Changes and Revolutions happen in the Kingdoms of the Earth the Church of God remains secure Though there are great and frequent Defections yet there never is a total Extinction of it In a Word the Church is impregnable this Rock is immoveable And many other Propositions and Maxims of the like Nature which are of great Service in the Life of Man are to be deduced from these Excellent Histories Ezra is a Continuation of the aforesaid Book of Chronicles and compriseth the History of the Jews from the time that Cyrus made the Edict for their Return until the twentieth Year of Artaxerxes Longimanus which was about a hundred Years For the Jews return from Babylon was at two several Times viz. first in the Days of Cyrus the first Perâ—â—an Monarch under the Conduct of Zerubbabel their Captain and Ieshua their High Priest Here are recorded the Number of those that returned Cyrus's Proclamation for the rebuilding of the Temple the Laying of the Foundations of it the Retarding of the Work under the Reign of two of the Kings of Persia at last the Finishing of the Temple in Darius's Reign The second Return of the Jews was in the Reign of Artaxerxes under the Conduct of Ezra a Priest who had been a Courtier in the Persian Court and was sent into Iudea by Artaxerxes in the seventh Year of his Reign which was above eighty Years after the first Return in Cyrus's Time to expedite the Building of Ierusalem This Pious Reformer observing the Peoples 〈◊〉 with Strangers and Inâ—idels and their joining themselves to them in Marriage proclaim'd a â—olemn Fast and Pray'd and Mourn'd and Lamented their gross Miscarriages and with great Earnestness and Zeal exhorted them to Reformation and Amendment of their Ways that they might thereby avert God's Wrath and conciliate his Favour and Pardon This is that Ezra who was the Penman of this Book and who was also a Restorer of the Sacred Books of the Old Testament and collected and methodized them into certain Order and reviewed the Copies and amended all Errata's that were contracted in the time of the Captivity Nehemiah who
as This of the Pious King and Prophet Here are all things that are proper to beget Religion and Piety in us here is every thing that is serviceable to nourish and sustain all our Vertues and Graces and that in the utmost height of them Before I pass to the next Book I will add a few Words concerning the Nature of the Poetry here used This is to be said with great Truth that these Poetical Measures are far different from those which we have been acquainted with in Other Writers But then it is not to be question'd that tho we are ignorant of the true Quality of these Poetick Numbers yet they are very Melodious and Lofty and not unworthy of the best Poets It is not to be doubted that there is a certain Artificial Meter observ'd in this Book which renders the several Odes and Hymns very delightful The Younger Scaliger denies and that with some Earnestness and Sharpness otherwise he would not shew himself his Father's own Son that there is any thing like this in this Book though at the same time he grants that the Proverbs and almost all Iob are Metrical But Iosephus and Philo two Learned Jews and who may reasonably be thought to be Competent Judges in this Matter attest the Meter of these Psalms as well as of the Books of Iob c. So do Origen Eusebius Ierom and some of the most Judicious Criticks among the Moderns But then they confess that the Meter is not so regular as that of succeeding Poets And who sees not that even these exceedingly vary in their Measures It is not denied that Sophocles and Euripides Plautus and Terence write in Verse but they can scarcely be said to do so in comparison of Homer and Virgil. There are some Hexameters Iambicks Saphicks and other known kinds of Verses in David's Psalms but they are very rare and seldom pure and unmix'd but notwithstanding this it is easy to perceive if we be observant and attentive that there are several Verses together that are Matrical The Arabian Criticks tell us that the Alcoran is written in a sort of Verse and sometimes in Rythme but every Reader cannot find this No more can an ordinary Eye or Ear discern the Numbers in the Hebrew Verse for the Hebrews way of measuring their Feet was different from that which is in use among the Greek and Latin Poets yet so as we may oftentimes perceive a certain Harmony of Syllables And as the Psalms are Metrical so some of them are Rhythmical This is clear in the very Entrance of these Divine Hymns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Again in Psal. 6. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is evident in Psal. 8. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is plain in Psal. 12. 4. 51. 16. 63. 3. 116. 7. 148. 1 2. And in abundance of other Places there is not only a certain Orderly Number of Syllables but the last Words of the Verses end alike in Sound CHAP. IX The Book of Proverbs why so call'd The transcendent Excellency of these Divine and Inspired Aphorisms Some Instances of the Different Application of the Similitudes used by this Author The Book of Ecclesiastes why so entituled The Admirable Subject of it succinctly displayed The particular Nature of the Canticle or Mystical Song of Solomon briefly set forth It is evinc'd from very cogent Arguments that Solomon died in the Favour of God and was saved The Books of the Four Great Prophets Isaiah Jeremiah with his Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel are described So are those of the Twelve Lesser Prophets Hosea c. WHO should succeed David but Solomon as in the Throne so in the Sacred Canon of the Bible And He like his Father was a Divine Poet his three Books viz. the Proverbs Ecclesiastes and his Song being written in Hebrew Verse The first of these Books is composed of Excellent Proverbs whence it hath its Name By this word Mishle which is here rendred Proverbs sometimes are signified I. Parables strictly so call'd which are no other than Apologues or Artificial Fables of which I have spoken under the Stile of Scripture but there are none such in this Book 2. By this Word is meant any Trite and Commonly received Saying any Vulgar Proverbial Speech as that in ch 26. v. 11. The Dog returneth to his Vomit But there are few of this sort here 3. Sarcastick Speeches Gibes Taunts as in 2 Chron. 7. 20. Psal. 69. 11. are intended by this Expression and this Book of Solomon is not wholly destitute of these 4. The Hebrew Word denotes such Speeches as are by way of Similitude Ezek. 18. 2. of which kind there are many in this Book as that in ch 11. 22. As a Iewel of Gold in a Swine's Snout so is a fair Woman without Discretion and in ch 25. 11. A Word fitly spoken is like Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver This we find to be the frequent manner of the Wise Man's speaking in this Book he generally illustrates and amplifies his Doctrine by some fit Simily or Comparison so that thereby it is as it were twice deliver'd 5. Sayings that are mixed with some Obscurity and Intricacy such Speeches as require Sharpness of Wit and Understanding both for propounding and conceiving them are denoted by this Word in Scripture Thus an Intricate Question or Problem Mashal is set down in Psal. 49. 4 5. and in the rest of the Psalm there is an Answer to this Problem a Resolution of this Difficult Point Proverbial Sentences are sometimes Enigmatical and have a Meaning far different from what the Words directly signify Thus you 'l find some Sayings that carry a Mystical Sense with them in this Book as that in ch 9. 17. Stolen Waters are sweet and in ch 25. v. 27. It is not good to eat much Honey and such like Allegorical and Allusive Speeches which contain in them a higher Sense than the bare Words import This Proverbial manner of Speaking and Writing was in great Use and Esteem among the Hebrews and all the Eastern Countries whence it was that the Queen of Sheba came to prove Solomon with hard Questions 1 Kings 10. 1. Parables according to the Chaldâ—e Problems Riddles These were the Chidoth which the propounded to be solv'd by him Yea this way of Speaking may generally be taken notice of in the Writings of most of the Wise Men of Antient Times Pythagoras and Plato were much addicted to this Abstruse way and all their Followers were delighted in Mystical Representations of things 6. By this Word we are to understand all Wise and Excellent Sayings graviter dicta as the Latins call them Sentences of great Weight and Importance but plain and easy to be understood The Hebrews antiently call'd any Saying that had Graces and Wit in it Mashal but especially any Eminent Speech or Smart Saying for the Use of Life and Direction of Manners went under that Name A Moral or Religious Saying that was of singular
wonderful Efficacy of the Holy Spirit in those Days the Rejection of the Unbelieving Jews the utter Destruction of their City Temple and whole Nation by the Romans for their rejecting and crucifying the Messias and other particular things belonging to the times of the Gospel which none of the Lesser Prophets speak of but this Malachi is the last of these Prophets yea of all the Prophets of that Dispensation After him ceased Vision and Prophecy in Israel until Christ's appearing when Zachary Simeon Mary Elizabeth Anna were illuminated with the Prophetick Spirit He prophesied about 300 Years before our Saviour's time reproving the Jews for their Ungrateful and Wicked Living after their Return from Babylon particularly he chargeth them with Rebellion Sacrilege Adultery Profaneness Infidelity but especially he reprehends the Priests for being Careless and Scandalous in their Ministry which one thing was sufficient to give Authority to others to be Vicious At the same time he forgets not to take notice of and incourage the Pious Remnâ—nt in that corrupted Age who feared the Lord and thought upon his Name whose Godly Converse and Associating with one another in that debauched time he assures them were registred in a Book of Remembrance by God himself This Prophet who had pointed before at the Messias to be exhibited for he expresly â—aith He shall suddenly come to his Temple now shuts up his Prophecy and indeed all the Prophecies of the Old Testament with an Exhortation to remember the Law i. e. to live according to its holy Rules and Injunctions and with a Promise of the Coming of the Lord who was to be usher'd in by Elijah the Prophet i. e. by Iohn the Baptist who came in the Spirit and Power of Elias Luke 1. 17. And so this Close of the Old Testament refers to the New to which I now hasten CHAP. X. An Account of the Writings of the Four Evangelists the peculiar Time Order Stile Design of their Gospels The Act of the Apostles shew'd to be an Incomparable History of the Primitive Church The Epistles of St. Paul particularly delineated He is proved to be the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews An Enquiry into the Nature of this Apostle's Stile and manner of Writing The excellent Matter and Design of the Epistles of St. James St. Peter St. John St. Jude An Historical Series or Order is not observ'd in the Book of the Revelation NEXT follow the Sacred Books of the New Testament the Evangelical Novels the New Laws of Christianity the True Authenticks which present us with the actual Discoveries of the Glorious Light of the Gospel and of the Blessed Author of it These were writ in Greek for the same Reason that Ioseph the Jew chose to write his Books not in his own Language but in this because as he saith himself in his Preface to the Iewish War he would have them read and understood by Greeks and Romans and all Persons So Aelian was a Roman yet writ his Books of Animals and Various History c. in Greek because this was the Universal Language at that time These Writings of the New Testament are either Histories or Epistles The Histories are the Four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles As for the former the Writings of the Four Evangelists there were none of them extant whilest Christ was on Earth for till his being taken up to Heaven which was the Consummation of all he had before done and suffer'd they could not make the Evangelical History perfect But afterwards some of the Apostles and Disciples resolving according to their Master's Order to go and preach in foreign Regions and to disperse the Christian Religion over all the World put forth the History of the Gospel in Writing before they went about this great Work St. Matthew was the first Inspired Person that committed the Evangelical Transactions to Writing which he did about eight Years after Christ's Passion A. D. 42. He alone of all the Evangelists say St. Ierom Eusebius St. Augustine Chrysostom and most of the Antient Writers of the Church wrote his Gospel first in Hebrew which partly appears from this that some of the Hebrew Words are explained by the Person who translated it into Greek who it is probable was St. Matthew himself as the Antients generally agree and so the Hebrew and Greek Copies are both of them the Originals Then St. Mark and St. Luke writ their Gospels the one about ten tho others say twenty the other about twenty some say thirty Years after our Saviour's Death and there are some that invert the Order and give the Priority to St. Luke But all agree that St. Iohn was the last of the Evangelists and wrote towards the latter end of the first Century But as for the Punctual Time when the Evangelists put forth the Gospels it is doubtful and I do not find any certain ground whereoâ— we may â—ix a satisfactory resolution of the Doubtâ—punc This may be observ'd that St. Matthew and St. Iohn were Eye-witnesses of what they wrote 〈◊〉 St. Mark and St. Luke had what they wrote from the relation of others Particularly St. Mark who was St. Peter's Companion composed his Gospel by his Order and Direction and with his especial Approbation saith Eusebius Again it is to be observ'd that tho every Evangelist relates nothing but the Truth yet no one of them relates the Whole Truth concerning Christ's Life and Actions Tho the Substance of the Gospel be contain'd in every one of these Writers yet some Particulars are found in one that do not occur in another which makes it necessary to consult them all and to compare them together As for St. Matthew and St. Mark we may take notice that they do not always observe the Order of Time and the true Sâ—ries of the Matter especially the former of these is not curious in this particular But as for thâ— other two Evangelists they are very punctual and inviolably observe the Order of things as they happen'd excepting only that Parenthesis for such it is in Luke 3. 19 20. concerning Herod Of all the Evangelists St. Luke is the fullest and gives the compleatest mosâ— circumstantial and orderly Relation of things which he himself takes notice of in his Preface to his Gospel in those Words to Theophilus It seâ—med good to me having had perfect Vnderstanding of all things from the very first to write unto thee in order And yet though his Gospel be ample and more methodical in the Narrative or History than the rest yet he is but brief in relating things that our Saviour did till the last Year of his Preaching St. Matthew having been full in them and in some other things he hath need of a supply from the rest of the Evangelists and more especially from St. Iohn whose Gospel from the Beginning of the 14th Chapter to the End of the 17th contains those Excellent Discourses of our Saviour before his Passion which were wholly
vouched by Writers of very good account and whose joint Authority in this Case we have no reason to suspect As for some Particular Circustances which relate to this Matter as the Place where they met their Mavellous Consent in the Work and the Time they dispatched it in these may be doubted of though for my part I see no solid ground of denying them altogether The whole Translation was finish'd in 72 Days saith Aristaeas or Aristaeus for his Name is written both Ways one that was a great Favourite of King Ptolomee and writ the History of this Greek Translation of the Jewish Elders But this Author is thought to be spurious by Vossius and by some other Learned Men before him As to the Place Philo the Jew Iustin Martyr and others tell us it was the Great Tower in the Isle of Pharos which was set up to direct the Mariners in the dangerous Seas about Alexandria Upon which a Great Critick turns Devout and exerts his Fancy very piously observing this to be a proper Place for such a Work the Bible being truly a Light to lighten the Gentile World a Light hung out to guide all doubting and troubled Souls in the Storms and Tempests they meet with And there were Distinct Places if you will credit some Jewish and Christian Writers wherein these Interpreters separately performed the task which they were set about They did the Work each of them in diverse Rooms say the Talmud and the Rabbins They were put into 70 distinct Cells when they translated the Bible saith Iustin Martyr in his Apology to the Roman Emperor And moreover he adds that he was at Pharos and saw what was left of those Cells And with him agree Irenaeus Clemens of Alexandria Epiphanius Cyril of Ierusalem and Augustine And further though an Arabick Commentator on the Pentateuch whom Mr. Gregory cites reports that the 70 Seniors disagreed in their Translation the first time and so were set to it again yet these Fathers take notice of no such thing but tell us that though these Translators were separated into distinct Places by themselves yet they all agreed in the same very Words and Syllables Which they borrowed it is likely from Philo who had expresly said they all exactly agreed on the same Names and Words to interpret the Chaldee by for he calls it the Chaldee instead of the Hebrew as if some Person stood by them and invisibly dictated to them although the Chaldee might be translated diverse ways the Greek Tongue being so copious And he further adds that there was a Feast yearly in the Pharos whither the Iews went to solemnize it and to see the Place where this Version was made But how can this be reconciled with the Fast appointed to be kept by the Iews on the 8th Day of Thâ—bet or December because the Law of Moses was translated into the Greek Tongue by the Jews of Alexandria in Ptolomee's Time at which time they say there was Darkness three Days together over the whole World That therefore which Philo saith seems rather to be said on purpose to inhanse the Credit of this Translation for which reason we may justly question the Truth of it Iosephus who purposely treats of the turning the Law into Greek by King Ptolomee's Order saith nothing of the Different Cells nor doth he represent the Interpreters as Inspired Persons And St. Ierom who was a Searching Man was the first of the Fathers that opposed and contradicted this Story declaring that he could not believe any thing concerning these Distinct Rooms and Apartments and the Miraculous Agreement of the Interpreters in these separated Cells giving this Reason for it because neither Aristaeas nor Iosephus speak a Word of them But some are not satisfied with this but roundly tell us that Ierom had made a New Translation of the Bible out of the Hebrew himself wherein he very much differ'd from the LXX and so he was obliged to disparage the Cells and the Translators to make way for his own Translation This is the uncharitable Censure which One gives of this Great Father And as for Aristâ—as he comes off thus with him it is no wonder that he saith nothing of the Cells for this Aristaeas who is quoted by St. Ierom is not the genuine Author but a spurious one for the Fathers quote many things out of him which are not to be found in this Book But Another tells us another Story viz. that the Hellenist Jews who read the Translation of the â—0 in their Synagogues were the Inventers of this History of the Translators and put it out in one Aristâ—us's Name And the same Person moreover presents us with this New Conceit that it was call'd the Translation of the Seventy not from Seventy Translators who were the Authors of it but from the Seventy Iudges i. e. the Sanhedrim at Ierusalem who authorized and approved of it Then as for Iosephus we are put off thus by Mr. Gregory viz. that he is wont to comply with his Readers and useth not to put Great and Wonderful things on their Belief if he can help it as appears in his Relation of the Israelites passing the Red Sea and Nebuchadnezzar's going to Grass c. so here he omits the Seventy Seniours their Consenting in that wonderful Manner in the Translating the Hebrew Bible because it would have been incredible to the Gentiles that Persons separated and shut up from one another should agree so exactly To this effect you 'l â—ind that Notable Critick speaking But it will appear to be a very Sorry Evasion as those of the other Persons before mention'd are if any Man look narrowly into it for upon the same ground that he gives here that Iewish Historian might have omitted most of the things he relates because they are very Great and Wonderful and far exceed the Belief of a Pagan We are not then to attend to such poor Suggestions as these and to swallow all that hath been related by Writers concerning the Seventy Interpreters Neither is there reason to disbelieve all they have said but in this as in most Historical Relations we ought to credit what is most Probable and to reject the rest We need not with Epiphanius and Augustine hold that the Seventy Interpreters were divinely inspired and that their Translation of the Bible was done in a Miraculous Manner and that it is of Divine Authority which we may â—ind some Writers aiming at but on the other hand there is no ground to affirm that all which Aristaeas and Aristobulus say concerning the Seventy's Version is Fable and Fiction as the Parisian Professor of Divinity pronounceth but very rashly in my Judgment We have no reason to deny the Chief and General things which are related concerning the Seventy Seniours who were employed in turning the Old Testament into Greek we have no reason to question their Skill and Ability as to the Main to perform that
Saviour's Passion who designedly and on purpose depraved the Greek Copies of the Bible They were the Authors of several Interpolations Additions Omissions Changes in the Order of the Words and where-ever they saw occasion to make such Alterations as they thought would be to their purpose Accordingly we find that their Translation is depraved in five very considerable Prophecies viz. Isa. 9. 1. Hos. 11. 1. Zech. 9. 9. 12. 10. Mal. 4. 5. all of them relating to the Proof that Iesus Christ is the True Messias If any Man peruseth these Texts and compares the Hebrew and the LXX's Version together he will easily be induced to believe that this latter hath been corrupted by some Jews on purpose to serve their Inâ—idelity and Averseness to Iesus and that they might not be urged by Christians at any time from the Testimonies in this Greek Translation Object But if the present Version of the LXX be so faulty and vicious why is it quoted by Christ and his Apostles why is it followed by them generally as was before acknowledged If the Evangelists and Apostles who were immediately directed by the Holy Ghost quoted this Translation surely the Authority of it is unquestionable Answ. It cannot be denied that the Writers of the New Testament often cite the Version of the Septuagint yea and I will grant moreover that they follow this Translation when it differs from the Hebrew thus St. Luke ch 3. v. 36. takes in Cainan into the Genealogy because he found it in the LXX St. Luke Acts 13. 41. or rather St. Paul in his Sermon recited by him retains the corrupt Version of Hab. 1. 5. The same Apostle in Rom. 3. 13. follows this Version though it takes in four or five Verses more than are in the Original In Rom. 9. 33. the same Apostle alledgeth Isa. 28. 16. Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed which is not according to the Hebrew but the Greek In Rom. 11. 8. he quotes what Isaiah saith ch 29. v. 10. but not according to the Original but the Septuagint though their Translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be disagreeing with the Hebrew In Phil. 2. 15. he uses the same Words and Order that are in the LXX although they invert the Order of the Words in the Hebrew which is this in Deut. 32. 5. a perverse and crooked Generation but they render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a crooked and perverse Generation So in Heb. 10. 5. he produceth that Place above-mentioned a Body hast thou prepared me although these Words disagree with the Letter of the Hebrew and are wholly conformable to the Septuagint And lastly to name no more at present when the Apostle tells us that Iacob worshipped leaning upon the top of his Staff Heb. 11. 21. it is evident as hath been already shewed that he follows the Seventy who in their unpricked Bibles read Matteh a Rod or Staff for Mittah a Bed Thus it is frankly acknowledged that the Writers of the New Testament make use of the Greek Translation of the Iewish Elders even when they depart from the Original Text. And there was good Reason for it because the Greek Version was at that time generally received and approved of by the Iews wherefore the Apostles being to deal with these Men they prudently made use of it and quoted it upon all Occasions And it was better to do so than to give a stricter and exacter Translation of their own because this might be liable to Scruple and Controversy whereas the other was universally entertain'd and approved of Besides as a Christian Rabbi observes the Iews who were to read this New Testament could not quarrel with the Quotations because they were taken out of the Book which was translated by those that were Iews and those very Eminent ones too And then as to the Gentiles also there was a necessity of the Apostles using the LXX's Translation in their Writings because these understood not the Hebrew Tongue wherefore it was requisite to take their Quotations out of this Translation lest otherwise the Gentiles in whose Hands the Greek Bibles were observing that what the Apostles cited was not according to These should question the Truth of it and of the New Testament it self Thus there was a kind of Necessity of using this Translation oftentimes but this is no Proof of its being faultless and void of all Mistakes and Errors The Inspired Writers used this Version not because they wholly approved of it but because in their Circumstances they could not do otherwise But further I answer that though the Evangelists and Apostles followed this Translation generally yet it is as certain that they did not do it always The Reader may see here several Places drawn up to his View wherein this is apparent and among them he will find those Five Prophecies before-mentioned and see that the Evangelists follow not the Seventy in their Translation of these Texts they knowing that they were derogatory to the Messias and to the whole Gospel The Evangelists differ from the Seventy's Version in these following Places Mat. 1. 23. taken from Isa. 7. 14. Mat. 2. 6. Mic. 5. 2. Mat. 2. 15. Hos. 11. 1. Mat. 4. 10. Deut. 6. 13. Mat. 4. 15. Isa. 9. 1. Mat. 8. 17. Isa. 53. 4. Mark 1. 2. Mal. 3. 1. Mark 10. 19. Exod. 20. 12 13 â— Luke 1. 16 17. Mal. 4. 5 6. Luke 2. 23. Exod. 13. 1. Luke 4. 4. Deut. 8. 3. Luke 4. 18. Isa. 61. 2. Luke 7. 27. Mal. 3. 1. Luke 10. 27. Deut. 6. 5. Iohn 1. 23. Isa. 40. 3. Iohn 6. 45. Isa. 54. 13. Iohn 12. 15. Zech. 9. 9. Iohn 12. 40. Isa. 6. 10. Iohn 19. 36. Exod. 12. 36. Iohn 19. 37. Zech. 12. 10. I might have drawn up the like Catalogue of Places in the Epistles I only direct your Eye at present to these ensuing ones Rom. 4. 17. Gal. 3. 8. Gal. 4. 30. taken from Gen. 17. 4. 12. 3. 21. 10. More particularly I might observe to you in pursuance of what I have asserted that the Evangelists and Apostles do not always make use of the LXX's Translation that when these Inspired Writers of the New Testament have occasion to quote the Old they sometimes keep themselves to the Hebrew Text exactly and have no regard at all to the Words of the Greek Interpreters It was long since noted by St. Ierom that when either St. Matthew or our Saviour in his Gospel quotes the Old Testament they follow not the LXX but the Hebrew Again sometimes the Apostles follow neither the Hebrew nor the Septuagint but use some Words and Expressions of their own and Paraphrase rather than Translate This they do to bring the Texts they alledg closer to the purpose inserting such Words as give an Emphasis to them and shew the true Scope and Design of the Texts Therefore we cannot we must not hence infeâ— that either the Hebrew Original or the Seventy's Version are corrupted because it
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