by Coelicolae for there they are said to be an unheardâof Name and a new Crime whereas they had that Name in Augustus's time according to Strabo There have been different Opinions concerning the rise of this Pagan Contumely viz. that the Iews adored the Heavens and the Clouds Some think it commenced from the superstitious and idolatrous Practice of that People in worshipping the Host of Heaven as we read they did But I cannot assent to this because 't is unreasonable to imagine that the Pagans would jeer the Jews for that âhich they visibly practised themselves Others âay this arose from the Devotion of the Jews who âsed to look up towards Heaven when they made their Prayers to God But this was in common to them with the Pagan Worshippers who naturally had this Posture of Devotion and cast up their Eyes and spread out their Hands towards Heaven therefore this could not be the occasion of this Imputation But there is another Opinion which I find most applauded and it is this that this Obloquy of the Heathens proceeded from their mistaking the use of the word Shamajim Heavens among the Hebrews and even in the Scripture it self where sometimes it signifies God âimself This is the Conjecture of the Learned Mr. Selden hence saith he the Gentiles inferr'd that the Jews made Heaven a Deity But I apprehend this Inference could not be made by them because Shamajim is used in this sense but in one place in the Old Testament viz. in Dan. 4. 26. the Heavens do rule where the Heavens import God himself But I can't believe that the Pagans thought the Jews were Worshippers of the Heavens because in this one single place and no where else God is call'd Heaven And though I grant the Jewish Rabbies used the word Shamajim thus making God and the Heavens Synonymous in some places of their Writings yet they do it no where so as there might be occasion for this Mistake Having thus told you what I conceive did not give rise to this Pagan Accusation I will acquaint you what I take to be the true and only occasion of it Here then you must observe that that which is the chief thing in the Jeer is that the Clouds were worshipp'd Nil praeter Nubes c. ãâã adoring of these the Railery arises and the ãâã are but mention'd by the by as being ãâã Place where these Clouds are This being prââsed I offer it as a probable Assertion that ãâã Piece of Pagan Railery was borrow'd from ãâã we often read in Moses's History that God led ãâã Israelites in their Journey from Egypt and throâ the Wilderness by a Cloud that went beâ them To this they often look'd up the Cââduct of this they daily attended to with grâ Reverence the Report of which occasion'd tâ Charge of the Pagans against the Jews that theâ were Cloud-Worshippers This is undeniable ãâã that miraculous Leading of that People by a ãâã could not but be very famous among the Neigâbouring Gentiles who soon communicated ãâã news of it to others that were about them and ãâã this Report came to be frequent in the Mouths ãâã most Pagans And truly when they related thâ the Cloud was adored by the Jews they were ãâã mistaken for it was no other than the Symbol ãâã God's Presence it was a secondary and remoâ Object of their Reverence and Devotion as the Ark and more especially the Mercy-Seat was Only here they shew'd their gross Ignorance in concluding that if the Jews worshipp'd one Cloud they might as well pay the same Respect to another yea to all whence we are told by the Poet that they worshipp'd nothing else but Clouds Though truly I am willing to take this Author iâ another Sense and I will go yet further and offer this to be consider'd viz. whether the wonderful Fire as well as the Cloud which went before the Israelites in their Travels be not here mention'd by this Poet seeing Farnaby in his Notes and others before him acquaint us that this Verse in some Copies is read thus Nil praeter Nubes Coeli lumen adorant Where by Nubes we understand as I have said before the Pillar of the Cloud which was the Israelites Guide in the Day-time and by Coeli lumen the Pillar of Fire or Light which conducted them in the Night It is very likely that this latter reading of the Verse is the truest and accordingly you have a plain and obvious Account of what we undertook to enquire into viz. the Cloud which the Jews were said to worship and of something more namely the Light of Heaven which this Writer saith they shew'd the same regard to which is no other I conceive than that Fiery Pillar which continually appear'd to the Israelites in the Night and directed them in their way and 't is most appositely here call'd Coeli lumen the Light of Heaven according to the very stile of the Old Testament where 't is stiled a Light of Fire Psal. 7â 14. and where we are informed it was set up in the Heavens on purpose by God to give them Light Exod. 13. 21. This I say is the plain Account of this Poetick Passage and I do not see any Objection that lies against it Wherefore I take it to be as notable a Testimony as any we have ârom the Pagan Writers of the Truth of the Mosaick History and other Records of the Old Testament CHAP. V. From the Writings and Practices of Strangers it is ââvident that there were such Jewish Usages and Cââremonies as these viz. The Observation of ãâã Seventh Day Washings and Purifications Paâing of First-fruits and Tithes Abstaining from certain kinds of Food Peculiar Garments for thâ Priests Bearing the Tabernacle and Ark Tâ High-Priest's going once a Year into the Holy of Hâlies Sacrifices with several things that belong'd to them The Mercy-Seat and Oracle The Urim aââ Thummin the Scape-Goat the Water of Iealoâsy the Feast of Tabernacles Nazaritism Vnleâvened Bread Circumcision the Law of Cherem Lots Cities of Refuge New-Moons Iubilee Mysteries and Types Ample Testimonies out of Profane Authors are added concerning Moses VI. THe Mosaick Ceremonies and the prevailing of them as very antient are vouched by the very Practice of the Pagan World To instance in some for it would be too tedious to mention all and first in the dividing of Time into Weeks or Seven Days and the observing a Seventh Day as sacred thus Hesiod called it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Seventh Holy Day because among the Gentiles this was a Day of Solemn Worship set apart for Religious Offices It is observ'd by Lampridiâ of Severus the Emperor that he used to go to the âpitol and frequent the Temples on this Day Yea the very word Sabbath was used by some of them thus Suetonius saith Diogenes the Gramâarian used to hold Disputations at Rhodes on the Sabbaths And from Lucian we learn that the Seventh Day was a Festival
Coasts thereof from two years old and under according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise Men that is according to the time the Star had appeared of which he was particularly informed by the Wise Men. Hânce a Learned Man infeâs that these Eastern Sages came not to visit Christ till two years after he was born But this doth not follow thence for the Star might appear a Year or two before Christ was born and give those Sages an Intimation of some strange thing that was to come to pass and 't is likely that after it had appeared a good while and they were throughly confirmed in their Perswasion that some great thing was to happen as signified by this new and unexpected Luminary in the Heavens they set forwards towards Iudea which they knew was the Scene of the greatest Wonders in the World and they were a long time on their Journy from those remote parts which they left perhaps sometimes making a halt or sometimes going back accordingly as their Apprehensions and Surmises were concerning this new Phoenamenon in the Heavens two Years or thereabout might be spent from the time of the first appearing of this heavenly Light till their arrival at Ierusalem From this we gather that it was of great Continuance such as is never known to be the duration of Comets Some think this new Star appear'd only to the Magi because say they otherwise Herod would not have so diligently enquired of them concerning its appearing for he might have learnt that of his own Subjects But to understand this aright let us observe the words Herod when he had privily call'd the wise Men enquired of them diligently what time the Star appeared i. e. either first what was the time of its usual Rising for it did not appear always night and day Or secondly Perhaps the Inhabitants of Ierusalem and other Iews did not observe it it being no great and large one but these Magi who were skill'd in the Stars and took notice when a new one shew'd it self knew the time of its rising therefore Herod enquired of them Or thirdly He enquired what was the time when the Star began first to appear And that This is the true meaning is evident from what is said in the Sixteenth Verse of this Chapter viz. That Herod slew the Children from two Years old and under according to the time which he had enquired Where you see these two are joined together and answer to one another the Age of the Children and the time since the appearing of the Star Herod had been told by the Wise Men that this had appear'd about Two Years therefore he ordered all Children born within that time to be slain Hence it is plain that the time of the Stars first shewing it self which was in those Regions where the Wise Men inhabited was the thing which Herod made enquiry about and in which he could not be satisfied by his own Subjects But it doth not follow from this that the Star was not seen by them at all nor by Herod himself because his enquiry was not about the present appearing of it but only concerning the time of its first Appearance Besides if it was seen of none but the Magi then it could not be expected it should be taken notice of in the Writings of ââher Pagans but we find that it is taken notice of which is the chief thing I am concern'd in at present The Sibylls in their Verses prophetically speak of it or rather as I have shewed before borrow it from the Old-Testament wherein is Baalam's Prophecy concerning the Star which though it is chiefly meant of Christ himself yet it may not exclude this unusual Star which usher'd him into the World But Virgil who Transcribes the Sibylls Verse applies it in Court-flattery to the Emperor Augustus Ecce Dionoei processit Caesaris astrum After its Appearance it is mentioned by Chalcidius a Platonist in his Comment on Plato's Timaeus where speaking of the wondrous Presages of Stars mentioned in Writers he saith There is another more Holy and Venerable History which tells us of the appearing of a certain Star which did not denounce Diseases and Death but the descent of a God to converse with Mankind which when the Chaldean Sages saw they took it to be the fore-runner of a Deity and they forthwith sought him out and worshipped him This Star is mentioned by Pliny under the name of a Comet So all extraordinary Stars were call'd which appear'd in the latter end of Augustus's Reign and he adds that that one Comet is adored and reverenced all the World over But hear what he saith farther in the same place speaking of the several Species of Comets There is a bright Comet hath appear'd which by reason of its Silver looks was so refulgent that it could scarcely be look'd upon it had the shape of a Man and at the same time shew'd in it the Effigies of a God He might mean the Star which appear'd at Christ's Nativity and which brought the Wise Men to visit him for there might be it is probable a Rumour abroad in Pliny's days that in Augustus's Reign a Comet appeared in Iudea which had the Image of him whom the Christians call'd God Man However they are very strange words which this Writer utters and deserve your Consideration Macrobius an Enemy of Christianity speaks of the coming of the Magi from the East to Ierusalem and Iulian the Apostate confesseth the appearing of a new Star though he trifleth about solving the manner of its appearing This Testimony of our Adversaries is sufficient Again Herod's murdering the Babes of Bethlehem is mention'd by Prophane Writers as well as by the holy Evangelist Mat. 2. 16 Dion in the Life of Octavian Caesar hath left a brief Memorial of it But you will find it recounted more particularly by Macrobius who not only tells us of Herod's killing the Children of Bethlehem but of slaying his own Son It seems this bloody Man had put to death two of his Sons Alexander and Aristobulus before and now his Son Antipater also is dispatched about the time of the slaughter of the Infants and upon the same account and jealousie to secure the Sovereignty of Iudea to his other Sons who were born after he was King for whom he designed it He adds that the Tidings of both that is Herod's killing the Infants of Bethlehem and his own Son together with them being brought to the Emperor Augustus his witty remark or reply was this It is better to be Herod ' s Hog than Son because Herod being as to his Religion a Iew would not have kill'd his Hog Or if it be granted and I shall not be very unwilling to do so that Augustus could not hear of this because Antipater was no Child but grown up in years and was not at Bethlehem when the slaughter of the Children was but was slain five days
Wide Cavity of the Whale which Ionas was taken into in this ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in this Capacious Hollowness was the distressed Prophet lodged three Days and three Nights In this Belly of Hell for so likewise he calls it Chap. 2. 2. and by this Phrase we further see that the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is the word here used by the Septuagint is not properly taken but signifies some Dark Invisible Receptacle he was both tormented and preserved and at last as we read in the Sequel of this History when the Lord spake unto this Fish it vomited out Jonah on the dry Land Chap. 2. 10. which let me observe to you further intimates to us the truth of this Notion which I have presented to you for Vomiting is an Emission of something not out of the Belly but out of the Mouth or Stomach If Ionas had been in the Belly or Entrails of the Fish he had been emitted another way not by Vomition Thus I have briefly given my Conceptions of that Text of Scripture and from the whole it is evident that it speaks of a Whale properly so call'd for our Blessed Saviour positively and expresly determines it to be such and of the Vast Cavity of its Mouth and Iaws which in respect of their huge extension may deserve the Name of a Belly rather than of those Parts I know that the Almighty God who made the Creature at first could afterwards have framed and disposed its Throat or any other Passages as he pleas'd With the greatest Reverence I acknowledg this But if we can solve the Works of God and his Providence in a natural way I think we are obliged to do it and at the same time we adore the God of Nature Although it must be confess'd that if we respect the Power and Soveraignty the Providence and Will of God it might be the Belly of this Fish properly so denominated which was the Place where the Fugitive Prophet was lodged yet seeing Naturalists have given us this Account of the Whale that the Passage of its Throat is so strait that a Man's Body cannot be convey'd through it and seeing we are not sure that God alter'd the Frame and Disposition of this Part and seeing likewise that the Word which the Holy Ghost useth is capable of a double Sense we may be invited on these Considerations to think that it was the Vast Mouth of this Fish which is here meant And truly the Wonderfulness of the Occurrence is not at all hereby abated for to preserve Ionas so long in the Whale's Mouth was as great a Miracle if we consider all things as to preserve him in its Lower Belly Then as for Fowls Birds and Insects there is a great Ambiguity in the Old Testament as to some of these Tsippor is a common Name of all Fowls as in Psal. 104. 17. and other Places but sometimes it is more particularly taken for a Sparrow as in Psal. 102. 7. So in Psal. 84. 3. some certain Species of Birds are signified because the Swallow is mentioned in the same Place Kore 1 Sam. 26. 20. which we translate a Partridg is a Night-raven according to the 70 Interpreters It is a Woodcock or Snipe saith One whom I have often quoted Ajah Lev. 11. 14. Iob 28 7. is rendred in the Septuagint and Vulgar Version and in ours a Vulture but according to Arias Montanus it is varia a vis i. e. a Pie according to others it is a Crow and 't is thought by others to be a Kite But we need not be solicitous to know which of these it is for it is likely we can never attain it or if we could it would be of little Advantage to us for the Sense of these Places of Scripture depends not on our knowing what sort of Animal this or that is Deror Psal. 84. 4. is in our English Translation a Swallow but according to the Greek and Latin it is a Turtle and so Bochart indeavours to prove Kippod which we translate a Bittern Isa. 14. 23. ch 34. 11. is according to R. Solomon a kind of Owl but Luther will have it to be an Eagle Yea some rank it among other Species of Animals for according to the Vulgar Latin and Pagnin it is a Hedg-hog according to R. Kimchi and R. Ioseph a Snail according to others a Beaver Avenarius comes nearest the Truth who tells us it is the Name of a Fowl unknown to us in these Parts But this we are certain of and we need not look any further that it is some Fowl or other Animal that frequents desert and desolate Places because of these the Text speaks So when the Psalmist complains that he is like a Pelican in the Wilderness and like an Owl of the Desart Psal. 102. 6. we need not be inquisitive whether the former word Kaath be rightly translated or whether it should be rendred a Bittern as 't is by Ierom and Bochart nor are we to care whether that latter word Kos certainly signifies that flying Creature which we call an Owl or whether it be an Houp ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Vpupa according to Symmachus or a Night-raven according to the Seventy and St. Ierom or a Falcon according to R. Solomon and Pagnin or a Pelican according to some others I. R. Kimchi was in the right who saith 't is the Name of some unclean Bird not known to us But this is enough that it was some Solitary Creature of the feather'd Order that kept in remote Places because it is said to be an Inhabitant of the Desart and so it is used here to set forth the present Solitude and mournful Condition of the Psalmist Chasidah which we translate a Stork Psal. 104. 17. and Ier. 8. 7. is according to St. Ierom a Kite but the same Word in Iob 39. 13 is rendred by us an Ostrich and so 't is in the Vulgar Latin which shews the Ambiguity of the Word Tachmas Lev. 11. 16. is translated by us a Night-hawk by the Targum the Seventy St. Ierom and Arias Montanus an Owl by the Arabick and Avenarius a Swallow by Bochart an Ostrich The like Disagreement is there in rendring the word Tinshemeth Lev. 11. 18. which we english a Swan but according to Arias Montanus it is Porphyrio according to R. Solomon a Bat according to Bochart a Chameleon Some say 't is a Bittern others an Owl others a Daw. And to let you see the Uncertainty of the Word in the very same Chapter it is reckon'd among the Creeping things ver 30. and is rendreâ a Mole To add one more viz. Anaphah which we render a Heron Lev. 11. 19. but according to the Seventy it is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã according to the Vulgar Latin Charadrios i. e. a Sea-bird call'd by some Icterus It is a Kite say the Talmudists and Targum It is a Ring-dove a Pie a Lapwing a lesser sort of Owl say others It is a Bird call'd ãâã ãâã ãâã
ãâã ãâã Anopaea which perhaps comes from Anapha saith Bochant It is probable that this and several others of those Fowls as well as other Animals mentioned in Lev. 11. and Deut. 14. are not exactly rendred but we cannot tell when they are or when they are not And I do not see there can be any help for this in the World unless you can suppose that some Criticks are infallible This only we can do after a diligent and impartial Search into the different Opinions concerning the Words we may acquiesce in that which we think to be most reasonable Here I will insert something concerning that Passage in 2 Kings 6. 25. The fourth part of a Cab of Doves Dung was sold for five pieces of Silver which refers to a known sort of Fowls but hath been much controverted by Critical Expositors What is the true Import here of Kirjonim which we translate Doves Dung is not easy to determine for some derive the former part of the Word from Charar siccitas calor exustio and others from Chur which hath various Significations as Whiteness a Hole or hollow Place a Paunch Dung And the Talmudists read it Dibjonim because forsooth 't is a modester Word Some think it to be Dung properly so call'd the Execrement of Pigeons but then they much differ about the Use of it Rabbi Ionas one of the chiefest of the Jewish Doctors hath this Concelt that in the time of the Siege they used Doves Dung dried to kindle their Fires this serv'd the People of Samaria instead of Sticks which now were not to be had But this seems to be an extravagant Fancy because besides that 't is questionable whether this could be made serviceable for Fewel the Text speaks of Scarcity and want of Food not of Firing The Famine was so great that not only an Ass's Head but this Kirjonim which was some Edible was sold at an excessive rate Others say they used Doves Dung in the time of the Siege instead of Salt But this is as groundless as the former Opinion for not to dispute whether the thing be practicable or no Persons are not solicitous in a raging Famine for Salt but for Meat Another tells us that it was to dung their Fields within the City that they might have a Harvest at home the ensuing Year if the Siege should last and they were not permitted to go abroad But this is no ways credible for either they had much Ground within the City for that purpose or they had but little The former is wholly improbable for in frequented Cities such as Samaria was their Habitations take up the greatest part of the Place so that there is but little left for Arable And if there was but little it was not worth their Time and Pains to bestow Compost upon it Moreover 't is reasonable to think that those distress'd famiâh'd Creatures were eager about relieving their present Wants but were not concern'd to provide against the ensuing Year Another of the Jewish Rabbies understands this Kirjonim of that which was contained in the Crop or Maw of Pigeons the Corn they had pick'd up in the Fields this saith he was taken out when they return'd back and was eaten for want of better Food But this Rabbi forgot that when the Famine was so grievous and pressing it is likely the Pigeons were seized on in their Houses and not suffer'd to fly abroad Or supposing this latter yet we are to remember that the Fields about Samaria were stripp'd of their Corn at that time and therefore those Animals could not return home with that Prey Others think the Guts and Entrails of Pigeons are meant here by this Word but why they rather than the Garbage of Other Fowls should be mentioned is not accountable Monsieur Bochart the Great Goliah-Critick tells us it signifies none of these but he gives us an Invention of his own viz. that this Kirjonim is a sort of Cicer a Coarse kind of Food but such as the Jews sometimes did eat it is the same he saith with Kali in 2 Sam. 17. 28. and this is the Name that the Arabians give it But this Learned Author may receive a Confutation from that Text it self for if this Kali had been any Coarse contemptible Food 't is not at all probable that the Persons there mentioned would have made a Present of it to King David Questionless they brought of the best Provision to him and this sufficiently appears from the other Gifts which are in the same Place enumerated This Kali is rendred by the Vulgar Latin Polenta and by our Translators parched Corn perhaps parch'd and dried after it had been soak'd in Water and was a kind of an early Essay of Malt. But whatever it was it is evident that it was some Choice Present and therefore this last Interpretation is not to be allowed But what is is very hard to tell I subscribe to this Learned Writer in this that Grain or Corn is here meant But it was not any one particular sort of them nor could it be that Kali before-mentioned Wherefore if I may have leave to give in my Conjecture after all that hath been said it is this that this Kirjonim was the Offals or Refuse of all sorts of Corn and Grain which was wont to be given to Pigeons at such time of the Year when they had nothing abroad to feed on For the Jews tell us that they antiently kept Pigeons in certain Houses and Places built on purpose for them as 't is with us at this Day and there relieved them with Food when there was occasion This Refuse-Grain this TailCorn these Sweepings of the Floor these vile Remains are here call'd Dung by way of Contempt This comports with the Stile of Scripture which uses the word Dung to denote the Baseness and Vileness of a thing and here it is join'd with an Ass's Head which was the Vilest sort of Food and therefore both together do fully express the Extremity of the Famine at that time And also this Vile Dross and Siftings of all kind of Grain might be call'd Dung by them because these being very gross yielded abundant Matter for Excrements This seems to me to be a very plain and obvious Interpretation of the Hebrew Word but let the Reader be Judg. It is certain it can't be meant of Pigeons Dung strictly so call'd for neither humane Excrements nor any others are capable of being Food If we meet with any thing to the contrary as in Isa. 36. 12. 2 Kings 18. 27. it is spoken in an Hyperbolical Strain But no more of this ungrateful Subject Perhaps we have lost the true Meaning of Kirjonim Such Words and Names of things as these which are of no frequent Use by reason of their great Antiquity are forgot and not known by us And this is not peculiar to the Hebrew Tongue alone the very same happens in other Languages which are not so Antient as it were easy to demonstrate Then as to
out of the Book of Iudges but proposed to be inserted there afterwards The plain Answer then is that the Book of the Wars of the Lord is the Book of Iudges together with that of Ioshua where are related the Particulars of the Holy War i. e. the War of the Jews against the Infidels and that in one of these it shall be particularly remembred and recorded what God did in the Red Sea and in the Brooks of Arnon c. and accordingly we find it inserted in the forecited Place in Iudges Thus you see it can't be proved hence that the Church hath lost any Part of the Book of God Another Book said by some to be lost is the Book of Iasher mention'd in Iosh. 10. 13. 2 Sam. 1. 18. But some of the most celebrated Hebrew Doctors say they have found it telling us that it is the Book of Genesis wherein are contain'd the Acts of Abraham Isaac Iacob and other Patriarchs who were by way of Excellence call'd Iasherim Recti Iusti. But surely that Man is easily satisfied who can acquiesce in this Dr. Lightfoot holds the Book of Iasher to be the same with that which I asserted the Book of the Wars of God to be But there is little Foundation for it for though the particular Narrative of the Sun 's standing still be in the Book of Iasher as we learn from the Text yet there is no intimation that all Ioshua's Wars or the Wars of the Israelites were registred there This Book was according to the Excellent Grotius an ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a Triumphal Poem in which ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã was for the Verse sake contracted into ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã But though this be very Ingenious yet it wants solidity and it is not probable that the Word would be twice mention'd i. e. both in the Book of Ioshua and in the 2d Book of Samuel in its Abbreviated Form The Learned Iewish Historian seems to me to bid fairest for Truth who âaith by this Book are to be understood certain Records kept in some safe Place on purpose and afterwards in the Temple giving an Account of what happen'd among the Jews from Year to Year and particularly the Prodigy of the Sun 's standing still and the Directions and Laws about the Vse of the Bow i. e. setting up of Archery and maintaiâing Military Exercises And if it be ask'd why the Title given to these Jewish Annals was the Book of Iasher i. e. Rects this may be rendered as a probable Reason viz. because it was by all Persons reckon'd as a very Faithful and Authentick Account of all those Events and Occurrences which it recorded it was composed with great Vprightnesâ and Truth Thencâ it was commonly known by the Name of Iasher's Book or Chronicle And if you remember that Iasher is translated ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by thâ Seventy in several Places of the Book of Ioâ it will âurther confirm what I say and induce us to believe that Iasher's Book is as much as a True Book a Book that is not counterfeited It was not the Work of any Inspired Person but was of the Nature of Common Civil Annals and consequently we cannot infer hence that any Book properly belonging to the Holy Scripture i. e. that was written by Inspiration of the Holy Ghost is at this Day missing Again some reckon the Acts of Uzziah written by Isaiah the Prophet 2 Chron. 26. 22. in the Cataâogue of such Books of Scripture as are lost But they have little reason to do so for by thoââ Words is plainly meant that Part of the Life and History of that King which we now have in the Prophecy of Isaiah for the first six Chapters are â Relation of what was done in his Days They give an Account of several Passages which belong to the Church and State in that King's Reign And Isaiah is truly said in the foremention'd Place in the Chronicles to have written his Acts first and last because you will find that the Prophecy of Isaiah begins at the Days of Uzziah v. 1. and the sixth Chapter relates what happen'd in the Year that King Uzziah died v. 1. So that something of what was first and last in his Time is here recorded This I look upon as a very substantial and satisfactory Answer to the Scruple about that Place Also some would infer from 1 Chron. 29. 29. that all the Canonical Books of the Bible are not extant at this Day bâcause there is mention of the Book of Samuel the Seer and the Book of Nathan the Prophet and the Book of Gad the Seer in which it is said all David ' s Acts were written But no such Inference can rationally be made only this we gather which is the Solution of the Difficulty that Nathan and Gad as well as Samuel compiled the History that goes under the Name of this last and because it was made by them all three therefore it is represented here as three different Books But the true Account is that those two Books in the Old Testament which bear the Name of Samuel were written partly by him the greatest Part of the first Book relating things that happen'd in his time and partly by Nathan and partly by Gad two eminent Prophets in those Days and who survived Samuel Then as to 2 Chron. 9. 29. where we are told that Solomon's Acts were written not only in the Book Hebr. Dibrim the Words as the Book of Chronicles is call'd the Words of Days of Nathan of which before but in the Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite and in the Visions of Iddo the Seer which last are call'd Midrash the Story or Commentary of the Prophet Iddo Chap. 13. v. 22. And as to 2 Chron. 12. 15. where we read also of this Book of Iddo the Seer and of Shemaiah the Prophet in which it is said Rehoboam's Acts were written the Answer which I give relating to these Books in brief is this that few of them if any are different from those of the Kings but are only a Part of them though they are here spoken of as Distinct Books and that for this reason because that individual Part of the Story viz. concerning Solomon and Rehoboam is quoted which these particular Persons here named wrote You must know then that this Historical Part of the Old Testament was the Work of several Persons it was a Collection made by sundry Prophets and Holy Men as Samuel Nathan Gad Ahijah Iddo Shemaiah and the Books which they wrote are called the Books of Samuel and the Books of the Kings and are generally known by these Names but when those Parts of them which were particucularly inserted and written by Samuel himself or Nathan c. are quoted or referr'd to in the Books of the Chronicles they are mentioned as Distinct Books the meaning of which is that they are Distinct Parts of such a History and wrote by such Particular Persons who altogether made up that
Demosthenes more especially who no less than three times in one Oration uses the Word in this manner and in another place once or twice but I think I have sufficiently establish'd my Notion already by what I have produced You see plainly that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã hath not absolutely a reference to a Benefit or Advantage but that 't is of a large import and signifies in general on the account or for the sake and more especially that it denotes an Impulsive Cause properly so call'd and is used to express those things or Persons that put Men upon Action which was the thing I undertook to make good and I challenge any Man to disprove it I have defended the Signification of the Word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã out of Classical Authors that I might thereby obviate the Scruples of some Inquisitive Persons and give some Satisfaction to the Curious and make my Exposition of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã more clear and demonstrative when 't is seen that it is founded on the Acception of that Preposition not only in the New-Testament but in Prophane Authors and in a Word that I may render my whole Undertaking on that Text the more acceptable to the Learned part of Mankind To this rank of Persons I devote all my Endeavours of this kind but that which I now offer to the World is more especially designed for the Use of younger Students in Sacred Learning such as are Beginners and Candidates in Theology though I am well satisfied that these Critical Researches will âot be useless to those of a higher Character A CATALOGUE of the Difficult Chapters and Verses in Holy Scripture which are Explain'd in this Book being set down in the same Order that they are there mentioned II. CHap. of Daniel Concerning the Image whose Head was of Gold c. Page 9 VII Chap. of Daniel Concerning the Four Beasts p. 10 VIII Chap. of Daniel Concerning the Ram and He-Goat p. 13 XI Gen. 4. Let us make us a Name lest we scattered abroad c. p. 127 XXXVI Gen. 24. This was that Anah that found the Mules in the Wilderness c. p. 147 XV. Judg. 15 16 17 c. Concerning the Iaw-bone of the Ass wherewith Sampson slew a thousand Men. p. 149 XXXVIII Isai. 8. The Sun returned Ten degrees by which degrees it was gone down p. 200 XXXIII Deut. 17. Where Joseph is compared to an Ox or Bullock and why p. 214 II. Luke 1 2. There went out a Decree from Caesar Augustus that all the World should be Taxed p. 352 II. Matth. 2. We have seen his Star in the East Vers. 7. Herod enquired of them diligently what time the Star appeared Vers. 9. The Star which they saw in the East went before them c. Vers. 16. Herod slew all the Children that were in Bethlehem from two Years old and under according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the Wise Men. p. 360 XXIV Matth. The former part which speaks of the Destruction of Ierusalem and the parallel Chapter of St. Luke viz. the XXI p. 394 The Author's Vindication of his Interpretation of 1 Cor. 15. 29. Praef. ERRATA PAge 18. l. 28. for Ahaz read Hezekiah p. 37. l. 15. for end r. erre p. 99. l. 8. dele not p. 151. l. 15. dele not p. 212. l. 30. r. with Ham. and l. 26 27. correct the Hebrew words And do the same in other places p. 227. l. 21. r. unutterable p. 238. l. 11. r. on p. 241. l. 9. r. deus is p. 248. l. 18. r. ex Aetheris l. ult for that r. at other times p. 250. l. 17. r. Martinius p. 255. l. 26. r. tornare p. 334. Marg. Quotations misplaced p. 349. Marg. 3 last lines put Apolog. 2. ad Sen. after the Quotation Sed cum c. And put b before Adv. Gent. p. 363. l. 33. r. other Pagans p. 364. l. 26. r. Silver locks p. 376. l. 11. dele citeth the same testimony and. p. 411. l. 7 10. r. Cedrenus What other Faults have escaped the Reader is desired to Correct Advertisement AN Enquiry into several Remarkable Texts of the Old and New-Testament which contain some difficulty in them With a probable Resolution of them By Iohn Edwards B. D. In Two Volumes in Octavo Sold by I. Robinson I. Everingham and I. Wyat in St. Paul's Church-Yard and Ludgate-street OF THE Truth and Authority OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES CHAP. I. The Internal Testimonies or Arguments to evince the Authority of the Holy Scriptures viz. 1. The Matter of them that is the Sublime Verities the Holy Rules the Accomplish'd Prophecies contain'd in them Vnder which last Topick several particular Predictions chiefly in the Book of Daniel are explain'd and shew'd to be fulfilled Further 't is demonstrated that the foretelling of future Contingences of that nature especially so long before they come to pass could be from God only 2. The Manner of these Writings which is peculiar as to their Simplicity Majesty and their being immediately dictated by the Holy Ghost 3. Their Harmony 4. The particular Illumination of the Spirit I HAVE chosen a very Noble and Important Subject to exercise my Pen and to entertain both my own and the Reader 's Thoughts and Contemplations with for no Book under Heaven can possibly be the Rival of the Holy Bible none in the World can pretend to the transcendent Worth and Excellency of these Sacred Writings Here not only all Natural or Morââ Religion but that also which is Supernatural is fulâly and amply contain'd Here is the Decalogââ written by God himself and transcrib'd out of the Law of Nature besides that there are frequentlâ interspersed in these Writings other choice Rulââ and Precepts of Morality But Supernatural Relâgion being the chief this is the main Subject of thââ Sacred Volume and this you will find partly deâlivered by the Inspired Prophets of the Old Testament and partly by Christ Iesus himself in perâson and by the Evangelists and Apostles in the New Testament Of these Holy Scriptures I am tâ treat which are the Standard of Truth the infallible Rule of Faith and Holiness and the Ground work of all Divinity for this being the Doctrinâ which is according to the Word of God deliver'â in Sacred Writ we must necessarily be acquainted with This and know in the âirst place that it iâ True and make it evident that it is so If aââ Estate be given a Person by Will he must firââ prove that Instrument to be True and Authenticââ before he can challenge any Right to what is demised him in it So it is here God bequeaths us aâ Inheritance i. e. Life and Salvation and Eternaâ Happiness and the Scriptures are as it were the Will and Testament wherein this is plainly exprest and whereby it is conveyed to us Especially thâ Writings of the Evangelists and Apostles deservâ that Name and thence are stiled ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for the Greek word which in its Original
Import signifies a disposing of something is most commoââly applied to such a Disposal as is either by Covenââ or Testament Hence it is sometimes rendred ãâã Covenant and sometimes a Testament especially among the Lawyers the latter Sense prevails and accordingly you will find that a Last Will and Testament is express'd by this word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the Imperial Institutions and other Law-Books translated into Greek We may here join both Senses together for what God hath agreed to by Covenant with Man that Christ bequeaths and gives by Testament Now we must prove both these i. e. we must make it evident that the Covenant and Testament are True before we can receive any Advantage and Benefit from them There is a Necessity of evidencing the Truth of the Scriptures which are this Covenant and this Testament otherwise we can build nothing upon them Here then I. I will evince the Truth and Authority of the Scriptures which is the great Basis of all Theology II. After I have largely insisted on this I will proceed to give you an account of the Nature of the Stile and Phrase of these Holy Books III. I will advance yet farther and demonstrate the Excellency and Perfection of them The Subject of our present Undertaking is the first of these in handling of which I shall but briefly and concisely make use of those Arguments which are commonly insisted upon by Learned Writers till I come to fix upon a Topick which is not commonly yea which is very rarely and by the by used in this Cause and this I will pursue very largely and fully I hope with some Satisfaction to the Reader There are many Arguments to demonstrate the Truth and Authority of the Holy Scriptures and shew that they are worthy to be believed and imbraced by us as the very Word of God Some of these Arguments which are to prove the Truth of these Writings are in common with those that prove the Truth of the Christian Religion on which I shall have occasion to insist at another time but my Design at present is to propound those which are more peculiarly and properly fitted to evince the Truth of the Scriptures And these are either Internal or External The Internal ones I call those which are either in the Scriptures themselves or in Vs. The Characters of Divinity which the Scriptures have in Themselves are either their Matter or the Manner of the writing them I begin with the first the Matter of them and here I will mention only these three Particulars 1. The Sublime Doctrines and Verities which are in Holy Writ In reading this Book we meet with such things as cannot reasonably be thought to come from any but God himself In other Writings which are most applauded the choicest things which entertain our Minds are the excellent Moral Notions and Precepts which they offer to us which are all the Result of Improved Reason and Natural Religion But here are besides these Notices of a peculiar Nature and such as are above our natural Capacity and Invention as the Creation of the World in that Manner as is represented to us in these Writings the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity the Eternal Decrees the Incarnation of Christ the Son of God the Redemption of the World by his Blood the whole Method of Man's Salvation the stupendous Providence of God over his Church in all Ages the Coming of Christ to Judgment and in order to that the raising of all Men out of their Ashes These and several other Doctrines deliver'd in the Sacred Writings cannot be imagined to come from any but God they carry with them the Character of Divinity as being no common and obvious Matters but such as are towring and lofty hidden and abstruse and not likely to be the Product of Humane Wisdom A God is plainly discovered in them for the most Improved Creatures could never have reach'd to this pitch Any serious and thinking Man cannot but discern the peculiar Turn and singular Contrivance of these Mysterious Doctrines which argue them to be Divine We may therefore believe the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles to be the Word of God because of the wonderful Height and Sublimity of those Truths which are contained in them 2. The Exact Purity and Holiness both of Body and Soul of Heart and Life which are enjoin'd in these Writings are another Testimony of their being Divinely Inspired For though some other Books dictate Religion and Piety yet this is certain that all the true and just Measures of them were taken originally from this one Exact Standard which was prior to them all as I shall shew afterwards Besides the Love and Charity the Humility Meekness and all other Vertues which the Scriptures describe to us far exceed the most advantageous Representations the most exalted Ideas which the Heathen Moralists give of them These therefore are emphatically and eminently called by St. Paul the Holy Scriptures 2 Tim. 3. 15. because they breath the most consummate Goodness and Piety and that antecedently to all Writings whatsoever because every thing in them advanceth Holiness and that in Thought Word and Actions The End and Scope of them are to promote Sanctity of Life to make us every way better and even to render us * like God himself The Holy Scripture was intended to set forth the Divine Perfections to display the Heavenly Purity and thereby to commend the Excellency of a holy Life And it is certain that if with sincere and humble Minds we peruse this Book of God we shall find this blessed Result of it it will marvellously instruct us in the Knowledg of the Divine Attributes especially of God's Unspotted Holiness it will tincture our Minds with Religion it will pervade all our Faculties with a Spirit of Godliness and it will thorowly cleanse and sanctify both our Hearts and Lives which proves it to be from God But because I shall have occasion to say more of this when I treat of the Perfection of the Scriptures I will now dismiss it 3. To the Matter of Scripture we must refer the Prophecios and Predictions which are contained in it These I reckon another Internal Argument because they are drawn from what is comprehended in the very Scripture it self What a vast number is there of Prophecies of the Old and New Testament which we find fulfilled and accordingly are Testimonies of the Truth of these Scriptures Here I will a little enlarge and first I will begân with that ancient Prophecy of Noah God shall enlarge Japheth and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem and Canaan shall be his Servant Where are foretold things that happened above two thousand Years afterward for the Posterity of Iapheth viz. the Europeans especially the Greeks and Romans among other Conquests gain'd the possession of Iudea and other Eastern Countries which were the Portion of Shem. Again it was fulfilled thus by Christ's coming and preaching the Gospel and by his
and the Babylonian Power and People and so was composed of three This is the same with the Breast and Arms of Silver in the foregoing Dream The next thing in the Vision is a Panther or Leopard with four Wings and Heads which signifies the Greek Empire with the principal Kingdoms or Satrapies which after Alexander's Death arose out of that Monarchy viz. those of Seleucus King of Syria Antigonus King of the Lesser Asia Cassander King of Greece and Ptolomy King of Egypt The four Wings also signify the Swiftness of Alexander's Conquests and also the speedy Division of his Empire into four Kingdoms This is the same with the Brazen Belly in the preceding Dream Lastly there appears a Beast with ten Horns which is the Roman Empire though I know some interpret this Fourth Beast of the Asiatick Monarchy called by Historians the Regnum Seleudarum or those several lesser Kingdoms which set up upon the breaking of Alexander's Monarchy The ten Horns are ten Kings as is plain from the express Words in the 24th Verse and these say they are Seleucus Nicanor Antiochus Soter Antiochus Theos another Seleucus Ptolomaeus Euergetes a third Seleucus Antiochus Ptolomaeus Philopator Seleucus Philopator Antiochus Epiphanes And the little Horn mentioned ver 8. is say they the last of these ten Others are of opinion that the little Horn that came up among the ten Horns is the Mahometan or Turkish Empire which grew out of the Roman Monarchy or those Territories which were possessed by the Romans and the three Horns it hath seized on are three Parts of the Monarchy viz. Asia Egypt Greece But to unprejudiced Minds it will rather appear that this part of the Vision which speaks of the Fourth Beast and the Little Horn belongs to the Roman Empire for this Vision is but an enlarging on the Dream of the four Metals before spoken of And yet I will grant that this Prophetick Vision may be taken with some Latitude as many of the Prophecies of the Old and New Testament as I shall shew afterwards are to be taken and so Antiochus Epiphanes and Mahomet the one the Scourge of the Jewish Church the other of the Christian may not be excluded here but after a Prophetick manner implied yet so as the Roman Empire and what was to happen in the World in those Dominions are chiefly and principally here meant This is the Beast with ten Horns which are the ten Members or Kingdoms belonging heretofore to the Roman Empire viz. Asia Africa Syria Egypt Italy Spain Greece Gallia Germany Britain This Fourth Beast is the same with the Legs of Iron and Clay spoken of before It is easy and obvious to apply the Character of this last Beast to the Roman Empire It was dreadful and terrible and strong exceedingly it had great Iron Teeth it devoured and brake in pieces and stamped the Residue with the Feet of it and it was diverse from all the Beasts that were before it as you read in ver 7. And again ver 23. The fourth Beast shall be the fourth Kingdom upon Earth which shall be diverse from all Kingdoms and shall devour the whole Earth and shall tread it down and break it in pieces This is a most Graphical Delineation of the Secular Power of Rome and of the Slaughter and Ravage it hath made on the Earth It is farther added that there came up among the Horns another little Horn ver 8. that is a Power distinct from those ten Powers or Kingdoms before mentioned Here then perhaps is meant the Church or Hierarchy of Rome distinct from the Secular Power or ten Kings This is Popery in the most proper Sense the Ecclesiastical and Spiritual Dominion of Rome as it is distinguish'd from the Civil or Temporal one and it is the same with the False Prophet in Rev. 19. 20. How naturally the Character of this Horn is appliable to this Purpose may be seen in the following verâes The eighth Chapter reacheth not so far but yet contains a very notable Prophecy couched in the Vision of a Ram and a He-Goat The Ram with two Horns is as is afterwards interpreted in express Words the Kingdom of Media and Persia The He-Goat is the Greek Empire the notable Horn between his Eyes is Alexander the Great the first Greek Monarch as you find it expresly expounded in ver 21. The rough Goat is the King or Kingdom of Greece and the great Horn that is between his Eyes is the first King It is said he touched not the Ground i. e. he went on swiftly for in twelve Years he did all his Work and in three Battels he vanquish'd Darius and succeeded in his Monarchy Thus he smote the Ram and brake his two Horns and cast him to the Ground ver 7. It was above two hundred Years before this was accomplished that Daniel here foretold and therefore it is a very considerable Prophecy and a very remarkable Proof of the Authority of this Book Hence it was that when Alexander the Great was on his march towards Ierusalem to destroy it Iaddus the High Priest went out to meet him with the Book of Daniel in his Hand which he opened and shewed to that great Monarch and let him see this Place wherein his mighty Atchievements and Glory were foretold Which very thing diverted him from doing that Harm to the Jews which he intended and also made him confident in his Enterprizes against Persia the Conquest of which this Prophecy foretold When this great Horn was broken âour other notable ones came up in its stead v. 8. that is on the Death of Alexander there sprang up these four Kingdoms namely Macedonia Asia Syria Egypt These stood up but not in his Power ver 22. i. e. Alexander's they were much weaker and feebler being divided Out of one of these Horns came forth a little one ver 9. who is afterwards called a King of fierce Countenance ver 23. This is Antiochus Epiphanes who came out of the Syrian Horn by him the daily Sacrifice was taken away and the Place of the Sanctuary was cast down ver 11. He destroyed wonderfully and prospered and practised and destroyed the mighty and the holy People ver 24. This and much more which you read in this Chapter can agree to no Person so well as to that Antiochus who plagued and embarass'd all Syria and miserably shock'd the Holy Land and with unspeakable Rage and Fury persecuted the People of it and deprived them of their Sacrifices and defiled their Altars and spoiled their Temple the celebrated Place of their Worship and cruelly and barbarously put many to death that refused to violate the Law of Moses At last it is said he shall be broken without Hands which plainly signifies the sudden and unexpected Catastrophe of him and his Army which the Jewish History will particularly inform you of I will not particularly insist on the eleventh Chapter of the same Prophet in the beginning of which it is
or Historical and you 'l presently find that the way oâ Expression in them is different from what the Authors of themselves would have used If they had been left to their own Genius they would have delivered things in another Method and Manner than you see them in The Stile of them therefore shews the Author In short had the Scriptures been written in the common way of other Writers this would have disparaged them and we should have had no reason to think that they were Divinely inspired which is the thing I am now proving Nay I will adjoin this that the very Words and Phrases of Scripture were dictated by the Spirit the very particular Expressions and Modes of Speech were under the particular Guidance and Direction of the Holy Ghost I know there are many of a contrary Judgment among whom the worthy Writer whom I last quoted is not the least confident and positively asserts that the Stile and Language of Scripture were not dictated by the Holy Ghost but the Matter only The Words saith he were left to the Writers themselves who as Men of Sense could express their Minds in fit Terms And to prove that the Words were not dictated by the Spirit he urgeth this that Christ and his Apostles quote Places out of the Old Testament as they are translated by the Seventy which is not verbatim Now saith he they would have cited the Passages in the very original Phrases and Words if these had been from Divine Inspiration It is evident therefore that they are not because the Apostles use other Words and Terms far different from those in the Hebrew But this is no valid Argument if you rightly consider it for though the Apostles thought fit for some Reasons which I shall have occasion afterwards to offer to you to make use of the Septuagint Version which is but a Paraphrase in many places on the Original Text yet it doth not follow hence that the very Words of the Original were not dictated by the Holy Ghost Neither our Saviour nor the Evangelists and Apostles do hereby declare that the Hebrew Text was not inspired and that even as to the Phrase and Words but all that we gather from their using of the Greek Translation is this that they found it convenient at that time for Reasons which shall afterwards be alledged to quote some Places as they are rendred by those Translators and not exactly according to the Original This doth not necessarily imply much less prove that the Penmen of the Old Testament were not assisted by the Spirit in the very Words which they used But the contrary is grounded on very good Reason for these Sacred Writings being of a more excellent and transcendent Nature than all others in the World besides it was meet that they should surpass them all in This viz. the Divinity of the very Stile If you grant not this you acknowledg these Writings in one respect at least and that no inconsiderable one to be no better than the common Writings of other Men which certainly cannot but be look'd upon as a great vilifying of the Bible Christ promised his Disciples that when they should be brought before Governours and Kings for his Sake it should be given them what they should speak for as he adds it is not they that speak but the Spirit of their Father that speaketh in them Mat. 10. 19 20. And is it not most reasonable to think that the same Spirit taught the Writers of the Old and New Testament what they should speak and commit to writing and gave them Words to that purpose Especially if you consider that this was a Book which was to last to all Generations in the Church anâ was designed for the use of the Faithful and for the confuting of their Adversaries to the World'â End and accordingly was to be produced upon all Occasions and therefore was to be of an extraordinary Composure and every Word and Syllable was to be from God and the Direction of his Holy Spirit St. Peter assures us that the Writerâ of the Old Testament spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost their Speaking and consequently their Writing because this was according to that was by the special Motion and Influence of the Infallible Spirit therefore their very Words for those are necessarily included in speaking were dictated and directed by the same Spirit And the other Great Apostle tells us indefinitely and absolutely and without any restriction that ãâã Scripture is given by Inspiration of God Now if ãâã the Scripture be by Divine Inspiration it follows that the very Words of it are for the Words and Expressions and manner of Speech are a part of the Scripture wherefore if we grant that the Whole is by Inspiration we must necessarily grant likewise that the Parts of it are for the Parts constitute the Whole We have reason therefore to assert that every Word in Scripture is endited by God and that every Letter and Syllable of it is exact and that there is nothing wanting nothing superfluous no Fault nor Blemish in the Stile and Phraseology of it I cannot but here take notice of the fond Presumption of some of the Iewiââ Rabbies and Masorites who alter some Words and Expressions in Scripture and put others into their place They forsooth in a more modest way as they pretend read instead of Vrine in 2 Kings 18. 27. Isa. 36. 12. the Water of the Feet instead of Shagal they read Shacab in all Texts for Gnapholim Deut. 28. 27. 1 Sam. 5. 6. they read Techorim so in other places where they think some Words are obscene they substitute others in their room These Men would be more modest than the Scripture and more chaste than the Holy Ghost and yet they herein contradict themselves for some of them have said the Hebrew Tongue is called Holy because it hath nothing obscence in it nothing of that nature can be utter'd and express'd in it This we are certain of that there cannot be better and fitter Words than what the Scripture hath for the Spirit endited them all and therefore the Practice of the conceited Rabbies is to be exploded There is not one Iota or the least Apex in Scripture which is put there to no purpose And the same Father as truly saith in another place It speaks nothing in vain nothing by chance And the reason is because All of it Words no less than Matter is dictated and delivered from above by an unerring Spirit Yet I speak not this as if the Sacred Writers of the Bible were so tied up by the Spirit that they cannot or do not make use of their own natural or acquired Skill Though the Words be dictated by the Spirit yet the Penmen might write and speak according to the Improvements they had made in Speech I do not by what I have said exclude the peculiar Eloquence or Strain of the Writers or their using the Helps of their Education
of this Question and let you see by what means the Pagan Writers arrived to a Knowledg though ândeed dark and obscure not only of these Particulars already named but of a great number more which I shall now proceed to add II. The Production of Adam and Eve is attested by the same Persons That the First Man was made of the Earth or the Clay of the Ground is delivered by the most Authentick Authors among them I will not insist upon the constant Opinion and Perswasion of the Athenians who held they were sprung from the Ground they lived on and were not descended from other Nations Which perhaps arose first from the Tradition concerning the making the first Man out of the Earth Plato and several good antient Authors testify that this People of Greece held themselves to be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã i. e. born of the Earth and in memory of this they wore Golden Grashoppers and were called from those Animals Tettigophori because this sort of Creatures is thought and believed to have its Rise from the Earth And there were said to be not only in Attica but in Thessaly and Arcadia some of these Autochthones People that were begot out of the Soil Yea the old Britains our Ancestors were said to be such as Diodorus the Sicilian and Caesar tell us nay seem to believe They were Aborigines i. e. they had their Original from the very Ground they lived on Which Notion as I conceive was either from the Giaââ called Sons of the Earth or from Adam and ãâã who we are certain were formed out of the Earââ These were the true ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the antient Aâârigines born from their own Soil the Earth wâ their Parent This Terrestrial Extraction of tâ First Man is mentioned in several Places by Plâ And Empedocles as Censorinus tell us and ãâã Eleates as Laertius relates held the samâ There is a Passage in Cornelius Tacitus which I ãâã perswaded refers to this for speaking of the Original of the Germans he saith 't is recorded â their antient Annals and Monuments which aâ in Verse that the God Tuit and his Son Mannus born of the Earth were the Founders of that Nation Tuit or Thuet is the same with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Mannus or Man is Adam the first Man for Man in the German Language is Vir who was the Son of God and the reason is here given because he was made by him out of the Earth for I conceive there is a Transposition in the Words i. e. et should be placed before terrâ editum which Words belong to the next viz. filium Mannum Hence it appears that this Notion of Man's Original from the Earth was among the old Germans who derived it first from the Mosaick Records I will at present omit several Quotations out of the Greek Poets who were the first Divines and Philosophers among the Pagans as Orpheus Hesiod Homer who testify this very thing From these the Latins borrowed it as Iuvenal who speaking of the first and antientest People of the World describes their Original thus Compositique luto nullos habuere Parentes Which Words are a plain Reference to Adam's ãâã made of Clay or Earth But Ovid who was âell acquainted with all the antient Notions of the Geâtiles is more clear and open and relates the ãâã Passages in the Mosaick Story concerning the Original of the World and that in Words coming âs near to Moses as may be In the close he tells how Man was made after the Creation of all other things Sanctius his animal mentisque capacius altae Deerat adhuc quod dominari in caetera posset Natus homo est This is Moses exactly Deerat adhue answers to Gen. 2. 5. there was not a Man Quod dominari in caetera posset is the same with what we read in Gen. 1. 26 28. that Man was made to have Domiâon over the Fish of the Sea and over the Fowl of the Air and over every living thing that moveth on the Earth Here are two of the chief things which âre delivered in the beginning of that Sacred History in Genesis viz. that Man was made last of all and to have Rule and Dominion over all the Creatures Sanctius animal excellently expresses that Man was made for Religion ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as Plato calls him or he is stiled Holy because made after God's Likeness which follows presently after Finxit in effigiem moderantum cuncta Deorum The word finxit here is the proper Version of thâ Hebrew Iitzer which is used in Gen. 2. 7. Tâ Lord God formed Man Deorum answers to Elobâ in the plural Number and so Moses introduceâ God speaking Let Vs make Man Vs in the plâ ral In effigiem Deorum is the true Translation of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the Image of God in which Man is said to be created Gen. 1. 27. So that there is another grand Truth which the Pagâ took from the Holy Writings viz. that God created Man after his Likeness or in his own Image Gen. 1. 26 27. Thus you see this Interpreter of the antieâ Theology agrees with Moses yea it is evident without any fanciful straining that he not only took the Things themselves but the very Word and Expressions from the Divine Writings Oâ applies and attributes this Formation of Man â Prometheus the Name certainly of the Wise God for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã with the Greeks from whom â borrowed this is Sapiens Providens Sagax Aâ this Prometheus formed Men of Clay which agree with the Formation of Adam recorded by the Iâ spired Writer Wherefore both Tertullian anâ Lactantius think it reasonable to believe that thâ first Formation and Origine of Man's Body which the fabulous Poets speak of was transmitted from the sacred and inspired Verity and that the thing is the same in both though disguised by the Poets in other Words and Names And when Ovid adds that he took Fire from Heaven to animate his lumpish Clay you must pardon this innocent Addition for as you shall observe all along it is the way of these Men to put in something of their own to disguise the Sacred Stories with their own Inventions and Fables though truly here we are noâ able to interpret this very appositely and to applaud the Poet who knew that dull and inert Matter could not actuate and enliven it self but that there was need of some Heavenly and Divine Principle to set it on work some active Ray of Life from above to inspire it And what is this but the Breath of Life mentioned in Gen. 2. 7. by which Man's Body was enlivened and envigorated for when it is said there that God formed Man out of the Earth it is immediately added He breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life and Man became a living Soul From which manner of Expression Nismath hajim and that other in Gen. 7. 22. Nismath tuach
and Sands of it by Reflection aâ Repercussion of the Sun's Rays give such a Tââ cture or Colour to the Waters but this also ãâã a mere Fancy and hath been confuted by thoââ who have purposely writ of this Particular Sââ viz. that Part of the Ocean on the East whiââ strikes in with a Bay into the Arabian Shores aââ parts Asia from Africa in those Places and â those who have seen it and tell us it differs not froâ other Seas In brief all impartial Writers agrââ that it can't be call'd so from its Red Colour because it hath nothing of that to be seen in it Why then did the Learned Seventy Elders of the Jewâ translate it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Red-Sea The Reasons we may conceive to be these because first the Hebrew word Suph gave some occasion for it it being as I said before that kind of Sea-weed which was used in dying of Cloth with a red Colour and so may be translated red as murex is purple because murex is that Shell ãâã of the Liquor whereof Purple is made But the chief and indeed the only proper Reason for the other was but an Occasion of this Version of the Seventy is this because ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã hath reference to One that was ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã i. e. Red and this was no other than Edom or Esau for in express words the Scripture saith Esau is Edom Gen. 36. 1. âow Edom in Hebrew is the same that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is â Greek whence Philostratus saith Mare Eryâaeum was call'd so from Erythras with whom âgree Strabo Curtius and other Historians who relate that it was named so from Erythraeus a King of that Country or Coast where this Sea is This ârythras or Erythraeus was Esau who was called Edom it signifying the very same with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ââd that for these two Reasons both which are âââigned in Scripture and therefore we cannot âââstion the Truth of them First Because he âas ruddy at his Nativity he came out red Gen. 25. 25. whence you read in the same Verse that âe had his Name Secondly Because he was an âxcessive Admirer and Lover of Red Pottage thus ââis expresly said in the 30th verse Therefore his Name was called Edom because he was so eager ãâã be fed with that red Broth. This Edom gave Deâomination to the Land where he was great and ââled and accordingly it was call'd the Land of Edom Num. 21. 4. and is so in other places and the Sea adjoining to this Land received its Name from him too therefore you find them both join'd together in this place in the Book of Numbers They journied by the way of the Red-Sea to compass the Land of Edom. As we know Seas are denominated from the Persons and People they belong to as the British the German the Indian the Ethiopian Sea so it is here the Red-Sea hath its name from Edom who is Esau i. e. Red who by the Greeks was accordingly stiled Erythras or Erythraeââ which signifies the same Thus these Pagan Nomenclators have left us some Remains of Sacred History in this and other Names that they have impos'd upon Persons and Things The coming forth of the Israelites from Eââ is attested by Berosus Strabo Numenius and ãâã The last of these whom we have quoted bââ as a substantial Witness to the Verity of the ãâã saick History tells us that Moses who led â People out of Egypt stole from the Natives of ãâã Country some of their sacred things which any ãâã may see is founded upon what we read in E ãâ¦ã 31. 21. 12. 25. They went not out empty ãâã took with them Vessels of Gold and Silver and Gâââ ments It is expresly attested by the same P ãâ¦ã Historian that the Jews travell'd in the Deââââ of Arabia and that Moses came to Mount Siâââ with other things relating to their Travels throâââ that Place All which are Authentick Evideâââ of the Truth of Scripture-History Herodotus's Relation of the fiery Flying-Serpâââ in Arabia is a Confirmation of what we meet wiââ in Numb 21. 6. where we are told that the Isrâââ elites were stung and tormented with Fiery âââpents in their Passage through the Wilderneââ As to the Brazen Serpent mention'd in the saââ Chapter whereby the Israelites were healed is may be no far-fetch'd Imagination to think thââ the Magical Images and Sculptures among thâ Heathens especially the Egyptians which tââ Greeks call'd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and the Arabians ãâ¦ã ruptly from the Greek Talisman were Imitati ons of this They were certainly for the saââ purpose viz. to avert Evil and Mischief from Pââââsons therefore Gaffarel thinks these Talisman weââ the same with the Averrunci among the old Romans and some of the old Hebrew Doctors haââ ãâã them the name of Scuta Davidis on the same ââount It is not improbable that the Images of ãâã and Mice which the Philistian Magitians ãâã use of were from the same Original and ãâã the first and earliest Emulations of the Ne ãâã For as to what Leunclavius saith conâââning the later Invention of the Talismans viz. ãâã they were not till Apollonius Tyanaeus's time ãâã that he was the Inventer of them is founded ââolly on their being called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by Iustin Martyr which supposing ãâã wise the Author out of whom he took it not ãâã be spurious imports only this that they were âââpared and used by him not that they were his âvention Some tell us that the Telesmatical âgure of a Stork or Scorpion made under a cerâain Configuration of the Heavens hath driven âway Storks and Scorpions just as the Figure and âimilitude of a Serpent drove away the venomous âiery Serpents and cured those that were stung ãâã them But I need not stay here to shew the âast Dissimilitude between the one and the other ââr the Brazen Serpent set up by Moses was not a âelesme i. e. a Statue or Figure that hath its âower and Efficacy from the Influence of the Stars ââd the Shape of the Thing it self It cured not ãâã Art or Nature but by Divine Institution It âas erected by the immediate Appointment and Direction of God himself and was moreover a Type and Representation of the Cruciâied Jesus âât the Telesmatical Images among the Pagans âere made on purpose to take the Influence of ââe particular Stars and operated as they said ãâã virtue of the Likeness of the Figures to the Things themselves We may more truly say they were acted by some Evil Daemons that desigâââ both to amuse and deceive the World and ãâã make these Telesmatical Preparations serviceââââ as generally they were to superstitious and idolatrous Ends. But that which I am chiefly to âââserve here is this that it is probable these Tââmans of the Pagans were derived at first from thâ Brazen Serpent This is certain that many of theââ Magical Rites were founded on
Ox and Apis an Egyptian word perhaps of the same signification And this is the more credible because the word Apis alone is sometimes used for Serapis Some have thought that Mercury was a Name given by the Pagans to this Ioseph he being Hermes an Interpreter for it is particularly recorded that he Interpreted Dreams Gen. 41. 42 and was a Diviner Gen. 44. 5. whence he was called Zaphnath Paaneah i. e. a Revealer or Interpreter of Secrets Gen. 41. 45. But I rather think these words are better rendred by St. Ierom who tells us he learnt the meaning of them from some that well understood the Egyptian Tongue Salvator Mundi and so they refer to Ioseph's timely Saving that part of the World from perishing by Famine In this sense he was a Saviour and he was for this made a God Thus the Ancient Patriarchs were the Poets Gods the first Fathers whom the Bible speaks of were the Pagan Deities To proceed Moses also was the Person intended by Mercury as is excellently well proved from a numerous company of Circumstances and very naturally and without any forcing by a late Learned French-Man to whom I refer you It hath no less ingenuously been proved by Vosâius and some others that Moses was represented in Liber or Bacchus for they shew out of Pausaâas how it was a Tradition that as soon as Bacchus was Born he was shut up in an Ark and expos'd to the Waters as Moses was Liber was call'd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã so Moses besides the Mother that bore him had Pharaoh's Daughter who took him and nourished him for her own Son Exod. 2. 10. Acts 7. 21. Liber was Fair and Beautiful and excell'd others in Comliness as Diodorus saith and as the Poets represent him semblably Moses was noted for his singular Beauty Exod. 2. 2. Acts 7. 20. and the Iewish Historian tells us the King's Daughter Adopted him because âe was of Divine Shape as well as of a Generous Mind The very same is Recorded by a Pagan Historian which let me observe is a great Confirmation of the Sacred History Orpheus stileth Liber ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which answers to Moses's being Legistator and he attributes to him ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã because of the Two Tables of the Law Moreover Liber is called by the said Poet ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and by Euripides he is named ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which may be occasion'd by a mistaking of those words in Exod. 34. 29. Moses's Face shone which is rendred by the Latin cornuta erat facies sua the Hebrew Karan whence ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã cornu being the ground of that mistake and causing Moses to be Pictured with two Horns Lastly saith Vossius though Moses found not out Wine as Bacchus yet in regard of This too he may have the Name of Liber for he was the Conductor of the Israelites to a Land not only flowing with Milk and Honey but abounding with Wine and he it was that incouraged the faint-hearted Israelites by the sight of that Bunch of Grapes which was the burthen of two Men Numb 13. 20 23. This is the Sum of what Vossius saith This Moses was so eminent and signal a Person and his Actions so well known to the Pagan World that Monsieur Huet thinks and indeavours to prove that he was represented not only by Mercury and Bacchus but by Apollo Aesculapius Pan Priapus Prometheus Ianus and by those Egyptian Deities especially Osiris Apis Serapis Orus Anubis The Neighbouring People of Phoenicia and Egypt could not but hear of Iosuah and his Acts and thence made their Hercules out of him and from them he was sent down to the Greeks who you may be sure would augment the Stories which they heard I say Iosua was the Pagans Hercules for he fought with Giants whose great Stature at first frighted the Israelites In the Land of Canaan which he Conquer'd were the Sons of Anak Men of a vast size Numb 13. 33 34. Bashan more signally is call'd the Land of Giants Deut. 3. 13. Whilst Iosua was fighting with these Canaanitish Giants the Lord cast down great Stones from Heaven upon them The remembrance of which saith Vossius is kept among the Gentiles and applied to Iove assisting Hercules in the very same sort when he grapled with Giants and was put hard to it Samson as well as Iosua was the Greeks Hercules and from the one the History or rather Fable of the other is taken First as Vossius observes the times of both agree Hercules and Samson were Contemporary as appears from comparing the Greek and Jewish accounts of time When these hit together there is a presumption at least Again Hercules slew the Nemaean Lion which answers to what we read of Samson Judg. 14. 5 6. A young Lion roared against him and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him and he rent him as he would have rent a Kid and âe âad nothing in his hand Hercules subdued many Tyrants and Oppressors that is the meaning of Hydra's Centaurs Stymphalides c. Thus Samson was rais'd up on purpose to suppress and vanqâliâ those who had miserably oppress'd and ãâã the Israelites Hercules was sent Captive by Iupiter to Eurysthaeus and put to many Labours to ãâã deem his Freedom so Samson served the Fâââlistines and undertook Great and Wonderful thiâââ for his and his Countrie 's Liberty Hercules wââ of great strength of Body and that Samson was so we have several remarkable Instances Hercules was Eâfeminate and most vilely served Oâphale our Samson was enslaved to a Womaâ and was undone by Dalilah Hercules and Samsââ agree in their Deaths for they were both of them Spontaneous and Voluntary From such shoââ hints as these we may gather that the Fable oâ Hercules one of the Heathen-Gods or Heroes aâ least was meant concerning Samson the Famous Judge of Israel What think you of Ionas's being signified iâ some Circumstances by Hercules who when he returned from Colâhis with the Argonaâtes as Lycophron in his Cassandra tells us was devoured by a great Fish which the Scholiast on that place saith was a Whale And Hercules lay three Days and three Nights without any considerable harm in the Belly of this Whale whence he is call'd by that Poet ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of which the Scholiast gives the true reason because saith he all that time it was as it were Evening with Hercules the Belly of the Fish being Dark and Shady Phâvorinus gives the like account of the foresaid Epithet telling us that all the while he was in the Caverns of the Whale it was Night And both Cyril and Theophylact take notice of the likeness of this Greek Fable of Hercules to the Story of Ionah I will only alledge this one thing more that those Argonautes before mention'd are said âo have Sail'd in the Euxine-Sea which was the very
Abreviature of Iehovah was perhaps used by Moses himself which I gather from what Iosephus saith of the Name Written on the High-Priest's Mitre viz. That it had four Vowels and consisted of four Vowels alone This seems to have been Iova which consists of just so many Vowels though two of them are used as Consonants unless you will say they pronounced I and V. as Vowels thus Ioua We may then reasonably believe that the Name of the Heathens God Iovis came from the corrupt pronouncing or contracting the word Iehovah or which comes nearer to it Iehovih for so you will find it Written in Deut. 3. 24. 9. 26. And that Iovis is of Hebrew Original and derived from the Tetragrammaton is confess'd by Varro who thought that Iovis was first of all the God of the Iews as St. Augustin quotes him And though the Pagans alter'd the Name and made it sometimes exceed and at other times come short of four Letters yet this did not extinguish the sense and notion among some of them that the Original Name was a Tetragrammaton For it is likely that the Pythagoreans ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Number Four by which they used to Swear especially they confirmed the most serious Truths with this Oath was taken from the Iews Tetragrammaton The Excellent Commentator on Pythagoras's Golden Verses and particularly on this passage in them talks at large why God is called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Quaternarius so that it seems the Pythagoreans applied it to God Whence a Learned Antiquary of our own concludes that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã was Iehovah and he conceives that Pythagoras who speaks of it in his Verses had this Mystery of Quaternity from the Hebrews who had in great veneration the Tetragrammaton the Name of God of Four Letters It was easie for this Philosopher who convers'd in his Travels as is acknowledg'd with Hebrews and Chaldees to arrive to the knowledge of this Name Let me suggest this in the next place that since the Name Iehovah was commonly pronounced Adonai by the superstitious Iews it might hence come to pass that this Adonai with a very small change gave the Name to one of the Poetick Gods among the Heathens viz. Adonis To confirm which add what Hesychius saith that Adonis is as much Lord among the Phaenicians He mistakes the Phaenicians for the Hebrews here as is very usual Whence then can we with greater probability think that Name was given to a Pagan God than from its being of so near affinity with Adonai the Name of the True God among the Iews Again Baal-Berith i. e. the Lord of the Covenant was the Name of a God or Idol of the Phaenicians Iudg. 8. 33. Which seems to be an imitation of the Title of the True God who as soon as the Deluge was past made a Covenant with Mankind and after that we find him Covenanting with Abraham and afterward with the whole People of the Iews and frequently in Scripture we see he is making a Covenant with his Servants so that he is the true Baal-Berith the Lord of the Covenant The Phaenicians borrowed this out of the Jewish and Sacred Writings and applied it to one of their Gods whence it was propagated to other Nations and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Foederator the Covenanter was the Title of Iupiter Among the Names which the Gentiles give to their Gods I may reckon ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or Sabazius for it is sometimes Latinised to be one That this was the Name of iupiter especially you read in Strabo Valerius Maximus Apuleius That it was a Title also given to Bacchus is witnessed by others In allusion to this the word Sabos is often heard in the Orgia i. e. the Sacred Rites of Liber as Plutarch acquaints us And from Aristophanes we learn that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã were words of Acclamation and Rejoycing among the Pagans at their Great Solemnities and Festivals Now this Name seems to be of Hebrew Original and refers to the Iudaick Sabbath that Sacred Festival in which God was most solemnly Worshipp'd by that Nation And this Plutarch was sensible of viz. That there was an assinity between ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã before mention'd the word used in the Gentile Festivities especially by those that kept the Bacchanalia and the Iewish Sabbath only in this he err'd not knowing the derivation of the Hebrew word that he thought this was taken from that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã from ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as he expresly saith Or perhaps this Name ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which was given to their false Gods was taken from that of the true one and Iupiter Sabazius is as much as Iehovah Zabaoth which both Isaiah and Ieremiah frequently repeat as the proper Name of God Iehovah Zabaoth the Lord of Hosts is his Name Some have thought the word Tzebaoth is placed here by way of Apposition as if it should be rendred Dominus Sabaoth and thence Ierom reckons Sabaoth among the Names of God But questionless this word is in the Plural Number in regimine and so the true rendering is Lord of Sabaoth i. e. of Hosts Yea you will find the Hebrew word retain'd even in the Greek as if there were something more than ordinarily remarkable in the Hebrew The Pagans who got the sound of this word as very famous among the Hebrews took it by it self for God's Name and thence it is likely framed the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã This shall suffice in brief for a proof of what I undertook that the Names of the God of Israel are applied by the Heathens to their Idol-Gods The Pagans call their Deities by Titles which are given to the True God Iehovah This makes good what I aim'd at that the Heathens had these as well as other things from the Sacred Scriptures and it is certain they could have them from these only which is a proof of the verity and antiquity of those Holy Writings Speaking here of the Heathen-Gods and their Names as borrowed from Scripture it may not be impertinent to observe that even the Title of Gods given by the Pagans to their Kings and Princes was derived from the same inspired Writings I grant that it partly proceeded from their sottish Opinion that they were Gods indeed But it is as true that it might be derived to Prophane Writers from the stile of the Holy Ghost in the Old Testament where Magistrates are called Gods Thus in Exod. 22. 8. the Gods and the Rulers of the People are Synonimous Moses was to Aarââ instead of a God Ex. 4. 16. i. e. according to the Chaldee and Arabick a Iudge or Prince God himself honours the Rulers of the Sanhedrim with the Title of Gods Ps. 82. 6. I have said ye are Gods So in Psalm 138. Gods in the 1st verse are Kings of the Earth in the 4th It might be
observ'd that Elohim and Adonai the usual Names of God himself are attributed to Great Men in the Sacred Writings In short as God is often called King in Scripture so Kings are called Gods and thence the expression is convey'd to the Pagans and frequently used by them Among the Eastern People Melech Moloch and Malcham for these words are indifferently used signifie both God and King And perhaps it was in conformity or relation to this Notion that they commonly inserted the Names of their Gods into those of their Princes though it might be also as a good Omen or for Honour's sake From their Gods I say Princes compound their Names as Belshazar from Bel Nebuchadnezzar Nebuzaradan and Nebonasser from nebo an Assyrian God Evilmerodach from Merodach a Babylonian Godâ and many others Among the Persians we read the Name of God was bestow'd on their Emperours Thus Xerxes was stiled the Persian Iupiter One of the Antiochus's had the Sirname of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã We shall find likewise that other Nations complied with this Notion What if I should say that the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã mention'd by Pythagoras in his Golden Verses are these Terrestrial Gods I am speaking of viz. Great Princes Celebrated Heroes Wise Rulers Divine Men or Earthly Deities Plato tells us in his Politicks that a Good King is like some God chosen out from amongst Men. Princes and Commanders are stiled by Homer ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã born and bred of the Gods But especially among the Romans this sort of Language was common Rome was no less than Heaven and the Emperour was God ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is apply'd to the first Caesar by Strabo The next viz. Augustus is called Deus Caesar by Propertius Edictum Domini Deique nostri is Martial's Language At Rome the Royal Palace was reputed a Temple the Mount Palatine was Sacred and Venerable because the Emperour's Seat was there The Soveraignty of Magistrates approaches next to the Majesty of Heaven saith the Grave and Renowned Oratour And with him agrees the Pithy Moralist who tells us that the People are to look upon their Governours under no other Character than as if the Gods were come down to visit them We may say here as the Philosopher in another Case hic Dii sunt there is a kind of Divinity in Rulers they are Earthly Numen's they are Created and visible Deities And being so stil'd first of all in Scripture the Title hath come down to the Pagan World but hath been infinitely abused Having taken notice of several References in Prophane Authors to express Passages and Usages Recorded in the Old Testament I will here super-add one which I meet with in Martial's Epigrams And I will the rather insist upon it because the place is obscure and hath yielded matter of great Controversie among the Learned The Epigrammatist writes to a Iew and tells him he will not credit what he saith though he Swears by the Temple of Iupiter or of any other Deity Wherefore he puts him upon Swearing by Anchialus Ecce negas jurà sque mihi per templa Tonantis Non credo jura Verpe per Anchialum There have been great disputes about this Anchialus some thinking it to be Sardanapalus's Statue crected in Anchiala a City of Cilicia and there Worshipp'd Of this Opinion is Dom. Calderinus Some taking it for a Man or a Boy some for a City or Town and others for a Beast as Vossius the Elder conceits it refers to the Iews Worshipping an Ass because ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is Asinus But he might as well have understood by this word a Horse or a Man that carries Burthens for that is the import of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or rather ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Besides Angarius and Anchialus are too different in sound to be thought to be the same Wherefore I dismiss this The rest of the Modern Criticks agree in this that the Poet directing this Epigram to a Iew refers to something in use among that People and particularly something mention'd in their Bible for that would make the Jest the more biting as he imagined viz. The Form of Swearing by the True God which is used there But these Authors differ about the Form Ioseph Scaliger derives it from the Hebrew Fountain ãâã i. e. si vivit Deus which was a form of Swearing with the Hebrews hence saith he Martial was mistaken and thought they swore by Ancbialus whereas the Oath was Am chi alah i. e. If God liveth Our Learned Farnaby likes this Criticism very well and hath inserted it into his Notes on this place But by the leave of so Great a Critick there is I conceive something faulty in it For though I am most willing to grant that there is in this place a reference to the Form of Swearing which was used by the Iews in the Old Testament yet I am not forward to assent to this interpretation of the word Anchialum which this Noble Philologist presents us with and that for these Reasons first it is not Am but An that must answer to the beginning of the word Anchialum However this may be born with being an easie change of a Letter Secondly there is no such Hebrew Word as am There is im si but then it should be Imchialum not Anchialum Thirdly Ala is not an usual word for God among the Iews because it is an Arabick not an Hebrew word and 't was never made use of in that Nation and 't is not once mention'd in the Holy Bible wherefore I can't believe they solemnly Swore by it For the same Reason I am apt to reject thââ other solution of this place in Martial which a very Excellent and Choice Writer hath offered Anchidlum or Anchialon saith he is composed of these three words An non Cha vivit and without the Vowel under it Chi and perhaps they might vulgarly pronounce it so and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or alon deus For this saith he is an Oath of a Iew who denies the Crime which he is accus'd of he Swears thus An chi alon i. e. Non vivit deus But I cannot on due Consideration think that this is a true account of this Passage for first Alon was not a Name in use nay perhaps not known among the Iews This Author indeed saith it may be gathered out of Plautus that God's Name was pronounced Alon but we are not to consider what pronunciation the Name had among other People i. e. Foreigners but what was in constant use among the Iewish People for the Poet refers here to that Wherefore there being no such Name among them it could not be used by them in an Oath and consequently it is not here meant when Martial is jesting with the Circumcised Poet. And as for the word Eljon which 't is true is often used in Scripture and of which this Alon seems to be a corruption it
Alah nor Chi Alon nor Chi gnolam but Chi Elohim or Chi El take which you please that is referr'd to here by the Poet for these are the very words used in Scripture and we read that one of them especially is the express form of Swearing among the Hebrews Which is the thing I alledged this passage for viz. To let you see how Pagan Writers have frequent references to the Book of God and particularly the Name of the True God and to the Customs and Usages there spoken of and thereby do in some measure give testimony to the Truth and Reality of those Writings I would offer to the Learned another Notion in prosecution of the Subject I have been so long upon I am of the Opinion that from The frequent mention of Horns in the Old Testament the Heathens borrow'd the like expression and apply'd it in that very sense in which 't is used in those Holy Writings The Hebrew Keren whence the Greek ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Latin Cornu and the German and English Horn signifies Might Strength Fortitude as also Ioy Safety Prosperity whence you read of the Horn of Salvation 2 Sam. 22. 3. Psal. 18. 2. and the exalting lifting up and setting ãâã the Horn 1 Sam. 2. 1. Ps. 75. 4 10. Ps. 89. 17. Ps. 112. 9. Lam. 2. 17. Zach. 1. 21. On the contrary cutting off the Horn signifies debasing degrading a mournful unsafe afflicted Condition ãâã is clear from Ps. 75 10. Ier. 48. 25. Lam. 2. 3. And defiling the Horn is of the same import ãâã 16. 5. From the signification of the Verb Kuran we may be partly confirmed in this sense of the Noun Keren for 't is said of Moses's Face that it shone Ex. 34. 29. it was very Bright and Glorious The vulgar Latin renders it it was Horn'd and thence was said before Moses is âsually Pictured with Horns But we must unâârstand it spoken Metaphorically viz. of those âays or Beams of Light which darted from his face and which were as 't were Horns of Light So in Hab. 3. 4. by Horns is meant Brightness or Light and it is so expresly interpreted in that rerse The Radiency the Splendour of Moses's Face was very great and is rightly called by the Apostle the Glory of his Countenance 2 Cor. 3. 7. So that hence we may gather that the word imports Outward Glory And as this word Keren signifies more generally Power Grandeur Ourward Glory and Prosperity so it more particularly denotes Kingly Power Soveraign Dominiou and Empire the Greatness and Splendor of Crowned Heads Whence by the way I propound it as probable that from the Eastern words Karan and Keren are derived the Greek ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Dominus Imperator and the Latin Corona Thus Horn is applied in 1 Sam. 2. 10. He shall give strength unto his King and exalt the Horn of his Annointed And in the Psalms you will find that this word hath particular reference to David as King Ps. 89. 24. 91. 10. So in Ps. 132. 17. 't is spoken of him as the Lord 's Annointed and 't is joyn'd with a Crown in the next verse In the Book of Daniel this Language is very common in the 7th and 8th Chapters a Horn and Horns signifie Princely Dominion and the Persons that exercis'd it and in the latter of these Chapters those two Horn'd Beasts a Ram and a Goat are Representatives of Kings and Kingdoms It is in express words said in two places Horns are Kings Dan. 7. 24. 8. 7. Now from this particular stile and idiom of the Ancient Holy Book of the Scriptures the Heathen Writers learnt to speak after the same manner Not only in a general way was the word Horn used by some of their Authors to express Vigour Spirit Strength and Power but more especially and signally they makâ use of it to signifie Supream Power and Dignity such as that of their Gods and of their Kings Thus Corniger was the Epithet of Iupiter Hammon and we may inform our selves from several Writers that he was commonly pictured with Horns which had its rise I conceive from the like representation of Great Ones in the Old Testament as you have heard I know other Reasons are alledg'd as that of Servius who thinks this Iupiter had that Title and was represented Horned because of his Winding Oracles because his Answers had as many crooked Turnings as a Ram's Horn. Macrobius and some others tell us that this Hammon was no other than the Sun whose Beams are Cornute whose Rays are in the fashion of Horns If the Moon had been meant then I confess the Epithet of Horned had been very Natural But I don't think that the Metaphorical Horns of the Sun which are its Rays were thought of here by the Antients Wherefore I look upon these as mean and trifling Reasons But the true occasion if I mistake not of their describing Iupiter Hammon with Horns and of representing other Gods as Pan and Bacchus after the same manner was this that they complied with the Stile of the Sacred Writings as was an usual thing with them which set forth Great Power Magnificence and Glory especially Kingly Power and Greatness by the expression of Horns This suited well with their Gods who were Great Folks and generally Deified Kings We read that a Ram and a Goat are Symbols of Regal Strength in the Prophetick Writings in imitation of which it is probable Iupiter Hammon was worshipp'd in Afsrick in the shape of an Image which had partly the proportions of a Ram and partly of a Goat And from the same Original viz. the Holy Scriptures it was that Antiently the Pagan Kings and Monarchs were represented and stiled Horned as we may satisfie our selves from several Authors It is well known that Alexander the Great was called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã bicornis of which some give this Reason because say they of the amplitude of his Empire which was extended to both the extream Horns of the World East and West Others say he would have been thought to be the Son of Iupiter Hammon who was Cornute and accordingly they drew Alexander so And there are other Reasons assign'd by Authors why this Great Conquerour had the denomination of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã but they seem to be far fetch'd and not to give us the true and genuine account of it which I take to be this viz. That this Title was derived to the Gentiles from the frequent Language and Phraseology of the Old Testament which expresses Kingly Power by Horns and more especially from the Prophecy of Daniel where the Grecian Monarchy is deseribed by a He Goat an Horn'd Animal and the first King of that third Monarchy viz. Alexander the Great is signified by Keren Chazuth a Notable Horn Dan. 8. 5. a Great and Visible Horn as the Hebrew word properly signifies And again he is call'd in the same Chapter the Great Horn v. 21. All Interpreters agree in
this that Alexander the Great is meant here although they differ in expounding other parts of the Chapter Hence this Mighty Monarch would in his Pictures and Coins be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã represented as Horn'd yea his choice Horse which he most prized is known by this Character And from this Great Man his Successors learnt to stamp their Coine with Horned Images and Impressions Hence âlexander is called Dulcarnain in the Alcoran by Mabomet which is equivalent to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for that I suppose to be the meaning of that Eastern word And 'till some others give a better Interpretation of Chaucer's at Dulkernoon I presume to say it signifies as much as to be in a âaze to be at ones wits end to be dilemma'd to be push'd at on one side and the other as 't were with a double Horn. So much for that Name given to that Great Monarch of which many Writers have disputed and I have made bold to put in among the rest and to offer my apprehensions concerning that Epithet I refer it to the Old Testament which was not unknown to some of the wisest of the Gentiles who thence borrow'd many Words and Phrases and more Customs and Practices Hence Horns came to be significatâve of Kingly Greatness and Power Hence it was a Custom among the Persians to wear a Rams Head of Gold for a Diadem Hence Attila King of Hunns was pourtray'd with Horns as is to be seen in Ancient Medals And that Horns were a Badge of Regality and Dominion is clear from what we read in Valerius Maximus viz. That when on a sudden Horns were seen to appear on the head of Genitius Cippus as he was going out at the door the Response was that he should be King if he return'd into the City I have now almost finish'd my Task I mean so far as it respects the Old Testament Let me only add this after all That many things in Homer Euripides Sophocles Theognis c. may not only be reduced to but seem to be borrow'd from David's Psalms Solomon's Proverbs the Book of Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus which are but an imitation of these and other parts both of the Canonical and Apocriphal Writings This hath been partly shew'd by some of late but might be carried on much further I do not think every Saying that is like another in Scripture was taken thence That of the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 9. which he takes from Isai. 64. 4. Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither hath it enter'd into the Heart of Man is very like that passage in Empedocles ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã but no Man can think there was any reference to it I do not say that Lucretus's Cedit item retro de terrâ quod fuit ante In terras Et quod missum est Aetheris oris c. was copied out of Solomon Eccles. 12. 7. Toen shall the dust return to the Earth as it was and the Spirit shall return unto God who gave it I know many Sentences may happen to be alike yea the same in Sacred and Prophane Writers The Moral Subject they Treat upon might afford the like matter and words sometimes but in comparing the Hagiographa and those Writings you will find that that there is more than this the Genius of the Stile is the same the manner of Expression the forms of Speech the particular Phrases and proverbial Sayings which had their first rise among the Hebrews are the very same This is excellently shewed by the Learned Hugh Grotius in his Annotations and it plainly discovers whence the Pagan Writers had those things Some of the Prophane Poets borrow'd their strain of Love-Songs and Epithalamiums from Solomon's Canticle Especially Theocritus as Sanctius hath observed from whom the rest learnt that way of Verse hath not a few passages in his Idyllia expresly taken out of that Sacred Song And in that Dialogue of Plato which he entitles Symposium or his Eroticks there are several things which you would guess are allusions to Solomon's Love-Dialogue or Epithalamium And to heap up several particulars together it was said by Solon in his Discourse with Craâsus as both Herodotus and Diogenes Laertius report that the Term of Mans Life is threescore years and ten as if he had had it from the Pen of the Holy Psalmist Psal. 90. 10. The Acclamation or Shout which was used among the Heathens in War when there was an occasion of Joy and Thanksgiving was ãâã which you may eaâily conceive was a corruption of Allelujah Some Chapters and Psalms of the Old Testament are disposed in an Alphabetical Order which gave rise to that sort of Verses call'd Acrosticks Such are the Arguments of Plautus's Comedies and the Elogium of Christ in one of the Sibylls which you will find also in Tully This piece of Wit and Fancy was borrowed from the Holy Writings which were Endicted by the Sacred Spirit And here when I am speaking of the Pagans borrowing from the Hebrews I might even observe to you that the very Greek Alpbabet is taken from them which the Grecians themselves in part confess for they say they had their Letters from the phaniâians who were near Neighbours to the Hebrews and who indeed are usually mistaken for these I will add in the last place that the Old Testament hath left some remains of it in most remoto Countries of the World as China India America as our Modern Travellers will inform us In all these parts there are evident and apparent footsteps of the History of the Bible Mastinius in his History of China acquaints us that the Chineses have Records concerning the Vniversal Flood and that there are among that People several Memorials of the Old Patriarchs and accordingly one hath given us a brief account out of him of Cain Enoch and Noah That in India the footsteps of Mosaick Doctrine remain among the Brachmans is proved by Huetius The highest Mountain of Zeilan an Isle in the East-Indies is call'd by the Inhabitants Adam's Top and there is Adam's Cave where he lamented himself after his Fall The Ceremony of putting their Hands under one another's Thighs when they solemnly Swear to one another of which we read in Gen. 24. 2. 47. 29. is observ'd among some of the Indians at this day The Americans saith ââosta have Traditions of the Deluge and make mention of it in their Discourses And Huetius ââeweth that several Rites and Laws of Moses are observed by them The Antient Patriarchs left behind them remembrances of their Actions even in these places their Memory is still preserv'd and retained in many Names Customs and Practices that are among them The Name Ioseph is often found there and Hallelujah is used in their Songs as Hornius observes The People of Peru report that all their Earth was overwhelm'd with waters and lay cover'd with them a long time that
Men and Women perished excepting only a few that betook themselves to some Vessels of wood and so preserv'd themselves Those of Mexico tell that there were five Suns heretofore that gave light to the World and that the first and oldest of them perished in the waters and at the same time the Men that were upon the Earth were drowned and all things were destroyed And several other such passages the Inhabitants of the New-found-Land received from their Forefathers some of whom perhaps were Iews for Manasseh Ben Israel thinks the Ten Tribes who were carried Captive came into the West-Indies as well as into some parts of China and Tartary and there have left footsteps of old Iudaism But whether these were Relicks or only Apeings of it I will not stand to dispute Thus I have abundantly made good that the Heathens borrowed from Scripture and Inspired Men. Their Priests took their Religious Ceremonies yea their very Gods their Poets took their Fables their Historians their more serious Narratives their Philosophers their Notions and Opinions their Common People their Words and Phrases their Usages and Customs from the Writings of the Old Testament and the Doctrine Rites and Practices of the Iews therein Recorded So that it is evident that Pagans bear Testimony to the Contents of the Old Testament and that Prophane Writers attest the Truth and Authority of those Sacred Writings If any Object that I have shewed my self arbitrary and lavish in some of the Derivations of Words which I have offered and that there is not sufficient ground for the Etymological part of my Discourse I briâfly Answer I have purposely and industriously all along taken care to avoid this imputation For I have sometimes taken notice of and been ashamed of the great Extravagancâ of some Writers in this very point Thus Calepine derives Canis à Canendo as if Barking and Singing were the same thing One derives Scribo from ãâã and labours to make it out Such an Extravagant Etymologizer is Avenarius in his Hebrew Lexicon who fetches ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã from Mashal dominatus est and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã from Tsaniph and Scorpio from Gnacrab which is the Hebrew Name of that Animal Yea he deduces Turk from Kedar by a Metathesis And Monsieur Bochart is not far behind him for he is oftentimes very bold and presuming in his Etymologies he making it his business to fetch all from the Phaenician Tongue which to accomplish he makes any thing out of any thing I have not ventured to Etymologize after the rate of these Men though they are all of them very Learned Heads but I have with singular care throughout my whole undertaking endeavour'd to preserve the Honour of Grammar and Criticism which so many have violated and not to put off the Reader with far fetch'd Derivations of Words and Names without observing the due Laws of deducing and forming them I have never presumed to derive one word from another where there was not a fair Grammatical Analogy between them and some agreement in their sound and some considerable probability of their being nearly allied to one another In the next place if any Object that I have gathered many things from the mere sound and likeness of words which is an uncertain and Arbitrary thing and there is no conclusion to be made thence I Answer it is true the sole Affinity of words is no firm and undeniable Argument of their Origination The significations of words in different Languages may sometimes be coincident yet we are not certain thence of their Derivation This I am most ready to grant nay farther that it is folly to derive one word from another meerly because of the likeness of them as if because the Pentateuch is divided into Parashah's therefore we must derive Parishes from thence they being such a part of a City or Town set out as divided and separated from the rest You may as well derive Montgomery from Gomer and say it is the Montanous Country where Gomer Lived Who thinks that the English word Evil comes from the Hebrew Evil a Fool It would be ridiculously quibbling to fetch the Proverbial Saying As lean as a Rake from the Hebrew Raââ tenuis macer gracilis fuit or to make a bad one in English to have assinity with Abaddon It would be yet more intolerably ridiculous and might be look'd upon as a School-Boy's pun to derive a High-Man from one of the three Giants call'd Ahiman Wherefore I do not contend that all accidental likenesses in words are a foundation to ground Etymologies and Derivations upon I know some are very foolish and trifling here they find such and such words in different Tongues agreeing in sound and thence they infer they are akin if they can but make out any kind of resemblance in their signification If the Hebrew word bad which hath many significations had one like the English bad they would presently say that this came from that If Siccus had been of the same signification with Aegrotus we should have said the English word Sick was thence If ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã had signified any thing like Caelum or Aether we should have derived Skie thence If ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã had been as much as imperare gubernare some would conclude regnum to be derived from it And* several other words I could instance in which you shall find in another place I grant then that there is a great deal of uncertainty in Etymologies and we are not to lay any huge stress upon them But though this be true yet where we find there is agreat probability that words are related to one another where there is good ground for it we are to take notice of it Though there be in Goropius Bâchanââ and some others before mention'd many frivolouâ Etymologies and fanciful Derivations yet this hath not made Wise Men disregard the Alliance and Cognation which are between words especially between the Hebrew and other words Thus it is most probable that the following Greek Latin English and French ones are derived from the Hebrew Greek ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Mysterium Lat. Uro Mensura Gibbosus Engl. Fig. Dumb. Cable French Harasser and English Harasse From. Mister idem Ur ignis Mesurah idem Gibben idem Fag ficus Dum siluit obmutuit Chebel funis Haras diruit destruxit I cannot peremptorily aver that these are of Hebrew Original but no Man alive is able positively to assert the contrary Yea there are many words in the Derivation of which all generally agree few or none deny or so much as doubt that the Latin Gubernare and the English ãâã Govern are from the Greek ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and all of them from the Hebrew Gabar Gubernavit vicit Tââer from Turris and both from Tur Syriak the same Camel and Camelus and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã from ãâã the same Tornace to Turn from ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and that from Tor ordo
Rome which Nero laid to their Charge saith the Emperor inflicted the most exquisite Punishments on those Peâsons who being detestable for their Villanies were commonly called Christians from the Author of that Name Christ. Here this Historian expresly sets down the Name that these Persons were known by and His Name fâom whom they took it This was Christ though as we leaân from Lactantius this Name was sometimes a little altered for by changing of a Letter they pronounc'd it Chrest Thus we read in Suetonius that Claudius banished the Iews from Rome because they were always raising Tumults by the Instigation of one Chrestus The Learned Usher indeed is of Opinion that here is not meant Christ our Lord but some other whose true and right name was Chrestus But with Honor first paid to that great and justly admired Antiquary it is more likely that Christ our Saviour is here meant because Lactantius as you have heard tells us he was called Chrestus and because it is clear from Tertullian that the Christians were called Chrestiani and so Iustin Martyr informs us that the Christians were call'd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã yea he seems to say that the Gentiles did not give them a wrong Name when they call'd them so for they were truly ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã very Good-natur'd Sweet and Benign Persons But questionless it was a mistake in the Pagans and the Historian above-mentioned was guilty of it Some think he mistook not only our Lord's Name but the time of this Fact which he mentions imagining that Christ lived in the Reign of Claudius but this was too gross an oveâ sight for so knowing an Historian especially he living so near our Saviour's Time But to understand this Author aâight we must know that it was common with the Pagan Writers to confound the Names of the Iews and the Christians and to say that of one which appertain'd to the other nor is it a Wonder that Christians for a time were called Iews because the first Christians were of the Iewish Nation Accordingly by the Iews here who he saith were expell'd out of Rome are meant Christians who were lookt upon by the Gentiles as Seditious and Tumultuous Persons because their Master and Founder was reckoned such a one And so when this Writer saith they raised Tumults impulsore Chresto the meaning is they were set on by His Example He though dead had a great Influence upon them and stirred them up to do what they did Or if you will understand Iews here in the strictest Sense viz. such as profess Iudaism then it may refer to Theudas's Insurrection who though he was an Egyptian as some gather from Acts 21. 38. yet he headed the Mutinous Iews which gave just occasion to the Emperor to banish all of that Nation and Religion from Rome And because as I have said the name of Iews and Christians was promiscuous among the Gentiles thence Chrestus i. e. Christ is said to be their Ringleader and Impulsor Pliny the Younger mentions the Christians and Christ by name for he tells the Emperor that some that were brought before him upon Suspition of being Christians were found to be Persons of another Perswasion for upon his Sollicitation they refused not to Curse Christ. This was the Appellation he was known by to the Gentile Historians and this is the very Title which the New-Testament so often giveth him Thus far then the Pagans bear witness to the Gospel But from the Name I pass to the Person and his Actions and most of the great and notable Circumstances which accompanied his Birth Life and Death First we will speak of those four remarkable things which attended his Birth namely the Particular Time of it the General Tax the Wonderful Star and the Murdering of the Infants of Bethlehem First Those known Adversaries of Christianity the Iews and Gentiles testifie that Christ was to come at that very Time when he came It was the universally receiv'd Tradition of Elias that after four Thousand Years the Messias should be born for though that Celebrated Saying or Prophecy in the Talmud of Two thousand Years before the Law and two Thousand after it be not exactly true for there were about Two Thousand five Hundred Years from the Creation to the Law and from the giving of the Law to Christ there were not above Sixteen or Seventeen Hundred Years yet the Prophecy may be made use of to convince the Iews that the Messias is come and it is a plain Indication of the Time when he was expected by them even that Time when he blesâed the World with his Presence on Earth Hence it is that when Christ was brought to Ierusalem to be offered in the Temple as soon as Simeon beheld him he forthwith acknowledged him and cried out Mine Eyes have seen thy Salvation This is that Simeon to whom the Iewish Doctors had reference when they said The Disciples of Hillel shall not fail till the Messias cometh for this Simeon called the Iust was one of the chief of those Disciples Rabbi Hakiba the Wisest of all the Talmudical Doctors interprets those words of Haggai The Desire of all Nations shall come of the Messias and it is confessed by all the Learned Iews that he was ardently desired and expected not only by that People but by all Nations just at that time when our Saviour came for this was the Great Lord of the World who was then lookt for by the Gentiles out of the East this was that Universal Monarch who was expected to rise out of Iury of whom I spoke before This was no other than the Messias the Christ whom all the World longed for at that time by a geneâal Consent and that was the fulness of Time spoken of by the Apostle that blessed Time when the Son of God was born of a Woman So that the holy Records of the Gospel and those of Pagans agree in this Another Ciâcumstance of Christ's Birth which the New Testament takes notice of is the Tax that was made by the appointment of the Emperor Augustus and this also is recorded by the Gentile Writers which is a Confirmation of the Truth of the Evangelical History It came to pass in those days saith St. Luke that there went out a Decree from Caesar Augustus that all the World should ãâã Taxed or Enrolled as the Greek Word properly denoteth This was no Mony-Tax but only a setting down or Enrolling of every Person according to his Quality Age and Station in the Place where he was It was a taking in Writing the Names of every individual Man it was a numbring the People and Registring the true value of their Estates Incomes and Revenues and way of getting their Livelihood A late Writer ãâã of Opinion that the design of this Census was to know the number of Soldiers and what âighting Men Iudaea afforded whence it is saith he that Prophane Writers say not any
thing of it it being not considerable But he forgot that the Virgin Mary went to Bethlehem with her Babe to be Enrolled there Or rather he did not forget this for he makes mention of it afterwards but he considered not that Women and Children are not âsually listed for Soldiers It is more agreeable âhen to Reason and Truth to assert that this Decree of Augustus was for the purpose afore-mentiâned namely that he might have a particular âccount of the Number and Quality of all his âubjects The Emperor had Precedents among the old Roman Kings for this for Plutarch tells us âhat Numa Pompilius and Florus relates how Sârviâs Tullius took an Account of the Age Family Patrimony and Offices of the Râmans digesting them into particular Classes and setting them down in the Censual Tables Augustus by such a Census as this knew the Strength of his Empire and what the Riches of the People werein the several Provinces and so when there should be occasion for a Subsidy he could take his measures hence For tho this Tax which St. Luke mentions be not a Pecuniary one yet it was in order to it This Registring this Enrolling of every Person was to this purpose that they might more easily be taxed or sessed by the Head And whereas it is said all the World was Taxed or Enrolled it is to be restrained though not to Iudaea only as some imagine yet to the Roman Empire All that were under the Dominion of the Roman Empire at that time were book'd and registred to the purpose aforesaid This being a thing so well known we may expect that the Pagan History as well as that of the Gospel should take notice of it and accordingly we find Dio Iosephus and Tacitus making mention of it I know some are unwilling to grant that it is the same Tax mentioned by St. Luke because it is said this Taxing was first made when Cyrenius was Governor of Syria Chap. 2. v. 2. Now it is Recorded by Iosephus and others that Quintilius Varus not Cyrenius was President of Syria at that time of Christ's Birth and the same Authors relate that Augustus taxed the Empire in that President 's time How then can they speak of the same Taxing which St. Luke Records And Moreover as for Cyrenius he was according to Iosephus commissioned by the Emperor to make a Tax not about the time of Christ's Birth but a good while after Whence it follows that Augustus's Taxing of the World or ordering Cyrenius to manage it which is mention'd by the Evangelist is different from that Tax which the foresaid Writers speak of Some answer the first Difficulty thus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is put for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Cyrenius for Quintillius Varus by the neglect and fault of the Transcriber This is the Opinion of Steuberus in his Preface before Helvicus's Tables and also of Ludovicus Capellus But this is an ill way of solving the Difficulty because it disparageth the Holy Text and argueth it to be corrupted If we admit of thâse over-sights and mistakes of the Transcribers we must impeach the S. Scriptures of Error Therefore the true Answer is this That Quintilius Varus was the ordinary President of Syria he was the Governor Residentiary but Cyreâius or Quirinus or Quirinius as he is call'd by Tacitus and Suetonius was the Governor Extraordinary that is he was sent thither by Auguâstus to make a general Tax there Not that he âas the settled Ruler of that Province but was onây appointed at that time to take care of that buââness and afterwards upon Varus's Death he âas made President in ordinary of Syria This I conceive is the true reconciling of this Passage of St. Luke with what you read in Prophane Authors It is rightly said that Cyrenius was Governor of Syria because he went with extraordinary Power from the Emperor to govern and preside in that particular Affair This amounts in a manner to what Drusius and Petavius say in this Case viz. That Varus and Cyrenius were join'd in the Work or one began it and the other carried it on and âânished it And then as to what is said concerning the disagreeing of St. Luke and the Iewish Historians about the time of Cyrenius's Taxing which the former saith was in the Year when Christ was born but the latter nine Years after Herod's Death in the Reign of Archelaus I conceive this differrence betwixt them is easily adjusted Which is done not by Distinguishing between the Taxes as some tell us long Stories of a two-fold Tax one under Augustus without any Exaction of Tribute the other under the same Emperor but with gathering of it in the first Christ was born but the other was a considerable time after St. Luke speaks of one say they and Iosephus of the other and so they are different Taxes and thus there is an end of the Controversie I do not deny that there were two Taxes under Augustus for Dion as well as Iosephus affirms this nay Suetonius lâts us know that this Emperor caused a Census of the Roman Empire to be made thrice That he did it more than once is implied in that the Evangelist calls this Taxing under Cyrenius the First for I do not attend to those who think that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is as much as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or that the Preposition ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is omitted by an Elipsis so that it should be thus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã before he was President or Governor and then the meaning is that this Tax was before Cyrenius was President which is a plain perverting of the Grammar and Sense of the words and therefore not to be regarded It is called the first because it was the first that was under Cyrenius That is plain but this is that which I assert moreover that they are not different Taxes which are spoken of by St. Luke and the Iewish Historian but they are the same only the Inspired Writer relates it barely but the other with some additional Circumstances They may seem to differ because one is called an Enrolling and the other is represented as a Mony-Tax but if you consider that one was in order to the other that the taking Mens Names was but a preparative to the actual levying of Tribute you will soon apprehend the Mistake in the fore-mention'd Historian and see that he speaks of the very same thing Nay though he represents it in part as a pecuniary Census yet you will find it call'd by him ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the same word which the Evangelist useth Or if they seem to differ as to time yet they may be the same notwithstanding that for it hath been observed by Baronius and several Learned Criticks that Iosephus is often faulty as to the Timing of things and so he is here and by that means confounds one thing with another but to a considerate Enquirer it is evident that
or spiritual Sense of Scripture is according to some threefold 1. Tropological when one thing delivered in Scripture signifies some other thing pertaining to the Conversation of Men. Thus those Texts of the Mosaick Law wherein is forbidden the eating of certain Animals have partly respect unto the Manners of Persons Both Jewish and Christian Expositors have thought that it was designed in those Prohibitions that some moral Instruction should be taught that People from the Consideration of the natural Inclinations and Qualities of those Creatures 2. There is an Allegorical Sense when things spoken of in the Old Testament are Figures of something in the New or when particularly they have a respect to Christ or the Church Militant as the Rock and the Manna mentioned in Moses's History of the Israelites 3. An Anagogical Sense is said to be in some Places of Scripture and this is when the things related are applicable to the Church Triumphant or the Life everlasting Thus the entring into Canaan and the Holy of Holies in the Temple in the highest Sense of them are meant of Heaven and the State of Eternal Happiness But because there is a great quarrelling about the applying of this triple Distinction to the several Passages in Scripture which are said to bear a mystical meaning and because some learned Divines of the Protestant Perswasion disallow of this Distribution of the mystical Sense of Scripture I will avoid all wrangling by assigning only those two general Senses of Scripture viz. the literal and mystical and by leaving it to every one's Liberty either to omit the particular Subdivisions of the latter or to apply them as they see occasion Or rather if I may be permitted to vary from this received Division of the Sense of Scripture I would divide it thus into a primary and a secondary Sense the former is literal the latter is âystical and yet not so but that sometimes as you shall see afterwards the secondary Sense is literal too for there are two literal or historical Meanings in some Places but the latter of them may be called mystical also because it is not so plainly understood as the other The literal Sense of Scripture is the main and indeed the only Sense of the greatest part of it for some particular Places only have a mystical Signification This is the most genuine proper and original meaning and therefore I call it the first or primary one But the mystical Sense is derivative improper indirect and not that which was first and chiefly design'd and therefore I call it the secondary Sense The former of these is that plain meaning of Scripture which the bare Letter and Words themselves denote to us The latter is when some other thing is signified in the Words besides what the Letter of them seems to import The one is obvious and lies uppermost in the Text and is the soonest perceived but the other is more remote and lies deep and is not so easily discovered but is of great Use and Moment yea generally of greater than the other more familiar and obvious meaning wherefore it is our Concern to acquaint our selves with it The Bible like that Book in Ezekiel ch 2. 10. is written within and without it hath an inward secret and mystical Signification as well as one that is external open and literal and we can never arrive to a true Understanding of this Holy Book unless we have some Insight into both I will instance first in the Writings of the Old Testament and shew that there is a secondary or mystical Sense lodged in several Passages of them Indeed the holy Language it self in which these were wrote is big with Mysteries I have observed that there are more Words in this Tongue that signify to hide or conceal than in any other Language whatsoever There are a hundred synonymous Words at least for this one thing Whether this Criticism have any Weight in it or no I shall not be much concern'd but this is unquestionable that many great Mysteries are wrapp'd up in this abstruse Tongue in the holy Volume The Jews who were conversant in these Writings acknowledg'd there was not only a literal but a mystical Interpretation of them which latter they called Midrash because there was no attaining to it but by a diligent Inquisition The Hebrew Doctors say in a proverbial manner there is not a single Letter in the whole Law on which there do not depend great Mountains Their meaning is that there are vast Mysteries and profound Sense in every Word almost in the Sacred Writings Which is the meaning of another Adage of theirs viz. that the Law hath seventy Faces It hath many various Aspects different Significations and Senses for there are mystical as well as literal Interpretations of the holy Text. Thus the Entrance of the Bible the Beginning of the Book of Genesis though it be historical and sets down Matter of Fact as the wonderful Creation of the Heavens and Earth and of Man and the rest of the Inhabitants of this lower World yet it was thought by the wisest Jews that there was a farther Reach in it and that both Moral and Divine Mysteries were couch'd in the several Particulars of that Narrative which Moses gives there of the Origine of the World for which Reason this first Entrance into the Pentateuch was forhad to be read by the Jews till they were thirty Years of Age. It is agreed among the best Expositors that in those Words in Gen. 3. 14 15. The Lord said unto the Serpent I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy Seed and her Seed Besides the primary or literal Sense viz. that there shall be an irreconcilable Enmity between Mankind and the Serpentine Brood and that Man having an Antipathy against that Creature shall labour to destroy it by âruising his Head because there his Venom lies whereby he doth harm and the Head is to be first attack'd if we would destroy this mischievous Creature as Iosephus gives the Sense of this Place Besides this I say there is another for Satan is meant by the Serpent as well as the Creature of that Name for Satan appeared in the Shape of a Serpent or rather actuated a living Serpent and Christ is meant by the Seed of the Woman for he is emphatically and exclusively call'd so because he was not the Seed of Man but was after an extraordinary manner born of a Virgin So that this Text is justly stiled ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the first Dawning of the Gospel or the most early Promise concerning the blessed Messias the Christ the Lamb of God that was to take away the Sins of the World So likewise we are certain from the Authority of the Apostle in Heb. 7. 1 c. that what is said in Gen. 14. 18. of Melohisedek King of Salem Priest of the most High God is not only literally spoken but ought to be understood in a higher and
Christ into Heaven as it is expounded by that infallible Interpreter Ephes. 4. 8. Wherefore he saith When he ascended up on high he led Captivity captive and gave Gifts unto Men which refers to the abovesaid Psalm but is applied to Christ's Ascension by the Apostle here The 45th Psalm is originally a Song of Loves an Epithalamium on the Nuptials of King Solomon and the King of Egypt's Daughter but in a remote and mystical Sense it is meant of the Majesty and Glory of Christ's Kingdom and the admirable Benefits which accrue to the Church in the Times of the Gospel And many other Psalms might be produced wherein the double Sense before-mentioned is clearly to be discerned To proceed Though the whole Book of Canticles be in its literal Capacity no other than Solomon's Wedding-song yet it is to be look'd upon in the more sublime Acception of it as a Dialogue between Christ and his Church setting forth all those divine Amours which are mutually experienc'd by them And that this Part of Holy Scripture called the Song of Solomon is of a higher Strain than the bare Letter imports and that it contains great Mysteries and Abstrusities in it may be gathered from that extraordinary Reverence which the Jews paid to this Book For Origen tells us that this as well as the Beginning of Genesis was not permitted to be read by them till they had attain'd to some Maturity of Years I come next to the Evangelical Prophet Isaiah who hath many things concerning Christ and his spiritual Kingdom or Church but it is to be acknowledged that some of them in the first and literal Sense may and ought to be interpreted otherwise Yea the learned Grotius and Hammond are of the Opinion that that famous Prophecy in Isa. 7. 14. Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call âis Name Immanuel hath a double Sense The Words literally and primarily respect a strange and wonderful Birth in those very Days Secondarily and mystically they are spoken of the Messias who was to be born miraculously of a Virgin Whether this Opinion be true or no we are certain that there is a mystical Meaning to be added to the literal or rather as I said before it might be more expressive to say a secondary Meaning is added to the primary one in sundry Passages which we meet with not only in this Prophet but in Ieremiaâ and Ezekiel Concerning the former of these the Jewish Historian hath these Words Ieremiah saith he in his Book foretold the Captivity which the Israelites were to undergo in Babylon which was just then approaching and also the Slaughter and Destruction which we of this Age have seen There was a twofold Sense according to this learned Writer in some of this Prophet's Predictions Yea there was a double literal or historical Sense which was the thing that I asserted before Whence you see I had reason to make the Distinction of a first and a second Meaning of Scripture rather than of a literal and a mystical though I bring the mystical Meaning when there is such an one under the second As to the latter of these Prophets when we find him relating strange things acted in Visions and Dreams which are things only imaginary and represented to the Fancy we must not think them true in a strict literal Sense for they are only or most commonly done in Appearance and many times will not admit of a real Performance as they are related and described But we are to look upon them as Enigmatical Representations and to fix only a mystical Sense upon them that is to understand them as signiâicative of some greater and higher thing than they represent in themselves Which may be one Reason why among the Jews those that had not arrived to some considerable Age were not allowed to read the Beginning and End of the Prophecy of Ezekiel in which Parts chiefly those more mystical Visions are inserted I might pass to the other Prophets and mention some Places in which we must needs acknowledg a secondary Meaning as in that of Daniel chap. 9. 27. For the overspreading of Abominations or with the Wing or Army of Abominations he shall make it desolate which was meant without doubt of Antiochus's desolating Armies which were so abominable to the Jews and who as we read set up the Abomination of Desolation upon the Altar But yet our Saviour himself the best Expositor of the Place le ts us know that this was meant also in a prophetical and secondary way of the Roman Armies that sat down before Ierusalem and after a long Siege made their way into the City and Temple and so might be said to stand in the holy Place When ye shall see the Abomination of Desolation saith he spoken of by Daniel the Prophet stand in the holy Place then c. It is manifest therefore that Daniel spoke of both these destroying Armies His Words are to be taken in a twofold Sense a primary and secondary one In the former they speak of what happen'd to the Jews when Antiochus's Army invaded them In the latter they speak of what befel them when Titus Vespasian came against them and destroyed their City and Nation This is the double Sense and therefore you may observe what our Saviour inserts Whoso readeth let him understand As much as to say when you read that Passage in the Prophet Daniel you are to understand something more than ordinary in it you must take notice of a hidden Sense in those Words they speak not only of what was to come to pass in Antiochus's but in Vespasian's Reign which was about 250 Years after The abominable desolating Armies of both are here meant You see then here is a double literal Sense and that was the Reason why I chose rather the Division of the Scripture-Sense into primary and secondary and of this latter into historical and mystical than that received one of literal and mystical because both the Sense sometimes may be literal This ought to be carefully observed by all those who are desirous to attain to a right Understanding of the Holy Scriptures And it is the want of attending to this that hath often hindred Mens due Apprehensions of several Texts We see here in the Instance before us that the Letter of this Text in Daniel may be applied both to the Syrian and the Roman Armies I might produce those Words in the Prophecy of Hosea Out of Egypt have I called my Son ch 11. 1. Which are to be understood not only of the Patriarchs of old God's Children or Sons being brought by God out of Egypt but of Christ the Son of God call'd out thence after the Death of Herod Matth. 2. 15. This Place of Hosea must be understood of both Hither may be referred some other Places of the Old Testament made use of in the New where it is said This was done that it might be fulfilled which was
excellent Philosophy in several Places of Holy Scripture yet these Writings were never intended mainly for this End but for one far higher and nobler Hence it is that you hear the Holy Writers speaking sometimes not according to the very Nature of the things but according to their Appearance and the Opinion Men have of them Yea they oftentimes express themselves according to the received Opinions although they be erroneous and false as in the Instance before mentioned Theodoret gives us the Reason of it in his first Interrogatory upon Genesis he bâgins his Work with This that the Holy Script ãâã wont to sute its ãâã of Teaching to the ãâã of the Learneâ ãâã d in another Place ãâã like purpose ãâã Scripture saith he ãâã as is most ãâã and fit for Men. The ãâã Ghost in it is pleased to condescend to their Capacities and to adapt himself to their shallow Apprehensions Thus frequently in the Scripture corporeal Properties are attributed to God you read of his Face and Back-parts Exod. 33. 23. and that these latter were seen by Moses which is spoken by way of Anthropopathy as Divines commonly speak i. e. after the manner of Men in compliance with their weak Capacities As when a Man's Face and Fore-parts are seen there is a considerable Discovery and Knowledg of his Person but when he is seen behind only it is imperfectly so was it when God appeared to Moses he shew'd himself to him not fully but in part as when a Man turns away his Face from another and lets him see only his Back-parts And so in other Places of Scripture we read of God's Eyes Ears Hands Feet and other bodily Parts and Members but we must not forget here the old Rule of Cyril of Alexandria When Members and Parts are attributed to God it is said after the manner of Men but it is to be understood in a Sense sutable to the Divine Nature And Athanasius hath the like Words on this Occasion But the not attending to this gave Rise to the Sect of the Anthropomorphites who pervesly understanding those Texts which ascribe these Parts to God held him to be Corporeal and of Humane Shape Tâey ãâã not knowing not rightly interpreting the ãâã which sometimes speak after the Guise of ãâã in condescension to ãâã shallow Understandâââ Thus Gen. 6. 6. It ãâ¦ã Lord that he ãâã Man and 1 Sam ãâã The Lord repented ãâã he made Saul King are ãâã that is as spoken in a vulgar manner and after the way of Mortals who when they repent abandon their former Doings So when God is said to repent that which we are to understand by it is this that he acts in a contrary manner to what he did before As in the forementioned Places it repented the Lord that he made Man the meaning is that he purposed to destroy Mankind viz. with a Deluge for so you find it explain'd in the next Verse the Lord said I will destroy Man whom I have created And when 't is said The Lord repented that be made Saul King the meaning is that he ââââosed to depose him and set up another as you read he gave Order in the Words immediately following in the next Chapter Therefore Theodoret saith well God's Repenting is no other than the changing of his Dispensation And thus we are to interpret this Expression where-ever it occurs in Holy Writ for in many other Places God is said to repent of what he did as knowing that the Phrase of this Sacred Book is oftentimes fitted to the Apprehensions and Language of Men and not the absolute Reality of the thing That of St. Chrysostom is certainly true God accommodates himself sometimes to humane Infirmity when he speaks in Scripture So those Words are to be understood in Gen. 11. 5. The Lord came down to see the City And again ver 7. Let us go down which are spoken in a vulgar manner and with respect to the shallow Conceptions of Mankind And the same Expression is used in Gen. 18. 20 21. Exod. 3. 7 8. Psal. 144. 5. Isa. 64. 1. God is here said to come down which signifies God's taking more than ordinary Notice of the Actions of Men and his designing to do some extraordinary thing The Scripture calls the Angels that appeared to Abraham Men because they feem'd to be such The Man Gabriel you read of in Dan. 9. 21 because he appear'd in the Shape of Man And so in the New Testament the Angles at our Saviour's Sepulchre are stiled young Men because as to outward Appearance they were such Nothwithstanding what some Commentators have said upon 1 Sam. 28. 15. Samuel said to Saul and again ver 16. Then said Samuel I am fully perswaded that those Words are spoken according to the Appearance not the real Truth of the thing The Name of Samuel is given to the Devil or Spectre that appeared but we are not to think that Samuel himself in Body and Soul appear'd for 't is ridiculous as well as impious to imagine that the departed Saints are at the Command and Disposal of a Necromantick Witch a Cursed Sorceress a Hellish Hag as if she could fetch them down from the Celestial Regions when she pleaseth But this she did she raised a Spectre or substituted some Person who resembled Samuel whom she represented to Saul's Sight as if he were the Prophet Samuel indeed Thence we read in this Sacred History that Samuel said to Saul because he who appear'd in Samuel's Likeness was thought to be Samuel and thought to speak to Saul Thus a Learned Father long since expounded this Passage of Scripture and gives us this as the Reason of it We find this saith he to be the Custom of Scripture that oftentimes it relates that which is only in appearance instead of what is true and real And with him agrees another of the learned Antients The Sacred History saith he calls the Apparition Samuel because Saul believed it to be the real Samuel for the Scripture speaks frequently according to other Mens Belief and Notions So it usually calls those Gods that are not really such but because the false and feigned Deities of the Heathens were reputed True Gods by them therefore the Name of Gods is given them often in the Old Testament and sometimes in the New But to confine my self to this latter here we find several things delivered not according to the Reality of the Matter spoken of but according to the Sense and Notion of others So I understand our Saviour's Words Matth. 12. 5. The Priests in the Temple profane the Sabbath i. e. by killing of Beasts and doing other laborious Work they according to you profane that Holy-day according to the Notion which you Pharisees have of keeping and breaking the Sabbath and according to which you condemn me and my Disciples as Profaners of that Day The Phrase used by St. Mark ch 1. 32. is according to a very vulgar Conceit
of both in their Stile may be observed in this That the Outward and Inward Man which St. Paul mentions are no strange Language among some of the Classick Authors for you read of Salus interioris hominis in one of Plautus's Comedies where interior homo is the Soul or Life the better part of Man in which sense the Apostle useth it The very Phrase of a perfect Man in Epâ 4. 13. is made use of by the great Moral Philosopher Epictetus who opposeth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a Perfect Man i. e. a Man of ripe Years to a Youth a Man of Growth and Maturity in Morals to one that is but a Novice or Beginner in them Only whereas the Philosopher applies it to Morality St. Paul doth it to Christianity The same Apostle calls the Body a Vessel 1 Thess. 4. 4. Let every one know how to possess his Vessel i. e. his Body in Sanctification and Honour And so it is call'd by the great Roman Philosopher and Orator The Body saith he is as 't were the Vessel of the Soul or some such Receptacle of that noble part of Man And Antoninus in a very disparaging manner stiles it the worser sort of Vessel which is an Expression not unlike to that of another Apostle who calls a Woman the weaker Vessel or Instrument for the word signifies both an Utensil very infirm and frail in comparison of the other Sex which is generally strong and robust St. Paul calls his Body a Tabernacle and so doth St. Peter stile his and when St. Iohn applies the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to our Saviour telling us that he came and pitch'd his Tent with us for a time the meaning is that he assumed a Body and dwelt here on Earth in it which is the very Language of the Antient Grecians who call'd the Body of Man ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a Tent a Tabernacle Yea the whole Man is express'd and described by St. Paul in a Tripartite Division after the same manner that he is by the Gentile Philosophers This Apostle represents him as consisting of three main Parts Spirit Soul and Body 1 Thess. 5. 23. which very Distribution is to be found in Antoninus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And in another place he divides Man after the same way but in words that approach nearer to those of the Apostle ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and explains it thus to the Body belong the External Senses to the Soul the Affections and Passions to the Mind or Spirit the Judgment and refined Thoughts and Reason And in other Pagan Writings especially those of Plato and his Followers the same Division of Man is observed and is exactly that of St. Paul ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã This is All that a Man is And as this and other inspired Writers frequently use the word Flesh to signify the depraved Nature of Man so it hath the same Interpretation in the Incomparable Antoninus where you will find that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã are the corrupt part of Man the Carnal and Sensual Inclinations that part of the Soul which struggles with Reason and on all occasions makes head against it I could here in several Particulars shew that Porphyrius comes very near to the Holy Stile in many words which he uses And it might be cleared by several Quotations out of Hierocles that he imitates the Phraseology of the Scripture especially of the New Testament Are not the Similitudes especially those that are plain and homely which we meet with in the Bible found in the best Antient Writers The crackling of Thorns under a Pot is made use of by Solomon to set forth a Short and Fading Pleasure tho it be accompanied with some Noise and Stir And the very same is used by Virgil Magno veluti cùm flamina sonore Virgea suggeritur costis undantis aheni Homer the great Soul of Poetry tells us in Commendation of Nestor's Speech that it was sweeter than Honey by which plain wording he sets forth that Old Counsellor's Fluent and Elegant Language his Excellent and Charming Art of delivering his Advice and Counsel Which is the very Similitude that the Psalmist the most Divine Poet makes use of to express the Ravishing Sweetness of God's Law It is saith he sweeter than Honey and the Honey-Comb Psal. 19. 10. and the same he repeats in Psal. 119. 103. His Royal Son makes use of the same homely Comparison Pleasant Words saith he are as a Honey-Comb Prov. 16. 24. And in his Admirable and Transcendent Poem he disdains not this familiar Stile where he brings in the Sacred Bridegroom speaking thus to his Spouse Thy Lips drop as an Honey-Combe Cant. 4. 11. And in this Book of the Canticles it might be particularly made good that the Description of the Beauty of the Bride and the rest of the Amorous Passages and Expressions to set forth the Soft Passion are such as you find in Authors that treat of that Subject as Homer Musaeus Pindar Theocritus Virgil Horace Ovid Ausonius Claudian and others that have spoken of Love and Beauty That plain and Country Simile used by our Blessed Master As a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings is expresly in Euripides one of the delicatest Poets that Greece afforded and who gave the liveliest Characters of Things and in this very manner of speaking he is followed by Seneca the Tragedian Certainly this was a very apposite Similitude the Hen being as the Arabians stile her Mater Congregationis the kind Mother that gathers her young ones together that by her loving Voice expresses her Affection and Care to her tender Brood and invites them to a safe Refuge and Shelter in time of Danger In brief any Man that is conversant in Homer Virgil and other Antient Authors of greatest Note and Repute may observe that the Penmen of the Bible use the same Similitudes which those Writers frequently do they have the same plain trite and vulgar Comparisons which are in them As for the other Passages Phrases and Modes of speaking in the Holy Scripture which resemble those that we find in other Authors they are innumerable Grotius that Unparallell'd Critick in his Annotations on the Bible shews every-where almost the Correspondence of Scripture-Phrase with the Profane Stile he hath by a vast Collection let us see how the Sacred Dialect agrees with the Phrase of the Best Writers Out of all sorts of Authors whatsoever he proves the Scripture-Stile to be Proper and Elegant which no Man before him hath done so well and so largely He compares all along as he goeth the Holy Stile with that of Herodotus Plato Demosihenes Thucydides Xenophon Isocrates Gallen and others who are the best and most elegant Hellenists âea he shews that the Wittiest Writers among the Greeks as Sophocles Aristophanes Euripides Lucian have the very same Phrases and Expressions which we read in
the Bible and they have many more which very much resemble them He shews the like Correspondence between the Scriptures and those Laâin Writers who are the best Masters of that Language and in several Instances demonstrates that the Sacred Writers speak as the best Authors in that Tongue do All this he hath most learnedly performed and upon this account alone if there were no other he is worth the perusal of all Ingenious Men especially those who are more devoted to Polite and Critical Learning This very same Task is excellently performed by a Learned Foreign Critick who hath abundantly made it good in his Commentaries on the Psalms and most of the New Testament that the Stile of Scripture is conformable to that of the best Writers whether Jews or Heathens whether Philosophers Poets or Historians He hath elaborately shew'd that an innumerable company of Greek and Latin Authors the most Elegant and Refined of both have express'd themselves as the Holy Writers do In a word that Athens and Rome spoke as they do If he had carried this on and accomplish'd the like on the other parts of the Bible it would have been an Unvaluable Work and even beyond what the Belgick Annotator hath done Something of this Nature is performed by other Learned Men of our own who insisting upon some Particular Authors among the Pagans indeavour to evince that the Scriptures are in great measure agreeable to the Stile and Phrase of those Writers And the same might be undertaken as to other Heathen Writers with regard both to the Old and New Testament Nothing is more evident than this that their Modes of Speech are the same and that they agree in their Stile and consequently that the Stile of Scripture is vouched by the best Classick Authors and as a Consequent of that that he who carps at the Phrase and Dialect of the Scripture and finds fault with the Stile of the Bible shews that he hath not conversed with the best Human Authors But to prosecute and illustrate this Theme yet further I will be more particular I will shew first that there are in the Bible the same moral Notions and expressed in the very same Stile that there are in Pagan Writers Secondly I will shew that there are the same Grammatical and Rhetorical Figures in the Holy Book that we meet with frequently in those Authors First I will observe to you that the Phrases and Terms whereby some of the choicest Notions in Ethicks are set forth to us are alike in Divine and Humane Authors As to begin with that common Expression to wit of calling our Course or State or manner of Life in this World a Way The Hebrew Word Derek Via Semita in almost innumerable Places in the Old Testament signifies our manner of Life and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the Greek Testament which answers to it is commonly used in the same Sense In this latter Part of the Bible the Life of Man is particularly expressed and represented as a double Way for our Saviour hath told us that there is a Narrow and a Broad Way This is even the manner of speaking among the best Moralists they not only call the Life Actions and Conversation of Men a Way which is usual in all Languages but they designedly compare them to a Way to a Path and to walking in it As in Walking saith Epictetus you take heed that you strike not your Foot against a Stone or a Nail and wrench your Foot so in leading your Life you are careful that you hurt not your selves or do any thing that may offend and be prejudicial to your selves or others And other Masters of Ethicks are wont to pursue this Comparison Yea moreover they make use of the same manner of Speech which our Saviour doth that is they divide this Way into a Narrow and a Broad one Thus in Cebes's Table the Way to true Learning which is the same with Vertue and Goodness and the Moralist means no other thing by it is represented by him to be narrow and unfrequented He calls it a little Gate and he describes the Passage before it as very uncommon he tells us that very few go into it and that it appears to be a difficult rough and craggy Path. This is also well decipher'd by Maximus Tyrius Imagine saith he this Life to be a Way a Way full of Passengers some of which are running some are thrusting one another on some labour others rest some lie down others turn out of the way and wander for there are many By-ways and false Paths these are all but different Paths of the same Broad Way But there is one Narrow Way steep and rugged and trod by very few and this leads directly to the very End of the Journey and this Journey some diligent and laborious Souls are endeavouring to perform with much Work and Difficulty with great Pains and Sweat Thus that Admirable Platonist And I could shew you how other Philosophers are delighted with this way of Expression and Similitude used by our Lord but I will alledg no others at present It is enough to have shew'd that the Stile of the Gentile Philosophers is not unlike that of our Blessed Jesus our Infallible Teacher and Prophet who thought it a fit way of setting forth the two kinds of Life which Men lead and the different Places and Ends they tend to by naming one of them the wide and broad Way and the other the narrow and streight one And if the Life of Man be a Way then he is a Traveller which invites me to speak of another Moral Notion viz. that we are all Travellers and Pilgrims in this World we are upon our Iourney and must behave our selves as those that are so Epictetus and Arrianus use this Metaphor and apply it handsomly to the Life of Man especially to the Life of a Good Man which is a Journey from Earth to Heaven We are told that Anaxagoras pointed with his Finger to Heaven and cried out That is my Country And Socrates professed himself to be a Citizen of the City above and every Man is to reckon himself to be such he said Tully's Words are most admirable I go out of this World as out of an Inn not a Mansion-house for Nature hath not given us here a Place of long Continuance but of a short Diversion and transitory Entertainment And he had arrived to this Notion and expressed it most bravely when he said Let us lift up our Eyes to Heaven as to our Country to which we must think of returning some time or other And such kind of Language you meet with in Antoninus and other select Moralists I will conclude with the Words of Seneca Our Life is a Pilgrimage saith he when we have travell'd and walk'd about a considerable time we must return home This is the very Language and Notion of the Sacred Writers and of the Holy Men
whose Lives they record The Old Patriarchs owned themselves to be Pilgrims Gen. 47. 9. The Days of the Years of my Pilgrimage c. And that you may not think it is meant only of their travelling from Place to Place in those Days you will find this was said by some of their Posterity after they were possess'd of the Promised Land and were no longer in the unsettled Condition of their Predecessors We are Strangers before thee and Sojourners as were all our Fathers saith the Pious King 1 Chron. 29. 15. And in the next Words he lets us know what he means Our Days on Earth are as a Shadow and there is no abiding so that the whole Race of Mankind are all equally Pilgrims and Sojourners in this World they are Strangers in the Earth as the same devout Man often acknowledgeth and this World is stiled by him the House of his Pilgrimage After the same manner St. Peter speaks calling this Life the time of our sojourning here and he exhorts the converted Jews to whom he writes to deport themselves as Strangers and Pilgrims 1 Pet. 2. 11. which I confess may have a more particular Reference to their being expell'd out of Iudea their native Country and dwelling in a strange Place whence he stiles them scattered Strangers in the beginning of the Epistle but notwithstanding this the Apostle might apply it to them in the more general Notion and as they with all other Christians are Pilgrims travelling to another World With respect to which the other great Apostle saith Here we have no continuing City but we seek one to come Heb. 13. 14. We have no fix'd Habitation we have no settled Place of Abode we with other holy Men before us must confess we are Pilgrims Heb. 11. 13. We belong to another Country we are Citizens of the Ierusalem that is above We look as all the holy Pilgrims heretofore did for a City which hath Foundations whose Builder and Maker is God Heb. 11. 10. We are passing through this World to that Heavenly Metropolis we are travelling with our Caravan to that New Ierusalem that Holy Land and our Thoughts our Wishes our Desires our Conversation are there already Again that it may appear that Heathen Writers and the Holy Scripture have the same way of Expression I will shew that they both agree to say the Life of Man is a Warfare Thus it is called in the ancient Book of Iob ch 7. 1. for the word Tsaba though it be rendred by us an appointed time is as capable if not more of being translated a Warfare And so St. Ierom renders it The Life of Man is a Warfare on Earth And again cb 14. 14. The Days of our Warfare are the Term of Man's Life Such Holy Iob found it to be The War was warm the Service was hot the Battel was furious and he was set in the Front of it Though this great Heroick Warrior fainted in the Conflict sometimes yet his Valour was very eminent and he fought it out resolutely and won the Day and was signally rewarded by the great Arbiter of Battel the Lord of Hosts It cannot escape our Observation that several Military Expressions are used by the Holy Ghost in Scripture to set forth the Duties and Offices of Man's Life and to let us know that it is a continual Combate and Fight Yea Tsaba militare is applied to the Ecclesiastick Function and Ministry of the Levites in the Tabernacle their Service or Waiting is call'd a Warfare Numb 8. 25. and in the Verse before a warring a Warfare if we render it exactly according to the Hebrew Especially this way of Speaking is applicable to the troublesome and afflictive Part of Man's Life which is rightly call'd by St. Paul the Fight of Afflictions Heb. 10. 32. And with regard to this without doubt those comfortable Words were spoken to Ierusalem Her War is accomplished Isa. 40. 2. But more eminently in the New Testament this Mode of Speech is observable where Christianity is represented as a Warfare and the Christian Church as Militant here on Earth St. Paul is pleased to stile our Saviour the Captain of our Salvation and himself and all his Fellow-Christians Souldiers and those especially who were assistant to him in the sacred Ministry of the Gospel his Fellow-Souldiers He exhorts Timothy to war the good Warfare and to fight the good Fight of Faith and that in imitation of himself who had fought this good Fight though these latter Expressions refer more peculiarly to the Olympick Combates as you shall hear afterwards You read of the Weapons of Righteousness as well as of Unrighteousness belonging to this Spiritual War And these Weapons which are call'd the whole Armour of God are particularly enumerated by the Apostle Eph. 6. 13 14. I could observe to you in that Exhortation of St. Iames Submit your selves to God resist the Devil and he will flee from you that there are three Military Terms 1. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã be subject to your Commander observe his Orders look for the Signal of Battel from him keep the Station that is set you be obedient to the Discipline of War in all things be ruled by your General for as St. Paul saith very appositely when he is speaking of the Christian Souldier He that warreth must concern himself in nothing else but the pleasing of him who hath chosen him to be a Souldier 2. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã withstand oppose engage the Enemy be sure you give him Battel make a resolute and vigorous Onset charge through his whole Body make a Lane through his thickest Troops 3. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he shall be put to Flight he shall certainly be routed and defeated and never be able to rally again and so Victory at last crowns the Combate But St. Paul more briefly tells us what is the Employment of a Christian Souldier when he saith Indure Hardness as a good Souldier of Iesus Christ for in that one word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he lets us understand that he is one that is to fare hardly that he is to be inured to Difficulties and Perils to tedious Marches and continual Watchings to Hunger and Thirst and infinite Fatigues and that he must converse with Dangers and Death Every Battel of the Warrior is with confused Noise and Garments roll'd in Blood The Life of a Christian Souldier is painful and laborious because he is to be exercised in denying himself in crossing his sensual Appetite in submitting to the hardest Duties and undergoing the greatest Sufferings Temptations and Persecutions He must be continually sweating toiling striving fighting grappling with Foes of all kinds and encountring all sorts of Hardships Thus a Christian is a Spiritual Souldier thus Christianity is a Holy War thus the Life of Man is a Warfare And this is that which all the Great Masters of Morals inculcate in their Writings One of the chiefest of them who
same import with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in Philo. I conceive this may be the plain sense of the Evangelist's words however I propound it only by way of Conjecture and am willing in this as in other things to submit to the Arbitration of the Wise. I will mention another Instance of this Agreement of the Stile of Pagan and Inspired Writers It is usually among the former to honour a Good Man with the Title of the Friend of God ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is usual in Homer and among the Philosophers Plato especially it is very frequent Who are the Friends of God is excellently discoursed of by this brave Man in his fourth Book of Laws A Religious Man is a Friend of God saith Max. Tyrius with whom concurs another Eminent Moralist directly asserting that Good Men are the Friends of the Deity Epictetus and Arrianus speak of God as a Friend and the Best Friend Caâbyses's Advice to his Son Cyrus was Be thou the Friend of God as Xenophon relates In short it was the common Stile and Language of the best Moralists as Socrates Antoninus Seneca Plotinus besides those before named to call a Vertuous Person a Friând or one Beloved of God Especially this Epithet was given him if he prospered in his vertuous Enterprizes if he found Success in his laudable Endeavours Yea Epictetus that Excellent Stoick Philosopher and Great Master of Ethicks was honoured with this Title as the highest that could be when he left the World as we learn from his Epitaph The same Expression we meet with often in Scripture the same honourable Epithet is vouchsafed there to Holy Men. Abraham the Father of the Faithful is particularly signalized by it and that no less than thrice 2 Chron. 20. 7. Isa. 41. 8. Iam. 2. 23. Of Moses 't is said that God spake to him as to his Friend Exod. 33. 11. Solomon was named Iedidiah i. e. the Beloved of the Lord 2 Sam. 13. 25. In that Mystical Book of the Canticles this Name is attributed to both those entire Lovers Christ and the Church Eat O ye Friends drink O Beloved saith the former This is my Beloved this is my Friend saith the latter In which places Rang and Dod are the like endearing Titles with Obâb which was the word used in the Texts before-mentioned And this further I could observe to you that the words Obeb and Obebim which are translated Friend and Friends in those places might be rendred so in many others where our Translators english them him or those that love God In the Evangelical Writings the same Stile is observable thus those words in Lâke 12. 4. are spoken by our Saviour particularly to his dear Companions and Disciples where he calls them his Friends And in three Verses together these his faithful Followers and Associates and with them all True Believers and Holy Men are stiled his Friends Joh. 15. 13 14 15. And hear what an Honourable Epitaph our Saviour bestowed on Laâarus John 11. 11. Our Friend Lazarus sleepeth What is more usual in the Language of the New Testament than to say a Wicked Man is dead This my Son was dead saith the Father of the Prodigal Son Luke 15. 24. giving us to understand that the Profligate and Debauch'd are morally dead And so some think this Term is to be understood in the former part of those words Let the Dead bury their Dead Mat. 8. 22. Of the Widow giâen to Luxury 't is said she is dead while she liveth I Tim. 5. 6. And to be dead in Sin is in Scripture-Phraseology applied after the same manner Ephes. 2. 1 5. Col. 2. 13. And in several other places the like mode of Speech is observable To which the Antient Philosophers were no Strangers in whose account Vicious Men were reputed as dead Hence an Antient Writer of the Church observes that even in the Barbarick Philosophy they were wont to call those Dead who abandon'd the right Sentiments of things which they had and made their Souls slaves to the Animal Passions Not only Pythagoras himself was wont to place a Coffin in the room of his outcast Scholars as if they had been dead but his Followers and the Platonists in imitation of him had the same Practice among them For it was an acknowledg'd Notion that Vertue makes us live and consequently that wicked Men do not properly live but that in true Morality they are rightly said to be dead There is wanting in them an inward Principle of Life as the Spartan said after all his trials of erecting a dead Body into a living Posture Hence Vice is deservedly stiled the Death of the rational part of Man and the Mortality of the Soul With relation to which guise of Speech intermortui mores are in Plautus Corrupt and Vicious Manners And the like Phrase is used by the Jews the Wicked say they are Dead while they live and again they tell us that a Dead Carcase is better than a Disciple that is void of Knowledge and true Wisdom And other such like Expressions there are not only among the Hebrews but the Arabians Once more I will observe how the Scripture speaks as the best Moralists do viz. when it calls Death a Sleep The Hebrew Verb Shacab signifies to lie down to sleep Gen. 19. 4. and likewise to die â Sam. 7. 12. Isa. 14. 8. whence to sleep with their Fathers is an usual Phrase in the Historical Books of the Old Testament Thence the Grave is call'd a Bed Isa. 57. 2. Gneres is both lectus and feretrum the Bed of those that sleep and the Bed or Bier of those that are dead as perhaps our Saxon word grave or grab as other Germans write it is from grabatus The Psalmist mentions the Sleep of Death Psal. 13. 3. And it seems this was the Stile of the Antient Arabs as appears from Iob 7. 21. I shall sleep in the Dust. If we descend to the New Testament we shall read there that Lazarus sleepeth Joh. 11. 11. and of St. Stephen 't is said that he fell asleep and of other holy Men that they sleep in Iesus and are fallen asleep in Christ. When a good Man dies he lays himself down to Rest he betakes himself to his Repose bidding the World good night he shuts his Eyes and opens them no more till the Morning of the Resurrection The like Expression is in use among the Pagans to sleep and to die are synonymous Terms with them With the Prince of Poets Sleep is not only the Brother of Death but it is the very word to express Death it self Nox est perpetuò una dormienda saith Catullus Perpetuus Sopor is Horace's Language Nox perpetua is Propertius's which is the same with Virgil's Nox aeterna Alluding to which Phrase is that of Tully and other good Authors decumbere to lie down to betake himself to sleep i. e.
Moses or of others who writ those Books whence it is that we now read of the Names of Places which were not given at that time when they are mentioned but are only by way of Anticipation inserted into the History Near of kin to this is Hysterosis another Usual Figure in Scripture which is when the proper and genuine Order of the Words is not kept And this is observable either in some single Words and Verses or in some Chapters Of the former sort is Gen. 10. 1. where the Sons of Noah are reckoned in this order Shem Ham and Iapheth yet Iapheth was the Eldest Brother It is true Scaliger holds the very order of the Generation which this Verse sets down and saith Shem was Noah's First-born and Iapheth his youngest But 't is generally agreed on by the Learned that this is not the right order for first the Septuagint expresly say Iapheth was the Elder Brother of Shem v. 21. Again Iosephus in his Jewish Antiquities reckons them thus Iapheth the eldest Son C ham the next and Sheâ the youngest of all Moreover according to the Chaldee Paraphrast who is of good Repute this is the true Order Lastly you will find it observ'd in the following Parts of this Chapter the Generations begin first with Iapheth then pass to Cham and end with Shem. All which shews that there is a Transposition in the first Verse and that the true ranking of them is not there kept We read in Gen. 11. 26. that Terab begat Abram Nahor and Haran but the naming of Abram first of the three Brethren doth not prove that he was eldest but there is some Ground to believe that he was not And as the true Order of Words in some Verses is not always exact so neither is the true Series of History observ'd in some Chapters Thus in Gen. 2. after God's resting on the seventh Day v. 1. you read of God's forming Man and Woman v. 7. 18. which was the Sixth Day 's Work and therefore according to the True Order of things should have been part of the Contents of the First Chapter So the Division of the Earth which is the Subject of the 10th of Genesis is set before the Confusion of Tongues spoken of in the 11th Chapter notwithstanding this was before that and was the occasion of it And some Instances of this Nature are in those Historical Books of Samuel the Kings and Chronicles The seventh and eighth Chapters of Daniel are misplaced they should of right have been inserted before viz. immediately after the 4th Chapter for they speak of what happened in Belshazzar's time although the foregoing Chapter relates what was done by Darius after Belshazzar was slain and the Kingdom of Babylon became his And in many other Places of the Sacred Writings there is a Transposing of things and sometimes that is placed first which was done last To which purpose the Hebrew Doctors have long since pronounced that there is neither Before nor After in the Law A late Author tells us that the Reason is because the Books of the Pentateuch and some others were written upon little Scrolls or Sheets of Paper not so well fastned together as our Books now are and so the Order of these Scrolls was changed But this is an upstart Invention of this Gentleman's Brain and hath no Foundation but his own Fancy for as he mistakes Paper for Parchment there being perhaps no such thing as the former in those Days so he is mistaken in his Conceit about fastning those Parchment-Writings together First I say he proceeds upon a wrong Foundation because he asserts the antientest Books of the Bible to have been written on Paper whereas it doth not appear that this Invention is so old and on the other side there are undeniable Proofs of the great Antiquity of Parchment and that it was made use of for Books to write upon That which hath occasioned some Learned Men and 't is likely our present Author who is most justly rank'd in the Number of the Learned to think otherwise was that Passage in Pliny's Natural History where he reports that Ptolomee Philadelph King of Egypt forbad the exporting of the Papyrus of which Paper was made at that time out of his Territories Whereupon Eumenes King of Pergamus found out another way of making Paper of the inmost Skins of Beasts which was call'd Pergamena because 't was invented in Pergamus first But this was a great Oversight of Pliny for that was not the first Use of them they were much antienter than that time Diodorus the Sicilian tells us that the Persian Annals were writ in Parchment which is a great Proof of its being very Antient. Salmuth in his Commentary upon Pancirol thinks the Antiquity of this Membrana is proved from Iovis diphthera the Skin of the Goat that suckled Iupiter in which the Antientest Memorials of things in the World were thought to be written And out of Herodotus the great Father of History he hath a very considerable Quotation who relates that some of the Old Grecians made use of the Skins of Goats and Sheep to write in and therefore they call their Books Skins And he adds that many of the Barbarians write in such Skins Now we know who they were that the Pagans used to call Barbarians viz. the Iews and therefore it is probable these are meant here It may have relation to their writing the Books of the Old Testament in Parchment But if This concerning the particular Reference of these Words to the Iews be a Conjecture only yet the other things which have been suggested are a clear and evident Proof of the Antient Use of the Membrana and we have no reason to question that the Bible it self was written in it That it was so we learn from Iosephus who assures us that Eleazar the High Priest sent away the 72 Elders or Interpreters to Ptolomee with the Bible written in âine Parchment and he tells us in the same Place which is very remarkable and to our purpose that King Ptolomee was astonished to see the Parchments so fine and delicate and to observe the whole Form of them so exactly joined together that no one could possibly discern where the Seams were From which Testimony of this Learned Jew it is evident that there was Parchment found out and used in Writing before the time that Pliny talks of i. e. before Eumenes's time And as for this Eumenes who is by some Writers also call'd Attalus for it appears plainly that 't is the same Man the same King of Pergamus he was not the Person that invented it nor was it in his time invented he only procured a great Quantity of it to be made and so it became common in Greece and Asia whence some and Pliny among the rest thought he was the first Inventer of it This was the Rise of the Mistake But the Truth of the Matter is this which the Learnedest Men
Kingdom though from very small Beginnings compares them to a Grain of Mustard-seed and by a Lessening Hyperbole calls this the Least of all Seeds though in exact speaking it be not so But if this way of interpreting Christ's Words which I now offer be not approved of then you may expound them thus that this Seed is oâe of the least of all Seeds or you may understand them spoken Respectively that is it is the Least of all such Seeds as extend to large Productions no Seed so little sendeth forth Branches so wide or bringeth forth its Fruit after that plentiful manner Thus you may understand the Words but in my Judgment the resolving them into an Hyperbole is the best way though it be not made use âf by Expositors And how indeed could it when they took the Seed of Mustard to be Absolutely the least of all Grains whatsoever That of our Saviour in Luke 19. 44. They shall not leave in thee one Stone upon another which is spoken of the Last and Final Devastation of Ierusalem is generally supposed to be an Hyperbolical Expression and consequently not true in Strictness of Speech for can we think say some that the Roman Armies had nothing else to do but to pick out all the Stones in the Foundations and throw them away Those who talk thus do not remember what was done at several times towards the compleat and total Destruction of that Place This Passage of our Blessed Lord seems to refer particularly and signally to the digging up the Foundations of the City and Temple and the very ploughing up the Ground by Titus's Command which the Jews themselves do not deny and also to that Prodigious Earthquake in Iulian's time whereby the remaining Parts of the Foundations were wholly broken up and scattered abroad Here was an Exact fulfilling of Christ's Prediction without any Hyperbole As for that Close of St. Iohn's Gospel Even the Woâld it self could not contain the Books that should be written chap. 21 25. Eusâbius and St. Aâgustin of old and others more lately understand it thus The World that is the Men of the World could not contain that is conceive comprehend and digest the Books that should be written concerning our Saviour's Deeds Their Understandings are weak and must needs have been oppressed with so many Books on that Subject So ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the word here used is to be taken in Matth. 19. 11. All Men cannot receive or contain this Saying and in this Sense it is used by Philo who speaking of the Knowledge of the Nature of God and how unsearchable it is saith that neither Heaven nor Earth are able to contain i. e. to comprehend it But a modern Critick thinks ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here signiâies to entertain and approve of and accordingly his Gloss on the Words is this The whole World would scorn reject and slight all the Books which should be writ of Christ it having despised these that are already writ The World hath other Employment it would not read and peruse such Writings This seems to be the meaning of the Verb in 2 Cor. 7. 2. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã receive entertain approve of us And Dionys. Halicarn uses the word thus saying ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the City admits not of i. e. scorns good Men. But though this and the other be the meaning of the Word sometimes yet it is very Rare and Unusual besides that it is Improper and Metaphorical and in such a case it is more reasonable to choose and imbrace that Sense of the Word which is common and usual as also genuine and proper and then the meaning is that the World as capacious and wide as it is is not able to hold oâ contain all the Books that might have been written concerning Christ and his Works But this cannot be the Sânsâ here you will say because then our Saviour'â Words would not be true for the World is able is wide enough to contain to hold those Books and many more besides I answer I grant this to be true in the strict way of speaking but the Evangelist St. Iohn had a mind to conclude his Book with some Great Word concerning his Dear Master and Saviour and therefore expresseth himself thus in a High and Hyperbolical manner The World it self could not contain the Books that should be written of him As if he had said Though I and otherâ have recorded the Sayings and Doings of the Blessed Jesus yet this is nothing in comparison of what might be said on this vast Subject Theâe is unspeakably much more reânaining than hath been told you What he said and did was so Great and so Admirable that Innumerable Volumes might be filled with enlarging on that copious Matter I may say to you the Whole World as wide and ample as it is is not able to contain those Immense Treatises those Infinite Discourses which might be written in relating all the Passages that concern'd our Blessed Lord and in commendation of them Observâ it the Evangelist saith the World it self i. e. this Material Local World therefore it cann't be understood of the Men of the world as those of the former Opinions fancied Besides it is observable that he speaks not Absolutely here but in a Qualified Manner I suppose I think I conceive the World it self cannot contain c. which plainly shews that the Words cannot be meant in the former Senses For what Sense can you make of this I suppose I think that all the Men in the World cannot comprehend the Books which should be written or I suppose all the Men in the World cannot entertain and approve of them Whether he supposed it or not it would be so and this is a thing not to be supposed but really believed and directly asserted if it be true But if you admit of the plain Sense of the Words which I have propounded then his supposing may be very pertinent and consisâent here for it is but a kind of a Supposition not an Exact and Strict Truth which he here uttereth it is a Lofty Strain or Hyperbole which he shuts up his Gospel with I think in a manner âaith he that the Whole World it self cannot contain the Books that might be composed and written on this Glorious Theme which is so Various so Voluminous Thus you see the Words must be understood in this way for the others are not reconcilable to good Sense And indeed this manner of Stile is but parallel with other Passages in Scripture as Gen. 13. 6. The Land was not able âo bear them viz. Lot and Abraham and their Flocks which expresses how exceeding Numerous they were So some understand Luke 2. 1. There went out a Decree that all the World should be taxed which sets forth the Largeness and Vast Extent of the Emperor's Dominions not that all the World strictly speaking was to be taxâd for 't was not all in his Power It was said of our
Saviour The World is gone after him John 12. 19. which only expresses the Vast Numbers of People that flock'd to him wheresoever he went Such is the Stile here The World it self cannot contain c. The Evangelists and Apostles must in a manner have fill'd the World with their Writings concerning Christ the Books would have been so Numerous that even the Whole World could scarcely have held them that is in plainer terms there must have been an Incredible Number of Books to have contain'd all those Matters There are many other Instances of this Hyperbolical Manner of speaking in the Holy Writings but my Design is only to give you a Taste of these and the like Figurative Expressions in order to your being better acquainted with the Stile of Scripture There is a Learned Modern Divine who thinks there is no such thing as an Hyperbole in Scripture he will by no means grant that this way of speaking is to be found in the Sacred Writings because it is a kind of Lie But all that is to be said in answer to him is this that it is impossible to give any other Account of some of the forenamed Instances and several others than by resolving them into an Hyperbole which is no Lie nor a kind of one because it is not contrary to the Mind of him that speaks it nor is it spoken to impose upon them that hear it Yet it is to be granted that there is a Moderation to be observed by us as there is in Scripture in using this sort of speaking You meet with but few Hyperboles in the Holy Writers and as they are rarely and sparingly used so it is done in a fit and convenient Subject and where there is no likelihood of their degenerating into a Lie and where the Story or other subject Matter is not thereby falsly misrepresented But it is otherwise where Writers immoderately affect an Hyperbolick Strain for they make use of it in Matters where it is not fit to be used and where the Truth and Reality of the Subject are endangered and where it administers to Falshood Thus it is in the Poems of that Historical Poet Lucan who is a Prodigious and Unsufferable Hyperbolizer And thus it is in Monsieur Balsac An Extravagant Hyperbole goes all along through his Letters though to the Greatest Persons and Men of profess'd Gravity A great Fault certainly it is in those Ingenious Pieces of his But there is no such thing in the Sacred Writings there is nothing there Romantick and Extravagant the Hyperbole is seldom used and when it is it is Modest and Becoming Fit and Convenient and doth not in the least administer to Levity or impair and endamage the Truth Again in this Holy Book as well as in Other Writings there is that sort of Speaking which is call'd an Irony i. e. when something is said in way of Derision or Scoff contrary to what is meant as in that commonly observed Place Gen. 3. 22. Behold the Man is become as one of us to know Good and Evil which refers to Satan's Words to Adam Ye shall be as Gods knowing Good and Evil ver 5. And so Man is here upbraided with his Belief of the Devil before the God of Truth Look you now is not Man become a God Yes this mightily appears indeed from what hath befallen him he hath lost the Divine Image wherein he was created and is become a Wretched Sinner and Apostate Is not this Creature then become as one of us or now he hath been as one of us he hath already experienced what it is to be like God Hath he not Thus he is justly derided for his wilful Folly by the Sacred Trinity And if they think fit to speak after this manner it will not unbecome the Sons of Men. This Ironical way of speaking you meet with in 1 Kings 18. 27. Cry aloud for he that is Baal is a God either he is talking or he is pursuing or he is on a Iourney or peradventure he sleepeth and must be awaked Thus the Prophet Elijah mocks those deluded Priests of Baal he makes himself pleasant with them Even Grave and Austere Elijab laughs at the Baalites invoking of a Deaf Deity he plays upon their serious but idolatrous Devotion Whence I gather that it is not light and unbecoming to scoff at Superstition and jeer Idolatry Those Words of the Prophet Micaiah to King Abab 1 Kings 22. 15. Go and prosper are a plain Ironical Concession In this Sense those Woâds are to be understood Iob 5. 1. Call now if there be any that will answer thee and to which of the Saints will thou turn And chap. 12. 2. No doubt but ye are the People and Wisdom shall die with you And that of Solomon to the Youthful Sinner Rejoice O young Man in thy Youth c. Eccles. 11. 9. Which manner of speaking is more particularly suted here to the Humour and Genius of the Young Man whose Fashion is immoderately to scoff and to entertain himself and others with Pleasantry and Drollery But that he might see that this was intended as a Rebuke to him and that he might be sure that Solomon was serious and in good earnest notwithstanding this way of speaking 't is added in the Close of the Verse Know that for all these things God will bring thee to Iudgment And he that considers that will have no Reason to rejoice i. e. to be loose and inordinate in his Mirth but rather to be sober and retired and to be preparing for Judgment and to set about so great a Task betimes and not fondly presume on Health and Length of Days No Man need question whether those Words of Isaiah ch 8. 9. Associate your selves O ye People be not spoken Ironically which are parallel with Ioel 3. 11. Assemble your selves and come all ye Heathen and gather your selves round about c. And those in Isa. 50. 11. Walk in the Light of your Fire and in the Sparks that you have kindled i. e. trust in those things that cannot help you Sparkâ that give a short Light and soon vanish That is a terrible Biting Taunt in Ier. 22. 23. How gracious shalt thou be when Pangs come upon thee the Pain as of a Woman in Travail And so is that other Lam. 4. 21 Rejoice and be glad O Daughter of Edom the Cup viz. of Vengeance shall pass through to thee Who doubts whether Ezek. 20. 39. be not Sarcastical Thus faith the Lord God Go ye serve ye every one his Idols The like Command we read in Amos 4. 4 5 Come to Bethel and transgress at Gilgal multiply Transgression c. That also in Mic. 5. 1. must be reckon'd as spoken Ironically Now gather thy self in Troops O Daughter of Troops c. i. e. O Assyrians come and do your worst with your joint Forces invade us and most severely treat our Prince and People yea by all means destroy extirpate and even annihilate the Church
Mercy and Goodness of God a firm and unshaken Dependance on the Merits of our Redeemer and Saviour This is that Hardned Shield wherewith we keep off and beat back all the furious Insults of the Evil Spirit that Implacable Enemy whom we are to encounter with in our Spiritual Warfare His Temptations are here call'd Darts with allusion still to the antiet way of âighting which was with Darts and Arrows And they are call'd fiery Darts with reference perhaps to the Heat which those Weapons acquired by their swift flying or they may be said to be fiery because they are sent in an Hostile manner the word being as 't were appropriated to Fighting as among the Greeks ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is both fax or taeda and pugna and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is both ardens and pugnax and among the Latins ardere is particularly applied to War and Battel as in Virgil Ardet in arma magis Instant ardentes Tyrii And besides these Darts these Suggestions when they are very fierce and raging do as 't were inflame the Heart and Conscience they set the distracted Soul on fire But by Faith the Christian Soldier is able to quench them as the Apostle excellently phraseth it by a vigorous exerting of this Grace he defeats the malicious Attempts of Satan he stifles all his hellish Darts alluding to the known use of the Shield which was to repel the Arrows shot by the Enemy And these were sometimes Poisoned and thereby became hot and inflaming to which some have thought the Apostle here might have glanced when he speaks of fiery Darts This is certain that a Shield is for Defence and such is our Faith whereby we defend our selves from the inslamed Darts of the Wicked which he flings at us with the utmost Indignation and Fury We quench we extinguish we utterly frustrate all his Assaults by a firm Trust and Reliance on our Blessed Jesus who baffled him himself and will effectually teach us by the guidance of his Spirit to do the like This is our Victory that overcometh the Devil as well as the World even our Faith 5. We are to take the Helmet of Salvation i. e. as St. Paul himself explains it the Hope of Salvation the certain Expectation of the Everlasting Reward in another World which is brought to light by the Gospel of Christ Jesus The Christian Souldier is unspeakably animated by this he hath the Triumph in his Eye this makes him sight with undaunted Valour and Resolution He is safe whilst he is cover'd with this Helmet nothing can hurt him whiles he is inspired with this Victorious Hope Having this Armour of Defence he deâies his insulting Adversaries he fears not their Blows he shrinks not at the Batteries of his fiercest Enemies This also seems to be borrow'd from Isai. 59. 17. He put on an Helmet of Salvation on his Head 6. The Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God is another part of the Christian Panoply which every Spiritual Souldier ought to be appointed with This is the two-edged Sword spoken of in Heb. 4. 12. and Rev. 1. 16. This our great Captain dexterously made use of when the Infernal Spirit assaulted him Mat. 4. 4 7 10. And the same Weapon was brandish'd and managed by the whole Army of Martyrs and Confessors by all the Servants of Christ in the several Ages of the Church By this they have done great Execution and put their Spiritual Enemies to flight They have in their most pressing Straits repair'd to the Holy Scriptures and thence furnish'd themselves with those Divine Consolations and applied those Sacred Promises whereby they soon vanquish'd their Ghostly Assailants And this is that Weapon which we must all of us in our Holy War learn to wield but let us be careful to make use of it faithfully and sincerely remembring that the first Piece of Armour and This last must be joined together for the Warlike Girdle or Belt is in order to wearing the Sword which is to hang at it The last Weapon the Apostle mentions is Prayer Praying always with all Prayer c. We must fight on our Knees we must constantly invoke the Divine Aid and with importunate Cries solicite the Eternal Father that he would teach our Hands to War and our Fingers to Fight These are the Spiritual Weapons which are called here ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The whole Armour because 't is fitted for every part of the Christian Combatant He is here armed at all Points he is provided with Military Accoutrements for all Assaults And you may observe that the Spiritual Armour answers to the Bodily one that is it is both Defensive and Offensive Our Weapons are both ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã such as defend and preserve our selves and also ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã such whereby we beat off the Enemy both which are express'd in those two Military words Standing and Withstanding ver 13. The first sort are the Girdle of Truth the Breast-plate of Righteousness the Shoe of the Preparation of the Gospel the Shield of Faith and the Helmet of Salvation of the Second sort are the Sword of the Spirit and Prayer which two likewise are both for Defence and Offence not only to guard our selves but to oppose our Enemies This is the Panoply of the Gospel the whole Armour of God which the Apostle here commends and which I have briefly descanted upon in prosecution of what I propounded viz. to give you some account of the Metaphorical Terms in Scripture In other places the Olympick Games and Prizes administer to the Apostle very Religious and Devout Metaphors those Grecian Combates being made use of by him to set forth the Laborious Life and Undertakings of a Christian. I will in farther pursuit of this part of my Discourse concerning the Stile of Scripture let you see what Excellent and Divine things are comprized under those Agonistick Phrases We must know then that the Olympick Games were of very great Antiquity being instituted as it is said by Hercules and restored by Iphitus who at the same time began the Accompt of the Olympiads that famous Epoche of the Greeks which commenced A. M. 3173. in the time of Vzziah King of Iudah They had their Name from Olympia a City of Achaia near to Elis on the Plains whereof these Exercises were celebrated and they were in honour of Iupiter Olympius And there were Sports of the like Nature in other parts of Greece as those that were call'd the Isthmian because they were begun in the Corinthian Isthmus and as the Olympick Plays were dedicated to Iupiter so these were in honour of Melicerta others say of Palaemon The like Exercises in other adjacent Towns of Greece were call'd Pythian in memory of Apollo Pythius and others Nemaean call'd so from the Nemaâan Wood near which they were and these were in honour of Archemorus the Son of Lycurgus But all these were in imitation of the Olympick as being the Antientest
many other Hebrew Modes of Speech the Vse of God's Name to augment and inhanse the Sense the Vse of the word Sons or Children not only applied to Persons but Things the Import of the word first-born or first-begotten and of those Expressions the Son of Man a Weight of Glory are chiefly insisted upon There are no Soloecisms in Scripture St. Jerom Erasmus Calvin Beza Castellio Dr. Hammond censured for asserting the contrary Sir Norton Knatchbull salves the Grammatical Part of the New Testament and olears it of Soloecisms The same things which some call Soloecisms and undue Syntax are found in the best Classical Authors There are Chasms Expletives Repetitions and at other times unexpected Brevity seeming Inconsistencies and Incoherencies in the best Greek and Latin Authors The Propriety and Excellency of the Sacred Stile may be justiâied from the Writings of the most celebrated Moral Philosophers Orators Poets c. 4thly I Further offer this to your Observation that there is in the Scriptures a great and delightful Variety of Tongues and Languages There are in the Old Testament besides the Hebrew of which it is composed many Chapters written in Chaldee as in Ezra part of the 4th Chapter all the 5th and 6th with part of the 7th in Daniel the greatest part of the 2d Chapter and all the rest that follow till the 8th in Ieremiah one single Verse viz. the 11th of the 10th Chapter And besides these greater Portions there are many Chaldee Words dispersed up and down in several Places as Chartummim Magicians Astrologers Gen. 41. 24. used also in Dan. 1. 20. ch 2. 2. Nishtevan an Epistle or Letter Ezra 4. 7. Pithgam a Word or Decree Esther 1. 20. Sethav Winter Cant. 2. 11. Saga to magnify Iob 36. 24. Tiphsar a Captain Ier. 51. 27. and some think Macha Numb 34. 11. is a Chaldaick Verb. Other Words are of Persian Extraction as Pardes and Pardesim Eccles. 2. 5. Cant. 4. 13. Orchards or Gardens whence the word Paradise for so the Persians call'd their Orchards Gardens and Parks saith Philostratus and we read the like in Iul. Pollux Partemim Nobles or Princes Esther 1. 3. is a Word borrowed from the Persians and is proper to that Country So is Pur a Lot Esther 3. 7. and Achashdarpanim Lieutenants or Governours of Provinces Esth. 3. 12. ch 9. 3. and Chiun Amos 5. 26. passes for a Persian Name among some Learned Men. From Egypt with which the Hebrews had great Commerce several Words are borrowed as Zaphnath Paaneah Gen. 41. 45. the Title of Honour which King Pharaoh conferr'd on Ioseph which some interpret a Revealer of Secrets as both Ionathan and Onkelos render it and most of the Rabbies but others with St. Ierom translate it the Saviour of the World But whatever the meaning of it is 't is not to be doubted that 't is Egyptian for a Title given by an Egyptian King was certainly such And some think the same of the word Abrech Gen. 41. 43. the Term of Applause and Acclamation which the Egyptian People made use of when Ioseph was advanced to be the Second Man in the Kingdom and rid in Royal State through the Streets Zephardegnim Frogs Exod. 8. 3. and Zephardeang a Frog Psal. 78. 45. are of Egyptian Race and such is Ob an Inchanter Deut. 18. 10. if we may credit the Learned Kircher and Manor a Weaver's Beam 1 Sam. 17. 7. and Sarim an Eunuch 2 Chron. 18. 8. and Sarisim Eunuchs 2 Kings 20. 18. and several other Words were brought with the Israelites out of Egypt or were learn'd by Converse Totaphoth Frontlets Exod. 13. 16. Deut. 6. 8. is a compound Word as Scaliger thinks from Tot and Photh the first an Egyptian Word the second used in some other part of Africa Atad a Thorn Psal. 58. 9. is also reckon'd an African or Punick Word From Arabia others are fetch'd as Raphelingius and Golius and other great Linguists have observ'd especially in the Book of Iob they find several Arabick Words for he was of that Countrey Leviathan is of this fort saith Bochart and signifies a Dragon and any Great Fish Seranim Lords 1 Sam. 6. 18. and Cabul 1 Kings 9. 13. and many others are look'd upon as Phoenician Zamzummim Giants Deut. 2. 20. is purely an Ammonitish Word Gnerabon a Pledg Gen. 38. 17. is Syriac and Sharbit a Scepter Esth. 4. 11. ch 5. 2. used here and no where else is such rather than a pure Hebrew Word The Names of the Months among the Hebrews several of which occur in the Old Testament are generally taken from other Languages And many other foreign Words are brought into the Hebrew Tongue and mix'd with it which was caused by Correspondence with other Nations of whom they were taught these Words and particularly by Traffick and Importing of foreign Goods as Avenarius has observed the Things and the Names being brought at the same time from foreign Parts and accordingly we find them in the Writings of the Old Testament Here that of the Rabbies is true though they applied it as I have shewed before in another Sense The Scripture oftentimes speaks in the Language of the Sons of Men it hath Words which are used in other Tongues and borrowed from other Nations Thus likewise it is in the New Testament there is a Variety of Languages in it For though the main of it be Greek yet there are sundry Words there of a different Original Some Hebrew ones are made use of by the Holy Ghost as Allelujah Rev. 19. 1 3 4 6. Sabaoth Rom. 9. 29. Iam. 5. 4. Amen Rom. 1. 25. Eph. 3. 21. and in several other Places and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Mark 14. 16. and often used in the Gospels and in 1 Cor. 5. 7. Heb. 11. 28. is originally Hebrew These Words were so much in use among the Faithful that the Apostles thought fit not to translate them but to retain them as they are Again some Words in this Part of the Bible are Persian as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Matth. 2. 7 16. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Acts 8. 27. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Mat. 5. 41. Mark 15. 41. and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Paradise Luke 23. 43. 2 Cor. 12. 4. Rev. 2. 7. is of Persick Extract Remphan Acts 7. 43. is thought by some to be Egyptian It is certain that there are a great many Latin Words Grecized as Quadrans Matth. 5. 26. Legio Matth. 5. 9. ch 26. 53. Census Matth. 17. 25. Praetorium Matth. 27. 27. Acts 23. 35. Phil. 1. 13. Custodia Matth. 27. 65. ch 28. 11. Spiculator Mark 6. 27. Centurio Mark 15. 45. Opsonium Luke 3. 14. Rom. 6. 23. Modius Luke 11. 33. Sudarium Luke 19. 20. Colonia Acts 16. 12. Semicinctium Acts 19. 12. Sicarius Acts 21. 38. Macellua 1 Cor. 10. 25. Membrana 2 Tim. 4. 13. And ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the same Verse is a Greek Word made out of the Latin one Penula with
a Metathesis Which Words and many more without doubt came in with the Roman Conquest over the Jews for Conquerors carry their Language with them and hence it is not to be marvell'd at that many Roman Words were in use among the Jews and that some of them were inserted into the New Testament There are likewise several Syriac Words used by the Evangelical Writers and generally interpreted in the Places where they are as Raka Matth. 5. 22. Golgotha Matth. 27. 33. Sabachthani Mat. 27. 46. Boanerges Mark 3. 17. Talitha cumi Mark 5. 41. Corban Mark 7. 11. Ephphatha Mark 7. 43. Abba Mark 14. 33. Rom. 8. 15. Mammon Luke 16. 9. Cephas John 1. 42. Gabbatha John 19. 13. Akeldama Acts 1. 19. Tabitha Acts 9. 36. Maran-atha 1 Cor. 16. 22. And ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Eph. 1. 14. 2 Cor. 1. 22. is also of Syriac Original Nor is it a wonder that we find a great Number of these in the Greek Testament for after the Return of the Jews from their Captivity in Babylon their Language was mix'd of the Hebrew and Chaldee and named the Syriac Tongue from the Regions where it was used As for the Old Pure Hebrew the Priests and the Learned Jews only understood it but this Mix'd Tongue was that which was generally spoken and understood by all the Jewish Nation Therefore in this Tongue Christ made all his Sermons to the People and the Evangelists and Apostles preach'd the Gospel to them in it Yea because the Syriac succeeded in the place of the Hebrew the Jews having lost this and taken up that therefore that Tongue is sometimes call'd the Hebrew Tongue in the New Testament as in Iohn 19. 13. where it is said Pilate sat down in the Iudgment-seat in a Place that is called the Pavement but in the Hebrew Gabbatha This is a Syriac Word or a Dialect of the Chaldee which is the same but it is call'd Hebrew here because Syriac was become the Vulgar Language of the Hebrews yea was their Mother-Tongue in our Saviour's time So when 't is said that the Title on the Cross was written in Letters of Hebrew Luke 23. 38. 't is probable that the Syriac is meant i. e. the Superscription was written in Syriac Words though in Herew Letters 5thly It is useful to observe what a considerable Number of Hebraisms i. e. of Phrases proper to the Hebrews is made use of in these Holy Writings not in those of the Old Testament only but in the Greek Writings of the New Indeed the Books of the Old and New Testament being written by Hebrews we cannot expect but that they should use the Hebrew way of speaking Such is that in Gen. 40. 13. Pharaoh shall lift up thy Head To lift up the Head is to Account or Reckon for as some tell us they used to cast Accompts with Nails or Pins stuck in a Table with Holes and these Pins were call'd Heads by the lifting them up or removing them out of one Hole to another they performed their Arithmetick Therefore Moses expresses it thus He lifted up the Head of the chief Butler and chief Baker ver 20. that is he Reckoned with them and then differently dealt with them viz. according to their Deserts The same Phrase is used in Exod. 30. 12. When thou takest the Sum of the Children of Israel Hebr. When thou liftest up the Head And so in Numb 1. 2. take the Sum Hebr. Lift up the Head It is a peculiar Mode of Speech to signify to reckon to gather the Sum of all to which answer the Greek ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and the Latin recapitulare to bring all to one Head which were borrowed from the Hebrew Stile To fill the Hand Exod. 28. 41. ch 29. 9. Numb 3. 3. is a way of speaking proper to the Hebrews and we fitly render it to consecrate because perhaps when they Consecrated Persons they delivered into their Hands the Badges and Instruments of their Office Another peculiar Phrase is used in 2 Kings 10. 21. ch 21. 16. Ezra 9. 11. which according to the Hebrew is from Mouth to Mouth or Mouth to Mouth but it particularly denotes a Place to be full of People and accordingly is so rendred perhaps for this Reason because when it is so they stand close together as it were Mouth to Mouth To give the Hand to one was heretofore a way of Expression proper to the Eastern Countries the Hebrews especially and it was as much as to submit or yield to one 1 Chron. 29. 24. Ier. 50. 15. Lam. 5. 6. and it is applied in a spiritual way 2 Chron. 30. 8. give the Hand or yield your selves unto the Lord. The same Phrase is used by Gentile Authors ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã dare manus is to confess one's self to be overcome The Form of Wishing among the Hebrews is singular and not used by others Who will give Exod. 16. 3. which we translate would to God So Numb 11. 29. Deut. 28. 67. Iob 13. 5. O that ye would Benjamin is call'd a Lad Gen. 43. 8. though he was Four and twenty Years old and had Children the Idiom of the Hebrew Tongue solves it To this peculiar manner of phrasing things may be referr'd Gen. 49. 10. Nor a Lawgiver from between his Feet For so the Hebrews modestly express the place of Generation stiling it Ragelim the Feet and so the word seems to be meant in Exod. 4. 25. Deut. 28. 57. Isa. 6. 2. and thus the Masorites for the word which is used for Vrine read in the Margin the Water of the Feet 2 Kings 18. 27. And sometimes instead of Feet the Hebrews use the word Thigh Gen. 46. 26. Exod. 1. 5. and Loins Gen. 35. 11. and in a multitude of other places Moreover the peculiar way of using the word Sons among the Hebrews is remarkable as in Prov. 31. 5. Sons of Affliction i. e. the Afflicted Sons of Destruction ver 8. Such as are appointed to be destroy'd as we render it Sons of Oil Zech. 4. 14. i. e. the anointed ones So we read of the Son of the Morning Isa. 14. 12. and the Sons of Belial Judg. 19. 22. 2. Sam. 23. 6. And sometimes 't is applied to Things as well as Persons as in Iob 5. 7. As the Sons of the burning Coal i. e. the Sparks fly upward Whatever is the part of a thing or whoever belongs to any thing or is partaker of it is in the Hebrew Idiom call'd a Son Again the Name of God after the Hebrew manner is wont to be added to Magnify and Augment the Signification in several places of Scripture There have been some Instances of this sort produced by Critical Writers on the Bible but I will endeavour here and afterwards to make a considerable Addition to them But first I will take notice of a place or two which have been brought under this Head but in my judgment belong not to it Such is that Gen. 10. 9. He was a mighty
great to God A Land of Darkness of the Lord Jer. 2. 31. is as much as a Land of very great and signal Darkness for Maphel is here compounded with Iah to express the Superlative Degree of Darkness So in the words Erâl Isa. 33. 7. Praevalidus Ariel Leo fortis 2 Sam. 23. 20. El the Name of God is added to inhanse the Signification So Iacob was Sirnamed Israel i. e. a Prince of God which is equivalent with a Great Prince one that mightily prevail'd even with God himself Hither perhaps may be reduced the Sons of God Gen. 6. 2. Great Men of high Stature the Giants mention'd ver 4. but call'd here the Sons of God according to the Idiom of the Hebrews who set forth the Greatness and Largeness as also the transcendent Worth and Excellency of Persons and Things by joining the Name of God to them To this way of speaking I refer Tardemah Iehovah 1 Sam. 26. 12. english'd by our Translators a deep Sleep from the Lord but according to the Hebrew it is a Sleep of the Lord i. e. a Great Sleep Sopor vehemens as Arius Montanus renders it a Profound Sleep out of which a Person is not easily awaked Therefore a deep Sleep or a very deep Sleep will be sufficient without adding from or of the Lord. To this also may be referr'd lechem abirim Psal. 78. 25. the Bread or Food of Angels i. e. Excellent Food for what is Excellent is said to be Angelical as well as Divine And indeed these are the same here for Abirim is of the same import with Elohim and as the Name of God is used to augment the sense Whence the Pagan Writers have borrow'd this manner of Speaking as when by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Food of the Gods they in a Proverbial way mean very Choice and Exquisite Dainties and by Deorum coenae they express a very Sumptuous and Delicate Entertainment Virgil and other Poets yea Cicero sometimes by the Epithet of Divine understand that which is Eminent Remarkable Excellent Bordering on which is the use of the word Sacred sometimes whereby that which is Great is express'd Sacra anchora is the greater and consequently the stronger and safer Anchor the last and only hope of the Ship and Mariners And some Criticks have thought that Sacra fames is the same with ingens insatiabilis for those things which are Great are said to be Sacred and to be of God ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã among the Greeks are sometimes magna So ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Morbus sonticus is a Vehement Disease of greater Malignity than ordinary but more signally 't is applied to the Epilepsy Plutarch mentions an Old Physician who call'd his Choice Sovereign Medicines ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And in Galen there is Iupiter's Trochisk They give these Names to their Medicaments to shew the Excellency of them for all Great and Excellent things were by the Antients counted Holy and sometimes they put the Name of God upon them So among the later Physicians and Botanists you may observe that they make use of the Name of God of Christ of the Apostles and Saints to set forth some things which they have a great Esteem of They mention the most Sacred things to extol and magnify their Simples and their Medical Applications All this seems to be derived from the antient Stile of the Hebrews by whom that which is Greatest in its kind is call'd Divine and accordingly as R. D. Kimchi notes in his Comment on 1 Sam. 16. the Sacred Scripture when it would magnify a thing joins with it God's Name But it is endless to insist on the Old Testament and therefore I will confine my self to the New and briefly shew you that this part of the Bible though written in Greek abounds with Hebraisms and yet here still I shall have occasion to refer to the Writings of the Old Testament all along The Reason why the Evangelists and Apostles writ in Greek was because this was the Tongue generally used by all sorts of Nations but you will find that they accommodated it to the guise of the Hebrew Tongue that is they retained many of the Hebrew Idioms and made use of them in the Greek Language Thus to be called and to be are the same among the Hebrews and this latter is frequently in the Old Testament express'd by the former Accordingly these are oftentimes expressive one of another in the New Testament as in Mat. 5. 9. they shall be called the Children of God and ver 19. he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven 1 Joh. 3. 1. that we should be call'd the Sons of God To be called here and in other places is really to be and it is so express'd according to the Hebrew way of speaking There is the like signification of the word arise as in 2 Sam. 11. 20. if the King's Wrath arise Esth. 4. 14. Enlargement and Deliverance shall arise to the Iews Prov. 24. 22. their Calamity shall rise suddenly In all which places the word arise signifies no other than actual Being or Existing according to the Hebrew Idiom And thence it is used so in the New Testament as in Luke 24. 38. Why do Thoughts arise in your Hearts i. e. why are they there Mat. 24. 24. There shall arise false Christs i. e. there shall actually be at that time such Persons according to my Prediction So to be found is among the Hebrews of the same import with the forementioned Expressions and accordingly in the Old Testament one is put for the other as in 1 Sam. 25. 28. Evil hath not been found in thee 2 Chron. 19. 3. Good things are found in thee Isa. 51. 3. Ioy and Gladness shall be found therein Dan. 5. 12. An Excellent Spirit was found in Daniel In these and other Texts ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã inventus est are as much as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã fuit As in the Writings of the Jewish Doctors you may observe that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is the same with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ens In imitation of this Hebraism ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is used for sum or existo in the New Testament as in Luke 17. 18. There are not found that returned to give Glory to God save this Stranger Acts 5. 39. Lest haply ye be found to fight against God 1 Cor. 4. 2. that a Man be found Faithful Phil. 2. 2. being found in fashion as a Man Heb. 11. 5. Enoch was not found which is the same with Enoch was not as is evident from comparing this place with Gen. 5. 24. to which it refers That of St. Peter 1 Ep. 2. 22. Neither was Guile found in his Mouth is taken from Isa. 53. 9. Neither was there any Deceit or Guile in his Mouth From whence it appears that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is as much as ãâã ãâã ãâã
us this Day our daily Bread and in Mark 7. 2 27. Luk. 7. 37. Ch. 9. 3. Ch. 14. 1. 2 Thess. 3. 12. and in other places which is according to the Idiom of the Hebrews with whom all Food is call'd lechem Bread because this is the most Common and Universal Food and the most necessary for the Life of Man and this word with them denotes all the Necessaries and Conveniencies of Humane Life According to the Hebrew Stile a Sword hath a Mouth or the Edg of the Sword is call'd a Mouth Luk. 21. 24. They shall fall by the Mouth we rightly render it the Edg of the Sword Heb. 11. 34. escaped the Edg of the Sword in the Greek ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Mouth of the Sword So you read of a Two-mouth'd Sword Heb. 4. 12. for it is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the Greek Which is the Hebrew Phraseology as you may satisfy your selves from Iudg. 3. 16. Psal. 149. 6. Prov. 5. 4. A Sword is said to have a Mouth because it Devours So lacham is both to Fight and to Eat As I observ'd before that Drinking was applied to Calamity or Suffering so now I will remark that Eating and Drinking are sometimes meant of Holy Instruction of Divine Grace and the most Excellent things of Religion Eat up the Book Rev. 10. 9. i. e. Study it diligently understand the Contents of it Our Saviour expresses his Holy Doctrines his Gifts and Graces the Favour of God and all Spiritual Comforts yea Himself too by Meat and Drink I have Meat to eat which ye know not of saith he Iohn 4. 32. My Meat is to do the Will of him that sent me ver 34. He adviseth to labour for the Meat which endureth to Everlasting Life John 6. 27. And in four Verses together in the same Chapter he uses this Phrase Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye have no Life in you Whoso eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood hath Eternal Life For my Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed He that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood dwelleth in me Ver. 53 c. And he promiseth his Apostles that they shall eat and drink with him at his Table in his Kingdom Luk. 22. 30. All which is according to the Language of the Antient Hebrews who by Eating and Drinking express things of a Spiritual and Divine Nature as in Prov. 24. 13 14. Chap. 25. 27. Isa. 55. 2. and other Texts R. Ben. Maimon tells us That this was the Stile of the Jewish Doctors and Rabbies in their Writings saith he Eating is to be understood of Divine Instruction and Wisdom This is observ'd by Philo who lets us know that Eating is a Representation of the Spiritual Nourishment The using of the word First-born or First-begotten in the Writings of the Apostles is conformable to the acception of it among the Hebrews The due attending to which will lead us to a right understanding of some Texts which have been generally mistaken by Expositors I shall consider it here only as it is applied to our Blessed Saviour which is done no less than four times first in Col. 1. 15. where he is call'd the First-born of every Creature Erasmus read it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the first producâr of all Creatures and he had it from Isidore of Pelusium who evaded the Arians Assaults by this means But this is an undue Expedient because it alters the received Accent of the Word without any warrant and because in other places where this Word is and is applied to Christ this alteration is not admitted by those that make use of it here Gregory Nazianzen and others interpret the First-born of every Creature thus He whom God the Father begot before he created any thing He that existed before all Creatures But this seems not to be the sense of the words because to be begotten before all Creatures and to be the First-born of them are two different things Others think the First-born here is Synonimous with the Beginner or Author which falls in with the Interpretation of St. Isidore before mention'd and accordingly they quote that as a parallel Text Rev. 3. 14. where Christ is call'd the beginning of the Creation of God i. e. the Cause and Author of all Creatures say they But this though it be very true is not agreeable with the sense of the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is no where found to be taken thus Nor is Grotius's Gloss to be allowed of who expounds it thus Christ is the first in the new Creation for the Context shews that there is relation to no such thing But if we consult the antient acception of the Word among the Hebrew Writers of the Old Testament we shall discover what the genuine meaning of it is in this place The First-Born is as much as Excellent Choice Beloved as in Ier. 31. 9. Ephraim is my First-born The Chiefest and most Eminent of Persons and Things have this Name thus the First-born of Death Iob 18. 13. is the most signal and mortal Disease or the cruellest kind of Death The First-born of the Poor Isa. 14. 30. is the poorest of all I will make him my First-born Psal. 89. 28. i. e. I will make him a Great and Eminent Person higher than the Kings of the Earth as it is explain'd in the next words Answerably to this sort of speaking Christ is said here to be the First-born of every Creature i. e. the Chief the Prince the Lord of all Creatures For we must know that this manner of Expression refers to that Dignity and Pre-eminence which were claim'd by the First-born under the Law Primogeniture carried with it the Right of Superiority and Government In allusion to which our Saviour is call'd the First-born that is the Lord of every Creature or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã may better be rendred the whole Creation He made he created all things and therefore is Lord of the whole Creation Accordingly it immediately follows For by him were all things created This for gives us to understand that this Verse is the reason and account of what went before St. Paul had stiled Christ the First-born of every Creature and now he gives this satisfactory account of it because by Him all things were created because of this he is deservedly stiled the First-born the Lord and Sovereign of the Creation You must either conclude that the Great St. Paul did not speak Logically and Argumentatively or that this is the genuine Interpretation of the place If the Apostle's Words were to the purpose as be sure they were then this sense which I have offer'd is so too which is as much as I can desire And that this is the meaning of the word First-born is evident from that other Text in this Chapter ver 18. where he is call'd the First-born from the Dead not as some think because he is the Author
of the Resurrection or as Grotius with most of the Pontificians because he was the first that rose to Immortal Life and Glory or as others because he was the First that rose from the Dead as 't is said Acts 26. 23. viz. by his own Power but because he was the Chiefest of all those that rose from the Dead because he was the Head of them all as it follows that in all things he might have the Preeminence that it might appear that he was Lord of all This is to be the First-born of the Dead or of the Number of the Dead for so it should be rendred the Preposition ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifying here so much A third Text might be alledged viz. Rom. 8. 29. that he might be the First-born among many Brethren i. e. that he might be the Chief the Supream of all the Children of God for he was Predestinated as well as they he was set a-part as the First-born among Men who were the Choicest of all were who were more immediately destined and devoted to the Service of God Exâd 1â 2. And lastly I will mention Rev. 1. 5. where Christ is call'd the First-begotten of the Dead which hath the same import with those words in the Epistle to the Calossians before alledg'd for it is explain'd to us by what follows in the next Clause and the Prince of the Kings of the Earth to let us see that the word First-born or First-begotten hath the Signification which I have offer'd it being the use of the Hebrews to apply it to those Things or Persons that are the Chiefest and most Excellent In which sense likewise First-fruits are taken in Iam. 1. 18. where the Saints are call'd the First-fruits of the Creatures of God i. e. they are the Chief of the Creation they are the Flower of Mankind they are more signally and eminently design'd to set forth the Glory of God in the World So Christ is the First-fruits of them that slept 1 Cor. 15. 20. he is the Principal of all those that rose from the Dead This way of Speaking is taken from the Jewish notion of First-fruits which were the Choicest of all their Fruits and Incomes and from the Hebrew manner of expressing themselves that is calling those things which are Chief and most Eligible First-fruits Amos 6. 1. Mic. 7. 1. Moreover I take that Expression which our Saviour so often useth concerning himself viz. his stiling himself the Son of Man to be a way of Speech proper to the Hebrews and therefore is to be explain'd by what we meet with in the Old Testament A Person well skill'd in Hebrew Criticism tells us that Ezekiel is very often about a hundred times call'd Son of Man because of the extraordinary Visions and Revelations which he had wherewith he was highly honour'd above others So that Son of Man is the same with an Excellent or Digniââed Man And that this is the frequent Language of the Psalmist hath been very lately observ'd and amply proved by our Incomparable Paraphrast on this Sacred Book Besides several other Excellent Discoveries made by him in that Choice Work which will gain him an Immortal Honour among the Pious and Wise he hath particularly set us into a right apprehension of This Expression so often used by the Holy Pen-man From several places in this Book as also from others which he produceth out of the Sacred Writings he evidenceth that Son of Man is the same with an Eminent Person and he is the first Writer I have met with that hath establish'd and fully clear'd this Notion From this Discerning Author we may observe that in Psal. 49. 2. there is a difference made between bene adam and bene ish the former signifying there Mean Inferiour Persons but the latter Men of Considerable Rank and Quality wherefore our Translators give us the sense very fully in rendring it low and high Or perhaps adam in this place is the same with adamah Earth and so the Sons of Man are opposed to the Sons of the Earth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as the Seventy render it terrigenae according to the Vulgar Latin In Psal. 4. 2. beneâish the Sons of Man is applied to Princes and Rulers for of such that place speaks And I translate it the Sons of Man not of Men as 't is in our English Bibles for so the Original hath it and we ought to take notice of it for there is a vast difference between the one and the other Sons of Men in Scripture are all that are of the Race of Adam but Son or Sons of Man are Persons of some Dignity and Rule in the World But sometimes indeed bene adam is the same with bene ish and then they are opposed to enosh or ben enosh as in Psal. 8. 4. What is Man and the Son of Man i. e. as I conceive what is the Lower and the Higher Rank of Men that Thou visitest them that Thou shewest thy self so Bountiful to them So Sons of Man Psal. 58. 1. is meant of Iudges and Great Men as is evident from the former words of that Verse And in Psal. 80. 17. Son of Man is the same with the Man of the right Hand and the Man that is made Strong Again in Psal. 146. 3. Princes and the Sons of Man are synonimous for in Princes in the Son of Man are by way of Apposition in the Hebrew to acquaint us that they are identified And further it is to be observed that this Title of the Son of Man is particularly and by way of Eminency affix'd to the Messias as in that foremention'd place Psal. 8. 4. for we shall find that in Heb. 2. 6. it is referr'd to him by the Apostle in the Secondary and Mystical sense but more signally and directly in Dan. 7. 13. Behold one like the Son of Man On which words Rabbi Saadiah is very peremptory and saith This is the Messias our Righteousness And Solomon Iarchi and other great Rabbies declare that by the Son of Man is meant the Messias There is reason therefore to assert that when Christ so frequently gives himself this Title he takes it from the Old Testament where it signifies a Man of Eminency and Rule and more especially from Daniel who by this Epithet expresses the Messias the Prince the Lord of Heaven and Earth And to any considerate Man it is evident that our Saviour particularly referr'd to that place in Daniel Behold one like the Son of Man came with the Clouds of Heaven when he pronounced those words Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of Power and coming in the Clouds of Heaven Mat. 26. 64. Neither would the High Priest have thought that our Saviour spoke Blasphemy and thereupon rent his Clothes if he had not apprehended that he referr'd to those words of Daniel and consequently owned himself to be the Messias who hath the Title of the Son of Man given him because of his
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 ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 âabad and jakar And hence also in the Seventy's Translation of the Old Testament ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a Weight or Burden is equivalent with Honour or Splendor in one of St. Chrysostom's Homilies I could remark that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã gravis and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the New Testament hath by an Hebraism the force of all the Prepositions it answering to the Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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
in the next Clause by the Inspiration of the Almighty So David in Spirit Mat. 22. 43. is David Inspired I will pour out of my Spirit upon all Flesh Acts 2. 17. taken from Ioel 2. 28. i. e. I will bestow the Gift of Prophecy and Revealing of Mysteries upon them for of This it is principally understood as you may learn from the following words Your Sons and your Daughters shall prophesy and ver 18. On my Servants and on my Hand-maids I will pour out of my Spirit and they shall prophesy So in Rev. 1. 10. I was in the Spirit is as much as if he had said I had great Revelations imparted to me Thirdly The Dispensation and Preaching of the Gospel especially as it is opposed to the Law and as it contains the more hidden Mysteries of Christianity in it is stiled the Spirit Thus the Evangelical Preachers are call'd Ministers not of the Letter but Spirit 2 Cor. 3 6. i. e. not of the Law but of the Gospel not of mere Externals of Religion but of the Inward and Hidden Secrets of it Fourthly The Spiritual meaning of what Christ speaketh is call'd by this Name as in Iohn 6. 63. It is the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh profiteth nothing the Words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and they are Life As if he had said you must not understand me in a gross and carnal sense when I tell you that you must eat my Flesh and drink my Blood ver 53 54. My meaning is not that you should turn Canibals and feed upon Man's Flesh. No this Eating and Drinking which I have spoken of to you are to be interpreted in a Spiritual Sense and in no other My Words have an Abstruse and Mystical meaning I am Spiritually to be Eaten and Drunk that is by a Lively Faith only It is the Spirit that quickeneth that enliveneth that which is comprehended in the Spiritual import of my Words is the thing that is most Active and Powerful in Religion and in the Lives of Men. Fifthly By Spirit is meant the Person that is Inspired 1 Iohn 4. 2. Every Spirit that confesseth that Iesus is come in the Flesh is of God Nay Sixthly He that pretends to the Spirit but really is not inspired by the Holy Ghost is thus called as in the next Verse Every Spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the Flesh is not of God and in the first Verse of that Chapter Believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits i. e. Teachers that pretend to the Spirit and Inspiration who are call'd False Prophets in the same place and Seducing Spirits 1 Tim. 4. 1. Therefore discerning of Spirits 1 Cor. 12. 10. was that Gift in the Church whereby they knew who were truly Inspired and who not who were True and who False Prophets And as the Persons pretending to immediate Discoveries from the Spirit are thus stiled so the âeigned Discoveries or Revelations themselves which they boast of are called Spirit 2 Thess. 2. 2. Seventhly The word Spirit in Scripture is meant of the Soul of Man and its different Functions Operations Dispositions Inclinations and in short the whole Frame and State of it 1. I say that Distinct Part of Man which is call'd his Soul hath the Denomination of Spirit and that very justly because it is a Spiritual or Immaterial Being Into thy Hands I commit my Spirit saith the Psalmist Psal. 31. 5. i. e. I trust thee with my Soul It is call'd the Spirit of a Man Prov. 18. 14. ch 20. 27. Eccles. 3. 21. This is the Spirit that shall return to God Eccles. 12. 7. Wherefore this was the Language of our dying Saviour Into thy Hands I commend my Spirit Luke 23. 46. and of that expiring Martyr Acts 7. 59. Lord Iesus receive my Spirit The Souls of the Saints are stiled the Spirits of just Men made perfect Heb. 12. 23. and those of the Wicked the Spirits in Prison 1 Pet. 3. 19. And hither is to be referr'd that of St. Iames ch 2. 26. the Body without the Spirit i. e. without the Soul is dead 2. The Vital Principle which is the immediate Operation of the Soul is termed the Spirit the Spirit of Life Gen. 7. 22. especially the more Active and Vigorous Operation of the Soul and Body is so called Iosh. 5. 1. Nor was there Spirit in them Whence you read of the reviving and coming again of the Spirit Gen. 45. 27. Judg. 15. 19. and of the Spirits being refreshed 2 Cor. 7. 13. and giving Spirit i. e. Life to the Image of the Beast Rev. 13. 15. 3. The Vnderstanding is often call'd the Spirit and the Spirit of the Mind and when you read of Soul and Spirit this latter generally denoteth the Intellectual and Rational Part of Man and the more exalted and refined Operations of it as it respects Religion Luke 1. 47. 1 Thess. 5. 23. Heb. 4. 12. 4. That Function of the Rational Soul which is called Conscience hath this Name A wounded Spirit who can bear Prov. 18. 14. The Spirit i. e. the Third Person in the Sacred Trinity beareth witness with our Spirit that is with our Consciences Rom. 8. 16. 5. The Will and Affections are commonly set forth by this Expression Thus you read of ruling the Spirit Prov. 16. 32. that is subduing and well-ordering Those Faculties of the Mind especially You read of a New Spirit Ezek. 11. 19. ch 18. 31. of a contrite and broken Spirit Psal. 34. 18. Psal. 51. 17. a right Spirit Psal. 51. 10. which are principally meant of the Will the Passions and Desires of the Soul And another Spirit Numb 14. 24. may be understood in this Sense as well as in that above-mention'd In the New Testament our Saviour pronounceth those Blessed that are poor in Spirit Matth. 5. 3. He tells us that we must worship the Father in Spirit John 4. 23. St. Paul professeth that he served God with his Spirit Rom. 1. 9. and exhorts us all to be servent in Spirit Rom. 12. 11. In all which Places the word Spirit signifies either the Will or the Hearty Affections of the Soul or both of them 6. In a more general way it signifies the Nature and Temper of a Man Ye know not of what Spirit ye are Luke 9. 55. And this Large and General Acception of the Word is very usual in the Holy Stile 7. More particularly and especially it denotes an Effectual and Operative Inclination Power and Ability to some particular Good or Evil Whence you read of the Spirit of Knowledg Vnderstanding Wisdom of Meekness of Fear and on the contrary of the Spirit of Slumber of Whoredoms of Antichrist and of a perverse Spirit 8. The Rational and Regenerate Part of Man is emphatically stiled the Spirit and is opposed to the Flesh which is the Sensual and Unregenerate Part of Man The Spirit is willing but the Flesh is weak Matth. 26.
As it is with the Hebrew Verbs so it is with the Nouns there are many of them that have different Senses and those such as have no Agreement or Affinity one with another which oftentimes occasions Diversity of Readings in those Places where they are found Not but that the Hebrew Tongue is copious as is evident from that Variety of Names which is for one thing There are seven Words for Gold as St. Ierom long since observed Zahab Phez or Paz or Ophaz Charutz Kethem Ophir Baser Segor though some think that Kethem is the more general Name and the rest are several kinds of Gold There are six Words to express Giants as Nephilim from falling or falling on Emim because they are Terrible Gibborim from their Strength Anakim Zamzummim Rephaim There are as many Words to signify a Lion as Buxtorf reckons them up distinctly with the Places of Scripture where they occur Yea Mercer adds a seventh A Son in Hebrew is Ben Nin Manon Bar though indeed this last be rather a Chaldee or Syriac Word Anger hath these Denominations Aph Charon Zagnaph Chagnas Sleep is either Tarmedah or Shenah or Tenumah Three Words there are for the Sun as Cheres Shemeth Chammah and as many for the Earth Eretz Tebel Adamah A Virgin is called Almah or Gnalmaâ Naarah Bethulah To fear is expressed by three Verbs viz. Gur Iare Pachad The same Hill is call'd Horeb and Sinai and Zion and Hermon are two Names of another Hill but of these afterwards Thus the Hebrew Tongue hath many Synonimous Words But that which is more usual and remarkable and which we are concern'd to observe at present is that one Name or Word serves for Different things which often renders the Interpretation doubtful Thus Iob 4. 18. we read thus his Angels he charged with Folly but it may as well be read be put Light into his Angels and so Tremellius and the Gallick Version have it for Toholah which is the Word here used and comes from a Hebrew Verb which sometimes signifies to shine denotes both Light and Folly And accordingly Expositors to whom I refer the Reader labour to defend either of these Senses But so far as I can discern the Meaning of this Place the Hebrew Word hath a third Signification which seems to be peculiarly designed here For this Noun is derived from Halal the primitive and known Signification of which is laudare gloriari and so Tohalah is as much as Tehillah laus gloriatio Accordingly I render the foresaid Clause thus Nec in Angelis suis ponet laudem seu gloriationem for the Vau in this Place as in several others which I have hinted before is Disjunctive and is the same with nec And you see the Words run this way i. e. in the Negative He putteth no Trust in his Servants nor doth he put Praise or Boasting in his Angels i. e. those Glorious Spirits who now inhabit the Celestial Regions for I do not think as some do that the Fallen Angels are here spoken of even these in comparison of God who is infinitely pure and perfect are blame-worthy and guilty So that this rendring of the Words amounts to the Sense of the English Version but I do not see any Reason to translate the Hebrew word Folly for the Verb from whence it comes directs us not to it and we have Instance of it in Scripture It is well known that the Noun Dabar signifies both a Thing or Action and a Word and for that reason the rendring of it in Scripture is sometimes uncertain The like may be observed of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the Greek Testament which is applicable to Actions as well as Words in imitation of the use of the word Dabar But both in the Old and New Testament the Matter spoken of will direct us sufficiently unto the peculiar Acception of the Word Shephattaim are either the Lots and Portions of a Man's Life and especially his ill Lot and Misfortune or the Word signifies those Pots some say those Ranges which are used about the Fire and are covered over with Dust and Smoke Accordingly Psal. 68. 13. may be translated thus Though ye have lain in those evil Lots i. e. though you have been in great Distress or thus Though ye have lain among the Pots or Ranges which amounts to the same Sense with the former and expresseth the Distressed Condition of the Persons spoken of The word Belial which is often used is of a double Signification for some derive it form Boli non and Guol jugum and then it denotes one without a Yoke that is impatient of Discipline one that casts off all Laws and Restraints Others deduce it from Beli non and Iagnal profuit so that it should regularly be Belijagnal but the middle Letter being struck out it is Belial which way of Contraction is not unusual as we see in the word Hosanna corruptly from Hosignanna so Path is a Contraction of Pathah frangere Rab of Rabab multiplicari El of Ejal potentia Iordan of Ieordan as some think from Ieor a River and Dan a City because this River had its Rise about that Place and there are almost innumerable Instances of this Abbreviating of Words both in the Bible and other Hebrew Authors If we thus shorten the word Belial it is equivalent to Inutilis homo nequam nullius frugls but both this and the former Derivation of the Word acquaint us that it is well applied in the Scripture to very Lewd and Profligate Persons yea even to the Internal Spirit himself Marphe in Prov. 14. 30. may be derived either from Rapha sanare or Raphah lenem esse and accordingly is both sanitas and lenitas and so that Text may be read a sound Heart a Healthful Constitution or a mild Heart a placid and sedate Temper is the Life of the Flesh is a Procurer of long Life to a Man Both the Senses are coincident Netseach signifies Victory and Eternity as the Greek ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã also doth and therefore Isa. 25. 8. admits of this double Version He will swallow up Death in Victory he will conquer and bafflle its Force or in Eternity i. e. Death shall be absorp'd destroy'd for ever The Sense is alike The Signification of Bochal is probatio and munitio thence Eben bochal Isa. 28. 16. may be rendred a tried Stone or Stone of Trial or else a Stone of Fortification Migreshoth may denote either Suburbs as the word in the singular Number Migrash often doth in Scripture or Waves and therefore in Ezek. 27. 28. we cannot certainly tell which Word to render it by nor is it material whether we do or no. Whether Hamon Ezek. 7. 11. should be translated a Tumult or a Multitude is not to be decided because if the Word comes from Hamah tumultuatus est then the former Version is the genuine one but if from Haman multiplicavit then the latter Whether Chajil Ezek. 37. 10. is to be translated an Army
was in the way of a Miracle It is said the Lord prepared this Fish to swallow up Jonas ver 7. God in an unusual and wonderful manner effected the Deliverance of the Prophet by appointing this Whale to receive him and rescue him from the raging Sea He fitted and prepared him to take him down into the Caverns of his Belly ãâã he so framed his narrow Throat that he was able to swallow him down whole The Parts were so stretch'd at that time that a greater than Ionas might have pass'd through There is no reason then to object the Natural Frame and Make of the Fish But we may rest in the Septuagint's rendring the word who expresly call it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a Whale and especially we may be satisfied with our Saviour's Determination who hath limited the Signification of those words a great Fish and hath expresly told us that Ionas was in the Whale's Belly Mat. 12. 40. Though the Book of Ionas mentions not a Whale yet here we ãâã âssured that it was that very Fish which was made the happy means of the Prophet's preservation And yet here may be some Uncertainty still for a Whale perhaps may not be taken strictly in this place but may only signify one of the Cetaceous Animals among which those are reckon'd that have Lungs as the Dolphin Seal or Sea-calf Porpus Pristis or Saw-fish Tuny We may hold that some other Fish of the Nature of a Whale but not of that particular Frame as to its Throat is here meant and so the former Objection vanisheth But I think there is a way to reconcile this and yet at the same time we may assert that our Saviour means a Whale properly and strictly so called that is as 't is credibly said to be a Great Fish with a Little Throat so little besure that a Man cannot have any passage through it and consequently that Ionas had not If I may be allowed to offer my particular Opinion I conceive that when 't is said by the Prophet Ionas concerning himself that he was in the Belly of the Fish Chap. 1. 17. and when it is said by our Saviour that he was in the Belly of the Whale Mat. 12. 40. the word Belly is not to be understood in a strict Sense The Hebrew word in the former place is of a Large Extent and denotes rather the Bowels than the Belly i. e. it is oftentimes in the Sacred Writ understood of the Inward and Vnseen Parts of any thing which are call'd the Bowels The Greek word in the latter place is not ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã but ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is of a larger Signification and imports any middle or any inward and deep place as in Iohn 7. 38. especially some remote hollow place and so here we are to understand by it some hollow part ãâã the Fish's Body and consequently it may denote to us not the Lowest Ventricle which is usually call'd the Belly but the Mouth which is a Concave Part of the Body And this is here most Emphatically applied to this particular Fish because as we are certainly informed it hath a Mouth by which I mean all that large place on both sides and in the middle between the Lips or outward Mouth and the Passage down the Throat all which is of a most Wonderful and Prodigious Magnitude it hath I say a Mouth of so vast a Capacity that it may rather be call'd a Belly than a Mouth and therefore is not unfitly termed so although in propriety and strictness of Speaking it is not the Belly but the Mouth We must take notice then that this is the Language and Idiom of the Sacred Writers So Beten venter signifies not always the Belly properly but the inward Parts in general as in 1 Kings 7. 20. and Prov. 22. 18. which latter we translate within thee Kereb likewise which is another word for venter is usually rendred medium intimum intestinum the word is used as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã among the Greeks and as Vmbilicus among the Latins for the middle of any thing That Belly or Bowels are used to signify what is inmost and hidden is clear from Psal. 40. 8. Thy Law is in the midst of my Bowels shut up and reposited within my Heart and so in Iob 15. 35. Ch. 30. 27. The Belly in the Stile of Scripture and in other Writers is usually mention'd to express any Inward Receptacle or Place to receive and contain a thing Among Anatomists it hath been made use of in the latitude of the word to signify not only the ãâã properly so call'd but the other Cavities of the Body the Head and Breast So in that Comparison which our Saviour made between himself and Ionas you may remember that the Heart of the Earth answers to the Whale's Belly to let you see that both these words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã are the same and signify some dark and remote Receptacles where Things or Persons are laid up for a time As Ionas was in the Whale's Belly so Christ was in the Heart of the Earth to acquaint us that as the word Heart is not understood here strictly and properly so neither is the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as it signifies Belly The Heart of the Earth was the Grave or Sepulcher where our Saviour lay though 't was not strictly speaking the Heart so by the Whale's Belly is meant the place where Ionas was held and imprison'd though it was not the Belly in the strictness of Speech But as the Grave is to the Earth so is the Mouth to the Body our Saviour was hidden in the one Ionas was preserv'd in the other viz. in the Mouth of the Whale And the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is used in Iob. 7. 38. to denote not properly the Belly though we render it so but the inward Part of Man Out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of living Water alluding to the Cisterns or Vessels of Stone ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã call'd by the Seventy Interpreters Prov. 5. 15. out of which by certain Pipes or Cocks they let out the Water in abundance And further it might be observ'd that those words which express these inward and invisible Parts have their Denomination from the hollowness of them as Kebah ventriculus is from Kab or Kabab cavavit and so Kobah of the same Signification is from the same Root and is so named from its Cavity and that for this reason because these inward Vessels and Parts are able to hold and contain things and also are Channels and Passages to convey and transmit them These are properly ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and are call'd so from their hollowness and capaciousness Thus in the Matter before us though we do not restrain ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to the Abdomen the Belly strictly so named yet we take it in its proper and genuine Denotation that is as it signifies that Vast and
insects the Word which we render a Spider Prov. 30. 28. is Stellio in the Old Latin Version and the Inquisitive Bochart labours to make it probable that that is the Creature there meant viz. an Ewet a little Spotted Animal like a Lizard I will mention here the Locusts Lev. 11. 22. rank'd with the Beetle and Grashopper which the Jews were allowed to eat and I will take occasion thence to speak of the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Locusts which Iohn Baptist fed upon in the Wilderness Mat. 3. 4. Mark 1. 6. they being the very same sort of Food which are mentioned here in Leviticus among the Species of Creeping Fowls I know there are other Opinions concerning them The Ebionites of old as Epiphanius relates held that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã was a Mistake for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which Word is used Exod. 16. 31. and Numb 11. 9. But this wild Interpretation hath no Bottom at all and therefore hath been universally rejected Some have thought as One tells us that these ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã were Sea-Fish either Crabs or Lobsters and why not Shrimps But guess how likely 't was that St. Iohn should meet with Sea-Fish in the Wilderness besides that these were a dainty sort of Food and not so befitting this mortified Hermit Others take these ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã not to be Sensitive Creatures but Vegetables which was the Sentiment of some of the Fathers Theophylact thought them to be a certain kind of Herb some particular distinct Species of Plants But others of the Antient Christian Writers took them to be Tops of Shrubs and Trees and among the Moderns this is held by Theophrastus and Paracelsus One Author is very particular in giving his Judgment of this Word for he saith it signifies 1. Little Shoots and Tendrels of Trees 2. Young Sprouts of Plants 3. Asparagus Baronius and Erasmus understand the Word of the uppermost Parts or Toppings of young Trees which they think St. Iohn cropp'd and our Dr. Hammond favours this Opinion but Sir N. Knatchbull very heartily defends it But I see no Foundation at all for it for the Words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã have no such Signification in any Author whatsoever It is true ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and the Plural ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã used by Homer signify the Tops of Mountains but what is this to the purpose unless they think the Baptist had such a Miraculous Stomach as first to remove the Tops of Mountains and then to eat them I can't imagine any other occasion of this Opinion than this that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is summum extremum whence some fancied that the Word signified the Tops or Extremities of Plants And besides the Antient Writers from whom the later received the Notion thought not of the Locusts which were the ordinary Food of the Eastern People as is evident from the foresaid Place in Leviticus and were much bigger in those Countries than in others These are the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã mentioned by St. Matthew and St. Mark these are the Locusts which the Holy Baptist made his Repast whilst he lived in the Desart for that those of meaner Rank and such especially in the Eastern Countries as convers'd in the Fields and Desarts fed on this sort of Meat is sufficiently testified by Aristotle Aeâian Solinus Pliny and other Natural Historians who speak of this kind of Insects also by Strabo and Diodorus Siculus who report that some People were call'd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã because they fed generally on this Food and by the Learned Father St. Ierom. But the most satisfactory Author on this Subject is Ludolphus in his Ethiopick or Abyssine History who proves that Locusts are an agreeable Food to the People of Africk and the Southern Parts of Asia and that they are of very great Bulk and not like those in Europe and in short that they were the usual Sustenance of some People in the East What then can be plainer than this that St. Iohn fed on these Animals in the Wilderness it being a sort of Food that the Hebrew People were no Strangers to and consequently that this is the true Interpretation of Mat. 3. 4. But it must be acknowledg'd that Other Texts are not so easily understood there is a great Ambiguity in those words whereby Animals are express'd and 't is somewhat difficult to reach the true meaning of them as may sufficiently appear from what Monsieur Bochart hath said of those Animals that are spoken of in Scripture though truly I am of opinion that that Great Man hath sometimes if not often rais'd Doubts about them when there was little or no Ground for it as 't is the fault of almost all Great Criticks to render Words and Things dubious when there is no occasion for it In the next place I will observe that the Names of Flowers Plants and Herbs among the Hebrews are scarcely known to us Otherwise certainly the Hebrew word which in our English Bibles is rendred a Rose Cant. 2. 1. Isa. 35. 1. would not have been translated a Flower in the former place and a Lilly in the latter by the Vulgar Interpreter And Buxtorf was so sensible of the ambiguous Sense of this word that he tells us it is either a Rose or a Lilly The Plant which God prepared for Ionas to be a Shade to him is rendred by some a kind of Vine by others a Cucumber by the Seventy Coloquintida or the Bitter Gourd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã call'd by the Botanists the Apple of Coloquintida and the Gall of the Earth and the Death of Plants by the Vulgar Latin an Ivy by others as Mercer and Montanus that Plant which we call Palma Christi and by our English Translators according to the Arabick a Gourd So discrepant are the Judgments of Interpreters about this Matter And the Geneva Helvetian and Danish Bibles retain the Hebrew word Kikaion because they knew not what to make of it Nor are Authors less divided about the Gopher-wood Gen. 6. 14. of which the Ark was made for no less than Seven or Eight sorts of Trees are mention'd by them on this occasion Some say it is Square-Timber because 't is rendred by the Greek Interpreters ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã others think it to be Smooth-Timber because in the Vulgar Latin it is Ligna levigata According to the Chaldee Paraphrasts and most of the Rabins it is Cedar according to Munster and the Geneva Translation it is a Pine-Tree Iunius thinks it is a middle sort between this and a Fir. Bochart and Fuller vote it to be a Cypress and the latter hath this fanciful notion concerning it that among the Gentiles the Cypress was always held to be a Fatal Tree and was used at Funerals because the Ark at the Flood in which Noah was shut up as in a Sepulcher was made of this Wood. Some take it
part of an Ephah Exod. 16. 36. i. e. the tenth part of a Bushel or thereabouts and therefore is call'd by the Jews Gnisharon decima a tenth-deal Numb 15. 4. whereas the Homer contained ten Ephahs or Baths i. e. ten Bushels But yet this is an Equivocal Word as appears from Lev. 23. 10. Ye shall bring a Sheaf of the first Fruits of your Harvest unto the Priest It is the word Omer which is here translated a Sheaf a far different thing from a Measure and by the Septuagint and Vulgar Latin Version a Maniple or handful which indeed is a sort of Measure but greatly disagreeing with the usual Signification of Omer But in all other places the Hebrew Name it self is retain'd in the Greek and Latin Versions as well as in Ours and I have told you what it is generally thought to signify 5. The Cor 1 Kings 4. 22. which is made by some a distinct Measure from those before-named but you will find that according to the Vulgar Latin a Cor and an Homer are the same Ezek. 45. 13 14. The Measures for Liquids among the Hebrews were a Log Lev. 14. 10. which contain'd about half a Pint however this is sure that it was the least of Liquid Measures Next a Hin Numb 15. 4. which was somewhat bigger than a Log some say it held ten Logs a Great Gallon I may call it A Bath Ezek. 45. 11. was yet bigger and contain'd six Hins i. e. about six Gallons others say four Gallons and an half And yet it is said to be of the same Capacity with the Ephah i. e. a Bushel and consequently should hold eight Gallons The Homer was also a Measure for Liquor as well as for Grain and it contained ten Baths as is evident from Ezek. 45. 14. Ten Baths are an Homer But because a Bath is more or less according to the different Determinations of Writers we cannot assign the exact Quantity of an Homer A Cor which I before mentioned as the same with the Chomer and the greatest of Dry Measures is also a Measure for Liquids 1 Kings 5. 11. Ezek. 45. 14. But 't is no wonder that we have not an exact Knowledg of these Iewish Measures for even those that are mentioned in Greek and Latin Authors and very much fall short of the Antiquity of these are but little known by us Next if we proceed to the Words whereby the Hebrew Weights are expressed in Scripture which are the Shekel and the Talent we shall find them something dubious and uncertain The Shekel ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã like the Cubit is said to be either Common or Sacred the Profane Shekel or that of the Sanctuary And here there is Dissention among Writers but according to the most moderate Accounts the former is said to be in Weight a quarter of an Ounce the latter half an Ounce Troy Others affirm that there was no Profane Shekel different from the Sacred one but that the occasion of the Opinion was the Scripture's mentioning the Shekel of the Sanctuary Lev. 27. 25. and Numb 3. 47. which is so call'd because the Weights which were laid up in the Sanctuary were the Standard of all Weights The other Weights in use among the People were tried by These and if they were found lighter they were condemned As for the contrary Opinion it is look'd upon by some but I cannot subscribe to it as an Invention of the Rabbies The other Weight is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Exod. 25. 39. 1. Kings 20. 39. rendred by the Greek and Latin Version as well as Ours a Talent which is either Common or Sacred the first according to some of the Rabins is fifty Pounds others say sixty others sixty two in weight The second according to some is an hundred according to others an hundred and twenty and in others Estimation an hundred twenty five Pounds Weight i. e. about as much again as the Common Talent But it is difficult to tell in which particular Places of Scripture the Common Talent is meant and in which the Sacred one Only this we know that a Talent was the greatest Weight among the Hebrews And this we may rest in as very probable that there was a Difference of the same Weights among the Jews as among us there is Troy Weight used by Gold Goldsiniths and Apothecaries and ãâã by those who deal in grosser things Then as to the Coins these generally followed the Weights because they weighed their Money for the most part Hence the Shekel and the Talent were not only Weights but Coins among the Hebrews The Shekel of the Sanctuary was in strict Value two Shillings four Pence of our Money but is generally reckon'd two Shillings six Pence our Half-Crown but the Ordinary Sâekel was but half as much i. e. as to the most strict Value fourteen Pence but more generally esteem'd to be fifteen This is to be understood of the Shekel of Silver but then we must know there was another of Gold which was of a much higher Value fifteen Shillings at least Now because the word Shekel is often mentioned without any Addition in Scripture we may be mistaken as to the right Value of it because we are uncertain which of the Shekels is to be understood that of Silver or that of Gold And sometimes it happens by reason of the Shekels being both a Weight and a Coân that the one is mistook for the other As probably in 2 Sam. 14. 26. where 't is said that Absalom at every Year's end polled his Head because the Hair was heavy on him and he weighed the Hair at two hundred Shekels which is generally understood as if the Hair of his Head being cut off every Year weighed two hundred Shekels i. e. fifty Ounces which is four Pounds and two Ounces if you reckon by the Lâsser Shekel but if you make your Computation by the Greater one which was double in weight his Hair weighed eight Pounds and four Ounces But this cannot be for though his Hair was heavy as the Text testifies yet it is no ways credible that it was of this vast Weight Two hundred Shekels of the lesser Weight are more ponderous than the Fleeces of two ordinary Sheep You may imagine then what the Weight doubled will be i. e. if you understand the Place of the Greater Shekels Wherefore by Shekels here is meant Coin and not Weight the Meaning is this that Absalom's Hair growing excessively and being very heavy he yearly cut it off and when it was weighed it was found to be worth two hundred Shekels that is according to the Common Shekel twelve Pounds ten Shillings in our English Money but much more according to the rate of the Greater Shekel The Price or Value of his Hair not the Weight of it is here spoken of So much Money he could have had for the yearly Loppings of his Hair and so much and more they made of it to whom he gave it viz. his Servants who parted
Iosephus who was kill'd a little before the final Overthrow of Ierusalem For the Words of Christ relate not to any one who had been slain already but they are a Prophecy concerning the last of all the Martyrs of the Jews who should be put to Death before the Destruction of the last Temple and the Dissolution of that Nation Such a Zachary the Son of Baruch was kill'd in the middle of the Temple as the Jewish Historian assures us But first it is plain that Christ speaks of something that had already happen'd not of something that was to come It is not ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã but ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã not a future but an aorist and so denotes what hath been done before not what shall be done afterwards Therefore Christ's words are to be understood of one that had been in time past kill'd by the Jews Secondly It is unquestionable that Christ speaks of some very Holy Man whose violent Death is recorded in the Old Testament for you find this Zacharias joyn'd with Abel of whom you read in Gen. 4. 8. and for that reason we may infer that this Baruch is not meant here Thirdly It is doubtful whether the Blood of this Person whom Iosephus speaks of may be call'd righteous Blood as this is here for it was upon a Civil Account that that Son of Baruch was put to Death viz. because he was thought to take part with the Romans and so he cannot be well parallell'd with Abel You see how improbable the foresaid Opinions are therefore I choose to imbrace that of St. Ierom and some Learned Men of late who conceive that this Zacharias is he who is mentioned in 2 Chron. 24. 20. And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the Son of Jehoiada the Priest who stood above the People and said unto them Thus saith the Lord Why c. And they conspired against him and stoned him with stones at the Commandment of the King in the Court of the House of the Lord. Thus Joash the King remembred not the Kindness which Jehoiada his Father had done to him but slew his Son This is the Person whom our Saviour speaks of and the shedding of whose righteous Blood he imputeth to the Jews of that Age. Him ye slew saith he for though 't is said the King slew him because he commanded him to be slain yet 't is said likewise the People slew him because they not only conspired against him as you read but actually stoned him And this they did in the Court of the House of the Lord which is the same with what our Saviour saith between the Temple and the Altar And his Blood may justly deserve the Epithet of Righteous and he may justly be reckon'd with Righteous Abel because he lost his Life in a Righteous Cause because with great Boldness and Zeal he reproved the People for their Sins but especially for their Idolatry and foretold them what Misery these would certainly bring upon them For this zealous Freedom of his they took away his Life This was a very Eminent Man among the Jews There are in their Writings remarkable Stories concerning him not only relating to his Life but his Death They kill'd him being both a Priest and a Prophet and before the Temple and on the day of Expiation and from several other Circumstances his Murder is aggravated in the Talmud This was Zachâriaâ the Son of Iehoiada but called here the Son of Barachias because it was common to have two Names among the Jews His Father's Name being both Iehoiada and Barachias he is call'd in the Chronicles the Son of Jehoiada and by our Saviour the Son of Barachias But in this it is likely Christ had reference to the words of Isaiah Chap. 8. 2. Zachariah the Son of Jereberechiah or Barachiah as the Septuagint and Vulgar Latin give it us It appears hence that Barachiah as well as Iehoiadâ was his Father's Name as our Christian Rabbi makes it clear Thus our Saviour's words are reconciled with those in the Chronicles by attending to what I before observ'd viz. That it is usual in Scripture to affix two Names to the same Person one is given him in one place and another in the other So that in Mark 2. 25 26. may be understood Have ye never read what David did when he had need and was an hungred how he went into the House of God in the days of Abiathar the High-Priest and did eat the Shew-bread If you look into 1 Sam. 21. you will see that it was in the days of Ahimelech the High-Priest which Ahimelech it seems was call'd also Abiathar otherwise our Saviour would not have used that Name Which I will yet further confirm to you by some other Instances Ierubbaal and Gideon are the same Man Iudg. 6. 32. Ch. 7. 1. Achish and Abimelech are one Person 1 Sam. 21. 11. and the Title of the 34th Psalm So are Araunah and Ornan 2 Sam. 24. 1 Chron. 21. Caleb and Carmi are the same 1 Chron. 2. 18. Ch. 4. 1. So are Ioah and Etham 1 Chron. 6. 21 41. Amminadab and Izhar 1 Chron. 6. 2 22. Ioel and Vashni 1 Sam. 8. 2. 1 Chron. 6. 28. The same is to be said of Daniel and Chileab 1 Chron. 3. 1. 2. Sam. 3. 3. Of Ammiel and ãâã 2 Sam. 11. 3. 1. Chron. 3. 5. Thus Ieâoiakim Eliakim 2 Kings 23. 34. 1 Chron. 3. 15. Ahaziah and Azariah are Names of the same Kings 1 Chron 3. 11. and 2 Chron. 22. 6. ãâã and Ishboshetâ are the same Son of Saul 2 Sam. 2. 8. 1 Chron 8. 33. Mephibosheth and Merib-baal are the same Son of Ionathan 2. Sam. 4. 4. 1 Chron. 8. 34. Zimri and Zabdi are one Man 1 Chron. 2. 6. Jos. 7. 1. Esar-haddon and Asnappar are the same Ezr. 4. 2 10. So are Salmanassar and Shalman 2 Kings 18. 34. Hos. 10. 14. Zerubbabel and Shesh-bazzar are the same Person Ezra 1. 8. compared with Ezra 5. 14. Iehoahaz and Shallum are the Names of the same King as appears from comparing 2 Kings 23. 30. with Ier. 22. 11. The King of Assyria who is called Sennacherib 2 Kings 18. 13. is called Sargon Isa. 20. 1. Yea we find three or four Names given to one as Moses's Father-in-Law is call'd Iethro Exod. 3. 1. Ch. 4. 18. Iothor by the Septuagint Exod. 3. 1. Raguel by the same Interpreters Exod. 2. 18. Revel in the same place according to the Original Hobab Numb 10. 29. And I remember Iosephus saith his Name was Iethlegé Of Solomon the same is observable besides that Name he hath three others given him for we find that he is call'd Iedidiah 2 Sam. 12. 25. Lemuel Prov. 31. 1. Coheleth Eccl. 1. 1. which last is rendred Ecclesiastes and Preacher and a great deal of dispute there is why Solomon is call'd so especially in the Feminine Gender but if we take it to be his Proper Name then all Questions of that nature are at
in the Catalogue of the Kings of Persia viz. Cyrus the First Cambyses the Second Darius Hystaspis the Third Xerxes the Fourth Artaxerxes Longimanus the Fifth c. Yet in the Book of Ezra we read that These five were successively viz. Cyrus Ahasuerus Artaxerxes Darius Artaxerxes How is this to be reconciled Both by saying that the same Persian Kings had different Names and also that several of them had one Name which are both very true One of them was call'd Cambyses and Ahasuerus another had the Name Darius and Artaxerxes a third was call'd Xerxes and Darius And besides this they were all call'd by one General Name that is Artaxerxes was a common Name of the whole Race of the Persian Kings Many of the Learnedst Jews were of this Opinion and it is the more probable because this hath been usual in other Kingdoms and Countries as we learn from the Sacred Records There we find that there was one Common Name for all the Kings of Philistia or Palestine and that was Abimelech as is clear from Gen. 20. 2. Ch. 26. 1 4. Ch. 34. 1. 1 Sam. 21. 11. and also from the Title of the 34th Psalm it appears that this was the Universal Name of the Kings of the Philistines So Agag was the Common Title of all the Kings of the Amalekites as may be inferr'd from Numb 24. 7. 1 Sam. 15. 8. It is probable that Hiram was the Catholick Name of the Kings of Tyre but that Pharaoh was so of all the Egyptian Kings of old is undeniably clear from Gen. 12. 15. which speaks of a Pharaoh in Abraham's time from Gen. 39. 1 c. where we read of another of that Name in Ioseph's days And in Exodus there is frequent mention of that Pharaoh that enslaved the Israelites and order'd all their Male-Children to be drowned and of another whose Heart was hardned and who was drown'd in the Red Sea There was a Pharaoh in Solomon's time 1 Kings 3. 1. and in Iosias's 2 Kings 23. 29. In Isaiah we read of a King of Egypt of this Name Ch. 19. 11. Ch. 30. 2 3. So in Ieremiah Ch. 25. 19. Ch. 44. 30. Ch. 46. 17. and in Ezekiel very often That this was the constant Title of the Egyptian Kings is attested by Suidas Eusebius and Iosephus yea if we may believe this last Pharaoh in the Egyptian Tongue signifies a King Which seems truly to be confirm'd from that passage in Gen. 41. 44. I am Pharaoh which is as much as to say I am King I am Supreme Ruler I will not part with this Name i. e. I will not lose my Royal Dignity and Power And accordingly he retain'd this Name himself and gave Ioseph another as you read in the next Verse It might well then be the General Name of their Kings it signifying Royal Authority and Rule But after the time of Alexander the Great the Kings of Egypt were generally called Ptolomees and after the renouncing of the Greek Emperour they were a long time call'd Caliphs for the General of the Saracens whom the Egyptians took for their King was named Caliph whence the succeeding Kings were denominated after his Name To proceed in this Subject Attalus was a Standing Title to all the Kings of Pergamus though it is true some of them had a particular peculiar Name besides whence that King of Pergamus who was thought to be the Inventer of Parchment to write upon is call'd Attalus by Aelian and St. Ierom but Eumenes by others Antiochus was generally the Name of the Syrian Kings and Mithridates of those of Pontus All the Kings or Dynasts of Edessa in Syria had the Name of Abgarus Herod was the Name common to all the Successors of Herod the first as we learn from the Gospels and the Acts. Candace gave the Denomination to all the Queens of Ethiopia or of one part at least of that Country Arsaces to all the Kings of Parthia Sylvius to those of the Albans i. e. the Latin Kings of the Trojan Race Chagan was antiently the common word to express all the the Kings of the Hunns Caesar was the Title for all the Roman Emperours after Iulius Caesar. Cosâoe or Kosroes was the Appellation of the Kings of Persia heretofore after that of Artaxerxes as Sophi of late and Sultan is the distinguishing Title of the Turkish Empire and Miramolin or Miramomolin of all the Princes of Mauritania Thus briefly I have shew'd that it was usual for all the Kings of a Country to have the same Name for a very considerable time at least The observing of which may be of some use to us in reading the Sacred History when it refers to any of those Kings whom I first named and in reading Profane Authors who mention any of the others Lastly I could observe concerning Places in Scripture the same that I have concerning Persons viz. that sometimes they have different Names which we ought carefully to heed in reading this Holy Book One eminent Mountain in Palestine and the adjacent Parts hath several Denominations it is call'd Zion Psal. 2. 6. and frequently in other Books of the Old Testament It is also named Moriah 2 Chron. 3. 1. the same Mount where Moses saw the Burning Bush not consumed and where Isaac was offer'd and where the Temple afterwards was built This Name was so celebrated that from this the Land of Canaan is call'd the Land of Moriah Gen. 22. 2. The same Mountain is named Hermon as is evident from those express words Deut. 4. 48. Mount Sion which is Hermon It is also call'd Sirion Deut. 3. 9. which Name was given it by the Sidonians And in the same place it hath the Name of Shenir which was given it by the Amorites This Multiplicity of Names may I conceive be grounded on this that Sion or Hermon or call it by any of the other Names is properly speaking a long Ledg of several Hills that go through Palestine and a great part of Arabia Some add Gilead and Seir and Lebanon the famous Alpes of the Holy Land upon the North and East part of it noted for its snowy tops its lofty Cedars and other Trees and its fragrant Herbs and Plants Some I say add these to the foregoing ones and rightly determine that they were but one continued Mountain with divers Names as Mount Taurus though far greater is a ridg of Hills that hath several Names according to the different Parts of it Hence Psal. 133. 3. and some other places of Scripture mention some of those Names before spoken of as if they belong'd to different Mountains and the reason is because though they are the same Mountain yet those Names refer to the different parts of the same great ridg of Hills and so are accounted as it were different Hills and accordingly the great Mass of Dew which was in part distill'd on Mount Hermon one division of that great Mountain did partly also fall on Mount Zion a neighbouring part of
the same Mountain which I take to be the true and genuine meaning of those words of the Psalmist which have exercised the Brains of so many Interpreters As the Dew of Hermon that descended as it is according to the Hebrew or as we translate it As the Dew of Hermon and as the Dew that descended upon the Mountains of Zion both which Translations are reconcil'd by this Exposition and the Sense is rendred entire and perfect The Dew which descended on both these places was the same for some of it fell on this part of the whole Mountain and some on that so that successively Hermon and Zion were partakers of this Blessing Part of that Fructifying Moisture which came down upon the one soon after came down upon the other In the Desarts of Arabia the Mountain whence God gave the Law to Moses is call'd Sinai Exod. 19. 18. and in other places yet in Deut. 4. 10. and elsewhere frequently Horeb is the Name of the same Mountain Though St. Ierom is of a contrary Opinion and thinks they are two distinct Mountains or at least two ridges of one Mountain The like may be said of Mount Nebo the Arabian Parnassus which had two Tops Pisgah and Hor and by these Names as well as by the other it was call'd Numb 20. 23 25. Ch. 27. 12. Deut. 34. 1. and it was named also Mount Abarim Deut. 32. 49. Numb 27. 12. It may not be improbable that Aaron and Moses died on the same Mount though they are represented under different Names But it is most apparent that a double or treble Name is given to several other places thus the Salt-Sea Gen. 14. 3. Numb 34. 3. the Sea of the Desart Deut. 3. 19. and the Sea of the Plain Deut. 4. 49. signify one and the same place viz. the Sea of Sodom which is call'd by others the Dead Sea the Lake Asphaltites which was caused by the Destruction of Sodom The Sea or Lake of Chinnereth Numb 34. 11. of Genesareth Luke 5. 1. of Tiberias John 21. 1. of Galilee John 6. 1. are but one Lake Who doubts that Assyria Chaldea and Babylon are sometimes promiscuously used for the same Region and that Mesopotamia Charan Padan-Aram are one Country So Galilee and Decapolis are the same so are Sichem and Sychar Gen. 33. 18. John 4. 5. And the like is to be said of Egypt and Sihor Isa. 23. 3. Thus Places have more Names than one in the Holy Writings which we ought carefully to attend to lest we run into Mistakes as some have done by this Diversity of Names given to the same Place And this Difference of Names might be observed in other Instances which are frequent in Gentile Writers as Sparta and Lacedaemon Troy and Ilium Thraâia and Romania c. And this likewise is to be noted that some Names of the same Place differ but a little i. e. as to a Letter or two and no more as Haran Gen. 12. 5. and Charran Acts 7. 2. are the same so are Sechem Shechem and Sychem Gen. 33. 18. Josh. 20. 7. Acts 7. 16. The same is to be said of Shiloah Isa. 8. 6. Siloah Neh. 3. 15. Siloam John 9. 7. Luk. 13. 4. all three the same as Kidron 2 Sam. 15. 23. and Cedron John 18. 1. are the same Brook So Zarephath 1 Kings 17. 9. and Sarepta Luk. 4. 26. are the same Town Megiddo 2 Kings 9. 27. and Megiddon Zech. 12. 11. the same Valley Zin Numb 13. 21. Deut. 32. 51. and Sin Exod. 16. 1. Numb 33. 12. the same Wilderness though some have thought these two latter words denote different places Concerning some things mention'd in Scripture we should distinguish between them though they differ not much in Writing and Pronunciation especially when they are of the same Species as Sardine Rev. 4. 3. Sardius the same precious Stone Rev. 21. 20. but Sardonix is a Stone different from that Rev. 21. 20. Though some Names differ a little yet they signify the same thing as Sycamine Luk. 17. 6. and Sycamore Ch. 19. 4. But these are small things and in which there is no great danger if there should be any mistake and therefore I will not entertain you any longer with these but hasten to more important Matter But having spoken so largely of this First Head I will be brief in that which followeth CHAP. X. There are Words in the Hebrew Text which have not only Different but Contrary Significations which is another cause of some Difficulty in Scripture This exemplified in several Hebrew Nouns more especially Tsagnir Mic. 5. 2. which signifies both little and great and accordingly this place is reconciled with Matth. 2. 6. Likewise Hebrew Verbs bear a Contrary Sense of which sundry Instances are given More particularly the true import of the Verb Barak Iob 2. 9. is narrowly search'd into and the Author 's particular Sense concerning that Text is propounded and defended Some Greek words in the New Testament signify Contrary things And the like Discrepancy is observ'd in some words in other Greek Authors and in some among the Latins I Proceed in the second place to observe That there are words in the Hebrew Text which have not only Different but Contrary Significations which cannot but render some parts of the Scripture difficult That is they will be so till we have throughly examin'd the words and found out the peculiar Signification which they have in the Texts that are before us Thus Shethum is rendred open as in Numb 24. 3. the Man whose Eyes are open and yet this Hebrew word signifies in all other places of Scripture where it is shutting of the Eyes Chesed denotes Beneficence Goodness Piety and the height of them and also Cruelty Malice and all Excess of Evil and whatever is Reproachful and Ignominious in the Life of Man thence some render those words Vechesed leummim chattah Prov. 14. 34. The Piety of Nations is Sin because whilst they worship Idols they think they serve God and others understand the place according to our Translation Sin is the Reproach of any People which is much to be preferr'd before the other Version because it exactly answers to the former Clause The word Cherem is both that which is consecrated to God and that which is Accursed and devoted to the Devil as I have shew'd in another place An impure Catamite a Sodomite is call'd Kadesh from Kadash âacer fuit and Kedeshah which is no other than Sanctificata is taken for a Common Prostitute The word Tsagnir is both little and great and accordingly Mich. 5. 2. may be rendred either Thou Bethlehem Ephratah thou art little or art great among the thousands of Judah The not attending to this hath occasion'd no small trouble among Expositors whilst they labour to reconcile this Text with Mat. 2. 6. where it is quoted by the Jewish Doctors and Priests and Bethlehem is said to be not the least But the Learned Dr. Pocock on the place saith that
when he rid forth in State signifying as they think that the People ought to salute him most humbly and even to bow the Knee to him This is certain that Barak is a general Word for Saluting whether at meeting or parting either by Word or Gesture and is equivalent with the Greek word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And because at such times they generally used to bow the Knee it hath that particular Signification as in 2 Chron. 16. 13. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã according to the LXX So in Dan. 6. 10. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And in Gen. 24. 11. the Kneeling down of Camels to take up their Burden is expressed by it Yea the word Barak is sometimes transferr'd from its signification of Civil Respect and Kneeling and applied unto Religious Worship as in 2 Chron. 6. 13. Solomon when he pray'd kneeled upon his Knees c. And in Psal. 95. 6. Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker The Word is here made use of to denote bending the Knee in Divine Worship and prostrating themselves before God So that this word Barak in the Original Denotation of it answers to the word Nashak which signifies to salute in a lowly and humble manner to submit and do Obeisance and more particularly Kissing is express'd by it which was a Token of Homage and Subjection of old 1 Sam. 10. 1. But from this first and simple Import of the Word another ariseth which is this viz. to take leave of one because Salutations and Greetings at last end in this Men part and go their way after a short saluting and accosting one another Thus the Word is taken in 2 Sam. 14. 22. Joab âell to the Ground on his Face and bowed himself and thanked the King Hebr. Jeberek he took his leave of him he made that Salutation which was becoming at his going out of his Presence In which Notion it likewise answers to Nashak which besides its former Sense signifies to take leave of to bid adieu to one as in Gen. 31. 28. therefore that Valedictory Salutation of Kissing was call'd Neshikah Parashah osculum separationis the Kiss at parting or taking their leave of one another And then there is another derivative Sense of the Word which flows both from this and the former meaning of it and that is twofold for Persons are wont at Saluting and taking Leave to wish well or ill to one another and to express these by good or evil Words whence it is that Barak is either benè or malè precari it imports either to bless or to curse This as I take it is the true and exact Account of the Word and so you see what is the primary and more restrain'd Acception of it and what is the secondary and more general Sense of it Now that which I offer is this that the Word in that Place of Iob is to be understood chiefly in the first and most proper Denotations of it i. e. as it signifies humbly to salute to bow down and do Obeisance or as it signifies to take one's leave According to the former Acception of the Word Iob's Wife speaks thus to him Do not continue to retain thine Integrity or to hold fast thy Perfection as it is in the Original Do not justify thy self before God as if thou wert void of all Guilt but with humble Reverence bow thy self before the Lord adore and worship the most High and submit thy self to him and acknowledg thy Meanness and Sinfulness Do thus and then thou mayst die with Peace and Comfort In this only she might incur the Imputation of speaking foolishly because she like Iob's Friends afterwards had wrong Apprehensions of this Good Man and imagined that he justified himself and was in his own Thoughts a Sinless Person Or else this was the Worser Language of that Woman Take now thy leave of God and die i. e. seeing thou art in this miserable Condition smote with fore Boils from the Sole of thy Foot to the Crown of thy Head ver 7. think not of living but rather desire to quit this World and to be gone Bid God adieu take your Farewel of him and only beg this of him that you may die as soon as may be Or you may suppose this Woman's Language or Meaning rather to be much worser yet even after this sort Take your last Valâ of Heaven utterly renounce God as well as your Integrity shake him off and have nothing to do with him since he deals so severely with you abandon him for ever and hasten out of the World Though this be not so harsh as downright Cursing of God yet this was indeed speaking like one of the foolish sottish Women as he roundly told her v. 10. The Stile was something too rough to say Curse God She would not speak after that rate to her Pious Confort but she impiously counsels him to take his Leave of God and Religion and to bid an eternal Farewel to both In three other Places in this Book the Word is taken in this latter Sense for it is most probable that in this particular Book the Word is always used in the same Meaning as in ch 1. 5. It may be my Sons have as 't were taken their leave of i. e. tacitely renounced God in their Hearts in the midst of their Pleasures and Entertainments it may be they have had an Aversion to God they have in some measure departed from him for it is not likely that Iob's Children openly blasphemed or strictly speaking cursed God So that part of the 11th Verse of this Chapter and of the 5th of the next which we translate he will curse thee to thy Face seems to be too harsh a Representation even from the Mouth of the Devil of that Holy Man's Carriage for though he cursed the Day of his Birth he never curs'd and blasphemed the Almighty and that to his Face i. e. openly and audaciously but he might be said in some Degree to have forsaken and abandoned God and to have turned himself from him by indulging too much to Impatience and Murmuring And not only these Places in Iob but that in 1 Kings before-mentioned which we translate thus Naboth blasphemed or cursed God and the King may be understood in this Sense He by certain Actions discovered as was pretended that he had forsaken God and revolted from his Duty to the King But I submit this to the Judgment of the Learned Thus you see that Words of Different much more of Contrary Significations occasion some Difficulty in interpreting the Texts where they are found There are many Other Hebrew Words in Scripture which signify Contrary things the Sense sometimes as well as the Letters must be read backwards Nor is the Greek wholly destitute of such Words as in Tit. 1. 12. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã may be rendred either slow or quick Bellies for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is both piger and celer The Cretians of whom this is spoken might be said
to be Slow Bellies because they were given to Idleness and Gluttony or they might be call'd Quick Bellies because they were Greedy and Fierce Eaters Other Greek Words some of which occur in the New Testament might be taken notice of which have both a good and a bad Sense and so come under this Head as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a remarkable Word beginning with three Alpha's is valdènoxius and innoxius ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is Inflammatio and Pituita a cold Humour ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã bears a good Sense in its Primitive Acception and is no more than any Likeness or Image but it also and that most frequently signifies such an Image or Representation to which is given Religious Worship ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã were at first used to signify only Curiosity but afterwads they were taken in a worse Sense by some Authors and particularly by St. Luke Acts 19. 19. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies to have more than another but withal to have more than one ought to have to defraud and circumvent yea to defraud and injure by Adultery as St. Chrysostom and Dr. Hammond observe on 1 Thess. 4. 6. So ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is an honest Word was applied heretofore to a bad sort of Women little better than Concubines yea Harlots as we read in Theodoret and Epiphanius And so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã was abused as St. Ierom complains The same is commonly said of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which was a good Word at first and signified a King but afterwards a Tyrant ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã was a Professor of Wisdom and one that excell'd in any useful Science but at last it signified a mere Pretender to Art So ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is a wholesome Medicine and a deadly Poison ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã though it is well known it hath an ill Sense yet sometimes like the Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is no more than ubertim expleri So among the Latins the same Word sometimes hath a Contrary Meaning thus Expers is one that hath not Experience or Skill and one that hath Religio is taken for downright Superstition and Bigotry as well as the Due Worship of God Sacer by an usual Antiphrasis is made to signify that Person or Thing which is so far from being Holy that it is most Profane and Desecrate most Cursed and Detestable most Pernicious and Destructive So ignis sacer is reckon'd among the most Dangerous sorts of Ulcers by Celsus it is also the Name of the Erysipelas call'd by Pliny Zoster and was thought to be extremely pernicious and fatal when it encompassed the Part. And the sacer ignis in the Close of Virgil's third Book of Georgicks is interpreted to be the same by some Commentators by others the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and call'd sacer because of its Great Malignity Villanus was once an honest Rustick as Budaeus observes but now is a Name of Infamy So Missa the Mass was an innocent Word at first and signified no other than the Service of the Church but afterwards it degenerated into a very bad one and is appropriated to the Idolatrous Worship of the Church of Rome But enough of this CHAP. XI Some Difficulties in Scripture arise from the Matter or Manner of things delivered wherein prejudiced Minds fancy some Repugnancy or Contradiction The Cavils against Gen. 4. 14. largely and fully answered Numb 14. 30. reconciled with Josh. 14. 1. ch 22. 13. The seeming Repugnancy of 1 Sam. 16. 22 23 to chap. 17. ver 55. removed The Geometrical Scruple about the brazen Laver 2 Chron. 4. 2. dispell'd Another Objection concerning it founded on 1 Kings 7. 26. compared with 1 Chron. 4. 5. answered The Contradiction which some fancy in 2 Chron. 14. 5. compared with 1 Kings 15. 14. taken away A satisfactory Reply to the Cavil against Matth. 27. 9. The double Repugnancy conceived by some to be in Acts 7. 15. plainly solv'd John 5. 31. considered with ch 8. ver 14. shew'd to be void of Contradiction The same proved concerning our Saviour's Words in Matth. 10. 34. Heb. 9. 4. is not contrary to 1 Kings 8. 9. IN the third Place I will shew that not only from the Different and Contrary Significations of Words but from Other Causes viz. relating to the Matter it self or the Manner of what is spoken of or the Reference of one Text to another or the Duration of Time or some other Circumstances the Stile of Scripture becomes Dark and Perplexed Here I will produce some particular Scripture-Difficulties which arise on these Accounts and I will endeavour to resolve them First There seem to be in the very Matter and Manner of things deliver'd in Scripture for I will promiscuously speak of them both very great Absurdities Repugnances and Contradictions There seem I say i. e. to prejudiced and vitiated Minds there appear to be such but no Man of deliberate Thoughts and an honest Heart will look upon them as so I will not regard them so much as to insist long upon them but a few I will mention that they and the rest may not be thought Insuperable Difficulties I will begin with Gen. 4. 14. which I find alledged by some as a great Blemish in Scripture It shall come to pass that every one that findeth me shall slay me I begin I say with this Passage of Holy Writ not because it is really Difficult but because it is represented such by some ill-minded Men who thereby think to invalidate the Truth of the Sacred History Mr. Hobbes and others of the same temper have taken notice of such Passages as these in the Bible and endeavour by the exposing of them to diminish the Authority of the Scriptures and at the same time to shake the Credit of the whole Body of the Inspired Writings For thus they vent their Cavils against that place How could Cain say that Every one who found him would slay him when there was nobody at that time in the World but his Father and Mother and his Wife Had the World been peopled then indeed the guilty Man if we may call him so might have had occasion to fear that some body would seek to revenge the Death of Abel But there could be no ground of Fear when the World was so empty as we read it was wherefore these words of Cain contradict the plain History of Moses When he saith Every one that finds me c. it is implied that there were a great many at that time in the World which disagrees with what the same History delivers viz. That there were no more than Adam and his Wife and their Son Cain and his Wife then extant To which I answer 1. It is with too much Confidence averr'd by these Objectors that there were but four Persons at that time in being For this is a thing which they can never prove and the reason is
which an Inspired Writer hath given of it telling us that Cain was of that wicked one viz. Satan and therefore slew his Brother because his own Works were Evil and his Brother 's Righteous 1 John 3. 12. The grand Aggravations of his Murder were that he kill'd his Own Brother and that he kill'd him because he was Good and Righteous Now we may reasonably think that this Guilty Wretch when he came to entertain serious Thoughts and to reflect on his Execrable Paricide grew very Black and Melancholick Though God reprieved this Malefactor as to his Life yet he severely animadverted upon him by that Terror and distraction of Mind by that Horror of Conscience which he inflicted on him He had Pashur's Doom of Magor Missabib i. e. Fear round about Jer. 20. 3. but especially as it follows there he was a Terror to himself That this hath been the Fate of Murderers is evident from such Instances as these Herod who commanded Iohn Baptist to be beheaded was afterwards miserably tormented with the thoughts of it and fancied that Holy Man was risen from the Dead and was alive again Mark 6. 16. Tacitus tells us of the Emperour Tiberius who was a Man of Blood and under whom our Blessed Lord was crucified that he was so troubled and haunted that neither his great Fortunes nor the Retirement which he sometimes made trial of could silence those Tortures which he felt in his Breast Nero that Bloody Villain after he had put to Death his Cousin German his Mother his Wife his Tutour knew not what to do with himself he was affrighted with Specters beaten by Furies and burning Torches were flung at him especially he was molested and plagued with the Apparition of his Mother's Ghost whom he had inhumanely and unnaturally murder'd Theodorick the King of Gothes was constantly haunted after the Murder of Symmachus and Boethius and so ended his days in that torment of Mind Charles the Ninth of France as a faithful Historian acquaints us after the Parisian Massacre was a continual Terror to himself though he used all Arts to divert his Thoughts and when he awakned in the Nights labour'd to chase away his Affrightments by Musick which he constantly call'd for These are some of the Transcripts which History affords us of that First Murderer's inward Terrors and Disquietudes Mine Iniquity saith he is greater than can be forgiven ver 13. for so the words may be rendred the Guilt of that Horrid Crime which I have committed is unpardonable I utterly despair of the Divine Mercy And this Despair was not only his Sin but his Punishment wherefore some read it My Punishment is greater than I can bear So that he anticipated the Miseries of the Damned of whom he was the first of Humane Kind and was in Hell while he was here on Earth Now it was that Dreadful Mormo's and Phantoms possess'd his restless Brain and he encreas'd his Terrors by Imagination He was afraid of his own Father and Mother and of his Female-self and his disorder'd Fancy represented many more Persons to him for a Troubled Conscience fears where no Fear is it fears Men where there are none in being Whence such Language as this is very accountable Every one that finds me shall slay me This is a satisfactory Answer upon Supposal for I proceed only on that here that there were no more Men in the World at that time than are expresly mention'd in Genesis A Disturbed Mind hath a Creating Power and can make more Inhabitants on the Earth than God hath made Thirdly Supposing still that the Number of Men was not greater than it is represented in the Sacred Records yet this Speech of Cain is very accountable for we may understand it of People that were not yet born but to come afterwards Observe therefore that 't is spoken in the Future Tense It shall come to pass that every onâ that findeth me shall slay me Cain being reprieved and suffer'd to wander up and down and consequently to live some Years afterwards it may be rational to think that he refers in these words to what should be in those days When Mankind shall be propagated and the World be peopled thân I shall go in fear of my Life then every one that finds me will slay me And unto this the nexâ words may have relation Whosoever slayeth Câin Vengeance shall be taken of him sevenfold And moreover The Lord set a mark upon Cain lest any finding him should kill him ver 15. Lest in after-times any one hearing of this bloody and cursed Fact of his should be excited to revenge it on his own Head there was a Mark set upon this Vile Wanderer to distinguish him from the rest of Mankind but what it was we know not though the Jews have many idle and foolish Conjectures about it And a Penalty was threatned to be inflicted on the Person who should dare to kill him he was to be punish'd seven-fold ver 15. or in the seventh Generation as Munster and some others interpret it which implies that Cain was to be a Long-liver to continue seven i. e. many Generations So that we may look on these Words as having reference to the Times that were to come and not to the present Season wherein they were spoke It shall come to pass saith he that in future time when the World is increased every one who finds me shall be greedy to take away my Life because I most inhumanely bereaved my Brother of his Thus there is no Contradiction or Inconsistency in the words when 't is said Every one that findeth me c. But in the fourth and last place it might be answer'd if what I have said already be not satisfactory that this word Kol every one hath not reference to Men but to Beasts Every one is every Wild Beast He was afraid saith Iosephus lest while he wandred up and down in the Earth which was part of his Punishment he should fall among some Beasts and be slain by them God bids him not fear any such thing for he would set such a Mark on him that the very Irrational Animals should be capable of knowing and discerning it Every one is not necessarily to be understood of Men or Women but may be meant of the Brutes which were then upon Earth and might be Executioners of the Divine Vengeance on him who was so savage and brutish It will be very hard for any Man to disprove this and therefore it is sufficient to take off and null the Cavil of the Objectors But I confess I rather think it is spoken not of this sort of Creatures but of those Inhabitants of the Earth that were Intelligent Thus you see there is no Absurdity or Inconsistency in those words which Cain utter'd and which are set down by the Sacred Historian whether you understand them of the then instant time or of that which was afterwards Some Men of Profane and Atheistical Spirits and who
by themselves one single Horse in a Stall But the former signifies Stables or Stalls wherein ten Horses were placed therefore there is a Iod which is a Note of the number ten inserted into this Word to distinguish it from the other There were half a score Horses in every one of these Stables and so they amount to forty thousand Abarbanel and some other Hebrew Doctors determine thus that there were forty thousand Horses in four thousand Stables Or if it were the very same Word in the Hebrew yet it might be differently taken and signify Stalls in one Place and Stables in another and so the Controversy is ended i. e. every Stable or greater Place for Horses contained in it ten thousand distinct Stalls We may say there were four thousand Great Stables which contain'd forty thousand Lesser ones Thus far in answer to those that charge the Scripture with want of Truth as to Numbers Others complain that it is erroneous and false in its Geography that is as to the Places and Countries that are mentioned in it Thus we find that Ur of the Chaldees is call'd the Land of Haran and consequently of Abraham's Nativity Gen. 11. 28. And in Gen. 15. 7. God reminded him that he brought him out of Ur of the Chaldees therefore that was the Country which he first dwelt in But if we consult Gen. 24. 10. we shall see that Mesopotamia was Abraham's native Country and in Ios. 24. 2 3. we read that he dwelt on the other side of the Flood i. e. of Euphrates which is frequently call'd the Flood by way of Eminency in Scripture and this parted Canaan where Abraham afterwards dwelt from Mesopotamia in Syria This is the River which Abraham passed over Gen. 31. 21. when he came into Canaan out of his own Country and from which passing over he had his Name as is thought by many of the Learned So that when 't is said he dwelt on the other side of the Flood it appears thence that he came out of Mesopotamia which was divided from Canaan by that Flood But how are these two consistent viz. that he was a Chaldean and a Mesopotamian i. e. a Syrian when these have reference to two distinct Countries Chaldea and Syria This hath puzzled Jews and Christians But the Answer which most of them acquiesce in is this that Mesopotamia Aram Naharaim as 't is call'd in the foremention'd Place in Genesis and in Iudg. 3. 8. Syria fluviorum because situated between two Rivers Euphrates and Tigris and call'd by the Antient Latins Mediamna which answers exactly to the Greek Word is taken in Genesis and other Places in a large Sense and comprehends Chaldea So the Arabian Geographers also refer Câaldeâ to Mesopotamia saith Ludovicus de Dieu And they might very well do so for Pliny comprehends all Assyria under Mesopotamia and in another Place tells us that the whole Country of Mesopotamia belonged to the Assyrians and in general speaking was part of Babylon And truly this is no unusual thing to take the Names of Places somtimes in a stricter sometimes iâ a more lax Sense Wherefore Mesopotamia in the general and large way of speaking and 't is likely in the Estimation of the Hebrews took in some other Places which were not within the Rivers of Euphrates and Tigris This is a true Answer and a very good one But I rather think this to be the plainest Solution of the Difficulty viz. that Mesopotamia as distinct from Chaldea was Abraham's native Soil and that Vr was a City or Town in that Country thus Ammianus reckons it there and not in Chaldea and that this very City was the Birth-place of Abraham and yet this Vr is said to be of the Chaldees because it was possessed by the Chaldeans at that time Persons have thought it was a part of Chaldea and properly belonged to it because they read it to be of the Chaldees but this is a Mistake for the true Import of this Addition to the Word is only this that this part of Mesopotamia as well as the rest of it was under the Jurisdiction and Power of the Chaldeans and was inhabited by them as Hebron is call'd the Land of the Hebrews Gen. 40. 15. because the Hebrews dwelt there Besides I might add that this Place was defiled with the Idolatry of the Chaldeans and therefore for that reason also is call'd Vr of the Chaldees And from what hath âeen said we may have a right understanding of those Words in Acts 7. 2 c. The God of Glory appeared unto our Father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamiâ and said unto him Get thee out of thy Country then came he out of the Land of the Chaldeans It is plain that Mesopotamia and the Land of the Chaldeans in a large Sense are the same which is according to what we find in the Old Testament and particularly in the Places before-mentioned Yet Mesopotamia and Chaldea strictly speaking were not the same but the former was under the Power of the Chaldean Kings and for that reason was rightly call'd the Land of the Chaldeans So that Grotius needed not to have goââ about to reconcile this Text by telling us thât St. Luke's Memory fail'd him as to the âxact Deâignation of the Place which is as much aââo say that this Inspired Writer was mistâken and in â palpable Error and that is as much as to say ãâã was not Inspired and so he contradicts himself as well as defames the Holy Writings Another Geographical Scruple arises from Gân 37. 28. where we read that Ioseph was sold to the Ismaelites and in the very same Verse and afterwards ver 36. we are told that he was sold to the Midianites How coâld he be sold to both Very well for these are Names of the same âeople of Arabia either the Desart or Stony or both for there is a Dispute about this Or if there were some Difference between the Ismaelites and Midianites as 't is not unlikely yet they were near Neighbours and so passed for the same People thence the Kings of the Ismaelites are call'd Kings of Midian Judg. 8. 24 26. Thus in the Gospel the Gadarens Luke 8. 37. and the Gergasens Mat. 8. 28. are represented as the same People because Gadara and Gergesa were neighbouring Towns their Fields lay close together Every one grants that the Inhabitants of Arabia had several Names according to the Places and Regions they were seated in they are call'd Kenites Numb 24. 21. and frequently in other places Moabites Ammonites Edomites Hagarens as in Psal. 83. 6. from Hagar Sarah's Maid-servant the Mother of Ismael which Name they have long since âhang'd into that of Saracens choosing to be call'd rather by the Name of the Mistress than of the Maid And here they are stiled Ismaelites and Midianites ãâã former inhabiting in one part of that Country and the lattâr in another Ioseph then may be truly said to be sold
both to the Ismaelites and Midianites because the Company of Merchants who bought him consisted of both it is probable they were joint-Traders and did traffick in common Thus we see here is nothing inconsistent Some object against the Geography of Scripture because Zippora Moses's Wife is call'd an Ethiopian Nâmb 12. 1. although she was of another Country namely the Land of Midian as appears from Exod 2. 15 16. In answer to which Iosâphâs would perswade us that Moses had two Wives one an Ethiopian the other a Midianitess or Arabian But there is no Foundation at all for this and therefore some other Answer is to be given Some are of opinion that Cushith which is the Word used in the Book of Numbers should not be translated an Ethiopian but an Arabian Woman for Arabia was call'd Cush because the Seat of Cush the eldest Son of Ham was there saith Sir W. Raleigh Whence he concludes that Moses's Wife was not an Ethiopian though a Woman of Cush but an Arabian And Bochart asserts the same and on the same Ground viz. because Cush was seated in Arabia not in Etâiopia But this Opinion hath found but little Reception among those who have further enquired into this Matter and have found that sometimes the word Cush in the Old Testament must necessarily be understood of Etâiopia Therefore it is more reasonable to adhere to those Authors who affirm that Cush is an ambiguous Word and that not only Arabia but Ethiopia is expressed by that Name Or rather there is a double Etâiopia one in Africa beyond Egypt under the Torrid Zone the other in Asia and particularly in some part of Arabia And that there are both these Ethiopia's is testified by Philostratus Herodotus and Pausanias This latter viz. the Asiatick Ethiopia is meant in the forenamed Place where 't is said Moses married a Cushite an Ethiopian Woman She was not of the African but the Asian Cush or Ethiopia and so it well agrees with the other Text where we are told she was a Midianite Nor is this to be wondred at that Cush is thus differently taken for it might be proved from several Examples that one and the same Name is given to two or three Countries Thus there is Caesarea in Palestine and in the Lesser Asia There is Antioch in Syria in Pisidia and in Caria There is Babylon in Chaldea and Egypt There is Thebes in Baeotia in Egypt and in Cilicia There is Heliopolis in Egypt in Coelosyria and Cilicia There is Albania in Greece and Armenia And so in our neighbouring Countries there is Zeland in Denmark and in the Netherlands And not only in France but England several Places have the same Name But although this be very satisfactory yet I am inclined to offer another Resolution of the Place viz. that Midian was divided from Ethiopia only by the Red Sea a short Passage and by reason of this Nearness Midian is call'd in Soripture the Land of Cush or Ethiopia and thence Zippora is call'd a Cushite ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã according to the Seventy Interpreters an Ethiopian She is call'd so I say because the Midianites dwelt near to the African Ethiopians and thence sometimes had their Name communicated to them Midian being a neighbouring Country was call'd Ethiopia and those other Parts of Asiâ and Africa that lay about the Red Sea had the like Dânomination as at this Day among Cosmographers some Places that border on other Countries are sometimes said to belong to them and to be Parts of them and are call'd by their Name Thus Tyre and Sidon of old were reckon'd both in Syria and Palestine And in our modern Geography âome Places in the Netherlands and Gârmany are sometimes rank'd among those of France Some Geographers place Lorain in Germany others in France The Alpes are divided among the Germans Italians French and so are said to belong to all of them Piedmont is reckon'd both in France and Italy So it is in the present Case the Vicânity of the Place to some other causes the Name to be communicated to both The Midianites and other People because they bordered on Ethiopia were call'd Ethiopians hence Cushan or Ethiopia and the Land of Midian are join'd together Hab. 3. 7. Lastly it is probable that Cush the eldest Son of Cham was seated not only in Ethiopia but in those Parts of Arabia which were bordering upon it and thence it comes to pass that a Cushite or a Woman of Cush is an Arabian as well as an Ethiopian properly so call'd She that is call'd a Woman of Canaan Mat. 15. 22. is call'd a Syrophoenician Mark 7. 26. which some imaginâ are inconsistent and therefore they think the former Word should be Cana which was a Town in Phoeniâia and was known by the Name of the Greater Cana for there was a Lesser in the lower Galilee where Christ turn'd Water into Wine But there is no Necessity of âhanging the Word because Canaan and Phoenicia are but different Names for the same Region Thus in Gen. 16. 35. the Land of Canaan is call'd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by the LXX and in Exod. 6. 15. a Canaaniâââ Woman is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã We must know then that the whole Country of Palestine is a part oâ Syria and Phoenicia is a part of Palestine and Syro-Phoenicia as well as Phoenicia is the North Part of Canaan But especially the People of this Country that lived on the Sea-coasts were call'd Phoenicians and that in a peculiar manner as is evident from Straâo pliny and others Yea and those were properly and strictly of old câll'd Canaanites that dwelt at Tyre and Sidon and inhabited near the Sea The Canaanites dwell by the Sea Numb 13. 29. and some quote Isa. 23. 8. where the Tyrians are call'd Canaanim So this Woman who came out of the Coasts of Tyre and Sidon as is expresly said ver 21. is rightly stiled both a Canaanite by St. Matthew and a Phoenician or Syro-Phoenician by St. Mark for the word Syrian is added as Grotius well notes only to distinguish the Asian Phoenicians from those of some Colonies in Africk Thus there is no Reason to find fault with the Chorography of the Bible Here for the better clearing some Passages in the Holy Writings and the removing some Cavils which ill-disposed Men are wont to raise I will further remark that the Chorography of the Scriptures is sometimes different from that in Profane Authors Several Places mention'd in Holy Writ have not the same Names which they are known by in other Writers of which the Learned Mr. Selden hath taken notice which may sometimes occasion Dispute about certain Places in Scripture Bahylon is call'd Shinar Gen. 11. 2. Egypt hath the Name of Ham Psal. 78. 51. 105. 23. and Raâab Psal. 87. 4. 89. 10. Of old On and Bethshemesh were the Names of that Place in Egypt which since is call'd Heliopolis Gen. 41. 45 50. Ier. 43. 13. Some gather
this Jewish Aritiquary that Solomon's Fleet sail'd to these Parts and particularly to the Golden Chersonâse and other Golden Regions there It is an Island in the East-Indies saith Bochart which is named Zeilan But others of late are inclined to believe that it is that Island or Islands in this Eastern Part of the World which are call'd the Moluââd's but the Reasons which they alledg have no Cogency in them Kircher is more general and avers that Ophir was India for this is not he saith an Hebrew as hath been thought but an Egyptick or Coptick Word and among the Egyptians of old was the Name for India But we have only his Word for this and no more Others hold it to be neither in the East nor West-Indies but in Africk which seems to me to be the most probable Perswasion Ortelius and Purchas are of this Opinion and they say it is an Island in the Ethiopiâk Sea and is at this day call'd Sophala But they might as well have assign'd any other Place and Name in this Country if they had pleased for here is no firm Ground to go upon we have no Chard to direct us Ophir is a Name not known to any Geographers no Pagan Writers make mention of it This happens because several Places have chang'd their Names they are not the same now that they were heretofore And how is it possible then that we should arrive to a certain Knowledg of them And what though we do not There is no reason why we should be troubled at it much less that we should be displeased with the Bible Yea rather we may make use of this to commend the Holy Writings for this is an undeniable Argument of the unparallell'd Antiquity of them as hath been suggested before and of their Transcendent Worth and Excellency in that they record those Names of Places as well as Things which other Writers say nothing at all of To these Instances I will add one more the Mountains of Ararat Gen. 8. 4. on which the Ark rested They are not mentioned under this Name by any Heathen Authors and thence it is difficult to give an Account of them i. e. to know where they were and consequently where the Ark landed The Hills of Armenia the Greater call'd the Gordiaean Hills are meant say Iosephus St. Ierom Bochart Grotius and before these Berosus held the same But there is another Opinion maintain'd by Goropius Becanus Sir W. Raleigh and Dr. Heylin viz. that the Ark rested on Mount Taurus but especially on the Top of Mount Caucasus which is a Part of it in the Confines of Tartaria Persia and India which they think they prove from Gen. 11. 2. where we read that they who enter'd into the Valley of Shinar came from the East i. e. from those Parts of Asia on the South of Caucasus which lie East from Shinar And this is thought to be a sufficient Confutation of the former Opinion for it is impossible they should come from the Mountains of Armenia the Gordiaean Mountains because those lie not only full North of Shinar but many Degrees unto the West This Caucasus was part of the Mountain Taurus the biggest Mountain in the World or rather as hath been said in another Place before a continual Ridg of Mountains crossing all Asia from East to West and dividing it as the Equator doth the Globe into North and South So that in short Ararat which according to these Authors is the Scripture-word for Taurus is no more One Mountain than any one Hill among those that divide Italy from France is call'd the Alpes or any one of those that part France from Spain is the Pyrenâân But as these being Continuations of many Hills keep one Name in divers Countries so all that long Ledg of Mountains which Pliny calls by one Name Taurus are of one general Name and are call'd the Mountains of Ararat These are the two different Opinions of the Learned about this Matter but it is my Perswasion that a Man may easily compromise them For according to that Description which Sir W. Raleigh gives us of this great Multiplicity of Hills the Gordiaean ones may be taken in among those that make up Taurus for this Learned Knight himself acknowledgeth that these Mountains which go through so many diverse Countries and Kingdoms seem to take their Rise from Armânia or thereabouts So that it is probable the Gorâiaean Hills and those of Taurus are to be reckon'd together Thus we may moderate between these Dissenting Writers but when all is done it is impossible to define exactly what Mountains are meant by those of Ararat This only is unquestionable that they were in the East but as to their particular Situation and whether they answer to the Gordiâean Hills or to Caucasus we are wholly ignorant And there is no Remedy for it because Ararat is not a Name that we can find in any other Authors and we are not certain that any other Denominations in Pagan Writers refer to it Thus it must needs be seeing the old Names of several Places are extinct and others are introduced so that on that Account we can't expect to know some of those Places that are mention'd in Scripture Nor is it necessary that we should for it is a Matter of small Moment and not worth the contending about Some dream of a great Geographical Difficulty in the word Tarshish so often used in the Old Testament but there is no reason for it because it plainly refers to a known Place and such as is expresly mention'd by Lucan and other Writers besides those of the Bible and that is Tarsus in Cilicia The Sea which washed the Shores of this Cilicia had its Name from this Metropolis of it viz. Tarsus and was usually called Tarshish This is the first and more restrained Acception of the Word in the Old Testament where we read that Solomon had a Navy of Tarshish 1 Kings 10. 22. i. e. a Navy that frequented the Mediterranean or African Sea especially that part of it which was near Cilicia and was so noted for its Merchandizing Thus when 't is said that Solomon's Ships went to Tarshish 2 Chron. 9. 21. Iosephus interprets it that they went to the Mediterâanean Sea where they traffick'd and for the Goods they exported brought Gold and Silver c. But we are to observe that it is said there the King's Ships went to Tarshish with the Servants of Hiram i. e. as I conceive they went to those Ports which the Tyrian Navy with whom they were to go to Ophir resorted to and those were in the Mediterranean And that the Ships of Târshish belong properly to Tyro iâ manifest from Isa. 23. 1. otherwise Howl ãâã Ships of Tarshish could not be part of the Burden or Doom of that Place as we find it is So ãâ¦ã the Kings of Tarshish Psal. 72. 10. are those Kings properly that were seated upon the Mediterranean especially that Part which was over
against Tarsus or Cilicia which it washed Secondly the word is taken more largely for the Sea in general for the African or Mediterranean Sea being the only Noted Sea to the Hebrews they call'd all other Seas and the Ocean it self Tarsis as the Latins call any Sea Pontus though that word be proper only to one particular Sea Thus Tarshish is used in Psal. 48. 7. thou breakest the Ships of Tarshish i. e. of the Sea with an East Winâ and in Isa. 2. 12 16. The Day of the Lord of Hosts shall be upon all the Ships of Tarshish ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã according to the Seventy And in several other Places it hath this large Signification but not in Ion. 1. 3. as is said by many Interpreters for Tarshish here is the City call'd Tarsus a noted Place in Cilicia Though Tarshish be a common Word in Scripture to signify the Sea as hath been said yet here we must take it in the most restrained Sense of all we must understand by it the Town of that Name and from whence the Sea but more particularly the Phoenician and Tyrian Sea had the Denomination of Tarshish The Reason which I give of this Interpretation is this because in that Place of Ionah Tarshish and the Sea are expresly distinguish'd and that not once but often as you may satisfy your selves by perusing ver 3. and the rest that follow in that Chapter where you will see that Hajam the Sea is mentioned nine or ten times in distinction from Tarshish whence I gather that this latter Word is not to be translated the Sea but that it denotes that known City Tarsus of Cilicia To this Place the Timerous Prophet had a mind to flee because it was sufficiently remote and also because there was a safe Harbour to put into There need not then be any Dispute about the word Tarshish for where-ever it is used in Scripture except in this Place last mentioned it signifies either the Sea in general or more especially the Phoenician or African Sea which the Tyrian Merchants were most used to but it hath its Name from Tarsus or Tarsis near to which was the most famous Port of all the East Country from whence they took Ship for Africa and India and the most remote Parts of the World To close up all the Geographical Scruples I will only adjoin this concerning the mentioning of East and West in the Old Testament that these are generally to be understood according to the Situation of Iudea more especially Ierusalem and as the Places spoken of had respect to these but in the Prophecy of Ezekiel it is for the most part otherwise because Ezekiel writ in Babylon and thence it is that East and West are contrary here to what they are in other Prophets This I thought fit to add to prevent Cavils against the Sacred Writ I might in the next place take notice of the different Meanings which arise from the Relation which certain Words in some Texts have to the neighbouring Verses Thus it is said the Poor shall never cease out of the Land Deut. 15. 11. yet it is implied if not expressed ver 4. that there shall be no Poor among them But the Answer is that this 4th Verse refers to the releasing and forgiving their Debtors ver 2 3. They must not by their exacting make their Neighbours poor yea they must do what lies in their power that there may be no Poor but as to the Event there will be Poor and always shall be Their Strength is to sit still saith the Prophet Isa. 30. 7. which their if you refer to the Egyptians who are named in that Verse then the Sense is Their Strength their Aid their Assistance is to no purpose they had as good sit still as help the Jews But if you refer their to the Iews then the Interpretation is this The Jews had best to sit still in their own Land and not to require Aid from Egypt for it shall not prosper This is the true Sense of the Words because their Proper Reference is to the Iewish People which we are sure of because these are the subject Matter of this Part of the Chapter The right fixing of the Relation of the Words especially of the Pronoun their leads us to the true meaning of the Place And this is put out of all Controversy by ver 15. In Rââurning and Rest ye shall be saved in Quietness and Confidence shall be your Strength which is a plain Comment on the former Words and shews that we have pitch'd upon the true Reference I interpret those Words in Heb. 12. 24. The Blood of Sprinkling which speaks better things than that of Abel by observing what they particularly refer to viz. ver 4. of the foregoing Chapter By it he being dead yet speaketh I conceive that this Speaking is referr'd to by the Apostle in the other Place and so by searching into the true Meaning of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he speaks we shall be able to arrive to the true Sense of the other This Word hath been variously interpreted for Grotius seems to think it is meant that he i. e. Abel speaks in the Book of Genesis which speaks of him But this is very dilute because the Apostle mentions not here what Book speaks of Abel but by what he himself speaks viz. his Faith Others say his Faith and Righteousness speak i. e. call to us to imitate and practise them but this might have been said of any of the other Worthies mentioned in this Chapter and therefore is not peculiar to Abel alone Others take the word in a Passive Sense and expound it he is yet spoken of his eminent Faith and Innocency are to this Day as in several Generations before spoken of celebrated praised remembred with Honour But this as well as the former is common to all the other Holy Patriarchs and Worthy Saints named in this Chapter and therefore this doth not reach that particular and proper Meaning of the Place Much less doth that odd Exposition of Sir N. Knatchbull who reads it thus For it i. e. his Faith he is yet said to be dead for he will have ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to be inserted after ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and then the meaning is As Abel suffered at first for his Faith so he is still to this Day said to have died for his Faith But besides the needless inserting of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and thereby making very bald Greek he joins in Construction ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã whereas according to the usual way of Trajection which he so often takes notice of in other Places though he overlooks it here it belongs to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and so the Words are to run thus By it he though he be dead yet speaks that is because of his Faith and Holiness he yet speaks aloud or cries unto God for Vengeance against his Brother Cain who inhumanly murder'd him for he
Genealogies If it be Objected in the last Place How can Ioseph be the Son of Iacob in one Genealogy Mat. 1. 16. and the Son of Heli in the other Luke 3. 23. it is answer'd by some that because Ioseph married Mary Heli's Daughter therefore he is call'd his Son i. e. his Son by Marriage of his Daughter Others say Heli and Iacob were Brethren and the former dying without Children the latter married his Widow as the Law in that case required So that Iacob was the Natural Father of Ioseph and Heli was his Father-in-law This is the Sentiment of several of the Antients and Moderns and we have no Argument to confute it This was a Tradition among the Jews themselves as you may see in Grotius on Luke 3. Or if this be not satisfactory we may quash the Difficulty by what I have formerly propounded viz. that 't is usual among the Jews to have two Names It may be Iacob and Heli are Names of the same Person and St. Matthew makes use of one and St. Luke of the other To conclude though we were not able to reconcile some Passages in the foresaid Genealogies yet we have no reason to take occasion thence to question the Truth and Consistency of them for 't is ridiculous to think that St. Matthew would expose this Genealogy and in the very Entrance of his Gospel unless he knew it was true and as to the main unexceptionable And the very same we may say of St. Luke who without doubt would not have offer'd to publick View a Pedigree wherein the Chiefest of that Nation were concern'd if he had not been assured that it was impossible to confute it And suppose we are not able to give an Account of some part of it yet let that of Grotius be thought of viz. that the Jews had a way of drawing up Genealogies which is as to some things unknown to us they reckoned the Generations in a manner that was different from what is now in use So much touching the Difficulties of the Stile of Holy Scripture and the Occasions of them No intelligent Person could expect but that it should contain in it some things hard to be understood if he ever weâghed the Particulars before specified in this Discourse and if he consider moreover that 1. The Scriptures are a Collection of Different Writers some of which leave out those Passages which others put in and upon that account there seems sometimes to be a Discrepancy among them and one is thought to assert that which another seems to deny 2. We are ignorant of many Particulars relating to the Names of things to Rites Opinions Customs Proverbs and peculiar Circumstances of those Times of which the Holy Writings speak and this is another Reason why several things in them are obscure and unintelligible We read of the Synagogue of the Libertines Acts 6. 9. but whether it was so call'd because 't was built by Iews that were made free of Rome or from a Man or Men of that Name or from a Country and People of that Denomination or whether Libertine be corruptly for Labratheni because as Fr. Iunius observes Labratha was the old Word for a Synagogue or School no Man can tell For we must needs be ignorant of the true occasion of Words and Things if there be no particular Record concerning them How were it possible to understand the Psalmist's Complaint Psal. 119. 83. I am become like a Bottle in the Smoke if we had not read that Antiently the Eastern People used to hang up the Skins of which Bottles were made in the Smoke to dry and harden them Besides if they were long hung up in the Fire or Smoke they were subject to be parched and shriveled I am dried up and wither'd like such a Bottle saith he We could not reach the Sense of those other Words of his The Rod of the Wicked shall not rest on the Lot of the Righteous Psal. 125. 3. which is an Allusion to the dividing of the Lands among the Jews if we did not know that the Rod or Staff was used in Sortition the assigning of Land or Ground by Lot Again let not the Reader be surprized when I add that it may be when St. Paul orders the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to be brought to him from Troas 2 Tim. 4. 13. he means the Skins which he was to make use of in his Trade of Tent-making For he was brought up to a Trade as was usual in those Days and in those Eastern Countries and particularly to this as we read in Acts. 18. 3. And therefore when at other times he acquaints us that he labour'd with his Hands it is not to be question'd that he means his working in this Calling in which he was skill'd and was bred up to And this questionless was a considerable Employment and sufficiently gainful because there was great use of Tents and Booths in those open and hot Countries and they were much bought up by those whose Employment was in the Fields especially they were useful for Souldiers Now the great Materials which were used in this Occupation were Skins or Hides of Beasts dress'd Accordingly we read that the Covering of the Tabernacle of Testimony was made of Skins Exod. 35. 23. Yea Skins are simply and absolutely put for Tents or Tabernacles in these following Places and others 2 Sam. 7. 2. 1 Chron. 17. 1. Cant. 1. 5. Hab. 3. 7. Ier. 10. 20. Ierignah is constantly rendred Pellis by the Latin Interpreter because the Tents were made of Skins And that Tents and Pavilions were made of these we may sufficiently inform our selves from Pagan History This we learn from Q. Curtius who tells us that such kind of Membranous Tents were used in Alexander the Great 's Camp And Arrianus is very positive in this Matter These Tents of Skins or Hides were not only among the Greeks but Romans and both Livy and Florus pretend to assign the Date of them Caesar mentions this sort of Tents and Valerius Maximus tells us that those Souldiers who behaved themselves amiss had this as part of their Punishment nè tentorium ex pellibus haberent they were not suffer'd to lie in these Tents in the Field Hence in Tully we shall find that sub pellibus esse is to be safely entrenched and lie secure in their Tents It is probable that St. Paul sent to Timothy to bring or convey to him these Skins wherewith he made his Tents and at that time especially when he was in Bonds at Rome the time of his writing this Epistle and had no other way to gain a Livelihood than by exercising himself in his Calling Wherefore he writes to his beloved Timothy to send him not only his Cloak and his Books but ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã chiefly especially his ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã his Skins for Tent-making which he most of all wanted at that time for he was unwilling to be burdensom
Men of the greatest Learning Wit and Judgment A Scheme of the following Discourse briefly propounded The Holy Scriptures are the perfect Rule of Faith They are the best Conduct of our Lives and Actions They are the only Ground of solid Consolation Joy and Happiness This Perfection of Scripture is opposed by many of the Rabbins An Account of their Cabala and Oral Law The Papists by preferring their Traditions before the Scriptures and by indeavouring to keep these latter in an unknown Tongue deny the Perfection of them So do Familists Quakers and all Enthusiasts IT may be observed that the Minds of Men have been differently disposed as to the choice of the Authors they would read and their Esteem and Value of them have been as various It hath been usual for Persons to express a particular Kindness for one Writer above another Thus Homer of old was excessively magnified by those famous Warriors Agesilaus and Alexander the Great The former read him continually at home and in the Camp and whenever he had any time to spare for Reading The latter could not sleep without his Iliads under his Pillow Scipio âirnamed the African had a great Opinion of Xenophon's Institution of Cyrus and was always consulting it and valued it at a high rate So among Christians St. Cyprian was a great Admirer of Tertullian and when he had a mind to read him his usual Saying was Give me my Master Charles the Great was hugely taken with St. Augustine de Civitate Dei and had it constantly read to him yea even at Supper King Alphonsus in all his Expeditions and at all other times carried Iulius Caesar's Commentaries others say Livy's History with him Theodore Gaza gave his Vote for Plutarch's Works and was so pleased with them that he protested if he could have but one Man's Writings he would certainly choose His before all others Thomas Aquinas was no less in love with St. Chrysostom on St. Matthew and expressed his high Esteem of him by saying he preferr'd him before the goodly City of Paris Charles the V th gave a greater Deference to Comines than to any other Writer and perpetually conversed with him Scaliger would rather be the Author of the ninth Ode of Horace than be Emperor of Germany And to come down yet lower Grotius gives Cujacius the Prefârence to all the other Commântators on the Imperial Laws Salmasius admired no Divine so much as Calvin and particularly preferred his Institutions And the Reverend Mr. B. Oley tells us if he were to be conâined to one Author he would choose Dr. Iackson's Works Thus have Mens Sentiments and Esteems been various about Books âome preferring one Writer and some another according as their Genius or Studies led them âut when we mention the Bible i. e. the Book of Books we are certain there is no Comparison between This and any others whatsoever This Sacred Volume is emphatically and by way of Eminence call'd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as if other Books in respect of This deserv'd not the Name For in what other Writings can we deâcry thoâe Excellencies which we find in This None of them can equal it in Antiquity for the first Penman of the Sacred Scripture who relates the Origine of the World and whose Writings contain the Acts and Monuments of the Patriarchs hath the start of all Philosophers Poets and Historians and is abâolutely the Antientest Writer extant in the World No Writings are equal to these of the Bible if we mention only the stock of Humane Learning contain'd in them Here Linguists and Philologists may find that which is to be found no where else Here Râetoricians and Orators may be entertained with a more loâty Eloquence with a choicer Composure of Words and with greater Variety of Stile than any other Writers can afford them Here is a Book where more is understood than expressed where Words are few but the Sense is full and redundant No Books equal This in Authority because ãâã is the Word of God himself and dictated by an unerring Spirit It excâls all other Writings in the Excellency of its Matter which is the Highest Noblest and Worthiest and of the Greatest Concern to Mankind Lastly to name no more at present that I may not anticipate what is intended in the following Discourse the Scriptures transcend all other Writings in their Power and Efficacy This Word of God is pure enlightning the Eyes irradiating Mens Minds with Supernatural Truth affecting their Hearts and Consciences subduing the Refracotriness of their Wills transforming their Lives and changing them into other Persons Thence it is that all Men of well-disposed Souls find a plain Differene between their reading This and other Books When they read those it is true they are something affected and pleased the Stile or the Matter give them some Satisfaction but if they read them often and confine themselves to them their former Pleasure and Satisfaction abate and the Authors seem not to be so entertaining and acceptable as they were before and at length they become burdensom and nauseous and hence it is that some Writers grow out of fashion and other New ones are called for But it is far otherwise with this Holy Book the Affection and Pleasure which you feel in the reading it are lasting and durable because this Blessed Word sinks down into the Center of the Soul and is always present with it Though you lay this Book aside and afterwards take it up and do so again and again yea never so often you will not âind it grow worse but much better i. e. it will yield you greater Delight and Satisfaction and the oftner you converse with it the more you will discern the Worth of it yea the more pleasing will the very Words and Syllables of these Divine Writings be to you For what the Great Critick observes of Homer's Poem that there is a certain kind of Peculiar Easiness and Sliding in his Verse which are not to be found in any other Poets is eminently true of the Holy Scriptures if compared with other Authors there is a peculiar Sweetness a matchless Softness and Pleasantness in the Stile of these Holy Books the Words as well as the Matter are Winning and Ravishing and all pure and sanctified Minds have a clear Perception of this yea the clearer because they so frequently converse with these Inspired Writers We may then on this Account as well as on others challenge the World to shew us where there is any Book like this where there is any Author comparable to it In all Humane Writers there is something wanting something imperfect but in this Sacred Volume there are all things and every thing here is compleat To the Holy Scriptures therefore all other Writings must vail to this Best of Books they must all submit and acknowledg their Meanness and Inferiority Hence it was that the Wisest and Best Men as we may observe did always extol the Scriptures I adore the Plenitude
the Favour of God to us to prepare us for Heaven and to increase the Happiness of it Thus the Scriptures reconcile our Minds to those Disappointments Dangers and Calamities which are our Allotment in this World thus they allay the evil Spirit of Discontent they effectually cast out and vanquish those Legions of Impatient and Tumultuous Thoughts which are the frequent Attendants of Adversity They assure us that these Afflictive Dealings of Heaven towards us are intended for our real Advantage that they are the greatest Kindness and Favour that can be shew'd us that they are undeniable Tokens of Divine Love and in brief that Good Men are happier in their worst Circumstances than others are or can be in their greatest worldly Felicities Upon these rational Grounds the Holy Scriptures become the most effectual Anodynes to take away or at least to mitigate all our Pains and Sorrows They successfully remove all those Murmurings and Discontents which russle and imbroil the Soul they quash and defeat all those troublesome Passions which embarass and plague the Mind By the help of these Divine Instructions which the Holy Writ affords us we are enabled to encounter the greatest Evils with courage and bravery to receive the Shock to weather the Storm to bear all the Insolencies and Insults of our Enemies to break through all Difficulties to have Peace within though we find none without to keep a Sabbath in our own Breasts to entertain our selves with the Serenades of a Good Conscience This is the Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures and no Writings in the World can bless us with them but these And indeed this necessarily follows from those foregoing Assertions viz that Scripture is a Perfect Rule of Faith and also of Manners As it is the former it is a sure Basis for us to rest upon we know whom we have believed and so we are fixed and determined which doth effectually contribute towards our Peace and Solace As it is the latter also we cannot but receive Comfort from it because being a Certain and Unerring Guide in all our Actions it must needs administer great Satisfaction and Joy to us through our whole Lives when we consider that we have a Stable Rule to walk by and that we cannot do amiss if we follow that but especially when we reflect on our Manners and see that they are adjusted to this Canon and that we have in Simplicity and godly Sincerity had our Conversation in the World This will be our Rejoicing and Exultation Again the Scripture yields an inconceivable Joy by prescribing the Best Means for attaining Peace and Unity which are Comfortable Blessings of this Life by allowing us all Innocent and Harmless Delights such as will neither destroy the Peace of our Souls nor impair the Health of our Bodies by throughly convincing us that Christianity in it self is most Satisfactory to our Minds and is made to convey Joy and Peace into our Hearts by teaching us Contentedness in all Conditions by assuring us that Christianity provides for our greatest and most Important Wants and supplies our most Urgent Necessities and therefore we ought to acquiesce in it and solace our selves with it Thus it administers the most Chearing Cordials and so it doth by directing us to the Worthiest Ends by setting before us the Strongest Motives the most Powerful Perswasives to our Duty whereby we are enabled not only to undertake it but to discharge it with Chearfulness and Delight by propounding and presenting to us the Best Rewards viz. Forgiveness of our Sins Assurance of God's Love and Eternal Life and Blessedness For as a Great Man saith No Book in the World but this shews a Man the Adequate End of his Being his Supreme Good his Happiness nor directs the Means of acquiring it The Bible is the Great Instrument as it was emphatically call'd by the Fathers of our Salvation and Happiness By these Writings we hold our Everlasting Inheritance And these are the Great Deeds and Evidences whereby we prove our Title to it In a word as these sustain and support us in all Conditions of our Life and give us a happy Prospect of a better State so they render Death welcom and joyful to us they enable us by virtue of those Sacred Truths contained in them to expire our last Breath with Peace and Tranquillity On all which Accounts we must acknowledg them to be the greatest Support and Relief of our Souls yea the Only Source of Comfort and Content Thus if you consider the Holy Scriptures as they dictate the Best Principles as they beget in us the greatest Holiness and Purity and as they are the Solace of our Lives we must be forced to acknowledg their Incomparable Excellency These three Particulars wherein I have endeavoured to display the Perfection of Scripture are to be found together in Psal. 19. 7 8. where These Properties are ascribed to the Law of God namely that it enlightens the Eyes and so is a Director of our Faith that it converts the Soul and so is a Reformer of the Manners and that it rejoiceth the Heart and so is the Fountain of True Comfort You find all these in conjunction in that other remarkable Place 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture whereby we may understand not only the Old Testament but part of the New viz. St. Matthew's Gospel which was extant when Timothy to whom the Apostle here speaks was a child V. 15. is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness It is not to be doubted that Doctrine refers to the Understanding and Belief and Reproof and Instruction in Righteousness to the Will and Manners and then ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Rectifying restoring setting all streight again as the World imports includes in it that Comforting and Chearing which I spoke of These are the Main Contents of the Holy Scripture First it is a Body and System of the Best and most Consistent Notions it regulates the Apprehensions and presents us with True Conceptions of things Here is nothing delivered that thwarts our rectified Understandings or is a Contradiction to the most refined Faculties of our Minds Moreover it most successfully conducts us into the Ways of Piety and a Holy Life The Design of it is to perfect humane Nature to exalt Men to the highest Pitch their Condition is capable of both by Moral and Revealed Truth the latter of which none but the Blessed Redeemer was able to communicate to bring them to the Noblest improvement and Exaltation of Vertue which they can possibly arrive to on this side of Heaven In brief to make us act not only as Rational but as Divine Creatures yea even to render us like God Himself And lastly it not only inspires us with Excellent Principles and promotes the Practice of Holiness but administers the greatest Matter of Joy imaginable This raises our Spirits and fills our Souls with Delight and Pleasure this
Authority of them equal with that of the Bible For as the Canonical Scriptures were dictated by Divine Inspiration so these Laws they hold were from God Himself and are of the same Authority with those Scriptures They make no difference between the Inspired Writings of the Old Testament and the Books of Mishnaioth or the Talmuds which are in truth an Amassment only of the Traditions of the Jews and of the Diverse Decisions of the Schools of Hillel and Shammai of the Different Determinations of R. Akiba and R. Eliezer of R. Simeon and R. Ioshua c. bandying against one another or rather if we speak plainer they are a Rhapsody of Idle Dreams Groundless Fables Cursed Errors Superstitious Rites and Practices yea if we should instance in the Babylonick Talmud of Horrid Blasphemies against Christ of Obloquies against the Mosaick Law it self and of Contradictions even to the Law of Nature These are part of the Books so highly prized by the Jewish Masters these go along with their Oral Law which was first given by God himself and consequently is of the same Original with the Canon of Scripture But they go yet higher for they do not only equalize these Traditions with Scripture but they prefer them before it They do not only say in a Proverbial Manner that they cannot stand upon the Foundation of the Written Law without the Help of the Vnwritten one i. e. the Oral Law which they talk of and that the Words of the Law as they are found in the Text are poor and wanting but as they are expounded by the Doctors have great Riches and abundance in them And again that very Great and Weighty Matters depend upon these Little Traditions which they contend for but they are so bold and presumptuous as to proceed further and give a far Greater Deference to these Traditions and Doctrines of their Wise Men as they call them than to the Holy Scriptures themselves For they tell us that their Doctors have done more good viz. as to strengthning and confirming of Religion by their own Sayings than by the Words of this Holy Book it self And accordingly their Advice is My Son attend more to what the Scribes say than to what is said by the Law though I know this may admit of another Sense viz. that we ought to look more to the Sense of the Law than the bare Letter of it But that in the Talmud is plain and can have no other Meaning To read the Holy Scripture and to be studious in searching out the Sense of it is good and not good i. e. it is not of any considerable Advantage but to turn over the Mishnah Night and Day is a Vertue which will have a great Reward hereafter and to learn the Gemara is an incomparable Vertue Yea the Jews blasphemously say that God himself studies in the Talmud every Day Here you see they prefer their Delivered Law before the Written one they make the Infallible Scriptures truckle to the Fabulous Traditions of the Mishnah To this purpose it is a Noted Saying of the Hebrew Rabbies that the Text of the Bible is like Water the Mishnah like Wine and the Six Books of the Talmud are like the Sweetest Honey'd Wine Thus to magnify the Traditions of their Fathers they vilify the Scriptures They are not content with the Rites and Injunctions written in the Law which in way of Contempt they call the Precepts of the Law but they admire those most which are taken from their Wise Men which they call the Precepts of the Rabbins and which are summarily contain'd in the Talmud these they hold to be of greater Value than the other The Persons that are skill'd in these are sliled by them Tannaim Profound Masters and Doctors but they that study the Scriptures only are but Karaim Poor Readers and Men of the Letter All this shews how these Men depretiate the Written Word of God and exalt above it their Oral Law which is a mere Fiction and Forgery as to the pretence of its being given to Moses by God and therefore is not owned by the Karaint among them who stick close to the Text nor by some of their Perushim their sobrest sort of Expositors who think those Traditions are derogatory to the Holy Scriptures Secondly Papists as well as Ieâs disparage the Holy Scriptures and deny its Perfection Nor by the way is this the only thing wherein they agree with the Jews a great Part of their Religion being no other than Jewish Rites and Ceremonies These Modern Talmudists will not own the Sufficiency of the Sacred Writings they have their Cabala the Doctrine Received from their Ancestors they are for their Oral Law delivered from one to another they supply the defect of Scripture so they are wont to speak with their Traditions They are of the same Mind with the Jews that there must be a Fence made about the Law that it must be hedged in with Traditions The Scripture is not a Perfect Rule of Faith and Manners say they but the things which are necessary to Salvation are partly contained in the Scripture and partly in unwritten Traditions A very absurd and wild Doctrine because they have no way to prove any thing to be necessary to Salvation but by proving it to be found in the Scripture Whatever was or is necessary for the Universal Church is revealed in these Writings and no New Doctrine necessary to Salvation is delivered since to the Church or any particular Person But notwithstanding the Absurdity of this Tenent they hold it fast and make it a Great Article of their Belief For they are taught by an Oecumenical Council as they repute it that Unwritten Traditions are of equal Authority with the Scriptures that they are to be received with the same pious Affection and Reverence those are the words wherewith the Infallible Writings of the Prophets and Apostles are to be entertained and consequently they are to be made a Rule of Faith equal with the Scriptures But they rest not here they not only equal Humane and Ecclesiastical Traditions with the Written Word of God but following the Steps of the Old Talmudists they proceed yet further preferring Traditions before Scripture Thus a Renowned Divine in their Church tells us plainly that Traditions are exceeding necessary for the welfare of the Church yea that they are more requisite than the Scripture it self and this he endeavours to make good With him concur several others of their Writers whom we find extolling Traditions but at the same time speaking very meanly and slightly of the Holy Writ Hence they blasphemously call it a Nose of Wax and a Leaden Rule and many such vilifying Terms are used by Pighius and Melchior Canus and other Great Doctors of that Church We deny not the Usefulness nay even the Necessity nay the Perpetuity of Tradition viz. That Tradition whereby the Doctrines which were entrusted in the
the Bible Wherefore this is that which I intend very particularly and largely to insist upon viz. that the Scriptures are the Antientest Storehouse of Good Letters and Learning and that here are All the Sorts of them which I conceive will be a full Eviction of what I have undertaken viz. to demonstrate the Pre-eminence of the Inspired Writings before all others whatsoever First I begin with the Language in which the greatest part of the Bible that is the Old Testament was written which is Hebrew and was the First and Original Tongue of the World This certainly inhanses the Worth of the Hebrew Text and renders the Bible preferable to all other Books It is true there are other Languages that pretend to Priority but when we come to examine their claim we discover it to be a mere Pretence indeed We are told by Herodotus that Psammâticus King of Egypt had a mind to make an Experiment about this and accordingly caus'd two Children to be nourish'd and bred up by two she-goats and suffered none to speak a Word to them At last they were heard to utter the word bec which it seems signifies Bread in the Phrygian Dialect whence it was concluded that that was the First Language But upon Enquiry it was found that this Experiment was fruitless for bec was an insignificant Pronuntiation which the Children learnt of their Goat-Nurses to whom and all other Animals of that Species that Sound it seems was natural Theodoret thought Syrâack was the First Tongue Philo the Jew was of Opinion that Chaldee was the Primitive Language and that what we call Hebrew is truly the Tongue which the Chaldean Abraham brought out of Chaldea And Capellus in his Sacred Chronology seems to espouse this Assertion But there is little Ground for it if we consider that the Chaldee is borrowed from the Hebrew and is a different Dialect of it The Scythian is the Primitive Tongue saith Boxhorn Goropius Becanus fetches all Words from the Teutonick or High Dutch and would perswade us that this is the Mother-Tongue of the World but he hath given so slender Proof of it that he hath gain'd but few Proselytes to his Opinion The Learned Bochart derives all Words from the Phaenician Tongue but any impartial Judg may discern that he is too extravagant in his Derivations witness that of Phaenicia or Phaenix from ben Anak the Son of Anak making the Old Phaenicians his Posterity or by Contraction Beanak then Pheanak and so Phaenix and hundreds more of the like Nature which straining to maintain his Opinion is unacceptable to wise Men. A late Author hath publish'd an Historical Essay as he is pleased to call it of the Probability of the Language of China being the Primitive one and among other Offers towards it he hath this that the first Expression we make of Life at the instant Minute of our Birth is by uttering the Chinois Word Ya or Yah But by the same Reasoning I can prove that the first Tongue was Hebrew because Yah for so most Hebricians pronounce it is one of the Hebrew Names of God and how proper is it for Infants to mention and acknowledg their Maker as soon as they come into the World I allow the Author to be very Ingenious yet I believe he is so wise himself as not to think he hath brought any solid Proof for what he undertook Such another Attempt is his who commends the British or Welsh Tongue to us as the Antientest of all This Glory is due only to the Hebrew which certainly was the Language that Adam spoke and was that peculiar Form of Speech which was given to him by God and which he taught his Children and which lasted incorrupt there being no other Tongue to be its Rival till the Confusion of Tongues at Babel and the Dispersion which was the Consequent of that Of this those Words are meant Gen. 11. 1. The whole Earth was of one language and of one Speech Viz. Hebrew which without doubt was no small Benefit to Mankind this âdentity of Speech having such an Influence on Soâiety and contributing to the Increase of their Friendship and Familiarity whereas now we must âe a long time learning to make those of other Countries understand what we say we must go to âchool to be Friendly and we can't be sociable without a Dictionary But this Primitive Blessing was not of very great Duration for the Infallible Records inform us that a notable Confusion of Languages happen'd to the World when it was yet in its Minority and Childhood and had not long learnt to speak if we may reckon the Age of it from the Deluge By the Fault of Man and the Judgment of God the One way of Speaking was changed into diverse But we are not to think that this Change introduced into every Colony or Plantation a Different Language but only a particular and peculiar Dialect For the Difference of the Idiom was sufficient to beget a not-understanding of one another as we see at this day the Germans Danes Swedes Norwegians Dutch English understand not one another when they speak though they have not properly a Different Language but only Several Dialects for they all speak Teutonick The Confusion of Tongues then was not New Tongues but a considerable Variation from the Primitive one viz. Hebrew Hereupon the Babel-Builders who before spoke and understood this Language it being their native one as it was of all the rest of Manking were so confounded that they were forced to lay aside their Tools and leave off working And that this Confusion was not an Introduction of really Distinct Tongues as some have thought is evident hence that there is a Great Affinity between Tongues especially the Eastern ones for as for others they have had their Rise since and we are not to imagine that at the Babylonick Confusion they spoke Italian Spanish or French or that afterwards there were any of the Plantations that understood English Dutch or Irish I speak then concerning the Eastern Languages and assert them to be Different Dialects or Modes of the Hebrew Tongue which is sufficiently proved from the Harmony and Cognation between them I remit the Reader to Skickard Hottinger and others for the particular Eviction of this He will from them be perswaded that Tongues were not Multiplied at Babel but Divided and that that One Language which had been in use ever since the beginning of the World received there an Alteration and new Modification the Diversity of which was the Cause that Persons could not understand one another Now that the First Tongue which Adam and Eve spake and was used before the Division of Languages and was the Original from whence all the other Languages are but Variations was Hebrew is apparent from that foresaid Cognation between the Hebrew and other Oriental Tongues We find that this One Language hath spread it self more or less into all others We may discern in them some Words either
to the Authority of the Sacred Writings yet none of them give us a plain and particular Account of this Beginning and Original of the Mundane Fabrick Yea the very Philosophick Men among the Gentiles in a most wild and rambling manner talk of the Rise of all things and at the same time baââle themselves Thus the Epicureans tell us a sensless Story of the Eternal frisking of Atoms which yet if they were Eternal had no Beginning or Riâe at all Pythagoras and his Disciples and Plato and some of the Peripateticks held that Men were always and that there was an Eternal Succession of them and consequently no Original of them Others who believ'd they had a Beginning had strange and monstrous Fancies concerning it as that Men were form'd out of Fishes which was Anaximander's Conceit Others imagin'd they shooted out of Trees some out of Eggs others out of Wombs affix'd to the Earth as Epicurus and Lucretius Others as the fabulous Poets conceited they were produced out of Stones and Cicero relates concerning some of the Philosophers that they thought the Original of Mankind was from Seed falling from the Stars and impregnating the Earth This stumbling at the Threshold these extravagant and groundless Notions conceâning the very first Original of things were too ominous a Presage that these Philosophers would grosly mistake about other Matters and give us but a sorry Account of the other Works of Nature But Moses confutes all these fond Surmises about the Nativity of the World and of Mankind he quashes all those wild Conjectures by assuring us that Man had his Origine from the Earth by God's peculiar framing him out of it and that the World it self had its Being by Creation i. e. by being made out of Nothing by the Infinite Power and Wisdom of God Wherefore it was rightly said by an Understanding Person I am perswaded saith he that in the first Chapter of Genesis Moses taught more than all the pagan philosophers and Interpreters of Nature And that this first Chapter of the Bible is an Historical or Physical Account of the Creation of the World and is no Allegory is not to be question'd by any Man of a sober Mind and consistent Reasoning For thus I argue It is highly fitting that the Doctrine of the âirst Rise of the Universe the Production of all things should not be leât doubtful but be convey'd unto us in such a way as may best preserve the Memory of so weighty and considerable a Matter For this is of such Concern that our Belief of Providence and the true Nature of God is comprised in it Now a Thing of this Quality ought not to be so deliver'd that it may be liable to Imposture or suspected of Falshood or Uncertainty As for private and personal Revelations which some may here suppose these can only satisfy the individual Persons to whom they are communicated and as for Oral Tradition it is not so certain but that it may leave some Scruples in Mens Minds Hence it is reasonable that the History of the World should be digested into such Records which may assure us of what is to be believed and therefore it is sit that they should be Plain and Simple and properly to be taken and understood so that they may be reckon'd as an Indubitable Account of the World's Production therefore such is this Relation which Moses hath lest us which is a Perfect Diary of thââ First Work of the Almighty But I will attempt yet further to prove that thiâ History deserves that Name i. e. that it relates what was really done If this be acknowledged by some Sacred and Inspired Author I conceive that will be a fair Conviction to those who believe that Author to be inspired and to deliver things that are really true That St. Peter then in the third Chapter of his second Epistle where he briefly describes the Make and Frame of this World as it was formed at the first Creation refers to this Mosaick History and also fully confirms it will appear in the Perusal of that his Description where you will find those very Terms which Moses in the first of Genesis makes use of This they are willingly ignorant of saith the Apostle that the Heavens were of old i. e. from the Beginning which in the Verse before is called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Beginning of the Creation which agrees exactly with the first Words of Genesis And these Heavens were by the Word of God which is a reference to God said which Moses expresly mentions chap. 1. 6 14. Next to the Heavens he makes mention of the Earth as Moses doth telling us that it Stood or consisted out of the Water and in the Water which is the same Account of it which we have in Genesis viz. that it was partly above Water and partly under i. e. it was above the Seas Fountains Rivers c. but under the wâtyr Mass of Clouds So that any Man of unprejudiced Thoughts cannot but see that those Words the Earth standing out of the Water and in the Water plainly relate to the Mosaical History where we are told that the Globe of Earth included in it a heap of Waters call'd the Deep or the Abysâ which was afterwards gathered into one Receptacle or Channel This is call'd the Water undâr the Firmament i. e. under the Expansion of the Air as the Water above the Earth viz. the Clouds are call'd the Water above the Expansion Gen. 1. 7. Thus you see all this is alledged and acknowledged by St. Peter as True History and accordingly is made use of by him Wherefore we are ascertain'd from his infallible Pen that the Mosaick Account of the Creation is no Fiction no strain of Poetick Fancy but is perfectly Historical and to be taken in a real proper and literal Sense which was the thing to be clear'd Wherefore Origen and the rest of the Allegorists who despise the Letter of this Chapter and rely chiefly on some Mystick and Symbolical Meanings are confuted And so likewise are they that adhere to the foolish Dreams of Philosophers concerning the Eternity of the World or its being made by Chance or the Existence of More Worlds All these are inconsistent with Moses's Account of the Creation besides that they affront other Principles establish'd by the Holy Scriptures and bid desiance to Reason and the greatest Evidence of things So that it is to be wondred that any Person who pretends to own the Divine Authority of the Bible should publickly disown Moses's Relation of the First Original of the World and look upon this first Chapter of Genesis as well as he doth on the third as not True i. e. not giving an Account of Matter of Fact But there was a kind of Necessity upon him to form such Thoughts as these concerning this Entrance of Moses's Book because he had in his Theory of the Earth run counter to that Relation of it which Moses gives This is the
they were the true Britains i. e. Cimbri or Cumbri or as afterwards they were call'd Cambri But this latter Denomination was more especially applied to those of them that fled into the British Ciâââriâ or Cambria now call'd Wales in the time that thâ Saxons raged in the Southern Parts of this Isle I will here particularly mention Gomer's three Sons and take notice what Places are assign'd to them To Ashkenaz belong'd Troas or Pârygia the Lesser where is the River Ascanius and a Country call'd Ascania which it is probable took their Name from him and hence are the Ascanian Port and the Ascanian Isles in Pliny And the Name Ascanius as is observ'd was much used in those Parts Riphath the second Son was seated in Pontus and Bithynia especially in Paphlagonia whence as the Jewish Historian remarks the Paphlagones were call'd Riphathae and afterwards by Contraction Riphaci and in Mela there is mention of Riphaces To Togarmah another of Gomer's Sons was allotted Phrygia the Greater and part of Galatia Thence the Phrygians were known by the Name of Tygrammines saith Iosephus But I proceed to speak of the Plantations of the other Sons of Iapheth The second of them was Magog from whom were the Scythians that dwelt on the East and North-East of the Euxine Sea for Scythopolis and Hierapolis which those Scythians took when they conquer'd Syria were ever after call'd Magog saith Pliny And Ptolomee grants that the proper Name of that Place was Magog Iosephus confirms this when he saith the Scythians were call'd Magogae by the Grecians and thence infers that the Scythians had their Original from Magog the Son of Iapheth The third Son was Madai from whom were descended the Medes for Madai is the Hebrew Word for Media as is evident from Isa. 21. 2. and other Places And another Seat of his Offspring was Macedonia antiently call'd Aemathia or Aemadia which is the same with Madia for 't is usual in the changing of a Name out of one Language into another to Prefix a Vowel or Dipthong And a People of this Place are call'd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The fourth Son was Iavan who 't is likely came first into Greece upon the Division of the Earth among Noah's Children and then afterwards into the more Western Parts of Europe From this Iavan ' ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã according to the LXX the Iones or Iaones as Homer and Strabo call them the first and original Grecians were derived Iosephus is peremptory ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã from Iavan came Ionia and all the Greeks And Greece is expresly call'd Iavan Dan. 10. 20. 11. 2. So that there is no Reason to doubt that this Son of Iapheth was the Father of the Grecians Moses goes on and mentions the four Sons of Iavan 1. Elisa whose Portion was Achaia and part of Peloponnesus as some of great Learning have inferred from this that in this Country they meet with Ellas and the Elysian Fields and the City Eleusis and Elis a City of Peloponnesus who took their Names from Elisa Some also make him the Parent of the Aeoles in Greece 2. Tarshish from whom the Country that he inhabited is call'd Tarsis on the Coast of which is the Great Sea or Mediterranean whence Tarshish is the Word to signify the Sea It is reasonable to think that the Place where this second Son of Iavan was seated is Cilicia the chief City whereof was Tarsus call'd so by his Name And it appears that the Cilicians of old were known by the Appellation of the People of Tarsus 3. Kittim or Chittim whose Dwelling is thought to have been Lycia and part of Pamphylia for the Country Cetis and the People Cetii the first mention'd by Ptolomy the second by Homer shew that the Sons of Cittim or the Citteans inhabited there That Chittim is meant of some parts of Greece is clear from Numb 24. 24. Ships shall come from the Coasts of Chittim By which are understood the Greeks and Seleucidae that cross'd the Hellespont and came against the Hebrews and Assyians And in 1 Mac. 8. 5. the King of Macedon is call'd the King of Chittim And because there were several Colonies of them sent into Cilicia this bears the Name of the Land of Chittim Isa. 23. 1. and Chittim ver 12. for thence Alexander the Great came to destroy Tyre which is the Subject of that Chapter Ptolomee tells us that Cetis is a Region in Cilicia Cyteum is in Crete saith Pliny There is a Cittium in Cyprus according to Strabo And Iosepâus relates that Cetios was the Greek Name of Cyprus it self and thence he saith all the Greek âsles were called Chittim from thence Italy also was peopled by the Chittians and therefore is sometimes understood by that term The Ierusalem-Targum interprets the Word so in Gen. 10. 4. And when it is said The Ships of Chittim Shall come against thee i. e. against Antiochus Dan. 11. 30. the Meaning is thought by some Learned Writers to be that the Romans by Sea should disturb him But I conceive that this may be true and yet Chittim may in this Place as before signify Cilicia for the Ships of the Romans commonly harboured in the Ports of Cilicia to command the Mediterranean The short is from consulting and comparing the several Texts where Chittim is mentioned I find Reason to determine that some People both of Greece and Italy are comprehended in it and accordingly there is Reason to believe that there were different Colonies of the Posterity of Chittim the Grandchild of Iaphet planted in these Places This puts an End to the Disputes and Quarrels of the Learned on both sides some of whom contend that Greece others that Rome is meant by Chittim 4. Dodanim whose Seat was Epirus and part of Peloponnesus The Name is kept up in the City call'd Dodona which is in Epirus near to which was Iupiter's Oracle whence he was stiled Dodonaeus This Iupiter was this Dodanim the fourth Son of Iavan who was the Grecian Saturn for there were Iupiters many and Saturns many Iaphet's fifth Son was Tubal or Thubal who took up his Habitation at first it is probable about the South-East of the Euxine Sea where dwelt the Albani Chalybes Iberi who were antiently call'd Thobeli saith the Jewish Antiquary from this Thubal and Ptolomy speaks of a City here named Thubilaca From those Parts some of the Iberi were translated to Spain which was thence called Iberia and so the Spaniards are reckoned as the Posterity of Tubal Meshech was Iapheth's Sixth Son to whom fell Cappadocia the Inhabitants whereof were the Meschini and Moschi saith the foresaid Antiquary who are also mentioned by Strabo Mela and Pliny Some of his Posterity were placed in Scythia and the Regions adjacent whence we find that Meshech and Tubal which are constantly joined together in Scripture are Words to express Scythia Ezek. 32. 26. and Magog is joined with
them Ezek. 38. 2 3. where Gog in the Land of Magog is said to be chief Prince of Meshech and Tubal And it is moreover probable that the Muscovites are of the Race of Meshech or Moshech for the Word was pronounced differently as Melech and Moloch it being generally granted by the Learned that the Muscovites were originally from Scythia To confirm which Opinion I will offer this Observation to the Reader that the Seventy Interpreters render Meshech in Ezek. 38. 2. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã where Rhos gives the Denomination to the Russians which is another Name of the Muscovites The last Son of Iapheth is Tiras who is univrsally agreed to be the Progenitor of the Thracians Thrax having a near Cognation with Thiras It is yet further remarkable in this Account which is given us of the First Plantations that by these foresaid Sons of Iapheth the Isles of the Genciles were divided in their Lands Gen. 10. 5. The Hebrews by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã understand not only those Regions which are encircled with the Sea and are more properly and strictly called Islands but all Countries divided from them by the Sea or such as they could not come to but by the Sea This is proved from several Texts of Scripture where the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is used and the Grecians ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is taken in this large Sense sometimes Accordingly there being no part of the World call'd by the Name of Christendom but what was divided from the Jews by Sea we may gather how large and wide the Allotment of Iapheth and his Posterity was The Isbes of the Gentiles include not only all Europe with all the Iâbes adjoining and appertaining to it but whatever Regions lie North and West of Iudea Or take it in Mr. Mede's Words The Isles of the Gentiles are all Countries that lie above the Mediterranean from the Mountain Amanus and the Hircane Sea Westward So much concerning the Ofspring of Iaphet which was not unknown by Name to the Pagans witness Horace's Iapeti Genus and Lucian's ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which he Provrbially applies to that which is very Antient. The middle Son of Noah was Shem whose Portion in the Division of the Earth was Palestine and all the Eastern which was the greatest Part of Asia His five Sons were these 1. Elam the Parent of the Elamites i. e. the Persians for that was the Primitive Name of those People as we learn from Isa. 21. 2. 22. 6. Dan. 8. 2. And because some Part of Media was a near Neighbour Elam is the Word for the Land of the Medes Ezek. 32. 24. 2. Ashur from whom was peopl'd and named Assyria He was Nimrod's immediate Successor and is call'd Ninus by Prophane Writers 3. Arphaxad whose Posterity was seated in Chaldea and Mesopotamia and of whose Race Abraâam was 4. Lud whence the Lydians in Asia the Less And by the Ludim are meant sometimes the Ethiopians as Bochart hath abundantly evinced 5. Aram whose abode was Aramea or Syria for so 't is call'd by the Greeks Whence Strabâ tells us that Aram was the old Word for Syria and those that are now call'd Syrians were heretofore known by the Name of Aramaeans And I doubt not but Armenia had its Denomination from Aram there being so great probability that his Race were Inhabitants of Syria and Armenia the Great which is as much as Aramenia Vz Aram's Son had the Land of Vz. There is mention'd also Heber Arphaxad's Son from whom some think the Hebrews had their Name but that is disputable Some Writers tell us that among the Divisions of the several Regions of the World America or the West-Indies fell to the share of some of the Stock of Shem. This Part of the Earth was possess'd and peopled say Arias Montanus and Vatablus by Iobab and Ophir two of the Sons of Ioctan To confirm which Brerewood and others aver that America is join'd to the Continent of Asia and so the Passage was easy and Men and Beasts might go thither Not only these Writers but Genebrard and others declare it to be their Opinion that Ophir from whence Solomon fetch'd his Gold had its Denomination from the latter of those Sons of Ioctan and that this place was that which is now call'd Peru which they think they partly prove from 2 Chron. 3. 6. Where the Gold which came from Ophir is call'd Zahab Peruajim which latter Word is the dual Number they say of Peru. If you enquire after the more particular Place Vatablus will tell you that it is Hispaniola in the Western Ocean lately found out by Columbus But others tell us it was the Eastern India that which was possess'd by Shem's Posterity viz. Ophir and Havilah the Sons of Ioctan So say Rabanus Maurus and Lyranus so Pererius Massaeus Tzeta Lipcnius but all in a different Manner and placing it in different Regions of this part of the World To these Indies saith Iosephus Solomon's Navy made a Voyage to a Region call'd heretofore Sophyra now the Golden Land With him agrees Varrerius and adds that this Golden Chersonesse is the same with the Place that is at this Day call'd Malaca and is in the Kingdom of Pegu and borders on Somatra But Mercator holds the Place to be Iapan Acosta would perswade us it is Pegu Siam Sumatra Here 's a wide Difference you will say among Authors the East and West-Indies are concern'd in the Controversy and it may be after all Ophir was in neither of them It is Sophala in the Ethiopick Sea and consequently belongs to Africa say Volaterranus and Ortelius but I rather think that Africa it self or the African Shore is meant by it Which seems to be confirmed from 2 Chron. 9. 21. 20. 36. compared with 1 Kings 9. 28. 10. 22. 22. 48. where Ophir is call'd Tarshish For though this Name belongs properly to the Cilician Port which is on the other Side of Africa yet as I have shew'd in another Place in a large Acception it comprehended all the Mediterranean Sea and that Part especially which wash'd the African Shores and hither it is probable Solomon's Fleet sailed and the Merchants went up into the Country in pursuit of the Golden Mines of which afterwards Cham or Ham the youngest Son of Iapheth and the Families that descended from him were first seated in this Country of Africk though some of them made Excursions also into Syria and Arabia That he was seated in Egypt the most considerable part of Africk is undeniable since it is so often call'd the Land of Ham and Plutarch hath left it on record that Chemia or Chamia was the antient Name of that Place which without doubt it had from Ham or Cham Iaphet's Son That he or his Posterity lanch'd out into some parts of Arabia which border'd on Africk is render'd very Probable by Monsieur Bocbart But that Chush the eldest Son of Cham was
or Lesser Consistory and whereas the former Judicature of Three was in every City this Court was in every Tribe in Israel All the Hebrew Writers of any Note who designedly treat of the Iewish Government speak of these two Courts and therefore it is not to be question'd that they were in use among that People But it is also unquestionable that they were not made use of at first i. e. either in Moses's time or three or four Ages afterwards otherwise we should have had them particularly mentioned in the Old Testament which for my part I could never observe though some pretend to do so It being therefore our present Business to speak only of those things relating to the Iewish Polity which are expresly mentioned in Scripture I will proceed to recount those particular Models of Judicatures which are expresly taken notice of in these Sacred Writings and they are these First there was in every Town a sufficient Number of Overseers of the People who upon occasion met together to do them Right for the Tribes were divided into Thousands Hundreds Fifties Tens i. e. into so many Families and over each Division there presided Rulers of Thousands Rulers of Hundreds Rulers of Fifties and Rulers of Tens to judg the People at all Seasons Exod. 18. 21 25. And the same are called Captains over Thousands Hundreds Fifties Tens Numb 31. 14. Deut. 1. 15. 1 Sam. 8. 5. and their Business was to decide lesser Causes in these their respective Thousands Hundreds c. Besides these Ministers of Justice in every particular Town there were others of a larger Jurisdiction who are call'd Princes and Heads of the Tribes Numb 13. 2. 34. 18. Chief of the Tribes Deut. 1. 15. Officers among the Tribes in the same Place and Iudges and Officers throughout the Tribes Deut. 16. 18. There were Twelve of these every Tribe having its distinct Head and President over it and these determin'd in Causes of a greater and higher Nature than the others Moreover there was a Senate of Seventy chosen out of the two former Ranks of Persons and they were designed at first to be Coadjutors to Moses Numb 11. 16. You will find that these are mention'd together with the other two in Ios. 23. 2. 24. 1. for by the Elders in both these Places are meant I conceive the Seventy Seniors and by the Heads of Israel we are to understand the Representatives and Governours of the Tribes and by Officers and Iudges the Ordinary and Inferiour Justices viz. Captains of Thousands c. It was the first of these namely the Judicature of Seventy Men which was most considerable and therefore I will add a few Words concerning it Because Moses was President over it the Jews called it the Iudicature of Seventy one and others adding Aaron to that Number say it consisted of Seventy two This famous Council which was at first appointed by Moses in the Wilderness was afterwards a Settled Council for governing the People in the Land of Canaan and was called the Sanedrim which is a Greek Word originally but crept into the Hebrew as other Greek Words have done but to distinguish it from the Lesser one it is called the Great Sanedrim The other Courts sat in every City and Tribe but This was at Ierusalem only and could sit no where else This Great Consistory judged of All Matters whereas the Others took Cognizance only of Lesser ones This was not only a Court of Common Pleas or Nisi Prius where only Civil Causes were tried but sometimes it determin'd both them and Criminal Actions It was also a Chancery or Court of Equity But the more special and peculiar Work of this Court was to try the most Weighty Causes these most commonly were brought before these Seventy Seniors Matters of the Highest Nature the most Important Affairs of the Kingdom and such as belong'd to the Safety of the Publick were tried here This Great Senate was chosen out of all the Tribes and consisted of Lay-men Priests and Levites The King or Chief Civil Magistrate was the Head of it as Moses was at first This Assembly of the Seventy Senators was look'd upon as the Chiefest and Highest Court of the Jews The Supreme Power was thought to be seated here accordingly all other Courts appeal'd to This but from This was no Appeal But some are of another Opinion and add a Fourth Court of Justice viz. the Publick Council and Congregation of all the People This some make to be the Highest Court as in the Case of the Levitc's Wife that was cut into twelve Pieces The Captains of Thousands c. the Seventy Seniors and All the Chief of the People met together made this Great Assembly this Mikel Gemot this Parliament This is that they say which is called the Congregation of the Lord and the Whole Assembly of Israel and the Whole Congregation and the Great Congregation or Assembly These were the several Courts of Judgment amongst the Jews Whilst Moses lived he judged and decided Controversies alone when he thought fit or when any of These Councils met he was the Prince and Head of them So that the Jewish Government so far as it respected These Courts was partly Regal and Monarchical as under Moses and it was partly Aristocratical as under the Captains of Thousands and partly Democratical or Popular under the Kahal of the People We are beholden to the Sacred Records of the Old Testament for these excellent Discoveries relating to Government which the most Civilized Nations in the World have taken for their Authentick Precedents Having spoken of their Methods of Government and Courts of Judicature which are so justly admired and imitated by all Wise Governours I will next of all shew from these Antient Writings how the Iewish Governours chastised and corrected those that offended against their Laws Their Lesser Punishments were such as these 1. Retaliation Exod. 21. 24. Eye for Eye Tooth for Tooth Hand for Hand Foot for Foot The plain Meaning of which was that whoever bereft another Person of his Eye Tooth Hand or Foot should be punish'd with the Loss of an Eye a Tooth c. and sometimes this literal and rigorous Sense of the Law was put in practice But generally it was not understood in the strict Sense but he that put out another Man's Eye was to give him Satisfaction i. e. as much as an Eye was thought to be worth So the Targum of Ionathan interprets Deut. 19. 21. which is a Repetition of the foresaid Law of Talion the Offender was to make a sufficient Recompence And thus the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã among the Grecians and the Lex Talionis among the Romans was understood viz. not of an Identical but an Analogical Compensation An Equivalent was accepted the Value of an Eye a Tooth c. for the Eye or Tooth it self 2. Restitution the diverse kinds of which are particularly set down in the beginning of Exod. 22. as
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 Câsar 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 Attândanâs 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
a long time after in the first and most uncorrupted Ages this was the Entertainment of the Greatest Persons In those more innocent Times of the World the Wealthiest Men imbraced this kind of Life as mean as it is accounted now Some of the Old Patriarchs were plain honest Grasiers and the richest of them as Abraham Isaac and Iacob were busied in looking to their Grounds and their Flocks Moses the Great Law-giver was a Shepherd Nabal and Absdlom were Sheep-masters Elisah when he was busy at the Psough with twelve Yoke of Oxen was call'd thence to the Prophetick Dignity and office and Amos of a Herdsman became a Divine Messenger and Preacher Shamgar was taken from the Herd to be a Judg in Israet and with the same Goad that he drove his Oxen slew six hundred Men. Gideon's Seat of State and Justice was a Threshing-floor and he had no other Mace than a Flail Iudg. 6. 14. The renowned Iair and Iephthah kept Sheep and were fetch'd from that Employment to be Judges David the Son of Iesse a Worthy Parent in Israel was took from the Sheep-folds from following the Ewes great with young to feed Jacob to rule Israel Psal. 78. 71. Thus the Pastoral Art hath been a Preââdââ to Empire and Government the taking care of these tame Creatures hath made way for the presiding over the stubborn Flock of Mankind We read that Crowned Heads have not disdained this Art King Vzziah or as he is call'd elsewhere Azariah for I have shewed in another Place that it was common with the Jews to have two Names was a Lover of Husbandry 2 Chron. 26. 10. And one of the Greatest Kings that ever swayed a Scepter acknowledgeth that as the Profit of the Earth i. e. of Agriculture ãâã for all is of universal Advantage so more especially the King himself is a Servant to the Field Eccles. 5. 9. for so it is according to the Hebrew It is worthy of his Royal Care and Study to support Tillage and Husbandry which were heretofore the Employment of those of the highest Rank And thus it was also among the Profane Nations of old Knowledg and Skill in Rustick Affairs ushered in Rule and Command The Gordian Knot was but Plough-tackling hamper'd in a Knot and he that untied it was to be Monarch of the World Araunah King of Iebus condescended to be a Thresher 2 Sam. 24. 18. 1 Chron. 21. 20. and which is aâ unparallell'd Exaltation of this Primitive Husbandry his Threshing-floor was the Spot of Ground which King David made choice of to build an Altar to God upon 2 Sam. 24. 25. and this was the very Place where Solomon's Temple was afterwards erected 2 Chron. 3. 1. Mesha King of Moab was a Sheep-master 2 Kings 3. 4. Noked is the Hebrew Word and it is simply and barely used for a Shepherd Amos 1. 1. Spartacus the dreaded Enemy of the Romans was of the same Calling Dioclesian the Emperor left his Throne and turned Gardiner After he had laid down the Empire he took up Husbandry Attalus abdicated his Kingly Government and applied himself wholly to the same Employment The Great Scipio left his Commands to exercise and enjoy the Pleasures of Agriculture In the Old Roman History we read that the Chief Men among them studied and practised this by the same Token that several of them were fetch'd from their Tillage to Arms from their Country Carts to Triumph from Harvest-work to the Senate from the Field to the Camp from the Plough to bear the high Offices of Consuls and Dictators They that were sent from the Roman Senate to desire Attilius to take upon him the Government found him sowing in his Grounds They tell us that Romulus the Founder of the Roman Empire was bred up first to the Sheep-hook and we know that the Riches of the Antient Romans was Plenty of Cattel From the Country-Exercise of feeding of Beasts came the Sirnames of the Families of the Vituli Porcii Tauri Caprae and others And here by the by let me insert that it may be Eglon the Name of a Man and so Rachel and Dorcas the Names of Women in Scripture which sighnify a Calf a Sheep a Deer were given at first on the like Account Women as well as Men being imployed of old in looking after Cattel From their sowing of Beans Pease c. arose the Names of the Fabii Pisones ââcerones Lentuli c. And it is not to be denied that the Exercises of Husbandry have been treated of and applauded by the Wisest Men as Cato Varro Cicero Pliny Columella Virgil. And when among the Pagans their very Deities are represented as Lovers of a Country-Life when Pan was said to be the God of Shepherds and Mercury and Apolââ fed Sheep and the last of these was cried up for the Chief Patron of this Calling they intended to signify to us that this and the like Country-Employments are Princely and Divine Which very thing we are assured of from the Word of Truth the Infallible Records of the Bible which tell us that these were the Early Business and Practice of the Greatest and the Best Men. The Greatest Princes heretofore were esteemed according to the Numbers of their Cattel Among the First and Necessary Employments and Advantages of humane Life may be justly reckon'd the Preparing of Food and the Scriptures alone can furnish us with the certain Knowledg of this It is undeniable from those plain and express Words in Gen. 1. 29. that there was no Food allow'd at first to Mankind but Plants and Herbs Corn and all other Fruits of the Earth I have wondred sometimes that any who believe the Sacred Text can question this for the Words are positive and downright utterly excluding all other kind of Sustenance but this Yea unless you can prove that Milk is no part of any Living Creature but is a Fruit of the Earth you have reason to think that they were debarr'd of this also But after the Flood which had much impaired the Virtue of the Earth and exhausted somewhat of its Seminal Power there was a Licence to eat Flesh Every moving thing that liveth shall be Meat for you Gen. 9. 3. in which is included the Product of Flesh Milk which was denied to the Antediluvians But now all are at liberty to feed on it and that was not all they were so skilful as to make it afford them Cheese and Butter neither of which we read of before the Deluge And questionless they that fed not on Milk knew not the Use of these but among the Post-diluvians Charitze hachalab 1 Sam. 17. 18. Cheeses of Milk were a common Food which are without doubt meant by Shephoth bakar 2 Sam. 17. 29. Coagulationes bovis as Pagnine renders it Cheeses of the Milk of Cows according to the Targum and they are called by the Hebrews in their peculiar way of speaking the Sons of Milk And in Iob 10. 10. gebinah is the Word for
Divine Architect Deut. 22. 8. Thou shalt make a Battlement foâ thy Roof And the reason of this ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Muruâ per circuitum as the Vulgar Latin renders it is adâded That thou bring not Blood upon thy House if any Man fall from thence The flat Roofs of their Houses were rail'd in that none might slip off of them and hazard their Lives And here by the by I may add that this was the very Structure of the Temple it was flat at top and accordingly was encompassed round with a Peribolus a âett of Rails or Battlements and this we are to unâerstand by the Pinnacle of the Temple Mat. 4. 5. i. e. some Part Side or Wing as the Word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã imports of the Battlements wherewith the Temple was surrounded at top lest any âhould fall down thence And to confirm this Interpretation I willl produce that Passage of Hegeâippus quoted by Eusebius who relates that some of the Pharisees and others of the unbelieving Jews came and requested Iames the Iust the Brother of our Lord and Bishop of Ierusalem to preach at the Passover when the People came from all Parts to Ierusalem and that he might be both seen and heard of all they deâired him to stand ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã on the Battlement of the Temple and he further tells that he did so It was a Place then that they might safely stand upon otherwise St. Iames would not have consented to their request Dr. Hammând thinks this was the Top of the Battlement and adds that it was broad enough to stand upon but supposing it was yet it was unsafe to trust their Feet there lest they should slip Therefore I rather think that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in St. Matthew must not be taken as it is in the foremention'd Story in the one it signifies the Top of the Rails or Battlement a dangerous Place to stand upon and for that reason the Devil set our Saviour there but in the other we are to understand by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Place within the Battlements for the whole Space encompass'd with these had that Denomination However we are hence inform'd that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is not a Pinnacle or Spire for the Jewish Temple had no such thing though some of our Churches have but the exterior Circuit which compassed the Top of the Temple and was made to be an Ornament to it as well as to prevent the Danger of falling down This is the proper Notion of it among Grammarians as Dr. Hammond hath rightly noted and not only the Temple but every House had this ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã this Battlement about it This is the short Account which I thought fit to insert here of the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or as the Latins call them Solaria because they lay open to the Sun and Air the Flat Roofs with which the Houses heretofore especially in the Asiatick Regions were built And this is certain that there is not so Early an Account in any Writers whatsoever of the Structure of the Antient Houses as this of the Sacred Penmen is CHAP. IV. The first original of Letters and Writing is recorded here The several kinds of Materials they wrote upon of Old The Instruments with which they formed their Letters or Characters The Antientest as well as the most Excellent History is in the Bible So is the Antientest and most Admired Poetry The first Invention and Practice of Musick and on what Occasions it was wont to be made use of The Rise of Natural Philosophy and who were the first Founders of it The Knowledg of the Holy Scriptures necessary in order to the due Study of Natural Philosophy The first Instances of Anatomy Medicks Chirurgery Embalming and the Apothecaries Employment are in the Old Testament Here are the first Examples of Shipping and Navigation An Enquiry into the Place whither Solomon's Navy went every three Years A Conjecture concerning Ophir Astronomy and Judiciary Astrology mention'd in Scripture Of War and Skill in Arms. The Nature of those Military Weapons which are spoken of in Scripture particularly and distinctly enquir'd into The Antiquity of Martial Ensigns and Standards The vast Numbers which the Armies of old consisted of The Scripture is not silent concerning Sportive Diversions and Exercises some of which but especially Dancing are considered FROM Mechanical I proceed to Ingenious Arts and Sciences or such as are approaching to them and I am to shew that the Sacred History relates the first Rise and Original of these And what Liberal Art should I begin with but Grammar what should this part of my Discourse commence with but Letters and Writing Many have been very inquisitive about the First Author of these and truly it is worth the Enquiry it being the Foundation of all Learning in the World The Rabbins held that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Writing and consequently Letters were created among other things at the close of the sixth Day 's Work of the Creation but few that are sober will give Credit to this They were found out before the Flood by Seth âaith the Jewish Antiquary for according to him there were two Pillars one of Stone another of Brick erected by that Godly Patriarch on which he caused his Astrological Notions to be written Afterwards for we may suppose this Invention lost by the Flood though the Pillars and Characters on them remain'd Abraham retrieved the Art of Writing yea in manner invented it anew saith Philo. But there is no Proof at all of what he or Iosephus saith concerning this Matter and therefore we may justly question the Truth of both But supposing that Seth began this Art and that Abraham improved it we are certain of this that Moses came and perfected it having that moât Compleat Copy before him to instruct and direct him the Tables written with the Finger of God Exod. 31. 18. We read of no Writing in Scripture till this writing or engraving the Law on the Two Tables which is call'd in another Place the Writing of God Deut. 32. 16. There is no mention I say of any such thing before wherefore it is likely God was the First Inventer of Letters or Writing and that Moses learnt it of him and communicated it to the Jews from whom other Eastern People received it and so Letters were imparted to the rest of the World Eupolemus and Artapanus two very Antient Historians quoted by Clement of Alexandria were of this Opinion and asserted that Letters had their original from Moses This is favour'd by Clement himself by Eusebius by Cyril of Alexandria and St. Augustin inclines to it And this is confirmed from that general report of the Pagans that from the Phoenicians all Letters were derived Particularly concerning the Greeks Herodotus and Plutarch testify that they recorded the Letters of their Alphabet from the Phoenicians and that therefore they were call'd the Phoenician Letters Yea the Word
Pârlege rubras Majorum leges At other times they made use of Chalk and of Coal both which are mention'd by Persius Illa priùs cretà mox bââc carbone notasti But these were used only on special Occasions and were not the ordinary manner of Writing therefore 't is no wonder that the Bible is wholly silent aâ to this But it mentions the Writing Instruments that were of common Use as first those which were peculiar to the Harder Materials those wherewith they made Incision into Stone Wood c. Accordingly it tells us that they used an Iron Pen or Style and therewith cut what Characters they thought fit in them Of this we have mention in Iob 19. 24. where that holy Man wisââth that his Complaints were written down and recorded that future Ages might take notice of them which Moses or some other Inspired Person who digested and compiled this Book thus expressetâ O that my Words were engraven with an Iron Pen and Lead with a ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã according to the Seventy made of Iron and with Lead plumbi laminâ as the Vulgar Latin a thin Sheet or Plate of Lead on which they engraved Letters with this Iron Pen. And in the next Clause of this Verse he wisheth yet further that his Words might be written in the Rock ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as the LXX render it ut sculpantur in silice the Vulgar Latin following the Septuagint as it generally doth every where which refers to the antient manner of writing in those Days which was by Engraving of Letters not only on Leaden Tables but on Stone and Flint with Iron Pens or Bodkins These were the first Instruments used in writing in the World And when Ieremiah saith The Sin of Judah is written with a Pen of Iron and graven upon the Table of their Hearts it is an Allusion to this Practice though here another Word is used viz. Cheret from Charath sculpsit whence ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is a graving Tool and so is rendred Exod. 32. 4. With this they made the Letters on Wood and Stone and such like hard Substance and in Wax-Tables Next the Scripture takes notice of the antient Instrument which was proper to the other way of writing viz. upon the softer Materials as the Papyrus and Parchment This is called Shebet which Word in other Places is rendred a Scepter We read that the Tribe of Zebulon afforded some that handled the Pen of the Writer Judg. 5. I4 such as were dexterous at this Instrument such as knew how to wield this Shebet this Writing-Scepter with Art and Skill In other Places it hath the same Names that were given to the Engraving Pen thus it is stiled Cheret ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã according to the Septuagint Isa. 8. 1. the Pen of a Man i. e. such a Pen as Men usually writ with in those Days when they wrote upon any soft and yielding Matter and that was a Reed which is confirm'd to us by Ier. 8. 8. where Gnet the Pen of the Scribes is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the Greek Interpreters And in Psal. 45. 1. where it is again call'd Gnet the Pen of a ready Writer the same Interpreters render it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and the Vulgar Latin Calamus which is the Word used by Martial and others for the Egyptian Reed Which was the Writing Pen in their time Dat chartis habiles calamos Memphitica tellus And Aquila a Learned Jew who knew the genuine Meaning of the Hebrew Word in this Place renders it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã i. e. juncus arundo aquatica wherewith they antiently writ It appears then that Egypt afforded both Paper and Pens the former was of that Rushy Plant before described the latter were of a Reed growing in the same Place viz. about the River Nile and the fenny Parts of Egypt which being dried and hardned and conveniently shaped was the usual Instrument of writing before the Invention of Quills It was so made that it would contain and convey in it a black sort of Liquor which answers to our Ink which we use at this Day into which they used to dip it To this antient writing with Ink or such like dark Substance some have thought Ezek. 9. 2. hath reference where we read of the Writers Inkhorn but though the Hebrew Word be rendred Atramentarium by the Vulgar Latin yet in its Original Signification it hath no reference to that particular thing but may be translated a Pen-case or a Writing-Table as well as an Inkhorn From the bare Sound of the English Word we cannot infer the thing it self We may as well affirm the Art of Printing was found out and practised in Iob's Days because he wisheth that his Words were printed in a Book Job 19. 23. But there is a Place to our purpose and that is Ier. 36. 18. I wrote them i. e. the Words which Ieremy spoke with Ink in a Book The Antient way of writing appears from what Baruch here saith that he wrote Ieremiah's Prophecy ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã atramento which was the black and inky Matter whatever it was that was laid on by his Pen in writing This is the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã mention'd 2 Cor. 3. 3 2 Ep. Iohn v. 12. and again 3 Epist. v. 13. where it is joined with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Which shews what was at that time the way of writing viz. with Reed-Pens dipp'd in Ink which as we are told by Pliny and Persius was variously prepared The Greeks and Romans made it of Soot saith the former of these Writers and from him and Persius we learn that the Africans used the dark Excrementitious Humour which the Sepia afforded them and other black Juices serv'd for Ink in other Countries Thus the most Antient as well as the most Authentick Memoirs concerning Letters and the Manner of Writing are in the Books of the Holy Penmen Thus the Foundation of all Grammar and the Root of all Learning is laid here Next unto Grammar I might mention History the first Father of which was Moses whose Writings begin the Bible All that I will say of him under this present Character is this that we are solely indebted to him for our Knowledg of the Transactions of the First Ages of the World As he wrote before all other Historians so he gives us an Account of those things which none besides doth wherefore his Books are the Key of all History To him are added Others who are not only of admired Antiquity but ought to be prized as much for the Admirable and Various Matter they communicate Here are Excellent Historical Passages of all sorts Religious and Civil Sacred and Profane Foreign and Domestick relating to Politicks and Oeconomicks to Publick and Private Affairs Yea the Title of Procopius's History belongs only and properly to these Sacred Chronicles for here the Secrets and Depths of all Antient Occurrences are
a Harp to allay the evil Spirit with which King Saul was troubled 1 Sam. 16. 16. And we read how effectual this proved ver 23. It came to pass when the evil Spirit from God was upon Saul that David took a Harp and plaid with his Hand so Saul was refreshed and was well and the evil Spirit departed from him So powerful and charming are the Chearful Airs of Musick Conformably to which we find in Pagan Story that Discases and Madness have been cured by these so that Apollo was deservedly made by the Antient Sages the God of Medicks as well as Musick By which Fiction they acquaint us that this Art is Medicinal and Healing This reminds me of what our Chronicles attest that St. Bartholomew's Hospital was founded by a Minstrel How congruously do the Musiâal and Sanative Art meet together Who hath not heard of the strange and wonderful Virtue of Harmony Timotheus did what he would with Alexander the Great by playing on his Harp he had such a Command over him by those powerful Strokes that he could make him Fight or Drink hasten to War or Banquets as he pleas'd And not only Men but Brutes have been capable of this Charm several wild Beasts are catch'd and Birds are enticed to the Net with Musick Nay we are told by the Poetick Tribe that Senseless and Inanimate Creatures have felt the Force of it which indeed is Romantick if you take it literally but the intended Design of this Flourish was to express to us the Wonderful and Astonishing Virtue of this Delightful Art Hence it is that the Noblest Minds have not disdained to be acquainted with it the most serious Brains have been entertain'd and ravish'd with its agreeable Pleasures so Plutarch reports of Plato and concerning Socrates we are inform'd by another that even in his declining Years he was a Student and Practitioner in this Art Lastly Musick was made use of of old at Funerals of which afterwards Again The Rise of Philosophy Which is so useful to Mankind and the best Grounds of it are learnt from this Divine Volume Here we are told that Natural Philosophy was founded by Adam for no less is comprehended in those words Gen. 2. 19 20. The Lord God brought every Beast of the Field and every Foâl of the Air unto Adam to see what he âould call them and whatsoever Adam call'd every living Creature that was the Name thereof And Adam gave Names to all Cattel and to the Fowl of the Air and to every Beast of the Field And 't is reasonable to believe that he also gave Names to Plants Trees Herbs and all Celestial and Terrestrial Creatures Now it is not to be question'd that their Names were bestow'd upon them according to their particular Nature for this Great Nomenclator was created perfect by God and endued with the Knowledg of all natural and divine Things and therefore in fixing certain Names on them he thereby signified their peculiar natural Qualities And that he really did so is manifest from his giving a Name to his Female Companion as soon as God brought her to him he presently knew her by virtue of that excellent Instinct and Knowledg wherewith he was created and said This is now Bone of my Bones and Flesh of my Flesh she shall be called Woman because she was taken out of Man Gen. 2. 23. We see here that the Name Ishah or Woman was impos'd according to the nature and condition of the Person and can any Man of deliberate Thoughts imagine that the same was not done in the naming of the Inferior Creatures No certainly especially if we take notice of the like manner of expressing this and the other Imposition of Names for as 't is said here God brought the Woman to the Man v. 22. whereupon he gave her her Denomination so in the foregoing place it is said God brought the Creatures unto Adam viz. in order to their receiving their Names from him Nay this very thing is particularly express'd in that forecited Text which speaks of this Action of Adam tho Expositors are not pleas'd to take notice of it God brought them to Adam to see what he would call them Where to see refers not to God as generally Interpreters think but to Adam The Creatures were brought on purpose that he might see i. e. that he might know by looking on them what their Nature was and that accordingly he might know how to give Names to them For it is not reasonable to think that this is spoken of God as if he himself would see or know c. for this would argue imperfection in him and would imply that he knew not at that time what they were to be called or at least what Adam would call them Therefore this Interpretation which I give of the Words is rather to be embraced than the other We are acquainted here with the End and Purpose for which all Living Things were summon'd to appear before Adam viz. that he might give them Names which denoted their Nature Accordingly some of them that we meet with in Scripture give an Account of the Qualities they are endued with And though it is true that some of them signify only their Outward and Visible Qualities yet we are to remember that it was not easy to discover even These at the first View of the Creatures and therefore Man's Sagacity was tried by it And besides the Primitive Significations of many Names as all the Learned acknowledg are lost and by length of time are forgot so that though some of these Words whereby Animals are express'd seem not to set forth their Internal Nature and Disposition yet we cannot thence peremptorily infer that they did not so at first yea that they do not so now though we do not comprehend it by reason of our being unacquainted with the Original Derivations of Words I conclude then that the Creatures were brought to Adam to give him an early Opportunity of exerting his Knowledg and Wisdom in fitly distinguishing the several sorts of Creatures by their particular Names and accordingly whatever he âall'd them that was their Name Thus it is clear that this Nomenclatorship of Adam is a certain Argument of the Insight which he had into the Natures of these Animals and all the Iewish Rabbins and Commentators on the Place acknowledg as much And thence is that Observation of Plato that there is something extraordinary and Divine in the Antient Names of things they arose from a more than humane Power he saith It is not to be doubted then that Adam was the First Philosopher and laid the Foundation of all Philosophick Notions Next to him I will mention Moses who as I have partly shew'd already and shall more fully afterwards when I present the Reader with a Particular Comment on the first Chapter of Genesis was well skill'd in the true Principles of Nature and perfectly understood the Right System of the World It is said of this
Great Man that he was learned in all the Wisdom of the Egyptians Acts 7. 22. which comprehends not only Arithmetick Geometry Astronomy all Parts of Mathematicks Physicks of all which there are several remarkable Strictures in the Pentateuch but Moral Philosophy with which his Books are every-where fraught Solomon also was a most profound Philosopher as those Words in 1 Kings 4. 29 c amply testify God gave Solomon Wisdom and Vnderstanding exceeding much His Wisdom excell'd the Wisdom of all the Children of the East-Country and all the Wisdom of Egypt He spake of Trees from the Cedar-tree that is in Lebanon even to the Hyssop that springeth out of the Wall he spake also of Bâasts and of Fowl and of creeping things and of Fishes And as Iosephus adds after the same manner he discours'd of All Terestrial Things for he was ignorant of no natural Things he pass'd by none of them unexamin'd but philosophized concerning every one of them and fully discuss'd the Properties and Nature of them Thus he was certainly the Greatest Natural Historian that ever was and his Book of Proverbs and that which is entituled Ecclesiastes abundantly inform us what skill he had in Ethicks Oeconomicks Politicks so that we may justly stile him an Vniversal Philosopher Iob's skill in the choicest Parts of Physicks is evident from his excellent Discourses and Disquisitions concerning Thunder the Clouds the Sea Chap. 26. concerning Minerals and other Fossiles and Fountains Chap. 28. concerning Rain Vapours Snow Hail and other Meteors Chap. 37. 38. And several sorts of Animals both wild and tame with their chiefest Properties and Qualities are discours'd of in Chapters 39 40 41. And here I must insert this that the Knowledg and Study of the Bible are absolutely necessary in order to the Study of Natural Philosophy It is a very good Thought of an Ingenious Man The Doctrine of the Scriptures saith he is to be well imbiâed before young Men be enter'd into Natural Philosophy because Matter being a thing that all our Senses are constantly conversant with it is so apt to possess the Mind and exclude all other Beings but it self that Prejudice grounded on such Principles often leaves no room for the admittance of Spirits or the allowing any such things as immaterial Beings in the nature of things Which shews the necesâity of our conversing with the Inspired Writings wheâ we have abundant Proofs of the Existence and Operation of those Invisible Agents No Book â so fully and demonstratively convince us of their Being and Power as the Holy Scriptures And the grand Reason in my Opinion why so many reject the Notion of Spirits and run into wild and extravagant Notions which are the Consequent of it is because they are unacquainted with and which is more dislike this Book which is the Basis of aââ Natural Philosophy in that we have here an irrefragable Demonstration of those Incorporeal Beings Whence it follows that no Man can be a Good Naturalist if he be a Stranger to the Holâ Writings much more if he slights and vilifiââ them We shall perpetually fluctuate without an Adherence to these Infallible Records The Cartesian and indeed the whole Corpuscularian Philosophy depraves Mens Minds unless it be temper'd by these Nay I may say the Study of Nature abstract from them will lead us into Scepticism and Atheism for many Substantial Notions as well as Phaenomena are utterly unaccountable without Help from this Book But this rectifies our Apprehensions and gives us a true Account of the State of Things and of the Government of the World which is managed chiefly by Spiritual and Immaterial Substances This salves the most surprizing Difficulties by acquainting us with the Spring of the Generality of those Motions and Transactions which are observable in Natural Bodies In short this will season and qualify our Speculations concerning Nature and all its Operations for when the Operations and Results of Matter are defective here we are taught to have Recourse to a Higher Principle Thus the Bible lays a Foundation for our Study of Philosophy and is it self the Best Body of Philosophy I mean on the foresaid Account because it assures us of the Existence of Spirits by whose Influence so many Works of Nature and those of the greatest Importance in the World are effected This was known of old by the Name of the Barbarick Philosophy and 't is frequently call'd so by Clement of Alexandria and both he and Eusebius and some Modern Writers have shew'd that the Grecian Philosophy was derived from this Which indeed was the Confession of some Considerable Men among the Pagans whence Diogenes Laertius tells us this was their Saying Philosophy had its Original from the Barbarians i. e. the Hebrews which is as much as to say that all the true Notions about God and Providence and the Souls of Men and other great Doctrines in Philosophy are taken from the Jewish Writings the Sacred and Inspired Scriptures In the next Place the Antiquity of Medicks Chirurgery Anatomy Embalming is likewise discover'd here For Ioseph commanded the physicians to embalm his Father and the physicians embalmed Israel Gen. 50. 2. The Word here repeated is Rophim and it is the proper Hebrew Word for Men skill'd in Medicks and there is no other Wherefore Vatablus and some others are mistaken who fancy this Place is not meant of Physicians properly so called because this Term is translated ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by the Septuagint and because they are bid to embalm Jacob. Whence they infer that they were not Physicians in the Sense that we use the Word in at this day viz. for such as take care of sick and diseased Persons and endeavour by their Skill and Art to restore them to Health but that they were only Embalmers that is that their sole Office and Employment was to take care of the dead Bodies and to preserve them from putrifying But this Misapprehension had its Rise from this that they judged of Physicians and their Employments according to what they see now according to the Practice of these Days which no Man of due Coâsideration and unprejudiced Judgment ought to do For of old the Physician was both Chirurgeon and Embalmer yea even in Hippocrates's time the Work of the Physician and Chirurgion was not different but the very same In Antienter times much more these Professions were united and were the Employment of the same Person It is no wonder therefore that Embalming was annex'd to it and constantly went along with it for the Chirurgion or Physician call him which you will or both was the Man that had Skill to dissect Bodies in order to their Pollincture He knew what Parts to take out and how being acquainted with the Situation of the Vessels for Anatomy was first of all practised among the Egyptians as we may gather from Pliny and others who attest that the Egyptian Kings used it to find out the Cause and
which lasted seven Days as may be gather'd from v. 27. Fulfil her Week i. e. stay till the seven Days of the Wedding-Feast be over for so you will find it explain'd in the next Verse So Samson's Nuptials were accompanied with a Festival which continued a Week Iudg. 14. 12. And this it seems was the usual Term not only of these but all other great and solemn Feasts Esth. 1. 5 10. And here I might observe that it is peculiarly recorded that at Samson's Marriage-Feast he put forth a Riddle and required the Bridal Companions to declare and expound it some time before the Days of that Solemnity were ended This was one way of diverting and entertaining themselves at those times of Mirth as other Writers testify Herodotus and Plutarch mention these among the Antients telling us that they were wont to propound certain Quaint Problems to be solved by the Company and thereupon arose Battels of Wit And from Athenaeus we may be informed that these Enigmatical Questions were used at their Compotations Another famous Instance of Feasting on this account was that at the Royal Nuptials of Ahasuerus and Esther Esth. 2. 18. signally stiled Esther's Feast Where by the way observe that a Feast was called by the Hebrews ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a Drinking for that is the Word here used and the same you will find in Iudg. 14. 12. Iob 1. 4. Esther 5. 5 6. in which Places the Seventy Interpreters render it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Accordingly to drink Esth. 3. 15. is to Feast and so again Chap. 7. v. 1. Thence in the New Testament the Word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 1 Pet. 4. 3. is render'd very rightly Banquetings And the Feasts or Banquetings among the Greeks were call'd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Compotations drinkings together Because the Wine generally bore the greatest part in those Meetings the Denomination was thence But to go back to what I was speaking of the Mariage-Feasts are taken notice of in several Places in the New Testament Mat. 9. 10. 22. 2. Iohn 2. 1. which shews the frequent use of them in those Days The Word to express them is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which in those forecited Texts yea three or four times together in Mat. 22. is by our Translators render'd a Marriage but that is not the proper Translation of the Word in these Place for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here is a Marriage-Feast and so it is in Homer and other Authors as the Learned Dr. Hammond hath observ'd and you may perceive from the Texts themselves that it must be so translated Further 't is observable that of old there were Proper Vests made use of when they went to these Wedding-Feasts They generally put on white Garments which you shall hear afterwards were in great Request of old upon this Occasion however 't is certain they chang'd their Apparel and were clad in a Vestment fit for that Solemnity This is call'd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Wedding-Garment Matth. 22. 11. that distinct bridal Attire which was usually worn at such a time And here I might take occasion to speak of Other Feasts hesides the Nuptial Ones mention'd in these Sacred Monuments To say nothing of the Religious Feasts of the Jews as the Passover c. which were particularly appointed by God we read that there were some of Royalty and State Estb. 1. 5 9. some at the Weaning of Children Gen. 21. 8. some at Sheep-shearing 1 Sam. 25. 36. 2 Sam. 13. 23. others at making of Leagues and Treaties 2 Sam. 3. 20. others at finishing of them and to render the Compact sure Gen. 26. 30. some on occasion of Great and Publick Deliverances Esth. 9. 17 18. some at celebrating of Birth-days as that of Pâaraoh Gen. 40. 20. the first Instance of this Nature that we can possibly produce and that of Herod which is call'd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Mark 6. 21. which we render a convenient Day but our Learned Annotator translates it a Festival Day it answering to the Hebrew Iom Tob a good Day a merry Season and such was the Anniversary of Herod's Birth which was kept as a Festival And among Other Nations there were usually Feasts on this Account That there were so among the Persians and Grecians Athenaeus bears witness and particularly concerning the Persian Kings Herodotus doth the like From Suetonius and other Historians we learn that the Birth-days of Iulius Caesar Augustus Titus Nerva Antoninus Gordian were celebrated in the same manner Senâââ kept the Birth-days of Socrates Plato c. for such he understands by Great Men. Mecaenas and Virgil's Nativities were observed as is evident from Horace and Pliny the younger But enough of this I will next enquire what antient Notices we have from the Scripture concerning Buying and Selling. We do not read that there was any Pecuniary Traffick before the Flood but 't is likely that Swapping or Bartering of one thing for another was the Practice of those times as it is still among the most Barbarous Nations That the first way of trafficking was without Coin was the Opinion of the Prince of Philosophers ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Before the Invention of Money Exchanging saith he was in use And even after the Flood this way of Commerce did not cease as when there was a Dissention between Abraham's and Abimelech's Servants about the Well that Abraham dug we read that he took Sheep and Oxen and gave them to Abimelech which perhaps may denote his Bartering for the Well Gen. 21. 27. no less than furnishing him with Beasts for Sacrifice Whence perhaps Kesitah which signifies a Lamb signifies also a Piece of Money Gen. 33. 19. and is so translated and the same Hebrew Word is used in Iob 42. 11. and is rendred by the Syriac and Chaldee Greek and Vulgar Latin a Lamb because Cattel heretofore the chief Commodity they had was instead of Money to them and these they frequently chang'd for other Commodities Though I know Grotius and some other Learned Interpreters think this Kesita was that Piece of Money which was of the Value of a Lamb and for that Reason had the Figure of that Creature stamp'd on it So Pliny tells us that among the Romans Pecunia was so named because the first Money was mark'd with the Figure of a Sheep or Ox or some other Cattel Varro gives the same Reason of the Name And Plutarch confirms this telling us that they engraved on the Antient Coins the Figure of a Cow or a Sheep or a Hog though withal he acknowledges that it was the Opinion of some that the Reason why Pecunia had its Name from Pecus was âot because a Sheep or other Animal was engraven ân their antient Money but because their chief Substance consisted in Cattel heretofore those were âheir first Riches But to wave this this we are certain of that when in process of Time Men saw that they had no need always of
former of which wore a Mitre Mitsnepheth Exod. 29. 6. 39. 28. and the latter Bonnets Migbanoth which were of of fine Linen Exod. 29. 9. 39. 28. as well as the Mitre and are said to be bound upon their Heads for that is the true Import of the Hebrew Word in the forecited Place in Exodus and in Lev. 8. 13. which plainly shews that these Mitres and Bonnets were of the Nature of Turbants and so were the same with the Tsaniph which was a Covering rolled up in Folds and tied about the Head from tsanaph circumvolvere circumligare And indeed Tsaniph if we exactly enquire into it will be found to be the same Word with Mitsnepheth only this latter is with a Mem Heemantick in the beginning and a Tau in the End of it If I had time I could shew that other Ornaments were borrow'd from the Jews and that what God himself enjoined the High Priests was afterwards used by the Eastern Princes As to the antient Head-Covering of Women I had occasion given me to speak of it when I discours'd on 1 Cor. 15. 29. therefore now I shall only speak of what was meer Ornament the most eminent of which sort was their Frontal Iewel which though it was fastned on their Foreheads hung down lower and thence is call'd Nezem Haaph a Nose-Iewel Isa. 3. 21. Gemma in fronte pendens as the Vulgar Latin renders it and St. Ierom tells us that the Women in his time had Rings or Jewels hung from their Foreheads dangling over the Nose Nor was this of old reputed an immodest and unbecoming Ornament for we find that Rebekah was presented in the Name of her absent Lover with this Forehead-Pendant as a Pledg of his Conjugal Faith and Love Gen. 24. 22. For it is a Vulgar Errour yea 't is a Mistake which I find hath prevail'd among some Learned Writers that Part of the Love-Token which was sent Rebekah was an Ear-Ring there is no ground at all for it for in express Terms it is said that the Nezem Zahab the Iewel of Gold as 't is call'd in this v. 22. which our Translators render a Golden Ear-ring was put gnal Aphah upon her Nose v. 47. or as our Translators themselves render it upon her Face for the Word Aph is largely taken sometimes for the Face But we never find that it is taken for the Ear and therefore this place can't be meant of an Ear-ring yea our Translators themselves acknowledg as much when gnal Aphah is rendered by them upon her Face wherefore there was no reason to render Nezem an Ear-ring at the same Time and in the same Place Besides the Women wore that sort of Ornament by Couples and consequently we may gather thence that this Golden Nezem which was sent to Rebekah was no Ear-ring but a Pendulous Jewel upon her Face or Forehead Isaac had more of Generosity and Courtship in him than to make an offer to his Mistress of a Half-Present The truth then of the Matter is this they had of old Forehead-Ornaments as well as those that they wore in their Ears The plain and unquestionable Difference between these is observable in Ezek. 16. 12. I put a Iewel on thy Forehead and Ear-rings in thine Ears The Nezem gnal Aph the Iewel on the Forehead or on the Nose or Face for 't is the same with Gen. 24. 47. is distinguish'd from the Ear-Ornaments the Rings and Pendants that hung at that part Some have thought and St. Augustin was of that number that the Nezem before mention'd Gen. 24. 22. and the Nose-Iewels mention'd Isa. 3. were Rings in their Nostrils for as this Father observes there was such a Custom among some of the African Women and others since that time tell us the like of some of the Eastern People Particularly a Modern Traveller informs us that at this Day not only in Persia but other Oriental Regions it is usual with the Women to bore their Nostrils and wear Pendants there But whatever may be the Custom at this Day there is no Author that makes mention of it as practis'd of old by the People of the East and particularly of Syria and Iudea Therefore we may conclude that the Nezem Haaph was a Jewel for the Forehead but had its Denomination from its hanging above or over the Nose So much of this ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or Nose-Ornament as Symmachus renders it and very properly whereas the LXX most absurdly translate it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and that too in the forenamed Place in Ezekiel where it is plainly distinguish'd from the Ear-Ornament I thought therefore I was obliged to give you a true and exact Account of the Original Word And truly if we observe what large Searches Eustathius and Servius make into a single Word in Homer and Virgil and how busily and concernedly other Critical Commentators on Prophane Authors dive into some dubious Expressions which occur in them we cannot think this present Criticizing or any other undertaken in this Discourse upon the Words in this Holy Book to be superfluous and impertinent unless we can perswade our selves that the Terms which the Holy Ghost makes use of in this Sacred Volume are not as well worth our enquiring into as those in other Authors Another Ornamental Furniture which I will name and which of all others is most frequently mention'd in the Books of the Old Testament is that which is appropriated to the Ears Concerning which these useful Remarks may be made Firââ we may take notice of the Words whereby this Pendulous Ornament is express'd The Word Nezamim the Plural of the former Word Nezem is not only a general Term for Jewels but it is particularly used concerning those which are woââ in the Ears Gen. 35. 4. Exod. 32. 2. and accordingly are render'd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by the Seventy Interpreters Another Word is used in Isa. 3. 20. viz. Lechashim from lacash to whisper or mutter also to charm because these are the Ornaments of that part the Ear which is most affected and wrought upon in Charms and by which the Inchantment is receiv'd But the more particular and restrained Word is Gnagil Numb 31. 50. Rotula sphaerula a round Ring from Gnagol Circulus and the Plural Gnagilim we read in Ezek. 16. 12. which is render'd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã i. e. rotulae by the LXX Ear-rings had this Denomination because of their circular Figure and the Jewels and Pearls which hung at thâm were known by this Name because they hung at these Circles these round Wires of Gold put into the Ears These then are the Ear-Ornaments properly so call'd being peculiar to this part alone and no other It seems they antiently chose the lower part of the Ear as the fittest Place to have little Incisions made in it because it is spungy and flexible and will safely admit of these soft Penetrations and indeed it seems as it were to be made to receive some Ornament to
among other Gifts and Presents which Alcinous gave to Vlysses ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã are reckon'd That the same Persons had Different Sutes of Clothes appears from Gen. 27. 15. which mentions Esau's goodly Raiment which was very rich and fashionable and which had been laid up by his Mother among those Aromatick Spices and Odours as 't is likely was the Custom then which the Fiâlds in those warm Countries supplied them with whence we read of the Smell of his Raiment ver 27. This Perfumed Sute was fetched out and worn by him at solemn Seasons as we may gather from the Occasion of Iacob's using it by his Mother's Order So in succeeding times they were clad on Festival Days and Times of Rejoicing with a better sort of Apparel than they wore at other times These are stiled Garments of Beauty Isa. 51. 1. and Garments of Praise Isa. 61. 3. such as they put on at times of Rejoicing and praising God Especially White Garments were then much in fashion to which refers that of Ecclesiastes ch 9. ver 7 8. After he had said Go thy way eat thââ Bread with Ioy and drink thy Wine with a merry Heart he adds Let thy Garments be always ãâã Of this particular sort of Garments used at Feasts among the Jews Philo speaks in his Discourse of a Theoretick Life And perhaps such a Linen Vesture or Ephod David wore at a solemn time of Rejoicing 1 Chron. 15. 27. This is certain that the richer sort of People among the Jews were wont to wear especially in publick this White Clothing Whence the Nobles and Great Men were stiled Chorim 1 Kings 21. 11. Neh. 13. 17. Eccles. 10. 17. Isa. 34 12. Ier. 27. 20. 39. 6. i. e. Candidi from the Colour of their Garments This gives an Account of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the bright Apparel Jam. 2. 2. Whence it was that the Fullers were an antient Trade and are more than once mention'd in Scripture 2 Kings 18. 17. Mal. 3. 2. But by this Name are not meant those who deal about combing or plucking the Wool but those that wash'd and whiten'd both Woolen and Linen and took out their Spots and Filth which were soon contracted and as easily seen in that White Raiment It is probable that the Fullers Field Isa. 7. 3. was the Place where they dress'd and dried their Cloth and it is likely that it was made choice of by those Tradesmen because it was so near the Pool which they had occasion to use constantly mention'd in the same Verse The Fullers Sope Mal. 3. 2. was useful to this purpose The Hebrew Word Boriââ is rendred ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã herba by the Seventy because they used some certaiâ Plant or Herb of an abstersivâ and cleansing Nature a kind of Sope-wort In thâ New Testament likewise this Employment is spokeââ of for the Evangelist speaking of our Saviouââ Garments at his Transâiguration âaith they becaââ shining exceeding white as Snow such as no Fuller on Earth can white them Mark 9. 3. Where it is not improbable that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which we render on Earth should rather be english'd with Earth i. e. with Fullers-Earth which with other things was so useful in scouring and cleansing their Garments and reducing them to their former Whiteness ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in Theophrastus whom the Learned Hammond quotes signifies much of this Fullers-Earth whence that Excellent Critick is enclined to think that that is the meaning of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã here And 't is certain that the Preposition ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is sometimes used in that manner which it is in this Place The Use of White Garments was in great Esteem not only among the Iews of whom I have spoken already but the Persians as may be seen in Esth. 8. 5. But especially the Romans hugely affected to wear Clothes of this Colour and that chiefly at their Feasts and on High Days Then their bright Gowns were put on which with their Eatings and Drinkings they brought home soil'd and thence they had occasion for Fullers very much to cleanse their Gowns of Spots and to make them white again These Garments which they put on when they went out upon solemn Invitations to Suppers were called vests accubitoriae coenatoriae cibarial togal triclinares and are often mention'd by Pliny Martial and other Writers Among the Greeks this Habit was known by the Name of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and as we learn from Xiphilin ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã To these belongs the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã spoken of before and perhaps that Linen Garment Mark 1 â 51. which a young Man had cast about him This young Man saith St. Ambrose was Iohn the Evangelist who went with Christ from the Supper into the Garden having on his Festival Garment still I could observe also that Garments of diverse Colours were in great Esteem of old thus the Beloved Ioseph had his Phassim ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã LXX Gen. 37. 3. And the Royal Ladies were thus apparell'd 2 Sam. 13. 18. This is call'd Rikmah in Judg. 5. 30. and Tsebagnim in the same Verse To see themselves and how their Apparel sat they had of old no Looking-Glasses properly so call'd for we have no Word for Glass in the Old Testament though in the New we have ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Rev. 4. 16. 15. 2. 21. 18 21. and it is probable that the Artificial making and ordering of it was found out about that time as we may gather from what Pliny saith of it Their Speculums were not made of Glass as now but of polished Brass otherwise the Jewish Dames could not have contributed them towards the making of the Brazen Laver Exod. 38. 8. These are the Miroth here spoken of which are also expressed by other Words as Rei Job 38. 8. and Gilinim Isa. 3. 23. all three from Hebrew Roots which signify to see to reveal or discover because Objects appear and are seen in these Speculums Of this sort of Mirrors made of some bright Metal and particularly of burnish'd Brass Pliny and Vitruvius speak But before this Invention yea and afterwards among all the plainer sort of People the Water in Ponds and Rivers when the Surface of them was smooth and even was instead of Looking-Glasses to them and that might be one Reason why they often of old went down to visit these Places and after they had well viewed themselves in them made use of them for Bathing Men likewise at first used to look themselves in Fountains and Rivers Nuper me in littore vidi saith the Shepherd in Virgil. Thence Speculum udum is the Periphrasis of a River in Apuleius And from other Testimonies it might be proved that they antiently look'd their Faces in Waters So that when the Burnish'd Looking-Glasses of the Hebrew Women were commuted into a Laver they were thereby seasonably put in mind of the first
Watry Speculums Lastly to put a Period to this Head of my Discourse I will take notice of the rending of the Garments so often spoken of in the Divine Writings This they did either when some great Calamity befel them or when some Enormous Fact was committed or when some Impious and Blasphemous Words were uttered and briefly it was a Sign of extraordinary Grief Perturbation of Mind Anger great Displeasure Detestation Frequent Examples we have of it among the Hebrews Gen. 37. 29. 44. 23. Numb 14. 6. Iosh. 7. 6. Iudg. 11. 35. 2 Sam. 1. 2. Mat. 26. 65. Acts 14. 14. And the Arabians express'd their doleful Resentments by this Ceremony Iob 1. 20. 2. 12. And so did the Persians as may be rationally supposed from Mordecai's running in this mournâul Posture through the Streets where he would have been thought to be mad if that People had not used the same way of testifying their Mourning Esth. 4. 1. And indeed we are assured from Herodotus Xenophon and Q. Curtius that the Persians were wont to rend their Clothes when they had any doleful Tidings brought them In imitation of them the Greeks did so but very sparingly And several Historians ascertain us that the Romans used this Custom when they would shew their excessive Sorrow and Trouble of Mind especially at the Death and Funerals of their Friends Which reminds me of the last Part of my Task viz. to speak of the Scripture-Antiquities which relate to Burial and Funerals CHAP. VI. Here we are informed concerning the Primitive Institution of Burying Graves and Sepulchres were generally in the Fields and without the Walls of Cities They usually embalmed the dead Bodies Why they sometimes burnt them Burning also signifies Embalming There was a Difference between the Funeral Burning of the Jews and of the Heathens The Manner and Time of Mourning for the Dead Both Vocal and Instrumental Musick used at Funerals The Antiquity of Funeral Monuments The old way of erecting great Heaps of Stones over the dead Stone-heng is a Sepulchral Monument and in imitation of it Anah's Invention of Mules Writers borrow from one another The Bible only is the Book that is beholden to no other Here is the Antientest Learning in the World and that of all Kinds 'T is common with Authors to contradict themselves and one another they are uncertain lubricous and fabulous But the Divine Writers alone are certain and infallible How strange and improbable soever some of the Contents of this Holy Book may seem to be they justly command our firm Assent to them HERE and only here we âind the first Institution of Burying or Inhumation the Antiquity of which is greater than is commonly thought Man's Original and Interment are both joined together Gen. 3. 19. for he is told by God himself that he must return unto the Ground because out of it he was taken and that he may be assured of it it is repeated in the same Place Dust thou art and to Dust thou shalt return Man acts in a Circle he goes back to his first Principle to the same Point again the Earth of which he was compounded Here is the Primitive Law of Burial i. e. of committing the Body to the Earth which is properly Interring this was instituted by God and this is the most proper way of disposing of the dead Body Of this the Pious Sufferer speaks saying Naked came I out of my Mother's Womb and naked shall I return thither Job 1. 21. Having in the former Clause mention'd his Mother's Womb and the Earth being as it were his Mother he saith he shall return thither as if he had mention'd the Earth Therefore according to Chrysostom and some other Expositors his Mother's Womb is interpreted the Earth But there is something more than this which hath not been taken notice of by Interpreters therefore the better to shew the Tenour of the Words I desire it may be observed that it is in the immediately foregoing Verse said Job fell down upon the Ground grovell'd upon the barâ Earth and then he took occasion to utter these Words Naked came I c. As if he had said I am here laid low upon the Ground which reminds me of my original Extraction out of this I and all Mankind were first taken as we were since out of our Mothers Wombs and to the Ground we must return again which is the Mother of all This as I conceive is the true Meaning of the Words which could not have been discover'd without attending to the foregoing Verse to which these have a plain Reference This Notion hath been entertained by Pagan Writers when the Earth is called by them ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã but none of them mention because they were ingnorant of that first and original Order of Burial Vnto Dust thou shalt return on which this is founded Man by these Words is appointed to be laid in the Ground to be buried in the Earth In pursuance of which Order Men have been naturally enclined to take care of decent Burial and to bestow the Bodies of the Dead in the Earth Therefore the burying with the Burial of an Ass which is properly no burying at all is abhorr'd by Mankind and is threatned as a Judgment from Heaven Ier. 22. 19. for I suppose few will attend to what Iosephus saith that Nebuchadnezzar took Iehoiakim who is the Person to whom this is threatned and kill'd him and ripping up an Asses Belly buried him in it which this Writer saith is the fulfilling of the Prophecy It is rather to be understood of his being not buried at all but expos'd to the Air and Putrefaction above ground as Beasts are he being cast forth beyond the Gates of Ierusalem as it follows in the next Clause and more expresly in Ier. 36. 30. his dead Body was cast out in the Day to the Heat and in the Night to the Frost Though Burial was used from the beginning yet the first Instance we meet of it is that in Gen. 23. 19. viz. of Abraham's burying Sarah to which purpose he bought a Field with a Cave in it wherein he lodg'd his beloved Wife Gen. 23. 17 18 19. and there afterwards he was buried himself Gen. 25. 8. and in the same Sepulchre were deposited the Corps of Isaac and Rebekah Iacob and Leah Gen. 49. 31. This then we are certain of that Fields were the first Places of Burial I mean the first that we read of and Caves the first particular Repositories of the Dead And thus generally it was afterwards so far as we have any Discoveries from these Holy Records The Burying-Places were in the Fields and not within Cities and wall'd Towns Only here I must premise that there were some few Exceptions as that in 1 Sam. 25. 1. they buried Samuel in his House at Ramah There were at that time some Persons interr'd privately and then their Corps were not carried abroad This was
again Tibia funeribus convenit ist a meis And these hired Pipers served indifferently at Funerals and at Weddings or the like Occasions of rejoicing as is deducible from Mat. 11. 17. Further it is observable that after the Burial of the Dead a Supper was wont to be made a Feast of rejoicing succeeded the mournful Exequies Thus after Abner's Funerals were over all the People follow'd or came to David who was the Chief Mourner that Day and it is probable had invited them to the Funeral Banquet to eat Meat with him 2 Sam. 3. 35. Of this Feasting and Rejoicing after the Burial of the dead Ieremiah speaks Ch. 16. v. 7. calling it Cos Tanchumim the Cup of Consolation which they drank for their Father or for their Mother i. e. which they took to comfort and refresh them when their Relations were departed and accordingly the Place where this Funeral Supper was made is called the House of Feasting in the next Verse And no Man can be backward to think that this is intended by eating the Bread of Men Ezek. 24. 17. if he seriously peruse the foregoing part of the Verse which speaks wholly of the Funeral Customs This is the Bread of Mourners Hos. 9. 4. Thus in compliance with the Jewish Custom as Iosephus saith Archelaus mourned seven Days for his Father and entertained the People with a costly Funeral Banquet which he calls ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And from the Hebrews these Sepulchral Feasts were derived to the Greeks and Romans especially the latter among whom Dio and Tully and others take notice of this Usual Entertainment Lastly as for Funeral Monuments we learn their great Antiquity from 1 Sam. 6. 18. where mention is made of the Great Stone of Abel perhaps the Tomb-stone of that Holy Man and First Martyr for it may be that Proper Name was written sometimes with an Aleph as well as with a He in the beginning who deservedly had this Sepulchral Monument erected for him in Palestine near Bethshemesh This Eben Gedolah for Eben is of the feminine as well as the masculine Gender and so is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã this Great-stone was mention'd before in v. 15. and here in this it is call'd Abel Hagedolah the word Stone being here understood or else the Stone is call'd Abel because it was his Memorial as we call Statues and Pictures by the Names of those who are represented by them If then I should assert that this is the Tomb-stone which Adam erected in Memory of his murder'd Son Abel and so was the first Funeral Monument in the World I am sure there is none can disprove it But because there is no certainty of this and it may be Abel in this Place is no more than Ebel luctus as that Hebrew Word signifies and so relates to the remarkable Occasion of Mourning which we read of v. 19. therefore I shall dismiss it and propound that which is plain certain and undeniable Such is Iacob's setting a Pillar on Rachel's Grave Gen. 35. 20. He that had set up a Stone for a Pillar as a Memorial of the Covenant made between Laban and him Gen. 31. 45 c. and had at other times done the same upon Religious and Devout Occasions Gen. 28. 18 22. 31. 45. erects here another Pillar as a Monument for his beloved Rachel a visible Remembrance of that Vertuous Woman and also a Testimony of his own Kindness and Love to her This was known by the Name of Rachel's Sepulcher and continued till the latter End and 't is likely a long Time after of Samuel's Days 1 Sam. 10. 2. that is almost seven hundred Years from the first erection of it Among the first and Antient Tombs or Monumental Sepulchers we must reckon those that are said in Scripture to be composed of great Heaps of Stones Such is that in Iosh. 7. 26. They raised over him i. e. Achan a great heap of Stones which remains unto this Day And the like Monument had the King of Ai Josh. 8. 29. They took his Carease down from the Tree and cast it at the entring of the Gate of the City there interring it a little without the City and raised thereon a great heap of Stones that remaineth unto this Day And a Sepulchral Structure of the very same Sort was set over the Body of Absalom They took him and cast him into a great Pit in the Wood and laid a very great heap of Stones upon him 1 Sam. 18. 17. From which three Instances I observe 1. That this sort of Monument was made for those whose Deaths were untimely and violent Whence we might be apt to infer that these were Monuments of Infamy and accordingly the Heap of Stones laid over Achan and his Sons is call'd by Iosephus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã But we are not certain that this particular kind of Monuments was appropriated to this Rank of Persons It might have been erected for the Good and Vertuous as well as others tho the Scripture affords us no Examples of the former 2. I observe here the Nature of these Old Monuments and that as to these two things first this great Mass of Stones was not meerly to cover the dead Bodies for from the foregoing Instances we find that they were buried in the Earth before there was an Ediâice erected over them which was built of these Stones to be a lasting Remembrance to Posterity This great heap of Stones was not confusedly cast upon them but laid in some kind of Order by and upon one another so that this was a Fabrick such as it was This I gather from the Hebrew Words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which we find used in the forenamed Texts and which signify to raise set up erect wherefore these Stones were not cast or thrown upon or laid over the dead Bodies disorderly but were a real Building But secondly we may gather from their being call'd a great heap of Stones that they were not disposed with any Curiosity or Skill they were set up without hewing shaping polishing This sort of Inartificial Building was sometimes without any Cement at ali at other times with a Careless Use of it but such as render'd the Pile firm solid and durable otherwise it could not have lasted so long a Time as we have heard it did This is the Notion that I form of these first Rude Sepul chers and you see that the Terms in which they are exprelâs'd are a Confirmation of it These let us know that they were an Edifice but very Incondite and Artless which could not be more âitly express'd to us than by raising a great heap of Stones And indeed this was the old Way of Entombing Great Men and Heroes among the Gentiles they heap'd up great and massy Stones upon one another and seem'd as it were to frame a Mountain rather than a Monument according to that of the Poet Et regum cineres extructo
Clods of Earth were call'd Burrows or Boroughs which have their Denomination from the Saxon Byring or Buriging or Boroging which we now call Burying because the way of Interring dead Bodies among many of the Antients and among the Saxons themselves with whom Beorg the Original of the foregoing Words signified an heap of Earth was not in deep Graves but under Clods or Turfs of Earth made into Hillocks As to the fastning and joining together these Stones which we are speaking of though this hath perplexed some Mens Minds heretofore it seems and occasion'd them to report that they were transported whole from Ireland by Merlin's Inchantment as 't is not unusual with the Vulgar when they cannot give an Account of a Thing to ascribe it to the Devil or some Magick Art I am not very solicitous to solve the manner of it but this sufficeth me that 1. It was usual among the Old Romans as all skilful and knowing Men in Architecture confess to lay great and vast Stones together by Tenons and Mortises without Morter And so it may be here which may induce us to think it was a Roman Structure and therefore in vain do we endeavour to find where they are joined and fastned together 2. I am satisfied that they had of old ways of Cementing Stones which are not known or practis'd at this Day and they had an Art of making the Cement after that manner that it could not be distinguish'd from the Stones themselves which it joined together Pliny speaks of Cisterns at Rome made of a sort of dug Sand and strong Lime which could not be distinguish'd from Stone It is not unlikely then that there was here used a kind of Morter that hardned into Stone and became of the same Consistency with it Nor is it improbable that this petrified Coagmentation turn'd into the same Colour with the Stones which it joined together and then how can we expect to discern the Difference between them and then why should it be thought strange that they seem to be all of a Piece Which puts me in mind of the Name which this Stony Fabrick is commonly known by an Account of which I will give somewhat different from what is usually received If I should propound this Etymology viz. that Stone-heng is so call'd from the Stones which Ambrosius is thought to have erected here and from Hengist the Leader of the Saxons at whose giving the Word they pull'd out their Seaxes and kill'd the British Nobles so that Stone-heng is as much as Hengist-stone as this Countrey of Britain was by the Saxons call'd Hengist-land as some Writers tell us this Derivation cannot be look'd upon as improper Or if I should offer Mr. Cambden's Origination of the Word viz. from the Stones of this Fabrick hanging as 't were in the Air whence he calls it Pensile opus this might be thought a fair Account of the Name But in my opinion and according to what I have already hinted the plainest simplest and most genuine Derivation of the Word is from the Stones hanging not in the Air but together each heap of them seeming to be all of a Piece For this is the great wonder of thââ Structure as is confess'd by all this is that which renders it a Fabrick of a peculiar and unparallell'd Nature The Stones are closely join'd together by an invisible Cement they hang together as ãâã they were but one Stone For this reason thereforâ I quit the other Derivations of the Word anâ ofâer this as the most obvious and proper But it is not the Name but the Thing that I am most concern'd for and I hope I have given a satisfactory Account of that in asserting it to be an Old Sepulchral Pile erected after the manner of thoâe Funeral Monuments spoken of in Ioshua and Samuel where we find that the Antient Entombing was raising a great heap of Stones over the dead Bodies This is the best Solution I can give of our Western Wonder It is as the First Monuments were without any Shape or Symmetry ãâã is like the Iewish Stone-henges before mention'd rough and unwrought and may as they be call'd a heap of Stones for that reason Whence by the way it may be worth the Observation of Critical Men that the Hebrew Word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is both Acervââ and Sepulchrum a Heap and a Tomb Job 21. 32 30. 24. Also ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is the known Hebrew Word for a Grave but in Isa. 14. 19. the Seventy render it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a Mountain because Places of burial were elevated The Word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã hath the same double Sense from Talal instar tumuli aut cumuli elevare erigere So Tumulus among the Latins is both an heap of Earth and a Sepulcher whence it is plain that the Old Hebrews and Antient Romans used to erect heaps of Earth or Stone in memory of the Dead To conclude whosoever they were that were buried in the foresaid Place in Wiltshire were entombed as Achan as the Kings of Ai and as Absalom were Here was the first Draught of the Stony Tombsâ these were the first Patterns of those Sepulchral âonuments which were inartificial shapeless and without Ornament Afterwards they took more âare in erecting their Houses of Sepulture Stately and Lofty Tombs were made by Great men with much Art and Cost which is call'd hewing out to themselves Sepulchers on high Isa. 22. 16. Yea their ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã their ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã were not only better built but garnish'd and adorned Mat. 23. 29. But I will add no more of this Subject nor insist any longer on this Second General Head of my Discourse wherein I have been evincing this Proposition that the Scripture gives us the True Original of things and consequently the Antientest learning is stored up in this Sacred Volume I have largely shew'd that here is the first commencing of Arts and all Ingenious discoveries here is the first Rise of Trades Mysteries Occupations Professions Customs Vsages Manners Yea the Holy Scripture disdains not to record the First Inâentions of things though they be but mean and contemptible to shew that no sort of Learning and Knowledg is useless Thus it is said This is that Anah that found the Mules in the Wilderness as âe fed the Asses of his Father Gen 3 6. 24. This âs the Man and let him be known to Posterity that not by chance but purposely and designedly found this new way of Procreation and thereby produced â new Species of Animals Some Iewish Writers have thought this Iemim was a Plant but there is not the least ground for it The Learned Bochars makes Iemim to be the same with Emim some Giantây People but this is a perverting of the Original Text and therefore must not be allow'd of and the finding of them is according to him the Accidental meeting of them but this is very flat I hold therefore to the plain Interpretation
come to pass without the Divine Permission Grant and Superintendence This is that which is more especially aimed at in this Book we are taught here not to quarrel with our Maker not to find fault with Heaven This doth not become us in the least it is rather the Deportment of a Chinoise Priest who hath so much Power over his Gods that he is suffer'd to beat and whip them when they don't act as he thinks as he would have them We have likewise the Wretched State of Wicked Men and Hypocrites most graphically set forth in these Dialogues We have God's Infinite Justice and Unfearchable Wisdom fully asserted and vindicated We have the Mighty Power of God in some of his Creatures described by Himself in a Stile befitting his Majesty In the Close of all we have the happy Period of Innocence and Integrity The End of them is Peace God oftentimes rewards good and upright Men in this Life with a great Plenty of outward Blessings and Favours he is pleased to recompense them abundantly for all their past Calamities by doubling upon them all those Mercies which he before deprived them of God blessed the latter End of Job more than his Beginning He gave him twice as much as he had before All Blessings flow in now upon him in abundance first God accepts him and then he is caressed by his Kindred and Friends by his Bretbren and Sisters and Acquaintance he is presented with Gifts his Stock of Cattle wherein the chief Wealth of those Countries consisted is increas'd and he is blessed with a desirable Number of Children the Sons wise and the Daughters fair Finally after all the Storms were blown over he lived an hundred and forty Years in Peace and Plenty in his Country now Arabia the Happy he enjoy'd the Confluence of all kinds of Good Things relating both to himself and his Relations and at length died in a good old Age full of Days and full of the Blessings of the Almighty To conclude this Antient Book is infinitely worthy of the Studies of the Curious and Philosophical of the Lovers of Learning and Antiquity of those that value the Primitive Tongues Arts and Customs for here is an Excellent Mixture of all these which cannot but be a grateful Entertainment to Inquisitive Spirits Wherefore a Learned Gentleman of great and subtile Observation hath left us this Censure on the Book of Iob Whoever considers the Subject and Stile of it will hardly think it was written in an Age or Country that wanted either Books or Learning The Psalms are the next Poetick Book and they bear the Name of David the Chief Author of them Some indeed of the Antients held that he was the sole Author but they can scarcely be credited in that because the Title of the 90th Psalm and others tells us that they were composed by Moses Some of them it is thought were made by Asaph Heman Ethan Ieduthun who were in David's time but others think these were not Sacred Poets but only skilful Musicians or Masters of the Quire and did not endite these Psalms which bear their Names but only set them to Tunes and sung them Though a Modern Writer is of the Opinion that Heman and Ethan liv'd in the time of the Egyptian Bondage and penn'd the 88th and 89th Psalms on that occasion in the former condoling their present Distress in the latter prophesying of Deliverance The 92d Psalm was made by Adam saith the Targum and the Hebrew Doctors generally agree to it It is evident and scarcely denied by any that the 137th Psalm was writ in the time of the Jews Captivity in Babylon and therefore could not be made by David and other Psalms seem to be made after their Return the Authors of which are not known And some it is likely were endited by Solomen as the 45th which is a Song of Loves as the Title acquaints us and is of the same Strain with his other Nuptial Song inserted by it self into the Holy Scriptures It may be concluded then that the Book of Psalms is not the Issue of One Inspired Brain only but yet that the Greatest Part of it was endited and written by David who had an excellent Gift of Poetry and Psalmody of composing making and singing of Pious Songs Such are these Psalms which excepting a few of them were the Work of this Holy Man and therefore they are deservedly called David's Psalms the Denomination being taken from the greater Part. They are divided into five Lesser Books which you may know thus where you find a Psalm ending with Amen as the 41st 72d 89th 106th and the last Psalm there is the Period of the Book and another begins By this you may understand that Passage in Psal. 72. v. ult The Prayers of David the Son of Jesse are ended i. e. here is an End of the Second Book of David's Psalms the rest that follow are other Collections of them Of these some are Alphabetical i. e. composed according to the Order of the Hebrew Letters such is the 119th Psalm and is stiled by the Masora the Great Alphabet the eight first Verses beginning with the first Hebrew Letter the succeeding eight with the second and so throughout the whole Number of the Hebrew Letters and such are the 25th 34th 37th 111th 112th 145th all written in Alphabetic Order the Holy Ghost even inspiring the Psalmist's Fancy in this Particular It is likely the Acrosticks ãâã antient way of Wit used by one of the Sibylls and others of old the Initial Letters of which Verses made up certain Words were partly in imitation of this Some are stiled Psalms of Degrees or Ascents as those fifteen which immediately follow the 119th Psalm either because the Voice was lifted up more than ordinarily when they were sâng or because of the Advantage of the Ground or Place where they were sung viz. the Steps in Solomon's Temple which were fifteen and which those who were appointed to sing these Psalms were wont to ascend Other Psalms are known by their Peculiar Titles as Maschil i. e. Psalms of Instruction Michtam i. e. Golden Psalms call'd so it is probable because of the Precious Matter couched in them And several other Distinctive Titles there are which are not so well understood as that of Psal. 22. Aâieleth ha shachar which in the Margin is rendred the Hind of the Morning perhaps referring to our Saviour of whom this Psalm speaks who is call'd a Hind or young Hart Cant. 2. 9 17. Others interpret it the Strength of the Morning but they know not how to apply it Otherâ the Morning-Star some the Instrument of Musâck on which this Psalm and others were plaid And the like Obscure Words as Shiggaion Gittith Ieduthun Altashith Shushan eduth are prefix'd to many of these Sacred Hymns There is the Word Selah oftenâ used sevenây times at least in these Divine Poems but 't is not easy to assign the
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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Again in Psal. 6. 2. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã This is evident in Psal. 8. 5. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 Chaldâe 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
his Commission boldly laid open to the Inhabitants their manifold Sins and Miscarriages and proclaim'd their sudden Overthrow if they repented not Upon which the whole City by Prayer and Fasting and Humbling themselves and by Turning from the Evil of their Ways most happily averted the Divine Vengeance and prevented their Ruine A most Admirable Instance of the Divine Mercy A Rare Example of Universal Repentance and that even in a Pagan Country Happy had the Ninevites been if they had not relapsed afterwards Nor is Ionab's unseasonable Repining at this Dispensation of Heaven omitted here by him or by whoever it was that wrote this Remarkable History wherein we see the Integrity of the Inspired Writers which is such that they are not backward to communicate to the World their own greatest Failings or those which the best Men are incident to Ionah prophesied at the same time with the foregoing Prophets as Ierom concludes and he is back'd by other Fathers as Clemens of Alexandria Eusâbius Augustine Theophylact. Micah prophesied in the Kingdom of Iudah before the Captivity of Babylon in the same Kings Reigns that the preceding Prophets did as appears from the first Verse He impartially reprehends the Great and Rampant Vices both of Ierusalem and Samaria and is terrible in his Denuntiations of Iudgments against both Kingdoms but more particularly he foretels the approaching Destruction of Ierusalem Yet he leaves not the Church without Comfort for he expresly foretels the Confusion of her Enemies the Messias's blessed Arrival and with him the Peace and Prosperity the Increase and Advancement the Glory and Triumphs of the Church So that Micah seems to be Isaiah epitomized giving us that in brief which the other more largely and amply insisted on And it may be observ'd that these two Prophets are alike in their Stile and manner of Speaking which is very sublime and towering Nahum prophesied after the carrying captive of the Ten Tribes a little before the Captivity of the Kingdom of Iudah His Prophecy is rightly call'd a Burden that Word both in the Greater and Lesser Prophets importing the denouncing of some Grievous and Heavy Iudgment and such is this which he here threatens to Ninevâh For it seems this People returned to their former evil Ways after Ionah's Preaching and for this Reason another Prophet is sent to foresignify their Overthrow by the Chaldeans upon this their Relapse into their former Sins He useth no kind Invitations to Repentance as the former Messenger did but he absolutely and peremptorily proclaims their Ruine and with a most passionate and melting Eloquence such as is not to be parallell'd in the most Celebrated Masters of Oratory deciphers the horrid Nature of it Habakkuk prophesied in King Ahaz and Hezekiah's Reigns as Theodoret Epiphanius and others of the Antients probably determine and not after the Captivity of the Two Tribes as Ierom thinks for this was not past when this Prophet writ as is evident from chap. 1. v. 6. Lo I raise up the Chaldeans who shall march through the Breadth of the Land c. He complains of the Corrupt State of the Iews in those times predicting the Invasion of the Chaldeans as the just Recompence of their Misdoings This is remarkable in this Prophecy which we find not in any of the rest that it is composed in way of a Dialogue First the Prophet speaks chap. 1. v. 1 to the 4th then God answereth v. 5 to the 11th The Prophet replies v. 12 to the 17th God's Answer is in chap. 2 to the End Then follows the Prophet's Prayer The Providence of God in suffering the Best Men to be miserably treated and that by the Worst and Vilest is here vindicated and the Certainty of a Happy Revolution is assured The Prophet also by propounding the Example of his own Singular Faith and Patience in the greatest Difficulties and Extremities encourageth the Pious to wait on God to rejoice in him and to expect Deliverance from their Calamities and Revenge on their Enemies in due time The whole was designed to be a Support and Solace to the Faithful in the time of their Captivity Zephaniah who was employed in the Prophetick Office in King Iosâas's time as we read v. 1. a little after the Captivity of the Ten Tribes and before that of Iudah so that he was Contemporary with Ieremiah freely and plainly tells the Jews what it was that incensed God's Wrath against them viz. their Contempt of his Service their Apostacy their Treachery their Idolatry their Violence and Rapine and other egregious Enormities which were observable in them and their Princes Such high Provocations as these rendred their Destruction terrible universal unavoidable And then as most of the Prophets are wont he mingles Exhortations to Repentance as the only Proper Concern in these Circumstances He adds very severe Comminations against their Enemies and presageth their Downfal He likewise comforts the Godly with Promises of the certain Restoration of the Church of a Release from all their former Pressures and Grievances of a Cessation from all their Fears of the Continuance of the Divine Presence and Blessing So that this short Prophecy contains in it all the Others and may justly be said to be an Abridgment of them Haggai prophesied after the Return from the Captivity in Babylon in the second Year of Darius King of Persia sharply reproving the Jews for their neglecting the Rebuilding the Temple and vigorously exciting them to that Work both by Threatnings and Promises but chiefly by the latter assuring them of the Divine Blessing and Assistance in so religious and worthy an Enterprize and foretelling them of the Messias's Coming and of the Glory of this Second Temple which should far exceed that of the first even in this respect that the Messias himself should honour this Temple with his Presence Zechariah enter'd on the Prophetick Office at the same time with Haggai some time after the Release from the Captivity and he was sent to the Jews on the same Message i. e. to check them for their Backwardness in erecting the Temple and restoring the Divine Worship but especially for the Disorder of their Lives and Manners which could not but derive a Curse upon them Therefore he exhorts them to seek the Lord and to turn from their evil Ways and thereby to conciliate and obtain the Favour of God By several Notable Visions and Types he endeavours to confirm their Faith and establish their Assurance concerning God's Presence with them and Care of them yea and of his Whole Church to the World's End and as a Proof and Demonstration of this he intersperseth the most comfortable Promises of the Coming the Kingdom the Temple the Priesthood the Victory the Glory of Christ the Branch Nor doth he forget to assure them of the Ruine of Babylon which had been their implacable Enemy And here likewise is foretold the Great Number of Converts to the Christian Faith the successful Spreading and Propagating of the Gospel the
Ghost saw to be most profitable and necessary for the Church That one would think should content us So as to his Songs which were a thousand and five as we read in the fore-mentioned Place there is but One of them that hath arrived at our Hands and was thought worthy to be inserted into the Sacred Writings unless we reckon the Forty fifth Psalm to be a Song of his This then adds to the Excellency of these Writings of Solomon which we have that they are Choice Pieces selected even by the Holy Ghost who was the Prime Author of them This surely may satisfy us that the Books or Writings of this Wise Prince which were most Excellent and which were dictated by the Spirit are transmitted to us and are Part of the Bible Thus there is nothing lost that belongs to the Canonical Scripture of the Old Testament And whereas it is Objected that some Places are quoted in the New Testament as taken out of the Old and yet are not to be found there as Mat. 2. 23. Iames 4. 5. Iude v. 14. I answer as to the first that from those Words That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophets He shall be called a Nazarene no Man can gather that some of the Canonical Books of Scripture are missing because if you take the Prophets here for Prophetick Men who spoke only and did not write then there were no Books of theirs to be lost Or if by Prophets you understand the Penmen of the Bible it may be shew'd that what they foretold is still extant in their Writings For though those individual Words He shall be call'd a Nazarene are not found among the Prophecies of the Old Testament yet the Purport and Sense of them are there and the Places to which they have reference are very obvious as I have shewed in that particular Interpretation of the Words which I have offered to the Publick in my Enquiry into some Remarkable Texts of the New Testament Thence I hope it will appear that the Objectors have no ground for what they alledg and also that the Iews Cavil against this Place of St. Matthew where they say he quotes a Text out of the Prophets which is not to be found in any of them is void of all Reason Another Place which is wont to be mention'd on this Occasion is Iam. 4. 5. Do you think that the Sâripture saith in vain The Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to Envy Which Words are no where to be found in Scripture therefore say they some Part of the Holy Writings is lost And Sir N. Knatchbull seems to say that this is Passage taken out of the Writings of the Prophets which âre missing at this Day In answer to this some say that Gen. 6. 3. is the Place of Scripture here referr'd to but after they have taken a great dealâof Pains to make this out their labour is in vain for surely no Man of free and unprejudiced Thoughts will be perswaded that those Wordâ My Spirit shall not always strive with Man are of the same Import with these The Spirit that dwelleââ in us lusteth to Envy This Exposition is built upon a mistaken Notion of the Hebrew word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã contendet which our Translators truly rendââ shall strive some fancying that it is to be derivââ from ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a Sheath and then forsooth the Soul or Spirit is a Sword Lowis Chappel and some Others as groundlesly make these Words an Interrogation Doth the Spirit that dwelleth in us lust to Envy and think they refer to Numb 11. 29. Enviest thou for my sake The Question say they is a Negâtion and is as much as if it had been said Doth the Scripture and the Holy Spirit teach you to contend to be envious and quarrelsom No. But this likewise is forced and strained and an impartial Eye cannot possibly see any Affinity between the two Places of Scripture besides that there is one Interrogation to introduce another which confounds the Stile The plain and unforced Answer is this that St. Iames doth not here quote any Particular Place of Scripture as if there were such express Words in the Old Testament as are here set down by him He only tells us what is generally deliver'd in Scripture viz. that Man's Nature is depraved and corrupted that it is enclined to Envy as well as to other Lusts and Unlawful Affections Or If any âne Particular Place be referr'd to more than another it is probable it is that of Gen. 6. 5. or ch 8. v. 21. where we are told that the Imaginations or the Purposes and Desires of Mens Hearts are evil from their Youth yea they are only evil and that contiâually The Words then are not to be understood of the Divine Spirit but of that Corrupt Spirit which is in Men not the Spirit which is of God âât the Spirit of the World as the Apostle Paul distinguisheth 1 Cor. 2. 12. This Spirit lusteth to Envy and prompts Men to all other Vices And ãâã for the next Words He giveth more Grace they refer not to the Spirit here spoken of but to God who though he be not named in this Verse is twice in the immediately foregoing one He giveth ãâã Grace he according to his good Pleasure restrains Mens Lusts and envious Desires and teâcheth them Humility Submission and all other Divine Vertues Or according to a late Worthy Critick it i. e. the Scripture giveth more Grace for that it saith c. In this Holy Book there are Examples of some Persons in whom this Spirit of Envy was restrained When the Apostle then here saith Do you think that the Scripture saith in vain c. we must not wonder that those very Words are not found in any Part of the Old Testament for the Apostle only speaks here of what may be deduced from these Sacred Writings or what is said in them to the same purpose though in other Words There are many Places of Scripture which speak of the Lusts of that corrupt Spirit which is in us whereby we are stirr'd up to Envy and Strife From several Texts we may gather that Man's Nature is prone to these and the like Passions This I take to be the true Account of the Words In the same manner we are to understand Luââ 11. 49. Therefore said the Wisdom of God I will send them Prophets and Apostles c. There is no partâcular Text that hath these Words but there are several Prophecies to this Purpose So Ephes. 5. 14. He saith Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give the Light is not meanââ of any such particular and individual Words ãâã of the Spirit 's speaking in the Gospel to that Effect though I know Dr. Hammond and others refer iâ ãâã Isa. 60. 1. and some Interpreters to Isa. 51. 9. ãâã you will not find these or such Words in either of those Places That Passage in
Acts 20. 35. It ãâã more blessed to give than to receive is recited as the Words of the Lord Iesus yet we find them not recorded in the Gospel But our Blessed Master freqâently utter'd Words that were of the like Import as is easy to prove or rather I conceive we may truly say that he spoke this very Sentence for it may be observ'd that what is here quoted is not only call'd the Words of the Lord Iesus but this is added how he said to let us know that he said these very Words when he was upon Earth And many the like Excellent Sayings and Aphorisms he prenounced which as well as innumerable Actions that he did were kept in remembrance by the Apostles but were not written down of which St. Iohn speaks ch 20. v. 30. 21. 25. So that it is impossible to prove hence that any Book belonging to the Sacred Canon is lost As for the Objection grounded on St. Iude v. 14. viz. that Eâoch's Book which is quoted by this Apostle and if it had not been Canonical it would not have been quoted by him is lost some as Origen Ierom Augustine grant it to be so but deny it to be Canonical it being their Judgment that St. Iude might if he thought âit alledg an Apocryphal Writer But according to my Apprehension the brief and satisfactory Answer is that there is no mention there of any Book or Writing of ââoch and therefore none can infer thence that âny Book or Writing of his is lost It is only said He prophesied saying c. which he might do and questionless did without penning down any of hiâ Prophetical Sayings but they were transmitted from Generation to Generation and thence it was ãâã the Apostle Iude inserted this into his Epistle Nor are we to be concern'd that a Book of Enooh is mention'd by some of the Antient Writers of the Church for 't is well known that they had several Spârious Authors among them and as a Learned Doctor of the sorbon observes all the Fathers exââpt Terâullian reckon this that went under the Name of Enoch as such But are not some of the Writings of the New Teââament wanting seeing there was a Third Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians in order the first I ârote unto you in an Epistle not to keep Company with âornicators 1 Cor. 5. 9. Therefore it appears hence that there was another before this which passes commonly for the first But this is not extant for we have now but two that bear the Name of that âlessed Apostle Answ. Nor were there ever any more for when he saith he wrote to them in an Epistle he means this very First Epistle he was now writing He refers to what he had said bâfore in the former Part of that Chapter and the meaning is When I even now wrote unto you in this Epistle ver 2. not to keep Company with Fornicators I do not mean the Fornicators of this World Thus St. Chrysostom and Theophylact interpret the Place But if I may be permitted to vary from those Excellent Fathers I would propound one of these two ways of understanding the Apostle's Words First it may be he hath reference here to what he saith afterwards in this Epistle ch 6 v. 13. and again v. 18. ch 7. v. 2. where he writes to them to avoid Fornication Wherefore upon reading over this Epistle after he had finish'd it he thought good to insert this and to take notice here of what he saith afterwards ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I have saith he written to yââ in this Epistle viz. in some of the following Chapters against Fornication and joining your selves to Persons that are noted for that Vice Or else I conceive the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is put for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Preterit for the present Tense of which there are very near an hundred Instances in the New Testament and all Men vers'd in Criticism know that there is nothing more common Thus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is used in this very Epistle ch 9. v. 15. Neither have I written these things i. e. at this time in this Epistle that I am now writing This any Man that consults the Context will be forc'd to acknowledg to be the true Sense of the Place whence it appears that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is equivalent with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã So you will find the Word must be taken in the 1st Epistle of St. Iohn 2d Chapter you will see and be throughly convinced that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã v. 12 13. is expressed by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã v. 14 21. And thus in the Text that is before us ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is no other than ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. I write unto you in this Epistle not to c. Which that it ought to be rendred so is evident from ver 11. which is but a Repetition or Reassumption of this ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã now I write unto you the Adverb ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã shews that it is spoken of the Present Instant Time though the Greek Verb be in the Praeterit This then I offer as the plain Sense of the Text and Context I write unto you O Corinthians in this my Letter not to be mingled so the Word properly denotes with Fornicators or with the Covetous or Extortioners or Idolaters for then you must needs go out of the World there being so great a Multitude of them but this is that which I mean that you should avoid the Company of a Brother i. e. a Professed Christian if he be given to Fornication Covetousness Extortion or Idolatry This is the Thing which I at this time write and signify to you So that you see ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is instead of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the simple and plain Tenour of the Words may convince any Man of it And therefore the true and genuine Translation both of the former and latter ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is I write which makes the Apostle's Sense clear and perspicuous I appeal to any Man of Judgment and Sagacity whether this Account of the Words be not exactly adjusted to Grammar and Criticism to the Scope of the Apostle and the Design of the Context besides that it is serviceable to the Business in hand viz. utterly to overthrow the Surmise of an Epistle written to the Corinthians before this which the Apostle is here writing If the Learned Drusius or the Excellent Grotius had weighed these things which I have suggested I doubt not but they would have chang'd their Minds they would not have cried out that this Epistle here spoken of is lost But it is further said that the Apostle writ ãâã Epiââle to the Lâodiceaâs as may be collected from Câl 4. 16. which is wanting at this Day that is although iâ be extant and allowed of by somâ Authors yet it is not put into the Canon of the New Testament wherefore the Canon is
Opus Biblicum Complutense wâich came out A. D. 1515. and was the first Polyglot Bible and after the publishing of Psalterium Octoplum in a short time afterwards by Iustinian an Italian Bishop there appear'd in the World the Translation of all the Hebrew Bible into Latin by Santes Pagninus a Dominican Friar This Version was made Interlinear with the Hebrew Bible by Aâias Montanus or rather this Version which Pagniâ had put out being not exactly Literal Montanus supplied it and fitted it to the very Hebrew Words and then put out a New Edition and many Years after this it was reprinted in the King of Spain's Great Bible which Montanus put forth Cardinal Cajetan also turned the Old Testament out of Heâbrew into Latin Isidorus Clarius cannot so properly be call'd a Translator as a Corrector of the Vââgar Latin Malvenda a Dominican rendred somâ Books of the Old Testament into this Languagâ The Renowned Erasmus whom F. Simon takes nâ notice of in his Catalogue of Transtaâoâs turâ'â the New Testament into Latin Hitherto I have mention'd Roman ãâã next follow Protestants and those of the ãâã Religion the first whereof was Sebastian ãâ¦ã German who publish'd his New Latin Version oâ the Old Testament three Years before ãâ¦ã came forth and afterwards corrected it and put in out anew He is a most exact Renderer of the ãâã Sense of the Hebrew Text. Leo Iuda a Zuinglian of Helvetia translated the Old Testament out of Hebrew and it was published after his Death about the Year 1543 the last Edition of which is usually call'd Vaâablus's Bible because he added ãâã to it or the Biblia Tigurina from the Place ãâã where the Translator was Pastor He ãâã a kind of Paraphrase to make the Sense ãâã easy and plain whereas Munster more rigidly follow'd the very Words Afterwards Castellio put forth a Latin Translation of the whole Bible for which he is severely reproved both by Papists and Protestants as if it were too light and florid too quaint and fanciful but if we consider the Design of this Translator which was to recommend the Holy Scriptures by presenting them in a Neat and Elegant Stile we shall see little reason to blame him The New Testament was turn'd into the same Language by Theodore Beza And last of all Ianius and Tremellius did both of them jointly translate the Old Testament out of Hebrew and Tremellius alone the New Testament out of Syriack a Work which is mightily applauded by the Learned Buxtorf who had Skill to judg of it and is constantly made use of in his Lexicon As to the Osiââders Father and Son though they be reckon'd among the Modern Translators by F. Simon yet I do not see that it can properly be done because they only put forth the Antient Latin Version Word for Word in the Old Edition with some Corrections of their own in the Margin not altering the Text at âll These are the Latter Versions of the Bible all which have more or less amended the Faults of the Vulgar Latin and have brought us nearer to the Fountain Upon the whole I conclude that these several Learned Translators are all of them in their kind very useful some by keeping close to the Original others by using a Latitude They have presented us but in a Different Stile and Mode with the true genuine meaning of the Original ând none but Frivolous Objectors can complain of âny considerable Disagreement between these Verââns and the Hebrew or Greek Text. The Differencâ that is between the Translations themelves is usually in the Diversity of Expressions used by the Translators which causeth no Disagreement between them and the Originals But if any other Difference be found we know that the Latin must always give way to the Hebrew and Greek and be regulated by them as the Clock by the Sun Take this in the Words of a Great Man even of the Roman Perswasion Wheresoever saith he the Latin Translators disagree or a reading is suspected to be corrupted we must repair to the Original in which the Scriptures weres writ as St. Iârom and Augustin and other Writers of the Church direct so that the Truth and Sincerity of the Translations of the Old Testament must be examined by the Hebrew Copies and of the New by the Greek Ones So Cardinal Ximenius in his Preface to Pope Leo. Having gone thus far I will now proceed farther and speak concerning Our Own Translation Our Countrey-man Bede about 700 Years after Christ translated the Bible into Saxon. Wickliff about 600 Years afterwards translated it into the English Language then understood and used by the People of this Place Not long after this Iohn Trevisa a Cornish Divine set forth the whole Bible in English In the Year 1527 Tindal translated the Pentateuch and the New Testament and afterwards both he and Coverdale joined in the Work and finish'd the Translation of the whole Bible Tunstal and Heath both Bishops translated it anew and in the beginning of Q. Elizabeth's Reign Archbishop Parker and other Bishops made another more Correct Translation which was call'd the Bishop's Translation or Bible In K. Iames's Time another came forth which we make use of and read in our Churches at this Day It is certain that this last English Translation of the Bible is in great repute among Foreigners and is acknowledged by them to be the most exact that is extant We have as great reason to own it to be such especially if we take it with the Margin where are set down the several Senses of many Original Words whether Hebrew or Greek so that where there is any doubt of the meaning of the Word which occurs we may take our choice Our English Bibles surpass all other Translations as to this and hereby it comes to pass that the Holy Scriptures are faithfully and fully represented to our People and they are laid before them in their native Purity and Perfection so far as the Skill and Labours of those Translators attain'd to at that time And yet I conceive it would be no Derogation to our English Bible if it were once more revised and the Translation made more accurate and exact in some Places than it is Which leads me to the Next General Part of my Undertaking viz. the Emendation on of the present English Version CHAP. XIII Our English Translation shew'd to be faulty and defective in some Places of the Old Testament But more largely and fully this is performed in the several Books of the New Testament where abundant Instances are produced of this Defect and particular Emendations are all along offer'd in order to the rendring our Translation more exact and compleat The Date of the Division of the Bible into Chapters and Verses I Will now according to what I propounded in the Entrance into this Discourse attempt to shew the Defect of the present English Translation and at the same time to let you see how it is to be supplied and remedied
be exact in our Translation we must assign Plural Nouns a Plural Signification This I think no Man will deny In Mat. 5. 18. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is rendred thus till all be fulfilled but the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is in the Verse before which we render to fulfil therefore it is requisite in my Opinion that there should be another English Word for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that two different Words being placed so near together may not be translated alike Let that Clause therefore be english'd thus till all âe done or tilâ all come to pass In ch 5. 22. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã may very properly be rendred the Sanhedrim both because that particular Council or Court of the Seventy two is meant and because that Word is the Corruption of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã In v. 37. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã should be translated is of Evil not cometh of Evil. In Mat. 8. 22. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. which we translate let the Dead bury their Dead is better turn'd into our Language thus leave or suffer or permit the Dead to c. for so the Imperative ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and the Person to whom Christ speaks are clearly and distinctly denoted suffer thou the Dead to bury their Dead thou who art one of my Disciples and hast other Work to do In ch 11. v. 27. 't is improper to say no Man knoweth the Son but the Father as if the Father were included in Man but indeed the Greek Word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is more general and should be translated none or not any one The right Translation of Mat. 13. 21. is not when Tribulation or Persecution ariseth but it should be thus when there is Tribulation or Persecution or when Tribulation or Persecution happen but the former of these viz. is best answers to the Original Word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã In Mat. 14. 6 danced before them should be danced in the midst according to the Greek ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and you will find that thus it is translated in Acts 4. 7. In Mat. 14. 26. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã may be rendred it is an Apparition rather than it is a Spirit for though a Spectrum or Angel good or bad appearing be vulgarly call'd a Spirit and was so call'd of old as is evident from Luke 24. 37 39. yet ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã being two distinct Words we ought not to render them alike The Translators were sensible of this when they exchanged the word Spirit for Phantasm in the Margent but I conceive the word Apparition is to be preferred before that because it is more in use and more intelligible He walked on the Water saith our Translation Mat. 14. 29. but in the Greek it is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Waters and therefore they mistake the singular for the plural I offer it to Consideration whether ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Mat. 15. 9. may not be rendred thus teaching Doctrines which are the Commandments of Men or by inserting of and whichâ seems to be implied in this Place thus teaching the Doctrines and Commandments of Men Commandments seems to be put after Doctrines by way of Apposition In ver 22. instead of those Coasts we read the same Coasts and for cried saying unto him we read cried unto him saying which are both of them disagreeing with the Greek In the last Verse of this Chapter ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã might be englished he went into a Ship rather than he took Ship for though this latter Phrase be the vulgar way of speaking yet the former is more agreeable to the Original Mat. 16. 4. there shall no Sign be given unto it varies from the Greek according to which it should be a Sign shall not be given unto it Not and no are two different Parts of Speech In the same Chapter ver 22. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is not to be rendred be it far from thee but âe favourable to thy self In v. 23. we read he turned and said but 't is in the Greek he turning said In v. 27. there is a double Fault for instead of he shall render 't is said he shall reward and according to his Works in the Plural is put for according to his Work or his Doing in ch 17. v. 12. the Greek is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã i. e. they acknowledg'd him not which is more than they knew him not according to our Translation In ch 18. v. 10. the Greek ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã should be rendred see as it is in some other Places and not take heed In the same Chapter v. 23. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã should not be translated to a certain King but to a Man that was a King See Luke 24. 19. In v. 28. the same Servant should be that Servant for the word is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã In ch 19. v. 11. the Greek is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã all do not receive whereas according to our Translation it is all Men cannot receive In ch 20. v. 2. grant that they may sit is not the right englishing of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã but say that they shall sit is In ch 21. v. 33. he hedged it round about should be rather thus he set a Hedg about it for in the Greek there is both a Verb and a Substantive viz. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which are not express'd in our Translation In ch 22. v. 9. we render ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the high Ways but this doth not express the two Greek Words which may be englished thus the by-goings out of the Ways or the thorow-Passages of the Ways for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã hath both Significations That is a palpable Error of our Translation in ch 23. v. 13. ye shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against Men whereas it should be before Men or in the Sight of Men for that is the known Signification of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã In ver 24. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is to strain a Gnat not to strain at a Gnat. The Iews were wont to strain all their Wine lest any little insects should be mingled with it that they might not swallow any such Unclean Animals as Gnats or the like To this our Saviour alludes here he reminds them of their superstitious separating or straining the least Insects from the Liquor which they drank and therefore our present Translation is amiss In Mat. 24. 34 35. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is the word in both Verses and seeing it is rendred pass away in the latter Verse it should not be bare passing in the former as if the word were not the very same The plural is put instead of the singular in ch 26. v. 44. saying the same Words but in the Greek it is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Likewife our English Translation is not exact in v. 73. thy Speech bewrayeth thee but the Greek is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã maketh thee manifest I know these two are
eternal Life In ch 19. v. 8. that should be this according to the Greek which is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Query whether ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ch 20. v. 4. may not be better exprest than by that single Word outrun In the 8th v. of this Chapter ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã therefore is forgot in our Translation and ought to be supplied Those Words in the 10th v. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã may be rendred thus Therefore the Disciples came again or returned to themselves of which Translation I have given a particular account in another Place And here before I quit the Evangelists I might take notice of an undue rendring of the Words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which occur in all of them as Mat. 9. 10. 26. 7 20. Mark 6. 22 40. 8. 6 11. 14. 18. 16. 14. Luke 5. 29. 22. 27. Iohn 6. 10. 12. 2. 13. 12. and several other Places where they are express'd in our English Translation by sitting or sitting down but they properly signify lying down leaning lying along or lying on one side and so should be rendred In the Acts of the Apostles ch 1. v. 12. the English Version is very deficient for whereas it runs thus which is from Jerusalem a Sabbath-day's Iourney in the Greek 't is after this manner which is near to Jerusalem containing a Sabbath-day's Iourney Those two Words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã are omitted In ch 2. v. 13. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã may be rendred sweet Wine i. e. the best and most generous Wine which would soon intoxicate those who took a great Portion of it as well as new Wine which is generally sweet and luscious at least the former rendring of the Word may be set in the Margin In v. 40. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is be ye saved not as we render it save your selves though 't is true some Copies read it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã In v. 47. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã refers to this Place and is to be rendred the saved ones not as 't is in our English Bibles such as should be saved In ch 4. 14. we read they could say nothing against it but according to the Greek it is they had nothing to say against it The 32d v. is rendred thus the Multitude of them that believed were of one Heart and of one Soul but the Greek runs thus the Heart and Soul of the Multitude of them that believed was one The 9th v. of the 9th ch cannot but be thought to require some Correction for there is no Word in our Translation that answers to ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã therefore thus the Verse should be rendred And he preaching boldly for so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ought to be rendred and there is an Example of it v. 27. in the Name of the Lord Iesus spake and disputed against the Grecians But in our English Version the Word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is left out untranslated In ch 10. v. 10. eaten is instead of tasted for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is of the latter import In ch 11. v. 17. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã should be who not what was I In ch 12. v. 12. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã should be rendred and Praying but ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is forgot In ch 13. v. 20. the direct rendring of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is after these things not after that In v. 22. there is something redundant and something wanting for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã should be rendred after my Hâart not after my own Heart and in the next Clause ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã should have been translated Wills in the Plural I might add also that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã might here be more plainly and simply rendred he shall do than he shall fulfil Besides not only in this Place but in all others in the Old and New Testament after when it bears this Signification should be exchanged for according to In v. 27. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is rendred because they knew him not whereas the plain Translation is knowing him not or having not known him In v. 42. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is rendred to be preached but that is not the usual Translation of the Word in other Places for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is to be spoken and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is to be preached In ch 15. v. 20 29. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ought to be englished thus from what is strangled and not as 't is now in the Plural Number from things strangled In ch 16. v. 1 and in many other Places Timotheus is in the English Translation whereas this Word is express'd with some Variation elsewhere and he is call'd Timothy This is to be blamed because as hath been hinted more than once the same Greek Word especially a Proper Name ought to be rendred the same in all Places In ch 17. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is translated Areopagus v. 19. and Mars-hill v. 22. as if ât were not the same Word This I here blame again and shall afterwards animadvert upon viz. the Unâitness of translating the same Word differently in the same Chapter or Book Either one or the other Version is to be stuck to In v. 21. there is no notice taken of the Word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which should be rendred sojourning or who sojourned there In ch 19. v. 19. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is englished fifty thousand Pieces of Silver but not rightly for there is not the Word fifty in the Verse but the true rendring of the Greek is five Myriads or five times ten thousand Pieces of Silver It is granted that this is the same with fifty thousand but the Translation should be according to the Words in the Original which are five Myriads I dislike the rendring of v. 24 25. for the reason before-mention'd viz. because the very same Word is differently translated ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the former Verse is rendred Gain in the latter Crafâ but without doubt it ought to be rendred alike in both which will suggest unto us the True Translation of that Word Demetrius the Silver-smith brought ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã no small Trade so I render it to the Craftsmen whom he called together and said Sirs ye know that by this Trade so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã must be translated again we have our Wealth This I take to be the true rendring of the Words for it is not probable in the least that the Word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã should signify two Different things in so short a Space Besides it is plain that it is meant here as I have represented it for Demetrius here spoken of was a Man of a very Great Trade and had several ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Artificers and Workmen as they are here call'd under him and so is said to have brought them no small Work or Trade wherefore he warmly stirr'd up these and their Fellows
us not be hasty and giddy but diligently compare the Scripture with it self for there are certain Texts and Passages of the Bible that are allied to and symbolize with one another The observing of this will be of great Advantage to us Thus Gen. 49. may be explain'd out of Deut. 32. The Blessings and Prophecies of Iacob concerning the Tribes receive Light hence and also from the particular Histories in Ioshua and Iudges concerning the Actions of the several Tribes This ought to be remembred that Obscure and Difficult Places of Scripture are to be explain'd by those that are Clear and Easy We must interpret those that are Uncertain by Texts that are undoubtedly certain and plain So as for those that are Brief and Contracted the best way is to expound them by those that are Large and Full. The Beatitudes in Luke 6. are the same but epitomized with those in Matth. 5. and therefore there is good reason to explain the former by the latter That Text of Isaiah ch 6. v. 9. Hear ye indeed but understand not c. is contracted in Mark 4. 12. Luke 8. 10. Iobn 12. 40. but it is at large in Mat. 13. 14 15. and accordingly thence the Sense appears best And whilest we are expounding one Place by another we must not forget to search diligently into all the Circumstances of either and to consider distinctly by whom of what particular thing to whom at what time on what occasion they were spoken If we be thus Industrious and Attentive we shall be effectually directed to the right meaning of the Texts and we shall find none of those Contradictions which Unthinking and Careless Readers through want of Collation of Texts imagine to be in Scripture 4. This Inquisâtiveness and Observation will lead us to a discovery of the singular Elegancy and Beauty of the Sacred Stile There are peculiar Forms and Modes of Speech in several Nations proper to them and 't is very hard to rendeâ them in another Tongue or if you attempt it the Elegancy vanisheth Thus there is a particular Excellency and Lustre in the Phrase and manner of Expression which the Holy Ghost useth in this Book it is such that it sometimes rises above the strain of the most Eloquent Orators of Greece or Rome But this cannot be taken notice of by the generality of Readers because it is impossible to discern it unless with great sedulity they search into the Words themselves and by being acquainted with the Original come to perceive the peculiar Grace of the Words and Phrases Thus in the Greek of the New Testament there is in many Places a most Remarkable Choice of Words and a Wonderful Accommodating them to the Matter spoken of Many Words in this Language are so full and comprehensive that they cannot be express'd in English We do not reach the pregnancy of the Word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Gal. 6. 3. and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Tit. 1. 10. for in these Words is included not only deceiving but self-deceit or deceiving and imposing upon a Man 's own Mind Yea the latter Word which is barely rendred Deceivers may import the deceiving of the Minds or Souls of others Our Translators are forced to use two Words to render that single one ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Iam. 5. 16. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 1. Pet. 4. 15. is translated by a Poriphrasis six Words in English for one in Greek but indeed this is a Compound or Double Word There is more in the Original Luke 21. 34. than can be express'd in the Translation We render it thus Take heed lest your Hearts be overcharged But there is a Marvellous Elegancy in the Greek which ordinary Readers cannot perceive For ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is an equivocal Word and signifies not only the Soul and its Faculties but that noble Visous of the Heart well known by that Name and also that Part of the Body which is the receptacle of Meat and Drink viz. the Stomach This is a Criticism not unworthy the taking notice of and it much inhanses the Sense of our Saviour's Excellent Caveat here That ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã hath this latter Signification sometimes is evident from the Name of that Distemper which Physicians give to the Pain in the upper Oriâice of the Stomach which being near to the Heart affects that whence the Distemper is call'd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã It is vulgarly call'd Heart-burning which is indeed a Distemper of the upper Mouth of the Stomach and should rather be call'd Stomach-burning which is when this part of the Body is pained and disordered by reason of some sharp and noxious Humour The Stomach and the Heart affecting one another by Consent the former hath been call'd by the Greek Word which is given to the latter Thus Galen testifies that the old Physicians used the Word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in this Sense and accordingly the Cardiac Distemper was that of the Stomach The affinity of these Words might also be shew'd in the Latin Stomachus and the English Stomach which denote sometimes that Great Spirit and Stubborness which âave their Seat in the Heart But it most manifestly appears as I have shewâd in that Language wherein the New Testament is written and St. Luke who was a Greek Physician and well skill'd in the Terms of the Art did particularly refer to this and notably uses a Word that signisies both the Stomach and Heart properly so call'd because this fitly agrees to what our Saviour saith that they should not be overcharg'd with Surfeiting and Drunkenness wherein the Stomach is mainly concern'd nor with the Cares of this Life wherein the Heart and Affections are most interested Wherefore a Word that imports both is very elegant A parallel Place is that Acts 14. 17. filling our Hearts with Food and Gladness where 't is plain that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is an equivocal Term and signifies something else besides Hearts for if there were not this Ambiguity in the Word filling their Hearts with Food would be a very odd and unaccountable Expression But the Translators could not use both Senses therefore they set down one and left the other to be understood But the Doubtful Word according to the Subject matter may be applied both ways that is their Stomachs were replenished with Food and their Hearts as that signifies the Soul and its Affections with Gladness And further to corroborate this Criticism and to shew the peculiar Excellency and Pregnancy of the Scripture-Stile the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is appropriated to the Stomach in Iam. 5. 5. Ye have nourish'd your Hearts as in a Day of Slaughter for here by a Day of Slaughter as all Expositors of any Note grant is meant a Day of Feasting because on Great Festivals many Beasts were kill'd for Sacrifice and a great part of them were eaten by the Sacrificers and their Friends Prov. 7. 14. Isa. 22. 13. And consequently by Hearts we
are to understand their Stomachs and whole Bodies and by nourishing them is meant feeding and pampering of them The Apostle rebukes the Gluttony and Intemperance of the Voluptuous Men of that Age who made every Day a Day of Slaughter a Day of Feasting and Revelling I could parallel this with a Passage in the Old Testament where leb hath the same ambiguous Signification with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Comfort ye your Hearts Gen. 18. 5. which is spoken of Abraham's entertaining the Angels and refers to the Morsel of Bread there mention'd for so he was pleas'd to call his Generous Provision which he made for his Guests Stay saith he support sustain for so the word sagnad signifies your Stomachs and thereby refresh and comfort your Hearts with this Entertainment So the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is used in an equivocal Sense by Homer on the like occasion for speaking of Mercury's being entertain'd by Calypso he saith ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã He supp'd and stay'd his Heart or his Stomach with Meat Thence Bread is call'd Mishgnan fulcrum sustentaculum Iâa 3. 1. a Stay a Staff And among the Old Hebrews Segnudah i. e. fulcimentum was a Dinner and so Food among us is known by the vulgar Name of Sustenance I hope that from all these things which I have alledged the Critical Notion which I offer'd is made very plain and obvious And in several other Instances I could make it good that there are those Peculiar Graces of Speech in the Sacred Writings which the most Exquisite Translations cannot fully reach I will particularly instance in one sort which are usually call'd Paranomasia's i. e. Elegant Allusions and Cadences of Words Thus there is a clear Allusion to Iapheth's Name in Gen. 9. 27. Iapht lejepheth There are no less than three of these in one Verse Gen. 11. 3. Nilbenah lebenim nisrephah lisrephah hachemar lachomer In Gen. 49. there are several of these Verbal Allusions as Iehudah joduka v. 8. Dan jadin v. 16. Gad gedud jegudennu v. 19. which are plain References to the Names of Iudah Dan and Gad. There is a Paranomasia in the word Chamor Judg. 15. 16. which signifies both an Ass and a Heap but this is quite lost in our Translation Heaps upon Heaps with the Iaw-bone of an Ass. The Mount of Olives is in way of Contempt call'd the Mount of Corruption Mashchith 2 Kings 23. 13. alluding to Mishchah anointing for which the Oil of Olives was serviceable In Psal. 39. 11. the Pâalmist alludes to the Names of Adam and Abel when he saith ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã All Adam is Abel or every Man is Vanity And Selah is here added to denote the Emphatick Elegancy of this Passage And again Psal. 144. 4. Adam is like Abel We render the Hebrew right enough Man is like Vanity but then the Nominal Allusion is not express'd There is a great Number of Paranomasia's in Isaiah as in ch 1. v. 23. Sare sorerim the Princes are rebellious Ch. 5. v. 7. he looked for Mishphat Iudgment but behold Mishpah Oppression for Tzedekah Righteousness but behold Tzegnakah a Cry Four of these pleasant Cadences you meet with together in ch 24. v. 3 4. Hibbok tibbok hibboz tibboz dibber dabar oblab noblah Ch. 32. v. 7. Chelai chelav the Instruments of the Churl Some observe the Likeness of Sound in the Hebrew Words for Bridegroom and decketh himself and for Bride and Iewels ch 61. v. 10. We may observe in Ier. 6. 1. a plain Allusion to the word Tekoah in the Word preceding it A remarkable Cadence is to be taken notice of in Mic. 1. 14. the Houses of Aczib the Name of a Place shall be Aczab a Lie and the Learned Dr. Pocock observes that the Prophet in the next Verses hath Allusions to the Names of those other Cities Mareshah and Adullam in what he there saith of them The like you find in Zeph. 2. 4. where the Destruction of Gaza and Ekron is foretold but there are no Footsteps of it in the Translation The last Place I will mention in the Old Testament is Zech. 9. 3. Tyre built her self a strong-hold Tzor built her self Matzor This way of speaking is used also in the New Testament by our Saviour and his Apostles ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Wind bloweth where it listeth so is every one that is born ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of the Spirit John 3. 8. The same Word signifying Wind and Spirit Christ takes occasion thence to speak after this Allusive Manner which no Translation can express So ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Mat. 16. 18. cannot be discern'd in the English Translation St. Paul hath several Verbal Likenesses in his Epistles as 1 Cor. 0. 21. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 2 Cor. 5. 8. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Philein v. 11. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 2 Thess. 3. 11. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which Henry Stephens hath express'd by the like Paranomasy in Latin âiâil agentes sed curiosè satagentes And several others of this kind there are in this Apostle's Writings which are more commonly taken notice of and therefore I omit them Grotius and some others think there are Allusions to the Names of the Seven Asiatick Churches in the things that are said of them in the Epistles to them Rev. 2d and 3d Chapters but perhaps that is too fanciful This we are certain of that this Mode of Speech was not unusual among the Oriental Writers and so 't is no wonder that it occurs sometimes in the Holy Scripture Even among some of the best Roman Authors this is no unfrequent thing thus Verres the Avaritious and Extorting Pretor of Sicily is by Tully call'd Verrens Sweep-all And many such Verbal Iests this Grave Pleader hath in his Orations and other Parts of his Writings which shews it was thought to be a Pulchritude in their Stile So Martial plaid upon the idle Mariners Non nautas puto sed vos Argonautas Horace begins his Epistle to one Albius a Patron of his thus Albi nostrorum sermonum candide judex Alluding in that Epithet to his Name and he hath several other of these Charientisms Which we cannot but sometimes observe likewise in other Antient Writers of good Account But that which I remark at present is that even the Sacred and Inspired Stile disdains not this manner of speaking which none are capable of taking notice of but those that have some Knowledg of the Original Languages in which the Sacred Text is writ And in several other Particulars it were easy to shew the Gracefulness of the Holy Stile and that singular Turn and Peculiar Air in the Original which cannot be express'd in the Translation There are many Words Phrases and Sentences which must lose a great deal of their native Weight and Spirit by being done into another Language Therefore on this as well as on the other Accounts before-named we must be very Considerate and Attentive when we read this Divine Book Thirdly There must
Knowledg and Insight into these Divine Truths which are here contain'd is the Effect of observing and practising the Holy Precepts of this Book This then we ought to urge upon our selves to come to the reading of Scripture with defecate and purged Minds with Love to what it dictates and with Obedience to it This should be our principal Care to live well and to walk according to this Excellent Rule All our Religion and the whole Conduct of our Actions in this World depend upon the Scriptures therefore let us be directed and govern'd by the Infallible Maxims Precepts Promises and Threatnings of this Book We see Men live by Custom by the Dictates of Others or by their Own Opinions which oftentimes prove erroneous and lead them into unwarrantable Practices But they would not be thus misguided if they consulted These Lively Oracles of God this sure Word of Prophecy if they regulated their Actions by this Exact Canon And hereby we are certain to improve our Knowledg in this Holy Book for by living according to it we shall the better understand it by minding the Practical Contents of it we shall have a full Discovery of its Principles and Doctrines Lastly That we may attain to a right understanding of the Sense of Scripture that we may have a due Perception of the Meaning of what is deliver'd here let us most earnestly invoke the Divine Aid and Assistance He that reads this Book without Prayer can never expect to be bless'd with a compleat Knowledg of it For it is the sole Work of the Divine Spirit to illuminate our Minds effectually There is required the special Help of this Heavenly Instructor to direct us into Truth wherefore he is call'd the Spirit of Truth and the Vnction from the Holy One whereby we know all things The same Spirit that endited these Holy Writings must enlighten our Minds to understand them Which I find thus expressed in the Words of our Church The Revelation of the Holy Ghost inspireth the true meaning of the Scripture into us in truth we cannot without it attain true Saving-knowledg And a Learned and Pious Son of our Mother gives his Suffrage in these Words Wicked Men however learned do not know the Scriptures because they feel them not and because they are not understood but with the same Spirit that writ them Seeing then a Spiritual Illumination is requisite in order to the comprehending of Scripture-Truths we ought with great Fervour and Zeal to request it we ought with a singular Devotion to repair to this Infallible Teacher and with mighty Importunity beseech him to open our Eyes that we may behold wondrous things out of the Divine Law and to conduct our Reasons aright in our Enquiry into this Sacred Volume And He that commands us to implore his Help will certainly vouchsafe it to all sincere and devout Supplicants The Eyes of our Understanding shall be irradiated with a Celestial Beam and we shall feel an internal Operation of the Spirit on our Hearts communicating Light and Wisdom By the Assistance of this Blessed Guide we shall not miscarry in our Searches and Endeavours This Divine Book shall be laid open to us and we shall have its Mysteries and Depths disclosed to us so far as is convenient for us and no rational Man ought to desire any more Yea as it is with some of those that have studied for the Phâlosophick Elixar though they attain not to it yet in their impetuous Search after it they find out many Excellent Things admirably useful for Mankind which are a Recompence of their Labours so though we may fall short of some Grand Secrets which are treasured up in this Inspired Volume yet we shall not faâl of some Choice Discoveries that will make us amends for our most laborious Enquiries We shall mightily improve our Knowledg and we shall likewise be under the special Benediction of Heaven The Rabbins tell us that when R. Ionathan writ his Targum on the Bible if at any time the least Fly lit upon his Paper it was presently consumed with Fire from Heaven But though this be Romantick and after the rate of the Rabbins yet it is a sober Trutlâ that God will protect us in reading and studying the Holy Scriptures Whilest we are thus employed nothing shall disturb or hurt us the Divine Arm will defend and prosper us and we shall peruse this Book with that happy Success which we pray'd for In short by continual conversing with this Book which is the only one that hath no Errata's we shall know how to correct all the Failures of our Notions and of our Lives we shall enrich our Minds with a Stock of Excellent Principles and we shall be throughly furnish'd unto all good Works we shall be conducted to the highest Improvements of Knowledg and Sanctity in this Life and to the most Conââmmate Happiness in another FINIS Books written by the Reverend Mr. John Edwards AN Enquiry into several ãâã Texts of the Old and New Testament which contain some Difficulty in them with a Probable Resolution of them In two Volumes in 8â A Discourse concerning the Authority Stile and Perfection of the Books of the Old and New Testament Vol. I. with a Continued Illustration of several Difficult Texts throughout the whole Work A Discourse conâârning the Authority Stile and Perfection of the Books of the Old and New Testament Vol. II. wherein the Author 's former Undertaking is further prosecuted viz. An Enquiry into several Remarkable Texts which contain some Difficulty in them A Discoeurs concerning the Authority Stile and Perfection of the Books of the Old and New Testament Vol. III. treating of the Excellency and Perfection of the Holy Scriptures and illustrating several difficult Texts occurring in this Undertaking All sold by Ionathan Robinson Iohn Taylor and Iohn Wyat. * Plataic â Panegyr Plataic â¡ Plataic * Orat. 2. ad Nicocl â Panegyr Orat. â Orat. ad Philip. â¡ Panegyr ad Philip. Epist. ad Philip. Epist. ad Mitylen * Panegyr Orat. â Plataic Orat. 1. â Orat. ad Philip. * Panegyr Orat. Plataic Orat. bis â Olynth 1. â Philip. 1. * ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Clem. Alex. in Protrept â Gen. 9. 27. * Deut. 28. 49 c. â 1 Kings 13. 2. * Antiqu. 1. 11. c. 1. â Dr. Jackson * Dan. 2. â Temporum conscius totius Mundi Polyhistor Epist. ad Paulin. * Ver. 2. â Ver. 20. â Ver. 5. * Ibid. * John 21. 18. â Ver. 22. * Earum rerum quae foââuitae putantur praedictio atque praesentio De Divinat l. 1. * Lib. 3. c. 8. * Colloqu Mensal * ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Orig. cont Celâ l. 6. * Lib. 1. â ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Isid. Pelus Ep. l. 5. * ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Just. Mart. Dialog cum Tryph. â Arnob. lib. 1. â Sozom. l. 1. c. 11. ââ Gr. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Mark 2.
sufficiently dispatch'd it I hope I have let you see that those are no impartial Judges of Scripture-Stile who cry out of its Barbarisms but the Truth is they betray both their Ignorance and Irreligion at once in giving such a Judgment of it their Ignorance in that they shew themselves unacquainted with the Best Authors who are not always wont to bind themselves to the strict Observation of Grammatical Rules To this purpose the Learned Henry Stephens's Animadversions and Appendix at the End of his Thesaurus Gr. L. are worthy of the Perusal of all Curious Persons that would be fully acquainted with the Genius of the Attick Phrase and Idiom and the reading of these will abundantly satisfy them that the New Testament is like other Greek Writers and that the most Classick Greek Authors speak in the same strain that this doth This Accomplish'd Critick shews that there are pure Atticisms sometimes in these Holy Writings and particularly that an Ellipsis which is so frequent in them is a common Atticism in the best Grecians If those who raise Objections against the Stile of the New Testament would converse with These they might see that those Passages which seem not so proper or elegant in Scripture and that whatever looks like Soloecisms and favours of Rudeness or Defect of Language in these Holy Writings may be parallelled with what they meet with in the most Applauded Authors Their Irreligion likewise is discovered in this that nothing pleaseth them in the Holy Book and that what is not thought Improper or Rude in other Writings is accounted such in These yea that what are Soloecisms in a Sacred Writer are look'd upon as Atticisms and Elegancies in a Profane One. Having hitherto been in pursuance of this that the Holy Scripture hath many things in it according to the Strain of Other Writers I am to pass to the next Proposition CHAP. VII The Scripture-Stile hath some things in it that are not in common with Other Writers but are proper and peculiar to it self The LXX's Greek Version and the New Testament have words that are not extant in any other Authors ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Mark 14. 3. was coin'd by the Evangelist It s true Signification enquired into Inward Goodness or Righteousness is express'd by Terms which are unknown to other Writers Instances of several other Peculiar ways of Speaking Some Profane Authors differ from the rest as to the use of some particular Words and Phrases Ecclesiastical Writers have Words proper to themselves The Difficulty of Scripture proceeds partly from the Different Acception of Words which we meet with there Many Instances in the Old and New Testament The various Significations of the Word Spirit enumerated and reduc'd to distinct Heads The Author confines himself to the Hebrew Verbs of the Old Testament and shews how Different the Senses of the same words are and endeavours to remove the Ambiguity of them in the several Texts which he cites and to determine the Sense which is Proper to those particular Places The like he attempts in those Texts where Hebrew Nouns of a different meaning occur THE Third Proposition is That the Scripture-Stile hath some things in it that are not in common with Other Writers but are Proper and Peculiar to it self For though it is true some Other Authors have words proper to themselves which are not found in others thus in Pindar Plato Isocrates Homer Aristophanes Hippocrates c. there are some particular Words and Phrases peculiar to them alone yet the Bible hath Words and Expressions which are not to be met with in any of these nor in any other Writers The Original Hebrew hath greater choice of Words than any Book extant in that Language it is the most Copious Vocabulary that is in the World and all Hebrew Writers of note borrow from this The Septuagint have words peculiar to themselves as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is proper to them and was made on purpose to answer to the Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and the Writers of the New Testament took it from them They also made the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Cant. 4. 9. to express the Hebrew word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Ex. 2. 5. is of their coining and the Apostle thought fit to use it Tit. 2. 14. And some have thought the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as it signifies Sleep or Slumber Isa. 29. 10. was made by them as if it were from ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã This word is also used by the Apostle Rom. 11. 8. The New Testament in Greek hath words never heard of before as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the Lord's Prayer a word which was first used by the Evangelists And St. Luke's ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the Angels Salutation of the Virgin Mary Luk. 1. 28. is a new Greek word which the Evangelist himself made as some have thought but that is a Mistake because the Apocryphal Writer had used it before Eccles. 18. 17. Yet this is not to be denied that the word is no where to be found in any other Greek Author i. e. any Prophane one but St. Paul useth it viz. the Active ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã though not the Passive ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in Eph. 1. 6. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in the Passive Voice have a peculiar Signification in Mat. 5. 24. Rom. 5. 10. 1 Câr 11. 7. 2. Cor. 5. 20. which is in no other Writer saith Grotius upon Mat. 5. 24. That likewise in Mark 14. 3. and Iohn 12. 3. is scarcely used by any Writer whatsoever and therefore the Grammarians and Criticks know not well how to assign the meaning of it some deriving ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is the word there used and joined with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã from ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and so it denotes that Ointment to have been faithfully prepared and compounded for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã according to this Etymology is as much as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã true pure not adulterated approved it being rightly and faithfully made This is according to the Syriac Version and 't is approved of by St. Ierom and Theophylact Others think ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is put here for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the vulgar Latin having it Spicata and so it is translated Spikenard by us Beza and Camerarius are of this Opinion and think the Ointment had this Name because it was made ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã spicis nardi that is of the choicest part of Nard A third fort among whom Casaubon is Chief tell us that it is the same with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã potabilis à ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and so signifies such a Liquid Ointment as might be drank And lastly some have thought that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as if it were call'd so from a place viz Opis a City not far from Babylon whence
the best Nard came This is Hartungus's Notion but then the word should have been Opick not Opistick Thus the Etymology of the Word hath been disputed but we are certain of the Thing the Nard it self or rather the Ointment which was made of it which was very Precious and in great Esteem of old It was made of several Ingredients as we learn from Pliny and other Writers viz. the sweet Cane or Rush Costum Amomum Myrrh Balsam and other Simples When this Precious Compound this Excellent Aromatic which was very Costly and used only by Rich and Wealthy Persons was made up as it should be it was then ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã from ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã âides sincerely and faithfully prepared it had all its Ingredients it was of the best sort This seems to be the most elegible Derivation of the Word but so far as we know it was of the Evangelist's making for there is no such Greek Word in any other Authors And as the New Testament hath its peculiar words so you may observe it hath a peculiar way of using some words which yet are common in other Writers Thus Inward Holiness or Inherent Righteousness are express'd by such terms as These which have no such Signification in any other Writers Circumcision Col. 2. 11. Crucifying Rom. 6. 6. Gal. 6. 14. Mortifying Rom. 8. 13. Col. 3. 5. Dying Rom. 6. 2 8. Col. 3. 3. Resurrection Eph. 2. 6. Eph. 5. 14. Col. 2. 12. Regeneration or being born again John 3. 3. Tit. 3. 5. 1 Pet. 1. 23. Renovation Rom. 12. 2. Eph. 4. 23. the New Man and New Creature 2. Cor. 5. 17. Gal. 6. 15. Eph. 4. 24. Washing John 13. 8. 1 Cor. 6. 11. Rev. 7. 14. The way of using and applying these words is proper to the New Testament There are other peculiar ways of speaking in this part of the Bible which are altogether unknown to other Writers as the Engraffed Word Jam. 1. 21. Children of Light and of the Day Luk. 16. 8. Eph. 5. 8. 1 Thess 5. 5. the Sword of the Spirit Eph. 6. 17. the Savour of Death 2 Cor. 2. 16. the Body of Sin Rom 6. 6. the Body of Death Rom. 7. 24. the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 8. 2. a Law in the Members Rom. 7. 23. Who over met in any other Author with these Expressions Conscience of an Idol 1 Cor. 8. 7. the Earnest of the Spirit 2 Cor. 5. 5. the Vnction of the Spirit 1 Joh. 2. 20 27. Circumâision of the Heart and of the Letter Rom. 2. 29. a Iew outwardly and a Iew inwardly in the same Verse Who ever read of the foolishness of God and the weakness of God 1 Cor. 1. 25 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is a Phrase proper to Scripture and so are these to mortify the Members on Earth Col. 3. 5. to put off the Old Man and put on the New Man Eph. 4. 22. to sow to the Flesh to reap of the Flesh to sow to the Spirit to reap of the Spirit Gal. 5. 8. to walk after the Flesh Rom. 8. 1 4. Who ever spoke after the following rate to eat and drink Damnation to himself 1 Cor. 11. 29. to be justified by Faith Rom. 3. 28. Gal. 2. 16. to be clothed upon with an House from Heaven 2 Cor. 5. 2 And what strange and unheard-of Expressions are those to be baptized or washed with Fire Mat. 3. 2. to be salted with Fire Mark 9. 49 Thus the Sacred Penmen of Scripture differ from all others in their Stile And yet herein also they agree with them for even some of those Writers differ from the rest as to the use of some particular Words and Phrases Some of them take a word or more in a sense that it is not taken in by any Others There are words in Homer that are not in Aristophanes and some in Lycophron that are not in either of these and there are some in these three which are not found in any other Writer whatsoever Plato as 't is observ'd of him useth words in a way different from other Authors as the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for Simplex and in other places for Pulcher and sometimes for Parvus And as the same word is used by him to denote several things so he uses different words in the same sense and meaning as his ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and others Nay he brings in the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as the same Author observes to express contrary things sometimes There are some Ecclesiastick words for they may be thus differenc'd from others because they have a peculiar Interpretation as they are used by Ecclesiastical Writers as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and Synaxis which among Christian Writers signify either the Sacred Meetings and Assemblies of the Faithful or the Lord's Supper and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is a Temple among the same Writers and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã hath the same Signification sometimes but they have no such sense in other Authors So ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is a Towel or Napkin is used in some of the Greek Fathers to denote the express Image or likeness of a Person And from other Examples it might be made good that the Profane and Ecclesiastick use of a word are far different There are Thousands of words otherwise taken in the Greek Fathers than in Classick Writers and you in vain look for the meaning of them in Hesychius Phavorinus Suidas in Scapula Constantine or Stephens Yea the words themselves which occur in Ecclesiastick Writers are not to be found in Profane ones many of them are omitted in Lexicons Onomasticks Etymologicks and Glossaries And shall not the Inspired Wriâers have the same liberty viz. to use peculiar Words and Phrases of their own or to use Words in a singular meaning and proper to themselves If a Catachreâis the Abuse of Words be reckon'd by the Greek Orators an Embellishment of Speech certainly we must account it no Disparagement but rather an Ornament to the Language when the Holy Ghost in the Scriptures alters the use of some Words He may make use of what Words he pleaseth He that bestow'd the Gift of Tongues knows how to apply them Hence in these Writings you meet with some New words and Singular ways of Expression as I have let you see in some Instances and many more I might have added wherein the peculiar Phraseology of this Sacred Book is observable The very Words in the Holy Stile are precious Antiquaries and Criticks spend much time in mere Phrases but they never employ it so well as when they are searching into These There are several Other things might be noted as to the Peculiar Stile and Idiom of the New Testament but this shall suffice at present As I have âhew'd before that the Stile of Scripture is like that of Other Writers so you see it is not inconsistent with what I have now asserted that the Holy Stile is not like that of Others
an end for neither the Derivation of the word nor the Termination of it are to be insisted upon Nay some think Agur is a fourth Name given him Prov. 30. 1. from the Participle agur collectus receptus because he recover'd himself after his Follies and was receiv'd into God's Favour And some have thought he is call'd in the same place the Son of Jakeh i. e. of the Obedient to express further his Repentance and Reformation Here it might be observ'd that the Old Testament gives one Name to Persons and Profane Writers another He that is call'd Nimrod in the former is named Belus in the latter it is likely He that is Assur in Scripture is Ninus in Gentile History for he built Nineve which bears his Name This was the Chief Seat of the Assyrian Empire call'd so from this Assur Son of Shem. That Assyrian King that is call'd Belochus in Profane Story is Pul in the Sacred one 2 Kings 15. 19. And in other Instances it might be shew'd that 't is common to have two Names one in the Bible the other in Heathen Writers Artaxerxes is the same with Ahasuerus Esth. 1. 1. according to the LXX's Version and Iosephus but whether this be true or no 't is certain that other Kings had different Names among Jews and Pagans In Pagan Authors there is no mention of Salmanassar Tiglath-Pileser Sennacherib Nebuchadnezzar The Greek and Latin Historians have not the Names of these Assyrian Kings who are celebrated in Scripture but it may be they are represented under other Names in those Writers for the Names of Kings vary according to the Language of different Countries which occasions some disagreement between Profane and Sacred History Further I add that sometimes in the Old Testament there is not properly another Name given to the same Person but only a Name a little Changed by the Alteration or Addition of some one Letter or more as that Great Captain who conducted the Israelites into Canaan is call'd Iosua Iehosua Numb 13. 16. Oshea or Hoshea Deut. 32. 44. besides that in the New Testament he is called Iesus Acts 7. 45. Heb. 4. 9. Ahimelech 2 Sam. 8. 17. who is the same as I said with Abiathar is called Abimelech 1 Chron. 18. 10. Iehosaphat 1 Kings 15. 24. is Iosaphat Matth. 1. 8. Iehoram 1 Kings 22. 50. is Ioram Matth. 1. 8. Rehoboam 1 Chron. 3. 10. is Roboam Matth. 1. 7. So we read of Achar and Achan Josh. 7. 18. 1 Chron. 2. 7. Ram and Aram 1 Chron. 2. 10. Matth. 1. 3. Hamor and Emmor Gen. 33. 19. Acts 7. 16. Caleb and Chelubai 1 Chron. 2. 9 18. Absalom 2 Sam. 14. is Abishalom 1 Kings 15. 1. Vzziah who as you have heard was the same with Azariah is call'd Vzzah 2 Kings 21. 26. and Ozias Matth. 1. 8. Iehoiachim 2 Kings 23. 24. is with the altering of one Letter only Iehoiachin 2 Kings 24. 8. Iechoniah in contempt is named Coniah Jer. 22. 24. He that is call'd Berodach in 2 Kings 20. 12. is the same with Merodach in Isa. 39. 1. So Nebuchadrezzar with the like literal Alteration is written Nebuchadnezzar If you look into the New Testament also you 'l see that the same Persons have Different Names as he who was nominated for the Apostleship is called Ioseph Barsabas and Iustus Acts 1. 23. And Ioses and Barnabas are Names of the same Apostle Acts 4. 36. Yea all the rest of the Apostles except Iohn had more Names than one But sometimes the Name is only somewhat altered but can't be said to be another Name as Simon and Simeon 2 Pet. 1. 1. Acts 15. 14. Annas the High Priest is call'd Ananias Acts 23. 5. and is called so by Iosephus the Jewish Historian Silvanus and Silas are the same Name 1 Thess. 1. 1. Acts 15. 22. ch 16. 19. ch 17. 4 15. So are Prisca and Priscilla Acts 18. 2. Tib. 4. 19. and Epaphras is the same with Epaphroditus Col. 1. 7. ch 4. 12. Phil. 2. 25. ch 4. 18. Shall I take notice likewise that sometimes the Names of the same Persons mentioned in the Old Testament and the New differ only as to the Greek or some other Termination which is given them in the latter As Hannah Elkanaâ's Wife and Anna a Prophetess Luke 2. 36. Miriam Aaron's Sister and Marie or Mariam a frequent Name in the New Testament Elisheba Aaron's Wife Exod. 6. 23. and Elizabeth the Wife of Zacharias and St. Iohn the Baptist's Mother Iohanan 1 Chron. 3. 15. and Iohn These four are New-Testament as well as Old-Testament-Names but with a small Alteration And to these may be added Iacob and Iames which are the same in the Greek A varying as to some Letter in the beginning or ending of Names is observable also in Kish 1 Sam. 9. 1. and Cis Acts 13. 21. Immanuel Isa. 7. 14. and Emanuel Matth. 1. 23. Hosea and Osee Rom. 9. 25. Noah and Noe Luke 17. 26. Korah and Core Jude 11. Elijah and Elias Matth. 16. 14. Elisha and Elizéus Luke 4. 27. Ionah and Ionas Matth. 1â 39. But as we have before observ'd that the same Men have different Names so it is not altogether unworthy the remarking that different Persons have the same Name in Scripture for by taking notice of this we shall be invited to attend to their Particular Characters and the Different Relations which they have to the Texts where they are mentioned whereby we shall avoid confounding one with the other when we peruse the Holy Writings Iehoram was the Name of two Kings of Israel and Iudah that reign'd at the same time 2 Kings 1. 17. Iehu was a noted King and Iehu is a Prophet 2 Chron. 20. 34. There were two Nehemiahs he that was Chief of the Jews after the Captivity Neh. 1. 1. and another Neh. 3. 16. ch 7. 5 7. Mephibosheth is the Name not only of Ionathan's but Saul's Son 2 Sam. 4. 4. 2 Sam. 21. 8. There is not only Daniel the Prophet but David's Son by Abigail 1 Chron. 3. 1. There is Abimelech King of Gerar Gen. 20. 2. and one of the Israelites Judges Iudg. 8. 31. and also a High Priest 1 Chron. 18. 6. There is in the New Testament mention of three Herods 1. He that was surnamed the Great and was the Son of Antipater the Idumaean he was call'd the Ascalonite from the particular Country where he was born He was made King of the Jews in the tenth Year of Augustus's Empire and reign'd thirty seven Years In his time our Blessed Saviour was born Matth. 2. 1. and this was he that barbarously massacred the Infants of Bethlehem Matth. 2. 16. 2. Herod surnamed Antipas and call'd the Tetrarch Matth. 4. 3. he murdered Iohn Baptist Matth. 14. 10. he set at nought and mocked our Saviour when he was brought before him to be judged Luke 23. 11. and he scornfully sent him back to Pilate 3. Herod Agrippa the Son of Aristobulus and the Nephew of Herod the