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THIXITV    COLLEGE.    DUBLIN,!^ 
J^jDI^GJ,II3K,\RY.  ' 

I    TRINITY  C.'--u=^ 
-r;  •     V-iita^AwRX    DUBLIN. 

TJus  J  m^fis  lent  for  _ 
hit/8. 


COLLECTION 


OP 


THEOLOGICAL  TRACTS, 

IN  SIX  VOLUMES. 

By  RICHARD  WATSON,  D.  D.  F.K.S. 
Lord  Bishop  of  Landaff, 

AND 

Regius  Professor  of  Divinity  in  the  University  of 

Cambridge, 


VOL,       L 


CAMBRIDGE: 

Pnntcd  by  J.  Archdeacon,  Printer  to  the  UNIVERSITY- 

for  J.  &  J.  Merrill,  Cambridge;  T.  Evans,  London; 

andj.&  J.  Fletcher,  Oxford. 

M.DCC.LXXXV. 


'71 


TO    THE 

-'1 


Q^    U      E     E      N. 


:i  biuoTj  1 


Madam^ 


l^r  O  original  work  of  mine  could  poflibly  have  been 
^    fo  defervlng  of  Your  Majefty*s  attention,  as  this 
CoIIe6lion  of  other  men's  labours  undoubtedly  is.    Oui^^' 
Infancy  is  indebted  to  that  Sex,  of  which  Your  Majef-- 
ty  is  the  higheft  Ornament,  for  the  firft  principles  of 
Religious  Education  J  and  as  one  of  the  main  obje(5lsof 

this 


DEDICATION. 

this  publication  is  —  the  prefcrving  Youth  from  Infide- 
lity—  I  cannot  do  the  Public  a  greater  fcrvice  than  by 
lequeftlng  Your  Majefty  to  give  it  your  protedion. 

The  interefts  of  civil  Society  require  thaf  we  fhould 
pay  deference  to  perfons  of  Rank,  even  tho'  they  hap- 
pen not  to  be  perfons  of  Merit.  But  this  is  a  limited 
and  conftrained  deference;  it  is  paid  with  reluctance; 
and  is  both  in  kind  and  extent  wholly  unlike  that  which 
nil  good  Citizens  are  ambitious  of  fhewing  to  Your 
Majefty.  My  character  has  hitheito,  I  truft,  never  been 
cfteemed  that  of  a  Flatterer;  nor  do  X  fear  the  imputa- 
tion of  it,  in  faying,  Tiiat  to  Your  Majefty 's  Rank 
alone  1  would  not  have  given  even  this  mark,  worth- 
lefs  as  it  may  feem,  of  my  Veneration  and  Rcfpecl. 

I  verily  believe  Your  Majefty  to  be  one  of  the  beft 
Wives,  and  one  of  the  beft  Mothers  in  England :  the 
Time  is  approaching, — diftant  may  it  be!  when  the  re- 
coHe(5tion  of  the  example  which  You  have  flievvn  to 
Women  of  every  Rank,  in  thefe  great  points  of  female 
Duty,  (the  greateft  on  which  Women  of  the  higbeil 
Rank  ought  to  build  their  worth  of  chara6ler)  will  give 
Your  Majefty  far  more  comfoit  than  1  can  poflibly  de- 
fcribc;    but   not  more   than   I,   in   conjunction   with 

Thoufands 


DEDICATION, 

Thoiifands  in  every  part  of  the  Kingdom,  heartily  wiiTi 
and  pray  Your  MajeiOty  may  at  all  times,  and  efpecially 
at  that  time  enjoy. 

I  am. 

Madam, 

With  the  greateft 

And  mofl  fincere  Refpe6l:, 

Your  Majesty's 

Mod  obedient  Servant, 


RICHARD  LANDAFF. 


(iiiv/  vli] 


CONTENTS 


OF    THE 


FIRST     VOLUME. 


A  Scheme  of  Scripture-Divinity ,  formed  upon  the  Plan 
of  the  Divine  Difpenfations.  With  a  Vindication 
of  the  Sacred  Writings.  By  J.  Taylor,  D.D.  Lond. 
1762.  p.  4 

This  Book  deferves  to  be  generally  known  ;  it  has  been  for  fome 
Years  out  of  Print,  and  much  fought  after  by  the  Clergy :  I  thought  I 
(hould  do  them  an  acceptable  Service  in  making  it  a  part  of  this  Col- 
Jedlion. 


Rejlexiom  upon  the  Booh  of  the  Holy  Scripture  to  eftahlijh 
the  I'ruth  of  the  Chrijlian  Religion.  In  two  Volumes. 
Lond.  1688.     By  P.  Allix.  p.  220 

Thefe  two  Volumes  were  publifhed  in  French,  the  Firfl:  in  London, 
and  the  Second  at  Amfterdam,  much  about  the  fame  Time  that  they 
made  their  Appearance  in  Englilh.  They  were  fpoken  of  with  Refpedfc 
in  the  J^a  Eruditorum  for  1688 ;  were  trandated  into  German  at  Nu-. 
renberg  in  1702  :  and  have  been  always  held  in  great  Repute  for  the 
Plainnefs  and  Erudition  with  which  they  are  written.  The  Author  was 
a  French  Refugee  of  diftinguiflied  Learning  and  Integrity;  the  Reader 
will  meet  with  a  good  Account  of  his  Life  and  Writings  in  the  Biogra- 
phia  Britanoica, 


a  2 


Preface. 


g>r<^*=^  N  publlfhing  this  Collection  of  Theological  Tri(5ls  I  have 
3*.  ^  '■^  had  no  other  end  in  view,  but  to  afford  young  perfons 
'*^^^.:3  of  every  denomination,  and  efpccially  to  afford  the  Stu- 
dents in  the  Univerfities,  and  the  younger  Clergy,  an  eafy  oppor- 
tunity of  becoming  better  acquainted  wich  the  grounds  and  princi- 
ples of  the  Chriftian  Religion  than,  there  is  realbn  to  apprehend, 
many  of  them  at  prefent  are.  My  firft  intention  was  to  have  admit- 
ted into  the  Collection,  iuch  fmall  trads  only  in  Latin  or  EngliQioa 
Theological  Subjects  as  had  funk  into  unmerited  oblivion;  butj 
on  maturer  refle&ion,  1  thought  it  better  to  confult  the  general 
utility  of  the  younger  and  lefs  informed  Clergy,  than  to  aim  at 
gratifying  the  curiofity,  or  improving  the  underftanding  of  thofe 
who  were  more  advanced  in  years  and  knowledge.  Inftead  there- 
fore of  confining  myfelf  to  fingle  tradts  I  have  notfcrupled  topub- 
Iifh  feme  intire  books-,  but  they  are  books  of  fuch  acknowledged 
worth,  that  no  Clergyman  ought  to  be  umcquainted  with  their 
contents,  and  by  making  them  a  part  of  this  Colleftion,  they 
may  chance  to  engage  the  attention  of  many  who  would  otherwife 
have  overlooked  them.  It  would  have  been  an  eafy  matter  to 
have  laid  down  an  extenfive  plan  of  ftudy  for  young  divines, 
and  to  have  made  a  great  iliew  of  learning  by  introducing  into 
it  a  Syftematic  Arrangement  of  Hiftorians,  Critics,  and  Com- 
mentators, who,  in  different  ages  and  in  different  languages,  have 
employed  their  talents  on  Theological  Subjects.  But  there  is  a 
falhion  in  ftudy  as  in  other  purfuits-,  and  the  tafteof  the  prefent 
age  is  not  calculated  for  the  making  great  exertions  in  Theologi- 
cal Criticifm  and  Philology.  I  do  not  confider  the  Tradls  which 
are  here  publifhed  asfufficienttomake  what  is  called  a  deep  divine, 
but  diey  will  go  a  great  way  tov/ards  making,  what  is  of  more 
worths  a  well  informed  Chriftian.  InDivinitv,  perhaps,  more  than 

IP  a  3  '  in 

I 


^i  Tk^T  ace: 

in  any  other  fcience,  it  may  be  reckoned  a  virtue  alifjua  ftefcire  5 
for  what  Quinailian  obferves  of  hiftorical,  is  certainly  very  ap- 

phcable  to  an  abundance  of  Theological  writings. Perfequi 

Quidem  quod  qui/que  umquam  'Del  contemptiffimorum  hominum  dixertt, 
nut  ntmia  miferi^,  aut  inanis  ja^antia  ejl :  et  detinet  atqtie  ohruit 
Indent  a,  melius  aliis  vacatur  a. 

If  any  thing  can  revive  a  fenfe  of  Religion  in  the  higher  clalTes 
of  life;  preferve  what  ftill  remains  of  itamongft  men  of  middling 
fortunes  •,  and  bring  back  to  decency  of  manners  and  the  fear  ot 

God,  the  lowelt  of  the  people;  it  muft  be the  Zeal  of  the 

Clergy.     But  ZeaU  in  order  to  produce  its  proper  effeft,  muft 
befoiindedin  knowledge:  it  will  otherwife  (where,  from  fome 
peculiar  temperament  of  body  or  m.ind,  it  happens  10  exifl:  at 
all,)  be  unfteady  in  its  operation  -,  it  will  be  counteraded  by  the 
prejudices  of  the  world,  the  fuggeflions  of  felf  imereft,  the  im- 
portunities of  indolent  habits;  or  it  will  be  tainted  by  Fanaticifm, 
and  inftead  of  producing  in  every  individual  fober  thoughts  of 
his  Chriftian  duty,  it  will  hurry  into  dangerous  errors  the  ignorant 
^nd  unthinking,  and  excite  the  abhorrence  or  derifion  of  men  of 
fenfe.     1  have  therefore,  in  feleding  the  works  which  compote 
this  pubhcation,  not  fo  much  attended  to  the  difcuffion  of  particu- 
lar doftrines,  as  to  the  general  arguments  which  are  beft  adapted 
to  produce  in  the  Clergy,  and  in  others  who  will  confider  them, 
a  well  grounded  perfuafion  that  ChriiVranity  is  not  a  cunnhgly  de- 
ivifed  fable,  but  the  poiver  of  God  unto  falvation  to  every  one  that  he- 
iieveih.     That  Clergy  man  who  is  a  Chriftian,  not  becaufe  he  hap- 
pens to  have  been  born  in  a  Chriftian  country,  but  from  rational 
conviaion,  will  never  think  himfelf  at  liberty  to  make  light  of 
his  calling;  to  luit  his  inftrudions  to  the  vicious  propenfities  of 
his  audience ;  to  fcandalize  his  profeffion  by  a  conformity  with 
'the  ungodly  faftiions  of  the  world ;  to  be  alhamed  of  the  Crois  of 
iChrift,  though  he  ftiould  lee  it  attacked  by  the  fubtlety  of  Sophifts, 
,or  ridiculed  by  the  wanton  audacity  of  profane  men.     A  defi- 
ciency of  Zeal  indeed  in  reKgious  concerns  does  not  always  pro- 
ceed, either  in  the  Clergy  or  Laity,  from  a  want  of  Knowledge: 
fenfual  appetites,  ungoverned  paflions,  worldly  cuftoms  all  com- 
bine together  in  making  moft  men  languid  in  the  performance 
of  even  clear  and  acknowledged  duties ;  yei  it  muft  be  confefled, 
that  a  firm  belief  in  the  truth  of  Ctiriftianity  refulting  from  a  com- 
prehenfive  view  of  the  proofs  by  which  it  is  eftablilhed,  is  the 
moft  probable  mean  of  producing  in  all  men  integrity  of  life ; 
and  of  animating,  efpecially,  the  Minifters  of  the  Gofpel,  to  a 
zealous  and  diicree:  difcharge  of  their  paftoral  funftions. 

Young, 


PREFACE.  vli 

Young  men  who  are  ordained  from  Country  Schools  are  fre- 
quently, when  fettled  in  their  Curacies,  at  a  lofs  what  courfe  of  ftu- 
dies  topurfue:  and  many  of  them,  as  well  as  many  of  thofe  who 
have  had  the  benefit  of  an  Univerfity  Education,  are  unhappily  in 
no  condition  to  expend  much  money  in  the  purchafe  of  Theolo- 
gical books,  even  if  they  knew  how  to  make  a  proper  feleftion* 
Both  thefe  difficulties  are,  I  hope,  in  fome  degree  obviated  by  this 
publication  ;  which  contains  nearly  as  much  matter  as  three  times 
the  number  of  ordinary  volumes  of  the  fame  fize;  and  the  mat- 
ter itfelf  has  been  taken  from  Authors  of  fuch  cftabliihed  repu- 
tation i  that  he  who  will  take  the  pains  to  read  and  dio-efl  what 
is  here  offered  to  him,  will  have  acquired  no  inconfiderable  know- 
ledge in  Divinity.     But  in  Divinity,  as  in  every  other  ftudy,  a 
man  muft  think  much  for  himlelf :  thofe  who  have  gone  before 
in  the  fame  purfuit  may  point  out  the  road  to  him,  but  that  is  the 
main  good  they  can  do  him  ;  if  he  loiters  in  his  prof^refs,  wait- 
ing for  the  vigilance  of  others  to  pu(h  him  on,  he  wiH  never  crec 
to  his  journey's  end.     The  Ledures  of  ProfefTors  and  Tutors  are 
doubtlefs  of  great  ufe  in  every  fcience,  but  their  ufedoes  not  con- 
fifl:  fo  much  in  rendering  the  fcience  intelligible,  if  we  except  the 
firft:  Elements  of  the  abltradl  Sciences,  as  in  direfting  the  atten- 
tion of  the  Students  to  the  beft  books  on  every  fubjedt  j  and  if  to 
this  they  add  a  frequent  examination  into  the  progrefs  which  the 
Students  have  made,  they  will  have  done  all  that  reafonabiy  caa 
be  exped:?d  from  them.     The  Republic  of  Letters  is  in  very  dif- 
ferent circumrtances  in  the  prelent  age  from  what  it  was  three  cen- 
turies ago:  the  multiplicity  of  books  which,  in  the  courfe  of  thac 
period,  have  been  publifhed  in  every  An  and  Science,  has  en- 
larged the  boundaries  of  knowledge,  and  given  every  man  an 
opportunity,  if  he  be  not  wanung  to  himfelf,  of  becomino-  fkH, 
led  in  that  branch  of  Literature  which  he  fhall  think  fit  to^culti- 
vate.     And  to  fpeak  the  truth,  though  there  may  be  fome  dark 
points  in  Divinity  which  the  labour  of  Learning  may  Itill  illullrate, 
yet  new  books  are  not  fo  much  wanted  in  that  Science,  as  incli- 
nation in  the  younger  Glergy  to  explore  the  treafures  of  the  old 
ones. 

A  young  man  deftined  to  the  Church,  who  thinks  that  he  has 
completed  his  Education  as  foon  as  he  has  taken  his  firft  degree 
in  Arts,  and  quitted  the  walls  of  his  College,  is  under  a  very 
great  miftake.  His  memory  may  have  been  Itocked  with  a  frreac 
abundance  of  Clafiical  Knowledge  j  his  mind  may  have  been* ex- 
panded by  a  general  acquaintance  with  the  feveral  branches  of 
Natural  Philolophy  j    his   reafoning  faculties   may  have  been 

^  4  ftrengthened 


virr  PREFACE. 

llrcngthcned  by  Mathematical  Refcarchcs ;  the  limits  of  his  un* 
clerilanding  n^ay  have  been  in  lome  degree  afccrtaincd  by  ihc 
ftudy  of  Natural  Religion  -,  in  a  word,  he  may  have  been  admi- 
rably fitted  to  become  a  Divine-,  but,  if,  after  iliis  preparation, 
he  ftops  (hort,  giving  himfelf  up  to  rural  amufcmcnts,  mif- 
fpending  his  time  in  idle  avocations,  blunting  his  faculties  by 
lenfual  indulgences,  indolently  or  arrogantly  acquiefcing  in  the 
knowledge  he  has  acquired,  he  will  never  be  one. 

1  am  far  from  wifhing  to  divert  the  attention  of  the  Under- 
graduates from  that  courfe  of  Iludies  which  is  eftablifhed  in  this 
place.  1  here  is  no  Univerfity,  1  believe,  in  Europe,  where  the 
degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts  is  more  honorably  obtained  than  in 
ilyt  Univerfity  of  Cambridge:  the  fedulity  withv/hich  the  young 
juen,  in  general,  purfue  the  plan  of  ftudy  which  is  prefcribcd  to 
them  is  highly  commendable ;  and,  if  I  recommend  it  to  them 
to  let  Theology  make  a  part  of  that  plan,  it  is  not  from  an  opi- 
nion, that  Iheological  itudies  are  more  proper  for  their  time  of 
Itfe  than  any  of  thofe  in  which  they  are  engaged;  but  from  an  ap- 
prehenfion,  that  if  they  do  not  make  fome  progrefs  in  Divinity, 
during  the  firil  years  of  their  Academical  Education,  they  will 
luve  no  opportunity  of  doing  it  before  they  will  be  placed  in 
ikuations,  which  require  a  great  proficiency  in  it.  The  Statutes 
indeed  of  the  Univerfity,  and  of  many  private  Colleges,  though 
they  point  out  Theology  as  the  ultimate  End  of  all  our  ftudies, 
do  not  order  us  to  fiudy  Divinity  till  we  have  (ludied  almoft  every 
other  branch  of  Science  :  but  it  ought  to  be  remembered  that,  at 
the  time  thefe  Statutes  were  made,  young  men  were  admitted 
into  the  Univerfity  about  the  age  of  fourteen,  and  confequendy 
commencing  Mailers  of  Arts  about  the  age  of  twenty-one,  they 
had  a  confiderable  interval,  even  after  taking  their  fecond  degree 
in  Arts,  in  which  they  might  prepare  theml'dvcs  for  entering  into 
liuly  Orders. 

It  is  not  the  reading  many  books  which  makes  a  man  a  Di- 
vine, but  the  reading  a  few  of  the  beft  books  often  over,  and  with 
iittentioni  thofe  at  Icall  who  are  beginning  tlicir  Iheological 
itudies  fliould  follow  this  rule.  I  have  no  icruplc  therefore  in  re- 
commending it  to  the  Students  in  the  Univerfiiics  to  read  this 
Colletflion  twice  or  thrice  over  before  they  take  their  firft  degree  j 
the  doing  this  will  give  little  interruption  to  their  other  iUidies, 
and  it  it  fhould  give  a  great  deal,  their  time  will  not  be  niilem- 
ployed.  Let  them  dedicate  a  imall  portion  of  every  day,  or  the 
•whole  of  every  Sunday  to  this  occupation,  and,  in  the  couric  of 
three  or  four  years,  they  will  eafily  accomplilh  the  tafk,  and,  when 

k 


PREFACE.  *   IX 

It  is  accomplifhed,  they  may  offer  themfelves  to  theBifhopsto  be 
ordained  with  a  becoming  confidence,  that  they  are  not  wholly 
unprepared  •,  and  they  may  undertake  the  moft  important  of  all 

human  Duties' the  Cure  of  Souls ^-without  being  alarmed 

by  a  confciouihefs  of  their  inability  to  diicharge  it  as  becometh 
the  ferv ants  of  the  moft  high  God.  When  I  thus  exprels  myfelf 
concerning'the  fruits  which  may  be  expected  from  the  courfe  of 
ftudy  here  pointed  out,  I  am/ar  from  infinuating,  that  it  will  fu- 
perlede  the  necefiity  of  ftudying  the  Scriptures  themfelves,  with 
the  bed  affiflance  which  can  be  obtained  from  Commentators. 
On  the  contrary,  I  am  perfuaded  that  one  part  of  Scripture  is 
beft  interpreted  by  another,  and  that  no  fort  of  reading  can  con- 
tribute fo  much  to  the  producing  of  a  fteady  faith,  a  rational  piety, 
a  true  Chrillian  charity  of  mind  (the  great  ends  of  all  our  ftudies 
and  all  our  purfuits!)  as  the  frequent  reading  of  the  Scrip- 
tures. 

But  the  ftudents  who  are  deHgned  for  the  Church  are  not  the 
only  ones  to  whom  I  would  recommend  tlie  practice  of  fetting 
apart  lome  portion  of  their  time  for  religious  inquiries  \  I  would 
prefs  it  with  the  greatefh  earneftnefs  and  fincerity  on  the  young- 
men  of  rank  and  fortune.  I  would  elpecially  intrea;  them  to 
peruie  with  unprejudiced  minds,  the  whole  of  this  Collection ; 
but  particularly,  and  with  the  ftricteft  attention,  the  Firfl,  Fourth, 
and  Fifth  Vokimes  of  it:  they  will  there  find  fuch  convincing' 
proofs  of  the  Chriftian  Religion,  as  will  prelerve  them,  I  truft, 
from  that  contagion  of  Infidelity  which  is  the  difgrace  of  the  age. 
it  is  a  very  wonderful  thing  that  a  being  fuch  as  man,  placed  oa 
a  little  globe  of  earth  in  a  little  corner  of  the  univerfe,  cut  off  from 
all  communication  with  the  other  fyltems  which  are  difperled 
through  the  immenfity  of  fpace,  imprifoned  as  it  were  on  the  fpot 
where  he  happens  to  be  born,  almoft  utterly  ignorant  of  the  va- 
riety of  fpiritual  exiltencies,  and  circumlcribed  in  his  knowledge 
of  material  things,  by  their  remotenels,  magnitude,  or  minutenels, 
a  ftranger  to  the  nature  of  the  very  pebbles  on  which  he  treads, 
•  unacquainted,  or  but  very  obicurely  informed  by  his  natural  fa- 
culties of  his  condition  after  death  •,  it  is  wonderful  that  a  beins; 
fuch  as  this,  fhould  reluctandy  receive,  or  fallidioufly  reject  the 
inftriu:tion  of  the  Eternal  God  !  Or,  if  this  is  faying  too  much, 
that  he  Ihould  haftily,  and  negligently,  and  triumphantly  con- 
clude, that  the  Supreme  Being  never  had  condefcended  to  inftrud: 
y^iX\t  race  of  man.  It  might  properly  have  been  expeded,  that  a 
^-rational  being,  fo  circumftanced,  would  have  feduloufly  inquir- 
'  cd  into  a  fubjed  of  fuch  valt  importance ;  that  he  would  not 
•  have 


X  PREFACE. 

have  fuffered  himfclf  to  have  been  diverted  from  the  Inveftiga- 
tion,  by  thepnrfuits  of  wealth,  or  honour,  or  any  tennporal  con- 
cern -,  much  lefs  by  notions  taken  up  without  attention,  argu- 
ments admitted  without  examination,  or  prejudices  imbibed  in 
early  youth  from  the  profane  ridicule,  or  impious  jellings,  of 
fenfual  and  immoral  men.  It  is  from  the  influence  of  fuch  pre- 
judices that  1  would  guard  that  part  of  the  rifing  generiiion  which 
is  committed  to  our  care,  by  recommending  to  them  a  ferious 
perufal  of  the  trads  which  are  here  prefented  to  them.  Let  them 
not  refufe  to  follow  this  advice,  becaufe  it  is  given  to  them  by  a 
churchman  ;  he  ran  have  no  pofllble  intereft  in  giving  it,  except 
what  may  refult  to  him  from  the  confcioufnefs  of  endeavouring 
to  dilcharge  his  duty,  and  the  hope  of  being  ferviceable  to  them 
in  this  world  and  the  next.  They  need  not  quellion  his  veracity, 
when  he  fpeaks  of  religion  as  being  ferviceable  to  them  in  this 
world ;  for  it  is  a  trite  objedion,  and  grounded  on  a  mifappre- 
henfion  of  the  dirfignof  Chriltianity,  which  would  reprefent  it  as 
an  intokMuble  yoke,  fo  oppofite  to  the  propenfities,  as  to  be  ut- 
terly dellrudive  of  the  felicity  of  the  human  mind.  It  is  in  truth, 
quite  the  reverfe-,  there  is  not  a  fingle  precept  in  the  Golpel, 
without  excepting  either  that  which  ordains  the  forgivenefs  of 
injuries,  or  that  which  commands  every  one  to  poffefs  his  veffel  in 
fancfificatwn  and  honour^  which  is  not  calculated  to  promote  our 
happinefs.  Chriftianity  regulates,  but  does  not  extinguilh  our 
affedions;  and  in  the  due  regulation  of  our  atfeciions  confifts 
our  happinefs  as  reafonable  beings.  If  there  is  one  condition  in 
this  life  more  happy  than  another,  it  is,  furely,  that  of  him,  who 
, founds  all  his  hopes  of  futurity  on  the  promifes  of  the  Gofpel  j 
\vho  carefully  endeavours  to  conform  his  adions  to  its  precepts  j 
looking  upon  the  great  God  Almighty  as  his  Protedor  here,  his 
Rewardcr  hereafter,  and  his  everlafting  Preferver.  1  his  is  a 
frame  of  mind  fo  perfcdive  of  our  nature,  that  if  Chriltianity, 
from  a  belief  of  which  it  can  only  be  derived,  was  as  certainly 
falfe,  as  it  is  certainly  true,  one  could  not  help  wilhing  that  it 
might  be  univerfally  received  in  the  world.  Unbelievers  attempt 
to  make  profelytes  to  Infidelity,  by  prefnng  upon  the  minds  ot 
the  unlearned  in  Scripture  knowledge,  the  authorities  of  Bcliti^' 
;  hreke^  Voltaire,  Helvctius,  Hume,  and  other  Deillical  writers.  It 
is  proper  that  young  men  fliould  be  furniflied  with  a  ready  an- 
fwcr  to  arguments  in  favour  of  Infidelity,  which  are  taken  from 
the  high  literary  charaders  of  thofe  who  profefs  it  •,  let  them  re- 
member tiien,  that  Bacon,  Boyle,  Newfofi^  Grodus,  Locke,  Elder 

—that  Addifon,  Hartley,  Ha'ller,  fVeJl,  Jenym that  Lords 

T'  Nottingham, 


PREFACE.  xi 

Nottingham^  King^  Barrington^  Lyttleton  with  an  hundred  other 
laymen^  who  were  furely  as  eminent  for  their  literary  attainments 
in  every  kind  of  fcience  as  either  Bolingbroke  or  Voltaire,  were 
profeiTed  believers  of  Chriftianity.  I  am  quite  aware  that  the 
truth  of  Chriftianity  cannot  be  eftabHfhed  by  authorities,  buc 
neither  can  its  faifehood  be  fo  eftabhfhcd,  Arguments  ad  vere- 
cundiam  have  little  weight  with  thofe  who  know  how  to  ufe 
any  others,  but  they  have  weight  with  the  lazy  and  the  ignorant 
On  both  fides  of  the  queftion.  But  though  I  have  here  fuggefted 
to  young  men,  a  ready  anfwer  tofuchot  their  profligate  acquain- 
tance as  may  wifh  to  work  upon  their  prejudices  in  favour  of  In- 
fidelity; yet  I  hope  they  will  not  content  themfelves  with  being 
prejudiced  even  in  favour  of  Chriftianity ;  they  will  find  in  this 
Colledion,  fuch  folid  arguments  in  iupport  of  its  truth,  as  can- 
not fail  to  confirm  them,  on  the  moil  rational  grounds,  in  the 
belief  of  the  Golpei  Difpeniation.  They  may  wonder,  perhaps,  if 
religion  be  io  ufeful  a  thing  as  is  here  reprelented,  that  their  pa- 
rents fhould  have  feldom  or  never  converled  with  them  on  the 

fubjeft if  this  fhould  be  the  fadl,  I  can  only  fey,  That  it  is 

a  negledof  all  others  the  moft  to  be  regretted.  And  indeed  our 
mode  of  education,  as  to  religious  knowledge,  is  very  defective  j 
the  child  is  inftructed  in  its  catechifm  before  it  is  able  to  compre- 
hend its  meaning,  and  that  is  ufually  all  the  domeftic  inft;ruc- 
tion  which  it  ever  receives.  But  whatever  may  be  the  negli- 
gence of  parents  in  teaching  their  children  Chriftianity,  or  how 
forcibly  foever  the  maxims  and  cuftoms  of  the  world  may  con- 
fpire  in  confirming  men  in  infidelity,  it  is  the  duty  of  thole  to 
whom  the  Education  of  youth  is  intrufted  not  to  defpairj  their 
diligence  will  have  its  ufe  -,  it  will  prevent  a  bad  matter  from  be- 
coming worl'e:  and  if  x.\\\s  fcolijlinefs  of  preaching  into  which  I 
have  been  betrayed  on  this  occafion,  has  but  the  effedl  of  mak- 
ing even  one  young  man  of  fortune  examine  into  the  truth  of  the 
Chriftian  Religion,  who  would  not  otherwife  have  done  it,  I 
Ihail  not  repent  the  having  been  injlant  out  offeafon, 

Difcite,  O  ^'liferi,  et  caufas  cognofcite  rerum 
Quid  fumus,  et  quidnam  vitfluri  gignimur;  ordo 

Quis  datus  J quern  te  Deus  eiie 

Juffit. — 

•'^'^'  U  m.c 

•Thefe  were  queftions  which  even  the  Heathen  Mpr^lifta  thought  r: 
a  (hamefor  a  man  never  to  have  confidered.^  How  much  piofe 
cenfurablc  are  thofe  amongft  ourfelvesiwh^^w^ft?  their -days  jn 

v:.:^-   •    '  *      ^  ^'  '"^  ''"folly 


xii  PREFACE.',,   .   ,   . 

folly  or  vice,  without  ever  refle(5bing  upon  the  providential  dif- 
penfation  under  which  they  live,  without  havint^  any  lublimcD 
piety,  any  purer  morality,  any  better  hopes  of  futurity  than  the 
1  leathcns  had  ? 

In  recommending  this  Colledion  to  the  careful  perufal  of  the 
younger  Clergy,  1  would  not   be  underflood  to   vouch  for  the 
truth  of  every  opinion  which  is  contained  in  it  •,  by  no  means; 
there  is  no  certainty  of  truth  but  in  the  word  of  God.     Their 
Bible  is  the  only  fure  foundation  upon  which  they  ought  to  build 
every  article  of  the  faith  which  they  profeis,  every  point  of  doc- 
trine which  they  teach.     All  other  foundations,  whether  they  be 
the  decifions  of  councils,  the  conftfilons  of  churches,  the  prefcripts 
of  popes,  or  the  expofitions  of  private  men,  ought  to  be  confi- 
dered  by  them  as  fandy  and  unlafe,  as  in  no  wife  fit  to  be  ulti- 
mately relied  on.     Nor,  on  the  other  hand,  are  they  to  be  fafti- 
dioufly  rejected  as  of  no  ufe  i  tor  though  the  Bible  be  the  one  in- 
fallible rule  by  which  we  muft  meafure  the  truth  or  fallehood  of 
every  religious  opinion,  yet  all  men  are  not  equally  fitted  to  apply 
this  rule,  and  the  wifell  n^en  want  on  many  occafions  all  the  helps 
of  human  learning  to  enable  them  to  underftand  its  precife  na- 
ture, and  to  define  its  certain  extent.     Thele  helps  are  great  and 
numerous,  they  have  been  fupplied  in  every  age,  fince  the  death 
of  Chrilt,  by  the  united  labours  of  learned  men  in  every  coun- 
try where  his  religion  has  been  received.     Great  Britain  has  not 
been  backward  in  her  endeavours  to  eftablifh  the  truth,  and  to  il- 
luftrate  the  doiflrines  of  Chrillianity :  fhiC  has  not  abounded  \o 
much  in  fyilcmatic  Divines  as  Germany  and  Holland  have  done-, 
yet  the  mod  difficult  points  of  Theology  have  been  as  well  dif- 
cufled  by  our  Engiifh  Divines  as  by  ihofe  of  any  other  nation. 
In  proof  of  this,  1  might  mention  the  works  of  Pcarlbn,  Mcde, 
Barrow,  Burnet,  ChilMngworth,  Stillingfleet,  Clarke,  Tillotlon, 
Taylor,    Benfon,  Jortin,  Seeker,    and  an  hundred  others ;  but 
the  fermons  preached  at  Boyle's  Ledure,  and  the  Collection  ot 
Trads  againil  Popery,  render  every  other  argument  in  fupport 
of  the  0;:)fcrvation  wholly  uiinccefiary.     The  freedom  of  enqui* 
ry  too,  which  has  I'ubfiftcd  in  this  country  during  the  prelent  cen- 
tury, has  eventually  been  of  great  fervicc  to  the  caule  of  Chrit- 
tianity.     It  muft  be  acknowledged  that  the  works  of  ourDcifti-» 
cal  writers  have  made  fome  few  converts  to  Infidelity  at  homr^ 
and  that  they  have  furni (lied  die  Efprits  fcrti  of  France,  and  the 
Frn-Gcijiers  of  Germany,  \vith  every  material  ob)e<5^ion  to  our 
Religion,  which  they  have  of  late  years  difplayed  with  much  af* 
fe^^ation  of  originality :  but  at  the  fame  time  we  muft  needs  allow, 

that 


PREFACE.  xlu 

that  thefe  works  have  ftimulated  fome  dillingulfhed  chara6lers 
amongft  the  Laity,  and  many  amongft  the  Clergy,  to  exert  their 
talents  in  removing  fiich  difficulties  in  the  Chriftian  fyftem,  as 
would  otherwife  be  likely  to  perplex  the  unlearned,  to  fhipwreck 
the  faith  of  the  unftable,  and  to  induce  a  reludlant  fcepticifni 
into  the  minds  of  the  mod  ferious  and  heft  intentioned.  Some 
difficulties  ftill  remain,  and  it  would  be  a  miracle  greater  than 
any  we  are  inftrudted  to  believe,  if  there  remained  none ;  if  a 
being  with  but  five  fcanty  inlets  of  knowledge,  feparated  but 
yefterday  from  his  mother  Earth,  and  to-day  finking  again  into 
her  bofom,  could  fathom  the  depths  of  the  wifdom  and  know- 
ledge of  Him  which  is,  which  was,  and  which  is  to  come, the 

Lord  God  Almighty,  to  whom  he  glory  and  dominion  for  ever  and 
ever. 

We  live  in  a  dififolute  but  enlightened  age;  the  reflraints 
of  our  Religion  are  ill  fuited  to  the  profligacy  of  our  man- 
ners, and  men  are  loon  induced  to  believe  that  ryft:em  to  be 
falfe,  which  they  wifh  to  find  fo :  that  knowledge,  moreover, 
which  fpurns  with  contempt  the  illufions  of  fanaticifm  and  the 
tyranny  of  fuperftition,  is  often  unhappily  mifemployed,  in  mag- 
nifying every  litde  difficulty  attending  the  proof  of  the  truth  of 
Chriftianity,  into  an  irrefragable  argument  of  its  falfehood.  The 
Chriftian  Religion  has  nothing  to  apprehend  from  the  ftriftell: 
inveftigation  of  the  moft  learned  of  its  adverfaries;  it  fufi^ers 
only  from  the  mifconceptions  of  fciolifts,  and  filly  pretenders  to 
fuperior  wifdom  ;  a  little  learning  is  far  more  dangerous  to  the 
faith  of  thofe  who  poffefs  it  than  ignorance  itfelf.  Some,  I  know, 
aflfedt  to  believe,  that  as  the  refl:oration  of  letters  was  ruinous  to 
the  Romifh  Religion,  fo  the  further  cultivation  of  them  will  be 
fubverfive  of  Chriftianity  itfelf.  Of  this  there  is  no  danger,  it 
may  be  fubverfive  of  the  Reliques  of  the  Church  of  Rome  by 
which  other  churches  are  ftill  polluted  •,  of  perfecudons,  of  ana- 
themas, of  ecclefiaftical  domination  over  God's  heritage,  of  all 
the  filly  outworks  which  the  pride,  the  fuperftition,  the  knavery 
of  mankind  have  ereded  around  the  citadel  of  our  faith;  but 
the  citadel  itfelf  is  founded  on  a  rock,  the  gates  of  hell  cannot 
prevail  againft  it,  its  mafter- builder  is  God,  its  beauty  will  be 
found  ineffable,  and  its  ftrength  impregnable  when  it  ftiall  be 
freed  from  the  frippery  of  human  ornaments,  cleared  from  the 
fubbifli  of  human  bulwarks.  It  is  no  fmall  part  of  the  province 
of  a  teacher  of  Chriftianity  to  diftinguifti  between  the  word  of 
God  and  the  additions  which  men  have  made  to  it.  The  objcc- 
tipns  o^f  unbelievers  are  frequently  levelled,  againft  what  is  nqt 
.'woik  cl^    •■ftcmw-'iflin  ?fnr:>  srin;^  rjd  'XJil/Tni^i-::  Chriftianity, 


xir  P  R  E  F  A  C  E. 

Chriflianity,  but  mere  human  fyftem-,  and  he  will  be  beft  able 
to  defend  the  former  who  is  leaft  ftiidious  to  fupport  the  airy  pre- 
tenfions  of  the  latter.  The  etFedt  of  eflahlifhed  fyftems  ia 
obftruding  truth  is  to  the  laft  degree  deplorable,  every  one  fees 
it  in  other  churches,  but  fcarcely  any  one  fufpeds  it  in  his  own. 
Calvin,  I  queftion  not,  thought  it  almofl  impofTiblethat  the  Scrip- 
tures could  ever  have  been  fo  far  perverted  as  to  afford  the  Ro' 
wanijis  any  handle  for  their  dodrine  of  Tranfubftantiation,  or 
that  the  underftanding  of  any  human  being  could  have  been  fo 
far  debafed,  or  rather  lb  utterly  annihilated,  as  to  believe  in  it 
for  a  moment :  yet  this  fame  Calvin  followed  St.  Augujline  in  the 
doctrine  of  abfolute  perfonal  reprobation  and  eleftion,  inculcat- 
ing it  as  a  fundamental  article  of  faith,  with  nearly  the  fame  un» 
chriftian  zeal  which  infatuated  him  when  he  faftened  Servetus  to 
the  (lake.  A  thoufand  inftances  of  this  blind  attachment  to 
fyftem  might  be  taken  from  the  Ecclefiaftical  Hiftory  of  every 
century  -,  indeed  the  whole  of  it  is  little  more,  than  the  hiftory 
of  the  ftruggles  of  different  feds  to  overturn  the  fyftems  of  others, 
in  order  to  build  up  their  own,  and  the  great  leffon  which  every 
fed,  and  ev^ry  individual  of  every  fed,  ought  to  learn  from  its 

perufal  is Moderation.     Want  of  genuine  moderation  towards 

thofe  who  differ  from  us  in  religious  opinions  feems  to  be  the 
moft  unaccountable  thing  in  the  world.  Every  nun,  who  has 
any  religion  at  all,  feels  within  himfelf  aftronger  motive  to  judge 
right,  than  you  can  poffibly  fuggeft  to  him  ;  and,  if  he  judges 
wrong.  What  is  that  to  you  ?  To  his  own  mafter  he  ftandeth 
or  falleth,  his  wrong  judgment  may  affed  his  own  falvation,  it 

cannot  affed  your's  -,  for,  in  the  words  of  Tertullian nee  alU 

cbejl  aut  prodejl  aUerius  religio  :  this  you  muft  admit,  uniefs  you 
think  it  your  duty  to  inftrud  him  -,  but  intlrudion  may  be  given 
with  moderation,  and,  confidering  that  the  Bible  is  as  open  to 
him  as  it  is  to  you,  you  ought  not  to  be  over  certain  that  it  is 
your  duty  to  prefs  your  inftrudion  upon  him;  For  what 
is,  ordinarily  fpeaking,  your  inftrudion,  but  an  attempt  to 
bring  him  over  to  your  opinion  ?  This  principle  fhould  be 
received  with  great  caution,  or  it  may  do  much  mifchicf  •,  for 
it  is  on  this  principle  that  the  Roman  Catholics  hght  up  the 
fires  of  the   inquifition,  and  conipafs  fea  and  land   to  make  a 

profelyte a  profelyte !    to  what  we  Proteftants   believe  to 

be  the  delufion  of  Satan,  the  very  canker  of  Chriftianity, 
the  grand  apoftacy  from  the  Gofpel  foretold  bv  St.  Paul, 
The  Catholics  however  in  this  point  ad  confidently ;  for,  be- 
lieving in  the  infallibility  of  their  church,  they  have  a  plea  for 

their 


bnous  one  of  Hpfpm-I.^v   ^i  ^  r   ,  ^       ^  ^'^"  theoppro- 

muft  be  m  ny     u  hs  inX'  Ch   ft'^""  «'ll  probably  rejoin,  there 

hecannoc  be  reputed  .  Chrift.a„.-_.4t";,  ^B^lt:  ffi^y 

Jelus 


irvi  P  R  E  F  A  C  E. 

Jefus  Chrlft  his  Lord  and  his  God,  or  by  you  ?  radi  ex' 

pofitors  of  points  of  doubtful  difputation  ;  intolerant  fabricatoiS 
of  metaphyfical  Creeds,  and  incongruous  Syftems  of  Theolo- 
gy !  Do  you  undertake  to  meafure  the  extent  of  any  man's 
underftanding  except  your  own ;  to  cftimate  the  ftrength  and 
origin  of  his  habits  of  thinking-,  to  appreciate  his  merit  or 
demerit  in  the  ufe  of  the  talent  which  God  has  given  him; 
ib  as  unerringly  to  pronounce  that  the  belief  of  this  or  that 
do^lrine  is  neceflfary  to  his  falvation  ?  It  is  undoubtedly  ne- 
ceflTary  to  your's,  if  you  are  perfuaded  that  it  comes  from 
God  •,  but  you  take  too  much  upon  you,  when  you  ere<5l 
yourfcif  into  an  infallible  judge  of  truth  and  falfchood.  We 
as  Chrirtians  are  under  no  uncertainty  as  to  the  being  of  a 
God;  as  to  his  moral  government  Of  the  world  ;  as  to  the  terms 
on  which  Tinners  may  be  reconciled  to  him  ;  as  to  tJie  redemption 
thai  is  in  Jefus  Chriji\  as  to  a  refurredtion  from  the  dead  j  as  to 
a  future  (late  of  retribution;  nor  with  refpeft  to  other  important 
quefHons  concerning  which  the  wileft  of  the  Heathen  Philolb- 
phers  were  either  wholly  ignorant,  or  had  no  fettled  notions. 
But  there  are  other  fubjeds  on  which  the  Academicorum  ivoyrn  may 
be  admitted,  I  apprehend,  without  injuring  the  foundations  of 
our  Religion.  Such  are  the  quellions  which  relate  to  the  power 
of  Evil  Spirits  to  fufpend  the  laws  of  nature,  or  to  actuate  the 
minds  of  men-,  to  the  materiality  or  immateriality  of  the  hu- 
rnan  foul ;  the  ftate  of  the  dead  before  the  general  refurrec- 
tion ;  the  refurredion  of  the  fame  body ;  the  duration  of  fu- 
ture punilhments,  and  many  others  of  the  fame  kind.  Some 
one  will  think  that  I  here  fpeak  too  freely,  and  accufe  me,  pro- 
bably, as  an  encourager  of  fceptical  and  latitudinarian  principles. 

. What!  Shall  the  church  of  Chrifl:  never  be  freed  from  the 

narrow-minded  contentions  of  bigots;  from  the  infults  of  men 
who  know  not  what  fpirit  they  are  of,  when  they  would  ftint  the 
Omnipotent  in  the  exercife  of  his  mercy,  and  bar  the  doors  of 
heaven  again  ft:  every  'it&.  but  their  own  ?  Shall  wt  never  learn 
to  think  more  humbly  of  ourfelves  and  lefs  defpicably  of  others  ? 
To  believe  that  the  Father  of  the  univerfe  accommodates  not  his 
judgments  to  the  wretched  wranglings  of  pedantic  Theologues, 
but  that  every  one,  who  with  an  honell  intention,  and  to  the  bell 
of  his  ability  teeketh  the  truth,  whedier  he  findeth  it  or  not,  and 
worketh  righteoufnefs,  will  be  accepted  of  him  ?  I  have  no  re- 
gard for  latitudinarian  principles,  nor  for  any  principles  but  the 
principles  of  Truth  •,  and  Truth  every  man  muft:  endeavour  to  in- 
vcltigate  for  himfclf  j  and,  ordinarily  fpeaking,  he  will  be  moft 
u  fuccefsfuj 


P  R  E  F  AC  E.  xvii 

fuccef^ful  in  his  enckavours,  who  examines,  with  candour  and 
care,  what  can  be  urged  on  each  fide  of  a  greatly  controverted 
queftion.  This  fort  of  examination  may,  in  fome  inrtances,  pro- 
duce a  doubt,  an  hefitation,  a  diffident  fiifpenfion  of  judo-ment 
but  k  will  at  the  fame  time  produce  mutual  forbearance  and  oood 
temper  towards  thofe  who  diifer  from  us ;  our  charity  will  be  en- 
larged,, as  our  underftanding  is  improved.  Partial  examination 
is  the  parent  of  pertinacity  of  opinion,  and  a  froward  propenfity 
to  be  angry  with  thofe  vvhoqueilion  the  validity  of  our  principles, 
or  dieny  the  juftnefs  of  our  conclufions,  in  any  matter  refpeclino- 
philofophy,  pohcy,  or  religion,  is  an  infall  ble  mark  of  preju- 
dice •  of  our  having  grounded  our  opinions  on  fafliion,  fancy, 
intereft-,  on  the  unexamined  tenets  of  our  family,  fed,  or  parry, 
on  any  thing  rather  than  on  the  folid  foundation  of  cool  and  dif- 

pafllonate  reafoning,— Iliac os  intra  miiros  peccatur  ei  extra . 

Churchmen  as  well  as  DilTenters,  and  diffenters  as  well  as  church- 
men are  apt  to  give  a  degree  of  affent  to  opinions  beyond  what 
they  can  give  a  realbn  for  ;  this  is  the  very  eflence  of  prejudice : 
it  is. difficult  for  any  man  intirely  to  dived  himfelf  of  all  preju- 
dice, but  he  may  furely  take  care  that  it  be  not  accompanied 
with  an  uncharitable  propenfity  to  ftigmatize  with  reproachful 
appellations,  thofe  who  cannot  micafure  the  reftitude  of  the  Di- 
vine difpenfations  by  his  rule,  nor  feek  their  way  to  heaven,  by 
infilling  on  the  path  which  he,  in  his  overweening  wifdom,  has 
arrogantly  prefcribed  as  the  only  one  which  can  lead  men  thither. 

This  intolerant  fpirit  has  abated  much  of  its  violence  in  the 
courfe  of  this  century  amongft  ourfelves ;  we  pray  to  God  that  it 
may  be  utterly  extinguifhed  in  every  part  of  Chriftendom,  and 
that  the  true  fpirit  of  Chriftianity,  which  is  the  fpirit  of  meek- 
neis,  peace,  and  love,  may  be  introduced  in  its  ftead.  If  dif- 
ferent men,  in  carefully  and  confcientioufly  examining-  the 
Scriptures,  fhould  arrive  at  different  conclufions,  even  on 
points  of  the  laft  importance  j  we  trufb  that  God,  who  alone 
knows  what  every  man  is  capable  of,  will  be  merciful  to 
him  that  is  in  error.  We  truft  that  he  will  pardon  the  Uni- 
tarian, if  he  be  in  an  error,  becaufe  he  has  fallen  into  it  from 
the  dread  of  becoming  an  Idolater,  of  giving  that  glory  to 
another  which  he  conceives  to  be  due  to  God  alone.  If  the  wor- 
fhipper  of  Jefus  Chrift  be  in  an  error,  we  trufi:  that  God  will 
pardon  his  miftake,  becaufe  he  has  fallen  into  it  from  a  dread 
of  difobeying  what  he  conceives  to  be  revealed  concernino-  the 
72ature  of  the  Son,  or  commanded  concerning  the  honour  to -be 
given  him.  Both  area6tuatedby  the  fame  principle— THE  FEAR 

Vol.  I.  ^  QF 


xviii  PREFACE. 

OF  GOD;  and,  though  tliat  princli)le  impells  them  into  diffe- 
rent roads,  it  is  our  hope  and  beV.ef  that,  if  they  add  to  their 

faith  charity,   they  will  meet  in  heaven. If  any  one  thinks 

clilTcTcntlyon  the  fuhjevft,  I  will  have  no  contention  with  him  •,  for 
1  feel  no  difpofition  to  prolelyte  others  to  any  opinion  of  mine  : 
efleeming  it  a  duty  to  fpeak  what  I  think,  I  have  no  fcruple  in 
doing  tiiat ;  but  to  do  more  is  to  affe(5l  a  tyranny  over  other  men's 
minds  •,  it  is  to  encounter  not  only  the  reafon,  but  the  paflTion?, 
prejudices,  and  interefls  of  mankind ;  it  is  to  engage  in  a  con- 
fii6l  in  which  Chridian  charity  feldom  efcapes  unhurt  on  either 
fide. 

Too  much  pains  cannot  betaken  by  the  Clergy  in  examining 
the  external  and  internal  evidences  of  the  truth  of  the  Gofpel,  in 
order  that  they  may  generate  in  their  own  minds  a  full  conviction 
of  the  unfpeakable  importance  of  the  work  in  which  they  are  en- 
gaged ;  but  that  convidion  being  once  produced,  their  time  will 
be  far  more  ufefully  employed  in  difcharging  their  paftoral  office 
with  fidelity,  than  in  weighing  the  importance  of  all  the  difcord- 
ant  lyftems  of  faith,  which  have  in  different  ages  and  countries, 
not  merely  occupied  the  attention  of  Schoolmen  and  Monks,  but 
unfheathed  the  fwords  of  princes,  and  polluted  the  temple  of 
Chrijl  with  more  blood  than  was  ever  fhed  on  the  altars  of  Moloch^ 
or  in  honour  oi  VitzUliputzJi  the  God  of  Mexico.  Happily  for 
pur  age  this  fpirit  of  perfecution  is  well  nigh  extinguilhed  -,  for 
notwithflandin^  the  fad  fate  of  the  Galas  family  in  France  •,  not- 
withftanding  the  demon  of  fanaticifm  which  ipread  its  delufion 
over  London  and  Edinburgh  on  the  relaxation  of  the  laws 
againft:  Popery-,  notwithflanding  the  burning  zeal  of  a  few 
furious  bigots  amongfl  every  fed  of  Chriftians  •,  ftill  may  we 
foretel,  from  Qh^tx\m^the  figns  of  the  times^  that  the  asra  is  ap- 
proaching very  fafl,  when  Theological  Acrimony  fhall  be  fwal- 
lowed  up  in  Evangelical  Charity,  and  a  liberal  toleration  become 
the  dif^inguifhing  feature  of  every  church  in  Chriflendom.  The 
ruling  powers  in  Protellant  and  Catholic  ftates  begin  at  length 
every  where  to  perceive,  that  an  uniformity  of  fentiment  in  mat- 
ters of  religion  is  a  circumftance  impoffible  lo  be  obtained;  that 
it  has  never  yet  exifled  in  the  church  ofChrifl,  from  the  Apoflo- 
lic  age  to  our  own  ;  and  they  begin  to  be  afhamed  of  the  fines, 
confifcations,  imprifonments,  tortures,  of  all  the  unjuft  and  fan- 
guinary  efforts  which  they  have  feverally  made  ufe  of  to  procure 
if.  They  perceive  too  that  a  diverfity  in  religious  opinions  may 
fubfifl  among  the  fubje(?ls  of  the  fame  ftate,  without  endanger- 
ing the  common  weal  -,  and  tliey  begin  to  think  it  reafonablc,  that 

no 


PREFACE. 


XIX 


no  man  fhould  be  abridged  in  the  exercife  of  natural  rights, 
merely  on  the  fcore  of  Religion.  Thefe  enlarged  rentiments 
proceed  not,  I  would  willingly  hope,  from  what  the  Germans 
have  called  Indifferentifm  in  Religion  ;  but  partly  from  a  perfect 
knowledge  of  its  true  end,  which  is  Charity  j  and  partly  from 
that  confcioufnefs  of  intelleflual  weaknefs,  which  is  ever  mofl: 
confpicuous  in  minds  the  molt  enhghtened,  and  which,  where- 
ever  it  fubfifts,  puts  a  ftop  to  dogmatifm  and  intolerance  of 
every  kind. 

The  Books  and  Tracts  which  I  have  here  printed  are  all  of 
them  fo  well  known,  that  there  is  little  need  to  give  a  long 
account  of  any  of  them.  I  have  chofen  them  out  of  a  great 
variety  which  fuggefted  themfelves  to  my  mind,  but  I  have  no 
expeftation  that  every  one  fliould  be  pleafed  with  the  choice 
which  I  have  made.  I  once  knew  a  Divine  of  the  Church  of 
England,  of  great  eminence  in  it,  and  defervedly  eileemed  a 
good  Scholar,  who  having  accidentally  taken  up,  in  a  friend's 
apartment,  a  book  written  by  a  Diflenter,  haftily  laid  it  down 
again,  declaring  that "  he  never  read  diifenting  Divinity."  I  ought 
to  apologize  to  Men  of  this  Gentleman's  Opinion,  for  having 
made  fo  much  ufe  of  the  works  of  the  Diffenters  in  this  Collec- 
tion ;  but  the  truth  is,  I  did  not  at  all  confider  the  quarter  from 
whence  the  matter  was  taken,  but  whether  it  was  good,  and 
fuited  to  my  purpofe  •,  it  was  a  circumftance  of  utter  indifference 
to  me,  whedier  it  was  of  Paul^  or  ylpcllcSj  or  Cephas,  provided  it 
was  of  Chrift. 

As  this  CoUeclion  will  probably  fall  into  the  hands  of  fome, 
who  may  wi(h  to  become  acquainted  with  the  fort  of  Queftions, 
which  are  ufually  maintained  by  thofe  who  proceed  to  the  degree 
of  Bachelor  or  Doclor  in  Divinity  ;  1  thought  it  might  be  of  fer- 
vice  to  them,  if  I  put  down  a  few  of  thofe  which  have  been  pub- 
licly difputed  on  in  the  Theological  Schools  at  Cambridge  withia 
the  laft  twenty- five  or  thirty  years.  I  have  not  oblerved  much 
order  in  arranging  the  queftions :  the  reader  will  remark,  that 
they  are  not  all  of  equal  importance:  and,  what  he  may  judge 
more  extraordinary,  he  v^^ill  perceive,  that  the  fame  dodtrine  is 
rot  maintained  in  them  all.  "With  regard  to  their  importance, 
that  mufl  be  expedled  to  be  variable,  as  they  have  been  propofed 
by  men  of  very  different  talents  and  judgments.  A  famenefs  of 
dodrine  might  indeed  have  been  fecured  by  the  Profefibr,  with- 
out whofe  approbation  no  queftion  can  be  propofed  for  difputa- 
tion  :  but  I,  for  my  part,  (though  fome  will  probably  blame  me 
for  it)  have  thought  it  more  liberal  and  reafonable  to  fuffer  this 

b  2  contrariety. 


^^  PREFACE. 


• ,  f^,^.  mfVanfes  to  take  place,  than  to  oblige  meo 
contrariety,  m  f°™ '""^""V";,^,  ^r  to  preclude  them  from 
,0  fupport  wha     h  y  d  d  "^^  ^"--'^  ^^^J^  ,,  ,,,  Scriptures. 

'^'"  rffi  chelo  of  D  v"ni ty  or  a  Mafter  of  Arts  of  four  years 
ftaSng.and'thirttfe  Maimers  of  Arts  are  the  r.g.W  Oppo. 
nents  at  every  Divinity  Afl. 


\    ^  '.»  M  J 


Q^UiESTIONES 

11 


PREFACE.  xxi 


QU^STIONES   Q^U^DAM  THEOLOGICi^ 
IN  ACADEMIA   C  ANT  A  B  RIGIE  NS  I, 

AB    ANNO   1-55    USQUE    AD    ANN.   I785; 

Publice  dilputatse  fub  Prefidio  S.  Theologiae  Profe/Torum  Re^. 

THOM^  RUTHER forth,  RICARDI  WATSON. 

QUJES. 

1  ^K^X^ON  fuit  Deo  indignum  mortis  poena  fancire,  ne  pilmi 
S  N  S  hominum  generis  parent&s  unius  cujufdam  arboris  friiclu 
iQ'ii^'f^'J^  vefcerentur. 

2  Q^od   genus  humanum    fit    laboribus   et  morti  fubjeiluin  propter 

Adami  peccatum,  docetur  in  facra  pagina,  ncc  eft  rationi  con- 
trarium. 

3  Lapfum  olim  fuifTe  Angelorum  patet  ex  facrls  literls. 

4  Verus  crat  Terpens,  per  quern  Eva  decepta  fuit ;  fed  facultatibus,  quae 

ipfi  non  efTent  naturaliter  infitse,  utcbatur. 

5  Univerfus  ferpentum  cultus  apud  Gentiles  ad  confirmandam  genera- 

lem  interpretationem  Diaboli  fub  ferpentis  forma  latentis,  prout 
in  facris  Scripturis  traditur,  apte  convenit  atque  inde  derivari 
videtur. 

6  PrjEfcientia  divina  non  erat  caufa  lapfus  Adami. 

y  Peccatum  originis  non  eft  in  imitatione  Adami  fitum,  fed  eft  vitium 
et  depravatio  naturae  cujuflibet  hominis  ab  Adaraopropagati. 

8  Lapfus  Adami  humanam  naturam  ad  peccatum  procliviorem  red- 

didit. 

9  Chriftus  ante  erat  quam  humana  natura  ab  eo  induebatur. 

10  Non  fuit  indignum  Filio  Dei,  hominum  generis  redimendi  caufa,  hu- 

manam naturam  induere. 

1 1  Sacrificia  Juflu  Dei  principio  funt  conftituta. 

12  Sacrihcia  principio  conftituta  funt  ut  eftenttypi  mortis  Chrifti. 

13  Remiflio  peccatorum  per  Mediatorem  et  Sacrihcium  vicarium  baud 

Deo  eft  indigna. 

14  Satisfailio  pro  peccatis  hominum  per  mortem  Chrifti  non  repugnat 

rationi. 

15  Chriftum  ipfum  infontcm,  a  Deo  ad  mortem  datum  efte  pro  fontibds, 

eft  crcdibile. 

16  Quod  traditur  in  facris  Scripturis  de  lapfu,  redemptione,  et  futuro 

ftatu  humani  generis  non  contradicit  divinis  perfeiStionibus. 

17  Chriftiana  revelatio  rationis  inventa  fuperat  rerum  divinarum  nume- 

ro  et  certitudine. 

18  Ratio  fola  nuliam  poteft  invenire  conditionem,  qua  Deus  velit  homi-    • 

nibus  dare  peccatorum  veniam  et  impunitatsm. 

b  3  19  Mors 


xxii  P  R  E  F  A  C  E. 

IQ  Mrrs  Chrifti  eft  propria  ct  plena  fatisfa£lio  pro  pcccatis  hominum. 

20  Chrifhis  pro  omnibii>  cli  mortuus. 

21  Opera  juliorum  vitam  atcrnam  pc-r  fc  non  merentur. 

22  Juftitia  Chrifti  non  fic  hominibus  iirputatur,  ut  Dei  judicio,  ipfi 

cc-jileantiir  cam  pni-ftitiile. 

23  Coram  ])co  hoino  rcputatur  juftus  non  propter  mcritum  fuum,  fed 

propter  mcritum  Jefu  Chrilli,  per  fidem  in  ejus  nomine. 
iA  Neque  docent  lacra:  Scripturx,  nequc  articuli  Ecclcfia:  Anglicanap, 
Chrifti  juftitiam  nobis   imputari   in  juftiflcationcm,    {ed   fidem 
folam. 

25  Paulus  et  Jacobus,  quanqiiam  de  hominum  juftificationc  verbis  dif- 

crcpare  vidcantur,  fcntcntiis  tamen  non  difcrepant. 

26  Tuftilkatio  ncc  fme  fide  et  p;enitcntia  poteft  comparari,  ncc  fmc  fidci 

ct  pL£nitenti;e  fruclibus  confervari. 
2""  Sacr:e  Scriptune  nullibi  docent  homines  per  fidem  folam,  bonorum 
operum  frudtibus  carentem,  fupremo  die  juftihcandos. 

28  Non  eft;  ea  rcli2;ionis  Chrifti  ratio,  ut  omnibus  qui  per  cam  jufti 

apud  Chriftum  habeantur,  certa  falutis  confcquenda:  liducia  in  hac 
vita  ingeneretur. 

29  Fides  Chriftiana  ncc  cum  ab  hominibus  fufcipiatur,  nee  poftquam 

fufcepta  fit  rationis  ufum  afpernatur. 
20  Fiiit  Moles  verus  Propheta  a  Deo  mifius. 

31  Non  fuit  a  Dei  natura  alicnum  Ifraclita^  in  populum  fibi  peculiarem 

eligerc. 

32  Mofcs  fpem  vitae  jetcrnae  Ifraelitis  oftendit. 

Y'  Diftrihutio  pra'miorum  ct  pcenarum  temporallum  quse  promifTa  fuit 
in  libris  Mola'.cis,  non  erat  pro  meritis  hngalorum,  ncc  in  rebus 
adminiftrandis  ita  erat  acta. 

34  Colligi  non   poteft    ex    libris  Mofaicis  vetcres  Judaros  astcrna  im- 

piorum  fupplicia  apud  inferos  pati. 

35  Lex  Mofaica  non  iueo  Deo  indigna  cenfenda  eft,  quia  docct,  Deum 

iniquitatem  Patrum  in  hlios  vifitare. 

36  Picna  tulioni?,  quam  lex  Mofaica  conltituit,  non  fuit  Deo  legiflatorc 

indigna. 

37  Licentia  falfos  Deos  colendi  non  fuit  Ifraelitis  conce/Ta. 

38  Q^iod  rtliiiio  Judaica  fit  minus  perfecla  quam  Chriftiana,  id  nihil  pro- 

bat  contra  di\  inam  hujus  et  illius  ongmem. 

39  IfraelitiC  fpoliis  /t^gyptiorum  aufcrcndis,  legem  natura:  non  viola- 

bant. 

40  Non  erat  Deo  indignum  Canaanasos  Ifraelitis  exfcindcndos  tradcrc. 

41  Filia  Jephtha[:  non  fuit  immolata. 

42  Per  legem  Mofaicam  Jud.tis  non  llcuit  pro  victimis  homines  immo- 

lare. 

43  Mand.itum   Abrahamo  datum    de   immolatione   liaaci   ad    mortem 

Chrifti  rei>ra;fcntandamy  baud  alienum  fuit  divins  fapientiae  aul 
jufti-ti-;f. 

44  Non  fuk  Deo  i»>dignum  diras  Noachichas  in  Chamum  conficerc. 

45  Nuli.e  in  libro  Pliilniorum  obnunciajitur  dir*e,  qux  oftcndant  eos  non 

fuift'e  diuno  iuftinctu  confcriptos. 

46  Scriptura 


PREFACE;  ^;;i 

46  Scriptura  qua  docemur  "  Deum  Cor  Pharoahonis  obfrrmaiTe"  nihil 

in  fe  continet  contra  Dei  benignitatem ;  quantum  ex  ratioiie  aut 
reveiatione  tunc  temporis  Ifraelitis  concefia  colligi  poteft. 

47  Hominibus  qui  ante  diluvium  vixerunt  non  Iicuit,  efcs  caufa    ani- 

malia  maclare. 

48  Diluvium  olim  fuifle  univerfale  traditur  in  facra  Scriptura,  nee  eft 

hiftoris  vel  civili  vel  naturali  contrarium. 

49  Veritas  miraculorum,  quae  in  vcteri  teftamento  traduntur,  cum  Ido- 

lolatria  moribufque  depravatis  Judasorum  conftare  poteft, 

50  Vat'cinia  quibus  denunciavit  Mofes,  Paleftinam  ob  inobedientiam 

Judseorum  incultam  ab  lis   fterilemque  futuram  effe,  hodie  im- 
plentur. 

51  Dcus  cum  dixerit  Ifraelitis,  fe  nrophetam  Mofi  fimilem  ex  fratribus 

eorum  effe  excitaturum,    hoc  promifib   folum    Meffiam   del^i-- 
navit.  ^ 

52  Aliquie  extant  prjedidiones,  temporibus  Mofis  antiquiores,  qus  ad 

Chriftum  funt  referendse. 

53  Ex  veterum  prophetarum  praediclidnibus  duo  Meflis,  alter  Davidis 

alter  Jofephi  iilius,  non  erant  in  munduni  venturi. 

54  Sceptrum  quod  non  ante  erat  a  Juda  difcclTurum  quam  Shiloh  adve- 

nerit,  poteftatem  tribus  regendai  defignabat. 

55  IfraeliL-e  circumcifionis  ritum  ab  ^Egyptiis  non  receperunt. 

56  Mare  rubrum,  Ifraelitis  per  illud  tranfeuntibus,  a^  utrumque  latus 

inftar  muri  per  miraculum  ftetit. 

57  Confufio  linguarum  Babylonica  abfque  Dei  interventu  explanari  ne- 

quit. 

58  Miracula  funt  idonea  argumenta  divinae  MilTionis. 

59  Miracula  fuiffe  olim  edita  fatis    probari  poteft   ex    humano  tefti- 

monio. 

60  Credibile  eft,  Deum  pofTe  miracula  facere,  et  interdum  velle    et  hu- 

mano teftimonio  patet  fecifle. 

61  Miracula  non  nifi  a  Deo  aut  a  Creatura,  particulari  ejus  jufTu  etpo  • 

tentia  agente,  efficiuntur. 

62  Magi  ^gyptii  vera  coram  Pharoahone  miracula  fecerunti 

63  Tentatio  Chrifti  in  deferto  fuit  vifto  a  Deo  milFa; 

64  Tentatio  Chrifti  in  deferto  non  fuit  vifio  a  Deo  mifla. 

65  Nee  per  vifionem,  nee   per  Diabolum,  fub  qualibet  externa  forma 

fimiliter  autem  ac  homo  Chriftus  tentabatur. 

66  Miracula  in  Evangeliis  tradita  hiftoriam  earn  ipfis  conjundlam  adeo 

non  infirmant,  ut  abfque  illorum  ope  rerum  geftarum  feries  ex- 
plicari  nequeat. 

67  Chrifti  Apoftolis  vita  defun6lis  credibile  eft  ceflafle  miracula. 

68  Extraordinaria  fpiritus  fanfti  dona  ftatim  poft  tempora  Apoftolorunv 

in  Ecclefia  Chriftiana  non  cefTaverunt. 

69  Spiritus  fanclus  eft  perfona. 

70  Chriftianorum  eft  officium  fpiritum  fan£lum  colere  et  precari. 

71  Dantur  in  Chrifto-fidelibus  certa  quasdam  fpiritus  fan6>i  auxilia. 

72  Fidei  ^t  yirtutis  adjumenta  quae  homines  a  fpiritu  fanito  habent,  eo- 

rum  libert^tem  nun  tollunt. 

'^  4  73  Spiritus 


5(xiv  P  R  E  V  A  C  E. 

73  Spiritti?  ran(Sus  mterioni  fiHct  ftc  Virtutis  adjumcitta  hom?nihu5  ita 

fuppcditarc  folet,  tit  ntiHo  animi  tacbu  pcrcipiantirr. 
y4  Intcriom  qu*dnm,  Cb.riilinntr  Rcligionis  fuffipimdJp  ac  prneftanclae 

ad'nimcnta,  hominum  nntmis  a  fpiritu  fand^o  rubminif^rantur. 
75  Ad  Tlicolo'^iam  Chrillianain  plenc  et  pcrt'ecte  inteUigcndam  animo 

opus  eft  litrris  doc'hinifqTie  imburo. 
j6  Veritatis  Chriftian?e  Rcligionfs  evidcntia  non  a  fpiritu 'fimfto  infpi- 

ratiir,  fed  ex  refto  rationis  ufu  pendet. 
•"•  Divcrfa  rcvelationum  genera,  pro  varia  rerumethbrriinom  conditione, 

divcrlis  hoinlnum  moribus  ct  ingeniis  accommodantur. 
-S  ConfTlium  divinum   de   rcdimendo  hominum  gcncre,  prout  Chrifli 

tempera  acccdcbant,  gradatim  aperiebatur. 
-q  In  librrs  vet^ris  Teftamenti  prredicitur  Chriftiana  Difiienfatio. 
iJo  Chriftus  et  Apnftoli  abrojanda  lege  Mofaica  de  drvina  legillatoris 

auftoritatc  non  detrahunt. 
Si  Religio  quam  Chrlftus  humano  generi   tradidit  non  cohtinetur  Icgfc 

nnturali  dcnuo  promulganda. 
f  2  Non  eft  res  indifferens  quam  quilque  rtligioncm  colat. 
8  5  Error  in  doftrini^vTcli^jionisTpeculativisnon  eft  innocens. 
^4  Poft  Canonem  Scripturx  coriftgnatum  nov;c  revelationes  non  fant 

expc<^tanda?. 
S5  Mcflias  p?r  vetcres  prophetas  Juda^is  promifTus  non  futurus  erat  rex 

terrcftris. 

86  Veritas  Ciuiftiar.as  revelatlonis  patet  ex  impletione  prredi(Slionum  vo- 

ter urn  prophctarum. 

87  Jefus  Nazareiius  fuit  verus  MelTias  a  Deo  promiflus. 

8S  Pra:<li6lioncs  veterum  prophctarum  non  ita  cituntur  in  nmn  tefta- 
mento,  quafi  fmguls  feorrim  a  cjetcris  oftcnderent  JeUtm  ellb 
Alcfliam. 

■^9  CLuirs  Hicrofolymitana  ct  ftatus  populi  Judaici  hodiernus  pro  magno 
argumcnto  eft  vcritaiis  Chriftians  Reiigionis. 

90  Deus   nulla   lege  ant  varicinutionc  lignificar^it,  fc  nolle  Judseorum 

queiiquam  in  ullani  Cliridianoilim  ci\itatem  civem  adfcriptitium 
recipi. 

91  Propngatio  fidci  Chriftian^  aiue  Conftantini  tempera  probat  auclo- 

ritatcniejus  dlvinam. 

<^2  Convcrfio  Divi  Pauli  ortum  fuum  non  debuit  fuperftitioni,  fed  mi- 
raculis  a  Deo  editis  et  veritari  Chriftiaua;  Religionis. 

q^  Ex  vitaet  moribus  Chrifti  et  Apoftolorum  Cbriftianse  rcligibftfs  Ve- 
ritas probari  poteft. 

94  Miracula  Chrifti  una  cum  dodrina   probant   divinam    ejus    nuf- 

fionem. 

95  Miracifia  Chrifti  ipfa  p£r  fc  vafcnt  ad  probandam  divinam  ejus  mif- 

fionctn. 

96  Ad  ftabilicndam  revelationis  do<5lrlnam  non  fatrs  valet  interna  tf\'i- 

dcntia. 

97  Diflenfiones  Chriftianonim,  dc  rebus  qnte  in  rcli^ionc  Chriftiaiu 

coiitincantur,  non  oftendunt  rcligionem  ipl'am  clTefalfam. 

98  Variances  lc<^tiones  et  mcnda  au«5loritatem  facrae  Scripturse  nonlabe- 

laclant  in  lebus  ad  iidem  ct  mores  fpcdantibus. 

99  Diflenfiones 


P  R  E  F  A  C  E,  :s:^ 

99  Difienfiones   inter   Apoftolos  de  ciFcumcifione   gentlom   divinam 
ChriftianiE  religionis  auctoritatem  noil  inipu2:nant. 

00  Csteri  Apoftoli  cum  Paulo  confentiebant,  Judaeos  fine  obtempe- 

randa  lege  Mofaica  pofTe  per  Chriftum  falutem  confequi. 

01  Auftoritas  Teftimonii  quo  Religio  Chrifti  conlirmatur  temporum 

longinquitate  non  imminuta  elt. 

02  Nihil  in  Evangelio  Adatthaei  traditur  ex  quo  probari  poflit,  id  Scrip- 

turn  fuifle  poll  excidium  Hierofolymitanum. 

03  Apoftoli  nihil  tradiderunt,  ex  quo  inteiligamus  credidifle  cos  mun- 

dum  fuis  temporibus  finem  fuifTe  habiturum. 

04  iReligio  Chriftiana  non  ideo  vituperanda  ed  quod  nihil  de  amicitia 

privata  vel  de  amore  patriae  praefcripierit. 

05  Divina  Chriftianse  religionis  auctoritas  non  imminuitur  ex  eo  quod 

nondum  univerfis  innotuit. 
c6  Jefuitrs  Chrifti  caufam  male  agunt  tolerando  ritus  et  caeremonias, 
quas  apud  Sinas  in  honorem  Confufii,  parentum,  casterorumque 
majorum  mos  eft  celebrare. 

07  Magiftratui  jus  non  conipetit  fubditos  coercendi  ad  cultum  ilium 

divlnum  celebrandum,  lege  licet  ftabilitiim,  quern  ipfi  vel  rationi 
vel  revelationi  baud  confentaneum  cenient. 

08  Non  eft  libertati  Chriftianas  alienum  ut  in  rebus  hndiftcrcntibus  ad 

cultum  Dei  fpeftantibus  Ecclefia  aucloritatcm  habeat. 

09  In  fidei  controveruis  nulla  datur  ecclefios  audloritas  quas  jus  tollit 
•    privati  judicii. 

10  Chriftianorum  hominum  qui  fe  ad  civitatis  fuae  religionem  confor- 

mare  nolint,  jus  nullum  violatur  ft  e  muneribus  civilibus  leg6 
lata  excludantur. 

11  Indulgentia  Pontificiis  nuper  conceiTa  nee  rationi,  nee  facris  Uteris, 

r.ec  reipublicte  faluti  repugnat. 

12  Vis  externa  non  eft  hominibus  adhibenda  propter  religionem  quam 

profitentur. 

13  Unaquagque  ecclefia  jure  poftulare  poteft,  ut  ii  quibus  publice  do- 

cendi   mUmis   committat,    religionis  Chriftiance  inftitutionibus, 
ejus  aufloritate  comprobatis,  aftentiant. 

14  Et  rationi  et  lacris  Scripturis  confentaneum  eft  ut  homines  ecclefi- 

aftici  poteftati  civili  lubjiciantur. 

15  Non  eft  Chriftianis  interdi^lum,  ut  quavis  de  caufa  fidem  ftiam  uUo 

jurejurando  ne  aftringant. 

16  Nulla  in  civilibus  hominum  ofHciis  mutatio  eft  facta  per  Chrifti  re- 

ligionem, 
ly  Non  eft  a  Chrifti  religione  alienum  civili  auiloritate  recipl  ac  fta- 
biliri.   . 

18  Chriftiana  religio  incrementa  fua  in  primis  ecclen?e  fsculis  non  de- 

buit  caufis,  ut  vocantur,  fecundis,  fed  partim  interns  fuae  ex- 
cellentiae^.tpaftim  au6toris  fai  poteftati -divinse. 

19  Perlpicuitas  facrorum  librorum  non  efficit  ut  fupervacaneum  fit  ho- 

mines ad  religionem  Chrifti  inftituere. 

20  Miniftris  eccleiix  debetur  aliquod  ftipsndium. 

21  Forma  regiminis  in  ecckna  Anglicana  conftituti,  et  verbo  Dei  et 

ecclefis  primitivse  ufu  fancitur, 

122  Ecclefiaftici 


xxvi  P  R  E  F  A  C  E. 

22  EccltTiaftici  regiminis  in  Auglia  ct  in  Scotia  conftituti,  neutra  for- 
ma, aut  juri  hominuin  ruituiali  aut  vcrbo  J)ci  rcpugnat. 

2?  A  Chrifti  ct  Apoftolorum  infUtutione  patct,  ordincni  fuilfc  Epifco- 
p^tus  a  Prcfbytcriatu  divcifum,  eoquc  fupcriorcm. 

24.  Stats  precum  formulx  fuiit  maximc  conforincs  facris  Scriptuiib  ct 
ccclcfiic  prinutivxpraxi. 

2<  Litur<ria;  in  divc-rfis  ccclc-iiis  divcrf*,  modo  lacris  Uteris  haud  ad- 
vcrlciuur,  noii  funt  improbandse. 

26  Precatio  Dominica  eft  formula  quam  Omncs  Chrifti  Difcipuli  in 

Deo  precando  adhibcre  dcbent. 

27  Prcccs  et  publicae  ct  privata;  tantum  in  nomine  Chrifti  funt  pcra- 

gcndx. 

28  Creaturam  cultu  religiofo  profequi  non  licet. 

2Q  E  Stephani  martyris  moribundi  precibus  patct  Jcfum  Chriftum  cftc 

Dcum. 
30  Chriftus  fummo  cultu,  quern  Deo  Patri  reddimus  colcndus  eft. 
21   Chriftus  qua  Mediator  novi  foederis  eft  adcequatum  objeclum  cuU 

tus  rcligiofi. 

32  Fidei  in  trcs  perfonas  cjufUL-m  fubftantise,  potentiap,  et  aetcrnitatis, 

Patrem,  Filium,  et  Spiritum  Sanctum,  unius    Dei  cultus  non 
rcpugnat. 

33  Myfteria  revelatlonis  non  oftendunt  earn  non  efle  a  Deo  traditam. 

34  Deo  indignum  non  fuit  ut  inftituta  pofitiva  in  rcligione  traderet. 
31:  Pofitiva  relifrionis  praecepta  non  minus  obligant  quam  moralia. 
36  Duo  tantum  novi  foederis  facramenta  inftituit  Chriftus. 

3-  Confirmatio,  prcnitentia,  ordo,    matrimonium,  et  extrema  uniSlio 

pro  facramentis  Evangclicis  non  funt  habenda. 
38  Cuena  Dominica  Epuli  facriiicalis  rationem  non  habet. 
30  Nullum  in  miffa  fitfacrificium  quo  peccata  viventium  ac  mortuorum 

expiantur. 

40  Animus  Chriftianus   neceflario  prxcedit  dignam  Euchariftix  pcr- 

ceptionem.  . 

41  Euchariftia  ufque  ad  fecundum  Chrifti  adventum  ab  eju^Difcipulis 

celeb rari  debet. 

42  Calix  Laicis  non  eft  denegandus. 

43  Dodrina  pontiflciorum  de  tranfubftantiationc  nee  rationi,  nee  fen- 

fuum  teftimonio,  nee  facris  Scripturis  confentaneum  eft. 

44  Tranfubltantiatio  non  eft  xque  credibilis  ac  Trinitas  perfonarum 

in  una  ell'entia. 

45  Leges  Anglicanje  qux  vetant  munera  reipuhlicx  cuiquam  deferri 

qui  noli^  Euchariftiam  pcrcipere  juxta  ecclefia:  Anglicanx  pra;- 
fcrlptum  Euchariftiai  religioiiem  non  poUuunt. 

46  Rente  in  ecclefia  Anglican*  faiicitur  ne  quis  nifi  flexis  gcnubus  coe- 

nam  Domini  capiat. 

47  Religio  Chriftiana    poftulat    ut    qui  earn   fufcipiant   aqua  bapti- 

ze ntur. 

48  Baptifmus  parvulorum  omnino  in  ecclefia  rctinendus  eft  ut  qui  cum 

Chrifti  inftitutionc  optimc  conveniat. 

49  Lex  Chrifti  non  poftuhu  ut  onines  qui  baptizentur  in  aquam  im- 

mergantur. 

150  AquiC 


PREFACE.  xxvil 

150  Aqu3e  afpeiTio  feu  affufio  in  baptifmate  adminifirando  non  Irritum 

red^it  iacramentum.         .    . 

151  Omne  peccatum  quod  Chrifliani  poft  baptlfmum  committant,  fi 
■•  ij,,^  paenitendo  corrigatur,  eos  a  falute  non  excludit, 

152  .Sabbfitam  erat,  ante  legem  per  Mofem  traditam,  a  Deo  confti- 

tutum. 

153  Prsecepta  Mofaica  de  modo  obfervandi  Sabbatum  Chriflianos  non 

obligant. 

154  Sabbatum  ab  ultimo  die  feptimanae  recle  eft  inter  Chriftianos  ad 

primum  tranflatum. 

155  A.<i  .^iem  Dominicum  religiofe  obfervandum  cuntfli  Chriftiani  te- 

nentur. 

156  Do6trina  abfolutse  praedeftinationis  cum  divinis  pugnat  attributis. 

157  Doftrina  prsdeftinationis  et  ele<3:ionis  ad  futurum  aut  miferi^E  aut 

felicitatis  ftatum  ex  facra  Scriptura  colligi  nequit. 

158  Praedeftinatio  Paulina  tota  fpe6lat  ad  Gentium  vocationem. 

159  In  libris  novi  foederis  nihil  de  praedeftinatione  traditur  quod  diligen- 

tiam  hominum  in  officiis  praeftandis  jure  imminuat. 

160  Sacrae  Scripture  nullibi  docent  eos  qui  de  Chrifto  nunquam  audive- 

runt  non  pofle  falutem  aeternam  confequi. 

161  Salus  noftra  in  fide  in  Chriftum  redemptorem  confiftit. 

162  Do6trina  ecclefiae  pontificiae  de  purgatorio  nullis  vel  facrx  Scriptu- 

rae  vel  rationis  nititur  fundamentis. 

163  San<51orum  et  Angelorum  cultus  et  invocatio  apud  pontificios  eft 

idololatria. 

164  Ipfe  jejunandi  actus  per  fe  et  fua  natura  vim  et  rationem  religionis 

non  habet. 

165  ConfefTio  privata  facerdoti  fa£la  non  eft  ad  falutem  neceflaria. 

166  Plebi  et  indoclis  facrorum  librorum  ledtio  non  eft  interdicenda. 

167  Nee  Petrus  nee  Pontifex  Romanus  conftitutus  fuit  a  Chrifto  totius 

ecclefias  monarcha 

168  In  facris  libris  continentur  omnia  quae  funt  ad  falutem  neceftaria. 

169  Sacra  Scriptura  eft  unica  Chriftianae  fidei  norma. 

170  Nullus  eft  in  ecclefia  judex  infallibilis  controverfiarum. 

171  Chara6teres  hominis  peccati  in  pofteriore  Paulina  ad  Theflalonicen- 

fes  epiftola  exprefii  Pontifici  Romano  apprime  conveniunt. 

172  Pars  hiftoricaNovi  Teftamenti  quas  continet  eventus  divinamopem 

non  expofcentes  jure  fidem  noftram  vindicat. 

173  Datur  ftatus  medius  inter  mortem  et  refurre6lionem. 

174  Non  datur  ftatus  medius  inter  mortem  et  refurre\;tionera.a.,'ioJ  ^ i^i 

175  Nee  felicitas  beatorum  perfeiSta  nee  miferia  impiorum  extrema  erit 

ante  refurredlionem  et  generale  judicium. 

176  Jobi  de  vindice  fuo  videndo  fiducia  ad  fpem  vita^  futurae  referenda 

eft. 

177  RefurrcvSlio  Chrifti  probatur  teftibus  fide  dignis. 

178  Pvefurreclio  mortuorum  patet  ex  parabola  Divitis  ac  Lazari. 

179  Anima  a  corjjore  foluta  in  ftatu  feparato  manet  ad  refurrecSlionem^ . 

180  Refurreclio  quas  patefada  et  promifta  eft  in  Evangelio  eftrefurre6lio 

corpori'^..  ,  :    .      . 

181  interna  felicitas  non  patet  nifi  ex  revelatione.  ■ 

a  182  Poena 


xxviii  PREFACE. 

82  Poena  improborum  erunt  aeternae. 

83  Bcntos  in  ftatu  glor-^e  fe  mutuo  agniturosefTe  nec  ratlonC  nee  Hitrls 

Scripturis  rcfragatur. 

84  Ex  Evangeliftarum  et  Apoftolorum  fcriptis  miiiime  patet  qui  in 

hiftoriolis  luis  Icrvari  dicuntur  eos  ideo  vitam  aternam  confe- 
cuturos. 

85  Chriftiis  vera  dsmonia  ejecit. 

"Sb  Oraculorum  refponfa  antiquitiK  reddita  non  a  facerdotum  praefti 
giis  aut  humaiio  quolibct  artificio,  fed  a  daemonum  quos  Dcu"» 
Ethnicos  illudcre  pafTus  eft  malignitate. 

87  Diaconi  non  ad  civile  tantum,  fed  ad  facrum  etiam  munus  initio  funt 

conftituti. 

88  Bona  Chriftianorum  non  funt  omnibus  communia. 

89  Nee  peccavit  Chriftus  nee  pcccare  potuit. 

go  Non  neceflitate  quadam  impulfus  fed  confilio  fuo  obfccutus  Judas, 
Chriftum  in  pontificum  manus  tradidit. 

91  Particularis  providentise  docStrina  cum  ratione  et  facris  Scripturis 

coiifonat. 

92  Praeeeptade  charitate  inimicorum  quae  in  facris  libris  traduntur  na- 

ture hominum  apte  conveniunt. 

93  Licet  fub  novo  foedere  Chriftianis  fangulne  vefci. 

94  Epiftola  ad  Hebraeos  a  Paulo  feripta  eft. 

95  Mons  Ebal  fuit,  in  quo  Ifraelitse  a  Deo  jufli  funt  aram  extruere 

poftquam  Jordanem  tranfiifTent. 

96  Judxi  rcile  recufarunt  nc  Samaritani  templum  Dei  fecum  aedlfi- 

carent. 

97  Apoftoli  omnes  inlellexerunt  linguas  Sancli  Spiritusafflatu. 

98  Chrifti  bene  merita  afficiunt  pxnitentes  et  probos,  non  impaeniten- 

tes  et  reprobos. 
J 99  Prascepta  Evangelii  qua?  ad  mores  fpe£lant  tendunt  ad  humanam 

felicitatem  promovendam. 
200  Chriftus  in  mundum  venit  ut  homines  non  folum  doceret  fed  redi- 

meret. 

Thefc  Queftions  may  be  fiimcient  to  give  the  Reader  fome  no- 
tion of  the  Subjtds,  which  have  of  late  engaged  the  attention 
of  the  Difputants  in  the  Divinity  Schools  at  Cambridge.  I  will 
afford  him  an  opportunity  of  contrafling  our  labours  with  thofe 
of  our  Predeccllbrs,  without  taking  upon  me  to  determine  whe- 
ther we  (hall  derive  credit  or  diflionour  from  the  comparifon.  If 
he  (hould  think  that  we  have  in  fome  inftances  a  more  enlarged 
view  of  the  Chriftian  fyfbem,  and  more  liberal  notions  concerning 
the  manner  in  which  diflentients  from  our  particular  mode  of  faith 
and  worfliip  ought  ro  be  tr-iated  than  they  had,  1  will  take  the  \\- 
berty  to  fay,  that  there  is  roona  for  improvciiient  in  both  thefe 
|)oints. 


la 


PREFACE. 


XX12C 


In  1634  were  publifhed  at  CzmhrldgQ——-^  DetermimlioKes  ^^f- 
iiomm  quarundam  Theokgicarumy   in  Academia   Cantahrigienji 

ptiblice  difpulatarum by  Doctor  Davenant,  then  Bifhop 

of  Salifbury,  and  formerly  Lady  Margaret's  Frofeflbr  of  Di- 
viriity. 

INDEX    QlU  iE  S  T  I  O  N  U  Jil. 

QyjEST. 

I  f!:«>:^  ONCUPISCENTIAin  renatis  eft  peccatum. 
S  C  ^;     2  Papiftarum  preces  pro  defunctis  funt  inanes. 
t^5C^3fr^^     3  Vere  credentes  certi  efle  polTunt  de  fua  falute. 

4  Nulla  eft  temporalis  Papae  poteftas  fuper  reges  in  ordine  ad  bonum 

fpirituale. 

5  Infallibilis  determinatio  fidei  non  eft  annexa  cathedrae  Papali. 

6  Caeca  Jefuitaruin  obedientia  eft  illicita. 

7  Non  licet  Proteftanti  falva  confcientia  miflae  interefle. 

8  Opera  paenalia  non  funt  divinas  juftitias  fatisfadloria. 

9  Non  datur  llberum  arbitrium  in  non  renatis,  ad  bonum  fpirituale. 
JO  Opera  renatorum  labe  peccati  funt  inquinata. 

11  Civilis  jurifdi6lio  jure  conccditur  perlonis  ecclefiafticis. 

12  Renuente    magiftratu,    non   licet   populo   reformationem    ecqlefiae 

moliri. 

13  Mifla  pontificia  non  eft  facrificium  propitiatorum  pro  vivis  et  mor- 

tuis. 

14  Antiqui  Patres  non  merucrunt  Chrifti  incarnationem,  nee  aliquas 

ejus  circumftantias. 

15  Tota  poteftas  facerdotum  eft  fpiritualis. 

16  Bonitas  ad  malum  non  fluit  exprincipiis  integrae  naturae. 
J  7  Jefuitici  pontificii  non  poiTunt  efle  boni  fubditi. 

18  Cultus  reiigiofus  creature  eft  Idololatria. 

19  Rex  in  regno  fuo  eft  minor  folo  Deo. 

20  Ecclefia  Anglicana  juftiffime  obligat  ad  caeremonias, 

21  Ecclefia  Romana  eft  apoftatica. 

22  Decretum  non  tollit  libertatem. 

23  Sacramenta  non  conferunt  gratiam  ex  opere  operate. 

24  In  efl!entia  divina  nee  aliuJ  jiec  accidens. 

25  Praefcientia  divina  non  erat  caufa  lapfus  humani. 

26  Subjeftum  divinas  prasdeftinationis  eft  homo  lapfus. 

27  Papiftas  tenentur  interefle  facris  Proteftantium. 

28  Papae  jurifdidio  non  eft  univerfalis. 

29  Fides  implicita  non  eft  falafifera. 

30  Dominium  temporaie  jion  fundatur  in  gratia. 

31  Omne  peccatum  eft  fua  natura  mortiferum. 

32  Confilia,  quae  vocantur  Evangelica,  habent  quandoque  vim  pr^e- 

cepti. 

2^  RemifTa 


^Tix  P  R  E  F  A  C  E. 

22  RcinifTa  culpn  remittitur  psenn. 

34  Nemo  potcft  de  congrti)  mcrcri  primam  gratiam  diviuam. 

35  Ecclefu  iiu'ifibilis  non  eft  Idea  Platoaica, 

36  Chrifti  victima  fo!a  vcrc  cxpiatoria. 

37  Fides  jufHficans  eft  fiducia  in  Chriftum  mediatorcm. 

38  Fides  juftificans  non  poteft  a  charitatc  disjungi. 

39  Laici  non  funt  arccndi  a  Icftione  Scrlpturarum, 
4.0  Supcrbia  fuit  primum  peccatum  Angclorum. 

41  Publica  Religionis  cxercitia  funt  liiigua  vulgar!  pcragcnda. 

42  Divcrfitas  graduum  in  miniftris  Evangelicis,  verbo  Dei  non  rc- 

pugnat. 

43  Caelibatus  non  eft  neceflario  facris  ordinibus  annexus, 

44  Sancli  non  funt  invocandi. 

4.5  Ignorantia  non  cxcufat  peccatum. 

46  Sancta  ecclefia  Catholica  quam  credimus,  ex  foils  conftat  clcdlis. 

47  Nee  Petrus  nee  Ponrifex  Romanns  conftitutus  fuit  a  Chrifto  ecelefise 
*^''   '       totius  monarcha. 

48  Ceiifura  eccieliaftica  non  tollit  vincula  officiorum. 

49  Non  datur  omnibus  auxilium  fufficicns  ad  falutem. 


►^ 


U0U<lPOO<O0OfO<MMHtOTt<TO0O0(fflffttf  ftOtCTCtiOOCroOMPOCOCOCOOQOOOtlQ^ 


DcKftor  TuCKNEY  was  elefbed  Regius  Profcflbr  of  Divinky  in 
the  Univerfity  of  Cambridge  in  1655;  his  Prick^iones 'Theo- 
kgicic^  nee  non  Determinationes  ^itjttonum  variarum  in/tgnium 
in  Scholis /Icademicis  Cant ahrigienfi bin  hahitif-   — were  publifhed 

"'.at  Amfterdam  in  1679. 

QJO  i^STIONES    DETERMINATE^. 

I  f:C<f^AGISTRATUM  gerere  non  repugnat  Chrifti  inftitutis. 
^^.  M  "^  2  Humana  Chrifti  natura  non  eft  ex  unionc  hypoftatica 
^?>'^*::i3  Divinarum  proprietatum  particeps. 

3  Ke!igio  non  eft  vi  ct  armis  propaganda. 

4  Infallibilitas  nulli  compctit  creature. 

5  Flectio  eft  prorfus  gratuita. 

6  C^mnc  peccatum  eft  fua  natura  mortale. 

7  Ad  minirterium  ccclefiae  fulcipiendum  ordinaiie  requiritur  legilima 

vocatio. 

8  Chriftiano  licet  ex  intuitu  mercedis  operari. 

9  Meritum  Papifticum  ex  S.  Scripturanon  probatur. 

10  Purgatorium  Papifticum  eft  ti«llitium. 

1 1  Plena;  proptiT  peccatum  :rtcriiae  non  funt  iniquae. 

12  l'ix'*^'***^X'*  nee  rationt- fundatur  nee  Scriptura. 

I  ^  Pcccata  prx'tcriia  et  futura  non  funul  remitiuntur. 

14  Frnudes  qus:  vocantur  pi.t  funt  illicitse. 

15  NulIu^  afll-nfus  conilituit  ratioiieni  hdei  juftificantis. 

i6  Ad 


PREFACE.  xxxi 

i6  Ad  reilemptlonis  noftras  ^ut^ov  tam  a6liva  quam  pafTiva  Chrifli  fpedat 
obedientia. 

17  Deus  reputat  pro  juftis  non  nifi  revera  juftos. 

18  Reditudo  primi  parentis  non  fuit  donuin  fupernaturale, 
jg  Beati  in  ftatu  glorias  fe  mutuo  funt  agnituri. 

20  Avro^ovix  non  eft  licita. 

21  Vere  fideles  certi  efTe  pofTunt  de  falute. 

22  Credentes  tenentur  ad  obedientiam  legis. 

23  Dominium  temporale  non  fundatur  in  gratia. 

24.  Cognitio  fana  neceflario  credendorum  eft  pars  religionis  eflentialis. 

25  Regnum  Chrifti  perfonale  in  terris  non  eft  expedlandum. 

26  Miniftris  conjugium  non  eft  interdicendum. 

27  Intelledlus  vi  fola  nativi  luminis  non  percipit  falutariter  doclrinam 

Evangelii.  ;    :■.  '  / 

28  Fides  juftiticans  a  bonis  operibus  fejuiigi"nequit. 

29  Praecepta  Evangelica  de  vita  inftituenda  funt  reclae  rationi  confen- 

tanea. 

30  Renati  in  hac  vita  non  poflunt  perfedle  legem  Dei  adimplere. 

31  Externus  judex  infallibilis  in  controverfiis  fidei,  nee  datur,  nee  re^ 

quiritur  in  ecclefia, 

32  Bona  opera  funt  necefl'aria  ad  falutem. 

33  Concupifcentia  in  renatis  eft  peccatum. 

34  Quintum  Danielis  imperium  non  reftatadhuc  expe6landum. 

35  Interna  Dei  illuminatio  non  tollit  ufum  neceiTarium  minifterii  Evan- 

•  gelici. 

36  Officia  ecclefiaftica  funt  lingua  vulgo  nota  celebranda. 

37  Verbum  Dei  externum  eft  ordinarium  medium  converfionis  ad  fa- 

lutem. 

38  Indulgentiae  pontificine  non  nituntur  verbo  divino. 

39  Chriftus  eft  Patri  'o/xo«Viof. 

40  Status  in  quo  homo  nee  juftus  fit  nee  injuftus  non  datur. 

41  Jacobi  fententia  de  juftificatione  non  eft  adverfaria  Paulinae. 

42  Ufura  legitima  non  eft  illicita. 

43  Sacrificia  fub  et  ante  Mofaicam  oeconomiam  typi  fuerunt  Jefu  Chrifti, 

44  Divortium  matrimoniale  non  folvit  vinculum. 

45  Culpa  remifla  non  retinetur  poena. 

46  Non  licet  gladio  animadverterc  in  hzereticos. 

47  Promulgatio  eft  de  eflentia  legis  divinse. 

48  Principes  nulli  terreno  foro  fuut  obnoxii. 

49  Externa  fidei  profeftio  dat  jus  ad  facramenta. 

50  Lectio  S.  Scripturae  non  eft  interdicenda  Laicis. 

51  Chara£teres  Antichrifti  in  Scriptura  cxprefti  praecipue  conveniunt 

pontifici  Romano. 

52  Satisfadio  Chrifti  pro  peccatis  eft  congrua  juftitiae  et  gratis  divinse. 

I  once  intended  to  have  digefted  the  whole  of  Theology  into 
a  conneiled  feries  of  propofitions,  with  references  to  fuch  Au- 
thors ancient  and  modern,  as  had  treated  the  affirmative  and  ne- 
gative fide  of  each,  with  the  greateft  clearnefs  and  precifion. 


xxxir 


1'.  R  E  F  A  C  E.- 


The  mere  enunciation  of  a  propofuion  conveys  a  degree  of  ufo 
fiil  knowledge,  and  the  various  queftions  which  kiygeft  theni- 
felves  on  every  important  fubjeift  in  Divinity  might  be  dated 
with  fuch  precifion,  and  made  fo  to  depend  on  each  other,  that 
they  would  comprehend  in  a  fhort  compafs  the  marrow  of  many 
a  bulky  Syftem,  and  would  at  the  fame  tinie  give  luch  a  regu- 
lar and  complete  view  of  the  whole  fubjedt,  a^  conllitute^-tJKj 
chief  utility  of  Syftematic  Treatifes.  I  had  made  fomc  little 
progrels  in  this  work,  when  1  was  leized  with  a  dilbrder  three 
years  ago,  that  has  rendered  me  unequal  to  the  exertions  which 
its  completion  would  require.  If  any  perlbn  fhould  be  induced 
to  undertake  a  work  of  this  nature,  he  will  find  his  endeavours 
much  afTifted  by  the  Jphorijmi per  UniverfamTheologiam  Breviores^ 
of  Cofceius;  and  by  his  Aphorifms  contra  Socuiianoj  et  contra  Pof^ 
iificios ;  by  the  Syllabus  ^isjlionum  pracipuarum^  qua  inter  Soci^ 
nianos  rdiqiiojque  EccUfia  Reformats,  fimul  ac  Poniifcia  Theologoi 
ventilantur,  publifhed  in  Bilhop  Barlow's  Remains;  by  a  fmalL 
tract  intitled  ^fo'Jiiones  pro'cipua,  eaque  nude  propofita-i  de  Um- 
verfa  Do^rina  Chriftianorum,  Brem^e  1617  •,  by  the  Summa  Theo-r 
logica  of  Thomas  Aquinas  \  for  notwithftanding  the  ridicule  which 
ufa^lly»,  iQ  theie  days,  attends  the  mere  mention  of  tlie  AngeU^ 
Dodor,  I  will  venture  to  affirm,  That  in  that  work  there  are, 
mixed  indeed  with  many  difficult  fubtleties  and  perverfe  interpit- 
tations  of  Scripture,  not  afew  Theological  queftions  of  great  mo- 
ment dated  with  clearnels  and  judgment;  by  Doddridge's  Lcclures^ 
by  the  T^hefes  Theologies  of  Vo[[nu\  and  of  Le  Blatic,  by  the  ^yt,- 
tngma  Thefmn  in  Academia  Salmurienfi  difputatarum,  by  the  IVorks 
of  EpifcopiwSi  hmhorch^Turretin^  CurcelUus^  Buddeus^  Cakin^ 
ArminiuSy  BcckiiiSy  and  by  our  Englifh  Divines;  of  whom  it  may 
be  faid  in  general,  that  they  have  illudrated  particular  dodrinea 
of  Chriltianity  with  more  ftrength  of  argument,  and  perfpicuity 
of  language,  than  are  to  be  met  with  in  the  writings  of  the 
Divines  of  any  other  nation. 


uMsai 


THE 


R      E      F      A      C      E. 


^<^){?^HE  Reader  is  here  prefented  with  the  plan  which  Dr.  Taylor 
O  T  ^  followed,  in  leading  his  pupils  to  a  juft  and  rational  acquain- 
^;^;^;^  tance  with  the  principles  of  Religion,  founded  upon  an  accu- 
rate knowledge  of  the  Scriptures. 

The  importance  of  this  fervice,  and  his  accountablenefs  in  a  great 
meafure  for  the  event,  were  confiderations  of  the  laft  moment,  and 
caufed  him  to  compofe,  and  deliver  his  academical  inftrudlions  with  the 
utmoft  circumfpecSlion.  To  his  own  judgment,  after  the  ftricleft  revifal, 
the  principles  here  advanced,  appeared  juft  and  fcriptural ;  but  he  did 
not  therefore  prefume  they  were  abfolutely  free  from  error ;  much  lefs 
did  he  think  himfelf  authorized,  as  a  public  tutor,  to  impofe  his  fenti- 
ments  on  young  minds  with  an  overbearing  hand.  That  he  might  do 
juftice  to  his  pupils,  and  himfelf,  he  always  prefaced  his  leisures  with  the 
following  folemn  Charge,  which  does  honor  to  the  Author,  and  affords 
a  noble  precedent  to  feminaries  of  learning. 

I.  "  I  DO  folemnly  charge  you,  in  the  name  of  the  God  of  Truth, 
and  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift,  who  is  the  Way,  the  Truth,  and 
the  Life,  and  before  whofe  judgment-feat  you  muft  in  no  long 
time  appear,  that  in  all  your  ftudies  and  inquiries  of  a  religious 
nature,  prefent  or  future,  you  do  conftantly,  carefully,  impar- 
tially, and  confcientioufly  attend  to  evidence,  as  it  lies  in  the 
holy  Scriptures,  or  in  the  nature  of  things,  and  the  dictates  of 
reafon;  cautioufly  guarding  againffc  the  fallies  of  imagination, 
and  the  fallacy  of  ill-grounded  conjecture." 

IL  —  "  That  you  admit,  embrace,  or  aflent  to  no  principle,  or 
fentiment,  by  me  taught  or  advanced,  but  only  fo  far  as  it  fhall 
appear  to  you  to  be  fupported  and  juftified  by  proper  evidence 
from  Revelation,  or  the  reafon  of  things." 

in.  —  "  That,  if  at  any  time  hereafter,  any  principle  or  fenti- 
ment, by  me  taught  or  advanced,  or  by  you  admitted  and  em- 
braced, -fhall,  upon  impartial  and  faithful  examination,  appear  to 
you,  to  be  dubious  or  falfe,  you  either  fufpeit,  or  totally  rejeft 
fuch  principle  or  fentiment." 

IV.  —  *'  That 
Vol.  I.  A 


ii  The  PREFACE. 

IV.  —  "  That  you  keep  your  mind  always  open  to  evidence.  — 
That  you  labour  to  banifh  from  your  breaft  all  prejudice,  pre- 
pofTcfrion,  and  party-zeal.  —  That  you  ftudy  to  live  in  peace 
and  love  vi'ith  all  your  fellow-chriftians  ;  and  that  you  fteddily 
aflert  for  yourfelf,  and  freely  allow  to  others,  the  unalienable 
rights  of  judgment  and  confciencc." 

Is  it  pofiible  to  adjuft  the  terms  between  a  tutor  and  his  pupils  more 
equitably  ?  But  it  mufl:  here  be  obferved,  that  Dr.  Taylor  ever  meant, 
the  liberty  he  claimed  for  himfclf,  and  allowed  to  others,  ftiould  be  di- 
rected by  a  ferious  frame  of  mind,  and  a  real  defire  to  promote  practical 
religion.  The  inlargt'd  view  he  had  of  divine  things  penetrated  his  own 
heart,'  and  had  a  manifeft  influence  over  his  practice.  He  laboured  to 
explain  and  vindicate  the  doctrines  of  Revelation  for  this  reafon,  that 
he  might  mofl  eft'ectr.ally  ferve  the  caufe  of  vital  Religion. 

It  were  to  be  wifhed,  that  thofe  who  are  ftudents  for  the  miniftry,  who 
choofe  to  confult  his  writings,  may  imbibe  the  fame  fpirit  of  genuine 
piety.  This  will  be  a  never-failing  fource  of  weight  and  credit ;  and 
without  it,  other  qualifications  will  be  infufficient  for  religious  improve- 
ment. 

The  Doctor's  whole  life  being  devoted  to  an  impartial  ftudy  of  the 
Scriptures,  not  by  way  of  fpeculation  and  amufement,  but  for  the  moft 
valuable  purpofes  to  himfelf  and  others,  it  is  no  wonder  to  find  him  fo 
earneftly  recommending  them  to  the  ferious  attention  of  Chriftians. 
7^his  is  the  important  fubje6l  of  thofe  chapters,  which  immediately  fol- 
low the  Scheme  of  Scripture-Divinity. 

The  Editor  fubmits  the  whole  (as  the  Author  would  have  done)  to 
the  candor  of  every  intelligent  Reader  j  defiring  that  what  is  here  advan- 
ced, may  be  regarded  no  further  than  fhall  appear  conformable  to  truth 
and  Scripture,  in  fubfcrviency  to  the  beft  intereft  of  Mankind. 


f^^    \    0^ 


A  SCHEME 


SCHEME 

O    F 

SCiRIPTURE-DIVINIT  Y,    ^c. 


CHAP.      I. 

(>/*  Christian  Theology. 

fy^:^'^ HRISTIAN  Theology,  or  Divinity,  is  the  Science, which, 
B  C  0  from  Revelation,  teacheth  the  knowledge  of  God,  namely,  his  na- 
1^>k;)):;^  ture  and  perfedions,  his  relations  to  us,  his  ways  and  difpenfations, 
his  will  with  refpedl  to  our  a6tions,  and  his  purpofes  with  refpe^t  to  our 
being  ;  in  order  to  form  in  our  minds  right  principles,  for  our  diredion 
and  comfort,  and  in  our  converfation  right  pradlice  for  fecuring  his  fa- 
vour and  blefling. 

In  natural  religion  we  take  our  proofs  from  the  natures  of  thino-s  as 
perceived,  confidered,  and  compared  by  the  human  mind ;  but  now  we 
advance  upon  the  authority  and  fenfe  of  writings  and  books  ;  I  mean,  the 
Holy  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Teftaments,  acknowledged  by  the 
whole  Chriftian  world  as  a  true  revelation  from  God,  and  as  the  ftand- 
ard  of  faith  and  do6trine. 

That  God  would  revele  to  us,  by  fuch  ways  as  he  in  his  wifdom  jud- 
geth  moft  proper,  fuch  things  as  are  needful  for  us  to  know  and  to  do, 
for  the  improvement  and  happinefs  of  our  nature,  is  perfe6Uy  agreeable 
to  his  wifdom  and  Goodnefs,  who  is  our  Father,  and  delighteth  in  our 
well-being  ;  and  is  alfo  perfeftly  fuitable  to  our  circumftances,  as  man- 
kind are  ignorant  and  weak,  and  very  liable  to  error  and  deception.  It 
is  confonant  to  the  nature  of  things,  that  a  father  fhould  inftru6l  his 
child ;  and  that  perfons  of  knowledge  and  learning  fhould  teach  the  ig- 
norant. How  much  more  that  God,  whofe  underflanding  is  infinite, 
and  without  whom  we  can  know  nothing  at  all,  fhould  teach  and  inftru6l 
us  all  ? 

And  that  his  inftruitions  fhould  be  configned  to  writing  is  alfo  very 
fit  and  proper ;  as  this,  in  fa<5t,  is  the  furefl  method  of  preferving  them 
'  A  2  in 


4  OfChryilan  Theology,  Ch.  I. 

in  the  world.  Tradition  from  one  generation  to  another  is  no  fafe  con- 
veyance. The  experiment  hath  been  ludiciently  tried  in  the  ages  before 
the  flood ;  wherein,  though  tradition  was  then  greatly  favoured  by  the 
lon'^evity  of  mankind,  yet  we  find,  that  both  the  Religion  of  Nature 
and  traditionary  Revelation  were  both  fo  far  loft,  that  in  the  fpace  of 

1656  years,  the  earth  ivas  filled  with  violence -for  all  fkjh  hoi  corrupted 

his  way  upon  earth.  Gen  vi.  ii,  I2.  And  both  would  have  been  entire- 
ly loft,  had  not  God  in  an  extraordinary  manner  interpofed.  Ivikewife 
after  the  flood,  notwithftanding  any  tradition  from  AW;,  idolatry  foon 
overfpread  the  nations,  and  rendered  it  expedient  for  God,  to  devife  a 
new  conftitution,  to  prevent  a  fecond  univerfal  corruption  and  apoftacy. 
And  fo  falfe  and  faithlefs  is  Tradition,  that  for  many  ages  in  the  Jewifh 
nation,  and  for  many  ages  under  the  Gofpel,  Tradition  was,  and  ftill  is, 
fo  far  oppofed  to  Revelation,  as  to  obfcure  and  difparage  it,  and  make  the 
commandment  of  God  therein  of  no  efte6l.  Infomuch,  that  had  not  a 
written  Revelation  by  Divine  Providence  been  introduced  into  the 
world,  and  preferved  in  it,  true  Religion  would  have  been  baniftied  out 
of  it. 

The  benefit  of  Revelation  is  very  great,  but  then  it  muftbe  faithfully 
ufed;  otherwife  it  will  be  turned  againft  itfelf,  and  made  the  patron  of 
Falfehood  and  Delufion.  Which,  in  fact,  hath  been  the  cafe.  Men, 
either  weak  or  wicked,  have  perverted  the  Scriptures,  and  reduced  them 
to  a  fubferviency  to  eit;her  their  lufts,  or  preconceived  opinions.  The  latter 
was  remarkably  the  cafe  in  the  firft  ages  of  Chriftianity.  When  any  of 
the  Fliilofophers  were  converted  to  the  Chriftian  Profeflion,  they  gene- 
rally brought  along  with  them  the  fchemes  and  notions  of  the  particular 
fe6ts,  to  which  they  were  attached  ;  thofe  influenced  their  minds  in  the 
ftudy  of  the  Scriptures,  and  inclined  them  to  wreft  the  Scriptures  into 
a  confiftency  with  their  preconceived  opinions.  Hence  it  is,  that  many 
notions,  inconfiftcnt  with  the  word  of  God,  and  with  each  other,  have 
been  handed  down  to  us  from  the  earlieft  times  under  the  facred  charac- 
ter of  found  Chriftian  Doctrine.  And  in  our  own  times,  we  find  men  plead- 
ing the  authority  of  Scripture  for  a  variety  of  oppofite  and  contradictory 
fentiments,  which  therefore  cannot  all  of  them  be  founded  upon  Scrip- 
ture. 

For  the  Holy  Scriptures,  being  a  Revelation  from  God,  the  moft  per- 
fe6l  and  invariable  fiandard  of  Truth,  though  written  by  difterent  per- 
fons,  living  in  remote  ages,  during  the  fpace  of  about  15CO  years,  from 
Mofes  to  Joh)i^  who  wrote  the  Revelation  j  yet,  being  a  Revelation  from 
God,  muft  be  perfectly  confiftent  in  all  their  parts  and  principles,  views 
and  fentiments,  cxpreft  in  uniformity  of  language.  For  if  the  language 
were  multiform  and  various,  the  fenie  would  neceflarily  be  obfcure,  and 
the  underftanding  confounded,  and  fo  the  ends  of  Revelation  would  be 
defeated,  And  if,  notwithftanding  the  great  changes  in  cuftoms,  difpo- 
fitions,  interefts,  and  religious  fentiments,  which  muft,  and  actually  did, 
happen  in  fo  long  a  tratl  of  time,  we  do  find,  that  one  confiftent  fcheme, 
in  one  confiftent  uniform  language,  is  carried  on  in  all  the  writings, 
which  compofe  the  Scriptures,  we  mav  ftrongly  conclude,  that  they  are 
a  Revelation  from  God  j  jiot  the  produce  of  human  wifdom,  which  could 
liever  in  ages  fo  remote,  and  for  the  grcateft  part  fo  illiterate,  have  com- 
bined 


Ch.  1.  Of  Chnfrian  TJjeology.  c 

bined  to  carry  on  a  regubtf,  uniform  fcheme  of  religious  principles  and 
fentiments,  in  the  fame  language  or  modes  of  expreffion  j  but  the  infpi- 
ration  or  di6lates  of  one  Spirit,  the  Spirit  of  God.  Hence  it  fol- 
lows, 

I.  That  in  explaining  the  Scriptures,  confiftency  of  fenfe  and  prin- 
ciples ought  to  be  fupported  in  all  the  feveral  parts  thereof;  and  that,  if 
any  part  be  fo  interpreted  as  to  clafh  with  any  other,  we  may  be  fure 
fuch  interpretation  cannot  be  juftified.  Nor  can  it  otherwife  be  redified, 
than  by  faithfully  comparing  Scripture  with  Scripture,  and  bringino-  what 
may  feem  to  be  obfcure  into  a  confiftency  with  what  is  plain  and  evi- 
dent. 

II.  The  fenfe  of  Scripture  can  no  otherwife  be  underftood,  than  by 
tinderftanding  the  force  and  import  of  Scriptural  language.  And  the 
force  and  import  of  Scriptural  language  can  be  fettled  in  no  method  more 
authentic,  than  by  collating  the  feveral  paflages  in  which  any  phrafe  or 
expreffion  occurs.  Thus,  in  every  view,  Scripture  is  the  belt  interpre- 
ter of  Scripture. 

III.  Figurative  expreffions  fhould  be  carefully  diilinguifhed  from  thofe 
that  are  literal ;  and  vice  vcrfa.  The  oriental,  and  confequently,  the 
Scriptural  tropes  and  figures  of  fpeech,  are  very  bold,  and  different  from 
the  European. 

IV.  Single  fentences  are  not  to  be  detached  from  the  places  where 
they  ftand,  but  to  be  taken  in  Connexion  with  the  whole  difcourfe.  The 
occafion,  coherence,  and  coniiefbion  of  the  writing,  the  argument  that 
is  carrying  on,  the  fcope  and  intent  of  the  paragraph,  are  to  be  carefully 
attended  to. 

V.  We  (hould  always  interpret  Scripture  in  a  fenfe  confiftent  with 
the  laws  of  natural  religion ;  or  with  tne  known  perfe£lions  of  God, 
and  the  notions  of  right  and  wrong,  good  and  evil,  which  are  difcover- 
able  in  the  works  of  creation,  and  in  the  prefent  conflitufion  of  things. 
The  language  of  Nature  is  moft  certainly  the  language  of  God,  the  fole 
author  of  Nature.  And  however  the  Divine  VVifdom  may  diverfify  the 
circumftances  of  fupernatural  Revelation,  yet  the  law  of  Nature,  as  it 
is  founded  in  the  unchangeable  Natures  of  things,  muft  be  the  bafis  and 
ground  work  of  every  conftitution  of  religion,  which  God  had  eredied. 
Whence  it  follows,  that  the  ftudy  and  knowledge  of  natural  Religion  is 
a  necefTary  introduftion  to  the  ftudy  and  right  underftanding  of  Revela- 
tion. And  we  may  further  conclude  that  fupernatural  Revelation,  in 
all  its  parts  and  principles,  as  it  certainly  is,  fo  it  always  fhould  be,  in- 
terpreted and  underftood  in  pcrfcvSl  harmony  with  natural  Religion,  or 
the  di(5^ates  of  Reafon. 

But  miftake  me  not ;  I  do  not  mean,  that  the  law  or  religion  of  Na- 
ture is  commenllirate  to  Revelation  ;  or,  that  nothing  is  to  be  admitted 
in  Revelation,  but  what  is  difcoverable  by  the  light  of  Nature,  or  by 
human  Reafon.  So  far  from  that,  that  the  whole  of  Revelation,  pro- 
perly fo  called,  could  never  have  been  difcovered  by  human  Reafon. 
And  therefore  in  matters  of  pure  Revelation,  it  is  a  very  falfe  and  falla- 
cious way  to  begin  firft  with  what  our  Reafon  may  dictate  and  difcover. 
Becaufe  our  Reafon  unafTifted  by  Revelation,  in  fuch  cafes,  can  difcover 

nothing 
A3 


6  OfChrijUan  Theology.  Ch.  I. 

nothing  at  all.  For  inftancc,  the  confequences  of  Adam\  tranfgreflion 
upon  his  poftcrity;  the  covenant  made  with  Abraham^  the  nature  and 
mifllon  of  the  Son  of  God  ;  the  grant  of  blcfTings,  and  of  eternal  life  by 
him.  Concerning  thofc  things,  we  could  have  known  nothing  at  all, 
had  not  God  reveled  them  to  us.  And  in  fuch  matters  of  pure  Revela- 
tion, the  hrfl  thing  we  have  to  do,  is  to  enquire,  not  what  human  Rca- 
fon  can  difcover,  but  what  God  has  difcovered,  and  declared  in  Scrip- 
ture. But  at  the  fame  time  it  is  true,  that  God  hath  difcovered  nothing 
in  Scripture  inconfiftent  with  what  he  has  difcovered  in  the  nature  of 
things  expofed  to  the  view  of  all  mankind.  And  therefore,  if  we  un- 
dcrftand  any  thing  in  reveled  Religion,  in  a  fenfe  contradictory  to  natu- 
ral religion,  or  to  the  known  perfections  of  God,  and  the  common  no- 
tions of  good  and  evil,  which  he  hath  written  upon  all  our  hearts,  we 
may  be  fure  we  are  in  an  error,  and  miftake  the  fenfe  of  Revelation. 

I.  He  who  would  effectually  ftudy  the  word  of  God,  ought,  above  all 
things,  to  be  deeply  fenfible  of  the  infinite  value  of  true  knowledge  and 
wifdom ;  and  how  abfolutely  neccflary  it  is  to  his  eternal  happincfs,  to 
cultivate  and  improve  hi^  intelledtual  powers,  in  the  ufe  of  all  thofe 
means,  which  God  hath  put  into  his  hands.  The  Scriptures  are  given 
us,  not  for  amufement,  or  meer  fpcculation,  in  perufing  the  curious 
remains  of  antiquity,  the  language,  manners,  and  Theology  of  fome 
celebrated  ancients  ;  but  they  are  all,  from  begining  to  end,  pointed  di- 
redtly  at  our  hearts  and  lives,  to  make  us  wife  unto  falvation.  There 
we  find  every  rule  of  the  moft  confummate  wifdom,  and  every  principle 
of  truth  and  comfort;  and  the  whole  is  defigned  to  refine  our  nature 
into  its  proper  excellence,  to  guide  us  into  the  paths  of  purity,  peace, 
and  righteoufnefs ;  to  make  us  happy  in  ourfelves,  and  a  blefling  to  all 
about  us,  and  finally  to  qualify  us  for  the  full  enjoyment  of  God  for 
ever. 

But  if  we  are  cold  and  indifferent  to  any  attainments  in  true  wifdom  j 
if  we  choofe  to  dream,  or  jeft  and  trifle  away  the  important  feafon  of 
life,  defpifing  the  glorious  advantages  we  enjoy,  while  we  eagerly  pur- 
fue  the  low  and  tranfitory  things  of  this  world,  in  neglect  of  ourfelves, 
of  God,  and  immortality,  of  all  that  is  truly  great  and  good  and  ex- 
cellent, we  fhall  receive  little  or  no  advantage  from  any  explications  of 
the  Holy  Scriptures.  We  fhall  not  value  or  rclifh  them,  we  can  have 
no  ground  to  expe£l  the  divine  bleifing  to  affiff  our  ftudies,  but  have 
realon  to  fear  we  Ihall  be  left  to  ourfelves,  to  wander  from  God,  from 
truth,  and  life,  in  deplorable  ignorance  and  folly.  Attend,  therefore, 
to  the  voice  of  Divine  Wifdom,  Prov.  ii.  i,  5cc.  My Jon^  if  thou  ivilt 
receive  7ny  ivords^  and  hide  my  commandments  with  thecy  [lay  them  up  as  a 

treafure  ]£)>ri  in  thy  heart]  fo  that  thou  incline  thine  ear  unto  wifdom,  and 

apply  thine  heart  unto  under/landing j  yea,  if  thou  cricfi  after  knau.Udgey 
ayid  Hftejf  up  tl.y  voice  for  underjlanding  [as  we  do  for  thole  things,  which 
we  moft  of  all  defire,  and  molt  of  all  ftand  in  need  of  j  If  thou  fcekejl 
her  as  filver^  and  fear  chejl  for  her  ^  as  for  hid  treafura  :  [as  covetous  men 
feek  money,  and  ranfack  the  whole  world  for  the  treafures,  in  which 
they  delight.  If  thus  you  value,  and  Itudy  to  advance  the  improvement 
of  your  minds  in  knowledge  and  wifdomj  Then  Jhalt  thou  under/land  the 
e  fear 


Ch-.  I.  OfChri/ilan  Theology.  J 

fear  of  the  Lord,  and  find  the  knowledge  of  God:  [which  of  all  underftand- 
ing  is  infinitely  the  moft  excellent.] 

II.  But  this  fenfe  of  the  value  of  Divine  Knowledge,  and  this  defire  to 
obtain  it,  muft  be  underftood  in  a  connection  with  a  fincere  endeavour 
to  live  agreeably  to  it.  For  fhould  a  perfon,  under  the  greateft  advan- 
tages of  learning,  and  with  the  utmoft  affiduity  ftudy  the  Scriptures,  he 
will  be,  after  all,  but  a  poor  proficient  in  Divine  Knowledge,  if  he  do 
not  bring  it  home  to  his  heart,  and  reduce  it  to  pra6tice.  It  is  not  fpe- 
culation,  but  pradice  and  experience,  which  renders  a  man  truly  ikilful 
in  any  bufmefs.  So  in  Religion,  no  man  can  be  truly  wife  and  know- 
ing, but  he  who  liveth  wifely  and  virtuoufly.  If  ye  continue  in  my  word 
(faith  our  Lord,  Joh.  viii.  31.)  then  jhall you  know  the  truth,  and  the  truth 

fhall  make  you  free  \fioxn.  the  darknefs  of  ignorance  and  error,  and  the 
fervitude  of  abfurd  lufts  and  pafTions.J  Joh.  vii.  27.  If  any  man  will  do 
his,  God's,  willy  he  flmll  know  of  the  doctrine,  xvhether  it  be  of  God.  [He 
fhall  fee  it  in  its  true  light,  and  be  convinced  that  it  is  perfectly  divine.] 
For  {Pfal'  XXV.  14.)  the  fecret  of  the  Lord  is  with  them  that  fear  him,  and 
he  will  Jhewthem  his  covenant.  But  {^Dan.  xii.  10.)  the  wicked  jhall  do 
wickedly,  and  none  of  the  wicked  Jhall  underjland,  but  the  wife,  [the  pious 
and  virtuous]  Jhall  underjiand. 

This  is  to  make  you  fenfible,  that  a  fincere  defire  of  true  knowledge 
is  a  neceffary  difpofition  in  entering  upon  the  ftudy  of  the  Scriptures  ; 
and  the  obedience  to  God's  commands,  in  the  courfe  of  a  pious  life,  is 
neceffary  to  inlarge  and  eftablilh  the  judgment  in  the  knowledge  of  di- 
vine truths. 

III.  To  the  effedual  ftudy  of  Scripture,  it  is  neceflary,  that  our  minds 
and  hearts  be  unbyafled,  unprejudiced,  open  to  the  truth,  and  always 
quite  free  to  difcern  and  receive  it.  If  our  fpirits  are  under  tlie  power 
of  prepoiTefHon  and  prejudice  we  cannot  be  well  difpofed  for  fearching 
the  Scriptures,  For  inftance,  if  a  perfon,  in  matters  of  religion  and 
confcience,  is  ambitious  to  gain  reputation  in  the  world,  or  loUcitous 
only  to  pleafe  and  recommend  himfelf  to  a  party,  how  ftiould  he  ftudy 
the  word  of  God  with  the  fincere  and  fingle  view  of  difcovering  and 
embracing  the  truth,  when  he  is  preingaged,  and  all  his  care  is  to  find 
what  will  pleafe  his  fellow-creatures,  and  fuit  his  own  mean  and  felfifti 
purpofes  ?  'Joh.  v.  44.  Hoxv  can  ye  believe,  who  receive  hondr  one  of  afw~ 
ther,  whofe  ruling  principle  is  the  defire  of  temporal  honor,  and  the  fa- 
vor of  men,  andjeek  not  the  honor,  which  comes  from  God  only,  the  honor 
of  a  good  confcience,  and  of  upright  conduct :  Or,  if  we  refign  our 
underftandings  and  confciences  to  the  authority  of  human  decifions  and 
decrees' ;  or  imbibe  the  bigotry  of  a  party,  which  determines  a  perfon 
to  retain  pertinacioully  a  fett  of  religious  notions,  without  conlidering, 
or  examining  how  far  they  are  agreeable  to  the  word  ot  God,  bur  un- 
derftandings and  judgments  are  locked  up,  and  no  longer  at  liberty  to 
difcover  the  truth. 

It  is  owing  to  this  malignant  caufe,  that  great  numbers  of  learned 
men,  who  call  themfelves  Chriftians,  will  not  allow  themfelves  to  make 
enquiry,  whether  the  worftiip  of  faints,  images,  relicks,  bread,  and  in- 
numerable other  abfurd  dodtrines,  and  fuperftitious  pradfices,  are  agree- 
able tp  the  truth  and  purity  of  the  Chnitian  Religion.     The  error  and 

A  4i  iniquity 


^  Of  the  Divine  Difpenfatiom.  Ch.  11. 

iniquity  of  this  conduft  in  Papifts  we  fee  and  deleft.  But  the  fame  mo- 
ral caufc  will  in  all  cafes  produce  the  fame  effcdts.  If  we  a<St  upon  the 
fame  vicious  principles;  if  we  indulge  the  like  prejudices,  and  in  the 
fame  manner  wilfully  fliut  our  eyes,  we  fhall  be  more  faulty  than  Papifts, 
becaufe  it  is  contrary  to  our  profcfTion,  as  Proteftants ;  and  ftiall  be 
equally  incapable  of  feeing  the  truth  and  glory  of  our  holy  Religion.  In 
ftudying  the  Scriptures  we  fliould  always  keep  our  minds  open  to  evi- 
dence, and  further  difcovcries  of  truth,  which  is  the  only  way  to  be  more 
and  more  folidly  eftabliflied  in  our  religious  principles  j  for  in  no  other  ' 
way  can  we  groiv  in  grace,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  fefus  Chrijl. 
Moreover,  this  is  the  only  poflible  mean  of  reducing  the  Chrilrian  world 
to  unity  both  of  hearts  ajid  fentiments. 

IV.  Prayer  to  God,  the  Father  of  Lights,  the  Fountain  of  all  Illu- 
mination, is  necefl'ary  to  the  fuccefsful  itudy  of  the  Scriptures.  Prov. 
ii.  6.  The  Lord  alone  gives  vjfdom\  out  of  his  mouth  cometh  knowledge  and 
underjlanding.  Nor  hath  he  appointed  any  means,  how  excellent  foever 
in  themfelves,  which  exempt  us  from  a  dependence  upon  his  blciling, 
AH  our  fprings  are  in  him  ;  and  his  gracious  influences  render  our  en- 
deavours, of  any  kind,  fuccefsful.  And  therefore,  when  we  addrefs 
ourfclves  to  the  ftudy  of  the  holy  Scriptures,  we  ftiould  make  our  fup- 
plication  to  God,  that  he  would  open  our  eyes,  that  we  viay  behold  won- 
derous  things  out  of  his  law.  Or,  in  the  Apoftle's  words,  (^Ephef.  i.  17, 
18.)  that  the  God  of  our  Lord  f  ejus  Chrij},  the  Father  of  Glory,  zvould give 
unto  us  the  fpirit  of  wifdom,  and  revelation,  in  the  knowledge  of  him;  that 
the  eyes  of  our  underjlanding  being  enlightened,  we  may  have  juii  ajiprehen- 
fions  of  the  riches  of  his  wifdom  and  grace,  and  that  our  hearts  may  be 
duly  imprellcd  with  a  deep  and  lafting  fcnfc  of  them. 


CHAP.     II. 

Of  the  Divine  Difpenfations,  in  Scripture  called  the  Ways  ff«i  Works 

of  GOD. 

Cy^"^  H  E  JFays  of  God  ^ySl  D'H'^N  frequently  fignifv'  the  Rules  of 
S  T  "^  Life,  which  he  hath  given  us  to  obferve.  Pfal.  cxix.  3.  They 
i^^-^J^  alfo  do  no  iniquity ;  they  walk   in  his  ways,  i.  e.  in  the  law  oj  the 

Lord,  ver.  i.     And  the  Works  C-^>i2  of  God  may  fignify  the  meer  o- 

pcration  and  produ»Slions  of  his  power.  But  both  thefe  words  have  a 
more   rcftritSted  and  emphatical   fignification.     ^~\"1  a  JVay,  fignifitth 

alfo  a  courfe  of  a6lion,  a  cuftom,  conftitution  or  inlHtution,  which  any 
perfon,  or  number  of  pcrforis  form  to  themfelves.  Prrj.  viii.  22.  The 
Lord  pojfijjed  /nt',W'\idom,  in  the'  begining  of  his  l/'ay,  before  lus  IForks  of 
old.  Prov.  xii.  26.  The  way  of  the  wicked,  tiieir  courfe  of  aclion,  feduceth 
them.     Hof.  X.  13.  Becauft  thuu  di^i  trujl  in  thy  way,  the  fchemes  and 

methods, 


/ 


Ch.  II.  Of  the  Dhine  Dijpenfations.  g 

methods,  political  or  religious,  of  thy  own  devifing,  and  in  the  multitude 
of  thy  mighty  men.  Amos  viii.  14.  The  manner^  the  way,  /.  e,  the 
religious   conftitution,    of  Beerjheba  liveth^    fubfifts,    flouriftieth,    not- 

withftanding  the  oppofition  made  to  it.  p.ti^y  fignifies  to  conftitute,  or- 
dain, appoint,  difpofe.  Num.  xxviii.  6.  2  Chron.  n.  11.  Pfal.  civ.  19, 
Ecd.  iii.  II. 

Hence  TFays  and  Works  fignify  the  appointment?,  conftitutions,  or 
Difpenfations  of  God.  By  which  are  meant,  "  The  fchemes  or  me- 
*'  thods  devifed  or  contrived  by  the  wifdom  and  goodnefs  of  God,  to 
"  dilcover,  or  fhew  himfelf,  his  nature  and  vvill,  his  beneficence,  holi- 
*'  nefs  and  juftice  to  the  minds  of  his  rational  creatures,  for  their  in- 
"  ftru(5lion,  difcipline  and  reformation,  in  order  to  promote  their  hap- 
*'  pinefs."  Thefe  are  the  great  ends  of  the  Divine  Difpenfations  j  and 
thefe  the  principal  points  to  be  attended  to,  in  the  explications  of 
them. 

The  great  God,  for  ever  to  be  adored,  hath  actually  given  exiftence 
to  a  world  of  moral  agents,  fuch  as  we  are.  He  therefore  is  our  Fa- 
ther, and  we  are  his  offspring,  whom  he  hath  created  in  love,  that  in 
a  right  and  virtuous  ufe  of  our  rational  powers,  we  may  be  qualified  for 
honor  and  enjoyment  in  the  heavenly  world.  This  feems  to  be  tlie 
higheft  defign  the  divine  Goodnefs  can  form,  and  the  higheft  excellency 
to  v/hich  our  nature  can  attain.  And  this  may  be  confidered  as  the 
bafis  of  all  the  Divine  Difpenfations  from  the  begining  of  the  world. 
For  without  pious  and  virtuous  difpofitions  we  cannot  be  qualified  for 
honor  and  enjoyment.  But  pious  and  virtuous  difpofitions  cannot  be 
forced  upon  us,  by  any  external  power  whatever;  they  muft,  in  fome 
degree,  be  the  effect  of  our  own  attention  and  choice.  It  is,  therefore, 
becoming  the  Father  of  our  Spirits,  and  fuitable  to  beings  of  our  ca- 
pacities and  circumfirances,  that  proper  means  be  provided  for  our  in- 
flruclion  and  difcipline.  For  inftance,  as  God  is  not  the  object  of  any 
of  our  fenfes,  and  can  be  ictn  only  by  our  underftandings,  it  is  proper 
that  he  fhould  fet  before  us  in  the  frame  and  furniture  of  the  world,  fuch 
vifible  and  various  difplays  of  his  Being,  Power,  Wifdom,  Juftice,  and 
kind  Regards,  as  may  engage  our  attention,  difcover  liis  eternal  God- 
head, and  lead  us  to  the  acknowledgment,  adoration,  love,  and  dutiful 
obedience  of  our  Creator,  Father,  and  Benefactor.  Thefe  are  the 
works,  the  difpenfations,  or  conftitutions  of  Nature  ;  whereby  our  Fa- 
ther, as  in  a  glafs  held  before  our  eyes  and  thoughts,  has  Ihewn  himfelf 
to  us  for  our  inftruction  in  piety  and  virtue. 

But  befides  the  conftitution  of  univerfal  Nature,  there  are  a  variety  of 
difpenfations,  which  are  more  immediately  relative  to  mankind.  As  the 
being  born  of  parents,  to  fupply  the  feveral  generations  of  the  world, 
whence  refult  fundry  relations  and  duties  ;  the  being  fuftained  by  food, 
covered  and  fheltered  by  clothes  and  habitations,  healed  by  phyUcians, 
taught  by  the  learned  and  fkilful ;  the  infirmities,  appetites,  and  pafTions 
of  our  conftitution ;  the  forming  focieties  for  mutual  help  and  commxerce^ 
the  inftitution  of  government,  or  the  fubordination  of  fome  to  the  au- 
thority of  others,  for  preferving  good  order,  for  the  protection  of  vir- 
tue, and  the  reftraint  and  puniftiment  of  vice.     Add  to  thefe,  wars,  pe- 

ftileiice, 


lO  Of  the  Divine  Dlfpenfations,  Ch.  II. 

ftilencc,  fiminc,  earthquakes,  and  fuch  like  events  ;  all  thefe  may  be 
reckoned  among  the  Divine  Appointment*;,  or  Difpenfations ;  feme  for 
the  excrcifc  of  our  rational  powers  in  right  adlion  ;  fome  for  difcipline, 
correction,  and  reformation  j  but  none  merely  for  deftruction,  except 
where  reformation  cannot  be  cftecled. 

But  thofe  Ways,  or  Difpenfations,  which  in  Scripture  are  confidered 
as  the  i^reat  hinges  of  Divine  Providence,  on  which  his  dealings  with 
mankind  have  turned  ;  or  as  the  principal  events,  by  which  the  great 
purpofes  and  councils  of  God's  will  have  been  executed,  are  chiefly  to 
be  attended  unto.  Becaufe  right  conceptions  of  thcfe,  under  their  feve- 
ral  views,  circumftances,  and  connections,  will  greatly  contribute  to  the 
explainino;  of  Scripture-Theology,  and  alfo  mark  out  the  proper  order 
and  method,  in  which  it  may  be  ftudied.  Let  us  therefore  here,  at  firft: 
feting  out,  take  a  general  furvey  of  them. 

I.  The  Creation  of  the  World,  as  above. 

II.  The  Formation  of  Man  after  the  Image  of  God. 

III.  Man  being  created  capable  of  enjoying  the  honours  and  felicity 
of  heaven,  was  to  be  difciplined  and  proved,  in  order  to  his  being  con- 
firmed in  the  habits  of  virtue  and  holinefs  ;  without  which,  neither  man, 
nor  any  other  rational  being,  can  be  tit  to  fee,  or  enjoy,  the  Lord.  Ac- 
cordinfflv,  the  firft  moft  remarkable  of  God's  works,  in  the  newly  crea- 
ted world,  was  to  put  the  Man,  whom  he  had  formed,  upon  a  trial  fui- 
table  to  his  circumllances. 

IV.  Under  which  trial,  man,  yielding  to  temptation,  finned,  and  fo  be- 
came fubjefted  to  the  threatening  of  eternal  death. 

V.  WT.ich  heavy  doom,  God,  not  willing  to  deftroy  his  creature,  was 
pleafed  in  mercy,  not  only  to  mitigate,  but  alfo,  man  having  altered  his 
moral  ftate,  though  fit  to  introduce  a  new  difpcnfation  of  grace,  in 
the  hands  of  a  Mediator.  At  the  fame  time,  fubjecling  the  human  race 
to  a  laborious  life,  to  difeafes,  and  to  death  temporal.  And  this  in  much 
goodnefs,  to  fubdue  the  flefhly  Principle,  to  give  a  tafte  of  the  bitter  fruits 
of  fin,  to  prevent  the  oppcn-tunities  and  occalions  of  it ;  and,  by  increaf- 
ing  the  vanity  of  the  creature,  to  turn  his  regards  more  fteadily  to  the 
all-fufficient  Creator. 

VI.  But  men  multiplying  in  the  earth  abufed  the  grace  of  God,  and 
in  about  1656  years  time  became  fo  wicked,  that  alt  fiejh  had  corrupted 
his  wa)\  and  the  earth  was  Jithd  with  violence.  Then,  to  purge  the  world 
from  iniquity,  and  to  recover  it  to  a  ftate  of  righteoufnefs,  God  created  a 
new  thing  in  the  earth,  and,  by  a  deluge  of  water,  deliroyed  that  wicked 
veneration,  prefcrving  the  only  Family,  that  remained  uncorrupt  in  the  old 
world,  in  order  to  propigate  piety  and  virtue  in  the  new.  At  the  fame 
time,  and  for  the  fame  good  purpofes,  he  reduced  human  life  into  much 
narrower  bounds. 

VII.  Not  long  after  the  deluge,  to  prevent  a  feco:id  general  corrup- 
tion, God  introduced  another  difpenfarion,  by  confounding  the  language 
of  mankind  ;  which  divided  the  world  into  feveral  diftindt  focieties, 
and,  confequently,  kept  them  under  a  ftridler  government,  and  better 
preierved  their  liberties,  than  if  the  world  had  been  one  great  Empire. 

VIII.  Thus  the  outrage  of  violence  and  rapine  was,  in  a  good  mea- 
fure,  cured.     But  now  mankind  fall  into  a  diftercnt  iniquity,  namely, 

that 


Ch- II.  Of  the  Divine  Difpenfationi.  tl 

that  of  idolatry  j  whereby,  within  400  years  after  the  flood,  the  worfliip 
and  knowledge  of  the  one  fupreme  God  was  in  danger  of  being  utterly 
loft.  To  prevent  this,  the  divine  wifdom  eredled  a  new  difpenfation  by 
calling  Abraham  from  among  his  idolatrous  kindred,  and  conftituting 
his  family  the  ftorehoufe  and  ftandard  of  divine  knowledge.  To  them  he 
fpake  and  reveled  himfelf  at  fundry  times,  and  in  divers  manners,  and  fe- 
parated  them  from  the  reft  of  the  world,  by  peculiar  laws  and  religious 
ceremonies,  to  fecure  them  from  the  idolatrous  pradiices  of  their  neigh- 
bours. Thus  they  became  God's  peculiar  people,  diftinguilhed  above 
all  other  nations,  but  with  a  view  to  the  future  great  benefit  of  all  nati- 
ons. And  to  this  day,  blefted  be  God,  we  experience  the  happy  eftedts 
of  this  noble  fcheme,  and  ov\^e  to  it  both  our  Bible,  and  the  very  being 
of  the  Gofpel  church. 

IX.  The  family  of  Abraham,  by  the  divine  conduct,  was  led  into  Egypt. 
And  when  they  had  been  there,  under  grievous  oppreflion,  215  years, 
and  were  grown  numerous  enough  to  be  a  nation,  God  fet  himfelf  at  the 
head  of  them,  as  their  King.  And,  in  a  country  much  efteemed  for 
learning  and  arts,  whither  men  of  genius  and  curiofity  reforted  from  all 
other  parts,  upon  this  ftage,  fo  proper,  becaufe  fo  public,  God,  as  the 
king  of  Ifrael^  combated  the  king  of  Egypt  and  his  liitbitious  gods, 
and  difplayed  his  infinitely  fuperior  power  both  to  deftroy  and  to  fave,  by 
many  plagues  infli6led  upon  the  land  of  Egypt^  and  by  bringing  out  the 
Ifraelites  in  oppofition  to  all  the  forces  of  the  king,  and  all  the  ob- 
ftacles  of  nature,  and  fettling  them,  after  they  had  been  fufficiently  difci- 
plined  in  the  wildernefs,  in  the  land  of  Canaan.  Here  God  let  up  his 
peculiar  kingdom  amongft  them,  and  they  alone  of  all  the  nations  of  the 
earth  were  the  fubjects  of  it,  and  happy  in  its  fmgular  privileges  and 
bleflings;  but,  at  the  fame  time,  were  exercifed  with  various  providential 
difpenfations.  The  general  rule  of  which  was  this;  while  they  adhered 
to  the  worftiip  of  the  true  God,  they  were  always  profperous,  when  they 
declined  to  idolatry,  they  were  either  opprefled  at  home,  or  carried  cap- 
tive into  other  countries. 

X.  The  long  captivity  in  Babylon  was  not  only  a  punlfhment  to  the 
'Jews,  but  alfo  a  mean  of  publifliing  the  knowledge  of  the  true  God 
ov^er  all  the  Babylonijh  Empire,  as  appears  very  evidently  in  the  Book  of 
Daniel,  And  the  divifion  of  the  Grecian  empire,  which  put  an  end  to 
the  Perfian,  after  the  death  of  Alexander,  caufed  a  new  difperfion  of  the 
Jevjs,  efpecially  into  Afta  minor,  Syria,  Egypt,  Cyrene,  and  Lybia,  where 
their  fynagogues  were  very  common.  And  laftly,  when  they  were  fub- 
jected  to  the  Roman  power,  their  God  and  religion  became  more 
known  over  all  the  Roman  empire.  Thus  the  way  for  the  kingdom 
of  the  Mejfiah  was  gradually  prepared.  For  though  the  knowledge 
of  God,  received  from  the  "Jews,  made  no  public  reformation  of  Pa- 
gan idolatry,  yet  it  greatly  difpoled  men  to  receive  the  gofpel  when  it 
ftiould  be  preached  unto  them.  Some  became  Jews,  many  renounced 
idolatry,  and  worfhipped  no  other  but  the  living  and  true  God,  who,  in 
the  Acts  of  the  apoftles,  are  called,  devout  Profelytes,  Greeks,  thoje  that  fear- 
ed God. 

XI.  Thus  we  are  brought  to  the  corning  of  Chriji,  who  came  in  the  ful- 
nefs  of  Time;  for  he  came  as  foon  as  God,  by  the  various  methods  of  his 

pro- 


12  Of  the  Divine  DifpenfationS:  Ch.  II. 

providence,  had  prepared  the  world  to  receive  him.  When  God  had 
made  ready  a  people  -prepared  for  h'lm^  then  Chrift  came,  and  fully  explained 
the  nature,  laws,  extent,  and  glory  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  fulfilled 
the  great  and  moft  excellent  defigns  of  divine  wifdom,  by  giving  himfelf 
a  facrificc  and  propitiation  for  the  fin  of  the  world. 

XII.  Then  the  great  myrtery  of  God,  the  calling  of  other  nations,  be- 
fides  the  Jeivs^  into  his  kingdom  and  church,  was  opened,  and  made  ma- 
iiifeft  by  the  preaching  of  the  gofpel.  Yor  which  purpofe,  he  fent 
out  his  apoftles,  furnilhed  with  proper  powers  and  credentials,  efpe- 
cially  the  gift  of  tongues,  whereby  they  were  inabled  to  communicate  the 
wonderful  things  of  God  to  people  of  dirterent  countries.  And  by 
this  means,  the  glad  tidings  of  falvation,  and  the  glorious  light  and  privi- 
leges of  the  gofpel,  have  reached  even  to  us  in  Greai-Brltain^  who  dwell 
in  the  uttermoft  parts  of  the  earth. 

XIII.  But  as  Chri/i  came  to  reftore,  to  explain,  and  by  the  moft  glo- 
rious difcoveries,  and  the  richeft  promifes,  to  inforce  the  law  of  nature, 
the  true  religion  of  all  nations ;  and  confequently,  as  his  defign  was 
to  ere6t  an  univerfal  religion,  which  fhould  recommend  itfcif  to  all  people, 
under  their  feveral  political  diftiniStions,  and  which,  therefore,  was  to 
interfere  with  no  political  eftablifhments,  but  fhould  leave  them,  in  every 
country,  juft  as  it  found  them,  teaching  the  nations  only  to  oblcrva 
the  eternal  rules  of  righteoufncfs  in  the  hope  of  eternal  life  ;  I  fay,  upon 
this  grand,  noble,  and  extenfive  plan,  the  Jciuijh  polity  would  be  lunk  to 
a  level  with  all  other  national  governments  j  and  the  Jew,  on  account  of 
any  prior  national  advantages,  would  have  no  more  claim  to  the 
bleflings  and  privileges  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  than  any  of  the  Gentiles, 
or  nations,  who,  in  any  of  the  moft  barbarous  and  defpifed  parts  of  the 
earth,  fliould  receive  the  faith  of  the  gofpel.  For  in  the  chriftian  reli- 
gion there  is  neither  Greek  nor  few^  circumeifion  nor  uncircumcifton.  Bar- 
harian^  Seythian,  bond  nor  free ;  but  Chri/i,  i.  e.  the  faith  and  obedience,  or 
true  religion,  which  Chrift  taught,  is  all,  and  in  all.  Col.  iii.  ii.  Thus 
the  fezt'  is  fallen  from  his  fuperior  claims  and  privileges;  and  he  falls  by 
that  very  method  of  divine  wifdom  and  grace,  which  brought  falvation  to 
all  other  nations.  Thus  the  diniinifcing  of  the  fetus  is  the  riches  of  the 
zvorld,  and  the  cajiing  aivay  of  them  is  the  reconciling  of  the  world,  (Rom. 
xi.  12,  15.)  or  the  opening  a  door  for  the  whole  world  to  come  into  the 
peculiar  kingdom  of  God. 

This  is  the  idea  we  ought  to  have  of  the  reje£lion  of  the  Jews.  The 
grace  of  God  was,  and  ftill  is,  as  irte  to  them  as  to  other  people,  upon 
their  embracing  the  gofpel ;  but  their  political  conftitution  from  hence 
forth  gave  them  no  diftintilion,  or  privileges  in  the  kingdom  of 
God  above  the  reft  of  mankind.  And  in  no  long  time  after  the  publica- 
tion of  the  gofpel,  their  polity  and  civil  conftitution,  which  otherwife 
would  have  remained  in  full  force,  and  have  obliged  them  to  obey  its 
laws,  as  much  as  the  conftitutions  of  the  other  kingdoms  of  the  world 
obliged  their  feveral  fubjedts,  was  quite  overthrown,  by  the  deftruction 
of  the  temple,  and  the  expulfion  of  the  Jews  out  of  the  land  of  Canaan. 
Which  tliey  have  not  been  able  to  recover,  but  remain  difperfed  over  the 
tace  of  the  whole  earth  to  this  day.  Thus  the  gofpel  difpenfation  was 
erected,  and  Ipread  and  prevailed  every  where. 

XIV.  The 


Ch.  II.  Of  the  Divine  Dlfpenfatlons,  I^ 

XIV.  The  next  of  God's  works  was  the  permlting  and  manao-hio-  a 
grand  apoftacy  and  corruption  of  religion  in  the  chriftian  church  fore- 
told by  the  Apoftle?,  and  at  large  in  the  book  of  the  Revelation.  After 
the  apoftles  were  removed  out  of  the  world,  it  pleafed  God  to  leave  the 
profeflbrs  of  the  gofpel,  in  matters  of  religion,  to  their  own  io-norance 
paflions  and  prepolFeflions.  Thus  the  chriftian  faith,  by  deo^rees,  was 
depraved,  till  the  Man  of  Sin  arofe,  a  tyrannical,  ufurped  power,  domi- 
neering over,  and  impofing  upon  confciencc,  forbiding  the  ufe  of  under- 
ftanding,  and  intoxicating  the  inhabiters  of  the  earth  with  falfe  and  de- 
lufive  If^arning,  worldly  pom.p  and  fplendor,  religious  forcery,  and  cruel 
perfecution  of  the  truth.  This,  as  it  was  the  propereft  mean  of  produc- 
ing the  moft  eminent  and  nobleft  chara(?ters,  was  to  be  a  lonf^  and  fevere 
trial  of  the  faith  and  patience  of  the  faints.  In  the  times  of  this  fad  dif- 
penfation,  it  is  certain,  we  are  now  living;  but,  we  hope,  towards  the 
Litter  end  of  it.  Through  the  whole  courfe  of  it  God  hath  varioufly  ap- 
peared, both  in  wrath  upon  the  corrupters  of  religion,  and  in  mercy  for 
the  comfort  and  fupport  of  thofe  who  oppofed  it.  And  thus  the  wheels 
of  providence  moved  on,  till  the  morning  of  reformation  appeared  in  our 
happy  land,  which,  for  fome  centuries,  hath  been  gradually  advancing 
and  ftill  continues  to  advance,  towards  the  perfect  day.  P'or  a  fpirit  of 
religious  liberty,  which  hath  been  long  opprcfled,  revives  and  gains 
ftrength,  the  fcriptures  are  more  carefully  ftudied,  ecclefiaftical  tyranny 
and  perfecution,  under  every  form,  more  generally  detefted;  and  thin"-s 
feem  to  have  a  tendency  towards  love,  unity,  and  concord,  the  moft  per- 
fect ftate  of  religion  in  this  world. 

XV.  This  muft  give  pleafure  to  every  good  man,  and  he  will  chear- 
fully  join  his  endeavours  to  bring  on  the  next  glorious  difpenfation,  which 
we  have  in  profpedl:,  when  the  myjiery  of  God,  with  regard  to  the  aforcfaid 
corrupt  ftate  o(  reWglon,  Jija/I  be  Jinijhecfy  when  Baby/on,  in  all  its  principles 
and  powers,  ftiall  fall ;  when  the  holy  city,  the  new  Jerufalem,  ftiall  come 
down  from  Heaven,  and  God  fliall  fet  up  a  pure  and  happy  ftate  of  the 
church. 

XVI.  How  long  that  ftate  will  continue,  we  do  not  certainly  know. 
Nor  have  we  any  further  clear  difcoveries  of  God's  works  till  the  awful 
day  of  the  refurreilion,  when  the  Lord  himfelf  fliall  in  perfon  defcend 
from  heaven  with  a  fhout,  with  the  voice  of  the  arch-ano-el,  and  the 
trump  of  God.  Then  all  they  that  pep  in  the  duft  of  the  earth  jhall  awake 
and  fhall  be  judged,  y^wr  to  ever  laj ting  lifc^  and  fome  to  Jhame  and  everlaji- 
ing^  contempt.  And  they  that  be  wife,  under  any  of  the  changes  and  difpen- 
fations  of  this  prefent  world,  Jioalljhine  as  the  brightnefs  of  the  firmament, 
and  they  that  work  together  with  God,  and  endeavour  to  turn  many  to 
righteoiijnef,  as  the  far  s  for  ever  and  ever. 

Thus  I  have  given  a  iTcetch  of  the  works  of  God  from  the  begining  of 
the  world  to  the  confummation  of  all  things.  And  very  beautiful  and 
furprizing  would  the  whole  appear,  could  we  fee  them  in  a  full  and 
clear  light.  But  before  we  attempt  a  more  particular  explication  of 
them  in  their  feveral  views,  circumftances,  and  connections,  we  muft 
make  a  few  general  remarks,  which  will  ailift  our  conceptions  and  en- 
quiries. 

CHAP. 


J  A'  General  Retnarks  upon  the  Ch.  Ill, 


CHAP.       III. 
General  Remarks  upon  the  Divine  Dispensatioxs. 

5fc')J?:<i>'  ONCERNING    the   foregoing  difpenfations,  we   may,  In 
P-.  C  •'?:  o^eneral,  remark,    that  as    they  are   devifed    and  executed  by 

\.  "I'hcv  are  all  agreable  to  the  mofl  perfefl  rules  of  righteoufnefs 
and  truth.  Nothing  falfe,  unjuft,  or  injurious,  can  be  charged  upon  the 
divine  conflitutions.  For  {Dent,  xxxii.  4.)  all  God's  ways  are  judgment  \ 
a  God  of  truths  and  without  iniquity-yjuji  and  right  is  he.  Pfal.  cxlv.  17. 
The  Lord  is  righteous  in  all  his  waysy  and  holy,  fteadily  afting  according  to 
truth,  in  all  his  works.  See  alfo  Rev.  xv.  3.  And  therefore  they  are  in 
perfeft  confiftence  with  each  other. 

II.  The  ways  of  God  are  not  to  be  confidered  as  the  effect  of  necefHty, 
as  if  the  end  propofed  could  not  poflibly  have  been  otherwife  gained  ;  but 
as  the  refult  of  wife  choice,  or  divine  prudence,  prefering  fuch  particular 
methods  as  preferable  to  any  other;  asbeftadapted  to  ourcircumfl:ances,or, 
all  things  confidered,  as  the  moft  likely  to  make  mankind  wife  and  happy. 
For  inftance,  it  is  by  the  difpenfation  of  God,  that  our  prefent  life  is  fuf- 
tained  by  food  ;  not  becaufe  it  is  impoflible  we  fhould  live  in  any  other 
way,  for  God  could  fuftain  our  life  in  perfect  health  and  ftrength  by  an 
a£l  of  his  own  immediate  power.  Again,  our  food  is  produced  by  the 
influence  of  the  fun,  by  rain,  the  fertility  of  the  ground,  human  labor  and 
Ikill ;  not  becaufe  food  could  not  be  otherwife  produced,  for  God  could, 
by  an  immediate  act  of  his  own  power,  create  food  for  us  every  day,  as 
he  did  for  the  Ifraelites  in  the  wildernefs;  but  this  method  of  fuftaining 
our  life  is  a  contrivance  of  divine  wifdom ;  to  fhew  himfelf  to  our  under- 
fl:andino;s,  (for  had  we  been  fuftained  by  an  immediate  act  of  divine 
power,  we  Ihould  have  been  led  to  imagine,  that,  not  God,  but  our  own 
nature,  had  fuftained  itfelf,)  and  to  exercife  our  virtue  and  induftry  in 
providing  a  fubfiftcnce,  and  to  be  mutually  helpful  to  each  other.  Hence 
the  works  of  God,  in  fcripture,  arc  afTigned  to  his  wifdom.  See  PfaL 
civ.  24.  Prov.  viii.  22.  Ephcf.  i.  5,  is'c. — iii.  9,  10. 

III.  Afl'uredly  all  the  difpenfations  of  God  are  calculated  to  promote 
virtue  and  happinefs.  This  is  the  line  which  runs  through  the  whole, 
as  will  appear  in  our  future  enquiries  into  the  nature  and  tendencies  of 
each  of  them.  At  prefent  it  may  fufficc  to  obferve,  that  however  our 
circumftanccs  may  differ  from  thofe  of  our  firft  parents,  the  end  of  our 
being  is  the  fame  as  theirs ;  and  we,  as  well  as  they,  are  upon  trial,  in 
order  to  our  having  the  habits  of  holinefs  formed  in  us,  and  our  being 
fited  for  eternal  life.  And  though  it  is  a  fad  refle6lion  to  confider,  how 
the  wickednefs  of  men,  hath  from  time  to  time  fatigued  the  patience  of 
God,  yet  it  muft  give  us  plcafure  to  obferve,  how  his  goodncfs  hath  ap- 
plied various  remedies  to  prevent,  or  heal,  the  corruptions  ot  mankind. 
In  what  way  foevtr  men  have  gone  aftray  from  him,  his  wifdom  has  ne- 
ver been  at  lofs  to  find  out  the  moft  proper  expedients  to  reclaim  them. 

'  Evidently 


Ch.  in.  ■' Divine  Difpenfatlons.  fg 

Evidently  his.  defign  is  to  fave  a  finful  world,  and  to  carry  religion  both 
in  its  perfonal  influences,  and  general  prevalence,  to  the  higheft  per- 
fecflion  our  prefent  condition  will  admit*. 

IV.  The  fcriptural  difpenfations,  which  have  been  enumerated,  were 
feverally  adapted  to  the  then  capacities  and  improvements,  the  moral 
ftate  and  circumftances  of  mankind.  The  feveral  ages  of  the  world  may 
be  compared  to  the  feveral  llages  of  human  life,  infancy,  youth,  man- 
hood, and  old  age.  Now,  as  a  man  under  due  culture  gradually  im- 
proves in  knowledge  and  wifdom,  from  infancy  to  old  age,  fo  we  may 
conceive  of  the  world,  from  the  begining  to  the  end,  as  gradually  im- 
proving in  mental  and  religious  attainments  under  the  feveral  divine 
difpenfationsf.  Which  difpenfations  have  been  in  every  period  fuited  to 
the  improvements  in  knowledge  and  wifdom,  which  then  fubfifted  in  the 
world.  Jdam^  when  created,  may  be  confidered  as  a  child  without  know- 
ledge, learning,  and  experience ;  and  therefore  the  difpenfation  he  was 
under,  was  very  different  from  that,  which  we  are  under,  who  enjoy  the 
benefit  and  light  of  fo  many  preceding  difpenfations. 

Corollary.  J  preceding  difpenfation  is  intended  and  adapted  to  introduce 
and  prepare  for  that  which  comes  after  it.  Experience  is  a  natural  and 
certain  mean  of  improving  in  knowledge  and  wifdom.  This  is  univer- 
fally  true,  as  well  with  regard  to  communities  as  llngle  perfons.  It  is 
therefore  agreeable  to  the  nature  of  things,  that  in  a  progreffive  courfe 
of  knowledge,  and  moral  improvement,  what  we  already  have  experienced 
fhould  be  a  flsp  to  further  advances;  and  confequently,  in  a  jult  plan  or 
fcheme  of  difcipline,  it  is  fit,  that  what  goes  before,  fhould  be  adapted 
to  clear  and  eflablifli  what  is  to  come  after.  Thus  mankind,  reflecting 
upon  preceding  difpenfations,  will  be  admonifhed  and  directed  to  reform 
old  errors  and  corruptions  j  and  thus,  even  the  monfterous  apoftacy  of 
the  church  of  Rome  may  ferve  to  introduce  and  eftablifti  that  moft  per- 
fe£t  ftate  of  chriftianity,  which  we  expeft  will  fucceed  the  difpenfation  we 
are  now  under. 

V.  All  God's  difpenfations  are  in  a  moral  way,  and  adapted  to  the 
nature  of  rational  agents.  Exod.  xiii.  17.     Force  and  co-a6lion  deftroy 

the 

•  Now,  if  fuch  a  defign  fliall  appear  evidently  to  run  through  the  Books  of 
the  Old  and  New  Teftament,  a  man  may,  with  infinitely  greater  propriety, 
fuppofe  the  moll  perfed  drama  (where  the  finell  defign  is  carried  on  by  the 
beft  chofen  plot,  and  by  the  moll  confiftent  underplots,  and  beautiful,  well- 
proportioned  incidents)  to  have  been  writ  by  a  number  of  the  greatefl  mad- 
men or  idiots,  by  piece-meal,  in  different  ages  ;  tfian  imagine  a  thread  of  fuch 
an  end  and  mean  runing  through  above  40  writers,  in  more  than  1600  years, 
to  be  the  work  of  fo  many  enthufiafts.  Or,  we  may  as  well  fuppofe  the  world 
to  be  framed  by  mere  chance;  or  the  moll  magnificent,  beautiful,  and  conve- 
nient palace,  that  the  imagination  can  figure  to  itfelf,  to  be  built  by  men  un- 
acquainted with  all  the  rules  of  archite£lure,  in  feveral  dillant  ages,  and  with- 
out any  model  to  build  by,  and  to  be  fupported  by  meer  chance,  through 
as  many  more;  as  imagine  fuch  an  unity  of  defign  and  mean,  as  I  have  de- 
fcribed,  to  be  the  refult  of  enthufiafm  and  accident  mixed  together.  Ld(^ 
Harrington's  EJfay  en  the  Di-v.  Difpenfations.  Part.  I.  Preface,  f.  26. 

t  Ages  of  a  Man.       6.      16.      20.      30.      40.      50.      60.      70. 
Ages  of  the  World.  600.  1600.  20C0.  3000.  4000.  5000.  6000.  70C0. 


j^  General  Reinarks  upon  the  Ch.  III. 

the  very  nature  of  holinefsj  and  therefore  all  divine  methods  of  reforma- 
tion are  fo  wifely  adji'.fted,  as  to  leave  human  actions  in  their  proper  ftate 
of  freedom.  By  none  of  his  works  did  God  ever  intend  to  render  wiclc- 
cdnefs  impraiticable;  and  he  hath  always  provided  fufficient  fupports  for 
inte"-rity  and  virtue.  With  this  very  fentiment  prophecy  in  DtJniel  and 
in  the  Revelation  is  fealcd  up.  Rev.  xxii.  i\.  He  that  is  unjuj}^  let  him 
be  mjujl  Jiill;  and  he  that  is  filthy,  let  him  he  filthy  Jlill.  That  is  to  fay, 
there  is  no  cure  for  the  obftinately  blind  and  wicked  ;  neither  are  th? 
ways  of  C^od  intended  to  purify  thofc,  who  will  not  be  made  clean  ;  but, 
after  all  that  God  hath  done/f/)^  wicked  (Dan.  xii.  lo.)  fijallhc  left  to 
do  wickedly.  And  none  of  the  wicked  will  underjland,  but  only  the  wife  will 
under jland.  But  he  that  is  right eo74s^  let  him  be  righteous  jUll  \  and  he  that 
is  holy,  let  him  he  holy  ftilL  Hofi  xiv.  9.  JVho  is  wife,  and  [ior]  he  flyall 
tmderjlayidtheje  things  P  Prudent^  and  [for]  he  Jhall  know  them  f-  For  the  ways 
of  Jehovah  are  right ;  and  the  jujl  fijall  walk  in  them  ;  hut  the  tranfgrejjors 
fhadfall  in  them.  The  fmcere  and  upright,  who  choofe  the  way  of  truth, 
"or  turn  from  fm  unto  righteoufnefs,  the  righteous  and  merciful  God  will 
never  forfake.  They  make  a  wife  improvement  of  his  difpenfations, 
and,  under  all  trials  and  difficulties,  he  will  guide  and  fupport  them  ; 
and' their  path  fhall  be  as  the  fliining  light,  that  (hineth  more  and  more 
to  the  perfedl:  day. 

Corollary.  Hoice  we  may  conclude — That  in  coinputing  the  progrrfs 
of  religion.,  under  any  difpcnfation,  the  quantity  of  knowledge  and  religion ^  is  to 
he  meafured  only  by  the  improvement  of  the  righteous ;  and  that  the  wicked^ 
how  many  foever,  arc  not  to  be  taken  into  the  account,  as  maknrg  any  deduc- 
tions from  it.  Or,  the  advances  of  knowledge  and  religion,  under  any 
difpenfation,  are  not  to  be  eftimated  by  numbers,  but  by  the  proficiency 
of  fingle  perfons,  how  few  foever.  Noah,  a  fingle  perfon,  was,  at  the 
time  of  the  deluge,  the  true  ftandard  of  religious  improvement  in  that 
as;e ;  though  all  the  rell:  of  mankind  were  exceeding  corrupt  and 
wicked. 

VI.  Known  unto  God  are  all  his  works  from  the  hegining  of  the  world, 
faith  the  apoftle  James,  J^Js  xv.  18.  Then  all  God's  works  were  formed 
and  planned  in  his  counfels,  and  lay  under  his  eye  in  one  comprehenfive 
view ;  and  therefore  muft  be  perfe6lly  confident.  One  uniform  fchemc 
muft  be  laid,  and  one  even  thread  of  defign  muft  run  through  the  whole. 
Theyarenottherefultof  fudden,  incoherent  thoughts  ^  but  a  well  digefted 
plan,  formed  upon  the  moft  juft  principles  by  him,  who  feeth  all  his 
works  from  the  begining  to  the  end.  Whence  it  follows,  that  if  we  do 
not  difcern  one  coherent  defign  in  the  divine  difpenfations,  or  if  wc  make 
any  one  part  clafli  with  the  reft,  we  may  be  fure  we  do  not  underftand 
them.  Goodnefs  was  the  principle  of  creation.  God  made  man  becaufe 
he  delif;htcd  to  communicate  being  and  happinefs.  Confequently,  good- 
nefs and  fatherly  love,  which  was  the  begining  and  foundation  of  God's 
works,  muft  run  equally  through  them  all,  from  firft  to  laft. 

VII.   Previous  notice  was  given  of  fome  of  the  principal  difpenfations, 

cither  for  warning,  or  to  prepare  men  for  the  reception  of  them.     The 

ifeluge  was  preached  by  Noah   120  years  before  it  came  to  paf^.     The 

]ewlft\  difpenfation  was  predicted  to  Abraham  430  years  beforehand.    Je- 

'rejniah  foretold  the  Babj^lonifh  captivity  j  and  Paul,  and  John  at  large, 

»  predict 


Gh.  III.  Divine  Difpenfations.  fj 

jjredict  and  defcribe  the  grand  apoftacy.  But  the  coming  of  the  Mejfiah, 
and  the  gofpel  difpenfation,  run  through  the  whole,  from  the  begining  to 
the  end,  in  a  lefs  or  clearer  degree  of  light.  And  it  was  fiting  that  this, 
which  is  the  chief  of  God's  works,  fhould  receive  the  brightell  evidence 
from  prophecy.  And  therefore  it  was  not  fit  it  fhould  be  introduced  tiJl 
fuch  time  as  it  had  received  that  evidence  j  which  in  fcripture  is  called  the 
fulnefs  of  time.    Gal.  iv.  4. 

y  III.  The  difpenfations  of  God  are  intended  for  our  contemplation 
and  ftudy ;  and  it  is  a  fuigular  advantage  to  form  right  notions  of  them^ 
becaufe  they  will  tiri(5ture  our  conceptions  of  God^  and  influence  out  dif- 
{)ofitions  towards  him.  If  we  judge  truly  of  God's  works,  we  ihall  have 
agreable  and  lovely  ideas  of  the  workman.  His  wifJom,  his  goodnefs  and 
truth,  will  ftand  in  a  fair  light,  and  we  Ihall  confefshini  infinite!  y  worthy 
of  our  higheft  regard.  Then  we  ihall  think  of  God  with  admiration, 
pleafure  and  delight,  [Pfol-  xcii.  4.  Thou^  Lord^  haft  made  7ne  glad  through 
thy  voork ;  /  will  triumph  in  the  works  of  thy  hands i)  and  fhall  ferve  and  fol- 
low him  with  willing  minds.  But  if  we  form  fuch  conceptions  of 
the  ways  of  God,  as  reprcfent  them  to  be  arbitrary  and  tyrannical^ 
inconfiftent  with  all  our  notions  of  juftice  and  goodnefs,  the  effedl  of 
fovereign  will,  without  cither  rcafon  or  love^  he  muft  ftand  before  out* 
thoughts  in  the  moft  frightful  colors.  The  moft  horrible  gloom  will  be 
drawn  over  the  perfeflions  of  the  beft  of  beings,  our  minds  will  be  filled 
with  darknefs  and  dread  ;  and,  if  we  vvorfhip  him  at  all,  our  worlhip  and 
obedience  will  not  be  the  free  and  generous  duty  of  fons,  but  the  joylefs 
conftrained  drudgery  of  flavCs. 

IX.  It  muft  be  remembered,  that  the  works  of  God  are  unfearchable, 
and  paft  our  finding  out  to  perfection.  Pfal.  xciii  5.  O  Lord^  how  great 
are  thy  worh,  and  thy  thoughts  are  very  deep!  From  a  juft  fenfe  of 
the  infcrutability  of  the  divine  difpenfations,  the  apoftle  concludes  a  dif- 
courfc  upon  the  rejection  of  the  Jews,  and  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles, 
with  this  fdlemn  exclamation  ;  0  the  depth  of  the  riches^  both  of  the  wifdom 
and  knowledge  of  God!  How  unfearchable  are  his  judgements^  and  his  ways 
pafi  finding  out !  Rom.  xi.  33.  It  becomes  us  to  admire  and  adore  the 
counfels  of  infinite  wifdom,  and  to  acquiefce  where  we  cannot  gain  a  full 
knowledge  of  them.  Rev.  xv.  3.  Great  and  marvelous  are  thy  works^  Lord 
God  Almighty!  We  cannot  comprehend  the  ways  of  God  in  their  fulleft 
extent,  in  all  their  largeft  views,  and  remoteft  conne6tions.  He  there- 
fore that  is  wife  will  not  cavil  at  them,  nor  fooliftily  endeavour  to 
pry  into  them  beyond  the  bounds  of  revelation,  and  of  human  under- 
ftanding. 

X.  But  under  all  our  prefent  darknefs,  and  under  every  difpenfation, 
an  honeft  heart,  fincerely  dcfirous  to  know  the  truth,  ferioufly  inquilitive 
after  it,  meekly  fubmiffive  to  what  God  hath  reveled  and  commanded, 
willing  to  work  together  with  him,  patiently  perfevcring  in  v/cll  doing  ; 
fuch  a  temper,  and  fuch  a  conduit,  is  the  beft  and  fafcft  e;uide  under  every 
difpenfation  ;  will  enable  us  to  foilovv  God,  to  comply  with  every  de'.ign 
of  his  providence,  to  overcome  in  every  hour  of  trial,  and  will  lead  us 
to  eternal  life.  To  fuch  a  eharaifter,  as  v/ell  as  to  Daniel^  (Chap, 
xii.  13.)  it  is  the  language  of  divine  grace — But  walk  thou,  thou 
honeft,  upright  man,  ivalk  thou  thy  way  to  the  fW,  take  courage  and 

Vol.  I.  B  comfort, 


l8  Of  the  Creation.  Ch.  IV. 

comfort,  walk  on,  perfevorc  in  the  path  of  truth  and  integrity ;  foty 
after  all  the  trials  and  difquictudes  of  this  world,  thcu  JJjult  rcji^  and 
Jland  in  thy  lot^  the  lot  of  pious  and  faithful  fouls,  at  the  end  of  the  days. 


'■./ \ / \ .' \/ \/ •: ,■  \ .' \/\ / •-./ ■%/ V  V V V ■••.' '\^ V "v" V V'' ■  ••/ V \'" '■'/ '-'"^ ■'S'' N / s z* \  •  V v ^\/ V / \ / ve ^• 
/\/^\/-,/  »/\/\/\/s/-./-.,\/\/\<-w\."»/x/x/\/»/>/\/-./\/'s/\/\A/\/s/./--./\/\/s/vV.A 

CHAP.       IV. 
Of   the    creation. 

Gen.  I.   I. — 26. 

'^yfy>'p.  HIS  is  the  work  of  creation.  To  create  Is  to  give  Being 
»  T  w  to  that  which  did  not  exift  before ;  and  fo,  is  no  contradic- 
5Ci^'>K'>5-5{^  tion.  That  a  thing  fhould  he  and  not  be  at  the  fame  time,  is 
a  contradiction  and  impoiTibility ;  but  that  a  thing  fhould  exift  now, 
which  did  not  exift  before,  is  no  more  a  contradidlion,  than  that  my  hand 
fhould  move  now,  which  did  not  move  before. 

That  there  is  one  firft  uncaufed  Caufc,  from  which  :dl  other  beings  de- 
rive their  exiftencc,  and  upon  whom  they  have  their  entire  dependence, 
hath  already  been  proved.  Confequently,  all  beings,  except  the  firft 
Caufe,  muft  have  been  produced,  or  brought  into  being  by  the  power  and 
agency  of  the  firft  Caufe.  Not  produced,  out  of  nothing,  but  out  of  no- 
thing befides  the  imn.enfe  and  unconceivable  fullnefs  of  the  fclf-exiftent 
Being,  who  muft  have  in  himfelf  the  power  and  pofTibility  of  all  being  ; 
though  we  cannot  comprehend  or  conceive  in  what  manner,  or  by  what 
kind  of  agency,  he  createth  or  communicateth  exiftencc  to  beings  diftincl 
from  himfelf. 

Of  the  Creation  of  all  things,  Afofes  in  this  chapter  has  given  us  a  fum- 
mary  account  j  not  in  a  precifc  philofophical  manner,  but  fo  as  to  give 
the  men  of  that  age,  in  which  he  wrote,  juft  and  aft'edting  notions  of  tliis 
firft,  and  rnoft  ftupendous  work  of  God,  fo  far  as  was  necefTary  to  the 
purpofes  of  true  religion,  and  no  further.  It  is  enough,  therefore, 
that  his  account  is  true,  fo  far  as  it  goes,  and  not  in  any  re- 
fpecl  inconfirtent  with  the  moft  accurate  difcoverics,  which  have  been 
made  in  later  ages  concerning  the  f)  ftem  of  the  univerfe,  or  any  part 
of  it. 

Ver.  I.  //;  the  begi/iing,  &c.  The  heavrns  and  the  earth  may  compre- 
hend the  whole  univerfe,  or  all  things  vifille  and  invifibk.  It  doth  not 
therefore  follow,  that  the  whole  univerfe  was  created  all  together  ar 
once,  or  at  fome  one  period  of  time.  But  the  meaning  is  this;««t  firft, 
when  tlie  univerfe  was  produced,  it  was  brought  into  being  by  the  fole 
power  and  wifdom  of  the  almighty  and  eternal  Crod.  'Fhis  is  true, 
though  the  fcveral  parts  of  the  univerfe  may  have  been  produced  at  dif- 
ferent times,  or  at  any  diftance  of  time  from  each  other;  and  though 
God  may  flill  be  creating  new  worlds  in  the  immenfc  bofom  of  fpace, 
which  i>  not  improbable  j  1  lay,  it  is  true,  that  in  the  begining  of  their 
exiftencc,  whenever  that  was j  God  created,  and  is  ftill  creating,  them  all. 

The 


I 


Ch.  IV.  Of  the  Creatidrti  I^ 

The  fentiment  which  Mofes,  I  apprehend,  would  inculcate  being  this, 
that  the  whole  univerfc  of  beings,  whenever  created,  doth  not  exirt  by 
neceflity  or  chance ;  but  had  a  begining,  and  was  produced  by  the  fole 
power  of  God. 

But,  as  Mofes  here  gives  us  a  particular  account  of  the  formation  of 
our  earth,  this  phrafe,  hi  the  begining^  may  have  a  fpecial  reference  to  the 
time,  when  our  earth  was  created^  The  matter,  of  which  it  con- 
iifts,  was  produced  in  the  ftate  of  a  Chaos^  ( Ver.  1  )  ivhhout  form  andvoidy 
i.  e.  (hapelefs,  wafte,  and  ufelefs  ;  all  the  parts,  folids  and  fluids,  jumbled 
together,  and  furrounded  with  darknefs,  unadorned,  uninhabited.  But 
the  fpir'it  of  God  moved  upon  the  face  of  the  waters;  i.  e.  the  influences  and 
exertions  of  the  divine  power  actuated  this  dark,  confufed  mafs,  and  di- 
gefted,  and  reduced  its  parts  to  the  beautiful  ftate  and  order  in  which  We 
now  behold  them. 

On  the  firfl  day,  and  the  firfl:  thing  after  the  production  of  the  Chaos, 
the  element  of  light  was  created.    Fer.  3,  4,  5. 

On   the  fecond  day  was  created  the  element  of  air,  or  that  body 

of  air,  which  we  call  the  Atmofphere,  [i^p'ir!  the  firmdment^  or  rather, 

-  I.  T  r 

fpacious  expanfion  of  air,  where  the  fowls  do  fly,  (Ver.  20.)  and  which 
is  fpread  abroad  above,  and  all  round  the  earth,  including  meteors  and 
clouds,  which  are  the  waters  above,  or  at  the  upper  part  of,  the  atmof- 
phere, in  contradiftindlion  to  the  waters  of  the  fea  and  rivers,  which  are 
under  it.    Fer.  6,  7,  8. 

On  the  third  day  the  great  God  formed  the  element  of  water,  by 
draining  ofF  the  fluids  of  the  Chaos^  and  caufing  them  to  flow  into  laro-e 
cavities,  prepared  to  receive  them ;  that  thus  the  earth  mio-ht  become 
one  firm,  compa6l,  voluble  globe,  and  in  a  fit  condition  to  produce 
grafs,  herbs,  trees,  and  plants,  which  were  then  created.  Fer.  9,  10, 
ii,  12. 

On  the  fourth  day  God  created  the  fun  and  moon.  Fer.  14 — 19. 
The  (mw  being  the  centre  of  our  fyftem,  itfeems  probable,  that  the  whole 
folar  fyflem  was  produced  at  the  fame  time  with  the  earth,  though  the 
defign  of  the  writer  did  not  lead  him  to  take  notice  of  the  other  parts 
of  it.  But  we  have  no  juft  ground,  from  his  account,  to  fuppofe,  that 
all  the  ftars,  which  are  probably  each  of  them  the  centre  of  a  diftincl  {y- 
ftem,  were,  on  this  day,  all  of  them  created.  Mod:  of  them  might  have 
been  created  long  before,  and  fome  of  them  fince,  our  world  came  into 
being.  For  th?.t  claufe  (Ver.  16.)  he  7nade  thefiars  alfo^  in  the  Hebrew 
is  no  more  than,  and  the  far  s ;  the  words,  he  ?nade^  being  inferted  by  the 
tranflators.  And  therefore  it  may  be  well  rendered  thus — Fer.  16.  Jnd 
God  made  two  great  lights ;  the  greater  light  to  rule  the  day.,  and  the  leffer 
light  to  ride  the  night  with  the  fan.  That  is  to  fay,  the  moon  andfars  io 
rule  the  night.,  as  it  is  expreiFed,  Pfal.  cxxxvi.  9.  The  conjundion  \ 
fometimes  hath  the  force  of  the  prepofition  xvith;  as  Gen.  iv.  20.  With 
his  weapons.  2  King.  xi.  8.   fer.  xxii.  7.  ^c. 

Hitlierto  our  globe,  and  perhaps  the  other  planets,  might,  by  the 
power  of  God,  be  fufpended  in  the  empty  fpace,  in  a  ftate  of  reft. 
But  now,  when  the  fim,  the  centre  of  our  fyftcm,  was  created,  and 
the  earth  was  reduced  to  a  proper  ftate  of  firmnefs  and  roliditv,  they 
might  be  thrown  into  thofe  regular  and  rapid  motions,  about  the  fun, 

B  2  and 


20  Of  the  Creation,  Ch.  IV^ 

and  their  own  cCntrC?;,  which,  by  the  fame  power  imprefTcd  upon  them, 
continue  to  this  day  j  and  by  their  exa6l  periodical  revolutions  produce 
that  grateful  and  neceflary  variety  of  day  and  night  and  feafons ;  namely, 
fpring  and  fuinmer,  autumn  and  winter ;  which  are  certainly  the  ef- 
fci\  of  the  annual  and  diurnal  motions  of  the  earth ;  and  therefore 
the  annual  and  diurnal  motions  might  on  this  day  commence.  Fcr.  14. 

On  the  fifth  day  fifh  and  fowl  j  on  the  fixth  day  beads  and  man  were 
created.   r£r.  20,  is'c. 

There  is  one  difficulty  remaining,  namely,  that  light  was  created  be- 
fore the  fun,  Fer.  3,  14,  iSc.  Whereas  the  fun  is  fuppofed  to  be  the 
fole  fountain  of  light,  by  emitting  luminous  particles  from  its  body.  J3ut 
I  fufpccl  the  truth  of  this  hypothefis ;  and  Mofes  may  be  found  a  more 
accurate  philofopher  than  is  commonly  imagined.  It  appears  from  elec- 
trical experiments,  that  light  is  a  diftincl:  fubflance  from  all  other, 
as  much  as  air  is  from  water;  and  that,  by  being  properly  excited,  it  may 
be  made  to  appear  in  midnight  darlcnefs.  Which  flievvs,  that  it  did 
exifl:  in  that  darknefs,  previoufly  to  its  being  excited  ;  and  that  it  was 
rendered  vifible  by  being  excited.  Confequently  it  may,  and,  1  doubt 
not,  doth  cxif},  expanded  through  the  whole  vifible  fyftemof  things  at  all 
times,  by  night  as  well  as  by  day  -,  and  that  the  fun,  a  fiery  body,  is,  in 
cur  fyfi:em,  the  great  exciter,  by  which  the  fubllance  of  light  is  impelled, 
and  becomes  vifible.  For  were  there  no  fubftance  of  light  previoufly 
exifting  throughout  the  whole  fyftem,  no  light  would  appear,  though  ten 
thoufand  funs  fliould  at  once  be  placed  in  our  hemifphers.  Juft  as  the 
ringing  of  the  bell  produces  found,  not  by  an  emanation  of  particles  from 
the  fubfiiance  of  the  bell,  but  by  exciting  the  air,  or  the  founding  fubflance, 
without  which  the  bell  could  produce  no  found  at  all.  As  the  air  will 
not  found,  fo  the  light  will  not  appear  without  being  excited*.    Upon  this 

fup- 

•  This  hypothefis,  I  prefume,  doth  not  interfere  with  any  rules  of  optics, 
the  rays  of  light  being  fAv/'/t'd' according  to  the  fame  laws  .Tnd  diredions,  by 
which  they  are  fuppofed  to  be  emited.  The  light  of  a  caniile,  upon  an  emi- 
nence, may  be  feen  at  leail  three  miles  at  fea,  in  a  dark  night.  Therefore, 
according  to  the  common  fuppofition,  the  flame  of  a  candle,  fuppofe  of  one 
inch  diameter,  mull  emit  from  its  body  inftantaneoully,  and  in  every  inftant, 
while  it  continues  to  burn,  as  much  luminous  matter,  or  fubftance,  as  will  nil 
a  fpherical  fpace  of  fix  miles  in  diameter,  or  of  113,0976  cubical  miles. 
"W''hich,  notwithftanding  the  divtfibiliiy  of  matter,  in  mfinhum,  feems  to  me, 
to  be  incredible.  It  is  furely  more  probable  and  rational  to  fuppofe,  that  the 
extremely  agile  particles  of  light,  winch  fill  that  large  fpace,  are  actuated,  or 
excited  inftantaneoufiy  by  the  luminous-  body. 

A'.  B.  Dr.  Taylor,  feme  time  after  he  had  finiflied  this  fcheme  of  fcrip- 
ture  divinity,  met  with  the  fame  thought  and  reafoning  in  the  ingenious  au- 
thor of  Nature  Displayed  ;  and  wat  not  a  little  pleafed  to  fand  an  hypo- 
thefis, which  he  judged  peculiar  to  himfclf,  adopted  by  fo  deep  an  inquirer 
into  nature. 

That  tlie  curious  reader  may  compare  the  paflages,  he  is  prefented  with 
the  following  extraft. 

" — *  Light  is  vifibly  pre-cxiflent  to  luminous  bodies;  this  may  feem  a 
**  paradox  at  firlt  fight,  but  it  is  not  therefore  a  lefs  evidcRl  truth.  —  By  light 

ws 

*  Vol.  III.  P  ige  409.  Second  Edition. 


L^ 


Ch.  IV.  Of  the  Creation.  21 

fuppofition  the  element  or  fubftance  of  light  was  created  on  the  firft  day, 
and  the  divine  power  alone  might  be  the  exciter,  which  made  the  li.>^ht 

appear 

we  do  not  mean  that  fenfation  which  we  experience  in  ourfelves,  on  the 
prefence  of  any  illuminated  body,  but  that  inconceivably  fubtle  matter, 
which  makes  an  impreffion  on  the  organs  of  fight,  and  paints  on  the  optic 
nerve  thofe  objeds  from  the  furfaces  of  which  it  was  reflided  to  us.  iJght 
then,  taken  in  this  fenfe,  is  a  body  quite  different  from  the  fun,  and  inde- 
pendent on  it,  and  might  have  exilled  before  it,  feeing  now  it  does  exill  in 
its  abfence,  as  well  as  when  prefent.  It  is  diffufed  from  one  end  of  the 
Creation  to  the  other,  traverfes  the  whole  univerfe,  forms  a  communi- 
cation between  the  moft  remote  fpheres,  penetrates  into  the  inmoil  recelfes 
of  the  earth,  and  only  waito  to  be  put  in  a  proper  motion  to  make  itfelf  vi- 
fible.  —  Light  is  to  the  eye  what  the  air  is  to  the  ear:  Air  may  not  be 
called  the  body  of  found,  and  it  does  equally  exill  all  round  us,  though  there 
be  no  fonorous  body  to  put  it  in  motion  ;  fo  likewifo  the  light  does  equally 
extend  at  all  times,  from  the  moll  diilant  fixed  liars  to  us,  thoujrh  ic  then 
only  llrikes  our  eyes,  when  impelled  by  the  fun,  or  fome  other  mafs  of 
fire. 

"  The  difference  betwixt  the  propagation  of  found  and  light  confills  in 
this,  that  the  air,  which  is  the  vehicle  of  found,  being,  beyond  all  compa- 
rifon,  more  denfe  than  the  vehicle  of  light,  its  motion  is  much  flower. 
Hence  we  may  account  for  that  common  phcenomenon,  why  we  do  not  hear 
the  found  of  the  firft  ftroke  of  a  hammer,  when  at  a  diftance  from  it,  til!  it 
is  at  the  point  of  giving  the  following  blow ;  whereas  light  is  propagated 
with  incredible  fwiftnefs,  though  at  tome  fmall  diltance  of  time  between 
its  receiving  the  impulfe,  and  its  communicating  it  to  us;  feven  minutes, 
according  to  Sir  Isaac  Newton's  calculation,  being  fufRcient  for  its  paf- 
fage  from  the  fixed  ftars  down  to  us.  This  diiferencc  of  velocity  between 
the  progieffive  motion  of  light,  and  that  of  found,  is  fenfibly  demonftrated 
by  firing  a  gun  in  a  large  open  plain,  where  the  fpedlator,  at  a  great  dillance 
from  it,  will  perceive  the  flalh  a  confiderable  time  before  he  hears  the 
noife. 

"  The  body  of  light  therefore  does  either  exift  independently  of  the  lumi- 
nous body,  and  only  waits  to  receive  a  dire<!l  impulfe  from  it,  in  order  to 
did  upon  the  organ  of  vifion;  or  we  mull  fuppofe  that  every  luminous  body, 
whether  it  be  the  fun,  a  candle,  or  a  fpark,  does  produce  this  light  from 
itfelf,  and  project  it  to  a  great  diftance  from  its  own  body.  There  is  no 
medium  between  thefe  two  fuppofitions,  and  either  the  one  or  the  other 
muft  be  true.  But  to  alTert  the  latter,  is  to  aflert  a  very  great  improbabi- 
lity ;  for  if  a  fpark,  which  is  feen  in  every  part  of  a  large  room,  fifty  cubick 
feet  in  dimenfions,  emits  from  its  own  fubftance  a  quantity  of  light  fuffici- 
ent  to  fill  the  whole  room,  then  there  muft  iflue  from  that  fpark,  which  is 
but  a  point,  a  body,  the  contents  of  which  are  fifty  cubick  feet.  How  in- 
credible the  fuppofition! 

*'  Suppofe  the  lanthorn,  on  the  light-houfe  of  Meffina,  to  be  feen  only  eight 
cubick  leagues,  of  which  itfelf  is  the  centre;  it  will  follow,  that  an 
eye  placed  in  any  point  of  thofe  fix  cubick  leagues  will  difcern  it,  and 
confequently  fo  much  fpace  will  be  filled  with  the  light  of  it.  Now  how 
incredible  that  a  little  fire,  fome  few  inches  in  diameter,  fhould  diffufe 
around  it  a  fubftance  capable  of  filling  eight  cubick  leagues !  Suppofe  the 
the  lanthorn  concealed,  and  the  light  immediately  difappears ;  let  it  be  un- 
covered the  moment  after,  and  it  will  inftantly  be  feen  as  far  as  before,  and 

*'  confe* 


B 


5i  Of  the  Crehtlon.  Cri.  TV. 

appear  for  the  three  firft  days  of  creation,  until  the?un,  the  inftrumentaj 
exciter,  was  produced. 

Further,  we  muft  remark,  that  although  God  is  here  fajd  to  create 
the  worlil,  yet  it  may  be  true,  that  he  empluyed  a  fubordiiiate  agent  in  the 
formation  of  it  j  jiamtly,  the  Sen  of  God^  who  jifterwards  came  into  the 
World  for  the  redemption  of  mankind.  See  'John  i.  2,  3.  Col,  i.  15,  16, 
jy.  I  Cur.  viii.  5,  6.  But  though  l)e  was  the  inftrumcntal  caufc,  yet  it 
is  true,  that  God  made  aJl  things,  becaule  our  Lord  a6tetl  by  a  power  de 
rived  from  him.     He  that  hath  built  all  things  is  GoJ,  Heb,  iii.  4. 

So  much  for  critical  remarks.     The  fubjeft  naturally  leads  to  the  fol- 
lowing reflections. 

f  Thefe  are  thy  glorious  Works,  Parent  of  Good! 

*'  Almighty,  thine  this  univerfal  Frame, 

*'  Thus  wonderoiis  fiiir;  thyfelf  how  wonderous  then! 

How  wonderou"^,  how  immenfe  is  the  power,  goodr.efs,  and  wifdom, 
which  gave  exiftejice  to  the  ftuper.dous  fabric  and  furniture  of  the  uni 
verfe ! 

I.  Power.  How  vafl:  and  mighty  is  the  arm,  which  (Iretchcd out  the 
heavens^  and  laid  the  foundations  of  the  earth!  Which  fuftains  namberlefs 
worlds,  of  amazing  bulk,  fufpended  in  the  unmeafurablc  and  unconctiv- 
ably  diftant  regions  of  empty  ipace;  and  flcadily  directs  their  variou-? 
•rapid  and  regular  motions  !  Lift  up  your  eyes  on  high^  and  behold  whp 
hath  created  all  thefe  ihings.  He  bringeth  out  all  their  hojls  by  )iufnber^  he 
callrth  thein  alt 'by  hames^  by  the  greatnefs  of  his  Jnight^  for  that  he  is  Jlrong 
in  Pcivcr^  not  one.  of  them  faileth.  IJai.  xl.  26.  How  powerful  was  the 
command,  Let^  there  be  light,  and  there  was  light — Let  there  be  a  firma- 
ment, &c.  By  the,  lucrdofthe  Lord  were  the  heavens  made,  and  all  the  IkJI 
of  them  by  the  breath  cf  his  7nouth.     For  he  [pake,  and  it  -was  done;  he  cotn- 

TJianded^ 

'*'  con  fequently  fill  eight  eight  cubick  leagues  of  fpace  with  frefh  light;  then 
*'  how  many  times  eight  cubrck  leagues  of  luminous  matter,  will  all  the  fuc- 
*'  cefTive  inllants  of  illumination  prodnce  in  one  night's  time!  Sure  nothing 
*•  was  ever  more  inconceivable. 

*'  On  the  contrary,  how  fimple  and  naturalis  it  to  fuppofe,  that  as  the  air 
*'  exilled  before  the  bell  th.tt  put  it  in  motion,  and  caufed  it  to  vibrate  ir.;o 
*'  found,  fo  in  like  manner,  the  lij^ht  cxifted  ronnd  the  fire  of  il//;^/:.",  bt-fore 
"  the  lantliorn  was  illuminated,  aiid  only  waited  to  be  put  in  motion  by  the 

""  fire,  in  order  to  make  an  imprefiion  on  the  eye^  of  the  mariners.  The  fun 
"  and  ftars  do,  by  the  fame  means,  make  t])emfclves  vifiblc,  \vh'b'ol5t'fufferin^ 

'•'*  hny  diminution  of  their  {\ibftance,  by  continual  emanarirni  of  lumiiious 

'**  rnarter  into  thofe  vail  regions  of  Ipacc  through  which  J  them; 

'**  God  having  placed  between  thofc  luminous  globes  an^l  .  . ,  .i.c  body  of 
*"=  that  light  which  we  fee, 'and  which  is  imprefled  on  the  organs  cf  vifion, 
*•  by  their  adion  and  inRilcnce  ;  hut  does  not  proceed  from  them,  nor  owes 

■•**  its  exiftence  to  them. The  account  of  Mojh  therefore,  as  to  this  par- 

**  ticular,  is  agreeable  to  truth,  as  well  as  an  ufchil  leflbn  of  caution,  when 
'•  he  inforins  us,  that  God,  and  not  the'fun,  was  the  author  and  parent  of 
♦'  light,  and  that  it  was  created  by  his  almighty  fiat,  before  there  was  a  fun 
*•  to  dare  it  on  one  part  of  the  earth,  and  a  moon  to  reficd  it  on  the  other." 


Ch.  IV.  Of  the  O-eat'tcru  23 

manded,  and  it  Jlood  fajl.  Pfal.  xxxiii.  6,  9.  Thus  the  fcriptures  fub- 
limely  exprefs  the  exertion  of  the  divine  Power  in  Creation ;  as  if  it 
were  done  inftantaneoufly,  and  with  as  little  difficulty,  as  fpeaking  a 
word. 

II.  And  as  for  Goodness,  what  an  infinite  fulnefs  of  life  and  being, 
what  an  immenfe,  inexhauftible  treafury  of  all  Good,  muil  that  be,  from 
whence  all  this  life  and  being  was  derived  !  How  infinitely  rich  is  the 
glorious  and  eternal  God !  Out  of  his  own  fulnefs  he  hath  brought  worlds 
and  worlds,  replcnifted  with  myriads  and  myriads  of  creatures,  furniflied 
with  various  powers  and  organs,  capacities  and  inftinds  ;  and  out  of  his 
own  fulnefs  continually  and  plentifully  fupplieth  them  with  all  the  ne- 
ceflaries  of  exiftence.  And  ftill  his  fulnefs  remaineth  the  fame,  unemp- 
tied,  unimpaired  5  and  he  can  yet  bring  out  of  his  fulnefs  worlds  and 
worlds  without  end.  How  immenfely  full  of  all  life  and  being  is  the 
glorious  and  eternal  God!  Thus  he  is  good  in  himfelf.  And  he  dcth 
good.  He  is  kind  and  beneficent,  willing  to  communicate  being  and 
good.  How  profufe  is  his  bounty!  He  might  have  kept,  as  I  may  fay, 
the  whole  of  exiltence  to  himfelf;  but  he  has  liberally  fhared  it  out 
among  his  creatures;  and  of  all  his  creatures  in  this  world,  the  moft  li- 
berally to  us  men.  Survey  the  whole  of  what  may  be  Teen  in  and  about 
this  globe,  and  fay,  if  our  Maker  hath  a  fparing  and  niggardly  hand. 
Say,  if  we  have  a  churlifh  and  unkind  father.  Certainly  it  is  his  pleafure 
to  form  creatures,  and  furnifh  them  with  enjoyment;  and  therefore  his 
tender  ?nercies  muft  be  over  all  his  works. 

III.  His  Wisdom  appears  illuftrious  in  the  variety,  beauty,  exaftnefs, 
order,  and  harmony,  in  which  God  hath  formed  and  fixed  the  univerfe; 
in  the  feveral  capacities  and  degrees  of  excellence  he  has  confered  upon 
his  creatures  ;  the  proper  ftations  he  hath  afligned  to  them;  the  fubordi- 
nation  and  fubferviency  of  one  to  another,  which  he  hath  cftablifhed,  for 
the  regularity  and  well-being  of  the  whole.  They  are  all,  as  they  come 
out  of  his  hands,  juft  what  they  fhould  be,  adjufted  in  the  exaflelt  pro- 
portions to  their  feveral  ends  and  connections  ;  all  in  every  part  and 
refpe(5t  fhewing  the  workmanfhip  of  the  profoundeft  fkill,  and  moft  curi- 
ous art.  The  utmofi  ftrctch  of  human  underftanding  can  reach  but  a 
fmall  part  of  God's  works;  but  they  who  ftudy  the  wifdom  of  Crea- 
tion, cannot  but  admire,  and  ufe  the  words  of  the  facred  penman,  PfaL 
civ.  24.  (where  he  is  furveying  the  feveral  parts  of  our  globe)  O  Lord^ 
hoiu  manifold  are  thy  luorks  /  In  JFiJdo?7i  haji  thou  7nade  them  all;  the  earth 
is  full  of  thy  riches! 

Thefe  reflexions  will  (i.)  infpire  the  moft  elevated  fentiments  of  the 
moft  high  and  mighty  Creator,  who  is  exalted  infinitely  above  the  heavens^ 
his  glory  is  above  all  the  earth,  Pfal.  cviii.  5.  The  Lord  our  God  is 
very  great,  he  is  clothed  with  ho7iour  and  rnajefly ;  and  we  ftiould  ftudy 
to  magnify  him  in  our  hearts  by  the  moft  raifed  conceptions  of  his  tranf- 
cending  greatnefs.  (2.)  This  fliould  alfo  fill  our  minds  with  joy,  and  our 
mouths  with  his  high  praifes.  This  God  is  our  God,  our  maker,  and 
therefore  our  father.  The  firft  and  moft  proper  notion  v/e  ought  to  en- 
tertain of  the  great  God  is,  that  of  a  Father  ;  our  Father,  and  the  Father 
of  the  whole  univerfe.  And  greatly  fhould  we  be  delighted  with  the 
difplays  of  our  Father's  iaiinite  power,  wifdom,  and  goodnefs.     Tranf- 

B  4  ported 


24  Of  the  Creatian  of  Man,  .  Ch.  V. 

ported  with  joy,  by  an  elegant  profopopqeia,  the  Pfalmift,  in  the  148th 
Pfalm,  calls  upon  all  creatures  to  praife  God;  wifhing,  in  effecl,  that  they 
had  all  of  theni  underltaindiiigs  and  tongues  to  declare,  how  much  (kill 
and  kindners  he  has  (hewn  in  their  formation  and  cftablifhment.  Joy 
and  praife  are  the  Creator's  due,  and  (hould  be  our  conflant  temper  and 
practice.  (3.)  He  who  is  the  maker,  is  alfo  the  abfolute  proprietor, Lord, 
and  Sovereign  of  all  things  ;  and  therefore  hath  the  firft  and  highelt  right 
to  our  reverence,  fubmiffion,  and  obedience.  In  which  he  is  infinitely 
able  to  fupport  us  in  oppofition  to  all  human  power  and  authority.  For 
aR  Pozuer^  not  only  his  own  inherent  power,  but  alfo  the  Power  of  all 
cj-eatcd  beings,  belotigs  to  God.  From  him  it  is  originally  derived,  ajid 
the  exercife  of  it  d^pjnds  entirely  upon  his  will  and  pleafure;  nor  in  any 
inltance,  can  it  poilibly  act  beyond  the  limits  which  he  prefcribcs, 
Therefore,  in  the  way  of  duty,  relying  upon  his  al|fufficiency,  we  need 
not  fear  what  man  cm  do  unto  us.  (4.)  In  our  prefent  fituation  we  are 
liable  to  many  didiculties  and  dillreiies,  from  which  we  are  not  able  to 
gi;ard  or  extricate  ourfelves  ;  but  the  ahnighty  Creator  is  infinitely  able 
to  deliver  his  fervants  from  any  danger,  and  can  clear  a  paHage  through 
all  embarafiments.  He  can  make  a  way  even  in  the  fea,  and  a  path 
in  the  mighty  waters.  (5.)  He  who  from  his  own  inexhauftible  fulnefs 
hath  brought  forth  all  worlds  and  creatures,  js  oyr  fliepherd ;  he  careth 
for  us,  and  can  fully  fupply  all  our  wants.  (6.)  He  can  fully  accompliih 
all  the  great  and  glorious  things  reveled  in  the  gofpel.  He  can 
raife  us  from  the  dead,  change  our  vile  bodies,  and  clpthe  us  with 
immortal  honor  and  glory.  This  (hould  not  feem  to  us  incredi- 
ble, becaufe  he  hath  already  performed  things  as  incredible,  and  we 
^a\'e  conrtantly  expofed  to  our  vievy  efle(5|:s  of  his  Ppwer  no  lefs  won- 
derful. 


CHAP.       V. 
Of  The  CREATION  of  MAN. 

Gen.  i,  26,  to  the  End. 

jl»t?>:?>;"iij!?  O  W  we  are  come  to  the  formation  of  AInn.  Here,  obfcrvc, 
S  N  ^  the  language  of  the  Creator  is  altered.     Inftead  of,   Lit  there 

■ft?ftift'-ft.  ^-  -'^■^'">  ^^o^  ^^'^>  (^^^'-  2^-)  -^''^  "^  ^'^^  ^^^"->  °'"»  ^^  ^'^^ 
make  iMaii,  in  our  ima^e,  after  our  likcr,ffs.  Q.  D.    "  Now  we  have  form- 

^^  ed  and  furnifhed  the  earth,  let  us  make  Man,  the  nobleft  of  our  works, 
"to  inhabit,  cultivate,  and  enjoy  it."  'Fhe  fuperior  excellency  of 
the  human  nature  is  fignified  by  the  diftinguifhed  manner  in  which 
God  is  reprefented  as  addreFtng  himfclf  to  the  formation  of  Man. 

The  plural  number  is  ulcd,  [Jnd  Gods  faid^  Ut  us  make  Man.]  but,  ac- 
cording to  the  genius  of  the  Hebrew  language,  this  is  only  a  magnificent 
wav  ot  cxprelTmg  the  majefty  of  God ;  and  amounts  to  no  more  than  this, 
A7id  Goi  l'::id  J  njill  make  Man.    So  Gin.  xi.  7.  Go  to.,  Ut  us  go  doiutiy  i.  e. 

IwUl 


Ch.  y.  Of  the  Great' i:t  af  Man.  25 

I  will  go  down.  Thus  God  is  called  our  Makers^  Job  xxxv.  10.  Pfai, 
cxlix.  2.  Thy  Creators^  Eccl.  xii.  i.  Thy  fnakers  is  thy  bufoands^  Ifai.Iiv, 
5.  which  are  all  to  be  underftood,  and  are  rendered  in  the  fingular  num- 
ber. "  Nouns  appellative  denoting  dominion,  according  to  the  He- 
"  brew  idiom,  are  put  in  the  plural  inllead  of  the  fmgular."  Should  it 
be  fuppofed,  that  the  great  God  here  fpeaks  to  lome  other  being  or  be- 
ings befides  himfelf,  it  muft  be  to  fome  Subordinate  beings;  for  neither 
this,  nor  any  other  pailage  of  fcripture,  can  juftly  be  explained  incon- 
fiftently  with  the  unity,  fimpljcity,  or  finglenefs  of  the  divine  nature. 

Fer.  26.  Let  us  make  Man  in  our  ozun  Image^  \^Hcb.  in  the  Iketch  or 
ihadow  of  us]  aftery  or  /ike,  our  Likencfs.  Thefe  words,  with  refpecl 
to  God,  are  diminutive,  and  denote,  that  the  moft  perfect  endowments 
of  the  human  nature  are  but  a  fketch,  a  fhadov/,  or  fomething  refem- 
bling  the  Likenefs  of  God.  And  yet,  with  refpect  to  other  creatures 
on  earth,  it  fpeaks  high  dilHn£tion,  and  fuperiority.  For  this  fketch  of 
the  Image  of  God  in  Man  muR  include,  i.  The  noble  faculties  of  his 
mind;  underftanding  and  will,  or  freedom  of  choice,  for  the  govern- 
ment of  all  his  actions  and  paflions,  and  his  continual  improvement  in 
wifdom,  purity,  and  happinefs.  2.  His  dominion  over  the  inferior 
creatures,  exprefsly  mentioned,  ver.  26,  28.  By  which  he  is  God's 
Reprefentative,  or  Viceroy  upon  earth. 

But  divines  have  underftood  this  Image  of  God,  as  confiftino-  in 
righteoufnefs  and  true  holjnefs  ;  which  they  affirm,  were  created  with 
Adam.  Meaning,  not  that  Aduju  was  created  with  fuch  powers,  as  ren- 
dered him  capable  of  acquiring  tjghteoufnefs  and  holinefs,  but  that  he 
was  made  in  this  Image  oi  God  ;  it  was  concreated  with  him,  or  wrought 
into  his  Jiature^  at  the  fame  time  that  it  was  created  ;  and  fo  belono-ed 
to  it  as  a  natural  faculty  or  inftinft.  This  they  call  original  righteouf- 
nefs^ which  they  ground  principally  upon  the  two  following  paflages. 
CgL  iii.  9,  10.  Lye  not  one  to  another  y  feeing  that  you  have  [by  your  Chrif- 
tian  profeflionj  put  off  the  old  man  with  his  deeds  ;  and  haveput  on  the  new 
7nan,  which  is  reneiued  in  knaxtledge  after  the  Lnage  of  him  that  created  him, 
Ephef.  iv.  22,  23,  24.  That  ye  put  oif  concerning  the  forjner  converfation^ 
the  old  man,  which  is  corrupt  according  to  the  deceitful  lujls  :  and  be  renew- 
ed in  the  fpirit  of  your  7nind ;  and  that  ye  put  on  the  new  man,  which  after 
God  is  created  in  righteoufnefs,  and  true  holinefs.  All  this  is  fuppofed  to 
relate  to  Adam's  being  originally  created  in  the  Image  of  God. 

The  old  man,  fay  they,  is  a  corrupt  nature  derived  from  Ada7n  ;  and 
the  new  man,  is  fallen  man  reftored  to  the  primitive  temper,  or  to  that 
righteoufnefs  and  holinefs,  in  which  they  fuppofe  Adam  was  created. 
But  this  is  wide  of  the  Apofvle's  fenfe.  It  is  not  uncommon  with  him 
to  compare  the  Chriltian  church  to  a  man,  or  the  human  body,  of  which 
Chrifi  is  the  heuJ,  and  wc  are  all  of  us  members  in  particular.  The 
nevo  jnan  was  created,  when  God  ereded  the  Gofpel  Difpenfation,  and 
broke  down  the  middle  Wall  cf  Partition  between  us  Jews  and  Gentiles, 
{Ephef.  ii.  13,  14,  15,  lb.)  for  to  make  to  himfelf,  in  the  Gofpel,  of  twain  .^ 
or  oi  the  two  p-arties,  believing  Jews  and  Gentiles,  one  new  man,  or 
the  new  conftitution  and  community,  under  the  Gofpel.  To  this  k^m; 
man,  the  old  man  is  directly  oppofed  ;  and  therefore  muft  fignify  the  Gen- 
tile ftate  cr  community,  headed  by  ^atan^  to  which,  before  their  con- 

verlion, 


26  Of  the  Creation  of  Man,  ■  Ch.  V. 

veriion,  they  .were  joined.  This  is  confirmed  by  the  Apoftle,  Epbef.  ii. 
J I .  IVherefore  remember^  that  ye  being  in  time  paf^-aGEti  tiles  in  thefejhy 
&c.  And  chap,  iv.  17,  &c.  Tbis  J  fay  —  that  ye  walk  not  as  other  Gen- 
TILES  walk,  &c.  They  formerly  belonged  to  the  old  man ,  the  body  of 
impure,  idolatrous  heathen ;  but  now  they  had,  by  their  Chriilian  pro- 
fdEon,  put  offt\\\s  old  man,  together  with  all  /;/.;  wicked  deeds.  Col.  iii. 
9,  10,  and  had  put  on  the  new  man,  or  were  joined  to  the  Chriitian  church, 
or  community.  And  therefore,  they  were  obliged  to  be  rcnnued  in  the 
fpirit  of  their  minds,  and  to  live  in  knowledge,  [true  wifdom]  or  in  righte- 
erifrefs  and  true  holinef.  For  God  created  the  new  man,  or  conftituted 
the  Chriftian  church,  in  wifdom  and  righteoufnefs  and  holinefs,  after  his 
own  Image,  or  the  rectitude  of  his  nature,  with  this  defign,  to  promote 
the  fame  reditude  among  men.  For  [Ephef  ii.  10.)  wf,"the  new  Man, 
or  the  whole  body  oi  ChrifHans,  are  God's  %vorhnanjhip,  created  in  Chriji 
Jcfus  unto  good  worh,  which  God  ordained,  when  he  formed  the  Gofpel 
ijcheme,  that  wejhouldwalkin  them. 

But  what  hath  this  to  do  with  Adam's  being  created  in  righteoufnefs 
and  true  holinefs  ?  Which,  in  the  nature  of  things,  could  not  be  crea- 
ted, or  wrought  into  his  nature  at  the  fame  time  he  was  made  ;  becaufe 
fuch  a  righteoufnefs  would  have  been  produced  in  him  without  his  know- 
ledge and  confent;  and  fo  would  have  been  no  righteoufnefs  at  all.  For 
whatever  is  wrought  in  my  nature  without  mv  knowledge  and  choice, 
cannot  pofTibly  be  either  fm  or  virtue  in  me,  becaufe  it  is  no  acl  of  mine; 
but  muft  be  a  meer  natural  inftinfV,  like  the  indullry  of  the  bee,  or 
the  fiercenefs  of  the  lion.  Righteoufnefs  is  right  action,  direded  by 
knowledge  and  judgment;  hvX  Jda?n  could  neither  adl,  nor  know,  nor 
judge,  before  he,  and  all  his  intelle6l;ual  powers  were  created  ;  and 
therefore  he  muft  exift  and  ufe  his  intellectual  powers,  before  he  could 
be  righteous  and  holy. 

We  may  further  obfer\T  —  That  God  made  the  firft  pair  male  and  fe- 
male, that  they  might  multiply  and  mhabit  the  whole  earth,  and  fupply 
a  perpetual  fucceffion  of  men  and  women,  pronouncing  a  blefling  upon 
tiie  regular  propagation  of  the  human  fpecies,  ver.  28.  Aid  God  blejfed 
them,  he.  But  this  bleffing,  divines  have  fuppofed,  was  turned  into  a 
•curfe,  by  Adam's  tranfgreffion ;  which  fo  corrupted  the  human  nature, 
ihat  thereby  and  thenceforth  we  all  come  into  the  world  under  the  wrath 
and  curfe  of  God.  But  that  this  alfo  is  a  miftake,  is  molt  evident  from 
K?<fK.  ix.  I.  where  God  repetes,  and  pro)iounces  the  very  fame  original 
blefling  upon  the  increafe  or  birth  of  mankind  1600  years,  and  upwards, 
after  Adam's  tranfgreifion,  when  the  world  was  to  be  reltored,  and  re- 
•pleniftied  from  Noah  and  his  fans.  This  proves,  that  mankind,  in  all 
fucceflive  generations,  have  come,  and  will  come  into  the  world,  under 
'the  very  fame  blefling  and  favor  of  God,  which  vi'as  declared  at  the  fir  ft 
creation  of  Man.  It  is'of  great  importance  to  obferve  thefe  remarks, 
not  to  produce  any  difguft  or  animoilty  towards  thofe  that  efpoufe  the 
contrary  opinion,  who  ought  to  be  treated  with  candor  and  forbearance, 
"but  to  fettle  our  own  judgments  upon  right  principles. 

Once  more ;  the  original  grant  of  fuflenajice  to  Man  was  confined 
-to  herbs,  and  the  fruits  of  plants  and  trees,  ver.  29,  30.  which  afterwards 
was  enlarged,  and  included  animal  food,  Gen.  ix.  3. 

Now 


Ch.  V,  Of  the  Creation  of  Man.  ^f 

Now  let  us  take  a  furvey  of  the  nature  which  God  has  gracioufly  be- 
•ftowed  upon  us.  The  body  confift^  of  a  mean  material,  the  dull  of  the 
g)ound-y  but  the  mind  is  of  nobler  extraction,  for  (chap.  ii.  7.)  God 
breathed  into  his  nojirih  the  breath  of  life^and  Man  became  a  living  foul.  Job 
xxxii.  8.  The  infpiration  of  the  Almighty  givcth  us  under/landing -y  the  no- 
bleft  gift  of  our  Maker.  The  force  and  excellence  of  which  appears  in 
a  furprifing  variety  of  inventions  and  difcovcries.  It  is  this  faculty 
•which  penetrates  into  the  mort  fecret  recefl'es  of  Nature;  judges  of,  and 
admires  <^he  beauty  and  contrivance  ot  the  vaft  fabric  of  the  univcrfe  ; 
and  traceth  the  footfteps  of  the  moll  aitonifhing  wifdom  and  regularity 
in  the  various  fituations  and  motions  of  the  heavenly  bodies.  By  this 
wc  review  generations  and  adtions,  charadlers  and  events,  that  exifted 
long  before  we  were  born  ;  and  dart  our  refleiSHons  the  other  way,  into 
futurity,  even  as  far  as  to  the  final  period  of  this  world,  v/ith  all  its  works. 
By  this  wc  conceive,  though  but  negatively,  Etcfnity  itfelf ;  and  appre- 
hend the  ftate  and  felicity  of  beings  far  fuperior  to  ourfelves.  By  this 
Ave  rtretch  our  thoughts  to  the  iiigiielt  excellency,  and  contemplate  the 
nature  of  the  infinitely  perfect  Being. 

Our  fingular  honor  and  advantage  lies  in  our  moral  capacities.  While 
"inftindl  determines  the  purfuits  of  inferior  creatures;  whilft  they  arc 
utterly  unable  to  judge  of  caufes  and  cficcts,  to  draw  confcquences,  or 
to  reafon  about  the  natures  and  tendencies  of  things,  in  order  to  avoid 
or  embrace,  and  arc  rather  aited  upon,  than  act,  we  deliberate,  we 
choofe  our  way,  we  feel  and  examine  what  is  before  us  ;  this  is  good, 
and  therefore  to  be  chofcn  ;  this  is  evil,  therefore  to  be  avoided  j 
this  will  improve  and  exalt  our  life,  this  leads  to  difhonour  and  mifery. 
We  can  ftudy  and  obferve  the  precepts  of  Divine  Wifdom ;  imitate  the 
moral  perfections  of  Deity ;  convcrfe  with  the  fupreme  Father,  and  de- 
Jlre,  and  difpofe  ourfelves  for,  the  cverlafting  enjoyment  of  his  favor. 
And  agreeably  to  thefe  diftinguifliing  honors  of  our  nature,  God  our 
Maker,  whofc  delights  are  with  the  children  of  men,  has  exprefled  his 
high  regards  to  us,  by  fupplying  us  with  all  proper  materials  for  the  im- 
provement of  our  underitandings;  not  only  the  objects  of  nature, 
but  alfo  the  writings  of  good  and  wife  men,  cfpecially  the  holy 
Scriptures,  a  rich  treafury  of  the  moft  excellent  knowledge;  containino- 
the  moft  furprizing  difcoveries,  the  moft  uf'eful  inftructions,  the  moft 
juft  and  noble  principles  and  motive?,  and  whatever  is  proper  to  culti- 
vate and  refine  our  fpirits.  In  particular,  the  redemption  of  the  world 
by  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift.  That  God  ihould  fend  his  well-beloved  Son 
out  of  his  bofom  to  dAVcll  among  us  in  our  flefti,  to  revele  the  high  de- 
figns  of  the  Divine  Wifdom  and  Godnefs,  to  give  himfelf  a  facrifice 
and  offering  to  God  upon  the  crofs,  to  make  atonement  for  our  fins,  to 
raife  us  to  the  dignity  of  kings  and  priefts  to  his  God  and  Father,  that 
wc  might  reign  for  ever  with  him;  this  exalts  the  love  of  God  to  men 
infinitely  beyond  our  higheft  thoughts  and  imaginations  ;  this  raifes  our 
nature  to  an  amazing,  to  an  inexpreflible  dignity  and  value. 

Thcfe  confiderations  fhould  difpofe  us  to  be  pleafed  with  our  being, 

and  thankful  to  our  Maker  for  it.     With  pleafure  we  (hould  reflecSt  that 

wc  are  men.     Every  perfon,  how  low  foevcr  in  the  world,  hath  that  in 

pofTeHion,  which  is  more  valuable  than  Lhoulands  of  gold  and  filver ;  an 

''  immenfe 


28  Of  the  Injl'itutim  Ch.  Vf. 

immenfe  treafure,  to  which  ^:hc  whole  earth  bears  no  proportion,  himfelfy 
3  rcafoiiable  Soul,  an  immortal  S'-.irit  j  to  which,  in  real  excellence, 
the  vihblc  creation,  the  earth  with  all  its  material  riches,  the  fky  with 
all  its  fplcndid  furniture,  is  not  to  be  compared.  Let  us  not  meal'ure 
ourfelvcs  by  worldly  riches.  The  foul  is  the  ftandard  of  the  A4an,  and 
raifcs  him  vaftly  above  all  that  is  earthly.  How  foolifh  then,  how  fhame- 
ful,  how  impious  is  it  to  proftitute  ourfelves  to  the  trifles  of  the  world; 
to  be  fond  of  earthly  things,  and  to  make  our  reafon  a  drudge  to  fenfual 
purfuits !  God  has  made  us  Mcn^  creatures  of  the  tinell  powers  and  fa- 
culties j  he  hath  ufed  us  as  Men,  by  making  the  moll  ample  provifion  to 
enable  us  to  honor  his  Grace  and  our  own  being.  And  fhall  we  defcrt  our 
Manhood  ?  Shall  we  defpife  the  rich  bounty  of  Heaven  ?  Shall  we 
mingle  with  the  duft  that  particle  of  fuperior  life,  which  God  hath  breath- 
ed into  us  ?  Rather  let  us  allert  the  dignity  of  our  being,  and  make  it 
our  principal  care  to  improve  it  by  all  the  advantages  God  hath  provid- 
ed. The  knowledge  of  God  ;  conformity  of  heart  and  life  to  his  will  j 
the  fruits  of  the  fpirit,  joy,  peace,  long-i'uftering,  gentlenefs,  goodnefs, 
fidelity,  meeknefs,  temperance  ;  converfe  with  God  j  the  high  privi- 
leges of  the  fons  of  God ;  the  profpects  of  eternal  glory ;  thele  are  the 
objects  of  our  care  :  as  we  are  enlightened  by  the  Goipel,  we  are  ob- 
liged to  make  thefe  our  fludy,  and  to  form  our  fpirits  according  to  the 
fubllme  and  excellent  fentimcnts  which  thefe  infpire,  that  thus  we  may 
be  flting  ourfelves  for  a  much  higher  and  more  perfect  degree  of  exiftence 
in  a  better  world. 


C    X    A    P.      VI. 

Of  the  Institution  of  the  Sabbat|I. 

Gen.  11.  Ver.  ij  2,  3. 

|f^'^<*!^  S  foon  as  God  had  created  the  world,  and  man  in  It,  he  hkffed 
%  A  :*:  the  Seventh  Day^  upon  which  he  relted  from  creation,  andy««c- 
j^;^-^;'^  t'lfied  it,  i.  e.  he  dillinguilhed  it  from  the  other  fix  days  by  fet- 
in'^  it  apart  to  the  purpofes  of  religion.  Thus  the  faiictihcation  of  the 
Sabbath  is  the  firfl:  and  oldeft  of  God's  inftitutions,  and  muft  have  a  real 
foundation  in  the  nature  of  Man,  and  an  immediate  connexion  with  our 
being,  and  the  great  and  excellent  ends  of  it.  The  Sabbath  and  Man 
were",  in  a  manner,  created  together.  This  is  an  indication,  that  al- 
though the  particular  time  is,  as  it  mufl  ncccfTarily  be,  of  pofitive  ap- 
pointment, yet  the  thing  itfelf  is  an  article  of  natural  religion,  and  ftands 
upon  the  reafon  of  things.  The  great  end  (or  which  we  are  brought 
into  life,  is  to  attain  the  knowledge,  and  to  be  confirmed  in  the  love  and 
obedience  of  God  •,  which  includes  all  right  action  and  virtue,  all  that 
is  perfective  of  our  nature,  all  that  renders  us  happy  in  our  felves,  and  a 

bkiTing 


Ch.  VI.  of  the  Sahbath.  2g 

blefling  to  others ;  and  all  that  can  qualify  us  for  the  enjoyment  of  God, 
and  fit  us  for  immortal  honour  and  glory.  We  cannot  keep  a  due  and 
prevailing  fenfe  of  thefe  things  upon  our  minds,  without  clofe  and  re- 
peated application  of  thought ;  and  therefore,  as  the  affairs  and  necelTi- 
ties  of  this  prefent  life  make  fuch  conftant  and  importunate  demands  up- 
on us,  that  our  hearts  and  thoughts  would  be  unavoidably  ingrofTed  by 
them,  it  is  in  the  nature  of  things  ncccffary,  that  feme  certain  time 
fliould  be  publicly  appropriated  to  the  exercifes  of  religion,  inftruftion, 
prayer  and  praife,  to  fortify  our  minds  againft  temptations,  and  to  fea- 
fon  them  with  piety  dnd  virtue.  And  doubtlefs,  God  alone  hath  wifdoni 
and  authority  fufficientto  aflign  that  portion  of  time  which  is  proper  and 
generally  competent  for  thofe  good  pupofcs. 

The  Sabbath  is  perfectly  fuited  to  our  nature  and  circumftances,  and 
therefore  was  very  properly  inftituted  at  the  creation.  But  fome  of  die 
learned  pretend,  that  Mofcs  here  fpeaks,  by  anticipation,  of  the  Inftitu- 
tion  of  the  Sabbath  a  long  time  after  this,  when  he  was  lawgiver  in  If- 
rael.  This  is  a  fiction  without  any  foundation  in  the  text.  The  hifto- 
rian  exprefsly  relates,  that  God  blefled  and  fancSlified  that  day  on  which 
he  refted,  or  ceafcd,  from  creation  ;  which,  in  all  fair  conftrucflion,  muft 
be  underftood  of  his  fan61ifying  it,  at  the  time  when  he  refted  from 
creation.  That  we  find  no  other  mention  of  the  Sabbath  in  the  fum- 
mary  and  very  comprchenfive  hiftory  of  Gencfis^  is  no  proof  that  the 
Patriarchs  did  not  obferve  it ;  much  lefs  that  the  law  thereof  was  not  all 
that  time  in  force.  We  find  not  the  leaft  mention,  or  intimation,  of 
the  Sabbath  in  all  the  book  of  Jojhua^  nor  in  Judges^  Ruth^  I  SamuJy 
II  Satnuel^  I  Kings,  till  wc  come  to  II  Kivgs^  iv.  23.  a  far  more  parti- 
cular hiftorie  than  the  book  of  Genefis ;  and  yet  it  is  very  certain  that 
the  law  of  the  Sabbath  was  all  that  time  in  force,  and  without  doubt 
was  obferved  too.  There  are  very  clear  intimations  of  regard  to  the 
Sabbath  in  the  book  of  Gencfis^  chap,  viit.  St—iJ.  Thrice  Noah  fent  the 
dove  out  of  the  ark,  after  he  had  every  time  waited  {q.\'z\\  days.  Jacob 
(Gen.  xxix.  27,  28.)  fulfilled  Leah^s.  week.  This  plainly  fhews  the  Pa- 
triarchs, long  before  Mofes  was  born,  reckoned  time  hy  feven  days,  or 
weeks ;  which  can  be  referred  to  no  other  fuppofeable  original  but  the 
inftitution  of  the  Sabbath,  at  the  creation. 

The  Ifraelites  indeed,  during  their  long  continuance  and  fervitude  in 
Egypt,  upwards  of  200  years,  fecm  to  have  loft  their  reckoning  of  the 
Sabbath,  when  they  were  conftrained  by  perpetual  and  moft  fervile  la- 
bor to  neglect  the  obfervance  of  it.  However,  it  certainly  was  the  ap- 
pointment of  God,  that  they  ftiould  bfgin  a  new  reckoning  of  the  (e- 
venth  day,  and  form  a  new  epocha,  namely,  the  falling  of  the  manna. 
Exod.  xvi.  5.  And  it  Jhall  come  to  pafs  on  the  fixth  day,  they /ball prepare 
that  manna  luhich  they  bring  in ;  and  it  Jhall  be  tivice  as  much  as  they  gather 
daily.  And  when  the  people  had  done  fo,  the  rulers  of  the  congregation 
caine,  and  told  Mofes;  probably  inquiring  into  the  reafon,  why  God  had 
given  fuch  an  order,  ver.  23.  And  Mofes  f aid  unto  them,  this  is  that  %vhich 
the  Lord  hath  faid,  or,  this  is  the  meaning  of  the  Divine  Command, 
To-morrow  is  the  rejl  of  the  holy  Sahbath  unto  the  Lord.  Ver.  2^,  26.  Te 
Jhall  net  then  find  it  in  the  field;  fix  days  Jhall  ye  gather  it,  but  on  the  fventh 
day^  which  is  the  Sabbath^  there  Jhall  bg  none.     And  tiiis  courfc  continued 

for 


30  Of  the  Tnftitution  Ch.  Vf. 

for  forty  years  till  they  came  into  the  land  of  Canaan.  Now  this  was  de- 
vifed  in  much  wifdom  to  fcttlc  and  determine  the  day,  which,  otherwife, 
having  loft  their  reckoning,  during  their  long  fcrvitude  in  Egypty  they 
poflibly  would  not  eafily  have  been  brought  to  agree  upon.  For  thus, 
for  forty  years  together,  they  would  be  under  a  neceffity  of  diftinj;uifh- 
ing  the  Sabbath,  and  of  refting  upon  it ;  having  little  elfe  to  do  the 
greateft  part  of  the  time,  but  to  gather  and  drefs  manna ;  and  no  manna 
falling  upon  that  day,  they  muft  of  courfe  be  aflured  of  the  day,  and 
obliged  to  reft  upon  it.  Note  —  the  reftoring  and  afcertaining  the  Sab- 
bath, was  the  firft  point  of  religion,  that  was  fettled,  after  the  children 
of  Ifrae!  came  out  of  -Egypt,  as  being  of  the  greateft  moment ;  and  this, 
in  relation  to  the  original  inftitution,  for  the  law  at  mount  Sinai  was 
not  then  given. 

Afterwards  the  ordinance  of  the  Sabbath  was  inferted  into  the  body 
of  the  moral  law,  under  a  particular  emphafis,  Remember  the  Sahbath- 
Day  to  keep  it  holy.  And  the  yew  is  reminded  of  the  antiquity  of  this 
inftitution,  in  the  re^Mbn  annexed  to  this  commandment.  For  in  fix  days 
the  Lord  made  heaven  and  earth.  Sec.  And  being  thus  ranked  among  the 
other  great  articles  of  our  duty,  which  are  of  moral  obligation,  and  are 
always  refered  and  appealed  to,  by  our  Lord  and  his  Apoftles,  as  binding 
to  us  Chriftians,  it  muft  ftand  upon  the  fame  ground,  and  lay  the  fame 
obli2;ations  upon  our  confciences.  For  the  fame  truth  and  authority, 
which  enafted  the  reft,  ena6led  this  precept  alfo.  He  that  faid,  Thiu 
Jlialt  have  no  other  gods  before  me — thou  Jhalt  not  bcw  down  to  any  graven 
image — thou  Jhalt  not  take  the  nariie  of  God  in  vain — honor  thy  father — thou 
Jhalt  do  no  murder — &'c.  faid  alfo,  Remember  the  Sabbath-Day  to  keep  it 
holy. 

The  Jewifti  feftlvals,  new-moons  and  fabbaths,  as  they  were  ftiadows 
and  figures  of  good  things  to  come  under  the  Gofpel,  our  Lord  did  a- 
bolifti.  When  the  fubftance  was  come,  the  fhadow  vaniflied.  And 
it  is  of  fabbaths  in  this  fenfe  the  Apoftle  fpeaks.  Col.  ii.  i6.  Let  no  man 
judge  you  in  meat,  cr  in  dri?:k,  or  in  refpeSi  of  a  holy-day,  or  of  the  mw- 
7noon,  or  of  the  fabbath  days.  But  the  feventh  day  Sabbath  was  no  part 
of  the  LeviticzJ  law,  it  exifted  long  before  that,  and  therefore  was  not 
aboliftied  with  it.  On  the  contrary,  our  Lord  claims  dominion  over 
the  Sabbath.  Luke  vi.  5.  He  faid  unto  the  Pharifees,  that  the  Son  of  ALni 
is  Lord  alfo  of  the  Sabbath.  Therefore  the  Sabbath  muft  be  an  ordinance 
belonging  to  our  Lord's  kingdom,  otherwife  he  could  not  be  Lord  of  it. 
He  never  pretended  to  be  Lord  of  circumcifion,  or  of  facrifices  ;  thefe 
belonged  to  a  difpenfation  of  which  he  was  not  Lord.  But  he  is  Lord 
of  the  Chriftian  Difpenfation,  and  its  ordinances,  and  among  the  reft 
of  the  Sabbath.     In  confequence  of  which  Lordfliip, 

L  He  reiStified  the  fuperftitious  abufe  of  the  Sabbath,  and  reduced  it 
to  the  original  ftandard.  He  reformed  the  traditionary  corruptions  of 
feveral  of  the  commandments  of  moral  and  eternal  obhgation  *.  But 
of  all  others,  moft  fignally,  remarkably,  and  conftantly,  by  words  and 
by  deeds,  at  the  hazard  of  his  life,  he  reformed  the  abufe  of  die  fourth 

commandment 

•  Mat.  V.  21,  27,  33.  XV.  4,  bV. 


Ch.  VI.  cfthe  Sabbath.  31 

commandment  f ;  which  he  never  would  have  done,  had  the  Sabbath 
been  an  ordinance,  that  was  to  die  in  a  little  time  with  the  Jewifti  dif- 
penfation.  On  the  contrary,  this  demonftrates,  that  he  regarded  the 
juft  fanftification  of  the  Sabbath  as  of  perpetual  obligation,  and  as  ot 
very  great  importance  in  religion. 

II.  He  removed  the  Sabbath  from  the  feventh  to  the  firft  day  of  the 
week.  Foi-  we  find  in  the  Apoftolic  Hiftory  that  the  Difciples  met  to- 
gether on  that  day,  (called  the  Lord's  Day,  Rev.  i.  10.)  to  break  bread, 
or  to  celebrate  the  Lord's  Supper,  which  is  the  proper  and  peculiar 
worfhip  of  Chriftians,  J^s  xx.  7.  Now  this  could  not  be  done  without 
the  exprefs  injundlion  of  the  Apofllcsj  nor  could  the  Apoftles  do  thrs 
without  a  coramiflion  from  Chrift.  And  as  our  Lord  rofe  from  the 
dead  on  the  firft-  day,  we  fuppofe  the  Chriftian  Sabbath  hath  relation  to 
his  Refurreclion;  and  fo  the  Lord's  Day  hath  been  kept  holy  by  the 
univerfal  Church  from  the  Apoftles  days  to  this  time. 

Thus  there  have  been  three  epochas^  or  dates,  from  which  the  Sabbath 
has  been  counted,  namely,  (i.)  From  the  firft  day  of  the  creation,  (2.) 
From  the  firft  day  of  the  falling  of  the  manna.  (3.)  From  the  firft  day 
of  the  Gofpel  DifpenCition.  But  ftill  it  is  the  feventh  day  makes  the 
Sabbath,  which  God  blcifed ;  and  the  feventh,  which  we  now  obferve, 
is  as  much,  and  as  truly  the  Sabbath,  which  God  faiidlifycd,  as  ever  it 
was  from  the  beo-inino;  of  the  world. 

The  primary  notion  of  the  Sabbath,  is  a  reft  or  ccflation  from  the 
ordinary  bufinefs  of  life.  The  defign  of  it  is  to  preferve  true  religion; 
which  would  never  have  been  loft  in  the  world,  Ivid  the  Sabbath  been 
duly  obferved  from  the  firft  inftitution  of  it.  And  therefore  we  find  in 
Scripture,  both  under  the  old  and  new  difpenfations,  it  was'  applved  to 
the  purpofes  of  religion.  It  is  reprefented  as  a  holy  convocation,  on 
which  the  Ifraelites  were  to  afiemble  for  divine  worfhip,  Lev,  xxiii.  3. 
David  wrote  the  gid  pfalm  for  the  Sabbath  Day,  and  therein  gives  us 
juft  ideas  of  the  work  of  it.  On  this  day  the  yeius  met  together  in 
their  fynagogues  for  religious  exercifesj  and  there  our  Lord  honored  and 
fanAified  the  Sabbath  by  his  prefencc  and  inftrudtions.  AfarJt  i.  21,  22. 
vi.  2.  Luke'w.  16,31.  xiii.  10.  And  all  Chriftians,  in  all  times  and 
places,  have  aftembled  on  the  Sabbath  to  hear  the  word  of  God,  to  offer 
up  prayer  and  thankfgiving,  and  to  celebrate  the  Lord's  Supper,  in  orr 
der  to  employ  their  thoughts  in  pious  meditations,  and  furnifti  their 
minds  with  the  beft  principles  and  diipofitions.  A  work  exceeding  plea- 
fant  and  profitable,  which  demands  and  deferves  the  whole  of  our  thou  '^ht 
and  attention.  Therefore,  for  this  good  purpofe,  we  are  to  reft  from 
ordinary  bufinefs,  and  to  avoid  whatever  may  diffipate  our  thoughts,  or 
indifpofe  our  hearts  for  the  heavenly  work  of  the  day. 

Our  Lord  hath  taught  us  fo  to  underftand  this,  as  not  to  mix  any  thino- 
fuperftitious  with  the  obfervation  oi  the  Sabbath,  nor  to  conceive  of  it 
as  fuch  a  fcrupulous  reft,  that  we  may  not  do  any  thing  fit  and  reafon- 
able,  and  which  otherwife  is  a  duty  j  works  of  neccllity  and  mercy  he 
exprefty  allows.     Whatever  cannot  be  defcred  to  another  day,  without 

lofs 

t  See  Mat.  xii.  i  — 12.  Luke  vi.  10,  11,  xiii.  II — 17.  xiv.  i — 7.  John 
V,  9 — 19.  vii.  19 — 23.  ix.  14,  15,  16. 


-2  Of  the  Injlitutlonaf  the  Sabbath,  Ch.  VL 

lofi;  or  damage,  may  be  taken  care  of  on  the  Salsbath.  And  In  general 
he  hath  pronounced,  That  the  Sabbath  (alluding  probably  to  the  tirft  in- 
ftitution  of  it)  was  made  for  man^  to  be  fubl'erv'ient  to  his  virtue  and  hap- 
pinefs  ;  not  man  for  the  Sabbath.  Man  was  made  for  duties  of  moral  and 
eternal  oblif'ation,  and  is  bound  to  obferve  them  in  whatever  extremity 
or  neceflity  he  may  be ;  but  man  is  not  made  for  the  rigorous  obfervation 
of  the  fabbatical  reft,  or  any  other  pofitive  inftitution,  fo  as  thereby  to 
embarafs  or  diftrefs  his  life,  or  to  neglect   any  opportunity  of  doing 

good. 

I  conclude  with  a  few  reflections  upon  IfaL  Iviii.   13^  14*   Having,  in 
the  name  of  God,  recommended  goodnefs,  charitj',  and  compaflion,  in 
the  preceding  verl'es,  and  pronounced  a  Angular  blefling  upon  thofe  whd 
cxercife  them,  the  Prophet  adds,  by  the  fame  authority.  If  thou  tnrh  o- 
way  thy  foot  fr 0771  the  Sabbath,  from  doing  thy  pleafure  on  my  holy  dayi  q.  d. 
*'  If  you  confcientiouHy  fufpend  the  ordinary  bufmefs  of  life,  and  forbear 
*'  to  pleafe  and  gratify  your  own  inclinations,  that  with  a  free  and  com- 
"  pofed  mind  yoU  may  attend  upon  the  fervices  of  religion,  for  which  I 
"  have  fandified  the  Sabbath;  and  [if  thou]  call  the  Sabbath  a  delight^  the 
•'  holy  of  the  Lord^  honorable^  and  Jl)  a  It  honor  him  j  if  you  have  fuch  a  fcnfc 
"  of  the  excellency  and  benefit  of  the  Sabbath,  that  you  take  deJighv 
<'  therein,  accounting  it  a  pleafure  and  happinefs^  as  being  confecrated 
«  to  the  worftiip  of  the  moft  high  God^  and  therefore  honorable  and  glo- 
*'  rious  in  itfelf ;  and  honorable  alfo  to  you,  as  it  is  a  mark  of  the  dig- 
"  nity  of  your  nature,  a  token  of  your  intereft  in  the  divine  favor, 
*'  (Exod.  xxxi.  13.  Ezek.  xx.  12.)  and  of  your  being  admitted  to  com- 
«  munion  with  him  ;  if  in  this  perfuafion  you  fhall  fmcerely  endeavor 
«  to  honor  God  by  employing  the  day  in  the  offices  of  devotion,  not 
*'  doing  thine  own  ways^  nor  fndi?ig  thine  own  plea/ure,  nor  fpeaking  thine 
«  oiun  words  y  not  doing  the  ordinary  works  of  your  calling,  nor  fpend- 
*'  incp  the  time  in  amufements  or  diverfions,  or  in  impertinent  converfa- 
*'  fation  ;  then  fnalt  thou  delight  thyfelfin  the  Lord;  then  thou  (halt  become 
«  fuch  a  proficient  in  piety,  and  gain  fuch  a  fenfe  of  God  and  religion, 
"  as  will  eftablilh  in  your  heart  a  fund  of  holy  pleafure,  comfort,  joy, 
"  and  good  hope  towards  God."     The  Prophet,  in  this  chapter,  is  in- 
culcating  real,  vital,  acceptable  religion,  goodnefs  and  compaffion  to 
our  fellow-creatures,  and  piety  towards  God  in  keeping  the  Sabbath  ; 
promifing  the  like  blellings  to  both  thofe  branches  of  true  religion,  name- 
ly   the  favor  of  God  and  the  conllant  care  of  his  Providence.     We  may 
therefore  take  this  from  the  Spirit  of  God,  as  a  juft  defcription  of  the 
right  manner  of  fanftifying  the  Sabbath,  and  afl'ure  ourfelves,  that  he 
who  blefled  the  Day,  will  blefs  us  in  keeping  it  holy. 


CHAP.    VII. 


VCXL.  I, 


c 


be 


CHAP.     VII. 


tH.  Vlh  Of  a  State  of  Trial 


33 


CHAP.      VII. 

Of  a  State  ^  Triai,, 

Ge7i.  :i.  8—18. 

^•*i>;^bNCERNING  the  fituation  and  rivers  of  the  country  of 
^;  C  '^  Eden^  as  here  defcrlbed  by  Mfcs^  Bp.  Patrick,  in  his  Com- 
^»"<^;^  meiitary  upon  this  place,  gives  an  account,  vi'hich  ieems  to  be 
not  altogether  improbable.  The  Garden  lay  in  the  countrv  of  Eden- 
cut  of  or  through,  v^hich  country  a  rivsr  zvent  unto  the  Garden  to  water 
ity  [ver.  II.)  and  from  thence^  from  the  country  of  Eden^  it  parted^ 
or  was  divided,  and  became  into  four  beads ;  namely,  two  above,  before  it 
entered  Eden,  called  Euphrates  and  Hlddekcl^  or  Tigris ;  and  two  below, 
after  it  had  pafled  through  Ed^n^  called  Pifon  and  Gihon^  which  conipaf 
feth^  or  runneth  along  by,  th;  whole  land  of  Cuft).  ver.  i?. 

In  the  eaflern  part  of  Eden  the  Lord  God  planted  a  Garden  furnilhed 
vfith  all  pleafant  and  ufeful  fruits.  And  there  he  placed  A  lam  to  drefs 
and  keep  it ;  for  man  was  made  for  builnefs,  ver.  8,  15.  Two  trees  m 
this  Garden  were  remarkably  diftinguifhed  from  the  rell,  perhaps  in  ap- 
pearance and  fituation,  as  v.'cll  as  in  ufe,  namely,  the  Tre€  of  Life^  and 
the'  Tree  of  Knnvledge  of  Good  and  Evil.  Thefe,  I  conceive,  were  ap- 
pointed for  inll:ru6lion  and  religious  meditation  j  to  preferve  in  Adam^s 
mind  a  fenfe  of  the  confequences  of  virtue  and  vice,  or  of  oVcdience 
and  difobedience.  In  this  viev/,  while  he  contini.-ed  obedient,  he  v/as 
allowed  to  eat  of  the  Tree  of  Life,  as  a  pledge  and  alfurance  on  the  part 
of  God,  that  he  fhoilld  live  for  ever,  or  be  immortal;  after  his  tranf- 
grefTion  he  was  denied  acccfs  td  it,  chap.  iii.  24.  For  the  fame 
^urpofe,  as  a  pledge  of  immortality  reftored  in  Chriil,  it  is  ufed, ' 
Rev.  ii.  7.  xxii.  2.  On  the  contrary,  the  other  Tree  was  de- 
figned  to  give  him  the  knowledge,  the  fenfe  or  apprehenfion  of 
good  and  evil,  or  of  good  connected  with  evil,  i.  e.  of  pernicious  en- 
joyment, deftruclive  gratification,  vicious  pleafure,  or  fuch  as  cannot 
be  enjoyed  without  tranfgrelling  the  law  of  God.  Good  and  Evil.,  I  ap- 
prehend, is  tinhendiadys^  like  that  Gen.  xix.  24.  hrimflone  andfire^  \.  c. 
fired  or  burning  brimftone.  i  Chron.  xxii.  5.  the  houfe  tnujl  he  —  of  fame 
and  glory .f  i.  e^  of  glorious  fame.     Pateris  libamus  et  auro^  i.  e.  aureis 

pateris.  2tt3  mi^y  fignify  pleafure  or  profit.  [See  the  explication  of  it 
in  the  Heb.  EngL  Concordance.]  Thus  Good  and  Evil  n\2.y  denote  ocr- 
hicioiis  pleafure  or  profit.  Of  the  fruit  of  this  Tree,  though  it  ap- 
jpeared  pleafant  and  inviting^  Ada7n  was  forbidden  to  eat  upon  pain  of 
death.  This  was  to  niakc  him  underftandj  that  unlawful  enjoyment  of 
iany  kind  would  be  his  deftrucJlion. 

Thefe  tv/o  Trees  may  be  confidered  as  AdairS  books.  He  was  in  a 
kind  of  infantile  ftate,  void  of  all  learning,  without  any  theorems,  or  o-e- 
neral  principles  to  govern  himieif  by*  God  v.'as  therefore  pleafed,  in 
this  fcnfible  manner,  to  imprefs  upon  his  mind  juft  conceptions  of  the 
very  difFerent  confequences  of  obedienoe  and  diiobedience.     And  it  vAW 

Vol.  L  C  be 


34  OfaStutccfTrial.  Ch.  VII, 

be  of  great  uft  even  to  us,  at  this  day,  to  look  into,  and  to  meditate 
upon  thefc  two  books  of  our  firft  fathir. 

What  requires  our  particular  attention  Is  this,  that  Ad(nn'%  obedience 
is  put  upon  Trial  by  the  prohibition,  ver.  17.  But  of  the  Tree  of  Knoxu- 
Icdge^  of  Good  and  Evily  thou  J})alt  not  eat  of  it  j  for  in  the  day  thai  thou 
eatijl  thereof  thou  /halt  furely  die.  Adam  had  not  gained  the  habits  of  o- 
bedience  and  holincfs,  but  was  put  under  this  inftancc  of  difciplinc  in 
order  to  his  acquiring  of  them.  As  foon  as  God  had  made  Man  a  mo- 
ral agent,  he  put  him  upon  Trial.  And  it  is  univerfally  allowed,  that 
all  mankind  are  in  the  fame  ftate,  in  a  State  of  Trial.  It  muft  there- 
fore be  of  importance  to  have  right  notions  of  fuch  a  State. 

In  order  to  this,  let  it  be  well  confidered, 

I.  That  God  hath  ercoied  a  kingdom  for  his  honor,  and  the  felicity  of  his 
rational  creatures.     This  kingdom,  our  Lord  informs  us,  wzs  prepared 

from  the  fonndaticn  of  the  ivorld.  Mat,  xxv.  34.  There  we  men  fhall  be 
^qual  to  the  angrls^  Luke  xx.  36 ;  and  probably,  like  them,  fhall  be  pla- 
ced in  ports  of  honor  and  power,  in  fome  part  of  the  univerfe  ;  as  is 
plainly  nitimatcd  il/*-?/.  xxiv.  45 — 47.  xxv.  21.  Luke  x\x.  17.  i  Cor.  vi. 
2,  3.  Rev.  ii.  10.  iii.  21. 

II.  IVithout  holinefs^  or  an  habitual fidjeBion  of  the  JVill  to  Rcafon.,  or  to 
the  IVill  of  God.,  none  can  he  ft  to  he  members  of  this  kingdom.  Wickedncfs, 
in  its  vcrv  nature,  ftands  directly  oppofcd  to  the  peace  and  well-being 
of  the  univerfe  -,  for  it  is  error  in  the  mind,  rebellion  againft  God,  and 
mifchief  to  all  within  its  influence.  And  the  moft  benevolent  of  all 
Beings  will  not  take  error,  rebellion,  and  mifchief  into  his  kingdom, 
ereiSleJ^for  the  purpofes  of  goodnefs  aiid  enjoyment.  Rev.  xxl.  27.  And 
there  J})all  in  noicife  enter  into  it^  the  holy  City,  new  Jerufalem,  (ver.  2.) 
any  thing  that  dejileth^  any  impure,  vicious  pcrfons^  neither  nhatfoever 
wcrktth  abomination,  or  maketh  a  lie;  all  idolaters,  all  that  practi('c  ini- 
'quity  and  deceit,  are  excluded  out  of  it.  But  they  Jhall bring  the  glory  and 
honor  of  the  nations  into  it ;  the  excellent  of  the  earth,  who  have  purged 
themfelves  from  all  ungodlinefs  and  fin,  and  fo  are  Veffels  unto  honor, 
funliified  and  ft  for  the  Majler^s  ife^  and  prepared  unto  every  good  work. 

Nothing  but  fubje(^ion  to  the  Will  of  God,  in  all  dutv  and  obedience, 
can  qualify  us  for  the  honors,  felicity,  and  employments  of  the  kingdom 
of  heaven.     Therefore, 

III.  No  moral  Agents,  jnerehon  account  of  their  natural /"^ttvr;,  how  ex^ 
cfllent  foever,  are  worthy  to  be  admitted  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  Natural 
powers,  in  angels  as  well  as  worms,  are  the  workmanfhip  and  gift  of 
God  alone  ;  and  therefore,  not  being  the  virtue,  ^nor  the  effect  of  the 
virtue  of  the  beings  that  are  pofTclFed  of  them,  can  be  no  recommenda- 
tion to  the  continued  fa\  or  and  cllecm  of  God.  In  order  to  that,  the 
natural  powers  of  moral  Agents  mutt,  not  only  be  capable  of  right  ac-  I 
tion,  but  alfo  atSlually  exerted  in  acling  rightly.  Othcrwile,  their  powers,  f 
though  of  the  noblcft  kind,  "arc  ul'clefi  and  infignlficant.  It  is  one  thing 
to  be  born,  or  produced  iato  the  kingdom  of  nature,  and  another  to  be 
born  to  the  habits  of  virtue,  whereby  we  are  rendered  fit  to  be  admitcd 
into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  The  former  depends  entirely  upon  God's 
fovereign  plcafure,  in  giving  life  and  powers.  In  any  kind  or  degree,  as 
he  choofeth  ;  the  other  depends  upon  a  right  ufe  and  application  of  the 

powers 

1 


Ch  .  V 11.  Of  a  State  of  Trial.  35 

powers  God  hath  beftowed  ;  and  is  the  pri-vilege  only  of  thofe  wife  and 
happy  fpirits,  who  attain  to  a  habit  of  true  holinefs.  And  thus,  our 
Ix)rd's  rule,  Job.  iii.  3.  Except  a  Jtion  he  born  again^  be  cannot fee^  or  en- 
joy, tbe  kingdom  of  God^  may  extend  to  all  created  minds,  vvhatfoever, 
under  their  feveral  peculiar  circumftances. 

IV^.  HoUnejs^  orvirtucy  cannot  he.  forced  upon  us  whether  we  ivill  or  not. 
The  violence,  which  overpowers  and  compels  the  Will,  deftroys  the 
Will  or  Choice,  and  conlequcntly  deftroys  Virtue  ;  v/hich  is  no  other- 
wife  Virtue,  than  as  it  is  freely  chofen.  That  Being  which  cannot  ba 
vicious,  cannot  be  virtuQus.  If  he  is  not  free  to'  choofe  evil,  he  is  not 
free  to  choofe  good ;  for  a  power  of  being  virtuous  neceffarily  implies  a 
power  of  being  the  contrary.  The  only  means,  therefore,  that  can  be 
ufed  to  induce  a  moral  Agent  to  Virtue,  are  inftruilion,  admonition, 
perfuafion,  the  imprcffion  of  objects  or  circumftances  upon  the  mind, 
the  fuggeftions  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  fuch  like  methods  as  ent'-a2;e 
attention,  and  influence  inclination  and  choice,  without  deilroying  Free- 
dom. And  a  hahit  of  Virtue,  v/hich  alone  recommends  us  to  God,  can 
be  gained  and  afcertained  no  otherwife  than  by  repeated  Av2:s,  by  ufe 
and  exercife,  by  being  put  to  the  proof  under  proper  7>ials,  by  reliltino- 
foiicitations,  furmounting  difficulties,  and  bearing  fufFerings.  This  is 
the  moft  natural  way  of  bringing  Virtue,  or  Holinefs,  to  it's  maturity  and 
ftability.     Therefore, 

V.  Itfeems  agreeable  to  the  reafon  of  things^  that  all  rational  creatures 
whatfoeyer  fl}ould,  for fome  thric,  be  In  a  State  ofTrlal.  Hov/ever,  this  is, 
or  hath  been,  the  cafe  of  all  we  are  acquainted  with.  7"he  Angels  have 
psfTed  through  a  probation,  doubtlefs  adapted  to  their  difterent  circum- 
Ifcances;  in  which  fome  of  them  abode  not  in  the  truth;  they  fined;  they 
kept  not  their firji ejlate^  Job.  viii.  44.  2  Pet.  ii.  4.  Jude  6.  And  our  firlt 
parents,  how  fmgular  foever  their  condition  might  be  in  other  refpeilr, 
were  put  under  a  particular  Trial,  by  being  forbidden  to  eat  o^  the  Tree 
of  Kmivledge  of  Good  and  Evil;  which  mufi:  he  intended  to  form  their 
minds  to  an  habitual  obedience  to  the  Law,  or  Will,  of  God. 

VI.  IVe  Men  are  upon  Trial.  This  is  evident  from  revelation,  where 
we  are  reprefented  as  Pilgrims  and  Strangers^  looking  for,  and  travelino- 
to  a  better  country,  i  Pet.  ii.  11.  —  As  in  a  warfare^  where  we  muit 
fight  for  the  victory,  as  we  hope  to  be  crowned,  Ephef.  vi,  14.  —  As 
in  a  race.,  where  we  are  running  for  a  prize,  Heh.  xii.  i.  i  Cor.  ix.  24, 
25.  —  Ks  laborers  m  a  vineyard,  who  have  work  to  do  in  order  to  re- 
ceive wages.  Mat.  XX.  I.  —  As  fervants  intrufted  with  their  mailer's 
fubftance,  for  the  improvement  of  which  they  are  accountable  to  him, 
!^\^at.  XXV.  14.  Luke  xix.  13.  And  God  hath  appointed  a  day,  in  which 
he  will  call  us  to  an  account  for  our  prefent  behaviour,  and  render  to 
every  man  according  to  what  he  hath  done  in  the  body,  Vv'hcther  it  be 
good  or  evil.  This  is  the  ftrongefl:  evidence,  th^t  we  are  nov7  upon 
Trial.  And  the  fenfe  of  revelation  is  abundantly  confirmed  by  our  cir- 
cumflances  in  life. 

Our  faculties  are  of  the  noblefl  kind,  and  v/e  enjoy  all  manner  of 
means  for  the  cultivation  of  themj  but  not  without  great  care,  induf- 
try,  and  refolutlon.  So  many  are  the  occafions  of  deception,  *and  fo 
eafily  are  we  mifled  in  our  fcarchcs  after  the  truth,  that  v/e  cannot  attain 

C  2  to 


36  (^fa  State  0/ Trial.  Ch.  VIL 

to  any  clear  or  ufeful  knowledge  without  a  conftant  and  cautious  atten- 
tion. Even  Revelation,  like  the  heavens  themfclvcs,  is  interfperfed  with 
cloud?,  thin<^s  dark  and  hard  to  be  underftood.  And  when  wc  have 
found  the  truth,  the  profeflion  of  it  is  attended  with  much  inconvenience 
niul  trouble  from  the  pride  and  malice  of  pcrfecution.  All  which  is 
wifely  appointed.  P'or  had  all  been  plain,  obvious,  andcafy,  our  inte- 
grity and  finccrc  attachment  to  truth  could  not  have  been  cxcrcifed  and 
proved.  Tile  paflions  and  appetites  of  the  flefh  ;  the  polfeflions,  gains, 
plcafures,  and  cuftoins  of  the  world  ;  the  calamities  of  life,  difeafcs,  dif- 
appointments,  lodes,  dangers,  enemies,  fears,  wants,  weakncfs  ;  all 
thefe  are  great  embarafTments  to  virtue  and  piety,  fatigue  and  folicit  our 
minds  from  righteoufncfs  and  purity,  and  oblige  us  to  conftant  watch- 
fulnefs  and  felf-denial,  in  order  to  gain  and  fccurc  the  habits  of  holinefs. 
Every  condition,  every  poireffion  is  accompanied  with  its  temptations. 
Wherever  we  are,  we  are  in  the  midil:  of  fnares  ;  and  u'hatever  we  have 
carries  fome  danger  or  other  in  it ;  infomuch  that,  without  care  and  at- 
tention, we  cannot  preferve  the  purity  of  our  minds,  which  yet,  by  the 
nature  of  things,  and  the  command  of  God,  we  are  obliged  to  do.  This 
flicws  we  are  upon  Trial,  or  in  a  Itate  of  difciplinc.     For, 

VII.  J  Stc:tL'  of  Trial  iicccffarily  reqiiircSy  that  different  aiid  oppofite  inte^ 
ri'/hj  (as  the  flem  and  the  Ipirit,  the  law  of  God,  and  the  law  in  our 
members,  the  prefent  world,  and  a  future  ftate,J  fnouldfojiand  in  compe- 
tition for  oter  affe^iom  and  regards^  as  to  oblige  us  to  be  very  fcrious  in  confider- 
7';/'^,  and  thoroughly  fine  ere  in  choofmg  and  pv.rfuing  what  is  right  and  good. 
And  herein  lies  our  Trial,  whether  we  will  follow  God,  or  forfake  him, 
prefer  our  mortal  bodies  before  our  immortal  fouls,  the  gratihcation  of 
our  lufts,  before  th*e  purity  and  peace  of  our  minds,  the  things  of  this 
tranfitory  world,  before  the  heavenly  and  eternal  inheritance. 

VIII.  The  end  and  dcfign  of  our  Trial  is  to  rcfne  and  exalt  our  nature, 
James  i.  12.  Blcjed  is  the  man  that  wonhWy  entiureth  temptation  \  for  when 
he  is  tried^  hejhall  receive  the  croivn  of  life  ^  luhich  the  Lord  hath  prorrifed  ty 
them  that  love  him.  Heb.  xii.  11.  No  chajlcning  for  the  prefent  is  jiyous  but 
grievous;  nevcrthelcfs^  kc.  If  indeed  we  are  overcome  by  temptation, 
and  drawn  into  a  contempt  of  God,  truth,  and  rightcoufnefs,  we  debafc 
and  deftroy  ourfelves  ;  we  prove  ourfelves  to  be  unfit  for  the  happy  focie- 
ty  in  heaven,  forfeit  the  favor  of  GoJ,  and  (hall  fail  into  perditioji.  But 
this  muit  be  our  own  fault.  The  noble  intention  of  our  Maker  is,  that 
we  fliould  overcome  temptation,  and  then  we  are  happy  for  ever.  Wc 
have  ftood  the  teft,  we  have  palled  honorably  through  our  Trials,  wc 
have  approved  ourfelves  to  God,  as  thofe  whom  he  judges  fit  for  prefer- 
ment and  happinefs  in  his  eternal  kingdom.  And  ihortly  we  Ihall  hear, 
JVell  done.,  good  and  faithful.^  enter  thou  into  the  jcy  of  thy  Lord.  Hence 
our  Trial  is  compared  to  that  of  fdvcr  and  gold,  job  xxiii.  10.  Pfal.  Ixvi. 
10,  II.   I  Pet.  i.  6,  7. 

To  explain  Scripture  language,  wc  muft  dlftinguifh  between  tempta- 
tion of  Trialy  and  SeduSiion.  Temptation  of  Tnal^  or  probation,  God 
hath  wifely  ordained  for  the  exerciie  and  proof  of  our  virtue.  So  he 
tempted  ^Jl'raham,  Gen.  xxii.  I.  Temptation  ai  fcduiiion  is  when  wo 
are  drawn  into  lin,  farnes  i.  13.  Let  no  man  jay.,  :ffhcn  he  is  tanptedy  fedu- 
ceJ  into  fui  by  temptation. 

Froqt 


I 


Ch.  Vn.'  Of  a  State  of  Trial.  37 

From  the  preceding  propofitions  we  may  draw  the  following  con- 
cludons. 

CoROL.  I.  Trials^  ef  the  fevereji  iind,  are  no  mark  of  God^ s  dijpleafurey 
mr  any  proof  that  we  are  under  his  wrath  and  curfe.  Adam  in  his  flate  of 
innocence  was  tried.  The  btft  of  God's  fervants  have  gone  through 
heavy  Trials.  Our  Lord  -wc!  ttmptcdin  all  points  as  ive  are,  but  without 
ftny  Hob.  iv.  15.  My  fin,  defpifi  not  the  chafening  of  the  Lord  \  neither  he 
iveary  of  his  cmre^ivn.  For  iuhom  the  Lord  loveth  he  corre^eth ;  even  as  a 
father  th? fin  imuhcm  hedelighteth,  Prov.  iii.  11,  12. 

CoROL.  2.  The  appetites  and  pajjions  implanted  in  our  conJlitutloVy  are 
r.ot  the  corruption  of  our  nature^  but  ?neans  of  our  Trial.  And  therefore  we 
fhall  be  freed  from  them,  when  that  is  over,  i  Cor.  vi.  13.  Meats  for  the 

hilly,  and  the  bdly  for  meats but  God  Jhall  dejiroy  both  it  and  them • 

XV.  44.    Jtisfown  an  animal  body,  it  is  raifid  afpiritiial  body. 

CoROL.  3.  IVhatever  Trials  may  be  th'e  occafion  of  fin,  may  much  more  he 
the  occafion  of  virtue  and  holinfs.  Temptation  may  occafion  fm,  but  is 
not  the  caufe  or  reafon  of  it.  For,  feeir.g  no  temptation  can  ever  make 
it  rcafonable  to  fm,  every  temptation,  if  the  finer  choofeth,  may  be  re- 
jcded  as  unreafonable.  On  the  other  hand,  temptation  is  naturally  an 
opportunity  of  exerting  our  virtue,  and  of  gaining  an  honorable  and  glo- 
rious victory.  Diftrefles  and  wants  may  fill  our  hearts  with  folicitude, 
and  tempt  us  to  murmur  againft  God,  but  they  hsve  a  tendency,  being 
duly  confidered,  to  lead  us  to  faith  in  him,  and  a  humble  patient  fubmil- 
fion  to  his  will,  the  moft  perfe6l  part  of  a  worthy  charader.  Wealth, 
honor,  and  power,  may  prove  incentives  to  pride,  luxury,  and  opprel- 
fion  ;  but  they  may,  and  ought  to  be  motives  to  gratitude,  and  means  of 
greater  ufefulnefs.  Our  appetites  and  paflions  may  feduce  to  intempe- 
rance and  debauchery ;  but  they  may  be  the  occafion  of  pracStifiag  the 
moft  laudable  felf-government  and  fobriety.  And  fo  of  ail  the  reft.  Rom. 
V.  3.  We  glory  in  tribulations ;  knowing  that  tribulation  workcth  patitnfc, 
and  patience  experience,  and  experieJtce  hope,  that  hope  which  maketh  not 
ajhamed,  or  that  fhall  never  be  difappointed.  James  i.  2.  My  brethren, 
jCoiint  it  all  joy  when  ye  fall  into  divers  temptations ;  knovAng,  that  the  Trial 
of  your  faith  workcth  patience.  But  let  patience  have  its  perfect  work,  that 
ye  may  be  perfect  and  entire,  wanting  nothing  to  qualify  you  for  the  kingdom 
of  heaven. 

CoROL.  4.  Jn  a  State  of  Trial  natural  evil  hath  a  tetidency  to  promote  tno- 
ral  good.  For  under  any  defers  of  happinefs,  virtue  m.ay  be  exercifed 
and  increafe.  Hence  it  follows,  (i.)  That  this  life,  notwithftanding  the 
jifflidions  which  attend  it,  is  a  day  offalvatim,  or  a  proper,  and  valuable 
opportunity  of  attaining  eternal  life.  {2.)  That  the  quantity  of  virtue 
in  this  prefent  world  is  not  to  be  meafured,  by  the  joy  it  giveth  the  pof- 
fefibr,  or  the  good  it  doth  to  others,  but  by  the  circumftances  of  Trial 
under  which  it  acteth  and  fubfifteth.  For  although  all  holinefs,  by  the 
will  of  God,  will  fooner  or  later  be  crowned  with  joy  ;  and  always  acfu- 
ally  brings  forth  good  works,  in  proportion  to  the  agent's  power  and 
opportunities  ;  yet  two  agents,  of  equal  virtue,  mny  be  fo  differently 
fituated  in  the  creation,  that  the  virtue  of  the  one  fhall  produce  a  thou- 
fand  times  lefs  comfort  to  its  felf,  and  benefit  to  others,  than  the  virtue 
of  the  other.     Or,  the  fame  virtue  which,  in  this  life,  brings  forth  but 

C  3  o|ie 


38  Of  a  State  of  Trial  C  h  .  V 1 1 . 

■  one  degree  of  joy  and  ufcfulnefs,  in  another  world,  may  bring  forth  a 
thoufand  degrees. 

This  ilands  upon  two  principles,  i.  That  holinefs  and  happinefs  are 
cflentially  different,  and  connected  only  by  the  will  of  God.  Hence  it 
is,  in  fait,  that  many  pcrfons,  truly  virtuous  and  pious,  have  yet  no  com- 
fort of  their  virtue.  2.  The  proper  act  of  a  moral  agent  ftands  in  the 
will  and  choice  alone,  not  in  the  external  effe£i:  produced  by  it.  And 
therefore  the  will,  or  choice,  may  be  compleatly  holy,  where  yet  the 
outward  adl  is  hindered  by  contrary  circumltances.  Upon  thefe  grounds 
one  may  venture  to  affirm,  that  the  virtue  of  Lazarus^  which  under  all 
his  pains  and  poverty  in  our  earth,  brought  forth  but  a  fmall  degree  of 
joy  and  ufefulnefs,  might,  in  Abraham's,  bofom,  be  equal  to  the  virtue  of 
an  Angel  in  heaven,  which  a6\ually  brought  forth  ten  thoufand  degrees. 
For  as  a  cubical  foot  of  our  groflbr  air  might  poflibly  expand,  and  fill  a 
cubical  furlong  in  the  higher  and  thincr  region  of  pure  Ether  ;  fo  that 
virtue,  which  can  fubfift  under  the  loads  and  clogs  of  our  temptations 
.md  difficulties,  though  its  prefcnt  fruits  are  but  fmall,  may  dilate  and 
blaze  out  into  a  glory,  magnificence,  and  fplcndor,  equal  to  that  of  the 
holieft  Angels.  This  the  Apoftle  Pater  intimates,  i  Pet.  i,  7.  The 
tried  faith  of  perfecuted  Saints  will  i-v  found  unto  praife^  and  boner,  and 
g/cry^  at  the  appearing  of  fefus  Ckrijl. 

CoROL.  5.  This:  world  is  not  a  State  of  enjoyment.  He  that  made  it, 
and  Man  in  it,  made  it  for  Trial.  We  muft  not  therefore  dream  of  a 
continued  courfe  of  eafe,  peace,  and  profperity,  but  muil  expect  to  meet 
with  Trials. 

CoROL.  6.  It  is  no  matter  in  what  tempcfal  circumfiances  we  are,  if  we 
do  but  aeouit  ourfclves  well  and  faithfully  in  the  ftght  of  God.  fob,  under 
all  his  calamities,  was  not  a  worfc  man,  or  Icfs  the  care  and  delight  of 
heaven.  He  was  then  like  gold  in  the  furnace,  under  the  difcipline  of 
J3ivine  WifJoin  and  Love,  in  order  to  his  being  purified  jnto  a  condition 
more  illuftrious  and  excellent.  You  are  in  plenty  and  profperity.  What 
then?  This  is  but  an  inflancc  of  your  Trial,  and  your  real  happinefs 
muil  be  meafured  by  the  efi'ccls  they  have  upon  your  mind.  If  profpe- 
rit'.  difpofcs  to  thankfulnefs  and  good  works,  it  is  happy;  but  if  rt  fedu- 
ccth  you  to  forget  God,  and  to  indulge  irregular  appetites,  it  is  hurtful 
^wA  pernicious.  On  the  other  hand,  you  are  in  affliction,  want,  trouble, 
pain.  What  then  }  This  is  not  your  fixed  condition;  it  is  only  one  in- 
ilance  of  a  temporary  Trial,  which  fhortly  will  be  at  an  end.  And  \{ 
your  afflictions  work  in  you  greater  contempt  of  the  world,  felf-denial, 
faith,  fubmilTion,  heavenjy-mindcdnel's,  C5V.  your  condition  is  happy, 
and  your  afflictions  are  really  better  for  you  than  any  other  State  you  may 
fondly  wiih  for.  But  obfcrve,  this  is  to  be  underltood  of  afflictions 
brought  upon  us  by  Providence  ;  and  will  not  juftify  us  in  bringing  them 
i:pon  ourlelves  by  any  faulty  criminal  condudt.  It  is  ncverthelefs  our 
duty,  by  all  lawful  means,  to  procure  the  conveniences  and  comforts  of 
iifc.' 


CHAP.   vm. 


Ch.  VIII,  Ofa  State  of  Trkl.  39 

CHAP.       VIII. 

Further  RepSliom  on  a  State  c/Trial. 

ff^:-*::'^  T  is  of  the  laft  importance  to  have  right  notions  of  Hfe,  as  a 
%  T  "■^-  State  of  Trial.  For  thus  the  whole  fcene,  otherwiie  contuled  and 
fvi^  unaccountable,  will  appear  in  a  juft  and  rational  light.  Thus  we 
ftSlbe  convinced,  that  our  being  is  given  us  upon  the  moll  reafonable 
and  advantageous  terms,  for  the  higheft  and  moft  excellent  ends  -  and 
fhall  clearly  underftand  what  we  have  to  do  ior  the  miprovement  and  ex- 
^tationof  it,  free  from  the  vain  imaginations  and  purfuits,  hopes  and 
fears  iovs  and  anxieties,  which  diftrad  the  minds  ot  the  unthinkmg 
and'i'<>iiorant.  What  I  have  further  to  advance  upon  this  pomt,  is  com- 
prized in  the  following  propoAtions. 

I    //  is  a  matter  of  great  difficulty  to  adju/l  our  Trials  and  juuots,  jo  a. 
not' to  overpower  our  faculties  by  either,  but  leave  us  in  tlu  free  ufe  oj 

'' n*   God  alone  hath  tvifdom  fufficient  to  appoint  andafijl  our  Trials.     Bc- 
caufe  he  alone  underftands  perfcftly  how  to  adapt  them  to  the  nature  of 
our  minds,  and  to  the  defigns  of  his  goodncfs.     \^  hereas  we  know  but 
little  of  the  nature  of  our  fpirits,  and   thereiore  are  iiot  able  to  propor- 
tion temptations  to  our  powers,  nor  helps  and  affiftances  to  our  tempta- 
tions     We  are  not  acquainted  with  the  work  we  have  to  do  in  the  fu- 
ture world,  nor  the  feveral  forts  of  beings,  with  whom  we  may  hereafter 
be  concerned,  in  the  way  of  feliowfhip  or  enmity  ;  and  therefore  are  by 
no  means  capable  of  judging,  what  fort  or  degree  of  Trials  are  proper 
to  cive  us  fuitable  qualifications.     For  thisreafon,  it  is_  plainly  our  duty 
and  wifdom,  humbly  and  patiently  to  f^ibmit  to  the  Trials  God  is  plea- 
fed  to  allot,  and  to  behave  well  and  faithfully  under  them  ;  wi  hout  cen- 
furincr,  or  quarelling  with   his   difpofals,  which  is  foohfh  and  impious. 
But  Sou-h  our  undcrftandings  in  this  cafe  are  very  defective,  yet  I  con- 
ceive the?e  are  fome  general  principles  of  which  we  may  be,  in  a  good 

meafure,  certain.     As,  ■    ^    >.    *•     ,    w. 

Ill  The  bias  of  Evil  in  our  Trials  ou-ht  to  bejlrong  in  proportion  to  ths 
degree  of  virtue  required  of  us.  For  the  degree  of  virtue  is  to  be  mea- 
fured  by  the  degree  of  temptation  which  it  rehfts  1  ha  virtue  is  but 
in  a  low  dearee,  which  can  overcome  but  a  fmall  temptation.  That 
viriue  is  in  a  higher,  which  can  overcome  a  ftronger  temptation. 
And  that  virtue  is  In  the  higheft  degree,  which  is  fuperior  to  all  tempta- 

"Tv .  The  degree  of  Virtue,  God  expeSis  from  us  is  to,  be  proportioned  to  the 
eminent  liations  to  which  we  are  to  be  exalted  in  his  kingdom.  Or,  we  Ihall 
be  exalted  in  proportion  to  the  Virtue  we  have  attained.  Mat,  xix.  2b. 

jLw/^^xix.    16,  17,  18,  19.  ,  ^  n  r  n     C         ^-  \ 

V     Our  Trial  feems  to  be  appointed  for  a  State  of  Confirmation and 

therefore  the  virtue  we  are  to  attain  muft  be  fuch  as  will  lecure  our  per- 
feyerance  in  it  i  which  confirmation  and  perfeverance  muft  ftand,  not 

C  4.  ^P"^ 


4-)  Of  a  SUU  of  Trial.  Ch.  VIU. 

upon  our  being  forcibly  conftralncd  to  be  virtuous,  which  is  a  contra- 
dii!;lion,  hut  upon  the  habits  wc  have  attained,  or  the  felled  good  difpo- 
fitions  of  our  minds.  And  it  fecms  to  hn  the  ureat  end  of  our  Trial  in 
this  world,  that  wc  may  cttain  to  Oach  i  degree  of  fanctity,  experienced 
in  a  variety  of  Trials,  as  in  Ciod's  v/ifdoni  appears  to  be  of  that  genuine 
fort,  which  fhull  eventually  pcrfcvere,  and  abide  to  all  eternity.  Of' 
which  matter  our  Lord  fpcuketh  in  tiiis  wife,  Luke  xvi.  ic,  ii,  I2.  He 
that  is  flit  If ul  in  that  which  is  Icajl^  is  faithful  alfo  in  miuh  ;  and  ht  that  it 
urijufl  in  the  Icnjl^  is  Ufjj:!j}  alfo  in  much,  if  yc  thercfcrc  have  been  unfaith-. 
ful  in  the  unrighteous  mammon,^  ivho  will  commit  to  your  trujl  the  true  richest 
jind  if  ye  have  Jiot  been  faithful  in  that  which  is  another  man'Sf  i.  c.  that 
which  may  at  any  uncertain  time  be  taken  from  you,  and  therefore,  for 
the  fake  of  which  it  is  not  worth  your  while  to  do  a  wrong  or  v/icked 
thinjr,  who  /hall give  you  that  which  is  ycur  own*  c*  what  you  are  to  pof- 
fcfs  for  ever,  or  which  you  arc  never  to  be  deprived  of.  This  plainly 
ihews,  that  we  are  qualified  for  honors  and  trufls  in  heaven,  no  other- 
wife  than  by  our  prcfcnt  fliithfulnefs,  or  the  real  good  qualities  of  our 
minds  ;  and  that  we  are  now  tried  in  a  little,  that  wc  may  be  faithful  in 
niuch. 

VI.  77v  fudge  rf  all  the  Earth  hath  certainly  balanced  our  Trials  with 
the  great ejl  exaStnejs  and  equity.,  that  t eir.pt atio^i  may  not  be  too  violent  for  cur 
vjeaknefs^  andyetjlror.g  enough  to  put  cur  virtue  to  its  proper  proof  Flefh- 
ly  lulls  war  agamft  the  foul,  but  are  conquered  efTeclually  by  tempe- 
rance, or  keeping  our  bodies  in  fubjcilion.  The  world  allures  our 
minds,  but  the  world  of  glory  is  open  to  full  vicv,',  to  draw  our  regards 
thither.  If  the  devil  and  his  angels  are  permitted  to  pra*51ifc  his  malice 
in  perverting  mankind,  God  hath  fent  forth  a  holy  and  powerful  Spirit 
to  illuminate,  fanclify,  flrengthen,  and  comfort;  and  hath  ordered  his 
Angels,  in  great  numbers,  to  be  miniilering  Spirits  to  the  Heirs  of  Sal- 
vation. Wc  may  alTure  ourfelves,  that  we  arc  upon  a  fair,  and  even  fa- 
vorable, Trial ;  for,  if  v/e  do  not  neglcsfl  our  advantages,  the  means  of 
fccuring  our  virtue,  if' we  chuie  to  be  virtuous,  do  far  furpafs  the  occa- 
fion  of  vice  and  fin  ;  and  in  all  our  co(iflicls  more  are  with  us,  than  arc 
againrt  us ;  God  is  with  us. 

VII.  Our  Condition  is  well  adapted  to  the  purpofes  of  moral  Improvement. 
If  we  confider  life  as  a  State  of  Enjoyment,  all  is  in  confufion  and  dif- 
order,  and  we  are  eafily  milled  into  the  moft  foul  and  fatal  errors  ;  but 
if  we  take  life  as  a  Trial,  for  the  exercifc  of  our  viitue,  in  order  to  our 
future  advancement,  then  every  part  of  ft  vv'ill  appear  to  be  properly  ap- 
pointed. We  have  every  day  opportunities  of  ft\ewing  our  fmcere  re- 
gards to  Gody  by  giving  him  the  preference  to  the  many  appetites  and 
cbjedls  which  court  our  affe£lions,  and  come  in  competition  with  him. 


Nimium  vobis  Romana  propago 


\'ila  potens,  fiiperi,  propria  ycrpctual  hxc  fi  dona  fuiflent. 

^Untid.  vi.  lin.  870, 

Nihilne  cfic  proprium  [/r^/.7//K».]  cuiquam  ? 

Ter.  Andr.  Aft.  iv.  Seen.  3.  lin.  i. 

Cm,ne  quod  haberaus,  aut  mutuum  eft,  aut  propriuin. 

Dcnat.  in  locum. 


Qh.  Vm.  Of  a  State  of  Trial.,  41 

We  have  opportunities  enough  to  learn  what  is  fufficient  for  us  to  know. 
And  the  obfcurities  and  difficulties  in  the  way  of  trutb^  are  not  defigned 
bs  debar  us  from  it,  but  to  exercife  our  integrity  in  our  fearches  after  it, 
and  profeilion  of  it.  All  the  calamities  of  life,  pains  of  body,  infirmi- 
ties, feducements,  lofTes,  i3'c.  are  occafions  of  purifying  our  hearts^  by 
fobriety,  humility,  repentance,  felf-denial,  patience,  ^c.  And  for  fo^ 
cial  virtues^  we  cannot  fuppofe  ourfelves  in  any  fituation,  where  we 
fhould  have  more  occafions,  or  more  preffing  motives  to  exercife  every" 
ipecies  of  benevolence  towards  our  fellow-creatures.  And  if  our  love 
to  men  n;uft  furmount  both  felf-love,  that  deceitful  principle  in  ourfelves,  • 
and  ingratitude,  that  ugly  vice  in  others,  hereby  we  are  obliged  to  ex- 
ercife, in  the  moft  generous,  difmterefted,  and  godlike  manner,  a  virtue 
pf  the  firft  rank,  and  the  moft  neceflary  to  preferment  in  God's  creation. 
For  he  is  the  fiteft  for  bufmefs  and  truft,  under  the  univerfal  Father, 
who  moft  of  all  participates  of  his  kind  difpofitions  and  good-will  to- 
wards the  whole  univerfe  of  beings. 

VIII.  Different perfoy^i^  as  they  have  different  capaeities,  advantages^  and 
cpportunities,  and  are  in  different  eircumjlances^  conditions.,  andftuations^  are 
under  different  Trials.     Mat.  xxv.  15.   Luke  xii.  4^,  48. 

IX.  God  allots  to  every  particular  perfon  his  Trial.  He  gives  our  capa- 
cities and  opportunities,  afTigns  our  ciicumftances  and  outward  condi- 
tion, and  meafures  our  afflictions  and  comforts.  Therefore  whatever 
pur  Trials  may  be,  this  Iliould  calm  our  uneafy  minds,  that  they  are 
meted  out  to  us,  by  the  fame  wife  Hand,  which  created  and  governs  u- 
niverfal  Nature. 

X.  Every  one  will  he  judged^  and  receive  rnvard  or  punijhment  according 
to  the  circu77iflanccs  of  his  own  particular  Trial  \  and  all  things  relating  to 
It,  all  advantages  and  difad vantages,  will  be  weighed  in  the  exadleft  bal- 
lance,  and  determined  accordingly.  Luke  xii.  47,  48.  That  fervant 
which  knew  his  Lord's  will^  and  prepared  not  himfef.^  neither  did  according 
to  his  willy  fnall  be  heaten  ivith  tnanyjiripes.  But  he^  that  wzs  in  different 
circumftances,  and  knew  not^  and  did  comtnit  things  zvorthy  cfjlripes^  fnall 
he  beaten  with  few  Jlripes.  Here  obferve,  that  God  fully  underftands  the 
degrees  of  the  guilt,  or  virtue  of  particular  perfons,  but  we  do  not,  and 
therefore  fhould  be  cautious  in  judging. 

XI.  There  are  degrees  of  Trial;  or  temptation  may  be  more  or  Icfs  in- 
tenfe.  The  fufferings  of  the  flefh  may  be  raifed  to  fuch  an  height  of 
anguifli  and  terror,  or  its  pafTions  fo  inflam.ed,  as  to  fufpend  the  ufe  of 
thought  and  rcafon. 

XII.  God  can  raife  or  fink  our  Trial  as  he  pleafes.  When  he  fees  fit,  he 
can  give  a  calm  and  quiet  State;  and  when  he  pleafeth  can  raife  ftorms 
about  us,  and  heat  the  furnace  of  temptation  feven  times  more  than  it 
was  wont  to  be  heated,  foh^  in  his  Trial  by  profperity,  acquited  liim- 
fclt  well ;  and  under  great  pains  and  poverty,  he  fined  not,  nor  charged 
God  foolifhly.  But  at  length,  through  the  unkind  ufage  of  his  friends, 
and  perhaps  fome  other  concuring  circumftances,  his  Trial  began  to  be 
io  hard,  that  he  opened  his  mouth,  and  curfed  his  day.  Whenever  the 
Almighty  pleafeth  he  can  permit  a  Trial  that  will  fhake  the  ftrongeft 
ftiith.     Therefore, 

XIII.  No  good  refolutiom  or  difpofuions^  no  degrees  of fpi ritual Jlrength  to 

which 


^2  Of  a  State  of  Trial.  Ch.  VIII. 

•which  we  have  attalnec^,  is  an  ahfolute  fecurity,  that  we  Jhall  be  for  the  future 
Jledfaf  and  umnovcabh-.  New,  or  fuddcn  Trials,  ftronger  than  an^  wc 
have  hitherto  met  with,  may  fhake  and  ftaggcr  the  ftabihty  of  our  minds. 
Let  no  man  imagine,  that  his  former  victories  will  exempt  him  from  a 
poilibility  of  falling.  It  is  the  will  of  God,  that  every  man,  the  heft  of 
men,  in  this  State,  fhould  be  under  a  conftant  nccelfity  of  watching. 
Wherefore^  let  us  take  unto  ourfehes  the  whole  armour  of  God^  that  we  ?nay 
be  able  to  luithjhmd  in  the  evil  day^  and  having  done^  or  overcome,  all  to 
fland.  Eph.  vi.  13. 

XIV.  All  Trial  is  attended  ivith  danger.  And  therefore  fomc,  if  not 
many,  in  a  State  of  Trial,  may  fall  into  perdition.  As  wicked  an- 
gels and  men. 

XV.  Our  danger  is  not  from  God^  but  from  ourfelves.  God  tempt  eth^  or 
feduceth  into  fm,  no  ?nan^  Jam.  i.  13,  14,  15,  for  this  very  good  reafon, 
becaufe  he  cannot  himfelf  be  tempted  xvith  evil,  fuch  is  his  abhorrence  and 
deteftatlon  of  it ;  and  therefore  cannot  be  inclined  to  draw  any  of  his 
creatures  into  the  pradice  of  it.  But  evety  man  is  tempted,  when  he  is 
drawn  away  from  righteoufnefs  by  his  own  /?//?,  and  enticed  to  commit 
fm. 

XVI.  All  temptation  is  vincible  to  thofc  that  are  willing  to  overcome.  See 
Prop.  VI.  All  the  admonitions,  exhortations,  encouragements  in  Scrip- 
ture, fuppofe  and  fupport  the  truth  of  this  proportion. 

XVII.  f^e  are  victorious  over  temptation,  not  by  our  ciun  poiuer,  hut  by 
the  grace  andpotver  of  God.  Even  when  the  fpirit  is  willing,  the  fejh  is 
weak.  Mark  xiv.  38.  We  are  indeed  under  the  highcft  obligations  to 
ufe  faithfully  the  powers  we  have  already  received,  and  no  otherwifc 
may  we  hope  to  be  fuperior  to  temptation  ;  but  it  is  not  our  own  v.if- 
dom  or  ftrcngth  that  can  preferve  and  uphold  us  ;  for  we  are  directed  in 
revelation  to^trufl  in  God,  and  to  feek  unto  him  for  fuccor  and  delive- 
rance, which  would  be  impertinent  were  we  fufHcient  to  ourfelves. 
Why  fhould  we  afk  help,  when  we  do  not  want  it  ?  God  alone  is  able 
to  keep  us  from  falling,  and  to  Jlablijh  us  in  every  good  work.  Jude  24. 
7.  Their,  li.  16,  17.  And  we  arc  abundantly  afllired,  that  he  will  give 
i^rcngth  in  proportion  to  our  Trials,  and  our  faithful  endeavors ;  and 
that  our  future  honors  will  be  great  in  proportion  to  the  prefent  greater 
Trials  wc  have  furmounted.  If  we  have  overcome  much,  we  fhall  en- 
joy much.  For,  obferve,  the  fuccors  of  Divine  Grace  do  not  uiminifii 
'the  quantity  of  oiir  virtue,  or  reward.  Whatever  helps  our  infirmity 
mav  require,  our  virtue  is  mcafured  by  our  own  fmcere  defires  and  en- 
deavors, to  which  the  Divine  Aid  is  proportioned.  So  that,  in  mo- 
ral conftruflion,  it  is  all  one  as  if  we  had  overcome  in  our  own 
ilren^th. 

XV  III.  Tloe  means  of  conquering  Temptation,  on  our  part,  are  TVatchitig 
end  prayer.  Mark  xiv.  38.  If^atch  and  pray,  that  yr  enter  not  into  tempta- 
tion. (1.)  JVatch.  Benotfccurcj  expert  temptation,  and  be  fenfible 
of  the  danger  of  it,  the  greateft  of  all  dangers,  the  lofs  of  the  foul.  Be 
riot  confident  of  your  own  ftrcngth.  Keep  out  of  the  way  of  tempta- 
tion. Avoid  every  fnarc  that  may  intangle  your  minds.  Indulge  to  no 
dangerous  liberties  j  make  no  uncautious  approaches  towards  folly  and 
fm.     That  may  be  effe^^ed  bv  flow  degrees,  which  a  man  would  never 

at 


I 


Ch.  IX.  Of  the  Di/pcn/aihn,  '^c,  43 

at  firft  have  confented  to  be  guilty  of.  He  that  fears  falling  down  a  pre- 
cipice will  be  fure  not  to  come  near  it ;  and  he  that  would  extinguifh 
the  fire,  (hould  withdraw  the  fuel.  Keep  thy  heart  with  all  diligence  ; 
reiedl  every  finful  thought  and  fuggeftion.  Keep  the  body  in  fubjcdlion 
to  reafon  and  religion  by  felf-denial  and  abftinence.  Beware  of  an  un- 
due attachment  to  the  world.  Your  life  and  treafure  is  in  heaven  ;  and 
there  let  your  hearts  be.  Let  the  word  of  God  dwell  in  you  richly  by 
<laily  meditation.  Pfal.  cxix.  1 1 .  Thy  zvcrd  have  I  hid  in  trwie  heart,  that 
I  might  not  fin  againfl  thee.  (2.)  Pray.  Not  that  we  may  be  totally  ex- 
.empted  from  temptation;  for  we  came  into  the  world  for  this  very  end, 
.  that  we  might  be  tried  and  tempted.  We  cannot  reafonably  cxpe6l 
that  God,  in  our  favor,  fliould  alter  the  conftitution  of  the  world,  or  of 
the  human  nature ;  but  we  fhould  pray,  that  God  would  order  our 
Trials  in  fuch  manner,  as  will  beft  promote  the  purity,  and  probity  of 
our  lives.  Prov.  xxx.  8,  9.  Remove  far  from  me  vanity  and  lies -^  give  me 
.  neither  poverty  nor  riches  ;  feed  me  with  food  convenient  for  me,  &c.  The 
wife  man  doth  not  prefcribe  any  condition  ;  that  did  not  belong  to  him  ; 
but,  in  general,  is  defirous  of  that  fituation  in  life,  which  God  fliw 
would  be  moft  favorable  to  his  piety  and  integrity.  Lead  us  net,  I'uffer 
us  not  to  enter,  into  temptation,  i.  e.  fufter  us  not  to  fall  under  the  power 
and  prevalence  of  temptation.  The  example  of  our  Lord  is  of  the 
greateft  force  to  direct  and  animate  us  in  our  conflicts ;  he  took  upon 
him  our  nature,  and  went  through  all  our  Trials,  on  purpofe  to  fhew 
us  how  to  behave  under  them ;  and  to  allure  us  that,  imitating  his  exs- 
ample,  we  fhall  at  length  be  partakers  of  his  glory.  And  thus  by  his 
perfect  obedience,  his  obedience  unto  death,  a  facrifice  highly  pleafing  to 
God,  he  recovered  that  life  and  immortality,  which  Jdam  forfeited  by 
his  dijobedicnce. 


)>oicooac«aocooococsoooocosocooocec«eo«ocoaocMacococt»ocoMcsMCMOoMoc9c>ccocaceoooooec<»oc<»o«oMca»3co0aoo93C9^oe;3ocK«iO« 


G    H    A    P.      IX. 

Pf  Law^  or  the  religious  Dispensation,  Adam  and  Eve  were  under  in 

the  Garden. 

^>^;*!^EN.  ii.  17.  But  of  the  Tree  of  the  Knowledge  of  Good  and  Evil, 
0  G  S  thou  Jhalt  not  eat  of  it ;  for  in  the  day  that  thou  eatejl  thereof,  thou 
%Ji!^'^^J^  P^olt  furely  die.  This  is  Law\  clear  ideas  of  which  are  necclla- 
ry  to  the  right  underftanding  of  St.  Paul's  writings. 

Law  is  a  rule  of  action,  or  duty,  commanding  or  prohibiting,  given 
by  the  Sovereign  to  moral  Agents,  with  the  penalty  of  death  annexed. 
Tranfgrefs  and  die,  is  the  language  of  Law.  And  therefore  every  tranfgreffor, 
the  moment  he  is  fuch,  is  dead  in  law;  and,  for  any  thing  in  Law,  he  muft 
continue  fo  as  long  as  it  is  true,  that  he  has  violated  the  Law,  that  ij, 
for  evermorp.  For  the  Law,  which  condemns  him,  can  give  him  no 
fehef;  as,  in  its  own  nature,  it  excludes  repentance  aiid  pardon;  nei- 

thejf 


^4  Of  the  Difpenfation  Adam  and  Ch.  IX. 

ther  of  which  can  take  place,  unlefs  Law  is  overruled,  or  the  execution 
of  it  fufpended  by  the  authority  and  favor  of  the  Sovereign.     For  Law 
would  not  be  Law  if  its  fenfe  or  language  were  this,  the  tranfgrejfor^  who 
Joth  not  repent  and  obtain  pardon^  Jhall  die.     Seeing  this  would  be  to  allow 
tranTgrcflion  by  Law,  upon  the  uncertain  conditions  of  repentance,  and 
the  Sovereign's  mercy.     "  You  may  fin  with  impunity,  if  you  do  but 
"  repent,  and  find  favor."     And  fo  the   Law  would  be  invalidated  by 
itfelf,  as  it  would  allow  a  conditional  tranfgreflion,  which  would  annul 
the  annexed  penalty,  by  fufpending   the  execution  of  it  forever,  in  ex- 
pectation »f  the  finner's  repentance,  and  the  Sovereign's   forgivenefs. 
For,  "As  the  fmner  may  poffibly  repent  in  any  future  time  to  all  etcrwity, 
fo  the  Law  could  not  at  any  time  be  executed.     Confequently  the  Law, 
by  this  means,  would  be  rendered  for  ever  infignificant,  as  it  might  be 
violated  for  ever  with  impunity.     Therefore,  to.be  confident  with  'tlelf, 
Law  muft  be  conceived  in  abfolute  terms,  jin  and  die,  fubjecling  every 
fmner  immediately  to  the  penalty  of  death,  which  is  the  curje  of  the  Lew. 
Gal.  iii.  10,  13.     By  this  rule  the  Apoftle,  havmg  proved  that  all  Kefh 
have  fined,  concludes,  thzt  no  flejh,  or  no  part  of  mankind,  can  be  jujli^ 
fed,  or  intitled  to  life,  before  the  Sovereign,  by  deeds  or  works  of  Law. 
Hojn.  iii.  20.     For  the  Laiu  luorks  zvratb,  or  fubjeds  the  tranfgrefTor  to 
death,  the  curfe  or  penalty  of  it,  Rom.  iv.  15.     On  which  account  it  is 
very   properly  called,   the  minijhation,  difpenfation,  or  conftitution,  of 
death,  2  Cor.  iii.  7.  as  it  is  a  conftitution  which  affords  nothing  but 
rigid  condemnation  for  all  tranfgreffors. 

Hence  it  follows,  that  death  in  Law  is  death  eternal,  without  hopes 
of  a  revival  or  refurieclion.  For,  as  before  proved,  it  is  the  very  na- 
ture of  Law,  never  to  remit  the  penalty  or  forfeiture.  The  Law,  which 
how  condemns  the  crim.inal,  condemns  him  to  death  abfolutely,  and  for 
evermore  ;  the  everlafting  language  of  Law  to  every  one  that  breaks  it, 
and  for  every  breach  and  tranfgreflion,  being  this,  Thou  0)alt  di€.     And 

this  is  the  force  of  the  expreffion   ni/tD  m^n   moriendo  morleris,  "  in 

"  dying  thou  flialt  die,"  in  the  Law  given  to  Adam.  It  doth  not  fpealc 
of  the  certainty  of  the  event,  as  if  he  fhould  certainly  die  the  day  he 
tranfgreffed  ;  for  the  event  fhews  the  contrary ;  nor  that  he  fhould  be- 
come mortal  from  a  change  in  his  conftitution,  which  is  a  random  con- 
jedure,  without  any  foundation  in  the  nature  of  his  conftitution,  which 
was  created  mortal,  or  in  the  force  of  the  words.  For  the  phrafe  Hlttn 

|mt2  is  an  Hebraifm,  importing  that  a  thing  is,  or  is  done,  thorough- 
ly, totally,  in  the  moft  perfeit  manner,  or  the  moft  intenfe  degree,  and 
is  to  be  interpreted  according  to  the  nature  of  the  fubjedl.     As  Gen.  ii. 

16.  VpN^n  ^DJ^  comedendo  comedes,  "  thou  mayeft  freely  eat"  without 
any  rcftraint.  Chap,  xxxvii.  33.  t]pV  ^p  ^^D  diferpendo  difcerptus  ejl 
Jofeph,  «  Jofcph  is  torn  all  to  pieces,"  or  moft  cruelly  torn  to  pieces. 
Exod.  xxi.  19.  NDl*  Ni)*l\  et  medicando  medicahitur,  and  fhalt  caufe  him 
to  be  thoroughlv  healed.  Thus  the  force  of  the  words,  «  in  dying 
«  thou  flult  diej"  is  this,  thou  flialt  thoroughly,  utterly,  totally  die, 

or 


Ch.  IX,  Eve  were  under  in  the  Garden.  j^- 

or  die  for  ever,  without  coming  to  life  again.  Thou  hafi:  juftly  forfeit- 
ed thy  life  and  being,  and  Ihalt  fufFer  a  total  and  eternal  extindion  of 
it. 

This  fenfe  and  language  of  Law  muft  be  underftood  only  as  a  decla- 
ration, that  the  penalty  is  juft  and  due;  which  is  all  that  can  be  done 
by  Law  as  a  rule  of  juftice,  declaring,  in  general,  that  he  who  is  dif- 
obedient  to  his  Maker  hath  juftly  forfeited  his  being  ;  and  that,  in  con- 
fequence  of  his  difobedience,  his  Maker  may  juftly  deprive  him  of  it. 
The  Law  can  only  declare  the  truth  of  this  denunciation,  as  it  hath  no 
power  to  put  it  in  execution  ;  the  execution  of  this  threatening  muft 
neceflarily  and  entirely  relt  in  the  hands  and  power  of  the  Lawgiver  j 
who  therefore  may  mitigate,  refpite,  or  fufpend  it,  as  he,  judging  of  cir- 
cumftances,  fhall  in  his  wifdom  think  proper.  This  is  the  prerogative^ 
of  the  Sovereign  or  Lawgiver,  which  is  allowed  to  be  fit  and  rcafonable 
all  the  world  over.  For  if  this  were  not  allowed,  in  proper  cafes,  there 
could  be  no  fuch  thing  as  pardon,  or  the  mitigation  of  the  fentence  of 
Law,  either  with  God  or  man.  Which  in  every  nation,  and  throughout 
the  whole  univerfe,  would  be  a  ftate  of  things  the  moll  feverc  and  the 
moft  dreadful. 

Thus  room  is  made  for  the  exercife  of  favor  or  grace,  without  doing 
any  violence  to  truth.  The  penalty  indeed  is  due,  but  according  to  the 
true  natures  of  things,  there  may  be  alleviating  circumftances  in  the 
cafe  of  the  tranfgrcflbr,  v/hich,  though  Law  can  make  no  provifion  for 
them  without  deftroying  itfelf,  yet  the  Lawgiver  may,  and,  in  rcafon 
and  truth,  ought  to  confidcr  and  allow  with  refpeft  to  the  infliclion  of 
the  penalty.  JVijclom  and  goodnefs  ought  to  have  place  in  him,  and  cer- 
tainly do  take  place  in  God,  as  well  zsjujlice.  Juftice  confifts  in  exe- 
cuting the  penalty  of  the  Law  according  to  the  letter  of  it ;  which  letter 
(2  Cor.  iii.  6.)  kilUth,  or  deftroys,  the  fmner,  by  fubjecSlIng  him  to  e- 
ternal  death,  or  to  a  total  extinction  of  life  ;  according  to  which  rule, 
there  could  be  no  place  for  mercy,  and  the  whole  world  muft:  be  ruined. 
But  wifdom  and  goodtiefs  may  mitigate  the  rigor  of  this  conftitution,  not 
by  abrogating  the  Law,  as  a  rule  of  life  ;  for  fo  the  Laxv  is  holy,  and  the 
CGmmandinent  is  holy-yjuji,  and  good,  (Rom.  vii.  12.)  and  can  never  be  a- 
brogated,  being,  in  its  general  intention,  agreable  to  the  everlafting  and 
immutable  natures  of  things.  Much  lefs  by  finding  out  fome  expedient 
to  fatisfy  Laiu  and  jujJiccy  which  can  be  fatisficd  no  other  way  than  by 
the  death  of  the  offender.  For  juftice,  as  ufwd  in  this  cafe,  is  adling 
ftri6lly  according  to  Law. 

Nothing,  therefore,  but  the  execution  of  the  Law  can  fatisfy  Juftice, 
The  v.iluom  and  goodnefs  of  the  Sovereign  may  do  what  the  Law  can- 
not do ;  that  is  to  fay,  may  fufpend  the  execution  of  the  fentence  as  long 
as  he  fhall  think  fit ;  and  fo  may  leave  what  fpace  he  pleafes  for  the  fin- 
ner's  repentance,  and  provide  v/hat  means  he  fhall  think  proper  to  induce  ^ 
him  to  repentance  ;  and  upon  his  repentance,  may  reftore  him  to  the 
alfurance  of  eternal  life,  by  an  eternal  fuipenfion  of  the  execution  of  the 
Law.  For  as  to  that,  he  cannot  be  limited  to  any  fpace  of  time.  If 
he  hath  a  right  by  prerogative  to  fufpend  at  all,  it  muft  be  a  difcrctiona- 
ry  right  to  fufpend  as  long  as  he  choofeth.  This  is  grace,  or  go/pel;  by 
which  the  finner  may  be  reftored  to  the  hope  of  immortalitv,  and  actu- 
ally 


A(y  Of  the  D/JjH'nfaiioH  Atiamy  tjfc,  Ch.  IX. 

ally  inverted  in  it,  Wy  the  wifdom  and  favor  of  the  Lawgiver.  This  «/7f, 
or  remedying  coiiftitution,  the  Apoftlc  calls  fpirity  which  quickens  the 
(inner  condemned  to  death  by  the  Liter  of  the  I^aw,  or  makes  him  to 
Lve.  2  Cor.  iii.  6.  /f'^ho  a/fo  hfith  //u/rif  ?/s  [Apoftles]  af>/e  minijlers  of  the 
Ncio  Teflavient  [or  conrtitutionj  not  of  the  Liter  lid  of  the  fpirit ;  for  the 
letter  klL's,  but  the  fph it  giveth  life.  Which  r|Mrit,  he  informs  us,  vcr.  jj, 
is  the  Lnrdy  or  the  Gofpcl  of  our  Lord.  Noiu  the  Lord  is  that  fhirit^  that 
life-giving  fpirit,  or  the  latter  Adam^  who  is  a  quickening,  or  life-giving, 
fpirity   I  Cor.  xv.  45. 

That  the  penalty,  /;/  the  day  that  thou  catefl  thereof^  thou  Jhalt fur ely^  or 
utterly  die^  is  to  be  undcrftood,  not  of  the  event,  as  if  he  fhould  cer- 
tainly die,  but  of  the  demerit  of  tranfgrelTion,  that  he  would  dcferve  to 
die  ;  and  that,  notwithftanding  this  threatning,  the  Sovereign  might  re- 
fpitc  the  execution  of  it,  and  not  only  allow  the  tranfgreflor  the  benefit  of 
repentance,  but  alfo  appoint  means  to  lead  him  to  repentance,  and  to 
eternal  life,  may  be  clearly  proved  from  E-^ek.  iii.  18.  xxxiii.  S,  li,  14, 
15.  Where  God  repeats  the  very  fame  fentence  of  the  Law  upon  the 
wicked  perfon,  whom  vet,  at  the  fame  time,  he  charges  the  Prophet  to 
warn,  in  order  to  bring  him  to  repentance,  promifing  pardon  and  life  in 
cafe  he  did  repent.  Ezck.  iii.  18.  IHkhI  n,«N*n  '"  dicendof/Uy  whereas] 
J  fay  [in  the  Law]  unto  the  wicked  iliV^D  ilTtD  thou  Jljalt  furely  die;  and 
thou  <uvr/i  him  not  waruin^y  mr  fpcakcjl  to  xvarn  the  wicked  from  his  luickcd 
tvay  to  five  his  life.  Chap,  xxxiii.  8.  Jf^hcn  [whereas]  I  fay  [in  the  Law] 
unto  the  ivickedfO  ivicked  tnauy  Hi^Dn  r\y2  ihou  Jhalt  fure'.y^  [utterly]  <//V, 
if  thou  doji  notfpeaktowarn  the  wicked  from  his  wity^  &c.  \'er.  14.  Again  \ 
when  [v/hcreas]  I  fay  [in  the  Law]  unto  the  zuickcd^  mDn  mt3  thou 
y7W/^/v/>' [totally]  die;  ifhcturnfro7nhisfw,  and  do  that  which  is  la%cfui 

mdrighty  vcr.  15.  —  HTn  I'll  r'\X2'l  N^  vivendo  vivet,  he  Jhall furely 

[totally,  eternally]  live,  he  Pmll  not  die. 

Thus  Law  in  the  rigorous  fenfe  is  to  be  underftood;  and  thus  It  (lands 
in  conne(£lion  with  the  pardon  of  tranfgrelTors,  or  their  attainment  to 
eternal  life  throu2;h  the  favor  of  the  Lawo;iver.  That  our  firft  parents, 
while  in  the  garden  of  Eden^  were  under  Law,  or  a  rule  of  Action  with 
the  penalty  of  death  annexed,  is  manifeft  from  the  very  form  of  the  pro- 
hibition   But  of  the  Tree  of  KnowL-dge  of  Good  and  Evil  thou  f>alt  not 

eat  of  it ;  for  in  the  day  thou  eatcjl  thereof  thou  Jhalt  utterly  die.  And  the 
Apollle  r*^/// evidently  fuppofes,  that  Adam  was  under  Law,  Rom.v.  13, 
14.     For  until  the  law  [of  Mofes]  /;;:  7i.77j  [committed]  in  the  ivorldy  but 

fm  [thoui^h  committed]  is  not  imputed  [unto  death]  ;*»  o.toc  »9fc«  when 
Law  is  jnt  in  being,  lliis  fuppofes,  i.  That  Law  is  the  only  conftitu- 
tion  which  fubjeiStcth  the  finner  to  death.  2.  That  Law  was  not  inbc- 
ino-  in  the  times  preceding  the  giving  of  the  Law  o(  Affes.  ver.  14. 
KevertheLfs  death  reigned  from  Adam  to  Mofes  [while  Law  was  not  in  be- 
ing] even  ever  them  that  had  not  fined  after  the  likenejs  of  Adam's  trarfgref- 

fion.  That  is  to  fay,  "  Death  reigned  all  the  long  fpace  of  about  2500 
"  ycnrs  from  Adam  to  Mfts^  even  over  thofe  who  did  not  fin,  as  Adam 
"  did,  againft  Law,  making  dc^th  the  pen.iltv  of  their  fin  ;  becaufe  du- 
*'  ring*  that  period,  maiikind  were  not  under  Law,  but  under  the  general 

"  covenant, 


Ch.  X.  Of  the  Injiitution  of  Marriage.  47 

<*  covenant,  or  conftitution,  of  grace,  given  to  Adam  immediately  after 
"  his  tranrgreffion." 

This  evidently  fuppofes,  that  Jdam  was  under  Law  with  the  penalty 
of  death  annexed,  while  he  was  in  the  garden,  or  before  he  tranfgrefled ; 
and  that  the  fame  fevere  conftitution  was  again  revived  by  Alofes^  after  it 
had  been  fufpended  from  the  time  of  Admn^  tranfgreflion  till  the  Law  was 
given  hy  Mofes.  Whence  the  Apoftle  concludeth,  that,  as  death  reigned 
all  that  long  period,  while  fin  was  committed  in  the  world,  and  yet  no  po- 
fitive  Law  fubfifted,  making  death  the  penalty  of  fin  ;  he  concludes,  I  fay, 
that  men,  in  general,  did  not  die  for  their  own  tranfgreffions,  but  in  con- 
fequence  of  AdmrL%  one  tranfgreflion. 

It  muft  be  obferved,  that  the  Apoftle  P^«/doth  not  always  ufe  Law  in  the 
rigid  fenfe,  but  foraetimes  for  the  whole  Jewifh  Code,  or  the  Old  Tefta- 
ment.  Rom.  iii.  19.     Sometimes  for  any  inward  principle  which  influen- 

ceth  andgoverneth  a  man vii.  23.     Sometimes  for  a  rule  in  general 

iii.  27.     And  fometimes  for  a  rule  of  action  with  the  penalty  of  death 

annexed.  Rom.  v.  20.  vi.  15.  vii.  4,  b'f. 

jre?cacaeoaoceoo9COfleeooeeOToeooaooete8aooteco|aoeaecaeocoooeooccoa»coceceoocefle«ececoooco»«c»woo>etcooco»oeoocM8«eoo<ieeoc>^& 

CHAP.       X. 

Of  the  Institution  ^/'Marriage. 

Gen.  ii.  18,  to  the  End. 

^p:^!r^DAM's.  calling  all  beafts  and  fowls  by  names  doth  not  imply, 
.0  A  ■^-  that  he  had  a  perfe£l  knowledge  of  the  natures  and  intr infic  qua- 
iia'*?'?>;=;3  lities  of  all  animals ;  an  opinion  deftitute  ot  all  evidence  ;  but 
that  God  gave  him  dominion  over  them,  as  a  mafter  over  his  bond-fervants, 
according  to  the  force  of  the  phrafe,  to  call  things  orperfons  ly  name.  Pfal. 
cxlvii.  4.  Ifai.  xl.  26.  xliii.  i.  God  allowing  Adam  to  give  die  creatures 
what  names  he  pleafed,  was  the  form  of  conveying  or  makino-  over  to 
him  the  property  of  them  and  dominion  over  them.  It  hath  alfo  reference 
to  the  formation  of  woman  ;  that  Adam.,  our  firft  parent,  having  furveyed 
all  other  animals,  and  having  obferved  that  they  were  created  in  pairs,  for 
the  propagation  of  their  feveral  kinds,  might  be  fenfible  of  his  own  foli- 
tary,  deftitute  condition,  and  of  the  importance  of  his  being  alfo  provided 
of  a  mate  fuitable  to  his  nature,  (which,  by  reafonof  its  fuperior  excel- 
lency, could  not  be  matched  with  any  of  the  brutal  kind)  a  companion 
in  body  and  mind,  fit  to  cohabit  with  him,  for  mutual  converfe,  delight, 
comfort,  and  afliftance,  efpecially  for  propagating  the  human  fpectes ; 
without  which  the  v»'orld  would  have  been  ftocked  with  only  brutes. 

And  it  was  fiting,  or  agreable  to  the  true  nature  of  things,  that  the  for- 
mation of  the  firft  woman  ftiould  be  attended  with  fome  circumftance 
expreflive  of  the  nearnefs  of  that  relation,  which  was  to  be  the  fountain  of 

the 


^S  Of  the  hJlituUon  of  Mar rt age,  Ch.  X. 

the  exiflcnce  of  all  mankind,  and  of  all  the  near  and  dear  relations,  fo  be- 
neficial and  comfortable  to  the  life  of  man.  And  no  circumilances  could 
do  that  more  fignificantly,  than  talcing  the  woman  out  of  a  part  of  the 
man's  bod/.  Thus  (he  became  another  felf ;  and  this  was  intended  as  a 
document  to  all  poftcrity,  that  a  wife  ihould  be  regarded  and  treated  as 
fuch.  Ephf.  V.  28.  So  ought  men  to  love  their  wives,  as  their  own  bodies ; 
he  that  loveth  his  wif\  lovfth  himfef. 

Ver.  23.  ylnd  [when  the  Lord  God  brought  to  him  the  woman,  his 
wife,  and  informed  him  in  what  manner  fhe  was  produced,]  Jdam  faid^ 
[with  much  fatisfaftion  and  joy]  this  is  now  bone  of  my  bonesy  and  fefh  of 
my  fejh,  the  deareft  to  nic  of  all  creatures  !  Jhe P)all  be  called^  ("Hti^K  IP''c- 

man^  becaiife  fie  is  taken  out  of  \l}'^  Man.     [A  flgn  of  Adams's  property  in 

her.]  ver.  24.  And  the  Lord  Godfaid,  [Alat.  xix.  4,  5.)  Therefore  Jhall 
a  man  leave  his  father  and  mother.,  and  Jhall  cleave  unto  his  wfe,  and  they 
ixvo  fl^allbe  oneflejh.  Thus  marriage  was  inftitutcd  ;  a  facrcd  and  honor- 
able ordinance,  of  high  difHndVion,  as  it  is  very  nearly  connected  with  the 
dignity  and  hapoificfs  of  the  human  nature. 

And  by  making  only  one  woman  for  one  man,  God  plainly  declared, 
that  thi-^  relation  ought  to  fubfift  between  two  ;  as  the  Prophet  well  argues, 
AlaL  ii.  14,  15.  And  did  not  hi\  God,  mahe  but  one  couple,  one  man  and 
one  woman,  as  a  rule  to  all  mankind,  that  fhould  defcend  from  them  ?  yet 
had  he  the  refuhie  of  the  fpirity  and  could  then  ha\'e  created  more  men 
and  women,  if  promifcuous  converfation  luul  been  for  the  greater  happi- 
nefs  of  the  world.  Ami  zdxrtfore  did  he  make  but  one  couple  ?  That  he 
?night  feek  a  godly  feed.,  D'H^S*  >nt  an  excellent  feed.  That  man  and 
wife,  in  chafte  wedlock,  in  fmcere  and  undivided  affection,  might  pro- 
pagate a  pofterity  to  the  honor  and  fervice  of  God.  This  is  an  argu- 
ment againll:  polygamy  and  divorce,  confirmed  by  our  Lord's  wildom  and 
authority.  Mat.  xix.  3,  4,  5, 6.  Thus  mankind  are  brought  into  the  world 
in  a  way  fuitably  to  the  excellency  of  their  nature.  For,  confidcring 
how  weak  and  imperfe6t  our  infancy  is,  and  in  how  great  ignorance  and 
dilTolutenefs  of  manners  we  muft  neceflarily  grow  up  to  manhood,  without 
good  difcipline  and  inftruction,  it  is  evident,  this  world  mud  have  been  the 
moft  wild  and  diforderly  fcene  imaginable,  were  the  race  of  mankind  pro- 
pagated in  a  vagrant,  licentious  manner,  without  parents  to  own  them^ 
and  by  their  tender  care  and  affection  to  give  them  a  good  education. 
The  production  of  an  intelligent  being,  in  the  moit  helplrfs  and  expofed 
circumftances,  and  which  grows  up  to  a  due  degree  of  undcrftanding,  no 
otherwife  than  by  good  culture,  ought  to  be  attended  with  all  the  proper 
advantages  in  the  propagator's  power.  And  therefore  the  propagation  of 
the  human  fpecies,  according  to  the  true  nature  of  things,  ought  to  be 
guarded  and  directed  bv  the  belt  cx::rcifc  of  rcafoji,  and  not  left  to  be 
done  in  a  loofe,  brutal  manner.  God  did  not  create  man  in  jcft ;  nor 
fliould  the  ordinary  generation  of  a  man  be  made  a  matter  of  lewd  jcli^ 
or  of  lawlcfs  paffion.  This  is  the  rationale  of  marriage,  andofmcdefty 
and  fobriety. 

Adam  had  no  choice,  but  hir.  defcendents  have  great  need  to  exercife 
prudence  in  the  choice  of  a  relation  fo  important  and  lading.  'I  he  ad- 
vice and  approbation  of  parentb  h,  in  this  cafe,  one  of  thu  bed  rules^ 
II  An4 


Ch.  XL  Of  the  Tempter  who  decerned  Eve.  40 

And  as  marriage  lefTens  the  interefts  of  parents  in  their  children,  it  is 
generally  not  dutiful  to  alienate  it  to  another  without  their  knowledge  and 
confent.  Nor  fhould  parents  unreafonably  oppofethe  lawful  inclinations 
of  their  children. 

Ver.  25.  -^nd  they  were  both  naked^  the  man  and  his  w'lfe^  and  were  mt 
cjhamtdi  being  free  from  fin  and  guilt. 


»XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX0 

C    H    A    p.      XI. 

Of  the  Tempter  who  deceived  EvEt 

Gen.  iii.  i 9. 

tP^tOS!^  ERE  Eve  is  deceived  and  tempted  to  tranfgrefs  the  law  of  God 
C-  H  S  by  fome  moral  agent,  who  could  fpeak  and  argue,  called  by  AIo^ 
^■^''^.J^  fe^  li^n^n  the  Serpent ;  which,  he  faith,  was  more  fubtil  than  any 
other  beajl  of  the  fields  which  the  Lord  God  had  inade.  But  a  beaft  of  the 
field,  how  fubtil  or  fagacious  foever,  could  not  fpeak  and  reafon.  Who 
then  was  the  moral  agent  that  deceived  Eve  ?  St.  Paul^  2  Cor.  y\,  3, 
fpeaks  of  this  deceiver  in  the  fame  manner  as  Mofss  doth  ;  I  fear.,  lejl  by 
any  means.,  as  the  Serpent  beguiled  Eve  through  hisfubtilty^fo  your  minds  Jhould 
he  corrupted  from  the  fimplicity  that  is  in  Chrijl.  The  Apoltle  did  not  fup-. 
pofe  the  Corinthians  might  be  corrupted  by  the  fubtilty  of  an  irrational 
creature ;  confequently,  he  did  not  fuppofe  that  Eve  was  beguiled  by  the 
fubtilty  of  an  irrational  creature.  But  St.  John  comes  nearer  to  the 
point  in  Rev.  xii.  9.  xx.  2.  Where  he  fpeaks  of  the  Serpent  as  a  de- 
ceiver., and  defcribes  him  after  this  manner,  and  the  great  dragon  was  cajl 
out.,  that  old  Serpent -y  called  otherwife  in  Scripture,  the  Devil  and  Satan^ 
which  deceiveth  the  whole  world.  A  dragon  is  a  huge  overgrown  ferpent. 
That  old  Serpent.,  means  that  Serpent,  which  of  old,  at  the  begining  of  the 
world  deceived  Eve^  and  ftill  was  deceiving  the  world.  (Andinfeveral 
other  places  of  Scripture,  which  we  {hall  prefently  have  occafion  to  taks 
notice  of,  the  Devil's  temptation  of  Eve  is  plainly  alluded  to. )  Therefor^ 
this  Serpent,  and  the  Devil  and  Satan,  are  fynonymou?,  and  mean  one 
and  the  fame  being.  Hence  divines  have  juftly  concluded,  that  it  was  the 
Devil  or  Satan,  an  evil  or  malignant  fpirit,  which  tempted  Eve,  in  the 
body,  or  aflUming  the  form  and  fhape,  of  a  Serpent ;  which  then  might 
be  a  very  beautiful  as  well  as  fagacious  animal,  familiar  with  Jdam  and 
Eve,  and  much  admired  by  them. 

That  there  are  wicked  and  malignant  fpirits,  is  undeniably  true  from 
Scripture.  2  Pet.  ii.  4.  For  if  God /pared  not  the  Angels  that  fined,  but  c-a^xK; 
^o<pn  Tct^rafvaai  co/l  them  down  to  hell,  and  delivered  them  into  chains  ofdark-> 
nefs,  to  be  referved  unto  judgment.  [Or  rather,  caftthem  down  into  a  low, 
wretched  condition,  in  chains  of  darknefs,  delivered  them  to  be  refwrv  ed 

Vql,  I.  D  unto 


50  Of  the  Tempter  Ch.  XL 

unto  judgement.]  Jude  6.  J^r.d  the  jingeh  ivhlch  kept  not  their  firji  ejiatty 
but  left  their  own  habitation^  he  hath  referved  ^scr/xoj?  ai5»ot?  oiro  ^o^of  in  ever- 
lajiing  chains  under  darknefs^  unto  the  judgement  of  the  great  day,  Bein^ 
cafi  doiun  to  hcll^  and  delivered  into  chains  of  darkncfs^  in  St.  Peter^  is  the 
fame  as  being  referved  in  perpetual  chains  tinder  darkncfs^  in  St.  fude-,  and 
may  fignify  no  more  than,  that  they  are  degraded  from  their  former 
hi2;h  and  glorious  ftate,  and  chained,  or  confined  to,  a  much  lower, 
narrower,  and  darker  fituation,  without  any  hope  of  favor,  unto  the  day 
of  judgment ;  when  they,  with  all  workers  of  iniquity,  fhall  be  caft  into 
everlafting  fire,  Mat.  xxv.  41.  Rev.  xx.  10,  15.  P"or  any  thing,  there- 
fore, advanced  in  thofe  two  places,  thofe  fallen  angels  may,  at  pre- 
fent,  relide  in  our  air,  and  be  permited  to  wander  about  in  the 
earth. 

It  muft  be  obferved,  that  there  is  an  ambiguity  in  both  the  words, 
tbLt'  Satan,  and  A.aSo^®-  the  Devil.  The  former,  Satan,  fignlfies  any 
adverfary  among  men  and  good  angels,  as  well  as  among  evil  fpirits. 
Num.  xxii.  32.  Jnd  the  Jngcl  of  the  Lordfaid, behold^  J  went  out  to 

withfand  thee,  VCw^  T^^''^''  for  an  adverfary,  a  Satan.     So  2  Sam.  xix. 

11. Ye fons  of  Zeruiah  are  adverfaries.   I  Kin.  v.  4.  xi.  14.  23.  25. 

Pfal.  Ixxi.  13.  cix.  20,  29.  Peter  was  Satan,  an  adveriary,  to  our  Lord, 
Mat.  xvi.  23.  And  the  unbelieving  fexcs  were  the  Satan,  or  adverfaries, 
who  hindered  St.  Paul's  return  to  Theffalonica,   i  Thefl'.  ii.  18.  A»«fo^o{ 

Devil,  fignifies   an  accufer,  flanderer.  Joh.  \\.  yo. and  one  of  you  y 

Judas,  is  Aia'ooXo?  a  Devil.  1  Tim.  iii.  11.  Their  wives  ?nufi  be  grave, 
fATj  A»*SoXb?  not  Devils,  ;.  e.  accufers,  fanderers.  2  Tim.  iii.  3.  falfe 
accufers.  Tit.  ii.  3.  Thus  it  may  be  applied  to  any  wicked  perfons, 
who  {lander,  accufe,  and  pcrfecutc  the  people  of  God.  And  this  am* 
bio-uity  in  the  fenfe  of  thofe  two  words,  |0{i^  and  Aiaoox^,  may  ren- 
der it  doubtful  how  fomc  particular  pailages  of  Scripture  are  to  be  un- 
derilood. 

That  thofe  two  words  are  ufcd  to  fignify  one  and  the  fame  wicked 
fpirit,  who,  with  many  others  his  angels,  or  under-agents,  are  conver- 
fant  in  our  world,  and  endeavour  to  draw  men  into  fin,  and  do  mifchief 
among  us,  is  very  evident  from  revelation.  As  in  the  cafe  of  our  firft 
parents,  of  Job,  whofe  children  and  fubftance  were  deftroyed,  and  his 
body  afflicted  with  a  grievous  diforder  by  Sata?i,  Job  i.  12,  ^c.  ii.  6,  7  j 
of  our  Lord,  who  was  tempted  of  the  Devil,  or  Sa^an,  Mat.  iv.  i,  3, 
10.  Mark  i.  13.  Luke  iv.  2.  Which  temptation,  under  all  its  circum.- 
llances,  can  never  be  refolved  into  an  allegory  ;  much  lefs  can  it  be  lup- 
pofed  to  be  all  tranfa£led  within  our  Lord's  own  mind,  as  if  the  Devil, 
or  Satan,  was  no  other  than  the  fuggeftions,  or  thought?,  that  arofe  in 
his  own  heart,  which  is  very  abfurd.  Nor  can  the  following  texts  he 
naturally  underftood  of  any  other  than  a  real  Devil  or  Satan.  AJat.  xiii. 
99.  The  enemy  that  fowed  the  tares  is  the  Devil,  [and  his  inftruments] 
ALark  iii.  26.   How  can  Satan  cafi  out  Satan?     Joh.  viii.  44.  Te  are  of 

vour  father  the  Devil.     A<S\iS  x.  38. Healing  all  that  were  opprejfed  of 

the  Devil.  1  Cor.  xi.  13,  1 4.  For  fuch  arc  falfc  apo flics,  deceitful  workers, 
tramfcrmnxg  thcTn\elves  into  the  Jpojlles  ofChriJl.  And  no  may\icl,for  Satan 
himi'eifis  Uansformed  into  an  J»gel  of  L'ght.  Heb.  ii,-i4.   That  through 

"     -  death 


Ch.  XL  ^vho  decei'ved  Eve.  rj 

diath  he  might  dejiroy  him  that  had  the  power  of  [fubj&S^ing  our  firft  parents, 

and  their  pofterity,  to]  death,  that  isy  the  Devil.  2  Tim.  2,  i5. ;v_ 

(over  them/elves  out  of  the  f7iare  of  the  Devil.  Jam.  iv.  7.  Ref^i  the  Devil^ 
and  he  jhall  jlce  fromycu.  i  Joh.  iii.  8.  He  that  commiteth  fin^  is  of  the  De^ 
vil;  for  the  Devil  fricth  from  the  begining  [of  the  world,  alluding  to  his 
tempting  our  f^rft  parexits  into  Tin  ;J  for  this  caufe  the  Son  of  Godvjas  ma- 
nifejled^  that  he  might  dejiroy  the  works  of  the  Devil.  Jude  9.  Tct  Michael., 
the  Archangel.,  when  contending  with  the  Devil.,  he  difputed  about  ti 


the  body  of 
Mofes.  And  generally,  Satan  and  Devil  are  thus^  to  be  underftood  in 
the  New  Teftament,  the  few  places  before  mentioned  only  excepted. 
Though  where  the  Devil  is  principally  intended,  his  inllruments,  or 
wicked  agents  among  men,  may,  at  the  fame  time,  be  connoted. 

Befides  Satan,  or  the  Devil,  the  Scripture  frequently  mentions  other 
evil  fpirits,  called  ^ai/K-cua,  Jai/^toKE?,  Dttmons.,  which  we  tianilate  Devils^ 
That  thefe  Daemons,  however  underftood   in  prophane  authors,  do  be- 
long to  the  Devil's   retinue,  and   may  be   his  angels   or   inider-ao-ents 
over  whom  he  is  chief  or  prince,  will  appear  by  comparing-  Aiat.  xii. 

22,  24, 28.   Luke-m.  17,  18.  xi.  15,  i8.     Thofe  who  in  the  Gof- 

pels  are  faid  to  be  ^««^o»»^ojt*ti-ot  pofielfed  by  Daemons,  in  J^s  x.  38.  are 
laid  to  be  opprcffed  of  the  Devil,  vvo  tow  AtaQoKov,  as  they  were  under  the 
power  of  his  agents.  Thus  we  may  conceive  of  the  Devil  and  his  an- 
gels. Mat.  XXV.  41.  the  Dragon  and  his  angels.  Rev.  xii.  7.  He  is  the 
prince  and  head,  and  thofe  daemons  are  his  fubjefts.  They  are  often 
ipoken  of  in  the  plural  number,  as  being  many ;  though  Satan,  or  the 
Devil,  is  always  in  the  fingular,  as  being  but  one  fingle  fpirit,  and  chief 
over  all  the  reft.  But,  as  before  obferved,  his  angels,  or  agents,  may 
fometimes  be  included  with  him. 

The  charadcrs  which  the  De\  il  or  Satan  fuftains  in  Scripture,  are 
thefe,  the  great  Dragon,  or  fierce  Devourer,  the  old  Serpent,  full  of  vil- 
lainous fubtilty.  Rev.  xii.  9.  The  IVicked  One,  Mat.  xiii.  38.  i  Joh. 
iii.  12.  A  Murthcrer  and  Liar,  Joh.  viii.  44.  Ye  are  cf  yoiir  father,  the 
Devil,  and  the  licjls  of  your  father  will  ye  do ,  he  was  a  murthererfrom  the  be- 
gining, [in  effecting  the  death  of  Adam  and  his  pofterity  ;  and  thus  he 
'  may  be  faid  to  have  had  the  power  of  death,  Hcb.  ii.  14,]  and  abode  not 
in  the  truth,  be  caufe  there  is  no  truth  in  him.  IVhen  he  fpeaketh  a  lie  he 
fpeaketh  of  his  own,  for  he  is  a  liar,  [as  he  was  to  Eve,]  and  the  father  of 

it.      The  Accufer  cf  the  Brethren,  Rev.  xii.  10.   [See  Job  i.  6 i-?.   ii. 

I 7.]  A  roaring  Lion,  [the  lion  roars  only  when  he  is  hiino-ry,  PfaJ. 

xxii.  13.  Ezek.  xxii.  25.]  fecking  whom  he  may  devour.  ThQ°Prince  of 
the.l^orld,  meaning,  as  it  is  corrupt  and  wicked,  John  xii.  31.  xiv.  30. 
XV  i.  II.  The  Prince  of  the  Power  of  the  Air,  the  Spirit  that  now  worketh  in 
the  Children  of  Difobediencc,  the  idolatrous  heathen,  Ephef  W.  2..  Here 
the  Devil  is  reprefented  as  a  prince,  or  fovereign,  at  the  head  of  a  kino-- 
dom,  which  ftands  in  oppofition  to,  and  is  at  war  with,  the  kingdom  of 
.  Chrijl  J  who  was  manifeited  as  his  antagonift,  that  he  might  deJlroy  the 
ivorkiofthe  Devil,   i  John.  iii.  8. 

The  Dxmons  are  characSlerized  as  the  Devil* s  angels.  Mat.  xxv.  41. 

As  unclean  Spirits,  Alark  v.  2,8,  12.  Luke  iv.  33,  36.  viii.  27,  20.  Evil 

wicked,  Spirits,  Luke  viii.  2.  '      J'         ■> 

Thu'fc  vicious  fpirit?,  the   Devil  and  his  angel^,  when  permitted,  are 

-^  '^  capable 


C2  Of  the  Tempter^  ijc.  CJfi.  XI, 

capable  of  doing  any  mifchief  to  the  eftate,  body  or  mind,  i  Sam.  xvi. 
14-  y*^'  '•  12L,  ^c.  n.  6,  7.  Mark  iii.  23,  26.  Z-?v/'^  xiii.  16.  i  Cor.  v. 
5.  I  Thn.  i.  20.  Nor  is  there  any  abfurdily,  any  thing  inconfirtcnt  with 
the  Divine  Goodnefs,  in  fuppofing  that  evil  i'pirits  may  inflidl  calamities 
and  diforders  upon  mankind.  For  they  are  only  inftruments  in  God's 
hands,  under  his  dire6tion  and  controul,  as  much  as  any  other  caufe 
whatever ;  and  (o  muft  come  under  the  fame  rules,  as  any  other  means, 
which  Providence  may  imploy  in  diftrefling  or  dcftroying  human  life,  as 
ftorms,  inundations,  the  pafTions  and  powers  of  wicked  men,  a  putrid 
air,  vitiated  humors  in  the  body,  i^c.  In  all  thefe  cafes,  whatever  is 
the  inftrumental,  God  is  the  appointing  and  directing  caufe  ;  and  it  would 
have  been  all  one,  whether  he  had  fent  a  good  or  evil  angel,  or  had  only 
changed  the  temperature  of  the  air,  to  deflroy  the  IfracHtcs  by  pcflilcncc, 
2  Sam.  xxiv.  15,  16.  Or  to  flay  Sennacherib's  army,  2  Ki?ig.  xix.  35. 
2  Chron.  xxxii.  21,  In  correcting  or  punifhing  by  difeafes,  or  other  dif- 
trefles,  God  may  ufe  what  inftruments  he  pleafes. 

Thus  far  we  may  go  upon  this  part  of  the  fubjecl,  and  not  much  fur- 
ther. The  world  of  (pirits  lies  lb  far  out  of  our  fight,  that  wo  can 
know  no  more  of  them,  than  what  is  reveled.  Nor  have  we  principles 
fufficient  to  inable  us  to  form  clear  and  compleat  notions  of  every  thing 
faid  concerning  them  even  in  revelation. 

That  which  moft  of  all  requires  our  attention,  is,  that  the  Devil  de- 
lighteth  in  feducing  mankind  tofm  againlt  God,  and  takes  every  advan- 
tage, and  ufes  every  wile  to  effedt  his  wicked  purpofe.   Rev.  xii.  9.  The 
great  dragon^  called  the  Devil  and  Satan,  deceivcth  the  whole  luorld.  Mat. 
xiii.  39.  The  enemy  that  fcuved  them.,  the  tares,  /'.  e.  wicked  men,  is  the 
Devil.     Of  which  we  have  a  fpecimen  in  his  temptation  of  our  tirft  pa- 
rents. He  concealed  himfelf  in  the  body,  or  fliapc  of  a  Serpent,  proba- 
bly, at  that  time,  a  creature  admired  by  ^dani  and  Eve  for  it's  beauty 
and  fagacity.     He  firft  addrefled  the  woman,  when  alone,  and  at  a  dif- 
tance  from  her  hufband  ;  and  hrlt  endevored  to  weaken  her  fenfe  of  the 
obligation  of  the  Divine  Prohibitioii,  by  reprefenting  it  as  uncertain  or 
unreafonable,  vcr.  i.   Tea,  hath  God  faid,  ye  f})all  not  eat  of  every  tree  in  the 
gar<kn?     '*  Surely  you  miftake  him;  it  can  never  be  fo;  for  why  fhould 
"•  God  debar  you  of  any  of  the  innocent  and  delightful  fruits  this  gar- 
*'  den  yields  ?"     The  woman  expofed  herfelf  to  the  greatclt  danger  by 
deliberating  with  the  Tempter,  upon  a  matter  which  Ihe  fhould  not  have 
heard  fo  much  as  called  in  queftion  without  abhorrence.     But  fhe  was 
hot  aware  oi  his  wicked  defign  \  and  therefore,  in  much  fimpHcity,  gave 
him  a  full  account  of  the  law  they  were  under,  ver.  2,  3.     Which  oidy 
gave  him,  on  the  other  hand,    an  opportunity  of  contraditSling  it  by  a 
molt  bold  and  impudent  lie,  ver.  4.  Te  JImiH  not  furely  die.     Yea,  he  af- 
fiires  her,  they  IhoulJ  receive  great  advantage  by  eating  the  forbidden 
fruit,  vcr,  5.   For  God  doth  hiovj,  that  in  the  day  ye  eat  thereof  then  your 
i:yei  jhall  he  opened  \  and  ye  jhall  bj  as  Gods,  knowing  good  and  evil.     To  fa- 
vor his  nffertion,  he  perverts  the  word  of  God,  bv  wrelting  the  name  God 
had  given  the  tree  ;  as  if  it  had  been  called,  the'Tree  of  Knoivledge  of  Good 
and  Evil,  becaufe  God  was  aware  it  would  endow  them  with  the  moft 
ex.dted  and  extenfive  kiiowJcdge  j- whereas  it  had  its  name  upon  a  very 
different  account.  "* 

e  Thus 


Cm.  Xrr.  Of  the  DeviPs  Temptaimis.  m 

Thus  Satan  perfuades  men  to  have  hard  thoughts  of  God,  as  if  he  en- 
vied our  happincfs,  and  laid  the  rellraints  of  his  law  upon  our  appetites 
out  of  ill-will  ;  but  infinite  Goodnefs  is  not  capable  of  envy.  Thus  he 
tempteth  us  to  be  uneafy  in  the  condition  Providence  has  alloted  us,  and 
prompts  us  to  be  ambitious  of  things  too  high  for  us.  And  thus  he  de- 
ludeth  with  falfe  hopes  of  benefit  and  advantage  from  fin;  and,  when 
this  laft  point  is  gained,  we  fall  an  eafy  prey  to  the  Tempter,  vcr.  b. 
j^nd  when  the  woman  faw  that  the  tree  loas  good  for  food^  and  that  it  was 
pleafant  to  the  eyes.,  and  a  tree  to  be  dcfircd  to  make  one  wife^jhc  took  of  the  fruit 
thereof  and  did  eat.  "  She  faw  it  was  to  be  defired  to  make  one  wife.'* 
What  wrought  this  opinion  in  Eve  was,  poflibly,  the  afllirance  the  Ser- 
pent gave  her,  that  he  which,  fhe  very  well  knew,  before  was,  like  other 
brutes,  dumb  and  irrational,  was,  by  the  admirable  virtue  of  the  fruit, 
advanced  in  fpeech  and  reafon,  as  fhe  faw,  to  an  equality  with  herfelf, 
the  molt  excellent  creature  in  the  earth  ;  and,  therefore,  fhe  needed  not 
doubt  but  it  would,  in  the  fame  proportion,  exalt  the  human  nature  to 
the  high  perfection  of  the  angelic  order.  This  would  pafs  for  dcmon- 
ftrationwith  her,  who  knew  not  that  it  was  an  evil  fpirit  that  acted  and 

fpake  in  the  Serpent.     But  this  is  only  my  own  conjecture. Ar.djhe 

gave  alfo  unto  her  hujband  with  her^  and  he  did  eat:  being,  probably,  per- 
fuaded  (befides  the  arguments  the  Serpent  ufed  with  Eve)  by  the  itrong 
affection  they  had  for  each  other.  Thus  the  Devil,  by  tempting  our  firlt' 
parents  to  tranfgrefs  the  law,  fubjeited  them,  and  their  poiterity  in  them, 
to  eternal  death.  Thus  he  was  a  murthercr,  and  may  be  faid  to  have 
had  the  power  of  death.  Heb.  ii.  14. 


^Q^ccoa«oo*cMecoe«co««caf>«cooas«oocoo«uoe9eMooMMM:oM;oo»coNcec«cdMcoo«ce0Oco««M9rs«oco»otoo99OOOC3oo«oooc3oa:oco^$i 

CHAP.       XII. 
Refedions  on  the  Devil's  Temptations. 

^•ft:'-*-fS  Y  fearching  the  Scriptures  we  have  found,  that  there  is  a  mall- 
^:  B  O  cious  Spirit  which,  by  Divine  Permiffion,  ranges  about  this 
C'^^^'jftJ:^  world,  attended  with  many  more  of  the  fame  depraved  nature ; 
and,  as  any  opportunity  offers,  is  endeavouring  to  draw  men  from 
the  practice  of  virtue,  into  all  wickednefs  and  alienation  from  the 
truth. 

To  prevent  any  cavils  agalnft  the  fcriptural  account  of  this  wicked 
Spirit,  let  it  be  well  obferved, 

I.  That  we  cannot  be  fure,  from  any  unaffifted  knowledge  or  obfer- 
vation  of  our  own,  that  this  earth  is  not  frequented  by  numerous  fpirits  of 
a  nature  much  fuperior  to  the  human.  Our  knowledge  even  of  the  ani- 
mals, which  naturally  belong  to  our  globe,  hath  been,  and  probably  ftill 
is,  very  defedtive.  Without  the  help  of  microfcopes  we  could  never 
have  difcerned  vaft  tribes  of  infe6ts,  which  we  now  plainly  fee  do  live 

D  3  an^ 


54  Of  the  Devil' i  Temptations.  Ch.  XI!. 

and  move  even  in  our  own  bodies,  and  in  all  parts  of  the  earth  and  wa- 
ter. And  even  with  this  advantage  of  fight,  there  may  ftill  be  a  world 
of  fmaller  animals,  which  our  fenfes  cannot  reach.  Much  more  may 
myriads  of  fpirits  be  mixed  amongft  us,  which  come  not  under  our  ob- 
fervation.  Therefore,  as  without  the  aid  of  microfcopes  we  fhould  ne- 
ver have  difcovcred  the  moft  numerous  part  of  the  inhabitants  of  our 
earth  ;  fo  neither,  without  the  light  of  revelation,  can  we  be  afcertain- 
ed,  what  fpirits  are  and  zSt  in  the  region  of  our  air.  And  revelation  is 
a  mean  as  proper,  at  kail,  for  difcovering  the  one,  as  our  own  artificial 
inventions  for  difcovering  the  other.  But  revelation  informs  us,  that 
angels,  both  good  and  bad,  are  convcrfant  in  this  world  ;  which  may 
be  true,  though  we  have  no  diftincSl,  fenfible  perceptions  of  their  exif- 
tence  and  operations.  Under  former  difpenfations  of  religion  they  might 
appear,  and  act  in  a  fenfible  manner;  but  under  the  prelent  difpenfation 
they  may,  for  wife  reafons,  (particularly,  becaufe  wc  are  now  fufficient- 
ly  }nftru6led  in  their  nature  and  agency,)  be  wholl}'  invihble  :  nor  may 
vye  be  capable  of  diiiinguifhing  their  fecret  internal  impreffions  from  thc 
fuggollions  of  our  own  minds  ;  or  the  external,  kind  aihilanccs  of  good 
angels,  or  the  malicious  injuries  of  evil  angels,  from  the  common  courfc 
qf  Providence. 

II.  That  we  are  now  upon  trial  hath  been  already  proved  ;  and  that 
our  trial  js'weil  and  wifely  adjufted,  cannot  be  doubted.  Vv^e  ourfelves 
are  by  no  means  capable  of  judging  what  kind  of  trials  are  moft  fuitablc 
to  our  own  fpirits,  becaufe  we  know  but  little  of  the  nature  of  thtin 
To  fettle  the  kind  and  degree  of  our  'IVials,  belongs  entirely  to  hini, 
who  alone  underflands  the  nature  of  our  minds,  and  the  defigns  of  hi- 
own  wifdom.  Therefore,  if  we  are  fhocked  when  we  hear  God  hath 
permitted  many  evil  fpirits  to  range  our  world,  and  toexercife  their  mn- 
lice  in  tempting  mankind,  we  are  really  fhocked  at  our  own  ignorance , 
feeing  this  method  of  trial,  as  well  as  the  reft,  is  under  regulatio  - 
of  infinite  wifdom,  and  dcligned  for  the  purpofcs  of  infinite  gocu 
nefs. 

Objection.  "  Suppofe  God  hath  for  wife  ends  permitted  fuch  be 
**  ings  fo  mingle  among  mankind,  is  it  not  very  ftrange  that  anyfhouid 
'^  be  found  fo  malicious  as  to  imploy  that  permiilion  to  the  worft  of  pur- 
*'  pofes  ?  How  can  v/e  fuppofe  any  fpirits,  any  intelligences,  efpecia.iy 
*'  of  a  fupfrior  nature,  fo  far  abandoned  to  all  fenfe  of  goodnels  and 
"  virtue,  as  to  indeavor  without  ceafmg  the  corruption  and  perdition  oi 
**  their  fellow-creatures  ?" 

Answer,  That  wickednefs  exifls  in  the  univerfe  is  too  plain  from  the 
.ftate  of  things  in  that  part  of  it,  which  we  inhabit;  where  we  fee  great 
jiumbers,  in  fpight  of  their  ownreafonand  underftanding,  and  of  all  the 
jnftances  of  God's  love  and  goodnefs,  and  of  all  the  moft  evident  and 
powerful  arguments  to  virtue  and  piety,  who  not  only  are  very  vicious 
themfclves,  byt  take  an  uimatural  plealure  in  tempting  and  corrupting 
others,  and  making  them  as  bad  as  themfclves.  It  cannot  then  be  hard 
to  fuppofe,  that  there  are  other  fpirits,  in  other  circumftances,  who,  in 
tiie  fame  manner,  oppofe  God  ;  that  is  to  fay,  oppofe  truth  and  virtue. 
For  the  Devil  oppofeth  and  fetcth  himfelf  againft  God,  not  by  might 
and  power,  us  xi  he  were  able  to  contend  with  the  Almighty,  but  only 

as 


Qh.  XII.  Of  the  Devil's  Temptatlcns,  55 

as  he  oppofeth  virtue  and  truth  ;  juft  as  wicked  men  do  among  ourfcivt  • 
Indeed,  we  men  are  under  ftroni^  temptations  from  the  Heih,  and  the 
objecSls  that  relate  to  it ;  but  the  fpirits  we  are  ipeaking  of,  may  be  un- 
der as  ftrong  temptations  of  fome  other  kind,  that  we  are  not  acquaint- 
ed with  ;  they  may,  by  fome  finful  purfuits  and  compliances,  have  funk 
themfelves  into  the  laft  degrees  of  moral  pravity,  and  even  be  more 
wicked  than  the  wickedeft  man  in  the  earth,  more  blind  to  the  goodnefs 
of  God,  and  more  fearlefs  of  his  wrath.  Nor  are  fuperior  natural  abi- 
lities an  abfolute  fecurity  againil  the  very  worft  moral  corruption.  For 
we  do  actually  hnd,  that  great  knowledge  and  uuderftanding  are  fo  far 
from  always  making  men  good  and  virtuous,  that,  on  the  contrary, 
thefe  are  often  in  a  high  degree  the  inftrumcnts  of  fm  and  difobedience; 
being  wholly  imployed  in  finding  out  pleas  and  pretexts  for  the  moft  a- 
bandoned  iniquity. 

Thus  you  fee  it  is  very  poflible  fuch  vicious  fpirits  may  be,  may  bs 
mixed  among  us,  and  permited  to  tempt  us  ;  and,  according  to  Scrip- 
ture reprefcntations,  they  are  very  dangerous  enemies.     For, 

I.  Satan  is  continually  going  about  fecking  all  advantages  againf}  us,. 
Job  i.  7.   The  Lord  J  aid  unto  Sat  an  ^  JVhence  come/i  thou  ?  Satan  anfwered, 

andfaid^  From  going  to  and  fro   in   the   earthy  and  from  walking  up 

and  down  in  it.  And  from  the  query  in  the  next  verfe,  Haji  thou  conji- 
dered  tny  fervant  fob^  that  there  is  none  like  him  in  the  earthy  a  ferfeSl  and 
an  upright  man^  one  that  fear eth  God  and  efchetueth  evil?  And  alfo  from 
what  our  Saviour  faith  to  Petcr^  Luke  xxii.  ,31.  Simon,  Simon,  behold, 
Satan  hath  dcjtrcd  to  have  you,  that  he  may  fift  you  as  zvheat ;  it  appears, 
that  he  is  inquifitive  into  the  characters  of  men,  and  bulily  feeks,  and 
gladly  lays  hold  of  any  occafion  to  try,  and,  if  poffible,  to  overthrow 
their  integrity,  i  Cor.  vii.  5.  Defraud  you  not  one  the  other,  except  it  be 
with  coifnt  jor  a  timr,  that  ye  may  give  yourjclves  to  fajiing  and  prayer  ;  and 
come  together  again,  that  Satan  tempt  you  not  for  your  incontinency. 

II.  We  may  fuppofe  a  fpirit  of  fuperior  faculties  to  be  very  fubtil  in 
underftanding  our  various  conftitutions  and  inclinations,  and  the  parti- 
cular fms  to  which  our  circumrtances  do  expofc  us  j  and  in  laying  his 
baits,  and  addrelTmg  his  temptations  accordingly. 

III.  Such  a  tempter  can  apply  a  great  variety  of  machinations,  de- 
vices, [K)»i^a!«,  2  Cor.  ii.  ir.]  and  wiles  [/x«6o^ii«,-,  Ephef.  vi.  11,]  to  dcr- 
ceive.  This  is  feen  in  the  cafe  of  Eve.  And  in  tempting  our  Lord, 
it  is  very  obfervable,  how  he  varied  his  devices,  and  (hifted  the  fcene  of 
temptation,  to  fix,  if  pofTible,  fome  itain  upon  his  fpotlefs  mind.  He 
can  put  himfelf  into  any  Ihape,  cither  of  terror,  or  pleafing  allurement; 
either  as  a  roaring  lion,  or  an  angel  of  light,  [2  Cor.  xi.  14.]  Sometimes 
he  works  by  his  agents,  imploying  thofe  who  are  already  Infnared  to  draw 
in  others  j  fo  Eve  was  his  tool  to  tempt  Adayn:  fometimes  injecting  into 
our  minds  unrighteous,  impure  fuggeftions,  \^Luke  xxii.  3.  Adls  v.  3. J 
fometimes  taking  the  word  out  of  our  heart,  \^Luke  viii.  12.]  or  mixing 
tares  with  the  good  feed,  \^Mat.  xiii.  25.]  and  corrupting  our  minds 
from  the  fimplicity  that  is  in  Chrlft. 

But  then,  all  this  muft  be  underftood  under  the  following  reflric- 
tlons. 

I.  That  the  Devil  Qan  neither  hurt  us,  nor  fo  much  as  attempt  to 

D  4  huu 


56  Of  the  DeviVs  Teynpiattont.  Crt.  XTI, 

hurt  us,  further  than  God  permits.  He  is  not  like  the  pretended  evil 
god  of  the  Manichet'Sy  eternal,  felf-exiftent,  almighty,  and  independent, 
but  as  much  under  the  power  of  God  as  the  wcakelt  reptile  under  our 
feet.  When  God  gives  him  a  commiflion,  he  cannot  a6t  beyond  it ; 
and  when  he  has  no  commiflion,  he  is  chained  up  and  can  do  nothing. 
He  is  therefore  no  other  than  an  agent,  entirely  and  always  in  God's 
hand,  to  be  ufcd  as  he  fees  fit. 

2.  Nor  can  he  any  ways  pollute  our  minds,  further  than  we  ourfelvcs 
do  confent.  If  God  permits,  poflibly  he  may  work  upon  the  humors  of 
the  body,  he  may  inflame  our  paflions,  abufe  our  imaginations,  or  fug- 
gefl:  evil  things  to  our  thoughts  ;  but  unlefs  we  willingly  admit  thofe 
impreflions,  he  cannot  poflibly  fl:ain  our  confciences  with  fin. 

3.  God  hath  not  only  furnifhed  means  and  ftrength  to  rcfifl:  him,  but 
liath  appointed  that,  if  we  do  refifl:  him,  he  fhall  be  conquered  and  van- 
quiflicd.   y^w.  iv.  7.  Ref^i  the  D roil,  and  he  will,  he  fhallj  he  m\\^,fee 

fro?nyoii  ^  not  by  his  own  choice,  but  by  the  will  and  power  of  God. 
The  God  of  onr  peace  and  hhty  jhallbriiife  Satan  under  our  feet.  And  fuch 
a  vi6tory  fhall  turn  to  the  praife  and  glory  and  eflablifhment  of  our  vir- 
tue.    Hence  it  follows, 

1.  That  it  mufl:  be  our  own  ail  and  deed  if  we  are  overcome  by  the 
temptations  of  the  Devil.  It  is  common  for  people  to  confider  them- 
felvcs  as  altogether  pajjive  in  this  cafe,  and  to  afcribe  the  wickednefs  they 
commit  to  the  power  of  temptation  ;  whereas,  in  truth,  fo  far  as  we  are 
tempted  effechudly  we  are  aQive,  we  confent  and  agree  to  the  tempta- 
tion, we  are  drawn  away  of  our  own  lufl:  and  enticed,  fam,  i.  14.  Satan 
tempts,  yet  can  have  no  advantage  over  us  but  what  we  chufe  to  give 
him.     And  therefore, 

2.  It  mult  be  an  aggravation  of  any  crime  that  it  was  done  under  the 
power  and  influence  of  this  wicked  fpirit.  For  we  mufl:  be  the  children 
of  difohedience,  we  mufl  have  abandoned  ourfelvcs  to  wickednefs,  before 
Satan  can  %vork  in  us.  If  Satan  can  fill  our  hearts,  confider  in  what  a 
wretched  condition  we  mufl  he.  We  mufl  have  abufed  the  faculties  of 
our  minds,  we  mufl:  have  defpifed  all  the  riches  of  Divine  Goodnefs,  we 
muft  have  fhut  our  eyes  againfl:  the  fight  of  faving  truth,  hardened  our 
hearts  againfl  the  fear  of  God,  feared  our  confciences,  ftifled  many  and 
ftrong  conviftions,  done  defpite  to  the  Spirit  of  Grace ;  we  muft  have 
withdrawn  ourfclves  from  God,  till  he  hath  forfaken  us  ;  we  muft  have 
advanced  from  one  degree  of  iniquity  to  another,  till  our  hearts  are  pre- 
pared to  be  the  feat  and  refidciice  of  the  unclean  fpirit,  the  murthcrer, 
the  father  of  lies,  the  prince  of  darknefs.  A  condition  unfpeakably  de- 
plorable ! 

With  men  of  virtue  and  piety  he  hath  no  power,  though  he  may  vex 
and  afTault  them,  but  only  with  the  vicious.  And  they  not  only  imitate 
his  wickednefs,  which  is  bad  enough,  and  conftitutes  him  their  father, 
but  likewife  are  under  his  government,  which  is  ftill  worfe,  and  confti- 
tutes him  their  prince  and  ruler.  Moft  dreadful  cafe,  to  be  the  children 
of  fuch  a  father,  the  fuhjctSls  of  fuch  a  prince,  the  children  of  perdition, 
the  fubje(51:s  of  the  enemy  of  all  righteoufnefs  !  To  have  the  powers  of 
our  minds,  defigned  for  the  nobleft  acts  and  enjoyments,  under  the  do- 
minion of  eiror  and  luft  j  to  have  the  fpirits  created  for  eternal  happinefs 

in 


Crt.  XIII.  Of  the  Confequences  of  Adam's  tranfgreffion.  5^ 

in  union,  with  God,  in  flavcry  to  the  vileft  of  beings  ;  to  have  the  fouls^ 
for  whom  Chrift  ibed  his  blood,  to  deliver  them  from  iniquity,  to  purify 
them  into  the  Divine  Iniage,  and  to  prepare  them  for  everlalUng  falva- 
tion;  to  have  thofe  fouls  quite  infenfible  to  all  that  is  true  and  excellent 
heavenly  and  divine,  guided  by  the  grand  deceiver,  in  the  power  of  the 
deftroyer,  and  by  him  pufhed  on  in  the  way  of  iniquity  to  eternal  per- 
dition, how  frightful  is  the  reflection  j  how  dreadful  muft  the  ftate  of 
fuch  fouls  be  I 

To  prevent  our  falling  into  fuch  a  fad  condition,  and  to  fecure  our- 
felves  from  the  encroachments  of  this  wicked  fpirit,  let  us  ever  be  mind- 
ful that  we  have  fuch  an  enemy,  and  that,  without  due  care  and  cir- 
cumfpeftion,  we  (hall  fall  under  his  power.  Let  us  carefullv  guard  our 
hearts,  and  obferve  well  the  temper  and  frame  of  our  minds,  that  vvc 
may  feafonably  reftrain  every  inordinate  affection,  and  imm<jdiately  re- 
ject every  evil  thought  and  fuggeftion  which  Harts  up  in  our  minds.  Be 
fober,  be  vigilant.  Nothing  gives  this  adverfary  greater  advanta<Te  than 
fcnfual  indulgences.  Mortify  the  flcfh  with  the  affections  and  luffs. 
Shun  all  intemperance  and  excefs ;  and  never  dare  to  venture,  how  little 
foever,  into  the  way  of  temptation  and  fin.  And  let  us  be  ("ure  to  keep 
clofe  to  God  in  prayer,  and  other  excrcifcs  of  religion.  Thus  we  fhall 
put  ourfclves  under  the  banner  of  the  Prince  of  Life,  the  Lord  Jefus 
Chrift,  and  fhall  be  kept  by  the  power  of  God,  through  faith,  unto  falva- 
tion. 


CHAP.     xiir. 

Of  the  Confequences  ^"Adam's  Transgression. 

Gen.  ii.  7,  to  the  End. 

^^:f>r^Z  are  now  come  to  a  very  grand  point  in  Theology,  the  Fall  of 
j^?  Wg.  Man,  or  the  Confequences  oi'  Ainrn^  Tranfgreffimi  upon  him- 
V*^::<(=^  felf  and  his  pofterity.  Which  Cojifequences  Divines,  both  Pa- 
pift  and  Proteftant,  have  generally,  and  for  a  long  tract  of  time,  reprc- 
fented  to  be  thofe  that  follow,  namely,  «  the  guilt  of  Adarn?,  rirft  fin 

"  imputed  to,  or  charged  upon,  all   his   pofterity a  total  defe^  of 

*'  that  righteoufnefs  wherein  he  is  fuppofed  to  have  been  created 

"  the  corruption  of  the  human  nature,  whereby  all  mankind  are  utter- 
"  ly  indifpofed,  difabled,  and  made  oppofite  unto  all  that  is  fpiritually 
"  good,  and  wholly  inclined  to  all  evil,  and  that  continually;  which 
**  corruption  of  our  nature  is  the  fource  oi  all  wickednefs  that  is  com- 
"  mited  in  the  world.  —Further,  by  Adam\  TranfgrefTion  all  mankind 

"  were  deprived  of  communion  with  God and  all,  as  foon  as  ever 

"  they  come  into  the  world,  under  his  difpleafure  and  curfe,  bein"-  by 
"  nature  the  children  of  wrath,  bond-flaves  to  Satan,  juftly  liable  to  all 

*'  puaifhments 


58  Of  the  Confequences  of  Adam's  Tranfgrejfton,  Ch.  XIII. 

*  punifhments  in  this  world,  and  in  the  world  to  come,  to  an  ovcrlaft- 
"  jng  reparation  from  the  comfortable  prefence  of  God,  the  moft  grie- 
"  vous  torments  in  foul  and  body  without  intermiflion  in  hell-fire  for 
"  ever. 

This  is  an  affair  of  the  moft  dreadful  importance,  and  requires  to  be 
examined  with  all  poffiblc  care  and  impartiality.  For  an  error  in  this 
point  will  affeiSl  the  whole  fcheme  of  Chriftianity,  pervert  and  abufe 
our  confciences,  and  give  us  very  wrong  notions  of  God  and  of  our- 
felves.     Upon  this  article  I  have  examined  the  Scriptures,  with  diligence 

and  impartiahty,  in  the  trcatife  entitled  The  Scripture  Do^nne  of 

orlgmal  Sin,  propofed  to  free  and  candid  Examination 'in  the  ftudy 

of  which  this  is  a  proper  place  to  exercife  your  thoughts  and  judg- 
ments. 

[  *  Adam  having  tranfgrefled  the  law,  not  only  loft  a  claim  to  life, 
but  became  obnoxious  to  death,  which  was  death  in  iaiu,  or  eternal 
death.  And  had  the  law  been  immediately  executed,  his  pofterity,  then 
included  in  his  loins,  muft  have  been  extindl:,  or  could  have  had  no  ex- 
iftcnce  at  all.  For,  the  covenant  of  innocence  being  broken,  there 
was  no  covenant  or  conftitution  fubfifting  upon  which  /^dam  could  have 
the  leaft  hope  of  the  continuance  of  his  own  life,  and  confequently, 
could  have  no  profpe6l  of  any  pofterity.  Thus  in  Ada/n  all  die.  While 
things  were  in  this  ftate,  under  broken  law,  and  before  a  promifc  of  fa- 
vor, or  grace,  in  this  interval,  for  any  thing  Ada?n  could  know,  he,  and 
the  whole  world  in  him,  were  utterly  loft  and  undone  for  ever.  But 
our  merciful  God  and  Father  had  quite  different  views.  He  gracioufly 
intended  to  make  Adam's,  fm,  and  his  being  expofcd  to  eternal  death, 
an  occafion  of  ere(51:ing  a  new  difpenfation,  a  difpcnfation  of  grace  in 
the  hands  of  a  Mediator.  According  to  which,  Adam  was  alfured  that 
he  fhould  not  immediately  die,  but  fhould  live  to  have  a  pofterity  by  his 
wife,  "^o  Adam  underftood  what  the  Lord  God  faid,  ver.  15.  And 
upon  this  he  gave  his  v/ife  a  new  name,  [yer.  20.)  niH    Life,  or  Life- 

giving,  for  joy  that  mankind  were  to  be  propagated  from  her,  when 
he  expe6Led  nothing  but  immediate  death  in  confequence  of  his  tranf- 
greffion  ] 

■  [  t  God  gracioufly  intended,  after  Adam'^  Tranfgreflion,  to  ere£l:  a 
difpenfation  of  grace,  for  the  redemption  of  mankind.  Which  grace 
•was  declared,  and,  confequently,  which  difpenfation  was  eftabliftied, 
(G^a;.  iii.  15.  And  1  will  put  enmity,  Sec.)  before  the  fentence  of  death 
was  pronounced  upon  Adam,  (ver.  19.  Difi  thou  art,  and  to  dufi  thou 
ff>ali  return.)  Death  therefore,  in  that  fentence,  ftands  under  the  new 
difpenfation,  or  the  difpenfation  of  grace,  and  for  that  reafon  cannot  be 
Death  in  Law,  or  eternal  death  ;  but  death  in  Dispensation,  or  death 
appointed  for  wife  and  good  purpofes,  and  to  be  continued  only  fo  long  as 
God  fhould  think  fit.  And  thus  alfo  all  die  in  Adam  \  thus  hymnn  came 
death  ;  thus  hy  one  manfm  entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by,  or  in  eonfe- 

'  quence 

•  Take  this  in,  as  a  note,  p.  iS.  of  Scripture  DloSfrim  tf  original  SIk,  at 
^he  paragraph,    \.  Whereas  Adam  had  hi/ore.   ike. 

f  Take  this  in,  as  a  note,  p.  66.  of  Scripture  DoSlrine  of  original  Sir.y  at 
JVo.  Immediately  upon  the  anullirg  the  frft  ccnenc.nt^   (S:g. 


Ch.  XIV.  Of  the  Origin  of  Sacrifices.  59 

auence  of,  his  >/.  But  it  was  the  high  and  glorious  purpofe  of  God, 
that  his  beloved  Son,  the  feed  of  the  woman,  having,  in  our  flefh,  per- 
formed thp  moft  perfea  and  compleat  obedience,  Ihould  be  invefted  with 
dominion  Ind  power  to  raiib  all  men  from  the  dead,  and  to  give  eternai- 
life  to  all  them  that  tread  in  the  ftepsof  his  obediQice.  Thus,  asbyTrian 
came  death,  by  man  came  alfo  the  refurrefilon  from  the  dead;  for  as  in  Adam 
alldle,  foln  Chrlji  Jijall  all  he  7nade  alive.  1  Cor.  xv.  21,  22.  1  hus,  as  by 
the  offence  of  one  judgment  came  upon  all  men  to  condemnatmij  even  Jo  by  the 
right  coufnefs  of  one,  the  free  gift  came  upon  all  men  unto  juft  feat  ton.  J^or  as 
by  one  man's  dlfabedlencethe  many  zvere  made  finners  ;  fo  by  the  obedience  of  one 
Jhall  the  many  be  made  righteous.  Rom.  v.  l8,  19.] 

CHAP.      XIV. 

Of  the  Origin  5/ Sacrifices. 
Gen.  iv.  I 6. 

^■^VJ^:^  ERE  Cain  and  Abel  perform  an  aA  of  religious  devotion,  by 
r"^;  H  '^^  wav  of  Oblation  or  Sacrifice.     The  quelHon  is,  whether  this 
f-^yc%  kind  of  worlhip  was  of  divine  or  human  inftitution.     They 
who  ate  of  the  latter  opinion  alledge,  "  that  we  read  of  no  command 
«  from  God  for  facrificing  ;  therefore   men  did  it  of  their  own  heads, 
"  out  of  a   grateful  inclination  to  return  unto  God  lome  of  his  own 
"  bleflin^s,  and  to  acknowledge  him  the  abfolutc  proprietor  of  all  their 
"  enjoyments ;    though   thev  had  no  directions  from  him  about  it." 
Anfvlrer      This  feems  highly  improbable.     For  how  came  Jbcl  t;o  offer 
his  Sacrifice  m  faith  of  God's  acceptance,  (Hcb.  xi.  4.)  if  his  faith  had 
nothing  to  warrant  it  but  his  own  imagination  ?     Human  imaglnatfon, 
or  opinion,  never  was,  or  ever  can  be,  either  the  ground  or  object  ot 
filth.     It  is  faid.  Gen.  iv.  4.  that  God  had  refpect  to,  or  fhewed  his 
"approbation  of,  both  Abel  and  his  offering ;  or  in  the  Apoftle's  words,  Z-^ 
obtained  wltnefs,  /^^f  himfelf  uw  righteous,  God  tefllfymg  of  his  gifts,  thzt 
they  were  right,  and  offered  in  a  right  manner.     On  the  other  hand,  he 
cenfured  Cam  as  having  prefented  his  Oblation  in  fuch  a  manner  as  was 
not  pleafing  to  God.      Which  evidently  fuppofes  a  previous  inftitution, 
and  a  rule  which  Cain  was,  or  might  have  been  acquainted  with.     For 
had  there  not  been  fuch  a  rule  given,  how  could  he  have  been  blamed 
for  not  obferving  it  ?     It  is  abfurd  to  fay,  he  tranfgrcffed  a  rule  of  his 
own  imagination  and  invention. 

The  inftitution  not  being  mentioned  in  a  hiftory  fo  concife  argues 
nothiiis;.  Other  things  are  alio  omited,  as  religious  aflemblies,  Enochs 
proph^y,  Noah's  preaching,  the  peopling  of  the  world,  or  the  increafe 
oi  Adam'^  UmiU.     I'hings  well  known,  or  generally  luppoled,  when 

the 


60  Of  the  Origin  of  Sacrifice!.  C  ri .  X I V . 

liie  hiflorian  wrote,  needed  not  to  be  mentioned,  but  might  be  taken  for 
granted.  The  only  proper  and  conclulive  argument  would  be  to  prove, 
"  that  in  thofc  early  days  they  had  no  communication  with,  or  rcvcla- 
"  tion  from  God  ;  and  therefore,  having  no  way  of  knowing  what  the 
"  mind  of  the  Lord  was,  were  under  a  neccflity  of  inventing  fomcthing 
•*■  of  their  own."  But  this  is  far  from  being  the  cafe.  God,  in  fomc 
vifible  form,  frequently  appeared,  and  made  his  mind  known  to  Adam, 
and  to  all  the  fuccccding  Patriarchs,  mentioned  in  the  bo(;k  of  Gcnefi'y 
for  the  fpacc  of  2315  j'ears.  Yea,  he  converfed  and  reafoned  with  and 
inftruiftcd  Cain  himfclf.  When  therefore  Jldom^  and  all  the  other  Pa- 
triarchs, had  the  fullefl:  opportunity  of  knowing  from  God  himfelf,  what 
kind  of  worfhip  was  moll  acceptable  to  him,  there  was  no  need  of  their 
Cwn  invention  j  and  it  is  abfurd  to  fuppofc  that  they  followed  no  other 
guide. 

In  the  infancy  of  the  church  they  wanted  direction,  and,  without 
doubt,  were  directed  in  every  thing  rclaring  to  religion  efpecially,  fo  far 
as  was  agreable  to  that  difpenfation.  Doubtlefs  Adam  was  inrtru6led  by 
God  to  facrihce.  And  it  is  not  improbable  that  thofe  beafts,  with  the 
ikins  of  which  Adam  and  Eve  were  clothed,  Gen.  iii.  21.  were  flain  as 
Sacrifices.  God  certainly  inftrucled  our  firft  parents  in  the  faith  ar.d 
worfhip,  which  the  alteration  in  their  circumftances  required.  Having 
made  a  moft  gracious  covenant  with  them  {yer.  15.)  it  is  notunreafon- 
ablc  to  fuppofe,  that  he  alfo  fignified  to  them,  that  they  fhould,  for  a 
perpetual  ratification  and  afTurance  of  it  to  their  faith,  offer  to  him  Sa- 
trifices.  For  bv  the  blood  of  Sacrifices  covenants  were  ratified  in  after 
times.  The  eating  of  the  tree  of  life,  was  a  covenanting  action,  (af- 
furing  immortality  to  their  continued  obedience)  fuitable  to  a  ftatc  of 
innocence.  But  the  madation  of  a  living  creature,  (expreifing  the 
deadly  nature  of  fin,  at  the  fame  time  that  it  afiured  them  of  eternal 
life  through  a  facrificed  Redeemer)  was  more  fuitable  to  a  ftate  of 
guilt. 

Vcr.  3.   Cain  brought   \>(y'  of  the  fruit  of  the  ground^  he.  ver.  4.   And 

Abel  alfo  brought  of  the  firjlUngs  of  the  flacky  &c.  "  As  there  were  fome 
"  folemn  times  of  making  their  devout  acknowledgments  to  God  ;  fo, 
*'  I  doubt  not,  there  was  fome  fet  place,  where  they  aflcmbled  for  that 
"  purpofe.  For  the  Hebrew  word  for  brought^  is  never  ufed  in  rela- 
"  ticMi  to  domeftic,  or  private  Sacrifices  j  but  always  in  relation  to 
"  thofc  public  Sacrifices,  which  were  brought  to  the  door  of  the  tabcr- 
'*  naclc  of  the  congregation.     As   Lrc.  iv.  4.    He  fmll  bring  KOHI 

"  Aie  bullock  to  ihedoor^  kc.  Which  occurs  all  along,  efpeciaUy  in  the 
*'  ninth  chapter  of  that  book. 

*'  And  therefore,  1  fuppoft,  thcv  brought  thefe  Sacrifices,  here  men- 
**  tioncd,  to  fome  fixed  [public]  place,  wnere  the  Shechinah,  or  glorious 
<*  prefcnce  of  God  appeared.  For  as  they  mufl  have  fome  fctled  place, 
**  where  they  [publicly]  performed  facred  offices,  it  is  moft  reafonable 
«'  to  think  it  had,  in  thofe  early  days,  refpecl  to  the  Shechinah,  or  Di- 
"  vine  prefence,  as  well  as  afterwards  under  the  Mofaic  difpenfation, 
«  [when  the  Divine  Prefence  refided]  in  the  tabernacle  and  temple. 
*■*  /Vnd  therefore  they  axe  faid  to  appear  before  God,  [Exod.  xxiii.  17. 

"  xxxiv.  24. 


Ch,  XIV.  Of  the  Origin  of  Sacrifices,  61^ 

«  xxxiv.   24.  Pfal.  xlii.   2,  l^c.  or  to  prefent  themf elves  before  the  Lord^ 
Job  i.  6."  *] 

That  fome  vifible  token  of  the  prefence  of  God  appeared  in  their  re- 
ligious aflemblies  in  thofe  earlieft  days  of  the  church,  and  fpalce  and  con- 
verfed  with  them,  as  occafion  required,  is  evident  enough.  So  the  Lord 
God  appeared  frequently  and  famlHarly  to  Adam,  He  held  a  conference 
with  Cain  in  fuch  a  manner  as  plainly  fhews  it  was  no  extraordinary 
thing.  And  when  the  fons,  or  children,  cf  God  came  together  to  prefent 
theynfclves  before  the  Lord^  the  Lord  is  reprefented  as  difcourfing  with  Sa- 
tan about  the  character  and  circumitances  of  Job.  Job  i.  6 — 12.  ii. 
1—7.  _ 

While  men  were  not  fo  numerous,  but  that  they  might  all  aflemble 
together  at  one  place,  probably  the  Shechlnah  ftatedly  appeared  among 
them  every  fabbath.  But  when  they  were  fo  numerous,  that  they  could 
not  ordinarily  meet  together  once  a  week,  and  therefore  were  under  a 
ncceflity  of  performing  their  worfhip  in  feparate  and  remote  places  ;  yet 
the  Shechhiah,  or  token  of  the  Divine  Prefence,  might  ftill  remain  aiid 
appear  as  ufual  in  that  original  place,  where  Adam  and  his  immediate  de- 
fcendents  had  firft  attended  upon  divine  fervice,  and  where  the  Patriarchs, 
in  a  right  line  defcended  from  y^^'/^/w,  had  their  place  of  refidence.  There, 
probably,  N^oah  builded  his   altar,  and  there  the  Lord  converfed  -with 

him.   Gen.  viii.  20,  ^c.  ix.  i 18.     There  Rebekah  went  to  enquire 

cf  the  Lord.  Gen.  xxv.  22,  23  ;  and  fhe  received  an  anfwer,  probablv, 
from  the  Shechlnah  or  Divine  Prefence. 

P^rom  all  this  it  feems  not  unlikely,  that  Cain  and  AbePs  Offerings 
were  performed  before  the  whole  aflembly  of  Adam's  family,  (which 
then  muft  have  been  confiderably  increafed,)  and  that  the  divine  accep- 
tance of  the  one,  and  rejection  of  the  other,  was  fignified  by  fome  vi- 
iible  mark,  which  appeared  and  was  obferved  by  the  whole  congrega- 
tion. It  would  add  very  much  to  Cain's  difguft  to  find  himfclf  fo  open- 
ly difparaged,  and  funk  fo  much  in  the  favor  of  God,  and  the  elleem 
of  the  whole  family,  below  his  younger  brother ;  over  whom,  on  that 
fole  account,  as  he  was  the  firft-born,  he  claimed  pre-eminence,  and  ex- 
pected, whatever  his  character  was,  pious  or  impious,  to  have  been  pre- 
ferred before  him. 

The  mark,  by  which  the  Lord  God  teftihed  his  acceptance  of  Abel 
and  his  Sacrifice,  was,  probably,  a  Itream  of  fire  ifluing  from  the  5/;^- 
chlnah^  which  confumed  his  Sacrifice.  So  Gen.  xv.  ly.  A fmoklng  fur- 
nace and  burning  lamp,  i.  e.  the  Shechinah,  paffed  between  the  pieces  of  the 
Sacrifice,  and  confumed  them,  in  confirmation  of  the  covenant.  And 
we  have  many  other  examples  of  this  kind  in  facred  Hiftory  ;  as  when 
Mofts  offered  the  firft  great  burnt-offering.  Lev.  ix.  24.  When  Gi- 
deon offered  upon  the  rock.  fudg.  vi.  21.  When  David  ftayed  the 
plague.  I  Chron.  xxi.  26.  And  Solomon  confecrated  the  temple.  2 
Chron.  vii.  13.  And  when  Elijah  contended  with  the  Baalites.  i  Klns^s 
xviii.  38,  ^c.  whence  the  Ifraelltes,  Pfal.  xx.  3,  wifhing  all  profperitv 
to  their  king,  pray  that  God  would  accept  [H^C^T  turn  Into  ajhes]  his 


burnt-offering' 

•  Bifhop  Patrick* i  Comment,  in  icco. 


Ver.  6,  7. 


62  Of  ihe  Origin  of  Sacrifcef.  Ch.  XIV. 

Ver.  6,  7.  The  Lord  God  reproved  Cain  for  the  difguft  and  indigna- 
tion he  h:id  conceived  againft  his  brother,  inftrucling  him  in  terms  of 
divine  acceptance.      If  thou  dojl  vuell^  Jhalt  thou  not  be  accepted?     Moft 

certainly For  I  have  an  impartial  regard  to  true  piety,  whercfoever 

I  find  it.  But  f  thou  dofl  not  well,  ftn  (i.  e.  the  punifhment  of  fin,  as 
ver.  13,  and  chnp.  xix.  15,  and  feveral  other  places,)  licth  couching  at 
the  door,  ready  to  fall  upon  thee;  and  unto  thee  Jhall  be  his  dcfire^  and  thou 
jhalt  rule  over  'him.  Three  things  are  here  fuggefbd  to  appeafe  his  rc- 
fentment.  I.  That  the  reafon  of  his  not  being  refpedted  was  not  in  his 
brother,  but  in  himfclf ;  for  if  he  had  done  well,  he  would  have  been  as 
much  refpcited.  2.  That  if  he  did  ill,  he  had  no  reafon  to  cxpcdt  the 
Divine  favor,  but  the  reverfc.  3.  That  this  fhould  not  alter  his  civil 
right,  nor  give  Abel  any  authority  over  him,  but  he  fhould  ftill  retain 

the  privilege  of  his  birth-right.     Note This  fhews,  that  the  pri- 

vilef^es  of  the  birth-right  had  been  previoufly  fettled,  either  by  divine 
appointment,  or  approbation. 

But  the  rancor  of  Cain''?,  mind  could  not  thus  be  cured.  Be'mgofthe 
JVicked  One,  the  murtherer,  who  had  lately  attempted  to  deftroy  all 
manicind,  he  took  an  opportunity,  and  flew  his  brother.  Poflibly  the 
next  fabbath,  AbeVs  place  being  empty  in  the  afTembly  of  Adam's  family, 
the  Lord  addrefled  himfelf  to  Cain,  charged  him  with  his  crime,  and,  in 
punifiimcnt  of  it,  banifhcd  him  from  the  country,  where  Adatn  and  his 
family  refided  ;  by  rendering  the  ground  barren  to  him,  infomuch  that, 
notwithflanding  all  his  endeavonrs,  it  fhould  not  yield  him  any  increafe. 
This  would  ncceflarily  oblige  him  to  go  feeic  a  fubfiflence  in  ibme  other 
place.  To  this  fentcnce  Cain  remonflrates  as  too  fevere,  [and  by  the 
bye  his  familiar,  indeed  too  familiar,  manner  of  anfwering  the  Soechi- 
nah  fhews,  that  fuch  appearances  of  the  Divine  Prefence  were  common 
and  cuflomary]  apprehending  he  fhould  thereby  be  hid  from  the  face  of 
the  Lord,  (ver.  14.)  or  deprived  of  his  care  and  infpection,  and  confi- 
dered  by  all  mankind  as  a  flrolling  brute,  expofed  to  their  hatred,  and  in 
continual  danger  of  being  deftroypd.  But  God,  who  for  wife  and  holy 
ends  often  protedlsand  prolongs  the  lives  even  of  very  wicked  men,  in- 
tended that  Cain  fhould  live  ;  cither  that  he  might  have  fpace  to  repent,' 
or,  beino-  impenitent,  might  remain  a  monument  of  Divine  Juftice. 
And  therefore,  before  the  whole  aflembly,  threatened  a  worfe  punifh- 
mcnt  than  Cain's,  to  the  man,  who  fhould,  by  killing  him,  defeat  the 
divine  fentence,  or  fruftrate  his  grace. 

Arid  the  Lord  fet  a  mark  nlN  upon  Qiin,  kc.  In  the  Hebrew  it  is. 
And  the  Lord  fet,  or  exhibited,  a  true  token  to  Cain,  that^  no  ofu,  icho  met 
him,  Jhould  hill  bin: ;  i.  e.  gave  him  fome  pledge  or  aflurance,  declared 
either  in  words,  as  by  an  oath,  or  by  fome  outward  token,  that  his  life 
fhould  be  prefer ved.  '^o  the  ^^\q^  g^\c  Rahab  atoken,  r\*^^  n1>f»  that 
her  life,  and  the  lives  of  all  her  relations,  fiiould  be  prefcrved.  Jcfhua 
ii.  12 — 14.  This  token  to  Rahab  feems  to  have  been  a  folemn  oath; 
for  the  fearlet  cord  w^s  not  a  token  to  Rahab,  but  to  the  Ipies,  to  diflin- 
ijuifli  her  houfe.  N.  B.  I  do  not  find  in  Scripture,  that  r\^^  ever  fig- 
nlfies  a  mark,  or  brand,  imprefled  upon  a  man's  body,  but  always  fome 
external  ailuiancc,  or  pled^j^e  gi\cn  by  God.     Gen.  ix.   13.  xvii.   11. 

I  Sam. 


Ch.  XV*  Of  the  Shechmah^  and  Dimne  Appearances.  6j 

1  Sam.  ii.  34.  xiv.  10.    2  l^ing.  xix.  28.  Ifa'i.  xxxviii.  7,  8.  Jer.  xliv. 

29,  ^r.  ^r. 

Ver.  16.  And  Caln^  by  force  of  the  di\ane  curie,  ivent  out  from  the 
frefence  of  the  Lord,  i.  e.  out  of  the  afTembly,  v/here  the  Lord  appeared, 
and  was  worftiipped,  and  never  enjoyed  the  bleffings  and  advantages, 
which  attended  the  affembly,  any  more. 


CHAP.      XV. 
Of  the  ShechinaH,  and  Divine  Appearances. 

(P!ii»'f>!  A  V I N  G  had  occafion,  in  the  foregoing  chapter,  to  mention 
^  H  S  the  Shechinab,  (a  rabinical  word  from  \2^  to  dwell^)  which  is 
^3ft''<*"c:^  ufed  to  fignify  a  glorious  Appearance,  covered,  or  attended  with 
a  cloud,  denoting  the  extraordinary  prefence  of  God,  who  is  neceflarily 
every  where  prefent ;  this  may  be  a  proper  place  to  examine  the  Scrip- 
ture upon  the  point  of  Divine  Appearances.  They  are  mentioned  in 
both  parts  of  the  holy  Scripture;  fometimes  without  taking  any  notice 
of  a  vifible  glory,  and  often  exprefly  mentioning  it ;  as  in  the  following 
places.     Gen.  XV,  17.  The  fmok'ing  furnace  and  la)np  of  fire,  tt^i^   TdSi, 

are  juftly  fuppofed  to  correfpond  to  the  cloud  and  pillar  of  fire,  afterwards 
mentioned,  as  reprefenting  the  Divine  Prefence.  Probably,  in  a  vifible 
glory  the  Lord  appeared  to  Abraham,  Gen.  xvii.  i  ;  and  to  Ifaac,  chap. 
xxvi.  2;  and  certainly  to  Mofes  in  the  bufh.  Exod.  iii.  2.  The  Shechi- 
nah  was  alfo  in  the  cloud  and  pillar  of  fire.  Exod.  xiii.  21.  For  it  was 
the  fame  cloud  that  afterward  refted  upon  the  tabernacle,  when  it  was 
fct  up,  and  is  called  the  Cloud  of  the  Lord.  Exod.  xl.  38.  Numb.  x.  34. 
For  the  glory  of  the  Lord  wzs  within  the  tabernacle  upon  the  mercy-feat, 
as  the  cloud  was  on  the  outfide  of  it.  Exod.  xl.  34,  35.  And  it  is  there 
defcribed,  as  in  Exod.  xiii.  21.  that  it  appeared  as  a  cloud  upon  the  ta- 
bernacle by  day,  and  as  a  fire  by  night.  Exod.  xl.  38.  Numb.  ix.  15, 
16. 

Thus  it  conducted  and  guarded  them  in  their  journeys,  [and  then 
alone  was  ordinarily  feen  by  the  whole  congregation]  Exod.  xl.  36. 
Numb.  ix.  17,  18,  ^c.  [Ifaiah  alludes  to  this  chap.  iv.  5,  6.]  And,  as 
thus  the  token  of  the  Divine  Prefence  went  before  them,  the  Lord  is  faid 
to  go  before  them,  and  to  lead  them  by  this  cloud.  And  out  of  this  cloud, 
or  rather  from  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  within  the  tabernacle,  the  Lord 
fpake  unto  M?/?j- what  he  fpake  and  delivered  in  the  hooks  o^  Exodus, 
Leviticus,  and  Numbers.  Numb.  vii.  89.  Jnd  zuhr-t  Mofes  tvcnt  into  the 
tabernacle  of  the  congregation,  to  fpeak  %vith  hiin,  [God,]  then  he  heard  the 
•voice  of  one  fpcaking  unto  him  from  off  the  mercy -fat,  that  zvas  upon  the  ark 
of  the  tejlimony,  between  the  twa  Cherubims,  and  he  fpake  unto  him  j  agree- 
ably 


54  Of  the  Shuhinah,  Ch.  XV. 

ably  to  what  God  had  faid,  Exod.  xxv.  22.  I  wilhnect  with  thee^  and  I 
will  commune  with  thee  from  above  the  mercy-feat^  from  between  the  two  Che- 
rubims^  which  are  upun  the  ark  of  the  tejiimony^  of  all  things  which  I  will 
give  thee  in  commandment  unto  the  children  of  Ifrael.  And  there,  as  upoa 
a  throne,  between  the  Cherubims,  the  glory  of  the  Lord  had  its  refidence 
in  the  holy  place  in  Solomon''^  temple,  after  it  had  taken  pofleffion  of  the 
houfe,  at  the  confecration  of  it.  i  King.  viii.  10,  11.  [and  there  it  con- 
tinued till  the  Babylonifh  captivity.]  Hence  God  is  faid  to  dwell  between 
the  Cherubims.  i  Sam.  iv.  4.  2  Sam.  vi.  2.  2  King.  xix.  15.  Pfalm. 
Ixxx.  I,  ^c.  The  glory  of  the  Lord  appeared  to  Ifaiah  in  the  temple. 
Ifai.  vi.  I.  and  to  Ezekiel\  with  many  awful  circumftances.  Ezek.  i.  28. 
iii.  23.  X.  4.  xi.  23,  xliii.  2,  4,  5.  xliv.  4.  The  glory  of  the  Lordjhone 
round  about  the  Jl^epherds^  and  the  angel  of  the  Lord  came  upon  the?n,  Luke 
ii.  8,  9.  and  to  the  three  Difciples  at  the  transfiguration,  Mat.  xvii.  5. 
JVl)ile  he  yet  fpake^  behold^  a  bright  cloud  overjhadowed  them^  and  behold,  a 
voice  out  of  the  cloud,  which  faid,  this  is  my  beloved  Son,  &c.  The  Shechi- 
Tiah  appeared  to  Saul,  A6ts  ix,  3.  Suddenly  there  flnned  round  about  him  a 
light  fro7n  heaven  ;  and  to  Peter  in  the  prifon.  Adls  xii.  7. 

Thefe  are  the  moil  remarkable  Divine  Appearances  mentioned  inScrip- 
ture.  Now  the  queftion  is,  who,  in  luch  inftances,  was  the  perfon  that 
appeared  and  fpake?  For  example,  Exod.  iii.  14,  it  is  written.  And  God 
faid  unto  Mofes,  IamthatIam:  and  he  faid,  thus  Jhalt  thou  fay  unto 
the  children  of  Ifrael,  I  am  hath  fent  me  unto  you.  Who  was  it  that  fpake 
to  Mofes  P  Or  what  notion  are  we  to  form  of  that  being,  who  pro- 
nounced thofe  words,  I  am  that  I  am  ?  What  makes  the  enquiry 
neceflary  is  this,  that  in  the  fecond  verfe  it  is  faid.  The  Angel  of  the 
Lord  appeared  in  a  fame  of  fire  out  of  the  7nidji  of  a  bujh.  And  yet  it  isr 
faid,  concerning  the  fame  perfon,  ver.  4.  When  the  Lord  faw  that  he 
turned  afide  to  fee,  God  called  to  him  out  of  the  midfi  of  the  bu/l).  ver,  6. 
Moreover  he  faid,  lam  the  God  of  thy  father,  the  God  of  Abraham,  the 
God  oflfaac.  Sec.  And,  ver.  14.  God  faid  unto  Mofes,  IamthatI 
AM.  ver.  15.  God  faid  unto  Mofes,  Thus  Jl)alt  thou  fay  unto  the  children 
of  Ifrael,  //>^  Lord  God  of  your  fathers  hath  fcjit  me  unto  you.  Now, 
moft  certain  it  is,  that  it  was  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  that  appeared  to 
Mofes.  And  certain  it  is,  that  the  Angel  of  the  Lord,  that  appeared  to 
Mofes  in  the  bufh,  did,  out  of  the  bufti,  pronounce  the  feveral  fentences 
I  have  quoted.  It  was  the  Angel  of  the  Lord,  who  faid,  /  am  the  God 
of  thy  father '.  I  AM  THAT  I  AM.  But  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  God,  is  not 
the  Lord  God,  whofe  Angel  he  is.  How  then  can  it  be  faid,  that  the 
Lord  God  appeared  and  fpake  to  Alojesf  This  is  the  difficulty  j  and  the 
folution  is  ready,  and  very  clear. 

The  folid  and  inconteftible  foundation  of  the  folution  Is  laid  by  our 
Lord  himfelf,  who  perfedtly  underftood  the  whole  affair  of  Divine  Ap-. 
pearances,  in  fohn  v.  37.  And  the  Father  himfelf,  who  hath  fent  7ne,  hath 
born  witnefs  of  me.  Te  have  neither  heard  his  voice  at  any  time,  norfeen  his 
fhape.  John  I.  18.  No  inan  hatbfeen  God  at  any  time.  He  is  the  inyifible 
God,  zvhom  no  man  hathfeen,  or  can  fee.  It  is  often  faid,  that  the  Lord, 
the  moft  high  God,  appeared  to  the  Patriarchs,  to  Mofes,  and  to  the 
Prophets,  the  anceftors  of  the  Jews ;  but,  according  to  our  Lord's 
rule,  the  Appearance,  form,  or  Ihape,  which   they  faw,  wfts  not  th^ 

Appearance 


Ch.  XV,  ■      and  Divine  /fpprarances.  6^ 

Apper.rance  df  the  Lord  God  himfelf,  for  never,  at  any  time,  did  they 
fee  his  fhape.  Again,  it  is  often  laid,  that  the  moll  High  God /pake  to 
the  Patriarchs,  to  Al^es,  and  the  Prophets ;  but  our  Lord  affirms,  that 
they  never  heard  his  voice  at  any  time.  How  fhall  ws  reconcile  this 
feeming  inconfiftency  ? 

The  true  folution,  according  to  the  Scriptures,  is  this.  That  the 
Lord  God  never  fpake  or  appeared  in  perfon,  but  always  by  a  proxy, 
NunciuS)  or  meflengcr,  who  rcprefented  him,  and  therefore  fpake  in  his 
name  and  authority,  faying,  I  am  God  all-fufficievt ;  I  amthcGodo/Abra' 
ham\  I  AM  THAT  I  AM.  Which  words  were  pronounced  by  an  An- 
gel ;  but  arc  true,  not  of  the  Angel,  but  of  God,  whom  he  reprefcnted, 
and  upon  whofe  errand  he  came.  So  a  herald  reads  a  proclamation  in 
the  king's  name  and  words,  as  if  the  king  himfelf  were  fpeakingi  Or^ 
to  ufe  a  more  common  inftance,  fo  a  brief  is  publifhed  in  the  king's 
name  and  language,  as  if  the  king  himfelf  v/erc  addrcfling  the  congre- 
gation where  it  is  read.  Thus,  George  by  the  grace  ofGod^  Sec.  wbere'-^ 
as  it  hath  been  reprefcnted  to  US,  &c.  therefore  they  have  humbly  bej ought 
US  to  grant  unto  them  OUR  Letters  Patent  j  &c.  unto  which  their  requeji 
WE  have  gracioufly  coiidcfcendcd,  &c.  But  much,  furely,  would  he  be 
miftaken,  who  fliould  imagine,  that  the  perfon  who  reads  the  procla- 
mation, or  the  brief,  was  his  Majefty  King  George,  becaufc  he  ufeth 
his  words,  and  fpeaks  as  if  the  king  himfelf  were  fpeaking* 

That  this  is  a  true  reprefentation  of  the  cafe,  will  appear,  . 

L  From  the  fignification  of  the  word  Angel,    [ayytXo?   *1J<72D] 

which  is  a  Greek  word^  and  both  In  that  language,  and  in  the  Hebrew, 
fignifies  a  meffenger^  or  nuncius,  an  amhofj'ador  j  one  who  afts  and  fpeaks, 
not  in  his  own  name,  or  behalf,  but  in  the  name,  perfon,  and  behalf  of 
him  that  fends  him.  And  thus  the  word  is  frequently  rendered  in  our 
tranflation.  And  had  it  always  been  rendered  the  mcffcngcr  of  the  Lord, 
inftead  of  the  Angel  nf  the  Lord,  the  cafe  would  have  been  very  plain. 
But  Angel,  being  a  Greek  word,  which  the  Englifh  reader  doth  not  un- 
derftand,  it  throws  fome  obfcurity  upon  fuch  paflages. 

IL  It  is  in  Scripture  exprefly  faid,  that  it  w^s  an  Angela  i  nuncitis,  or 
melfenger  of  the  Lord,  vvho  fpake,  even  when  the  Lord  himfelf  is  faid, 

or  fuppofed  to  fpeak.  As  Gen.  xvi.  7.  The  Angel  "]}<S!D  found  Hagaf  ; 
and,  ver.  to,  faid  unto  her,  I  will  multiply  thy  feed  exceedingly.  Gen.  xviii, 
I.  Ihe  Lord  appeared  unto  AbrahaTn,  ver.  2.  A?id  he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  and 
lo,  three  men,  three  Angels  in  the  fhape  of  mzn,  flood  by  hiri.  Now  one 
of  thofe  men,  or  Angels,  was  a  nurcius  fent  particularly  to  Abraham ; 
for  ver.  10,  he  faid,  as  he  v/as  fiting  at  meat,  I  will  certainly  return  unto 
thee;  and  lo,  Sarah  Jhall  have  a  fon.  And  Sarah  heard  it,  ver.  12.  and 
laughed,  ver.  13.  And  the  Lord,  i.  e.  the  Angel  who  fpake  in  the  Lord, 
faid,  wherefore  did  Sarah  laugh  ?  Ver.  i^.  I 5  any  thing  too  hard  for  the 
Lord?  At  the  appointed  time  J  will  return  unto  thee,  and  Sarah  fballhavc  a 
fan.  Again,  Gen.  xxii.  15.  And  the  Angel,  or  meflenger,  cf  the  Lord 
called  unto  Abraham  out  of  heaven,  ver.  16,  and  faid,  by  myftf  have  I 
fworn,  faith  the  Lord,  that  in  bleffmg  I  will  blef  thee,  &c.  Upon  which 
place  St.  Austin,  quoted  by  Bp.  Patrick  in  his  Commentary  upon 
the  placQ,  argues  in  this  manoeT. 

Vol.  L  E  w  j^^ 


66  Of  the  Shcchinahy  Ch.  XV. 

V**  In  the  bcglnin'g  of  this  chapter,  '!>er.  T,  ?.,  we  read,  that  God 
"  tempted  [tried]  Abraham^  and  bad  hiin  go,  and  ofFer  up  his  Ton  Ijaac  ; 
**  but,  ver.  ll,  12,  'T'he  Angel  of  the  Lord  called  unto  him  out' of  heaven^ 
*'  andfai'l^  Ldy  nrt  thy  hands  z(pon  the  lad.  What  is  the  meaning  of  thi!y? 
"  Will  they  lay,  that  God  commanded  I/aac  to  be  flain,  and  that  his 
'*  J/«^^/ forbad  it?  And  that  Abraham  obeyed  the  Angel,  who  bid  him 
" -fpare  his  fon,  againft  God,  who  ordered  him  to  flay  him  ?  This  is 
'*  ridiculous,  and  not  to  be  endured.  The  plain  meaning  is,  that  God 
**  fpake  both  times,  in  the  one  cafe,  and  the  other ;  but  he  fpake  by 
"  an  An^el,  who  was  his  minifter.  That  is  the  reafon.  Angels  fome- 
"  times  (peak  as  if  they  were  the  Lord,  becaufe  they  fpake^in  the  Lord's 
"  name.  Juft  as  when  a  public  crier  in  a  court  pronounces  the  fen- 
"  tence  of  the  judge,  it  is  not  entered  m  the^public  records,  that  the 
"  crier  pronounced  that  fen.tence,  but  the  judge,  in  whofe  name  and 
"  authority  the  crier  pronounced  it."  Thus  St.  Austin.  —  In  Exod. 
iii.  2.  the  Angcl,  nuncius^  or  meflenger  of  the  Lord  appeared  unto 
Mofes',  and  faid,  I  a^n  the  God  of  Abraham  \  I  AM  THAT  I  AM  ;  fpeak- 
ing  not  of  himfelf,  but  of  the  Lord  whofe  meflenger  he  was. — fojhua 
v\,  2.  The  Lord  faid  unto  fojhua.  It  appears  from  chap.  v.  13,  14.  that 
it  was  not  the  Lord  who  fpake,  but  an  Angel,  under  the  title  oi  the  Cap- 
tain of  the  Lord's  Hojl. 

Further,  it  is  evident  from  every  part  of  the  law  of  Mofes^  that  it  was 
riven  and  ordained  by  God,  the  Lord,  the  mofl:  high  God  ;  and  in  his 
name  it  is  every  where  worded  and  enjoined,  Exod.  xx.  i,  2.  And  God 
fpake  all  thefe  words.,  faying.,  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God.  And  the  Lord  faid 
unto  Mofes.  And  Mofes  faid  unto  the  Lord.  And  yet  it  appears  from  re- 
peated teftimonies  in  the  New  Teftament,  that  it  was  not  t/ic  Lord, 
who  immediately  himfelf  fpake,  either  to  Mofes^  or  to  all  the  people. 
Thus  Stephen.,  a  man  full  of  faith.,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghojl.  Acls  vii.   35. 

This  Mofes  y  whom  they  refufed, —did  God  fend  to  be  a  ruler.,  and  a  deliverer 

hy  the  hands  of  the  Angela  or  meflTenger,  who  appeared  to  him  in  the  hujh\ 
and  who  is  called  the  Angcl  of  his.,  God's,  prefence.  Ifai.  Ixiii.  9.  ver. 
28.   This  [Mofes]  is  he  that  was  in  the  church  in  the  wildernefsy  with  the 

Angel  who  fpake  to   him   in  Mount  Sinai.  [Note it  was  an  Angel,  a 

meflenger,  that  fpake  to  jllfcsm  Mount  Sinai.}  ver.  53. zv ho  have 

received  the  law  by  the  difpcjiticn,  in  the  Conftitutions  publifhed  by  the 
miniftry,  of  Angels.  GaJ.  iii.  ig.  IP'hertfore  then  ferveth  the  lazo  of  Mofes  P 
It  was  added  becaufe  of  tranfgreffiohs,  till  the  fedfjould  come^  to  luhom  the 
promife  was  made,;'  and  it,  the  law,  was  ordapied  by  the  minillry  of  Angels. 
Heb.  ii.  '2.  For  'If  the  woMfpoken  by  Angels  wasjledfajly  meaning  the  law 
given  by  Mofes.  [That  l^w  was  fpoken  to  him,  and  to  all  the  people, 
by  angels,  who  fpake,  not  of  thcmfelVes,  but  what  was  commuj\icated 
to  them  from  God. 

III.  The  ^ixw  very  weir  underflood  the  nature  of  thofe  manifcfla- 
tlons.  They  knew  when  a  miraculous  voice,  came  "to  them,  fpcaking  as 
God  himfelf  would  fpeak,  that  it  was  a'meire'nger  from  God,  who  fpake 
in  his  name  and  ftead,  Get.  xvi.  7,  '9.  .  T'he  Angcl  of  the  Lord  appear- 
e*d  and  fpake  to  Hagar;  'yet  fheknew  it  was  a  Divine, Appearance,  and 
tfiat  the  Angel  p'crfiJJrtateii'the'mod  'High  God.     TheYefore,  ver.  13. 

Jhe  cailedflje  name  of  the  Lord,  that  f^ke  Unto  liery  th'cuGO'b-fe/l  mc. 

"*  '*  *  Gen.xxxii.  24^ 


I 


Ch.  Xy.  end  T)ivh:e  Appearances,  5^ 

Gen.  xxxii.  24.  There  wrejlled  a  man  with  Jacob.  Now  yacoh  knew 
that  man  was  a  mefTenger  from  God  ;  and  therefore,  ver.  30.  he  called 
the  name  of  the  place  Pen'iel  \  for  I  have  feen  God  face  to  face^  i.  e.  I  have 

feen  an  evident  manifeftation  from  God. The  common  token  that 

fuch  were  Divine  Manifcftations,  was  the  glory  which  attended  the  mef- 
fenger,  who  pronounced  the  words  of  the  meflige.  And  whenever  that 
glory  appeared,  the  Jnvs  knew  the  meflage  came  from  God,  whoever 
it  was  that  brought  it.  Thus  Luke  ii.  9.  The  Angel  of  the  Lord  cavze  upon 
the  ihepherds,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  /hone  round  about  them.  They 
knew  the  glory  they  faw  was  not  the  glory  of  the  Angel,  but  a  token  of 
the  Divine  Prefenceand  authority,  fignifying  that  the  meillige  came  from 

the  Lord.     Therefore  they  fay,  ver.  15.   Let  us  now  go aiid  fee  this 

thing,  which  the  LoRD  hath  made  knozvn  unto  us.  And  fo  Saul  knew  the 
light  fhining  from  heaven,  was  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  and  an  infallible 
proof  of  a  Divine  Manifeftation.  And,  2  Pet.  i.  17.  He,  our  Lord 
Jefus  Chrift,  received  from  God  the  P'ather,  honor  and  glory^  when  there 
came  fuch  a  voice  wtto  him  from  the  excellent  Glory,  this  is  my  beloved  Son  in 
whom  I  am  well plcafed.  Whoever  the  meflenger  was  that  uttered  thefe 
words,  the  Difciples,  that  faw  the  transfiguration  on  the  mount,  knew 
that  the  thing  came  from  God  tJie  Father  ;  becaufe  the  voice,  or  words, 
came  from  the  excellent  Glory,  or  the  Shechinah. 

It  is  very  cemarkable,  that  when  our  Lord  was  exalted  to  unlverfal 
dominion,  at  the  right-hand  of  God,  as  head  of  the  church,  he  alfo  had 
his  Angel,  Nuncius,  or  melTcnger,  whom  he  difpatched  upon  the  af- 
fairs of  his  government.  Rev.  i.  i.  The  revelation  ofjcfus  Chrijl,  which 
God  gave  unto  him,  to  Jhew  unto  his  fervants  things  which  mufl fjortly  come 
to  pafs'y  and  he,  ] c(us,  fint  and  fgnifed  it  by  his  Angel   unto  his  fervant 

John.     And  therefore,  though  the  glorious  appearance.  Rev.  i.  i-? 17. 

is  rightly  underftood  of  our  Lord,  yet  it  was  not  he  in  perfon,  but  his 
Angel,  Nunciu?,  or  meflenger,  who  reprefented  him,  and  appeared  and 
fpake  in  his  name.  And  fo  in  other  places  of  the  Revelation*, 
where,  neverthelefs,  our  Lord  may  juftly  be  fuppofed  to  appear  and 
fpeak. 

We  may  here  obferve,  that  it  hath  been  commonly  fuppofed,  that  our 
Lord,  before  his  incarnation,  was  the  Angel  that  appeared  in  the  She-- 
chinah,  and  fpake  to  Adam  and  the  Patriarchs,  to  Mofcs  and  the  prophets^ 
and  is  called  the  Angel  of  his  prefence,  Ifai.  Ixiii.  9.  In  all  their  affiieiion 
he  iiHis  affliaed,  and  the  Angel  of  his  prefence  faved  them;  in  his  love  and  in 
his  pity  he  redeemed  them,  and  he  bare  them,  and  carried  them  all  the  days  of 
old.  To  this  purpofe  they  underftand,  John  xii.  41,  Thefe  things  faid 
Efaias,  when  he  favj  his  glory  and  fpake  of  him,  i.  e.  "  faw,  at  that  time, 
"  the  glory  o'i  Chriji,  who  was  then  the  medium  of  divine  manifcflations, 
*'  andjpake  cf  him,  and  of  his  times,  or  v/hat  would  happen  with  refpe6l 
"to  the  reception  of  the  Gofpel,  when  he  fhould  preach  it  to  the  Jews." 
{Dr.  Doddridge.]  But,  vjhen  he  faw  his  glory,  mr^y  be  well  interpreted, 
"  when  he  [Efaias]  forefiw  his  glory,  or  'the  glorious  manifeflrations, 
"  which  God  inte^nded  to  make  of  himfelP  to  the  Jews  by  his  Son." 
[Dr.  Qarke.]  So  John  viii.  56.  Abraham  favj^  forefaw,  my  day,  and  was 
glad.  Thus  alfo,  as  he  tabernacled  among  the  Jews  in  the  cloud  of 
-glory,  they  judge  he  was  in  the  form  of  God,  Phil.  ii.  9^  which  form,  or 

^  ^  hkenefs 


68  Of  the  Shechimh,  ^c.  Ch.  XV. 

likenefs  he  was  not  greedy  of  retaining,  but  emptied  bimfelfofit^  and  took 
upon  him  the  form  of  a  fervant.  But  this  form,  or  likenefs  of  God,  may 
refer  to  the  glory  which  he  had  with  the  father  hfore  the  world  was,  John 
xvii,  5.  With  regard  to  which  he  may  alfo  be  faid  to  be  the  image  of 
God^  2  Cor.  iv.  4.  —  the  image  of  the  invifihle  God^  Col.  i.  15.  — the 
brlghtnef  of  his  glory ^  and  the  exprefs  image  of  his  perfon,  Heb.  i.  3.  How- 
ever, I  fliould  willingly  admit  that  fuch  Expreflions  refer  to  the  glorious 
appearances  of  the  Shechinah  under  the  Old  Tcftament,  were  it  not  for 
this  objeclion,  that  our  Lord  muft  then  be  fuppofed  to  publifh  the  law, 
and  to  prefide  over  the  Jewifh  difpenfation,  as  well  as  over  the  Gofpel ; 
which  feems  to  be  quite  inconfiftent  with  John  i.  i7.  The  lazu  was  given 
by  Alofes^  hut  grace  and  truth  came  by  Jefus  Chrifl.  bee  alfo  Heb.  i.  1,2. 
ii.  2.  [Here  the  Apoftle's  argument  proceeds  wholly  upon  the  difference 
of  the  perfons,  the  Angels.,  who  publifhed  the  law,  and  the  Lord  Jefus 
Chrijl.,  who  publifhed  the  Gofpel ;  but  his  argument  hath  no  ftrength  at 
all,  if  thofe  perfons  are  the  fame*.     See  Mr.  Pierce  upon  the  text.] 

Heb. 

*  But  may  we  not  dlftinguifh  between  the  Xoys?  as  a  Proxy  of  Deity,  or  as 
perfonating  the  glorious  Majefty  of  God  in  the  Skechinah,  and  in  that  capa- 
city, by  the  Holy  Spirit,  infpiring  the  Prophets,  and  prefiding  over  the  An- 
gels at  the  giving  of  the  law  ;  and  the  fame  "Ko-y^-^  afting  and  fpeaking  to  us, 
in  his  incarnate  Hate,  in  the  capacity  of  a  Prophet?  In  the  former  capacity 
he  may  be  confidered  in  relation  to  God,  as  perfonating  God,  or  as  in  the 
form  of  God,  whofe  agent  he  was  under  enjcry  diCpenfation  which  God  eredl- 
cd;  and  therefore  as  doing  nothing  in  his  own  perfon.  For  thus,  his  perfoa 
would  coincide  with  that  of  the  fupreme  God,  and  is  not  to  be  confidered  as 
different  from  him,  but  as  ading  in  his  name  and  authority.  Jn  the  latter 
capacity  he  may  be  confidered  in  relation  to  «/,  and  to  our  falvation  by  the 
Gofpel  ;  for  the  accomplifhment  of  which,  he  llooped  fo  far  as  to  take  upon 
him  our  nature,  and,  not  as  perfonating  God,  but  in  quality  of  a  Prophet 
fent  from  God,  to  publifh  among  us  in  his  own  perfon,  and  name,  the  promife 
of  eternal  life. 

And  mull  not  this  bring  us  under  greater  obligations  to  attend  to  him; 
and  be  fufficient  to  dilb'nguilh  him  as  acting  in  delivering  the  law,  and  preach- 
ing  the  Gofpel?  He  that  was  in  the  form  of  God,  and  reprefented  God, 
when  the  law  was  delivered,  and  who  delivered  it  by  the  miniftry  of  AngeU 
and  of  Majls ;  that  tranfcendently  glorious  perfon  afterwards  became  a  man, 
and  in  his  cavn  perfon,  and  by  his  on.on  miniftry,  delivered  to  us  the  Gofpel. 
Doth  not  this,  in  a  very  peculiar  manner,  recommend  to  us  the  Gofpel,  and 
obli<Te  us  to  attend  to  its  doctrines?  Heb.  i.  i,  2.  GoJ  ivho  at  fundry  times  y  and 
in  di'vers  manners, /pake  in  time  paji  un:o  the  fathers  BY  The  Prophets,  both 
in  thcfelajl  days  fpoken  unto  us  BY  HIS  Son,  IS c.  God  always  fpake  by 
Proxy.  And  the  Apollle  might  fpeak  as  he  doth,  although  it  be  true,  that 
our  Lord  was  the  Proxy  of  Deity  under  the  Old  Teftament  difpenfation.  For 
the  Apoftle  here  confiders,  not  who  was  the  Proxy  of  Deity,  but  by  whom  he 
immmediately  fpake  to  the  fathers  in  the  Jewifh  church,  and  to  us  in  the 
Chriftian  church.  And  the  oppofition  liech  between,  not  the  Proxies  or  Re- 
prefentatives  of  Deity,  but  between  the  Prophets  in  the  former  difpenfa- 
tion, and  THE  Son  of  God  in  the  latter.  By  his  Son,  as  his  Proxy,  he 
fpake  to  the  Prophets,  and  by  the  Prophets  he  fpake  to  the  Old  Teftament 
fathers.  But  under  the  New  Teftament  his  v.cll  beloved  Son,  who  before 
was  indeed  in  the  form  of  God,  as  his  Proxy,  himfelf  became  a  Prophet,  and 
in  the  form  of  a  man  fpake  to  us  Immediately  as  a  Prophet. 


] 


Ch.  XVI.  Of  the  Glory  of  the  Lord.  69 

Heh,  iii.  I  —  3.   [Here  Mofei\  houfe,  and  ChrijVs  houfe,  or  difpenfation, 
are  clearly  diftinguifhed.] 

But  fuppofing  our  Lord  was  the  Angel,  who  appeared  and  fpake  under 
the  Old  Teftament,  yet  it  muft  be  remembered,  that  he  appeared  and 
fpake  only  as  an  Angela  or  Nuncius  from  God.     Which  character  he 

exprefsly  fuftains,  Mai.  iii.  i.  —  and  t1"TXn  the  Lord,  whom  ye  feek,  foall 
fuddenly  come  to  hU  temple  \  evcn'^ltiC)*^  nn^H  the  mejfenger^  Angel,  of 
the  covenant,  [not  the  Sinai,  but  the  Gofpel  covenant,]  whom  ye  delight 


•*-^-^@^@:^:g:g^©©@SS@©^®@@©©©©©©^@©<> 


CHAP.       XVI. 

Of  the  Glory  of  the  Lord,  as  It  hath  relation  to  the  Shechinah, 
or  Divine  Appearances. 

^•<>j»;}t'T  is  deferving  of  our  further  obfervation,  that  the  Shechinah, 
0  I  O  or  divine  appearances,  as  a  token  of  God's  prcfence,  and  of 
Wi^y^^^  his  guidance,  encouragement,  and  prote«Slion  of  his  people, 
is  often  mentioned  in  the  Old  Teftament  under  the  character  of  the 
GLORY  OF  Jehovah.  As  in  Exodus  xvi.  7,  10.  xxiv.  16.  Lev.  ix.  6, 
23.  Num.  xiv.  10,  21.  22.  xvi.  19.  xx.  6.  Hebrew  ix.  5.  —  the  Cheru- 
bim of  the  glory.,  i.  e.  the  glory  of  Jehovah,  dwelling  between  the  Che- 
rubim, over  the  Mercy-feat.  St.  Pf-fc-r  alludes  to  this,  2  Epilh  i."  17 
r-^  there  came  a  Voice  from  the  excellent  Glory.  This  token  of  God's  prc- 
fence is  otherwife  called  his  Prefence.,  Exodus  xxxiii.  14.  and  his  Name, 
as  that  fignihethamarkof  diftindtion  or  eminence.  Deut.  xii.  5.  2  Chron. 
vii.  16. 

•  Certainly  it  was  the  peculiar  honor  and  advantage  of  the  Ifraelites,  that 
they  had  fuch  a  public  vifible  manifeftation  of  the  prefence  and  favor  of 
God  ;  [Rom.  ix.  4.  Jl'loo  are  Ifraelites  ;  to  whom  pertaineth  the  adoption, 
and  the  Glory^  or  the  glorious  manifeftations  of  God.]  And  was  well 
adapted  to  that  difpenfation  of  the  church;  efpccially  in  the  early  times 
of  its  inftitution  under  Mofes^  when  they  could  not,  by  abftra^l  rea- 
foning,  be  fo  well  acquainted  with  the  nature  and  perfections  of  God ; 
and  therefore  ftood  in  need  of  fome  extraordinary  vifible  token,  to  ftrike 
and  affect  their  minds  with  a  fcnfc  of  his  prefence,  power,  authority, 
favor  and  protei^tion. 

And  as  the  glory  of  the  Lord  appeared  publicly  in  favor  of  the  Ifraelites, 
to  guard  and  guide  them,  when  they  left  the  land  of  Egypt ;  fo  the  glory 
ef  the  Lord  is  ufed  figuraiively  to  denote,  in  general,  his  fpecial  bleffing, 
favor,  prefence,  and  prote^iion,  upon  any  occafion.  Ifaiah  Iviii.  8.  Is 
it  not  to  deal  thy  bread  to  the  hungry.  Sic.  Then  /hall  thy  light,  profpcrity, 
break  forth  as  the  mornnig,  and  thy  health  Jhall  fpring  forth  fpeedily :  and  thy 
righteoufnefi^  [falvation,  Saviour]  yJfl// ^(7  hefon  thee,  THE  glory  of  Je- 

E  3  hovah 


no  Of  the  Glory  of  the  Lord.  Ch.  XVI. 

}iOV AH  Jhall  be  thy  rerezvard^  fhall  advance  in  thy  rear,  or  behind  thee, 
to  guard  thee;  alluding  to  the  Shechlnah  as  it  guarded  and  guided 
the  children  of  IfracL  If  a,  \x.  i.  Arfe^  JlAne;  for  thy  light,  hap- 
pinefs,  h  comc^  and  the  glory  cf  Jehovah  is  rifcn  upon  thee. 
Thus   it    is    figuratively    to  denote    the   divine   favor  and   guardian- 

fhip. 

And  in  the  fame  manner  it  is  applied  to  the  Chriftian  church,  as  de- 
noting all  the  light  and  blcfitxigs,  grace,  and  glory  of  the  Gofpel.  Nion. 
xiv.  21.  But  as  truly  as  1  live,  all  the  earth  fua  II  be  filed  tvith  MY  GLORY  ; 
fpeaking  of  the  Goipel,  in  contradidtion  to  the  Jewiili  peculiarity.  Ifa. 
XXXV.  I,  2.  The  wilder  J7tfs  of  the  folitary  place  pall  he  glad  for  them;  and 
the  dtfertfiall  rejoice  and  L'ffo?n  as  the  rof,  &cc.  They  pall  fee  THE  GLORY 
OF  Jehovah,  and  the  excellency  of  our  God.  Ifal.  xi.  3,  4,  5.  The  voice 
of  him  that  crieth  in  the  ivildernefs,  prepare  ye  the  zvay  of  the  Lord;  make 
Jlraight  in  the  defcrt  a  high  way  for  our  God.  Every  valley  pall  he  exalted, 
^c.  Aid  THEGLORY  07  Jehovah  pail  be  revealed,  arJ  all  fep  {hall 
fee  it  together,  ['\''^r\'^  compleatly,  or  in  it's  perfe6lion.]  for  the  mouth  of 

the  Lord  hath  fpoken  it.    Hab.  21.14.    For  the  earth  Pall  he  filed  with  the 
kfiowledge  of  the  GLORY  OF  God,  as  the  waters  cover  the  fea. 

All  thefe  pafTages  are  to  be  underflood  of  the  Gofpel  manifeftations  of 
God's  grace,  which  is  hi?  slory.  Exodus  xxxiii.  18,  i(f  And Mofes  faid^ 
I  hefeech  thee,peio  ?ne  thy  Glory.  And  he  f aid,  I  will  make  all  my  Good- 
nefs  pap  btfore  thee,  and  I  will  proclaim  the  name  cf  Jehovah  before  thee ; 
namely,  as  in  Chap,  xxxiv.  6,  7.  The  Lord  —  proclaimed.  The  Lord,  The 
Lord  God  fiierciful,  and  gracious,  &:c.  The  goodnefs  and  mercy  of  the 
Lord  is  the  glory  of  the  Lord. 

And  obferve,  hov/  the  Apoftle,  2  Cor.  iii.  13 —  18.  alludes  to  the 
glory  of  the  Sheehinah,  with  which  Al^fes  converfed  in  the  mount ;  and 
which    imprefled   fuch   a    Iplendor   upon  his  countenance,   as  obliged 
him  to  poyer  it  with  a  veil,  when  he  returned  to  the  people  ;  who  other- 
wife  could  not  bear  to  look  upon  the  exceffive  brightnefs  of  the  glory  of 
God,  refieded  from  \ns,Mofcs\  face.     In  allufion  to  this  veil,  obfcuring 
the  brightnefs  of  iT:/Vfjhis  countenance,  the  Apoil'e  informs  us,  ver.  14, 
15.  that  there  was  an  obfcuritv,  a  veil  over  his  v/ritings  ;  which  veil,  af- 
ter Chrijl  was  come,  and  had  taken  it  avr.-.y,  from  the  Old  Tef^ament, 
the  Jews,  through  unbelief,  transferred  to  their  own  hearts,  and  fo  re- 
mained ignorant  of  the  true  meaning  of  Mofes  and  the  prophets.     But, 
ver.  iS.we.ail,  fall  we  Chriftians,  in  oppofition  to  the  blinded  JewSy 
ver,  I-:;,  14.]  Ui^  all  with  open,  unveiled,  face,  having  the  glory  of  the 
Lord,  refecUd  upon  us  [from  the  face  of  Jefus,  Chap.  4,  6.]  as  from  a 
piirror,  are,  in,  the  difpontions  of  cur  minds,  changed  into  the  fame  image 
of  moral  excellency,  fro:n  glory  to  glory,  or  in  order  to  the  moft  compleat 
^lory,  ei^en  as  by  thefpirit  of  the  Lord.     John  i.  14.   The  word  was  made 
jiep,  and  laKVitim  dwelt,  tabernacled,  among  us ;  and  we,  as  well  as  his 
firft  difciples,  beheld  the  glory  of  Jefus  Chrijl,  as  of  the  only  begotten  Son  of 
God,  full  of  giaee  and  truth.     The  Son  of  God  became  a  man  fubjecl  to 
like  frailties  with  us,  and  lived  and  converfed  freely  amongil  m.en  ;  teach- 
ing them  fully  and  plainly  the  great  truths  relating  to  God's  gracious 
purpofes   concerning  the   redemption  and   eternal   falvation   of  man- 

o  kind. 


Ch.  XVII.  The  S^crlptun-Cbronology/<^c.  71 

kind.  And  thus  God,  and  his  merciful  regards  to  men,  his  prefence  in 
his  church,  and  his  power,  ingaged  to  keep  his  fervants,  and  to  bring 
them  to  the  pofl'eilion  of  eternal  life,  is  more  clearly  and  illuftrioufly 
manifefted  in  the  Gofpel,  than  his  favorable  prefence  and  protedlion 
were  by  the  Shechinah  in  the  temple,  or  in  any  other  place,  among  th? 
Jfraelites. 

We,  who  under  the  Gofpel  difpenfation,  are  fo  well  acquainted  with 
the  nature  and  perfections  of  God,  do  not  ftand  in  need  of  any  extraor- 
dinary vifible  token  of  the  divine  prefence.  The  glorious  truths  of  the 
Gofpel,  revealed  by  yefus  Chrij}^  are  our  Shecbinahy  (hining  from  him 
upon  our  minds,  and  filling  them  with  comfort  and  joy,  in  the  alTured 
hope  of  his  prefent  care  and  blelTmg,  and  of  the  pofleflion  of  glory,  honor 
lind  immortality  in  the  future  world.  And  this  is  to  us  us  a  Shechinah^ 
infinitely  preferable  to  the  vifible  appearances  in  the  church  of  old. 


0©g^^@@:g@©^©^gSS^@@®©^©©@©©:^©:^0 


CHAP.      XVII.. 

The  ScRiPTURE-CHRONOLOGy//-«;n  /A<?  Creation  to  //'^Deluge. 

Gai.  5th  Chapter. 

Cyi^^-!^'E  are  now  got  as  far  as  the  Deluge.  And  here,  according 
^.  WS  to  MofcSy  who  here  begins  his  genealogies,  is  the  proper 
i^;<^i>^l<3  place  for  confidering  how  far  we  are  advanced  in  the  age,  co- 
chronology,  of  the  v/orld.  i*  or  in  this  chapter  he  gives  the  names  and 
ages  of  the  Patriarchs  from  Mam  to  Noah,  together  with  the  age  of  every 
father,  at  the  time  when  every  fon  was  born.  And  if  v/c  add  together 
the  ages  of  the  fathers,  when  their  fcveral  fons  were  born,  and  the  years 
of  Noah's  life  at  the  time  of  the  Deluge,  we  Ihall  form  chronological  ta- 
bles of  the  bell  authority,  from  the  Creation  to  the  Deluge,  after  this 
manner. 


« 

i'roois.             'I'able  I. 

T,    "• 

in. 

iV. 

V. 

Gen.  V.  I,  AdAm  lived    -    - 

130 

^ 

?          ' 

2  930 

-.  Yr». 

Yrv. 

Q    4004 

-     -      6,  bctli  lived     -      - 

lOJ 

S> 

0      130 

3  S"* 

?  boo 

•-. 

-     -      9,  Enus  lived    - 

90 

>:  90s 

■^.695  , 

§     84 

^ 

-     -     11,  Cainin  lived 

11 

■^ 

0    r-s 

-  9»0 

jC  6oi 

2  »7S> 

.« 

-     •    15,  M.ihalj!eel  lived 

C 

1    1^ 

•1      Ciz 

■S  bpS 

■=  53; 

f    2|4 

S   3<S<5 

i2 

-     •     lb,  Jared  Uvea    •  -  - 

I6» 

rt 

c  961, 

*470 

u 

-     -     ;i,  tnoch  lived 

^>S 

C 

.    3<5S 

V.  ids 

■3 

"72 

-    -    ij,  Mcthufelah  lived 

lil 

3 

S       t^T^ 

>  969 

i  ^43 

>    600 

u^ 

-     -    iS,  Lamech  liTcd      - 

iSi 

>< 

«       874 

5  77- 

J     56 

J  S9S 

i    *348 

•  vii.  II,  Noah.attheDclu;; 

:<5oo 

Yd.  old  1065 

If: 

In  all    -    -~ 

1656 

Ye» 

n  from  the 

Creation 

t«  theF 

oci. 

According  to  table  I.  if  you  add  together  the  years  from  the  creation 
of  Jdam  to  the  birth  of  Methufelah  you  will  find  that  Adam  was  687 
years  old  when  Methufelah  was  born.  And,  as  Jdam  lived  in  all  930 
years,  as  in  table  III.  if  you  fubtraft  687  from  930,  there  will  remain 
^43,  which  is  the  year  of  Methufelah'^  life  when  Adam  died.     Therefore 

E  4  Methufelah 


>j2  7he  Scripture'Chromhgy  Ch.  XVII. 

Methufelah  lived  243  years  with  Adam.  In  the  fame  way  of  computa- 
tion you  may  find  how  long  any  of  t:h^  junior  Patriarchs  lived  with 
jidam  as  in  table  IV. 

If  to  the  year  of  Enss's  lifc^  when  Cqinan  was  born,  and  to  the  year 
of  Lamech'%  life,  when  Noah  was  born,  you  add  all  the  intermediate 
years,  you  will  find  they  are  821,  which  is  the  age  of  Enos  when  Noah 
■was  borri :  but  Ems  lived  905  years ;  from  whicli  fubtracl  821,  and  the 
remainder  is  84.  the  number  of  years  in  which  old  Enos  and  young 
'Noah  were'  coremporaries.  And  in  the  fame  way  you  may  find  how 
lono^  any  qf  the  fenior,  preceding  Patriarchs,  li^ed  with  Noah^  as  in 
tabfe  V. 

'  So  likewife  if  you  adcl  together  the  years  from  the  birth  of  Mt-ihiifeluh 
to  the  flood,  you  wiil  hud  them  to  be  969;  which  is  juit  the  time  that 
Methufeiah  lived,  as  in  table  III.  Hence  we  may  conclude,  that  jVIe^ 
thufclab  died  juft  before  the  flood  came  j  and  Noah  being  then  600  years 
old,  he  had  lived  jult  fo  long  with  Methuplah. 

•  So  ►igain,  if  yyu  add  the  years  from  the  birth  of  Lamech  to  the  flood, 
you  will  find  them  to  be  782  years  ;  and  whereas  Lamech  lived  but  777 
years,  jt  follows,  that  Lamech  died  five  years  before  the  flood  came. 
Therefore,  all  the  Patriarchs,  except  Noah^  v/t,re  dead,  when  Noah  en- 
tered into  the  ark. 

'troui  the  above  account  it  appears,  that  Methufelah  lived  wit!)  Adam 
243  yearSj  aiid  doubtlefs  converfed  with  him  the  greateil:  part  of  that 
pme';  and  fo,  had  opportunity  abundantly  fufficient  to  receive  from  Adam 
an  account  of  what  he  knew  concerning  the  creation,  and  ail  the  tran- 
ra£ti6ns  and  eyeiits  contained  in  the  firft  four  chanters  of  Genefis.  And 
as  Noah  lived  606  years  wi^h  Methufelah,  he  had  time  fuflicient  to  learn 
the  fame  account  from  him,  and  may  well  be  fuppofcd  to  have  carried  if 
with  him  intire  into  the  ark.  And  this  may  be  one  reafon  of  the  lon- 
gevity of  the  antediluvians  ;  which  muft  be  refolved  into  the  fole  will 
of  God,  and  can  be  accounted  for  no  other  way.  They  lived  fo  long, 
in  order  to  preferve,  and  hand  down  to  polterity,  religious  knowledge, 
in  that  period  of  time  when  it  could  not  be  committed  to  writing  ;  and 
when  it  would  have  been  either  totally  ioil,  o^  mifcrably  depraved,  had 
pen  lived  no  longer  than  70  or  80  years.  Befides,  their  longevity  con,- 
tributed  to  the  more  fpeedy  peopling  of  the  world,  and  to  the  bringing 
of  neceffdry  arts',  "in  tillage,  "building  and  clothing,  to  a  greater  perfec* 
tion.  .  •  -  ^  ■  '  ■ 
'■  Ver.  I.  C^^^  ilTpIn  "Ipp  n?  "this  is  the  book  cf  the  generations  of 

Jdajr^  that  is  to  fay,  this  is  the  pedigree,  or  the  genealogy  of  the  de- 
fcendants  of  Adam.  So  Mat^  i.  i.  The  book  of  the  generatio7j,  is  the  gc- 
i^e^logy  of  y ejus  Chrifi. 

■  Ver.  3.  As  we  know  that  Adam,  had  both  Ca:n  and  Abel  before  Seih 
was  born,  fo' both  he,  and  the  other  Patriarchs,  might  have  fcveral  other 
f  hildren  before  thcfe  that  are  named  in  this  lift ;  it  being,  probably,  the 
defign  of  }^5/9j  to' fet  down  only  thofe  pcrfons,  by  whom  the  line  of 
Noah  \yas  drawn  "from  Seth,  by  their  true  anceftofs,  whether  they  were 
the  eldeft  of  the  family,  or  not. " 

'    Ver.  21.— and  begat  J/^r/^v^/t'/^i^.     It  is  the  ingenious  conje£hare  of 
■ '   ■        '  Ain/ii'yrih^ 


Gh.  XVII.'  from  the  Creation  to  the' Deluge,  y^ 

Anfworth,  that  HTti^inD  is  a  word  compounded  of  HD  /&^  ^iV^/;,  and 

nSii'l  for   n7ti'*D1  ^"^  <7«  emijfton ;  as  much  as  to  fay,  lu^^n  Z>^  <^/V//7, 

there  Jhall  be  an  em'tjjion^  or  inundation,  of  waters.  Thus  £«of/>  may  be 
I'uppofed  to  have  predifted  the  deluge  in  the  name,  which  he  gave  his 
ion  Methufelah^  with  this  particular  circumftance,  that  the  deluge  fhould 
happen  in  the  year,  in  which  his  Ton  ftiould  die  ;  as  it  certainly  did. 
However  we  have  the  authority  of  an  ApolHe,  that  Eyioch  was  a  Pro- 
phet, and  did  forefcc,  and  forctel  the  deluge  to  that  generation  of  men. 
yude\Qr.  14,  15.  And  Encch  alfo,,the  feventhfrcm  Adaviypyophefied  of  thefty 
or  of  fuch  men  as  thefe.  Joying,  Behold^  the  Lordcomcth  ivith  ten  thoufandi 
of  his  Saints,  or  with  myriads  of  his  holy  Angels,  to  execute  judgment 
ftpon  all,  and  to  convince  all  that  are  ungodly  among  them  of  all  their  ungodly 
deeds,  which  they  have  ungodly  commited,  and  cf  all  their  hard,  unreafonable, 
contumacious,  blafphemous  fpccches,  luhich  ungodly  fmncrs  have  fpoken 
againjl  him.  This,  1  apprehend,  in  its  primary  intention,  is  a  predic- 
tion of  the  deluge,  by  which  God  would  punilh  that  impious  race, 
which  then  inhabited  the  earth.  But  as  their  deitruc^iion  by  the  delun-e 
is  made  an  example  of  the  vengeance  which  God  will  execute  upon  all 
impenitently  wicked  at  the  lall  day,  (2  Pet.  ii.  5.)  fo  Enoch\  Prophecy 
will  fuit  the  wicked  of  all  ages,  who  fhall  certainly  meet  with  a  like  re- 
ward of  their  deeds. 

Ver.   22.  D^hSkH  -^^C  ^Ti  ^r\rC^  And  Enoch  walked  diligently 

with,  or  unto,  God,  and  in  a  manner  agreeable  and  pleafing  to  God. 

And  fo  did  Noah,  chap.  vi.  9.     In  this  conftruiSlion  (wjth  H}^)  "]7nnn 

is  ufed  but  once  more,  i  Sam.  xxv,  15;  and  there  it  implies  friendfhip 
and  benevolence  on  the  part  of  thofe  they  convcrfed  with.  7'herefore 
the  Apoftle  ri^ghtly  inferts  the  idea  of  flcafing  God  in  the  account  he 
gives  of  Enoch\  trandation,  Heb.  xi.  5,  6;  and  argues  well,  that  Enoch's 
pleafmg  (rod,  was  the  effect  of  his  faith  in  God,  and  in  a  future  re- 
ward. For  without  faith  it  is  impofjible  to  pic  fc  God,  or  to  walk  with,  or 
to  come  unto  him,  as  Enoch  did.  For  he  that  cometh  unto  God,  muft,  in 
the  very  nature  of  the  thing,  beliroe  that  he  is,  artdthat  he  is  the  reiuarder 
of  them  that  diligently  feck  him.  [Obferve  — plcafng  God,  coming  unto  God, 
and  diligently  feeking  him,  arc  fynonymous,  and  all  included  in  the  fenfe 
of  walking  tvith  God.]  By  faith  Enoch  lead  a  very  religious  and  hea- 
venly life.  His  thoughts  and  affections  were  removed  from  things  be- 
low, and  fixed  upon  things  above.  He  had  a  deep  fenfe  of  God  and 
his  pcrfedllons,  delighted  in  his  ways,  behaved  as  always  in  his  fio-ht, 
and  conftantly  ftudied  to  pleafe  him,  and  promote  his  glory.  Being  of 
a  character  fo  excellent,  and  withal  a  perfon  of  eminent  note,  and  great 
induftry  in  oppofmg  the  growing  wickednefs  of  the  world,  God  was 
pleafed  to  reward  his  piety,  and  give  the  reft  of  mankind  a  demonftra- 
tion  of  a  future  ftate  of  glory,  the  inheritance  of  the  holy  and  virtuous, 
by  tranflating  him  alive,  without  feeing  death,  into  heaven.  It  is  not 
improbable,  that  he  was  tranllated  in  fome  vifible  manner  as  Elijah  was 
afterwards,  by  a  glorious  appearance  of  the  Shechinah,  from  whence 
foine  heavenly  miniffers  might  b«  detached  to  convey  him  to  a  better 

world. 


74  Of  the  Deluge.  Ch.  XVIII. 

World.     This  happened  57  years  after  Adam'%  death,  in  the  year  of  the 
world  987,  and  669  years  before  the  deluge. 

Ver.  29.  And  Lamcch  called  his  fon's  name  Noah^  [refl  or  refrefiiment, 
from  nii  to  reft,  to  take  repofe,]  faying^  This  fame  Jhall  comfort  us  con^ 
(ermng  cur  work^  and  toil  of  our  hands ^  becaufe  of  the  ground^  which  the 
Lord  hath  curfed.  Lamech  might  give  his  foa  this  name  when  he  found 
he  had  an  extraordinary  genius  for  agriculture,  and  was  likely  by  his 
ufeful  inventions,  to  diminifh  the  very  great  toil,  which  had  hitherto  at- 
tended the  tillage  of  the  earth.     See  chap.  ix.  20,  21. 


CHAP.      XVIII. 

Of     the    deluge. 

Gen.  Chapters  VI.  and  VII. 


d^^j-?*-'^  E  N.  iv.  26. — then  it  was  begun  to  call  by  the  name  of  the  Lord. 
B  G  •$  Or  then,  in  the  days  of  Enos.,  the  family  of  Seth^  which  adhered 
^^■'.^^  to  God  and  his  worfhip,  began  to  give  themfelves  a  denomina^ 
tion  tixpreffive  of  their  relation  and  regards  to  God  ;  that  is  to  fay,  to 
afiume  the  title  of  the  Sons,  or  Children  of  God,  as  in  chap.  vi.  2.  in 
order  to  diftinguifh  and  feparate  themfelves  from  the  irreligious  family 
of  Cain.     Which    title   was  alfo    ufcd   after    the    flood.      "Job    i.    6. 


11.  I. 


But  (chap.  vi.  i.  which  is  in  conne6lion  with  chap.  iv.  26,  the  inter- 
mediate chapter  being  a  genealogical  parenthefis)  [Bui  tchen  jmn  began 
to  multiply  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  daughters  were  born  unto  them,  &:c.J 
The  families  of  Seth  and  Caiu,  increafmg  and  fpreading  upon  the  earth, 
at  leno-th  met  and  unhappily  mixed  together.  For  the  fons  of  God,  by 
the  inftigation  of  fenfual  appetite,  without  regard  to  reafon  or  religion, 
joined  themfelves  in  affinity  to  Cains  impious  pofterity,  by  marrying 
their  beautiful  women.  The  confequence  of  which  was,  that  they  were 
foon  corrupted  by  the  prophane  converfation  ot  their  new  relations. 
The  virtuous  and  godly  in  marrying  both  themfelves,  and  children, 
Ihould  be  careful  to  keep  within  the  limits  of  religion.  A  wife  is  the 
foundation  of  many  other  relations,  and  commonly  has  a  great  in^uence 
upon  a  man  and  his  family.  But  it  is  a  relation  wc  can  chufe  for  our- 
felves.  And  in  a  cafe  of  fo  great  importance,  we  (hould  neither  follow 
the  luft  of  covetoufnefs,  nor  of  carnal  defires,  but  the  rules  of  religion, 
and  the  fear  of  God. 

Thus,  notwithftanding  the  Divine  Manifeftations,  and  the  preaching 
of  Enoch  and  AW;,  and,  probably,  of  other  good  men,  the  contagion 
of  wickednefs  by  degrees  iafeclcd  the  whole  earth,  and  turned  it  into  a 

fcene 


Ch.  XVIII.  GftbeDduTe.  yj 

fcene  of  impiety,  lewdnefs,  and  injirftice.  The  iffue,  of  the  aforefaid 
iliforderly  marriages,  joined  the  worft  part ;  and  growing  up  without 
any  fenfe  of  religion  and  virtue,  became  wholly  ingaged  in  fenfual  am- 
bitious purfuits,  and  joining,  or  imitating  a  lewd  and  impious  race  of 
giants,  which  were  then  in  the  earth,  ihcy  afFected  to  be  men  of  re- 
nown for  great  and  valorous  exploits,  by  all  methods  of  oppreflion  and 
violence,  fubjeiling  all  others  to  their  wills  and  lufts  ;  and  every  where 
extinguifliing  a  fenfe  of  God,  both  by  their  wicktd,  ungodly  dceds^  and 
their  hard^  contumacious,  blafphemousyjfcYtZvj  againll  him,  and  his  holy 
laws,  {Jude  15,)  defpifmg  his  goodnefs,  and  dildaining  the  reilraints  of 
his  government  j  till  all  the  earth  uas  carrupt  before  God,  atid  filled  with 
violencey  vcr.  13.  every  irnagiiiationcf  the  thoughts  of  their  hearts  h(c\ng  only 
evil  c07itinually,  ver.  5  ;  which  cut  off  ail  hopes  of  their  amendment, 
their  minds  being  wholly  intent  upon  gratifying  their  ambition  and 
luft. 

In  relation  to  this  fad  condition  of  the  world,  the  firft  thing  that 
God  declared,  probably,  from  the  Shechinuh  in  the  thin  afiembly  of  his 
worihippers,  was  this,  (\er.  3.)  A'ly  Spirit  foall  not  always  Jlrive  with 
tnan,  &c.  This  is  the  fpirit  (1  Pet.  iii.  19,  20.)  by  which  our  Lord  went 
and  preached  [not  in  perlbn,  but  by  fuch  preachers  as  Enoch  and  Noahy 
2  Pet.  ii.  5.]  unto  the fpirits  [which  arc  now,  i.  e.  at  the  time  of  the 
Apoftle's  writing]  in  prifcn^  [confined  in  the  ftate  of  the  dead,  and  re- 
lervcd  in  fafe  cultody  to  the  day  of  judgment,]  which fomctimes  were  dif- 
cbedient  in  the  days  of  Noah,  while  the  ark  was  in  preparing.  My  Spirit  jhall 
not  always  Jlrive,  or  debate,  with  man,  for  his  reformation,  {^TH  DJliy*^ 

T    -    ; 

Iti^H  eo  quod  profecto   ille  caro,  feeing  that  really  he  is  [nothing  but] 

pejh,  altogether  flefhly,  void  of  all  virtuous  principles,  and  therefore  un- 
capable  of  being  reformed  by  any  means  proper  to  be  applied  to  a  ratio- 
nal nature.  Violence,  or  coaciion  cannot  make  him  good,  and  he  will 
not  attend  to  any  methods  of  perfuafion.  But  where  the  reformation  of 
moral  agents  cannot  be  eficcted,  it  is  fit  and  reafonable  that  they  Ihould 
be  deftroyed  ;  for  it  is  to  no  purpofe  to  continue  in  being  a  race  of  crea- 
tures, who  live  in  direct  oppoiition  to  the  perfections  of  God,  and  all 
the  wife  and  good  ends  of  their  creation;  and  who  therefore  might  as 
well  never  have  been  made  at  all ;  becaufe  rendered  utterly  incapable  of 
honouring  God  their  Maker,  of  injoying  themfelves,  or  being  ufeful  to 
others.  It  mult  be  inconfillent  with  the  Divine  Perfeclions,  and  all  the 
good  and  wife  ends  of  his  goverr.nient,  to  make  that  life  the  obje6l  of 
his  providential  care  and  liberality,  which  is  thus  mifcrably  perverted. 
On  the  contrary,  fuch  are  the  nuifance,  corruption,  diforder,  and 
plague  of  the  creation  ;  and  for  that  reajbn  it  is  agreable,  not  only  to 
jullice,  but  to  goodnefs,  and  beneficence  that  fuch  ibould  be  removed 
out  of  the  creation.  Hence  it  is,  that  God  fpeaking  'j2  H")^*!  "73? 
D'^^?  after  the  manner  of  men,  is  faid  to  repent,  ujid  to  be  grieved,  that 
he  had  made  man  on  the  earthy  and  was  refoh'ed  to  defiirov  them.     Ver. 

Corollary.  I.  Religion  and  v.rtue  are  the  foul  and  fupport  of  the 
univerfe  ;  which  being  totally  taken  away,  no  realon  can  be  given  why 
any  worlds  or  agents  fhouliexift. 

Corollary  II. 


76  ^f  i^^^  Deluge.  Ch.  XVIII. 

Corollary  II.  The  holy  Scriptures,  which  afTure  us  the  wages  of 
fin  is  death,  and  conftantly  affirm,  that  the  impenitent  workers  of  ini- 
quity {hall  be  deftroyed,  do  give  iis  infallibly  a  juft  and  true  account  of 
thino^s,  which  demands  the  whole  attention  of  our  minds. 

It  WIS  determined,  becaufe  it  was  fit,  that  the  world  fo  vicious  (hould 
be  deftroyed.  And  the  great  God  might  deftroy  them  in  what  way  he 
fhould  judge  moft  proper,  without  any  injuftice  on  his  part,  or  on  the 
part  of  any  agents  which  he  might  employ.  He  might  have  deftroyed 
them  by  fire  from  heaven,  as  Sodom^  Sec.  Or  by  peftilence,  or  by  de- 
ftroying  angels,  i  Chron.  xxi.  I2,  27.  2  Chron,  xxxii.  21.  Or  he  might 
have  given  a  commiffion  to  any  one  more  righteous  nation  among  them» 
had  there  been  any  fuch,  to  deftroy  all  the  reft  by  the  fword,  and  a  right 
to  enter  upon  all  their  pofTeflions,  as  in  the  cafe  of  the  wicked  Carta- 
anites,  Deut.  vii.  2.  ix.  5.  Lev.  xviii.  26,  &o.  For  the  property  of  life, 
and  of  all  pofleffions,  belongs  originally  and  abfolutely  to  God  alone. 
But  he  chofe  to  deftroy  them  by  a  deluge,  or  general  inundation. 

Not  that  the  Divine  Wifdom  intended  to  extirpate  the  human  race  ; 
the  defto-n  was  not  to  extirpate,  but  to  reform  ;  and  therefore  the  Lord 
was  gracioufly  pleafed  to  refpite  the  judgment,  the  impious  world  had 
deferved,  for  120  years,  ver.  3.  This  was  to  (hew  that  he  had  no  plea- 
fure  in  their  deftrudion,  and  to  give  them  fpace  for  repentance,  that 
their  ruin,  if  poflible,  might  be  prevented.  Thus  the  long-fuffering  of 
God  waited  for  the  ccnverlion  of  the  difobedient  /«  the  days  of  Noah^  tuhile 
the  ark  was  preparing^  i  Pet.  iii.  20.  Noah  was  an  excellent  perfon, 
aJNji  man  andperfSf^  who,  like  Enoch,  walkedwith  God,  ver.  9.  Him 
and  his  family  God  w?s  pleafed  gracioufly  to  preferve  ;  that  from  fo  good 
a  ftock  the  human  race  might  be  again  propagated,  and  religion  reftored 
in  the  v/orld.  With  him  God  purpofed  to  ejiabli/})  his  covenant,  or  grant 
of  bleftings,  ver.  18.  The  grace  of  God  to  mankind,  efpecially  the 
grand  fcherae  of  redemption,  was  not  to  fail,  or  to  be  fufpended  ;  there- 
fore the  Lord  directed  Noah  to  build  a  veflel  in  ftiape  like  a  large  cheft, 
every  way  convenient  for  floting  upon  the  waters,  and  for  containing  all 
the  creatures,  which  it  was  to  receiv^e,  verfe  30.  *  [See  Pierce  on 
Heb.  xi.  7.]  Noah  without  delay  exprefted  his  humble  and  entire  faith 
in  the  Divine  Warning;  and  in  obedience  to  it,  applied  himfelf  to  the 
building  of  the  ark,  for  the  faving  of  himfelf  and  family,  {Heb.  xi.  7.) 
ly  the  which  he  condemned  the  unbelieving  and  impenitent  world,  and  be 
came  heir  of  the  righteoufnefs,  [or  became  intitled  to  the  falvation]  which 
is  by  faith. 

^ote — Noah  is  commonly,  and  I  think,  juftly  fuppofed  to  have  been 
120  years  in  building  the  ark,  for  that  was  the  time  the  long-juffering  of 
God  waited ;  which  time  of  long-fuffering  was,  while  the  ark  was  in 
preparing,  as  in  i  Pet.  iii.  20.  At  the  begining  of  this  time,  Noah's 
three  fons,  Shem,  Ham,  and  Japhet,  v/ere  not  born  ;  for  Noah  was  now 
but  480  years  old,  and  none  of  his  forefiid  fons  were  born  till- he- was 

..     ,.  ;:  \     .:.::  rS^Oy 
••'^.AiioolMirow 

Cubits,  feet.  Tfaris.-:.^ 

•  'The  length  of  the  ark  300  equal  to  450  equal  to  .150  atic;?tV. 
^he  breadth         —        50  75  25. 

%hi  height  —        30  4S  15 « 


Ch.  XVIII.  Of  the  Deluge.  77 

500.  chap.  V.  32.  And  therefore  that  paragraph,  ver.  17,  &c.  wherein 
mentron  is  made  of  Noah's  fons,  Shem,  Ham^  and  Japhety  and  their  wives, 
muft  have  been  fpoken  after  the  ark  was  finifhcd. 

When  the  ark  was  finifhed,  and  Noah  and  his  family,  the  animals  and 
their  food,  fafe  lodged  in  it,  about  the  6th  of  November,  in  the  year  of 
the  world  1656,  by  the  mighty  power  of  God,  the  fount  aim  of  the  great 
deeps  were  broken  up^  chap.  vii.  11.  the  fea  overflowed,  being  prodigi- 
oufly  raifed  by  the  violent  eruption  of  the  fubterraneous  waters  ;  and 
rain  came  down  from  the  fkie,  not  in  drops,  but  in  dreams  and  fpouts, 
the  windows  of  heaven  were  optutd;  and  both  together  eafily  prevailed  over 
the  earth,  and  put  it  out  of  the  power  of  the  wifeft  and  Itrongeft  of  men 
to  relieve  either  themfclvcs  or  their  friends. 

And  now,  how  were  the  carelefs  and  impenitent  unbelievers  furpri- 
zcd !  Conceive  them  fccurely  going  on  in  the  ufual  way  of  life,  eating 
and  drinking,  marrying  and  giving  in  marriage,  Alat.  xxiv.  37  ;  feafting 
and  reveling,  thinking  of  nothing  but  fenfual  enjoyments,  in  contempt 
of  every  ferious  admonition.  When  all  on  a  fudden  the  moft  terrible 
rains  and  inundations  threatened  their  inevitable  dellru6^ion.  How 
would  they  be  terrified  !  How  would  they  condemn  their  own  unbelief, 
and  be  forced  to  own  there  was  a  juft  and  righteous  God,  who  will  exe- 
cute vengeance  on  all  the  incurable  workers  of  iniquity  !  This  is  a 
Ipecimen  of  the  final  dcftrutibon  of  the  ungodly  at  the  laft  day,  which 
God  hath  revealed.  Let  us  not  harden  our  hearts,  but  believe  and  pre- 
pare. 

Chap.  vi.  17.  And  behold  I,  even  /,  by  my  own  immediate  operation, 
d9  bring  /l^jDH  a  food  of  waters  upon  the  earth,  to  defray  all  fejh. 
The  word  ^'\'2,*2  in  its  primary  fenfe,  doth  not  include  the  idea  of  a 

flood ;  it  comes  from  72li  which,  with  relation  to  plants  and  animals, 
originally  hgnifies,  to  be  fo  exhaufted  of  natural  moillure  and  fpirits,  in 
which  their  life  confifts,  as  to  be  withered,  or  dead.  And  it  is  applied 
peculiarly  to  the  deluge,  and  to  nothing  but  that,  under  the  notion  of 
extinction  of  life  ;  and  fo  the  phrafc  D*D  T'llSDn  may  be  tranflated, 

an  extirUlion  of  life  by  waters.  It  is  only  ufcd  in  Gen.  chapters  the  6th, 
7th,  9th,  10th;  and  in  Pfal.  xxix.  10,  The  Lord fteth  [^ti'**  fat,  or  djd 

fit]  upon^  or  at,  the  food,  the  extinction  of  life  at  the  deluge.  He  then 
fat  upon  the  feat  of  judgment  executing  vengeance  upon  that  wicked 
generation;  yea^  the  Lord  fteth  King  for  ever.  AlKSWORTH  upon  iy<//. 
xxix.  10. 

This  difpenfation,  as  all  the  reft,  had  relation  to  the  morals  of  man- 
kind :  and  the  evident  defign  of  it  was  to  lefTen  the  quantity  of  vice  and 
profancncfs,  and  to  preferve  and  advance  religion  and  virtue  in  the  earth, 
the  great  end  for  which  the  earth,  and  man  in  it,  were  created.  This  end 
it  was  well  adapted  to  obtain  in  the  then  prefent  ftate  of  things,  and  in  all 
future  generations.  In  the  prefent  ftate  of  things,  it  prevented  a  total 
corruption.  For  if  the  whole  tainted  part  had  not  been  cut  off,  a  finglc 
family  would  foon  have  been  drawn  in,  or  deftroyed  ;  and  then  the  whole 
globe  muft  have  been  ruined,  and  the  fchemcs  and  purpofes  of  God  from 
the  bcgining  of  the  world,  had  been  defeated.     But  by  rcfeiving  a  feledt 

family 


yS  Of  the  Deluge.  Ch.  XVIIL 

family  Tar  the  continuation  of  the  human  fpecies,  the  fyftem  of  the  Divine 
'Counfels  was  preferved  intirc,  and  the  moft  proper  method  was  devifed 
for  the  ellablifliment  of  religion  and  virtue  in  the  new  world  ;  as  the  fa- 
mily of  Noah  enjoyed  much  greater  advantages  for  this  end,  than  the 
family  of  Jdarn  at  the  begining  of  things. 

AW:' was  not,  Y\k.Q  Jdam^  a  new,  unexperienced  being,  ignorant  of 
every  thing,  but  what  he  received  from  revelation.  Noah^  befides  the 
benefit  of  revelation,  and  intercourfe  with  heaven,  had  the  whole  com- 
■pafs  of  ancient  antediluvian  knowledge  from  the  creation,  in  his  own 
pofieHion.  Pie  was  a  man  of  the  moft  eminent  abilities,  and  the  moft 
fteady  integrity.  Jdfim  was  eafily  feduced  ;  but  in -the  midft  of  an  uni- 
verfil  degeneracy,  Noah  firmly  adhered  to  truth  and  religion  ;  and  when 
he  was  warned  of  God  to  prepare  the  ark,  even  120  years  before  the  de- 
luge, or  any  appearances  of  it,  fo  ftrong  was  his  faith,  or  perfuafionof 
the  Divine  Power,  Juftice,  and  Veracity,  that  he  applied  himfelf  to  the 
work,  and  compleated  it,  furrounded  as  he  was  with  the  infidelity  and 
contempt  of  all  the  world.  A  man  of  fo  much  underftanding,  and  oi 
fuch  a  fpirit,  would  not  fail  to  communicate  all  he  knew  to  his  pofteri- 
ty,  nor  to  inculcate  it  ftrongly  upon  their  hearts. 

But  his  family,  Shern^  Ham^  and  Japhet^  with  their  wives,  were  eye- 
witnefi'es  of  the  dreadful  inundation,  and  had  the  moft  affe6ling  proof  of 
their  own  deliverance.  They  refided  full  twelve  months  in  the  ark, 
from  the  begining  of  the  deluge,  to  the  end  of  it.  And  it  is  eafy  to 
conceive  how  they  u'ould  be  affected  in  fuch  a  moving  fituation.  They 
'knev/  this  fliocking  cataftrophe  was  not  an  unfortunate  accident,  but 
occafioned  by  the  v/ickednefs  of  the  world  ;  therefore  all  the  terrors  of 
the  deluge  muft  give  them  the  moft  fenfible  perception  of  the  malignant 
nature  of  wickednefs,  that  it  is  infinitely  odious  to  God,  and  dreadfully 
pernicious  to  finners.  They  muft  be  convinced  of  the  uncontro- 
lable  power  and  dominion  of  the  Moft  High,  the  impoiTibility  of  efcap- 
ing  his  vengeance,  what  a  fearful  thing  it  is  to  fall  into  his  hands,  and 
how  much  they  were  obliged,  both  in  intereft  and  duty,  to  reverence  and 
,obe.y  him. 

On  the  other  hand,  their  prefervation  from  fo  terrible  a  calamit}',  in 
the  miJft  of  the  ruins  of  all  the  world  befides,  muft  be  a  very  ftrikin^ 
demonftration  of  God's  favor  and  compaftion  to  themfelves  ;  which  was 
naturally  adapted  to  make  the  deepcft  impreflions  of  gratitude,  love,  and 
duty.  Efpecialiy  as  they  could  not  but  be  fenfible,  that  fuch  a  great  and 
.miraculous  deliverance,  was  particularly  owing  to  the  eminent  piety  of 
their  father.  Gen.  vii.  i.  Thus  they  would  he  well  prepared  and  difpofed 
-to  acknowledge  and  admit  the  excellency  of  thofe  principles  and  prac- 
tices which  had  been,  through  Divine  Goodnefs,  their  fecurity  in  the 
^general  defolatir.n. 

And  when  they  left  the  ark,  all  the  difmal  appearances  of  the  dc^o^ 
late  world,  the  ruins  of  palaces,  towns,  and  cities,  the  fadly  changed 
nice  of  countries,  which  they  had  feen  in  a  cultivated,  flourifliing  ftate, 
the  bones  of  men  and  other  animals,  ftrewed  over  all  the  face  of  the 
dearth,  would- have  a  natural  tendency  to  fix  upon  their  minds  the  good 
iimpreilions  they  had  received  in  the  ark,  and  render  thera  iblicitous  ,to 
:inc«icate  the  principles  ci  religion.  upDU  thw:lr  children.  "  Add  to  all 

this. 


Ch.  XIX.  Of  Noah's  Sjcrifice,  J^ 

this,  that  Noah,  who  lived  349  years  after  the  flood,  and  whofe  pious 
admonitions  would  be  of  much  greater  weight  and  authority,  than  when 
he  was  an  unfuccefbful  preacher  of  righteoufnefs  to  the  antediluvians, 
was  the  inftru<5lor,  and,  for  fome  time  at  leaft,  the  governor  of  the  new 
world. 

From  all  this  it  will  appear,  that  this  was  a  very  juft  and  proper  dif- 
pcnfation  for  reforming  mankind,  and  reftoring  religion  in  the  earth  ; 
well  adapted  to  that  thoughtlefs  age,  (when  they  feem  not  to  have  at- 
tained to  any  confiderable  degree  of  reafoni ng,  and  therefore  not  difpo- 
fed  to  be  wrought  upon  by  argument)  and  to  the  ftate  of  things  in  it, 
when  no  regular  civil  governments  and  laws  were  formed  for  the  admi- 
niftration  of  juftice,  and  the  reflraint  of  injur)'  and  -wrong.  And  it  ap- 
pears to  have  had  the  intended  eftcft,  by  fupprefTing  violence  and  rapine, 
which  never  any  more  univerfally  prevailed  in  the  world ;  and  by  fixing 
a  fenfe  of  religion  upon  the  minds  of  men,  which  afterwards  was  indeed 
perverted,  but  not  quite  extinguifhcd.  And  as  it  ftands  recorded  in  fa- 
cred  writ,  it  is  a  warning  to  the  renioteft  generations.  In  which  view 
it  is  refered  to  2  Pet.  ii.  5.  Jrul  [Go  1]  fpared  not  the  »Id  icorld,  but  faved 
Noah,  the  eighth  perjon,  a  pre  other  <yf  righteoufnefs,  bringing  in  the  food  upon 
the  world  of  the  ungodly  ;  and  turning  the  cities  of  Sodcm  and  Gomcrrha  into 
ajhfs  —  making  them  an  example  unto  thofe  that  aflerwards  Jbould  live  ten" 
godly. 


CHAP.       XIX. 

Of  Noah's  Sacrifice,  arj.  the  DiJine  Intercourfe  on  that  Occafion. 

Gen.  viii.  to  the  End  of  the  ix.  Chapter. 

f>f.^.^^Oj^H,  being  reftored  to  the  pofTeflion  of  the  earth,  entered 
■<^  ^^  ^  upon  it  with  a  folemn  a£^  of  Divine  Worfhip,  according  to  the 
^)fe'3Cti3  original  inftitution,  Gen.  viii.  20.  He  builded  an  altar  unto  tht 
Lord,  and  took  of  every  clean  beajl,  and  of  every  clean  fowl,  \.  e.  of  fuch 
beafts  and  fowls  as  God  hath  ordained  for  Sacrifices,  and  offered  Burnt' 
Offerings  upon  the  Altar.  Which  as  they  were  intended  to  denote,  fo 
they  were  in  Noah  accompanied  with,  faith  in  the  mercy  of  Gcd,  thank- 
fulnefs  for  the  late  miraculous  deliverance,  and  the  dedication  of  him- 
fe'f,  and  of  all  his,  to  the  honor  and  obedience  of  God,  through  the 
prortiifed  Redeemer  ;  of  whom  Noah  and  the  Patriarchs,  we  mav  well 
i^uppofc,  had  a  general  knowledge  and  expectation .  The  Acceptablene/s 
of  this  adt  of  devotion  to  God,  is  fignified  by  \\\%  fmelling  a  fwect  favour, 
TVyr\  np,  '^^^-  ^i*     This  one  may  call  Hieroglyphic  language.     Hiero- 

glyphies,  whjch  by  bodily  fcnfations,  or  external  reprefcntations,  denoted 

abHraa 


So  OfKaah's  Sacrifce^  Ch.  XI X. 

abftraft:  notions,  or  the  fcntiments  of  the  mind,  were  the  literature  of 
the  firft  ages  of  the  world.  So  here,  the  approbation  of  the  judgment, 
or  what  is  pleafmg  to  the  mind,  is  fi^nificd  by  an  odor  or  fragrance  grate- 
ful to  the  fmell.  Or  the  taftc  and  relifti  of  the  body  is  transferred  to 
the  tafte  and  rehfli  of  the  mind.  This  language  is  frequently  ufed  in 
the  Levitical  law.  As  in  Lev.  i.  9,  13,  17.  ii.  2,  9.  iii.  5,  ^c.  mean- 
ing the  acccptablenefs  of  the  Sacrifice  or  Offering.  So  the  fragrance 
of  burnt-inccnfc  rcprcfcnts  the  acccptablenefs  of  fmcere  prayer,  Pfal. 
cxii.  2.  Luke  \.  10.  ^^x;.  viii.  3,  4. 

It  is  alfo  applied,  in  the  fame  fenfe,  to  the  offering  and  facrifice  of  our 
Lord,  Epbef.  v.  2.  Aidwalk  in  love,  as  Chrijl  alfo  hath  loved  us,  and  hath 
given  hinijcif  for  us.,  an  Offering  and  Sacrlpce  to  God  for  a  fiveet  fmeUing 
favour.  Cjod,  who  is  a  fpirit,  can  relifli,  or  be  pleafed  with,  only  that 
which  is  morally,  or  fpiritually  good,  the  love  and  obedience  of  the 
heart.  This  i?  the  only  favour  that  is  grateful  to  him*  And  ther'^fore, 
the  Sacrifice  of  our  Lord  muft  have  been  an  a61ual  exhibition  of  obe- 
dience and  love  ;  and  the  Sacrifices  of  Noah,  and  of  the  Ifradites,  muft 
have  been  hieroglyphic  reprefentations  of,  or  inftrudions  in,  the  like 
moral  difpofitions,  in  order  to  exprefs,  or  produce  them  in  the  hearts  of 
the  worfhippers.  Smelling  a  fweet  favour  is  plainly  hieroglyphic,  or  fi- 
gurative language;  and  therefore  the  Sacrifice,  or  Offering,  the  object 
of  fuch  fmelling,  muft  alfo  be  figurative,  reprefenting  thofe  good  difpo- 
fitions, which  were,  or  ought  to  have  been,  in  the  worfhiper's  heart, 
and  which  were  in  the  higheft  and  moft  perfeft  degree  in  our  Lord. 
The  Sacrifice  of  a  clean  beaft  or  fowl  figuratively  reprefented  what  the 
wor{hiper  was,  or  ought  to  be  and  do ;  and  our  Lord  really  was,  and 
perfc6tly  did  what  the  Sacrifice  reprefented.  Hence  Sacrifice  is  jjppliesl 
to  beneficent  acSlions,  or  ailions  morally  good,  and  pleafing  to  God, 
Pfal.  iv.  5.  1.  14,  23.  Phil.  iv.  18.  Heb.  xiii.  15,  16.  And  in  the  Book 
of  Wifdom  is  applied  to  the  whole  of  a  virtuous  life,  as  gold  in  the  furnace 
hath  be  tried  them,  [afflicted  good  men,]  and  received  them  as  a  Burnt- 
Offering. 

The  fmell,  or  favour,  of  a  perfon,  or  thing,  is  the  quality  of  it,  good 
or  evil,  v/hich  occafions  the  approbation  or  diflike  of  thofe  that  pafs  a 
judgment  upon  it.     Exod.v.2j.  lou  have  made  'IjHn  cur  favour,  thzt 

in  us  which  is  the  objeft  of  Pharaoh's  judgment,  to  he  abhorred^  to  ftink^ 
in  the  eyes,  the  opinion,  of  Pharaoh.  So  Gen.  xxxiv.  30.  Jer.  xlviii. 
jl.  Mcab  hath  been  at  eafe  from  his  youth,  and  he  hath  fettled  on  his  lees, 
^therefore  his  tap,  iDV^  his  relifh  revniineth  in  him,  and  his fccnt,  '\\-f^ 

his  favour,  his  bad  qualities,  is  not  changed.  2  Cor.  ii.  I4»755  ^6.  AW 
iha7iks  he  unto  God,  who  always  caufth  us  to  triumph  in  Cbri/l,  and  maketh 
inanifcfi,  difplays,  the  favour,  rr.v  off^i-n,  the  excellent  qualities,  of  his 
knowledge,  the  knowledge  of  Chrift,  by  us  in  every  place.  For  we  arc  ta 
God,  tvu^iciv,  the  jiveet  fmelling  favour  of  Chrifi,  [/.  c.  my  miniftry  is  to 
God  a  Sacrifice  of  a  fweet  fmelling  favour,  which  I  offer  unto  him  on 
the  behalf  of  Chri/i.  See  Rom.  xv.  16.]  both  in  regard  of  them  that  art 
fared,  and  alfo  of  them  thai  per  if h.  [For  in  both  cafes  the  counfels  and 
fchemcs  of  Divine  Wifdom  are  accomplifhed.]  Though  to  the  cne  wt 
<?7V    «<^w^,  the  favcur  of  death  unto  death  j  and  to  the  oiJ:er.iu/  are  the  favour 


Cfl.  XIX.  Of  Noah' s  Sacrijict,  8l 

tf  life  unto  life.  [?'.-«'.  to  the  minds  of  the  one  my  preaching  is  ofTenfive; 
xmd  rejecting  it,  they  are  advancing  towards  eternal  death  ;  to  the  minds 
of  the  other  it  is  grateful  and  pleafmg  ;  and  embracing  it  they  arc  ad- 
vancing towards  life  eternal.]  And  who  is  fufpcicnt  for  thefc  things  of  (q 
great  confequence  I  Note — A  favour  of  death  unto  death^  is  a  favour 
which  occafions  their  advancing  towards  eternal  death. 

Upon  the  folemn  occafion  of  Noah's  Sacrifice,  the  Lord f aid  in  his 
hearty  i.  e.  determined,  or  refolvcd,  that  he  would  not  again  curfe  the 
ground  any  more  for  man's  fakt;  (chap.   viii.  ii.)  for  [»2  though]  the 

imagination  of  tnan's  heart  is  [fhould  be]  evil  from  his  youth*  t'rom  his- 
youth^  denotes  a  corruption  of  manners  of  long  continuance.  See  Ifai. 
xlvii.  12,  15.  Jer.  iii.  25.  Ez^k.  xxiii.  8.  See  aifo  Job  xxxi.  18.  The 
Lord  was  alfo  pleafed  to  repeat  to  Noah  and  his  fons  the  fame  blciTing 
upon  the  propagation  of  the  human  fpecies,  and  the  fame  marks  of  di- 
ftiii(flIon  upon  our  nature,  as  he  had  given  Adam  at  his  creation,  with 
an  additional  grant  of  animal  food,  [chap.  ix.  3,  4.)  with  this  reftric- 
tlon,  that  they  fhould  not  eat  the  flcjh  oi  an  animal  in  the  life  thereof 
the  blood  thereof  \  or  that  they  fhould  not  eat  any  flcfli  cut  off  from  any 
animal  while  it  is  alive.  At  the  fame  time  God  made  a  covenant  with 
Noah^  and  with  every  living  creature,  or  he  made  a  free  and  abfolute 
grant,  or  promife  to  them,  that  all  fejh  fhould  not  any  more  be  cut  off  with 
the  waters  of  a  food.     Of  which  more  hereafter. 

What  is  here  particularly  to  be  obferved  is,  the  inflitution  of  magif-* 
tracy,  and  the  punifhment  of  murder,  ver.  6.  JVhofo  Jheds  man's  bloody 
by  man  Jhall  his  blood  be  foed.  ver.  5.  And  fur  ely  your  blood  of  your  lives  will 
I  require^  at  the  hand  of  every  hcafl  will  I  require  it ;  a  fid  at  the  hand  cfman^ 
(It  the  hand  of  every  inan's  brother^  will  I  require  the  life  of  man.  The  bealt 
that  killed,  or  the  man  that  murdered  a  man,  is  here  commanded  to  be 
put  to  death  by  man^  i.  e.  by  the  maglftrate,  or  judge.  \\G.iQ.  courts  of 
judicature  are  authorized,  not  only  for  the  punifhment  of  murder,  but, 
by  parity  of  reafon,  of  any  other  great  oflenccs,  which  may  affecl  life 
nearly  as  much  as  murder. 

This  feems  to  be  the  original  inftitution  of  maglil-racy,  of  which  we 
have  not  hitherto  the  leafl  intimation  in  the  facred  hiflory.  On  the  con- 
trary, it  appears  from  the  cafe  of  Cain^  (Gen.  iv.  \^.)  and  of  Lamech^ 
(Gen.  iv.  23,  24.)  that  murder^  the  greateft  of  crimes,  was  left  to  be 
punifhed,  as  God  in  his  providence  fhould  fee  fit.  And  if  murder,  much 
more  every  lefler  inflance  of  injury.  It  feems  probable,  there  were  no 
feparate  ftates,  nor  regular  governments,  among  the  antediluvians  j  but 
that  as,  they  fpread  over  the  face  of^  the  earth,  they  removed  further  from 
the  place  of  public  worfhip,  loft  a  fenfe  of  God,  and  llved'in  a  diforder- 
ly  manner,  exercifing  violence  and  outrage,  as  they  had  power  ;  and 
vvere  inftigated  by  luft,  avarice  and  revenge,  till  the  earth  was  filled  widi 
violence.  Which,  I  apprehend,  could  not  have  been  the  cafe,  under 
laws  and  governors,  armed  with  power  to  reftrain  outrage  and  injufUce. 
For  though  governors  themfelves,  and  their  creatures,  may  be  tyranni- 
cal and  opprefTive,  yet,  for  their  own  fecurity,  they  will  not  fufFer  their 
(ubjedls  to  break  out  into  anarchy  and  licentious  invafion  of  life  and  pro 
perty,  bccauf;  this  is  open  rebellion  aeainft  governors.     The  flate  of 

Vol.  I.  f      "  the 


Sz  Of  Noah's  Sacr'rfce.  Ch.  XIX. 

the  old  world,  probably,  was  like  that  of  the  IfraeUteSy  when  there  was 
no  kingy  no  magiftrate,  among  them,  but  every  wan  did  that  which  was 
right  in  his  own  eyes,  Jud.  xxi.  25.  Which  proves  the  poffibility  of  fuch 
a  licentious  (late,  and  the  fhocking  diforders  that  would  attend  it. 

The  leaving  mankind,  in  the  firft  ages  of  the  world,  in  this  loofe  and 
difcretionary  ftate,  certainly,  was  not  to  lead  them  into  wickednefs ; 
but,  I  conceive,  to  teach  them  by  experience  the  neceflity  of  laws  and 
governors,  and  the  reafonablencfs  of  fubmiting  to  them.  [See  Chap. 
III.  §.  IV.  the  Corollary.]  For  even  upon  the  contrary  fuppofition, 
thnt  magiflracy,  in  fome  form  or  other,  was  inftituted  from  the  begining 
of  the  world,  yet  it  is  plain,  that  mankind  in  thofe  ages  would  not  bear 
the  yoke,  but  univerfally  fhook  it  off.  Nor  could  government,  in  fail, 
be  permanently  eftablifhed,  till  the  ruin  of  the  world  demonftratcd  the 
neceflity  of  it.  Therefore,  if  God  did  not  fee  fit  to  eftablifh  magiftra- 
cy  from  the  begining,  it  was  becaufe  he  knew  mankind  would  not  bear 
the  rcftraints  of  government  with  a  rational  confent  and  approbation  ; 
(without  which  confent  and  approbation,  at  leaft  from  the  maiority, 
government  could  not  have  been  either  erected  or  fupportcd)  till  fc.d  ex- 
perience had  taught  them  the  utility  and  importance  of  it.  Thus  a  par- 
ticular fpecies  of  injuftice,  and  even  of  murder,  is  permited  under  our 
prefent  difpenfation,  and,  inftcad  of  being  reftrained,  is  eftablifhed  by 
law  ;  I  mean  pcrfecution,  or  the  taking  away  of  life  for  difference  of 
fentiments  in  religion,  which  fubfifts  in  moft  Chriftian  countries.  And 
this,  I  apprehend,  the  wifdom  of  God  has  permitted,  that  Chriftians  at 
length  may  be  rationally  convinced  of  the  monftrous  iniquity  of  fuch 
pra61:ice,  and  fo  be  generally  induced  by  the  fcnfc  of  their  own  minds 
to  approve  and  chooie  goodnefs,  love,  and  mutual  forbearance  ;  which 
we  hope  will  be  the  genius  and  happy  temper  of  the  next  enfuing  difpen- 
fation. This  is  the  only  method  of  moral  improvement,  namely,  when 
the  mind,  by  proper  methods,  is  led  to  apprehend,  and  freely  imbrace, 
what  is  right  and  fit  j  and  I  doubt  not,  takes  place  in  the  gradual  advan- 
ces of  all,  or  of  any  part  of  mankind  in  wifdom,  as  well  as  of  particu- 
lar fingle  perfons.  This,  with  what  hath  been  faid  before,  is  the  bcft 
account  I  can  give  of  this  antediluvian  difpenfation. 

A''.  B.  The  curfe  upon  Canaan^  ver.  25.  is  to  be  underftood  as  af- 
fecting only  the  temporal  circumftances  of  his  pofterity,  afervant  offer- 
'vantsjhall  he  be.  As  in  Deitt.  xxviii.  16,  1 7,  ll^c.  Curfed jholl  be  thy  haf- 
ket  and  thy  fiore.  Nor  is  it  to  be  confidered  in  Noah  as  a  malevolent 
wifh,  or  imprecation,  but  fimply  as  a  prediction  of  the  future  ftate  of 
Hivns  pofterity  ;  as  appears  from  the  whole  of  Ncah's  difcourfe,  which 
is  plainly  prophetic. 


t  H  A  f .    XX. 


C».  XX.  Of  the  Dijperfion  at  the  Tower  ofBahel  S3 


CHAP.      XX. 

Of  the  Dispersion  at  the  Tower  of  Babel. 

Gen,  X. 

(PiC<?Ci^^  ERE  Mofei  gives  an  account  how  the  earth  was  peopled  by  the 
?2  H  S  feveral  families,  or  Defcendents  of  Noah's  three  fons,  Shem,  Ham, 
•c^.^-Ct'si'  "^^^  Japhet,  ver.  32.  For  the  particulars  of  this  curious  ac- 
count confult  the  Commentators,  efpecially  Bp.  Patrick.     What  I 

would  obferve  is  this That  after  the  account  of  the  feveral  nations 

defcended  from  each  oi  N'jah\  fons  it  is  added,  as  in  ver.  5.  By  thefe 
defcendents  of  Japhcty  were  the  ijles^  or  tranfmarine  countries,  of  the  Gen^ 
tiles  divU^d  hi  their  kvtral  lands  i  every  one  after  his  tongue,  or  language, 
afttr  their  families^  in  their  nations.  The  fame  is  faid  ver.  20,  31.  of  the 
pofterity  of  Ham  and  Shcm.  Which  plainly  fignifies,  that  they  did  not 
all  fpeak  the  fame  language ;  but  that  the  defcendents  from  Noah's  fons, 
at  leaft  in  general,  if  not  feveral  of  the  particular  nations,  had  a  language 
peculiar  to  themfelves,  diftinct  from  the  reft,  and  unintelligible  to  them. 
Noah  and  his  pofterity,  while  they  lived  together  after  the  flood,  which 
muft  be  for  fome  confiderablc  time,  could  have  but  one  and  the  fame 
language  amongll  them.  How  they  came  to  have  different  languages, 
and  how  they  were  feparated  into  feveral  diftant  countries,  by  a  very  me- 
morable evexit,  Alofes  relates  in  the  next  chapter. 

When  Noah's  family  was  numerous  enough,  probably  the  Lord,  by 
the  mouth  of  Noahy  commanded  them  to  feparate  into  different  countries, 
particularly  fpecified,  that  the  earth  might  be  better  cultivated  and  go- 
verned. Certainly  their  divifion  and  removal  into  di/latit  countries  [Gen, 
X.  5.)  muft  have  been  a  general  public  act.  And,  as  Alofes  faith,  the 
earth  was  divided  into  nations  in  Pcleg's  daj'S,  [ver.  25,  32.)  it  fcems  to 
imply,  that  it  was  done  by  a  divine  command,  and  not  accidentally,  as 
any  might  choofe  a  more  convenient  fituation.  Which  is  more  clearly 
expreft,  Deut.  xxxii.  8.  where  it  is  faid,  when  the  mofi  High  divided  to  the 
nations  their  inheritance,  when  he  feparated  the  fons  of  Adayn,  [refering  to 
this  divifion  of  the  earth]  he  fd  the  hounds  of  the  people,  the  adjacent  na- 
tions, according^  to  the  number  of  the  future  children  of  Ifracl,  leaving  for  them 
a  convenient  htuation,  and  room  fufHcient.  In  profecution  of  this  de- 
fign,  the  whole  earth,  except,  perhaps,  the  elder  Patriarchs,  and  their 
attendants,  journying  from  the  mother-colony  towards  the  wefl,  and 
finding  a  fpacious  fruitful  vale  in  the  land  of  Sh:7iar^  there  they  determi- 
ned to  fettle,  and  build  a  city  and  a  tower,  reaching  up  to  heaven^  or  of  a 
very  great  height.  Deut.  \.  28.  ix.  i.  Pfal.  cvii.  25,  26.  [An  hyper- 
bole.] 

riieir  intention  was  to  make  themfelves  a  name,  and  to  prevent  their 
being  yc^///^r^i  abroad  upon  the  face  of  the  whole  earthyiyox.  4.)  as  God  had 
probably  ordered  they  Ihoujd,     The  fcheme  was  to  keep  together,  and 

^  2  very 


84  Of  the  Dijperfan  Ch.  XX. 

very  likely  under  one  head.     Schultens^  upon  Job  \.  i.  derives  tDti^   a 

nmne^  from  the  Arabic  verb  ru2\^  or  ^f2l^  to  be  high,  elevated,  emi- 
nent.    And  according  to  him,  the  primary  and  proper  notion  of  XD'^ 

is  a  mark  or  fign,  flanding  out,  rifing  up,  or  expofed  to  open  view  i  a 

{landing  mark  or  title  of  diftindtion  and  eminence.   2  Sam.  vii.  23. 

ofid  to  make  him  a  name^  a  monument  of  honor  and  eminence,  djap.  viii. 
13.  I  Kin.  V.  3,  5. build  an  houje  unto^  or  for,  the  nanze^  honor,  emi- 
nent dillinilion,  of  the  Lord.,  to  denote,  that  he  is  the  only  true  God,  and 

King  of  the  Ifraclites.   i  Kin!;s\''\\\.  16,29.    ^  C/v^jw.  xvii.  21. to  make 

thee  a  ?wme.,  a  monument^  of  greatnefs  and  tcrrib/enefs.  Ifai.  xviii.  7.  Iv.  13. 

itjhall  be  to  the  Lord  for  a  name,  i.e.  for  an  everlafling  ftgn,  that  Jhall 

not  be  cut  off.  chap.  Ixiii.  12,  14.  So  in  this  place,  Gfw.  xi.  4. — and  let 
us,  fay  the  heads  or  leaders,  make  us  a  name,  a  monument  or  token  of 
fuperiority  and  eminence,  I  conceive,  to  fignify  to  all  fucceeding  gene- 
rations, that  they  were  the  true  original  governors,  to  whom  all  mankind 
ought  to  be  in  fubjeclion;  left  other  leaders  ftarting  up  {hould  carry  ofT 
parties,  and  fo  break  the  body,  and  fct  up  feparate  Governments.  It 
ieems  to  have  been  a  piece  of  ftate-policy,  to  keep  all  mankind  together, 
under  the  prefent  chiefs  and  their  fucceflors.  And  the  lofty  Tower  was 
probably  intended  to  command  every  part  of  the  town,  and  keep  ofF  any 
body  of  men,  that  fliould  attempt  to  break  in  upon  them. 

But  God,  whofe  wifdom  perfectly  forcfaw  the  mifchiev^ous  effefls  of 
fuch  an  attempt,  determined  to  fruftrate  and  defeat  it.  By  this  fcheme 
a  great  part  of  the  earth  muft  for  a  long  time  have  been  uninhabited,  un- 
cultivated, and  over-run  with  beggary,  and  wild  beafts  ;  which,  as  it 
was,  for  a  long  time,  according  to  ancient  authors,  exercifcd  the  induf- 
try  and  valor  of  the  primitive  heroes  in  hunting  and  fubduing  them. 
It  was  thus  Nimrod,  that  mighty  hunter,  gained  his  renown.  Gen.  x.  9, 
He  was  a  inighty  hunter  before  the  Lord.  Which  is  an  Hebrew  phrafc,  to 
fignify  the  greateft,  and  mofl:  eminent  thing  of  any  kind.  A5is\\\.  lo. 
Ar£*o?  TO)  Sew,  exceeding  fair  \  2  Cor.  viii.  i.  T»;»  x*^'"  tw  fisH,  the  very  great 
liberality  beflovjed  by  the  churches  cf  Macedonia,  chap.  x.  4.  Awara  tw  S.-f, 

exceeding  powerful.  Pfalm.  Ixxx.  lO,  11.   7N  "*nt<  the  cedars  of  God, 

the  goodly  cedars. 

Moft  probably  the  bad  efFe£ls,  which  this  proje6l  would  have  had  upon 
the  minds,  the  morals,  and  religionof  mankind,  was  the  chi^efreafon  why 
God  interpofcd  to  crufli  it  as  foon  as  it  was  formed.  It  manifeftly  had  a 
dire<£t  tendency  to  tyranny,  opprellion,  and  flavery.  AVhereas  in  form- 
ing feveral  independent  governments  byafmall  body  of  men,  the  ends  of 
government,  and  the  fecurity  of  liberty  and  property,  wouW  be  much 
better  attended  to,  and  more  nrmly  eftabliflied  ;  which,  in  fail,  was  ge- 
nerally the  cafe,  if  we  may  judge  of  the  reft,  by  the  conftitution  of  one 
of  the  moft  eminent,  the  kingdom  of  Egypt.  Gen.  xlvii.  15 — 27.  The 
Egyptians  -were  maftcrs  of  their  perfons  and  properties,  till  they  fold  them 
to  fharach  for  bread.  And  then  their  fervitude  amounted  to  no  more, 
than  the  fifth  part  of  the  produce  of  the  country,  as  an  annual  tax  pay- 
able to  the  king;  which  is  not  near  fo  much  as  we,  with  all  our  Englifti 
liberties,  pay  yearly  to  the  church  and  government. 

Corruption 


Ch,  XX.  at  the  Tower  ofBaheh  85 

Corruption  may  creep  into  religion  under  any  conftitutlon,  but  ty- 
ranny and  defpotic  power  is  the  readieft  and  fureft  way  to  deprive  men 
of  the  ufc  of  underrtanding  and  confcience  ;  and  vice  and  idolatry  would 
have  fpread  much  fafter,  had  the  whole  world,  in  one  body,  been  under 
the  abfolute  dominion  of  vicious,  inlblent,  idolatrous  monarchs.  This 
would  have  been  a  ftate  of  things  juft  in  the  oppoiite  extreme  to  the  an- 
tediluvian licentioufnefs,  and  would  have  bcpn  nearly  as  pernicious  to 
virtue ;  as  it  muO:  have  funk  mankind  into  the  bafeft  fervility  of  mind, 
and  have  ftockt  the  earth  with  a  mean  fpirited  race  of  mortals,  who  durft 
not  open  their  own  eyes,  make  any  generous  ufe  of  their  own  faculties, 
or  relifh  the  bounty  of  heaven  with  pleafure  and  thankfulnefs.    H/xio-a  ya.o 

t' afirrj;  WJTOcatvra.i  oaX»cy  r/*a^,    faith  Homer    (Odyfs.   p.  VCr.  322.) • 

IVljatever  day  maka  a  ?nan  a  Jlave^  takes  half  his  worth  away.  "  Thus 
"  I  have  heard,  faith  Long'inus,  Se£l.  XLIV.  if  what  I  have  heard  in  this 
"  cafe  deferve  credit,  that  the  cafes  in  which  dwarfs  are  kept,  not  only 
*'  prevent  the  future  growth  of  thofe  who  are  inclofcd  in  them,  but  alfo 
"  diminifli  what  bulk  they  already  have,  by  too  clofe  conftriction  of 
"  their  parts.  So  flavery,  be  it  never  fo  eafy,  yet  is  (lavery  ftill  ;  and 
"  may  defervedly  be  caJlcd,  die  prifon  of  the  foul,  and  the  public 
"  dungeon." 

For  thefe  wife  and  beneficent  reafons,  I  prcfume,  the  Divine  Provi- 
dence interpofed,  and  baffled  the  project ;  which  in  the  then  circum- 
flances  of  the  projectors,  would  otherwife  have  been  unhappily  fuccefs- 
ful,  by  confounding,  and  altering  their  language  in  fuch  mamier,  as  that 
they  could  not  underftand  one  another;  and  fo  were  obliged  to  defift 
from  the  work  they  had  begun,  to  feparate  into  many  fmaller  bodies, 
and  to  feek  for  fettlements  at  a  diftance  from  each  other,  as  the  feveral 
companies,  by  the  famenefs  of  fpeech,  were  capable  of  converfing  to- 
gether, and  poffibly  in  the  very  countries  which  God  Had  marked  oat 
for  them. 

Thus  the  contagion  of  wickednefs,  for  fome  time  at  leaft,  had  bounds 
fet  to  it ;  evil  example  was  confined,  and  could  not  ftretch  its  iniiuence 
beyond  the  limits  of  one  country  ;  nor  could  wicked  projects  be  carried 
on  with  univerfal  concurrence  by  many  little  colonies,  fcparated  bv  the 
natural  boundaries  of  mountains,  rivers,  deferts,  feas,  and  hindered  from 
affociating  together  by  a  variety  of  languages  unintelligible  to  each 
other.  And  further,  in  this  difperfed  ftate,  th^y  would,  whenever  God 
pleafed,  be  made  checks  reciprocally  upon  each  other  by  invafions  and 
wars ;  which  would  weaken  the  power,  and  humble  the  pride  of  corrupt 
and  vicious  communities.  This  difpcnfation,  therefore,  was  properly 
calculated  to  prevent  a  fecond  univerfal  degeneracy.  God  therein  deal- 
ing with  men  as  rational  agents,  and  fuiting  his  fcheme  to  their  prefent 
ftate  and  circumftances.  This  Difperfion  probably  happened  about 
240  years  of  the  flood. 


CHAP.  XXI, 


S6  Of  the  Council  of  God.  Ch.  XXI. 


CHAP.      XXI. 

Of  the  IID  Council  o/" God  ;  or  a  Critinfm  upon  thofe  IVcrds^ 
Let  us  go  down,  Gen.  xi.  7. 

^^'»!'^LL  allow,  that  the  Lord^i  coming  down  to  fee  the  City^  and  Tower, 
P,  A  i^-  Gen.  xi.  5,  is  to  be  undcrftood  a.v^^unroTr<x6ij(  by  wayof  accom- 
^-^■^^  modation  to  our  conceptions  ;  and  means  no   more,  hut  that 
bv  the  effects,  he  made  it  appear,  th^t  he  obfcrved  their  motions,  and 
knew  their  intentions.     This  is  a  very  common,  and  in  our  prefent  em- 
bodied ftate,  a  very  proper  way  of  reprefenting  the  adtions  of  Deity. 
J3ut  when  Jehovah  is  reprefented  as  faying.  Go  tOj  let  us  godoivn^  verfc  7, 
as  before,  chap.  i.  26,  he  had  faid,  Let  us  make  mon^  Sec.  learned  men 
have  fuppofed,  that  this  is  to  be  taken  literally,  and  that  God  here  fpake 
to  fome  beings  included  in  his  own  nature  and  fubftance.    Whereas  this 
alfo  is  a  figure  of  fpeech,  which  is  to  be  undcrftood  as  the  foregoing. 
Kings  tranfa£t  their  moft  important  affairs  in  a  folemn  council.     HeJice 
God  is  pleafed  to  reprefent  himfelf  as  having  likewife  his  "IID  or  privy 
council.     And  the  determinations  of  his  Providence  are  defcribed,  after 
the  manner  of  men,  as   having  been  made  in  that  Council,  in  order  to 
exprefs  the  wifdom,  importance,  and  certainty  of  them.     Thus,  and 
for  this  purpofe,  Jehovah  is  here,  and  in  Gen.  i.  26,  reprefented  as  fpeak- 
irip^  in  his  Council,  Let  us  make  man^  let  us  go  doivn^  and  there  confound 
their  language. 

Of  this  Council,  I  apprehend.  Job  fpeaks,  chap.  xxix.  4. zchen 

the  fecret  Council  TiDIl  ofGodiias  upon  my  tabernacle  ^  when  the  auguft 

Affembly,  where  God's  Counfels  and  Decrees  arc  paffed,  was  held,  as  it 
were  over  my  habitation  ;  and  it  fcemcd  to  be  his  peculiar  care  to  profper 
me  and  my  family.  1"o  this  Council  tiie  Prophets  in  vifion  are  fuppofed 
to  be  admitted  as  ftanders-by,  and  hearers  of  what  is  there  decreed,  auid 

refolded  upon.     Job  xv.   8.  r^"iS^?  n'D;in  V^^T]  hoji  thou  heard,  or 

been  a  hearer,  iji  the  fecret  QoMnaW  cfGcd.  Jer.  xxiii.  17,  18.  Tliey^  the 
i^\i<::  'fxo^hcts^  fay Jlid  unto  them  that  defpife  me,  the  Lcrsl  hath  faid^  I'e  fnuil 
have  peace  ;  and  they  fay  unto  every  one  that  walketh  cjter  the  tniagir.atisn  cf 
his  cwn  heart.  No  evil  jhall  c^me  unto  you.  HIH*  "IID^  l^^V  '2D  *JD  For 
who  hath  jiood  [as  a  waiter,  or  fervant,  ready  to  carry  God's  meffages  to 

his  people.  So  "IDJ?  "^SilD  ^257  one  that  ftands  before  the  King,  is  pro- 
perly the  King's  Minifter.  And  when  EUJha  faith,  (2  Kingsm.  14.) 
as  the  Lord  liveth  before  whom  IJiarJ,  he  means,  zihoje  Minif.er  I  am.]  in 
the  fecret  Council,  or  Affemblv,  of  Jehovah,  and  hath  feen  and  heard  his 
tvord?  q.  d.  Which  of  you  hath  been  wrapt  in  vifion,  and  admited  as  a 
llander-bv  and  hearer  in  that  great  Affcmbl;,-,  where  God's  Councils  are 
held,  and  hath  brought  a  mefiage  to  his  people  from  thence?  No,  you 
go  prcfumptuoufly  with  meffages  cf  ycur  own  heads.     \  erfe  21.  /  have 

net 


ChVXXI.  Ofthe  Council  of  God.  ty 

notfent  thefe  ProphetSy  yet  they  ran:  I  have  nof  Jpoken  to  them,  yet  they  pro- 

phefied.     HID^  T\OV  DK1  -Sw'  if  they  had  flood  in  my  Council,  arid  had 

caufed  my  people  to  hear  my  words,  then  theyjhould  have  turned  them  from  their 
evil  way,  and  from  the  evil  cf  their  doings.  This  conneclion  of  the  Pro- 
phets with  the  Council  of  God  may  ferve  to  explain  fonah'^  fleeingy;w« 
thepreftnce  of  or  from  before,  the  Lord,  Jon.  i.  2.  He  was  fent  upon  a 
frightful  and  dangerous  meflage  •  but  as  he  judged,  I  fuppofe,  that  the 
Council  of  God  was  held  in  no  other  land,  but  that  of  Ifrael,  he  hoped 
to  break  off  his  connedlion  with  it,  by  removing  to  a  remote  country 
among  the  Gentiles. 

The  vifion  oi  Alicaiah   (i  Kings  xxii.  19 24.)  will  fet  this  affair 

in  the  flrongeft  light.  And  he  fnid.  Hear  thou  the  word  of  the  Lord :  I 
faw  the  Lord  fitting  on  his  throne,  and  allthehojl  of  heaven  Jtanding  by  him^ 
on  his  right  hand  and  on  his  left.  And  the  Lcrdjaid^  tvho /ball  pcrfuade  Ahab, 
that  he  may  go  up,  and  fall  at  Ramoth  Gilcadf  And  one  fiid  on  this  man- 
ner, and  another  on  that  manner.  And  there  came  forth  a  fpirit,  andjlood 
before  the  Lord,  andfaid,  I  zvill  perfuade  him.  And  the  Lord  faid  unto  him, 
IVherewith  ?  And  he  faid,  I  luill  go  forth,  and  Iivill  be  a  lying  fpirit  in  the 
mouth  of  all  hi s  Prophets.  And  he  faid,  thou  jhalt  pcrfuade  him,  and  prevail 
alfo :  go  forth  and  do  fo.  Here  the  Lord  is  fhewn  in  Council,  after  the 
manner  of  men,  deliberating  upon  this  affair.  Now  whether  there  was 
any  fuch  real  confultation  is  not  necefiary  for  us  to  enquire.  Thus  it 
was  reprefented  in  all  its  circumllances  to  the  Prophet,  and  liampt  upon 
his  mind  in  vifion  ;  and  it  was  God  who  directed  him  to  ufe  it  in  this 
form,  as  appears  plainly  from  the  folemn  introdu£lion,  Hear  thou  there- 
fore the  word  of  the  Lord.  And  though  it  fhould  only  be  a  parabolical 
vifion,  yet  the  drift  and  fubftance  of  it  was  a  divine  infallible  truth, 
namely,  that  Ahab's  prophets  prophefied  lies  ;  and  this  by  the  Divine 
Permiffion,  and  the  inlfigation  of  the  wicked  fpirit,  who  was  a  lyar  from 
the  begining,  and  the  father  of  lyes. 

A  paffage  fimilar  to  this,  is  that  in  the  book  of  Job,  chap.  i.  6. 
Now  there  was  a  day  ivhen  the  Sons  of  God,  Angels,  came  to  prefcnt 
ihemfelves  before  the  Lord,  and  Satan  came  alfo  among  them.  And  the 
Lord  faid  unto  Satan,  IVhence  comejl  thou?  Then  Satan  anfvei-ed  the 
Lord,  kc.  And  again,  chap.  ii.  i,  &c.  Here  we  fee  is  the  fame 
grand  affembly  in  the  cafe  of  Job,  as  in  the  foregoing  inftance 
of  Ahab.  The  fame  hofl  of  heaven,  called  here  the  Sons  of  God,  prc- 
fenting  themfelves  before  Jehovah,  as  in  the  vilion  ai  A^caiah  they  are 
faid  to  fland  on  his  right  hand  and  on  his  left.  A  wicked  fpirit  appears 
among  them,  here  called  Satan,  an  adverfary,  and  there  a  lying  Spirit ; 
both  of  them  bent  on  mifchief,  and  ready  to  do  hurt,  as  far  as  Gcxi 
(hould  give  them  leave.  And  the  meaning  in  both  cafes  is  the  fame, 
that  God  in  his  Wife  Providence  permitted  Satan  to  afflict  Job,  and  the 
lying  fpirit  to  deceive  Ahab.  Only  Micaiah  delivers  his  reprcfentation 
as  a  Prophet,  in  the  exercife  of  nis  office,  and  as  he  received  it,  that 
is  to  fay,  in  a  vifion;  I  faw  the  Lord  fitting  an  his  throne,  &c.  The 
other,  [probably  Job  himfelf,  who  was  not  unacquainted  with  the 
t<?««t;7  of  God,  as  we  have  feen.]  as  an  hiftorian,  inter- weaves  it  with 
the  hiftory  in  the  plain,  narrative  ftile,  17?ere  uMi  a  day^&x.     The  things 

F  4  delivered 


88  Of  the  CounclUf  God.  Ch.  XXI» 

delivered  to  us  by.  both  thcfe  facred  writers,  arc  in  fubftance  the  fame, 
equally  high,  and  above  the  reach  of  meer  human  fight  and  knowledge*. 

Note the  rcprefentations  of  this  kind  arc  founded  in  the  dodrine  of 

Angels,  good  and  bad,  efpecially  the  former,  as  the  inftruments  of  Pro- 
vidence.    A  point  revealed,  no  doubt,  from  the  begining,  and  well  un- 
derftood  in  the  earlieil:  ages  ;  vvitncfs  Jacob's  ladder,  with  the  A^igeh  of 
God  afcending  anddejceyid'ing  upon  It.   Gf;/.  xxviii.  12. 

Ifaiah  alfo  in  a  vifion  flood  in  the  Council  of  God,  chap.  vi.  i,  &:c. 
Where  he  favj  the  Lord  fitting  upon  a  throne.,  high  and  If  ted  up,  and  his  train 
fUcd  the  temple.  Above  it  flood  the  Seraphim.,  the  angelic  hoft,  &c.  'J  "he 
matter  in  confultation  was,  vcrfe  7.  Whom  Jhall  ffnd^  and  who  will  go 
\\\o\\  the  prophetic  errand,  for  us,  ufing  deliberative  language,  and  the 
plural  number,  as  in  the  two  texts  under  confidcration.  Let  us  make  man 

Let  us  go  down. Ifaiah  readily  offered    his    fen  ice,   verfe    8. 

And  the  Lord  delivered  to  him  his  commiflion  and  meifage,  verfe  g. 
And  he  faid,  Go  and  tell  this  people.,  Sec. 

Ezekiel  in  the  fame  manner  in  vifion  flood  in  the  Council  of  the  Lord 
chap.  i.  I.  The  heavens  were  (i.  e.  the  temple  Wcis)^opened,  and Ifaw  vi~ 
ftonsofGcd;  namely,  the  four  living  creatures,  or  Cherubims,  repre- 
fenting  the  church  of  God,  attending  upon  the  glory  of  the  Lord.,  or  the 
Shechinah,  verfe  28,  and  feated  upon  a  throne,  verfe  26.  Aui  he  faid 
unto  Ezekiel,  chap.  ii.  3.  iion  of  Man,  1  fend  thee  to  the  children  of 
If- a  el.,  hz. 

Zechariah  too,  chap.  i.  7,  8,  hz.  to  the  end  of  the  fixth  chapter,  is 
reprefented  as  converiing  with  the  Lord  in  his  Council,  and  with  aii 
Angel ;  though  the  fcene  is  not  dcfcribed  fo  diftinaiy  as  in  the  other 
places* 

John  alfo/«  thefpirit.,  i.  e.  in  a  vifion.  Rev.  i.  10,  was  prefent  in  the 
fame  Council  of  God,  defcribed  in  the  4th  and  5th  chapters  of  die  Re- 
'vclation.^  chap.  iv.  i.  A  door  was  opened  in  heaven.,  in  the  temple  ;  John 
was  invited  to  attend,  a  throne  was  fet  in  heaven,  with  a  majeflic  Pcr^ 
fonage  upon  it,  attended  by  the  Cherubim,  or  the  Church,  and  the  An- 
gelic Hofl.  The  matter,  which  was  there  very  folemidy  tranfacted, 
was  the  future  flate  of  the  Church  to  the  end  of  the  world. 

This  is  the  prophetic  way  of  telling  us  hoiv  a  thing  was  done,  which 
really  was  done,  but  in  a  way  to  us  invifible.  l^hus  things  of  the  greateft 
importance  were  reprefented  in  the  flrongeft  images  to  the  mind'^of  the 
Prophet  J  and  in  this  way  Infinite  Wifdom  would  have  them  defcribed 
and  reprefented  to  us.  Nor  fhould  wc  quarrel  with  our  Maker  for  ere, 
ating  us  with  fuch  faculties  as  are  mod:  affected  and  impreft  with  truths, 
that  are  conveyed  in  this  manner  ;  for  thofe  truths  make  the  deepefl  im- 
preHion  which  firft  enter  like  a  pidure  into  the  imagination,  and  from 
thence  are  ftampt  upon  the  memory. 

r^-^^^-TT"'^^'"^'"'  P^^v^O"^y  to'EA-nts,  reprefcnts  the  confultatiojis 
of  his  hdtitious  deities  in  the  fame  narrative  wav,  to  denote,  that  all 
thmgs  are  fubjeft  to  an  over- ruling  Providence.  '  A  metliod  pradlifed 
long  before  hnn,  and  very  probably  derived  from  the  truly  inipired. 

I  ihall  only  further  obferve,  (i.)  That  ^iD  is  fometimes  applied  to 
worfhipmg  alTcmblies,  Pfal  Ixxxix.  7.  cxi.  i.  (2.)  Sometimes  it  fig- 
nitoes  the  thing  that  is  tranlUaed,  commanded,  or  dlablifbcd  in  the 

Council 


C«.  XXII.  Of  the  Patriarchal  Religion.  89 

Council  of  God,  P/al.  xxv.  14.  Prov.  iii.  32.  So  It  may  be  undcr- 
ftood,  j^mos  iii.  7.  The  Lord  God  will  do  nothings  but  he  revealetb  XVD 
his Jecret  Council  unto  his  fervants  the  Prophets, 


CHAP.       XXII. 

Of  the  Patriarchal  Religion. 

^'^^■^!^1L  fliould  now  advance  to  the  next  Divine  Difpenfation,  the  cal- 
O  WS  ling  oi  Abraham^  but  before  we  proceed  it  may  be  of  ufe  to 
(?^jfe!?>!si?  S^"^  ^^  clcarcft  notions  we  are  able  of  the  ftate  of  Religion 
among  the  nations  after  the  deluge. 

About  425  years  after  the  deluge,  and  185  after  the  difperfion,  the 
J^ordfaid  unto  Abraham,  (Gen.  xii.  i.)  Get  thee  out  of  thy  count^-yy  which 
was  Ur  of  the  Chaldees,  [Gen.  xi.  28.)  and  from  thy  kindred^  and  front 
thy  father  shoufcy  unto  a  land  that  I  will  Jhew  thee.  Compare  this  with 
fojh.  xxiv.  2.  fojhua  faid  unto  all  the  people^  thus  faith  the  Lord  God  of 
Jfraely  your  fathers  dwelt  on  the  other  fide  of  the  food,  [in  Mefopotamia  be- 
yond the  river  Euphrates,']  in  old  time,  even  Terah,  the  father  ofAbraham^ 
and  the  father  of  Nachor  \  and  they  ferved  other  Gods;  that  is  to  fay,  they 
were  idolaters.  Some  learned  men  fuppofe,  that  in  the  days  of  Reu,  i.  e. 
fome  time  before  the  year  370.  after  the  deluge,  the  Egyptians  and  Ba- 
bylonians began  to  introduce  idolatrous  principles  and  practices ;  which 
from  the  fore-quoted  place  in  fojhua,  it  is  certain,  crept  into  the  family 
of  ^hem  ;  fome,  and  fome  of  the  principal  of  his  pofterity,  growing 
A  ain  in  their  imaginations,  and  worlhiping  the  heavenly  bodies,  with  a 
divine,  or  however  with  an  undue  honor.  For  this  fpecies  of  idolatrv 
fcems  to  have  been  the  moft  ancient,  as  this,  and  no  other,  is  mentioned 
in  the  book  o(Job.  chap.  xxxi.  26,  27,  28.  If  I  have  beheld  the  fun  when 
it  Jhined ;  or  the  moon  walking  in  brightnefs ;  and  my  heart  hath  been  fecretly 

inticed,  or  my  ?nouth  hath  kiffed  7ny  hand : this  aljo  were  an  iniquity  to  be 

punijhedby  the  judge,  for  I  Jhould  have  denied  the  God  that  is  above. 

The  worfhip  of  the  heavenly  bodies  is  fuppcfed  to  have  prevailed 
among  the  nations  in  the  days  oi  Mofes,  Deut.  iv.  19.  xvii.  3.  and  was 
continued  long  after,  2  Kuigs  xxi.  3,  5.  xxiii.  4.  fer.  xiiv.  17,  ig.  The 
fplendor  and  great  utility  of  the  heavenly  bodies  would  naturally  ftrikc 
the  minds  of  mankind  ;  and  there  would  not  then,  any  more  than  at  any 
other  time,  be  wanting  artful  men,  who  for  their  own  advantage,  and 
the  honour  of  fuperior  wifdom,  would  fupply  arguments  for  this  idolatry, 
as  the  moft  effectual  mean  of  fecuring  all  the  enjoyments  of  life,  and  in^- 
culcate  them  ftrongly  upon  the  minds  of  the  weak  and  credulous,  who 
have  always  been  the  moft  numerous  part  of  mankind.  Alaimonidcs, 
the  learned  Jeiv,  (as  quoted  by  AiNS  worth  upon  Gen.  iv.  26.)  fup- 
pofi'S  the  advocates  of  this  corrupt  worftiip  argued  after  this  manner. 

They 


qo  Of  the  Pairiarchal  Religion.  Ch.  XXTI. 

"  They  faid—- — For  as  much  as  Cod  hath  created  thcichcavgniy  bodies, 
•*  to  govern  the  world,  and  fct  them  on  high,  and  imparted  honor  unto 
**  them,  and  they  are  Miniliers  that  miniftcr  before  him,  it  is  meet  that 
**  men  Ihould  praifc,  and  glorify,  and  gi\e  them  honor.  P  or  this  is  the 
"  will  of  God,  that  we  magnify  and  honor  whomfoever  he  magniheth 
"•  and  honoreth  ;  even  as  a  king  would  have  them  honored,  that  fiand 
*'  before  him  ;  and  thi-;  is  honoring  the  king  himfelf.  When  this  thing 
**  was  come  up  into  their  hearts,  they  began  to  build  temples  to  hca- 
*^  venlv  bodies,  and  to  praife  and  glorify  them  with  words,  and  to  wor- 
"  fhip  before  them,  that  they  might,  in  their  mifguided  opinion,  obtain 
"  favor  of  the  Creator."  Thus  you  fee,  the  firit  corrupters  of  Reli- 
gion had  principles  and  reafons  ;  and  perhaps  as  good  as  thofe,  who 
have  in  like  mamier  corrupted  Chriftianity,  by  introducing  idolatry 
into  it. 

This  corruption  was  not  at  firft  univerfal,  it  fpread  gradually.  And 
therefore,  though  in  Abrahcuns  days  it  had  made  a  confiderable  progrcfs, 
yet  even  then,  and  for  fomc  time  after,  wc  meet  with  fomc  eminent  pcr- 
fons,  who  were  not  ofJbraharn^  family,  that  retained  a  juft  fenfe  of  God, 
and  the  purity  of  his  worfhip.  For  inltance,  Melcblzedcck^  king  of  Saletny 
Gen.  xiv.  i8.  who  was  (Heb.  vii.  3.)  tvithcut  father^  •without  mother^ 
xmthcut  dcficnt,  a^^iaXoy^ilo,-,  without  a  genealogy,  halving  neither  bcpn- 
rngcf  clays,  nor  end  of  life^  recorded  in  the  hiftory  of  the  Patriarchs  from 
Noah  to  Abraham.  For  (verfe  6.)  his  defcent,  or  genealog}',  xvas  not  count- 
ed from  theniy  in  the  Jbrahamichne  j  but  for  all  that,  he  was  a  perfon  of 
great  eminence  in  Religion.  Gen.  xiv.  18,  &:c.  "  tor  he  was  a  wor- 
**•  fhipcr  of  the  true  God,  and  a  perfon  of  the  moft  excmplaryjuftice,  and 
"  fmccre  piety,  remainmg  abfolutely  untainted,  amidlt  the  general  cor- 
♦'  ruption  of  the  country,  in  which  he  lived  ;  and  who  for  the  better 
'^  promoting  of  true  Religion,  was  himfelf  a  prirjt,  as  well  as  a  king^  and 
•*  performed  the  facrcd  olfices  of  it  among  his  own  people.  This  great 
*'  man  came  forth  to  meet,  and  to  congratulate  Abraham.,  and  provided 
"  him  a  princely  entertainment  for  himfelf  and  his  men,  for  their  rchcfh- 
*'  ment,  after  they  had  ingaged  with,  and  defeated  five  kings.  And 
"  then,  as  pricft,  in  which  capacity  he  was  fuperior  to  Abraham.^  (Heb. 
*'  vii.  7.)  he  folemnly  gave  Abraham  his  blefling,  or  wifh  of  happinefs  ; 
*'  putting  up  his  hearty  prayers  to  the  great  Creator  and  Governor  of 
"  the  world,  to  confirm  the  blefling  he  had  pronounced  upon  him  ;  as 
"  alfo  his  humble  praifes  and  thankfgivings  for  the  remarkable  mercies 
"  of  his  late  victorv.  And  Abraham,  on  the  other  fide,  paid  his  ac- 
**  knowlcdgmcnt  to  the  Almightv,  by  prefenting  the  tenth  of  what  he 
**  had  taken  in  the  battle  to  Melcki-zcdcck  his  prieu,by  whom  he  had  been 
*'  fo  devoutly  blelied."     Pyle. 

Note jMelchizedeck's  priefthood,  as  it  was  prior  to  that  of  the 

Jewifti  priefb,  fo  it  was  of  a  diftinct  and  fuperior  order,  as  the  Apoftle 
argues,  Heb.  vii.  For  long  after  the  inUitution  of  the  Jewilh  priefthood, 
the  Lord,  with  an  oath  declares,  that  the  Mejjiah  {hould  be  a  prieji  fcr 

evcTy  after  the  order  [in  the  Hebrew  ♦^"^11*1  /V  fecundum  rem^  accord- 
ing to  the  aftair,  the  cafe;  which  as  it  relateth  to  a  kind  or  fort  of 
priefthood,  is  well  tranflated  ^»a  Ta|(»J  cfMekhizedeck^  Pfal.  ex.  4.     Of 

what 


Ch.  XXn.  Of  the  Patriarchal  Religion.  qj 

what  order  was  Melchizcdeck  ?  The  Apoftle  directs  us  ^o  underftand 
his  names  appellatively,  or  as  denoting  a  character  of  moral  excellence; 
King  of  Righteoufnefsy  or  a  righteous  king  ;  and  King  of  Peace^  or  blef- 
fmg  or  happinefs,  as  he  wiflied  well  to  others,  and  endeavoured  to  make 
them  happy,  {Heb.  vii.  2.)  which  is  the  higheft  charadler  of  worth  and 
excellence  any  moral  agent  can  fuftain.  1  hus  he  was  the  PrieJ}^  or  of- 
ficiated in  die  fervice  of  the  moji  High  God.  And  thus  the  objedl:  of  his 
priefthood,  and  confequently  his  priefthood  itfelf,  was  of  an  eternal,  un- 
changeable, and  univerfal  nature,  even  righteoufnefs  and  goodnefs,  not 
limited  to  time  or  family.  P'or  the  Scripture  gives  no  account  of  his 
birth,  death,  or  genealogy.     We  read  of  no  predeceflbr  or  fucceflbr  in 

his  office,  as  in  the  Jewifti  priefts.     [Note this  argument  is  adapted 

{ad  hojninem)  to  the  Jews,  who  in  this  way,  or  by  defcent  from  j^arox. 
and  Levi  judged  of  the  validity  of  their  prieits.]  But  being  of  an  uni- 
verfal unchangeable  nature,  muft  fubfift  as  long  as  there  are  any  moral 
agents,  that  live  in  obedience  to  God. 

Thus  our  Lord  was  made  prieft  after  the  order  of  Mdchizedecky  u  c 
not  after  the  Imv  of  a  <:^r;;<7/politivt  commandment^  which  confined  the  of- 
fice to  a  fleftily,  mortal  defcent,  and  employed  in  certain  external  rites, 
and  ceremonies  ;  but  according  to  that  real  Power^  which  is  productive  of 
endlefsy  or  eternal  ///>,  namely,  true  holinefs.  For  verfe  17,  God  declared^ 
thou  art  a  priejl  for  ever,  after  the  order  of  the  King  of  Righteoufnefs. 

And  chap.  i.  8,  9.  Unto  the  Son  he  faith Thy  throne^  O  Gody  is  ever- 

lajhng  !  Afceptre  of  reiiitude  is  the  fceptrc  of  thy  kingdom.  Thou  hafl  loved 
righteoufnefsy  and  hated  itiiquity,  therefore  God^  even  thy  God^  hath  anointed 
thee  king  and  prieft,  with  the  oil  of  gladnefs  above  thy  fellows.  And  ftill 
nearer  to  the  cafe,  chap.  v.  8.  Though  he  were  afon^  in  the  highelt  fenfe, 
before  he  came  into  the  world,  yet  was  he  dijciplined  in  obedienccj  as  if  he 
had  been  a  learner,  by  the  things  which  he  fuffered.  Verfe  9.  And  being 
?nade  perfeSi,  having  exhibited  a  perfed  character  of  all  moral  excellence, 
he  became  the  author  of  eternal  fahation  to  all  them  that  obey  him.  And  it 
v/as  on  this  account,  verfe  10,  that  he  was  called  and  conitituted  of  God 
an  high  prieji  after  the  order  of  the  King  of  Righteoufnefs.  For.,  as-  the 
Apoftle  concludes  his  dilTertation  upon  this  very  fubject,  [Heb.  vii.  26.) 
Such  an  high  priefl  became  usy  who  is  holy,  harmlefs^  undefiled^  feparatefrorn 
ftnners,  and  made  higher  than  the  heavens,  or  the  Angels,  in  order  to  raifc 
us  to  their  happineis. 

Melchizedeck  was  eminently  religious.  And  probably  Abraham's 
neighbours  and  confederates,  Mamre^  EJhcol,  and  Anur^  Gen.  xiv.  13. 
were  good  and  pious.  For  though  they  were  Amorites^  it  was  about  400 
years  after  this,  before  the  fins  of  that  nation  were  full. 

The  book  of  Job  gives  the  clcareft  and  moft  extenfive  view  of  the 
Patriarchal  Religipn.  The  reality  of  his  perfon,  the  eminence  of  his 
character,  his  fortitude  and  patience  in  very  great  afflictions,  his  preced- 
ing and  fubfequcnt  felicity,  axe  allowed  by  all ;  and  it  is  generally  fup- 
pofed  that  he  lived  a  generation  or  two  before  Alofes;  and,  probably,  the 
book  was  wrote  by  himfelf,  in  time  of  his  reltored  profperity. 

Some  learned  men  indeed,  as  Grctius^  Csdurcus,  Le  Clerc,  and  others, 
pretend  that  this  noble  performance  v/as  written  about  a  thoufand  years 
after  the  time  ih  which  Jab  lived ;  namely,  iu  ox  near  the  time  of  the 

Bahyloni/if 


Ql  Of  the  Patriarchal  Rilighn.  Ch.  XXII. 

Babylonijh  captivity ;  alledging,  "  that  frequent  ChaldaiTms,  as  the  plural 
**  V  for  tZ"*    iire  to  be  found  in  it ;  that  fome  paffages  are  taken  from 

**  the  PfahnSy  Proverbs^  and  EcclefiaJ}t'S\  that  there  arc  more  than  a  hun- 
"  drcd  words,  partly  Syriacy  partly  Jrabic^  which  are  not  to  be  found 
**  in  the  other  parts  of  Scripture;  which  are  all  Cgns  that  the  author 
"  li^Td  in  the  later  times,  when  many  words,  borrowed  from  the  idiom 
**  of  the  neighbouring  nations,  were  adinited  into  the  Hebrew." 

It  is  one  mark  of  the  fimplicity  of  very  ancient  times,  that  in  the  in- 
ventory of  Job's,  eftate,  no  mention  is  made  of  money,  but  only  of  oxen, 
fteep,  camels,  afles,  fervants.  And  Grotius  himfelf  owns,  **  That  there 
•*  is  no  mention  in  the  book  of  Job  of  any  law,  or  religious  rites,  but 
•*  fuch  as  were  traditional,  [chap.  viii.  8,  9,  10.  xv.  18,  ig.  xxii.  15, 
•'  16.]  nor  of  any  points  of  hiltory,  nor  of  any  idolatrous  practices,  but 
**  fuch  as  were  of  the  more  ancient  times,  before  the  Mofaicinllitution. 
**  [Chap.  XX.  4,  5,  meaning  Jdam.  xxii.  15,  16.  J  And  that  the  length 
*'  of  Job's  ]\fcy  extended  to  about  200  years,  agrees  alfo  with  the  fame 
**  times ;  that  the  country  where  it  happened  was  Jrabia,  as  appears, 
*'  not  only  from  the  names  of  places,  l/z,  TemoUy  Shuhah^  but  from  the 
"  many  Arabic  words  here  ufed."  And  might  not  Grotius  from  hence 
have  fairly  and  ftrongly  concluded,  that  the  writer  was  an  Arabian  ?  No. 
He  faith,"  it  was  written  by  fome  Hebrew."  Why  fo  ?  Bccaufc  Arabia., 
Job\  country,  is  called  the  Eajf.  Chap,  i,  3.  And  it  was  ufual  with  the 
Hebrews  to  call  Arabia  the  Eaft,  as  he  has  (hewn  upon  Mat.  ii.  i.  But 
the  Arabian  Alagl  themfclves,  in  the  next  verfe,  call  their  own  country 
Arabia.,  the  Eaft  ;  and  fo  might  Job^  or  any  other  Arabian  in  Job's,  time. 
The  Eaft-countrv  was  the  common  name  of  Arabia^  as  the  Weft-coun- 
try is  the  general  name  of  one  part  of  England.  Many  words,  ufed  in 
this  book,  are  not  to  be  found  in  other  parts  of  Scripture.  The  reafon 
is,  becaufe  it  is  fo  ancient,  that  fome  words  therein  are  grown  obfolete, 
and  their  true  meaning  is  hard  to  be  recovered.  It  is  therefore  the  moft- 
difficult,  becaufe  it  is  the  moft  ancient  book  in  the  facrcd  code.  Had  it 
been  wrote  in  later  times,  the  language  would  have  been  more  intelli- 
gible. 

It  is  no  argument  that  the  author  of  this  book  took  fimilar  or  fame 
expreffions  from  David's  or  SolomoJi's  writings,  [compare  Pfalm  cvii.  40. 
with  Job  xii.  21,  24.]  becaufe  it  is  more  probable,  that  David  and  Solo- 
mon borrowed  fuch  expreffions  from  the  book  of  Job.  [Compare  Joh 
xxxix.  33.  Mat.  xxiv.  28.]  Schulteniy  a  very  good  judge,  affirms,  that 
the  ftyle  of  the  book  hath  all  the  marks  of  a  moft  venerable  and  remore 
antiquity  ;  and  that  the  Chaldaifms,  as  fome  call  them,  particularly  the 
plurals  in  V    are   true    Hebrew    and   Arabic,   and   that   of   the    moft 

ancient  ftamp.     Job  is  honorably  mentioned  with  Noak  and  Dcniely 

Ezek.  xiv.  12 20.     Hence  it  follows,  (i.)  That  Job  is  no  fitSlitJous 

character,  but  a  real  perfon,  as  truly  as  Noahsj-id  DauuL  (2.)  That  he 
was,  as  well  as  they,  a  perfon  of  diftinguiilicd  piety.  (3.)  That  he  was 
well  known  and  celebrated  as  fuch  amongft  the  Jews.,  to  whom  Ez^kiePs 
prophecy  was  dire<fted.  (4.)  That  he  muft  either  have  been  of  the 
feed  of  Jfratl,  or,  like  Noah,  of  the  Patriarchal  times  j  otlierwife  the  '/tttv, 
fcparated  from,  and  raifed  in  fpiriiual  prh'ilcges  above  all  other  notions, 

would 


Gh.  XXIIL  Of.  Job' i  Cafe  and  Cbaraifir,  95 

would  never  have  propofed  to  themfelves  one  of  their  Gentile,  uncircum- 
cifed  neighbours,  of  whom  they  had  a  mean  opinion,  as  an  example  of 
the  greateft  piety,  nor  have  admited  his  ftory  into  their  Canon.  If  he 
vi^as  of  the  Patriarchal  times  (for  an  Ifraelite  he  could  not  be)  he  muft 
have  been  at  the  diftance  of  about  a  thoufand  years  before  Ezekiel.  Meer 
oral  tradition  of  fuch  a  perfon  could  not  have  fubfifted  through  fo  long  a 
fpace  of  time,  without  appearing,  at  laft,  as  uncertain  gr  fabulous. 
There  muft,  therefore,  have  been  fome  hiftory  oi  Job  mE-zekiel's  timej 
no  other  hiftory,  but  that  which  we  now  have,  and  which  has  always 
had  a  pkce  in  the  Hebrew  code,  was  ever  heard  of,  or  pretended.  There- 
fore this  muft  be  the  hiftory  of  fob  in  Ezdicl's  time;  and  which  muii 
have  been  generally  known,  and  read  as  true  and  authentic,  and,  con- 
fequently,  muft  have  been  wrote  near  to  tlie  age  in  which  the  fact  was 
tranfafted,  and  not  in  after  times,  when  its  credibility  would  have  beea 
greatly  diminifhed. 

In  lliort,  Ihould  I  aver,  that  this  is  the  oldeft  and  nobleft  book  in  the 
world,  I  fhould  have  the  vote  of  all  the  beft  critics  ;  and  the  very  frame 
and  caft  of  the  book  itfclf  would  juftify  the  aflertion. 


jy»««»»a»»tooflctwcwcw«o»ot<o»»oc»ce«ocqeooooc«o— •■9oowj»caootoooc««ocoooe»eocflfl0toacooo»wcei9ooaacocoaocaeocatt»:a»»^i 


CHAP.      XXIIL 

Of  Job's  Cafe  and  Chara£ier. 

fm^\{Y.  Book  of  Job  is  the  Hiftory  of  a  real  fufferer.  Job-,  and  rh« 
B  T  0  Subftance  of  a  real  converfation  with  his  friends,  about  his  {ui- 
^!<>'?>"=^  ferings,  in  a  poetic  drefs.  Job  was  a  prince  of  the  greateft 
eminence,  wealth,  and  authority  among  the  people  of  the  eait;  wliofe 
piety  and  integrity  equalled  his  temporal  grandeur,  chap.  i.  i,  2,  3 ;  c^ 
the  ftriiSteft  religion  and  virtue  ;  the  patron  of  the  injured  poor  and  fa- 
therlefs  ;  the  fcourge  of  injuftice  and  oppreffion;  higlily  lK>nored  and 
efteemed  by  the  good,  revered  and  dreaded  by  the  vicious  and  profane. 
Chapters  x^\x.  and  xxxi.  This  man  fo  good,  and  fo  glorious,  was,  hj 
the  Divine  Permiftion,  and  malice  of  the  Devil,  at  once  reduced  to  the 
moft  indigent  and  deplorable  circuinftances,  ftript  of  all  his  fubftance, 
bereaved  of  all  his  children,  feven  fons  ^nd  three  daughters,  and,  foon 
after,  feized  with  a  moft  noifom  and  painful  difeafe,  from  head  to  foot ; 
which  rendered  him  the  moft  fhocking  fpedtacle  of  forrow  and  wretch- 
ednefs.  The  country,  fo  tar  as  the  fame  of  his  grandeur  and  religion 
had.fpread,  would  be  full  of  his  ftory  and  of  aftoniftiment.  The  reli- 
gious would  be  inclined  to  conclude,  that  fuch  fignal  and  fudden  calami- 
ties, could  be  no  other  than  the  judgments  of  God  upon  a  man,  who, 
under  the  mafk  of  religion,  had  concealed  a  wicked  and  profligate  life. 
The  wicked  and  profane  would  triumph  in  his  fufterings,  as  a  juftihca- 
tion  of  their  ov/n  bad  principle-,  and  practices,  and  as  a  demonftratjon 

of 


Ofjob^s  CafeandCharacfcr,  Ch.  XXlII. 

©f  the  infignificancy  of  the  ftriiVefl:  regards  to  God  znA  his  worfhip. 
CSfOp.  xvi.  9,  10,  II.  xvii.  6.  His  relations  and  acquaintance,  (truck 
with  horror  and  averfion  to  fuch  a  defpicablc,  vile,  abandoned  creature, 
would  not  own  him.     His  wife  and  family  treated  him  with  unkindnefs 

and  negle6t^,  chap,  xix.  13 19.     The  .bafeft  of  men  broke  in  upon 

him  like  a  Wion  of  fiends,  made  his  afflictions  their  merriment,  treated 
him  with  all  manner  of  indignities,  calumnies,  and  flander;  and  even 
[pared  not  to  fpit  in  his  face^  chap.  xxx.  i — 15.  Scarce  ever  were  the 
feelino-s  of  the  human  heart  opprefTed  with  fuch  a  complicated  load  of 
grief ;  fcarce  ever  vras  a  profeflion  of  religion  fo  much  expofed  to  cen- 
fure,  reproach,  and  infult. 

And  how  did  the  good  man  bear  all  this  ?  With  heroic  bravery,  that 
is  to  fay,  with  a  patience  as  fteady  and  uniform  as  human  infirmity  will 
admit.  [Patience  isftncere  adherence  to  God  and  duty^  under  all  diffcitlties 
and  difcoiirageineiits  ;  and  the  ground  of  patience  h  faith,  or  afullpcrfua- 
ftonof  the  power,  goodnefs,  andzuifdom  of  Gcd.]  When  his  calamities,  the 
Jofs  of  his  numerous  herds,  flocks  and  fervants,  and  of  his  deareft  chil- 
dren, partly  by  the  hands  of  violence,  partly  by  lightening  and  ftorm  ; 
when  thefe  calamities  rufhcd  upon  him  like  an  inundation,  though  he 
felt  all  the  pangs  of  the  moft  grievous  affliction,  and  ufed  fuch  exprefflons 

of  his  doleful   cafe,  as  were  cuftomary  at  that  timcj   [Chap.  i.  20.  

rent  his  mantle,  Jhaved  his  head,  fell  down  upon  the  ground,  chap.  ii.  8,  12. 
Sprinkled  dufl  upon  their  heads ;  'See  I  Sam.  iv.  12.  2  Sam.  xiii.  19.  Jojb. 
vii.  6.  Ezek.  xxvii.  30.  Iliad  xv'm.  22.]  yet  he  behaved  like  a  wife  and 
good  man,  proftrating  himfclf  upon  the  ground  in  a  humble  fenfe  of  his 
own  unworthinefs,  and  a  patient  fubmifflon  to  the  Will  of  God,  compo- 
fino-  his  mind  into  a  calm  and  quiet  adoration  of  his  fupreme  Dominion 
and  unblemiftied  Juftice,  chap.  i.  20,  21.  "I  came,"  faith  he,  "  by  the 
*'  Divine  Will  into  the  world,  a  naked  helplefs  creature;  and  by  die 
*'  fame  Will  I  muft  fhortly  return  to  the  duft.  I  am  bereaved  of  my 
«'  moft  valuable  and  deareft  temporal  enjoyments,  but  by  the  permifflon 
*'  of  a  wife  and  righteous  God.  His  own  he  gave  ;  his  own,  for  wife 
*'  ends,  he  hath  taken  away.  I  acquiefce  in  his  Sovereign  Difpofals, 
"  and  adore  the  inconteftible  purity  and  righteoufncfs  of  his  dealings 
w  with  me."  O  brave  Soul !  O  happy  Man,  who  could  keep  up  good 
thoughts  of  God,  and  communion  with  him  under  the  fharpeft  ilrokes 
of  his  rod! 

When  covered  over  with  painful  boyls,  in  the  place  and  pofture  of  an 
humble  penitent,  he  was  probably  pouring  out  his  fubmifflons  and  fup- 
plications  to  Heaven,  his  wdfe  fpared  not  to  reproach  him  with  his  prepo- 
fterous  godlinefs.  Chap.  ii.  9,  10.  Dojl  thou  Jlill  retain  thine  integrity  by 
blefftng  God,  and  dying  ?  q.  d.  "  Will  you  blefs  God  when  he  is  dcftroy- 
*'  ing  you  ?  Will  you  call  upon  him,  and  believe  he  is  good,  when  he 
"  hath  ruined  your  cftate  and  family,  and,  in  fpite  of  all  your  humble 
"  fubmifflons,  is  flaughtering  your  body,  and  within  a  ftroke  of  your 
"  life  ?"  But  Job  returned  no  other  than  a  mild  anfwcr,  as  became  a 
good  man,  and  affectionate  hufband.  "  You  fpeak  not  like  yourfelf,'* 
faid  he,  "■  but  as  a  woman  void  of  underftanding.  Is  it  fit  God  fhould 
"  always  fmile  upon  finful  creatures  ?  Shall  we  fay,  he  is  not  juft  when 
«  he  brings  us  into  afflictions  ?  We  receive  what  plcafcth  us  with  joy, 
;  "  and 


Ch.  XXIII.  OfJoVi  Cafe  and  Character,  55 

*'  and  it  is  but  reafonable  that  we  receive  what  is  ungrateful  with  a  caim 
■*'  refignation ;  feeing  both  come  from  the  fame  Wife  and  Spvereign 
*'  Difpofer  of  all  things/*  Still  Job  is  patient,  and,  under  every  trial, 
adheres  to  God  and  duty. 

The  compofure  and  fteadinefs  of  his  mind  was  more  feverely  tried  by 
his  three  friends,  Eliphaz^  Bildad,  and  Zcphar,  men  of  the  fame  rank, 
and  of  like  good  fenfe  and  piety ;  who  dwelt  in  fome  of  the  adjacent 
provinces,  and  in  whofe  familiarity  he  had,  probably,  been  long  happy. 
I'hc  report  of  his  fufferings,  of  the  ruin  of  his  chaa-ader,  and  the  wound 
thereby  given  to  religion,  having  reached  their  ears,  they  agreed,  with 
a  fmcere  intention,  to  join  their  endeavours  in  adminiftering  the  only  ad- 
vice and  confolation,  they  apprehended,  his  cafe  would  admit.  For,  as 
the  fufpicions  were  very  ftrong,  and  his  calamities  carried  evident  marks 
of  Divine  Inflictions,  they  had  the  fame  opinion  of  them  with  the  reft 
of  the  world,  and  believed  they  were  the  juft  judgments  of  God  upon  j| 
hypocrite ,  and  therefore  were  determined,  by  all  means,  to  fix  a  fenfe 
of  guilt  upon  his  confcience,  in  order  to  bring  him  to  true  repentance, 
and  fo  to  a  folid  intcreft  in  the  Divine  Favor  and  blefline;.  But  when 
they  were  come,  and  had  found  their  late  flourifhing,  honorable,  and 
highly  eftcemed  friend,  reduced  to  the  moft  lothfome  and  miferabJc 
wretch,  that  was  fiting  in  the  afhcs,  they  were  aftonifhed  beyond  ex- 
prefTion;  and  being  confirmed  in  their  evil  fufpicions,  though  they  fat 
with  him  on  the  ground,  yet,  as  their  bad  opinion  of  him  would  not 
allow  them  to  fay  any  thing  comfortable  and  incouraging,  they  chofe  to 
fay  nothing  at  all  for  feven  or  feveral  days  together,  chap.  ii.  12.  The 
fight  of  his  old  acquaintance,  and  their  unfavorable  manner  of  condo- 
lence, raifed  his  paflion  of  forrow  to  fuch  a  pitch,  that  it  burft  out  into 
a  torrent  of  the  moft  bitter  reflections  upon  his  birth-day  ;  wifhing  it 
were  ftruck  out  of  the  number  of  days,  or  rendered  as  odious  and  de- 
teftable  to  all  others,  as  it  was  to  himfelf. 

Upon  this,  El'iphaz^  probably  the  oldeft  and  moft  honorable  of  the 
three,  addrelfed  himfclf  to  Job^  and,  in  the  fofteft  manner,  openeth 
their  fenfe  of  his  cafe  ;  namely,  that,  in  their  apprehenllons,  he  had 
been  very  defeftive  in  the  charader  to  which  he  had  pretended  ;  that 
great  fufferings  muft  be  the  punifhment  of  great  fins;  and  that  they  could 
recommend  to  him  no  other  method  of  regaining  his  former  peace  and 
profperity,  but  repentance,  and  feeking  unto  God  for  pardon.  In  fhort, 
they  foon  declared  plainly,  that  they  judged  he  had  been  a  very  wicked 
man,  and  that  his  calamities  were  an  evident  indication  of  the  wrath  of 
God  againft  him  as  fuch.  This  Job  flatly  denied  ;  and  this  is  the  mat- 
ter in  difpute  between  him  and  his  friends.  Which  difpute,  as  is  ufual 
in  fuch  cafes,  was  carried  on  with  a  growing  eagernefs  and  heat  on  both 
fidss ;  and  on  both  fides  might  occafion  fome  expreilions  too  ftrono-  and 
cxageratina:. 

His  friends  argue  from  experience,  and  what  they  had  obferved  to  be 
the  ufual  method  of  Divine  Providence.  They  had  feen  many  inltances 
of  wicked  men,  or  of  thofe  who  had  pafled  for  fuch,  remarkably  pu- 
nifhed;  and  hence  they  formed  to  themfelves  a  general  maxim,  that 
where  they  faw  great  wretchednefs  and  fufferings,  there  muft  be  crimes 
proportionably  great.     To  this  Job  alfo  oppofes  obfervation  and  expe- 


rience 


0  Of  Job's  Cafe  and  Char  aHey,  Ch.  XXIIT. 

ricnce;  and  (hews,  that  the  rule  of  judging,  they  had  formed  to  them- 
felv^os^  was  by  no  means  ri2;ht,  or  without  exception.  That  good  men 
were  fometimes  affli^lcd,  and  the  wicked  flourifliing  and  happy  ;  and  that, 
for  the  mod  part,  things  were  dealt  out  here  promifcuoufly.  That  this 
was  more  cfnecially  obfcrvable  in  times  of  war  and  peftilcncc,  and  fuch 
other  fweeping  calamities,  where  the  good  and  bad  fall  undiftinguiflied, 
cbap.  ix.  32,  23.  To  all  which  he  adds,  that  it  was  a  very  heavy  aggra- 
vation of  his  mifery,  to  hear  his  friends,  fo  well  acquainted  with  him, 
men  of  fenfe  and  diftindlion,  charge  him  with  crimes  which  his  foul  ab- 
horred, and  of  which  God,  who  had  afiUcled  him,  knew  that  he  was 
innocents  To  him  he  would  appeal,  and  ftill  adhere  in  life  and  death, 
though  he  did  not  know  why  he  had  dealt  fo  feverely  with  him.  And  fo 
ftron"o-ly  did  Job  aflert  the  integrity  of  his  religion  and  virtue,  (chapters 
xxix.  and  xxxi.)  that  his  friends,  though  perhaps  not  convinced,  were 
however  put  to  filencc.     [Chap.xxxn.  i.) 

Upon  this,  Elihu,  a  young  man  of  good  underftanding,  who,  proba- 
bly with  others,  was  a  byrtander  and  witnefs  to  this  debate,  (chap, 
xxxii.  15.)  a£ls  as  moderator  between  Job  and  his  friends,  and  cenfures 
both  very  freely  and  judicioufly  ;  only  he  charges  Job  with  no  crime  as 
the  caufe  of  his  affli6lions,  but  thinks  he  had  not  managed  the  difpute 
about  them  with  fo  much  calmnefs  and  fubmiflion  to  God  as  became  his 

piety.  _       .  P  • 

Finally,  the  Lord  anfwered  Job  out  of  the  whirlwind,  (the  Septuagmt 
add,  and  clouds)  a  token  of  the  Divine  Prefence.  So  Ezekiel's  vifions 
were  introduced,  Ezek.  i.  4.  And  I  looked,  and  behold,  a  luhirlwhid  came 
out  of  the  North,  a  great  cloud  and  a  fire.  Perhaps,  EUhu  faw  this  token 
of  the  Divine  Prefence  approaching.  Job  xxxvii.  22,  b'V.  Fair  weather 
f  Snt  g^l*^-*  fplendor,  the  fplendor  of  the  Divine  Prefence.  See  Schultens 
inloc.j  cojneth  \r\T\^\    will  come,  or  is  coming,  fpeedily,]  out  of  the 

North  ;  with  God  is  terrible  Majejly.  The  fpeech  of  Deity,  (chap,  xxxviii. 
xxxix.  xl.  xli.)  moft  inimitably  grand  and  fublime,  reprefcnting  the  vaft 
extent  of  the  Divine  Wifdom  and  power  in  the  works  of  creation, 
which  Job  and  his  friends  had  well  ftudied,  and  from  which  they  knew 
how  to  deduce  proper  conclufions,  (hews,  i.  That  all  things  in  the 
fkie,  the  air,  the  earth,  the  fea,  are  produced  and  difpofcd  in  a  manner 
far  beyond  the  reach  of  human  wifdom  and  power.  Confequently,  2. 
That  man  is  not  qualified  to  difpofe  of  himfclf,  or  of  any  other  being. 
That  God  may  have  wife  and  good  reafons  for  his  ways  and  works,  and 
dealings  with  us,  which  wc  cannot  comprehend;  and  therefore  it  is  our 
duty,  in  all  cafes,  to  acquiefce  and  fubmit.  3.  That  he  who  has  given 
various  natures  and  inftincls  to  animals,  can  give  being  and  life,  when 
and  where,  and  in  what  degree  he  pleafes.  4.  That  he  is  prefent  to, 
cares  for,  fuflains  and  diredls  every  living  thing  ;  and  therefore  that  we 
ought  to  truft  in  him  for  a  happy  ilTue  of  any  of  his  inflictions.  5.  That 
the  wifeft  of  men  ftiould  be  very  cautious  and  modeft  in  cenfuring  the 
wavs  of  Providence. 

Chap.  xlii.    Job  humbleth  himfelf  before  God,  facrificcth  for   his 
friends ;  his  family  is  rcftored,  his  eltate  is  doubled. 

Rules 


Ch.  XXIII.  OfJoVi  Cafe  and  Charaaer,  97 


Rules  to  be  obferved  in  expounding  the  Book  oijob. 

I.  He  that  would  rightly  explain  this  book  muft,  as  much  as  he  can, 
imagine  himfelf  in  the  fame  afHicted  condition. 

II.  Every  daring  thought,  or  ardent  exprefTion,  which  occurs  in  the 
fpeeches  of  this  afflicted,  and  cxafperated  man,  is  not  to  be  vindicated  ; 
yet,  as  he  was  a  great  man,  and  a  prince,  he  may  be  allowed  to  u(e  bold 
and  animated  language. 

III.  We  fhall  certainly  judge  amifs,  if  we  think  every  thing  wrong, 
which  will  not  fuit  v/ith  the  politnefs  of  our  manners.  Allowance  mull 
be  made  for  the  fnnplicity  of  thofe  times. 

IV.  In  judging  of  Job's  chara£ler,  we  muft  fet  the  noble  flrains  of  his 
piety  a^ainft  the  unguarded  expreffions  of  his  forrow. 

V.  It  is  not  his  innocence,  ftritfUy  fpeaking,  which  Jjb  infifts  on, 
but  his- fmcerity.     Cbnp.  vii.  20,  21. 

VI.  Except  their  hard  cenfurcs  of  y:?b,  his  friends  fpeak  well  and  rc- 
ligioufly. 

VII.  His  friends  incouragcd  Job  to  hope  for  a  temporal  deliverance  ; 
(chap.  V.  18,  ^c.  vii.  20;  isfc.  x'l.  14,  6v.)  but  "Job  defpaired  of  it, 
and  expeiled  his  bodily  diforder  would  terminate  in  death,  [chap.  vi.  11, 
I2.  vii.  6,  7,  S,  21.  xvii.  I,  13,  14,  15.  xix.  10.  Though,  in  the  in- 
Crcafing  heat  of  the  difpute,  they  fecm  to  drop  this  fentiment,  in  their 
following  anfwers,  as  if  they  fuppofcJ  "Job  to  be  too  bad  to  hope  for  any 
favor  from  God.)  He  hoped,  however,  that  his  Character  would  be 
cleared  in  the  day  of  judgment;  though  he  Avas  greatly  concerned  that 
it  could  not  be  cleared  before.  That  after  a  life  led  in  the  moft  confpi- 
cuous  virtues,  his  reputation,  in  the  opinion  of  his  neareft  friends. 
Would  fet  under  a  black  cloud  :  and,  v/ith  regard  to  the  ignorant  and 
profane,  leave  an  odious  reproach  upon  a  profefTion  of  religion.  This 
touched  him  to  the  heart ;  exafperated  all  his  fuftcrings,  and  made  him 
often  wifh,  that  God  would  bring  him  to  his  trial  here,  in  this  life  ; 
that  his  integrity  might  be  vindicated,  and  all,  friends  and  enemies, 
might  underftand  the  true  end  or  defign  of  God  in  his  fufferings  ;  and 
the  honor  of  religion  might  be  fecured.  Chap.  x.  ii.  2,  3.  Is  it  good  unto 
ihee^  that  thouJJvjuldJi — JJoine  upon  the  counjel  of  the  xv'uked?  who  from  my 
cafe  take  occafion  to  reproach  and  vilify  true  religion,  and  to  confirm 
themfelves  in  their  wicked  and  idolatrous  pradices.  Chap.  viii.  20,  21, 
22.  xi.  17 — 20.  xvi.  9 — II. 

VIII.  He  could  only  affirm  his  integrity,  but  could  give  no  fpecial 
fatisfii6lory  reafon,  why  God  fliould  afflict  him  in  a  manner  fo  very  ex- 
traordinary, and  beyond  all  preceding  cafes,  that  were  ever  known  in 
the  world.  This  very  much  perplext  and  embarrafl  his  mind,  and  laid 
him  under  a  great  difadvantage  in  the  difpute.  And,  for  one  thing,  it 
is  on  this  account  that  he  is  fo  earnefl  to  come  to  a  conference  with 
God,  to  know  his  mind  and  meaning.  Chap.  x.  2.  Shciv  me  wherefore 
thou  contendeji  with  mc.  See  Bp.  Patrick's  Paraphrafe  upon  the  place, 
from  ver.  2^  to  the  8^*^.  He  knew  very  well  he  could  not  abfolutelv 
juftify  himfelf  before  God,  chap,  hi.  2,  3,  ^f.  ver.  in.  For  he  breaks 

Vol.  I.  G  ;,;, 


98  Of  Job's  Cafe  and  aaraSfer,  Ch.  XXIII. 

me  with  a  tempeft^  he  multiplieth  my  wounds  without  a  caufe^  or  without 
any  apparent  reafon.  Chap.  vii.  12,  20.  The  whole  xxiii^  chapter  re- 
lates to  this  point ;  in  which  he  wiflies  he  could  come  to  the  dwelling 
place  of  God,  [ver.  3.)  and  fpread  his  cafe  before  him,  and  argue  about 
it  at  larp;e,  [ver.  4.)  for  he  had  turned  his  thoughts  every  way,  and 
could  niake  nothing  of  it,  [vcr.  8,  9.)  only  he  was  fure  God  knew  he 
was  an  upright  man,  [ver.  10,  ii,  12.)  But^  (ver.  13.)  he  is  in  one 
*inK^  or  in  un-ty,  fupreme  above  all  others,  abfolutely  entire,  keeping 
his  mind  and  defigns  to  himfelf,  and  none  can  turn,  or  oblige  him  to  al- 
ter his  refolution.  All  that  we  can  fay  is,  that  he  doth  whatever  is  agre- 
able  to  his  own  wifdom.  For  [ver.  14.)  what  he  hath  refolved  to  in- 
flicl  upon  me  he  hath  accomplifhed  ;  and  many  fuch  things  he  doth,  of 
v/hich  he  will  not  iri'.e  us  the  reafon.  To  the  fame  purpofe  underftand 
chap,  xxvii.  2,  3,  4,  14.  and  chap,  xxviii.  2.  He  hath  taken  away  my  judg- 
ment^ i.e.  the  rule  by  which  I  might  judge  of  the  reafon  of  my  afflic- 
tion<=.  This  point,  in  reference  to  God,  Elihu  tells  him  [chap,  xxxiii. 
13.)  he  had  ii/ged  to  no  purpofe,  feeing  he  gives  no  account  of  his  ?nattcrsy 
or  will  not  reveal  to  us  the  fecrets  of  his  Providence. 

IX.  In  fuch  a  noble  performance,  if  any  thing  feems  to  be  faid  not 
in  confiftencv,  or  not  in  character,  v/e  fhould  rather  fufpedt  our  own 
judgment,  than  the  good  kn{e  of  the  Author.  The  fault  is  not  in  the 
book,  but  in  our  underftanding. 

X.  That  fenfe  which  befb  agrees  with  the  fubje6l,  or  the  point  in 
hand,  or  which  ftands  in  the  bell  connexion  with  the  context,  IhouM 
always  be  judged  the  beft  {cnk. 

Criticisms. 

Chap.  i.  5.  To  blcfs  a  perfon  is  a  form  of  valediction,  2  Sam,  x'lX, 
39.  So  here,  My  fens  have  taken  leave  of  God.  And  fo  i  Kings  xxi- 
13.  Naboth  hath  bid  farewell  to  God  and  the  King,  or  hath  treated  them 
with  contempt. 

Chap.  iii.  25,  26.  The  tlnng  that  I  greatly  feared  is  come  upon  me,  &c» 
This  alludes  to  the  lofs  of  his  children,  for  whom  he  was  very  much, 
concerned,  chap.  i.  5.  But  chap.  xxix.  18.  and  xxx.  26.  relate  to  hi^ 
circumftances  in  general. 

Chap.  xiii.  12.   Your  remembrances  ^y'p\'2]  your  [quoting  of]  memor^ 

able  [ayings  are  like  ajhes,  or  dirt ;  your  bodies  D^'S^  >^"^  heaps,  emi- 

nencies,  your  ftrongeft  arguments,  to  heaps  of  day,  foon  wa&ed  away. 


CHAP.  XXIV. 


Cn.  XXIV.  IheDo^il'ies  ^the  PatrlarchalJ^f,  go 


CHAP.       XXIV. 
T])e  Doclrlnes  of  the  Patriarchal  Age. 


^•^K^!^HE  inftruclions,  particularly  defigned  to  be  given  in  the  Book 
>r  ^  %  nf  jfoliy  might  not  be  i'o  well  underftood  in  that  age  of"  the 
^'^^'■ft':^  world  ;  namely,  that  great  fufferings  are  not  always  an  argu- 
ment of  great  fms  ;  but  that  very  good  men  may  be  very  much  affiicied 
in  this  world  ;  that  therefore  ws  fhould  not  ccnfure  any  under  calamities, 
be  the  hanJ  of  God  c/er  fo  apparent,  unlefs  the  crimes  be  likewife  cer- 
tain and  apparent.  That  we  ought  not  to  complain  of  God  in  any 
condition,  as  if  he  ncglecled  us,  or  dealt  hardly  with  u?,  but  rather 
meetly  fubmit  to  his  Blciled  Will ;  who  never  doth  any  thing  without 
reafon,  though  we  cannot  always  comprehend  it,  adoring  and  revering 
the  unfearchable  depths  of  his  V/ife  Counfcl,  arid  believing  that  all  at 
laft  will  turn  out  to  our  advantage,  if  like  his  fervant  7<//;  we  psrfeverc 
in  faith,  hope,  and  patience.  This  was  Jol/'s  real  character,  tJiough 
not  without  errors.  No  error  can  be  dilcerned  in  his  behaviour,  but 
what  the  uncharitable  ccnfures  of  his  friends  provoked  him  to.  'I'hus 
he  was  put  upon  too  frequent  and  too  rtrong  juflincations  of  him'elf, 
being  withal  extremely  perplexed  to  give  a  plain  and  fatisfa£t:ory  account, 
why  God  afflicSted  him  fo  feverely. 

God,  in  the  ilUic,  fatisficd  him,  that  he  had  jufl:  and  weighty  reafons,; 
and,  in  particular,  by  doubling  his  profperity,  that  he  dcfigncd  to  make 
him  a  pattern  of  patience  and  reward.  James  v.  ii.  Behold^  vje  count 
them  hnppy  who  endure  ^iX.\G.nr.\y  tiic  greatell  fulfcrings.  Te  have  heard  of 
the  wowXcvM  patieuce  ofjcb^  and  have  leer:  ^  in  his  cale,  //v*  happy  ^«^  to 
which  the  Lord  brought  his  calamities.  VV^hence  we  may  learn,  that 
under  the  fe\'ereft  vifitations,  the  Lord  is  very  compafliorlate  and  niercj- 
ful  to  the  fmcere  and  upright,  and  will  amply  recompence  them  in  a 
future  world. 

Thus  the  great  point  in  religion,  before  dark  and  doubtful,  rclatino" 
to  the  Providence  of  God,  and  the  fufferings  of  good  men,  is  cleared 
up  with  fuch  evidence,  as  can  no  where  t\ic  be  found  but  in  the  gofpel  of 
Jefus  Chrifl. 

Though  thi^  point  might  not  be  fo  well  underftood,  before  it  was 
thus  illuftrated,  vet  there  are  fevcral  other  important  articles  of  religion, 
of  v/hich  fob  and  his  friends,  and  noubtlefs  many  others,  had  very  jult 
and  clear  conceptions.  As  the  being  and  perfections  of  God  ;  that  we 
can  receive  neither  good  nor  evil  but  from  him,  the  Author  of  our  being, 
and  Difpofer  of  all  events;  that  he  fees  and  orders  all  things  in  heaven 
and  earth  -,  that  there  can  be  no  iniquitv  with  him  ;  that  he  is  the  Friend 
and  Patron  of  virtue,  and  hates,  and  v/ill  punifh  \ice  and  wicketinefs  ; 
neverthelefs,  that  he  is  merciful  and  gracious,  and  will  certainly  pardon 
and  blefs  thofe  who  fmcerely  repent  of  their  fms,  and  return  unto  him. 
That  he  is  to  be  fupremely  reverenced  and  worihiped,  as  the  fo'e  Sove- 
reign of  the  univerfe,  by  prayers  and  facriliccs,  by  purity  and  integrity 

G  2  pf 


J 00  1'he  DoSlrines  of  the  Patriarchal  Age.  Ch.  XXIV. 

heart,  by  juftice  in  all  our  dealings,  by  all  a<£ls  of  charity,  goodnefs, 
and  benevolence  to  others,  particularly,  to  the  helplefs  and  indigent; 
by  temperance  and  fobriety,  curbing  irregular  defircs  and  appetites  j  that 
men  fhould  not  be  elated  and  pufed  up  by  large  pofleflions,  nor  put 
tbeir  truft  in  riches,  chap.  xxxi.  24,  25  ;  that  they  {hould  abhor  idola- 
try, ver.  26,  27,  28  ;  that  they  fhould  not  wifh  evil  to  an  enemy,  nor 
rejoice  in  his  misfortunes,  ver.  29,  30,  much  lefs  think  of  murdering 
him;  that  they  fliould  abftain  from  adultery  and  fornication,  ver.  i,  2, 
3,  9,  10,  II ;  from  theft,  rapin,  and  deceit,  ver.  5,  6,  7.  For  the  pu- 
nifhment  of  which  crimes  he  mentions  judges  in  his  days,  (ver.  ii,  28.) 
and  was  himfelf  one  of  the  chief,  chap.  xxix.  7,  9,  &:c. 

Thefe,  and  fuch  like  principles  of  natural  religion,  are  allowed  both 
bv  Job  and  his  friends,  and  therefore  were  the  religion  of  the  Patriarchs, 
as  indeed  they  are  the  principles  of  true  and  acceptable  religion  in  all 
fio-es  and  parts  of  the  world. 

Further;  the  religious  in  that,  and  the  preceding,  as  well  as  fubfe- 
quent  ages,  I  am  perfuaded,  entertained  the  faith  and  hope  of  a  future 
ftate.  This  hath  been  the  popular  belief  of  all  nations  from  time  im- 
memorial ;  and  it  is  fcarce  credible,  in  the  natu^re  of  the  thing,  that  the 
greateft  happinefs  of  this  life,  which  might  at  any  uncertain  time,  and 
and  at  length  would  infallibly  and  totally  bedemolifhed  by  death,  ftiould 
ever  become  a  folid  principle  of  religion,  confidered  as  the  fole  reward 
of  piety  and  virtue. 

However  it  appears,  that  Job  expected  a  future  world,  for  he  had 
hope  with  regard  to  his  condition,  but  not  in  this  world ;  therefore,  his 

hope  muft  be  in  a  future  ftate.    Chap.  xiii.  15.  16.  hxV^  ^b  ^j^h"'^  'H 

Z,o,  or  certainly,  he  zviil  /lay  nie.  :  I  will  net  hcpe.,  non  eft  quod  fperem, 
I  have  no  ground  to  hope,  that  I  fhall  furvive  my  fuffisrijigs,  yet  will  I 
7naintain  the  integrity  of  7ny  oivn  ivays  before  hitn.  And  even  this  Jhallbe 
for  falvation  to  me  \  [where  but  in  a  future  world  ?j  for  a  hypocrite  Jhall  not 
come  before  him ;  ftiall  not  have  conlidcncc  to  prefent  himfelf  before  his 
tribunal.  Chap,  xxiii.  10.  But  he  knoivs  the  way  that  I  take  \  when  he 
has  tried  me^  I  pall  come  forth  as  gold.  As  Job  abfolutcly  defpairs  of  any 
temporal  deliverance,  this  muft  necefTarily  be  underftood  of  the  hope 
he  entertained  of  having  his  innocence  cleared  ia  the  day  of  judg- 
ment. 

He  had,  moreover,  a  notion  of  the  refurredion.  ChJp.  xiv.  7.  For 
there  is  hope  of  a  tree^  if  it  is  cut  dowJiy  that  it  willfprout  again,  and  that 
the  tender  branch  thereof  will  not  ceafe.  Ver.  8.  'Though  the  root  thereof 
xvax  old  in  the  earth,  and  the  Jhck  thereof  die  in  the  ground,  ver.  9.  yet 
through  the  fcent  of  water  it  will  bud,  and  bring  forth  houghs  like  a  new 
plant.  Ver.  10.  And  JJ.mll  man  die,  and  totally  wajie  away?  And  fhall 
7nan  give  up  the  ghoji,  ayid  where  is  he  ?  Or  be  no  more  for  ever  ?  Ver. 
i\.  As  the  waters  fail  from  the  fea,  as  the  fea  ebbs  and  flows  again,  and 
the  river,  or  brook  in  the  dry  iandy  country  of  Arabia,  decays,  and  drieth 
up,  in  fummer,  but  is  made  a  brook  again  by  the  rains  and  fnows  of 
winter;  ver.  12.  So  man  lieth  doivn,  and  rijeth  not,  till  the  heavens  be  ns 
more  ;  they  fljall  not  awake,  nor  be  rafed  out  of  their  feep,  to  return  to  the 
affairs  and  pofTclTions  of  this  world.     Ver.  13.  And  Oh  that  thou,  O 

God, 


Ch.  XXIV.  The  Doarinei  of  the  Patriarchal  Age.  lOi 

God,  ivouldji  hide  me  in  the  grave,  in  that  ftate  of  flcep  and  infenfibility, 
that  thou  wouldji  keep  me  fecret,  in  that  filent  retirement,  until  thy  wrath 
be  pajl ;  that  then  wouldji  appoint  me  a  Jet  time,  and  remember  /::.-•  to  reftore 
me  to  a  new  and  better  life  !  Ver.  14.  If  a  man  die,  /hall  he  ..v  •  again  ? 
Or  fhall  a  man  live  again,  after  he  is  dead  ?  Then  I  will  patiently  v/ait 
all  the  days  of  the  time  thou  fhalt  be  pleafed  to  appoint,  till  mv  happy 
renovation  {hall  come.  Ver.  15.  Thou  Jlialt  call,  and  I  will  joyfnWy  an- 
Jk'er  thee-,  thou  vjilt  have  a  longing  defire  to  reftore  the  work  of  thy  hands. 
Ver.  16.  Though  now,  at  prefent,  thou  nunibere/t  my  Jieps,  &c. 

Chap.  xix.  23.  Obfer\'e  the  folemn  introduclic:  ;  Oh,  that  my  luords, 
which  I  am  going  to  fpcak,  iccre  now  written/  Oh,  that  they  zvere  printed 
in  a  book  !  Ver.  24.  That  they  were  graz>en  with  an  iron  pen  and  lead,  in 
the  rock  [my  grave-ftone,  Schultens.]  for  ever!  This  is  too  grand 
for  temporal  deliverance.  Why  fhould  that  be  recorded  upon  a  roclc,  aS 
a  lafting  monument  to  all  mankind?  Rat  it  very  vi-ell  fuics  the  noble 
and  fublime  hope  of  a  refurreclion  and  future  judgment,  worthy  of  uni- 
verfal  attention.     Ver.  25.   For  I  know,  or  am  well   afiureij,   that  my 

7^?^  Vindicator,  [the  Vindicator  of  my  innocence  is]  living,  and  that 

a^the lufl  over  the  duji,  [the  dead,  that  hath  been  reduced  to  duft,J  he  (hall 
arifc,  [to  execute  judgment,  fob  xxxi.  13,  14.  Pfal.  IxxW.  22.  Ixx-;ii. 
8.  J  Verlc  26.  And  though  after  my  Jkin  they  Jhall  deflroy  this,  [or  this 
body  fhall  be  deftroyed,]  yet  from  my  rtHored  fejh  I  jhall  luith  pleofure  fee 
God.  [Vide  R.  ntn]  verfe  27.  in:>om  I  Jhall  fee  for  myfelf,  [to  do  me 
juftice,  as  chap.  v.  27, — for  thy  good  [for  thyfeifj  and  mine  eyes  fnall  he- 
bold-^  but^'^  ajirangcr  to  goodnefs  and  juftice  (hall  «5/  behold  him  in 
the  fame  manner.     My  reins  are  confumed  in  my  bofom  [in  ardent  expccta-, 

tion  of  this  glorious  event.  N.  B.  H /J/7«^"/^  TV*  t^'i)J  vel  il  r\  de- 
fiderium,  ingens,  flagrans  et  confumens  lignificat ;  videfis  Pfalms  Ixxxiv. 

2.  cxix.  82,  123.  cxliii.  7.     Sic  quoquc  de   HlvD  renes,  ftatuendum.j 

Obferve — if  after  his  fkin,  his  body  alfo  was  deftroyed,  how  could  hs 
out-live  this  deftruction,  fo  as  to  be  a  man  profperous  and  happy  again 
in  this  world?  Had  this  been  his  fixed  belief,  his  frequent  wiihing  for 
death  would  be  utterly  unaccountable,  and  his  tragical  complaints  ridi- 
culous, and  his  defpair  qf  health  aijd  happinefs  in  this  world  a  contra- 
diction. 

li  wicked  men,  though  fometimes  in  great  wretchednef?,  [chap  xxl. 
16,  5cc.]  are  alfo  fometimes  profperous  and  powerful,  vcrj'e  7,  ^c.  the 
proper  inference  is,  verfe  30.  That  the  wicked  are  rejerved  unto  the  day  of 
deliruciion,  and  that  they  fnall  he  brought  forth  to  the  day  of  wrath  \  not  in 
this  world,  for  that  would  have  cut  the  neck  of  foy^  argument  at  once, 
and  have  fallen  in  directly  with  that   of  his    friends.      Chap.  xxxi. 

2,  3-  ..  . 

Chap,  xxvii.  8.  For  what  is  the  hope  of  an  hypocrite,  in  the  future  ftate, 
though  he  hath  gained  much  in  this  world  j  when  God  takes  away  his  fcul  at 
death  ?  This  fuppofeth  a  hope  after  death. — Again,  chap.  xxxi.  13,  14. 
JP'hat  then  Jhall  I  do  when  God  rij'eth  up  to  judgment  ?  Not  in  this  world, 
where  his  fufterings  were  as  great  as  could  be,  and  where  he  did  not  ex- 
pe^  they  would  be  abated. — Laftly,  his  friends  had  not  J'pokcn  of  God  the 

G  3  thing 


102  The  DoSirines  of  the  Patriarchal  Jge.  Ch.  XXIV. 

thing  that  ivfts  right,  as  Job  had  done,  chap.  xln.  7,  S.  But,  feting 
afide  a  future  ftnte,  the  friends  would  have  fpoke  more  worthily  of 
Got',  by  vindicatins;  his  Providence  in  the  exa6t  diihibution  of  good 
and  evil  in  this  life  j  and  Jc!\  v/ho  aiTerted  the  contrary,  would  have 
mifreprefented  lii?;  dealings  with  mankind. 

The  Patriarchs  before  and  after  Job,  and  the  Ifraelites  before  ChriJ} 
came,  had  a  notion  of  a  future  ftate.— By  facrifices  was  plainly  fhewn, 
that  a  wiy  v/as  open  to  the  Divine  Favor  and  Acceptance  ;  and  the  fa- 
vor of  God  iinports  happinefs,  which  to  Aicl^  who  was  for  that  ver\'  rea- 
fon,  btcaufe  he  was  accepted  of  God,  unjuftly  flain,  could  be  only  in  a 
future  O'ate.  Hcb.  xi.  4.  Kaj  ^i'  aurii;  aTio^avui  and  dying  on  account  of  that 
his  faith  he  yet  fpeaketh  an  invifible  future  ftate  of  reward. — The  tranfla- 
tion  of  Enoch  and  Elijah,  in  two  diftant  ages,  were  well  known  demon- 
ftrations  of  a  future  ftate  of  reward  and  glory.  — They  were  certainly 
ac^-uainted  with  Gcd  and  Angels,  and  heaven  where  both  refided.  Gen. 
xxii.  II.  And  the  connetSlion  between  this  world  and  heaven,  by  the 
miniftry  of  Angels,  was  clearly  reprefented  to  Jacob.  Genefis  xxviii.  12. 
They  muft,  therefore,  have  a  notion  of  another  and  better  world. 

The  promife  to  ^Z'n7Z'rf;;7,  Genefis  xvii.  7.  I  tvill  be  a  God  unto  thee, 
\yz  ftiall  find  is  the  fame  with  the  gofpel  promife,  and  therefore  muft  in- 
■clude  the  gift  of  eternal  life.  And  as  that  promife  wasfure  to  Abrahayn, 
Jfaac,  and  Jacob,  when  they  were  dead,  [Exodus  jii.  6.)  our  Lord  right- 
ly infers,  that  they  would  rife  again.  (Luke  xx.  37,  38.)  For  God  is 
not  a  God  of  the  dead,  who  cannot,  as  fuch,  be  benefited  by  him,  but  of 
the  Uvin^r  j  for  though  they  arc  dead,  they  all  live  unto  him,  or  with  refpecl 
of  him,  as  he  will  raife  them  all  to  life  again. — And  the  Patriarchs  thus 
imderftood  this  promife  ;  for  v/hen  they  confidered  and  reprefented  their 
life  in  this  world  as  a  pilgrimage,  Genefis  xlvii.  9.  or  a  ftate  of  fojourn- 
ino-  or  traveling,  they  plainly  intimated  that  they  were  feeking,  itar^i^xt 
their  P'ather's  country  /.  e.  the  heavenly  country  or  city.  Heb.  xi.  13 — 
J  6.  Had  the  profpeds  of  Mcfs  been  confined  to  this  world,  doubtlefs 
he  would  have  preferred  the  pleafures  and  honours  of  Pharaoh's  court ; 
but  by  refufing  them,  and  chufing  rather  to  futFer  with  the  people  of 
God,  he  plainly  indicated,  that  he  had  rcfpect  to  the  future  recompence  of 
reivard.  Heb.  xi.  24,  25,  26. 

It  is  certain  the  Jcivs,  even  during  their  peculiarity,  were  under  the 
Jbraha?nic,  or  Gofpel  covenant,  promifing  the  pardon  of  fin,  and  eter- 
nal life,  as  well  as  under  the  law,  or  Sinai  covenant.  Deut.  xxix.  12, 
j7,  And  furely,  if  they  were  admited  to  a  covenant  of  life  and  immorta- 
lity, they  could  not  be  ignorant  of  a  future  ftate.  Nor  can  it  be  judged 
at  all  improbable,  that  Alofs  propounds  eternal  life  to  them  in  fuch  paf- 
fao-e's  as  this,  Deut,  xxx.  b.  The  Lord  thy  God  uill  circumcife  thy  hearty 
end  the  heart  cf  thy  feed,  to  love  the  Lord  thy  Gcd  ivith  all  thine  heart,  and 
u-ith  all  thy  foul,  that  thou  7nayjl  live.  This  our  Lord  underftood  of  eter- 
ral  life.  Lukex.  25,  &c.  When  one  afked  him,  IFhat  fall  I  do  to  inhe- 
rit eternal  life?  he  fent  him  to  the  law  of  Afofes ;  and  when  the  enquirer 
readily  quoted  the  rule  of  life  given  by  Aicfes,  our  Lord  replied,  Tl^ou  hajl 
CiKfivercdiieU',  this  do,  and  thou  fait  live,  meaning  eternally.  Which 
Jcads  us  to  undcrftand  Mofs  in  the  fame  fenfe,  when  he  propofcs  life  as 
the  ieward  of  their  fincere  religion,  virtue,  and  goodnefs.  Deut.  xxx.  15, 

19,  2©.- 


Ch.  XXIV.  The  Doarines  of  the  Patriarchal  Age,  163 

19,  20.  Lev.  xviii.  5.  compared  with  Romans  x.  5.  Gal.  m.  10,  ii,  12. 
Indeed  life  and  profperity  in  the  land  of  Canaan^  is  intermixed  with  fuch 
promifes.  This  is  to  be  confidered  as  addrcfTed  to  them  in  a  national 
capacity,  and  with  refpccl  to  the  covenant  of  peculiarity.  [Note — 
Life  is  put  for  eternal  life,  John  vi.  47,  48,  52,  5  j,  5 8.  J  ri'C^H"!  is  the 

begining,  or  former  part  i  H^'^Ht*?  properly  denotes,  what  comes  after, 

the  after  part,  time,  or  ftate.  Thus  Job's,  time,  after  his  affiictions 
were  over,  is  called  his  ahharith^  chap.  xlii.  12.  So  is  a  man's  poiteri- 
ty.,  or  thofe  that  come  after  him  in  being.     J,no5  \\ .  2. 

Sometimes  it  fignifies  the  happy  conlequence,  or  fcquel  of  a  courfe 
of  action.  Proverbs  xxiv.  14,  20  ;  frequently  after-days,  or  times  in  this 
world  ;  but  is  never  ufed  more  properly  than  to  denote  a  future  Hate  af- 
ter death.  Num.  xxiii.  10.  Let  me  die  the  death  of  the  right:  ousj  and  lei 
7ny  ahharith,  my  after^  or  future  Jlate^  be  like  his.  Pfalm  Ixxiii.  3 — 18. 
The  wicked  lived  in  profperity,  and  died  an  cafy  death.  There  are  no 
bands  in  their  deaths  verfe  4.  1  envied  them,  faith  David,  verfe  i  7,  until 
I  went  into  the  fan^uary  of  God  ;  then  underjlood  I  theif  ahliarith,  future 
Jiate  after  death.  Surely  thou  hajlfet  them  in  Jlippe7y  places  j  thou  hajl  cajl 
them  down  into  eternal  de/lrw^ion,  6zc.  Verfe  20.  As  a  dream  after  one  is 
aiuake  ;  jo,  O  Lord,  zvheti  thou  awakcjl  [^'V^  i'^  awaking  them,  or  when 

they  are  awakened]  thou  wilt  defpife,  [dcbafe,  pour  contempt  upon.  Da  ■ 
niel xi'i.  2.]  their  image  [tDu?'i  their  vain,  fliadowy,  unfubflantial  con- 
dition.] Verfe  23.  Neverthelefs  I  a?n  continually  with  thee,  [the  object  of 
thy  fpecial  care.]  Verfe  24 — 27.  Tliou  Jhalt  guide  me  by  thy  counjel,  and 
efterward  receive  me  to  glory,  &c.  Proverbs  xxm.  17,  18.  Surely  there  is 
an  end,  ahharith,  an  after-ftate.  Jer.  xvii.  11.  yh  the  bird  Kore  hatcheth 
(ggs,  which  Jhe  did  not  lay,fo  he  that  gctteth  riches,  and  not  by  right,  jhall  leave 
them  in  the  midjl  of  his  days,  and  at  his  end  [in'^ilXIll  in  his  after — or 

future-ftate,]  y7W/ Z't'    7]!^    a  fool,  vile,  contemptible.     Verfe  13. • 

They  that  depart  from  xnQ  Jhall  be  written  in  the  earth,  not  rcMfttired  in 

heaven,  in  the  book  of  life.  Dcut.  xxxii.  29 their  latter  end,  their 

after or  future-ftate.   Pfalm  xxxvii.  37,  38. the  end,  ahharith,  of 

that  man  is  peace,  happinefs.  But  the  tranfgrcffors  Jhall  he  utterly  dejlroy'ed 
[where  but  in  the  future  world  ?J  the  end,  ahharith,  cfthe  tvicked Jhall  be 
cut  off.  Deut.  xiv.  I,  2.  y'e  are  t]je  children  of  the  Lord  your  God;  (of  an 
immortal  Father)  ye  Jhall  not  cut  your/elves,  nor  make  any  baldncfs  between 
your  eyes  for  the  dead.  They  mult  not  mourn  as  thofe  tiiat  had  no  hope, 
I  Thcf.  iv.  13.  Adoption  includes  the  redemption  of  the  body.  Romans 

yiii.  23. IJ'aiah  xxvi.   19.   Thy  dead  men  jhall  live,  luith  my  dead  body 

Jhall  they  arife :  awake,  andfing  ye  that  diuell  in  the  dujl ;  for  tby  dew  is  as 
the  dew  of  herbs,  which  makes  herbs  to  fpiing  and  grow  up.  But  the 
garth  Jhall  cajl  out  the  wicked  dead,  the  rephaim,  as  abortives. 

See  Pfalms  xv.  xvi.  9,  6tc.  xvii.  15. when  I  awake  out  of  death. 

Daniel  xn.  2.  Pj'alms  xxiii.  6.  xxiv.  3,  4,  5.  Eccl.  iii.  16,  17.  xii.  13. 
Ifaiah  xxv.  8.  li.  6. 

Theie  inftances  may  fatisfy,  that,  although  life  and  immortality  are 
brought  into  the  fuUeit  light  by  the  Gofpei,  a  futurg  itate  was  not  w^- 

^  4  known 


104  The  Scripture-Chronology,  Ch.  XXV. 

known  from  the  begining  to  the  coming  of  Chr'yh  We  may  therefore 
take  it  for  a  good  rule,  that  the  words,  life  and  falvation^  in  the  Old 
Teflamentj  may  be  underftood  of  z.  future  life  and  jahation,  when  the 
context  will  admit  of  fuch  an  interpretation. 

We  have  found,  that  in  the  Patriarchal  Age,  among  the  nations,  be- 
fore the  Jewifh  peculiarity,  there  were  perfons  eminent  for  religion  an4 
virtue,  who  worfhiped  the  living  God,  and  enjoyed  extraordinary  com- 
munications from  him  ;  but  that  many  were  of  a  different  charafter, 
wicked  and  ungodly  men  ;  and  that  idolatry,  captivating  the  minds  of 
the  ignorant,  weak,  and  vicipus,  fpread  fo  fail,  that  it  threatened  thp 
total  eJitiniSlion  of  good  morals,  and  of  the  knowledge  and  pure  worfhip 
o'[  God.  How  the  father  of  mankind  counteracted  this  new  inftance 
of  degeneracy  we  fliall  fee,  when  we  have  fetled  the  Scripture-Chrono« 
logy,  and  confidered  the  judgment  of  God  upon  Sodom  and  Go(norrha, 


^ 


aOM3«oceaeceee«CMe:oMUoeco<?ocxc9C9:eeo«os«cMctMeo«eaesM033ee99<«c«eeMoe04eaeaeoscoteao«S9«eooMaocco3S«aSAMOa 


^ 


CHAP.      XXV. 

The  Scripture-Chronology /r5/;z  the  Deluge  to  /Z*^  Exodus, 

The  IFic.iednefs  and  Ruin  j/" Sodom,  ^c.  857  Tears. 


V'ear  before 

Year  of 

Year  of 

Proofs. 

Names  of  the  Patriarchs,  and  their 

Chrift. 

the  World. 

Shim's  Age. 

Ages,  when  they  had  Sons. 

Years 

2346 

1658 

100 

Gen.xi.  10. 

Shem,  after  the  Fl.      2  and  begat 
Arphaxad  lived          35  and  begat 

14. 

Salah  lived                 30  and  begat 

16. 

Heber  lived                34  and  begat 

18. 

Peleij  lived                 30  and  begat 
Reu  lived                    32  and  begat 
Serug  lived                30  and  begat 

24. 

Nahor  lived               29  and  begat 
Terah  lived              130  *  and  begat 

1  when  the 

19ZI 

2CS3 

525 

xii.  4. 

Abraham                    75  >  Promife 
J  vvasmade 

550 

XXV.  26. 

After  that                   25  and  begat 
Ifaac  lived                  60  f  and  begat 
■%  when  he 

1706 

229S 

xlvii,  9. 

Jacob  aged               130  i  removed 
J  to  Egyfc. 
Ifraelites  conti- ? 
nued  there.     5       ^ 

1491 

2513 

*  gift-;!*;^  E  A^.  xi.  26.  it  is  faid,  Terah  lived  70  years,  and  begat  Abram^ 
'•^  (^  ^  Nahor^  and  Haran.  But  Terah  wzs  205  years  old  when  he 
V*"'^:^  ^^^^  ^^  i/^r.7;;,  Gen.  xi.  32.     After  Terah's  death,  Jbrarri 

left  Haran;  and  then  was  he  75  years  old.  Gen.  xii.  4.  which   being 

fubtra6led  from  205,  !rfrfl/;'s  age,  gives  130,  the  year  of  TirraA,  when 

Abram  was  born. 

\  ^  Add 


Ch.  XXV.  The  Scripture-Chrombgy,  1 05 

t  Add  lj'aac'%  age  (60)  when  facoh  was  born,  to  the  years  from  the 
Dcluo-e,  and  you  will  have  512,  the  year  after  the  Deluge  when  Jacob 
was  born,  Shcm  was  98  years  old  at  the  Deluge,  and  lived  600  years. 
Gen.  xi.  10,  II.  Take  98  from  600  and  there  remains  502,  the  years 
^hetii  lived  after  the  Deluge  j  which,  deduced  from  512,  the  year  after 
the  Deluge,  in  which  Jacob  \f^s  born,  leaves  ten  years,  the  time  between 
Shem's  death  and  Jacob's  birth.  Hence  it  follows,  that  Ifaac  lived  with 
Shem  ^Oy  and  that  Jbratn  lived  v/ith  Shem  150  years,  ^i^t  alfo,  who 
lived  180  years,  [Gen.  xxxv.  28.)  lived  120  with  Jacob,  i.  e.  till  within 
ten  years  of  Jacob's  going  down  into  Egypt.  And  as  Shefn  lived  with 
Mcthi'felah  98,  and  Metbufela  with  Adam  240,  three  perfons,  Methufelah^ 
Shem,  and  Ifaac,  might  bring  down  the  account  of  things  from  Alani 
till  within  ten  years  of  the  going  down  of  the  Ij'raeiites  i?ito  Egypt.  From 
the  Deluge  to  the  Promife  was  427  years. 

From  the  Promife  to  the  time  when  Jacob  and  his  family  went  down 
into  Egypt  was  215  years.  And  from  the  Promife  to  the  time  when  the 
children  of  Ifrael  came  out  oi  Egypt  was  430  years.  Compare  Exod.  xii. 
41.  with  Gal.  iii.  1 7.  Therefore  the  time  of  their  continuance  in  Egypt 
mu-ft  be  215  years. 

Jofeph  was  30  years  of  age  when  preferred  by  Pharoah,  Gen.  xli.  46- 
After  that  there  were  fevcn  years  of  plenty,  and  two  of  famine  [Gen. 
xlv.  II.)  before  Jacob  came  down  into  Egypt.  Jofeph,  therefore,  was 
then  39  years  of  age,  after  that  he  lived  71  years,  for  he  lived  in  all  no 
years.  Gen.  1.  22,  26.  Take  71  out  of  215,  and  there  remains  144,  the 
time  the  Ifraeliies  remained  flaves  in  Egypt  after  Jofeph's  death.  Exod. 
i.  8. 

Before  we  come  to  the  promife  made  to  Abraham,  which  was  the 
foundation  ftone  of  the  grand  fcheme  to  preferve  religion  and  morals  in 
the  world,  we  jnuft  turn  our  thoughts  a  while  to  a  particular  difpenfa- 
lion,  which  God  inflicted  upon  four  cities,  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  Advuih 
and  Zeboim,  (Gen.  xiv.  2.  Deut.  xxix.  23.)  that  ftood  in  a  very  exten- 
five,  fruitful,  and  pleafant  vale,  along  the  fides  of  the  river  Jordan.  Gen. 
xiii.  10.  So  far  had  idolatry,  and  the  immorality  which  ufually  attends 
it,  infected  the  world,  that  thefe  four  populous  cities,  and  Zoar,  which 
lay  not  far  from  them,  [Gen.  xiv.  2.  xix.  20.)  were  become  exceflively  de- 
bauched and  wicked,  indulging  to  that  vileft  fort  of  lewdnefs,  which  is 
commonly  called  Sodomy,  going  after  Jirange  Jiejh,  (Jude  7.)  the  men 
burning  in  their  luji  ofie  towards  another,  men  with  men  working  that  ivhich 
is  unfeemly.  Rom.  i.  27. 

1  herefore  God  purpofed  to  punifh  them  with  an  exemplary  and  total 
deftruftion.  Abraham,  in  the  benevolence  of  his  foul,  interceded  for 
their  prefervation.  GV«.  xviii.  23.  And  fuch  is  the  mercy  of  God,  fo 
great  his  regard  to  virtuous  charaders,  and  fo  ready  for  their  fakes  to 
beltow  bleflings,  even  upon  the  unworthy,  that  he  would  have  fpared 
them,  if  but  ten  truly  fober  and  virtuous  perfons  could  have  been  found  in 
all  thofe  five  cities  ;  but  they  were  univerfally  and  irreclaimably  corrupt. 
Therefore,  fparing  Zoar  for  Lot's  fake,  [Gen.  xix.  20,21.)  he  deftroyed 
the  other  four  cities,  with  all  their  inhabitants,  by  pouring  upon  them 
the  moft  dreadful  ftorm  of  fire  and  brimftone  from  heaven  ;  and  alfo, 
probably,  by  a  terrible  earthquake,  that  broke  up  the  very  foil  of  the 

earth. 


jo6  The  Scnpturi-Ojronology.  Ch.  XXV. 

earth,  and  by  an  irruption  of  bituminous  waters,  which  turned  the  whole 
vale  into  one  heavy,  tctid,  and  unvvholfome  lake,  called  the  deacl^  or  fait 
Jca^  about  30  miles  long,  and  10  miles  broad,  Gen.  xix.  24,  25,  v/hich 
remains  unto  this  day. 

This  dreadful  inftance  of  Divine  Vengeance,  through  the  mercy  of 
God^  removed  the  bad  examples  of  thofe  daring  finncrs,  had  a  natural 
fitneis  to  awaken  and  reform  the  furviving  impious,  and  was  very  pro- 
perly intended  to  rem^iin  a  perpetual  monument  of  the  wrath  of  God 
upon  the   wickednefs  of  mankind.   2  Pet.  ii.  6.  Jude  ver.  7.  Suffering 

the  vetigennce  cf  eternal  fire.     Note the  fire  was  eternal^  as  it  totally 

and  for  ever  deftroyed  thofe  cities  never  to  be  built  again.  GoJ  thus 
revealed  his  future  tvraih  from  heaven  againjl  oil  ungodlinefs  and  unrighte- 
oiifnefs  of  men.  And  though  there  be  no  prefent  appearances  of  it,  we 
ihould  not  therefore  be  fecure.  For,  as  our  Lord  obferves,  Luke  xvii. 
s8.  The  Sodomites  did  eat.,  they  drank^  they  bought,  they  fold,  they  planted, 
they  buildcd,  thoughtlefs  and  fecure;  but  the  fame  day  that  Lot  went  out  of 
Sodom,  it  rained  fire  and  brinifione  from  heaven,  and  deftroyedthem  all.  Even 
thusfhallit  he  in  the  day  that  the  Son  of  Man  is  revealed. 

Gen.  xix.  24.  '7  hel-iORn  rained  fire  and  bri?nj'lone  from  the'Lo'RTi  in  hea- 
ven. This  is  an  Hebraifm,  where  the  noun  itfeli'  is  put  inftead  of  the 
perfonal  pronoun. 

Gen.  xix.  26.  But  his  wife  looked  hack  frtm  behind  him,  andfhe  became  a 

fillar  of  fait.     Note The  fulphureous  florm  did  not  begin  to  fall  upon 

Scdom,  till  Lot  was  fafely  arrived  at  Zcar,  Gen.  xix.  22.  But  his  wife 
looked  back  before  he  reached  Zcar-,  for  file  looked  back  from  behind  him, 
as  he  was  going  to  Zoar.  Therefore,  when  (he  looked  back,  Sodom^ 
and  the  fine  countrv  about  it,  appeared  in  the  fame  pleafant  and  ferene 
ftate  as  ever.  Confequently,  flie  looked  with  a  look  of  afi'eclion  to  the 
place,  and  of  regret  to  leave  it,  and  their  goods  that  were  in  it,  accord- 
ing to  the  import  of  the  verb  1312^ This  implied  unbelief  and  dif- 

trufl  of  what  the  angels  had  affirmed,  that  God  would  immediately  de- 
ftroy  the  place.  She  did  not  believe,  or  fhe  did  not  regard  it ;  fhe  ftopt 
by  the  way,  and  left  her  hufband  to  go  by  himfelf;  fhe  would  go  no  fur- 
ther, and  might  be  at  a  confiderable  diftance  from  Zoar,  and  fo  near  to 
Sodom,  as,  probably,  to  be  involved  in  the  terrible  fhower,  and  thereby 
turned  into  a  nitro-fulphureous  pillar.  This  gives  the  proper  fenfe  and 
force  of  our  Lord's  admonition,  Luke  xvii.  32.  Remember  Lot' s  wife.  Let 
the  judgment  of  God  upon  her,  warn  you  of  the  folly  and  danger  of  han- 
kering after,  and  being  lothe  to  part  with  fmall  and  temporal  things,  when 
your  life  and  happinefs,  the  greatefl  and  mofl  lafling  concernsj  are  at  flake* 


CHAP.  XXVI. 


Ch.  XXVL       •  •  7h  State  of  RJiglon,  if,-.  ,o; 


CHAP.      XXVL 

Ihe  State  ^Religion  in  the  Worlds  when  God  made  the  Promife  to 

Abraham. 

^•C^-ft:^  H  OUG  H  we  may  be  fure,  that  our  State  of  Trial  hath  been, 
^?  T  ^^:  from  the  begining  of  the  world,  perfectly  well  adjufted,  as  to 
C)R"^^  the  proper  ballance  of  means  and  temptations,  for  all  the  pur- 
pofes  of  Divine  Wifdom  and  Goodnefs,  yet  it  is  certain  that  the  con- 
tagion of  evil  fo  far  fpread  in  the  carlieft  ages,  as,  in  procefs  of  time, 
to  threaten  the  total  extinction  of  true  Religion  and  good  morals.  This 
is  evident  in  the  cafe  of  the  old  world,  where  wickednefs  and  impiety 
had,  at  length,  and  by  degrees,  infedted  the  whole  race  of  mankind,  ex- 
cept Noah's  fingle  family.  And  in  about  450  years  after  the  delup-e, 
idolatry  and  wickednefs  had  fpread  and  corrupted  the  world  fo  far,  that 
Sodom  and  four  other  cities,  being  univerfally  debauched,  were  deflroy- 
cd  (one  excepted  for  the  reafon  already  given)  by  a  moft:  tremendous 
judgment.  The  JfnoriteSy  and  fcveral  other  neighbouring  nations,  were 
then  filling  up  the  meafure  of  their  iniquity  ;  {Gen.  xv.  r6,  19,  20,  21.) 
which  in  about  400  years  after  was  quite  full  ;  and  God,  who  might 
have  deftroyed  them,  as  he  did  Sodom^  6cc,  gave  the  Ifrch'litcs  3.  commif- 
fion  to  expel,  or  extirpate  them. 

This  fpreading  corruption,  after  the  deluge,  is  not  to  be  affigned  to 
fimple  irreligion,  but  to  religion  direiStcd  to  wrong  objects  and  purpofes. 
While  men  retained  the  knowledge  of  the  true  God,  they  cared  not  to 
glorify  him  by  the  practice  of  virtue  and  holincfs,  nor  were  thankful  for 
his  benefits.  Rom.  i.  21,  22.  And  artful  men,  through  pride  and  wan- 
tonnefs,  indulging  to  idle  conceits  and  falfe  reafonings,  involved  their 
own  underftanding,  and  that  of  others,  in  the  thickelt  clouds  of  error 
and  delufion.  Probably,  they  reprefented  the  heavenly  bodies,  the  fun, 
moon,  and  ftars,  as  illufirious  intelligences,  who,  beino;  fo  eminently 
exalted,  muft  have  the  higheft  intereft  in  the  favour  of  God,  the  direc- 
tion of  human  affairs,  and  the  diftribution  of  all  temporal  bleffinp^s  ; 
and  therefore  it  would  be  fufficient  to  all  the  purpofes  of  rclivion,  tolfe- 
cure  their  friendfhip,  as  mediators  betv/een  God  and  them.  ^Thus  they 
might  be  drheji,  enticed,  drawn  in,  to  worfhip  them,  [Deut.  iv.  19.) 
by  fuch  impious  rites  as  were  invented  by  the  folly  and  ignorance  of  the 
fame  fophifters,  and  adapted  to  the  depraved  minds  of  fuch  as  liitcned 
to  them.  Thus  they  might  be  deceived  into  the  practice  of  all  manner 
of  lewdnefs  and  vice.  For  the  attributes  of  thofe  fuppofod  deities,  and 
benefactors  of  mankind,  being  feigned  purely  by  human  imagination, 
they  would  naturally  be  reprefented  by  men,  who  had  their  own  interells 
and  lufts  to  ferve,  in  fuch  manner  as  bcft  fuited  the  corrupt  tafte  and  in- 
clinations of  thofe  who  were  difpofed  to  follow  them.  If  this  was  not 
the  cafe  at  firft,  it  may  eafily  be  conceived  to  have  been  fo  in  procefs  of 
time,  by  after  improvements  upon  the  original  fcheme  of  idolatry.  And 
by  this  method  men  would  be  lead  to  bvhcve,  they  might  be  religiou?, 

and 


loS  The  State  of  Religion  in  the  JForld,  l^c,  '       Ch.  XXVI. 

and  gain  health,  long  life,  fruitful  feafons,  plenty,  profperity,  not  only 
without  the  practice  of  virtue  and  holincfs,  but,  i^ofitiveiy,  by  lev/d  and 
wicked  praftices  ;  and  thus  religion  would  be  turned  into  an  encoura;^e- 
ment  to  vice,  and  the  principles  of  virtue  and  goodnefs  would  be  extin- 
guifhcd. 

Whether  they  were  feduced  precifely  after  this  manner  or  not,  tlie 
fact  is  certain,  that  their  abominable  idolatries  were  attended  with  abo- 
minable lufts  and  intemperance,  i  Pet.  iv.  3.  Add  to  this,  that  cunning 
men,  who  knew  how  to  make  their  own  advantage  of  the  foiblf.-  of 
mankind,  introduced  into  their  minds  notions  of  fate,  deftmy,  fortune, 
chance,  neceffity,  with  many  other  delufions.  Hence  arofe  profeiiors 
of  the  vileft  arts,  pretending  to  look  into  futurity,  to  gratify  malicious 
dcfires,  to  fecurc  good,  and  prevent  bad  luck  to  thofe  who  confulted 
them.  Dcut.  xviii.  10.  Diviners,  ohfcrvcrs  of  ti?nes^  inchanters,  witches^ 
or  fuch  as  pretend  to  work  upon  the  mind,  or  body,  for  evil  purpofes, 
by  herbs  or  potions.;  charimrs,  confulters  with  a  pretended  familiar  fpirity 
wizards,  tiecroiuancers.  And  fo  far  were  they  infatuated,  that  they  mad^ 
their  Ions  and  daughters  to  pafs  through  the  fife,  under  the  notion  of 
facrihces  to  their  idols  ;  probably,  to  gain  their  blefling  upon  their  chil- 
dren, and  to  make  them  healthy  and  fortunate.  Deut.  xii.  31.  xviii.  10, 
Lev,  xviii,  21.  xx.  2.  Thus  their  hope  and  truft,  and  their  regards  were 
diverted  from  God  and  his  Providence  to  vain  idols  and  the  vileft 
impoflors. 

The  ncgle6t  and  abufe  of  underftanding,  and  the  indulged  irregular 
inclinations  of  the  heart,  were  doubtlefs  the  fpring  and  principal  caufe 
of  this  defe£i;ion  from  God  and  virtue.  But  we  may  believe  it  was  for- 
warded and  compleated  by  the  fuggeftions  and  inlligations  of  the  devil 
and  his  angels;  toe  Prince  of  the  poiuer  of  the  Jir,  the  Spirit  whom  God 
permits  fa  ivork  in  the  children  ofdifobedience.,  (Ephef.  ii.  2.)  and  to  deceive 
the  nations.  Rev,  xx.  2,  3.  For  when  men  receive  not  the  love  of  the 
irtcfhj  that  they  may  be  faved,  G^^  judicially  fends  them  Jlrong  delufion, 
that  they  may  believe  a  lie.  That  they  7nay  all  be  condemned,  who  believe  not 
the  truth,  but  have  pleafure  in  unrighteoufnefs.     2  ThefT.  ii.  g — 12. 

Thus  we  fee  how  idolatry  firft  began,  and  by  what  means  it  might, 
as  it  certainly  did,  fpread  in  the  world;  and  would  have  prevailed  uni- 
verfally,  as  the  remaining  virtuous  dropt  off,  and  as  men  of  underftand- 
ing happened  to  be  drawn  in  by  various  allurements.  For  the  heart 
even  of  Solomon,  the  great  and  wife,  was,  by  the  love  of  ftrange  women, 
{o  far  turned  away  after  idol-gods,  that  he  built  high-places  and  altars  in 
honor  of  them,  even  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  city  Jerufalem.  1 
Kin.  xi.  I — 8. 

Fo  prevent  the  univerfal  prevalence  of  idolatry,  and  to  preferve  among 
mankind  the  knowledge  and  worftiip  of  the  living  and  true  God,  the 
wife  and  gracious  Father  of  men  was  pleafed  to  advance  a  new  and  noble 
fcheme,  which,  under  feveral  variations  and  improvements,  was  to  reach 
to  the  end  of  time.  The  fcheme  was  this,  to  choofe  and  aJopt  one  ta- 
mily^  afterwards  to  be  formed  into  a  nation,  inftru6led  in  religious  know- 
ledge by  (jod  himfelf,  and  favored  with  fuch  extraordinary  privileges, 
and  honors,  above  all  other  nations  of  the  earth,  as  were  m  their  own 
nature  adapted  to  ingage  them,  by  the  moft  rational  motives,  to  adherf 


Ch.  XXVII.         The  Methods  of  Divine  TVifdorn^  ^c.  1-9 

to  God  and  his  worfhip.  At  the  fame  time,  to  prevent  their  being  infeft- 
ed  with  the  idolatries  and  vices  of  the  reft  of  the  w^orld,  as  they  certainly 
would  have  been,  had  they  mingled  with  them,  they  v/ere  to  be  diftin- 
guifhed  and  feparated  from  all  other  people  by  their  diet,  their  drefs,  and 
divers  civil  and  religious  rites  and  ceremonies ;  but  more  particularly 
by  a  fecret  mark  in  the  flefti,  by  which  they  might  be  certainly  known 
from  all  other  men.  Thus  they  would  be  kept  together  in  a  body,  and 
hindered  from  mixing  with,  and  being  corrupted  by,  their  idolatrous 
neighbours,  and  in  every  refpecl  fited  to  be  an  example  and  inftru6iion 
to  them  under  the  various  difpenfations  wherewith  they  were  vifited. 
And  further,  their  laws  and  religious  inftitutions  being  originally  record- 
ed in  hocks^  would  more  certainly  be  preferved  and  known  in  all  futura 
ages  and  generations.  Thus  God  provided  a  ftore-houfe  of  relio^ious 
knowledge,  a  whole  nation  of  priefts,  Exod.  xix.  6-  a  fchool  of  inftruc- 
tionand  wifdom  for  all  the  world.  Or  the  nation  of  Ifraellt^is  may  be 
confidered  as  a  piece  of  leaven  which  in  proccfs  of  time  was  to  leaven 
the  whole  lump  or  mafs  of  mankind. 

Abraham,  a  perfon  of  the  moft  eminent  piety  and  virtue,  ^vas  chofcn 
to  be  the  head  and  father  of  this  nation ;  that,  as  he  would  always  be  held 
in  great  veneration  among  them,  he  might  always  fhine  before  their  eyes 
as  an  illuftrious  pattern  of  godlinefs. 

The  ground  of  this  fcheme,  and  of  God's  fingular  regards  to  Abra- 
ham  and  his  pofterity,  was  the  Covenant  of  Grace,  the  Promise 
or  grant  of  favors  and  bleffings  to  mankind  in  "Jefus  Chriji  our  Lord. 
Who  verily  was  fcre-ordaimd  before  the  foundation  of  the  worlds  though  not 
manifejled  till  the  lajl  tiuus.  i  Pet.  i.  20.  This  Covenant  or  grant  was 
firft  publifhed  to  Adam,  Gen.  iii.  15.  Her^  the  woman's,  feed  jhallbriiift 
thy  head^  O  ferpent,  and  thou  Jhalt  bruife  his  heel.  Nor  could  it  be  wholly 
uuknown  to  the  Patriarchs  ;  but  it  was  much  more  clearly  revealed  to 
Abraham.  Gen.  xii.  3.  xvil.  7.  xviii.  18.  xxii,  16,  17,  18.  And  this  is 
the  fubjecl  which  now  requires  our  particular  attention.  [See  the  Trea- 
tife  on  the  Covenant  of  Grace.,  &c.] 


@>0«0*0'>0«©^0^0'>0^0>0*0<®>0>0«0>0^0«0'>©^0«€^ 


CHAP.       XXVII. 

The  Methods  efDivinE  Wisdom  in  raifng  up  a  new  cndreligioui 

Nation, 

g>K5frr;iK  O  return  to  the  age  in  which  Abraham  lived.  The  delufions  of 
-^  T  0  idolatry  were  fo  ftrong,  and  the  human  underftanding  fo  weak, 
k*!3*;'ft>S'  ^hat  all  nations  feem  to  have  run  into  it  at  once  and  alike.  And 
luch  was  the  infatuating  and  fpreading  nature  of  the  infedlion,  that  there 
was  no  rational  profpect  of  the  reformation  of  any  one  of  them.  Violence 

could 


no  7he  Methods  of  Divine  TFifdom,  &c.         Ch.  XXVII, 

could  not  be  ufed,  argument  and  reafoning  would  have  no  efFeft,  the 
moft  dreadful  judgments  were  forgotten,  or  difregardcd  *.  The  know- 
ledge and  worihip  of  the  one  living  and  true  God,  the  great  principle  of 
moral  goodnefs,  and  of  public  and  private  happinefs,  would  have  been 
totally  loft  in  the  earth.  But  the  Father  and  Governor  of  men  provided 
a  remedy.  Inftead  of  deftroying  all  nations,  as  at  the  deluge,  it  wix. 
the  merciful  fcheme  of  Divine  Wifdom  to  create,  out  of  one  pious  and 
faithful  perfon,  Jhrohnm^  a  new  and  religious  nation,  feparated  from  all 
the  refl-,  in  order  to  afcertain  among  them,  and  at  length  among  all  na- 
tions, right  fentiments  of  his  Being,  Perfeclions,  and  Providence.  And 
it  is  greatly  worth  our  while  to  obferve  the  fteps  and  Methods  by  which 
God  was  pleafed  to  train  them  up  for  this  purpofe. 

Firft,  Abrahajn  is  required  to  caft  himfclf  wholly  upon  God^%  Pro- 
vidence, by  removing,  at  God\  command,  from  his  own  kindred  and 
country,  to  an  unknown  diftant  land,  which  God  would  (hew  him  ;  af- 
furing  him  of  his  prefenceand  fpecial  bleifing.  Genefis  xii.  i,  7,  3.  Thus 
God  took  him  under  his  immediate  care  and  prote6tion.  In  this  ftrange 
land  he  wandered  about  as  long  as  he  lived,  but  God  was  with  him  every 
where.  G(7(5^  appeared  to  him,  and  converfed  with  him  frequently  and 
familiarly.  By  extraordinary  interpofitions,  and  exprefs  declarations 
from  time  to  time  God  incouraged,  diredled,  profpered,  guarded  and 
provided  for  him.  He  became  very  rich,  great,  and  honourable  ;  but 
P.11  was  moft  vifibly  the  gift  and  operation  of  God.  God  gave  him  re- 
.peated  aflurances,  that  he  would  make  ofMwxv  a  great  nation^  giv^his  po^ 
Itcrity  the  whole  land  of  Canaan^  and  that  /«  his  feed  all  the  nations  of  the 
earth  Jhould  be  hleffed.  But  he  was  not  to  have  a  fon,  till  the  birth  of 
that  fon  was  manifeftly  the  extraordinary  miraculous  eft'ect  of  Divine 
Power,  and  infured  the  performance  of  the  promifes.  What  could  be 
more  ingaging  than  all  thefe  circumftances  ?  What  more  proper  to  ex- 
cite in  a  man,  duty,  affeition,  and  confidence  towards  God  ?  The  fame 
encouragements,  bleflings,  and  promifes  are  repeated  to  Ifaac^  and  af- 
terwards to  Jacobs  and  the  fame  heavenly  correfpondence  is  kept  open 
with  them  during  their  lives.  Egypt,  then  a  plentiful  country,  of  genius 
and  learning,  [^Jdls  vii.  22.]  the  refort  of  the  curious  and  inquifitive, 
was  chofen  to  be  the  nurfery  of  this  family.  Thither  was  fofeph  firft 
carried  by  a  fingular  Providence,  fold  for  a  Have,  and  moft  unjuftly  caft 
into  prifon,  but  only  that  God  might  fhew  himfelf  in  his  enlargement. 
By  means  which  God  only  could  provide  and  dire61:,  he  was  at  once  re- 
leafed  from  a  jail,  and  raifed  to  almoft  regal  honor  and  authority.  And 
in  high  dignity  and  efteem,  and  with  aftonifhing  fuccefs,  which  nond 
but  God  could  give,  in  the  moft  important  affairs,  he  continued  all  the 
days  of  his  life. 

By  him  God  prcdi6lcd  feven  years  of  prodigious  plenty  in  Egypt^  and 
feven  fucceeding  years  of  the  moft  diftreffing  famine  in  the  land,  and  in 
all  the  adjacent  countries.  By  this  event,  Jacob's  whole  family,  in  all 
feventy  two  fouls,  were  brought  to  refide,  with  the  great  good  will  of 
the  king,  and  of  the  whole  nation,  in  Gcjhefiy  the  richeft  province  in 

the 

•  Reckoning  by  the  age  of  man,  the  world  was  20  years  old  ;  for  God 
tailed  Abraham  in  the  year  of  the  world  2CS3. 


Ch.  XXVII.  The  Methods  of  Divine  TVifdom^  ^c,  I  j  t 

the  land  of  Egypt,  Gen.  xlvii.  6.  where  their  fituatlon,  manners,  and 
way  of  living  would  keep  them  feparate  from  their  idolatrous  neigh- 
bours.    Ge».  xliii.  32.  xlvi.  34.     Thus  God,  by  a  furprifmg  train  of 
events,  introduced  the  family  of  Jbraham  into  the  nurfjry,  where  thef, 
were  to  grow  up  into  a  nation.  _  At  length  a  prince  arofe,  who  knew^ 
or  regarded,  not  Jofeph,  Exodus  i.  8.     Then  they  fell  into  a  ftateof  fla- 
very,  and  the  feverell:  oppreiTion  and  fufFering,  for  abput  140  years.   But 
this  was  only  to  render  the  power  of  God  more  confpicuous  in  their 
prefervation  and  deliverance.     The  more  they  are  opprcfied,  and  the 
more  cruelly  they   were    ufed,  the   more   they   ijicreafe    and   flouriih 
till  they  were  numerous  enough  to  be  formed  into  a  nation.     Then 
Alofcs   was    miraculoufly   preferved,    educated   by   Pharaoh'^   daughter 
in  all  the  wifdora  of  the  Egyptians,  and  raifcd  up  to  be  their  deliverer 
And  now  the  vials  of  Divine  Wrath  are  poured  out  one  after  another 
upon  Egypt.     God  made  bare  his  arm,  or  gave  the  moft  fignal  and  ftrik- 
ing  demonftrations  of  his  Being  and  Power,  infinitely  fuperior  not  only 
to  all  human  ftrcngth,  bat  alfo  to  all  the  pretended  Deities,  iu  which 
the  Egyptians  trufted.      Exodnsxu.  11. 

To  this  end  (i.)  the  Divine  Wifdom  permited,  on  this  fpccird  occa- 
fion,  Pharaoh's  magicians,  poffibly  by  the  minlftry  of  evil  fpirits,  or  bj 
extraordinai-y  powers  immediately  communicated  to  the  enchanters  to. 
imitate  fome  of  the  miracles  which  Mofa  wrought,  in  order  to  difplay 
more  clearly  his  own  Divine  Power;  and  to  com'ince  both  Egyptian! 
and  Ifraelites  of  the  vanity  of  fuch  art-^,  by  controling  and  defeating- 
them,  even  when  exercifcd  in  the  higheft  degree.  So  a  man  was  born 
blind,  and  Lazarus  died,  on  purpofe  to  give  our  Lord  an  opportunity  of 
demonftrating  his  power,  and  the  truth  of  his  miflion.  John  ix.  -2.  xi. 
4.  And  for  that  reafon,  an  extraordinary  power  might  be  permited  to 
evil  fpirits  to  pofTcfs  the  bodies  of  men,  that  our  Saviour's  dominion  over 
the  devil  and  his  angels  might  be  more  evidently  fhev/n.  The  inviiiMe 
world  of  fpirits  may  undergo  many  variations,  and  be  fubjed  to  diffe- 
rent reftraints  and  regulations  in  different  ages,  fo  as  to  interfere  mora 
or  lefs,  or  not  at  all  in  human  affiirs.     Jortin. 

(2.)  God  hardened  Pharaoh's  heart,  by  granting  himrefpite  from  one 
plague  after  another,  that  he  might  multiply,  and  fo  render  more  con- 
fpicuous, the  demonftrations  of  his  Being  and  Supreme  Dominion. 
And  this  is  all  that  God  did  towards  hardening  Pharaoh''%  heart.  See  AV- 
</w  viii.  15.  ix.  34,  35,  and  verfe  15,  16.  For  now,  faith  the  Lord,  / 
have  ftretched  out  my  hand  [in  the  preceding  plague  of  boils  and  blains,] 
and  I  have  fmitten  thee,  and  thy  people,  with  the  pcflilence,  and  [by  th'is 
plague]  thou  jnighteji  have  been  cut  off  from  the  earth.  But  in  very  deed 
for  this  caitfe  I  have  raifed  thee  up,  [I  have  reftored  thee  to  health,  bv  re- 
moving the  peftilential  boils,]  that  by  refpiting  thy  deftrudion,  I' may 
Jbew  in  thee  more  and  greater  proofs  of  my  Almivhtv  Power. 

All  the  miracles,  which  God  wrought 'in  Egypt,  \vers  fuch  as  muftbe 
feen  and  acknowledged  to  come  from  him  alone,  and  not  from  any  pof- 
fible  power  of  man,  or  from  any  natural  accidents.  This  is  true  of  all 
'the  ten  plagues,  but  efpecially  of  the  laft.  The  peffilence,  in  ordinary 
cafes,  fweeps  away  multitudes  projnifcuouily,  but  when  it  fm^leth  out 
only  the  finl-born  in  every  family,  it  muft  plainly  appear  to  be  a  jud'^- 


mcnt 


112  Ihe  Methods  of  Divine  mfdom,  iffc.         Ch.  XXVlL 

ment  Immediately  from  the  hand  or  direction  of  God  ;  [Exodus  xii.  29.] 
as  it  was  to  the  Ifrad'itcs  ajuft  retribution  of  the  cruelty  of  the  Egyp- 
iinns  in  endeavouring  to  deftroy  all  their  male  children.  Exodus  \.  16. 
[Note— In  thofe  ages  and  circumftanccs  of  the  work',  when  men  were; 
not  fo  capable  of  being  convinced  by  abftraft  reafoning,  and  probably 
underftood  nothing  of  tlie  perfedtions  of  God  a  priori^  his  fapreme  au- 
thority and  omnipotence  would  be  bed  demonftrated  \iy  fails.,  which  ex- 
perimentally proved  his  uncontroled  dominion  over  all  other  powers,  and  " 
over  universal  Nature.]  At  laft  Pharaoh  and  his  people  give  up  the 
caufc.  God's  fuperior  power  is  owned,  becaufe  fo  dreadfully  experien- 
ced. The  Egyptians  urge  them  to  depart,  and  to  remove  all  objections 
that  might  hinder  their  departure,  willingly  give  them  the  moft  precious 
and  vaKiable  of  their  polTeflions,  [which,  by  the  u'ay,  might  be  but 
equal  payment  for   the  labor  of  fo  great  a  multitude,  for  140  years.] 

See  Exodus  xn.  33,  &c.  Verfe  35.  And  the  children  of  Ifrael—Vyi^m 
afked  of  the  Egyptians  Jewels,  kc.  i.e.  afked  the  Egyptians  to  give  them 

jewels,  &c.  [Vxti*  fignifies  to  ajk  to  give,  as  well  as  to  lend.  Jofh.  xv. 
18,  19.  xix.  50.  Jud.  \.  25.  viii.  25,  26.  Pfal.  ii.  8.  See  Hebrevjr 
Englifh  Concordance.]     Verfe  36.  So  that  they  lent  unto  them,  &c.  f 

So  that  they  readily  gave  them,  &c.  D^7N*wJ^ll  i"  Hlphhid  to  make  to 

afk,  i.  e.  to  encourage,  to  gratify  afkingby  freely  giving.     [Note • 

Upon  the  occafion  of  the  death  of  all  the  firft-born  among  the  Egyptians, 
and  the  departure  of  the  Ifraelites  out  of  Egypt,  a  commemorative  fefti- 
val,  the/)^<5wr,  is  inftituted  ;  an  ordinance  very  proper  for  preferving 
the  perpetual  memory  of  the  power  and  goodnefs  ot  God  among  the 
Ifraelites.  ] 

The  Ifraelites  leave  Egypt,  in  number  no  lefs  than  twenty  four  hun- 
dred thoufand,  Nu7n.  i.  45,  46,  and  all  Nature  giveth  way  before  them. 
A  paffage  is  open  for  them  through  the  Red-fea,  which  clofes  upon,  and 
overwhelms  Pharaoh  and  his  purfuing  army.     Pillars  of  cloud  and  hre, 
alternately  appearing   in  the  air,  direct   their  march.     Bitter  fountains 
are  made  fweet.     In  a  dry,  thirfty,  barren  country  they  are  fupplied  with 
water  from  the  hard  and  flinty  rock,  and  with  food  from  the  iky  for  for- 
ty years  together.     With  all  the  appearances  of  glory  and  dreadful  ma- 
jefty,  God,  as  their  King  and  Sovereign,  eftablifhed  his  Covenant,  or 
entered  into  a  folemn   contraft,  with  them  in  mount  i/a/v/';  chufing 
them  for  a  peadlar  treafure  above  all  people.  Exodus  xix.  5,  and  ingaging 
himfelf  to  be  their  God  and  King,  and   to  beftow  on  them  all  national 
bleflings  upon  condition  they  were   obedient,  adhered  to  his  worftiip, 
and  ke^pt  clear  oi  idolatry,  with  which  they  had  been  tinctured  in  £0/)/, 
(Lev.  xvii.  7.  Jofh.  xxiv.  14.  Ezek.  xx.  8.)  oiherwife  they  might  ex- 
pe6l  the  fevereft  judgments.  Deut.xx'w.  ic,  kc.     At  the  fame  time  he 
gave  them  a  fyrtem  of  laws  and  ftatutcs,  moft  excellent  in  themfeUes, 
fited  to  their  prefent  temper  and  circumftances,  as  well  as  to  the  future 
intents  and  purpofes  of  the  Gofpel  difpenfation.     Here  God  took  up  his 
refidence  among  them  in  the  tabernacle,  afterwards  in  the  temple,  fet- 
ing himfelf  at  the  head  of  their  affairs,  and  upon  all  important  occafions 

direding 


'Gh.  XXVII.  The  Methvih  ofD'ivim  IVifd^m^  ^c.  1 13 

diredting  them  as  an  oracle.     And  all  this  to  attach  and  unite  this  one 
'nation  to  himfelf. 

At  length,  through  a  train  of  very  ftriking  miracles,  [Jordan  divided, 
the  v/alls  of  ymrA(?  thrown  down)  he  brought  them  into  the  promiied 
land,  with  a  commiflion  to  deftroy  all  the  inhabitants,  the  meafure  of 
whofe  iniquity  was  then  fuUj  and,  who  probably  were  more  corrupt 
than  any  of  their  neighbours,  and  as  deferving  of  deftruflion  as  Sodom 
'  and  Gomorrhn^  for  all  the  idolatrous,  brutifh,  cruel,  inceftuous,  and 
unnatural  crimes,  which  uniVerfally  prevailed  amongil:  theai.  Had  the 
Jfraelites  been  mixed  with  the  idolatrous  Canaanites  they  would  foon  have 
]ofl:  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  been  involved  in  all  their  corru:)tions  • 
but  being  made  the  inftruments  of  their  deftrudtion,  this  would  oiye 
them  the  greater  horror  of  thofe  crimes,  which  they  knew  (for  Alofes 
had  told  them,  Deut.  ix.  4,  5.)  were  thus  dreadfully  avenged  'oy  their 
arms.  Moreover,  thus  they  would  give  themfelves  a  clear  demonftra- 
tion,  that  idol-gods  had  no  power  to  defend  and  prefcrve  their  votaries. 
Therefore  it  was  not  uniuft  in  God  to  command  the  deliruicion  of  the 
Canaanites^  nor  cruel  in  his  fervants  to  execute  that  command,  (any 
more  than  it  is  to  extirpate  outlaws,  and  the  worft  of  criminals,  by  leiral 
authority)  but  in  the  views  of  Divine  Wifdom,  the  propcrell  wiu'^of 
extirpating  them,  confidering  the  efFedls  it  would  have  upon  the  minds 
of  the  Jfraelites. 

Here  we  may  obferve,  (i.)  That  the  Ifraelkes  made  no  claim  to  the 
land  of  Canaan  in  their  own  right.  The  right  was  in  God,  who  "-ave 
it  them.  (2.)  We  may  obferve  a  good  reafon  why  the  Divine  Wildom 
eredled  this  fcheme  for  prefcrying  true  religion,  only  in  the  one  nation  of 
the  Ifraelites.  Becaufe  had  he  feledled  a  pious  perfon,  and  his  family,  as  he 
felecSted  Abraham^  and  his  poftcrity,  out  of  every  nation  upon  earth,  then 
to  make  room  for  therr;,  every  nation  upon  earth  muft  have  been  devoted 
to  deftrudlion,  as  the  Canaanites  were.  But  feeing  the  whole  earth  was 
not  filled  with  violence,  injuftice,  rapine  and  oppre/Iion,  God  in  much 
lenity  and  forbearance  was  pleafed  to  wink  at^  or  overlook,  the  igno- 
rance and  error  of  other  nations,  without  punifhing  them  as  they  de- 
served, Acis  xvii.  30 ;  leaving  them  to  the  light  of  Nature,  ylcis  xiv.  16, 
to  feel,  or  grope  after  his  exiftence  and  perfedions,  JSfs  xvii.  26,  27; 
and  to  the  dilates  of  confcience,  for  their  condu(£t  in  life;  while  he 
continued  his  providential  care  in  giving  the  fupplies  of  life,  and  vifitino- 
them  with  fuitable  difpenfations  ;  and  will,  at  laft,  judge  them  in  per- 
fecl:  equity,  making  allowance  for  all  unavoidable  defe(ils.  Rom.  ii.  6, 
10,  II,  12. 

Even  after  the  Ifraelites  were  fetled  in  the  land,  the  danger  of  idolatry 
Was  not  over.  They  were  ready  on  every  occafion  to  catch  the  infec- 
tion from  their  neighbours  ;  and  ftill  there  was  need  of  further  Di\'ine 
Interpofitions.  And  through  a  long  courfe  of  years  they  were  excrcifed 
with  various  difpenfations,  according  as  they  did  or  did  not  adhere  to 
the  worfhip  of  God.  When  they  clave  unto  the  Lord,  they  were  pro- 
fperous  and  triumphant ;  when  they  forfook  him,  and  followed  ftrange 
gods,  they  were  in  great  dillrefs,  in  fervitude,  and  captivity;  till  by  re- 
peated calamities,  and  fignal  deliverances,  accompanied  with  the  clearer 
light,  and  more  rational  convidions,  which,  at  length,  they  were  pre- 
VoL.  I.  H  pared 


i  14  The  Methods  of  Divine  ffifdoniy  bfc.         Cn.  XXVII. 

pared  to  receive  from  their  prophets,  they  were  at  lad  weaned  from  ido- 
latry, after  the  Babylonifli  captivity,  about  955  years  after  their  return 
out  o^  Egypt ;  and  never  relapfcd  into  it  again  *. 

All  this  was  neceflary,  and  m  confiftence  with  human  agency,  and 
the  gradual  improvements  of  mankind ;  was  the  propereft  method  to 
prefcrve  the  knowledge  of  the  true  God  in  the  world,  not  only  in  that 
fingle  nation,  but  in  all  the  nations  of  the  earth.  P'or  the  difpenfation 
among  the  yeivs^  like  a  piece  of  leaven,  which  leaveneth  the  whole 
mafs,  was  intended  for  the  benefit  of  all  mankind  ;  as  by  this  means  they 
became  examples  and  inftrudtors,  while  they  remained  in  their  own 
country,  to  all  their  neighbours ;  and  when  in  captivity,  or  difperfion, 
as  they  carried  with  them  the  knowledge  of  God  into  the  countries 
where  they  were  difperfed ;  till  the  nations  fhould,  by  this  and  other 
means  of  improvement,  be  prepared  to  receive  the  cleareft  revelation  of 
the  true  God,  and  of  eternal  life  by  the  Mejftah.  Which  was  the 
great  end  and  defign  of  the  fcheme,    which    we   have  been  confidtr- 

And  now,  the  more  a  thinking  man  revolves  in  his  mind  this  train  of 
affairs,  and  fees  how  one  nation  are  led,  ftep  by  ftcp,  as  their  capacities 
would  admit,  to  a  fenfe  of  the  pre-eminence  and  fovcreignty  of  the  true 
God,  in  order  to  be  fet  apart  as  the  repofitory  of  his  facred  laws  and  re- 
ligion, till  they  and  all  mankind  are  fit  for  the  reception  of  them  in  a 
more  fimplc,  clear,  and  extenfive  form,  under  the  Gofpel,  the  more  he 
will  confefs  and  admire  the  fignatures  of  wifdom  and  goodnefs  that  ap- 
pear through  the  whole  and  every  part  of  the  oeconomy. 

There  is  one  thing  deferves  particular  attention,  I  mean,  the  fpirit 
and  behaviour  of  the  Ifraelites  in  the  wildernefs.  A  very  remarkable 
inftance  of  the  wretched  effe£ls  of  fervitude  upon  the  human  foul. 
They  had  been  flaves  to  the  Egyptians  for  about  140  years;  their  fpirits 
were  debafed,  their  judgments  weak,  their  fenfe  of  God  and  religion 
very  low  ;  they  were  very  defeftive  in  attention,  gratitude,  gencrofity ;  full 
of  diftruft  and  uneafy  fufpicions  ;  complaining  and  murmuring  under 
the  moft  aftonifhing  difplays  of  Divine  Power  and  Goodnefs,  as  if  ftill 
under  the  frowns  and  fcourges  of  their  unjuft  ta(k-maflers  ;  could  fcarce 
raife  their  thoughts  to  profpedls  the  moit  pleafing  and  joyous  ;  knew  not 
how  to  value  the  bleflings  of  liberty  ;  of  a  tafte  fo  mean  and  illiberal* 
that  the  flefh  and  fifli,  the  cucumbers,  the  melons,  the  leeks,  onions 
and  garlick,  and  fuch  good  doings  in  Egypt^  weighed  more  with  them 
than  bread  from  heaven,  and"  all  the  Divine  afliirances  and  demonltra- 
tions,  that  they  fhould  be  raifed  to  the  nobleil  privileges,  the  higheft  ho- 
nor and  felicity,  as  a  peculiar  treafure  to  God,  above  all  people  in  the 
world.     Nian.  xi.  4,  5,  6. 

In  {hort,  nothing  would  do;  the  ill  qualities  of  flavery  were  engrain- 
ed in  their  hearts ;  a  groveling,  thoughtlefs,  flurdy,  daftardly  fpirit  fa- 
tigued the  Divine  Patience,  countera6led  and  defeated  all  his  wife  and 
beneficent  meafures  ;  they  CQuld  not  be  worked  up  to  that  fenfe  of  God, 

that 

*  Reckoning  by  the  age  of  man,  the  world  was  then  34.  years  old  ;  for  the 
Je^vs  returned  from  the  Babylonijh  captivity  about  the  year  of  the  world 
3468.  u 


Ch.  XXVIII.      Of  the  Jewijh  Ritual,  or  Ceremonial  Law.  1 15 

that  efteem  of  his  highefi:  flivors,  that  gratitude  and  generous  dutiful- 
nefs,  that  magnanimity  of  fpirit,  which  were  necefTiry  to  their  conquer- 
ing and  enjoying  the  promifed  land.  And  therefore  the  wifdom  of  God 
determined,  they  fhould  not  attempt  the  pofTeffion  of  it,  till  that  gene- 
ration of  flaves,  namely,  all  above  20  years  of  age,  were  dead  and  bu- 
ried. However,  this  did  not  lie  out  of  the  Divine  plan.  It  ferv^ed  a 
great  purpofe,  namely,  to  warn  that,  and  all  future  ages  of  the  church, 
both  Jevuiflj  ^id  Chrillian,  that  if  they  defpife  and  abufe  the  goodnefs  of 
God,  and  the  noble  privileges  and  profpects  they  enjoy,  they  fhall  for- 
feit the  benefit  of  them.  And  the  Apoftle  applieth  it  to  this  very  im- 
portant ufe,  with  great  force  and  propriety,  in  the  epiftle  to  the  Hehrewsy 
chap.  iii.  ver.  15,  to  the  end,  and  chap.  iv.  ver.  i  — 12. 

Thus,  for  a  general  view  of  this  noble  fcheme.  The  nature  and  ex- 
cellency of  it  will  ftand  in  a  ftronger  light,  if  we  examine  the  particu- 
lar privileges  and  honors  confered  upon  this  diftinguifhed  nation,  their 
tendency  to  promote  piety  and  virtue,  and  the  relation  they  bear  to  the 
(rate  of  thinjj;s  under  the  Gofpel.  For  this  part  of  the  fubjedl  we  mud 
turn  to  my  Key  to  the  Jpojblic  JFrititigs. 


CHAP.      XXVIII. 

Of  the  Jewijh  Ritual,  or  Ceremonial  Law. 

^"jC^'t^-f^E  muft  novv'  turn  back  to  the  Mofaic  Conftitution ;  which  con- 
0W^:  filled,  I.  Of  political  and  judicial  Laws.  For  which  coniult 
ii^!i*-v^c^  Mr.  LoWMAN  on  The  Civil  Govcrmnent  of  the  Hebrews.  2.  Of 
moral  precepts,  fuch  as  the  ten  commandments.  3.  Of  Rites  and  Ce- 
remonies, fuch  as  circumcifion,  facrifices,  wafhings,  purifications,  the 
ufe  of  certain  garments,  &c.  and  divers  Rites  ufed  by  the  priefts  in  the 
tabernacle.  For  a  particular  account  of  which,  confult  Mr.  Lowman 
en  the  Ritual  of  the  Hebrew  JVorJhip.  I  fhall  only  obferve  in  general,  that 
the  defign  of  thofe  Ceremonies,  jurtly  explained,  was  to  convey  reli- 
gious and  moral  inftruilions,  as  well  as  the  exprefs  precepts. 

Hieroglyphics,  wZ»it/;  reprefent  the  fenfe  of  the  mind,  by  outward figureSy 
or  anions,  were  the  firft  and  moft  ancient  literature.  So  the  govern- 
ment of  the  world  by  Divine  Providence,  and  its  extraordinary  inter- 
pofition  in  favor  of  good  men,  is  reprefented  by  a  ladder  ftanding  upon 
the  earth,  and  reaching  to  heaven,  with  the  angels  afcending  and  de- 
cending  on  it,  to  receive  and  execute  orders  from  God  above,  who  rul- 
eth  over  all.  Gen.  xxviii.  12,  13.  In  the  flvle  of  this  Hieroglyphic  our 
Lord  fpealcs,  Jolm  i.  51.  Hereafter  fhall  you  fee  heaven  open,  and  the  an- 
geli  ofGodajccnding  and  defceyiding  upon  the  Son  of  Man,  as  upon  facob\ 
meaning  you  fhall  fee  an  extraordinary  Dlvijic  Interpofition  working  ia 

H  2  my 


Il6  Of  the  Jewijh  Ritualy  or  Ceremonial  Law.     Ch.  XXVIII. 

my  favor,  by  many  miraculous  operations.     [Dr.  Benson]  The  exal- 
tation of  Jofeph  above  the  reft  of  the  family,  was  reprefented  by  the  Hie- 
roo-lyphic  of  his  fhcaf  ftanding  upright,  and   the  eleven  {heaves  of  his 
brothers  ftanding  round  about  and  bowing  to  it.     As  alfo  of  the  fun, 
moon,  and  eleven  ftars  making  obeyfance  to  him.      Gen.  xxxvii.  7,  9. 
The  tribe  of  Judah  is  reprefented  by  a  yoUng  lion  •,    Ijfachar  by  a  ftrong 
afs  ;  Dan  by  a  ferpcnt  lurking  in  the  road  ;  Nophtali  by  a  hinde  ;  Jofeph 
by  a  fruitful  bough  ;  Benjamin  by  a  ravening   wolf.     Gen.  xlix.  9,  14, 
&c.     A  rW,  or  ftaff",  as  it  is  an  inftrument  of  ftriking  or  beating  down, 
is  the  Hieroglyphic  of  power  exerted  in  conquering,  puniftiing,  ruling, 
Ifaiah  x.  5,  24 ;  and  of  dominion  and  authority,  Pfalni  ex.  2 ;  and  as 
fuch,  is  continued  to  this  day,  under  the  name  of  a  fceptre.     With  fuch 
a  rod  Mofei  and  Jaron  appeared  before  Pharaoh^  as  hieroglyphically  re- 
prefcnting  the  power  and  authority  of  God,  inwhofe  name  they  demand- 
ed the  releafe  of  the  Ifraelites.  Exod.  vii.  15.     And  thus  they  appeared 
as  men  of  learning,  and  a£led  agrcably  to  the  literature  of  the  age.     A 
horn  reprefented  temporal  power   and   dominion,    i  Sam.  ii.  10.    i  Kin» 
xxii.  II.   Pfal.  Ixxxix.  24.     A  yoke^  fuch  as   flaves  carried  upon  their 
Ihoulders,  fervitudcj  or  bondage,  Gen,  xxvii.  37,  40.  Jer,  xxvii.  2,  6. 
xxviii.  10. 

This  may  ferve  to  explain  the  nature  of  hieroglyphics ;  a  fort  of  lan- 
guage the  Jezvs  were  then  accuftomed  to,  being  the  learning  of  that 
age,  which  they  would  underftand  much  better  than  abftracl  reafonings 
about  moral  truths  and  duties.  We  may  therefore,  on  this  account, 
well  admit,  that  the  Rites  and  Ceremonies  of  their  religious  inftitution 
were  hieroglyphic,  and  intended  by  external  reprefentaticns  to' give  them 
ufcful  inftrudtions  in  true  religion  and  real  goodnefs.  If  we  confult  the 
Prophets  and  Apoftles,  who  were  well  acquainted  with  their  meanings 
we  fhall  find  fo  much  evidence  of  the  moral  and  fpiritual  intention  of  for 
many,  as  may  induce  us  to  believe,  this  was  the  fenfe  and  fpirit  of  all 
the  reft. 

They  were  enjoined  various  and  frequent  ablutions,  or  wafliings  with 
water;  the  common  ufe  of  which  is  to  difcharge  the  body  from  all  dirt 
and  filth,  and  to  keep  it  clean.  This  was  a  very  eafy  reprefentatic>n  of 
purity  of  mind,  or  of  an  heart  purged  from  the  filth  of  fin.  And  fo 
the  Prophets  underftood  it.  Pfal.  li.  2.  IVaJh  me  from  mine  iniquity.  Ver. 
7.   IVajl)  me^  and  1  f)all be  clean.  Ifai.  i.  16.   IVajh  yourfehes^  mak'e  your- 

felves  clean,  put  away  the  evil  of  your  d sings. Ceafe  to  do  evil,  learn  to 

dotvcll.  Jer.  iv.  14.  Ads  xxii.  16.  Heb.  x.  22.  Rev.  i.  5.  Anointing 
with  oil,  or  ointment,  by  which  the  head  was  beautified,  and  the  coun- 
tenance exhilarated,  had  the  fignification  of  honor,  joy,  holinefs,  and 
infpiration,  Pfal.  xlv.  7.  A^sx.  38.  The  priefts  officiated  in  garments 
of  fine  linen,  Exod.  xxxix.  27  ;  meaning,  that  the  priefts  ftiould  be 
clothed,  or  have  their  fouls  adorned  with  righteoufncfs,  Pfal.  cxxxii.  9. 
For  the  fine  linen  is  the  righteoufnefs  of  Saints.  Rev.  xix.  8.  Burning  ot 
incenfe,  whofe  finoak  rifctli  up  with  a  pleafant  fmell,  was  an  hierogly- 
phic reprefcntation  of  acceptable  prayer.  Pfal.  cxli.  2.  Luke  i.  10.  Rev. 
vjii,  3,  4.  Circumcifion  had  relation  to  the  heart  and  foul,  or  to  the  re- 
trenching all  inordinate  aftecStions  and  inclinations.  Lev.  xxvi.  41.  Deut^ 
X.  12—17.  ^^'^'  6.  y^^*«  iv.  4.  Rom.  ii.  29.     The  fprinkling  of  blood, 

and 


Ch.  XXIX. 


Ihe  Scripture -Chronology. 


117 


and  of  the  water  of  feparation  [Num.  xix.  13,  19.)  was  hieroglyphic, 
and  had  a  moral  fignification.  See  Heb.  ix.  13,  14.  x.  22.  xn.  24. 
I  Pet.  i.  2.  And  fo  had  the  muzzled  mouth  of  the  ox.  Deut,  xxv.  4. 
compared  with  i  Cor.  ix.  9,  10.    l  "Tim.  v.  17,  18. 

Some  may  have  indulged  too  much  to  imagination,  and  found  more 
myfteries  in  the  Hebrew  Ritual  than  were  really  defigned  ;  but  thefe  in- 
ftances,  explained  by  authentic  evidence,  may  convince  us,  tliat  the 
whole  had  a  rational  and  spiritual  meaning.  And  as  we  are  tauo^ht  in 
the  Gofpel  every  thing  relating  to  virtue  and  religion  in  the  plainelt 
manner,  we  need  not  give  ourlelves  much  trouble  about  difcoverino-  the 
meaning  of  the  other  Rites,  which  are  not  explained  by  Prophets  and 
Apoftles.  Only  the  affair  of  facrifices  is  fo  often  alluded  to  in  the  New 
Teftament,  and  feems  to  have  fuch  refpeCt  to  the  facrifice  of  our  Lord, 
that  it  demands  a  more  particular  examination.  [Turn  to  the  Scripture^ 
Do^rlne  of  Atonement  .^ 


«^C««Qoe0»tM0C0«O9MO<0M«COOtCCOC0M6CMCec0€0«tMM-0O«MOec«MCO«OCOOOC0OOCM0C«0O000Ce000CCJO:0OOne0C000OOO«COM 


CHAP.       XXIX. 

The  Scripture-Chronology /r<7;/z  the  Exodus  to  the  Fqitnding  of 
Solomon's  Temple. 

|f^<^>K"^  HIS  fpace  of  time  was  480  years  ;  as  appears  from  i  Kin(rs  \\, 
%  T  :^.  I .  which  is  made  out,  in  the  beft  manner  I  have  yet  feeH,  as 
i^;<>5C>:J  follows. 


Years  be- 
fore Chrift 
1451 


1426 


From  the  Exodus  to  the  death 
oi  MofeSy  and  fucceflion  of 

fojhua. 

Y^QX.Q.—Mofes  was  40  years 
old,  when  he  fled  out  of 
Egypt^  Acts  vii.  23.  He  was 
40  years  with  Jethro^  Exod. 
vii.  7  ;  and  40  years  in  the 
wjldernefs  with  the  Ifraelites, 
Therefore,  he  was  120  when 
he  died.  Deut.  xxxiv.  7. 
From  the  fucceflion  of  "Jo/hua 
to  his  death. 

>Jote  —  After  the  death  of 
Jojlma  the  Ifraelites  fell  into 
idolatry,  Judg.  ii.  7,  ^c. 
And  in  thofe  licentious 
H  3  times, 


Years 


40 


25 


Proofs 


Exod.  vii.  y. 
Jcls  vii.  30. 


Jofephus* 


ii8 

I  Years  be- 
fore Chrift 


The  Scripture'Chronohgy. 


1391 


13S3 
1343 


1325 


Years 


times,  about  the  year  before 
Chrilt  1398,  the  events  re- 
corded   in    the    xvii^h    and 
xviii^'''  chapters  of  the  book 
of  Judges^  by  which  idola- 
try was  introduced  into  the 
tribe    of  Ephra'un,    and  by 
that  means  propagated  a- 
mong    the   Danites,    might 
happen.     For  it  was  in  the 
times   when    thej'e   was    no 
king  in  Ifrael.     And  in  the 
fame   unhappy   period    fell 
out,  moft  probably,  the  war 
of  the  ele\  en  tribes  againft 
Benjamin^  of  which  we  read 
Judg.  xix.  XX.  xxi.  chap- 
ters.    For  Phineas^  the  fon 
of  Elea%ar,  (Jofh.  xxiv.  33. 
I  Chron.  vi.  4.)  who  after 
the  death  of  JoJhi(a  fucceed- 
ed  his  father,  about  the  year 
before  Chrift  1402,  was  then 
high-prieft,  Judg.   xx.   28. 
And  in  thofe  days  alfo  there 
was  no.  king  in  Ifrael,  chap. 
xxi.  25.  which  ihews  it  was 
in  the  fame  times  with  the 
preceding  events. 
From  the  death  of  jfojhua  to 
the  bondage  of  'EslH- Ifrael 
under  Cujhan. 
To  their  deliverance  by  0th- 

niel. 
To  the  bondage  of  Y.7K^-Ifrael 
under  Eglon  king  of  Moah. 
To  their  deliverance  by  Ehud, 
[After  which,  that  part  of 
Ifraelh2Lil  reft  for  80  years, 
^«^^.  iii.  30.J  Note  —  It 
may  probably  be  fuppofed, 
that  fcarce  any  of  the  judges 
ruled  over  the  whole  coun- 
try of  Ifrael^  buf  fome  in  one 
part,  and  fome  in  another  ; 
fo  that,  at  the  fame  time, 
there  might  be  fe veral  j  udges 
in  feveral  parts  of  the  land ; 
and 


Ch.  XXIX. 
Proofs 


35 
8 

40 

18 


Judg.  iii.  8, 

.  .  9,  10,  11, 

•  .12,13,14, 
.  .  .  I5-30' 


Ch.  XXIX. 

Years  be- 
fore Chrift 


1285 


1245 


1238 
1199 

1196 
1173 


The  Scripture-Chronology. 

Years 

and  peace  and  liberty  in  one 
part,  when  there  was  war 
and  flavcryin  another.  The 
eaftern  part,  that  had  fhakcn 
off  the  yoke  of  Moab^  had 
reft  80  years  ;  but,  in  the 
mean  while,  the  PhUijlims 
invaded  the  weftern  parts, 
and  were  repulfed  by  Sham- 
gar^  Ju<^g'  ^i'*  31-  After- 
ward y^i/«  afflicted  the  nor- 
thern tribes,  chap.  iv.  2. 
while  the  eaftern  parts  ftill 
remained  in  peace.  See  Bp. 
Patrick,  onjudg.  xi.  26. 
To  the  deliverance  of  North- 
Ifrnel  iroxw  Jahin^  by  Debo- 
rah and  Baruch.  [After  40 
which  that  part  of  the  land 
had  reft  40  years.  Judg.  v. 

3I-] 
To  the  bondage  of  North  and 

iL-x^-Ifrael  under  the  iVIidi- 

anites ji'or  y  ye^rs.     Note —       40 

In  fome  of  thofe   7  years, 

probably,  Elimelech  removed 

into  the  land  of  Moab,  by 

reafon  of  the  famine,  occa- 

fioned  by  the  depredations 

of  the  AlidianiteSy  Ruth  i.  i, 

2.  Judg.\i.  4, 

To  their  deliverance  by  Gideon. 

To  Abimdech^  ufurpation,  40 
years,  or  39  compleat.  39 

To  Toui^  ]  udge  over  North  and 
Y^dA-Ifrael. 

To  J^/r,  judge  over  North  and 

EzH-IfraeL  23 

Note While  Jair  was 

judge,  North  and  Eaft-  Ifrael 
were  in  bondage  to  the  Af/i- 
monitcs  18  years,  Judg.  x.  8. 
At  the  fame  time  with  Jair^ 
Eli  began  to  judge  South 
and  \Ve{k.-Ifrael  40  years, 
I  Sain,  iv,  18  ;  all  which 
time  that  part  of  Ifrael  was 
oppreft  by  the  Philijiines^ 
H4  Judg. 


119 


Proofs 


Authority  of 
Chronologcrs 


Judg. 


VI.   I. 


Jud.  vi.  I,  ^c 


vui. 


28. 


IX.  22. 


X.   I,  2. 


120 

Years  be- 
fore Chrift 


I152 


1147 


1 140 


I135 


1130 


1122 


The  Scripture-Chronology. 

Years 

Jvidg,  xiil.  I.     In   the  firfl: 
of  tnofc  40  years    of  £"//, 
vhich  was  alfo  the  firft  year 
of  y^/V,   Samfon  might  be 
born  ;  who  lived  40  years, 
and     judged     'Wtii-  Ifrael^ 
(while  Eli  alfo  was  judge 
there,  and  while  that  part 
of  the  country  was    under 
the  Philijfines^)    20    years, 
Judg.  XV.  20.   [jE// judging 
in  civil  affairs  ;  Samfon  by 
harrading     the    Philijlines. 
Usher.]     About  the  13^^ 
year   of  £//',  before    Chrijl 
I  i6o,iS'^;?zz^f/might  be  born. 
From     J  air      to     Jcphthah^ 
who   delivered   North  and 
Y.z^-Ifracl  from  the  Amyno- 
nites,  22,  or    21    compleat 
years.  21 

From  "Jephthah  to  Ibxan^  over 
North  and  Eaft-//9^«'/,  fix, 
or  fi\'e  compleat  years;  ' 
From  Ib%an  to  his  fuccefTor 
Elon^  in  North  and  Faft- 
Ifracl. 

About  the  fifth  year  of  Elon^ 
Srmuel  was  publicly  known 
to  be  a  Prophet,  i  Sn?n.  iii. 
20.  iv.  I.  About  the  fe- 
venth  of  Elcn,  Samjon  pulled 
down  the  temple,  y/M^^.  xvi. 
30.  and  deitroyed  greait 
numbers  of  the  Philijiines. 
Usher  thinks,  that  this  ca- 
lamity might  encourage  the 
South  and  \Vc{\:-JjrafIiies 
to  give  them  battle,  i  Sam. 
iv.  I,  ^'c. 
From   Elofi    to   Jbdon^    over 

North  and  Eaft-7/r^^/.  iq 

From  Ahdon  to  his  fucceflbr 
Samuel,  who  now  was  alfo 
judge  over  North  and  Eaft- 
Jjrqcl,  as  he  had  been  be- 
fore over  South  and  Wefi:- 
Jfrgel,  I  Sam.  vii.  15,  16, 
17.  probably, 


Ch.  XXIX. 
Proofs 


Judg.  X.  3. 
.  .  .  xij.  7. 
9- 


Judg.  xii.  II. 


Gh.  XXX. 

I  Years  be- 
fore Chrift 


1094 
1054 
1014 


Authors  within  the  Period^  &c. 


17.  probably,  from  the  time 

that  he  was  publicly  known 

to  be  a  Prophet. 
From  Samuel  to  king  Saul. 
From  Saul  to  David, 
From  David  to  Solo?non. 
From  Solomon  to  the  founding 

of  the  temple,  four,  or  three 

compleat  years. 

In  all  .  . 


Years 


8 

28 

40 
40 


480 


121 


Proofs 


Judg.  xii.  14. 
Chronologers 
Ai^s  xiii.  21. 
I  Kings  ii.  II. 


.  VI.    I. 


I  Kings  vi.  I. 


CHAP.      XXX. 

Authors  within  the  Period frorn  //^^  Exodus  to  the  Founding  of  Solomon*s 

Temple. 

(PiSi-iC^^  BOUT  the  begining  of  this  Period  books  began  to  be  writ- 
■^  A  ^:  ten  ;  and  it  hath  furniHied  the  world  with  the  nobleft  produc- 
"to>^'^»^  tions  both  in  hiftory,  poetry,  and  the  inftrudtive  kind. 

The  Book  of  JOB. 

If  Job  vyrotc  his  own  book  j  or  if  it  was  written  by  Elihu,  one  of  the 
interlocutors,  as  fome  gather  from  chap,  xxxii.  10,  15,  ^'c.  where  he 
fpeaks  in  the  language  of  the  writer  of  the  Book  ;  and  if  Afofes  found  it 
when  he  was  with  Jethro  in  Midian,  and  tranfcribed  it,  adding  thehifto- 
rical  parts  at  the  begining  and  the  end  ;  then  this  Book  of  Job  is  earlier 
than  this  Period,  and  the  oldeft  Book  in  the  world.  And,  as  It  is  wor- 
thy of  the  higheft  antiquity,  any  of  thefe  fuppofitions  is  far  more  pro- 
bable, than  theirs,  who  imagine  it  was  written  in  a  later  age,  about  the 
time  of  the  Babylonijh  captivity. 


The  PENTATEUCH. 

That  Mcfes  wrote  the  Pentateuch^  or  fivefold  volume,  (from  irtin, 
^uinque,  and  Tcvx^t  volumen,  libcr^)  containing  the  five  books  in  the 
Bible,  we  have  the  fame  rcafon  to  believe,  as  we  have  that  Homer  wrote 

the 


122 ,  Authors  within  the  Period  Ch.  XXX. 

the  ///W;  namely,  the  confcnt  of  all  the  learned  in  all  ages.  The  firft 
erf  thefc  books  is  Gcnefis,  n*Ji^i*f121  containing  the  only  hiftory  of  the 
world  from  the  creation  down  to  ^jacob\  removing  into  Egypt^  for  2298 
years.  2.  Exodus^  HlDt^  is  the  hiftory  of  the  departure  of  the  Ifraelites 
out  of  E^ypt,  and  of  the  creating  and  furni{hing  of  the  tabernacle.  3. 
Levitlcusy  Nlp'1  in  which  are  the  laws,  ceremonies,  and  facrifices  of  the 
Jewifh  religion,  and  what  particularly  related  to  the  Levites.  4.  Num- 
ben,  '^'21^'2  begins  with  the  numbering  of  the  Ifiaelltei^  after  which 
feveral  laws  and  remarkable  events  are  recorded.  ^.Deuteronomy^  DHm 
is  a  repetition  and  an  abridgement  of  the  law,  with  exhortations  and 
motives  to  the  obfcrvance  of  it. 


The  Book  of  JOSHUA. 

Joshua  probably  wrote  the  laft  chapter  oi  Deuteronomy^znA  the  Book 
of  Jojlma^  containing  an  account  of  his  own  ads,  in  conquering  and 
dividing  the  land  of  Canaan  j  and  Phineas,  the  high-prieft,  might  add 
the  five  laft  verfes  relating  to  the  death  of  jfo/hua^  and  of  his  father  ^/f- 
azar  the  high-prieft. 


The  Book  of  JUDGES, 

Was  certainly  written  before  the  fecond  book  of  Samuel;  compare  z 
Sam.  xi.  21.  with  Judg.  ix.  53  j  and  before  David  had  taken  "Jerufakm.^ 
2  Sayn.  v.  6.  "Judg.  i.  21.  Samuel.,  the  Prophet,  or  Seer,  the  laft  of  the 
Judges,  was  an  hiftorian,  i  Ckrcn.  xxix.  29.  and  probably  wrote  this 
Book  of  Judges.  In  which  we  read  the  great  efficacy  of  religion  to 
make  a  nation  happy,  and  the  difmal  calamities  which  impiety  brings 
along  with  it.  St.  Paul  [Heb.  xi.  32.)  points  out  fome  examples  of 
heroic,  and  furprizingly  fuccefsful  faith  in  Gideon,  Barak,  Samfon,  and 
yephthah,  whofe  hiftory  is  recorded  in  this  Book.  It  confifts  of  two 
parts,  the  one  containing  the  hiftory  of  the  Judges,  from  Othniel  to  Sa^ 
7/iuel,  which  part  ends  with  the  xvi^h  chapter  9  the  other,  containing  fe- 
veral memorable  aclions,  performed  not  long  after  the  death  of  Jo/hua^ 
is  thrown  to  the  end  of  the  Book,  that  it  might  npt  interrupt  the  threap 
of  the  hiftory. 


The  Book  of  RUTH. 

Ruth  may  be  confidered  as  an  appendage  to  the  book  of  Judges,  and 
brings  down  the  hiftory  to  the  times  of  Samuel,  who  probably  was  the 
author  of  it,  and  draws  the  lineage  of  Judah  down  to  David,  chap.  iv. 
18.  Which  makes  it  not  unlikely,  that  it  was  written  after  David  was 
anointed  by  iS^ww^A   i  Sam.  xvi.  13. 

Here  it  may  not  be  improper  to  obferve,  that  Samuel  was  not  only  an 
author,  but  otherwife  feems  to  have  been  a  great  promoter  of  literature 
and  religion.    We  never  read  of  the  companies,  or  colleges  of  Prophets 

till 


Ch.  XXX,  from  the  Exodus^  ^V.  123 

till  this  time,  and  therefore,  probably,  he  creeled  them.  They  were 
feminaries  for  the  inftrudion  of  youth  in  the  knowledge  of  the  law,  and 
for  training  them  up  in  the  exercifes  of  piety ;  particularly  in  the  fmging 
of  facred  hymns,  in  concert  with  inftrumental  mufic.  This  in  the  lan- 
guage of  thofe  times,  was  prophcfying,  i  Sc'?7i.  x.  5.  i  Chron.  xxv.  i,  2, 
3,  7.  They  were  not,  icriclly  fpcaking,  all  of  them  Pr<7/)/;(?f; ;  but  upon 
fome  of  them  God  beftowed  the  fpirit  of  prophecy,  or  of  predicting  fu- 
ture events^  2  Kings  ii.  3.  And  we  may  fupjxjfe,  that  moil  of  the  Pro- 
phets, properly  fo  called,  came  out  of  thofe  fchools.    Ar.os  excepts  him- 

lelf,  cha^.  vii.  14. /  w-as  no  Prophet^  tieithcr  was  I  a  Prophefs  fon^ 

I.  e.  Difciple  ;  for  the  fcholars  were  called,  thefotis  of  the  Prophets.  At 
their  head,  as  governor,  they  had  fome  venerable  truly  infpired  Prophet, 
who  was  called  their  father,  i  Sam.  x.  12.  2  Ki7igs  ii.  12.  Samuel  was 
one,  and  perhaps  the  hrfl  oi  tho^Q  fatJycrs.,  or  governors,  i  Sam.  xix.  20. 
Elijah  was  another.  2  Kings  ii.  12.  And  Elifba  fucceeded  him  in  this 
office.  2  Ki-ngs  iv.  38.  Elijha  came  to  Gilgal and  the  jhis  of  the  Pro- 
phets were  filing  before  hhn.  The  mailer,  ox  father  y  fat  above;  and  the 
fcholars  below,  before  him,  at  his  feet.  2  Kings  ii.  3.  Kncivejl  thou  that 
the  Lord  will  take  away  thy  mafter  from  thy  head?  or  from  the  leat,  where 

he  fits  above  thy  head See  Jhs  xxii.  3.     They  lived  together  in  fo- 

ciety,  2  Kings  vi.  i  ;  and  when  they  had  done  their  lectures,  and  reli 
gious  exercifes,  were  wont  to  eat  together  with  their  mafters.  2  Kings 
iv.  38,  i^c.    This  inftitution  had  a  manifeft  tendency  to  advance  religion 
and  learning. 


I.  II.  SAMUEL. 

I  Samuel  was  wrote  before  i  Kings,  i  Kingi  ii.  17.  i  Sam.  ii,  3r, 
35,  compared ;  and  it  is  not  unreafonably  fuppofed,  that  Samuel  wrote 
the  firfl  24  chapters  ;  and  that,  after  his  death,  the  hiftory  oi  David  was 
continued  in  the  firft  and  fecond  Books  of  Samuel  by  the  Prophets  Gad 
and  Nathan,   i  Chron.  xxix.  29. 


I.  n.  KINGS. 

These  Books  contain  the  hiftory  of  the  kings  o^  Judah  and  Ifrael^ 
from  Solomon  to  the  captivity  in  Babylon,  for  the  fpaceof423  years.  la 
this  Period  were  feveral  hifloriographcrs ;  for  we  read  of  the  book  of  the 
Ads  of  Solomon,  i  Kings  xi.  41.  which  Jds  of  Solomon  were  recorded  /?; 
the  Book  of  Nathan  the  Prophet,  and  in  the  Prophecy  of  Ah ij ah  the  Shilonitc^ 
and  in  the  Vif.ons  of  Iddo  the  Seer.  2  Chron.  ix.  29.  Which  Iddo  was 
imployed,  together  with  Shemaiah  the  Prophet,  in  writing  the  A6ts  of 
Rehoboam.  2  Chron.  xii.  15.  We  alfo  read  of  the  book  oi  Jehu,  the 
Prophet,  relating  the  ASts  of  king  fehojl^aphat.  2  Chron.  xx.  34.  i 
Kings  xvi.  I.  And  Ifaiah,  the  Prophet,  wrote  the  Acls  of  king  Uzzich, 
2  Chron.  xxvi.  22  ;  and  alfo  of  king  Hezekiah,  2  Chron.  xxxii.  32.  And 
it  is  highly  probable,  tbat  he  wrote  the  hiftory  of  the  two  intermediate 

kings 


124  Authors  within  the  Periody  iffc.  Ch.  XXX 

kings  Jothtjm  and  Jhaz,  in  whofc  reigns  he  lived,  //ai.  i.  j  And  we 
may  well  fuppofc,  all  thefc  hiilories  added  one  to  another,  make  the'two 
iiooks  or  Kings. 

Note No  writer  of  the  hiftory  of  the  kings  of  Judah  or  Ifrael  is 

any  where  ejfprcfly  named,  but  his  title  is  either  given  him  as  a  Prophet 
or  It  appears  from  fome  other  part  of  Scripture  that  he  was  a  Prophet' 
This  quality  of  the  writer  was  given  to  draw  from  us  a  proportionable 
refpea,  and  make  us  receive  the  hiftory  with  the  reverence  which  is  its 
due  The  Prophets  were  the  JewiJ)^  hiftorians  ;  therefore  to  the  hifto- 
rical  books,  Jojhua,  Judges,  I.  II.  Samuel,  I.  II.  Kings,  they  give  the 
title  of,  pOIL'Nn  D^N^Ii:  the  former  Prophets,  as  fhey  give^he  tittle 
Of,  DUn^^^  C'N':?J  the  latter  Prophets,  to  Ifaiah,  Jeremiah,  &c 

The  Book  of  PSALMS, 

Was  compofed  by  feveral  authors,  but  chiefly  by  kintj  David  M^f^s 
compofcd  the  xcti'  Pfalm,  when  God  had  fhortened  the  lives  of  the  If- 
raehtes  m  the  wildernefs,  as  a  punifliment  for  their  unbelief  The 
cxxxyuth  pfahn  was  indited  foon  after  their  tranfportation  to  the  land  of 
•  r 7l  *=''^P^'vity  there,  and  the  cxxvith  upon  their  return  out  of 
It.  Others  were  made  upon  other  occafions  ;  as  may  be  (t:i:n  in  their 
titles,  (although  thofe  are  not  fuppofed  to  be  of  the  fame  authority  with 
the  text)  or  collected  from  the  fenfe  and  fcope  of  the  Pfalm.  For  which 
i3p.  Patricic's  Paraphrafe  may  be  confulted. 

The  Book  of  Pfalms  is  divided  into  five  parts.  The  firfl:  reaches  to 
the  end  of  the  xli^t  Pfaimj  the  fecpnd  to  the  end  of  the  Ixxii^  Pfalm  • 
the  third  to  the  end  of  the  Ixxxix^h  ;  the  fourth  to  the  end  of  the  cvith  ' 
and  the  filth  part  to  the  end  of  the  whole.  ' 

It  is  a  collection  of  divine  odes,  fublime  and  elegant,  far  beyond  all 
human  compofitions  ;  confifting  of  the  loftieft  celebrations  of' the  Di, 
vine  Praifes,  the  moft  lively  and  fervent  devotions  of  meditation,  thankf- 
giving,  prayer  and  fupplication,  faith,  hope,  and  truft  in  God  in  every 
condition,  and  the  m.oll:  excellent  inftructions  in  every  branch  of  piety 
a  uV!i"^"  ^""^  ^^^  frequent  reading  of  it  hath  a  llrong  tendency  to 
eltabhfh  in  our  minds  the  principles  of  true  wifdom,  even  every  right 
dilpofition  towards  God  and  man;  and  that  puritv  of  heart, -and  lere;uty 
of  mind,  which  is  a  fund  of  comfort  and  joy  in'the  ways  of  God,  and 
Will  animate  us  to  walk  in  them  with  lieadinefs  and  delight. 

Mof^  was  the  firft  that  compofed  facred  hymns,  that  we  read  of,  Exod. 

XV.  Deborah  the  next,  Judg.  v.  and  then  Hanfiah,  i  Sam.  ii.  ButDa- 
A  ^".^^'"''■^^le  ^rtiil  in  mufick,  (i  Sam.  xvi.  i8.  Amos  \\.  5.)  car- 
ried divine  poetry  and  pfalmodv  to  its  perfection;  and  therefore  is  called 
thcjweet  PJalmiJi  of  Ifrael.  3  Sam.  xxiii.  i.  He,  doubtlefs  by  Divine 
Authority,  appointed  the  finging  of  pfalms  by  a  feled  company  of  fkil- 
ful  perfons,  in   the  folemn  worlhip  of  the  tabernacle,   i  Chron.  vi.  31. 

XVI,  4 — —S.  which  Solomon  continued  in  the  temple,  ^Chron.  v.  12,  13. 
And  lo  did  Ezra,  as  foon  as  the  foundation  of  the  fecond  temple  was 
laid.  Ezram.  10,  n.  Hence  the  people  became  well  acquainted  with 
the  fongs  of  S'.on^  and  having  commitcd  them  to  memory,  were  famous 

for 


Ch.  XXXI.     Fro7n  the  Founding  of  Salomon's  Temple,  ^c.  12<{ 

for  melodious  finglng  among  the  neighbouring  countries.  Pfal.  cxxxvii. 
•9.  And  the  continuance  of  this  branch  of  divine  worihip  is  confirm- 
ed by  the  pradice  of  our  Lord,  and  the  inftrudions  of  the  Apoftle.  Mat. 
xxvi.  30.  Mark  xiv.  26.  Ephef.  V.  ig.  Col.  iii.  16.  See  alfo  R^v,  v.  9. 
xiv.  I,  2,  3.  Pfalm-fmging  is  a  part  of  Chriftian  worfhip,  which  ought 
to  be  fupported,  incouraged,  and  performed  in  the  moft  fkilful  and  har- 
monious manner. 

Thefe  are  the  books  that  were  writen  before  the  founding  o(  Solomon' & 
Temple. 


^J^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^*^^'^'^'^'^'^^'^'^^^ 


CHAP.      XXXI. 

Prom  the  Founding  ^Solomon's  Temple^  till  the  DeJlruSlion  of  it  by 
Nebuchadnezzar  423  Tears. 

Rules  for  calculating  and  adjuftlilg  the  Chronology  of  this  Period. 

fp'-^.'^f)}  H  E  Chronology  is  here  carried  on  by  the  facred  Hillorians  in 
^  T  .^^  a  double  feries  of  fucceedirig  kings  ;  one  in  the  kingdom  of 
'^^y^..J^  Judah^  the  other  in  the  kingdom  of  Ifrael^  the  year  of  the  reign 
of  every  king  oi  fudah  being  mentioned,  in  which  any  king  of  Ifrael 
began  his  reign  ;  and  vice  iJerfa.     Therefore, 

L  To  be  able  to  form  a  true  judgment  of  the  Chronology,  it  is  ne- 
ccflary  that  we  draw  up  two  columns,  one  of  the  kings  oi  Judah^  and 
the  other  of  the  kings  of  Ifrael^  in  fuch  manner,  that  the  years  of  their 
feveral  reigns  may  be  fet  exadtly  over  againft  each  other ;  together  with 
the  texts  which  prove  the  order  of  fuccelfion,  and  the  years  of  the  feve- 
tal  reigns.  Thus  the  two  columns  will  be  a  check  upon  each  other ; 
and  the  general  rule  will  be, 

II.  So  to  adjuft  the  correfponding  numbers  of  years  in  both  the  co- 
lumns, as  that  they  may  be  reduced  to  a  confiftcncy.  Othcr^r'ife,  the 
calculation  cannot  be  juil  and  true.  Here  lies  the  diiEculty  j  and  in  or- 
der to  furmount  it  fome  allowance  muft  be  made.     As, 

III.  That  SuccefTors  may  be  fuppofed  fometimes  to  reign  with  their 
fathers,  when  the  confiftency  of  the  tv/o  lilfs  of  kings  cannot  otherwife 
be  made  out.  Thus  it  is  certain,  that  Solomon  was  anointed  king  by  or- 
der of  his  father  David.  1  Kings  i.  34.  And  fehoram  did  begin  to 
reign  while  his  father  Jehcfbaphat  v/as  alive.   2  Kings  viii.  16. 

IV.  The  years  of  reigns  is  delivered  in  full  fums,  without  taking  no- 
tice of  the  odd  parts  of  a  year,  either  at  the  begining,  or  at  the  end  of  a 
ireign.  Therefore,  to  bring  the  two  lifts  to  an  agreement,  it  may  rea- 
fonably  be  fuppofed,  that,  for  inftance,  12  years,  (or  the  12'^'^  year)  are 
put  dov/n,  when  only  eleven  compleat  years  are  intended.  So  2  Kiiigs 
xviii.  9,  10,  it  is  faid,  that  Salmanefgr  laid  fiege  to  Samaria  in  the  fourth 

year 


126  From  the  Founding  of  Solomon^ i  Temple,  is'e.     Ch.  XXXI. 

year  of  He%ekiah\  reign,  and,  after  a  fiege  of  three  years,  took  it  in  the 
ifixth  year  of  H<"ukiah.  Hence  it  appears,  that  the  three  years  of  the 
liege  are  not  to  be  underftood  of  three  full  years,  but  only  of  two  fuch 
years  ;  'ne  fiege  bcgining  in  the  middle,  fuppofe,  of  Hezekiah^%  fourth 
year,  continuing  the  whole  fifth  year,  and  ending  in  fome  part  of  the 
fixth  year.  It  is  therefore  plain  that,  according  to  the  ftyle  of  the  fa- 
cred  hiftorians,  one  whole  year  and  two  parts  of  two  years,  one  before, 
and  another  after  that  year,  may  be  called  three  years. 

V.  In  a  turbulent  ftate  of  things,  aji  intcr-rcgnum  may  be  allowed, 
where  confiftency  cannot  be  preferred  without  iti 

VI.  To  find  the  year  before  Chrift,  (or  before  A.  D.)  in  which 
apy  reign  began,  fubtradl  the  years  of  the  preceding  reign  from  that  year 
before  A.  D.  in  which  the  preceding  reign  began.  To  find  the  year  of 
the  world,  (or  A.  M.)  fubtracl  the  year  before  A.  D.  from  4004,  which 
is  the  A.  M.  in  which  our  Lord  was  born,  according  to  Arch-Bifhop 
Usher,  who  is  generally  followed  by  our  Chronologers.  Further,  from 
4714,  the  year  of  the  Julian  Period,  correfponding  to  A.  M.  4004,  fub- 
tra6t  the  year  before  A.  D.  and  it  will  give  the  year  oi  the  Julian  Period. 
e.  g.  To  know  what  year  before  A.  D.  Jthojhaphat  began  to  reign,  fub- 
tra6l4i,  the  years  of  his  father  Afa''?.  reign,  from  die  year  before  A.  D. 
955,  when  Jja  began  to  reign,  and  the  remainder  will  give  914,  the 
year  before  A.  D.  when  Jehojhaphat  began  to  reign.  Subtract  the  year 
914  from  4004,  and  it  will  give  3090  the  A.  M.  of  the  fame  event. 
Subtract  914  from  4714,  and  it  will  give  3800,  the  year  of  the  Julian 
Period  when  Jehojljaphat  began  to  reign. 


From 


CH6  XXXI.     Prom  the  Founding  ofSoIo)mn*s  Tetnple^  tSc, 


127 


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130  Frorn  the  Founding  of  Solomon' i  Te?np!c,  Iffc.     Ch.  ^XXL 


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Ch.  XXXI,     From  the  Founding  of  Solomon's  Temple^  k^c 


^ 


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jjt  Pr^fn  tht  Founding  tf  Solomon's  T^mji- ,  Jc.     Ch.  XKXJ, 


1-  k^*  w*.^^  • 


-S  c^  >»  .-  .t:  o  ^ 


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X     . 


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rr^  **-*     ^  ^^  -J**  \^     ^     ci  LlJ  -  "^     zi  r       ^^     •-•     S-> 


Chu  XX XI.     From  thg  Founding  tfSvhmon'i  T^fn^li^  ^S(,  133 


»->    t:    .-  .V    b/i''     iS    O    t»    2    ^    ct    ?;    3    ^    <s    ? 


I  3  CHAP 


^^.  pro        rOc55(Si-i^D  *^"2±i!^iiPCh 


j^^'  Of  the  Bahyhnip)  Captivity.  Ch.  X X 5  H . 


CHAP.       XXXII. 

The  moral  Qiufcs  of  the  Babylon!/!}  Capti  vitV  ^  and  the  Prtpriety  of 
that  Difpenfation. 

jPX^^r*;' jl  H  E  whole  fnvifl)  nation,  both  Judah  and  Ifrael^  had  nil  along 
•^"  ^  w  "^  ftrong  and  llrange  propcafity  to  idolatry,  even  after  the  crect- 
^■■i^y^'J^  ing  of  the  temple,  and  the  eftabli(hing  of  the  worfhip  of  God  there, 
in  liie  inofl:  grand  and  folemn  manner.  'I'hey  erected;  f///^rj  to  fl range 
gods^  fiequented  high-places  and  groves  confecrated  to  idolatrous  worftiip, 
a.'id  furnilhed  them  with  idols  and  images  for  that  purpofe.  2  Chron.  xiv. 
3.  1  Kings  XV.  II,  12,  13.  And  their  morals  were  jult  as  corrupt  as 
their  religion,  even  to  the  degree  of  fodomy  itfelf.   i  Kings  xv.  12. 

What  their  peculiar  temptations  were,  we  know  not.  All  the  endea- 
vours of  good  kings,  and  all  the  preaching  of  holy  Prophets,  fent  by  fpe- 
cial  commi.Tion  froqi  Cxod,  were  ineffectual  to  produce  a  reformation. 
'I'^he  pious  king  Hc^ckiah  was  zealous  and  active  in  rooting  out  idola- 
try j  but  Manaffch^  his  fon  and  fucceflor,  rcftored  it  again  in  the  higliclt 
and  mofl:  flagitious  degree  of  profanenei's  and  iniquity,  even  beyond  that 

of  the  dark  and  ignorant  nations.   2  Kiyigs  xxi.  1 10.   He  built  up 

again  the  high-places^  which  Hczekiah  his  father  had  dejiroyed^  &c.     He  was 
alfo  a  grievous  perfccutor  of  all  that  would  not  conform  to  his  idolatrous 
eflablilhments,  and  io  Jhcd  innocent  hlood  very  much.     An.vi^  his  fon  fol- 
lowed his  bad  example,      fofiah^  his  grandlbn,   vigoroully  attempted  a 
reformation.   2  Kings  xxiii.  24.,  25.   But  the  people  never  came  heartily 
into  it.   2  Chron.  xxxvi.  14,  &c.  M  the  chief  of  the  priejh,  and  the  people 
tranfgrtjjid  ivry  much^  after  all  the  abominations  of  the  heathen^  and  polluted 
the  hcuj'e  of  the  Lord^  which  he  had  halloiued  in  ferufalem.     And  the  Lord 
God  of  ihclr  fathers  fcnt  to  than  b\  his  tjufjengersyrifmg  up  betimes^  and /end- 
ing ;  becaujc  he  had  ccmpaff.zn  on  his  people^  and  on  his  ducliiug-place ;  but 
they  mocked  the  meffengcrs  of  Gcd,  and  drfpifed  his  words,  and  mifujed  his  Pro- 
phets, until  the  wrath  of  the  Lord  arcfc  againfl  his  people,  till  there  was  no  re- 
medy,    therefore  he  brought  upon  them  the  king  of  the  Chaldees,  whojkw  their 
young  men  with  the  fiord,  in  the  hcufe  of  their  fincluary,  and  had  no  com- 
pujjion  upon  young  man  or  maiden,  old  man,  or  him  that Jiooped  for  age,  he  gave 
them  all  into  his  i?and.     And  all  the  veffels  of  the  hcufe  of  God,  great  andfmall, 
and  the  treafures  of  the  houfe  of  the  Lord,  and  the  treajures  of  the  king,  and  cf 
his  princes  y  all  iDefe  he  brougJk  to   Babylon.     And  they  burnt  the  houfe  of 
Gcdy  and  brake  down  the  wall  of  ferufalem,  and  burnt  all  the  palaces  there  7 f 
with  fire,  and  dejhoytd  all  the  goodly  veffels  thereof.     And  them  that  efcaped 
frcin  the  [word,  carried  he  azvay  ta  Babylon  \  where  they  were  fervanti  to  him 
and  hisjons,  until  the  reign  of  the  kij.'ganm  cf  Perfia. 

.  Obrerve":^— ^:^TKiS  t^feadful  calamity  came  upon  them  gradually.  Firft, 
^ood  k\u%ysfiah  w.iiiyijv,juu^:uvjnt  upon  the  land,  flain  in  battle  by  P/W 
raoh-XtCbti,-!  Kings  >Ciii\\,  29,  who  put  Jchoaha z,thzt  fucccedcd  him  into 
^haii^s,  fcnt  him  pril'oner  imo  £gypt,  and  put  the  land  of  Judah  under  a 
•    *  "■  •  heavy 


Ch.  XXXII.  Of  the  Babylonijh  Captivity.  135 

heavy  tribute.  2  Kings  xxiii.  33.  Jehoiakim  fucceeded,  a  wicked  prince 
like  his  predecelTors.  In  his  third  year,  Nebuchadnezzar  took  Jerujalem^ 
and  carried  away  part  of  the  veflels  of  the  houfe  of  God,  and  many  of 
the  people  into  captivity.  Particularly,  he  gave  order  to  Afl^penaz  the 
majler  of  his  eunuchi^  that  he  fhould  make  choice  out  of  the  children  of 
the  royal  family,  and  of  the  nobility  of  the  land,  fuch  as  he  found  to  be 
of  the  faireft  countenance,  and  the  quickeft  parts,  to  be  carried  to  Ba-^ 

bylon^znA  there  made  eunuchs  in  his  palace,  Daniel  \.  i 4.  whereby 

was  fulfilled  Ifaiah'i  prediftion  above  an  hundred  years  before.  Ifaiah 
xxxix.  ''.  Among  thefe  youths  were  Daniel^  Hananiah^  Mijhael  and 
JzariaL  Dan.  i.  6,  7.  Moreover  the  king  was  made  a  tributary,  and 
the  whole  land  reduced  into  vaffalage  under  the  BabyIonia?is.  A  fevere 
vifitation,  but  had  not  the  proper  effeftupon  Jehoiachin^  the  next  king, 
who  was  as  corrupt  as  his  father.  2  Kings  xxiv.  8,  9.  He  had  been  but 
three  months  on  the  throne,  when  Nebuchadnezzar  again  befieged  and 
took  Jenfahm^  with  the  king  and  all  the  royal  family ;  all  the  moft  va  . 
luable  things  in  the  temple,  and  in  the  king's  treafures,  with  all  the 
mighty  men  of  valor,  all  the  crafts-men  and  fmiths,  he  took  away,  leav- 
ing" none  in  the  land,  but  the  pooreft  fort.  2  Kings  xxiv.  12,  13,  14. 
Among  the  reft,  Ezekiel^  (chap.  i.  i,  2.)  and  Mordccai  (Efth.  ii.  5,  6.) 
were  now  carried  captives.  Yet  ftill  there  was  no  amendment  of  the 
religion  or  morals  of  the  nation.  Zedekiah^  the  next  and  laft  king,  was 
as  bad  as  his  predeceflbrs.  2  Kin.  xxiv.  18,  19.  And  in  about  eleven 
years,  Nebuchadnezzar^  after  a  long  and  clofe  fiege,  tookjerufabm^  brake 
down  its  walls,  burnt  the  city  and  temple,  carried  away  all  the  facred 
utenfils,  and  all  the  people,  except  a  few  of  the  very  pooreft  to  till  the 
ground,  and  reduced  the  whole  land  of  Judca.,  in  a  manner,  to  utter  de- 
folation  for  the  fins  thereof. 

The  propriety  of  this  difpenfation  will  appear,  if  we  reflecl, 

I.  That  the  lenity  of  God  appeared  in  bringing  this  terrible  overthrow 
upon  them  fo  gradually,  after  a  fucceftion  of  judgments  from  lefs  to 
greater,  for  the  fpace  of  tv/enty-two  years ;  which  fhould  have  been  a 
warning  to  them,  and  by  experience  have  convinced  them,  that  the 
threatenin2;s  denounced  by  the  Prophets  v/ould  certainly  be  executed. 

II.  That  it  was  a  juft  punifhment  of  their  fins  ;  particularly  of  their 
idolatry,  whereby  they  forfook  God,  and  therefore  God  juft'ly  forfook 
them,  and  delivered  them  into  the  hands  of  their  enemies,  as  Mofes  had 
foretold.     Lev.  xxvi.  30 36. 

III.  This  dreadful  calamity  was  the  moft  efFe6tual  means  to  work 
their  reformation,  which  was  the  end  propofed  by  the  Divine  Wifdom, 
Now,  in  their  captive,  difconfolate  ftate,  they  had  time,  and  their  cala- 
mities had  a  natural  tendency  to  give  them  a  dilpofition,  to  reflect  upon 
the  long  feries  of  iniquity  and  perverfnefs,  which  had  brought  them  un- 
der the  heavieft  of  God's  judgments.  Now  their  oiun  wickednefs  corre£i- 
ed  them,  and  their  backjlidings  reproved  them  ;  now  they  muft  knoiu  andfee^ 
that  it  was  an  evil  things  and  bitter.,  that  they  hadf&rfaken  the  Lord  their  God., 
and  that  his  fear  had  not  been  in  ihc?n.  Ifaiah  ii.  19,  In  the  land  of  their 
Captivity  the  fermons  of  the  Prophets,  declaiming  with  the  higheft  au- 
thority againft  their  profane  and  vicious  practices,  would  be  ftill  founding 
in  their  ears,  and  their  abject,  -wretched  condition,  the  confequence  g£ 

I  4  fuch 


136  Of  the  Bahyknijh  Captivity.  Ch.  XXXfl. 

fuch  pratSlices^  would  fink  them  deep  into  their  hearts,  and  furcly  give 
thcni  an  utter  dcteftation  of  what  they  very  well  knew  was  the  cauie  oi 
all  their  grievous  fdfferings. 

Thirv  hnd  fuftored  themfelves  to  be  Oinmcfully  infatuated  bv  their  felfe 
prophets,  who  had  prophefied  to  them  in  Baal^  as  the  moft  infallible  oracle. 
'fir.  \'x.  8.  Ihey  were  prophets  of  the  dtcert  of  their  hearts.^  xxiii.  26. 
I'hey  had  encouraged  a  r2hb\eo[  Jiviners^/lreawers,  enchanters  zndftrnr- 
ers,  who  had  moil  impudently  impofed  upon  their  credulity,  aHuring 
them,  in  the  name  ot  the  Lord  too,  that  they  fliould  not  ferve  the  kinqof 
Babylon^  Jer.  xxvii,  g.  xxviii.  4.  xxix.  8,  9;  that  he  fliould  i>ot  come 
againft  them,  nor  a^ainfV  the  land;  xxxvii.  19  They  belied  the  L^rd., 
eind  Jiiidy  it  is  not  He^  neither  Jhall  evil  come  upon  us  j  neither  Jhall  we  fee 
f  word  J  nor  famine^  Jer.  v.  12.  but  I  luill  give  you  affured  peace  inthis  plocc» 
xiv.  13.  Thus  they  caufcd  the  people  to  err;  and  their  kings,  princes, 
and  priefts  concurred  to  ftrengthen  the  delufion.  'Jer.  ii.  26.  v.  31. 
xxxii.  32.  By  the  way,  thefe  prophets  and  pricfts  were  men  of  very 
wicked  lives.  Zeph.  iii.  4.  y^r.  xxiii.  11.  ^Vhcy  commited  adultery,  lualked 
in  hes^  Jircngthened  the  hands  of  evil  doers,  and  prevented  their  rctuj-ning 
from  wickedncfs,  Jer.  xxiii.  14;  they  perfecuted  and  murthcred  the  juft, 
in  the  midfl:  of  ferufalem.  Lam.  iv.  13,  From  them  prnfanenefs  went' 
forth  into  all  the  laud,  Jer.  xxiii.  15.  which  by  their  means  was  become 
full  of  aiultirers,  and  mourned  becauje  of fivearing,  verfe  10.  See  a  more 
particular  defcription  of  the  wickeclnofs  of  the  land,  E'z.ek.  xxii.  6  —  13. 
'  But  now,  wt^cre  were  all  their  falfe  prophets,  with  all  their  bold  pr<j- 
tenfions,  and  flattering  promifes  ?  The  delufion  is  now  quite  at  an  end, 
and  they  find  themfelve!>  moft  miferably  deceived.  Their  eyes  arc  open- 
ed, and  they  are  thoroughly  convinced,  they  were  a  fet  of  the  vilelt  im- 
poitors,  who  had  deluded  them  into  the  moft  wretched  circumitances. 
The  prophets  v^txt.  now  become  wind,  Jer.  v.  13,  an  everlajiing  reproach,  a 
perpetual  fliame,  which  could  not  be  forgotten,  xxiii.  40.  And  in  propor- 
tion as  thefe  deceivers  were  detefted,  the  true  Prophets,  who  would  hav« 
drawn  them  to  juft  regards  of  God  and  his  holy  law,  would  be  eileenied 
and  honored. 

Doubtlefs  the  lying  prophets  and  pricfts  had  filled  their  heads  with  fpe- 
cious  pretences  for  their  idolatrous  pradlices  ;  and  allured  them,  they 
were  ftill  the  beloved  people  of  God,  inverted  in  all  the  diftinguilhing 
privileges  of  his  church  and  peculiar  people,  and  fecure  under  hi§  pro- 
tection ;  with  great  oftentntion  and  confidence  crying  out.  The  tempie  of 
the  Lord.,  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  the  temple  of  the  Lord  are  thefe  [men  or 
buildings]  Jer.  vii.  4.  But  novy  they  found  all  their  fophiftry  to  be  ly- 
ing words,  and  could  no  longer  take  aflurance  from  their  peculiar  privi- 
leges, or  their  magnificent  temple,  when  their  temple  and  city  were  both 
deftroyed,  and  themfelvc  s  call  out  into  an  heathen  land,  where  they  were 
fo  ]o!iL',  and  fo  fhamefully  llrJpt  of  all  their  peculiar  honors.  In  ftiort, 
no  methf>d  could  have  been  devifed  more  proper  to  give  this  people  a 
fixeit  detellation  of  idolatry,  and  the  vile  arts  by  which  they  were  fedu- 
cediiito  it.  And  it  had  this  eftedl.  They  never  more  fell  into  idola- 
try, but  retain  the  greatert  abhorrence  of  it  unto  this  day. 

IV.  The  law  of  God,  writcn  by  ALfrs,  as  the  rule  of  their  ccndu<ft  in 
ail  afl'aUs  civil  and  lijLgious,  uiid  the  groi»jid  of  thtir  happi.'^cis,  they  had 


Ch.  XXXII.  Of  the  Bahyhnljh  Captivity:  :C^  i^y 

fo  far  negleded,  that  once  it  was  almoft  unknown  and  loft  among  them, 
a  Kings  xxii.  8 — 12.  This  contempt  of  the  divine  law,  the  Prophets 
had  frequently  and  ftrongly  protefted  againft.  {Ifai.  v.  24.  xxx.  9.  Jer, 
vi.  19.  viii.  8.  ix.  13.  Hof.  viii.  12.  Jmcs  ii.  4.  and  in  other  places) 
and  publicly  declared,  that  it  would  be  their  ruin.  And  in  their  ruined 
ilate,  this  muft  be  remembered,  aa  the  primary  reafon  of  all  their  fuffer- 
ings  ;  and  they  muft  be  thoroughly  fenfible,  that  a  due  regard  to  the 
layv  of  God,  was  the  only  way  to  recover  his  favor,  and  their  own  pro- 
fpcrlty  ;  and  accordingly  muft  be  difpofed  to  be  attentive  to  it.  For 
Ezra^  after  the  captivity,  found  fo  little  difficulty  in  introducino-  the  pub- 
lick  reading  of  the  law,  that  the  people  themfelves  called  for  it.  Neh. 
viii.  I,  2,  3,4,  18.  xiii.  i.  Ezrawzs  a  ready  writer  of  the  law  of  God, 
Ezra  vii.  6,  10,  ii,  12,  and  active  in  propagating  the  knowledge  of  it. 
Doubtlefs  he  wrote,  or  dire6led  to  be  writen,  feveral  copies  of  the  law, 
to  be  difperfed  into  proper  hands.  And  whereas  before  the  Captivity 
they  had  no  fynagogues  for  publick  worfhip  or  inftru6tion,  nor  any  places 
to  refort  to  for  either,  unlefs  the  temple  at  Jerufalem^  or  the  cities  of  the 
Lcvitcs^  or  to  the  Prophets,  when  God  was  pleafed  to  fend  them  ;  thus 
ignorance  grew  among  the  people ;  but  after  the  Captivity  fynagogues 
were  creeled  among  them  in  every  city,  where  the  law  was  read  every 
fabbath,  and  other  ads  of  devotion  performed.  This  was  the  moft  ef- 
fectual method  of  preferviug  the  knowledge  of  God  and  his  law,  and  a 
fenfe  of  their  duty.  This  was  another  good  effeft  of  this  difpenfation, 
and  mayjuftlybe  given  as  one  good  reafon  of  their  being  fo  ftrongly 
tixcd  againft  idolatry,  ever  after  the  Babylonijh  Captivity. 

V.  This  difpenfation  was  alfo  calculated  to  produce  goodeffedls  among 
the  nations,  whither  they  were  carried  into  Captivity.  P'or  wherever 
they  were  difperfed  in  the  caftern  countries,  they  would  bring  with  them 
the  knowledge  of  the  true  God,  now  ferioufly  impreft  upon  their  hearts. 
But  Divine  Providence,  by  fuch  lignal  circumftances  of  his  interpofi- 
lion,  as  were  publiftied  and  known  over  all  the  vaft  extent  of  the  eaftern 
empires,  raifed  feme  of  the  captive  Jews  to  the  higheft  pofts  of  dignity 
and  power  in  the  courts  of  JJJyria  and  Perfia.  Dan.  i.  19,  20.  Infomuch 
that  the  moft  haughty  monarchs  openly  confelTed  the  living  and  true  God, 
as  the  only  and  fuprenie  God.  Dan.  ii.  47,  48,  49.  iv.  34,  isfc.  And 
utade  decrees,  that  were  publifhed  throughout  their  fpacious  dominions, 
in  favor  of  the  profefTion  and  worftiip  of  him.  Dan.  iii.  29.  vi.  25,^^, 
And  the  affair  of  queen  Ejlher  and  Mordecai.,  and  the  decree  of  the  em- 
peror Ahajuerus^  in  favor  of  all  the  Jexvs  in  his  empire,  confifting  of  127 
provinces,  muft,  not  only  give  the  Jews  every  where  great  diftindion 
and  honor,  but  alfo  render  the  great  God  more  known,  and  his  religion 
more  refpedable  ;  infomuch  that  many  of  the  people  of  the  land,  many 
of  the  Per/urns^  became  Jews,  or  profelytes  to  the  Jewifti  religion.  Ejiher 
viii.  II,  (^c.  And  the  great  Cyrus  was  fo  well  acquainted  with  the 
true  God,  that,  as  one  of  his  firft  ads,  after  he  was  advanced  to  the 
empire  of  Per/ia^  he  made  a  decree  for  the  return  of  the  Jeivs  into  their 
own  country,  and  for  the  rebuilding  the  temple.  Ezra  i.  i — 5.  From 
all  this  it  is  clear,  that  the  Ji'i^j,  notwithftanding  their  depravity  in  their 
own  country,  during  the  Captivity  of  70  years,  muft  have  been  a  burn- 
ing and  ^  il^i^ijng  light,  all  over  the  eaftsrn  countries.     And  thus,  in 

this 


138  Juthors  within  the  Period  Ch.  XXXIII. 

this  difpenHition  alfo,  God,  the  Father  and  Governor  of  mankind,  was 
working  for  the  reOirmation  and  improvement  cf  the  world,  in  that 
which  is  the  true  excellency  of  their  nature,  and  the  only  foundation  of 
their  happinefs. 


•&^^S©^^©@©:g^^:^©^@^©:^©^SS@^g©Sg^ 


CHAP.      XXXIII. 

Juthors  within  the  VEKlonfrom  the  Building  to  the  DeJlruMian  of  the 

Temple. 

p*:»:^I  T  ERATURE  in  this  Period  receiveu  a  confiderable  ad- 
^;  L  B  vancc  ;  probably,  by  means  of  the  fchools  of  the  Prophets. 
tI»'»'L?  Solomon  was  a  great  Author,  as  he  was  endowed  with  an  un- 
common fiiare  of  wifdom.  For  he  Jpake  three  th ouj and  proverb i^  and  his 
fon<^5  -ivere  a  ihoujund  ami  Jive.  And  he  jpake  cf  trees^  from  the  cedar  that  is 
in  Lebanon^  even  unto  the  hyffop  that  fprtngeth  cut  of  the  wall\  he  fpake  alfo 
of  bcajls^  andoffowl^  and  of  creeping  things^  andoffijhes.  But  of  all  his 
works  only  three  are  taken  into  die  Sacred  Canon,  namcl}-,  Proverb Sy 
Ecclefiajiesy  and  his  Song. 

PROVERBS. 

This  Book  confifleth  of  the  raoft  ufeful  rules  for  the  right  diredlion 
of  life  in  reli£ion  and  morals,  and  is  the  moft  authentic  and  excellent  of 
the  kind  that^can  bfe  produced  in  antiquity.  It  may  be  divided  into  five 
parts.  I.  In  the  firft  part  the  tutor  give  his  pupil  admonitions,  direc- 
tions cautions,  and  excitements  to  the  ftudy  of  wifdom.  Qtap.  firft  to 
the  tenth.  II.  The  fecond  contains  the  Proverbs  of  Solomon^  properly 
ib  called,  delivered  in  Qiftin«rt,  independent,  general  fentences.  Chap.  10"^ 
to  the  22^,  cvT,  17.  III.  The  third  part  begins  at  chap.  xxii.  17.  where 
the  tutor  an^ain  addreireth  himfelf  to  his  pupil,  and  gives  him  frelh  admo- 
nUions  to  the  diligent  lludy  of  wifdom  ;  which  is  followed  by  a  fett  ot 
InftiUvStions  delivered  in  the  imperative  mood  to  the  pupil,  who  is  fup- 
pofed  all  the  while  to  be  ftanding  before  him.  Chap.  xxii.  ly.  to  chap. 
Kxv.  IV.  'Fhc  fou:th  part  is  dillinguifhed  by  its  being  a  collection  ot 
Solomons  Proverbs,  felecled,  we  may  fappofe,  out  of  a  much  greater  num- 
ber, by  the  men  of  Hczjkich ;  perhaps,  by  the  Prophets  Ifatah.^  Hoftdy 
Micah.,  who  all  flourifhed  in  the  days  of  flezekiahy  and  not  improbably 
aHxlled  him  in  his  pious  endeavours  to  reftore  true  religion.  2  Ooron. 
xxxi.  2C,  21.  'Fhis  part,  as  the  fecond,  confilh  chiefly  oJ  diftin6t,  un- 
conneded  fentences,  and  reacheth  from  chap.  xxv.  to  chap.  xx\.  V.lhu 
fifth  part  ccntains  a  fett  of  "wife  obfcrvations  and  inftructions,  which 

AgUTx 


Ch.  XXXIII,  'from  the  BuiUhg,  &c.  139 

Jgur,  the  fon  of  Jakeh,  delivered  to  his  pupils,  Ithiel  and  Ucal,  chap. 
XXX.'  And  the  xxxi^^  chapter  contains  the  precepts  which  his  mother, 
pbflibly  a  Jcwijh  v/oman  married  to  fome  neighbouring  prince,  delivered 
to  Lemuel,  her  fon  ;  being  paflionately  folicitous  to  guard  him  againft 
vice,  to  eftablifh  him  in  the  principles  of  juiHce,  and  to  have  him  mar- 
ried to  a  wife  of  the  beft  qualities.     Thefe  two  chapters    are  a  kind  of 

appendix  to  the  Book  of  Proverbs.     Note -It  is  uncertain  who  Jgur 

and  the  mother  of  Lemuel  were. 

ECCLE  SIASTE  S. 

This  Book  was  writen  by  the  Preacher,  the  fon  of  Davhl,  khig  ofje- 
rufalem,  chap.  i.  i  ;  that  is  to  fay,  by  Solomon,  (probably  in  the  latter 
part  of  his  life)  as  appears  from  chap.  i.  16.  ii.  4,  ^c.  The  fubjed  of 
it  is,  an  enquiry  into  the  chief  good,  or  happinefs  of  man,  in  this  world. 

l'Hc  confutes  the  falfe  opinion  of  thofe  that  place  happinefs  in  hu- 
man wifdom,  or  philofophy  ;  in  the  pleafures,  amufements,  or  Iplendor' 
of  life;  in  honor,  magiftracy,  and  dominion  i  in  riches  or  wealth.  This, 
in  the'lix  firft  chapters.  Ii.  He  teaches,  that  true  felicity  is  to  be  found 
only  ^n  a  ferious  regard  to  God  and  religion,  in  the  fix  lait  chapters.  In 
both  parts  he  intermixes  feveral  incidental  reflections,  which  are  of  ufe 
to  make  us  wife  and  pious.  The  whole  is  adapted  to  draw  us  irom  the 
inordinate  purfuit  of  earthly  things,  and  from  a  v.Tong  to  a  lawful  ufe  of 
them  ;  without  any  offence  to  God,  or  damage  to  ourfelves,  till  we  ar  . 
rive  at  a  never-dying  felicity. 

The  SONG  of  SOLOMON. 

The  Song  of  Songs,  or  the  moft  excellent  Song,  Vv^as  compofedby  Sc- 
lomon ;  and  is  a  noble  ep'ithalamiim,  or  marriage-fong,  of  the  paltoral 
kind,  embeililhed  with  the  moft  grand  and  beautiful  images.  In  the  let- 
ter it  is  allowed  to  be  a  celebration  of  the  marriage  of  Solomon  to  Pha- 
raoh's daughter  ;  but  the  JevJiJh  rabbles,  and  many  of  the  Chriftian  fa- 
thers, have  underftood  it  as  a  fpiritual  allegory,  reprcfenting  the  love  of 
God,  or  as  Chriftians  foy,  of  Chriii:,  to  his  church  \  which,  in  other  parts 
of  Scripture,  is  reprefented  as  his  fpoufe,  Pfalm  xlv.  10,  ^V.  Hearken,  0. 
Daughter,  and  ccnfider,  kc.  Ver.  13.  The  king's  daughter  is  all  glorious 
within.  Sec.  Which  Pfalm  David  is  fuppofed  to  have  made  upon  the 
fame  occalion,  namely,  at  Solomon's  marriage  ;  wherein,  as  the  bride- 

•    groom  is  juftlv  fuppofed  to  be  Chrift,  ver,  3 8.  fo  his  bride  may 

well  be  fuppofed  to  be  the  church.  John  Baptift  compares  Chrift  to  a 
bridegroom,  jfohn  iii.  28,  29 ;  and  fo  doth  our  Lord  himfelf.  A/at.  ix. 
15.  XXV.  1.  and  the  kingdom  of  heaven  he  compares  to  a  fumptuous 
marriage-feaft,  Afat.  xx\i.  2.  So  alfo  Rev.  xix.  7.  xxi.  2.  the  mar- 
riage of  the  Lamb  to  his  bride,  or  wife,  clothed  in  fine  linen,  (which 
doubtlefs  reprefcnts  the  Chriftian  church  in  a  ftate  of  purity)  is  fpoken 
9f.  And  St,  Paul,  in  ftroiig  term?,  fuch  as  AJam  ufed  when  he  was  mar- 
ried 


I^O  Prophets  before  the  Qiptlvity.  Ch.  XXXIV. 

ried  to  Eve^  reprefcnts  Chrift  as  a  hufband  to  the  church.  Ephef,  v.  2^, 
isc.  And  fo  alfo,  2  Cor.  xi.  2.  /  have  efpoufed  you  to  one  hujband^  that  I 
may  pre  Cent  you  as  a  chafte  virgin  to  Chrijl.  And  frequently  in  the  Pro-, 
phets  God  is  fet  forth  as  the  hufband  or  bridegroom  to  the  church.  Ifai, 
liv.  5.  Ixi.  10.  Ixii.  4,  5.  Jcr.  iii.  20.  xxxi.  32.  Hof.  ii.  2,  7,  16,  19. 
Hence,  apoftacy  from  (jod  is  very  commonly  reprefentcd  as  whoredom, 
and  adultery,  both  in  the  Old  and  New  Teframent. 

All  this  is  very  juft,  and  fupplieth  very  inftruclive  and  comfortable 
meditation.  And  it  is  certainly  the  beft  ufe  we  can  make  of  this  ele- 
gant SoD'j;  to  apply  it  thus  to  Ipiritual  purpofcs.  But  the  ideas,  which 
the  Scripture  gives  us  of  God's  or  ChrilVs  relation  to  the  church,  as  a 
hufband,  are  too  general,  to  ferve  as  a  key  to  the  great  variety  of  parti- 
culars in  this  poem ;  which  therefore,  as  it  is  never  quoted  in  any  other 
part  of  the  Scripture,  can  be  reduced  to  no  certain  rule  of  interpretation, 
but  muft  be  left  to  every  perfon's  fancy  or  imagination,  Bp.  Patrick 
has  done,  perhaps,  as  much  as  can  be  done  upon  ^he  fpiritualizing 
fcheme. 

Within  this  Period  were  alfo  lyriten  the  Prophecies  of  foel^  JmoSy 
Hofea^  'Jonah.,  Ifaiah^  Micah^  Nahum^  "Jeremiah^  Habakkuk^  Zephaniahy 
Obadiah,  Thefe  before  the  captivity.  During  the  70  years  captivity. 
Lamentations^  Ezekiel^  Daniely  Ejiher.  After  the  captivity,  Ezra.,  Nehc^ 
miah^  Haggai^  Zechariah^  Malachi^  I.  and  II.  Chronicles.  Thefe  com- 
pleat  the  Canon  of  the  Old  Teftament.  And  whereas  it  is  of  great  ufc 
to  the  right  underftanding  of  the  Prophets  to  know  the  reigns  and  times 
in  which  they  prophefied,  and  the  particular  occafions  upon  which  any 
of  them  delivered  their  prophecies,  I  fhall  now  attempt  to  digeft  aa4 
range  them  in  chro;iological  order,  as  follows. 


e:g©@@©©©©©©@@S©©^©^@©@©@©g©©@:gO 


CHAP.      XXXIV, 

PROPHETS  before  the  CAPTIVITV. 

ry^.^'^,  BOUT  twenty-fix  years  after  the  death  o^ Elijha.,  the  Prophet, 
'S  ^%.^'^  A'/;/^.f  xiii.  20.)  Jonah  the  fon  of  Jimittai,  the  Prophet.,  ivhich 
i^^;^,J^  was  of  Gath-hrper,  was  fent  by  God  with  a  meflage  of  encou-, 
nigcment  and  fuccefs  to  Jeroboam  II.  king  of  Ifrael.  2  Kings  xiv.  25* 
1  his  might  happen  when  Jonah  was  about  28  years  of  age, 

JOEL   1,  ii.  iii. 

Joel  at  Jerufakm  (Joel  ii.  i,  15,  17.)  might  prophcfy  before  Amos-^%, 
S^narja^  Ainos  i.  i.  iv.  i.    For  Jnns,  chap.^v.  7,  9.  may  refer  to  the 

devail^tioi^ 


Ch.- XXXIV.  Prophts  before  the  Captivity.  141 

devaftation  by  Palmer-worms^  Sic.  and  drought,  which  Joel  predi^led^ 
chap.  i.  6,  7,  19,  20.  However,  as  the  fenfe  of  this  prophefy,  in  no  part, 
that  I  know  of,  depends  upon  the  time,  when  it  was  delivered,  there  can 
be  no  harm  in  fuppofmg,  that  Joel  prophefied  about  this  time. 


AMOS    i ix. 

^OME  time  after  Joely  Amos  might  begin  to  prophefy  in  the  kingdom 
of  Ijrael.  Certainly  he  did  prophefy  in  thofe  days  of  U%ziah  or  J%ariab 
king  of  'Judah^  and  of  Jeroboam  II.  king  of  Ifrael,  in  which  they  were  co- 
temporaries,  chap.  i.  I.  How  long  he  continued  is  not  intimated.  H^ 
had  no  regular  education  in  the  fchools  of  the  Prophets,  (which  fuppofeth 
that  other  Prophets  had)  but  was  originally  a  herdfman,  and  a  gatherer 
tffycamore  fruity  or  wild  figs,  chap.  vii.  14.  He  had  an  exprefs  commif- 
fion  from  God  to  prophefy  unto  his  people  Ifrael^  ver.  15.  This  book 
may  confift  of  feveral  diftin£l  difcourfes,  but  as  they  are  without  date^ 
we  cannot  affign  the  particular  times  when  they  were  delivered. 


H  O  S  E  A     1.  ii.  iii. 

Hose  A  is  iuftly  fuppofed  to  be  cotemporary  with  Amos.  He  prophe- 
fied againft  the  ten  tribes,  or  the  kingdom  of  Ifrael,  begining  in  the  reio-n 
oVJeroboam  II.  and  prophefying  in  the  reigns  of  Uzziah,  Jothatn^  AhaZy 
and  Hezektahy  kings  of  Judah.  He  predicted  the  Captivity  of  the  ten 
tribes ;  and  as  that  Captivity  happened  in  the  fixth  year  oi  Hezektah^  pro- 
bably he  lived  to  fee  it  accomplifhed  by  Shalmanefer  king  of  Ajjyria ; 
which  was  done  about  64  years  after  the  commencement  of  his  prophetic 
office. 

This  Prophet  is  commanded  to  take  unto  him  a  wife  ofwhoredoms^  and 
children  of  whoredoms  ^  chap,  i,  2.  This  might  all  be  tranfadled  in  a  vi- 
i\Qn^\xi  ^^  council  of  God.  Seethe  eighth,  ninth,  tenth,  and  eleventh 
chapters  of  Ezekiel.  Or  it  might  be  a  parable,  to  be  fpoken  as  fuch  to 
the  children  of  Jfrael.  See  Ezek.  xxiv.  3,  ^c.  Here  that  is  ordered  to 
be  done  as  a  fadt,  which  was  only  to  be  fpoken  as  a  parable.  But  if  the 
Prophet  did  really  marry  a  lewd  woman,  who  had  children  not  by  him, 
but  by  fbme  other  man,  this  was  no  fin  in  him,  who  did  it  by  Divine 
Command,  in  order  to  explain  to  the  Ifraelites  their  wickednefs,  and  the 
punifhment  of  it.  The  adulterous  wife  reprefented  the  Ifraelites^  who 
}ay  their  idolatries  had  gone  a  whoring  from  God,  their  own  Hufbahd. 
The  children,  which  this  woman  bare,  are  the  ruinous  effeds  of  the  ido- 
latry of  the  children  of  Ifrael.  The  firfl  baflard  was  called  Jezrecl ;  and 
denoted  the  vengeance  which  God  v/ould  take  upon  the  houfe  of  Jehuy 
for  the  blood  which  he  fhed  in  "Jezreel^  chap.  i.  4.  The  fecond  was  cal- 
led Lo-ruhamahy  ver.  6.  to  denote,  that  God  would  no  longer  fpare  the 
houfe  of  Ifrael.,  but  take  them  quite  away  out  of  their  land.  The  name 
of  the  third  was  Lo-ammi,  ver.  9.  which  figniiicd,  that  the  relation  be-» 
tweqn  God  and  the  Ifraditn  was  diiTolved, 

HO  SEA  iv. 


142  .Prophets  before  the  Captivity.  Ch.  XXXIVi 


H  O  S  E  A     iv. 

The  interregnum  in  IfracI^  preceding  the  reign  cf  Zechariah,  was 
doubtlefs  a  time  of  very  great  diforder  and  violence,  and  of  much  bloody 
ftrife  for  the  crown.  Probably,  Zechariah  gained  it  by  cutting  off  com- 
petitors. Shollum  flew  him,  Mcnahe.m  flew  Shallum.^' ?.Y\\i  all  within  the 
fpace  of  kvQw  months.  To  this  fad  flate  of  things  Hofeu  may  well  be 
fuppofcd  to  refer,  chap.  iv.  2.  By  fivearing  arj  lyings  and  killing  and  jlcuUngy 
and  committing  adultery^  they  break  out^  and  blood  totichcth  [reacheth  antoj 
hlood»-    Here,  therefore,  we  may  place  the  fourth  chapter  oi Hofea. 


JONAH     i.  ii.  iii.  iv. 

Jonah,  I  fuppofe,  about  the  fecond  year  o{  Menahem^  king  of  JJrael^ 
"and  about  the  70^^  year  of  his  age,  was  fent  to  cry  againft  Nineveh,  about 
700  miles  from  Gath-hepcr,  then  a  great,  wealthy,  populous,  and  haughty 
city,  the  chief  feat  of  the  Ajfyrian  empire,  and  the  miftrefs  of  the  world  ; 
which  had  long  been  remarkable  for  luxury  and  jollity  to  a  proverb, 
x^£»e-wi'Nn'«  Eutp^an'aao??,  better  than  merry  Nineveh.  By  Zephaniah  it  is 
called,  the  rejoicing,  or  joyous,  city,  chap.  ii.  15.  To  be  fent  with  a 
meflage  of  divine  wrath  to  fuch  a  place  as  this  could  not  but  feem  a  fright- 
ful and  dangerous  errand  to  Jonah.  He  faw  how  much  the  Ifraelites, 
God's  own  people,  hated  and  perfecuted  the  Prophets,  who  reproved  and 
threatened  them.  Wh.it  then  could  he  expeft  from  that  great  and  wick- 
ed city,  Nineveh,  the  head-quarters  of  pride  and  fin  ?  Further,  he  knew 
the  Prophets  very  much  hazarded  their  reputation  in  the  world,  when 
employed  in  denouncing  judgments  ;  becauic  God,  being  gracious,  was 
flow  in  executing  them.  On  this  account,  the  Prophets  zt  Bethel  Tind 
"Jerusalem  were  yilely  abufed  and  decried  by  infolcnt  and  rude  infidels, 
who  durft  even  profefs  to  defire,  or  long  for,  the  day  of  the  Lord,  (ArooS 
V.  18.)  in  a  confident  perfuafion,  that  it  would  never  come;  and  dared 
to  challenge  God  to  haften  his  work.  Ijai.  v.  19.  See  alfo  "Jer.  xvii. 
15.  Ezckiel  xii.  22.  And  if  this  fhould  be  Jonah's  cafe  at  Nineveh,  what 
could  he  expe6l  but  to  be  torn  in  pieces  for  an  impoftor  ?  How  rnuft 
he,  and  the  religion  he  profefied,  be  expofed  to  publick  contempt  and 
fcorn  ?  This  was  what  he  particularly  dreaded.  Chap.  iv.  2.  He  was 
therefore  refolved  to  fee  from  the  pre  fence  of[ivom  before]  Jehovah  ;  that 
is,  I  fuppofe,  to  run  away  from  the  Council  of  God  in  the  land  oi  Ifrael, 
to  fome  remote  country  beyond  fea  *,  where,  he  thought,  it  was  never 
held.  But  he  was  ilopt  by  a  miracle,  and  at  length  obliged  to  deliver 
the  doleful  meflage.  Yet  forty  days  and  impenitent  Nineveh  Jhall  he  over- 
thrown.    Convinced  of  his  miraculous  miffion,  §  the  king  proclaimed  a 

fail, 

•  Note — Tarjhijh  may  fignlfy  any  remote  country  beyond  fea,  as  the  Indits 
now  with  us.     bee  Root  1827.  in  the  Erg.  "Heb.  Concordance. 
§  Luke  xi.  30.  O 


Ck.  XXXIV.  Prophets  before  the  Captivity.  143 

fail,  and  enjoined  all  the  ufual  forms  of  repentance;  and  God  repented  of 
the  evl/,  zvhich  he  had  fold  he  would  do  unto  the?n. 

It  is  very  probable,  that  the  idolatrous  priefts,  and  the  aftrologers, 
foothfayers,  and  magicians,  who  muft  be  numerous  at  Nineveh^  as  well 
as  at  Babylon.^  (^''  xlvii,  13.  Dan.  ii.  2.)  would  zealoufly  endeavour 
to  divert  the  king,  when  the  firft  fright  was  over,  from  attending  tea 
meffage  from  Jehovah.^  as  foon  as  ever  they  poflibly  could,  before  the 
forty  days  were  expired.  They  would  naturally  reprefent  fonah  to  the 
king  and  all  the  people,  as  an  impoftor  ;  and  bear  them  in  hand  that  the 
prediction  was  falfe,  and  would  not  be  fulfilled.  This  muft  give  the 
Prophet,  who  was  zealous  for  the  glory  of  the  God  of  Ifrael^  very  great 
uneafmefs  ;  infomuch,  that  he  wifhed  for  death,  chap.  iv.  2,  3 ;  as  Eli- 
jah^ in  a  cafe  fomewhat  fimilar,  had  done  before  him.   i  Kmgs  xix.  4. 

The  queftion  of  Jehovah,  Jon.  iv.  4.  which  we  render,  Doji  thou  tvcU 
to  be  angry  ?  ftiould  have  been  rendered,  Art  thou  very  much  grieved? 
And  fo  ver.  9.   See  Heb.  Eng.  Concordance.  R.  748,  637. 

Pul,  the  king  of  AJfyrla^  who  came  againft  the  l-and  of  Jfrael  in  the 
reign  of  Menahem,  1  Kings  xv.  19.  is  fuppofed  by  Arch-Bifliop  UsfIer 
to  be  the  king  of  Mwcv/^,  to  whom  Jonah  was  font.  As  it  appears 
from  the  hiftory,  that  Pul  had  no  defign  to  make  conqueft  of  the  land  of 
Jfrael,  I  can  afiign  no  reafon,  why  he  fliould  reach  his  arm  over  the 
kingdom  of  Syria,  which  lay  to  the  extent  of  about  300  miles,  between 
his  dominions,  and  the  land  of  Canaan,  to  ftrike  at  Ifrael,  but  that  he 
did  it  in  revenge  for  the  fuppofed  infult,  which  Jonah  had  offered  to  him 
and  his  people. 


ISAIAH     vi.  ii.  iii.  iv.  v, 

Isaiah,  the  brighteft  luminary  of  the  Jewljh  church,  juftly  called  the 
evangelical  Prophet,  he  fpeaks  fo  much,  and  fo  clearly  of  Chrlji,  began 
to  prophefy  in  the  year  king  Uzzlah  died,  chap.  vi.  i.  and  prophefied  in 
Judah  in  the  fucceifive  reigns  of  Jotham,  Ahn%,  and  Hezeklah.  He  was 
certainly  alive  and  prophefied  when  AJerodachhaladen  fent  his  embaffv  to 
Hezeklah,  who  had  been  fick,  in  the  14th  year  of  Heteklah,  and  before 
Chrift  714.  Thus  we  certainly  know  that  he  prophefied  46  years. 
There  is  an  ancient  and  probable  tradition  among  the  Jetvs,  that  he  fuf- 
fered  martyrdom  under  Manajfeh,  in  the  firPc  year  of  his  reign,  before 
Chrift  698,  by  being  cruelly  fawn  afunder ;  to  which  the  Apoftle,  Heb. 
xi.  37.  is  generally  thought  to  have  refpeft.  And  then  he  muft  have 
continued  61  years.     See  Pierce  upon  Heb.  xi.  37. 

The  firft  chapter,  by  reafon  of  the  grand  exordium,  might  ^e  judged 
proper  to  ftand  at  the  front  of  the  book  ;  but  it  gives  fuch  an  account  of 
the  diftrefied,  defolate  condition  of  the  land  oi  Judah,  as  agrees  much  bet- 
ter with  the  wicked  and  afflicted  reign  of  the  apoftate  Maz,  than  with 
the  flourifhing  circumftances  of  the  country  in  the  reigns  oi  Uzzlah,  and 
of  his  fon  and  fucceflbr  Jotham,  who  were  both,  in  the  main,  good  princes. 

Compare  Ifal.  i.  7,  8,  9.  with   2  Chron.  xxvi.  i 16.  and  the  whole 

27*^'  chapter.  But  the  fecond,  third,  fourth,  and  fifth  chapters  of  this 
prophecy,  do  defcribe,  and  exadly  correfpond  to,  a  flate  of  national 

V<;alth 


144  Prophets  hefarc  the  Captiviiy,  ^Ch.  XXXIV. 

wealth  and  profperlty,  which  are  ufually  attended  with  pride,  arrogancd, 
and  luxury.      See  chap.  ii.  6  — 18.  iii.  i6 — 25.  v.  8,  ii,  12. 

Therefore,  I  take  this  to  be  the  order  of  thofe  chapters.  h\  the  fixth 
chapter,  and  in  the  year  before  Chrift  759  the  Prophet,  in  the  council  of 
God,  received  his  commiflion  ;  and  foon  after  delivered  the  contents  of 
the  fecond,  third,  fourth,  and  fifth  chapters.  And  thefe  chapters  con- 
tain all  that  remains  of  his  prophecies  in  the  reigns  odJzziah  and  Jothatny 
for  about  the  fpace  of  16  years,  till  the  firft  year  of  king  Maz. 


M  I  C  A  H     i.  ii. 

These  two  chapters  were  delivered  before  the  deftruction  of  Samari^^ 
which  is  here  predicted,  chap.  i.  6.  in  the  reign  oi  Jotham^  chap.  i.  i. 
And  therefore  may  be  rightly  placed  about  this  time. 


ISAIAH     vii. 

In  the  firft  year  of  Ahaz.  king  of  Judahy  Rezhi  king  of  Syria^  and  Pekah 
king  of  Ifrael,  formed  a  defign  ai  dethroning  Ahaz^  and  of  extirpating' 
the  family  of  David,  by  feting  up  the  fon  of  Tahcal,  fome  potent,  factious 
y^w,  to  be  king  of  'Judah.  And  therefore  having  no  defign  upon  the 
nation,  but  only  upon  tlie  royal  family,  marched  dire6lly  to  yerufalem^ 
and  laid  clofe  fiege  to  it.  But  as  it  was  the  will  of  God,  not  to  extir- 
pate the  family  of  David,  but  only  to  punifh  v/icked  Ahaz,  he  fent  Ifaiah 
to  incourage  him  tc  make  a  vigorous  defence,  and  to  afllire  him  they 
ihould  not  prevail  againft  him  ;  and  that  the  houfe  of  David  ihould  fiib- 
fift  till  the  Mejfiah  was  born.  Then  was  the  prophecy  delivered  to  AJ.^az 
contained  in  the  feventh  chapter  of  Ifaiah  *. 


ISAIAH  viii.  ix.  x.  to  the  fifth  Verle. 

Ahaz,  a  wicked  idolater,  paid  little  regard  to  what  Ipiuh  had  fpoken 
to  him  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.     Therefore  God  ordered  Ifaiah  to  take 

a  large 

•  Is  Al.  vii.  8.  U^ithin  65  years  Ephraim [ball  he  irckev,  that  it  he  not  a  people. 
This  was  predi6\ed  in  the  firft  year  of  Ah  ax.  Ahaz  reigned  16  years,  and  in 
the  fixth  year  of  his  fuccefTor,  He^eklah,  Shahnaiufcr  took  Sa?nariay  and  carried 
a"Joay  I/rael  [Ephraim]  unto  AJJyria.  This  makes  but  16  and  5,  or  2  i  years. 
How  then  fhall  we  make  out  65  years  ?  This  has  very  much  puzzled  the 
critics.  But  obferve,  probably  I/rael,  or  Ephrairriy  was  carried  into  captivity 
by  the  AJfyrians  three  times.  F.  By  Tiglath-Pile/er.  1  Chron.  v.  26.  2  Kings 
XV.  29.  II.  By  his  fon  Shalmanejer,  2  Kings  xvii.  6.  xviii.  lO,  1 1.  Thus 
Ephraim  was  no  more  a  kingdom.  III.  Probably,  by  Efarhaddony  who  finally 
carried  away  all  remains  of  the  people;  which  is  implied  in  his  bringing 
Jiew  inhabitants  from  Babylon,  Cuthah,  Sec.  2  Kings  xvii.  24.  Ezra  iv.  2. 
Thus  Ephraim  was  no  more  il people.  This  happened  in  the  22<^  year  of  Ma- 
n'^ffeh  65  ycar»  ficm  the  firft  of  Ahaz.  See  Tix.  Prideavx's  Cc«.  ad 
An,  677. 


t^.  XXXIV.  Prophets  before  the  Captivity.  147 

a'  large  roll  of  parchment,  ana  therein,  with  ih!"  ^:.:  uf  a  7:^,7,  i.  e.  in  the 
t^ommon  and  moll  legible  way  oF  v/ritine,  to  put  down  and  publifli,  what 
God  (hould  further  difcover  about  the  prefent  deliverance  and  future  ca- 
lam.itics  of  'Jiidah.  The  roll  was  to  be  a  comment  upon  the  name  of  a 
fon,  which  wAs  then  born  to  the  Prophet,  and  by  Divine  Direction  was 
called  Maber-Jha-lal-haJh-baz,  i.  e.  luake  [peed  to  the  fpoU^  and  ba/ien 
to  the  prey.  Denoting  the  fpeedy  deftruciion  of  the  two  confederate 
kings  of  Samar'iJ  and  Daniajcus.  This  roll,  I  fuppofe,  takes  in  the  eighth 
and  ninth  chapters  of  Ifaiah^  and  the  five  flrit  verfes  of  the  10^''  chapter. 

i  S  A  I  A  H     xvii. 

This  chapter  relates  to  the  famefubje6l,  the  deftruclion  ot Ifrael  zni. 
Damafcus  j  and  therefore,  I  judge,  it  was  delivered  in  the  fame  year,  after 
the  roll  was  finifhed.  For  in  about  two  years  after,  Tiglath-pikj'cr^  king 
of  AJfyria^  took  Damafcus,  and  carried  the  people  therein  captive  to 
Kir.  2  Kings  xvi.  9. 

I  S  A  I  A  rt    i. 

t*EKAH  and  kczin  falling  in  their  attempt  upon  Jerufalem,  (2  Kings 
xvi.  5.  Ifai.  vii.  i.)  the  next  year,  741,  they  returned  with  forces  bet- 
ter appointed,  and  councils  better  concerted ;  and  dividing  thcmfelves 
into  three  armies,  one  under  Pckah^  another  under  Rezifi,  and  a  tliird 
under  Zichri^  a  mighty  man  of  Ephrairn^  they  fell  upon  the  country  in 
three  different  parts,  making  every  where  terrible  havock  and  (laughter, 
ind  carrying  away  a  prodigious  number  of  captives.  See  2  Chrou.xxv'nx. 
5—9.  And  no  fooner  was  the  land  freed  from  thofe  enemies,  but  it 
was  invaded  by  the  Edo;nitc-Sy  on  the  fouth,  and  the  Phili/iines^  on  the 
wefl,  who  treated  it  with  the  fame  cruelty,  flaying,  plundering,  and 
carrying  away  captives,  i  C/;r5«.  xXviii.  17,  18,  19.  Th\x^  v/z%  J J'dah 
grievoufly  diflrefted  all  over  the  country,  and  brought  exceeding  low, 
which  lately  had  been  high  in  wealth  and  power,  becaufe  they  and  their 
king  had  forfaken  the  Lord  their  God.  And  upon  this  occafion,  moft 
probably,  Ipiiab  delivered  the  prophetic  fermon,  contained  in  the  firfl 
thapter,  as  it  is  very  fuitable  to  the  ftatc  of  the  nation  at  that  time. 


ISAIAH     xxviii. 

This  chapter,  relating  to  the  deftru6lidh  of  Ephraim.,  or  the  ten 
tribes,  without  any  mention  of  Syria  or  Danyafcus^  lieth  between  the  de- 
ftrudlion  of  Damafcus,  740,  and  the  captivity  of  the  ten  tribes,  721. 


H  O  S  E  A    V.  vi. 

Ahaz,  greatly  diftrefled  by  Pekah^  Reziny  &c.  called  in  Tiglath-pile^ 

fry  king  of  Affyria,  to  his  help,  2  Kings  xvi.    7.    2  Chron.  xxviii.  16. 

Vol.  I.  K  And 


1^8  Prophets  before  the  Captivity.  Ch.  XXXIV. 

And  Menahcniy  king  of  7//W,  about  30  years  before  that,  had  hired  Pw/, 
king  of  >^nV7,  to  confirm  the  kingdom  in  his  hand,  2  Kings  xv.  19; 
though  they  reaped  no  benefit  from  them.  Thefe  are  the  only  times 
in  which  the  kings  of  'Jndah  and  Ifrael  applied  to  the  Ajjyrian  for  alTift- 
ance.  And  whereas  Hofca^  chap.  v.  13.  mentions  both  thofc  applica. 
tions,  the  fifth  and  fixth  chapters  muft  be  taken  in  after  Ahaz  had  ap- 
plied to  Tigkth-pilefer. 

ISAIAH     xiv.  28,  &c.  , 

The  PhiliJiiJies  triumphed  over  Ifrael  all  the  days  of  Ahat.  But  in 
the  year  Ahaz  died,  Ifaiah  delivered  the  hirden^  or  meflage,  relating  to 
them,  chap.  xiv.  28,  ^c.  which  was  fulfilled  by  Hezekiah,  fon  and  fuc- 
celfor  to  Ahaz,  2  Kino-s  xviii.  8. 


ISAIAH     XV.  xvl. 

The  Moahites  bad  not  ufed  the  Ifraelite;  well,  who  fled  for  ibelter  from 
the  ravages  of  Pekah  and  Rezhu  With  this  inhumanity  they  are  ironi- 
cally upbraided,  Ifai.  xy'x.  3,  4.  But  now  they  are  told,  the  oppreilbr 
and  fpoiler  were  ceafed,  and  the  throne  of  Hezekiah  ftiould  be  ejiablijhed 
inrmrcy^  and  he  Jhoidd  fit  upon  it  in  truth^  &c.  TheJ-efore,  this  prophe- 
cy againft  Moah^  muft  have  been  delivered  about  the  begining  (perhaps 
in  thefecond  year)  of  Hezekiah'^-  reign.  And  Dr.  Prideaux  fuppofeth 
it  was  accomplifncd  by  Shahnancfer,  three  or  four  years  after,  when,  as 
he  thinks,  Shahnanefer^  prcvioufly  to  the  fiege  of  Sa}naria^  fubdued  the 
Moabites,  to  prevent  any  incurfions,  or  attacks,  from  that  quarter. 


H  O  S  E  A     vii— xiv. 

The  prophecies  in  thefe  chapters  were  delivered  (i.)  after  Ephraim^ 
or  the  king  of  Ifrael,  had  called  to  Egypt  fox  fuccour,  chap.  vii.  11.  xii. 
I.  2i%  Menahon  had  don  before  to  Affyria.  2  Kings  xv.  19.  But  the 
only  time  they  applied  to  Egypt  was,  when  king  Hojhea,  revolting  from 
Shahnancfer,  lent  meflengers  to  So  king  of  Egypt.  2  Kings  xvii.  4. 
Which  occafioned  Shahnanefer's  befieging  of  Samaria^  and  carrying  the 
ten  tribes  into  captivity.  And  therefore  thefe  chapters  might  be  deliver- 
ed about  three  years  before  that  event.  (2.)  Thefe  prophecies  were 
delivered  after  the  firft  yea^i  of  Shahnan,  or  Shahnancfr,  who,  according 
to  Dr.  Prideaux,  began  to  reign  in  the  year  before  Chrill  728,  or 
729.  For  the  Prophet  Hofea  refers  to  the  deftrudion  of  Bcth-arbe!  by 
Shalman^  chap.  x.  14.  And  they  were  delivered  before  the  taking  of 
Scjr.aria^  which  was  in  the  8th  year  of  Shahnanefer^  before  Chrift  721  ; 
for  the  Prophet  evidently,  in  thofe  chapters,  fuppofeth,  that  Ephrai?n, 
or  the  ten  tribes,  were  not  yet  carried  into  captivity.  Therefore,  they 
were  delivered  aft^r  the  tjeftrudion  ofBdh-arbely  and  before  the  eapti- 
vity  of  the  ten  tribes,  about  the  time  above  noted. 

u  MIC AH 


Ch.  XXXIV.  Prophets  before  the  Captivity..  145 


M  I  C  A  H     iii,  iv,  V,  vi,  vii. 

The  laft  verfe  of  the  third  chapter  of  Micah  was  uttered  In  the  time 
t){  Hezekiab^  Jer.  xxvi.  18  ;  and  here  may  both  that  chapter,  and  all 
that  follow  it  be  placed,  as  prophefied  in  fome  time  of  He%ckiah's  firlt 
13  years,  before  Sennacherib  befieged  ycrufaUm.  For  the  Prophet  feems 
to  fpeak  of  that  fiege  and  Senyiacherib's  blafphemy,  chap.  v.  i,  5.  He 
fpeaketh  glorious  things  of  Chrifi  and  his  kingdom,  and  nameth  the  very 
town  where  he  (hoidd  be  born,  chap.  v.  2.  In  chapter  iv.  i,  2,  3,  he 
ufeth  the  very  words  of  Ifaiah^  chap.  ii.  2,  3,  4,  to  exprefs  the  conflux 
to  the  kingdom  of  Chriji^  iiis  power  in  it,  and  the  peace  which,  at  length, 
it  fliould  give  to  the  world. 


N  A  H  U  M     i,  ii,  iii. 

After  Shalmanefcr^  king  oi  Nineveh^  had  taken  Satnaria,  and  carried 
the  ten  tribes  captive,  Nahum  might  predict  the  ruin  of  Nineveh^  then 
the  capital  of  the  AJJyrian  empire. 


ISAIAH     xxiii. 
\ 

Shalmaneser,  having  taken  Samaria^  turned  his  arms  againft  the 
city  of  73^^,  which  held  out  againft  him  Hve  years,  and  then  was  deli- 
vered from  the  ficge  by  the  death  of  Shalmanejcr.  By  this  fuccefs  they 
were  too  much  elated,  and  growing  very  infolent,  this  occafioned  the 
prophecy  againft  them  in  this  chapter  ;  which  foretels  the  miferable 
overthrow  of  Tyre^  which  was  efFedted  by  Nebuchadnezzar  king  oi  Ba- 
bylon.    See  Dr.  Prideaux's  Con.  An.  715,  720. 

ISAIAH     xxiv,  XXV,  xxvi,  xxvii. 

These  chapters  may  refer  to  the  final  defolation  of  Judea  and  Jeru- 
falcm  by  Nebuchadnexzar.  But  I  can  difcover  no  marks  of  the  time 
when  they  were  delivered.  However,  with  the  thrcatenings  he  mixes 
many  gracious  promifes  and  comforts.     See  Dr.  Lightfoot. 


ISAIAH     xxxviii,  x:txix. 

In  this  year  king  Hezekiab  fell  fick,  and  the  other  affairs  happened, 
■which  are  recorded  in  this  chapter.  Yov  15  years  are  added  to  Heze/(:iah's 
life,  chap,  xxxviii.  5.  and  as  he  reigned  in  all  29  years,  this  muft  have 
been  the  14th  year  of  his  reign.  And  that  it  happened  when  the  inten- 
tions of  Sennacherib,  king  of  Afyria^  to  attack  Jcrujakm  were  known, 
appears  from  IJaiah  xxxviii.  6. 

K2  ISAIAH 


15a  prophets  before  the  Captivity.  Ch.  XXXIV. 


ISAIAH     xxix,  XXX,  xxxi,  xxxii,  xxxiii,  xxxiv,  xxxv. 

He7.ek.iah,  having  refufed  to  pay  the  annual  tribute  to  the  king  of 
JJJyrla^  towards  the  end  of  the  I4lh  year,  Setinacherih  coming  upon  him 
with  a  numerous  army,  he  made  all  manner  of  preparation  for  a  vigo- 
rous defence.  2  Kings  xviii.  13.  2  Chron.  xxxii.  Ifai.  xxxvi.  Parti- 
cularly, he  entered  into  an  alliance  with  the  king  of  Egypt  and  Ethiopia. 
2  Kings  xviii.  21.  Ifai.  xxxvi.  6.  This  was  a  meafure  difpleafmg  to 
God,  and  therefore  is  protefted  againft  by  his  Prophet  Ifaiah  in  the  xxxth 
and  xxxift  chapters.  And  at  the  fame  time  all  the  other  chapters,  from 
the  xxixth  to  the  xxxvith  Chapter,  efpecially  thofe  that  have  immediate 
reference  to  this  invafion,  might  have  been  didated  to  the  Prophet  by 
the  fpirit  of  God. 

ISAIAH     xxii.     Verfe  i  to  15. 

As  in  this  paragraph  are  manifeft  allufions  to  Sennacherib'' %  Invafion 
and  Hezekiah's  preparations  for  the  defence  of  ferifaleyn^  (compare  verfe 
9,  10,  II.  2  Chron.  xxxii.  5,  30.)  this  prophetick  admonition  to  the 
people,  who  depended  too  much  upon  thefe  preparations,  probably  was 
delivered  about  this  time.     See  Lov;^th's  Comment,  on  the  place. 


ISAIAH    xxi. 

The  inhabitants  of  Kedar  were  the  dependents  of  JJhmael^  Gen.  xxv. 
13,  and  were  one  fpecies  of  Arabians  dwelling  in  Arabia  petraa.  Thefe 
were  to  be  ruined  within  a  year  after  this  prophecy  was  given  out.  Mofl 
probably  they  were  overthrown  either  by  Sennacherib  as  he  went  into, 
or  returned  out  of  Egypt ;  or  by  "Tirhakah  king  of  Ethiopia^  as  he  advan- 
ced out  of  £g-;'/)f  againft  Sennacherib.  7.  Kin.  xix.  9.  And  therefore,  this 
prophecy  may  be  placed  at  this  time,  or  within  a  year  or  two  of  it. 


ISAIAH     XX. 

Hezekiah,  having  treated  with  Sennacherib^  and  agreed  to  pay  hint 
a  fum  of  money,  2  Kings  xviii.  14,  15,  16,  Sennacherib  turned  his  arms 
againft  Egypt ;  which  he  greatly  diftrefTed  for  three  years  together,  Ifa. 
XX.  3,  4.  But  firft  he  fent  Tartan^  one  of  his  generals,  before  him  to 
take  AJhdod^  the  key  to  Egypt.  At  this  time  the  prophecy  againft  Egypt ^ 
in  the  xxth  chapter  of  Jfaiah^  was  delivered.  Note — Sennacherib  is,  in 
ver.  I,  called  Sargon.  Ver.  5.  They  t\ic  ]ewSy  Jhall  be  afraid  and ajhani" 
ed  of  Ethiopia  their  expe^ationy  and  of  Egypt  their  glory. 


ISAIAH 


Ch.  XXXrV.  Prophets  before  the  Captivity,  151 


ISAIAH     xviii,  xix. 

These  two  chapters  are  alfo  leveled  againft  Egypt  and  Ethiopia^  upon 
which  the  Jews  relied  too  much  j  and  therefore  might  be  delivered  about 
tjie  fame  time. 


ISAIAH    X.  ver.  5,  &c.  xi,  xii,  xiii,  xiv.  to  ver.  28. 

It  appears  from  chap.  x.  8 — 12,  which  is  z  profopopoeia^  or  fuppofed 
fpeech  of  the  king  of  AJJyria^  that  this  chapter  was  delivered  after  the 
taking  o(  Samaria  by  Salmanefer^  721  5  and  fome  time  before  Sennacherib 
befieged  Jenifalem,  710,  who  was  the  only  king  oi  Afjyria  that  befieged 
yeriffalem  after  the  taking  of  Samaria.     And  the  fpeech  ii;  this  place 

bearing  a  near  affinity  to  that  o^  Sennacherib.   2  Kings  xix.  10 14. 

I/aiahxxwn.  10 — 14,  it  is  probable  that  this,  and  the  other  cnapters, 
to  the  28th  verfe  of  the  xivth  chapter,  were  delivered  about  the  time  Sen- 
nacherib befieged  yerufalem.  Note — In  chapter  x.  ii.  Shall  I  not,  as  I 
have  done  unto  Samaria,  Sec.  Sennacherib  fpeaks  as  king  of  yf/Jyria,  and 
fo  takes  in  what  his  father  Shalmanefer  had  done,  as  if  done  by  himfelf. 


ISAIAH     xxxvi,  xxxvii. 

Sennacherib  returning  out  of  Egypt,  where  he  had  been  3  years, 
notwithftanding  the  agreement  of  peace,  which  he  made  with  Hezehiah, 
marched  his  army  again  into  Judea,  laid  fiege  to  Lachijh,  and  from 
thence  fent  three  of  his  generals  with  a  proud  and  blafphemous  meflao-e 
to  'Jerufalem,  2  Kings  xviii.  17,  18.  2  Chron.  xxxii.  g,  &c.  This 
event,  with  the  circumftances  which  attended  and  followed  it,  are  re- 
corded in  the  xxxvith  and  xxxviith  chapters  oi  Ifaiab. 

Note — Before  Sennacherib  laid  fiege  to  Jerufalerji,  Tirhakah,  king  of 
Ethiopia  advanced  againft  him  out  of  Egypt.  2  Kings  xix.  9.  But,  as 
the  Prophet  Ifaiah  had  predidled,  did  the  Jews  no  fervice  ;  for  he  was 
overthrown  by  Sennacherib,  who  after  that  returned  to  Jerufakm,  where 
his  army  being  1 85000  men,  were  all  miraculoufly  deftroyed  in  one  nio-ht. 
See  Dr.  Prideaux's  Gn.  at  the  year  710. 

ISAIAH     xl,  xli,  xlii,  xliii,  &c.  to  the  End  of  the  Book. 

As  there  is  no  dire£lion  to  lay  thefe  chapters,  or  any  of  them,  in  any 
particular  time,  they  may  all  be  alloted  to  the  eleven  laft  years  of  Heze- 
kiah's  prolonged  life. 


K3  ISAIAH 


1^2  Prophets  before  the  Captivity.  Ch.  XXXIV. 


ISAIAH     xxii.  ver.  15  to  the  End. 

Shebna  had  been  fccretary  to  king  Hezekiah,  and  the  good  and  pious 
Eliakim^  the  mailer  of  his  houfhold,  ifai.  xxxvi.  3.  22.  Shebna,  by  the 
qucftions,  chap.  xxii.  16,  fecms  to  have  been  a  foreigner,  and  not  well 
afFe61:ed  to  the  Jewifh  religion.  JVhat  haft  thou  to  do  here  F  and  whom^ 
what  relations  haji  thou  here  f*  It  is  polTiblc  this  Shebna,  a  man  of  great 
abilities,  might  have  got  the  young  king  AlannJ/eh^  but  12  years  old, 
and  the  whole  management  of  affairs  into  his  own  hands  ;  having  routed 
Eiuikim  by  fuch  arts  as  courtiers  are  wont  to  pratSlife.  For  he  was  now 
both  trcafurer,  and  mafter  of  the  houfhold.  To  this,  perhaps,  the  wicked 
condu6l  of  Manajph  may  be  afligned.  Shebna,  fecurc  of  the  (lability 
and  continuance  of  his  power  and  grandeur,  was  hewing  out  a  magni- 
ficent fepulchre  for  himfelf  and  heirs,  to  perpetuate  his  memory  to  all 
fucceeding  times.  On  this  occafion,  Ifaiah  might  publifh  this  prophe- 
cy, prcdiiiting  Sh:bnah's  captivity  and  death,  in  a  remote  foreign  coun- 
try, and  the  future  exaltation  of  good  Eiiakirn.  This,  which  would 
greatly  exafperate  Shebna,  and  might  occafion  IJhIah's  being  put  to  a 
cruel  death,  [fawn  afunder,  Hcb.  xi.  37.]  was  fulfilled  about  twenty-two 
years  after,  when  ShehKav/as  taken  captive  with  Alanajfeh  by  Efarhaddon, 
and  carried  to  Bahylcn,  where  Shebna  continued  all  his  life.  ^wtAIanaf- 
/tv!',  upon  his  repentance,  was  reflored  to  the  MhronQ  o(  J udah.  And 
then,  probably,  good  Eliakim  was  reftored  and  intrufted  with  the  ma- 
nagement of  all  his  affairs,  and  affifled  him  in  the  great  reformation  he 

made  in  religion.   2  CJn-on.   xxxlii.   n 17.     See  Dr.  Prideaux's 

Can.  Anno  677.     Mannjph  22. 


JEREMIAH    i,  ii. 

In  this  year  'Jeremiah,  in  the  council  of  God,  received  his  prophetic 
commifliion,  as  in  the  firft  chapter.  See  alfo  chap.  xxv.  3.  And  in 
this  year  probably  he  publifhed  the  admonitions,  warnings,  and  threaten- 
ings,  in  the  fecond  chapter. 


JEREMIAH    xi,  verfe  i— 18. 

The  Prophet,  ver.  2 9,  mofl  probably  refers   to  the  covenant, 

which  "Jofiah  publickly  made  to  keep  God's  commandments,  upon  find- 
ing the  book  of  the  law.  2  Kings  xxii.  11.  xxiii.  3.  This  was  in  the 
1 8th  year  of  king  Jofiah.  2  Kings  xxii.  3.  • 


JEREMIAH  iii,  iv,  v,  vi,  vii,  viii,  ix,  x,  xii,  kc.  to  the  xxi. 

l^HESE  chapters,  for  any  thing  that  appears  to  the  contrary,  do  lie  iri 
regular  order,  nor  have  we  any  ground  or  intimation  for  tranlpoling  any 

•  -  \  ■   ".  of 


Ch.  XXXIV.  Prophets  before  the  Captivity,  153 

of  them.  There  is  a  date,  chap.  iii.  6,  In  the  days  of  Jojlah^  without 
mentioning  the  year  of  his  reign  j  which,  howqver,  fhews,  that  that 
chapter  was  dehvered  in  feme  part  of  his  reign.  And  whereas  a  fevere 
draught  is  frequently  meni;ioned  in  feveral  of  thefe  chapters,  {viz.  chap, 
iii.  3/  V.  24,  25.  viii.  13,  20.  ix,  10,  12.  xii.  4.  x,iv.  i,  2,  3,  4.}  this 
fliews,  that  they  are  to  be  laid  together  in  the  fame  year,  or  years,  in 
which  the  drought  continued ;  and  all  the  reft,  to  the  xxift,  may  follow 
in  order  of  time ;  and  a!i  might  be  delivered  in  the  laft  years  of  king 
Jofah.     Dr.  LiGHTFOCT. 

JEREMIAH     xi,  ver.   18,  to  the  end. 

In  fome  part  of  the  fame  years  the  men  of  Anathoih  might  confpire 
againft  Jeremiah. 

HABAKKUK  I,  ii,  iii.     ZEPHANIAH  i,  ii,  iii. 

As  thefe  two  Prophets  prophefied  the  fame  things,  that  Jeremiah  did, 
and  upon  the  fame  occafion,  that  is,  deftrudlion  and  defolation  upon 
Judah  and  Jcrufalem^  becaufe  of  the  many  heinous  fins  they  wer^  guil- 
ty of,  they  might  prophefy  about  this  time. 


JEREMIAH    xxii.  ver.  i 24. 

Jeremiah  being  fent  of  God  to  the  king's  houfe,  there  proclaimed 
God's  judgment's  againft  him  and  his  family,  contained  in  thefe  verfes  of 
this  chapter.  This  was  foon  after  Jehoahaz,  or  Shallum,  was  carried 
•captive  into  Egypt,  by  Pharaoh-necho^  king  of  Egypt,  who  flew  Jofah, 
ver.  10,  II.   I^P^eep  not  for  the  dead,  Jofiah,  hut  weep  fore  for  hiin  that  goeth 

azvay,  Jehoahaz;yor  he  Jhall  return  no  more.     Note Jehoahaz  itignQd 

but  3  months. 


JEREMIAH    xxvi. 

After  that,  the  Prophet  was  ordered  to  go  to  the  temple,  and  to 
denounce  to  all  the  people  the  judgments  of  God,  if  they  did  not  repent. 
"By  this  he  was  brought  in  danger  of  his  life,  through  the  refentment  of 
the  Priefts  and  Prophets,  ver.  7,  8  ;  but  was  preferved  by  the  princes, 
ver.  16. 


JEREMIAH     XXV. 

In  this  chapter,  and  in  the  begining  of  this  year,  Jeremiah  prophe- 
fied of  the  comins;  of  Nebuchadnezzar  againft  Judah  and  Jemfalem. 

-^  JEREMIAH 

K4 


154  Prophets  before  the  Captivity,  Ch.  XXXIV. 


JEREMIAH     XXXV. 

The  Rechabitesj  upon  Nebuchadnezzar* s  begining  to  invade  the  land 
of  Judea,  retired  out  of  the  country  to  'Jervfalem^  where  'Jeremiah  found 
them,  in  this  chapter. 


JEREMIAH     xlvi. 

In  the  fame  year,  after  A^'t'^af/j^Jw^i^z^r  had  defeated  the  zrmy  of  Pha- 
raoh-necho,  this  prophecy  relating  to  the  Gentiles,  was  delivered. 


JEREMIAH    xxxvi.  ver.  i 9. 

In  the  fame  year  God  commanded  yercmiah  to  collc6V,  and  write  in  a 
roll,  all  the  words  of  prophecy,  which  had  been  fpokcn  by  him  againft 
JJrael  and  Judah^  and  againft  the  nations.  Which  he  executed  by  the 
afliftance  oi  Baruch,  his  unianuenfn ;  who,  as  'Jeremiah  was  then  under 
confinement,  ver.  5,  read  the  roll  in  the  temple  upon  the  fafting-day, 
i.  c.  the  great  day  of  atonement,  being  the  loth  of  the  fcventh  month. 


JEREMIAH    xl7. 

Bap-UCH  being  very  m\ich  affrighted  at  the  threats  contained  in  the  roll, 
and  probably  uneafy  under  apprehcnfions  of  the  danger  he  might  incur 
by  reading  it  publicly,  Jeremiah.,  by  the  command  of  God,  delivered  to 
him  the  mefl'age  of  encouragement  and  comfort  contained  in  this  chapter. 

DANIEL    i. 

Immediately  after  this,  Nebuchndnexzar,  who  fet  out  upon  his  ex- 
pedition the  year  before,  laid  fiege  to  Jerufakm^  and  took  it  ;  and  bound 
Jehoiakijn  in  fetters,  with  a  defign  to  carry  him  to  Babylon.  2  Chron. 
xxxvi.  6,  But  upon  JehoiaJcim's  fubmiflion,  7.  Kings  xxiv.  i,  he  did 
not  carry  him  to  Babylon^  but  reftored  him  to  the  kingdom.  Neverthe- 
lefs,  he  carried  great  numbers  of  the  people,  and  fons  of  the  royal  ftimi^ 
ly,  and  of  the  nobility,  captives,  among  the  reft  Daniel, 

JEREMIAH     xxxvi.  vcrfe  9.  to  the  end  of  the  Chapter. 

This  year,  after  the  Chaldeans  were  gone  from  Jerufalem,  Jehoiakimy 
and  hi?  peopiL  growing  worfe  and  worfe,  in  the  ninth  month,  at  the  teft, 
which  was  then  proclaimed,  on  account  of  Nebuchadnezzar' %  having  ta- 
ken 


Ch.  XXXIV.  Prophets  hefore  the  Captivity.  1 55 

ken  the  city  the  year  before,  Baruch  again  read  the  roll  in  the  houfe  of 
the  Lord,  ver.  9,  80.  Which  coming  to  the  king's  ear,  and  part  of  the 
roll  being  read  to  him,  he,  thinking  perhaps,  that  Nebuchad7iezzar  had 
already  executed  the  Divine  threatenings,  and  nothing  more  was  now  to 
be  feared,  and  that  the  Prophet  was  a  mahcious,  troublefome  fellow, 
burnt  the  roll,  and  commanded  Jeremiah  and  Baruch  to  be  apprehend- 
ed.    But  they  could  not  be  found,  for  the  Lord  hid  them.     Note 

Jeremiah  was  now  at  liberty. 

DANIEL    ii. 

Iif  this  year,  which  was  the  fecond  of  Nebuchadnezzar^  according  to 
the  Baby lo7iiJh  diccoxxnt,  the  4th  according  to  the  JewiJJjy  Daxiehsvealed 
to  i>(ebuchadnezzar  his  dream. 

JEREMIAH    xxii.  ver.  24,  to  the  End. 

In  this  year  this  prophecy  was  declared  againft  Jehoiachin,  or  Contah 
who  reigned  but  3  months,  and  then,  with  many  others,  was  carried  into 
captivity.  2  Kings  xk\\\  ii,  &c.     His  uncle   Zedekiah  fucceeded  him. 
2  Kings  xxiv.  17. 

JEREMIAH    xxiii. 

This  chapter  might  be  delivered  at  the  fame  time  with  the  foregoing 
prophecy.  ° 

JEREMIAH  xiii.  ver.  15,  to  the  End. 

By  the  king  and  queen  mentioned  ver.  18,  are  probably  meant  Je^ 
hoiachin  and  his  mother.     See  chap.  xxii.  26.  2  Kings  xxiv.  12.     Thus 
this  prophecy  muft  have  been  delivered  about  the  fame  time  with^e 
foregoing. 

JEREMIAH    xxiv. 

A^TER  JeMachin  or  Jeconmh  was  carried  into  captivity  by  A^^^w/W- 
pezzary  this  prophecy  was  delivered, 

JEREMIAH  xlix.  verfe  34,  to  the  End. 

■  In  this  )«ear  alfo  is  to  be  placed  the  prophecy  againft  E/am,  a  kingdom 
upon  the  river  U/ai,  eaftward  beyond  the  Tigris,  in  which  ftood  Sht/han, 
afterward  the  metropolis  of  the  kingdom  of  Perjia. 

JEREMIAH 


156  Prophets  before  the  Captivity.  Ch.  XXXIV. 


JEREMIAH    xxJx. 

f"'"  About  the  fecond  year  of  Zedekiah's  reign,  Ja'emiah^s  letter,  con- 
Calned  in  this  chapter,  was  font  to  the  captive  Jews  at  Babylon-^  and  an 
impious  anfwer  returned  by  Shemaiah, 


JEREMIAH     XXX,  xxxi. 


These  two  chapters,  which  afTure  the  captive  Jews,  that  they  (hould 
not  only  return  again  to  Judea^  but  alfo  be  the  particular  care  of  the 
Divine  Providence  to  the  end  of  the  world,  to  fhew  the  certainty  of  the 
incouraging  contents,  are  ordered  to  be  written  in  a  book,  chap.  xxx. 
2,  about  the  fame  time  with  the  foregoing  letter,  and  probably  were  fent 
to  the  captive  Jews  in  Babylon^  whom  they  principally  refpected. 


JEREMIAH    xxvii. 

This  chapter  is  to  be  placed  in  this  year,  (fee  chap,  xxviii.  i.)  name- 
ly, after  the  departure  of  Nebuchadnezzar  out  of  Judea  and  Syria^  when 
the  kings  of  the  Atnmonitcs^  Moabites,  Edornites^  Zidonians,  Tyrians,  &c. 
fent  an  embafly  to  Zcdekiah,  propofmg  to  him  a  league  againft  the  king 
of  Baby/on.  Note — In  the  firlt  verfe,  "Jehoiakim  is  put  for  Zedekiah^  [fee 
ver.  3.]  probably  by  a  miftake  of  the  tranfcriber,  who  might  then  have 
his  eye  upon  the  firft  verfc  of  the  foregoing  chapter. 


JEREMIAH    xxviii. 

In  this  year  the  affair  concerning  Hananiah  the  falfe  Prophet,  related 
inthis  chapter  was  tranfaded.  Note — The  firft  verfe,  according  to  the 
beft  commentators,  (hould  be  read  thus,  JVhen  it  had  been  fo^  [i.  e.  when 
I  had  continued  prophefying  with  a  yoke  upon  my  fhoulders  from  that 
year,  which  was]  in  the  begining  of  the  reign  ofZedekiah^  until  the  fourth 
year,  kc.  See  Glafs.  Phil.facra  Lib.  IV.  Tra^.  I.  Obferv,  V.  Pag.  86c. 
Nold.  Concord.  Nota  677,  and  Lowth  upon  the  place. 


JEREMIAH    1,  li. 

These  two  chapters  contain  a  book  of  prophecies,  which  Jeremiah 
wrote,  and  fent  to  Babylon,  by  Seraiah,  who  was  fent  thither  by  Zedekiah, 
in  the  4th  year  of  his  reign,  chap.  li.  59,  &c.  [when  he -went  with,  rather, 
from  Zcdikiah^  &c.]     See  Nold,  Concord,  under  r\i$  or  ^I^C  No.  i. 

EZEKIEL 


IP 


,Ch.  XXXIV.  Prophets  before  the  Captivity,  557 


E  Z  E  K  I  E  L     i,  ii,  iii,  iv,  v,  vl,  vii. 

In  the  5th  year  of  Jehoidchin's  captivity,  which  was  alfo  the  5th  of 
Zedekiah's  reign,  Ezekiel,  a  captive  prieft  in  Chaldea,  received  his  pro- 
phetic commiiTion  in  the  council  of  God,  and  had  the  revelations  and 

prophecies  contained  in  the  feven  firft  chapters  of  his  book.     Note 

Ezekiel  dates  his  prophecies  from  the  year  in  which  himfelf  and  king  Je- 
/W^fZ'/w  were  carried  into  captivity. 


EZEKIEL    viii,  ix-,  x,  xi. 

This  year  Ezekiel  in  a  vifion  was  carried  to  yerufalem^  fhewn  the  fe- 
veral  forts  of  idolatry  pra6lifed  there  by  the  Jeivs  in  the  very  temple;  and 
had  revealed  unto  him  the  punifhments  which  God  would  inflict  upon 
them  for  thofe  abominations,  and  the  divine  protection  of  thofc  in  cap- 
tivity, who  continued  fteady  and  faithful  to  his  lervice. 

EZEKIEL     xii,  xiii,  xlv,  xv,  xvi,  xvii,  xviii,  xix. 

AfeouT  this  time,  Zcdekiah  having  entered  into  a  confederacy  vvlth 
the  king  of  Egypt,  and  broken  the  folemn  oath  of  fidelity,  which  he  had 
fworn  to  king  Nebuchadnezzar,  God,  both  by  types  and  words  of  reve- 
lation, forefhevv  d  to  Ezekiel  the  taking  oijerujalem  by  the  Chaldeans ^ 
Zedikiah's  fiipht  by  night,  the  puting  out  of  his  eyes,  his  imprifonment 
and  de.ir.';  .:;  Babylon,  the  carr)ing  av/ay  of  the  Jews,  and  the  remains 

of  the  ijraclites,  contained  in  the  above-mentioned  chapters.     Note 

Daniel,  though  then  but  a  young  man,  was  grown  to  fuch  a  pitch  of  piety 
and  holinefs,  as  to  be  matched  by  God  himfelf,  with  Noah  and  Job* 
Ezek.  xiv.  14,  20. 

EZEKIEL     XX,  xxi,  xxii,  xxiii. 

The  elders  of  Ifracl  came  to  Ezekiel  to  enquire  of  the  Lord ;  but 
God  refufeth  to  be  enquired  of  by  fuch  wicked  hypocrites ;  and  in  thefe 
four  chapters  denounces  the  judgments  their .  abominable  impieties  de- 
ferved. 

J  E  R  E  ]\1  I  A  H    xxi,  xxxiy,  Ver.  i— S. 

,,  Nebuchadnezzar  having  advanced  a  great  army  againft  yw<r^, 

t  Kin.  XXV.  I,  to  puhifh  Zedekiah  for  his  perjury  and  rebellion,  Zcdekiah 
.  rft  fent  Pajhur  and  Zephaniah  to  Jeremiah,  tO  defire  him  to  enquire  of 
the  Lord  j  by  whom'  Jeremiah  returned  the  anfwer  related  in  the  21ft 

chapter. 


^5^  Prophets  before  the  Captivity.  Ch.  XXXI V. 

chapter.     Afterward,  Jcrcfnlah  was  ordered  in  perfon  to  deliver  to  Zede 
ktah  theprediaion  contained  in  chap.  xxiv.  i— 8. 

JEREMIAH    xlvii. 

Pharaoh-Hophra  marching  out  of  Egypt  to  the  relief  of  his  ally 
/.edekiah  againlt  Nebuchadtiezzar^  who  was  advancin;  tc  hefict^e  J-'rufJ 
lem,  in  his  way  took  Gaza,  a  town  of  the  Philiftinos.  A  little  before 
this  event,  Jeremiah  uttered  this  prophecy  againft  tne  Philj/Iines. 

JEREMIAH    xlviii,  xlix,  Ver.  1—34. 

These  prophecies,  relating  to  the  Moabitcs,  Annnznhcs^  Edomi*es,  kc 
who  would  be  obnoxious  to  fhe  ravages  of  the  Jyyria?:  armies,  might  be 
delivered  at  the  fame  time  with  the  former. 

E  Z  E  K  I  E  L    xxiv,  xxv. 

On  the  tenth  day  of  the  tenth  month  in  the  fame  year,  when  Nebu. 
ihadnezzar's  zxmy  had  laid  fiege  to  Jerufalem,  the  fame  was  revealed 
on  the  very  fame  day,  to  Ezekielm  Chaldea-,  and  the  deflruclion  of  the' 
city  was  typified  by  a  boiling  caldron;  the  fame  day  alfo  his  wife  died, 
as  recorded  in  chap.  xxiv.  But  vengeance  is  denounced  againft  the 
neighbouring  countries,  that  rejoiced  in  the  preceding  calamities,  or 
Ihould  rejoice  m  thofe  that  were  to  come  upon  Judea.  ■   Chap.  xxv. 

JEREMIAH    xx-xvii.  Ver.  i u. 

Not  long  after  iV,^«r/^^^«,2;z^r's  army  had  laid  ^i^gt  ioJerufaUm, 
rharaoh-Hcpbra  came  with  a  great  force  to  the  relief  of  Zedekiah.  Upon 
which  Nebuchadnezzar  raifed  the  fiege  of  Jerufalem  in  order  to  march 
againlt  him.  Upon  which  Zedekiah  fent  a  meiihge  to  Jeremiah,  before 
he  was  put  into  prifon,  chap,  xxxvii.  4,  the  anfwer  to  which  is  contain- 
ed m  chap,  xxxvii.  i u. 

JEREMIAH    xxxiv.  Ver.  8.  to  the  End. 

Upon  the  approach  of  iW3«,/W„,Z2:^^'s  army,  the  terrified  Jews  en- 
tered into  a  lolemn  covenant,  to  obferve  God's  law,  and  to  releafe  the 
Hebrew  fervants,  which  they  kept  in  bondage  contrary  to  his  law.  But 
When  the  Chaldeans  were  gone  to  meet  Pharaoh,  the  general  opinion  be- 
ing, that  they  would  return  no  more,  the  Jews  openly  violated  the  co- 
venant  of  reformation,  by  obliging  all  their  fervants  to  return  to  their 
t7X}vZT'^         "^^^  ^^'^^  impious  aa,  the  Prophet  proclaimed  liberty 

JEREMIAH 


J 


Crt.  XXXIV.  Prophets  htfore  the  Captlvhft  159 


JEREMIAH    xxxvli.  Ver.  11 16. 

When  the  Chaldeans  were  gone  to  meet  Pharaoh^  Jere?niah  was  re- 
leafed  out  of  prifon  ;  and  intending  to  retire  to  Jnathoth,  from  the  cala- 
mities of  the  fiege,  which  he  knew  would  be  renewed,  was  taken  up  for 
a  deferter  as  he  was  pafling  through  the  gate,  and  clapt  in  prifon ;  but 
principally  for  perfifting^  that  the  city  (hould  again  be  befieged  and  taken 
by  Nebuchadnezzar. 

JEREMIAH     xxxii,  xxxiii. 

While  Jeremiah  was  in  prifon,  the  contents  of  thefe  chapters  were 
trafadled. 


E  Z  E  K  I  E  L     xxix.  Ver.  i 17.  xxx. 

Upon  the  approach  of  the  Chaldeans^  the  Egypt iafis  treacheroufly  dc- 
ferted  Zedekiah^  and  returned  into  their  own  country.  Upon  this  occa- 
fion,  Ezeklel  denounces  the  difpleafure  of  God  againft  their  perfidy,  pre- 
didls  their  defolation,  and  at  length,  (within  40  years,  chap.  xxix.  13.) 
their  being  reduced  to  one  of  the  bafeft  of  nations,  infomuch  that  they 
(hould  no  more  have  a  prince  of  their  own  to  reign  over  them.  Chap. 
xxx.  13.  Which  hath  been  remarkably  fulfilled,  even  unto  this  day. 
See  Dr.  Pride  aux's  Con.  ad  Annum  589.  Zedckiah  10. 


JEREMIAH    xxxvii.  Ver.  17  to  the  End. 

On  the  retreat  of  the  Egyptians^  Nebuchadnezzar  returned  to  the  fiege 
of  Jerufalem ;  and  it  was  then  king  Xedekiah^  fearing  the  ifTue,  fent  for 
Jeremiah  out  of  prifon  to  confult  him. 

JEREMIAH    xxxviii.  Ver.  i 14. 

The  princes,  offended  at  "Jeremiah^  caft  him  into  a  low,  lothfome, 
miry  dungeon,  where  he  muft  have  perifhed,  had  not  Ebed-melech  gained 
leave  to  draw  him  out,  and  to  place  him  in  a  better  fituation  in  the  court 
of  the  prifon. 

JEREMIAH    xxxix.  Ver.  15  to  the  End. 

While  Jeremiah  was  in  the  court  of  the  prifon,  God  by  him  fent  a 
meflage  of  mercy  and  deliverance  to  Ebed-melech. 

JEREMIAH 


i6o 


Prophets  before  the  Captivity, 


Ch.  XXXIV. 


JEREMIAH    xxxviii.  Ver.  14  to  the  End. 

Zedeki  AH  again  fent  for  Jeremiah  out  of  the  court  of  the  prifon  into 
tlie  temple,  there  fecretly  to  enquire  of  him  about  the  ilFue  of  the  iicge^ 

E  Z  E  K  I  E  L    xxvi,  xxvli,  xxviii. 

Here  God  declares  his  judgments  againft  Tyre^  for  infulting  the  cala- 
mitous ftate  of  Jsrufalem^  clofely  befieged  by  Nebuchadnezzar.  Note — 
Daniel's  wifdom,  though  but  about  36,  was  become  famous  over  all  the 
Eaft.     Chap,  xxviii.  3. 


E  Z  E  K  I  E  L    xxxi. 
God  declares  his  judgments  againft  Pharaoh  a(nd  the  Egyptians. 


JEREMIAH     xxxix.  Ver.  1 11.  lii.  Ver.  i- 


-30- 


The  account  oijerufalcjuh  being  taken,  with  the  fubfequent  circum- 
ftances.     Upon  this  occafion  the  137*^1^  Pfalin  vi^as  compofed. 


JEREMIAH     xxxix.  Ver.  11 15.  xl.  Ver.  i 7. 

Nebuchadnezzar  giveth  charge  concerning  Jeremiah  to  Nebuza^ 
radan ;  who  treateth  him  in  a  kind  and  friendly  manner. 


JEREMIAH  xl.  Ver.  7.  to  the  End.  xli,  xlii,  xliii.  Ver.  i g, 

Nebuchadnezzar  makes  Gedaliah  governor   of  Judea.     JJJmael 
flays  him.     Johanan^  Sec.  by  force  carry  "Jeremiah  into  "Egypt, 


CHAP.  XXXV. 


Ch.  XXXV,  Prophets  after  the  DeJIruahn,^c,  l6i 


CHAP.    XXXV : 

Prophets  after  the  I)eJiru5lion  of  the  Temple,  during  the 

Captivity. 

JEREMIAH    xliii.  Ver.  8.  to  the  End.  xliv. 


^  T  2  H  E  Prophecies  contained  in  thefe  Chapters  were  revealed,  and 
^■f^Mj^  publilhed  to  the  Jews,,  in  the  land  of  Egypt. 


The   Book  of  LAMENTATIONS. 

This  Book,  which  mournfully  bewails  the  defolation  of  ferufalem^ 
and  the  Temple,  was  compofed  by  ferevi'iah  after  that  fad  event,  poflibly, 
in  the  land  of  Egypt ;  where  Jeremiah  might  end  his  days  j  for  we  never 
hear  of  his  return  from  thence. 


E  Z  E  K  I  E  L     xxxiii. 

The  begining  of  this  chapter  is  upon  a  general  fuhjetH:,  and  of  un- 
certain date.  From  the  21^^  vcrfe  it  is  dated  from  the  time,  when  Eze~ 
kiel  firft  received  the  news  of  the  city's  being  taken  and  deftroyed,  which 
was  1 8  months,  or  a  year  and  a  half,  after  the  fad  event  happened. 

E  Z  E  K  I  E  L    xxxii. 
This  prophecy  againft  Egypt  was  delivered  in  this  year  and  month. 

E  Z  E  K  I  E  L     xxxiv,  xxxvi,  xxxvii,  xxxviii,  xxxix. 

These  chapters  fall  under  no  date,  tDI  we  come  to  the  40^*1  chapter, 
which  is  dated  the  25^11  oijchciachin's  captivity.  Therefore,  thefe  chap- 
ters were  probably  dehvered  fome  time  between  the  ii^^  and  25th  of  that 
captivity. 

O  B  A  D  I  A  H. 

Obadiah  prophefted  againft  the  Edo?mtes  for  their  unnatural  and 
fpiteful  behaviour  towards  the  Jnvs^  in  their  diftrefs  at  the  takine  of  Je- 
rufakm,  ^       -^ 

E  Z  E  K  1  E  L 


l62  Prophets  after  the  DeJlruaUn  Ch.  XXXV. 


E  Z  E  K  I  E  L    XXXV. 

This  prophecy  agalnft  the  Edomltes  feems  to  have  been  delivered  upon 
the  fame  occafion. 


DANIEL    iii. 

Ik  this  year  alfo  Nebuchadnezzar  fet  up  his  golden  image.     See  Dr. 
Prideaux's  Con.  ylnno^Z'],  Nebuchad,  i8. 


E  Z  E  K  I  E  L    xl,  xli,  i^c.  to  the  End  of  the  Book. 

All  thefe  vifions  and  prophecies,  relating  to  the  future  iiate  of  the 
church  of  God,  were  revealed  to  Ezekiel  this  year,  being  the  14*^  from 
the  defl:ru6lion  of  Jerufaktn. 

E  Z  E  K  I  E  L    XXIX.  Ver.  17.  to  the  End. 

Nebuchadnezzar's  army  having  endured  great  hardfhips  in  the 
fiege  of  Tyre^  which  held  13  years,  and  having  got  little  on  the  taking  of 
it,  (the  inhabitants  having  conveyed  themfelves  and  their  efFeds  into  the 
adjacent  ifland)  God,  by  the  Prophet  Ezekiel,  promifeth  them  the  fpoils 
of  Egypt,  as  a  reward  for  their  labor.  See  Dr.  Prideaux's  Con.  ad  An. 
573.  Nebuchad.  32. 


D  A  N  I  E  L    iv. 

This  yt2iX  Nebuchadnezzar  had  his  dream  of  the  wonderful  great  tree, 
and  the  cuting  down  thereof;  and  the  next  year  fell  diftra(Sted.  See  Dr^ 
Prideaux's  Con,  ad  An,  570. 


JEREMIAH    Iii.  Ver.  31.  to  the  End. 

This  year  Nebuchadnezzar  dies,  and  is  fucceeded  by  his  fon,  Ev'iU 
merodach^  who  releafed  Jehoiachln,  king  of  Judah^  out  of  prifon,  where 
he  had  been  confined  37  years,  and  advanced  him  to  honor  and  friend- 

Ihip.     Note This  laft  chapter  was  not  wrote  by  "Jeremiah  (fee  chap, 

li.  64.)  but  by  Baruch  or  Ezra,  or  whoever  collected  Jeremiah's  pro- 
phecies into  one  volume. 


DANIEL 


Cti^  XXXV.  iifthe  Temple,  crV.  163 


DANIEL    vll. 

Daniel  had  the  viCon  of  the  four  monarchies,  and  of  the  Iijngdonv 
•of  the  Mejfiah. 

DANIEL    viii. 

Daniel  had  the  vifion  of  the  fam  and  he-goat. 

DANIEL    V. 

Daniel  reads  the  hand-writing  on  the  wall.  Beljhazzar  is  flaln, 
Darius  the  Ale^  took  the  Syrian  kingdom, 

DANIEL    vi. 

Daniel's  being  advanced  by  Darius  above  all  the  princes,  and  made 
prime  minifter,  next  to  the  king,  raifed  fo  great  an  envy  againft  him 
among  the  courtiers,  that  they  laid  the  fnare  tor  him,  which  brought  him 
to  the  lion's  dai. 

D  A  N  I  E  L    Ix. 

Daniel,  apprehending  from  the  prophecy  of  yifrrm;^^,  that  the  70 
years  captivity  of  'Judah  were  drawing  to  an  end,  maketh  his  prayer  to 
God  for  the  reftoration  of  JerufaUm.  In  anfvvcr  to  which,  the  Angel 
Gabriel  was  Tent  to  afTure  him  of  a  much  greater  redemption  to  the 
Jewijh  nation  by  the  Mejftahy  at  the  end  of  70  weeks,  or  490  years. 

EZRA     i,  ii. 

Darius  dieth ;  Cyrus  fuccecds  him,  and  by  his  decree  puts  an  end 
to  the  70  years  captivity  of  the  Jews.  This  in  the  firft  chapter  of 
E'z.ra.  In  the  fecond  chapter  an  account  is  given  of  the  ^tai  that  re- 
turned. Note — On  the  return  of  'Judah  and  Benjamin  from  the  Baby- 
loAJfh  captivity,  feveral  of  the  other  tribes  of  Ifracl  returned  with  them 
out  o{  Ajfyria^  Babylon,  and  Media,  whither  they  had  been  before  carried, 
E7.ras\.  17.  See  Dr.  Prideaux's  Cnyi.  ad  An.  536.  p.  190.  Upon 
this  joyous  occafionihe  126^"  Plalm  was  compofed. 

EZRA     iii. 
The  'jevni  begin  to  rebuild  'Jerusalem  and  the  Temple, 
Vol.  I.  L  CHAP.  XXXVL 


l64  Prophets  after  the  Captivity,  Ch.  XXXV^I. 

CHAP.      XXXVI. 

Prophets  afier  the  Captivity  under  the  fecond  Temple. 

EZRA    iv. 

^■jfe"*!^  H  E  Sajnaiitans  obflru£t  the  Jews  in  the  building  oF  the  City 
■^  T  S  and  Temple.  '  And  fo  the  work  ceafed  till  the  fccond  year  of 
^■^MJ^  ^^^'^^  Hyjiafpes ;  namely  for  14  years. 

DANIEL     X,  xi,  xii. 

The  vifions  and  prophecies  m  thefe  chapters  were  revealed  to  Daniel 
in  the  third  year  of  CyruSy  and  the  third  year  after  the  Captivity. 

H  A  G  G  A  I    i,  Ver.  i 12. 

HzGGAi  excites   Zenihhohel^  the  governor,  and  yejl.mn,   the   high- 
prieft,  to  build  the  Lord's  houfe,  in  the  fecond  year  of  Darius  Hyjlajpcs, 

H  A  G  G  A  I     i.  Ver.  12.  to  the  End.     EZRA  v.  i,  1. 
.'  Zerubbabel  and  Jejhua  immediately  apply  to  the  work. 

H  A  G  G  A  I    ii.  Ver.  i-io. 
Haggai  incourages  them  from  the  Lord  to  proceed. 

ZECHARIAH    i.  Ver.  i 7. 

Zechariah  makes  his  firfl:  addrefs  to  the  Jews,  who  were  building 
the  Temple,  afluring  them  that  God  would  turn  to  them  with  a  blel- 
fing,  if  they  turned  to  him  by  repentance  and  reformation. 

HAGGAI    ii.  Ver.  10.  to  the  End, 

Haggai  rebukes  the  Indifference  of  the  Jews  in  building  the  Temple  j 
incourages  vigorous  endeavours  with  the  blefling  of  plenty;  and  afTures 
Zerubbabd  of  the  extraordinary  favor  of  God. 

*  "  -  ZECHARIAH 


Ch.  XXXVI.  under  the  ficond  Temple.  1 65 

ZECHARIAH  i.  Ver.  7.  to  the  End.  ii,  iii,  Iv,  v,  vi. 

At  this  time  thefe  vifions,  greatly  incouraging  the  Jews  in  building 
the  Citv  and  Temple,  and  alluring  them  of  the  Divine  protedion  againft 
all  their  enemies,  were  revealed  to  Zechariab, 

EZRA     V.  Ver.  3.  to  the  End. 

The  Samantans  again  difturb  the  Jrjus^  and  put  a  flop  to  the  build- 
ing of  the  Temple. 

EZRA     vl.  Ver.  i 15. 

Darius  fends  a  decree  to  Jerufalem  pofitively  ordering  the  Temple 
to  be  rebuilt,  and  the  expences  of  it  furnifticd  out  of  the  taxes  of  the 
provinces.  Which  accordingly  was  done,  till  it  was  fiaifhed.  See  Dr. 
Prideaux's  Con.  ad  Jn.  518. 

ZECHARIAH    vii,  vlii. 

The  Jews^  who  were  in  Balylo?]^  (for  great  numbers  ftlll  remained 
there,  and  in  other  parts  of  the  Perfian  empire,)  judging  that  the  ftate 
of  Judea  and  Jerufakm  v/as  now  fo  thoroughly  reftored  and  eftablifhed 
by  Darius'^  decree,  that  it  might  be  no  longer  proper  to  keep  the  faft 
in  the  fifth  month,  (when  the  City  and  Temple  were  burnt  by  Nfbuza- 
radan)  which  they  had  hitherto  obYerved  for  70  years  together,  fent  two 
melTengers  to  Jerufalem^  to  aflc  the  opinion  of  the  priefts  and  prophets, 
that  were  there,  about  this  matter.  And  God  gave  them,  by  the  Pro- 
phet Zechariab^  the  anfwer  relating  to  that,  and  other  fafts,  which  we 
have  ui  the  feventh  and  eighth  chapters  of  his  prophecy. 

ZECHARIAH     ix,  x,  xi,  xii,  xiii,  xiv. 

As  thefe  chapters  have  no  date,  we  may  fuppofe  they  were  delivered 
in  fome  of  the  times  fubfcquent  to  the  fourth  year  of  Darius  Hyjiafpes, 

EZRA     vi.  Ver.  15.  to  the  End. 

This  year  the  Temple  was  finifhed,  and  dedicated  with  great  joy  and 
■  folemnity.     The  Jews  had  been  about  it  from  firft  to  laft  20  years. 


L2  ESTHER 


J 66  Prophets  after  tht  Captivity,  Ch.  XXXV  U 


ESTHER    I. 

Artaxexes,  or  ^hnfucms^  being  thoroughly  fettled  In  his  throne, 
made  a  great  fcaft  tor  all  his  nobles,  and  divorced  Vajhti  his  queen. 


ESTHER    ii.  Ver.  i— 16. 

A  colle£i:Ion  of  virgins  made  for  the  king,  of  which  EJlher  was  one. 

EZRA     vli,  viii,  ix,  x. 

In  the  begining  of  this  year  Ezra  received  from  Artaxerxes^  or  Aha^ 
fuerus^  a  very  ample  commifTion,  for  his  return  to  'Jerufalem,  with  any 
of  his  countreymen,  that  were  difpofed  to  go  along  with  him  ;  giving 
them  full  authority  in  things  both  civil  and  religious,  to  regulate  both 
according  to  the  law.  This  decree  was  probably  granted  at  the  folici- 
tation  o^  EJlher.  See  Dr.  Prideaux's  Cm.  ad  An.  458.  The  decree, 
the  families  and  numbers  of  the  Jews^  that  went  with  Ezra  to  Jerufa- 
lem^  fall  within  the  compafs  of  this  and  the  next  year,  and  are  contain- 
ed in  the  four  laft  chapters  of  this  Book. 

Note From  Ezj-a's  entering  upon  this  work,  the  begining  of 

Daniel's  70  weeks  is  to   be  computed.     Dr.  Prideaux's  Con.  ad  An. 

458.  p.  377.     Note  alfo That  Ezra  continued  in  the  government 

about  13  years  ;  till  Nehemiah  inccctdicdi  him  in  the  20^^  year  oi  Artax' 
erxesy  or  Ahafuerus, 

ESTHER    ii.  Ver.  16 21. 

Esther,  after  having  been  only  concubine  about  two  years,  is  now 
made  queen. 

ESTHER    ii.  Ver.  21.  to  the  End. 

BiGTHAN  and  Tarejh.,  two  eunuchs  in  the  palace,  entered  into  a 
confpiracy  againft  the  life  oi  Artaxcrxes^  or  Ahafuerus.^  which  was  difco- 
vered  to  the  king  by  Mordecai,  queen  Ejihcr's  uncle. 

ESTHER    iii,  iv,  V,  iSc.  to  the  End  of  the  Book. 

Haman,  an  Amalekite.,  defcended   from  king  Agag,   in   SauVs  time, 

made  prime  minifter  to  Artaxerxes^  laid  a  plot  to  extirpate  the  whole  race 

of  the  Jewi.     But  it  turned  upon  himfelf,  as  related  in  the  book  of 

Either, 

,  NEHEMIAH 


Ch,  XXXVI.  under  thefecond  Temple,  167 


N  E  H  E  M  I  A  H    i,  ii,  ili,  l£c,  to  the  End  of  the  Book. 

Nehemiah,  with  a  commiflion  from  Artaxerxes^  or  Ahajuerus^  pro- 
bably by  favor  of  queen  EJiher,  (Neh.  ii.  6.)  fucceedeth  Ezra  in  the 
government  of  yudea^  rebuilds  the  walls,  repeoples  yerufalem^  reforms 
diforders,  ^c.  Thus  he  was  employed  for  12  years;  namely,  from 
the  20^^  to  the  32^  year  of  Artaxerxes,  Neh.  v.  14.  xiii.  6.  Within 
which  time  Ezra  is  fuppofed  to  have  publifhed  his  edition  of  the  Hebrew- 
Scriptures.     See  Dr.  Prideaux's  Con.  p.  475,  &c. 

Nehemiah  returns  from  Jerufalem  to  the  Perfian  court.  AW;,  xiii.  6. 


M  A  L  A  C  H  I     i,  ii,  iii,  iv. 

About  this  time  flourifhed  Malachi^  the  Prophet.  See  Dr.  Pride  ax's 
Con.  ad  An.  428.  p.  570. 


N  E  R  E  M  I  A  H    xiii.  Ver.  6,  7,  ^c. 

After  certain  days,  i.  e.  after  about  five  years,  Nehe7niah  comes 
again  to  'Jerujalem  with  a  new  comrniflion,  and  makes  further  reforma- 
tion. With  which  adl  of  reformation,  the  holy  Scriptures  of  the  Old 
Teftament  are  clofed  up. 

Simon  the  juft,  high-prieft  of  the  yews,  compleats  the  Canon  of  the 
Gld  Teftament,  by  adding  the  tiuo  Books  of  Chronicles,  Ezra,  Nehcmiahy 
Ejiher,  and  Malachi.  "  That  thefe  could  not  be  put  into  the  Canon  by 
**  Ezra  is  plain.  For  four  of  thofe  books  are  upon  juft  grounds,  fup- 
*'  pofed  to  have  been  written  by  Ezra  himfelf,  (that  is,  the  two  Books  of 
**  Chronicles,  and  the  Books  of  Ezra  and  Ejlher,)  and  the  Book  of  iVt-- 
**  hemiah  was  written  after  his  [Ezra's]  time  ;  and  fo  moft  likely  was 
**  the  Book  of  Malachi  alfo.  And  therefore  a  later  time  muft  be  aflign- 
"  ed  for  their  infertion  into  the  facred  Canon ;  and  none  is  more  likely, 
"  than  that  oi  Simon  the  jujl,  who  is  faid  to  have  been  the  laft  of  the 
*'  men  of  the  great  fynagogue.  What  the  fews  call  the  great  fynagoguc, 
"  were  a  number  of  elders  amounting  to  120,  fucceeding  each  other  in 
"  a  continued  feries  from  the  return  of  the  yews  from  the  Babylonijh 
**  captivity,  to  the  time  of  Simon  the  jtiji,  and  labored  in  reftoring  the 
''  yeivijh  church  and  ftate  in  that  country.  In  order  to  which,  the 
'*  holy  Scriptures  being  the  rule  they  were  to  go  by,  their  chief  care  and 
"  ftudy  was  to  make  a  true  collection  of  thofe  Scriptures,  and  publiih 
"  them  accurately  to  the  people.  Ezra,  and  the  men  of  the  great  {y- 
*'  nagogue  in  his  time,  fettled  the  Canon  of  all  but  the  forefaid  books  ; 
*'  and  thofe  were  probably  fettled,  and  added  to  the  Canon,  in  the  times 
*'  of  Simon  the  jujl,  who  died  about  31  years  after  Alexander  the  great. 
"  For  In  I  Chron.  iii.  19,  Uc.  the  genealogy  of  thefons  oi  Zerulkibelxs 
"**  carried  down  for  fo  many  dcfcents  after  him  as  may  well  be  thought 

L  3  ^*  to 


1^8  The  State  of  the  Jews,  Ch.  XXXVII. 

«'  to  reach  the  times  o^  Alexander.  And  in  Neh.  xii.  22.  we  have  the 
«'  days  of  "jQcldua  fpoken  of,  as  then  paft  ;  but  Jaddua  outlived  Akxan- 
«'  der  two  years.  Thefe  palHiges,  therefore,  v.cre  probably  inferted  by 
<'  Pinion  the  juji^  who  perfected,  and  finally  fettled  the  Canon  of  the 
<*  holy  Scriptureis.  After  this  followed  the  mijhjiical  times,  that  is,  the 
«'  times  of  traditions.  Hitherto  the  Scriptures  were  the  only  ride  of 
"  faith  and  manners,  which  God's  people  fludied  ;  but  thenceforth  tra- 
«'  ditions  began  to  be  regarded,  till  at  length  they  overbore  the  word 
<'  of  God  itfelf,  as  we  find  in  our  Saviour's  time.  The  colledlion  of 
<«  thefe  traditions  they  call  the  mijhnah^  that  is,  the  fecond  lav/;  and 
<'  thofe  who  delivered  and  taught  them  were  ftiled  the  mijhnical  Doc- 
*'  tors."     See  Dr.  Pride aux's  Con.  Anno  292.  Ptolemy  Soter.  13.  * 


CHAP.      XXXVII. 

IThe  State  of  the  Jews,  and  of  other  Nations,  at  the  Time  when  our  Lord 

came  into  the  World. 

lP>t*'^;f^F  TER  the  Babylonl/h  captivity  the  Jews  no  more  lapfed  into 
^.  A  i*^:  idolatry,  nut  remaii.ed  fteaay  in  the  acknowledgment  and  wor- 
^^>v3  ^^^P  °^  -''^  °^^^  ii^'ing  anJ  true  God.  Even  then  they  fell  into  new 
ways'of  perverting  religion,  ^.ad  the  v/ife  and  holy  intentions  of  the  Di- 
vine law.  1.  By  laying  all  the  flrefs  on  the  external  and  lefs  momen- 
tous parts  of  it,  'while  they  neglected  the  weighty  and  fubflantial,  true 
ho'inefs  of  heart  and  life.  Mankind  are  tooeafily  drawn  into  this  error. 
_Vv  liile  they  retain  a  fenfe  of  religion,  they  are  too  apt  to  liften  to  any 
methods  by  which  it  may  be  reduced  to  a  confiftency  with  the  gratifica- 
tions of  their  paffions,  pride,  and  avarice.  Thus,  by  placing  religion 
in  mere  profeffion,  or  in  the  zealous  obfervance  of  rites  and  ceremonies, 
.jnftead  of  real  piety,  truth,  purity,  and  goodnefs,  they  learn  to  be  reli- 
gious without  virtue.  II.  By  fpeculatiag  and  commenting  upon  the 
Divine  commands  and  inftltutions,  till  their  force  is  quite  enervated,  and 
they  are  refined  into  a  fenle  that  will  commodioufly  allow  a  flight  regard 
inftead  of  fincere  obedience.  III.  By  confirming  and  ellablilhing  the 
two  former  methods  of  corrupting  religion,  by  tradition  and  the  autho- 
rity of  learned  Rabbles.  Pretending,  that  there  was  a  fyftem  of  religious 
rules  delivered  by  word  of  mouth  from  Mofes^  explanatory  of  the  writen 
law,  known  only  to  thofe  Rabbies  ;  to  whofe  judgment,  therefore,  and 
decifion,  all  the  people  wxre  to  fubmit. 

This,  in  time,  the  fpace  of  219  years,  became  the  general  ilate  of  re 
ligion  among  the  Jcics.^  after  they  had  difcarded  idolatry.     And  this  fpi 
rit  prevailed  among  them  for  fom'c  ages,  (290  years)  before  the  coming 
of  the  Mejfah.     But,  however,  it  did  not  interfere  with  the  main  fyltem 
of  Providence,  or  the  introducing  the  knowledge  of  God  among  the  Na- 
tions, 

•  Turn  to  the  Appendix,  for  the  Chronological  Dates  belonging  to  this 
^nd  chapters  xxxiv.  x\xv. 


Gh.  XXXVIL  andcf  ether  Nations ^l^c.  169 

tions,  as  they  ftill  continued  ftedfaft  in  the  worfhip  of  the  true  God, 
without  danger  of  deviating  from  it.  Befides,  they  -v/ere  now,  much 
more  than  formerly,  exercifed  in  reading,  thinking,  and  reafoning-,  and 
were  more  capable  of  themfelves  of  judging  what  was  right.  Luke  xii. 
57.  And  feveral  of  them  did  fo  judge.  Some  of  them  were  truly  re- 
ligious and  virtuous  ;  and  all  of  them  had  ftrong  expeftation  of  the  Mef. 
fiah  about  the  time  of  his  appearance  ;  and  were  fumciently  qualified  to 
judge  of  religious  matters,  and  of  the  evidences  of  his  million.  Thus 
the  "Jews  were  prepared  by  the  preceeding  difpenfation  for  the  reception 
of  the  Mejffiab^  and  the  jufl:  notions  of  religion,  which  he  was  fent  to 
inculcate  ;  infomuch  that  their  guilt  muft  be  highly  aggravated  if  they 
rejected  him  and  his  inftruitions.  It  could  not  be  for  want  o."  capacity, 
but  of  integrity,  and  muft  be  afllgned  to  wilful  blindnefs  and  obduracy" 
Out  of  regard  to  temporal  power,  grandeur,  and  enjoyments,  they  loved 
darknefs  rather  than  light. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  Pagan  Nations  had  made  great  openin^-s  in 
wifdom  and  virtue.  Thofe  arts  that  began  in  Greece^  had  traveled  into 
other  lands  ;  learning  had  got  footing  among  the  illiterate ;  and  huma- 
nity and  focial  affedtions  among  the  barbarous  ;  and  many  good  and 
ufeful  books,  ufeful  even  to  this  day  among  Chrilliaas,  were  writen  in 
Ethics  for  the  right  conduii:  of  life.  The  light  of  nature  was  carried 
high  3  or  rather,  the  darknefs  of  it  was  much  enlightened.  Such  was, 
at  letigth,  the  flatc  of  the  Gentiles^  God  having  ftill  been  plcafcd,  from 
time  to  time,  to  raiie  up  among  them  perfons  uncommonly  endowed, 
for  their  inftrucftion,  and  to  fit  them  for  the  day,  \-vhen  he  fhould  moi-e 
explicitly  reveal  himfelf,  and  his  fiicred  will  to  them.  In  a  word,  what 
with  time,  and  the  tranfmigrating  of  knowledge  from  region  to  region, 
and  the  labors  of  poets  and  philofophers,  men,  at  about  the  clajftc  icra, 
when  our  Lord  came  into  the  werld,  in  general,  had  gained  tolerable 
juft  ideas  of  virtue  and  moral  truth  ;  and  fo,  were  in  a  condition  to  an- 
prehend  and  embrace  the  higher  and  more  important  truths  of  God,  and 
his  Providence,  and  a  future  Urate. 

For  many  ages  the  Je^us  had  been  well  known  in  theeaflern  empires, 
among  the  Jj/jrians^  Cba/deans,  Medes^  and  Perfians ;  but,  till  the  time 
of  Alexander  the  great^  they  had  no  communication  with  the  Grecians. 
About  the  year  before  Chrift  332,  Jlexaiuhr  built  Alexandria  in  £^vpt; 
and  to  people  his  new  city,  removed  thither  many  of  the  Jervsy  allovvino' 
them  the  ufe  of  their  own  laws  and  religion,  and  the  fame  liberties  witK" 
the  Macedonians  themfelves.  The  Macedoniansy  who  fpake  the  Greek 
language,  and  other  Greeks,  were  the  principal  inhabitants  o^  Alexandria. 
From,  them  the  Jews  learned  to  fpeak  Greek,  which  was  the  common 
language  of  the  city,  and  which  foon  became  the  native  language  of  the 
yeiusy  that  lived  there  ;  who,  on  that  account,  were  called  Heileri/isy  or 
Greek-Jewsy  mentioned  Adls  vi.  i — 9.  xi.  20.  Tht^Q  Greek-Je%vsh?i^ 
fynagogues  in  Alexandria  ;  and  for  their  benefit,  the  five  books  of  Mofes, 
which  alone,  at  firft,  were  publickly  read,  were  tranflated  into  Greek,  (by 
whom  is  uncertain)  and  read  in  their  fynagogues  every  fabbatli-day.  And 
in  the  time  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  about  168  years  before  Chrf/f,  when 
the  Prophets  alfo  began  to  be  read  in  the  fynagogues  ofjudea,  the  Pro- 
phets alfo  were  tranflated  into  Greek  for  the  ufc  of  the  Alexandrian  J-.-ws. 

L  4  This 


IJO  'the  StaU  of  the  Jaws,  Ch.  XXX  VII. 

This  tranflatlon  contributed  much  to  the  fpread  of  the  knowledge  of 
true  religion  among  the  Nations  in  the  weftern  parts  of  the  world. 

For  the  Jews^  their  fynagogues  and  worfhip,  were,  after  Jlexander's. 
death,  difperfed  almoft  every  where  among  the  Nations.  Ptolemy^  one 
of  Alexander'^  fucceilbrs,  having  reduced  Jerufalem  and  all  Judea,  about 
320  years  before  Chriji^  carried  a  hundred  thoufand  Jews  into  Egypt^  and 
there  raifed  confiderable  numbers  of  them  to  places  of  truft  and  power  ; 
and  feveral  of  them  he  placed  in  Cyrme  and  Libya.  Seleucus,  another  of 
Alexander's  fucceiTors,  about  300  years  before  o/^r//?,  built  Antiochin.  Ci^ 
liciay  and  many  other  cities,  in  all  35,  and  fome  of  them  capital  cities  in 
the  greater  and  lelTer  JJia ;  in  all  which  he  planted  the  Jews,  giving 
them  equal  privileges  and  immunities  with  the  GreeJts  and  Macedonians  ; 
efpecially  at  Antioch  in  Syria^  where  they  fettled  in  great  numbers,  and 
became  almoft  as  confiderable  a  part  of  that  city,  as  they  wer?  at  Alex- 
andrw.  Dr.  Prid^aux's  Con.  Anno  293.  Ptolemy  Soter  12.  On  that 
memorable  day  oi  PentecoJ},  A^ts  ii.  5,  9,  11,  12.  were  afTembled  in  Je- 
rufalem^ fewsy  devout  men^  out  of  every  nation  under  heaven  ;  namely,  Par- 
ihians^  Medes,  and  Perfians  of  the  province  of  Elyrnais^  inhabitants  of 
Mefopotamia^  fudca^  Cappadccia^  Pontus,  Afia^  Phrygta^  Pamphylia^  Egypty 
Cyrene  in  Lyhia^  Rome^  Cretes^  and  Arabs^  who  were  all  either  natural 
fevosy  or  devout  men,  z.  e.  profelytes  to  the  J^ici/^  religion,  And  in 
every  city  of  the  Roman  empire,  where  P^z// preached,  he  found  a  body 
of  his  countreymen,  the  fe^vs ;  except  in  Athens^  which  was,  at  that 
time,  I  fuppofe,  a  town  of  no  confiderable  trade.  Which  fhews  that 
the  fevj^^  and  their  fynagogues,  at  the  time  of  our  Lord's  appearance, 
were  providentially  fcattered  over  all  the  Roman  empire  j  and  had  in  every 
place  introduced,  more  or  lefs,  among  the  nations,  the  knowledge  and 
worfliip  of  God  i  and  lb  had  prepared  great  numbers  for  the  reception  of 
the  Gofpel. 

About  the  time  that  Alexander  built  Alexandria  in  Egypt,  the  ufe  of  the 
Papyrus  for  writing  was  firft  found  out  in  that  country.  Dr.  Pri- 
DEAUx's  Con.  Ayino  332.  Darius  i^.  p.  706.  Vol.11.  This  invention 
was  fo  favorable  to  literature,  that  Ptolemy  Soter,  one  of  Alexander's  fuc- 
ceifors,  was  thereby  enabled  to  erect  a  mifcum,  or  library ;  which  by 
his  fon  and  fucceflbr,  Phlladclphus,  v/ho  died  247  years  before  Chrijl,  was 
augmented  to  an  hundred  thoufand  volumes  ;  arid  by  fucceeding  Ptole^ 
tniej  to  feven  hundred  thoufand.  Part  of  this  library,  which  was  placed 
in  a  feparate  building  from  the  other  part,  happened  to  be  burnt  whea 
yullus,Xafar  laid  fiege  to  Alexandria ;  but  after  that  lofs,  it  was  again 
much  augmented,  and  foon  grew  up  to  be  larger,  and  of  more  eminent 
note,  than  the  former ;  and  fo  it  continued  for  many  ages  to  be  of  great 
fame,  and  ufe  in  thofe  parts,  till  at  length  it  was  burnt  and  finally  de- 
ftroyed  by  the  Saracens,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  642.  Dr.  Prideaux's 
Con.  Vol.  ItL  p.  21,  ^'c.  Anno  284.  This  plainly  proves  how  much 
the  invention  of  turning  the  Papyrus  into  paper  contributed  to  the  in- 
creafe  of  books,  and  the  advancement  of  learning  for  fome  ages  before 
the  coming  of  our  Lord.  For  doubtlefs,  by  this  means,  private  hands 
would  alfo  more  eafily  be  fupplied  with  books  than  before. 

Add  to  all  this,  that  the  world,  after  many  changes  and  revolutions, 
Mj^iip^  by  God's  all-runng  wifdom,  thrown  into  that  form  of  civil  affairs,' 

which 


€h.  XXXVII.  and  of  other  Nations,  ^c.  tyt 

which  heft  fuited  with  the  great  intended  alteration.  The  many  petty 
ftates  and  tyrannies,  vvhofe  pailions  and  bigotry  might  have  run  counter 
to  the  fchemes  of  Providence,  were  all  fvvallowed  up  in  one  great  power 
the  Romans -y  to  which  all  appeals  lay;  the  feat  of  which,  Rome,  lay  at 
a  great  diftance  from  JerufaUm,  the  fpring  from  whence  the  Gofpel  was 
to  arife,  and  flow  to  all  nations.  And  therefore,  as  no  material  obftruc- 
tion  to  the  Gofpel  could  arife,  but  from  that  one  quarter,  none  could 
fuddenly  arife  from  thence,  but  only  in  procefs  of  time,  when  the  Gof- 
pel was  fufficicntly  fpread  and  eftabliflied,  as  it  did  not  in  the  leaft  in- 
terfere with  the  Roman  polity  or  government.  The  Gofpel  was  firft  pub- 
lifhed  in  a  time  of  (general  peace  and  trajiquility  throughout  the  who'e  world 
which  gave  the  preachers  of  it  an  opportunity  of  palHng  freely  from  one 
country  to  another,  and  the  minds  of  men  the  advantage  of  attending 
calmly  to  it.  Many  favage  Nations  were  civilized  by  the  Romans  and 
acquainted  with  the  arts  and  virtues  of  their  conquerors. 

Thus  the  darkcft  countries  had  their  thoughts  awakened,  and  were 
growing  to  a  capacity  of  receiving,  at  the  Ibted  time,  the  knowled'^c 
of  true  religion.  So  that  all  things  and  circumftanccs  confpired  now* 
with  the  views  of  heaven,  and  made  this  apparently  the  fulncfs  of  time 
(Gal.  iv.  4.)  or  the  htcft  juncture  for  God  to  reveal  hinilcif  to  the  Gcn~ 
tiles,  and  to  put  an  cud  to  idolatry  throughout  the  earth.  Now  the 
minds  of  men  were  generally  ripe  for  a  purer  and  brighter  difpcnfation 
and  the  circumftances  of  the  world  were  fuch,  as  favored  the  luccefs 
and  progrefs  of  it. 

In  this  very  time  the  Mejpab  came  ;  nor,  for  ought  I  can  (ce,  coulJ 
he  have  come  more  opportiuicly  at  any  other ;  becaufe  the  world  was 
at  no  other  prececding  time  fo  well  prepared  to  receive  his  do^rines.  As 
to  remifHon  of  fin,  and  eternal  falvation,  it  is  all  one  whenever  he  came. 
Becaufe  the  facrificc,  which  he  offered  for  fin,  had  its  effeds  with  re- 
gard to  the  time  paft,  as  well  as  to  the  time  to  come  ;  to  the  penitent, 
that  were  dead,  as  well  to  the  living,  or  thofe  that  were  yet  to  be  born. 
(See  Scripture  Doctrine  of  Atonement,  p.  80.}  Immortality  mufl  belong 
as  much  to  thofe  who  lived  virtuoudy,  according  to  their  degree  of  light 
before  the  Meffiah  came,  as  to  thofe  who  lived  after  his  comin^'  •  and 
the  bleiTednefs  of  the  future  ibte,  though  not  alike  revealed,  y^t  was 
alike  acceflible  to  the  one  as  to  the  other. 

Upon  a  review  of  the  whole,  it  will  appear,  that  the  condition  of 
mankmd  was  bettered  ftep  by  ftep,  as  the  reafon  and  nature  of  things  di- 
reaed  and  would  permit.  The  fcope  and  intendment  of  the  whole 
fcheme  of  Divine  Providence,  in  all  its  various  difpenfations,  was  to 
bring  human  nature,  by  proper  degrees,  and  in  a  way  confiftent  with 
moral  agency,  to  all  the  beauty,  holinefs,  and  perfeftion  it  can,  in  this 
prefent  ftate,  attain  to.  And  though  we  are  not  indeed  able  abfolutely 
to  trace  all  the  reafons  of  the  Divine  condudl,  and  to  demonftrate  the 
wifdom  of  it  in  every  particular-,  yctwc  may,  in  general,  difcover,  that 
all  the  parts  of  this  fcheme  were  wifely  formed,  and  purfued,  depending 
regularly  on  each  other,  leading  to  the  fame  great  and  good  end,  and 
adapted  to  the  refpedive  circumftances  and  condition  of  mankind. 

Note— After  the  publication  of  the  Gofpel,  the  Jcwijh  peculiarity  was 
no  longer  of  ufe  for  prcfcrvin^  the  knowledge  ot  God  in  the  world. 

That 


IJZ  S'k  Expediency  of  an  Ch.  XXXVIII^ 

That  end  would  be  much  better  anfwered  by  its  diffblution,  and  the  dif- 
perfion  of  the  Jews  nil  over  the  earth,  as  they  are  even  untQ  this  day, 
[For  the  moft  excellent  charaiSter  of  Jefus  Chri/i^  and  the  Divine  prin- 
ciples>  dodrine,  and  fpirit  of  die  Gofpel,  fee  my  Treatife  upon  the 
LORP'S-SUPPER.J  * 


C    H    A    P.      XXXVIII. 

Mankind,  having  abufed  their  Natural  FowERS^Jiand  in  need  of  an  Ex^^ 
traordinary  Revelation. 

jr"*!'^.^  H  E  Scriptures  are  the  word  of  God ;  they  are  the  language  and 
^.  T  S  addrefs  of  the  univerfal  Father  to  his  children  in  this  world, 
s^^Mz^  whom  he  hath  endov/ed  with  rational  faculties  to  hear  and  un- 
derhand his  voice.  The  Scriptures  are  given  by  infpiration  of  God,  an4 
are  profitable  for  do^rine,  for  reproof  for  correction,  for  inJlrii5tion  in  righ-r 
teoifiefs.  2  Tim.  iii.  i6.  The  glory  of  God  indeed  is  to  be  feen  in  all 
the  v/orks  of  his  hands  ;  andithe  fpeech  of  his  Almighty  power,  wifdom, 
and  goodnefs  is  to  be  heard  in  the  appearances  of  creation  which  are 
daily  before  our  eyes.  Pfal.  xix.  i,  &c.  Mankind  in  a  faithful  ufe  of 
their  natural  Pov/ers,  might,  without  any  other  guide,  know  God, 
JR.o?n.  i.  19.  For  that  which  inay  be  known  of  God  is  manfeji  in  them',  for 
Qodhath  fliewed  it  unto  them  (for  the  invifible  t  hi  figs  of  him  from  the  creation 
of  the  world  are  clearly  feen,  being  underjlood  by  the  things  that  are  made,  fa) 
that  even  the  Heathen,  who  have  no  other  rule  but  the  light  of  nature, 
they  might  be  without  excufe,  if  they  are  totally  ignorant  of  God.  But 
how  much  Mankind  in  ajl  ages  have  abufed  and  mifapplied  their  under- 
ftandino-s  is  notorioufly  evident,  and  therefore  it  muft  be  evident  how 
much  they  ftand  in  need  of  an  extraordinary  Revelation  to  corre<Sl  their 
errors,  to  reduce  them  to  the  obedience  of  God,  and  to  fecure  thern 
from  rclapfmg  into  idolatry  and  apoftacy  from  him. 
■  I  think,  no  book  can  contain  more  evident  marks  of  fuch  a  Revela- 
tion, than  the  Scriptures,  eminently  fo  called,  which  we  are  happily 
pofl'efTed  of.  There  we  haVe  the  fulleft  and  cleared  account  of  the  na- 
ture and  perfedtions  of  God,  beyond  what  the  world  at  beft  could  have 
attained  to,  and  far  beyond  what  could,  in  the  ordinary  courfe  of  things, 
have  been  preferved  through  lucceeding  generations.     The  knowledge 

of 

•  With  this  chapter  ends  Dr.  Taylor's  Scheme  of  Scriture-Divi- 
MTY  from  the  copy  he  printed  at  Warrington,  for  the  ufe  of  the  Students, 
in  the  Academy  there  ;  and  fince  corredcd,  with  the  Hebrew  and  Greek 
words  inferted,  by  himfelf. 

The  following  chapters  the  Editor  hath  annexed,  and  are  printed  from 
Dr.  Taylor's  Manufcript;  and  would  have  appeared  to greitter  advantage^ 
had  they  had  his  correfting  hand. 


Ch.  XXXVIII.  Extraordinaiy  Revelation,  173 

of  God  not  being  a  mere  fpeculative  truth,  but  having  near  connexion 
with  our  morals,  would  confequently,  as  the  morals  of  men  are  very 
liable  to  be  corrupted,  have  alfo  proportionably  been  obfcured,  till  it  had 
in  a  manner  quite  vanifhed  away  ;  which  we  know  hath  in  facl:  been 
true.     In  the   Scriptures,  as  in  a  durable  ft-orehoufe,  not  to  be  dcmo- 
liihed  by  time,  or  uncertain  tradition,  we  have  the  moll  noble  difcove- 
ries  of  the  nature  and  perfections  of  God,  as  he  is  our  Mulccr,  our  Fa^ 
ther.  Owner,  Ruler,  and  daily  Bcnefa6l6r;  as  he  is  glorious  in  all  his 
attributes ;  as  he  is  infinite,  and  independent,  eternal,  and  unchange- 
able, in  his  being,  knowledge,  wifdom  and  power ;  as  perfectly  holy, 
good,  righteous,  and  true.     And  thclc  glories  of  the  Divine  nature  are 
defcribed,  not  in  the  way  of  philofophical  difTertations,  not  by  a  feries 
of  abftraci  reafoning,  which  how  amufmg  or  inflrucling  foever  to  minds^ 
of  a  more  refined  turn  and  taftc,  are  but  of  little  fervicc  to  the  bulk  of 
mankind,  who  have  but  little  leifure,  and  perhaps  kfs  inclination  to  at- 
tend to  the  curious  and  abflrurc-r  deductions  of  rcafon  ;  not  thus  are  the 
glories  of  the  Divine  nature  delineated  in  Scripture,  but  exhibited  in  a 
long  and  eafily  intelligible  feries  of  facts  aiid  eventi;,  wlierein  God  hath 
manifcftcdhis  goodncfs,  wifdom,  pov.'cr,  and  juftice,  from  the  bcgining 
of  the  world.    In  which  way  the  mind,  with  very  little  labor  of  tiiought, 
is  at  once  convinced  of  the  b^ing  and  perfections  of  God,  and  {truck 
with  admiration,  reverence,  love,  and  every  right  affection  which  tlic 
knowledge  of  God  fnould  produce  in  us. 

In  the  Scriptures  any  one,  in  common  life,  may  not  only  very  readily 
fee  that  God  is,  and  that  he  is  all  that  the  molt  learned,  the  moil  exact, 
the  mod  fubtle,  the  moll  fuhlime  philofophy,  all  that  the  utmoll  appli- 
cation and  ftudy  of  the  wifcll  men  can  difco\cr  i  but  he  feeth  this  at  the 
fame  time  in  a  practical  light;  he  feeth  that  God  is  all  this  to  ui\  tliat 
as  f^reat  as  he  is  in  himfelf,  he  is  our  God  and  Father,  that  he  hath, 
from  his  own  immenfity  of  being,  given  us  being,  a  noble  and  diilin- 
guifhed  kind  qf  being  \  that  he  confiantly  regards  us,  lovcth  us,  inte- 
refts  himfelf  in  our  arfairs,  is  concerned  for  our  welfare,  is  daily  near 
us,  the  objed  of  our  truft  and  dcpendance ;  that  all  our  fafety  is  in  his 
favour,  and  that  in  his  favour,  and  under  his  protection,  we  are  infinite- 
ly fafe  and  happy.  That  we  are  accountable  to  him  for  our  actions, 
that  we  are  continually  under  his  eye,  and  can  flee  no  whither  from  his 
fpirit  and  prefence  ;  that  we  ought  always  to  fet  him  before  us,  to  aCt 
as  in  his  fight,  and  to  approve  ourfelves  to  his  all-fearching  eye  ;  that  he 
hath  taken  us  into  the  neareft  relations  to  himfelf,  that  his  delign  is  to 
iBake  us  good,  in  order  to  make  us  for  ever  happy  i  that  for  this  pur- 
pofe,  he  hath  been  carrying  on  various  difpenfations  from  die  beglning 
of  the  world  to  invite  and  draw  men  unto  himlelf. 

At  len^'th,  in  the  fulnefs  of  time,  in  that  time  which  to  his  infinite 
wifdom  fccmed  moll  expedient,  he  fent  a  divine  mellcnger,  the  word, 
his  only  begotten  Son,  from  his  own  bofom,  to  redeem  men  irom  ini- 
quity, to  reconcile  them  to  God  ^  and  in  the  way,  Divine  wifdom  jud^j- 
cd  moll  proper,  to  eilablifh  upon  die  moil  firm  and  beautitui  ioundation, 
the  eternal  falvation  of  all  pious  and  virtuous  men  that  have  ever  been, 
or  Ihall  hereafter  be  in  the  world.  The  eternal  God  in  Chrill  will  be 
their  everlafting  ftrcngth,  and  joy,  and  glory.     Thus,  I  would  obfcrvc, 

we 


,^^  Tl}e  Expediency  of  an  Ch.  XXXVIIL 

v/e  not  onlv,  in  the  eafieft  and  clearefl  way,  learn  God  and  his  |  erfec- 
tions  from  Scripture,  but  we  learn  them  in  a  manner  the  molt  proper 
and  powerful  to  engage  and  unite  our  hearts  to  God ;  to  warm  and 
ouicken  our  fpirits,  to  excite  us  to  the  love  and  obedience  of  God,  and 
to  confider  ourfelves  infinitely  interefted  in  his  attributes  and  perfections. 
Which  is  to  learn  divine  things  ;  i.  e.  the  moft  excellent  things  in  a. 
method  vaftly  fuperior  to  all  the  reafonings  and  inftrudtions  of  the  baft 
and  wifeft  of  philofophers. 

In  the  Scriptures,  any  man  of  common  fenfe  may  not  only  with  eafe 
learn  his  duty  in  the  fulleft  extent,  but  at  the  fame  time  by  the  numerous 
examples  of  pious  men  in  all  ages,  he  may  fee  that  it  is  pradicable,  and 
may  fee  how  to  ingage  in  it ;  how  exadl,  how  conftant,  how  ready  and 
chearful  he  fhould  be  in  the  difcharge  of  it ;  how  he  ought  to  refift 
temptations,  to  ftruggle  with  difficulties.  Even  a  mean  capacity  by 
readino-  the  Scriptuies,  fhall  at  the  fame  time  difcern  the  reafonablenefs, 
and  the  beauty  of  holinefs,  and  alfo  be  furnifhed  with  the  ftrongeft  ar- 
guments and  motives  to  embrace  it,  and  to  perfevere  therein,  (hall  be 
afTured  of  the  Divine  afliftance  and  prote£lion  in  a  religious  courfe,  (halj 
irnd  the  mofl  proper  confolations  and  encouragements  in  every  the  moft 
difVrefTed  ftate  of  affairs  ;  to  every  precept  he  fliall  find  an  adjoined  pro- 
mife,  and  his  duty  will  fhine  brightly  before  his  eyes,  in  the  light  and 
hope  of  everlafting  glory. 

There  we  have  the  trueft  and  moft  effe£lual  rules  for  forming  our 
minds  into  all  habits  of  virtue  ;  not  fimple  propofitions,  declaring  what 
we  ought  to  do  and  be,  but  rules  of  life  intermixed  with  the  power  and 
fplendor  of  Divine  grace,  working  mightily  to  renew  us  into  the  Divine 
Nature.  There  religion  appears  in  all  its  truth,  luftre,  fweetnefs,  and 
majefty.  There  it  is  dreffed  in  all  its  charms ;  not  as  a  four,  fevere, 
'morofe,  gloomy  principle,  forbiding  enjoyment,  and  the  parent  only  of 
forrow,  horror,  and  defpair,  but  as  our  life,  our  glory,  our  peace,  our 
joy;  as  giving  us  the  trueft  rclifli  and  enjoyment  of  life,  as  the  fource 
of  the  moft  folid  pleafure  and  comfort,  as  uniting  us  to  God,  as  lodging 
us  for  ever  in  the  Almighty  arms  of  his  love  and  goodnefs,  as  leading 
to,  and  preparing  for  endlcfs  joys  and  pleafures  in  his  prefence. 

As  to  fin  and  wickednefs,  the  philofophers  have  faid  much  concern- 
ing the  odious  nature  of  vice,  that  it  is  evil,  and  the  worft  of  evils, 
that  it  is  the  difeafe  and  deformity  of  the  mind,  hurtful  to  the  health  of 
the  body,  and  ruinous  to  the  reputation  and  eftate.  Their  reflections 
were  ^o  far  juft,  but  the  benefit  of  them  was  confined  to  men  of  letters 
and  ftudy  ;  the  vulgar  received  little  or  no  advantage  from  them  ;  but  in 
the  Scriptures,  the  meaneft  minds  are  favoured  with  far  better  inftruc- 
tions  than  they  could  give.  There  fin  is  not  only  fet  forth  in  all  its 
odious  colours,  and  in  all  its  pernicious  effeds,  as  to  this  prefent  life, 
but  its  deadly  nature  is  demonftrated  as  it  ftands  in  contrariety  to  God, 
as  it  is  the  tranfgreifion  of  his  holy  law,  as  it  expofeth  us  to  his  difplea- 
fure,  and  dilqualifieth  us  for  his  bkfiing ;  as  it  is  oppofite  to  all  the  ends 
of  our  creation,  and  conibquently  as  deferving  of  death.  That  God 
will  punifti  all  the  impenitent  workers  of  iniquity  with  everlafting  de- 
ftruction,  and  purge  out  of  his  icingdom  every  thing  that  offends,  that  is 
dthcr  mifchievous  or  polluting.  And  all  this  is  fo  plainly  and  power- 
fully 


J 


Ch.  XXXVIII.  Extraordinary  Revelation.  i-^ 

fully  inculcated  upon  the  mind,  by  many  dreadful  examples  of  the  Di- 
vine vengeance  upon  ungodly  men,  throughout  the  whole  fcries  of 
Scripture-hiftory,  by  fo  many  exprefs  declarations  of  God's  wrath,  and 
fo  many  exhortations  of  his  goodnefs  and  mercy,  to  turn  from  every 
evil  way,  that  no  one,  who  carefully  and  feriuufiy  reads  the  Scriptwures^ 
can  mifs  not  only  of  feeing  the  evil,  the  irregularity  and  deformity  of 
fin,  but  of  having  his  mind  affedted  with  it,  and  wrought  into  the  moit 
rational  and  the  moft  fettled  dcteftation  of  it. 

With  regard  to  the  pardon  of  fin,  the  wifeft  of  philofophers  Teem  to. 
have  very  imperfeft  notions  of  it.  They  rarely  and  very  fuperficially 
confidered  it  in  its  relation  of  diflbnancy  to  the  Divine  perfe»l:lions ;  aad 
therefore  fay  little  or  nothing  concerning  the  placablenefs  of  the  Deiiy, 
whether  God  would  pardon  fin,  or  in  what  way  his  wifdom  thoug^it 
proper  to  do  it.  Sacrifices  were  frequent  among  them,  but  tliey  feem 
to  have  underilood  nothing  of  their  true  nature  and  end,  nor  were  atallfo- 
licitous  to  inquire  into  them.  In  truth,  they  did  not  underfland  the  true 
demerit  of  fin,  and  therefore  of  courfe,  muft  be  in  the  dark,  as  to  the 
remiffion  of  it.  But  all  thefe  things  are  open  and  obviou;>  to  the  weak- 
eft  capacity  in  Scriptuie. 

How  much  the  world  was  in  the  dark  about  a  future  ftate  without  a 
Revelation  is  well  known,  and  how  clearly  now  the  wurld  to  come  is 
opened  to  us  in  the  awful  profpe£ts  of  eternal  happinefs,  or  endlefs  per- 
dition, can  be  concealed   from  none  who  are  ever  fo  little  acquainted 

with  the  Gofpel  of  Chrift. Thefe  things  duly  attended  to,  will  ihew 

us  the  admirable  excellency  of  the  holy  Scriptures;  that  God'b  wurd  i? 
truth,  and  able  to  make  us  wife  unto  falvation ;  and  further  do  dcmon- 
ftrate,  that  it  is  our  duty  to  be  much  in  reading  them. 

Reading  the  Scriptures  is  one  of  the  hrft  principles  of  our  religion, 
as  we  are  Chriftians,  becaufe  our  profeiTion  is  built  wholly  upon  the 
Scriptures.  We  juflly  own  no  other  rule  of  our  faith  but  the  word  of 
God.  Eph.  n.  20.  Ive  arc  built  upon  the  foundation  of  the  .'Ipoftlcs  and 
Prophets^  Jfus  Chrijl  himfelf  being  the  chief  corner -Ji one.  And  we  are 
built  upon  no  other  foundation.  If  we  are  true  Chriftians,  however 
we  may  ufe  or  value  the  writings  of  men,  we  make  not  them,  not  the 
bell:  of  them,  the  rule  of  our  faith,  but  the  word  of  God  alone.  But 
that  rule  ought  to  be  thoroughly  pcrufcd,  and  digelted,  othcrwife  how 
good  foever  in  itfelf,  or  how  much  foever  we  profcfs  to  take  it  for  our 
rule,  it  is  in  facSl,  no  rule  to  us.  The  word  of  God  is  the  guide  oi  our 
actions;  it  is  a  lamp  unto  our  feet,  and  a  light  unto  our  path.  Pfal.  cxix. 
105.  Should  we  not  then  diligently  ftudy  the  word  of  God,  that  we 
may  not  wander  from  his  commandments  ?  The  word  of  God  is  the 
fpring  of  all  oar  comfort  and  hopes. 

There  and  there  alone,  we  have  the  rich  and  immenfe  treafure  of  the 
Divine  promifes  ;  and  from  thence  alone,  we  can  draw  folid  fupport  and 
confolation,  in  any  dark  hour  of  trial  and  afflidion.  In  fliort,  to  all 
tlie  valuable  purpofes  of  knowledge  and  life,  the  Scriptures  do  infinitely 
excel  all  human  compofitions  whatfoever.  They  are  but  as  the  twink- 
ling ftars  to  that  ocean  of  light  which  is  poured  out  daily  from  the  body 
of  the  fun.  Of  all  the  means  of  knowledge  and  wifdom  in  the  world, 
I  know  nothing  to  be  compared  with  the  word  of  God.     The  reafon  of 

the 


iy6  The  Expediency  of  an  Ch.  XXXVII I. 

the  thing  therefore  requires  we  fhould  have  our  eyes  intent  upon  this 
light  and  illumination.  For  this  end  God  hath  given  us  this  invaluable 
trcafurc,  the  holy  Scriptures,  that  vi^e  (hould  make  them  our  ftudy. 

It  muft  be  obfcrved  carefully,  that  it  is  not  enough  to  be  much  in 
reading  the  Scriptures,  but  while  we  read  we  fhould  employ  all  our  at- 
tention to  undcrll-and  them.  The  Scriptures  may  be  underftood,  but 
evidently  not  in  every  degree  by  every  man  ;  for  as  there  are  various  forts 
and  degrees  of  knowledge  in  Scripture,  fome  perhaps,  at  prefent,  be- 
yond the  reach  of  any  man  that  ever  yet  was  in  the  world ;  and  as  there 
are  in  men  various  capacities,  and  degrees  of  learning,  fo  it  is  manifeft, 
all  men  cannot  attain  to  the  fame  degree  of  underftandiiig  in  divine  things ; 
but  there  muflr  ncceflarily  be  a  great  difference  between  the  knowledge 
of  one  man  and  another  in  matters  of  faith  and  Revelation.  This  fhews 
the  abfurdity  of  the  Popifh  fcheme,  which  pretends  to  reduce  the  Chrif- 
tian  faith  in  all  its  parts  to  a  certain  invariable  flandard,  to  which  every 
man  either  explicitl)  or  implicitly,  either  with  or  without  underftanding, 
muft  conform. 

This  fhews  how  much  foever  it  is  our  duty  to  communicate  know- 
ledge one  to  another,  that  it  is  quite  contrary  to  true  religion  to  quarrel 
with  one  another,  or  to  be  difpleafed  becaufe  we  have  not  all  the  fame 
degree  of  underftanding  in  matters  of  faith  and  religion ;  becaufe  this, 
according  to  the  prefent  conftitution  of  our  minds,  and  of  the  Revela- 
tion God  hath  given  us,  which  he  never  intended  fhould  be  equally  un- 
derftood by  all,  is  quite  impradlicable.  But  although  the  Scriptures  are 
not  to  be  underftood  in  every  degree  by  every  man,  yet  they  may  be 
underftood  by  every  man  fo  far  as  God  requireth,  i.  e.  fo  far  as  he  is 
capable  of  underftandmg  them  ;  for  what  a  man  can  underftand,  he  may 
underftand,  if  he  is  not  wanting  to  himfelf. 

And  as  God  can  require  of  no  man  beyond  his  abilities,  fo  no  more 
than  what  a  man  can  underftand  of  Scripture  is  to  him  a  rule  of  faith 
and  practice  ;  for  v/liathe  cannot  underftand,  he  cannot  be  bound  to  be- 
lieve or  do.  Further,  thofe  things  in  Scripture  which  are  of  the  higheft 
importance,  and  moft  conducive  to  a  holy  life,  are  generally  very  eafy 
to  be  underftood  ;  and  therefore  how  perplexed  foever  thofe  other  things 
may  be  about  which  men  have  differed,  though  not  fo  perplexed  in  Re- 
velation, as  they  are  in  mens  heads  and  writings  ;  yet  I  fay,  how  per- 
plexed and  dilScult  foever  they  may  be,  the  grand  principles  of  faith  and 
practice  are  fo  evident,  that  any  ordinary  capacity,  may,  with  due  care 
and  attention,  eafdy  gain  the  moft  comfortable  knowledge  of  them. 
Thus  the  Scriptures  maybe  underftood. 

So  far  as  they  are  not  underftood,  they  are,  at  leaft,  ufelefs  to  us. 
Nay  further,  the  Scriptures  mifunderftood,  may  prove  very  hurtful  to 
us.  The  things  chiefly  to  be  underftood  in  Scripture  are  principles^  or 
the  grounds  and  reafons  of  things,  and  precepts  which  are  the  rules  of 
^\ix.y-^  now  if  we  m.iftake  either,  we  fliall  throw  all  into  confufion,  our 
way  will  be  all  m.ift  and  clouds,  that  which  fhould  be  light  will  be  dark- 
nefs,  or,  which  is  all  one,  a  falfe  light  to  mi  (lead  us  ;  that  which  fhould 
be  our  joy,  will  be  our  heavinefs  ;  that  which  fhould  be  our  comfort, 
and  infpire  chearful  hope,  will  be  a  dead  weight  to  burthen  our  fpirits 
and  clog  our  courfe.  Our  path  which  fhould  be  as  the  fliining  light, 
that  fhineth  more  and  more,  will  be  a  gloomy  melancholy  road,  and  we 

ihall 


Ch.  XXXVIII.  Exiraord'mary  Revelation.  jjy- 

flla.  make'  our  way  with  difficulty,  becaufe  we  want  that  true  ferife  and 
kho'.  ledge  of  the  ways  and  will  of  God,  v.-hich  is  necellary  to  2:1  ve  life 
cotr/ort,  and  vigour.  Chimeras  and  frightful  images  will  terrify  our 
confciences,  and  fill  us  with  groundlefs  fears  ;  God  will  be  painted  in 
monftrous  colours,  and  all  the  ravifhing  glories  of  his  truth,  wifdom 
and  love,  which  fhould  powerfully  draw  our  hearts  to  him,  will  "be  hid 
from  our  eyes.  The  luftre  of  redeeming  grace  will  in  part,  or  wholly, 
be  eclipfed.  Some  parts  of  religion  will  be  fuperftitioufly  magnified^ 
while  others  of  greater  confequence  will  be  undervalued. 

Further,  if  for  want  of  due  attention  to  the  fenfe  of  Scripture  we  mif- 
take  and  fall  into  error,  v,-e  ought  to  be  fenfible,  that  religious  error  is 
of  a  far  worfe  nature  than  any  other ;  not  only  as  it  is  error  -n  a  matter 
of  the  greateft  importance,  but  as  it  is  of  all  others,  the  moft  difficult 
to  be  correfted.  For  under  the  facred  name  of  religion  it  fheiters  and 
defends  itfelf,  and  gains  the  charader  of  truth,  of  important,  neceflary, 
awful,  and  perhaps  excellent  truth ;  and  the  unwary  think  themfelves 
bound  in  confcience  and  duty  to  maintain  it  with  zeal  ;  and  then  who- 
ever endeavours  to  correct  it,  though  ever  fo  much  in  the  fpiritof  meek- 
nefs  and  peace,  muft  do  it  at  his  peril.  Hence  thofe  groffer  inftances 
of  perfecution  and  bloodftied  which  have  fouled  the  Chriftian  name. 
Hence  thofe  wranglings,  debates,  heat?,  animofities,  v.hich  have  de- 
ftroyed  Chriftian  focieties.  Thefe  things  are  the  fruit  oi'  mens  takino- 
their  religious  principles  upon  truft,  and  not  fetching  them  from  the 
Scriptures,  ftudied,  and  underftood  by  themfelves.  Such  contempt  and 
neglect  of  the  word  of  God  expofeth  them  to  ftrong  delufion,  and  fuch 
delufion  leads  them  to  fight  in  the  dark  for  they  know  not  what.  Thus 
religion  is  corrupted,  the  corruption  of  it  defended,  and  irreligion  and 
infidelity  propagated,  even  by  religious  people  themfelves.  So  the  fcep- 
tic,  who  is  indifferent  to  any  principles,  when  he  finds  abfurdity  mixed 
with  the  Chriftian  faith,  taking  the  whole  for  a  true  account  of  Chrifti- 
anity,  rejects  the  whole.  For  even  common  fenfe  will  not  allow  that 
Revelation  to  be  divine,  which  cannot,  in  many  of  its  parts,  be  recon- 
ciled with  the  known  perfections  of  God. 

By  this  unhappy  means  what  numbers  in  our  land  have  been  drawn 
into  Deifm  !  And,  by  this  unhappy  means,  I  guefs,  if  the  truth  were 
known,  religion  appears  but  in  a  doubtful  light  To  many  who  feem  to  be 
ftrict  profeftors  of  it ;  for  where  it  is  not  rec^eived  in  its  proper  evidence, 
there  cannot  be,  I  think,  a  full  and  ftrong  aflent  of  faith;  and  no  man 
can  receive  it  in  its  proper  evidence,  who  doth  not  endeavour  carefully 
to  underftand  the  Scriptures. 

Thus  many  who  talk  much  of  the  word  of  God,  and  pretend  a  o;reat 
reverence  for  it,  may  pofTibly  at  the  laft  day  be  ranked  amon?  the  de- 
fpifers  of  it ;  becaufe,  although  they  have,  perhaps,  been  much'^in  read- 
ing of  it,  they  never  fet  themfelves  in  good  earneft  to  underftand  it,  and 
fo  in  efFevSl  might  as  well  not  have  read  it  at  all;  for  their  reading  of  it 
is  only  from  a  fuperftitious  opinion,  as  Turks,  and  Jews,  and  Papiji^ 
turn  over  the  books  in  reputation  among  them,  not  from  the  love  of 
truth,  not  with  a  defire  to  underftand  '"the  truth  ;  that  moft  people 
fuppofe  they  underftand  before  the)'  read  their  bibles,  or  however  with- 
.^. out  reading  their  brbles ;  not  to  open  their  eyes,  and  to  give  them 


a  moie 


178  1'he  Expediency  of^  bfc,  Cn,  XXXVIII. 

a  more  juft  and  diftin<£t  view  of  the  ways  and  difpenfations  of 
God,  fuch  things  they  learn  from  other  books ;  not  to  confirm  and 
eftablifh  their  minds  in  the  faith  of  God  and  of  Chrifl ;  not  for  thofe 
purpofes,  I  fear,  are  the  Scriptures  read,  but  only  in  a  cudomary,  fu- 
pcrftitious,  or  however,  in  a  very  carelcfj;,  fuperficial  way ;  and  there- 
fore there  are  fo  few  Chriftians  that  grow  in  grace,  that  rife  in  fpiritual 
ftrcngth,  peace,  love,  and  joy,  becaufe  there  are  fo  few  that  grow  in 
the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jefus  Chrifl.    2  Pet.  iii.  ig. 

The  full  knowledge  of  Chrift  moft  people  prefume  they  have  attained 
long  ago,  and  to  talk  of  knowing  more  of  Chrift,  or  in  a  clearer  and 
more  rational  way,  is  perfedlly  fhocking  to  them.  They  have  fome where 
or  other  fixed  the  precife  ftandard  of  Divine  knowledge,  and  either  more 
or  lefs  than  that  ftandard  of  their's  is  impious  and  heretical.  How  then 
can  they  grow  in  the  knowledge  of  Chrift  ?  How  can  they  fet  them- 
felves  to  underftand  the  Scriptures,  who  in  another  way,  as  they  think, 
have  already  gained  the  whole  fum  and  body  of  fpiritual  underftanding  ? 
See  Rom.  xv.  4.  JVhatfoever  things  were  iiritten  aforetime^  were  written 
for  our  learnings  for  our  injlru^tion.,  that  we  through  patience  and  comfort  of 
the  Scriptures  might  have  hope.  We  have  hope  through  that  patience  and 
comfort  which  is  taught  in  the  Scriptures  ;  but  the  grounds  and  reafons 
of  that  patience  and  comfort  muft  be  underftood,  otherwife  we  cannot 
eftablifh  in  our  minds  a  fure  and  folid  hope.  Hence  it  is  that  the  Chrif- 
tian  hope,  that  faith,  and  hope  which  overcometh  the  world,  is  fo  great 
a  rarity  ;  therefore  fo  few  rejoice  in  hope,  becaufe  fo  few  underftand 
the  Scriptures,  which  are  the  ground  of  the  Chriftian  hope.  Laftly, 
becaufe  the  Scriptures  are  but  little  underftood,  therefore  they  arc 
fo  little  valued.  We  delight  not  in  them,  becaufe  we  know  io  little 
of  them. 

Let  it  be  remembered,  that  we  fliall  have  the  benefit  of  the  Scriptures 
by  ftudioufly  endeavouring  to  underftand  them.  Then  ftiall  we  know 
if  we  follow  on  to  know  the  Lord.  So  far  as  we  underftand  the  word 
of  truth,  we  fhall  be  truly  enlightened,  our  confcicnces  will  be  rightly 
directed,  and  all  our  principles  well  eftabliftied  ;  we  ftiall  fee  its  real  ex- 
cellency, and  it  will  accordingly  be  valued  and  eftcemed  ;  we  (hall  tafte 
its  comforts,  feel  its  power,  be  convinced  of  its  Divine  original,  and  it 
will  be  pleafant  and  precious  to  us.  The  more  we  underftand  of  the 
Scriptures,  the  more  we  fhall  with  pleafure  fee  the  righteoufiiefs,  wif- 
dom,  and  goodnefs  of  all  the  Divine  difpenfations,  that  all  of  them  are 
adjufted  and  fettled  by  the  love  of  a  feather,  and  calculated  to  promote 
our  happinefs.  This  will  draw  our  hearts  to  God,  and  (hew  us  the 
infinite  reafonablenefs  of  comporting  with  the  cojiftitutions  of  his  grace. 

If  we  arc  built  upon  the  foundation  of  the  Apoftles  and  Prophets,  our 
faith  will  ftand  upon  a  fure  bottom,  and  not  upon  the  weak,  precarious 
judgment  of  man  ;  henceforth  we  ftiall  be  no  more  children  tofled  to 
and  fro,  and  carried  about  with  every  wind  of  doctrine.  Ephef.  iv.  14. 
But  ftiall  by  ufe  have  our  fenfes  exercifed  to  difcern  both  good  and  cvlJ. 
Thus  we  ftiall  with  our  own  eyes  fee  the  truth,  and  be  inftrumental  in 
preferving  the  purity  of  our  religion.  Thus  we  ftiall  grow  up  into 
Chrift  in  all  things,  in  knowledge,  in  faith,  and  love.  Thus  we  ftiall 
be  rooted  and  grounded  in  love,  in  the  love  of  God,  of  truth,  and  of 

oigr 


Ctt.  XXXIX.  ObjeSflons  again/I,  ^c.  ijg 

our  neighbour.  The  •  knowledge  we  gain,  whether  it  be  more  or  lefs, 
being  drawn  from  the  true  fountain,  will  compofe  our  fpirit-;,  and  in- 
cline us  neither  to  defpife  the  weaknefs  of  thofe  that  know  lefs,  nor  to 
reject:  the  inll:ru(5lions  of  thofe  that  may  know  more  than  ourfelvcs. 

Thefe  weighty  confiderations  fhould  engage  us  to  read  the  Scriptures 
with  all  poffible  care  and  diligence;  to  fludy  them  with  an  upright  de- 
fire  to  gain  their  true  fenfe  and  meaning.  We  all  know  how  much  men 
are  at  variance  about  the  fenfe  of  Scripture,  one  affirming  that  this,  ano- 
ther that  that  is  the  true  fenfe.  So  it  may  well  be  expedted  to  be  in  our 
present  weaknefs  ;  and  fo  God  hath  permited  it  to  be  ;  not  to  give  us  oc- 
cafion  to  cenfure,  judge,  and  difparage  one  another,  as  is  too  common, 
for  this  is  exprefly  forbiden  ;  but  this  variety  of  fentiments  is  permited 
to  teach  us  to  ccafe  from  man,  and  fhouIJ  convince  us  that  we  ought 
not  to  refign  our  underftandings  or  confciences  to  any  man's  judi'-nient 
whatfoever. 


CHAP.       XXXIX. 
T/je  Hi/lory  (7/*Revelation,  andfome  Objections  to  it  anfwered. 

rr»:>:f)5  shall  confider  firft, 

;^-  ^  •§;  The  authority  and  original  of  holy  Scripture  ;  and  then, 
^>K>K^  The  ufe  and  importance  of  it ;  it  is  pi-ofitable  for  doSirine^for 
■reproofs  for  corredion^  for  inJlrn£lion  in  righteoifnef.  2  Tim.  iii.  16.  and 
fo  is  profitable  for  thq  nob|cft  purpofes,  the  enlightening  of  our  minds, 
the  purifying  of  our  hearts,  the  regulating  of  our  practice,  and  the  fav- 
ing  of  our  fouls. 

As  to  the  authority  and  original  of  holy  Scripture,  it  is  faid,  by  a 
very  good  and  fufficient  judge,  that  it  h  given  by  infpiration  of  God.  How 
we  are  to  underftand  being  given  by  infpiration  ofGod^  the  Apoftle  Peter 
will  inform  us,  2  Pet,  i.  20,  21.  Knowing  this,  fais  he,  that  710  prophecy 
of  the  Scripture  is  of  any  private  interpretation^  '[cn(e^  or  impulfe  ;  mean- 
ing, that  no  prophecy  did  ilTue  or  proceed  from  the  private  fenfe  or 
thoughts  of  the  writer  ;  it  was  not  giving  a  loofe  to  his  own  conceits 
and  iinaginations.  /Vr,  as  it  follows,  the  prophecy  came  not  in  old  time  by 
the  will  of  7nan -^  but  holy  men  of  God  fpake  as  they  were  moved  by  the  holy 
Ghofl-,  or  by  the  holy  Spirit  of  God,  enlightening  their  minds  and  di- 
reding  them  what  to  fay.  Thus  the  Scriptures  are  infpired,  they  are 
the  word  of  God,  and  what  is  contained  in  them,  we  are  to  underftand 
and  reverence  as  fpoken  by  God  himfelf.  But  then,  in  the  ftrideft  fenfe, 
this  is  to  be  underftood  only  of  what  Prophets,  as  Prophets,  have  deliver- 
ed to  us ;  fuch  as  Mofts,  Samuel^  David,  Ifaiah,  Jcrmiah,  and  the  reft. 

Vol.  I.  M  No 


l8o  Ohjc^ions  againjl  Ch.  XXXIX. 

No  prophecy  of  Scripture  did  proceed  from  the  private  fcnfe  of  the  wri- 
ter but  was  diclatcd  by  the  fpirit  of  God.  But  as  for  the  hiftorical 
writino-s,  though,  doubtlefs,  they  owe  their  original  to  the  fpccial  Pro- 
vidence of  (jod,  yet  it  is  fufficicnt  to  fuppofe,  that  they  were  wrote  by 
men  of  probity,  fully  acquainted  with  the  fads  which  they  relate. 

This  premifed,  I  fhould  now  advance  a  few  arguments  to  eftablifh  the 
authority  and  excellency  of  the  Scriptures,  that  they  were  indeed  given 
by  infpiration  of  God,  or  that  in  them  holy  men  of  God  fpake  as  they 
\vcre  moved  by  the  holy  Spirit.  But  to  prepare  the  way  it  is  iieceflary 
I  fliould  give  a  general  account  and  hiftory  of  Revelation ;  then  remove 
fome  Objedions  which  are  leveled  againft  it,  as  if  it  were  needlefs,  too 
partial,  or  too  inefFedual,  to  be  confiftent  with  the  Divine  goodnefs  ; 
or  as  if  we  were  not  fufficiently  fecure,  that  we  now  have  in  pofleflion 
thofe  very  books  entire  and  perfect,  in  which  Revelation  was  originally 
recorded. 

Revelation  is  that  which  makes  known  to  us  the  will  and  ways  of  the 
moft  high  God,  the  Father  of  the  univerfe,  the  Fountain  of  all  being 
and  happinefs,  upon  whom  we  have  a  necefTary  dependence  for  life,  for 
underllanding,  and  knowledge,  for  well-being,  and  enjoyment,  at  all 
times  and  in  every  refped  ;  for  without  him  wfe  cannot  live,  we  cannot 
breathe,  we  can  have  no  kind  or  degree  of  fenfe  and  underftanding. 
This  is  true.  And  it  is  equally  true,  that  the  beft,  and  moft  beneficent 
of  Beings,  the  greateft,  and  the  kindeft  of  all  Fathers,  could  have  no 
other  end  or  defign  in  creating  mankind,  but  his  own  glory,  and  their 
happinefs.  The  chief  end  of  man  muft  be  to  glorify  God,  and  to  enjoy 
him  for  ever ;  for  perfed  goodnefs  cannot  be  conceived  to  propofe  any 
lower  end  in  making  a  creature  fo  noble  and  excellent.  But  then  it  is 
certain,  both  from  the  holinefs  of  God,  and  the  nature  of  an  intelligent, 
rational  being,  that  a  characSler  of  holinefs  and  virtue,  of  obedience, 
righteoufnefs,  or  right  condud,  is  neceflary,  on  our  part,  to  our  enjoy- 
ment of  God,  or  our  happinefs  in  his  favor  and  bleffing.  It  is  necefla- 
ry that  we  love  the  great  Author  of  our  being,  that  we  pay  him  all  due 
honor  and  obedience,  that  we  are  dutifully  fubmiflive  to  his  will,  that 
we  underftand  our  dependence  upon  him,  and  what  we  have  to  expe6t 
from  him,  that  we  may  be  excited  to  gratitude,  and  a  due  improvement 
of  his  benefits. 

We  cannot  love,  honor,  and  obey  God,  unlefs  we  know  him,  and 
are  acquainted  with  him  ;  nor  can  we  poifibly  have  any  knowledge,  or 
underftanding  of  any  kind  whatever,  but  what  muft  come  originally  from 
God.  Therefore,  that  God,  our  Father,  fhould  inftrud  and  teach  his 
creatures,  whom  he  has  made  for  the  higheft  and  nobleft  ends,  in  thofc 
things  which  immediately  relate  to  his  glory  and  their  happinefs,  is  per- 
feftly  confonant  to  his  goodnefs  and  love.  And  that  Infinite  wifdom, 
the  Lord  and  Proprietor  of  all  Being,  fhould  have  various  waj'S  of  mak- 
ing known  himfelf  and  his  will  to  us,  is  alfo  perfedly  true.  He  hath 
produced  a  great  variety  of  creatures  with  different  powers  and  inftinfls 
in  our  world,  by  them  to  fliow  that  he  can  beftow  upon  us  any  kind  or 
degree  of  being  ;  he  hath  difplaycd  his  immenfe  greatncfs,  power,  wif- 
dom, and  goodnefs  in  the  numberlefs  glorious  bodies  which,  by  his 
hand,  are  perpetually  rolled  about  us  in  the  heavens.     His  continually 

providing 


•Cli.  XXXIX.  Revelation  anfwered.  l8l 

providing  for  our  fubfiftence,  in  a  way  which  is  quite  out  of  our  power, 
plainly  demonftrates  our  abfolute  dependence  upon  him,  and  obligations 
to  him.  This  is  the  book  of  nature  fpread  before  all  nations,  and  le- 
gible to  ever)'  underlianding  ;  in  which  every  attentive  mind  mav  read 
the  perfections  of  God,  and  the  main  duties  v/hich  we  owe  him.  But, 
to  him  who  made  cur  fenfes  and  minds,  and  is  always  intimate  to  them, 
there  muft  be  many  other  poHible  ways  of  making  known  his  will  to  us ; 
as  by  an  audible  voice,  a  vifion,  or  fecret  impreiTions  upon  our  fpirits. 
Therefore  to  believe,  that  God  at  fundry  times,  and  div^  rs  manners, 
fpake  to  the  ancient  fathers  by  the  Prophets,  is  bsjieviiig  a  thinly  very 
poflible,  reafonable,  and  hting. 

And  it  is  no  improbable  fuppofition,  that  in  the  earliefi:  a2;es  of  the 
tvorld,  God  fhould  only  communicate  his  will  to  pious  men, "and  leave 
them  to  hand  it  down  to  others  by  tradition.  For  in  thofe  days  the  lon- 
gevity of  mankind  favored  this  manner  of  conveyance.  yVith  our 
grand-parent  Adam^  Methufclah  lived  243  years  ;  with  Mcthufclah^  Sbem 
the  fon  o^ Noah  lived  about  97  years  ;  and  with  Sbe7n^  Jacob  the  fon  of 
Ifaac^  the  fon  of  Abraham^  lived  50  years,  as  appears  from  the  hiilorv  of 
Genefis.  So  that  no  more  than  three  pcrfons,  Methufelahy  Shem^  and  '/'(.'- 
cob^  were  fufficient  to  hand  down  the  knowledge  and  worfhio  of  the 
true  God,  from  AJam  to  the  time  when  the  children  of  Ifr:  el v/tnt  down 
into  Egypty  that  is,  through  the  fpace  of  2?. 38  years.  But  v/hen  the  life 
of  man  was  reduced  to  the  narrow  period  01  foMrfcore  years,  and  the 
world  on  all  fides  was  fallen  into  vr.rioLis  forts  of  cori^ption,  and  idola- 
try and  ignorance  of  God  generally  prevail: i  among  the  ;•  'tions,  tra- 
dition evidently  ceafed  to  be  a  f:.fe  mean  of  conveyance. 

It  was  then  the  Divine  wifdom  judged  it  a  proper  time  to  ereift  a  pe- 
culiar kingdom,  church,  or  congregation  in  the  world  ;  and  for  its  il- 
lumination gave  the  knowled^cc  of  his  will  and  worfliip  in  writing,  by 
the  hand  of  his  fervent  iWi/fj ;  that  by  fuch  writing,  or  Scripture,  di- 
vine truth  might  more  eafdy  be  prefcrved,  be  further  fpread,  and,  when 
loft,  more  eafily  reftored.  This  muft  be  acknowledged  a  wife  and  pro- 
per expedient.  After  the  time  oi Mofes^  God  was  pleafed  to  give  Reve- 
lations to  the  fubfequent  Prophets,  as  occafion  required  ;  till  in  the  ful- 
nefsof  time,  the  great  Prophet,  the  Son  of  God,  came  into  the  world, 
opened  a  new  difpenfation,  and  all  the  treafures  of  the  Divine  grace, 
which  had  not  before  been  fo  clearly  made  known  to  the  church  and 
people  of  God.  And  what  he  and  his  Apoftles  taught  is  alfo  commit- 
ted to  writing,  and  compleats  what  we  call  the  Canon  of  Scrip- 
ture. 

This  is  the  general  account  and  hiftory  of  Pvcvelation  which  I  pro- 
pofed  to  give.  And  we  may  here  obfcrve,  that  a  writen  Revelation  and 
the  church  of  God  are  co-exiftent*,  that  is  to  fay,  at  the  fame  time  the 
church  was  brought  into  the  world,  the  Scriptures  were  brought  into 
the  church  ;  and  both  are  fo  eflentiallv  connected,  that  take  away  the 
one,  and  you  take  away  the  other.  Take  away  the  Scriptures,  and  we 
are  reduced  to  the  ftatc  of  meer  nature  ;  our  charter  is  deftroyed,  and 
our  polity,  as  we  are  God's  church  and  kingdom,  is  overthrown.  We 
may  indeed,  polEbly,  pretend,  as  the  Papilts  do,  that  we  are,  though 
deprived  of  the  Script^are,  ftiil  a  church  \  yet  without  the  S^iptures,  ^s 

M  2  '  our 


l82  Ohjcn'iom  aga'nt/}  Ch.  XXXIX. 

our  rule  and  foundation,  we  are  not  the  church  of  God,  but  under  a 
dificrent  head,  it  may  be  the  Pope,  or  fome  other  ufurped  authority. 
But  this  by  the  bye. 

I  fliall  now  remove  fome  Objections  which  maybe  leveled  againft  Re- 
velation in  general. 

It  is  pretended To  he  quite  necdlefs,  nature  and  reafon  being  fuffcient 

to  dlrcci  any  jnon  hi  the  plain  ivay  of  his  duty,  without  anyfupernatural  of- 
filiance.  1  anfwer  •  It  muft  be  allowed,  in  general,  that  nature  and 
reafon  are  fufficicnt  fo  direct  any  maji  in  the  way  of  his  duty,  fo  far  as 
God,  in  his  circumftance?,  expe(Sts  duty  from  him.  For  God  expects 
duty  from  every  perfon  only  in  proportion  to  the  light  he  enjoys,  and  to 
the  talents  he  hath  received.  But  the  experience  of  all  mankind  fhews 
that  nature  and  reafon,  by  themfclvcs,  will  advance  but  a  little  way  in 
the  knowledge  of  Divine  things.  Gentlemen  in  a  land  like  ours,  where, 
in  fpite  of  themfelves,  their  nature  and  reafon  is  enlightened  and  direc- 
ted in  a  confiderable  degree  by  Revelation,  may  talk  of  the  perfedtion 
and  fufficicncy  of  nature  and  reafon. 

If  we  look  into  thofc  nations,  which  are  perfect  flrangers  to  Revela- 
tion, we  fhall  find  them  grofsly  ignorant  of  the  being,  unity,  and  per- 
fedtions  of  God,  the  difpenfations  of  his  Providence,  the  proper  honor 
and  worfhip  that  is  due  to  him,  the  prayers  we  may  addrefs  to  his  good- 
nefs,  and  the  hopes  we  may  entertain  of  his  acceptance.  They  know 
nothing  of  the  pardon  of  fin,  the  promifes  of  God's  mercy  and  blefling, 
nor  of  anv  thing  belonging  to  the  covenant  of  his  love^  the  prefent  pri- 
vileges, or  future  glory  of  his  kingdom.  The  refurre(5tion  from  the 
dead,  the  day  of  judgment,  the  immortal  life,  which  will  be  tlie  reward 
of  piety  and  virtue,  and  the  death  cverlafting,  which  will  be  the  fad  lot 
of  all  the  impenitently  v/icked,  they  are  altogether,  or  in  a  great  mea- 
fure,  unacquainted  witii.  But  ail  thefe  are  great  principles  in  religion, 
and  of  great  force  to  purify  our  fpirits,  ennoble  our  minds,  animate  our 
hopes,  and  guard  us  againft  the  influence  of  bodily  appetites,  and  the 
violence  of  temptation. 

And  however  others  may  fare,  in  a  great  degree  of  darknefs  and  ig- 
norance, through  the  favourable  allowance  of  God,  yet  furely  every 
man's  reafon  will  tell  him,  that  fuperior  knowledge,  and  a  more  exten- 
five  view  of  the  Divine  difpenfations,  is  abfolutely  necefTary  to  a  higher 
degree  of  goodnefs,  comfort,  obedience,  and  devotedncfs  to  God.  "W^.at 
the  poets  relate  may  be  true,  that  fome  primitive  mortals  fubfifted  only 
upon  acorns  and  water,  in  dens  and  caves  ;  and  we  know  there  are  fom.; 
parts  of  the  world  where  the  naked  inhabitants  enjoy  very  few  conve- 
niences of  life  ;  but  fliall  we  therefore  defpifc  the  bleffings  of  agricul- 
ture, and  the  various  accommodations  which  make  life  happy  and  com- 
fortable, and  fay  they  are  needlefs  ?  Would  any  man  in  England  ever 
think  of  turning  out  naked  into  the  fields  and  woods,  becaufe  it  is  pof- 
fible,  and  may  fomcwhere  in  fail  be  true,  that  men  may  live  upon  wild 
fruit  anii  water,  without  clothes,  or  any  habitation,  but  the  dens  and 
caves  of  the  earth  ?  Corn  and  other  agrcable  food,  clothes,  and  com- 
modious habitations,  fitcd  up  with  proper  furniture  and  utcnfils,  are  ne- 
cefl'ary  to  cur  kind  and  degree  of  life  in  the  natural  world  ;  ajid  fo  is 
Revelation  to  a  correfponding  kind  and  degree  <^  fpidtual  life.     The 

food. 


Ch.  XXXIX.  Revelation  anfxvered.  183 

food,  raiment,  and  habitations  we  enjoy  are  the  gift  of  God's  goodnefs, 
and  it  is  our  duty  to  accept  and  ufe  them  with  thankfuhicfs.  In  like 
manner,  Revelation  is  the  gift  of  God,  and,  as  fuch,  it  ought  to  be  re- 
ceived J  and  as  it  gives  greater  light,  we  are  obliged  to  attend  accord- 
ingly to  it,  becaufe  we  muft,  in  the  nature  of  things,  be  accountable 
for  it. 

I  may  add  upon  this  head,  that  however  nature  and  reafon,  in  their 
pure  and  moft  perfect  ftate,  m.ay  be  fufficient  to  diredt  in  the  way  of 
duty,  yet  when  nature  is  corrupted,  and  reafon  obfcured,  or  almoft  quite 
cxtinguifhed,  they  are  by  no  means  fuilicient  to  reitore  and  recover 
themfelves  to  the  knowledge  and  obedience  of  the  truth  ;  becaufe  they 
themfelves,  who  fhould  be  the  phyfician  to  heal  themfelves,  are  fick  and 
difabled.  But  it  was  the  primary  intention  of  Revelation  to  refcore  and 
preferve  the  knowledge  of  God  and  of  his  will  in  a  corrupt  and  dege- 
nerate world. 

So  far  therefore  I  fee  no  Obje6lion  againfl  Revelation,  but  it  may  be 
both  very  needful,  and  a  very  great  blcHing  to  mankind. 

It  may  be  faid If  this  blejfuig  was  given  to  all  mankind,  who   all 

equally  Ji and  in  need  of  it ;  but  whereas  it  is  confined  only  to  a  part  of  man- 
kind^ ivbile  others  are  left  to  grope  in  the  dark^  hoiv  can  it  be  accounted  the 
gift  of  Divine  goodnefs  ?  For  is  not  God  equally  the  God,  Father,  and  Sa^ 
viour  of  all  men  ?  How  then  can  it  be  confijlent  luith  his  beneficence  to  con- 
fine the  light  of  Rrjelation  to  fame,  which  would  fo  ?nuch  contrimite  to  the 
happinefs  of  all?  May  xve  not  then  conclude,  that  a  partial  Revelation  is  no 
Revelation  from  God,  nor  worthy  of  our  regard? 

I  anfwer It  is  very  certain  that  God  is  the   Saviour  of  all  men, 

that  he  is  good  to  all,  and  that  his  tender  mercies  are  overall  his  works. 
But  while  we  are  fure  of  this,  we  are  not  equally  fure  that  our  reafon  . 
is  a  perfed  rule  for  adjufting  the  diftribution  of  his  benefits.  On  the 
other  hand,  we  may  be  very  fure  that  it  is  not.  From  the  loweft  to  the 
higheft  degree  of  exiftence,  from  a  grain  of  fand,  to  the  moft  glorious 
Angel  in  heaven,  every  higher  degree  of  being  is  an  inconteftible  proof, 
that  God  may  very  juftly,  according  to  his  own  wifdom  and  good  plea- 
fure,  beftow  what  gifts,  endowments,  privileges,  and  advantages  upon 
his  creatures  he  fees  fit.  He  is  debtor  to  none.  Our  underftanuing  is 
no  meafure  of  his  wifdom,  neither  are  his  difpenfations  to  be  cenfured 
by  our  narrow  and  imperfecSt  judgments.  And  methinks,  we  may  as 
well  make  it  an  Obje£tion  againft  the  goodnefs  of  Divine  Providence, 
that  all  men  are  not  rich  alike,  wife  alike,  or  knowing  and  learned 
alike. 

Would  you  not  think  him  a  very  fooliili  man,  who  fhould  be  difplea  . 
fed  that  God  has  made  him  rich,  and  placed  him  in  eafy  circumlhnces, 
becaufe  there  are  many  about  him  in  a  poor  low  condition  ?  Who  re- 
fufes  wealth,  or  objects  againft  plenty,  becaufe  his  neighbours  are  pinch- 
ed, and  make  but  a  hard  fhlft  to  get  a  living  ?  Or  who  can  be  fo  ab- 
iurd,  as  to  reckon  his  fuperior  knowledge  and  learning  to  be  no  valu- 
able advantage,  becaufe  there  are  numbers  of  illiterate  pcrfons,  who  are 
much  below  him  in  underftanding  ?  Or  that  the  pofTelTion  of  reafon  is 
no  bleffuig,  becaufe  there  are  fo  many  idiots  to  be  found  among  man- 
kijid  I     Or  can  you  fuppofe  there  are  any  of  the  angelic  body,  or  of  thcie- 

M-3  fpirita 


j84  Ohje^'ioKi  againJI  Ch.  XXXIX. 

fpirlts  who  excel  us  in  all  endowments  and  happinefs,  who  defpife  their 
own  blcfTings  and  heavenl)'' felicity,  as  no  gifts  of  the  Divine  bounty, 
beciiufe  we  in  this  earth,  are  not  fet  upon  a  level  with  them  ?  And  is 
it  not  as  foolifh  and  abfurd  to  deny  Revelation,  or  to  argue  againft  it, 
as  improperly  beftowed,  and  unworthy  of  the  Divine  goodnefs,  becaufe 
indeed  it  is  not  communicated  to  all  the  world,  as  well  as  to  ourfclves  ? 
It  is  very  unnatural  to  difpute  againft  God's  goodnefs  in  any  fliape,  and 
very  prefumptuous  to  direct  him  how  to  beftow  it  either  as  to  quantity, 
quality,  or  extent.  If  it  is  fact,  that  he  has  given  us  any  blefling,  our  duty 
furcly  is  to  be  thankful,  and  to  enjoy  and  improve  it,  whether  he  has  bc- 
flovved  more  or  lefs  upon  our  fellow-creatures  ;  being  certain  where  lefs 
is  given,  lefs  will  be  required  ;  and  that  the  Judge  of  the  whole  earth, 
will,  in  the  laft  dav,  deal  with  all  in  perfect  equity  and  goodnefs. 
But, 

If  Revelation  h  fiuh  a  hlejjing^furely  it  would  appear  in  the  fruit  or  effect 
of  it.  Whereas  great  numbers^  if  net  the  genn-ality  of  thofe  who  enjoy  Re- 
velation, are  as  bad  as  the  very  heathen,  who  arejlrangers  to  it,  Andfuch 
evils  have  been  produced,  fiich  variance,  difcord,  and  bloody  perfecutions,  on 
account  of  revealed  religion,  that  it  may  jujlly  be  quejlioncd,  whether  it  has 
not  done  more  hartn  than  good.  IVhat  reafon  then  have  we  to  fay,  it  is  a 
valuable  gift,  or  worthy  of  the  Father  of  the  univerfe? 

To  this  I  reply That  natural  caufes  by  a  fort  of  neceflity  produce 

their  proper  effedts  ;  fo  fire  always  burns  combuftible  matter,  and  a  good 
medicine  heals  a  difeafe  ;  and  that  is  no  fire  which  will  not  burn  pro- 
per matter,  nor  that  a  good  medicine,  which  never  heals  a  difeafe.  But 
moral  caufes  are  of  a  different  nature,  becaufe  their  efficacy  depends 
upon  die  choice  and  difpofition  of  the  fubjects  to  whom  they  are  applied. 
And  therefore  a  moral  means,  or  caufe,  may  be  in  itfelf  moft  excellent, 
though  it  happens  to  produce  no  good  effect ;  nay,  though  accidentally 
it  may  prove  the  occafion  of  very  bad  effects.  Our  Lord's  miniftry  and 
doctrine  was  perfectly  divine,  and  yet  it  had  but  fmail  influence  for  good 
upon  the  Jewijh  nation ;  nay,  on  the  other  hand,  excited  their  malice 
to  that  degree,  that  they  flew  the  Prince  of  Life. 

Whatever  effects  therefore,  Revelation  may  have  produced  in  the 
world,  ftill  it  is  true,  that  it  is  a  valuable  gift,  and  worthy  of  the  Di- 
vine goodnefs.  But  it  muft  ever  be  rememljcred,  that  it  is  abfolutely 
ncccffary  to  our  receiving  any  benefit  from  Gofpel-means,  that  we  be 
truly  delirous  to  fhake  off  the  yoke  of  firi,  and  to  cultivate  and  improve 
our  minds  in  virtue  and  true  holincfs.  If  therefore  we  expert  there  is 
any  life  or  power  provided  in  the  Gofpel,  which  will  anticipate  our  own 
thoughts  and  concerns  -,  or  that  will  begin  to  work  upon  our  minds,  and 
excite  them  to  thoughtfulnefs  and  care,  whilft  we  ourfclves  are  thought- 
lefs  and  unconcerned,  we  fhall  but  deceive  ourfelves.  For  fure  I  am, 
there  is  nothing  in  the  Gofpd  that  encourages  fuch  an  expectation  ;  on 
the  contrary,  fuch  an  expectation  is  utterly  inconfiftent  with  the  grand 
defign  of  revealing  the  grace  and  mercy  of  God  ;  which  is  to  awaken 
our  confciences,  and  to  excite  us  to  care  and  diligence  in  our  fpiritual 
concerns. 

The  notion  I  have  juft  now  mentioned,  manifeftly  tends  to  lull  us 
aJleep  in  fecurity  and  indolence  \  and  encourages  to  go  on  in  the  con- 
tempt 


Ch.  XXXIX.  Revelation  anfwered.  l8^ 

tempt  of  God  and  our  own  falvation ;  or  in  any  of  the  paths  of  folly 
and  hn,  upon  a  prefumption,  that  we  can  never  turn  out,  till  we  are 
conftrained  by  fome  uncertain,  unaccountable  act  of  Almighty  power. 
True  indeed,  our  own  thoughts,  dcfires,  and  endeavours,  wHl  effect  but 
little,  without  the  help  of  Divine  power ;  but  yet,  if  we  choofe  to  live 
in  ignorance,  unbelief,  or  any  branch  of  impiety  and  wickednefs ;  if 
our  hearts  are  fo  attached  to  the  world,  fo  ingrofled  by  bufmefs,  fenfual 
pleafures  and  amufements,  that  we  can  fpare  no  ferious  refleclions  for 
God,  our  fouls,  and  a  future  world,  I  cannot  fee  how  we  (hould 
be  faved  by  any  grace,  which  the  Gofpel  has  provided  in  Jefus 
.Chrift. 

It  is  certain,  the  Gofpel  hath  produced  many  good  effects,  and  v.'ill 
always  do  fo,  v/here  it  is  received  and  attended  to.  For  as  for  thofe 
pretended  Chriflians  who  make  it  the  occafion  of  variance,  hatred,  and 
perfecution,  we  cannot,  with  any  juftice  or  propriety,  fay,  that  they 
do  receive  or  attend  to  Revelation  j  nay,  it  is  very  certain,  that  in  fact, 
they  do  not.  Nor  muft  we  allow,  that  in  Popifh  countries,  where  cor- 
ruption of  manners  greatly  prevails,  and  fuperftition,  idolatry,  and  per- 
fecution are  eftablifhed,  they  enjoy  the  benefit  of  Revelation,  when  we 
know,  that  for  many  ages,  the  ufe  of  the  Scriptures  hath  been  forbiden, 
and  a  religion  taught  and  profefTed,  which  is  quite  foreign  to  the  word 
of  God. 

But  how  can  ive  he  fur e^  that  we  have  now  in  pojfejfion,  thofe  very  books 

.entire  and perfeSf^  in  which  Revelation  was  originally  recorded  P     May  they 

not  in  length  of  time  be  lojl^  or  quite  altered  from  w'hat  they  were  at  frjl? 

Or  fo  varied  and  changed  by  tranfcribers  and  tranfators,  that  we  can  never 

befure  that  we  have  the  true  and  genuifie  fenfe  of  Scripture  ? 

I  anfwer No  nation  in  the  world,  can  be  more  fure  of  any  of  their 

publick  a6ls  ^and  records,  prefcrved  in  their  archives  with  the  utmoft 
care,  than  we  are  of  the  truth  of  the  Scriptures  now  in  our  hands.  The 
yews  preferved  the  books  of  Mofes,  as  the  laws  of  their  kingdom,  in 
the  moft  facred  part  of  the  tabernacle  and  temple ;  thofe  books,  the 
Pfalms  and  Prophets,  were  every  where  publickly  read  in  their  fyna- 
gogues,  every  week  on  the  fabbath-day  ;  their  learned  men,  with  the 
utmoft  exaftnefs  and  fcrupulofity,  infpe^led  and  guarded  the  text,  even 
fo  far  as  to  count  the  very  number  of  letters  in  every  book.  In  fhort, 
our  Lord,  and  the  Apoftles,  frequently  quote  Mofes^  the  Pfalms  and  Pro~ 
pheis^  without  any  intimation,  that  thole  books  were  in  any  refped  alter- 
ed or  depraved.  Whereas  had  they  indeed  been  corrupted,  we  need 
not  doubt  but  our  blefl'ed  Saviour  would  have  reformed  that  as  well 
as,  or  rather,  more  than  any  other  inflance  of  corruption  among  the 
ynus. 

From  our  Lord's  time,  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Teftament  were 
piiblicly  read  by  the  Jews  in  all  parts  of  the  world  ;  and  thofe  Scriptures, 
and  the  ApoJtolic  writings,  as  they  came  out,  were  read  by  Chriftians 
every  where  in  their  airemmies,  and  difperfed  over  all  the  world,  where 
tiie  reltf^ion  of  Jefus  was  profeifed  ;  as  containing  the  laws  and  rules  of 
^the  religion  he  taught.  Infomuch  that  it  was  impolfible  to  corrupt  or 
deprave  them.  And  for  thitt  realbn,  even  the  church  of  Rome,  or 
thole  who  ercCrlcd  chat  Antichriftian  power,  never  durft  attempt  to  make 

M  4.  the 


lS6  Obje^ ions  again/},  ^c.  Ch.  XXXIX. 

the  lead  alteration  in  the  Scriptures,  a .  knowing  it  would  be  to  no  pur- 
pofc ;  but  inftcad  of  that,  they  chiimed  the  fole  right  of  interpreting 
the  Scripture*;,  which  ferved  their  ends  full  as  well  as  corrupting  them. 
For  he  who  hath  power  to  put  what  fcnfe  he  plcafcs  upon  a  law,  may  as 
effectually  make  it  void,  as  he  who  dcftroys  it. 

And  as  for  tranfcribcrs,  or  tranflators,  it  is  for  the  fame  reafon  im- 
poflible  they  fliould  make  any  material  alterations.  And  it  is  in  fa£l 
true,  that  they  have  nut.  For  you  may  take  any  tranflatlon,  in  any 
language,  or  by  any  party  amojig  Chriftians,  Papifts  as  well  as  Protef- 
tants,  and  you  will  find  they  all  agree  in  ail  things  relating  to  the  cove- 
jiant  of  the  Lord  our  God,  and  the  fcveral  duties  to  which  we  are  there- 
by obliged,  tliough  they  may  differ  in  fome  things,  and  Commentators 
may  put  their  own  feiifc  upon  others.  But  the  main  things,  I  am  well 
fjtisfied,  have  been  prefervcd  pure  and  entire  in  every  tranllation  from 
the  bcgining  to  this  day. 

Thus  the  Objections  againft  Revelation  in  general,  which  are  all  that 
I  ever  heard  of,  are  removed,  I  hope  to  fatisfaftion.  Upon  the  whole, 
they  feem  to  me  to  proceed  not  from  a  fober  mind,  fmcerely  defirous  of 
the  beft  knov>'ledge  and  inflru(£lion ;  for  how  cnn  one  allow  him  to  be  a 
true  fcholnr,  or  Imcerely  defirous  of  improving  in  ufeful  learning,  who 
meeting  with  a  boojc  excellently  adapted  to  that  purpofe,  refufesto  make 
ufc  of  it,  becaufe  he  is  already  polleiled  of  the  faculty  of  realbn,  or  be- 
caufc  it  is  not  in  the  hands  of  every  body ;  or  becaufe  fome  have  made 
a  bad  ufe  of  it ;  or  becaufe  he  doubts  whether  it  may  not  have  under- 
gone fome  alterations ;  when  the  book,  in  itfelf  confidered,  is  an  ex- 
cellent performance,  and  capable  of  giving  him  the  moft  profitable  in- 
ftruction  ? 

The  Bible,  as  we  now  have  it  in  our  hands,  thanks  be  to  God,  is  by 
far  the  moft  excellent  book  in  our  language  ;  and  as  we  have  it  in  our 
tranflation,  is  in  itfelf,  feting  afide  all  circumftances,  a  pure  and  plen- 
tiful fountain  of  Divine  knowledge,  giving  a  true,  clear,  and  full  ac- 
count of  the  Divine  difpenfations,  and  particularly  of  the  Gofpel  of  our 
falvation.  So  that  whoever  ftudies  the  Bible,  the  Englifh  Bible,  is  fure 
of  gaining  the  knowledge  and  faith,  which  if  duely  applied  to  the  heart 
and  converfation,  will  infallibly  guide  him  to  eternal  life.  For  which 
reafon  it  is  our  wifdom  and  duty,  to  be  much  in  reading  and  meditating 
upon  the  Bible,  that  our  minds  being  well  furniftied  with  heavenly  wif- 
dom, and  our  hearts  tinctured  with  a  Divine  Spirit,  we  may  be  prepared 
for  glory,  honour,  and  immortality. 


CHAP.  XL. 


Ck.  XL.  t hi  Authority  and  Excellency^' IS c*  ttj 


CHAP.        XL. 

1  hat  the  Scriptures  are  givm  by  Inspiration  of  God,  appears  from  the 
exprefs  and  frequent  AJfertions  o/^  Moles,  the  Prophets  and  Apoitles. 

(P>S"^!f^  HAVE  already  givtn  a  general  account  and  hiftory  of  revela- 
^  I  ^  tion  ;  and  have  (hewn  that  it  is  perfectly  confonant  to  the  good- 
S'*'?S!=^  nefs  and  love  of  God,  to  the  relation  in  which  we  ftand  in  to 
him,  and  the  high  and  glorious  purpofes  for  which  he  has  given  us  our 
being ;  and  that  he  commited  revelation  to  writing  at  a  very  proper 
time,  when  the  fhortnefs  of  human  life,  and  the  general  corruption  of 
the  world,  rendered  tradition  no  longer  a  fafe  mean  of  conveyance ;  and 
when  the  kingdom  or  peculiar  congregation,  he  had  erected,  required  a 
Handing  light  for  the  prefervation  of  Divine  truth. 

I  have  likewife  endeavoured  to  remove  fome  objedions  againft  revela- 
tion in  general. 

On  this  head  I  would  beg  leave  to  repeat,  that  never  were  any  books 
more  publickly  and  commonly  known,  being  read  and  heard  with  the 
greateft  reverence  once  every  week,  in  both  'Jeiviji}  and  Chrijiian  alieni- 
blies  ;  for  a  very  long  tra£l  of  time,  the  Old  Teftament  before  the  com- 
ing of  our  Lord,  and  the  Old  and  New  after  his  coming,  to  this  very 
day.  So  that  it  is,  in  the  nature  of  things,  impoHible  that  the  holy 
Scriptures  fhould  be  adulterated  ;  nor  could  any  man,  who  had  a  mind 
to  alter  or  corrupt  them,  promife  himfelf  fuccefs  in  an  attempt,  which 
muft  immediately  be  dctedled,  and  confounded,  by  thoufands  of  copies 
every  where  difpcrfed,  and  conftantly  read  before  numerous  aflemblies, 
in  the  various  languages  of  even  more  nations,  than  ever  compofed  the 
Roman  empire  in  its  largell  extent. 

Tranfcribers  may  indeed  make  literal  miftakes,  but  thofe  are  eafily 
corrected  by  a  variety  of  manufcripts  j  and  tranflators  may  differ  in 
giving  the  literal  fenfe  of  fome  words  and  phrafes,  but  not  fo  as  to  ren- 
der the  main  fubjedts  and  fubftance  of  the  Scriptures  either  obfcure  or 
uncertain.  For  you  may  take  any  tranrtations  in  any  language,  or  done 
by  any  party  among  Chriftians,  and  you  will  find  they  all  agree  in  all 
things  relating  to  the  covenant  of  the  Lord  our  God,  the  ftate  of  things 
in  a  future  world,  and  the  feveral  duties  to  which  we  are  obliged,  though 
they  may  not  render  the  letter  of  the  text  in  the  fame  words,  nor  with 
the  fame  propriety  of  expreffion.  The  more  perfeiSt,  and  exaft  in  all 
things,  any  tranflation  is,  the  better  it  is  ;  but  I  am  very  fure,  that  all 
things  pertaining  to  the  difpenfations  of  God,  his  grace  and  promifes, 
and  our  hopes  and  duty,  have  been  preferved  pure  and  entire  in  every 
tranflation,  fronv  the  begining  to  this  day.  And  this  is  abundantly 
enough  for  our  inftruiStion,  comfort,  direction,  and  edification. 

Gentlemen  in  foreign  buunefs,  who  do  not  underfland  foreio-n  laji:- 
guages,  are  obliged  to  carry  it  on  by  the  help  of  tranflations.  °And  if 
a  letter  in  Italian,  German,  Spariifj,  ov  French,  was  put  into  the  hands  of 
twenty  tranflatorsj  there  are  great  odds,  but  every  tranilation  would 

differ, 


1 58  The  Authority  and  Excellency  Ch.  XL, 

differ,  moreorlefs,  in  fome  cxpreflions.  The  fame  words  or  phrafes 
■would  hardly  be  rendered  in  the  fame  manner  by  every  one  of  the  tranf- 
lators  ;  and  yet  they  might  all  agree  with  refi.edt  to  the  (z\\{q.  of  the  mer- 
chant. And  that  being  all  his  correfpondent  wants  to  und»-rft:and,  he 
will  never  think  it  worth  his  v.'hile  to  enter  into  minute  particulars,  or 
a  critical  propriety  of  phrs.fcs,  which  have  nothing  to  do  with  his  bufi- 
jicfs.  Juft  fo  it  is  with  reference  to  the  tranfiation  of  the  Bible.  In 
iibove  the  fpace  of  an  handred  years,  learning  may  have  received  confi- 
derable  improvements,  and  by  that  mcaas,  fome  inaccuracies  may  be 
fouijd  in  a  ^ranflation,  more  than  a  hundred  years  eld.  But  you  may 
rcit  fully  fatisficd,  that  as  our  Englifh  tranilation  is,  in  itfclf,  by  tVr  the 
moft  excellent  book  in  our  language,  fo  It  is  a  pure  and  plentiful  foun- 
tain of  Divine  knowledge,  giving  a  true,  clear,  and  full  account  of  the 
Divine  difpcnfations,  and  particularly  of  the  Gofpel  of  our  falvation ; 
jnfomuch,  that  whoever  ftudies  the  Bible,  the  Engliih  Bible,  is  fure  of 
gaining  that  knowledge  and  faith  which,  if  duly  applied  to  the  hcait  and 
convcrfation,  will  infallibly  guide  him  to  eternal  life. 

[But  you  may  fa}',  how  then  comes  it  topafs,  that  learned  men  differ 
fo  much  about  the  fenfe  of  Scripture  ?  I  anfv/er.  They  differ  not  fo 
much  about  the  literal  fenfe,  or  tranfiation  of  Scripture,  as  about  the 
conllrudion  which  they  put  upon  the  literal  fenfe.  For  example,  all 
are  agreed  that  thofe  words,  'Take^  Eat^  this  is  my  hody^  which  is  broken 
for  you,  are  rightly  and  well  tranflated ;  but  Lie  queftion  is,  what  is  the 
meaning  of  them  ?  The  Papift  will  tell  you,  they  mean,  that  the  bread 
jn  the  Lord's-fupper  i?  really  turned  into  the  body,  foul,  and  divinity  of 
Chrlfl ;  the  Proteflant  very  juftly  denieth  the  monil:rous  and  idolatrous 
abfurdity,  and  affirms,  that  the  bread  is  only  a  figurative  reprcfentatioa 
of  Chrifl's  facrihced  body.  Tranflators  are  generally  pretty  well  agreed, 
but  divines  differ  very  much  about  the  i^ixiQ  of  Scripture,  which  may 
afterwards  be  confidered.] 

Thus,  bv  demonftrating  the  reafonablenefs  and  expediency  of  reve- 
lation in  general,  by  removing  objetSlions  againfl  it,  and  by  fhowing  the 
fuificiency  of  tlie  tranfiation,  which,  thanks  to  God,  is  in  all  our  hands, 
the  way  is  prepared  — 

To  advance  a  few  arguments  to  cflabllfli  the  authority  and  excellency 
of  the  Scriptures;  that  they  were  indeed  given  by  Infpiration  of  God, 
or  that,  in  them,  holy  men  of  God  fpake  as  they  were  moved  by  the 
holy  Spirit. 

We  have  fufficient  reafon  to  believe  that  we  have  in  our  hands  the 
very  books  that  were  writen  by  Mofes,  by  the  Prophets,  and  by  the  A- 
poftles  of  Chrifl:.  Now  that  thofe  books  were  given  by  Infpiration  or 
God,  or  that  the  perfons  who  wrote  them  have  delivered  to  us  what  they 
received  from  heaven,  will  appear  — 

From  their  own  cxprefs  and  frequent  afTertions.  A'lofes  and  the  Pro- 
phets always  declare  they  fpake  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  delivered 
to  the  people  what  they  received  in  cominlfTion  from  him;  the  Apoftlcs 
like  wife  allure  us,  that  they  were  taught  by  Jefus  Chriil:,  the  bon  of 
God,  were  endued  with  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  commillioi:cd  by  him 
to  preach  the  Gofpel  to  all  nations.  And  we  have  all  the  realon  in  the 
tvorld  to  believe  they  have  told  us  the  truth.    For  if  they  have  not,  tiicv 

mult 


Ch.  XL.  of  the  Scriptures.  189 

muft  be  very  bad,  defigning  men,  who  folemnly  and  publickly  fathered 
upon  God,  conftitutions,  laws,  doarines,  and  declarations  which  they 
knew  very  well  were  talie  and  fictitious,  the  creatures  of  their  own  in- 
vention, obtruded  upon  the  world  to  ferve  fome  felhfti,  finifter  purpofes. 
But,  for  ai.y  thing  we  can  fee,  they  appear  to  be  perfons  of  the  higheft 
character  for  honor  and  probity.  In  the  v/hole  of  their  conduct  we  iind 
the  utmoft  integrity  and  dihntereftednei^,  and  in  every  part  of  their  hif- 
tory  and  writings  the  utmoll  fimplicity  and  impartiality. 

We  may  carry  this  argument  further,  and  fct  it  in  a  Itill  ftronger  light 
in  the  cafe  of  tae  Prophets.  For  if,  when  they  declared  they  Ipake  in 
the  name  of  God,  and  by  a  commiflion  from  him,  they  declared  a  falfe- 
hood,  thev  muit  certainly  know  that  it  was  a  falfhood  ;  and  if  they  knew 
it  was  a  falfhood,  they  were  not  only  very  wicked,  but  even  void  of 
common  fenfe.  For  the  Prophets,  in  a  long  fcries  one  after  another, 
got  nothing  by  fpeaking  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  but  fcorn  and  con- 
tempt from  the  generality  of  their  countrymen.  When  they  entered 
upon  the  ungrateful  office,  they  renounced  all  worldly  views,  and 
were  harrafibd°and  perfecuted  in  proportion  to  their  fidelity  in  executing 

it. 

Now,  this  is  too  much  by  far  for  any  pious  fraud  to  bear,  even  ni 
the  cafe  of  a  Ungle  perfon,  much  more  in  a  feries  of  fucceflion  of  men 
in  feveral  gener luions.  An  iinpoftor,  like  Mnhomet,  may  carry  his  pre- 
tences very  high,  but  he  can  never  bear  the  furnace  of  perfecution. 
That  terrible  fcourge  will  either  fdence  his  falfe  and  arrogant  claims,  or 
force  him  to  take  up  arms,  if  it  is  in  his  power,  for  his  own  vindication 
and  fecurity.  But  the  Prophets  were  naked  men,  who,  without  the  leaft 
dependence  upon  worldly  power  or  policy,  oppofed  nothing  but  a  divine 
comm:  Tion  to  very  unkind  and  fevere  ulage.  Now  there  is  nothing  to 
be  fuund  in  human  nature,  or  in  any  fuppofeablc  ftate  of  things,  that 
can  polfibly  account  for  this  conduit',  but  either,  that  really  they  had  a 
divitv?  commiffion,  or  elfe,  that  they  were  difordered  in  their  heads,  and 
had  loft  their  fenfes.  But  their  writings  prove  they  were  men  of  good 
fenfe,  and  of  a  found  and  excellent  judgment ;  therefore,  nothing  re- 
mains but  that  they  really  aded  by  a  divine  commiffion. 

The  force  of  this  argument  will  be  feen  even  flill  more  evidently  in 
the  cafe  of  the  Apojlles.  No  hiftory  in  the  world  has  been  better  preserv- 
ed than  that  of  the  New  Teftament.  There  we  find  that  Jefus  Chrift 
had  gathered,  while  he  was  upon  earth,  fome  hundreds  of  Difciples, 
who  all  of  them  made  profefTion  of  faith  in  him  immediately  after  his 
death,  declaring  that  he  was  rifen  from  the  dead,  and  afcended  into  hea- 
ven. Particularly,  the  Apoftles,  with  feveral  others,  went  about  preach- 
ing the  Gofpel,  firft  in  Judea.,  then  in  all  parts  of  the  Roman  empire, 
perfuading  men  to  believe  in  Chrift,  affirming  that  he  was  the  Son  of 
God,  that  all  the  wonderful  things  related  of  him  were  true,  and  that 
they  had  a  commiffion  from  Heaven  to  teach,  fprcad,  and  propagate  his 
religion  every  where,  though  they  knew  they  Ihould  every  where  meet 
with  the  moft  violent  oppofition,  and  the  crucleft  treatment.  Now, 
they  muft  either  be  fully  convinced  in  their  own  minds  that  their  after- 
tions  were  true  ;  or,  if  they  knew  that  the  Gofpel,  and  their  commif- 
fion to  preach  it,  was  a  forgery,  We  muft  conclude  they  were  diftrafted. 


1 00  Tl^e  Juthor'ity  and  Excellency  Ch.  XL. 

and  had  lofl  the  ufc  of  underftanding  and  rcafon.  For,  fuppwDfing  our 
blcfTcd  Lord  never  did  or  laid  any  of  thofe  things,  which  the  Apoftlcs 
repeated  ;  and  that  they  had  no  inftrucHons  or  commiffion  from  hinn  to 
preach  the  Gofpel ;  then  we  muft  fuppofc,  they  entered  into  a  foolifh 
and  frantick  confederacy  after  this  manner. 

"  Men  and  Brethren,  what  that  fcducer  was,  who  lived  among  us 
*'  the  other  day,  and  how  juftly  he  fuftered  death  for  his  vile  impoflure, 
"  we,  of  all  men  living,  have  molt  reafon  to  know.  And  though  others, 
"  who  were  lefs  intimately  acquainted  with  him,  and  his  ways  of  de- 
"  ceiving,  might  have  fome  opinion  of  his  worth  and  honefty,  yet  we, 
**  who  were  the  daily  companions  of  his  converfation,  faw  nothing  in  him 
"  anfwerable  to  the  greatnefs  of  his  prctcnfions,  but  that  his  deiign  was, 
•'  by  all  the  boldcit  arts  of  craft  and  hypocrify,  to  get  a  name  in  the 
"  world  ;  and  therefore  let  us  enter  into  the  moil  folcmn  agreement  to 
"  propagate  the  belief  of  this  notorious  cheat  among  mankind,  and  to 
"  feign  all  manner  of  lies  in  its  confirmation  ;  to  aver  that  we  faw  him 
"  rcitore  eyes  to  the  blind,  ears  to  the  deaf,  and  life  to  the  dead ;  and 
"  though  it  be  all  falfe,  yet  let  us  confidently  report  and  aflcrt  it  to  the 
*'  very  lad  drop  of  our  blood. 

"  Ajid  becaufc,  after  all  his  great  and  glorious  pretences  of  being  no 
"  lefs  than  the  Son  of  God,  he  was  at  lall  executed  as  a  vile  malcfac- 
"  tor,  with  all  the  circumftances  of  fhame  and  difhonour,  we  muft 
"  agree  among  ourfelvcs  upon  fome  ftory  to  wipe  off  this  difgrace.  Let 
"  us  therefore  refolvc  to  affirm,  with  undaunted  fteddinefs,  that  after 
"  he  was  thus  diflionourably  crucified,  the  third  day  he  rofe  again ; 
*'  often  converfed  with  us,  in  the  fame  familiar  way  as  he  had  always 
"  done  before  his  execution  ;  and  that,  after  a  while,  we  faw  him 
*'  afcend  up  into  heaven.  But  then,  we  muft  be  fure  to  ftand  unalter- 
"  ably  to  this  bold  falftiood,  and  perfevere  to  death  itfelf  in  the  airer- 
"  tlon.  For  what  abfurdity  is  there  in  throwing  away  our  lives  with 
''  no  other  profpect  than  that  of  final  perdition  r  And  why  fhould  any 
*'  man  think  it  hard  to  fuffer  ftripes,  bonds,  imprifonments,  reproaches, 
**  diflionour,  and  death  itfelf,  with  this  view  only?" 

This,  or  fomething  like  it,  muft  be  the  fenfe  and  refolution  of  the 
Apoftles  and  firft  preachers  of  the  Gofpel,  upon  fuppofition  they  knew 
and  believed,  that  the  Gofpel,  and  their  commiffion  to  preach  it,  was  a 
forgery.  In  this  cafe,  a  fet  of  men  in  private  and  low  life,  without  any 
manner  of  worldly  power  or  intereft  ;  in  the  certain  profpect  of  ^11 
manner  of  oppofition,  of  facrificing  all  that  is  dear  and  valuable  in  life, 
of  fufFcring  all  manner  of  indignities,  tribulations,  and  cruelties,  and 
of  expofing  thcmfeh-es  to  all  the  terrors  of  death  j  muft  agree  together 
to  propagate  throughout  the  whole  world  a  fyftcm  of  falfhood,  knowing 
it  to  be  fuch,  diredtly  contrary  to  their  own  gonfciences,  and  to  all  their 
interefts  both  in  this,  and  a  future  world. 

None  but  a  company  of  madmen,  fcized  with  the  moft  extravagant 
frenzy,  and  void  of  all  fenfe  and  reafon,  could  poffibly  join  in  luch  a 
defign.  Whereas,  if  we  perufe  their  v/ritings,  we  fliall  find  that  the 
Apoftles  were  men  of  the  fineft  kwk  ;  not  only  in  full  poflcffion  ot  un- 
derftanding,  but  endowed  with  knowledge  and  wifdom  in  a  degree  far 
beyond  tlK  moft  eminent  philofophers,  or  maftcrs  of  rcafon,  that  eyer 

had 


Ch.  XL.  oftheSc7-iptures.  igi' 

had  been  in  the  world.  They  had  a  furprifing  acquaintance  with  God 
and  the  perfections  of  his  nature ;  they  fct  the  difpcnfations  of  his  wif- 
dom,  and  the  grand  defigns  of  his  love,  in  the  cleareft  and  mofi:  amiable 
light;  they  well  underflood  the  whole  fyftem  of  morality,  and  fixed  eve- 
ry branch  of  it  upon  its  proper  foundation  ;  upon  principles  either  felf- 
evident  or  allowed,  they  demonftrate  and  eftablifh  the  whole  fcheme  of 
the  Gofpel.  The  Apoftles  were  fo  far  from  being  void  of  common 
fcnfe,  that  they  were,  in  foci,  men  of  the  beft  fenfe,  of  the  moft  accu- 
rate and  fublime  knowledge,  of  the  moft  excellent  and  Divine  Spirit, 
next  to  their  Lord  and  Mafter,  that  the  world  ever  was  acquainted  with. 
Therefore  their  efpoufing  and  afTerting  the  Gofpel  with  fo  much  zeal 
could  not  proceed  from  any  diforder  in  their  heads. 

There  remains  then,  but  one  other  caufe  to  which  it  can  pofllbly  be 
afiigned,  and  it  is  this,  that  they  were  fully  perfuadecl  of  the  truth  of 
what  they  reported.  And  if  they  were  fully  perfuaded  of  the  truth  of 
what  they  reported,  then  it  follows,  that  what  they  reported  was  cer- 
tainly true.  They  were  fully  fatisfied  that  it  was  true,  and  they  were 
perfectly  capable  of  receiving  the  cleareft  evidence,  and  fulleft  fatisfac- 
tion.  For  obfcrve,  what  they  reported  was  not  a  matter  of  meer  opi- 
nion, as  in  the  cafe  o^  fuperjiition,  nor  a  warm  fuggeftion  or  fecret  im- 
pulfe  upon  their  minds,  as  in  the  cafe  of  enthufiajm^  but  bare  fimple 
matter  of  fact.  JVe  cannot,  fay  they,  hut /peak  the  things,  which  we  have 
feen  and  heard.  Afts  iv.  20.  They  were  things,  not  v/hich  they  con- 
ceited, or  fancied,  but  which  all  of  them,  which  great  multitudes  of  all 
forts  of  people,  had  often  and  openly,  for  the  fpace  of  three  or  four  years 
together,  fccn  with  their  eyes,  and  heard  with  their  cars.  And  that 
they  were  not  miflaken,  or  deceived,  they  were  fo  fully  fatisfied,  that 
they  ventured  all  they  had  in  the  world,  and  life  itfelf,  upon  the  trutb 
of  what  they  had  heard  and  feen.  Confequently,  their  aiFurance  muft 
be  in  the  higheft  and  fulicft  degree  of  fatisfadtion,  leaving  no  room  for 
doubt  or  ujicertainty. 

However  fome  now  a  days  may  cavil  and  obje61:,  it  is  certain  the  A- 
poftles,  who  were  the  familiar  companions  of  our  Lord,  had  not  the 
leaft  fcruple  or  difficulty  about  any  thing  related  in  the  Gofpel.  They 
were  perfectly  fatisfied  they  faw  Chrift  upon  earth  ;  that  they  converfed 
with  him  ;  that  they  heard  the  gracious  words  which  proceeded  from  his 
niouth ;  that  they  faw  him  work  all  his  miracles  ;  that  they  faw  him 
crucified  and  dead;  that  they  faw  him  alive  again  within  a  few  days  ; 
that  they  heard  him  give  them  a  commi/fion  to  preach  the  Gofpel  to  all 
nations,  ai^d  promife  them  fuccefs  ;  that  they  aflually  faw  him  afcend  up 
into  heaven ;  that  the  Holy  Ghoft  actually  fell  upon  them  on  the  day  of 
Pentecoft;  and  that  by  his  influences  they  actually  felt  themfelves  in- 
dowed  with  new  and  miraculous  powers  whigh  accompanied  them  dur- 
ing the  courfe  of  their  miniftry.  And,  to  their  being  fully  perfuaded  of 
the  truth  of  thefe  things,  and  to  no  other  ppfHble  caufe,  can  we  allign 
their  fteddy  and  zealous  endea/ours  to  publiih  and  fpread  the  Gofpel  eve- 
ry where.  - 

Add  to  all  this,  that  the  Apoftles  were  furprifingly  fuccefsful  in  preach- 
ing the  Gofpel.  Thefe  men  in  private  and  low  life,  thcfe  defencelefs 
men,  quite  deftitute  of  all  temper^  povv^r  and  intereft,  only  by  the  force 

of 


102  ^he  Authority  and  Excellency^  kc  Ch.  XL, 

of  truth,  the  truth,  of  the  Gofpel  which  they  preached,  and  the  power 
which  they  received  from  their  Mafter,  after  he  was  gone  to  heaven, 
encountered  the  fury  of  the  multitude,  the  moft  inveterate  prejudices  of 
the  whole  world,  the  zeal  of  fuperftition,  the  hatred  of  the  Jews^  the 
contempt  of  the  Greeks,  the  power  of  the  Romans,  the  pride  of  the />/;/- 
lofophers,  and  the  policy  oi  Jlatcfmen ;  all  thefe  difficulties  they  encoun- 
tered, and  furmounted  them  all.  The  doctrine  they  taught,  like  the 
fun,  inli<i;htened  the  whole  world,  in  a  manner,  all  at  once  ;  and  infinite 
multitudes  of  people,  both  from  cities  and  villages,  were,  by  the  Apoftles 
preachin<z,  brought  into  the  church,  like  corn  into  a  granary. 

All  this,  taken  together,  amounts  to  a  fufficient  proof,  that  the  A- 
poftles  are  to  be  credited  when  they  affirm,  that  they  received  their  in- 
firudtions  and  commiffion  from  the  Son  of  God  ;  and  upon  the  foot  of 
this  argument  alone,  I  am,  for  my  own  part,  as  fully  convinced  that 
The  Apoliles  were  infpired  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  that  they  have  in 
their  writings  infallibly  delivered  the  truth,  in  all  things  pertaining  to 
the  Chriftian  faith  and  doctrine,  as  I  am  of  any  mathematical  proposi- 
tion, or  that  twice  two  is  equal  to  four.  The  proof  indeed  is  of  a  dif- 
ferent kind,  but  fully  convincing  and  fatisfactory. 

And  if  our  Lord  came  from  God  to  teach  us  the  truth,  iind  if  his 
Apoftles  received  from  him  their  inftruftions,  commiffion,  and  the  holy 
Spirit,  then  it  follows,  that  the  books  of  Mofes,  and  of  the  Prophets, 
are  undoubtedly  the  word  of  God,  and  that  the  facred  hiftory  maybe 
depended  upon  as  a  true  account  of  things  ;  for  thofe  books  are  not  only 
aflerted  by  our  Lord,  and  his  Apoftles,  in  general,  to  be  the  word  of 
God,  given  by  Divine  infpiration,  and  a  true  rule  of  knowledge,  faith, 
and  do6trine,  but  particular  paflages  are  frequently  produced  in  proof  or 
£onfirmation  of  the  doarine  they  taught ;  and  almoft  every  fmgle  part 
of  the  hillory,  from  the  begining  to  the  end,  as  of  Adatn,  Enoch,  Noah, 
the  Deluge,  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  Abraham,  the  Jfraelitcs,  and  their  mi- 
raculous deliverance  from  Egypt  and  fettlement  in  the  land  of  Canaan^ 
and  all  the  furprifmg  events  in  their  ftory,  are  refered  to  as  true  and  au- 
thentic. 

What  Jefus  Chrift  and  his  Apoftles  have  reported  and  taught  in  the 
books  of  the  New  Teftament,  is  certainly  the  truth,  as  they  received  it 
from  God.  And  if  fo,  then  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Teftament  are 
alio  given  by  infpiration  of  God,  a  ftorehoufe  of  facred  and  religious 
knowledge,  of  undoubted  credit  and  veracity,  for  our  Lord  and  his  A- 
poftles  have  reprefented  and  eftabliftied  them  as  fuch. 

Thus  the  frequent  and  exprcfs  aflertions  of  Mofes,  the  Prophets, 
and  the  Apc/iles,  tajcen  in  connection  with  their  proper  circumftan- 
ces,  is  a  proof  of  the  truth  of  revelation  as  it  ftands  in  the  Scrip- 
tures. 

Let  me  recommend  it  to  your  ferious  confideration,  that  we  certainly 
ixave  in  our  hands  an  ineftimable  treafure,  a  revelation  from  heaven,  a 
fure  word  of  prophecy,  fhining  as  a  light  in  a  dark  place,  a  magazine 
of  the  moft  excellent  knowledge,  clearly  difplaying  the  Divine  nature 
and  perfedlions,  opening  fully  the  difpei^fations  of  his  wifdom  and  good- 
nefs  from  tlie  begining  of  the  world;  (hewing  the  riches  of  his  grace 
and  love  to  mankind,  delivering  tlie  meft  excellent  precepts  of  wifdom, 

truth, 


Ch.  XLI.  The  Hcnrmony  and  Agreementy  l^c.  1 93 

truth,  and  holinefs,  for  the  ptirifying  our  hearts,  and  dlre£^ing  our  con- 
verfation,  and  propofing  the  nobleft  motives  to  ingage  us  to,  and  in- 
courage  us  in,  the  practice  of  all  virtue  and  goodnefs.  We  cannot 
over-value  this  blefling,  neithf  f  can  we  defpife  it  without  great  guilt. 
We  are  accountable  to  God  for  the  ufe  we  make  of  it.  Let  us  efteem 
it  in  proportion  to  its  worth,  and  ftudy  it  as  the  rule  of  our  life,  as  the 
grand  fource  of  our  comfort  and  hope,  and  as  an  infallible  guide  to  ctcr» 
nal  glory. 


1^©©©0©©©©@©©©©©©©©g:©©©@©^©©©©©-$- 


CHAP.       XLI. 

*lhe  Divine  Original  and  Authority  cfthc  Scriptures^  provrd  from  the  HaV" 
mony  and  Agreement  of  the  feveral  Writers  cf  them. 

lP>3Ci?^  A  V I  N  G  gone  through  the  firfl  argument,  I  proceed To 

^^  H  ■$•  prove  the  Divine  (Original  and  Authority  of  the  Scriptures ; 
i^^.*:-:^  whicii  we  may  do  from  the  Harmony  and  Agreement  of  the  fc- 
veral  Writers  of  them. 

They  are  not  a  book  compiled  by  a  fingle  author,  nor  by  many  hands 
afting  in  confederacy  in  the  fame  ag6  ;  in  which  cafe  there  would  be  no 
difficulty  in  compofing  a  confident  fcheme,  nor  would  it  he  any  wonder 
to  find  the  feveral  parts  in  ajuft  andclofe  connection  ;  but  the  Scriptures 
were  done  by  feveral  hands,  in  very  different  conditions  of  life,  from  the 
throne  and  fccpter  down  to  the  loweft  degree,  and  in  very  diftant  a^^'^es, 
through  the  long  fpace  of  about  1500  years,  when  the  world  muft  have 
put  on  a  quite  new  face,  and  men  muft  have  different  intcrefts  to  pur- 
fue ;  which  naturally  would  have  led  a  fpirit  of  impoflure  to  have  varied 
its  fchemes,  and  to  have  adapted  them  to  different  ftations  in  the  world, 
and  to  the  different  turns  and  changes  in  every  age. 

David  wrote  about  400  years  after  Mofes^  and  Ifaiah  about  250  after 
David^  and  A'Icitthnu  more  than  700  years  after  Ifaiah.  And  yet  thef^ 
authors,  with  all  the  other  Prophets  and  Apoftles,  write  in  perfe6l  Har- 
mony, confirming  the  Authority  of  their  predeceffors,  labouring  to  re- 
duce the  people  to  the  obfervance  of  their  inflru£tions,  and  loudly  ex- 
claiming againft  the  neglefl  and  contempt  of  them,  and  denouncino-  die 
fevereft  judgments  upon  fuch  as  continued  difobedient. 

This  was  the  principal  work  of  the  Prophets  in  a  lono-  fucceffion. 
And  it  is  well  known  our  Lord  came  not  to  deftroy  the  Law  and  the 
Prophets,  but  to  fulfil,  ;.  e.  to  vindicate  and  illuftrate  their  mean ine,  to 
compleat  what  was  imperfe»5l,  and  to  anfwer  the  highcft  ends  of  what 
was  typical  and  figurative.  Now  this  is  a  very  ftrong  proof,  that  the 
Scriptures  were  throughout  diflated  by  one  and  the  fame  fpirit,  which 
could  be  no  other  than  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  of  truth.  It  is  allowed, 
as  iQ  the  cafe  of  Mahometifm,  that  an  impofture,  or  religious  fraud,  may 

be 


194-  TJ:e  Harmony  and  Agreement  of  Ch.  XLT. 

be  handed  down  from  one  age  to  another,  but  not  by  feveral  different 
perfons,  all  making  equal  prctenfions  to  a  Divine  authority  and  commif- 
iion.  For  in  tJiis  cafe  they  are  to  be  confidered,  not  as  a  fucceffion  of 
teachers,  deriving  their  do6lrine  from  i»>ne  common  original,  but  as 
llngle  and  diftincl  impoftors  ;  and  confequcntiy,  every  one  in  a  diftant 
nge,  and  in  a  quite  difFercnt  ftatc  of  thing?,  would  fet  up  for  himfelf, 
and  feck  a  Angular  glory  by  building  upon  a  diftindt  and  feparate  foun- 
dation from  others.  It  would  fignify  little  to  an  impoftor,  who  has  no 
other  intention  but  to  advance  his  own  honor  and  renown,  to  pretend  a 
commiflion  from  heaven,  only  to  give  reputation  to  another  deceiver,  by 
confirming  what  he  has  already  eftablifhed. 

Therefore  as  the  Writers  of  the  holy  Scriptures,  though  they  'all 
claim  a  Divine  Authority,  yet  write  in  perfect  connexion  and  Harmo- 
ny, mutually  confirming  the  doclrine  and  teftimony  of  each  other,  and 
concuring  to  eftabliih  the  very  fame  religious  truths  and  principles,  it  is 
a  ftrong  proof  that  they  all  derive  their  inftrudlions  from  the  fame  foun- 
tain, the  wifJom  of  God,  and  were  indeed  under  the  direction  and  illu- 
mination of  his  Spirit.  -  ■ 

We  may  take  another  argument  from  ourfelves,  as  we  make  profeflion 
of  taith  in  'Jcj'iis  ChriJ}.  For  our  profefTion  of  Chrlftianity,  who  dwell 
in  the  uttermoll  parts  of  the  earth,  is  a  proof  that  the  Gofpci  fpread  it- 
felf  over  all  the  Roman  empire;  for,  from  Jerujalem^  it  came  to  us  by 
a  gradual  progrefs,  and  advancing  from  one  country  to  another,  arrived 
at  length  in  thefe  iflands  of  Qreat-Brita'm  and  Ireland.  No  body  can 
doubt  or  deny  that  the  Chriltian  faith  is,  and  for  many  ages  pall  has 
been,  embraced  in  all  thofe  numerous  and  diftant  lands,  which  once 
compofed  the  Roman  empire,  and  even  in  countries  far  beyond  the  ut- 
moft  bounds  thereof.  In  all  thefe  fpatious  traits  the  Chriftian  faith,  in 
one  form  or  other,  has  been  profeffed  ;  and  baptifm  and  the  Lord's-fup- 
per,  in  one  form  or  other,  have  been  adminiftered,  in  a  fucceffion  of 
ages,  quite  up  to  the  times  of  the  Apoftles,  and  of  our  Lord. 

It  is  nioft  certain  that  baptifm  and  the  Lord's-fupper,  thofe  fummaries 
of  the  whole  Gofpel,  were  not  inftituted  in  any  following  age,  by  any 
one  party  of  Chriftians,  but  have  been  handed  down  to  us,  and  to  all 
parties  among  Chriftians,  from  the  very  mouth  and  inftitution  of  Jefus 
■ChriJ},  No  fact  can  be  more  evident  than  this.  From  our  Lord  there- 
fore, and  his  Apoftles,  tKe  Gofpel  fpread  over  the  greatcft  part  of  the 
known  world,  which  before  the  publication  of  the  Gofpel  was  univer- 
fally  involved  in  idolatry,  eftablifhed  by  long  cuftom  and  human  laws, 
ftrongly  guaranteed  by  all  the  power  and  learning  of  the  world,  by  all 
the  zeal  of  the  wlldeft  fuperftition,  by  all  the  violence  and  obftinacy  of 
prejudice,  by  all  the  blindnefs  of  profound  ignorance,  and  all  the  incor- 
rigible perverfenefs  of  corrupt  ^jnd  dilTolute  manners.  A  complication 
of  caufes  which  would  for  ever  have  bid  defiance  to  any  philofophy  or 
vvifdom  of  the  few  that  can  be  fuppofed  to  attain  a  better  fenfe  in  tlie 
midft  of  univerfal  darknefs  and  depravity.  But  the  Gofpel  gained  a 
moft  compleat  and  extenfive  vitStory  over  all  thefe,  demoliflied  every  idol 
in  the  heathen  world,  and  every  where  erected  the  trophies  ol  a  conquer- 
ing J^"^. 

Now  this  furpriung  change,  which  is  notorious  to  all  mankind,  muft: 

be 


Ch.  XLI.  ihefacred  TFrltcrs,  ig^ 

be  effected  either  by  human  power  and  policy,  or  by  a  divine  and  fuper- 
natural  influence.  By  human  power  and  policy  great  revolutions  hav-e 
-  been  brought  about  in  all  ages  and  parts  of  the  world.  And  therefore 
we  do  not  wonder  at  the  fpread  of  the  Alahometan  or  Turkijl)  reliiiion, 
as  it  was  propagated  by  the  fvvord,  under  the  conduct  of  a  micrhty  war- 
rior and  politician,  who  by  ravages,  bloodfhed,  and  defolations',  con- 
quered many  nations  and  kingdoms,  laid  the  foundation  of  a  potent  and 
fpacious  empire,  and  thus  by  violence  opened  a  way  for  the  reception, 
and  extenfive  profeflion  of  his  newly  devifed  religion.  But  the  religion 
o(  Jt'fus  was  triumphant,  not  only  without  the  aid  of  human  power  or 
policy,  but  even  in  direct  oppolition  to  it. 

For  the  plain  fa£t  is  this.  A  poor  young  man,  about  30  years  of  a<^e, 
called  "Jefus^  a  carpenter's  fon,  of  no  education  or  learninc;,  without 
houfe  or  habitation,  without  the  leaft  human  intereft  or  influence,  be- 
gins to  preach  up  reformation  among  the  Jr.vs^  the  moil  fufpicious  and 
bigotted  people  in  the  world  ;  declares  himfelf  the  Son  of  God,  gathers 
a  few  Difciples,  perfons  in  the  fame  low  and  naked  condition  with  him- 
Iclf,  fifhcrmen,  publicans,  and  fuch  like,  and  fends  them  about  preach- 
ing, what  he  called  the  Gofpel  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  He  was  de- 
fpifed  by  the  generality,  and  greatly  oppofed  and  harrafled  by  the  men 
of  power  and  learning.  However,  he  fhifted  for  himfelf  as  well  as  he 
could ;  but  after  he  had  preached  three  or  four  years,  they  caucrht  him 
and  crucified  him  as  an  infamous  malefactor. 

This  direful  event,  which  would  have  totally  ruined  an  impoftor,  he 
plainly  forefaw  and  foretold  ;  but  not  in  the  leaft  difcouraged  by  the 
profpect,  he  ordered  his  Difciples  to  go  and  preach  his  Gofpel  over  all 
the  world,  promifmg  that  after  his  death  he  would  aflift  them  with  power 
from  heaven,  in  virtue  of  which  they  fhould  certainly  fucceed.  They 
believed  him,  they  fet  out,  they  preached  up  their  crucified  Maftcr  as 
the  Lord  and  Saviour  of  all  mankind  ;  and,  which  is  very  ftrange,  under 
the  conduct  and  influence  of  a  maftcr  who  was  dead  to  this  world,  and 
gone  to  the  other  ftate,  they  prevailed  ;  and  in  fpite  of  the  fury  of  the 
multitude,  the  mofl  inveterate  prejudices  of  the  whole  world,  the  zeal 
of  fuperftition,  the  hatred  of  the  Jeivs^  the  contempt  of  the  Greeks, 
the  power  of  the  Roinans^  the  pride  of  philofjphers^  and  the  policy  of 
Jlatejrnen,  their  dodrine,  like  the  fun,  almoft  at  once,  enJightened  the 
world,  overthrew  the  whole  fyftem  of  Pagan  idolatry  and  religion,  and 
advanced  as  far  as  our  own  country  in  the  darkeft  and  remoteft  corner  of 
the  earth. 

Of  this  we  ourfelves,  we  Chriftians,  are  living  monuments  and  proofs ; 
we  have  received  the  Gofpel,  wc  own  it  a  glorious  and  fhinin'^  iio-ht, 
.  we  have  renounced  the  idolatry  and  vain  converfation  of  our  fathers,  we 
acknowledge  and  worfhip  the  living  and  true  God,  we  confefs  and  adore 
the  crucified  Jefus,  our  king  and  head,  and  hope  for  eternal  life  through 
him,  Now,  there  is  no  pofTible  way  of  accounting  for  this,  but  by  al- 
lowing that  Jej'ui  really  was  the  Son  of  God,  that  he  really  rofe  again 
from  the  dead,  and  afcendcd  up  into  heaven,  and  that  he  actually  from 
thence  fent  his  Difciples  the  aids  and  powers  which  he  had  promifed,  and 
which  were  fo  far  above  all  that  is  human,  that  they  carried  their  own 

Vol,  I,  N  cvidcncQ 


196  77;^  Harmony  and  Agreement  of  Ch.  XLT. 

evidence  along  with  them,  and  rendered  t;heir  dotSlrine  fo  furprifingly 
fuccefsful. 

And  as  "Jefus  did  not  fend  his  Difciples  to  preach  to  all  the  world,  till 
after  his  death,  and  as  he  then,  after  his  death,  did  aclually  furnifh  them 
with  all  miraculous  powers  to  render  their  doctrine  eiFeclual,  this  is  the 
moft  convincing  proof  that  his  doctrine  was  divine,  and  that  he  himfelf 
was  aftually  gone  to  heaven,  and  lived  there  in  the  highefc  intereft  and 
favor  with  God.  For  that  an  impoftor,  a  deceiver,  hateful  to  the  God 
of  truth,  {liould,  after  his  death,  be  able  to  animate,  inftruct,  autho- 
rize, and  impower  a  company  of  men,  otherv/ife  deftitute  of  all  alTift- 
ance,  and  labouring  under  all  poflible  difficulties,  to  throw  down  all  the 
religions  of  the  world,  and  to  erecSl  a  new  one  in  their  ftead,  is  utterly 
impoffiblc.  It  is  therefore  certain,  beyond  all  doubt,  that  jefm  Chriji 
was  fent  from  heaven  to  reveal  the  Gofpel  to  the  world.  And  as  we  are 
very  fure  that  we  have  in  our  hands  the  writings  of  his  Apoftlcs,  we 
may  be  as  fure,  that  they  contain  a  revelation  from  heaven,  or  that  doc- 
trine, which  Chriji  received  from  God,  and  delivered  to  his  Difciples. 
And  if  fo,  then  the  writings  of  the  Old  Teftament  are  alfo  the  word  of 
God,  for  Chr'iJ}  and  his  Apoftles  declare  them  to  be  fuch.  Therefore 
all  Scripture  is  given  by  infpiration  of  God. 

The  lame  thing  may  be  proved  by  the  long  train  of  miraculous  ope- 
rations, which  could  be  effected  only  by  a  Divine  power,  and  which 
Avere  wrought  in  confirmation  of  the  miffion  of  Prophets  and  Apoftles  ; 
as  alfo  from  the  fpirit  of  prophecy  predicting  future  events  at  a  great  dif- 
tance  of  time,  which  no  human  wifdom  or  fagacity  could  poffibly  fore- 
fee,  and  yet  were  aCtually  and  puncStually  fulfilled  in  correfpondence  to 
<the  prediction.  Buc  as  a  minute  detail  of  particulars  would  perhaps  be 
fomev/hat  tedious,  I  fhall  fingle  out  one  inftance  of  the  Divine  miracu- 
lous power,  and  the  truth  of  the  prophetic  fpirit ;  which  inftance  has 
been  in  all  ages  a  Itanding  proof  of  revelation,  and  which  ftill  cxifts, 
and  is  before  the  eyes  of  the  prefent  generation,  in  almoft  all  countries 
of  the  world;  I  mean,  the  prefent  ftate  and  being  of  the  Jews.  For 
this  people,  as  they  were  originally  chofen  to  be  the  repofitory,  or  ftorc- 
houfe  of  Divine  knowledge,  by  the  revelation  which  was  given  to  them, 
fo  they  vi^ere  alfo  intended  to  be  vifible  proofs  of  the  truth  of  it  in  all 
ages  and  parts  of  the  world.  Our  Lord,  contrary  to  all  human  proba- 
bility, while  he  was  on  earth,  foretold  the  deltruclion  of  the  Jewiih 
•  temple  and  polity,  and  their  difperfion  among  ail  nations,  which  was 
exactly  accompliihed  in  about  40  years  after.  And  in  this  difperfcd  ftate 
they  have  now  continued  about  lyco  years,  in  great  numbers,  and  in 
great  ignominy  and  contempt,  and  yet  quite  diftunSt  and  feparate  from 
all  the  people  among  whom  they  lived. 

This,  appears  to  me  a  ftanding  miracle  ;  nor  can  we  attribute  it  to 
any  other  cauie,  but  the  will  and  extraordinary  interpofition  of  heaven, 
when  it  is  confidered,  that  of  all  the  famous  nations  of  the  world,  who 
might  have  been  diftinguiflied  from  others  with  great  advantage,  and 
the  moft  illuftrioiis  marks  of  honor  and  renown,  as  the  ancient  Egyp- 
tians^ JJJyriafis^  Pcrfians^  Mcccdotiians^  Romans^  v^ho  all  in  their  turns  held 
^le  empire  of  the  Vr'orld,  and  were,  with  great  ambition,  the  lords  of 

mankind^ 


Ch.  XLL  ihefacred  Writers,  X97 

mankind  ;  yet  thefe,  even  in  their  own  countries,  are  difTolved  into  ths 
bulk  of  mankind,  nor  is  there  a  perfon  upon  earth  can  boaft  he  is  de- 
fccnded  from  thole  renowned  and  imperial  anceftors. 

Whereas  a  fmall  nation,  generally  defpifed  and  hated,  and  which 
though  now  upon  pretty  good  terms  with  us,  both  Pagans  and  pretend- 
ed Chrijiiam  have  for  many  ages  treated  with  the  utmoft  infult,  indig- 
nity, outrage  and  cruelty,  and  which  therefore  one  would  imai2;ine, 
every  foul  that  belonged  to  It  fhould  have  gladly  difowned,  and  have  been 
willing  to  have  loft  the  odious  name  by  mixing  with  any  other  nation  ; 
yet,  I  f^y,  this  hated  people,  harrafied  and  butchered  more  or  lefs  by  all 
mankind,  banifhed  and  bandyed  from  one  country  to  another,  and  who 
fcarce  had  any  peace  till  trade  and  traffic  brought  the  world  to  a  better 
temper,  and  more  favourable  treatment  of  them  :  I  fay,  this  hated 
people  have,  under  all  temptations  to  the  contrary,  and  ao-ainft  the 
ordinary  courfe  of  things,  continued  in  a  body  diji'mfl  and  feparate 
from  all  mankind,  even  in  a  ftate  of  difperfion,  for  about  1700 
years. 

7'his  demonftrates,  that  the  wifdom  which  formed  them  into  a  pecu- 
liar people,  that  they  have  almoft  ever  fmcc  the  deluge,  for  about  3600 
years,  remained  in  a  diftinft  and  feparate  ftate,  and  are  ftill  likely  to  do 
ib,  is  not  human  but  Divine.  For  no  human  wifdom  or  power  could 
form,  or  however  could  execute,  fuch  a  vaft,  extenfive  defign.  It  muft 
be  the  wifdom  and  power  of  that  God  alone,  who  is  the  fame  in  every 
age,  and  who  in  every  age  has  excrcifed  a  peculiar  Providence  over  his 
peculiar  people,  the  defcendents  of  Abraham  his  fervant.  And  thus  the 
prefent  ftate  and  being  of  the  Jews  is  every  where  a  publick  and  ftand- 
ing  evidence  of  the  truth  of  revelation,  in  two  refpevSts. 

1.  With  rcfpe£t  to  their  long  difperfion,  or  captivity,  as  they  call  it, 
and  the  va/ious  calamities  they  were  to  fuffcr  therein. 

This  is  foretold  in  feveral  places,  particularly.  Dent,  xxviii.  63,  64, 
65.  The  Lord  will  rejoice  over  you  to  dejlroy  you,  and  bring  you  to  nought, 
as  to  their  fmgular  privileges,  and  enjoyments  ;  and  ye  Jhall  be  plucked  off" 
from  the  land,  whither  ye  go  to  pojfefs  it.     And  the  Lord  jhall  fcatter  thee 

among  all  people,  from  one  end  of  the  earth  even  unto  the  other and  among 

thofe  nations  thou  jh  alt  find  no  cafe,  neither  Jhall  the  fole  of  thy  foot  have  reft -y 
hut  the  Lord  Jhall  give  thee  there  a  trcmhling  heart,  and  failing  eyes,  andjor- 
roiv  of  mi7id.  Ezek.  xxxvi.  19.  I  fcatter ed  them  amorig  the  heathen,  and 
they  zuere  difperfed  among  the  countries.  I  will  fcatter  thee  among  the  hea- 
then, and  difperfe  thee  among  the  countries.  And  our  Lord  predicts,  Lukf 
xxi.  24.  Andthe^,  the  Jews,  J})allfallby  the  edge  of  the  fword,  and  Jhall 
be  led  aiuay  captive  into  all  nations,  and  ferifalcm  Jhall  be  trodden  dcivn  of 
the  Gentiles. 

2.  With  refpe6l  to  their  being  preferved  in  their  difperfion,  and  pre- 
ferved  as  a  diftinct  and  feparate  body,  this  alfo  was  plainly  predicted, 
£>eut.  xxvi.  44.  Yet  for  all  that,  tvhen  they  be  in  the  land  of  their  enemies^ 
J  will  not  caji  them  away,  neither  tvill  I  abhor  them,  to  defiroy  them  utterly., 
and  to  break  my  covenant  with  them,  Jer.  xxx.  10,  li.  Fear  not,  0  myfer-. 
vant,  Jacob;  neither  be  difmayed,  O  IfraA;  for  lo,  I  will  five  thee  from  afar^ 
and  thy  feed  from  the  land  of  their  captivity  ;  for  though  I  make  a  full  end  of 
all  nations^  v;hithcr  I  have  fcattered  thee,  yet  will  I  not  make  g  full  end  of 

N  2  thii. 


198  I'he  Harmony  and  Agreement  of^  l^c,  Ch.  XLI. 

ihee.  Jer.  xxxi.  10.  Hear  the  word  of  the  Lord^  O  ye  nations^  and  declare 
it  in  the  ijles  afar  off-^  undfay^  he  thatfcattered  Ifrael  will  gather  him,  and 
keep  him,  as  a  (hepherddoih  his  flock.  Ver.  35,  36,  37.  Thus  faith  the  Lord, 
%vho  gives,  the  fun  for  a  light  by  day,  and  the  ordinances  of  the  moon  and  of  the 
fhns  for  a  light  hy  night ;  who  divides  the  fea  when  the  waves  thereof  rare  ; 
the  Lord  of  Hofls  is  his  name.  If  thofe  ordinances  depart  from  before  me^ 
faith  the  Lord,  then  the  feed  of  Ifrael  alfo  Jhall  ceafe  from  being  a  nation  before 
me  for  ever.  'Thus  faith  the  Lord,  if  heaven  above  can  he  meafured,  and  the 
foundations  of  the  earth  fearchcd  out  beneath,  I  will  alfo  cafi  off  all  the  feed  of 
Ifrael,  for  all  that  they  have  done,  faith  the  Lord.  Rom.  xi.  25,  26.  Bfnid- 
vcfs  in  fart  is  happened  to  Ifrael,  until  thefulnefs  of  the  Gentiles  be  come  in  ; 
nndfo  all  Ifrael  jhall  be  faved-,  as  it  is  writen,  there  Jhall  come  out  of  Sion 
the  Deliverer,  ayidfnall  turn  aivay  ungodlinefs  from  Jacob. 

Thefe,  and  many  more  pafTages,  too  numerous  to  be  now  quoted, 
plainly  fliew  that  it  was  the  defign  of  Divine  Providence  to  preferve  the 
Tevvifh  nation,  in  their  difperfion,  and  to  preferve  them  a  diftincl  and 
fcparate  people  in  order  to  their  future  reftoration.  And  v^e,  and  many 
other  nations,  at  this  day,  fee  thefe  predictions  made  good  in  the  pre- 
fent  ftate  of  the  ynvs,  who  have  been  fo  long,  and  flill  are  miraculoufly 
preferved  feparate  from  all  other  people.  Now  this  is,  in  my  opinion, 
a  Handing  miracle,  a  wonderful  work  of  Divine  Providence,  and  as 
ftrong  a  proof  of  revelation,  as  if  we  were  to  fee  the  dead,  every  year, 
rife  out  of  their  graves  in  confirmation  of  it.  For  we  have  ftill  among 
us,  after  fo  long  a  time,  and  fo  many  various  revolutions  in  human  af- 
fairs, the  peculiar  people,  whom  God,  above  three  thoufand  years  ago, 
fcparateduntohimfelf;  the  very  people  who  are  the  principal  fubjeft  of 
revelation,  and  who  are  faid  there  to  be  the  principal  objects  of  his 
Providence,  and  we  fee  them  at  this  day  to  be  fo  in  a  very  furprifmg 
manner. 

Therefore  in  their  prefent  ftate  we  may  plainly  read  the  ancient  pro- 
mife  made  to  Abraham,  the  head  and  root  of  the  nation,  the  many  won- 
derful works  wrought  for  them  from  firft  to  laft,  and  the  truth  of  pro- 
phetic predictions  ;  in  the  prefent  ftate  of  the  Jews  we  may  read  the 
truth  of  the  Gofpel,  for  the  rejecSlion  of  which  God  rejected  them,  and 
fcattered  them  over  the  face  of  the  earth.  In  ftiort,  we  are  fure  there 
was  fuch  a  people  as  the  feivs,  to  whom  God  delivered  the  revelation 
of  his  will  in  ancient  time?,  for  this  very  people  exift  among  us  at  this 
day,  and  preferve  among  them  that  very  revelation,  with  the  moft  facred 
and  religious  care.  And  we  are  fure  the  numerous  predictions  of  Scrip- 
ture, both  in  the  Old  and  New  Teftament,  relating  to  their  future  ftate, 
are  true,  for  we  fee  them  made  good  in  the  prefent  ftate  of  the  Jews ; 
and  therefore  we  may  be  as  fure  that  the  holy  Scriptures  are  given  by 
infpiration  of  God  ;  for  only  the  Spirit  of  God  could  foretel  fuch  events ; 
and  the  fame  Spirit  which  foretold  thefe  events,  fpake  in  the  Prophets  and 
Apoftles,  and  infpircd  them  with  all  that  Divine  v/ifdom  and  knowledge 
which  we  find  in  all  their  writings. 

I  mi^ht  add  the  long  apoftacy,  and  general  corruption  of  the  profef- 
fors  of  Chriftianity,  fo  plainly  foretold,  and  under  fuch  exprefs  and  par- 
ticular characters,  in  the  Apoftolic  writings.  This  all  the  world  may. 
fee  has  been  alpund^ntly  fulfilled  i;i  the  church  of  Rome.     Nowj  only 

the 


Ch.  XLIL  The  internal  lP%-th,  &c.  199 

the  Spirit  of  God  could  forefee  fach  a  diflant,  and  deplorable  ftate  of 
things,  which  no  human  probability  could  have  conjectured  would  have 
rifen  out  of  the  pure  and  heavenly  doctrine  of  Chrill.  But  the  Spirit 
which  predicted  this  event,  is  the  very  fame  which  was  poured  out  upon 
the  Apoftles,  and  enlightened  their  minds  with  the  knowledge  of  the 
Gofpel  J  therefore  the  Apoftles,  who  wrote  the  New  Tdtlaraent,  had 
the  Spirit  of  God,  arid  were  enlightened  by  it. 

By  thefe  arguments  I  am  pointing  out  to  you  the  only  fountain  of  life 
and  happinefs,  a  mine  infinitely  more  valuable  than  of  gold  and  precious 
ftones;  a  plentiful  magazine  of  heavenly  and  everlaftuig  wealth,  an  in- 
exhauftible  fund  of  folid  comfort  and  peace,  the  holy  Scriptures,  the 
word  of  the  ever  bleiTed  God ;  a  treafure  of  immenfe  value,  v/hich 
we  have  in  our  polTelTion,  if  we  are  wife  to  make  a  right  improvement 
of  it. 

There  remains  yet  another  argument  to  prove  the  Divine  Authority 
and  Original  of  Scripture,  taken  from  the  internal  excellency  of  it. 
This  I  Ihall  confider  in  the  following  chapter. 


iG><'^^<>Q><><S>^<S><><S>^<S><>G><><5>^<S><>^><^><^^ 


CHAP.      XLIL 

The  internal  TForth  and  Excellency  of  the  Scriptures  cenfiJei-edy  as  con-^ 
taining  the  beji  Prhiciples  of  Knowledge^  Holinefs,  and  Comfort. 

f^'pM^  H  E  arguments  which  I  have  already  advanced,  are  taken  from 
-^  T  S  the  external  evidence  that  the  Scriptures  are  the  word  of  God. 
^■^••ftic:^  Proceed  we  now  to  confider  their  internal  Worth  and  ExccHsn- 
cy,  which  more  fully  and  directly  demonftrates  their  Divine  original, 
and  falls  in  with  the  fecond  part  of  mv  defign,  which  was  to  confider 
the  ufe  and  importance  of  the  holy  Scriptures. 

Confidering  the  Scriptures  as  a  gift  and  blefling  from  God,  the  Fa- 
ther of  lights  and  the  Fountain  of  all  good,  for  our  improvement  in 
knowledge  and  holinefs,  in  order  to  our  being  advanced  to  eternal  glory 
and  happinefs,  we  may  in  general  conclude,  that  the  Scriptures  arc  in 
worth  and  ufefulnefs  fully  proportionable  to  the  wifdom  and  gocdncfs  of 
the  Donor,  and  to  the  noble  and  beneficent  end  for  which  they  are  in- 
tended. They  are  a  glorious  difplay  of  heavenly  light,  irradiating  the 
<larknefs  of  the  world,  which  otherwife  would  have  been  involved  in  the 
blackeft  night  of  ignorance.  Let  it  be  obferv^ed  to  the  honor  of  the 
Bible,  that  it  is  the  book,  which,  under  the  Divine  Providence,  has  pre- 
Terved  in  the  world  the  knowledge  of  the  one  true  G'od,  Vv'hich  other- 
wife  muft  have  been  loft  and  extinguifhed.  For  wh2n  God  in  his  infi- 
nite wifdom  was  pleafsd  to  call  Abraham.^  and  feparate  his  family  to  the 
purpofes©frevelationj  idolatry,  even  in  thofe  early  days,  not  long  after 

N  •?  the 


Jqq  The  internal  JVorth  ami  Ch.  XLII, 

the  flood,  was  fo  far  fpread,  that  even  Abraham''^  family  were  idolaters, 
and  ferved  other  gods.  And  fo  far  did  the  corruption  of  religion  pre- 
vail, that  all  nations,  lofing  the  true  idea  of  the  o;ic  God  and  Father  of 
all,  fell  into  the  fouleft  idolatry,  the  groflcft  fuperflition,  and  all  the  abo- 
minable vices  in  connection  with  them,  except  the  nation  of  the  Jeivs, 
who  enjoyed  the  word  and  revelation  of  God.  And  it  was  the  word  and 
revelation  of  God,  at  the  time  our  Saviour  came  into  the  world,  which 
inlio-htened  the  Gentiles^  and  fo  generally  reduced  them  to  the  worfhip 
and  obedience  of  the  everlafting  Jehovah^  the  Creator  of  the  ends  of  the 
earth. 

What  knowledge  of  the  living  God,  what  deteftatlon  of  idol-wor- 
fhip.  what  belief  of  a  future  ftatc  of  rewards  and  punifliment,  Maho- 
met has  propagated  in  the  world,  he  received   partly  from  Jctw,  and 
partly  from  Chrijliom^  who  had  learnt  thofe  things  from  revelation  j 
though,  as  he  could  not  read  himfelf,  with  much  confufion,  and  a  large 
mixture  of  ficSlion  and  falftiood.     Is  any  part  of  the  Chriftian  world  funk 
into  fuperftitlon  and  idolatry  ?     It  is  becaufe  they  have  (hut  up  the 
Scriptures,  fcrbiden  the  free  ufe  of  them,  and  commanded  the  people 
xmdcr  pain  of  damnation  to  follov/  other  guides.     Is  any  part  of  the 
Chriftian  world  reform.ed  from  the  grofs  errors,  and  monftrous  corruptions 
of  Popery?     It  is  becaufe  they  have  afierted  the  authority  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, relumed  the  \x{q  of  them,  and  opened  them  again  to  free  and  com- 
jnon  perufal.     Nay  further — Is  the  Deifl,  or  the  man,  who  in  a  Chrif- 
tian land  denies  or  dilparages  revelation,  acquainted  with  the  firft  caufe, 
the  Fountain  of  all  being,  power,  life,  and  happinefs,  the  univerfal  So- 
vereign ?     Has  he  a  clear  idea  of  the  fylfem  of  duties  which  we  owe 
to  our  Maker,  and  to  one  another ;  or  any  expedation  of  a  future  ftate 
of  felicity  ?"    It  is  becaufe  he  has  lighted  his  twinkling  candle  at  this 
refplendent  Sun,  which  he  unnaturally,  ungratefully,  and  weakly  endea- 
vours to  extingu'fli.     I  fay  tvealdy^  becaufe  this  Sun,  which  God,  ever 
fmce  the  creation  of  his  church  and  kingdom,  has  caufed  to  fliine  ia 
tlie  moral  world,    fliall    by    his    Providence    be    prcferved,  and  fhine 
with  a  grov/ing    luflre,    lo   long   as   tlie   fun  in  the  firmament  fhail 
endure. 

Under  God,  it  muft  be  owned  the  inflrumental  caufe  of  all  tlie  true 
religion  and  piety,  that  is  to  be  found  in  the  world,  v.hich,  for  aught 
we  can  fee,  notwithrtanding  all  the  philofophy  and  wifdom  of  man, 
would  have  been- totally  loft  among  all  the  nations  j  and.  it  fhall  be  efta- 
bliflied  more  and  more,  it  fhail  iliinc  forth  more  and  more,  it  fhhll  be 
honoured  more  and  more,  in  the  truth  of  its  doiSlrines,  in  the  wifdom 
of  its  precepts  and  inftructions,  in  the  accomplilhment  of  its  predidions 
and  promifes,  and  ia.the  appearing  of  our  Lord  at  the  laft  day,  to  re- 
ceive into  his  joy  all  that  know  God,  and  obey  his  Gofpel.  It 
ftiall  be  eftablilhcd,  it  fnall  fnine,  it  fhail  be  honoured,  when  thofe, 
who  now  defpife  and  difparage  it,  lliall  be  confounded. and  perifh  for 
ever. 

Thus  much  maybe  truly  faid  of  the  ufefulnefs  of  Scripture  in  gene- 
jtal  J  which  gives  it  infinitely  the  preference  to  all  books  of  meer  human 
compofure,  that  it  has  been  the  means  of  preferving  in  the  world  the 
graiid  principles  of  religion,  the  kngwledge.of  the  being  and  perfections 


Ch.  XLII.'  Excellency,  of  the  Scriptwes.  i^t 

of  God  and  of  that  true  fpiritual  worfiiip,  which  alone  plcafes  hiinj 
and  ennobles,  purilies,  and  comforts  our  fouls.  Andjuftin  proportion 
as  the  Bible  is  received,  efteemed,  and  diligently  ftudied,  true  religion 
has  prevailed,  and  will  always  prevail  and  flourilTi.  On  ciie  other  hand," 
in  proportion  as  the  Scriptures  are  unknov/n,  neglected,^  abufed,  and 
pervc-rtcd,  ignorance,  idolatry,  irreligion,  error,  fuperllitio'n,  and  wick- 
ednefs,  have  and  will  fpread  their  gloom,  and  more  or  lefs  infecl  nations 
and  particular  perfons. 

The  Scriptures  contain  principles,  which  muft  be  allowed  to  be  of  a 
fuperior  and  moft  excellent  kind.  The  beft  principles  of  knowledge, 
holincfs,  and  comfort. 

In  the  Scriptures  we  find  the  beft  principles  of  knowledge.  There 
the  mind  expatiates  in  a  boundlefs  field  of  heavenly  light,  and  cbnrly 
views  the  profpeds  of  truth,  where  the  eye  of  meer  nature  could  never 
have  penetrated.  There  you  fee  the  being  of  God  all'erted,  his  nature 
and  perfections,  his  glorious  Majeicy,  and  univcrfal  Sovereignty  de- 
fcribed  with  the  juftcft  propriety  of  feniiment,  and  magnificence  of  lan- 
guage.    There  you  read -"  That  the  cverlafting   God,  the  Lord, 

*'  the  Poireiibr  of  all  being,  of  all  wifdom  and  power,  made  the  earth 
"  and  created  man  upon  it ;  that  he  rtretchcd  out  the  heavens,  and  com- 
**  manded  all  their  hofts.  He  mcafured  the  v/atcrs  in  the  hollow  of  his 
«*  hand,  and  meted  out  the  heavens  witji  a  fpan,  and  comprehended  the 
"  duftof  the  earth  in  a  mcafurc,  and  weighed  the  mountains  in  fcalcs, 
"  and  the  hills  in  a  ballance.  He  toucheth  the  mountains,  and  they 
"  fmoke,  he  looks  upon  the  earth,  and  it  trembleth.  Behold,  the  na- 
*'  tions  are  as  a  drop  of  a  bucket,  and  are  counted  as  the  fmail  duft  of 
'■'  the  earth.  Behold,  he  takes  up  the  ifles  as  a  very  little  thing.  All 
"  nations'are  before  him  as  nothing,  and  they  are  counted  to  him  as  lefs 
*'  than  nothing  and  vanity. 

"  The  whole  univerfe  refts  wholly  upon  his  arm,  and  is  entirely  fub- 
"  je£l  to  the  difpofiib  of  his  will.  Lift  up  your  eyes  on  high,  and  be- 
"  hold,  who  has  created  thefc  things,  that  brings  out  their  iioft  by  num- 
'»  ber  ?  He  calls  them  all  by  name,  by  the  greatnefs  of  his  might,  for 
"  that  he  is  ftrong  in  power,  not  one  of  them  fails ;  in  underltanding 
"  he  is  infinite  ;  he  is  mighty  in  wifdom,  wonderful  in  counfcl,  and  cx- 
"  cellent  in  working.  He  fills  heaven  and  earth,  nor  can  any  hide 
"  himfelf  in  fccrct  places  from  his  all-penetrating  eye.  The  earth  is 
"  full  of  his  glory  and  riches  ;  and  his  Providence  is  perpetually  exer- 
"  cifed  about  all  and  every  one  of  his  creatures.  All  power  belongs  to 
"  him,  he  can  help  and  caft  down,  he  can  fave  and  deftroy,  and  nothing 
"  is  too  hard  for  the  Lord.  God  is  lovs  ;  the  Lord  is  good  and  doth 
"  good,  he  is  good  to  all,  and  his  tender  mercies  are  over  all  his  v/orks ; 
"  he  is  daily  loading  us  with  benefits.  i  he  righteous  he  will  blefs,  to- 
"  them  he  will  give  grace  and  glory,  and  even  to  the  wicked  the  Lord 
"  is  plenteous  and  rich  in  mercy.  He  is  a  God  of  truth,  and  without 
"  iniquity,  juft  and  right  is  he.  He  is  glorious  in  holincfs,  and  of  pu- 
^'  rer  eyes  than  to  behold  evil,  neither  can  he  look  on  iniquity.  And 
"  this  God,  fo  grcit,  fo  glorious,  is  our  God,  our  Maker,  Owner,  and 
**  Ruler,  our  Father,  Shepherd,  and  Friend/' 
•  This  is  Uig  dottriuGof  Scripture  -,  and  a  fentence  or  two  in  this  holy 
,L . :  N  4  book 


^®*  '^be  internal  JVorth  and  Ch.  XLII 

book  M'ill  give  you  much  clearer  conceptions  of  God  than  all  the  vo' 
u""tlf  ^  ^^^^'-''.t'^'V^  -^y  Grangers  to  revelation.  The  c  you  ar; 
from  h  V  "°'''  d.fpenfafons  of  the  Divine  wildom  and  Jodncis 
from  the  begmipgot  the  world  to  this  day,  and  even  to  the  end  of 
tune.  1  here  you  lee  the  excellent  fchemes  v  hich  he  has  Wd  for  the 
inftrua.on    reformation,  and   happinefs   of  the  children  ofTen     and 

z::\:^^t:,  ^ =-/ 1';:^!^:  ..—he  r^g :! 

every  tranlgreffion  ;  of  grace,  which  grants  the  benefit  of  reoentanr,. 
and  St  ^V;!  P™"'f-  f  -edful  f^pplies  of  flrength  to  theXer^ 
.  ido  r  n  ;  „  l"'  "■'  ''=^™.'>°»'  he  creeled  a  k.ngdom  amon.  the 
M  the  wor  d,  and,  like  a  beacon  upon  a  hill,  to  dilfufe  the  li-ht  of  I)i 

Vr^-  ^"^'f  ■"  }^X  '•"■■''"'-■''^  «  *=  ea  d,.  At  ^tth  we  fee  the 
Meffiah,  the  bon  of  God,  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  appear    to  tak^ 

rtrac;  "  Go?  a'  r"''"';'°"  V?'"-"'-'"^.  or  falvati^STCl  uftra'tc 

::gSo*fertttr.r!^rr;crc;"-  -  ^-^^^^ 

.  In  his  Gofpel  we  fee  the  dead,  fmall  and  great,  reftored  to  life  anrf 
XT'the^vh^f^'^^'^r^r-f"''  '°  '^ceivl  afentence  accodSg't 
heatU  ,?  '•■'^'';-<'°''-=  '"  *e  body.     'J'here  he  has  opened  the  glorfes  o° 

i  ".:::5  ':^t:,:^  tt^Cd^nf '*  *^-  *';  "°'^  --'aingLi 

in  weU-doinc     h.  hn?'ir  confequence  of  patient  cojuniuance 

eeeXi-the     "T -:;  ,^'V'/^^'''P^"--  the'ihteof  the    hur^to 

r  ru  prophetic  dclcription-   ■  ^ 

ftr  ./hoh^^  'rt'"^  my  bounds  only  to  mention  the  feveral  heads  of  in- 
trusion aiid  knowledge  w.th  vvhfch  the  word  of  God  is  crowded      I 

I'l  iTi^d"  whiX  ;r:[^'  ^"'  ^'^;  '^  ?^  '^'^^^  ^  oVr^^b'dni 

o^- thii).rs    Inl^h         r     ^^^^^^'•^P^^^e^^ted,  agreably  to  the  appearancel 
m.nr    h  :  f  ^  ''"'^^'^"'  ^"^  ^^°°^'^^^^^  ^^  ^od,  to  be  not  lor  enjov- 

to^aipHn  I'rt.V^'r  ^""  '-P-1  P^eafures  or  pofTemon  ^'bi 
r     fparticu  a^  h^^        '"  ^L'^^''  '^^^  ^°^  immortal  honor  and  glo. 
/rrJl  ''t         '^^>    '^-  m^ny  afflidions  incident  to  our  frailty    are  fet  in 
a  true  ajid  encouraiJ  ii(r  Hcrht   a«  fKo  ^t  •  i-  j  ".    v»  ^^^  letin 

venlv  Father  •  n  7r  ^  iignt>  a,  the  difciphne  and  correction  of  our  hea- 

n^(i^o  nur^  ^"^  ^^^  ^"^  improvement  in  holi- 

Uoar ine  whi  h^  e\'  '  k'"^  "'^>'  ^'"P^^^^-^"^  'P^^^'"^"  ^f  Scriptur? 
rrfleS^on  ^^^  ^Z^'^^^^'".'"  ^^is  curfory  view,  a/Tifted  a  little  with  fbber 
Wlmth    Wr^^^^  moderately  acquainted  w.th 

da  kncfw?.d  ;Lp  f  ^^'"'  ^'"'  ^""Sht,  appear  infinitely  fuperior  to  the 

In  the  Z.T'''^''''y  «  ,  'peer  human  knowledge  and  wifdom. 

In  the  bcripures  you  will  fiad  the  belt  priiiciples  of  /^..V«.y},  or  of  that 

Hat© 


Ch.  XLII.  Excellency  of  the  Scriptures,  203 

ftate  of  mind  whereby  we  are  habitually  devoted  to  God  and  truth.  For 
there  we  are  ihewa  the  dignity  and  worth  of  our  being,  valtly  beyond 
any  thing  we  could  have  hammered  out  of  our  ov/n  refledions.  There 
we  read  that  we  are  made  in  the  image  of  God,  infpired  with  under- 
ftanding,  raifed  vaftly  in  our  faculties  above  the  beads  or  the  fowls,  and 
made  for  ends  proportionably  grand  and  noble ;  not  for  the  mean  pur- 
pofes  of  time  and  fenfe,  but  for  God,  for  his  honor  and  favor,  to  Ihow 
forth  his  praife,  and  for  ever  enjoy  his  goodnefs.  And  every  obliga- 
tion refulting  from  this  fuperiority  of  nature,  and  the  higheft  and  moft 
excellent  purpofes  of  our  being,  is  with  the  greateft  propriety  and  force 
urged  upon  us.  In  every  page  of  the  holy  Scriptures  the  lovj  of  God 
fmiles  upon  us  with  an  attractive  and  endearing  afpe6l,  to  draw  our  af- 
fections to  him,  and  to  give  a  conftancy  and  fteddinefs  to  our  virtue  in 
the  midil  of  fo  many  and  fo  ftrong  temptations,  when  we  know  that 
only  fuch  an  adherence  to  truth  and  righteoufnefs  will  finally  and  for 
ever  give  us  an  intereft  in  our  heavenly  Father's  bleffing. 

In  the  Scriptures  we  have  the  Divine  difpleafure  againft  all  the  un- 
godlinefs  and  unrighteoufnefs  of  men  fet  upon  its  true  foundation,  the 
odious  and  pernicious  nature  of  fin  ;  which  is  in  itfelf  falfe,  and  mif- 
chievous,  the  only  proper  and  radical  evil  in  the  univerfe,  and  which 
alone  can  deprive  us  of  happinefs,  and  fubjc6t  us  to  mifery.  In  the 
word  of  God,  his  favor  to  men  of  piety  and  virtue  is  alfo  fct  upon  its 
proper  foundation,  the  amiable  and  excellent  nature  of  true  holinefs  ; 
which  in  itfelf  is  true  and  fijutary,  the  only  proper  and  radical  good, 
the  glory  of  our  nature,  and  which  alone  can  render  us  fit  to  dwell  for 

ever  with   God. There  we  are  kindly  encouraged  by  the  Divine 

grace  to  think  of  our  ways,  and  by  true  repentance  to  turn  from  what- 
ever is  finful  to  the  obedience  of  God. There  we  are  dircdted  fre- 
quently to  fcrutinize  our  hearts  to  bani(h  thence  every  corrupt  principle, 
and  to  keep  the  fpring  of  a6tion  within  us  pure  from  every  diforderly 
thought  and  inclination  ;  to  guard  our  fpirits  with  a  watchful  eye  from 
every  impure  motion  and  fuggeftion,  to  be  vigilant  againft  every  attack 
of  temptation,  th:i:  we  may  keep  ourfelves   undcfiled  in  the  good  ways 

of  God. There  we  are  inftruded  in  the  moft  perfect  and  reafonable 

fobriety,  temperance,  and  felf-denial,  and  warned  of  the  danger  of  every 
fenfual  fnare  and  allurement. 'Inhere  this  periftiing  body,  with  what- 
ever can  delight  and  adorn  it ;  there  this  prefcnt  world,  with  whatever 
in  it  can  inga^e  our  affections  and  efteem,  are  fully  expofed  to  the  judg- 
ment and  cenlures  of  reafon,  and  manifeftly  fhewn  to  be  emptinefs  and 
vanity,  infinitely  below  the  excellence  and  worth  of  immortal  fpirits, 
and  therefore  infinitely  unfit  to  be  purfued  at  the  expence  of  our  prefent 
integrity,  or  future  felicity. 

In  the  facred  writings  we  find  a  rich  magazine  of  all  proper  means 
for  the  fanotification  of  our  fouls,  and  our  moft  fuccefsful  advances  in 

the  life  of  God. There  we  fee  that  the  Divine  Power  and  Spirit  is 

ready  with  its  mighty  aids,  to  affift,  enlighten,  and  ftrengthen  our  fpi- 
rits, in  proportion  to  our  fincere  defires  and  endeavours  in  godlinefs  ; 
and  there  we  are  direCted  every  day,  and  at  all  times,  to  feek  unto  God, 
by  fervent  and  believing  prayer,  for  his  guidance  and  protection,  and 

are  allured  we  ih^W  never  feek  his  face  in  vain. There,  in  the  holy 

Scriptures, 


204  ^^^^  internal  Worth  and  Ch.  XLIL 

Scriptures,  we  are  taught  the  ordinances  of  religion,  both  pubHc  and 
private,  in  the  confcientious  uie  ot"  whicii  we  Iliail  grow  up  into  Cluifl: 
Jefus  ;  particularly,  we  are  commanded  to  fet  apart  a  competent  portion 
of  our  time,  every  day,  and  to  keep  the  fabbath  holy  every  week. ;  that 
by  ferious  meditation  upon  God's  word,  and  by  pouring  out  our  hearts 
before  him  in  prayer  antl  thankfgiving,  we  may  renev/  our  fpiritual 
ftrength,  be  more  and  more  confirmed  in  the  habits  of  holinefs,  and 
find  ourfelves-  ftill  advancing  nearer  to  heavenly  perfedlion.  This  ficetch 
of  the  principles  of  holinefs,  to  be  derived  from  the  Scriptures,  clearly- 
i>foves  their  Divine  original  and  excellence,  as  it  fets  them  vaflly  above 
any  thing  meer  human  wifdom  can  difcover  or  devife. 

.  In  the  Scriptures  we  alfo  -find  the  beft  principles  of  comfort  and  re- 
frefliment  to  the  foul.  How  needful  are  fucli  prniciples  in  a  fcene  of  af-. 
fli«Stion,  fin,  and  weaknefs  1  In  general,  under  how  many  amiable  cha- 
racters, under  how  many  fweet  encouragements,  are  we  invited  to  truft 
in  the  Almighty  and  Eternal;  to  look  unto  him,  and  make  his  namey 
his  o-oodnefs,  and  power,  our  refuge  in  every  want,  danger,  difficulty, 
and  conflict  ?  Being  afilired  that  he  cares  for  us,  while  we  hope  in  him, 
and  that  he  will  never  leave  us  nor  forfake  us.  That  however  he  may 
permit  our  fiifferings  and  griefs,  he  can  never  forget  us,  and  will  make 
all  thino-s,  how  bitter  foever,  work  together  for  our  good.  Hea\'cn  is 
at  all  times  open  to  our  complaints  and  fupplications,  and  the  throne  of 
God,  which  is  a  throne  of  grace,  is  eafy  of  accefs  to  the  breathings  and 
defires  of  our  hearts. 

Are  we  loaded  with  a  fenfe  of  guilt  ?  See  the  blood  of  Jefus  the  fe- 
curity  and  feal  of  our  pardon.  Are  we  humbled  under  a  fenfe  of  our 
own  unworthinefs  ?  Hear  the  voice  of  Divine  grace  freely  confering  a 
di<'nity  upon  us  far  fuperior  to  all  the  honors  of  this  world.  Look  into 
the  Scriptures;  view  the  unfearchable  riches  o{  Chri/i-y  behold  the  love 
of  our  Go^  and  Redeemer ;  of  his  own  gracious  will,  and  meer  good 
pleafure,  he  has  begoten  us,  he  is  become  our  Father,  he  has  juftified 
us  he  has  beitowed  upon  us  the  honours  of  his  children,  he  has  made 
us  welcome  to  all  the  blelfings  of  his  covenant,  and  to  all  the  glories  of 
his  kino-dom.  Fearful  and  dejected  Soul,  look  into  the  Gofpei  and  fee 
thy  Go^  fhining  in  ail  the  beams  of  free,  rich,  and  heavenly  grace.  Be: 
ol  o-ood  comfort,  thy  fins  are  forgiven,  thy  intereft  in  the  covenant  is 
fure";  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift,  is  thy  God  and 
Father,  and  thou  art  welcome  to  all  the  trcafures  of  his  mercy  and  good- 
aefs.  Only  rejoice  in  this  grace,  and  live  agreeably  to  it  in  all  faith, 
purity  and  holinefs,  love  and  goodnefs. 

Are  you  afraid  your  ovv^n  weaknefs  and  furrounding  temptations  fiiould 
draw  your  regards  from  God,  pervert  your  minds,  and  caule  you  to  fall 
(hort  of  falvation  ?  Fear  iiot,  thou  worm  Jacobj  for  I  am  with  thee, 
be  not  difmayed,  for  I  am  :hy  God  ;  I  ivill  Jircngih^-n  thee;  yea^  I  tvill 
help  thee ;  yca^  I  will  uphold  thee  %vith  the  right-hand  of  my  righteoufiiefs, 
or  falvation.  Only  cleave  unto  God,  by  faith  in  Chrift,  with  purpofe 
of  heart,  and  he  who  has  begun  a  good  work  will  certainly  pcrfecl  it 
unto  the  day  of  Chrift.  You  ihall  be  more  than  conquerors  through 
\^im  that  has  loved  us.  Doth  the  world  frown,  and  pour  its  forrows 
into  your  bre;^ls  ?    Look  to  the  heavenly  worW*  the  glory  that  fhall  be 

revealed 


en.  XUh  Excellency  of  the  Scrlptum.  205 

revealed  in  the  faints.  That  is  your  home  and  country,  that  is  your 
portirand  inheritance  ;  and  if  you  /egard  it  as  fuch,  you  wdl  rejoic^ 
fn  th°  hope  of  the  glorv  of  God,  and  be  ra.ied  far  above  tne  cares  a«4 
fears  of  this  low  and  tranfitory  Hate.  Such  ftrong  conlolaaous  the  \fy 
Sciptur  s  fupply,  and  therefore  their  author  is  undoubtedly  the  God  of 
al  confolatio^  ;  for  no  wifdom  of  man  could  ever  pollibly  have  opened 
?o  us  fuch  a  fountain  of  joy  and  refrelhmcat.  And  thus  we  l.e  tne  bcnp.- 
turcs  contain,  beyond  all  difpute,  the  beft  prmciplcs  of  knowledge,,  of 

'1"-fnotfs'e':^il::^'that  they  deliver  the  beft  precepts  for  direfting  all 
our  aaions.     Such  precepts  are  reducible  to  three  heads,  our  duty  to 
Godfto  Sur  neighbour,  and  to  ourfelves.     God  we  are  taught  to  wor- 
Ihip  with  a  fmcere  admiration  of  his   glory  and  perfec^ons    witl>  pro- 
found reverence  of  his  greatnefs,  with  humole  aoorauon  ot  h.s  hove- 
reicrnty,  with  the  highefb  love  and  eftecm  for  his  excellency  and  amiable- 
nefs,  with  joy  and  gratitude  for  his  goodnels,  and  with  a- heart  truly  de- 
votx^d  to  hii  honor,%nd  determined  for  his  obedience.      1  o  ..ur  neigh- 
bour  we  are  directed  to  perform  not  only  juftice,  trudi,  and  equity,  but 
alfo  unfeicrned  charity,  the  moft  extenlive  kindaels  and  benevoLnce 
l^o  ourfcTves  we  owe  felf-prcfcrvation  and  felf-gov'ernment,  and  the 
Scriptures  admonifh  us  to  take  the  wifcfl  care  o{  our  being,  by  cultivat- 
ing and  guarding  our  minds,  and  by  mortitying  Eh  inordinate  aftcaions 
and  paffions.     In  fhort,  all  that  our  reafon  can  find  in  the  law  or  re  1- 
gion  of  nature,  is,  without  the  Icail  omiffion,  tranicribed  inlo  revela- 
tion; and  moreover,  the  wifdom  of  God  has  not  only  pcrtcaed  and  fup- 
plied  our  deficicncias,  but  Ivas  difcovered  to  us  the  nchcs  of  goodnels, 
knowledge,  and  power,  infinitely  beyond  what  ouriiaairal  laculues  could 

ever  ha^e  attainedl  ;.'■•.  '■•  „        .■         , "    'r    '  .  j 

Thus  we  are  furnlflied  both  with  the  moft  perfea  rules  of  virtue  and 

godJinefs,  and-aifo  wicli  the  moft  powerful  motives  to  the  .ob(^rvance  of 

them.     And  thus' the  Scriptures  arc  a  ftorchoulc  oi  the  molj  facrcd.and 

ufeful  knowledge,  adapted  to  the  improvement  of  our  minds  m  whatever 

"is  good  and  excellent,  beyond  all  competition  and  objection..    l>ut  a$ 

thofc  only  can  objea  agamft  them,  who  never  rc;vd  them,  ox^never  witl; 

ferious  minds,  if  you  would  know  what  tiic  Scriptures  are,  li  you  would 

know  whether  they  are  of  God,  read  them,  ftudy  them,  meditate  upoij 

them,  and  you  cannot  fail  of  being  convinced  ot  their  excellency  ;afl4 

Divine  original.  ..  .    v        .'  ''  '"]j-* 

Such  being  the  intrinfic  excellency  of  the  Scriptures,  it  i8  no^ffller 

it  entered  into  our  Lord's  thoughts,  and  was  the  objeft  of  his- care  ui_hi« 

iaft  moments,  even  amidft  the  pains  and  agonies  of  death.    .  its  b^ing 

the  fubjea  of  his  thoughts  at  a  time,  when  his  thoughts  turned  upon:U97 

tbinp- but  what  was- infinitely  momentous  j  his  being  conccniedupoa 

the  crofs,  that  no  point  of  Scripture  ftiould  want  its  iulle^'uicflce,  oif 

.eftablifhment,  is  a  demonftration  of  the  high  worth  and  excoileacy  o| 

Scripture.     Under  all  his  preceding  fufi^rings,  which  muft  beexce^^^ 

ing  bitter,  he  never  dropped  the  lealt  expreflion  of  the  forrow  and  anguit^ 

he  felt,  but  endured  it  with  the  filence  of  the  moft  perfea  meeknelsan<J 

patience.     We  muft  therefore  conclude,  he  would  not  have  opened  bi$ 

mouth  to  fignify  his  grieyous  diftrefs,.  wtieh  on  the.crOfs,..it^.%^.-^?'< 

^  .  a-    v-        «  Jorjakcrt 


20S  The  internal  IVorth^  i^'c,  Ch.  XLII 

forfahen  mef  had  It  not  been  for  the  fake  of  expreinn^  his  truft  in  God- 
nor  would  he  have  mentioned  his  thirft,  but  out  of  rc^^ard  to  Divine  re- 
velation, and  its  accomplirnmcnt.  ^ 

Our  Lord  ha?,  all  along,  from  firft  to  lafl-,  fhown  the  hiaheft  refoea: 
to  the  word  of  God  With  this  fword  he  did  combat  and  Conquer  Sa- 
tan, when  tempted  by  him  in  the  wildcrnefs.  He  always  in  the  courfe 
of  his  miniftry  appeals  to  it  as  the  ftandard  of  reliaious  truth  revealino' 
the  will  of  God,  and  explaining  his  difpenfations.  "He  declares  he  came 
not  to  dcftroy  fo  much  as  one  title  of  the  Law  or  the  Prophets  but  to 
compleat,  vindicate,  and  illuftrate  them  ;  afTuring  us  that  as  their'ori^inal 
IS  Divine,  their  honors  fhall  be  perpetual;  and  that,  tUl  heaven  and^rih 
pajs  aiuay,  and  the  whole  frame  of  nature  be  difTolved,  net  one  jot  (hall 
pafsy  or  perifh,  from  the  Laiv,  or  from  Revelation,  ////  all  be  fulfilled 
John  V.  39.  He  direfts  the  Jews  to  fearch  the  Scriptures,  as  they  rightly 
apprehended  the  dodnne  of  eternal  life  was  contained  in  them  and  as 
they  teftified  of  him.  ' 

As  his  fufFerings  drew  nearer,  he  frequently  takes  notice  of  the  ful- 
filment of  the  Scriptures  in  the  feveral  fteps  and  events  which  led  to 
them.  Matt  XXVI.  31  54  J./;^  xiii.  18.  xv,  25.  That  the  Scriptures 
might  be  fulfilled  in  his  fuftenngs  and  death,  he  would  not  allow  his 
Difciples  to  refcue  him  out  of  the  hands  of  thofe  who  came  to  feize  him 
Matt.  xxvi.  53,  54.  Had  he  prayed  to  the  Father  he  would  have  aiveii 
him  more  than  twelve  legions  of  angels  ;  hut  hoiv  then,  favs  he,  Jhdlthe 
Scriptures  be  fulfilled,  that  thus  it  muji  be  ?  And  when  upon  the  crofs 
he  is  not  diverted  from  the  fame  important  fubje<St,  though  in  the  midft 
of  the  moft  sxquifite  torments,  and  labouring  under  a  violent  drout^ht. 
Regard  to  the  Scriptures  prevails  in  his  mind,  more  than  the  fenfe  of'the' 
greateft  pain  and  anguifh  ;  and  not  to  relieve  his  thirft,  but  that  the  Scrip- 
tures might  befidfilled,  he  cried  out,  /  thirjl. 

Thus  our  crucified  Lord  has  fet  the  feal  of  his  blood  to  tlie  Divine 
authority,  excellency,  and  certainty  of  the  holy  Scriptures.  He  came 
mto  the  world,  he  Ir.id  down  his  life  to  accomplifh  what  was  fore-or- 
dained,  and  foretold  in  the  Scriptures.  Now  this  evidently  implies,  that 
our  Lord  knew,  and  was  perfuaded,  the  Scriptures  are  of  Divine  ori^^i- 
nal,  are  the  word,  and  declare  to  us  the  mind  and  will  of  God ;  confe- 
<iuently,  that  they  contain  difcoveries  and  inftrucSbions  of  the  higheft  and 
moft  excellent  nature  ;  and  that  all  things  they  predict  muft,  and  moft 
certainly  will,  be  accompliflied. 

It  feems  but  an  inconfiderable  circumftance,  that  the  Scriptures  inti- 
mate, they  would  give  the  Meffiah  in  his  thirft  vinegar  to  drink.  This 
leems  to  be  a  faa  of  no  great  moment,  nor  do  we  know  that  it  ftood  in 
conneaion  with  any  thing  of  confequence,  and  yet  our  Lord  would  not 
overlook  it.  He  took  care  it  fhould  be  punftually  fulfilled.  How  much 
more  then  may  we  perfuade  ourfclves,  tliat  all  the  great  promifes,  and 
all  the  predidions,  relating  to  matters  of  vaft  importance,  fliall  be  ac- 
complilhed  ?  The  apparent  infignificancy  of  vinegar  being  offbred  to 
^hrijlon  the  crofs,  adds  great  force  to  this  argument.  If  a  point,  feem- 
mglyfo  minute,  was  carefully  attended  to,  and  pundually  difcharged. 
When  the  Redeemer  was  in  extremity  of  pain  and  torture,  how  much 
more,  now  that  he  is  cnt<sre4  iatg  his  joy  j  now  lliat  he  is  pofleflcd  of 

the 


Ch.  XLIII.  57?^  Improvement,  l^c.  IQ'j 

the  hic^heft  felicity  and  glory  ;  now  that  he  is  inverted  with  the  moft  ex- 
tenfiv?  power  and  dominion  ;  how  much  more  will  he  make  good  all  - 
that  God  has  declared  by  the  ancient  Prophets  in  the  Old  Teftament,, 
and  all  that  he  himfelf  has  foretold  and  promifed  in  the  New^  relating 
to  thino-s  of  infinite  moment  ?  Exceeding  great  and  precious  promifes 
arc  <^iven  us  of  the  Divine  prefence,  blejing,  and  proteftion  through 
this  world,  which  every  upright  mind  may  be  allured  will  be  fully  made 

How  many  magnificent  predictions  has  our  Lord,  and  his  Apoftles, 

delivered  concerning  the  world  that  is  to  come That  he  will  raife  us 

up  a<raln  at  the  lajl  dap     And  we  (hall  certainly  be  raifed  out  of  our 

graves,  and  reftored  to  a  life  quite  different  from  the  prefent That 

he  xv'ill  come  in  great  power  and  glory  to  judge  the  xvorld.  And  moft  aflli- 
redly  he  will  fo  come,  and  we  fhall  every  one  of  us  ftand  before  his  tri- 
bunal to  give  an  account  of  ourfelves To  his  faithful  fervants  he  has 

promifed  eternal  life :  and  to  all  fuch,  without  fail,  he  will  give  eternal 
life. It  is  frequently  foretold,  that  everlajling  dejlruHion  froin  the  pre- 
fence of  the  LordW\\\  be  the  dreadful  lot  of  the  impenitently  wicked,  and 
doubtlefs  everlafting  deftrudion  will  be  the  dreadful  lot  of  fuch.— Moft 
clearly  he  has  made*  known  his  everlafting  kingdom  of  glory,  where  his 
fincere  followers  (hall  partake  of  his  glory  and  felicity ;  and  we  may 
firmly  believe  and  hope,  this  will  be  our  happy  condition  if  we  make  it 
our  prefent  care  to  be  his  fincere  followers.  Thus  has  our  benevolent 
Saviour  afforded  us,  in  his  laft  moments,  a  moft  folid  ground  of  hope 
towards  God,  and  direftcd  us  abfolutely  to  depend  upon  all  that  the 
Scriptures  reveal  concerning  our  falvatioa. 


CHAP.      XLIII. 

Chrijlian:  ought  to  he  thankful  for  the  Scriptures,  and  mai?itain  a  high 

Bjleemfor  them. 

f^^y^"!^,  A  V  I  N  G,  fo  far  as  feems  neceffary,  confidered  the  ufe  and 
^  H  S  importance  of  the  holy  Scriptures,  I  would  now  point  out  the 
|<^;!^^;;j  propcreft  improvement  of  this  interefting  fubjed. 

\Vc  may  evidently  fee  our  obligation  to  be  thankful  for  the  Scrip- 
ture? ;  they  are  the  gift  of  God,  and  a  great  help  to  our  underftandmg, 
and  rational  powers  in  the  beft  attainments.  And  as  our  natural  light 
and  faculties  certainly  demand  our  gratitude  and  thanks,  that  God  ha;; 
Tnade  us  wifcr  than  the  fotvh  of  heaven^  and  taught  us  more  than  the  beajis  of 
the  earth  ;  and  as  our  joy  and  praife  will  be  agreable  to  our  illumination, 
when  in  God's  heavenly  light  wc  fhull  fee  glorious  and  eternal  light ;  fo 

tile 


2/oZ'^  T^je  Itnprovemenf  of  Ch.  XLIII. 

the  fupcriar  inflructions  and  dircovcrics  of  revelation  do  challenge  our 
fmcere  thanks  to  our  wife  and  benevolent  Father,  who  has  imployed  his 
fpirit  at  fundry  times,  and  divers  manners,  to  pour  knowledge  and  light 
into  the  darknefs  of  the  nations,  which  othcrwife  would,  in  efFect,  have 
generally  loft  the  ufe  of  intelligence  ;  and  that  at  length  he  has  vifitcd 
ys  with  the  day-fpring  from  on  high,  a  full  difplay  of  his  heavenly  grace 
in  the  everiailing  Golpel. 

Should  we  not  maijitain  a  juft,  that  is  to  fay,  a  very  high  efteem  of 
the  word  of  God  ?  If  it  is  true,  that  oil  Scripture  is  given  by  injpiration 
ef  Gccl^  ovd  is  p7-ofitablc  for  the  nobleft  ends,  for  dcSlrine^  for  reproof  cor- 
yeSiion^  injlruhmi  in  rightcoufnefs^  then  it  is  true  that  we  cannot  fet  too 
high  a  value  upon  it.  The  things  of  this  world,  v/hich  are  very  im- 
perfect and  tranfitory,  have,  alas,  too  large  a  fhare  of  our  hearts  j  but 
the  hcly  Scriptures  are  a  treafury  of  heavenly  and  everlafting  riches,  and 
it  is  but  reafonable  we  fhould  give  them  the  preference  to  what  wc  know 
is  infinitely  inferior  in  worth.  And  it  is  upon  this  ground  that  the  wifeft 
and  beft  of  men  h?ve  reprefented  them  as  the  higheft  object  of  our  de- 
light and  efteem.  Pfalm  xix.  7  — 10.  T^he  law  cf  the  Lord  is  perfect ^  con- 
verting the  foul  \  the  teftimony  of  the  Lord  is  fur c,^  making  wije  the  fimple, 
^hejlatutes  of  the  Lord  are  rights  rejoicing  the  heart.  More  to  be  defired 
are  they  than  gold ;  y?^,  than  tnuch  fine  gold ;  fweeter  alfo  than  honey ^  and 
the  honey-comh,  Pfalm  cxix.  96,  97,  103.  I  have  feen  an  end  of  all  per- 
feliicn  ;  hut  thy  commandment  is  exceeding  broad.  O,  how  love  I  thy  law! 
It  is  my  meditation  all  the  day.  How  fweet  are  thy  words  unto  rny  tajle  ; 
Xea.,  fweeter  than  honey  to  my  mouth!  And  we  may  then  only  call  our- 
fclves  happy  when  we  have  attained  the  fame  fentiments  and  tafte  of  th? 
good  word  cf  God.  Indeed  I  cannot  fee  that  we  ufe  it  as  what  it  is,  or 
anfwcr  our  Chriftian  profefiion,  if  we  do  not  treat  it  with  great  efteem 
and  regard.     To  this  purpofe  let  us 

Not  allow  curfelves  to  think  of  it  with  indifFerence,  or  in  any  refpefl 
m  treat  it  irreverently.  The  worth,  and  infinite  importance  of  the  thing 
will  not  bear  a  cool  and  languid  thought ;  and  it  is  too  facred  and  divine 
to  admit  of  any  degree  of  contempt.  It  is  with  fome  reckoned  a  turn 
of  wit  to  introduce  Scripture  phrafe  into  common  converfation,  and  to 
provoke  pleafantry  by  quoting  the  Bible.  What  is  this  but  burlefquing 
the  word  of  God,  and  raihng  a  laugh  at  the  expence  of  the  greateft  blef- 
fmg  of  heaven  ?  Such  a  prophane  levity  v/ill  by  degrees  leften  the  reve- 
rence we  owe  to  Scripture,  and  deftroy  all  fcrious  regard  to  it;  which 
is,  in  effect,  to  deftroy  ourfelves  ;  and  therefore  fliould  not  only  be  care- 
fully avoided,  but  with  abhorrence  detefted. 

Guard  your  minds  well  againft  Deifm  on  the  one  hand,  and  Popery 
<5n  the  other.  Both  thcfe  agree  in  depreciating  the  Scriptures.  The 
Deift  will  perfuade  you  revelation  is  unnecefiary,  and  consequently  t.*!at 
the  Scripture  is  no  revelation  from  God,  but  a  fallacy  and  cheat,  at  firft 
invented,  and  afterwards  fupported,  by  thofe  who  fmd  their  account  in 
it.  He  racks  his  invention  to  ftart  any  difficulty  or  objecftion  to  provo 
that  the  Bible  is  not  fufficient  to  the  purpofes  of  revelation.  And  here, 
the  Romanift  joins  him.  They  go  indeed  different  ways,  the  one,  as 
he  pretends,  to  the  meer  religion  of  nature,  and  the  other,  in  reality,  to 
the  authority  of  the  church,  and  ;i  living  infallible  guide  upon  earth.  But 
a  both 


Ch.  XLIII.  iTm  important  SuhjeSf.  209 

both  ftart  from  the  fame  point,  degrading  the  holy  Scriptures ;  and  I 
fear  very  much,  they  will  meet  and.  unite  again  in  a  few  generations. 
For  where  Deiftical  principles  prevail  in  a  family,  the  rifmg  generation 
niuft  grow  up  in  great  ignorance  of  revelation,  and  the  true  worfhip  of 
.  God,  and  fo  will  be  expofed  to  the  artifice  of  the  feducer,  who  lies  in 
wait  to  deceive.  For  however  men  mav  refine  in  their  fpeculations,  and 
put  a  force  upon  themoft  common  and  obvious  principles  in  their  minds, 
yet  certainly  fuch  is  the  general  fenfe  of  mankind,  when  left  free  and 
unbia/red,  with  regard  to  religion,  that  they  eafdy  admit  the  belief  of  fome 
fuperior  invifible  powers,  and  their  intercourfe  with  this  world.  And 
being  ignorant  of  the  truth,  are  with  little  difficulty  drawn  into 
error. 

This  makes  me  apprehend  that  the  prefent  fpread  of  Dcifm  will,  in  a 
few  ages,  produce  a  large  increafe  of  Poperv  among^us.  Not  to  fay, 
that  Popifii  feminaries,  where  they  cannot  directly  promote  the  caufe  of 
the  church  of  Rome,  are  allowed  and  init^ructed  to  do  it  in  this  indi- 
rect way.  For  confufion  and  ignorance  of  any  kind,  is  a  proper  ground 
for  them  to  work  upon.  But  this  by  the  bye.  My  defign  is  to  guard 
you  againft  thofe  who  would  raife  fcruples  and  prejudices  in  your  minds 
againil  revelation.  And  without  defccnding  to  particulars,  you  may  be 
very  fare  of  this  one  thing,  that  whoever  cavil  againft  the  Scriptures 
are  ftrangers  to  them.  They  objeft  and  take  upon  themfelves  to  judo-e 
in  a  matter  in  which  they  are  no  ways  qualified  to  be  judges  ;  in  a  mat- 
ter which  they  iieithcr  underftand,  nor,  in  their  prefent  way  of  thinking, 
ever  intend  to  underftand.  For,  whatever  airs  fuch  may  give  themfelves, 
or  what  femblance  or  fhew  foevcr  they  make  of  knowledge  and  wifdom, 
thefe  men  have  never  ftudied  the  Scriptures  ;  nor,  generally  fpeakin"-, 
have  they  learning  or  capacity  to  enter  into  their  deep  and  abftrufc  parts. 
Had  they  ever  foberly  and  ferioufly  ftudied  the  Scriptures,  they  muft  of 
neccffity  have  found  fo  many,  and  fuch  evident  marks  of  a  Divine  Spirit, 
fuch  glorious  difplays  of  the  wifdom,  power,  and  truth  of  God,  as  would 
have  taught  them  to  think  more  modeftly  of  what  is  doubtful  and 
obfcure. 

When  did  you  ever  hear  of  any  name,  illuftrious  for  learning  and  wif- 
dom, that  ever  difputed  the  Divine  original  and  authority  of  Scripture? 
Did  ever  a  Boyle,  a  Newton,  or  a  Lockie,  queftion  the  Divine  ori- 
ginal and  truth  of  Scripture?  *    No.     Thefe  men,  of  the  moft  eminent 

attainments 

•  The  famous  Set.dhn,  one  of  the  mod  eminent  philofophers,  and  moft 
learned  men  cf  his  time ;  who  had  taken  a  diligent  furvey  of  antiquity,  and 
what  knowledge  was  confiderabie  amongll  Jervsj  Heathens,  and  Chnfimns, 
and  read  as  much,  perhaps,  as  any  man  ever  read  ;  towards  the  end  of  his 
days,  declared  to  Arch-BiOiop  Usher. 

"  That  notwithftanding  he  had  been  fo  laborious  in  his  enquiries;  and 
f  curious  in  his  colleftions  j  and  had  poffeil  himfelf  of  a  treafure  of  books 
*'  and  manufcripts,  upon  all  ancient  fubjecls ;  vet  he  could  rcj}  his  foul  on  nont 
*•  fa've  the  Scriptures.  And  above  all,  that  paflage  gave  him  the  moft  fatisfac- 
*'  lion.  Titus  ii.  1 1 — 14.  as  comprizing  the  nature,  end,  and  reward  of  true 
*'   religion. 

**  THE  grace  of  Cod,  that  bringeth  falvoitiQni  hatb  appeared  to  all  men. 

*'  TEACHiyQ 


210  ^fj£  Improvement  of  Ch.  XLIII. 

attainments  In  wifdom  and  knowledge,  held  the  Scripture*;  in  the  highcft 
veneration  and  cftccm,  as  a  revelation  from  God ;  and  by  their  excel- 
lent comments  have  acknowledged  the  Divine  authority  even  of  the 
moft  abftrufe  and  difficult  parts.  No.  The  cavillers  againft  Scripture 
are  men  of  an  inferior  clafs,  who  want,  and  are  no  ways  folicitous  to 
gain,  the  qualifications  needful  to  render  them  in  any  degree  fit  or  com- 
petent judges.  It  is  enough  for  fuch  to  pick  up  a  fmall  colledion  of 
fcruples,  to  eafc  themfelves  of  the  trouble  of  thought  and  ftudv,  and  at 
the  fume  time  to  give  a  plaufible  appearance  of  both.  But  with  men  of 
judgment,  fuch  muft  Hand  in  a  very  ridiculous  light.  To  a  judicious 
phyfician,  how  filly  and  contemptible  muft  a  perfon  be,  who,  though  no 
ways  fkilled  in  the  fcience,  fhould  take  upon  him  perpetually  to  ccnfure, 
vilify,  and  condemn  a  Boerhaave,  or  a  Sydenham,  the  greateft 
mafters  in  the  art  of  medicine. 

Perhaps  you  may  fay — Are  there  not  real  difficulties  in  the  Scriptures? 
And  will  not  diificulties  naturally  and  unavoidably  produce  objections? 
I  anfwer — There  are  difficulties  in  the  Scriptures,  and  difficulties  are 

the 

*'  'TEACHING  us,  that  denying  ungodlinefs,  and <vjorldly  iujis,  n.vt  Jhould liie 
^^  foherly,   righteoujlyy  and  godly,  in  this  prefent  luorld. 

*'  LOOKING  for  that  blejjedhope,  and  the  glorious  appearance  of  the  great  Codf 
•*  and  our  Swviour  fefus  Chriji. 

"  WHO  ga--ve  hitnfelffor  us,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and  pu~ 
*•   rify  ur^io  himf  If  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  gccd  ^jcorks." 

Sir  Christopher  H  a  tton,  a  great  ftatefman,  a  little  before  his  death, 
advifed  his  relations  to  be  feriousin  fearching  after  thewill  of  God  in  his  holy 
word  ;  for,  faid  he  — 

"  It  is  defervedly  accounted  a  piece  of  excellent  knowledge  to  underf^and 
"  the  laws  of  the  land,  and  the  cuftoms  of  a  man'i  country ;  how  much  more 
*•  to  know  the  ftatutes  of  heaven,  and  the  laws  of  eternity,  thofe  immutable 
*'  and  eternal  laws  of  jullice  and  righteoufnefs  !  To  know  the  will  and  plea- 
*'  fure  of  the  great  Monarch,  and  univerfal  King  !  /  ha-ve  feen  an  end  cf  all 
*'  perfetlicn,  but  thy  commandment  is  exceeding  broad.  Whatever  other  know- 
*'  ledge  a  man  may  be  endowed  withal,  could  he  by  a  vail  and  imperious 
*'  mind,  and  a  heart  as  large  as  the  fand  upon  the  fea-fhcre,  command  all 
"  the  knowledge  of  art  and  nature,  of  words  and  things  ;  and  yet  not  know 
•'  the  Author  of  his  being,  and  the  Preferver  of  his  life,  his  Sovereign  and 
*'  and  his  Judge,  his  furelt  Refuge  in  trouble,  his  beft  Friend  or  worll  Ene- 
*'  my,  theSupport  of  his  life  and  the  Hope  of  his  death,  his  future  Happi- 
*'  nefs  and  his  Portion  forever;  he  doth  but  go  down  to  hell  with  a  great  deal 
«'  of  wifdom." 

Mr.  Locke,  alfojuftly  efleemed  one  of  the  greateft  mafters  of  reafon,  and 
a  philofopher  of  the  greatefl  freedom  of  thought,  at  the  clofe  of  his  life,  thus 
advifed  an  intimate  friend. 

*'  Study  the  holy  Scriptures,  efpecially  the  New  Teftament;  therein  are 
*'  contained  the  words  of  eternal  life.  It  hath  God  for  its  Author,  falvation 
*'  for  its  end,  and  truth  without  any  mixture  of  error  for  its  matter."  Pofthu- 
nious  Works,  p.  344. 

And  to  the  fame  efFeil,  a  wifer  ftill  in  the  fame  fituation,  Solomok.  To 
fear  God,  and  keep  his  commandments,  (in  order  to  which  it  is  neceifary,  that 
\\c  read  and  ftudy  them,)  is  the  ivhcle  cf  man.  For  God  Jhall  bring  e^jery  ifjork 
■Kto judgment,  tuith  every  fecrct  things  ivheiber  it  be goid,  fr  wbithtr  it  ti  evil, 
Eccicf.  xii.  13,  14. 


Ch.  XLIII*  thii  important  Subjeif.  20Q 

he  natural  ground  of  objevStions,  but  not  of  deflroying  any  truth,  other- 
wife  well  eftabliflied.     For  all  fcience  whatever  is  attended  with  difficul- 
ties, and  objections  may  be  raifed  againft  the  cleared:  and  moltdemonllrable 
truths.     The  being  of  God,  and  his  perfedlions,  the  creation  of  the 
world,  the  conftitution  of  nature,  the  ways  of  Providence,  and  anv  the 
beft  and  moft  ufeful  knowledge  we  can  gain,  is  attended  with  difficulties 
and  confequently  liable  to  objeclions.     Let  it  be  well  obferved    thofs 
difficulties  arife  not  from  the  things  themfelves,  but  from  the  imperfec- 
tion of  our  minds.     In  the  things  themfelves  there  are  no  diSculties 
nor  any  ground  for  objection  ;  the  difficulties  are   in  the  narrownefs  of 
our  underftandings,  which  find  a  great  difficulty  in  comprehending  ma- 
ny things  relating  even  to  the  moft  certain  and  undoubted  truths.    And 
with  regard  to  the   Scriptures,  I   myfelf  have  had  lar<ye  experience  of 
this.     Many  things  which  at  firft,  and   for  fomc  time,  appeared  to  me 
very  obfcure,  unaccountable,  and  inconfiftent,  by  patient  application 
and  a  clofer  attention,  have  ftione  out  unclouded  into  the  plaineft  and 
cleareft  truths.  By  this  I  am  convinced,  that  all  remaining  difficulties  are 
not  fo  in  themfelves,  but  only  fo  with  refpect  to  the  imperfeftion  of  my 
mind.     And  upon  the  whole,  you  may  be  very  fure,  when  you  hear  any 
objection  advanced  againft  the  Scriptures,  that  the  obje£tion,  in  truth 
and  reality,  lies  againft  the  objector  himfelf,  as  he  either  cannot,  or  will 
not,  fee  the  truth  as  it  ftands  in  ttie  word  of  God. 

But  you  may  Giy — Why  fhould  God  put  into  his  word  thin^-s  to  us 
difficult  and  obfcure  ?  I  anfwer — To  exercife  our  diligence,  and  to  try 
our  integrity.  I  have  faid  fo  much  to  convince  you  of  the  vanity  and 
folly  of  Deifm,  and  to  guard  you  againft  any  bad  impreffions  from  that 
quarter,  which  may  prove  of  very  fatal  confequencc.  A  little  of  this 
leaven  may  do  a  great  deal  of  harm,  as  it  creates  an  indifference  to  Di- 
vine knowledge,  to  the  inftru6lions  and  counfels  of  our  heavenly  Father  • 
as  it  takes  us  off"  from  the  ftudy  of  the  Scripture?,  robs  us  of  the  beft 
guide  of  our  actions,  the  moft  powerful  motives  to  all  virtue,  the  ftrono^eft 
confolations  in  every  day  of  affliction  ;  and  at  laft  expofes  to  the  righteous 
judgment  of  God,  for  the  neglect  and  contempt  of  the  beft  of  bleffino-s 
he  ever  beftowed  upon  the  world. 

We  have  the  ftrongeft  reafon  to  be  fully  fatisfied  of  the  fufficiency  of 
Scripture,  as  perfectly  able  to  make  us  wile  unto  falvation.  The  Papift 
will  own  the  Scriptures  to  be  the  word  of  God,  and  a  true  rule  of  faith 
but  not  a  fufficient  rule.  The  only  fufficient  rule  of  faith,  he  will  tell 
you,  is  the  church  of  Rome,  which  infallibly  underftands,  and  propounds 
what  the  Chriftian  world  is  to  believe  and  do  in  order  to  eternal  falva- 
tion ;  and  therefore  you  ought  implicitly  to  fubmit  your  underftandino- 
and  confcience  to  her  direction  and  decifions;  and  doing  fo,  you  have 
no  need  to  confult  the  Scriptures,  being  already  provided  with  a  living 
infallible  guide.  But  if  the  Scriptures  are  a  true  rule  of  faitli,  then  are 
they  a  fufficient  rule  to  all  forts  and  degrees  of  perfons,  for  they  exprefiy 
affirm  their  own  fufficiency  in  this  extenfive  fenfe. 

That  nothing  but  Scripture  is  a  fufficient  ground  to  build  our  faith  and 

pradtice  upon,  as  Chriftians,  will  clearly  appear  to  any  confiderate  per- 

fon.     All  befides  is  uncertainty  and  con'fufion.     You  have  Popes  ao-ainft 

Popes,  councils  againft  councils,  fathers  agaipft  fathers,  the  church  of 

Vot.  I.  Q  one 


212  The  Improvement  of^  i^c.  Ch.  XLIII. 

that  which  is  good  j  to  try  every  fpirit,  and  to  bring  every  do<Strinc  to 
the  telt  of  God's  pure  and  holy  word.  And  thus  wc  are  at  liberty  to 
review  the  ground  upon  which  wc  (land,  to  correct  any  error,  and  to 
improve  our  minds  in  the  knowledge  and  love  of  the  truth. 

In  thefe,  and  feveral  other  refpecls,  the  fufficiency  of  Scripture,  to 
guide  us  in  the  way  of  life  and  falvation,  is  evidently  fcen,  and  how 
foolifh  and  unfafe  it  is  to  forfake  this  heavenly  guide,  and  follow  the  de- 
lufions  of  the  church  of  Rome.  But  then,  the  greater  the  evidence  that 
Scripture  is  a  perfc6l  guide  to  eternal  life,  the  greater  muft  our  obliga- 
tions be  to  ufe  it  faithfully  as  fuch. 

Let  us  be  much  in  reading  the  Scriptures  ;  and  think  and  judge  free- 
ly. By  judging  freely,  I  do  not  mean  ralhly,  and  at  random.  We 
muft  judge  of  the  Scriptures  with  all  pofTible  care  and  caution.  But 
judge  freely,  without  regard  to  the  authority  of  any  perfon,  party,  or 
church  whatfoever.  We  are  made  by  our  gracious  Creator  for  the 
knowledge  of  the  truth  ;  not  to  be  the  dupes  of  cuftom  or  authority, 
not  blindly  to  follow  the  di£lates,  decrees,  and  conflitutions  of  weak 
and  ambitious  men ;  but  imploy  our  minds  generoufly  in  the  fearch  and 
knowledge  of  the  truth.  Chriftianity  calls  us  to  the  nobleft  exercife  of 
our  undcrflanding,  and  we  lofe  the  benefit  of  it,  if  we  do  not  think  fe- 
rioufly,  and  judge  freely. 

There  is  no  other  way  of  having  our  minds  eflablilhed,  and  well  fea- 
fohed  with  the  principles  of  our  religion.  In  this  way  we  fhall  fee  the 
glory  and  excellency  of  the  holy  Scriptures  ;  thus  we  fhall  feel  the  power 
of  God's  word  upon  our  hearts ;  thus  our  underflandings  will  gradually 
be  inlightened  with  Divine  knowledge,  and,  to  our  unfpeakable  com- 
fort, grow  up  into  Jefus  Chriil:,  and  gain  the  happinefs  of  the  man,  who 
forfaking  all  impiety,  and  every  falfe  way,  delights  himfclf  in  the  law  of 
the  Lord,  and  daily  meditates  therein.  Such  a  one  is  under  the  fpecial 
blefling  of  heaven,  and,  like  a  tree  planted  in  a  fruitful  foil,  fhall  grow 
and  flourifh,  and  rife  infinitely  higher  than  all  the  honours,  wealth,  and 
enjoyments  of  this  world  ;  he  fhall  rife  to  immortality,  and  there  find 
all  the  glorious  fruits  of  a  life  of  piety,  and  the  full  accomplifhment  of 
the  magnificent  promifcs  which  here  on  earth  he  with  pleafure  perufed 
in  the  word  of  God. 

This  is  what  I  have  to  ofPer  on  this  important  fubje6l.  Whatever  the 
refult  may  be.,  with  regard  to  others,  this  one  point  is  fufficiently  fecured 
— I  have  fatisned  my  confcience  by  difcharging  what  I  elleem  an  incum- 
bent duty ;  and  I  have  done  it  in  the  faithfulnefs  and  integrity  of  my 
heart,  according  to  the  wifdom  God  has  given  me. 


APPENDIX. 


Ch.  XXXIV. 


Prophets  before  the  Captivity, 


213 


END 


X. 


Chronological  Dates  for  Chapters  xxxiv.  xxxv.  and  xxxvl. 


CHAP.      XXXIV. 


Prophets  before  the  Captivity. 


Years 

before 

Chrift. 

812  fP)fr::<-=^MAZIAHkmgof 

^  A  g     Judah 

^>K$C*^^  Jeroboam  II.  king 
of  ifrael 
800  Uzziah  king  of  Judah  7 

Jeroboam  li.  j 

800  Jeroboam  II.  king  of  Ifrael 

Uzzlah  king  of  Judah 
800  Jeroboam  II.  Uzziah 
772  Menahem  I. 
770  Menahem  II. 
759  Uzziah  52.  Pekah  i. 
753  Jotham  5.  Pekah  7. 
742  Ahaz  I.  Pekah  18. 

In  the  fame  year 

In  the  fame  year 
740  Ahaz  3.  Pekah  20. 

In  the  fame  year 
739  Aphaz  4. 
726  Hezekiah  2. 

In  the  fame  year 

725  Hezekiah  3.  Hofbca  6. 

720  Hezekiah  7. 
715  Hezekiah  13. 
714  Hezekiah  14. 
714  Hezekiah  14. 

In  the  fame  year 

In  the  fame  )ear 
713  Hezekiah  15. 

In  the  fame  year 
710  He/rklah  18. 


Jonah  fent  with  a  meflage.  2  Kings 
xiii.  20.  xiv.  25. 

Joel  i.  ii.  iii. 


o 


Amos  i ix. 

Hofea  i.  ii.  iii. 
Hofca  iv. 
Jonah  i.  ii.  iii.  iv. 
Ifaiah  vi.  ii.  iii.  iv.  v. 
Micah  i.  ii. 
Ifaiah  vii. 
lAiiah  viii.  ix.  x. 
Ifaiah  xvii. 
Ifaiah  i. 
Ifaiah  xxvili. 
Hofca  v.  vi. 
Ifaiah  xiv.  ver.  28,  l^c. 
liaiah  xv.  xvi. 
J  Hofca  vii — xiv. 
(  Micah  iii.  iv.  v.  vi.  vii. 
Nahum  i.  ii.  iii. 
Ifaiah  xxiii — xxvii. 
ilaiah  xxxviii.  xxxix. 
ifaiah  xxix.  xxx — xxxv. 

Ifaiah  xxii.  vcr.  i 15. 

Ifaiah  xxi. 
Ifaiah  xx. 
liaiah  xviii.  xix.. 

ifaiah  x.  vcr.  5,  tfV.   xi.  xii,  xiii.. 
xiv.  ver.  28,  ^V. 
3  la 


214 

Years 

before 

Chrilt. 

In  the  fame  year 
In  the  ('ame  year 

698  Manaflch  i. 

628  Johah  13. 

623  Joiiah  18. 


611  Jofiahji. 


Prophets  before  the  Captivity, 


Ch.  XXXIV. 


610  Jeholakim  i. 

In  the  fame  year 
606  Jehoiakim  4. 

In  the  fame  year 
In  the  fame  year 
In  the  fame  year 
In  the  fame  year 
In  the  fame  year 
605  Jehoiakim  5. 
603  Jehoiakim  7. 
599  Zedekiah  i. 

In  the  fame  year 
In  the  fame  year 
In  the  fame  year 
In  the  fame  year 
598  Zedekiah  2.  • 
In  the  fame  year 
In  the  fame  yei\r 
596  Zedekiah  4. 

In  the  fame  year 
595  Zedekiah5.Jchoiachin'scapt.5. 
594  Zedekiah6.Jchoiachin'scapt.6. 
593  Zedekiahy.Jehoiachin'scapt.y. 
In  the  fame  year,  fifth  month 
591  Zcdekiah9.Jehoiachin'scapt.9. 
In  the  fame  year 
In  the  fame  year 
In  the  fame  year 
Zedekiah     10. 
capt.  10. 
In  the  fame  year 
In  the  fame  year 
In  the  fame  year 
In  the  fame  year 
In  the  fame  year 
In  the  fame  year 
In  the  fame  year 
In  the  fame  year 


590 


Jehoiachin's 


Ifaiah  xxxvi.  xxxviU 

Ifaiah  xl — xHii,  ilfc, 

Ifaiah  xxii.  ver.  15. 

Jeremiah  i.  ii. 

Jeremiah  xi.  ver.  i  — 18, 

Jeremiah  iii — x.  xii — xxi. 

Jeremiah  xi.  ver.  18,  ^r. 

Habakkuk  i.  ii.   iii.  Zephaniah  i. 

ii.  iii. 
Jeremiah  xxii.  ver.  i— — 24. 
Jeremiah  xxvi. 
Jeremiah  xxv. 
Jeremiah  xxxv. 
Jeremiah  xlvi. 
Jeremiah  xxxvi.  ver.  i— g. 
Jeremiah  xlv. 
Daniel  i. 

Jeremiah  xxxvi.  ver.  9,  l^c. 
Daniel  ii. 

Jeremiah  xxii.  ver.  24,  ^c. 
Jeremiah  xxiii. 
Jeremiah  xiii.  ver.  13^  6ff. 
Jeremiah  xxiv. 
Jeremiah  xlix,  ver.  34,  ijc. 
Jeremiah  xxix. 
Jeremiah  xxx.  xxxi. 
Jeremiah  xxvii. 
Jeremiah  xxviii. 
Jeremiah  1.  Ii. 
Ezekiel  i. — vii. 
Ezekiel  viii.       ■  xi. 

Ezekiel  xii xix. 

Ezekiel  xx xxiii. 

Jeremiah  xxi.  xxxiv,  ver.  I  »— 8. 

Jeremiah  xlvii. 

Jeremiah  xlviii.  xlix.  ver.  i — 34. 

Ezekiel  xxiv.  xxv. 

Jeremiah     xxxvii.     ver.     i  —    - 

II. 
Jeremiah  xxxiv.  ver.  8,  ^c. 
Jeremiah  xxxvii,  ver.  11— —16. 
Jeremiah  xxxii.  xxxiii. 
Ezekiel  xxix.  ver.  i — ij*  '^^'^* 
Jeremiah  xxxvii.  ver,  17,  ^c. 

Jeremiah  xxxviii.  ver.  i 14. 

Jeremiah  xxxix.  ver.  15,  ^c. 
Jeremiah  xxxviii.  ver.  14,  i^c. 

589  Zedekiah 


C  H.  XXX V.  Prophets  after  the  DeJiruEiion^  ^c,  215 

Years 

before 

Chrift. 

589  Zedeklah     11.     Jeholachln's 

capt.  II.  firft  month.  Ezekiel  xxxvi.  xxxvil.  xxxviii. 

In  the  iiinie  year,  third  month     Ezekiel  xxxi. 

In  the  fame  year,  fourth  month     Jeremiah  xxxix.  ver.  i ij.  HI. 

ver.  I 30. 

In  the  fiime  year,  fifth  or  fixth     Jeremiah  xxxix.  ver.  11 15.  xl. 

month  ver.  i 7. 

In  the  fame  year  Jeremiah  xl.ver.  7.  xli.  xlii.  xliii. 

xliv.  ver.  i     ■   -8. 


CHAP.       XXXV. 


Prophets  after  the  Defiru^lon  of  the  Tem?le,  ditring  the  Captivity. 

Years 

before 

Chrift. 

588  tr>K:»:=^EHOIACHIN'scapt. 

w  J  ^-   12.  tenth  month 

^5fr;»!c«?      In  the  fame  year, 
twelfth  month 

Between  the  12  and  25  capti-     J^zeKici    xxxiv.     xxxvi.     xxxvu. 
vity 

In  the  fame  year 

In  the  fame  year 

In  this  year  Nebuchadnezzar 
fet  up  his  golden  image 
754  Jehoiachin's  captivity  25. 
569  Jehoiachin's  captivity  30. 

lu  the  fame  year 
562  Jehoiachin's  captivity  37. 
555  Belfhazzar  i. 
553  Belfhazzar  3. 
539  Belfhazzar  17. 
538  Darius  the  Mede  i. 

In  the  fame  year 
536  Cyrus  I. 
535  Cyrus  2. 


Ezekiel  xxxlii. 
Ezekiel  xxxii. 

Ezekiel    xxxiv.     xxxvi. 

xxxviii.  xxxix. 
Obadiah 
Ezekiel  xxxv. 

Daniel  iii. 

Ezekiel  xl.  xli.  ^c. 

Ezekiel  xxix.  ver.  17,  l^c, 

Daniel  iv. 

Jeremiah  Iii.  ver.  3^,  i^c, 

Daniel  vii. 

Daniel  viii. 

Daniel  v. 

Daniel  vi. 

Daniel  ix. 

Ezra  i.  ii. 

Ezra  iii. 


O4 


CHAP.  XXXVL 


2l6 


Propheis  after  the  Captivity^  tsfc^ 


Ch.  XXXVl. 


CHAP. 


XXXVL 


Prophets  iifttr  the  CArriviiY,  under  thefecond  'J'emple, 


Years 

before 

Chrift. 

535  f..^>^^^YRUS  2. 

S  C  S  In  the  third  year  of 
^^^'^J^       Cyrus,    and    third 
after  the  captivity 

520  DariusHyflafpes2.  fixth  month 
In  the  fame  year  and  month 
In  the  fame  year,  feventh  month 
In  the  fame  year,  eighth  month 
In  the  fame  year,  ninth  month 
In  the  fameyear,eleventhmonth 
Darius  3. 
Darius  4. 

In  the  fame  year,  ninth  month 
Subfequent  to  the  fourth  year 
of  Darius  Hyflafpes 

515  Darius  6. 

462  Ahafuerus  3. 
Ahafuerus  4. 
Ahafuerus  7.    • 
In  the  fame  year 
Ahafuerus  8. 
Ahafuerus  12. 

445  Ahafuerus  20. 

433  Ahafuerus  32. 

429  Ahafuerus  36. 

428  Ahafuerus  37. 
296  Ptolemy  Soter  9. 


518 


461 
458 

457 
453 


Ezra  iv. 


Daniel  x.  xi.  xii. 

Haggai  i,  ver.  i 12. 

Haggai  i.  ver.  12,  ^f.  Ezra  v. 

Haggai  ii.  ver.  i 10. 

Zechariah  i.  ver.  i 7, 

Haggai  ii.  ver.  10,  ^c. 

Zechariah  i.  ver.  7,  i^c*  ii 

Ezra  V.  ver.  3,  ^c, 

Ezra  vi.  ver.  i 15. 

Zechariah  vii.  viii. 


VI. 


Zechariah  ix — xiv. 

Ezravi.  ver.  15,  iJc. 

Eflher  i. 

Either  ii.  ver.  i — 16. 

Ezra  vii — x. 

Efther  ii.  ver.  16 — 21. 

Efther  ii.  ver.  21,  i^c. 

Eflher  iii.  iv.  v,  ^c. 

Nehemiah  i — iii,  ^c. 

Nehemiah  xiii.  ver.  6. 

Malachi  i — iv. 

Nehemiah  xiii.  ver.  6,  ^c» 

The  Canon  of  the  Old  Teflament 
compleated,  by  adding  two  books 
of  Chronicles,  Ezra,  Nehemiah, 
Efther,  and  Malachi.  By  Simon 
the  Juft. 


THE 


T    PI    E 


R       E       F      A       C       E. 


^jfrsK^^NE  may  divide  men  into  two  general  clafTcs,  feme  arc  without 
g  O  ^  any  knowledge  of  a  Deity,  or  lence  of  Religion  :  travellers  tell 
t)^:.<>;J  us,  that  in  the  JVc/i-hidics^  the  eaftern  parts  of  Tartars-,  and 
fome  places  of  Africa,  fuch  people  are  to  be  found.  I  know  this  is  a  fact 
which  is  difputed  by  others,  and  Fahricius  a  divine  of  the  Palatinate 
pretends  that  he  has  folidly  confuted  it.  If  this  fact  fhould  be  thou"-ht 
doubtful,  yet  it  is  known  at  leaft,  that  fome  perl"on>  may  be  found  here 
and  there  in  the  world  who  look  upon  the  exiitence  of  a  Deity,  as  upon 
a  fable,  and  who  ridicule  alJ  acts  of  religious  worfhip  whatfoever  :  but 
one  may  alfo  fay,  that  if  he  compare  thefe  with  the  reil  of  the  world 
they  make  the  leaft  and  worft  part  of  mankind,  though  many  of  them 
affe£t  to  live  morally  well. 

All  the  relt  of  the  world  make  profefllon  that  they  own  a  God  •  that 
is  to  fay,  a  moft  perfect,  eternal,  and  independent  Being  ;  that  he  go- 
verns all  things  by  his  Providence  ;  that  there  is  a  difference  between 
good  and  evil ;  that  man  doth  well  or  ill  in  thofe  adions  which  depend 
on  his  liberty  :  From  whence  they  equally  conclude,  that  man  was  de- 
fign'd  for  the  duties  of  religion,  that  fociety  without  it  would  be  pure 
robbery :  and  that,  as  it  is  hard  to  conceive  that  men  fhould  be  wholly 
deftroy'd  by  death,  fo  it  is  dircdtly  contrary  to  the  fentiments  of  con- 
fcience  to  deny  all  rewards  for  virtue,  or  punifhments  for  vice  after  this 
life. 

All  the  diyerfities  of  religion  amongft  men  are  reducible  to  two  kinds. 

The  firft  is  of  thofe  who  fuppofe,  that  there  is  more  than  one  God  • 
and  this  is  the  belief  of  all  Pagans  in  general.  ' 

The  fecond  is  of  thofe  that  acknowledge  one  only  God,  fuch  are  the 
Jews,  QjriJiianSy  and  Mahometayis. 

Now,  as  for  the  cure  of  different  difeafes,  feveral  remedies  are  made 
ufe  of,  fo  it  is  vifible,  that  to  deliver  men  of  their  various  prejudices  wc 
muft  take  very  diftcrent  methods.  ' 

The 


fl  The    preface. 

The  ignorance  of  thofe  barbarous  people  in  the  Indus,  Tartary^  and 
Jfrica,  muft  be  remnvcil,  by  teaching  them  the  firft  principles,  and 
making  tlicm  apply  the  little  ieufe  they  have  left  theni  -of  good  and  ewl, 
right  and  wrong,  to  the  fundamental  maxims  of  religion. 

AthiclU  mult  be  convinced  by  reflexions  upon  thofe  principles,  which 
they  admit,  by  fhewing,  that  the  truths  which  they  reject,  are  the  natu- 
ral confequenccs  of  thofe  principles,  which  they  dare  not  difpute. 

To  coiu'ince  the  Heathen,  who  luppofe  many  gods,  we  muft  examine 
their  principles,  and  confute  them  ;  which  is  the  eafieft  thing  in  the 
world  ;  the  wifefl  men  having  formerly  acknowledged,  as  they  alfo  own 
to  this  vtry  day,  that  there  is  but  one  God. 

And  indeed  it  feems,  that  the  greatcft  part  of  phllofophers  did  own  a 
plurality  of  gods,  only  in  compliance  with  the  opinions  of  the  people, 
which  it  was  dangerous  to  contradict. 

And  as  for  the  "Jcivs^  forafmuch  as  they  agree  with  the  .Chrijlians  and 
Mahofnetans  about  the  unity  of  God,  we  are  only  to  prove  to  them  the 
truth  of  that  which  is  the  very  cflence  of  the  Chr'ijlian  Religion,  in  op- 
pofition  to  their  prejudices ;  one  may  prove  this  againft  the  Jeus  with- 
out anv  trouble,  becaufe  they  are  agreed  in  molt  of  thofe  principles, 
which  the  Chriftian  Religion  fuppofes.  So  likewife  it  is  eafdy  eftablilhed 
againft  the  A4aho?netans,  who  grant  the  truth  of  Chrijlian  Religion  in  ge- 
jieral,  but  pretend  that  it  ought  to  give  place  to  Alahometanifm,  as  the 
Law  ought  to  give  place  to  the  Gofpel,  preach'd  by  Jefus  Chriit. 

My  defign  is  not  to  profecute  every  one  of  thelc  ways  in  particular. 
There  are  books  enough  in  the  world  which  folidly  prove  the  neceflity 
of  Religion  againft  all  forts  of  Atheilts,  as  well  thofe,  who  are  fo  through 
ignorance,  as  thofe  who  profefs  themfclves  fuch  from  love  to  libertinifm, 
and  to  pafs  for  men  of  a  mighty  reach. 

There  are  alfo  feveral  famous  authors,  who  have  made  it  evident,  that 
reafon  alone  is  fufficient  to  overthrow  all  Pagan  religions  whatfoever. 

I  am  refolved  to  follow  a  more  compendious  and  fure  method,  that  is, 
to  dcmonftrate  the  truth  of  the  Ckrijiian  Religisn,  considered  by  it  felf. 

In  Ihort,  it  is  impofhblc  (conlidcring  the  oppofition  there  is  between 
the  Chrijiian  Religion^  and  all  the  other  religions  in  the  world)  that  the 
Qjrijiian  Religion  fhould  be  the  true,  but  that  all  others  muft  t)e  falfe  in 
thoi'e  articles  wherein  they  e£'entially  differ  from  it. 

And  on  the  other  hand,  one  cannot  explain  thofe  arguments  which 
clearly  evince  the  truth  of  Chriltianity,  widiout  convicting  aJl  other  re- 
ligions of  falfehood,  becaufe  they  arc  deftitute  of  thofe  proofs,  which  arc 
peculiar  tt  the  Chri/lian  Religion. 

I  know  very  well,  that  there  are  fcvcral  ways  which  lead  to  the  end 
which  I  propofe.  IVlcn  that  think  much,  wifh  that  a  perfect  conformity 
of  the  Chrijiian  Religion,  with  the  confcience  of  man  might  be  demon- 
llrated,  from  reflexions  on  the  heart  of  man,  and  the  dictatesof  it,  which 
to  them  would  be  a  convincing,  and  demonltrative  proof. 

Others  apply  themfelves  to  a  fpeculative  examination  of  the  do5rines 
and  proofs  of  the  Chrijiian  Religion,  to  Ihew  their  conformity  with  the 
notions  of  reafon  :  I  will  not  deny  but  that  both  thefe  employ  themfelves 
ufually  in  this  fort  of  ftudy,  and  that  truth  finds  a  confiderablc  fupport 
from  their  meditations. 

i  But 


The    preface. 


Ill 


Rut  how  ufeful  foever  they  maybe,  I  have  rather  chofen  to  follow  ano- 
ther courfe,  as  thinking  it  of  more  advantage,  folidly  to  eftablifh  the  facls 
which  the  Chrijiiart  Religion  propofeth  ;  which  appears  to  me  to  be -more- 
proper  to  perfwade  all  forts  of  readers,  and  better  levell'd  to  the  ordinary 
capacity  of  thofe,  who  newly  enter  upon  the  examination  of  this  truth. 

And  as  the  neceflity  of  revelation  is  generally  owned  by  heathens,  and 
by  all  other  nations  of  the  world:  I  thought  it  a  thing  altogether  unne- 
celfary  to  enter  upon  the  examination  of  feveral  abltra6ted  quclHons, 
fuch  as  thefe  :  whether  there  be  any  natural  knowledge  of  God,  whether 
men  are  naturally  inclined  to  be  religious,  and  the  like  ?  When  I  fhall 
have  firmly  proved,  that  God  revealed  himfclf,  that  he  prefcribed  a  fer- 
vice  to  the  firft  men,  who  left  the  rules  of  it  to  all  their  pofterity,  from 
whence  all  the  religion  that  ever  was,  or  is  yet  in  the  heathen  world, 
was  derived,  I  ftiall  have  prevented  many  very  unprofitable  difputes, 
and  which  can  only  perplex  the  mind  by  their  obfcurity. 

I  have  therefore  confin'd  my  felf  to  certain  confiderations,  which  da 
fo  eftablifli  the  truth  of  the  books  of  the  Old  and  NewTeftament,  as  by 
their  union  they  firmly  prove  the  truth  of  the  Chri/iian  Religion. 

I  hope,  that  it  will  not  be  thought  needful  for  me  to  demonftrate,  that 
the  Mahometan  religion  ought  not  to  abolifh  the  Chriftlan,  as  the  Chrif- 
tians  pretend,  that  the  Chrijlian  Religion  abrogated  the  ceremonial  part 
of  the  "Jevjijh  worlhip. 

As  foon  as  an  underftanding  Reader  (hall  make  fome  reflexions  upon 
the  nature  of  the  arguments  which  demonftrate  the  truth  of  the  Chrijlian 
Religiotiy  he  may  ealily  perceive,  that  God  never  framed  the  modfel  of 
that  religion,  which  the  Mahometans  would  obtrude  upon  us. 


REFLEXIONS 


REFLEXIONS 


UPON     THE 


BOOKS  OF    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURE 

For  the  Eftablifhing  of  the  Truth 


OF    THE 


CHRISTIAN     RELIGION. 


»?5tceoccc«eec«o»«o»cc»eeee3ccaocoootecaeacecoooc<«o«ooo«o»o«ccoi^e»»oto»«««aB«aootatcco«CfMffr  an  [|[[i««ciicf>f(W«»ociof.oe«Mee^?i 

CHAP.       I. 

Concerning  the  Fundamentals  of  the  Christian  Religion. 

fP-tf  ;Cit.'^  E  are  to  confidcr  three  things  in  the  Chriftian  Religion ;  the 
^AV  S  Matters  of  Fa£t  it  propounds  to  us  for  true,  the  Promifes  it  af- 
^^'5*;.^  fords  us,  and  the  Worfhip  it  commands. 

i"he  A'lattcrs  of  Facl  it  propounds  to  us  as  true,  are  ;  that  God  creat- 
ed the  world,  that  he  formed  the  firft  man,  from  whom  the  reft  of  man- 
kind have  been  propagated,  that  a  while  after  this  man  was  created,  he 
violated  the  law,  God  had  given  him  ;  and  that  whereas  he  dcferved  to 
ha\'c  pcriflied  for  this  his  difobedience,  God  was  pleafed,  inftead  thereof, 
to  comfort  him  with  the  hopes  of  a  Saviour  which  was  to  be  born  of  the 
feed  of  his  wife;  fhat  God  hath  actually  fent  this  Saviour  into  the  world, 
which  comprehends  the  whole  oeconomy  of  Chrilt,  I'lz.  His  birth,  life, 
preaching,  miracles,  death,  refurreclion,  and  afcenfion  into  heaven,  cffc. 

The 


Ch.  I.  Refexlons  upon  Genefis,  22  r 

The  Promifes  it  vouchfafes,  are  the  forgivenefs  of  our  fins,  the  re- 
furre6tion  of  our  bodies,  and  a  ftate  abfolutely  happy  for  ever  in 
heaven. 

And  laftly,  the  Worfhip  of  divine  fervice  it  prefcribes  confifts  in  obe- 
dience to  the  law  of  God,  in  prayer  for  the  pardon  of  our  fins,  and  his 
protedion,  and  in  a  grateful  acknowledgement  of  what  we  owe  him  for 
all  his  benefits  towards  us. 

The  firft  of  thefe  three  parts  of  the  Chriftian  Religion,  viz.  The  truth 
of  the  Matters  of  Fad  it  relates,  may  be  faid  to  be  the  foundation  of  the 
other  two,  viz.  The  Promifes  and  commands. 

It  is  impoflible  to  be  perfuaded,  that  God  hath  created  this  world  in 
which  we  live,  and  made  mankind  of  one  and  the  fame  blood ;  that  after 
the  fall  he  promifed  to  fave  men,  and  did  a(5tually  redeem  them  in  fending 
Jefus  Chrift,  who  fuff'ered  death,  and  being  raifed  the  third  dav  afcended 
into  heaven,  Sec.  I  fay,  it  is  impofTible  to  look  upon  thefe  fa6ls  as  true 
without  being  aflured  that  God  will  accomplifti  the  promifes  he  hath 
made  to  us. 

And  it  is  as  evident  that  we  cannot  be  convinced  of  the  truth  of  thefe 
matters,  without  being  fenfible  of  a  ftrong  obligation  laid  upon  us  to  per- 
form all  the  duties  of  the  Chriftian  religion. 

As  foon  as  a  man  refleiSts  upon  his  being  God's  creature,  he  finds  himfelf 
naturally  obliged,  to  obey  God  univerfally,  according  to  his  utmoft  abi- 
lity: but  when  he  comes  further  to  believe,  that  God  did  not  deftrov  the 
firft  man  for  his  difobedience ;  but  v/as  gracioufly  pleafcd  to  promife  him 
a  Saviour  for  himfelf  and  all  his  poflerity;  and  when  moreover  he  is  af- 
fured,  that  God  hath  really  fent  this  Saviour  in  the  way  and  manner  the 
gofpel  relates  to  us,  we  cannot  conceive,  but  that  he  muft  find  himfelf 
under  the  highcft  engagements  imaginable  of  rciideiing  to  God  a  religi- 
ous obedience;  and  believing  his  promifes. 

But  there  is  yet  another  obligation  whereby  man  is  bound  to  obey  God, 
to  pray  to  him,  and  to  offer  him  all  manner  of  religious  worftiip ;  God 
by  redeeming  him  hath  obtained  a  new  claim  to,  and  right  over  him,  and 
a  more  indifpcnfable  obligation  is  laid  upon  man  to  fubmit  himfelf  to  God 
in  all  religious  concerns,  as  being  not  only  created  but  alfo  redeemed  by 
him. 

Reafon  acknowledgeth,  that  if  the  truth  of  thefe  things  be  once  ad- 
mitted, nothing  can  be  more  juft  and  natural,  than  thofe  confequences 
which  the  Chriftians  thence  infer. 

All  the  difficulty  therefore,  that  occurs  in  this  matter,  confifls  in  the 
proof  of  thofe  facts  which  the  Chriffian  religion  propounds  to  us;  that  is 
to  fay,  in  proving  the  creation  of  the  world,  the  fall  of  man,  the  promife 
of  a  redeemer,  his  coming  into  the  world,  his  miracles,  death,  refurreilion, 
afcenfion  into  heaven,  &c.  which  are  the  foundations  of  the  Chrillian 
Religion.  And  indeed  thefe  are  the  very  matters  of  v/hich  Atheifls  and 
Libertines  require  a  folid  proof. 

And  it  doth  the  more  concern  us  to  fatisfie  their  demands ;  forafmuch 
as  the  Jews,  who  are  fcatter'd  throughout  the  v.'hole  world,  do  oppofe 
our  afTertion,  that  the  promife  of  fending  the  Meiliah  is  already  accom- 
plifh'd,  tho'  they  agree  upon  the  matter  with  us  in  all  other  articles. 
Moreover  the  performing  this  tafk  may  very  much  contribute  to  the  con- 

vcrfion 


222  Reflex  torn  upon  Genefis.  Ch.  II. 

vcrfion  of  a  ?reat  number  of  bad  Chriftians,  whofe  fall  and  continuance 
in  vices,  and^licentioufnefs  is  to  be  afcrib'd  to  their  being  fo  weakly  pcr- 
fwaded  of  the  truth  of  thcTe  Fundamentals,  and  that  becaufe  they  have 
never  confider'd  of  them  with  fufficient  attention. 


CHAP.       II. 

j'hat  the  Christian  Religion  h  founded  upon  Proofs  of  Matter 

of  Fan. 

5{>;;^;;^:>>^ORASMUCH  as  in  order  to  eftablifh  the  truth  of  the  Chrif- 
'^■:.  F  rf:  tian  Religion,  we  confine  our  felves  at  prefent  to  thofe  Proofs 
:§'^-«>;S  which  make  out  the  Matters  of  Fact  it  propofes  ;  omitting  all 
other  arguments,  which  may  evidence  the  truth  of  it,  tho'  poffibly  no 
lefs  convincino; ;  it  is  obvious,  that  the  proofs  we  are  to  produce  in  con- 
firmation of  them,  muft  be  fuch  as  are  proper  to  evince  the  truth  of 
things  long  fmce  paft  and  done. 

If  we  were  treating  of  the  events  of  the  time  we  live  in,  it  might  be 
luftly  required,  that  we  fnould  produce  eye  witnefles  of  them  ;  but  for- 
afmuch  as  the  queftion  here  is  concerning  matters  long  fince  paft,  it  is 
natural  for  us  to  have  recourfe  to  hiftory,  wliich  furnifheth  us  with  the 
relations  of  thofe,  who  were  eye  witnefles  of  the  fame.  This  being  the 
only  way  left  us  to  confirm  our  belief  of  things  at  fo  great  a  diftance  from 
us. 

I  am  beholding  to  hiftory  only  for  the  knowledg  I  have  of  a  Cjrus^  an 
Alexander^  or  a  Ca[ar ;  and  )'et  having  read  the  account  they  give  me 
of  them.,  I  find  them  matters  I  can  no  way  rationally  doubt  of. 

I  acknowledg  that  the  certainty  we  have  of  things  long  fince  paft,  is 
much  inferiour  to  that  which  we  have  of  matters  confirm'd  to  us  by  eye 
witnefles.  Neverthelefs,  becaufe  it  is  evident,  that  the  events  of  ancient 
times  cannot  be  confirm'd,  but  by  proofs  of  this  nature,  it  has  never 
entred  into  the  minds  of  any  to  account  the  exiftence  of  fuch  men  as 
dn'.s  and  Alexander  for  tables,  upon  the  pretence,  that  none  now  alive 
did  ever  fee  them,  or  becaufe  there  are  fcarce  any  traces  left  of  thofe 
empires  of  which  they  were  the  founders. 

Indeed  the  certainty  we  have  of  thefe  things  is  fuch,  as  nothing  can 
be  fuperadded  to  it,  for  tho'  it  be  founded  on  the  authority  of  hiftorians, 
who  liv'd  many  ages  ago,  }et  withal  we  are  to  confider  that  the  matters 
related,  do  not  only  carry  the  idea  of  probability  and  truth  along  with 
them,  but  that  they  are  the  very  ground  and  foundation  of  all  the  hifto- 
i*ies  of  foUoVing  ages  ;  which  cannot  be  queftioned,  if  we  confider  the 
connexion  and  dependance  of  the  things  related,  accoi'ding  to  the  light 
of  fcnfe,  and  the  equity  of  reafon. 

A  Matter 


Ch.  II.  Reflexions  upon  Gemftu  223 

A  Matter  of  Fact  then  is  accounted  certain,  when  it  is  attefted  by 
thofe  who  were  eye  witncfics  of  it,  when  recorded  by  an  hiflorian,  who 
liv'd  amongft  thofe  who  had  perfect  knowledg  of  it ;  when  the  matter  is 
not  gainfaid  or  contradicted  by  any  ;  if  we  find  it  pen'd  at  a  time,  when 
the  things  could  not  be  related  by  any  otherwife  than  indeed  they  were, 
without  expofmg  themfelves  to  publick  derifion :  and  laft  of  all,  when 
the  matter  is  found  to  be  of  that  nature,  as  none  could  be  ignorant  of 
it,  either  becaufe  it  was  the  intereft  of  every  one  to  be  inform'd  of  it, 
or  becaufe  the  thing  was  fo  publick  tliat  it  could  not  be  hid  from  any, 
or  laftly  becaufe  of  its  natural  connexion  with  all  thofe  other  events 
which  neceflarily  depend  on  it. 

To  fpeak  plain  it  is  very  unjuft  to  demand  either  more  proofs,  orfuch 
as  are  of  another  nature,  for  the  confirmation  of  the  truth  of  our  reli- 
gion, than  are  required  to  vcrific  any  other  matters  of  fact.  Why  fnould 
not  the  teftimony  o^ Noah's  children  be  fufficient  to  conclude  there  was 
fuch  a  man  as  Methufalem  in  cafe  they  afTure  us  that  they  have  ken  him? 
Or  why  fhould  not  the  teftimony  of  Methi-Jakm  be  of  credit  enough,  to 
'prove  there  was  fuch  a  man  as  Adam^  if  he  avers  that  he  ix^'  him,  and 
convers'd  v/ith  him  ?  Don't  we  every  day  give  credit  to  the  account 
which  old  men  give  us  of  their  predeceflbrs,  efpecially  when  we  find  that 
what  they  relate  hath  an  exact  reference  and  connexion  with  thofe  things 
we  are  eye  witnefl'es  of. 

But  it  is  an  eafie  thing  to  make  it  appear,  that  the  proofs  which  evi- 
dence the  truth  of  the  matters  which  our  religion  propofeth,  are  infinite- 
ly more  ftrong  and  convincing. 

All  the  circumftances  we  can  imagine  proper  to  evince  the  truth  of 
any  relation,  do  concur  to  place  the  matters  recorded- in  holy  Scripture 
beyond  the  reach  of  doubt  or  uncertainty. 

We  account  the  fingle  teftimony  of  an  hiftorian  a  fufficient  proof  that 
there  was  once  a  very  famous  temple  at  Dclpbos  or  Ephcfu^';  notwith- 
ftanding-that  all  the  monuments  remaining  at  this  day  to  confirm  his  re- 
lation be  very  doubtful  and  defci^ive.  Whereas  I  fhall  make  it  appear 
that  an  entire  nation,  yea  many  nations  do  atteft  the  truth  of  thofe  mat- 
ters which  the  Chriftian  Religion  propofes,  and  that  all  the  actions,  dif- 
courfes,  and  whole  feries  of  events  thereto  relating,  do  furnifti  us  with 
an  infinite  number  of  characters,  which  invincibly  fignalize  the  truth  of 
the  holy  Scriptures. 


CffAP.    III. 


224  Reflexions  upon  Genefif,  Ch.  III. 


CHAP.      III. 

Some  General  Remarks  hi  order  to  ejlahlijh  the  Truth  of  Holy 
Scripture. 

^;C<*SjOR  ASMUCH  as  I  have  undertaken  to  prove  the  truth  of 
C  F  %  the  Matters  of  Fa6l  contain'd  in  our  Religion  from  the  tefti- 
^ii'-^.S  iTiony  of  the  penmen  of  the  Old  and  New  Teftament,  it  will 
be  proper,  in  order  to  the  executing  of  my  dcfign  to  begin  with  a  gene- 
ral proof  of  the  truth  of  the  fiid  books,  which  will  not  be  difficult  if 
one  makes  the  following  remarks. 

The  firft  is.  That  it  appears  from  the  five  books  of  Mofes,  that  he 
wrote  the  hirtory  of  the  creation  of  the  world,  and  of  the  promife  of 
the  MefTiah  j  of  the  deluge,  the  rife  and  pedigree  of  the  fcveral  nations 
of  the  world,  of  the  divifion  of  tongues;  and  in  particular  the  hifto- 
rv  of  the  family  of  Abraham  until  the  entring  of  the  children  of  IJrael 
into  Palejiina  2552  years  after  the  creation  of  the  world. 

The  fecond  is,  That  the  foUov/ing  books,  viz.  of  Jcjhua,  yudges^ 
Ruth,  the  four  books  of  Kins^s,  of  Chronicles,  with  the  books  of  Ezrah 
and  Nehemiah,  are  a  continuation  of  the  faid  hiftory,  from  the  entring 
of  the  feivs  into  Pale/Una,  until  their  re-eftablifhmcnt  in  the  faid  coun- 
try, about  the  year  of  the  world  360c.  Here  we  read  the  conqueft  of 
Palejiina  under  the  conduct  of  Jojhna,  how  it  was  divided  amorkgft  the 
tribes  after  they  had  deftroyed,  drove  out  or  fubdued  the  inhabitants 
thereof;  how  often  they  were  brought  into  bondage  by  the  bordering 
nations,  whofe  rife  and  pretenfions  Mofes  fets  down.  Here  we  have  re- 
corded the  feveral  names  and  actions  of  the  judges,  which  God  from 
time  to  time  raifed  to  the  Ifraelites,  to  reltore  them  to  their  firft  eftatc. 
Here  we  have  an  account  of  the  eftablifliment  of  a  kingly  government 
amongft  them,  which  happened  about  the  year  7909  ;  as  likewife  of  the 
divifion  of  this  people  into  two  kingdomes,  which  for  three  ages  toge- 
ther were  moft  oppofite  in  their  interefts,  and  made  great  wars  againfl 
each  other,  as  well  as  againft  their  neighbouring  ftates.  We  find  here 
the  utter  ruin  of  the  moft  puiflant  of  thefe  two  ftates,  viz.  That  of  Ifrael 
by  the  arms  of  the  kijigs  of  Ajfyria,  about  the  year  of  the  world  3283, 
and  after  that,  the  deftrinflion  of  that  of  Judah,  by  N.-buchudnezar  king 
of  the  Chaldeans,  anno  ?nundi  3416.  And  laft  of  all  we  have  an  account 
of  the  Jews  reftoration  by  Cyrus  king  of  Perfia^  and  the  ftatc  of  x}\tje%vs 
under  his  fucceflbr?. 

The  third  thing  obfervable  i*;.  That  in  the  remaining  books  of  the 
Old  Teftament  wc^  find  feveral  hiftorical  relations  relating  to  both  king- 
domes,  with  feveral  prophecies  relating  to  their  decay  and  reftoration, 
a«  likewife  many  difcourfes  of  morality  and  piety  ;  and  that  all  thefe  re- 
lations and  prophecies  appear  to  have  been  writ  at  fuch  a  time,  and  with 
thofe  clrcumftanccs,  which  have  a  natural  reference  to  what  the  other 
books  recite  to  us,  and  an  cfiential  relation  to  the  books  and  laws  of 
Moj'ts^  which  w€  find  to  be  the  foundation  of  all  thefe  pr-j-hcfics,  rela. 

tions, 


C ft.  III.  Reflexions  upon  Genejis.  22<; 

tions,  and  whatfoever  felfe  we  find  there  concerning  their  government 


or  religion 


The  fourth  is,  That  the  books  of  the  New  Teflament  contain  an  ex- 
atSl  relation  of  the  life  of  Jefus  Chrift,  who  appeared  to  the  world  under 
the  reign  of  Tiberius^  of  the  eftablifhment  of  his  religion  in  the  world 
together  with  fome  difputes  with  the  Jews,  who  refuled  to  own  him  for 
the  Mefliah  promifed  by  the  Prophets  ;  and  lalHy  prophefics  declarino- 
what  in  procefs  of  time  was  to  happen  both  to  the  Jews  and  Chrillian^ 
until  the  end  of  the  world.  Thefe  books  take  the  truth  oi  Mofcs's  wri- 
tings every  where  for  granted,  as  alfo  of  all  the  other  facred  v/ri- 
tings  of  the  Old  Teftament,  both  hiftorical,  prophetical,  and   moral. 

Thefe  four  particulars  do  in  a  manner  give  us  an  intire  idea  of  the 
holy  Scripture  ;  and  we  ihall  fcarcely  ftand  in  need  of  ou^ht  elfe  to  ma- 
nifeft  the  truth  of  thofe  writings,  if  we  confider  thofc  undifputable  mat- 
ters of  faft  I  am  now  to  fpeak  of,  and  will  but  make  fome  very  natural 
Reflexions  upon  them. 

The  firit  is.  That  the  Chriftians,  notwithftanding  their  bein?  divided 
into  feveral  feds  and  parties,  prefently  after  our  Saviour's  time  have 
and  do  ftill,  in  all  places,  every  hrft  day  of  tlie  week,  read  the  books  of 
the  New  l>ftament  tranflated  into  their  refpcclive  lano;uao-es  •  fo  that 
it  appears  abfolutely  impoffible  that  any  fpurious  writinf^s  fhould  have 
been  flipt  in  amongft  them. 

The  fecond  is.  That  as  the  Chriftians  have  had  the  books  of  the  Old 
Teftament  amongft  them  in  Greek  thefe  1600.  years,  fo  the  Heathens 
had  them  in  that  language  300.  years  before,  being  tranflated  by  order 
of  one  of  the  Ptolomfs  kings  of  Egypt^  whither  a  confiderable  party  of 
the  Jews  were  carried,  after  that  Alexander  the  Great  had  conquered  the 
greatcft  part  of  y^r?,  having  overthrown  the  empire  of  P^/yJ^,  to  which 
the  Jews  were  in  fubjeclion. 

^The  third  is.  That  tho'  the  Jews  had  not  all  the  books  of  the  Old 
Teftament  from  the  beginning  of  their  commonwealth,  they  that  fol- 
lowed the  party  of  Jeroboam^  and  formed  the  kingdom  of  Ifracl,  havino- 
only  had  the  five  books  of  Mofes  amongft  them  ;  yet  notwithftanding 
their  irreconcilable  hatred  againft  the  houfe  of  David^  they  have  moft 
religioufly  preferved  the  faid  books  from  anno  mimdi  3030.  in  which  the 
divifions  of  the  two  kingdoms  happen'd,  even  until  this  day. 

The  fourth  and  laft  is,  That  as  the  Jews  every  where  at  this  day 
read  the  books  of  Mofei  and  of  the  Prophets  each  fabbath  day  (which  is 
alfo  obferved  by  the  Samaritanes)  and  the  Chriftians  read  them  every 
firft  day  of  the  week  ;  fo  the  Jews  have  always  continued  to  read  them 
for  a  long  feries  of  ages,  as  efteeming  it  a  great  part  of  the  funaification 
of  the  labbath.  Befides  which  they  alio  folemnly  read  them  every  feventh 
j'ear  in  obedience  to  a  law  of  Mojh^  as  being  one  of  the  principal  parts 
of  their  religion. 

I  fay,  that  the  fole  confideration  of  thefe  matters  of  fact  (which  are 
indifputable)  are  fufficient  to  prove  in  general  the  truth  of  the  books  of 
the  Old  and  New  Teftament. 

Firft  then,  I  affirm,  that  it  is  as  ridiculous  to  maintain,  that  the  books 
of  the  Old  and  New  Teftament,  tranflated  into  fo  many  lanaua'^es 
cited  by  an  infinite  number  of  authors,  and  which  have  been  the^'fuhtedt 

Vol.  I  p  J  ^^ 


226        *  Reflexions  upon  Genejis.  Ch.  III. 

of  various  dlfputes  from  the  very  times  of  the  Apoftles  or  foon  after, 
fhould  be  fuppofititious^  as  to  aver,  that  the  books  of  JujVin'ian^  or  Ala- 
hornets  Alcoran,  have  been  falfly  obtruded  on  the  world  under   their 
names.     I  fpeak  nov^'  only  of  the  books  themfelves,  not  of  the  truth  of 
the  hiitory  they  contain. 

Secondly,  It  is  ridiculous  to  fuppofe,  that  the  books  of  the  Old  Tcf- 
tament  were  forged  fmce  the  time  of  Ptolomy  Philadelphus ;  forafmuch 
as  they  have  been  in  the  hands  of  the  heathens  themfelves  ever  fince  that 
time. 

Thirdly,  It  is  as  inconfiftent  to  fuppofe  them  contrived  fmce  the  time 
of  the  feparation  of  the  ten  tribes  from  Jiidah^  becaufe  we  find  the 
books  oi  Mofes  among  the  Samaritancs,  who  have  preferved  them  ever 
fmce  their  revolt,  without  any  other  change,  but  what  is  incident  to  all 
manufcripts,  that  pafs  through  many  hands. 

I  grant  indeed  that  the  Samaritans  have  none  of  the  other  books  of 
the  Old  Teilament ;  but  this  being  to  be  look'd  upon  only  as  an  efFed 
of  their  departure  from  the  kingdom  of  yiidah^  it  cannot  in  the  leail 
fhake  the  certainty  we  have  of  thofe  books.  For  firft  the  three  other 
tribes  had  them  and  preferv'd  them  with  the  greateft  care,  efteeming 
them  of  Divine  authority.  Secondly,  there  were  alfo  reafons  of  ftate, 
which  made  the  kings  of  Ifraely  not  to  regard  the  divifions  made  by 
yoJJmah  of  the  land  of  Canaati,  nor  the  authority  of  the  priefthood  ;  which 
reafons  of  ftate  (hereafter  mentioned)  where  the  caufe  why  the  ten  tribes 
would  not  allow  the  fame  authority  to  fome  of  thofe  books,  which  were 
written  before  their  revolt,  as  thofe  of  Sa7nucl,  and  the  writings  of  Da- 
vid and  Solomon^  which  they  did  to  the  the  Pentateuch  of  Mcfes.  Moft 
of  the  others  we  know  were  pen'd  fmce  the  divifion  of  the  two  king- 
domes,  and  fo  did  more  particularly  refpecl  the  kingdom  of  Judtjh^  and 
fome  of  them  after  the  carrying  away  of  the  ten  tribes  by  the  Af- 
fyrians. 

Thus  we  fee  the  truth  of  thefe  booke,  and  more  cfpecially  thofe  of 
Mofes  confirmed  till  the  time  of  the  revolt  of  the  ten  tribes,  and  con- 
firm'd  beyond  exception ;  at  leaft  far  beyond  the  certainty  we  can  have 
of  the  truth  of  any  other  book  in  the  world.  It  remains  only  now  to 
examine,  whether  as  to  the  books  of  Mofcs  we  find  not  the  fame  certain- 
ty, when  we  look  back  from  the  departure  of  the  ten  tribes  to  the  time 
of  Mofes.,  that  is  to  fay  whether  there  be  the  leaft  probability,  that  they 
were  foro;cd  in  any  part  of  that  interval  of  about  580  years. 

I  fay  then  in  the  fourth  place,  that  it  is  no  lefs  ridiculous  to  fuppofe 
them  forged  during  that  period.  Firft,  becaufe  it  is  impoilible,  that 
thefe  books  fliould  have  been  forged  in  the  form  we  now  fee  them,  but 
that  the  forgery  muft  have  been  apparent  to  all  the  world.  Nothing 
could  be  more  notorious,  than  whether  the  Jews  did  read  the  law  of 
Mofes  every  fabbath  day  in  all  their  families  or  fynagogues,  and  every 
feventh  year  befides  :  Nothing  was  of  more  eafie  obfervation  than  whe- 
ther they  did  keep  their  three  folemn  feafts,  viz.  That  of  the  paflbver, 
pentecoft,  and  of  tabernacles :  Nothing  could  be  more  apparent  th^t 
whether  the  Jews  did  obey  the  laws  contained  in  the  Pentateuch,  whe- 
ther relating  to  particular  perfons,  to  tribes,  or  their  lands,  and  the 
manner  of  poiTefTrng  of  them.     Indeed  nothing  can  be  imagin'd  more 

abfurd 


Ch.  IV".  Reflexions  upon  Genefts,  li-j 

abfurd  than  to  fuppofe  an  infenfiWe  change  wrought  either  in  the  form 
of  their  civil  government,  or  the  ceremonies  of  their  religion. 

Indeed  it  is  an  unfufFerable  piece  of  boldnefs  to  charge  the  Jews  with 
forging  thefe  books  o{  Mofes^  or  adulterating  of  them  in  this  period  of 
time,  when  it  appears  they  have  kept  them  without  any  alteration  for  the 
fpace  of  2700  years,  as  hath  been  fhewed  already :  If  it  be  faid,  that 
the  Jews  being  divided  into  two  kingdomes,  and  difperfed  into  diftant 
countries,  were  not  in  a  condition  to  forge  or  adulterate  any  of  the  faid 
books,  becaufe  it  might  eafily  have  been  difcovered  j  it  may  be  anfwer- 
ed,  that  the  fame  reafons  took  place  in  this  interval  of  580  years,  for 
from  the  time  o{  Mofes  to  Re.hoboam  they  were  not  only  greatly  divided 
amongft  themfelves,  but  almoft  continually  fubjecl  to  neighbouring 
ftates,  who  fubdued  them  by  turns,  as  we  fee  in  the  book  of  JndTes. 

Moreover  we  are  to  take  notice,  Firft  that  thefe  books  oi  Mofes  are 
the  rife  and  foundation  of  the  laws  and  cuftomes  of  the  heathens  as  well 
as  of  their  fidions,  which  we  fhall  have  occafion  to  point  at  in  the  fequel 
of  this  difcourfe. 

Secondly,  That  the  hiflory  contained  in  the  Pentateuch,  is  evidently 
confirm'd  by  the  following  books  of  JoJJntah  and  Judges^  which  ha\'e  an 
elfential  reference  to  the  fame,  and  contain  a  relation  of  the  publick  ads 
of  many  nations,  atteftcd,  and  acknowledged  by  heathen  authors,  who 
were  the  mortal  enemies  of  the  Jews. 

Thirdly,  '1  hat  the  faid  books  are  fo  clofely  link'd  and  related  to  thofe 
publick  and  known  actions,  that  it  is  impofTible  to  feparate  the  laws  they 
contain  from  the  matters  of  fad  attefted  by  Pagan  hiftory,  or  to  be  ig- 
norant that  the  form  of  the  Jcwilh  government,  was  nothino-  elfe,  but 
an  execution  of  the  laws  contained  in  the  Pentateuch,  which  equally  lays 
down  that  platform  of  their  policy  and  worfhip. 

My  buiiuels  at  prcfent  only  is  to  hint  thefe  general  reflexions  conceriv- 
ing  the  truth  of  the  books  of  the  Old  and  New  Teflament ;  tho'  the 
fequel  will  oblige  me  to  make  fome  more  particular  reflexions  upon  each 
book,  when  I  ihall  come  to  confider  the  feveral  relations  they  contain. 

I  now  come  to  the  matter  in  hand,  beginning  with  the  book  of  Gene- 
fis ;  where  we  find  an  account  of  the  creation  of  the  world,  the  forming 
of  man^  the  fall,  the  promife  of  the  Mefliah,  the  propagation  of  man- 
kind, the  deluge,  with  other  matters  until  the  death  of  Jofeph,  which 
contains  the  hirtory  of  the  world  for  the  fpace  of  2369  years. 


CHAP.       IV. 

That  the  Tcflhmny  «>/MosES  concernhig  the  Creation  of  the  IForhl,  and 
the  Pronafe  of  the  McJJtah^  is  unqueflionable. 

|:«  J  ORASMUCHas  amongft  thofe  matters  which  Mofs  relates 
■^  r  :._^  in  the  book  of  Gejiefis^  that  of  the  Creation  of  the  World  in 
'^^if.J>  feven  days,  and  of  the  Promife  of  the  MeJJiah,  are  fuch  upon 

P  2  which 


228  Reflexions  upon  Genefis.  Ch.  IV. 

which  all  the  reft  do  depend  (as  I  fliall  (hew  hereafter)  it  is  evident, 
that  I  muft  make  it  luy  bufinefs  in  a  fpecial  manner  to  evince  the  truth 
of  the  fame. 

Towards  the  confirmation  of  which  matters  of  fadl,  the  one  of  which 
IS,  that  God  created  a  firft  man  ;  the  other,  that  God  hath  promifed  in 
due  time  to  fend  the  Mejftah  for  redemption  of  mankind  from  the  punifh- 
ment  of  fin,  I  fhall  propofe  thefe  following  remarks. 

Mofes  the  great  law- giver  of  the  yews^  laid  thefe  two  matters  of  fa£l 
as  the  bafis  of  the  laws  he  was  to  publifh ;  and  he  relates  them  to  us,  as 
things  which  were  not  only  known  to  him,  and  fome  others  of  the 
yeivijh  nation,  but  to  all  the  people  of  the  world;  and  particularly  the 
whole  nation  amongft  whom  he  lived. 

To  underftand  the  force  of  this  argument  we  muft  mind  three  things; 
the  firft  is,  the  nature  of  the  matters  themfelves,  the  other  is  the  cha- 
ra6ler  of  him  that  relates  them ;  and  the  third,  the  ufe  Mofes  makes  of 
them. 

For  the  firft,  nothing  was  more  needful  to  be  known  than  thefe  two 
two  things  before  us  j  they  were  matters  which  concern  the  whole  world, 
and  of  which  every  one  ought  to  be  informed  ;  they  are  matters  about 
which  it  is  not  eafie  to  be  deceived,  every  one  being  in  a  condition  to 
fatisfie  himfelf  about  them,  and  of  which  confequently  they  could  not 
but  be  moft  throughly  informed. 

I  dare  maintain  that  there  are  no  fails  in  prophane  hiftory  of  impor- 
tance, coiTiparable  to  thefe  of  the  creation  of  the  world,  and  the  pro- 
mife  of  the  MeJJtah^  as  Mofes  has  related  them. 

2.  And  as  for  the  author  who  relates  thefe  points,  it  is  as  plain  that 
his  character  did  wonderfully  contribute  to  the  making  of  his  book  fa- 
mous. He  was  a  man  illuftrious,  as  well  by  reafon  of  his  education,  as 
the  rank  he  held  amongft  men  ;  a  man  equally  expos'd  to  the  judgment 
of  enemies  and  friends,  and  who  could  not  vent  the  leaft  thing  contrary 
to  truth,  in  matters  of  great  importance,  without  feeing  himfelf  imme- 
diately refuted,  or  rather  without  expofing  himfelf  to  publick  fcorn. 

Belides  I  aver,  and  am  ready  to  maintain,  that  we  find  no  author  of 
fo  illuftrious  a  characler  as  Mofes  was,  or  who  is  diftinguifli'd  with  fo 
many  efiTcntial  marks  of  faithfulnefs  and  veracity,  as  appears  throughout 
the  whole  tenour  of  his  writings. 

3.  This  will  appear  more  evidently  when  we  confider  the  ufe  to  which 
Mofes  defigns  thefe  two  relations  of  the  creation  of  the  world,  and  the 
promife  of  the  Mejfiah. 

In  a  word,  his  defign  was  not  in  furnifiiing  his  books  with  the  recitals 
of  thefe  important  fails  to  engage  others  to  read  them  with  more  atten- 
tion, or  to  get  himfelf  reputation,  by  exciting  a  curiofity  in  people  fof 
his  books.  This  would  not  have  been  becoming  the  gravity  and  wil- 
dom  of  fo  great  a  legillator,  of  whom  all  fucceeding  ages  have  borrowed 
their  laws. 

It  is  apparent,  that  his  end  in  the  recording  of  thefe  matters  was  to 
infpire  with  a  fenfe  of  piety  and  religion,  thofe  who  were  committed  to 
his  charge. 

This  is  that  which  in  general  we  may  obferve  about  thefe  matters ; 
but  more  particularly  it  is  certain,  tliat  Mofes  his  end  in  recording  the 

oracles 


Ch.  IV.  Refiexiom  upon  Genefis,  iin 

oracles  by  which  God  promifed  to  Abraham  the  eftabJifhing  his  pofterity 
in  the  land  of  Canaan^  was  to  reprefent  to  the  Jew^  the  right  they  had  to 
that  land,  according  to  the  defigaand  intent  of  the  Divine  wifdom. 

But  without  making  this  particular  reflexion,  it  is  clear,  that  the  law 
took  its  beginning  at  the  twelfth  of  Exodus^  where  God  prefcribes  to  his 
people  the  manner  of  celebrating  the  pailbver ;  at  leaft  this  is  the  firft 
law  which  God  gave  them  through  the  miniftryof  il^f^/^j- ;  butforafmuch 
as  Mofes  his  end  was  to  juftifie  in  the  minds  of  his  people,  the  defio-n  he 
had  to  make  them  leave  Egypt  as  well  as  their  pretenhons  to  the  land 
of  Canaariy  whither  he  was  to  lead  them  ;  it  was  natural  for  him  to  lay 
before  them  the  ground  of  thofe  pretenfions,  which  he  could  not  do  with- 
out relating  the  whole  feries  of  the  hiftory  until  the  time  of  their  bondage 
in  Egypt,  which  we  read  in  Genejls  \  the  greateft  part  of  which  only 
concerns  the  anceftors  of  that  people,  after  that  Mofes  had  firit  laid  down 
the  grounds  of  religion,  and  that  which  was  known  to  all  nations. 

Let  us  now  imagin  to  our  felves  a  man  endeavouring  all  of  a  fuddain 
to  introduce  into  the  world  the  belief  of  things  fo  far  diltant  from  com- 
mon apprehenllon  as  thefe  two  points  mulT:  needs  be,  viz.  That  of  the 
creation,  and  the  promife  of  Chrift,  in  cafe  we  fuppofe  them  g.nerally 
unknown.  Let  us  yet  further  conceive  a  man  not  only  relating  ihofe 
things,  but  making  them  the  foundation  of  a  new  fort  of  laws  never  be- 
fore heard  of.  Is  there  any  wit,  or  judgment  in  fuch  an  undertaking? 
Can  we  therefore  fuppofe  that  Mofes,  whofe  writings  teftifie  his  great 
wifdom,  fliould  ever  have  entertain'd  fuch  unaccountable  thoughts. 

I  dare  aver  that  there  was  never  any  legiilator  fo  ihipid  and  inconfi- 
derate,  as  to  pretend  to  engage  a  whole  people  to  fubmit  themlelves  to 
the  yoke  of  obedience,  and  to  receive  a  great  number  of  laws  refpe6lino- 
their  civil  government  and  religion,  by  declaring  to  them  two  fiilions, 
of  which  they  had  never  before  had  the  leaft  idea. 

It  is  alfo  very  confiderable,  that  thefe  things  are  not  recited  by  Mofes 
as  a  preface  to  the  Decalogue,  as  if  then  firft  they  had  been  propofed  to 
Alofes,  or  the  people  by  God  ;  but  Alofcs  fets  them  down  as  truths  known 
to  them  all,  and  as  principles,  univerfally  admitted,  and  fuch  as  the 
meer  mentioning  of  them  could  not  but  ftrongly  engage  the  Jews  to  ren- 
der a  ready  obedience  to  the  laws  which  God  gave  to  Mofes  in  their  pre- 
fence  of  the  Divine  authority,  of  which  their  very  feiifes  were  con- 
vinc'd. 

Let  us  alfo  confider  the  nature  of  thofe  things,  the  relation  of  which 
Alofes  has  joined  with  thefe  two  general  points,  to  make  an  imprciHon 
on  the  minds  of  the  Jeius.  Let  us  confider  the  account  he  gives  them 
ol  their  anceftors,  nearer  or  farther  oft',  whom  he  reprefents  as  equally 
inform'd  of  thefe  matters,  as  having  feverally  delivered  the  knowledge 
of  them  to  their  children,  and  having  join'd  to  thefe  firft  truths  of  the 
creation,  and  the  promife  of  a  Saviour,  many  other  notions  thereon  de- 
pending, and  which  tied  their  hopes  and  expectations,  to  the  land  of  Ca- 
naan. And  now  judge  whether  Adofes  were  not  to  be  accufed  of  great 
fjlly  and  fenfelcfnefs,  if  he  had  proceeded  to  make  fuch  a  vaft  people  (all 
ot  the  fudden)  to  receive  for  truths  publickly  and  generally  owned,  what 
indeed  was  nothing  but  the  nioft  ridiculous  :n\  ill  cohering  romance  that 
ever  was  broached, 

P  3  Now 


230  •  Rijicxions  uponGenef^s.  Ch.  IV. 

Now  fmce  as  it  1'?  vifible  (talcing  in  the  circumftances  I  have  hinted) 
that  the  authority  of  i"u:h  an  hiftorian  and  law-giver  as  Alofes  was,  re- 
latin<T  iuch  importent  matters  cannot  be  call'd  in  queftion  ;  it  follows, 
that  the  Atheift  can  have  nothing  to  objedl  againii  his  teftimony  with 
the  leaft  fhadow  or  pretence  of  reafon.  So  that  we  may  already  alfert, 
that  there  is  nothing  better  atteiled  than  the  creation  of  the  world,  and 
the  promife  of  Chrift,  v/hich  are  the  immoveable  foundations  of  the 
Chriftian  Religion. 

Neverthelefs  for  a  more  evident  conviction,  we  arc  willing,  before  we 
draw  this  conclufion,  to  make  it  appear  how  weak  and  inconfidcrahle 
all  thofe  objedlions  are,  which  Atheifts  can  polTibly  frame  againft'what 
Alofes  relates  concerning  thefe  matters.  ^ 

What  can  they  with  reafon  objetSl  ?  Perhaps  they'l  fay,  that  Moja  is 
not  the  author  of  Genefis^  but  that  it  was  foifted  in-under  his  name,  and 
confequently,  that  whatfoever  is  built  upon  the  authority  o^  Mofes  and 
his  evidence,  is  all  without  ground.  Or  they  may  object,  that  \i  Mofes 
be  indeed  the  author  of  Gcnejis^  that  he  lived  at  fuch  a  diftance  of  time 
from  the  things  which  he  relates,  that  it  makes  void  the  authority  of  his 
writings.  They  may  moreover  alledge,  that  Mofes  relates  things  im- 
poflible,  and  of  which  therefore  thofe  that  mentioned  them  before,  the 
things  themfelves  being  fo  long  fince  pall  and  done,  couU  not  be  fully 
inform'd  of,  and  that  they  may  well  be  fuppos'd  greatly  changed  and  al- 
ter'd  by  a  tradition  of  fo  many  ages.  They  may  alfo  alledge,  that  ac- 
cording to  tiie  common  opinion,  Adofes  penn'd  not  thefe  things  as  an  hif- 
torian, but  as  a  prophet ;  and  that  the  apprehenfion  of  moft  concerning 
his  books  are,  that  he  wrote  of  things,  whereof  the  knowledge  be- 
fore his  time,  was  very  obfcure  and  confufe,  or  rather  were  generally 
unknown. 

They  may  obje£l  againft  thefe  relations  of  Alofes,  that  which  the  moft 
ancient  people,  fuch  as  the  /Egyptians^  Chaldeans^  and  Ch'niefe^  alledge 
for  their  antiquity,  which  far  furpafleth  the  date  of  the  world'  according 
to  Alofs. 

Thefe  are  the  principal  ways  to  aflault  the  truths  which  Alofes  relates, 
either  by  maintaining  with  the  Atheifts  on  one  hand,  that  the  things 
v/hich  Alofes  relates,  are  indeed  mentioned  by  other  authors,  but  that 
they  forged  them  themfelves  ;  or  that  Alofes  being  an  able  and  refin'd  po- 
litician defign'd  by  creating  a  belief  of  thefe  matters  in  the  yews,  to 
make  them  more  fubmifHve  and  obedient  to  him. 

In  a  word,  it  may  be  (aid,  that  fuppofmg  the  book  o{  Genefis  to  be  y^'ut 
by  Alofes,  it  was  an  eafie  matter  for  him  to  dictate  whatfoever  he  pleafed  to 
a  people  who  were  under  a  law  that  made  it  capital  to  call  in  queftioa 
the  truth  of  his  relations,  or  the  authority  of  his  laws. 

This  certainly  is  the  fartheft,  to  which  the  height  of  obftinacy  can 
carry  this  matter,  and  the  very  laft  refuge  of  the  ftrongeil  prejudice. 
But  it  is  an  eafie  matter  to  confound  the  Atheifts  and  Libertines  in  every 
one  of  thefe  articles,  and  to  {hew  that  all  their  objeftions  do  in  eftect 
ferve  for  nothing  elfe  but  to  make  a  more  lively  impreflion  of  this  argu- 
ment taken  from  matter  of  fad,  which  I  have  undertaken  to  fet  forth 
in  a  full  and  clear  light. 

CHAP.  V. 


Ch.  V,  Rejiixiom  upon  Genejis,  43^ 

CHAP.      V. 

That  Moses  h  the  Author  of  the  Book  o/Geuesis. 

^3C('<?f^  SHALL  in  the  fequel  of  this  difcourfe  make  it  appear,  that 
^:  I  ^  we  cannot  with  reafon,  contefi:  the  authority  of  a  tradition 
i^}*?'ift"c-3  which  hath  thofe  charafters  which  we  find  in  the  relations  con 
tain'd  in  the  book  of  G£';zW;j.-  the  only  thing  that  can  be  queftion'd  in 
this  matter  is,  whether  Mofes  the  great  captain  of  the  Ifraelitesy  and 
founder  of  their  common-wealth,  be  the  author  of  it.  This  therefore 
is  the  thing  which  we  ought  folidly  to  evince. 

Tho'  it  feems  that  we  might  difpenfe  v/ith  this  trouble  :  forafmuch  as 
it  is  eafie  to  fhew,  that  the  greateft  part  of  the  mofl:  confiderable  events, 
which  are  recorded  in  the  book  of  Genefu^  were  generally  believed  by 
others,  as  well  as  the  Jews. 

At  leaft  it  muft  be  granted,  that  thefe  matters  have  given  occafion  to 
moft  of  their  fables,  viz.  To  that  of  the  chaos,  to  that  of  the  marriage 
of  Peleus  and  Thetis,  for  the  forming  of  man  to  that  of  PrometheuSy  to 
that  o^yupiters,  continued  laughter  for  the  feven  firfl:  days  of  his  life, 
which  they  look'd  upon  as  the  original  of  the  folemnity  of  the  feventh 
day,  known  amongft  the  heathens  j  to  that  of  the  golden  age,  and  of 
the  deluge  ;  to  the  name  of  Deucalion,  to  the  fable  of  yanus,  to  that  of 
tiie  divifion  of  the  world  amongft  Saturn's,  fons,  to  the  name  of  yupitcr 
Hammon,  to  the  fable  of  the  Titans,  and  of  the  changing  of  women  Into 
ftatues  of  ftone  ;  to  the  ftories  of  the  inceft  the  gods  committed  with 
their  daughters ;  to  that  of  the  firing  of  the  world  by  Phaeton ;  and  to 
a  great-number  of  other  fictions,  which  cannot  be  otherwife  explained, 
as  the  learned  have  fhewn  at  large. 

Whofoever  was  the  author  of  Gcnefis,  whether  Mofes  or  another,  fure 
it  is  that  he  was  exadly  inform'd  of  the  matters  he  relates,  and  that  he 
lived  foon  after  yofeph. 

Firft  then  I  fay,  that  it  appears  he  was  fully  inform'd  of  thofe  matters 
of  which  he  treats  ;  he  fets  down  the  names  of  the  heads  or  fathers  of 
the  feveral  nations  of  the  world,  and  does  it  fo,  that  what  he  faith  doth 
very  well  agree  with  what  the  moft  ancient  hiftorians  have  left  us  con- 
cerning that  matter :  he  fpeaks  of  thefe  nations,  of  the  countreys  they 
poffeft,  and  their  kings,  as  of  things  he  was  perfectly  inform'd  of:  he 
very  carefully  diftinguifties  the  original  of  thefe  feveral  nations  ;  and  the 
fame  being  at  that  time  commonly  known,  no  hiftorian  could  reprefent 
them  otherwife  than  they  were,  without  expofing  himfelf  to  the 
laughter  of  all  by  endeavouring  to  mix  fables  with  relations  of  this 
nature. 

In  the  fecond  pl^ce,  I  fay,  that  this  book  was  vfx\t  by  a  man  that  lived 
foon  after  yofeph :  he  fpeaks  very  exadly  of  what  yofph  did  in  his  place 
of  chief  minifter  to  Pharaoh -y  in  particular,  he  fets  down  the  firft  ori- 
ginal of  the  fifth  penny  which  the  Egyptians  fo  many  ages  after,  conti- 
nued to  pay  to  their  kings,  being  a  thing  which  no  Egyptian  could  be  ig- 
norant of. 

P4  And 


232  Reflexions  upon  Genejts,  Ch.  V. 

And  laftly,  it  is  vifible,  that  this  book  ferves  for  an  introduclion  to 
Exodus,  and  the  following  books,  which  have  no  other  foundation,  but 
the  truth  of  thofe  things  which  are  related  to  us  there ;  and  do  through- 
out allude  and  refer  to  the  feveral  paflages  of  it ;  and  that  all  matters 
of  religion  and  worfhip,  contained  in  them,  are  founded  upon  the  truth 
of  the  creation,  and  the  promife  of  ^c  Mejftah^  which  wc  find  in  Gene- 
fis ;  and  upon  the  truth  of  all  thofe  other  fuccceding  matters  of  fact, 
until  the  coming  of  the  children  of  Ifracl  into  Egyfty  when  Jofepb  was 
chief  fiivourite,  and  minifter  of  Pharaoh. 

But  we  have  yet  a  more  eafy  way  to  make  out  that  Mofes^  whofe 
hiftory  is  contain'd  in  Exodus^  and  the  following  books,  is  the  author  of 
Genefis, 

For  firfl:,  it  cannot  be  deny'd,  that  the  heathens  themfelves  have  ac- 
knowledged Mcjes  for  the  moil:  antient  law-giver  ;  for  this,  we  have  the 
teftimonies  oi Plato,  Polemiis,  Artapanus^Pythagoras^Theopompus^zndiDio- 
doriis  Sicidus,  who  places  Mofes  in  the  front  of  fix  of  the  moft  antient 
law-givers  thus ;  AI:fes,  Sauchnis,  Sefonchofis,  Bachoris,  Amafis,  and  Darius 
father  of  Xerxes. 

But  turther,  if  when  the  Lacedemonians  tell  us  of  the  laws  of  their 
lavv-givcr  Lycurgus  ;  and  the  Athenians  of  thofe  of  their  Solon^  we  think 
our  felves  oblig'd  to  believe  them  ;  becaufe  naturally  every  nation  is  fup- 
pos'd  to  be  a  faithful  depofitary  of  the  lav/s  of  him  Avho  firil  founded  their 
government ;  yea,  if  we  do  not  in  the  leaft  doubt  of  thefe  relations, 
though  there  be  no  people  at  this  day,  who  live  according  to  the  laws  of 
LycurguSj  or  Solon  ;  can  any  valuable  reafon  be  imagined,  for  us  to  doubt, 
whether  Alcfcs  wrote  the  book  of  Gencfis,  when  an  entire  nation  have 
conftantly  averr'd,  that  he  did  fo  ?  I  fay,  when  all  the  Je^vs.,  who  con- 
tinue at  this  day,  do  in  all  places,  where  they  are  fcattcr'd  throughout 
the  world  equally,  and  with  one  confent,  maintain,  that  they  received 
this  book  from  him,  together  with  the  laws  and  worfliip  therein  con- 
tain'd ?  Nay,  when  it  is  notorious,  that  many  of  them  have  fuffer'd 
martyrdom  in  confirmation  of  this  truth  ? 

I  omit  now  to  mention  the  confent  of  the  Chriflians,  who  tho'  they 
be  not  defcended  of  Abraham,  and  do  not  obferve  the  greateil  part  of 
the  laws  of  Mofes,  yet  dp  not  ceafe  highly  to  defend  this  truth  through- 
out the  world,  the  Gofpel  in  their  fenle  being  nothing  elfe,  but  the  lite- 
ral accomplifnment  of  that  promife,  The  feed  of  the  woman,  fhall  hruife  the 
heed  of  the  fcrpcnt.  I  fliall  fnew  in  the  fequel  of  thefe  my  Reflexions, 
with  how  much  juftice  they  allent  to  this  truth  ;  but  at  prefent  I  tie  my 
felf  only  to  the  teilimonies  of  the  Jews^  and  that  which  confirms  Oie 
authority  thereof. 


CHAP.   VL 


Ch.  VI,  Reficxlons  upon  Genefn.  233 

CHAP.      VI. 

That  the  Book  ^Genesis  could  not  be  forged  under  the  name  ^/'MosEs. 

f^'^.^:^^  SHOULD  never  have  done,  fhould  I  go  about  to  fet  down 
^  I  S  all  the  obfervations  which  might  be  made  in  comparing  this 
^'jft^-ft^c:?  book  of  Genefis^  with  other  hillories,  commonly  known  to  the 
world  ;  and  whofe  faithfulnefs  is  unqueftionable.  Witliout  entring  upon 
this  comparifon,  we  may  boldly  alFert,  that  there  is  no  hiftory  in  the 
world,  whofe  author  we  can  be  fo  furc  of,  as  that  Ahfes  was  the  pen 
man  of  Genefis. 

But  I  go  further,  and  aflert,  that  the  Jews  could  not  be  miftaken  ia 
the  tcftimonies  they  give  to  this  truth,  which  I  prove  by  thefe  two  re- 
marks. 

The  firft  is.  That  their  obfcr\ations  both  civil  and  religious,  are  at 
this  day  founded  upon  no  other  principles,  than  thofe  which  we  find  in 
Genefis :  As  for  inltancc,  they  compute  the  beginning  of  their  day  from 
the  preceding  evening  i  they  keep  the  fabbath,  they  obferve  circumci- 
fion,  they  abltain  from  eating  the  mufcle  which  is  in  the  hollov/  of  the 
thigh,  ISc.  The  obfervation  of  which  laws  is  indeed  prefcrib'd  to  them 
in  the  other  books  of  uVIof>s,  but  the  occafion  and  ground  of  them  all,  is 
no  where  to  be  found  but  in  Ge>ufs,  to  which  all  thefe  laws  have  a  natu- 
ral relation. 

The  lecond  is,  That  the  book  of  Genefs,  taking  for  granted,  that  the 
poftcrity  of  Jh-uba/n,  as  well  as  his  anceftors,  had  always  oblervM  the 
labbath  and  circumcifion  j  ajid  the  books  oi  Alofes^  ordering  the  fame  to 
be  conftantly  read  in  every  family,  to  which  the  fabbath  day  was  more 
peculiarly  appropriated,  and  the  whole  to  be  read  over  every  feventh 
year,  as  we  know  the  J'ews  practice  was  according  to  the  law  of  Moje$\ 
the  firft  of  which  injunctions  they  pradlice  {till  in  all  places,  and  have 
left  off  the  other,  only  becaufe  they  cannot  do  it  now  they  are  out  of 
their  own  land  :  I  fay,  fuppofmg  all  this,  it  is  abfolutcly  impofTible, 
that  any  other  than  'Mofa^  could  have  made  this  book  to  be  re- 
ceived. 

The  forgery  at  the  beginning,  would  have  been  palpable,  even  to 
children  themfelves  :  as  for  example,  let  us  fuppofe  that  Solomon  had 
form'd  a  defign  of  deceiving  the  people,  in  publifliing  the  book  of  Gene- 
fis, lor  a  book  of  ./|/^o- J  Is  it  poflible  he  fliould  fo  far  impofe  on  his 
people,  as  to  make  them  to  receive  the  faid  book  all  at  once,  as  that 
which  had  been  conftantly  read  in  their  families  every  feventh  day,  and 
year,  and  that  for  600  years  before  his  time  ?  and  therefore,  as  a  book 
that  had  been  fo  long  in  all  their  families,  tho'  indeed  it  was  never  heard 
of  by  them  before  that  time. 

If  an  impoltor  can  create  a  belief  in  others,  that  he  hath  fome  fecret 
communication  with  the  Deity;  thofe  who  arc  thus  perfv/aded  by  him, 
will  eafily  fuhmit  themfelves  to  his  laws;  but  it  is  abfolutely  impofTible, 
that  a  whole  people  fliould  all  at  once  forget  whatfocvcr  they  have  Icarn'd, 

0: 


234  Refiexiofis  upon  Genefis.  Ch.  VI. 

or  heard  of  their  parents  or  fore-fathers,  and  inftead  thereof,  admit  of 
talcs  forged  at  pleafure. 

Some  nations  have  been  fo  ridiculous,  to  derive  themfelves  from  a  fa- 
bulous original,  but  they  never  fell  into  fuch  miftakes  about  thofe 
things  which  vi'ere  at  no  great  diftance  from  the  time  in  which  they 
lived. 

Befides,  we  know  that  thefe  fabulous  originals  never  made  fo  lively 
an  imprefiion  upon  the  minds  of  a  whole  nation,  efpecially  the  learned 
amongft  them,  as  generally  to  be  believed ;  but  we  rather  find,  that 
they  have  endeavoured  to  reconcile  them  to  truth,  by  fhewing  fomething 
elfe  was  hinted  thereby,  as  we  may  fee  by  the  explication  the  heathens 
themfelves  have  given  us  of  all  their  fables,  and  utterly  rejected  thofe 
which  they  could  not  reconcile  to  good  fenfe. 

But  in  this  cafe  we  find  a  whole  nation  to  this  very  day  main- 
taining all  the  matters  of  fact  related  in  Genejis^  and  in  particular, 
that  of  the  creation,  as  of  matters  whofe  memorial  they  have  cou- 
ftantly  celebrated  every  feventh  day,  fince  the  time  they  firft  hap- 
pened. 

Laftly,  It  cannot  be  deny'd,  but  that  this  book  was  conftantly  ufed  to 
be  read  amongft  the  jfews,  efpecially  on  the  fabbath  day,  and  that  under 
the  name  of  Alcfes :  for  inftance,  fince  the  time  of  Jefus  Chrift,  or  fince 
that  of  David.  Neiilier  can  it  be  denied,  but  this  conftant  reading  was 
obferv'd  by  virtue  of  a  law  contain'd  in  the  faid  book  :  Now  if  this  law 
has  always  been  in  this  book  from  the  firft  appearing  of  it,  which  can- 
not be  queftion'd  ;  how  was  it  poflible  to  forge  and  foift  in  this  book 
under  the  name  of  Mops  the  founder  of  the  "JewiP)  government.  I  fay, 
this  book,  which  befides  all  this,  contains  fuch  extraordinary  matters, 
and  is  the  very  foundation  of  all  their  religion. 

I  will  not  repeat  here  what  I  mention'd  in  the  third  chapter,  to  make 
the  vanity  of  thofe  men  appear,  who  imagine  the  book  of  Genefis^  and 
the  four  that  follow  it,  might  have  been  forged  by  others,  under  Alojes 
his  nanie  :  yet  I  think  I  ought,  before  I  proceed  further,  to  remove  a 
feeming  difiiculty,  which  is  often  alledg'd  by  this  fort  of  people  ;  for  fay 
they,  it  cannot  be,  that  thefe  books  were  ever  read,  with  that  care  and 
conftancy  we  fpeak  of,  becaufe  a  time  can  be  pointed  at,  wherein  the 
faid  book  was  wholly  unknov/n  in  the  kingdom  of  "Judah  j  and  indeed, 
the  hiftcry  plainly  informs  us,  that  the  book  of  the  law  was  found  again 
in  the  reign  of  "Joftas^  from  v/hence  they  infer,  that  if  it  were  then  un- 
known, it  might  as  well  be  forged. 

But  indeed,  they  may  conclude  from  hence,  that  which  willingly  we 
allow  them.,  that  there  was  a  time  wherein  ungodlinefs  did  prevail,  and 
idolatry  was  publickly  eftablilh'd  in  the  kingdom  of  Judah  it  felf,  yet 
can  they  not  from  this  inftance  draw  any  other  confequence  which  might 
fupport  their  prctenfions. 

They  muft  needs  acknowledge  firft,  that  the  books  oi  Mofes  were  not 
only  amongft  the  three  tribes,  but  alfo  amongft  the  ten,  fince  the  time 
of  their  revolt  under  Rehohoam ;  that  they  who  were  carried  by  Salma- 
najfar,  into  the  land  of  Jjjyria,  had  the  faid  books  amongft  them,  as 
well  as  thofe  of  the  ten  tribes,  who  were  left  in  their  own  countrey. 
Thus  we  fee,  that  when  the  king  of  4lfyria  fent  fome  of  the  priefts  of 

Sarnaria 


Ch.  VI.  Reflexions  upon  GeneJIs.  2'' 5 

Samaria  to  iaftru£t  the  colony  which  he  had  fetled  in  their  countrey,  in 
the  law  of  God  ;  it  is  not  faid,  that  thofe  priefh  went  to  borrow  the  law 
of  Mofes  from  them  of  Jiidah,  nor  that  the  faid  laws  was  altogether  un- 
known in  that  countrey ;  but  only  that  they  had  formerly  violated  the 
law  of  God,  in  ferving  itrange  Gods,  as  they  Itill  did,  but  that  withal, 
they  kept  the  law  of  God,  which  to  this  day  is  yet  found  among  their 
pofterity. 

Secondly,  It  is  evident  that  tho'  the  wickedncfs  and  violence  of  Ma~ 
najfeh,  caufeda  great  change  in  matters  of  religion,  yet  not  fo  great,  but 
that  his  fubjects  notwithftanding,  had  ftill  the  books  of  A'lofes  amongft 
them  ;  the  blood  which  he  (hed  in  'Jcrtifale?/!^  was  an  evident  fign,  that 
there  were  fome  godly  men  left  amongft  them,  who  continued  true  to 
their  religion,  and  obferved  the  laws  of  God.  Befides,  if  we  confider 
his  repentance,  we  muft  conclude,  that  towards  the  end  of  his  rei'^n, 
he  did  in  fome  degree,  re-eftabli(h  the  purity  of  that  religion  he  had  be- 
fore prophaned,  a  main  part  of  which,  was  the  expounding  and  readino- 
of  the  books  of  Mofes^  according  to  thofe  laws  before  mention'd. 

In  the  third  place  it  is  vifible,  that  the  reafon  why  Hilkiah^  havi no- 
found  the  book  of  the  law  in  the  temple  as  they  were  cleanfing  and  re- 
pairing it,  fent  the  fame  to  'Jof.ah^  was  not  becaufc  there  was  no  other 
fuch  book  left  in  'Judiu\  but  becaufe  the  faid  book  being  written  by  the 
hand  o{  Alofes  himfelf,  there  feem'd  to  be  fomething  very  extraordinary 
in  the  finding  of  it  at  that  very  time,  when  they  were  endeavourin*^  a 
reformation  ;  and  it  was  this  circumftance  which  did  in  a  more  parti- 
cular manner  excite  the  zeal  of  this  good  prince.  And  indeed,  if  wc 
fuppofc  that  J'jjiiih  had  never  before  {c.<:i\  tlic  book  of  the  law,  how  could 
he  have  apply'd  himfelf  to  the  reforming  of  his  countrey,  his  people,  and 
the  templv,  in  the  manner  which  is  recorded  in  the  book  of  Kino-s  ? 
How  could  a  fufficient  number  of  copies  of  it  be  difpcrfcd  over  all  his 
kingdom  in  an  inftant,  to  inform  the  people  about  the  ceremonials  of  the 
paflbver,  v/hich  foon  after  was  fo  folenvnly  celebrated  by  them  ?  Or 
how  is  it  polTible,  that  the  Le-vites,  the  priefls,  and  people,  could  havtt 
been  all  of  the  fuddain  inftruclcd  in  all  the  points  to  be  obferved  in  the 
performing  of  that  holy  folcmnity. 

It  is  apparent,  that  the  facred  Hiftorian  did  for  no  other  reafon  take 
notice  of  this  circumftance,  that  the  book  found,  was  of  AIops  own  hand 
writing,  but  to  make  it  appear,  diat  their  devout  rcfpcd  for  this  book, 
was  not  wholly  ftiflcd,  as  having  been  by  them  carefully  hid  from  the 
fury  of  their  idolatrous  kings,  and  laid  up»  in  fome  fccret  place  of  the 
temple,  where  now  they  had  fo  happily  found  it  again. 

Over  and  above  what  hath  been  faid  already,  we  are  to  obfcrve,  that 
how  great  foever  the  wickednefs  of  the  kings  of  Judu  and  /frae/  was,  as 
well  as  that  of  their  fubjecls,  yet  the  fame  generally  confifted  in  nothing 
clfc,  but  the  imitation  of  the  worfhip  of  their  neighbour  nations,  as  to 
fome  particulars,  which  tho'  they  were  forbid  byl:he  law,  yet  they  left 
the  far  greater  part  of  their  religion  in  full  force.  This  we  have  an  in- 
ftance  of  in  the  time  of  Jhab^  where  we  find  Elijah  reproaching  the  If- 
raelih's  with  the  monftrous  alliance  they  had  made  betwixt  thc^worlhip 
of  God,  and  that  of  ^^.7/,  which  queen  Jcfakl  h^d  introduc'd. 

All 


236  Reflexions  upon  Genejis.  Ch.  VI. 

All  this  clearly  proves,  that  the  book  of  Genefts,  which  is  the  firfl:  of 
the  books  of  Mofes^  was  never  forged  under  his  name,  fincc  it  was  always 
owned  as  the  writing  of  that  famous  author,  and  is  ftill  fo  acknowledged 
by  the  yens  at  this  day. 


CHAP.      VII. 

That  it  appears  from  Gekesis,  that  the  Sabbath  was  conjiantly  olferved 
from  the  Beginning  of  the  World  untii  Moses. 

fy^."^.'^  H  E  other  objcclion  of  the  Atheifls  (fuppofmg  that  Mofes  was 
"S'  ^  ^  *^^  author  of  Gene/is,  as  we  have  now  proved)  is  this,  that  it 
i^J;^;^;^  fecms  abfurd  to  give  credit  to  the  relations  of  a  perfon  who 
lived  fo  many  ages  diftant  from  the  things  he  recites.  To  anfwer  this 
objcclion  we  muit  firft  of  all  declare  to  them,  by  what  means  the  memory 
of  the  fail  which  Afofes  relates  v/as  prefcrv'd  fo  lively  and  entire,  as  to 
give  Mofs  fo  diilind  a  knowledge  of  them,  and  that  it  was  not  in  his 
power  to  forge  or  add  any  thing  of  his  own,  it  being  a  thing  known  to 
the  whole  world,  as  well  as  himfelf. 

There  is  no  way  whereby  we  can  more  folidly  evince,  that  it  is  im- 
pofTible  the  creation  of  the  v/orld  jQiouid  be  forged  by  Mofes,  than  by 
making  it  appear,  that  the  law  of  the  fabbath  hath  a  natural  relation  to 
the  creation  of  the  world,  and  that  it  hath  been  always  conftantly  obfen'ed 
from  that  time  until  Mofes.  The  fame  alfo  will  help  us  clearly  to  con- 
ceive after  what  manner  the  memory  of  the  promife  of  the  Mejfiah  hath 
been  preferv'd  fo  diftincl  amongft  thofe  that  lived  fmce  the  creation  until 
Mcfcs.  We  are  no  fooner  inform'd  that  the  fabbath  is  a  folemn  day, 
ordain'd  at  firft  to  celebrate  and  perpetuate  the  memory  of  the  creation, 
but  we  judge  it  impoffible,  that  fo  important  an  event  commemorated 
every  feventh  day,  by  vertue  of  a  Divine  law,  fhould  be  an  impofture. 
But  forafmuch  as  this  impoffibility  is  grounded  on  thefe  two  proportions ; 
the  one,  that  God  gave  this  law  of  the  fabbath  to  the  firft  man  ;  the 
other,  that  the  fame  was  obferved  by  his  pofterity  ever  fince,  till  the  time 
oi  Mofes -^  and  that  God  only  renew'd  it  in  the  law  given  from  mount 
Sitiai :  thefe  are  the  truths  I  am  now  to  clear,  and  it  is  of  more  impor- 
tance to  be  proved,  becaufe,  tho'  the  generality  of  authors,  ancient  and 
modern,  Jeii-s  as  well  as  Chri/iians^  are  of  this  opinion,  yet  there  are 
fome  of  the  Chriftian  fathers,  who  feem  to  deny  that  the  fabbath  was 
ever  obferv'd  by  the  Patriarchs.  But  it  will  be  an  eafie  matter  to  prove 
from  Mofs,  that  the  antiquity  of  the  fabbath  is  fuch  as  I  afTert,  and  at 
the  fame  time  to  demonftrat'e  the  truth  of  the  creation,  as  well  as  of 
the  promife  of  the  Mef[iah,  which  in  a  manner  immediately  follow'd 
it.  '^ 

Mofes  in  the  fecond  chapter  of  Genefis,  exprefles  himfelf  thus  :  And 
Qod  blejfed  the  feventh  day  andfanSfified  it,  becaufe  that  in  it,  he  had  rejled 

frorn. 


Ch.  Vli.  Reflexions  upon  GeneJJs.  237 

from  all  his  wori,  which  he  had  created  (a) :  which  words  clearly  evince 
a  folemn  confecration  of  the  feventh  day  to  God's  fervice,  by  its  being 
made  a  commemoration  of  his  finifhing  the  creation  of  the  heavens  and 

the  earth.  r  n^r  r    ■      u-      i 

But  becaufe  it  may  be  faid,  that  the  intent  o\  Mojes  m  this  place  was 
only  to  fet  down  the  reafon  why  God  fet  apart  this  day,  of  all  others, 
to  his  fervice,  by  the  law  at  mount  Sinai^  we  arc  to  take  notice,  that 
this  appointment  was  made  for  man's  fake  already  placed  in  the  garden 
of  Eden.  This  we  may  gather  from  the  order  Mofes  obferves.  For  he 
fets  down  firft  the  formation  of  man  on  the  fixth  day,  and  his  being  plac'd 
in  Paradifc,  which  he  gives  a  more  particular  account  of  in  the  fecond 
chapter,  and  after  thefe,  he  relates  God's  refting  from  his  works,  and 
the  confecration  of  the  fabbath  with  the  reafon  of  that  law  which  he  im- 
pos'd  on  man  ;  and  then  adds,  T^hcfe  are  the  generations  cf  the  heavens  and 
of  the  earthy  when  thcyzuere  created,  in  the  day  that  the  Lord  God  made  the 
heaven  andthe  earth.  All  that  precedes  thefe  words,  is  only  a  relation  of 
what  pafs'd  in  the  feven  firft  days,  and  that  which  Mofes  fets  down  con- 
cerning God's  blefTing  of  the  feventh  day,  and  his  confecrating  it,  ought 
as  well  to  be  accounted  a  law  appointing  the  feventh  day  for  his  fervice, 
as  thofe  other  bleflings,  given  to  the  creatures  according  to  their  kinds, 
^e  acknowledged  a's  inviolable  laws  of  God,  by  virtue  whereof  they 
fubfift,  and  are'perpetuated  each  according  to  their  kind,  by  the  way  of 
generation. 

In  the  fecond  place,  it  is  very  remarkable,  that  the  Patriarchs,  main- 
tain'd  a  publick  worfhip,  at  leaft  fince  the  time  of  Seth  ;  which  it  was 
neceflary  (hould  be  determined  to  fome  certain  day ;  and  fince  we  find, 
that  even  at  this  time  they  diftinguifti'd  between  hearts  clean  and  unclean, 
with  refpeft  to  their  facri'fices  (which  they  could  not  do  but  from  reve- 
lation) we  have  much  more  reafon  to  conclude,  that  God  had  fet  apart 
a  time  for  his  own  worftiip  and  fervice. 

And  indeed,  there  are  manv  evident  figns,  that  even  then  the  7  day 
was  obferved  (h).  I  will  not' here  peremptorily  aflcrt  that  antient  tra- 
dition of  the  Jews^  which  tells  us,  that  the  ninety  fecond  Pfalm,  whofe 
title  is  a  Pfalm  for  the  Sabbath,  was  made  by  Jdam  himfelf,  who  was 
made  on  the  evening  of  the  fabbath  :  but  this  I  dare  afTcrt,  that  it  is  ap- 
parent, that  what  we  read  in  the  eighth  chapter  of  Genefs  {c)  about  the 
deluge,  doth  refer  to  this  cuftom,  where  we  find  Noah  (ending  forth  the 
dove  and  the  raven  on  the  feventh  day,  which  plainly  hints  to  us  his  ob- 
ferving  of  that  dayj  for  it  feems,  that  M'oah  having,  in  an  cfpecial  man- 
ner, on  that  folemn  day,  implored  the  afliftance  of  God  in  the  afiembly 
of  his  family,  he  expecSted  a  particular  bleffing  from  it. 

And  we  cannot  but  make  fome  reflexion  on  that  which  we  read  in  the 
XXIX  of  Genefs  concerning  the  term  of  a  week  fet  apart  to  the  nuptials 
of  Leah,  where  at  the  twenty  feventh  verfe  Laban  thus  cxprelFes  him- 
felf. Fulfil  her  week,  and  we  will  give  thee  this  alfo,  for  the  fervice  which 
thou  flmlt  ferve  with  me  yet  feven  other  years  (d).  This  week  here  doth  fo 
plainly  fignifie  a  week  of  days  that  it  cannot  be  more  naturally  exprefs 'J ; 
and  indeed,  all  generally  underftand  by  this  week  of  the  marriage  fcaft 

CaJ  Gen.  ii.  3.  ^ij  Kir^chi  Pra-fat.  in  P/almos. 

(c)  Gen.  viii.  10.  12.  (d)  Gen.  xxix.  27. 


238  Reflexions  upon  Genef.s.  Ch.  VII, 

of  Leah,  that  term  of  time  which  in  fucceding  ages  hath  been  cuftomary 
to  allot  to  nuptial  feftivals,  as  appears  from  the  book  oi  Ejiher,  where 
the  wedding  feaft  of  Fajihi  lafted  feven  days,  this  term  of  feven  days,  ha- 
ving fo  long  fmce  been  confecrated  to  nuptial  rejoycings. 

The  fame  we  may  alfo  gather  from  the  time  which  was  ordinarily 
allotted  to  mourning  for  the  dead,  to  which  we  find  the  Patriarchs  allot- 
ted a  term  proportion'd  to  that  of  their  rejoicing.  For  as  we  fee  that 
the  Egyptians  mourned  ten  weeks  for  Jacob,  becaufe  of  his  quality,  as 
beino-  the  father  of  Jofeph,  fo  we  find  that  Jofeph,  and  thofe  that  accom- 
panied him,  mourned  feven  days  at  his  enterment  in  the  land  of  Canaan: 
and  as  we  find,  that  this  cuftom  was  perpetually  afterwards  obferv'd  by 
the  Jeivs,  as  appears  from  EcclefiajVicus  XXII.  12.  fo  like  wife  we  find 
the  fame  obferved  by  the  Ajiaticks,  as  may  be  feen  in  the  hiftory  oi  Am- 
mianus  Marcellinus,  at  the  beginning  of  his  nineteenth  book,  and  from 
tliem  it  pafled  to  the  Chriftians,  as  we  find  in  St.  Jmbrofe  (e). 

Thirdly,  It  appears  from  Exod.  VII.  25.  that  God  obferved  feven 
days  ( /')  after  he  had  fmote  the  river  to  change  the  waters  thereof  into 
blood  ;  from  whence  the  Jews  conclude,  that  the  three  plagues,  viz. 
that  of  blood,  of  frogs,  and  of  lice,  abode  on  the  land  of  Egypt  fix  days, 
and  were  withdrawn  on  the  feventh,  which  is  the  fabbath. 

We  may  alfo  gather,  if  we  calculate  the  time  exaclly,  that  the  Jews 
in  Egypt  obferved  the  fabbath.  We  find  from  the  hiftory  of  their  depar- 
ture out  of  Egypt,  that  the  fame  happened  on  a  Thurfday,  being  the  fif- 
teenth of  the  month  Nijan,  and  the  day  in  which  they  fung  thofe  hymns 
of  deliverance,  was  the  fabbath  which  God  had  particularly  fet  apart  for 
this  week. 

It  is  alfo  evident  from  Exod,  XVI.  that  the  keeping  of  the  fabbath 
was  obferv'd  by  the  Ifraelites,  before  the  law  was  given  on  mount  Si7iai, 
For  we  find  God  fp'^eaking  there  concerning  the  fabbath,  not  as  of  a 
thing  newly  infiituted,  but  as  of  an  antient  law,  which  they  were  not 
to  tranfgrefs  by  gathering  the  manna  on  that  day  ;  for  he  orders  them  to 
gather  a  double  portion  the  fixth  day,  and  not  to  gather  any  on  the  fe- 
venth. We  fee  that  the  Ifraelites  refting  on  the  feventh  day  is  here 
fuppofed  a  known  and  cufi:omary  thing,  prefcribed  to  them  by  a  law  of 
old. 

They  who  v/ent  forth  to  gather  manna  on  the  feventh  day  are  repre- 
fented  as  tranfgreflbrs  of  a  known  law,  as  appears  from  the  words  of  the 
Lord  to  Mofes.  How  long  refife  ye  to  keep  viy  coinmandments  and  my  laws  ? 
Mofes  alfo  fpeaks  of  the  fabbath  which  was  to  be  the  nexi  day,  as  of  a 
thing  cuftomary,  and  received  amongft  them.  To  morrow  (faith  he,  at 
•y.  23.)  is  the  rcfi  of  the  fahhath  cf  hoUnefs  unto  the  Lord  \  words  which 
would  have  been  unintelligible  to  the  Ifraelites,  and  exprefs'd  a  laWj  alto- 
gether impracticable,  in  caie  they  had  been  deftitute  of  any  further  know- 
ledcre  concerning  it,  and  had  not  been  acquainted,  that  it  was  the  very 
day  in  which  the  great  work  of  creation'had  been  finifhed. 

My  fourth  obfervation  1  take  from  the  very  words  of  the  Decalogue, 
where  firft  of  all  we  find  God  fpeaking  in  this  manner,  Remember  the 

fabbath 

(e)  Defde  Re/ur.  in  obitu  Sat.  p.  32 1. 

(fj  Seven  days  were  fulfilled  after  that  the  Lord  had  fmotc  the  rivcf. 
Jalkut  in  h.  1.  u 


Ch.  VII.  Reflexions  upon  Genefis.  239 

fahhath  day  (^)  j  which  words  clearly  import,  that  the  law  he  gave,  was 
not  a  new  law,  but  indeed  as  old  as  the  world,  and  which  had  been  ob- 
ferved  by  their  forefathers.  It  feems  probable  alfo,  that  God  exprelTes 
himfelf  in  thefe  terms,  becaufe  the  tyranny  of  Pharaoh  had  forc'd  them 
to  break  this  law,  by  obliging  them  to  deliver  their  tale  of  bricks  every 
day,  without  excepting  the  fabbath,  which  before  he  had  allowed  them 
to  keep. 

This  is  explained  very  diftinclly  in  the  fifth  of  Exodus^  and  fecms  to 
have  been  the  occafion  o{  Afofts's  demanding  ftraw  of  Pharaoh^  for  the 
Ifraelitef  to  go  and  facrificc,  in  anfwer  to  which  demand,  Pharaoh  (/>) 
exprefles  himfelf  in  terms  which  fhew  that  formerly  they  had  obferved  3 
reft  on  that  day :  however  it  be,  yet  thus  much  is  apparent,  that  God 
commands  them  to  make  their  bond  fervants  to  obfcrvc  the  fabbath,  be 
caufe  the  Egyptians  by  their  example  inclin'd  them  not  to  be  \  cry  careful 
in  exempting  them  from  all  labour  on  that  day. 

Moreover,  in  the  fecond  place  we  arc  to  take  notice,  that  in  the  laft 
words  of  the  fourth  commandment,  God  fpeaks  of  it  as  of  a  thing  for- 
merly appointed  and  dctermin'd  by  him,  faying.  For  in  fix  days  the  Lord 
made  heaven  and  earthy  and  refted  the  Jeventh  day^  wherefore  the  Lord  blejjed 
the  fabbath  day^  and  ha/lowed  it ;  which  words  have  a  manifcft,  and  un- 
deniable reference  to  that  which  happen'd  the  feventh  day  after  the  crea- 
tion, and  to  the  law  then  given  to  man  concerning  it. 

We  may  gather  from  the  fourth  chapter  of  the  cpiftic  to  the  Hebrezusy 
that  the  feiife  which  we  have  put  upon  the  third  verfc  of  the  fecond  of 
GenefiSy  is  the  fame  which  the  Jtivs  have  always  had  of  it.  The  Apoftle 
difcourfing  from  thofe  words  ot  David^  Pfal.  XCV.  To  luhom  I fxvarc  in 
my  wrath y  that  they  Jhould  not  enter  into  tny  reji^  doth  I'uppofe  a  threefold 
reft,  the  firft  of  which,  is  the  reft  of  the  fabbath,  of  which  mention  i4k 
made  in  ♦^he  fecond  of  Genefis^  where  we  have  the  firft  inftitution  of  it ; 
the  fecond  was  the  reft  in  the  land  of  Canaan  proniifcd  to  the  fext's  upon 
their  enduring  all  thofe  tryals  in  the  wilderncfs  :  the  third,  the  relt  in 
heaven,  of  which  the  two  forejioinir  were  but  the  fij^urcs.  He  arirues 
therefore,  that  thefe  words  of  David  could  not  be  underftood,  concern- 
ing the  fabbath  day;  forafmuch  as  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  men 
cntred  into  that  reft  of  the  fabbath ;  and  he  proves  this,  by  that  paflage 
in  Gentfis^  of  which  he  only  cites  the  lirft  words,  viz.  That  God  rejied 
the  feventh  day  from  all  his  worksy  as  fuppofing  that  the  Jews^  to  whom 
he  wrote,  had  no  need  of  having  the  following  words  quoted  to  them, 
which  tell  us,  that  God  hlfjfcd  th'  feventh  day  and  halloived it :  that  is,  he 
confccrated  the  fame  to  his  worfhip  and  fervice,  forafmuch  as  nothing 
was  more  publickJy  and  uni\'crfally  known  amongft  them,  the  obfervation 
of  the  fabbath  being  a  thing  generally  received,  even  before  the  giving 
of  the  law. 

And  indeed,  tho'  Philo  the  fnv  be  of  opinion,  that  the  practice  offo- 
lemni/Jng  that  day,  had  fuftcr'd  fomc  interruption  ;  and  that  for  this 
reafon,  the  law  of  the  fabbath  was  given  to  Mofcsy  yet  it  is  well  known 
firft  of  all,  that  Jri/hbulus  the  Peripatctick  (/),  in  a  treatife  dedicated  by 
him  to  Ptolemvy  furnamed  Phi  fade  IphuSy  cites  fcvcral  paflagcs  of  Horner^ 

Hcfiod, 

Cz)  Exod.  XX.  8.  (b)  Exod.  v.  5. 

(0  Eu/tb.  pr.xp.  Evang.  I.  13.  c.  12. 


240  Rtfiexlom  upon  Genefn.  Ch.  Vlf, 

Hefiod^  and  Linus,  heathen  poets,  which  mention  the  feventh  day  as  a 
fcitival,  and  lolemn  day,  becaufc  ail  things  were  riniflicd  in  the  fame. 

In  the  next  place,  it  is  notorious,  that  if  fome  of  the  fathers,  as  "JuJJln 
Martyr  and  Tertullian  writing  againft  the  y^wj,  have  deny'd  that  the 
Patriarchs  obferved  the  feventh  day,  they  did  fo  rather  with  regard  to  the 
rigor  of  that  law,  which  forbad  all  manner  of  work  on  that  day  upon 
pain  of  death,  (which  was  fuperadded  by  God  to  the  firft  law  of  the  fab- 
bath)  than  to  the  obfervation  of  the  fabbath,  as  it  was  a  day  appointed 
to  make  a  lolemn  commemoration  of  the  creation  of  the  world. 

In  a  word,  we  are  to  take  notice,  that  the  difference  which  God  makes 
betwecii  the  fabbath,  obferv'd  by  the  Patriarchs,  and  that  which  he  ap- 
pointed to  the  Jews,  did  confift  in  two  things :  Firft,  in  that  God  did 
impofe  an  abfolute  ncceftity  upon  the  yews  to  abftain  from  all  manner  of 
work,  even  to  the  very  drefling  of  meat,  neceilary  for  the  fupport  of 
life  :  we  find  this  diftinction  clearly  exprcfs'd  in  the  law  which  God 
gave  concerning  the  firft  and  feventh  day  of  the  feaft  of  unleavened  bread, 
for  he  abfolutely  forbids  all  manner  of  work  on  thefe  two  days,  as  much 
as  on  the  fabbath,  even  the  preparing  of  neceflary  food,  which  he  per- 
mits the  five  other  days,  forbidding  only  fervil  laborious  works. 

Secondly,  In  that  the  working  on  that  day  by  the  law  is  made  punilh- 
able  with  death,  which  was  not  fo  before;  which  innovation,  and  new 
rigour  of  the  law,  eftabliflied  by  God,  was  authorized,  by  the  pmiifh- 
ing  of  him  v/ho  had  gathered  fticks  on  the  fabbath  day,  whereas  we  find, 
that  before  the  law  was  given  upon  mount  S'mai,  God  did  not  command 
thofe  Jews  to  be  puniftied  with  death,  who  went  forth  the  feventh  day  to 
gather  manna,  according  to  their  ancient  cuftom  of  drelling  their  meat 
on  that  day. 

Let  me  add  this  further,  that  tho'  the  Apoftles  had  abollflied  the  rigour 
of  the  law  concerning  the  fabbath,  introduced  by  Jldofes,  yet  they  them- 
felves  obferved  it ;  which  practife  of  theirs,  in  all  probability,  gave  oc- 
cafion  to  the  Chriftlans,  for  almoft  four  centuries,  to  keep  the  fabbath 
as  well  as  the  firft  day  of  the  week,  folemnizing  both  thofe  days,  the  one 
as  a  commemoration  of  the  creation  of  the  world,  and  the  other  of  the 
refurreclion  of  our  Saviour  Jefus  Chrift. 

But  whatever  judgment  may  be  paft  on  this  laft  remark,  it  is  very 
evident  from  Gencfis  and  Exodus :  firft,  that  the  law  of  the  fabbath  was 
obferved  before  Alofes :  fccondly,  that  this  obfervation  was  by  the  firft 
Patriarchs  propagated  among  the  heathens  alfo,  as  well  as  the  idea  of 
the  creation  ;  or  as  the  practice  of  facrificing,  with  the  other  parts  of 
religious  worftilp,  the  original  whereof,  may  be  feen  in  the  book  of  Gt"- 
77ij/7.f,  as  we  (liall  make  appear  in  our  following  difcourfe. 

After  all  this,  we  muft  conclude  againft  the  Atheift,  that  either  Afcfes 
muft  Imprudently  have  laid  a  fnare  for  himfelf,  in  forging  a  matter  of 
fa(St,  of  which,  not  only  the  Jews,  but  all  the  world  were  able  to  con- 
vince him,  fince  there  were  none  amongft  them  but  muft  needs  be  con- 
fclous  whether  they  had  obferved  the  fabbath  in  commemoration  of  the 
creation,  as  he  relates  it,  or  no ;  or  elfe,  that  the  creation  of  the  world, 
being  a  matter  of  fact  fo  generally  known,  and  the  memorial  of  it  fo- 
lemnized  every  feventh  day  by  all  thofe  who  preceded  him,  muft  needs 
be  an  uncontefted  and  immoveable  truth,  which  I  fhall  farther  evince 

by 


Ck.  Vni.  Rcjiexions  upon  Genejis^  2 at 

by  thofe  obfervations  which  I  fhall  raiTe  from  the  deperwJarice  and  con- 
nexion, v/hich  the  matters  related  by  Mofes  in  Genefa^  have  with  the  cre- 
ation, and  the  proniife  of  the  MeJJlah.  This  is  my  bufinefs  at  prefent 
in  performing  of  which  I  ihall  make  it  appear,  that  nothin'y  can  be  ima- 
gin'd  more  ratiorial  and  coherent,  than  the  relations  of  Mofes^  in  which 
the  Atheifts  imagine,  that  they  difcover  fo  great  abfurdities. 

CHAP.      VIII. 

Thai  Adam  was  conkjinted  of  his  Creation,  by  Rcafon  and  Authority* 

^i*-'?<>'!^  H  O'  it  might  be  thought  more  natural  in  thefc  Our  difquifitions 
0  T  S  about  the  hiftory  oi  Genefis^  to  begin  with  thofe  matters  which 
^^.'^..^  happened  near  the  x\mt  oi Mofes^  and  from  them  to  pafs  to  thofe 
at  a  greater  diftancc,  yet  I  have  chofen  rather  to  follow  the  thread  of 
Mofis  his  difcourfe,  hoping  that  this  method  will  afford  more  lio-ht  to 
thefeour  Reflexions  :  at  leaft,  it  will  fpare  me  the  trouble  of  frcouent 
repetitions,  which  in  the  other  way  I  fhould  be  neccffarily  oblia'd  to.  I 
begin  then  with  this,  That  Adam  was  convinced  of  his  Creation,  both  by 
Reafon  and  Authority. 

The  creation  oi  Adam  being  a  thing  of  that  nature,  that  he  muflfirft 
he  convinced  of  it  himfelf,  before  he  could  perfwade  his  pofterity  to  en- 
tertain the  belief  of  it,  it  is  worth  our  enquiry  to  know  what  ways  he 
had  to  afTure  himfelf,  that  he  was  indeed  created  in  that  manner  as  Affes 
relates.  And,  forafmuch  as  the  certainty  of  this  tradition  depends  upon 
the  authority  of  Adam,  whom  Mofes  fuppofes  to  have  been  the  fidl  deli- 
rerer  of  it :  it  is  plain,  that  we  muft  be  affured  that  Adinn  could  not  de- 
ceive himfelf  in  this  matter,  as  it  is  evident  enough  that  he  would  not 
deceive  his  children,  when  he  took  care  to  infirucl:  them  concern- 
ing it. 

As  to  his  own  exiftence,  he  could  not  but  be  as  ftrongly  perfwaded  of 
it,  as  we  are  of  ours,  all  the  difficulty  lying  in  the  manner  how  he  came 
to  exift.  ^  Now  there  were  two  ways  by  which  Adam  might  inform  him- 
felf of  this,  viz.  by  reafon,  and  the  teftimony  of  authority.  He  could 
eafily  find  out  this  fecret  by  a  rational  reflexion  :  or,  he  mio-ht  alfo  be 
perfwaded  of  it  by  God  himfelf,  who  had  created  him,  not  to  mention 
now  any  information  which  he  might  have  from  the  an^-els  who  were 
witneffes  of  his  creation. 

It  appears,  that  Adam,  whofe  tradition  Mofes  has  recorded,  fuppofes, 
that  he  had  learnt  of  God  himfelf  the  manner  of  his  own  formation. 
God  fpeaks  to  Adam,  and  lanftities  the  f^venth  day  ;  that  is,  oblio-es 
Adam  to  keep  the  memorial  of  his  creation,  he  ties  him  by  a  law^to 
commemorate  his  creation  fifty  two  times  a  year,  and  to  render  him  con- 
tinual thanks  for  the  being  he  had  received. 

But,  forafmuch  as  Adam  was  capable  of  making  reflexions  upon  thofe 
leveral  matters,  which   God  had  made  knovm  to  him  concernin<^  his 

*^^^^'  ^-  Q,  creation : 


^A35  Rejlex'ions  upon  Genefis,  Chv  Vllt, 

creation  :  I  fay,  it  cannot  be  imagin'd,  but  that  he  mud  have  taken  thefe 
things  into  confideration,  and  have  been  convlnc'd  of  the  truth  of  them, 
by  the  light  of  reafon. 

The  truth  of  a  relation  confifting  in  its  conformity,  with  the  mat- 
ter related,  it  appears  clearly,  that  Jdajyi  could  certainly  know  the 
trath  of  what  God  had  declared  to  him,  by  cxaminmg  the  things 
themfelves. 

We  may  diflinguifh  feveral  propofitions  in  the  revelation  God  made 
to  him,  concerning  the  manner  of  his  creation. 

The  fiift  was,  "That  his  body  was  taken  from  the  earth. 

The  next.  That  his  foul  was  not  framed  before  his  body. 

The  third.  That  his  foul  had  been  joyned  to  his  body  to  con:flitutc 
one  individual  perfon. 

The  fourth,,  That  he  was  created  in  a  full  and  perfe6t  age. 

The  fifth.  That  his  wife  was  formed  of  a  rib,  taken  out  of  his  fide, 
during  the  time  that  he  was  caff  into  a  deep  fleep. 

Thefe  are  the  truths  I  propofe  as  inftances,  the  rather  becaufe  there  is 
not  one  of  them  of  which  Jdo?n  himfeir  could  be  a  witnefs. 

And  vet  I  affirm,  there  is  none  of  thefe  which  he  could  not  be  afTured 
of  bv  the  light  of  reafon,.  being  coiivinc'd  of  them  by  the  fame  means 
which  afiured  him  of  the  exiftcnce  of  his  foul  and  body.  The  confide- 
ration therefore  of  thefe  two  matters^  was  of  good  ufe  to  confirm  the  re- 
velation which  God  had  vouchfafetl  him  concerning  his  creation,  of 
•which  he  could  not  be  a  witnefs  himfelf. 

That  his  bocfy  was  taken  from  the  earth,  Adam  mrght  eafdy  infer  from 
the  food  that  maintain''d  it ;  for  what  is  the  matter  of  man's  nourifh- 
ment,  but  a  digefted,  and  difguifed  earth  ?  And  finding  himfelf,  at  firft,. 
in  a  perfc61:  cftate,  it  was  natural  for  hiiTi  to  judge  that  his  body  had 
been  thus  at  once  framed  of  the  earthy  without  paffing  thofe  fevcral 
degrees  of  growth,  whereby  children  arrive  to  their  jult  llature. 

And  he  might  as  eafily  be  afTured,  that  his  foul  was  net  form.ed  before 
his  body.  The  foul  is  a  being,  confcious  of  his  own  operations  and 
thoughts,  wherefore  he  needed  only  make  this  reflexion:  My  fctd  has^' 
had  neither  knowledge  nor  thoughts  before  it  was  united  to  m  body ;  therefore 
my  foul  did  not  exiji  before  it.  No  great  ftudy  was  required  to  make  fo  na- 
tural a  conclufion  as  this  is. 

Again,- how  could  he  be  ignorant  of  the  union  of  hrs  foul  with  the 
body  ?  Was  it  not  obvious  for  him  to  be  aflur'd  hereof,,  by  the  ready 
obedience  which  he  faw  his  body  yield  unto  his  foul  ?  He  had  the  idea 
of  a  tree,  as  well  as  the  idea  of  his  foot  or  arm,  whence  it  was  eafie  for 
him  to  reflciSt  thus  :  How  coines  it  to  pafs,  that  J  command  7/iyfeet  and  wV 
arms,  and  that  I  cannot  do  the  fame  to  ajhne  or  tree,  tho'  I  have  the  idea  of 
thecnc,  as  well  as  of  the  other P  Muft  not  this  proceed  from  a  nearer 
union  it  hath  with  the  one,  than  with  the  other  ?  He  knew  that  this 
union  continued  during  his  fleep,  and  was  independent  of  his  will. 
In  a  word,  he  had  the  fame  proofs  of  this  union,  which  we  have  of  it 
at  prefent,  only  they  were  in  him  much  more  lively,  becaufe  our  infancy 
srakes  us  in  fome  fort  ignorant  of  the  nature  of  our  fouls,  our  fouls  ac- 
cufloming  thcrafclvcs  by  little  and  little,  to  depend  upon  the  fenfes,  fo 

as 


Ch.  IX,  Refiexlom  upon  Genefis,  543 

as  not  to  be  able  to  raife  themfelves,  without  fome  trouble,  above  their 
operations. 

Neither  was  it  lefs  evident  to  Adam^  that  he  was  produced  at  a  perfe(5l 
age !  He  faw  that  his  food  maintain'd  life,  and  he  knew  aiTuredly,  that  he 
had  not  taken  any  but  very  lately :  How  then  could  he  attain  to  that 
ftature  without  that  help  r  Or  how  was  it  that  he  found  himfclf  now 
ready  to  faint,  if  he  deferr'd  to  take  it,  which  formerly  he  had  not  felt 
the  want  of?  Thefe  reflexions  made  it  unqueftionable  to  him  that  he 
was  formed  in  a  perfedl  age. 

And  laflly,  it  was  yet  more  eafie  for  him  to  be  perfwaded  of  the  truth 
of  God's  revelation  concerning  the  forming  of  Eve^  he  needed  but  to 
count  his  own  ribs,  and  thoie  of  his  wife,  for  he  could  not  iind  one 
lefs  in  himfelf  than  in  his  wife,  without  being  fully  fatisfied  in  that 
matter. 

Thefe  propofitions,  with  many  others  of  like  nature,  b^ing  fuch  as 
Adam  could  be  aflur'd  of  the  truth  of,  by  making  reflexion  either  on 
himfelf,  or  on  plants,  or  living  creatures,  greatly  corlfirming  his  belief 
in  the  Divine  teftimony,  concerning  his  creation,  we  may  eafily  infer, 
that  Adam  could  not  deceive  himfelf  about  that  matter. 


s>->s>«o<< 


CHAP.      IX. 

That  Adam  was  confirmed  hy  his  own  Experience^  in  the  Perfwafion  he  had 
entertain' d  concerning  his  Creation, 

S'fii^'S^^^  ^  ^^'^  ^°^  granted,  that  Adam  could  fatisfle  himfelf  con- 
k>:  ^  A  *=^r""?g  the  truth  of  God's  revelation,  by  fome  natural  and  eafle 
i^:«0>:^  reflexions,  I  don't  find  how  any  can  think  ftrange  of  this  hypo- 
thehs,  except  fome,  perchance,  might  think  that  I  makeVta'^/Tz  too  con- 
templative. 

^."^^tl^y  ^^^*  ^^  P^^''^^'^  t°  "^^^^  thefe  following  obfervations,  they 
will  juftifie  me,  that  I  have  attributed  nothing  to  him,  but  what  aerees 
exadtly  with  his  charadler. 

The  firft  is  T\i2.\.Adam  findlnghimfelf  immediately  upon  his  creation, 
at  his  full  and  perfect  age,  he  was  void  of  thofe  prejudices,  which  the 
Ignorance  and  weaknefs  of  his  infancy  are  the  caufe  of;  his  mind  was 
not  tainted  with  popular  errors,  which  oft  are  io  great  a  hindrance  to 
the  knowledge  of  truth:  He  had  not  yet  received  any  ill  impreflion  :  and 
When  afterwatds  he  was  fo  credulous  as  to  give  way  to  a  temptation,  his 
experience  prov'd  a  moft  powerful  means  to  inform  his  reafon,  and  with- 
draw him  from  his  error. 

Befides,  we  fuppofe  here,  that  the  Divine  teftimonie,  which  acquaint- 
ed him  with  the  particular  circumftances  of  his  creation,  was  precedent  to 
tne  rcHexions  Adiim  made,  and  indeed,  was  the  caufe  of  them.  If  we  fup- 
pole  lome  countrey-man,  not  capable  of  difcovering  of  himfelf,  all  on  a 

0.2  iliddain. 


244  Refexhm  upon  Genefi^,  Ch.  IX. 

fuddain,  the  manner  how  fuch  a  thing  came  to  pafs,  yet  this  is  certain, 
that  his  reafon  alone  will  be  able  to  fatisfie  him,  whether  the  thing  hap- 
pened in  that  manner  which  the  relation  of  it  imports,  he  needs  butcon- 
liilt  the  rules  of  pvobability  to  be  determin'd  in  this  matter. 

Jdarn  had  not  only  the  advantage  of  being  formed  at  a  perfect  age,  of 
being  acquainted  by  the  mouth  of  God  himfelf,  about  the  creation  of  the 
world,  ^V.  and  of  livmg  fo  many  ages,  which  gave  him  Icifure  enough 
to  confidcr  the  probability  of  what  God  had  revealed  to  him,  to  examine 
the  grounds  and  certainty  of  it,  and  in  a  word,  to  judge  whether  the  faid 
reflexions  were  to  be  rejected  as  fabulous,  or  to  be  relyed  on  as  of  moft 
certain  and  evident  truth  :  But  over  and  above  all  this,  Adam  could  rati- 
onally afllirc  himfelf  of  the  manner  bow  the  things  (which  he  had  not 
feen)  were  done  by  the  experience  he  had  of  other  matters,  which  were 
comprehended  in  the  Divine  revelation. 

The  manner  how  his  body  had  been  formed  of  the  earth,  was,  I  con- 
fefs,  a  thing  difRcult  to  be  conceiv'd,  but  the  production  of  an  infant 
like  to  himfelf,  by  the  way  of  generation,  which  he  afterwards  was  af- 
fured  of  by  experience,  was  fufficient  to  confirm  his  mind  in  the  belief 
of  the  Divine  revelation  :  the  way  of  generation,  being  at  leafl  as 
much,  if  not  more  difficult  to  comprehend,  as  the  manner  of  his  cre- 
ation. 

We  have  great  reafon  to  fuppofe,  that  as  it  was  Adam's,  duty,  that  fo 
he  did  really  make  thofe  reflexions,  I  have  attributed  to  him,  if  we  con- 
fider,  that  God  gave  him  a  law  proportion'd  to  the  ftate  in  which  he  was 
created:  for  this  law  fuppofes  that  Adajii  own'd  himfelf  God's  fubjeci: ; 
that  he  confider'd  God  as  his  great  bcncfador,  that  he  hop'd  for  rewards 
from  him,  and  fear'd  to  be  punifh'd  by  him. 

And  laftly.  If  I  fliould  grant  that  thcfe  reflexions  did  not  at  firft  make 
fo  deep  an  impreffion  in  his  heart,  yet  at  leafl:,  it  cannot  be  deny'd,  but 
that  after  his  fall,  he  was  in  a  manner  neceffitated  to  meditate  on  thefe 
truths  :  God  appeared  to  him  in  a  viflble  manner,  God  pafled  fentence 
Tiponhim,  his  wife,  and  the  ferpent ;  God  condemn'd  the  ferpcnt,  and 
afforded  his  grace  to  man ;  God  made  him  a  promife  proportion'd  to  the 
evil  into  which  he  was  fallen.  The  woman  had  deceiv'd  her  hufband, 
which  did  naturally  tend  to  diflmite  them,  but  God  uniting  himfelf  again 
with  Adam^  made  the  effe6l  of  his  promife  to  depend  upon  Adam's  re- 
union with  his  wife,  having  afTured  him,  that  the  offspring  of  his  wife 
Ihoukl  be  his  Redeemer  :  God  thrcatned  the  woman  with  extream  pains 
in  child-bearing,  he  drave  them  out  of  the  garden  of  Edeyi^  and  placed  a 
flame  of  fire  to  guard  the  entrance  there. 

All  this  without  doubt,  would  never  fufi'er  Adam  flightly  to  pafs  over 
matters  of  fo  great  importance  as  his  creation,  and  the  manner  of  his 
being  formed  out  of  the  earth.  Things  being  thus  fliated,  it  is  eafie  to 
judge  whether  we  have  fuppofed  Adayn  too  fubtil  and  contemplative  by 
attributing  the  aforeAud  reflexions  to  him. 


CHAP.  X. 


Ch.  X,  Reflexions  upon  Gcnefu,  245 


C     H     A    P.       X. 

That  the  Children  of  Adam  had  Reafon  to  he  convinced  of  the 

Creation. 

^p.''<^T  is  apparent,  that  as  foon  as  the  children  ox  Adam  were  arrived 
^  I  :*■  to  years  of  underflanding,  they  were  in  a  condition  to  make 
i^;^";^;^  reflexions  on  the  manner  of  their  produ6lion,  y.ccordino-  to  the 
inforenation  receiv'd  of  their  parents.  They  were  able  to  compare  the 
twofold  original  of  man  ;  the  one,  in  which  the  body  was  immediately 
taken  from  the  earth  ;  the  other,  in  which  it  was  produc'd  by  generation, 
and  were  able  to  judge  if  either  of  them  were  improbable;  and  in  par- 
ticular, whether  the  formation  of  their  parents,  with  other  matters 
confequent,  and  depending  on  it,  could  be  fufficicntly  proved  and  con- 
firm'd. 

For  it  was  eafie  for  them  to  judge,  that  their  parents,  of  whofe  ten- 
dernefs  and  care  they  had  fo  great  experience,  could  not  have  had  the 
leaft  defign  to  deceive  them  in  what  they  had  delivcr'd  to  them  concern- 
ing the  creation.  They  had  alfo  leifure  enough  during  the  long  lives 
they  enjoy'd,  to  examine  the  folidity  of  thofe  reafons  which  perfwaded 
their  parents  of  the  truth  of  their  creation. 

For  inftance,  they  could  eafdy  inform  themfelves  whether  there  were 
any  more  men  and  women  than  their  father  and  mother,  that  had  been 
before  them,  whether  they  were  produced  from  the  earth,  or  by  a  for- 
tuitous concourfe  of  atoms,  whether  there  were  any  other  lano-uao-e  be- 
fi<les  that  which  they  fpake  ?  Whether  there  were  any  ruins  of  buildino-s, 
or  other  remains  which  fignified  that  arts  had  been  formerly  cultivated? 
And  in  a  word,  whether  there  were  any  reafon  to  perfwade  them,  that 
the  world  had  not  its  beginning  at  the  time  which  cheir  parents  afligned 
for  it  ? 

Neither  were  they  only  in  a  condition  to  judge  of  the  truth  of  thefs 
things,  but  their  fenfes  were  able  to  convince  them  of  it :  as  for  inftance, 
by  feeing  the  firft  trees,  the  produclion  of  others  from  them,  and  the 
different  degrees  of  their  growth. 

But  befides  all  this,  they  could  experience  moft  of  thefe  thino-s  in  their 
own  perfons,  they  could  know  whether  God  had  affigned  to  man  the 
fruit  of  trees,  and  grain  for  their  food,  as  Mofes  has  recorded,  only  by 
examining  their  own  mouths,  which  were  formed  to  chew  fruits,  and 
not  to  tear  the  raw  flefh  of  animals,  which  requires  fharper  and  ftron<'^er 
fets  of  teeth,  than  thofe  they  found  themfelves  provided  with,  the  eatmcr 
of  flefh  not  being  introduced  till  after  the  delude. 

Thus  after  the  acl  of  generation,  they  faw  their  children  born,  as  it 
was  reprefcnted  to  them,  that  they  themfelves  had  been  formed. 

They  had  alfo  before  their  eyes  fenlible  figns  of  the  truth  of  the  mat- 
ters related  to  them  :  as  for  inftance,  the  continual  miracle  of  a  flame  of 
fire,  which  kept  them  from  entring  into  Paradife,  was  a  certam  aro-u- 
mcnt  of  the  firft  fm,  of  which  they  had  not  been  ey^j-witnelFes. 

0.3  The 


24-6  Reflexions  upon  Genefis,  Ch.  XL 

The  pains  of  a  v/oman  in  child-bearing,  did  the  more  confirm  the 
truth  of  the  Divine  fentence,  becaufe  it  was  not  obvious  for  them  to 
apprehend  fuch  confequences  from  an  act  which  was  pleafmg  to  their 
icnfual  appetites. 

And  hltly,  Forafmuch  as  they  kept  a  folemn  day  to  celebrate  the  me- 
mory of  the  world's  nativity,  on  which  feventh  day,  their  parents  re- 
peated to  them  no  lefs  than  two  and  fifty  times  a  year,  the  fame  thing, 
informing  them  of  the  manner  of  their  formation ;  'tis  impoirible  to 
fuppofe,  that  they  fhould  let  thefe  things  pafs  without  making  any  re- 
flexion on  the  truth  of  them,  and  the  rather  becaufe  v/e  cannot  rational- 
ly conceive,  that  they  fhould  have  been  fcrious  in  any  duties  of  religion, 
without  having  firft  examyi'd  the  truth  of  the  creation,  and  of  the  pro- 
mife  of  a  Redeemer,  which  are  the  true  grounds  of  all  religious  acSts 
v/hatfoever. 


CHAP.        XI. 

'Thai  the  Children  of  Adam  were  a£lual]y  convinced  of  the  Truth  of 
-    theCreat'miy  and  the  Fromife  of  theWj-Z^iAVi, 

fp^^,  SUPPOSE  it  is  fufficiently  evident,  that  the  immediate  pofle- 
|?i  1'  ?^:  rity  of  y/^^w  could  eafily  be  aflured  of  the  manner  how  their 
^■^v  ;^;_^  parents  had  been  produc'd,  from  v/hom  they  deriv'd  their  be- 
incr's.  They  could  likewife  be  fully  fatisfied  about  the  truth  of  their  fin, 
and  the  promife  God  had  made  them.  That  one  of  their -pofierity  ftjould  de^ 
Jiroy  the  encrr.y  of 'mankind. 

My  bufinefs  therefore  next,  is  to  ihcw  that  they  were  aftually  af- 
iured  of  the  truth  of  thefe  matters  :  this  will  appear  if  wc  confider  two 
things.  _  ■ 

The  firft  is,  that  as  thefe  matters  ».'cre  the  chief  objetSts  of  their  medi- 
tation, becaufe  of  their  'extraordinary  importance,  fo  it  is  evident  that 
they  a6led  as  perfons  fully  fatisfied  of  the  truth  of  them. 

The  other  is,  That  as  they  had  been  inftrufted  in  thefj  truths  by  their 
parents,  fo  they  deliver'd  the  fame  to  their  pofterity,  to  whom  they 
tranfmitted  the  belief  of  thefe  matters,  as  of  things  altogether  unque- 
ilionabie. 

I  fay  then,  that  they  acted  as  thofe  who  were  fully  afliired  of  the  trutli 
of  thefe  matters,  which  appears  throughout  the  whole  courfe  of  their 
Jives,  not  only  when  they  did  that  which  was  good,  but  when  they  were 
overtaken  witr.  fin :  and  this  alone,  methinks,  is  fufficient  to  evidence 
the  deep  imprefiion,  the  belief  of  the  creation,  and  the  promife  of  the 
M^Jfiah^  had  m.ade  on  their  hearts. 

Sacrifices  are  acts  of  religious  worfhip  ;  and  this  cuficm  therefore  of 
facrificing,  which  we  find  amongft  the  Children  of  ^rf'<7W,  was  an  evident 
mark  of  their  piety  j  and  this  tneir  religious  inclination  was,  without 

doubt. 


Ch.  XL  Reflexions  upon  Gene/is,  I47 

doubt,  the  efFc£b  of  their  being  perfwaded  of  the  truth  of  the  creation, 
and  firft  promife. 

The  fm  of  Cain  in  killing  his  brother,  (hews  the  fame  perfwafion : 
the  Divine  oracle,  the  feed  of  the  luoman^  Jhall  briiife  the  ferpenfs  head^ 
bcino-exprefs'd  in  very  general  terms,  was  applicable,  either  to  the  firft 
fon  of  Eve^  or  to  his  pofterity ;  or  e!fe,  to  fome  other  v/ho  might  be 
called  her  feed,  becaufe  born  from  one  of  her  pofterity. 

It  is  natural  for  us,  to  pafs  from  one  meaning  to  another,  when  we 
are  in  fearch  for  the  true  fenfe  of  fuch  general fropofniom  as  thefe.  Now 
it  appears  from  the  name  which  Eve  gave  to  Cain^  that  ftje  took  the  v/ords 
of  this  oracle  in  the  firft  fenfc,  that  is,  {he  looked  upon  Cain  to  be  the 
fon  that  had  been  promis'd  her,  as  appears  from  her  own  words.  Ihavi 
(faith  ftie)  gotten  a  man  from  the  Lord  {k).  And  it  cannot  be  doubted, 
that  being  in  this  opinion  her  felf,  fhe  was  not  wanting  to  chcrifh  and 
flatter  this  hope  in  her  fon,  that  he  was  to  fulfil  the  firfl:  prophecy  or  Di- 
vine oracle  :  neither  is  it  any  whit  ftranger  to  fuppofe  this,  than  to  ima- 
gine, that  Mandcne  did  inftil  into  her  fon  Ojria  aipiring  thoughts  for  the 
empire  of  jifia^  from  tirc  dream  of  his  father  Jhages,  which  ftie  look'd 
upon  as  a  divine  foreboding. 

When  we  read  therefore,  that  Cain  flew  his  brother,  feeing  him  pre- 
ferred of  God  by  a  very  diftinguilhing  mark  in  the  a£t  of  their  facrificing, 
through  thejealoufie  and  hatred  he  had  conceived  againft  him:  may  we 
not  very  naturally  conclude  from  thence,  that  as  he  had  never  doubted 
of  the  truth  of  the  promife,  lb  he  could  not  endure  to  fee  another  come 
to  difpute  his  pretenfions  of  being  the  fulfiller  of  that  firft  oracle. 

A  like  reflexion  we  may  make  upoji  the  name  which  ^-y^gave  to  Scthy 
and  indeed,  t\\ejeius  in  their  antient  commentaries  on  Genefis^  lead  us 
to  it  :  She  called  his  name  Seth,/c>r  God  (faid  fnc)  has  appointed  tne  another 
feed  {I).  R.  Tanchuma  following  the  notion  of  i?.  Samuel^  faith,  That 
(he  had  regard  to  that  feed  which  was  to  proceed  from  another,  or  a 
ftrange  place ;  and  what  feed  is  that  ?  faith  he.  'Tis  the  King,  the 
Meffiah. 

1  pretend  not  to  maintain  the  folidity  of  the  reflexions  they  make  up- 
on the  words,  another  feed.  They  fecm  rather  to  have  pieas'd  themfclves 
in  fporting  with  a  word  which  admits  of  both  fignifications,  other  and 
Jlrnnge^  than  to  give  us  an  exail  and  diftin^Sl  notion  of  the  importance  of 
that  word.  Thus  much  at  leaft,  v/e  cannot  deny,  but  that  Eve  confi- 
dering  her  fpn  Seth^  as  him  whom  God  had  given  her  inftead  o{  Ahel^ 
flic  could  do  no  lefs  than  acquaint  him  with  her  hopes  ;  and  indeed,  this 
information  was  that  which  not  only  dii'pofed  Scth  and  his  pofterity  for 
piety  and  the  fpirit  of  religion,  but  did  alfo  in  a  particular  manner  incline 
them  to  feparate  from  the  race  of  Cain^  as  from  thofe  whom  God  had 
bereft  of  the  right  of  fulfilling  the  firft  oracle,  to  which  naturally  they 
might  pretend. 

It  appears  from  the  example  of  Enoch^  that  the  children  of  Mam  lived 
in  the  exercife  of  religious  worfhip:  and  we  know  that  the  faid  worfhip 
fuppofeth  the  creation  of  the  world,  and  promife  of  the  AJejfiah,  and  that 
all  the  acls  of  religion  areemploy'd  either  in  commemorating  thefe  truths 

0,4  every 

(k)  Gen.  iv.  i, 
(I)  P.abboth  fol.  27.  col.  2.  par.  2^  ^  alihi. 


24^  Rejiexioui  upon  Genejl's,  Gh.  XI. 

every  feventh  day,  or  in  unfolding  the  wonders  therein  contain'd,  or  in 
teAifying  our  thankfuhiefs  to  God  for  the  fame. 

We  may  add  here,  that  the  inllance  oi Lame ch'?. polygamy  docs  in  fomc 
fort  make  out  to  us  the  force  of  this  perfwafion. 

Cain  being  rejecSted  by  God,  and  diltinguifli'd  by  an  exemplary  pu- 
jiifhment,  for  killing  his  brother  Jbel^  it  is  evident,  that  no  maji  could 
any  longer  interpret  that  promife  iji  the  firfl  fenfe,  by  applying  it  tq 
Adam\  hrft  ion,  or  his  pofterity.  This  being  fo  plain,  as  none  could 
be  ignorant  of  it,  it  was  therefore  natural  to  feek  for  another  meaning  of 
that  promife,  and  to  place  the  fulfilling  of  it  in  a  pofterity  at  a  greater 
^if^ance,  or  more  numerous. 

And  indeed  ,fo  it  happen'd  ;  for  the  exemplary  punifhment  which  God 
inflicted  on  Cam  during  the  feven  firfl  generations,  according  to  thofe 
words.  That  he  JJjculd  be  pujiiJJ^ed  fevenfdd^  made  his  pofterity  appre- 
hend, that  God  (for  the  fm  be  had  committed)  had  juftly  debarr'd 
him  of  the  right  he  might  other\yife  have  had  of  fulfilling  the  pro- 
mife. 

BfJt  yet  at  the  fame  time  they  conceived  alfo,  that  this  right,  which 
belong'd  more  properly  to  the  eldeft  or  firfl-horn,  than  to  the  younger- 
brothers,  was  now  io  return  to  his  pofterity  after  the  feventh  generation. 
And  in  this  view  it  fecms,  that  La?nech  afFeded  polygamy,  as  if  by  mul- 
tiplyi'ig  his  pofterity,  he  had  hoped  to  fee  that  promife  fulfill'd  by  fpme 
one  or  other  of"  them; 

It  cannot  be  deny'd,  but  that  he  imitated  the  crimes  of  Cahij  and 
therefore  may  well  be  fuppos'd  to  have  been  leven'd  alfo  with  his  falfq 
maxims.  But  how  greatly  foever  he  v/as  corrupted,  yet  forafmuch  as 
he  hud  been  educated  m  the  hopes  of  his  father,  and  in  coaverfe  with  the 
iamily  of  Setb^  who  many  ages  before  had  formed  public  aflemblies  for 
religious  exercifcs,  we  can't  well  imagine,  but  that  he  muft  have  had  the 
fame  pretenfions. 

It  appears  therefore,  that  the  polygamy  of  Lamech  may  juftly  be  ef- 
^ceined  an  efte6l  of  his  mifapprehenfions  concerning  the  fence  of  the 
firft  promife  ;  thofe  means  which  he  conceived  moft  likely,  he  made 
choife  of,  to  give  him  a  fhare  in  the  fulfilling  of  that  promife,  which 
pointed  at  a  fon  to  be  born.  So  that  the  irregularity  he  was  guilty  of  in 
quarrying  two  wives  at  the  fame  time,  may  pafs  for  a  proof  of  his  being 
perlv/aded  not  only  of  the  promife.  That  the  feed  of  the  woman  fnould  break 
thejerpent's  head^  but  alfo  of  the  creation  of  the  world. 

It  feems,  that  according  to  thefe  principles,  we  may  give  a  very  plau- 
fible  account,  as  well  of  thofe  violences  which  were  exercifed  in  the  old 
world,  and  of  their  ftrong  inclinations  to  fcnfuality,  as  of  thofe  alliances 
between  the  family  of  Setb^  and  that  of  Cain-^  which  did  not  happen  till 
feven  .generations  after  Cam-,  tl^at  is  to  fay,  at  a  time  when  the  family  of 
Cain  pretended  to  be  reiiored  again  to  his  antient  right,  from  which  he 
had  \iz^i\.  fufpcnded  during  feven  generations  :  the  family  of  Seth  by  thefe 
alliances  with  the  family  of  Ca'in^  feeming  defirous  to  fccurc  their  hopes 
and  pretenfions.  It  will  not  be  thought  ftrange,  that  I  look  upon  the 
jealoufie  of  C^/;:  towards  his  brother  (as  thinking  himfclffupplanted  by 
him  of  his  right  t*.  accomplifh  the  promife)  and  the  polygamy  oi Lamechy 
as  an  effedt  of  this  perfwafion  3  if  it  be  confider'd,  that  in  all  likelyhood 

this 


(Jh.  XII.  Refie>:;om  upon  Genefu,  249 

this  belief  was  more  ftrong  at  the  beginning  of  the  world,  the  idea  of 
|:he  promifc  being  more  frefti  and  lively  in  the  minds  ot  men,  as  a  thmg 
at  no  great  diftance  from  thofe  times  :  and  that  we  hnd  in  the  holy  fa- 
mily in  general,  manifold  inftances  of  this  fpint  of  jealoufie,  and  burning 

dtfire  of  a  pofterity.  _  r      1     r   u 

We  find  alfo,  much  about  the  fame  time,  another  Lamccb^  the  tather 
oiNoah  (m),  declaring  by  the  name  he  gave  his  fon,  the  hopes  he  had 
that  he  might  probably  be  the  perfon  who  was  to  comtort  mankind  con- 
cerning alf  the  miferv  fin  had  brought  into  the  world.  ^ 

Thus  it  appears  clearly,  that  for  above  fixteen  ages  from  the  creation 
of  the  world  to  the  deluge,  wc  find  in  all  the  actions  of  the  children  of 
Jdamz  flrong  imprellion  gf  the  belief  of  the  creation  of  the  world,  and 
the  promife  of  the  Mcjjiah.  And  till  this  time  we  find  not  the  leall  in- 
ftance  which  might  feem  to  convince  the  relation  of  M^Jes  of  the  lealt 
abfurdity.  We  fee  men  uding  from  the  pcrfwafion  of  thcfe  two  matters 
of  faa ;  we  muft  conclude  therefore,  that  they  were  diftinaiy  inform'd 
<;(f  thpm  i  yea,  we  fee  all  men  in  general,  acting  according  to  this  per- 
fwafio;!  :  ix  is  evident  therefore,  they  were  known  to  all,  and  the  week- 
ly obiei  vance  of  the  fabbath  day  continually  reprefenting  thofe  truths  to 
the  eyes  and  minds  of  all,  takes  away  all  poilibility  of  forgery  in  tliefc 
matters. 

Let  us  now  enquire  whether  after  the  deluge  thcfe  ideas  were  effaced; 
or,  whether  they  have  not  exerted  the  fame  ctlicacy  in  the  fpint  of  A^ot?^, 
?nd  the  actions  of  all  his  pofterity. 


Ui^^4^^^y%*4^^4^^^^'^fr^^^^^4i.^4^^^4'^^M'^H^^'^^^^^^ 


CHAP.      XII. 

"That  Noah  was  fully  perfwaded  of  the  Creation  of  the  Worlds  and  the 
Promife  of  the  Messiah. 

f'p::i^r^  F  we  find  that  the  children  of  Adam^  and  their  pofterity,  could 
S  I  S  be  exa6tly  informed  of  the  creation  and  the  promife  of  the  Mcf- 
^^MJ^  f^^-->  ^^^  ^^^^  indeed  they  were  fo,  it  will  follow  that  AW;  could 
not  be  unacquainted  with  the  fame  truths. 

Noah  was  fix  hundred  years  old  when  the  deluge  came :  he  had  con- 
vcrfed  with  Lamech  his  father,  who  had  i^^Vi  Adam  and  his  children,  as 
being  fifty  fix  years  of  age  when  Adain  died  ;  he  had  converfed  with  Me- 
thufalem  his  grandfather,  who  died  that  very  year  the  flood  came,  and 
who  being  three  hundred  and  forty  three  years  old  when  Adam  died, 
had  without  doubt  inftrudtcd  Noah^  during  fo  vaft  an  interval  of 
time,  in  like  manner  as  himfelf  had  been  inftruded  by  Adain  for  many 
ages. 

And  as  Methufalem  had  lived  a  long  time  with  Seth^  who  died  in  the 
year  of  the  world  1042,  fo  it  is  evident,  that  Noah  who  was  born  in  the 

year 
(m)  Gen.  v.  zg. 


2^0  Reflexions  upon  Genefis.  Ch.  XII, 

year  1056,  had  not  only  fccn  La?ncch  and  Mcthufalem,  but  many  alfo  of 
their  anceftors,  whofe  difcourfes  he  heard,  examin'd  their  traditions,  and 
imitated  their  way  of  worfhip. 

Moreover,  Noah  fawthat  there  were  no  men  in  his  time,  who  did  not 
deduce  their  genealogy  from  Adam.  All  his  contemporaries  could  con- 
vince him  of  it.  Every  one  of  them  having  as  cxacl  a  knowled<re  of 
their  aiiceftors  as  he  could  have  of  his. 

Now,  that  this  was  a  matter  which  they  might  be  cafily  alTur'd  of, 
appears  on  thefe  two  accounts  :  the  one  is  the  long  life  which  die  men 
of  that  age  enjoyed ;  and  the  other,  the  (hort  interval  of  time  which 
was  between  the  creation  and  the  deluge,  the  whole  amounting  only  to 
1656  years.  Adam  died  in  the  year  930,  and  the  deluge  happened  in  the 
600  year  oi  Noah's  life.  Ada?n  died  126  years  before  the  birth  of  Noah^ 
fo  as  Adavi  muft  have  been  fecn  and  knov/n  by  Methufakm^  Lamechy  and 
thoufands  of  others  who  were  qontemporarys  with  Noah. 

To  thcfe  we  may  add  a  third  remark,  and  th^t  is  the  jealoufie  and 
hatred  which  vv^is  between  the  two  families  of  Cain  and  Seth:  Cain's 
pofterit}'  were  altogether  corrupted,  and  the  greateft  part  of  Seth's  alio  ; 
Noah  being  of  the  pofterity  of  Seth^  had  no  reafon  to  call  thofe  matters 
in  queftion,  which  he  fav/  generally  own'd  a^id  received  of  thofe  to  whom 
their  wickcdncfs  and  crimes  fuggefted  objevSlions  againft  them.  And  I 
do  not  know,  whether  I  might  not  fuppofe  that  Noah  had  before  his 
eyes  Paradife,  with  the  cherubims  who  guarded  the  entrance  thereof, 
and  made  it  inaccefllble,  which  if  fo,  was  an  authenticjc  proof  of  the 
truths  in  queftion  :  that  garden,  as  far  as  we  can  judge,  being  not  de- 
llroy'd,  nor  the  guardian  angel  difcharged  till  the  time  of  the  flood,' 

Be  it  as  it  will,  yet  Noah  being  a  man  fearing  God,  was  honoured 
with  an  extraordinary  call  to  exhort  men  to  repentance,  he  was  com- 
manded to  build  an  ark  j  \\c  fav/  the  deluge  happening,  according  to  what 
God  had  foretold,  he  faw  the  beafts,  of  their  own  accord,  gather  tliem- 
felves  together,  to  enter  into  the  ark,  in  like  manner  as  he  had  been 
told  that  they  came  to  Adam.  He  faw  the  deluge  ceafe  according  to  the 
Divine  declaration,  he  faw  fire  from  heaven  confuming  the  facrifice  he 
offcr"d  in  acknowledgment  to  God,  in  like  manner,  as  the  words  of 
Ahfi-^  fccni  to  imply,  that  it  happened  at  the  facrifice  of  AhcL  He  faw 
himfelf  chofen  in  a  peculiar  manner,  to  be  the  dcpofitary  of  the  promife 
which  Adam  had  left  to  his  pofterity,  tho'  he  never  had  the  fatisfadion  of 
feeing  it  fulfilled  himfelf,  God  having  referved  the  accom.plifliment  of  it 
for  another  time,  and  to  one  of  his  pofterity  at  a  great  dil^ance. 

It  is  very  evident,  that  all  thefe  particulars  could  not  but  conduce  to 
prcferve  the  memory  of  thefe  firft  moft  important  matters  of  facl:  of  the 
creation  and  the  promife  of  the  Mcjjiah^  and  therefore,  that  Noah  muft  of 
neceflity  be  convinced  of  the  certaintv  and  truth  of  them.  Let  us  now 
fee  whether  Noah's  offspring  had  the  fame  pcrfwafioa  concerning  thelc 
things. 


CHAP.  XIIL 


Ch.  XnL  Refe/iom  upon  Genejis,  25jt 


CHAP.       XIII. 

That  the  Children  of  Noah   were  convinced  of  the  Truth  of  iJjefe 

Matters. 

|j^)*i>K^  H  E  children  of  Noah  were  an  hundred  years  old  when  the  de- 
^  T  ^  lu^^e  happened,  and  confequenil/  had  converfed  a  long  fpace  of 
ij^^^^sll^  time  with  Methufalem^  and  many  other  of  their  anceliors  and 
relations  of  the  old  world,  and  had  frequented  the  religious  affemblies, 
obferved  every  fabbath  day  in  tae  family  of  Seth^  whence  they  were  de- 
fcended  ;  and  had  been  inftru£^ed  tiicre  by  thofe  who  had  feen  Adam  and 
his  pofteniyi  it  is  evident  therefore,  beyond  all  conteil,  that  they  could 
not  be  ignorant  of  the  creation,  and  promife  of  the  Mejfiah. 

New,  that  they  had  a  diftindl  knowledge  of  thofe  matters,  we  may 
evidently  conclude,  not  only  becaufe  they  had  {qq.\\  God,  when  he  blef- 
fed  them,  and  a  fecond  tim.c  faid  to  them,  as  after  a  new  ere  ation,  in- 
creafe  and  multiply  [n) :  nor  only  upon  the  account  of  his  givi;ng  them  a 
pofitive  law,  forbidding  them  to  eat  the  blood  of  living  creatures  (<?), 
whofe  flefti  they  were  permitted  to  feed  on,  as  he  had  forbid  Adam,  to 
eat  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree  in  the  midft  of  the  garden,  when  lie  left  the 
reft  to  their  free  ufe:  not  only,  for  that  he  had  given  the  rainbow,  as  a 
new  fign  of  his  covenant  with  mankijid  ;  nor  only  becaufe  the)-  had  prac- 
tis'd  thofe  adts  of  religion,  to  which  thjy  had  been  educated  by  their  pa- 
rents and  anceftors  before  the  deluge  :  but  becaufe  the  fame  may  be  in  • 
ferred  from  that  action  which  drew  upon  Cham  his  father's  cuirfe. 

What  is  the  meaning  of  Cham's  deriding  the  nakednefs  of  his  father, 
and  of  his  father's  taldng  occafion  from  thence  to  curfe  him  fo  folcmnly, 
and  that  in  the  perfon  of  Canaan  his  lirft-born  ?  If  it  were  only  a  piece 
of  irreverence  in  the  father,  what  reafon  had  Noc-h  to  curfe  ;the  fon  on 
that  account  ?  Or,  was  it  (as  fome  have  fuppos'J)  that  Canaan  had 
given  occafion  hrft  to  his  fathers  irreverence,  by  acquainting;  him  with 
the  uiforder  in  which  he  had  found  his  grandfather  Noah?  '  Without 
doubt,  there  is  fomething  more  than  ordinary  in  this  hiftory.  Sure  it  is, 
that  the  account  given  us  oWham,  reprefents  him  as  a  prophane  perfon' 
and  deeply  tindured  v.-ith  the  maxims  of  6'<7/;zand  his  pofterity,  and  feems 
to  hint  to  us,  that  he  fuppofing  the  promife  of  the  Mejjiah  eith  ;r  fruftra- 
ted  by  the  death  of  Jbel,  or  altogether  falfe,  he  made  his  father's  naked- 
nefs the  fubjecl  of  his  mockery ;  who  feem'd  to  be  incapable  of  beget- 
ting any  more  children,  and  therefore  incapable  of  contributing  to  the 
accomplifhment  of  t!ie  promife  of  the  Alej/iah,  in  hopes  of  vvhich,  he 
accounted  himfelf  fo  happy,  that  he  had  cfcaped  the  deluge. 

V/hat  means  it  alfo,  that  Noah  pronounceth  fo  terrible  a  curfe,  againfl 
the  pofterity  of  Cham  by  Canaan,  who  were  fo  far  from  giving  aji  accom- 
plifhment  to  that  promife,  that  they  were  in  a  manner  wholl>'  extirmi- 
liatcd  by  Jo/huahyWhea  God  put  the  pofterity  of  Shcm  by  Alraham  in 
pofleflion  of  the  land  of  Canaan  ?     It  is  very  natural  for  us  to  conceive, 

that 
(»)  Gen.  ix.  i,  (o)  Gen.  ix.  5. 


25;i  Reflexions  upon  Gvuefis,  Ch.  XIV. 

that  Noah  confidcr'd  his  Ton  Cham's  deriding  of  him,  not  only  as  con- 
trary to  the  rcfpeit  which  was  due  to  him  as  his  father,  but  alfo  as  the 
effect  of  a  horrid  impiety,  which  attack'd  God  himfelf,  as  making  that 
promife.  The  fad  of  the  ivornan  fjall  hruije  the  ferpent's  head,  a  fubjcct  of 
raillery. 

This  reflexioji  upon  the  action  of  Cham,  and  the  curfe  of  N^ah  con- 
fcquent  to  it,  does  appear  very  natural,  if  we  confider  that  Noah  could 
not  but  reflect  upon  the  name  his  father  had  given  him,  and  the  fpecial 
favour  fljcwed  to  him,  in  being  alone  preferved  of  all  the  pofterity  of 
Adam,  and  confequcntly,  the  onely  perfon  in  the  world,  by  whom  this 
promife  was  to  be  fulfill'd.  At  leaft,  it  can't  be  deny'd,  but  that  this 
reflexion  is  as  natural  as  it  would  have  been  juft  in  reference  to  the  fadt 
of  cruel  /Jjiyagcs  (/>),  if  when  he  had  (as  he  thought)  fufficiently  eluded 
his  dream,  which  prefaged  the  glory  of  the  ion  oi Mandane .h\%  daughter, 
he  had  found  her  indecently  uncovered  and  had  taken  thence  occafion, 
deridiii'^'ly  to  reflect,  with  his  other  children,  upon  a  dream  which  feem'd 
to  promi i'o  to  the  fon  of  Mandane  the  throne  of  all  Jfia^  and  threaten  the 
ruine  of  his  own. 

'Tis  a  thin?:  worth  our  noting,  that  in  the  time  of  E-zra  [q),  the  Sa- 
inarhaiv  had  fo  hefh  a  memory  of  C/'d'/zz's  fin,  which  they  fuppofed  to  be 
generally  preferv'd  amongft  other  nations,  that  in  their  letter  to  king 
Jrtaxcrxei  againft  the  Jevus  who  rebuilt  Jcrufalem,  they  declare,  they 
would  not  djlcover  the  king's  nakednefs  ;  implying,  that  they  could  not 
confciit  to  the  injury  he  might  receive  from  the  'Jews  in  fuffering  few.- 
falem  to  be  rebuilt.  It  is  not  needful  to  repeat  thofe  other  argum.ents 
which  prove,  that  the  children  of  Noah  had  rcafon  to  be,  and  were  ac- 
tually as  much  convinced  of  the  creation  and  firft  promife,  as  their  an- 
ccllors  were  ;  for  feeing  that  thefe  arguments  were  the  very  fame  which 
their  fathers  had  to  perlwade  themfeives  of  the  truth  of  thefe  things,  we 
had  better  proceed  to  the  enquiry,  whether  their  pofterity  that  foUow'd 
them,  had  the  fame  perlwafion  they  had  ?  which  may  ealily  be  proved, 
in  makino-  fome  reflexions  on  the  following  ages,  and  upon  thofe  who 
defcended  trora  N'iah  and  his  children. 


4-©©^^©©©©^^©©©^©©^©@©^@©©©©©©©^ 


CHAP.      XIV. 

That  the  Poflerlty  »/" Noah's  Chi/drer.  iverc  perfwaded  of  the  Truth  of  thi 
Creation,  andfirfi  Promfe, 

tr^>J-»:^F  Ncah  faw  Methtfalcm,  who  had  feen  Adam  and  his  pofterity  bc- 
.^:  I  ^^:  fere  the  deluge  ;  Abraham  fiiw  Shcin  and  his  children,  who  were 
S-C-^:'ii  unqueftionable  witnefles  of  what  had  palled  before  and  fince  the 

Noah 

(p)  Heyid\\\3.   I.     J.flinHift.  lib.  1.      Vakr.  M.i.x.  lib.   1. 
(aj  Ez/'a  iv.  14. 


Cti,  XIV.  Reflexions  upon  Genets,  253 

.  Noah  dying  350  years  after  the  deluge,  it  appears,  that  his  death  hap- 
pened in  the  year  of  the  world  2006  ;  fo  that  Noah  died  only  two  years 
before  the  birth  of  Jbraham^  he  being  born  in  the  year  2008. 

Abraham  lived  150  years  with  She?fi,  who  died  in  the  year  2158,  and 
88  years  with  Arphaxad  the  fon  of  She?)i,  who  died  in  the  year  2096,  he 
lived  118  vears  with  Selah  fon  o(  Arphaxad,  who  died  in  the  year  2126, 
and  179  years  with  Hebcr  the  fon  of  Selah,  who  died  in  the  year 
2187. 

Ifaac  being  born  in  the  year  2108,  might  fee  Sheryi^  Selah,  and  Heber, 
who  for  fome  hundreds  of  years  had  converfed  with  Noah  and  his  other 
children ;  I  fay  we  may  fuppofe  him  to  have  converfed  with  thofe  patri- 
archs, or  at  leaft  with  thofe  who  being  their  contemporaries,  difcourfed 
of  Noah  as  a  man  but  of  yefterday,  and  from  his  relation,  and  his  chil- 
dren's, were  informed  of  the  creation  oi  Adam,  his  fall,  the  promife  of 
the  holy  feed,  the  death  of  Abel,  the  miracle  of  Paradife,  the  preaching 
o^  Noah,  the  deluge,  iffc.  And  who,  in  obedience  to  the  law  of  God, 
obferved  by  their  anccftors,  did  meet  together  fifty  two  times  every  year, 
to  celebrate  the  memorial  of  thefe  wonders,  and  to  teach  them  to  their 
pofterity. 

We  may  take  notice  of  three  things  here  which  conduce  much  to  the 
prcfervation  of  a  diftincl  knowledge  of  thefe  matters. 

The  firft  is,  That  the  ark  it  felf  might  be  feen  by  all  the  world,  as  a 
certain  monument  of  the  deluge,  and  the  faving  o^  Noah  and  his  fons  (r). 
This  monument  continued  very  many  ages  after  Abraham,  and  was  a 
means  to  preferve  the  memory  of  the  deluge  amongft  the  Pagans,  as  Ln- 
cian,  to  name  no  more  acquaints  us. 

The  fecond  is.  That  it  v/as  as  eafie  for  any  of  Abraham's  contem- 
poraries, as  for  Abraham,  to  deduce  his  genealogy  from  Noah  and  his 
children. 

And  this  was  the  more  eafie,  becaufc  the  firfl:  divifion  of  the  world 
amongft  the  three  fons  of  Noah,  was  followed  by  another  partition 
amongft  their  poTlcrity,  in  the  year  of  the  world  1758,  a  divifion  which 
gave  them  a  juft  title  of  pofleflion  to  that  part  of  the  earth,  where  they 
were  feated,  in  defence  of  which,  it  feems  probable,  that  the  war  of 
Chedorlaomer  (mention'd  the  XlWoi  Getiefis)  was  undertaken,  the  family 
of  Cham  having  invaded  the  land  of  Canaan,  which  was  part  of  the  inhe- 
ritance of  She?n,  as  we  fhall  make  appear  elfcwhere. 

The  third  and  laft  thing  is.  That  it  was  not  eafie  to  impofe  a  foro-erv 
upon  thofe  times,  bccaufe  their  lives  were  yet  of  a  great  extent,  tho'  in- 
feriour  to  thofe  who  lived  before  the  flood. 

To  thefe  we  may  add  this  further  confideration,  that  as  the  jealoufie 
which  was  between  the  family  of  Seth  and  of  Cain,  was  a  great  means  to 
preferve  inviolably  the  important  truths  of  the  creation  and  firft  promife; 
a  like  jealoufie  now  being  rifen  amongft  the  fons  of  Noah,  Cham  beino- 
accurfed  of  his  owq  father  in  the  perfon  of  Canaan,  and  the  fame  beino- 
propagated  to  their  pofterity,  it  could  not  but  effedlually  contribute  to 
refcue  thefe  important  truths  from  oblivion,  and  particularly  the  promife 
of  the  MeJJiah,  conceived  in  thefe  words,  The  feed  of  the  vjoman  jhall  hrv.fe 
if^eferpenfs  head. 

Ivx 
(r)   De  Dea  Sjra,  p.  I060. 


2CA,  Reflexions  upon  Genefis*  Ch.  XV, 

In  a  word,  we  may  not  only  in  reference  to  the  matter  in  hand,  take 
notice  of  what  Lucian  relates  concerning  the  religion  of  the  Jjjyrians  (j), 
which  did  fo  lively  preferve  the  memory  of  the  deluge,  and  of  what  was 
done  to  Noah  by  his  fon  Cba?r^  when  he  fcofFed  at  the  naked nefs  of  his 
father  [t) ;  but  alfo,  that  the  god  of  the  Sichenites  was  called  Baalberith^ 
whofe  fymbol  was  the  figure  of  the  privy  parts  of  a  man,  which  feems  a 
manifeft  allufion  to  their  defcent  from  the  family  of  Chanij  the  Sichemites 
being  fome  of  the  poflerity  of  Cmiaan. 

It  is  alfo  very  natural  to  conceive,  firft  of  all,  that  it  was  from  thofe 
old  pretenfions  that  the  Canaanites  took  occafion  to  prophane  the  moft 
holy  things,  with  fuch  fhameful  idea's. 

Secondly,  That  it  was  in  deteftation  of  thefe  idea's,  that  God  ordered 
the  killing'of  the  priefts  of  BsaL     And, 

Thirdly,  That  it  was  for  the  farhe  reafon,  that  the  Jews  were  com- 
manded to  deftroy  them  utterly. 

Fourthly,  This  was  alfo  the  reafon  why  the  IfraeUtes  were  fo  often  de- 
firous  of  imitating  their  crimes. 

In  the  fifth  place,  As  we  fee  that  upon  the  like  account  the  Moahites 
and  Ammoyutes  took  Chemo/i)  for  their  god,  and  that  the  v/omen  of  thofe 
nations  were  very  zealous  to  propagate  their  religion,  of  which  we  have 
an  inftance  in  Jexabel  the  wife  of  Jhab^  fo  God  was  alfo  willing  to  in- 
fpirehis  people  with  horrour  and  deteftation,  for  their  religion  or  any  al- 
liance with  them. 

LafHy,  As  there  does  appear  a  very  great  conformity  and  refemblance, 
between  the  firft  birth  of  the  world  from  the  firft  chaos,  and  its  being 
born  ao-ain  after  the  deluge  ;  between  JJam  the  firft  man,  and  Noah  the 
fecond,  and  between  thejealoufies  fprung  up  in  both  their  fiimilies  upon 
the  account  of  the  promife  of  the  Mejfiah :  So  this  conformity  could  not 
but  very  naturally  contribute,  to  preferve  the  memory  of  thofe  ancient 
events  which  Noah  and  his  children  had  delivered  to  their  pofterity  with 
all  the  care  which  is  taken  to  preferve  the  tradition  of  the  fundamentals 
of  religion. 


^o«ccc«MCMOoeMeeMoee3co«oeome«eooeoec««ccecoeeeecaeee«ee!^eMMa«ceo«eMOMe«ocoMcaeeooeceeeoe9eocoMt«eeceocco»o^ 


C    H    A    P.      XV. 

That  we  find  the  Family  c/"  Abraham  and  his  Poferity  till  ]  At  on  fully 
perfwaded  of  thofe  Truths. 

^'py^^  T  is  no  lefs  eafie  to  conceive  how  the  diftinfl  knowledge  of  thefe 
'^-  I  f^-.  truths,  was  in  procefs  of  time  handed  down  to  Jacob  and  his 
£:*?.'^s3  pofterity^     This  I  ftiall  briefly  explain. 

•  I  need 

(s)  Judg.  viii.  23.  &  ix.  8.     TaJtn.  Hier.  fol.  \\.  col.  4.  ^  glojf.  in  b.  L 
\^  A'vcdazara  c.  iii.  fol.  43.  col,  I. 
(t)  DeDeaSjr.  p.  1069. 


Ch.  XV.  Reflexions  upon  Gene fis^  ^ee 

I  need  not  take  notice  here,  that  the  religion  prailis'd  by  Abraham 
and  his  pofterity  fuppofe  thefe  matters  as  conftantly  owned  and 
known. 

It  cannot  be  deny'd,  but  that  Zs^  having  followed  Terah  and  Abraham 
when  God  called  the  latter  out  of  Chaldea^  might  thence  fuppofe,  that 
this  heavenly  call  did  feparate  and  diftlnguifh  him  from  the  reft  of  the 
pofterity  of  5/?<';;7,  and  gave  him  a  right  as  well  as  Abraham^  to  pretend 
to  the  priviled^e  of  fulfilling  the  promife  of  the  Mejjiah^  or  at  leaft  to  fee 
it  fulfill'd  in  his  pofterity.  This  we  may  infer  from  the  inceft  of  Lot's 
daughters  •,  their  crljne,  which  in  another  view  appears  very  monftrous- 
doth  clearly  prove,  that  they  were  ftrongly  poflefs'd  with  this  hope  which 
their  father  had  raifed  in  them. 

I  know  that  fome  interpreters  fuppofe  (v),  that  they  were  moved  to 
commit  this  inceft  from  a  pious  intention  of  preferving  mankind,  as  ima- 
gining to  themfelves,  that  as  the  deluge  had  drowned  all  men,  befides 
Noah  and  his  family,  fo  the  flames  which  deftroy'd  S:do?n^  had  confumed 
all  mankind  ;  which  they  were  the  more  ready  to  believe,  becaufe  they 
might  have  heard  from  their  father,  that  the  world  one  day  was  to  perifti 
by  fire.  But  indeed,  it  may  be  confider'd  as  proceeding  from  a  very 
different  motive,  the  Jewijh  Dolors  (at)  plainly  averring,  that  this  was 
done  by  them  in  hopes  of  bringing  forth  the  promifed  Redeemer. 

And  if  we  look  upon  this  adtion  of  theirs  in  this  view,  with  reference 
to  the  promife  of  the  Mcjfiah^  which  was  the  grand  objecl  of  the  hopes  of 
all  thofe  that  fear'd  God ;  it  is  natural  to  conceive,  that  confiderino- 
their  father,  as  one  whom  God  had  peculiarly  chofen  from  amono-ft  the 
pofterity  o(  She?n^  to  execute  the  promife  of  the  ALjftah^  and  feeiiv'-  that 
their  mother  was  changed  into  a  ftatue  of  fair,  thev  conceived  themTeh  cs 
in  fome  fort  authoriz'd  to  furprize  their  father  in  that  manner;  and  the 
rather,  becaufe  they  conceived  on  the  one  hand,  that  none  of  the'  Canaan- 
ttes  (upon  whom  God  had  now  begun  to  pour  forth  fo  hideous  a  ven- 
geance, as  a  beginning  of  the  execution  of  the  curfe  againft  Chajn)  hav- 
ing any  part  in  this  chiefeft  of  bleflings,  could  ever  marry  them,  after 
that  God  had  fo  manifeftly  feparated  and  call'd  forth  their  father  from 
amongft  them  ;  and  on  the  other  hand,  fuppofing  that  God  would  dif- 
pence  with  the  irregularity  of  this  adion,  by  reafon  of  their  being  re- 
duced to  an  extremity. 

There  be  three  circumftances  which  greatly  confirm  this  my  remark 
upon  the  motive  of  their  inceft. 

The  firft  is,  That  they  are  reprefented  to  us  as  thofe  who  had  behav- 
ed themfelves  very  chaftly,  in  the  midft  of  the  impurities  oi Sodom;  and 
that  befides  we  find  they  defign'd  no  fuch  thin^,  till  after  the  death  of 
their  mother. 

The  other  is,  That  we  fee  them  contriving  the  thing  together,  and 
that  in  a  matter  which  naturally  is  apt  to  feparate  the  greateft  friends, 
where  the  motive  proceeds  from  a  fpirit  of  uncleannefs  :  nor  indeed,  da 
we  find  that  they  continued  in  this  inceft. 

•  '^^/ir  r''"'^  '^'  '^^''^  ^^^^^  ^^'^'^  ^^  ^^^  ^'■^"^  ^^'"S  aftiam'd  of  an  aflion, 
in  It  felf  fo  criminal,  or  concealing  the  knowledirc  of  it  from  poflerltv, 
that  they  gave  thole  names  to  the  children  born  of  this  their  inceft,  that 

might 
(^)  Ljra  in  Gen?f.  .xlx,  (x)  Bcre/,  Rah.  part  25. 


256  Refie!<iom  upon  GeneJIs.  Qi\.  XV, 

might  perpetuate  and  divulge  the  memory  of  this  their  aciion,  the  one 
calling  her  Ton  Moab,  as  much  as  to  fay,  born  of  my  father^  and  the  other 
hers  Bmamm'f^  a  name  of  a  like  fignification  with  the  former. 

This  obfervation  is  very  iicceflary,  bccaufe  thefe  two  foiTs  became  the 
heads  of  two  great  people,  the  Aloabites,  and  the  Ammonites^  whofe  king- 
doms larted  above  1300  years,  and  lived  on  the  borders  of  the  holy  land, 
and  were  jealous  oi  Abraham  and  his  pofterity,  as  pretending  that  Abra- 
ham could  not  be  chofcn  before  Lot  their  father,  who  being  the  fon  of 
jibraharii's  elder  brother,  was  to  be  confider'd  as  the  firft-born  of  Terah, 
and  who  were  apt,  without  doubt,  to  take  it  for  granted,  that  if  God 
had  brought  Abraham  out  of  Chaldea^  and  refcued  him  from  f/r,  he  had 
in  a  more  peculiar  manner,  faved  Lot  alone  from  the  conflagration  of 
Sodom^  by  the  miniftry  of  Angels,  and  that  Abraham  and  Lot  being  equally 
defcended  from  Terah,  the  right  of  accomplifliing  the  promife,  did  equally 
belong  to  them. 

And  indeed,  we  find  that  in  all  fucceeding  times,  thcfe  thoughts  did 
predominate  v/ith  them,  as  may  eafily  be  made  out  from  the  hidiory  of 
Balaam.' 

We  fee  therefore,  that  the  Moabitcs  who  were  defcended  from  the  eldeflr 
daughter  o^  Lot,  look'd  upon  the  pretenfions  of  the  Ifraelilcs,  that  the 
Mc£iah  was  to  be  born  of  their  feed,  in  exclufion  to  all  others,  with  great 
impatience,  and  it  was  for  this  reafon,  that  they  fent  for  Balaam,  to  de- 
cide (by  Divine  authority)  the  difference  between  them,  concerning  the 
right  or  the  promifed  blefling. 

We'  may  make  very  near  the  fame  reflexions  upon  the  calling  of  Ruth 
the  Mcabitcfs,  when  (he  faith  to  Nacmi  her  mother-in-law.  Thy  Godjhall 
be  my  God,  and  thy  people  Jlmll  be  my  people;  which  fignifies  a  renouncing 
of  the  pretenfions  of  her  own  people,  and  an  acquiefcing  in  the  juftice  of 
thofe  of  the  Ifraelites,  and  it  was  upon  this  occafion,  that  Ruth  is  more 
particularly  taken  notice  of  in  the  genealogy  of  our  Saviour,  as  I  fhall 
have  occafion  to  fliew  hereafter. 

Thatwhichlhavehintedconcerning  the  intention  and  aim  of  the  daugh- 
ters of  Lot,  hath  been  obferved  before  by  the  Jewijh  Rabbins,  as  we  may  " 
fee  in  the  moft  ancient  of  their  Commentaries  upon  thefe  words  of  Ge- 
nefis.  Chap.  XIX.  v.  32.  Come  let  us  viake  cur  father  drink  wine,  &c,- 
Upon  which  words,  R.  Tanchumah  following  the  footfteps  of  R.  Samuel, 
makes  this  reflexion.  That  we  rtiay  preferve  feed  of  our  father ;  it  is  not 
faid,  that  we  may  preferve  a  fon  from  our  father,  but  that  we  may  re- 
new the  pofterity  of  our  father,  becaufe  (faith  he)  they  had  regard  to  that 
feed,  which  was  to  proceed  from  a  Jlrange  place,  and  what  feed  is  that  ?  It  is  the 
'King  Me/Tiah. 

After  this  obfervation  upon  this  action  of  Lei's  daughters,  it  can  no 
longer  rationally  be  doubted,  but  that  the  violent  pafTion  which  Sarah 
had  for  a  fon,  proceeded  from  the  very  fame  impreflion  which  made  her 
contrary  to  the  inclinations  of  that  fex,  to  deliver  her  fervant  into 
her  hufband's  bofom,  efpecially  if  we  join  to  this  the  particular  pro- 
mife God  had  made  to  Abraha?n,  which  ftie  could  not  be  ignorant 
of. 

Sarah  fees  her  felf  deftltute  of  children,  and  her  barrcnncf^  having  con- 
tinued fo  long  a  time,  {he  had  no  bopes  of  ever  being  a  mother,  what 

remain'd 


Ch.  XV.  Reflexions  upon  Genefis.  257 

remain'd  therefore  for  her,  but  to  think  of  adopting  a  fon  of  her  bond- 
woman? And  in  confideration  of  this,  fhe  perfwades  her  hufband,  who 
had  no  inclination  to  any  fuch  thing  by  any  thing  that  appears  (at  leaft 
precedent  to  this  defire  of  his  wife)  to  take  her  unto  him.  He  fought  the 
feed  of  Gody  that  is,  the  feed  which  God  had  promifed,  as  Malachy  ex- 
prefles  it,  Mai  II.  15. 

At  leaft  it  is  certain,  that  the  ^Jews  have  taken  thefe  words  of  Ma- 
lachy {x)  in  this  fenfe  for  a  very  long  time,  as  they  do  ftill  to  this 
day. 

We  may  eafily  perceive,  that  this  was  a  predominant  impreflion 
throughout  that  whole  family,  if  to  what  we  have  already  obferv'd  of 
Zo^'s  daughters  and  of  Sarah,  we  do  but  add  the  forrow  Rebecca  conceiv- 
ed becaufe  of  her  barrennefs,  and  the  contentions  happening  between 
the  wives  of  Jacob,  for  their  hufband's  company,  without  which  fup- 
pofal,  the  relation  of  fuch  a  matter,  would  be  a  thing  of  no  impor- 
tance. 

Certainly,  as  it  would  be  ridiculous  to  fuppofe,  that  fo  wife  an  hifto- 
rian  as  Alofes  was,  ftiould  ftoop  to  the  recital  of  fuch  mean  and  low  par- 
ticulars (not  to  fpeak  worfe  of  them)  without  aiming  at  fomething  very 
high  and  confiderable,  fo  it  is  rational  to  believe,  that  in  all  thefc  rela- 
tions, he  pointed  at  the  promife  of  the  Mefjiah,  which  at  that  time  was 
the  great  objcift  of  the  religion  of  the  faithful,  which  God  in  procefs  of 
time  did  explain  by  little  and  little  more  diftin61:ly. 

The  jealoufie  alfo  which  arofe  between  IfJ^mael  and  Ifaac,  is  no  lefs 
confiderable.  Ifhinacl -whlS  the  eldeft  fon  oi  Abraham,  and  circumcis'd  as 
well  as  Ifaac ;  he  was  faved  from  death  by  the  miniftry  of  an  angel  j  and 
was  the  head  of  a  great  people,  who  from  that  time  to  this  very  day, 
have  always  been  circumcifcd. 

It  may  be  alfo  of  great  ufe  to  take  notice  here,  that  Ifhmael  could  not 
but  be  inftruifted  by  Abraham  concerning  the  promife  God  had  made  to 
him,  to  which  he  pretended,  as  being  the  elder,  and  therefore  mocked 
at  the  great  ftir  was  made  at  the  weaning  of  Ifaac,  as  thinkino-  that  he 
being  the  eldeft,  could  not  be  deprived  of  the  natural  right  of  his  pri- 
mogeniture. At  leaft,  it  is  very  probable,  that  except  it  had  been  thus, 
Sarah's  anger  (approved  by  God  himfelf)  would  not  have  prov'd  fo  vio- 
lent, as  well  againft  Ifhmael,  as  Hagar,  who  flatter'd  him  in  thefe  preten- 
fions,  nor  would  Abraham  fo  far  have  comply'd  with  it. 

And  forafmuch,  as  Ifaac  on  the  other  fide,  was  born  to  fulfil  a  parti- 
cular promife,  was  circumcifed,  and  faved  from  death  by  an  anp-el  ;  and 
that  befides  all  this,  Ijhnael  and  he  had  been  equally  educated  in  the  prac- 
tice of  religion,  'tis  impoffible,  but  that  this  conformity  of  events  (which 
has  been  the  caufe  of  fuch  lafting  contefts  between  them  and  their  po- 
fterity)  muft  have  engaged  them  to  inquire  into  the  truth  of  the  creation, 
and  the  promife  of  the  Meffiah,  and  into  all  other  matters  which  did  any 
way  concern  them. 

We  have  a  like  inftance,  if  not  ftronger  for  our  purpofe,  in  Efau  and 
Jacob,  who  were  both  born  of  the  fame  mother,  but  Efau  being  the 
firft-born,  we  find  the  fame  jealoufie  arifing  between  them,  as  before  be- 
tween 
(x)  Targ.  Jcnath.  in  h.  1.  ^  Kimcbi  in  h  1, 

Vol.  I.  R 


258  Reflexions  upon  Genefts.  Ch.  XV. 

t'wcen  Ijlmiael  and  Ifanc.  Sarah  fcem'd  fomewhat  cruel  in  cafting  out 
her  adopted  fon  IJhmael^  and  here  we  fee  that  Rebecca  preferred  'Jacob 
before  Ejau  her  firft-born,  and  afliftcd  him  in  robbing  his  elder  brother 
of  the  blefling  due  to  him  of  right:  but  without  queftion,  her  defign  in 
all  this  was  to  entail  this  blefllng  on  her  family,  by  making  it  fall  on 
Jacoh^  as  being  afraid  (and  that  not  without  caufe)  that  Efau  by  his  fins 
and  his  marriage  with  the  Canaanites^  had  made  hlmfelf  uncapable 
thereof. 

Now  as  this  was  the  occafion  of  a  great  difpute  between  thcfe  two 
Patriarchs  educated  in  the  fame  belief  and  religion,  fo  it  plainly  fhews  us 
how  ftrong  a  perfwafion  they  had  of  the  creation,  and  the  promife  of  the 
Mejpah. 

And  befides,  it  is  further  very  remarkable. 

Firft,  That  Mofes  reprefents  Efau  as  a  prophane  perfon,  for  which, 
not  only  this  reafon  may  be  alledged,  that  he  fold  his  birth-right  for  a 
mefs  of  pottage,  to  which  birth-right  the  priefthood  was  always  annexed, 
but  we  muft  further  take  notice. 

That  he  being  educated  by  his  father  in  the  hopes  of  this  blefling,  he 
fecm'd  to  laugh  at  it  in  all  his  aftions  ;  for  firft  he  married  the  daughter 
of  Heth,  by  which  he  fufficiently  intimated,  that  he  neither  minded  the 
blefiing  nor  the  curfe  of  God  ;  for  Canaan  and  his  poflerity  had  in  a  very 
folemn  manner  been  curfed  by  Noah^With.  a  particular  regard  to  the  pro- 
mife of  the  MeJJial\  as  I  hinted  before. 

In  the  fecond  place,  he  married  a  daughter  of  Ijhmael^  as  if  he  intend- 
ed to  renew  the  pretenfions  of  y/^wc?^/  againft  Ifaac  his  father. 

In  the  third  place  we  fee,  that  when  he  repented  of  this  prophane 
humor,  he  was  pierced  with  extream  forrow  for  the  crime  he  had  com- 
mitted, becaufe  he  could  not  obtain  pardon  for  it. 

This  jealoufie  and  difference  between  Ejau  and  Jacoh^  is  the  more 
confiderable,  becaufe  Efau  was  the  head  of  a  great  nation,  vix.  the  Edo- 
viites^  a  people  circumcifed  as  well  as  the  JavSy  jealous  of  the  pofterity 
of  facob^  and  living  upon  the  borders  of  yudea\  as  well  as  the  Moabites, 
Jmmonitesy  and  Ijhma elites^  but  yet  put  by  their  hopes  by  that  oracle,  The 
■greater  people  Jhall ferve  the  Icjfer, 

Were  it  needful  to  afford  a  greater  light  to  thcfe  reflexions,  I  might 
here  add  a  very  natural  one,  from  the  oath  which  Abraham  made  his  fer- 
vant  Eliezer  take,  when  he  fent  him  to  Padan  Arajn^  to  procure  a  wife 
for  JJaac.  We  may  eafily  judge,  that  he  was  not  willing  he  fhould  mar- 
ry a  Cutnaanite  as  Let  had  done  ;  and  that  for  fear  of  forfeiting  his  hopes, 
:iiV\^  weakening  the  juft  pretenfions  of  Ij'aac  to  the  right  of  accomplifhing 
the  promife,  from  whence  the  Canaanite%  were  excluded  by  the  prophecy 
deliver'd  by  Noah.  But  that  which  made  Abraham  to  oblige  his  fervnnt 
to  fwear,  putting  his  hand  under  his  thigh  ;  that  is,  touching  that  part 
which  was  the  fubicft  of  circumcifion  (j),  and  which  bore  the  mark  oi 
the  covenant,  defer vcs  a  further  confideration. 

We  find  ftrft  of  all,  that  the  Patriarch  Jacob^  obferves  the  fame  cuf- 
tom,  when  he  made  his  fon  Jofeph  to  take  an  oath,  that  he  fhould  not 
bury  him  in  Egypt. 

Secondly,  We  find  that  this  cuflom  of  beholding  that  membsr  which 
i  received 

(y)  St.  JeriTTH 


I 


Ch.  XVI.  Refiex'iom  upon  Genefis.  259 

received  circumcifion,  as  a  part  confecrated  to  religion,  did  by  little  and 
little  take  place  in  the  land  of  Canaan^  and  gave  occafion  to  the  worfhip 
of  Baal  Peor^  fo  famous  among  the  Moabites  and  Ammonites ;  a  very  fur- 
prlfing  and  ftrange  worfliip  indeed,  and  yet  celebrated  with  feftivals, 
and  hymns,  and  was  the  rife  of  that  worfhip  which  the  heathens  after- 
wards gave  to  Priapus.  What  I  have  here  obferved,  hath  been  in  part 
acknowledged  by  the  Jews,  where  they  fpeak  of  the  worfhip  of  Baal 
Peor^  and  the  rcafon  which  made  God  prefcribe  to  the  prieft  the  ufe  of 
linen  drawers,  that  their  nakednefs  might  not  appear  during  the  functions 
of  their  miniftry. 

After  all  that  I  have  now  faid,  concerning  thofe  jealoufies  which  Mo- 
fes  relates  with  fo  much  care,  it  feems  that  the  folidity  of  thefe  obferva- 
tions  cannot  be  difputed.  Efpecially  if  we  confider,  that  it  is  thefe  jea- 
loufies, and  thefe  pretenfions  to  the  promife  of  the  Mejjtah  that  o-ave  rife 
to  the  cuftom  of  calling  God,  the  God  of  Abraham^  the  God  of  Ifaac^ 
and  the  God  of  y^f5^;  for  tho' he  might  as  well  have  been  called  the 
God  of  Adam,  the  God  of  Enoch^  and  the  God  of  Noah^  forafmuch  as 
all  thefe  Patriarchs  were  alfo  depofitaries  of  the  promife  of  the  MejTiah  : 
yet  it  is  probable  that  God  was  called  fo,  bccaule  of  the  particular  pro- 
mifes  which  had  been  made  firft  to  Abraham^  fccondiy  to  Ipac^  and  laftly 
to  "Jacob,  and  in  oppofition  to  the  pretenfions  of  fome  people  near  neigh- 
bours to  the  Ijraelites,  and  jealous  of  their  hopes  :  the  God  of  Abraham 
and  not  of  Lot,  as  the  Ammonites  and  Aloabites  Lot's  pofterity,  pretended  • 
the  God  of  Ifaac,  and  not  of  IJhmael,  as  the  IJhmaelites  pretended  j  the 
God  oi  Jacob  and  not  of  Efau,  as  the  Edcmites  who  were  the  offsprincr 
of  Efau  pretended. 


CHAP.       XVI. 

That  this  very  Perfivajton  feems  to  have  been  kept  up  amongjl  the  Pojierity  of 
Jacob,  until  Moses'x  time. 

f^!»!^  T  is  yet  eafier  to  (hew,  that  the  diflin^t  knowledge  of  the  cre- 
^:  I  ;^  ation,  and  of  the  promife  of  the  Meffah,  did  continue  from 
^^y^.S  y^'^°^  fo  Jofeph,  and  fo  on  to  Mcfcs. 

'Fhe  following  arguments  will  clearly  deinonflrate  it. 

Firft  of  all,  we  fee  ihzt  Jacob  (z)  being  polfels'd  of  the  bleffing,  and 
fo  depofitary  of  the  promife,  obey'd  Ifaac's  command,  who  forbad  him 
to  take  a  wife,  but  out  of  his  own  family ;  and  that  accordingly  he  went 
to  Padan-Aram,  to  feek  and  get  a  wife  amongft  thofe  of  his  kindred, 
as  Abraham  had  formerly  fent  for  one  of  the  fame  countrey  for  his  fon 
Ifaac, 

We  fee  in  the  fecond  place,  this  Patriarch  imitated  Lamech  (a)  in  fome 
refpeft,  by  his  falling  into  polygamy  :  for  who  can  doubt  but  he,  who 
was  confcious  to  himfelf  of  having  furpriz'd,  as  he  thought,  the  bleiTing 

R  Z  defign'd 

(z)  Gcnef.  xxviii.  («)  Genef.  xxix. 


26o  Rejiexions  upon  Gemfts.  Ch.  XVI. 

tlefiG'n'cl  for  his  elder  brother,  did  a6t  in  this  occafion  by  the  fame  prin- 
ciple which  Lamcch  had  formerly  a6ted  by  ?  Thus  we  fee  that  barren 
RticheL  follows  Sarah\  example,  and  adopts  the  fon  of  that  maid-fervant, 
whom  fhe  gave  to  Jacob  j  wherein  Leah  foUow'd  her,  and  gave  one  of 
her  maids  to  her  hufband  :  all  this  was  evidently  grounded  upon  the 
fame  principle  which  afterwards  bred  thofe  diflenfions  betwixt  Jacob's 
wivf-s  about  the  getting  children  by  him  :  for  it  is  very  natural  to 
believe,  that  Jacob  did  not  conceal  from  his  wives  his  advantages  and 
hopes. 

it  appears,  that  Jacob's  children  which  were  born,  for  the  moft  part 
in  Labati's  houfe  in  Chaldea,  where  they  had  feen  Abraham'^  native 
countrey,  and  thofe  of  their  own  kindred,  from  among  whom  God  had 
commanded  Abraha7n  to  depart,  and  to  go  into  Canaan^  did  entertain 
very  lively  notions  of  thofe  important  truths,  cfpecially  after  they  were 
Itrengthened  and  confirm'd  by  the  cares  and  inftrudlions  of  old  Ijaac,^  to 
whom  they  were  brought  by  Jacob ;  and  after  they  began  to  practice  in 
Ciinaan^  the  worfhip  and  religion  of  their  own  family,  and  to  compare 
it  with  the  dodrine  they  had  learnt  in  Chaldea. 

Thofe  fcveral  voyages  which  God  obliged  the  Patriarchs  to  undertake, 
as  that  of  Abraham  out  of  Vr  of  Chaldea ;  that  of  Jacob  out  of  Canaan 
(we  ought  to  make  the  fame  judgement  oi  Mofes's  forty  years  fojourning 
amongft  the  Midian'ites)  did  evidently  oblige  them  to  examine  more  care- 
fully, what  was  the  tradition  received  in  the  feveral  countries  into  which 
they  travelled,  arid  fo  to  imprint  the  more  deeply  into  their  minds  the 
belief  of  thofe  important  truths,  which  were  the  foundation  of  their  re- 
ligion, and  the  fole  objeft  of  the  meditations  of  the  faithful. 

One  fees  in  fhort,  the  efFefts  of  thefe  impreflions. 

1.  By  that  cuftom  which  feems  to  have  begun  in  Jacob's  time,  and 
W'hich  afterwards  got  the  authority  of  a  law,  I  mean  the  cuftom  of  tak- 
ing to  wife  ones  own  brother's  widow  to  raife  him  up  feed. 

2.  1  he  fm  of  Onan  is  reprefented  fo  odious,  only  becaufe  by  it,  he 
acted  againft  the  belief  of  the  promife. 

3.  We  fee  the  fame  thing  in  the  action  of  Thamar^  Juda^s  daughter- 
in-law  ;  for  having  been  deceived  by  Judah^  {he  in  exchange,  furpriz'd 
him  ijito  an  incelt,  the  commiflion  whereof,  according  to  the  obferva- 
tion  of  a  Greek  commentator  (/»),  file  fought  to  perpetuate,  only  becaufe 
fhe  had  a  vehement  defire  to  get  children  out  of  a  famiH',  which  fhe 
lookt  upon  as  folely  intrulted  with  the  promife  of  the  Mcjfiah^  and  out  of 
which  he  was  accordingly  to  be  born. 

It  is  necefliiry  to  make  that  obfervatlon,  becaufe  wc  ouQ;ht  always  ta 
remember,  that  fhe  was  formerly  a  Ca7iaanite^  and  that  confequently  Ihc 
left  oft'  and  renounc'd  the  impiety  and  idolatry  of  her  kindred,  when  (lie 
embrac'd  the  religion  and  hopes  of  Jacob's  family.  Therefore  we  fee 
that  particular  mention  is  made  of  her  in  our  Saviour's  genealogy,  and 
of  Ruth  who  likewifc  gave  over  all  the  pretenfions  of  her  own  people, 
and  fo  forfook  her  religion  to  enter  into  the  tribe  of  Judah,  as  well  as  of 
Bathjhebah,  who  was  wife  to  a  Hittite ;  whereupon  an  ancient  father  hath 
sery  well  obferved  ((.),  according  to  the  Jcivijh  opinion,  that  i>hi//iei'^ 

revilings 

(b)  Theoph.  In  Mat.  C.  i. 

(f)  S,  Uuron^m,  in  Tradit.  Jieh.  ad  I.  Reg.  3. 


1 


Ch.  XVI.  Reflexhm  upon  Genefis.  261 

revilings  agalnft  David^  when  he  went  out  of  Jerufale?ti^  during  j^hjh- 
lom\  rebellion,  refleded  upon  his  birth  out  of  the  porter ity  of  Ruth  the 
Moabitefs,  as  the  Jews  even  to  this  very  day  do  underftand  it. 

We  may  make  the  fame  reflexion  upon  the  confideration  of  that 
implacable  jealoufie  which  Jofeph's  dreams  raifed  in  the  minds  of  his 
brethren. 

I.  We  may  reafonabiy  conceive,  that  he  being  the  firft-born  of  Rachel^ 
and  the  wife  which  Jacob  his  father  had  firft  made  love  to,  he  had  been 
brought  up  with  hopes  of  the  birth-right,  as  well  as  Ifaac^  who  was  but 
the  fecond  fon  of  Abraham. 

But  2.  He  might  befides,  very  well  fuppofe,  that  the  crimes  of  his 
brethren  born  oi  Leah  (whom  in  all  likelihood  he  lookt  upon  as  the  fole, 
legitimate  heirs,  the  others  being  born  of  maid-fervants)  did  rank  them 
with  Efau^  whom  God  had  rejected.  That  outragious  fury  which  'Jofeph's, 
brethren  fhew'd  againll  him,  becaufe  they  lookt  upon  him  as  preferred 
of  God  by  thofe  dreams  to  thofc  that  were  born  before  him,  is  To  like 
that  of  Cain^  of  La/,  of  Ifmael^  and  of  Efau  ;  that  it  had,  in  all  probabi- 
lity, the  fame  caufe  and  original. 

Do  we  not  fee  afterwards,  another  efFe£l  of  the  fame  jealoufie,  in  the 
afFedtation  that  Jacob  and  his  family  fliew'd  in  the  land  of  E^ypt^  when 
they  refufed  to  live  promifcuoufly  with  the  Egyptians^  which  were  the 
pollerity  of //^;«,  and  begg'd  of  them  a  countrey  where  they  might  live 
by  themfelves  j  as  we  fee  on  the -contrary,  the  Egyptians  (hewing  an  ex 
tream  averfion  againft  Jacob  and  his  family,  which  was  of  Serns  poftc- 
jity. 

Certainly  it  cannot  be  denied,  that  as  this  feparation  was  an  effeil  of 
the  antipathy  of  thofe  nations,  fo  it  might  alfo  be  in  fome  refpe(St,  the 
confequence  of  Jacob  and  his  childrens  pretenfions  upon  the  promifc  of 
the  Mejjiah^  the  execution  and  accomplifhment  whereof,  they  ftood  up 
for  as  belonging  to  themfelves. 

l^o  all  this  we  may  add,  that  the  perfecution  of  the  Egyptians  againft 
the  Ifraelites  obliged  them  to  make  particular  reflexions  upon  the  promife 
which  Jacob  on  his  death-bed  made  to  them  from  God  ;  that  pcrlecution 
was  chiefly  intended  againft  the  male  children,  Pharaoh  conimandino- 
the  extirpation  of  them,  becaufe  he  wiis  afraid  of  the  Jews  growing  too 
ftroiig  for  him,  and  of  their  joyning  wich  his  enemies  ;  and  perhaps  alfo 
becaufe  th6  Jeivs  entertaining  a  certain  expectation  of  the  A-Ie //iah's  com  ^ 
iiig,  and  fo  boafting  and  glorying  of  it  upon  all  occafions,  the  Euyptiajis 
dclign'd  to  fruftrate,  and  cut  off  their  hope  thus,  by  hindering  the  ac- 
compliftiment  of  the  promife. 

However  there  was  Jio  real  diflSculty  to  keep  up  the  diltinct  remem- 
brance of  thofe  important  faints.  Jacob  died  in  the  year  of  the  world 
2315.  ^(j/^/*/' died  in  the  year  of  the  world,  2428.  There  arc  then  but 
58  years  between  Jo/eph's  death,  and  Mofes's  birth  :  Ahfcs  might  have 
feen  not  only  Jmramhis  own  father,  who  had  fcen  Leviy  but  aiib  Kohath 
his  grandfather,  who  had  ken  Jacob. 

And  it  is  for  that  reafon,  that  Mofes  feems  to  have  obfeiv'd,  that 
Jf-Jeph  faw  his  own  children's  children  [d)j  tliat  is"  loMay,  the  t.iird  "^,'- 
iicration. 

•y)  Gen.  !.  23. 


262  Reflexions  upon  Genrfis.  Ch.  XVII. 

One  cannot  imagine  any  circumftances  more  conducible  than  thefe, 
to  the  preferving  the  dirtinc^t  knowledge  of  thofc  important  truths  which 
were  the  foundations  of  religion. 


^^^^^^^^^^^^'^•^'^^^^^^^^''fy^'^^'^^^'fy'fyUt^ 


CHAP.      XVII. 

^at  the  Tradition  which  gives  us  an  account  of  the  Perfwafion  which  the 
Ancients  had  of  the  Truth  of  the  Creation  of  the  Worlds  and  of  the  Promife 
of  the  Messiah,  before  Moses  cannot  he  fufpeSled, 

^"p^^,  HAVE  fliew'd,  I  think,  evidently  enough,  that  both  the  Cre- 
'^  I  ;^:  ation,  and  the  promife  of  the  MeJJiah^  with  all  the  other  things 
\Cr^--^J^  depending  upon  them,  might  have  been  known  certainly  by 
Jdam  and  his  children,  and  fo  afterwards  be  handed  down  to  all  his  po- 
fterity  till  Mofs's  time. 

From  Admn  to  Noah  there  is  but  one  man,  viz.  MethufelahyWho  joyn- 
cd  hands  with  both. 

From  Noah  to  Abraham,  there  is  but  one  man,  vi%.  Sem,  who  faw 
them  both  for  a  confiderable  time. 

From  Abraham  to  Jofeph,  there  is  but  one  man,  viz.  Ifaacy  Jofeph'S' 
grandfather. 

From  Jofeph  to  Mofes,  there  is  but  one  man,  viz.  Amram^  who  might 
have  feen  jofeph  long  enough. 

Thofe  chara<Slers  of  time  which  Mofes  hath  fo  carefully  obferved,  do 
plainly  evidence,  that  the  creation,  and  the  promife  of  the  Mejfiah,  might 
be  diftinitly  known :  for  if  we  fuppofe  a  continued  fucceflion  of  Adam's 
offspring,  it  was  not  eafie  to  impofe  upon  men  in  that  matter  ;  and  that, 
becaufe  every  one  of  thofe  who  were  contemporaries  with  Mofes,  being 
able  to  run  up  his  own  pedigree  as  far  as  the  flood,  nay,  even  up  to 
Adam,  by  as  compendious  a  way  as  Mofes  could  do  his  own  ;  they  would 
have  treated  thofe  with  the  utmoft  degree  of  fcorn,  who  ihould  have  at- 
tempted to  forge  any  thing  contrary  to  what  was  publickly  and  univer- 
fally  known ;  and  fo  it  was  equally  impoffiblc,  that  the  truth  of  things 
fo  important  as  the  creation,  and  the  promife  of  the  MeJ/iah  were,  fhould 
be  unknown. 

Befides,  I  think  I  have  plainly  fhew'd,  that  many  aftions  recorded  by 
Mofes,  tho'  very  flrange  in  themfelves,  and  which  the  Atheifts  look  up- 
on as  abfurd  ajid  ridiculous,  have  proceeded  from  no  other  principle  than 
from  the  ftrong  perfwafion  of  the  truth  of  thofe  fads,  according  as  in  a 
lonc!;  feries  of  ages,  everyone  of  the  ancients  following  his  own  humour 
andprcjudices,  framed  to  himfelf  a  particular  idea  differing  from  the  true 
fenfe  of  the  promife  of  the  Mejftah. 

It  cannot  reafonably  be  objected,  that  all  this  is  only  grounded  upon 
the  uncertain  authority  of  tradition;  for  tho'  I  grant  that  tradition,  as 
to  facts  of  another  nature,  be  dubious  and  uncertain,  and  not  to  be  too 

much 


Ch.  XVIII.  Refiexions  upon  Genefis.  263 

much  relyed  upon  in  matter  of  belief,  yet  this  hath  fuch  very  particular 
charafters  as  keep  up  its  own  authority. 

Firft  it  fuppofeth  a  fmall  number  of  perfons  from  Adam  to  Alofei,  who 
put  it  in  writing. 

Secondly,  it  fuppofeth,  that  thofe  who  have  prefervcd  this  tradition, 
lived  very  long,  and  for  the  moll  part,  for  many  centuries  of  years. 

Thirdly,  it  relates  to  fuch  fads  as  every  one  is  defirous  to  be  rightly 
inform'd  of,  and  which  he  is  particularly  concern'd  to  examine,  as  re- 
lating to  his  own  private  interell,  becaufe  they  are  the  principles  of 
his  aaions,  and  the  rules  of  his  conduct  both  in  civil  and  rchgious 
matters. 

Fourthly,  it  fuppofeth  fuch  real  marks  as  ferved  to  keep  it  up ;  fuch  as 
the  pains  of  child-bearing,  the  paradife  before  the  flood,  the  duration  of 
the  ark  after  the  flood. 

Fifthly,  it  fuppofeth  a  publick  fervice  and  worfliip,  whofe  celebration 
is  repeated  fifty  two  times  a  year,  that  the  remembrance  of  it  (hould  be 
prcferved  by  all  pofterity. 

Sixthly,  It  was  preferved  entire  by  pafling  from  father  to  fon,  and  we 
know  that  fathers  or  mothers  do  not  naturally  engage  in  a  defign  of  de- 
ceiving their  children. 

Seventhly,  it  fuppofeth  ftrange  controverfics  betwixt  brothers,  the  el- 
der having  almoft  all  been  excluded,  and  the  younger,  ^'iAhcl^Seth,  Abra- 
ham^ Ifaac,  Jacobs  JiuUi^  chofen  to  accomplifli  the  i)romife  of  the  AL'jfwh^^ 
which  bred  great  jcaloufies,  and  tended  much  to  preferve  thofe  ideas  of 
the  truth. 

Laftly,  it  fuppofeth  great  contefts  betwixt  whole  nations,  who  all  ftrove 
one  with  another  for  the  advantage  of  being  the  heirs  of  the  promifc, 
and  depofitaries  of  thofe  verities  ;  as  the  Aloahita,  for  inllance,  the  Am- 
monites, the  Ijhmaelitis,  the  Edomltts^  and  the  Jncs ;  each  of  them  pre- 
tending to  a  preference  before  the  others,  by  God  himfelf,  and  lo  mak- 
ing it  a  matter  of  credit  and  honour  to  thcmfclvcs.  All  thefe  charaviters 
contribute  to  the  diftind  prefervation  of  the  knowledge  of  any  trutli. 


@i[iiuijronnrrn(i[iiin<HDucinii]«iuMtLi»muuiiiiiiunuimiinniniiM-mrttT-TT '" ,...,.^„»^-f,.„ »r«..ra^M^  ^ 


CHAP.        XVIII. 

An  Explication  of  Moses's  J  Fay  of  lVriting\  where  it  is  Jhew'd,  that  in 
Writing  the  Book  o/" Genesis,  he  mentioned  nothing  but  what  was  then 
generally  known. 

^•tt^  HIS  is  a  truth  which  at  firft  I  took  for  granted,  and  afterwards 
^^  T  ;^:  proved  it,  the  reafons  whereof  I  explained  particularly  as  I  went 
{^5i)(^^^  on.  But  it  ought  to  be  fixed  as  folidly  as  the  matter  will  bear, 
becaufe  it  often  happens,  that  thofe  who  do  not  forefee  the  confequences 
which  mav  be  drawn  from  the  contrary  opinion,  do  contradict  it  before 
they  are  aware  of  it  i  and  that  too  under  pretence  of  exalting  the  Divine 

R  4  authority 


264  Rcjiextom  upon  Genefjs.  Ch.  XVIII. 

authority  of  the  book  of  Genefis :  which  gives  occafion  to  the  Atheifts  to 
look  upon  it  no  othcrwife  than  as  learned  men  do,  on  the  grcatcft  part 
of  legends. 

7  he  prophetical  fpirit  a£ls  in  two  manners. 

The  Firrt  is  byway  of  revelation,  in  refpe£V  of  thofe  things  the  pro- 
phet  hath  no  knowledge  of.  Thus  the  Evangeli/i  St.  'John  hath  foretold 
thofe  events,  which  we  read  of  in  the  Revelations :  for  thofe  events  being 
all  hidden  under  the  (hadows  of  futurity,  it  was  impofliblc  for  him  to 
have  foretold  them,  unlefs  the  fpirit  of  God  had  immediately  revealed 
them  to  him. 

The  fecond  is  by  way  of  direction,  in  refpeft  of  thofe  things  with 
which  the  Prophet  was  himfcU"  acquainted,  either  becaufe  he  was  aneye- 
witnefs  of  them  himfelf,  or  becaufe  he  learnt  them  from  thofe  who  v/erc 
lb. 

Now  this  direction  of  the  fpirit  confifls  in  the  guiding  the  Prophets  fo 
as  that  he  may  write  of  his  fubjedl,  juft  as  it  was  either  fpoken  or  done. 
Thus  the  Evangciifts  St.  Matthew^  and  St.  John^  drew  up  an  abridg- 
ment of  tliofe  fcrmons  of  our  Saviour,  which  they  had  heard,  and  of  thole 
miracles  which  they  had  fccn. 

And  thus  St.  Luke^  and  St.  Mark,  have  written  of  thofe  things  which 
they  had  heard  from  thofe  that  were  eye-witnefies  of  them,  as  St.  Luke 
particularly  tells  us. 

Now  I  affirm,  that  when  Mofes  wrote  the  book  of  Genefis,  he  had  only 
the  fecond  fort  of  prophetical  influences,  and  not  the  firlt  ;  although  in 
our  difputes  againlt  Atheifts,  to  convince  them  by  arguments  from  mat- 
ters of  fa£l,  we  may  confider  him  only  as  an  hiftorian,  who  might  have 
written  his  book  without  any  other  particular  diredion,  and  might  have 
preferved  in  it  the  memory  of  thofe  ancient  events  which  were  then  ge 
ncrally  known. 

Now  what  fide  foever  divines  may  take  in  their  difputes  againft  the  A- 
theifts,  I  may  eafily  eltablifh  my  alltrtion  :  firft,  becaufe  it  is  not  neceflary 
to  fuppofe  an  entire  revelation,  where  tradition  being  dilHndl  enough,  is 
fufficient  to  preferve  a  clear  remembrance  of  all  thofe  facls. 

Now  it  cannot  be  denied,  but  that  the  tradition  concerning  the  crea- 
tion and  the  promife  of  the  Mcfliah  was  of  this  nature,  efpecially  if  we 
confider  the  little  extent  of  it,  and  the  immediate  fucceflion  of  iW^«'s 
ancellors,  down  to  himfelf. 

Secondly,  if  Abraham'^  and  Jacob's  travels  through  fo  many  places, 
were,  as  I  have  obferved  already,  very  ufcful  to  give  them  a  further  view 
of  the  common  belief  of  all  the  feveral  nations  defcended  from  Noah,  and 
of  their  agreement  in  this  tradition,  it  were  unjuft  to  fuppofe  that  Mofes\ 
forty  years  fojourning  in  the  country  of  Altaian,  and  that  too  when  he 
was  forty  years  old,  and  confequently  had  that  ripenefs  of  age  and  judg- 
ment as  is  fitteft  for  fuch  obfervations,  did  not  ferve  to  acquaint  him  with 
the  feveral  paflages  he  records  of  Jbraham,  as  well  as  of  the  feveral  di- 
vifions  of  his  poilcrity. 

Thirdly,  we  may  obfcrve  in  the  book  of  Genefis  a  way  of  writing  very 
different  from  that  which  we  fee  in  the  greateit  part  o(  ExoJus,  and  in 
the  following  books  ;  for  whereas  God  fpcaks  to  him  in  thofe  latter 
books,  which  he  always  did  viva  voce,     ( And  the  'Jews  have  wifdy.  ob- 

lerved, 


Ch.  XVni.  Rejlexions  uponGenefts^  265 

ferved,  that  herein  confifted  Mofes's  advantage  above  the  other  Prophets 
to  whom  God  was  uled  to  fpeak  only  in  dreams  and  vifions.)  He  ufes 
commonly  thofe  words,  And  the  Lord  /pake  unto  me.  He  marks  out  the 
place  where  God  fpoke  to  him,  as  well  as  the  time  and  occaiion  of  God's 
fpeaking  to  him,  which  he  do's  not  in  his  book  of  Genefis. 

Fourthly,  the  book  of  Genefts  is  not  divided  into  feveral  revelations, 
as  all  prophecies  are,  wherein  the  feveral  returns  of  the  holy  Spirit  of 
God  are  all  exadly  fet  down  ;  which  was  abfolutely  neceflary,  not  onl/ 
to  eafe  the  reader,  who  might  be  tired,  if  he  was  to  carry  a  long  feriesof 
predidions  in  his  mind  at  once,  as  if  it  were  only  one  fmgle  vifion  or  re- 
velation ;  but  alfo  to  condefcend  to  the  nature  of  the  minds  of  men  :  for 
according  to  the  rules  of  probability,  we  cannot  fuppofe  them  to  be  filled 
with  fo  many  differing  idea's  at  the  fame  time,  but  a  great  confulion 
muft  neceffarily  follow. 

But  fuppofing  that  thefe  obfervations  fhould  be  thought  infufficient, 
yet  thofe  that  follow  will  feem  capable  of  convincing  the  minds  of  all. 
There  are  in  the  book  of  Gencfis  certain  characlers  of  its  being  written 
in  that  way  which  I  fpeak  of.  Firlf,  one  needs  only  juft  look  uito  that 
book,  and  he  will  fee  that  the  ancienteft  fa<fls,  which  are  thofe  of  which 
we  moft  defire  a  particular  account,  are  there  defcribed  in  a  very  {hort 
and  concife  manner.  The  hiftoryof  1656  years  is  all  contained  in  eight 
chapters  ;  there  are  no  actions  defcribed  therein  with  more  circumftances, 
than  only  fome  few  of  the  moft  important,  the  remembrance  whereof 
was  ftill  frefh  amongft  them.  The  hiftory  of  Lamech''%  polygamy,  and 
the  murders  of  which  he  was  guilty,  is  there  fet  down  fo  compendioufly, 
that  it  is  very  obfcure. 

Secondly,  one  fees  that  he  fpeaks  more  copioully  of  all  that  had  been 
tranfacted  near  his  time:  he  explains  and  mentions  all  the  particulars  and 
circumftances  thereof.  He  fpeaks  fo  fliortly  of  Melcbifedeck,  that  it  is 
doubted  to  this  day,  whether  he  was  not  the  Patriarch  SerUy  or  fome  other 
faithful  worfhipper  of  the  true  God  fettled  in  the  IznAo^  Canaan -^  whereas 
he  fets  down  at  length  all  the  particulars  of  the  hiftory  of  Abraham.^  of 
Jfaac^  and  of  Jacob^  whofe  laft  oracles  which  he  fpoke  on  his  death-bed, 
he  carefully  records. 

Thirdly,  he  defcribes  with  the  fame  exa£lnefs  all  the  genealogies  of  the 
Edomites,  their  feveral  tribes,  and  the  names  of  their  heads  and  cap- 
tains, &c.  As  when  he  fpeaks  of  thofe  of  the  people  of  Ifrael,  which 
indeed  he  could  eafily  do,  having  liv'd  forty  years  of  his  life  amongft 
thofe  nations,  as  well  as  he  had  other  forty  years  amongft  the  Jf- 
raelites. 

Thofe  who  maintain  the  contrary  opinion,  muft  of  necefllty  fuppofe, 
firft.  That  tradition  is  of  no  ufe  at  all  to  preferve  the  idea  of  any  illuf- 
'  trious  adlion. 

Secondly,  That  in  Mofes\  time  there  were  none  who  knew  any  par- 
ticulars of  the  hiftory  of  the  flood,  b'V.  of  the  tower  of  Babel,  of  the  di- 
vifion  of  tongues  ;  tho'  we  fee  plainly,  both  by  the  nature  of  the  fadls 
themfelves,  in  which  all  nations  were  concern'd,  and  hyMofes  his  defcrip- 
tion,  that  the  generality  of  mankind  were  fufficiently  inftrufted  in  them 
already. 

Thirdly,  It  muft  be  fuppofed  that  Mofes  hath  fet  down  the  manner 

how 


266  Reflexions  upon  Gcnefis.  Ch.  XIX. 

how  that  tradition  was  infalhbly  prefcrved  fo  carefully  to  no  purpofe,  the* 
he  took  notice  of  all  the  circumftanccs  iieccflary  for  that  cftcdt. 

P'ourthly,  They  muft  fuppofc  that  Mcjes,  whilll  he  fojourned  in  the 
land  of  Midian,  heard  nothiiig  either  of  their  original  and  pedigree,  nor 
yet  of  the  other  neighbouring  nations  who  were  defccnded  from  yfhra- 
ham,  2.\tho'  all  thefe  nations  valued  thcmfelves  upon  their  being  dcfcend- 
cd  from  that  Patriarch,  and  kept  up  their  leveral  pedigrees,  by  which 
they  could  trace  their  original  with  the  fame  care  as  the  Ifraditcs 
did  theirs,  becaufe  they  had  the  fame  pretenfions  that  the  Ij'ruilitei 
had. 

Laflly,  We  muft  abfolutely  take  away  the  authority  of  the  oracles  re- 
corded by  Mofcs  in  Genefis.  Thefe  oracles  promife  to  Abraham  the  poC- 
(elUon  or  the  land  of  Canaan  for  his  pofterity,  and  threaten  the  Canaanites 
with  fcveral  curfes  :  Jacob  by  his  will  bequeathed  SIchem  to  the  tribe  of 
yofeph.  He  exprcfly  marks  out  the  country  which  one  of  the  tribes  was 
to  poflefs  J  he  gives  a  defcription  of  the  character  and  rank  of  every  tribe. 
The  accompliihnicnt  of  thofe  oracles,  tho'  never  fo  exact  and  admirable, 
is  of  no  manner  of  confequcnce,  if  we  fuppofe  that  thefe  particular  pre- 
didtions  were  abfolutely  unknown  in  Abraham's  tamily,  whereas  their 
accompliftiment,  which  he  carefully  defcribes  from  time  to  time,  is  the 
moft  folid  d-cmonftration  which  can  be  defired,  to  eftablifh  the  divinity 
of  thofe  revelations,  as  well  as  of  Alofes  his  other  books. 


»xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx><xxxx><xxxxx« 


CHAP.      XIX. 

Jn  Jnfaer  to  an  ObjcSIion  which  may  be  drawn  from  the  Hijhries  of  the 
Egyptians  and  Chaldeans,  concerning  the  Antiquity  cfthe  IForld, 

rf^'Si'fti^H  AT  I  have  already  reprefented  is  fufficient  to  prove  th^iiMofes 
f^W^;  writ  nothing  in  the  book  of  Geue/is,  but  what  was  then  gene- 
S-f^'^S  rally  known  by  all  the  world.  And  I  know  nothing  that  can 
be  objcded  with  any  probability,  but  what  we  read  in  the  molt  ancient 
authors  concerning  the  Egyptian  and  Chaldean  hiftory,  and  in  the  modern 
ones  concernino-  that  of  China.  We  muft  then  examin  both  the  one  and 
the  other  with  attention,  that  we  may  leave  no  difficulties  in  fo  impor- 
tant a  fubjeil. 

All  that  the  Atheifts  can  objed  againft  the  hiftory  of  Mofes,  concerning 
the  Epocha  of  the  creation  of  the  world  as  he  hath  fixed  it,  is  what  Dij- 
dorus  Sicuius  relates,  that  in  the  time  of  Alexander  the  Great,  there  were 
fome  Egyptians  that  reckon'd  up  three  and  twenty  thoufand  years  from 
the  reign  of  the  fun  to  Alexander's  time,  and  that  thofe  who  reckon'd 
leart,  yet  reckon'd  fomewhat  more  than  ten  thoufand  years,  which  ac- 
count exceeds  the  antiquity  which  Mofes  afcribes  to  the  world  in  the 
book  of  Geiirf:s,  by  many  ages,  where  he  reprefent*^  the  creation  as  a  fact 
which  happened  ibmc  few  years  more  than  two  thoufand  five  hundred 

before 


Ch.  XIX.  Rejlexlons  upon  Genejii.  267 

before  he  wrote  that  book.  How  then  did  Mofes  write  of  things  uni- 
verfaily  acknowledged  bv  all  the  world  ?  And  they  may  here  further  ag- 
gravate, what  the  fame  Diodoriis  hath  obferved,  that  the  hillory  of  the 
Egyptians  was  not  written  like  that  of  the  Greeks ;  amongft  whom,  thofe 
who  came  firft  wrote  their  own  hiftories,  every  man  according  to  his 
own  private  humour,  which  caufed  that  great  variety  amongft  their  hif- 
torians :  whereas  amongft  the  Egyptians  none  wrote  but  by  publick  au- 
thority ;  the  priefts  alone  having  that  particular  employment  referved 
for  them  to  write  their  hiftories  in  their  fevcral  generations. 

This  objection  is  eafily  confuted  in  two  words  :  in  (hort.  How  could 
the  Egyptians  have  always  had  men  to  write  their  hiftories  by  publick  au- 
thority in  all  their  fucceeding  generations,  feeing  there  were,  as  Dlodo- 
rus  obferves,  fuch  a  ftrange  and  vaft  divifions  amongft  themfelves  ?  If 
there  were  but  two  or  three  ages  difference  more  or  lefs,  no  body  would 
look  upon  it,  as  a  material  exception  againlt  the  hiftory  of  fuch  a  long 
feries  of  time  ;  but  who  can  imagine  that  thofe  men  who  differ  no  lefs 
than  thirteen  thoufand  years  in  their  accounts  of  the  duration  of  the  fame 
interval  of  time,  had  yet  certain  hiftories  upon  which  thcfe  things  were 
grounded. 

This  fliews  fufficiently,  that  as  VLirro  the  greateft  fcholar  the  Romans 
ever  had,  hath  divided  antiquity  into  fabulous  and  hiftorical,  which  he 
begins  from  the  firft  Olympiad^  leaving  all  which  went  before  to  the  fa- 
bulous part ;  fo  we  muft  of  neceflity  make  the  fame  diftinction  in  the 
matter  of  the  antiquities  of  Egypt. 

But  I  intend  to  do  fomething  more,  and  to  confider  this  Egyptian  hit. 
lory  with  a  little  more  attention ;  out  of  which,  I  think,  I  may  draw 
good  arguments  to  confute  the  vanity  of  thofe  paflages  in  it  oppofed  to 
Aiofesy  and  to  confirm  the  authority  of  his  book  of  Genefis,  and  the  truth 
of  the  chiefeft  tranfactions  recorded  in  it. 

1  fhall  not  at  prefent  take  notice,  that  altho'  the  Egyptians,  about  their 
latter  times,  have  maintain'd  that  the  elements  were  eternal,  yet  they 
have  fufficiently  acknowledged  that  the  world  had  a  beginning,  feeing 
they  make  no  mention  of  any  thing  before  their  thirty  Dynafties,  which 
in  all,  did  at  the  moft  amount  to  no  more  then  36525  years. 

Neither  do  I  think  neceftary  to  mention  here  that  they  have  fufficient- 
ly acknowledged  the  beginning  of  mankind,  feeing  they  held  that  men 
were  firft  born  in  Egypt -^  altho'  they  endeavoured  to  make  good  their 
pretenfions  by  that  fottifh  afl'ertion  of  the  eafie  produdion  of  frogs  out 
ot  the  mud  ot  their  fen's,  as  the  fame  Diodorus  tells  us. 

But  there  are  three  things  which  I  muft  here  take  notice  of,  becaufe 
they  do  moft  certainly  decide  the  queftion. 

The  firft  is.  That  by  that  long  reign  which  they  afcribe  to  their  gods 
and  hero's,  there  is  nothing  elfe  meant  but  the  motion  of  the  ftars,  and 
nothing  like  a  real  kingdom.  That  prodigious  number  of  years  does 
not  relate  to  the  duration  of  the  world,  as  if  it  had  fubhfted  fo  long ; 
but  to  the  return  of  the  fun,  and  the  moon,  and  the  five  other  planets, 
and  of  the  heavens,  to  the  fame  point  from  whence,  according  to  the 
opinion  of  the  Egyptians,  they  firft  began  their  courfe  :  In  a  word,  it  is 
only  the  great  aftronomical  year,  about  which,  as  Arijiotle  tells  us,  the 
undents  have  had  fo  many  diffisrent  opinions,  and  the  Egyptians  have  fo 

little 


2^8  Rejiex'tons  upon  Genefis,  Ch.  XIX. 

litUc  agreed,  as  the  hiftory  of  their  aritiquitics,  related  by  Diodorus^  plain- 
ly (hews.  One  thing  evidently  proves  virhat  I  here  alledge,  which  is, 
that  they  have  reckon'd  up  but  tifteen  Dynafties  to  Jupiter  the  laft  of 
the  heroes,  that  is  to  fuy,  but  fifteen  perfons  to  Jupiter^  who  is  Ham  the 
third  fon  of  Noah. 

This  comes  very  ixcZiV  Mofei's  calculation,  who  reckoneth  Noah  as  the 
tenth  man  from  Jdarn  :  for  it  is  very  likely,  that  thofe  ignorant  people, 
after  a  lonf^  procefs  of  time,  have  joyned  Cain  and  ylbel  with  Sem  and 
*Japhet^  and  Mijraim  the  fon  of  Ham^  which  makes  up  the  fixteen  Dy- 
nafties, except  we  chufe  to  fay  that  the  Egyptians  thought  fit  to  joyn  the 
fevcn  generations  of  Cain  to  thofe  before  the  flood,  which  comes  very 
near  to  the  fame  account.  All  this,  according  to  the  phantaltick  no- 
tions of  thofe  ancient  people,  who  deified  the  firft  men,  and  gave  them 
afterwards  die  names  of  fome  ftars,  to  imprefs  upon  their  poftcrity  a 
greater  veneration  for  them  ;  and  in  particular,  according  to  the*  ground- 
Icfs  jmat^ination  of  the  Egyptians,  who  were  rtfolved  to  maintain  that  the 
firfl  men  were  formed  in  their  own  country.  And  in  fhort,  we  find 
that  thofe  Dynafties  for  the  moft  part,  if  we  except  thofe  of  f^ulcan,  ai\d 
of  the  fun,  have  been  but  of  a  very  fhort  continuance,  and  even  fhorter 
than  that  which  Alo/es  afcribes  to  the  lives  of  the  ancient  Patriarchs, 
which  we  have  already  fct  down. 

The  fecond  thing  that  is  obfervable  in  the  confutation  of  this  falfe  an- 
tiquity, if  one  would  take  what  the  Egyptians  have  related  of  their  Dy- 
nafties before  Menes,  and  Jupiter  the  laft  of  their  heroes  in  a  hiftorical 
fcnfc,  is,  that  there  are  ftill  fufficient  marks  of  the  newnefs  of  the  world, 
as  Moffs  hath  dcfcribed  it,  in  the  remaining  fragments  of  the  true  Egyp- 
tian hiftory. 

Firft,  We  fee  that  Egypt  hath  conftantly  carried  the  name  of  Ham 
amonwft  the  Gentiles,  as  well  as  in  the  holy  Scriptures.  It  was  called  fo 
in  Plutarch's  time  :  the  Egyptian  Thebes  was  called  Hammon  No  Ezech. 
30.  which  is  the  name  of  the  Egyptian  Jupiter,  as  the  heathen  authors 
Herodotus  and  Plutarch  teftlfie.  Now  it  is  vifible,  that  all  this  was  for 
no  other  reafon,  but  becaufe  Egypt  had  fallen  to  the  (hare  of  Ham^ 
Noah's  third  fon,  who  fettled  there,  and  whofe  pofterity  did  afterwards 
people  Jfrica,  and  gave  it  their  feveral  names,  as  Mofes  particularly  ob- 
lerves. 

Secondly,  One  fees  that  Egypt  hath  more  particularly  born  the  name 
of  Alizraim,  which  it  bares  ftill,  and  which  was  given  to  it,  in  refpect 
of  one  of  its  parts,  becaufe  of  Alizraim  the  fon  of  Ham.  And  it  would 
be  ridiculous  for  one  to  imagine  that  thofe  charaders  given  by  Alofes, 
had  been  allowed  of  in  the  world,  except  he  had  had  good  grounds  to 
defcribe  their  original  in  the  fame  manner  as  he  hath  already  done. 

Thirdly,  One  fee's  that  all  tlie  Dynafties  of  Egypt,  that  is  to  fay,  all 
the  feveral  branches  of  the  kings  who  have  reign'd  over  the  feveral  parts 
of  Egypt,  did  all  ackjiowledge  Alencs  for  their  common  founder. 

This  Alenes  being  the  f.une  with  that  Alizraim  of  Afo/ci,  as  I  (hall 
fliew  hereafter  i  it  is  vilible  that  the  Egyptians,  who  in  all  likelyhood 
have  afcribed  to  Alencs  what  they  might  more  juftly  have  afcribcd  to  Ju- 
piter Hammer.,  becaufe  they  would  diftinguilh  their  kings  from  hero's, 
have  exucUy  followed  the  idea's  oi  Alcjcsy  in  reprefenting  one  as  the  com- 
mon 


Ch.  XIX.  Rejiextom  upon  Genejii,  269 

mon  father  of  all  the  feveral  branches  of  kings  who  divided  Egypt  amongft  * 
themfelves. 

Fourthly,  One  fee's  that  the  invention  of  the  arts  moft  necelTarv  to 
human  life,  have  been  attributed  either  to  Menes  the  firft  king  of  Egypt, 
or  to  his  fucceflbrs.  It  was  this  Menes^  or  one  of  his  fucceffors,  who 
invented  laws,  letters,  aftronomy,  mufick,  wreftling,  phyfick,  hiero- 
glyphicks,  aaatomy,  and  architecture.  All  this  plainly  fhews  that  the 
Egyptians  had  been  miftaken,  if  they  had  afcribed  to  the  world  as  great 
an  antiquity  as  one  would  think  they  did,  by  the  vaft  extent  of  time 
which  they  afcribed  to  the  Dynafties  of  their  gods  and  hero's.  How 
could  the  world  have  continued  above  thirty  thoufand  years  without  thofe 
arts  which  are  fo  neceflary  for  the  convenience  of  human  life  ?  Hovir 
could  men  not  have  found  out,  during  fuch  a  prodigious  fucceffion  of 
ages,  thofe  arts,  the  invention  whereof  the  Egyptians  do  afcribe  to  their 
firft  king,  or  to  one  or  two  of  his  fucceflbrs,  during  a  very  fhort  inter- 
val of  time. 

Fifthly,  One  fee's  in  the  hiftory  of  Egypt  the  fame  decay  in  religion 
that  Mofes  fpeaks  of  [e).  The  ancients  unanimoufly  agree  that  the 
Egyptians  had  at  firft  neither  ftatues  nor  images  in  their  temples,  which 
perfedly  agrees  with  what  Mofes  tells  us  of  the  times  after  the  flood  : 
but  they  tell  us  alfo.  That  the  Egyptians  afterwards  made  fome  ftatues, 
and  confecrated  in  their  temples  the  figures  of  great  numbers  of  animals. 
Some  are  of  opinion,  and  that  probably  enough,  that  this  came  from  the 
belief  which  they  entertained  afterwards  of  the  tranfmigration  of  fouls 
into  other  animals,  an  opinion  which  they  thought  did  neceflarily  flow 
from  the  dodtrine  of  the  immortality  of  the  foul. 

Sixthly,  However,  one  fees  in  the  fixth  place.  That  as  Mofes  reprefents 
Nimrod  one  of  Ham's  pofterity,  as  the  founder  of  an  empire  in  Ajfyria^ 
where  he  formed  the  manners  of  the  inhabitants  according  to  the  plat- 
form of  the  Egyptian  principles ;  fo  the  ancients  have  obferved,  that  the 
famous  Affyrian  Belus  came  out  of  Egypt ;  and  it  is  natural  to  conceive, 
that  there  he  planted  idolatry,  which  began  even  before  Abraham's  time 
(/) ;  if  it  be  true  as  the  Jeius  obferve,  that  the  tovfrer  of  Babel  was  a 
temple  wherein  an  idol  was  confecrated  to  worfnip  him.  At  leaft,  that 
conjecture  hath  a  very  folid  ground,  if  we  confider  the  idolatry  of  the 
Babylonians  towards  this  Bel^  whom  they  worfhipped  as  a  God,  accord- 
ing to  the  Pagans  cuftom  of  adoring  the' founders  of  kingdoms  after  their 
deceafe  as  Gods. 

The  third  thing  we  are  here  to  take  notice  of  contains  a  demonftra- 
tion  of  the  truth  of  the  book  Genefis^  if  that  which  is  recorded  in  it  con- 
cerning the  time  of  the  flood,  be  compared  with  the  Dynafties  of  the 
Egyptian  kings.  I  will  not  fay  that  thofe  Egyptians,  who  had  any  know- 
fedge  of  the  flood,  did  exactly  mark  out  the  time  of  it,  as  Mofes  doth. 
But  I  believe  I  may  be  able  to  ftiew  out  of  their  common  opinion's,  fom- 
thing  very  near  equivalent. 

They  are  all  agreed  that  Menes  was  the  firft  king  of  Egypt,  and  lived 
about  fourteen  hundred  years  before  the  famous  Sejhjiris,  as  Herodotus 
and  Diodorus  Siculus  do  both  relate  it:  nov/,  who  fhould  this  king  of 

Egypt 

(e)  Herod  lib.  ii.  cap.  4.    Lucian  de  Dea  Syr. 

(f)  Pau/an.  in  Mejfen.  p.  261. 


270  Reflexiom  upon  Genefiu  Ch.  XIX. 

Egypt  be,  whom  fome  call  Seforuhofts^  nnlcfs  he  is  the  fame  with  Shijhak 
whom  the  Scripture  fpcaks  of  in  the  hiltory  of  Rehohoam  [g],  even  the 
fame  famous  conqueror  who  took  'ycrufalcm  in  the  fifth  year  of  Reho- 
boam\  reign.  If  one  calculates  the  time  from  the  flood,  to  the  fifth  year 
oi  Rehoboarn^  he  will  find  that  this  Menes  the  firfl:  king  oi  Egypt,  is  no 
other  than  the  Ham  of  Mofes ;  and  on  the  other  fide,  that  there  is  very 
little  difference  in  refpccl  of  that  interval  of  time  betwixt  the  chrono- 
logy of  the  Egyptians  and  that  of  the  Scriptures  ?  Thus  the  Egyptian  ac- 
count confirms  Mofei'%  narrative,  and  the  authority  of  the  holy  writers, 
who  are  very  particular  in  ftating  the  times  of  every  thing  :  whereas  the 
Egyptians  taking  all  in  great,  could  never  arrive  at  that  exadtnefs. 

This  obfervation  is  of  very  great  ufe,  to  fhcw  the  certainty  of  Mofcs's 
chronology  according  to  the  Hebrew  text :  for  that  of  the  Septuagint, 
reckons  up  above  two  thoufand  years,  from  the  flood  to  Sefojifis,  whereas 
the  Egyptians  did  reckon  up  but  a  little  above  fourteen  hundred  years 
from  Menes  the  firft  king  of  Egypt  to  Stfojlris. 

There  is  yet  lefs  difficulty  to  anfwer  the  objeftion,  which  may  be 
made  againft  the  book  of  Gcnefis  from  the  pretended  antiquity  of  the 
Chaldeans.  The  fame  Diodorus  Siculus  (/;),  who  faith,  that  the  Egyptians 
propofed  fo  great  an  antiquity  of  the  world,  tells  us  alfo,  that  the  Chal- 
deans believed  it  eternal,  and  that  they  boafted  in  Alexander's  time,  that 
they  had  learnt  aftronomy  by  tradition  from  their  anceftors,  who  had  all 
fucceflively  made  it  their  ftudy  for  four  hundred  fcventy  two  thoufand 
years  together.     But  there  is  nothing  vainer  than  thefe  pretences. 

I  {hall  not  fland  to  fhew  here  the  folly  of  their  opinions  about  the  eter- 
nity of  the  world  :  '\i  Arijlotlc  feems  to  have  authori/zd  it,  yet  it  is  enough 
to  confute  that  opinion,  to  confidcr,  that  it  is  repugnant  to  the  common 
notion  of  all  the  nations  of  the  world  :  fo  that  JDemocritus  himleli",  who 
pretended  that  the  world  was  made  by  chance,  }'et  durll  not  oppofe  the 
common  and  general  opinion  of  the  worlds  being  new,  tho'  he  had  the 
boldnefs  to  reject  the  author  of  it,  and  that  a<Slion  by  which  it  was  cre- 
ated. 

Neither  do  I  intend  to  be  prolix  here  in  confuting  the  fuppofition  of 
the  Chaldeans,  about  their  anceftors  following  the  ftudy  of  aftrology  for 
472000  year  fucceffively:  the  impoflibility  of  the  thing  in  it  felf  is  appa- 
rent by  the  certainty  of  the  flood,  which  was  acknowledged  by  all  thofc 
nations,  of  whom  vvc  have  any  antiquities,  tho'  never  fo  little  confider- 
able  in  Pagan  author^. 

But  I  fliall  make  two  obfervation?,  whereof  one  ftiews  the  folly  of  the 
Chaldean  hypothefis,  and  the  other  doth  invincibly  cltablifti  the  authority 
of  the  book  of  Genefis,  if  it  be  compared  with  what  we  know  for  certain, 
and  in  the  ChaLlean  hiftory. 

The  firft  is,  That  the  moft  ancient  authors  are  of  opinion,  that  tht 
Chaldeans  are  defcendcd  from  the  Egyptians,  who  lookt  upon  them  as  a 
colony  of  their  own.  Diodorus  Siculus  faith,  that  the  Egyptians  maintain- 
ed, that  they  had  fent  out  fcveral  colonies  into  feveral  parts  of  the  world ; 
that  Belus  the  fon  of  Neptune  and  Lybia  had  conduifed  one  into  Babylon, 
and  that  having  fixed  it  near  Euphrates,  he  cftablifh'd  forae  priefts  among 

them 

(g)  I.  Kings  xiv.  26. 

(b)  Diodor,  1,  2.  feft.  30,  31. 


Ch.  XIX.  Reflexions  upon  Genefts.  2jt 

them  according  to  the  Egyptian  cuftom,  who  were  free  from  all  publick 
charo^es  and  offices,  whom  the  Babylonians  do  call  Chaldeans,  and  who 
according  to  the  example  of  the  Egyptian  priefts,  philofophers,  and  aftro- 
logers,  did  apply  themfelves  to  the  obfervation  of  the  ftars.  Hejliaus^ 
and  Paufanias,  fay  the  fame  with  Diodorus  {i). 

Now  one  needs  only  examine  here,  what  the  Egyptians  do  fay  about  the 
invention  of  ajlrclogy,  which  they  afcribe  toAfenes,  that  is  to  fay,  to  Ham, 
or  to  Mizraim,  who  lived  after  the  flood,  thereby  to  difcover  the  foolifh. 
vanity  of  the  6!6^/(r/^^«;. 

It  is  plain,  that  the  Chaldeans  grew  fo  vain,  by  the  grovirth  of  fo  confi- 
derable  an  empire  as  theirs  was,  that  they  would  be  no  longer  beholding 
to  the  Egyptian  aftrologers,  whom  all  other  nations  have  lookt  upon  as 
the  firft  inventors  of  that  fcience,  to  the  inventing  and  perfefting  of 
which,  all  men  know  that  the  Egyptian  climate,  where  the  fkie  is  alway» 
free  from  clouds,  did  very  much  contribute. 

And  it  is  very  confiderable,  that  both  the  Chaldeans  and  the  Egyptiani 
began  their  year  with  the  fame  month,  according  to  Cenforinus's  obfer- 
vation, c.  XXI.  de  die  Nat, 

I  know  very  well,  the  ancient  heathens  were  miftaken  when  they  pre- 
tended that  the  Chaldeans  went  out  of  Egypt,  as  a  plantation :  there  is, 
no  doubt,  a  kind  of  illufion  in  this  their  opinion  j  but  yet  the  ground 
and  origine  of  it  is  uncontroulable,  becaufe  the  Chaldeans  are  defcended 
from  Cu/h,  Ham's  eideft  fon,  as  Mofes  tells.  Gen.  X.  Therefore  tho* 
we  fhould  grant,  that  the  Chaldeans  were  the  firft  inventors  of  aftrology, 
yet  this  would  be  always  certain,  that  it  was  found  out  only  fince  Ham's. 
time,  whom  the  Egyptians  did  look  upon  as  the  laft  of  their  heroes,  or 
as  the  firft  of  their  kings. 

The  other  obfervation  which  ought  to  be  well  minded  here,  is  taken 
out  of  the  true  and  genuine  Qjaldean  antiquities.  One  may  prove  by 
the  aftronomical  demonftrations  of  the  Chaldeans,  which  the  people  of 
Ifrael  was  altogether  unacquainted  with,  that  Mofes  followed  a  calcula- 
tion which  was  then  generally  known. 

Arijiotle  the  firft  Grecian,  that  ever  taught  the  eternity  of  the  world, 
contrary  to  Mofes's  hiftory,  is  the  man  who  furnifhes  us  with  it.  He 
took  care  to  fend  over  into  Greece  the  aftronomical  obfervations  of  the 
Chaldeans {i),  by  which  it  appeared,  that  Babylon  was  taken  bv  Alexander 
about  1903  years  after  its  foundation.  Now  that  calculation  agrees 
exactly  with  that  of  Mofes,  who  gives  us  the  defcription  of  the  tower  of 
Babel  [k),  and  explains  the  original  of  the  name  of  that  city,  which  was 
built  fome  ages  after,  by  the  confufion  of  tongues  v/hich  then  happened. 
And  truly,  it  would  be  very  admirable,  that  the  heavens  in  their  motions 
fliould  have  entered  into  a  confederacy  with  Mofes,  to  juftifie  a  chrono- 
Fogy  invented  by  him  in  fport,  without  keeping  to  any  rules,  but  writiog 
by  chance,  and  without  any  certain  principle. 

Ci)  Ap.  Jofeph.  Antiq.  1.  I.e.  J.      Vaufan,  Mejfen.  p.  261. 
(k)  Sitnplic.  in  1.  2.  drceelo*  (I J  Geo.  xj. 


CHAP.  XX. 


272  Reflexions  upon  Genefls.  Ch.  XX. 


CHAP.      XX. 

uln  Anfwer  to  the  Oi'/eciicn  which  may  be  drawn  out  of  the  Hi/lory  o/"  China, 
agalnjl  the  iMcfaick  Hypothffn,  concerning  the  Newnefl  of  the  JP'orld. 

jTJSS^  come  now  to  the  other  Objection  which  may  be  made 
^  I  P  againft  Mofes's,  calculation,  according  to  the  Hebrew  text,  as 
tsSJSii^  wc  have  it  now.  It  is  drawn  from  the  Hiftory  of  Qjina,  whofc 
uninterrupted  fcrics  runs  up  the  fucceflion  of  their  emperors  to  Fohius 
who  reign'd  about  four  hundred  years  before  the  flood.  Some  learned 
men  have  already  made  ufe  of  that  argument,  to,  difcredit  the  Mofaiclc 
chronology  according  to  the  Hebrew  text,  and  to  cry  up  the  calculation 
of  the  Septuagint,  which  exceeds  that  of  the  Hebrew  text,  in  the  hiftory 
before  the  flood,  by  800  years,  and  above  700  in  the  hiftory  from  the 
flood  to  Mofes.  This  objckftion  appears  very  ftrong  to  thofe  who  read  iii 
the  hiftory  of  Martinius^  that  there  is  not  the  leaft  interruption  in  the 
catalogue  of  the  kings  of  China  from  Fohius  \  that  the  hiftory  of  their 
actions  is  fo  certain,  having  always  been  written  by  a  publick  authority, 
that  no  man  can  reafonably  entertain  any  doubt  about  it :  and  the  mifli- 
onaries  in  C/;/W,  have  thought  that  there  was  no  other  way  to  reconcile 
the  Mofaick  chronology,  with  the  Chinefe ;  but  in  making  ufe  of  the  Sep- 
tuagint's  account;  and  wherein  they  agree  with  all  the  Afiatick  Chrif- 
tians,  and  even  thofe  in  Europe^  who  follow  the  Septuagint  in  their  reck- 
oning up  the  years  of  the  world,  ior  the  moft  part :  though  St.  ///>- 
rojne's  tranflatlon,  which  follows  the  Hebrew  text  exactly,  is  received  in 
the  weft. 

But  after  all,  there  is  little  difficulty  in  anfwering  this  objet^ion,  and 
we  may  hereupon  eafdy  fatisfie,  thofe  who  do  not  difpute  only  for  dif- 
puting  fake,  but  are  ready  to  examine  this  qutftion,  with  that  equity 
which  is  requifite  in  the  examination  of  all  queftions  of  that  nature. 

I  confefs  ingenioufly,  that  this  hiftory,  which  is  one  of  the  moft  anr 
cient  in  the  world,  hath  many  illuftrious  characters  of  certaint)-,  efpe- 
ciallv  if  we  give  credit  to  all  that  iMnrtinius  relates  of  it. 

Firft,  it  marks  out  exadly  the  feries  and  fucceflion  of  all  the  kings  of 
Chiria^  from  the  very  beginning  and  original  of  that  nation. 

Secondly,  it  records  in  what  year  of  each  cycle  of  threefcore  years, 
every  king  began  his  reign  and  did  fuch  or  fuch  an  a«5lion. 

Thirdly,  it"  relates  fo'me  aftronomical  obfervations,  older  than  any 
that  have  been  made  by  the  moft  ancient  aftronomers  in  other  na- 
tions. 

Fourthly,  it  was  written  bv  a  publick  authority,  and  by  fuch  authors 
as  lived  in  the  time  when  the  things  which  they  record,  were  tranfaclcd; 
the  immediate  fgcceflbr  to  the  empire  taking, always  care,  that  the  hifto- 
ry of  his  predeceflTor  ftiould  be  written. 

'  Nay,  to  all  this  we  muft  add,  that  the  Chrnefe's  way  of  writing,  mak- 
ing no  ufe  of  letter?,  but  of  hicroglyphicks,  may  have  prevented  thefe 
alterations  which  might  oLherwifc  have  been  made  in  their  hiftory  ;  the 

whole 


I 


Ch.  XX.  Reflexions  upon  Gehejif,  273 

whole  life  of  a  man  being  hardly  fufficient,  to  attain  to  the  perfect 
knowledge,  of  a  tongue  which  hath  above  threefcore  thoufind  figures 
which  muft  be  all  learnt  before  a  man  can  be  able  only  to  read  and 
write. 

But,  befides  that,  all  this  depends  upon  the  fole  authority  of  Martin 
nius^  no  body  elfe  befide  him  having  given  us,  as  yet  any  opportunities 
of  examining  thofe  ancient  moiiuments  of  China  ;  we  may  find  out  of 
this  very  hirtory  fome  ftrong  proofs,  to  confirm  that  of  Mofes,  and  fo 
eafily  refolve  the  difficulties  which  may  be  raifed  out  of  it,  againft  the 
book  of  Gcnefis. 

Firft,  F.  Marthiius  obferves,  that  the  common  opinion  of  the  Chinef\ 
is,  that  the  world  had  a  beginning  :  and  tho'  there  be  fome  of  them  of 
Epicufus's,  opinion,  yet  there  was  never  any  amonglt  them,  that  was  for 
the  eternity  of  the  world,  but  fince  the  incarnation  of  Chrif},  and  the 
introduction  of  idolatry  amongft  them. 

Secondly,  he  tells  us,  that  they  commonly  acknowledge  a  God,  whom 
they  call  Xangt:,  which  is  not  the  name,  but  the  epithet  of  God,  this 
word  fignifying  fupream  governour  of  heaven  and  earth. 

Thirdly,  he  faith  that  they  acknowledge  a  firft  man  brought  forth  out 
of  the  chaos,  in  one  night  in  the  fpring,  which  opinion  fome  amon^^lt 
them  have  made  intricate  by  the  addition  of  their  own  fables. 

Fourthly,  he  fhews  that  facrifices  have  been  in  ufe  amongft  them. 

Fifthly,  that  they  believe  a  certainty  of  puniftiments  and  rewards  aftsr 
this  life,  for  vice  and  vertue. 

Sixthly,  that  they  believe  the  exiftcnce  of  good  and  bad  an<>-els. 

Seventhly,  that  they  aflign  to  fome  of  them  the  protedlion  of  cities 
and  provinces,  and  pay  them  great  veneration  at  the  inftalment  of  their 
magiftrates. 

Eighthly,  that  they  acknowledge  them  to  be  Incorporeal  beings,  and 
that  it  is  but  of  late,  that  they  have  erected  and  coiiiecrated  ftatuesto 
them. 

And  Laftly,  that  they  have  a  very  great  knowledge  of  the  flood, 
which  in  their  account  happened  about  3500  years  before  Jefus 
Chrift. 

Here  are,  we  fee  many  truths  which  are  the  grounds  of  religion,  and 
which  were  known  to  them  ;  from  whence  we  may  eafily  judge,  in  com- 
paring thofe  truths  with  the  hiftory  of  Mo/es^  that  the  ancien?  Chinefe  did 
agree  with  all  other  nations,  in  the  believing  the  firft  principles  of  reli- 
gion, laid  down  by  Mofcs. 

We  may  likewife  obferve,  that  thofe  antiquities  of  Chlna^  for  the  moft 
part,  are  as  like  thofe  recorded  by  Mofes^  as  a  tradition  (which  cannot 
but  have  received  many  alterations  during  fuch  a  long  interval  of  time) 
can  be  like  to  an  exaft  narrative  of  matters  of  fad  drawn  up  by  an  au- 
thor who  knew  very  well  what  he  writ. 

Firft,  it  appears  that  what  they  fay,  concerning  the  thirteen  fucceflors 
of  the  firft  man  named  Piioncuus^  all  defcended  from  him,  is  agreeable 
enough  to  the  hiftory  of  Genefts^  which  fets  down  the  fucceifive  Patriarchs 
from  father  to  fon :  all  the  difference  is,  that  the  Chinefc^  by  a  foolifh 
ambition  of  appropriating  all  to  themfelves,  maintain  that  thofe  thirteen 
Jcings  v/ere  all  in  Qma, 

Vol,  I.  S  Secondhv 


274  Refexions  upon  Genefts,  Ch.  XX. 

Secondly,  what  they  tell  us  of  the  world  being  civiliz'd  under  the  fe- 
cond  of  thofe  kings,  call'd  Thienboang^  alter  the  death  of  the  great  dra- 
gon that  had  djllurbed  heaven  and  earth,  agrees  very  well  with  the  hifto- 
ry  of  Seth^  who  began  to  form  mankind  to  a  right  notion  of  the  wor- 
Ihip  of  God,  v.ht-n  he  fcparated  them  from  Qjin's  family. 

i'hirdly,  it  is  very  probable  that  when  the  Ckinefe  have  reckoned  up 
thirteen  kings  lineally  defcendcd  from  the  firft  man,  and  his  fucceflbrs, 
they  have  included  in  that  number  Cain  and  Abel^  who  tho'  they  were 
both  the  fens  of  the  firft  man,  yet  were  not  reckon'd  up  by  Afojes,  be- 
caufe  his  fcope  was  only  to  give  an  account  of  the  lineal  defcent  oiJdams 
pofterity  by  Sitb. 

They  believe  that  under  Glnhohang  there  was  a  kind  of  golden  age, 
the  earth  being  then  fruitful  to  admiration,  and  that  under  his  fucceflbr 
men  being  extreamly  fimple,  and  altogether  ignorant  of  the  feveral  arts 
necefTary  to  human  life,  as  of  charafters  and  letters,  one  Sujus^  to  fup- 
ply  the  want  of  them,  contrived  a  way  of  keeping  up  the  memory  of 
things,  by  tying  feveral  forts  of  knots  upon  a  cord. 

All  which  lufficiently  evinces,  that  the  belief  of  the  worlds  being 
lately  created  according  to  AJofcs's  defcription,  was  as  much  received  by 
the  ancient  people  of  China,  as  by  all  other  nations. 

And  here  it  is  further  obfervable.  That  the  Chinefe  themfelves  accord- 
ing to  AIartinlui'%  account,  do  fufpecl  all  the  hiftorical  records  of  their 
empire,  before  king  Fohius,  looking  vipon  them  as  falfe  and  ridiculous : 
and  indeed  the  people  of  that  country  before  Fohius,  living  like  brute 
hearts,  without  any  fettled  government,  laws,  or  arts ;  this  alone  is 
enough  to  confute  thofe  amongil  the  Cbinefe,  who  maintain  now  adays, 
that  the  duration  of  the  world  before  Confucius,  who  lived  about  500 
years  before  Jifus  CkrijU  was  of  no  lefs  than  three  millions  two  hundred 
threefcore  and  feven  thoufand  years.  For  hereby  it  clearly  appears,  that 
they  have  fooliflily  aftecled  to  furpafs  the  Chaldeans  in  their  vanity,  who 
believing  the  eternity  of  the  world,  pretended  in  order  both  to  prove  their 
antiquity,  and  to  give  credit  to  their  altrological  obfervations,  that  aftrolo- 
gy  had  been  excrcis'd  amongft  them  for  472000  years  before  Jl(xander'& 
cntring  into  JjJa. 

After  all,  it  is  certain  tliat  their  calculation  of  3000  year?,  from  Fohius 
to  Jefus  Chrifl-,  is  only  incompatible  with  Alo/es's  chronology,  accprding 
to  the  Hebrew  text,  and  not  at  all  with  that  of  the  Septuagint. 

But  moreover,  what  can  be  more  palpably  fabulous  than  the  whole 
hiflory  of  Fohius,  whom  the  Chinrfe  fuppofe  to  have  begun  his  reign 
2952  years  before  Jefus  Chrifl:  ?  Firfl",  he  is  call'd  the  Ton  of  hciven, 
becaufe,  they  fay,  he  had  a  mother  and  no  father ;  and  that  his  mother 
conceived  him  by  the  banks  of  a  lake  near  the  town  o\  Lanthifu,  where 
as  flie  was  walking,  fhe  faw  the  footfleps  of  a  man  upon  the  fund,  and 
was  at  the  faipe  time  furroundcd  on  a  fuddain  with  a  rainbow. 

Secondly,  the  fituation  of  that  town  which  is  in  the  weft  of  Ojina,  do's 
demonftrate  that  the  firfl  inhabitants  of  China  came  thither  from  the 
wcftern  parts  of  the  world,  and  that  confeciuently  they  were  of  Sbem's 
pollerity,  according  to  AIoJ'cs's  account  in  the  tenth  of  Genefis, 

Thii-dly,  altho'  there  be  perhaps  no  incongruity  in  their  afcribifig  10 
him  the  Itiidy  of  agronomy,  and  the  invention  pf  feveral  iijliiutions  ny- 

ceilary 


Ch.  XX.  Rt'Jlexlons  upon  Genefiu  27 ^ 

celTary  to  human  foclety,  as  laws,  l5c.  yet  what  they  add,  that  he  was 
the  firft  inventer  of  feveral  figures,  which  he  h;id  {<izn  upon  the  back  of 
a  dragon,  fufficiently  fhews,  that  either  the  whole  ftory  is  but  a  fable 
or  that  he  was. a  cheat,  and  impofed  upon  the  limplicity  of  inriorant 
people. 

What  probability  is  there  (feeing  it  is  fuppofed  Ch'iua^  was  then  all  ■ 
over  infefted  and  overgrown  with  barbarlfm)  that  in  his  time  it  fhould 
be  recorded  in  writing,  i.  That  he  invented,  inftead  of  thofe  knots  be- 
fore mentioned,  the  hieroglyphicks,  which  are  almolt:  as  obfcure.  2.  That 
men  wer*^  then  diftinguiflied  from  women  by  the  difterence  of  their  o-ar- 
nients.  3.  That  marriages  were  then  fixed  and  regulated  which  before 
were  as  promifcuous  amongft  men  as  amongft  bcafts. 

What  they  fay  of  his  being  the  author  of  a  mufical  inflrument  of  36 
cords,  (hews  evidently  the  falfliood  of  the  ftory ;  for  there  is  nothing- 
more  improbable,  than  to  fuppofe  that  he  fhould  arrive  to  fuch  nerfec- 
tlon  of  improvement  in  mufick  as  that  comes  to,  when  that  art  had  but 
very  lately  been  invented.  It  is  all  that  men  could  attain  unto,  after 
they  have  long  improved  this  art,  the  beginnings  whereof,  without  doubt, 
as  of  all  other  arts,  were  very  rough  and  imperfedl. 

Surely  the  Egyptians  were  more  reafonable  when  they  attributed  the 
invention  of  the  lyre  with  three  firings  to  Mercury^  Saturn's  fccretary, 
who  is  the  fame  with  Noah. 

The  hiftory  of  China  takes  notice  that  the  beginning  of  hufbandry  and 
phyfick  was  under  Fohius's  fucceilbr,  it  do's  not  mention  whether  he  was 
his  fon,  or  no ;  but  it  only  gives  an  account  of  the  firft  war,  wherein 
he  was  routed  by  a  petty  king,  one  of  his  fubje^Sts,  who  fuccceded  him  in 
the  empire. 

And  what  is  moft  fingular  in  that  record,  is,  that  therein  Is  afcribed 
to  that  ufurper,  i.  The  invention  of  the  cycle  of  60  years,  which  ferves 
to  fix  their  chronology.  2.  The  method  of  regulating  weights  and 
meafures.  3.  That  it  was  by  his  means  and  encouragement  that  fome 
of  his  contemporary  fubjefts  found  out  the  fphere,  arithmetick,  laws 
judicial  aftrology,  feveral  mufical  inftruments,  the  art  of  dyin<i-,  and  of 
coining,  the  joyners  and  carpenters  trade,  fo  far  as  to  make  boats  and 
bridges.  They  pretend  that  he  never  dy'd,  but  that  he  was  tranflated 
alive  into  that  place  which  the  Chinefe  do  aflign  for  eternal  happinefs. 
*Tis  Pliny's  (m)  obfervation,  that  this  way  and  cuftom  of  deifyino-  the 
firft  inventors  of  arts,  neceflary  to  human  life,  is  very  ancient ;  but  if 
it  be  an  old  cuflom,  it  is  alfo  a  pregnant  fign  of  the  ignorance  that 
reigned  amongft  thofe  ancient  people  that  ufed  it.  Therefore  we  may 
as  juftly  fufpecSt  the  hiftory  of  the  Chinefe^  among  whom  it  is  in  ufe,  as 
the  Egyptian  accounts,  which  were  much  of  the  fame  nature  in  Jkxan- 
der'^  time,  as  we  are  informed  by  Dlodorus  Siculus.  The  pofterity  or 
the  fucceirors  of  thofe  famous  men  have  always  afFefted  in  procefs  of 
time,  by  fuch  means,  to  immortaliz^e  their  names,  to  the  end  tliey  might 
raife  up  themfelves  and  their  families  as  well  to  power  and  authoritv,'"as 
to  honour  and  veneration,  above  all  other  men  with  whom  they  con» 
verfed. 

But  however,  we  may  reafonably  conjecture  that  thofe  feveral  paflages 

S  2  recordc4 

(w)  Lib.  ii.  c^p.  7,  Hill.  N4t* 


276  Rejlexlons  upon  Genefit.  Ch.  XX. 

recorded  in  that  hiftory,  having  for  the  greatcfl  part  of  them,  a  great 
conformity  with  the  tranfaclions  related  in  Moja  hiftory  which  was  not 
unknown  to  the  Chaldeans^  with  wh^m  the  Chinefe  had  communication 
iind  correfpondence  ;  all  thofc  pretences  and  claims  of  theirs  to  the  in- 
vention of  thefc  arts,  is  an  honour  which  they  have  borrow'd  from  others 
to  lend  it  to  the  founders  of  their  empire;  juft  as  the  Egyptians  have  ap- 
propriated to  their  fi.rft  kings,  fome  arts  which  were  found  out  by  the 
Patriarchs  before  the  flood  ;  or  as  the  Greeks  have  made  their  firfl:  princes 
the  firft  inventors  of  thofe  very  arts,  the  invention  of  which  ^c  Egyptians 
afcribcd  to  their  firfl  Icings. 

And  this  reflexion  will  appear  the  more  probable  and  natural,  if  we 
confider  what  they  relate,  that  under  the  fourth  fuccefTor  of  FohiuSj  there 
arofe  an  impoflor  famous  by  his  delufionS,  who  endeavoured  to  alter  the 
religion  of  the  CJ/tncj}^  and  to  bring  in  idolatry  aniongft  them;  which 
brought  great  misfortunes  upon  China.  For  hereby  it  is  evident,  that 
the  Chinefe  in  their  hiflory  have  difguifed,  and  fo  appropriated  to  them- 
fclves,  fome  pafTages  which  rel^ite  to  Nimrcd^?,  time,  fince  the  original 
of  idolatry  is  to  be  referr*d  to  the  time  of  building  of  the  tower  of  Bahel^ 
which  was  intended  for  an  idol  temple,  if  we  will  believe  what  pafTes 
lor  a  received  opinion  amongft  the  yeivs. 

Chuenhious  is  laid  to  have  been  the  reftorcr  of  the  worfliip  of  one  God, 
and  to  have  annexed  the  prieflhood  to  the  kingly  power  ;  and  to  have 
regulated  the  Calcndary  and  to  have  found  out  the  ephemerides  of  the  five 
planets,  after  an  entire  coniun6tion  of  thofe  five  planets,  before  the  day 
of  the  conjundlion  of  the  fun  with  the  moon,  and  to  have  fixed  to  that 
<lay,  the  beginning  of  the  year,  which  agrees  with  our  beginning  the  year 
in  'YiHiuary. 

But  yet  it  is  to  be  obfcrved, 

1.  That  notwithftanding  this  pretended  aftronomical  obfen'ation, 
there  have  been  feveral  alterations  made  of  the  beginning  of  the  year 
according  to  the  fiinfie  and  pleafure  of  feveral  emperors,  which  (he.ws 
that  there  was  no  conflant  rule  obferved  in  that  countrey. 

2.  That  Maytinius  leems  to  have  approved  of  the  calculation  of  this 
conjunction  of  five  planets  in  Aquarius.,  to  accommodate  the  falfe  tftro- 
logical  prejudice  of  the  Chinij'c,  with  that  of  feveral  authors,  who  looking 
upon  the  flood  as  a  natural  event,  have  groundlefly  imagined,  that  it  was 
brought  to  pafs  by  the  virtue  and  influence  of  fuch  a  conjunction,  and 
that  It  v.-as  a  certain  flgn  of  a  flood.  'Tis  this  fooliih  and  whimfical  fanfie 
which  hath  made  fonie  Grecians  prcpofieroufly  fcdulous  in  feckiiig  out  that 
dreadful  year,  the  winter  whereof,  was  to  drown  the  world  with  a  flood, 
and  the  fummcr  to  burn  it  with  a  general  conflagration,  as  Qnforinus  * 
and  Jri/hile  f  l^avc  obferved  it  'Tis  a  judicious  remark  which  Or:~ 
gc.fiiis  }j  hath  made  upon  the  obfervations  of  thofe  aftrologers,  who  from 
the  conjuntEVion  of  the  planets  in  humid  figns,  ufe  to  foretel  prodigious 
rains,  for  he  fhevvs,  that  there  is  nothing  more  groundlefs  and  uncertain 
than  fuch  obfervations  :  and  he  gives  a  famous  and  remarkable  inftancQ 
of  that  uncertainty  to  the  eternal  fhame  of  aftrology,  which  is  this  ;  yohn, 
Stajfla\  as  Cardan  tells  us,  having  obferved  fuch  a  conjuntlion  of  all  the 

planets 

•   Cerf.  d(  die  nat.  c.  \%. 

•\  Arijl.l.  1.  rr,cic:r.c>  l^,  ||   Tcm.  1,  ephcmir.  p.  ^^Sl. 


ilG 


Ch.  XX.  Rtfexions  upon  Gencf.S),  277 

planets  in  P'lfces^  in  the  year  1524.  foretold  that  there  fhouid  come  a  ge- 
neral flood,  whereof  feveral  people  being  afraid,  retired  to  the  tops  of 
hi'gh  mountains  j  but  without  any  caufe,  for  there  was  never  feen  a  greater 
ferenity  of  weather. 

3.  Marthiius  was  certainly  miftaken,  when  he  afcribed  to  Chuenhlous 
the  regulating  the  e-mpbemericUi  of  the  five  leifer  planets ;  feeing  there 
are  no  fuch  ephimeridcs  in  Chinay  according  to  all  the  relations  we  have 
of  that  countrey  ;  nor  yet  any  of  the  fun  and  moon  fo  exact,  as  we  have 
in  Europe ;  a  pregnant  demonftration  of  which,  is  that  the  miilionary 
Jefuits  have  been  raifed  up  to  the  dignity  of  the  chicfeil  Mimdarms  in 
China,  only  becaufe  their  llcill  and  learning  in  aftrology,  was  found  to  ex- 
ceed that  of  any  the  moft  learned  men  amongll:  the  Chineje,  by  many  de- 
grees. 

Thefe  things  I  thought  fit  to  obferve,  to  fhew  that  there  is  nothing 
in  the  hiftory  of  China,  which  they  fo  much  cry  up,  that  can  any  ways 
invalidate  the  authority  of  Mofes^  accounts  in  his  book  of  Ger.cfn,  but 
what  rather  confirms  it,  if  it,  be  confidered  with  attention. 

It  was  not  without  reafon,  that  I  have  fuppofed,  that  the  memory  of 
thofe  ancient  tranfadions,  was  conveyed,  tho'  confufedly,  to  the  Ch/mcje  j 
we  have  already  Intimated  one  of  thofe  probable  means  of  conveyance  of 
this  tradition,  by  their  commerce  which  the  Chaldeans,  who  were  well 
informed  of  the  greateft  part  of  thofe  feveral  tranfactions,  and  who  had 
great  intercourfe  with  the  remoteit  nations  of  Afia,  towards  the  eafl. 
To  this  we  may  add  another  argument,  yet  more  certain  and  fure  ;  which 
is  the  continual  commerce,  that  hath  always  been  betwixt  the  Indies  an4 
China,  and  the  communication  which  the  inhabitants  of  the  neighbourT 
ing  countries  of  the  red  fea,  have  always  had  with  all  the  eaftern  nations 
of  the  world.  For  it  is  plain,  that  this  commerce  gave  a  great  oppor- 
tunity of  communicating  to  thofe  eaftern  nations,  the  knov/ledge  of  all 
thofe  paflages  which  were  known  to  the  Chaldeans :  juft  as  the  like  com- 
merce with  the  weftcrn  nations  of  the  world,  proved  a  means  of  con- 
veying to  them  the  knowledge  of  the  moft  part  of  the  fame  things,  which 
in  procefs  of  time  became  the  ground  of  the  moft  ancient  fables  amongft 
the  Greeks,  among  whom  thofe  fables  made  up  the  beft  part  of  their  di- 
vinity. 

But  befides  all  this,  we  may  mention  here  another  very  likely  means  of 
conveyance,  viz.  the  commerce  of  the  Chimfe  with  the  Tartars,  among 
whom  the  yews  of  the  ten  tribes  were  difperfed  and  fetled,  within  a  {hort 
time  after  their  captivity  in  Jjjyria.  For  as  thofe  Jeivs  had  with  them 
the  books  oi  Mofes,  fo  they  eafily  gave  a  great  iiifight  and  knowledge  In 
ancient  hiftory  to  thofe  nations,  that  have  appropriated  It  to  themfelves, 
as  may  be  made  out,  by  comparing  their  fabulous  hiftory,  with  thofe 
books  of  Alofes,  which  contain  In  effect,  all  that  relates  to  the  original 
of  thofe  nations. 

But  whatever  judgment  be  made  of  thofe  forerhentioned  means  of  con- 
veying the  ancient  tradition  to  the  Chinefe,  I  think  that  1  have  good 
ground  to  affirm, 

I.  That  the  hiftorians  that  have  written  the  lives  of  the  firft  empe- 
rors of  China.^  were  not  contemporaries  with  thofe  emperors,  and  that 

S  3  confequently 


iyS  Ri-Jltxtom  upon  Genefn,  Ch.  XXI. 

confcqucntly  they  have  not  recorded  things  fo  well  known,  as  it  was 
fuppofed. 

2.  That  the  fables  intermixt  in  their  hiftorie*;  do  fufficientlv  evidence 
the  eafie  and  credulous  tentper  of  thofe  authors,  which  takes  away  from 
them  all  credit  and  belief. 

3.  That  the  greatcft  care  of  thofe  authors  was  to  pcrfwade  the  world 
of  the  pretended  antiquity  of  their  nation,  and  fo  toraife  the  honour  and 
reputation  of  it  by  glorious  (lories  and  fables. 

4.  That  their  affectation  in  giving  us  an  account  of  aftronomy 
and  judiciary  aftrology,  was  only  to  bring  into  credit  and  reputation 
thofe  arts,  the  end  and  fcope  of  which  is  to  impofe  upon  fimple 
men  ;  which  is  a  ridiculous  affedlation,  and  fuch  as  hath  expofed  the 
Chaldeans  and  Egyptians  to  the  juft  contempt  and  derifion  of  all  other 
nations. 

5.  That  there  is  amongft  them  a  diverfity  of  opinions  contrary  to 
one  another,  about  their  antiquity ;  juft  as  there  wtrc  fome  amongft 
the  Egyptians^  who  reckoned  up  23000  years  from  the  reign  of  the  fun 
to  Alexander  \  when  fome  others  reckoned  but  a  little  above  loooo 
years. 

6.  That  the  Chhiefe  according  to  one  of  their  own  opinions,  mud 
fay,  that  the  earth  was  without  almoft  any  inhabitants  for  30000  years 
together,  and  above ;  whereas  wc  fee  that  in  the  fpace  of  five  or  fix 
thoufand  years,  it  is  become  inhabited  as  we  fee  it ;  and  that  within  a 
little  more,  it  will  be  fo  overftockt,  as  that  it  will  not  be  able  to  yield 
provifions  enough  for  all  its  inhabitants,  as  a  learned  Er.gUjh  man  hath 
of  late  proved  it  by  a  mathematical  dcmonftration  ;  which  fhews,  that 
the  Chhufe  wanted  certain  grounds  to  go  upon,  in  fcycral  accounts  which 
they  give  of  many  tranfadtions,  and  in  the  relating  of  which,  they  are 
behdes  moft  confident. 

Laflly,  that  therefore,  what  is  reported,  that  thefe  Chin,]}  authors  did 
all  write  with  publick  allowance  for  every  king's  dcceafe,  might  indeed 
be  fo  about  the  latter  times,  as  it  was  prailic'd  in  Egypt  y  but  that  it  is 
as  abfolutely  falfe,  that  the  Chincfe  had  ever  in  former  times,  fuch  pub- 
lick  hiftorians,  and  as  it  is  fall'e,  that  the  Egyptians  had  formerly  any 
fuch,  although  they  were  as  confident  to  fay  the)'  had  in  Alexander's 
time,  as  the  Chinrje  are  now. 

But  this  I  think,  is  fufficient  for  the  clearing  of  that  matter.  Wc 
muft  now  anfwer  the  laft  objedion  of  Athijfs  againft  the  authority  of  the 
book  of  Genefis, 

*    CHAP.    XXI. 

Uljcrein  the  lajl  OhjeHlon  of  At  heist  s^  is  anfxered, 

Kv*-'-*- :<^  S  I  intend  to  clear  ftll  tiie  difficulties  which  may  arife  about  this 
%  A  C;  important  matter,  in  the  minds  of  thofe  that  fhall  perufe  thefe 
'^^^jtki^  obfervaiions  j  1  tiiink  my  felf  obliged  to  prevent  andiefolve,  the 

only 


Ch.  XXI.  Rijlexions  upon  Genefth  279 

only  plaufible  obje£llon,  I  know  remaining,  after  all  what  I  have  faid  up- 
on this  lubjecSt. 

Perhaps  fome  will  be  apt  to  reply  here,  that  they  indeed  confefs  Mofes 
to  be  the  author  of  Genefis^  and  that,  if  that  book  had  reajly  been  fuppo- 
iititious,  it  could  never  have  gone  under  his  name,  nor  be  received  as 
his  in  after  ages.  But  that  yet  all  this  does  not  prove  fuificieatly  the 
truth  of  thofe  tranfactions  recorded  in  that  book.  Becaufe  Mofes  may 
have  forced  upon  the  people  of  Ifracl  the  belief  of  them,  by  thofe  laws 
that  he  enabled  amongft  them,  by  which  it  was  death  for  any  man  to 
dare  to  conteft  the  truth  of  any  thing  he  had  written  in  his  books.  This 
I  think,  is  all,  that  the  moft  contentious  Atbeijh  can  think  of)  to  under- 
mine the  authority  of  Mofcs's  hillory. 

But  this  objeilion  is  eafily  anfwered,  for  it  confutes  it  felf.     For, 

Firft,  it  fuppofes  the  truth  of  thefe  great  miracles,  by  which  God 
cftablifh'd  Mo/ei  the  head  and  captain  of  the  people  of  Ifracl;  which  mi- 
racles are  every  whit  as  hard  to  believe,  as  the  feveral  accounts  of  other 
things  which  we  read  of,  in  the  book  of  Genef.s. 

We  find  accordingly,  amongft  the  heathens  themfelves  many  monu- 
ments of  thofe  miracles  done  by  the  miniftry  of  Mcfes^  when  he  brought 
the  Ifraelitcs  out  of  Egypt :  as  1  intend  to  Ihew  in  my  obfervations  upon 
the  other  four  books  of  Mofes. 

Secondly,  they  muft  at  leaft  fuppofe,  that  Mofes  hath  given  a  true  ac- 
count of  feveral  palTages,  in  which  he  could  not  impofe  upon  other  na- 
tions, which  did  not  acknowledge  his  authority,  as  for  example,  all  that 
relates  to  the  building  of  the  ark,  the  greateft  piece  of  architecture  that 
was  then  in  the  world  ;  and  to  the  raifmg  of  the  tower  of  Babel^  the 
greateft  building  that  ever  was,  and  part  of  which  is  yet  extant,  for  all 
thefe  things  were  as  fo  many  witnefles  of  the  truth  of  thofe  tranfadions 
which  he  related. 

Thirdly,  they  muft  likewife  fuppofe,  that  he  hath  related  feveral  other 
paffages  as  exadlly  as  he  did  thofe,  as  for  example,  that  of  the  divifion  of 
tongues,  which  is  an  appendix  of  the  hiftory  of  the  tower  of  Babel;  that 
of  the  deftru6tion  of  Sodom,  the  original  of  the  neighbouring  nations  of 
Canaan,  that  of  the  yews,  of  the  Moabites,  of  the  Ammonites,  of  the 
JJhrnaelites,  and  Edomites  ;  for  it  is  ridiculous  to  conceive,  that  this  law- 
giver fho'uld  ever  hope  to  perfwade  other  nations  to  believe  any  falfe 
ftories  about  matters  fo  well,  and  fo  generally  known,  as  thofe  were 
amongft  themfelves. 

Fourthly,  they  muft  fuppofe  further,  that  he  hath  given  a  true  account 
pf  the  original  of  the  Ifraelites,  whofe  head  and  governor  he  was.  How 
great  and  abfolute  foever  the  authority  of  Mofes  might  be,  it  is  ridiculous 
.  to  imagine,  that  ever  he  would  have  derived  the  original  of  the  Ifraelites 
from  any  other,  than  from  their  true  anceftors.  This  appears  the  more 
necelTary  in  that  we  fee  by  the  accounts  he  gives  of  things,  and  pedigrees 
in  Genefis,  that  he  wrote  that  book  efpecially  from  the  hiftory  of  Abra^ 
ham,  on  to  the  end  of  it,  only  to  fliew  the  rights,  and  juft  pretenfions  of 
the  Ifraelites,  upon  the  land  of  Canaan. 

Fifthly,  they  muft  yet  further  acknowledge,  whither  they  will  or  not, 
the  truth  of  the  accounts  he  gives,  concerning  the  original  of  the  preten- 
fions and  ^iuhions,  which  were  kept  up  amongft  the  twelve  tribes  of 

S  4  Ifrael', 


tSo  Rejicxtom  upon  Genefts»  Ch.  XXI. 

Ifr'nl;  now  thcfe  pretcnfions  having  no  other  ground,  than  the  oracles 
Vvhich  are  related  in  his  hiftory;  they  lufficiently  prove  the  authority  of 
thole  oracles  againft  jII  the  pretenfions  and  objections  of  the  Atheifts. 

What  \iolence  focver  they  may  pretend  that  M'jfes  might  ufe  to  force 
an  implicit  belief  of  his  hiftory  and  blind  obedience  to  his  laws,  vet  no 
nan  ot  common  fenil-  and  realbii  can  ever  think,  that  he  would  have  hll'd 
the  accounts  he  gives  of  things  of  that  nature,  with  lies,  or  that  if  he 
had  done  it,  he  could  ever  have  expected,  that  his  falfe  accounts  of  them, 
Ihould  ever  have  been  credited  by  the  neighbouring  nations,  or  even  by 
his  own  fuhjecls. 

Rut  without  urging  here  feveral  other  ahfurdities,  which  plainly  fliew, 
that  there  is  no  diiliniilion  to  be  found,  betwixt  the  accounts  of  things 
\vhich  Mofei  recites  as  pubhckly  known,  and  thofe  which  he  relates  of 
his  own  head,  and  private  knowledge ;  there  being,  as  I  have  already 
fiicw'd,  betwK't  all  thofe  feveral  accounts,  fuch  a  natural  coherence,  and 
necellary  concatenation,  that  they  cannot  be  divided  from  one  another, 
without  dcflroying  the  whole  frame  of  his  hiflory  ;  I  fav,  that  it  is  im- 
pofliblc,  that  the  law,  by  which  he  makes  it  death,  for  any  one  to  con- 
tcft  the  truth  of  his  narration,  fhould  make  the  fincerity  of  it  I'ufpeded. 

I  do  not  urge  here,  that  there  is  an  evident  abfurdity  to  fuppole,  that 
Mofes  would  ever  have  related  together  all  thofe  tranfactions,  as  the 
grounds  of  religion,  if  they  had  been  abfolutely  unknown  in  the  world 
before  him. 

Neither  do  I  mention  here,  that  fuppofe  Mofes  had  been  fo  imprudent, 
as  to  attempt  fuch  an  undertaking,  yet  there  is  no  reafon  to  believe,  that 
a  whole  nation,  and  that  a  very  numerous  one,  would  have  long  perfe- 
vered  in  a  profeffion  forced  upon  them  by  meer  violence  and  tyranny. 

Nor  do  I  think  it  neceflary  to  obferve  here,  that  the  people  of  Ifrael 
were  neither  fo  patient,  nor  fo  eafily  perfwaded  by  MofeSy  nor  yet  fo  fub- 
mifFivc  to  him,  as  thefe  objectors  do  imagine. 

That  is  plain,  and  apparent  enough  from  all  their  feditions  and  con- 
fplracies  agaijill  him. 

Nor  do  I  judge  it  neceflary  to  obferve  here  what  is  plain  enough  of  it 
felf,  -viz.  that  A'lojis  had  no  fucceflbr  any  ways  concern'd,  to  countenance 
and  defend  tliele  pretended  fidlions  and  fables  of  his  hiftory,  Jojhua  his 
immediate  fucceflbr  was  of  another  tribe ;  and  fo  were  all  the  lucceeding 
governors  of  Ifmel^  until  the  Maccabees  came. 

But  what  I  think  defcrves  beft  to  be  obferved  here,  is,  that  after  Mofes 
and  Jojhim's  deceafe,  the  people  of  Ifrael  was  brought  under  the  fubjec- 
lion  ot  the  Canaanitcs^  and  confequently  freed  from  the  terror  of  that  law 
of  Alofs's,  making,  by  which  it  was  death  for  any  one  to  conteft  the  au- 
thority of  his  laws,  and  the  truth  of  all  his  writings;  there  is  but  l  little 
more  than  forty  years  interval  betwixt  the  conquelt  of  Canaan  hy  Jojhua^ 
and  the  bondage  of  the  Ifradites  under  the  neighbouring  nations.  Had 
it  not  been  a  tit  time  then,  to  caft  off  the  yoak  oi  Mojes's  laws,  and  to 
publifh  the  pretended  lies  and  impoftures  of  his  hiftory  ?  Was  not  the 
comparifon  which  the  IfraeUtes  could  eafily  make  betwixt  the  Mofaick 
writings,  and  the  tradition  generally  received  in  the  countrey  of  their 
captivity,  a  natural  and  ready  means  to  undeceive  them. 

Yet  norwithftanding  all  this,  we  fee  that  they  obHiiwtely  entertain  the 

belief 


Ch.  XXII.  Reflexions  upon  Ge?iejis.  jg^ 

belief  of  the  feveral  tranfactions  recorded  by  .^/^x,  and  fland  firmly  to 
all  their  pretenfions  :  nay,  we  fee  them  have  recourfe  to  the  remedy  of 
repentance  which  Aiofes  prefcribed  them  to  ufe  in  thofe  fad  misfortunes 
which  he  foretold  ihould  befal  them,  and  out  of  which  he  promis'd,  at 
the  fame  time,  that  God  would  miraculoufly  deliver  them ;  which  in- 
deed was  done  accordingly,  even  fourteen  times  within  lefs  than  four 
hundred  years,  as  is  manifeft  from  the  book  of  Judges, 

Can  there  then  be  a  more  pregnant  argument,  that  if  Mofes  made  li 
death  by  one  of  his  fanilions,  for  any  of  the  Ifraelltes,  to  conteit  the 
truth  either  of  his  writings,  or  of  his  oracles,  and  miracles,  it  was  not 
to  force  the  belief  of  them  without  examination,  but  rather  only  to  pre- 
vent the  corruption  of  that  people,  and  their  mingling  and  confoundin'^ 
themfelves  with  the  heathens,  which  God  intended  to  Hinder  on  purpofe, 
becaufe  he  would  have  the  Meffiah  to  be  born  according  to  his  promife, 
out  of  that  nation,  which  to  effedl,  he  thought  fit  in  his  infinite  wifdom, 
to  employ  the  rigour  of  fome  capital  laws,  to  keep  that  people  unmixt 
and  diftinguilh'd  from  all  other  nations  of  the  world,  till  the  MelTiah 
was  born. 


<^m 


CHAP.      XXII. 


The  Confequences  of  what  we  have  proved  in  our  foregoing  Obferuailom  upon 
the  Book  ofGEUEsis. 

(P^€<(|^  H  E  S  E  feveral  Obfervations  which  I  have  made  upon  tlie  Book 
^  T  ^  of  Gene/is,  arc  all,  I  think,  very  natural  and  eafie  j  and  if  I  am 
(<^)j:;3};;^  not  miilaken,  futficient  to  prove  foiidly,  tiie  truth  of  Mofes" s  ac- 
count, of  the  creation  of  the  world,  and  of  the  promife  of  the  IVlelliah, 
which  is  the  foundation  of  the  Chriitian  religion. 

The  conclufion  that  I  draw  out  of  the  premiles  is.  That, 

Firft,  I  aflert,  that  Mofes  that  famous  Hebrew^  who  was  deugnM  tp 
be  the  heir  of  Pharaoh's,  daughter,  is  the  true  and  fole  author  of  tae  book 
of  Genefis. 

Secondly,  I  maintain,  that  this  being  once  granted,  he  could  not,  ac- 
cording to  his  way  of  writing,  record  thofe  important  tranfaitions,  he  re- 
bates other  wife  than  they  really  came  to  pafs. 

Thirdly,  I  maintain,  that  tho'  he  had  not  been  an  eye-witnefs  of  the 
creation  of  the  world,  yet  he  hath  made  the  defcription  of  it  according 
to  fuch  an  authentick  tradition,  as  cannot  be  reafonably  doubted  of,  be- 
caufe it  was  then  the  univerfal  tradition,  not  only  of  the  MoabiteSy  of 
the  Aminonites^  of  the  IJJmiaelites^  and  of  the  Edomites,  who  were  all  of 
5fw's  pofterity,  and  amongft  whom  he  had  been  travelling  for  forty  years 
together ;  but  alfo  of  the  Egyptians,  of  his  own  people,  and  in  a  word, 
of  all  men  then  living  in  the  world. 

Fourthly,  I  maintain,  that  he  never  was  found  fault  with,  nor  con- 
tradi^ed,  tiJi  true  reafon  and  fence,  if  I  may  lay  fo,  was  loft  and  ba- 

nifli'd 


a82  Rfflcxions  upon  Genefis.  Ch.  XXII. 

nifh'd  from  amongft  mankiiid,  till  the  Egyptians,  for  example,  they  who 
ufed  before,  to  look  upon  the  Greeks  as  nicer  children  and  ideots,  were 
fallen  into  fo  great  a  ilupidity  and  deprivation  of  fence,  as  to  believe  and 
maintain,  that  men  were  firfl:  born  in  Egypt,  becaulc  forfooth,  frog<i  did 
naturally,  as  they  thought,  breed  out  of  their  muddy  fenns  and  marches. 

Fifthly,  I  maintain,  that  for  many  ages  after  Mojcs,  no  body  did  ever 
publickly  declare  for  the  eternity  of  the  world,  nor  yet  for  its  fortuitous 
produ»5lion.  Thefe  opinions  are  meer  abfurdities  and  chimeras,  brought 
forth  into  the  world  by  the  Chaldeans  and  Greeks,  only  about  Alexander's 
time,  or  perhaps  an  hundred  years  before  him,  /'.  e.  about  eleven  or 
twelve  hundred  years  after  Mofes's  deceafe. 

Sixthly,  I  maintain,  that  feeing  there  is  no  particular  time  to  be  found, 
wherein  the  reading  of  the  law  was  interrupted  and  difcontinued  for  any 
confiderable  time  amongft  the  Jews,  feeing  it  continues  ftill  to  this  very 
hour  amongft  them  every  fabbath  day,  in  the  feveral  places  of  the  world, 
wherein  they  are  difperfed ;  and  feeing  befides,  that  it  is  certain,  that 
this  law,  which  enjoyns  the  obfervation  of  the  fabbath,  in  remembrance 
of  the  creation,  could  never  be  impofed  upon  them,  without  their  per- 
ceiving and  declaring  prefently  the  novelty  ajid  fuppofition  of  that  ac- 
count, and  confequently  of  the  book  wherein  it  is  related. 

Seeing  all  this  is  certain,  I  do  pofitively  maintain,  that  the  truth  of 
the  creation  can  never  be  better  proved,  than  it  is  by  the  book  of  Gene' 
fis,  becaufe  in  it  Mojes  hath  followed  the  tradition  of  all  the  ages  that 
preceded  him,  and  only  recorded  in  writing,  what  was  then  generally 
known  of  all  men  in  the  world  j  and  that  in  a  time  when  every  man  was 
able  to  run  his  own  pedigree  up  to  Adam, 

Laftly,  I  maintain,  that  as  the  certainty  of  the  creation  cannot  rea- 
fonably  be  doubted  ot,  without  rejecting  at  the  fame  time  all  thofe  proofs 
from  tails  which  I  have  brought  to  ftrengthen  my  aflertion.  So  there 
is  all  the  reaibn  in  the  world  to  entertain  the  belief  of  it,  as  of  a  matter  of 
fa<Sl:  which  is  indifputablc :  as  being  related  by  the  moft  ancient  hiftorian, 
confirmed  by  the  moft  ancient  tradition,  believed  by  the  moft  ancient 
people  of  the  world,  who  did  not  only  believe  it,  but  alfo,  had  always 
had,  according  to  God's  command,  the  memory  of  it  celebrated  amongft 
them  and  their  anceftors,  in  all  their  generations  hfty  two  times  in  a 
year,  from  the  very  beginning  of  the  world. 


PREFACE. 


...I 


R       E       F      A       C       E., 


f^"»'f^HEN  I  began  at  firft  thefe  Reflexions  upon  the  Book  of  Gene/is^ 
^W^  I  defign'd  only  to  demonftrate  the  certainty  of  the  creation  of 
^5C^?^'=i?  the  firft  man,  and  fo  to  (hew  by  arguments  from  matters  of 
fadt,  that  neither  the  creation  of  the  world,  nor  yet  the  promife  of  the 
MefTir-h,  which  God  made  to  man  after  his  fin,  can  reafonably  be  dilut- 
ed or  doubted  of. 

1  defign'd  after  that,  to  eflahlifh  the  truth  of  Chrift's  refurreclion,  by 
fuch  another  undeniable  argument,  viz.  by  (hewing,  that  the  Apoltles 
were  eye  witnelFes  of  it,  and  inftituted  a  folemn  day  in  every  week,  to 
celebrate  and  perpetuate  the  memory  of  it,  amonglt  men,  from  their 
time  down  to  the  end  of  the  world.  And  this  I  thought  was  fufRcient 
to  demonftrate  the  truth  of  the  Chriftian  Religion :  for  as  the  Jews  by 
the  continual  ceiebratio.':  of  the  fabbath,  every  week,  could  eafily  run 
back  to  the  creation  of  the  world,  which  was  the  occafion  of  the  infti- 
tution  of  the  fabbath,  fo  the  Chriftians  may  by  the  weekly  obfervation 
of  the  Lord's  day  prove  Chrift's  refurre6tion,  which  occaiioned  the  in- 
ftltution  of  the  Lord's  day.  If  we  confider  the  thing  in  it  felf,  there  is 
no  lefs  abfurdity  to  difpute  our  Saviour's  refurreclion,  than  the  creation 
of  the  firft  man. 

Now  if  this  argument  holds,  as  there  can  be  no  eafier,  fo  neither  can 
there  be  a  ftronger  proof  of  the  truth  of  the  Chriftian  Religion,  for  pro- 
vided we  be  once  well  aflbred  of  the  certainty  of  Chrift's  refurreilion,  we 
muft  acknowledge  him  to  be  the  true  Mefliah,  and  confequently  embrace 
his  reli2;ion.  •        .       .         ;.>» 

But  it  feems  in  the  heat  of  meditation,  I  was  infenfibly  carried  fur- 
ther, in  my  obfervations  upon  the  promife  of  the  Mefliah,  than  I  thought 
at  firft  tu  be.  Therefore,  inftead  of  pafling  now,  as  I  propofed  in  the 
beginning,  to  the  proof  of  Chrift's  refurredtion,  which  is  a  folid  and 
compendious  way  of  demonftrating  the  truth  of  his  religion,  I  find  my 
felf  engaged  according  to  my  prefent  method,  to  continue  to  make  the 
like  Reflexions  upon  the  other  Books  of  Holy  Scripture,  that  I  may  yet 
more  fully  demonftrate,  that  Jefus  Chrift  is  the  true  Mefliah,  whom  God 
promifed  to  man  immediately  after  his  fin. 

And  this  I  intend  to  fhew  fo  plainly,  as  will  make  it  evident,  that  God 
hath  really  accompliftied  his  firft  defigns,  and  exactly  performed  all  his 
promifes  relating  to  the  Mefliah,  according  to  the  firft  idea's,  he  gave  of 
his  coming  to  the  ancient  Patriarchs. 

Firft,  then  I  defign  to  trace  up  the  method  that  God  was  pleafed  to 

ufe» 


n  PREFACE. 

ufe,  to  make  the  McfTiah  known  without  miftake,  when  ever  he  (houIJ 
come  into  the  world. 

Secondly,  I  will  make  fomc  Reflexions  upon  the  feveral  notions  he 
gave  of  him  long  before  in  his  oracles,  to  charadterizc  his  perfon,  his 
oifices,  his  adions,  his  fuftcrings,  his  glory,  tffc. 

Laft  of  all  I  will  fhcw,  that  we  have  all  this  whole  project  and  dcfign 
exactly  accompliflicd  in  the  hiflory  of  the  Gofpcl,  as  it  was  written  by 
Chrift's  difciples.  Now  as  this  method  which  God  hath  particularly 
chofcn  to  make  the  Mtfliah  known,  appears  alfo  in  the  other  Books  of 
A'/ofes.  So  I  think  it  will  not  be  amifs  for  me  particularly  to  view  and 
examine  thefe  Books,  that  1  may  have  occafion  to  illultrate  feveral  things 
in  them,  which  deferve  a  particular  attention,  efpecially  when  they  are 
confidered  together,  and  as  it  were  at  one  view. 

For  the  prophecies  being  thus  confider'd  together  in  their  connexion 
and  progrefs,  do  more  plainly  evidence  God's  defign,  and  may  better 
convince  or  confound  the  Jncs.  Therefore  I  intend  accordingly  to  con- 
fider  thofe  oracles  with  attention,  and  to  join  them  together,  that  fo 
they  may  in  their  conjundlion  caft  forth  the  brighter  beams  of  light,  to 
the  convidlion  of  all  infidels  who  may  happen  to  perufe  this  book. 

For  I  am  perfwaded  that,  after  the  perulal  of  my  obfervations  in  it,  an 
ordinary  attention  in  the  reading  of  the  Gofpel  will  be  fufficicnt  to  con- 
vince any  man,  that  Jefus  Chriil  is  the  true  MelTiah,  which  is  ail  I  in- 
tend to  prove,  as  the  conclufion  of  this  Treatife. 

Now  as  the  examination  of  the  Patriarchs  religion  according  to  the 
account  Alofes  hath  given  us  of  it  in  his  book  of  Gene/is,  hath  taken  up 
the  firft  part  of  it ;  fo  I  d^fign  to  examine  in  this  fecond  part  the  Ifraelites 
religion,  and  to  follow  in  my  fearch  the  account  which  JWofes  gives  of  it 
in  his  other  four  Books. 

And  as  to  effedt  this,  it  is  very  important  to  eftablifh  beforehand  the 
authority  of  thofe  four  Books  :  fo  I  intend  to  fhew  firil  of  all,  that  Alofes 
is  the  true  author  of  them,  and  that  they  have  intrinftck  characters  of 
undeniable  certainty. 

Then  fecondjy,  it  will  be  natural  for  mc,  to  fhew,  that  AIcps  in  the 
writing  of  them,  had  the  promife  of  the  Mefliah  in  view,  as  particular- 
ly promifed  of  God  to  the  Patriarchs  of  his  own  nation,  and  as  being 
confequently  the  principal,  if  not  the  foie  ohjetSt  of  their  hope. 

Thirdly,  I  intend  to  fliew,  that  if  we  ferioufly  examine  Mcfa's  laws, 
we  (hall  hnd  in.  them  fuch  a  method  obferved,  as  is  both  very  agreeable 
to  the  manifeftation  of  God's  defign  in  Genejlsy  and  very  worthy  of  his 
wifdom,  efpecially  if  we  confidcr  whnt  he  was  pleafed  to  reveal  unto  us 
of  his  intentions,  by  the  Prophets  who  followed  Mojes, 

\ 


REFLEXIONS 


REFLEXIONS 


UPON   THE    FOUR    LAST 


BOOKS      OF      MOSES 


'i 


TO 


ESTABLISH     the    TRUTH 


OF    THE 


us 

-01 


CHRISTIAN     RELIGION. 


H    A 

1 1   T<  > 


P.  I. 


77?at  it  cannot  reafonahly  be  do'uhte'd^  but  that  MoSES  is  the  Author  of 
^xon'US^  and  of  the  three  other  followi7ig  Books. 

C-^-^^3  HIS  is  a  Truth  which  may  be  grounded  upon  feveral  folld  ar"^ 
g  T  g  guments.  •  -^ 

'^''ik'^^  I  might  obferve,  That  Mofes  hath  always  been  acknowledged, 
by  the  very  heathens  themfelves,  not  only  to  be  the  moft  ancient  hifto- 
rian,  but  alfo  the  moft  ancient  legiflator  in  the  world. 

I  might  likewife  obferve,  That  there  is  a  particular  connexion  betwixt 
the  book  of  Gcnef.s  and  the  other  books  of  MofeSy  as  well  in  regard  of  the 
general  defign  of  their  author,  as  of  the  matters  treated  of  in  them.  For 
example,  we  fee  that  the  greateft  part  of  the  laws  and  tranfa6Uons  which 
we  find  written  and  recorded  there,  derive  their  original  from  thofe 
tranfadlions  and  paflages  that  we  read  of  in  Genefts^  Thus  \ye  may  plain- 
ly 


286  Rijicx'ions  upon  the  Ch.  I. 

ly  uilccrn<hat  the  prctenfion  of  the  Ifraelites  upon  the  hiiul  of  Canaan^ 
was  grounded  upon  the  promife  that  God  made  to'  Mrabam  to  give  it  to 
his  poftcritv,  in  the  fourth  generation.  Thus  we  may  fee,  that  the  Jma- 
lekites  could  have  no  other  i  eafon  to  make  war  againft  the  Ifraelites^  than 
the  old  alliance  tliat  was  formerly  made  betwixt  Amnhk  and  the  Canaan- 
ites^  which  without  doubt  engaged  his  pofterity  to  be  the  firft  oppofers 
of  the  eftabliftiment  of  the  Ifraelites  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  Thus  we  fee 
«hat  the  feditions  of  the  Ifraelites  againft  Mofcs  under  Corah^  Dathan^  and 
Jhiram^  did  proceed  from  the  order  of  the  birth  of  the  children  of  Ijrael^ 
as- it  is  fct  down  in  Gcr.efis^  becaufe  the  eldeft  thinking  themfelves  wrong'd 
of  their  birthright,  thought  they  might  juftly  rebel  againft  Mcfs  in  order 
to  reccr/cr  it. 

But  I  hafte  to  things  more  material  than  thefe.  And  firft  it  is  here 
pbfervable,  that  thofe  books  were  not  only  religioufly  kept  in  every  fa- 
mily of  Ifraely  but  that  they  were  alfo  once  folemnly  depofited  in  the  ta- 
bernacle as  a  publick  record,  and  that  by  Mofes  himfelf  a  little  before  his 
death,  that  they  might  be  a  teftimony  againft  that  people,  as  we  read  it 
Deuteronomy  XXXI.  26. 

Secondly,  it  cannot  be  denied  that  Mofes  did  ftraightly  charge  both 
Jojhuahy  and  the  heads  of  the  people,  to  read  them  frequently  and  care- 
fully, for  it  is  exprefly  faid  fo,  Jojhua  I.  8.  Nay,  we  fee  about  500  years 
after,  the  holy  man  David,  who  had  made,  during  his  life,  the  fupream 
felicity  of  a  man  to  confift  in  the  reading  the  law  of  God  dav  and  night 
(«) :  we  fee,  I  fay,  that  holy  man  give  in  his  death-bed  the  fame  charge 
to  Solomon^  I  Kings. 

Thirdly,  moreover  it  is  certain  that  there  were  many  laws  and  fanc- 
tions  contained  in  thofe  books,  which  are  the  foundation  of  the  hiftory 
of  fucceeding  times.  And  this  is  the  reafon  why  we  read  nothing  in  the 
^ook  oijoflma  concerning  the  feveral  bleftings  and  curfes  which  were  to 
be  pronounced  upon  the  mounts  Ehal  and  Gerizim,  becaufe  the  form  of 
them..was  to  be  borrowed  from  the  books  of  Mofes  which  were  publick 
and  authcntick.  The  fame  reflexion  may  be  made  upon  the  law  of  the 
firft-fruits,  and  upon  the  prayer  which  was  to  be  made  upon  the  tithes 
of  the  third  year  ;  as  likewife  upon  many  other  laws. 

Fowthly,  it  is  certain  that  thofe  books  were  read  over  every  feventh 
year,  according  to  the  injun£Hon  of  that  law,  which  we  find  in  Deute- 
rcHomy  XXXI.  10,  11.  which  was  commanded  to  be  done  for  the  in- 
ftru£tion  of  pofterity,  as  it  is  intimated  in  the  thirteenth  verfe  of  the  fame 
chapter.  Whereupon  it  may  not  be  prepofterous  to  confider  here  God's 
methods,  to  prevent  aJl  forgery  and  impofture  in  this  matter. 

We  fee  that  it  was,  during  the  longevity  of  hujnan  life,  a  conftant 
and  univerfal  cuflom  amongft  all  the  Patriarch's  to  Mofes^  time,  to  put 
(when  thev  lay  on  their  death  beds)  their  pofterity  in  mind  of  the  moft 
i^nportant 'truths,  and  of  the  fundamental  articles  of  religion,  becaufe 
as- all  admonitions  and  exhortations  made  at  fuch  a  time,  are  always 
loqk'd  upon  as  fincere,  fo  they  feldom  fail  of  being  favourably  conftrucd 
and  better  entertained,  than  they  would  be  at  any  other  time.  We  have 
^s  inftances  of  this  ancient  cuftom,  the  examples  of  Jl>raha/n,  of  Ifaac, 
pf.jfcob^ofjahph,  ^'c.  who  in  that,  I  make  no  doubt,  follow'd  the 
-  —  cuftom 

(ijj  Pfal.  i, 


Ch.  I.  f cur  laji  Books  of  Alofes.  287 

cuftom  of  their  pious  anceftors,  who  in  all  likelyhood  derived  it  from 
Mam  himfelf.  That  cuftom  we  fee  was  of  an  admirable  ufe  to  perpe- 
tuate the  memory  of  illuftrious  tranfaftions  :  what  was  then  fpoken  by 
thofe  pious  venerable  men,  was  a  kind  of  a  pubJick  fermon,  becaufe  it 
"was  delivered  before  thofe  numerous  families,  which  met  then  altoge- 
ther about  the  bed  of  their  common  head  and  father  j  and  that  upon  fuch 
an  occafion  as  did  extraordinarily  excite  their  attention. 

To  this  cuftom  fucceeded  another,  which  was,  that  when  the  greateft 
captains  and  judges  of  the  people  of  Ifrael^  were  fcnfible  of  their  ap- 
proaching death,  then  they  ufually  called  the  people  together,  to  give 
them  fuch  exhortations,  reproofs,  and  admonitions,  as  they  judged  moft 
proper,  either  for  their  encouragement,  or  for  their  reformation ;  nay, 
and  that  even  in  fome  occafions  many  of  them  have  affefted  to  have 
their  fpeeches  made  publick,  and  depofited  in  the  tabernacle  :  thus  did 
Mofes  and  Jajhuah^  and  the  greateft  number  of  the  Judges,  and  Samuel^ 
and  Solomon^  &c. 

We  know  that  the  books  of  Mofes  were  formerly  read  every  fabbath 
day  ;  as  St.  Jam's  does  atteft  it  in  Acls  XV.  And  tho'  there  be  no  ex- 
prefs  command  about  it  in  Mofts\  writings,  yet  we  find  there,  fomething 
equivalent  to  it,  in  the  ftrift  charge  given  by  him  to  all  the  people,  to 
be  continually  converfant  in  his  books,  and  to  inftruil  their  families  at 
all  times  in  the  laws  and  doctrines  delivered  in  them  ;  for  it  is  plain,  that 
if  the  Ifraelites  were  bound  by  that  command  of  Mofes  to  read  his  books 
every  day,  they  were  more  particularly  obliged,  by  the  fame  command, 
to  read  them  on  the  fabbath  day,  which  was  made  a  day  of  reft  by  God  ; 
particularly  on  purpofc,  that  all  men  might  the  better  attend  on  that  day 
to  the  reading  and  meditating  God's  laws,  and  the  performing  all  other 
religious  duties. 

We  know  befides  that  thofe  books  were  continually  explained  both  by 
the  doctors  of  the  law,  and  the  Levites,  who  were  on  purpofe  difperfed 
through  the  whole  land  oi  Canaan,  that  they  might  the  better  attend  and 
perform  the  duties  of  their  miniftry. 

We  fee  that  Mofes  in  his  writings  hath  exa£lly  kept  a  kind  of  journal, 
which  cannot  eafily  receive  any  alteration.  If  we  read  hereupon  what 
relates  to  the  fojourning  of  the  Ifraelites,  and  the  feveral  removals  of  their 
tents  in  the  defert,  we  fhall  be  eafily  convinc'd  by  the  very  form  and  ftile 
of  thofe  books,  as  we  have  them  now,  that  they  were  formerly  publickly 
received,  and  were  exadly  tranfcribed  out  of  the  original,  and  that  if  in 
procefs  of  time  they  fufFered  any  alteration,  it  was  only  as  to  fome  ap- 
pendices or  poftfcripts  inferted  by  Efrah,  or  fome  other  Prophet,  by  way 
of  explication. 

We  fee  in  thofe  books  a  hiftory  written  without  difguife  or  partiality, 
exad  in  relating  ail  circumftances,  of  places,  times,  and  perfons,  even 
in  the  narration  of  things  of  fmall  importance  for  the  main  drift  of  the 
author ;  there  arp  befides,  fome  paflages  recorded  in  them,  which  any 
author,  who  lived  after  Mt/^/s  time,*  would  certainly  have  left  out,  if 
for  no  other  reafon,  yet  at  leaft  to  abolifii  the  memory  of  fome  adtions 
diftionourable  to  fome  great  families,  and  whole  tribes  of  Ifrael. 

Again,  v/c  read  in  chem  the  fongs,  and  other  publick  monuments 
^  which 


2^^  Rcfiexiovi  upon  the  Ch.  I. 

which  were  made  upon  extraordinary  occafioiis,  to  prefcrve  the  memory 
of  them  the  better. 

I  have  but  three  obfervations  more  to  make  here,  and  then  I  have  done 
with  this  chapter. 

The  firft  is,  that  thofe  boolc;  have  been  conftantly  quoted  by  all  the 
authors  amongft  that  people  who  followed  Mifes^  and  that  their  quota- 
tions do  exa<SHy  agree  with  the  text  of  thole  books,  as  we  have  them 
now,  which  is  a  certain  fign,  as  well  of  the  fmcerity,  as  of  the  anti- 
quity of  that  author.  They  were  as  much  eftecmed  in  Ifi-ael  as  mjuda^ 
both  people  did  cbferve  them  as  their  law :  the  Prophets  that  arofe  from 
time  to  time,  did  always,  and  upon  all  occafions  acknowledge,  and  main- 
tain their  authority. 

Thus  we  find  in  the  book  of  Jojhua^  quoted  out  of  them,  what  re- 
lates to  the  curfes  and  bleflings,  to  the  prophecies,  and  divifions  of  the 
land  of  Canaan^  amongft  the  tribes  of  Ifrael.  The  whole  hiftory  of 
the  thirteen  judges,  whom  God  raifed  up  amongft  the  people,  is  no- 
thino-  in  general,  but  an  account  of  the  accomplifhment  of  that  pro- 
mife,  which  God  had  made  formerly  by  Mofes^  to  raife  up  from  anting 
that  people  fuch  men  in  the  time  of  their  afflitSlions  and  captivities,  ias 
would  be  the  aflertors  of  their  liberty. 

We  fee  there  in  particular,  the  execution  of  Mcfes*^  order,  concern- 
ing Calebs  and  of  that  law  in  Deuteronomy^  which  prefcribes  the  manner 
of  difmiffing  from  the  army  thofe  that  are  fearful  and  faint-hearted ;  and 
Qi  that  other  concerning  the  Nazarites  (o),  &c. 

Thus  we  fee,  that  the  rules  and  laws  prefcribed  in  thofe  books,  con- 
tinued in  force  in  the  time  of  Ruth^  David's  great  grand-mother,  that 
appears  plainly,  by  their  obfervation  of  thofe  laws,  which  cnjoyn'd  the 
next  kinfman  to  take  to  wife  the  widow  of  his  deceafed  relation,  and  to 
redeem  his  inheritance.  As  for  David  ztxA  Solomon,  they  are  continually 
alludino-  to  fomething  or  other  delivered  in  thofe  books  :  Nchemiah  (\\iox.q^ 
them  in  Chap.  XIII.  of  his  book,  and  that  Vvas  in  the  year  of  the  world 
3563,  and  fo  does  Malachy  in  the  IV.  and  V.  Chapters  of  his  prophefie^ 
in  the  year  3580. 

The  fecond  obfervation,  which  is  very  material,  is,  that  the  author 
of  thofe  books,  hath  inferted  in  them  an  exprefs  prohibition  of  adding 
any  thing  to  them,  as  we  fee  it  Deuteronomy  IV.  2. 

It  is  then  impollible,  feeing  that  the  whole  people  of  the  Jews  have 
alwavs  acknowledged  the  Divine  authority  of  thofe  books,  that  they 
fhould  ever  have  attempted  the  alteration  of  any  thing  in  them. 

Nay,  we  fee,  not  without  wonder,  that  after  the  greateft  part  of  the 
ten  tribes  of  J frael  were  tranfported  into  yljjyria,  thofe  that  v/ere  fent  from 
Affyria  to  inhabit  their  countrey,  did  receive  that  law,  and  that  their 
poil-erity  have  kept  it  all  along  to  this  day,  as  uncorrupted  as  the  Je-ws^ 
iltho'  they  continue  their  mo.tal  enemies,  and  have  been  expofed  to  all 
the  changes,  and  revolutions,  that  can  befal  a  nation,  during  the  long 
interval  of  2400  years. 

The  third  obfervation,  which  deferves  a  fingular  attention  is,  that 
notwiihftanding  the  great  and  many  corruptions,  which  the  common- 
wealth of  Ijraei  fell  into,  yet  thefe  books  have  IHll  been  kept  up  in  the 

fam^ 
(0)  Judg.  i.  20.    Judg.  vii.  3.     Judg.  xiii.  3. 


i 


Ch.  II.  finr  laft  Books  of  Mfifes,  2^9 

Jame  forjn  that  we  have  them  now :  it  appears  out  of  the  hiftory  of  y^/w/^" 
related,  2  Kings  XXIII.  21.  That  after  the  book  of  the  law,  of  Mofes 
,own  writing,  was  found  in  the  temple,  the  king  commanded  all  the 
people  to  keep  the  palFover  unto  the  Lord,  as  it  is  zuritten  in  the  book  of 
this  covenant :  now  v/e  have  the  infbitution  of  the  pallbver,  Exod.  Xll. 
which  /hews,  that  Jofiah  by  the  book  of  this  covenant,  meant  the  books 
of  Mcfes^  fuch  as  we  have  them  now  adays,  and  fuch  as  they  were  when 
Mofes  depofited  them  into  the  faniluary. 

It  is  important  to  confider  well,  all  that  is  related  in  the  forementioa- 
ed  x:hapter  of  11  Kings^  for  we  may  gather  out  of  it,  that  it  was  accord- 
ing to  the  directions  of  this  law,  that  they  began  to  reform  all  the  fuper- 
ftitions  and  idolatries  which  had  been  introduced  in  their  rciigicn,  and 
countenanced  by  the  royal  authority,  from  Soloynon's  time  to  yofiah ;  this 
chapter  relates  and  commends  the  proceeding  oi  Joftah^  only  in  oppofi- 
tion  to  the  ill  government  of  his  predeccllbrs,  and  to  the  publick  monii- 
ments  of  their  fuperftition?,  vvhich  he  aboUfhed  in  obedience  to  God's 
laws,  contained  in  the  books  of  Mjfes. 

However,  it  is  certain,  tiiat  it  was  no  eafie  matter,  to  impofe  herein 
upon  pofterity. 

For  firft,  the  tranfa6lions  recorded  in  the  books  oi  Adofes^  did  not  only 
relate  to  the  people  of  Ifrael^  but  alfo  to  moft  of  the  neighbourino^  na- 
tions. ^ 

Secondly,  the  memory  of  diem  continued  fo  lively  and  univerfal,  that 
almoft  1500  years  after  Mofes,  the  names  of  thofe  magicians  fpoken  of, 
Excd.  Vn.  II.  were,  as  yet  known,  not  only  ainongft  the  Jcws^  as  we 
fee  it  by  an  exprcfs  paflawc  oF  S.  Paul^  who  fpeaks  of  them,  and  men- 
tioneth  their  names,  2  Tim.  III.  8.  but  alfo  among  the  heathens,  as  both 
Pliny  and  Numenius  do  attefl  it  {p). 

I  point  only  at  thofe  general  proofs  at  prefent,  becaufe  I  have  already 
made  ufe  of  them,  and  (hewed  their  force  in  myobfervations  upon  Gene^ 
fiSy  and  becaufe  I  intend  to  repeat,  and  improve  fome  of  them  hereafter 
in  this  treatife.  But  now,  in  order  to  follow  my  prefent  defign,  1  mufb 
come  to  the  more  particular  confidcration  of  the  things  contained  in 
thefe  books,  which  will  much  conduce  to  the  conhrmation  of  the  fame 
truth. 


C    H    A    P.      II. 

Thst  both  the  Ooara5ler  of  MosEs'x  Perfon^^  and  the  Nature  of  the  Things 
he  relates  has  always  made  Altn  read  his  Books  with  Attention. 

C"*^3  H  E  fubjedl  of  fome  books  is  fuch,  as  that  alone  would  recom- 

^  T  .^  mend  them  to  the  attention  of  any  reader,  tho'  their  author  had 

^'<>-'^J^  "o  reputation  in  the  world  ;  but  when  befides  the  importance  of 

Vol.  I.  T  their 

(p)  Hiji.  Nat.  1.  30,  c.  I, 


^90  Reflexions  upon  the  Ch,  II. 

their  fubje^V,  the  author  of  them  is  ftimous  and  of  great  repute,,  then  to 
be  furc,  ihcy  never  fail  to  be  read  with  ferious  attention,  and  prelerved 
with  as  great  a  care.  I'he  books  oi  Mofes  have  both  thcfe  advantages, 
fo  that  they  cannot  reafonably  be  fufpccted  of  the  lealt  alteration  or  for- 

The  firll  character  that  we  difcover  in  thcfc  book>  at  the  firft  viewing 
of  the;n,  is  the  great  fingularity,  and  admirable  divcriity  of  their  ftile, 
and  of  the  matters  they  treat  of. 

We  do  not  fee  that  other  Icgiflators  did  ever  afFecl  to  act  the  parts  of 
.hiftorians  ;  no,  they  content  thcmfelvcs  with  their,  abfolute  power,  to 
niake  laws,  without  giving  any  realbn  for  the  fanclion  of  them  :  there- 
fore wc  fee,  that  there  is  commonly  nothiiig  more  dry  and  faplefs  than 
all  their  regulations,  about  both  civil  and  religious  matters. 
.  But  Mofes  wc  fee  hath  followed  a  more  reafonablc,  and  more  fatisfac- 
tory  method,  all  his  regulations  are  grounded  upon  the  great  tranfactions 
\\  hich  he  relates  ;  he  ena6ls  no  law  of  any  confequcnce,  but  he  intimates 
to  the  Jews,  at  the  fame  time,  the  reafons  which  challenge  their  obe- 
dience,~  and  makes  them  by  that  means  rcfle(5l  both  upon  the  feveral 
mercies  of  God  beflovvcd  upon  them,  and  call  to  mind  tlic  great  miracles 
they  had  been  eye  witnefles  of. 

1  cojifefs  indeed,  that  the  ufe  and  fcope  of  fomc  of  his  regulations,  is 
very  abfcrufe,  efpecially  now,  that  we  are  ignorant  of  the  feveral  hcathrti 
cultoms,  which  God  defign'd  to  abolilh  from  among  that  people  newly 
come  out  of  Egypt,  where  during  their  captivity  they  had  complied,  and 
accuftomed  themfelves  in  a  great  meafure  to  the  rites,  and  religion  of 
their  mailers  the  Egyptians.  But  yet  how  abflrufe  foever  the  delign  of  fome 
of  thofe  laws  may  now  appear  to  be  :  we  have  good  ground  to  affirm,  tlut 
the  general  fcope  of  them  all  was,  to  keep  that  people  from  idolatry  in 
4^fl:ingui{hing  them  from  all  other  nations,  as  alfo  to  quicken  their  de- 
-fires  and  expe£lations  of  the  Alejjiah^  the  promife  of  whofe  coming  had 
been  made  by  God  in  the  very  beginning  of  the  world,  and  renewed  fe- 
veral times  to  the  heads  of  their  nation. 

However  we  fee  in  the  books  of  thofc  laws,  religion,  and  policy  fo 
interwoven  together,  that  the  latter  fcems  to  fubfiil  onlv  by  the  fupport 
and  afliftance  of  the  former,  which  is  contrary  to  the  cuAom  of  humaji 
legiflators,  who  do  not  fo  much  regard  the  eilablifliment  of  religion,  as 
the  prcfervation  and  welfare  oi  the  flate  and  common-wealth. 

If  any  yt'tf  had  a  mirid  to  be  informed  about  the  tradition  of  ills  an- 
Ceftors,  and  the  tranfactions  of  old,  Mofcs  hath  prcferved  it  with  fuch 
care,  with  fo  many  marks  of  fidelity,  and  fo  clear  and  plain,  that  there 
is  no  other  hlftory  befides  his,  that  can  give  any  fatlsfaClory  inform.ation 
about  the  origijial  of  things  ;  all  the  fables  of  the  heathens,  which  yet 
make  up  the  moil  ancient  tradition  they  have,  being  nothing  elfe  but  a 
corruption  and  depravation  of  the  feveral  truths  that  Jilcj'cs  relates  ia  his 
hiftory. 

If  any  Jeiv  defircd  to  fee  the  beginnings  of  that  common-weakh  of 
which  he  was  a  member  ;  Ai'.jcs  gives  an  accurate  account  of  them. 

If  anv  'Je^u  defircd  to  know  the  original  of  mankind,  or  what  was  the 
true  happinefs  of  man,  and  what  he  ought  to  do,  iji  order  to  be  a  par- 
taker 


Ch.  II.  four  laji  Booh  of  Mofes.  ^c)i 

taker  of  that  happinefs,  Mofes  teaches  all  that  with  great  evidence  and 

exailnefs.        ^-•-" 

•     If  any  y^t;  hid  a  mind  to  know  the  occafion  of  thofe  fongs  that  were 

fo' much  in  fafhion  amongft  thoib  of  his  nation  ;  he  might  eafily  fatisfie 

his  curiofity,  by  reading  Mofes\  hiftory. 

If  any  Jew  defired  to  know  what  fort  of  exhortations  they  were,  which 

the  Founder,  both  of  their  religion  and  common- wealth  had  formerly 

made  to  their  fore-fathers ;  Mofes  relates  a  great  many  of  them  in  his 

books. 

If  any  few  had  a  mind  to  receive  inftru(5lion  about  the  original,  and 

caufe  of  thofe  temporal  bleflings,  he  enjoyed  in  the  land  of  Quiaatj^  which 

God  had  poflefs'd  his  nation  of,  after  the  expulfion  of  thofe  people  that 

had  been  the  inhabitants  of  it  for  many  ages,  A^ofs  gives  as  good  account 

of  all  that,  as  can  be  dcfired. 

If  any  few  had  a  mind  to  know  the  original  of  the  fevcral  calamities 

that  befel  his  nation  on  feveral   occafions  ;  A4ofes  acquainted  tiicm  both 

with  the  taufe  and  remedy  of  all  their  affli'flions. 

Laftly,  if  tlic  Jetus  delired  to  be  informed  of  the  future  condition  of 
their  common-wealth  in  after  ages ;  Mojes  foretells  it  in  fo  particular 
and  clear  a  manner,  that  they  might  look  upon  his  prophefies,  not  as 
certain  prophefies  only,  but  as  a  plain  hiftory  of  future  events,  beo-un 
and  traced  out,  before  their  accomplifhment. 

All  this  is  fo  much  the  more  confiderahle,  to  oblige  us  to  read  the 
hooks  of  Mofes  with  care,  that  we  may  juftly  obfcrve  three  things  in  his 
perfon,  which  as  they  raife  him  above  all  common  authors,  fo  they  can- 
not but  ftrengthen  the  belief,  and  increafe  the  efteem  and  veneration, 
which  we  ought  to  have  for  his  hiftory. 

The  firft  is,,  that  whereas  all  men  are  careful  to  conceal  their  own  in- 
firmities, and  whatever  is  difhonourable  to  their  families :  A^Iofs  on  the 
contrary  feems  to  have  affected  to  record  all  the  things  that  could  ble  . 
mifh  the  memory  of  his  anceftors,  and  derogate  to  his  own  reputation. 
He  blemifhes  7^<:5^'s  memory  by  his  relating,  how  he  prcferr' dfo/ep/j 
the  fon  of  his  oeloved  wife,  to  Reuben  his  eldeft,  whom  he  unjuIUy' de- 
prived of  his  birthright,  in  favour  of  the  other,  which  injultice  is  ex- 
prcHy  forbidden  by  one  oi  Mofes' ^  laws 

Thus  he  lays  an  eternal  blot  and  reproach  upon  the  memory  of  Levi, 
the  head  of  his  own  family,  when  he  mentions  his  cruelty  and  violence 
againft  the  Sichemitcs,  and  the  difperfion  of  his  pofterity  amongll  the  other 
tribes  of  Ifrael. 

Nay,  what  is  more,  he  vilifies  his  own  birth,  by  forbidding  any  mar- 
riage betwixt  an  aunt  and  her  nephew,  feeing  he  relates  that  he  himfelf 
was  born  of  Jocabedhoxh  aunt  and  wife  to  his  father  Aim-am  ;  he  defcribes 
his  own  incredulity  with  all  the  ingenuity  imaginable,  when  he  repre- 
fents  the  feveral  miracles  which  God  wrought  by  him,  he  feen>s  to  fpeak 
of  himfelf  only  to  lay  open  his  own  failings  and  fins ;  fuch  a  fincerity 
and  impartiality  we  know  confirms  and  increafes  mightily  the  authority 
of  any  author. 

The  fecond  thing  is,  that  Mofes  not  regarding  the  advantage  and  ho- 
nour of  his  own  family,  left  the  government  of  Ifraei  to  Jojhuab^  one  of 
the  tribe  of  Ephraim^  and  fo  i;educcd  his  own  children,  and  their  polte- 

T  51  rity 


2Q2  Rtjltxions  upo'i  r'-  Ch.  If* 

ritv  to  the  low  condition  of  the  reft  of  the  Lrotic:^  y>iv^  wt-re  oi  an  in- 
tcriour  rank  to  that  of  priclls  ;  for  wc  do  not  fee  that  they  ever  after  re- 
Dew'd  the  pretenfions  which  they  might  otherwifc  haVe  had  to  fuccecd 
Adofes'y  now  luch  nctjlccl  of  his  family  Ihtws,  that  Alojes's  principles- 
were  raifed  much  above  the  ordinary  pitch  6i  the  generality  of  latv-givtrs,, 
■who  were  abfolute  and  fuprcam  over  tlitir  people. 

The  third   tiling  obfervable  here  is,  that  iVIsjts  had  no  (hare  in  the 
conqucll  of  the  land  of  CanaatJ ;  it  all  was  fubdued  after  his  death  :   nay, 
it  was  that  conqucll,  that  fixed,  and  fctled  the  common-wealth  of  Jfrael^ 
which   was  before   unfetled,  and  as   it  were   ambulatory  in  the  defart. 
IV'ow  how  could  fuch  a  lingular  deiign,  as  Mofes  deferibes  in  his  law,  be. 
put  in  execution  by  any  other  than  by  him  that  formed  it.    It  was  Jo^ua 
that  made  this  conqueit  of  the  land  of  Canaan^  and  polfeft  the  Jras  of 
it-   now,  to  be  fure  if  that  people  had  not  been  then  tully  perfwaded  of 
the  Divine  authority  of  A'^y^i's  law,  they  would  never  have  failed  after 
fo  2;reat  an  alteration  to  make  ufe  of  their  power  and  liberty  in  throwing 
ofi'the  troublefom  yoak  of  his  laws  ;  nor  yet  would  Jo/hua  and  all  hisr 
fucccfTors  in  the  government,  ever  have  maintain'd  the  i-.uthority  of  thofe 
laws,  if  they  had   not  lookt  upon  A/o/h,  not  only  as  an  extraordinary- 
man,  but  alio  as  one  particularly  commiflionated  by  God  to  make  that 
body  of  laws,  for  the  regulating  of  his  people. 

We  read  in  thofe  books  of  Mofcs's  dying  iji  the  moimtains  of  Alcah  ^ 
now' that  being  fuppofed,  how  is  it  poJTiMe,  that  if  the  people  of  I/rrit! 
had  not  been  fully  convinced  that  God  himfclf  gave  their  law  to  Alofii 
with  all  the  circumffances  mentioned  by  him,  they  would  have  continued 
to  keep  up  fuch  a  ridiculous  and  ill  grounded  conceit.  If  he  had  really 
by  his  tyrannical  authority  forced  the  Jjraelitcs  into  a  compliance  to  his 
laws  during  his  life,  why  did  they  not  allbon  as  he  was  dead,  with  the 
fear  of  his  authority  fhake  ofF  the  yoak  of  his  laws,  and  all  rcfpect  for 
his  memory. 

One  thing  we  may  remark  as  \'cry  furprizing  in  the  relation  of  thar 
Icgiflator's  death  j  which  is  that  his  body  was  not  found  after  his 
death. 

For  we  do  not  fee  that  that  people,  which  otherwife  kept  up  and  car- 
ried about  with  fo  much  care,  the  bones  of  Jo/iph  and  his  brethren,  in 
order  to  bury,  and  depofite  them  in  the  fepulchres  of  their  anceftors 
(for  both  "Joftph  and  his  brethren  were  interred  in  Judaa)  did  ever 
build  a  tomb  to  their  law-giver,  or  fo  much  as  pretend  to  Ihew  his  fc- 
pulchre. 

'Jcfcphus  was  of  ojiinlon,  that  Mofes  wrote  himfelf,  the  account  of  his 
ov.-n  death,  for  fear  the  Jtxvi  Ihould  ever  imagine,,  and  I'o  give  out  th;H 
Ciod  had  taken  Ivim  up  into  hea\  en.  I  fee,  1  confefs,  no  folidity  in  that 
conjecture  of  his,  but  yet  ic  mav  give  us  occahoi^  to  make  a  reflexion 
hereupon,  I  tliink,  more  iv.uuial  and  eafie,  which  is,  that  God  had  a 
niind,  as  Jojhuj  intiniates  it,  to  confirm  the  many  characters  ot  divinity 
that  appeared  in  the  bw  of  AIoJcs^  by  taking  away  from  before  the  eyes 
of  the  "Je'-jos  his  corps,  which  they  would  certainly,  if  they  had  not  been 
io  prevented,  have  kept  with  more  caic  than  thofe  of  all  their  patriarchs 
and  kinss.  '1  he  defcription  of  the  manner  oi  M'ijci'%  death,  Ihews  evi- 
dently, Ihat  he  was  not  only  in  great  cUeem  during  his  life,  but  that 

even 


<5h.  III.  four  laft  Books  of  Mof.s.  293 

even  his  death  did  much  conduce  to  the  increafe  of  k,  and  to  make  men 
iooic  upon  himyasonegloriouHy  raifed  up  above  the  common  condition  of 
men,  and  in  a  manner  not  obnoxious  to  the  infirmities  and  miferies  in- 
cident to  human  nature.  But  after  thefe  general  reflexions,  I  muft  come 
to  thofe  that  arc  more  particular. 


''^^i^''4if'^'^^^4f4f^4^'fy'^'ijf4^^^^^^^^^'^^^'^^^^l,if^ 


CHAP.      III. 

That  the  Truth  of  the  Miracles  related  by  MosES,  cannct  reafonably  be 

doubted  of. 

f^»"iC>^  H  O  E  V  E  R  will  examine  with  attention,  the  four  lafl  books 
<S  WS  o{  Mofes^  fhall  find  in  them  ieveral  paflages  recorded,  which  de- 
^■^;^Cp  ferve  a  particular  confidcration. 

'  As  hrft  of  all,  the  miraculous  birth,  the  extraordinary  education,  the 
heroical  courage,  and  the  Divine  call  and  commifiion  oi  Mfes^  and"^the 
fever-al  miracles  which  he  wrought  in  Egypt^  to  bring  the  /fraeiites  out 
of  it,  and  lead  them  to  the  borders  of  Canaan. 

Then  fecondJy,  all  the  moral,  ceremonial,  and  political  laws  which 
Mofes  gave  to  that  people,  from  God. 

And  laftly,  A^ofes  his  prophecies  concerning  their  future  condition, 
their  viftories,  their  captivities,  their  tranfportations,  concerning  the 
dcftru61:ion  of  ferufalern^  the  coming  of  the  Alejfiah^  and  the  difpcrfion 
of  their  whole  nation. 

All  which  paflages  have  as  evident  and  authentick  proofs  of  their  cer- 
tainty, as  things  of  that  nature  are  capable  of. 

Let  us  firft  begin  with  the  narration  of  the  miracles  recorded  in  the 
beginning  q{  Exodus. 

Wherein  wc  fee,  that  after  Mofes  had  reprefented  the  death  of  Jofeph, 
and  of  all  the  generation,  that  came  down  with  Jacob  into"  Egypt,  he 
writes  his  own  hiftory,  and  reprefents  himfelf  as  another  Noah^  faved  out 
©f  the  waters,  to  fave  and  deliver  that  holy  family. 
•  The  whole  relation  which  he  makes  of  all  thofe  particulars,  is  very 
fl range,  and  extraordinary  ;  but  yet  his  circumcifion,  and  the  inftruc- 
tionof  his  mother,  to  whom  he  was  given,  by  the  daughter  oi  Pharaoh 
to  be  nurft  up,  and  the  converfation  of  that  princefs  who  had  adopted 
him,  and  made  her  felf  a  profel)'te  as  i\it  feivs  endeavour  to  prove,  from 
1  Chron.  IV.  18.  [q).  And  his  education  in  the  co'sxtoi Egypt,  and  his 
acquaintance  with  all  the  grandees  of  that  court,  did  concur  together  to 
acquaint  him  with  that  remarkable  prefervation  of  his  perfon,  and  per- 
Avade  him  of  the  certainty  of  it. 

For  how  could  either  Mofes  impofe,  or  be  impofed  upon  in  that  mat- 
ter ?  Was  not  that  barbarous  cruelty  of  the  Egyptians  by  which  they 
.compell'd  the  Jeivs  about  the  time  of  JlJofs's  birth,  to  throw  their  chil- 

T  3  dren 

f^J  JJk.  in  h.  1.  ex  Fajikra  Rab. 


294  Rffiexiom  tipon  the  Ch.  II^ 

Hrcn  into  the  river  NiJuSy  nntoriouny  known  of  all  nncn  ?  Were  nof 
the  publicic  buildings,  and  ftrnog  cities,  vix.  Pythom^  and  Ramefts^  (o 
call'd  from  the  nwtnd  of  king  Ramefcs  Miamum,  llanding  in  the  fight  of 
all  men  ?  And  was  it  not  puhlickly  known  by  all  the  world,  that  the 
poor  Jjradius  were  the  flaves  nnd  drudges  who  v/cre  made  ule  of  to  erect 
thofc  building':. 

Neither  could  the  manner  of  his  education  be  unknown  to  him,  nor 
vet  to  any  of  the  Hebrews^  for  we  do  not  join  here  to  Mofa's  narration,' 
vvhat  Jojif  has  rehtcs  ofhrs  perfon,  of  his  feats  in^^trflir,  and  of  his  mar  * 
rving  an  Ethiopian  princefs,  i^c. 

As  Mofes'fi  miracles  were  done  in  the  prefencc  of  the  Egyptians  and 
Javsy  fo  they  teftifie,  that  he  had  really  received  his  calling,  and  com- 
milTion  from  God  in  the  defert,  and  that  juft  in  the  manner  a»  he  de- 
fcribes  it  himfclf. 

Now,  no  man  can  difpute  the  truth  of  thofe  miracles,  if  he  but  minds 
the  follo'.ving  confidcrations. 

Firft,  it  cannot  be  denied,  that  the  people  of  Ifrael  was-  brought  out 
of  E^ypt  by  M'ijci.  Their  law,  which  the  prefent  'Jnvi  do  ftiU  obfcrve, 
fpeaks  every  where  of  that  famous  action  of  his ;  there  was  never  any 
man  diTputed  the  certainty  of  that  atchievement.  All  ancient  authors 
make  m,ention  of  it,  Alanethon  (r)  gives  an  account  of  the  time,  of 
the  manner,  and  of  many  other  principal  circumftances  of  that  ex- 
ploit. - 

TroguvPtrnpchir^  Juflinus^  and  Tocitin:^  do  alfo  fpcak  of  it,  only  Ta- 
ciius  docs  groundlcP.y,  I  fuppofe,  of  his  own  head,  relate,  that  the  Jnus 
were  expell'd  out  of  isVr/'/,  becaufe  of  their  leprofie:  I  hy  groundleriy, 
for  it  is  known,  that  on  the  contrary,  leprofie  was  a  common  diftemper 
amongft  the  Epptlans,  and  that  they  infccled  the  Ijraflites  with  it,  fo 
that  there  is  no  likelihood  thev  fhould  be  expelled  by  the  Egyptians  for  a 
diftemper  that  they  got  from  them. 

We  know  bofities,  that  the  law  of  APijes  which  calls  the  leprofie  the 
diftemper  of  Egypt^  did  banifh  the  lepers  out  cf  the  congregation  of  the 
people;  and  then  the  nature  of  David's  curfcs  againliy^^/',  becaufe  of 
his  murdcrinjr  Jbn:r^  fliews  fufficiently>  that  the  leprofie  was  lookt  upon 
bv  the  ynvs^  as  a  didemper  moft  commonly  fent  immediately  from  God. 
Nav,  'Trsgus  Pcmpnus  (.«)  himfelf,  obferves  that  the  magicians  caufed 
Mofes  with  the  people  of  Jfrfiel  to  be  expell'd,  becaufe  they  thcmfelves 
were  flruck  with  a  kind  of  fcab  and  itch  ;  and  that  they  were  afraid, 
leaft  the   contagion  of  it    fhould    infe«5t    the    whole    kingdom  of  £- 

g\pt{i). 

And  here  I  nnift  not  forget  the  r-cntioning  the  teftimony  of  Ntwunius 
a  Pytbagorcm  jihilofopher,  who  relates,  that  both  "JuTmcs  and  "Jambrcs 
were  chofen  by  the  Egyptiam^  to  oppofe  Mofes^  ajid  hinder  the  eHei^s  of 
his  miracles  and  prayers,  which  had  brought  down  many  grievous 
plagues  upon  Egypt^  jwlt  about  the  time  of  the  Jews  banifhment  out  of 
that  country. 

But  fecondly,  if  the  leprofie,  which  the  Ifraditcs  brought  from  Egypt^ 

b«? 

(r)   Joj'eph.  t'Hira  App.  1.  I.  (i)  Jujlin.  I.  36. 

(/)   ¥.uftb.  prtrp.  E-^aang.  1.  9.  C.  8. 


Ctt.  III.  four  laj}  Books  of  Alofet.  29^ 

be  an  indifputable  proof  of  their  fojourning  there  ;  it  is  as  certain,  that  the 
going  out  of  that  mixed  multitude  of  Egyptiaris,  who  lb  far  efpous'd  the 
Ifradltes  intereft,  as  to  leave  and  forfalce  Egypt  their  own  countrey  to  ac- 
company them,  could  have  no  other  caufe  or  pretence  than  the  miracles 
of  Mofes^  whereof,  they  had  been  eye-witneiles  ;  fo  that  the  pofterity  of 
thofe  Egyptians  that  were  thus  incorporated  into  the  body  of  the  people  of 
Jfraeln,  were  in  after  ages,  as  fo  many  witncfTes  of  the  truth  of  thofe  mi- 
racles, which  formerly  perfwaded  their  fathers  to  joyn  with  V^^/,  and  fo 
to  iharc  fortune  with  the  Hebreivs. 

Thirdly,  it  is  certain,  that  the  ynvs  could  not  fo  much  as  mention 
any  of  the  miracles,  which  they  pretended  were  done  formerly  for  the 
deliverance  of  their  fathers,  without  expofmg  themfelves  to  the  fcorn  of 
all  the  world,  if  all  thofe  miracles,  and  their  deliverance,  had  not  been 
certainly  and  generally  known  to  the  Egyptiaris^  and  to  all  the  neighbour- 
ing nations,  by  whom  they  were  often  iubdued  and  brought  into  fubjec- 
tion  after  the  deceafe  of  iVIofes^  and  Jojhuah. 

To  all  thefe  reflexions  we  may  add,  that  the  commemoration  of  the 
JJraelites  going  out  of  Egypt,  with  all  the  miracles  wrought  by  Mofci^ ' 
was  renew'd  yearly,  not  only  by  the  folem.nizing  the  feaft  of  the  palTover, 
which  the  Ijraclhcs  did  conftantly  keep  to  the  time  of  their  difperfion, 
and  which  they  do  ftill  keep  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  but  alfo  by  two 
other  very  fenfible  ways. 

The  firft  whereof,  was  the  feparation  which  God  made  of  the  tribe  of 
Lcvi^  in  order  to  confecrate  it  to  his  fervice,  inftead  of  the  firft-born  of 
the  people  of  Ifrael^  whom  he  had  fpared,  and  preferred  in  Egypt,  with 
great  folemnity,  in  regard  both  of  men  and  hearts,  as  we  read.  Numb. 
III.  fo  that  every  Levite  was  as  a  living  memorial  of  that  great  miracle, 
wrought  at  the  Ijraelites  going  forth  out  of  Egypt. 

And  the  fecond  was  the  law  concerning  the  redemption  of  every  firft- 
born,  both  of  men,  and  imclean  beafts  («)  ;  which  is  obfervcd  to  this 
hour  amongft  the  Jews:  it  is  clear,  and  evident,  that  there  is  in  all  thole 
laws,  a  deep  impreflion  of  thofe  feveral  great  miracles  which  compell'd 
Pharaoh  to  let  the  Israelites  go. 

Laftly,  it  is  very  obfervable  here,  that  the  memory  of  the  deliverance' 
of  Ijrael  out  of  Egypt,  wrought,  as  by  many  miracles,  fo  efpecially  by 
the  death  of  all  the  hrft-born  of  Egypt,  which  was  the  occafion  of  the 
inftitution  of  the  paflbver  continued  amonglt  the  Egyptians  till  after  Jefus 
Chrift :  for  till  then  they  ufed  to  mark  with  red  their  fhecp,  their  trees 
their  houfes,  and  lands,  the  day  before  the  paflbvcr,  as  one  may  fee  in 
Epiphanius  \  which  cuftom  could  proceed  from  no  other  caufc  than  from 
the  Egyptians  fear  of  the  like  plague  and  mortality,  that  was  once  inflid- 
ed  upon  their  forefathers  ;  and  from  their  hope  of  preventino-  it  by  fuch 
a  kind  of  tahfman,  whereby  they  thought  Mofes  had  formerly  faved  the 
Ifraelites  harmlefs  from  that  great  plague,  only  by  fpriNkling  the  blood  of 
the  lamb  of  the  pafTover,  on  the  upper  door  poll  of  tlicir  houfes 

(u)  Numb,  xviii.  16. 


'^  4  CHAP.  IV. 


2^6  ^cjlexiom  upon  tea  Ch,J.V. 


CHAP.        IV. 

'A  Csnttnuatiof!  of  the  Fmefs  of  the  Truth  of  the  Aliracf^t  wrov^ht  Ly 

Moses. 

^^ff"^"^  HE  S  E  arguments  might  be  thought  fufficient  for  the  evincing 
3  T  ^  the  truth  of  thefc  miracles  \^-hicJi  /^fsfet  relates  ;  but  yet  fome- 
^^y:^-3  thing  more  may  be  added. 

As  tnofe  ftupendious  miracles,  by^^ich  the  famous  deliverance  of  the 
Ijraeiitcs  was  effecled,  could  not  be  doubted  of,  by  thole  who  had  been 
eye-witncfTes  of  them  ;  fo  they  were  afterwards  conrirmed  bv  feveral  other 
miraclv.s,  which  being  as  great,  andalmoft  of  the  fame  kind,  continued 
for  m'tny  years  in  the  fight  of  the  whole  people  of  Jfrael. 

God  made  a  pillar  of  fire,  and  of  a  cloud,  attend  upon  the  Ifrad'iUSy 
to  guid^  them,  the  one  by  day,  and  the  other  by  night.  He  divided  the 
red  lea  to  open  a  pallbge  through  it  for  hi«;  people,  the  memory  whereof 
(faith  Eujfbius]  ya.f-  preferved  to  his  time,  by  thcfe  oi  Alcmphis  [x)  :  the 
lyaettci  jcok  the  fpoils  of  the  Egyptians  drown'd  in  the  red  fea,  as  they 
were  purfuing  them :  they  made  a  fong  upon  the  occafion  of  that  won^ 
dcdul  deliverance  j  they  were  fed  with  manna^  a  kind  of  heavenly,  and 
miraculous  food  ;  they  drunk  of  that  brook  of  water,  that  was  following 
them  whcre\  er  they  went :  all  thofe  miracles,  with  many  others,  con- 
tinued for  forty  years  togctlier  without  any  interruption,  and  do  there- 
fore firmly  eilablifli  the  trutji  of  thofe  other  miracles  which  Mcjes  relates, 
becaufe  there  were  none  of  them  wherein  the  people  could  be  impofed 
upon  by  any  trick  or  illufion,  and  of  the  truth  whereof  every  one  could 
not  fatisfie  himfclf,  by  his  oyvn  experiejice. 

\  do  net  fpeak  now  of  feveral  publick  monuments  of  thofe  miracles  ; 
as  for  example,  the  rod  oi  Aaron  which  bloffom'd  in  a  night;  the  manna 
which  was  kept  in  the  tabernacle.  The  brazen  ferpent,  which  having 
continued  to  H£'x.ckiuh\  time,  was  broken  down  by  him,  only  becaufe  the 
people  offered  incenfe  to  it. 

I  rom  all  which  it  mufl  be  acknowledged,  that  there  was  in  the  whole 
ferics  of  the  'Jcvj'ifn  hilfory  both  many  pregnant  evidences  ot  the  truth  of 
the  firfl:  miracles,  and  a  conftant  feries  of  miracles  which  having  been 
foretold  by  Mojes^  did  the  better  confirm  the  truth  of  ihofe  which  he  re- 
lates as  done  by  him  on  purpofe  to  vindicate  and  defend  the  liberty,  and 
honour  of  the  people  of  Ijrael. 

Becaufe  I  did  jufl  now  intimate,  that  the  n>cmory  of  the  JriviJhAc- 
Jiverance,  did  continue  for  many  ages  after  amongit  the  £grpii^'t:s  :  I 
think  myftll  obliged  to  add  here,  fome  arguments  to  prove,  that  neither 
fuch  a  tranfafticn  as  tha:t  was,  nor  yet  any  of  the  like  nature  and  jm- 
portanct',  could  ever  he  forgotten  in  the  land  ot  Cayiaan. 

7  here  is  nothing  that  in  outward  appearance  feems  more  ridiculous, 
than  what  is  related  concerning  the  Giieoniics  coming  to  Jajhuah's.  camp ; 
their  ecuip^ge  fhcw'd  that  they  had  a  mind  to  perfwade  the  Jjraclites  that 

they 

(xj   L,  g.  pra-p.  Ez>.  cat,  uh. 


Crf.  IV.  four  Ujl  Books  c/Mofes,  29^ 

they  came  from  a  far  countrey.  The  treaty  v/hieh  they  extorted  from 
Jojhuah  by  fraud,  is  very  fingular. 

And  there  can  be  nothing  more  remarkable,  than  their  fubfiflcnce 
amongft  the  people  of  ^W,' notwithftanding  that  they  were  of  the  num- 
ber of  thofe  nations,  which  God  had  commanded  to  be  deftroy'd  ;  and 
their  being  deftined  by  Jajhuab'^  appointment,  to  carry  the  wood  and 
the  water,  neceifary  for  the  fervice  of  the  tabernacle,  from  whence  they 
were  denominated  Nethinims^  and  thereby  for  ever  after  diftinguiih'd 
from  the  Ifraelites. 

But  after  all,  there  could  be  nothing  more  agreeable  to  God's  wifdom, 
than  the  prefcrvation  of  that  people  amongft  the  IJraelites.  Their  fa- 
thers were  the  witneffes  of  Mojes  and  yojhuah'i  miracles.  Thofe  mi- 
racles obliged  them  to  feek  the  alliance  of  the  Hebrews^  and  to  cheat 
tiiem  into  it  by  a  fraudulent  treaty,  becaufe  they  defpaired  of  compaffino- 
their  defign  by  any  other  means.  Therefore  their  fubfifting  amono-lt 
the  Jews^  and  their  fervile  office  which  expofed  them  to  the  c)es  of  the 
v/hole  nation,  could  not  chufe  but  be  of  an  extraordinary  ufe,  to  make 
that  people  preferve,  and  cherilh  up  the  memory  of  thofe  glorious  actions, 
v/hich  every  Gibeonitc  had  perpetually  before  his  eyes. 

The  fame  remark  may  be  made  upon  the  continuing  of  Rahao%  fami- 
ly amongft  the  Ifraelites^  after  the  deftrudtion  of  'Jericho. 

It  is  certain,  that  the  feivs  have  always  believed,  that  beiides  thofe 
firft  miracles  related  by  Mofs,  many  others  have  been  done  fince  for 
their  fakes,  both  to  poffels  them  of  the  land  of  Canaan^  and  to  keep  or 
reftore  them  to  the  pofleilion  of  it ;  nay,  of  thofe  latter  miracles  many 
are  very  like  unto  the  former  :  as  for  example,  the  death  of  185000  men 
in  the  army  of  Sennacherib ;  the  returning  of  the  fliadow  backwards  ten 
degrees  upon  the  fundial  of  Aha% ;  the  wonderful  prefervation  of  the 
whole  nation,  by  the  means  of  Ejiher,  which  was  the  occafion  of  the 
inftitution  of  the  feaft  of  Piirim  amongft-  them,  and  feveral  other  mira- 
culous tranfattions  related  in  the  Jewijh  authors,  of  which  I  will  only 
name  three,  which  did  preferve  the  memory  of  the  greateit,  and  moft  im-« 
portant  miracles  related  by  Mofcs. 

The  firft  is  the  continual  miracle  of  the  Vri-ni  and  Thummim  of  the 
high-prieft,  which  by  its  frequency,  did  confirm  the  truth  oi  Mofe/s  re- 
lation, concerning  the  feveral  apparitions  of  God,  in  order  to  lead  his 
people,  and  to  give  them  laws. 

The  fccond  is  the  miracle  of  every  feventh  year  (;')>  during  which, 
though  tne  people  of  Ifracl  did  neither  fow  nor  reap,  God,  according  to 
his  promife,  didfupply  them  with  plenty  of  provifions,  by  makino-  every 
fixth  year  extraordinarily  plentiful.  Now  this  miracle  was  a  kind  of  a 
memorial  of  that  other  great  miracle,  whereby  God  did  feed  his  people 
with  manna,  for  forty  years  together  in  the  deiart,  ftill  doubling  the  pro- 
portion of  manna  every  fixth  day. 

In  cffecl,  as  that  law  which  commanded  a  fabbath  of  reft  unto  the 
land  every  feventh  year,  was  coaftantly  obferved,  which  would  never 
havel)een  done  long,  if  that  people  had  not  alv/ays  been  fully  convinced 
by  their  own  experience  of  its  divinity. 

And  again,  as  that  miracle  was  fo  publickly  known,  that  God  by  his 

Prophets 
(y)  Levit.  jcxv. 


2q8  ReJ\e»ions  upon  the  Ch.  V. 

Prophets  did  often  threaten  the  'JtWi  to  deprive  them  of  the  fertility  of 
the  fixth  year,  bccaulc  of  their  tranfgrcfling  the  fabbath. 

So  it  is  plain,  that  no  i7ian  can  rcafonably  doubt,  or  difpute  the 
truth  of  that  continual  miracle,  which  that  law  both  fuppofeth  and  pro- 
niiteth. 

The  third  is  the  miracle  of  a  continual  prote(^ion  during  the  time  of 
thofe  three  great  folemn  foafts,  in  which  the  people  were  obliged  by  God's 
command  to  attend  his  fervicc  in  the  tabernacle,  or  at  "Jerufakm.  For 
this  law  requiring  attendance  from  all  the  'Jewi  of  the  age  of  twenty  and 
upwards,  it  engaged  them  to  leave  the  frontiers  of  their  countrcy  naked, 
and  deilitute  of  men,  and  fo  expofed  to  the  inroads  of  their  enemies  ;  but 
at  the  fame  time  it  gave  them  occafion  to  experience  the  fame  Divine 
protection,  which,  as  they  read  in  Mofes'?,  writings,  their  fathers  had  for- 
merly fo  often  experienced  againft  all  their  enemies. 

It  is  certain,  that  there  was  never  any  commonwealth  in  the  world, 
which  had  any  fuch  fundamental  law  ;  the  danger  to  which  a  countrcy 
is  expofed  by  the  obfervation  of  it  is  too  vifible  not  to  be  avoided. 
Therefore  the  'ft  u'5  to  be  (ure,  would  never  have  acknowledged  that  law 
to  be  Divine,  nor  yet  fubmitted  to  it,  if  they  had  not  been  fecure  of 
God's  protetStion  to  prevent  all  the  mifchicfs,  and  inconveniences  that 
might  arife  from  their  obfcr\ation  of  that  law ;  fo  that  fuppofc  they  had 
been  at  lirll  fo  ftupid  and  unwary  as  to  receive  it  from  Alcfes,  yet  they 
would  never  have  ohfcrvcd  it  fo  conftantly  and  fo  long,  if  they  had  not 
had  a  conftant  trial  of  God's  protection  on  all  cccafions  ;  and  if  they  had 
not  loclct  upon  it  as  a  necelFary  coniequence,  and  accompli(hment  of 
thofe  promifes,  which  he  had  made  both  to  them  and  their  fathers. 

However,  it  is  certain,  that  it  was  the  will  of  God,  that  the  jfe^vs 
fhould  altogether  rely  upon  that  miraculous  protection  of  his :  nay,  the 
dillruiling  o{  it,  was  fo  oftenfive  to  him,  that  he  inflicted  an  exemplary 
punifhment  upon  Da-vid,  for  an  aiition,  which  though  innocent  of  it  felt 
in  a  prince,  did  yet  directly  contradict  that  trull  which  the  Ijraclitcs  were 
bound  to  fct  upon  God's  prote(2:ion.  For  when  David czuki.  the  people 
to  be  numbered,  God  fent  a  peftilence  amongft  his  people,  which  abate^ 
his  pride,  and  thus  taught  him  effectually  to  rely  more  upon  God  for  the 
future,  than  upon  the  multitude  of  his  people. 


JXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXliCXXXXXXXXXXXXi 


C    H    A    p.      V. 

That  Moses' J  Defer  iption  of  the  Manner  of  God's  giving  him  his  Laws^  is 

evidently  true. 

^)>;>4('^T  is  alfo  equally  eafie  to  fhew  the  truth  of  Mofei\  defcription  of 
^  I  ^,  the  manner  of  the  promulgation  of  God's  law  in  the  defert,  and 
j^-^^Jj  ofthefevtral  parts  of  it,  moral,  political,  ceremonial. 

1  fhall  not  ftand  to  confider  here  the  admirable  equity,  and  moft  ab- 
foJute  perfection  of  the  moral  law,  and  ihcw  that  it  could  have  no  other 

author 


Ch,  V.  four  laji  Books  of  Mofes.  2^9 

author  but  God  alone  :  neither  will  I  urge  in  this  place,  the  extraordi- 
nary care  God  had  to  regulate  the  moft  minute  ceremonies,  that  there 
mie-ht  be  nothing  left  undetermined  in  all  the  afts  of  religion  j  as  alfo 
the  great,  and  Divine  wifdom  that  is  difcerniblc  in  all  thofe  ceremonial 
laws,  which  befides  their  ufeful  oppofition,  to  the  then  Pagan  cuftoms, 
do  moft  of  them,  either  mind  men  of  their  duty,  or  reprefent  and  typifie 
the  things  that  were  to  come  to  pafs  under  the  Gofpel.  Jr."^/:; ' 

In  {hort,  I  will  not  aggravate  any  farther  the  confideration  of  the  ad- 
mirable wifdom  that  appears  every  where  in  the  whole  body  of  the  politi- 
cal laws  which  God  gave  to  the  Jews  to  fettle  them  into  a  firm  and  folid 
form  of  government ;  that  wifdom  is  fuch,  and  fo  vifible,  that  it  plainly 
demonftrates  the  divinity  of  them  to  any  man  that  will  but  compare  the 
whole  body  of  them,  and  their  abfolute  perfeftion,  with  the  defe6ls  of  all 
human  laws,  and  the  feveral  changes  and  alterations  they  have  received 
from  time  to  time. 

But  1  (hall  lay  afide  thefe  remarks,  and  chufe  to  come  to  thofe  that  do 
not  require  fo  much  learning,  nor  fo  great  an  intention  of  thought. 

The  hrft  of  which  is,  that  the  moral  law  was  given  in  the  fight  and 
hearing  of  all  the  people  of  Ifracl,  and  that  the  promulgation  of  it  upon 
mount  5/;/<7/,  was  accompanied  with  extraordinary  marks  of  glory,  and 
made  only  after  many  previous  purifications  prcfcribed  to  the  whole  con- 
gregation in  order  to  receive  it. 

It  is  true  indeed,  the  ceremonial  laws  which  were  annexed  to  it,  were 
not  delivered  to  the  people  with  fo  much  pomp  and  majefty ;  but  as  they 
were  alfo  given  in  the  fame  defert,  and  in  the  prefence  of  the  elders  of 
the  people  aflembled  together  near  the  tabernacle,  after  they  had  earneft- 
ly  intreated  Mofs^  that  God  would  no  more  fpeak  to  them  himfelf,  it  is 
evident,  that  they  are  no  lefs  authentick  than  the  moral  law,  therefore 
we  fee  that  they  were  accordingly  received  by  that  people,  notwithftand- 
ing  the  troubles,  expences,  avocations,  ftraights,  and  hardfhips,  which 
they  might  meet  with  by  it. 

Now  is  it  in  the  leaft  probable,  that  if  this  people  had  not  been  convin- 
ced, that  Mofcs  did  really  familiarly  converfe  with  God  for  forty  days 
and  forty  nights  upon  mount  Sinai^  they  would  foolifhly  without  any 
caufe,  of  a  fuddain,  have  fubmitted  to  fuch  a  troublefom  yoke  of  laws, 
many  whereof  were  oppofite  both  to  their  opinions  and  ancient  cuf- 
toms. 

It  is  well  known  for  example,  what  jcaloufie  there  was  all  alono- 
amongft  the  tribes  of  Ifrael,  even  from  the  time  of  their  anceftors,  yet 
we  do  not  fee  that  in  thofe  laws  there  is  any  notice  taken  of  it,  or  re  • 
gard  had  to  it,  but  that  on  the  contrary  they  feem  to  foment  that  fpirit 
of  uivifion,  when  they  deprive  Reuben  of  his  birthright,  in  favour  of 
Jofeph's  pofterity,  and  of  the  priefthood  in  favour  of  Levi,  and  of  the 
kingdom,  in  favour  of  Juda. 

Nay,  we  fee,  that  even  after  Mofes  had  compofed  the  difference  that 
was  once  betwixt  the  tribe  of  Levi^  and  the  followers  of  6br<7/;,  Dathan, 
and  Ab'iram^  they  were  hardly  brought  to  acquiefce  to  bis  decifion  ;  and 
how  could  he  then  poflibly  have  raifed  his  own  tribe,  the  tribe  of  Levi^ 
to  fuch  prerogatives,  and  to  fuch  a  plentiful  condition  above  all  the  other 
tribes,  as  he  did  by  aifigning  the  firft  fruits  and  offerings  to  the  Levites 

and 


joo  Rcfeitiens  upon  tb«  Ch.  V^ 

and  pr lefts.  Haw  could  he,  I  fay,  have  done  that  without  meeting  with 
fome  appoikion  from  the  rcit  of  the  people,  except  they  had  all  been  con- 
vinced by  the  miracle  that  Ciod  wrought  to  decide  that  queftion,  when 
it  W»s  difputed,  that  he  hinifelf  was  the  author  of  that  conftitution. 

Thus  we  read,  that  long  ^fter,  when  king  Uzziah  boldly  prefumed, 
to  act  againft  Mofis's  Law,  N'onb.  XXV.  and  to  afTume  to  himfelf  the 
dignity  of  pricllhood,  and  to  do  the  functions  of  it ;  he  prefently  received 
tile  puniihment  due  to  his  prefumption  :  fo  that  being  Itruck  with  a  fud- 
daJR  leprofie,  he  w&s  confined  to  his  dying  day.  Is  it  any  ways  probable 
that  9  prince,  tfpecially  of  his  temper,  would  have  fubmiitcd  to  fuch  a 
confinement,  and  meekly  refign'd  his  crown  to  his  fon,  if  diat  punilh- 
ment  infli«5i:ed  upon  him,  had  not  fully  convinced  him  of  the  divinity  of 
that  law,  which  he  hftd  tranfgreffed  and  violated  by  his  temerity  and  pre- 
fumption- 

The  third  reflexion  i?,  that  the  greateft  part  of  thoTe  laws  being  in-, 
tended  by  God  to  infpire  his  people  with  an  irreconcileable  av<;rfion 
againft  all  thofc  nations,  amongft  whom  they  were  going  to  fetde  ;  thev 
V^ere  io  framed,  ^s  not  only  to  be  oppofite  to  the  laws  and  cuitoms  o( 
^<:vpt^  from  whence  tliey  came,  but  alfo  to  thofe  received  amonglt  the 
/iiv:t<^Sy  Amcriti's^  and  other  nations,  of  whofe  countries  thjcy  were  going 
tq>  ppflefs  themfelves, 

'l'l;us  we  find  in  the  XV ill.  of  Leviticus^  laws  againft  all  inccftuous 
niarriages,  which  without  doubt,  were  ordinary  amongft  the  Qjnaanitis, 
and  EgypiiafiSyWhoihfiitin  follow'd  the  examples  of  the  ancient  Patriarchs, 
who  married  within  thofe  forbidden  degrees  ;  there  we  find  alfo  the  fa- 
crifices  to  Alcloch  forbidden,  the  pradtice  whereof,  thofe  nations,  in  all 
likelihood,  defended  by  the  example  of  Abraham's  facrifice. 

Now  it  cannot  rcafonably  be  thought,  that  a  whole  nation  wouJd  of  a 
fuddain  receive  fuch  laws  as  deprived  them  of  a  liberty  and  freedom  they 
had  always  hitherto  enjoyed,  and  condemn  of  their  own  accord,  thoie 
facrlficcs  that  had  the  taireft  pretence  of  religion  imaginable,  and  to  ufe 
many  ceremonies  contrary  to  thofc  received  amongft  them,  if  they  had 
not  had  a  itrong,  and  extraordinary  motive  for  fo  doing. 

There  is  another  thing  befides,  that  challenges  our  confideration,  vix. 
the  cxat:!:  defcription  which. God  gave  to  Mofes  of  the  tabernacle,  of  the 
leveral  parts  of  the  ceremonial  worfliip,  which  was  to  be  perfornied  in 
that  facred  place,  and  of  the  manner  how  this  tabernacle  with  all  its  ap.. 
purte:nances,  utenfils,  and  ornaments,  was  finifhed. 

Fqi  as  this  tabernacle  was  then  the  centre  of  the  wiiole  yewijl  religion, 
(as  the  temple  was  afterwards  by  fucceeding  to  it)  fo  it  was  a  folenui 
proof  of  the  divinity  of  Mofes's  laws,  and  ot  the  worlhip  that  was  per- 
formed there. 

is  it  conceivable,  that  a  w^hole  nation  fhould  contribute  to  the  build- 
ing of  it,  fhould  fee  it  confccratcd,  and  taken  to  pieces,  and  fet  together 
again  every  day,  and  fhould  read  all  the  particulars  relating  to  its  con- 
ftruclion,  and  not  difcern  whether  there  was  any  truth  and  reality  in  all 
that  was  told  them  concerning  the  religion  which  their  govcrnour  fixed 
in  that  place  wherein  he  pretended  many  revelations  were  made. 

CHAP.    VI. 


Ch.  yi.»  JouriaJi^BschofMdfef.  Jd*- 


C    H  ,iii!  P^    ;,VI.. 

Sc?m  ^hf.^'^^ofs.that  confirm  MosEs'y  Dtfcriptim  afths.Mannsr  Snu  ihc 

■'.■•  L  vjJiit  f/..        Law: wan  gi'Sen  find prcmiogatsJi^loih  'i  .      .:     .    . 

(J;?*-')^,'^  U  T  if  it  is  fo  eafie  to  eftaWifli  thedi-vimtyof  thE■L&w•of•iJJ^% 
'^=  B  ^:  by  fliewipg  thft  truth  of  the  matter  orfn6t^  acccrfcting  tso  the  mati-ii 
f<^-A;^;C/i  ner  of  God's  promulgation,  as  M.7fes  rekitcs  it,  ut  mayfur^ieir: 
collect  the  truth  of  it,  byjoynirig  tliefe  foiloT>ving  reflexions  to  thofe  al- 
ready made  in  the  foregoing  chapters.  ',,,.:  ..,...,.. 

Certainly  if  ^^'^  had  been  the  firft  founxier  df  a:kiligiiom,  isitid  had' 
been  fucceeded  in  it  by  his  own  children  and  pofterity  far  mahy  genera-- 
tions  one  after  another ;  we  might  perhaps,  have  had  foine  ground  to 
fufpeit,  that  his  fiicceffors,  confulting  their  oWn  interetl  and  honour, 
would  have  been  very  glad  to  pcrfwade  their  fubjecSts,  that  the  firft  foian-- 
der  of  their  kingdom,  had  fome  commumcation  with  Ood,  an^t  that  it 
was  from  him  he  received  the  law's  and  conititutions  which  be  ga\«e  then^ 
concerning  civil  and  rjligious  matters*  •  ■ 

But  it  is  obfervable,  that  A-Iofcs  was  fl>  far  from  invefting  his  ow?v 
children  with  the  fupream  authority  after  himfelf,  tliait  he  tranrfiatedio 
into  another  tribe,  and  conltituted  'Jojhuah  of  the  tribe  of  £/)^r<?i;i/  for; 
his  fucceflbr  in  the  government ;  as  for  his  pofterity  be  took  littlo'Carei* 
of  it,  but  reduced  it  to  a  rank  inferioor  to  that  of  >AarovH  family^  wWch 
he  preferr'd  to  the  moft  honourable  fundlions  of  the  priefthood  $  leaving. 
to  his  own  the  meaneff,  and  moft  inconfiderable  employments ;  all  which 
{hews  evidently  that  none  of  thofe  who  came  after  Alojes  were  moved  by 
any  private  intereft  of  their  ov/n^  to  defend  tlie  trulh  and  authority  of  his 
laws  and  writings,  but  only  by  the  certain  knowledge  they  had,  that 
they  were  all  divine. 


rnes, 


cides  beforehand  fuch  queltions,  and  determines  fuch  controvernes,  as 
could  not  be  raifed,  but  after  the  conqueft  of  Canaan^  which  was  made 
by  his  fucceflbr  only  after  his  death.  And  hov/  thofe  laws  were  con- 
liantly  obferved  in  all  the  fucceeding  generations  of  that  people,.  .yA  fub- 
mitted  unto  by  the  very  judges  and  kings  themfelves  ;  tho'  there  be  no- 
thing more  common  than  for  a  conqueror,  fuch  as  ycftma  was,  to  admit 
of  no  other  fundamental  laws  in  that  Itate  he  is  the  founder  of,  than 
thofe  which  he  is  the  author  of ;  nothing  is  more  ufual,  than  for  ftatef- 
men  to  aife6t  the  expofing  the  condu6l  of  their  predecelTors,  efpecially* 
when  the  form  of  government  is  altered,  and  from  democratical,  or  arif- 
tocratica!,  is  changed  into  monarchical,  as  it  happened  amongll  the  If" 
raelites.  How  then  could  Mo/es's  laws  IHU  keep  up  their  authority  in  all 
changes  and  revolutions  ?  How  comes  it  to  pafg,  that  in  all  the  fuccef- 
fions  of  judges  and  kings,  there  was  never  any  of  them  attempted  to  fuf- 
pend,  or  annirf  Tl^ofis's  laws,  much  lefs  to  ena^Sl  and  give  any  others  con  ■ 
trary  to  them  ? 

Again,  how  came  it  to  pafs,  that  in  all  the  divifions  and  fadions  that 

nation 


302  Rejlexiom  upon  the  C^i  VI. 

nation  fell  Into,  there  was  never  any  Jno^  cndcavour'd  with  any  fuccefs, 
to  undeceive  the  rel^  of  his  own  people,  fo  as  to  make  them  jfhake  otF 
the  troublcfom  yoke  of  Mofes^^  laws.  No  doubt  only,  becaufe  the  gene- 
rality of  that  nation  never  difputcd  the  Divine  origin  and  authority  of 
them. 

It  were  an  eafie  thins;  to  demonftrate  by  the  whole  (eries,  of  \\\tyewijh 
hiltory,  that  all  thofe  laws  which  in  Mojes'%  writings  are  inlay 'd  one 
within  another,  and  reprefented  as  occafion'd  by  feveral  tranfadtions  re- 
lated there,  have  all  been  equally  received  of  they^wj,  and  have  all  been 
put  together  in  a  body  by  thenifelves  before  Mofes'%  death,  as  it  may  be 
proved  out  of  the  XXXI.  of  Deuteronomy. 

It  appears,  that  thofe  laws  were  publick,  and  in  great  cfleerrt  amongft 
that  people,  to  whom  (jod  gave  them,  upon  whom  he  laid  an  indifpcn- 
fable  obligation  to  read  them  every  day,  and  to  confultthem  upon  every 
emergent  bufmefs. 

It  appears,  that  they  were  known  equally  of  all  degrees  of  men,  fexes, 
and  ages,  which  were  all  obliged  to  pay  obedience  to  them  upon  pain  of 
death. 

It  appears,;  that  thofe  laws  were  not  only  publickly  kept  in  the  tabef-^ 
nacle,  but  alfo  privately  read  in  every  family. 

We  fee,  that  a  whole  tribe,  viz.  the  tribe  of  Levi  was  appointed  by 
God  to  explain  them,  and  in  order  to  that  they  were  difperfed  through- 
out the  whole  land  of  Canaan^  and  exempted  from  the  cares  and  troubles 
that  neceflarily  attend  hufbandrv,  by  the  plentiful  provifion  of  tithes  and 
ofFerings  that  was  allotted  to  them. 

We  fee  that  God  obliged  all  Jeivs  to  read  and  meditate  upon  them 
continually,  efpecially  every  fabbath  day. 

Nay,  and  we  fee  moreover,  that  God  every  feventh  year  would  have 
them  read  publicly  in  a  more  folemn  manner,  before  the  whole  congre- 
gation of  that  people,  who  during  that  year,  were  obliged  to  reft  from 
all  their  ordinary  labours  and  employments,  and  fo  had  nothing  eli'e  to 
do  all  that  while,  but  to  read  the  law,  to  examine  it,  and  to  meditate 
upon  it. 

Laftly,  it  appears,  that  thofe  laws  were  yet  the  more  folemn  and  au- 
thentick,  becaufe  they  obliged  the  Jews  to  celebrate  three  fuch  feafts  as 
were  to  be  publicklv  kept  by  the  wnole  nation,  and  confequently  apt  to 
refrefli  their  memories,  and  put  them  in  mind,  thrice  a  year,  not  only 
of  the  furprizing  miracles  that  God  had  done  for  them  ;  but  alfo  of  the 
manner  how  he  gave  and  promulgated  his  laws  ;  the  miracles  giving  rife 
to  the  laws,  and  thofe  laws  being  themfelves  a  means  of  preferving  the 
memory  of  thofe  miracles,  becaufe  of  die  frequent  commemoration  of 
them  which  was  therein  enjoyned. 

Now  thefe  things  being  fo,  let  every  one  judge,  whether  the  truth  of 
Mofei's  account  of  God's  giving,  and  promulgating  by  his  means  that 
body  of  laws  which  he  hath  infcrted  in  Exodus,  and  the  following  books, 
can  poflibly,  or  at  lealt,  rcafonably  be  difputed,  or  doubted  of.  But  I  come 
now  to  coniidcr  the  oracles  recorded  in  Mofcs'%  writings  in  order  to  de- 
monftratc  the  truth  and  divinity  of  them. 


CHAP.   VII. 


Ch.  VII.  fc-^r  laji  Booh  s/Me/es,  303 


CHAP.      VII. 

T/ji7t  there  is  no  ]ujl  Exception  can  be  made  againjl  MoSEs'/  HiJ^ory^  in  what 
relates  to  the  Oracles,  tvhich  he  hath  recorded  in  his  Bocks. 

gJftjft'^  HERE  arc  feveral  forts  of  Oracles  in  Exodus,  and  the  other 
B  T  -^  three  following  Books. 

'^^^■.^       Firft,  there  are  fome  whereof  the  accomplifhrncftt  did  foon 
follow  the  predicbion. 

The  deliverance  of  the  Jeivs  out  of  the  Egyptian  bondage  ;s  of  that 
number  ;  Mofes  does  promife  and  foretel  it ;  nav,  and  he  executed  it 
himfelf :  and  all  the  people  to  whom  it  was  promifed  and  foretold,  were 
themfelves  witnefTes  of  the  accomplifhment  of  that  prophefie ;  and  it 
was  that  accompUfliment  which  eltablilhcd  the  divinity  oi  his  com- 
milfion,  ^  . . 

So  is  the  other  prophefie  concerning  the  conqueft  o(  the  land  of  Canaan, 
and  the  feveral  divifions  that  were  to  be  made  of  it  amongft  all  the  tribes 
of  Ifrael,  Mojes  foretelling  exactly  what  lot  every  one  fbould  have,  and 
giving  befides,  a  defcription  of  the  countrey  that  every  tribe  was  to  in- 
habit. 

Thofe  that  were  born  in  the  defert,  were  witnefTes  both  of  the  predict 
tion,  and  the  execution  of  it,  altho'  it  was  by  the  cafting  of  lots,  that 
all  the  tribes  got  their  feveral  partitions. 

But  fecondly,  there  are  fome  other  oracles  in  Mofes'%  books,  the  ac- 
complifhment  whereof  was  not  to  follow  the  predidioa  till  after  a  lon» 
interval  of  time.  ^ 

Such  are  the  prophefies  that  foretel  the  future  fubje6lion  of  the  IfraeL 
it:'s  to  the  Canaanites,  and  the  feveral  deliverances  out  of  that  fubjedion, 
which  God  was  to  effedl  by  the  hands  o(  judges,  whom  he  was  to  raife 
up  for  that  purpofe. 

Such  again  are  the  prophefies  which  relate  to  the  future  change  of  their 
common  wealth  into  a  kingly  government. 

Thirdly  and  laftly,  we  fee  that  Mofes  foretells  all  the  accidents,  changes, 
and  revolutions  that  were  to  befal  the  Je-ws  as  long  as  their  ftatc  Ihouid 
fiand :  at  lead,  we  fee  that  his  predictions  are  very  plain,  conceriiin<^ 
their  feveral  captivities,  and  removals,  and  their  return  into  the  holv 
land ;  as  alfo  the  fieges  of  Samaria  and  Jerufakm  ;  and  the  irrecoverable 
difperfion  of  the  whole  nation,  which  we  fee  at  prefent. 

But  whatever  difference  there  may  otherwife  be,  betwixt  all  thefe  pre- 
diaions,  we  may  fay,  that  every  one  of  them,  hath  as  pregnant  proofs 
of  its  certainty  and  truth,  as  any  thing  of  that  nature  is  capable  of. 

For  firft,  as  to  the  firft  fort  of  predidions,  the  accomplifliment  where- 
of, Mofes  relates  himfelf. 

It  plainly  appears,  that  his  account,  cannot  in  the  leaft  be  fufpeded 
of  unpofture  ;  becaufe  he  wrote  it  amongft  a  whole  nation,  which  could 
not  pofTibly  be  impofed  upon  in  that  cafe,  feeing  he  fuppofes,  and  takes 
it  for  granted,  all  along  in  his  relation,  that  thofe  predidions  were  before- 
hand publickly  and  generally  known  of  all  the  people. 

As 


204  •    R-ifiexkns  upon  the  Ch.  VII'. 

As  for  the  accompiifhnieut  of  the  fecond  fort  of  prophefies,  we  have 
the  relation  of  it  in  fuch  other  books  as  were  written  after  Mofes's  death, 
as  in  the  books  of  Jojljuit^  o^  Judges^  and  fevct^l  others,  which  relate  the 
accomplifhment  of  them,  us  of  prophefies  written  many  years,  and  even 
fome  ages  before,  by  M'.jis. 

Bcfidcs,  to  this  we  may  add,,  that  the  account  which  we  find  in  thofc 
books,  concerning  the  accomplifliriieht  of  MoJei\  propht-fies,  is  inter- 
woven with  fuch  iiiftbrios,  as  fUppofe,  without  any  afFe<fiation,  that  his 
prophefies,  as  well  as  his  writings,  were  in  the  hands  of  all  the  world, 
and  diitin6tl-y  known  by  every  Jew. 

And  what  is  further  obfervable,  is,  that  the  Jews  have  always  had 
Mofci's  books  in  fuch  an  efteerti,  becaufe  of  thefe  feveral  illuftrious  pro- 
phefies that  arc  contained  in  them^  that  they  have  always  lookt  upon  him 
as  the  moft  excellent  of  all  tlieir  prophets.  They  aflert  at  this  very  day, 
that  the  other  prophets  had  commonly  no  other  knov/ledge  of  future 
events  than  that  which  was  communicated  to  them  by  dreams  and  vifions ; 
whereas  Mofei  had  it  by  an  immediate  revelation  of  God  himfelf,  who 
ufed  to  fpeaic  to  him  face  to  face,  without  any  enthufiafm  when  he  was 
perfectly  awake. 

Now,  how  could  ever  the  Jezvs  have  been  fo  ftrongly  prcpofTcft  of  that- 
high  opinion  both  oi  Alofes^  and  his  predictions,  if  we  fuppofe,  that  they 
never  law  the  accomplifnmcnt  of  any  of  them? 

That  would  certainly  be  as  ftrange  an  illufion  as  ever  was  :  for  it  is 
befides  obfervable,  that  thofe  prophefies. jjf  his,  were  not  written  by 
thcmfelves  and  kept  fecret  from  the  generality  of  the  people ;  but  that 
they  were  inferted  into  the  feveral  fpeeches  which  he  made  to  all  the 
people  fome  time  before  his  death  j  and  which  are  written,  and  kept  to- 
gether in  the  fame  volume,  to  be  a  {landing  monument,  both  ot  his  pro- 
phecies, and  of  his  miniftry  among  the  Jews. 

Now  there  is  a  vaft  difference  betwixt  a  book  that  is  all  made  up  of 
prophefies,  and  fo  kept  fecret,  and  feldom  read,  as  the  books  of  the  Sy- 
bils were  ;  and  a  book  wherein  the  prophefies  it  contains,  are  interwoven 
with  a  hiilory,  wherein  there  is  fo  great  a  variety  of  matters^  as  draws 
to  it,  and  fixes  the  attention  of  every  reader  ^  and  wherein  they  are 
mingled  with  a  whole  body  of  political  and  ceremonial  laws  ;  and  inter- 
mixed with  the  accounts  which  Mofes  gives  of  all  the  great  tranfa£tions 
which  gave  the  occafion  to  fo  many  feveral  revelations  and  prophefies 
recorded  in  his  books. 

I  am  perfwaded,  that  it  is  impoffible  for  any  man  to  make  thofe  re- 
flexions upon  the  opinion  which  the  Jens  entertahied  of  Alofts's  prero- 
gative, and  upon  the  manner  that  his  prophefies,  fo  much  reverenced 
amongft  them,  were  exadly  accompliflied,  and  not  be  convinced  of  their 
Divine  authority. 


CHAP.  VIII. 


Ch.  \''Iir.  four  laji  Booh  of  Mofs,  305 


CHAP.      VIII. 

^hat  the  Tefiniony  of  the  Jews,  is  a  coyifant  Proof  of  the  Truth  of  the 
Oracles  related  by  MosES. 

rP^^^  U  T  leaft  any  body  ihould  think  it  ftrange,  that  I  fhould  build 
^  B  ^  the  truth  of  Alofes's.  prophecies,  upon  the  teftimony  of  the  'Jews, 
^^^^  I  will  retrain  its  authority  of  it  within  juft,  and  certain  bounds. 

I'lrft,  although  the  Jews  bear  witnefs  in  their  facred  books,  that  the 
greateft  part  of  Mofcs's,  prophecies  are  already  fulfill'd,  yet  they  fay  fome 
are  not:  as  for  inftance  thofe  which  relate  to  the  Melliah's  comino-. 
,  But  their  obftinate  blindnefs,  is  not  a  jufl:  prejudice  againft  fuch  an  im- 
portant truth,  to  be  convinced  of  which,  we  need  only  to  compare  Mo^ 
Jfes^s  words,  with  the  ailions  of  Jefus  Chrift. 

Thus  for  what  relates  to  the  deftrutStion  of  ferufalcm,  we  need  only 
compare  Mofes's  prophefie  of  it,  with  the  defcription  fofcphus  their  own 
hiftorian,  hath  made  of  the  fame  in  his  hiftory  of  the  fiege  and  ruine  of 
that  city,  and  of  the  diflipation  of  all  the  nations  of  the  feivs. 

But  without  the  Jews  teftimony,  in  what  regards  the  accompliftiment 
of  thofe  prophefies,  whereof  the  execution  was  deferred  for  a  very  long- 
time, it  is  eafie  to  convince  any  the  moft  incredulous  man  of  their  truth 
and  divinity,  if  he  pleafe  but  to  make  this  one  reflexion,  which  is,  that 
when  Afofes  relates  amongft  the  oracles  of  the  Patriarch  facoh^  a  parti., 
cular  prophefie  concerning  the  Mefliah's  coming,  and  when  he  mentions 
that  of  Balaam  concerning  the  rifmg  of  that  Divine  ftar,  he  fubjoins  alfo 
at  the  fame  time  that  concerning  the  vocation  of  the  Gentiles  to  the 
faith,  and  brings  it  in  as  a  certain  fign  and  confequence  of  the  Me/Hah's 
being  come  into  the  world. 

Now  if  we  examine  the  meaning  of  Mofcs^s  predictions,  about  the  vo- 
cation of  the  Gentiles,  which  the  Prophets  that  came  after  him  did  bet- 
ter explain  and  illuftrate,  we  fhall  be  apt  from  thence  to  conclude,  that 
he  in  effeil  foretold,  that  God  in  the  days  of  the  MeiTiah  would  follow 
quite  another  method,  than  that  which  he  had  ufed  before  uiuil  the  time 
of  Mojes^  viz. 

That  whereas  God  might  feem  to  reftrain  then  the  privilecre  of  his 
covenant,  to  one  people  alone  ;  which  was  in  effeft  to  reftrain  the  ho- 
nour of  the  Mefliah's  birth,  to  one  fole  nation  of  the  world,  to  one  fole 
tribe  of  that  nation,  to  one  fole  family  of  that  tribe,  to  one  fole  branch 
of  that  family,  and  fo  to  one  fole  perfon  of  that  branch  :  he  would  (after 
the  Meffiah's  coming)  take  a  contrary  method,  and  call  all  men  to  faU 
vation  in  him. 

Now  that  being  fuppofed,  the  truth  of  all  Afojes^s  prophefies  cannot  be 
queftion'd.  And  whatever  the  Jews  opinion  be  concerning  the  accom-r 
pliihment  of  fome  of  them  :  it  is  fuificient  for  us,  that  they  have  care- 
fully and  faithfully  preferved  the  books,  wherein  thofe  prophecies^  which 
we  fee  fo  exadly  fulfilled,  are  contained. 

For,  we  cannot  reafgaabiy  fufpeft  Mfcs,  or  any  other  Jew  of  forgin"- 

Vol,  I,  U  th? 


3o6  Refex'ions  upon  the  Ch,  IX, 

the  prophefies  which  foretold  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  not  Mofes,  fee- 
ing all  his  laws  do  tend  (as  I  fhall  fliew  hereafter  more  at  large)  to  efta- 
blifii  that  reftri6tion,  I  was  juft  now  fpeaking  of,  which  was  to  continue 
to  the  Mefliah's  ccming.  Not  the  yens^  feeing  that  none  of  them  can 
fliil  endure  to  hear  of  the  removal  of  that  refiri6tion,  by  the  calling  of 
the  Gentiles;  and  that  they  are  all  pofielt  with  fuch  a  fpirit  of  envy  and 
jealoufie  againft  all  other  nations,  that  they  perfectly  hate  and  abominate 
them.  Rut  be/ides,  we  cannot  defire  a  better,  nor  a  more  authenticlc 
accompliflimenc  of  thofe  oracles,  which  are  fo  oppofite  to  the  Jewijli 
principles  and  prejudices,  than  that  which  we  our  felves  are  witnefles 
of. 

The  fame  reflexion  belongs  to  the  other  prophefies  oi Mojes  concern- 
ing the  total  difTipation  of  the  Jewijh  ftate  j  as  alfo  to  the  dreadful  ac- 
complifhment  of  them  in  our  days.  Thfc  moft  refolvcd  obftinacy  can 
fugged  but  one  objection  in  this  matter,  which  is,  that  either  the  Chril- 
tians,  or  the  Jews  have  falfified  Mojcs's  writings,  and  inferted  thofe  pro- 
phefies, which  we  now  find  there,  concerning  the  vocation  of  the  Gen- 
tiles, and  the  difperfion  of  the  ^(?wj,  after  thofe  things  were  come  to 
pafs. 

But  firft,  the  books  of  yl/^W,  which  both  Chrirtians  and  Jews  have, 
arc  v/ritten  in  Hebrew,  and  pcnn'd  in  fuch  a  llile  as  evidences  their  an- 
tiquity, and  as  would  be  inimitable  now. 

Secondly,  that  thefe  books  have  been  all  tranflated  into  Greek,  almoft 
300  years  before  Jefus  Chrift,  and  about  35c  years  before  the  deftruc- 
tion  of  "Jerujaiem.  Neither  the  'Jevos^  nor  yet  the  Chriftians  were  any 
longer  fole  mafters  of  them,  when  the  heathens  had  them  alfo  in  their 
hands. 

Befides,  thofe  who  were  converted  to  Chriftianity  from  Judaifm  and 
Heathenifm,  did  not  only  find  thefe  prophefies  oi  Mofes  in  the  hands  of 
yews  and  Heathens,  long  before  the  converfion  of  the  Gentiles,  and  the 
deflruflion  of  ycruj'nlem^  but  did  alfo  make  ufe  of  them  to  evince  againii 
the  yczL-'s^  tiiat  the  Meffiah  was  already  com.e. 

Thu?,  1  think,  I  have  fufiiiciently  demonflrated  the  truth  and  divinity 
of  all  uMofcs's  prophefies  which  wc  find  in  Exodus  and  the  foiiowing 
books. 


#©0^^©©^©^©S^^S^©^^©©©©©^©©©©'^ 


CHAP.       IX. 

Th.^t  it  appears  by  the  Nature  of  his  Relations^  that  MosES  had  the  MeJJias 
.       ,    in  Fuiu  when  he  ivrote  the  Book  e/"  G e  N e  s i s . 

^':4r"*!|^  HAVE  fncw'd  in  my  former  reflexions  upon  Gcnefis^  that 
^-  I  C-  thofe.  who  lived  before  Mofcs'?,  time,  had  a  difl:in<5f  knowledge 
Q.!*!'*'^  that  God  would  certainly  raife  up  a  deliverer  amongft  them,  al- 
though tliey^  wefe  _riOt  certain  of  the  manner  of  his  api>earance.  And  I 
•    ■'^■' '  '■  have 


Ch.  IX.  four  laft  Bocks  ofMofes.  307 

have  befides,  I  think,  fufficiently  proved,  that  the  varlouj;  Idea's  which 
the  ancients  entertained  of  him  upon  the  firft  promife  made  by  God  of 
his  coming,  were  the  occafion  of  feveral  criminal  actions  committed  by 
the  Patriarchs,  and  by  thofc  of  other  nations,  who  had  the  fame  pretcn'  - 
fions  with  them. 

I  am  now  to  prove  that  Mofes  himfelf  had  the  fame  knowledge,  and 
lived  in  the  fame  exneitation  with  the  ancients  that  preceded  him. 
It  is  of  more  importance  to  be  fhewn,  and  that  henceforth  no  body  may 
wonder,  if  I  pretend  that  the  greateft  part  of  the  laws  he  gave  to  the 
fetvs,  both  in  reference  to  civil  and  religious  matters,  and  the  greatef!: 
part  of  his  prophefies,  as  alfo  thofe  others  mentioned  by  Prophets  that' 
lived  after  him  in  that  'Jewijh  common-wealth,  do  all  fuppofe  a  diftindt 
relation  to  the  promifed  Me/fi.iJi. 

'  And  to  make  this  evident,  I  beg  leave  to  offer  to  the  reader's  confi-' 
deration  fome  general  reflexions  upon  Mofes's  hillory  in  Genefis. 

Firft,  it  cannot  be  denied  that  Mofes  was  one  of  the  greatell  and  wifeft 
feifl-orians  that  ever  was  :  there  cannot  be  a  greater  defign,  nor  a  more 
difficult  tafk  than  his  was  to  write  the  hiftory  of  2400  years  :  he  gives  an 
account  of  the  creation  of  the  world  in  general ;  and  in  particular,  of 
that  of  man,  of  his  fin,  of  the  promife  God  made  him  after  the  fall,  of 
the  flood,  of  the  original  of  all  the  nations  that  were  in  his  time. 

His  way  and  manner  of  writing  is  alfo  very  extraordinary  :  the  ma-, 
jeftv  of  his  ftile  is  tempered  with  an  admirable  plainnefs ;  he  defcribes 
all  forts  of  paflions  to  the  life  ;  he  is  admirable  in  his  characlers  of  the 
mea  he  fpeaks  of,  and  of  God  himfelf.  To  be  convinced  of  this,  let 
any  man  read  his  defcription  of  AhrahanC^  facrificc,  and  of  the  feveral 
paflions  yofeph  and  his  brethren  were  moved  and  affected  with,  when  he 
made  himfelf  known  to  them.  Befides  all  that  we  mayobferve  two  very 
furprizing  things  in  the  book  of  Genefis. 

The  firft  is,  that  Mofes  recites  there  fuch  things  as  feem  to  be  unwor- 
thy to  be  taken  notice  of,  by  fo  grave  and  wife  a  hiftorian  as  he  was  : 
he  gives  for  inftaiKre,  an  exadl  and  particular  account  of  all  the  circum- 
ftances  of  yfi^r^W/j's  purchafe  of  the  czwq  oi  Machpela^  for  a  burvinf^- 
place  for  his  wife  :  he  fets  down  all  the  particulars  of  the  inceft  of  Judah 
with  Thamar ;  and  he  relates  the  manner  how  Leah  with  her  fons  man- 
drakes obtained  leave  of  Rachel  to  enjoy  her  hufband  for  one  night,  with 
a  furprizing  exacStnefs. 

The  other  is,  that  Mofes  records  a  whole  feries  of  horrible  crimes, 
which  feem  to  be  as  fo  many  blemifhes  and  odious  reflexions  upon  the 
memory  of  thofe  whofe  hiftory  he  writes. 

Now  it  is  not  reafonable  to  fuppofe  that  Mofes  being  fo  prudent,  as  he 
is  confeffed  to  be,  could  have  been  fo  injudicious,  as  to  chufe  and  pick 
out  fuch  paffages  and  actions  as  are  in  themfelves  either  trivial  and  of  no 
moment,  or  horrible  and  odious,  to  fill  up  with  them  a  book  wherein  he 
gives  a  defcription  of  the  creation  of  the  world,  where  he  fets  down  th^ 
oracles  of  God  at  every  turn. 

It  is  natural  therefore  to  judge,  that  he  had  fome  particular  profpect 
.in  his  eyes,  which  could  be  no  other  than  that  of  the  promfe^  which  alone 
jultifies  his  recital  of  trivial  things,  and  of  crimes  in  fuch  a  ferious  hifto- 
ry as  his  is, 

U  2  I  fliall 


3o8  Rc'pxiom  upon  the  Ch.  JX. 

I  fhal!  not  rcpe«it  here  what  I  have  already  o'oferved  upon  the  crimes 
which  he  relates  in  Genefts  -,  I  add  only,  that  he  had  the  fame  defign 
and  profpcct  in  his  narration  of  fuch  fmall  and  incpnfiderable  tran- 
lactions. 

Thus  by  his  account  of  the  purchafe  of  the  cave  o^  Machpelah^  his 
i^itention  was  to  I'hcw  how  God  intended  by  this  fepulchre,  to  affix  J- 
hraham  and  his  pofterity  after  him  to  the  land  of  Canaan :  his  fcopc 
and  profpect  was  the  fame  when  he  records  the  burial  of  Rachel  at  £- 
phrathah. 

As  for  the  crimes  Mofes  relates,  I  have  before  proved,  that  he  defign'd 
thereby  to  fhew,  how  all  the  faithful  before  his  time,  had  their  minds 
altogether  taken  up  with  the  thoughts  and  hopes  of  the  accomplifhment 
c  the  promife  :  and  herein  we  may  fay,  the  wifdom  of  Mofes  is  very 
confpicuous  and  difcernable  in  the  choice  he  made  of  thofe  actions  to 
perpetuate  the  memory  of  the  exceffive  defire  which  the  ancients  had  to' 
accomplifh  the  promife. 

And  let  no  man  object  here,  that  it  is  very  ftrange  to  fee,  that  during 
fo  many  ages,  the  promife  of  the  Meffiah  occafioned  no  other  than  wick- 
ed actions.  For  as  it  appears  by  all  circumftances,  that  thofe  crimes 
related  by  Mofes^  were  committed  in  different  times,  and  long  after  one 
another,  fo  it  is  plain,  that  he  hath  recorded  thofe  actions  on  purpofe, 
to  fhew  what  imprefiion  the  true  knowledge  of  the  promife  of  the  Mef- 
Jlah  made  upon  the  mind  of  thofe  that  had  it  in  its  perfection  and 
integrity. 

If  Mofei  had  inferted  in  this  book  o^Genefi:^  any  long  difcourfe  as  made 
by  Ad<im  about  that  matter  upon  a  fabbath  day,  or  if  he  had  given  us  a 
relation  o'i  what  fuch  an  one  as  Set])^  or  Enoch^  or  Sem  ufed  to  teach  con- 
cerning that  promile  in  their  religious  aflemblies. 

It  iS  certain,  that  befides  the  inconvenience  of  ^  tedious  repetition 
which  he  muft  have  made  of  the  fame  things  in  every  particular  account 
he  gives  of  the  fcveral  generations  that  preceded  him,  he  could  nevey 
h.ive  perfv/aded  his  readers  fo  well  as  he  may  do  now. 

Firit,  men  would  have  been  apt  to  fufpecl?,  that  thofe  fpeecjies  upon 
the  proir.ife  of  the  Mefliah,  were  of  his  own  making,  and  like  thofe  fet 
harangues  we  find  in  Xensphor,^  or  Livy. 

Secondly,  the  crimes  that  were  committed,  to  get  thereby  foroe  ad- 
vantage :  as  for  inftance,  the  murder  of  a  king  committed  by  his  heir, 
and  fucceflbr  to  the  crown,  Ihcws  in  the  murder  a  much  greater  ambi- 
tionj  and  afiectation  of  the  throne  ;  and  fuppofes  in  him  a  diftin<^  anyi 
clear  knowledge  of  his  rights  ^nd  pretenfions  to  the  empire. 


CHAP,  X, 


Ch.  X,  fi'ir  hji  Books  of  Mofts^  309 


CHAP.       X. 

^hat  the  fame  Perjwafion  appears  throughout  the  whole  ConduSi  ^  Moses, 

until  his  Death, 

>K'>''ife5C^'  U  T  It  is  not  only  by  thofe  and  the  like  reflexions  which  may 
0  B  S  bt  made  upon  the  choicej  Mofes  hath  made  of  the  things  which 
^^^^■I'^.d.  ^^  recites,  that  we  may  gather  that  he  had  always  the  prbmile 
of  the  Mcifiah  in  view  ;  for  he  being  defcended  from  Abrahajn^  there  is 
no  doubt,  but  that  from  his  youth  up,  he  was  brought  up  in  the  religion^ 
and  confequently  in  the  hopes  of  that  Patriarch. 

But  moreover  we  have  reafon  to  think,  that  the  idea  of  this  promlfe  of 
the  Mefliah,  was  much  more  lively  and  ftrong  in  that  family,  ever  fined 
facob  on  his  death-bed  had  foretold,  and  promifed  to  fudah^  that  it  was 
out  of  his  tribe  he  was  to  be  born.  As  for  Jofcph^  to  whom  that  pro- 
mife  might  have  been  applied  by  the  children  of  Ifrael^  becauie  of  his 
power  and  glory  in  Egypt ;  the  Egyptian  perfecution  that  followed  fomc- 
time  after  his  deceafe,  refolved  all  fcruples  and  miftakes  that  might  other- 
wife  have  been  entertained  in  that  matter,  and  fo  convinced  all  thofe 
poor  fufferers,  that  their  Mefliah  was  as  yet  to  come. 

To  all  thefe  flrong  prefumptions  whereby  we  may  guefs,  what  the 
thoughts  ol  Mofes  might  be,  concerning  the  promife  of  the  MciHah,  we 
may  add  the  confideration  both  of  his  words  and  actions,  which  do  very 
plainly  eftablifh  the  fame  truth. 

St.  Paul  in  his  epiftle  to  the  Hebrews  (z),  mentions  two  particular 
actions  of  Mfcs^  which,  as  they  challenge  our  admiration,  fo  they  deferve 
our  ferious  confideration,  becaufe  they  clearly,*  I  think,  evidence,  that 
Mofes  was  fully  perfwaded  of  the  future  accomplifhment  of  that  pro- 
mife. 

The  firft  is,  that  he  refufed  to  be  called  the  fon  of  Pharaoh's  daugh- 
ter, chufing  rather  to  fuffer  affliction  with  the  people  of  God,  than  to 
enjoy  the  pleafures  of  fin  for  a  feafon,  efteeming  the  reproach  of  Chrift 
greater  riches  than  the  treafures  in  Egypt,  for  he  had  refpeck  unto  the 
recompenfe  of  the  reward.  From  whence  could  a  refolution  fo  oppofite 
to  the  ordinary  prudence,  and  natural  inclinations  of  other  men  proceed 
in  him,  if  it  was  not,  as  St.  Paul  obferves  it,  from  a  very  extraordinary 
fource,  viz.  from  that  ftrong  perfvi'afion  which  he  had,  that  how  cala- 
mitous foever  the  then  prefent  condition  of  the  people  of  God  mio-ht  be, 
yet  God  had  chofen  it  therein  to  accompliih  that  great  promife  which 
was  the  joy  of  all  their  anceftors  from  Jdam  down  to  them,  the  remem- 
brance whereof  he  renewed,  by  llluftrating  thofe  oracles  which  Jacolf 
pronounced  upon  his  death-bed.    • 

The  other  is,  that  Mofes  always  adhered  to  that  miferable  people,  and 
ftood  by  them  in  all  their  calamities  and  prefigures.  'Tis  true,  he  left 
them,  and  retired  once  into  Adid; an  to  favc  his  life,  and  avoid  the  king's 
indignation,  but  he  returned  to  them  into  Egypt^  as  fuon  as  he  had  re- 

U  3  ceive(^ 

(%J  Ii«b.  xi. 


-510  Rijlexions  upon  the  Ch.  XI. 

ceived  his  comminion  from  God,  to  deliver  them  out  of  their  mifery  and 
bondage  :  now  he  Ihew'd  again,  by  fo  doing,  that  he  had  a  certain 
knowledge  of  that  great  promife  of  God  made  to  tliat  people,  and  a  full 
afl'urance  and  perfwafion  of  its  future  accomplifliment. 

Mofes  informs  us  indeed,  how  he  rcfufed  at  firft  the  commifTion  God 
gave  him  to  deliver  his  people  from  the  Egyptian  flavery,  and  how  he  ex- 
cufed  himfclf  upon  his  own  incapacity,  and  being  unfit  for  fo  great  an 
undertaking  :  but  yet  he  makes  at  the  fame  time  fo  vifible  an  allufion  to 
the  prophefie  concerning  the  Shiloh  (i.  e.  fent)  O  my  Lord^  (faid  he,  to 
God)  Jcr:d^  I  pray  thcc^  by  the  hand  of  him  whom  thou  ivilt  fend,  that  lie  could 
hardly  exprefs  and  declare  his  mind  about  it  more  plainly. 

But  wc  fhall  be  the  better  convinced  of  his  allufion  to  the  fending  of 
the  Shiloh  \  if  we  refleiSl  upon  Mofes's  being  of  the  tribe  of  Lfvi^  of  which 
God  had  pronounced  nothing  concerning  the  future  accomplifhment  of 
the  promife,  he  could  not  be  ignorant  of  his  being  himfelf  excluded  of 
that  privilege,  and  that  after  all,  what  glory  foever  the  miraculous  pre- 
fervation,  and  illuftrious  beginnings  of  his  life,  might  fecm  to  pretend 
and  promife  to  him,  yet  he  could  not  expect  to  rife  much  higher  than 
"Joseph  had  done  before  him,  altho'  he  would  reaflume  the  former  poft, 
to  v.'hich  his  adoption  by  Pharaoh's  daughter  had  once  raifed  him. 
■  We  fee  that  Alcfes  continued  always  of  che  fame  mind,  and  entertain- 
ed ftill  the  fame  notion,  and  hopes  of  the  promife  of  the  MeiTiah,  even 
after  God  had  revealed  to  him,  that  the  time  of  his  appearing  into  the 
world,  was  not  yet  come  :  this,  I  fay,  we  fee  by  his  fpeech  to  the  people 
of  Ifracl,  related  in  the  XVIII.  Chapter  of  Deuteronomy,  ^he  Lord  thy 
Gcd,  (faith  he  to  them)  zvill  raife  up  unto  thee  a  Prophet  from  the  midji  of 
thee,  of  thy  brethren,  like  unto  me,  unto  him  ye  fl^all  hear  km-,  he  does  not 
jay  a  priell,  or  a  king,  though  the  Mefliah  was  to  be  both  ;  but  he  faith, 
a  Prophet  to  teach  them  not  to  miftake  any  of  their  priefts  or  kings  for 
the  Mefliah,  but  to  expcdf:  and  regard  Icfs  in  his  perfon,  the  external  ho- 
nour oi  Juron's  family,  and  the  worldly  grandeur  of  kings,  than  the  pri- 
viledge  of  Divine  infpiration,  which  was  abfolutely  neceflary  to  him  as 
the  founder  of  the  true  religion. 


^/^/^/^/^/•^/^/\/^/\/^/•V■V■^•'V■V\■'v■VV■V■V'^■VVV■yV>•'VV■V^•^V■V■■^•'V•V 


C     H    A    P.      XI. 

That  Balaam'^  Prophefie,  which  Mqses  relates,  is  a  further  Argument  cf 
thffarne  Pcrfvoaficn  in  him, 

^yi\i^r^i  S  we  ought  to  fhcw  that  Mofes  had  a  very  clear  and  diftincl 
^  A  S  knowledge  of  this  promife;  fo  I  think  it  will  not  be  amils  to 
^.)S'»!^  make  here  a  particular  reflexion  upon  what  he  relates  Numb, 
XXiil. 

"Ihe  Moahites  being  defcended  from  Zc/'s  eldeft  daughter,  it  ts  Very 
xiatural  to  concciTe,  Uiat  Balac  their  king  was  fo  dcfurous  to  have  the 

Ifrailitii 


I 


Ch.  XI.'  four  lajl  Booh  of  Mojes.  %i\ 

Ifraelites  curfed  from  God,  and  by  one  of  his  prophets  only,  becaufe  he 
defign'd  thereby  to  fecim?  himfelf  of  the  Divine  bleffing  ;  cr  which  is  the 
fame  thing,  of  the  priviledge  of  the  accorripiilhinent  of  the  promife,  to 
which  he  thought  he  had  a  juft  claim  and  pretenfion  by  his  being  one  of 
Lot's  pofterity.  '  . 

And  this  obfervatlon  upon  Balac*s  pretenfion  and  action,  is  the  more 
jurt-,  and  well  grounded  becaufe  the  notion  of  the  curfe  which  he  intend- 
ed to  have  had  pronounced  againft  the  Ijraelitcs^  is  diretlly  opoofite  to 
the  terms  of  the  promife  which  God  made  to  Abraham^  in  tbyfee.ij})al  all 
the  nations  of  the  earth  be  bleffed^  which  words,  as  I  obferved  before,  do 
import  a  dire61:  oppofition,  to  Zof's  pretenfion. 

Now  ?.ll  this  being  fuppofed,  one  needs  only  confider  the  terms  of  the 
prophefie  fpolcen  by  Balaam  in  favour  of  facoh^  to  fee  that  Mofs  hatii  re- 
lated it,  only  to  fhew, 

Firft,  that  altho'  thofe  neighbouring  nations  to  fudea  had  degenerat- 
ed, and  corrupted  themfelves  much  by  their  communication  Avith  Hani's 
pollerity,  yet  they  preferved  a  ftrong,  though  confufed  notion  if  their 
anceftors  pretenfions,  and  ailed  according  to  that  prejudice  of  theirs  in 
all  matters  and  occurrences  of  great  moment. 

Secondly,  that  it  might  be  an  authentick  determination  of  all  the  fe- 
veral  contelb  and  pretenfions,  which  had  divided  the  pofterity  of  Terah 
until  that  time. 

It  is  like  a  definitive  fentence  ;  firft  in  favour  oi  Abraham  againft  the 
Moabites^  and  Ammonites^  who  were  defcended  from  Lot :  fecondly,  in 
favour  of  Ifaac^  againft  the  pretenfion  of  the  Ifmaelites^  defcended  from 
Ifmael:  thirdly,  in  favour  of  facob^  againft  the  pretenfion  of  the  Edomites^ 
defcended  from  Efau. 

For  when  he  foretels,  that  there  ftiall  come  a  ftar  out  of  Jacob  ;  he 
decides  the  three  forementioned  controverfies.  facob  having  been  pre- 
ferred to  Efaii^  Ijaac  to  IJmael,  and  Abraham  to  Lot.  Now  'facob  could 
not  be  preferr'd  to  the  Moabitcs^  but  he  muft  be  fo  too  to  the  Am?no:iites^ 
Ifmaelites^  and  Edomites. 

This  prophefie,  as  any  one  may  fee,  is  abfolutely  neceffary,  becaufe 
it  refolves  all  the  queftions  and  controverfies,  v/hich  did  excite  fo  many 
jealoufies  amongft  all  thofe  neighbouring  nations. 

This  oracle  o'i  Balaam  is  yet  the  more  remarkable,  becaufe,  that  not- 
v.'itiiftanding  it  was  pronounced  at  the  entry  into  Canaan,  the  poifefling 
and  inhabiting  of  which  countrey  was  one  of  the  chiefeft  characters  of  the 
Ifraelites  diftinclion  from  all  other  nations,  yet  in  it  Balaam  makes  a  very 
diftincl  mention  of  the  future  cdling  of  the  Gentiles  to  the  faith  ;  he 
calls  them  the  children  of  Seth,  to  intimate  that  in  the  time  of  the  Mef- 
fiah,  the  reftri6lion  made  and  obfcrved  by  God  before  that  time,  w^as 
then  to  ceafe,  and  that  there  fliould  be  no  more  diftinclion  betwixt  the 
yeivs  and  Gentiles,  who  were  all  the  children  of  Noah^  and  all  equally 
defcended  from  Seth  by  him,  becaufe  then  all  nations  were  to  be  cail'd 
to  the  communion  of  the  Mejfiab. 

I  know  that  fome  by  the  children  of  Seth  underftand  the  inhabitants 
of  a  certain  town  in  the'  countrey  of  Moab^  mentioned  in  the  XV.  of 
Ifaiah^  according  to  the  Septuagint. 

U4  But 


$12  Rijlcxions  upcn  the  Cm.  XL 

But  the  J/uihian  interpreter  of  the  Samaritans  (<-/),  Ixrings  very  good 
arguments  to  prove,  that  that  place  of  Scripture  is  to  be  undcrftood  of 
the  Mcfliah,  and  fliews  that  he  is  call'd  the  head  of  the  cliildrcn  of  Sethy 
bccaiife  St-tb  was  the  head,  and  coinmon  father  of  all  men  fince  the  flood, 
and  at  the  fame  lime  of  all  the  faithful  before  the  f](U)d  ;  and  that  thofc 
words  of  GiUffii  W .  26.  Then  began  men  to  call  uton  the  n<nne  of  the  Lord^ 
lelate  to  Seth^  and  not  to  Enos,  as  it  is  commonly  believed. 

Defides,  this  prophcfie  by  thcfe  words,  I  Jhallfee  hhn^  hut  not  nozv.  I 
Jhall  bdkohl  hivi^  but  not  nigh,  determines,  that  the  birth  of  the  Jllrjfiah 
was  not  iK-ar,  but  was  referved  for  a  further  time. 

Laflly,  it  is  a  very  frnguhr  thing,  that  this  oracle  fhould  be  rcpre- 
fcntcd  to  us,  as  coming  out  of  the  mouth  of  a  Prophet,  who  was  chofcn 
by  God  out  of  the  family  of  Abraham  ;  bccaufe  the  author  of  it  decides 
thcfe  important  queftions  and  difterences,  without  any  villble  partiality, 
and  without  beiiig  byafTed  by  the  pretenfions  of  his  birth. 

Now  there  are  three  things  in  it  which  clearly  prove,  that  it  could 
not  be  i^^nknown  to  Moj'cs. 

The  hrft  is,  that  immediately  after  this  prophefie,  which  was  as  pub- 
lick  and  well  known  amongft  the  Moabitcs^  as  any  prophefie  could  be  y 
after  the  tedious  preparation,  and  the  many  difficulties  which  Balaam 
made  to  come  to  Balac:  after  the  many  ceremonies  and  myfteries  which 
ho  ufed  upon  that  occafion  \  and  notwithftanding  the  great  and  panicle 
terror  of  the  Moahiin,  at  the  approacli  of  the  JfraciliiS:  nay,  aiid  not- 
withllanding  the  exprcfs  threats,  and  ominous  prophefies  of  Balaam 
a^ainft  that  people  ;  notwithllanding  all  this,  I  fay,  we  fee  the  daughters 
ot  Moab  imitating  the  carnal  prudence  of  Xj/'s  daughters,  and  courting 
the  alliance  of  the  Ifraelitcs,  as  if  they  had  had  a  mind  to  make  thcm- 
fclvcs  amends  in  that  way,  for  the  lofs  ajid  wrong  they  had  fuftered  by 
the  fcntcncc  which  Balaam  pronounced  in  favour  of  Ifr'aeL 

Wc  fee,  I  fay,  that  Mofes  immediately  after  he  had  related  the  pro- 
phecies of  BalanWy  tells  us,  that  the  daughters  of  Alcab  invited  the  people 
of  Ifrael  to  the  facrifices  of  their  god«,  and  that  the  people  of  I/racl  ac- 
cepted of  the  invitation,  and  accordingly  feafted,  a;id  began  then  to  de- 
file thcmfolvcs  with  the  daughters  of  Moab. 

Now,  that  fuch  a  thing  {hould  happen  prefently  after  Balaam  had  ut- 
tered his  prophefie,  Ihews  evidently,  that  thene' was  fome  relation  be- 
twixt thofe  two  tranfadions.  And  this  may  be  further  made  out,  from 
the  manner  and  nature  of  the  punilhment  which  God  inflicted  upon  the 
Ifrai-htcs  for  their  criminal  commerce  witli  the  Moabitis^  although  the 
pretence  of  it  might  be  grounded  upon  the  defign  which  the  daughters 
6i  Moab  had  formed  according  to  the  principles  of  their  education,  to 
Ihare  in  the  accomplifiimcnt  of  the  promilc,  by  tiieir  conceiving  and 
getting  children  by  thofe  whom  Balaam's  propheiie  had  inveftcd  with  the 
right  and  privilcdgc  of  accomplifhing  that  promife. 

The  lecond  is,  that  accordingly  about  two  hundred  years  after  MofrSy 
wc  fee  that  Ruth  the  Mcabitejs  left  her  own  country  to  fettle  and  live  at 
BithUhem^  and  affecled  befides  to  marry  there  again,  one  of  the  tribe  of 
JuJah  i  jio  doubt  bccaufe  fhc  had  got  iii  her  own  country  a  certain 

knowledge 

(a)  Al:<j'aid.  M.S.  in  the  frtncl;  king's  library,  note  4.  opon  Gen.  iv,  24. 


Ch  .  XII.  four  hji  Book  of  Mifes.  3 1 3 

knowledge  of  that  famous  oracle,  which  afterwards  made  her  eafily  yield 
to  the  counfcis,  and  receive  inftrudions  both  of  her  mother-in-law,  and 
of  her  own  hufband,  who  was  of  the  tribe  oifudab^  and  no  doubt,  had 
the  books  o\  Mofes^  wherein  were  inferted,  both  the  prophefie  of  Jacob 
in  favour  of  fiidah-^  and  that  of  Balaamy  in  favour  of  the  Ijraclttcs  againfi: 
the  Monhites. 

The  third  is,  that  the  Jews  have  now  for  feveral  ages  conftantly 
maintained,  that  Shnei's  curfes  againft  David  (/;),  which  afterwards  he 
called  ninlcdidiiove?n  pejfimam^  HT  "^*-3i  contained  an  upbraiding  reflexion 
as  well  upon  the  meannefs  of  his  birth,  as  being  defcended  from  a  Moab^ 
itefs^  as  upon  his  adultery,  is'c.  l^his  is  related  by  St.  feromc^  or  fome 
other  ancient  author,-who  writ  that  difcourfe,  de  traditionibus  H^-'brieoruviy 
upon  the  fecond  chapter  of  the  third  book  of  Kings.  This  fewijh  inter- 
pretation would  be  very  probable,  if  that  was  but  true  what  Rabbi  Salo- 
mon faith  upon  the  II.  Chap,  of  thefirft  book  of  Kings,  -v.  19.  that  when 
we  read  there,  that  Solomon  caufed  a  icat  to  be  let  for  the  king's  mother, 
we  ought  to  underftand  it  of  Ruth  the  Moabitefs,  and  not  of  Bathjheba  ; 
we  know  the  feivs  afcribe  a  much  longer  life  to  Zarah  the  daughter  of 
JJher^  one  oi  'Jacob's  fons,  for  they  are  ftill  of  the  fame  opinion  as  they 
were  in  St.  Iliers7ne\  time,  that  (he  was  yet  alive  in  David's  time. 

No  body  can  condemn  this  reflexion  upon  Ruth,  if  he  will  but  confi- 
der,  that  her  faith  having  been  fo  rewarded,  that  the  Mcffiah  came  out 
of  her  pofterity  ;  {he  is  particularly  made  mention  of  in  his  genealogy  ; 
and  that  on  the  other  hand  her  hiftory  hath  been  preferved  amongft  the 
other  books  of  the  Old  Teltament,  as  a  kind  of  prefcription,  not  only 
againft  the  Moabites  pretenfions,  long  before  condemned  by  Balaam''^ 
prophefie,  but  alfo  againft  thofe  of  the  Ifnaelitcs,  and  Edomites  who  had 
no  better  claim  to  the  prcmife  than  the  Moabitcs,  having  no  other  than 
that  of  a  general  call,  and  of  their  birthright  before  "Jacob's  poflerity. 


CHAP.      XII. 

That  one  may  fee  alfo  in  MosesV  Law,  plain  Footfieps  of  God's  Defgn,  iti 
dijlinguifhing  thefe  from  whom  he  would  hai)e  the  Mcjfiah  to  be  horn. 

{P5>S">S"^T  was  altogether  neceflary  for  the  execution  of  my  defign,  to 
^  I  0  eftablifh  well,  the  authority  oi  Mofes's  books,  upon  v/hich  I  in- 
ii^»!.*'c^  tend  to  make  fome  reflexions :  it  was  likewife  neceiTary  to  fhew, 
as  1  think  I  have  done  fufficiently,  that  Mofs  was  perfedly  acquainted 
with  God's  promife  concerning  the  Mefliah.  Therefore,  I  believe,  I 
may  now  come  to  (hew,  that  both.  Mofs,  and  thofe  that  came  after  him, 
had  all  an  eye  upon  the  MelTiah  in  their  chiefeft  regulations. 

But  to  give  a  greater  infight,  and  underftanding  into  the  things  that 
I  am  to  fay,  1  think  it  may  not  be  amifs,  to  remind  the  reader,  and  to 
lay  before  him  once  more,  the  feveral  characters  of  God's  condud  in 

that 
(h)  I  Kings  ii.  8, 


^I^.  Rffex'mts  upon  the  Ch.  XTT. 

that  matter,  that  he  ^lay  be  the  better  able  to  judge  of  the  whole  fcries  of 

his  dcfign. 

I  have  heretofore  fliew'd,  that  Mofei'%  intention  was  to  cftablifli  two 
things  in  the  book  of  Genefis. 

'I°he  one,  that  all  men  have  derived  their  original  fro.n  AJLaniy  whom 
God  created. 

The  other,  th;it  man  having  finned,  God  promifed  to  reinflate  him 
by  one  of  his  own  pollerity. 

The  firft  oi  tbefe,  was  then  folidly  proved  by  a  plain  matter  of  fa£V, 
when  I  fiiew'd,  that  fuch  a  tradition  as  Moja  relates  about  the  creation 
of  the  world,  cannot  reafonably  be  doubted  of. 

As  for  what  concerns  the  other,  vix.  the  promife  of  the  Mefliah, 
•which  was  the  chicfcft  object  oi  man's  hope  and  comfort:  I  have  aifo 
fnew'd,  I  think,  that  the  notion,  and  expectation  of  it  was  very  ftrong 
und  lively,  and  the  original  caufe  of  all  the  extraordinary  actions  record- 
ed by  A'lojes. 

But  as  this  promife  was  not  to  be  fulfilled  for  many  ages ;  fo  God 
made  it  only  in  very  general  terms,  and  had  Itill  refcrved  to  himfelf  the 
revelation  for  after  ages,  as  he  thought  nt,  both  as  to  the  manner  and 
time  of  its  accomplilliment.  It  is  therefore  abfolutely  nccellary  that  we 
fliould  confidcr  alfo  how  God  prcCerved  all  ulong  the  diftinCt  kjiowledge 
of  it  amonglt  men. 

Nov/  in  reading  my  reflexions  upon  Genefis^  one  muft  needs  have  ob- 
fcrved  that  God,  even  in  thofe  early  times  of  the  world,  did  reftrain  the 
priviledge  of  accomplifliing  that  promife  by  little  and  little  to  fome  par- 
ticular men ;  till  at  lall  hc^^penly  declared,  that  he  had  fetled  it  in  the 
tribe  oi  Judah-y  as  we  read  it  Gen.  XLIX. 

Thus  we  fee,  that  (lod  in  the  very  beginning  of  the  world  reftrained 
that  prerogative  to  i't'//;'s  family,  and  excluded  Civ/w's  from  it  j  then  af- 
terwards of  all  5r7/''s  family  he  reftrained  it  to  Noah  alone  and  his  family; 
then  of  Noah's  family  to  C.hcm  alone  j  then  afterwards  of  all  Shem's  pofte- 
rity,  to  Alrraham  alone  ;  th^n  of  Abraham's,  fons,  to  Jj'aac  alone  ;  and  of 
Ij'auc's^  to  Jccob  alone  ;  whofe  fen  Judah  was  alone  invelkd  with  that 
priviledge,  und  all  his  brethren  excluded. 

It  is  moreover  obil'rv:ible,  that  in  thofe  feven  forcmentioned  re- 
flricticns  which  God  made,  he  fecms  to  have  afFeded,  to  prefer  the 
youngeft  to  the  eldeft  ;  as  it  is  evident  in  his  choice,  if  not  oi  Noah  and 
Shenil  who  was  elder  than  the  other  ions  ;  yet  certainly  in  that  of  Scthy 
who  was  younger  than  Cain  ;  of  Abraham^  who  was  the  youngcft  of 
Ttrah's  Ions  ;  ol"  /faac  v/ho  was  younger  than  //mac/;  of  Jacob  who  was 
younger  than  i.j:^u  j  and  oi'Judu'h  who  was  one  of  the  youngeft  of  Lfao% 
Ions. 

So  likewifc  if  the  reader  would  judge  of  God's  defign,  by  the  event 
alone,  he  might  juftly  conclude,  that  God  by  this  affecled  choice  in- 
tended to  raife  continual  jcaloufies  betwixt  the  eldeft  (who  pretended  that 
the  privilctigc  of  accompldhmg  the  promife,  did  belong  to  them  becaulc 
of  their  birthright)  agaii:d^  their  youngcit  brothers,  whom  they  iaw  pre- 
ferred by  God's  immediate  choice. 

One  may  aJfo  further  add,  tiiat  God  feems  to  have  ftrcngthen'd  thefe 
jealoufics,  hy  introducing  forr.turr.cs  i  fort  cf  tunf*?:ii;i:y  amongft  the 

preLcTidas 


Ch.  XII»  four  laji  Boob  of  Mofes.  ■    T-r^ 

pretenders  to  the  execution  of  this  promife  :  thus,  for  inflance,  as  ^- 
hraham  had  two  children,  {o  Lot  had  two  ;  as  Jacob  had  twelve  fons,  ib 
Efau  alfo  had  twelve;  and  Tometimes  one  may  find,  that  thofe  particu- 
lar perfons  who  are  preferred,  are  charged  with  very  fevere  accufations- 
"  Now  after  all  thefe  general  reflexions,  it  is  natural  for  us  to  confider, 
■what  care  God  hath  upon  all  occafions  particularly  taken,  to  di{tin2;uifli 
and  protect,  thofe  whom  he  had  invefted  with  the  right  of  accomplifh- 
ing  the  promife,  that  their  ftate  and  fucceilion  might  never  be  uncer- 
tain. 

'Twas  this  defign,  no  doubt,  which  obliged  God  to  make  Seth  the  de- 
pofitary  of  his  fervice  and  worfliip,  that  he  might  thereby  fave  Noah  from 
the  flood,  and  fo  procure  to  Shem  his  father's  bleffing. 

'Twas  for  this  reafon  that  he  call'd  Abraham  out  of  his  own  countrev, 
and  made  him  travel  from  place  to  place. to  make  h^n\  thereby  famous  in 
the  world,  and  to  invite  men  by  that  means  to  inquire  after  his  profeffion, 
his  hopes,  and  his  religion. 

Again,  it  was  for  this,  that  he  obliged  this  Patriarch  to  the  pradice 
of  circumcifion,  which  was  a  real  diftinclion,  and  an  indelible  chara6ler, 
and  that  he  likewife  confined  him  to  a  certain  place,  by  fixing  him  in 
fome  fort  to  the  cave  of  Machpela^  which  he  had  purchafed  of  tiie  chil- 
dren of  Hamor. 

Laftly,  it  was  for  that  reafon,  that  God  would  have  the  pofterity  of 
facob  difcinguifhed  from  all  other  nations  of  the  world,  and  that  he  pro- 
hibited all  alliance  with  them,  as  alfo  all  imitations  of  the  cuftoms,  and  . 
religious  ceremonies  pra6tifed  amoiigft  them. 

Now  all  this  being  fuppofed,  I  fay,  that  whether  we  confider  the  end 
and  principal  defign  of  Mofes"?,  laws,  or  whether  we  examine  his  fcveral 
prophefies,  which  do  particularly  charaderize  the  MefBah  ;  we  ihall 
find  that  God  did  all  along  continue  in  his  firft  defign  of  diftinftion ;  and 
confequently  of  keeping  up  the  jealoufies  of  thofe  that  had  any  preten- 
fions  to  the  priviledge  of  accompliftiing  the  promife  ;  or  which  is  all 
one,  that  he  hath  profecuted  the  fame  defign  to  Jefus  Chrift's  time,  in 
whom  Chriftians  do  maintain,  that  the  firft  promife  was  accompliibed, 
God  having  then,  and  not  till  then,  both  put  an  end  to  all  thofe  difter- 
ences  and  diftindions,  which  were  only  intended  to  make  the  Meffiah 
the  better  known,  and.  the  more  certainly  difcerned  at  his  coming,  anil 
then  to  ceafe  ;  juft  as  fcafFolds  are  taken  av/ay  as  foon  as  the  buildino-  is 
finifhed  :  and  having  alfo  on  the  other  hand  rectified  the  principles  from 
which  flowed  that  fpirit  of  jealoufie,  amongfi:  thofe  who  had  die  fame 
pretenfion. 

We  fee,  that  accordingly  God  excluded  all  other  nations  from  the 
right  of  accomplifhing  this  prom.ife. 

We  fee,  that  even  in  the  family  oVjudah,  who  was  himfelf  the  youngeft 
of  the  firft  fet  of  Leah's  children,  he  reftrained  the  execution  of  it  to  the" 
youngeft  brothers. 

We  fee,  that  he  raifed  occafions  of  jealoufies,  even  amongft  the  tribes 
of  Ifrael. 

In  a  word,  we  fee,  that  of  all  thofe  means  which  can  diftinguifh  any 
one  people  from  all  other  nations  of  the  world,  or  one  tribe  from  twelve, 
one  family  from  all  other  families  of  the  fame  tribe  j  and  one  particular 

perfon, 


21 6  Rrflexiom  upon  the  CiT.  XIII, 

pcrfon,  from  all  the  reft  of"  liis  family,  none  were  omitted,  but  (on  the 
contrary)  all  made  ufe  of  by  (JoJ,  to  follow  this  his  firft  dcfign. 

This  I  intend  firmly  to  cllablifti,  by  examining  the  thing  gradually 
from  Mojh^'^  time,  (by  whole  minillry  God  enacted,  and  publilhed  thofc 
laws,  by  the  rrx-ans  whereof,  he  intended  the  Meflfiah  might  certainly  be 
known)  to  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chriif,  in  whom  we  believe, 
that  the  promife  was  accoaipliflicd. 


^e«e3a»oMsnc^nc«Ko»?<Knao(»Moaooo}Mc:c9eiOC3?aocoMC>ooe:*ac-.Mo*MO>oao3aMXioooMeoaesaoeaMW3oew3MMeoMM'>^u* 


CHAP.      XIII. 

That  the  Manner  tf  God's  promulgating  his  Law  amongjl  z/;*?  Israelites, 
did  much  conduce  to  the  dijVmguiJhing  them  from  all  ether  Nations. 

tf  ^^'^  D  O  not  barely  dcfign  here  at  firft  to  obferve  the  feveral  re- 
^  1  ^  femblanccs,  which  are  obfcrvable  betwixt  the  things  related  by 
Sst5H§  ^H'^  "^  Gcnefis,  aiid  thofe  which  one  finds  in  the  following 
books. 

Neither  will  I  meerly  eflablifh  here  that,  as  Jacob's  going  down  into 
Egypt  with  all  his  children,  and  the  prote»5lion  that  they  all  received 
there,  from  Jofcph^  did  ferve  to  fulfil  the  prediction  which  God  made  of 
that  event  by  Jojeph's  dreams ;  fo  we  may  fay  in  general,  that  the  fend- 
in"-  of  Mofesy  his  miracles,  and  his  whole  miniftry  to  the  time  of  his 
death,  when  he  entrufted  Jojhuah  with  the  condud  of  the  Jcws^  were  a 
litteral  accomplifhmcnt  of  the  firft  part  of  the  promife,  which  God  had 
formerly  made  to  Abraham^  to  deliver  the  fourth  generation  of  his  pofte- 
ritv  out  of  the  captivity,  which  it  was  to  fall  into,  and  then  to  bring  it 
into  the  land  of  Canaan  to  polfefs  it. 

Alojcs  indeed  reprefents  that  people  according  to  the  tenour  of  the 
prophefie,  as  groaning  under  the  hard  preflure  of  a  cruel  captivity  in 
Egypt-,  \<\icn.Joj}ph  and  his  eminent  fervices  were  both  forgotten. 

Afterwards  he  tells  u?,  how  they  were  miraculouily  delivered  out  of 
that  captivity. 

And  thenlaftly  he  informs  us,  that  after  he  had  carried  them  through 
many  difficulties  in  the  wildernefs  he  brought  them  at  laft  to  the  very 
borders  of  Canaan^  and  fo  left  them  ready  to  conquer  and  polfefs  it,  ac- 
cording to  God'5  promifes,  and  their  pretenfions  grounded  upon  thofe 
promiies  which  had  been  fo  oiten  repeated  to  them  ever  fince  Abraham's 
time. 

Jcjhua,  Mofes  fucceftbur,  and  in  all  likelihood,  the  author  of  the  de- 
fcription  of  his  death,  is  he  that  accompliftied  the  other  part  of  God's 
pronr.ife  to  Abraham^  by  introducing  the  Ifraelites  into  Canaan^  and  ac- 
tually poill'ffing  them  of  it :  io  there  is  nothing  can  be  imagined  more 
precife  in  this  whole  matter. 

But  it  is  not  all  this  only  that  renders  both  the  pcrfon  and  miniftry  o£ 
Mofes  fo  glorious  :  there  are  fcvcral  other  things  in  Exodus^  and  his  other 
foliowlnK  books,  which  du  much  better  dcibrvg  our  conftdciation. 

Thofe 


Ch.  XIIL  four  lajl  Books  cf  Mofes.  317 

Thofe  books  contain,  as  I  have  already  obferved  an  exact  hlftory,  of 
all  that  God  did  in  order  to  give  a  certain  form  to  the  common-wealth 
of  Ifrael^  a  fixed  place,  and  a  particular  fervice,  that  is  in  order  to  fol- 
lovf  his  great  defign  of  having  the  Mefliah  known  without  millake,  when- 
ever he  {hould  be  born  amongit  the  Jews ;  and  this  is  my  chiefeft  aim 
in  the  reflexions  upon  Exodus  and  the  other  books  of  Mofes. 

Firft-,  we  might  fay  in  general,  that  the  obfen/ance  of  the  fabbath, 
and  the  ufe  of  circumcifion,  did  diiHnguifh  the  Javs;  but  yet,  I  have 
{hew'd,  that  the  fabbath  was  a  law  common  to  all  nations  in  the  v/orld, 
and  that  circumcifion  on  the  other  hand  was  common  both  to  the  If 
maelltes  and  Edofnites :  and  this  will  oblige  us  to  make  fome  particular 
obfervations  upon  that  matter ;  and  we  muft  confider  how  God  took 
care  to  diftinguifli  that  people,  by  giving  them  his  law. 

It  is  in  general  evident,  that  the  care  which  God  took  to  give  the 
moral  law  to  that  whole  people,  did  eminently  diftinguilb  them  from  all 
other  nations,  whom  he  permitted  to  walk  in  their  own  ways,  as  St. 
Paul  exprefl'es  it ;  to  be  fure  it  fhevvs  them  that  he  refolved  to  fix  them 
to  himfelf,  and  to  hinder  them  from  following,  both  the  idolatries  of 
other  nations,  and  thofe  inundations  of  vice,  which  ruine  all  focieties. 

And  without  doubt,  the  furprizing  pomp  which  accompanied  the  pro- 
mulgation of  God's  law,  and  which  was  recorded  by  his  order,  before 
thofe  that  had  been  the  eye-witnefies  of  it,  did  much  contribute  to  per- 
fwade  them  that  God  had  a  particular  regard  and  kindnefs  for  their  na- 
tion, and  that  he  honoured  them  with  his  particular  guidance. 

We  may  make  the  fame  obfervation  upon  God's  giving  them  a  poli- 
tical law,  and  upon  the  care  that  he  was  alfo  pleafed  to  take  of  regulat- 
ing their  civil  government,  and  preventing  the  difficulties  which  arc 
commonly  occafioned  by  fuch  accidents  asi.  cannot  be  forefeen  by  any 
human  legiQators,  which  caufe  great  revolutions  and  changes  in  all  go- 
vernments, all  which  fhew  fufficiently,  that  his  defign  was  to  raife  them 
up  to,  and  to  maintain  them  in  as  great  profperity  and  welfare,  as  pofH- 
bly  could  be  procured  to  a  nation  by  perfect  laws,  and  a  well  conftituted 
government ;  even  the  many  ceremonies  which  God  gave  them,  are  a 
further  demonllration  of  God's  defign  to  diftinguifh  them  from  other 
nations. 

It  feems  not  to  have  been  God's  intention  at  firft  to  lay  upon  them 
fuch  numbers  of  ceremonies  :  for  it  was  only  after  the  commiflion  of  the 
fm  of  the  golden  calf,  that  God  laid  upon  them  that  heavy  and  trouble- 
fome  yoak,  on  purpofe  to  imploy  all  their  time,  and  fo  keep  them  from 
falling  into  idolatry  again.  But  however  Tanchuina  (c),  a  famous  Jeivijh 
author  obferves,  that  tliere  was  nothing  left  in  the  world,  but  what  God 
took  care  to  give  the  Ifrael'ites  fome  laws  about ;  as  for  inftance,  if  any 
"Jew  went  out  to  plow,  he  was  forbidden  to  do  it  with  an  ox  and  an  afs : 
if  to  fow,  he  was  forbidden  to  fow  his  field  with  feveral  kinds  of  feed  : 
if  to  reap,  he  was  forbidden  to  reap  the  whole  crop  :  if  any  one  went 
about  to  bake  bread,  he  was  commanded  to  take  of  out  his  dough,  fo 
much  as  to  make  a  cake  thereof  to  confccrate  it :  if  any  one  did  facri- 
fice  any  animal,  he  v\'as  charged  to  give  away  to  the  prieft,  the  right 
fhouldcr  of  it,  with  both  the  cheeks  and  inwards  :  when  any  one  found 

out 
(c)  Jalkut.  in  Pent.  fol.  228.  col.  3. 


2i8  Rcjlcxtons  upon  the  Ch.  Xllt. 

out  a  licit:  of  birds,  he  was  obliged  to  let  the  old  one  fly  away  :  if  any 
cne  went  a  hunting,  he  was  to  flicd  the  blood  of  his  game,  and  then  to 
cover  it  with  duft:  when  any  one  had  planted  any  fruit-trees,  he  was  to 
count  the  firfl:  thereof  as  uncircumcifed  for  the  three  firft  years:  when 
any  one  found  a  fepukinc,  even  there  certain  cautions  are  prefcribed  :  if 
any  one  fnaved  himfeh,  he  was  forbidden  to  7ncir  the  corners  of  his  heard: 
when  any  one  built  a  houfe,  he  was  to  take  care  there  (hould  be  rails, 
and  Mexowzoth  made  to  prevent  all  danger  :  they  were  obliged  to  put  par- 
ticular threads  in  their  garments,  and  there  are  many  other  things, 
which  were  apparently  commanded  to  diftinguifh  the  yews^  by  obliging 
them  to  the  practice  of  thefe  and  fuch  other  laws  as  took  up  all  their 
time.  But  if  v/e  may  fay  in  general,  that  the  whole  fcope  of  the  cere- 
monial law  was  to  employ  the  Jcujs  :  we  may  yet  more  juftly  fay,  that 
it  was  in  particular  intended  by  God  to  infpire  into  his  people  a  horrotir 
againft  all  idolatrous  pra£tifes,  and  an  avcrfion  againft  all  commerco  vnth 
idolaters  :  and  this  may  be  further  difccrned,  if  we  examine  thofe  laws- 
in  particular. 

One  fee's  this  perfe6lly  by  the  manner  of  God's  pronouncing  fome 
meats  unclean,  and  his  forbidding  to  eat  the  flefh  of  fome  animal?.  For 
we  may  find,  that  the  greateft  part  of  thefe  animals  were  worfhippcJ 
amongil  the  heathens.  '1  hus  the  more  learned  amongfl:  the  'Jnvs  prove, 
that  the  goat  and  the  ram  were  of  that  number,  but  (o  no  doubt  were 
all  the  animals  which  were  ufually  oflered  in  facrifice  to  God,  as  parti- 
i:ularly  the  bull :  now  there  is  nothing  which  alienates  two  nations  from' 
*sric  another  more,  than  when  one  of  them  eats,  or  facrifices,  that  v.-hich 
the  other  make?  the  objei^  of  its  religion. 

One  of  the  moft  learned  authors  that  ever  the  Jews  had,  hath  dili- 
gently obferved,  that  God  gave  many  ceremonial  laws  direflly  contrary 
to  thofe  rites  which  the  Zt^bij  ufed  in  their  fuperftitions,  and  a  learned 
Enjhjh  D06I0T  (d)  h-dth  lately  proved  it  very  largely ;  as  to  the  cere- 
monies which  God  commanded  to  be  ufed  in  the  facrifice  of  the  pafchal- 
lamb,  and  in  the  manner  of  their  building  of  the  altar,  and  of  their  go- 
ing up  to  it,  in  the  prohibition  of  feething  a  kid  in  his  mothers  milk, 
and  of  offering  Honey  in  their  facrifices,  in  the  prohibition  of  their  for- 
cing their  children  to  pafs  through  the  fire  to  Moloch,  in  the  law  which 
prohibited  their  eating  blood,  and  rounding  the  corners  o(  their  heads; 
and  making  any  marks  in  their  flefh,  and  in  1  do  not  know  how  many 
other  laws  of  that  nature,  the  defign  of  whofe  inftitution  is  not  fo  evi- 
dent now  fince  the  rites  of  all  thofe  ancient  idolaters  are  utterly  abolifh- 
cd,  and  but  iniperfe£lly  recorded  in  fome  ancient  authors. 

Thus  we  fee,  that  we  need  only  make  a  very  little  reflexion  upon 
God's  condudt,  in  giving  all  his  laws  to  the  Ifraelites,  thereby  to  judge, 
that  the  main  fcope  of  thofe  laws,  was  to-put  a  bar  betwixt  the  people 
of  T/iW,  and  all  other  idolatrous  nations,  which  fliould  be  a  vifible,  and 
a  cordant  diilindion,  till  the  MeiTiah  fliould  be  born,  who  was  to  make 
all  thofe  marks  of  difcrimination  to  ceafe  entirely. 


(d)  Spencer  de  Leg.  Mi'',  lib.  2. 


CHAP.  XIV, 


,Ch.  XIV.  fiiur  lajl  Booh  ofM^fis,  319 


CHAP.       XIV. 

That  Gidfeems  to  have  defigmd  to  keep  up  a  Spirit  ofjealoujie  ifi  the  very 
Bofof.'i  dfthe  Jewish  Nation. 

^>K'^'^  E  have  feen  in  general,  that  God  by  giving  his  law  to  the  If- 
^WS  raeiites^  intended  to  difcriminate  them  from  all  other  nations  of 
C^fe"*'^  the  world,  and  in  particular  from  thofe  nations  which  had  (hew- 
ed themfelves  to  be  jealous  of  that  diftinftion  ;  I  mean  from  the  Moah~ 
jtesy  the  Jmmcmtes^  the  Ifmaelites^  and  the  Edomites,  as  I  {hall  hereafter 
fhew.  I  have  likewife  obferved,  that  God  by  his  conduft,  and  his 
oracles,  did  alfo  excite  a  fpirit  of  jealoufieamongft  the  feveral  pretenders 
to  the  promife.  I  come  now  to  fhew  that  God  hath  follow'd  the  fame 
defign  in  his  law,  'and  that  he  hath  made  ufe  of  tliiat  jealoufie  as  of  ano- 
ther means,  to  make  that  people,  which  he  had  feparated  from  all  othef 
nations,  keep  up  always  amongft  themfelves  a  lively  notion,  and  expec- 
tation of  the  Meffiah. 

Perhaps  the  reader  may  think,  that  thefe  refle£lions  may  interrupt  the 
feries  of  the  obfervations  I  have  undertaken  to  make  upon  Mo/es's  law: 
but  befides  that  I  fliall  refume  them  prefently,  fo  one  may  eafily  difcern, 
that  thefe  two  remarks  concerning  the  fpirit  of  diftindlion,  and  the  fpi- 
rit of  jealoufie,  kept  up  in  the  bofom  of  this  people,  ought  to  be  well 
confidered  by  thofe  that  defire  to  know  the  genius  of  God's  laws,  and 
the  original  caufes  of  all  the  tranfaclions  related  by  Mofes^  and  bv  the 
other  facred  authors,^  who  acted  in  purfuance  of  that  defign  which  appears 
in  thofe  laws  which  Mofes  gave  to  the  people  of  Ifrael. 

I  begin  with  two  general  reflexions,  which,  I  think  are  very  ufeful  \vi 
the  explication  of  God's  conduct  upon  this  occafion. 

Two  things,  as  I  have  already  obferved,  have  conduced  to  keep  up 
that  jealoufie,  whereof  Alofes  has  given  fo  many  inftances  in  the  book  of 
Genefts. 

The  firft  is,  the  preference  which  God  hath  commonly  given  to  the 
younger  brothers  before  the  elder. 

The  fecond  is,  the  choice  which  God  hath  made  of  fuch  particular 
perfons  as  appeared  abfolutely  unworthy  of  God's  choice. 

So  that  here  one  fee's  a  continual  feries  in  the  Jewifh  hiftory  written 
by  Mofes^  and  by^the  Prophets,  who  made  the  fame  obfervations  upon 
that  T/iodel  which  Mofes  had  given  them. 

Firft  of  all,  the  tribe  of  Judah  is  preferred  before  all  the  other  tribes 
of  Ifrael,  and  particularly  before  the  tribe  of  Reuben,  which  afterwards 
occafioned  the  infurreftion  of  fome  Reubenitcs  in  their  fedition  ao-ainft 
Mofes,  wherein  Corah,  Dathan,  and  y^i^/r.7,v2  perifhed  :  juft  as  God's  pre- 
ferring y^W  offended  Cain,  and  as  Jofeph's  brethren  confpired  together  to 
put  him  to  death,  becaufe  of  his  dreams,  which  foretold  his  greatnefs 
and  their  fall. 

Secondly,  one  fee's  that  Phares,  Judah"?.  youngeft  fdn,  is  preferred 
not  only  before  all  the  other  c|iildren  of  Jiidah^  but  even  before  Zerah 

the 


320  Rejiexioni  vpcn  ihe  Ch.  XIV. 

the  deleft  or'  the  twins  which  Judab  had  by  TIjamar ;  juft  as  Jacob  was 
preferred  before  his  brother  Efau^  tho'  they  were  twinb,  and  Efau  born 
the  hrft  of  the  two. 

One  fees  afterwards,  that  God  having  chofcn  yejp  of  all  the  pofteri- 
ty  of  Phrins^  Dnvid  ihc  }oungefl  of  all  his  fons,  was  preferred  before  his 
brethren,  when  God  was  pleafcd  to  tranflate  the  kingdom  to  the  tribe 
of  yndahy  and  to  the  family  of  '/^if.  Juft  as  we  fuw  before,  that,  in  the 
cicclion  of  the  hrft  king,  whom  the  Ijrat-lites  defiied  to  be  fet  over  them, 
that  he  was  chofen  by  lot  by  an  extraordinary  effect  of  providence  out  of 
the  tribe  of  Benjamin^  tho'  the  youngeft  of  all  'Jacoh''%  children. 

Thus  one  fee's  that  Solomon  the  youngeft  of  David\  children,  was 
preferred  before  his  brothers,  and  that  the  fame  Solomon  built  the  temple 
of  God  in  the  tribe  of  Berijamin^  tho'  he  himfelf  was  of  the  tribe  of 
yudah. 

We  (hall  afterwards  fee,  that  the  Meftiah  was  defcended  from  David 
by  Nathan^  fon  to  one  of  David's  younger  children,  and  by  Rcfah  Zo- 
robalel's  youngeft  fon,  from  whom  the  Blefied  Virgin  drew  her  ori- 
ginal. 

The  fecond  remark  is  about  the  care  God  hath  taken  by  his  choice  of 
fome  particular  pcrfons  to  accomplifh  the  {.romifc,  to  furnifh  thofe  with 
pretences  and  objections,  who  might  be  intcrefted,  to  oppofe  the  reftric- 
tions  which  God  had  made  in  favour  of  their  equals  -,  for  as  tiiey  ferved 
to  keep  up  a  jealoufie  amongft  all  the  pretenders  to  the  promifc,  fo  they 
alfo  ferved  to  preferve  a  diftin6t  knowledge  of  it,  and  to  make  them  in- 
quire more  diligently  after  it. 

In  fiiort,  as  we  fee  that  the  Jfmaelitgs  might  upbraid  Sarah  both  with 
her  frequent  rapes,  r.nd  with  her  cruelty  to  ylgar  and  Jjtnael:  as  the  Eda^ 
piiics  might  upbraid  'Jacob's  pofterity  with  Rebecca'''^  fupplanting  their 
father  Efau^  and  cheating  him  of  his  blefling -,  fo  likewife  we  may  ob- 
lerve,  that  God  not  only  chofe  Thamar  to  have  the  Aieftiah  defcend  from 
ncr  ;  but  alfo  would  have  her  inceft  v/ith  her  father- ni-law  recorded. 
.What  might  all  the  other  tribes  of  Jfracl  fay,  were  there  then  no  horeft 
women  in  Jfrael,  that  the  Mcfliah's  anceftors  muft  defcend  irom  thole 
that  were  born  of  an  inccftuous  commerce  ?  What  probability  is  there, 
that,  God  fhould  cboofe  the  tribe  o(  Judab?  , Had  not  all  the  other 
children  oijiuiah  a  fairer  pretenlion  to  this  priviledge,  than  PharacoxxiA 
have?  And  might  not  their  pofterity  revive  againft  the  pofterity  of 
Phare^^  that  fevere  law  againft  baftard  children  which  we  read  of  Deut, 
XXIII.      . 

God  chofe  in  the  like  manner  Ruth  the  Moabitcfi^  and  had  her  hiftory 
written,  and  his  choice  recorded,  as  if  he  had  intended  to  prepare  anex- 
lufe  for  thofc  of  the  Ifraelites  who  afterwards  would  refule  to  fubmit  to 
David.  AV  hat  probability  is  there  might  they  fay,  that  God  would  have 
the  Alcffuh  to  be  born  of  a  Moabitefs^  feeing  it  was  by  his  order,  that 
Msfrs  CfiufeJ  all  thofe  Ifraelites  to  be  put  to  death,  who  after  the  pro- 
nunciation of  Balaam^  prophefie,  held  any  commerce  with  the  daugh- 
ters of  ^/Wr*'  Was  there  any  likelihood  that  fuch  a  thing  could  be 
lUi/nbli-,  cfpccially  feeing  there  was  a  law  which  God  would  have  to  be 
infeited  \n  Deutc; ciiomy^  v.-hich  exckideth  the  A/<j(;/'j/'tv  from  the  pojiibility 
^f  tvcr  being  admitted  into  the  people  of  God.     ]3ut  at  icaft,  was  no? 

a  "  tluf 


Gh.  XIV.  four  laji  Booh  of  Mofes.  32 1 

this  choice  o{  Ruth  the  Moabitefs,  a  fair  caufe  of  jealouue  to  all  the  other 
families  of  fudah  ? 

God  cauied  the  adultery  of  Bathjheha^  the  mother  of  Solomon^  to  be 
carefully  recorded,  as  it  were  qn.  purpofe  to  excufe  the  rebel'lion  of 
thofe  who  afterwards  fided  with  Jeroboam^  againft  Rehohoum  and  his  au- 
thority. 

Is  it  probable  (might  thefe  rebels  fay)  that  God  would  have  chofea 
that  bloody  cruel  man  Dav'td^  that  adulterer,  that  he  2in^ Bath/hebah  ihoul'j 
beget  the  Mefliah  together  ? 

Had  Jeje  no  other  children  befules  David  F  And  \^  David  mn^  needs 
have  been  the  man,  why  (hould  Solomon  born  of  Bathfhcbah  be  preferred 
before  all  his  brothers  ? 

There  are  three  things  confiderable  in  this  matter. 
The  firft  is,  that  God  having  given  to  Jojhuah^  the  condud  of  the 
Ifraelites^  after  he  had  formerly  raifed  Jofepb  fo  much  above  his  brethren 
by  his  advancement  in  E?;ypt,  and  given  to  his  tribe  two  portions  of  the 
land  of  Canaan;  he  permitted,  that  Jeroboam  fliould  rife  up  againft  Re^ 
hoboam,  Sclomon's  fon,  and  not  only  fo,  but  iliould  like  wife,  accordino-  to 
the  prophefie  related,  Gen.  XXVllI.  17.  build  a  temple  at  Bet.bel^  asT)e- 
ing  jealous  againft  Solomon^  who  built  one  upon  mount  Moriah^  accord- 
ing to  the  prophefie  we  find  in  Genefii  XXII.  14. 

The  fecond  is,  that  this  feparation,  gave  a  fair  pretence  to  raife  the 
reputation  of  the  prophefies  which  Jacob  uttered  upon  his  death-bed  in 
favour  o(Jofeph;  which  prophefies  ran  in  terms  fo  very  high,  that  they 
not  only  gave  colour  to  Jeroboam's  pretenfions  to  the  kingdom,  but  did 
alfo  lead  the  ten  tribes  into  an  expe^ation,  that  the  Meffiah  {hould  be 
born,  not  in  the  tribe  of  Judah,  as  Jacob  had  exprefly  foretold  Genefs 
XLIX.  but  in  the  tribe  of  Epbrattn^  according  to  the  conftant  cuftom 
of  God's  preferring  the  younger  fons  of  a  family  before  the  elder,  in  the 
matter  of  this  promife. 

The  third  is,  that  even  the  greateft  part  of  the  two  loyal  tribes  re- 
ceived at  laft  the  interpretation  which  the  other  ten  made  of  that  pro- 
phefie. At  leaft,  it  appears,  that  many  of  the  Jeius  ha^'e  endeavoured 
to  prove,  that  the  iMefliah  ftiould  come  from  the  tribe  of  Ephraim^  bv 
interpreting  feveral  prophefies  that  vvay,  which  according  to  their' ac- 
count and  their  prejudices,  were  exprefl'ed  in  fuch  terms,  as  could  not  be 
underftood  of  him,  that  was  to  be  born  in  the  tribe  of  Judah^  and  out 
of  the  royal  family  of  David, 


Vol.  t.  X  CHAP,  XV. 


322  Refiextom  upon  the  Ch»  XV. 


C    H     A    P.        XV. 

That  Clrciwiclfionijuas  a  Means  of  dijllnguijhing  the  Israelites  from  other 

Nations. 

t^yf.'^.!^  U T  I  muft  now  refume  my  obfervations  upon  Mofes\  lav/s. 
5^  B  ^  Circumcifion  was,  without  queftion,  one  of  the  firflr,  and  moll 
^■^MJ^  fenfible  means  whereby  God  did  diftinguifh  Jacob's  pofterity 
from  ail  other  people.     I  will  therefore  begin  with  it. 

Firfl,  the  very  fignijRcation  of  the  word  circumcifion,  implies  a  real, 
and  corport-al  diftinclion :  even  Tacitus  underftood  it  fo  when  he  faith, 
Circinnciclere  genitalia  infiitucre  fiidaii  ut  diverftate  nofcantiir  (^).  But 
befides,  by  it  God's  covenant  was,  as  it  were,  printed,  and  ingraved 
in  the  very  flefh  of  all  Abraham's  pollerity. 

God  has  explained  it  thus  himfelf  in  feveral  places  ;  and  one  may  af- 
firm, that  this  was  very  agreeable  to  God's  defign,  which  was,  as  we 
have  intimated  before,  to  hinder  that  people,  from  which  the  Mefliah 
was  to  be  born,  from  mingling  with  tlie  other  nations  of  the  world, 
which  would  have  made  the  pedigree  of  the  Meffiah  fufpecled,  or  at  leaft 
much  more  difficult  to  be  traced. 

I  will  not  relate  here,  the  feveral  notions  of  divines  about  the  ufe  of 
that  ceremony,  but  only  content  my  felf  to  make  two  very  natural  re- 
flexions upon  it. 

The  firfl:  of  which  is,  that  it  was  particularly  in  refpetfl  of  the  Meffiah, 
that  God  would  have  that  mark  made  upon  that  part  of  man's  body 
which  is  infervient  to  generation.  As  the  Meffiah  was  to  come  into  the 
world  by  generation,  according  to  the  words  of  the  firft  prophefie  con- 
cerning hun,  and  alfo  according  to  the  further  revelations  of  God  to 
Abraham,,  about  that  promife,  fo  God  could  do  nothing  more  agreeable 
to  the  idea  the  IfraeUtes  had  of  the  Meffiah,  and  of  his  birth,  than  to 
diilinguifh  them,  by  a  relation  to  that  blelfed  feed,  which  he  promifcd 
them  ;  as  God  defigned,  without  all  queftion,  by  that  means  to  oblige 
the  Jezcs  to  remember  the  firfl:  promife  made  to  mankind  ;  fo  no  doubt, 
he  intended  by  it  to  fix  their  minds  upon  the  confideration  of  that  favour 
he  had  (hew'd  to  them,  as  well  as  to  Abraham,,  to  dilfinguiih  them  from 
all  the  people  of  the  earth,  that  the  deliverer  of  die  world  might  be  born 
in  their  common-wealth,  and  from  one  of  their  pofterity. 

The  fccond  reflexion  is,  that  it  was  the  fame  profpe6t  of  the  Mefliah, 
which  made  God  condemn  thofe  to  death,  who  fliould  either  remain  un- 
circumcifed  themfclves,  or  leave  their  children  fo. 

Is  it  not  a  very  furprizing  thing,  that  fo  much  rigour  and  feverity 
fhould  be  ufed  in  exacSting  the  obfervation  of  a  ceremony,  which  was 
merely  indifferent  in  its  nature,  and  had  no  moral  goodnefs  in  it  felf? 
But  hereby  it  appears  the  more  evidently,  that  God  defign'd,  that  the 
ufe  of  circumcifioiij  by  which  he  diftinguiftied  Abraham^  pofterity  from 

all 

(i)  Hift.  I.  i. 


Ch.  XV.  four  lajl  Books  of  Mofcu  323 

all  other  nations  of  the  world,  fhould  be  a  kind  of  immoveable  bar    to 
hinder  the  Jewi  from  mingling  with  all  ftrangers. 

Indeed  there  are  three  things  which  may  be  objected  againft  thefe  re- 
flexions. 

The  firft  is,  that  it  does  not  appear,  that  this  ceremony  was  counted 
fuch  a  proper  fign  of  diflinction,  feeing  the  ufe  of  it  hath  been  fometimes 
intermitted  :  as  for  inftance,  when  the  whole  nation  of  the  Jews  left  it 
off  for  forty  years  in  the  wildernefs. 

The  fecond  is,  that  if  the  chiefeft  end  of  circumcifion  was  to  diflin- 
gulfli  that  people,  with  defign  to  make  the  MelFiah  known  :  there  was 
no  need  that  that  yoak  fliould  be  laid  upon  all  the  Jcivs^  but  only  upon 
the  family  from  which  he  was  to  dcfcend,  or  at  the  moil  upon  the  tribe 
wherein  that  family  was  comprized. 

The  third  is,  -that  circumcifion  was  comm.on  both  to  Efau's  and  Ja- 
cob's  pofterity ;  and  even  ufed  amongft  the  Egyptians,  and  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Colchis^  as  we  may  learn  from  Herodotus,  and  feme  other  heathen 
authors. 

^But  after  all,  it  is  ?n  cafie  thing  to  fuisfie  a  man's  mind  in  all  thefe 
appearing  difficulties.  I  confcfs,  that  one  is  furprized  to  fee  that  God 
fhould  not  oblige  the  Jnus  to  be  circumcifed  in  the  wildernefs,  for  which 
feveral  reafons  are  given. 

Firft,  that  God  being  difpleafed  with  that  generation,  would  not  al- 
low, that  they  fhould  be  honoured  with  this  token  of  his  covenant- 
others  idy^  that  their  journying  in  the  wildernefs  gave  them  a  difpenfa- 
tion  from  the  obfervance  of  that  ceremony.  But  we  may  give  a  better 
I  think,  and  more  natural  account  of  that  matter,  if  we  do  but  follow 
the  idea  which  occafioned  my  fecond  reflexion. 

The  going  forth  of  fomc  Egyptians  with  the  IfracHtcs  out  of  Egytt^ 
was  a  type  of  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  as  I  v/ill  fhew  fomev/here  elfe' 
it  was  then  necelliiry,  that  as  all  ceremonies,  and  circumcifion  in  parti- 
cular, were  then  to  be  abolifhcd,  to  take  away  all  diftinftion  from 
among  Scth'%  poflerity,  fo  the  ufe  of  circumcifion  fhould  at  that  time  be 
fufpended. 

However,  God  would  not  have  the  fufpenfion  of  that  ceremonv  to 
continue  till  they  were  entered  into  the  land  of  Cayiaan.  ' ' 

Firft,  to  prevent  the  intruding  of  fome  Canaamta  into  the  body  of  the 
Hebrews. 

Secondly,  to  the  end  tliat  thefe  IfracUtcs  who  vrere  to  enter  into  Ca- 
naat^  being  as  well  uncircumcifed  as  the  Egyptians  children,  and  beino- 
all  made  afterwards  equal  by  circumcifion,  lihould  ha\'e  no  occafion  to 
upbraid  them  with  their  different  original. 

The  fecond  objection  may  as  eafily  be  anfwcred  :  one  might  think  at 
firfl,  that  indeed  the  Meffiah  had  been  more  eafily  known  at  his  com- 
ing, if  the  ufe  of  circumcifion  had  '  -en  injoyned  only  to  the  famil"  or 
at  moft,  to  the  tribe  from  which  he  was  to  defcend  :  but  befides  that  it 
had  expofed  that  family,  or  that  tribe  to  great  perfecutions,  it  had  cer- 
tainly much  diminifhcd  that  fpirit  of  jealoufie  which  was  kept  up  by  the 
conformity  of  the  feveral  pretenders,  which  on  the  other  hand  w?s  of 
mighty  ufe  to  preferve  a  diftindt  idea  of  the  MefTiah,  and  a  defire  of  his 
coming. 

X2  M 


3H  ReJJex'tons  upon  the  Ch.  XV. 

As  for  the  third  objcvSlion,  there  is  no  difficulty  in  it :  'tis  true,  fomc 
Jeivijh  interpreters  imagine,  that  Jofeph  took  occalion  to  prefcribc  the 
ufe  of  circumcifion  to  the  E^yptians^  after  Phnrnoh  had  commanded  his 
■people  to  do  whatfoever  J'Ji:ph  fhould  bid  them  to  do  :  hut  that  con- 
jedure  is  groundkfs  :  for  it  appears,  that  the  Egyptians  who  went  out  of 
Egypt  with  Mofes^  were  not  circumcifed.  'Tis  true,  that  nation  did 
fomc  ages  after  Mcfes^  take  up  the  ceremony  of  circumcifion  ;  and  it  is 
very  likely,  that  it  was  fome  Egyptian  colony  which  introduced  the  ufc 
of  it  into  Cokhis :  but  the  obfervance  of  that  fole  ceremony  amongft 
thofe  nations  could  caufe  no  confufion,  becaufe  none  of  them  pretended 
to  derive  their  original  from  Abraham^  but  had  ashiftorians  obferve,  quite 
different  reafons  from  thofe  which  the  Jews  had  for  their  pradlice  of  cir- 
cumcifion. 

As  for  the  Ifmaelitcs  and  Edomites,  the  greatefl  part  of  the  Jews  are  of 
opinion,  that  God  did  difcriminate  their  circumcifion  from  the  circum- 
cifion which  was  pradifed  by  thofe  nations,  by  his  inftitution  of  what 
they  call  the />fr/g-m7  after  the  circumcifion;  which  they  endeavour  to 
prove  by  a  paffage  in  Jojhua^  wherein  it  is  faid,  that  God  ordered  Jojhua 
to  circumcife  again  the  children  of  Ijrael  the  fecond  time.  But  others 
of  them  laugh  at  that  criticifm,  becaufe  it  appears  that  thofe  v/ords  do 
relate  to  the  fecond  folemn  circumcifion  which  that  people  did  cjbfervc 
after  their  deliverance  out  of  Egypt :  therefore,  without  running  to  this 
•anfwer,  one  needs  only  follow  the  idea  we  have  already  made  ufe  of, 
which  is  drawn  from  God's  defign  of  keeping  up  a  fpirit  of  jealofie,  by 
fome  conformity  betwixt  the  circumcifion  practifed  by  the  Jctcs^  and  the 
ceremonies  ufed  amongft  thofe  rival  nations. 

Why  then  were  fome  of  the  neighbouring  nations  of  Canaan^  defcend- 
ed  from  Abraham  circumcifed  i*  As  for  example,  the  Ifmaelites  in  Ara- 
bia^ v.'ho  were  circumcifed  at  thirteen  vears  of  age  j  the  pofteritv  of  A- 
braham  by  Kcturah^  viz.  the  Midianitcs  vvho  were  in  the  countrey  of 
Moah^  and  the  Edomites  defcended  from  Efau,  who  did  all  pra6llfe  circum- 
cifion ? 

Certainly,  it  is  evident,  that  as  God  fet  the  Ifraelites  in  the  midft  of 
all  thofe  nations,  who  by  virtue  of  their  anceftors  birthright,  or  fomc 
other  pretenfions,  put  in  their  claim  with  the  Jeivs  to  the  execution  of 
the  promife,  on  purpofe  to  excite  the  attention  of  this  people  who  were 
furrounded  with  thefe  rivals.  So  he  did  for  the  fame  reafon  permit, 
that  the  Ifmaelites^  the  Alidiavites^  and  Edomites  fhould  pra6tife  the  ce- 
remony of  circumcifion,  almoft  in  the  fame  manner  that  the  IJraelitci 
did. 

But  that  we  may  the  better  apprehend  the  force  of  this  reflexion,  we 
need  only  confidcr  the  jealoufie,  which  is  caufed  amongft  the  feveral  fcch 
of  Chriftians,  by  the  conformity  of  facramcnts,  which  is  fo  far  from 
unitinci-  them  with  one  another,  as  it  might  juftlv  be  expciled ;  that  on 
the  contrary,  one  may  fay,  that  this  conformity  in  fomc  things  alienates 
them  from  one  another,  and  breeds  reciprocal  jcaloufies  amongft  their  fe- 
veral parties,  efpecially  when  they  come,  to  rcfle(5l  upon  the  other  con- 
troverted articles,  that  caufe  the  ieparation. 

Moreover,  it  is  reafonable  to  confidcr  that  God  had  provided  a  fuffi- 
clcnt  diftin^Stion,  bptwixt  that  people,  and  other  nation?,  by  giving  them 

many 


Ch.  XV7.  four  laji  Booh  of  Mofet.  325 

many  other  laws,  which  had  no  other  viable  ufe  than  that  of  difcrhii- 
nation  ;  as  for  inflance,  the  three  great  feafts  which  the  Jews  were  ob- 
liged to  keep. 

The  feaft  of  the  pafibver,  was  the  memorial  of  the  accompliuiment 
of  God's  promife  to  Jbraham  to  deliver  his  pofterity  out  of  the  couatrey 
wherein  they  were  to  be  in  bondage  after  430  years  ;  and  confequ::itly 
could  not  be  obferved  by  the  Ifniadltes^  nor  by  the  Edomitcs  who  had 
never  been  captives  in,  nor  delivered  out  of  Egypt  in  the  fourth  genera-« 
tion. 

The  Pentccojl  was  a  publick  monument  of  the  promulgation  of  the 
Jaw,  and  all  its  parts,  amongft  the  children  of  Ifracl,  and  confequently 
peculiar  to  that  nation. 

Thus  the  feaft  of  tabernacles  preferved  the  memory  of  that  folemn 
action  of  the  Ijraelites  continuance  for  forty  years  in  the  dcfert. 

It  were  needlefs,  after  fuch  remarkable  diftinitions,  to  obferve  here, 
(which  yet  was  certainly  defigned  for  that  end)  that  God  took  care  to 
diftinguifh  that  people  by  fome  injunctions,  which  they  were  to  obferve, 
in  the  fafhion  of  their  cloaths,  of  their  beard,  of  their  philafteries,  of 
their  mezouzoth,  of  their  thaleth,  of  their  zizith,  and  many  the  like 
things,  the  obfervance  of  all  which  ferved  to  hinder  any  confullon  of  the 
people  of  Ijrael^  with  their  neighbours. 


^''^fi^4^if^'^-^^^^^^^jfy4^4^%'fyjfy^'?^^^'^^4^^f^^^ 


CHAP.       XVI. 

That  the  Lata  ^  Moses  engaged  the  Jews  to  the  Study  of  their  Genealogies^ 
that  they  might  certainly  know  that  of  the  Mejfiah. 

^;<^^^  U  T  if  God  took  care  to  diflinguifli  his  people  from  all  other 
S  B  Q  nations  byTuch  an  indelible  mark,  in  the  practice  whereof  there 
^^'^IJ^  v/as  no  fear  of  any  trick  ;  feeing.no  man  v/ould  circumcife  him- 
felf  without  thinking  upon  it  more  than  once,  as  the  hiflory  of  tlie  Si- 
chemites  aflures  us ;  fo  one  fees,  that  he  took  as  great  a  care  to  divide 
them  into  tribes,  and  the  tribes  into  families,  that  t!iey  might  fubfift  and 
continue  in  a  kind  of  a  feparation  from  one  another,  altho'  they  w^^re  at 
firlt  but  one  fmgle  family,  and  one  fmgle  nation. 

Now  to  what-purpofe,  I  pray,  were  all  thbfe  difti notions,  if  they  had 
not  been  defigned,  to  manifeft  the  Meffiah  at  his  coniing. 

We  fee  then,  that  they  could  have  no  other  ufe,  for  as  God  had  de- 
creed, that  the  Me/liah  (hould  be  born  out  of  the  tribe  of  yudah,  fo  it 
wasneceflary,  that  the  fcveral  genealogies  of  that  tribe  (hould  be  very 
publickly  known. 

And  therefore  one  fees  that  God  fecured  this,  not  only  with  all  ne 
celTary  care,  but  even  with  a  caution  greater  than  could  have  been  rca- 
•fonably  defired. 

He  engages  all  the  tribes  of  Jfrael  to  preferve  with  a  kind  of  afFeifta- 

X  3  tion, 


326  Rcjiexiom  upon  the  Ch.  XVI- 

tion,  their  f-veral  genealogical  tables  -,  he  neglects  none  of  the  means 
that  might  be  ufcful  to  dirtinguifli  the  tribe  oijiulah  from  other  tribes, 
ahd  the  family  from  which  the  MefTiah  was  to  be  defcended  from  all  the 
other  families  of  the  fame  tribe. 

Indeed  I  am  not  ignorant  that  anciently  one  might  fee  fomc  other  na- 
tions ufing  the  diuinftions  of  tribes  amongft  thcmfclves,  much  after  the 
fame  manner  as  the  Jews  did,  and  that  they  were  careful  to  prefcrve  their 
genealogies  in  order  to  derive  their  original  from  the  fame  commoii  fa- 
ther :  thus  wc  ought  to  underftand  what  we  read  in  hiftory  of  the  tribes 
amongft  the  Athe-nians.  Thus  Hippocrates  runs  up  his  own  pedigree  to 
the  twentieth  man  of  his  anceftors,  and  Herodotus  mentions  fevcral  in- 
fiances  of  the  farne  care. 

But  one  fees  that  this  afFeclatlon  was  infinitely  greater  among  the 
Jews, 

For  v/e  fee,  that  they  did  not  only  rank  themfclves  every  one  under 
the  ftandard  of  their  ov/n  tribe,  at  their  going  forth  out  of  Egypt^  but 
that  God  did  alfo  engage  every  man  to  know  his  tribe  exa<5tly  ;  nay,  he 
compelled  them  all  in  a  manner,  to  ftudy  their  own  pedigrees,  that  eve- 
ry one  might  claim,  and  reap  the  benefit  of  the  law  of  yubilee,  which 
Iwd  the  force  of  an  entail  in  refpecl  of  every  family,  as  I  am  now  going 
to  (hew. 

There  are  three  things  obfervable  in  that  matter. 
The  firft  is,  that  it  was  by  a  fjperabundant  precaution,  that  God  would 
engage  the  tribes  to  continue  diftinguifh'd  from  one  another,  and  to 
prcleA'e  and  fludy  their  feveral  psdigrees  ;  namely,  he  intended  by  that 
means  to  prevent  the  objection  which  might  othcrwife  have  been  made, 
that  it  was  iinpolTiblc  for  a  tribe,  and  a  fiiinily  in  that  tribe  to  continue 
diuinguiihcd  from  the  reft  of  the  nation,  for  fo  many  ages  ;  for  certain- 
ly, if  all  the  tribes  in  that  nation,  and  all  the  families  in  every  tribe,  did 
continue,  bv  God's  providence,  fo  long  diftinguiftied  from  one  another, 
there  is  no  doubt  to  be  made,  but  he  could  preferve  the  fingle  tribe  of  ' 
Judah^  and  th?  family  of  the  Mcfliah  diftinguiftied  from  all  other  tribes, 
and  families  cf  the  people  of  IJrael, 

The  fecond  remark  is,  that  it  was  for  this  diftindtion  fake,  that  the 
books  of  the  Old  Teftament  were  fiU'd  with  genealogical  tables ;  to 
what  purpofe  clfe  had  books  of  that  importance,  and  which  treated  of 
fuch  great  fubje6ts  been  filled  with  genealogies  ?  Mofes's  books  are  full 
of  them  :  the  firil  book  of  Chronicles  refumes  thofe  genealogies  with  all 
poffible  exa6lnefs:  there  is  nothing  more  confiderable  in  the  bookof  i^«//;, 
than  the  genealogy  of  David  and  his  family. 

The  third  remark  is,  that  if  the  genealogy  of  the  priefts  feem  to  have 
been  better  known,  than  that  of  other  families,  by-reafon  of  their  being 
the  publick  minifters  of  religion,  which  feems  to  give  the  advantage  of 
certainty  of  diftinftion  to  the  tribe  of  Levi  above  that  of  Judah^  in  that 
particular  j  yet  we  find,  that  all  the  fi^milies  of  the  whole  nation  took 
much  the  fame  care  to  preferve  their  own  genealogies  j  fo  that  if  after 
the  Babylonian  captivity,  fome  particular  perfons  were  excluded  from  the 
prieftly  order,  to  which  they  pretended,  becaufe  they  could  not  make  out 
their  pedigree :  h  likewife  all  were  thrown  out  from  the  other  tribes, 
that  cculd  not  juftifie  their  lineal  dcfcent. 

Nay, 


Ch.  XVir.  four  lafi  Books  of  Mofes,  327 

Nay,  there  is  fomething  further,  deferves  to  be  taken  notice  of,  as 
being  very  fingular  in  that  of  Judah :  and  one  ought  here  to  confider  a 
raiftery  of  God's  providence,  and  admire  thi;  wifdom  of  his  conduit,  in 
purfuing  the  defign  which  Mofes  firft  fets  down,  and  upon  which  one 
fees,  that  the  whole  fevoipo  ftate  was  formed ;  for  when  God  refolved, 
that  the  MelTiah  fhould  dcfcend  from  the  tribe  of  Juda^  and  the  houfe  of 
David^  he  made  it  more  particularly  known  and  diftinguifli'd  than  any 
other  family  in  the  whole  nation,  and  for  that  reafon  he  fets  David  upon 
the  throne. 

Every  one  knows,  that  in  every  kingdom  the  genealogy  of  a  king, 
and  of  the  royal  family,  is  of  all  others  the  mofl  publickly  known. 

Now  if  the  blood  royal  alone  is  always  diilinguifhed  how  much  more 
muft  it  be  fo,  when  that  fupream  dignity  is  conferred  upon  fuch  a  fa- 
mily, as  God  had  particularly  chofen,  to  have  the  Meffiah,  who  is  fct 
forth  as  the  defire  of  all  nations,  to  be  born  out  of  it. 

From  hence  I  will  boldly  conclude,  that  the  only  end  for  which  God 
raifed  David's  family  to  the  throne,  was  becaufc  the  Mclfiah  v/as  really 
to  be  born  out  of  that  family,  reduc'd  to  a  low,  and  private  condition, 
which  Jfaiah  foretold,  faying.  That  a  rod  fhould  come  forth  out  of  the  ftem 
o/"Jetre,  and  a  branch  grow  out  of  his  roots  [f)  ;  and  in  another  place. 
That  hejhoidd  grow  up  as  a  root  out  of  a  dry  ground  [g)^  which  was  very  agree- 
able to  the  character  of  a  Prophet,  and  to  the  low  ilate  of  humiliation, 
in  which  our  Saviour  was  to  appear  in  the  world. 


■^^&^^w3'^'^^'^^^^^^^^^'^wm 


CHAP.      XVII. 

jf  Solution  cffome  Difficulties  in  ihefe  Genealogies, 

rr''')4f"<i-'^  N  DEED  the  difperfion  of  the  ten  tribes  fecms  to  be  a  very 
S  I  w  natural  objection  to  thofe  who  would  difpute  the  reflexions 
Z^^-^'J^  which  I  have  already  made  upon  thefe  genealogies. 

But  after  all,  there  is  nothing  in  it  but  what  confirms  the  more  the 
faid  reflexions. 

And  we  may  fay,  that  the  intire  difperfion  of  the  whole  tribe  of  Ep':^ 
raim.,  and  of  the  others  which  adhered  to  it  in  feroboain's  rebellion,  is 
a  miflery  of  providence  which  challenges  our  admiration,  as  much  as 
the  raifing  up  that  family  to  the  throne,  out  of  which  the  Mefliah  was  to 
be  born. 

To  apprehend  this  the  better,  we  need  only  call  to  mind  the  preten- 
fions  of  the  tribe  of  Ephraim  :  this  Ephraim  was  the  younger  brother  of 
Manafeh ;  but  Jacob  had  given  him  the  birthright,  jull  as  Ifaac  before 
had  given  it  to  Jacob^  tho'  it  did  of  right  belong  to  the  elder  brother. 

facob  had  particularly  blefled  Ephraim^  and  even  made  it  a  form  of 
bleliing  for  after  ages,  as  we  read  in  the  book  of  Ruth^  that  there  was 

X  4  one 

(f)  Ifa.  xi,  (g)  Ifa.  liii. 


328  Reflexions  upon  the  Ch.  XVII. 

one  made  for  Pharez.  'Jacob  had  given  to  'Jofeph  two  portions  in  the 
land  of  Canaan^  and  Ephra'wi  had  the  birthright  before  Manajj'eh^  by 
God's  order  ;  it  was  then  very  natural  for  the  tribe  of  Ephraim^  as  all 
tribes  did  apply  to  themfclves  the  fcveral  priviledges  promifed  to  their 
refpecflive  heads,  to  look  upon  themfelves,  as  having  a  particular  right 
to  God's  blefling. 

And  they  thought  this  right  of  theirs  was  plainly  made  out,  as  by  ^5- 
fepb's  dreams,  fo  efpecially  by  the  words  of  that  prediction  which  Jacob 
gave  in  favour  of  Ephrahn,  the  words  of  which  run  fo  very  high,  that 
after  fuch  a  prejudice,  there  might  very  well  be  a  fair  pretence  for  the 
hope  which  the  tribe  of  Ephraim  had  once  to  fee  a  Mefliah  come  out  of 
their  tribe,  as  thofe  of  Jiidah  expe£ted  one  out  of  theirs. 

If  to  all  this  we  add,  that  'Jcrohoam''%  rebellion  was  authoriz'd  by  a 
prophetical  infpiration,  and  by  a  fpecial  fign  of  God's  approbation  -,  and 
that  on  the  other  hand  he  dcfired  to  propofe  to  his  people  the  two  calves 
which  hefct  up  in  i)^«and  Bethel^  as  fymbols  of  the  Deity,  only  to  pur- 
fue  the  idea's  of  P;!'(7?-<75/;'s  dreams,  which  Jofeph  interpreted,  the  repre- 
fentation  whereof,  did  clearly  fliew  both  the  greatnefs  of  Jofeph,  and  the 
particular  care  of  God's  providence  over  him  (h).  It  was  then  natural, 
to  the  men  of  Ephraini,  to  feed  themfelves  with  fuch  hopes,  as  the  Jeius 
teach  us  they  did,  when  even  to  this  very  day  they  fpeak  of  a  MefTiah  of 
the  tribe  of  Ephraim. 

What  did  God  then  do,  to  obviate  thefe  pretenfions  of  the  tribe  of 
Ephraim  ?  He  difperfed  them,  together  with  the  other  nine  tribes  that 
fubmitted  to  the  authority  of  its  kings,  and  fo  confounded  them  with  all 
thofe  tribes  which  followed  their  fortune,  that  tho'  there  fhould  be  flill 
fome  Ephraimites  in  the  world,  yet  it  would  be  impolTible  for  any  of 
them  to  juitifie  his  pedigree  fo  clearly,  as  that  anyMefliah  really  defcend- 
ed  from  that  very  tribe,  could  by  eftablifhing  his  genealogy,  put  his  be- 
ing of  the  tribe  of  Ephraim  beyond  all  contclt. 

Now  according  to  this  notion  of  things  it  is  vifible  (if  we  may  be  al- 
lowed to  enter  Into  the  counfels  of  God,)  that  he  did  particularly  pre- 
ferve  the  tribes  of  Levi,  and  Benjcimin,  with  the  tribe  of  Judah,  which 
was  the  only  tribe  that  was  to  be  prcfcrved  of  neccflity. 

Firft,  becaufe  as  St.  Paul  to  the  llebreios  obferves,  there  was  nothing 
ever  faid  as  to  the  Melliah,  of  the  tribe  of  Levi. 

Secondly,  becaufe  God  would  by  that  means  confound  the  more  ef- 
feflually  all  the  claims  of  the  tribe  of  Ephraim. 

Yox  in  fhort,  if  the  tribe  of  Ephraim  was  inveftcd  by  God  with  the 
kingdom  over  nine  tribes  of  the  people  of  Ifrael,  fo  had  the  tribe  of  Ben- 
jamin  been  raifed  up  before  to  the  foveraigntv  over  all  Ijrael,  over  the 
tribe  of  Judah^  and  even  that  of  Ephraim  it  felf. 

If  the  tribe  of  Ephraim  was  defcended  from  a  younger  brother,  to 
whom  ^^fo^  had  given  his  blciling  in  \iXQ]v\Q\c<i  of  Alaywjfeh  his  elder 
brother,  (which  is  confidcrable  becaufe  God  hath  almc)ft  conflantly  pre- 
ferr'd  the  younger  before  the  elder)  fo  the  tribe  of  Bctrjamin  was  ceicend- 
ed  from  him  that  was  both  the  younger  brother  of  Jofeph  himfcii,  and 
liie  youngeil  of  all  Jacob's  children,  notwithftanding  which,  the  tribe  of 

Benjamin 

(h)  TaJm.  in  Succa  c.  5.  in  Gem. 


Ch.  XVII.  four  hji  Booh  of  Mofes.  329 

Benjamin  did  freely  yield  to  the  tribe  ofjndahy  and  granted  that  the  glo- 
ry of  giving  birth  to  the  Melliah,  was  wholly  due  to  them. 

Be  it  as  it  will,  there  are  two  reflexions  more  which  muft  be  made 
•concerning  thefe  genealogies  which  appear  very  natural  in  this  place. 

The  firil  is,  that  both  St.  Maitheiu^  and  St.  Luke  do  begin  their  Gof- 
pel  with  the  genealogy  of  the  MefTiah. 

The  other  is,  that  fome  time  after  St.  Paul  condemns  the  ftydy  of  o-e- 
nealogies,  which  was  ftill  much  in  ufe  amongft  the  feius,  as  vain;  Why 
therefore  is  there  fuch  a  different  conduct  amongft  the  difciples  of  the 
fame  maftcr  ? 

Certainly,  whoever  fhall  confider  v/ith  attention  the  grounds  which  I 
have  laid  down  before  muft  acknowledge,  that  both  St.  Matthew^  and 
St.  Lukcy  ought  to  have  begun  their  books,  as  they  have  done,  with  the 
genealogy  of  the  Mefliah. 

For  firft  of  all,  it  was  necefTary  that  the  defcent  of  the  AlefTiah  from 
Abraham  by  Dav'id^  fhould  be  clearly  made  out :  it  was  requifite  there- 
fore that  they  fhould  fet  down  fuch  a  genealogy  as  was  known  by  the 
whole  Jciuijh  nation  :  now  this  they  have  done  with  very  great  care,  and 
the  thing  was  fo  eafie,  and  fo  well  known,  that  even  a  blind-man  of  the 
neighbourhood  of  Samaria^  the  chief  city  of  the  kings  of  Ephrahji^  did 
publickly  call  Jtfis  the  fon  o\'  Dav'iJ. 

But  on  the  other  fide,  St.  Paul's  forbidding  the  ftudy  of  genealoo-ies, 
does  not  at  all  contradidl  the  method  of  thofe  two  Evangelifts. 

In  fhort,  he  purfues  the  very  fame  notions  :  he  faw,  that  the  convert- 
ed Jews  apply'd  themfclves  to  the  f!:udy  of  genealogies,  which  was  then 
fo  great  apart  of  the  ftudy  of  their  nation  :  it  is  ftill  prailifed  among  the 
Jnus^  to  that  degree,  that  fincc  their  difperfion  they  gave  an  exact  rela- 
tion of  all  the  Dodtors  and  Rabbics  amongft  them  who  have  preferved 
the  tradition,  and  who  were  profelytes  of  juftice  (?) :  What  therefore 
was  to  be  done  in  this  cafe  ?  He  took  it  for  granted,  that  God  had  en- 
gaged every  Jciv  to  ftudy  his  own  pedigree  with  care,  for  no  other  end 
but  only  to  have  that  of  the  Mefliah  diftinftly  known  whenever  he  ihould 
come. 

But  the  ufe  of  thefe  genealogies  being  once  over,  by  the  Mefliah's 
coming  into  the  world,  he  obferves  with  reafon,  that  it  was  no  longer 
neceifary  to  keep  up  the  vain  ftudy  of  all  thofe  genealogies. 

So  that  we  fee  he  fpeaks  againft  the  ftudy  of  pedigrees,  much  upon 
the  fame  grounds  as  in  other  places  he  inveighs  againft  circumcifion ; 
for  fmce  the  chiefeft  ufe  of  genealogies,  as  well  as  of  circumcifion,  was 
to  diftinguifli  Abraham's  pofterity  from  the  reft  of  mankind,  till  the  Mef- 
fiah  was  come  ;  the  ufe  of  thefe  two  obfervations  was  naturally  to  ceafe 
after  he  v/as  once  come. 

•  It  is,  no  doubt,  for  the  fame  reafon,  that  whereas  the  Jeivs  in  the 
Apoftle's  time  took  great  care  upon  all  occafions,  to  take  notice  of  the 
tribe  from  which  they  were  defcciided,  as  v/ell  as  to  fet  down  the  names 
of  their  fathers,  yet  one  fees  that  the  Apoftles  did  not  all  affeft  it. 
And  if  St.  Paul  mentions  his  being  a  Beiijamhe  :  it  was  for  a  particu- 
lar reafon,  for  otiitrwife  as  he  preached  down  the  diftinition  betwixt 

fnvs 

(i)  Maimn.  Vrtef.  ad  J  ad,  Cha%a\a, 


330  Rffiexio.n  upon  the  Ch.  XVIII. 

"Jnvi  and  Gentih-s,   (o  he  declared  himfclf  with   the  fame  carntftncfs 
againft  the  diflindions  which  were  obfervcd  amongft  their  tribes. 


iXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX)<XXXXXXXXXXXXXX><XX» 


CHAP.      XVIII. 

That  the  Manner  whereby  the  Law-  o/"]ViOSES  f.xcd  the  People  of  Israel 
to  the  Land  of  Can  A  AN,  wai  to  keep  them  feparated  from  other 
Nations, 

f^<^!5C:"^NE  of  the  chiefeft  means,  which  God  made  ufe  of,  to  diftin- 
%  O  ^  guifh  his  people  of  Ifracl  from  the  refi  of  mankind,  was  fo  to 
i^^j{^-^;^  fix  their  afteciions  upon  the  land  of  Canaan^  that  they  ftiould 
look  upon  it,  as  a  countrey  which  belonged  to  them  by  a  particular  con- 
cefTion  from  God,  which  derogated  from  the  Car.aanites  right,  to  whom 
that  countrey  fell  in  the  divifion  of  the  earth  that  was  made  amongft  the 
children  of  Noah^  or  which  reeftabliftied  the  pofterity  of  Shem  in  their 
juft  riiihts,  to  whom,  if  we  may  credit  the  ancient  tradition,  related  by 
St.  Ep'iphanius.  (-(),  this  countrey  did  really  belong  by  virtue  of  that  di- 
vifion amongft  the  three  fons  oi  Noah^  tho'  afterwards  they  were  driven 
out  of  it  by  the  pofterity  of  Ham. 

Afofcs  kerns  to  have  exprefl'ed  this  truth,  when  he  faith  Gen.  XII.  that 
•when  Abraham  came  to  Canaan^  the  Canaanite  was  already  in  the  land  ; 
that  is,  he  had  already  invaded  it,  neither  can  we  refer  what  he  relates 
in  the  XIV.  Chapter,  concerning  the  war  which  the  kings  from  the  eait 
came  to  make  againft  the  kings  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrha  to  any  thing  elfe. 

'Twas  then  for  this  reafon,  that  long  before  Mofes's  time,  God  took 
Abraham  out  of  Chaldea^  from  amongft  Shem's  pofterity  to  bring  him 
into  Canaan  amongft  the  Hivites^  the  Amorites,  and  other  nations  all 
equally  defcended  from  Ha?n,  whom  God  had  curfed. 

God  could  have  Y>\aced  Abraham  any  where  elfe  ;  but  he  chofe  to  bring 
him  into  a  countrey,  which  the  pofterity  of  Ham  had  fcized  upon  alrea- 
dy, rather  than  into  a  place  poflefled  by  the  pofterity  oi  Japhety  on  pur- 
pofc  that  the  jealoufic  might  be  the  greater  betwixt  Abraham  and  the  in- 
habitants of  the  countrey  into  which  God  had  brought  him. 

Nevcrthclefs  God  did  not  give  him  at  firft  an  entire  pofteflion,  but 
only  promifed  him  that  his  pofterity  ftiould  enjoy  it,  and  in  the  mean 
while  invcftcd  him  beforehand,  with  a  right  to  it,  by  the  purchafe  of  a 
field  for  a  burying  place,  wherein  his. wife,  himfelf,  and  his  children  were 
buried  ;  by  which  means  he  ftrongly  fixed  his  own  mind,  and  the  hopes 
of  his  pofterity. 

In  fliort,  it  is  evident,  that  all  the  glory  which  Jacob  found  in  Egypt 
when  he  was  invited  thither  by  fcfeph,  did  not  make  him  forget  the  right 
which  he  claimed  upon  that  land,  by  virtue  of  the  fepulchre  both  of  his 
father  and  grandfather  that  was  there.  For  Afofes  informs  us,  that  he 
defired  to  be  carried  thither  after  his  death,  and  that  he  did  exprelly  re- 
quire 

{ij  Hsref.  Ixvi.  n,  84. 


Ch.  XVIII.  four  lafi  Books  of  Mofcu  331 

quire  this  duty  from  Jofcph  and  his  other  children,  who  paid  it  In  fo  very 
folemn  a  manner,  and  v/ith  a  mourning  fo  very  great  and  famous,  that 
the  name  of  Jbcl-Mizraini  continued  to  that  very  place,  where  the  Gj- 
jiaanites  law  the  folemnization  of  that  funeral  by  the  fons  of  Jacoby  who 
were  attended  by  great  numbers  of  Egyptians. 

One  f^e's  that  Jacob's  children  ftill  entertained  the  fame  hope  :  Jofeph 
folemnly  engaged  his  children  to  carr)-  his  bones  into  the  land  oi Canaan: 
and  one  may  judge,  that  the  other  Patriarchs  were  not  lefs  folicitous  to 
require  the  fame  ofiice  at  the  hands  of  their  children,  as  St.  Stephen  (/) 
fuppofes  it  AJs  Vlf .  agreably  to  the  common  opinion  of  the  Jews  :  all 
which  fhews,  that  Jbrahains  pofterity  had  their  hearts  fct  upon  his  fe- 
pulchre,  as  upon  the  pledge  and  fecurity  of  God's  promife,  that  they 
fhould  be  once  pofleft  of  that  land  where  he  was  buried. 

And  as  the  carrying  the  body  of  Jacob  into  Canaan^  fufficiently  fliew'd 
what  were  the  claims  of  the  Jfraelites ;  fo  the  fame  was  very  e\'ident  by 
their  care  in  keeping  themfelves  unmixt  with  the  EgypiianSy  all  the  time 
they  fojourn'd  in  Egypt.  The  fplendor  of  Jofeph  was  a  natural  engage- 
ment for  them  to  fettle  themfelves  there  for  ever ;  befides,  their  vaft 
encreafe  forced  them  in  a  manner  to  it.  For  a  long  time  the  miferies 
which  they  endured,  invited  them  to  feek  the  alliances  of  the  Egyptians 
by  marriages,  and  to  mix  themfelves  with  a  people  who  were  their  maf- 
ters,  and  fo  to.  renounce  hopes  which  appeared  to  be  fo  very  groundlefs. 
They  feemed  to  have  been  warranted  by  Jofph's  example,  who  had  mar- 
ried an  Egyptian.  Hov/e\er,  one  never  finds  that  they  tried  that  me- 
thod. One  fee's  on  the  contrary,  that  there  was  little  correfpondence 
between  the  Hebreivs  and  Egyptians  in  their  facred  things  ;  for  the 
Hebreivs  facrificed  to  God  the  abomination  of  the  Egyptians^  that  is, 
thcfe  very  things  which  the  Egyptians  worfnipped. 

One  fee's  afterwards,  by  tiie  great  number  oi fiocks  which  they  drove 
along  with  them  at  their  going  out  of  Egypt^  that  they  had  continued  to 
follow  the  profeiTion  of  their  anceftors,  who  were  (hepherds,  a  very  odious 
employment  to  the  Egyptians. 

One  fee's  at  laft,  that  after  the  many  miracles  which  Mofes  wrought 
in  the  Egyptian  court,  that  this  people  followed  God's  condudf,  and 
went  out  of  that  countrey,  to  poflefs  the  land  of  Canaan.,  which  none  of 
them  had  ever  feen,  and  yet  they  lookt  upon  the  obtaining  it  as  a  bleffincr 
they  could  not  mifs  of.  * 

There  are  feveral  things  very  remarkable  upon  that  fubjecl. 
The  firft  is,  that  fome  Egyptians  went  out  with  the  Jfraelites  to  dwell 
with  them  in  the  land  of  Canaan.^  which  was  done,  not  only  that  there 
might  be  fome  indifputable  witnefTes  from  among  the  enemies  of  God,  of 
the  truth,  and  greatnefs  of  the  miracles  which  M^fs  had  wrought  amongft 
them,  which  alfo  was  a  prefage  of  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles  to  the  faith,  by 
their  infertion  into  the  body  of  the  Jeics :  but  alfo  that  there  might  be 
fome  witnelfes  of  the  extraordinary  afteclion  which  the  people  of  Ifrad 
had  for  the  land  of  Canaan.,  and  of  their  claims  to  it  by  virtue  of  God's 
promife,  that  he  would  put  them  into  pofleiTion  of  it.  For  otherwife  it 
is  not  a  common  thing  that  a  colony  of  flaves  Ihould  be  fuffer'd  to  run 
away,  much  lefs  that  they  Ihould  perfwade.tkeir  mailers  to  forfake  their 

Vi\i.,'  -;;  :;:j.  own 

(I)  Jalkut.  ex  Siphre.  fol.  311.  col.  2, 


«^2  Rcjiexiom  upon  the  Ch.  XIX. 

own  countrcy,  and  their  fettlemc-nts  at  home,  to  go  and  conquer  another 

for  them. 

The  fecond  remark  is,  that  God  made  the  Jews  travel  for,  forty  years 
in  the  deferts  of  Arabia^  not  only  to  make  them  forget  any  tyes  they 
mio-hthave  had  to  returji  again  into  Egypt^  and  to  accuftom  them  to  de- 
pend wholly  upon  Divine  providence  ;  but  alfo  to  redouble  their  defircs 
after  the  polFeilion  of  this  land  of  promife. 

It  was  for  the  fame  reafon  that  God  forbad  them  fo  ftraitlv  either  the 
mino-ling  with,  or  the  fetling  themfelvcs  amongll  the  Miduiuites^  tho' 
Mofes  had  given  an  example  by  marrying  Scphora ;  or  the  Ednmites^  or 
the  Ifmaelites,  or  the  Moabitesy  or  the  Ammonites^  tho'  all  thofe  nations 
were  defcended  from  Terah^  their  common  father,  or  from  the  Pa- 
triarchs. 

In  execution  of  which  fevere  prohibition,  God  commanded  the  Jews 
to  put  all  thofe  to  the  fword  who  fliould  make  any  alliance  with  thole  na- 
tions, as  we  have  inftance  of  it,  Nu?nb.  XXIII.  after  the  dcfcription  of 
Bniaam's  prophefics. 

And  it  could  be  for  no  other  end,  that  he  fo  ftraitlv  charged  the  If. 
rael'ites  to  cut  ofF  the  H'wites,  Amorhes^  and  other  nations  of  Canaan 
even  to  the  women  and  little  children  ;  but  in  purfuance  of  his  firft  de- 
li"-n  to  prevent  all  mixturt-,  of  his  people  with  thofe  nations,  which 
without  that  extream  rigour  would  infallibly  and  infenfibly  have  come  to 

pafs. 

I  know  very  well  that  God  preferved  the  Gibeonites^  by  ratifying  that 
alliance,  which  gave  leave  to  thofe  people  tho'  of  the  pofterity  of  Hnm^ 
to  continue  amongft  his  own  people  in  the  land  of  Canaan  ;  but  tho' 
God  did  in  effed  preferve  the  Gibeonites  amongft  the  Jews,  yet  he  forced 
them  to  undergo  the  drudgery,  and  fervile  offices  of  the  tabernacle,  and 
that  they  might  be  kept,  as  unqueftionable  witnefles  of  the  Hebrews  pre- 
tenfions,  and  of  their  miraculous  conqueft  of  the  land  of  Canaan  j  for 
the  continuance  of  that  nation  in  the  heart  of  the  countrey,  and  their 
fubmittino-  to  the  drudgery  of  carrying  wood,  and  water  for  the  ufe  of 
the  tabernacle,  tho'  they  were  at  firft  of  another  religion,  was,  as  I  havp 
obferved  already,  a  continual  fubjeil  of  admiration  to  the" pofterity  both 
of  the  Jeivs  and  of  the  Gibeonites  themfelves. 


>ot^3<Ka<.<3vo>o;o<>e><KS>«o<^><s«<2>*e>«^^ 


CHAP.      XIX. 

Tljat  the  Law  tied  the  People  ^Israel  to  the  Land  of  Ca^^ A A^^  and  by 
feveral  other  Means  ejiablifhed  the  DijVinSlion  betwixt  Tribes  and  Families 
amon^  them, 

fr'^^'r^  N  E  may  fay,  that  one  of  the  moft  efFe<Sual  means  which  God 
r^  O  w  ufed  to  hx  his  people  to  the  land  of  Canaan,  was  the  law  which 
S>^';St^  he  gave  tliem  to  meet  thrice  a  year,  and  celebrate  three  folemn 

feafts 


Ch.  XIX.  four  lajl  Booh  ofMofes.  333 

feafts  to-ether,  which  hardly  gave  them  leave  to  travel  far  Into  other 
countrcys  and  ensa^ed  them  every  time  they  met,  to  renew  in  the  pub- 
lick  ads  of  their  religion  the  memory  and  the  idea's  of  their  hopes  :  and 
they  conduced  to  this  defign  of  God  in  this  manner. 

Thofe  feafts  were  celebrated  at  three  times  which  were  the  molt  com- 
modious feafons  of  the  year  for  travelling,  betwixt  the  months  of  March 
and  O^ober :  the  celebration  of  the  paflbver  was  upon  the  fourteenth 
day  after  the  appearance  of  the  moon  in  March:  the  pentecofl  was  fifty 
days  after,  and  the  feaft  of  the  tabernacles  lafted  from  the  tirft  to  the 
tenth  day  of  5.'/)/fw^^r.  ^n        i         i  u    .• 

In  fnort,  the  law  which  obliged  the  Jews  to  afllft  at  the  celebration 
of  thofe  feafts,  required  the  appearance  of  all  the  males  of  twenty  years 
of  age  and  upwards,  fo  very  rigoroufly,  that  there  was  no  dUpenlation  ; 
for  all  (without  exception)  we7e  then  obliged  to  appear.  So  that  even 
during  the  difperfions  of  their  nation,  the  fru-j,  who  lived  out  oVJucieay 
aflifted  alwavs  at  the  celebration  of  thofe  three  feafts  with  great  care. 

This  was'a  vifible  way  of  keeping  the  tribes  of  Ifrad  dn^hn^:,  by  giv- 
ing- each  of  them  a  feparatc  portion  in  the  land  of  Car.aafi,  and  by  iixing 
them  infcparably  to  it ;  as  the  whole  nation  was  in  like  manner  diftm- 
guifhed,  by  its  being  placed  in  a  countrey  entirely  by  it  felf. 

We  fee  accordingly,  that  God  hath  obferved  that  method,  by  giving 
a  law  which  injoyns  the  diviilon  of  the  land  of  Canacin,  to  be  made  into 
as  many  portions  as  there  were  tribes,  only  excepting  the  tribe  of  Levi^ 
becaufe  the  Levites^  as  being  the  publick  minifters  of  their  religion,_were 
difpcrfed  amongft  the  other  tribes,  that  they  might  more  conveniently 
attend  to  the  inftrucfion  of  the  people. 

I  {hall  not  here  take  notice  of  the  miracle  which  was  evident  in  that 
divifion,  which  was  an  exa^  accompliftiment  of  the  oracle  which  Jaab 
and  Aiofes  uttered  a  little  before  their  deaths. 

But  1  Ihall  obferve,  firft,  that  as  the  defign  of  Goi  was  to  divide  that 
people  into  tribes,  that  the  tribe  of  Judah^  from  which  the  MefTiah  was 
to  be  born,  might  be  the  better  dift"inguift\'d  and  known,  fo  he  would, 
for  the  fame  reafon,  allot  the  cave  of  Machpelah^  the  fepulchre  of  the 
Patriarchs,  to  the  Ihare  of  the  tribe  oHJudah,  as  alfo  Ephratah,  the  place 
where  Rachel  was  buried,  which  was  afterwards  call'd  Bethlehem^  the 
town  where  David  had  his  birth,  and  which  was  foretold  by  the  Prophet 
Alii  ha  under  the  name  o(  Ephratah,  as  the  place  where  the  Mefliah  (liould 
be  born  in  the  fulnefs  of  time. 

We  muft  befides,  take  notice  of  two  particular  regulations,  by  which 
God  fixed  his  people  in  the  land  of  Qmaan,  and  prefervcd  a  diftind  idea 
of  this  firft  divihon  of  that  countrey. 
The  iirft  is  the  law  oi jubilee. 
The  fecond  is  the  law  of  lineal  retreats. 

tn  (hort,  by  the  law  of  the  jubilee  which  returned  every  fifty  years, 
and  by  which  every  one  that  could  juftifie  his  pedigree,  was  reinftated 
in  the  pofteffions  of  his  anceftors  :  God  obliged  that  people  to  keep  up  a 
diftinft  knowledge  of  the  firft  divifion  made  under  Jojhua  (7;z),  and 
which  is  defcribed  in  that  book  which  contains  his  hiftory,  much  more 
effedually  than  if  he  had  made  a  law  for  that  very  purpofe ;  fo  that  tho' 
^  the 

(m)  Jofliua  xiv.  b^c. 


234  Rffiexions  upon  the  Ch.  XIX. 

the  fielil  of  Ephratah  had  been  never  fo  often  alienated,  yet  it  always  re- 
turned to  the  tribe  of  Judnh^  and  (o  afterwards  into  David's,  family,  be- 
caufe  it  was  at  firfl:  the  lot  of  his  anccilors. 

This  law  of  jubilee  prcferved  a  diflincEl  knowledge  of  the  feveral  tribes, 
and  families,  and  it  alfo  kept  up  a  diftindl  idea  of  their  genealogies, 
which  muft  be  prcferved  entire  of  neceffity,  that  they  might  maintain 
their  right  to  the  inheritance  of  their  anceflors. 

It  would  be  to  no  ;-'Urpofe  to  objecl  againfl  this  obfervation,  that  it 
was  imnoliible  to  know  certainly  which  tribe,  and  much  lefs  whii  h  fa- 
mily every  eflate  did  belong  to,  becaufe  one  fee's  that  the  firft  proiblvtes 
who  went  out  with  the  Ifraelltes^  fhared  the  land  of  Cariaan  together  with 
them  ;  for  one  fee's  on  the  contrary, 

Firfl",  that  God  would  not  allow  any  of  the  Moahkes,  and  Ammonites 
to  become  profelytcs  before  the  tenth  generation. 

And  fecondly,  that  he  debarred  the  Edomites  from  being  admitted  to 
make  profelnon  of  Judaifm  before  the  third  generation,  which  excluded 
them  for  ever  from  any  pofi'eflions  in  the  land  of  Canaan. 

And  thirdly,  one  ought  to  obferve  the  difference  betwixt  an  Egyptian 
profelyte,  and  a  native  Jen:  :  the  quality  of  a  profelyte,  gave  pcx-miflion 
to  an  'Egyptian  to  live  amongft  the  Jews^  and  to  profefs  their  religion, 
but  it  gave  him  no  right  to  poffefs  any  of  their  land.    - 

And  then  befides  that,  thofe  Egyptian  profelites  had  a  particular  way  of 
praying  by  themfelves,  different  from  that  of  the  Javs,  as  the  yni:s  ftill 
teitilie  («).  They  could  not  poffefs  any  eftate  in  land  amongft  them  :  this 
is  fo  true,  that  it  was  once  found  neceffary  to  make  a  particular  regula- 
tion for  the  daughters  of  Zelophehad  (o),  that  they  might  have  their  di- 
vifion,  which  was  grai^ted  only  under  certain  conditions,  becaufe  the 
land  was  not  to  be  divided,  but  amongft  the  males  of  the  people  of 
Ij'raeL 

But  this  is  very  confidcrable,  that  by  this  law  of  the  jubilee,  God 
fixed  the  "Jnvs  to  the  land  of  Canaan^  by  giving  the  children  a  power  to 
look  upon  themfelves,  not  only  as  the  prefumptive  heirs  of  their  parents^ 
but  to  confidcr  their  parents  only  as  ufu-fru£Juary^s^  fmce  all  their  pof- 
feffions  in  land  were  lb  entailed,  that  the  children,  or  right  heirs  of  any 
man  could  not  mifs  of  the  rcverfion,  becaufe  whatever  alienation  was 
made,  it  could  laft  but  for  a  time  to  the  year  of  jubilee  which  reftored 
all  the  alienated  poflcffions,  abfokitely  and  entirely  to  the  right  heirs. 

Now  that  this  lav/  was  always  lookt  upon  as  a  fundamejital  law  amongft 
the  Jeijus,  appears  clearly  from  the  words  in  Leviticus  (p),  and  from  the 
hiftory  of  Naboth^  which  holy  man  rather  chofc  to  die  than  to  comply 
with  the  injuft  defire  oi'  Jh(d\  who  would  have  forced  Nuboth  to  fell  his 
eftate  abfolutely  notwithftanding  God's  exprefs  prohibition. 

The  exemplary  vengeance  which  God  took  upon  Naloth's  murder, 
and  the  relation  of  it  recorded  in  Scripture  is  a  further  confirmation  of 
this  fame  truth  :  if  a  king  of  JJrael  durft  not  at  firft  infringe  that  law, 
if  it  was  not  violated  by  any  other  than  Jefalel^  who  was  a  forreign  prin- 
cefs  :  if  the  tranfgreflion  of  that  law  was  punifli'd  in  fuch  an  exemplary 

manner, 

(n)  MafaBicccrr.  c.  1.  S.  4.  ^  (0)  Numb.  xxvii» 

(PJ  Leviticus  XXV.  23.     i  Kings  xxL 


Ch.  XIX.  four  lafl  Booh  ofMoJes.  335 

manner,  who  can  doubt  but  that  it  was  particularly  obferved  in  the  tribe 
of  Jv.dah^  as  a  fundamental  law  by  which  God  tied  up  hi"s  people  infe- 
parably  to  this  very  countrey. 

One  needs  only  make  fome  few  reflexions  upon  thofe  words  whlcli 
God  makes  ufe  of  E7.ek,  XLVI.  to  agree  to  what  I  fay,  if  thofe  re- 
flexions which  I  have  made  already  upon  Nabotb's  murder  be  alfo  added 
to  them. 

One  may  obferve  upon  the  fame  fubjedl:,  that  tho'  God  had  fcveral 
times  fubievilcd  the  Jeivs  to  a  foreign  power,  yet  he  never  fuffered  the 
whole  nation  to  be  all- carried  away  oat  of  Canaan  at  one  tirrie,  nor  yet 
to  continue  in  captivity  for  the  time  of  two  whole  jubilees ;  they  were 
but  feventy  years  in  Babylon,  which  was  the  furtheft  place  that  they  were 
ever  carried  into. 

From  whence  we  may  naturally  conclude,  that  their  genealogies  could 
not  be  confounded  in  fo  (hort  a  time,  becaufe  many  that  were  at  the 
confecration  of  the  fecond  temple  had  feen  the  firft'.  nor  could  the  diftinit 
knowledge  of  thefeveral  divifions  of  their  eftates  be  obliterated  ;  becaufe 
thofe  of  every  tribe  who  continued  ftill  in  the  laixl,  might  vifibly  keep 
them  up. 

And  we  here  of  neceflity  ought  to  obferve  in  the  firft  place,  what  w^ 
may  read  in  the  XXXII.  Chapter  oi  "Jeremiah  (c^j,  concerning  the  fale 
of  a  field  which  yeremiah  bought. 

And  fecondly,  what  we  read  Nchem.  the  Vth  where  he  is  troubled  to 
fee  the  alienation  of  their  fields,  which  was  a  confequence  of  theif 
mifcry. 

And  thirdly,  the  manner  how  that  people  were  reftored  to  their  eftates, 
according  to  the  fundamental  lav/s  of  their  ftate. 

Another  very  efFedlual  means  to  fix  that  people  to  the  land  of  Canaan 
and  to  preferve  their  families  there  certainly  without  confufion,  was  the 
law  of  lineal  retreats,  which  God  inftituted  for  this  very  purpofe. 

For  in  fliort,  when  this  rule  was  once  laid  down,  that  upon  the  fai- 
lure of  an  heir  in  any  family,  that  the  next  kinfman  was  the  heir  at  law 
it  appears  plainly,  that  every  one  was  obliged  for  his  own  intereft,  to  in- 
quire with  diligence  into  the  genealogical  lives  of  his  own  tribe,  that  he 
might  inftrudt  himfelf  in  the  ftate  of  the  fereral  families  of  his  kindred 
and  of  the  feveral  degrees  of  proximity  of  blood,  whereby  they  mio-ht  be 
related,  becaufe  the  exa£l  knowledge  of  thefe  lifts,  and  of  thofe  feveral 
degrees  of  kindred  were  abfolutely  neceftary  to  make  ufe  of  this  rio-ht 
of  lineal  retreats. 

There  were  two  other  laws  which  contributed  alfo  to  this  ;  one  where- 
of regulated  all  that  was  to  be  done,  when  there  were  none  but  dauHi. 
ters  left  in  a  family  :  a  famous  inftance  of  which,  we  have  in  the  hiftory 
of  the  daughters  of  Zebpbehad  fct  down  twice  by  Mofes  on  purpofe  no 
doubt,  that  it  fhould  be  the  more  taken  notice  of,  as  I  intend  to  fliew 
particularly  in  another  place. 

The  other  la\V  regulated  all  that  the  next  kinfman  of  any  one  that  died 
childlefs,  was  obliged  to  do  in  refpecl  of  the  relic!:,  and  of  the  eftate  of 
the  deceafed,  if  he  intended  to  redeem  it.     One  finds  in  the  book  of 

Ruth^ 

{q)  Jerem  xxxil. 


336  Reflexions  upon  the  Ch.  XX, 

Ruthy  an  illuftrious  example  of  the  execution  of  this  law,  which  may  be 
found  Z)«//^r.  XXV.  i.'.         ■    ' 

Now  after  all  this,  let  any  one  judge,  whether  there  could  be  any 
ftronger  ties  than  thefe  to  oblige  the  people  of  Ifracl  to  continue  in  the 
land  of  Canaan^  and  whither  the  divifion  which  God  made  of  it,  betwixt 
their  feveral  tribes  and  families,  was  not  an  infallible  means  to  diftin- 
guifli  them  certainly  one  from  ano'thef. 


CHAP.      XX. 

That  the  Laws  which  MosEs  7na(le  concerning  the  State  of  t^irginityy  did 
principally  relate  alfo  to  the  Messiah,  which  holds  alfo  as  to  feveral  other 
Laws. 

fy^y^^.  I  T  H  E  R  T  O  I  have  fhew'd  the  care  which  God  took  to  di- 
■^  H  ^;  flinguifh  his  people  of  Ifrael  from  all  other  nations  of  the  world, 
f  j*;";fr'=^  and  1  afterwards  fhew'd  what  care  he  took  to  keep  the  diftinc- 
tions  which  he  firft  fet  up  amongft  the  tribes.  And  I  afterwards  explain- 
ed thofe  laws  which  he  gave  to  oblige  every  family  in  each  tribe  to  re- 
mam  diftindl.  And  I  afterwards  made  it  manifeft,  that  the  divifion  of 
the  land  of  Canaan  was  a  very  proper  means  to  execute  this  dcfi^n  of 
God. 

All  which  fhews,  that  God  intended  to  make  it  eafie  for  every  man  to 
diftinguifh  the  Mefliab,  when  it  fhould  be  once  known  that  he  was  to 
be  born  out  of  the  family  oijeff^  as  it  was  afterwards  foretold  by  feveral 
exprefs  oracles. 

Kut  as  there  ought  to  be  fomething  fupernatural  in  the  birth  of  the 
Mefliah,  who  was  to  be  born  of  a  Virgin,  fo  we  ought  to  fee  what  care 
God  took  in  his  laws,  that  the  birth  of  the  Meiliah,  even  in  this  very 
article,  might  not  be  a  fact  too  difficult  to  be  acknowledged  and  cfta- 
blifhed. 

In  the  firft  promife  which  God  made  to  man  in  thefe  words,  That  the 
feed  of  the  wcmanyJ}:)ouldhriufc  the  fer pent' s  hcad^  being  joyned  with  Ifaiah's 
prophefie,  Beheld^  a  virgin  jhall  conceive^  he.  ^  VII.  It  is  vifible,  that 
for  the  accomplifliment  of  thefe  oracles,  one  ought  to  fuppofc,  that  the 
Mefliah  muft  be  born  of  a  virgin,  as  the  ChrilHans  profcfs  to  believe : 
Why  fhould  God  otherwlfe  have  taken  care,  to  infniuate  from  the  very 
beginning  of  the  world,  that  the  Mefliah  was  to  be  born  of  the  feed  of  a 
woman,  without  mentioning  any  thing  of  a  man,  if  he  had  not  fuppofed, 
that  he  fliould  be  born,  without  the  operation  of  a  man  ?  And  why 
fliould  Ifai a h  propok  the  conceiving  of  a  virgin,  as  an  effed  wholly  fu- 
pernatural ? 

In  (hort,  God  did  therefore  by  his  laws  not  only  fecure  the  ftate  of 
virginity,  that  this  thing  might  not  be  ambiguous  when  it  fhould  be  ac- 
complifhcd,  but  (as  wc  fhaU  fee  here)  he  has  by  thefe  laws  made  it  ex- 
treamly  illuftrious. 

u  Firft, 


Ch.  XX.  four  laji  Booh  ofMofes,  337 

Firfl-,  befides  that,  God  would  have  the  punifliment  of  death  I'nflided 
upon  them  that  were  at  any  time  found  guilty  of  fins  againft  nature,  as 
alfo  upon  them,  that  fnould  be  proved  to  have  had  any  incelluous  com- 
merce with  thofe  that  were  nearly  related  to  them,  and  to  whom  either 
the  nearnefs  of  blood,  or  of  affinity^  gave  them  a  more  free  and  familiar 
accefs.  He  moreover,  ftraitly  commanded,  that  all  proftitutes  fiiould 
be  put  to  death  without  any  mercy  {r). 

•  Secondly,  he  is  not  only  contented  to  forbid  fornication  and  adultery 
in  general,  by  condemning  to  death,  thofe  that  exprelly  ihould  be  con- 
victed of  it,  and  by  awarding  the  fame  fentence  againll:  him  that  ftiould 
happen  to  corrupt  a  contrafted  virgin,  and  the  virgin  her  felf  [s).  But 
he  alfo  hinders  men  by  two  wavs  from  falling  into  fins  of  impuritv,  he 
permitted,  on  the  one  hand,  a  divorce  where  the  wife  did  not  pleafe  her 
hufband,  and  on  the  other  hand  he  allowed  of  polygamy.  This  tolera- 
tion made  that  virgins  on  the  one  fide,  not  remaining  too  long  unmar- 
ried were  not  apt  to  be  eafily  corrupted,  and  on  the  other  fide  men  were 
not  very  forward  to  debauch  thofe  women  whom  they  did  not  intend  to 
marry,  or  to  keep  when  married,  for  he  that  was  compelled  to  marry  a 
virgin  whom  he  had  feduced,  was  exprefly  forbidden  to  put  her  away  for 
\ever  after  (f). 

It  is  natural  to  obferve  the  defign  of  thofe  laws  amongfl:  the  people  of 
the  Jews  (//).  In  fhort,  the  defire  of  ifilie  made  them  marry  very  young  j 
moft  of  the  men  were  married  at  eighteen  years  of  age. 

Therefore  all  virgins  thought  it  a  fliame  to  be  unmarried ;  therefore 
God  makes  them  fpeak  in  the  third  of  Ifaiah^  in  that  manner,  when  fe- 
Yen  women  would  marry  one  man,  without  afking  any  thing  for  diet,  or 
cloaths,  provided  only  that  he  would  take  away  that  reproach  of  living 
without  having  children.  'Twas  this  defire  of  porterity,  which  made 
the  women  look  upon  barennefs  as  a  curfe. 

Again,  this  vehement  defire  of  children  made  eunuchs  to  be  regarded, 
as  men  particularly  abhorred  of  God,  not  only  by  the  Jews^  but  alfo  by 
the  Heathens  themfelves  [x)  :  Altho'  afterwards  they  pafled  for  holy 
men,  becaufe  they  defigned  to  imitate  what  (as  they  were  told)  had  hap- 
pened to  A^oahj  by  his  Ton  Ham,  which  introduced  the  cuftom  amongfl: 
the  Jjjyrians  of  caftrating  themfelves,  that  they  might  be  priefts. 

Thirdly,  God  commanded,  that  any  virgin  which  was  betrothed  to  a 
hufband,  and  was  corrupted  in  her  father's  houfe,  or  that  was  ravifhed 
without  calling  for  help,  fhould  be  puniflied  with  death  (j) ;  fo  that  all 
the  virgins  were  indifpenfably  engaged  for  fear  of  lofing  both  life  and  ho- 
nour together,  to  preferve  their  virginity  with  all  poflibic  care. 

But  here  is  a  fourth  law  concerning  this  matter,  whereby  God  obliged 
the  parents  of  all  contrafted  virgins  to  take  a  more  than  ordinary  care  of 
them,  when  he  commands  Drut.  XXII.  21.  Th/it  a  v'trgiH  for  who7n  the 
tokens  of  virginity  ivere  net  found,  fijould  be  brought  out  of  the  door  of  her  fa- 
ther's 

(r)  Exod.  xxii.     Deut.  xxii.     Levit.  xvili.     Levlt.  xx.     Dcut.  xxiii.  17, 

{^\  Exod.  xxii.     Levit.  xx.     Deut.  xxii. 

(/)   Deut  xxii.  (»)   Mnjec.  Avosh.  c,  5. 

{x)  Lucian  deEvniuhy  P*  537.      Lucian  de  Dca  Syria,   p.  1069. 

iy)  Deut.  xxii. 

Vol.  I.  Y 


3i8  Rejiexhns  upon  the  Ch.  XX. 

iher's  houfe^  and  there  bejloned  to  death  by  thf  men  of  the  city,  for  fo  her 
parents  were  by  tliat  mcan<5,  made  partakers  of  t'  .  punilhment  of  her 
crime,  and  their  ncLh'gencc,  was  feverely  punifli'd  by  fucli  a  fhameful 
execution  a?  dishonoured  their  whole  family. 

Fifthly,  God  fubmitted  M'omen  to  the  examination  of  their  hufbands 
to  whom  they  were  married  :  nay,  one  would  think  that  he  intended  to 
raife  the  jealoufifc  of  h'lfbands,  when  he  gives  them  leave  to  bring  their 
wives  to  a  publick  tryal,  and  to  punifli  them  with  death,  when  they  did 
not  prefc-rve  the  tokens  of  their  virginity. 

It  was  for  that  reafon  that  he  commanded  (z),  that  the  parents  or 
near  relations  of  the  young  married  women  thus  complained  of,  {hould 
produce  upon  all  fuch  occafions  the  tokens  of  the  virginity  of  thofe 
daughters  which  they  difpofed  in  marriage,  which  was  ufually  doive  witli 
many  fclemn  circumftances  and  formalities. 

And  here  are  three  things,  which  dcferve  to  be  attentively  confidered. 

The  firft  is  the  cuftom  that  was  am.ongft  the  j^ews  for  parents  never 

to  let  their  virgin  daughters  go  out  of  their  houfes,  which  cuftom  made 

them  be  called  concealed^  in  oppofition  to  thofe  that  went  abroad  j  that 

is,  that  were  proftitutes. 

The  fccond  is  another  cuftom  which  the  juft  defire  of  prefcrving  the 
virginity  of  their  daughters  againft  all  accidents,  had  introduced  amongft 
that  people,  which  was,  that  all  their  virgins  did  wear  a  fort  of  fetters, 
which  are  called  in  the  Talmud,  ceval'im,  which  are  defcribed  by  the  fa- 
mous t^^j-,  the  fon  of  A/'^77«o;7j  in  this  manner:  Qvali?n  funt  compedcs 
171  forma  pcrljcelidis,  inter  quos  interpofnerimt  catenulas,  i/Iis  campedibus  or^ 
nabantfe  virgines,  ut  non  incederent  pajfu  tnagno,  ne  contigeret  ipfis  damnum 
in  virgi'fiiiate  fua  (a)^  This  defcription  maybe  thought  to  be  one  of  the 
foolifli  phancies  of  the  modern  yeius,  if  we  did  not  meet  with  proofs  of 
the  praclicc  of  that  cuftom  in  more  ancient  times.  In  ftiort,  one  fee'* 
in  the  third  of  Jjcnah,  that  chains  are  reckon'd  up  amongft  other  orna- 
ments of  the  daughters  of  Ifrael,  which  God  threatneth  to  take  away  from 
them,  when  he  would  force  them  to  go  captives  into  Babylon. 

The  third  is  an  ancient  tradition  mentioned  in  the  Pirke  Eliezer  in  the 
XVI.  Chapter,  Solent  Jfraelita  digito  educere  virg'niitotem,  ne  incidant  in 
duhitatloncm  vcl fufpicionem,  juxto  illud^  liimat  pater,  &  mater  puellae,  l^c. 
In  a  word,  it  feems,  that  for  fear  leaft  thefc  tokens  of  virginity  ftiould 
be  thought  to  be  obfcure  and  ambiguous  by  their  hufbands,  that  God  has 
provided  for  the  fccuring  of  the  virginity  of  their  young  women  before 
marriage  by  a  miracle,  the  experience  whereof  was  ordinary  and  com- 
mon amongft  fo  jealous  a  people.  I  mean,  the  waters  of  jealoufie  (/*), 
which  all  women,  whofe  carriage  was  fufpedted  by  their  huibands,  were 
obliged  to  drink,  by  which  God  did  either  miraculoufly  juftifie  them,  or 
elfe  he  began  to  inflict  a  puniftiment  upon  them,  which  vi'as  fo  much  the 
more  dreadful  and  exemplary,  as  it  proceeded  from  the  hand  of  God 
hlmfelf.  l^his  miracle  lafted  to  the  deftruclion  of  the  fecond  temple,  ns 
the  Jeivs  themfelves  tells  us  in  that  title  of  their  Talmud  [c),  which  con- 
cerns women  fufpe6led  of  adultery, 

Howe\'er, 

{::.)   Deut.  Yxli.  (a)   Jd  Majfce,  ^bbatb.  C.  6.  J.  4. 

\b)   Numb.  V.  "^cjeph,  1,  3.  Antiq.  p.  95.  (f  j   Sota  C.  9. 


C  H .  X  X .  four  laji  Booh  of  Mojes.  3  ^  q 

Ho\ve\'er,  as  God  works  no  miracles  without  great  reafons,  fo  he 
here  made  a  law,  the  obfervance  whereof  was  very  rigorous,  which  wa? 
that  he  would  not  fuffer  any  women  to  be  married  when  there  was  the 
leaft  probability,  that  they  had  their  courfes,  but  that  they  fhould  be  fe- 
parated  at  thac  time,  as  unclean. 

This  reafon  of  this  la\^y  was,  becaufe  it  was  then  almoft  impoflible  but 
that  the  lewd  women  might  have  impofed  upon  their  hulbands,  in  the 
marks  of  their  virginity.  Which  at  that  time  are  very  uncertain  ;  not  to 
fay,  that  as  a  politick  law-giver,  he  might  prefcribe  the  obfervation  of 
this  law,  leaft  the  common-wealth  of  the  Jews  fhould  have  been  over- 
ftocked  with  weak,  and  fickly  people. 

Laftly,  one  fee's  that  God  himfelf  has  faftned  a  blot  upon  leprous 
perfons,  becaufe  they  were  fuppofed  to  have  been  conceived  when  their 
mothers  had  their  courfes  [d) :  and  hereupon  was  that  law  of  God  found- 
ed, which  debarred  lepers  for  ever  from  the  right  of  coming  into  the 
congregations  of  his  people. 

One  ought  to  make  the  fame  obfervation  upon  thofe  that  were  unlaw- 
fully begotten,  for  they  were  deprived  of  the  right  of  entrino-  into  the 
congregation,  and  how  innocent  foever  they  were,  as  to  the  lewdnefs 
of  thofe  who  gave  them  their  lives  ;  yet  they  were  thus  with  them  made 
partakers  of  the  punifhment  of  their  fin. 

If  one  confiders  all  thefe  feveral  laws  attentively,  one  fhall  find  on  the 
one  hand,  that  fcveral  of  them  were  of  very  little  moment,  except  we 
fuppofe,  that  God  intended  to  fecure  the  ftate  of  virginity  by  them  be- 
yond all  danger  :  and  on  the  other  hand,  one  ftiall  find  that  fome  of  them 
are  very  fevere  about  things,  which  do  not  feem  to  deferve  fo  terrible  a 


neour. 


) 

But  if  we  confider  them  according  to  God's  defign,  as  he  hath  after- 
wards particularly  explained  it.  They  will  appear,  I  am  confident,  to 
be  all  very  worthy  of  the  wifdom  of  fuch  a  law  giver. 

One  needs  only  reflect  upon  that  method  of  God,  that  I  have  now  ex- 
plained to  fee,  that  nothing  can  be  conceived  to  be  better  managed,  than 
this  model  according  to  the  defign  which  God  himfelf  had  drawn. 

One  may  make  the  fame  obfervations,  and  examine  the  fame  flroaks 
of  the  wifdom  of  God,  in  feveral  other  precautions,  which  he  made  ufe 
of  to  make  the  Mefliah  be  perfedly  diftinguifh'd  according  to  the  feveral 
characters  under  which  he  Was  to  be  propofed  afterwards  by  the  miniflry 
oi  the  Prophets. 

One  fees,  that  the  Mefliah  being  to  be  born  of  a  virgin,  was  to  be  a 
firft-born,  and  for  that  reafon,  we  find  many  laws  which  diftino-uilh  in 
general,  the  priviledges  of  the  firft-born. 

So  it  appears  by  the  XVIII  of  Deuteronomy,  that  the  MeiTiah  was  to 
be  a  Prophet  j  and  thel-efore,  God  afterwards  gave  notice  by  the  Pro- 
phets of  all  thofe  lights  which  fhould  particularly  appear  in  him.  In 
profpect  of  this,  God  gaVe  by  the  minifi-ry  oi Mojcs,  fuch  charaders  as 
would  difllnguim  the  true  Prophets  from  thofe  who  endeavoured  to  ufurp 
that  name. 

It  appears  alfo,  that  becaufe  God  was  to  communicate  to  the  Me/Tiah 

X  ^  I  r/- .      *.  >    .        /.  ^  power 

(tf)  IJidor.  Ptlus  I.  5.  Ep,  1 17.     Jcfeph.  Antiq.  \.  3.  p.  94.. 

Y2 


340  Reflexions  upon  the  '  Ch.  XXI. 

a  power  of  working  miracles  (which  A-frfcs  intimnrtcs,  by  faying,  that  he 
was  to  be  a  Prophet  hke  unto  him.)  Thcrci'orc Ifaid/j  fpecifies  the  cha- 
raflcr  of  thofe  miracles  in  >XXV.  Chapter  of  bis  prophefie,  and  God 
explains  in  particular,  the  laws  concerning  the  blind  and  the  lame,  and 
for  the  fame  reafon,  he  gives  an  account  of  all  forts  of  Icprofie,  that  it 
might  be  diftindtly  known  which  was  incurable. 

It  is  eafie  to  thofe  who  will  attend  to  the  laws  of  Mofcs^  to  fee  that 
they  were  fubfcrvient  to  this  defign  of  God,  in  purfuance  of  thofe  pro- 
fpeils  which  we  have  already  fet  down. 


o®^©@:g©©©©©©©@©©©©S©g^©i^©©©©©©©<;:> 


CHAP.      XXI. 

That  it  tuas  the  Defign  of  God  by  all  thefe  Ceremonies^  and  particularly  by 
that  Feneration  which  he  infpired  the  Jews  vjith^  for  the  Tabernacle^  to 
preferve  the  Ideas  of  the  Mejfiah^  ivhorn  he  had  promifedy  in  their  Alitidsy 
by  dijlingiiifhing  themfrorn  all  other  Nations. 

i^y^.'il^!^_  F  T  E  R  all  thcfe  obfervations  which  I  have  made  upon  the  fe* 
g;  A  w  veral  laws  that  God  made  ufe  of  to  execute  his  defign  of  fixing 
tji*';*?c^  his  people  to  a  certain  place,  and  there  to  keep  them  feparate  ; 
it  is  natural  to  judge,  that  the  ceremonial  laws  which  he  gave  them  for 
tlie  regulating  their  outward  worfhip,  v/ere  alfo  intended  for  the  fame  end. 
This  I  muft  fhew  in  refpecl  of  the  holinefs  which  God  afcribes  to  the 
land  of  Canaan^  and  in  rcfpecl  of  the  whole  fervice  of  the  tabernacle,  of 
its  mifterious  conftru(5lion  in  all  its  parts:  and  in  refpecl  alfo  of  the 
raifing  of  the  material  temple  afterwards,  to  be  as  it  were  the  center  of 
their  whole  religion. 

It  was  certainly  for  this  purpofe,  that  he  particularly  confecrated  fc- 
veral  things  to  himfelf,  as  the  firft  fruits,  and  the  firft-born,  and  that 
he  fet  apart  certain  times,  as  the  firft  day  of  the  month,  and  certain  fc- 
lemn  feafts,  befides  the  fabbath-day,  which  was  celebrated  long  before. 
And  he  alfo  confecrated  feveral  places,  as  the  towns  of  refuge  j  and  yet 
more  particularly,  the  tabernacle  and  the  temple :  but  it  was  efpecially 
for  that  reafon,  that  he  had  confecrated  certain  rites  and  ceremonies, 
certain  facrifices,  both  of  animate  and  inanimate  things,  and  certain  of- 
ferings of  gold,  and  fdver,  perfumes,  l^c. 

One  fee's,  that  he  rejedted  any  firft  fruits  that  did  not  grow  in  the 
land  of  Canaan  :  one  fee's,  that-tho'  fome  facrifices  were  common  to  the 
ftU's  and  their  neighbours,  yet  he  diftinguifh'd  them  by  fo  many  cir- 
cumftanccs,  that  they  were  much  different  from  the  others  :  thus  he  tor- 
bids  them  to  make  ufe  of  ftatues  before  which  other  nations  ufed  to  fa- 
crifice  at  that  time,  and  he  commanded  them  not  to  facrifice  upon  high 
places,  where  the  heathens  ufcd  to  make  their  offerings  very  early  in  the 
morning,  at  fun  rife,  which  gave  rife  to  their  worftiip  of  the  rifing  fun. 
But  there  is  nothing  more  difcovers  the  defign  of  God,  than  the  laws 
by  which  he  fixed  their  worfhip,  firft  to  the  tabernacle,  and  afterwards 

to 


Ch.  XXI.  four  hj}  Booh  ofMofts,  341 

to  the  temple,  at  the  places  where  God  did  particularly  refide.  One 
may  fa)',  that  it  was  for  that  reaiou,  God  commanded  the  reprefenta- 
tions  of  angels,  and  of  his  law,  and  of  the  manna  to  be  prefervcd  there, 
all  which  befides,  that  they  were  memorials  of  the  ancient  apparitions,  and 
favours  of  God  to  that  people,  they  were  exprefs  figures  of  God's  glory, 
of  his  will,  and  of  his  miraculous  power ;  he  added  alfo  a  candleftick 
with  'itNcn  branches,  a  table  covered  with  loaves,  and  an  altar  of  incenfe, 
which  were  figures  of  the  {^v^w  planets  of  this  vifiole  world,  of  the  blef- 
fmgs  which  we  enjoy  by  nature,  and  of  thole  acknowledgments  which 
we  owe  unto  God  for  all  thefe :  he  commanded  alfo,  that  none  fhould 
offer  facrifices,  in  any  other  place  except  the  temple. 

He  would  not  permit  that  any  but  thofe  who  were  purified  according 
to  the  law  fhould  enter  into  it,  he  excluded  all  uncircumcifed  perfons 
for  ever,  as  Mofes  had  formerly  been  commanded  to  pull  off  his  fhoes  in 
the  defert,  at  his  approaching  to  the  burning  buih,  fo  every  one  that  en- 
tered into  the  temple  was  to  enter  barefoot,  as  a  mark  of  that  refpeil 
which  had  formerly  been  exadled  of  Mojcs. 

And  what  other  reafon  but  that,  could  oblige  him  to  give  both  at  the 
confecration  of  the  temple,  and  afterwards  fo  many  fenfible  marks  of  his 
prefence  ;  that  cloud  which  was  called  his  glory  refted  there.  The  Urim 
and  Tbummim  which  was  an  oracle  for  that  whole  jiation,  was  there  ; 
there  was  a  daily  facrifice  offered  up  for  the  whole  people,  there  were 
celebrated  the  three  folemn  feafts  of  the  paffover,  of  pentecoft,  and  of 
tabernadcs,  he  forbid  them  to  facrifice  any  where  ell'c,  and  he  gave  fre- 
tjuent  and  illuftrious  oracles  at  that  place. 

One  ought  alfo  to  obferve,  that  after  his  temple  (to  which  all  the 
glory  of  the  tabernacle  was  tranfmitted)  was  fij^ed  2X'yeriifalcm^  he  or- 
tifrcdit  to  be  fucha  fenfible  mark  of  his  prefence,  that  when  we  read 
th?  hiftory  of  IfraeVs,  march  in  the  defart,  we  find,  that  the  tabernacle 
W2S  the  image  of  the  temple,  and  built  after  its  model ;  fo  that  as  the 
tabernacle  ftood  always  in  the  midil:  of  die  tents  of  the  Leviie>^  and  the 
Ltvites  in  the  midft  of  the  whole  camp  of  all  the  tribes  of  Ijrael^  who 
wqre  all  lifted  under  their  proper  ftandards:  fo  one  fee's  afterwards,  that 
the  temple,  the  Levites^  and  the  people  of  "Jeriijakm  were  placed,  ac- 
cording to  their  different  degrees  of  holinels,  as  they  were  to  approach 
to  the  moft  holy  place,  which  was  the  habitation  of  his  holinefs. 

Certainly,  one  mav  fay,  that  the  building  up  of  a  tabernacle,  or  of  a 
temple,  feems  to  be  directly  contrary  to  the  nature  of  religion,  accord- 
ing to  which,  God  v/ho  is  a  fpirit,  will  be  worlhipped  in  fpirit,  and  in 
truth  :  fo  that  this  feems  to  have  been  quitted  for  a  tim.e,  when  he  com- 
manded the  building  of  a  tabernacle. 

But  really  there  was  nothing  more  agreeable  to  the  defign  which  God 
had  formed  at  firft,  as  to  that  people  ;  he  intended  to  make  it  vifible,  and 
it  appears,  that  nothing  could  be  more  efteclual  to  make  ic  {o^  than  the 
double  necefhty  to  which  that  whole  people  was  reduced  to,  to  meet  in 
a  body  feveral  times  every  year  in  the  fame  place,  and  to  offer  all  their 
facrifices  in  the  tabernacle,  and  to  be  there  perpetually  employed  in  the 
ceremonial  fervice,  which  did  infeparably  drav/  them  thither,  and  fix  them 
there. 

The  end  of  all  thofe  vifible  affemblies,  was  to  perpetuate  the  know- 

Y  3  ledge 


342  Rejfexlons  upon  the  Cl!.  XXL 

ledge  of  the  principal  verities  of  their  religion,  an4  efpccially  to  renew 
perpetually,  the  h  >p<r  of  that  people,  as  to  the  McfTiah,  who  \)i'as  pro- 
mi  fed  to  them  from  God. 

For  GoJ  having  fnortnpd  the  long  lifes  which  men  commonly  enjoy 'd 
in  the  begii.nir.g,  bvfore  they  went  out  of  Egypt ^  fo  that  hvc  or  fix  per- 
fons  could  no  longer  prcTcrvc  the  tradition  of  20CO  years,  as  they  had 
done  till  Mofa^  time,  God  was  of  neceflity  obliged  to  make  ufe  of  fome 
other  means  to  fupply  that  defect. 

He  had  already  made  ufe  of  feyeral  before,  amongft  which,  was  that 
which  we  fiiid  prefcribcd  Deut.  XXV'II.  where  he  ordered  the  buildinj; 
of  an  aliar  with  rough  ftones,  whereupon  the  names  of  the  twelve  tribcj, 
and  the  whole  law  were  to  be  ingraved. 

He  aficivvurds  follow'd  other  methods,  and  thus  wc  fee,  that  Scrnuri 
following, yl/^fi  and  Jcjhucih^s  example,  repeats  before  a  folemn  aflembly 
oi  the  people  met  at  Gilgal,  for  the  confccrauon  of  Saul,  the  things  that 
came  to  pafs  during  the  government  of  Bedan  or  Sampfov,  of  Jephthab  zui\ 
his  own. 

But  yet  the  beft  way  was  to  fix  this  people  to  one  tabernacle,  wherein 
we  lee  that  bcfides  the  monuments  which  prtlerved  the  memory  of  th^ 
great  miracles  that  Gcd  had  wrought  at  the  foundation  of  itic  ynvijh 
conimpii-wcalth,  as  the  pot  of  manna,  Jarctis  rod  that  bloflbm'd,  the 
plates  of  the  altar  that  had  been  made  out  of  the  cenfers  of  Corah^  Dathii?.^ 
and  their  confederates. 

One  fee's,  that  the  law,  and  the  books  of  the  covenant  were  depofited 
there  by  God's  order,  and  the  principal  tranfactions  and  deliverances 
that  were  wrought  by  God  in  the  behalf  of  that  people,  were  continual- 
ly  celebrated  with  hymns  and  other  tokens  of  publick  tliankfulnefs. 

It  was,  no  doubt,  upon  this  account,  that  he  caufed  the  book  of  the 
law  to  be  laid  up  there,  with  many  ceremonies  and  expiations  ;  and  that 
he  cj-.jcyned  it  to  be  read  publickjy  in  the  prefence  of  the  whole  congre- 
gation every  ^cvtn  years  :  one  fee's,  that  he  commanded,  that  every  fa- 
mily ftould  read  this  book  continually,  and  th?t  all  fhould  entertain  their 
wive?  and  children  from  their  tendereft  years,  with  the  delign  of  the  law, 
jiight,  ar.d  day,  in  the  countrey,  and  in  the  town,  at  all  times,  and  ia 
♦ill  places. 

One  fee's,  that  God  engaged  them  to  it  not  only  by  an  exprefs  com- 
rnand,  but  alfo  by  an  indilpcnfible  necelTity,  becaufe  he  made  it  death  for 
any  man  to  violate  any  of  thofe  ceremonial  laws,  from  a  principle  of  ob- 
jftinacy,  no  pardon  could  b^  obtained  for  the  tranfgrefhons  committed 
ir, rough  ignorance,  before  they  were  expiated  by  certain  facrifices, 
the  forms  whereof  were  fcrupuloufly  prefcribed  in  the  law,  and  which 
j,j;cu!d  be  \  iulated  upon  no  account  whatever, 
•  If  one  confiders  thofe  things,  he  may  fay,  that  the  Jews  had  fcarce 
one  moment  free  in  their  lives,  fo  preiling  v.-.is  the  neceffity  which  !ay 
upon  them  to  confult  the  law  of  God,  the  regulations  of  which  were  lo 
very  exa<5t  and  particular,  that  there,  no  actions  publick,  or  private, 
tpuld  happen,  but  what  were  regulated,  and  determined  by  thofe  con- 
ilitutions. 

If  a  beaft  was  born,  the  owner  was  to  examine  whether  it  was  the 

tirfl-born. 


C5h,  XXII.  four  laji  Booh  of  Mofes.  343 

firft-born,  or  rvo^  whither  it  was  clean,  or  unclean,  and  whether  it  was 
to  be  redeemed,  with  feveral  other  things  of  this  nature. 

If  a  woman  was  big  with  child,  there  were  many  queftions  to  be  afk- 
•ed :  when  (he  came  to  lie-in,  feveral  very  different  ceremonies  were 
praftis'd,  according  as  the  child  was  a  fir^t-born,  or  not.  The  law  en- 
ioyned  various  purifications  accerdmg  as  the  woman  brought  forth,  a 
fon  or  a  daughter. 

God  had  prefer ibed  a  great  number  of  la\vs  for  all  the  accidents  of  life, 
for  marriages,  for  fucceilions,  for  funerals,  for  mourning,  for  unforefcsa 
accidents,  as  the  death  of  a  man  that  was  kill'd  without  the  defign  of 
his  nuir'therer,  for  the  feveral  crimes  that  might  be  committed,  i;i 
their  feveral  pollutions,  and  fequeftrations,  l^c. 

It  feems,  that  this  whole  people,  from  the  time  that  they  carae,  to  the 
ufe  of  their  reafon,  to  the  time  of  their  death,  was  ftill  continually  ob- 
liged to  -keep  up  a  correfpohdence  with  the  priefts  aiid  Lcvites,  whom 
God  had  for  this  purpofe  difperfed  amongft  allthe  tribes  of  Ifrael,  and  to 
confult  the  law  and  the  teftimony  to  be  inftrucied  in  the  manner  of  go- 
verning themfelves  :  but  particularly,  they  were  to  look  upon  the  temple 
and  the  tabernacle,  as  the  center  of  their  whole  religion  :  and  how  could 
they  do  this,  without  carrying  iheir  profpeot  a^  the  fame  time  to  thofe 
great  promifes  of  the  Mefliah,  of  which  the  Ifraelites  were  depofitaries : 
I  fay,  upon  thofe  promifes,  which  raifed  up  fo  many  jealoufies  betwixt 
iheir  forefathers,  and  the  anceftors  of  thofe  neighbouring  nations,  with 
u'hom  they  had  always  fome  controverfie,  and  were  to  be  confidered  as 
>^orious  and  honourable  to  the  whole  nation. 

^t»»oae«a»«»ea8»a»»BOOoaoco»o9eeoo»ooeoo30099eaBaaagJcac3pcoa»9Cwee'.<»«9»oo8C8aeee308BO«po3floa»«a3?ocej55oo}waooeaoec?^o^ 

.■•*»        ...  ^j» 

CHAP.      XXII. 

^I'hat  it  appears  by.  the  Books  of  Moses,  that  this  whole  Model tvhkh  God 
'.. ...    -had framed,  was  to  laji  but  until  the  Co?niug  ^f  the  MeJJiah, 

^^^^UT  if  we  find  in  Mcfes's  law  a  fevere  reftri(5l:ion  in  all  that  be- 
g  B  S  longs  to  the  execution  of  the  promife  of  the  Mefliah  (which 
V3^S^  fhews,  that  God  intended  to  haVe  that  nation  diftinguilh'd  from 
ail  others,  till  the  bleffed  feed  was  come  ;)  if  we  find,  that  he  retrained 
that  promife  to  one  tribe,  one  town,  one  family,  one  particular  indivi-^ 
dual  perfon  in  that  family,  that  they  might  not  be  to  feck  in  a  confufcd 
crowd  of  a  whole  people,  made  up  of  fevera!  millions  of  perfons,  or  in 
a  whole  tribe,  or  even  in  a  city  filled  up  with  feveral  families  :  if  upon 
this  account  his  birth  was  reftrained  to  one  people,  one  tribe,  one  little 
town,  and  one  fingle  family  which  was  fetled  there,  the  Jews  could  not 
but  obferve,  that  it  was  God's  defign  to  break  all  thofe  reftrictions,  and 
tfe  follow  quite  another  method,  when  the  Mefliah  was  once  come. 

For  in  the  firft  place,  the  firft  promife  of  the  Mefliah,  was  exprefs'd 
in  very  general  terms,  which  mentioned  a  common  benefit  to  all  the  fons 
of  Jdam.    7'his  promife  was  made  before  God  had  rejecied  Cain's  pofte- 

Y  4  ritv, 


344  Refexiom  upcn  the  Cri.  XXil." 

rity,  by  prererring  that  of  5<f//? ;  it  was  raada  before  tht-Kftfu^ion  wa* 
inade  to  AW/;  in  Scth's  family,  and  to  SJ/em  in  J\/{>a//i  family. 

iSecondly,  God,  who  by  cjrcumcifion  had  diftinguifhed  Mraham  and 
his  pofterity  from  the  reft  of  the  family  of  Sim^  did  expredy  promife  to 
Abraham^  that  in  hia  feed  all  the  nations  di  the  world  fhould  be  Wefled  : 
This  promife  was  made  alfo,  before  God  had  reftrai^cd  the  promife  lo 
the  j->erfon  Ijnac  in  prejudice  of  Ijhmael^  and  then  afterwards  to  the  pitr- 
fon  of  Jiicol^  in  the  prejudice  of  Efau. 

Thirdly,  one  Re's  this  fame  truth  yet  more  ckarly  explained  out  of 
yflcoi's,  Oracle  concerning  ^^^^^/^^  Gen.  XLIX.  wherein  j^/cci  expreAv. 
foretels,  that  the  Meifiah  fhould  be  the  expectation- of  the  nations  ;  that 
is  fo  1  .y,  the  comfort,  the  glory,  the  hope,  arid  the  joy  of  all  theiiatiojis 
of  the  univcrk-. 

As  this  was  a  capital  truth,  fo  God  propofed  it  by  Balaam^  at  the  If- 
raelites  cntring  into  Conaa7i^  that  they  might  thus  undcrftand,  that  all 
thofe  diltiii(Stions,  which  their  feparation  living  in  Caiiaanhom  the  reit  c-f 
the  wojld,  might  keep  up,  were  not  always  tojaft. 

But  this  particularly  appears  out  of  A'lofes's  law,  which  allows  of  fe- 
veral  forts  of  profclytes,  receiving  fome  without  tying  them  to  the  ob- 
fervance  of  all  the  ceremonies  in  the  law,  v/hich  it  would  never  hnvc 
done,  if  it  had  been  abfolutely  neceflary  to  be  a  "Jiruj  before  they  hajie  a 
(hare  in  the  benefits  of  the  promife. 

Secondly,  it  fuppofes,  that  God  was  to  remove  that  people  out  of  Ca- 
;?^<?/i  into  remote  countreys,  and  to  difperfc  them,  as  it  vxve,  ihto  tiic 
uttermoll  parts  of  the  world,  which  was  done  by  Divjne  Provideiice, 
only  to  publifh  the  promife  of  the  MeiTiah,  to  eflablifh  the  belief  in  the 
Prophets,  and  fo  to  facilitate  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles  to  the  faith. 

1  hirdly,  he  declares  exprefly,  as  St.  Paul  obferves,  that  he  was  to 
call  his  people,  that  which  was  not  his  people,  that  he  might  by  that 
means  provoke  the  people  of  Ifrael  to  jcaloufie.  This  notion  of  jealoufie 
mentiojicd  by  St.  Puu/^  defervcs  to  be  taken  notice  of  with  very  great 
care,  if  we  reflect  upon  the  fpirit  of  jealoufie,  which  reigned  amongft 
th--  JjracUtes,  and  their  neighbours. 

I  fhall  take  notice  in  another  place  of  the  great  number  of  oracles  ot 
David  upon  the  fame  fubject,  altho'  he  otherwifc  infults  upon  the  Alcab- 
•teSf  and  Etlmiit^s^  upon  all  occafions,  and  flicws  as  much  averfion,  and 
iealoufie  againit  thofe  nation?,  as  was  pofiible  for  one  that  lived  in  a  con- 
tinual war  v.ith  thofe  people. 

I  fhall  alio  make  fvjme  reflexions  upon  Solomon's  marriage  with  the 
princcftes.  of  Tyre,  of  Sidcfi,  and  oi  Egypt ;  that  is  to  fay,  with  the  poftt- 
tity  of  }Li::i^  which  was  united  to  that  of  "Judah.,  to  take  a  part  with 
them  in  the  bleiTmg  j  from  whence  it  came  to  pafs,  that  the  Song  that 
was  written  upon  that  marriage,  was  prefervcd  as  a  piece  divinely  in- 
fpired,  and  ought  to  be  confidered,  as  a  happy  prcfage  of  the  calimg  of 
the  Gentiles  to  the  communion  of  the  Mefliah. 

One  may  alfo  joyn  here  the  manner  of  Solomcn's  giving  to  Hjiam'a 
fuhje<5ts,  who  had  helped  him  in  the  building  of  the  temple,  the  covin- 
trey  of  Chnbul,  which  was  inclofed  within  yiidca,  altho'  thofe  people 
were  of  the  Ctviaanites  pofteriiy,  upon  whom  Noah  had  particularly  pro,., 
nbiiaced,  Curfed  be  Canaan  [e). 

One 
{t)  Gen.  ix. 


€h.  XXII,  four  lajl  Booh  of  Mofeu  345 

One  may  alfo  fee,  that  as  God  had  permitted- his  people  to  be  tranf- 
ported  into  Chaldea,  and  Ba,kylon,  and  had  raifed  up  there  Prophets 
amonf^ft  them  on  purpofe  to  acquaint  the  world  with  the  glorious  hopes 
of  the  Jews,  fo  he  caufed  the  books  of  Scripture  to  be  tranflated  into 
Greek  about  300  years  before  our  Saviour's  birth,  not  only  to  prevent 
all  fufpicion  of  falihood  in  the  minds  of  the  Gentiles,  if  they  were  pro- 
duced of  a  fuddain  after  the  birth  of  the'Mefliah,  but  alfo  to  inftruct  the 
Heathens  by  little  and  little  of  the  r.ght  whicn  all  nations  had  as  well  as 
the  Jews  to  that  promife  ;  that  they  might  take  their  (hare  in  it  when- 
ever they  (hould  be  invited  to  it  by  God,  and  efpecially  to  take  away  the 
icandal  which  was  to  follow  upon  God's  deilioy^g  the  form  of  that  com- 
monwealth by  the  Romans,  according  to  Danid^  prediction. 

All  thefc  things,  no  doubt,  engaged  the  Jews  who  read  the  books  of 
Mofcs  to  make  particular  remarks  upon  them. 

But  they  ought  to  have  obferved  three  things  efpecially :  the  firft  was, 
that  airiio'  God  had.  at  firft  chofen  their  whole  nation,  yet  he  was  pleafeii 
to  difperfe  afterwards  almoft  ten  parts  of  thirteen  ;  which  plainly  ihew'd 
that  this  choice  which  he  had  made,  was  only  an  ceconomical  choice, 
and  for  a  particular  defign.  ,         ,  . 

The  fecond  is,  th^t  altho'  he  was  verj  fevere  and  punclual  in  exact- 
ing obedience  to  the  ceremonial  fervice,  yet  he  had  lixed  the  moft  part 
of  their  obfervances  to  certain  places,  to  certain  times,  and  to  certain 
perfons  ^  it.  was  ealie  to  judge,  that  when  God  bounded  them  in  this 
manner,  it  was  only  for  an  ceconomical  ferviCe  prefcnbed  only  upon 
a  particular  profpeci",  which  was  one  day  to  have  an  end,  • 

The  third  is,  that  experience  convinced  them  that  althq'  God  feeraed 
to  have  .fixed  his  fervice  to  the  temple,  yet  he  futfered  the  Chaldeans  to 
deftcoy  the  firft-,  and  did  not  reftore  to  thei'econd,  the  firft  marks  of  his 
jjiefenCe,  when  it  was  rebuilt  by  the  order  of  Cyrus. 

From. whence  it  was  natural  to  conclude,  that  fuch  a  glory  as  retire4 
byiittl/e  and  little  from  that  place  which  God  had  chofeii,  was  only  de- 
figu'd  to  be  there  for  a  time,  tiii  God  ihould  extend  his  fervice,  by  cal* 
]ing  all  the  world  to  his  religion,  and  fo  making  the  whole  univ'erfe  his 
temple,  as  we  fee  it  jdone  in  our.day.s,-b.y.the- calling .oftiie  Gentiles  to 
the TeJigion  of  ojjf. Saviour;  jtu'.i  ,v'Ij'>jt.j  7??:/  i^,«;c:/ »  ?7»-j)  I 


^^p^'^ 


THE 


THE 


R       E       F      A       C       E. 


^KtiJ£"^N  my  Reflexions  upon  the  Book  of  Genefis^  I  have  (hewed  the 
g  1  ^  means, Ciod  made  u(e  of  to  imprint  the  idea's  of  the  Creation 
i^HKd?  ^^  ^^  World,  and  the  Promife  of  the  Mefliah,  during  that 
lon^  iiict  of. 2 500  years,  before  the  children  of  ^<7^/ departed  out  of  E- 
gypt^  and  before  the  hiftory  of  it  was  penn'd  by  Mofes. 
I  !iThev  that  confider  that  God  at  firlt  prefcribed  the  law  of  the  fabbath, 
toiiX  the  belief  of  the  creation  of  the  world,  and  that  this  law  hath  bc'-.'i> 
conltantlv  oblerve4  fince  the  beginning  of  the  world,  until  Mofet^  and  is 
itill  to  this  day  obferved  amongll  the  Jews^  eahly  apprehend,  that  this 
fact  of  the  creation,  could  not  be  more  inconteitably  proved,  or  more 
firmly  grounded, 

'  in  like  manner  an  attentive  Reflexion  upon  the  Oracles  which  I  have 
oaenrion'd,  and  which  ;tlone  at  firft  were  the  foundation  and  hope  of  the 
religion  of  the  Patriurchs,  and  were  aftcrwzrds  recorded  in  the  Book  of 
Qenrfii^  is  fiifficient  to  pcrfwade  any  one,  that  it  was  impoflible,  but  the 
memory  of  the  Promife  of  the  MefTiah,  Ihould  be  deeply  engraven  in  the 
minds  of  the  Ifraeiitcsy  tho'  we  (hould  fuppofe,  that  the  fpirit  of  jealoufie, 
which  Cjod  had  raifed  amongll  the  fevcral  pretenders  to  the  execution  of 
that  great  Promife,  did  not  much  contribute  to  preferve  the  remembrance 
of  it ;  as  I  have  fliown  \  ery  carefully,  that  it  was  very  ufclul  for  that 
purpofe. 

1  have  in  my  Reflexions  afterwards  proved  upon  the  four  laft  Books  of 
Mofis^  that  God  profecuted  the  fame  defign  in  the  laws  which  he  gave 
to  the  people  of  Ifraely  as  well  as  in  the  peculiar  forms  and  regulations 
of  their  government  a;;^d  religion  ;  the  great  defign  of  which  nilc<,  was 
only  that  the  MelTiah  at  his  appearance  ni  the  world,  might  be  unqucili- 
onabiy  known. 

Whoever  Ihall  read  the  Reflexions  which  I  have  made  upon  this  mat- 
ter, will  eafily  perceive,  that  the  long  life  of  the  Patriarchs,  was  of  great 
efficacy,  to  make  fo  frefh  and  lively  an  impreflion  of  thofe  illuftrious 
facls,  the  Creation  oi  the  World,  and  the  Promife  of  the  Mefliah,  that 
there  was  no  need  of  very  frequent  Oracles  to  confirm  the  (ame,  as  in- 
deed we  hnd  that  in  the  fpace  of  2553  years,  only  five  or  fix  principal 
Oracles  were  given,  which  have  a  particular  relation  to  the  Meillah,  as 
X  ftwlf  (hew  atterwards. 

Now 


'4  The'  PR  E  FA  CIL. 

Now  this  Reflexion  being  once  fuppofed, "as  the  life  of  man  was  ^.fter- 
V/ards  confiderably  fnortned  at  the  time  oi  Mofes,  fo  one  may  judge,  that 
this  Promife  ought  to  be  more  frequently  propofed,  and  more  clearly  ex- 
plained. And  we  ought  to  fuppofe  that  in  proportion  to  ♦he  delaying  of 
the  Promife,  and  the  (hortnefs  ot  mens  lives  which  difcouraged  their 
hopes  of  ever  feeing  a  Promife., fuelled,  which  their  anceftors,  W-hofe 
lives  were  much  longer,  could  never  attain  to  the  more  diftinct  knowledge 
which  God  gave  of  this  great  obje£l:,  was  u.  order  to  ftir  up  ttroag  de- 
fires  in  the  minds  of  tlie  Ifrael'ttes,  as  well  as  of  the  Gentiles^  to  whom 
God  was  afterwards  to  renew  the  ideas  oi  it :  and  confequently  we  find, 
that  a  greater  number  of  Oracles  and  Prophefies,  v/ere  required  from 
time  to  time,  to  entertain  and  ftrengthen  the  belief  of  a  Promife,  the  ac- 
compiifliment  whereof  was  fo  confiderably  deferred. 

And  indeed,  this  was  exadly  the  method  which  God  followed,  the 
fpirit  of  Prophefie  having  in  a  moft  illuftrious  manner  been  employ'd  to 
preferve  the  idea's  of  the  Promife  of  the  Meffiah,  and  to  increafe  them 
in  the  minds  of  the  Jews^  until  the  time  of  the  accompiifhment  it  felf ; 
and  God  hath  fo  exactly  fet  down  by  the  Prophets,  the  feveral  parts  of 
his  defign,  as  there  needs  not  be  afterwards  any  difficulty  in  difcerning 
the  profecution  of  that  defign  which  he  had  formed  at  firft. 

I  intend  in  tins  third  part  of  my  Reflexions  on  the  writings  of  the  Old 
Teftament  to  explain  this  method  which  God  hath  followed,  in  fhewing 
how  he  hath  accommodated  himfelf  to  the  ftate  of  the  Jeivs^  whom  he 
had  made  the  depoiltaries  of  his  Oracles,  and  proportioned  them  to  theijr 
underftanding  and  defires. 

JFor  the  mo/c  happy  execution  of  this  defign,  and  a  clearer  difcovery 
of  this  conducl  of  God,  which  feems  fomewhat  obfcured,  by  intermix- 
ing thefe  predictions  concerning  the  Meffiah,  with  a  great  number  of 
event?,  during  that  feries  of  ages,  whereof  we  have  the  hiftory  written 
by  his  own  order  :  I  think  my  felf  obliged  firll  of  all  to  explain  tlie  rea- 
ibns  why  God  was  pleafed  to  interweave  the  Oracles  which  relate  to  the 
Mefliah,  with  other  matters,  that  feem  to  be  of  a  very  different  nature  ; 
and  then  fhail  lay  down  the  rules  which  one  ought  to  follow,  in  applying 
the  ancient  Prophefies  to  the  Mefliah.  r 

After  thefe  preliminary  Reflexions  1  fuppofe,  that  in  order  to  a  fuller 
difcovery  of  the  feries  of  God's  defign,  and  a  more  diffinct  knowledge 
of  the  progrefs  of  the  revelation  of  tais  matter,  that  1  ought  again  to  re- 
fume,  and  to  kt  before  the  eyes  of  the  Reader,  the  live  or  fix  principal 
Oracles  which  God  hath  given  concerning  the  Melfiah,  from  the  be- 
ginning of  the  world  to  Mojes^  together  with  that  Oracle  which  he  ut- 
tered by  the  mouth  of  that  illuftrifous  legifiator.  ' 

One  will  eafily  judge  without  my  undertaking  to  prove  it,  that  the 
idea's  of  thefe  Oracks  were  familiar  to  the  Jews^  until  Dav'id^  during 
the  fpace  of  400  years,  after  which  God  beganTo  difcover  the  fame  more 
particularly,  in  z\\Qo{m'z,  David  to  be  the  perfon,  in  whofe  family  that 
Prophecy ihould  be  accomplifhedj-becaufe  the  Meffiah  was  to  be  born  of 
his  feed.  •- -f'';.i>.C  ..^sn  c,i  < 

And  fo  I  fhall  immediately  pafs  on  to  the  confideratioriof  thofe  Oracles 
which  Da'ijid  himfelf  uttered  on  this  fubjecl,  which  deferve  fo  much  the 

more 


TgE    PREFACE.  iji 

more  attention,  becaufe  God,  who  at  that  time  changed  th«  government 
of  the  Jcwiy  did  confiderably  augment  the.iii«a'i>  which  the  ancients  had 
conccrjaing  the  Fromilt  of  the  Meiriah. 

Laitly,  I  fhall  collect  under  certain  heads  thofe  Oracles  which  were 
uttcrtd  by  the  Prophets  concerning  the  MciTiah,  fomc  hundred  of  years 
bftfore  the  captivit)'  of  the  Jmi  in  Bai^ylony  and  foon  after ;  and  foraf- 
miich  as  the  light  concerning  this  matter  was  at  that  time  much  mcreaf- 
«d,  and  the  Oracles  tliemiclves  are  miich  more  clear  and  diftina  as 
givihg  many  more  particular  characters  of  the  Mefllah,  fo  I  fhaJl  con- 
tent my  ffif  briefly  to  touch  upon  them,  in  following  the  principal  cha- 
racters which  they  i^ive  concerning  the  MeHiah. 

-  After  which  I  ihall  havt-  nothing  elfc  to  do,  but  to  maJce  fome  Re- 
flexions upon  the  flate  of  the  Jnvs,  from  the  time  of  thejaft  of  the  Pro- 
phei^^  u/itil  tiiit  wherein  the  Chriftians  pretend  that  this  Promife  and 
theie  Oracles  verc  accompliihed  in  the  perfon  of  our  Lord  Jcfus  Chrilt. 
•  Tho'  the  multiplicity  of  the  things  which  I  am  to  handle,  and  which 
I  intend  to  do  with  the  grcateft  bricfnefs  that  is  poflible,  might  feem  to 
oblige  me  to  omit  the  examining  the  fucceffion  of  the  hiftory  of  the  Jews ; 
yet  God  having  been  pleafed  to  intermix  the  hiftory  of  the  Jews,  and 
many  other  tranfacHons,  with  thefe  Prophecies,  it  obligeth  me  in  this 
Ihii'd  part  to  make  alfo  fome  Reflexions  upon  the  Hifto.":cal  Books  of  thu 
ii>id  ^IcJiam&nU  And  indeed,  this  will  be  of  great  ufe  to  prove  the  truth 
of  thcfe  Oracles,  and  the  manner  how  God  hath  conftantly  followed  that 
liraught,  which  he  at  firft  form'd  to  hinifelf ;  as  alfo  to  make  it  appear, 
that  noiwithftanding  the  different  revolutions  of  the  Jewiih  common- 
iveahhy  he  hath  always  continued  thofe  means,  which  he  chofc  at  firft 
lo  facilitate  the  diftiniSl  kno\dedge  of  the  Mcfliah,  whenever  he  fhould 
appear. 

:  it  is  very  neccflary  to  cxpLiin  this  ferics  of  the  defign  of  God,  to  make 
■the  authority  of  thele  Prophecies  more  firm  and  uninoveable;  thofe  laws 
the  obfcr\'ation  of  which  ierved  to  diftinguifh  the  family  of  Judah^  and 
that  of  the  Meifiah,  being  fo  many  boundaries  and  limits,  within  which 
<jod  was  pleafed  to  confine  himfclf,  that  his  conduct  in  tliis  matter 
might  be  the  more  eafily  obfcrvable  and  known. 

And  forafmuch  as  in  my  Reflexions  upon  the  Books  oi  MofeSy  I  have 
begun  by  the  firm  eltablifhmcnt  of  the  truth  of  thofe  Books,  on  which 
•I  made  my  reflexions,  without  which  that  work  would  have  wanted  all 
its  ftrength  ;  fo  I  intend  alio  in  this  part  to  follow  the  fame  rule,  and  ac- 
cordingly I  lliall  at  firft  eftablifh  the  truth  of  the  Hillorical  and  Prophe- 
-tical  Books  of  the  OldTeJiamcnt:  for  if  one  ought  to  prove  that  thcfe 
Prophecies  were  well  known  and  very  famous,  then  it  will  be  expected 
from  me  that  1  lliould  folidly  dcmonltratc  the  truth  of  thofe  Books  in 
which  thole  Oracles  are  recorded,  before  I  can  of  right  conclude  that 
the  facls  which  arc  related  by  other  authors,  arc  the  accomplilhmcnt  of 
thefc  Prophecies. 

This  dclign  would  naturally  engage  me  to  prove  the  truth  of  cvcrv 
one  of  thcfe  Books  in  order  p.irticularly  ;  but  .as  1  have  not  only  proved 
the  truth  of  the  Books  oi  Mofts  alreadv,  but  that  moreover  I  intend  in 
m}'  Reflexions  oii  the  Books  of  the  New  T^-Jiament^  to  dcmouftraie  the 

uuih 


IV 


The    preface. 


truth  of  them  beyond  all  conteft ;  and  befides,  that  the  Hiftpricat  and 
Prophetical  Books  of  the  Old  Teftamcnt  are  fo  effentially  linked  with 
thofe  oi  Mofes,  and  the  Difciples  of  Jefus  Chrlft,  that  it  is  impoflible  to 
acknowledge  the  truth  of  the  one,  without  owning  at  the  fame  time  the 
truth  of  the  others,  I  believe  I  may  be  difpenfed  with,  as  to  the  proving 
the  truth  of  every  Book  of  the  Old  Tejiament  in  particular ;  and  there-, 
fore  becaufe  I  intend  to  be  very  fhort;  I  will  cofifine  my  felf  to  fomf 
general  Reflexions  upon  thofe  Books  of  the  OWTejlament^  which  were 
writ  fince  Mofes,  but  fuch,  as  I  hop;,  will  be  fufficient  to  fatisfie  an 
equitable  and  intelligent  Reader, 


I' 


_i    k  i?>  d    \ 

sHLJR 


"imBT 


^ 


\ 


I 


REFLEXIONS 


REFLEXIONS 

UPON  the: 
HISTORICAL  AND  PROPHETICAL  BOOKS 

OF    THE 

OLD    TESTAMENT, 

TO 

ESTABLISH     thk     TRUTH 

OF     THE 

CHRISTIAN     RELIGION. 

CHAP.       I. 

That  there  is  in  the  Hijiorical  JFri tings  of  the  Old  Test  AMEKT,  an  ux^ 
interrupted  Series  of  Event Sy  which  have  a  natural  and  necijfiry  Depen- 
dant c  for  more  than  ten  Ages. 

f^^nc(=?t  HE  firft  general  proof  which  I  make  ufe  of  to  Eftablifh  the  Truth 
g  T  ^.  of  the  Hiftorical  Books  of  the  Old  Tcftament,  after  Mcfosy  may 
J^^>«^  be  lawfully  drawn  from  the  uninterrupted  feries  of  events,  which 
arc  related  by  thofe  authors  who  have  written  the  Hiftory  of  the  State 
and  Church  of  Ifrael. 

We  may  cbfervc  fe\  eral  confiderable  epocha's  of  this  hiftory,  which 
Ukcs  in  about  one  thoufand  and  forty  years. 

The 


Ch.  I.  Refiextom  upcn^  t^c.  35 1 

The  firft  part  takes  in  all  that  happened  after  Alcfes  'till  the  eftablifti- 
ment  of  the  kingdom,  which  is  related  in  the  books  of  Jojhua,  Judges^ 
Ruth^  and  the  firft  book  of  Samuel.  '■■  ■ 

The  fecond  contains  the  hiftory  of  the  kings  of  yuda  and  I/rael,  WW 
the  deftru6lion  of  Samaria  and  Jervfalem. 

The  third  contains  an  account  of  what  pafled  durin?  the  yewijh  Cajx* 
tlvity,  and  after  their  re-eftablifhment.  i  "'■^' 

Now  there  is  not  one  of  thefe  books  which  concern  the  hiftory  of  this 
people,  in  one  or  other  of  thefe  epocha's.,  which  has  not  certain  characters 
of  the  truth  of  its  relations,  by  the  neceflary  connexion  which  it  has  ei- 
ther witn  thofe  events  which  went  before  it,  or  with  thofe  which  folldw'd 
it,  and  this  by  a  natural  and  immediate  dependance.  This  ought  to  be 
confirm'd  by  fome  obfervations.  ^■ 

Xhe  book  oiyojhua^  which  contains  the  conqueft,  and  divifion  of  the 
land  of  Canaan,  is  the  execution  of  Mofes^s  defign,  who  brought  the 
people  of  Ifrael  out  of  Egypt,  to  go  and  make  themfelves  mafters  of  a 
countrey,  which  the  Jews  pretend  that  God  promifed  to  Abraham.  The 
divifion  of  this  land  amongft  the  tribes,  is  the  title  which  each  tribe  had 
to  its  pofleflions  in  it ;  and  this  divifion  fubfifted  a  great  while  very  di-' 
ftincl,  and  well  known  by  the  feveral  tribes  of  this  people.  There  hap- 
pened no  confiderable  change,  but  only  when  the  kings  of  Ajjyrla  car- 
ried the  ten  tribes  into  captivity,  after  the  taking  of  Samaria,  in  the  three 
thoufand  two  hundred  and  eighty  third  year  of  the  world :  the  country 
continuing  in  the  fame  ftate,  under  the  two  remaining  tribes,  without 
any  change  enfuing  upon  their  tranfportation  into  Babylon,  as  I  have  ob- 
ferved  in  the  nineteenth  chapter  of  my  Reflexions  upon  Exodus,  and  the 
following  books. 

This  book  has  a  very  natural  influence  upon  the  following  books,  as 
is  manifeft  from  the  hiftory  of  the  alliance  which  the  Gibeonites  got  from 
the  Jews  by  furprize.  It  fervcs  for  a  foundation  to  all  that  happened  for 
four  hundred  and  thirty  years  after,  in  David's  reign,  under  whom  the 
commonwealth,  being  already  changed  into  a  monarchical  government, 
had  in  all  appearance  undergone  a  great  alteration. 

The  book  oi  Judges  has  an  eftential  relation  to  the  books  of  Mofes  and 
Jojhua,  the  moft  part  of  the  captivities  of  the  people  of  Ifrael,  being  a 
confequence  of  their  quarrels  with  the  nations  which  they  had  fubdued, 
or  with  their  neighbours,  as  the  Moabites  and  Ammonites  defcended  from 
Lot,  who  were  jealous  of  this  people  that  was  defcended  from  Abraham. 

There  we  may  fee,  for  inftance,  the  Ifraelites  upon  the  defenfive  part, 
becaufe  God  forbad  them  to  fet  upon  the  Moabites,  and  the  Ammonites  y 
whereas  thefe  bft  pretended  that  Ifrael  had  ufurped  fmne  part  of  their 
country. 

It  muft  be  granted,  that  there  is  nothing  fo  remarkable  as  the  aftions 
of  thefe  judges,  whom  God  raifed  up  to  deliver  his  people  from  thofe 
different  captivities,  through  which  they  pafled  for  three  hundred  fifty 
fix  years  together.  But  we  may  find  the  memory  of  fome  of  them  pre4 
ferved  by  thofe  publick  hymns  which  were  famous  throughout  the- na-*'^ 
tion,  and  by  thefe  illuftrious  monuments  of  their  judicial^ aiitiiofityi;; 
which  were  preferved  amongft  them,  and  which  kept  up  a  remembrance 
of  them  amongft  the  Ifraelites^  and  the  neighbour  nations.    -        -        '■'■  \ 

For 


J5J  Rejieximt  upon  the  Ck.  II 

For  this  ought  to  be  obfcrved  with  care,  that  Ancc  the  7*  ■  ^  could 
not  invent  any  thing  upon  this  h.-ati,  which  would  ncit  be  woi  kjown  by 
all  the  ncigiibouring  nations,  as  the  Tyrians^  who  kept  up  theiV  own  go- 
vernment 'till  Aiexand(r\  time,  who  fubdmrd  them  i.itirciy,  and  the  Mo- 
abites,  whofe  empii\  continued  for  fourteen  ages  after  Z^/'r  tinwi,  until 
thodeftruiftion  of  'ferujalem  by  Nebuchadnczxar^  it  was  not  oafie  for  any 
fabulou?  relations  in  this  matter,  to  obtain  authority. 

The  book  of  Ruth^  feems  not  to  have  any  thing  confiderable,  but  the 
canvqrfipn  of  Ruih  a  MoaliUfi^  who  rely'd  upon  the  hopes  of  the  houfc 
Ql'Ju.la-^  out  of  which  Ihe  had  marry'd  her  hufband.  But  we  may  take 
notice  of  three  things  befides  ;  i.  Of  the  exact  pra£tife  of  that  law  which 
obliged  thtm  to  marry  the  widow  of  a  relation  who  dy'd  wiiho-at  ilfue. 
2.  Of  their  lively  remembrance  of  the  deeds  of  their  anceftors,  as  of 
yiulas  incelt  with  Thtnm}\  which  was  look'd  upon  however,  as  a  foun- 
tain, and  a  pattern  of  bleihngs.  3.  Of  the  lineage  of  David^  whom 
this  author  Tcprefents  as  deriving  his  pedigree  from  a  Aloabitefs^  which 
not  making  much  for  the  honour  of  a  king  of  Jfratl,  do's  at  the  famo 
time  confirm  the  truth  of  the  relations  which  are  conuined  in  that 
book, 

.7  he  hrlt  book  of  Sairiuel  contains  the  hiftory  of  i?//'s  and  Sanmtl's 
jiu3icutures,  of  the  change  of  the  government  from  a  commonwcahh  to 
a,  monaichy  under  Saul^  of  David's  ajioynting,  Saul'%  reje£lion  and 
death. 

,  The  lecond  contains  the  hiftory  of  Davids  his  vi(^ories,  his  defign  of 
byilding  a  ttmple,  a  defign  which  God  left  to  Solomon  to  execute,  his 
wars  with  the  Amttionitei^  his  crime  v/ith  Bathfliebah^  his  fon  yibfeUrn's 
infurre61ion  againfl  him,  and  his  great  fucccfies  againft  his  enemies. 
There  is  nothing  in  thefe  two  books,  which  has  not  an  exatSl  connexion 
\yith  what  went  before,  and  what  follows.  One  fee's  throughout,  an 
exact  relation  to  the  law  of  Mifts ;  one  fee's  tliroughout,  monuments' 
fpt  up  in  fcveral  places,  to  preferve  the  memory  of  p.orticular  actions  v 
one  fee's  alfo  in  the  wars  of  the  Ifraeliies  with  thtir  neighbours,  a  con- 
flant  fcrics  of  thofe  old  differences,  which  were  the  fruits  of  die  jeijloufic 
oi  tlicfe  nations  againfl  the  children  of  Ifrael. 

The  books  of  the  Khigs^  whicli  the  Jews  reckoned  but  as  one  book, 
contain  an  abridgment  of  Soloinons  eftablifliment  in  the  place  oi  Dtrjid^ 
of  the  glory  of  his  empire,  which  was  carried  by  David  to  the  banks  ot" 
MuphrGtcs,,  according  to  the  ancient  prophecycs,  of  his  marr'i^ige  with 
the  king  o{  Egypt's  daughter,  of  the  building  of  the  temple,  and  hi&  own 
palace,  with  the  help  of  Hirom  king  of  Tyre ;  one  kc's  the  manner  0^ 
the  queen  of  Shtba's  vifit  to  Salomon^  of  his  alliances  with  the  Msabiles^ 
the  JmrnoJiitii^  the  Edontitcs^  the  Zidojiians^  and  the  Hittilcs ;  thinking 
by  thefe  marriages  to  have  put  an  end  to  the  old  quarrels  between  his 
people,  and  tliefc  nations,  who  were  jealous  of  the  people  of  Ifr-atl.  All 
this  was  done  in  the  forty  years  of  Solomon's  reign  ;  and  as  there  never 
was  fo  famous  a  reign  in  Judea,  fo  never  was  there  any,  of  which  there 
are  left  fo  many  monuments,  as  well  there,  as  in  the  neighbouring  coun- 
treys. 

One  fee's  afterwards  in  the  fame  book,  the  dlvinon  of  Schmon't,  em- 
pire iiitw  two  governments,  that  of  Juda^  which  continued  from  Sslo- 


tnsn  s 


Ch,  I.  Booh  of  the  Old  Te/ia!}r^rJ.  n^^ 

man's  death,  during  the  reign  of  eighteen  fucccflors,  for  three  hundred 
eighty  fix  years,  to  the  taking  oijcrujalem  by  'NebuchacheT-zar ;  and  that 
of  Ifracl  form'd  by  Jeroboam^  which  failed  two  hundred  fifty  four  year?, 
under  the  reign  of  nineteen  fucccfTors,  until  the  taking  of  Samaria  tKe 
capital  city  of  the  kingdom  of  y/)W.  '  '  ' 

The  hiftory  of  the  Chrovich'Sy  which  was  written  about' twenty  fix 
years  after  that  of  the  Kings^  carries  the  hiftory  down  to  Cyrus  the 
founder  of  the  empire  of  Perfta^  who  gave  the  Jezus  their  liberty  again. 
The  books  of  Ezra  and  Nehemiah  contain  the  hiftory  of  what  palfed 
under  his  fuccefTors,  to  the  time  of  Artaxerxes  for  ahiioft  eighty  two 
years. 

It  was  in  this  interval  that  the  deliverance  happened  which  the  Jews 
received  under  Ejlher^  wife  to  one  of  the  moft  powerful  kings  of  Perjia, 
the  memory  of  which  the  Jews  celebrate  every  year  in  all  places,  the 
tl;jirteenth  and  fourteenth  (fays  of  the  month  Jdar,  (which  anfwers  to 
our  February)  by  virtue  of  Ejiber\  law. 

After  thefe  general  remarks  with  which  I  ftiall  content  my  felf  at  pre- 
lent,  I  ought  to  make  fome  reflexions,  which  cannot  be  omitted  with- 
out taking  away  a  great  deal  of  force  from  thofe  proofs  which  eftablifh 
the  truth  of  this  matter. 

The  firft  is,  that  as  thefe  hiftories  have  a  neceftary  relation  to  the 
laws  of  Mofes^  fo  they  could  not  have  been  neglected  by  a  people,  who 
in  their  religious  and  civil  conducl:,  were  abfolutely  regulated  by  thofe 
very  laws. 

The  fecond  is,  that  all  the  atflions  related  in  this  hiftory,  have  pafled 
altogether  in  the  bofom  of  a  people,  the  extent  of  whofe  country  is  not 
twenty  leagues  in  breadth,  nor  eighty  in  length. 

The  third  is,  that  this  people  having  obferv'd  the  law  of  the  feventh 
year,  and  of  the  firft  year,  or  year  of  jubilee,  (which  law  you  have  in 
the  twenty  fifth  of  Leviticus)  from  their  firft  conqueft  and  divifion  of  the 
country,  forty  feven  years  after  their  coming  out  of  Egypt.  This  obfer- 
vation  has  ferv'd  for  a  double  cycle,  to  fix  the  remembrance  of  thofe 
adlions,  and  to  make  it  pafs  from  one  generation  to  another.  And  fo, 
the  greatnefs  of  that  promife  which  God  made  to  Hezekiah^  [Efai. 
XXXVII.  30.  and  II  KingsXlX.  29.)  may  eafily  be  underftood ;  that 
altho'  Sennacherib's  invafion  would  in  all  probability  lay  wafte  all  Judea^ 
yet  they  might  eat  the  fruits  of  the  earth  in  quietnefs,  the  fourteenth 
year  oi Hezekiah^  and  the  next  year  they  ftiould  eat  the  fruits  that  would 
grow  up  of  themfelves  without  tillage,  and  that  on  the  fixteenth  year 
they  fliould  have  liberty  to  till  the  ground,  as  formerly ;  which  fliews, 
without  any  force  upon  the  words,  that  the  fifteenth  year  of  Hczekiah'% 
reign,  was  the  fabbathical  year,  in  which  the  Jevos  were  forbidden  to 
cultivate  the  ground. 

The  fourth  is,  that  it  appears  in  effeft  by  the  feries  of  this  whole  fto- 
ry,  that  things  were  written  fo,  as  to  agree  with  the  publick  records 
which  were  extant  amongft  the  people  :  this  is  manifeft,  if  we  confider 
how  often  the  facred  penmen  refer  us  to  the  hiftories  and  annals  of  thofe 
kings  of  whom  they  fpeak,  and  of  whom  they  only  quote  the  principal 
itories  in  fliort  in  purfuing  their  defign,  which  was  iutirely  to  bring  an 

VOL.  I,  2^  account 


354  Rt'fcxiom  upon  the  Ch.  II. 

account  of  the  {late  of  the  religion  and  the  government  of  the  Jews  and 
Ijriiilites^  under  ojie  view. 

Let  us  go  on  to  other  proofs  to  cftablifli  this  truth. 


•^©©©©^©^©©©^©©©©g^ggggg^g^gg©©-^ 


G     H     A     P.       II. 

That  there  is  a  Jlri5l  Connexion  between  the  Sacred  Hijiory^  and  the  oldefl 
monuments  which  we  have  of  Prophane  Hijiory. 

^'py^^:  S  there  was  but  few  very  ancient  writers  of  Prophane  Hillory, 
^  A  ;*;  and  as  \ve  have  but  fmall  fragments  of  them  difperfed  here  and 
^'S^J*;^  there,  prcfervcd  for  the  moft  part  by  the  care  of  fofephus  the 
Jewlfli  liiftorian,  and  of  Eujcbius  in  his  books  De  Praparatione  Eiuinge- 
Uca^  fo  we  ought  not  to  be  furprized,  if  but  few  of  the  more  illuftrious 
paflagts  apd  events  of  the  Jewifli  hjftory  be  taken  notice  of  by  Pagan 
writers.  The  people  of  Ifrael  being  ptherwife  engi'ged  by  the  obfcrva- 
t'ion  of  the  Mojdick  laiv,  to  keep  clofe  to  that  country  where  it  was  efta- 
bliflied ;  this  made  their  neighbours  have  lefs  knowledge  of  their 
hiftory. 

However,  there  is  enough  left  to  fhcw  v/ith  how  great  fidelity  and  ex- 
atltncfs  the  facred  writers  penned  the  hiilory  of  their  own  nation :  in 
ihort,  we  may  find  amongft  the  Heathen  hiftorians  and  poets,  (who  were 
their  firft  hiftorians,)  feveral  relations  which  fhew  that  the  matters  of 
fa6l  related  by  the  facred  writers,  were  well  enough  known  to  them,  and 
in  the  fame  manner  that  they  are  related  in  thofe  hiftorical  boolr^  xv-i-ir' 
were  writ  after  Mops. 

The  memory  of  'Jojlnia  and  his  conquefts  v.a?  famous  ainor.^.:  i.. 
Heathens  :  there  are  ancient  monuments  extant  which  prove  'hat  ihe 
Carthaginians  were  a  colony  of  the  TyrianSy  who  ekaped  from  "J^Jhua  ; 
as  alfo  that  the  inhabitants  of  Liptis  in  Jfrica^  came-  originally  fi  om  the 
ZidonianSj  who  forfook  their  country,  becaufe  of  the  mifcries  which  af- 
fliaed  it. 

The  fable  of  the  Phoenician  Hercules  arofe  from  the  hiflory  of  Jjjhua 
(f)  ;  the  overthrow  of  the  giants,  and  the  famous  Typhon^  owe  their 
original  to  the  overthrow  of  Og  the  king  of  BaJJ.any  and  of  the  Jnakitns^ 
who  were  called  giants  {g). 

The  tempcft  of  hail  fpoken  of  in  the  eleventh  of  Jojirua^  was  trans- 
formed by  the  poets  into  a  tempcft  of  ftones,  with  which,  as  they  fay, 
^Jupiter  overwhelmed  the  enemies  of  Hercules  in  Jrim^  which  is  exactly 
the  country  where  ysjhua  fought  with  the  children  o(  Jnai. 

One  finds  the  memorial  of  the  actions  of  Gideon  prefcrved  by  Sr.ncho- 
nicithsn  a  Tyrian  writer,  who  lived  foon  after  him,  ajid  whofc  antiquity  is 
attefted  by  Porphyry. 
^'  One 

f/J  Prrr.'-p.  FanJalicorum  lib.  ii.  C.   lo. 

(gj   Pt'i,t>i'^J  frag.  cxiv.     Saluji.  de  Belio  yugurthiito. 


tris 


Ch.  II.  Booh  of  the  Old  Tejlament,  3>5^ 

■  One  finds  in  the  manner  o^  Jephtha's  facrificing  his  dauf^hter  after  his 
victory  over  the  Ainmonltes^  the  original  of  the  facrincing  of  hh'igmia^ 
it  being  ufual  v/ith  the  Heathens,  as  Milan  judiciouHy  obferves  (/>),  to 
attribute  to  their  later  hero's  the  glory  of  the  a(3:ions  of  thofe  v/ho  lived  ' 
long  before. 

We  have  an  account  of  a  feaft  which  v/as  obferved  by  the  Heathen 
Romans  in  Jpril^  the  time  of  the  Jewiih  harvefl,  in  which  they  kt  Icofe 
foxes  with  torches  faftned  to  their  tails,  which  certainly  came  from  the 
ftory  of  Sampfon,  and  was  brought  into  Italy  by  the  Phcsnicians  [t). 

One  finds  in  the  fame  hiftory  of  Sawpfon-and  Delilaby  the  original  of 
the  ftory  of  Nifus^  and  his  daughter,  who  cut  off  thofe  fatal  hairs,  upon 
which  the  vidlory  depended  (/■).  '  \  '^  ■■.  •-  ■:.'•  V,.c.  i 

Nicolaus  Damafcenus  has  preferved  the  account  of  the  victory  which 
/)«t;/V  obtained  over  the  Syrians  oi  Zoba^  upon  the  banks  of  tfie  Euphra^ 
tes^  as  it  is  defcribed  by  the  facred  writers  (/). 

There  are  monuments  extant  which  defcribc  the  part  which  Hiram 
king  of  Tyre  had  in  the  building  of  the  temple  of  Solomon^  almoft  the' 
fame  with  the  account  which  the  facred  authors  give  us  of  his  part  in  the 
erection  of  that  great  work. 

One  finds  in  Herodotus  an  account  of  the  taking  of  Jerufalem  by  Sdof- 
is  king  of  Egypt,  as  it  is  defcribed  in  the  hiftory  of  Rehoboam  [m). 
One  finds  the  hiftory  of  the  kings  of  Syria  related  by  Nicholau: 
Damafcenus  in  the  fame  manner  as  it  is  defcribed  by  the  facred  writers, 
when  they  give  us  an  account  of  the  victories  which  the  kings  of  Syria 
obtained  over  the  kings  of  Sa?naria. 

One  finds  that  the  ftory  of  Phaton  is  folely  founded  upon  the  tranfla- 
tion  of  Elijah  in  a  chariot  of  fire  («). 

All  that  I  have  taken  notice  of  happened  before  the  time  of  the  firft 
Olympiad,  from  whence  the  learned  Varro  has  obferved,  that  the  firft 
knowledge  of  hiftory  began  amongft  the  Greeks  ;  whence  alfo  it  is  that 
they  call  all  the  precedent  time  fabulous,  the  Greeks  havin"-  before  no- 
thing but  fables,  into  which  they  had  turned  whatever  ancient  hiftory 
they  were  acquainted  with. 

Since  that  time,  we  do  not  find  fewer  marks  of  the  truth  of  the  facred 
hiftories. 

One  fee's  in  the  Pagan  writers  the  reign  of  Tiglah-Pilefer,  who  is  the 
fame  with  the  younger  Nijtus ;  as  alfo  the  deftruction  of  the  Syrian  mo- 
narchy by  his  means,  as  it  is  defcribed  to  us  in  the  facred  hiftorians. 
Nicholas  Damafcenus  in  Jofephus,  Antiq.  Lib.  VII.  cap.  6. 

One  fee's  amongft  the  heathens,  the  fucceffion  of  Shalmanefer  as  it  is 
defcribed  in  the  Scriptures  (o). 

One  fee's  the  manner  oi  Sennacherib's,  conquering  the  moft  part  of  the 

towns 

(hj  VariiC  Hifori<£  lib.  v.  cap.  3. 

CO  Ooid FaJIorum  lib.  iv.  (k)  Ovid Metam.\%h.vn\.  hh-l, 

(0  Jofeph.  Antiq.  lib.  vii.  cap.  6. 

(mj  Jofph.  Antiq.  lib.  vii.  cap.  6. 

(nj  II  Kings  ii,  ^0)  Cajior  in  Eufek   ' 

z?,  ■ 


35^  Rffextovs  upon  the  Cfi.  II. 

towns  of  PahjVma^  of  Tyre  and  Sidoji^  defcribed  in  heathen  writers,  parti- 
cularly as  wc  have  it  in  the  Scriptures  (/>). 

The  manner  of  Scnnacherih\  fucceflion  to  Shalmanefer^  of  his  defo- 
Jsting  the  country  of  Pakjline  while  he  carried  on  his  vidlories,  is  de- 
fcribed  by  the  Heathens,  Herodot.  Lib.  II.  y  Berofus  in  Jofephus  Lib. 
"X.  c.  I.  exaftly  as  the  facred  hiflorians  relate  it. 

The  memory  of  Tirbaknh  king  of  /Ethiopia^  as  of  a  great  conqueror, 
is  preferred  amongft  the  heathens  (y)  ;  for  it  was  his  coming,  in  fiiort, 
which  obJigcd  Sctinacherib  to  arife  from  before  Libna,  wiiencc  he  intend- 
ed to  go  and  befiege  "JerufnlcvA. 

One  finds  amongft  the  Heathens  the  remembrance  of  the  manner  of 
the  deftru6tion  of  aii  Sennacherib's,  army,  for  his  blafphemies  againft  God, 
which  the  Egyptians  difguifed  to  appropriate  to  themfelves.  Herodot.  Lib, 
11.  cap.  141. 

One  finds  the  ruin  of  JJhdod  by  king  Pfammettchus  defcrlbed  by  Hea- 
then authors,  as  wc  have  it  in  the  facred  Scriptures.  Herod.  Lib.  II.  (?■). 

One  finds  an  account  of  the  ways  by  which  the  Mcdes  loft  the  eynpire 
of  Afia  under  Cya.xares,  after  his  conquefts  over  the  Jjjyrians  in  the 
Heathen  writers,  much  the  fame  as  it  is  defcribcd  in  Nahum.  II.  5. 

The  account  of  the  talcing  of  Ninive  by  Nahopollafar^  and  by  Ajiyages^ 
is  much  the  fame  in  Heathen  authors  {s)  wilh  the  defcription  of  it  in  Na~ 
him^  Efaiah^  and  Ezekicl. 

The  manner  ofjo/.a's  undertaking  a  war  againft  Ph.7raoh-Ncchrk\ng 
of  Egypt,  when  he  was  overthrown  in  the  plains  of  Megiddo,  as  it  is  de- 
fcribcd by  the  Heathens  (?),  agrees  with  the  relation  ^Vhich  are  given  of 
it  in  the  holy  Scriptures. 

'""The  viftories  of  Nebuckadjiezzar  criftT  the  Egyptians  and  the  fnv:.  ir.r^ 
carrying  away  of  the  confecrated  veflbls  of  the  temple,  -and  of  the  ''.'>::-. 
to  Babylon  (z^),  are  defcribed  by  the  Heathens. 

I'he  manner  of  the  yielding  up  of  737V  to  Nehu  -r,  as  4t\\c-j 

defcribe  it  (.v),  agrees  with  vjiat  Ezekiel  hys  Chap,  a      \      -.18,  19. 

One  finds,  in  Heathen  authors  an  account  of  th6  ftately  feuiiding  of 
Baby/cnhy  Nebuchadnezzar  (;),  which  is  defcribed  cXaiWym-dw: Scrip- 
tures. -  'i~    . 

One  finds  alfo  in  them  {%),  that  the  death  of  Pharaoh- Haptha  or 
Vafhre's  as  they  call  him,  happened  according  to  Jerefiiiah^s  predictions, 
Chap.  XL.  30. 

One  finds  alio  the  taking  of  Baby/on  by  Cyrus  (a),  as  it  is  defcribed  by 
ihe  Prophet  ytr^7,v'<j/^.  Chap.  LI.  46. 

One  finds  alfo  thnt  the  death  of  BelJJ^azzar  [b)  happened  exadlly  as 
i)«,>:;V/ had  defcribed  it,  Chap.V. 

One 

fp)  Menander  apud  "Jo/eph.  lib.  ix.  cap.  iilt, 

,q)  StiaboWh.  i.  &  xy. 

(y)  Berodt.  lib.  i.  cap.  104.  lib   ii.  cap.  i.  lib.  vii.  cajj^o. 

(3)  Alexand.  Polyhijlor.  ap,  Sjitcelluri:, 

(t)  Herodot.  lib.  ii.  f")  H  Kings  xxiii.  29,  30. 

^x)  Aminl.  Phariiic.  ap.  Jefeph^  lib.  i.  contra  Apicnem. 
"""  (y)   Be' of.  Jhyden.  (t:,)   Herodot.  lib.  ii.  cap.   163.  h  169. 

((^)  Hcrcd}:,  lib.  i.  cap.  178.  (hj  Xenopbon.  Hijhr.  lib.  vii. 


Ck.  Ili.  Boobofthe  OldTejUfnent.  357 

One  fee's  there  an  account  of  Xerxes's  great  undertakiiig  againit 
Greece  (c),  as  Daniel  hd^d  foretold  it.  Chap.  XL 

Here  then  is  an  agreement  which  is  perfect  enough  in  fevcral  articles, 
to  which,  we  might  add  a  greater  number,  if  we  had  a  greater  number 
of  Pagan  hiftorians  :  but  as  v/e  cannot  find  after  the  reign  of  Artaxerxes 
Longimanm^  hiftorics  amongft  the  Jews  of  equal  authority  with  thofe 
which  were  written  by  and  after  Mofes^  as  Jofephus  the  Jewifh  hiftoriaia 
obferves  ;  fo  we  cannot  compare  the  Jewifh  and  Pagan  hiftories  together 
afterwards,  in  that  form  we  have  done  hitherto; 

But  it  is  eafie  to  obferve  four  things,  which  are  very  confiderable,  up- 
on this  head. 

I.  That  the  credit  of  the  facred  hiftorians  may  be  grounded  upon  the 
great  number  of  remarks  vye  have  made  already,  or  elfe  nothing  will  ever 
eftablifh  it.  For  how  can  \wc  conceive  that  all  forts  of  hiftorians  of  all 
nations  and  all  ages,  Babyloniam^  JJfyrians^  Tyrians^  Egyptians^  and  Greeksy 
could  agree  fo  exactly  with  the  Jews  in  thofe  facts  they  relate,  if  the 
Jewifh  authors  had  not  exactly  follovy'd  the  rules  of  truth  } 

II.  That  as  the  prophecies  of  Xechar'iah  and  Daniel  defcribe,  with  an 
almoft  incredible  exa6tnefs  the  confiderable  events  which  happened  in  the 
countries  near  to  Judea,  and  in  Juden  it  fclf,  in  a  time  which  was  not 
expired  until  the  facred  writers  had  given  over  v.Titing  amongft  the  Jews^ 
fo  there  was  need  of  almoft  nothing  elfe,  but  to  look  over  the  books  of 
Daniel.,  to  fee  what  happened  from  day  to  day.  And  here  we  may  ob- 
ferve, that  the  reafon  why  Porphyry  thought  the  book  of  Daniel  was 
forged  after  the  time  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  was  becaufe  this  book  ieem'd 
to  him  to  be  rather  a  hiftory  than  a  prediction,  which  he  juitify'd  in 
making  a  fort  of  commentary  upon  this  prophecy,  by  comparing  with  it 
the  Pagan  hiftorians  which  were  then  extant. 

in.  That  as  the  Jewifti  commonwealth  came  under  the  power  of  the 
Greeks,  who  were  mafters  of  learning,  and  of  the  art  of  writing  hiftories, 
fo  there  is  little  need  of  any  other  witnefTes  befide  the  Greek  authors,  as 
Jofephus  demonltrates,  in  effect,  by  proving  that  the  Greeks  were  well 
enough  acquainted  with  the  affairs  of  the  Jewifh  nation. 

IV.  That  we  do  really  find  after  the  time  oi  Artaxerxes,  a  very  great 

part  of  the  Jewifh  hiflory  compofed  by  the  care  of  fome  particular  men, 

with  fufficient  exactnefs,  tho'  it  be  not  of  equal  authority  with  the  facred 

writers. 
t 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXKXC< 

CHAP.      III. 

That  there  is  an  unlnt£rrupted  Series  cf  Events  foretold  by  the  facred  Oracles^ 
of  which  we  rnayfee  a  very  great  Niwiber  accomplifhed  in  every  Age. 

^5*:.jCii!*l5  S  we  may  very  reafonabiy  fay,  that  all  the  hiftory  of  the  people 
§  A  ^i  of  Ifrael,  has  a  very  exadt  dependence  upon  the  writings  of  that 
^■^^^  fanjous  legi^atOTi  fo  we  may  alfo  obferve,  that  there  are  fcarce 

Z  3  any 

(c)  Herod,  lib.  vii.  cap.  5,6, 


4^  '  Rejtexiom  Upon  the  Ch.III. 

any  confiderable  events  which  make  up  the  bodv  of  thi<;  hiftory,  which 
do  not  dcfervc  a  particuhr  remark,  cither  as  a  fulfilling  of  Mofei'%  pro- 
phecies, or  of  thoi'e  other  Prophets  whom  God  raifed  up  after  him  to  re- 
form the  errors  of  that  nation.  And  it  is  a  very  confiderable  thing, 
that  in  all  the  fcries  of  events  foretold  by  the  Prophets,  there  was  not 
'  one  "-cneration  amongft  all  the  offspring  of  the  people,  but  what  faw 
the  accompliflimcnt  of  feveral  of  thefe  oracles.  A  little  attention  and 
care  in  comparing  the  chronology  of  the  oracles  with  that  of  the  events, 
■will  fufHciently  julKhe  what  I  fay.  I  fliajl  content  my  felf  with  obferv- 
ing  their  different  orders,  which  will  fatisfie  a  judicious  reader,  fince  my 
defiwn  do's  not  engage  me  nccelfarily  to  do  a  thing  which  would  carry 
■  me  too  far,  and  which  may  be  done  with  little  application. 

We  may  confider  four  forts  of  oracles  ;  i.  Thofe  which  have  refpeft 
to  particular  fa6ts  nigh  at  hand.  i.  Thofe  which  have  refped  to  par- 
ticular facls,  but  at  a  greater  dirtance.  3.  Thofe  which  have  refpedlto 
facSls  which  belong  to  the  whole  Jewifh  nation.  4.  Thofe  which  have 
refpetl  to  fa£ls  which  belong  to  foreign  nations,  either  bordering  upon 
Pakfilno^  or  further  from  it.  Now  there  is  nothing  lb  exadtly  fulfilled, 
as  thefe  four  forts  of  oracles. 

You  have,  for   particular  fa£ls,  which  were  nigh  at  hand,  and  fore- 
told by  the  Prophets,  the   oracle  of  Mofes  concerning  the  advancement 
of  JoPntn,  and  the  conquefl  of  Palejiine^  which  happened  foon  after. 
You  have  Dehor  a' s  oracle  of  the  victory  promifed  to  Barak. 
You  have  SamueVs  oracle  of  the  advancement  and  rejection  of  Saul. 
You  have  an  oracle  of  the  fame  Samuel^   of  the  advancement  of 

David. 

You  have  Nathan's  oracle  concerning  Mfalom's  revolt. 

You  have  Ahijah'%  oracle  concerning  the  advancement  of  Jerchoan:., 
and  the  divifion  of  Solo?non's  kingdom  into  ten  tribes,  and  into  two  tribes, 
whereof  the  leller  part  was  to  continue  in  the   polfeffion  of  Solomons 

heirs. 

You  have  JhJjah's  prcd'n^ion  of  the  death  of  Jerohoarns  fon. 

You  have  a  predidion  of  the  advancement  of  Jehu  in  the  place  of  Je 
horam  king  of  JJ'rael. 

You  have  Elijah's  prediction  of  the  exemplary  punifhment  of  Ahab 
and  "Jezabt'l. 

You  have  the  predidion  of  ychoiaki?7i's  death  made  by  Jeremiah, 
Chap.  XXII.  18,  19.  and  Chap.  XXXVI.  30.  which  happenecften  years 
after. 

You  have  the  prediction  of  Jtchojiiah's  miferies  made  by  Jeremiah^ 

Chap.  XXII.  3. 

You  have  Jeremiah's  prediction  of  the  death  of  the  falfe  Prophet  Atia- 
niah.^  but  fcvcn  months  before  it  happened. 

You  have  an  exprefs  defignation  of  Zorobabel  to  conclude  the  re-build- 
Ino-  of  the  temple,  made  by  Zechariah,  Chap.  IV.  0,  :  tvI  \v:-.icN  was 
compleated  in  four  years. 

It  is  therefore  fully  evident,  that  the  predidion  of  p;'rui-n!.:i  lads, 
■  which  were"  to  happen  in  a  very  fhort  time,  fcrved  to  ertabliih  the  au- 
thority of  the  Prophets.  And  iu  effect  one  fee's  that  they  proceeded 
a  upon 


Ch.  hi.  Booh  of  the  Old  Tcjlamtnt,  355 

upon  the  authority  which  thofe  predidions  of  nearer  events  gave  tliem, 
to  foretell  other  particular  events  at  a  gre;Uer  diftance. 

So  you  fee  that  Mofes  foretold  after  a  fort,  after  'Jacoh^  the  manner 
how  the  land  of  Canaan  was  to  be  divided,  tho'  the  thing  was  to  be  doiie 
by  lot. 

You  fee  the  fame  Mofes  foretelling  the  feveral  captivities  which  the 
people  of  Ijrael  fuifered  after  the  conqueft,  and  the  method  of  God^s 
raifmg  up  feveral  judges,  to  the  number  of  fourteen,  to  bring  them  out 
of  thofe  calamities. 

You  fee  the  fame  Mofes  foretelling  that  the  temple  fhould  be  built  in 
the  tribe  oi  Benjamin,  tho'  it  was  the  leaft. 

You  have  'Jojhua'^  predi6liori  of  the  way  how  the  re-builder  of  fericho 
fhould  be  exemplarily  punifhed,  v/hich  was  accomplifhed  in  Ahab%  time, 
(I  Kings  XVI.  34.)  about  570  years  after  this  prophetical  imprecation 
of  Jojhua. 

You  have  the  predi'ilion  of  a  Prophet,  who  was  contemporary  to  y*?- 
roboamy  about  the  birth  of  y^t?/?,  which  was  not  till  350  years  after, 
(I  Ki7igs  XIII.)  and  of  the  manner  of  his  deflroying  the  altar  which  %- 
roboatn  built. 

One  fee's  a  prediclion  of  the  overthrow  of  the  kingdom  of  Samaria^ 
within  65  years  by  Ifaiah,  in  the  reign  of  yotham. 

One  fee's  the  deftruiStion  of  Jcnifalein  by  Nebwhadnezzar,  foretold  by 
feveral  of  the  Prophets. 

One  fee's  the  taking  of  Ty;v  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  foretold  bv  Ifaiah. 
Chap.  XXIII.  15,  17.  ^    J        ^ 

One  fee's  the  promife  of  its  re-eflablifliment,  feventy  years  after  its 
deftruiSlion. 

One  fee's  the  promife  of  Cyrus's,  birth  made  by  Ifaiak,  Chap.  XLIV. 
45.  as  of  one  that  fhould  reftore  liberty  to  the  Jews,  and  give  them  op- 
portunities of  re-building  their  temple  at  "Jerufalem. 

One  fee's  the  prediftion  of  the  manner  how  Antiochus  Epiphanes  would 
treat  the  Jews  in  his  life  time,  and  how  he  {hould  be  punifhed  for  his 
cruelties  and  facriledges. 

One  fee's  the  prediction  of  the  courage  of  the  Alaccahses,  who  fhould 
oppofe  the  tyranny  of  that  prince,  and  purilie  anew  the  Divine  worfhip. 
So  that  it  is  plain,  that  the  foretelling  of  thefe  particular  fails,  which 
were  at  fo  great  a  difhuice,  revived  the  memory  of  thefe  Prophets 
amongfl  the  Jeius  in  every  age,  and  made  them  read  them  with  a  fmgu- 
lar  attention. 

One  ought  alfo  to  make  the  fame  reflexion  upon  thofe  oracles  which 
have  refpedl  to  the  particular  events  of  the  ilate  of  the  Jews,  and  its  con- 
tinuance until  the  time  of  the  MefTiah,  after  which  the  Propliets  foretel 
its  ruin  and  deflru6tion  without  remedy. 

In  fhort,  one  may  fay,  that  there  was  no  revolution  never  fo  little  con- 
fiderable,  of  which  we  do  not  find  very  many,  and  very  particular  pre- 
dictions, foretold  by  feveral  Prophets  upon  very  different  occafions,  and 
particular  circumftances. 

One  fee's  in  the  books  of  Mofcs  exa£l  defcriptions  of  the  pilgrimages 
of  Abraham's  pofterity,  of  their  continuance  in  Egypt,  of  the  opprefHon 
they  were  there  to  undergo,  of  their  prodigious  incresfe,  of  their  rob- 

Z  4  bing 


363  RefJexkns  uf^n  the  CJh.  III. 

hing  ihe  Egypt'ram  at  their  dcpartuti*,  of  thfir  mi-thcKk  in  conquering  the 
LiiJ  oi  Canaan^  ofihc  WAy  how  king<.  fliould  arife  from  Abraham  ;  which 
was  accomplilTied  in  the  I/lmiailitei  and  E^hmitcsy  and  at  laft  in  the  //- 
raelitcs. 

One  fee's  exprefs  predid^ions  of  the  fevcral  judges  whom  God  (hould 
ralfe  up  to  the  pcojilc  of  Jfrael. 

One  fee's  an  exprefs  prediction  of  the  advancement  of  the  tribe  of 
Juda  to  the  kingdom. 

One  fee's  a  prediction  of  the  future  fubjedlion  of  the  Edomltes  to  the 
power  of  the  kings  of  "Juda^  and  of  their  conquering  of  the  countries 
which  lye  along  the  banks  of  Eufhratcs^  which  was  fulfilled  in  Davtd\ 
time. 

One  fee's  an  exprefs  divifion  of  that  kingdom  into  two  very  unequal 
parts. 

One  fee's  great  numbers  of  predi^Slions  concerning  the  ftate  of  the 
kings  of  Juda  and  Ifrael:  for  inftance,  you  have  an  oracle  concerning 
the  deftruc^ion  of  jfchu's  family  in  the  fourth  generation  (d). 

The  deltruiSlion  of  the  kingdom  of  the  ten  tribes  is  exprefly  foretold, 
and  the  term  is  very  exactly  fet  down. 

The  ruin  of  Jrrufa/em^  and  of  its  kings,  is  alfo  exprefly  foretold. 

The  time  of  the  captivity  of  the  'Jc-ius  in  Babylon^  and 

Their  re-ellablilhment  by  Cyrus  after  feventy  years  are  alfo  very  di- 
ftinftly  foretold. 

The  dcfolation  of  'Judea  under  the  empire  of  Alexander'%  fuccelfors,  is 
foretold  very  exa6lly. 

Their  rc-eftablifhment  after  thefe  defolations,  and  the  way  by  which 
they  were  to  be  defended  by  the  Maccabees^  who  fhould  become  their 
kings  is  likewifc  foretold. 

In  (hort,  one  fee's  exprefs  predictions  of  the  ruin  of  'JerufaUm^  and  of 
the  whole  nation  under  the  Roman  empire,  after  the  coming  of  the  Mef- 
fiah.. 

As  the  people  of  Ifrael  hzd  always  great  quarrels  with  the  neighbour- 
ing nations  ;  fo  one  finds  that  amongft  the  oracles  which  particularly  re- 
gard the  ftate  of  the  "Jews,  the  Prophets  have  interwoven  a  great  num- 
ber, which  concern  thofe  ftrange  people,  with  relation  tothofe  differences 
-which  were  kept  up  between  the  people  of  Ijrael,  and  them. 

So  one  fee's  the  Egyptians  and  the  Cariaanitcs  punifhed,  in  the  execu- 
tion of  the  oracles  pronounced  againft  the  defccndants  oi  Qyam. 

One  fee's  the  predidion  of  the  ruin  of  Benbadad  king  of  JSyria^  and  of 
his  houfc,  foretold  to  the  tenth  generatiorL 

One  fee's  the  predi6lion  of  the  ruin  of  Egypt  and  Tyre^  which  happen- 
ed under  Nehuchadnexzar. 

One  fee's  the  prediction  of  the  ruin  of  the  Atoahites^  which  was  under 
the  fame  Nebuchadnezzar^  after  that  kingdom  had  fubfifted  almoil  four- 
teen ages  from  its  firft  foundation. 

One  fee's  frequent  oracles  concerning  the  ruin  of  'Ninevehy  and  its 
empire. 

One  fee's  or.icles  concerning  the  ruin  of  Babyhn,  which  happened  un- 
der Cyrus. 

Or.e 
CJJ  11  Kirgs  X.  30, 


Ch.  III.  Booh  of  the  Old  ^ejiameni.  361 

One  fee's  oracles  of  the  deftriiftlon  of  the  Per/tan  empire  by  Alexander* 

One  fee's  oracles  concerning  the  manner  of  this  princes  conquerino- 
the  greateft  part  of  the  world,  and  of  his  leaving  his  empire  divided  into 
four  kingdoms. 

One  fee's  frequent  oracles  concerning  the  ftate  of  the  empire  of  the 
Seleucida,  and  the  Ptolemees,  who  had  particular  quarrels  with  the  Jewifli 
commonwealth. 

One  fee's  the  alliances  which  were  to  be  between  the  two  kin2;doms 
foretold,  and  the  fmall  fuccefs  which  fliould  arife  thence  in  terminating 
their  differences. 

One  fee's  predictions  of  the  treatment  which  the  Jews  fhould  meet 
with  in  thofe  kingdoms. 

One  fee's  a  predidlion  of  the  retreat  which  Eg^ft  was  to  give  to  the 
jfeius^nd  of  the  temple  they  were  to  build  there. 

One  fee's  an  exadl  predidion  of  the  manner  of  the  prophanation  Cjf 
the  temple  by  Jntiochus  Epiphanes  for  three  years  together. 

One  fee's  the  predidion  of  the  ruin  of  thefe  two  governments  by  the 
arms  of  the  Roman  empire. 

It  is  very  natural  to  make  feme  reflexions  upon  fuch  a  various  multi- 
tude of  oracles. 

I.  That  there  are  no  books  in  the  world  which  are  formed  like  thofe 
which  we  find  in  the  hands  of  the  Jews. 

One  finds  there  a  hiftory  exadtly  purfued,  and  in  a  natural  dependanccc, 
from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  for  3500  years. 

One  finds  there  a  feries  of  oracles  which  foretel  all  forts  of  events,  fo 
infeparably  united  with  the  hiftory,  that  it  is  impoflible  to  find  by  what 
means  the  prophecies  could  have  been  fo  brought  to  fupport  the  hiftory, 
and  the  hiftory  to  fupport  the  authority  of  the  prophecies. 

One  finds  oracles  fo  clear,  and  fo  particular,  efpecially  in  the  book  of 
Daniel,  that  Porphyry  a  mortal  enemy  to  the  Chriftians,  was  forc'd  to 
aflert  that  the  book  oi' Daniel  was  forged  2ikQV  Jntiochns  Epiphanes's  time; 
a  ridiculous  imagination  !  For  this  prophecy  was  tranflated  into  Greek 
more  than  one  hundred  years  before,  and  was  in  the  hands,  not  only  of 
the  Jews,  but  of  the  Egyptians  alfo,  mortal  enemies  to  the  whole  Jewifli 
nation. 

This  alfo  is  very  furprizing,  that  fince  t'ne  Jews^  after  their  difperfion, 
preferve  thefe  hiftories  wherever  they  are,  as  the  accomplifliments  of 
the  oracles,  and  thefe  oracles  as  predictions  of  thofe  events  of  which 
their  hiftory  is  very  full,  they  ftiould  never  think  of  propofing  to  us  any 
books  of  a  like  nature,  coniidering  that  now  for  one  and  twenty  ages 
they  have  had  no  paralel  authors,  who  have  both  writ  hiftory,  and  pro- 
nounced oracles. 

II.  But,  as  thefe  reflexions  lead  us  on  to  others,  fo  we  ought  to  enter 
upon  them  by  confidering  what  the  moft  unreafonable  obftinacy  can  op- 
pofe  to  the  authority  of  the  Hiftorical  and  Prophetical  Books  of  Scrip- 
ture. 


CHAP.  IV, 


362  .  Refextons  upon  the  Ch.  IV. 


C     X.     A     P.       IV. 

That  how  comtnonfoever  Or^^ck^  may  heme  been  amongst  the  Pagans^  yet  no- 
thing atnongst  tkcm  can  jujUy  be  compared  with  thofe  which  are  found 
a?no/igst  the  Jews. 

,^?!OK'^N  E  of  tlie  greateft  objedlons  which  can  in  all  probability  be 
^'  O  ^'  made  agaiiifl:  this  furprizing  leries  of  Oracles,  which  are  found 
ij^y^l^^lji  in  the  books  of  the  Old  Teflament,  is  taken  from  that  great 
number  of  Oracles  which  are  found  amongft  the  Pagans.  This  objec- 
tion deferves  to  be  confidered,  becaufe  it  will  more  clearly  domonllrate 
the  authority  of  tho  Prophetical  books,  which  are  in  the  hands  of  the 
"Jews. 

I  confefs  there  have  been  fiilfe  prophets :  and  indeed,  fmce  God  has 
given  us  marks  to  diftinguifti  them  from  true  ones,  which  may  be  ictn 
in  the  books  of  Mojcs,  it  cannot  be  denied  but  there  have  been  fome  falfe 
prophets.  And  that  moreover,  the  hiftory  of  the  Prophets  difcovering 
to  us  inipoftors  frequently,  we  may  freely  acknowledge,  that  amonglt 
the  Pagans,  and  the  people  bordering  u^onjiidea^  there  have  been  men 
who  have  boafled  of  predi6lions  of  things  to  come,  as  well  as  amongft 
the  Jews. 

I  confefs  alfo,  that  fome  Heathen  writers  fpeak  of  certain  oracles, 
which  in  all  appearance  arc  very  well  circumftantiated,  and  of  which 
they  relate  a  very  exact  rtccompliftimcnt. 

But  fcveral  things  ought  to  be  obferved  upon  this  argument,  which 
defer ve  an  attentive  confidcration. 

I.  We  fee  that  their  moft  celebrated  things  have  been  only  an  imita- 
ti-on  of  what  was  done  amongft  the  Jews.  The  Egyptians  imitated  the 
UriiK  and  the  Jhumviim  of  the  Jewifh  high  prieft.  And  they  appropri- 
ated'to  him  the  right  of  giving  oracles:  and  fo  wc  fee  they  are  given  by 
a  voice  from  heaven,  which  the  Jeivs  favv  was  granted-  to  their  Pro- 
phets.    We  may  fee  it  in  the  hiftory  of  Socrates's  life,  and  in  Jpuleius, 

V-  339- 

II.  We  fee  that  the  fame  Pagan  hiftorians  take  notice  that  ver>' many, 

even  the  greateft  part  of  their  oraclfs,  v/ere  very  ambiguous,  and  falfe. 
The  philofophers,  and  Tii/Iy  particularly,  openly  laugh'd  at  them  {Lib. 
\.l\.  uc  Di'vinatione.)  Ihey  thought' it  a  ridiculous  thing  that  ^Oa//)? 
Delphicus,  the  god  of  poetry,  fliould  give  his  anfwcrs  in  very  bad  verfe, 
and  at  laft  be  reduced  to  profe.  EuJ.hius  quotes  a  difcourfe  of  Oenomaus 
a  Greek  philofophcr,  who  wrote  againft  oracles,  to  decry  them  as  im- 
-pofturcs. 

III.  We  fee,  that  thofc  oracles  which  had  acquired  the  greateft  repu- 
tation by  their  accompliOiment,  were  borrowed  from  the  Prophets  of  die 
iynagogues.  We  have  an  illuftrious  example  in  the  birth  of  Cyrus, 
which  the  Prophet  Ifaiah  had  foretold,  about  the  year  of  the  world  3292, 
and  concerning  which  they  pretend  to  fhew  prophecies  of  Nebuchadnez- 
zar and  Crafus^  about  the  year  3492  (<'},  which  fliows  that  if  the  thing 

was 

fO  Ahjdeniis,  Herodot,  lib.  i.  cap.  55.  &  9'* 


Ch.  IV.  EcohoftheOMTeJinnient.  363 

was  really  known  to  them,  they  could  not  have  knov/n  it  but  by  the 
prophetical  v/ritings  which  were  ainongll  the  Jcius^  and  which  could  not 
have  been  concealed  from  them,  becaui'e  the  fetvs  read  them  with  care, 
to  comfort  themfelvcs  under  that  captivity  to  which  they  were  reduced 
by  Nebuchadnezzar. 

IV.  It  is  in  effc6l  proved  by  examining  their  oracles,  moft  of  which 
were  either  falfe  or  forged.  This  Eiifeb'ius  has  clearly  proved,  \_de  Pra- 
par.  Evangclha^  Lib.  IX.  cap.  5.]  The  proverb  of  the  Sibyll's  01  Delpbick 
prieftefs's,  favouring  of  Philips  is  commonly  known.  It  was  eafie  for 
thefe  Heathen  princes  to  biafs  their  people  with  fuch  prediftions.  But 
what  Eufebius  fays  (/),  puts  the  thing  beyond  all  queftion,  for  he  ex- 
prcfly  fliews,  that  when  the  priefts  were  put  to  the  rack,  they  confefled 
the  whole  contrivance  of  thofe  oracles,  which  they  pronounced  to  abufe 
the  credulity  of  the  people. 

V.  We  ought  to  obferve,  that  wc  cannot  find  great  numbers  of  oracles 
upon  the  fame  fubjecl,  whereas  one  fee's  that  the  Prophets  follow'd  (as 
it  were)  Mofci's  model  of  the  ftate  of  the  commonwealth  of  the  JewSn^ 
and  that  they  frequently  concur  in  foretelling  the  fame  fadls  from  one 
generation  to  another. 

VI.  We  ought  to  remember  that  thefe  oracles  were  not  kept  within 
the  limits  of  one  fingle  ftate  or  nation. 

VII.  It  may  be  faid  that  they  were  not  publickly  known,  having  been 
only  propofed  in  private  places,  before  a  very  few,  and  in  fhort,  that 
they  were  not  aflually  known  to  the  moft  part  of  the  neighbouring  peo- 
ple ;  whereas  one  fee's  that  the  Jewifti  Prophets  gave  their  oracles  in  the 
moft  folemn  aflemblies,  and  when  they  were  committed  to  writing,  they 
were  known  to  all  thofe  who  had  any  commerce  with  that  nation.  So 
that  Ijaiah\  prophecies  were  queftionlefs  known  to  Nebuchadnezzar  and 
Cyrus.,  who  look'd  upon  himfelf  as  defigned  by  God  to  reftore  their  li- 
berty to  the  Jews.  We  may  make  the  fame  judgment  of  the  book  of 
Daniel.,  which  was  knov/n  to  Alexander  without  all  queftion,  as  one 
may  colleft  from  the  favourable  reception  the  Jnvs  found  from  him. 

VIII.  We  ought  to  obferve,  that  thefe  pretended  oracles  were  given, 
for  the  moft  part,  in  favour  of  thofe  princes,  who  could  fatisfie  the  gree- 
dinefs  of  the  priefts.  Whereas  the  Prophets  among  the  Jnvs  lived  in 
the  moft  dif- interefted  manner  in  the  world,  andufually  pronounced  no-, 
thing  but  reproaches  and  menaces  of  cruel  calamities  to  thofe  princes 
who  had  the  government  in  their  hands.  Their  miniftry  confifted  in  a 
couragious  oppofition  to  the  corruptions  in  their  laws,  and  their  reli- 
gion, and  in  cenfuring  their  princes  and  governours  with  a  fingular  in- 
trepidity; and  indeed,  we  fee  that  moft  of  them  met  with  the  punifh- 
ment  of  their  boldnefs,  and  made  trial  of  the  moft  cruel  tortures. 

IX.  Laft  of  all,  we  ought  to  take  notice,  that  as  the  oracles  which 
are  mentioned  in  Heathen  authors,  were  only  of  facls  of  Imall  importance 
to  thofe  people,  amongft  whom  it  is  faid  that  tliey  were  pronounced,  fo 
we  do  not  find  that  they  thought  themfelves  much  concerned  in  their 
prefervation  ;  whereas  one  fee's  that  the  Jewifh  nation  were  fo  perfwad- 
ed  of  the  truth  of  thefe  oracles,  with  which  they  were  entrufted,  that 
nothing  to  this  very  day  could  ever  oblige  them  to  difcontinue  t.hc  read- 

(f)  Lib.  iv.  de  Praparat,  Evangel.     Lib,  jv.  initio. 


364  Rejiexwii  upon  the  Ch.  V- 

ng  of  them,  whatever  difputcs  they  may  othcrwifc  have  with  the  Chrif- 
tlans,  who  make  ufo  of  them  to  eftablifh  tiicir  pretentions,  notwith- 
ftanding  all  the  cLi'ims  of  the  fynagogue. 

When  this  is  laid  down,  it  would  I'cem  as  if  I  might  reafonably  con- 
ctudc,  that  the  wonderful  variety  of  oracles  wliich  are  to  be  found 
amongft  the  "JcwSy  cannot  be  at  all  weakned  by  thofe  oracles  of  which 
we  findfo  frequent  mention  in  Pagan  writers. 

But  we  ought  to  go  further,  in  explaining  two  things,  which  will  per- 
fectly clear  tiiis  matter  ;  one  is,  that  the  Hiltorical  and  Prophetical  Books 
of  the  Old  Teftament,  after  Mnjh^  can  be  no  forgeries  ;  the  other  is, 
that  in  truth,  thofe  Oracles  which  we  find  inferted  in  thofe  books,  could 
not  pofllbly  have  been  forged  after  their  completion. 


CHAP.      V. 

That  the  Booh^  in  which  we  may  find  thrfc  Oracles^  were  never  forged. 

f^-fti^'f^  HAVE  obferved  formerly,  that  it  is  abfolutely  neceflary  that 
P-.  I  .^  the  authority  of  thofe  Books,  in  which  thefe  Oracles  are  infcrt- 
C'*:i*;!^  ^^>  ^^  eftabliflied,  before  we  can  build  upon  the  authority  of 
tRc  Oracles.  And  indeed,  if  we  cannot  clearly  fliew  that  thefe  Books 
were  written,  and  publickly  known,  before  the  things  happened,  which 
are  faid  to  be  accomplifhments  of  thofe  preceding  Oracles,  it  would  be 
natural  to  call  in  queftion  the  authority  of  thefe  Oracles.  But  it  is  very 
cafie  to  fatisfie  an  equitable  reader  herein,  and  to  eftabliih  in  general,  or 
fevcrally,  the  exiflcnce  of  thefe  prophetical  v/ritings,  before  the  times  in 
which  thofe  facts  happened  which  we  propofe  as  the  accomplifliment  of 
thofe  prophecies. 

I  fliall  make  ufe  of  two  forts  of  reflexions  to  eftablifh  my  propofitlori. 
The  nrft  confiUs  in  general  confiderations  upon  the  books  themfelves  : 
tiie  fecond  has  refpect  to  particular  fads,  which  are  uncontefted,  and 
whence  the  fame  truth  very  naturally  refults. 

I.  We  ought  to  obferve,  that  whereas  in  Genefis  Mops  makes  ufc  of 
no  other  epocha  to  fix  the  time  of  any  event,  but  the  years  of  the  life  of 
fome  famous  Patriarch :  as  for  inftance,  he  fixes  the  flood  to  the  600 
year  oi  Noah's  age  ;  in  Exodus  and  Numbers  [g)  he  ufes  the  time  of  their 
coming  out  of  Egypt  for  his  epocha-^  m  the  books  of  the  following  au- 
thors, the  years   irom  their  departure  out  of  Egypt  were  carefully  fet 

'  down  'tUl  the  fourtli  year  of  king  Solomon  s  reign,  which  was  480  years 
after  their  departure.  This  was  a  chaiadter  to  fix  the  time  of  all  thofe 
who  lived  after  that  epoiha. 

II.  The  building  of  the  temple  began  a  new  epocha  amongft  the  Jewsy 
■^tis  appears  from  I rC'/;ro;z.  VIU.  1.  tho'   they  began  after  that  time  to 

reckon  by  the  years  of  the  kings  of  Juda  and  Ijrad,  as  appears  by  the 

books 

(j^)  Exod,  xix.     Numb,  xxxiii.  38. 


Ch.  V.  BorAsofthe  OMTeJlainent.  36 j 

books  of  the  firft  Prophets.  Which  is  a  charatfler  fufficiently  certain, 
to  diftinguifh  thofe  who  liv'd  after  Solomon.^  with  the  time  when  they 
liv'd. 

III.  It's  plain,  that  the  Baltylonijh  captivity,  and  afterwards  their  fub- 
ie6lion  to  the  Perfian  empire,  obHged  them  to  fix  their  events,  and  to 
date  their  prophecies,  by  the  years  of  the  governments  of  thofe  foreign 
kings.  [See  Daniel^  Evcechiel^  Zecbariah,  and  Haggai.]  So  the  author 
of  the  book  of  Maccabees  refers  to  the  years  of  the  Selencida.  Now, 
that  we  may  the  better  perceive  the  force  of  this  obfer\'ation,  we  mufb 
remember  three  things,  i.  That  the  authors  who  Jived  after  the  carry- 
ing av/ay  of  the  "Jcvjs  into  Babylon^  make  ufe  of  fome  Chaldee  terms, 
which  are  not  to  be  found  in  the  foregoing  Prophets.  For  we  may  fee 
in  the  books  of  Haggai^  Zechariahy  and  Afalachi,  the  fame  ftyle  with 
Ezra,  Nehemiah,  and  Daniel  {h).  2.  The  authors  of  thefe  books,  give 
names  to  the  months,  which  they  had  not  before  the  captivity.  The 
Jews  only  called  their  months,  firft,  and  fecond,  ^c.  and  fo  they  gave 
names  which  were  unheard  of  before  (i).  3.  The  authors  of  thefe  pro- 
phecies take  particular  notice  of  any  newly  inftituted  tafts ;  thus  we  fee 
that  the  Prophet  Haggai  mentioned  thofe  fails  of  which  we  have  nothing 
in  the  law,  but  which  were  inftituted  during  the  captivity. 

We  muft  blind  ourfelves  of  purpofe,  to  conceive  that  any  impoftor 
could  forge  books,  which  have  fo  exact  a  relation,  and  fuch  certain  cha- 
raclcrifticks  to  fix  them  to  the  time  in  which  every  author  lived,  and  to 
the  circumftances  wherein  he  wrote.  We  muft  of  neceffity  grant,  that 
before  fuch  an  impoftor  could  bring  about  fuch  a  defign,  he  muft  have 
pnade  himfelf  mafter  of  the  whole  prophane  hiftory,  to  fix  fo  exactly  the 
hiftory  of  the  Jewifli  nation,  and  of  thofe  oracles  which  have  been  given 
in  circumftances  which  are  unintelligible  without  the  help  of  prophane 
hiftories  of  different  nations. 

I  come  now  to  facls  which  cannot  be  contefted.  It  is  fuificient  that 
thofe  facts  be  acknowledged  as  true,  to  eftablifli  in  general  the  truth  of 
thofe  books  whereof  we  teach. 

I.  It  cannot  be  denied,  that  the  Jews  preferve  thefe  oracles  to  this 
day,  with  great  fidelity. 

II.  It  cannot  be  denied,  that  they  are  in  the  bands  of  Chriftians,  who 
preferve  them  as  well  as  the  Jev:s,  fince  they  have  been  feparated  from 
them ;  that  is,  for  almoft  feventeen  ages. 

III.  It  cannot  be  denied,  that  thefe  prophecies  have  been  exaftly  read 
by  the  Jews,  becaufe  of  thofe  oracles  upon  which  they  believe,  to  this 
day,  that  the  whole  happinefs  of  their  nation  is  founded. 

IV.  It  cannot  be  denied,  that  the  Jews  have  read  thefe  Books  exactly 
to  refute  the  Difciples  of  Jefus  Chrift,  who  have  pretended  from  the  firft 
age  of  their  appearing,  that  Jefus  Chrift  is  the  MeiTiah  mark'd  out  by 
thefe  oracles.  In  ftiort,  whereas  the  Chriftians  pretend  to  prove  by  the 
accompliftiment  of  the  ancient  oracles,  that  Jefus  Chrift  was  the  Meifiah : 
It  is  known,  that  the  Jews  e^'^eavour  to  this  day  to  wreft  the  fenfe  of 
fhefe  oracles,  and  to  ftiew  that  there  arc  many  things  which  are  not  lite- 
rally 

^^>l  Ezech.  xl,  I.     Dan  id  X.     Zach.  i.     Hac:g.  i* 
(i)  Tahn,  Rojck.  HnJJanak,  c.  I. 


366  Reflexions  upon  the  Ch.  V. 

rally  accomplifhed,  and  which  by  confequence  cannot  be  apply'd  to  Jefus 
ChrilK 

v.  It  cannot  be  deny'd,  that  moft  of  the  controverfies  of  the  Jews 
with  the  Chfiftians,  only  regard  the  application  of  the  text  of  the  pro- 
phetical- authors.  The  Chriftians  explain  them  in  a  myftical  fenfe,  the 
Jewi  maintain  that  they  ought  to  be  explained  literally. 

VI.  It  cannot  be  deny'd  that  abdut  300  years  before  the  birth  of  our 
Saviour,  the  prophetical  books  were  tranflated,  and  put  into  the  hands  of 
the  Egyptians^  having  been  carried  to,  and  tranflated  at  Alexandria^  by  a 
publick  order  of  the  whole  nation,  for  the  fatisfacStion  of  a  King  of  Egypt. 
The  hiftory  of  that  verfion  which  put  thofe  facred  books  into  the  hands 
of  the  Greeks^  and  the  Jcivs  v/ho  dwelt  in  Egypt^  is  the  moft  famous  thing 
in  the  world,  and  which  made  thofe  books  pcrfe6tly  known. 

Here  we  have  now  thefe  books  in  Hebrew^  and  in  Greek,  that  is  to 
fav,  in  the  primitive  language  of  the  Jews^  and  the  vulgar  language  of 
the  empire  which  y//?.v<^W6'r  founded. 

It  is  known,  that  from  that  time  the  Chriftians  took  care  to  make 
<Treat  numbers  of  tranftations  into  all  the  vulgar  tongue?,  afterthe  preach- 
ll^^r  of  the'gofpel ;  and  that  they  preferved  thofe  ancient  books  as  the  firft: 
clement?  of  their  religion. 

Now  it  will  be  fufficient  to  acknowledge  thofe  truths,  to  confider ; 

That  thofe  oracles  were  true  which  foretold  things  which  happened 
tilmoft  four  ages  after  their  predidtion.  Thus,  for  inftance,  the  deftruc- 
tion  of  Jerufahtn ;  the  overthrow  of  the  Jewifti  ftate  ;  the  calling  of 
the  Gentiles  to  the  fcrvice  of  the  God  of  Ij'rael ;  the  deftru6tion  of  the 
Svrian  and  Egyptian  monarchies  ;  are  all  contained  in  the  books  of  Daniel^ 
Haggai^  Zachariah^  and  Afalachi. 

Now  there  is  not  more  difficulty  to  conceive,  that  fuch  authors  as 
Jfaiah,  Jmos,  Joel^  fliould  have  foretold  the  fame  thing  eight  or  nine  hun- 
dred years  before,  than  there  is  to  believe  that  they  were  foretold  by  thofe 
•who  liv'd  but  little  above  four  ages  before  they  actually  came  to  pafs. 
7  here  is  therefore  no  difficulty  in  conceiving  that  thefe  antient  oracles 
were  propofed  as  we  fee  them,  and  in  thofe  times  to  which  we  find  them 

fixed. 

But  we  ought  to  go  further  into  this  matter,  and  to  eftablifh  the  fame 
thing  by  the  confideration  of  the  things  themfelves. 

I  confefs  that  we  might  have  a  fufpicion  of  thofe  oracles  which  are  not 
related  upon  the  faith  of  a  publick  volume.  As  for  inftance,  thofe  of 
Elijah,  EliJIja,  and  Uriah  the  fon  of  Shefnaiah,  who  feem  never  to  have 
publifned  any  thing. 

But  here  we  are  to  obferve,  i.  That  ufually  the  authors  who  publifh 
the  oracles,  are  not  the  fame  with  thofe  who  tell  us  of  their  accomplifh- 
ment.  2.  That  the  oracles  of  v.'hich  we  now  fpeak,  were  upon  fubjects 
perfe6l-lv  known,  and  upon  very  illuftrious  exigencies.  What  more  il- 
luftrious  than  the  deftrudion  of  Al?ab's  family,  foretold  by  Elijah?  What 
more  extraordinary  than  the  manner  of  yezebel's  death,  foretold  by  the 
fame  prophet? 

»in  Ihort,  we  ought  to. take  notice,  1.  That  thefe  oracles  wiere  writtea 
for  the  moft  part  in  compleat  volumes  :  We  have  fixteen  prophets  fuffi- 
ciently  diftinLniifli'd  by  their  proper  volumes. 

^  ^  II.  Each 


Ch.  VI.  Books  of  the  Old  Tejiameni.  0^7 

II.  Each  of  thefe  authors  has  a  very  diirerent  chara£ler  from  the  reft  - 
fo  that  fome,  as  Daniel  for  inftance,  write  in  a  peculiar  language  one  p^rt 
of  his  book  being  in  Chaldce. 

III.  Every  one  has  fome  relation  to  the  reft:  So  thofe  who  liv'd  toge- 
ther, often  treat  of  the  fame  things:  So  Ifaiah  for  inftance,  Joel^  Amos^ 
Hofea.  But  they  had  fcparate  idea's,  and  particular  oracles,  and  a  turn 
which  pcrfedlly  diftinguiflies  them  one  from  another. 

IV.  One  needs  only  read  their  worlcs  to  find  that  they  wrote  in  differeflt " 
places.     Jjnos  was  of  Juda^^  and  went  to  prophecy  in  Ifrael^  that  appears 
plainly.     Ezechiel  and  Daniel  prophefied  in  Chuldea  j  that's  ktn  by  read-  ' 
ing  theii  works. 

V .  There  is  a  natural  dependance  between  the  books  of  Aiofcs^  and 
thofe  of  the  prophets  in  general ;  Yo\:  the  prophets  were  continually  re- 
proaching the  kings  and  people  with  the  crimes  which  they  committed' 
againft  the  law  of  God  propofed  by  Mofes. 

VI.  There  is  a  natural  dependance  between  the  writino-g  of  t};e  foi:-.* 
mcr,  and  of  the  latter  prophets.      So  Jeremiah  is  quoted  by  Daniel (k) 
as  foretelling  the  time  when  the  defolations  of  yerujaletn  were  to  have 
an  end  ;  this  he  propofcs,  not  as  if  he  had  learnt  it'by  a  revelation   but 
as  a  thing  which  he  had  found  out  by  an  attentive  examination  of  the 
prophecy  of  "Jeremiah. 

VII.  There  is  an  exatSt  conneilion  of  thefe  oracles  with  thehiftory  of 
the  time,  which  is  often  interwoven  with  the  prophecies.  One  fee's  it 
in  the  books  of  Ifaiah^  Jeremiah^  and  Damel\  the  other  hiftorical  books 
not  being  altogether  fo  particular,  as  thefe  prophetical  books  are. 

VIII.  In  ftiort,  one  fee's  that  thefe  books  are  interwoven  with  oracles 
concerning  ancient  events,  and  jieople  which  have  now  no  exiftence  fo 
that  hinders  us  from  lufpecting  any  forgery. 

I  ftiall  not  repeat  here  the  common  arguments  which  eftablifh  the 
credit  of  thefe  books,  I  brought  in  nioft  of  them  when  I  eftabliftied  the 
authority  of  the  books  of  Mofeu    I  fliall  only  make  fome  refle^^ip^s  here 
to  eftablifh  the  fame  truth.  ' 


^^^^^'^^4i^^'^'^f'^^^4^^^4if^^4ir^^^^^^^^^,f^ 


CHAP.      VI. 

That  the  manner  of  writing  the  prophetical  books  of  the  Old  Tejlamcnt, 
fbeivs  that  thofe  oracles  could  not  have  been  forged  after  their  completion. 

^XX;^  Have  feveral  things  to  take  notice  of,  to  make  this  truth  more 
X  ^  X  ^^"^^^'^*  ^  '^^  fi''^^  is  taken  from  the  neceftary  connexion  of  all 
^XX"3  ^^^  P^rts  of  the  hiftory  of  the  Old  Teftament,  the  truth  of 
which  I  have  proved  by  feveral  characters.  This  hiltory  is  exadly 
written  by  feveral  authors  :  now  the  hiftory  of  the  prophets,  and  of  their 

oracies, 
(i)  Dan.  ix.  2. 


2SS  Rcfiexiom  upon  the  Ch.  VI. 

oracles,  is  fo  cxaftly  framed  into  the  hiftory,  that  it  is  impoflible  to  take 
it  out,  wlth'.>ut  confounding  the  whole. 

The  books  of  Satruely  which  were  written  by  Samuel^  by  Nathan  and 
by  Gad^  as  appears  by  I  Cbron.  XXIX.  29.  contain  the  hifbory  from  the 
year  of  the  world  2888.  to  the  year  2987. 

The  books  of  the  Kiyi^s  contain  die  hiflory  of  the  kings,  and  of  the 
prophets,  from  the  year  2989,  to  the  year  3442. 

The  books  of  the  Chronicles  recapitulate  the  hiftory,  from  the  begin- 
ning of  the  world,  to  the  year  3468. 

£zra  writ  his  hiftory  from  the  year  346S.  to  the  year  3538. 

Nehcmiah  continued  it  from  3550.  to  3563. 

Here  is  therefore  on  the  one  fide  an  uninterrupted  ferles  of  hiftory; 
and  on  the  other  fide  a  continued  fuccefiion  of  prophecies. 

David^  who  began  to  reign  in  the  year  2950.  with  feveral  other  pro- 
phets of  that  time,  writ  the  moft  part  of  the  PfalmSy  which  are  full  of 
oracles,  and  which  were  fung  by  the  people,  as  a  part  of  the  divine  fer- 
vice, 

fj'ffiah  began  his  prophecy  in  3246.  and  dy'd  in  the  year  3306.  Hofea, 
Jllicahy  and  Nahum  were  contemporary  with  him. 

Jeniniah  begun  his  prophecy  in  the  year  3375.  and  liv'd  at  the  fame 
time  with  Zephaniah. 

Daniel  was  carryM  into  Babylon  in  3401.  and  prophefied  until  3470. 

£%H'hiel  prophecy'd  at  Babylon  in  3509. 

Ha^gai  and  Zcchariah  prophecy'd  in  3590.  foon  after  Ezra,  in  the 
time  of  Nehemiah, 

Jktalachy  (terns  to  have  lived  until  the  year  3589. 

Can  wc  therefore  in  the  leaft  imagine  that  a  hiftory  ftiould  be  fo  in- 
termixed with  prophcfies  and  oracles,  without  conceiving  at  the  fame 
lime  the  truth  of  both  by  an  invincible  neceflity  ? 

But  we  may  make  a  lecond  reflexion  hereupon. 

There  are  three  general  characters  which  diftinguifli  prophets  very 
fenfibly  from  the  generality  of  authors. 

I.  They  were  publick  ccnfors  •,  Let  us  but  read  the  hiftory  of  Ifaiah's 
conduci:,  who  called  all  the  heads  of  the  people,  rulers  of  Sodcm ;  or  that 
of  Ji^remiah,  Chap.  XXXVI.  or  of  any  other  of  the  prophets  in  ge- 
iiefal. 

II.  They  were  comforters  of  the  people,  when  they  had  brought  them 
to  repentance  by  their  preaching.  There  are  as  many  inftances  of  this, 
as  there  are  prophets. 

III.  They  foretold  remarkable  occurrences,  happy  or  unfortunate,  long 
before  there  was  ajiy  probability  that  they  ftiould  happen. 

It  is  iuipoflible  to  coufider  thefc  charailers,  without  feeing  that  the 
ftate  of  affairs  was  that  v/hich  gave  a  foundation  for  their  fermons  :  So 
that  -one  m.uil  lof  nccpflity  have  framed  their  hiftory  of  new,  to  giv«; 
ground  for  a  forgery.  Tliis  change  in  the  ftyle  of  the  prophets,  follow^ 
the  circumftances  of  the  Jewifn  ftate  exactly.  All  that  Ifaiab  or  J'r£~ 
tniah  fay,  will  hold  no  longer  than  whilft  you  fuppofe  the  ftate  of  the  JciLi 
to  be  as  corru|>t  as  the  hiftory  of  that  time  rcprefents  it.  But  if  you 
Aippoie  it  to  be  as  the  hiftory  do's  diftinclly  explain  it,  nothing  can  be 
imagined  more  forcible  than  their  ferniqus.     For  as  they  joined  oracles 

with 


Ch.  VI.  BoohoftheOldTejtament..  36^ 

with  promires'in  tneir  thundering  fermons,  fo  one  (tt's  that  they  cannot 
be  partedi 

One  may  make  another  reflexion  upon  this  matter,  by  fhewing  that 
thefe  oracles,  and  thefe  books  were  fo  famous  amongft  the  Jews,  that 
no  forgery  can  be  fuppofed. 

The  times  in  which  they  were  writ,  are  a  great  proof,  for  they  ap^ 
peared  upon  very  remarkable  occafions* 

One  may  rank  the  prophets  into  four  orders,  according  to  the  feveral 
times  in  which  they  appeared  :  Davidy  and  the  prophets  of  his  time  j 
Thofe  who  lived  before  the  Bahylomjh  captivity ;  as  Jonah^  Hofea^ 
yoel^  J?nos,  Obadiah,  Ifaiah,  Micahy  Nahum^  Habakkuk^  Zephaniah^ 
Jeremiah. 

Thofe  who  prophefied  during  the  captivity ;  Jeremiah,  Es^ekiel,  and 
Daniel, 

Thofe  who  lived  after  their  return  from  Babylon -^  Haggai,  Zechariah^ 
and  Malachy. 

Now  we  have  an  equal  affurance  of  all  thefe  prophets,  that  they 
were  famous. 

Who  can  deny  the  oracles  of  David  to  have  been  famous^  when  they 
were  preferv'd  amongft  their  publick  hymns  ? 

One  fee's  that  Micah\  predidion  fav'd  Jeremiah  whom  they  would 
have  condemned  for  prophecying  the  ruin  of  the  temple  under  Jehoiakim^ 
when  Micah  had  prophefied  the  fame  thing  under  Hexekiah^  that  is  to 
fay,  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  years  before  this  prediction  of 
Jere?niah:  Here's  an  event  which  afTures  us  without  affecVation,  That  this 
prophecy  was  very  well  known  :  were  not  therefore  the  other  prophecies 
which  v/ere  in  the  hands  of  the  Jeivs  very  well  known  by  the  whole 
nation  ? 

The  other  prophets  lived  in  very  remarkable  times :  Ijaihh  un- 
der Jotham,  Ahnx,  and  ManaJJch  impious  princes  :  the  laft  of  which 
put  him  to  a  cruel  death,  for  the  freedom  of  his  cenfures  and  predic* 
tions. 

There  was  in  the  time  of  every  prophet,  a  great  number  of  circum- 
ftances  which  may  be  enlarged  upon,  and  which  will  further  prove,  That 
their  works  muft  of  neceffity  have  been  very  publick,  and  \txy  famous 
amongft  the  Jews. 

We  muft  not  here  neglect  what  do's  more  particularly  regard  the 
perfons  of  the  prophets. 

I.  Some  of  them  were  priefts,  that  is  to  fay  publick  minifters  of  their 
religion.  Jeremiah  and  E2^chiel  vftr^  of  that  number  :  This  may  be  ob- 
fcrved  in  reading  of  their  works,  and  in  obferving  the  nature  of  their  re- 
velations, which  were  for  the  moft  part  accommodated  by  God  to  thofe 
idea's- about  which  the  prophets  were  moft  employ'd. 

II.  Some  were  very  illuftrious  by  their  birth :  Thus  Da-vid,  for  in- 
ftance,  was  king  of  Ifrael^  Ifaiah  was  a  prince  of  the  blood,  and 
Daniel  wns  one  of  the  princes  oi  Judah\  which  may  be  eafily  found  out 
by  confiderjng  the  majefty  of  their  ftyle,  and  greatncfs  of  their  expref- 
fions. 

III.  Some  were  very  contemptible  by  their  employment,  and  by  their 
birth  :  So  Jmos^  for  jnftance,  and  thofe  other  prophets  whofe  father  is 

Vol.  I,  A  a  barely 


o-,Q  Reflexions  upon  the  Ch.  VL 

tarely  named,  without  joining  to  it  any  honourable  title,  if  the  Jews  ob- 
fervatlon  has  any  ftrength. 

Now,  it  is  well  known,  that  tho'  the  gift  of  prophecy  made  him  who 
had  it  fulBcicntly  famous,  yet  the  character  of  the  perfon  often  made  the 
prophecy  famous.  Sometimes  indeed  the  meannefs  of  the  perfon,  as  in 
j^7no<:  maac  the  work  to  be  more  regarded,  every  body  taking  occafion 
from  the  ancient  profeflion  of  the  prophet,  to  confider  the  prophecies 
which  he  publifhed  with  more  attention. 

One  ouc^ht  to  obferve,  with  care,  That  thofe  prophets  whofe  v/ritings 
are  prcfcr\  'd,  as  well  as  thofe  who  did  not  write,  were  continually  flruck 
at  by  falfe  prophets,  who  oppofed  them  with  great  heat.  Since  then  we 
ha\  e  no  prophecies  prefcrved,  but  of  thofe  whofe  predictions  were  accom- 
pliftied  the  event  juftifying  the  truth  of  their  predi£lions,  with  regard  to 
particular  fa£ls  near  the  time  which  they  had  foretold  to  eftablifh  their 
authority,  whereas  the  predictions  of  others,  wanting  this  character, 
were  neglefted,  and  at  laft  abfolutely  loft  :  It  appears  plainly.  That 
thofe  which  remain  were  things  of  the  grcatcft  reputation  among  the 

Jews. 

Befides,  I  may  add.  That  one  needs  only  read  their  books  to  fee  that 
they  not  only  foretold  obfcure  things,  or  what  particularly  concerned 
their  ftate ;  but  alfo  things  of  a  more  fplendid  nature,  the  overthrow  of 
klno-doms,  of  cities,  the  deftru6tion  of  whole  nations,  the  deflruttion 
of  their  own  city,  with  its  re-eflablifhment ;  Matters  which  would  ren- 
der their  books  veiy  illuftrious,  and  which  would  caufe  them  to  be  read, 
not  only  bv  the  ycws^  but  alfo  by  the  neighbour  nations,  the  Jmjnofiiies, 
Moabites,  )ljjyrians^  Perfians^  Egyptians^  &c. 

Is  not  this  therefore  a  very  particular  thing,  and  that  which  made  the 
prophets  very  illuftrious.  That  the  great  luftre  of  the  prophets  continued 
but  for  a  certain  time  :  There  have  been  none  ftnce  the  year  3553.  their 
c;lorv  appeared  in  the  hiftory  of  eight  ages,  but  it  do's  not  extend  it  felf 
anv  farther  :  Now  why,  I  pray,  fliould  there  be  no  impoftors  after  Mala- 
^/;v,  as  well  as  there  were  impoftors  before  him? 

One  may  imagine  perhaps.  That  the  prophecies  were  immediately 
^Ifperft,  fome  being  uttered  in  one  place,  and  fome  in  another:  Some  in 
the  kingdom  of  Judah^  and  others  in  the  kingdom  of  Ifrael:  Some 
in  5fl/';'/c«,  others  in  Egypt^  which  might  give  opportunities  for  impoftors. 

But, 

I.  This  objection  may  be  ftrongly  retorted  back  :  For  how  can  we 
conceive,  that  in  the  divifion,  which  feparated  the  Ijraelites  from  the 
7^u'5,  thofe  of  Judah  would  charge  themfelves  with  the  W-ritings 
publiftied  in  a  kingdom  fo  much  an  enemy  to  them,  without  examina- 
tion, when  every  thing  which  comes  from  thence,  ought  to  appear  fuf- 
pe(Sted. 

II.  They  were  all  collefted  into  particular  volumes  t  But  the  pro- 
phecies of  iiofeo,  Ifa'iah,  and  Jerevty^  and  the  moft  confiderable  of  the  reft, 
are  preferved  in  books  which  contain  many  other  things. 

III.  They  are  all  exactly  joyned  v/ith  the  hiftory  of  the  fame  nation, 
each  one  in  a  place  where  there  was  an  equal  concern  to  preferve,  and 
to  ^i^ather  them  together.  But  befides,  they  were  all  collected  into  one 
•boJv-.     In  ihort,  the  LXXII.    Interpreters  tranflatcd  them  into  Gnek  in 

the 


Ch.  VI.  Books  of  the  Old  Tejlament.  371 

the  year  of  the  world  3727.  and  fo  fubmitted  them  \.o  the  examina- 
tion of  the  Egyptians  j  and  this  alfo  keeps  us  from  doubting  of  their 
truth. 

This  tranflation  was  made  but  one  hundred  thirty  and  eight  years  af- 
ter Malachy  the  laft  of  the  prophets. 

But  what  judgment  foever  may  be  made  of  thefe  reflexions,  the  defign 
whereof  is  only  to  eftablifli  the  reputation  of  thefe  prophecies,  and  of  the 
books  wherein  they  are  written,  that  fo  no  room  may  be  left  for  any  fuf- 
picions  of  forgery :  I  {hall  add  two  confiderations  to  what  I  have 
laid  already,  which  ought  to  appear  convincing  to  every  attentive 
man. 

I.  One  can  fufpe(5l  none  but  the  ye^vs  as  forgers  of  thefe  oracles : 
Now,  not  to  fay  any  thing  of  the  abfurdity  of  fuppofmg  that  a  whole  na- 
tion fhould  have  fubfcribed  to  fuch  an  impofture ;  all  the  "Jews  through- 
out the  world,  were  after  their  return  from  the  captivity,  {Irongly  pre- 
pofTefled  with  an  opinion  of  the  Mcffiah's  being  a  great  temporal  king: 
and  they  have  the  fame  belief  to  this  very  hour,  in  all  places  of  the  world, 
wherever  they  are  difperft. 

This  being  once  laid  down,  I  affirm  it  to  be  impofiible  that  the  Jews 
fhould  forge  oracles  which  aflert  exprefsly.  That  the  IMefliah  fliould  be 
put  to  death  in  fo  very  odious  a  manner.  For,  as  I  (hall  afterwards 
fhew,  the  oldeft  do£lors  attributed  to  the  Meffiah ;  all  thofe  oracles  which 
fpeak  of  the  death  of  the  Meffiah  according  to  the  Chriftians,  and 
which  they  thcmfelves  in  procefs  of  time  were  forced  to  interpret  of  two 
Meffiah's,  one  expofed  to  a  world  of  miferies,  and  the  other  only  glori- 
ous :  Or  at  leaft,  I  may  fay  it  is  impoffible  that  the  Jnvs  ftiould  confent 
to  a  forgery  which  thwarted  their  common  Idea's  and  pretenfions  in  fo 
very  fenfible  a  manner. 

II.  The  fecond  confideration  eftabliflies  the  fame  truth  with  no  lefs 
firmnefs,  which  is  that  the  Call  of  the  Gentiles  to  have  a  fhare  in  the 
bleffings  of  the  covenant  which  God  made  with  the  people  of  Ifrael^  was 
the  thing  in  the  world  from  which  the  ynus  had  the  greateft  averfion  ; 
they  looked  upon  the  bleffings  which  the  Meffiah  was  to  communicate, 
as  advantages  entirely  referved  for  thofe  of  their  own  nation :  How  then 
c.in  we  conceive  that  the  Jews  fhould  forge  fo  many  oracles  which 
fhould  th\vart  their  prejudices  fo  fenfibly  ?  or  how  can  we  ima- 
gine that  a  whole  people  v/ould  authorize  with  their  approba- 
tion an  impofture  fo  contrary,  and  fo  very  oppofite  to  their  own  Opi- 
nions ? 

But  it  is  no  hard  thing  to  imagine.  That  when  the  Jews  were  once 
perfwaded  of  the  authority  of  their  prophets,  either  by  their  miracles,  or 
by  the  ready  accomplifhment  of  every  oracle  which  they  had  publickly 
pronounced,  that  they  fhould  receive  their  books,  with  a  profound  fub- 
miffion,  and  preferve  them  with  the  utmoft  care.  But  it  appears  to  be 
an  incomprehenfible  thing,  for  a  people  to  receive  impoftures  contrary 
to  their  prejudices,  and  impoftures  reiterated  fo  often,  without  any 
ground,  but  what  a  vaft  number  of  records  never  before  heard  of  wouli 
produce. 

But  I  fuppofe  thefe  reflexions  will  fuffice  to  eftablifh  the  truth  of  the 
hiftorical  and  prophetical  books  of  the  Old  Teftament:   So  that  there 

A  a  2  will 


in%  Reflexions  upon  the  Ch.  VII. 

v/ill  he  no  need  of  alledging  particular  proofs,  which  might  demonftratc 
the  truth  of  each  book  in  particular,  which  would  carry  me  out  to  too 
grcML  a  length. 

I  Ihall  now  confider  the  oracles  themfelves,  and  I  fhall  {hew  the  pro- 
^^refs  of  the  lioht  of  this  revelation,  with  rcfpedt  to  the  promife  of  the 
Mefiiah  ;  That  this  progrefs  may  be  the  better  obferved,  I  {hall  do 
three  things,  as  I  have  formerly  obferved,  without  which  the  mind  of  a 
wife  reader  will  not  receive  fatisfa£tion. 

I.  I  ihail  explain  in  a  few  words  the  rcafon  why  thcfe  oracles  are 
interwoven  with  fever.d  hiftories,  or  prophecies  which  feem  to  have  no 
relation  to  the  promife  of  the  Meffiah. 

II.  I  fliall  give  fuch  rules  as  will  ferve  to  juftific  the  application  which 
both  Jews  and  ChrijUans  have  equally  made  of  feveral  oracles  only  to 
the  Meffiah. 

III.  I  fhall  fet  the  oracles  according  to  the  order  of  time,  which  will 
manifcll  the  advancement  and  progrefs  of  that  light  which  is  to  be  found 
in  the  revelation  it  felf :  As  indeed,  it  is  natural  to  conceive  that  Cjod 
fnould  explain  himfclf  more  clearly,  in  this  matter,  in  proportion  as  the 
things  themfelves  were  nearer  to  their  completion. 


%>^\(S></S><>Q>^<5>f>Q>'>^>'><2>'>^><><S>-'><^^ 


CHAP.        VII. 

For  zvhai  Renfon  ihc  Oracles^  ivhkh  relate  to  the  Mejfiah^  were  interwoven 
with  other  things^  which  feem  to  be  very  widely  dijlant. 

^•ft!>s;'^N  E  of  the  greateft  difficulties  which  may  be  raifed  againft  the 
'^  C>  ?S  oracles  of  the  Old  Teftament  which  concern  the  Meffiah,  is 
'\;^^:;^;J)  that  furprizing  mixture  which  one  fee's  of  thofe  oracles,  and  of 
otiier  lubjeds  which  feem  to  be  widely  diltant  from  any  idea  of  the 
Meffiah. 

There  are  none  fo  prophane^  as  to  deny,  that  if  in  the  fame  author, 
and  in  the  fame  chapter,  any  man  fhould  read  in  one  continued  feries  pre- 
dictions which  {hould  explain  the  miraculous  birth  of  the  Meffiah,  his 
family,  his  preaching,  his  miracles,  his  fufferin^s,  his  refurreclior.,  his 
afcenfion  into  HcavcMi,  the  fending  of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  the  calling  of  the 
Gentiles:  but  that  the  hiltory  of  thegofpel  would  fufficientlyjullifie  Jefus 
Chrift  to  be  the  promifed  Meffiah. 

But  they  take  it  to  be  a  very  ftrange  thing,  that  the  apoftles  fhould 
npply  feveral  paflages  in  ancient  authors  to  the  hiftory  of  Jcfus  Chrill, 
tho'  the  whole  contexture  of  their  books  do  not  feem  to  oblige  us  to 
make  any  fuch  interpretations. 

They  therefore  fuppofe  that  the  apoftles  made  feveral  fortunate  allufi- 
ons  to  the  more  remarkable  paflages  in  thofe  ancient  authors,  which  may 
pafs  for  predic'^ions  of  thofe  events,  which  afterwards  happened  j  juft  as 
Nonnus  wrote  the  hillory  of  the  gofpel  in  Homer's  verfes  i  and  as  Eudoxia 

made 


Ch.  Vn,  Books  of  the  Old  Tejlatnent.  07  j 

made  a  Cento  out  of  Virg'd's  poem,  which  contained  the  fame  hiftory, 
tho'  neither  Homer  nor  Firgilhzd  any  of  the  myfleries  of  the  Chriftian 
religion  then  in  view. 

That  this  apparent  difficulty  may  be  folved,  it  will  be  neccflary  to  ex- 
amine three  things:  I.  The  matter  of  fa6l  it  felf.  II.  The  reafons 
which  gave  occafion  for  the  doing  of  it.  III.  The  impreffion  which 
this  fa<SI:  has  produced  in  the  minds  of  men  to  this  very  time. 

For  the  firft  j  Tho'  it  is  well  known  that  common  ufe  do's  not  allow 
men  to  joyn  foreign  idea's  in  the  fame  difcourfe,  yet  we  may  eafily  con- 
ceive that  God  might  and  ought  to  do  it,  if  we  will  allow  what  may  be 
eafdy  collected,  that  he  refolved  to  fend  the  Meffiah  into  the  world  :  Such 
a  praftice  was  the  more  natural,  becaufe  the  antient  Patriarchs  before 
Mofes,  and  Mofes  himfelf,  who  form'd  the  commonwealth  of  the  jeius, 
had  prepar'd  the  minds  of  the  people  to  fuch  fort  of  cxpreffions  as  were 
raifed  above  the  prcfent  fubjeiSt. 

And  certainly  if  one  takes  but  the  pains  to  confider  the  wifdom  and 
beauty  of  the  authors  who  writ  thefe  prophetical  books  on  the  one  fide, 
and  the  charadier  of  the  writers  of  the  New  Teftament  on  tlie  other,  he 
would  perceive,  that  if  thefe  words,  Tbat  it  ynight  be  fulfilled^  were  of  ne- 
ceflity  to  be  changed  into  thefe,  Js  one  ?nay  perceive  a  fort  of  completion  of 
fuch  or  fuch  paffiges  in  the  Old  Tefament^  yet  notwithftanding  that,  the 
moft  part  of  thofc  quotations  would  evince  an  exaft  accomplifh- 
ment,  and  the  oracles  which  they  alledge  would  bear  a  juft  pro- 
portion to  thofe  events  which  are  related  by  the  evangelifts  in  our 
Saviour's  life. 

Can  any  thing  be  more  fmgular  than  the  prophecy  in  the  feventh  of 
Jfaiahy  of  the  Mefllah's  being  born  of  a  virgin ;  of  the  piercing  of  his 
hands  and  feet  Pfal.  XXII ;  of  the  mixture  of  gall  which  was  offered 
him  to  drink,  hinted  at  Pfalm  LX.  22.  of  his  being  fold  for  thirty  pieces 
of  filver  :  Zechar.  XI.  3.  or  then  feveral  others  of  a  like  nature,  which  at 
prefent  I  (hall  not  ftand  to  reckon  up. 

It  mufl:  be  confclled  however,  that  thefe  oracles  are  interwoven  for 
the  moft  part  with  matters  relating  to  events  happening  in  the  time  when 
each  prophet  lived,  or  which  feem  to  be  applicable  perfonallyto  the  pro- 
phets. 

Three  orders  or  reafons  may  be  conceived,  which  will  juftifie  the  wif- 
dom of  God  in  the  ordering  of  thefe  oracles  in  a  way  which  feems  fa 
contrary  to  the  common  praitice  of  the  world. 

The  firfi  order  contains  reafons  drawn  from  the  perfon  of  the  Meffiah 
himfelf  of  whom  we  fpeak. 

The  fecond  order  contains  thofe  which  arife  from  the  confideration  of 
the  people  amongfl:  whom  the  Meffiah  was  to  be  born. 

The  third  contains  thofe  reafons  which  refpecSt  other  nations  amongfl 
whom  the  Meffiah  was  to  be  preached.  I  lliall  examine  thefe  three  forts 
by  themfelves,  and  1  hope  that  we  may  gather  from  thence,  that  the 
eternal  wifdom  prefided  over  this  mixture  of  thefe  oracles  which  relate  to 
the  Meffiah,  with  other  idea's  which  feem  to  be  wholly  foreign  to  the 
fubjeiSt. 

In  ihort,  it  may  be  urged,  That  the  belief  of  a  A/Ieffiah  form'd  of  fo 
apparent  contradidions,  cannot  eafily  be  received  of  the  fuddain.     A 

Aa3  Meffiah 


374  Refe^iom  upon  the  Ch.  VII. 

MeiTiah  of  the  feed  of  David^  whom  David  C2\h  his  Lord:  a  Mefliah, 
vs'ho  complains  that  he  is  forfaken  by  God,  whom  however  he  ought  to 
adore :  A  iVleiTiah  born  with  Lhc  wealcnefles  of  youth,  who  at  the  fame 
time  is  called  a  mighty  God,  and  the  father  of  eternity,  t^c. 

However,  thefe  idea's  which  feem  fo  oppofite  ought  of  neceflity  to 
have  been  fo  feparatcd  by  the  prophets,  leall  they  fliould  have  been  look- 
ed upon  as  chimerical  defcriptions,  and  incompatible  in  one  and  the  fame 
fubjeft. 

A  fecond  reflexion  which  may  be  made  upon  this  matter,  is.  That 
the  "Jnus  were  bound  not  only  to  preferve  their  oracles,  but  alfo  to  exe- 
cute them  in  part ;  Thus  for  inftance,  there  was  a  neceility  for  them  to 
to  reject  the  Mefliah,  to  deliver  him  up  to  the  Gentiles  to  be  crucified; 
there  was  a  neceflity  that  their  punifhment  fhould  be  as  fignal  as  their 
crime,  and  that  they  fhould  be  difperfcd  over  the  world,  after  the  deftruc- 
tion  of  ferufalem,  as  the  prophets  have  clearly  fhewn.  Now  how  could 
ail  this  have  ever  been  efiedled,  if  the  defcription  of  the  Mefliah  by  the 
prophets  had  been  as  hiftorical  as  that  of  the  apoftles,  or  the  evangelifls, 
who  gave  us  only  a  narrative  cf  matters  of  fact. 

In  a  word,  was  it  not  the  interefl  of  the  Gentiles,  to  whom  the  gofpel 
was  to  be  preached,  that  thefe  oracles  fhould  be  fcattered  up  and  down 
the  writings  of  thefe  ancient  authors?  They  were  to  be  called  upon  the 
reje<Slion  of  the  fews :  The  ycivs  were  bound  to  preferve  the  books  of 
the  Old  Teflament,  after  they  were  caft  off  by  God,  that  the  authority 
of  thefe  books,  and  thefe  oracles,  might  be  beyond  all  conteft,  as  tefti- 
nionies  with  which  we  are  furnifhed  by  the  adverfe  party,  which  ought 
to  have  place,  until  the  fulnefs  of  the  Gentiles  fhould  profefs  Chriflianity. 
Let  any  one  therefore  judge  if  it  was  not  neceflary  in  this  flate  of  affairs, 
that  there  fhould  be  fome  obfcurity  in  the  prophetical  defcriptions  j  and 
and  by  confequence  that  this  interweaving  of  foreign  idea's  with  thofe 
which  concerned  the  Mefliah,  as  alfo  this  difperfion  of  the  oracles 
through  different  places  of  the  facred  writers  was  not  neceffary,  and 
fo  much  the  more  as  they  were  uttered  upon  feveral  occafions  by  differ- 
ent authors. 

And  we  may  affirm  it,  as  a  certainty.  That  according  to  the  purpofc 
of  God,  this  obfcurity  did  not  hinder  either  Jews  or  Pagans  from  per- 
ceiving thofe  ruling  idea's  of  a  Mefliah,  when  they  read  the  Old  Teffa- 
ment.  Neither  was  the  difperiion  of  thefe  oracles  through  fo  many  dif- 
ferent places,  any  greater  hindrance  to  their  application  ;  fmce  the  fews 
laid  it  down  as  a  conftant  maximc.  That  the  accomplifhment  of  every 
thing  which  we  find  to  be  foretold  as  great  and  illuflrious  by  the  pro- 
phets, ought  to  be  looked  for  in  the  perfon  of  tlie  MefTiah ;  when  the 
events  of  a  nearer  date  did  not  anfwer  to  the  greatnefs  or  magnificence 
of  the  predictions. 

Several  ages  had  paflTed  from  the  time  in  which  the  prophet  had 
foretold  tliat  the  Mefliah  was  to  be  born  at  Bethlehem,  and  yet  we  fee 
that  the  idea  of  it  continued  very  frefh  amongfl  the  Jews,  in  our 
Saviour  Jefus  Chrift's  time,  as  is  plain  from  the  anfwer  which  they 
gave  to  Herod. 

There  are  feveral  other  examples  might  be  given,  which  fhew  that 
the  Jews  in  our  Saviour's  time  applyed  the  very  fame  oracles  to  the  Meffiah 

which 


Ch.  VIII.  Books  of  the  Old  Tejlament.  375- 

which  we  do ;  and  without  queftion,  if  it  had  not  been  {o^  the  apoftles 
would  firft  have  proved  that  thefe  oracles  had  relation  to  the  Mefliah, 
which  they  took  for  granted,  as  a  thing  conftantly  acknowledged, 
whereas  now  they  only  endeavoured  in  the  gofpel  to  juftifie  thai 
Jefus  Chrift  was 'the  Meffiah,  by  (hewing  one  by  one  that  all  the 
charaSers  which  the  Jnvs  attributed  to  the  Mefliah,  were  to  be  found 
in  him. 

Befides,  it  is  manifeft  from  our  Saviour's  explication  of  the  CX  P[alm\ 
that  though  the  Jews  could  not  conceive  the  folution  of  that  difficulty 
which  naturally  appears  in  thofe  words.  The  Lord  faid  unto  my  Lord^  fit 
thou  at  my  right  harid,  yet  afterwards  they  immediately  applied  that  oracle 
to  the  Meffiah,  without  feeking  after  any  other  fubjecls  to  which  they 
might  apply  it,  as  the  J<"ws  endeavour  to  do  at  this  day. 

But  after  thefe  remarks  upon  the  mixture  of  thofe  oracles  which  relate  to 
the  Mefliah,  with  others  which  feem  to  be  of  a  more  foreign  nature,  we 
ought  to  come  to  fome  general  rules  by  which  we  are  to  apply  the  ancient 
oracles  to  the  Mefliah. 

CHAP.      VIII. 

General  Rules  for  the  JJnderJlanding  of  ancient  Oracles^  and  for  the  Application 
of  them  to  the  Mejfiah, 

I.  fP:i<*:"^'^  S  it  appears  very  natural  to  conceive,  that  the  moft  ancient 
B  A  .^-  revelations  ought  to  be  exprefled  in  the  moft  general  terms, 
£^:=<>:  J  becaufe  they  were  furtheft  from  the  time  of  their  accomplifli- 
ment,'and  fo  one  ought  to  find  in  them  a  more  impcrfetl  delineation  of 
the  defign  of  God  :  yet  it  is  vifible  however,  that  they  ought  to  contri- 
bute very  much  to  the  imdcrftanding  of  thofe  later  Oracles,  becaufe  if 
thefe  later  ones  do  really  contain  a  more  particular  explication  of  his  de- 
fign in  fending  the  Mcffiah  into  the  world,  yet  they  ought  always  to  fol- 
low thofe  idea's  which  God  at  firft  made  ufe  of  to  make  his  defign  known 
in  the  world. 

II.  It  is  natural  to  grant,  that  when  God  had  told  the  Jews  by  Jacob 
and  Balaam^  that  the  coming  of  the  Mefliah  was  not  fuddainly  to  hap- 
pen, if  he  intended  to  bring  them  to  a  certain  knowledge  of  the  Melfiah 
after  a  long  revolution  of  years,  by  thofe  ceremonial  and  judicial  laws 
which  he  eftablifhed,  that  he  ought  to  breed  them  up  in  an  expedation 
of  the  Mefliah,  by  lively  idea's,  and  by  oracles  which  fhould  particularly 
explain  the  manner  and  circumftances  of  his  appearance. 

HI.  It  is  no  lefs  natural  to  acknowledge,  that  when  God  prontiifed 
fomc  illuftrious  perfon,  or  fome  great  advantage  to  the  Jewifti  nation, 
he  did  it  only  to  entertain  the  people  with  an  expectation  of  the  Mefliah, 
?ind  upon  that  account,  that  he  might  and  ought  to  joyn  the  promife  of 
the  Mefliah  with  it,  as  the  principal  objed  which  the  Jews  ought  always 
to  have  in  view>  until  it  fhould  actually  happen. 

Aa4  In 


2n6  Rffexions  upon  the  Ch.  VIII. 

In  fhort,  there  arc  two  forts  of  oracles  in  the  Old  Teftament :  the 
firft  are  fuch  as  it  is  impoflible  to  apply  to  any  other  bcfides  the  Mefliah  ; 
as  for  inftance,  the  place  of  his  birth -,  the  jeed  of  the  ivoman  Jhall  break  the 
ferpents  head;  the  Loyd  thy  Gcd  will  roije  up  unto  thee  a  Prophet  from  the 
inidjl  of  thec^  of  thy  brethren,  like  unto  me-,  unto  him  ye  Jhall  hearken  (/}. 
Whereupon  he  that  added  the  relation  of  Mofn\  death,  takes  notice  that 
after  that  there  arofe  up  no  Prophet  in  Ifrael  like  unto  Mofes. 

The  fecond  are  fuch  as  feein  to  agree  in  part  to  fome  body  elfebefides 
the  MefTiah,  tho'  we  may  find  there  alfo  fuch  particular  character?,  that 
it  is  impoinble  to  applv  them  perfectly  ;  and  in  their  utmoft  extent,  ac- 
cording to  the  whole  force  of  their  expreflion  to  any  other  fubject  befides 
the  Mefliah.  And  fo  Balaam  feems  to  have  fpoken  of  David^  Numb. 
XXIII.  as  'Julian  the  apoftate  maintain?,  and  of  his  \  i£tories  over  the 
Moahites  in  the  fame  place  where  he  promifes  the  MelTiah,  and  where  he 
fpeaks  of  the  manner  of  his  fubduing  the  children  of  Seth ;  and  fo  David 
in  the  fecond  Pfuhn  fpeaks  of  the  oppofitions  v/hich  he  rrvet  with,  in  his 
advancement  to  the  throne,  but  in  terms  too  great  and  too  emphatical 
to  be  apply'd  to  him  alone. 

Thofe  principles  which  I  have  noweftabliflied,  that  God  promlfed  the 
Mefliah  in  general  terms,  but  without  anv  intention  offending  him  into 
the  world,  until  feveral  ages  had  been  palled,  gave  rife  to  thefe  two  forts 
of  oracles.  On  the  one  fide,  there  was  a  neceflity  of  explaining  this 
promife  diftinctly  from  time  to  time.  And  on  the  other  fide,  there  was 
a  neceflity  of  accommodating  himfelf  to  the  defires  of  the  fcxi's^  by  joyn- 
ing  thefe  idea's  with  every  thing  that  was  great  and  confidcrable  in  thofe 
events,  and  in  thofe  perfons  to  whom  the  prophetick  fpirit  intended  tp 
add  a  Iufl;re  by  its  predictions. 

The  Jewi  are  agreed  at  prefent,  as  they  were  alfo  in  our  Saviour's 
time,  in  the  r.pplication  of  the  moft  part  of  thofe  oracles  in  the  Old  Tef- 
tament,  which  the  Chriftians  apply  to  the  MelBah,  and  if  they  difpute 
fome  of  them,  which  they  explain  in  a  fenfe  perfectly  forced,  yet  at  lealt 
they  cannot  difpute  thefe  following  truths. 

I.  That  the  molt  part  of  thofe  oracles  which  we  apply  to  the  Mefliah, 
were  applv'd  in  the  lame  manner  by  the  Jewifli  Doctors  in  oar  Saviour's 
tim.e  :  as  the  CX  Pjalm^  for  iirftance,  which  has  relation  to  the  nature 
and  glory  of  the  Mefliah  ;  the  I[  Pfalm^  which  has  rcfpect  to  the  con- 
fpiracy  of  the  princes  and  the  people  againft  the  Mefliah  ;  that  place  in 
Micah  which  fixes  the  birth  of  the  Mefliah  to  Bethlehem^  isc. 

II.  That  as  they  thought  themfelves  obliged  to  make  two  Mefliahs^ 
becaufe  of  the  apparent  contradiiSUons  which  are  to  be  found  in  thofe  va- 
rious events  which  are  apply'd  to  the  Mefliah  in  thofe  prcdidtions  ;  fome 
perfectly  glorious,  and  others  every  way  contemptible  :  fo  there  is  no 
injuitice  done,  in  explaining  thofe  oracles  which  at  firft  feem  only  to 
have  relation  to  one  fingle  pcrfon,  of  the  Mefliah,  and  of  fome  other 
perfon. 

III.  That  fince  they  themfelves  believe,  that  their  anceftors  might 
lawfully  pafs  from  one  fenfe  to  another  in  their  explications  of  thofe 
oracles,  fo  that  they  were  permitted  to  apply  an  oracle  to  fome  other 
fubjedt,  which  did  not  feem  to  agree  exactly  enough  to  that  fubject  which 

thejr 
(I)  Gen.  iii.  15.     Deut,  xviii.  15.     Deut.  xxxiv.  ic. 


Ch.  VIII.  BoohoftheOUTeJlamenU  377 

their  anceftors  had  flrft  in  view,  as  the  particular  fubje£l  concerning 
which  the  oracle  treated :  fo  it  is  not  oiily  juft,  but  neceflary  too,  to 
pafs  from  one  fubjeft  to  another  as  the  Apoilles  have  aclually  done. 

IV.  That  we  ought  to  pay  a  much  greater  deference  to  the  opinion 
of  the  ancient  Jevjs^  than  of  thofe,  who  have  been  fowred  by  their  mi- 
fcries  and  difputes  to  fuch  a  degree,  that  they  have  loft  that  principle  of 
equity  which  keeps  men  from  denying  the  moft  evident  truths,  and  which 
have  been  the  moft  univerfally  acknowledged  by  a  whole  nation,  that 
was  not  prepoffelTed  with  fo  great  a  degree  of  obftinacy. 

But  we  ought  to  obferve,  befides,  that  this  feeming  confufion  of  thofe 
oracles  which  relate  to  theMeffiah,  with  other  fubjeds  treated  of  by  the 
Prophets,  arofe  from  feveral  caufes. 

I.  From  the  Prophet's  often  joyning  the  idea's  of  the  principal  pro- 
mife,  the  fending  of  the  Mefliah,  with  the  promife  of  thofe  means  which 
were  abfolutely  neceflary  for  the  accomplifliment  of  that  promife,  as  the 
prefervation  of  the  "Jevjs  for  inftance.  •  So  the  captivity  of  the  Ifraelites 
in  Egypt,  and  their  departure  from  thence,  with  their  fettling  in  the  land 
of  Canaan,  which  he  had  promiled  them  before,  were  foretold,  as  necef- 
fary  means  in  the  order  of  Providence,  to  the  execution  of  the  great  de- 
iign  of  God. 

P'or  fo  the  Bahylonijh  captivity,  and  their  deliverance  there  from,  which 
are  both  foretold,  are  foretold  as  fteps  towards  the  execution  of  the  pro- 
mife of  fending  the  MefTiah. 

And  fo  likewife  when  they  foretold  the  perfecutions  by  Jntiochus,  and 
the  other  neighbouring  nations,  they  alfo  foretell  the  deliverance  which 
God  would  grant  to  the  "Jews,  and  their  re-eftabliftiment  until  the 
birth  of  the  Mefliah,  which  was  the  accomplifliment  of  that  great  pro- 
mife. 

II.  This  feeming  confufion  arofe  from  the  writing  of  thefe  books 
piece  by  piece,  which  afterwards  were  put  into  this  order,  without  hav- 
ing always  a  regard  to  the  time  in  which  they  were  writ,  and  without 
taking  notice  of  all  the  occafions  which  engaged  the  Prophets  to  write. 
And  thus  we  fee  the  prophecies  which  relate  to  the  Mefliah  joyned  to  fe- 
veral other  tranfaclions,  and  to  feveral  other  predictions,  whofe  connexion 
is  not  always  fo  very  evident. 

III.  It  arifes  from  the  writing  of  the  prophecies  each  by  themfelves, 
fo  that  all  thofe  of  the  fame  Prophet  were  put  together  as  they  came  out, 
making  only  a  new  chapter  in  the  work ;  v/hereas  they  ought  to  be  con- 
fidered  rather  with  relation  to  the  matter,  than  to  the  order  in  which 
they  lye  in  the  book,  as  we  have  it  at  the  prefent.  For  the  Prophets  of- 
ten borrow  their  light  from  what  they  themfelves  had  faid  fome  time  be- 
fore, or  from  what  fome  other  Prophet  had  foretold,  which  ought  to  be 
obferved  particularly  of  thofe  who  lived  about  the  fame  time. 

But  befides  thofe  rules  which  I  propofed  in  the  beginning  of  this  chap- 
iter, and  befides  thofe  obfervations  of  the  joyning  the  oracles  which  re- 
late to  the  Meflliah  with  other  fubjecls,  I  muft  add  two  rules  more,  which 
may  be  ufeful  in  determining  the  fenfe  of  great  numbers  of  oracles  which 
are  exprelfed  in  figurative  terms.  The  firft  is,  that  it  is  natural  to  con- 
ceive that  when  the  Prophets  were  to  fpeak  of  the  Meflliah,  and  when 
they  \vere  intent  upon  the  defcription  of  his  kingdom,  they  fhould  make 

ufe 


57?!  Rejlexlom  upon  the  Ch.  VIIT. 

ufc  of  exprefTions  which  fccm'd  to  foretell  a  fort  of  overturning  of  nature, 
which  ftiould  happen  at  that  time  :  but  then  thefe  exprcHions  ought  to 
be  underftood  in  a  figurative  fcnfc,  in  the  fame  fpiritual  fenfe  in  which 
the  Chriftians  underftood  ihem,  as  the  famous  Alaimonidcs  allows  in  that 
paflage  of  Ijaiah,  where  the  xvolf  and  the  lamb  are  fald  to  feed  toge- 
ther (w). 

Secondly,  fincc  the  Mcfllah  is  dcfcribed  as  one  who  (hould  unite  in 
his  own  perfon,  the  glory  of  the  Divinit)',  and  the  mcannefs  of  the  hu- 
man nature  together,  we  ought  to  undcrfland  thofe  oracles  in  fuch  a 
manner,  that  what  is  great  in  thofe  prophetical  defcriptions,  (hould  not 
contradi£l  the  more  contemptible  part,  when  we  confider  the  Mefliah  as 
cloathed  with  all  the  meannefles  of  the  human  nature.  Thefe  idea's 
which  are  often  joyned  in  one  and  the  fame  oracles,  ought  to  be  exactly 
applvcd  to  the  different  confideration  which  the  Prophets  had  of  the  Mef- 
fiah,  or  to  thofe  various  ftates  through  which  they  themfelves  aflures  us 
that  the  Mcfliah  was  to  pafs. 

An  intelligent  reader  will  eafily  judge,  that  I  might  have  added  a  third 
rule  to  the  two  former  ;  which  is.  That  when  a  perfon,  who  has  all  the 
chara£lers  of  a  Prophet,  applys  an  old  oracle  to  any  fubjc6l,  one  cannot 
reafonably  difpute  his  application.  This  the  Chrirtians  afl'ure  us  was 
done  by  the  Apoftles  in  a  very  great  number  of  oracles.  But  becaufe 
this  fuppofes  a  prophetick  character  in  the  Apoftles  before  it  has  been 
eftablifhed  by  folid  proofs,  I  (hall  wave  the  propofal  of  it  at  prefcnt. 

After  thefe  general  remarks  I  (hall  gather  together  thofe  oracles  in  the 
Old  Teftament,  which  relate  to  the  Mefliah  j  I  might  here  follow  the 
order  of  the  matters,  by  bringing  under  each  article  thofe  oracles  which 
relate  to  it,  which  would  give  a  great  light  to  the  fubject,  as  Enfebius  has 
rightly  obferved,  and  as  he  has  practifed  himfelf  in  his  books  de  Demo- 
vioiijhatione  Evangclica.  However,  I  rather  chofe  to  follow  the  order  of 
time  in  which  thefe  oracles  were  uttered,  which  did  not  feem  improper 
to  explain  thofe  truths  which  are  contained  in  thofe  oracles. 

In  fhort,  this  is  of  great  importance  :  I.  Becaufe  it  is  very  natural  to 
confider  the  feries  of  God's  defign,  and  the  connexion  which  may  be 
found  in  thofe  idea's  which  are  made  ufe  of  to  cxprefs  it. 

II.  Becaufe  of  the  neceflity  of  the  encreafe  of  light  in  the  Revelations, 
proportionably  as  the  time  drew  near  ;  fo  that,  it  is  of  ufe  to  obferve 
how  the  Divine  wifdom  foUow'd  this  natural  order  in  making  the  later 
oracles  clearer  than  the  former,  and  in  hinting  by  little  and  little  a 
greater  number  of  circumflances^  by  which  it  was  neceflary  to  explain 
them. 

III.  Becaufe  this  ferves  to  give  us  a  very  ftrong  proof,  that  God  in- 
tended to  furnifh  us  from  the  Scriptures  themfelves,  with  that  which  fhould 
fix  us  in  a  belief  of  this  capital  truth  in  our  religion.  In  fhort,  when 
the  truth  of  each  of  the  books  in  the  Old  Teftament  is  once  approved, 
and  their  age  fet  down,  it  appears  that  feveral  Prophets  did  agree  won- 
derfully without  any  concert,  in  the  explication  of  the  fame  truths  at  fe- 
veral times,  and  in  feveral  places  and  circumftances,  which  hinder  men 
for  the  moft  part  from  agreeing  in  the  moft  common  matterSj  which  are 
the  fubjcdls  of  their  reflexions. 

I  have 
(mj  Lib.  dc  Regibust  cap.  xii. 


Ch.  IX.  ^BoohoftheOUTeJlament,  379 

I  have  already  confidered  that  the  wifdom  of  God  follow'd  rules  very 
conformable  to  the  condition  and  inclinations  of  the  Patriarchs,  when 
it  fpoke  of  the  Meffiah.  We  may  fee  the  fame  condud  in  the  following 
times. 

So  fmce  God  had  promifed  children  to  Adam  in  AbePs  ftead,  one  may 
fee  that  he  alfo  promifed  David  a  fon  vf\\o  ftiould  fet  upon  his  throne. 
He  explains  almoft  all  the  circumftances  of  his  coming,  his  humiliation, 
his  exaltation,  the  oppofitions  he  fhould  meet  with,  the  vidlories  he 
fhould  obtain,  and  his  offices,  prophetical,  prieftly,  and  royal. 

One  fee's  afterwards  that  the  Prophets  explain  in  a  more  particular 
manner  all  thefe  idea's  which  David  had  already  propofed.  Ifaiah  fpeaks 
of  his  birth  by  a  virgin,  of  his  fpiritual  gifts,  of  his  miracles,  of  his 
fufFerings,  of  his  refurreftion,  of  his  calling  of  all  nations  in  to  his  wor- 
fliip,  and  of  his  cafting  off  the  Jcius. 

Thofe  who  come  after  point  out  the  place  particularly,  and  the  town 
where  the  Meffiah  was  to  be  born  ;  they  defcribe  his  covenant,  and  the 
calling  of  the  Gentiles  to  the  fervice  of  the  God  of  Ifrael. 

In  fiiort,  they  defcribe  both  the  chara<Ster  of  the  forerunner  of  the 
Meffiah,  and  the  empire  under  which  he  was  to  appear,  and  the  very 
year  in  which  he  was  to  dye,  as  Daniel  particularly  doth. 

I  cannot  undertake  to  relate  all  the  oracles  which  are  contained  in  the 
books  of  the  Old  Teftament,  they  are  fo  very  numerous.  But  I  hope 
at  leaft  to  mark  the  more  principal,  and  the  moft  illuftrious  ones,  and  to 
explain  them  in  fuch  a  manner,  that  all  (hall  be  obliged  to  acknowledge, 
I.  That  God  defigned  to  give  infallible  proofs  to  his  church,  of  his  de- 
fign  in  fending  the  Meffiah  into  the  world,  and  to  preferve  the  continual 
remembrance  of  him,  as  of  a  perfon  who  was  promifed  to  give  all  com- 
fort to  his  church,  and  whofe  coming  fhould  bring  falvation  to  all  man- 
kind. II.  That  the  care  which  he  took  in  fpecifying  all  the  circum- 
ftances of  his  coming  into  the  world,  fhew  that  he  defigned  to  prevent 
the  fcandal  which  the  abje61:  life  and  death  of  a  Meffiah  might  produce, 
and  the  falfe  judgments  which  men  might  form  of  the  works  of  a  Di- 
vine wifdom,  when  they  only  judge  of  them  by  the  outfide.  III.  That 
he  defigned  to  give  an  infallible  proof,  that  this  fending  of  the  Meffiah, 
was  the  work  of  his  wifdom  and  fidelit)',  which  at  lalt  accomplifhed  a 
thing,  the  defign  whereof  had  been  propofed  to  mankind  immediately 
after  the  fall. 


CHAP.      IX. 

Of  thofe  Oracles  concerning  the  Mejfiah  which  an  to  be  found  in  the  Book  of 

Genesis. 

f^y^y^'^  BEGIN  with  thofe  Oracles  which  are  contained  in  the  book 
g  I  g  of  Genefis^  fince  it  is  convenient  to  touch  them  all  over  again 
S'^'ifr^c^  in  few  words. 

The 


380  Reflexiens  upon  the  Ch.  IX. 

The  fiifl:  oracle  is  comprized  in  thefe  terms,  Gen.  III.  15.  /  will  put 
enmity  between  thee  and  the  woman^  and  between  thy  feed  and  her  feed -y  it 
Jhall  bruife  thy  head,  and  thou  /halt  bruife  his  heel. 

This  oracle  has  conruicrable  advantages,  tho'  it  is  exprefTed  in  fi</u- 
rative  terms.  God  uttered  it  in  the  beginning  of  the  world,  after  he 
had  given  fentence  againft  Adam^  and  the  woman,  and  the  ferpent  in  a 
very  fenfibje  manner,  even  under  a  human  (hape,  if  we  may  dare  to  affirm 
it.  He  uttered  it  before  the  head  of  all  mankind,  which  ought  to  make 
it  confiderable  to  all  his  pofterity.  He  exprefles  it  by  an  allufion  to  the 
nature  of  the  temptation,  and  to  the  form  of  the  ferpent,  which  the 
tempter  had  took  upon  him.  He  preferves  thereby  the  memory  of  the 
temptation,  by  infpiring  all  mankind  with  an  invincible  hatred  againft 
all  fcrpents  in  general,  tho'  the  tempter  had  took  the  Ihape  but  of  one 
particular  kind,  for  an  inftrument  to  accomplifh  his  defign. 

In  fliort,  this  oracle  clearly  fhews,  I.  That  it  fliould  be  particularly 
the  feed  of  the  woman  :  Adain  not  being  touched  at.  II.  Tha.t  the  feed 
of  the  woman,  that  is  to  fay  the  Meffiah,  fhould  deftroy  the  power  of 
the  ferpent  exprefied  by  the  head,  that  is  to  fay  the  power  of  the  Devil. 
III.  That  this  feed  fhould  however  receive  a  confiderable  wound  from 
the  Devil,  tho'  it  fhould  only  touch  his  heel,  the  leafl  confiderable 
part  of  the  MefTiah.  IV.  That  all  the  bleffings  which  God  fhouM 
give  to  mankind  after  the  fall,  fhould  be  grounded  upon  the  fending  of 
this  feed  into  the  world  :  this  is  more  clearly  expreffed  by  God's  telling 
Abraham^  That  in  thy  feed  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  Jhould  be  bleffed.  («). 
That  this  oracle  Gfw.  III.  has  relation  to  the  Meffiah,  is  plain :  I.  Be- 
caufe  it  is  the  fource  and  abridgment  of  the  whole  revelation.  II.  Be- 
caufe  all  the  ancient  fews  in  effect  underflood  it  fo.  III.  Becaufe  the 
Apoflles,  in  following  the  idea's  of  the  fynagogue  plainly  referred  them 
to  the  Meffiah,  by  the  allufions  which  they  make  to  them  [0) :  John  XII. 
Rowans  XVI.  II  Cor.  XI.  I  John  III. 

The  fecond  oracle  which  relates  to  the  Meffiah,  is  contained  in  thefe 
terms,  when  God  fpoke  to  Abraham  j  In  thy  feed  /hall  all  the  Jiations  of  the 
earth  be  ble/fed. 

This  oracle  is  very  illuflrlous  :  I.  By  the  perfon  of  Abraham^  whom 
God  made  the  depofitary  of  it,  and  who  made  himfelf  ready  to  facrifice 
his  own  Son.  II.  By  the  frequent  repetitions  which  God  made  to  this 
Patriarch,  ufing  in  effect  all  thofe  ways  which  he  afterwards  follow'd  in 
his  revelations  to  the  Patriarchs,  for  hfty  years  together,  from  the  year 
2083.  ^^  ^'^  y^^^  2.133.  of  the  world.  111.  Becaufe  it  was  accompanied 
by  the  circumcifion,  fo  that  tho'  it  foretold  that  the  advantages  fhould  be 
in  common  to  all  nations,  yet  it  limited  the  Meffiah  to  be  born  of  Abra' 
ha77i\  feed. 

It  alfo  intimates  very  clearly,  I.  That  the  bleffings  which  it  promifes 
fhould  be  in  common  to  all  nations.  II.  That  this  bleffing  fhould  be 
quite  of  another  nature  from  temporal  ones,  as  the  encreafe  for  inftance, 
and  the  power  of  Abrahain'%  poftcrity,  which  had  been  promifed  to  him 
before.  S.  PWs  reflexion  Gal.  III.  8.  That  God  fpake  of  feed  in  the 
fingular  number  is  very  remarkable,  and  fo  much  the  more,  becaufe  the 
Jews  made  a  like  obfervation  upon  a  parallel  place  in  the  Old  Teftament. 

As 
(n)  Gen.  xxii.  18.  (o^Targuminh.U 


Ch.  IX.  Booh  of  the  OldTeJlament.  381 

As  God  repeated  this  promife  when  he  fpoke  to  Ifaac  in  the  year  2200, 
and  to  Jacoh  in  the  year  2245.  Geji.  XXVIII.  14.  And  thy  feed Jhall  be 
as  the  diijl  of  the  earth  ;  and  tcou  Jhalt  fpread  abroad  to  the  wej}^  arid  to  the 
eaji^anato  thenorth^  and  to  the  fouth  :  and  in  thee,  and  in  thyfed^foallallthe 
fa?nilies  of  the  earth  he  blefjld,  fo  one  ought  to  repeat  again  the  fame  re- 
flexions. This  ought  only  to  be  added,  Tnat  God  reftrained  the  honour 
of  bringing  forth  the  Meffiah  to  Jacou  ihe  Son  of  Ifaac,  that  the  Edomites 
might  not  come  in  to  challenge  the  right,  as  I  have  very  particularly  ex- 
plained in  my  reflexions  upon  Getiefs. 

We  come  now  to  the  oracle  which  facob  gave  in  the  year  2315.  It  is 
one  of  the  clearefl;  predictions  in  the  whole  Bible,  and  it  is  expreifed  in 
thefe  terms  :  Judah,  thou  art  he  tuhom  thy  brethren  Jhall  praife ;  thy  hand 
Jhall  he  in  the  neck  of  thine  enemies  :  thy  father's  children  Jhall  bow  down  be  • 
fore  thee.  Judah  is  a  lions  whelp ;  from  the  prey  my  fon  thou  art  gone  up  : 
he  Jloopcd  down,  he  couched  as  a  lion,  and  as  an  old  lion  ;  who  fliall  roiize  him 
Z4pf  The  fcepter  Jhall  not  depart  from  Judah,  ncr  a  law-giver  frorn  between 
his  feet,  until  Shiloh  cofne,  and  unto  him  Jhall  the  gathering  of  the  people  be. 
Binding  his  J'ole  unto  the  vine;  and  his  aJJes  colt  unto  the  choice  vine;  he 
wajlnd  his  garments  in  wine,  and  his  clothes  in  the  blood  of  grapes.  His  eyes' 
Jhall  be  read  with  wine,  and  his  teeth  white  with  milk.  Gen.  XLIX.  8.— 12. 
\  know  very  well,  that  fome  of  the  Jews  have  pretended,  that  Alofes  ought 
to  be  underftood  for  Shiloh  ;  But  this  is  fo  ridiculous  an  opinion,  that 
there  is  not  the  leaft  probability  to  maintain  it :  What  fcepter  had  "Ju- 
dah before  Mofes  came  ?  How  was  JWofes  the  expedlation  of  the  GentiUsy 
and  the  objeiSl  of  their  hope  ? 

And  indeed,  the  body  of  the  Jewifh  nation  are  agreed,  that  this  oracle 
was  meant  of  the  Mefliah,  fo  Onkelos  the  Chaldce  paraphrafl:,  fo  the  Jeru- 
falevi  Targian,  and  Jonathan's,  fo  R.  Solomon  Jarchi,  Abenczra,  and  Kimchi 
are  agreed. 

Now  thef^  reflexions  may  be  naturally  drawn  from  this  oracle  which 
Jacob  uttered  upon  his  death-bed. 

I.  This  oracle  is  found  amongft  a  great  number  of  oracles  which  con- 
cern the  other  tribes  of  the  Ifraelites,  and  which  were  accomplifhed  as  to 
every  tribe. 

II.  This  oracle  contains  feveral  particular  events  which  relate  to  pri- 
vate tranfactions  in  the  tribe  of  Judah. 

III.  This  oracle  was,  as  it  were,  Jacob's  will  in  favour  o^  Judah,  at  a 
time  when  he  divided  amongft  his  children  their  portions  which  they  were 
to  expe(St  from  him. 

IV .  This  was  a  preference  o(  Judah,  who  was  but  the  fourth,  to  Reuben 
who  was  the  eldefl-,  and  who  by  confequence  ought  to  have  been  the 
head  of  his  family.  The  fcepter,  and  the  authority  of  legiflator  was 
promifed  to  Judah,  which  did  not  belong  to  him  by  the  right  of  his 
birth. 

Jacob  therefore  prepared  his  children  to  look  for  an  accomplifliment 
of  thofe  promifes  made  to  Abraham  in  Judah,  as  well  for  the  kings  who 
were  to  be  defcended  from  him,  as  for  the  nations  of  the  earth,  who  were 
to  be  blefled  in  Abraham''^,  feed. 

But  we  muft  go  yet  further;  I  fhall  therefore  obferve,  I.  That  this 
prophecy  particularly  regarded  the  tribe  of  Judah,  as  all  the  preceding 

and 


382  kejlexions  upon  the  Ch.  IX. 

and  following  oracles  concern'd  thofe  tribes,  whofe  heads  were  then 
named  by  Jacob. 

II.  That  this  prophecy  concerns  the  tribe  of  Juduh,  as  fettled  in  the 
land  of  Canaan^  by  a  diftin<Sl:  cftablifhmcnt  from  the  other  tribes.  In 
fhort,  it  is  certain  that  the  tribe  of  Judah  had  fome  fuperiority ;  Thus 
God  for  inftance  commanded  that  tribe  to  march  the  firft,  Numb.  II.  & 
X.  Its  heads  offered  their  prefcnts  firft,  Numb.  VII.  11,  12,  83.  In 
yoJhnn\  time  this  tribe  took  its  divifion  without  drawing  lots  for  it.  One 
fee's  that  God  ordered  the  tribe  of  Judah  to  lead  the  people  out  to  the 
cortqueft  of  the  reft  of  the  country.  One  fee's  the  fame  prerogative*;  in 
the  book  of  Judges,  tho'  they  were  often  of  other  tribes.  From  David's 
time  to  the  taking  of  Jerufalem  by  Ncbuchadue7.xar,  the  kings  were  all  of 
that  tribe ;  and  Zorobabel  afterwards  headed  thofe  who  returned  out  of 
Chaldea.  The  book  of  the  Chronicles  names  the  tribe  of  Judah  firft  j  Herod 
was  the  firft  king  who  was  wholly  a  ftranger. 

III.  That  Jacob  fuppofed  that  the  tribe  of  Judah  fhould  be  in  pofleffioit 
of  a  form  of  government,  and  of  a  community  till  the  coming  of  the 
Mefliah*  This  was  all  very  proper,  and  indeed  we  fee  that  this  tribe  con- 
tinued under  its  own  govcrnours,  after  the  other  tribes  had  been 
tranfported,  II  Kings  XVII.  18.  It  almoft  fwallowed  up  Benjamin  and 
Levi.,  who  fettled  in  their  country}  and  indeed  Jofephus  afTures  us. 
That  there  were  but  few^  of  the  ten  tribes  who  came  back  again 
into  Judea  under  E7.ra,  for  the  greateft  part  of  them  flayed  beyond 
Euphrates,  And  we  fee  that  at  laft  they  gave  their  name  to  the  whole 
country.  ' 

IV.  That  this  oracle  was  fulfilled  by  degrees.  This  I  have  obferved 
already  of  the  preheminency  of  the  tribe  oi  Judah  before  David's  time, 
which  was  a  ftep  to  the  advancement  of  it  to  the  throne.  And  the  lef- 
fenino-  of  their  dignity,  which  was  to  be  entirely  taken  av/ay  when  the 
Mefliah  came,  had  alfo  the  fame  gradations.  David  w^s  fet  upon  the 
throne  over  all  Jfrael ;  but  his  houfe  loft  the  government  over  ten  tribes 
in  his  grandfon  Rehoboam's  time.  His  fucceffors  were  tributary  to  the 
neio-hbouririg  princes:  whereas  i^^Jv/W  carried  his  empire  to  the  walls  of 
Babylon,  tho'  afterwards  the  Babylonians  fubdued  the  Jnvs,  and  depofed 
the  kings  of  Judah.  At  laft  they  abfolutely  loft  all  that  authority  which 
they  had  hitherto  kept.  Thev  recovered  a  little  in  the  perfon  of  Zoroba-- 
bel,  and  tho'  they  were  foon  after  in\  aded  by  the  Scleucida:,  yet  the  Mac- 
cabces  preferved  them  a  little,  till  Herod  and  the  Romans  took  away  all 
thofe  remnants  which  they  had  yet  left. 

In  carrying  thefe  views  of  this  oracle  further,  we  may  yet  further  ob- 
ferve,  I.  That  God  intendt'd  to  oblige  the  Ifraeiites  to  wait  for  the  fcep- 
ter  in  the  tribe  of  Judah.  It  muft  be  there  before  it  could  depart  thence. 
It  was  natural  to  conceive,  that  the  Jei.vs  were  to  look  yet  much  further 
than  David.  Thofe  words.  It  fl) all  not  depart,  denote  a  continuance  of 
the  fcepter  in  the  houfe  of  David  for  fome  confiderable  time. 

II.  It  is  eafie  to  comprehend  a  lefTening  of  the  dignity  in  the  term 

lawgiver,  [See  Judges  V.  14.  D*pp*nD3  which  God  feems  to  have  made 

ufe  of,  as  a  mark  of  the  fall,  which  I  have  obferved  in  the  perfon  of  Zoro- 
babel, who  as  to  the  time  was  about  the  middle  of  the  oracle. 

•      III.  In 


Ch.  IX.  "Booh  of  the  Old  Tejament.  383 

'ill.  In  a  word,  it  is  eafie  to  acknowledge  that  this  oracle  afligns  the 
epoJm  in  grofs  for  the  time  of  the  coming  of  the  Mefiiah,  viz.  the  ruin 
of  that  authority  and  power  which  the  Jiivs^  properly  fo  called  from  the 
tribe  of  Judah^  fhould  enjoy  after  their  re-eflsblifhment.  God  could 
not  explain  himfelf  more  particularly,  in  Hating  the  precife  time  when 
this  thing  fhould  happen. 

There  are  two  other  very  confiderable  oracles ;  one  uttered  by  Balaam 
in  the  year  2553  J  before  the  king  of  the  Moabites^  who  had  fent  for  him. 
to  carfe  the  people  of  Ifrael  that  lay  in  the  plains  ;  the  other  uttered  the 
fame  year  by  Mofes  the  famous  legiflator  of  the  Jews ;  the  firft  is  inferted 
by  Mofes  in  the  XXIV  Chapter  of  Nu7nhen\  the  other  is  in  the  XVIII  of 
Deuteronomy. 

The  firft  is  in  thefe  words  j  I  Jhallfee  hlm^  but  not  now:  I  J})all  behold 
him,  but  not  nigh :  there  Jhall  come  a  far  out  o/"  Jacob,  and  a  fcepter  Jhall 
rife  out  o/"  Ifrael,  ayid  Jhall  fmitc  all  the  corners  of  Mo2.h,  and  defray  all  the 
children  of  Seth  ;  Jnd  Edom  /hall  be  a  pofejjiofiy  Seir  alfo  Jhall  be  a  pojTeJfton 
for  his  enemies,  and  KrTiel  JhaJl  do  valiantly.  Out  of  Jacob  Jhall  co?/ie  h(  that 
Jhall  have  dominion,  and  Jhall  defroy  him  that  rcmaineth  of  the  city. 

One  ought  to  obferve,  that  Balaam's  charader,  the  prefence  of  the 
king  and  the  elders  of  Moab,  and  all  the  circumftunces  in  which  it  wa% 
uttered,  do  advance  its  authority  confiderably.  _,' 

But  the  turn  of  his  expreflions  is  equally  fmgular  and  remarkable* 

I.  He  fpeaks  of  the  Mefliah  as  of  a  ftar,  hinting  out  to  us  the  celeftial 
nature  of  the  Mefliah :  whereas  hitherto  God  had  only  defcribed  him 
under  the  figure  of  a  bare  man  :  tho'  the  other  was  made  fufficiently  in- 
telligible, when  the  dcftrudtion  of  the  empire  of  the  tempter,  and  the 
right  of  procuring  a  blefling  unto  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  which  he 
was  perfonally  to  enjoy,  were  attributed  to  him  j  things  infinitely  beyond 
the  power  and  condition  of  mankind  to  perform,  were  attributed  to  him. 

II.  He  obferves.  That  this  perfon  of  whom  he  fpeaks  fuch  magnificent 
things,  ought  however  to  be  defcended  from  Jacob ;  which  ratifies  Ja- 
^cob's  prophecy  in  favour  of  Judah.  III.  Tho'  he  hints  very  clearly  at 
the  efFeds  of  thole  bleflings  and  temporal  vidories  wliich  Jacob's  pofte- 
rity  was  to  obtain  over  their  neighb9urs,  yet  at  the  fame  time  he  infi- 
nuates  plainly  enough,  that  the  beftowing  of  the  blefling  which  all  the 
nations  of  the  world  fhould  obtain,  was  to  be  referved  to  Jacob's  (eed ; 
when  he  refufed  to  retradl:  thofc  promifes  of  blefling  which  God  had  made 
to  Abraham,  Ifaac,  and  Jacob,  to  which  oracles  he  made  a  fenfible  al- 
lufion. 

And  it  is  very  important  to  confider  that  the  Jews  always  applyed  this 
oracle  to  the  Mefliah,  as  may  be  feen  by  their  Chaldee  paraphraft  ;  and  it 
was  acknowledged  fo  generally,  that  the  famous  Jchiba,  who  lived  under 
the  emperour  Hadrian,  pretended  that  Barchocheba  was  the  Mefliah,  be- 
caufe  his  name  was  Chochab,  which  is  ajlar  in  Hebrew;  as  if  God  in- 
tended to  mark  that  importer  for  the  true  Mefliah,  by  foretelling  what 
name  he  fhould  be  called  by. 

The  oracle  which  Mofes  uttered  a  little  before  his  death,  is  very  con- 
fiderable. The  people  being  terrified  with  the  manner  of  God's  fpeakino- 
to  them  upon  mount  Sinai,  defired  that  God  would  no  longer  fpeak  as 
he  had  done  before,  but  that  Mofes  fhould  give  them  an  account  of  what- 
w  ever 


^^4-  RcflexiGm  upon  the        -  Ch.  X. 

ever  God  fhould  command.  Hereupon  God  confents  to  their  requeft, 
and  promifed  them  by  Mofes^  that  he  would  raife  them  up  a  Prophet  like 
unto  Mofes,    to  whom   they  ought   to  hearken,   upon   pain    of  being 

cut  off. 

He  that  made  the  addition  to  the  laft  book  of  Mofcs^  wherein  his  death 
is  defcribed,  takes  notice,  that  there  never  rofe  up  afterwards  a  Prophet 
in  Jfrael  like  to  Alofes :  if  it  was  Ezra  who  made  that  addition,  then  here 
is  a  plain  and  clear  decifion  againft  the  Jeius,  fome  of  whom  ail'ert  that 
yojhua  or  Jeremiah  was  the  Prophet  whom  -Mofes  promifed :  if  it  was 
Eleazar^  who  liv'd  in  Jcjhjia's  time,  then  here  Jojhua  at  ieaft  is  excluded 
from  this  priviledge  of  being  defigncd  by  Mofes. 

But  it  is  to  no  purpofe  to  flop  at  fuch  frivolous  objections :  one  needs 
only  obfervc  Mofes's  character  to  take  notice  of  four  certain  marks  of 
Mofes'%  prophecies,  which  advance  him  infinitely  above  all  the  other 
Prophets.  I.  He  had  all  the  forts  of  revelations  which  are  generally 
found  amongft  all  the  Prophets.  II.  He  was  illuftrious  for  great  numbers 
©f  miracles.  III.  He  not  only  reform'd  the  errors  and  falfe  ways  of 
worfhip  then  prevailing  amongft  the  "Jews^  but  he  fet  up  a  new  worftiip, 
and  a  new  form  of  religion.  IV.  He  introduced  this  law,  and  this  way 
of  worftiipping  God,  by  fuch  a  converfation  with  God,  as  one  fee's 
amono-ft  two  intimate  friends  :  in  which  of  the  Prophets  may  thefe  four 
charaders  be  found. 

The  Galileans  themfelves  teftified  plainly  that  thefe  charaflers  ought 
only  to  be  found  in  the  perfon  of  the  Meffiah,  when  they  faw  the  mi- 
racles of  Jefus  Chrift,  John  VI.  14.  and  the  Jews  acknowledged  the 
fame  in  our  Saviours  time,  when  they  applyed  that  oracle  to  the  Meffiah, 
John  I.  45. 

But  if  thefe  oracles  were  obfcurely  hinted  at  in  this  oracle,  one  may 
fee  them  clearly  apply'd  to  the  Meffiah  in  the  following  oracles,  pro- 
portionably  as  the  revelation  encreafed,  and  as  God  unravelled  the  idea's 
of  thefe  ancient  oracles  by  explaining  them  more  particularly  by  thofe 
Prophets  whom  he  afterwards  raifed  up.  This  may  clearly  be  feen,  if 
we  pafs  on  to  thole  oracles  which  were  uttered  by  David,  and  the  other 
Prophets  who  lived  about  his  time. 


C    H    A    P.      X. 

Of  the  Oracles  which  concern  the  Meffiah  in  the  Book  of  ?s  ALMS. 

f;:#^:<*^;^  H  E  S  E  were  the  Oracles  which  were  the  fubje£ls  of  the  medi- 
S  ^  S  Nations  of  the  faithful  from  the  year  of  the  world  2553,  in  which 
^•^■•^•^  Mofes  dyed,  until  David's  time,  who  was  particularly  chofen 
by  God  to  be  the  only  man  of  his  family,  which  was  alfo  feparated  from 
all  the  other  families  of  Judah,  who  came  from  PhareZy  from  whom  the 
Meffiah  was  to  be  defccnded, 

I  have 


Cli.  X.  Boch  of  the  Old  Tejtament  jS^ 

I  have  obfcrved  in  another  place,  that  in  all  probability  God  raifed 
David  to  the  throne,  only  to  make  the  genealogy  of  that  family  better 
known^  from  which  the  Mefiiah  was  to  fpring. 

As  this  double  advancement  of  David,  one  to  the  thfone  of  Ifra^I,  the 
other  to  be  the  father  to  the  MefTiah,  ought  to  have  infpircd  him  with 
lively  refentmcnts  of  gratitude^  and  as  his  oracles  would  be  much  more 
famous,  being  uttered  by  a  royal  Prophet,  and  the  rather  becaufe  God 
employ'dhirn  in  the  making  a  juft  regulation  of  the  ferviceof  the  fane- 
tuaryj  fo  we  fee  that  David  employ'd  his  pen  in  giving  more  dilUn6fc 
idea's  of  that  Mefliah  which  he  promifed  them. 

The  name  MeJJiah  properly  fignifies  a  perfon  confecrated  by  anointing 
to  be  King,  Pricit,  or  Prophet.  I'his  name  was  particularly  applved 
hy  David,  and  the  Prophets  who  lived  after  him,  to  that  holy  feed  which 
God  had  promifed  to  Abraham's  family  by  Ifaac,  by  Jacoh^  by  Judahy 
and  by  David;  and  one  may  obferve  in  Duvid's  Pfaims,  and  in  the  Pro- 
phets of  his  time,  that  they  gave  the  name  of  Mefliah  to  the  promifed 
feed,  under  one  or  other  of  thefe  three  fenfes. 

The  charadters  both  of  a  Prophet  and  a  Prieft,  tho'  each  of  them  are 
auguft  enough,  yet  yield  to  that  of  a  King.  Thefe  are  the  different  idea's 
which  Davids  and  the  Prophets  of  that  time'foUow'd  in  all  the  variety  of 
their  dcfcriptions. 

But  it  is  not  my  defign  to  give  a  particular  account  of  all  thofe  oracles 
which  defcribe  thefe  different  characters,  for  fear  of  being  exceflively 
long:  fo  I  fhall  content  myfelf  with  obferving  two  things  :  I.  Thzt  Da- 
vid alone  uttered  more  oracles  than  all  the  Prophets  who  came  before 
him.  II.  That  thefe  oracles  of  David  concerning  the  Mefliah  are  clearer 
than  all  the  precedent  ones. 

Now,  I  fay,  that  David  alone  uttered  more  oracles  than  any  one  Pro- 
phet who  came  before  him  ;  thus  in  the  XL  Pfnlm  he  explains  the  de- 
cree by  which  the  Mefliah  became  the  fervant  of  God,  and  clothed  him- 
lelf  with  the  form  of  a  fervant,  to  offer  unto  God  a  more  perfe£t  obe- 
dience than  that  which  had  formerly  been  offered  by  burnt-offerings  and 
facrifices.  He  defcnbcs  the  meafure  and  the  nature  of  his  miniftry, 
which  was  to  confifl  in  the  inflru<Stion  of  the  people,  in  righteoufnefs, 

truth,  and  the  falvation  of  God.      Pfid?n  XL.  7. 11.  Sacrifice  and 

cffering  thou  didji  not  defire,  mine  ears  haji  thou  opened:  burnt-offering  and 
jm-offering  haft  thou  not  required.  Then  /aid  /,  Lo  I  come;  in  the  volume 
of  the  book  it  is  written  of  me:  I  delight  to  do  thy  will^  O  my  God;  yea^  thy 
law  is  within  my  heart,  I  have  preached  righteoufnefs  in  the  great  congre- 
gation :  lo  I  have  not  refrained  my  lips,  O  Lord,  thou  knowejl :  J  have  r.ot 
hid  thy  righteoufnefs  within  jny  heart,  I  have  declared  thy  faithfidnefs,  and 
thy  falvation  :  I  have  not  concealed  thy  loving  kindnefs,  and  thy  truth,  from 
the  great  congregation. 

In  the  XVI  Pfalm  he  defcribes  the  inviolable  fledfaftnefs  of  the  Mef- 
fiah  tothe  fervice  of  God,  who  had  fent  him  to  form  a  great  people  ; 
with  the  manner  of  his  deliverance  by  God  from  all  the  powers  of  the 
world,  by  raiflng  him  up  from  the  dead,  and  afterwards  receiving  him 
into  glory.  P/^/;/2  XVI.  8  &:c.  I  have  Jet  the  Lord  alwc^ys  before  me:  be- 
caufe be  is  at  my  right  hand,  I  Jhall  not  be  moved.  Therefore  my  heart  is 
^lad,  and  my  gkry  rejoyceth  ;  my  feJJ)  aJfo  fhall  rejl  in  hope.     For  thou  wHt 

Vol.  I.  B  b  '  "      net 


386  Rcjlexmi  upan  the  Ch.  X. 

tiothave  my  foul  in  hcll\  neither  U'ilt  thou  fv^cr  thy  holy  One  to  fee  corruption: 
thou  unit  J}jew  me  the  path  of  life  \  in  thy  preferice  is  fxilnef  of  joy :  at  thy 
tight  hand  there  are  pleajures  for  evermore. 

In  the  XXII  Pfalm  he  defcribes  the  agonies  thrwfgh  whfch  the  Mef- 
fuih  was  to  pafs,  the  manner  of  his  deatli,  the  \  ictory  which  he  (ho<ild 
obtain  over  his  tncmie?;,  and  the  converfion  of  thofe  very  nations  which 
had  caft  him  off.  '■'••^n  oji* 

In  the  CIX  Pfalm  he  fpcaks  of  the  opprefTions  of- the  Mefliah,  pro- 
nouncing great  numbers  of  imprecations  againft  that  verv  pcrfon  who 
fhoiild  fignalize  himfelf  by  perfecuting  his  innocence.    Hold  net  thy  peace 

0  God  of  my  praifc :  for  the  month  of  the  ivickedy  and  the  mouth  of  the  deceit- 
ful are  opened  againjl  me ;  they  have  fpohm  againjl  me  with  0  lying  tongue, 

verfe  i,  2-  Set  thou  a  wicked  man  over  hi m^  and  let  Sutanjiand  at  his  right 
hand.  When  he  fhallhe  judged^  let  him  he  condemned^  and  let  his  prayer  be- 
come fn.  Let  his  days  he  fexv,  and  let  another  take  his  office,  verfe  6,  7,  8. 
Becaufe  that  he  remeynhered  not  to  fneiv  mercy^  but  perfecuted  the  poor  and 
■  needy  man^  that  he  might  even  flay  the  broken  in  heart.  As  he  Icved  curfvig, 
fo  let  it  come  to  him  :  as  he  delighted  not  in  bleffmg,  fo  let  it  be  far  from  him. 
As  he  clothed  himfelf  with  curfwg  like  as  vfith  his  garment,  fo  let  it  come  into 
his  hovuels  like  water,  and  like  oyl  into  his  bones,  verfe  16,  17,  1 8. 

In  the  CXIX  Pfabn  he  carries  this  argument  further,  in  his  defcrip- 
tion  of  the  zeal  of  the  Meffiah  for  the  houfc  of  Goxl,  and  of  thofe  infult- 
inj^s  which  he  fhould  meet  with,  and  the  manner  of  their  ffiving;  him 
vinegar  and  gall  to  drink,  with  the  hardning  and  rejection  of  thofe  who 
had  ufed  him  in  that  manner.  Save  me  O  God,  for  the  waters  are  come 
in  unto  jny  foul.  I fnk  in  deep  mire,  where  there  is  no  f landing:  I  am  come 
into  deep  zvaters,  where  the  foods  overfoiv  me,  verfe  i,  2.  Let  not  them 
that  zvait  on  thee^  O  Lord  God  ofHoJls,  he  afhamedfor  my  fake:  let  not  thoje 
that  fcek  thee  he  confoundedfor  my  fake,  O  God  of  ICrze],     Becaufe  for  thy  fake 

1  have  born  reproach  ;  fna?ne  hath  covered  ?ny  face.  I  am  become  ajlranger 
unto  my  brethren,  and  an  alien  unto  my  Jnothers  children :  for  the  zeal  of  thy 
hoife  hath  eaten  me  up  ;  and  the  reproaches  of  them  that  reproached  thee,  01  e 

falle?i  upon  me,  verfe  6,  7,  8,  9.  Reproach  hath  broken  iny  hcttrt,  and  I 
am  full  of  heavinefs  :  and  I  loohd  for  fome  to  take  pity,  but  there  was  none  ; 
and  for  comforters,  but  I  found  none.  They  gave  me  alfo  gall  for  my  meat, 
and  in  my  thirjl  they  gave  me  vinegar  to  drink.  Let  their  table  become  a  jnare 
before  them;  and  that  which  fliould  have  been  for  their  we  fare,  let  it  become 
a  trap.  Let  their  eyes  be  darkned,  that  they  fee  not;  and  make  their  loins 
continually  toflmke.  Pour  out  thy  indignation  upon  them,  and  let  thy  zvrath- 
ful  anger  take  hold  of  them,  verfe  20,  21,  22,  23,  24. 

In  the  XCVII  and  XCVIIIP/z/wy  he  defcribes  the  deftruaion  of  ido- 
Litry  when  the  promifed  Saviour  fhould  appear,  and  when  God  fhould 
raife  him  upon  his  throne.  The  Lord  reigneth,  let  the  earth  rejoycc;  let 
the  multitude  af  the  if  es  be  glad  thereof.  Pfalm  XCVII.  i.  Confounded  be 
all  they  that  fcrve  graven  images,  that  hoafl  themfelves  of  idols :  worjhip  him 
all  ye  gods.  Zion  heard,  and  %vas  glad,  and  the  daughters  c/"  Judah  re- 
joyced;  becaufe  of  thy  judgments^  O  Lord:  for  thou  Lord  art  high  above  alt 
the  earth :  thou  art  exalted  far  above  all  gods,  verfe  7,  8,  g.  Of^^g  "«''<'  fl^ 
Lo7-d  a  new  fong,  for  he  hath  done  mar-vellous  things  :  his  right  hand,  and 
his  holy  arm  have  gotten  him  the  victory.  The  Lord  has  made  known  hisfaU 
'\:;v"  r.  .   ::.  vation  .* 

t 


fc-rf*  X.  Books  of  the  Old  Tejlaniint,  ^87 

Vatlon  :  his  righteoufrefs  hath  he  openly  jhevj'd  in  the  fight  of  the  heathen. 
Me  hath  re?nembered  his  mercy  and  his  truth  toivards  the  houje  ^Ifrael :  all 
the  ends  of  the  earth  have  fe en  the  falvation  of  our  God.  Make  a  joyful  noife 
unto  the  Lord  all  the  earth  :  make  a  kud  noife,  and  rejoyce  and  fing  praifcy 

rKalm  XCVIII.  i 4. 

In  the  LXVIII  Pfuhn  he  explains  the  glory  of  the  Mefliah,  and  his 
afcenfion  into  heaven,  with  the  eft'uiion  of  thofe  gifts  which  he  was  to 
fpread  abroad  for  the  converfion  of  the  nations,  that  God  might  dwell 
amongft  the  moft  J-ebellious.     Princes  jhall  come  out  ^  Egyptj  Ethiopia 

Jhall  foonfrefch  out  her  hands  unto  God:  fing  unto  God,  ye  kingdoms  of  the 
earth  :  O  fmg  praifes  unto  the  Lord.  To  hi?n  who  rideth  upcn  the  heavens  of 
heavens,  which  were  of  old;  lo  he  doth  fend  out  his  -voice,  and  that  a  mighty 
voice.     Afcribe  ye  fiftngih  unto  God :  his  excellency  is  over  Ilraei,  and  his 

firength  is  in  the  clouds.  O  God,  thou  art  terrible  out  of  thy  holy  places,  the 
GodofKruel  is  he  that  giveth  firength  and  power  unto  his  pcop((fj,  verfe  ;^i, 

32>  33^  34. 35-  ^     . ,        ,         , 

The  Prophets  who  lived  in  the  time  ot  David,  or  foon  after,  purfusd 

all  his  idea's;     One  fee's  that  Nathan,  II  Sam.  VII.  foretells  Sohmyn's 

glory,  and  the  honour  which  ht  fhould  have  in  building  that  temple  of 

which  David  had  formed  the  defign  before,  in  fuch  a  manner,  that  he 

cjearly  fhews  three  things  which  will  by  no  means  agree  with  Solomon, 

I.  Thit  God  (hould  faife  up  a  fon  to  David  after  his  death,  and  place 

him  upon  his  throne  ;  whereas   Solomon  was  born,  and  advanced  to  the 

throne  by  David  himfelf.  II.  It  was  promifed  that  his  government  (hould 

be  endlefs  j  this  is  not  applicable   to  the  royal  pofterity  of  David;  who 

had  but  twenty  fucceflbrs  who  bore  the  title  of  kings.     III.  That  God 

particularly  promifes  to   be  the  father  of  this  promifed  fon,  which  is 

not  more  applicable  to  Solomon,  than  to  David;  to  foftah;  or  Hezekiah, 

One  fee's  that  Corah'i  pofterity  gave  that  account  of  Solonion's  glory 

upon  his  marriage  with  the  king  of  Egypt's  daughter  ;  he  fpeaks  of  a 

throne  much  more  auguft  then  that  princes  was,  and  he  reprefents  to  us 

a  God  confecrated  with  oyl  of  gladnefs  above  his  fellows.     This  exaft- 

ly  fets  forth  the  auguft  charaiSler  of  the  Mefliah,  and  his  anointing  to  be 

the  king  of  all  nations,  their  Prophet,  and  their  Prieft.     Pfalm  XLV.  i. 

Afy  heart  is  inditing  a  gdod  matter:   I  fpeak  of  the  things  which  I  have  made 

touching  the  king:  my  tongue  is  the  pen  of  a  ready  writer,     Verfe  7^  8.   Thy 

throne,  O  God,  is  for  ever  and  ever;  the  fcepltr  of  thy  kingdom  is  a  right 

fcepter.  Thou  lovejl  righteoufnefs  ond  hateji  wickednejs ;  therefore  God,  thy 
God  hath  anointed  thee  with  oyl  of  gladnefs  above  thy  felloivs.     Verfe  16.  In 

Jlead  of  thy  fathers  fl)all  be  thy  children  xvhom  thou  maijl  make  princes  in  all 
the  earth. 

One  fee's  the  fame  Prophets  inviting  all  nations  in  the  XLVII  Pfalm 
to  acknowledge  the  kingdom  of  God  :  which  Daniel  afterwards  de- 
fcribes  as  that  which  the  Jews  already  knew  was  to  be  governed  by  the 
Meffiah. 

One  fee's  Afaph  defcribing  in  the  L  Pfahn  the  manner  of  the  Mefliah's 
aflembling  all  people,  and  oi  his  reje6ling  the  ancient  and  legal  fervice, 
and  prefcribing  a  fpiritual  one,  even  facrifices  of  vows,  and  of  praife* 
^^  6,  7,  8,  9,  10.  And  the  heavens  fyall  declare  his  righteoifncf:  for  God 
is  judge  himfelf ^     Hear  0  my  people,  and  1  will  fpeak^  0  Ifraelj  and  I  will 

B  b  2  t.Jiife 


^gg  Rfjiexiom  upon  the  ..Ch.  X. 

tejlifie  againjl  thee :  I  am  God,  even  thy  God.  I  luill  not  nprove  thee  for 
thy  facriftceSy  or  thy  burnt-offeriv.gs^  to  have  been  continually  before  me.  I 
will  take  no  bullock  out  of  thy  houfe,  mr  he-goat  out  of  thy  folds.  For  every 
bcajl  of  the  forejl  is  mine,  and  the  cattle  itpon  a  thoujayid  hills. 

One  fees  the  author  of  the  LXXII  Pfdjn  defcribii^g  the  glory  and  hap- 
pinefs  of  Solomon  s  kingJom  in  llich  a  manner,  that  he  cirries  his  views 
as  hi^h  as  the  Mefliah  at  the  fame  time  ;  he  foretels  the  continuance  of 
his  kingdom  as  long  as  the  fun  and  moon  endures  j  that  all  the  kings  of 
the  world  fliould  bring  prefents  to  him,  and  that  all  the  nations  of  the 
earth  fhould  worfhip  before  him.  Ferfe  5.  They  Jhall  fear  thee  as  long  as 
the  fun  and  moon  endure^  throughout  all  generations.  Verfe  8.  He  fmll  have 
dominion  alfo  from  fca  to  fea,  and  from  the  river  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth. 
Verfe  11.  All  kings  fmll  fall  down  btfore  him^  all  nations  foall  ftrve  him, 
Verfe  17,  18,  ig.  His  name  Jhall  endure  for  ever  \  his  name  Jhall  be  contviued 
as  long  as  the  fun^  and  men  Jhall  be  blejfed  in  him  ;  all  nations  Jhall  call  him 
blefj'ed.  BleJfcd  be  the  Lord  God  <?/"  Ifrael,  who  07ily  doth.wondrouf  things  : 
end  bleffed  be  his  glarious  name  for  ever^  and  let  the  wfhole  earth  be  Jdleduuhh 
all  his  glory  \  Amen  and  Amen. 

One  fees  that  Ethan  the  E-zrahite,  who  is   reprefented  to  us  as  the 
wifefl:  man  in  that  age  after  Solomon,  explains  the  promife  made  to  Da- 
Z'id  of  a  fon  who  Ihould  reign  for  ever,  and  whofe  throne  fliould  be  im- 
moveable in  the  LXXXIX  Pfabn.     This  agrees  to  none  but  the  Mef- 
fiah,  whom  he  defcribes  as  the  firft-born  of  the  princes  of  the  earth,  and 
as  the  fon  of  God  in  a  manner,  which  is  not  applicable  to  any  of  Da- 
vid's poilerity,  except  only  to   the   Mefliah.     f'erfe  19,  20.  Then  thou 
Jpakeji  in  vijions,  to  the  holy  one,  and  fay* fly  I  have  laid  help  upon  one  tfxit  is 
?nighty  j   I  have  exalted  one  chofen  out  of  the  people.     I  have  fcimd  David  viy 
fevvant ;  with  my  holy  oyl  have  J  anointed  him.     Verfe  24,  25,  26,  27,  28, 
.   29.  My  faithful)!  cfs  and  my  mercy  Jlmll  be  with  him  ;  aiid  in  my  name  Jhall 
his  horn  be  exalted.     I  will  Jet  his  hand  aljo  in  the  Jea,  and  his  right  hand  in 
the  rivers.     He  Jhall  cry  unto  ?ne.  Thou  art  ?ny  Father,  my  God,  and  tl)e 
Rock  of  my  Salvation.     Alfo  I  will  /nake  him  my  firjl-horn,  higher  than  the 
.  kings  of  the  earth.    My  mercy  ivill  I  keep  for  him  for  evermore,  andrny  covenant 
fhalljlandfajl  with  hi7n.     His  feed  aljo  luill  I  make  to  endure  for  ever,  and  his 
.  throne  as  the  days  of  heaven.     Verie  33,  34,  35,  36,  37.  NevertheLfs  my 
loving  kindnefs  will  I  not  utterly  take  from  him,  nor  Juffer  7ny  faithfulnefs  to 
fail.     My  covenant  will  I  not  break,  nor  alter  the  thing  that  is  gone  out  oj 
.  tJiy  lips.     Once  have  Ijworn  by  ?ny  hoUnefs,  that  I  will  not  lye  unto  David. 
His  feed  Jhall  endure  for  ever,  and  his  th'one  as  the  fun  before  me :  It  Jhall  be 
ejlablijhed for  ever  as  the  moon,  and  as  a  faithful  witnefs  in  heaven. 

One  needs  only  read  over  the  Pjahns  which  I  have  now  taken  notice 
of,  and  which  are  almoft  all  applyed  by  the  Jews  to  the  Meffiah,  to  i>-e 
the  great  number  of  oracles  which  God  gave  in  David's  time,  con- 
cerning this  matter  ;  not  to  fpeak  of  thofe  which  deicribe  die  calling  ot 
the  Gentiles,  which  fill  up  the  book  of  the  Pfabns  almoft  entirely. 

I  come  now  to  the  proof  of  the  fecond  article,  which  is  to  fhew,  that 
the  oracles  which  David  uttered  are  much  clearer,  and  much  more  par- 
ticular than  thofe  which  were  gi\en  before.  This  I  hope  to  prove  be- 
yond all  contradidion,  by  confidering  two  Pfabns,  the  one  whereof  de- 
fcribes the  prodigious  humiliation  of  the  Mefliah ;  and  the  other  defcribes 

hi>i 


Ch.  XI.  Books  of  the  Old  Tcjlament.  3S9 

his  advancement  at  the  right  hand  of  God  ;  two  of  the  greateft  truths 
declared  by  the  Prophets,  and  two  the  moft  fingular  of  all  the  cha- 
racters which  belong  to  the  promifed  Mejftab, 


^>0«0«0<>0«0*0^0<0'>0<^<><3k^>0^0«0*0>0«0<>0«0*^^ 


C    H    A    P.      XI. 

Confideratlsns  upon  the  Sufferings  of  the  Messiah,  and  upon  his  glorious 
Afcenfim  into  Heaven,  foretold  by  David  in  the  XXII  and  CX 
Psalms. 

J.  r 

iP^JS'^  T  cannot  be  deny'd,  when  one  reads  the  XXII  Pfahn,  but  that"^ 
S   I  ^  the  pcrfon  there  fpoken  of,  is  dcfcribed  figuratively,  as  one  ex- 
l^^HtiiJ  pofed  to  the  fevereft  fufFerings,  from  which  he  is  afterwards  de- 
livered by  the  Divine  afliftance,  and  advanced  to  rule  an  empire  which 
extends  it  ftif  over  all  the  nations  of  the  world,  and  afterwards  univer- ' 
fally  adored.  - 

I.  He  that  fpealcs,  cries  out  as  if  God  had  forfaken  him,  and  had  flop- 
ped his  cars  unto  his  cry. 

II.  He  defcribes  himfclf  as  a  worm,  and  no  man,  as  the  reproach  of 
men,  and  one  dcfpifed  by  the  people. 

III.  He  takes  notice,  that  thofe  who  were  witnefTes  of  his  fufFerings, 
made  a  mock  at  them,  bidding  him  truft  in  God,  that  he  might  deliver 
him. 

IV.  He  ranks  his  enemies  amongfl  the  hulls  of  Bajhan,  and  raging' 
lions,  who  (according  to  the  prophetical  way  of  fpeaking)  are  the  chief* 
men  in  the  nation.     Wmos  IV.  i.   Ezech.  XXI I.  25. 

V.  He  joyns  the  dogs  with  them,  that  is,  prophane  perfons  or  the 
Gentiles. 

VI.  He  reprefents  his  hands  and  his  feet  as  peirced  with  nails. 

VII.  He  fhews  that  he  was  flretched  out  before,  in  fuch  a  manner 
that  they  might  count  all  his  bones  ;  this  exprefles  the  idea  of  a  man 
fartnedto  a  crofs,  and  cxpofed  to  the  view  of  all  the  world;  as  he  after- 
wards defcribes  himfclf  to  be  quite  dry'd  up,  from  the  lofs  of  blood  when 
he  was  crucify'd. 

VIII.  He  takes  notice  of  their  parting  his  garments,  and 

IX.  Of  their  calling  lots  upon  his  velture. 

In  fhort,  one  fee's  throughout  all  the  expreffions  of  this  Pfalm  the 
image  of  a  death  which  was  equally  fhameful  and  cruel. 

The  other  part  of  the  Pfalm  gives  us  an  account  of  the  deliverance  of 
that  perfon  who  is  mentioned  in  this  holy  hymn. 

I.  He  obliges  himfclf,  to  praife  the  name  of  the  Lord  in  the  mofl  nu- 
merous affembly. 

II.  He  obferves  it  as  an  efledt  of  this  deliverance,  that  all  the  ends  of 
the  world  fhould  remember,  and  turn  unto  the  Lord,  and  that  all  the 
kijidreds  of  the  nations  fhould  worfhip  before  him. 

B  b  3  III.  At 


39^^  Ri'pxfsih  fe^J«  the  ^  Ck.  XI. 

Ill,  At  lafl,  he  tikes  notice  thr.t  the  kingdom  of  God  rtiould  fpread 
it  fclf  over  all  the  nations  of  the  world. 

One  may  judge  by  tiie  hiltory  oi  David,  whether  this  P/^/w  is  appli- 
cable to  him  ;  therein  we  may  fee  all  the  crofTcs  which  he  undci-wcnt 
particularly  reprefentcd,  during  all  the  former  years  of  his  reign.  But 
there  we  have  no  account,  that  Da'uid  evtr  fuftcred  any  thin^  li.Jcc  that 
which  is  To  exadly  defcribed  in  this  PfaJm.  And  this  may  be  faid  fur- 
ther, that  when  David  took  any  occafion  to  paint  out  his  fufFcrings  to 
u?j  he  has  put  in  feveral  ftroaks  which  only  relate  to  the  Meffiah,  and 
which  ihew  us  in  a  very  lively  manner,  that  he  was  to  pafs  through 
much  greater  tryals  than  any  of  thofe  from  which  David  had  been  deli- 
vered, •  ,;,.,,  „  ,:^,,.'v  ... 

The  later  ymj,  who  endeavour  to  verifi^  this  prophecy  in  EJlher  or 
Jijfordecai^  agree  with  us  at  the  bottom,  that  David  c^rx\t A  his  views  fur- 
ther ihan  bad  ,'  his  own  fufferings.  And  thofe  alfo  who  apply  it  to  the 
people  .of  Ijracl,  muft  acknowi^dge  the  fame  truth  even  againft  their 
\yUts.   „ 

But  the  more  ancient  Jeivs  were  more  equitable  in  their  applications 
of  the  XXII  Pfalm  to  t^e  Meffiah.  They  applyed  it  to  him  in  earneft, 
even  afier  the  time  of  Jefus  ChriO",  wheji  the  compar.ifon  of  tbcfe  cha- 
racters of  the  Meffiah,  which  may  be  found  fo  exactly  in  the  death  of 
J_efus  Chritt,  led  them  to  an  oppohtion  of  this  truth. 

And  certainly  there  needs  very  little  equity  tp  acknowledge  that  this 
oracle,  pr  rather  this  heap  of  oracle^  belonged  to  the  Meffiah,  by  the  con- 
feffion  and  agreement  of  the  yews  in. our  Sayiour's  time. 

I.  They  had  not  then  refolved  to  ^n^ke  their  advantages  of  the  writer''^ 
fault,  Avho  writ  [HND]  like  a  Horiy  inilead  of  [Hf^Dj  they  have  piercdi 
my  reet,  as  they  have  done  fmce.  In  fhort,  Aquila  who  lived  lOO  ycari 
after  Icfus  Chrift,  and  the  other  Jewijh  interpreters,  Symmacbiis  and 
*^hcodotion,  tranflated  that  palTage  as  we  now  read  it. 

II.  The  notion  which  the  Synagogue  always  had  of  the  fufferings  of 
the  Meffiah,  obliged  them  to  fuppofe  two  Meffiah's,  cjie  buffering,  and 
the  other  glorious,  rather  than  to  contradict  that  truth  openly,  which  is 
cxprefl'ed  by  thefe  oracles  in  fo  particular  a  manner. 

.  j[II.  Nothing  can  be  imagined  to  be  more  ridiculous,  than  to  fuppofe 
^1iat  ^cfus  Chrill  fhould  quote  the  firft  words  of  this  Pfalm  upon  the 
Cfofs,  thereby  to  engage  3II  mankind  to  take  notice  of  tlie  accomplifh- 
iv-cnt  of  this  ancient  oracle  in  all  his  fufferings,  if  we  fuppofe  that  this 
Pfatnt  even  by  the  confeffion  of  the  Jews.^  had  no  relation  to  the 
Meffiah. 

The  fame  rcflexlion  may  be  ms^de  cpncerning  the  Apoftles,  who  have 
quoted  fo  many  pafl";^ges  of  this  Pfnlw  to  prove  that  Jefus  Chrift  was  the 
Meffiah  ;  becaufe  one  may  find  in  his  dtath,  and  in  the  circumftances 
-oi  it,  fuch  a  literal  and  exa<^  accomplifhment  of  this  ancient  prophecy. 
But  if  it  ihduld  be  objcdied,  that  after  all,  this  agreement  of  the  Syna- 
gogue can  make  no  more  than  a  ftrong  prejudice  i  this  maybe  eafily  an- 
^  fwered  ;  by  confidering  that  when  the  Pfalmift  fpeaks  of  the  extent  of 
;his  kingdom  over  the  whole  earth,  it  was  that  circumftarKe  which  de- 
termined the  Synagogue  in  their  application  of  this  whole  Pfalm  to  the 
Meffiah  •,  becaufe  as  :he  JcVJi  ti:c.mfelves  acknowledge,  this  extent  of 

empire 


Ch.  XI.  Boob  of  the  Old  Tejlament.  391 

empire  is  one  of  thofe  charadlers,  which  according  to.the  ancient  oracles, 
is  applicable  to  none  but  the  Meiliah.  In  Ihort,  (becaufe  it  is  of  great 
importance,  I  fhall  repeat  it  here  again)  common  fenfe  led  thofe  who 
confidered  thefe  ancient  oracles,  to  compare  therti  (as  naturally  they 
ought)  with,  thofe  that  went  before,  and  to  determine  the  fcope  and  in- 
tent of  the  later  ones  by  the  relation  which  they  had  to  the  precedent 
ones  -y  and  there  was  only  need  of  one  confiderable  claufe  to  make  a  cer- 
tain determination  after  they  hfid  made  fuch  a  comparifon.  This  the 
^Jews  >vere  certainly  convinced  of,  when  they  acknowledged  that  the 

laft  words  oi Dav'id^  II  Bam.  XXIII.  i —8,  were  tq  be  applyed  to  the 

Mefiiah,  by  comparing  them  with  Balaam^  oracle  of  the  Mefiiah,  Numb. 
XXIV, 

We  may  therefore  take  it  for  granted,  that  David  did  not  abfolutely 
fpeak  of  himfclf  in  the  XXII  Pjalm^  and  that  he  carried  his  views  as  far 
as  the  Mefliah,  that  he  gave  a  great  nurnber  of  characters  to  his  pofte- 
rity,  whereby  they  ipight  diftinguifh,  notwithftanding  the  greatnefs  of 
his  fufFerings,  and  even  the  better  by  his  very  fufferings,  than  which  no 
clearer  marks  can  poflibly  be  given ;  becaufe  there  is  nothing  more  in- 
voluntary than  enduring  of  miferics,  nor  nothing  which  depends  lefs  up- 
on.Jthe  choice  of  the  perfon  who  is  to  undergo  them,  than  the  particular 
kind  of  punifhment,  or  than  the  circumftances  which  muft  accompany 
his  death,  when  it  is  once  left  to  the  unjuft  power  of  violent  enemies. 

We  corne  now  to  the  CX  Pfalm^  which  in  a  very  few  words  contains 
feverd  very  important  chara6lers  of  the  Mefliah,  which  are  very  diflincfl- 
ly  exprefl'ed. 

If  piie  confiders  it  exadly,  it  fcems  to  have  been  compofed  after  that 
Nathan  had  acquainted  Da'uid  W\zh  the  glory  of  his  fon  which  God  had 
promifed  him  ;  luch  a  fon  who  fliould  build  a  houfe  wherein  God  (hould 
dwell  for  ever>  and  who  {hould  fit  upon  a  throne  \yhich  fliould  never  be 
overturned ;  whereas  Z)«f/V/  had  only  form'd  a  defign  of  building  a  temple 
,,^to.  the  Lord, 
,/Ia  ihort,  one  fee's  that  the  fpirit  of  prophecy  had  given  him  a  view 
^Fthe  glory  of  this  augult  king  who  (hould  be  born  of  his  feed,  and  of 
tlie  glory  of  his  kingdom  which  {hould  never  be  deftroy'd.  David  z^^ 
^^ces  this  king  not  only  above  all  MEN,  by  calling  him  his  Lord  who 
was  himfelf  a  king  ;  but  alfo  above  the  angels,  by  making  him  fit  at  the 
rrght  hand  of  God  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  This  is  perfonal.  He 
alfo  defcribes  the  glory  of  his  office,  by  confidering  him  as  a  prieft  of  a 
higher  order  than  xhztoi  Aarori^  from  vvhom  Melcinjedcch  received  tithes 
in  the  perfon  of  Abraham :  and,  in  a  word,  he  acquaints  us  with  the 
progrefs  of  his  kingdom,  and  the  greatnefs  of  his  vi^iories.  Let  us  ex- 
amine all  thefe  characters  by  themfelves. 

,  .  I.  He  brings  in  God  fpeaking  to  the  MefTiah,  whoni  he  calls  his  Lord: 
,^^t  thou  at  my  right  hand,  until  I  make  thy  enemies  thy  fontJtooL  This  points. 
]f^  to  us,  I.  That  the  Meiliah  ought  to, be  advanced  to  glory.     2.  That 
Vod  intended  to  fubdue  his  enemies  by  little  and  little,  whilft  the  Mef- 
iiah .fhould  be  in  his  glory  ;  as  it  was  foretold  in  the  fecond  Pfalm. 

II.  He  obferves.  That  the  empire  of  the  MefTiah  was  to  beo-in  at 
^eriijakmy  or  Blon,  which  was  then  to  be  under  the  power  of  his  ene- 
mies, 

B  b  4  III.  He 


35?  Refiemm  ffp'^»  ^V    -  ■->'^  Ch.  XI. 

J  in.  H(J  exprefly.  poifttiS  out  the  quick  extent  nf  the  kingdom  of  the 
Mcfliah',  with  the  chnra^r-  of  ihole  who  fhoiJd  fubmit  to  him  with- 
out, canftraint  or  viniencc.  which  was  much  pnctifcd  under  Mofes's 

-IV.  Kc  pofitivaly  aflerts,  That  the  Mcfliah  {hould  be  eftabhfhcd  a 
Pr.iejl  after  the  ordr  of  }jl*£\i:.\iiicdtc\\^  which  would  overturn  the  whole 
Leviticrd-prieithood,  which  then  was  to  have  an  end  :  yet  the  very  fame 
krng  wHbi  d.Ttgned  the  draught  of  the  temple  which  Solomon  built  fome 
time  if«er,  undermines  ■  the  foundation?  of  this  material  bmldino;,  and 
deafly  iuppoles  that  the  I^evitical  miniftry>  v/hich  was  fixed  to  Solomon\ 
temple,'  ihould  lail  no-  longer  than  until  the  coming  of  the  Mcfliah. 

v.  He  particularly  takes  notice,  that  tlie  MeiTiah  (houM,  by  the  Di- 
vine aiiifta  nee,  deftroy  all  that  fhould  oppofe  his  power,  and  (hould  brini^ 
aH  things  \xm\^x  ;vi«  dominibn,'  is-a  conquerour  who  fhould  overturn  all 
thir.gs  with  the  utmoft  violence. 

Nothing  c?.n  be  greater  than  thefe  feveral  oracles ;  nctliing  can  be 
noire  parriaular  than  his  defcription  of  the  glory  to  which  the  Mefliah 
was  to  be  ai.anced  after  that  prodigious  humiliation  which  i&defcribed 
in  t;he  XXII  PjrJm;  but  what  can  we  fuppofe  to  be  the  reafon  of  Da- 
'vid't  fpcaking  of  the  Mefliah  in  this  Pfalm?  This  I  am  further  to  con- 
fides. ' 

One  may  fay  that  the  Jews  did  not  conftantly  apply  thefe  propheci^^ 
to  the  Mefliah,  before  the  coming  of  Jefus  Chrift  without  good  grounds  ; 
they  could  not  apply  them  to  zny  of  David's  fucCeflbrs;  none  oi  David' i' 
fuccefibrs  was  both  king  and  priefl.     Uzziah  was   the  only-  man  who;. 
dared  to  ufurp  the  ptiefthood ;  and  he  was  puniflied  by  God  himfflf. 
The  Maccabeei  were  not  of  David's  tribe,  lAit  were  Levites^  and  nc'.'-f 
of  them  ever  went  up  into  heaven  to  fet  at  the  right  hand  of  God.     }Jc- 
ildes,  their  kingdom  did  not  begin  in  Sion^  and  they  never  brought  any 
ether  kings  under  their  authority.  They  applyed  it  therefore  to  the  Mcf- 
fiah,  purfuant  to  the  maxim  which  they  drew  from  a  frequent  media- 
tion upon  the  fmcient  oracles,  that  we  ought  only  t6  look  for  an  accom-. 
pliflimentof  thofe  prophecies  in  the  perfon  of  the  Mefliah,  which  they 
couW  never  find   to  be  fulfilled  any  where  elfe,  when  at  the  farne  ti;nc 
they  knew  that  the  exadncfs  and  truth  of  thofe  prediitions  could  not-bc 
any  ways  contefted. 

In  fhort,  it  plainly  appears  that  thev  did  unanimoufly  apply  it  to  the 
Mefliah  before  'Jef't!'  Chrifl  came  into  the  world,  from  the  manner  of 
thcirconfcfling  it  to  our  Saviour,  when  he  prefl'ed  them  with  the  CX 
Pfalm-^  tho'  they  could  not  explain  the  manner  how  David  Ihould  call 
the  Mefliah  Lord,  when  they  allow'd  him  to  be  his  (on,Matth.  XX II. 48. 

One  lec'^  nothing  fo  frequently  urg'd  by  the  Apoftles  as  this  CX 
Pfaim ;  they  ufe  it  upon  all  occafions  to  prove  that  Jefus  Chrifl  had  the 
characters  of  the  true  Mefliah,  fuch  as  David  had  given  him  in  the 
CX  Pfil-r,  fuppcrmg  fl:il!,  as  a  thing  beyond  difputc,  that  David  fpukc 
of  the  Meflinh  in  thi'  famous  prophecy. 

S(^  that  what  evafions  foever  the  Jews  may  endeavour  to  make  ufe  of, 
yat  they  cannot  ddny  -but  that  their  moft  famous  Doitlors  fmce  Jefus 
Chftll-,  have  ut5oh  feVefal  occafions  follow'd  the  old  notions  of  the  Sy- 
niigogue  in  this  matter.     One  finds  in  their  writings  great  numbers  of 

tcftimonies 


C'A,  XII..  Bcob  of  the  Old  Tejiixm-int.  393 

teftinionies  which  confirm  this  truth.     I  fhall  riot  mention  them  at  pre- 
Tent,  becaufe  they  are  well  enough  known,  and  becaufe  1  would  make, 
hafte  to  come  to  that  new  degree  of  revelations  which  God  gave  to  thofe 
Prophets  who  gave  nev/  characters  of  the  Meffiah  to  the  Jewifh  nation 
for  fome  ages  after  David's  time. 

They  ^re  in  too  great  a  number  tq  be  fpoken  of,  one  by  one,  and  I 
am  forced  to  range  them  under  certain  heads  ;  tho'  I  intend  at  the  fame 
time  'to  rhake  more  particular  reflexions  upon  fome  of  thofe  which  give 
Its  an  account  of  the  moft  remarkable  truths,  and  fo  by  that  means  fur-- 
nilh  us  with  the  moft  fenfible  character  whereby  we  may  know  more  cer- 
tainly the  perlbn  whom  God  propofed  to  his  people  in  fuch  a  manner  as 
the  Saviour  of  Ifrael,  and  whom  he  had  before  called  The  ExpeSiation  of 
the  Gentiles. 


•^©^^ 


CHAP.      XII. 

That  the  Messiah  was  to  have  a  Forerunner.^  arid  what  was  to  be  Ms  - 

Chara£ler. 

g^^'^E  {hall  make  it  manifeft  in  the  fequel  of  the  difcourfe,  that  the 
^  VV  ^  Meffiah  was  to  appear  in  a  very  defpicable  ftate,  and  confequent- 
^}ifK|^  ly  that  his  appearance  would  be  very  diftaftful  to  thofe  who  ex- 
pedted  him  in  the  fplendour  of  a  great  king  and  conqueror.  To  oppofe 
this  preconceived  opinion  of  theirs,  the  Divine  Wifdom  thought  fit  to 
appoint  one  to  be  his  forerunner,  who  fhould  call  the  ynvs  to  repen- 
tance, and  a  reformation  of  their  lives,  and  form  in  them  a  true  notion 
of  the  miniftry  of  the  Meffiah,  as  of  a  perfon  who  was  to  prefcribe  to 
them  lavv'S  of  the  grcateft  purity  and  holinefs.  And  indeed,  in  examin- 
ing the  holy  Scriptures,  we  find,  that  the  appearance  of  the  Meffiah  was 
to  be  uflier'd  in  by  a  perfon  thus  diftinguifh'd  3  the  following  prophecies 
are  very  exprefs  to  this  purpofe. 

The  firft  of  thcfe  we  find  in  the  XL  of  Ifaiah^  verfe  3.  where  the  Pro- 
phet  fpeaks  thus,  before  the  deftrudicn  of  the  firft  temple  ;  The  voice  of 
him  that  crieth  in  theivildernefs^  -prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lordy  makejiraight 
in  the  defert  a  highxvay  for  our  God  {a).  The  Jeivs  acknowledge  that  this 
chapter  fpeaks  of  the  comfort  the  Meffiah  v/as  to  procure  for  his  people, 
and  that  the  voice  mention'd  here  refers  to  thofe  who  were  to  declare 
and- proclaim  his  coming  (1^). 

We  meet  with  a  feccnd  prophecy  in  Malachy^  who  prophecied  after 
the  rebuilding  of  the  temple,  and  who  having  fhut  up  the  vifion,  precife- 
ly  points  at  the  time  wherein  he  was  to  appear,  viz.  during  the  fecond 
temple.  Chap.  III.  verfe  i,  2,  3,  ^4.  Behold^  I  will  fend  my  meffenger, 
and  he  Jhall  prepare  the  way  before  me  :  and  the  Lord  who?n  yefeekjhallfnd- 
dainly  cffpe  to  his  temple  j  even  the  mejjenger  of  the  covenant  whom  ye  delight 

iny 
(a)  Ifai.  xl.  3.  (h)  Abentzra, 


^4  Rtifi/xioni  upon  the  Ch.  XII. 

»■«,  behold  he  jhall  come^  faith  the  Lord  of  Hojh.  But  nho  may  abide  the 
day  of  his  coming  ?  And  ivho  jhall  Jiand  when  he  appear cth  (*  For  he  is  Hie 
a  refiners  fre^  and  like  fullers  fope.  And  he  flmll  fit  as  a  refner  and  purifier 
cfjilver:  and  he  fl>all  purifie  the  fans  o/"Lcvi,  and  purge  thein  as  gold  and 
filver,  that  they  may  offer  unto  the  Lord  anoffering  in  righteoufmfs. 

The  ''J eves  own  that  thefe  words  alfo  of  Alalachy,  fpeak.  of  the  fore- 
runner of  the  Mefllas  {c). 

But  we  ought  to  obferve  in  the  foregoing  paflagcs,  i.  That  they  have 
a  manifeft  relation  to  the  time  of  the  Mefliah's  coming;  fhould  the  Jews 
deny  this  (as  indeed  they  unanimoufly  acknowledge  it)  it  would  be  an 
cafid  matter  to  convince  them,  i.  By  urging  ihc  authority  of  the  Evan- 
gelifts,  who  apply  thefe  very  paflages  to  the  miniftry  of  John  tJj^  Baptif. 
Thus  we  find  that  St.  Matthnu  and  St.  Alark  make  a  manifeft  allufion 
to  thefe  two  prophecies  (d):  Zachary  alfo,  the  father  of  John  the  Bap- 
tiji,  applyes  that  of  Ifaiah  t,o  his  foi;i  ^  and  his  ai.;thority  is  the  more  con- 
fiderable,  becaufc  he  was  a  prieft.  2.  By  an  attentive  confideiing  the 
paflages  themfclves.  3.  By  the  common  confent  of  the  Jewijh  church, 
vho  by  a  generally  received  and  undoubted  tradition,  that  Elijah  the 
Tijhbite  (the  Septuagint  in  their  tranflation  of  that  place  of  Malachy  telling 
us  as  much)  was  to  be  the  forerunner  of  the  Mefliah ;  and  we  find,  that 
in  the  time  of  our  Saviour,  the  multitude  and  his  DiCciples  fuppofcd  the 
fame  thing :  and  the  Jews  at  this  day  have  the  fame  perfwafion,  viz. 
That  Elias  is  to  come  before  the  appearance  of  the  Mefliah  ;  from  which 
tradition  of  the  Jews  the  Clyrifians  of  old  did,  and  many  at  this  day  do 
believe,  that  Ellas  fhall  refume  the  functions  of  his  mi nifl:ry  before  thft 
laft  coming  of  Jefus  Chrifl:  to  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead. 

2.  We  may  obferve,  That  the  chara6icr  of  the  forerunner  of  the 
Mefliah,  being  that  which  the  Jews  had  mijLch  in  their  eye,  it  was  need- 
ful for  it  to  be  as  notable  and  extraordinary,  as  was  that  of  the  Prophet 
Elias '^  whoie  miniftry  was  without  difpute  the  mofl;  remarkable  and  il- 
lufl:rious  of  ail  the  Prophets  fmce  Mofes ;  which  gave  the  Prophet  Ma- 
lachy occafion  to  call  him  Elias.,  much  yppn  a  like  account  as  the  Pro- 
phet Ezekiel  calls  the  Mefliah,  David  (e). 

But  above  all  things,  we  muft  carefully  obferve  the  feveral  marks  the 
Prophets  give  us  of  this  forerunner.  .    .        .  ^ 

The  Prophet  Ifainh  gives  us  thefe  following  particulars:  i.  That  his 
minifl:ry  was  to  be  very  fignal,  and  attended  with  general  refpeft  and 
veneration.  2.  'I'hat  he  was  to  preach  in  the  wildernefs.  3.  That  he 
V^as  to  call  finners  to  repentance.  4.  That  he  was  to  confoiind  thofe 
who  were  mod:  eminent  in  authority,  and  to  comfort  the  poor  and 
humble.  5.  That  he  was  immediately  to  precede  the  Mefliah.  6.  That 
his  miniflry  was  to  uflier  in  that  grand  revelation  of  the  glory  of  God 
in  the  prefence  of  all  flefh,  /.  e.  before  all  nations  of  the  earth,  who 
were  to  be  called  by  the  Mcflfiah  to  his  religion,  according  to  the  exprefs 
declaration  of  the  Prophet?. 

The  Prophet  Mahihy  doth  moft  diftin£i;Iy  reprefent  to  us,  i.  That, 
the  miflion  of  this  forerunner  was  not  far  oft^  Behold^  faith  he,  J  fend- 
viy  meffcngcr.     He  fpeaks  of  it  as  of  a  thing  at  the  door.     No^y  it  v> 

evidcutx 

(c)  R.  Saad.  (d)  Matlh.  iii.  i.     Mark  i,  2. 

(e)  Ezek,  xxxiv.  25,  24. 


^Ht  Xlit.  Books' of  the  Old  Tejiament.  39-5. 

evident,  arid  the  Jevji  themfelves  owrt  it,  that  fi-om  the  time  of  Mala- 
chy^  there  was  never  a  Prophet  till  the  appearance  of  John  the  Baptijt, 

2.  It  tells  us  that  this  Elias  vv^as  to  call  finners  to  repentance,  and  to 
prepare  the  way  before  the  face  of  the  Lord. 

3.  That  he  was  immediately  to  precede  the  Meffias ;  this  he  exprefles' 
by  laying,  y^nd  the  Lord  whom  ye  feek  Jhall  fuddainly  come  to  his  temple^  everi 
the  Angel  of  the  co'uenant  vjhom  ye  delight  in.  It  is  evident  that  he  (peaks 
here  of  the  Mefliah,  whom  he  calls,  not  only  the  Angel  or  Meffenger  of  the 
covenant^  but  alfo  the  Lord ;  (/)  the  Lord^  forafmuch  as  God  had  promifed 
him  as  a  king  to  the  houfe  oi  David;  and  the  Angel  of  the  covenant^^  be- 
caufe  God  by  him  was  to  make  a  new  covenant  with  the  nations  of  the 
earth,  as  Jeremy  declares  Chap^  XXXI, 


CHAP.      XIII. 

That  the  Messiah  was  to  be  born  before  the  Deffdutlon  of  the  Jewifo  State, 
and  the  DeJlru£iion  of  the  fecond  Temple. 

'fFpys^r^.WY.  preceding  mark  of  the  Mefliah,  leads  us  to  this  we  are  now 
0  T  ■$■  to  fpeak  of,  and  affords  it  confiderable  light.  I  will  not  repeat 
i^»;?>'~§  ^^^^  W'^^^  I  h^ve  already  fet  down  concerning  that  prophecy, 
(jVti.  XLIX.  verfe  10.  concerning  the  time  when  our  Saviour  was  to 
appear  in  the  world  :  it  is-  evident  at  firft  fight.  That  that  prophecy 
evinces  three  things  :  i.  That  ihefepter  was  to  be  in  the  houfe  of  Ju~ 
dah^  before  ever  the  Shiloh  was  to  come.  2.  That  the  fcepter  was  to 
give  way  to  an  inferiour  dignity,  which  the  Prophet  fets  forth  by  the 
word  lawgiver  ;  and  which  did  take  place  till  the  time  of  Zerubbabel,  and 
his  fuccefTors.  3.  There  was  a  neceffity  that  this  Lift  dignity  alfo  was 
to  come  to  an  end,  which  happened  not  till  the  advancement  of  Herod 
the  Great  to  the  throne  of  Judea.  And  it  is  eafie  to  confirm  this  truth 
by  other  oracles  which  give  a  further  light  to  this  our  explication. 

We  have  feveral  that  are  very  remarkable  upon  this  account :  the  firft 
is  that  of  Daniel,  Chap.  II.  verfe  \o,  41,  42,  to  46.  where  he  firft  tikes 
notice  of  the  fucceflion  of  feveral  monarchies,  until  that  of  the  Mefliah. 
2.  The  time  in  which  the  Mefliah  was  to  appear.  I  confefs  he  do's  not 
determine  the  time  very  precifely,  mentioning  only  the  monarchy  durino- 
which  he  was  to  be  manifefted;  but  to  make  amends  for  this,  when  he 
comes  to  explain  the  particulars  of  this  prophecy,  which  bcfo're  he  had 
propos'd  in  general  terms ;  he  doth  not  only  point  at  the  time  of  his  ap- 
pearance, but  the  very  year  of  his  death,  and  he  do's  it  with,  that  exad- 
nefs,  that  it  is  impoflible  to  be  miftaken  about  it. 

.  See  what  he  faith  in  the  IX  Chapter  of  his  Revelations,  verfe  24,  25, 
2^,  27.  Seventy  tueeh  are  determined  upon  thy  peopL-y  and  upon  thy  holy 
tity,  tofinijhthe  tranfgreffion,  and  to  make  an  end  cffms,  and  to  make  recon- 
ahationfor  iniquity,  and  to  bring  in  everlafling  righteoufnefs^  and  tofeal  up 

the 
(f)  Pfalm  ii. 


396^  Rejltxlons  upOfth,'"  Ch.  XIII. 

the  vlfion  and  prophecy^  and  to  annntftbe  mojl  Holy..  Verfe  25.  Know  there- 
fore.^  and  undeyjiand^  thatfmm  tht  ^mng  forth  ofthi  cominandment  to  rejlore 
and  Wild ^tx\x{^&cc\,  it.itp  the  Mejfiah  the  Pr'incc^.-fiinllbe fevenuuecksy  and 
threefcore  and  two  weeks  y  thejiret'tsfljall  be  built.ii^jaiTiy  and  the  wall  even  hi 
trouhhus  t'mes.  Verfe  26.  And  after  the  ihreej cone,  and  tivo  wecJa  Jhall 
ilESSlAH  U  cut  offy  but  not  for  himflf  Andthepcople  of  the  Prince  that 
Jhall  come^  J})aH  dejlrcy  the  city  and  the  fandfuaryj  and  the  end  thereof  Jhall 
be  with  a-fioody  and  unto  the  end  of  the  war  dcfoldtio7is  are  determined.  Verft: 
"i^,,  And  he  Jhall  conjirm  the  covenant  with  many  for  one  week,  and  in  the 
midjl  .of  the  week  he  Jhall  cauje  thejacriiite  dnd  obiatmi  to  ccnje^  and  for  the 
o/ver-fpreadfng  abominaticny  he  Jhall  make  it  dcfolatcy  even  until  the  conjumma- 
tiony  and  that  determined  Jhall  be  pouAed  on  tlxe  d^Jolate. 

For  the  underftanding  of  this  prophecy  which  is  fo  exa<5V,  and  all  the 
events  it  refers  to,  fo  particularized,  it  is  to  be  obferved  : 
,.  I*  That  by  the  weeks  Danielhtre  fpeaks  of,  feven  years  are  defigned, 
according  to  the  ftile  of  the  law,  Levit.  XXV.  8.  when  it  fpeaks  of  the 
year  of  jubilee  ;  fo  that  feventy  weeks  make  out  490  years  which  is  ac- 
knowledged by  the  moft  Ip.ar^i^ed  amongft  ti;^  jf^M^s,  Jachiades^  Abarbanely 
znA  Manajfeh Ben  Ifrael.  ■-    '-- 

2.  That  the  Prophet  writing  in  Chaldea,  followed  the  account  of  the 
Chaldean  yeaj:,  which  confifts  of  360  days,  as  appears  clearly  from  other 
pafTages  of  this  book,  where  he  refolves  the  years  into  days,  without  re- 
o^arding  the  feveral  days  which  in  a  juft  calculation  were  to  be  interca- 
lated. _   - 

3.  That  the  Prophet  exprefTcs  a  certain  epocha,  from  whence  the 
(idunting  of  thefe  weeks  is  to  begin,  viz.  an  order  to  rebuild  the  temple,, 
which  cannot  be  applyed  to  that  of  Cyrusy  which  was  in  a  majiner  of. 
none  efFed ;  nor  to  the  edi6l  of  Darius  fon  of  HyfiafpeSy  which  had  re-, 
gard  only  to  the  re-eftablifhing  of  the  temple  ;  nor  to  that  of  Artaxerxei 
given  to  Ezra^  in  the  fcvcnth  year  of  the  reign  of  that  prince,  becaufe, 
that  contained  only  fome  particular  priviledgcs  for  the  minifters  of  the 
temple  :  but  to  the  ediit  which  Artaxerxes  granted  to  Nehemiah  in  thq 
twentieth  year  of  his  reign,  which  contains  a  particular  grant,  to  re-^ 
build  the  temple  with  its  fortifications. 

4.  That  God  very  dif}:in6lly  marks  that  t:hc  laft  week  was  not  to  bo 
immediately  joyned  with  the  fixty  nine  weeks,  by  faying,  that  the  Mef- 
niah  was  to  be  cut  off  after  the  term  of  feven  weeks,  and  lixty  two  weeks 
expired,  inftead  of  laying  that  he  fliould  be  cut  off  in  the  fevcntieth 
week. 

'5.  That  according  to  this  calculation,  we  find  thcfe  three  parts  of 
this  prophefie  exactly  accomplifhed.  The  firft  which  contains  their  build- 
ing, of  the  city  was  performed  before  the  end  of  the  feven  weeks.  Th^ 
fecond  concerning  the  cutting  off  of  the  Mcfliah,  has  been  likcwife  full- 
f^led  after  the  fixty  ninth  week  i  Jefus  Chrijl  appearing  in  the  483  year, 
after  the  twentieth  of  Artaxixvei^ .vixA ,  beJn&>erm;?|iip4;the  nineteisnth  of 
%iberius,:  •  ^    -  .' j  .  '.  riv        ^      »:.    -  - 

_'/7As  Tor  the  laft  week  it  is  diflinguifhed  by. three  chara£tcrs  God  hath 
^iyen  it,  becaufe  it  was  to.be  feparated  from.the  fixty  ninth  week  by  ^ 
confiderable  interval,  but  yet  was  nev^r  a  whit  the  le4s  exa<illy  accoqi- 
pliflied.    The  firft  character  is,  that  the  people  of  the  prince  was  to  make 

peace 


Ch.  XIIl.  Books  of  the  Old  TeJiamenU  ^^fj 

peace  with  many,  which  agrees  with  the  peace  the  Romans  Iflade  wiA 
the  Parthians,  of  which  Tacitus  makes  mention  Arm ol  lib.  15.  v/hif^ 
peace  was  conchided  juft  feven  years  before  the  deftruition  o^ yerufalem. 
The  fecond  is  the  ceafing  of  the  daily  facrifice,  which  happened  three 
years  and  a  half  after  the  peace  made  with  the  PaTthlcns.,  as  yofephus 
hath  obferved.  The  third  is  the  deftruction  of  the  Jnus^  which  arrived 
exactly  three  years  and  a  half  after  the  ceafing  of  the  daily  facrifice,  and 
feven  years  after  the  faid  peace  made  with  the  Parthlans. 

1  know  that  fome  famous  men  begin  the  weeks  of  Daniel,  from  the 
iecond  year  of  Darius  Nothus.)  and  make  them.to  end  with  the  deftruc- 
tion  of  the  Jews.,  which  happened  in  the  year  490,  accounting  from  the 
fecond  year  of  the  faid  Darius ;  and  they  conceive  themfelves  obiig'd 
thereto,  by  an  argument,  they  believe  invincible,  becaufe  from  the  fecond 
year  of  Darius  Nothus  to  the  thirty  fecond  of  Artaxerxes  Mnemon.^  they 
find  juft  forty  nine  years,  that  is  the  feven  weeks  defigned  by  Daniellox 
rebuilding  of  the  ruins,  and  fortifying  of  the  city  ;  and  the  rather  be- 
caufe Nehemiah  returned  to  Artaxerxes  in  the  thirty  fecond  year  of  his 
reign,  having  finiftied  that  work,  Nehemiah  XIII.  6. 

But  this  opinion  cannot  ftand,  for  two  reafons,  which  feem  to  be  de* 
cifive  :  the  firft  is  becaufe  they  joyn  that  which  God  hath  feparated,  viZi 
the  death  of  the  Meffiah  with  the  laft  week,  which  ends  at  the  deftrudion 
of  Jerufalem.  The  fecond  is  that  without  thinking  of  it  they  deprive 
Jeius  Chrift  of  the  glory,  of  having  determined  the  time  of  the  deftruc- 
tion  of  the  Jews^  as  if  inftead  of  a  prophefie  about  this  event,  Jefus 
Chrift  had  onely  given  the  world  an  explication  of  a  former  prophefie. 

Now  thefe  obfervations  being  fuppofed,  as  indeed  they  arc  matters  of 
the  greateft  evidence,  it  neceffarily  follows,  that  the  Meffiah  was  to  ap- 
pear before  the  deftru£lion  oVJerujalem  by  the  Romans.  The  fame  is  fet 
down  fo  precifely  by  Daniel.,  as  leaves  no  pretence  to  doubt  of  this  truth. 
And  indeed,  tho'  the  Jnvs  feem  after  the  time  of  our  Saviour,  to  have 
adopted  the  opinion  1  mentioned  before,  and  therefore  carried  the  ap- 
pearing of  the  MeiTiah  to  the  end  of  the  feventy  weeks,  viz.  to  the  de- 
ftru6lion  of  their  temple,  notwithftanding  Daniel  exprefly  tells  us,  that 
the  "Jeivs  were  not  to  be  deftroyed  till  after  the  cuting  off  of  the  A4ef- 
fiah  J  the  Jews  I  lay,  being  convinc'd  by  the  force  of  this  argument, 
have  owned  that  the  Mefliah  was  born  about  the  time  of  the  deftrudtion 
of  the  fecond  temple,  but  that  he  hath  hid  hinifelf  ever  fmcc. 

The  fecond  oracle  concerning  the  time  of  the  coming  of  the  Mef- 
fiah, is,  that  of  Ha^gai^  which  exprefly  tells  us,  that  the  Meffiah  was 
to  appear  during  the  fecond  temple,  which  was  begun  to  be  built  by  the 
order  of  Cyrus,  Hnifhed  under  Darius  fon  of  Hyjlajpes,  and  deftroyed  by 
Fefpaftan.  The  v/ords  of  the  Prophet  are  as  follows,  Chap.  II.  vcrf.  7, 
8,  9.  And  I  zcill  Jhake  all  nations.,  and  the  dejire  of  all  nations  Jhall  ccmc  ; 
and  I  will  fill  this  houfe  with  glory.,  faith  the  Lord  of  Hojls.  J^he  fiver  is 
mine,  and  the  gold  is  mine,  faith  the  Lordof  Hofls.  The  glory  of  this  latter' 
houfe  Jhall  be  greater  than  that  of  the  former  faith  the  Lord  of  Hofis :  and  in 
this  place  zuill  I  giv£  peace^  faith  the  Lordof  Ho/Is.  It  is  worth  our  noting. 
I.  That  this  oracle  promifes  a  very  great  change.  2.  It  dcfcribes  the 
Mefliah  as  the  expedlatipn  of  the  Gentiles.,  f\iitable  to  the  idea  God  had 
given  of  him  to  Abraham,     3.  That  -it  frxcs  the'comin^  of  the  Mef- 

fiuh 


,308  ^*»    kejimom  upon  thi  Ch.  XIII. 

liah  to  the  time  t)f  the  fecond  houfe,  that  is  to  fay,  of  the  tertiple  built 
by  ZorohabiL  4.  It  makes  the  glory  of  that  houfe  to  depend  upon  its 
being  honoured  with  the  prcfence  of  the  Me/iiaii. 

In  (hort,  if  we  would  be  convinc'd  of  this  truth,  we  need  only  con- 
fider  three  things :  the  fidl  is.  That  the  Prophets  Za.chflriah  and  Mala- 
chy  do  reprefent  to  us  the  coming  of  the  Mefliah  a?  near  at  hand  ;  Ba~ 
laam  had  laid,  almoft  ten  ages  before,  I f,e  him^  but  not  nigh,  which  in- 
timated his  coming  to  be  then  at  a  great  diilance.  But  Zeqharich  fpeaks 
thus  concerning  it,  Chap.  III.  verf  8,  9,  10.  Hear  now  0  Jofhuah  the 
high  prieji^  thou  and  thy  fellows  that  fit  before  thee^for  they  are  menvjondred 
at:  beholdy  I  will  bring  forth  ?ny  fervant  the  BRANCH  ;  for  behold^  the 
Jlone  that  I  have  laid  before  Jo{hua  j  upon  oneflone  jhall  he f even  eyes ;  beheld^ 
I  will  engrave  the  graving  thereof  faith  the  Lord  of  Ha/is^  and  I  will  re- 
7nove  the  ifiiquity  of  that  land  in  one  day.  In  that  day  faith  the  Lord  of 
Ho/Is,  /hall  ye  call  eoery  man  his  neighbour.^  under  the  vine  and  under  the 
figtree. 

Malaehy  exprc^es  iiimfelf,  concerning  the  approaching  coming  of  the 
MelJiah,  thus,  {Chap.  III.  verfe  i.)  Bohold^Iwillfendmy  yneffenger.,  and 
he  Jhall prepare  the  way  before  me  ;  and  the  Lord,  whom  ye  Jeek^Jhallfuddcnly 
cotne  to  his  te?nple,  even  the  meffenger  of  the  covenant  whom  ye  delight  in,  be- 
hold he  Jhall  cotne  faith  the  Lord  of  Hojls. 

One  ought  to  obferve  two  very  confiderable  things  in  this  Prophecy  : 
the  firft-.  That  the  Mefliah  was  to  come  fuddainly.  The  fecond,  That 
Malachy  exprefly  points  to  us,  that  the  appearing  of  the  Mefliah  was  to 
be  during  the  fecond  temple  j  the  words  of  the  prophecy  diftindly  ex- 
preffing  it. 

And  fure  it  is,  that  all  who  gave  any  credit  to  thefe  oracles,  did  un- 
derftand  them  fo. 

The  hrft,  both  fews  and  Gentiles  looked  for  the  Mefliah  during 
the  fecond  temple.  We  find  a  paflage  exprcfs  to  the  purpofe  in  Tacitus -^ 
and  it  was  on  this  ground  that  Jofephus  gave  the  title  ot  Mejfuih  to 
Vefpafian. 

1.  They  expcf^cd  him  at  the  end  of  the  feventy  weeks,  which  was  the 
third  year  after  the  death  of  Jefus  Chrifl:.  This  was  the  occafion  of 
their  being  deluded  by  fo  many  falfe  Mefllah's  about  the  time  of  our 
Saviour,  and  a  little  after. 

3.  They  never  defpair'd  of  his  coming  (taking  the  promife  of  the 
Mefliah's  coming  to  be  conditional,  when  as  indeed  it  was  abfolute)  un- 
til they  began  to  believe  that  the  term  fet  down  by  God  himfelf  was 
expired. 

4.  The  reafon  of  their  curfing  thofe  that  compute  the  times  fet  down 
fo  diflindly  and  precifely  by  Daniel,  was,  becaufe  they  found  themfelves 
difappointed  in  his  calculation,  finding  that  the  time  which  Daniel  had 
pointed  at  for  the  coming  of  the  Mefliah,  feem'd  to  be  already  ex- 
pired. 

5.  'Tis  but  of  late  that  they  have  try'd  to  evade  it,  by  maintaining 
that  the  temple  will  be  built  a  third  time,  and  that  then  the  Mefliah  fhall 
appear;  but  this  evafion  is  unanfwerably  refuted:  i.  Becaufe  Daniel 
afligns  a  certain  term  which  is  expired  1600  years  fmce.  2.  Becaufe  be 
exprefly  tells  us,  That  the  defoiatiou  of  the  temple  was  to  be  for  ever,  as 

will 


Ch;  XlV.  Books  of  the  Old  Ttejiament.  '399 

will  appear  in  the  following  chapters.  And  3dly,  Beeaufe  if<?^^«rin 
eftett  calls  the  temple  of  which  he  fpeaks,  Thejecond  or  third  houfe,  by 
which  expreffion  he  fo  diftinaiy  points  out  the  fecond  temple  to  us,  that 
it  would  be  ridiculous  to  fuppole  it  meant  of  a  third  t-emple,  to  be  built 
-1700  years  after  the  ruin  of  that  of  whicUhe  prophcciei.r.. 


CHAP.       XIV. 

That  the  MeJJiah  was  to  he  born  of  a  Virgin  of  the  tioufe  of  David. 

■^;*;!=4^.^ I  T H  E  RT  O  we  have  \<izt\.  that  the  Mefliah  was  to  be  born 
P:  H  P:.  of  the  pofterity  of  Abraham  by  Ifaac^  of  that  of  Ifaac  by  Jacoh^ 
S>?:<^  and  of  that  of  Jacob  by  Juda.   This  hath  been  fufficiently  made 

out  already. 
'     I  have  alfo  Ihew'd  from  the  oracle  in  the  I  ^am.  Chap.  VII.    That  he 
was  to  be  born  of  the  pofterity  of  David \  gnd  we  find  the  fame  very  par- 
ticularly and  fully  fet  down  in  the  LXXXIX  Pfalm.'  ' 

The  following  prophets  have  expreft  themfelves  to  the  fame  purpofe ; 
Ifaiah  XI.  verf.  i,  2,  3.  and  the  prophet  Jeremy  hath  purfued  the  fame 
idea's,  Chap.  XXUI.  verf  5,  6.  and  Chap.  XXXIII.  verf  15,  16,  17. 

Neither  do  the  prophets  onlv  diftinguifh  the  Mefliah  by  his  being  born 
of  a  virgin,  but  alfo  by  deterrnining  that  virgin  to  the  Houfe  of  David. 
Neither  need  I  repeat  here  what  I  have  already  obferv'd,  That  this  is  a 
truth,  the  grounds  whereof  God  had  laid  down  in  his  firft  promlfe,  viz. 
The  feed  of  the  woman  Jhall  bruife  the  ferpents  head:  where  he  makes  men- 
tion of  the  feed  of  the  woman  only,  without  naming  that  of  the  man, 
the  word  oifeed  or  pojierity  very  evidently  defigning  a  man  to  be  born  of 
the  woman,  which  is  acknowledg'd  by  the  Jews  in  another  prophecy, 
and  the  fame  which  the  apoftle  St.  Paul{e)  takes  notice  of  is^a  maxim 
generally  owned  by  the  dodors  of  the  fynagogue.  It  is  alfo  evident  that 
the  word  woman  plainly  denotes  the  fex  of  which  this  pcrfon  was  imme- 
diately to  be  born. 

It  was  obvious  to  judge,  That  fomething  miraculous  was  to  attend 
the  birth  of  the  Mefliah.  We  fee  Ifaac  born  of  a  barren  mother,  paft 
the  age  of  child-bearing :  We  find  alfo  fomething  very  fingular  at  the 
birth  of  Sampfon  and  Samuel-^  and  'tis  well  known  that  the  promlfe  of  the 
Mefliah  was  fomething  far  greater  than  the  birth  of  thefe  now  mention- 
ed, how  illuftrious  foever  they  might  be  ;  and  that  therefore  probably  his 
birth  was  to  be  attended  by  a  greater  miracle.  But  becaufe  this  was  a 
thing  wholly  new,  we  ought  to  obferve  in  what  manner  God  did  parti- 
cularly foretel  it. 

..  The  prophecy  of  Ifaiah  exprefleth  It  thus.  Chap.  VII.  vctf.  10,  1 1,  12, 
'13,  14,  15,  16,  17.  moreover  the  Lord fpake  again  unto  AhzXyfayitig^  JJk 
thee  afign  of  the  Lord  thy  God,  afk  it  either  in  the  depth^or'm  the  height 


Galat.  iii. 


'abm- 


^O  Rrf^csfions  upon  the  Ch.  X^V. 

above.  But  h\\xi  faid^^  J  will  not  ajk^  neither  loill  I  tempt  the  hord.  And 
hf.  fuid^henr  ye  nviv^  Ohoufeof\y2i.\'\dy  u  it  a  Jma  II  thing  for  you  toweary  tthu^ 
hut  VJtll  ye  weary  my  God  alfot'  Therefore  the  Lord  himjdf/hdU  give  you  a 
Jign ;  behold  a  virgin  ftjall  conceive  and  bear  ofon^  andjhall  ccUbli  name  Im- 
manuel.  Butter  arui  honey  Jhall  he  eat^  that  he  may  inotv  to  refu/e  the  evil, 
and  choofe  the  good:  for  be/ore  the  child  /hall  know  to  refufe  the  evily  and  chooje 
the  goody  the  land  that  thou  ahhorrcjl  Jhall  be  forfaken  of  bdth  her  kings.  The 
Lord  jhali  bring  upon  thecy  upon  thy  people^  and  upQu  thy  father  i  houfcy  days 
that  have  not  come  from  the  d/iy  that  Ephraim  departed  from  Juda,  even  the 
king  ©/■  AfTyria.     Where  we  may  obfcrve, 

1.  That  the  promife  here  is  made  to  a  wicked  king,  but  of  the  family 
of  Dnvidy  to  whom  the  prophet  particularly  addrefles  hiinfelf. 

2.  That  this  prophecy  was  given  at  a  juncture  of  time  very  capable 
of  awakening  their  attention  to  it,  at  a  time  when  the  ftate  of  the  Jeius 
was  reduced  to  the  greateft  c  xtremity,  and  the  houfc  oi' DavU  in  particu- 
lar in  a  very  great  confteirnation. 

3.  The  prophecy  was  utter'd  by  a  very  illuftrious  prophet,  wlio  was 
of  the  royal  fas'iily. 

4.  It  was  fealed  and  confirmed  with  the  prediction  of  the  birth  of  a 
child,  which  c.ime  to  pafs  accordingly. 

5.  It  is  fet  forth  as  a  very  extraordinary  fign,  inftead  of  that  which  the 
wicked  King  refufed  to  afk,  when  Ifaiah  ofFerd  it  him^  in  the  name  of 
God. 

I  am  not  ijp.orant  that  the  modern  Jews  deny  that  this  character  of 
being  born  or^a  virgin  belongs  to  theMeiTiah:  but  it  is  an  eafie  matter 
to  confute  them. 

For  firft,  Would  it  not  have  been  ridiculous  for  the  apoftfcs  to  go 
about  to  apply  this  oracle  to  their  Mefliah,  if  it  had  not  been  a  thing  uni- 
verfally  own'd  by  the  JezvSy  that  this  was  the  meaning  of  Ifaiah's  pro- 
phecy? Is  it  not  evident  that  this  character,  fo  difficult  to  gain  belief, 
would  rather  perplex  than  ftrcngthen  their  proofs.  And  yet  certain  it  is 
that  St.  Matthew  has  done  lb,  Chap,  I.  vcrfe  23.  as  likewife  St.  Luke, 
Chap.  I.  verfe  31. 

Jujlin  Martyr  obferv'd.  That  the  notion  of  this  oracle,  as  we  un- 
derftand  it,  hath  been  entertain'd  amongft  the  heathens,  who  built  their 
fable  of  Pcrfeus  upon  it,  whom  they  pretend  to  have  been  born  of  a 
virgin. 

3.  It  appears  that  all  thofe  laws  which  I  mentioned  in  my  reflex- 
ions upon  Exodusy  and  the  following  books,  C}?ap.  XX.  and  which 
have  relation  to  the  diftind  knowledge  of  the  ftatc  of  virgiiiit)',  re- 
ceive much  light  from  this  notion  ;  and  arc  without  it  altogether  ufc-» 
lefs. 

4.  'Tis  evident  that  the  Jews  did  not  difpute  this  character,  till  after 
they  iliw  that  the  chriftians  apply'd  it  to  Jefus  Chrilt ;  and  thereupon 
have  fallen  upon  fuch  childifh  fancies  as  may  juftly  cover  them  with  con- 
fufion. 

But  we  (hall  be  yet  further  fatisfied  hereof,  if  wc  add  to  all  thefc  juft 
prejudices,  only  the  following  reflexions  on  the  terms  the  prophet  makes 
ufe  of. 

The  firll  is.  That  the  LXX  interpreters  have  in  tranflating  this  pro- 
O  phecy, 


.Ch.  XrV.  Boo/^i  of  the  OLi  Tejhment.  ^of 

phecy,  made  ufe  of  a  word  that  fignifies  a  virgin,  and  hot  a  ydiing  wo- 
man, as  the  'j£'ws):\-i.\'c  underftood  it  fmce  our  Saviour*s  tim.e.  Thefirfl 
who  rejckfted  the  interpretation  of  the  Septuagint  v.'?.s  Symtnachui  (f)^  who 
lived  in  the  fecond  century,  as  it  is  obferved  by  Ju/lin  Martyr  and  Ter- 
tullian^'  who  for  this  reafon  accufe  the  Jczvs  of  having  falfified  the  holy 
fcripture. 

The  fecond  Is,  That  the  Hehreiv  word  exprefsly  figrtifies  fuch  an  onp^ 
as  according  to  the  law  of  virgins,  was  kept  under  lock  and  key  from  the 
eyes  of  men,  accordrng  to  the  ciiftom  of  the  eaftern  nations^  and  efpe- 
cially  of  the  yeu:s^  which  continues  amongft  them  till  this  day. 

The  third  is.  That  this  word  hath  been  taken  by  the  Africans  in  the 
fame  fignification,  as  St.  yercme  obferves. 

The  fourth  is.  That  the  prophet  doth  fet  forth  this  chiid-bear'ng  as  a 
prodigy  and  miracle  altogether  unheard  of,  and  as  a  particular  character, 
by  which  the  houfe  of  David  was  to  be  flrongly  confirmed  in  the  hope 
of  feeing  the  accomplifhment  of  the  promife  which  God  had  made  of 
fetling  an  eternal  kingdom  upon  it,  which  could  not  be  accomplifhed  but 
by  means  of  the  Mefiiah. 

The  fifth  is,  That  tho'  fome  Jews  have  applyed  this  prophecy  to  kino* 
Hezekiah  [g),  which  yet  to  others  of  them  fcems  very  ridiculous,  he  be- 
ing nine  years  of  age  when  the  prophecy  was  uttered  by  Ifa'iah^  and  them- 
felves  never  making  ufe  of  this  cvafion,  except  in  their  difputes  ao-ainll: 
the  chriftians,  and  fo  on  this  occafion  have  dropt  a  confefHon  which  alone 
was  fufficient  to  confound  them.  Yet  it  hath  been  a  thing  fo  generally 
received  amongf}  them.  That  this  prophecy  did  refpefl  the  Meffiah,  that 
after  they  had  applyed  it  to  Hezekiah,  one  of  their  moft  famous  doctors 
concludes  (A),  That  they  ought  to  look  for  no  Mefliah,  fmce  the  time  of 
He%ekiah^  that  prophecy  having  had  its  accomplifhment  in  him;  an  opi- 
nion which  thofe  that  fucceedcd  nim  have  rejected  with  the  greateft 
abhorrence. 

The  fixth  is.  That  the  title  of  hnmanuel,  given  to  this  fon,  whofe  birth 
is  here  promifed,  is  reprefented  to  us  Chap.  VIII.  as  the  name  of  him 
who  was  loru  of  the  land,  which  is  a  true  reprefentation  of  the  heir  pro- 
mifed  to  David,  to  whom  David  faid,  O  God,  thy  God  hath  anointed  thee 
VJtth  the  oil  ofgladnefs  above  thy  fellows.    Pfal.  XLV.  7,  8. 

The  feventh  is.  That  the  prophet  Ifaiah  having  alleJgeJ  and  cited  two 
witnefles,  Uriah  the  fon  of  Shemaiah,  a  prophet,  who  was  put  to  death 
by  Jehoiakim,  and  Zechariah  the  fon  of  Jeberechiah ;  the  former  of  which 
lived  long  after  Jhaz,  and  the  latter  lince  the  captivity,  under  Darius 
king  or  Perfia,  according  to  the  account  the  Jnvs  themfelves  give  of 
them,  he  fufficiently  hints  by  this  circumftance.  That  the  prophecy  con- 
cerning the  birth  of  the  Immanuel  he  fpeaks  of,  was  to  be  fuliill'd  many 
ages  after,  and  not  in  that  age  wherein  he  prophecies. 

(fj  In  dialog,  cum  Tryphon.  Tertull.  cent.  Jud,  cap.  9, 
Cg)  H-y'chiin.  h.  1. 


Vol.  I.  C  c  CHAP. 


4.oJt  Reflexions  upon  the  Ch.  XV. 


CHAP.      XV. 

^at  the  Mejp.ah  was  to  he  horn  at  Bethlehem  of  the  Family  ^David,  vohich 
at  that  Time  was  reduced  to  a  private  Siati-. 

fry^yH'^^  O  D  had  not  only  pointed  out  the  time  in  which  the  MefHah 
^  G  w  was  to  appear,  with  the  miraculous  manner  and  circumftances 
i^'^'^St^  of  his  birth  ;  but  he  had  alfo  named  the  family,  the  place,  with 
the  Itate  and  condition  of  the  family  in  which  he  was  to  be  born,  as  a 
triple  charadler  by  which  he  might  be  known. 

I  fay,  firft.  That  according  to  the  divine  oracles,  the  Meffiah  was  to 
be  born  of  the  family  of  David,  as  will  appear  if  we  confider  the  follow- 
ing oracles. 

1.  God  cxprefly  promifeth  as  much  to  David,  II  Sam.  Chap.  VII.  a 
place  I  have  quoted  before,  which  proves  that  the  Meffiah  was  to  be 
born  of  the  family  of  David. 

2.  It^ppeareth  that  David  believ'd  this  himfelf,  from  Pfalm  CXXXII. 
verf.  II,  12,  13,  14,  15,  16,  17,  and  18.  The  Lord  hath /worn  in  truth) 
unto  David,  he  will  7iot  turn  from  it-,  of  the  fruit  of  thy  hodywill  I  fet  upon 
thy  throne.  And  after  having  faid,  Verfe  12.  That  if  his  children  would 
keip  his  covenant^  that  their  chiUren  alfo  JhouUfit  upon  his  throne  for  ever- 
more. And  this  hecaufe  (Verf.  13  &  14.)  the  Lord  had  chofen  Zion,  and 
defircd  it  for  his  habitation,  ^c.  and  promifed  veyfe  15.  'i'hat  he  would 
abundantly  blefs  her  provijion,  ayidfatisfie  her  poor  with  bread  \  that  he  would 
verfe  16.  Clothe  her  priejis  with  falvation,  and  inake  Inr  faints  jhout  for  joy. 
He  fubjoyns  verf.  17  ^  18.  There  I  will  make  the  horn  ofDzv'id  to  bud,  I 
have  ordained  a  lamp  for  mine  anointed.  His  enemies  I  luill  clothe  with 
jhame,  but  upon  himfelfjhall  his  crown  fourijh.  It  is  very  evident.  That  by 
this  horn  c/' David  is  to  be  meant  a  king,  the  Mefliah,  whom  he  diftin- 
guifhes  by  that  expreihon  from  all  the  reft  of  David' ^  children.  And 
Zachariah  in  his  fong  of  praife.  Lake  I.  verfe  69.  applying  it  to  our  Sa- 
viour, puts  the  matter  out  of  all  doubt. 

3.  Hence  it  Was  the  prophets  took  occafion  to  give  to  tlie  Mefliah  the 
name  oi  David.  So  E%ek.  XXXIV.  verf.  23,  24.  ^nd  I  will  pt  up  one 
'Jkepherd  over  them,  and  he  Jhall  feed  them,  even  my  fervant  Ddvid  ;  he/hall 
feed  ihejn,  and  he  Jlhill  be  their  fnepherd.     And  I  the  Lord  tvill  be  their  God^ 

and  my [ervant  David  a  prince  among  them,  I  the  Lord  havefpoken  it. 

4.  The  Jews  are,  and  have  always  been  firm  in  this  pcrfwafiorj, 
grounded  on  the  forefaid  and  other  like  places  of  fcripture,  which  they 
conftantly  refer  to  the  Mefliah. 

I  fay  in  the  fecond  place.  That  the  divine  oracles  exprefly  point  out 
Bethlehem  for  the  birth-place  of  the  Mefliah.  A£cah  the  V.  verfe  2. 
But  thou  Bethlehem  Ephratah,  though  thou  be  little  among  the  thoufands  of 
Judah,  yet  out  oftheefl)all  he  come  forth  unto  me,  that  is  to  he  ruler  in  Ifrael ; 
wh  of e  goings  forth  have  heenfrojn  of  old,  from  the  days  of  eternity. 

The  Jews  acknowledge  that  this  oracle  fpeaks  of  the  Mefliah  ;  and  in- 

'  deed  the  prophet  diftin^ifhing  by  Bethlehem  adding  the  word  Ephratah 

(whence  the  family  of  2>(»^';^  was)  from  that  Bethlehem  which  belonged 

to 


Cni  XV.  Booh  if  the  Old  Tejlamnt.  403 

to  another  tribe,  makes  it  apparent  that  nothing  could  be  fpoke  more 
diftinctly  to  determine  the  birth-place  of  the  Mediah.  BefiJcs,  we  raid 
that  all  the  Jev.iih  Rabbies  and  Pneit^  agrte  in- this,  That  the  MeiHah 
was  to  be  born  at  Bethlehem,  when  being  conlulted  by  Herod  about  this 
matter,  they  declared  thi=  to  be  their  Tenfe,  grounded  upon  the  fore- 
mentioned  place  of  M'lcah^  Matthciv  \\.  verf.  4,  5,  6. 

In  the  third  place,  it  appears  that  the  AicfTiah  was  to  be  born  in  an 
abject,  contemptible,  and  weak  condition,  and  very  different  from  the  . 
greatnefs  of  the  kings  of  Judah.  Indeed,  (houid  we  only  have  our  eye 
on  II  Sam.  Chap.  Vlf .  andf  Pfaht  CXXXlI.  it  would  be  natural  enough 
to  think  the-contrary  ;  but  Micah's,  oracle  fufficiently  refutes  them  ;  for 
how  great  things  foever  the  Prophet  there  fpeaks  of  the  Meffiah,  whether 
as  to  his  divine  nature,  bv  declaring  that  his  go'wgs  fowth  ivere  from  the 
days  of  eternity  \  or  to  the  majefty  and  glory  of  his  empire  ;  yet  however 
he  gives  us  a  different  idea,  inducing  us  to  conceive  of  him,  as  of  one 
that  was  to  be  born  in  the  ftate  of  a  private  perfon;  for  why  eife  is  his 
birth  determined,  not  to  Zion^  which  was  the  place  and  feat  of  the  em- 
pire of  Judah.,  but  to  Bethlehem.,  a  town  where  the  family  of  David  lived, 
whilrt  they  were  private  perfons,  except  for  this  caufe,  to  make  us  con- 
ceive that  the  Meffiah  was  not  to  be  born  in  that  place  where  the  family 
of  David  poffeffed  the  empire  :  but  in  a  condition  far  diftant  from  the 
glory  of  kings,  and  in  a  place  where  the  houfe  o(  David  WTiS  contempti- 
ble, and  of  very  fmall  efteem. 

The  fame  is  hinted  to  us  by  Ifaiah,  in  his  XI  Chapter^  v.  i.  where  he 
calls  the  Mcffiah  a  rod,  or  (hoot  ofthcjlem  (j/' Jeffe.  Now  Jeffe  was  not 
king,  but  a  private  perfon.  And  on  the  fame  account  it  is  that  the  Pro- 
phet defcribes  him.  Chap.  LIII.  as  havmg  no  foryn  or  comlinefs. 

The  Prophet  Zaehary  alfo.  Chap.  IX.  verfe  9.  reprefents  him,  not  as 
king,  fitting  on  the  throne  in  Zion;  but  as  riding  to  Jerufalem  on  an  afs  j 
and  he  gives  him  the  title  of  Lowly.,  which  fignifies  as  well  a  mean  con- 
dition, as  the  vertue  of  humility. 

But  in  fhort,  this  is  very  confiderable;  i.  That  thofe  who  acknow- 
ledged Jefus  to  be  the  Mefllah,  thought  they  had  the  greateft  reafon  fo  to 
do,  bccaufe  they  acknowledged  him  to  be  the  fon  o^  David. 

2.  That  thofe  why  deny'd  him  that  title,  thought  themfelves  fuffici- 
cntly  juftified  in  fo  doing,  by  eiteeming  him  a  Nazarene;  as  concluding 
he  could  not  be  the  fon  of  David,  if  he  were  born  at  Nazareth,  as  they 
fuppofed. 

3.  The  Evangelifts  precifely  tell  us.  That  Chrift  was  born  at  Beth- 
lehetn,  of  the  lineage  of  David,  reduced  to  a  very  obfcure  condition  ;  and 
ib  making  this  one  of  the  chief  characters  which  fpoke  him  to  be  the 
Mefllah. 


C  c  2  CHAP. 


4^4  Refiexiom  upon  the  Ch.  XVI. 


CHAP.       XVI. 

That  the  Mejfiah  wai  to  work  great  Miracles^  for  the  ejiahlijljing  of  his  Mif- 
fion^  and  of  the  Truth  of  ha  Doctrine. 

^<X^E  R  E  is  another  charaiSler  which  is  very  particular,  and  wherc- 
O  H  Q  by  the  MciTiah  might  be  ccrtaijily  known,  vix.  That  he  was  to 
^3>^Xciy  ^ork  great  miracles  for  the  confirmation  of  his  miflion  and  of 
his  doctrine. 
This  appears,  as  I  have  already  hinted,  i.  From  the  conformity  which 
the  Mefllah  was  to  have  with  Mofs,  in  being  the  founder  of  a  new  re* 
ligious  fociety,  and  in  propofing  a  new  doctrine  to  men;  upon  which 
account  there  lay  upon  him  the  fame  obligation,  as  vipon  Ajofsy  to  fup- 
port  his  authority  by  miracles,  that  even  in  this  he  might  not  be  inferior 
Jo  him. 

2.  One  may  gather  this  alfo  from  the  title  of  Prophet^  and  great  Fra- 
fhcty  which  arc  applicable  to  the  Mefllah;  it  being  difficult  to  conceive. 
That  God  who  vouchfafed  the  glory  of  doing  miracles  to  moft  of  the 
Prophets,  tho'  they  were  barely  fent  to  foretel  the  coming  of  the  Alciriali, 
and  to  give  an  account  of  him,  fhould  have  denied  the  fame  glory  aiid 
the  fame  power  to  the  Mefliah  himfelf,  of  whom  all  the  Prophets  were 
but  the  forerunners. 

Bcfidcs,  it  is  eafic  to  judge  from  the  mean  and  contemptible  ftate 
wherein  the  Mefliah  was  x.o  appear,  That  this  glory  of  doing  miracles 
was  of  abfolute  neceflity  to  give  him  authority  and  refpecl :  for  fmce  he 
was  to  be  born  in  an  obfcure  condition,  and  not  in  royal  grandeur,  it  is 
evident  that  the  gift  of  miracles  was  needful  to  make  him  known,  and 
counterbalance  that  low  and  opprobrious  condition  in  which  he  was  to 
appear  in  the  world. 

But  this  particularly  appears  from  an  exprefs  oracle  which  God  gave 
upon  this  very  fubjedt,  in  Ifaiah  XXXV.  vaf.  3,  4,  5,  and  0.  Strengthen 
yt  the  vocah  hayidi^  and  confirm  the  feeble  knees.     Say  to  thcM  of  a  fearful 
hearty  bejhong^fear  not;  behold  your  God  will  cotne  with  vengeance,  even  God 
with  a  reconipence  ;  he  will  come  afid  five  you.     Then  the  eye^  of  the  bliiui 
Jhall  he  opened.^  and  the  ears  of  the  decfjhall  be  nnjloppcd.    Thfujhall  the  lanu 
man  leap  as  an  hart,  and  the  tongue  of  the  dumb  fing :  for  in  the  wilder nefs 
fDidl  waters  break  out,  and  Jir earns  in  the  defert.     Which  oracle  ver)'  fully 
cxprcfies  the  power  of  Miracles  wherewith  our  Saviour  was  to  be  digni- 
Jicd,  in  curing  all  manner  of  difeafes,  of  which  the  Prophet  hath  nained 
fome  only,  to  give  us  nfpecirnen  of  the  reft;  and  it  fecms  as  if  the  Pro- 
phet had  chofcn  thefe  four  forts  before  all  others,  becaufe  throughout  the 
whole   fcripturc    we    do    not    find    that   ever    any    Prophet    did    the 
like,  that  fo  the  character  of  the  MefTiah  might  be  particular  in  his  mira- 
cles too. 

It  is  alfo  worth  our  noting,  in  giving  a  character  of  the  Me/Tiah,  firft. 
That  even  thofe  who  rejcded  Jefus  Chrift,  yet  did  at  the  fame  time  fup- 
pofe  that  the  MelFiah  when  he  came,  was  to  work  miracles.  Therefore 
n  is  that  \yc  ^car  forac  of  ;hein  faying  to  Chrift,  Jf^atfgn  dojl  thou  ? 


Ch.  XVII.  Books  of  the  Old  Tejlament.  405 

and  others  maintaining  that  Mojii  had  wrought  greater  wonders  than 
Jefus  Chrift,  in  giving  them  bread  from  hea\en,  and  feeding  them  mi- 
raculoufly  for  the  fpace  of  forty  years ;  whihl:  others  afiinn'd,  That  none 
could  work  greater  wonders  than  he  wrought :  when  the  Alejjiah  Jhall 
come^  will  he  do  greater  wonders  than  this  man  ? 

Secondly,  one  ought  to  obferve  that  Jefus  Chrift  aliedge«  this  oracle 
of  the  Prophet  Ifaiah^  taking  it  for  granted  that  the  accompUlhmcnt 
thereof  was  moft  vifibly  evident  in  the  miracles  which  he  wrought,  as 
appears  from  the  anfwer  he  gave  to  the  mefl'engers  of  John  the  Bapti/L 

Thirdly,  it  is  alfo  obfervable.  That  thofe  who  were  willing  to  flatter 
the  vanity  of  the  emperour  Vejpafian  (whom  Jojephus  endeavoured  to 
raife  to  a  belief  that  he  was  the  Mefliah,  becaufe  he  had  been  proclaimed 
in  the  eafl,  applying  to  that  purpofc  the  words  of  Muah^  mifapplved. 
Chap.  V.  verje  2.  "Vf  hofe  goings  for'th  are  from  the  eajl)  were  not  wantino- 
to  attribute  to  him  the  glory  of  doing  miracles,  and  I'uch  as  Ifaiah  afcribes 
to  the  Mefliah,  by  attributing  to  him  the  cure  of  one  that  was  blind, 
and  another  that  was  lame  at  Alexandria.  He  that  would  know  the  par- 
ticulars, may  confult  Tacitus  his  hiftory. 

And  laft  of  all  we  ought  to  obferve,  That  the  fexus  do  not  only  agree 
that  this  oracle  of  Ifaiah  refers  to  the  JVIefTiah  ;  but  they  alfo  ftill  propofe 
the  power  of  working  miracles,  as  a  character  which  would  render  the 
Meffiah  very  illuftrious,  and  certainly  known. 


^a*»»"*>W'°»°<»»8«°»agB»o»»»08*»<oo»oe05a«ea»eo;aoa!>eocoo9gaaeoioooa<««»)cea»oo»oo«aaeeooeeagooocOBJOata««Wie»»B»>we'?^^i 

CHAP.      XVII. 

That  the  Mejfiah  was  to  be  an  illujlrious  Prophet, 

}?^)K'#.'^HI  S  truth  I  have  already  afTerted  in  the  Reflexions  I  made  on 
'^.  T  S  the  prophecy  oi  Mcfes^  Deut.  XVIII.  But  one  ought  to  explain 
^•^•^jjji  this  charaiSter  of  the  MefTiah  more  particularly,  God  having 
been  pleafed  further  to  illuflrate  this  oracle  of  Mofes. 

Firft  then,  we  fay  that  the  word  Meffiah  implies  anointing,  which 
was  common  to  kings,  prophets,  and  priefts ;  and  fince  David's,  time, 
we  find  nothing  more  common  than  this  title  in  the  books  of  the  Old 
Tejlament:  where  we  may  obferve  that  Mofes  was  dignified  with  this 
gift  of  prophecy  ;  and  that  Samuel  communicated  the  fame  to  Saul  and 
David,  when  he  anointed  them  to  be  kings.  Yea,  the  Jeivs  to  this  day 
are  of  opinion,  that  Elias  the  Prophet  fliall  anoint  the  Mefliah  j  that  is, 
initiate  him  in  his  prophetical,  as  well  as  his  royal  fun6lion. 

Secondly,  God  more  preclfely  fignifies  this,  Ifai.  XI.  verf.  i,  2,  (ff  3. 
where  he  declares  he  *  ould  communicate  all  the  neceflary  gifts  of  the 
prophetical  function  to  the  Meffiah.  There  Jhall  come  forth  a  rod  out  oftht 
Jlcm  0/"  Jefle,  and  a  branch  flmll  grow  out  of  his  roots.  And  thejpirit  oftht 
Lord  Jhall  refl  upon  him,  the  fp'irit  of  wijdom  and  under/landing,  the  fpirit  of 
(Qunfil  and  mighty  the  fpirit  of  hioiuledgr^  and  of  the  fear  of  the  Lord.     So 

C  c  3  that 


4c6  R.'fleViens  upon  the  Ch.  XVII. 

that  he  Jhail  not  judge  after  the  fight  of  his  cyes^  neither  reprove  afterihe 
hearing  of  his  ears. 

Thefe  words  need  no  commentary  :  for  the  fevjs  refer  them  conflant- 
ly  to  the  Meffiah,  and  they  phiinly  import  that  he  was  to  be  a  great  Pro- 
phet, forafinuch  as  all  the  charailers  which  are  there  given  to  the  fpirit 
■which  was  to  relV  on  the  Meffiah,  are  the  fame  which  in  the  Old  Tefla- 
ment  we  fiiid  attributed  to  the  Prophets,  and  may  eafily  be  taken  notice 
of  in  the  hillory  of  the  Prophets,  el'pecially  oi  David  and  Solomon. 

And  much  to  the  fame  purpofe  is  that  paffage  Ifai,  XLII.  verf.  i,  a, 
3,  4,  5,  6,  and  7.  Behold  7fiy  Servaiit  whom  I  uphold^  mine  Ehii  in  whom  my 
foul  delighteih  :  i  have  put  my  fpirit  upon  him^  he  P^all  bring  forth  judgment 
to  the  Gentiles.  He  Jhall  not  ery,  nor  lift  up,  nor  caufe  his  voice  to  be  heard 
in  the  Jlrcet.  J  bruifed  reed  Jhall  he  not  break,  and  the  fnoking  fax  Jhall  he 
not  quench  J  he  Jhall  bring  forth  judgment  unto  truth.  He  Jhall  not  fail  7ior 
he  difcouragcd  till  he  have  Jet  judgment  in  the  earthy  and  the  ifles  JJjall  wait 
for  his  law.  Thus  faith  God  the  Lord^  he  that  created  the  heavens^  and 
Jlretched  them  out ;  he  that  fpread  forth  the  earth,  and  that  which  cometh  out 
of  it :  he  that  glvcth  breath  to  the  people  upon  it,  and  fpirit  to  them  that  walk 
therein.  I  the  Lord  have  called  thee  in  righteoufnefs,  and  %vill  hold  thine,  and 
ivift  keep  thee,  and  give  thee  for  a  covenant  of  the  people,  for  a  light  of  the 
Gentiles  :  to  open  the  blind  eyes,  to  bring  out  the  prifoners  from  the  prifony 
^nd  them  that  fit  in  darknejs,  out  oftheprifon  houfe.  In  which  oracle  one 
ought  to  take  notice  particularly  of  thofe  things  which  the  fews  apply 
to  the  Mcfliah. 

J,  That  God  propofcs  the  gifts  of  the  fpirit,  which  he  beftowed  up- 
C5n  him  as  an  effect  of  his  love,  and  the  choice  he  had  made  of  him. 

2.  That  the  Mefliah  was  to  make  ufe  of  the  fame,  as  rules  for  re- 
forming the  country,  and  propounding  Gods  covenant  to  the  Gentiles  \ 
which  clearly  fuppofe  the  neceliity  of  the  gift  of  prophecy  to  qualify  him 
for  fuch  great  undertakings. 

3.  That  contrary  to  the  thundring  chara6ler  which  diftinguifhed  the 
reft  of  the  Prophets,  who  were  as  fo  many  publick  cenfors  ;  the  Meffiah 
was  to  fpeak  with  all  meckncfs  and  fweetnefs  to  the  nations  which  fhould 
receive  his' preaching. 

One  fee's  that  Ifaiah  repeats  the  fame  idea's,  Cha^.  LXI.  verf.  i,  2, 
3,  4,5,6,  and  7.  The  fpirit  of  the  Lord  God  is  upon  ?ne,  becaufe  the  Lord 
hath  anointed  me  to  preach  good  tidings  unto  the  meek,  he  hath  fent  me  to  bind 


up  the  broken  hearted,  to  proclaim  liberty  to  the  captives,  and  the  opening  of 

{he  prifon  to  them  that  are  bomid.     To  proclaim  the  acceptable  year  of  the 

Lord,  and  the  day  of  vengeance  of 'our  God-,  to  comfort  all  that  mourn.'  to 

appoint  unto  them  that  jnonrn  in  Zion,  to  give  unto  them  beauty  for  ajhts,  the 

eyl  of  joy  for  7no.ur7iing,  the  garment  cfpraij'efor  the  Jpir'it  of  heavinefs  ;  that 

.theyniigjjt  be  called  trees  of  right eoujhcj's,  the  planting  of  the  Lord,  that  he 

might  be  glorijied.     And  they  Jhall  build  the  old  ivajls,  they  Jhall  raife  tip  the 

•  'fpr)'ner defclations,  and  they  Jhall  repair  the  wajie  cities,  the  defolations  of  ma- 

'-iiy  '^enrraflons      And  fir  angers  Jhall  fl  and  and  feed  '.  our  fiocks,  and  thefoi\s  of 

'  "^the  alien  joall  be  your  plowmen,  and  ycur  vine  drefjers.    Bui  \e  Jlnill  be  named 

'''ihe  prii'ts  of  the  Lord,  men  Jhall  call  you  the  minijlers  of  oitr  God :  ye  Jhall 

eM  thri  riches  of  the'  Gentiles,  and  in  their  glory  Jhall  ye  hoafiyourfehes* 

Tor  your  jhame  ye  Jhall  ha-if  double^  and  for  corf  if  on  they  jb  all  rcjsyce  in  their 

portion:. 


Ch.  XVIII.  'Books  of  the  Old  Teflament.  4.07 

portion :  therefore  in  their  land  they  fhtdl  pojfef  the  double  ;  everlajiing  joy 
Jhall  be  upon  them. 

'  In  fhort,  he  reprefents  in  this  and  the  former  oracle,  the  Gentiles  as  a 
people  being  in  darknefs,  and  in  the  mifery  of  a  prifon  j  from  whence 
tve  maveafily  infer,  firft,  That  the  iMefliah  was  to  be  a  Prophet,  how 
vile  and  abje<St:  foever  that  character  might  appear  in  the  eyes  of  the 
world,  as  I  have  fhewcd  that  it  was,  where  I  fpake  of  the  Prophets  in 
general.  Secondly,  That  he  was  to  difcharge  thefe  fun6f ions  during  the 
whole  courfe  of  his  life,  and  that  it  was  to  be  his  chief  employment  here 
upon  efli  th. '•'•■•'^■^' •^i^«vV> '  "•  V ' 

David  had  b^fotd  fi'gnified,  Pfalm  XXII.  verfe  22.  that  the  Meffiah 
was  to  declare  the  name  of  Gad  unto  his  brethren,  viz.  the  'Jeius,  by  exer- 
cifing  his  prophetical  function  in  judea  ;  but  the  holy  fpirit  did  fomething 
more  when  he  feem'd  to  point  out  Galilee  as  the  place  where  this  facre.d 
Dod:or  was  chiefly  to  fix  his  abode.  \ 

This  is  in  effeiSt  inhnuated,  when  God  tells  us  that  he  was  to  begin 
his  minifterial  functions  in  the  tribes  of  Naphtali  and  Zebulon.  Ifai.  IX. 
verf.  T,  2,  and  3.  Neverthelefs  the  dimnefs  Jhall  not  be  fuch  as  was  in  her 
vexation,  when  at  the  firji  he  lightly  affiided  the  layid  of  Zebulon,  and  the 
land  of  NaphtzW,  and  afteriuards  did  more  grievoufly  affiitl  her  by  the  way  of 
thefea,  beyond  J ordzn  in  Galilee  of  the  nations.  The  people  that  walked  in 
darknefs  have  feen  a  great  light,  they  that  dwell  in  the  land  of  the  Jloadow  of 
death,  upon  them  hath  the  light  Jhined.  Thou  hafl  multiply ed  the  nation,  thou 
haji  encreafed  the  joy  :  they  joy  before  thee  according  to  the  joy  in  harveji^  and 
as  7nen  rejoyce  when  they  divide  thefpoil. 

I  fhall  afterwards  take  notice,  i'hat  the  time  of  the  Meffiah  was  to  be 
diftinguifhed  by  an  incredible  abundance  of  fpiritual  gifts :  and  fo  this 
fhall  fuffice  at  prefent  to  prove  that  the  Meffiah  was  to  be  a  very  great 
Prophet. 


4^@^^©©©©@g^S@@©0Sg©^^@©©B@Sg^^f» 


CHAP.      XVIII. 

That  the  Messiah  luas  to  propound  a  new  Covenant  from  God  with  all 

Men. 

^^'4J^H  I  S  is  a  truth  which  is  eafily  gathered,  i.  Becaufe  all  nations, 
%  T  -^  before  they  could  be  made  partakers  of  the  bleffing  of  God  by 
K^'^^.'P''^  the  Meffiah  (according  to  the  promife  made  to  Jbraham)  were 
iirft  to  be  received  into  the  covenant.  2.  From  the  nature  of  that  co- 
venant it  felf,  of  which  Mojcs  was  the  mediator,  the  end  of  which  was, 
to  feparate  the  fcws  from  other  nations,  fome  of  which  were  not  capable 
of  being  received  amongft  them,  till  after  feveral  generations,  whereas 
they  were  to  be  made  partakers  of  this  bleffing  by  the  Meffiah.  3.  Be- 
caule  in  efFe6l  all  the  ceremonial  law,  was  only  added  to  the  moral,  as  it 
were  contrary  to  God's  principal  intention,  and  only  upon  occafion  of 
.  C  c  ^  the 


4o8:  Repxlom  upon  the  Ch.  XVIII, 

the  Jiws  5vor{hipping  the  golden  calfy  as  St.  Paul  obferves  in  the  third 
(hiipter  o{  his  epiftle  to  the  Guhitians  (/). 

Bejides,  it  appears  that  God  at  divers  times  bad  given  fufficient  hints 
jponcerning  this. 

I.  He  had  propofcd  a  new  prieH^hood  of  the  Mcfliah,  which  was  to 
abolifh  the  Lcvitical  priefthood  ;  and  this  is  the  more  remarkable,  for- 
afniuch  as  David  who  pronounced  that  oracle,  Pfalm  CX.  was  he  who 
firft  form'd  the  defign  of  building  the  temple,  to  which  all  the  Levitical 
fefyice  was  annexed. 

'-'::•%.  We  find  him  rejecting  in  fome  fort  the  Levitical  miniftry,  after  he 
had  defpifed  it  in  comparifon  of  the  fpiritual  worfhip.  Pfalm  XL.  verf^ 
6.  Sacrifice  and  offering  thou  didji  not  defire^  mine  ears  haji  thou  opened  ^ 
burnt-offering  and  fin-offering  haji  thou  not  required.  And  Pfalm  L.  verf, 
8,  9,  10.  I  will  not  reprove  theefqr  thyfacrifices,  or  thy  burnt-offeringf  which 
have  been  continually  before  me.  I  will  take  no  bullocks  out  of  thine  houfe^  nor 
he-gcats  out  of  thy  folds  -^  for  every  beafl  of  the  forcjl  is  mine^  and  the  caitel 
•upon  a  thoufand  hills.  And  Pfalm  LI.  verfe  ij.  he  tells  us  that  the  facri- 
fices  of  God  are  a  broken  fpirit  \  in  oppofition  to  the  facrifices  which  the 
law  prefcribed,  and  to  iignitie  their  impcrfe£lion  ;  the  law  having  ap- 
pointed none  for  the  expiation  of  murther  or  adultery. 

Ifaiah  follows  David,  Chap.  I.  verf.  n,  i2,  13,  14,  and  15.  To  what 
furpoje  is  the  ?nuliitude  of  your  facrifices  unto  me  faith  the  Lord?  I  am  full 
of  the  burnt-offerings  of  rams,  and  the  fat  of  fed  beajls :  and  I  delight  not  in 
the  blood  of  bullocks,  or  cf  lambs,  or  of  he-goats,  IVhcn  you  cojne  to  appear 
before  me,  who  hath  required  this  at  your  hands  to  tread  my  courts?  Bring 
no  mori  vain  oblations,  inccnfe  is  an  abomination  unto  me,  the  new  moons  and 
jabbaths,the  calling  of  affeniblies,  I  cannot  away  with,  it  is  iniquity  even  the 
Jjdemn  meeting.  Tour  neiu  tnoons,  and  your  appointed  feaf  Is  my  foul  hateth -, 
they  are  a  trouble  unto  me,  I  am  iveary  to  bear  them,  yfnd  ivhen  yqu  fpread 
forth  your  hands,  I  will  hide  mine  eyes  from  you  ;  yea  when  you  ir.ake  many 
prayers,  I  will  not  hear,  vour  hands  are  full  of  blood.  And  Jeremiah  fpeak;^ 
mi^ch  to  the  fame  purpoie,  Chap.Vll.  v.  21,  22,  &  23. 

But  befides,  God  dircvStly  promifeth  this  new  covenant  by  Ifaiah, 
Chap.  XLII.  verf.  b,'].  I  the  Lord  have  called  thee  in  righteoufnefs,  and 
will  hold  thine  hand,  und  will  keep,  thee,  and  give  thee  for  a  covenant  of  the 
people,  for  a  light  cf  the  Gentiles.  To  open  the  blind  eyes,  to  bring  out  the 
ptifoncrs  from  the  prifoii,  arul  them  that  fit  in  darknefs  from  the  prifon  houfe. 

h  is  natural  to  obferve,  That  iii  this  place,  where  God  i'peaks  of  die 
Mefliah,  as  the  Jews  themfelves  confefs,  he  exprefly  declares  two  things: 
H.  That,  the  Mefliah  fhould  be  a  covenant  of  the  people,  that  is,  that  he 
fhbuld  mediate  a  covenant  between  God  and  the  people.  2.  That  the 
fruit  ot  this  covenant  was  to  extend  to  the  Gentiles,  which  plainly  implyes 
that  it  was  not  the  old  covenant,  forafmuch  as  from  it  feveral  were  ex- 
cluded, ijid'i" 

-    The  lame  ctjyenant  is  alfo  mention'd.  Chap.  XLIX.  verf.  8,  9.   Thus 

faith  the  Lord,  in  an  acceptable  time  have  I  heard  thee,  and  in  a  day  of faU 

vatiou  huVE  I  helped  thee,  and  I  willprefet-ve  thee,  and  give  thee  for  a  coV€' 

nant  of  the  people,  to  efiablijh  the  earth,  to  caufe  to  inherit  the  defolate  heri^ 

i'U^iSf.  That  thou  maijlfay  to  the  prifoners,  Ga  forth  j  t9  them  that  are  in 

?"j^  "'-.'■  darknefs^ 

'■^  (iJ  Gal.  iii.  ig. 


Ch.  XVIII.  Boob  of  the  Old  Tejiam^nt.  40a 

darknefsy  Shew  your  fches^  they  Jhall  feed  in  the  ways,  and  their  paflures  Jhall 
he  in  all  high  places. 

He  pur  lues  the  fame  notion,  Chap.  LV.  verf.  3,  4.  Incline,  your  ear 
and  come  unto  me.,  hear  and  your  foul  Jhall  live  ;  and  I  will  make  an  ever-, 
lajling  coveyiant  with  you,  the  fare  mercies  c/ David.  Behold,  I  have  given 
him  for  a  witncfs  to  the  people,  a  leader  and  commander  to  the  people.  Than 
which,  nothing  can  be  more  particular. 

And  to  the  lame  purpofe  he  fpeaks,  Chap.  LXI.  vetf.  8,  9.  For  I  the 
Lord  love  judgme?it,  I  hate  robbery  for  burnt-ojfering,  and  I  xuill  direct  their 
work  in  truth,  and  I  will  make  an  everlafiing  covenant  with  them.  And  their 
feed  Jhall  be  known  among  the  Gentiles,  and  their  off-fpring  Ofnorig  the  people ', 
all  that  fee  them  Jhall  acknowledge  them,  that  they  are  thejeed  which  the  Lard 
bath  bleffed.  ^^ 

It  is  as  clear  as  the  day,  That  God  in  thefe  oracles  promifeth  an  irre- 
vocable covenant,  becaufe  he  calls  it  an  everlajling  covenant  in  oppofition 
to  the  former.  He  takes  notice  alfo  in  the  lame  book,  That  the  faid 
covenant  was  to  be  propounded  in  the  midft  of  the  nations,  and  that 
then  that  blefling  of  God  fhould  be  known  according  to  the  ancient 
oracl.es,  which  was  promifed  uaiverfally  to  all  nations. 

This  is  that  which  God  more  particularly  explains  afterwards,  by  the 
voice  and  pen  of  a  Prophet  who  was  of  the  order  of  Prielts,  thereby 
to  prevent  all  forts  of  exceptions. 

Jeremiah  in  effeiS  fpeaks  to  the  fame  purpofe.  Chap.  XXXI.  verf.  31, 
32>  33>  34o  35>  and  36.  Behold  the  days  come,  faith  the  Lord,  that  j  will 
make  a  ni:w  covenant  luith  the  houje  of  Ifrael,  atul  with  the  hot/fe  of]\idah  .' 
not  according  to  the  covenant  that  I  made  with  their  fathers,  in  the  day  that  I 
took  them  by  the  hand  to  bring  them  out  of  the  land  ^  Egypt  {which  my  co- 
venant they  brake,  altho'  I  were  a  hufiand  to  them,  faith  the  Lord:)  but  this 
Jhall  be  the  covenant  that  I  will  make  with  the  houfe  oj  Ifrael  after  thofe  days 
faith  the  Lord;  I  will  put  my  law  in  their  inward  parts,  and  lurite  it  in 
their  heart,  and  I  will  be  their  God,  and  they  Jhall  be  my  people.  And  they 
Jhall  teach  no  more  every  man  his  neighbour,  faying.  Know  the  Lord\  for  they 
Jhall  all  know  me  from  the  lea]}  of  them  unto  the  grcatejl  of  them,  faith  the 
Lord:  for  1  will  forgive  their  iniquity,  and  I  will  remember  their  fin  no 
more.  Thus  faith  the  Lord  which  giveth  the  fun  for  a  light  by  day,  and  the 
ordinances  of  the  moon  andjlars  for  a  light  by  night,  which  divideth  thefea 
when  the  waves  thereof  roar,  the  Lord  of  Hop  is  his  name.  If  thofe  ordi- 
nances depart  from  before  me,  faith  the  Lord,  then  the  feed  <?/ Ifrael  alfo  Jhall 
ceafe  from  being  a  nation  before  me  for  ever. 

Nothing  can  be  defired  more  particular  than  this  oracle  ;  i.  It  tells  us 
that  God  would  make  a  new  covenant  with  his  people,  which  fuppofes 
an  abolifliing  of  the  former.  2.  That  this  covenant  was  not  to  be  like 
,the  foregoijig.  3.  That  the  old  covenant  had  been  made  vain,  and  had 
been  broken  by  thofe  with  whom  it  was  made.  4.  That  this  covenant 
was  to  be  made  after  thofe  days,  that  is  in  the  time  of  the  Meflxah,  5. 
That  this  new  covenant  was  not  to  be  engraven  in  tables  of  ftone,  but 
in  their  hearts.  6.  That  in  the  fame  covenant  full  remiflion  of  fin  is 
promifed. 

The  fame  thing  is  alfo  expre/Ted,  Chap.  XXXII.  verf  40.  And  I  will 
make  aneverlu/ling  covenant  with  ihe?n,  that  Livlll  not  turn  away  from  them 

t9 


413  Rtf.exions  upon  the      -  GH.'^ffl^V 

to  do  ticm  ^oo/i ;  hut  I  will  putmy  fi'nr  in  their  hearts^  and  thfy  (hnll  not  de- 
part (rim  mc.  And  Lhcp.  h.  veij.  5.  They  Jhall ajlc  the  way  to  Zion  with 
their  faces  thitherward^  jnyini^  Come  and  let  us  joy  n  our  fehes  to  the  Lord  in 
a  perpetual  covenant^  that /})all  not  be  forgotten.' 

To  this  purpofc  alio  Ezechiel,  who  himfelf  was  a  Prieft,  fpeaks  of  a 
religiousworfhip  extended  to  all  nations,  and  of  a  new  covenant  which 
God  was  to  make  with  them,  Chap.  XVI.  vey-f.  60,61,62.  Nevcrtheleft 
I  will  remember  my  covenant  with  thee.,  in  the  days  of  thy  youth.,  and  I  will 
e/iablijh  unto  thee  an  everlajling  covenant.  Then  thoujhalt  retnember  thy  ways'^ 
and  be  ajhamedwhen  thoujhalt  receive  thy  fi/iers^  thy  elder  and  tl^- younger j 
end  J  will  give  them  unto  thee  for  daughters^  but  not  by  thy  coveJiant.  Jnd 
'J^will  ejiabiijh  ?ny  covenant  tuith  thee,  and  thou  Jhalt  knozv  that  I  am  the 
Lord. 

Here  is  firft,  a  covenant  differing  from  the  former.  2.  A  covenant 
wherein  other  nations  were  to  be  included,  clearly  intimated  by  the  elder 
and  younger fijlers  of  the  fynagogue.  3.  A  covenant  whereby  the  Gen" 
tiles  were  to  enjoy  the  fame  priviledges  with  the  Jews,  and  be  incorpa- 
rated-with  them. 

Malachy  follows  the  fteps  of  thefe  Prophets,  when  he  calls  the  Meffiah 
the  Angel  of  the  covenant  .^  Chap.  III.  verf.  i.  Behold^  1  will  fend  my  meffen- 
ger,  and  he  jhall  prepare  the  way  before  me  :  and  the  Lord  who?n  ye  feck /hall 
fuddainly  coine  to  his  temple  ;  even  the  mejfenger  (Angel)  of  the  covenant,  whom 
ye  delight  in^  behold  he  /hall  come  faith  the  Lord  of  Hojh.  I  know  very  well 
that  the  fews  apply  thefe  words  to  Elias,  whofe  miniftry,  as  they  pretend, 
•was  to  confift  in  leading  the  fezvs  to  repentance.  But  if  we  read  the 
text  with  attention,  we  Ihall  find  two  meflengers  mentioned  ;  the  firlt 
who  prepare  tlie  way  of  the  Mefliah  ;  and  the  other  is  the  Meffiah  him- 
felf, who  is  called  the  Angel  of  the  covenant,  as  being  fent  of  God  to  make 
a  new  covenant  with  men. 


CHAP.        XIX. 

T^hat  the  ]EVfs,  by  a  dreadful  Effc^  of  their  Blindnefs,  were  toreje6f  the 

Messiah. 

!r:*;;>^^H  I  S  if.  a  very  peculiar  mark  which  will  guide  us  furely  to  the 
^  T  =^-  knowledge  of  the  Mefliah.  We  find  the  Jews  at  this  day  very 
ij^^ifth'>5?l9  ready  to  tollow  every  one  that  ufurps  that  aiiguft  title,  and  to 
taice  him- for  the  only  true  Mefliah  that  was  promifed  them  ;  which  is  no 
other  than  what  was  infallibly  to  come  to  pafs. 

Neither  will  this  much  furpiizeus,  if  we  confider,  i.  That  this  people, 
on  divers  occafions,  have  gi\'en  very  ftrange  inftances  of  a  prodigious 
4>lindnt'ft  :  we  fee  them  rejecl:  Mofcsy  notwithfl:anding  God  had  autho- 
riz'd  his  call  by  great  and  avowed  miracles.  Yea,  we  find  them  reje£l- 
ing  David  d\{o.,  whom  God  had  (o  fignallv  appointed  to  be  their  king, 
and  the  father  of  tho  Melliah,  of  whom  v/e  hear  thefe  prophecies. 

?.That 


Ch.  XIX.  Books  of  the  Old  Tejiament.  41 1 

2.  That  God  upbraids  them  with  this  blindnefs  by  his  Prophets,  as  a 
fin  to  which  they  were  peculiarly  inclin'd  ;  as  appears  from  Pfahn  LXIX. 
verf.  23,  24,  25,  26, 27,  and  28.  Let  their  eyes  be  darbied  that  they  fee  not^ 
and  make  their  loins  continually  to  Jhake.  Pour  out  thine  indignation  upon 
thejti^  and  let  thy  wrathful  anger  take  hold  of  them.  Let  their  habitatien  be 
deflate,  and  none  dxvell  in  their  tents  :  for  they  perfecute  hi?)!  whom  thou  haji 
fmitten,  and  they  talk  to  the  grief  of  thsfe  whom  thou  hafl  wounded.  Add 
iniquity  to  their  iniquity ;  and  let  them  not  come  into  thy  right eoufnefs.  Let 
them  be  blotted  out  of  the  book  of  the  livings  and  not  be  written  luith  the  righ" 
teous. 

One  fee's  the  fame  thing  in  Ifaiah,  Chap.  VI.  verf.  9,  10,  11,  and  12. 
where  the  Spirit  of  God  foretells  that  the  Jews  fhould  Ihut  their  eyes 
againft  the  moft  evident  and  convincing  proofs  imaginable.  Go,  faith 
the  Lord  to  the  Prophet,  and  tell  this  people.  Hear  ye  indeed,  but  under- 
*  Jland  not,  and  fee  ye  indeed,  but  perceive  not.  Make  the  heart  of  this  people 
fat,  and  their  ears  heavy,  and  Jhut  their  eyes,  leji  they  fee  with  their  eye'Sy 
and  hear  with  their  ears,  and  underficind  with  their  heart  and  convert,  arui 
he  healed.  Then  faid  I,  Lord  ho-ju  long?  Andhc  anfwered,  until  the  cities 
he  lunjied  without  inhabitant,  and  the  hoifes  without  man,  and  the  land  ha 
utterly  deflate :  and  the  Lord  have  removed  men  far  away,  and  there  be  a 
great  for  faking  in  the  midjl  of  the  land. 

Nothing  can  be  imagined  more  particular  than  this  oracle  concerning- 
the  Jews  refifting  tbe  Prophet,  which  God  expreffes  in  terms  very  ufual 
amongft  the  Prophets,  as  if  Ifaiah,  who  was  only  the  foreteller  of  their 
being  hardned,  fhould  himfelf  be  the  caufe  of  it. 

The  Prophet  Hofeah  defcribes  the  very  fame  complaints  of  God  acraiiiff: 
the  fcws  for  their  blindnefs  and  ignorance,  for  which  he  denounces  their 
ileftrudlion.  Hof  IV.  verf  i,  2,  3,  4,  5,  and  6.  Hear  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  ye  children  of\(xzc\,  for  the  Lord  has  a  controverfe  with  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  land,  becaife  there  is  no  truth,  nor  mercy,  nor  knowledge  of  God 
in  the  laJid.  By  fwearing,  and  lying,  and  killing,  and  Jiealing,  and  coin- 
mitting  adultery,  they  break  out,  and  blood  toucheth  blood.  Therefore  JJ)all 
the  land  mourn,  and  every  one  that  dwelleth  therein  foall  languij)?,  with  the 
benfls  of  the  field,  and  zuith  the  fowls  of  heaven,  yea  the  fijhes  of  the  fa  alfo 
foall  be  taken  away.  Tet  let  no  rnanflrive  or  reprove  another ;  for  thy  people 
are  as  they  thatflrive  with  the  Prieji.  Therefore  /halt  thou  fall  in  the  day, 
and  the  Prophet  alfo  Jhall  fall  wiih  thee  in  the  night,  and  I  will  defiroy  thy 
mother.  Ady  people  are  dejlroyedfor  lack  of  knowledge  ;  becaufe  thou  hail  re- 
jeSied  knowledge  I  will  alfo  reject  thee,  that  thou /halt  be  no  PrieJl  to  me  ;  fee- 
ing thou  hafl  forgotten  the  law  of  thy  God,  I  will  alfo  forget  thy  children. ' 

The  Prophet  Jeremy  fpeaks  to  the  fame  purpofe.  Chap.  V.  verf.  21 
22,  and  23.  Hear  now  this,  O  fooli/h  people,  and  without  under/landing, 
which  have  eyes  and  fee  not,  which  have  ears  and  hear  not.  Fear  ye  not  me 
faith  the  Lord?  Will  ye  not  tremble  at  my  prefence,  who  have  placed  the fand 
for  the  hound  of  thefea,  by  a  perpetual  decree  that  it  cannot  pafs  it,  and  tho* 
the  waves  thereof  tofs  themfelves,  yet  can  they  not  prevail -^  tho*  they  roar,  yet 
can  they  not  pafs  over  it  ?  But  this  people  hath  a  revolting  and  a  rebellious 
heart;  they  arc  revolted  and  gone.  And  he  reiterates  the  fame,  Chap.  VIII. 
■verf.  7 .     Theflovk  in  the  heavens  kn&weth  her  appointed  times  j  arid  the  turtle 

and 


J,  12  Rejiexions  updti  the  Ch:  XIX, 

and  the  crane  and  the  fwallcw,  obferve  the  time  of  their  coming  :  but  my  people 
kncicnot  the  judgment  of  the  Lord. 

^ztr/.'/V/prolccutcs "the  fame  matter,  Chap.  II.  verf.  5,  and  8.  calling 
the  Jeivs  a  rebellious  houfc.  And  Chnp.  XII.  verf.  i,  and  2.  he  faith, 
The  ixjord  of  the  Lord  ca.r.e  unto  me  faying.^  Son  of  man  thou  dwelleji  in  the 
mid/'}  of  a  rebellious  houfc^  who  have  eyes  to  fee^  and  fee  not^  they  have  cars  t» 
hear.,  and  hear  not.,  for  they  are  a  rebellious  houfe. 

Neither  do  the  Prophets  only  reprefcnt  to  us  in  general  the  blindnefs 
of  the  fevcs  upon  fcvcral  occafions,  but  they  alfo  very  particularly  in- 
form us,  that  he  who  was  the  moft  confidcrable  perfon  of  their  ilatc, 
and  the  great  miniftcr  of  God,  fhould  be  iiotwithftanding  rejected  by 

them. 

And  here,  firft.  It  Is  worth  our  noting  that  Mofes  threatens  the  worfl 
of  calamities  to  thofe  who  fhould  refufe  to  hear  the  great  Prophet, 
like  unto  him  whom  God  was  to  raifc  to  his  people,  Deut,  XVIII, 
verf  18. 

Secondly,  David.,  Pfahn  CXVIII.  v.  12.  exprefles  this  in  thefe  words, 
The  (lone  which  the  builders  rcfufed  is  become  the  head  of  the  corner.  From 
which  words  it  is  evident,  i.  That  the  Mefliah  was  to  be  rejected.  2. 
That  he  was  to  be  reje6led  by  thofe  who  were  intruded  with  the  care  of 
bulldlnti  the  houfe.  3.  That  this  was  to  be  before  he  fhould  be  acknow- 
ledged the  great  Miniftcr  of  heaven. 

God  fpeaks  the  fame  thing  by  Ifaiah.^  Chap.  XXVIII.  verf  6.  Beholdy 
J  lay  in  YAonfor  a  foundation  aflone^  a  tried Jlonc.,  a  precious  corner  Jioncy  a 
fur e  foundation^  he  that  belicvcth  Jhall  not  make  hafie.     Which  place  is  t» 
be  underflood  of  the  McfTiah  by  the  confefTion  of  the  Jews  themfelves. 

i)^7z;V/ follows  the  fame  notion,  Chap.  II.  verf.  34,  35,  Thoufaiuejl  till 
aftone  was  cut  out  without  hands,  which  f  note  the  i/nage  upon  his  feet,  and 
hake  them  to  pieces :  and  the  flone  became  a  great  mountain,  and  filled  the 
t'arth. 

On  all  v/hich  prophecies  we  may  make  thefe  remarks  ;  i.  That  Jefus 
Chrift  quotes  moft  of  them,  as  fuch  which  by  the  Jews  themfelves  were 
owned  to  refer  to  thq  MeiTiah.  Thus  Matt.  XXI.  ve?f.  42.  he  faith, 
£>id  ye  never  read  in  the  Scriptures,  the  Jlonc  which  the  builders  rejeSied,  the 
fame  is  become  the  head  of  the  corner.  And  St.  Peter,  j£Is  IV.  verf  11. 
This  is  the  Jlonc  ivhich  was  ft  at  nought  by  you  builders,  which  is  become  the 
head  of  the  corner.  St.  Paul  makes  the  fame  allufion,  EpheJ.  II,  verf. 
20.  jfid  are  built  on  the  foundation  of  the  Apcjiles  and  Prophets,  Jefus  Chrji 
■Jnmfelf  being  the  chief  corner  JlcJie.  And  I  Cor.  III.  verf.  li.  For  other 
foundation  can  no  man  lay,  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jefus  ChriJl.  And 
'when  Jefus  Chrift  himfelf  faith  to  Peter,  Matth.  XVI.  verf  18.  "Thou 
«r/ Peter,  and  upon  this  rock  1  will  build  7ny  church,  he.  He  alludes  to 
that  of  Daniel  \  then  was  the  iron,  the  clay,  the  brafs,  the  fiver,  and  the  gold 
broken  to  pieces  together,  and  became  like  the  chaff  of  the fummer  threjhing  floors, 
and  the  wind  carried  them  away,  that  710  place  was  found  for  thcjn:  and  the 
^ohe  which  fniote  the  image  became  a  great  mountain^  and  filled  the  whoh 
earth. 

.^Oiir  Sav  lour  applyes  alfo  to  the  Jews  thofe  prophecies  which  foretel 

their  being  offended  ^t  the  Minivers  of  heaven,  in  particular  that  of 

:    .  9,  /falab^ 


Ch,  XX.  Books  of  the  Old  Ttjiamcnt.  4IJ 

Jfaiah,  Chap.  Vl.verf.  9.   Go  and  tell  this  people^  Hear  ye  indeedy'biit  un-> 
iderjland  not^  and  fee  ye  indeed^  but  perceive  7iot. 

2.  We  may  obferve  that  the  Jews  of  old  applyed  thofe  prophecies  (as 
the  Apoftles  did)  to  the  hardning  of  their  own  nation,  as  appears  from 
that  of  St.  Paul^  Rom.  X.  verf  21.  Bitt  to  Ifrael  he  faith.,  all  the  day  long 
d  have  firetched  forth  my  hand  unto  a  difobedient  and  gain  faying  people. 
. '  3,  We  muft  take  notice,  That  the  fame  temper  which  was  in  the  ani» 
Cx^XitJcws^  who  rejeded  the  Prophets,  was  found  in  thofe  who  lived  at 
the  time  of  our  Saviour  j  and  for  this  we  need  only  to  read  the  defcrip- 
tion  which  Jofephus  dc  Bello  Judaico,  Lib.  VII.  cap.  3.  gives  of  them, 
where  he  compares  them  with  the  Sodomites.,  which  is  the  comparifp^ 
Jfaiah  makes  Chap.  I.  verf  10. 

And  laft  of  all  we  may  take  notice,  That  Jofphus  acknowledges  that 
this  blindnefs  of  the  Jews  was  the  caufe  of  the  final  deftrudion  oijeruy 
falem^  which  Avas  to  fiiccecd  the  death  of  the  MefSah,  according'  to  th^ 
exprefs,  oracle  of  Daniidj  Chap.  IX.  verf.  26.  ^_; 


.      CHAP.      XX. 

That  the  Me  ssi  AH  was  to  dye ;  and  an  A  count  gfthefvtral  Cirxmjlatms 

of  his  Death.  •-:,     ,1,   ,,".„ 

^5fi^.;^^0  be  convinced  of  this  truth,  we  need  only  prove  that  what  is 
g  T  :^=  fet  down  in  Pfabn  XXII.  Ifaiah  LIII.  DaniellX.  and  Zacha- 
iir:*:-«^:J  ^^^^^  ^^^I-  and  otlicr  prophetical  pafTages  of  holy  Scripture^  is 
to  be  underftood  of  the  Meffiah  ;  and  the  reading  of  them  alojie  is  fuffi- 
cient  to  fatisfie  the  meaneft  capacity,  that  the  perfon  they  point  at  was  ta 
lofe  his  life  by  violence,  v/ith  feveral  very  infamous  circumfiances. 

Now  it  is  certain  that  both  ancient  and  modern  Jews  interpret  thefe 
places  of  the  Meiuah  ;  and  it  is  as  evident  that  the  ApoiHes  underllood 
them  io ;  and  therefore  all  along  applyed  them  to  Jefus  Chrift,  follow- 
ing therein  the  known  explications  of  the  rabbies  of  their  own  nation. 

It  is  plain  alfo,  That  the  death  and  fufFering  of  our  Saviour  would 
have  prov'd  a  more  efficacious  argument  to  refute  the  ApollJes,  than  all 
the  miracles  of  Jefus  Chrift  could  have  been  to  eftablifh  their  doclrine, 
if  the  prophetical  writings  had  not  fo  precifely  determined  his  fufFerin^^s 
and' death,  with  the  feveral  circumftances  of  them.  ° 

It  is  alio  to  be  noted.  That  the  prophecies  referring  to  the  death  of  the 
Mefiiah,  are  generally  interwoven  with  idea's  which  point  to  other  pro- 
phetical pafTages  avowedly  owned  bv  the  Jaus  to  have  relation  to  the 
Meffiah.  Thus  xi  wq compare Ffa/m  XXII.  verf  28.  with  PfalmhXXU. 
verf.  8,  9.  we  fhall  find  the  fame  idea  fet  forth  in  them  both.  * 

And  becaufe  this  charader  was  to  be  the  mofl  proper  and  diftinguiih- 
ing  note  of  the  MefTiah,  forafmych  as  none  with  pleafure  do  pfecipitafe 
themfdvcs  into  death,  or  arc  mafters  of  the  manner  and  circumllances 

of 


^l^  Rrjlex'tom  upon  the  Ch.  XX. 

of  It,  therefore  God  caufed  the  fame  to  be  ex prefTed  by  the  Prophets 
with  the  greatcft  plainncfs  and  cxadtnefs  poflible. 

It  can't  be  denied  but  that  fomc  of  the  Prophets  have  been  very  cruelly 
perfccuted,  and  that  fonie  of  them  have  died  in  the  midft  of  torments  : 
but  concerning-  the  death  ot  Chrii>,  we  have  many  more  particulars,  viz. 

1.  That  he  was  to  be  forfaken  by  his  own  friends,  Pfalm  XXII.  verf* 
ll.-  ]^e  votfnrf7om  me  for  trouble  h  near  \  for  there  is  none  to  help.  And 
Pfalm  UKYK.  verfe  ii.  I  made  fackcUth  alfo  my  garment^  and  I  became  a 
provirBto  them.  And  verfe  20.  Reproach  has  broken  my  heart,  and  I  am 
full  of  hravirrefs ;  and  I  looked  for  fome  to  take  pity,  hut  there  was  none ;  and 
for  comforters,  but  I  found  ?ione. 

2.  That  he  was  to  be  cxpofed  to  all  manner  of  reproachful  ufage« 
pfalm  XXII.  verf  6,  7,  and  8.  But  I  am  a  worm,  and  no  man ;  a  reproach 
of  men,  and  defpifed  of  the  people.  All  they  that  fee  me  laugh  me  to  fcorn: 
they  fl)cct  out  the  lip,  they  Jlxike  the  head^  foyitig,  he  trifled  in  the  Lord  that 
he  would  deliver  him  i  let  him  deliver  him,  feeing  he  delighted  in  him.  And 
Pfalm  LXIX.  verf  i,  2,  3,  4.  Save  me,  O  God,  for  the  waters  are  come  in 
unto  my  foul.  I  fmk  in  deep  mire,  where  there  is  mjianding ;  I  am  come  into 
deep  waters,  where  jhe  foods  qyerfow  me.  I  am  weary  of  my  crying,  my 
throat  is  dried,  mine  eyes  fail  while  I  wait  for  my  God.  They  that  hate  me 
without  caufc  are  more  than  the  hairs  of  my  head,  they  that  ivould  defiroy  me, 
being  my  enemies  wrongfully,  are  mighty. 

The  fame  is  reprelented  to  us  Ifiah  JAll.  verf  4,  5.  Surely  he  hath 
born  our  griefs  and  carried  our  for  rows  j  yet  we  did  efleem  him  Jlricken,  fmit- 
ienofGodandafflined.  But  he  was  wounded  for  our  tranfgreffions,  he  tvas 
bruifd  for  our  iniquities :  the  chaflifanent  of  our  peace  was  upon  him,  and 
zvith  hisjlripes  zve  are  healed. 

They  take  notice  that  he  fhould  be  beaten  and  abufed,  as  appears  from 
Kaiah  LIII.  verf  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8.  He  is  defpifed  andre'jetledofmen,  a  man 
tf  for  rows  and  acquainted  with  grief,  arid  we  hid,  as  it  were  our  faces  from 
him  ;  he  was  defpifed,  and  we  efleemcd  him  not.  Surely  he  hath  horn  our 
griefs,  he  was  wounded  for  our  tranfgreffons,  &c.  The  Lord  hath  laid  on 
him  the  iniquity  of  us  all.  He  was  oppreffed,  and  he  was  afllSled,  yet  he 
opened  not  his  mouth  j  he  is  brought  as  a  lamb  to  the  faughter,  and  as  ajheep 
before  her  Jhearers  is  dumb,  fo  he  openeth  not  his  mouth.  He  was  cut  off 
from  the  land  of  the  living,  for  the  tranfgreffmi  of  my  people  was  he  Jlricken. 

4.  They  declare  that  he  fhould  be  fold.  Lach.  II.  verf.  12,  and  13. 
'  And  Ifoid  unto  them,  if  ye  think  good,  give  me  ?ny  price,  and  if  not  forbear  : 
fo  they  weighed  for  my  price  thirty  pieces  of  fiver.     And  the  Lord  faid  unto  me, 

c'ajl  it  unto  the  potter ;  a  goodly  price  that  I  was  prized  at  of  them.  And  I 
took  the  thirty  pieces  cffther  aJid  cafl  them  to  the  potter,  in  the  houfe  of  the 
Lord, 

5.  They  make  mention  of  his  being  condemned  by  the  Jews  and 
Heathens.  Pfalm  II.  verfe  2.  The  kings  cf  the  earth  ft  themfelves,  and  the 
rulers  take  courfl  togdhcr,  agairfl  the  Lord  and  againf.  his  anointed.     And 

•  Pfalm  XXII.  -derfe  16.   For  dogs  have  compajfed  me,  the  affemhly  of  the  wick- 
ed have  inclofed  me  ;  they  pierced  my  hands  and  my  feet.     And  Pfalm  LXIX, 

•  i^erfe  12.  They  that  ft  in  the  gate  fpeak  agairfl  me,  and  I  was  the  fong  of  the 
"^'intnkordi:  '  And  IJaiahlMl.  verfe  S.  He  was  taken  frem  prifon  and  from 
?^\-'  -.  .     ■  -  judgfneHt, 


Ch.  XXi'  Booh  of. the  Old  Tejlameht.  415  .^ 

judgment y  andwho.Jhall  declare  his  generation  \  for  he  was  cutofffrgm.^js 
land  of  the  livings  for  the  tranfgrejfion  of  my  people  was  hejlricken.         ,•/  "..'Ji 
.  6.  They  fpecifie  his  death  on  the  crofs.     Pfalm  XXII.  vcrfe  i6,Tl}ey 
pierced  my  hands  and -my  feet..    And  Zach.  XII.  verfe  10.  Jnd they /Jiall look' 
Upon  me. whom  they  have  pierced. 

7.  They  intimate  his  dying  between  thieves.  Ifaiahhlll.  verfe  I2f 
Therefore  luill  I  divide  him  a  portion  with  the  great,  and  he  JJiall  divide  the 
fpoil  xvith  thejirong ;  hccaife  he  has  poured  out  his  foul  unto  dcath^  and  was 
numbered  with  tranfgrejfors.  .^ 

8^.  They  take  notice  of  his,  being  mocked  before  his  deat"h,  'Pfatpi 
XXII.  vcrf.  6,  7,  8.  But  I  am  a  wirm  and  no  man,  a  reproach  ofynen,  and 
defpifed  of  the  people.  Jllthey  that  fee  ?ne  laugh  me  tofcorn,  they  Jhcot  out  the 
Up,  they  Jhake  the  head,  &c.  And  Pfalm  LXIX.  verf.  17,  18,  19.  Hide 
not  thy  face  from  thy  fervant,  for  I  am  introuble,  hear  me  fpeedily.  Draio 
nigh  unto  my  foul,  and  redeem  it :  deliver  me  bccaufc  of  mine  eneynies.  Thou, 
haj}  hioivn  ?ny  iieproach,'  ?riy  Jhame,  and  my  dijhonour :  mine  advcrfarics  are;' 
all  before  thee.  ,-,-^ 

f.r«.  .That  they  whQ;put  hiititp  death  fupyld  divide  his  garments.  PfaH^, 
!^XIl.  verf,  18,  Thfy:pari-^nyt^rmenti  am^Hgf  tUm,  and  cajl  lots  upon  Triy. 
Vejiifi-e.     ,    ■  :'!:  •   ',      '-.:     .    .  ,     r   .:.;:...     .     ,_...:        .■  ,   ;, 

,.  10.  That  the  Meffiah  fliould. complain  that  God  ha.d  forfaice.n"himJua. 
the  hands  of  his  enemies.  ,  Pfalm  XXII.  verf.  1,2.  My  God,  my -QstL 
ivhy  hnji  thou  forfake-n  met  'i^hy  ^^'^  thou  fo  far  from  helping  mc,  and f mm  the 
words  of  my  roaring.  O  riy  God,  l  cry  in  the  day:  time,,  and.  tlidu  hjatiefi,  me 
not -y  and  in  the  night  feafn  a^  not  f lent.  •    ■-.   ;     .     ".  .,^-   \-  i     ..; 

ii.  That  they  would  give  him  vinegar  and  gall  to.-&'mky,:.'Pfaiji^ 
LXIX.  vcrfe  21 .  They  gave  me  alfo  gall  for  my  meat,  and  in  my  thirfi  they, 
gave  me. vinegar  to  drink.    '.•  ■•  '   ,  .'...,.-;  :/:..  _.,•     r;   !,,., 

.  12.  They  fet  before  Our  eyes  the  manner  pf  h'is  .death  on  the  crofs* 
Pfalm  XXII.  veyf  14,  15,  16,.  17.  /  am  poured  out  like  water,  andMlmy 
koms-  are  out  of  joint:  my  heart  is  like  zvax,,  rf.if  n^eUed  in.  the^  m.idjl  of  my 
Uwels. .  Myjircngth  is  dried  up  like  a  pctjhe.rd,  andjmy.tgngue'cleavjth.  to  my 
jaws;  and' thou  haf  brought  me  i7ito  the  clufi  of  death.  Per  dogs  have. .com- 
pafedme,  the. ajfanbly  of  the  wicked  have  enclofed  me  \  they  pierced  my  haiids 
and  my  feet.  .  /  may  tell  all  my  hones,  they  look  and  fare  upon,  trie'..  An'i 
JfaiahhlU.verJ.  J,  S,  q.  I       .    _ -, 

13.  That  not  one  of  his  bones  ibould  be  broken.  PfrdmXXXW\ 
verf.  20.  He  keepcth.  all  his  bones,  not  o/te  of  them  is  broken. 

14.  That  he  was  to  be  buried  in  the  fepujchre  of  a  rich  man,  Ifaiai 
hill,  verf  9.  He  made  his  grave  with  the  wicked,  and  with  the  rich  in  hjs 
death,  beca.ufe  he  had.  done  no  violence,  neitheK  .%tjas,  deceit  found  in  hh 
?nouth,      ■  *'-..'  .      v-.'ji; 

We  may  make  thefe  following  reflexions  on  the  foregoing  oxacleS'.^i•  a 

1.  Tliat  hqre  are  many  very  .difFereqt'ev.ents  and  circumftancps, '^ 
meeting  in  the,  fame  end.       .      .a  /..  .  .^    ./  "     .  . 

2.  •  That  many  of  thefe  pafTages  that  mrght  be  queftioned  whetW  they 
were  particularly  applicable  to  the  Meffiah  are  joy ned  with  fuch  hints, 
as  can  no  way  a^ree  with  the  Prophets  that  uttered  them.  Thus  we'£nd 
that  in  the  XXII  Pfahn^  there  *cs  m^nv  c^^prciTwns  which  fcaniiftt. b? W 
plved  to  David,  Y^- .  \V  ''J'  ^- ^ ^ ^.f  ..^.-*^ 

3.  That 


.  j5  Refiexions  upon  the  Ch.  XXI. 

3.  That  mod  of  thefe  prophecies  are  avowedly  attributed  to  the  Mef- 
fiah'by  the  moft  ancient  authors  of  the  Synagogue.  And  the  modern 
Jews  themfelvcs  refer  them  to  Tome  that  futter'd  a  violent  death,  as  to 
kabbi  Akiha^  who  died  in  the  fecond  century. 

4.  That  the  Apoftles  unaiiimoufly  applyed  them  to  Jefus  Chrift,  the 
Uue  Mefliah,  following  therein  the  general  confent  of  their  nation. 


CHAP.      XXI. 

That  the  Messiah  -was  foon  afur  to  rife  agalu. 

lf><X^  ORASMUCH  as  death  cntred  into  the  world  by  fin,  and 
O  F  5  that  the  Mefliah  was  to  take  it  away,  we  may  eafily  conceive, 
^■/y'ji  that  if  the  Mefliah  were  according  to  the  Divine  difpofal,  to 
iubmit  to  death,  that  he  could  not  long  continue  fubjeft  to  it.  He  who 
was  to  reftore  life  to  thofe  who  were  dead,  could  never  be  confin'd  and 
imprifon'd  in  a  grave  :  and  he  who  was  iuperiour  to  Enoch  and  Eliasy 
who  afcended  into  heaven,  becaufe  he  alone  was  exalted  to  the  right 
hand  of  God,  to  reign  there  for  ever,  as  the  prophecies  concerning 
him  aflure  us,  ought  certainly  to  leave  his  fepulchre  by  a  glorious  refur- 

redtion. 

And  this  we  are  pofitively  aflfured  of  by  the  ancient  oracles.  Pjalm 
XVI.  verf.  10,  II.  Thou  lui/t  not  leave  ?nyjoul  in  hell-y  neither  wilt  thou 
fuffer  thine  holy  one  to  fee  corruption.  Thou  wilt  Jhcw  me  the  path  of  life  ;  in 
thyprefence  is  fubufs  of  joy  ^  at  thy  right  hand  there  arc  pleafures  for  r<jermore. 
And  to  aflure  us  that  thefe  and  the  like  paflagcs  are  applicable  to  none 
but  the  Mefliah,  we  find  in  the  fame  Pfalms  expreflions  too  high  to  be 
applyed  to  the  authors  themfelves :  As  for  example,  Pfalm.  XXX.  verf. 
I,  2,  3.  /  will  extol  theey  O  Lord,  for  thou  haji  lifted  me  up^  and  haji  not 
made  my  foes  to  rejoyce  over  me.  O  Lord  my  God^  I  cried  unto  thee^  and  thou 
haji  healed  me.  O  Lord  thou  haji  brought  up  my  foul  from  the  grave,  thou 
haji  kept  me  alive  that  I  JhouU.  not  go  down  to  the  pit.  And  Pfalm  XLI. 
verf.  8,  9,  10.  Jn  evil  dfeafe^fay  they,  cleaveth  fajl  unto  him,  and  now  that 
he  lieth,  he  Jhall  rife  up  no  more.  Tea,  mine  own  familiar  friend  in  whom  I 
trujied,  which  did  eat  of  my  bread,  hath  lift  up  his  heel  againji  nie.    But  thouy 

0  Lord,  be  merciful  unto  me,  and  raife  me  up,  that  I  may  requite  them.  And 
Pfalm  XLIX.  verfe  15.  But  God  will  redeem  my  foul  from  the  power  of  the 
grave,  for  he  Jhall  receive  me.    Pfalm  LVI.  verf.  11,  12,  13.   In  God  have 

1  put  my  trujl^  I  ivill  not  he  afraid  what  man  can  do  unto  me.  Thy  vows  art 
upon  me,  O  God,  I  will  render  praife  unto  thee.     For  thou  haJI  delivered  my 

fold  from  death,  &c.  Pfalm  LXXII.  verfe  20.   Thou  who  haji  Jhewed  me 

great  and  fore  troubles,  Jhalt  quicken  me  again^  and  Jhall  bring  me  up  again 

from  the  depths  cf  the  earth.  Pfalm  CXLIil.  verf  li,  12.  ^icken  me,  O 

lordffor  th^  names  fake  ^  for  th^  rigbtecufnefs  fake  bring  my  foul  out  oftrqUt 


I 


Ch.  XXI.  Books  of  the  Old  Tfi/lafnent.  417'' 

bli>:  and  of  thy  mercy  cut  off  mine  enemies,  and  dejiroy  all  ih^m  ii.^t  affiic'i  my 
foiil,forIanithyfervant, 

"Hofca  fpeaks  to  the  fame  purpofe  Chap.  XIII.  verf,  14.  /  wiUrMi^ofu 
them  from  the  poiver  of  the  grave,  I  luill  redeem  them  from  death,  O  d.ath, 
I  will  he  thy  plagues  ;  O  grave,  1  vcill  he  thy  dejlruciion  :  Repeniu'ucc  Jha  Hb&y 
hid  from  mine  eyes. 

Ifnah  expreflcs  the  very  fame  thing  Chap.  XXV,  verf.  8.  He  wi'l 
fiualloiv  up  death  in  viilory,  and  the  Lord  God  lui/i  luipe  away  tears  fro?n  off' 
all  faces  ;  and  the  rebuke  of  his  people  fhall  he  take  from  off  all  the  earth  ;  for 
the  Lord  hath  fpckcn  it.  And  yet  moreexprefly  Chap.  LIII.  verf  10,  and 
1 1 .  Tet  it  pleafed  the  Lord  to  bruife  him,  he  hath  put  him  to  grief  \  when  thou 
Jljalt  make  his  foul  an  offering  for  fn^  he  fhall  fee  his  feed,  he  flyall  prolong  his 
days,  and  the  pleafure  of  the  Lord  fhall  pro fper  in  his  hand.  He  fliallfee  of 
the  travel  of  his  foul,  and  fhall  be  fatisfied :  by  his  knowledge  fhall  7}iy  righteous 
fervant  jujiifie  many  ;  for  he  fhall  bear  their  iniquities. 

P'orthe  better  underftanding  of  which  pafihgcs,  we  are  to  obfcrve  i. 
That  the  Meffiah  in  many  or  moftof  them,  comprifcth  all  belie\ers  with 
himfelf,  according  to  that  maxim  of  the  feius,  who  attribute  to  the 
Mefliah  the  greateft  of  all  the  Prophets,  whatfoever  God  vouchfafed  to 
any  one  of  the  Prophets  ;  and  according  to  this  principle  Jefus  Chrill 
'Ipeaks  Matth.  XII.  verf.  39,  40.  An  evil  and  adidtcrous  generation  fcckcth 
afte'r  a  fign,  and  there  fhall  ?io  fign  be  given  to  it,  but  the  fign  of  the  Prophet 
Jonah.  For  as  Jonah  was  three  days  and  three  nights  in  the  zvhales  belly 
fo  fhall  the  fon  of  man  be  three  days  and  three  nights  in  the  heart  of  the 
earth. 

2.  That  upon  this  account  the  Mefliah  is  rcprefented  to  us,  not  as 
rifmg  again  alone,  but  as  making  all  his  brethren  partakers  of  the  fame 
glory;  which  makes  the  Prophets  fpeak  of  him,  not  as  a  flnglc  perfon, 
but  in  common  with  others,  who  by  him  are  made  pofleflbrs  of  the  fame 
advantages. 

3.  That  moft  of  thefe  texts  were  quoted  by  the  Apoflles,  who  in  fo 
doing  followed  the  fenfe  of  the  whole  nation,  as  appears  from  A^/s  II. 
verf.  24,  25,  26,  27,  28,  and  29.  If^hofn  God  hath  raifed,  having  lorfed  the 
pains  of  death  :  becaufe  it  was  not  poffible  that  he  fhould  be  holden  of  it.  For 
D'.w  id  fpeaketh  concerning  him;  I  for  ef aw  the  Lord  always  before  myface^for 
he  is  at  my  right  hand  that  I  fhould  not  be  moved.  Therefore  did  -my  heart 
rejoice,  and  my  tongue  was  glad :  moreover  alfo  7ny  feflj  Ihall  refl  in  hope:  be- 
caufe thou  wilt  not  leave  my  faid  in  Hell,  neither  wilt  thou  fuffer  thy  holy  que 
tiofee  corruption.  Thou  haji  made  known  to  tne  the  ways  of  life :  thou  fhalt 
make  me  full  of  joy  with  thy  countenance.     Afen  and  brethren,  let  me  freely 

fpeak  unto  you  of  the  Patriarch  David,  that  he  is  both  dead  and  buried,  and  his 
fpulchre  is  with  us  unto  this  day.  And  Jets  XIII.  vetf.  30,  31,  32,  33,  34, 
35,  36,  and  37.  But  God  raifed  him  from  the  dead.  Jnd  he  was  feen  many 
days  of  them  ivhich  came  up  with  him  from  Galilee  to  Jerufalem,  who  are 
his  witncffes  unto  the  people.  And  we  declare  unto  you  glad  tidings,  how  that 
the  promife  which  was  made  unto  the  fathers,  God  bath  fulf lied  the  fame  irafa 
us  their  children,  in  that  he  hath  raifed  up  Jfus  again,  as  it  is  alfo  written  in 
the  fecond  Pfzlm,  Thou  art  my  fon,  this  day  have  I  begotten  thee.  Andes 
concerning  that  he  raifed  him  up  from  the  dead,  now  no  more  to  return  ttf  cor- 
ruption, he  faid  on  this  wife,  I  will  give  you  the  fur e  mercies  of  Dzv'id. 
Vol.  I.  D  d  fFherei 


4i{?  Refuxlans  upon  the  Ch.  XXII. 

iVherefore  he  faith  aJfo  in  another  Pfalm,  Thou  Jhalt  mt  fuffer  ihine  holy  on  ^ 
to  fee  (orruptic?:,  /'cr  David,  ^//(.t  hi  had  fcrued  his  own  gcneraticn^  by  the 
will  of  God  fell  ojleep,  and  ivas  gathered  to  his  fathersy  a  fid  f aw  cot^mption. 
But  he  luhom  God  raifcd  aga'.n  faw  no  corruption. 

In  like  manner  we  find  St.  Paul  alluding  to  that  of  H^fea  XIII.  iHtif. 
14.  in  I  Cor.  XV.  vcrf  55.  O  death  where  is  thy  fling  f  O  grave,  where  it 
thy  victory  ? 


jJ:  .^ 


:Q.  :H  ,  A    p.      XXII. 

That  the  MeJJiah  zvas  to  afc  end  into  Heaven^  and  fend  doijun  frQm  thence  the 
miraculous  gifts  of  Prophecy,  Languages,  &c.. 

fp)>')t(^  HIS  was  a  thing  which  might  rationally  enough  b?  expe^- 
C  H  '^  cd  {b) ;  for  the  MelTiah  being  to  refemblc  Mofes,  who  had  not 
1^;^;;^;1^  only  the  gifts  of  the  holy  fpirit  himfelf,  but  alfo  in  a  mapner 
communicated  the  lame  to  the  heads  of  the  congregation  of  Ifrael:  it  was 
reafonable  to  infer,  That  the  Mefliah  was  to  receive  much  more  eminent 
gifts,  and  to  communicate  them  to  far  greater  numbers. 

But  befides  this,  God  had  exprefly  promifed  it  by  David,  Pfalm  CX. 
vcrf.  I,  2,  where  he  reprefents  the  Mcffiah  fitting  at  the  right  hand  of 
God.  The  Lord faid  unto  my  Lord,  fit  thou  at  my  right  harid,  until  I  make 
ihine  enemies  thy  fo  ot fool.  The  Lord  J])all  fend  the  rod  of  thy  Jfren^h  cut  of 
Zion  :  Rule  thou  in  the  7n:(l/l  of  thine  enemies.  "^ 

It  is  worth  our  noting,  that  Daniel  reprefents  to  us  the  fan:.  .on 
where  he  fpeaks  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Meffi^,  Chap.  VII.  verj  .4. 

I  Jaw  in  the'  night  vifious,  and  behold  one  like  the' fan  of  mafi,  ccunc  v,  " 

clouds  of  heaven,  and  came  to  the  ancient  of  doys-^  a^d  tliey  brought  nm  lu 
before  him.     And  there  ivas  given  him  dominion- a!id  gUry,,  and  a  Mngdoi^ 
that  all  people,  nations  and  largnages  fould  ferve  hint:  bis  ddminion  ii  un 
evcrlajiing  dc minion,  which  fh all  not  pafs  away,  and  bii^  kingdom  that  which 
f:all  not  he  dcjhoyed.     Where  doth  God  d\^-ell>  unj^fs  i^l  l^ftiven? 

David  exprefics  himfelf  in  terms  which  import  foraeth^ng  too  great 
to  be  applycd  to  the  fynibohcal  arik  of  the  covenant,  Pfalm  XXIV,  verf 
7,  8,  9.  Lift  lip  your  heads,  0  ye  gates,  and  he  ye  lift  up  ye  ever lafling  doors, 
and  the  king  of  glory  Jhall  come  in.  IV-ho  is  this  king  of  glory  f  the  Lordjirang 
and  mighty,  the  Lord  mighty  in  h(Xitel,,kc. 

He  fpcaJts  further  of  the  glorious  kingdom  of  th^  MefTiah,  Pfalm^hY . 
vcrf.  5, 13,  ^i  Thine  arrowi  are:  fr^rp  in  the  lieart  of  the  kings  enemies ; 
whereby  the  people  fall  under  thee.  Thy  throne,  0  God,  is  for  ex'cr  and  ever: 
the  fccpter  of  thy  kingdom  is  a  right  feepier.  Thou  lovcj}  righteoufiefs  and 
hatted  wickednefs,  therefore  God  thy  God  hath  anointed  thee  with  the  oyl  of 
gladnefs  above  thy  fellows.  'Tis  evident  that  David  ajddreiies  himfelf 
Lhere  to  the  MefTtah)  becaufe  he  ililcs  him  a  God  anointed  above  hisfel- 

-  lows, 

(h)  Deut.  xviii.  18. 


Ch.  XXII.  BeohofiheOldTfJhment.  ^ig 

lows.  And  he  purfues  the  fame  idea,  Pfalm  LXVIII.  verf.  i8.  'T'kt>n  haft 
afcended  on  highy  thou  hnj}  led  captivity  captivf,  thou  had  received  gifts  for 
men^  yea  for  the  rebillious  alfo^  that  the.  Lord  God  7night  dwell  amongH 
them.  Nothing  can  be  Imagined  more  exprefs  than  thefe  words,  which 
lively  reprefent  to  us  the  aicenfion  of  the  A4efliah,  and  the  pourin^^ 
forth  of  prophetkal  gifts,  to  bring  the  heathens  to  the  fervice*  o1' 
God. 

^w^fpeaks  the  fame  Chap.  XLIV.  verf  3.  For  I  tuill  pour  water  upon 
him  that  is  thirjly^  and  foods  upon  the  dry  ground:  I  will  pour  my  fpirit 
upon  thy  fed,  and  my  hleffing  upon  thine  of-fpring.  The  waters  here  fpoken 
of,  according  to  the  ordinary  ftile  of  the  Prophets,  are  nothin-r  clfe  but 
the  graces  of  God's  Spirit. 

yo(?/cxprefles  himfelf  very  plainly  in  this  matter.  Chap.  11.  verf  2S, 
29»  30>  3I>  32-  ^"d  itjhall  come  to  pafs  aftciivard,  that  I  will  pour  out  of 
my  fpirit  upon  allfejh,  and  your  fans  and  your  daughters  Jhall  prophefie^  your 
oldtnen  Jhall  dream  dreams,  your  young  men  flyall  fee  viftons.  Ajid  alfo  upon 
the  fervants,  and  upon  the  handmaids  in  thofe  days  will  I  pour  out  my  fpirit. 
And  I  will /hew  wonders  in  the  heavens  and  in  the  earth,  blood  and  fire  and 
pillars  offmoke.  The  Jun  Jhall  be  turned  into  darknefs,  and  the  moon  into  hhod, 
before  the  great  and  terrible  day  of  the  Lord  come.  And  it  Jhall  come  to  pafs 
0hat  whofoever  Jhall  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  jhall  be  delivered:  for  in  mount 
Zion,  and  in  Jerufalem,  Jhall  be  deliverance,  as  the  Lord  hath  faid,  and  in 
the  remnant  whom  the  Lord  Jhall  call. 

Nothing  can  be  conceived  more  particular  than  this  oracle,  concern- 
ing the  effufion  of  the  prophetical   gifts  upon  the  fervants  of  the  Mcf- 
fiah,  after  his  afcenfion.     For  i.  He  clearly  hints  at  the  feveral  wavs  of 
prophecy,  which  fhall  be  bcitowcd   upon  the  fubjects  of  the  Me/Viah. 
2.  That  this  great  event  was  to  be  before  the  dcftrudion  oi  Jeruj'alejn 
which  St.  Peter  foretels  as  a  thing  at  the  door,  Acts  II.  verf  ?o    ^i    -22.' 
after  he  had  fhevved  that  the  wonderful  effufion  of  the  Spirit  at  pentecoft 
was  a  literal  accomplifhing  of  the  prophecy  oi  Joel,  he  adds,  Therefore 
being  a  Prophet,  and  knowing  that  God  hadfworn  with  an  oath  to  him,  that 
of  the  fruit  of  his  loins,  according  to  theflejh,  he  would  raife  up  Chrijl  to  ft  on 
his  throne:  he  feeing  this  before,  fpake  of  the  rejurreaion  of  Chrijl,  that  his 
foul  was  net  left  in  hell,  neither  his  fejh  did  fee  corruption.     This  Jefus  has 
God  raifed  up,  whereof  we  all  are  witneffes. 

Ezcchiel  goe<i  on  with  the  fame  views  with  Joel,  Chap.  XXXVI.  verf 

lb,  and  2'j.  A  new  heart  alfo  will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  fpirit  will  I  put 

ivithinyou ;  and  I  will  take  away  thejiony  heart  out  ofsourflejh,  and  I  %vill 

give  you  an  heart  offejh.     And  I  will  put  my  fpirit  toithin  you,  and  caufc  you 

to  walk  in  my  Jiatutes,  and  ye  [ball  keep  my  judgments  and  do  them.     And 

Chap.  XXXIX.  verf.  29.   Neither  will  I  hide  my  face  any  more  fro?n  them  : 

for  I  have  poured  out  my  fpirit  upon  the  houfe  of  Ifrael,  faith  the  Lord  God. 

And  Zachariah  agrees  with  both  the  foregoing  Prophets,  Chap.  XII. 

verfe  10.  And  I  will  pour  upon  the  houfe  c/'David,  and  upon  the  inhabitants 

c/"  Jerufalem,  the  fpirit  of  grace  and  of  fitppHcations  ;  and  they  Jhall  look  upon 

him  whom  they  have  pierced,  and  t}>ey  JhaH  mourn  for  him  as  one  mournethfor 

his  only  fan,  andJljuUb^^in  bi\ternefsfor  hiin,  as  ime'tbaf  is  in  bitter  nej's  f^^  his 

firf^-bom.        •  v.-i'. :--.  i.-^  i      -n  ..}i...cr,-J  ^ft.-.-^.  7  *  ";•.•    m  /• 

'TU  obvious  to  make  thefe  following  obfcn-ations  upon  thefe  oracles, 

^  d  2  I,  That 


4?.o  Rtf.exioui  upon  the  Ch.  XXIII. 

1.  That  the  Mcfliali  was  to, bp,/aipi;d.  above  the  reach  of  any  of  )iis: 
enemies.  ,   , 

2.  That  he  vas  to  afcend  to  heaven,  and  to  be  inflated  there  in  glo- 
ry, in  order  to  his  being  di;:nified  and  glorified  above  all  nations. 

3.  That  he  was  from  thence  to  fend  down  Prophetical  graces  plenti- 
fully, which  made  his  entrance  into  heaven  a  kind  of  triumph. 

4.  That  this  great  event  was  to  precede  tHe  dcflrudion  ni  JerufaUm^ 
to  which  the  Prophet  Joel'm  the  fore-cited  place  feems  to  allude.  The 
Meflinh  ^v^s  ,to  form  a  new  fociety,  which  was  to  be  regulated,  not  by 
the  law^. given  on  mount  Slnaiy  but  by  thofe  which  were  to  be  publifhed 
from  mount  Zlcv. 

■r 


C     H     A    P.      XXIII. 

Tljat  ?/;^  Gentiles  in  the  Txuie  of  the  Messiah  were  to  be  called  {o  the 
Knowledge  of  the  true  God. 

rr;>J:'»^HIS  article  being  one  of  the  mofl  important  and  moft  vifible 
^  T  t^  characters  of  the  times  of  the  MclTiah,  and  Jfo  the  great  cffedt 
i4^>S.?<^i:5  of  his  miniflry,  we  fee  that  God  had  a  particular  care  to  di- 
vulge the  lame  by  a  multitude  of  prophetical  reprefentations  of  it. 

For  not  only  had  he  declared  that  the  feed  cf  the  woman  Jhoula  kruife  the 
Cerpents  head  (/)  ;  that  is,  the  works  of  tiie  Devil.  And  we  can't  deny, 
but  that  the  errors  and  idolatries  of  the  Gentiles^  and  tjieir  vices  which 
;irife  from  thence,  were  die  fruits  of  fm,  which  this  unhappy  fpirit  brought; 
into  the  world.  It  was  not  only  foretold  that  God  would  perfwade  Ja- 
Yihet  to  dwell  m  the  tents  of  Sem{m)y  by  uniting  the  poflerities  of  both 
thofe  Patriarchs  in  one  and  the  fame  religion.  Not  only  had  he  fignified 
that  the  McfTiah  fliould  reign  o\er  the  children  of  Setfpy  that  is  over  all 
the  pollerity  of  iVl?^/;,  the  ofF-fpring  of  Cham  not  excepted.  Not  only 
had  he  foretold  that  all  nations,  kindreds,  and  families  fhould  be  blellecl 
in  the  MelTiah  («)." 

But  God  went  much  fiirther  afterward?,  for  as  the  light  of  the  revela- 
tion encrcafed,  fo  the  fame  was  declared  more  diltinctiy.     For, 

1.  The  Patriarch  Jo-cob  tells  that  the  McfTiah  fhould  be  the  defire  and 
expeftation  of  all  nations.  Gcn.  XLIX.  verfe  10.  The  fccpter  Jhall  not 
depart  from  Judah,  nor  a  law-giver  from  between  h'uffct^  until  Shiloh  come, 
a>:d  toit'j  hiiTt-jhijli  the  gathering  of  the  people  be. 

2.  AlofiS  threatens  the  Jewi^  that  if  they  defpifed. the  law  of  God, 
f^ ranker?,  that  is.  Gentiles^  (hould  be  preferred  before  them.  Deut. 
XXVin.  t}eri£  43.  The  flranger  that  is  within  thee  Jhair^et  up  ahcve  thee 
Very  high;  and  thou  Jhalz  come  liown  very  hw.  The  fame  Prophet  me- 
r.aceth  thcmfrnm  God,  that  he  would  flir  up  their  jealou^c,  by  calling 

a  foolifh 
fl)  Gen.  iij.  K.  (mj  Gen.  ix.  27. 

(/ij  Gen.  xii.  &  Ch.  xviii.   &  xxii. 


Ch.  XXIII.  Books  of  the  Old  Tejament,  42 1 

a  foolifli  people  W  his  fervice  and  v/orfhip.  Deui.  XXXll.  verfe  21 . 
They  have  moved  me  to  jealoiific  with  thatiuhich  is  7zot  God,  they  have  pro- 
tjoked  me  to  anger  with  their  vaytities,  and  Twill  move  them  to  jcahtifiC  with 
thofe  which  are  not  a  people,  I  will  provoke  them  to  anger  with  a  f::lifh  na- 
tion. Nothing  can  be  faid  more  exprefs  arid  particular  than  thefe  \x^ 
words  of  that  great  law  giver  and  founder  of  the  ftate  of  the  ytzi/^. 

3.  David  kt?,  forth  the  empire  of  the  Meffiah,  as  that  which  was  to 
reach  over  all  the  earth.  Pfa.'mll.  virje  8.  AJk  of  mel  and  I  Jh all  give 
thee  the  heathen  for  thine  inheritance,  and  the  utttrincjl  parts  of  the  earth  for 
thypojejjion.  And  PfalmXXU.  verf.  27,  28,  29,  30.  JH  the  ends  of  the 
world fl)all  remcmher  and  turn  unto  the  Lord;  and  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  na- 
tions Jhall  worJJoip  before  thee.  For  the  kingdom  is  the  Lords,  and  he  is  Go- 
Vernonr  atnotigst  the  nations.  All  they  that  he  fat  upon  the  earth,  Jhall  eat  and 
iuorjhip ;  all  they  that  go  down  to  the  dujl  jhall  how  before  hi?n.  A  feed  Jhall 
ferve  him,  it  Jlxill  be  accounted  to  the  Lord  for  a  generation.  Pfalm  LXXIL 
verf.  8,  9,  I  o,  1 1 .  He  Jlmll  have  dominion  froin  fen  to  fca,  andfro?n  the  river 
unto  the  ends  of  the  earth.  They  that  dwell  in  the  wildernejs  Jhall  bow  before 
him  ;  and  his  enemies  fnall  lick  the  dujl.  The  kings  of  Tarfhifh  ajid  of  the 
ifesjl}all  bring  prefents,  the  kings  of  Sheba  and  ^ehdi  Jhall  offer, gifts.  Tea 
all  kings  Jl)all fall  down  before  him,  all  nations  Jhall  ferve  hint.  Which  pro- 
phecy is  the  more  remarkable,  becaufe  the  promife  made  to  Abraham  is 
there  repeated  iji  fo  many  words,  viz.  That  all  nations  of  the  earth  JJyjuld 
leblejfedin  the  Meffmh.  Pfalm  CJI.  verfe  15.  So  the  heathen  Jhall  fear  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  and  all  the  kings  of  the  earth  thy  glory.  And  PJabn  CX. 
Veffe  2.  The  Lord  Jhall  fend  the  rod  of  thy  jlrength  out  cf  Zion ;  rule  thou  in 
the  midjl  of  thine  enemies.  One  ought  to  tranfcribe  almofl  the  whole  book 
of  Pfalms,  to  take  notice  of  all  the  paflages  which  are  to  this  purpofe. 

The  Prophet  Hofca  declares  in  general  terms,  That  it  was  not  an  im- 
po/Tible  thing  for  thofe  who  had  been  God's  people  to  ceafe  to  be  fo ;  or 
for  thofe  that  were  not  his  people  to  become  his  people ;  Chap.  I.  verfe 
10.  Tetthe  number  of  the  children  cJ'K'CZtX  Jhall  be  asthefandofthefea,  which 
cannot  be  meafur'd  or  nutnbred;  and  it  Jhall  come  to  pafs,  that  in  the  place 
where  it  tvasfaid  unto  them,  ye  are  7iot  my  people^  there  it  Jhall  be  faid  unto 
them,  ye  are  the  Jons  of  the  liviftg  God. 

Jjaiah  mentions  this  fo  often,  and  in  fuch  an  em.phatical  manner,  that 
it  feems  to  be  the  main  thing  he  drives  at  in  all  his  v.-ritings.  Chap.  II. 
verje  2,  3,  he  fpeaks  thus  :  And  it  Jhall  come  to  pafs  in  the  lafi  days  that  the 
?nountain  cfthe  Lord^s  hoiije  Jhall  be  ejiablijhed  in  the  top  cf  the  mountains, 
and  Jhall  he  exalted  above  the  hills,  and  all  naiio7is  Jhall  fow  unto  it.  And 
many  people  fimll  go  and  fay.  Come  ye  and  let  us  go  up  to  the  moun.tain  of  the 
Lord,  to  the  houfe  of  the  God  cf  Jacob  ;  and  he  will  teach  us  of  his  luays, 
and  we  vjill  walk  in  his  paths ;  for  out  of  Xion  Jhall  go  forth  the  law,  and  the 
word  of  the  Lord  from  Jerufalem.  And  Chap.  XI.  verfe  10.  In  that  day 
there  J})all  he  a  root  ^Jeffe,  which  Jhall Jiand for  an  C7tfgn  cf  the  people,  to  it 
Jhall  the  Gentiles  feek.  And  Chap.  XVIIl.  verje  7.  he  makes  a  manifeft 
Jlllufion  to  the  expeSiation  of  all  nations :  In  Chap.  XLII.  verJe  i,  2,  3,  a. 
he  repeats  the  fame  thing ;  Behold  my  Jervant  tvhom  I  uphold,  mine  ektl 
In  whom  my  Joul  delighteth  ;  /  will  put  my  Jpirit  iip-9n  him,  he  Jnall  bririT 
forth  judgment  to  the  Gentiles.  He  Jhall  net  cry,  nor  lift  up,  nor  cauj'e  his 
voice  to  be  heard  in  the  greets.     A  bruijed  reed  Jhall  he  not  break,  and  the 

D<i.3  fmoking 


422  Reflexions  upon  the  Cn.  XXIII, 

fmokbigjiax /})all  he  not  quench^  he  Jhnll  bring  forth  judgment  unto  the  earth  \ 
and  the  ijles  Jhall  wait  for  his  leiw.  Chap.  LV,  vcifc  4,  5.  Behold  I  have 
given  thee  for  a  witne/s  of  the  people^  a  leader  and  a  commander  to  the  people. 
Behold^  thou  jhalt  call  a  nation  that  thou  knoivejt  not^  and  nations  that  knew 
not  thee  fhall  run  unto  thee^  hecanfe  of  the  Lord  thy  God^  and  for  the  holy  One 
ofi({zt\yfor  he  hath  glorified  thee.  But  one  fee's  thcfe  truths  in  their 
grcateft  luftre  in  the  LX  Chap,  of  his  prophecies,  verf  3,4, 5.  The  Gentiles 
fi)all  cotne  to  thy  light,  and  kings  to  the  brightncfs  of  thy  riftng.  Lift  up 
thine  eyes  round  about,  and  fee',  all  that  gather  thcmfelves  together^  they  come 
to  thee,  thy  fons  fhall  come  from  far,  and  thy  daughters  f)all  he  nurfed  at  thy 
fide.  Then  thou  fhaltfee  and  fhine,  and  thine  heart  fhall  fear  and  he  enlarged^ 
becaufe  the  abundance  ofthefea  fhall  be  converted  unto  thee,  the  forces  of  the 
Gentiles  fhall  cofue  unto  thee.  And  Chap.  LXII.  vaf.  2.  The  Gentiles 
fjjall  fee  thy  righteoufnefs,  and  all  kings  thy  glory :  and  thou  fJjalt  be  called 
by  a  new  natnc,  luhich  the  mouth  of  the  Lcrdf^all  nafnc.  And  verf  11,  and 
12.  Behold,  the  Lord  hath  proclaimed  unto  the  ends  of  the  luorld,  fay  ye  to  the 
daughter  of  Xlon,  Behold  thy  falvation  cometh ;  behold  his  reward  is  with  him^ 
and  his  work  is  before  him.  j^nd  they  fhall  call  them  the  holy  people,  the  re- 
deemed of  the  Lord  \  arui  tlyou  (halt  he  called.  Sought  outy  ACitynotforfaken. 
And  Chap.  LXV.  verf.  i.  1  am  fought  of  them  that  afiednotfor  me\  I  am 
found  of  them  that  fought  yne  not :  Ifaid,  Behold  me,  behold  me,  unto  a  nation 
that  ivas  not  called  by  my  name.  And  Chap.  LXVI.  verfe  18.  It  fhall  come 
to  pafs,  thai. I~wiU  gather  all  nations  and  tongues,  and  they  fhall  come  and  fee 
my  glory.    U'.Cv,  :;-,A 

Jmos  (who  was  contemporary  with  Ifaiah)  fpcaks  the  fame  thing. 
Chap.  IX.  verf.  II,  12.  In  that  day  will  1  raife  up  the  tabernacle  of  David 
which  is  fallen,  and  clofe  up  the  branches  thereof;  and  I  will  raife  up  his 
ruins,  and  I  will  build  it,  as  in  the  days  of  old.  That  they  may  poffefs  the  rem- 
nant c/'Edom,  and  of  all  the  heathen,  which  are  called  by  my  name,  fi^ith  the 
Lord  which  doth  this. 

The  Prophet  Micah  alfo  follows  the  Prophet  Ifaiah  flep  by  ftcp,  Mich. 
IV.  verf.  I,  2,  3«  But  in  the  lafl  days  itfl)all  come  to  pafs,  that  the  mount jin 
of  the  houfe  of  the  Lord  fl)  all  be  efiablijhed  in  the  top  of  the  mountains^  and  it 
Jhall  be  exalted  above  the  hills,  and  people  fJ^all flow  Ufito  it,  And  many  nations 
Jljall  come  and  fay.  Come  and  let  us  go  up  to  the  mountain  of  the  Lord,  and  to 
the  hoiff  of  the  God  of  Jzcoh,  and  he  ivill  teach  us  of  his  Wtfys^  and  we  will 
walk  m  his  paths :  for  the  law  fhall  go  forth  of  Zion,  and  the  word  of  the 
Lord  frc7n  JcruhAcm.  Aid  he  fhall  judge  among  many  people,  and  rebuke 
(hong  natioyis  afar  off,  and  they  fhall  beat  their  fivords  into  ploiu  jhares,  and 
their  fpears  into  pruning-hooks :  -nation  Jhall  not  lift  up  afivordagain/l  nation^ 
7] cither  fhall  they  learn  war  any  ?nore. 

Zcphaniah  is  as  clear  as  any  of  the  reft,  Chap.  II.  verf  11.  They  fhall 
lucrfolp  him,  every  o'ne  from  his  place,  even  all  the  ifles  of  the  heathen.  And 
Chap.  Hi.  ve7f.  9,  10.  The7i  will  I  turn  to  the  people  a  pure  language,  that 
they  may  all  call  upon  the  na7nc  of  the  Lord,  to  five  him  with  qne.  confent. 
Frftn  beyo7id  the  rivers  of  Ethiopia,  my  fuppliantSy  the  daughter  of  my  dif- 
perfrd  fhall  bring  niinc  offering. 

Jere^ifiahvn  tlie  fourth  Chapter  o^  his  prophecies,  verf.  2,. confirms  the 
ame  truth  j  as  likewife  Chap.  XVI.  ve^f.  19.  and  more  exprefly  Chap. 
XXXI.  ivr/f  34.  And  they  Jhall  teaJniQ  mort  every  fmm  his  neighbour,  and 

•  every 


Ch.  XXni.  Books  of  the  Old  Ttfiament.  423 

every  man  his  brother^  fryi^gt  Know  the  Lord;  for  they  frail  all  know  me 
from  the  leafbfthsm  unto  the  greatef  of  them^  faith  tlxevLord. 

After  the  return  of  the  captivity^  we  find  that  the  Prophets  ftill  pur- 
fued  the  fame  idea's.  Hnggai  \l.  'vsrf.  7,  8.  And^l  will  ji)ake  all  notions^ 
and  the  deftre  of  all  nations  Jhall  co7HeJ  and  I  willfilli^Ti^houfc  wit)}  glory  faith 
the  Lord  of  Hojls.  The  f  her  is  mine,  a;id  the  gold  is  ^wh.,  faith  the  Lord 
of  Hop.  .        ."-'  '  ■ 

Zechariah  fpeaks  in  like  manner.  Chap.  11.  verf.  10,  il.  Sing  and  re~ 
joyce^  O  daughter  of  Zion  ;  for  10  I  come,  and  I  will  dwell  in  the  inidjl  of 
thee,  fai*h  the  Lord.  And  many  nations  Jhall  be  joynedto  the  Lord  in  that  day, 
and  pall  be  my  people ;  and  I  will  dwell  in  the  mdji  cf  thee,,  arid  thou  Jl)ait 
know  that  the  Lord  of  Hofs  hath  fent  me  unto  ther.  And  Chap.  VIII.  verf. 
20>  21,  22.  Thus  faith  the  Lord  of  Hofs,  it  fnail  yet  come  to  pafs,  that  there 
/hall  come  people,  and  the  inhabitants  of  many  cities  :  and  the  inhabitants  of  one 
city  Jhall  go  to  another,  faying  ;  let  us  go  fpecddy  to  pray  befwe  the  Lord,  and 
to  feek  the  Lord  of  Hofs,  I  will  go  alfo.  Tea,  many  people  andfrong  nations 
Jhall  come  to  feek  the  Lord  of  Hojls  in  Jerufalem,  and  to  pray  before  the  Lord. 
And  Chap.  XI.  vepj\  10.  he  exprefll-s  die  ikme  thing  more  diftinctly.  And 
I  will  cut  off  the  chariot  from  Y^^axiiwVi,  and  the  horfe  J'rom  ltx\iiA^n\,  and 
the  battel  bow  Jhall  be  cut  off,  and  he  Jhall  f peak  peace  unto  the  heathen,  and 
his  dominion  Jhall  be  from  feu  to  fa,  and  from  the  river  unto  tin  ends  of  the 
earth.  m.     .  v 

Malachi  fpeaks  to  the  fame  purpofe  with  the  greatefl:  rlearnefs  ima- 
ginable. Chap.  I.  verj'.  10,  li.  JVho  is  there  among  you  that  Jhuts  the  doors, 
or  kindles  f re  on  mine  altar  for  nought  ?  I  have  no  pieafirt(  in  you  faith  the 
Lord  of  Hofs,  neither  loill  I  accept  an  offering  at  your ,  hand:  for  from  the 
riftng  cf  the  fun,  even  unto  the  going  down  cf  t-'od  fajnCy.  fky  uame^  Jhall  be  great 
among  the  Gentiles,  and  in  every  place  incenfe  Jhall  be  ofjktcd\nnto  my  nafne, 
and  a  pure  offering :  for  my  name  JhaU  be  great  among  t})e  heathen,  J'aith  the 
Lord  of  Hofs. 
On  all  which  paflliges  one  may  make  thefe  obfcrvatidtis  t 

1.  That  all  this  whole  fcries  of  idea's  hath  as  much  connexion  to 
one  another,  as  the  words  of  thofe  oracles  have  which  we  have  nov/  al- 
ledged. 

2.  That  thefe  prophets  have  fet  it  forth  with  all  its  polTible  characters, 
by  the  original  of  thefe  people,  calling  them  the  children  oiSeih,  bv  their 
countreys,  Egypt,  Ajfyria,  the  Eajt  and  IVeJl ;  by  their  idolatry,  by  their 
averfion  to  the  Jetvs,  their  ignorance,  13  c. 

3.  That  thefe  prophecies  were  generally  underflood  by  the  Jeivs  of 
old,  of  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  as  appears  from  the  ufe  the  Apoflles 
made  of  them  when  they  preached  to  the  Gentiles. 

4.  That  forafmuch  as  God  had  ordered  profelytes  to  be  received  into 
the  Jewifh  communion,  he  feem'd  thereby  to  have  hinted  to  them,  that 
what  he  had  enjoyji'd  therri  as  to  particulars,  ought  with  much  more  rca-« 
fonto  be  praL^iced  in  general  to  all  theiiations  of  the  world,  and  oucrht 
alfo  to  be  univerfally  defired.  v "^  i^- '.' 

5.  That  the  modern  "Jexus  themfelves  conftantly  believ'd,  that  the 
Mefliah  fhould  lead  the  Gentiles  to  repentance.  So  Kimchi,  Mofes  Mai- 
monides,  and  many  other  authors,  fince  the  Tahr.v.difs. 

6.  That  the  opinion  which  the  Jews  have  entertained,  that  the  Mef- 

D  d  4  f,ah, 


424-  R'-Jiixions  upon  the  Ch.  XXIV, 

fiah,  as  a  great  conqueror,  was  to  fubduc  the  nations,  proceeds  only  from 
the  fenle  of  the  opprcHion  they  have  been,  and  ftill  are,  under,  which 
makes  them  ib  earncrtly  defire  a  temporal  deliverance  from  the  power  of 
the  Gentiles^  by  means  of  the  Mefliah  :  and  the  pompous  cxpreffion  of 
fome  of  the  Prophets,  have  flrcngthcn'd  this  belief  in  them  ;  tho'  tliey 
car.iiOL  deny  but  that  the  fame  prophetical  paflages  do  imply  that  the 
Mefiiah  was  to  fubjecl  the  Getitiles  by  the  way  of  inftrudion. 


CHAP.       XXIV. 

Ihat  the  J«ws  xvere  to  he  rejeSled'in  the  Time  of  the  Messiah. 

gSJtJS^  HERE  are  three  things  which  make  this  particular  very  ccn- 
^  T  S   fiderablc. 

li:.St^=i?  The  firft  is.  That  it  feems  altogether  oppofite  to  the  defign 
ot  God,  who  was  entered  into  covenant  with  the  Jcws^  excludrnfr  all 
other  nations  of  the  earth.  ° 

The  fecond  is.  That  nothing  ever  was  a  greater  fcandal  to  the  Jcwi 
than  the  thoughts  of  a  poinbility  that  God  fhould  ever  cafl  ofF  their  na- 
tion. 

The  third  is,  That  the  reje^ion  of  the  Jeivs,  fccmVl  lefs  poffible  in 
the  time  of  the  Mefliah,  than  at  any  other  time  ;  the  Meiliah  being,  ac- 
cording to  their  perfwafion,  to  procure  the  falvation  of  the  7r.ui  m  the 
firft  place,  and  before  other  nations  were  made  partakers  .of  thofe  blef- 
fmgs  which  he  brought  along  with  him.  ' 

And  it  was  upon  this  account,  that  God  hath  forgpt  nothing  wlycli 
might  make  tliofe  oracles  that  relate  to  the  reieaion  of  the  leuaJiSi  .the 
time  of  the  Mcifiah,  very  fenfible.  ''"  .  .  " ' 

The  chief  priviledges  which  made  the  Jeivs  confidcr  themrcivesj/a^ 
God's  peculiar  people,  were  thefe. 

1.  God  himfelf  was  in  a  peculiar  manner  their  king  aiid  S'overalgnj 
which  gave  Jcjephus  occafion  to  call  their  ftate  a  theocracy. 

2.  ^i'heir  religious  fervice  did  wholly  depend  upon  God  ;  who  had  in- 
ftiiuted  their  order  of  priefthood. 

3.  God  had  placed  them  in  a  country  by  themfclvcs,  and  fcparated 
them  from  all  other  nations. 

4.  God  had  given  them  the  iJrhn  and  Thummi?n^  which  gave  them  an 
infallible  refolution  in  all  important  cafes  happening  to  their  ihte  i  which 
was  an  evident  mark  of  the  Divine  prefence  and  dircaion. 

5.  God  gave  them  particular  marks  of  his  ble/Ting,  the  extraordinary 
fruiifulncfs  which  continually  ufher'd  in  their  fabbatical  year;  tKe  fccu- 
rity  which  they  enjoyed  during  their  three  folcmn  fcafts  ;  and  abo'.cal!, 
the  deliverers  which  he  from  time  tQ  time  rais'd  up  for  them,  their  four- 
teen  judges  laidJcings, 


Ch.  XXIV.  Books  of  the  Old  Tejlament  42 - 

And  God  alfo  thrcatned  them  with  evils  oppofite  to  thefe  blefTincrs  ; 
and  all  this  is  denounced  againfl:  them  flap  by  ftep. 

1.  He  declares  that  he  would  no  longer  be  their  God. 

2.  That  he  would  abolifti  and  rtject  their  order  of  priefthood,  which 
was  accordingly  executed  by  degrees. 

3.  That  he  would  turn  them  out  of  their  own  country,  without  re- 
covery. 

4.  That  they  fhould  have  no  more  Prophets  or  revelations. 

5.  That  he  would  take  away  from  them  all  the  marks  of  his  protec- 
tion. The  pafTages  cxprefling  thefe  feveral  particulars  are  here  fubjoyn'd 
which  may  be  eafily  rang'd  under  the  foregoing  heads,  that  we  may  un- 
derftand  the  better  that  God  hath  plainly  foretold  the  rejection  of  the 
yews  at  the  time  of  the  Mefliah. 

1.  Mofesxhen  threatens  them  with  a  terrible  defolation,Z)^a/.  XXVIII. 
verf.  28,  29.  The  Lord  Jhali [mite  thee  with  madnefs  and  blindnefs,  and  alio- 
nijhment  of  heart :  and  thou  Jhalt  grope  at  noon  day^  as  the  blind  groteth  in 
darknefsy  and  thou  Jhalt  not  profper  in  thy  ways^  and  thou  Jlyalt  be  only  oppref- 

fed  andfpoiled  evermore^  and  no  man  Jhallfave  thee. 

Manajjeh  acknowledges  that  God  in  this  paflage  foretels,  not  only  their 
firrt  defolation  under  Nebuchadnezzar^  but  alfo  that  which  happened  un- 
der Thus  Vefpafian.  The  eagle  mention'd  at  the  49//^.  vcrfe  of  that  Chap- 
ter^ being  not  only  applicable  to  Nebuchadnezzar^  whom  Ezechiel^  Chap. 
XVII.  reprefents  under  that  notion,  but  more  particularly  to  the  Rotnan 
emperour  Titus^  whole  eagles  gave  a  literal  accompliihmeat  to  thatpro- 
Pliecy.  _   .  ,  evvKiriU  -^r  A    \- 

This  makes  it  evident,  That  at  the  fame  time  whcnGcd  thh^atens 
them  with  their  firfl  defolation,  he  alfo  denounces  to  them  the  laft;  and 
that  confequently  we  may  apply  thofe  palTages  to  the  fecond  rejedion  of 
the  fews^  which  were  fpoken  of  the  firft. 

2.  Hofea  exprelTeth  the  fame  in  his  firft,  fecond,  and  third.  CZ;«^/^rj, 
where  Re  particularly  fortels  their  being  deprived  of  the  royal  dignitv, 
priefthood  and  prophecy. 

3.  Ifaiah  fpeaks  to  the  fame  purpofe  in  his  nrft,  fecond,  and  fifth 
Chapters,  as  alfo  Chap.  XXVIII,  XLII,  L,  and  LXVI.  and  in  his  XXV. 
Chapter  he  fpeaks  as  if  no  reftoration  was  to  be  expeded. 

4.  Jmos  reprefents  the  fame  thing.  Chap.  V.  vetf.  16,  17,  and  21,  22- 
Therefore  the  Lord  the  GodofHoJls.,  the  Lord  faith  thus;  luailing  Jhall  be  in 
allfireets.,  andthey/hallfayin  all  the  high-ways,  Jlasf  alas!  and  they  Jh  all  caU 
the  hujbandman  to  mourmng.,  andfuch  as  arefkilful  of  lamentation  to  wailinT. 
And  in  all  vineyards  Jhall  be  wailing;  for  I  ivill  pafe  through  thee  faith  tVe 
Lord.  Ihate,  I  defpife  your  feaji-days  ;  and  I  iiill  not  fmellin  your  folemn 
ajfcmbhes  :  though  ye  offer  ine  burnt- offerings  and  your  meat-offerings.,  J  will 
not  accept  them.,  neither  will  I  regard  the  peace-offerings  of  your  fat  beajls. 
Where  he  hints  that  their  defolation  fhall  be  without  recovery. 

5.  Jeremiah  is  very  exprefs  in  Chap.  V,  VI,  and  X.  'uerfe  11.  where 
he  declares  that. their  deltrudion  fhould  be  without  remedy  as  aFo 
Chap.  XII.  and  XXXI,  ^  ' 

6.  Danul  follows  their  fteps,  Chap.  IX.-uerf  25,  26,  27.  where  he 
diredtly  pomts  at  the  deftrudion  of  Jenfalem,  and  the  temple.  The 
words  are  thefe  >  Know  therefore  and  ur.derjiand^  that  from  the  going  forth 

of 


426  Ripxiom  upon  thf  Ch.  XXV. 

of  the  commmidmcni^  to  rejisre  ftnit  hu'dd  Jcrunilcm,  tiyito  the  Mejjiah  the 
frincc,  Jhall  be  JevEu  w^^eJtsy  and  thrctjort-  and  tuio  weeks  the  Jircet  Jhall  be 
built  aga'in^  wid  the  wall,  even  in  troublous  times.  Jnd  after  the  threefcore 
and  two  ivceks  Jhall  MESSIAH  he  cut  ojf^  but  not  for  hinifclf:  and  the 
people  of  the  prince  that  Jhall  conw,  jhall  de/hoy  the  city  and  the  fan^tary,  and 
the  end  thereof  jhall  be  with  a  fjod,  and  unto  the  end  of  the  war  defolations 
are  determined.  'I'is  worth  our  obfcrving,  That  Jofephus  (c)  the  hifto- 
rian  a  little  after  the  dcRruction  of  feruj'alcm^  acknowledges  that  this 
prophecy  o'i  Das.icl  did  exprelly  foretel  the  ruin  of  the  temple  of  ferufa- 
Icniy  and  of  the  Jewifli  government,  by  the  arms  of  the  Roman  empire, 
which  himfelf  was  an  eye-v/itnefs  of. 

7.  Zecbariah  fpeaks  after  the  fame  manner,  Chap.  XI.  verf.  g.  Then 
faid  I^  I  will  yiot  feed  you.,  that  that  dieth,  let  it  die  ;  and  that  that  i:  to  be  cut 

cffn  lei  it  he  cut  off-^  and  let  the  rejl  eat,  every  one  the  fcjh  of  another, 

8.  And  Malachi  follows  thefe  common  idea's,  Chap.  I.  verf.  10,  and  11. 
If  7^0  is  there  among  you  thatjhuts  the  doors  for  nought  ?  Neither  do  ye  kindle 
fire  on  mine  altar  for  nought.  I  have  no  pleafure  in  you  faith  the  Lord  of  Hojis, 
neither  will  I  accept  an  offering  at  your  hand.  For  from  the  rifng  of  thejun^ 
even  unto  the  going  down  of' the  fame,  7?iy  na;ne  Jhall  be  great  among  the  Gen- 
tiles, and  in  every  place  incenje  Jhall  be  ojfcred  unto  my  name,  and  a  pure  of" 
fering  ;  far  ?ny  na?ne  Jhall  be  great  among  the  heathen,  faith  the  Lord  of 

Hop. 

I  cannot  conceive  how  any  that  confider  the  fuccefllion  of  thefe  idea's, 
<<>  interwoven  one  with  another,  can  have  the  leaft  doubt  whether  the 
^Jews  were  to  be  rcjecSlcd  at  the  coming  of  the  Mefliah,  or  no  ;  efpecially 
lince  the  Apoftles  and  St.  Paul  in  particular  have  made  it  appear,  that 
the  Prophets  fo  plainly  did  foretcl  this  truth. 


CHAP.      XXV. 

Of  the  Time  which  fuccteded  the  PubWJhing  of  thefe  Prophecies,  till  the  Coming 

of  the  Messiah. 

(TjaSH^  H  U  S  we  have  feen  an  abridgment  of  the  moft  remarkable 
§  T  ^  oracles  uttcr'd,  cither  by  God  himfelf,  or  by  Prophets,  whom 
^^itt^  he  made  ufe  of  to  declare  his  defigns.  I  might  eafdy  have  al- 
ledge'd  a  far  greater  number,  but  I  chofe  rather  to  content  myfclf  with 
thde,  to  avoid  the  confufion  which  the  multiplicity  of  citations  is  apt  to 
occaJ'ioj\.  And  I  queftion  not  but  thefe  I  have  mentioned,  will  fuffice 
to  give  us  an  idea  of  God's  promife  concerning  the  Mefliah  fufficiently 
great,  and  enable  us  to  make  a  judgment,  whether  that  which  the  Chril- 
tians  declare  to  have  been  the  accomplilhment  of  it,  be  fo  indeed. 
'.-:  In  the  mean  time,  for  the  further  clearing  of  this  matter,  I  defirc  the 
reader  to  m.ikc  feme  reflexions  on  the  whole  matter,  which  feem  to  me 
to  dcrcvvc  a  fciious  attention.  '•  •  br^-f^  ?-^ 

The 
(o)  Antiq.  Lib.  x. 


Ch.  XXV.  Booh  of  the  OldTeJiament.  427 

The  firft  is,  That  God  hath  by  degrees  put  an  end  to  thofe  divifions 
that  were  between  fome  other  nations  and  the  Jeivs^  founded  on  their 
hopes  of  the  promife  of  the  Mefliah,  as  the  time  of  its  accomplifhment 
drew  near. 

We  hear  little  now  of  the  enmity  of  the  Ijhinaelius  againft  the  Jewi  ; 
God  having  placed  them  in  the  defert  of  Paran^  they  have  indeed  con- 
tinued there  in  a  manner  invincible,  but  aUb  without  any  great  commu- 
nication with  their  neighbour  nations. 

As  for  the  Moahites  and  AmmoniUs^  they  had  their  kingdoms  on  the 
borders  of  the  holy  land,  and  continued  there  till  the  time  o{  Nebuchad- 
nezxar,  fmce  which  we  find  little  mention  made  of  them,  as  beino-  in  a 
manner  wholly  confounded  with  other  nations  ;  only  we  meet  with  fome 
few  memorials  of  the  Ammonites^  whofe  pretenfions  to  that  promife 
were  the  weaker  of  the  two,  as  being  the  pofterity  of  Lcfs  younger 
daughter. 

-It  is  worth  our  obferving.  That  moft  of  the  prophecies  o(  David  as 
well  as  of  the  following  Prophets,  which  thunder  forth  fuch  terrible  de- 
nunciations againft  the  pride  of  thofe  people,  threatning  them  with  tJie 
curfe  of  God  and  final  deftruclion,  feem  to  have  an  eye  to  the  old  quar- 
rel and  jealoufie,  their  ftate  quarrel  which  happened  afterwards,  fucceed- 
ing  to  this  their  firft  averfion,  and  hatred  of  the  Jews. 

■  The  ftate  and  government  of  the  Edomites^  as  well  as  their  jealoufie 
againft  IJrad^  continued  till  after  G^rus^  who  granted  them  the  liberty  of 
returning  to  their  own  country,  as  well  as  to  the  Jewi^  who  had  'x>c(ti\  car- 
ried away  captives  with  them  by  N'ebuihadnezzar -^  but  contrary  to  the 
hope  they  had  of.  being  re-eftabliftied  to  their  former  eftate,  we  find,  that 
according  to  the  prophecy  oi  Malachy^  they  continued  in  bondage  to  their 
neighbours,  yea  to  the  Jews  themfelves,  until  Herod  the  Edornite  poflef- 
fing  himfclf  of  the  throne  of  Judea,  was  probably  flattered  by  thoie  of  his 
cv^n  najLion,  and  by  fome  Jews  aj^,  into  a  belief  of  his  being  the  pro- 
mired  MeffiaK.   •   "•   -  '       -• 

We  muft  alfo  take  notice,  That  the  Divine  Providence  feems  to  have 
continued  this  people  fo  long,  on  purpofe  that  the  fpirit  of  jealoufie, 
which  was  betv/een  them  and  the  Jexus,  might  prefcrve  the  notion  of  the 
promifed  Meffiah  more  frefh  and  lively,  and  to  engage  men  to  a  more 
attentive  confideration  of  the  prophecies  concerning  the  fame ;  and  that 
God  by  confounding  them  aftervi^ards  with  other  nations,  intended  whol- 
ly to  take  away  their  pretenfions,  the  fervice  which  before  they  rendered 
to  the  Jewiih<:hurch,  being  no  longer  needful,  after  fo  clear  and  diftinit 
a  revelatioq.'  .    .     .  •    ^; 

Thi^  reflexion- wilV  be  owned  ;^o  be  mo^e  than  a  conjecture,  if  we  con- 
fider  God's  dealing  with  the  ten  tribes  :  God  fufFers'.them  to  be  carried 
away  captives  by  Salmanajar,  leaving:  only  the  tribes,  of  Judah,  Levi, 
and  Boijamm  to  bp  afterv/ards  the  depofitarieS:of  the  Divine  oracles. 

The  fecond  is.  That  as  it  appears  that  God  hath  kept  fome  difta'nce 
of  time  in  his  revelation,  that  the  authority  of  the  Prophets  might  be 
fully  and  firmly  eftabliftied,  which,  as  I  have  obferved,  was  done  by  the 
accomplifhment  of  fome  prophecies,  refpe<5ling  fome  particular  matters 
of  fact  near  at  hand  ;  fo  it  pleafed  God  for  above  four  hundred  years 
to  leave  the  J^wi  without  tlie  light  of  prophecy;  becaufc  that  whi'ch  be 

had 


428  Rcfcxlons  upon  the  Ch.  XX V. 

had  G;i\'cn  them  till  Malachfs  time,  was   fufficient  to  make  them  know 
the  MeHiah,  when  he  fhould  appear  in  the  world. 

The  third  is,  That  this  cefl'ation  of  the  gifts  of  prophecy  among  the 
7tzi'i,  did  fcrve  to  increaic  their  defires  for  the  coming  of  the  MefTiah, 
in  whofc  days  thofe  gifts  (which  were  the  peculiar  glory  of  their  nation) 
were  to  be  reftored  in  far  greater  abundance,  than  had  ever  been  granted 
to  them  before. 

A  fourth  reflexion  which  is  well  worth  our  attentive  confideration, 
is,  That  God  fo  ordered  it  in  his  Providence,  that  all  the  books  of  the 
Old  Teftamcnt  v/ere  tranflated  into  the  Greek  about  one  hundred  years 
after  Malachy,  that  they  might  be  communicated  to  all  nations,  the 
Greek  tono-ue  being  at  that  time,  and  indeed  ever  fmce  the  reign  of 
Alexander  the  Great,  a  language  the  moft  known  and  generally  fpoken 
in  the  world,  hehavuig  with  his  power  carried  it  into  the  South  and  EajK 

It  is  natural  to  conceive,  that  the  Divine  Providence  hereby  defigned 
thcfe  three  things : 

Firft,  To  eftablifh  and  confirm  the  authority  of  thofe  Divine  oracles, 
by  delivering  them  into  the  hands  of  the  heathen,  by  the  publick  autho- 
rity of  the  Jewifh  nation,  at  the  defire  of  a  king  of  Egypt. 

Secondly,  To  prevent  cavilling  about  the  explication  of  thofe  t)racles. 
Thus,  for  inftance,  we  fee  there  is  no  place  left  to  difpute  the  tranfla- 
tion  of  that  prophecy,  Behold  a  'virgin  Jhall  conceive^  feeing  the  LXX 
interpreters,  who  were  y-fzn,  have  rendred  it  fo  themfelves,  fome  ages  be- 
fore any  contefls  were  itarted  about  it  between  the  Jews  and  Chrijlians. 

The  third  was.  To  prepare  and  difpofe  the  heathen  for  receiving  the 
religion  of  the  Melliah. 

And  indeed  we  may  eafily  comprehend,  i.  That  it  was  neceflary  that 
the  prophetical  writings  fhould  be  communicated  to  the  heathen,  in  or- 
der to  their  ready  fubraitting  themfelves  to  the  authority  of  the  ^lefTiah, 
whom  they  knew  by  thofe  characters  which  had  been  given  of  him. 
2.  That  it  was  not  fitting  that  the  heathen  (liould  wholly  depend  on  the 
authority  of  the  Jeivs,  forafmuch  as  the  fame  Divine  oracles  do  ex- 
prefly  affirm.  That  the  Mcfliah  was  to  be  rejected  by  the  greateft  part 
of  them. 

I  (hall  conclude  thefe  reflexions  with  a  (hort  view  of  the  ftate  of  the 
common-wealth  and  religion  of  the  Jnos,  fmce  the  laft  of  the  Prophets. 

Firll,  One  finds  that  this  government  fubfifted  as  diftinft  from  all 
other  nations  of  the  earth,  as  ever  it  did  before  :  we  fee  the  honour  where- 
with Alexander  the  Great  treated  their  high  pricft,  and  that  when  he 
was  appointed  arbitrator  of  the  diftbrence  between  them  and  the  Sayna- 
ritans^  he  determin'd  the  matter  in  favour  of  the  Jcivs, 

One  fee's  that  Alexander  prefervcd  them  in  the  enjoyment  of  their 
rights  and  liberties,  as  they  enjoyed  them  under  the  kings  of  Perjla  j  and 
in  particular  exempted  them  from  paying  any  tribute  every  feventh  year, 
becaufe  then  they  did  not  few  their  ground,  and  confequently  could  not 
reap. 

And  if  we  find  that  Ptole?ny  took  Jerufalem  on  a  fabbath  day,  the  JeiL-i 
making  confciencc  of  defending  themfelves,  becaufe  the  law  required 
their  ceahng  from  all  work  ;  from  whence  Agathareides  an  heathen  au- 
thor takes  occafion  to  blame  their  lawj  if  we  find  him  carrying  a  great 

number 


Ch.  XXV.  Boob  of  the  Old'ieJiamenU  429 

number  of  'Jeivs  with  him  into  Egypt.,  yet  withal  we  find  him  treating 
them  with  as  much  kindnefs  as  the  Macedonians  themfelves,  appointing 
diftincl  places  in  Egypt  and  Lyhia^ox  their  habitation. 

If  we  find  that  powerful-  princes,  fuch  as  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  and 
(bmc  others  of  his  fuccefl'ors,  broke  the  power  of  the  "Jcivs,  prophaned 
their  temple,  and  forc'd  great  numbers  of  them  to  abjure  their  religion; 
yet  we  fee  them  aUb  ;;t  the  fame  time,  giving  the  highefi:  inftances  of  an 
immoveable  conflancv  and  courage  in  defence  of  their  law,  and  in  en- 
durin"-  the  moll  exquifite  tortures  ;  we  fee  others  of  them,  encouraged 
with  the  love  of  their  country,  as  well  as  religion,  putting  themfelves 
into  a  pofture  of  defence,  purifying  the  temple,  and  celebrating  a  fefti- 
val  which  is  obfervcd  even  at  this  day,  and  laflly  obtaining  favourable 
treaties  at  the  hands  of  their  enemies ;  as  may  be  (een  in  the  books  of 
the  Maccabees^  and  in  the  twelfth  book  of  y^/^/>/7wj  his  Antiquities:  yea, 
we  find  their  name  and  glory  at  that  time  fpread  as  far  as  Lacademon^ 
with  which  common-wealth  they  made  an  alliance  during  the  high- 
prieilhood  of  Oiiids. 

One  fee's  theni  after  this  fo  confiderable,  under  the  fuccelTor  of  An- 
tiochus their  perfecutor,  that  even  thofc  kings  fue  for  their  alliance  with 
great  prefents. 

One  fee's  that  Ptolomy  Philometor  granted  to  Onlas  the  fon,  leave  to 
build  a  temple  in  Egypt,  for  the  convenience  of  thofe  jfews  whom  Pto- 
ioniy  the  fon  of  Lagus  had  carried  thither;  as  well  as  for  tl)ofe  who  left 
their  country  for  the  oppreflion  of  the  Seleucidie;  for  "Judea  being  fituate 
between  Syria  and  Egypt,  was  ordinarily  the  theatre  of  war  between 
thofe  two  ftaies.  'Tis  here  worth  our  noting,  That  the  JrMs  under- 
cook the  building  of  the  temple  in  Egypt,  as  thinking  themfelves  autho- 
riz'd  by  that  prophecy  Ifai.  XIX.  24.  it  being  a  thing  otherwife  forbid 
by  the  law. 

One  fees  In  the  fame  prince's  reign  a  great  contefl:  between  the  Sama' 
ritans  and  the  Jezvs  about  the  pre-eminence  of  their  temples,  at  JeJ'ii- 
falem  and  mount  Garizi?n,  decided  by  him  in  favour  of  the  'Jeivs :  oil 
which  occafion  the  yews  (hewed  that  prince  their  law,  and  acquainted 
him  with  the  feries  of  their  hiftory,  to  confute  the  Samaritans  pre- 
tenfions. 

One  fee's  after  this,  when  the  yews  had  conferred  the  foveraigntyand 
high-prieflhood  on  Simon,  that  their  ftatc  became  fo  powerful,  that  un- 
der Hyrcanus  his  fuccefibr  they  were  in  a  condition  to  attacque  their  ene- 
mies in  Syria,  and  compel  the  Edowites  to  admit  circumcihon  :  Ari/io- 
bulus  his  fon  was  crowned,  his  brother  fucceedcd  him  in  the  royal  digni- 
ty, and  left  the  ftate  in  a  flourifhing  condition,  notwithftanding  the  civil 
and  foreign  wars  he  was  engaged  in. 

We  find  nfterwrards.  That  the  inteftine  divifions  among  the  fucceflbrs 
of  thofe  }ewi{h  princes,  did  by  degrees  open  a. gap  for  foreign  power 
to  enter  and  prevail  over  them,  Pompcy  fiding  with  Hyrcanus  took.  Jeru- 
falem,  and  made  the  yews  tributary  to  the  Romans,  but  without  chang- 
ing any  thing  in  their  religion. 

yuUus  Cafar  a  while  after  beftowed  the  kingdom  of  yud^a  upon  He- 
rod the  Edninite.  Augiijlus  after  him  ufed  the  yews  with  the  fame  equity 
as  Pcnip-'y  hei'orc  him  had  done,  as  appears  from  one  of  his  declarations 

■   ---^-t^-'-      publifhM 


43^  ^^ficxrom  upon  the  Ch.  XXV. 

piiblifh'd  in  favour  of  the  Jews  oi  Egypt  znd  .JJta^  a»c<5n!cd  by  fopphtfs, 
'i'his  HtTod  and  Jugu/ins  are  the  fame  ujider  whom  pur  Savipur  Jefus 
Chrift  was  born. 

It  is  evident  therefore,  That  the  (late  of  the  Jews  has  continued  di- 
llin6t  from  other  nations,  and  fufficiently  known  from  the  time  of  the 
Prophet  Mtdachy^  until  Herod. 

Wc  may  alfo  truly  aflert.  That  whatever  inclination  the  Jews  of  old 
had,  for  the  idolatries  of  their  neighbours,  yet  wc  don't  find  them  given 
that  way  during  this  interval,  between  the  laft  of  their  Prophets  and 
Herod.,  as  if  the  charge  and  command  of  that  Prophet  Malachy  had  al- 
ways founded  in  their  ears,  Mai.  IV.  verfe  4.  Remember. the  law  c/" Mo- 
les myfervanty  ^c. 

One  fee's  that  the  Jews  under  the  Maccabees.,  in  great  numbers  fuf- 
fered  martyrdom,  rather  than  abjure  their  religion  ;  and  that  they  ob- 
ferved  the  ceremonial  law  with  all  carefulnefs,  of  which  Augujlus  him- 
felf  was  witnefs. 

One  fee's  that  under  ft  rangers  and  heathen  kings  they  Exempted  theln- 
felves  from  anfwering  any  fuit  at  law  on  the  fabbath  day,  from  pa}nng 
tribute  the  feventh  year,  and  prefcrving  the  rights  and  priviledges  of 
their  temple  in  fpight  of  all  oppofition.  Laftly,  one  finds  them,  during 
HerocVs  government,  fupported  by  the  favour  of  the  Roman  empire,  in 
refiifing  to  fet  up  the  emperour's  trophces,  for  fear  leaft  fome  images 
might  be  hid  under  them,  which  they  looked  upon  as  a  crime  againft 
their  law. 

I  am  not  ignorant,  that  fince  Malachy^  fome  herefies  fprung  up  among 
the  Je^ivs^  their  commerce  with  the  Greeks  (who  applyed  themfelves  to 
philofophical  fpeculations)  having  contributed  to  make  them  much  more 
difputacious  than  ibey  were  before.  The  authority  likewife  of  their 
kings,  who  were  high-priefts  alfo,  may  have  had  a  great  ftroke  in  ble- 
mifhing  the  purity  of  their  religion. 

But  yet  the  difputes  which  we  find  amongft  them,  as  thtft'  of  the  fa- 
tality of  events,  did  not  at  all  touch  the  fubftance  of  their  religion. 

They  no  fooner  found  the  fpirit  of  epicurifme  to  creep  in  amongft 
them,  but  they  framed  fuch  additions  to  their  publick  liturgy,  as  they 
thought  moft  proper  to  eradicate,  or  at  leaft  condemn  that  corruption. 

1  confefs  alfo,  that  the  Pharifees  and  Dodors  of  their  law  had  greatly 
alter'd  their  morality,  in  making  their  own  explications -(by  the  great 
authority  which  they  had  amongft  the  people)  to  pafs  for  authentick  :  but 
yet  this  change  and  corruption  in  their  morals  as  to  pra(ftice,  did  not  go 
to  far  as  to  abolifh  the  laws  themfelves,  which  were  only  wrefted  from 
their  true  meaning.  This  was  indeed  a  great  corruption,  but  not  fuch 
a  one  as  could  make  it  to  be  no  more  the  fame  religion. 

So  that  we  may  boldly  aflert  (which  is  a  thing  very  important  to  our 
prefcnt  purpofe)  That  the  ftate  and  religion  of  the  Jews  haVe  continued 
fufficiently  entire  till  the  tiine  of  the  appearing  of  the  Melliah  in  the  world, 
for  their  preferving  of  whatfoever  was  necelfary,  viz.  as  well  the  books 
of  the  Old  Teftamcnt,  as  the  knowledge  of  thofc  oracles  which  foretold 
the  coming  of  the  Mcftiah,  together  with  the  knowledge  of  thcfe  prin- 
ciples, according  to  which  the  Prophets  have  fpoken  in  their  prcdidions 
concerning  him. 

a  THE 


-iitth^v  '-en  isrir 

T    il     E 

R       E       F      A       C       E. 


iP^M*^  HAVE  fhewn  in  my  Reflexions  upon  the  Book  of  Gen^s^ 
^  I  S  that  the  fads  of  the  Creation,  and  the  promifes  of  the  Meffiah, 
^"ISilSiS  ^^^  truths  not  to  be  queftioned,  and  that  the  idea's  of  this  Mcf- 
iiah  continued  vigoroufly  all  the  time  that  preceded  the  children  of  If- 
raePs  going  out  of  Egypt. 

We  have  feen  afterwards  in  the  Remarks  which  I  have  made  upon  the 
Laws  which  God  gave  to  Mofes^  that  it  was  the  great  defign  of  God  to 
keep  men  in  the  expedition  of  this  Mefliah,  and  to  take  care  that  they 
might  certainly  know  him  whenever  he  fhould  appear  in  the  wbrld. 

I  have  taken  notice  in  the  third  part  of  thefe  Reflexions  of  the  care 
which  God  took  to  give  a  great  number  of  Oracles  to  explain  particu- 
larly all  the  charaders  of  this  Mefliah,  the  place  and  manner  of  his 
Birth,  the  principal  circumftances  of  his  Life,  Death,  and  Refurredion, 
and  to  foretcl  the  efFufion  of  the  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghoft  upon  the  Gen- 
tiles, their  call  to  the  Religion  of  the  Mefliah,  and  laftly,  the  overthrow 
of  the  whole  model  of  the  Jewifli  religion  and  common-wealth,  which 
was  no  longer  of  any  ufe  after  the  coming  of  the  Mefliah,  and  the  cal- 
ling of  the  Gentiles. 

My  prefent  bufinefs  is  now  to  fhew,  That  in  the  books  of  the  Nau 
Tejlanunt  we  may  find  an  exacl  accomplifhment  of  this  whole  defio-n 
wherein  God  had  with  fo  much  care  inftructed  the  world  fo  lono-  befcS-e 
and  there  is  nothing  more  eafie,  if  we  will  but  take  a  littk  pains  to  read 
thefe  books  attentively,  and  to  compare  them  v/ith  the  model  which  God 
himfelf  made,  as  we  have  hitherto  defcribcd  it. 

To  make  this  truth  yet  more  evident,  I  think  it  will  be  neceflary  to 
do  twQ-o.C;$lvee  things  which  feem  to  be  very  important  for  my  prefent 
defign>-  >-j4 

And  firft,  I  am  to  obferve  that  there  appears  a  moft  perfed  coherence 
between  the  tdea's  of  the  Old  Tejlament  and  thofe  of  the  Nezvy  which  is 
abfolutely  neceflary  to  fhew  that  there  is  in  thefe  books  a  perfect  unity 
of  defign,  notwithftanding  the  vafl:  difference  there  is  between  ^zjews 
who  prefcrve,vthe  OldTeJiamit%  and  the  Chri/iians  who  preferve  the 
New. 

Secondly,  I  am  to  demonftrate  that  the  idea's  of  the  Mefliah  were  very 
ftrong  in  the  minds  ©f  £lie.jmtf;,»t  the- very  time  that  Jefus  Chrifl:  ap- 
peared in  the  world. 

This 


Ji  Tt^E     P  R  E  F  A  C  E. 

This  was  abfoliitely  neceflary,  that  they  might:  not  have  wherewith  to 
OjCcufe  thofe  who  received  Chriit  for  the  Mefliah,  of  being  deceived  in 
their  choice,  for  not  having  had  the  cxa6t  idea's  of  the  Meifiah  which 
God  had  promifed. 

I  {hall  upon  this  account  Ihew  in  the  third  place.  That  when  Jt*fus 
Chrift  did  appear  in  the  world,  the  model  which  God  had  framed  in  the 
law  of  Mofes,  whereby  the  Meffiah  might  be  plainly  known,  did  then 
fubfift  in  the  manner  wherein  God  had  framed  it. 

After  this  I  fhall  endeavour  to  fhew  by  proofs,  which  are  indeed  un- 
queflionable.  That  in  examining  all  the  characters  which  the  Prophets 
gave,  by  which  the  Melliah  might  be  known  ;  we  cannot  conceive  a 
more  exact  execution  of  God's  dcfign  as  to  the  Mefliah,  than  that  which 
we  find  in  the  perfon  of  Jefus  Chrift,  whereof  the  books  of  the  New 
Tejiament  have  given  us  the  hiftory. 

Laftly,  I  fliall  fhew  clearly  that  this  model  which  God  had  framed  in 
giving  the  law,  and  in  forming  the  common-weakh  and  religion  of  the 
^sivs  in  fo  proper  a  manner,  to  make  the  Mefliah  certainly  known,  is 
not  in  being  at  this  day;  but  that  it  was  fo  deftroyed  by  the  total  dif- 
perfion  of  that  people,  that  we  ftiould  not  be  able  to  know  the  Mefliah 
if  he  fhould  now  appear  again  in  the  world.  And  that  indeed  the  prin- 
cipal events,  which  according  to  the  oracles  were  to  follow  the  coming 
of  the  Mefliah,  are  already  come  to  pafs  in  part,  and  do  ftill  come  to 
pafs  every  day. 

I  hope  to  evince  thefe  truths  beyond  all  conteft  ;  indeed  the  bare  read- 
ing of  the  books  of  the  Neiv  Tejiament  plainly  difcovers  the  coherence 
which  they  have  with  the  books  of  the  Old.  It  fliews  clearly  that  the 
idea's  of  the  Mefliah  were  at  that  time  very  flrong  in  the  minds  of  the 
yttf  j-,  and  it  fuppofeth  without  any  aftedlation  that  that  model  which 
God  had  made  fo  necefl'ary  to  diftinguifh  the  Mefliah,  ftood  at  that  time 
intire. 

In  particular,  it  is  certain  that  the  four  Evangelifts,  by  the  relation  of 
unqueftionable  matters  of  fa6l,  have  proved  that  Jefus  the  fon  of  Mary 
is  the  Mefliah  which  God  bad  promifed. 

Saint  Luke  fhews  in  the  Acis  of  the  Apofiles  that  after  the  refurrection 
of  Jefus  Chrift,  and  the  eftufion  of  the  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  the  Gof- 
pel  was  preached  to  the  heathens. 

The  epiftles  arc  a  natural  confequence  of  this  vocation  of  the  heathens, 
and  of  the  aboliftiing  of  the  law  oi  Alofes  which  the  Apoftles  had  under- 
taken. I'hey  unanimoufly  confpire  to  fhew  that  God  had  refolved  to 
call  the  heathens  to  partake  of  falvation,  that  the  Jews  for  the  greatefl 
part  fhould  be  juftly  deprived  thereof,  becaufe  they  obftinately  rcjeded 
the  Mefliah.  Several  queftions  are  examined,  which  arofe  either  from 
the  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  or  from  the  abolifhing  of  the  ceremonial 
worfliip. 

The  fuccefllon  of  the  hiftory  of  the  Chriftian  church  juftihes.  Thai 
after  the  dcftru6lion  of  Jerufalem  all  people  imbraced  the  religion  of  Jefus 
Chrift,  in  receiving  him  for  the  Mefhah  whom  God  had  promifed  to  thQ 
Patriarchs,  and  to  the  yews. 

I  fhall  refumc  all  thefe  articles  one  by  one,  in  that  natural  order  in 
which  I  have  propcfed  them. 

REFLEXIONS 


REFLEXIONS 


UPON    THE 


BOOK 


OF    TH  E 


NEW    TESTAMENT, 


TO 


ESTABLISH    the    TRUTH 


OF    THE 


CHRISTIAN     RELIGION. 


C   ii   A   p.     h 

^hat  there  appears  a  very  juji  Connexion  between  the  Idea's  if  the  OlD 
Testament,  and  thofe  of  thel^EVf^  the  latter  borrowing  Light  from 
the  Former, 

g58()0f^  S  it  is  not  much  the  chafa£ler  of  romances,  evert  then  whert 
^  A  .g  they  are  moft  tyed  up  to  the  rules  of  probability,  to  borrow  ei- 
^i<OeC=il  <^^«i"  the  ftile  or  idea's  of  thofe  authors  from  whom  they  take 
their  fubje£t,  fo  I  fuppofe  that  in  this  my  undertaking  to  fliew  that  the 
New  Te/iament  is  an  exa£t  accomplifliment  of  the  Old^  it  is  very  impor- 
tant to  make  out,  that  at  the  firft  reading  of  the  Gofpels  and  Apoftoli- 
VoL.  I.  E  e  cal 


434-  Rejlextons  upon  the  Ch.  I. 

ca!  Writings,  one  finds  in  them  a  perfect  conformUy  of  idea's,  with.j;|ic 

wrkirvgs  i^  the  Old  'Tejiament.  '       •        .", 

Obc  rrvay.tQ.this  purpofe  ohferve  in  general,  .l^at  the.  Gof{Jel  fup- 
pofcth  the  Divine  authority  of  the  book  of  the  (.)ld  Ttrtament,  as  an 
unqucftionable  truth.  The  gofpcis  and  epiftles  have  the  fame  coherence 
with  the  books  of  the  law*  and  Erophets,  which  the  writings  gCthe  1^- 
tej  Proj)hQts  have  with  tbofe  of  the  former,  and  "which  the  hooks  of  nil 
the  Prophets  together,  have  with  the  books  of  Mofesy  and  with  the  pro- 
phecies, laws  and  hiftories  which  are  contained  therein. 

One  may  take  notice  afterwards.  That  all  the  books  of  the  Nnv  Tef- 
tamcnt  have  an  elTential  relation  to  thofe  of  the  Old^  in  their  moft  priiv- 
cipal  defijgns.  I  have  fhewed  that  their  defign  ,\yas  no  othe^  than  to 
raife  meij^^o  expe6tations  of  the  Mefliah,  and 'tp  paint  him  ,tO  the  life, 
whom  God  had  promifed  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  j  and  the  only 
defign  of  the  New  Tcjlainent  is,  to  prove  that  the  Mefliah  is  come  ac- 
cording to  the  Prophets.  The  firft  fpeaks  concerning  the  Mefliah  as 
e.\pe6lcd,  the  latter  as  already  come. 

But  we  muft  proceed  to  a  more  particular  view  of  this  matter.  I  fay 
th^y^rft'oF  all,  That  the  ChrifHans  have  the  fame  object  qT  tlielr  faitn 
■OKiith  thfe  "Jews  had  •"  this  Jefus  Chrift  himfelf  declares,  where  he  faith  ; 
"Thh  is  life  eternal,  that  they  might  know  thee  the  only  true  God,  and  Jefus 
Chrift  ivhom  thou  haji  fent.  BehoW  here  the  true  character  of  the  Chrif- 
tian  religion,  as  well  as  of  the  Jcwifh,  to  believe  one  only  Gr)d,  to  own 
a  Mefliah,  and  to  acknowledge  that  Jefus  Chrift  is  he.  The  Jews  agree 
with  us  iiBth«-two  former  articles,  tho'  they  difpute  the  laft. 

I  fay  in  me"fecbnd"place.  That  the  lavvs  of  the  Gofpel,  whicTi  regu- 
late religion,  and  the  condud  of  particular  perfons  in  that  fociety,  are 
exactly  the  fame  with  thofe  of  the  Old  Teftament.  Jefus  Chrift  in  hi? 
fermon  upon  the  mount,  which  contains  an  abridgment  of  his  ethicks, 
had  no  other  end  but  to  refiore  the  true  {tn(c  and  meaning  of  thofe  laws 
God  Ixid  given  up5n  nit>\if\^  Sifiai ;  and  tho'  in  the  matter  of  diyoi-ces, 
it  feems' oppofite  to  tHat  la'w  vv-herein  God  Tiad  before  permitted"  them, 
yet  we  may  eafily  conceive  that  he  began  to  abrogate  thofe  orders  and 
difpenfations  which  were  only  given  to  make  the  Mefliah  known  when- 
cyei; he. fhould- appear.-  ,-  -.  ^  ■  ■,  ,--  ■  ;  ^  .  .  -  ,- ^ -<^^^^^ -i.:^-- ■  .- 
The  prayer  which  Jefus  Chrift  taugfit  his  Apofl:Ies,  is  full"  of  notions 
which  reigned  among  the  Jews,  as  feveral  expofitors  have  manifefted.  I 
fliall  content  myfelf  with  alledging  the  inftance  of  the  petition  for  our 
daily  bread,  which  has  an«evident  regard-to  thk  manna  which  God  gave 
the  children  of  Ifraelxn  the  wildernefs  for  forty  years. 
»'  Wc'lcnow  alfo  that  the  facraments  of  the  baptifm  and  the  euchariftv 
areibrigiiiklly  Jewifh.  ceremonies,  which  Jefos  Chrifb.  hath  applied  with 
a  very  little  variation,  to  much  more  important  fubjedts.  Baptifm. was 
a  wafhing  which  accompanied  the  facrifices  and  circumcifion  of  profc- 
lytes.  And  the  wafhing  pradtifed  under  the  law  oi  Aiefcsy  fig nifted- that 
the  profelyte,  who  wiis>  admitted  to  the  fame,  was  refclved  to.'renouncr 
his  former;courfes,iahd  for  the  time  to  come  to  follow  an  oppolite  w.\y 
of  living,  according  to  the  rules  prefcnbed  him  by  .the  Miniltersof  hea- 
ven, after  that  tlieyiii  the  name  of  God  had  affured  him  o»"  the  rcraiflioa 
of  his  fins.  ,      — 

The 


Cft.  I.  ^oois  of  the  New  Tejiatttemi,  435 

The  eiicharlft  was  aft  appendix  of  the  feaft  'of  the  pafTover,  which 
|)referved  the  memory'  of  the  fufFerings  of  ihe  Ifradltes  in  ^^^/i^,  and 
the  deh'verance  he  afforded  them,  in  punifhin'g  of  the  Egyptians.  This 
ceremony  did  perpetuate  (he  memory  6f  that' deliverance  till  the  coming 
of  the  MefTiah.  Jefus  Chrift  hath  fubftituted  to  this  figufe  an  inftance 
of  the  curfe  of  God  againft  the  pofterity  of  Cham^  the'  idea  of  his  death, 
by  which  he  hath  communicated  his  bleffing  to  all  nations  of  the  earth 
according  to  his  promife.,  And  he  hath  made  it  a  more  full  and  exact 
memorial  of  his  death,  which  he  would  have  us  to  confider  as  the  death 
of  the  true  Lamh^  vjhich  takes  away  the  fins'  of  the  zvorhL  As  the  old 
covenant  was  made  in  the  blood  of  a  lamb,  fo  Jefus  Chrift,  with  regard 
to  the  NewTeftament  or  covenant  promifed  hy  Jeremiah\  Chap.  XXXL 
ordains  the  celebrating  the  memorial  of  the  blood  he  had  fpilt,  This  is 
the  New  Tefameni  in  my  bloody  Sec.  Arid  laftly,  whereas  the  law  ordained 
the  commemoration  of  the  pafchal  lamb  but  once  a  year,  Jefus  Chrift 
feems  to  appoint' a  much  more  frequent  celebration  of  the  eucharift, 
when  he  faith,  Js  oft  as  ye  Jball  eat  this  bread^  &c.  the  reafon  of  which, 
without  doubt,  is  taken  frdm  the  greatnefs  of  the  benefit  which  his  death 
confers  upon  us.  i 

It  is  well  worth  our  obfervatibn,  That  ordinarily  the  fame  propheti- 
trarldea's  that  are  found  in  the  Old  Tefajnent  may  be  met  with  in  the 
New.  r  The  book  of  theReiielations  contains  abundance  of  particulars 
let  down  in  the  prophecies  of  Zachariah  and  Ezechicl.  Jefus  Chrift 
hjmfelf  purfues  the  idea's/Of  the  Prophet  Joe!  in  the  XXIV  of  Matthew, 
when  he  fets  forth  the  d'eftfuftion  of  ferufalem,  and  afterwards  he  de- 
fcribes  the  fame  according  to  the  notions  which  Daniel  gives  us 
.thereof. 

Daniel  foretels  in  the  VII  Chapter  of  his  book,  the  deftruction  of  th^ 
Roman  monarchy  by  the  Chriftians,  whom  he  ftiles  The  People  of  the 
'mojl  High.  St.  Paul  follows  the  fame  notion,  i  Cor.  VI.  2.  where  he 
Tuppofeth  it  as  a  known  thing:  The  Saints  (faith  he)  Jhall judge  thezvorld. 
And  St.  Johr.  in  the  XX  of  the  Revelations^  verfe  4.  reprefents  Satan 
bound,  and  the  government  put  into  the  hands  of  believers. 

It  is  alfo  ^very  remarkable,  That  the  promifes  and  threats  of  Jefus 
Chrift'  are  exprelfed  in  terms  borrowed  from  the  Old  Tef  anient.  Thefe 
words  of  Jefus  Chrift,.  He  that  hears  my  words,  and  believes  in  him  that 
fent  me,  hath  eternal  life^  and Jhall  mt  co?ne  into  judgfnent.  &c.  have  not 
they  a  plain  relation  to  Adam's  unbelief  and  difobedience,  to  the  judo-- 
ment  he  underwent,  and  the  punifhment  impofed  on  him  ?  Is  it  not 
from  this  fpirit  which  penetrates  both,  that  the  New  Tejiament  fo  ott 
makes  mention  of  a  new  Canaan,  a  new  Jerufalem,  a  new  tiatne,  ice.  and 
that  glory  is  reprelented  to  us  fometimes  under  the  notion  of  Paradife 
fometimes  of  a  feaft,  where  Abraham  (u^ho  is  called  The  Father  of  the 
Faithful)  fits  at  the  upper  end  ?  .  .     *  '' 

Eternal  damnation  is  reprefented  to  us  under  the  notio;i  of  the  valley 
olHinnom,  of  a  lake  burning  v/ith  fire  and  briinftone,  with  recrard  to 
the  lake  of  Sodom,  and  to  the  place  where  the  filth  of  Jerufalem  w^s  wont 
to  be  burnt  up  and  confumed.  'Tis  upon  this  account  that  believers 
.are  exhorted  to  rew.ember  Lot's  tvif,  Luke  IX.  62.  and  Xyil.  32.  and 
,to  depart  from  the  midft  of  the  wicked,  Hehr.  Xlil. 

E  e  a  jf 


436  Rejlex'ions  upon  the  Ch.  I, 

If  wc  confider  the  ele£lion  of  the  Apoftles,  and  of  the  fcventy  Dif- 
clples,  we  fhall  find  the  reference  they  have  to  the  heads  of  the  twelve 
tribes,  and  to  the  feventy  Elders  whom  Mofes  chofe,  to  preferve  the  me- 
mory of  the  feventy  fouls  yacob  brought  with  him  into  Egypt,  Thefe 
pallhges,  Te  Jhall  fit  on  twelve  thrones,  and  your  names  are  written  in  the 
hook  of  life :  and  the  number  of  144000,  being  the  produ(5l  of  12  times 
12,  By  allufion  to  the  twelve  tribes,  do  all  borrow  their  light  from  thofe 
ancient  hiftories. 

Throughout  the  New  Tejlament  we  find  nothing  but  a  continual  allu- 
fion to  the  ftate  of  the  Jews ;  all  thofc  idea's  of  the  liberty  of  the  Sons  of 
God  do  allude  to  the  ceremony  of  their  jubilee.  The  fit fl  born  mention- 
ed there,  and  the  kingdom  of  Priejis,  are  not  to  be  underftood  but  by 
cafting  our  eye  on  the  OldTe/lamcnt.  If  Jefus  Chrift  be  called  the  chief 
Corner  Stone,  if  Peter  be  called  a  Stone  or  Rock,  Believers  living  StoneSy 
and  the  Apoftles  Foundations,  it  is  by  way  of  allufion  to  the  manner  la 
which  the  twelve  princes  or  heads  of  the  tribes  did  contribute  towards 
the  building  of  the  temple,  and  to  the  manner  of  the  building  of  it.  If 
the  children  of  Zebedee  are  called  Boanerges,  'tis  with  reference  to  the  fe- 
cond  of  Haggai,  Yet  once,  and  I  willfhake  the  heavens  and  the  earth.  That 
the  Heathens  are  defcribed  as  a  people  afar  off",  and  what  is  fpoken  con- 
cerning the  wall  of  partition,  hath  a  vifible  refpect  to  the  Gentiles,  being 
prohibited  to  enter  into  the  holy  place  of  the  temple. 

If  I  would  inftance  in  all  the  myftical  relations  of  the  one  volume  to 
the  other,  I  might  fay  that  there  appears  a  fingular  conformity  between 
them,  even  in  thofe  things  which  feem  moft  oppofite.  Alofes  the  firft 
and  great  minifter  of  the  law,  had  a  ftammering  fpeech,  Zachary  the  fa- 
ther of  S.  "John  the  Baptijl  was  ftruck  dumb,  when  he  was  to  pronounce 
the  folemn  blefling  to  the  people ;  whereas  Jefus  Chrift  on  the  contrary 
has  this  character  given  of  him,  that  yiever  manfpake  like  him.  God  faid 
at  the  beginning,  Encreafe  and  multiply,  he  repeats  the  fame  to  N<iah,  in 
order  to  the  propagation  of  mankind,  and  replenifhing  the  earth  ;  Jefus 
Chrift  faith.  Go  and  teach  all  nations;  and  the  word  is  conftantly  repre- 
fented  to  us  as  the  feed  of  the  regeneration,  and  baptifm,  as  the  laver  or 
wafhing  whereby  we  acquire  a  new  birth.  We  fee  Noah  receiving  the 
dove  into  the  ark  with  an  olive  branch,  as  a  fign  of  the  peace  pf  Heaven, 
and  Jefus  Chrift  receives  a  like  token. 

Fire  falls  down  from  heaven  on  the  facrifice  of  Abel,  Noah,  Mofes,  Da- 
vid, Solomon,  and  Elijah,  as  a  token  tliat  God  accepted  their  ofi-erings> 
and  God  fends  the  fame  mark  of  his  favour  on  the  day  of  PentecoJ},  to 
declare  that  the  facrifice  of  Jefus  Chrift  was  moft  acceptable  to  him. 

God  had  forbid  the  high  prieft  to  rend  his  clothes  on  any  occafion 
whatfoever,  that  rending  of  garments  involving  a  myftery,  as  appear? 
from  the  hiftory  oi  feroboam;  and  \et  we  fee,  that  the  high  prieft  rent 
his  cloaths  at  the  condemnation  of  our  Saviour,  and  thereby  violated  for 
ever  the  authority  of  his  priefthood,  whereas  on  the  contrary  we  find 
the  garments  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  were  left  whole  and  entire,  to 
fignifie  to  us  the  eternity  of  his  priefthood.  We  fee  that  the  ear  oi  MaU 
chus  the  high  prieft 's  fervant  was  cut  off  by  %.  Peter,  and  that  Jefus  Chrift 
reftored  it  again,  to  ftiew  that  the  lynagogue  had  loft  the  true  faith,  and 
Jefus  Chrift  alone  was  ;ible  to  rcftore  it.     Wc  fee  the  h©ly  place  in  the 

temple 


Ch.  II.  Books  of  the  h^ew  Tejlameyit.  437 

temple  opened  at  the  death  of  Chrift,  by  the  rending  of  the  vail, 
•which  fignilied  that  the  ceremonial  law  was  then  to  lofe  its  force  and  au- 
thority. 

But  the  obfervations  already  made  are  fufficlent  to  make  out  what  I 
intend,  without  having  recourfe  to  thefe  myileries ;  and  I  believe  no 
man  can  make  fuch  reflexions,  without  being  perfwaded  that  fo  great  a 
conformity  of  idea's,  muft  necefTarily  imply  a  perfect  unity  of  defio^n  • 
now  it  is  impoffible  to  fuppofe,  that  this  unity  of  defign  fhould  be  fo 
conftantly  obferved  by  different  authors,  who  lived  at  fuch  a  diftance  of 
times,  places,  and  interefts,  without  being  convinced  of  a  perpetual  Di- 
vine guidance. 

I  acknowledge  that  in  the  New  Tejlament  there  may  be  found  fome 
decifions  which  feem  wholly  oppofite  to  thofe  of  the  Old:  fjr  inftance, 
we  find  there  a  total  abrogation  of  the  ceremonial  law  ;  but  forafmuch 
as  all  thofe  obfervations  had  no  other  ufe,  but  to  diftinguifh  the  'Jevji 
from  all  other  nations  of  the  earth,  and  by  this  means  to  make  the  Mef- 
llah  known  to  the  "Jeivs  amongft  whom  he  was  to  be  born ;  fo  it  is  ob- 
vious to  conceive  that  all  thofe  ceremonies  were  of  courfe  to  be  abo- 
liflied,  after  that  the  Mefliah  was  come  into  the  world,  and  that  if  we 
confider  things  in  this  view,  we  fhall  find  no  contradi<Stion  at  all  between 
Mofesy  who  eftablifhed  thefe  ceremonies,  and  the  Apoftles  who  abolifhed 
them. 

But  before  we  come  to  confirm  thefe  grounds,  we  muft  make  it  ap- 
pear, that  the  idea's  of  the  Meffiah  continued  very  frefh  in  the  minds  of 
the  Jnusy  and  this  fhall  be  the  fubjed  of  the  following  chapter. 


•^©©©^•j 


CHAP.      II. 

That  the  Idea's  of  the  Mejftah  continued  very  frejh  in  the  Minds  of  the  Jews 
at  the  Time  of  the  Coming  of  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 

iTJC^'Jft'^^  T  would  be  an  eafie  matter  for  me  here  to  (hew  that  the  idea's 
^:  I  S  of  the  Mefliah  were  lively  in  the  minds  of  the  Jews  before  the 
iis5fe'>'c^  coming  of  Jefus  Chrift.  This  appears  from  the  fable  which 
the  Rabbles  told  Origen,  concerning  Zedechiah,  and  Ahiab^  whom  the 
king  of  Babylon  burnt,  for  perfwading  the  Jewifh  women,  that  they  were 
the  perfons  that  were  to  conceive  the  Mefliah.  But  I  intend  to  make 
ufe  of  proofs  of  a  different  nature. 

Now  to  prove  that  the  notion  of  the  MefTiah  was  very  frefh  in  the 
minds  of  the  Jewi,  we  need  only  take  notice,  that  the  promife  of  God 
concerning  him,  was  the  firft,  the  moft  important,  and  repeated  with 
the  ^reateft  affiduity  in  the  books  of  the  Prophets,  and  consequently  it 
employed  them  the  moft  :  God  having  for  this  reafon  obliged  them  to 
read  the  books  of  Mofei  every  fabbath,  to  fmg  the  Pfalms  of  David^  and 

£  e  3  iQ 


.  «g  Repxions  upon  thi  Ch.  II. 

to  examine  the  writings  of  the  Prophets,  where  the  promife  of  the  Mef- 
fiah  was  a  thoufand  times  repeated. 

We  may  add  a  great  deal  of  light  to  this  obfervation,  if  we  confidcr 
that  the  circumftances  of  the  J^wi  at  that  time,  engaged  them  to  give 
more  diligent  heed  to  what  the  Prophet;  had  declared  ;  and  by  weighing 
feveral  matters  of  fad  fet  down  in  the  Gofpel,  to  (hew  the  univerfal  ef- 
fect of  the  lively  impreffion  of  this  notion  of  the  MelTiah  on  the  minds 

of  the  Jezvi.  .  .  V 

Without  doubt  the  eftate  of  the  Jews  at  that  time,  being  equally  op- 
prefl:  by  the  power  of  the  Romans^  and  that  of  Herod,,  could  not  but  put 
them  upon  a  cnrcful  examining  of  the  promlfes,  which  God  had  fo  often 
vouchfafed  them  concerning  the  Meffxah ;  and  the  rather  becaufc  God 
had  often  reprefented  to  tiiem  the  kingdom  of  the  Mcfliah  as  a,  temporal 
kingdom,  \7l1ich  was  to  deliver  them  from  the  power  of  their  ene^iiies. 
'This  appears  very  evident  in  the  Gpfpel  on  feveral  occafiojiSj.  .  We 
find  that  the  people  of  Jenifalein  and  Herod  were  troubled  at  the  news 
of  the  birth  of  Jefus,  as  that  which  would  probably  caufe  great  troubles 
and  defolations  before  the  kingdom  of  the  Mefliah  could  fubdue.the  Ro- 
mans as. well  as  Herod:  one  fee's  that  the  multitudes  would  have  taken 
Chrift  and  proclaimed  him  their  king,  and  fubmitted  themfelves  to  him 
as  the  true  MelTiah :  one  fee's  that  Chrift's  own  Difciples,  both  before 
and  after  his  death,  talked  agreeably  to  thefe  popular  idea's.     What  elfe 
can  we  make  of  that  paffage  of  the  mother  of  Janus  and  John^  when 
Ibe  beo-s  for  them  the  chief  places  in  his  kingdom  ?     When  the  Apoflles 
difpute  which  of  them  ihould  be  the  greatefir,  was  it  not  an  eftecL  of  the 
fame  caufe  ?     Did  not  the  Apoftles,  when  they  went  to  Emuus^  difcourfe 
at  the  fame  rate?     Did  not  they  exprefs  themfelves  with  much  grief  and 
trouble,  before  they  were  inftructed   in  the  molt  fublime  truths  of  the 
Gofpel  I     But  we  trujied  that  it  had  been  he  ivhieh  fiiould  have  redeemed 

Iftaet. 

It  is  alfo  very  obfervable,  That  John  the  Baptiji  appears  and  admmi- 
fters  the  lacrament  of  baptifm  at  this  time  :  this  his  practice  gave  the 
'■/^n;^  occafion  to  take  him  for  the  Meffiah  ;  but  what  ground  had  they 
to  think  fo  ?  furely  from  what  they  had  read  in  E-zechlel^  Chap.  XXXVl. 
verfe  25.  And  indeed,  when  the  great  councel  of  the  Jews  deputed 
fome  perfons  to  him,  they  charged  them  to  know  of  him  whether  he 
were  the  MeiTiah,  or  no  ,  and  if  not,  why  he  exercifed  a  funtSlion,  which 
that  prophecy  feem'd  to  appropriate  to  the  MeiHah  himfcli,  in  calling 
him  the  Angel  of  the  Covenant.  ; 

The  fame  truth  may  alfo  be  collected  from  what  is  related  to  us  co;i- 
cerning  the  opinions  of  thft.  Jews  about  the  perCon  of  Chrill  j  wboniy 
faith  our  Saviour,  do  people  Jay  I  am?  And,  tlip  J\po01e5  an(w^r,  .That 
fome  faid  he  v^s  John  the  Bapiijl^  others  Jeremiah,  oi\iGis  ^/w/^  and 
others  again  that  Prophet^  that  is  to  fay  the  Meffiah,  who  is  fo.cj^led  by 
way  of  excellence  in  iht,.K\^\l\.o(  Deuteronomy,  And  we  /Ind  that 
when  Jefus  Chrift  ftil'd  him.^lf  the  So}i  of  Man,  the  mtkltitudc^  eafdy 
conceived  that  h&  aUude4  ^  the  f^v.enth  of  i)fl;;/r/,  .-yvjiere  (he  MdEaJx  is 

ib  called,     '  ,  -  -,       ■•.•tr:qn  ".    ./  :    ^.  *  ;.      ' X- ■    ■'-    '"         v"- 

We  perceive  alfo  fiomjm^y  pther.  pkces"m'tlie  Gofpel,  That  the 

multitudes  were  very,  well  ac^Haimed  with  thofe  paiTages  i;^  \ht?iOidTeJ- 

'■'  '  tameniy 


CSl.TI.  Boohafthe  NewTeJlanient.  4^9 

tament^  which  were  commonly  applyed  to  the  Meffiah  :  the  Mcjjlah^  when 
he  appears^  fay  they,  ivill  he  do  greater  figns  than  this  man  doth  ?  .  Others 
are  oJfFended  becaufe  Jelus  Chrift  was  of  Ncrcareth^  arguing  from  thence 
that  he  could  not  be  the  Mefliah  :  others  maintain  that  when  the  Mef- 
■fiah  fhould  come,  it  would  not  be  known  whence  he  was  ;  and  others 
again  aflerted,  that  the  MelTiah  was  to  continue  for  ever.  All  which  is 
an  evident  fign  that  the  idea's  of  the  Mefuah  were  very  familiar  among 
the  yews.  '■~''  ' 

This  muft  have  been  fo  of  neceflity,  becaufe' the  Samaritans  \k\zxn~ 
fclves  were  pbil'eft  with  the  fame  idea's,  tho'  they  had  not  fo  great  an 
extent  of  light  as  the  ^eivs  had.  They  did  not  indeed  altogether  reject 
'the  writings  of  the  Prophet?,  but  rather  ftudied  them  with  care,  their 
animofity  againft  the  ^Jcivs^  and  their  jealoufic  upon  account  o'i  the  pro- 
mife,  of  the  place  of  the  temple,  and  other  things  in  qucftion,  do  ma- 
nifeftly  fhew  that  the  characters  of  the  IVleffiah  were  known  to  them, 
and  that  they  were  exactly  informed  in  that  whole  matter. 

One  ought  alfo  to  take  notice,  That  as  the  Apoftles  call  that  the  ful- 
mfs  of  tintey'  hccauk  the  times  fet  down  by  the  Prophets  were  aimolt  e:^- 
pired,  and  the  fcepter  was  already  departed  from  "Judah^  the  weeks  of 
Daniel  were  ended,  and  the  kingdoms  of  Syria  and  Egypt  were  over- 
turn'd  J  fo  there  were  feveral  good  men,  who  were  filled  with  an  expec- 
tation of  the  Mefliah.  j^nna  and  Simeon  are  reprefented  to.  us,  as  thofe 
x^ho  by  their  ftudy  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  had  difcover'd  that  the  time 
of  the  coming  of  the  Mefliah  was  near  at  hand,  much  in  the  fame  man- 
ner as  Daniel  is  reprefented  to  us  to  have  learnt  from  the  prophecy  of 
yeremiah,  that  the  captivity  was  dmoft  expired. 

I  (hall  add  one  argument  more  which  feems  beyond  exception.  That 
many  perfons  v/ere  found  about  the  time  of  Jefus  Chrift,  who  were  ei- 
ther drawn  by  others  into  an  opinion  of  their  being  the  Mefliah,  or  who 
of  themfelves  defired  to  be  accounted  fo.  Thus  we  are  told  that  the 
flatterers  of  Herod  the  Great  gave  him  the  title  of  Mejfmh.  Of  this 
number  were  Theudas  and  yudas  Gaulonites^  with  fome  others :  thus  alfo 
foon  after  fome  applyed  the  prophecies  concerning  the  Mefliah  to  Vefpa- 
f,an  the  emperour,  becaufe  he  had  been  chofen  in  the  eaft.  This  is  at- 
tefted  by  yofephus,  Tacitus^  and  Suetonius^  who  afTure  us,  that  the  notion 
of  the  promifed  Mefliah,  as  of  a  great  king,  was  very  common  in  this 
caft,  and  not  unknown  in  the  weft. 

We  know  that  under  the  emperour  Adrian  Barehochab  was  the  caufe 

of  a  terrible  fedition,  by  making  the  yews  believe  that  he  was  the  Mef- 

'fiah:  and  we  cannot  be  ignorant  how  many  fuch  like  impoftors  have 

been  fmce,  who  have  abufed  the  credulity  of  the  yews^  even  until  Sa- 

batai  Sevi  («),  who  deluded  them  about  one  and  twenty  years  fince. 

Laftly,  we  cannot  but  think  that  this  idea  of  the  MefTiah  was  always 
frefli  among  the  yews,  becaufe  we  find  that  from  that  time  they  havfe 
continually  difputcd  with  the  Chriftians  about  this  matter  ;  becaufe  they 
tell  us  of  two  Mefliah 's,  one  the  Ton  oVyudah^  and  the  other  the  fon  df 
yofeph  -y  and  becaufe  in  all  places  of  the  world  whither  they  arc  fcatter- 
ed,  they  fpeakof  the  MefTxah  in  their  Commentaries  911  the  Scripture^:, 

(aj  Rycaut.  *t^^.l{\^.  Vo\.i.^:ijj(iikc.  *' 

E  e  4 


4.4,0  Rejiexioiis  upon  thi  Ch.  Ill, 

*n  their  fcrmons,  in  their  publick:  prayers,  and  their  common  conver- 
sation. 

Surely  if  any  time  can  be  fuppofed,  wherein  they  might  have  loft  their 
Jcnowledge  and  diftindt  hope  of  the  MeiTiah,  it  muft  be  fmce  the  time 
appointed  for  his  coming  is  expired,  w^hen  by  the  Chriftians  infulting 
over  their  vain  expeiStations,  they  have  been  oblig'd  (finding  themfelvcs 
difappoipted  by  prophetical  calculations)  to  fet  up  that  rafh  maxim, 
Curfed  is  he  that  co?7tputes  the  times.  And  therefore  it  is  evident,  that 
thcfe  notions  were  much  more  lively  in  them,  when  their  hopes  were 
well  grounded,  apd  when  they  might  pretend  to  fee  them  accom- 
plifhed. 

It  is  no  lefs  certain,  that  the  model  appointed  by  God,  by  means  of 
which  the  MefTiah  might  be  certainly  known,  did  ftiij  fubfift  in  the  fame 
manner  as  God  at  firrt  had  formed  it  :  but  that  I  may  give  a  full  ligh: 
to  this  capital  truth  ;  I  fhall  tye  my  felf  to  confider  the  feveral  argu- 
ments for  it  diftinctly  ;  and  fhall  begin  with  thofe  which  fhew  that  the 
common-wealth  of  the  Jruus  did  fubfift  according  to  the  Divine  model ; 
and  then  proceed  to  otners  which  demonftrate,  that  God  had  therein 
preferved  all  the  diftindtions  neqefTary  to  his  defign. 


f>^^^^^^^4^^'^^^^'^^4^^'^4^^4^'fy4irfy4if'^'fy4f'4^'^^^ 


CHAP.    nr. 

^hat  the  Common-Wealth  of  the  Jews  didjlilljuhfijl,  and follovj  thg  Model 
which  God  had  formed^  in  Order  to  the  certain  Knowing  of  the  Mes- 
siah. 

f;?;^.^'^  HERE  are  two  things  which  feem  to  contradiiS  this  propofi- 
^  T  w  tion  }  the  one  is  the  overturning  of  the  Jewifti  State,  the  other 
^»';ilic^  is  the  corruption  of  their  reli^onj  but  it  is  eafie  to  remove 
both  thefe  difficulties. 

For  the  overturning  of  the  ftate  of  the  Jeivs^  did  not  draw  along  with 
it  that  of  the  Scripture,  and  the  laws  oa  which  it  was  founded,  and  af- 
terwards governed.  Wherefore  the  cafe  of  this  republick  is  not  the 
fame  with  that  of  Athens  or  Lacedcmcn^  which  at  prefent  fubfift  no  where* 
but  in  books,  becaufe  there  are  no  people  now  tliat  follow  the  laws  of 
the  ancient  legiflators  of  Sparta  or  Athens. 

But  on  the  contrary,  we  hnd  the  Jews  in  all  parts  of  th?  world,  keep- 
ing thefe  laws  with  great  carefulnefs,  ftudying  them  with  the  greateft 
application,  and  flattering  themfelves  that  God  will  one  day  re-eftablifh 
them  in  Judea,  which  they  expect  by  means  of  the  MefTiah,  whom  God 
^t  firft  promifed  to  them. 

'Tis  now  above  1600  years  that  they  have  been  fcattered  throughout 

the  world,  and  yet  we  find  not  that  their  condition  has  made  them  change 

.,   theif  meafureso^:  feopesj  and  thj9'  they  have  already  been  deceived  by  a 

r"    ■  '-i-  frreat 


Ch.  III.  Books  of  the  Neiv  Tejiament.  441 

great  number  of  falfe  Mefiiahs,  yet  do  not  they  for  all  that  look  upon  the 
condition  of  their  common-wealth  as  irrecoverable. 
.  Now,  if  during  fo  long  a  ferics  of  ages,  they  have  kept  their  laws 
with  fo  much  carefulnefs,  if  they  ftill  reiigiouny  ohferve  all  thofe  laws 
which  could  be  kept  without  the  bounds  of  the  holy  land;  who  fees  not 
but  that  in  all  probability  they  muft  have  kept  them  more  exa^ly  at  the 
time  of  Jefus  Chrift,and  before  his  coming,  when  they  could  keep  them 
with  much  more  eafe  than  fmce  that  time,  and  that  for  many  confider- 
able  reafons. 

For  firfi:,  Their  difperfion  then  was  m  one  only  nation,  whereas 
now  they  are  fcattered  amongft  Heathens,  ChriiHans,  and --Maho- 
metans. 

2.  They  had  then  Prophets  who  exhorted  them  to  the  obfervance  of 
thele  laws,  which  now  they  have  wanted  for  fo  many  ages. 

3.  They  had  often  princes  that  were  very  favourable  to  them,  fuch 
as  Cyrus  and  Darius^  who  ordered  that  facritices  ihould  be  offered  for 
themfelves,  in  the  temple  at  Jerufakm ;  and  Pompey  aftervi^rds  had  the 
fame  inclinations  for  them  ;  whereas  fmce  the  time  of  their  difperfion, 
they  have  fcarcely  met  with  any  one  prince  that  has  been  favourable  to 
them,  if  we  except  Julian  the  apoftate,  who  from  an  effect  of  his  hatred 
againft  the  Chriftians,  did  vainly  ftrive  to  rc-efbablifh  them. 

4.  They  had  a  temple  to  which  the  whole  ftate  of  their  republick  was 
fixed.  Herod  about  the  time  of  our  Saviour  had  mofl  magnificently  re- 
paired it,  vvhereas  now  for  fo  many  ^ges  they  have  neither  temple  nor 

altar, 

5.  They  had  high-priefts  amongft  them,  that  were  entrufted  with  the 
fovereign  power,  and  were  kings  of  their  nation,  whereas  now  they 
have  neither  king  nor  prince  of  their  faith. 

^.  Their  laws  being  tranflated  into  Greek  fmce  the  time  of  Ptolemy 
Pbiladelphusy  it  gave  occalion  to  an  extraordinary  jealoufie  between  the 
Jews  of  EgypU  who  had  the  text  of  the  Scripture  in  Greek,  and  between 
thofe  of  Jerufalem,  who  had  it  in  Hehreiv,  whereas  now  all  this  is  alto- 
g^th^r  ceafed,  all  the  Jews  now  for  many  ages  making  afe  only  of  the 
Hebrew  text. 

Since  therefore  we  find  that  they  without  Prophets,  without  king,  out 
of  their  own  country,  aV.  have  oblerved  thefe  laws  for  fo  many  ages, 
notwithftanding  their  difperfion  throughout  all  places,  and  amongft  all 
forts  of  people  ;  how  much  rather  may  we  conceive  they  did  fo  fince  the 
time  of  Ezra,  who  placed  the  books  of  the  OU  Tejlammt  in  the  order  in 
which  we  have  them  at  this  day  ?  There  are  only  542  years,  from  the 
time  of  the  return  of  their  captivity,  which  happened  in  the  year  3468, 
to  the  birth  of  Chrifl ;  and  but  259  years  from  their  return,  to  the  tran- 
flationof  the  70,  and  we  know  that  above  1600  years  are  pafl  fince  their 
general  difperfion. 

Moreover,  it  appears  that  the  Romans  had  fo  well  prefcrved  the  form 
of  the  Jewifh  government  from  Pompey\  time,  as  well  as  that  of  their 
religion,  that  a  Roman  general  fent  to  demand  a  kind  of  permiffion  of 
the  Jews^  to  let  him  pafs  with  the  Roman  eagles  through  Syria.  We 
know  that  thofe  eagles  were  never  fet  up  at  Jenffalcm,' hut  it  was  at  a 
^ime  when  a  Soman  commander  iuundcd  to  i^ir  up  the  Jewi  to  fcdition, 

and 


^2  Refiexhm  upon  the'  v^^iifl.  C,h.  KI. 

and  by  that  means  to  make  the  cmpcrour  their  enemy.  Yea,  we  find 
that  tho'  the  Romans  referved  to  thcmrelvcs  the  power  of  the  fword,  yet 
they  permitted  to  the  Jews  the  judgment  of  zeal,  againft  thofe  whom 
they  called  Hereticks,  whom  they  tore  to  pieces,  to  execute  the  rigour 
of  the  law. 

If  we  find  that  a  Rornnn  proconful  would  not  concern  himfelf  with 
qucttions  of  their  law  arifing  without  the  bounds  of  their  own  country, 
how  much  rather  may  we  judge  that  they  enjoy'd  an  entire  liberty  within 
"Judea?  And  indeed  we  find  the  pricfts  fending  their  commiflioners  to 
.Demiajciis  (i>)  againft  the  Chnftians,  without  doubt  with  defign  to  exe- 
cute the  law  againft  impoftors.  S.  Paul  was  beaten  feveral  times  with 
forty  ftripes  fave  one,  which  could  not  be  upon  any  other  pretence,  but 
'.to  obey  the  law  in  that  matter. 

Thefe  proofs  are  fufficient  to  make  out  that  the  commonwealth  of  the 
ifews  fubfrfted  ftiil  in  the  fame  manner  as  God  inftituted  it. 

And  as  for  what  concerns  the  overthrow  of  their  religion,  as  God 
had  interwoven  the  laws  that  regulated  it,  with  thofe  of  their  govern- 
.mcnt,  fo  that  their  religion  was  nothing  elfe  but  a  religious  policy,  it 
is  evident  that  their  government  continumg  at  the  time  of  Jefus  Chrift^ 
iwc  cannot  doubt,  but  that  their  religion,  notwithftanding  the  corruption 
which  the  Pharifees  and  traditionary  Jews,  whom  Chrift  continually  cen- 
.fures,  had  introduced,  did  ftill  continue  pure  enough,  to  anfwer  the  mo- 
-del  which  God  had  framed, 

-.  They  rejected  the  Satnariians^  as  appears  from  the  IV  of  S.  yohtty 
and  looked  upon  them  as  Hereticks,  having  no  commerce  with  them. 

They  lived  in  a  perfeft  alienation  from  the  Heathen ;  'tis  with  thrs  S. 
Peter  begins  his  difcourfe  to  the  affembly  at  the  houfe  of  Cornelius,  Ails 

X.  28.  "■ 

They  lived  in  an  exacl  obfervance  of  the  folemn  feafts  which  God 
Jiad  prefcribed  them,  viz.  the  pailbver,  pentecoft,  the  feaft  of  expiation 
and  of  tabernacles. 

They  obl'erved  the  feafts  which  their  anceftors  had  joyn'd  to  thefe  up- 
on extraordinary  occafions,  as  that  of  the  dedication,  that  of  Lois,  and 
feme  fafts  which  they  kept  then,  as  they  do  to  this  day.  This  appears 
by  the  hiftory  of  the  Gofpel,  and  by  the  A<fts  of  the  Apoftles. 

I'hey  affifted  at  thefe  folemn  feftivals  with  much  regularity. 

They  did  not  till  their  ground  in  the  feventh  year,  according  to  God's. 
command,  which  made  the  Heathen  princes  which  were  over  them,  to 
rcleafe  them  from  paying  any  tribute  that  year,  as  may  be  fecn  in  "Joje- 
phus  and  other  authors. 

They  taught  the  law  in  their  fynagogues,  and  that  ever)-  fabbath 
day. 

They  were  fo  fcrupulous  in  their  obfervation  of  the  fabbath,  that 
they  accufed  our  Saviour  for  healing  the  iick  on  that  day. 

It  appears  that  lepers  were  fequcftred,  and  that  they  obferved  the 
diftindion  of  the  feveral  kinds  of  leprohc,  according  to  the  law  of 
Mofes. 

We  find  by  the  hiftory  of  the  Gadarenes^  that  fwine  were.  looked  upon 
as  unclean  bcafls.  .:..::.':"!.•  v  ^ 

,.  .  ,, ;:  /..::-)  rt^r; .  A     c  -pff  "■'■'"•-Jt 

(hj  Awls  ix.  4. 


Ch.  III.  Booh  oft^e  New  Tejlafnent.  ^^^. 

It  is  certain  that  they  paid  the  tribute  which  was  appointed  for  the 
ufe  of  the  temple,  according  to  the  law  of  Mofes^  and  the  re-eftablifh- 
ment  of  that  cuftom,  which  we  tind  II  Cbron.  XXIV.  5.  Jojepbns  [c) 
tells  us  that  this  pradife  was  continued  till  the  deilruftion  of  the  temple. 
We  meet  with  the  fame  in  Tacitus^  and  other  Heathen  authors  of  that 
time. 

I  acknowledge  that  at  the  fame  time  they  were  extreamly  corrupt  in 
their  doclKnes,  with  which  Chrift  upbraids  the  Pharifees  and  Saduces : 
but  this  corruption  refpe£led  rather  their  morals,  than  the  externals  of 
their  religion  j  as  appears  plainly  from  hence,  that  Jefus  Chrift  upbraids 
the  Pharifees  with  their  tithing  mint  and  cummin,  that  is,  with  their  ob- 
fervance  of  outward  niceties,  whilft  they  negleded  the  very  eilentials  of 
piety. 

They  held  that  Heathens  could  not  pafs  for  their  neighbours,  from' 
whence  it  would  follow,  that  God  did  not  forbid  them  to  bear  fal(e  wit- 
nefs  againft  a  Heathen.  Hence  alfo  they  concluded  that  it  was  lawful' 
for  them  to  kill  their  enemies,  and  this  fomented  their  hatred  and  animo- 
fity  againft  all  other  nations.  It  was  on  this  account  that  the  Difciples 
of  Jefus  Chrift  marvelled  that  he  talked  with  a  Samaritan  woman. 

Their  decifions  concerning  adultery  were  no  lefs  corrupt,  which  they 
declared  to  be  no  fm,  fo  long  as  it  did  not  proceed  to  the  outward  a£t  j 
which  opinion  of  theirs  was  more  grofs  than  that  of  many  Heathens, 
who  had  a  truer  idea'  of  the  purity  of  heart  which  God  requires  of  us, 
as  well  as  that  of  the  body.  But  yet  this  did  not  altogether  deftroy  their 
religion,  tho'  it  obfcured  the  excellency  and  fublimity  thereof. 

As  for  the  Saduces,  befides  that  their  errours  were  only  fpecuktive, 
fimongft  the  greateft  part  of  them,  it  is  certain  that  what  the  Gofpel 
faith  of  their  denying  the  exiftence  of  fouls  and  fpirits,  and  the  docfririe- 
of  the  rsfurre6tion,  muft  be  underftood  with  fome  qualification,  as  the 
learned  have  folidly  proved,  and  amongft  others  Dr.  Ligbtfoot  on  the 
Gofpels.  •  '•■  ' 

And  without  repeating  thofe  things  which  fecurd  the  prefervation  of 
their  ftate,  and  which  alfo  vihbly  tended  to  the  preferving  of  their  reli-' 
gion,  I  fhall  only  obferve.  That  the  Jeius  at  this  day,  with  very  little 
difference,  are  found  in  the  fame  practices  and  opinions,  as  to  their  re- 
ligion, which  they  had  at  the  time  of  our  Saviour. 

Seeing  then,  that  after  fo  long  a  time  of  fixteen  hundred  years,  we 
find  no  greater  change  i«  their  belief  (though  their  traditions  are  confi- 
derably  encreafed,  trie  rules  whereof  they  have  infinitely  multiplved,  and 
thereby  encreafed  this  corruption)  how  can  it  be  imagin'd  that  the  reli- 
gion of  the  Jewiwss  wholly  loft,  or  had  no  being  at  the  time  of  our  Sa- 
viour Jefus  Chrift. 

Let  this  therefore  be  eftabiifhed  as  a  certain  truth.  That -the  common- 
wealth of  the  Jews  fubfifting  entirely,  it  was  eafie  to  know,  whether  the 
diftindions  which  were  neceffary  to  difcover  and  make  known  the  Mef- 
iiah,  were  ftill  found  in  the  ftate  oi-xh&Jeivs  and  their  religion.  This 
is  that  I  am  now  going  to  make  out.  ' .  :iv ..' 

.    '■  '-'1    ■  -.  .      n    ' 

(c)  Antiq.  xviii.  ch,  xii. 


444-  Rt'Jlexions  ttp^n  thf  C^   jy^ 


C    H    A    r.      IV. 

That  all  the  Dtjlin^lons  mcejfaryfir  dijcovering  of  the  M£-,sif<H^ /iiii  con- 
tinued  tn  the  State  of  the  Jews  at  the  Time  of  oar  Lord. 

gii^jC^'^  D  O  not  know  whether  any  man  can  denv  that  circumcifion, 
gig  which  is  one  of  the  prijicipal  marks  of  the  Jeivs,  was  practifed 
Jyctjftc:?  2t  that  time  ;  if  any  one  (hould  dare  to  diipute  this  truth,  wc 
need  only  to  reprefent  to  him,  that  the  main  difpute  between  the  firlt 
Difciples  of  Jefus  Chrifl  and  the  Jdivs,  was  about  the  obfervation  of 
this  ceremony. 

Ncuher  were  the  Jnos  only  obftinate  in  this  belief,  but  we  find  alfo 
that  thofe  who  firrt  embraced  the  ChrilHan  religion,  maintained  that  the 
Heathens  themftlves  ought  to  fubmit  to  tlie  yoke  of  circumcifion  be- 
fore they  could  enter  into  the  Divine  covenant,  and  enjoy  the  priviJed<Tes 
of  Gods  people,  whom  ciicumcifioji  diiiinguifhed  from  the  reft  of  the 
world. 

One  fee's  that  tho'  God  fcaitered  the  ten  tribes,  yet  fome  of  them  f^ill 
remained  in  PalejUncy  and  were  diiJindly  known  asVuch.  This  appears 
from  the  Jcis  of  the  Apojiles^  where  mentioii  is  made  of  a  widow  of  the 
tribe  oi  Ajher^  and  S.  Paul  boafts  of  his  being  a  Benjamite. 

They  upbraided  Herody  notwithftanding  he  was  their  king,  with  his 
being  an  EdomitCy  and  not  originally  a  Jew. 

One  fee's  that  about  Tyre  and  Sidon  there  remained  ftill  a  diftin(fl 
knowledge  of  the  Canaanltei. 

It  is  known  that  Galilee  was  lefs  efteemed  than  Judea^  becaufe  many 
of  the  Gentiles  were  fettled  there,  by  which  means  the  Jews  of  that  pro- 
vince were  obliged  to  fome  commerce  with  them,  from  which  thofe  who 
lived  more  diftincl,  thought  that  they  had  a  right  to  uiKiervalue  thofe 
that  were  fettled  in  Galilee. 

One  may  alio  boldly  aflcrt,  That  all  places  were  ftiU  diftin<Elly  known 
to  what  tribe  they  did  belong.  Thus  it  is  obferved  that  Capernaum  was 
in  the  borders  of  Naphtali  and  ZebuluHy  that  Bethlehem  was  in  the  tribe  of 
Jwla,  which  is  rejated  as  a  thing  publickly  kjwwn. 

It  is  known  that  the  priefts  ftiU  pollcfs  the  cities  which  Jajhua  had  af- 
figned  to  them.  Zacharias  the  father  oi  John  the  Baptijl  dwelt  at  He- 
brcn  {d\  a  city  belonging  to  the  priefts  iji  the  tribe  of  Juda. 

One  fee's  that  even  the  Samaritan  woman  had  a  diftin*^  knowledge  of 
fome  famous  places  in  th«  Holy  Land,  as  Jacob's  Well,  and  the  poul-f- 
f:on  which  he  gave  to  his  (onjo/ephy  and  that  thofe  of  her.  religion, 
took  a  prejudice  again ll  the  Jews,  becaufe  Jacob  had  built  an  alur  at 
Si:  hem. 

One  fee's  that  they  kept  up  the  praclifc  of  redeemiiig  theij  firft-born, 
which  at  this  day  is  ftill  obferved  by  the  Jews. 

As  alfo  tlie  pracUfe  of  polygamy,  which  was  fo  common  amongft  them, 

that  S.  Paul  thought  himfelf  obliged  to  forbid  the  fame  to  the  pallors  of 

:..  ,  ,     _  the 

(f'J  Jofli.  xxi.  10,  II. 


Ch.  IV.  JBooh  of  the  New  Tejlament.  41^ 

the  Chriftian  church,  that  he  might  abolifh  it  by  little  and  little  amongft 
thofe  that  embraced  the  doftrine  of  Jefus  Chrift. 

One  fee's  from  the  nineteenth  of  S.  Matthew,  that  divorces  were  pub- 
lickly  pra£lifed  amongft  them,  as  they  are  to  this  day. 

If  one  makes  any  reflexion  upon  the  objection  the  Sadduces  made  to 
our  Saviour  concerning  the  woman  that  fucceflively  had  feven  brothers 
for  her  hufbands,  we  fhall  perceive  that  the  defire  of  pofterity  being  pre- 
dominant amongft  them,  was  the  caufe  of  the  continuance  of  this  cuf- 
tom^  which  began  in  the  time  of  the  Patriarch  Jitdah. 

We  have  elfewhere  taken  notice  of  the  extream  carefulnefs  of  the 
Jews,  in  preferving  the  marks  of  their  daughters  virginity,  which  has 
conftantly  continued  down  fmce  the  coming  of  our  Saviour  Jefus 
Chrift. 

The  Gofpel,  which  informs  u?  that  the  Jrws  v/ere  deprived  of  the 
power  of  the  fword,  doth  notwithftanding  fufficiently  fignihe  to  us,  not 
only  the  extream  horrour  which  the  Jews  had  conceived  againft  adulte- 
ry J  (thus  we  find  Jefus  Chrift  upbraiding  the  Pharifees,  that  adulterers, 
that  is  the  greateft  of  fmners,  entred  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  before 
them  ;)  but  alfo  that  the  laws  againft  adulterers  and  adulterefles  were 
feverely  executed.  i 

In  ihort,  one  fee's  that  by  a  judgment  of  zeal,  as  they' call  it,  they 
brought  a  woman  to  our  Saviour  which  was  taken  in  adultery,  before 
they  went  about  to  ftone  her ;  for  one  ought  to  know  that  the  law  only 
fubjetffed  young  women,  who  were  defiled  after  a  contradl,  to  that  fort 
of  puniftiment,  becaufe  after  they  were  once  contra6led  they  were  re- 
puted the  wives  of  thofe  to  whom  they  were  betrothed  j  and  fuch  an  one 
was  fhe  of  whom  we  read  in  the  eighth  ch.  of  S.  Johny  and  not  a  perfon 
adlually  married,  whofe  punilhment,  according  to  the  law,  was  to  be 
ftrangled. 

One  fee's  that  S.  P^«/ fuppofeth,  That  the  law  which  fubjefted  a 
virgin  to  the  will  of  her .  father,  and  gave  him  power  to  make  void  her 
vows  at  pleafure,  was  ftill  in  force. 

I  will  not  mention  here  what  the  ancients  tell  us  of  the  diftinflion 
which  they  fay  was  made  between  virgins  and  married  women,  as  well 
in  the  temple,  as  in  their  fynagogues  j  I  ftiall  only  fay,  that  this  their 
tradition  is  not  without  ground. 

It  is  known  that  the  order  eftablifhed  by  David  for  exercifino-  the 
prieftly  fundlions  was  exacStly  obferved  by  them  :  Zacharias  was  of  the 
courfe  o^  JbWy  which  was  the  eighth  in  order,  as  is  mentioned  I  Chron, 
XXIV.  II.  and  he  offered  incenfe  according  to  the  law,  fetdown  Exod, 
XXX.  verf.  7,  8. 

One  fee's  that  the  Jevjs  would  not  fufFer  the  dead  bodies  to  hang  up- 
on the  crofs  after  funfet,  according  to  what  we  find  was  pra6lis'd  at 
the  time  of  Jojhua,  in  purfuance  of  that  law  which  we  find  Deut.  XXI, 
verfe  23. 

1  only  mention  thefe  particulars  now,  intending  hereafter,  that  I  may 
.avoid  tedious  repetitions,  to  enlarge  more  exprefly,  when  I  fliall  come 
to  fhew,  as  to  every  article,  the  exaft  accomplifhment  of  the  ancient 
oracjes  ^concerning  the  Meffiah,  in  the  perfon  of  our  Saviour  Jefus 
Chrift ;  togetlier  with  the  ufe  of  thef«  diftinitions  which  bar  any  other, 

except 


:^^!()  ilejiexims  t/pon  the  Ch.  V. 

eitcrpt  Jcfi<^  Chrirt-,  from  attributrrrg  that  title  to  "himfclf,  6m!  frdm  abu- 
fuig  the  credulity  of  tljc  7<?wx.  '      <  .   ■  :•:?  : 

"•^ftwoifld  be  an  eafie  iri^ttcr  for  me  to  make  a  mimerous  liftbf  thefe 
chaiadteis,  according  to  all  the  different  oracles  which  God  gave  to  the 
y^Lvo's  on  tnis  rubjedl-,  and  to  juiHfie  the  exa6t  fulhlling  of  them  in  the 
pcfron  of  Jcfus  Chrift.  And  indeed  it  was  not  without  caufe  that  God 
furmftied  his  people  with  fo  great  a  number  of  prophecies  upon  this 
head,  Ws  defign  being  thereby  to  give  us  fuch  folid  grounds  for  our  faith, 
l>v^antin^  to  it  all  thefe  fupports,  that  nothing  might  be  able  to  fhakc 

'  ^utbcCaufe  all  of  them  may  be  referred  to  certain  headf:^  and  that  an 
explication  of  the  chief  of  them  is  fufficicnt  to  ilUiftrate  the  reft,  1  ftiall 
ftgp  .there  now. 

'  1  beo^in  therefore  with  the  charafter  of  the  time  in  which  the  Mef- 
fiah  was  t6  appear,-  and  in  which  Jefus  Chrift  did  at^ually  come  into  the 
vvor?d..  "And  it  being"  utterly  impoirible  for  any  man  to  choofe  the  time 
©f  his  birth,  any  more  than  to  choofe  an  illultrious  fore-runner,  or  a 
certain  place^  where,  or  a  certain  family  of  which  he  is  to  be  born,  and 
much  lefs;  of  a  virgin  for  his  mother ;  thefe  charafters  may  fatisfie  us, 
'l'h\at  all  thofc  that  eVQr  pretended  to  the  title  of  the  Mefltah,  could  not 
te^onably  do  ifc 


r 

^^OC^^CKXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXKXXXXXXKXXXXXX* 
-C  "H    A    P.     v: 

V^iwtthe  !Xim£  pointed  out  by  the  Prophets  for  ihe'Comw^  of  the  MtsstAU, 
'"  is  the  very  time  in  which  Jesus  Chrj^t"^/'"'"'"-^^  ^^^'  ^^^^'>'^^\^ 


Hjj-^'ji  depart  tro7n  jua-in,  ?wr  «  uni^^rucr  jru,,^  <.c*m.ic»  '^'^jc..^  »^.y 
bhiioiTV<?wi^V  contains  a  formal  charader  of  the  time'  in  which  ctir  Sa- 
vioui-  was  lo  appear.  I  am  therefore  at  prefent  to  (hew  that  thfe  7^^^^^\ 
that  time  had  wholly  loft  the  authority  of  which  they  had  been  pofTefled 
iof.{o  n\any -ages,  which  will  moft  evidently  appear  from  thefe  tour  Re- 
flexions on  the  hiiiory  of  the  Gofpel  it  felf.  ^  '         .' 

n;he  firft  i&  on  the  birth-  of  Jefus  Chnft,  which  Happened  pJ-dcifefy  « 
the  time  when  Ju^ufus  had  ordered  that  all  the  fubjeas  of  the  Roman 
entdire  {hould  be  enrolled ;  when  we  find  that  Jojcph  and  the  Blefted 
V'iroin  went  to  BethUaii,  their  own  city,  to  lift  tlieir  names  in  the  re- 
giikf  of  the-  Roman  magiftrate,  which  is  an  authentick  proof  of  the  fer- 
VJtiide  of  that  people  fo  the  Romans.  \\,    ^,\,^r    .•  u  • 

.  \i  will  not  be  ainifs  here  to  take  iibtice,  firft,  0{  Mofes  his  numbnng 

the  ■people. by  Divine  adtli^rity  :  fecondly,  Of  the  numbring  v.'h\chDa- 

v,i\inaeriook,.and'for  whic4i  he  was  exemplarily  puniftied  by  God. 

Now  as  God  caufed  the  people  to  be  numbred,  to  (hew  that  they  were 

e  *^^ 


Gh.  V^*  ^ooks  of  the  Nev)  Tejiament,  /\./^y- 

all  his'  fubje^ls,  and  as  David  numbred  therti  with  the  fame  refpeft,  fo' 
we  muft  confider  this  adion  of  Aiigujius,  was  a  publick  teftimony  of  hiS' 
foveraignty.  over  -the  f^ews^  who  were  fubdued  by  Pompey.  *^  ■    '  •  -  ■•  •  '  "  "^ 

When  Tetiullian  appealed  to  the  publick  regiftelrs  of  the  i2»;7z^;z  empii-ey 
in  his  apologetick  addrertedvto  the  Roman  rnagiftrate,  who  refided  at' 
Carthage^  hfi'gave  a  fuffici^nt' evidence  that  we  have  no  reafon  to  fufpedt 
the  relatHon-df  theEvangelifts.  One  may  joyn  to  this- the  manner  of 
the  relation  of  thefe  facls  which  the  Evangelifts  give  us-  as  for  inftance 
in  the  baptifm  of  our  Lord,  they  determine  the  years  in  whith  they  were 
done,  not  only  by  the  year  of  the  high  prieft,  but  alfb  by  thofe  of  Augiif-' 
tits  and  'iTiberJus,  ScC.  '  '  '" 

■'The  fecond  reflexion  may  be  made  upbn  the  character  of  orte  of  the 
Apoftles  of  Jelus  Chrift,  Levi  or  JUatthnv  ;  who  'before  our  SaVio^^" 
made  choice-of  him  wa-*  a  publican,  and  it  feems  as  if  our  Saviour  h*ad 
on  purpbfe  taken  him  from  that  employ,  to  be  one  of  his  Diiciples,  to' 
give  a  real  inftance,  and  fuch  a  one  as  went  every  where  along  with 
him,  that  t\\e,Jeu!s  by  paying  tribute  to  the  Roman  fm^'xte  had  wholly' 
loft-tlreir  temporal  authority,  which  was^  ro'  continue^trli-the'COnQtrio-Vof 
the  Meffiah^  .  l^      ,       -•■     **''■' 

Here  alfo  may  be  made  a  third  reflexion,  whigh  i?  y6|ry  rtataral,  upon 
a  paflage  related  by  the  Evangelifts.     They  come  dnd  afkour'Savlouf' 
Whether  it  were  lawful  to  yield  obedience  to  the  Romans?     For  fmce 
God  had  chofen  this  people,  and  had  given  them  judges  and  princes  of 
hi^  own  choofing,  they  had  aKvays  an  extream  averfipn  for  any  forejan" 
domination:  of  this  we  have  art.  illuftrious  exampleferthe  time  of  t|ie 
fiege  of  Jeritfahm^  v/hen  notwithftanding  the  remonftrahces  by  'Jerejny 
yet  they  could  not  confent  to  fubmit.     This  is,  that  witl\  which  they  are. 
upbraided',  ET^a  IV.  verfc  19.  neither  were  they  n>ore  content  with  this'- 
their  ftate  of  bondage,  at  the  time  of  our  Savioiir  •  and  fome  of  their* 
zealots  took  this  occafion  to  tempt  our  Saviour,  that  Vhqy  mi"-ht  mak^ 
him  odious,  which  fide  foever  he  ftiouid  take.     Their  queftionlis   Whe 
ther"  It  bg  lavjful  to  pay  tribute  to  Cefar  ?     To  which  he  anfwers  \vith  a 
Divine  wifdom;  Render  to  Cefar  the  things,  ivl^ich  ar^  Cefars,  and  unta 
God  the  things- that  are  Gods ;  which  words  being  joyned  with  the  money 
thathe  made  them  produce,  which,  was  ftampt  With  the  emperours  ima^e 
do  evidently  ftiew  that  the  Roviqns  were  foveraign  lords  in  Judea:  'S\%\ 
known  that  the  coyning  of  money  is  the  undoubted  mark  of  theVove--' 
raignty  of  that  prince  who  makes  it  pafs  for  current.  "' 

But  if  we  muft  give  fome  further  light  to  the  foregoing  reflexions  w^ ' 
need  only  obferve  the  manner  of  our  Saviour's  fufFering,  as  it  is' de- 
jcribed  to  us.  The  Jews  do  agree,  as  may  be  f?en  inlhq  Jerufale'n 
Tahnud  [e],  that  crimmal  judgment  was  taken  away  from  them  forty 
years  before  the  deftruftion  of  Jerufalem  j  and  the  Gofpel  fuppofeth  the 
fame  thmg  ;  the  Jews  did  not  put  Jefus  Chrift  to  death,  but  they  ear- 
ned him  to  Pilatey  and  demanded  that  he  might  be  crucified.  When 
Pilate  faid,  Shall  I  crucifie your  king?  They  anfwer,  JVe  have  no  other 
king  but  Cefar,  which,  confeflian  was  the  confefTion  of  the  whole  Jewifh 
nation,  who  were  aflembled  at  the  feaft  of  paflbver.  In  fhort  one 
fees  that  accordingly  the  Roman  magiftrate  paft  fentenc?  upon  kirn/   He 

(()  Sohhedr,  foL  24,  a. 


^48  Rejuxlsns  upon  ihe  Oh.  V. 

\yas  fcourgctl  before  they  led  him  to  be  crucified,  wJiich  was  a  punifh- 
ment  amongft  the  Ramans,  His  body  is  not  taken  from  the  crofs  but  by 
pcrmiflion  from  Pilate ;  and  the  Roman  fouldicrs  are  thofe  dogs,  that  is, 
prophanc  Heathens  who  cncloicd  him,  and  tormented  him,  according 
to  the  defcription  which  David  has  made  Pfai/^  XXII. 

The  'Jfws  have  here  but  one  anfwer  to  make,  which  God's  former 
dealing  with  that  people  feems  fomewhat  to  countenance  ;  which  is^ 
That  as  their  fevcnty  years  captivity  under  the  Bahybnian  empire  did 
not  hinder  the  differring  of  the  accomplifhment  of  that  prophecy  of  the 
fcepten  nut  departing  from  Judah,  for  forne  centuries  after  the.faid  capti-. 
vity  ;  fo  neither  is  it  neccflary  to  fuppofe  that  the  A^Iefliah  was  to  fucceed 
immediately  upon  the  endmg  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Mauabee\y  and  yp- 
on  the  lofs  of  their  liberty  under  Potnpt-y. 

But  here  is  a  very  great  difference :  for  firft,  during  the  Babylonifh 
captivity,  God  ftill  preferred  ainongft  them  fome  form  of  government, 
the  great  lords  of  the  country  being  chiefly  carried  away  captives,  whilft 
the  pooreft  and  moft  milcrable  were  left  behind. 

Secondly,  the  capti\ity  lalled  only  70  years,  whereas  this  laft  difperfion 
hath  lafted  above  1600. 

Thirdly,  the  firft  captivity  did  not  at  all  abollfh  thofe  neceflary  marks 
whereby  the  lawful  lords  oi  Judea  might  be  diftinguifhed :  thofe  that 
were  of  the  tribe  of  yuda^  as  weH  as  thofe  of  other  tribes,  were  very 
well  known,  tho'  they  were  not  in  poiTeflion  of  the  kingdom  j  whereas 
now  every  thing  is  confounded  amongll  them  ;  and  if  one  looks  into 
Chriftian  records,  he  may  find  that  many  of  the  kindred  of  Jefus  Chrilt 
were  put  to  death,  becaufe  they  could  pretend  to  the  throne  of  Judea, 
Moreover,  during  the  captivity  of  Babylon,  they  had  Prophets  amongft 
them  who  exprefly  foretold  the  end  of  it,  whereas  nothing  of  that  kind 
has  yet  been  fince  the  laft  deftrudtion  of  jerufalem,  fmce  which  time  no 
Prophet  has  appeared  amongft  them,  that  advantage  being  transferred  tg 
the  Chriftians,  fome  of  which,  who  next  fucceeded  our  Saviour,  did  fore- 
tel  the  moft  remarkable  events  th^t  were  to  follow  to  the  end  of  the 
world. 

But  if  any  one  fhould  be  fo  nice  as  to  call  in  queftion  the  reafons  of 
the  difference  here  alledged  •  at  leaft  the  Jevjs  will  find  nothing  to  object 
againft  the  prophecy  of  Z)^«/t7,  concerning  the  weeks  at  the  end  of  which 
the  Mcffiah  was  to  appear,  and  afterwards  to  be  cut  off.  In  fliort,  if  it 
be  true  that  Jefus  Chrift  was  born  under  the  empire  of  Augujlus^  it  is  no 
lefs  certain  that  he  entred  upon  his  miniftry  in  the  fifteenth  year  of  Tihe- 
r'ius^  and  was  crucified  the  nineteenth  year  of  his  reign,  that  is  in  the 
midft  of  the  four  hundred  eighty  feventh  year  from  the  twentieth  year  of 
Artaxerxes,  that  is  before  the  end  of  the  laft  week  pointed  out  by  Daniel^ 
as  I  have  (hewed  in  the  eighth  chapter  of  the  third  part  of  this  book. 


CHAP.   VL 


Ch.  VI.  Books  of  the  Old  Tcjlament. 


CHAP.      VL 


449 


^hat  Jesus  Christ  had precifely  fuch  a  Fore- Runner  as  the  Prophets  had 
defcribed  to  precede  the  Messiah. 

JPXX;^NE  will  eafily  judge  that  it  was  agreeable  to  the  greatnefs  of 
^?  O  ^^}  the  Mefllah,  and  the  contemptible  ftate  wherein  he'^'as  to  ap-. 
4^XX^  pear  to  the  world,  that  he  fhould  have  a  forerunner.  Accord- 
ingly we  find  Ifaiah  exprelTing  himfelf  in  his  manner,  the  year  of  the 
world  3292,  almoit  700  years  before  the  birth  of  our  Saviour.  Malachy 
had  exprefly  foretold  the  fame  in  his  prophecy,  about  420  years  before  his 
appearance.  If  this  be  once  granted,  it  is  eafie  to  conceive  that  the  fon 
of  a  prieft,  living  without  any  worldly  fplendour,  and  dyino-  a  violent 
death,  tho'  very  glorious  for  him,  was  a  proper  forerunner  to  that  Jefus, 
who  himfelf  was  to  be  crucified. 

Our  bufinefs  therefore  is  to  enquire  whether  the  charailers  which  the 
Prophets  give  to  the  forerunner  of  the  Meffiah,  do  agree  with  "John  the 
Baptiji^  in  whom  the  Chriftians  maintain  that  this  prophecy  of  Malachy 
was  fulfilled.     This  may  be  eafily  made  out. 

Firft,  John  the  Baptiji  was  miraculoufly  conceived  at  a  time  when  his 
parents  could  not  promife  themfelves  any  fitch  thing  :  the  Ano-el  Gabriel 
who  had  declared  to  Daniel  the  coming  of  the  Mefliah,  by  pointing  out 
to  him  the  number  of  weeks,  was  the  meffenger  of  the  conception  of  this 
forerunner  of  the  Mefliah.  Several  things  palTed  at  his  birth,  and  at  the 
time  when  they  gave  him  his  name,  which  were  very  firran^-e,  aiad  which 
could  not  but  be  generally  known,  as  well  becaufe  of  the  accident  which 
happened  to  Zacharias  in  the  temple,  as  of  his  quality,  beino-  a  prieft. 

Secondly,  the  extraordinary  life  which  S.  John  led,  being  a  Nazarite^ 
ought  to  be  carefully  confidered.  He  liv'd  in  a  folitary  place,  as  the 
Prophet  Elijah  did  before  him. 

Thirdly,  his  preaching  alfo  had  the  charafter  of  that  ancient  Proohet, 
being  thundring  as  his  was  ;  he  neither  fpared  great  men,  nor  thofe\vho 
had  the  reputation  of  the  greatefi:  lanctity,  as  the  Pharifees  particularly, 
whofe  pride  and  hypocrify  he  touched  to  the  quick. 

_  Fourthly,  he  fet  forth  the  coming  of  the  Meffiah  as  at  the  door;  The 
kingdom  of  heaven,  faid  he,  is  at  hand-^  alluding  to  the  feventh  oi  Daniel 
where  the  kingdom  of  the  Mefliah  is  reprefented  as  a  kingdom  which 
was  to  come  down  from  heaven,  whereas  the  former  empires  had  their 
riff  from  the  earth. 

In  fhort,  nothing  could  be  more  illuflrious  than  the  miniflry  of  this 
great  man. 

He  baptized  publickly  for  the  fpace  of  one  year,  fuch  as  came  to  him, 
folemnly  engaging  them  to  repentance,  in  hopes  of  the  fuddain  appear- 
ance of  the  Mefliah.  This  ceremony,  which  was  an  imitation  of  their 
cuftom  of  initiating  profelytes  in  the  Jewifh  religion,  was  plainly  an  ef- 
fay  to  eftablifh  a  new  religion,  or  at  leafl  to  reform  thofe  corruptions 
which  time  had  introduced  into  the  Jewilh  religion. 
Vol.  I.  F  f  In 


450  Rejlextom  upon  the  Cii.  VI. 

In  a  word,  we  find  him  fo  generally  followed,  that  the  great  councel 
of  the  Jevji  thought  fit  to  fend  deputies  to  him,  to  know  whether  he 
were  not  the  Mcflich  they  expe<Slcd  :  this  great  man  was  fo  far  from 
abufing  the  great  credit  he  had  gain'd,  that  he  folemnly  protefted,  That 
he  was  onlythe  forerunner  of  the  Meffiah,  who  was  already  come,  but 
was  as  yet  concealed  in  the  midft  of  them. 

His  glory  became  fo  illuftrious,  that  it  ftirr'd  up  jealoufie  In  the  mind 
of  Herod^  who  caft  him  into  prifon,  and  at  laft  caufed  his  head  to' be 
cut  oiF  in  the  caftle  of  Macherom^  to  fatisfie  the  lewd  HerodiaSy  whofe 
marriage,  or  rather  incefl,  with  Herod  he  had  reproved. 

Before  S.  John  was  beheaded,  he  fends  his  Difciples  to  Jefus  Chriil, 
to  inform  himfclf  whether  he  were  the  Mefliah  ;  which  our  Saviour 
proves  to  them  by  the  miracles  which  he  wrought  in  their  prefence,  and 
by  the  teflimony  of  the  Prophet  Ifaiah^  which  S.  John  had  before  al- 
ledged  as  a  proof  of  his  call. 

All  thefe  fa6ts  were  fo  illufrrious,  and  fo  well  known,  that  S.  John 
conftantly  pafled  tor  a  great  Prophet  amongft  the  Jews^  the  PharifeeR 
themfelves  not  daring  to  queftion  it :  he  received  publick  deputations 
from  the  Jeivs,  who  demanded  the  reafon  of  his  miniflry,  and  he  him- 
felf  fent  one  to  Jefus  Chrift,  that  his  Difciples  might  be  acquainted  with 
him,  and  that  they  might  give  him  a  fecond  publick  teftimony  ;  and  laft 
of  all  he  dies  a  glorious  martyr  for  his  purity,  after  he  had  made  a  vaft 
number  of  Difciples,  who  were  fo  well  difperfed  in  all  places,  that  S. 
Luke  tells  us  in  the  A^s^  that  fome  of  them  were  found  in  Jfta^  who  re- 
ceived the  Gofpel  and  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  in  which  they  had  been  as 
it  were  initiated  already  by  the  baptlfm  of  S.  John. 

It  appears  afterwards  that  S.  John  was  look'd  upon  as  the  forerunner 
of  the  Mcfiiah  ;  Jefus  Chrift  faith  he  was  the  greateft  of  all  the  Pro- 
phets ;  and  when  Herod  heard  of  the  reputation  of  Jefus  Chrift,  he  fup- 
pofed  that  S.  John  was  raifed  from  the  dead. 

The  Jews  not  conceiving  that  John  the  Boptijl  was  the  forerunner  of 
the  MefTiah,  becaufe  they  underftood  the  prophecy  o(  A/alachy  literally (/), 
which  alio  made  the  LXX  add  to  the  text  the  word  Thi/l/itr.y  in  that  paf- 
fage  of  Molachy  ;  therefore  Jefus  Chrift  declares  that  it  was  indeed  he  of 
whom  Maldchyh's.A  fpoken. 

I  acknowledge  that  John  the  Baptijl  did  not  do  any  miracle  ;  but  then 
he  uttered  i.  So  plain  an  oracle  concerning  the  miraculous  effufion  of 
the  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghoft  upon  the  Difciples,  that  we  find  nothing  fo 
great  or  fo  clear  in  all  the  ancient  prophecies ;  He  that  comes  after  me, 
faith  he,  J})all  baptize  you  with  the  Holy  Ghoji^  and  ivhhjire. 

1.  He  gave  a  fecond  oracle,  tho'  not  fo  plain  as  the  former,  con- 
cerning the  deftrudionofytV7^^/^w ;  lVl)oje  fan  is  in  his  handy  and  he  will 
throughly  purge  his  fioor^  and  tui  II  burn  up  the  chaff  with  fire. 

Thefe  two  oracles  contain  the  end  of  the  old  difpenfation,  and  the  be- 
ginning of  the  new ;  the  miraculous  gifts  of  the  Spirit  were  given  to 
facilitate  the  publifhing  of  the  Gofpel  among  the  Gentiles -^  and  the  dc- 
ftru£lion  of  Jerufalerriy  and  of  the  temple,  happened  as  well  to  punifli 
the  crime  which  the  Jews  had  committed  when  they  put  the  Mciliah  to 

death  j 

(f)  Mai.  jv,  5. 


Ch.  VI,  Booh  of  the  New  Tejlament,  451 

death  ;  as  to  take  away  all  their  pretences  of  believing  that  the  Meffiah 
was  not  come,  who  was  to  appear  whilft  that  temple  flood. 

But  before  I  conclude  this  chapter,  I  muft  obferve  three  or  four  things, 
which  are  very  necefTaryto  confirm  the  authority  of  the  teftimony  which 
this  forerunner  of  the  Mefliah  hath  giv^en  to  Jefus  Chrift. 

It  is  a  maxim  amongft  the  Jews^  That  he  who  is  acknowledg'd  for  a 
Prophet,  may  confirm  the  authority  of  another,  by  atteilinp-  him  to  be 
a  true  Prophet  {g).  And  this  is  tiiat  which  S.  Jolm  did  to  Chrift;  he 
was  generally  accounted  a  Prophet,  and  he  attefted  that  Jefus  Chrift 
was  fo.  This  was  that  which  confounded  the  elders  of  the  "Jews^  when 
they  demanded  of  our  Saviour  by  what  authority  "John  afted  ?  Jeflis 
Chrift  anfwercd  their  queftion  with  another,  Whether  S.  John  had  a 
call  from  God  ? 

The  firft  obfervation  therefore  is,  That  we  cannot  accufe  him  of  av5^- 
ing  underhand  with  Jefus  Chrift,  for  \<z  do  not  find  any  correfpondence 
kept  up  between  them. ;  one  of  them  was  the  fon  of  a  prieft,  the  other 
of  a  carpenter's  wife ;  the  one  dwelt  in  Judea^  the  other  in  Galilee ;  the 
one  concealed  himfelf,  whilft  the  others  reputation  had  got  him  a  oreat 
many  Difciples.  The  Difciples  of  the  one  were  very  jealous  of  the 
Difciples  of  the  other,  and  endeavoured  to  infpire  their  mafter  with  the 
jealoufie  that  poffefTed  themfelves. 

The  fecond  is,  That  the  Difciples  of  Jefus  arc  the  pcrfons  that  wrote 
the  h\{[ory  of  John  the  Bapil/I,  which  they  do  as  thofe  who  were  con- 
cern'd  for  his  glory  and  reputation,  tho'  at  firft  they  did  not  ftand  in  the 
leaft  by  him,  but  rather  by  that  means  inflamed  Herod's  hatred  a^ainft 
them,  who  contributed  to  the  death  of  S.  John,  as  well  as  of  Tefus 
Chrift.  « 

The  third  is.  That  when  S.  Joh?:  was  beheaded,  who  never  had  any 
correfpondence  with  Jefus  Chrift,  it  is  extravagant  to  conceive,  that  the 
Difciples  of  Jefus  Chrift  Ihould  have  forged  the  teftimony  which  they  fay 
this  great  man  gave  to  Chrift,  becaufe  this  would  have  been  to  employ 
the  authority  of  a  man,  who  never  having  wrought  any  miracle.>,  r.ncl 
being  long  fince  beheaded  by  the  order  of  Herod,  feem'd  to  be  quite  for- 
gotten. 

The  fourth  Is,  That  it  is  not  probable  that  they  could  ever  entertain 
a  defign  of  impofing  on  the  world  in  fuch  a  matter  as  this,  which  relat- 
ed to  publick  fa6ts  known  to  all  Judea,  to  all  the  priefts,  yea  to  the 
whole  nation  alfembled  at  their  publick  feaft?,  to  Herod  the  king,  and  to 
the  Difciples  of  John  themfelves,  who  would  not  have  been  wanting  to 
refute  and  convince  them,  whereas  on  the  contrary  we  fee,  that  by  the 
difpofition  which  S.  John  had  wrought  in  them,  they  were  eafily  won  to 
the  faith  of  Chrift.  This  is  evident  from  the  example  of  Apllos  a  Dif- 
ciple  of  John  the  Baptiji's  Difciples,  who  became  afterwards  lb  excellent 
a  preacher  of  the  Chriftian  religion. 

(t'i  MuimoTtui.  de  fundain.  legis, 

Ff2  CHAP.  VII. 


452  Refiixions  upon  the  Ch.  VII. 


CHAP.      VII. 

That  Jesus  Christ  was  born  of  the  Family  <?/■  David,  then  reduced  to  a 
mean  Condition^  as  had  been  already  foretold  by  the  Prophets. 

^XX"^  E  have  confidered  the  time  In  which  our  Saviour  was  to  be 
?'i  W  <>  born  ;  let  us  now  fpeak  of  the  family  from  whence  he  was  to 
^vx"3  Proceed.  It  has  been  proved  already,  that  this  promife  was 
made  to  the  family  of  David  by  Nathan  the  Prophet,  2  Sain.  VII.  12. 
1  Chron.  XVII.  11.  in  the  year  of  the  world  2959.  Z^a-y/V  repeats  this 
his  hope,  Pfalm  LXXXIX.  4.  and  Pfalm  CXXXII.  11.  And  about 
the  year  of  the  world  3292  the  Prophet  Ifaiah  adds  further,  that  the  Mcf- 
fiah  fhould  be  in  a  defpicable  condition. 

There  are  four  things  which  fully  confirm  this  truth. 
The  firft  is  the  kindred  which  was  between  Elizabeth  and  the  Blefled 
Virgin,  whence  it  appear 'd  that  her  relations  were  of  the  tribe  of  Juda^ 
and  that  (he  was  known  to  be  of  the  family  oi  David. 

One  ought  to  obferve  here  a  thing,  which  tho'  at  firft  fight  feems  to 
be  of  fmall  importance,  yet  we  cannot  but  think  that  S.  Luke  wrote  it 
without  defign,  and  that  is  the  journey  of  the  BlclTed  Virgin  to  one  of 
the  c'ltits  oi  J udah^  after  her  conception,  to  vifit  Elizabeth  her  kinfwo- 
man,  the  wife  of  Zachariah^  and  the  mother  of  folm  the  Bapti/I ;  I  fhall 
not  mention  at  prefent  any  other  reafons  of  this  journey,  which  may 
feem  to  be  worthy  of  the  Divine  wifdom,  and  fo  1  fhall  only  obferve  at 
prefent,  that  this  vifit  was  made  to  Elizabeth  in  a  city  of  Judah,  which 
is  a  demonftrative  proof  that  Jefus  Chrift  was  of  the  family  of  David, 
and  confequently  of  that  of  fudah-^  fo  that  this  is  far  from  being  made 
ufe  of  as  an  objedion  againft  it,  as  fome  have  done. 

It  is  well  known  that  the  priefts  had  leave  to  take  a  v.'ife  of  what  tribe 
they  plcafed ;  but  who  fee's  not  at  firft  fight  that  it  was  natural  for  a 
prieft,  dwelling  in  one  of  the  cities  of  Judah,  to  marry  in  that  tribe 
ampngft  whom  he  lived  ;  befides  that,  the  priefts  had  of  a  long  time  af- 
fe6led  to  make  alliances  with  that  tribe  before  any  other. 

The  fecond  thing  which  ought  to  be  joyned  to  this,  is.  The  manner 
of  Elizabeths  exprefiing  her  fclf  to  the  Blefled  Virgin,  confidering  her  as 
bearing  the  Mefliah  in  her  womb  ;  and  upon  this  account  Ihe  called  her 
the  Mother  oftny  Lord^  alluding  to  PfahnCX. 

The  third  is.  That  the  Blefled  Virgin  in  her  fong,  where  (he  fpeaks 
of  her  felf  as  the  perfon  in  whom  the  promife  made  to  Jbrahatn,  was  ac- 
compliflied,  Luke  I.  veyf.  54,  55.  which  promife  concerned  the  Mef- 
fiah  ;  (he  fets  forth  her  fclf,  as  heirels  to  the  kings  of  Judah,  and  cho- 
fen  before  any  her  anceftors,  notwithftanding  all  their  glory ;  He  haih 
put  down,  faith  file,  the  mighty  from  their  feats,  and  hath  exalted  them  of  low 
degree. 

The  fourth  is.  That  Zachariah  the  prieft,  who  was  well  acquainted 
with  the  Blefled  Virgin,  at  whofe  houfe  fhe  had  been  during  the  firft 
three  months  of  her  being  with  child,  and  who  could  not  be  ignorant  of 

her 


Ch.  Vn.  Booh  of  the  Old  Tejiarnent.  453 

her  lineage,  alwayes  owned  her  to  be  of  the  family  oi  David.  It  is  evi- 
dent that  he  look'd  upon  the  Blefled  Virgin  as  the  mother  of  the  Meffiah, 
as  well  as  Elizabeth  his  wife.  He  feems  to  have  confidered  the  infant 
that  was  to  be  born  of  her,  as  the  Redeemer  promifed  to  Abraham^  and 
the  Blefled  Virgin  as  the  heirefs  of  David-,  and  therefore  faith,  That 
God  had  raifed  up  an  horn  offalvationfor  us  in  the  houfe  of  his  fervaytt  Da- 
vid: there  can  be  nothing  more  convincing  than  this  obfervation :  for 
firft,  Zachariah  was  a  prieft,  that  is,  one  of  thofe  to  whom  the  care  of 
the  genealogies  of  the  fews  was  committed.  2.  He  appears  to  have 
been  very  well  verfed  in  the  prophecies  which  fixed  the  Mefliah  to  the 
family  oi  David.  3.  He  confider'd  his  fon  as  the  forerunner  of  the  Mef- 
fiah, when  he  propofed  that  the  oracle  of  Ma  lac  hy  fliould  be  fulfilled  in 
that  fon,  whom  God  had  fo  miraculoufly  beftowed  upon  him.  4.  He 
needed  only  have  examined  the  agreements  of  her  marriage,  and  he 
would  then  certainly  know  whether  the  Blefled  Virgin  was  not  of  ano- 
ther tribe  ;  which  would  have  cured  him  of  any  poflible  illufion. 

Infhort,  S.  Lide  obferves  very  exactly,  that  this  journey  of  the  Vir- 
gin to  her  kinfwoman,  and  all  the  circumflrances  which  prove  the  Blcf- 
^d  Virgin  to  have  been  of  the  family  of  David,  were  things  well  known 
throughout  all  the  hill-country  of  fudea,  that  it  might  not  be  pretended 
that  this  important  fadl  was  any  ways  obfcure. 

But  fecondly,  this  genealogy  of  Jefus  Chrift  is  carried  up  to  David 
and  Judah  ;  and  it  is  vifible  that  this  was  a  thing  cxa6tly  known,  efpe- 
cially  fince  Jefus  Chrifl:  always  pafled  for  the  fon  of  David,  blind  men 
themfelves  calling  him  fo. 

A  third  thing  to  be  confidered  is,  the  Blefled  Virgins  going  to  Beth- 
lehem to  be  there  enrolled,  according  to  the  decree  of  Augujius  Ccfar. 
There  had  been  feveral  numbrings  of  the  people  ;  the  firft  was  at  the 
appointment  of  God  himfclf;  the  fecond  was  by  an  order  from  David-, 
and  in  both  an  exadt  diftindlion  was  made  between  the  tribes  themfelves, 
and  the  families  of  each  tribe  :  and  one  fee's  that  the  fame  was  obferved 
in  this  laft  regift:er  which  was  made  by  Augujlus'^  decree  in  the  4000 
year  of  the  world. 

Jofeph  and  Mary  went  up  to  Bethlehem,  which  was  the  feat  oi  David's 
family :  nothing  appears  here  of  defign  or  affectation  •,  they  made  no 
ftay  at  Bethlehem,  and  the  occafion  that  brought  them  thither,  was  abfo- 
lutely  ftrange  and  unlook'd  for  ;  and  yet  it  was  certainly  an  accomplifti- 
ment  of  that  prophecy  of  Micah,  Chap.  V.  verfe  2.  But  thou  Bethlehem 
Ephratah,  i5c. 

This  remark  upon  the  decree  of  Augujlus  i«  of  great  moment,  becaufe 
thereby  the  virgins  being  of  the  family  of  David  appears  to  be  the  moll: 
indifputable  truth  in  the  world,  as  having  been  owned  firft  by  the  whole 
family  of  Judah  for  three  months.  Secondly,  by  the  genealogy  which 
fubfifted  entire,  as  the  Talmudijis  themfelves  grant  in  the  treatife  dc  Spon- 
fal.  Chap.  YV.feiJ.  5.  where  they  teftifie  that  the  genealogy  of  the  royal 
family  was  without  difficulty.  3.  Ey  the  publlck  teftimony  of  all  their 
kindred,  who  met  in  a  body  before  the  Roman  magiftrate. 

The  fourth  remark  is.  That  when  Herod  knew  of  the  birth  of  the 
Meffiah  at  Bethlehtm,  where  by  the  confeflion  of  the  fexvs  he  was  to  be 
pornj  he  would  have  cnvolved  Jefus  Chrift  in  the  maflacre  which  fwcpt 

F  f  3  away 


454  Refiexioni  upon  the  Ch,  VII, 

away  the  innocent  children,  if  the  fame  Providence  which  brought  him 
to  Bethlehem^  to  dcmonftrate  that  he  was  of  the  houfe  of  Davidy  had  not 
withdrawn  him  from  thence  to  prefcrve  him  from  that  tyrant,  who  was 
afraid  of  being  c aft  from  his  throne  by  one  of  David's  heirs. 

The  fifth  is,  That  Jcfus  Chrifl:  did  not  only  often  allude  to  the  place 
of  his  birth,  in  calling  himfelf  the  Bread  come  dowji  from  Heaven^  the 
word  Bethlehem  fignifying  the  Houfe  of  Bread  ;  but  he  conftantly  own'd 
himfelf  for  the  fon  of  David.  Upon  this  it  is  that  he  grounds  the  objec- 
tion which  he  makes  to  the  Jews  ;  Hoxv  is  it  that  David  calls  the  Mejjiah 
his  Lord?  And  indeed  this  fact  was  fo  conftantly  owned  by  all,  that 
even  perfons  v/ho  were  pofl'efl'ed  with  devils,  did  not  difpute  it,  as  may 
be  feen  in  the  Evangelifts. 

The  fixth  is,  That  tho'  two  of  the  Evangelifts  fet  down  the  genealo- 
gy of  our  Saviour  with  fome  difference,  yet  the  Jews  never  took  occa- 
fion  from  thence  to  qucftion  Jefus  Chrift's  defcent  from  David -y  his 
Apcftles  always  building  on  that  foundation  ;  which  may  be  (ten  as  a 
thin(^  taken  for  granted  in  S.  Peter's  fermon,  Jr:fs  II.  and  in  the  epiftles 
of  S.  Paul^  where  we  find  our  Saviour  always  ftiled  the  Son  ©/"David  ac- 
cording to  the  flcfti. 

To  thefe  already  mentioned  we  may  add  the  three  following  obferva- 
tions ;  the  firft  is,  That  if  the  genealogy  of  our  Saviour  had  not  been 
diftiiu^ciy  known,  the  Apoftl^^s  would  never  have  troubled  themfclves  to 
have  fet  it  down ;  much  lefs  w^ould  they  have  plac'd  it  in  the  front  of 
their  books,  as  knowing  that  the  beginnings  of  books  are  always  more 
examined  than  the  ends,  and  would  ccx-tainly  be  fo  by  a  people  who  al- 
ways ftuck  very  clofe  to  their  genealogies.  In  fhort,  either  the  genea- 
logies of  the  Jeivs  were  at  that  time  as  confufed  as  they  are  at  prefent, 
and  fo  thev  could  not  have  ferved  as  charaiSlers  to  difcover  the  Mefliah 
by;  in  which  cafe  the  Apoftles  would  have  contented  themfelves  tohave 
hinted,  that  Jefus  Chrift  always  paft  for  the  fon  o( Daviiij  as  they  have 
done  in  fevcral  places  of  their  writings,  without  giving  us  the  whole  fe- 
ries  of  his  pedigree  ;  or  elfe  they  were  at  that  time  diftin£lly  known,  in 
which  cafe  it  was  the  eafieft  thing  in  the  world  to  have  confuted  them. 

The  2d  is,  That  the  differences  which  are  found  between  the  genea- 
logy of  Jefus  Chrift  fet  down  by  S.  Matthetv,  and  that  by  S.  Lttke^  is  fo 
far  from  giving  us  an  occafion  to  doubt  of  the  Apoftles  faithfulnefs  in 
this  matter,  that  indeed  it  is  a  new  proof  of  their  exadnefs  in  a  matter 
of  fo  o-reat  importance.  For  it  can  fcarccly  be  imagined  but  that  in  fo 
Ion"-  a  feries  of  ao-es,  there  muft  have  been  fome  of  the  anceftors  of  our 
SavTour,  in  whom  that  law  took  place,  which  obliged  the  younger  bro- 
ther to  marrv  the  widow  of  his  elder  brother  deceafed  without  illue,  and 
fo  to  raife  up  feed  to  him,  which  gave  occafion  to  a  genealogy  not  natu- 
ral but  leeal,  the  children  bearing  the  name  of  the  deceafed  elder  bro- 
ther, and  poflefling  his  eftate.  Now  the  Evangelifts  have  fet  down  both 
thefe  genealogies  exaftly,  which  is  an  invincible  argument  of  their  care 

and  fidelity. 

The  third  is.  That  it  was  fo  much  the  more  neceflary  to  make  this 
remark  in  the  <Tenealogy  of  the  Mefliah,  becaufe  as  we  have  obferved 
elfewhere,  it  was  with  relation  to  the  defire  of  giving  birth  to  the  Mef- 
fiah,  or  of  having  children  which  might  live  under  his  empire,  that  God 

at 


Ch/VII.  Booh  of  the  Nevj'IeJlament.  455 

at  firft  permitted  this  kind  of  inceft,  with  the  widow  of  a  deceafed  bro- 
ther, which  otherwife  was  fo  feverely  prohibited  by  the  law. 

As  to  the  low  eftate  to  which  the  family  of  David  was  then  reduced, 
it  is  vifible  that  David  and  Solomon  reigned  with  great  glory,  but  Reho- 
boam  fucceeding  them,  ten  tribes  fell  from  him  to  Jeroboam^  in  the  year 
of  the  world  3029.  and  the  poiterity  of  Rehoboarn  was  afterwards  de- 
throned by  Nebuchadnezzar^  who  carried  Zedechiah  the  king  into  capti- 
vity in  the  year  3416. 

After  their  return  from  captivity,  they  were  entirely  thruft  from  the 
throne :  the  prieils  at  firft  governing  that  nation ;  the  Afaccabees^  who 
were  of  the  family  of  Levi,  reigning  in  Judeciy  from  the  returi\  of  the 
captivity  of  Babylon,  until  Herod  the  Edijnite,  who  was  made  mailer  of 
yudea  by  the  favour  of  the  Romans, 

2.  The  family  of  David  was  at  that  time  removed  from  their  ancient 
feat,  and  was  now  fixed  at  Nazareth,  where  Providence  teems  to  have 
removed  them  from  Bethlehem,  to  take  away  that  objeil  of  Herod's  jea- 
loufie,  which  would  have  offended  him,  as  we  fee  it  did  when  the  wife 
men  acquainted  him  with  the  birth  of  Jefus,  which  obliged  him  to  make 
a  diligent  enquiry  after  the  place  where  the  AlefTiah  was  to  be  born,  that 
Mefliah  whom  he  conceived  to  be  a  prince,  who  would  rob  him  of  the 
fovereignty  to  which  he  was  raifed. 

In  the  third  place,  the  Blefi'ed  Virgin  was  betrothed  to  a  carpenter. 
*Jujrtn  Martyr  tells  us  that  Jefus  Chrift  made  ploughs.  See  what  the 
heirs  of  the  Icings  of  Judah  were  reduced  to. 

Fourthly,  when  fhe  came  to  Bethlehem,  fhe  lodged  in  an  inn,  her  kin- 
dred being  not  in  a  condition  to  afford  her  better  accommodation. 

It  appears  that  the  Divine  Providence  was  very  careful  in  executing 
this  defign.  There  were  fome  decays  of  the  family  of  David,  which 
the  Blefi'ed  Virgin  exprefles  in  her  fong.  She  was  defcended  from  the 
younger  brothers  of  depofed  princes,  and  reduced  to  private  ftate,  fhe 
ipeaks  of  nothing  butof  lownefs  and  meannefs,  not  only  in  a  way  of  hu- 
mility, but  to  demonftrate  the  fulfilling  of  the  prophecy  concernino-  the 
throne  of  JeJ/e. 

But  that  this  might  appear  more  evidently,  and  confirm'd  by  the  law, 
as  it  was  her  duty  to  prefent  her  Ion  in  the  temple,  after  the  feventh  day, 
with  an  offering  ;  fo  fhe  does  not  offer  what  is  prefcribed  to  the  rieh  and 
wealthy,  but  aa  offering  which  is  appropriated  by  God  in  the  law  to  poor 
people,  as  appears  Lev.  XII. 

One  fee's  by  the  marriage  feafl  at  Cana  in  Galilee,  that  the  kindred  of 
Jefus  Chrift  were  not  very  rich,  their  wanting  of  wine  on  fuch  an  oc- 
cafion,  was  no  great  mark  of  plenty. 

One  fee's  aUb,  that  Jefus  Chrift  frequently  reprefents  himfelf,  as  not 
having  where  to  reft  his  head  :  on  the  crofs  he  recommends  his  mother 
to  one  of  his  Difciples,  and  was  himfelf  maintained  by  thof'c  who  fol- 
lowed him. 


Fi"4  CHAP.  VIII. 


456.  Rejiexkns  upon  the  Ch,  VIll. 


CHAP.       VIII. 

That  Jesus  Christ  was  conceived  by  the  Virgin  M.f\.KY,  without  any 
Operation  of  Man. 

iTv^^'^S  this  article  is  one  of  the  moft  important  of  our  religion,  fo  it 
^  A  p  is  well  worth  our  attentive  confideration.  We  may  take  notice 
i^jjjwf^  here,  that  according  to  the  obfcrvation  of  Jujlin  Martyr  (A), 
the  fable  of  Pcrfius^  took  its  rife  from  the  prophecy  of  Ifaiah.  How- 
ever, that  prophecy  being  very  exprefs  according  to  the  tranflation  of  the 
LXX.  we  are  to  confider  how  it  was  accomplifhed.  It  will  not  be 
enough  here  to  fay,  that  ordinarily  extream  poverty  is  a  fufficient  bar 
againlt  the  fufpicion  of  adultery  ;  and  therefore  we  defire  the  reader  only 
to  call  to  mind  the  obfcrvations  fet  down  in  the  fecond  chapter  of  the 
fccaqd  part  of  thefe  Reflexions  on  the  Books  of  the  law  oi  Mofes.     For 

1.  Pplygiuny  and  divorces  were  very  frequent  in  the  time  of  Jcfus 
Chriil,  as  appears  from  feveral  paflages  of  the  Gofpel,  where  God  was 
pleafed  to  give  us  examples  thereof. 

2.  God  was  willing  to  give  us  inftances  of  his  feverity  againft  adul- 
terefTcs,  amongft  which  thofe  were  reckoned  who  fuffered  themfelves  to 
be  defiled  after  they  were  betrothed.  We  have  an  example  hereof  in  the 
eighth  chapter  of  the  Gofpel  according  to  S.  John^  which  I  have  illuf- 
trated  in  the  fourth  chapter  of  this  fourth  part. 

3.  It  appears  that  tiie  fame  laws  which  engaged  parents  to  preferve 
the  virginity  of  their  daughters,  did  continue,  and  were  flill  obferved 
by  the  Jcws^  as  well  as  thofe  other  laws  which  conftituted  the  body  of 
their  religion  :  when  Jefus  Chrift  upbraids  the  JeT.us  for  having  changed 
the  true  fenfe  of  the  law,  yet  he  never  reproaches  them  upon  this  ac- 
count, 

4.  The  relation  fet  down  in  the  eighth  chapter  of  S.  John^  makes  it 
appear  that  the  waters  of  jealoufie  ftill  retained  their  virtue  ;  that  which 
Jefus  Chrift  writ  on  the  ground  being  probably  nothing  elfe  but  the  curfcs 
which  the  law  denounced  againft  the  woman  that  fhould  violate  her  ho- 
nour. 

I  have  made  it  very  evident  in  the  twentieth  cha^ptcr  of  my  fecond  part, 
what  was  the  ufe  of  thofe  laws  concerning  the  marks  of  virginity,  to 
prevent  any  doubts  that  might  arife  concerning  the  fame :  it  remains 
now  to  confider  the  feveral  paflages  of  the  Evangelifts,  and  to  fee  what 
proofs  we  can  find  there  to  confirm  this  point,  That  Mary  was  indeed  a 
virgin  when  (he  conceived  Jefus  Chrift,  and  how  we  may  anfwer  the 
objc£lions  which  the  enemies  of  Chriftianity  make  againft  this  truth. 

The  Evang<;lifts  tell  us  that  this  remarkable  fa^fl  v^as  declared  by  the 
Angel  Gabriel^  who  had  before  foretold  to  Daniel  the  coming  of  the  Mef- 
fiah,  and  fignified  the  exa£t  time  thereof.  The  conception  of  Ifaac  by  a 
barren  mother,  as  well  as  that  of  Sajnuel  and  John  the  Bapti/i,  had  been 

already 

(h)  Dial,  cum  Tjph,  p.  z^-^,    Ifai.  5. 


Ch.  Vni.  Books  ofi}}e  Neiu  Tejiammt,  45^1 

already  declared  in  the  fame  manner ;  and  one  miracle  ought  to  ferve  as 
a  preparation  for  the  belief  of  a  greater. 

When  the  Difciples  of  Jefus  Chrift  fpeak  of  the  fact,  they  fpeak  of  it 
as  thing  known  throughout  all  Jerufalem^  and  v/hich  had  no  relation  to 
their  mafter.  Befides,  we  know  the  jealoufie  that  was  between  the  Dif- 
ciples of  S.  John^  und  thofe  of  our  Saviour. 

But  we  have  a  further  account  befides  of  the  meffage  of  an  Ano^el  to 
yofephy  after  he  had  perceived  that  his  betrothed  wife  was  with  child  • 
for  when  he  was  ready  to  divorce  her,  either  by  expofmg  her  to  the  ri- 
gour of  the  Divine  law,  Dent.  XXII.  23.  or  elfe  by  exempting  her  from 
that  extremity,  he  is  diverted  from  his  intention  by  this  warnincr  from 
heaven.  In  all  which  we  meet  with  nothing  but  what  is  very  probable  • 
for  Jofeph  exprefles  his  hatred  and  diflike,  as  conceiving  her  to  be  de- 
bauched, and  was  refolved  not  to  receive  her,  but  by  an  order  from  hea- 
ven. '      ^y''--' 

Moreover  it  is  very  remarkable,  That  we  find  all  things  recited  in 
fuch  a  manner,  as  it  was  neceilary  they  fhould  come  to  pafs,  on  fup- 
polition  that  the  Mcfliah  was  to  be  born  of  a  virgin  of  the  houfe  of 
David.  ■'■'--"  ' 

For  firft,  Wc  find  this  event  appeared  incredible  to  the  perfon  her 
felf,  who  was  defigned  to  efted  it ;  becaufe  fhc  could  not  eafily  make 
the  application  at  firfh 

2.  It  caus'd  exceeding  joy  to  the  perfon  who  faw  her  fclf  chofen  by 
God  to  fulfil  fo  glorious  a  promife,  whereby  the  family  of  David  was  to 
be  reftor'd  to  its  ancient  luftre.  This  is  evident  from  the  hymn  of  the 
Bleffcd  Virgin:  which  if  we  compare  with  the  PJalms  of  Dav'id^  we 
(liall  fee  that  that  family  Itill  retained  all  the  piety  of  their  anceftors,  with 
all  thofe  figns  of  acknowledgment  which  an  event  of  fuch  a  nature  did 
juftly  require. 

3.  It  appears  that  Jofeph  acquiefced  in  this  truth,  he  who  otherwife 
did  not  leem  very  credulous,  till  he  was  inllru6ted  from  heaven  concern- 
ing a  matter  fo  rare  and  difficult  to  be  conceived.  He  retires  for  fome 
time  into  Egypt^  and  affords  Mary  und  her  fon  all  the  fervicc  they  could 
reafonably  expe»5l  from  him, 

S.  Jerome  alledges  three  reafons  why  it  was  needful  for  the  Blcfled 
Virgin  to  be  betrothed  to  Jofeph  (;). 

1.  That  the  original  of  the  Blelfed  Virgin  might  be' proved  by  the 
pedigree  of  Jofeph^  to  whom  fhe  was  related. 

2.  That  according  to  the  law  of  Mcfes,  Ihe  might  not  be  ftpned  as  zfi 
adulterefs. 

3.  That  in  her  flight  into  Egypt  (he  might  have  ihe  comfort  of  a 
guardian  rather  than  of  a  hufband.  '      "        '     .'^' 

Neither  can  any  thing  be  oppofed  to  the  belief  of  thefe' matters;  hut 
fome  very  weak  conjectures :  'Ihe  firft  is,  That  her  being  contraded 
doth  fomethin^  obfcure  the  diftincl  notion  of  virginity ;  and  fccondly 
That  the  Blefled  Virgin  did  always  pafs  for  the  wife  orjohph,  even  ac- 
cording to  the  ftyle  of  Jefus  Chrilt  himfelf.  And  laflly,  That  the  rela- 
tion Which  the  Lvangelifts  give  of  this  matter,  was  not  known  till  lon^- 
?fter  the  death  of  Jefus  Chrift.  ** 

But 

(i)  9ontr,  H(hidium> 


458  Rejlexhrti  upon  the  Ch.  VIIT. 

But  it  is  an  eafie  matter  to  fatisfie  the  mind  of  any  rearonabjc  reader 
in  this  thing.  It  was  neccflary  that  the  BlefTed  Virgin  fliould  be  be- 
trothed :  '' 

1.  To  fccure  her  life,  which  would  have  been  in  danger,  if  (be  had 
been  delivered  whilft  fhc  was  reputed  to  be  a  virgin ;  for  (he  would 
have  been  accufed  of  whoredom,  and  confequently  have  been  put  to 
death. 

2.  It  was  neccflary  fhe  fbould  be  betrothed,  and  pafs  for  the  lawful 
wife  ofjcfcph,  that  her  fon  might  not  be  bani(h'd  from  the  congregation 
of  IfracI,  as  a  baftard  in  the  rigour  of  the  law. 


ways 

f''  .  -  .      -  - 

myfteiy  in  the  prefcnce  of  all  the  Jews^  maintaining  that  he  was  the  Son 

of  God,  in  whofe  houfe  he  was  at  that  time  ;  it  was  at  a  folemn  fcafl:  of 

the  yt-^is,  where  the  whole  nation  was  aflembled,  and  in  the  midft  of  an 

aflembly  of  their  Doctors,  that  he  declared  the  temple  to  be  the  houfe  of 

his  father,  as  he  afterwards  conftantly  called  it. 

We  find  him  atanother  time  declaring  the  fame  in  the  prefence  of  his 
family  at  Cana  in  Galilee,  JVo?nan,  ivhat  have  I  to  do  with  thee  F  faith  he 
to  the  Bkfled  Virgin  (k) ;  to  put  her  in  mind  of  fome  paflages  which 
could  not  but  preferve  in  her  a  very  particular  refpetfl  for  him. 

He  gi"t  es  j-et  a  further  degree  of  light  into  this  matter,  when,  his  mo- 
ther feeking  to  come  at  him,  he  faith,  fVJjo  is  my  mother,  and  who  are  my 
brethren?  that  is,  kinfmen.  'Tis  probable  that  Jofeph  was  dead,  before 
our  Saviour  er.tred  upon  his  miniftry ;  however  his  making  no  mention 
of  his  reputed  father,  fhews  how  careful  he  was  to  avoid  any  thing  that 
mijht  obfcure  his  miraculous  birth. 

Laft  of  all,  it  is  very  connderable,  that  this  pafliage  being  not  the 
only  chara6ter  which  was  to  diftinguifli  the  Mefliah  from  all  others,  but 
w^s  to  be  confirmed  by  the  miracles  of  Jefus  Chrift,  by  his  refurreciion, 
and  thofe  other  proofs  of  his  Divine  nature,  it  was  at  firft  not  much  in- 
fifted  on,  bccaufe  there  was  a  necefllty  that  it  fhould  continue  vailed  for 
fome  time,  upon  the  account  of  the  frequent  apparitions  of  Angels,  and 
of  God  himfelf  in  a  human  form,  that  fo  the  truth  of  his  humanity  fliould 
be  eftablifhed  by  his  life  and  death,  before  the  publication  of  his  miracu- 
lous conception. 

For  it  is  certain  that  the  Apoftles  preached  up  this  truth,  and  that  the 
Evangelifls  had  put  it  in  writing  before  the  deftruftion  of  the  Jewifti  com- 
mon-wealth ;  and  yet  we  do  not  find  that  it  was  ever  contefted.  The 
Evangelifts  defcribe  the  methods  which  the  y^rfj  took  to  make  the  re- 
furredtion  of  Chrift  to  be  doubted  of,  and  to  flight  his  miracles  ;  and  do 
we  think  they  would  not  as  well  have  given  us  the  objedlions  of  xhejeiis 
againfl:  a  thing,  of  which  til!  then  never  any  inftance  had  been  known  in 
the  world  r 

I  know  very  well  that  fome  of  the  ancients  have  told  us  that  the  Jr^vs 
were  off"ended,  that  the  Blefled  Virgin,  after  fhe  was  delivered  of  our 
Saviour,  fhould  feat  her  felf  in  the  place  appointed  for  virgins,  and 
that  becaufe  Zacharias  the  prieft  maintained  her  in  fo  doing,  he  was 

thereupon 
(k)  John  ii,  4. 


Ch.  IX.  Books  of  the  New  Tejiament.  45^ 

thereupon  kill'd  by  them  between  the  temple  and  the  altar,  with  which 
our  Saviour  upbraids  the  Jews.  I  know  alfo  that  they  affirm  that  fhc 
was  forced  to  confirm  the  truth  of  her  virginity,  by  fubmitting  her  felf 
to  a  fearch  of  matrons  :  yet  1  cannot  beheve  that  fhe  ever  underwent 
any  fuch  examination,  of  which  the  filence  of  the  Evangelifts,  and  S. ' 
Luke's  in  particular,  fully  convinces  me,  and  therefore  am  inclined  to 
think  that  no  fuch  objection  was  ever  made  againft  her. 

In  the  mean  time  it  is  well  worth  our  noting,  i.  That  the  Blefled 
Virgin  had  Zacharioh  the  prieft  as  an  examiner  and  witnefs  of  her  beha- 
viour from  the  beginning,  at  whofe  houfe  {he  abode  during  the  firft 
months  of  her  being  with  child,  and  who  publickly  divulged  the  miracu- 
lous birth  of  his  own  fon,  and  his  leaping  in  his  mother's  womb  at  the 
falutation  of  the  BlefTed  Virgin. 

2.  That  the  Blefled  Virgin  lived  many  years  after  the  pafllon  of  our 
Saviour,  that  fhe  might  undergo  and  anfwer  any  accufations  of  that  na- 
ture. 

3.  That  fhe  alfo  had  for  witnefTes  of  the  miracles  which  attended 
her  conception,  all  the  Difciples  of  S.  Johrij  as  well  as  thofe  of  Jefus 
Chrift,  tho'  the  Difciples  of  S.  John  did  not  agree  with  the  Difciples  of 
Jefus  Chrifl. 

4.  That  what  fhe  declared  of  her  felf,  was  not  a  fa61:  which  had  no 
traces  whereby  it  might  be  examined  in  the  Old  Tt^i anient. 

5.  That  the  Jews  had  thirty  years  to  examin  the  feveral  particulars 
which  had  relation  to  the  MefTiah,  and  the  miraculous  manner  of  his 
birth,  at  the  time  when  fhe  publifhed  this  particular  paflage  of  her  life. 

6.  That  we  cannot  call  inqueftion  the  veracity  of  the  Blefled  Virgin 
in  the  account  which  fhe  gives  us  of  what  concern'd  her  felf,  of  which 
no  witnefs  could  be  produced,  forafmuch  as  the  accomplifhment  of  that 
part  of  her  prophecy,  That  all  nations  Jhould  call  her  hhjfed^  clearly  fhews 
that  fhe  had  received  the  fpirit  of  prophecy  ;  no  more  than  we  can  fufpeift 
any  forgeries  in  the  relations  of  other  Prophets,  tho'  we  have  no  other 
teftimony  concerning  them,  but  that  of  the  Prophets  themfelves. 


^g^g^^SS©©©^-!^ 


CHAP.      IX. 

That  Jesus  Christ  lived  and  preached  after  the  fame  Manner  astheFROi 
FHETS  had  foretold  the  Messiah  fjou/d  do, 

^^^•^  HAVE  clearly  fhewn  that  Jefus  Chriil  v/as  born  of  the  pofte« 
^  I  ^  rity  of  Jdam,  by  Seth^  by  Noah,  by  Jbraham,  by  Ifaac,  by  Ja- 
^^sMMJ)  ^^^J  by  Judah,  by  David,  as  it  was  foretold  of  the  Meiliah  by 
the  mofl  ancient  oracles,  the,  encr^afc  Qi  wl^ich  I  have  aU;eady  taken  no- 
tice of  in  my  third  part.         rinijv-n  r%;>  •   -.-ii    -  .        :\^ 

I  have  afterwards  flicwed,  That  Jefus  Chrifl  was  born  of  a  virgin, 

whereby 


460  Refexiom  upon  the  Ch.  IX. 

whereby  thofe  oracles,  Tloe feed af  the  woman  J}}all  bruife  thy  head  [I) ^  and 
y{  virgin  Jhall  conceive  (md  bear  a  fon  (m)^  fecm'd  to  be  clearly  accom- 
pli/hed.  Let  us  now  fee,  according  to  thofe  oracles,  what  kind  of  pcr- 
fon  the  Mcffiah  was  to  be,  from  his  birth  to  his  death,  according  to  thofe 
idea's  which  the  Prophets  have  given  us. 

Mofes  exprefly  tells  uf,.  Dent.  18.  that  the  Meiliah  was  to  rcfembic 
him  ;  The  Lord  thy  God  will  raife  up  unto  thee  a  Prophet  like  unto  me  [n]  : 
which  place,  as  I  have  obferved  before,  has  been  fo  conftantly  applved  to 
the  Meffiah,  that  it  appears  that  not  only  John  the  Baptijl^  when  he  fcnt 
his  Difciplcs  to  Jefus  Chrifl:,  Philip  fpeaking  to  Nathanael^  and  the  Dif- 
ciples  when  they  were  afked  by  our  Saviour  who  he  was,  but  alfo  the 
Samaritan  woman  undcrftood  it  fo  without  the  leaft  hefitation,  and  faid. 
That  when  the  Mcfliah  fhould  come,  he  would  tell  them  all  things.  ' 
In  fhort,  one  fee's  an  exact  proportion  between  Mofes  and  Jefus  Chrifl. 
Not  only  bccaufe  our  Saviour  was  faved  in  his  infancy  from  the  hand  of 
Herod,  and  from  a  river  of  blood,  like  another  Mofes,  or  bccaufe  Egypt 
fcrv'd  for  a  retreat  to  him,  as  Alcfes  had  hid  himfelf  in  Arabia :  or  bc- 
caufe he  was  rejeifted  by  his  brethren,  thofe  of  Nazareth,  who  would 
have  thrown  him  headlong  from  a  rock,  becaufe  he  declared  himfelf  to 
be  the  promifed  deliverer  and  MeiTiah,  by  applying  to  himlelf  the  words 
of  Ifaiah,  The  fpirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  rnc.  Sic. 

Neither  fhall  I  now  take  notice  of  his  being  defpifed  and  difown'd  by 
his  brethren,  and  called  a  Galilean,  whereas  indeed  he  was  of  Judea  j 
for  indeed  the  Mefliah  was  to  be  treated  as  a  Nazarene,  that  is,  a  con- 
temptible perfon,  and  a  man  of  no  confideration  j  for  we  may  find  that 
becaufe  our  Saviour  was  brought  up  at  Nazareth,  tho'  he  was  born  at 
Bethlehem,  he  was  therefore  look'd  upon  as  a  perfon  incapable  of  any 
thing  that  was  great  j  Can  any  good  thing  come  out  o/'Nazareth  ?  faid  Na- 
tbanael  to  Philip  (0)  ;  and  the  Pharifees  to  the  officers  whom  they  had 
fcnt  to  take  Jefus,  Search  and  look,  for  out  of  Galilee  arifeth  no  Prophet, 
much  lefs  the  great  Prophet,  the  Mefliah,  who  by  way  of  eminence  is  To 
called.  'Tis  upon  this  account  that  he  was  called  a  Galilean,  not  only 
by  the  Heathens,  but  by  his  own  Difciples  too  ;  for  the  word  Galilean 
feems  to  have  been  a  name  for  one  of  an  impure  extraction,  becaufe  many 
of  other  nations  dwelt  among  the  fews  in  Galilee.  But  I  fhall  take  no- 
tice of  feveral  other  more  important  refemblances  between  them,  and 
fuch  as  have  relation  to  the  miniftry  of  Mofes  rather  than  his  perfon,  by 
referring  all  to  his  preaching,  his  miracles, his  predidtions,  and  fome  other 
heads  of  that  nature. 

Firfl  then,  Jefus  Chrifl  that  he  might  at  firfl  maintain  the  charafler  of 
the  MelTiah,  appears  in  the  temple.  John  the  Bapti/i  had  heard  him  cal- 
led the  Son  of  God,  by  a  very  peculiar  witnefs,  a  voice  from  heaven. 
Wherefore  we  fee  that  at  his  firll  entry  upon  his  miniflr}',  he  drives  out 
thofe  that  prophaned  the  houfe  of  God,  whom  he  called  his  Father,  with 
a  fcourge  :  and  this  he  did  at  the  feafl  of  the  paffover,  before  the  whole 
nation  of  the  Jews  (^). 

Here  is  another  character  of  the  Mefliah  j  he  was  to  begin  the  exercifc 

of 

(I)  Gen.iii.  15.  (m)  Ifai.  vii.  14. 

(nj  Deut.  xviii.  i;.  (gj  johai.  d6. 

(pj  Johnii.  13,  14,  15,  &c.  ^ 


Ch.  IX.  Bfioh  of  the  New  Tejiament,  461 

of  his  minifterlal  functions,  in  the  tribes  oi  Naphtall  and  Zehulon,  accord- 
ing to  the  prophecy  of  Ifaiah  (q) ;  and  this  our  Saviour  exaiSlly  accom- 
pliihed  by  his  beginning  to  preach  at  Nazareth^  which  was  in  the  tribe 
of  ZebuloNf  and  he  converfed  much  at  Capernaum,  which  was  in  the 
tribe  of  Naphtali,  according  to  the  obfervation  of  the  Evano;elifts. 

But  I  proceed  to  confider  fome  circumftances  of  his  miniitry.  Ifaiah 
had  foretold,  that  the  Meffiah  was  to  preach  the  Gofpel  to  the  poor ; 
which  Jefus  applies  to  himfelf  in  the  fynagogue  at  Nazareth,  declaring 
that  in  his  perfon  that  prophecy  was  fulfilled  ;  viz.  The  fpirit  of  the  Lord 
God  /r  upon  tne^  wherefore  the  Lord  hath  anointed  me  to  preach  good  tidings 
unto  the  tneek,  &c.  (r). 

The  choice  which  he  made  of  his  Difciples  from  among  the  meaneft 
of  the  people,  and  the  bafeft  of  the  crowd  which  foUow'd  him  where- 
ever  he  went,  ought  to  pafs  for  a  fufEcient  accomplilhment  of  this  pro- 
phecy. .^    '     V        .....  '\..\:-f 

The  Mefliahjfaccording  to  the  reprefentation  which  Ifaiah  gives  us  of 
him,  was  to  publifh  the  tidings  of  the  remiflion  of  lins ;  and  was  not 
this  that  which  Jefus  Chrift  did  during  the  courfe  of  his  miniflry? 

The  Meffiah  was  to  preach  the  remiffion  of  fm,  in  fuch  a  manner, 
as  that  he  might  dry  up  the  fountain  of  it,  at  the  fame  time,  in  callino- 
men  to  the  ftudy  of  fandlification ;  this  was  admirably  performed  by 
Jefus  Chrift,  i.  In  corredting  thofe  abufes  which  the  Jewifh  Doctors 
had  introduced  into  the  law.  Secondly,  In  declaring  that  the  efFe6l  of 
fan6lification  was  to  be  look'd  for  in  the  heart,  rather  than  in  the  eyes  or 
hands. 

One  may  fee  afterwards,  i .  That  he  knew  the  heart  of  man  ;  which 
proved  that  he  made  it.  This  he  teftifies  upon  feveral  occafions,  in  the 
anfwers  which  he  made  to  thofe  that  fpoke  to  him,  and  indeed  in  all  his 
difcourfes  which  were  fuited  to  the  difpofitions  of  the  heart  of  thofo  to 
whom  he  addreft  them. 

2.  That  he  made  ufe  of  parables,  which  are  moral  leflbns  very  eafie 
indeed,  but  withal  fitter  for  the  fubjecl  than  fables,  and  more  worthy  of 
God :  parables  alfo,  which  were  fo  ordinary  and  familiar  amongft  the 
Jewsy  that  we  find  moft  of  them  at  this  day  m  the  writings  of  the  JewSy 
tho'  they  apply  them  to  another  ufe. 

^.  That  he  defcended  to  particulars,  without  ufing  any  thing  mean, 
which  men  are  apt  to  do  when  they  divide  things  minutely. 

4.  That  he  forgot  no  one  precept  of  morality. 

5.  That  he  examined  all  the  duties  of  religion,  and  made  theai  infi- 
nitely recommendable  by  fuggefting  fuch  excellent  motives. 

After  all,  we  are  to  confider  four  things  in  the  preaching  of  our  Sa- 
viour, which  will  fully  prove  that  he  was  the  Meffiah. 

1.  That  his  do6lrine  appeared  to  be  wholly  Divine;  he  hadneve4 
been  brought  up  at  the  feet  of  any  Do6tor  j  but  had  his  breeding.m  ^ 
carpenter's  (hop.  ' 

2.  That  no  crime  was  ever  objected  to  him,  notwithftanding  that  J19 
upbraided  the  Pharifees  v/ith  theirs ;  but  he  fupported  his  do6trine  by  the: 
hoHnefsofhis  converfation. 

3.  That 

Cq)  Ifai.  ix.  J.  (rj  l{^Axu  I, 


462  Reflexions  upon  the  Q^i.  TK 

3.  That  he  Infenlihly  tJifpofcd  the  people  to  receive  him  as  the  Mef- 
fiah,  by  the  charaders  which  God  had  given  of  him  in  the  Prophets. 

4.  He  prepar'd  his  Difciples  and  his  auditors  to  exped  that  one  day  the 
Gentiles  fhould  enter  into  the  church. 

In  fhort,  can  anything  be  fo  furprizing,  as  to  fee  a  man  who  had  liv- 
ed thirty  years  as  the  Ton  of  a  carpenter,  to  declare  himfelf  all  at  once  a 
DocSlor,  to  preach  publickly,  to  cenfure  the  Doctors  of  his  nation  •  to 
fpeak  of  the  law  and  Prophets  with  more  depth  and  authority  than  all 
that  ever  went  before  him  ?  Who  can  without  furprize,  conceive  that 
a  man  of  the  loweft  quality,  fhould  from  a  carpenters  fhop,  come  and 
determine  queftions  about  the  law,  and  tread  under  his  feet  the  authori- 
ty of  all  the  great  Rabbins  every  where,  only  by  an  I  foy  mito  you,  fo 
that  none  was  able  to  contradict  him  !  Certainly  v/hen  one  (qq^  our 
Saviour  upon  the  mount  explaining  and  defending  the  moral  part  of  the 
law  from  the  corruptions  into  which  it  was  fallen,  he  appears  not  only 
as  great  as  Mofes  on  mount  S/«^/,  but  even  as  God  himfelf,  when  he 
publiflied  his  laws  to  that  his  ancient  people. 

Neither  ought  any  one  to  have  lefs  admiration  for  that  perfect  inno- 
cence which  flione  through  the  whole  courfe  of  his  life  :  What  crime 
had  they  to  charge  him  with  when  they  put  him  to  death,  he  who  accuf- 
ed  his  encrnies  of  fo  many  ?  Who  of  you,  faith  he,  accufeth  me  of  fm  ? 
We  find  him  only  accufed  of  words  ill  underftood,  which  they  were  re- 
folved  to  mifinterpret :  his  faying,  T^hat  if  they  dejhoy'd  that  temple,  he 
xvould  rebuild  it  in  three  days,  was  laid  to  his  charge  as  a  crime  ;  and  yet 
thcfe  words  could  not  have  been  heightned  into  crimes,  if  they  had  been 
Ipoken  in  the  fame  fcnfe  which  they  put  upon  them.  This  was  an  efTen- 
tial  character  of  the  Mefliah,  who  was  to  be  the  reftorer  of  holinefs 
according  to  the  idea  which  the  Prophets  gave  of  him. 

I  fhould  take  notice  afterwards  that  our  Saviour  in  his  fermons  did  by 
little  and  little  difpofe  the  minds  of  his  auditors  and  Difciples,  to  con- 
ceive and  believe  him  to  be  the  promifed  Meffiah.  The  firlt  aift  of  his 
publick  miniftry  was  an  efFe6l  of  his  zeal  for  the  holinefs  of  a  temple 
confecrated  to  his  Father:  he  drove  the  buyers  and  fellers  out  of  the 
temple,  at  the  feaft  of  the  palTover,  which  action  of  his  was  a  folemn 
profeffion  that  he  was  the  Son  of  God.  Soon  after  at  Nazareth  he  ap- 
plies to  himfelf  that  prophecy  of  Ifaiah,  The  fpirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me, 
&c.  He  explains  himfelf  yet  more  diftindly  in  Jerufalem  at  the  fecond 
pafTover  which  he  celebrated  during  the  time  of  his  miniftry,  that  they 
might  underftand  that  he  w^as  the  Meffiah,  accordmg  to  the  account 
which  the  Evangelifts  give  us  ;  and  he  explains  himfelf  yet  more  parti- 
cularly upon  John  the  Baptijh  meflage  to  him.  By  which  means  this 
truth  became  already  fo  illuftrious,  that  the  multitudes  would  proclaim 
him  King,  that  is,  publickly  own  him  for  the  Meffiah,  and  obey  him  as 
their  rightful  Soveraign.  And  laftly,  He  explains  himfelf  in  this  mat- 
ter by  a  queftion,  when  he  afked  his  Difciples,  What  cenfures  were  paft 
upon  him  in  Jiidca,  and  what  they  themfelves  thought  of  him  (j)  ? 

In  Ihort,  It  is  certain  that  Jcfus  prepared  the  rninds  of  his  Difciples 

to  look  for  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  which  alfo  was  the  charader  of 

the  Meffiah.     Jacob  had  prophefied  of  old,  To  him  Jhall  the  gathering  of 

w  the 

(s)  Matt.  xvi. 


Ch.  X.  Booh  of  the  Nnv  Tejiament.  463 

the  people  be  {t).  But  I  ftiall  pafs  by  the  oracles  which  foretel  this  mat- 
ter. What  fignifies  the  hiftory  of  the  prodigal,  unlefs  it  be  the  calling 
and  the  return  of  the  Gentiles  \  theeldeft  fon  (the  Jnv)  being  extreamly 
troubled  at  it.  What  means  that  faying  of  our  Saviour,  That  he  had 
other  Jheep^  he.  or  his  predidion,  That  inmiy  jhould  come  from  the  ea ft  and 
ivefiy  andftt  down  with  Abraham,  when  the  children  of  the  kingdom  Jlmdd  he 
caj} forth?  I  fhall  take  notice  in  another  place  of  the  frequent  repeti- 
tion of  fuch  like  oracles,  and  their  exa6l  accomplifhment.  Thefe  are 
fufficient  at  prefent  to  juftifie  the  folidity  of  this  laft  reflexion,  and  the 
truth  of  this  conclufion  at  the  fame  time,  that  if  one  examines  the  life 
and  preaching  of  our  Saviour,  he  may  find  all  thofe  characters  by  which 
the  promifed  Mefliah  might  be  known.  Let  us  now  proceed  to  the  con- 
iideration  of  his  miracles. 


C    H    A    P.      X. 

That  the  Miracles  wrought  by  our  Saviour,  clearly  prove  that  he  is  the 

Messiah. 

g^^g  S  the  Mefliah  was  to  be  very  clearly  diftinguiflied  from  all  others 
g  A  I  by  his  miracles,  and  as  the  Prophet  Ifaiah^  Chap.  XXXV.  fets 
KM'Si^  ^own  the  power  of  working  miracles,  as  one  of  thofe  charac- 
ters by  which  he  was  to  be  known,  fo  it  is  of  great  importance  to  us,  to 
examine  the  miracles  of  our  Saviour  with  great  attention,  whether  they 
have  the  characSter  of  truth,  and  whether  they  come  up  to  the  idea 
which  the  Prophets  give  us  of  thofe  wonders  which  the  Mefliah  was 
to  do. 

The  Evangeliflis,  who  tell  us  that  he  wrought  almofl:  an  infinite  num- 
ber of  them,  have  defcribed  more  than  thirty  feveral  forts  of  them.  He 
changed  water  into  wine  at  the  wedding  at  Cana  ;  he  healed  the  fick  fon 
of  a  courtier  ^  he  delivered  one  that  was  poflTefled  in  the  fynagogue  at 
Capernaum  ;  he  healed  S.  Peter's  mother  in  law  ;  he  caufed  a  vaft  num- 
ber of  fifh  to  be  caught ;  he  cured  a  leper  with  a  word,  and  with  a  touch 
he  healed  one  fick  of  the  palfey ;  he  cured  a  woman  of  an  inveterate 
iflue  of  blood,  and  railed  the  daughter  of  a  ruler  of  the  fynagogue  from 
the  dead  ;  he  cured  the  impotent  man  at  the  pool  of  Bcthefda;  lie  cured 
hun  that  had  a  wither'd  hand ;  he  deliver'd  a  poflefled  perfon  that  was 
bhnd  and  dumb  ;  he  recover'd  the  centurion's  fervant,  and  rais'd  to  life 
the  fon  of  die  widow  of  Nairn, 

Neither  are  thefe  that  follow  any  lefs  confiderablc  ;  he  reftores  fight 
to  two  blind  men,  he  cafts  forth  a  dumb  devil,  he  alTwages  a  tempeft  by 
his  word,  he  delivers  two  poflefled  perfons,  and  permits  the  devil  to  go 
into  the  herd  of  Iwine  of  the  Gadarencs ;  he  feeds  above  five  thoufand  per- 
lons  with  two  loaves  and  five  fiflies  j  he  walks  upoa  the  fea,  and  calmeth 


a  fecond 


CO  Gen.  xlix.  10, 


^54  Refex'ions  upon  ihf  Ch.  X. 

a  fccond  temped  ;  he  cafts  forth  a  devil  from  a  daughter  of  a  woman  of 
Canaan,  who  was  pofiefled  ;  he  cures  one  deaf  and  dumb ;  he  feed*  four 
thoufand  perfons  with  feven  loaves  i  he  reflorcs  fight  to  a  blind  man  of 
Bcthfaida  ;  he  ends  out  a  devil,  after  his  Difciplcsnad  iji  vain  attempted 
it  •  he  reftores  {\'r\\X.  to  ore  born  blind  ;  he  cured  a  crooked  woman  j  he 
cures  one  of  the  dropfie  on  the  fabbath  day  j  he  raifes  Lazarus  from  the 
erave,  after  he  had  been  dead  four  days ;  he  heals  ten  lepers  afterwards  j 
he  reftores  fi<^ht  to  a  blind  man  at  his  entring  into  Jericho ;  and  cures 
the  lame  and  blind  in  the  temple  it  felf. 

There  are  fevcral  charadk-rs  which  alTure  us  of  the  falthfulntf^  of  the 
Evanf^clifts  in  thcfe  their  relations:  i.  They  wrote  thefe  things  to  con- 
vert the  Jeius  before  the  dcftru£tion  of  Jcrufalem.  2.  They  markt  the 
circumflances  very  exaclly,  and  none  could  be  ignorant  of  them,  fince 
they  all  went  thrice  a  year  up  to  Jerufalem.  ^.  The  facts  which  they 
relate  were  lafting,  and  fuch  as  might  be  examined.  4.  They  fpeak  of 
fa^ls  which  thev  fuppoil-  that  Jcfus  Chrift  was  willing  fhould  be  beyoud 
all  contcft,  that' they  might  be  better  examined.  5.  They  fpeak  of  thofe 
fafts  which  they  maintain  to  be  the  accomplifhment  of  the  oracles  con- 
cerning the  Mefliah  whom  the  Jews  expeded. 

But  there  arc  not  fewer  characters  of  truth  in  the  miracles  of  our  Sa- 
viour to  buoy  them  up  :  The  firft  is,  That  moll  of  the  difciifes  which 
Jefus  Chrirt  cured,  are  defcribed  as  abfoluttly  incurable  ;  this  obferva- 
tion  is  of  o-rcat  moment,  as  well  to  difcover  to  us  the  infinite  power  ex- 
erted by  Jefus  Chrift,  as  to  make  known  the  extraordinary  wifdom  of 
the  Ap'oftles,  who  being  men  without  learning,  did  notwithftanding  fet 
down  the  fymptomes  of  the  difeafes  which  their  mafter  cured,  far  be- 
yond what  'might  be  expected  from  their  natural  capacities. 

The  fccond'  reflexioii  belongs  to  the  fubjeifts  upon  whom  thefc  mi- 
racles were  wrought ;  for  we  fcarce  find  any  of  them,  except  his  curing 
S.  Peier^s>  mother  in  lav/,  to  be  wrought  upon  perfons  who  had  lead  re- 
lation to  Jefus  Chrift  :  he  heals  the  fervant  of  the  high  prieft,  the  fon  of 
the  ruler  of  a  fynagogue,  the  fon  of  a  Romiiu  centurion,  and  feveral 

others. 

A  third  reflexion  may  be  drawn  from  the  places  where  they  were 
done,  and  from  the  witneftes  that  were  prefent.  In  fhort,  they  were 
wrought  in  publick  places,  in  the  midft  of  cities  and  fyuagogues  ;  fome 
in  Judca,  fome  in  Galilee,  fome  at  Jt-rufaUm,  at  Nairn,  Sidon,  &;c.  they 
were  fubmittcd  to  the  examination  of  the  moft  implacable  enemies  of 
Jefus  Chrift,  the  people  of  the  Jeivs,  the  Samaritans,  and  the  Gentiles, 
who  dwelt  in  PalcjVina, 

One  may  add  alfo,  That  thcfe  miracles  were  of  very  different  kinds, 
wrought  in  feveral  places,  and  with  very  confiderable  circumftances,  at 
the  moft  folemh  feafts,  the  paffover  and  pemecji. 

One  ought  to  confider  alio,  That  Palrjiwe  was  full  of  thofe  whom 
our  Saviour  had  cured  ^  and  that  all  the  Jcvus  who  came  up  three  times 
in  a  year  to  Jerufalem,  could  not  but  take  notice  of  them. 

One  ought  afterwards  to  obferve.  That  Jefus  Chrift  communicated 
to  his  Difciples  the  power  of  working  miracles  in  the  fecond  year  ot  his 
miniftr)',  which  none  elfe  had  ever  done  before. 

And  laftly  it  muft  be  obferved,  That  thefe  miracles  were  lafting  j  the 

three 


Ch.  X*  Books  of  the  New  Tejlament,  46^5 

three  dead  men,  whom  our  Saviour  raifed  to  life  again,  were  very  younf 
and  who  in  all  probability  lived  longer  than  decrepit  old  men,  were  in  the 


fa£ls  generally  known.  And  3.  That  the  certainty  of  them  could  fo 
little  be  contefted,  that  the  Je%,vs  rather  chofe  to  accufe  him  of  doiiio- 
them  by  fome  magical  fecret,  than  to  difpute  the  truth  of  them. 

Thefe  reflexions  fufficiently  confirm  the  truth  of  the  Evano-elifls  re- 
lation, and  of  the  miracles  of  Jefus  Chrift.  To  agree  to  what  has  been 
faid,  we  need  not  refute  the  folly  of  thofe,  who  have  compared  the  mi- 
racles fixllly  attributed  to  Apollomm  Tyanams^  with  thofe  of  Jefus  Chrift, 
One  hardly  knows  at  this  day  v/hether  ever  there  was  fuch  a  man  as  ApcU 
loniui ;  whereas  ever  fince  the  Apoftles  there  have  been  Chriftians,  w.ho 
have  read  the  hiftory  of  the  miracles  of  Jefus  Chrift,  and  who  have  be- 
lieved them  after  a  due  examination.  Which  of  Apollonius's  his  difciples 
was  ever  fo  bold  as  to  fay  to  Heathens,  as  Tertullian  did  in  the  fecond 
century,  in  his  apolo»etick,  Brvig  to  iis  what  pojpjfed perfons you  pleafe^ 
and  we  ivill  heal  them  in  the  na?nt  of  Jefus  Chrijl  ? 

But  we  ought  alfo  to  add  one  thing  more.  That  thefe  miracles  of  Jefus 
Chrift  were  exaiStly  fuch  as  ought  to  have  been  made  to  prove  him  to  be 
the  Meffiah. 

1.  They  were  exa6lly  fuch  as  Ifa'iah  had  foretold  concerning  the 
MelTiah,  Chap.  XXXV.  as  may  be  fcen  by  comparing  them  with  the 
text. 

One  ought  only  to  obferve,  That  this  char.ivfter  is  fo  peculiar  that  It 
diftinguifhes  the  Mefliah  from  all  the  other  Prophets,  who  went  be- 
fore him  ;  for  none  of  thofe  to  whom  God  had  given  power  to  work 
miracles,  had  either  given  fight  to  the  blind,  or  power  to  the  lame  to 
walk. 

2.  They  perfectly  came  up  to  the  end  of  his  miniftry,  as  he  was  the 
Mefliah  ;  for  it  was  his  defign  to  afliire  his  Difciples  of  the  immortality 
which  he  promiled  to  them  >  and  thefe  cures,  and  thefe  refurrections 
which  were  wrought  only  by  his  word,  were  fufficient  to  convince 
them,  as  well  of  the  foveraign  power  he  had  to  execute  his  promifes,  as 
of  his  goodnefs  which  was  neceflary  to  confirm  the  faith  of  his  fol- 
lowers. 

3.  Some  of  his  miracles  were  fuch  as  evinced  his  likenefs  to  Mofes ; 
he  changes  water  into  wine  at  Cana^  he  feeds  many  thoufands  in  the  de- 
fert,  he  walks  on  the  water,  and  njakes  one  of  his  Difciples  to  walk 
with  him  ;  z^  Mofes  changed  the  waters  to  blood,  and  had  caufed  manna 
to  rain  down  upon  the  Ifrael'ites,  and  had  opened  the  fea  for  their 
pafTage. 

4.  One  ought  to  obferve  here.  That  if  Jefus  Chrifl's  miracles  were 
not  like  thofe  of  y^/^x,  two  only  excepted,  vi-z..  his  curfing  of  the  bar- 
ren fig-tree,  and  the  drowning  of  the  fwine  ;  this  was  to  fhew  that  he 
was  not  come  like  Mofes  to  execute  the  judgments  of  God,  but  to  exer- 
cile  ads  of  grace  and  mercy  ;  thofe  now  mentioned  being  lufficient  to 
evince  it  was  not  for  want  of  povi'er. 

If  the  Samaritan  woman  argued  very  rationally  when  *he  faid  con- 
VOL.  I.  G  g  cernins 


466  Reflexions  ufon  the  Ch.  XI. 

corning  Chrifl,  irbcn  tl:.-  McjJJah  Jl^aJl  come^  vuill  he  r'o  greater  Jigns  than 
thije!^\'c  ma\'  with  more  reafon  urge  it  now,  fmce  we  know  not  only 
that  Jcfus  Chrift  hath'  wrought  fuch  great  miracles,  but  alfo  conferr'd 
upon  his  Difciplcs  a  power  of  doing  greater  miracles  than  himfelf  ever 
did.  \''l  ' 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

CHAP.      XI. 

That  the  PrediSftons  of  our  Lcrd]^svs  Christ,  clearly  prove  him  to  be  tie 

Messiah. 

f^,>^"'*"!^NE  might  have  obferv'd.  That  John  the  Baptifl  foretold  many 
^^^  O  :^:  thtncs  concerning  the  pcrfon  of  our  Lord,  and  the  glory  of  his 
£i<:::*i5  minJllry;  that  Shneon  foretold  that  he  was  to  be  a  fign  which 
flmthfhe  fpokcn  agair,ft;  and  it  is  known  how  exadly  thefc  things  were 
fulfilled.  But  it  will  be  more  for  our  purpofe  to  examine  thofe  prophe- 
fies  which  were  pronounced  by  Chrift  himfelf. 

I  pretend  not  to  repeat  them  all  here,  nor  to  (hew  by  how  many  ways, 
and  upon  how  many  occafions  Jefus  Chrift  did  reiterate  them  :  this 
would  take  up  too  much  timej  I  (hall  only  fet  down  the  chief  of  them, 
and  add  fome  few  reflexions. 

When  Jefus  Chrift  calls  the  fiftiers  to  follow  him,  he  foretels  that  he 
would  make  them  teachers  of  the  world  ;  /  will  make  you^  faith  he^fjhers 
of  7ncn.  He  promifcs  to  make  them  famous  by  miracles,  and  to  fend 
them  the  gifts  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  which  the  people  oUfrael  had  now  for 
above  400  years  been  deprived  of. 

He  promifed  to  give  them  an  authority  over  the  confciences  of  men, 
fo  that  what  they  fticuld  forbid  us  on  earth,  fhould  be  forbidden  in 
heaven. 

He  foretels  the  calling  of  the  Ge?2tiles  to  his  religion  ;  Afany,  faith 
he,  /;«//  ccme  from  the  ea/i  and  xvijl,  and  fhallfit  down  iviih  Abraham, 
liaac,  flw/ Jacob  in  the  kingdom  cf  heaven.  Which  is  the  more  confi- 
flcrablc,  becaufe  he  fcemed  himfelf  unwilling  to  fhew  any  favour  to  the 
Gentiles,  whom  he  called  Dcgs,  according  to  the  language  of  the  Jem. 

He  foretels  the  rejection  of  the  Jews ;  The  children  of  tl.v  iingdsM, 
faith  he,  j7:)a!l  be  caft  out  into  outer  darknrfs. 

fee  foretels  the' perft'cution-s  which  were  to  happen  to  his  Difcipic^ 
from  the  Jevus^  as  well  as  from  the  Roman  governours  ;  They  Jkali  /..■•,• 
their  honeh  on  you^  a)id  perfecicte  yotx^  delivering  you  upts  thefynngoguci^Mtid 
into  prifons\  hcing"b'rought  before  kings,  hz. 

He  foretels  that  nOtwithftantling  all  thefe  perfections,  yttiiis  church 
ftiouklnot  only  continue,  afluring  them  that  the  gates  of  hill  }hculd  nrarr 
prevail againfl  her;  but  alfo  fhould  greatly  flourifti  and  encreafe,  accord- 
ing to  wliat  Diividhzd,  foretold,  Pfalm  CK^'verJif^.  aHiuiing  to  the  fud- 

dain  fruiifulnefs  which  is  caufed  by  dew. 

^  He 


Ch.  XL  Boa^s  of  the  Mw  Tejlain^nt.  467 

He  above  thirt/tlmes  foretels  his  fuffering  and  death. 
He  foretels  his  refurrecSlion  the  third  day. 

He  foreteJs  that  Judas  fliould  betray  him,  S,  Peter  deny  him,  that  his 
Apoftles  lliould  be  fcattered,  as  foon  as  they  fhould  fee  him  fmitten.  He 
foretels  the  martyrdom  of  S.  Peter^  which  he  was  to  fufFer  for  his  fake, 
and  to  S.  "John^  that  he  was  to  furvive  the  deftruvPiion  of  'Jcriifaleni.  He 
foretels  that  after  his  afcenfion  to  heaven^  he  fhould  begin  th:;  call  of  all 
the  nations  of  the  earth  ;  iVJjen  I  jhall  he  lifted  up  f rem  the  earthy  faith  he, 
I Jhall  draiv  all  men  unto  me. 

He  often  foretels  th'e  deftruftion  o^ferufakm  and  the  temple  j  Behold^ 
faith  he,  your  houfe  is  left  unto  you  defilate. 

He  foretels  that  mai\y  falfe  MelTiah's  fhould  come  after  him,  whom  the 
Jews  fhould  receive,  tho'  they  had  rejected  him  as  an  impoflor. 

Several  reflexions  may  be  made  upon  thefe  predictions  of  our  Lord. 
In  fhort,  one  may  obfcrve  at  firft.  That  there  are  three  forts  of  them  in 
the  Neiv  Teftajnent ;  fome  of  them  were  fultilled  foon  after  they  were 
pronounced,  as  thofe  concerning  the  afs  which  he  fent  his  Difciples 
for,  thofe  of  his  death  and  refurrcclion,  of  S.  Pcter*s  denying  him,  and 
the  flight  of  his  Apoflles,  tffc. 

The  dcfign  of  thefe  was  to  eflablifh  the  belief  of  thofe  which  were 
further  ofF,  which  is  the  method  of  God  himfcif  the  Father  of  our  Lord 
in  the  0/d  Te/lamenf^  as  I  have  obferved. 

Some  of  them  related  to  m.atters  which  were  more  remote,  as  the  wai;s 
for^nflance,  which  Chrill:  foretold,  the  deflruction  oi  JerufaLm^  and  the 
difperfion  of  the  Jezvs, 

Laflly,  There  were  fome  whofe  accomplifhment  v/as  at  a  very  great 
diftance,  after  many  ages,  fome  of  them  reaching  to  the  end  of  the 
world. 

One  fee's  plainly  that  this  mixture  of  our  Saviour's  prediilions,  which 
are  of  fo  very  different  forts,  is  of  ojfe  to  confirm  the  belief,  and  afcer- 
tain  the  truth  of  them,  the  exa6l  fulfilling  of  the  firft  oracle  making  way 
for  the  belief  and-  expectation  of  the  fecond,  and  fo  on,  till  all  be  ful- 
filled. 

One  may  obferve  afterwards.  That  Jefus  Chrifi:  and  his  Apoflles,  on 
whom  he  (according  to  his  promife)  after  his  afcenfion,  poured  forth  the 
fpirit  of  prophecy,  did  ordinarily  follov/  the  fame  notions  and  exprcfTions 
which  the  Prophets  of  the  Old  Tejlari.ent  made  ufe  of. 

Thus  we  find  Jefus  Chrift  makes  ufe  of  Da?:iel's  notion?,  where  he 
fpeaks  of  the  definition  oi  Jerufalem-y  thus  we  fee  that  he  imitates  the 
mofl  illuflrious  actions  of  the  Prophets,  and  to  make  his  predl<5iions  the 
more  obferved,  in  accomplifhing  the  prophecy  of  Zachariah  on  Palm- 
Sunday  ;  in  the  midft  of  the  acclamations  of  the  people  he  weeps  over 
Jerufahn^  as  if  its  deflrudion  were  already  come.  Thus  Jefus  Chrifl 
faith  to  S.  Peter.,  When  thou /halt  he  old^  another  Jhall  guide  thce^  and  carry 
thee  whither  thou  wouldejl  net  [u) ;  thus  foretellinghis  death ;  thus  he  indruils 
him  in  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles  under  a  reprefentation  of  all  forts  of 
beafts,  commanding  him  alfo,  even  as  to  the  impure  animals,  Slay  and 
eat.  All  the  Revelations  are  full  of  fuch  prophetical  idea's  taken  from; 
the  Old  Tejiament,  from  Genefis,  Ifaiah^  Ezechiel,  Zachariah,  &c, 

Gg2^  :But 

("uj  Joh.  xxi.  18, 


468  Rejlexiam  upon  the  Ch.  XI, 

But  here  are  other  reflexions  of  as  great  importandc  as  the  former. 
The  firft  is.  That  the  grcatcft  part  of  thefe  predidlions  arc  nothing 
but  a  continuance  and  more  diftindt  expHcation  of  the  oracles  of  the  Old 
Tefioment^  concerning  the  fufferings  of  the  Mefliah,  tho  calling  of  the 
Gent'iUs^  the  deftruihon  of  the  commonwealth  of  the  Jevus  \  and  bcfides, 
they  are  continued  to  the  laft  day  of  the  world,  which  is  the  end  of  pro- 
phecy. 

The  fccond  is,  7"hat  thefe  prediclions  had  not  the  lead  probability 
upon  which  they  might  rationally  have  been  grounded.  What  likely- 
hood  was  there,  that  Jefus  Chrift  fliould  be  crucified,  he  who  raifcd  the 
dead,  who  commanded  the  fca  and  winds,  he  whom  they  would  have 
taken  by  force  to  make  him  their  king  ?  What  likelyhood  v/as  there, 
that  the  Apofllcs,  a  company  of  poor  miferable  "Jews^  fhould  bring  over 
the  Gentiles  to  the  religion  of  a  man  who  was  accurfcd  by  the  fynagogue 
of  the  Jcwsy  and  crucified  like  a  flave  by  the  authority  of  the  Raman 
magiftrate?'  What  probability  was  there  of  the  dellruition  oi'Jeruja- 
lem^  whilft"  the  'Jeivs^  accuftom'd  to  the  Roman  yoke,  made  it  their  bu- 
fmefs  to  avoid  all  manner  of  occafions  that  might  ftir  up  the  indignation 
of  their  mafters  againft  them.  It  Is  expedient,  fay  they,  rather  that  one 
man  periJJ}  (meaning  Jefus)  than  to  hazard  the  welfare  of  the  whole  nation. 
The  third  is.  That  thefe  oracles  were  written  by  the  Apoftles,  not 
only  amongft  difcourfes  of  another  nature,  but  alfo  linked  together  in 
fuch  a  chain,  that  their  connexion  will  not  permit  us  to  believe  that  they 
were  contrived  after  the  matters  which  they  relate  to,  were  paft,  and  alfo 
that  they  are  conftantly  related  by  three  Evangelifts,  long  time  before 
the  things  came  to  pafs,  S.  ^5/;^  being  the  only  witnefs  of  the  deftruiStion 
of  ferufilejn. 

The  fourth  is,  That  thefe  oracles  gave  the  Apoftles  as  much  grounds 
to  expeft  calamities  and  violent  deaths,  as  to  Jefus  Chriit  himfelf,  fo  that 
there  is  no  pretence  of  doubting  that  they  were  not  faithfully  recorded 
by  the  Evangelifts,  and  that  therefore  feeing  the  accomplifhment  has 
exa£lly  anfwered  to  the  oracle,  we  ought  to  look  upon  them  as  Divine 
oracles. 

I  confefs  that  thefe  oracles,  no  more  than  the  books  of  the  Ji^^w  Xejia- 
ment,  were  ever  committed  to  the  publick  cuftody  of  the  Jews,  as  for- 
merly the  oracles  of  the  Prophets  of  old  were,  but  this  cannot  really 
diminifh  their  authority. 

I  will  not  obicrve  at  prefent,  that  becaufe  the  temple  was  -to  be  bunit, 
it  was  not  proper  to  dcpofe  them  there  ;  and  'twas  for  this  rcafonCiod 
thought  fit  to  caufe  the  oracles  of  the  Old  Tejiament  to  be  tranflatcd  long 
before. 

Nor  yet,  that  it  was  very  proper  that  thefe  predictions,  as  well' as 
the  books  of  the  Kcw.TeJhViurit,  fhould  be  put  into  the  haiKls  of  the 
Gentiles,  who  thence-forward  were  to  be  the  people  of  God,  and  iiis 
temple.     -        ■       -  .  .  ;  : 

Rut  this  I  obferVCj  That  nothing  can  be  imagined  more  fo)emn  than 
'thefe  prophecies  of  our  Saviour  and  his  Difciples,  as  well  as  nc\er  4iiy 
.thing  was  more  exaiTtly  fulfilled. 

Jefus  Chrift  was  born  at  Bethlehetn  according  to  the  oracles*  Kj^vv 
as, 'no  man  is  mailer  of  the  place  of  his  birth,  lb  it  is  piam  that  here  is 

no 


Ch.  XI.  Books  of  the  New  Tejlament.  469 

no  room  left  for  impofture  ;  neither  Is  a  man  any  more  the  mafter  of  his 
death  ;  wherefore  to  give  a  certain  character  to  his  prophecy,  he  fore- 
tells his  dying  at  Jerufalem ;  which  accordingly  was  accomplifhed  in  all 
its  circumftances  ;  can  any  thing  be  more  exadl  ? 

But  one  may  hy^  That  it  was  eafie  for  the  Difciples  to  forge  predic- 
tions fuitable  to  the  event,  in  like  manner  as  /^zV^//hath  done  in  the  fixth 
of  his  Mneids  of  Marcellus.  One  may  indeed  contrive  an  irnpofture 
which  fliall  be  pofTible,  and  which  may  a/ifv\'er  to  fome  few  oracles ;  but 
I  fhall  hereafter  fhew  the  folly  of  that  thought,  when  1  come  to  prove 
the  faithfulnefs  of  the  Apoflles  and  Evangelifts. 

But  can  we  conceive  fuch  a  fufpicion  concerning  the  converfion  of 
the  Gentiles^  the  ruin  of  Paganifm,  the  victory  of  Chriflianlty  after  ten 
perfecutions.  'Tis  now  above  1600  years  that  the  Chriftian  Religion 
llibfills,  whereas,  who  could  have  afllired  the  Difciples  of  Jefus  Chrift 
that  their  doctrine  would  have  had  fo  much  as  one  or  two  followers  after 
their  death  ?  The  grcateft  empires,  that  of  the  Chaldeans,  of  the  Per . 
f.ansy  of  the  Grecians,  and  that  of  the  Romans,  have  been  overturned, 
and  none  of  them  fmgly  have  been  of  fo  long  continuance  as  the  king- 
dom of  Jefus  Chrift,  which  neverthclcfs  was  attack'd  by  all  that  was 
great  and  powerful  in  the  world.  Who  fee's  not  that  this  is  the  empire 
whereof  Z)a«iV/fpeaks  in  the  feventh  of  his  Revelations,  zuhich  was  never 
to  have  end. 

■\  Jefus  Chrift  foretold,  as  it  is  fet  dov/n  by  his  Difciples,  according  to 
the  prophecy  of  Daniel,  that  the  temple  of  "Jerujalcm  (hould  be  dcftroyed, 
and  never  built  again :  who  could  tell  the  Apoftles,  if  they  had  forged 
this  oracle  themfelves,  that  the  endeavours  of  'Julian  to  confound  this 
prophecy,  when  he  began  to  rebuild  the  temple,  would  be  in  vain,  as 
indeed  they  proved  by  an  effect  of  the  Divine  vengeance  againft  the 
"Jevus,  who  were  engaged  in  the  rebuilding  of  it,  under  the  authority  of 
that  emperour  (a-). 

Indeed  if  one  refledts  on  the  oracles  of  Jefus  Chrift,  one  ftiall  find 
them  a  thoufand  times  more  known  than  thofe  of  the  Jews. 

1 .  The  greateft  part  of  them  were  pcnn'd  at  one  and  the  fame  time. 

2.  They  were  writ  by  feveral  authors,  who  lived  in  different  places. 

3.  They  were  read  over  the  whole  earth  every  Lord's  day,  they  have 
been  explained  and  commented  upon  foon  after,  every  one  endeavouring 
to  take  notice  of  their  accompliftiment. 

4.  They  have  been  alledged  in  difputes  againft  Jews  and  Gentiles,  and 
have  ferved  for  a  foundation  to  the  faith  of  the  Chriftian  church,  whofe 
teachers  have  made  it  their  bufinefs  to  ftiew  their  uniformity  with  the 
oracles  of  the  Old  Tejiainent,  which  are  in  the  hands  of  the  Jews,  tho' 
the  Jews  have  always  confidered  the  Chriftians  as  their  moft  mortal 
enemies. 

But  one  may  alfo  find  that  thefe  oracles,  being  for  the  moft  part  much 
more  clear  and  exprefs,  their  accompliftiment  alfo  hath  been  fo  much 
the  more  eafily  difcerniblc :  from  whence  it  evidently  follows,  That 
Jefus  Chrift  ought  to  be  acknowledged  as  the  Prophet  that  was  like  unto 
Mofes,  as  is  mentioned  in  the  eighteenth  of  Deuteronomy,  that  is  indeed 
the  true  Mejjiah':: 

Gg3  CHAP.    XII. 

(xj  Ammian,  Mancllln.  lib.  23. 


^-0  Rejlextons  upon  tht  Ch.  XII, 


CHAP.       XII. 

That  Jesus  Christ  died  preclfely  in  the  fame  Jlliinncr  as  it  was  foretold 
that  tl}c  Messiah  Jhottld  dye, 

^•jK)t;'^  HAVE  flicwed  in  my  third  part,  that  God  had  given  to  hU 
%  I  "^  church  fcvcral  oracles  to  explaiii  diftiiiitly  this  great  truth  con- 
^■^"^;|  ccrning  the  Melliah.  a     .-  , 

1.  He  had  Icl  this  up  for  a  rule  by  Mcfes,^  Ctafcd  ii  he  tint  hangeth  on 

2.  He  had  pr6po(t;d  by  David  the  idea  of  the  Mefliali,  asliaviag  Vis 
hands  antf  feet  pierced  ;  the  Gentiles  and  Jews  uniting  thcmfclves  againft 

•2'.  He  had  foretold  by  Ifoiah  that  the  McfTiah  was  to  be  accounted  a 
ir.akfa^br,  and  put  to  death. 

A.  He  had  repeated  the  fame  idea's  by  the  Prophet  Zechariahy  who  de- 
fciibes  the  manner  of  his  being  pierced,  which  has  a  natural  referer.ce  t6 
the  notion  of  crucifixion.  ,      \\  r>   ^  r  2   x.     r 

I  have  alio  fet  down  the  reafons  for  which  God  feparated  the  feveral 
parts  of  thofc  prophetical  dtfcriptions  of  fo  furprizing  an  e\ent  j  thedif- 
ticullv  there  was  on  the  one  hand  to  make  thefe  idea's  to  be  received, 
which  feem  full  of  contradictions ;  the  Meifiah  having  been  at:  firftfet 
forth  as  the  Fountain  of  Elefling  :  and  on  the  other  hand,  their  feeming 
incompatibility  with  the  glory  which  God  had  promifed  to  the  MeiTiah, 
anil  by  him  to  the  I/raelitcs. 

And  at  laft,  I  have  (hewed  that  thcfe  oracles  do  exa€tiy  and  clearly 
dcfcribe  the  things  which  were  to  happen  to  the  Mefliah,  which  was  to 
be  fo  becaufe  of  the  nature  of  thefe  events,  which  were  fo  ftrange,  and 
at  fuch  a  diftaiKc  from  the  common  idea's  which  men  have  For  the  moft 

part  of  fuch  things.  ^  r  -l    ,.      •    ■.     j 

Our  bufinefs  therefore  only  is  to  confider  at  prefent,  whether  indeed 

Jcfus  Chriil  died  hi  the  fame  manner  as  the  PrajMiets  had  foretold  that 

the  Mefiiah  fiiouUl.  t   -     o.    -n  • 

This  charadier  is  a  rery  illuftrious  one  to  confirm  that  Jeius  Cluilt  is 
the  Mefliah.  P'or  it  is  wtii  known  that  a  prifoner  is  no  longer  mafter 
of  the  things  that  happen  to  him,  neither  of  the  kind  of  his  death,  nor  of 
the  manner  of  his  burial. 

In  fhort,  nothing  can  be  imagin'd  more  foolifh  than  to  fuppoic  that 
the  Dilciple^  of  Jtfus  Chrift  fhould  apply  to  their  mafler,  that  he  mighc 
pafs  for  the  Mefliah,  fuch  oracles  as  had  not  ufually  been  applj'ed  to  the 
Mefliah  by  the  Javs^  amongfl  whom  they  lived,  and  whom  they  en- 
deavoured to  difpofe  for   the  receiving  of  Jcfus  Chrifi  as  the  promiled 

Mefliah.  ^    ,         , 

Now  we  cannot  conceive  any  thing  more  exact  tlian  the  agreement 

which  we  find  between  the  prophecies  and  the  event. 

I.  When  Jefus  Chrifl:  by  his  triumphant  entry  mtojerufolein^  riding 

on  an  afs^  had  put  his  Difciples  in  mind  of  one  pailagc  in  Zachary^  he 

obliged  them  alfo  to  call  their  eyes  upon  another,  when  he  foretold  his 

death, 


Ch.  XII.  Books  oftJyeNcw  Tejlament.  47^ 

death,  and  their  flight,  as  the  accomplifhment  of  this  oracle,  I  will  finite 
the  Jhepherdy  and  the  flock  Jlmll  he  featured^  Zach.  XIII.  7.   (_)■}. 

2.  He  was  befet  with  a  band  of  Roman  fouldiers,  and  the  fervants  of 
the  principal  men  amongft  the  Jews^  who  apprehended  him,  under  the 
conduit  oi  Judas  ;  which  exadlly  anfwers,  1.  To  the  defcription  which 
we  find  Pfal.  XXII.  Dogs^  that  is  Heathens,  whom  the  Jcvos  treated  as 
fuch,  and  Jirong  Bulls,  that  is  Jeivs,  reprefented  by  clean  Bealls,  have 
befet  me  round.  And  fecondly,  to  that  other  prophecy,  He  thai  eats  bread 
with  me  hath  lift  up  his  heel  againjl  me. 

3.  He  offers  himfelf  freely  to  death,  according  to  that  of  Ifaiah.,  That 
he.  gave  his  foul  an  ojjcririgforfm.  This  appears  not  only  by  his  goiao- 
into  the  garden,  where  he  knew  that  he  ihould  be  taken  j  but  alfo  by 
his  telling  the  fouldiers  that  he  was  the  man  they  looked  for ;  he  oppoftd 
S.  Peter's  attempts  towards  his  rcfcue,  and  declares  that  he  did  not  fly 
from  death,  but  was  willing  to  fatisiie  the  intent  of  the  prophecies. 

4.  He  is  forlaken  by  his  Difciples,  as  he  himfelf  had  tellified  of  it  as 
foretold  by  the  Prophets,  Zach.  XIII.  7. 

5.  He  is  flruck  on  the  face  before  Annas,  as  'Jeremiah  had  foretold 
Lament.  III.  30.   He  giveth  his  cheek  to  him  that  jmiteth  him. 

6.  He  appears  before  Caiaphas^  furrounded  by  every  thin"-  that  was 
great  amongft  the  Jcivs,  whether  law}'ers  or  church-jj^njoacCjOfdin"-  to 
Ffalmll.  _        ^        _  -.,;.  n;i,/  ■" 

7.  He  is  filent  before  his  unjuft  judges,  and  negleils  to  anfwer  the 
accufations  which  the  falfe  witnelles  depoied  againit  him,  accordiii'>-  to 
the  prophecy  of  Ifaiah,  As  Jheep  before  hisjhearers  is  dumb^  fo  he  opauth  not 
his  mouth,  Ifaiah  LIII.  7.  and  the  defcription  which  David  gives  of  him, 
Pf  XXXI.  and  XXXiX. 

8.  They  opened  their  mouths  againft  him,  in  accufing  him  of  blaf- 
phemy,  as  David\v\'i  figuratively  expreiled  it,  Pfal.  XXlI.  13. 

9.  They  fpit  in  his  face,  they  buffctted  and  abukd  him  the  wliple  ni^^ht, 
according  to  that  oracle  of  Ifaiah  XLiX.  6. 

10.  When  Judas  faw  that  Jefus  Chrift  was  delivered  to  Pilate  by  the 
Jews.^  who  demanded  his  crucifixion,  he  returned  the  thirty  pieces  of 
iilver,  wherewith  they  purchafed  the  Potters  field,  afterwards  called  the 
Field  of  Blood,  and  fet  apart  by  the  Jeivs  for  the  burial  of  If  rangers,  as 
was  foretold  by  Zachariah  XI.  12.  and  by  Jeremiah  XXXII.  25. 

1 1 .  He  is  accufed  before  Pilate,  and  brought  before  Herod,  without 
juftifying  himfelf  of  the  crimes  laid  to  his  charge,  as  it  is  PfalmKK.XVlll 
andXXVlI.  12. 

^12.  Pilate  and  Herod  zgree  in  confpiring  the  death  of  Jefus  Chrift,  ac- 
cording to  the  defcription  of  Pfalm  II. 

13.  Pilate  defiring  to  fave  j;:fas,  the  Jews  demand  Barabbas  might  be 
jeleafed,  and  ]Hn=.  puniflied,  as  IXwid  had  foretold  Pfalm  XXil.  14. 

14.  Jefiis  Chrift  v/r.s  fcourcred  by  Pilate's  order,  which  was  foretold 
PfaJm  XXXVIII.  and  lAlX":  Ifaiah  LIU.  verf  5.  and  Chap.  LXIil. 

15.  He  is  brought  forth  by  Pilate  to  the  people  with  an  Ecce  Homo 
Beholilthe  Man,  which  was  foretold  by  Ifaiah,  JVhenivc fl)alifce  him,there 
is  no  beauty  that  tve  f/)ould  defire  him,  he  is  dcfpifed  and.rejci^cd  of  men,  we 
did  ilfe^m  him  flrirken.,  fmiitrn  ofG'yA  and  Hjflitled. 

^  S  4  16.  He 

A^.Matth.  xxvi.  31. 


47  2  Reflemm  upon  the  Ch.  XII. 

i6.  He  IS  afterwards  delivertd  to  the  fouldiers,  who  before  they  cru- 
cified him,  infulted  over  him  with  a  thoufand  indignities,  and  fcourged 
htm  again,  according  to  the  prophecies  fo  often  before  alledged. 

17.  They  cr.ucifie  him  with  two  robber>,  which  anf\vers  to  that  pro- 
phecy Ifaiah  LIII.  12.   He  was  numbred  with  tranfgrejjon. 

18.  Thev  give  him  gall  and  vinegar  to  drink,  as  was  foretold  Pfalm 
LXIX. 

19.  They  pierce  his  hands  and  feet  in  nailing  him  to  the  crofs,  which 
anfwers  to  Pfalm  XXII.  17,  18. 

20.  I'hey  part  his  garments,  which  is  reprefented  in  the  fame  Pfalm^ 
verff  iq.  and  caft  lots  on  his  vefture,  according  to  the  fame  Pjalm  in  the 
very  fame  place. 

21.  He  fufTers  a  thoufand  reproaches  upon  the  crofs,  according  to 
what  we  find  Pjhlm  XXII.  v^rje  8.  and  P/aim  LXIX.  ver.  8,  10. 

22.  And  in  particular  the  Jews  and  Scribes  reproach  him  in  the  very 
words  of  Pj}i//n  XXII.  veffe  8. 

23.  Jefus  Chrift  cries  out,  applying  to  himfelf  the  beginning  of  Pfalm 
XXII.-  A'/y  Go./f  My  God!  IVhy'baJl  th'ju forfakcn  me?  as  he  had  before 
applied  to  himfelf  the  prophecy  concerning  xht.  Meffiah  in  the  third  of 
Daniel, 

24.  He  commends  his  foul  into  the  hands  of  God,  in  the  very  words 
which  we  read  Pfalm  XVI. 

Thefe  are  the  principal  circumftances  of  the  death  of  Jefus  Chrift, 
which  one  fee's  to  be  exactly  agreeable  to  the  prophecies  going  before 
concerning  them  :  let  us  now  confider  thofe  which  followed  his  death, 
which  we  fhall  not  find  to  be  lefs  particular. 

1.  The  bones  of  Jefus  Chrift  were  not  broken,  as  thofe  of  the  two 
thieves, -which  one  may  fee  foretold  Pfalm  XXXIV .  verfe  21 . 

2.  They  open'd  his  fide  with  a  fpear,  according  to  the  idea  of  Zecha- 
riaby  Chap.  X.  yerfe  12.   They /hall  look  upon  him  whom  they  have  pierced. 

3.  His  body  is  buried  by  Jofeph  oi  Jrimathea^  in  a  new  fepulchre, 
which  anfwers  to  the  prophecy  of  Jfaioh^  Qjap.  LIII.ol   {i  3iv;b 

Thefe  remarks  do,  in  my  judgment,  clearly  prove,  diit  in  the  death 
of  Chrift  all  the  characters  by  which  the  Prophets  have  diftinguiftied  the 
death  of  the  Mefliah,  arc  actually  found. 

But  that  we  may  yet  he  more  fenhble  how  juftly  thefe  oracles  are  ap- 
plycd  to  Jefus  Chrift  ;  here  are  f  ^me  reflexions  upon  the  application 
which  the  Apoftles  make  of  thefe  particular  fa6ls  which  happened  to  Chrift, 
to  thofe  oracles  which  I  have  now  mentioned. 

The  firft  is,  That  the  relation  of  thefe  fails  is  joyned  with  an  account 

of  the  wcaknefs  whereinto  they  all  fell :   they  relate  their   own  flight, 

and  forfoking  their  mafter,  with  S.  Peter's  denying  of  him,  whilft  they 

Jet  down  .the  courage  of  thofe  \y.oja:ipn,  and  that  entire  love  which  they 

(hewed  to  the  perfon  of  Jefus.t  >;,->  ;V.' 

The  fecond  is,  That  the  account  of  the  accompliftiment  of  thefe  an- 
»cient  oracles  is  interwoven  with  the  accompliftiment  of  thofe  which 
were  uttered.by  Jefus  Chfift,  >vhi<;h  ajone  are  fuflficient  to  make  good 
his  claimV  ...-•- 

1  he  third  Is,  That  our  Saviour  did  never  on  anyoccafion  more  open- 
^>,%i?''?^-^.^^-^  F^.'^^i^^'^^'^^  oi"  being  .the  MciTiah,  than  when  he  applyed-to 

himfelf 


:':ii 


CH.Xnr,  Books  of  the  New  T^ament.  47, 

himfelf  thofe  orades  which  by. their  pubiick  confent  were  referred  to  the 
Mefliah,  which  ^he  J:euii  at.  that,  time -more  obftinately  contefted  than 
ever.  ..!,^b^iJf,   -'•:•"-"' jr?:'x-.iOi  aabsfliJA't^  ■  '    ■■:.     - 

The  fourth  iSj  That  there  never  was  a 'more  cxadt  defcription  of  all 
circumftances  which  might  afTure  irs  of  the  truth  of  any  relation  than 
that  which  the  EvangeUfts  have  given  us  of  the  death  of  Jefus  Clirifl: 
in  vi'hich  v/e  find  the  places,  the  time,  the  perfons,  their  difcourfes  and 
other  things  of  that  nature,  fet  down  with  extrcam  care.-^'  :y> 

The  fifth  is,  That  as  this  fail,  with  all  its  circumftances,' is  themoft 
exacliy  defcribed  of  any  thing  that  ever  was,  fo  it  was  a  matter,  con- 
cerning which  it  was  fcarce  poiTible  to  impofe  upon  any  one.  AH  was 
done  in  the  face  of  the  whole  nation,  who  were  met  together  at  their 
mcft  folemn  fcftival :  all  was  done  in  the  prefence.of  the  foveraio-n  Hea- 
then magiftrate,  of  tLc  council  of  the  Jnvsy  of  Heiod^  and  of  th'ofe  who 
followed  him  to  yerufakm. 

The  fixth  is,  Thiu  v.-c  find  an  account  of  fome  miracles  interwoven 
with  this  relation  of  the  Evangclifts  concerning  the  death  of  Chrift  and 
thofe  miracles  as  pubiick,  and  as  little  fubjecl  to  fufpicion,  as  the  death 
it  felf  of  Jefus  Chrifl,  if  we  take  the  pains  to  examine  them. 

They  who  come  to  take  Jefus  fall  down  backward  to  the  ground ; 
Jefus  Chrift  reftores  the  ear  of  the  high  prieft's  fervant  which  was  cut 
otF:  there  was  darknefs  over  all  the  land  from  nine  a  clock  in  the  morn- 
ing till  noon  ;  the  vail  of  the  temple  is  rent.  Thefe  are  miraculous  ac- 
tions, and  fach  as  the  Jeivs  might  eafily  have  refuted,  wherefoever 
they  had  been  propofcd,  if  the  truth  of  them  had  not  been  beyond  all 
queftion. 

From  all  thefc  remarks  it  evidently  follows,  That  it  is  impo/Tible  to 
difpute  the  application  which  the  Apoftles  make  of  thefe  oracles  v/hich 
are  fo  pr.rticular  to  the  perfon  of  Jefus  Chrift,  as  the  true  MefTiah  :  we 
find  every  part  of  their  relation  exac'tly  ajihvering  to  the  prophefies  ;  how 
then  can  any  one  doubt  of  their  being  fulrliled  in  him  ?  efpecially  feein^- 
it  is  evident  by  fo  many  other  proofs  that  he  was  indeed  the  Aleffiah^ 
and  that  God  has  been  pleafed  fo  many  other  ways  to  confirm  the  fame 
truth. 


5^•'VVS•'VV^■'V^'V^V•VV\•'\.'''^'^J''^''^•''•••'•^•■'^.'V'••..••\/•^/•^.••^*^y^.>'vy■.  >v  j.  ^.  ,.  - 


CHAP.       XIII. 

5l&<7f  Jesus-  Christ  xvas  raifed  again  the  third  Day  according  to  the  Pro- 
phets, and  afterwards  afcended  into  Heaven. 

g»:'?s:^  A  V I N  G  fhewed  in  the  foregoing  Chapter  that  Jefus  Chrift 
^  H  g;  was  crucified  under  Pontius  Pilate^  for  maintaining  that  he  was 
£:<>r*:^  the  promifed  Mcffiah,  I  am  now  to  fhew,  that  accordino-  to  the 
prophecies  fetdowii  in  my  third  part,  he  rofe  again  the  third  day,  and 
afterwards  afcended  into  heaven.  As  thefe  two  fa^i  are  the  moft  im- 
portant 


474  ReJlexioHi  upon  the  Ch^'XIII, 

portant  of  all  that  are  contained  in  the  Gofpel,  bccaufe  if  they  be  de- 
Jiied,  all  the  Divine  woifliip  given  to  Jefus  Chrilt,  hy  the  Apofties,  and 

a  prciit  i'umiber  of  Jews  asid  Gentiles^  who  received  him  for  their  mailer 
in  matters  ol'  religion,  is  ^.bfohitcly  unlawful ;  fo  we  ought  lolidly  to  prove 
that  they  are  indifputably  true.  Of  which  we  fhall  be  fully  convinced 
by  makiiig  fome  obfervations  upon  the  relation  which  the  Evangeliib 
••ivc  us  concerning  them,  and  we  (hall  eafily  find  therein  all  the  chanic- 
terb  of  truth. 

There  is  no  heccflity  of  obfcrving,  that  a  rcfurrecllon  from  the  dead, 
is  a  tadt  which  can  hardly  be  believed  ;  and  that  tho'  the  Jeivi  did  not 
all  of  them  look  u[X)n  it  as  an  impofliblc  thing,  yet  there  were  Sadduca 
amonf^ft  them,  whofc  doctrine  was  publickly  taught.  It  is  certain,  that 
tho'  the  Difciples  had  feen  Jefus  Chrift,  raifuig  three  perfons  from  the 
dead,  atul  amongft  others  Lazayns^  a  little  before  his  death,  yet  we  find 
that  they  were  not  thereby  more  difpofcd  to  believe  that  Chrift  was  to 
rife  from'  the  dead. 

In  fliort,  tho'  the  Evangelifts  tell  us,  that  Jefus  Chrift  himfelf  had 
foretold^  that  he  was  to  rile  again  the  third  day,  which  was  a  thing  fo 
commonly  known,  that  the  priefts  to  elude  the  prophefic,  defired  of  Pi- 
laie^  that  a  guard  might  be  fet  on  Jefus  his  grave,  yet  they  e^prefly  tell 
us  that  the  Difciples,  none  excepted,  were  in  fuch  a  confternation  at 
the  death  of  Jefus  Chrift,  that  they  had  entirely  loft  the  hopes  of  feeing 
the  accomplifhment  of  that  prophefie.  Some  pious  women,  who  had 
accompanied  him  to  the  crofs,  and  were  defirous  toftiewforde  marks  of 
their  veneration  after  his  death,  came  indeed  to  his  fepulchre,  but  v/ith 
fpices  to  embalm  his  dead  body,  fo  far  were  they  from  expecting  to  find 
him  rifen  from  the  dead.  1  ho'  thefe  holy  women  were  convinced  of 
the  rcfurre<Stion  of  Jefus  Chrift,  by  the  apparition  of  an  angel,  by  the 
difcourfe  of  our  Saviour  himfelf,  and  by  the  repetition  of  his  order,  that 
thev  ihould  go  to  Galilee,  v/here  they  (hould  fee  him,  yet  the  relation 
V'hich  they  give  of  thefe  things,  is  accounted  fabulous,  fo  that  two  only 
of  all  the  Apoftles  had  the  curiofity  to  go  to  the  grave  and  inform  them- 
lelves.  Here  is  a  great  unbelief  amongft  the  Apoftles,  which  was  to  be 
cured  :  this  v/as  a  condition  wholly  inconhftent,  if  we  fuppofe  thera  im- 
poftcrs,  and  that  they  intended  to  impofe  upon  the  world. 

A  feco::d  thing  we  may  obferve  is.  That  as  the  incredulity  of  our  Sa- 

jriviour's  own  Difciples  was  extraordinary,  fo  we  cannot  imagine  any  more 

'  eificacious  means  than  were  employed  to  overcome  this  their  doubtful- 

nefs.     If  one  joyns  the  relations  of  the  Evangelifts  together,  one  may 

find  feveral  degrees  of  evidence,  in  thofe  proofs  which  confirm  the  truth 

of  the  refurrcdlion  of  our  Saviour. 

The  firft  is  the  manner  of  their  being  informed  of  the  rcfurre(Elion  of 

.'4cfus  Chrift  j  Angels  at  firft  declare  his  rcfurrection  to  fomc  women  ; 

■-   Jefus  Chrift  afterwards  appears  to  Mary  Magdulcv^  all  aloiie  ;  afterwards 

.  he  appears  only  to  tv/o  of  his  Difciples,  then  to  St.  Pctcr^  afterwards 

'  -'he  appears  to  feven  of  them  at  once,  then  to  all  his  Difciples  except  Iho- 

•HiGi^  and  foon  aiier  to  the  eleven,  Thomas  being  one  of  them.     After  all 

this,  he  appears  to  a  greater  number  of  his  foilowej-s,  till  atlaft,  having 

becafuverai  times  fceii  of  t'lem  all,  he  appears  to  them  allafiembled  to- 

igetiwr,  an.U  ai  taken  ^up  into  heaven  in  tbeir  fight.     It  i?  evident,  that 


Ch.  Xnl.  Books  of  ihe  New  Te/ament.  475 

as  they  were  informed  of  this  truth  one  after  another,  fo  they  were  more 
obliged  to  examine  the  fa£l  more  attferitively  when  Jeitis  Chrift  appeared 
to  them. 

The  fecond  degree  has  relation  to  thofe  marks  and  charaders,  by 
which  they  were  afTured,  that  it  was  Jefus  Chrift  himfelf.  The  Angels 
repeat  to  the  women  the  command  which  Jefus  Chrift  before  his  death 
had  given  to  his  Difciples  to  go  into  Galilee  ;  Jefus  Chrift  appearino-  to 
Ma7-y  Magdalen  repeats  the  fame  to  her,  and  gives  her  a  particular  com- 
miffion  for  S.  Petn\  to  comfort  him  in  his  atflicbion,  for  having  denied 
his  m'after.  Appearing  to  his  Difciples  as  they  went  to  Emmaus,  he  re- 
fers them  to  the  prophecies,  which  fpoke  of  his  death  and  refurre(5lion  ; 
and  moreover,  when  he  broke  bread  with  them,  they  hear  the  fame  prayers 
which  he  ordinarily  ufed  at  the  bleffing  of  it.  He  appears  to  them  the 
fame  day  the  fifth  time,  and  fliews  them  his  feet  and  his  hands  ;  he  re- 
peats the  grant  of  the  authority  which  the  Father  had  given  him  j  he 
breathes  upon  them,  faying,  Receive  the  Holy  GhoJt\  a  week  after  he  lets 
Thomas  touch  him ;  he  appears  afterward  to  feven  of  his  Apoftles  upon 
the  lake  of  T/T'^r/rtj,  where  he  confirms  S.  Peter  in  his  charge,  from 
which  his  denying  of  Chrift  might  feem  to  have  excluded  him,  af- 
ter he  had  wrought  a  miracle  in  the  draught  of  the  fifties,  which  was 
like  fome  miracles  which  he  had  wrought  before  his  death.  Afterwards 
he  appears  upon  the  fune  mountain  in  Galilee^  where  in  all  probability 
he  had  been  transfigured  before,  and  is  there  feen  of  five  hundred  of  his 
Difciples  at  once.  And  laft  of  all  he  appears  to  them  at  Jcrujalem^  af- 
ter their  return  from  Galilee^  and  from  thence  goes  with  them  X.oBetha7iy^ 
where  after  he  had  told  them  of  the  abfolute  power  which  God  had  given 
them,  he  commands  them  to  go  and  baptize  in  his  name,  he  foretels  the 
miracles  which  they  fliould  v/ork,  and  the  gifts  which  they  fhould  re- 
ceive at  "Jerufalcm.  All  thefe  fo  very  different  circumftances  were  only 
defign'd  to  allure  their  eyes,  their  hands,  their  minds,  their  confciences, 
that  was  the  fame  Jefus  whom  they  had  always  followed. 

It  is  worth  our  taking  notice  of  the  diverfity  of  thefe  circumftances 
for  the  certainty  of  this  fact,  which  abfolutely  prevent  all  pretences  of 
doubtfulnefs.  Jefus  Chrift  appears  ten  feveral  tim.es  after  his  death-;  he 
appears  five  times  on  the  very  day  of  his  refurredtion  ;  he  appears  at  fe- 
veral hours,  to  different  perfons,  in  feveral  places,  but  alwavs  to  perfons 
to  whom  he  was  familiarly  known,  to  thofe  who  were  not  at  all  credu- 
lous J  the  firft  news  they  had  of  his  rcfurredtion  feem'd  only  to  raifc 
their  fcruples,  if  the  teftimony  of  their  fenfes,  which  faw  him  and  touch- 
ed him,  had  not  removed  all  fufpicions.  Jefus  Chrift  appears  to  therti 
in  places  where  he  had  wrought  many  miracles,  aiid  where  he  had  often 
before  Converfed  with  them.  -".*\  1 --::ura  am  :■:  ihn  r 

Biit  one  may  m.ake  another  more  impof'taht  reflexion,  upon  the  time 
and  the  day  wherein  our  Saviour  rofe  again.  Of  the  ten  feveral  times 
in  which  he  appeared  to  his  Difciples,  he  appeared  five  times  on  the  day 
of  his  refurreclion  ;  he  appeared  to  them  eight  da)'S  after,  and  after  that, 
the  eighth  day,  which  he  fignalized  by  his  frequent  appearing  to  his  Dif- 
ciples, was  confecrated  to  celebrate  the  memory  of  this  ev^ent  every  week ; 
one  finds  certain  tokens  hereof  in  the  writings  of  the  Apoftles,  and  it  is 
known  that  ail  Chriftiaiis  after  them  did  inviolably  obferve  this  law. 

Now 


^-5  Rejlexiom  upon  the  Ch.  XIII. 

Now  let  anv  one  conTider  whether  it  would  have  bcca  poffible  to  intro- 
duce this  cuilom  in  the  time  of  the  Apoftlcs,  if  the  rcfurredtion  of  Chrift 
had  not  been  a  fa£l  confelTcd  of  all  hands.  Can  any  one  conceive  that 
the  Apoftles  and  their  Difciples,  v/ho  were  witnefics  of  the  death  of 
•Jefus  Chrifl:,  and  who  celebrated  the  memory  thereof  by  a  facrament, 
could  ha.ve  been  fo  flupid  to  eftablifn  a  cuftom  which  would  put  people 
upon  examining  the  fa6t,  and  have  convinced  them  in  a  little  time,  fmcc 
none  of  tliofc  that  followed  them  would  have  fubmitted  to  this  pradtife, 
if  they  had  not  been  convinced  by  tlitu-  eyes,  and  their  other  fenfcs,  and 
by  a  thoufand  other  proofs  of  the  truth  of  fo  capital  a  fact,  which  was  fo 
much  difputed  bv  the  JcvuSy  of  which  they  were  obliged  to  maice  a  fo- 
lemn  comxnemoration  two  and  fifty  times  every  year,  as  long  as  they 

liv'd. .  ^"■'i^<i^)i.  ><  ■  '''^JO  ^"■ 

Let  us  add  to  this  remark,  which  we  have  el fe where  urged,  with  re^ 
ference  to  the  creation,  ancAher  reflexion  upon  a  fact  which  the  Evan- 
celifts  tell  us :  they  tell  us  that  tho'  the  refurrection  of  Chrift  was  ac- 
companied with  very  peculiar  circumftances,  fufficient  to  convince  both 
Ifcws  and  Gentiles  of  the  truth  of  it,  being  ulher'd  in  with  an  earthquake, 
with  apparitions  of  Angels  to  the  fouldiers  that  guarded  the  fepulchre  of 
Jefus,  and  were  frighted  thereby,  yet  the  council  of  the  Jews  contrived, 
with  the  fouldiers,  a  moft  impudent  lye  to  out  face  it,  and  accordingly 
the  fouldiers  coming  before  Pilate^  tell  him  that  the  Difciples  had  l^oln 
a'way  the  body  of  Jefus  whiift  they  flept,  and  his  Difciples  tell  us,  that 
fmce  this  hath  been  the  common  opinion  of  the  Juvs. 

I  will  not  fo  much  as  take  notice  here  of  the  palpable  falfity  of  this 
depofition ;  for  if  the  fouldiers  were  afleep,  how  could  they  depofe  con- 
cerninc;  a  facl  which  uas  done  at  that  time  :  if  they  were  not  afleep, 
why  did  not  they  hinder  the  Difciples  from  taking  the  body  of  their 
mailer  away  ?  How  could  they  affirm  that  thieves  had  taken  him  away, 
when  the  linnen  clothes  wherein  his  body  was  fhrouded,  being  left  in 
the  erave,  and  the  napkin  that  was  about  his  head,  being  folded  up  in 
a  place  by  it  felf,  do  abfolutely  evince  that  he  was  not  taken  away  by 
perfons  that  were  in  fear  of  a  furprize  ?  What  probability  is  there,  in 
Ihort,  to  fufpeft  that  his  Difciples,  who  forfook  Jefus  Chrilt  whiift  he 
was  yet  alive,  who  fled  from  him  at  that  time,  Ihould  undertake  fuch  a 
hazardous  attempt  to  have  his  body  only  ? 

Neither  will  I  iniift  upon  a  reprefentation  of  the  Apoflles  fmccrity, 
which  made  them  give  us  in  their  hiftories  a  plain  account  of  the  report 
which  was  fnrtad  againft  the  belief  of  the  refiirredion  of  Jefus,  before 
ever  that  the  Difciples  had  attelled  the  fame. 

^v  But  1  obfcrve  another  very  particular  character  in  their  relation,  which 
*is,  that  it  was  impoffible  for  them  to  eftablifh  this  fad  of  the  refurrec- 
tion, without  accufmg  thereby  the  whole  council  of  the  Jtzc\r,  ot  the 
moft  fliameful  and  crying  impofture  that  ever  was  ;  to  write  a  thing  of 
this  nature  againft  the  heads  of  that  religion,  was  to  facritice  thcmfcives 
to  the  hatred  of  the  publick,  and  to  expofe  thenifclves  to  inevitable  ruin. 
In  fhort,  let  us  imagine  whether  after  a  charge  of  this  nature,  it  was 
cafic  for  the  Apoftlcs  to  publifti  their  books,  and  preach  publickly  that 
Jefus  Ch  rift  was  rifen  from  the  dead  ?  And  yet  this  was  what  they  did 
with  a  furprizing  diligence  when  they  inferted  this  terrible  acculiition 

into 


Ch.  XIII.  Books  of  the  New  Tejlament.  47; 

into  their  books  and  fermons ;  which  alone  is  fufEcient  to  demonflrate 
that  they  were  infinitely  convinced  of  the  rcfurrection,  and  alfo  in  a  con- 
dition to  convince  all  gainfaycrs,  as  we  fliall  fnew  hereafter. 

One  may  add  to  this  proof  the  converfion  of  S.  Paul^  and  the.  care 
which  he  afterwards  took  to  confirm  this  truth  of  the  refurreclion  of 
Jefus  Chrift.  He  was  a  declared  enemy  of  Jefus  Chriil,  ^nd  of  the 
Chriftian  religion,  and  yet  foon  after  the  death  of  ChrilV  he  preaches 
him  up  for  the  MefHah  :  How  came  this  fuddain  change  ?  He  aflerts 
that  he  had  feen  in  heaven  this  Jefus  who  was  rifen  from  the  dead,  and 
received  from  him  the  Apoftlefhip ;  accordingly  we  find  him  preachino- 
by  thei'e  orders,  without  any  communication  had  with  the  firft  Difciples 
of  Jefus  Chrift.  He  relates  thefe  matters  in  a  manner  fo  little  afFedted 
to  advance  his  miniftry  in  the  minds  of  the  Galat'tans,  who  preferred  S. 
Peter,  and  the  other  Apoftles  before  him,  that  there  is  no  ground  left  ta 
doubt  of  them. 

One  ought  to  make  a  like  reflexion  upon  the  converfion  of  Cornelius 
the  centurion ;  he  was  a  profelyte,  that  is  a  Gentile  by  birth,  but  a  Jew 
by  profeflion,  and  by  the  imployment  he  was  in,  he  had  occafion  of  be- 
ing more  particularly  informed  of  the  depofition  of  the  fouldiers,  who 
probably  were  not  unknown  to  him,  for  he  was  in  the  garrifon  at  Cafa^ 
rea,  which  was  hot  far  from  yerufalem.  Yet  however  this  Cornelius^ 
after  he  had  a  vifion  which  commanded  him  to  fend  to  Joppa,  a  place 
made  famous,  becaufe  Jonah  the  Prophet  fet  fail  from  thence,  who  was 
a  type  of  the  Mefliah  in  his  death  and  refurrecfion ;  this  Cornelius,  I  fay, 
embraced  the  Chriftian  Religion,  becomes  the  firft  Bifhop  of  Cafarea^ 
and  dyed  a  martyr  for  the,refurre6tion  of  Jefus  Chrift. 

The  great  affection  which  S.  Luke  had  for  S.  Paul  confirms  the  fame 
truth.  S.  Luke  had  never  (ccn  our  Saviour,  he  was  born  at  Antioch, 
where  in  all  probability  he  exercis'd  his  profeffion  of  phyfick,  yet  he  was 
convened  to  Chriftianity,  and  foUow'd  S.  Paul  in  all  places,  and  writ 
the  hiftory  of  his  miracles  and  preaching  :  who  doubts  but  that  the  rea- 
fon  hereof  was,  becaufe  he  had  {qq.x\  the  dead  whom  Chrift  had  raifed  to 
life,  and  had  feen  S.  Paul,  whom  Jefus  Chrift  had  dignified  with  the 
-Apoftlefhip,  raife  others  alfo  from  the  dead. 

It  is  certain  that  thofe  who  were  firft  convinced  by  the  relation  of  the 
Apoftles,  muft  needs  have  had  very  evident  proofs  of  the  truth  of  it. 
The  Jews  had  Sadducees  amongft  them,  who  denied  the  poilibility  of 
the  refurrection  in  general ;  the  council  of  the  Jetvs  efpeciaily  had  made 
it  their  bufinefs  to  decry  the  conduct,  the  do6trine,  and  the  miracles  of 
•Jefus  Chrift,  and  in  particular  to  make  the  belief  of  his  refurredtion  fuf- 
pedled  ;  and  fo  much  the  more  becaufe  Jefus  Chrift  had  foretold  it,  and 
his  Apoftles  maintained  that  it  was  come  to  pafs  accordingly.  If  in  op- 
pofition  to  thefe  ftrong  prejudices,  there  had  only  been  the  depofition  of 
two  or  three  perfons  to  confirm  this  facf,  there  would  have  been  reafon 
to  doubt  of  it ;  but  we  find  that  this  thing,  which  of  it  felf  feeais  hard 
to  be  believed,  and  was  otherwife  fo  much  contefted,  is,  i.  Provedby 
ten  feveral  apparitions  ;  2.  It  is  attefted  bv  above  fiv^e  hundred  Difciples ; 
3.  It  was  publickly  preached  by  the  Difciples  of  Chrift  :it  JerufaJem  It 
felf,  and  throughout  all  Judea,  where  it  was  moft  of  ail  difputed  ; .  4.  It 
was  received  by  the  very  enemies  of  Jefus  ChriiV,  as  %:\Pdvl  and  Cor- 

neliusy 


47 5  Reflexions  upon  the  Ch.  XIII, 

nelius,  and  by  thoufands  of  thofe,  who  having  demanded  his  death,  were 
converted  by  the  preaching  of  the  Apoftles  :  5.  It  was  confirmed  by  the 
martyrdom  of  the  grcateft  part  of  them  ;  and  6.  It  was  not  only  au- 
thorized by  the  prcfcnce  of  the  three  perfons  whom  Chrift  had  raifed  to 
life,  and  who  lived  one  of  them  at  Bethany^  fifteen  furlongs  from  yeru- 
fale-m^  where  Jcfus  afcendcd  to  heaven ;  another  at  Nabn^  iffc.  But  it 
was  further  verified  by  feveral  refurrections  wrought  by  the  Apoftles,  to 
whom  Chrift  had  vouchfafed  that  aftoniftiing  power. 

It  was  alfo  a  very  confiderable  thing  that  the  commonwealth  of  the 
yezvs  continued  near  forty  years  after  the  time  that  the  Apoftles  under- 
took openly  to  preach  up  the  rcfurreclion  of  Jefus  Chrift  as  the  capital 
article  of  their  rch'gion  ;  and  yet  in  all  that  time  it  was  never  oppofed  by 
any  publick  writing  either  of  the  "Jews  or  Gentiles.  If  the  Jews  in  their 
unjuft  intrigues  againft  Jefus  Chrift  and  his  religion,  endeavoured  to 
abufe  the  world  in  this  matter,  v;ith  calumniating  ftories,  neither  have 
the  Apoftles  been  wanting  to  accufe  the  principal  men  of  their  nation  of 
impofture,  and  they  have  defpifed  the  moft  cruel  of  their  puniftimentf, 
to  maintain  the  juftice  of  their  charge ;  and  yet  none  of  them  would 
undertake  to  juftifie  the  calumnies  of  their  council,  tho'  they  faw  Chrif- 
tianity  fpreading  it  felf  not  only  over  all  Judea,  but  in  all  parts  of  the 
world.  To  fpeak  of  it,  as  it  is,  this  condudl  of  theirs  was  a  manifeft 
betraying  of  their  caufc,  or  rather  an  open  acknowledgment  that  what 
they  had  publifticd  againft  the  innocency  of  the  Difciples,  and  the  truth 
of  the  refurre6tion  of  Jcfus  was  without  all  ground. 

I  forefee  only  one  probable  difficulty  v/hich  can  be  oppofed  to  the  fo- 
lidity  of  thefe  reflexions.  A  Jew  may  demand,  why  Jefus  Chrift  after 
his  refurreftion  did  not  converfe  as  openly  amongft  the  yezus  as  before, 
that  fo  he  might  have  been  known  by  thofe  who  had  crucified  him,  which 
would  have  put  the  truth  of  the  refurreiStion  out  of  doubt  ? 

But  to  fpeak  truth,  this  objcftion  is  not  reafonable ;  for  i.  Jefus  Chrift 
had  threatned  the  unbelieving  ycivs^  they  fliould  fee  him  no  more,  and 
he  ought  to  make  good  his  threatning.  2.  Who  fees  not  that  they  would 
have  looked  upon  his  appearing  amongft  them  as  a  phantaftick  appari- 
tion, after  they  had  feen  him  work  fo  many  miracles,  and  had  attributed 
them  to  the  devil.  3.  1  fay  that  fuch  an  apparition  was  not  agreeable  to 
our  Saviour's  doctrine  in  the  parable  of  the  rich  man  j  They  have  Mofcs 
and  the  Prophets^  if  they  hear  net  them.,  neither  will  they  he  perfwaded  tho* 
one  r of e  from  the  dead  (z).  4.  Jefus  Chrift  having  for  the  moft  part  con- 
\'erfed  in  Galilee  at  Nozorefh  and  Capernaum,  it  was  to  the  Galileans  and 
his  Difciples  that  he  was  chiefly  to  fhew  himfelf,  to  be  acknowledged  by 
them,  as  being  the  perfons  who  were  particularly  to  bear  witnefs  of  this 
truth.  After  fo  ftrong  a  prefumption  as  the  governours  of  that  people 
had  of  Chrift's  refurrcdtion,  founded  upon  the  earthquake  which  accom- 
■panied  it,  and  upon  the  depofition  of  the  fouldicrs  to  whom  the  Angels 
had  appeared,  had  not  they  all  the  reafon  in  the  world  to  believe  the  tef- 
ttmony  of  the  Apoftles  concerning  this  truth,  w-hich  they  heard  feveral 
times  attefted  by  them  in  full  council,  and  faw  confirmed  by  rairaeulous 
cures  which  they  could  not  queftion  in  the  leaft.  •" 

Laftly,  Is  hot  thi-s  objection  the  moft  ridiculous  thing  in  the  world'? 

.  .      :    -  -  Ft>r 

(z)  Lukexvi.  29,  31. 


Ch.  XIV.  BoohoftheNeivTeJlament.  479 

For  let  us  fuppofe  that  thefe  confideratlons  are  not  ftrong  enough  to  juf- 
tifie  our  Saviour's  condua  when  he  gave  thefe  proofs  of  his  refurredlion, 
<loth  it  follow  that  becaufe  he  did  not  make  choice  of  means  (m  order  to 
pcrfwade  the  Jews)  which  they  preferr'd  before  others  ufed  by  him,  with- 
out any  folid  reafon,  that  therefore  we  muft  rejeft  the  depofition  ot  fo 
many  witncfTes  who  unanimoufly  atteft  it  ?     Since  Jeius  Chnft  had  raifed 
three  perfons  to  life  again,  which  then  lived  in  Judea ;  fmce  Jerufakm 
had  continued  fourty  years  after  the  death  of  Chrift ;  fmce  hxty  folemn 
feafts  were  celebrated  in  that  time,  where  all  the  Jews  had  an  occafion 
to  examine  the  truth  of  thefe  fa^s,  and  the  truth  or  falfity  of  the  accu- 
fation  charged  upon  the  Apoftles  by  the  council  of  the  Jews,  and  that 
multitudes ^of  Jexus  and  Gentiles  were  converted  at  the  preaching  of  the 
Apoftles  who  reduced  all  to  this  queflion  of  the  fad  of  the  refurrecaon 
of  our  Saviour,  is  not  this  an  invincible  proof  againft  all  the  accuiations 
and  fufpicions  of  the  Synagogue  ? 

Forafmuch  as  the  witneffes  who  maintain  the  rerurreaionoit.nr.it, 
arc  the  very  fame  that  atteft  his  afcenfion  into  heaven,  and  that  they 
affert  it  with  the  fame  proofs,  and  the  fame  zeal,  the  reflexions  here  fct 
down  may  ferve  for  that  alfo,  and  the  rather  becaule  I  am  next  to  coniu 
der  the  fending  of  the  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  which  is  an  undemabie 
proof,  both  of  the  refurreaion  of  Chrift  and  his  afcenfion  ;  and  that  thele 
very  gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit  enabled  tiie  Jnvs  to  write,  preach,  and 
publifh  throughout  all'the  world  the  truths  of  that  Chnftianity  which  we 
now  profefs. 

CHAP.      XIV. 

That  Jesus  Christ  fent  to  his  Apojiks^  and  to  the  Primitive  ChrlJIiansy 
the  7niraculous  Gifts  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  as  he  had promifed  jn  the  Jn- 
cient  Prophecies. 

|f>:>fe'^  HAVE  (bewn  that  the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Te/amerU  fpezk 
'^  I  P^  very  plainly  of  this  fending  of  the  Spirit,  as  a  preliminary  to 
^>>:*?S  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  which  was  the  great  defign  of  God. 
The  Prophet  Joelipe^ks  of  it  as  fuch,  and  makes  this  wonder  to  precede 
the  deftruaion  oi  JcrufaUm,  as  S.  Peter  obferves  in  the  fecond  of  tlie 
Aas.  Ifaiah  fpcaks  very  particularly  of  it  as  fuch,  in  the  eleventh  Lhap^ 
tcr  of  his  prophecy,  where  he  fufficiently  intimates  that  the  fpiritof  prp- 
phccy  fhould  from'  thence  forward  fo  reft  upon  Jefus  Chnft,  that  it  wo-jli 
not  be  found  any  longer  among  the  Jews,  whofe  city  and  tempis  ihouia 

be  deft  roved.  .       ,      ,  '^  c^f 'Pi' 

At  prefent  my  bufmefs  is  to  fliew  that  this  thing  has  been  (xaaiy-tui- 
filled,  according  to  the  defign  which  God  had  laid  down  in  the,Piop.iets. 
To  be  convinc'd  of  this,  we  need  only  make  fome  refls^^ions  upon  the 
relation  which  S.  Luke  gives  us  of  it  in  the  A£ls. 


480  Refiexions  upon  the  Ch.  XIV. 

He  tells  us  therefore,  that  fifty  days  only  after  the  death  of  Jefus  ChriH, 
the  Apoftles  having  continued  at  "jerufalem^  and  being  aiTembled  there, 
xhcy  received  the  miraculous  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  that  is,  the  power 
of  fpeaking  all  forts  of  lanrungcs,  to  make  them  fit  to  preach  the  Gof- 
pcl  to  all  nations,  and  to  explain  the  moil  fublimc  myfterics  of  our  Sa- 
viour's religion. 

Every  thing  is  confiderable   in  this  relation  of  S.  Luke:  i.  That  he 
relates  this  fa(£l  as  happening  fifty  days  only  after  the  Jewifn  pafibver, 
whenChrift  was  crucified;  the  v/hole  nation  ofthey^wj  having  been  wit- 
nefies  of  liis  death.     2.  That  he  relates  it  as  happening  in  the  fame  city 
where  Jefus  Chrift  was  condemned,  that  the  fame  multitude,  who  after 
£fty  days  were  again  aflembled  there  at  this  feaft,  might  be  witnefles  of 
this  miraculous  event.     In  fhort,  it  plainly  appears  that  this  new  law 
from  mount  Sicn^  was  folemnly  promulg'd  in  the  prefence  of  all  the  yewi, 
who  were  afTembled  from  all  parts   of  the  world,  as  the  old  law  was, 
when  all  the  people  afiifted  at  the  foot  of  mount  S'lna'u     3.  That  thefe 
gifts  were  granted  to  all  the  Difciples  of  our  Saviour ;  gifts,  which  till 
that  time  had  been  wholly  unheard  of,  and  whereof  fome  part  only  had 
been  granted  to  fome  Prophets,  and  to  fome  Priefts,  and  of  which  none 
had  been  made  partakers  fince  the  time  oi  Malachi  -,  God  having  fo  or- 
dered it,  that  thedefires  of  the  "Jeivs  might  be  the  more  inflamed  for  the 
MeiHah's  coming,  as  alfo  that  upon  his  coming  he  might  the  more  eafi- 
ly  be  difccrned.     4.  That  this  was  a  fa6l  openly  known  amongft  the 
yews,  and  differently  interpreted  by  them ;  fome  faying,  Tl?ey  were  full 
of  new  wine.     5.  That  the  Apoftles  aflerted  by  the  mouth  of  S.  Tcter, 
that  this  was  an  accomplilhment  of  the  ancient  oracles,  as  well  as  of  the 
promifes  of  Jefus  Chrift.     6.  That  they  declared  that  the  refurredion 
of  Jefus  Chrift,  his  afcenfion  into  heaven,  and  this  miraculous  donati\e, 
had  been  foretold  by  David  and  fuel.     'Tis  certainly  therefore  very  na- 
tural to  make  thefe  following  reflexions  upon  the  relation  of  fo  confider- 
able an  event. 

The  firft  will  confirm  the  truth  of  this  miraculous  fa£l,  if  wc  confider 
that  it  is  abfurd  to  fuppofe  that  S.  Luke,  a  wife  man,  fhould  be  fo  ra{h, 
as  to  relate  a  matter  of  this  nature,  if  he  had  not  been  fully  convinc'd  of 
it;  and  it  it  had  not  been  an  cafic  thing  to  have  convinc'd  his  readers 
thereof  alfo  ;  nothing  more  being  required  for  their  conviction,  but  the 
prefence  of  one  of  thofe  firft  Chriftians,  and  to  make  a  trial  of  this  fuper- 
natural  vcrtuc  bcftowed  on  ihcm,  for  -.vhich  there  were  frequent  occafions. 

2.  We  muft  obfervc  that  this  relation  of  S.  Luke  is  as  It  were  the 
foundation  which  he  lays  down,  to  make  his  book  of  the  J^Sis  to  appear  juft: 
and  reafonabic,  and  to  juftifie  the  Apoftles  condu£l  in  preaching  the 
Gofpcl  to  the  G\-;////f.c,  not  only  contrary  to  the  opinion  of  the  yeics, 
who  looked  upon  ihcm  as  wholly  excluded  from  the  priviledges  of  the 
covenant ;  but  alfo  contrary  to  the  fccming  maxim  of  Jefus  Chrift:,  who 
adted  only  as  the  minifter  of  circumcifion  ;  and  contrary  to  the  preten- 
fions  of  many  Chriftians,  who  after  the  miffion  of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  took 
it  very  ill  that  S.  Peter  had  preached  to  the  Gentiles. 

3.  S.  Luke  fuppcfcs  that  this  fact  came  to  pafs  in  f«ch  a  manner,  that 
it  was  followed  by  confcqucnccs  as  illuftxious  as  they  were  incredible. 
Twelve  poor  fimermen  undertook  to  gt>  and  preach  to  all  the  world, 

that 


Ch.  XIV.  Books  of  the  New  Tejiament  48  j 

that  their  mafter,  who  fifty  days  before  was  crucified  at  Jerufalemy  at  the 
profecution  of  the  whole  Synagogue,  and  by  order  of  one  of  the  magillrates 
of  the  Roman  empire,  was  not  only  living,  not  only  afceiuied  into  hea- 
ven, but  that  he  alfo  had  given  theni  the  power  of  fpt-alciug  all  forts  of 
languages,  of  curing  all  difeafes,  and  even  of  raifing  the  dead. 

4.  i'hcy  go  yet  further,  they  boldly  maintain  that  Jefus  Chrift  had 
given  them  a  priviledge  of  communicating  the  fame  power  to  all  thofe 
who  would  believe  that  he  was  the  promifed  Me/liah,  and  this  without 
any  other  myllery  but  the  bare  laying  on  of  their  hands,'  after  they  had 
received  them  by  baptifm  into  the  profeflion  of  Cliridianity. 

Nothing  could  have  been  more  eafie  than  to  convince  them  of  the 
contrary,  unlefs  they  had  confirmed  the  truth  of  their  aflcrtion  by  the 
miraculous  confequences  of  that  firft  miracle.  The  fact  was  publickly 
acknowledged  ;  Simon  Magus  is  convinced  thereof,  and  he  who  had  made 
himfclf  famous  by  his  forcerics,  becomes  a  Difciple.  S.  Luke  in  a  hif- 
tory  of  the  adions  of  thirty  years,  relates  the  continual  miracles  wrought 
by  the  Apoftles,  and  particularly  by  S.  Paul,  whom  he  conftantly  fol- 
lowed. 

It  feems  to  me,  that  if  one  confiders  the  hiftory  it  felf,  and  the  per- 
fon  who  made  it,  that  it  will  appear  to  be  a  true  and  faithful  relation  ; 
however  there  are  other  teftimonics  which  invincibly  eftablilh  the  fame 
truth. 

1.  The  Gofpel  was  incfFe6l  eftabliftied  in  mod  of  the  provinces  and 
great  cities  of  the  Roman  empire.  S.  Paul  wntef>  to  the  Chrillians  oi 
Thejfalonica,  Corinth,  and  Ephcfus,  to  the  Galntians,  ColoJJians,  &c.  which 
is  an  evident  argument  that  there  were  ChrilHans  every  where,  that  is, 
Difciples  of  thefe  twelve  fifhermen,  who  underftood  nothing  but  their 
native  Syriack  language  ;  how  then  were  all  thefe  nations  converted, 
without  fuppofmg  the  truth  of  the  miracle  at  the  Pentecoj}  r' 

2.  The  Apoftlcs  fpeak  to  them  of  thefe  miraculous  aifts  as  of  a  com- 
mon thing  ;  S.  P^tt/employing  fome  part  of  his  firft:  epiftlc  to  the  C-jvin- 
thians  to  regulate  thofe  diforders  which  arofe  in  the  church,  by  rcafon  of 
the  abufe  of  thofe  gifts.  S.  James  fpeaks  of  the  power  that  the  priefts  had 
to  cure  the  fick  ;  and  S.  P^«/ wifhes  for  an  opportunity  of  goin<T  to  Rome, 
to  communicate  thofe  gifts  to  the  Romans. 

3.  They  take  occafion  to  raife  the  dignity  of  the  Gofpel  above  that  of 
the  law,  in  calling  it  the  miniftry  of  the  Spirit,  in  oppofition  to  the  letter 
of  the  law,  notwithftanding  the  tables  of  the  law  had  been  given  to  Mo- 
fes  in  fo  very  illuftrlous  a  manner. 

It  is  of  great  moment  here  to  confidcr  three  things,  which  alone  are 
fufficicnt  to  confirm  the  truth  of  the  Chrifl:ian  religion. 

The  firft  is.  That  this  miflion  of  the  Spirit  is  alone  fufficient  to  con- 
vince mankind  of  the  Divinity  of  Jefus  Chrift.  God  gave  to  yliam  a  pow- 
er of  fpeaking  one  language,  and  afterwards  he  divided  the  fame  to  make 
a  confufion  amongft  the  builders  of  Babel;  and  Jefus  Chrili  doth  the  fame 
thing  to  confirm  the  glory  and  belief  of  his  Divinity.  God  vouchfafes 
the  power  of  miracles  to  fome,  Jefus  Chrift  communicates  it  to  a  far 
greater  number  ;  miracles  not  having  been  fo  generally  wrought,  becaufo 
no  people  ever  had  that  power  in  all  the  foregoing  ages.  The  Father 
^'rought  fo  few  mjracies,  that  he  might  leave  to  the  Son  this  means  of 

Vol.  I.  H  h  makin? 


482  Rejxex'iom  upon  the  Ch.  XV  , 

iTjakinn;  himfelf  known.  The  Son  had  the  glory  of  pouring  forth  the 
Holy  Ghoil,  in  a  greater  abundance  than  the  Father,  thereby  to  fupply  the 
fhame  of  his  humiliation.  ^I'his  is  the  true  reafon  why  the  Scripture 
faith.  That  the  Spirit  was  net  yet  gi'ven,  becaufe  Jefus  Chrij)  ivas  not  yet  glo- 


rif.ftf. 


The  fecond  is,  That  from  this  miracle  one  ought  to  infer  thefe  two 
conclufions  ;  the  firfl:  is,  '{"hat  God  was  fully  pacified  by  the  facrifice 
of  Jefus  ChriO,  the  Apof^les  conftantly  rcprcfenting  the  pafiion  of  our 
Saviour  as  a  facrifice  offer'd  by  him.  The  other  is.  That  from  that 
time  forward  mankind  was  confecrated  to  God  at  his  temple.  Jefus 
Chrift  in  his  prr.ycr  before  his  death  exprefics  himfelf  much  in  the  fame 
manner  as  Solomon  did  at  his  dedication  of  the  firfl  temple,  and  fire  from 
heaven  falls  down  on  his  facrifice  :  Jefus  Chrill:  confecrates  his  Apoftles 
to  t  c  the  living  ftones  of  his  temple,  and  caufes  the  heavenly  flames  tp 
fall  down  upon  them,  as  had  formerly  been  granted  at  Solomon's  dedica^ 
tion  of  the  firft  temple. 

The  third  is.  That  the  Jews  themfelves  cannot  conceive  a  more  glo- 
rious or  magnificent  ;.ccomplifhment  of  the  ancient  oracles  concerning 
J:he  eftufioii  of  the  Holy  Spirit  at  the  time  of  the  MeiTiah,  than  what  we 
find  related  by  S.  Luke^  whereof  the  whole  world  may  fee  the  vifible  ef- 
fe6ls,  in  the  calling:  of  the  Gcntihs  to  the  Chrifirian  religion  :  from 
whence  one  may  rationally  conclude.  That  Jefus  Chnfl:  muft  be  acknow- 
ledged for  the  Mefliah  whom  God  had  prornifcd. 


•^^'^'^'^^^<^*^^^^*'^^*^^'^'^j^'^^^!p<^'^^'^^^'-^4^tip- 


G    H    A    P.      XV. 

7hat  according  to  the  Prophecies,  the  Jpojlles  o/" Jesus  Christ  have  called 
the  Gentiles  fo  the  Profejfion  of  the  Chrijiian  Religion. 

^!S>-)X^  E  have  already  feen  what  was  the  defign  of  God,  and  that  the 
%.  ^  %  ^i^'ri*-'^ion  v.'hich  he  made  of  the  Jews  from  other  nations,  was 
i^>;<;<i?.3  o"^y  t^^t  the  MeiTiah  might  by  that  means  be  the  more  certain- 
ly known,  in  whom  all  mankind  had  a  right,  as  being  promifed  to 
Adam. 

God  renew'd  the  idea  of  this  truth  in  a  very  lively  manner,  when  he 
aflured  Abraham.,  before  he  gave  him  the  law  of  circumcifion,  'That  in 
hisjecd  all  nations  Jkonld  be  hle(fcd.  Jacob  enlightned  by  the  fpirit  of  pro- 
phecy on  his  death-bed,  plainly  takes  this  truth  for  granted,  when  he 
iays  that  the  Mefiiah,  v.hom  he  calls  Shiloh,  was  to  be  the  expedation  of 
the  Gentiles,  Gen.  XLIX.  Why  doth  he  not  fay.  That  he  was  to  be  the 
expct^tation  o\'  ih^Jeivs?  but  becaufe  he  fuppofeth  that  they  were  to  be 
rejeded,  and  the  GefHiles  called  in  their  ftead. 

One  fee's  in  the  Pjhlms,  and  in  the  Prophets  until  Ma'^chi  inclufive- 
ly,  a  thoufand  declarations  of  this  future  calling  of  the  Gentiles  to  the 

faith 


Ch.  XV.  Booh  of  the  New  Tejlanunt,  483 

faith  of  the  Meffiah,  and  tho'  the  moft  part  of  the  idea's  which  the  Pro- 
phets make  ufc  of,  feem  to  be  very  figurative,  defcribing  the  Meffiah  as  a 
conquerour,  whowastofubdiie  the  whole  world  to  his  dominion  by  the  force 
of  arms  ;  yet  we  find  a  great  many  others  interv/ovcn  with  them  which 
only  relate  to  the  profeflion  of  the  religion  of  the  Meffiah,  and  which, 
not  being  capable  of  any  other  fenfe,  fufficiently  determine  the  others, 
fo  as  not  to  perplex  the  reader  with  thofe  feeming  obfcurities.  But  Jcfus 
Chrift  very  diftin6tly  declares  this  in  divers  places,  and  above  all  in  the 
XXIV.  of  S.  Matthew^  This  Gofpel^  faith  he,  Jhall  be  preached  throughout 
oil  the  world. 

Now  nothing  could  ever  be  more  exaflly  fulfilled  than  thcfe  ancient 
oracles  have  been  ;  let  the  "Jews  cavil  as  long  as  they  pleafe  about  our 
application  of  many  of  the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Tejlament  to  our  Saviour ; 
let  them  put  a  fenfe  upon  the  Scriptures  which  treat  of  this  fubjecl,  con- 
trary to  what  the  ^ews^  who  were  contemporary  with  Jefus  Chrift  ever 
did,  and  to  the  moft  of  thofe  with  whom  the  firft  Chriftians,  as  Jujlin^ 
TertulUan^  and  others,  from  time  to  time  difputed,  yet  at  leaft  they  can- 
not deny  but  that  the  thing  has  been  exactly  fulfilled. 

It  is  clearer  than  the  day,  that  nothing  could  be  more  exa61: :  all 
Chriftians,  from  one  end  of  the  world  to  another,  worftiip  the  God  of 
Jfracl^  according  to  the  prophecy  of  Malachi.  Jefus  Chrift  fubjedted 
them  to  the  moral  part  of  the  law  o{  Mofes:  the  Mahometans  themfclves 
have  learnt  of  the  Chriftians  to  acknowledge  no  other  God  but  the  God 
of  Ifrael.  The  multitude  of  falfe  Gods  which  the  world  worfhipped, 
are  vaniflied  from  all  places  where  Chriftianity  has  been  planted ;  and 
very  fcw  are  left  in  comparifon  of  thofe  which  are  already  deftroy'd,  fo 
that  we  muft  confider  the  thing  as  already  gone  very  far.  In  truth, 
while  things  continue  thus,  one  may  reafonably  maintain  againft  the 
fews^  that  our  Jefus  and  his  Difciples  have  taken  away  all  the  glory 
which  could  be  refcrved  for  that  Meffiah  whom  they  expecSl.  I'hey 
muft,  if  they  be  jealous  for  the  glory  of  him  whom  they  look  for,  en- 
dea\'our  to  make  the  world  forfake  the  worftiip  of  the  God  of  Ifrael^  to 
make  way  for  the  accompliftiment  of  thofe  oracles  which  can  have  no 
place  in  that  ftate  wherein  the  world  is  at  prefent. 

But  tho'  this  reflexion  upon  the  exa61:  accompliftiment  of  the  oracles 
concerning  the  call  of  the  Gentiles  to  the  religion  of  the  Meffiah  may 
fuffice ;  yet  I  think  my  felf  bound  to  make  fome  further  obfervations 
upon  this  fubjedt.  In  fliort,  every  thing  deferves  to  be  confidered  in 
this  calling  of  the  Gentiles  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Gofpel. 

I  do  not  take  notice  at  prefent  that  the  perfon  firft  employ'd  in  calling 
of  the  Gentiles  is  S.  Peter^  to  whom  Jefus  Chrift  had  promifed  the  ho- 
nour of  founding  his  church  amongft  the  nations,  and  v/ho  himfelf  at 
firft  thought  that  the  thing  was  unlawful,  and  who  after  a  vifion  given 
him  for  that  very  purpofe,  obferves  the  Jewifti  cuftoms,  and  obliges  the 
Gentiles  to  do  the  fame.  Neither  do  I  obferve  that  the  firft  who  was 
called  was  Cornelius^  a  Roinan  officer  who  refidcd  at  Cafarea,  where  he 
became  a  profelyte.  Behold  here  a  man  engaged  to  examine  that,  which 
he  had  a  better  opportunity  to  do  than  any  one  elfe,  by  reafon  of  the 
,  nature  of  his  charge,  whether  whiat  the  fouldicrs  had  depofed  concern.. 

H  h  2  ing 


4^4-  Refit xions  upon  thi  Cu.  XV, 

ing  the  Difciples  dealing  away  the  body  of  our  Saviour,  were  true  or 
no. 

I  nm  oliIiiirH  to  ronfinr  mv  fclf  to  fomc  ijcncral  reflexions  upon  this 
matter,  t  confider  firft  the  difficulty  which  was  upon  all  accounts  in 
this  defign  of  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles^  and  the  orodiviousfiK  rrfs  wiiich 
this  call  of  the  Gtvtues  met  with  according  to  the  Prophet"^ 

To  make  us  imdcrftand  this  difficidty  better,  v,'e  need  (n\\\-  co.-.iidcr 
I.  What  wcr<^  t+ie  prejudices  of  the  'Jcws^  even  thofe  who  were  become 
Chriftians.  2.  What  was  the  ftate  of  the  world  at  the  time  of  Jcfus 
Chrift.  The  Heathens  enjovcd  each  their  fevcral  religions  for  a  lon^rer 
time  than  any  hiftory  could  trace  it.  They  attributed  the  happincfs  of 
their  flates  and  families  to  their  gods.  3.  Wc  muft  obferve  the  nature 
of  that  prcachinff,  by  which  the  Gentiles  y^^rc  converted  ;  its  fubiecl  was 
the  ftran^efl-  thing  in  the  world  •,  if  the  crofs  of  Jefiis  Chrifl:  had  prov'd 
the  fcandal  of  the  Jnos^  who  looked  upon  the  Mcfliah  as  the  fuuntain 
of  .blcfTma;,  and  the  crofs  as  an  accurfed  punifhment ;  it  was  look'd  up- 
on no  othcrwife  than  as  an  heap  of  follies  by  the  Gretks^  (who  boallcd 
^hemfelves  to  be  the  wifeft  men  of  the  world)  as  well  as  by  the  other 
G  entiles. 

Yet  after  all  this,  one  fee's  a  prodigious  fuccefs,  and  a  furprizina:  ex- 
tent of  this  call.  Within  a  little  time  the  world  was  fill'd  with  Chrif- 
tians  :  S.  P^/?// writes  to  thofe  that  were  in  J/ia^  Greece^  and  hah  \  S. 
Peter  to  thofe  of  Potitus\  S.  '^o/?«  to  thofe  who  were  among  the  Par- 
thlatis.  There  were  not  wanting  fome  in  the  very  emperour's  court, 
even  that  of  Nero^  who  put  S.  Peter  and  S.  Paul  to  death  in  the  fixty 
feventh  vear  of  ourlyord. 

One  cannot  attend  10  a  fuccefs  of  this  nature,  without  being  extream- 
ly  furpriz'd ;  let  us  conceive  of  a  dozen,  or  thereabouts,  of  poor  beg- 
gars, a  dozen  of  unlearned  men  coming  out  oi  Juden^  who  fhould  ac- 
cufe  the  whole  world  of  folly  and  impiety  ;  every  one  oppofmg  them, 
efpccially  the  JeT-US,  who  were  incenfcd  to  fee  them  go  about  to  cllablifti 
the  belief  of  the  crofs  in  the  world,  as  a  doclrine  which  would  explain 
the  accomplifliment  of  the  promiils  of  God  concerning  the  Meiliah,  of 
tliofe  proniifes  v/hertwith  the  'fews  had  hllcd  aJl  the  Eujly  and  which 
had  rendred  them  at  this  time  doubly  ridiculous. 

When  inftead  of  pcrfecuting  the  Apoftles,  they  hearken  unto  them  ; 
or  even  when  in  the  midli  of  chains  and  prifons  they  are  examined,  they 
c^cclare  that  true  godlincfs  confifts  in  knowing  Jefus  Chrif^,  even  the 
fame  Jcfu^  who  was  crucified  in  y//,/.-.;,  for  whofe  name's  fake  they  had 
heen  publickly  fcourged  by  orrfer  of  the  council  of  the  jfetvs.  Thus  we 
find  S.  P<?'// boaiiing  of  his  fevcre  ufage. 

If  perfons  quof'ion  them  more  particularly  about  the  actions  of  this 
Jefus,  they  anfwer  coldlv.  That  the  Son  of  God  came  down  from  hca- 
v(  n ;  that  he  took  upon  him  our  fiefh  in  the  womb  of  a  virgin  ;  that 
vhen  he  ^•.•n•^  become  mm,  and  vet  an  infant,  Hercd  (ou2.ht  to  kill  hirr., 
to  avoid  vvhich  he  was  carried  into  Ep.ft ;  that  after  having  lived  Uiirty 
year*  cbfcurely  in  a  carpenter's  fhop,  he  was  taken  by  the  yrtf/,  fcourged, 
niocked,  crt^wned  with  thorns,  nailed  to  the  crofs,  where  they  gave  him 
\inegar  10  drir.kj  that  there  he  cried  cut,  My  Gody  vjy  God^  Hliy  hafl 

thou 


Ch.  XV.  Books  of  the  New  TeJlamenU  485 

thonforfaken  me  ?  that  he  died,  was  burled,  and  rofe  again  the  third  day, 
as  he  had  promife^  before  his  death. 

But  what  is  it  that  this  JESUS  teaches  to  thofe  that  would  follow 
him?  His  Apoftles  in  his  name  require  all  men  to  renounce  the  plea- 
fures  of  this  life,  to  abhor  polygamy  and  fornication,  and  infle'ad  of  re'i 
venging  an  affront,  to  turn  the  other  cheek  to  him  that  fmites  us,  and 
to  leave  our  cloak  alfo  with  him  who  takes  our  coat  from  us  ;  to  go  two 
miles  with  him  who  conftrains  us  to  guide  him  one ;  to  love  our  ene- 
mies, and  to  wifh  well,  and  pray  for  thofe  that  defpitefully  ufe  us,  and 
perfecute  us. 

But  what  rewards  will  he  give  to  his  fervants  ?  The  Apoftles  anfwer^ 
That  he  promifes  nothing  that  is  confiderable  in  this  life,  but  an  everlaft- 
ing  happinefs  in  the  world  to  come. 

It  is  vifible  that  nothing  feems  to  be  worfe  contrived  to  gain  credit  than 
this  ftory.  The  weaknefs  of  Jefus  Chrift  is  vifible,  he  was  crucified  j 
what  ground  is  here  to  believe  that  he  was  able  to  perform  his  promifes  .? 
The  fervice  he  prefcribes  is  very  rough,  the  reward  he  propofes  is  at  a 
great  diftance,  and  moreover,  it  is  fuch  as  appears  very  doubtful  to  thofe 
who  are  not  furnifhed  with  ftrong  irripreffions  of  the  immortality  of  the 
foul,  and  of  a  life  to  come. 

But  on  the  other  hand,  the  Apoftles  folidly  demonftrate  that  he  is 
GOD,  and  not  a  meer  man,  that  he  can  raife  the  dead,  and  that  he  can 
perform  his  promifes.  Tho'  they  do  not  fay.  Bring  hither  the  blind,  the 
lame,  and  the  deaf,  and  we  will  heal  them  in  his  name  ;  prefent  your  dead 
to  us,  and  we  will  raife  them  in  the  name  of  that  Jefus  who  is  born  of 
Mary^  of  that  Jefus  who  died,  and  cried  out  on  the  crofs,  My  God^  my 
God,  IVJoyhaJi  thonforfaken  me?  (For  I  acknowledge  that  this  miracu- 
lous power  which  they  had  received,  was  only  exerted  upon  certain  oc- 
caftons,  which  the  Spirit  of  God  made  choice  of.)  Yet  they  did  that 
which  was  equivalent,  for  when  blind  men  were  brought  to  them,  they 
faid.  Ye  blind,  in  the  name  of  Jefus,  recover  your  fight  j  and  in  like 
manner  to  the  lepers,  to  pofTeffed  perfons,  to  the  fick  of  the  palfey,  to 
the  dead.  Upon  this  all  were  converted,  and  the  crofs  of  Jefus  Chrilt 
triumphs. 

There  are  three  forts  of  people  in  the  world,  wife  men,  men  of  a  mid- 
dle fort,  and  fuch  as  are  of  a  lower  capacity;  and  feveral  of  thefe  three 
orders  of  men  made  profeilion  of  the  Chriltian  religion,  as  well  amongft 
the  Jews  as  Heathetn^ 


Hh3 


CHAP.  XVI, 


486  Refiexiom  upon  the  Ch.  XVI. 


CHAP.       XVI. 

That  the  Chr'ijlian  Religion  is  founded  on  Proofs  of  Fail  ^  and  that  confequently 
nothing  in  the  JVorld  jo  certain  as  the  Truth  0/  it. 

^J^":^:^  HIS  reflexion  ought  to  be  made  more  than  once,  becaufe  there 
%  ^  W  '^  nothing  fo  proper  to  eftablifti  the  truth  of  the  Chriftian  religion 
C^^^'i^I:^  beyond  all  conteft,  or  that  will  confound  Atheifts,  prophane  per- 
lons,  and  Jews,  who  endeavour  to  oppofc  it  more  effedtually. 

I.  fay  then,  that  the  chief  articles  on  which  the  whole  Chriftian  reli- 
gron  is  grounded,  are  confirm'd  by  proofs  of  fact,  that  is,  by  witneflcs 
■whole  evidence  cannot  be  queftioncd,  without  fliaking  all  the  certainty 
v.hich  Ave  can  have  of  any  thing  in  this  world,  and  without  rejecting  all, 
the  means  whereby  v/e  can  alTure  ourfelves  of  the  knowledge  which  we 
enjoy. 

Many  particular  events  which  were  perfectly  divine,  happened  at  the 
birth  of  John  the  Baptiji^  the  forerunner  of  the  Melliah;  they  were  known 
throughout  all  the  hill  country  of  Jtulea ;  they  happened  to  a  prielt,  that 
is,  a  publick  perfon  ;  and  it  was  when  he  was  employ'd  in  his  publick 
fun£tion  in  the  temple;  they  are  feconded  by  miracles  which  were  known 
to  the  whole  nation  of  the  "Jews ;  they  are  foUow'd  by  the  pi^blick  mi- 
niftry  of  John  the  BaptiJI^Ti  man  who  cenfuresall  Judea,  who  openly  de- 
clares himfelf  the  forerunner  of  the  Mcffiah,  and  who  hath  a  great  num- 
ber of  Difciples,  who  are  diftinguifh'd  from  thofe  of  our  Saviour,  who 
were  fpread  throughout  all  "Jiidca,  and  who  continued  after  the  death  ot* 
our  Saviour  ;  thefe  were  Difciples  of  a  man,  who  belides  all  this,  doth 
not  keep  up  any  correfpondence  with  our  Saviour,  and  who  at  left  falls 
by  the  hand  oi  Herod  for  cenfuring  his  incert  and  lufts. 

JESUS  CHRIST  is  born  in  Bethlehem  under  Augujius,  a  feiSl  of 
which  the  Roman  commiflioners  were  witnelles,  and  which  the  records  of 
that  empire  preferv'd  as  long  as  they  were  in  being. 

That  the  Angels  telHhed  their  joy  at  his  birth,  is  a  faiSt  which  was 
confirm'd  by  the  Ihepherds  oi Bethlchtin^  long  before  Jefus  Chrift  had  any 
Difciples. 

That  a  new  ftar  conduiSled  the  wife  men  of  the  EaJ}  to  BcthLhem^  was 
an  illuftrious  fadl",  and  of  which  Hcrod^  and  the  priefts,  and  great  men 
amongfi:  the  Jnvs^  were  exaitly  informed  ;  and  the  Apoltles  would  have 
found  it  a  very  difficult  matter  to  impofc  this  upon  them,  if  the  thing  had 
not  been  diftiii(Stly  known. 

That  the  birth  of  Jefus  Chrift,  and  the  arrival  of  the  wife  men  aftright- 
ed  Herod,  was  a  publick  thing,  conhrmed  by  the  murthcr  of  the  infants  of 
Bethlehem,  and  reported  to  Augujim,  togetlicr  with  the  death  of  Antipater  ; 
Ks\\zx zoi  Ala crchius  a  Heathen,  who  was  qualified  for  the  knowledge  of 
'  .-h  a  ftory,  hath  preferved  the  memory.  Neither  can  this  fact  be  called 
ii.  t^ueftion,  becaufe  .'/'^O^''-"'^  "lakes  no  mention  of  it,  fince  fo  famous  a 
Heathen  attefts  it.  Augujius,  Hiith  he,  having  heard  that  among  fi  the  in-' 
\\nts  which  Herod  the  king  of  the  Jews  had  caufedta  be  kill'd  in  Syria,  under 

two 


Ch.  XVI.  Books  of  the  New  TeJIament  4^7 

tiuo  years  of  age,  he  had  kiWd  hh  own  fon^  faid^  Tljat  it  was  better  to  be 
Herod's  hog  than  his  [on. 

That  Jefus  Chrill  was  in  Egypt^  and  that  he  returned  from  thence,  is 
a  fa£l  with  which  the  Jeius  to  this  day  reproach  our  Sa\  iour,  as  if  he  had 
learnt  there  the  fecret  of  working  miracles. 

That  he  confounded  the  Doctors  at  tweK'C  years  of  age,  is  a  facl  of 
which  the  whole  nation  of  the  Jeivs  -wq^q  informed,  becaufe  it  happen- 
ed at  one  of  thofe  three  foiemn  feafts  v/hich  brought  up  the  whole  na- 
tion to  ferujalem. 

That  Jefus  Chrift  was  baptized  by  S.  Johyi^  and  that  he  received  a 
moft  glorious  teftimony  from  him,  is  a  fact  of  which  all  thofe  "Jews 
whom  the  miniftry  of  S.  fohn  had  drawn  to  the  river  Jordjn  v/ere  wit- 
nelTes. 

That  Jefus  Chrift  chofe  for  his  Apoftles  men  without  learning,  and  of 
the  meaneft  of  the  people,  that  he  lived  with  them  three  years  and  an 
half,  preaching  his  docirins,  correcting  the  traditions  of  the  Jcvjs^  work- 
ing miracles,  and  foretelling  things  to  come,  are  facls  of  v/hich  the 
whole  people  of  the  feivs  were  witneifes,  and  ail  the  Roma7is  that  were 
in  Judea  were  fully  informed  of  them  ;  yea,  they  were  known  to  all  the 
world.  The  Jews  could  not  be  ignorant  of  them,  who  came  up  to  Je^ 
riifalem  from  all  parts  of  the  world  to  celebrate  ten  foiemn  feaits  accord- 
ing to  the  law,  during  the  time  in  which  thefe  things  were  acting,  and 
from  thence  carried  the  report  of  them  into  feveral  parts  of  the  world 
where  they  were  difpers'd. 

It  is  evident  alfo  that  Jefus  Chrift  laboured  to  perfwade  men  that  he 
was  the  promifed  Melliah  ;  this  was  the  moft  confiderable  fa6f  in  the 
world  to  the  Jews^  and  which  had  relation  to  the  moft  important  point 
of  their  religion,  and  touched  them  the  neareft :  a  fact  which  happened 
at  a  time  when  all  were  in  expectation  of  the  Mefilah,  as  appears  by  the 
confultation  of  Herod^  when  the  Jews^  who  were  opprefled  by  the  Ro^ 
mans,  did  moft  earneftly  figh  for  his  appearance ;  a  fa6t  confirm'd  by 
publick  oracles,  and  known  to  the  whole  nation,  yea  to  the  Heathen 
themfelves,  for  near  three  hundred  years. 

That  Jefus  Chrift,  notwithftanding  all  his  miracles,  was  crucified  at 
the  purfuit  of  the  Jcws^  and  by  the  order  of  Pontius  Pilate,  is  a  fait  of 
which  the  whole  people  of  the  Jews  were  witnefles,  becaufe  it  happened 
at  the  feaft  of  the  pailbver,  that  is,  at  a  folemnity  where  the  whole  na- 
tion of  the  Jews  vi^as  ailembled ;  it  is  a  fa6t  which  no  Heathens  ever 
went  about  to  deny,  they  reproached  the  Chriftians  v.^ith  it,  who  are  fo 
little  afham'd  of  it,  that  according  to  the  orders  of  the  fame  Jefus,  they 
celebrate  the  memorial  of  it  in  the  facrament  of  the  eucharift. 

That  there  was  thick  darknefs  over  all  the  land  at  the  crucifixion  of 
Jefus  Chrift  from  the  third  hour  till  the  fixth,  that  is,  from  nine  of  the 
clock  till  twelve,  according  to  our  way  of  computing  the  time,  was  a 
fa6t  of  that  nature,  that  the  whole  nation  of  the  Jews  might  eaiily  have 
convinc'd  the  Apoftles  of  this  impofture,  if  it  had  not  been  as  con- 
fefied  a  truth  as  the  darknefs  in  Egypt,  before  the  departure  of  the  If- 
rarlites. 

That  Jefus  Chrift  was  raifed  the  third  day,  is  a  fa6t  attefted  by  a  great 
number  of  witnefles,  the  memorial  whereof  they  celebrated  every  eighth 

H  h  4  day 


'^^^  i^efiex'iom  upon  the  Ch.  XVI. 

c'ay  as  long  as  they  liv'd,  by  a  conftant  law,  becaufe  they  confidcred  this 
rclurrcdtion  as  the  leal  of  thofc  truths  which  Jcfus  Chrift  had  taught 
tJUK.r .  '  i  IS  a  faa,  the  truth  whereof  they  have  maintained  before  ma- 
ilinwi.jVi;.<bc:ore  tije  people,  in  all  parts  of  the  world.  'Tis  a  fact  which 
X^i^y;  rntve^jublickly  preached  up,  notwithftanding  all  prohibitions  ivhich 
hwc  been  made  :  in  fhort,  it  is  a  fact  which  they  have  aflerted  in  the 
■iDuKl  o*  the  inoft  cruel  torments,  and  even  until  death. 
.riThat  Jefus  Chrill  fcnt  down  upon  his  Apoftlcs  the  miraculous  ^ifts  of 
the  Holy  bpint,  is  a  fa^  of  which  all  Jerufalem  was  a  witnefs  fift'V  days 
after  the  feaft  of  the  paflover,  whdn  Jefus  Chrift  was  crucified  •  it  is  as 
remarkable  a  fad  as  ever  happened  ;  twelve  fifhermen  oi  GaliUc,  main- 
tain  in  the  face  of  the  whole  Jewifh  nation,  that  the  fame  Jefus  whom 
the  whole  nation  had  demanded  to  be  crucified  but  fifty  days  before,  and 
who  did  actually  iuffer  upon  an  infamous  crofs,  is  rifen  from  the  dead, 
and  aicendcd  into  heaven,  after  he  had  eaten  and  drunk  with  them,  and 
had  appeared  feveral  times  >to  them  after  his  refurre6tion,  and  that  he 
had  given  them  the  power  of  fpeaking  all  forts  of  languages,  and  of 
healing  all  manner  ot  dilcafes. 

That  they  fpoke  divers  languages  Is  a  fact  moft  notorious,  the  truth 
whereof  appears  from  the  converfion  of  the  world,  which  was  found  to 
be  hll  d  with  their  Dilciples,  but  a  few  years  after  this  faft  was  done. 
^  1  hat  they  had  the  power  of  healinc:  all  diieafes  as  well  as  their  malter, 
iS  a  fadt  the  truth  whereof  is  eftabl.fh'd  upon  indifputable  teftimonies, 
infomuth^as  their  luccellors  received  the  fame  gift  by  the  laying  on  of 
•their  hands.  7  wo  hundred  vears  after  Tertullian  mentions  this  gift,  as 
bemg  at  that  time  well  known  amongit  Chriltians. 

That  the  Apoitles,  after  they  were  rejedlcd  by  the  Jews,  preached  the 
Crolpel  to  the  Genti'cs,  who  alio  received  it,  is  a  fact  bf  which  there  arc 
lo  many  proofs  in  the  world,  that  it  cannot  be  called  in  queition. 

Ihat  the  converted  Jews  ftrongly  oppofed  themfelves  againfl:  the 
preaching  ot  the  Gofpel  to  the  GentUes,  pretending,  as  the  Jm.'s  now  do, 
tliat  the  Meffiah  with  his  gifts  and  graces  was  confined  to  their  nation, 
r  /  u  ^r  ^''^'^  attefled,  that  it  cannot  be  called  in  queition,  if  we  con- 
iider  the  hrft  diipute,  which  gave  occafion  to  the  firft  council  of  the 
Apoitles,  and  to  the  conteltb  of  S.  Paul  with  thole  of  his  own  nation. 

7  hat  lincc  that  time  the  Apoitles  and  their  Difciples  have  maintained 
by  tlic.r  writings  and  difputes,  and  finally  bv  their  martjTdom,  that  Jefus 
v/as  theMelhah  ;  that  they  have  conltantlyltood  to  this  claim,  alledging 
the  lads  which  the  Gofpel  propofes,  and  maintaining  that  the  matters 
Uiere  related  were  exait  accomplifhmcnts  of  the  promifes  of  God,  and 
of  tht  anciem  prophecies  :  that  all  this  is  unqueitionable,  one  needs  only 
■read  their  iermons  and  Ipcechcs  fetdo\vn  by  S.  Luke,  and  their  epiOles  • 
one  needs  only  perule  the  Heathen  hiltory,  and  the  works  of  thofe  thaj 
lucceeded  the  Apoitles,  who  followed  their  footlteps  in  eftablifhino-  the 
ruuh  of  the  Chrillian  religion.  ^ 

T  hat  the  Apoitles  dittharged  their  followers  from  the  ceremonies 
winch  AJoJ.s  prelcnbed,  obliging  them  only  to  the  edbntials  of  morality  • 
that  il.ey  annurd  the  law  which  permitted  divorces  without  fufhcient 
ta.Hr,  and  pulvgamyj    theie   arc  things  which   none,  who  have  read 

their 


Ch.  XVI.  Sooh  of  the  Ncw  Tejlament.  4^^ 

their  writings,  Dr..thofe  of  their  firft  Dilcipies,  can  in  the  leafi:  quef- 
tion.  'ntiQ  <.  'iJi5   aiorlj  \o  i^-n  -.'i  j  |t-^  i; 

Laftly,  That  they  foretold  many  things,  ias  welt  as  their  mafter ;  that 
they  publifhed  their  predictions,  which  they  have  extended  to  the  end  of 
the  world,  and  the  return  of  Jefus  from  heaven  to  judge  the  world  ;  and 
that  they  have  recorded  the  particulars  of  many  confiderable  events,  ob- 
ferved  by  the  Chriftians,  which  have  happened  from  time  to  time;  thefe 
■are  facts  as  well  known,  and  as  inconteftable,  as  any  thing  can  be  in  the 
world  of  fuch  a  nature.  Whole  nations  are  witnelTes  of  it,  difFerino- 
ie6ts,  interpreters  who  have  feveral  opinions  concerning  thefe  prophecies, 
the  contefts  of  the  Jcws^  the  oppofition  of  Atheifts,  the  cavils  of  Here- 
ticks,  the  cruelty  of  tyrants,  all  thefe  concur  to  prove  clearly  that  the 
Chriftians  received  thefe  prophecies  from  the  Apoftles,  as  well  as  the 
truth  of  them,  fmce  even  thefe  oppofitions  were  foretold  as  well  as  the 
perfecutions. 

Thus  I  have  given  you  a  view  of  the  greateft  part  of  the  moft  impor- 
tant articles  which  are  contained  in  the  Chriftian  religion  ;  and  I  think 
that  they  are  fo  folidly  grounded  upon  proofs  of  inGi.^  that  I  can  aflert 
with  reafon.  That  no  favSts  in  the  world  can  be  produced,  fo  well  efta- 
bliflied  as  thefe  are,  which  are  the  fundamentals  of  our  religion. 

What  fads  are  there  which  are  attefted  by  whole  nations,  as  the 
miracles  of  Jefus  Chrift  were  ?  W^hat  facts  are  there  about  which  men 
were  fo  careful  to  inform  themfelves,  as  when  a  man  pretends  to  the  title 
of  the  Mefliah  r  What  thing  can  we  fuppofe  that  requires  a  ftronger 
convidion,  becaufe  of  the  difficulties  it  involves,  than  that  of  the  refur- 
redion  of  Jefus  Chrift  ?  for  thofe  who  were  eye-witnefles  of  his  cruci- 
fixion, that  is,  who  had  feen  him  puniftied  by  the  magiftrate,  the  hor- 
rour  of  all  his  own  people,  and  in  all  appearance  forfaken  of  heaven. 

To  fpeak  the  truth,  as  there  cannot  be  a  greater  inftance  of  fanatical 
folly,  than  to  attribute  to  twelve  poor  fifhermen,  whofe  mafter  was  cru- 
cified at  JenifaUm^  by  publick  order,  and  by  an  efFed  of  the  hatred  of 
the  whole  nation,  I  fay,  to  attribute  to  them  the  defign  of  pcrfwading 
that  people,  and  the  Gentiles  alfo,  that  this  man  was  railed  again  from  the 
dead,  that  he  rules  in  heaven  ;  that  he  has  beftov/ed  upon  them  the  mi- 
raculous gifts  of  fpeaking  all  forts  of  languages,  and  healing  all  manner 
of  difeafes ;  if  this  Jefus  had  been  never  raifed  from  the  dead,  nor  had 
beftowed  fuch  gifts  upon  them,  the  mind  of  man  not  being  capable  of  fo 
great  folly :  fo  we  have  all  the  reafon  in  the  world  to  conclude.  That 
lince  they  have  attefted  this  fad,  and  confirm'd  it  by  all  the  proofs  which 
might  convince  thofe,  who  tho'  they  were  not  prejudic'd,  yet  were  afto- 
nilh'd  at  the  difficulty  of  the  things  themfelves,  fo  that  nothing  can  be 
more  certain  than  fads  fo  confirmed,  as  vre  pretend  that  thefe  adually 
were. 


CHAP.  XVI!. 


49^  Ri-fcxiom  upon  the  Ch.  XVII. 


CHAP.     xvir. 

That  it  cannot  be  qutjlionrd^  whether  the  Rooks  of  the  New  Testament 
were  written  by  the  yipojlles. 

^ii^;^^  E  F  ( )  R  E  we  alledge  thofe  arguments  which  will  invincibly 
C;  B  0  coniirm  the  truth  ol  the  books  of  the  Neiu  Tejlament^  i  deiirc 
C?>s?>f.-^  the  reader  to  make  thefe  three  or  four  reflexions,  which  iecm 
to  be  \  erv  important  to  our  preicnt  defign. 

The  firft  is,  i'hat  we  can  Icarcely  conceive  a  more  fimple  and  ftrong 
way  of  proving  a  facl,  than  what  we  find  in  the  books  here  mention'd. 
'J'he  defign  of  the  four  Evangelifts,  for  inftance,  is  to  prove  that  Jefus, 
the  Ton  of  Mary^  is  the  promifed  Mefliah,  and  that  in  his  birth,  his  life, 
his  doftrine,  his  death,  and  rcfurredtion,  we  meet  with  all  the  charac- 
ters which  the  Prophets  attributed  to  the  Mefliah.  How  do  the  Evan- 
gelirts  execute  this  their  defign  ?  In  the  moft  proper  way  imaginable  to 
convince  others,  and  moft  proportionable  to  their  defign.  They  fimpljr 
relate  the  facts  ;  and  fac^s  lb  clear,  that  if  we  do  not  queftion  the  truth 
of  them,  we  cannot  doubt  that  Jefus  is  the  Mcifiah.  They  relate  the 
moft  important  of  thelc  ta(^l:s,  as  things  that  happened  in  the  face  of  the 
whole  nation  of  the  "Jezus^  as  1  have  (hewed  in  the  precedent  chapter: 
they  relate  them  as  fadls  for  the  moft  part  owned  by  the  Jews,  from 
which  the  malice  of  the  Jews  extorted  other  confequences  :  they  give  us 
an  account  of  the  judgment  which  the  yews  made  concerning  the  mi- 
racles that  he  wrought  on  the  fabbath  day,  upon  the  Difciples  gathering 
the  ears  of  corn,  of  the  anfwer  which  the  'Jezvj  made  to  Pi/ate,  if^e  have 
no  other  king  but  Cefar. 

The  fccond  is.  That  the  Apoftles  fuppofing  a  general  expectation  of 
the  Mefliah,  when  Jefus  Chrift  appeared,  (hew  that  there  was  a  very 
great  knowledge  of  the  prophecies  that  refpected  the  Mefliah,  and  a  great 
impoflibility  of  applying  thofe  oracles  to  particular  fatls,  if  the  truth  of 
thofe  tatSts  had  not  been  beyond  conteft.  Now  we  find  very  few  oracles 
of  which  they  did  not  make  an  application  to  the  life  and  ailions  of  our 
Saviour.  Wee'l  fuppofc  the  Apoftles  to  have  been  men  of  great  abili- 
ties, and  who  had  long  ftudied  the  books  of  the  Prophets,  that  they  might 
tear  out  fuch  fmall  p.Ulages  as  they  fancied  might  be  applicable  to  Jefus 
Chrift  ;  however  it  cannot  be  denied,  that  it  docs  not  appear  by  their 
writings  that  they  had  fuch  an  exact  knowledge  of  the  prophecies,  whence 
it  might  follow  that  they  judged  them  to  be  applicable  to  Chriib,  by 
comparing  them  with  the  fads  which  they  relate.  2.  That  they  had 
this  knowledge  in  common  with  the  reft  of  the  Jeivsy  who  at  this  day 
apply  the  fame  texts  to  the  AlelFiah,  if  they  are  not  conftrained  by  their 
clearnefs  to  wreft  them  fon^e  other  way.    . 

The  third  reflexion  is,  That  in  the  relation  of  thcfe  fa6ts,  they  give 
us  all  the  marks  of  an  extraordinary  finccrity;  they  rcprcfcnt  indeed 
whatfoever  was  for  their  mafter's  glory ;  but  they  do  as  well  relate  thofe 
things  which  feem  to  be  fliameful  to  his  memory.  They  tell  us  of  the 
Angels  diat  allifted  at.  his  birth>  and  at  his  death  j  but  icU  us  withal, 
a  •  That 


Ch.  XVII.  Booh  of  the  New  "tejiament.  491, 

That  he  was  tempted  of  the  Devil,  and  in  all  appearance  forfaken  by 
God  at  his  death.  They  tell  us,  That  the  multitudes  were  refolved  to 
take  him  by  force,  and  make  him  their  king,  as  acknowledging  him  for 
the  Meffiah  ;  and  they  tell  us,  That  the  fame  multitude  fome  time  after 
demanded  him  to  be  crucified. 

The  fourth  is.  That  they  reprefent  very  naturally  all  the  judgments 
of  the  Synagogue  againft  Jefus  :  they  reprefent  him  as  excommunicated 
and  crucified  by  them  ;  they  defcribe  the  reports  that  were  current  among 
the  Jews^  That  the  Difciples  had  taken  away  his  body  out  of  the  fepul- 
chre  ;  that  the  fouldiers  had  depofed  the  fame  in  the  forms  of  law  before 
Pilate.  From  all  which  it  appears  that  they  were  faithful  hiftorians,  and 
not  at  all  prepofieffed,  and  that  they  ufed  no  inve6tives  agiinjt  the  au- 
thors of  thefe  falfe  reports,  contenting  themfelves  to  eftablifh  the  truth 
of  the  matter,  by  fpecifying  the  places,  the  time,  the  witneifes,  and 
other  circumftances  which  are  proper  to  eftablijGi  the  truth  of  the  fads 
they  relate. 

Thefe  four  reflexions  being  once  fuppofed,  I  fay,  it  is  impofiible  to 
difpute  the  truth  of  thefe  books,  or  to  call  their  authority  in  queftion: 
to  be  convinc'd  of  which,  one  needs  only  confider  thefe  two  things  i 
the  firft  is.  That  the  Apoftles  are  the  authors  of  the  books  which  pafs 
under  their  names  ;  the  other  is,  That  their  faithfulnefs  is  not  to  be  fuf- 
pefted  by  us. 

The  former  of  thefe  is  fo  univerfally  received,  that  nothing  will  be 
certain  in  matters  of  this  nature,  if  this  be  queftioned. 

The  four  Evangelifts  have  publifhed  their  writings  in  populous  cities, 
where  they  have  been  conftantly  read  every  Lord's  day  in  Chriftian  af- 
femblies,  as  S.  Jujiin  Martyr  afiures  us  in  his  apology,  wliich  was  writ 
about  the  middle  of  the  fecond  century. 

The  Apoftles  writ  their  epiftles  to  numerous  churches,  to  whom  their 
hand,  as  well  as  the  perfons  by  whom  they  fent  them,  were  well  known. 
Can  we  inftance  in  any  writing  in  the  world  that  hath  been  preferved 
with  the  like  carefulnefs  ?  Let  the  Jeivs  tell  us  what  they  pleafe,  con- 
cerning the  care  and  faithfulnefs  of  their  anceftors  to  preferve  the  books 
of  the  Old  Tejiament^  they  can  alledge  nothing,  but  we  can  alledge  the 
fame  in  favour  of  the  books  of  the  New  Tejiamefit.  They  tell  us  that 
Mafes^  under  the  penalty  of  a  curfe,  had  forbid  die  adding  any  thing 
thereto ;  and  do  not  we  read  the  fame  thjeatning  in  the  laft  book  of  the 
New  Tejlameyit  ?  The  philofophers  of  each  feil,  have  nothing,  of  thisi 
weight  to  alledge  as  an  argument  that  the  books  which  thty  afcribe  to 
their  mafters  are  really  theirs  ;  we  find  only  a  few  men  in  every  age, 
who  made  it  their  bufinefs  to  ftudy  the  books  of  the  philofophers,  phy- 
ficians,  and  lawyers  ;  but  ever  fince  the  ApoftleS  there  have  been  Chrif- 
tians  who  made  it  their  bufinefs  to  perufe  and  preferve  their  writings,  as 
confidering  that  they  are  the  fountains  of  eternal  life. 

One  may  upon  this  occafion  take  notice  of  two  things  which  deferve 
fome  attention :  the  one  is.  That  the  defign  of  fome  Hereticks,  as  of 
Marcion  for  inftance,  to  corrupt  the  copies  of  the  writings  of  the  New 
Tejlamenty  which  were  found  in  the  hands  of  thofe  of  his  fe6l,  is  a  good 
argument  to  prove  that  they  could  not  be  corrupted.  In  fhort,  we  find 
all  the  world  oppofsd  themfelves  againft  this  corruption,  and  confuted 

them 


4g2  Rejlcxlom  upon  the  Ch.  XVII. 

them  by  the  agreement  of  all  the  other  copies  in  the  world  which  were 
exempt  from  this  corruption. 

The  other  is,  That  if  there  are  fomc  books  whofc  authority  was 
doubtful  for  fomc  time,  by  thofe  who  othcrwife  were  accounted  othodox, 
yet  this  cannot  juftly  prejudice  the  truth  of  the  New  Tijiarnent ;  the  rea- 
foii  is,  becaufc  this  happened  only  to  fome  icw  cpiftles  which  were  writ- 
ten, not  to  particular  churches,  but  to  whole  nations.  And  indeed  it 
is  plain  from  common  fenfe,  that  when  writings  arc  lent  to  whole  bodies 
(as  the  epiftle  of  S.  yude)  without  communicating  the  copy  to  particu- 
lar men,  that  they  may  with  more  juftice  be  fufpected,  than  thofe  whofc 
hand  was  known  by  many,  and  particularly  by  thofe  to  whom  the  epifUes 
were  fent. 

Moreover,  the  account  which  the  ancient  fathers  of  the  church  give 
us  of  the  uncertainties  of  this  nature,  fufficiently  fhew  that  they  were 
very  careful  in  examining  thefe  things  ;  and  when  at  any  time  fomc  par- 
ticular men  did  not  ufc  care  enough  in  examining  thefe  books,  as  it  once 
happened  in  the  church  of  Rofs  (a),  where  a  book  which  was  falfly  at- 
tributed to  S.  Peter  was  preferved,  fuppofing  it  to  have  been  his,  the 
Other  churches  not  confenting  to  it,  that  abufe  was  foon  remedied, 
the  writings  aboliflied,  that  there  is  fcarce  a  weak  remembrance  left  of 
them. 

One  fee's  that  tlicfc  remnrks  are  fufficient  to  afiure  us  that  the  Apof- 
tles  arc  the  authors  of  thofe  books  which  bear  their  names:  and  if  this 
way  of  confirming  a  matter  of  this  nature,  be  accounted  good  and  folid, 
when  we  fpeak  of  the  books  of  Jrijiotle  or  Hippocrates^  it  muft  be  infi- 
nitely ftrongcr  when  it  is  applyed  to  the  writings  of  the  Apoftles. 

In  fhort,  thefe  books  were  written  to  be  read  by  perfons  of  the  mean- 
eft  capacities,  by  women,  by  children  as  well  as  by  Doctors  :  and  they 
treat  of  matters  of  which  the  whole  world  hath  reafon  to  be  informed. 
If  fome  yctvs  fuftcr'd  martyrdom  under  Anticchus,  to  preferve  the  books 
of  the  Old  T^ejlamcnt^  we  have  like  examples,  and  as  numerous,  of  thofe 
who  have  done  as  much  for  the  prcfervation  of  the  books  of  the  Ncvj 
Tejlament,  Lallly,  if  the  '/nw  have  looked  upon  thofe  as  traitors  and 
apoftates,  who  gave  up  thofe  books  to  the  fury  of  their  perfccutors,  the 
Chriftians  have  teftified  no  Icfs  averfion  for  thofe  who  delivered  the  books 
of  the  Apoftles  to  the  fury  of  Heathens,  even  to  the  fubjefting  of  them 
to  the  utmofl  rigour  of  Kcdcfialtical  difcipline,  in  the  third  century 
and  before. 


(a)  "E-.ifeb.  lib.  vl.  cap,  i; 


CHAP.  XVIII, 


Ch.  XVni  Bcoh  of  the  Neiv  Te/iamrnt.  493 

c  H  A'.f;;     XVIII. 

That  one  cannot  douht  cf  the  Faithfulnefs  of  the  tVitnefs  of  tie  Apojlles  con^ 
cerntng  thofe  Fa£is  which  they  relate. 

f;^^!-*;^  EITHER  is  it  more  difficult  to  eftablilh  this  feoond  truth, 
^  N  B  That  the  faithfulnefs  of  the  Apoftles  cannot  be  r-rafonably  quef- 
^^<^'^:i-^  tioned. 

To  be  convinc'd  of  this,  one  needs  only  confider  the  charatHier  of  the 
Apoftles,  the  charader  of  their  writings,  of  their  fermons,  of  their  fuf- 
ferings,  and  of  their  martyrdom,  and  laft  of  all  the  characfter  of  thofe 
amongft,whoui  they  wrote  thefe  things,  and  preached  them  to  their 
death.  ,: 

As  to  therr  fermons  ;  the  Apoftles  were  contemporaries  with  Jefus 
Chrift;  they  fpoke  of  things  which  they  had  feen,  and  diftlnguiflied 
them  carefully  from  thofe  which  they  had  learnt  another  way.  They 
■were  honeft  men,  ftmple  and  without  learning,  very  fit  to  bear  witnefs 
in  matters  of  fact.  They  were  perfons  that  preached  nothing  but  love, 
and  the  ftudy  of  truth;  they  protefted  in  the  midft  of  their  fufferino-s 
that  they  could  not  conceal  the  things  which  they  had  (cen  and  heard  - 
they  are  men  without  covetoufnefs  or  ambition  j  they  forfake  all  that 
they  poflefs  in  the  world ;  S.  Mattheiv  leaves  his  houfe  and  goods  to  fol- 
low Jefus  Chrift.  Their  epiftles  fpeak  nothing  more  than  inftances  of 
Chriftian  poverty,  of  the  lofs  of  their  goods,  and  of  mighty  inftances  of 
their  charity, 

Thefe  witnefles  are  fufficiently  numerous,  they  preach  and  write  in 
fcveral  places,  and  yet  they  agree  admirably  in  their  relations  of  the 
.fame  fa6ls  ;  it  appears  they  had  fuch  lively  and  diftinct  impreftions,  that 
they  frequently  make  uie  of  the  very  fame  words.  The  difference  which 
Is  found  in  fome  part  of  their  books,  is  a  manifeft  argument  that  nothing- 
but  the  force  of  the  matter  made  them  agree  in  their  relations. 

And  indeed,  how  is  it  otherwiic  conceivable  that  four  fuch  authors  as 
the  Evangelifts,  ftiould  agree  about  fo  many  opinions,  fo  many  miracles, 
fo  many  prophecies,  fo  many  difputes,  and  in  a  word,  about  fo  many 
matters  of  fad :  {hall  we  foy  that  the  fecond  took  his  copy  from  the  firft, 
the  third  from  the  fecond,  h'c.  ?  This  appears  to  be  evidently  falfe  by 
perufmg  of  their  works,  and  by  the  difference  of  their  ftile. 

And  certainly  there  appears  fo  great  ingenuity  in  their  wr'iings,  that 
we  cannot  accufe  them  of  having  had  a  defign  to  deceive  the  world;  they 
tell  you  plainly  of  the  meannefs  of  their  Condition  and  original,  they 
iincerely  difcover  their  own  weakneffes,  their  ambition,  their  vanity, 
their  difputes,  their  heats,  their  murmurings.  S.  Matthew  tells  us  that 
he  v.-as  a  publican,  that  is  a  fervant  of  the  Roman  power,  whom  the  Jeivs 
Jook'd  upon  as  an  excommunicated  perfoii,  and  as  an  enemy  of  their 
own  nation.  He  relates  the  ridiculous  pretcnfion  of  the  fons  of  Zeheder^ 
founded  on  the  carnal  notion  of  their  mother  concerning  the  temporal 
kingdom  of  the  Meffiah.  They  fet  down  S,  Pctex's  denying  of  hi^ 
inaitcrj  fhcy  do  not  diffcmble  their   common  ignorance,  which  made 

them 


494  Rfjiexions  uf>on  the  Ch.  XVIII. 

them  cxpccl  a  temporal  king  In  Jcfus  Chrifl  ;  they  frankly  publifh  their 
own  incredulity^  when  Mary  Magdalen  brought  them  the  news  of  our 
Saviour's  refurre(Slion  ;  and  they  defcribe  the  obftinate  refiftance  of  S. 
Thomas  about  this  matter,  againft  the  unanimous  teftimony  of  all  his 
companions. 

They  do  not  content  tliemfeh'es  with  faying  in  general  that  fome  il- 
luflrious  fads  have  happened  ;  but  they  punftually  fct  down  all  the  cir- 
cumftances,  fo  that  it  clearly  appears  their  defign  was  to  have  their  writ- 
ings examined,  and  that  after  an  exaft  fearch  men  might  acquicfce  in 
the  conclufions  which  they  draw  from  thence.  For  inftance,  they  do 
not  tell  us  that  ]c{u^  Chrift  raifed  a  great  many  from  the  dead,  they  on- 
ly tell  us  of  three,  dcfcribing  the  circumftances  of  their  refurreftion,  the 
time,  the  place,"'the  age,  the  perfons,  the  afliftants,  and  all  thcfe,  with 
other  particulars,  which  impoftors  care  not  to  enter  upon,  left  they 
fhould  contradict  themftlve.?,  or  be  eafily  confuted. 

I  have  already  fhewn.  That  the  nature  of  the  things  themfelves  which 
the  Difciples  of  Jefus  Chrift  have  written,  is  fuch  as  will  not  permit  us 
to  accufe  them  of  having  had  a  defign  to  impofe  upon  the  world  ;  they 
are  fa6is,  and  not  difcourfes,  which  are  left  upon  record  ;  and  fafts  re- 
lating to  the  moft  important  m.atter  in  the  world,  than  which  none  was 
ever  more  throughly  examined  ;  they  are  fa6ts  which  are  linked  fo  clofe- 
ly,  and  which  have  fo  ftrivfl  a  dependance  one  upon  the  other,  and  fo  in- 
terwoven with  the  moft  publick  tranfa^tions,  either  in  civil  or  religious 
affairs,  that  it  was  impoflible  for  them  to  form  the  defign  of  fuch  an  im- 
pofture. 

In  fhort,  it  is  very  remarkable,  that  thcfe  fafts  were  publickly  known 
to  the  kings  of  "Judea,  to  the  Roman  magiftratc,  to  the  principal  minif- 
lers  of  ftate,  and  of  their  religion,  and  to  the  whole  nation  of  the  "Jews 
affembled  ten  fevcral  limes  at  their  folemn  feafts  ;  to  the  feveral  kth  of 
the  Jewifh  religion,  the  Pharifees^  SadduceSy  and  EJJem^  who  are  attacked, 
ccnfured,  and  confuted  in  thefe  books. 

One  ought  to  confider,  after  all,  that  the  Apoftles  at  firft  preached 
and  wrote  in  'Judea^  where  were  the  witneffes  of  thofe  miracles  which 
they  related,  the  impotent,  the  blind,  the  deaf,  which  Jefus  Chrift  had 
rcftored,  the  dead  whom  he  raifed,  the  Scribes  and  Pharifees  whom  he 
cenfured,  the  Saddtices  whom  he  confuted,  the  auditors  who  had  heard 
him  preach,  the  towns  wherein  he  had  convcrfed  moft  familiarly,  the 
fame  people  that  followed  him,  the  fame  enemies  that  confpired  his 
death,  the  fame  judges,  and  the  fame  authority  which  condemned  him 
to  death. 

S.  Luke  in  the  relation  he  gives  us  of  the  fpcechcs  and  apologies  which 
the  Apoftles  made  before  kings,  before  the  great  council  of  the  jfetvsy 
and  in  the  midft  of  their  fvnagogucs,  brings  them  in  fpeaking  of  the 
tacls  contained  in  the  Gofpel,  as  of  matters  publickly  known  and  at- 
telicd  by  a  \'aft  number  of  witneffes.  Thus  S.  Petrr  fpcaks  of  them  in 
the  tenth  of  the  Wc'.'s^  and  the  other  facrcd  writers  fpakc  of  them  in  the 
fame  manner  in  their  epiftles. 

Here  is  a  new  characlcr  which  we  ought  carefullv  to  obferve  :  we  find 
no  temporal  intcreft  which  obliged  the  Difciples  to  adhere  to  Jefus  Chrift ; 
aiid  we  find  yet  Icfs  reafon  to  fuppofe,  if  Jeius  Chrift  had  not  been  raifed 

from 


Ch.  XVIII,  Boch  of  the  Nnv  Tejlament,  495 

from  the  dead,  and  they  had  not  feen  him  after  his  death,  that  they  fhould 
have  had  any  concern  for  his  glory  ;  they  would  certainly  have  con- 
-demned  and  anathematiz'd  him  ag  an  impoftor,  who  by  miins  of  fome 
falfe  miracles,  and  an  affected  holinefs,  had  abufed  them.  Whereas  in- 
deed we  find  that  they  defended  the  glory  of  Jefus  Chrift  with  fo  much 
heat,  and  that  with  fo  conftant  a  teftimony  to  his  refurre6lion,  that  they 
cxpofed  themfelves  to  all  manner  of  reproaches,  to  all  forts  of  punifh- 
ment,  and  moft  cruel  deaths,  to  confirm  the  belief  of  that  fadl.  They 
defpife  the  anathema's  of  the  yeivijh  fynagogue,  they  contemn  their  pub- 
Jick  obloquies,  they  value  not  the  hatred  of  their  whole  nation.  They 
preach  this  crucified  perfon  in  Judca^  they  preach  him  alfo  in  other 
countries,  that  he  might  be  equally  adored  by  Jews  and  Heathens.  They 
leave  their  employments  to  follow  this  Jefus^  and  after  they  had  accom- 
panied him  three  years,  they  depart  from  Judea  to  go  and  confound  the 
idolatry  of  the  world,  and  within  Rome  it  felf  to  decry  the  gods  they  wor- 
Ihipt,  obliging  them  to  acknowledge,  him  whom  the  men  of  "Jerufalcm 
had  crucified,  for  their  God  j  him,  who  had  been  the  deteftation  of  the 
Jevos :  him,  whom  the  Rornan  magiftrate  had  given  up  to  their  fury,  in 
making  him  undergo  the  punifhment  appointed  for  flaves. 

Laftly,  one  ought  to  obferve  it  as  a  thing  of  great  weight  in  this  whole 
queftion.  That  this  teftimony  of  the  Apoftles  which  is  fo  uniform,  fo 
folemn,  fo  well  confirmed  by  all  manner  of  means,  and  fealed  with  their 
deaths,  is  not  contefted  or  contradicted  by  any  hiilorian  of  that  time : 
there  was  nothing  more  eafie,  either  for  'feivs  or  Ge?jiiles,  than  to  con- 
vince the  world  of  the  falfhood  of  the  fadts  related  in  the  Gofpel  j  they 
had  the  books  of  the  Apoftles  in  their  hands,  they  were  mailers  of  the 
publick  records ;  it  was  a  matter  of  general  concernment  to  the  'Jews, 
to  oppofe  themfelves  to  an  impoflure  of  fo  terrible  a  confequence  as  the 
hiftory  of  the  Evangelifts  v/as,  if  it  had  been  entirely  falfe  ;  neither  was 
it  lefs  the  interefl:  of  the  Romans  to  expofe  a  feft,  of  whom  Pliny  the 
younger  tells  us,  that  all  forts  of  people  joyned  with  them,  tho'  they 
were  perfecuted  with  incredible  violence.  In  the  mean  time  we  find  no 
body  that  hath  contradicted  the  relation  of  the  Apoftles,  nor  any  author 
that  has  writ  againtt  Jefus  Chrift  or  his  Apoftles.  A  long  time  after  in- 
deed there  was  a  book  feen,  call'd  The  Acts  of  Pilate,  publifhed  by  the 
order  of  the  emperour  Maximian,  which  endeavoured  to  overthrow  the 
truth  of  the  facts  that  are  related  in  the  Gofpels ;  but  thofe  acts  are  con- 
tradicted by  all  the  Heathen  hiftorians  yet  remaining  that  were  contem- 
iporary  with  the  Apoftles.  Finally,  a  vaft  number  of  feivs  2i\\^  Gentiles 
were  immediately  convinced  by  the  authority  of  the  Apoftles,  and  a  be- 
lief in  the  Gofpel  hath  pafied  from  fiidea  to  the  ends  of  the  world,  ac- 
cording to  the  predictions  which  God  gave  by  the  miniftry  of  the  Pro- 
phets, and  by  the  mouth  of  our  Saviour. 


CHAP.  XIX. 


49^  Reflexions  upon  the  Ch»  XIX. 

CHAP.      XIX. 
Alore  Reafons  to  inan'ifejl  the  Faithfulnejs  of  the  Apojiles. 

frV&.'Sar^W hT  I  have  already  alledged  might  be  fufficient  to  eftablifli 
S  W^  the  faithfuhiefs  of  the  Apoftle?,  but  for  a  fuller  conviction  of 
I^^JS-^  the  reader  concerning  fo  weighty  a  truth  of  our  religion,  I  fliall 
fuperadd  fome  few  more  reflexions. 

Firft  of  all,  It  cannot  be  deny'd  that  the  form  of  the  writings  of  the 
Nnu  Tep.ametit^  is  vaftly  diftercnt  from  thofe  which  may  be  fufpecled  as 
foro;eries.  When  the  four  Kvangelifts  had  related  the  miraculous  birth 
of  John  the  Baptijl^  they  next  fet  down  that  of  our  Saviour  Chrift,  with 
the  actions  of  his  life,  until  his  death,  which  does  not  comprehend  above 
four  or  five  years. 

S.  Luke  writes  the  hiftoryof  the  Apoftles,  and  in  particular  that  of  S. 
Paul^  and  takes  in  only  the  fpace  of  about  thirty  years  :  now  let  any  one 
judge  whether  they  v.'ho  confine  themfelves  to  fo  narrow  limits  inrefped 
of  time,  place,  and  perfons,  have  any  defign  to  impofe. 

The  remainder  of  thefe  books  is  compofed  of  two  forts  of  writings, 
one  epiftolary,  and  the  other  prophetical :  for  the  prophetical  parts, 
time  muft  prove  the  truth  of  the  predi61:ions  which  are  contained  m  the 
Apocalyps^  as  well  as  of  thofe  which  are  found  in  fome  of  the  epiltles  of 
the  Apoftles. 

As  for  the  eplftles,  befides  fome  moral  inftructions,  they  are  almoft 
all  employ'd  in  deciding  fome  quellions,  which  the  calling  of  the  Gen~ 
iiles  to  the  Gofpel,  and  the  aboliihing  of  the  ceremonial  law  had  raifed 
in  the  minds  of  the  Jexvs^  who  were  converted  to  Chriftianity.  We 
Icnow  that  of  all  writings,  epiftles  are  the  moft  certain  monuments,  and 
thofe  which  men  endeavour  to  forge  leaft. 

After  all,  It  is  certain  that  the  facred  writers  have  with  great  care  fet 
down  the  time  in  which  every  event  happened,  as  well  according  to  the 
■ftile  of  the  Jews^  in  pointing  out  to  us  their  folemn  feafts,  as  that  ot  the 
Gefitiles^  by  fetting  down  the  year  of  the  Roman  emperour,  and  the  cha- 
racter of  the  Roman  magiftrates. 

A  fecond  character  which  hinders  us  from  accufin^  thefe  books  as 
forgeries,  is  this,  That  we  cannot  deny  but  that  thefe  books  are  of  a 
very  particular  nature  ;  they  contain  feveral  conhderable  oracles  which 
were  to  be  fulfilled  in  the  fame  generation,  as  that  of  the  deftruction  of 
'Jerufalcm-^  they  contain  a  continued  feries  of  miracles,  of  which  all 
yudea  was  witnefs  ;  they  contain  a  great  number  cf  fcrmons,  preached 
upon  feveral  illuftrious  occafions  in  the  fynagogucs,  in  the  temple  oijc- 
rufaUm^  and  before  thoufands  of  people  in  the  vvilJcrnefs.  Let  any  one 
iudge  whether  it  would  be  an  eafie  thing  to  make  th«  fe  writijigs  to  be  re- 
"^tivrd,  if  we  fhould  fuppofe  them  to  he  lately  forged. 

'J  his  third  reflexion  is  alfo  confidcrable  :  it  is  certain  that  the  Gofpel 
was  preached  in  the  greateft  cities  of  the  empire,  by  the  Apoftles,  and 
the  Dilciples  of  Jefus  :  the  hiftory  «4"  the  Apoftles^  and  their  epiftles 
thcmfelvcb  inakeit  evident,  that  there  wcic  numerous  churches  AX-Rome^ 

Corinth^ 


Ch.  XIX4  Books  of  the  New  TeJiaTrient.  4^; 

Corinth,  Ihejfalonka^  Philippic  Ephefus,  Antloch,  and  fsveral  other  famous 
places  :  it  is  alfo  known  that  there  were  Jeivifh  fynagogues  in  the  fame 
places ;  now  if  this  be  the  cafe,  what  poffibility  is  there  of  fufpeding 
the  leaft  impofture  in  the  books  of  the  Apoftles,  if  we  confider  how  they 
were  drawn  up  ?  The  Difciples  of  Chrift  did  not  only  preach  in  the  fy- 
nagogues the  fame  things  which  they  have  put  in  writing,  but  they  aha 
engaged  the  Jews  to  examine  them,  becaufe  they  affirmed  them  with  a 
conftancy  which  the  Jews  could  not  but  look  upon  as  incredible  obftina^ 
cy :  firft  of  all,  That  thefe  were  things  beyond  difpute,  and  could  not 
be  doubted  of.  Secondly,  That  they  had  been  long  fince  foretold  by  the 
Prophets.  Thirdly,  That  they  were  an  exa6l  accomplilhment  of  other 
prophecies  which  had  relation  to  the  promifed  Meffiah.  Fourthly,  That 
feeing  they  could  not  queftion  the  fa£ls  contained  in  the  Gofpel,  they 
ought  to  reriounce  Judaifm,  to  receive  baptifm  and  become  Chril'-* 
tians. 

'Tis  alfo  of  great  importance  to  obferve  further,  as  I  have  already 
done,"  that  the  books  of  the  New  Tejlament  were  penn'd  before  the  over- 
throw of  the  commonwealth  of  the  Jews.  There  are  only  fome  of  the 
works  of  S.  Johti,  which  were  writ  after  the  deftrudlion  of  Jerufalein,  I 
have  before  obfervcd  that  the  Divine  Providence  order'd  it  fo,  that  all 
the  Jews  for  five  and  thirty  years  together,  repairing  thrice  a  year  to  Je- 
rufalem  at  their  three  folemn  feftivals,  might  have  greater  opportunities 
to  inform  themfelves  of  the  truth  of  the  fails  contained  in  the  Gofpels, 
and  the  Acts  of  the  Apoftles. 

To  this  remark  I  (hall  now  add  two  weighty  confiderations  ;  the  one 
is,  That  the  Chriftians  for  fome  years  fubmitted  themfelves  to  the  cere- 
monial law,  and  repaired  with  the  Jeivs  to  Jerufalerru,  and  by  this  means 
were  engaged  to  examine  the  facts  contained  in  the  Gofpel.  The  other 
is,  That  after  the  council  of  Jerufalein,  they  were  difpenfed  v/ith  as  to 
that  cuftom,  as  well  as  the  obferving  of  all  the  other  parts  of  the  cere- 
monial law,  which  fet  the  Chriftians  in  a  greater  oppofition  to  the 
Jews,  and  fo  encreafed  the  neceffity  of  examining  very  Icrupuloully  on 
both  fides,  whatfoever  was  for  or  againft  them  in  thofe  matters  of  re- 
ligion. 

This  obfervation  leads  us  naturally  to  another,  That  it  is  abfolutely 
impoflible  that  an  impofture  of  this  nature  ftiould  not  be  difcovered, 
when  there  arifeth  a  difference  between  thofe,  who  may  be  looked  upon 
as  the  authors  of  the  forgery,  and  thofe  who  after  them  endeavoured  to 
gain  credit  to  it.  Now  if  we  find  that  one  Difciple  of  Jefus  Chrift  be- 
trays him,  without  accufing  him  of  the  leaft  crime  or  impofture  j  if  ws 
have  feen  the  Chriftians  at  firft  united  in  the  fame  aflemblies  with  the 
Jeivs ;  and  that  there  were  feveral  contefts  and  difputes  between  the 
Apoftles  and  thofe  firft  Chriftians,  yet  without  calling  thofe  fafts  which 
are  continued  in  the  Gofpel,  in  queftion  by  either  fide:  S,  PW takes 
notice  of  the  contefts  which  happened  betwixt  him  and  S.  Peter  \  S.  Luks 
relates  the  heats  between  S.  Paul znd  Barnabas,  upon  very  flight  occa- 
fions,  he  fetj  down  alfo  the  difpute  which  arofe  about  the  diftribution  of 
alms  to  the  Greek  and  Jewifh  widows  :  one  fee's  that  there  arofe  a  dif- 
pute amongft  tne  Apoftlfes  themfelves,  about  the  calling  of  the  Gentile: 
to  the  Gofpel ;  one  fee's  afterwards  the  obftinacy  of  fome  of  the  'Jeihi 

Vol.  I.  I  i  -^  of 


49 8  Rejiex'iom  upon  the  Ch.  XIX. 

of  the  fciSt  of  the  Pharifees^  who  maintained  the  ahfolutc  ncce/Tity  of  fub- 
mittiiig  to  circiimcifiop,  and  S.  Paul's  oppofition  fet  down  in  his  epiftle 
to  the  Galatiaus.  We  need  no  more  to  make  it  evident,  that  there  could 
be  no  concert  nor  collufion  between  them,  to  deceive  or  impofe  upon 
thofe  to  whom  they  preached  the  Gofpel. 

Let  us  go  a  little  further  ;  a  difpute  happens  about  a  capital  point  of 
Chriftian  religion,  about  the  refurreclion  ;  infomuch  thatS.  P^/// thinks 
himfelf  obliged  to  write  concerning  it  to  the  Corinthians,  fo  that  there 
was  a  necefTity  of  examining  the  truth  of  the  rcfurredion  of  JcfusChrift 
again. 

Now  we  find  that  S.  Paul  to  confirm  this  dodrine  in  general,  chiefly 
makes  ufe  of  the  inftance  of  the  refurredion  of  Jefus  Chrift,  which  he 
proves  by  argumicnts  taken  from  the  fa6l  it  felf,  that  is,  by  witnefles 
whom  he  produceth.  Whereupon  I  make  this  confiderable  reflexion, 
That  in  comparing  this  difpute  of  S.  PaulW\i\\  the  writings  of  the  E- 
vangelifts,  it  clearly  appears  that  they  did  not  alledge  all  the  proofs  they 
might  have  done.  None  of  them  relates  in  particular  the  number  of 
thofe  who  faw  Jefus  Chrift  in  Galilee  upon  the  holy  mountain;  but  S. 
Paid^  who  had  examined  the  faithfulncfs  of  their  relations,  and  knew 
the  witneilcs,  fpecifies  the  number,  and  obferves  that  many  of  them 
were  yet  alive,  if  perhaps  any  of  them  were  already  dead. 

I  fhall  add  only  two  confiderations  more,  which  prove  that  it  was 
even  impoflible  for  the  Apoftles  to  impofe  upon  the  world  on  this  occa- 
fion.  I'he  firft  is  taken  from  their  ftatc  and  condition.  They  are  no 
great  lords,  whofe  power  might  terrific  any  one  from  examining  their 
writings ;  or  whofe  reputation  could  not  have  been  called  in  queftion 
without  danger:  on  the  contrary,  they  were  men  of  mean  condition, 
employ'd  in  bafe  profefTions,  often  caft  into  prifons,  and  from  time  to 
time  oblig'd  to  appear  before  magiftratcs  for  the  fame  doctrine  and  the 
fame  facts  which  they  publifhed'to  the  world.  Let  us  confider  then 
whether  it  were  an  eafie  matter  for  S.  Paul  for  inftance,  I  fay  for  this  S. 
Paul^  a  maker  of  tents,  this  S.  PW  without  reputation,  without  riches; 
this  S.  Paul  who  v/as  feized  at  Jerufakin  after  divers  perfecution?,  this 
S.  Paulw\io  was  fent  a  prifoner  to'Rowe^  and  imprifoned  there  under 
the  power  of  the  Reman  magiftrate,  and  who  at  laft  loft  his  life  hy  Nero's 
order,  to  make  thofe  blindly  believe  all  he  faid,  who  were  at  liV-crty  to 
examine,  whether  all  that  Z?//?-^  related  as  happening  to  him  ztjerufalem^ 
at  Maltha,  at  Philippic  at  Jthei:s,  were  indeed  true,  or  only  a  framed 
flory. 

The  fecond  thing  wc  ought  to  obfer\'e  is.  That  not  only  the  books  of 
the  Apoftles  were  publickly  read  every  Lord's  day,  by  a  conft?.!\t  law,  of 
which  we  have  moft  authentick  witnefles,  in  the  writings  of  the  Apof- 
tles themfelves,  and  in  other  ancient  book?,  which  are  ftill  extant ;  but 
alfo  that  they  were  all  of  tticm  written,  not  in  Hthieiv,  which  at  that 
time  was  a  dead  tongue  ;  nor  in  Syrlaclc^  a  language  fpoken  in  very  few 
places  ;  but  in  Greek,  which  at  that  time  was  the  language  commonly 
received  throughout  all  the  Roman  empire;  and  befides,  was  the  lan- 
guage into  which  the  Divine  Providence  had  caufed  the  OLiTiJhmcnt  to 
be  tranflated  about  three  ages  before,  that  men  might  compare  the.  an- 
cient oracles  and  their  accompliihnitiit  together. 

CHAP.  XX. 


Ch.  XX.  Boohs  of  the  Neiu  TeJlamenQ  49^ 


CHAP.      XX. 

That  the  whole  Model  of  the  Religion  and  Co?nmonwcalih  of  the  Je^vs  is 
at  this  Day  fo  entirely  dejlroyed^  that   the   Messiah  could  no  more  he 
^:,,^oivn, 

^XX^  H  AT  I  have  before  fet  down  to  eftablifli  the  truth  of  thofe  facts 
V  W  Q  which  ferve  for  a  foundatioa  to  the  Chriftian  religion,  is  cer- 
^yv^  tainly  fufficient  to  anfwer  the  delign  which  I  formed  in  writing 
thefe  reflexions  upon  the  books  of  the  holy  Scripture  ;  and  I  believe  I 
may  with  juftice  conclude.  That  as  nothing  is  more  unconteftable  than 
the  truth  of  thofe  books  and  of  the  fa<R:s  in  them  related  ;  fo  there  is  no- 
thing more  certain  than  the  truth  and  divinity  of  the  Chriftian  religion. 
So  that  now  I  have  only  two  things  to  do,  with  which  I  conceive  it  will 
be  neceffary  to  conclude  thefe  reHcxions  :  The  one  is,  to  Ihew  the  ab- 
folute  impoflibility  of  conceiving  any  other  accomplilhment  of  the  an- 
cient oracles  than  what  is  fet  down  in  the  Gofpel :  The  other  is,  that 
concerning  the  divifions  amongfl:  Chriftians,  which  are  a  fcandal  to  the 
fews^  and  efpecially  concerning  the  difficulty  of  the  myfteries  which  the 
Gofpel  propofes,  which  are  as  fo  many  ftumbling  blocks  to  them  which 
hinder  them  from  difcerning  thofe  characters  of  truth  in  the  Gofpel, 
which  by  the  fulfilling  of  the  ancient  oracles,  appear  t'lerein  with  fo 
much  luftre.  The  former  of  thefe  fliall  be  the  fubject  of  this,  and  the 
latter  of  the  next  chapter. 

As  the  pulling  down  of  the  fcaffblds  which  were  only  fet  up  to  build 
a  palace,  is  ah  infallible  fign  that  the  building  is  finilhcd,  fo  one  may  fay, 
that  the  total  defacing  of  the  model,  which  God  had  formed  in  the  law, 
that  the  Mefliah  at  his  coming  might  be  certainly  knov/n,  is  an  unan- 
fwerable  proof  that  he  is  already  come.  It  is  worth  our  pains  to  make 
fome  reflexions  on  this  overthrow,  that  we  may  conclude  againll:  the 
Je'Lvs^  that  if  the  IVIeffiah  was  yet  to  appear  in  the  world,  it  would  be 
jmpoinble  to  know  him,  according  to  the  charadters  which  God  had 
given  of  him  before  his  appearing. 

In  the  firft  place  therefore,  whereas  God  had  confined  the  Jews  to 
the  land  of  Canaan^  that  they  might  be  vihble  to  all  the  pofterity  of  Noah^ 
of  whom  one  part,  that  is,  the  ofi-'-fpring  of  ChajUy  pofleiied  Egypt  and 
'Jfrica ;  the  poftcrity  of  Japhct^  Europe  and  the  fefler  Afia  -,  and  thofe  ot 
Shem  the  reft:  of  Jfia ;  the  fetus  at  prefent  are  driven  from  that  Goar.try, 
and  far  from  being  reftored  to  it  after  feventy  years,  as  they  were  by 
Cyrus ;  they  have  been  for  ever  banifhed  thence,  by  a  decree  of  the  em- 
perour  Jdrian,  who  forbad  them  fo  much  as  to  turn  their  eyes  towards 
"Judea^  which  v.'as  in  the  year  of  Chrift  135.  The  Heathen  Cdfus  in- 
fults  over  them  in  thefe  remarkable  words,  Th-:y  havi  kj  viore^  faith  he, 
either  land  or  houfe  re?naining  to  them. 

Secondly,  fo  far  were  they  from  having  any  remainders  of  a  temporal 
powerj  that  they  "were  then  wholly  deprived  of  it.     Sec  v/hat  Trrtuiuan 

1  i  ^  faith 


500  Rejiexiom  upon  the  Oh'.  XXt 

faith  of  them  in  the  year  of  our  Saviour  204.  (b).  They  wander  up  and 
down  the  world  like  defperfed  vagabonds,  ban'ijhed  from  their  climate  at-.d 
country^  tvithout  man^  without  God  for  their  king,  and  are  not  permitted,  as 
Jlr anger i,  to  Jit  foot  on  their  native  foil.  We  read  a  decree  of  Honorus 
the  emperour,  which  depri\  cs  them  of  the  right  of  nominating  their  pa- 
triarchs, or  of  paying  them  any  tribute  j  which  fhcws  that  their  autho- 
^■ity  was  wholly  extinch 

Thirdly,  Their  temple  at  fcrufalem  being  deftroyed  in  the  feventieth 
year  of  our  Lord,  as  that  in  Egypt  called  Onion  was  the  year  following, 
it  could  never  be  built  again,  notwithftanding  that  Jidian  the  apoftate, 
out  of  his  hatred  to  the  Chriiiians,  favoured  that  enterprife  in  the  year 
of  our  Saviour, 363.  There  is  a  letter  ftill  extant  which  'Julian  writ  to 
the  fcu'i,  to  aflure  them  of  his  protection,  and  to  encourage  them  to  that 
work,  but  it  was  not  fo  much  his  death  which  dafhed  that  undertaking, 
as  a  \Kxy  memorable  cppofition  from  Heaven. 

Marcelinus  a  Heathen  gives  us  this  account  of  it  (r ).  jind  being de fir ous 
to  propagate  the  memory  of  his  govcrnnunt  by  the  greatnejs  of  his  works,  he  with 
V  iji  expcnce  defigned  to  rebuild  thefplendid  temple  which  xvas  formerly  <?/ Jerufa- 
lem,  which  after  ynany  and  bloody  battels,  being  befieged  by  Vefpaiian,  and  af~ 
tcrvj^irds  by  litus,  xvas  at  l.*fi  taken  with  dijfculty :  he  committed  the  care  of 
hjjhiing  the  bufmels  to  Alypius  ^/"Antioch,  who  had  formerly  been  Pro-pra^ 
fid  of  Britain,  y/j  therefore  this  Alypius  was  vigoroufy  profecuting  the 
work,  being  affiled  by  the  Lieutenant  of  the  Province,  terrible  balls  of  fire 
frequently  breaking  fjrth  near  the  foundations,  fomctimes  burnt  the  ivorkmen, 
and  made  the  place  inaccejjible :  thus  the  dcfign  was  laid  afide,  the  element  it 
fi  if  beating  them  bark  on  purpofc.  fuUan  eafily  apprehended  that  their  re- 
ligion would  periili,  and  that  it  could  ncw^r  be  reflorcd  without  the 
temple. 

in  the  fourth  place,  the  obfervation  of  fome  of  their  laws  was  abfclutc- 
ly  forbidden,  as  being  contrary  to  thofe  of  the  Roman  empire.  Thus 
they  \vcre  not  fuffcred  to  ha\e  many  wives. 

Upon  this  overthrow  many  inconvenicncies  followed,  which  it  will 
be  convenient  to  reprefent  at  one  view. 

1.  rrhey  no  longer  know  thofe  perfons  who  at  the  firft  divifion  of  the 
land  by  ff^ftmc^^  were  owners  of  the  different  parts  of  the  land  of  Ca^ 
naan. 

2.  Their  families  and  tribes  are  confounded  ;  their  jubilee,  which 
could  not  be  kept  but  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  and  which  obliged  (hem  to 
lludy  their  genealogies,  having  ccafed  long  fmcc. 

3.  Ihc 

(b)  Di/perfi,  palnbundi,  Iff  ceslt,  l^  folifui  txtorrts,  'vagantur  per  erbem,  fnt 
hsmine,  fine  Deo  rtge,  quibiis  nee  advenarun  jure  terram  fatriamjaliem  vtfttgii^ 
J'alutare  lonceditur.      Apolog.  cap.  21. 

(cj  Lib.  23.  Imperiique  fui  memoriam  magnitudine  cptrum  gejiiens  fropagare^ 
ambitiofutn  quondcm  apud Hicrcjolymam  templum  qucd pofi  mulia  Cf  inter neava  ar- 
tamifia,  cbfidente  Vefpafiavo  pofiedq;  Tito,  ^gre  efl  expugnatum,  injlaurare Jumptibui 
fogitahat  imrr.odicii  :  negotiumq;  r/idturaiidicm  AUpio  didcrat  Antiochenfi,  qui  dim 
Britannias  curai'erut'Pro-prerfeSlii.  Cum  itaq;  rei  idem  fritter  infarct  AlyfiuSy 
j.ivareiq\  pro^ncia  ReHer^  -metutndt  globi  flammarum  prope  fundamtnta  (rtbriz 
ajf.dtibus  crumpenta,  fccere  locum  exujiis  aiijuoties  operatibus  innueffum:  kcc^; 
mcdv  eLmrnto  dcji-vatim  rrpelltntt^  c/JJavit  imtptum. 


Ch.  XX.  Books  of  the  New  Tejlament.  501 

3^  The  family  o{  David  \s  at  this  day  utterly-unknown. 

4.  They  have  no  more  lawful  priefts  to  obfervc  the  primogeniture,  to 
examine  the  tokens  of  virginity,  tho'  it  appears,  that  according  to  God's 
defign,  thefe  laws  were  given  on  purpofe  to  afcertain  the  knowledge  of 
the  MefTiah,  and  to  be  like  inclofures  about  this  important  truth,  in  the 
compafs  of  which  it  might  be  the  better  examined. 

Certainly  if  the  Jews  were  ftill  in  pofTeffion  of  'Judea^  if  they  had 
their  kings  of  the  tribe  of  "Judah^  if  they  had  their  priefts,  if  they  were 
ailured  of  their  genealogies,  if  they  ftill  enjoyed  all  the  other  necefTary 
means  for  eftablilhing  the  certainty  of  their  defcents,  if  their  temple  had 
ftill  fubfifted  in  its  former  luftre,  and  that  the  facrifices  appointed  by  the 
laws  were  ftill  offered  there :  the  yews  might  boldly  anfwer  that  the 
Shiloh  was  not  yet  come,  that  is,  thej  ought  not  to  defpair  of  feeing  the 
Mefilah  born  at  Bethlehem^  ot  the  feed  of  David^  and  entring  the  temple 
of  Jeriifalem.  Then  the  prophecy  of  Daniel^  which  determines  490 
years  for  the  term  in  which  the  Mefliah  was  to  appear,  and  be  cut  off 
by  a  violent  death  and  puniftiment,  would  feem  to  be  eluded. 

But  the  term  of  the  Aiefliah's  coming  is  paft,  the  commonwealth  oi 
the  yews  is  overturned,  the  temple  oi  Jerufale?n  is  dertroyed  1600  years 
fmce ;  there  are  no  more  genealogies  among  the  Jexus^  they  do  not 
know  their  tribes,  much  lefs  their  families  :  how  then  can  it  be  fuppofed 
that  God  ftiould  be  true  in  his  oracles  (as  we  muft  acknov/iedge  him  to 
be)  if  they  were  never  anfwered  by  the  event. 

To  fpcak  the  truth,  it  is  impoHible  to  confider  the  arguments  we  have 
alledgcd  to  prove  that  Jefus  Chrift  is  the  Meiliah,  and  efpecially  thofe 
demonftrations  which  the  Apoftles  have  given  us,  without  acknowledg- 
ing thefe  two  things : 

The  firft  is,  That  it  was  very  eafie  at  the  time  of  Jeftis  Chrift's  ap- 
pearing, to  examine  whether  he  who  declared  himfelf  to  be  the  Mef- 
liah, were  fo  indeed ;  fo  it  is  abfolutely  impoHible  to  examine  it,  or 
know  it,  fince  the  deftruction  of  that  model,  if  we  fuppofe  that  God  at 
iirft  framed  it,  for  the  determining  of  thi^  queftion,  as  we  have  no  reafon 
to  doubt  it. 

The  fecond  is,  That  the  Chriftians  exaclly  followed  this  Divine  mo- 
del, and  being  convinced  of  the  truth  of  the  facts  which  exactly  cor- 
refponded  witli  it,  and  which  anfwered  it  in  all  its  parts,  they  had  all  the 
reafon  imaginable  to  believe  that  Jefus  Chrift  was  the  Mefliah. 

In  ftiort,  if  we  confider  it  well,  we  ftiall  find  that  the  whole  Chriftian 
religion  is  nothing  but  a  queftion  of  facl  between  the  yeivs  and  Chrif- 
tians: but  fuch  a  queftion  as  the  yeivs  at  prefent  are  npt  in  a  condition 
to  maintain  againlf  the  Chriif  ians. 

Both  yews  and  Chriftians  agree  in  the  characters  of  the  Meffiah,  or 
at  leaft  about  the  moft  of  them.  According  to  thefe  characters  the  Mef- 
fiah ought  to  be  come  :  the  Chriftians  maintain  that  they  may  be  found 
in  Jefus  Chrift,  and  they  prove  it  by  matter  of  fadt;  wherefore  we  rauft 
conclude,  That  either  thele  characters  attributed  to  the  Meffiah,  are  not 
proper  characters  to  know  him  by,  and  fo  the  wifdom  of  God  will  be 
eluded,  and  both  yews  and  Chriftians  equally  deceived,  in  taking  that 
for  a  character  of  the  Meffiah  which  is  not;  or  clfc  thai;  both  die  Mef- 
liah 


502  Rpflexions  upon  the  Ch.  XXI. 

fiah  is  certainly  come,  and  that  he  is  no  other  than  that  Jefus  whom  \vc 
worlhip. 


4-©©^S©:g©©^S©©S©©@©^^©©M:S©S@^^^ 


|C     H     A    P.      XXI. 

That  the  Greatncfs  of  the  Myjieries  of  the  Chrl/li an  Religion  ;  and  the  Divi- 
fion  which  is  cmongft  ChrJjiians^  cannot  be  any  Prejudice  to  the  Proofs  of 
the  Truth  of  the  Chrifiian  Religion. 

rPJUJS'^  COME  now  to  examine  the  double  ftumbling  block  which 
^  I  S  the  Jews  pretend  againft  the  Chriftian  religion.  This  re/igiouy 
^«|Kj  0  fay  they,  propounds  doSfrines  that  are  inconceivable^  and  contrary  to 
rcafon  :  for  infanci\  that  of  the  Trinity,  that  of  the  Incarnation  and  the  Di- 
vinity ofthejMe/fuih.  Thefe  are  the  doctrines  which  the  Jews  reject,  as 
abfolutely  incompatible  with  the  books  of  the  Old  Tr/lament,  which  we 
have  received  from  their  hands. 

But  it  is  an  cafic  matter  to  anfwer  this  obje6lion  ;  i.  It  is  founded 
upon  a  total  forgctfulncfs  of  the  folidity  of  thole  proofs  of  fact,  which  I 
have  alledged.  Jefus  Chrift  is  rifen  from  the  dead,  this  is  a  faft  con- 
jirmed  by  feveral  witncfles.  It  appears  from  Tacitus,  that  Jefus  Chrift 
fuffered  death  under  Tiberius,  Pontius  Pilate  being  governour  of  "Judea. 
It  is  known  that  Claudius  banifhed  the  Chriliians  from  Rome,  in  the 
>'ear  of  our  Lord  54.  It  is  evident  from  Tacitus,  in  his  life  of  Nero, 
that  he  accufed  the  Chriflians  of  burning  the  city  of  Rome,  which  him- 
felf  was  the  author  of ;  the  Chjiftians  therefore  made  a  conhderable  bo- 
dv  in  the  capital  city  of  the  empire,  and  this  happened  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord  64.  Suetonius  fays  the  fame  thing.  2.  It  appears  that  Pliny,  in 
Trajan  s  time,  takes  notice  of  the  manner  of  their  meetings.  ^.  Dion 
CaJJius  fets  down  the  accufation  brought  in  againft  Flavius  and  Domitilla, 
as  againft  Atheifts  -,  which  is  the  title  Julian  the  apoftate  gives  to  Con- 
Jlajitine,  becaufe  the  Chriftians  rejected  the  worftiip  of  the  Heathen  gods. 

4.  It  appears  by  the  latter  end  of  the  A'ls  of  the  Jpo/lles  that  this  book 
was  writ  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  63,  and  yet  this  book  fuppofes  the  Gof- 
pel  of  S.  Luhe  to  have  been  written  before  it,  and  S.  Luke's  Gofpel  takes 
it  for  granted,  that  fomc  of  the  other   Gofpcls  were  already  publifhed. 

5.  It  appears  from  the  writings  of  Clemens  Romarrus,  that  the  epiftle  to 
the  Hebrews  was  then  written,  and  the  fame  may  be  gathered  from  the 
books  of  S.  Ignatius,  Polycarp,  and  S.  Jufin.  Thefe  fafts  which  are 
certain,  are  fufEcient  to  prove  that  immediately  after  the  death  of  Jefus 
Chrift,  his  Apoftles,  and  their  Difciplcs,  as  eye-v.  itnelfes,  maintained 
the  truth  of  his  refurre<Stion.  After  this  it  may  indeed  be  difputed,  by 
what  power  he  was  raifed,  whether  by  a  Divine  power,  or  by  his  own  ; 
but  it  is  ridiculous  to  difpute  the  fad  byreafonings  drawn  from  pretend- 
ed abfurdities  which  one  may  think  to  find  in  the  doctrines  of  the  Gofpel. 

Secondly,  Thefe  myftcrics,  as  for  inftancc,  that  of  the  Trinity,  re- 
lates 


Ch.  XXI.  Books  of  tloe  New  Tejiajnent.  <-0^ 

lates  to  the  Divine  nature,  which  is  inccmprehenfible,  fo  that  it  is  no 
ftrange  thing  if  an  idea  of  it  be  propofed  to  us,  which  not  bein'j;  diijinci:- 
ly  known  by  us,  may  raife  difficulties  and  perplexities  in  our  minds.  If 
I  v/ould  difcourfe  v/ith  one  born  blind,  of  the  fun,  of  its  light  and  heat, 
and  fliould  attribute  to  the  fun  the  produftion  of  light,  and  afterwards  of 
heat,  he  would  find  an  infinite  trouble  not  to  imagine  three  ilins.  It  is 
known  how  the  philofophers,  who  agreed  about  the  unity  of  the  foul 
have  notwithflanding  been  obliged  to  attribute  feveral  faculties  to  it, 
which  the  common  people  look  upon  as  very  different  things,  and  which 
fcem  to  oppofe  the  idea's  of  its  unity  and  funplicity. 

In  the  third  place.  The  Chriftians  prove  very  folidly,  that  thefe  myfte- 
ries  have  been  clearly  propofed  by  the  Apoftles,  who  received  their  li^ht 
from  heaven  as  to  thefe  truths,  and  fo  might  necefiarily  be  believed  upon 
their  word,  for  the  fame  reafon  that  the  Prophets  of  the  Old  Tejiameut 
were  formerly  believed. 

Moreover,  they  affcrt  that  thefe  doiftrines  were  firft  exprefied,  tho' 
not  fo  clearly,  iii  the  Old  Teftament^  v/hich  is  in  the  hands  of  the  Jeivs^ 
the  mortal  enem.ies  of  Chriftians. 

I  add  to  thefe  remarks,  that  moft  of  thofe  fa(5ls  whofe  truth  is  fo  in- 
vincibly ellabliflied,  fuppofe  thefe  doftrines ;  and  that  the  whole  frame 
of  the  religion  doth  fo  neceflarily  require  them,  that  we  rob  it  of  a  con- 
fiderable  part  of  its  glory  in  queftioning  or  contefting  any  of  them. 

Thefe  reflexions  may  fuffice  in  general  to  refolve  this  difficulty  of  the 
Jews ;  and  for  a  more  particular  fatisfadion,  we  refer  the  reader  to  thofe 
books  which  purpofely  treat  of  thefe  myfteries,  defiring  him  to  obferve 
carefully,  that  commonly  the  mod  difficult  objections  of  Hereticks  ao-ainfl 
thefe  matters,  do  rather  oppofe  the  terms  which  are  made  ufe  of,  or  the 
notions  which  men  follow  in  fpeaking  of  thefe  truths,  than  the  propofi- 
tions  contained  in  the  writings  of  the  New  Tejlament. 

At  leaft  one  may  be  aflured,  that  the  Jews  are  conftrained  to  refolve 
feveral  parallel  objeitions,  to  which  one  can  fcarcely  give  a  fiUisfa^lory 
anfwer,  without  borrowing  fome  diftinctions  and  notioiis  from  the  Chril- 
tians.  « 

Neither  can  the  fecond  objection  of  the  Jews  give  us  any  more  dif- 
turbance.  It  is  true  that  there  have  been  divifion's  amonglf'Chrillians, 
and  are  ftill  to  this  day ;  What  can  we  conclude  thence  ?  Can  we  rea- 
fonably  conclude  that  therefore  the  firft  founders  of  Chriflianity  were 
doubtful  concerning  the  truth  of  thofe  fads  which  are  the  fupport  and 
foundation  of  it. 

On  the  contrary,  upon  an  attentive  obfervation  one  may  find, 

1 .  That  herefies  have  only  fcrved  to  render  the  truth  of  thefe  fa^s 
more  inconteftable,  by  obliging  thofe  that  had  confider'd  of  them,  to 
examine  their  certainty  with  more  care  and  application.  This  is  the 
judgment  one  ought  to  make  upon  all  thofe  herefies  in  the  fecond  aoe, 
about  the  truth  of  the  flefli  of  Jefus  Chrill:,  or  about  the  truth  of  his 
death  :  from  thence  men  took  occafion  to  take  notice  of,  and  collect  with 
great  care  all  the  circum/lances  that  prove  the  truth  of  both  thefe  facl^. 

2.  We  find  that  the  greateft  part  of  thefe  contefts  do  not  concern  the 
truth  of  the  fads,  but  the  feveral  confequences  d^rzv^n  from  them,  the 
truth  of  thofe  matters  continuing  flill  beyond  difpute.     This  we  find  in 

i  the 


rc4  Refiexiovs  up<Ai  the,  Lfc.  Ch.  XXI# 

the  (iirpute  ralfed  about  the  milleniurn^  the  truth  of  the  promifes  of  Jcfus 
Chrift  being  equally  believed  by  both  the  difputing  parties ;  but  diffe- 
rently underftood,  according  to  the  temper  of  thofc  that  confidcr'd  of 
them  ;  fome  forming  grof;  and  fenfuai  conceptions  concerning  them  ; 
others  having  a  more  fpiritual  relifh,  which  they  had  acquired  by  ftudy- 
ing  the  prophecies,  and  their  true  fenfc. 

3.  We  find  that  this  divifion  which  hath  fprung  up  amongft  Chriflians, 
is  one  of  the  moft  folid  proofs  of  the  truth  of  the  books  of  the  New  Tef- 
tament.  If  fome  fools  have  endeavoured  to  decry  fome  of  them,  or  to 
falfifie  fome  particular  places,  we  fee  that  both  parties  unite  to  repel  that 
violence,  by  producing  their  copies,  and  beating  back  the  impoflors 
with  their  united  ftrcrigth.  One  fee's  that  Tertulliatiy  tho'  a  MontanlJ}^ 
writ  prcfcriptions  againil  Hcreticks  ;  and  Eplphanlus  takes  notice  (with- 
out any  rcfpccl  to  fome  that  were  orthodox)  of  their  crime  in  blotting 
out  of  their  copies,  that  Chrift  had  wept. 

It  is  known  that  the  divifion  of  the  "Jetvs  into  Karaites  and  Thahnu' 
diJls^  the  jealoufie  between  the  Jews  and  Sa?naritans,  and  the  divifion 
between  the  Je-ws  and  ChrijTians^  is  a  means  of  preferving  the  Scripture, 
and  hindering  its  corruption,  each  party  being  very  vigilant  to  hinder 
their  adverfaries  from  attempting  any  thing  to  its  prejudice,  in  corrupt- 
ing a  book  which  they  confider  as  common  to  them  all. 

I  might  obfcrve  many  other  advantages  which  accrew  to  the  truth  from 
thefe  human  failings  ;  but  I  will  only  inftance  in  one,  which  has  always 
feem'd  to  me  very  confiderable  ;  and  that  is,  7  hat  thefe  Hereticks  dif- 
tindly  prove  the  truth  of  the  predi6lions  of  our  Saviour.  An  impious 
perfon  would  have  rcafon  to  accufe  our  oracles  as  falfe,  if  there  had  ne- 
ver been  any  herefies.  But  truth  triumphs  in  feeing  fo  great  a  multitude 
of  them,  who  the  more  they  cncreafe,  the  more  Ihe  fee's  her  felt  con- 
firm'd  and  cftablifhcd.  7'his  is  the  reafon  induced  God  to  permit  fo 
great  an  increafe  in  the  firft  ages,  when  the  truth,  meeting  with  the 
greateft  oppofition  by  perfccutions,  ftood  in  the  greateft  need  of  fenfible 
charadlers,  by  which  it  might  be  known. 

I  conclude  this  work  with  defiring  my  reader  to  confider  thefe  re- 
£exions  upon  the  holy  Scripture  here  propounded,  with  a  ferious  atten- 
tion, and  to  examine  the  coherence  and  indifl'oluble  connexion  ot  them  ; 
and  with  prayer  to  God  that  it  may  plcafe  him  to  make  them  ferviceable 
to  advance  the  glory  of  his  Name,  which  is  the  only  end  1  have,  propofed 
to  myfclf  in  the  writing  of  ihcm 


END  OF  VOLUxME  FIRST. 


"22  Sir 


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