CHAPTER I.
Concerning the Fundamentals of the Christian Religion.

WE are to consider three things in the Christian Religion; the Matters of Fact it propounds to us for true, the Promises it affords us, and the Wor­ship it commands.

The Matters of Fact it propounds to us as true, are; that God created the World, that he [Page 2]formed the first Man, from whom the rest of mankind have been propagated, that a while af­ter this Man was created, he violated the Law, God had given him; and that whereas he de­served to have perished for this his disobedience, God was pleased, instead thereof, to comfort him with the hopes of a Saviour which was to be born of the Seed of his Wife; that God hath actu­ally sent this Saviour into the World, which com­prehends the whole Oeconomy of Christ, viz. His Birth, Life, Preaching, Miracles, Death, Resurrecti­on, and Ascension into Heaven, &c.

The Promises it vouchsafes, are the forgive­ness of our Sins, the Resurrection of our Bodies, and a state absolutely happy for ever in Hea­ven.

And lastly, the Worship or Divine Service it prescribes consists in Obedience to the Law of God, in Prayer for the pardon of our Sins, and his Protection, and in a grateful Acknowledge­ment of what we owe him for all his Benefits towards us.

The first of these three parts of the Christian Religion, viz. The Truth of the Matters of Fact it relates, may be said to be the foundation of the other two, viz. The Promises and Com­mands.

It is impossible to be perswaded, that God hath created this World in which we live, and made Mankind of one and the same blood; that after the Fall he promised to save Men, and did actually redeem them in sending Jesus Christ, who suffer'd Death, and being rais'd the third [Page 3]day Ascended into Heaven, &c. I say, it is im­possible to look upon these Facts as true with­out being assured that God will accomplish the Promises he hath made to us.

And it is as evident that we cannot be con­vinc'd of the truth of these Matters, without be­ing sensible of a strong obligation laid upon us to perform all the Duties of the Christian Religion.

As soon as a Man reflects upon his being Gods Creature, he finds himself naturally oblig'd, to obey God universally, according to his utmost ability: but when he comes further to believe, that God did not destroy the first Man for his dis­obedience; but was graciously pleased to promise him a Saviour for himself and all his Posterity; and when moreover he is assured, that God hath really sent this Saviour in the way and manner the Gospel relates to us, we cannot conceive, but that he must find himself under the highest en­gagements imaginable of rendring to God a re­ligious obedience; and believing his Promises.

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 Worship; God by redeeming him hath obtained a new claim to, and right over him, and a more indispensable ob­ligation is laid upon Man to submit himself to God in all religious Concerns, as being not only created but also redeemed by him.

Reason acknowledgeth, that if the truth of these things be once admitted, nothing can be more just and natural, than those consequences which the Christians thence infer.

All the difficulty therefore, that occurs in this Matter, consists in the proof of those Facts which the Christian Religion propounds to us; that is to say in proving the Creation of the World, the Fall of Man, the Promise of a Redeemer, his coming into the World, his Miracles, Death, Resurrection, Ascension into Heaven, &c. which are the Foundations of the Christian Re­ligion. And indeed these are the very matters of which Atheists and Libertines require a solid proof.

And it doth the more concern us to satisfie their demands; forasmuch as the Jews, who are scatter'd throughout the whole World, do op­pose our assertion, that the Promise of sending the Messiah, is already accomplish'd, tho' they agree upon the matter with us in all other Arti­cles. Moreover the performing this Task may very much contribute to the Conversion of a great number of bad Christians, whose sall and continuance in vices, and licentiousness is to be ascrib'd to their being so weakly perswaded of the truth of these Fundamentals, and that because they have never consider'd of them with suffici­ent attention.

CHAP. II.
That the Christian Religion is founded upon Proofs of Mattter of Fact.

FOrasmuch as in order to establish the truth of the Christian Religion, we confine our selves at present to those proofs which make out the Matters of Fact it proposes; omitting all other arguments, which may evidence the truth of it, tho' possibly no less convincing; it is obvious, that the proofs we are to produce in confirmation of them, must be such as are proper to evince the truth of things long since past and done.

If we were treating of the Events of the time we live in, it might be justly required, that we should produce Eye-witnesses of them; but forasmuch as the question here is concerning matters long since past, it is natural for us to have recourse to History, which furnisheth us with the relations of those, who where Eye-wit­nesses of the same. This being the only way left us to confirm our belief of things at so great a distance from us.

I am beholding to History only for the know­ledg I have of a Cyrus, an Alexander, or a Caesar; and yet 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 since past, is much inferiour to that [Page 6]which we have of matters confirm'd to us by Eye-witnesses. Nevertheless, because 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 existence of such men as Cyrus and Alexander for Fables, upon the pretence, that none now alive did ever see them, or because there are scarce any traces left of those Empires of which they were the Founders.

Indeed the certainty we have of these things is such, as nothing can be superadded to it, for tho' it be founded on the Authority of Histori­ans, who liv'd many Ages ago, yet withal we are to consider 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 Histories of following Ages; which cannot be questioned, if we consider the connexion and dependance of the things re­lated, according to the light of Sense, and the e­quity of Reason.

A Matter of Fact then is accounted certain, when it is attested by those who were Eye-witnes­ses of it, when recorded by an Historian, who liv'd amongst those who had perfect knowledg of it; when the Matter is not gainsaid or contradicted by any; if we find it pen'd at a time, when the things could not be related by any otherwise than indeed they were, without exposing them­selves to publick derision: And last of all, when the matter is found to be of that nature, as none could be ignorant of it, either because it was the [Page 7]interest of every one to be inform'd of it, or be­cause the thing was so publick that it could not be hid from any, or lastly because of its natural connexion with all those other Events which necessarily depend on it.

To speak plain it is very unjust to demand either more proofs, or such as are of another na­ture, for the confirmation of the Truth of our Religion, than are required to verisie any other matters of Fact. Why should not the Testimo­ny of Noahs Children be sufficient to conclude there was such a man as Methusalem in case they assure us that they have seen him? Or why should not the testimony of Methusalem be of credit enough, to prove there was such a Man as Adam, if he avers that he saw him, and con­vers'd with him? Do'nt we every day give cre­dit to the account which old men give us of their Predecessors, especially when we find that what they relate hath an exact reference and conne­xion with those things we are Eye-witnesses of.

But it is an easie thing to make it appear, that the proofs which evidence the Truth of the matters which our Religion proposeth, are in­finitely more strong and convincing.

All the circumstances 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 single Testimony of an Hi­storian a sufficient proof that there was once a very famous Temple at Delphos or Ephesus; not­withstanding [Page 8]that all the Monuments remain­ing at this day to confirm his relation be very doubtful and defective. Whereas I shall make it appear that an entire Nation, yea many Na­tions do attest the truth of those Matters which the Christian Religion proposes, and that all the Actions, Discourses, and whole Series of Events thereto relating, do furnish us with an infinite number of characters, which invincibly signa­lize the Truth of the Holy Scrïptures.

CHAP. III.
Some General Remarks in order to establish the Truth of Holy Scripture.

FOrasmuch as I have undertaken to prove the truth of the Matters of Fact contain'd in our Religion from the testimony of the Pen­men of the Old and New Testament, it will be proper, in order to the executing of my de­sign to begin with a general proof of the Truth of the said Books, which will not be difficult if one makes the following remarks.

The First is, That it appears from the Five Books of Moses, that he wrote the History of the Creation of the World, and of the Promise of the Messiah; of the Deluge, the Rise and Pedigree of the several Nations of the World, of the Division of Tongues; and in particular the History of the Family of Abraham until the entring of the Children of Israel into Palestina 2552 years after the Creation of the World.

The Second is, That the following Books, viz. of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, the four Books of Kings, of Chronicles, with the Books of Ezrah and Nehemiah, are a Continuation of the said History, from the entring of the Jews into Pa­lestina, until their re-establishment in the said Country, about the year of the World 3600. Here we read the Conquest of Palestina under the Conduct of Joshua, how it was divided a­mongst the Tribes after they had destroyed, drove out or subdued the Inhabitants thereof; how often they were brought into bondage by the bordering Nations, whose rise and pretensi­ons Moses sets down. Here we have recorded the several Names and actions of the Judges, which God from time to time raised to the Israelites, to restore them to their first estate. Here we have an account of the establishment of a Kingly Government amongst them, which hap­pened about the year 2909; as likewise of the division of this people into two Kingdomes, which for three Ages together were most op­posite in their interests, and made great wars against each other, as well as against their neigh­bouring States. We find here the utter ruin of the most puissant of these two States, viz. That of Israel by the Arms of the Kings of Assyria, a­bout the year of the World 3283, and after that, the destruction of that of Judah, by Ne­buchadnezar King of the Chaldeans, Anno Mundi 3283. And last of all we have an account of the Jews Restoration by Cyrus King of Persia, and the State of the Jews under his Successors.

The Third thing observable is, That in the remaining Books of the Old Testament we find several historical Relations relating to both Kingdomes, with several prophecies relating to their decay and restoration, as likewise many Discourses of Morality and Piety; and that all these relations and prophecies appear to have been writ at such a time, and with those circumstances, which have a natural reference to what the other Books recite to us, and an essential Relation to the Books and Laws of Mo­ses, which we find to be the foundation of all these prophesies, relations, and whatsoever else we find there concerning their Government or Religion.

The Fourth is, That the Books of the New Testament contain an exact relation of the Life of Jesus Christ, who appeared to the World un­der the Reign of Tiberius, of the establishment of his Religion in the World, together with some disputes with the Jews, who refused to own him for the Messiah promised by the Pro­phets; and lastly Prophesies declaring what in in process of time was to happen both to the Jews and Christians until the end of the World. These Books take the Truth of Moses's Wri­tings every where for granted, as also of all the other Sacred Writings of the Old Testa­ment, both Historical, Prophetical and Moral.

These Four particulars do in a manner give us an intire Idea of the Holy Scripture; and we shall scarcely stand in need of ought else to manifest the Truth of those Writings, if we [Page 11]consider those undisputable matters of fact I am now to speak of, and will but make some very natural reflexions upon them.

The First is, That the Christians, notwith­standing their being divided into several Sects and Parties, presently after our Saviours time, have, and do still, in all places, every first day of the Week, read the Books of the New Te­stament translated into their respective Lan­guages; so that it appears absolutely impossible that any spurious Writings should have been slipt in amongst them.

The Second is, That as the Christians have had the Books of the Old Testament amongst them in Greek these 1600. years, so the Heathens had them in that Language 300. years before, being translated by order of one of the Ptolomy's Kings of Egypt, whither a considerable party of the Jews were carried, after that Alexander the Great had conquered the greatest part of Asia, having overthrown the Empire of Persia, to which the Jews were in subjection.

The Third is, That tho' the Jews had not all the Books of the Old Testament from the be­ginning of their Commonwealth, they that followed the Party of Jeroboam, and formed the Kingdom of Israel, having only had the Five Books of Moses amongst them: yet notwith­standing their irreconcilable hatred against the House of David, they have most religiously pre­served the said Books from Anno Mundi 3030. in which the divisions of the two Kingdoms happen'd, even until this day.

The Fourth and last is, That as the Jews e­very where at this day, read the Books of Mo­ses and of the Prophets each Sabbath day (which is also observed by the Samaritanes) and the Christians read them every first day of the week; so the Jews have always continued to read them for a long series of Ages, as esteeming it a great part of the sanctification of the Sabbath. Besides which they also solemnly read them e­very seventh year in obedience to a Law of Moses, as being one of the principal parts of their Religion.

I say, that the sole consideration of these matters of fact (which are indisputable) are sufficient to prove in general the truth of the Books of the Old and New Testament.

First then, I affirm, that it is as ridiculous to maintain, that the Books of the Old and New Testament, translated into so many Languages, cited by an infinite number of Authors, and which have been the subject of various disputes from the very times of the Apostles or soon af­ter, should be supposititious, as to aver, that the Books of Justinian, or Mahomets Alcoran, have been falsly obtruded on the World under their names. I speak now only of the Books themselves, not of the truth of the History they contain.

Secondly, It is ridiculous to suppose, that the Books of the Old Testament were forged since the time of Ptolomy Philadelphus; foras­much as they have been in the hands of the Heathens themselves ever since that time.

Thirdly, It is as inconsistent to suppose them contrived since the time of the separation of the ten Tribes from Judah, because we find the Books of Moses among the Samaritanes, who have pre­served them ever since their Revolt, without a­ny other change, but what is incident to all Ma­nuscripts, that pass through many hands.

I grant indeed that the Samaritans have none of the other Books of the Old Testament; but this being to be look'd upon only as an effect of their departure from the Kingdom of Judah, it cannot in the least shake the certainty we have of those Books. For first the three other Tribes had them and preserv'd them with the greatest care, esteeming them of Divine Au­thority. Secondly, there were also reasons of State, which made the Kings of Israel, not to regard the divisions made by Joshuah of the Land of Canaan, nor the authority of the Priesthood; which Reasons of State (hereafter mentioned) where the cause why the ten Tribes would not allow the same authority to some of those Books, which were written be­fore their Revolt, as those of Samuel, and the writings of David and Solomon, which they did to the Pentateuch of Moses. Most of the others we know were pen'd since the Division of the two Kingdomes, and so did more particularly respect the Kingdom of Judah, and some them after the carrying away of the ten Tribes by the Assyrians.

Thus we see the Truth of these Books, and more especially those of Moses confirmed till the [Page 14]time of the revolt of the ten Tribes, and con­firm'd beyond exception; at least 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 Moses we find not the same certainty, when we look back from the departure of the ten Tribes to the time of Moses, that is to say whe­ther there be the least probability, that they were forged in any part of that interval of a­bout 580 years.

I say then in the Fourth place, that it is no less ridiculous to suppose them forged during that period. First, because it is impossible, that these Books should have been forged in the form we now see them, but that the Forgery must have been apparent to all the World. Nothing could be more notorious, than whe­ther the Jews did read the Law of Moses e­very Sabbath day in all their Families or Sy­nagogues, and every Seventh year besides: No­thing was of more easie observation than whe­ther they did keep their three solemn Feasts, viz. that of the Passover, Pentecost, and of Tabernacles: Nothing could be more apparent than whether the Jews did obey the Laws con­tained in the Pentateuch, whether relating to particular persons, to Tribes, or their Lands, and the manner of possessing of them. Indeed nothing can be imagin'd more absurd than to suppose an insensible change wrought either in in the Form of their Civil Government, or the Ceremonies of their Religion.

Indeed it is an unsufferable peice of bold­ness to charge the Jews with forging these Books of Moses, or adulterating of them in this period of time, when it appears they have kept them without any alteration for the space of 2700 years, as hath been shewed already: If it be said, that the Jews being divided into two Kingdomes, and dispersed into distant Coun­treys, were not in a condition to forge or a­dulterate any of the said Books, because it might easily have been discovered; it may be answer­ed, that the same reasons took place in this in­terval of 580 years, for from the time of Moses to Rehoboam they were not only greatly divid­ed amongst themselves, but almost continually subject to neighbouring States, who subdu­ed them by turns, as we see in the Book of Judges.

Moreover we are to take notice, First that these Books of Moses are the rise and foundati­on of the Laws and Customes of the Heathens, as well as of their Fictions, which we shall have occasion to point at in the sequel of this Dis­course.

Secondly, That the History contained in the Pentateuch, is evidently confirm'd by the following Books of Joshuah and Judges, which have an essential reference to the same, and contain a relation of the publick acts of many Nations, attested, and acknowledged by Hea­then Authors, who were the mortal Enemies of the Jews.

Thirdly, That the said Books are so close­ly [Page 16]link'd and related to those publick and known actions, that it is impossible to separate the Laws they contain from the Matters of fact attested by Pagan History, or to be ignorant that the Form of the Jewish Government, was nothing else, but an execution of the Laws contained in the Pentateuch, which equally lays down that Platform of their Policy and worship.

My business at present only is to hint these general Reflexions concerning the Truth of the Books of the Old and New Testament; tho the se­quel will oblige me to make some more particular Reflexions upon each Book, when I shall come to consider the several Relations they contain.

I now come to the Matter in hand, begin­ning with the Book of Genesis; where we find an account of the Creation of the World, the Forming of Man, the Fall, the Promise of the Messiah, the Propagation of Mankind, the De­luge, with other Matters until the Death of Joseph, which contains the History of the World for the space of 2369 years.

CHAP. IV.
That the Testimony of Moses concerning the Creation of the World, and the Promise of the Messiah, is unquestionable.

FOrasmuch as amongst those Matters which Moses relates in the Book of Genesis, that [Page 17]of the Creation of the World in seven days, and of the Promise of the Messiah, are such upon which all the rest do depend (as I shall shew hereafter) it is evident, that I must make it my business in a special manner to evince the truth of the same.

Towards the confirmation of which matters of fact, the one of which is, that God Created a first Man; the other, that God hath promised in due time to send the Messiah for Redemption of Mankind from the punishment of sin, I shall pro­pose these following Remarks.

Moses the great Law-giver of the Jews, laid these two Matters of Fact as the Basis of the Laws he was to publish; and he relates them to us, as things which were not only known to him, and some others of the Jewish Nation, but to all the People of the World; and particularly the whole Nation amongst whom he lived.

To understand the force of this Argument we must mind three things; the First is, the Nature of the Matters themselves, the other is the Chara­cter of him that relates them; and the third, the use Moses makes of them.

For the first, nothing was more needful to be known than these two things before us; 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 easie to be deceiv­ed, every one being in a condition to satisfie himself about them, and of which consequently they could not but be most throughly in­formed.

I dare maintain that there are no Facts in prophane History of importance, comparable to [Page 18]these of the Creation of the World, and the Pro­mise of the Messiah, as Moses has related them.

2. And as for the Author, who relates these points, it is as plain that his Character did won­derfully contribute to the making of his Book fa­mous. He was a Man Illustrious, as well by rea­son of his Education, as the Rank he held a­mongst Men; a Man equally expos'd to the Judg­ment of Enemies and Friends, and who could not vent theleast thing contrary to truth, in Mat­ters of great importance, without seeing himself immediately refuted, or rather without exposing himself to publick scorn.

Besides I aver, and am ready to maintain, that we find no Author of so illustrious a Character as Moses was, or who is distinguish'd with so many essential marks of Faithfulness and Veracity, as appears throughout the whole Tenour of his Writings.

3. This will appear more evidently when we consider the use to which Moses designs these two Relations of the Creation of the World, and the Promise of the Messiah.

In a word, his design was not in furnishing his Books with the Recitals of these important Facts to engage others to read them with more attention, or to get himself reputation, by exci­ting a Curiosity in people for his Books. This would not have been becoming the Gravity and Wisdom of so great a Legislator, of whom all succeeding Ages have borrowed their Laws.

It is apparent, that his end in the recording of these Matters was to inspire with a sense of Piety and Religion, those who were committed to his charge.

This is that which in general we may observe a­bout these Matters; but more particularly it is cer­tain, that Moses his end in recording the Oracles by which God promised to Abraham the establishing his Posterity in the land of Canaan, was to repre­sent to the Jews the right they had to that Land, according to the design and intent of the Divine Wisdom.

But without making this particular Reflexion, it is clear, that the Law took its beginning at the twelfth of Exodus, where God prescribes to his People the manner of celebrating the Passover; at least this is the first Law which God gave them through the Ministry of Moses; but forasmuch as Moses his end was to justifie in the minds of his People, the design he had to make them leave Egypt as well as their pretensions to the Land of Canaan, whither he was to lead them; it was na­tural for him to lay before them the ground of those Pretensions, which he could not do with­out relating the whole Series of the History until the time of their Bondage in Egypt, which we read in Genesis; the greatest part of which only concerns the Ancestors of that People, after that Moses had first laid down the grounds of Religion, and that which was known to all Nations.

Let us now imagin to our selves a Man endea­vouring all of a suddain to introduce into the World the belief of things so far distant from common apprehension as these two points must needs be, viz. That of the Creation, and the Promise of Christ, in case we suppose them ge­nerally unknown. Let us yet further conceive a Man not only relating those things, but making [Page 20]them the foundation of a new sort of Laws never before heard of. Is there any Wit, or Judgment in such an undertaking? Can we therefore sup­pose that Moses, whose Writings testifie his great Wisdom, should ever have entertain'd such unac­countable thoughts.

I dare aver that there was any never Legislator so stupid and inconsiderate, as to pretend to engage a whole people to submit themselves to the yoke of obedience, and to receive a great number of Laws respecting their Civil Government and Reli­gion, by declaring to them two Fictions, of which they had never before had the least Idea.

It is also very considerable, that these things are not recited by Moses as a Preface to the Deca­logue, as if then first they had been proposed to Moses, or the People by God; but Moses sets them down as Truths known to them all, and as Principles, universally admitted, and such as the meer mentioning of them could not but strong­ly engage the Jews to render a ready obedience to the Laws which God gave to Moses in their presence of the Divine Authority, of which their very Senses were convinc'd.

Let us also consider the nature of those things, the Relation of which Moses has joined with these two General Points, to make an impression on the Minds of the Jews. Let us consider the account he gives them of their Ancestors, near­er or farther off, whom he represents as equally inform'd of these Matters, as having severally delivered the knowledge of them to their Chil­dren, and having join'd to these first Truths of the Creation, and the Promise of a Saviour, many [Page 21]other Notions thereon depending, and which ti­ed their hopes and expectations, to the Land of Ca­naan. And now judge whether Moses were not to be accused of great folly and senselesness, if he had proceeded to make such a vast People (all of the sudden) to receive for Truths publickly and generally owned, what indeed was nothing but the most ridiculous and ill cohering Romance that ever was broached.

Now since as it is visible (taking in the Cir­cumstances I have hinted) that the Authority of such an Historian and Law-giver as Moses was, relating such importent Matters cannot be call'd in question; it follows, that the Atheist can have nothing to object against his Testimony with the least shadow or pretence of reason. So that we may already assert, that there is nothing better attested than the Creation of the World, and the Promise of Christ, which are the immoveable Foundations of the Christian Religion.

Nevertheless for a more evident Conviction, we are willing, before we draw this Conclusion, to make it appear how weak and inconsiderable all those Objections are, which Atheists can possibly frame against what Moses relates concerning these Matters.

What can they with Reason object? Perhaps they'l say, that Moses is not the Author of Genesis, but that it was foisted in under his Name, and consequently, that whatsoever is built upon the Authority of Moses and his evidence, is all without ground. Or they may object, that if Moses be indeed the Author of Genesis, that he lived at such a [Page 22]distance of time from the things which he relates, that it makes void the authority of his Writings. They may moreover alledge, that Moses relates things impossible, and of which therefore those that mentioned them before, the things them­selves being so long since past and done, could not be fully inform'd of, and that they may well be suppos'd greatly changed and alter'd by a Tradition of so many Ages. They may also alledge, that according to the common Opinion, Moses penn'd not these things as an Historian, but as a Prophet; and that the apprehension of most concerning his Books are, that he wrote of things, whereof the knowledge before his time, was very obscure and confuse, or rather were generally unknown.

They may object against these relations of Mo­ses, that which the most ancient People, such as the Aegyptians, Chaldeans, and Chinese, alledge for their Antiquity, which far surpasseth the date of the World according to Moses.

These are the principal ways to assault the Truths which Moses relates, either by maintain­ing with the Atheists on one hand, that the things which Moses relates, are indeed mentioned by other Authors, but that they forged them them­selves; or that Moses being an able and refin'd Politician design'd by Creating a belief of these Matters in the Jews, to make them more submis­sive and obedient to him.

In a Word, it may be said, that supposing the Book of Genesis to be writ by Moses, it was an easie matter for him to dictate whatsoever he pleased to a People who were under a Law that made [Page 23]it Capital to call in question the truth of his Relations, or the Authority of his Laws.

This certainly is the farthest, to which the height of Obstinacy can carry this matter, and the very last refuge of the strongest prejudice. But it is an easie matter to confound the Atheists and Libertines in every one of these Articles, and to shew that all their Objections do in effect serve for nothing else but to make a more lively impression of this Argument taken from Matter of fact, which I have undertaken to set forth in a full and clear light.

CHAP. V.
That Moses is the Author of the Book of Genesis.

I Shall in the Sequel of this Discourse make it appear, that we cannot with reason, contest the Authority of a Tradition which hath those Characters which we find in the Relations con­tain'd in the Book of Genesis: The only thing that can be question'd in this matter is, Whether Mo­ses the great Captain of the Israelites, and Foun­der of their Common-wealth, be the Author of it. This therefore is the thing which we ought solidly to evince.

Tho it seems that we might dispense with this trouble: forasmuch as it is easie to shew, that the greatest part of the most considerable Events, [Page 24]which are recorded in the Book of Genesis, were generally believed by others, as well as the Jews.

At least it must be granted, that these Matters have given occasion to most 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 Prometheus, to that of Jupiter's continued Laugh­ter for the seven first days of his Life, which they look'd upon as the Original of the Solemnity of the seventh day, known amongst the Heathens; to that of the Golden Age, and of the Deluge; to the Name of Deucalion, to the Fable of Janus, to that of the Division of the World amongst Sa­turn's Sons, to the Name of Jupiter Hammon, to the Fable of the Titans, and of the changing of Wo­men into Statues of Stone; to the Stories of the Incest 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 otherwise explained, as the lear­ned have shewn at large.

Whosoever was the Author of Genesis, whether Moses or another, sure it is that he was exactly in­form'd of the Matters he relates, and that he li­ved soon after Joseph.

First then I say, that it appears he was fully in­form'd of those matters of which he treats; he sets down the Names of the Heads or Fathers of the several Nations of the World, and does it so, that what he saith doth very well agree with what the most Ancient Historians have left us concerning that matter: He speaks of these Nati­ons, of the Countreys they possest, and their [Page 25]Kings, as of things he was perfectly inform'd of: He very carefully distinguishes the Original of these several Nations; and the same being at that time commonly known, no Historian could represent them otherwise than they were, with­out exposing himself to the laughter of all by en­deavouring to mix Fables with Relations of this nature.

In the Second place, I say, that this Book was writ by a Man that lived soon after Joseph: He speaks very exactly of what Joseph did in his place of chief Minister to Pharaoh; in particular, he sets down the first Original of the fifth Penny which the Egyptians so many Ages after, continu­ed to pay to their Kings, being a thing which no Egyptian could be ignorant of.

And Lastly, It is visible, that this Book serves for an Introduction to Exodus, and the following Books, which have no other Foundation, but the truth of those things which are related to us there; and do throughout allude and refer to the several passages of it; and that all Matters of Religion and Worship, contained in them, are founded upon the truth of the Creation, and the Promise of the Messiah, which we find in Genesis; and upon the truth of all those other succeeding Mat­ters of Fact, until the coming of the Children of Israel into Egypt, when Joseph was chief Favourite, and Minister of Pharaoh.

But we have yet a more easie way to make out that Moses, whose History is contain'd in Exodus, and the following Books, is the Author of Genesis.

For first, it cannot be deny'd, that the Hea­thens themselves have acknowledged Moses for the most antient Law-giver; for this, we have the Testimonies of Plato, Polemus, Artapanus, Pythago­ras, Theopompus, and Diodorus Siculus, who places Moses in the front of Six of the most antient Law givers thus; Moses, Sauchnis, Sesonchosis, Bachoris, Amasis, and Darius Father of Xerxes.

But further, if when the Lacedemonians tell us of the Laws of their Law-giver Lycurgus; and the Athenians of those of their Solon, we think our selves oblig'd to believe them; because natu­rally every Nation is suppos'd to be a faithful De­positary of the Laws of him who first founded their Government; yea, if we do not in the least doubt of these Relations, though there be no People at this day, who live according to the Laws of Lycurgus, or Solon; can any valuable reason be imagined, for us to doubt, whether Moses wrote the Book of Genesis, when an entire Nation have constantly averr'd, that he did so? I say, when all the Jews, who continue at this day, do in all places, where they are scatter'd through­out the World equally, and with one consent, maintain, that they received this Book from him, together with the Laws and Worship therein con­tain'd? Nay, when it is notorious, that many of them have suffer'd Martyrdom in confirmation of this Truth?

I omit now to mention the consent of the Chri­stians, who tho' they be not descended of Abraham, and do not observe the greatest part of the Laws of Moses, yet do not cease highly to defend this truth throughout the World, the Gospel in their sense [Page 27]being nothing else, but the literal accomplishment of that Promise, The Seed of the Woman, shall bruise the Head of the Serpent. I shall shew in the Sequel of these my Reflexions, with how much Justice they assent to this Truth; but at present I tie my self only to the Testimonies of the Jews, and that which confirms the Authority thereof.

CHAP. VI.
That the Book of Genesis could not be forged under the Name of Moses.

I Should never have done, should I go about to set down all the Observations which might be made incomparing this Book of Genesis, with other Histories, commonly known to the World; and whose faithfulness is unquestionable. Without entring upon this comparison, we may boldly as­sert, that there is no History in the World, whose Author we can be so sure of, as that Moses was the Pen-man of Genesis.

But I go further, and assert, that the Jews could not be mistaken in the Testimonies they give to this Truth, which I prove by these two Remarks.

The First is, That their Observations both Ci­vil and Religious, are at this day founded upon no other Principles, than those which we find in Genesis: As for instance, they compute the beginning of their day from the preceding Evening; they [Page 22] [...] [Page 23] [...] [Page 24] [...] [Page 25] [...] [Page 26] [...] [Page 27] [...] [Page 28]keep the Sabbath, they observe Circumcision, they abstain from eating the Muscle which is in the hollow of the Thigh, &c. The Observation of which Laws is indeed prescrib'd to them in the other Books of Moses, but the occasion and ground of them all, is no where to be found but in Genesis, to which all these Laws have a natural Relation.

The Second is, That the Book of Genesis, ta­king for granted, that the Posterity of Abraham, as well as his Ancestors, had always observ'd the Sabbath and Circumcision; and the Books of Mo­ses, ordering the same to be constantly read in every Family, to which the Sabbath day was more peculiarly appropriated, and the whole to be read over every seventh year, as we know the Jews practice was according to the Law of Moses; the first of which Injunctions they practice still in all places, and have left off the other, on­ly because they cannot do it now they are out of their own Land: I say, supposing all this, it is absolutely impossible, that any other than Moses, could have made this Book to be re­ceived.

The forgery at the beginning, would have been palpable, even to Children themselves: As for Example, let us suppose that Solomon had form'd a design of deceiving the People, in pub­lishing the Book of Genesis, for a Book of Moses; Is it possible he should so far impose on his Peo­ple, as to make them to receive the said Book all at once, as that which had been constantly read in their Families every seventh day, and year, and that for 600 years before his time? and therefore, [Page 29]as a Book that had been so long in all their Fami­lies, tho' indeed it was never heard of by them be­fore that time.

If an Impostor can create a Belief in others, that he hath some secret Communication with the Deity; those who are thus perswaded by him, will easily submit themselves to his Laws; but it is absolutely impossible, that a whole People should all at once, forget whatsoever they have learn'd, or heard of their Parents and Fore-Fathers, and instead thereof, admit of Tales forged at plea­sure.

Some Nations have been so ridiculous, to de­rive themselves from a Fabulous Original, but they never fell into such Mistakes about those things which were at no great distance from the time in which they lived.

Besides, we know that these Fabulous Originals never made so lively an impression upon the Minds of a whole Nations, especially the Learned amongst them, as generally to be believed; but we rather find, that they have endeavoured to recon­cile them to truth, by shewing something else was hinted thereby, as we may see by the Expli­cation the Heathens themselves have given us of all their Fables, and utterly rejected those which they could not reconcile to good sense.

But in this case we find a whole Nation to this very day maintaining all the Matters of Fact rela­ted in Genesis, and in particular, that of the Creation, as of Matters whose Memorial they have constant­ly celebrated every seventh day, since the time they first happened.

Lastly, It cannot be deny'd, but that this Book was constantly used to be read amongst the Jews, especially on the Sabbath day, and that under the Name of Moses: For instance, since the time of Jesus Christ, or since that of David. Neither can it be denied, but this constant reading was ob­serv'd by virtue of a Law contain'd in the said Book: Now if this Law has always been in this Book from the first appearing of it, which can­not be question'd; how was it possible to forge and foist in this Book under the Name of Moses the Founder of the Jewish Government. I say, this Book, which besides all this, contains such 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 those Men appear, who imagine the Book of Genesis, and the four that follow it, might have been forged by others, under Moses his Name: Yet I think I ought, before I proceed further, to remove a seem­ing difficulty, which is often alledg'd by this sort of People: For say they, it cannot be, that these Books were ever read, with that care and con­stancy we speak of, because a time can be point­ed at, wherein the said Book was wholly un­known in the Kingdom of Judah; and indeed, the History plainly informs us, that the Book of the Law was found again in the Reign of Josias, from whence they infer, that if it were then un­known, 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 Ungodliness did prevail, and [Page 31]Idolatry was publickly establish'd in the Kingdom of Judah it self, yet can they not from this in­stance draw any other Consequence which might support their pretensions.

They must needs acknowledge first, that the Books of Moses were not only amongst the three Tribes, but also amongst the ten, since the time of their Revolt under Rehoboam; that they who were carried by Salmanassar, into the Land of Assyria, had the said Books amongst them, as well as those of the ten Tribes, who were left in their own Countrey. Thus we see, that when the King of As­syria sent some of the Priests of Samaria to instruct the Colony which he had setled in their Coun­trey, in the Law of God; it is not said, that those Priests went to borrow the Law of Moses from them of Judah, nor that the said Laws was alto­gether unknown in that Countrey; but only that they had formerly violated the Law of God, in serving strange Gods, as they still did, but that withal, they kept the Law of God, which to this day is yet found among their Posterity.

Secondly, It is evident that tho the wickedness and violence of Manasseh, caused a great change in Matters of Religion, yet not so great, but that his Subjects notwithstanding, had still the Books of Moses amongst them; the Blood which he shed in Jerusalem, was an evident sign, that there were some Godly men left amongst them, who continued true to their Religion, and observed the Laws of God. Besides, if we consider his Repentance, we must conclude, that towards the end of his Reign, he did in some degree, re-esta­blish the purity of that Religion he had before [Page 32]prophaned, a main part of which, was the expound­ing and reading of the Books of Moses, according to those Laws before mention'd.

In the third place it is visible, that the reason why Hilkiah, having found the Book of the Law in the Temple as they were cleansing and repair­ing it, sent the same to Josiah, was not because there was no other such Book left in Judah, but because the said Book being written by the hand of Moses himself, there seem'd to be something very extraordinary in the finding of it at that ve­ry time, when they were endeavouring a Refor­mation; and it was this Circumstance which did in a more particular manner excite the Zeal of this good Prince. And indeed, if we suppose that Josiah had never before seen the Book of the Law, how could he have apply'd himself to the re­forming of his Countrey, his People, and the Tem­ple, in the manner which is recorded in the Book of Kings? How could a sufficient number of Copies of it be dispersed over all his Kingdom in an instant, to inform the People about the Ceremonials of the Passover, which soon after was so Solemn­ly celebrated by them? Or, how is it possible, that the Levites, the Priests, and People, could have been all of the suddain instructed in all the points to be observed in the performing of that Holy Solemnity.

It is apparent, that the Sacred Historian did for no other reason take notice of this Circumstance, that the Book found, was of Moses own hand Writing, but to make it appear, that their de­vout respect for this Book, was not wholly stifled, as having been by them carefully hid from the [Page 33]fury of their Idolatrous Kings, and laid up in some secret place of the Temple, where now they had so happily found it again.

Over and above what hath been said already, we are to observe, that how great soever the wickedness of the Kings of Juda and Israel was, as well as that of their Subjects, yet the same generally consisted in nothing else, but the imi­tation of the Worship of their Neighbour Nati­tions, as to some particulars, which tho they were forbid by the Law, yet they left the far grea­ter part of their Religion in full force. This we have an instance of in the time of Ahab, where we find Elijah reproaching the Israelites with the Monstrous Alliance they had made betwixt the Worship of God, and that of Baal, which Queen Jesabel had introduc'd.

All this clearly proves, that the Book of Genesis, which is the first of the Books of Moses, was never forged under his Name, since it was always owned as the Writing of that Famous Author, and is still so acknowledged by the Jews at this day.

CHAP. VII.
That it appears from Genesis, that the Sabbath was constantly observed from the beginning of the World until Moses.

THe other Objection of the Atheists (suppo­sing that Moses was the Author of Genesis, as we have now proved) is this, that it seems ab­surd to give credit to the Relations of a Person who lived so many Ages distant from the things he recites. To answer this Objection we must first of all declare to them, by what means the Memory of the Fact which Moses relates was pre­serv'd so lively and entire, as to give Moses so di­stinct 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 himself.

There is no way whereby we can more solidly evince, that it is impossible the Creation of the World should be forged by Moses, than by ma­king it appear, that the Law of the Sabbath hath a natural Relation to the Creation of the World, and that it hath been always constantly observed from that time until Moses. The same also will help us clearly to conceive after what manner the Memory of the Promise of the Messiah hath been preserv'd so distinct amongst those that lived since the Creation until Moses. We are no sooner inform'd that the Sabbath is a solemn day, or­dain'd [Page 35]at first to celebrate and perpetuate the Me­mory of the Creation, but we judge it impossible, that so important an event commemorated every seventh day, by vertue of a Divine Law, should be an imposture. But forasmuch as this impossi­bility is grounded on these two Propositions; the one, that God gave this Law of the Sabbath to the first Man; the other, that the same was ob­served by his Posterity ever since, till the time of Moses; and that God only renew'd it in the Law given from Mount Sinai: these are the Truths I am now to clear, and it is of more importance to be proved, because, tho the generality of Au­thors, Ancient and Modern, Jews as well as Christians, are of this Opinion, yet there are some of the Christian Fathers who seem to deny that the Sabbath was ever observ'd by the Patriarchs. But it will be an easie matter to prove from Moses, that the Antiquity of the Sabbath is such as I assert, and at the same time to demonstrate the truth of the Creation, as well as of the Promise of the Mes­siah, which in a manner immediately follow'd it.

Moses in the second Chapter of Genesis, Gen. II. 3. ex­presses himself thus: And God blessed the seventh day and Sanctified it, because that in it, he had rested from all his work, which he had Created: Which words clearly evince a Solemn Consecration of the seventh day to God's Service, by its being made a Commemoration of his finishing the Creation of the Heavens and the Earth.

But because it may be said, that the intent of Moses in this place was only to set down the rea­son why God set apart this day, of all others, to his Service, by the Law at Mount Sinai, we [Page 36]are to take notice, that this appointment was made for Man's sake already placed in the Garden of Eden. This we may gather from the order Moses observes. For he sets down first the Formation of Man on the sixth day, and his being plac'd in Paradise, which he gives a more particular ac­count of in the second Chapter, and after these, he relates God's resting from his Works, and the Con­secration of the Sabbath with the reason of that Law which he impos'd on Man; and then adds, These are the Generations of the Heavens and of the Earth, when they were Created, in the day that the Lord God made the Heaven and the Earth. All that precedes these words, is only a Relation of what pass'd in the seven first days, and that which Moses sets down concerning Gods blessing of the seventh day, and his Consecrating it, ought as well to be accounted a Law appointing the seventh day for his Service, as those other Blessings, given to the Creatures according to their kinds, are ac­knowledged as inviolable Laws of God, by vir­tue whereof they subsist, and are perpetuated each according to their kind, by the way of Ge­neration.

In the second place, it is very remarkable, that the Patriarchs, maintain'd a Publick Worship, at least since the time of Seth; which it was ne­cessary should be determined to some certain day; and since we find, that even at this time they di­stinguish'd between Beasts clean and unclean, with respect to their Sacrifices (which they could not do but from Revelation) we have much more reason to conclude, that God had set apart a time for own Worship and Service.

And indeed, there are many evident signs, that even then the 7 day was observed. Kimchi Prae­fat. in Psal­mos. I will not here peremptorily assert that antient Tradition of the Jews, which tells us, that the ninety second Psalm, whose Title is a Psalm for the Sabbath, was made by Adam himself, who was made on the Even­ing of the Sabbath: But this I dare assert, that it is apparent, Gen. VIII. 10.12. that what we read in the eighth Chap­ter of Genesis about the Deluge, doth refer to this custom, where we find Noah sending forth the Dove and the Raven on the seventh day, which plainly hints to us his observing of that day; for it seems, that Noah having, in an especial manner, on that solemn day, implored the assistance of God in the Assembly of his Family, he expected a particular Blessing from it.

And we cannot but make some Reflexion on that which we read in the XXIX of Genesis con­cerning the term of a Week set apart to the Nup­tials of Leah, Gen. XXIX. 27. where at the twenty seventh Verse Laban thus expresses himself. Fulfil her Week, and we will give thee this also, for the Service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other Years. This Week here doth so plainly signifie a Week of days that it cannot be more naturally express'd; and indeed, all generally understand by this Week of the Mar­riage Feast of Leah, that term of time which in succeeding Ages hath been customary to allot to Nuptial Festivals, as appears from the Book of Esther, where the Wedding Feast of Vasthi lasted seven days, this term of seven days having so long since been Consecrated to Nuptial Rejoy­cings.

The same we may also gather from the time [Page 38]which was ordinarily allotted to mourning for the Dead, to which we find the Patriarchs allotted a term proportion'd to that of their rejoicing. For as we see that the Egyptians mourned ten Weeks for Jacob, because of his Quality, as being the Fa­ther of Joseph, so we find that Joseph, and those that accompanied him, mourned seven days at his Enterment in the Land of Canaan: And as we find, that this Custom was perpetually afterwards observ'd by the Jews, as appears from Ecclesiasticus XXII. 12. so likewise we find the same observed by the Asiaticks, as may be seen in the History of Ammianus Marcellinus, at the beginning of his nine­teenth Book, De fide Re­sur. in obitu Sat. p. 321. Seven days were fulfil­led after that the Lord had smote the River. Jalkut in h. l. and from them it passed to the Chri­stians, as we find in St. Ambrose.

Thirdly, It appears from Exod. VII. 25. that God observed seven days after he had smote 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 six days, and were withdrawn on the seventh, which is the Sabbath.

We may also gather, if we calculate the time exactly, that the Jews in Egypt observed the Sab­bath. We find from the History of their depar­ture out of Egypt, that the same happened on a Thursday, being the fifteenth of the Month Nisan, and the day in which they sung those Hymns of Deliverance, was the Sabbath which God had particularly set apart for this Week.

It is also evident from Exod. XVI. that the keep­ing of the Sabbath was observ'd by the Israelites, before the Law was given on Mount Sinai. For we find God speaking there concerning the Sab­bath, [Page 39]not as of a thing newly instituted, but as of an antient Law, which they wer e not to transgress by gathering the Manna on that day; for he or­ders them to gather a double portion the sixth day, and not to gather any on the seventh. We see that the Israelites resting on the seventh day is here supposed a known and customary thing, prescri­bed to them by a Law of old.

They who went forth to gather Manna on the seventh day are represented as Transgressors of a known Law, as appears from the words of the Lord to Moses. How long refuse ye to keep my Com­mandments and my Laws? Moses also speaks of the Sabbath which was to be the next day, as of a thing customary, and received amongst them. To morrow (saith he, at v. 23.) is the rest of the Sab­bath of holiness unto the Lord; words which would have been unintelligible to the Israelites, and express'd a Law, altogether impracticable, in case they had been destitute of any further knowledge concern­ing it, and had not been acquainted, that it was the very day in which the great work of Creation had been finished.

My fourth Observation I take from the very words of the Decalogue, where first of all we find God speaking in this manner, Remember the Sabbath day; which words clearly import, Exod. XX. 8. that the Law he gave, was not a new Law, but indeed as old as the World, and which had been obser­ved by their Forefathers. It seems probable also, that God expresses himself in these terms, because 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 Sab­bath, [Page 40]which before he had allowed them to keep.

This is explained very distinctly in the fifth of Exodus, and seems to have been the occasion of Moses's demanding Straw of Pharaoh, for the Isra­elites to go and Sacrifice, in answer to which de­mand, Exod. V. 5. Pharaoh expresses himself in terms which shew that formerly they had observed a rest on that day: However it be, yet thus much is appa­rent, that God commands them to make their Bond Servants to observe the Sabbath, because the Egyptians by their example inclin'd them not to be very careful in exempting them from all la­bour on that day.

Moreover, in the second place we are to take no­tice, that in the last words of the fourth Command­ment, God speaks of it as of a thing formerly ap­pointed and determin'd by him, saying, For in six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth, and rested the seventh day, wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it; which words have a manifest and undeniable reference to that which happen'd the seventh day after the Creation, and to the Law then given to Man concerning it.

We may gather from the fourth Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, that the sense which we have put upon the third Verse of the second of Genesis, is the same which the Jews have always had of it. The Apostle discoursing from those words of David, Psal. XCV. To whom I sware in my wrath, that they should not enter into my rest, doth suppose a threefold rest, the first of which, is the rest of the Sabbath, of which mention is made in the second of Genesis, where we have the first in­stitution of it; the second was the rest in the Land [Page 41]of Canaan promised to the Jews upon their endu­ring all those Tryals in the Wilderness: the third, the rest in Heaven, of which the two foregoing were but the Figures. He argues therefore, that these words of David could not be understood, concerning the Sabbath day; forasmuch as from the beginning of the World Men entred into that rest of the Sabbath; and he proves this, by that passage in Genesis, of which he only cites the first words, viz. That God rested the seventh day from all his works, as supposing that the Jews, to whom he wrote, had no need of having the following words quoted to them, which tell us, that God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it: that is, he Consecrated the same to his worship and service, forasmuch as nothing was more publickly and u­niversally known amongst them, the Observation of the Sabbath being a thing generally received, even before the giving of the Law.

And indeed, the Philo the Jew be of opinion, that the practice of Solemnizing that day, had suffer'd some interruption; and that for this rea­son, the Law of the Sabbath was given to Moses, yet it is well known first of all, Euseb praep Evang. l. 13. c. 12. that Aristobulus the Peripatetick, in a Treatise dedicated by him to Ptolemy, surnamed Philadelphus, cites several Pas­sages of Homer, Hesiod, and Linus, Heathen Poets, which mention the seventh day as a Festival, and Solemn day, because all things were finished in the same.

In the next place, it is notorious, that if some of the Fathers, as Justin Martyr and Tertullian writing against the Jews, have deny'd that the Patriarchs observed the seventh day, they did so [Page 42]rather with regard to the rigor of that Law, which forbad all manner of work on that day upon pain of Death, (which was superadded by God to the first Law of the Sabbath) than to the Observati­on of the Sabbath, as it was a day appointed to make a Solemn Commemoration of the Creation of the World.

In a word, we are to take notice, that the dif­ference which God makes between the Sabbath, observ'd by the Patriarchs, and that which he ap­pointed to the Jews, did consist in two things: First, in that God did impose an absolute necessity upon the Jews to abstain from all manner of work, even to the very dressing of Meat, necessary for the support of Life: We find this distinction clearly express'd in the Law which God gave con­cerning the first and seventh day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for he absolutely forbids all manner of work on these two days, as much as on the Sabbath, even the preparing of necessary food, which he permits the five other days, forbidding only Servil Laborious Works.

Secondly, In that the working on that day by the Law, is made punishable with death, which was not so before; which Innovation, and new rigour of the Law, established by God, was au­thorized, by the punishing of him who had ga­thered Sticks on the Sabbath day, whereas we find, that before the Law was given upon Mount Sinai, God did not command those Jews to be punished with death, who went forth the seventh day to gather Manna, according to their an­cient Custom of dressing their Meat on that day.

Let me add this further, that tho the Apostles had abolished the rigour of the Law concerning the Sabbath, introduced by Moses, yet they them­selves observed it; which practise of theirs, in all probability, gave occasion to the Christians, for almost four Centuries, to keep the Sabbath as well as the first day of the Week, Solemnizing both those days, the one as a Commemoration of the Creation of the World, and the other of the Re­surrection of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

But what ever Judgment may be past on this last Remark, it is very evident from Genesis and Exodus: First, that the Law of the Sabbath was observed before Moses: Secondly, that this Ob­servation was by the first Patriarchs propagated among the Heathens also, as well as the Idea of the Creation; or as the practice of Sacrificing, with the other parts of Religious Worship, the Original whereof, may be seen in the Book of Genesis, as we shall make appear in our following Discourse.

After all this, we must conclude against the Atheist, that either Moses must imprudently have laid a Snare for himself, in forging a matter of fact, of which, not only the Jews, but all the World were able to convince him, since there were none amongst them but must needs be Conscious whe­ther they had observed the Sabbath in Comme­moration of the Creation, as he relates it, or no; or else, that the Creation of the World, being a matter of fact so generally known, and the Me­morial of it Solemnized every seventh day by all those who preceded him, must needs be an un­contested and immoveable truth, which I shall [Page 44]farther evince by those Observations which I shall raise from the dependance and connexion, which the Matters related by Moses in Genesis, have with the Creation, and the Promise of the Messiah. This is my business at present, in performing of which I shall make it appear, that nothing can be ima­gin'd more rational and coherent, than the Rela­tions of Moses, in which the Atheists imagine, that they discover so great Absurdities.

CHAP. VIII.
That Adam was convinced of his Creation, by Reason and Authority.

THo' it might be thought more natural in these our Disquisitions about the History of Ge­nesis, to begin with those matters which happened near the time of Moses, and from them to pass to those at a greater distance, yet I have chosen ra­ther to follow the Thread of Moses his Discourse, hoping that this Method will afford more light to these our Reflexions: At least, it will spare me the trouble of frequent Repetitions, which in the other way I should be necessarily oblig'd to. I begin then with this, That Adam was convinced of his Creation, both by Reason and Authority.

The Creation of Adam being a thing of that na­ture, that he must first be convinced of it himself, before he could perswade his Posterity to enter­tain the belief of it, it is worth our enquiry to [Page 45]know what ways he had to assure himself, that he was indeed Created in that manner as Moses re­lates. And, forasmuch as the certainty of this Tradition depends upon the Authority of Adam, whom Moses supposes to have been the first Deli­verer of it: It is plain, that we must be assured that Adam could not deceive himself in this mat­ter, as it is evident enough that he would not de­ceive his Children, when he took care to in­struct them concerning it.

As to his own Existence, he could not but be as strongly perswaded of it, as we are of ours, all the difficulty lying in the manner how he came to exist. Now there were two ways by which Adam might inform himself of this, viz. by Reason, and the Testimony of Authority. He could easily find out this Secret by a rational Reflexion: Or, he might also be perswaded of it by God himself, who had Created him, not to mention now any information which he might have from the Angels who were Witnesses of his Creation.

It appears, that Adam, whose Tradition Moses has recorded, supposes, that he had learnt of God himself the manner of his own Formation. God speaks to Adam, and Sanctifies the seventh day; that is, obliges 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 continual thanks for the Being he had recei­ved.

But, forasmuch as Adam was capable of making Reflexions upon those several matters, which God had made known to him concerning his Creati­on; I say, it cannot be imagin'd, but that he must [Page 46]have taken these things into consideration, and have been convinc'd of the truth of them, by the light of Reason.

The truth of a Relation consisting in its Con­formity, with the matter related, it appears clear­ly, that Adam could certainly know the truth of what God had declared to him, by examining the things themselves.

We may distinguish several Propositions in the Revelation God made to him concerning the manner of his Creation.

The first was, That his Body was taken from the Earth.

The next, That his Soul was not framed before his Body.

The Third, That his Soul had been joyned to his Body to constitute one individual Person.

The Fourth, That he was Created in a full and perfect Age.

The Fifth, That his Wife was formed of a Rib, taken out of his side, during the time that he was cast into a deep Sleep.

These are the Truths I propose as instances, the rather because there is not one of them of which Adam himself could be a Witness.

And yet I affirm, there is none of these which he could not be assured of by the light of reason, being convinc'd of them by the same means which assured him of the Existence of his Soul and Body. The Consideration therefore of these two Mat­ters, was of good use to confirm the Revelation which God had vouchsafed him concerning his Creation, of which he could not be a Witness himself.

That his Body was taken from the Earth, Adam might easily infer, from the food that maintain'd it; for what is the matter of Man's nourishment, but a digested, and disguised Earth? And finding himself, at first, in a perfect estate, it was natural for him to Judge that his Body had been thus at once framed of the Earth, without passing those several degrees of growth, whereby Children ar­rive to their just Stature.

And he might as easily be assured, that his Soul was not formed before his Body. The Soul is a Being, conscious of his own Operations and Thoughts, wherefore he needed only make this Reflexion: My Soul has had neither knowledge nor thoughts before it was united to my Body; therefore my Soul did not exist before it. No great study was required to make so natural a Conclusion as this is.

Again, how could he be ignorant of the union of his Soul with the Body? Was it not obvious for him to be assur'd hereof, by the ready obedi­ence which he saw his Body yield unto his Soul? He had the Idea of a Tree, as well as the Idea of his Foot or Arm, whence it was easie for him to reflect thus: How comes it to pass, that I command my Feet and my Arms, and that I cannot do the same to a Stone or Tree, tho' I have the Idea of the one, as well as of the other? Must not this proceed from, a nearer union it hath with the one, than with the other? He knew that this union continued du­ring his Sleep, and was independent of his Will. In a word, he had the same proofs of this union, which we have of it at present, only they were in him much more lively, because our Infancy makes [Page 48]us in some sort ignorant of the Nature of our Souls, our Souls accustoming themselves by little and little, to depend upon the Senses, so as not to be able to raise themselves, without some trouble, above their Operations.

Neither was it less evident to Adam, that he was produced at a perfect Age: He saw that his Food maintain'd Life, and he knew assuredly, that he had not taken any but very lately: How then could he attain to that Stature without that help? Or how was it that he found himself now ready to faint, if he deferr'd to take it, which formerly he had not felt the want of? These Reflexions made it unquestionable to him that he was formed in a perfect Age.

And Lastly, it was yet more easie for him to be perswaded of the truth of God's Revelation con­cerning the forming of Eve, he needed but to count his own Ribs, and those of his Wife, for he could not find one less in himself than in his Wife, without being fully satisfied in that Matter.

These Propositions, with many others of like nature, being such as Adam could be assur'd of the truth of, by making Reflexion either on him­self, or on Plants, or living Creatures, greatly confirming his belief in the Divine Testimony, concerning his Creation, we may easily infer, that Adam could not deceive himself about that Matter.

CHAP. IX.
That Adam was confirmed by his own Experience, in the perswasion he had entertain'd concerning his Creation.

WHen I take for granted, that Adam could satissie himself concerning the truth of God's Revelation, by some natural and easie Re­flexions, I don't find how any can think strange of this Hypothesis, except some, perchance, might think that I make Adam too Contemplative.

But if any will be pleas'd to make these follow­ing Observations, they will justifie me, that I have attributed nothing to him, but what agrees exact­ly with his Character.

The First is, That Adam finding himself imme­diately upon his Creation, at his full and perfect Age, he was void of those Prejudices, which the ignorance and weakness of his Infancy are the cause of; his Mind was not tainted with Popular Er­rors, which oft are so great a hindrance to the knowledge of truth: He had not yet received any ill impression; and when afterwards he was so credulous as to give way to a Temptation, his Experience prov'd a most powerful means to in­form his Reason, and withdraw him from his Error.

Besides, we suppose here, that the Divine Te­stimonie, which acquainted him with the parti­cular Circumstances of his Creation, was pre­cedent to the Reflexions Adam made, and indeed, [Page 50]was the cause of them. If we suppose some Coun­trey-man, not capable of discovering of himself, all on a suddain, the manner how such a thing came to pass, yet this is certain, that his Reason alone will be able to satisfie him, whether the thing happened in that manner which the Relati­on of it imports, he needs but consult the Rules of Probability to be determin'd in this Matter.

Adam had not only the advantage of being formed at a perfect Age, of being acquainted by the Mouth of God himself, about the Creation of the World, &c. and of living so many Ages, which gave him leisure enough to consider 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 said Reflexions were to be rejected as Fabulous, or to be relyed on as of most certain and evident truth: But over and above all this, Adam could rationally assure him­self of the Manner how the things (which he had not seen) 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 confess, a thing difficult to be conceiv'd, but the production of an Infant like to himself, by the way of Generation, which he af­terwards was assured of by experience, was suffi­cient to confirm his mind in the belief of the Di­vine Revelation: The way of Generation, being at least as much, if not more difficult to compre­hend, as the manner of his Creation.

We have great reason to suppose, that as it was Adam's Duty, that so he did really make those [Page 51]Reflexions, I have attributed to him, if we consi­der, that God gave him a Law proportion'd to the state in which he was Created: For this Law supposes that Adam own'd himself God's Subject; that he consider'd God as his great Benefactor, that he hop'd for Rewards from him, and fear'd to be punish'd by him.

And Lastly, If I should grant that these Reflexi­ons did not at first make so deep an impression in his heart, yet at least, it cannot be deny'd, but that after his Fall, he was in a manner necessitated to meditate on these truths: God appeared to him in a visible manner, God passed Sentence upon him, his Wife, and the Serpent; God condemn'd the Serpent, and afforded his Grace to Man; God made him a Promise proportion'd to the evil into which he was fallen. The Woman had deceiv'd her Husband, which did naturally tend to disunite them, but God uniting himself again with Adam, made the effect of his Promise to depend upon A­dam's re-union with his Wife, having assured him, that the Offspring of his Wife should be his Re­deemer: God threatned the Woman with extream Pains in Child-bearing, he drave them out of the Garden of Eden, and placed a Flame of Fire to guard the entrance there.

All this without doubt, would never suffer Adam slightly to pass over Matters of so great impor­tance as his Creation, and the manner of his being formed out of the Earth. Things being thus sta­ted, it is easie to judge whether we have supposed Adam too Subtil and Contemplative by attribu­ting the foresaid Reflexions to him.

CHAP. X.
That the Children of Adam had reason to be convinc'd of the Creation.

IT is apparent, that as soon as the Children of Adam were arrived to years of understanding, they were in a condition to make Reflexions on the manner of their production, according to the information 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 parti­cular, whether the formation of their Parents, with other Matters consequent, and depending on it, could be sufficiently proved and confirm'd.

For it was easie for them to judge, that their Parents, of whose tenderness and care they had so great experience, could not have had the least design to deceive them in what they had deliver'd to them concerning the Creation. They had also leisure enough during the long Lives they enjoy'd, to examine the Solidity of those Reasons which perswaded their Parents of the truth of their Creation.

For instance, they could easily inform them­selves whether there were any more Men and Wo­men than their Father and Mother, that had been before them, whether they were produced from [Page 53]the Earth, or by a fortuitous concourse of Atoms, whether there were any other Language besides that which they spake? Whether there were any Ruins of Buildings, or other remains which signi­fied that Arts had been formerly Cultivated? And in a word, whether there were any reason to per­swade them, that the World had not its beginning at the time which their Parents assigned for it?

Neither were they only in a condition to judge of the truth of these things, but their Senses were able to convince them of it: As for instance, by seeing the first Trees, the production of others from them, and the different degrees of their growth.

But besides all this, they could experience most of these things in their own Persons, they could know whether God had assigned to Man the Fruit of Trees, and Grain for their Food, as Mo­ses has recorded, only by examining their own Mouths, which were formed to chew Fruits, and not to tear the raw flesh of Animals, which re­quires sharper and stronger Sets of Teeth, than those they found themselves provided with, the eating of flesh not being introduced till after the Deluge.

Thus after the Act of Generation, they saw their Children Born, as it was represented to them, that they themselves had been formed.

They had also before their eyes sensible signs of the truth of the Matters related to them: As for instance, the continual Miracle of a Flame of Fire, which kept them from entring into Paradise, was a certain Argument of the first sin, of which they had not been Eye-witnesses.

The Pains of a Woman in Child-bearing, did the more confirm the truth of the Divine Sen­tence, because it was not obvious for them to ap­prehend such Consequences from an act which was pleasing to their Sensual Appetites.

And Lastly, Forasmuch as they kept a Solemn day to Celebrate the Memory of the World's Na­tivity, on which seventh day, their Parents re­peated to them no less than two and fifty times a Year, the same thing, informing them of the man­ner of their Formation; 'tis impossible to sup­pose, that they should let these things pass with­out making any Reflexion on the truth of them, and the rather because we cannot rationally con­ceive, that they should have been serious in any Duties of Religion, without having first examin'd the truth of the Creation, and of the Promise of a Redeemer, which are the true Grounds of all Religious Acts whatsoever.

CHAP. XI.
That the Children of Adam were actually con­vinced of the Truth of the Creation, and the Promise of the Messiah.

I Suppose it is sufficiently evident, that the im­mediate Posterity of Adam could easily be as­sured of the manner how their Parents had been produc'd, from whom they deriv'd their Beings. They could likewise be fully satisfied about the truth of their sin, and the Promise God had made [Page 55]them, That one of their Posterity should destroy the Enemy of Mankind.

My business therefore next, is to shew that they were actually assured of the truth of these Matters: this will appear if we consider two things.

The first is, that as these Matters were the chief Objects of their Meditation, because of their ex­traordinary importance, so it is evident that they acted as Persons fully satisfied of the truth of them.

The other is, That as they had been instructed in these Truths by their Parents, so they deliver'd the same to their Posterity, to whom they trans­mitted the belief of these Matters, as of things al­together unquestionable.

I say then, that they acted as those who were fully assured of the truth of these Matters, which appears throughout the whole course of their Lives, not only when they did that which was good, but when they were overtaken with sin: And this alone, methinks, is sufficient to evidence the deep impression, the belief of the Creation, and the Promise of the Messiah, had made on their Hearts.

Sacrifices are Acts of Religious Worship; and this Custom therefore of Sacrificing, which we find amongst the Children of Adam, was an evident mark of their Piety; and this their Religious Inclination was, without doubt, the effect of their being perswaded of the truth of the Creation, and first Promise.

The sin of Cain in killing his Brother, shews the same perswasion: The Divine Oracle, The Seed of the Woman, shall bruise the Serpent's head, [Page 56]being express'd in very general terms, was applica­ble, either to the first Son of Eve, or to his Po­sterity; or else, to some other who might be cal­led her Seed, because born from one of her Po­sterity.

It is natural for us, to pass from one meaning to another, when we are in search for the true sense of such general propositions as these. Now it appears from the Name which Eve gave to Cain, that she took the words of this Oracle in the first sense, that is, she looked upon Cain to be the Son that had been promis'd her, as appears from her own words. Gen. IV. 1. I have (saith she) gotten a Man from the Lord. And it cannot be doubted, that being in this Opinion her self, she was not wanting to cherish and flatter this hope in her Son, that he was to fulfil the first Prophecy or Divine Oracle: Neither is it any whit stranger to suppose this, than to imagine, that Mandane did instil into her Son Cyrus aspiring thoughts for the Empire of Asia, from the Dream of his Father Astyages, which she look'd upon as a Divine foreboding.

When we read therefore, that Cain slew his Bro­ther, seeing him preferr'd of God by a very di­stinguishing mark in the Act of their Sacrificing, through the jealousie and hatred he had conceived against him: May we not very naturally con­clude from thence, that as he had never doubted of the truth of the Promise, so he could not en­dure to see another come to dispute his Pretensi­ons of being the fulfiller of that first Oracle.

A like Reflexion we may make upon the Name which Eve gave to Seth, and indeed, the Jews in their antient Commentaries on Genesis, lead us to [Page 57]it: She called his Name Seth, Rabboth fol. 27. col. 2. par. 23. & alibi. for God (said she) has appointed me another Seed. R. Tanchuma following the Notion of R. Samuel, saith, That she had re­gard to that Seed which was to proceed from ano­ther, or a strange place; and what Seed is that? saith he. 'Tis the King, the Messiah.

I pretend not to maintain the Solidity of the Reflexions they make upon the words, Another Seed. They seem rather to have pleas'd themselves in sporting with a word which admits of both sig­nifications, other and strange, than to give us an exact and distinct notion of the importance of that word. Thus much at least, we cannot deny, but that Eve considering her Son Seth, as him whom God had given her instead of Abel, she could do no less than acquaint him with her hopes; and in­deed, this information was that which not only disposed Seth and his Posterity for Piety and the Spirit of Religion, but did also in a particular manner incline them to separate from the Race of Cain, as from those whom God had bereft of the right of fulfilling the first Oracle, to which naturally they might pretend.

It appears from the Example of Enoch, that the Children of Adam lived in the exercise of Religi­ous Worship: And we know that the said Wor­ship supposeth the Creation of the World, and Promise of the Messiah, and that all the Acts of Religion are employ'd either in Commemorating these Truths every seventh day, or in unfolding the Wonders therein contain'd, or in testifying our thankfulness to God for the same.

We may add here, that the instance of Lamech's Polygamy does in some sort make out to us the force of this perswasion.

Cain being rejected by God, and distinguish'd by an exemplary Punishment, for killing his Bro­ther Abel, it is evident, that no man could any longer interpret that Promise in the first sense, by applying it to Adam's first Son, or his Posterity. This being so plain, as none could be ignorant of it, it was therefore natural to seek for another meaning of that Promise, and to place the fulfil­ling of it in a Posterity at a greater distance, or more numerous.

And indeed so it happen'd; for the Exemplary pu­nishment which God inflicted on Cain during the seven first Generations, according to those words, That he should be punished sevenfold, made his Poste­rity apprehend, that God (for the sin he had com­mitted) had justly debarr'd him of the right he might otherwise have had of fulfilling the Promise.

But yet at the same time they conceived also, that this Right, which belong'd more properly to the eldest or first-born, than to the younger Bro­thers, was now to return to his Posterity after the seventh Generation. And in this view it seems, that Lamech affected Polygamy, as if by multi­plying his Posterity, he had hoped to see that Promise fulfill'd by some one or other of them.

It cannot be deny'd, but that he imitated the Crimes of Cain, and therefore may well be sup­pos'd to have been leven'd also with his false Max­ims. But how greatly soever he was corrupted, yet forasmuch as he had been educated in the hopes of his Father, and in converse with the Fa­mily of Seth, who many Ages before had formed Publick Assemblies for Religious Exercises, we can't well imagine, but that he must have had the same Pretensions.

It appears therefore, that the Polygamy of La­mech may justly be esteemed an effect of his Mis­apprehensions concerning the sence of the first Promise; those means which he conceived most likely, he made choise of, to give him a share in the fulfilling of that Promise, which pointed at a Son to be Born. So that the irregularity he was guilty of in Marrying two Wives at the same time, may pass for a proof of his being perswaded not only of the Promise, That the Seed of the Wo­man should break the Serpent's Head, but also of the Creation of the World.

It seems, that according to these Principles, we may give a very plausible account, as well of those Violences which were exercised in the old World, and of their strong Inclinations to sensuality, as of those Alliances between the Family of Seth, and that of Cain; which did not happen till seven Ge­nerations after Cain; that is to say, at a time when the Family of Cain pretended to be restored again to his antient right, from which he had been su­spended during seven Generations: The Family of Seth by these Alliances with the Family of Cain, seeming desirous to secure their hopes and preten­sions. It will not be thought strange, that I look upon the Jealousie of Cain towards his Brother (as thinking himself supplanted by him of his right to accomplish the Promise) and the Polygamy of Lamech, as an effect of this perswasion; if it be consider'd, that in all likelyhood this belief was more strong at the beginning of the World, the Idea of the Promise being more fresh and lively in the minds of Men, as a thing at no great distance from those times: And that we find in the Holy Fa­mily [Page 60]in general, manifold instances of this Spirit of Jealousie, and burning desire of a Posterity.

We find also, much about the same time, ano­ther Lamech, the Father of Noah, declaring by the Name he gave his Son, the hopes he had that he might probably be the Person who was to com­fort Mankind concerning all the Misery sin had brought into the World. Gen. V. 29.

Thus it appears clearly, that for above sixteen Ages from the Creation of the World to the De­luge, we find in all the actions of the Children of Adam a strong impression of the belief of the Creation of the World, and the Promise of the Messiah. And till this time we find not the least instance which might seem to convince the Relati­on of Moses of the least Absurdity. We see men acting from the perswasion of these two Matters of Fact; we must conclude therefore, that they were distinctly inform'd of them; yea, we see all men in general, acting according to this Perswa­sion: it is evident therefore, they were known to all, and the weekly observance of the Sabbath day continually representing those Truths to the Eyes and Minds of all, takes away all possibility of Forgery in these Matters.

Let us now enquire whether after the Deluge these Ideas were effaced; or, whether they have not exerted the same efficacy in the Spirit of Noah, and the Actions of all his Posterity.

CHAP. XII.
That Noah was fully perswaded of the Creation of the World, and the Promise of the Messiah.

IF we find that the Children of Adam, and their Posterity, could be exactly informed of the Creation and the Promise of the Messiah, and that indeed they were so, it will follow that Noah could not be unacquainted with the same Truths.

Noah was six hundred Years old when the De­luge came: He had Conversed with Lamech his Father, who had seen Adam and his Children, as being fifty six years of Age when Adam died; he had Conversed with Methusalem 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 instructed Noah, during so vast an interval of time, in like manner as himself had been instructed by Adam for many Ages.

And as Methusalem had lived a long time with Seth, who died in the year of the World 1042, so it is evident, that Noah who was born in the year 1056, had not only seen Lamech and Methusalem, but many also of their Ancestors, whose Discour­ses he heard, examin'd their Traditions, and imi­tated their way of Worship.

Moreover, Noah saw that there were no men in his time, who did not deduce their Genealogy [Page 62]from Adam. All his Contemporaries could con­vince him of it. Every one of them having as ex­act a knowledge of their Ancestors as he could have of his.

Now, that this was a matter which they might be easily assur'd of, appears on these two accounts: the one is the long life which the men of that Age enjoyed; and the other, the short 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 of Noah's Life. Adam died 126 years before the Birth of Noah, so as Adam must have been seen and known by Methusalem, Lamech, and thousands of others who were Contemporarys with Noah.

To these we may add a third Remark, and that is the Jealousie and Hatred which was between the two Families of Cain and Seth: Cain's Posterity were altogether corrupted, and the greatest part of Seth's also: Noah being of the Posterity of Seth, had no reason to call those Matters in question, which he saw generally own'd and received of those to whom their Wickedness and Crimes suggested Objections against them. And I do not know, whether I might not suppose that Noah had before his eyes Paradise, with the Cherubims who guarded the entrance thereof, and made it inaccessible, which if so, was an authentick proof of the Truths in question: That Garden, as far as we can judge, being not destroy'd, nor the Guardian Angel discharged till the time of the Flood.

Be it as it will, yet Noah being a Man fearing [Page 63]God, was honoured with an extraordinary Call to exhort Men to Repentance, he was command­ed to build an Ark; he saw the Deluge happen­ing, according to what God had foretold, he saw the Beasts, of their own accord, gather themselves together, to enter into the Ark, in like manner as he had been told that they came to Adam. He saw the Deluge cease according to the Divine Declaration, he saw fire from Heaven con­suming the Sacrifice he offer'd in acknowledg­ment to God, in like manner, as the words of Moses seem to imply, that it happened at the Sa­crifice of Abel. He saw himself chosen in a pecu­liar manner, to be the Depositary of the Promise which Adam had left to his Posterity, tho he never had the satisfaction of seeing it fulfilled himself, God having reserved the Accomplishment of it for another time, and to one of his Posterity at a great distance.

It is very evident, that all these Particulars could not but conduce to preserve the Memory of these first most important Matters of Fact of the Creation and the Promise of the Messiah, and therefore, that Noah must of necessity be convin­ced of the certainty and truth of them. Let us now see whether Noah's Offspring had the same perswasion concerning these things.

CHAP. XIII.
That the Children of Noah were convinced of the truth of these Matters.

THe Children of Noah were an hundred years old when the Deluge happened, and con­sequently had conversed a long space of time with Methusalem, and many other of their Ance­stors and Relations of the old World, and had frequented the Religious Assemblies, observed eve­ry Sabbath day in the Family of Seth, whence they were descended; and had been instructed there by those who had seen Adam and his Posterity; it is evident therefore, beyond all contest, that they could not be ignorant of the Creation, and Promise of the Messiah.

Now, that they had a distinct knowledge of those Matters, we may evidently conclude, not only because they had seen God, when he blessed them, and a second time said to them, as after a new Creation, Gen IX. 1. increase and multiply: Nor only upon the account of his giving them a positive Law, forbidding them to eat the blood of living Creatures, Gen. IX 5. whose flesh they were permitted to feed on, as he had forbid Adam, to eat of the Fruit of the Tree in the midst of the Garden, when he left the rest to their free use: Not only, for that he had given the Rainbow, as a new sign of his Covenant with Mankind; nor only because they had practis'd those Acts of Religion, to [Page 65]which they had been Educated by their Parents and Ancestors before the Deluge: But because the same may be inferred from that action which drew upon Cham his Father's Curse.

What is the meaning of Cham's deriding the Nakedness of his Father, and of his Father's ta­king occasion from thence to Curse him so so­lemnly, and that in the person of Canaan his First-born? If it were only a piece of irreve­rence in the Father, what reason had Noah to Curse the Son on that account? Or, was it (as some have suppos'd) that Canaan had given occa­sion first to his Fathers Irreverence, by acquain­ting him with the disorder in which he had found his Grandfather Noah? Without doubt, there is something more than ordinary in this History. Sure it is, that the account given us of Cham, re­presents him as a prophane person, and deeply tin­ctured with the Maxims of Cain and his Posterity, and seems to hint to us, that he supposing the Pro­mise of the Messiah either frustrated by the Death of Abel, or altogether false, he made his Father's Nakedness the subject of his Mockery; who seem'd to be incapable of begetting any more Children, and therefore incapable of contributing to the ac­complishment of the Promise of the Messiah, in hopes of which, he accounted himself so happy, that he had escaped the Deluge.

What means it also, that Noah pronounceth so terrible a Curse, against the Posterity of Cham by Canaan, who were so far from giving an accom­plishment to that Promise, that they were in a manner wholly exterminated by Joshuah, when God put the Posterity of Shem by Abraham in [Page 66]possession of the Land of Canaan? It is very na­tural for us to conceive, that Noah consider'd his Son Cham's deriding of him, not only as contrary to the respect which was due to him as his Father, but also as the effect of a horrid Impiety, which attack'd God himself, as making that Promise, The Seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpent's Head, a subject of Raillery.

This Reflexion upon the action of Cham, and the Curse of Noah consequent to it, does appear very natural, if we consider that Noah could not but reflect upon the Name his Father had given him, and the special favour shewed to him, in being alone preserved of all the posterity of Adam, and consequently, the onely person in the World, by whom this Promise was to be fulfill'd. Herod lib. 1. Justin Hist. lib. 1. Valer Max lib. 1. At least, it can't be deny'd, but that this Reflexion is as natural as it would have been just in reference to the Fact of cruel Astyages, if when he had (as he thought) sufficiently cluded his Dream, which presaged the glory of the Son of Mandane his Daughter, he had found her indecently uncovered and had taken thence occasion, deridingly to re­flect, with his other Children, upon a Dream which seem'd to promise to the Son of Mandane the Throne of all Asia, and threaten the ruine of his own.

'Tis a thing worth our noting, that in the time of Ezra, the Samaritans had so fresh a memory of Cham's sin, Ezra IV. 14 which they supposed to be generally preserv'd amongst other Nations, that in their Letter to King Artaxerxes against the Jews who rebuilt Jerusalem, they declare, they would not discover the King's Nakedness; implying, that [Page 67]they could not consent to the injury he might re­ceive from the Jews in suffering Jerusalem to be rebuilt. It is not needful to repeat those other Ar­guments which prove, that the Children of Noah had reason to be, and were actually as much con­vinced of the Creation and first Promise, as their Ancestors were; for seeing that these Arguments were the very same which their Fathers had to perswade themselves of the truth of these things, we had better proceed to the Enquiry, whether their Posterity that follow'd them, had the same Perswasion they had? which may easily be pro­ved, in making some Reflexions on the following Ages, and upon those who descended from Noah and his Children.

CHAP. XIV.
That the Posterity of Noah's Children were per­swaded of the truth of the Creation, and first Promise.

IF Noah saw Methusalem, who had seen Adam and his Posterity before the Deluge; Abraham saw Shem and his Children, who were unquesti­onable Witnesses of what had passed before and since the Flood.

Noah dying 350 years after the Deluge, it ap­pears, that his Death happened in the year of the World 2006; so that Noah died only two years [Page 68]before the Birth of Abraham, he being born in the year 2008.

Abraham lived 150 years with Shem, who died in the year 2158, and 88 years with Arphaxad the Son of Shem, who died in the year 2096, he lived 118 years with Selah Son of Arphaxad, who died in the year 2126, and 179 years with He­ber the Son of Selah, who died in the year 2187.

Isaac being born in the year 2108, might see Shem, Selah, and Heber, who for some hundreds of years had conversed with Noah and his other Children; I say we may suppose him to have con­versed with those Patriarchs, or at least with those who being their Contemporaries, discoursed of Noah as a Man but of yesterday, and from his Relation, and his Children's, were informed of the Creation of Adam, his Fall, the Promise of the Holy Seed, the Death of Abel, the Miracle of Pa­radise, the Preaching of Noah, the Deluge, &c. And who, in obedience to the Law of God, ob­served by their Ancestors, did meet together fifty two times every year, to Celebrate the Memorial of these Wonders, and to teach them to their Posterity.

We may take notice of three things here which conduce much to the preservation of a distinct knowledge of these Matters.

The First is, De Dea Syra p. 1060. That the Ark it self might be seen by all the World, as a certain Monument of the Deluge, and the saving of Noah and his Sons. This Monument continued very many Ages after A­braham, and was a means to preserve the Memory of the Deluge amongst the Pagans, as Lucian, to name no more acquaints us.

The Second is, That it was as easie for any of Abraham's Contemporaries, as for Abraham, to deduce his Genealogy from Noah and his Chil­dren.

And this was the more easie, because the first Division of the World amongst the three Sons of Noah, was followed by another Partition amongst their Posterity, in the year of the World 1758, a Division which gave them a just Title of posses­sion to that part of the Earth, where they were seated, in defence of which, it seems probable, that the War of Chedorlaomer (mention'd the XIII of Genesis) was undertaken, the Family of Cham having invaded the Land of Canaan, which was part of the Inheritance of Shem, as we shall make appear elsewhere.

The Third and last thing is, That it was not easie to impose a forgery upon those times, because their Lives were yet of a great extent, tho' inferi­our to those who lived before the Flood.

To these we may add this further Considera­tion, that as the Jealousie which was between the Family of Seth and of Cain, was a great means to preserve inviolably the important Truths of the Creation and first Promise; a like Jealousie now being risen amongst the Sons of Noah, Cham be­ing Accursed of his own Father in the person of Canaan, and the same being propagated to their Posterity, it could not but effectually contribute to rescue these important Truths from Oblivion, and particularly the Promise of the Messiah, con­ceived in these words, The Seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpent's head.

In a word, Judg. VIII. 23. & IX. 8. Talm. Hier. fol. 11 col. 4 & gloss. in h. l. & A­vodazara c. III. fol. 43. col. 1. De Dea Syr. p. 1069. we may not only in reference to the matter in hand, take notice of what Lucian relates concerning the Religion of the Assyrians, which did so lively preserve the memory of the Deluge, and of what was done to Noah by his Son Cham, when he scoffed at the Nakedness of his Father; but also, that the God of the Sichemites was called Baalberith, whose Symbol was the fi­gure of the Privy parts of a Man, which seems a manifest allusion to their descent from the Family of Cham, the Sichemites being some of the Poste­rity of Canaan.

It is also very natural to conceive, First of all, that it was from those old Pretensions that the Canaanites took occasion to prophane the most [...]oly things, with such shameful Idea's.

Secondly, That it was in detestation of these Idea's, that God ordered the killing of the Priests of Baal. And

Thirdly, That it was for the same reason, that the Jews were commanded to destroy them ut­terly.

Fourthly, This was also the reason why the Is­raelites were so often desirous of imitating their Crimes.

In the Fifth place, As we see that upon the like account the Moabites and Ammonites took Chemosh for their God, and that the Women of those Na­tions were very zealous to propagate their Religi­on, of which we have an Instance in Jezabel the Wife of Ahab, so God was also willing to inspire his People with Horrour and Detestation, for their Religion or any Alliance with them.

Lastly, As there does appear a very great Con­formity [Page 71]and resemblance, between the first Birth of the World from the first Chaos, and its being born again after the Deluge; between Adam the first Man, and Noah the second, and between the Jealousies sprung up in both their Families upon the account of the Promise of the Messiah: So this conformity could not but very naturally contri­bute, to preserve the Memory of those Ancient Events which Noah and his Children had deliver­ed to their Posterity with all the care which is ta­ken to preserve the Tradition of the fundamen­tals of Religion.

CHAP. XV.
That we find the Family of Abraham and his Posterity till Jacob fully perswaded of those Truths.

IT is no less easie to conceive how the distinct knowledge of these Truths, was in process of time handed down to Jacob and his Posterity. This I shall briefly explain.

I need not take notice here, that the Religion practis'd by Abraham and his Posterity suppose these Matters as constantly owned and known.

It cannot be deny'd, but that Lot having fol­lowed Terah and Abraham, when God called the latter out of Chaldea, might thence suppose, that this Heavenly Call did separate and distinguish him [Page 72]from the rest of the Posterity of Shem, and gave him a right as well as Abraham, to pretend to the priviledge of fulfilling the Promise of the Messiah, or at least to see it fulfill'd in his Posterity. This we may infer from the Incest of Lot's Daughters; their Crime, which in another view appears very monstrous, doth clearly prove, that they were strongly possess'd with this hope which their Fa­ther had raised in them.

I know that some Interpreters suppose, Lyra in Genes. XIX. that they were moved to commit this Incest from a pi­ous intention of preserving Mankind, as imagin­ing to themselves, that as the Deluge had drowned all Men, besides Noah and his Family, so the Flames which destroy'd Sodom, had consumed all Mankind; which they were the more ready to believe, because they might have heard from their Father, that the World one day was to perish by Fire. Beres. Rab. part 23. But indeed, it may be consider'd as pro­ceeding from a very different Motive, the Jewish Doctors plainly averring, that this was done by them in hopes of bringing forth the promised Re­deemer.

And if we look upon this action of theirs in this view, with reference to the Promise of the Mes­siah, which was the grand object of the hopes of all those that fear'd God; it is natural to conceive, that considering their Father, as one whom God had peculiarly chosen from amongst the Posterity of Shem, to execute the Promise of the Messiah, and seeing that their Mother was changed into a Statue of Salt, they conceived themselves in some sort authoriz'd to surprize their Father in that manner; and the rather, because they conceived on the one [Page 73]hand, that none of the Canaanites (upon whom God had now begun to pour forth so hideous a Vengeance, as a beginning of the Execution of the Curse against Cham) having any part in this chiefest of Blessings, could ever Marry them, after that God had so manifestly separated and call'd forth their Father from amongst them; and on the other hand, supposing that God would dispence with the irregularity of this action, by reason of their being reduced to an extremity.

There be three Circumstances which greatly confirm this my remark upon the Motive of their Incest.

The First is, That they are represented to us as those who had behaved themselves very chastly, in the midst of the Impurities of Sodom; and that besides we find they design'd no such thing, till after the Death of their Mother.

The other is, That we see them contriving the thing together, and that in a Matter which natu­rally is apt to separate the greatest Friends, where the Motive proceeds from a Spirit of uncleanness: Nor indeed, do we find that they continued in this Incest.

The Third is, That they were so far from be­ing asham'd of an action, in it self so criminal, or concealing the knowledge of it from Posterity, that they gave those Names to the Children born of this their Incest, that might perpetuate and divulge the memory of this their action, the one calling her Son Moab, as much as to say, Born of my Fa­ther, and the other hers Benammi; a Name of a like signification with the former.

This Observation is very necessary, because [Page 74]these two Sons became the heads of two great Peo­ple, the Moabites, and the Ammonites, whose King­doms lasted above 1300 years, and lived on the Borders of the Holy Land, and were jealous of Abraham and his Posterity, as pretending that A­braham could not be chosen before Lot their Fa­ther, who being the Son of Abraham's Elder Bro­ther, was to be consider'd as the first-born of Te­rah, and who were apt, without doubt, to take it for granted, that if God had brought Abraham out of Chaldea, and rescued him from Ur, he had in a more peculiar manner, saved Lot alone from the Conflagration of Sodom, by the Ministry of Angels, and that Abraham and Lot being equally descended from Terah, the right of accomplishing the Promise, did equally belong to them.

And indeed, we find that in all succeeding times, these thoughts did predominate with them, as may easily be made out from the History of Balaam.

We see therefore, that the Moabites who were descended from the Eldest Daughter of Lot, look'd upon the pretensions of the Israelites, that the Mes­siah was to be born of their Seed, in Exclusion to all others, with great impatience, and it was for this reason, that they sent for Baladm, to decide (by Divine Authority) the difference between them, concerning the right of the promised Bles­sing.

We may make very near the same Reflexions upon the calling of Ruth the Moabitess, when she saith to Naomi her Mother-in-Law, Thy God shall be my God, and thy People shall be my People; which signifies a renouncing of the Pretensions of her [Page 75]own People, and an acquiescing in the Justice of those of the Israelites, and it was upon this occasi­on, that Ruth is more particularly taken notice of in the Genealogy of our Saviour, as I shall have occasion to shew hereafter.

That which I have hinted concerning the inten­tion and aim of the Daughters of Lot, hath been ob­served before by the Jewish Rabbins, as we may see in the most ancient of their Commentaries upon these words of Genesis, Chap. XIX. v. 32. Come let us make our Father drink Wine, &c. Upon which words, R. Tanchumah following the footsteps of R. Samuel, makes this Reflexion, That we may pre­serve Seed of our Father; it is not said, that we may preserve a Son from our Father, but that we may renew the Posterity of our Father, because (saith he) they had regard to that Seed, which was to pro­ceed from a strange place, and what Seed is that? It is the King Messiah.

After this Observation upon this action of Lot's Daughters, it can no longer rationally be doubted, but that the violent passion which Sarah had for a Son, proceeded from the very fame impression which made her contrary to the Inclinations of that Sex, to deliver her Servant into her Hus­band's Bosom, especially if we join to this the par­ticular Promise God had made to Abraham, which she could not be ignorant of.

Sarah sees her self destitute of Children, and her Barrenness having continued so long a time, she had no hopes of ever being a Mother, what re­main'd therefore for her, but to think of adopting a Son of her Bond-woman? And in consideration of this, she perswades her Husband, who had no [Page 76]inclination to any such thing by any thing that appears (at least precedent to this desire of his Wife) to take her unto him. He sought the Seed of God, that is, the Seed which God had promised, as Ma­lachy expresses it, Mal. II. 15.

At least it is certain, Yarg. Jo­nath. in h. l. & Kimchi in h. l. that the Jews have taken these words of Malachy in this sense for a very long time, as they do still to this day.

We may easily perceive, that this was a predo­minant impression throughout that whole Family, if to what we have already observ'd of Lot's Daughters and of Sarah, we do but add the sor­row Rebecca conceived because of her Barrenness, and the Contentions happening between the Wives of Jacob, for their Husband's Company, without which supposal, the relation of such a Matter, would be a thing of no importance.

Certainly, as it would be ridiculous to suppose, that so wise an Historian as Moses was, should stoop to the recital of such mean and low particu­lars (not to speak worse of them) without aiming at something very high and considerable, so it is rational to believe, that in all these Relations, he pointed at the Promise of the Messiah, which at that time was the great Object of the Religion of the Faithful, which God in process of time did explain by little and little more distinctly.

The Jealousie also which arose between Ishmael and Isaac, is no less considerable. Ishmael was the eldest Son of Abraham, and Circumcis'd as well as Isaac; he was saved from Death by the Mini­stry of an Angel; and was the head of a great People, who from that time to this very day, have always been Circumcised.

It may be also of great use to take notice here, that Ishmael could not but be instructed by Abra­ham concerning the Promise God had made to him, to which he pretended, as being the Elder, and therefore mocked at the great stir was made at the weaning of Isaac, as thinking that he being the Eldest, could not be deprived of the natural right of his Primogeniture. At least, it is very probable, that except it had been thus, Sa­rah's anger (approved by God himself) would not have prov'd so violent, as well against Ishmael, as Hagar, who flatter'd him in these pretensions, nor would Abraham so far have comply'd with it.

And forasmuch, as Isaac on the other side, was born to fulfil a particular Promise, was Cir­cumcised, and saved from death by an Angel; and that besides all this, Ishmael and he had been equally educated in the practice of Religion, 'tis impossible, but that this Conformity of Events (which has been the cause of such lasting Contests between them and their Posterity) must have en­gaged them to inquire into the truth of the Crea­tion, and the Promise of the Messiah, and into all other Matters which did any way concern them.

We have a like instance, if not stronger for our purpose, in Esau and Jacob, who were both born of the same Mother, but Esau being the first-born, we find the same Jealousie arising between them, as before between Ishmael and Isaac. Sarah seem'd somewhat cruel in casting out her adopted Son Ishmael, and here we see that Rebecca preferred Ja­cob before Esau her First-born, and assisted him in [Page 78]robbing his Elder Brother of the Blessing due to him of right: But without question, her design in all this was to entail this Blessing on her Family, by making it fall on Jacob, as being afraid (and that not without cause) that Esau by his Sins and his Marriage with the Canaanites, had made him­self uncapable thereof.

Now as this was the occasion of a great dispute between these two Patriarchs educated in the same Belief and Religion, so it plainly shews us how strong a perswasion they had of the Creation, and the Promise of the Messiah.

And besides, it is further very remarkable.

First, That Moses represents Esau as a prophane person, for which, not only this reason may be alledged, that he sold his Birth-right for a Mess of Pottage, to which Birth-right the Priesthood was always annexed, but we must further take notice.

That he being educated by his Father in the hopes of this Blessing, he seem'd to laugh at it in all his Actions; for first he Married the Daughter of Heth, by which he sufficiently intimated, that he neither minded the Blessing nor the Curse of God; for Canaan and his Posterity had in a very solemn manner been Cursed by Noah, with a par­ticular regard to the Promise of the Messiah, as I hinted before.

In the Second place, he Married a Daughter of Ishmael, as if he intended to renew the Pretensions of Ishmael against Isaac his Father.

In the Third place we see, that when he repen­ted of this prophane humor, he was pierced with extream sorrow for the Crime he had committed, because he could not obtain pardon for it.

This Jealousie and difference between Esau and Jacob, is the more considerable, because Esau was the head of a great Nation, viz. the Edo­mites, a People Circumcised as well as the Jews, Jealous of the Posterity of Jacob, and living up­on the Borders of Judea, as well as the Moa­bites, Ammonites, and Ishmaelites, but yet put by their hopes by that Oracle, The greater People shall serve the lesser.

Were it needful to afford a greater Light to these Reflexions, I might here add a very natural one, from the Oath which Abraham made his Servant Eliezer take, when he sent him to Padan Aram, to procure a Wife for Isaac. We may ea­sily judge, that he was not willing he should mar­ry a Canaanite as Lot had done; and that for fear of forfeiting his hopes, and weakening the just Pretensions of Isaac to the right of accomplishing the Promise, from whence the Canaanites were excluded by the Prophecy deliver'd by Noah. But that which made Abraham to oblige his Ser­vant to swear, putting his Hand under his Thigh; that is, St. Jerom. touching that part which was the Subject of Circumcision, and which bore the mark of the Covenant, deserves a further Consideration.

We find first of all, that the Patriarch Jacob, observes the same Custom, when he made his Son Joseph to take an Oath, that he should not bu­ry him in Egypt.

Secondly, We find that this Custom of behold­ing that Member which received Circumcision, as a part Consecrated to Religion, did by little and little take place in the Land of Canaan, and gave occasion to the Worship of Baal Peor, so fa­mous [Page 80]among the Moabites and Ammonites; a very surprising and strange Worship indeed, and yet Celebrated with Festivals, and Hymns, and was the rise of that Worship which the Heathens after­wards gave to Priapus. What I have here obser­ved, hath been in part acknowledged by the Jews, where they speak of the Worship of Baal Peor, and the reason which made God prescribe to the Priest the use of Linnen Drawers, that their Nakedness might not appear during the Functions of their Ministry.

After all that I have now said, concerning those Jealousies which Moses relates with so much care, it seems that the Solidity of these Observa­tions cannot be disputed. Especially if we consi­der, that it is these Jealousies, and these Pretensi­ons to the Promise of the Messiah that gave rise to the Custom of calling God, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob: for tho' he might as well have been called the God of A­dam, the God of Enoch, and the God of Noah, forasmuch as all these Patriarchs were also Depo­sitaries of the Promise of the Messiah: Yet it is probable that God was called so, because of the particular promises which had been made first to Abraham, secondly to Isaac, and lastly to Jacob, and in opposition to the pretensions of some peo­ple near Neighbours to the Israelites, and jealous of their hopes: The God of Abraham, and not of Lot, as the Ammonites and Moabites Lot's Posteri­ty, pretended; the God of Isaac, and not of Ish­mael, as the Ishmaelites pretended; the God of Ja­cob and not of Esau, as the Edomites who were the Offspring of Esau pretended.

CHAP. XVI.
That this very Perswasion seems to have been kept up amongst the Posterity of Jacob, until Moses's time.

IT is yet easier to shew; that the distinct know­ledge of the Creation, and of the Promise of the Messiah, did continue from Jacob to Joseph, and so on to Moses.

The following Arguments will clearly demon­strate it.

First of all, Genes. XXVIII. we see that Jacob being possess'd of the Blessing, and so Depositary of the Promise, obey'd Isaac's Command, who forbad him to take a Wife, but out of his own Family; and that ac­cordingly he went to Padan-Aram, to seek and get a Wife amongst those of his Kindred, as Abraham had formerly sent for one of the same Countrey for his Son Isaac.

We see in the Second place, Genes. XXIX. this Patriarch imi­tated Lamech in some respect, by his falling into Polygamy: For who can doubt but he, who was conscious to himself of having surpriz'd, as he thought, the Blessing design'd for his Elder Bro­ther, did act in this occasion by the same principle which Lamech had formerly acted by? Thus we see that Barren Rachel follows Sarah's Example, and adopts the Son of that Maid Servant, whom she gave to Jacob; wherein Leah follow'd her, [Page 82]and gave one of her Maids to her Husband: All this was evidently grounded upon the same Prin­ciple which afterwards bred those Dissensions be­twixt Jacob's Wives 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 most part in Laban's House in Chal­dea, where they had seen Abraham's Native Coun­trey, and those of their own Kindred, from among whom God had commanded Abraham to depart, and to go into Canaan, did entertain very lively Notions of those important Truths, especially af­ter they were strengthened and confirm'd by the Cares and Instructions of old Isaac, to whom they were brought by Jacob; and after they began to practice in Canaan, the Worship and Religion of their own Family, and to compare it with the Doctrine they had learnt in Chaldea.

Those several Voyages which God obliged the Patriarchs to undertake, as that of Abraham out of Ur of Chaldea; that of Jacob out of Canaan (we ought to make the same judgement of Moses's forty years sojourning amongst the Midianites) did evidently oblige them to examine more care­fully, what was the Tradition received in the se­veral Countries into which they travelled, and so to imprint the more deeply into their minds the belief of those important Truths, which were the Foundation of their Religion. and the sole object of the Meditations of the faithful.

One sees in short, the effects of these Impres­sions.

1. By that Custom which seems to have begun in Jacob's time, and which aftrrwards got the authority of a Law, I mean the custom of taking to Wife ones own Brother's Widow to raise him up Seed.

2. The Sin of Onan is represented so odious, only because by it, he acted against the belief of the Promise.

3. We see the same thing in the action of Tha­mar, Juda's Daughter-in-Law; for having been deceived by Judah, she in exchange, surpriz'd him into an Incest, the Commission whereof, ac­cording to the Observation of a Greek Commen­tator, she sought to perpetuate, Theoph. in Mat. c. I. only because she had a vehement desire to get Children out of a Fa­mily, which she lookt upon as solely intrusted with the Promise of the Messiah, and out of which he was accordingly to be born.

It is necessary to make that Observation, be­cause we ought always to remember, that she was formerly a Canaanite, and that consequently she left off and renounc'd the Impiety and Idolatry of her Kindred, when she embrac'd the Religion and hopes of Jacob's Family. Therefore we see that particular mention is made of her in our Sa­viour's Genealogy, and of Ruth who likewise gave over all the pretensions of her own People, and so forsook her Religion to enter into the Tribe of Judah, as well as of Bathshebah, who was Wife to a Hittite; whereupon an ancient Father hath very well observed, S. Hieronym: in Tradit. Heb ad 1. Reg. 3. according to the Jewish O­pinion, that Shimei's Revilings against David, when he went out of Jerusalem, during Absalom's Rebellion, reflected upon his Birth out of the Po­sterity [Page 84]of Ruth the Moabitess, as the Jews even to this very day do understand it.

We may make the same Reflexion upon the Consideration of that implacable jealousie which Joseph's Dreams raised in the Minds of his Bre­thren.

1. We may reasonably conceive, that he being the First-born of Rachel, and the Wife which Ja­cob his Father had first made Love to, he had been brought up with hopes of the Birth-right, as well as Isaac, who was but the second Son of Abraham

But 2. He might besides, very well suppose, that the Crimes of his Brethren born of Leah (whom in all likelihood he lookt upon as the sole, Legitimate Heirs, the others being born of Maid-Servants) did rank them with Esau, whom God had rejected. That outragious Fury which Jo­seph's Brethren shew'd against him, because they lookt upon him as preferred of God by those Dreams to those that were born before him, is so like that of Cain, of Lot, of Ismael, and of Esau; that it had, in all probability, the same Cause and Original.

Do we not see afterwards, another effect of the same jealousie, in the affectation that Jacob and his Family shew'd in the Land of Egypt, when they refused to live promiscuously with the Egyp­tians, which were the Posterity of Ham, and begg'd of them a Countrey where they might live by themselves; as we see on the contrary, the Egyptians shewing an extream aversion against Ja­cob and his Family, which was of Sem's Poste­rity.

Certainly it cannot be denied, that as this sepa­ration was an effect of the Antipathy of those Na­tions, so it might also be in some respect, the con­sequence of Jacob and his Childrens pretensions upon the Promise of the Messiah, the execution and accomplishment whereof, they stood up for as belonging to themselves.

To all this we may add, that the Persecution of the Egyptians against the Israelites obliged them to make particular Reflexions upon the Promise which Jacob on his Death-Bed made to them from God: That Persecution was chiefly intended a­gainst the Male Children, Pharaoh commanding the extirpation of them, because he was afraid of the Jews growing too strong for him, and of their joyning with his Enemies; and perhaps also, because the Jews entertaining a certain expectati­on of the Messiah's coming, and so boasting and glorying of it upon all occasions, the Egyptians de­sign'd to frustrate, and cut off their hope thus, by hindering the accomplishment of the Promise.

However there was no real difficulty to keep up the distinct remembrance of those important Facts. Jacob died in the year of the World, 2315. Joseph died in the year of the World, 2428. There are then but 58 years between Josephs Death, and Moses's Birth: Moses might have seen not only Am­ram his own [...]ther, who had seen Levi, but al­so Kohath his Grandfather, who had seen Jacob.

And it is for that reason, Gen. L. 23. that Moses seems to have observ'd, that Joseph saw his own Children's Children; that is to say, the third Generation.

One cannot imagine any Circumstances more conducible than these, to the preserving the di­stinct [Page 86]knowledge of those important Truths which were the Foundations of Religion.

CHAP. XVII.
That the Tradition which gives us an Account of the Perswasion which the Ancients had of the truth of the Creation of the World, and of the Promise of the Messiah, before Moses cannot be suspected.

I Have shew'd, I think, evidently enough, that both the Creation, and the Promise of the Mes­siah, with all the other things depending upon them, might have been known certainly by Adam and his Children, and so afterwards be handed down to all his Posterity till Moses's time.

From Adam to Noah there is but one Man, viz. Methusalah, who joyned hands with both.

From Noah to Abraham, there is but one Man, viz. Sem, who saw them both for a considera­ble time.

From Abraham to Joseph, there is but one Man, viz. Isaac, Joseph's Grandfather.

From Joseph to Moses, there is [...] one Man, viz. Amram, who might have seen Joseph long enough.

Those Characters of time which Moses hath so carefully observed, do plainly evidence, that the Creation, and the Promise of the Messiah, might be distinctly known: For if we suppose a conti­nued [Page 87]succession of Adam's Offspring, it was not easie to impose upon Men in that matter; and that, because every one of those who were Con­temporaries with Moses, being able to run up his own Pedigree as far as the Flood, nay, even up to Adam, by as compendious a way as Moses could do his own; they would have treated those with the utmost degree of scorn, who should have at­tempted to forge any thing contrary to what was publickly and universally known; and so it was equally impossible, that the truth of things so important as the Creation, and the Promise of the Messiah were, should be unknown.

Besides, I think I have plainly shew'd, that ma­ny actions recorded by Moses, tho' very strange in themselves, and which the Atheists look upon as absurd and ridiculous, have proceeded from no other principle than from the strong perswasion of the truth of those Facts, according as in a long Series of Ages, every one of the Ancients follow­ing his own humour and prejudices, framed to himself a particular Idea differing from the true sense of the Promise of the Messiah.

It cannot reasonably 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 relyed upon in matter of Belief, yet this hath such very particular Characters as keep up its own authority.

First, it supposeth a small number of persons from Adam to Moses, who put it in Writing.

Secondly, It supposeth, that those who have preserved this Tradition, lived very long, and [Page 88]for the most part, for many Centuries of Years.

Thirdly, It relates to such Facts as every one is desirous to be rightly inform'd of, and which he is particularly concern'd to examine, as rela­ting to his own private Interest, because they are the Principles of his Actions, and the rules of his Conduct both in Civil and Religious Matters.

Fourthly, it supposeth such real Marks as served to keep it up; such as the pains of Child­bearing, the Paradise before the Flood, the dura­tion of the Ark after the Flood.

Fifthly, It supposeth a Publick Service and Worship, whose Celebration is repeated fifty two times a year, that the remembrance of it should be preserved by all Posterity.

Sixthly, It was preserved entire by passing from Father to Son, and we know that Fathers or Mothers do not naturally engage in a Design of deceiving their Children.

Seventhly, It supposeth strange Controversies betwixt Brothers, the Elder having almost all been excluded, and the younger, as Abel, Seth, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Juda, chosen to accom­plish the Promise of the Messiah, which bred great Jealousies, and tended much to preserve those I­deas of the truth.

Lastly, It supposeth great Contests betwixt whole Nations, who all strove one with another for the advantage of being the Heirs of the Pro­mise, and Depositaries of those Verities; as the Moabites, for instance, the Ammonites, the Ishma­elites, the Edomites, and the Jews: each of them pretending to a preference before the others, by [Page 89]God himself, and so making it a matter of Credit and Honour to themselves. All these Characters contribute to the distinct preservation of the know­ledge of any truth.

CHAP. XVIII.
An Explication of Moses's way of Writing; where it is shew'd, that in writing the Book of Genesis, he mentioned nothing but what was then generally known.

THis is a truth which at first I took for granted, and afterwards proved it, the reasons where­of I explained particularly as I went on. But it ought to be fixed as solidly as the Matter will bear, because it often happens, that those who do not foresee the Consequences which may be drawn from the contrary Opinion, do contradict it before they are aware of it; and that too un­der pretence of exalting the Divine Authority of the Book of Genesis: which gives occasion to the Atheists to look upon it no otherwise than as lear­ned Men do, on the greatest part of Legends.

The Prophetical Spirit acts in two manners.

The First is by way of Revelation, in respect of those things the Prophet hath no knowledge of. [Page 90]Thus the Evangelist St. John hath foretold those Events, which we read of in the Revelations: For those Events being all hidden under the shadows of Futurity, it was impossible for him to have fore­told them, unless the Spirit of God had immedi­ately revealed them to him.

The Second is by way of direction, in respect of those things with which the Prophet was him­self acquainted, either because he was an Eye-Witness of them himself, or because he learnt them from those who were so.

Now this direction of the Spirit consists in the guiding the Prophets so as that he may write of his Subject, just as it was either spoken or done. Thus the Evangelists St. Matthew, and St. John, drew up an Abridgment of those Sermons of our Savi­our, which they had heard, and of those Mira­cles which they had seen.

And thus St. Luke, and St. Mark, have writ­ten of those things which they had heard from those that were Eye-Witnesses of them, as St. Luke particularly tells us.

Now I affirm, that when Moses wrote the Book of Genesis, he had only the second sort of Prophetical Influences, and not the first; Although in our Disputes against Atheists, to convince them by Arguments from Matters of Fact, we may consider him only as an Historian, who might have written his Book without any other particular direction, and might have preserved in it the memory of those ancient Events which were then generally known.

Now what side soever Divines may take in their Disputes against the Atheists, I may easily [Page 91]establish my Assertion: First, because it is not ne­cessary to suppose an entire Revelation, where Tradition being distinct enough, is sufficient to preserve a clear Remembrance of all those Facts.

Now it cannot be denied, but that the Tradition concerning the Creation and the Promise of the Messiah was of this nature, especially if we con­sider the little Extent of it, and the immediate Succession of Moses's Ancestors, down to him­self.

Secondly, If Abraham's and Jacob's Travels through so many places, were, as I have obser­ved already, very useful to give them a further view of the common belief of all the several Nations descended from Noah, and of their a­greement in this Tradition, it were unjust to suppose that Moses's forty years sojourning in the Country of Midian, and that too when he was forty years old, and consequently had that ripe­ness of Age and Judgment as is fittest for such Observations, did not serve to acquaint him with the several Passages he records of Abraham, as well as of the several Divisions of his Posteri­ty.

Thirdly, We may observe in the Book of Ge­nesis a way of writing very different from that which we see in the greatest part of Exodus, and in the following Books; for whereas God speaks to him in those latter Books, which he always did vivâ voce. (And the Jews have wisely ob­served, that herein consisted Moses's advantage a­bove the other Prophets to whom God was used to speak only in Dreams and Visions) He uses [Page 92]commonly those words, And the Lord spake unto me. He marks out the place where God spoke to him, as well as the time and occasion of God's speaking to him, which he do's not in his Book of Genesis,

Fourthly, The Book of Genesis is not divided into several Revelations, as all Prophecies are, wherein the several returns of the Holy Spirit of God are all exactly set down; which was ab­solutely necessary, not only to ease the Reader, who might be tired, if he was to carry a long Series of Predictions in his mind at once, as if it were only one single Vision or Revelation; but also to condescend to the nature of the minds of men: For according to the Rules of probability, we cannot suppose them to be filled with so ma­ny differing Idea's at the same time, but a great confusion must necessarily follow.

But supposing that these Observations should be thought insufficient, yet those that follow will seem capable of convincing the minds of all. There are in the Book of Genesis certain Chara­cters of its being written in that way which I spake of. First, one needs only just look into that Book, and he will see that the ancientest Facts, which are those of which we most desire a particular account, are there described in a ve­ry short and concise manner. The History of 1656 years is all contained in Eight Chapters; There are no Actions described therein with more Circumstances, than only some few of the most important, the remembrance whereof was still fresh amongst them. The History of La­mech's Polygamy, and the Murders of which he [Page 93]was guilty, is there set down so compendiously, that it is very obscure.

Secondly, One sees that he speaks more copi­ously of all that had been transacted near his time: He explains and mentions all the particulars and circumstances thereof. He speaks so shortly of Melchisedeck, that it is doubted to this day, whe­ther he was not the Patriarch Sem, or some o­ther faithful worshipper of the true God settled in the Land of Canaan; whereas he sets down at length all the particulars of the History of Abra­ham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, whose last Oracles which he spoke on his Death-bed, he carefully records.

Thirdly, He describes with the same exactness all the Genealogies of the Edomites, their several Tribes, and the Names of their Heads and Cap­tains, &c. As when he speaks of those of the people of Israel, which indeed he could easily do, having liv'd forty years of his life amongst those Nations, as well as he had other forty years a­mongst the Israelites.

Those who maintain the contrary Opinion, must of necessity suppose, First, That Traditi­on is of no use at all to preserve the Idea of a­ny illustrious Action.

Secondly, That in Moses's time there were none who knew any particulars of the History of the Flood, &c. of the Tower of Babel, of the divisi­on of Tongues; tho' we see plainly, both by the nature of the Facts themselves, in which all Nations were concern'd, and by Moses his de­scription, that the generality of Mankind were sufficiently instructed in them already.

Thirdly, It must be supposed that Moses hath set down the manner how that Tradition was infallibly preserved so carefully to no purpose, tho' he took notice of all the Circumstances ne­cessary for that effect.

Fourthly, They must suppose that Moses, whilst he sojourned in the Land of Midian, heard no­thing either of their Original and Pedigree, nor yet of the other neighbouring Nations who were descended from Abraham, altho' all these Nations valued themselves upon their being descended from that Patriarch, and kept up their several Pedigrees, by which they could trace their Ori­ginal with the same care as the Israelites did theirs, because they had the same pretensions that the Is­raelites had.

Lastly, We must absolutely take away the Authority of the Oracles recorded by Moses in Genesis. These Oracles promise to Abraham the possession of the Land of Canaan for his Posteri­ty, and threaten the Canaanites with several Cur­ses: Jacob by his Will bequeathed Sichem to the Tribe of Joseph. He expresly marks out the Country which one of the Tribes was to possess; he gives a description of the Character and Rank of every Tribe. The accomplishment of those O­racles, tho' never so exact and admirable, is of no manner of consequence, if we suppose that these particular Predictions were absolutely un­known in Abraham's Family, whereas their ac­complishment, which he carefully describes from time to time, is the most solid demonstration which can be desired, to establish the Divinity of those Revelations, as well as of Moses his other Books.

CHAP. XIX.
An Answer to an Objection which may be drawn from the Histories of the Egyptians and Chaldeans, concerning the Antiquity of the World.

WHat I have already represented is suffici­ent to prove that Moses writ nothing in the Book of Genesis, but what was then generally known by all the World. And I know nothing that can be objected with any probability, but what we read in the most ancient Authors con­cerning the Egyptian and Chaldean History, and in the Modern ones concerning that of China. We must then examin both the one and the other with attention, that we may leave no Difficulties in so important a Subject.

All that the Atheists can object against the Hi­story of Moses, concerning the Epocha of the Creation of the World as he hath fixed it, is what Diodorus Siculus relates, that in the time of Alex­ander the Great, there were some Egyptians that reckon'd up Three and twenty thousand years from the Reign of the Sun to Alexander's time, and that those who reckon'd least, yet reckon'd somewhat more than Ten thousand years, which account exceeds the Antiquity which Moses a­scribes to the World in the Book of Genesis, by many Ages, where he represents the Creation as [Page 96]a Fact which happened some few years more than Two thousand five hundred before he wrote that Book. How then did Moses write of things universally acknowledged by all the World? And they may here further aggravate, what the same Diodorus hath observed, That the History of the Egyptians was not written like that of the Greeks; amongst whom, those who came first wrote their own Histories, every man according to his own private humour, which caused that great variety amongst their Historians: whereas amongst the Egyptians none wrote but by publick Authority; the Priests alone having that particular employ­ment reserved for them to write their Histories in their several Generations.

This Objection is easily confuted in two words: In short, How could the Egyptians have always had men to write their Histories by publick Au­thority in all their succeeding Generations, seeing there were; as Diodorus observes, such a strange and vast Divisions amongst themselves? If there were but two or three Ages difference more or less, no body would look upon it, as a material Exception against the History of such a long Se­ries of time; But who can imagine that those men who differ no less than Thirteen thousand years in their Accounts of the Duration of the same in­terval of time, had yet certain Histories upon which these things were grounded.

This shews sufficiently, that as Varro the great­est Scholar the Romans ever had, hath divided Antiquity into Fabulous and Historical, which he begins from the first Olympiad, leaving all which went before to the fabulous part; so we [Page 97]must of necessity make the same distinction in the Matter of the Antiquities of Egypt.

But I intend to do some thing more, and to consider this Egyptian History with a little more attention; out of which, I think, I may draw good Arguments to confute the vanity of those Passages in it opposed to Moses, and to confirm the Authority of his Book of Genesis, and the truth of the chiefest Transactions recorded in it.

I shall not at present take notice, that altho' the Egyptians, about their latter times, have main­tain'd that the Elements were eternal, yet they have sufficiently acknowledged that the World had a beginning, seeing they make no mention of any thing before their thirty Dynasties, which in all, did at the most amount to no more then 36525 years.

Neither do I think necessary to mention here that they have sufficiently acknowledged the be­ginning of Mankind, seeing they held that men were first born in Egypt; altho' they endeavoured to make good their pretensions by that sottish Assertion of the easie production of Frogs out of the mud of their Fen's, as the same Diodorus tells us.

But there are three things which I must here take notice of, because they do most certainly decide the question.

The first is, That by that long Reign which they ascribe to their Gods and Hero's, there is nothing else meant but the motion of the Stars, and nothing like a real Kingdom. That prodigi­ous number of years does not relate to the dura­tion of the World, as if it had subsisted so long; [Page 98]but to the return of the Sun, and the Moon, and the five other Planets, and of the Heavens, to the same point from whence, according to the Opini­on of the Egyptians, they first began their Course: In a word, it is only the great Astronomical Year, about which, as Aristole tells us, the An­cients have had so many different Opinions, and the Egyptians have so little agreed, as the History of their Antiquities, related by Diodorus, plainly shews. One thing evidently-proves what I here alledge, which is, that they have reckon'd up but fifteen Dynasties to Jupiter the last of the Heroes, that is to say, but fifteen persons to Jupiter, who is Ham the third Son of Noah.

This comes very near Moses's Calculation, who reckoneth Noah as the tenth man from Adam: for it is very likely, that those ignorant people, after a long process of time, have joyned Cain and Abel with Sem and Japhet, and Misraim the Son of Ham, which makes up the sixteen Dynasties, ex­cept we chuse to say that the Egyptians thought fit to joyn the seven Generations of Cain to those before the Flood, which comes very near to the same Account. All this, according to the phan­tastick Notions of those ancient people, who de­fied the first men, and gave them afterwards the Names of some Stars, to impress upon their Po­sterity a greater veneration for them; and in par­ticular, according to the groundless imagination of the Egyptians, who were resolved to maintain that the first men were formed in their own Country. And in short, we find that those Dy­nasties for the most part, if we except those of Vulcan, and of the Sun, have been but of a very [Page 99]short continuance, and even shorter than that which Moses ascribes to the lives of the ancient Patriarchs, which we have already set down.

The second thing that is observable in the con­futation of this false Antiquity, if one would take what the Egyptians have related of their Dynasties before Menes, and Jupiter the last of their Heroes in a Historical sense, is, that there are still suffici­ent marks of the newness of the World, as Moses hath described it, in the remaining Fragments of the true Egyptian History.

First, We see that Egypt hath constantly carried the Name of Ham amongst the Gentiles, as well as in the Holy Scriptures. It was called so 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 testifie. Now it is visible, that all this was for no other reason, but because E­gypt had fallen to the share of Ham, Noah's third Son, who settled there, and whose Posterity did afterwards people Africa, and gave it their several Names, as Moses particularly observes.

Secondly, One see's that Egypt hath more parti­cularly born the Name of Mizraim, which it bares still, and which was given to it, in respect of one of its parts, because of Mizraim the Son of Ham. And it would be ridiculous for one to imagine that those Characters given by Moses, had been al­lowed of in the World, except he had had good grounds to describe their original in the same manner as he hath already done.

Thirdly, One see's that all the Dynasties of E­gypt, that is to say, all the several Branches of the [Page 100]Kings who have reign'd over the several parts of Egypt, did all acknowledge Menes for their Common Founder.

This Menes being the same with that Mizraim of Moses, as I shall shew hereafter; It is visible that the Egyptians, who in all likelyhood have ascribed to Menes what they might more justly have ascri­bed to Jupiter Hammon, because they would di­stinguish their Kings from Hero's, have exactly followed the Idea's of Moses, in representing one as the common Father of all the several Branches of Kings who divided Egypt amongst them­selves.

Fourthly, One see's that the Invention of the Arts most necessary to Human Life, have been attribu­ted either to Menes the first King of Egypt, or to his Successors. It was this Menes, or one of his Suc­cessors, who invented Laws, Letters, Astrono­my, Musick, Wrestling, Physick, Hieroglyphicks, Anatomy, and Architecture. All this plainly shews that the Egyptians had been mistaken, if they had ascribed to the World as great an Antiquity as one would think they did, by the vast extent of time which they ascribed to the Dynasties of their Gods and Hero's. How could the World have continued above Thirty thousand years without those Arts which are so necessary for the conveni­ence of Human Life? How could men not have found out, during such a prodigious succession of Ages, those Arts, the invention whereof the E­gyptians do ascribe to their first King, or to one or two of his Successors, during a very short inter­val of time.

Fifthly, One see's in the History of Egypt the [Page 101]same decay in Religion that Moses speaks of. Herod Lib. II. cap 4. Lucian de Dea Syr. The Ancients unanimously agree that the Egyptians had at first neither Statues nor Images in their Tem­ples, which perfectly agrees with what Moses tells us of the times after the Flood: But they tell us also, That the Egyptians afterwards made some Statues, and consecrated 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 Transmigration of Souls into other Animals, an opinion which they thought did necessarily flow from the Doctrine of the Immortality of the Soul.

Sixthly, However, one sees in the sixth place, That as Moses represents Nimrod one of Ham's Po­sterity, as the Founder of an Empire in Assyria, where he formed the manners of the Inhabitants according to the Platform of the Egyptian Princi­ples; so the Ancients have observed, That the famous Assyrian Belus came out of Egypt; And it is natural to conceive, Pausan. in Messen p. 261. that there he planted Ido­latry, which began even before Abraham's time; If it be true as the Jews observe, that the Tower of Babel was a Temple wherein an Idol was con­secrated to worship him. At least, that conjecture hath a very solid ground, if we consider the Idola­try of the Babylonians towards this Bel, whom they worshipped as a God, according to the Pagans Custom of Adoring the Founders of Kingdoms after their decease as Gods.

The third thing we are here to take notice of con­tains a Demonstration of the Truth of the Book Genesis, if that which is recorded in it concerning the [Page 102]time of the Flood, be compared with the Dyna­sties of the Egyptian Kings. I will not say that those Egyptians, who had any knowledge of the Flood, did exactly mark out the time of it, as Moses doth. But I believe I may be able to shew out of their common opinion's, somthing very near equivalent.

They are all agreed that Menes was the first King of Egypt, and lived about Fourteen hun­dred years before the famous Sesostris, as Herodo­tus and Diodorus Siculus do both relate it: Now, who should this King of Egypt be, whom some call Sesonchosis, unless he is the same with Shishak whom the Scripture speaks of in the History of Re­hoboam, 1 Kings XIV. 26. even the same famous Conquerer who took Jerusalem in the fifth year of Rehoboam's Reign. If one calculates the time from the Flood, to the fifth year of Rehoboam, he will find that this Menes the first King of Egypt, is no other than the Ham of Moses; and on the other side, that there is very little difference in respect of that in­terval of time betwixt the Chronology of the E­gyptians and that of the Scriptures? Thus the Egyptian Account confirms Moses's Narrative, and the Authority of the Holy Writers, who are ve­ry particular in stating the times of every thing: whereas the Egyptians taking all in great, could ne­ver arrive at that exactness.

This Observation is of very great use, to shew the certainty of Moses's Chronology according to the Hebrew Text: For that of the Septuagint, reck­ons up above two thousand years, from the Flood to Sesostris, whereas the Egyptians did reckon up but a little above fourteen hundred years from [Page 103] Menes the first King of Egypt to Sesostris.

There is yet less difficulty to answer the Obje­ction, which may be made against the Book of Genesis from the pretended Antiquity of the Chal­deans. The same Diodorus Siculus, who saith, Diodor. l. 2. Sect. 30, 31. that the Egyptians proposed so great an Antiquity of the World, tells us also, that the Chaldeans belie­ved it eternal, and that they boasted in Alexan­der's time, that they had learnt Astronomy by Tradition from their Ancestors, who had all suc­cessively made it their study for four hundred se­venty two thousand years together. But there is nothing vainer than these Pretences.

I shall not stand to shew here the folly of their Opinions about the Eternity of the World: If Aristotle seems to have authoriz'd it, yet it is e­nough to confute that Opinion, to consider, that it is repugnant to the common notion of all the Nations of the World: So that Democritus himself, who pretended that the World was made by chance, yet durst not oppose the common and general Opinion of the Worlds being new, tho' he had the boldness to reject the Author of it, and that action by which it was Created.

Neither do I intend to be prolix here in con­futing the supposition of the Chaldeans, about their Ancestors following the Study of Astrology for 472000 year successively: The impossibility of the thing in it self is apparent by the certainty of the Flood, which was acknowledged by all those Nations, of whom we have any Antiquities, tho' never so little considerable in Pagan Authors.

But I shall make two Observations, whereof one shews the folly of the Chaldean Hypothesis, and [Page 104]the other doth invincibly establish the Authority of the Book of Genesis, if it be compared with what we know for certain, and in the Chaldean History.

The First is, That the most Ancient Authors are of Opinion, that the Chaldeans are descended from the Egyptians, who lookt upon them as a Co­lony of their own. Diodorus Siculus saith, that the Egyptians maintained, that they had sent out several Colonies into several parts of the World; that Belus the Son of Neptune and Lybia had con­ducted one into Babylon, and that having fixed it near Euphrates, he establish'd some Priests among them according to the Egyptian Custom, who were free from all publick Charges and Offices, whom the Babylonians do call Chaldeans, and who according to the Example of the Egyptian Priests, Ap. Joseph. Antiq. l. 1. c. 5. Pausan. Messen. P. 261. Philosophers, and Astrologers, did apply them­selves to the observation of the Stars. Hestiaeus, and Pausanias, say the same with Diodorus.

Now one needs only examine here, what the Egyptians do say about the invention of Astro­logy, which they ascribe to Menes, that is to say, to Ham, or to Mizraim, who lived after the Flood, thereby to discover the Foolish Vanity of the Chaldeans.

It is plain, that the Chaldeans grew so vain, by the growth of so considerable an Empire as theirs was, that they would be no longer beholding to the Egyptian Astrologers, whom all other Nati­ons have lookt upon as the first Inventors of that Science, to the inventing and perfecting of which, all Men know that the Egyptian Climate, where the Skie is always free from Clouds, did very much contribute.

And it is very considerable, that both the Chaldeans and the Egyptians began their Year with the same Month, according to Censorinus's Observation, c. XXI. de die Nat.

I know very well, the Ancient Heathens were mistaken when they pretended, that the Chaldeans went out of Egypt, as a Plantation: There is, no doubt, a kind of Illusion in this their Opinion; but yet the ground and Origine of it is uncontroulable, because the Chaldeans are descended from Cush, Ham's Eldest Son, as Moses tells, Gen. X. Therefore tho' we should grant, that the Chaldeans were the first Inventors of A­strology, yet this would be always certain, that it was found out only since Ham's time, whom the Egyptians did look upon as the last of their Heroes, or as the first of their Kings.

The other Observation which ought to be well minded here, is taken out of the true and genu­ine Chaldean Antiquities. One may prove by the Astronomical Demonstrations of the Chaldeans, which the People of Israel was altogether unac­quainted with, that Moses followed a Calculation which was then generally known.

Aristotle the first Grecian, that ever taught the Eternity of the World, contrary to Moses's Histo­ry, is the Man who furnishes us with it. He took care to send over into Greece the Astronomical Ob­servations of the Chaldeans, by which it appeared, Simplic. in l. 2. de coelo. that Babylon was taken by Alexander about 1903 years after its Foundation. Now that Calculation agrees exactly with that of Moses, Gen. XI. who gives us the Description of the Tower of Babel, and ex­plains the Original of the Name of that City, [Page 106]which was built some Ages after, by the Confusion of Tongues which then happened. And truly, it would be very admirable, that the Heavens in their Motions should have entered into a Confederacy with Moses, to justifie a Chronology invented by him in sport, without keeping to any Rules, but writing by chance, and without any certain Prin­ciple.

CHAP. XX.
An Answer to the Objection which may be drawn out of the History of China, against the Mo­saick Hypothesis, concerning the newness of the World.

I Come now to the other Objection which may be made against Moses's Calculation, accord­ing to the Hebrew Text, as we have it now. It is drawn from the History of China, whose uninter­rupted Series runs up the Succession of their Em­perors to Fobius who Reign'd about four hundred years before the Flood. Some Learned Men have already made use of that Argument, to discredit the Mosaick Chronology according to the Hebrew Text, and to cry up the Calculation of the Sep­tuagint, which exceeds that of the Hebrew Text, [Page 107]in the History before the Flood, by 800 years, and above 700 in the History from the Flood to Moses. This Objection appears very strong to those who read in the History of Martinius, that there is not the least interruption in the Catalogue of the Kings of China from Fobius; that the Histo­ry of their actions is so certain, having always been written by a Publick Authority, that no Man can reasonably entertain any doubt about it: And the Missionaries in China, have thought that there was no other way to reconcile the Mosaick Chronology, with the Chinese; but in making use of the Septuagint's Account; and wherein they agree with all the Asiatick Christi­ans, and even those in Europe, who follow the Septuagint in their reckoning up the years of the World, for the most part: Though St. Hierome's Translation, which follows the Hebrew Text ex­actly, is received in the West.

But after all, there is little difficulty in answer­ing this Objection, and we may hereupon easily satisfie, those who do not dispute only for dispu­ting sake, but are ready to examine this Question, with that equity which is requisite in the exami­nation of all Questions of that nature.

I confess ingeniously, that this History, which is one of the most ancient in the World, hath many Illustrious Characters of certainty, especi­ally if we give credit to all that Martinius relates of it.

First, It marks out exactly the Series and Suc­cession of all the Kings of China, from the very beginning and original of that Nation.

Secondly, It records in what Year of each Cy­cle [Page 108]of threescore years, every King began his Reign and did such or such an action.

Thirdly, It relates some Astronomical Obser­vations, older than any that have been made by the most Ancient Astronomers in other Na­tions.

Fourthly, It was written by a Publick Authori­ty, and by such Authors as lived in the time when the things which they record, were transacted; the immediate Successor to the Empire taking al­ways care, that the History of his Predecessor should be written.

Nay, to all this we must add, that the Chinese's way of writing, making no use of Letters, but of Hieroglyphicks, may have prevented these altera­tions which might otherwise have been made in their History; the whole Life of a Man being hardly sufficient, to attain to the perfect knowledge, of a Tongue which hath above Threescore Thou­sand Figures which must be all learnt before a Man can be able only to Read and Write.

But, besides that, all this depends upon the sole Authority of Martinius, no body else beside him having given us, as yet any opportunities of examining those ancient Monuments of China; we may find out of this very History some strong Proofs, to confirm that of Moses, and so easily resolve the Difficulties which may be raised out of it, against the Book of Genesis.

First, F. Martinius observes, that the common Opinion of the Chinese, is, that the World had a beginning: And tho' there be some of them of Epicurus's Opinion, yet there was never any a­mongst them, that was for the Eternity of the [Page 109]World, but since the Incarnation of Christ, and the Introduction of Idolatry amongst them.

Secondly, He tells us, that they commonly ac­knowledge a God, whom they call Xangti, which is not the Name, but the Epithet of God, this word signifying Supream Governour of Heaven and Earth.

Thirdly, He saith that they acknowledge a first Man brought forth out of the Chaos, in one Night in the Spring, which opinion some amongst them have made intricate by the addition of their own Fables.

Fourthly, He shews that Sacrifices have been in use amongst them.

Fifthly, That they believe a certainty of Pu­nishments and Rewards after this Life, for Vice and Vertue.

Sixthly, That they believe the existence of good and bad Angels.

Seventhly, That they assign to some of them the protection of Cities and Provinces, and pay them great Veneration at the Instalment of their Magistrates.

Eighthly, That they acknowledge them to be Incorporeal Beings, and that it is but of late, that they have Erected and Consecrated Statues to them.

And Lastly, That they have a very great knowledge of the Flood, which in their account happened about 3500 years before Jesus Christ.

Here are, we see many truths which are the grounds of Religion, and which were known to them; from whence we may easily judge, in com­paring those Truths with the History of Moses, [Page 110]that the ancient Chinese did agree with all other Nations, in the believing the first Principles of Re­ligion, laid down by Moses.

We may likewise observe, that those Antiqui­ties of China, for the most part, are as like those recorded by Moses, as a Tradition (which cannot but have received many alterations during such a long interval of time) can be like to an exact Narrative of Matters of Fact drawn up by an Author who knew very well what he writ.

First, It appears that what they say, concern­ing the Thirteen Successors of the first man na­med Puoncuus, all descended from him, is agree­able enough to the History of Genesis, which sets down the successive Patriarchs from Father to Son. All the difference is, that the Chinese, by a foo­lish Ambition of appropriating all to themselves, maintain that those Thirteen Kings were all in China.

Secondly, What they tell us of the World be­ing civiliz'd under the second of those Kings, call'd Thienhoang, after the death of the great Dragon that had disturbed Heaven and Earth, a­grees very well with the History of Seth, who be­gan to form Mankind to a right notion of the worship of God, when he separated them from Cain's Family.

Thirdly, It is very probable that when the Chinese have reckoned up thirteen Kings lineal­ly descended from the first man, and his Succes­sors, they have included in that number Cain and Abel, who tho' they were both the Sons of the first man, yet were not reckon'd up by Moses, because his Scope was only to give an Account of the Li­neal [Page 111]Descent of Adam's Posterity by Seth.

They believe that under Ginhohang there was a kind of Golden Age, the Earth being then fruit­ful to admiration, and that under his Successor Men being extreamly simple, and altogether ig­norant of the several Arts necessary to Human Life, as of Characters and Letters, one Sujus, to supply the want of them, contrived a way of keeping up the memory of things, by tying se­veral sorts of knots upon a Cord.

All which sufficiently evinces, that the belief of the Worlds being lately created according to Moses's Description, was as much received by the ancient People of China, as by all other Nati­ons.

And here it is further observable, That the Chi­neese themselves according to Martinius's account, do suspect all the Historical Records of their Em­pire, before King Fobius, looking upon them as false and ridiculous; and indeed the People of that Country before Fobius, living like brute Beasts, without any settled Government, Laws, or Arts: This alone is enough to confute those amongst the Chinese, who maintain now adays, that the dura­tion of the World before Confucius, who lived about 500 years before Jesus Christ, was of no less than Three millions two hundred threescore and seven thousand years. For hereby it clearly ap­pears, That they have foolishly affected to sur­pass 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 Astrological Observations, that Astrolo­gy had been exercis'd amongst them for 472000 [Page 112]years before Alexander's entring into Asia.

After all, it is certain that their Calculation of 3000 years, from Fobius to Jesus Christ, is on­ly incompatible with Moses's Chronology, accord to the Hebrew Text, and not at all with that of the Septuagint.

But moreover, what can be more palpably fa­bulous than the whole History of Fobius, whom the Chinese suppose to have begun his Reign 2952 years before Jesus Christ? First, he is call'd the Son of Heaven, because, they say, he had a Mother and no Father; and that his Mother con­ceived him by the Banks of a Lake near the Town of Lanthieu, where as she was walking, she saw the footsteps of a man upon the Sand, and was at the same time surrounded on a suddain with a Rainbow.

Secondly, The Situation of that Town which is in the West of China, do's demonstrate that the first Inhabitants of China came thither from the Western parts of the World, and that consequent­ly they were of Shem's Posterity, according to Moses's account in the Tenth of Genesis.

Thirdly, Altho' there be perhaps no incongrui­ty in their ascribing to him the Study of Astro­nomy, and the invention of several Institutions necessary to Human Society, as Laws, &c. yet what they add, that he was the first inventer of several Figures, which he had seen upon the back of a Dragon, sufficiently shews, that either the whole story is but a Fable, or that he was a Cheat, and imposed upon the simplicity of ignorant peo­ple.

What probability is there (seeing it is supposed [Page 113] China, was then all over infested and overgrown with Barbarism) that in his time it should be re­corded in writing, 1. That he invented, instead of those Knots before mentioned, the Hierogly­phicks, which are almost as obscure. 2. That Men were then distinguished from Women by the difference of their Garments. 3. That Mar­riages were then fixed and regulated which be­fore were as promiscuous amongst Men as amongst Beasts.

What they say of his being the Author of a Musical Instrument of 36 Cords, shews evident­ly the falshood of the Story; for there is nothing more improbable, than to suppose that he should arrive to such perfection of improvement in Mu­sick 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 imperfect.

Surely the Egyptians were more reasonable when they attributed the invention of the Lyre with three strings to Mercury, Saturn's Secretary, who is the same with Noah.

The History of China takes notice that the be­ginning of Husbandry and Physick was under Fobius's Successor, it do's not mention whether he was his Son, or no; but it only gives an ac­count of the first War, wherein he was routed by a petty King, one of his Subjects, who suc­ceeded him in the Empire.

And what is most singular in that Record, is, that therein is ascribed to that Usurper, 1. The [Page 114]invention of the Cycle of 60 years, which serves to fix their Chronology. 2. The method of regula­ting Weights and Measures. 3. That it was by his means and encouragement that some of his con­temporary Subjects found out the Sphere, Arith­metick, Laws, Judicial Astrology, several Musi­cal Instruments, the Art of Dying, and of Coin­ing, the Joyners and Carpenters Trade, so far as to make Boats and Bridges. They pretend that he ne­ver dy'd, but that he was translated alive into that place which the Chinese do assign for Eternal Happiness. Lib. II. cap. 7. Hist. Nat. 'Tis Pliny's observation, that this way and custom of Deifying the first Inventors of Arts, necessary to Human Life, is very ancient; but if it be an old Custom, it is also a pregnant sign of the Ignorance that reigned amongst those ancient people that used it. Therefore we may as justly suspect the History of the Chinese, among whom it is in use, as the Egyptian Accounts, which were much of the same nature in Alexan­der's time, as we are informed by Diodorus Siculu [...]. The Posterity or the Successors of those famous men have always affected in process of time, by such means, to immortalize their Names, to the end they might raise up themselves and their Fa­milies as well to Power and Authority, as to Ho­nour and Veneration, above all other men with whom they conversed.

But however, we may reasonably conjecture that those several passages recorded in that Histo­ry, having for the greatest part of them, a great conformity with the Transactions related in Mo­ses History, which was not unknown to the Chal­deans, with whom the Chinese had Communica­tion [Page 115]and Correspondence; all those Pretences and claims of theirs to the invention of these Arts, is an honour which they have borrow'd from others to lend it to the Founders of their Empire; just as the Egyptians have appropriated to their first Kings, some Arts which were found out by the Patriarchs before the Flood; or as the Greeks have made their first Princes the first Inventors of those very Arts, the Invention of which the Egyptians ascribed to their first Kings.

And this Reflexion will appear the more proba­ble and natural, if we consider what they relate, that under the fourth Successor of Fobius, there arose an Impostor Famous by his Delusions, who endeavoured to alter the Religion of the Chinese, and to bring in Idolatry amongst them; which brought great Misfortunes upon China. For here­by it is evident, that the Chinese in their History have disguised, and so appropriated to themselves, some Passages which relate to Nimrod's time, since the Original of Idolatry is to be referr'd to the time of building of the Tower of Babel, which was intended for an Idol Temple, if we will be­lieve what passes for a received Opinion amongst the Jews.

Chuenhious is said to have been the Restorer of the Worship of one God, and to have annexed the Priesthood to the Kingly Power; and to have re­gulated the Calendar, and to have found out the Ephemerides of the five Planets, after an intire Conjunction of those five Planets, before the day of the Conjunction of the Sun with the Moon, and to have fixed to that day, the beginning of the year, which agrees with our beginning the year in January.

But yet it is to be observed,

1. That notwithstanding this pretended Astro­nomical Observation, there have been several Al­terations made of the beginning of the year ac­cording to the fansie and pleasure of several Em­perors, which shews that there was no constant rule observed in that Countrey.

2. That Martinius seems to have approved of the Calculation of this Conjunction of five Planets in Aquarius, to accommodate the false Astrologi­cal prejudice of the Chinese, with that of several Authors, who looking upon the Flood as a natural event, have groundlesly imagined, that it was brought to pass by the virtue and influence of such a Conjunction, and that it was a certain sign of a Flood. 'Tis this foolish and whimsical Fansie which hath made some Grecians preposterously se­dulous in seeking out that dreadful year, the Win­ter whereof, was to drown the World with a Flood, and the Summer to burn it with a general Conflagration, as Censorinus Cens. de die nat. c. 18 and Arist L. 1. meteor. c. 14. Aristotle have observed it. 'Tis a Judicious Remark which Origanus Tom. 1. Ephemer. P. 481. hath made upon the Observations of those Astrologers, who from the Conjunction of the Planets in Humid Signs, use to foretel prodi­gious Rains, for he shews, that there is nothing more groundless and uncertain than such Obser­vations: And he gives a famous and remarkable Instance of that uncertainty to the eternal shame of Astrology, which is this; John Staffler, as Cardan tells us, having observed such a Conjunction of all the Planets in Pisces, in the year 1524. foretold that there should come a general Flood, whereof several People being afraid, retired to the tops of [Page 117]high Mountains; but without any cause, for there was never seen a greater Serenity of Weather.

3. Martinius was certainly mistaken, when he ascribed to Chuenhious the regulating the Epheme­rides of the five lesser Planets; seeing there are no such Ephemerides in China, according to all the Re­lations we have of that Countrey; nor yet any of the Sun and Moon so exact, as we have in Europe; a pregnant Demonstration of which, is that the Missionary Jesuits have been raised up to the dig­nity of the chiefest Mandarins in China, only be­cause their skill and learning in Astrology, was found to exceed that of any the most Learned Men amongst the Chinese, by many degrees.

These things I thought fit to observe, to shew that there is nothing in the History of China, which they so much cry up, that can any ways invalidiate the Authority of Moses's Accounts in his Book of Genesis, but what rather confirms it, if it be considered with attention.

It was not without reason, that I have supposed, that the memory of those Ancient Transactions, was conveyed, tho' confusedly, to the Chinese; we have already intimated one of those probable means of conveyance of this Tradition, by their Commerce which the Chaldeans, who were well informed of the greatest part of those several Transactions, and who had great intercourse with the remotest Nations of Asia, towards the East. To this we may add another Argument, yet more certain and sure; which is the continual Commerce, that hath always been betwixt the Indies and China, and the Communication which the Inhabitants of the Neighbouring Countries of [Page 118]the Red Sea, have always had with all the Eastern Nations of the World. For it is plain, that this Commerce gave a great opportunity of Commu­nicating to those Eastern Nations, the knowledge of all those Passages which were known to the Chaldeans: Just as the like Commerce with the Western Nations of the World, proved a means of conveying to them the knowledge of the most part of the same things, which in process of time became the ground of the most Ancient Fables a­mongst the Greeks, among whom those Fables made up the best part of their Divinity.

But besides all this, we may mention here ano­ther very likely means of conveyance, viz. the Commerce of the Chinese with the Tartars, a­mong whom the Jews of the ten Tribes were dispersed and setled, within a short time after their Captivity in Assyria. For as those Jews had with them the Books of Moses, so they easily gave a great insight and knowledge in ancient Hi­story to those Nations, that have appropriated it to themselves, as may be made out, by compa­ring their Fabulous History, with those Books of Moses, which contain in effect, all that relates to the Original of those Nations.

But whatever judgment be made of those fore­mentioned means of conveying the Ancient Tra­dition to the Chinese, I think that I have good ground to affirm.

1. That the Historians that have written the Lives of the first Emperors of China, were not Contemporaries with those Emperors, and that consequently they have not recorded things so well known, as it was supposed.

2. That the Fables intermixt in their Histories do sufficiently evidence the easie and credulous temper of those Authors, which takes away from them all credit and belief.

3. That the greatest care of those Authors was to perswade the World of the pretended Anti­quity of their Nation, and so to raise the Honour and Reputation of it by glorious Stories and Fa­bles.

4. That their affectation in giving us an Ac­count of Astronomy and Judiciary Astrology, was only to bring into Credit and Reputation those Arts, the end and scope of which is to impose up­on Simple Men; which is a ridiculous Affectati­on, and such as hath exposed the Chaldeans and Egyptians to the just Contempt and Derision of all other Nations.

5. That there is amongst them a Diversity of Opinions contrary to one another, about their Antiquity; just as there were some amongst the Egyptians, who reckoned up 23000 years from the Reign of the Sun to Alexander; when some others reckoned b [...] a little above 10000 years.

6. That the Chinese according to one of their own Opinions, must say, that the Earth was without almost any Inhabitants for 30000 years together, and above; whereas we see that in the space of five or six thousand years, it is become inhabited as we see it; and that within a little more, it will be so overstockt, as that it will not be able to yield Provisions enough for all its Inha­bitants, as a Learned English Man hath of late proved it by a Mathematical Demonstration; [Page 120]which shews, that the Chinese wanted certain grounds to go upon, in several Accounts which they give of many Transactions, and in the rela­ting of which, they are besides most confident.

Lastly, That therefore, what is reported, that these Chinese Authors did all write with publick allowance after every King's Decease, might in­deed be so about the latter times, as it was pra­ctic'd in Egypt; but that it is as absolutely false, that the Chinese had ever in former times, such Publick Historians, and as it is false, that the Egyptians had formerly any such, although they were as confident to say they had, in Alexan­der's time, as the Chinese are now.

But this, I think, is sufficient for the clearing of that matter. We must now answer the last Objection of Atheists against the Authority of the Book of Genesis.

CHAP. XXI.
Wherein the last Objection of Atheists, is answered.

AS I intend to clear all the Difficulties which may arise about this important Matter, in the Minds of those that shall peruse these Obser­vations; I think my self obliged to prevent and [Page 121]resolve, the only plausible Objection, I know remaining, after all what I have said upon this Subject.

Perhaps some will be apt to reply here that they indeed confess Moses to be the Author of Genesis, and that, if that Book had really been Suppositi­tious, it could never have gone under his Name, nor be received as his, in after Ages. But that yet all this does not prove sufficiently the truth of those Transactions recorded in that Book. Because Moses may have forced upon the People of Israel, the belief of them, by those Laws that he enacted amongst them, by which it was Death for any Man to dare to contest the truth of any thing he had written in his Books. This I think, is all, that the most Contentious Atheists can think of, to undermine the Authority of Moses's History.

But this Objection is easily answered, for it con­sutes it self. For,

First, It supposes the truth of these great Mira­cles, by which God establish'd Moses the Head and Captain of the People of Israel; which Miracles are every whit as hard to believe, as the several Accounts of other things which we read of, in the Book of Genesis.

We find accordingly, amongst the Heathens themselves many Monuments of those Miracles done by the Ministry of Moses, when he brought the Israelites out of Egypt: As I intend to shew in my Observations upon the other four Books of Moses.

Secondly, They must at least suppose, that Moses hath given a true account of several Passa­ges, in which he could not impose upon other [Page 122]Nations, which did not acknowledge his Autho­rity, as for example, all that relates to the build­ing of the Ark, the greatest piece of Architecture that was then in the World; and to the raising of the Tower of Babel, the greatest Building that ever was, and part of which is yet ex­tant, for all these things were as so many Witnesses of the truth of those Transactions which he related.

Thirdly, They must likewise suppose, that he hath related several other Passages as exactly as he did those, as for Example, That of the Division of Tongues, which is an Appendix of the History of the Tower of Babel; that of the Destruction of So­dom, the Original of the Neighbouring Nations of Canaan, that of the Jews, of the Moabites, of the Am­monites, of the Ishmaelites, and Edomites; for it is ri­diculous to conceive, that this Law-giver should ever hope to perswade other Nations to believe a­ny false Stories about Matters so well, and so ge­nerally known, as those were amongst them­selves.

Fourthly, They must suppose further, that he hath given a true account of the Original of the Israelites, whose Head and Governor he was. How great and absolute soever the Authority of Moses might be, it is ridiculous to imagine, that ever he would have derived the Original of the Israel­ites from any other, than from their true Ance­stors. This appears the more necessary in that we see by the accounts he gives of things, and Pedigrees in Genesis, that he wrote that Book espe­cially from the History of Abraham, on to the end of it, only to shew the Rights, and just Pre­tensions [Page 123]of the Israelites, upon the Land of Ca­naan.

Fifthly, They must yet further acknowledge, whither they will or not, the truth of the accounts he gives, concerning the Original of the Preten­sions and Divisions, which were kept up amongst the Twelve Tribes of Israel; now these Pretensi­ons having no other ground, than the Oracles which are related in his History; they sufficiently prove the Authority of those Oracles against all the Pretensions and Objections of the A­theists.

What violence soever they may pretend that Moses might use to force an Implicit Belief of his History and blind Obedience to his Laws, yet no Man of common Sense and Reason can ever think, that he would have fill'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 false Accounts of them, should ever have been credited by the Neighbouring Nations, or even by his own Subjects.

But without urging here several other Absurdi­ties, which plainly shew, that there is no distin­ction to be found, betwixt the Accounts of things which Moses recites as publickly known, and those which he relates of his own Head, and private knowledge; there being, as I have already shew'd, betwixt all those several Accounts, such a natural Coherence, and necessary Concatenation, that they cannot be divided from one another, without destroying the whole frame of his History: I say, that it is impossible, that the Law, by which he makes it death, for any one to contest the truth of [Page 124]his Narration, should make the sincerity of it su­spected.

I do not urge here, that there is an evident Ab­surdity to suppose, that Moses would ever have re­lated together all those Transactions, as the grounds of Religion, if they had been absolutely unknown in the World before him.

Neither do I mention here, that suppose Moses had been so imprudent, as to attempt such an un­dertaking, yet there is no reason to believe, that a whole Nation, and that a very numerous one, would have long persevered in a Profession forced upon them by meer Violence and Ty­ranny.

Nor do I think it necessary to observe here, that the People of Israel were neither so pa­tient, nor so easily perswaded by Moses, nor yet so submissive to him, as these Objectors do imagine.

That is plain, and apparent enough from all their Seditions and Conspiracies against him.

Nor do I judge it necessary to observe here what is plain enough of it self, viz. that Moses had no Successor any ways concern'd, to countenance and defend these pretended Fictions and Fables of his History, Joshua his immediate Successor was of another Tribe; and so were all the suc­ceeding Governors of Israel, until the Maccabees came.

But what I think deserves best to be observed here, is, that after Moses and Joshua's Decease, the People of Israel was brought under the Subje­ction of the Canaanites, and consequently freed [Page 125]from the Terror of that Law of Moses's making, by which it was Death for any one to contest the Authority of his Laws, [...]nd the truth of all his Writings; there is but a little more than forty years interval betwixt the Conquest of Canaan by Joshua, and the Bondage of the Israelites under the Neigh­bouring Nations. Had it not been a fit time then, to cast off the Yoak of Moses's Laws, and to publish the pretended Lies and Impostures of his History? Was not the Comparison which the Israelites could easily make betwixt the Mosaick Writings, and the Tradition generally received in the Countrey of their Captivity, a natural and rea­dy means to undeceive them.

Yet notwithstanding all this, we see that they obstinately entertain the belief of the several Tran­sactions recorded by Moses, and stand firmly to all their Pretensions: Nay, we see them have re­course to the Remedy of Repentance which Moses prescribed them to use in those sad Misfor­tunes which he foretold should befal them, and out of which he promis'd, at the same time, that God would miraculously deliver them; which in­deed was done accordingly, even fourteen times within less than four hundred years, as is manifest from the Book of Judges.

Can there then be a more pregnant Argument, that if Moses made it Death by one of his Sanctions, for any of the Israelites, to contest 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 prevent the corrup­tion of that People, and their mingling and con­founding themselves with the Heathens, which [Page 126]God intended to hinder on purpose, because he would have the Messiah to be born according to his Promise, out of that Nation, which to effect, he thought fit in his infin [...]e Wisdom, to employ the rigour of some Capital Laws, to keep that people unmixt and distinguish'd from all other Nations of the World, till the Messiah was born.

CHAP. XXII.
The Consequences of what we have proved in our foregoing Observations upon the Book of Genesis.

THese several Observations which I have made upon the Book of Genesis, are all, I think, very natural and easie; and if I am not mistaken, sufficient to prove solidly, the truth of Moses's Ac­count, of the Creation of the World, and of the Promise of the Messiah, which is the foundation of the Christian Religion.

The Conclusion that I draw out of the Premi­ses is, That,

First, I assert, that Moses that famous Hebrew, who was design'd to be the Heir of Pharaoh's Daughter, is the true and sole Author of the Book of Genesis.

Secondly, I maintain, that this being once [Page 127]granted, he could not, according to his way of Writing, record those important Transactions, he relates otherwise than they really came to pass.

Thirdly, I maintain, that tho he had not been an Eye. Witness of the Creation of the World, yet he hath made the Description of it according to such an Authentick Tradition, as cannot be reasona­bly doubted of, because it was then the Universal Tradition, not only of the Moabites, of the Am­monites, of the Ishmaelites, and of the Edomites, who were all of Sem's Posterity, and amongst whom he had been travelling for forty years to­gether; but also 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 contradicted, till true Reason and Sence, if I may say so, was lost and banish'd from amongst Mankind, till the Egyptians, for example, they who used before, to look upon the Greeks as meer Children and Ideots, were fallen into so great a Stupidity and Deprivation of Sence, as to be­lieve and maintain, that Men were first born in Egypt, because forsooth, Frogs did naturally, as they thought, breed out of their Muddy Fenns and Marshes.

Fifthly, I maintain, that for many Ages after Moses. no body did ever publickly declare for the Eternity of the World, nor yet for its Fortuitous Production. These Opinions are meer Absurdi­ties and Chimeras, brought forth into the World by the Chaldeans and Greeks, only about Alexan­der's time, or perhaps an hundred years before [Page 128]him, i. e. about eleven or twelve hundred years after Moses's Decease.

Sixthly, I maintain, that seeing there is no par­ticular time to be found, wherein the reading of the Law was interrupted and discontinued for any considerable time amongst the Jews, seeing it continues still to this very hour amongst them eve­ry Sabbath day, in the several places of the World, wherein they are dispersed; and seeing besides, that it is certain, that this Law, which enjoyns the Observation of the Sabbath, in remembrance of the Creation, could never be imposed upon them, without their perceiving and declaring pre­sently the Novelty and Supposition of that Ac­count, and consequently of the Book wherein it is related.

Seeing all this is certain, I do positively main­tain, that the truth of the Creation can never be better proved, than it is by the Book of Genesis, because in it Moses 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; and that in a time when eve­ry Man was able to run his own Pedigree up to Adam.

Lastly, I maintain, that as the certainty of the Creation cannot reasonably be doubted of, with­out rejecting at the same time all those Proofs from Facts which I have brought to strengthen my Assertion. So there is all the reason in the World to entertain the belief of it, as of a mat­ter of Fact which is indisputable: As being Rela­ted by the most Ancient Historian, Confirmed by the most Ancient Tradition, Believed by the [Page 129]most Ancient People of the World, who did not only believe it, but also, had always had, ac­cording to God's Command, the Memory of it Celebrated amongst them and their Ance­stors, in all their Generations fifty two times in a Year, from the very beginning of the World.

CHAPTER I.
That it cannot reasonably be doubted, but that Moses is the Author of Exodus, and of the three other following Books.

THis is a Truth which may be grounded upon several solid Arguments.

I might observe, That Moses hath always been acknowledged, by the very Heathens themselves, not only to be the most Ancient Historian, but also the most Ancient Legislator in the World.

I might likewise observe, That there is a par­ticular connexion betwixt the Book of Genesis and the other Books of Moses, as well in regard of the general Design of their Author, as of the Matters treated of in them. For Example, We see that the greatest part of the Laws and Trans­actions which we find written and recorded there, derive their Original from those Transactions and Passages that we read of in Genesis. Thus we may plainly discern that the pretension of the Israelites upon the Land of Canaan, was grounded upon the Promise that God made to Abraham to give it to his Posterity, in the fourth Generation. Thus we may see, That the Amalekites could have no other reason to make War against the Israelites, than the old Alliance that was former­ly made betwixt Amalek and the Canaanites, which without doubt engaged his Posterity to be the first Opposers of the establishment of the Is­raelites in the Land of Canaan. Thus we see that the Seditions of the Israelites against Moses under Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, did proceed from the Order of the Birth of the Children of Israel, as it is set down in Genesis, because the eldest thinking themselves wrong'd of their Birthright, thought they might justly Rebel against Moses in order to recover it.

But I haste to things more material than these. And first it is here observable, That those Books were not only religiously kept in every Family of Israel; but that they were also once solemnly de­posited in the Tabernacle as a publick Record, and that by Moses himself a little before his death, that they might be a Testimony against that [Page 139]People, as we read it Deuteronomy XXXI. 26.

Secondly, It cannot be denied that Moses did straightly charge both Joshuah, and the Heads of the People, to read them frequently and care­fully, for it is expresly said so, Joshua 1.8. Nay, we see about 500 years after, the holy Man Da­vid, who had made, during his life, Psal. I. the supream felicity of a man to consist in the reading the Law of God day and night: We see, I say, that holy Man give in his Death-bed the same Charge to Solomon, I Kings.

Thirdly, Moreover it is certain that there were many Laws and Sanctions contained in those Books, which are the Foundation of the History of succeeding Times. And this is the reason why we read nothing in the Book of Joshua concern­ing the several Blessings and Curses which were to be pronounced upon the Mounts Ebal and Ge­rizim, because the form of them was to be bor­rowed from the Books of Moses which were Pub­lick and Authentick. The same Reflexion may be made upon the Law of the First-fruits, and up­on the Prayer which was to be made upon the Tithes of the third year; as likewise upon many other Laws.

Fourthly, It is certain that those Books were read over every seventh Year, according to the Injunction of that Law, which we find Deutero­nomy XXXI. 10, 11. which was commanded to be done for the instruction of Posterity, as it is inti­mated in the Thirteenth Verse of the same Chap­ter. Whereupon it may not be preposterous to consider here God's Methods, to prevent all For­gery and Imposture in this Matter.

We see that it was, during the Longaevity of Human Life, a constant and universal Custom amongst all the Patriarch's to Moses's time, to put (when they lay on their Death beds) their Posterity in mind of the most important Truths, and of the Fundamental Articles of Religion, because as all Admonitions and Exhortations made at such a time, are always look'd upon as sincere, so they seldom fail of being favoura­bly construed and better entertained, than they would be at any other time. We have as in­stances of this ancient Custom, the Examples of Abraham, of Isaac, of Jacob, of Joseph, &c. who in that, I make no doubt, follow'd the Custom of their pious Ancestors, who in all likelyhood derived it from Adam himself. That Custom we see was of an admirable use to perpetu­ate the memory of illustrious Transactions: What was then spoken by those pious venerable men, was a kind of a publick Sermon, because it was delivered before those numerous Fami­lies, which met then altogether about the Bed of their common Head and Father; and that upon such an Occasion as did extraordinarily ex­cite their attention.

To this Custom succeeded another, which was, that when the greatest Captains and Judges of the People of Israel, were sensible of their ap­proaching Death, then they usually called the People together, to give them such Exhortations, Reproofs, and Admonitions, as they judged most proper, either for their encouragement, or for their Reformation; nay, and that even in some occasions many of them have affected to [Page 141]have their Speeches made publick, and deposited in the Tabernacle: Thus did Moses and Joshuah, and the greatest number of the Judges, and Samuel, and Solomon, &c.

We know that the Books of Moses were former­ly read every Sabbath day; as St. James does at­test it in Acts XV. And tho there be no express command about it in Moses's Writings, yet we find there, something equivalent to it, in the strict charge given by him to all the People, to be continually conversant in his Books, and to in­struct their Families at all times in the Laws and Doctrines delivered in them; for it is plain, that if the Israelites were bound by that command of Moses to read his Books every day, they were more particularly obliged, by the same command, to read them on the Sabbath day, which was made a day of rest by God; particularly on purpose, 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 besides that those Books were conti­nually explained both by the Doctors of the Law, and the Levites, who were on purpose dispersed through the whole Land of Canaan, that they might the better attend and perform the Duties of their Ministry.

We see that Moses in his Writings hath exactly kept a kind of Journal, which cannot easily re­ceive any alteration. If we read hereupon what relates to the sojourning of the Israelites, and the several removals of their Tents in the Desert, we shall be easily convinc'd by the very form and stile of those Books, as we have them now, that they [Page 142]were formerly publickly received, and were ex­actly transcribed out of the Original, and that if in Process of time they suffered any alteration, it was only as to some Appendices or Postscripts in­serted by Esrah, or some other Prophet, by way of Explication.

We see in those Books a History written with­out disguise or partiality, exact in relating all Cir­cumstances, of Places, Times, and Persons, even in the Narration of things of small importance for the main drift of the Author; there are besides, some Passages recorded in them, which any Au­thor, who lived after Moses's time, would certain­ly have left out, if for no other reason, yet at least to abolish the memory of some actions dishonou­rable to some great Families, and whole Tribes of Israel.

Again, we read in them the Songs, and other Publick Monuments which were made upon ex­traordinary occasions, to preserve the memory of them the better.

I have but three Observations more to make here, and then I have done with this Chap­ter.

The First is, That those Books have been con­stantly quoted by all the Authors amongst that People who followed Moses, and that their Quo­tations do exactly agree with the Text of those Books, as we have them now, which is a certain sign, as well of the Sincerity, as of the Antiquity of that Author. They were as much esteemed in Israel as in Juda, both People did observe them as their Law: The Prophets that arose from time to time, did always, and upon all Occasions ac­knowledge, [Page 143]and maintain their Authority.

Thus we find in the Book of Joshua, quoted out of them, what relates to the Curses and Blessings, to the Prophecies, and Divisions of the Land of Canaan, amongst the Tribes of Israel. The whole History of the thirteen Judges, whom God raised up amongst the People, is nothing in general, but an account of the accomplishment of that Pro­mise, which God had made formerly by Moses, to raise up from among that People such Men in the time of their Afflictions and Captivities, as would be the Assertors of their Liberty.

We see there in particular, the Execution of Moses's order, concerning Caleb, Judg I. 20. Judg. VII. 3. Judg. XIII. 3. and of that Law in Deuteronomy, which prescribes the manner of dismissing from the Army those that are fearful and faint-hearted; and of that other concerning the Nazarites, &c.

Thus we see, that the Rule and Laws prescri­bed in those Books, continued in force in the time of Ruth, David's Great Grand-Mother, that ap­pears plainly, by their Observation of those Laws, which enjoyn'd the next Kinsman to take to Wife the Widow of his Deceased Relation, and to re­deem his Inheritance. As for David and Solomon, they are continually alluding to something or o­ther delivered in those Books: Nehemiah quotes them in Chap. XIII. of his Book, and that was in the year of the World 3563, and so does Malachy in the IV. and V. Chapters of his Prophesie, in the year 3580.

The Second Observation, which is very mate­rial, is, that the Author of those Books, hath inserted in them an express prohibition of adding any [Page 144]thing to them, as we see it Deuteronomy IV. 2.

It is then impossible, seeing that the whole peo­ple of the Jews have always acknowledged the Divine Authority of those Books, that they should ever have attempted the alteration of any thing in them.

Nay, we see, not without wonder, that after the greatest part of the ten Tribes of Israel were transported into Assyria, those that were sent from Assyria to inhabit their Countrey, did receive that Law, and that their Posterity have kept it all along to this day, as uncorrupted as the Jews, altho' they continue their Mortal Enemies, and have been exposed to all the Changes, and Revoluti­ons, that can befal a Nation, during the long in­terval of 2400 years.

The Third Observation, which deserves a sin­gular Attention is, That notwithstanding the great and many Corruptions, which the Common-Wealth of Israel fell into, yet these Books have still been kept up in the same form that we have them now: It appears out of the History of Josi­ah related, 2 Kings XXIII. 21. That after the Book of the Law, of Moses own writing, was found in the Temple, the King commanded all the People to keep the Passover unto the Lord, as it is written in the Book of this Covenant: Now we have the Institution of the Passover, Exod. XII. which shews, that Josiah by the Book of this Co­venant, meant the Books of Moses, such as we have them now adays, and such as they were when Moses deposited them into the Sanctuary.

It is important to consider well, all that is rela­ted in the forementioned Chapter of II Kings, for [Page 145]we may gather out of it, that it was according to the Directions of this Law, that they began to reform all the Superstitions and Idolatries which had been introduced in their Religion, and coun­tenanced by the Royal Authority, from Solomon's time to Josiah; this Chapter relates and commends the proceeding of Josiah, only in opposition to the ill government of his Predecessors, and to the pub­lick Monuments of their Superstitions, which he abolished in obedience to God's Laws, contained in the Books of Moses.

However, it is certain, that it was no easie mat­ter, to impose herein upon Posterity.

For First, The Transactions recorded in the Books of Moses, did not only relate to the People of Israel, but also to most of the Neighbouring Nations.

Secondly, The Memory of them continued so lively and universal, that almost 1500 years after Moses, the Names of those Magicians spoken of, Exod. VII. 11. were, as yet known, not only a­mongst the Jews, as we see it by an express Pas­sage of S. Paul, who speaks of them, Hist. Nat. l. 30. c. 1. and mentio­neth their Names, 2 Tim. III. 8. but also among the Heathens, as both Pliny and Numenius do at­test it.

I point only at those general Proofs at present, because I have already made use of them, and shew'd their force in my Observations upon Gene­sis, and because I intend to repeat, and improve some of them hereafter in this Treatise. But now, in order to follow my present design, I must come to the more particular Consideration of the things contained in these Books, which will [Page 146]much conduce to the Confirmation of the same Truth.

CHAP. II.
That both the Character of Moses's Person, and the nature of the things he relates has always made men read his Books with attention.

The Subject of some Books is such, as that a­lone would recommend them to the attenti­on of any Reader, tho' their Author had no re­putation in the World; but when besides the im­portance of their Subject, the Author of them is famous and of great repute, then to be sure, they never fail to be read with serious attention, and preserved with as great a care. The Books of Moses have both these advantages, so that they cannot reasonably be suspected of the least altera­tion or Forgery.

The first Character that we discover in these Books at the first viewing of them, is the great singularity, and admirable diversity of their Stile, and of the Matters they treat of.

We do not see that other Legislators did ever af­fect to act the parts of Historians; no, they con­tent themselves with their absolute power, to make Laws, without giving any reason for the Sanction of them: Therefore we see, that there is commonly nothing more dry and sapless than all their Re­gulations, [Page 147]about both Civil, and Religious Mat­ters.

But Moses we see hath followed a more reason­able, and more satisfactory method, all his Regu­lations are grounded upon the great Transactions which he relates; he enacts no Law of any con­sequence, but he intimates to the Jews, at the same time, the Reasons which challenge their Obedience, and makes them by that means re­flect both upon the several Mercies of God be­stowed upon them, and call to mind the great Miracles they had been eye witnesses of.

I confess indeed, that the use and scope of some of his Regulations, is very abstruse, especially now, that we are ignorant of the several Heathen Customs, which God design'd to abolish from a­mong that People newly come out of Egypt, where during their Captivity they had complied, and accustomed themselves in a great measure to the Rites, and Religion of their Masters the Egyp­tians. But yet how abstruse soever the design of some of those Laws may now appear to be: We have good ground to affirm, that the general scope of them all was, to keep that People from Idola­try in distinguishing them from all other Nations, as also to quicken their Desires and Expectations of the Messiah, the Promise of whose coming had been made by God in the very beginning of the World, and renewed several times to the Heads of their Nation.

However we see in the Books of those Laws, Religion, and Policy so interwoven together, that the latter seems to subsist only by the support and assistance of the former, which is contrary to the [Page 148]custom of human Legislators, who do not so much regard the establishment of Religion, as the preservation and welfare of the State and Com­mon-wealth.

If any Jew had a mind to be informed about the Tradition of his Ancestors, and the transacti­ons of old, Moses hath preserved it with such care, with so many marks of Fidelity, and so clear and plain, that there is no other History besides his, that can give any satisfactory Information about the Original of things: All the Fables of the Hea­thens, which yet make up the most ancient Tra­dition they have, being nothing else but a corrup­tion and depravation of the several Truths that Moses relates in his History.

If any Jew desired to see the beginnings of that Common wealth of which he was a Member; Moses gives an accurate account of them.

If any Jew desired to know the Original of Mankind, or what was the true happiness of Man, and what he ought to do, in order to be a parta­ker of that happiness, Moses teaches all that with great evidence and exactness.

If any Jew had a mind to know the occasion of those Songs that were so much in fashion amongst those of his Nation; he might easily satisfie his Curiosity, by reading Moses's History.

If any Jew desired to know what sort of Ex­hortations they were, which the Founder, both of their Religion and Common-wealth, had for­merly made to their Fore-fathers; Moses relates a great many of them in his Books.

If any Jew had a mind to receive instruction about the Original, and cause of those Temporal [Page 149]Blessings, he enjoyed in the Land of Canaan, which God had possess'd his Nation of, after the Expulsion of those People that had been the Inha­bitants of it for many Ages, Moses gives as good account of all that, as can be desired.

If any Jew had a mind to know the Original of the several Calamities that befel his Nation on several occasions; Moses acquainted them both with the Cause and Remedy of all their Afflicti­ons.

Lastly, If the Jews desired to be informed of the future condition of their Common-wealth in after Ages; Moses foretells it in so particular and clear a manner, that they might look upon his Prophesies, not as certain Prophesies only, but as a plain History of future Events, begun and tra­ced out, before their Accomplishment.

All this is so much the more considerable, to oblige us to read the Books of Moses with care, that we may justly observe three things in his per­son, which as they raise him above all common Authors, so they cannot but strengthen the belief, and increase the Esteem and Veneration, which we ought to have for his History.

The first is, That whereas all Men are careful to conceal their own Infirmities, and whatever is dishonourable to their Familles: Moses on the con­trary seems to have affected to record all the things that could blemish the memory of his Ancestors, and derogate to his own Reputation. He blemi­shes Jacob's memory by his relating, how he pre­ferr'd Joseph the Son of his Beloved Wife, to Reuben his Eldest, whom he unjustly deprived of his Birthright, in favour of the other, which inju­stice [Page 150]is expresly forbidden by one of Moses's 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 a­gainst the Sichemites, and the dispersion of his Po­sterity amongst the other Tribes of Israel.

Nay, what is more, he vilifies his own Birth, by forbidding any Marriage betwixt an Aunt and her Nephew, seeing he relates that he himself was born of Jocabed both Aunt and Wife to his Father Amram; he describes his own Incredulity with all the Ingenuity imaginable, when he represents the several Miracles which God wrought by him, he seems to speak of himself only to lay open his own failings and sins; such a sincerity and Impartiality we know confirms and increases mightily the Au­thority of any Author.

The Second thing is, That Moses not regarding the advantage and honour of his own Family, left the Government of Israel to Joshuah, one of the Tribe of Ephraim, and so reduced his own Children, and their Posterity to the low condition of the rest of the Levites, who were of an inferi­our Rank to that of Priests; for we do not see that they ever after renew'd the pretensions which they might otherwise have had to succeed Moses; now such neglect of his Family shews, that Moses's Principles were raised much above the ordinary pitch of the generality of Law givers, who were absolute and supream over their People.

The Third thing observable here is, that Moses had no share in the Conquest of the Land of Ca­naan; it all was subdued after his Death: Nay, it was [Page 151]that Conquest, that fixed, and setled the Com­mon-wealth of Israel, which was before unsetled, and as it were ambulatory in the Desart. Now how could such a singular design, as Moses de­scribes in his Law, be put in execution by any o­ther than by him that formed it. It was Joshua that made this Conquest of the Land of Canaan, and possest the Jews of it; now, to be sure if that People had not been then fully perswaded of the Divine Authority of Moses's Law, they would ne­ver have failed after so great an alteration to make use of their Power and Liberty in throwing off the troublesom yoak of his Laws; nor yet would Joshua and all his Successors in the Government, ever have maintain'd the Authority of those Laws, if they had not lookt upon Moses, not only as an extraordinary Man, but also as one particularly Commissionated by God to make that Body of Laws, for the regulating of his People.

We read in those Books of Moses's dying in the Mountains of Moab; now that being supposed, how is it possible, that if the People of Israel had not been fully convinced that God himself gave their Law to Moses with all the Circumstances mentioned by him, they would have continued to keep up such a ridiculous and ill grounded Con­ceit. If he had really by his Tyrannical Authority forced the Israelites into a compliance to his Laws during his Life, why did they not assoon as he was dead, with the fear of his Authority shake off the yoak of his Laws, and all respect for his me­mory.

One thing we may remark as very surprizing in the Relation of that Legislator's Death; which is [Page 152]that his Body was not found after his Death.

For we do not see that that People, which o­therwise kept up and carried about with so much care, the Bones of Joseph and his Brethren, in or­der to Bury, and Deposite them in the Sepulchres of their Ancestors (for both Joseph and his Bre­thren were interred in Judaea) did ever build a Tomb to their Law-giver, or so much as pretend to shew his Sepulchre.

Josephus was of Opinion, that Moses wrote him­self, the account of his own Death, for fear the Jews should ever imagine, and so give out that God had taken him up into Heaven. I see, I confess, no solidity in that Conjecture of his, but yet it may give us occasion to make a Reflection hereup­on, I think, more natural and easie, which is, that God had a mind, as Joshua intimates it, to con­firm the many Characters of Divinity that appear­ed in the Law of Moses, by taking away from be­fore the eyes of the Jews his Corps, which they would certainly, if they had not been so prevented, have kept with more care than those of all their Patriarchs and Kings. The Description of the manner of Moses's Death, shews evidently, that he was not only in great esteem during his Life, but that even his Death did much conduce to the increase of it, and to make Men look upon him, as one gloriously raised up above the common condition of Men, and in a manner not obnoxi­ous to the Infirmities and Miseries incident to hu­man nature. But after these general Reflexions, I must come to those that are more particular.

CHAP. III.
That the truth of the Miracles related by Moses, cannot reasonably be doubted of.

WHoever will examine with attention, the four last Books of Moses, shall find in them several Passages recorded, which deserve a parti­cular Consideration.

As First of all, the Miraculous Birth, the ex­traordinary Education, the Heroical Courage, and the Divine Call and Commission of Moses, and the several Miracles which he wrought in Egypt, to bring the Israelites out of it, and lead them to the Borders of Canaan.

Then Secondly, All the Moral, Ceremonial, and Political Laws which Moses gave to that Peo­ple, from God.

And Lastly, Moses his Prophecies concerning their future Condition, their Victories, their Captivities, their Transportations, concerning the Destruction of Jerusalem, the coming of the Messiah, and the dispersion of their whole Na­tion.

All which Passages have as evident and authen­tick proofs of their certainty, as things of that nature are capable of.

Let us first begin with the Narration of the Mi­racles recorded in the beginning of Exodus.

Wherein we see, that after Moses had repre­sented the Death of Joseph, and of all the gene­ration, [Page 154]that came down with Jacob into Egypt, he writes his own History, and represents himself as another Noah, saved out of the Waters, to save and deliver that Holy Family.

The whole Relation which he makes of all those particulars, is very strange, and extraordi­nary; but yet his Circumcision, and the instruction of his Mother, to whom he was given, by the Daughter of Pharaoh to be nurst up, and the Con­versation of that Princess who had adopted him, and made her self a Proselyte as the Jews endea­vour to prove, Jalk. in h. l. ex Va­iikra Rab. from 1 Chron. IV. 18. And his E­ducation in the Court of Egypt, and his acquain­tance with all the Grandees of that Court, did concur together to acquaint him with that re­markable preservation of his person, and perswade him of the certainty of it.

For how could either Moses impose, or be impos­ed upon in that matter? Was not that Barbarous cru­elty of the Egyptians by which they compell'd the Jews about the time of Moses's Birth, to throw their Children into the River Nilus, notoriously known of all Men? Were not the Publick Buildings, and strong Cities, viz. Pythom, and Rameses, so call'd from the Name of King Rameses Miamum, stand­ing in the sight of all Men? And was it not pub­lickly known by all the World, that the poor Isra­elites were the Slaves and Drudges who were made use of to erect those Buildings.

Neither could the manner of his Education be unknown to him, nor yet to any of the Hebrews, for we do not join here to Moses's Narration, what Josephus relates of his Person, of his Feats in Me­roe, and of his Marrying an Aethiopian Princess, &c.

As Moses's Miracles were done in the presence of the Egyptians and Jews, so they testifie, that he had really received his Calling, and Commission from God in the Desert, and that just in the man­ner as he describes it himself.

Now, no Man can dispute the truth of those Miracles, if he but minds the following Conside­rations.

First, It cannot be denied, that the People of Israel was brought out of Egypt by Moses. Their Law, which the present Jews do still observe, speaks every where of that famous Action of his; there was never any Man disputed the certainty of that Atchievement. All ancient Authors make mention of it, Joseph. con­tra App. l. 1. Manethon gives an account of the time, of the manner, and of many other princi­pal Circumstances of that Exploit.

Trogus Pompeius, Justinus, and Tacitus, do also speak of it, only Tacitus does groundlesly, I sup­pose, of his own head, relate, that the Jews were expell'd out of Egypt, because of their Le­prosie: I say groundlesly, for it is known, that on the contrary, Leprosie was a common Distemper amongst the Egyptians, and that they infected the Israelites with it, so that there is no likelihood they should be expelled by the Egyptians for a Distem­per that they got from them.

We know besides, that the Law of Moses which calls the Leprosie the Distemper of Egypt, did ba­nish the Lepers out of the Congregation of the People; and then the nature of David's Curses a­gainst Joab, because of his murdering Abner, shews sufficiently, that the Leprosie was lookt upon by the Jews, as a Distemper most commonly sent [Page 156]immediately from God. Nay, Trogus Pompeius himself, Justin. l. 36. observes that the Magicians caused Mo­ses with the People of Israel to be expell'd, because they themselves were struck with a kind of Scab and Itch; and that they were afraid, least the con­tagion of it should infect the whole Kingdom of Egypt. Euseb. praep. Evang. l. 9. c. 8.

And here I must not forget the mentioning the Testimony of Numenius a Pythagorean Philosopher, who relates, that both Jannes and Jambres were chosen by the Egyptians, to oppose Moses, and hinder the effects of his Miracles and Prayers, which had brought down many grievous Plagues upon Egypt, just about the time of the Jews Ba­nishment out of that Country.

But Secondly, If the Leprosie, which the Isra­elites brought from Egypt, be a indisputable proof of their sojourning there; it is as certain, that the going out of that mixed multitude of Egyptians, who so far espous'd the Israelites Interest, as to leave and forsake Egypt their own Countrey to accompa­ny them, could have no other cause or pretence than the Miracles of Moses, whereof they had been Eye-witnesses; so that the Posterity of those Egyptians that were thus incorporated into the Bo­dy of the People of Israel, were in after Ages, as so many Witnesses of the truth of those Miracles, which formerly perswaded their Fathers to joyn with Moses, and so to share Fortune with the He­brews.

Thirdly, It is certain, that the Jews could not so much as mention any of the Miracles, which they pretended were done formerly for the delive­rance of their Fathers, without exposing them­selves [Page 157]to the scorn of all the World, if all those Miracles, and their Deliverance, had not been certainly and generally known to the Egyptians, and to all the Neighbouring Nations, by whom they were often subdued and brought into subje­ction after the Decease of Moses, and Joshuah.

To all these Reflexions we may add, that the Commemoration of the Israelites going out of Egypt, with all the Miracles wrought by Moses, was renew'd yearly, not only by the solemnizing the Feast of the Passover, which the Israelites did constantly keep to the time of their dispersion, and which they do still keep in all parts of the World, but also by two other very sensible ways.

The first whereof, was the Separation which God made of the Tribe of Levi, in order to Con­secrate it to his Service, instead of the first-born of the People of Israel, whom he had spared, and preserved in Egypt, with great Solemnity, in re­gard both of Men and Beasts, as we read, Numb. III. so that every Levite was as a living Memorial of that great Miracle, wrought at the Israelites going forth out of Egypt.

And the Second was the Law concerning the Redemption of every First-born, both of Men, Numb. XVIII: 16. and Unclean Beasts; which is observed to this hour amongst the Jews: It is clear, and evident, that there is in all those Laws, a deep impression of those several great Miracles which compell'd Pha­raoh to let the Israelites go.

Lastly, It is very observable here, that the Me­mory of the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt, wrought, as by many Miracles, so especially by the death of all the First-born of Egypt, which [Page 158]was the occasion of the Institution of the Passover continued amongst the Egyptians till after Jesus Christ: For till then they used to mark with red their Sheep, their Trees, their Houses, and Lands, the day before the Passover, as one may see in Epiphanius; which Custom could proceed from no other cause, than from the Egyptians fear of the like Plague and Mortality, that was once inflicted upon their Forefathers; and from their hope of preventing it by such a kind of Talisman, whereby they thought Moses had formerly saved the Israelites harmless from that great Plague, on­ly by sprinkling the Blood of the Lamb of the Passover, on the upper Door post of their Hou­ses.

CHAP. IV.
A Continuation of the Proofs of the truth of the Miracles wrought by Moses.

THese Arguments might be thought sufficient for the evincing the truth of these Miracles which Moses relates; but yet something more may be added.

As those Stupendious Miracles, by which the famous deliverance of the Israelites was effected, could not be doubted of, by those who had been eye-witnesses of them; so they were afterwards con­firmed by several other Miracles, which being as [Page 159]great, and almost of the same kind, continued for many years in the sight of the whole People of Israel.

God made a Pillar of Fire, and of a Cloud, at­tend upon the Israelites, to guide them, the one by Day, and the other by Night. He divided the Red Sea to open a passage through it for his Peo­ple, L. 9. praep. Ev. cap. ult. the Memory whereof (saith Eusebius) was preserved to his time, by those of Memphis: The Israelites took the Spoils of the Egyptians drown'd in the Red Sea, as they were pursuing them: They made a Song upon the occasion of that wonderful Deliverance; they were fed with Manna, a kind of heavenly, and miraculous Food; they drunk of that Brook of Water, that was following them wherever they went: All those Miracles, with many others, continued for forty years together without any Interruption, and do therefore firmly establish the truth of those other Miracles which Moses relates, because there were none of them wherein the people could be imposed upon by any trick or illusion, and of the truth whereof e­very one could not satisfie himself, by his own ex­perience.

I do not speak now of several publick Monu­ments of those Miracles; as for Example, the Rod of Aaron which blossom'd in a Night; the Manna which was kept in the Tabernacle. The Brazen Serpent, which having continued to Hezekiah's time, was broken down by him, only because the People offered Incense to it.

From all which it must be acknowledged, that there was in the whole Series of the Jewish History both many pregnant Evidences of the truth of [Page 160]the first Miracles, and a constant Series of Mira­cles which having been foretold by Moses, did the better confirm the truth of those which he re­lates as done by him on purpose to vindicate, and defend the Liberty, and Honour of the peo­ple of Israel.

Because I did just now intimate, that the Me­mory of the Jewish Deliverance, did continue for many Ages after amongst the Egyptians: I think my self obliged to add here, some Arguments to prove, that neither such a Transaction as that was, nor yet any of the like nature and impor­tance, could ever be forgotten in the Land of Ca­naan.

There is nothing that in outward appearance seems more ridiculous, than what is related con­cerning the Gibeonites coming to Joshuah's Camp; their Equipage shew'd that they had a mind to per­swade the Israelites that they came from a far Countrey. The Treaty which they extorted from Joshuah by fraud, is very singular.

And there can be nothing more remarkable, than their subsistence amongst the people of Israel, notwithstanding that they were of the number of those Nations, which God had commanded to be destroy'd; and their being destined by Joshuah's appointment, to carry the Wood and the Water, necessary for the service of the Tabernacle, from whence they were denominated Nethinims, and thereby for ever after distinguish'd from the Isra­elites.

But after all, there could be nothing more a­greeable to God's Wisdom, than the preservation of that people amongst the Israelites. Their Fa­thers [Page 161]were the Witnesses of Moses and Joshuah's Miracles. Those Miracles obliged them to seek the alliance of the Hebrews, and to cheat them into it by a fraudulent Treaty, because they de­spaired of compassing their design by any other means. Therefore their subsisting amongst the Jews, and their Servile Office which exposed them to the eyes of the whole Nation, could not chuse but be of an extraordinary use, to make that peo­ple preserve, and cherish up the Memory of those Glorious Actions, which every Gibeonite had per­petually before his Eyes.

The same Remark may be made upon the con­tinuing of Rahab's Family amongst the Israelites, af­ter the Destruction of Jericho.

It is certain, that the Jews have always belie­ved, that besides those first Miracles related by Moses, many others have been done since for their sakes, both to possess them of the Land of Canaan, and to keep or restore them to the possession of it; nay, of those 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 Shadow backwards ten de­grees upon the Sundial of Ahaz; the wonderful preservation of the whole Nation, by the means of Esther, which was the occasion of the Instituti­on of the Feast of Purim amongst them, and se­veral other Miraculous Transactions related in the Jewish Authors, of which I will only name three, which did preserve the Memory of the greatest, and most important Miracles related by Moses.

The first is the continual Miracle of the Urim [Page 162]and Thummim of the High-Priest, which by its frequency, did confirm the truth of Moses's Rela­tion, concerning the several Apparitions of God, in order to lead his people, and to give them Laws.

The Second is the Miracle of every seventh year, Levit. XXV. during which, though the People of Israel did neither Sow nor Reap, God, according to his Promise, did supply them with plenty of Provisi­ons, by making every sixth 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 Desart, still doubling the propor­tion of Manna every sixth day.

In effect, as that Law which commanded a Sabbath of rest unto the Land every seventh year, was constantly observed, which would never have been done long, if that people had not always been fully convinced by their own experience of its Divinity.

And again, as that Miracle was so publickly known, that God by his Prophets did often threa­ten the Jews to deprive them of the fertility of the sixth year, because of their transgressing the Sabbath.

So it is plain, that no Man can reasonably doubt, or dispute the truth of that continual Miracle, which that Law both supposeth and promis­eth.

The Third is the Miracle of a continual prote­ction during the time of those three great solemn Feasts, in which the people were obliged by God's Command to attend his Service in the Tabernacle, [Page 163]or at Jerusalem. For this Law requiring atten­dance from all the Jews of the Age of Twenty and upwards, it engaged them to leave the Fron­tiers of their Countrey naked, and destitute of Men, and so exposed to the Inroads of their Ene­mies; but at the same time it gave them occasion to experience the same Divine Protection, which, as they read in Moses's Writings, their Fathers had formerly so often experienced against all their E­nemies.

It is certain, that there was never any Com­mon-wealth in the World, which had any such Fundamental Law; the danger to which a Coun­trey is exposed by the Observation of it is too visi­ble not to be avoided. Therefore the Jews to be sure, would never have acknowledged that Law to be Divine, nor yet submitted to it, if they had not been secure of God's Protection to pre­vent all the Mischiefs, and Inconveniences that might arise from their Observation of that Law; so that suppose they had been at first so stupid and unwary as to receive it from Moses, yet they would never have observed it so constantly and so long, if they had not had a constant Trial of God's Protection on all occasions; and if they had not lookt upon it as a necessary Consequence, and Accomplishment of those Promises, which he had made both to them and their Fathers.

However, it is certain, that it was the Will of God, that the Jews should altogether rely upon that Miraculous Protection of his: Nay, the di­strusting of it, was so offensive to him, that he in­flicted an Exemplary Punishment upon David, for an Action, which though innocent of it self in a [Page 164]Prince, did yet directly contradict that Trust which the Israelites were bound to set upon God's Protection. For when David caused the People to be numbred, God sent a Pestilence amongst his people, which abated his pride, and thus taught him effectually to rely more upon God for the fu­ture, than upon the Multitude of his people.

CHAP. V.
That Moses's Description of the manner of God's giving him his Laws, is evidently true.

IT is also equally easie to shew the truth of Mo­ses's Description of the manner of the promul­gation of God's Law in the Desert, and of the se­veral parts of it, Moral, Political, Ceremonial.

I shall not stand to consider here the Admira­ble Equity, and most absolute perfection of the Moral Law, and shew that it could have no other Author but God alone: Neither will I urge in this place, the extraordinary care God had to regulate the most Minute Ceremonies, that there might be nothing left undetermined in all the Acts of Religion; as also the great, and Divine Wisdom that is discernible in all those Ceremonial Laws, which besides their useful opposition, to the then Pagan Customs, do most of them, either mind Men of their Duty, or represent and typisie the things that were to come to pass under the Gospel.

In short, I will not aggravate any farther the Consideration of the Admirable Wisdom that ap­pears every where in the whole Body of the Poli­tical Laws which God gave to the Jews to settle them into a firm and solid Form of Government; that Wisdom is such, and so visible, that it plain­ly demonstrates the Divinity of them to any Man that will but compare the whole Body of them, and their absolute perfection, with the Defects of all Human Laws, and the several Changes and Alterations they have received from time to time.

But I shall lay aside these Remarks, and chuse to come to those that do not require so much Lear­ning, nor so great an intention of thought.

The First of which is, That the Moral Law was given in the sight and hearing of all the people of Israel, and that the promulgation of it upon Mount Sinai, was accompanied with extraordina­ry marks of Glory, and made only after many previous Purifications prescribed to the whole Congregation in order to receive it.

It is true indeed, the Ceremonial Laws which were annexed to it, were not delivered to the people with so much Pomp and Majesty; but as they were also given in the same Desert, and in the presence of the Elders of the people assembled together near the Tabernacle, after they had ear­nestly intreated Moses, that God would no more speak to them himself, it is evident, that they are no less authentick than the Moral Law, therefore we see that they were accordingly received by that people, notwithstanding the Troubles, Expences, Avocations, Straights, and Hardships, which [Page 166]they might meet with by it.

Now is it in the least probable, that if this people had not been convinced, that Moses did re­ally familiarly converse with God for forty days and forty Nights upon Mount Sinai, they would foolishly without any cause, of a suddain, have submitted to such a troublesom yoke of Laws, many whereof were opposite both to their Opi­nions and Ancient Customs.

It is well known for Example, what Jealousie there was all along amongst the Tribes of Israel, even from the time of their Ancestors, yet we do not see that in those Laws there is any notice taken of it, or regard had to it, but that on the contrary they seem to foment that Spirit of Division, when they deprive Reuben of his Birthright, in favour of Joseph's Posterity, and of the Priesthood in favour of Levi, and of the Kingdom, in favour of Juda.

Nay, we see, that even after Moses had compo­sed the difference that was once betwixt the Tribe of Levi, and the followers of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, they were hardly brought to acquiesce to his Decision; and how could he then possibly have raised his own Tribe, the Tribe of Levi, to such prerogatives, and to such a plentiful Condition a­bove all the other Tribes, as he did by assigning the first Fruits and Offerings to the Levites and Priests. How could he, I say, have done that without meeting with some opposition from the rest of the People, except they had all been con­vinced by the Miracle that God wrought to de­cide that Question, when it was disputed, that he himself was the Author of that Constitution.

Thus we read, that long after, when King Uz­ziah boldly presumed, to act against Moses's Law, Numb. XXV. and to assume to himself the Dig­nity of Priesthood, and to do the Functions of it; he presently received the punishment due to his presumption: So that being struck with a suddain Leprosie, he was confined to his Dying Day. Is it any ways probable that a Prince, especially of his Temper, would have submitted to such a Con­finement, and meekly resign'd his Crown to his Son, if that punishment inflicted upon him, had not fully convinced him of the Divinity of that Law, which he had transgressed and violated by his Temerity and Presumption.

The Third Reflexion is, that the greatest part of those Laws being intended by God to inspire his people with an Irreconcileable Aversion a­gainst all those Nations, amongst whom they were going to settle; they were so framed, as not only to be opposite to the Laws and Customs of Egypt, from whence they came, but also to those received amongst the Hivites, Amorites, and other Nati­ons, of whose Countries they were going to pos­sess themselves.

Thus we find in the XVIII. of Leviticus, Laws against all Incestuous Marriages, which without doubt, were ordinary amongst the Canaanites, and Egyptians, who therein follow'd the Examples of the Ancient Patriarchs, who Married within those forbidden Degrees; there we find also the Sacri­fices to Moloch forbidden, the practice whereof, those Nations, in all likelihood, defended by the Example of Abraham's Sacrifice.

Now it cannot reasonably be thought, that a [Page 168]whole Nation would of a suddain receive such Laws as deprived them of a Liberty and Freedom they had always hitherto enjoyed, and condemn of their own accord, those Sacrifices that had the fairest pretence of Religion imaginable, and to use many Ceremonies contrary to those received amongst them, if they had not had a strong, and extraordinary Motive for so doing.

There is another thing besides, that challenges our Consideration, viz. the exact Description which God gave to Moses of the Tabernacle, of the several parts of the Ceremonial Worship, which was to be performed in that Sacred place, and of the manner how this Tabernacle with all its Ap­purtenances, Utensils, and Ornaments, was fini­shed.

For as this Tabernacle was then the Centre of the whole Jewish Religion, (as the Temple was afterwards by succeeding to it) so it was a solemn proof of the Divinity of Moses's Laws, and of the Worship that was performed there.

Is it conceivable, that a whole Nation should contribute to the building of it, should see it Con­secrated, and taken to pieces, and set together a­gain every day, and should read all the particu­lars relating to its Construction, and not discern whether there was any truth and reality in all that was told them concerning the Religion which their Governour fixed in that place wherein he pretended many Revelations were made.

CHAP. VI.
Some other Proofs that confirm Moses's Descrip­tion of the manner how the Law was given and Promulgated,

BUt if it is so easie to establish the Divinity of the Law of Moses, by shewing the truth of the Matter of Fact, according to the manner of God's Promulgation, as Moses relates it, we may further collect the truth of it, by joyning these following Reflexions to those already made in the foregoing Chapters.

Certainly if Moses had been the first Founder of a Kingdom, and had been succeeded in it by his own Children and Posterity for many Gene­rations one after another; we might perhaps, have had some ground to suspect, that his Successors, consulting their own Interest and Honour, would have been very glad to perswade their Subjects, that the first Founder of their Kingdom, had some Communication with God, and that it was from him he received the Laws and Constitutions which he gave them concerning Civil and Religi­ous Matters.

But it is observable, that Moses was so far from investing his own Children with the Supream Authority after himself, that he Translated it into another Tribe, and Constituted Joshuah of the Tribe of Ephraim for his Successor in the Govern­ment; as for his Posterity he took little care of it, [Page 170]but reduced it to a Rank inferiour to that of Aa­ron's Family, which he preferr'd to the most ho­nourable Functions of the Priesthood; leaving to his own the meanest, and most inconsiderable Employments; all which shews evidently that none of those who came after Moses were moved by a­ny private Interest of their own, to defend the Truth and Authority of his Laws and Writings, but only by the certain knowledge they had, that they were all Divine.

Neither ought we to omit to consider here the manner how Moses decides beforehand such Que­stions, and determines such Controversies, as could not be raised, but after the Conquest of Canaan, which was made by his Successor only after his Death. And how those Laws were constantly observed in all the succeeding Generations of that people, and submitted unto by the very Judges and Kings themselves; tho there be nothing more common than for a Conqueror, such as Joshua was, to admit of no other Fundamental Laws in that State he is the Founder of, than those which he is the Author of; nothing is more usual, than for Statesmen to affect the exposing the Conduct of their Predecessors, especially when the form of Government is altered, and from Democratical, or Aristocratical, is changed into Monarchical, as it happened amongst the Israelites. How then could Moses's Laws still keep up their Authority in all Changes and Revolutions? How comes it to pass, that in all the Successions of Judges and Kings, there was never any of them attempted to suspend, or annul Moses's Laws, much less to enact and give any others contrary to them?

Again, how came it to pass, that in all the Di­visions and Factions that Nation fell into, there was never any Jew, endeavour'd with any success, to undeceive the rest of his own people, so as to make them shake off the troublesom Yoke of Mo­ses's Laws. No doubt only, because the genera­lity of that Nation never disputed the Divine Ori­gin and Authority of them.

It were an easie thing to demonstrate by the whole Series, of the Jewish History, that all those Laws which in Moses's Writings are inlay'd one within another, and represented as occasion'd by several Transactions related there, have all been equally received of the Jews, and have all been put together in a Body by themselves before Mo­ses's Death, as it may be proved out of the XXXI. of Deuteronomy.

It appears, that those Laws were publick, and in great esteem amongst that People, to whom God gave them, upon whom he laid an indispen­sable Obligation to read them every day, and to consult them upon every emergent business.

It appears, that they were known equally of all degrees of Men, Sexes, and Ages, which were all obliged to pay Obedience to them upon pain of Death.

It appears, that those Laws were not only pub­lickly kept in the Tabernacle, but also privately read in every Family.

We see, that a whole Tribe, viz. the Tribe of Levi was appointed by God to explain them, and in order to that they were dispersed through­out the whole Land of Canaan, and exempted from the Cares and Troubles that necessarily at­tend [Page 172]Husbandry, by the plentiful Provision of Tithes and Offerings that was allotted to them.

We see that God obliged all Jews to read and meditate upon them continually, especially every Sabbath day.

Nay, and we see moreover, that God every Seventh Year would have them read publickly in a more solemn manner, before the whole Con­gregation of that people, who during that Year, were obliged to rest from all their ordinary La­bours and Employments, and so had nothing else to do all that while, but to read the Law, to exa­mine it, and to meditate upon it.

Lastly, It appears, that those Laws were yet the more Solemn and Authentick, because they o­bliged the Jews to celebrate three such Feasts as were to be publickly kept by the whole Nation, and consequently apt to refresh their Memories, and put them in mind, thrice a year, not only of the surprizing Miracles that God had done for them; but also of the manner how he gave and promulgated his Laws; the Miracles giving rise to the Laws, and those Laws being themselves a means of preserving the Memory of those Mira­cles, because of the frequent Commemoration of them which was therein enjoyned.

Now these things being so, let every one judge, whether the truth of Moses's Account of God's gi­ving, and promulgating by his means that Body of Laws which he hath inserted in Exodus, and the following Books, can possibly, or at least, reasonably be disputed, or doubted of. But I come now to con­the Oracles recorded in Moses's Writings in order to demonstrate the Truth and Divinity of them.

CHAP. VII.
That there is no just Exception can be made a­gainst Moses's History, in what relates to the Oracles, which he hath recorded in his Books.

THere are several sorts of Oracles in Exodus, and the other three following Books.

First, There are some whereof the accomplish­ment did soon follow the Prediction.

The Deliverance of the Jews out of the Egypti­an Bondage is of that number; Moses does promise and foretel it; nay, and he executed it himself: And all the people to whom it was promised and foretold, were themselves Witnesses of the ac­complishment of that Prophesie; and it was that accomplishment which established the Divinity of his Commission.

So is the other Prophesie concerning the Con­quest of the Land of Canaan, and the several Di­visions that were to be made of it amongst all the Tribes of Israel, Moses foretelling exactly what Lot every one should have, and giving besides, a Description of the Countrey that every Tribe was to inhabit.

Those that were Born in the Desert, were Witnesses both of the Prediction, and the Execu­sion of it, altho it was by the casting of Lots, that all the Tribes got their several Partitions.

But Secondly, There are some other Oracles in [Page 174] Moses's Books, the accomplishment whereof was not to follow the Prediction till after a long inter­val of time.

Such are the Prophesies that foretel the future Subjection of the Israelites to the Canaanites, and the several Deliverances out of that Subjection, which God was to effect by the hands of Judges, whom he was to raise up for that purpose.

Such again are the Prophesies which relate to the future change of their Common wealth into a Kingly Government.

Thirdly and Lastly, We see that Moses foretells all the Accidents, Changes, and Revolutions that were to befal the Jews as long as their State should stand: At least, we see that his Predictions are very plain, concerning their several Captivities, and Removals, and their return into the Holy Land; as also the Sieges of Samaria and Jerusalem; and the irrecoverable dispersion of the whole Na­tion, which we see at present.

But whatever difference there may otherwise be, betwixt all these Predictions, we may say, that every one of them, hath as pregnant Proofs of its certainty and truth, as any thing of that nature is capable of.

For First, As to the first sort of Predictions, the accomplishment whereof, Moses relates him­self.

It plainly appears, that his account, cannot in the least be suspected of Imposture; because he wrote it amongst a whole Nation, which could not possibly be imposed upon in that case, seeing he supposes, and takes it for granted, all along in his Relation, that those Predictions were before­hand [Page 175]publickly and generally known of all the people.

As for the accomplishment of the second sort of Prophesies, we have the Relation of it in such other Books as were written after Moses's Death, as in the Books of Joshua, of Judges, and several o­thers, which relate the accomplishment of them, as of Prophesies written many years, and even some Ages before, by Moses.

Besides, to this we may add, that the account which we find in those Books, concerning the accomplishment of Moses's Prophesies, is interwo­ven with such Histories, as suppose, without any Affectation, that his Prophesies, as well as his Writings, were in the hands of all the World, and distinctly known by every Jew.

And what is further observable, is, That the Jews have always had Moses's Books in such an E­steem, because of these several Illustrious Prophe­sies that are contained in them, that they have al­ways lookt upon him as the most excellent of all their Prophets. They assert at this very day, that the other Prophets had commonly no other know­ledge of future Events, than that which was com­municated to them by Dreams and Visions; whereas Moses had it by an immediate Revelation of God himself, who used to speak to him Face to Face, without any Enthusiasm when he was per­fectly awake.

Now, how could ever the Jews have been so strongly prepossest of that high Opinion both of Moses, and his Predictions, if we suppose, that they never saw the accomplishment of any of them?

That would certainly be as strange an Illusion as ever was: For it is besides observable, that those Prophesies of his, were not written by them­selves and kept secret from the generality of the people; but that they were inserted into the seve­ral Speeches which he made to all the people some time before his Death; and which are written, and kept together in the same Volume, to be a standing Monument, both of his Prophecies, and of his Ministry among the Jews.

Now there is a vast Difference betwixt a Book that is all made up of Prophesies, and so kept se­cret, and seldom read, as the Books of the Sybils were; and a Book wherein the Prophesies it con­tains, are interwoven with a History, wherein there is so 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 intermixed with the accounts which Moses gives of all the great Transactions which gave the occasion to so many several Revelations and Prophesies recorded in his Books.

I am perswaded, that it is impossible for any Man to make those Reflexions upon the Opinion which the Jews entertained of Moses's Preroga­tive, and upon the manner that his Prophesies, so much reverenced amongst them, were exactly accomplished, and not be convinced of their Di­vine Authority.

CHAP. VIII.
That the Testimony of the Jews, is a constant proof of the truth of the Oracles related by Moses.

BUt least any Body should think it strange, that I should build the truth of Moses's Prophe­cies, upon the Testimony of the Jews, I will re­strain its authority of it within just, and certain Bounds.

First, Although the Jews bear Witness in their Sacred Books, that the greatest part of Moses's Prophecies are already fulfill'd, yet they say some are not: As for instance those which relate to the Messiah's coming. But their obstinate blindness, is not a just prejudice against such an important truth, to be convinced of which, we need only to compare Moses's Words, with the Actions of Jesus Christ.

Thus for what relates to the Destruction of Je­rusalem, we need only compare Moses's Prophesie of it, with the Description Josephus their own Hi­storian, hath made of the same in his History of the Siege and ruine of that City, and of the dissi­pation of all the Nations of the Jews.

But without the Jews Testimony, in what re­gards the accomplishment of those Prophesies, whereof the execution was deferred for a very long time, it is easie to convince any the most Incredulous Man of their Truth and Divinity, if [Page 178]he please but to make this one Reflexion, which is, that when Moses relates amongst the Oracles of the Patriarch Jacob, a particular Prophesie concerning the Messiah's coming, and when he mentions that of Balaam concerning the rising of that Divine Star, he subjoins also at the same time that concerning the Vocation of the Gentiles to the Faith, and brings it in as a certain sign and consequence of the Messiah's being come into the World.

Now if we examine the meaning of Moses's Pre­dictions, about the Vocation of the Gentiles, which the Prophets that came after him did better ex­plain and illustrate, we shall be apt from thence to conclude, that he in effect foretold, that God in the days of the Messiah would follow quite ano­ther Method, than that which he had used before until the time of Moses, viz.

That whereas God might seem to restrain then the Priviledge of his Covenant, to one people a­lone; which was in effect to restrain the honour of the Messiah's Birth, to one sole Nation of the World, to one sole Tribe of that Nation, to one sole Family of that Tribe, to one sole Branch of that Family, and so to one sole person of that Branch: He would (after the Messiah's co­ming) take a contrary Method, and call all men to Salvation in him.

Now that being supposed, the truth of all Mo­ses's Prophesies cannot be question'd. And what­ever the Jews Opinion be concerning the accom­plishment of some of them: It is sufficient for us, that they have carefully and faithfully preserved the Books, wherein those Prophecies, which we see so exactly fulfilled, are contained.

For, we cannot reasonably suspect Moses, or any other Jew of forging the Prophesies which foretold the calling of the Gentiles, not Moses, see­ing all his Laws do tend (as I shall shew hereafter more at large) to establish that restriction, I was just now speaking of, which was to continue to the Messiah's coming. Not the Jews, seeing that none of them can still endure to hear of the removal of that Restriction, by the calling of the Gentiles; and that they are all possest with such a Spirit of Envy and Jealousie against all other Nations, that they perfectly hate and abominate them. But besides, we cannot desire a better, nor a more authentick accomplishment of those Oracles, which are so opposite to the Jewish Prin­ciples and Prejudices, than that which we our selves are Witnesses of.

The same Reflexion belongs to the other Pro­phesies of Moses concerning the total Dissipation of the Jewish State; as also to the dreadful ac­complishment of them in our days. The most re­solved Obstinacy can suggest but one Objection in this matter, which is, that either the Christians, or the Jews have falsified Moses's Writings, and inserted those Prophesies, which we now find there, concerning the Vocation of the Gentiles, and the dispersion of the Jews, after those things were come to pass.

But First, The Books of Moses, which both Christians and Jews have, are Written in He­brew, and penn'd in such a Stile as evidences their Antiquity, and as would be inimitable now.

Secondly, That these Books have been all Tran­slated [Page 180]into Greek, almost 300 years before Jesus Christ, and about 350 years before the destru­ction of Jerusalem. Neither the Jews, nor yet the Christians were any longer sole Masters of them, when the Heathens had them also in their hands.

Besides, those who were Converted to Christi­anity from Judaism and Heathenism, did not only find these Prophesies of Moses in the hands of Jews and Heathens, long before the Conversion of the Gentiles, and the Destruction of Jerusalem, but did also make use of them to evince against the Jews, that the Messiah was already come.

Thus, I think, I have sufficiently demonstra­ted the Truth and Divinity of all Moses's Pro­phesies which we find in Exodus and the following Books.

CHAP. IX.
That it appears by the nature of his Relations, that Moses had the Messias in view when he wrote the Book of Genesis.

I Have shew'd in my former Reflexions upon Genesis, that those who lived before Moses's time, had a distinct knowledge that God would certainly raise up a Deliverer amongst them, al­though they were not certain of the manner of his appearance. And I have besides, I think, [Page 181]sufficiently proved, that the various Idea's which the Ancients entertained of him upon the first Promise made by God of his coming, were the occasion of several Criminal Actions committed by the Patriarchs, and by those of other Nations, who had the same pretensions with them.

I am now to prove that Moses himself had the same knowledge, and lived in the same expecta­tion with the Ancients that preceded him. It is of more importance to be shewn, and that henceforth no Body may wonder, if I pretend that the great­est part of the Laws he gave to the Jews, both in reference to Civil and Religious Matters, and the greatest part of his Prophesies, as also those others mentioned by Prophets that lived after him in that Jewish Common-wealth, do all suppose a distinct relation to the promised Messiah.

And to make this evident, I beg leave to offer to the Reader's Consideration some general Re­flexions upon Moses's History in Genesis.

First, It cannot be denied that Moses was one of the greatest and wisest Historians that ever was: There cannot be a greater design, nor a more dif­ficult Task than his was to write the History of 2400 years: He gives an account of the Creation of the World in general; and in particular, of that of Man, of his sin, of the Promise 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 also very ex­traordinary: The Majesty of his Stile is tempered with an admirable plainness; he describes all sorts of Passions to the Life; he is admirable in his Cha­racters of the Men he speaks of, and of God [Page 182]himself. To be convinced of this, let any Man read his Description of Abraham's Sacrifice, and of the several Passions Joseph and his Brethren were moved and affected with, when he made himself known to them. Besides all that we may observe two very surprizing things in the Book of Genesis.

The First is, That Moses recites there such things as seem to be unworthy to be taken notice of, by so Grave and Wise a Historian as he was: He gives for instance, an exact and particular account of all the Circumstances of Ahraham's Purchase of the Cave of Machpela, for a Burying place for his Wife: He sets down all the particulars of the In­cest of Judah with Thamar; and he relates the manner how Leah with her Sons Mandrakes ob­tained leave of Rachel to enjoy her Husband for one Night, with a surprizing exactness.

The other is, that Moses records a whole Series of horrible Crimes, which seem to be as so many blemishes and odious Reflexions upon the Memo­ry of those whose History he writes.

Now it is not reasonable to suppose that Moses being so prudent, as he is confessed to be, could have been so injudicious, as to chuse and pick out such Passages and Actions as are in themselves ei­ther trivial and of no moment, or horrible and o­dious, to fill up with them a Book wherein he gives a Description of the Creation of the World, where he sets down the Oracles of God at every turn.

It is natural therefore to judge, that he had some particular prospect in his Eyes, which could be no other than that of the Promise, which alone [Page 183]justifies his recital of trivial things, and of Crimes in such a serious History as his is.

I shall not repeat here what I have already ob­served upon the Crimes which he relates in Gene­sis; I add only, that he had the same design and prospect in his Narration of such small and in­considerable Transactions.

Thus by his account of the purchase of the Cave of Machpelah, his intention was to shew how God intended by this Sepulchre, to affix Abraham and his Posterity after him to the Land of Cannaan: his Scope and Prospect was the same when he re­cords the Burial of Rachel at Ephrathah.

As for the Crimes Moses relates, I have before proved, that he design'd thereby to shew, how all the Faithful before his time, had their minds alto­gether taken up with the thoughts and hopes of the accomplishment of the Promise: And herein we may say, the Wisdom of Moses is very conspi­cuous and discernable in the choice he made of those Actions to perpetuate the Memory of the excessive desire which the Ancients had to accom­plish the Promise.

And let no Man object here, that it is very strange to see, that during so many Ages, the Promise of the Messiah occasioned no other than wicked actions. For as it appears by all Circum­stances, that those Crimes related by Moses, were committed in different times, and long after one another, so it is plain, that he hath recorded those Actions on purpose, to shew what impres­sion the true knowledge of the Promise of the Mes­siah made upon the mind of those that had it in its perfection and integrity.

If Moses had inserted in this Book of Genesis, any long Discourse as made by Adam about that mat­ter upon a Sabbath day, or if he had given us a Relation of what such an one as Seth, or Enoch, or Sem used to teach concerning that Promise in their Religious Assemblies.

It is certain, That besides the inconvenience of a tedious Repetition which he must have made of the same things in every particular account he gives of the several Generations that preceded him, he could never have perswaded his Readers so well as he may do now.

First, Men would have been apt to suspect, that those Speeches upon the Promise of the Messiah, were of his own making, and like those Set Ha­rangues we find in Xenophon, or Livy.

Secondly, The Crimes that were committed, to get thereby some advantage: As for Instance, The Murder of a King committed by his Heir, and Successor to the Crown, shews in the Murder a much greater Ambition, and Affectation of the Throne; and supposes in him a distinct and clear knowledge of his Rights and Pretensions to the Empire.

CHAP. X.
That the same Perswasion appears throughout the whole Conduct of Moses, until his Death.

BUt it is not only by those and the like Reflexi­ons which may be made upon the choice, Moses hath made of the things which he recites, that we may gather that he had always the Pro­mise of the Messiah in view; for he being de­scended from Abraham, there is no doubt, but that from his Youth up, he was brought up in the Re­ligion, and consequently in the hopes of that Pa­triarch.

But moreover we have reason to think, that the Idea of this Promise of the Messiah, was much more lively and strong in that Family, ever since Jacob on his Death-Bed had foretold, and promi­sed to Judah, that it was out of his Tribe he was to be Born. As for Joseph, to whom that Promise might have been applied by the Children of Israel, because of his Power and Glory in Egypt; the E­gyptian Persecution that followed sometime after his Decease, resolved all Scruples and Mistakes that might otherwise have been entertained in that matter, and so convinced all those poor Sufferers, that their Messiah was as yet to come.

To all these strong Presumptions whereby we may guess, what the thoughts of Moses might be, concerning the Promise of the Messiah, we may add the Consideration both of his Words and Actions, which do very plainly establish the same Truth.

St. Heb. XI. Paul in his Epistle to the hebrews, mentions two particular Actions of Moses, which, as they challenge our Admiration, so they deserve our se­rious Consideration, because they clearly, I think, evidence, That Moses was fully perswaded of the future accomplishment of that Promise.

The First is, That he refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter, chusing rather to suf­fer Affliction with the people of God, than to en­joy the pleasures of sin for a season, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater Riches than the Trea­sures in Egypt, for he had respect unto the recom­pense of the Reward. From whence could a Re­solution so opposite to the ordinary prudence, and natural inclinations of other Men proceed in him, if it was not, as St. Paul observes it, from a very extraordinary Source, viz. from that strong Per­swasion which he had, that how calamitous soever the then present condition of the people of God might be, yet God had chosen it therein to ac­complish that great promise which was the Joy of all their Ancestors from Adam down to them, the remembrance whereof he renewed, by illu­strating those Oracles which Jacob pronounced upon his Death-Bed.

The other is, That Moses always adhered to that Miserable people, and stood by them in all their Calamities and Pressures. 'Tis true, he left [Page 187]them, and retired once into Midian to save his Life, and avoid the King's Indignation, but he returned to them into Egypt as soon as he had re­ceived his Commission from God, to deliver them out of their Misery and Bondage: Now he shew'd again, by so doing, that he had a certain know­ledge of that great Promise of God made to that people, and a full assurance and perswasion of its future accomplishment.

Moses informs us indeed, how he refused at first the Commission God gave him to deliver his peo­ple from the Egyptian Slavery, and how he excu­sed himself upon his own incapacity, and being unfit for so great an undertaking: But yet he makes at the same time so visible an Allusion to the Prophesie concerning the Shiloh (i.e. sent) O my Lord, (said he, to God) send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send, that he could hardly express and declare his mind about it more plainly.

But we shall be the better convinced of his al­lusion to the sending of the Shiloh; if we reflect upon Moses's being of the Tribe of Levi, of which God had pronounced nothing concerning the fu­ture accomplishment of the Promise, he could not be ignorant of his being himself Excluded of that Priviledge, and that after all, what glory soever the Miraculous preservation, and Illustri­ous beginnings of his Life, might seem to pretend and promise to him, yet he could not expect to rise much higher than Joseph had done before him, altho he would reassume the former Post, to which his Adoption by Pharaoh's Daughter had once raised him.

We see that Moses continued always of the same mind, and entertained still the same No­tion, and hopes of the Promise of the Messiah, even after God had revealed to him, that the time of his appearing into the World, was not yet come: This, I say, we see by his Speech to the people of Israel, related in the XVIII. Chap­ter of Deuteronomy, The Lord thy God (saith he to them) will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy Brethren, like unto me, un­to him ye shall hearken; he does not say a Priest, or a King, though the Messiah was to be both; but he saith, a Prophet to teach them not to mi­stake any of their Priests or Kings for the Messiah, but to expect and regard less in his person, the external honour of Aaron's Family, and the worldly Grandeur of Kings, than the privi­ledge of Divine Inspiration, which was absolutely necessary to him as the Founder of the True Reli­gion.

CHAP. XI.
That Balaam's Prophesie, which Moses relates, is a further Argument of the same perswasion in him.

AS we ought to shew that Moses had a very clear and distinct knowledge of this Pro­mise; so I think it will not be amiss to make here [Page 189]a particular Reflexion upon what he relates Numb. XXIII.

The Moabites being descended from Lot's eldest Daughter, it is very natural to conceive, that Ba­lac their King was so desirous to have the Israelites cursed from God, and by one of his Prophets on­ly because he design'd thereby to secure himself of the Divine Blessing; or which is the same thing, of the priviledge of the accomplishment of the Promise, to which he thought he had a just claim and pretension by his being one of Lot's Posterity.

And this Observation upon Balac's pretension and action, is the more just, and well grounded because the Notion of the Curse which he intend­ed to have had pronounced against the Israelites, is directly opposite to the terms of the Promise which God made to Abraham, in thy Seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed, which words, as I observed before, do import a direct opposi­tion, to Lot's pretension.

Now all this being supposed, one needs only consider the terms of the Prophesie spoken by Ba­laam in favour of Jacob, to see that Moses hath re­lated it, only to shew,

First, That altho those Neighbouring Nations to Judea had degenerated, and corrupted them­selves much by their Communication with Ham's Posterity, yet they preserved a strong, though confused Notion of their Ancestors pretensi­ons, and acted 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 several Contests and preten­sions, [Page 190]which had divided the Posterity of Terah until that time.

It is like a Definitive Sentence; first in favour of Abraham against the Moabites, and Ammonites, who were descended from Lot: Secondly, in fa­vour of Isaac, against the pretension of the Ismael­ites, descended from Ismael: Thirdly, In favour of Jacob, against the pretension of the Edomites, descended from Esau.

For when he foretels, that there shall come a Star out of Jacob; he decides the three forementi­oned Controversies. Jacob having been preferred to Esau, Isaac to Ismael, and Abraham to Lot. Now Jacob could not be preferr'd to the Moabites, but he must be so too to the Ammonites, Ismaelites, and Edomites.

This Prophesie, as any one may see, is abso­lutely necessary, because it resolves all the Questi­ons and Controversies, which did excite so many Jealousies amongst all those Neighbouring Na­tions.

This Oracle of Balaam is yet the more remark­able, because, that notwithstanding it was pro­nounced at the entry into Canaan, the possessing and inhabiting of which Countrey was one of the chiefest Characters of the Israelites distinction from all other Nations, yet in it Balaam makes a very distinct mention of the future calling of the Gen­tiles to the Faith; he calls them the Children of Seth, to intimate that in the time of the Messiah, the restriction made and observed by God before that time, was then to cease, and that there should be no more distinction betwixt the Jews and Gentiles, who were all the Children of Noah, and [Page 191]all equally descended from Seth by him, because then all Nations were to be call'd to the Commu­nion of the Messiah.

I know that some by the Children of Seth un­derstand the Inhabitants of a certain Town in the Countrey of Moab, mentioned in the XV. of Isa­iah, according to the Septuagint.

But the Arabian Interpreter of the Samaritans, Abusaid. M.S. in the French King's Li­brary, Note 4. up­on Gen. IV. 26. brings very good Arguments to prove, that that place of Scripture is to be understood of the Mes­siah, and shews that he is call'd the head of the Children of Seth, because Seth was the head, and common Father of all Men since the Flood, and at the same time of all the faithful before the Flood; and that those words of Genesis IV. 26. Then began Men to call upon the Name of the Lord, relate to Seth, and not to Enos, as it is commonly belie­ved.

Besides, this Prophesie by these words, I shall see him, but not now. I shall behold him, but not nigh, determines, that the Birth of the Messiah was not near, but was reserved for a further time.

Lastly, It is a very singular thing, that this Oracle should be represented to us, as coming out of the Mouth of a Prophet, who was chosen by God out of the Family of Abraham; because the Author of it decides these Important Questions and Differen­ces, without any visible partiality, and without be­ing by assed by the pretensions of his Birth.

Now there are three things in it which clearly prove, that it could not be unknown to Moses.

The First is, That immediately after this Pro­phesie, which was as publick and well known a­mongst [Page 192]the Moabites, as any Prophesie could be; after the tedious preparation, and the many diffi­culties which Balaam made to come to Balac: Af­ter the many Ceremonies and Mysteries which he used upon that occasion; and notwithstanding the great and panick terror of the Moabites, at the approach of the Israelites: Nay, and notwithstand­ing the express Threats, and Ominous Prophesies of Balaam against that people; notwithstanding all this, I say, we see the Daughters of Moab imi­tating the carnal prudence of Lot's Daughters, and courting the alliance of the Israelites, as if they had had a mind to make themselves amends that way, for the loss and wrong they had suffer­ed by the Sentence which Balaam pronounced in favour of Israel.

We see, I say, that Moses immediately after he had related the Prophecies of Balaam, tells us, that the Daughters of Moab invited the People of Israel to the Sacrifices of their Gods, and that the Peo­ple of Israel accepted of the invitation, and ac­cordingly feasted, and began then to defile them­selves with the Daughters of Moab.

Now, that such a thing should happen present­ly after Balaam had uttered his Prophesie, shews evidently, that there was some Relation betwixt those two Transactions. And this may be further made out, from the manner and nature of the pu­nishment which God inflicted upon the Israelites for their Criminal Commerce with the Moabites, although the pretence of it might be grounded up­on the design which the Daughters of Moab had formed according to the Principles of their Edu­cation, to share in the accomplishment of the [Page 193]Promise, by their conceiving and getting Chil­dren by those whom Balaam's Prophesie had inve­sted with the right and priviledge of accomplish­ing that Promise.

The Second is, That accordingly about two hundred years after Moses, we see that Ruth the Moabitess left her own Country to settle and live at Bethlehem, and affected besides to marry there again, one of the Tribe of Judah; no doubt be­cause she had got in her own Country a certain knowledge of that famous Oracle, which after­wards made her easily yield to the Counsels, and receive Instructions both of her Mother in Law, and of her own Husband, who was of the Tribe of Judah, and no doubt, had the Books of Moses, wherein were inserted, both the Prophesie of Ja­cob in favour of Judah, and that of Balaam, in fa­vour of the Israelites against the Moabites.

The Third is, That the Jews have now for se­veral Ages constantly maintained, I Kings II. 8. that Simei's Curses against David, which afterwards he called Maledictionem pessimam, [...] contained an up­braiding Reflexion as well upon the meanness of his Birth, as being descended from a Moabitess, as upon his Adultery, &c. This is related by St. Je­rome, or some other ancient Author, who writ that Discourse, de Traditionibus Hebraeorum, upon the second Chapter of the third Book of Kings. This Jewish Interpretation would be very pro [...] ­ble, if that was but true what Rabbi Salomon saith upon the II. Chap. of the first Book of Kings, v. 19. that when we read there, that Solomon caused a Seat to be set for the King's Mother, we ought to understand it of Ruth the Moabitess, and not of [Page 192] [...] [Page 193] [...] [Page 194] Bathsheba; we know the Jews ascribe a much lon­ger Life to Zarah the Daughter of Asher, one of Jacob's Sons, for they are still of the same Opinion as they were in St. Hierome's time, that she was yet alive in David's time.

No Body can condemn this Reflexion upon Ruth, if he will but consider, that her Faith ha­ving been so rewarded, that the Messiah came our of her Posterity; she is particularly made mention of in his Genealogy; and that on the other hand her History hath been preserved amongst the o­ther Books of the Old Testament, as a kind of prescription, not only against the Moabites preten­sions, long before condemned by Balaam's Prophe­sie, but also against those of the Ismaelites, and Edomites who had no better claim to the Promise than the Moabites, having no other than that of a general Call, and of their Birthright before Ja­cob's Posterity.

CHAP. XII.
That one may see also in Moses's Law, plain Footsteps of God's Design, in distinguishing these from whom he would have the Messiah to be Born.

IT was altogether necessary for the execution of my design, to establish well, the Authority of [Page 195] Moses's Books, upon which I intend to make some Reflexions: It was likewise necessary to shew, as I think I have done sufficiently, that Moses was perfectly acquainted with God's Promise concern­ing the Messiah. Therefore, I believe, I may now come to shew, that both Moses, and those that came after him, had all an Eye upon the Messiah in their chiefest Regulations.

But to give a greater insight, and understanding into the things that I am to say, I think it may not be amiss, to remind the Reader, and to lay before him once more, the several Characters of God's Conduct in that matter, that he may be the bet­ter able to judge of the whole Series of his de­sign.

I have heretofore shew'd, that Moses's intention was to establish two things in the Book of Ge­nesis.

The one, that all Men have derived their Ori­ginal from Adam, whom God Created.

The other, That Men having sinned, God promised to reinstate him by one of his own Po­sterity,

The First of these, was then solidly proved by a plain matter of Fact, when I shew'd, that such a Tradition as Moses relates about the Creation of the World, cannot reasonably be doubted of.

As for what concerns the other, viz. The Pro­mise of the Messiah, which was the chiefest Ob­ject of Man's hope and comfort: I have also shew'd, I think, that the Notion, and Expectati­on of it was very strong and lively, and the ori­ginal cause of all the extraordinary Actions re­corded by Moses.

But as this promise was not to be fulfilled for many Ages; so God made it only in very gene­ral terms, and had still reserved to himself the Revelation for after Ages, as he thought fit, both as to the manner and time of its accomplishment. It is therefore absolutely necessary that we should consider also how God preserved all along the di­stinct knowledge of it amongst men.

Now in reading my Reflexions upon Genesis, one must needs have observed that God, even in those early times of the World, did restrain the priviledge of accomplishing that promise by little and little to some particular Men; till at last he openly declared, that he had setled it in the Tribe of Judah; as we read it Gen. XLIX.

Thus we see, that God in the very beginning of the World restrained that Prerogative to Seth's Family, and excluded Cain's from it; then after­wards of all Seth's Family he restrained it to Noah alone and his Family; then of Noah's Family to Shem alone; then afterwards of all Shem's Poste­rity, to Abraham alone; then of Abraham's Sons, to Isaac alone; and of Isaac's, to Jacob alone; whose Son Judah was alone invested with that priviledge, and all his Brethren excluded.

It is moreover observable, that in those seven forementioned Restrictions which God made, he seems to have affected, to prefer the youngest to the eldest; as it is evident in his choice, if not of Noah and Shem, who was elder than the other Sons; yet certainly in that of Seth, who was younger than Cain; of Abraham, who was the youngest of Terah's Sons; of Isaac who was youn­ger than Ismael; of Jacob who was younger than [Page 197] Esau; and of Judah who was one of the youngest of Leah's Sons.

So likewise if the Reader would judge of God's design, by the event alone, he might justly con­clude, that God by this affected choice intended to raise continual Jealousies betwixt the Eldest (who pretended that the priviledge of accomplish­ing the promise, did belong to them because of their Birthright) against their youngest Brothers, whom they saw preserred by God's immediate choice.

One may also further add, That God seems to have strengthen'd these Jealousies, by introducing sometimes a sort of Conformity amongst the pre­tenders to the execution of this promise: Thus, for instance, as Abraham had two Children, so Lot had two; as Jacob had twelve Sons, so Esau also had twelve; and sometimes one may find, that those particular persons who are preferred, are charged with very severe Accusations.

Now after all these general Refiexions, it is natural for us to consider, what care God hath upon all occasions particularly taken, to distin­guish and protect, those whom he had invested with the right of accomplishing the Promise, that their state and succession might never be uncer­tain.

'Twas this design, no doubt, which obliged God to make Seth the Depositary of his Service and Worship, that he might thereby save Noah from the Flood, and so procure to Shem his Fa­ther's Blessing.

'Twas for this Reason that he call'd Abraham out of his own Countrey, and made him Travel [Page 198]from place to place to make him thereby famous in the World, and to invite Men by that means to inquire after his Profession, his Hopes, and his Religion.

Again, it was for this, that he obliged this Pa­triarch to the practice of Circumcision, which was a real distinction, and an indelible Character, and that he likewise confined him to a certain place, by fixing him in some sort to the Cave of Machpela, which he had purchased of the Chil­dren of Hamor.

Lastly, It was for that reason, that God would have the Posterity of Jacob distinguished from all other Nations of the World, and that he prohi­bited all alliance with them, as also all Imitations of the Customs, and Religious Ceremonies pra­ctised amongst them.

Now all this being supposed, I say, that whe­ther we consider the end and principal design of Moses's Laws, or whether we examine his several Prophesies, which do particularly characterize the Messiah; we shall find that God did all along continue in his first design of distinction; and consequently of keeping up the Jealousies of those that had any pretensions to the priviledge of ac­complishing the Promise; or which is all one, that he hath prosecuted the same design to Jesus Christ's time, in whom Christians do maintain, that the first Promise was accomplished, God ha­ving then, and not till then, both put an end to all those Differences and Distinctions, which were only intended to make the Messiah the bet­ter known, and the more certainly discerned at his coming, and then to cease; just as Scaffolds [Page 199]are taken away as soon as the Building is finished: And having also on the other hand rectified the Principles from which flowed that Spirit of Jea­lousie, amongst those who had the same preten­sion.

We see, that accordingly God excluded all o­ther Nations from the right of accomplishing this Promise.

We see, that even in the Family of Judah, who was himself the youngest of the first Set of Leah's Children, he restrained the execution of it to the youngest Brothers.

We see, that he raised occasions of Jealousies, even amongst the Tribes of Israel.

In a word, we see, that of all those means which can distinguish any one people from all o­ther Nations of the World, or one Tribe from twelve, one Family from all other Families of the same Tribe; and one particular person, from all the rest of his Family, none were omitted, but (on the contrary) all made use of by God, to fol­low this his first design.

This I intend firmly to establish, by examining the thing gradually from Moses's time, (by whose Ministry God enacted, and published those Laws, by the means whereof, he intended the Messiah might certainly be known) to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom we believe, that the Promise was accomplished.

CHAP. XIII.
That the manner of God's Promulgating his Law amongst the Israelites, did much conduce to the distinguishing them from all other Na­tions.

I Do not barely design here at first to observe the several Resemblances, which are observa­ble betwixt the things related by Moses in Genesis, and those which one finds in the following Books.

Neither will I meerly establish here that, as Ja­cob's going down into Egypt with all his Children, and the protection that they all received there, from Joseph, did serve to fulfil the Prediction which God made of that Event by Joseph's Dreams; so we may say in general, that the sending of Moses, his Miracles, and his whole Ministry to the time of his Death, when he entrusted Joshuah with the Conduct of the Jews, were a litteral ac­complishment of the first part of the Promise, which God had formerly made to Abraham, to de­liver the fourth Generation of his Posterity out of the Captivity, which it was to fall into, and then to bring it into the Land of Canaan to pos­sess it.

Moses indeed represents that people according to the Tenour of the Prophesie, as groaning un­der the hard pressure of a cruel Captivity in Egypt, [Page 201]when Joseph and his eminent Services were both forgotten.

Afterwards he tells us, how they were miracu­lously delivered out of that Captivity.

And then Lastly he informs us, that after he had carried them through many difficulties in the Wilderness he brought them at last to the very Borders of Canaan, and so left them ready to con­quer and possess it, according to God's Promises, and their pretensions grounded upon those promi­ses which had been so often repeated to them ever since Abraham's time.

Joshua, Moses Successour, and in all likelihood, the Author of the Description of his Death, is he that accomplished the other part of God's promise to Abraham, by introducing the Israelites into Ca­naan, and actually possessing them of it: So there is nothing can be imagined more precise in this whole matter.

But it is not all this only that renders both the person and Ministry of Moses so glorious: There are several other things in Exodus, and his other following Books, which do much better deserve our Consideration.

Those Books contain, as I have already obser­ved an exact History, of all that God did in or­der to give a certain form to the Common-wealth of Israel, a fixed place, and a particular Service, that is in order to follow his great design of ha­ving the Messiah known without mistake, when­ever he should be Born amongst the Jews; and this is my chiefest aim in the Reflexions upon Exo­dus and the other Books of Moses.

First, we might say in general, That the obser­vance [Page 202]of the Sabbath, and the use of Circumcisi­on, did distinguish the Jews; but yet, I have shew'd, that the Sabbath was a Law common to all Nations in the World, and that Circumcision on the other hand was common both to the Ismae­lites and Edomites: And this will oblige us to make some particular Observations upon that matter; and we must consider how God took care to di­stinguish 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 distinguish them from all other Nations, whom he permitted to walk in their own ways, as St. Paul expresses it; to be sure it shews them that he resolved to fix them to himself, and to hinder them from following, both the Ido­latries of other Nations, and those Inundations of Vice, which ruine all Societies.

And without doubt, the surprizing pomp which accompanied the promulgation of God's Law, and which was recorded by his order, before those that had been the Eye-witnesses of it, did much contribute to perswade them that God had a particular regard and kindness for their Nation, and that he honoured them with his particular Guidance.

We may make the same Observation upon God's giving them a Political Law, and upon the care that he was also pleased to take of regulating their Civil Government, and preventing the dif­ficulties which are commonly occasioned by such Accidents as cannot be foreseen by any Human Legislators, which cause great Revolutions and Changes in all Governments, all which shew suffi­ciently, [Page 203]that his design was to raise them up to, and to maintain them in as great prosperity and welfare, as possibly could be procured to a Nati­on by perfect Laws, and a well Constituted Go­vernment; even the many Ceremonies which God gave them, are a further Demonstration of God's design to distinguish them from other Nations.

It seems not to have been God's intention at first to lay upon them such numbers of Ceremonies: For it was only after the Commission of the sin of the Golden Calf, that God laid upon them that heavy and troublesome yoak, on purpose to imploy all their time, and so keep them from fal­ling into Idolatry again. But however Tanchuma, Jalkut. in Pent. fol. 228. Col. 3. a famous Jewish Author observes, that there was nothing left in the World, but what God took care to give the Israelites some Laws about; as for Instance, If any Jew went out to Plow, he was forbidden to do it with an Ox and an Ass: If to Sow, he was forbidden to Sow his Field with several kinds of Seed: 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, so much as to make a Cake thereof to Consecrate it: If any one did Sacrifice any Animal, he was charged to give away to the Priest, the right Shoulder of it, with both the Cheeks and Inwards: When any one found out a Nest of Birds, he was obliged to let the Old one fly away: If any one went a Hunting, he was to shed the Blood of his Game, and then to cover it with Dust: When any one had planted any Fruit-Trees, he was to count the first thereof as Uncir­cumcised for the three first years: When any one [Page 204]found a Sepulchre, even there certain Cautions are prescribed: If any one Shaved himself, he was forbidden to Mar the corners of his Beard: When any one built a House, he was to take care there should be Rails, and Mezouzoth made to pre­vent all danger: They were obliged to put par­ticular Threads in their Garments, and there are many other things, which were apparently commanded to distinguish the Jews, by obliging them to the practice of these and such other Laws as took up all their time. But if we may say in general, that the whole scope of the Ceremonial Law was to employ the Jews: We may yet more justly say, that it was in particular intended by God to inspire into his people a horrour against all Idolatrous practises, and an Aversion against all Commerce with Idolaters: And this may be fur­ther discerned, if we examine those Laws in parti­cular.

One see's this perfectly by the manner of God's pronouncing some Meats unclean, and his forbid­ding to eat the flesh of some Animals. For we may find, that the greatest part of these Animals were Worshipped amongst the Heathens. Thus the more Learned amongst the Jews prove, that the Goat and the Ram were of that number, but so no doubt were all the Animals which were usu­ally offered in Sacrifice to God, as particularly the Bull: Now there is nothing which alienates two Nations from one another more, than when one of them Eats, or Sacrifices, that which the other makes the Object of its Religion.

One of the most Learned Authors that ever the Jews had, hath diligently observed, that [Page 205]God gave many Ceremonial Laws directly con­trary to those Rites which the Zabij used in their Superstitions, Spencer de Leg. Mos. Lib. 2. and a learned English Doctor hath lately proved it very largely; as to the Ceremo­nies which God commanded to be used in the Sa­crifice of the Paschal-Lamb, and in the manner of their building of the Altar, and of their going up to it, in the prohibition of seething a Kid in his Mothers Milk, and of offering Honey in their Sa­crifices, in the prohibition of their forcing their Children to pass through the Fire to Moloch, in the Law which prohibited their eating Blood, and rounding the Corners of their Heads; and ma­king any Marks in their Flesh, and in I do not know how many other Laws of that Nature, the design of whose institution is not so evident now since the Rites of all those Ancient Idolaters are utterly abolished, and but imperfectly recorded in some Ancient Authors.

Thus we see, that we need only make a very little Reflexion upon God's Conduct, in giving all his Laws to the Israelites, thereby to judge, that the main scope of those Laws, was to put a bar be­twixt the people of Israel, and all other Idolatrous Nations, which should be a visible, and a constant distinction, till the Messiah should be born, who was to make all those Marks of Discrimination to cease entirely.

CHAP. XIV.
That God seems to have designed to keep up a Spirit of Jealousie in the very Bosom of the Jewish Nation.

WE have seen in general, that God by gi­ving his Law to the Israelites, intended to discriminate them from all other Nations of the World, and in particular from those Nations which had shewed themselves to be jealous of that distinction; I mean from the Moabites, the Ammo­nites, the Ismaelites, and the Edomites, as I shall hereafter shew. I have likewise observed, that God by his Conduct, and his Oracles, did also excite a Spirit of Jealousie amongst the several pretenders to the Promise. I come now to shew that God hath follow'd the same design in his Law, and that he hath made use of that Jealousie as of another means, to make that People, which he had separated from all other Nations, keep up always amongst themselves a lively Notion, and Expectation of the Messiah.

Perhaps the Reader may think, that these Re­flections may interrupt the Series of the Obser­vations I have undertaken to make upon Moses's Law: But besides that I shall resume them pre­sently, so one may easily discern, that these two Remarks concerning the Spirit of Distinction, and the Spirit of Jealousie, kept up in the Bosom of this [Page 207]people, ought to be well considered by those that desire to know the Genius of God's Laws, and the original Causes of all the Transactions related by Moses, and by the other sacred Authors, who a­cted in pursuance of that Design which appears in those Laws which Moses gave to the People of Israel.

I begin with two general Reflexions, which, I think are very useful in the explication of God's Conduct upon this Occasion.

Two things, as I have already observed, have conduced to keep up that Jealousie, whereof Mo­ses has given so many instances in the Book of Ge­nesis.

The first is, The Preference which God hath commonly given to the younger Brothers before the elder.

The second is, The choice which God hath made of such particular persons as appeared abso­lutely unworthy of God's choice.

So that here one see's a continual Series in the Jewish History written by Moses, and by the Prophets, who made the same Observations upon that Model which Moses had given them.

First of all, The Tribe of Judah is preferred before all the other Tribes of Israel, and particu­larly before the Tribe of Reuben, which after­wards occasioned the Insurrection of some Reu­benites in their Sedition against Moses, wherein Co­rah, Dathan, and Abiram perished: Just as God's preferring Abel offended Cain, and as Joseph's Bre­thren conspired together to put him to death, be­cause of his Dreams, which foretold his greatness and their fall.

Secondly, One see's that Phares, Judah's young­est Son, is preferred not only before all the other Children of Judah, but even before Zerah the eldest of the Twins which Judah had by Thamar; just as Jacob was preferred before his Brother E­sau, tho' they were Twins, and Esau born the first of the two.

One see's afterwards, That God having chosen Jesse of all the Posterity of Phares, David the youngest of all his Sons, was preferred before his Brethren, when God was pleased to translate the Kingdom to the Tribe of Judah, and to the Fa­mily of Jesse. Just as we saw before, that, in the Election of the first King, whom the Israelites desi­red to be set over them, that he was chosen by Lot by an extraordinary effect of Providence out of the Tribe of Benjamin, tho' the youngest of all Jacob's Children.

Thus one see's that Solomon the youngest of Da­vid's Children, was preferred before his Brothers, and that the same Solomon built the Temple of God in the Tribe of Benjamin, tho' he himself was of the Tribe of Judah.

We shall afterwards see, That the Messiah was descended from David by Nathan, Son to one of David's younger Children, and by Resah Zoroba­bel's youngest Son, from whom the Blessed Virgin drew her Original.

The second Remark is about the care God hath taken by his choice of some particular persons to accomplish the promise, to furnish those with pretences and objections, who might be interessed, to oppose the Restrictions which God had made in favour of their equals; for as they served to [Page 209]keep up a Jealousie amongst all the pretenders to the Promise, so they also served to preserve a di­stinct knowledge of it, and to make them inquire more diligently after it.

In short, as we see that the Ismaelites might up­braid Sarah both with her frequent Rapes, and with her Cruelty to Agar and Ismael: As the Edo­mites might upbraid Jacob's Posterity with Rebec­ca's supplanting their Father Esau, and cheating him of his Blessing; so likewise we may observe, that God not only chose Thamar to have the Mes­siah descend from her; but also would have her Incest with her Father in-Law recorded. What might all the other Tribes of Israel say, were there then no honest Women in Israel, that the Messiah's Ancestors must descend from those that were born of an Incestuous Commerce? What probability is there, that God should choose the Tribe of Judah? Had not all the other Children of Judah a fairer pretension to this priviledge, than Phares could have? And might not their Posterity re­vive against the Posterity of Phares, that severe Law against Bastard Children which we read of Deut. XXIII.

God chose in the like manner Ruth the Moabitess, and had her History written, and his choice re­corded, as if he had intended to prepare an excuse for those of the Israelites who afterwards would re­fuse to submit to David. What probability is there might they say, that God would have the Mes­siah to be born of a Moabitess, seeing it was by his order, that Moses caused all those Israelites to be put to death, who after the pronunciation of Ba­laam's Prophesie, held any commerce with the [Page 210]Daughters of Moab? Was there any likelihood that such a thing could be possible, especially see­ing there was a Law which God would have to be inserted in Deuteronomy, which excludeth the Mo­abites from the possibility of ever being admitted in­to the people of God. But at least, was not this choice of Ruth the Moabitess, a fair cause of Jea­lousie to all the other Families of Judah?

God caused the Adultery of Bathsheba, the Mo­ther of Solomon, to be carefully recorded, as it were on purpose to excuse the Rebellion of those who afterwards sided with Jeroboam, against Re­hoboam and his Authority.

Is it probable, (might these Rebels say) that God would have chosen that Bloody Cruel Man David, that Adulterer, that he and Bathshebah should beget the Messiah together?

Had Jesse no other Children besides David? And if David must needs have been the Man, why should Solomon born of Bathshebah be preferred before all his Brothers?

There are three things considerable in this Matter.

The First is, That God having given to Jo­shuah, the conduct of the Israelites, after he had formerly raised Joseph so much above his Brethren by his advancement in Egypt, and given to his Tribe two portions of the Land of Canaan; he permitted, that Jeroboam should rise up against Rehoboam, Solomon's Son, and not only so, but should likewise, according to the Prophesie rela­ted, Gen. XXVIII. 17. build a Temple at Bethel, as being jealous against Solomon, who built one upon Mount Moriah, according to the Prophe­sie [Page 211]we find in Genesis XXII. 14.

The Second is, That this separation, gave a fair pretence to raise the Reputation of the Pro­phesies which Jacob uttered upon his Death-Bed in favour of Joseph; which Prophesies ran in terms so very high, that they not only gave colour to Jeroboam's pretensions to the Kingdom, but did also lead the Ten Tribes into an expectation, that the Messiah should be born, not in the Tribe of Judah, as Jacob had expresly foretold Genesis XLIX. but in the Tribe of Ephraim, according to the constant Custom of God's preferring the younger Sons of a Family before the Elder, in the matter of this Promise.

The Third is, That even the greatest part of the two Loyal Tribes received at last the inter­pretation which the other ten made of that Pro­phesie. At least, it appears, that many of the Jews have endeavoured to prove, that the Messiah should come from the Tribe of Ephraim, by interpreting several Prophesies that way, which according to their account and their prejudices, were expressed in such terms, as could not be understood of him, that was to be born in the Tribe of Judah, and out of the Royal Family of David.

CHAP. XV.
That Circumcision was a means of distinguishing the Israelites from other Nations.

BUt I must now resume my Observations up­on Moses's Laws. Circumcision was, without question, one of the first, and most sensible means whereby God did distinguish Jacob's Po­sterity from all other people. I will therefore be­gin with it,

First, The very signification of the Word Cir­cumcision, implies a real, and corporeal distincti­on: Hist. l. I. Even Tacitus understood it so when he saith, Circumcidere genitalia instituêre Judaei ut diversitate noscantur. But besides, by it God's Covenant was, as it were, Printed, and Ingraved in the very Flesh of all Abraham's Posterity.

God has explained it thus himself in several pla­ces; and one may affirm, that this was very agree­able to God's design, which was, as we have in­timated before, to hinder that people, from which the Messiah was to be born, from ming­ling with the other Nations of the World, which would have made the Pedigree of the Messiah su­spected, or at least much more difficult to be traced.

I will not relate here, the several Notions of Divines about the use of that Ceremony, but only content my self to make two very natural Reflexi­ons upon it.

The First of which is, That it was particularly in respect of the Messiah, that God would have that Mark made upon that part of Man's Body which is inservient to Generation. As the Mes­siah was to come into the World by Generation, according to the words of the first Prophesie con­cerning him, and also according to the further Re­velations of God to Abraham, about that promise, so God could do nothing more agreeable to the Idea the Israelites had of the Messiah, and of his Birth, than to distinguish them, by a Relation to that Blessed Seed, which he promised them; as God designed, without all question, by that means to oblige the Jews to remember the first pro­mise made to Mankind; so no doubt, he intend­ed by it to fix their minds upon the consideration of that favour he had shew'd to them, as well as to Abraham, to distinguish them from all the peo­ple of the Earth, that the Deliverer of the World might be born in their Common-wealth, and from one of their Posterity.

The Second Reflexion is, That it was the same prospect of the Messiah, which made God con­demn those to death, who should either remain Uncircumcised themselves, or leave their Chil­dren so.

Is it not a very surprizing thing, that so much rigour and severity should be used in exacting the Observation of a Ceremony, which was merely indifferent in its nature, and had no Moral good­ness in it self? But hereby it appears the more e­vidently, that God design'd, that the use of Cir­cumcision, by which he distinguished Abraham's Posterity from all other Nations of the World, [Page 214]should be a kind of immoveable Bar, to hinder the Jews from mingling with all Strangers.

Indeed there are three things which may be ob­jected against these Reflexions.

The First is, That it does not appear, that this Ceremony was counted such a proper sign of di­stinction, seeing the use of it hath been sometimes intermitted: As for instance, when the whole Nation of the Jews left it off for forty years in the Wilderness.

The Second is, That if the chiefest end of Cir­cumcision was to distinguish that people, with de­sign to make the Messiah known: There was no need that that yoak should be laid upon all the Jews, but only upon the Family from which he was to descend, or at the most upon the Tribe wherein that Family was comprized.

The Third is, That Circumcision was common both to Esau's and Jacob's Posterity; and even u­sed amongst the Egyptians, and the Inhabitants of Colchis, as we may learn from Herodotus, and some other Heathen Authors.

But after all, it is an easie thing to satisfie a Man's mind in all these appearing difficulties. I confess, that one is surprized to see that God should not oblige the Jews to be Circumcised in the Wilderness, for which several Reasons are given.

First, That God being displeased with that Ge­neration, would not allow, that they should be honoured with this Token of his Covenant; others say, that their journying in the Wilderness gave them a Dispensation from the observance of that Ceremony. But we may give a better, I think, and more natural account of that matter, if we [Page 215]do but follow the Idea which occasioned my se­cond Reflexion.

The going forth of some Egyptians with the Israelites out of Egypt, was a Type of the calling of the Gentiles, as I will shew somewhere else: It was then necessary, that as all Ceremonies, and Circumcision in particular, were then to be abo­lished, to take away all distinction from among Seth's Posterity, so the use of Circumcision should at that time be suspended.

However, God would not have the Suspension of that Ceremony, to continue till they were en­tered into the Land of Canaan.

First, To prevent the intruding of some Ca­naanites into the Body of the Hebrews.

Secondly, To the end that these Israelites who were to enter into Canaan, being as well Uncircum­cised as the Egyptians Children, and being all made afterwards equal by Circumcision, should have no occasion to upbraid them with their different original.

The Second Objection may as easily be answer­ed: One might think at first, that indeed the Messiah had been more easily known at his co­ming, if the use of Circumcision had been injoyn­ed only to the Family, or at most, to the Tribe from which he was to descend: But besides that, it had exposed that Family, or that Tribe to great Persecutions, it had certainly much diminished that Spirit of Jealousie which was kept up by the Conformity of the several pretenders, which on the other hand was of mighty use to preserve a di­stinct Idea of the Messiah, and a desire of his coming.

As for the Third Objection, there is no diffi­culty in it: 'Tis true, some Jewish Interpreters [Page 216]imagine, that Joseph took occasion to prescribe the use of Circumcision to the Egyptians, after Pharaoh had commanded his people to do what so­ever Joseph should bid them to do: But that Con­jecture is groundless: For it appears, that the E­gyptians who went out of Egypt with Moses, were not Circumcised. 'Tis true, that Nation did some Ages after Moses, take up the Ceremony of Circumcision; and it is very likely, that it was some Egyptian Colony which introduced the use of it into Colchis: But the observance of that sole Ce­remony amongst those Nations could cause no confusion, because none of them pretended to de­rive their Original from Abraham, but had as Historians observe, quite different Reasons from those which the Jews had for their practice of Circumcision.

As for the Ismaelites and Edomites, the greatest part of the Jews are of opinion, that God did discriminate their Circumcision from the Circumci­sion which was practised by those Nations, by his Institution of what they call the Perigna after the Circumcision; which they endeavour to prove by a passage in Joshua, wherein it is said, that God ordered Joshua to Circumcise again the Children of Israel the second time. But others of them laugh at that Criticism, because it appears that those words do relate to the second solemn Circumcisi­on which that People did observe after their deli­verance out of Egypt: Therefore, without running to this answer, one needs only follow the Idea we have already made use of, which is drawn from God's design of keeping up a Spirit of Jealousie, by some Conformity betwixt the Circumcision [Page 217]practised by the Jews, and the Ceremonies used amongst those Rival Nations.

Why then were some of the Neighbouring Na­tions of Canaan, descended from Abraham Cir­cumcised? As for Example, the Ismaelites in A­rabia, who were Circumcised at thirteen years of age; the Posterity of Abraham by Keturah, viz. the Midianites who were in the Countrey of Moab, and the Edomites descended from Esau, who did all practise Circumcision?

Certainly, It is evident, that as God set the Israelites in the midst of all those Nations, who by virtue of their Ancestors Birthright, or some other pretensions, put in their claim with the Jews to the execution of the Promise, on purpose to excite the attention of this people who were surrounded with these Rivals. So he did for the same reason permit, that the Ismaelites, the Midianites, and Edomites should practise the Ceremony of Circum­cision, almost in the same manner that the Israel­ites did.

But that we may the better apprehend the force of this Reflexion, we need only consider the Jea­lousie, which is caused amongst the several Sects of Christians, by the Conformity of Sacraments, which is so far from uniting them with one ano­ther, as it might justly be expected; that on the con­trary, one may say, that this Conformity in some things alienates them from one another, and breeds Reciprocal Jealousies amongst their several Par­ties, especially when they come, to reflect upon the other Controverted Articles, that cause the Separation.

Moreover, it is reasonable to consider that God [Page 218]had provided a sufficient distinction, betwixt that people, and other Nations, by giving them many other Laws, which had no other visible use than that of Discrimination; as for Instance, the three great Feasts which the Jews were obliged to keep.

The Feast of the Passover, was the memorial of the accomplishment of God's Promise to Abraham to deliver his Posterity out of the Countrey wherein they were to be in Bondage after 430 years; and consequently could not be observed by the Ismaelites, nor by the Edomites who had ne­ver been Captives in, nor delivered out of Egypt in the fourth Generation.

The Pentecost was a publick Monument of the Promulgation of the Law, and all its parts, a­mongst the Children of Israel, and consequently peculiar to that Nation.

Thus the Feast of Tabernacles preserved the memory of that solemn action of the Israelites con­tinuance for forty years in the Desert.

It were needless, after such remarkable distin­ctions, to observe here, (which yet was certainly designed for that end) that God took care to di­stinguish that people by some Injunctions, which they were to observe, in the fashion of their Cloaths, of their Beard, of their Philacteries, of their Mezouzoth, of their Thaleth, of their Zi­zith, and many the like things, the observance of all which served to hinder any confusion of the people of Israel, with their Neighbours.

CHAP. XVI.
That the Law of Moses engaged the Jews to the study of their Genealogies, that they might certainly know that of the Mes­siah.

BUt if God took care to distinguish his people from all other Nations by such an indelible Mark, in the practice whereof there was no fear of any trick; seeing no Man would Circum­cise himself without thinking upon it more than once, as the History of the Sichemites assures us; so one sees, that he took as great a care to di­vide them into Tribes, and the Tribes into Fami­lies, that they might subsist and continue in a kind of a Separation from one another, altho they were at first but one single Family, and one single Nation.

Now to what purpose, I pray, were all those Distinctions, if they had not been designed, to manifest the Messiah at his coming.

We see then, that they could have no other use, for as God had decreed, that the Messiah should be born out of the Tribe of Judah, so it was ne­cessary, that the several Genealogies of that Tribe should be very publickly known.

And therefore one sees that God secured this, not only with all necessary care, but even with a Caution greater than could have been reasonably desired.

He engages all the Tribes of Israel to preserve with a kind of affectation, their several Genea­logical Tables; he neglects none of the means that might be useful to distinguish the Tribe of Judah from other Tribes, and the Family from which the Messiah was to be descended from all the o­ther Families of the same Tribe.

Indeed I am not ignorant that anciently one might see some other Nations using the Distincti­ons of Tribes amongst themselves, much after the same manner as the Jews did, and that they were careful to preserve their Genealogies in order to derive their Original from the same common Fa­ther: Thus we ought to understand what we read in History of the Tribes amongst the Athenians. Thus Hippocrates runs up his own Pedigree to the twentieth Man of his Ancestors, and Herodotus mentions several Instances of the same care.

But one sees that this affectation was infinitely greater among the Jews.

For we see, that they did not only rank them­selves every one under the Standard of their own Tribe, at their going forth out of Egypt, but that God did also engage every Man to know his Tribe exactly; nay, he compelled them all in a man­ner, to study their own Pedigrees, that every one might claim, and reap the benefit of the Law of Jubilee, which had the force of an Entail in respect of every Family, as I am now going to shew.

There are three things observable in that Mat­ter.

The First is, That it was by a superabundant precaution, that God would engage the Tribes to continue distinguish'd from one another, and [Page 221]to preserve and study their several Pedigrees; namely, he intended by that means to prevent the Objection, which might otherwise have been made, that it was impossible for a Tribe, and a Family in that Tribe to continue distinguished from the rest of the Nation, for so many Ages; for certainly, if all the Tribes in that Nation, and all the Families in every Tribe, did continue, by God's Providence, so long distinguished from one another, there is no doubt to be made, but he could preserve the single Tribe of Judah, and the Family of the Messiah distinguished from all other Tribes, and Families of the people of Is­rael.

The Second Remark is, That it was for this di­stinction sake, that the Books of the Old Testa­ment were fill'd with Genealogical Tables; to what purpose else had Books of that importance, and which treated of such great Subjects been filled with Genealogies? Moses's Books are full of them: The first Book of Chronicles resumes those Genealogies with all possible exactness: There is nothing more considerable in the Book of Ruth, than the Genealogy of David and his Family.

The Third Remark is, That if the Genealogy of the Priests seem to have been better known, than that of other. Families, by reason of their being the Publick Ministers of Religion, which seems to give the advantage of certainty of distinction to the Tribe of Levi above that of Judah, in that particular; yet we find, that all the Families of the whole Nation took much the same care to pre­serve their own Genealogies; so that if after the Babylonian Captivity, some particular persons [Page 222]were excluded from the Priestly order, to which they pretended, because they could not make out their Pedigree: So likewise all were thrown out from the other Tribes, that could not justifie their Lineal Descent.

Nay, there is something further, deserves to be taken notice of, as being very singular in that of Judah: and one ought here to consider a Mistery of God's Providence, and admire the Wisdom of his Conduct, in pursuing the design which Moses first sets down, and upon which one sees, that the whole Jewish State was formed; for when God resolved, that the Messiah should descend from the Tribe of Juda, and the House of David, he made it more particularly known and distinguish'd, than any other Family in the whole Nation, and for that reason he sets 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 most publickly known.

Now if the Blood Royal alone is always di­stinguished how much more must it be so, when that Supream Dignity is conferred upon such a Fa­mily, as God had particularly chosen, to have the Messiah, who is set forth as the desire of all Nations, to be born out of it.

From hence I will boldly conclude, that the only end for which God raised David's Family to the Throne, was because the Messiah was really to be born out of that Family, reduc'd to a low, and private Condition, which Isaiah foretold, say­ing, Isa. XI.LIII. That a Rod should come forth out of the Stem of Jesse, and a Branch grow out of his Roots; and in a­nother place, That he should grow up as a Root out [Page 223]of a dry ground, which was very agreeable to the Character of a Prophet, and to the low state of Humiliation, in which our Saviour was to appear in the World.

CHAP. XVII.
A Solution of some Difficulties in these Genealogies.

INdeed the dispersion of the Ten Tribes seems to be a very Natural Objection to those who would dispute the Reflexions which I have alrea­dy made upon these Genealogies.

But after all, there is nothing in it but what con­firms the more the said Reflexions.

And we may say, that the intire dispersion of the whole Tribe of Ephraim, and of the others which adhered to it in Jeroboam's Rebellion, is a Mistery of Providence which challenges our ad­miration, as much as the raising up that Family to the Throne, out of which the Messiah was to be born.

To apprehend this the better, we need only call to mind the pretensions of the Tribe of E­phraim: This Ephraim was the younger Brother of Manasseh; but Jacob had given him the Birth­right, just as Isaac before had given it to Jacob, tho it did of right belong to the elder Brother.

Jacob had particularly blessed Ephraim, and e­ven [Page 224]made it a Form of Blessing for after Ages, as we read in the Book of Ruth, that there was one made for Pharez. Jacob had given to Joseph two Portions in the Land of Canaan, and Ephraim had the Birthright before Manasseh, by God's order; it was then very natural for the Tribe of Ephraim, as all Tribes did apply to themselves the several priviledges promised to their respective heads, to look upon themselves, as having a particular right to God's Blessing.

And they thought this right of theirs was plain­ly made out, as by Joseph's Dreams, so especially by the Words of that Prediction which Jacob gave in favour of Ephraim, the words of which run so very high, that after such a prejudice, there might very well be a fair pretence for the hope which the Tribe of Ephraim had once to see a Mes­siah come out of their Tribe, as those of Judah ex­pected one out of theirs.

If to all this we add, That Jeroboam's Rebelli­on was authoriz'd by a Prophetical Inspiration, and by a special sign of God's Approbation; and that on the other hand he desired to propose to his peo­ple the two Calves which he set up in Dan and Bethel, as Symbols of the Deity, only to pursue the Idea's of Pharaoh's Dreams, which Joseph inter­preted, the representation whereof, did clearly shew both the greatness of Joseph, and the parti­cular care of God's Providence over him. Talm. in Succa c. 5. in Gem. It was then natural, to the Men of Ephraim, to feed themselves with such hopes, as the Jews teach us they did, when even to this very day they speak of a Messiah of the Tribe of Ephraim.

What did God then do, to obviate these pre­tensions [Page 225]of the Tribe of Ephraim? He dispersed them, together with the other nine Tribes that submitted to the Authority of its Kings, and so confounded them with all those Tribes which fol­lowed their fortune, that tho there should be still some Ephraimites in the World, yet it would be impossible for any of them to justifie his Pedigree so clearly, as that any Messiah really descended from that very Tribe, could by establishing his Genealogy, put his being of the Tribe of Ephraim beyond all contest.

Now according to this Notion of things it is vi­sible (if we may be allowed to enter into the Coun­sels of God,) that he did particularly preserve the Tribes of Levi, and Benjamin, with the Tribe of Judah, which was the only Tribe that was to be preserved of necessity.

First, Because as St. Paul to the Hebrews observes, there was nothing ever said as to the Messiah, of the Tribe of Levi.

Secondly, Because God would by that means confound the more effectually all the claims of the Tribe of Ephraim.

For in short, If the Tribe of Ephraim was inve­sted by God with the Kingdom over nine Tribes of the people of Israel, so had the Tribe of Benja­min been raised up before to the Soveraignty over all Israel, over the Tribe of Judah, and even that of Ephraim it self.

If the Tribe of Ephraim was descended from a younger Brother, to whom Jacob had given his Blessing in prejudice of Manasseh his elder Brother, (which is considerable because God hath almost constantly preferr'd the younger before the elder) [Page 226]so the Tribe of Benjamin was descended from him that was both the younger Brother of Joseph him­self, and the youngest of all Jacob's Children, notwithstanding which, the Tribe of Benjamin did freely yield to the Tribe of Judah, and grant­ed that the glory of giving Birth to the Messiah, was wholly due to them.

Be it as it will, there are two Reflexions more which must be made concerning these Genealo­gies which appear very natural in this place.

The First is, That both St. Matthew, and St. Luke do begin their Gospel with the Genealo­gy of the Messiah.

The other is, That some time after St. Paul condemns the study of Genealogies, which was still much in use amongst the Jews, as vain; Why therefore is there such a different conduct amongst the Disciples of the same Master?

Certainly, whoever shall consider with atten­tion the grounds which I have laid down before must acknowledge, that both St. Matthew, and St. Luke, ought to have begun their Books, as they have done, with the Genealogy of the Messiah.

For First of all, It was necessary that the de­scent of the Messiah from Abraham by David, should be clearly made out: it was requisite there­fore that they should set down such a Genealogy as was known by the whole Jewish Nation: Now this they have done with very great care, and the thing was so easie, and so well known, that even a Blind-Man of the Neighbourhood of Samaria, the chief City of the Kings of Ephraim, did pub­lickly call Jesus the Son of David.

But on the other side, St. Paul's forbidding the study of Genealogies, does not at all contradict the method of those two Evangelists.

In short, he pursues the very same Notions: He saw, that the Converted Jews apply'd them­selves to the study of Genealogies, which was then so great a part of the study of their Nation: It is still practised among the Jews, to that degree, Maimon. Praef. ad Jad. Cha­zaka. that since their dispersion they gave an exact Relation of all the Doctors and Rabbies amongst them who have preserved the Tradition, and who were Pro­selytes of Justice: What therefore was to be done in this case? He took it for granted, that God had engaged every Jew to study his own Pedigree with care, for no other end but only to have that of the Messiah distinctly known whenever he should come.

But the use of these Genealogies being once o­ver, by the Messiah's coming into the World, he observes with reason, that it was no longer neces­sary to keep up the vain study of all those Genea­logies.

So that we see he speaks against the study of Pe­digrees, much upon the same grounds as in other places he inveighs against Circumcision; for since the chiefest use of Genealogies, as well as of Cir­cumcision, was to distinguish Abraham's Posterity from the rest of Mankind, till the Messiah was come; the use of these two Observations was na­turally to cease after he was once come.

It is, no doubt, for the same reason, that where­as the Jews in the Apostle's time took great care upon all occasions, to take notice of the Tribe from which they were descended, as well as to [Page 228]set down the Names of their Fathers, yet one sees that the Apostles did not all affect it. And if St. Paul mentions his being a Benjamite: It was for a particular reason, for otherwise as he prea­ched down the distinction betwixt Jews and Gentiles, so he declared himself with the same Earnestness against the distinctions which were observed amongst their Tribes.

CHAP. XVIII.
That the manner whereby the Law of Moses fix­ed the People of Israel to the Land of Canaan, was to keep them separated from other Na­tions.

ONe of the chiefest means, which God made use of, to distinguish his people of Israel from the rest of Mankind, was so to fix their Affe­ctions upon the Land of Canaan, that they should look upon it, as a Countrey which belonged to them by a particular concession from God, which derogated from the Canaanites right, to whom that Countrey fell in the Division of the Earth that was made amongst the Children of Noah, or which reestablished the Posterity of Shem in their just Rights, Haeres. LXVI. n. 84. to whom, if we may credit the ancient Tradition, related by St. Epiphanius, this Coun­trey did really belong by virtue of that Division amongst the three Sons of Noah, tho afterwards [Page 229]they were driven out of it by the Posterity of Ham.

Moses seems to have expressed this truth, when he saith 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 East came to make against the Kings of Sodom and Gomorrha to any thing else.

'Twas then for this reason, that long before Mo­ses's time, God took Abraham out of Chaldea, from amongst Shem's Posterity to bring him into Canaan amongst the H [...]vites, the Amorites, and other Nations all equally descended from Ham, whom God had cursed.

God could have placed Abraham any where else; but he chose to bring him into a Countrey, which the Posterity of Ham had seized upon alrea­dy, rather than into a place possessed by the Po­sterity of Japhet, on purpose that the Jealousie might be the greater betwixt Abraham and the In­habitants of the Countrey into which God had brought him.

Nevertheless God did not give him at first an entire possession, but only promised him that his Posterity should enjoy it, and in the mean while invested him beforehand, with a Right to it, by the purchase of a Field for a Burying place, where­in his Wife, himself, and his Children were Bu­ried; by which means he strongly fixed his own mind, and the hopes of his Posterity.

In short, it is evident, that all the glory which Jacob found in Egypt when he was invited thither [Page 230]by Joseph, did not make him forget the Right which he claimed upon that Land, by virtue of the Sepulchre both of his Father and Grandfa­ther that was there. For Moses informs us, that he desired to be carried thither after his Death, and that he did expresly require this Duty from Joseph and his other Children, who paid it in sovery solemn a manner, and with a Mourning so very great and famous, that the Name of Abel-Mizraim continued to that very place, where the Canaanites saw the Solemnization of that Funeral by the Sons of Jacob, who were attended by great numbers of Egyptians.

One see's that Jacob's Children still entertained the same hope: Joseph solemnly engaged his Children to carry his Bones into the Land of Ca­naan: And one may judge, that the other Patri­archs were not less solicitous to require the same Office at the hands of their Children, Jalkut. ex Siphre. fol. 311. col. 2. as St. Ste­phen supposes it Acts VII. agreably to the com­mon opinion of the Jews: All which shews, that Abraham's Posterity had their Hearts set upon his Sepulchre, as upon the Pledge and security of God's Promise, that they should be once possest of that Land where he was Buried.

And as the carrying the Body of Jacob into Ca­naan, sufficiently shew'd what were the claims of the Israelites; so the same was very evident by their care in keeping themselves unmixt with the Egyp­tians, all the time they sojourn'd in Egypt. The Splendor of Joseph was a natural engagement for them to settle themselves there for ever; besides, their vast encrease forced them in a manner to it. For a long time the Miseries which they endured, [Page 231]invited them to seek the Alliances of the Egypti­ans by Marriages, and to mix themselves with a people who were their Masters, and so to re­nounce hopes which appeared to be so very ground­less. They seemed to have been warranted by Joseph's Example, who had Married an Egyptian. However, one never finds that they tried that me­thod. One see's on the contrary, that there was little correspondence between the Hebrews and Egyptians in their Sacred things: For the Hebrews sacrificed to God the abomination of the Egyptians, that is, those very things which the Egyptians wor­shipped.

One see's afterwards, by the great number of Flocks which they drove along with them at their going out of Egypt, that they had continued to follow the profession of their Ancestors, who were She­pherds, a very odious Employment to the Egyp­tians.

One see's at last, that after the many Miracles which Moses wrought in the Egyptian Court, that this people followed God's Conduct, and went out of that Countrey, to possess the Land of Ca­naan, which none of them had ever seen, and yet they lookt upon the obtaining it as a Blessing they could not miss of.

There are several things very remarkable upon that Subject.

The First is, That some Egyptians went out with the Israelites to dwell with them in the Land of Canaan, which was done, not only that there might be some indisputable Witnesses from among the Enemies of God, of the truth, and greatness of the Miracles which Moses had wrought amongst [Page 232]them, which also was a presage of the calling of the Gentiles to the Faith, by their insertion into the Body of the Jews: but also that there might be some Witnesses of the extraordinary affection which the people of Israel had for the Land of Canaan, and of their claims to it by virtue of God's promise, that he would put them into possession of it. For otherwise it is not a common thing that a Colony of Slaves should be suffer'd to run away, much less that they should perswade their Masters to forsake their own Countrey, and their settle­ments at home, to go and conquer another for them.

The Second Remark is, That God made the Jews travel for forty years in the Deserts of Ara­bia, not only to make them forget any Tyes they might have had to return again into Egypt, and to accustom them to depend wholly upon Divine Providence; but also to redouble their desires af­ter the possession of this Land of Promise.

It was for the same reason that God forbad them so straitly either the mingling with, or the setling themselves amongst the Midianites, tho Moses had given an Example by Marrying Sephora; or the Edomites, or the Ismaelites, or the Moabites, or the Ammonites, tho all those Nations were descended from Therah, their common Father, or from the Patriarchs.

In execution of which severe prohibition, God commanded the Jews to put all those to the Sword who should make any alliance with those Nations, as we have instance of it, Numb. XXIII. after the description of Balaam's Prophesies.

And it could be for no other end, that he so strait­ly [Page 233]charged the Israelites to cut off the Hivites, Am­morites, and other Nations of Canaan even to the Women and little Children; but in pursuance of his first design to prevent all mixture, of his People with those Nations, which without that extream rigour would infallibly and insensibly have come to pass.

I know very well that God preserved the Gibe­onites, by ratifying that Alliance, which gave leave to those People tho of the Posterity of Ham, to continue amongst his own people in the Land of Canaan; but tho God did in effect preserve the Gibeonites amongst the Jews, yet he forced them to undergo the Drudgery, and Servile Offices of the Tabernacle, and that they might be kept, as unquestionable Witnesses of the Hebrews pretensi­ons, and of their miraculous Conquest of the Land of Canaan; for the continuance of that Na­tion in the heart of the Countrey, and their sub­mitting to the drudgery of carrying Wood, and Water for the use of the Tabernacle, tho they were at first of another Religion, was, as I have observed already, a continual Subject of admira­tion to the Posterity both of the Jews and of the Gibeonites themselves.

CHAP. XIX.
That the Law tied the People of Israel to the Land of Canaan, and by several other means established the distinction betwixt Tribes and Families amongst them.

ONe may say, that one of the most effectual means which God used to fix his people to the Land of Canaan, was the Law which he gave them to meer thrice a year, and Celebrate three Solemn Feasts together, which hardly gave them leave to travel far into other Countreys, and enga­ged them every time they met, to renewin the pub­lick Acts of their Religion the memory and the I­dea's of their hopes: And they conduced to this Design of God in this manner.

Those Feasts were Celebrated at three times which were the most commodious Seasons of the year for Travelling, betwixt the Months of March and October: The Celebration of the Passover was upon the fourteenth day after the appearance of the Moon in March: The Pentecost was fifty days after, and the Feast of the Tabernacles lasted from the first to the tenth day of September.

In short, the Law which obliged the Jews to as­sist at the Celebration of those Feasts, required the appearance of all the Males of Twenty years of age and upwards, so very rigorously, that there [Page 235]was no Dispensation; for all (without exception) were then obliged to appear. So that even during the Dispersions of their Nation, the Jews, who li­ved out of Judea, assisted always at the Celebrati­on of those three Feasts with great care.

This was a visible way of keeping the Tribes of Israel distinct, by giving each of them a separate portion in the Land of Canaan, and by fixing them inseparably to it; as the whole Nation was in like manner distinguished, by its being placed in a Countrey entirely by it self.

We see accordingly, that God hath observed that Method, by giving a Law which injoyns the Division of the Land of Canaan, to be made into as many Portions as there were Tribes, only ex­cepting the Tribe of Levi, because the Levites, as being the publick Ministers of their Religion, were dispersed amongst the other Tribes, that they might more conveniently attend to the In­struction of the people.

I shall not here take notice of the Miracle which was evident in that Division, which was an exact accomplishment of the Oracle which Jacob and Moses uttered a little before their Deaths.

But I shall observe, First, That as the design of God was to divide that people into Tribes, that the Tribe of Judah, from which the Messiah was to be born, might be the better distinguish'd and known, so he would, for the same reason, allot the Cave of Machpelah, the Sepulchre of the Pa­triarchs, to the share of the Tribe of Judah, as also Ephratah, the place where Rachel was Buried, which was afterwards call'd Bethlehem, the Town where David had his Birth, and which was fore­told [Page 236]told by the Prophet Micha under the Name of E­phratah, as the place where the Messiah should be born in the fulness of time.

We must besides, take notice of two particular Regulations, by which God fixed his people in the Land of Canaan, and preserved a distinct Idea of this first division of that Countrey.

The First is the Law of Jubilee.

The Second is the Law of Lineal Retreats.

In short, by the Law of the Jubilee which re­turned every fifty years, and by which every one that could justifie his Pedigree, was reinstated in the possessions of his Ancestors: God obliged that people to keep up a distinct-knowledge of the first division made under Joshua, Joshua XIV, &c. and which is descri­bed in that Book which contains his History, much more effectually than if he had made a Law for that very purpose: So that tho the Field of Ephra­tah had been never so often alienated, yet it al­ways returned to the Tribe of Judah, and so af­terwards into David's Family, because it was at first the Lot of his Ancestors.

This Law of Jubilee preserved a distinct know­ledge of the several Tribes, and Families, and it also kept up a distinct Idea of their Genealogies, which must be preserved entire of necessity, that they might maintain their right to the inheritance of their Ancestors.

It would be to no purpose to object against this Observation, that it was impossible to know cer­tainly which Tribe, and much less which Family every Estate did belong to, because one see's that the first Proselytes who went out with the Israelites, shared the Land of Canaan together with them; [Page 237]for one see's on the contrary,

First, That God would not allow any of the Moabites, and Ammonites to become Proselytes be­fore the tenth Generation.

And Secondly, That he debarred the Edomites from being admitted to make profession of Judaism before the third Generation, which excluded them for ever from any possessions in the Land of Ca­naan.

And Thirdly, one ought to observe the diffe­rence betwixt an Egyptian Proselyte, and a Native Jew: The Quality of a Proselyte, gave permission to an Egyptian to live amongst the Jews, and to profess their Religion, but it gave him no right to possess any of their Land.

And then besides that, Massa Bic­cour. c. 1. S. 4 those Egyptian Proselites had a particular way of praying by themselves, different from that of the Jews, as the Jews still testifie. They could not possess any Estate in Land amongst them: This is so true, Numb. XXVII. that it was once round necessary to make a particular regulation for the Daughters of Zelophehad, that they might have their division, which was granted only under cer­tain Conditions, because the Land was not to be divided, but amongst the Males of the people of Israel.

But this is very considerable, that by this Law of the Jubilee, God fixed the Jews to the Land of Canaan, by giving the Children a power to look upon themselves, not only as the presump­tive Heirs of their Parents, but to consider their Parents only as Usu-fructuary's, since all their Pos­sessions in Land were so Entailed, that the Chil­dren, or right Heirs of any Man could not miss [Page 238]of the Reversion, because whatever alienation was made, it could last but for a time to the year of Jubilee which restored all the alienated posses­sions, absolutely and entirely to the right Heirs.

Now that this Law was always lookt upon as a fun­damental Law amongst the Jews, Leviticus XXV. 23. 1 Kings XXI. appears clearly from the words in Leviticus, and from the Histo­ry of Naboth, which holy Man rather chose to die than to comply with the injust desire of Ahab, who would have forced Naboth to sell his Estate absolutely notwithstanding God's express prohi­bition.

The exemplary vengeance which God took up­on Naboth's Murder, and the relation of it record­ed in Scripture is a further confirmation of this same truth: If a King of Israel durst not at first infringe that Law, if it was not violated by any other than Jesabel, who was a Forreign Princess: If the Transgression of that Law was punish'd in such an exemplary manner, who can doubt but that it was particularly observed in the Tribe of Judah, as a Fundamental Law by which God tied up his People inseparably to this very Countrey.

One needs only make some few Reflexions up­on those words which God makes use of Ezek. XLVI. to agree to what I say, if those Reflexions which I have made already upon Naboth's Mur­ther be also added to them.

One may observe upon the same Subject, that tho God had several times subjected the Jews to a Foreign power, yet he never suffered the whole Nation to be all carried away out of Ca­naan at one time; nor yet to continue in Capti­vity [Page 239]for the time of two whole Jubilees; they were but seventy years in Babylon, which was the furthest place that they were ever carried into.

From whence we may naturally conclude, that their Genealogies could not be confounded in so short a time, because many that were at the Con­secration of the second Temple had seen the first, nor could the distinct knowledge of the several di­visions of their Estates be obliterated; because those of every Tribe who continued still in the Land, might visibly keep them up.

And we here of necessity ought to observe in the first place, what we may read in the XXXII. Chapter of Jeremiah, Jerem. XXXII. concerning the sale of a Field which Jeremiah bought.

And Secondly, what we read Nehem. the Vth where he is troubled to see the alienation of their Fields, which was a consequence of their mi­sery.

And Thirdly, The manner how that people were restored to their Estates, according to the Fundamental Laws of their State.

Another very effectual means to fix that peo­ple to the Land of Canaan, and to preserve their Fa­milies there certainly without confusion, was the Law of Lineal Retreats, which God instituted for this very purpose.

For in short, when this Rule was once laid down, that upon the failure of an Heir in any Fa­mily, that the next Kinsman was the Heir at Law, it appears plainly, that every one was obliged for his own interest, to inquire with diligence into the Genealogical Lives of his own Tribe, that he might instruct himself in the state of the several [Page 240]Families of his kindred, and of the several degrees of Proximity of Blood, whereby they might be related, because the exact knowledge of these Lists, and of those several degrees of Kindred were absolutely necessary to make use of this Right of Lineal Retreats.

There were two other Laws which contributed also to this; one whereof regulated all that was to be done, when there were none but Daughters left in a Family: A famous instance of which, we have in the History of the Daughters of Zelophehad set down twice by Moses on purpose no doubt, that it should be the more taken notice of, as I intend to shew particularly in another place.

The other Law regulated all that the next Kins­man of any one that died Childless, was obliged to do in respect of the Relict, and of the Estate of the Deceased, if he intended to redeem it. One finds in the Book of Ruth, an illustrious Example of the Execution of this Law, which may be found Deuter. XXV.

Now after all this, let any one judge, whether there could be any stronger Ties than these to oblige the people of Israel to continue in the Land of Canaan, and whither the division which God made of it, betwixt their several Tribes and Fa­milies, was not an infallible means to distinguish them certainly one from another.

CHAP. XX.
That the Laws which Moses made concerning the state of Virginity, did principally relate also to the Messiah, which holds also as to several other Laws.

HItherto I have shew'd the care which God took to distinguish his people of Israel from all other Nations of the World, and I afterwards shew'd what care he took to keep the distinctions which he first set up amongst the Tribes. And I afterwards explained those Laws which he gave to oblige every Family in each Tribe to remain distinct. And I afterwards made it manifest, that the division of the Land of Canaan was a very pro­per means to execute this design of God.

All which shews, that God intended to make it easie for every Man to distinguish the Messiah, when it should be once known that he was to be born out of the Family of Jesse, as it was afterwards foretold by several express Oracles.

But as there ought to be something supernatural in the Birth of the Messiah, who was to be born of a Virgin, so we ought to see what care God took in his Laws, that the Birth of the Messiah, e­ven in this very Article, might not be a Fact too difficult to be acknowledged and established.

In the First Promise which God made to Man in these words, That the Seed of the Woman, should bruise the Serpent's Head, being joyned with Isaiah's [Page 242]Prophesie, Behold, a Virgin shall Conceive, &c. Is. VII. It is visible, that for the accomplishment of these Oracles, one ought to suppose, that the Messiah must be born of a Virgin, as the Christi­ans profess to believe: Why should God otherwise have taken care, to insinuate from the very be­ginning of the World, that the Messiah was to be born of the seed of a Woman, without mention­ing any thing of a Man, if he had not supposed, that he should be born, without the Operation of a Man? And why should Isaiah propose the Con­ceiving of a Virgin, as an Effect wholly Superna­tural?

In short, God did therefore by his Laws not only secure the State of Virginity, that this thing might not be ambiguous when it should be accomplished, but (as we shall see here) he has by these Laws made it extreamly Illustrious.

First, Besides that, God would have the pu­nishment of Death inflicted upon them that were at any time found guilty of sins against nature, Exod. XXII. Deut. XXII. Levit. XVIII. Levit. XX. Deut. XXIII. 17. as also upon them, that should be proved to have had any incestuous Commerce with those that were nearly related to them, and to whom either the nearness of Blood, or of Affinity, gave them a more free, and familiar access. He moreover, straitly commanded, that all Prostitutes should be put to death without any mercy.

Secondly, He is not only contented to forbid Fornication and Adultery in general, by condemn­ing to death, Exod. XXII. Levit. XX. Deut. XXII. those that expresly should be convicted of it, and by awarding the same Sentence against him that should happen to corrupt a Contracted Virgin, and the Virgin her self. But he also hin­ders [Page 243]Men by two ways from falling into sins of im­purity, he permitted, on the one hand, a Divorce where the Wife did not please her Husband, and on the other hand he allowed of Polygamy. This Toleration made that Virgins on the one side, not remaining too long Unmarried were not apt to be easily corrupted, and on the other side Men were not very forward to debauch those 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 seduced, Deut. XXII. was expresly for­bidden to put her away for ever after.

It is natural to observe the design of those Laws amongst the people of the Jews. In short, Massec. Avoth. c. 5. the desire of Issue made them Marry very young; most of the Men were Married at eighteen years of Age.

Therefore all Virgins thought it a shame to be unmarried; therefore God makes them speak in the third of Isaiah, in that manner, when seven Women would marry one Man, without asking any thing for Diet, or Cloaths, provided only that he would take away that reproach of living without having Children. 'Twas this desire of Posterity, which made the Women look upon bar­renness as a Curse.

Again, this vehement desire of Children made Eunuchs to be regarded, Lucian de Evnuch, p. 537. Lucian de Dea Syriâ. p. 1069. as Men particularly ab­horred of God, not only by the Jews, but also by the Heathens themselves: Altho afterwards they passed for Holy Men, because they designed to imitate what (as they were told) had happened to Noah, by his Son Ham, which introduced the Custom amongst the Assyrians of Castrating [Page 244]themselves, that they might be Priests.

Thirdly, Deut. XXII. God commanded, that any Virgin which was Betrothed to a Husband, and was cor­rupted in her Father's House, or that was Ravished without calling for help, should be punished with Death; so that all the Virgins were indispensably engaged for fear of losing both Life and Honour together, to preserve their Virginity with all pos­sible care.

But here is a fourth Law concerning this matter, whereby God obliged the Parents of all contra­cted Virgins to take a more than ordinary care of them, when he commands Deut. XXII. 21. That a Virgin for whom the Tokens of Virginity were not found, should be brought out to the door of her Father's House, and there be stoned to death, by the Men of the City, for so her Parents were by that means, made partakers of the punishment of her Crime, and their negligence, was severely punish'd by such a shameful Execution as dishonoured their whole Fa­mily.

Fifthly, God submitted Women to the Exami­nation of their Husbands to whom they were Married: Nay, one would think that he intended to raise the Jealousie of Husbands, when he gives them leave to bring their Wives to a publick Tryal, and to punish them with Death, when they did not preserve the Tokens of their Virginity.

It was for that reason that he commanded, that the Parents or near Relations of the young Married Women thus complained of, Deut. XXII. should pro­duce upon all such occasions the Tokens of the Virginity of those Daughters which they disposed in Marriage, which was usually done with many [Page 245]Solemn Circumstances and Formalities.

And here are three things, which deserve to be attentively considered.

The First is the Custom that was amongst the Jews for Parents never to let their Virgin Daugh­ters go out of their Houses, which Custom made them be called Concealed, in opposition to those that went abroad; that is, that were Prosti­tutes.

The Second is another Custom which the just desire of preserving the Virginity of their Daugh­ters against all Accidents, had introduced amongst that People, which was, that all their Virgins did wear a sort of Fetters, which are called in the Talmud, Cevalim, which are discribed by the fa­mous Moses, the Son of Maimon, in this manner: Cevalim sunt compedes in forma periscelidis, Ad Massec. Sabbath. c. 6. J 4. inter quos interposuerunt catenulas, illis compedibus ornabant se Virgines, ut non incederent passu magno, ne contige­ret ipsis damnum in Virginitate sua. This Descripti­on may be thought to be one of the foolish phan­cies of the modern Jews, if we did not meet with proofs of the practice of that Custom in more ancient times. In short, one see's in the third of Isaiah, that Chains are reckon'd up amongst other Ornaments of the Daughters of Israel, 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 Israelitae digito educere Virginitatem, ne incidant in dubitationem vel suspicionem, juxta illud, Sumat Pa­ter, & Mater puellae, &c.

In a word, it seems, that for fear least these To­kens [Page 246]of Virginity should be thought to be obscure and ambiguous by their Husbands, that God has provided for the securing of the Virginity of their young Women before Marriage by a Miracle, the experience whereof was ordinary and common a­mongst so jealous a people. Numb. V. Joseph. l. 3. Antiq. p. 95. I mean, the Waters of Jealousie, which all Women whose Carriage was suspected by their Husbands, were obliged to drink, by which God did either miraculously ju­stifie them, or else he began to inflict a punishment upon them, which was so much the more dread­ful and exemplary, as it proceeded from the hand of God himself. This Miracle lasted to the de­struction of the second Temple, as the Jews themselves tells us in that Title of their Talmud, Sota c. 9. which concerns Women suspected of Adul­tery.

However, as God works no Miracles without great reasons, so he here made a Law, the obser­vance whereof was very rigorous, which was, that he would not suffer any Women to be Marri­ed when there was the least probability, that they had their Courses, but that they should be separa­ted at that time, as unclean.

The Reason of this Law was, because it was then almost impossible, but that the lewd Women might have imposed upon their Husbands, in the Marks of their Virginity, which at that time are very uncertain; not to say, that as a politick Law­giver, he might prescribe the observation of this Law, least the Common-wealth of the Jews should have been overstocked with weak, and sickly people.

Lastly, one see's that God himself has fastned [Page 247]a Blot upon Leprous persons, Isidor. Pelus l. 5. Ep. 117. Joseph. An­tiq l. 3 p. 94. because they were supposed to have been Conceived when their Mo­thers had their Courses: And hereupon was that Law of God founded, which debarred Lepers for ever from the Right of coming into the Congrega­tions of his people.

One ought to make the same Observation upon those that were unlawfully begotten, for they were deprived of the Right of entring into the Congregation, and how innocent soever they were, as to the lewdness of those who gave them their Lives; yet they were thus with them made partakers of the punishment of their sin.

If one considers all these several Laws attentive­ly, one shall find on the one hand, that several of them were of very little moment, except we sup­pose, that God intended to secure the state of Vir­ginity by them beyond all danger: And on the other hand, one shall find that some of them are very severe about things, which do not seem to deserve so terrible a rigour.

But if we consider them according to God's de­sign, as he hath afterwards particularly explained it. They will appear, I am confident, to be all very worthy of the Wisdom of such a Law­giver.

One needs only reflect upon that method of God, that I have now explained to see, that no­thing can be conceived to be better managed, than this Model according to the design which God himself had drawn.

One may make the same Observations, and ex­amine the same stroaks of the Wisdom of God, in several other precautions, which he made use of [Page 248]to make the Messiah be perfectly distinguish'd ac­cording to the several Characters under which he was to be proposed afterwards by the Ministry of the Prophets.

One sees, that the Messiah being to be born of a Virgin, was to be a first-born, and for that rea­son, we find many Laws which distinguish in ge­neral, the priviledges of the first-born.

So it appears by the XVIII of Deuteronomy, that the Messiah was to be a Prophet; and therefore, God afterwards gave notice by the Prophets of all those Lights which should particularly appear in him. In prospect of this, God gave by the Mi­nistry of Moses, such Characters as would distin­guish the true Prophets from those who endeavou­red to usurp that Name.

It appears also, that because God was to Com­municate to the Messiah, a power of working Mi­racles (which Moses intimates, by saying, that he was to be a Prophet like unto him.) Therefore Isaiah specifies the Character of those Miracles in XXXV. Chapter of his Prophesie, and God ex­plains in particular, the Laws concerning the Blind and the Lame, and for the same Reason, he gives an account of all sorts of Leprosie, that it might be distinctly known which was incurable.

It is easie to those who will attend to the Laws of Moses, to see that they were subservient to this design of God, in pursuance of those Prospects which we have already set down.

CHAP. XXI.
That it was the design of God by all these Cere­monies, and particularly by that Veneration which he inspired the Jews with, for the Ta­bernacle to preserve the Ideas of the Messiah, whom he had promised, in their minds, by di­stinguishing them from all other Nations.

AFter all those Observations which I have made upon the several Laws that God made use of to execute his design of fixing his people to a certain place, and there to keep them separate; it is natural to judge, that the Ceremonial Laws which he gave them for the regulating their out­ward Worship, were also intended for the same end. This I must shew in respect of the Holi­ness which God ascribes to the Land of Canaan, and in respect of the whole Service of the Taber­nacle, of its Misterious Construction in all its parts: And in respect also of the raising of the Material Temple afterwards, to be as it were the Center of their whole Religion.

It was certainly for this purpose, that he parti­cularly Consecrated several things to himself, as the first fruits, and the first-born, and that he set apart certain times, as the first day of the Month, and certain Solemn Feasts, besides the Sabbath­day, which was Celebrated long before. And he also Consecrated several places, as the Towns of [Page 250]refuge; and yet more particularly, the Taberna­cle and the Temple: But it was especially for that reason, that he had Consecrated certain Rites and Ceremonies, certain Sacrifices, both of Animate and Inanimate things, and certain Offerings of Gold, and Silver, Perfumes, &c.

One see's, that he rejected any first fruits that did not grow in the Land of Canaan: One see's, that tho some Sacrifices were common to the Jews and their Neighbours, yet he distinguish'd them by so many Circumstances, that they were much different from the others: Thus he forbids them to make use of Statues before which other Nati­ons used to Sacrifice at that time, and he com­manded them not to Sacrifice upon high places, where the Heathens used to make their Offerings very early in the Morning, at Sun-rise, which gave rise to their Worship of the Rising Sun.

But there is nothing more discovers the design of God, than the Laws by which he fixed their Worship, first to the Tabernacle, and afterwards to the Temple, at the places where God did parti­cularly reside. One may say, that it was for that reason, God commanded the representations of Angels, and of his Law, and of the Manna to be preserved there, all which besides, that they were Memorials of the Ancient Apparitions, and fa­vours of God to that people, they were express fi­gures of God's Glory, of his Will, and of his mi­raculous power; he added also a Candlestick with seven Branches, a Table covered with Loaves, and an Altar of Incense, which were figures of the Se­ven Planets of this visible World, of the Blessings which we enjoy by Nature, and of those acknow­ledgments [Page 251]which we owe unto God for all these: He commanded also, that none should offer Sa­crifices, in any other place except the Temple.

He would not permit that any but those who were purified according to the Law should enter into it, he excluded all Uncircumcised persons for ever, as Moses had formerly been commanded to pull off his Shooes in the Desert, at his approach­ing to the burning Bush, so every one that enter­ed into the Temple was to enter barefoot, as a mark of that respect which had formerly been exacted of Moses.

And what other reason but that, could oblige him to give both at the Consecration of the Tem­ple, and afterwards so many sensible Marks of his presence; that Cloud which was called his Glory rested there. The Urim and Thummim which was an Oracle for that whole Nation, was there; there was a daily Sacrifice offered up for the whole Peo­ple, there were celebrated the three Solemn Feasts of the Passover, of Pentecost, and of Taberna­cles, he forbid them to Sacrifice any where else, and he gave frequent, and illustrious Oracles at that place.

One ought also to observe, that after his Tem­ple (to which all the glory of the Tabernacle was transmitted) was fixed at Jerusalem, he ordered it to be such a sensible mark of his presence, that when we read the History of Israel's March in the Desart, we find, that the Tabernacle was the I­mage of the Temple, and built after its Model; so that as the Tabernacle stood always in the midst of the Tents of the Levites, and the Levites in the midst of the whole Camp of all the Tribes of [Page 252] Israel, who were all listed under their proper Stand­ards: So one see's afterwards, that the Temple, the Levites, and the people of Jerusalem were pla­ced, according to their different degrees of Holi­ness, as they were to approach to the most Holy place, which was the Habitation of his Holi­ness.

Certainly, one may say, that the building up of a Tabernacle, or of a Temple, seems to be di­rectly contrary to the nature of Religion, accord­ing to which, God who is a Spirit, will be Wor­shipped in Spirit, and in Truth: So that this seems to have been quitted for a time, when he com­manded the building of a Tabernacle.

But really there was nothing more agreeable to the design which God had formed at first, as to that people; he intended to make it visible, and it appears, that nothing could be more effectual to make it so, than the double necessity to which that whole People was reduced to, to meet in a Body several times every year in the same place, and to offer all their Sacrifices in the Tabernacle, and to be there perpetually employed in the Ceremonial Service, which did inseparably draw them thi­ther, and fix them there.

The end of all those visible Assemblies, was to perpetuate the knowledge of the principal Veri­ties of their Religion, and especially to renew per­petually, the hopes of that people, as to the Mes­siah, who was promised to them from God.

For God having shortned the long Lifes which Men commonly enjoy'd in the beginning, before they went out of Egypt, so that five or six persons could no longer preserve the Tradition of 2000 [Page 253]years, as they had done till Moses's time, God was of necessity obliged to make use of some other means to supply that defect.

He had already made use of several before, a­mongst which, was that which we find prescribed Deut. XXVII. where he ordered the building of an Altar with rough stones, whereupon the Names of the twelve Tribes, and the whole Law were to be ingraved.

He afterwards follow'd other Methods, and thus we see, that Samuel following Moses and Jo­shuah's Example, repeats before a Solemn Assem­bly of the people met at Gilgal, for the Conse­cration of Saul, the things that came to pass du­ring the Government of Bedan or Sampson, of Jepthah and his own.

But yet the best way was to fix this people to one Tabernacle, wherein we see that besides the Monuments which preserved the Memory of the great Miracles that God had wrought at the Foun­dation of the Jewish Common-wealth, as the Pot of Manna, Aaron's Rod that blossom'd, the Plates of the Altar that had been made out of the Cen­sers of Corah, Dathan, and their Confederates.

One see's, that the Law, and the Books of the Covenant were deposited there by God's order, and the principal Transactions and Deliverances that were wrought by God in the behalf of that people, were continually Celebrated with Hymns and other Tokens of publick Thankfulness.

It was, no doubt, upon this account, that he caused the Book of the Law to be laid up there, with many Ceremonies and Expiations; and that he enjoyned it to be read publickly in the presence [Page 254]of the whole Congregation every seven years. One see's, that he commanded, that every Fami­ly should read this Book continually, and that all should entertain their Wives and Children from their tenderest years, with the design of the Law, Night, and Day, in the Countrey, and in the Town, at all times, and in all places.

One see's, that God engaged them to it not only by an express command, but also by an in­dispensible necessity, because he made it death for any Man to violate any of those Ceremonial Laws, from a principle of obstinacy, no pardon could be obtained for the Transgressions commit­ted through ignorance, before they were expia­ted by certain Sacrifices, the Forms whereof were scrupulously prescribed in the Law, and which could be violated upon no account whatever.

If one considers those things, he may say, that the Jews had scarce one moment free in their Lives, so pressing was the necessity which lay upon them to consult the Law of God, the regulations of which were so very exact and particular, that there, no actions publick, or private, could hap­pen, but what were regulated, and determined by those Constitutions.

If a Beast was born, the Owner was to exa­mine whether it was the first-born, or no, whither it was clean, or unclean, and whither it was to be Redeemed, with several other things of this nature.

If a Woman was big with Child, there were many questions to be asked: When she came to Lie-in, several very different Ceremonies were practis'd, according as the Child was a first-born, [Page 255]or not. The Law enjoyned various Purifications according as the Woman brought forth, a Son or a Daughter.

God had prescribed a great number of Laws for all the Accidents of Life, for Marriages, for Successions, for Funerals, for Mourning, for un­foreseen Accidents, as the Death of a Man that was kill'd without the design of his Murtherer, for the several Crimes that might be committed, in their several Pollutions, and Sequestrations, &c.

It seems, that this whole people, from the time that they came, to the use of their reason, to the time of their Death, was still continually obliged to keep up a Correspondence with the Priests and Levites, whom God had for this purpose dispersed amongst all the Tribes of Israel, and to consult the Law and the Testimony to be instructed in the manner of governing themselves: 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 their Prospect at the same time to those great Promises of the Messiah, of which the Israelites were Depositaries: I say, upon those Promises, which raised up so many Jealousies betwixt their Forefathers, and the Ancestors of those Neigh­bouring Nations, with whom they had always some Controversie, and were to be considered as glorious and honourable to the whole Nation.

CHAP. XXII.
That it appears by the Books of Moses, that this whole Model which God had framed, was to last but until the coming of the Messiah.

BUt if we find in Moses's Law a severe restricti­on in all that belongs to the execution of the Promise of the Messiah (which shews, that God intended to have that Nation distingnish'd from all others, till the Blessed Seed was come;) if we find, that he restrained that Promise to one Tribe, one Town, one Family, one particular individu­al person in that Family, that they might not be to seek in a confused Crowd of a whole people, made up of several Millions of persons, or in a whole Tribe, or even in a City filled up with seve­ral Families: If upon this account his Birth was restrained to one People, one Tribe, one little Town, and one single Family which was setled there, the Jews could not but observe, that it was God's design to break all those Restrictions, and to follow quite another Method, when the Messiah was once come.

For in the First place, the first Promise of the Messiah, was express'd in very general Terms, which mentioned a common benefit to all the Sons of Adam. This Promise was made before God had rejected Cain's Posterity, by preferring that of Seth; it was made before the Restriction was made to Noah in Seth's Family, and to Shem in Noah's Family.

Secondly, God, who by Circumcision had di­stinguished Abraham and his Posterity from the rest of the Family of Sem, did expresly promise to Abraham, that in his Seed all the Nations of the World should be blessed: This Promise was made also, before God had restrained the Promise to the person Isaac in prejudice of Ishmael, and then afterwards to the person of Jacob, in the prejudice of Esau.

Thirdly, One see's this same Truth yet more clearly explained out of Jacob's Oracle concerning Judah, Gen. XLIX. wherein Jacob expresly fore­tels, that the Messiah should be the expectation of the Nations; that is to say, the Comfort, the Glory, the Hope, and the Joy of all the Nations of the Universe.

As this was a Capital Truth, so God proposed it by Balaam, at the Israelites entring into Canaan, that they might thus understand, that all those di­stinctions, which their separation living in Canaan from the rest of the World, might keep up, were not always to last.

But this particularly appears out of Moses's Law, which allows of several sorts of Proselytes, recei­ving some without tying them to the observance of all the Ceremonies in the Law, which it would never have done, if it had been absolutely neces­sary to be a Jew before they have a share in the benefits of the Promise.

Secondly, It supposes, that God was to remove that People out of Canaan into remote Countreys, and to disperse them, as it were, into the uttermost parts of the World, which was done by Divine Providence, only to publish the Promise of the [Page 258]Messiah, to establish the Belief in the Prophets▪ and so to facilitate the calling of the Gentiles to the Faith.

Thirdly, He declares expresly, as St. Paul ob­serves, that he was to call his people, that which was not his people, that he might by that means provoke the people of Israel to Jealousie. This Notion of Jealousie mentioned by St. Paul, de­serves to be taken notice of with very great care, if we reflect upon the Spirit of Jealousie, which reigned amongst the Israelites, and their Neigh­bours.

I shall take notice in another place of the great number of Oracles of David upon the same Sub­ject, altho he otherwise insults upon the Moabites, and Edomites, upon all occasions, and shews as much Aversion, and Jealousie against those Nati­ons, as was possible for one that lived in a conti­nual War with those people.

I shall also make some Reflexions upon Solomon's Marriage with the Princesses of Tyre, of Sidon, and of Egypt; that is to say, with the Posterity of Ham, which was united to that of Judah, to take a part with them in the Blessing; from whence it came to pass, that the Song that was written upon that Marriage, was preserved as a piece divinely inspi­red, and ought to be considered, as a happy pre­sage of the calling of the Gentiles to the Commu­nion of the Messiah.

One may also joyn here the manner of Solomon's giving to Hiram's Subjects, who had helped him in the building of the Temple, the Countrey of Chabul, which was inclosed within Judea, altho those people were of the Canaanites Posterity, up­on [Page 259]whom Noah had particularly pronounced, Gen. IX. Cursed be Canaan.

One may also see, that as God had permitted his people to be Transported into Chaldea, and Babylon, and had raised up there Prophets amongst them on purpose to acquaint the World with the glorious hopes of the Jews, so he caused the Books of Scripture to be Translated into Greek about 300 years before our Saviour's Birth, not only to prevent all suspicion of falshood in the minds of the Gentiles, if they were produced of a suddain after the Birth of the Messiah, but also to instruct the Heathens by little and little of the Right which all Nations had as well as the Jews to that Pro­mise; that they might take their share in it when­ever they should be invited to it by God, and e­specially to take away the Scandal which was to follow upon God's destroying the Form of that Commonwealth by the Romans, according to Da­niels Prediction.

All these things, no doubt, engaged the Jews who read the Books of Moses to make particular Remarks upon them.

But they ought to have observed three things especially: The First was, That altho God had at first chosen their whole Nation, yet he was pleased to disperse afterwards almost ten parts of thirteen; which plainly shew'd, that this choice which he had made, was only an Oeconomical choice, and for a particular design.

The Second is, That altho he was very severe and punctual in exacting obedience to the Cere­monial Service, yet he had fixed the most part of their observances to certain places, to certain [Page 260]times, and to certain persons: It was easie to judge, that when God bounded them in this man­ner, it was only for an Oeconomical Service pre­scribed only upon a particular prospect, which was one day to have an end.

The Third is, That experience convinced them that altho God seemed to have fixed his Service to the Temple, yet he suffered the Chaldeans to de­stroy the first, and did not restore to the second, the first Marks of his presence, when it was re­built by the order of Cyrus.

From whence it was natural to conclude, that such a glory as retired by little and little from that place which God had chosen, was only design'd to be there for a time, till God should extend his Service, by calling all the World to his Religion, and so making the whole Universe his Temple, as we see it done in our days, by the calling of the Gentiles to the Religion of our Saviour.

CHAPTER I.
That there is in the Historical Writings of the Old Testament, an uninterrupted Series of E­vents, which have a natural and necessary de­pendance for more than Ten Ages.

THE first general Proof which I make use of to establish the Truth of the Hi­storical Books of the Old Testament, after Moses, may be lawfully drawn from the uninterrupted Series of Events, which are [Page 2]related by those Authors who have written the History of the State and Church of Israel.

We may observe several considerable Epocha's of this History, which takes in about One thou­sand and forty years.

The first part takes in all that happened after Moses 'till the establishment of the Kingdom, which is related in the Books of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and the First Book of Samuel.

The second contains the History of the Kings of Juda and Israel, 'till the Destruction of Samaria and Jerusalem.

The third contains an Account of what passed during the Jewish Captivity, and after their re­establishment.

Now there is not one of these Books which con­cern the History of this People, in one or other of these Epocha's, which has not certain Characters of the truth of its Relations, by the necessary Connexion which it has either with those Events which went before it, or with those which fol­low'd it, and this by a natural and immediate de­pendance. This ought to be confirm'd by some Observations.

The Book of Joshua, which contains the Con­quest, and division of the Land of Canaan, is the Execution of Moses's design, who brought the People of Israel out of Egypt, to go and make them­selves Masters of a Countrey, which the Jews pretend that God promised to Abraham. The Division of this Land amongst the Tribes, is the Title which each Tribe had to its Possessions in it; and this Division subsisted a great while very distinct, and well known by the several Tribes of [Page 3]this People, There happened no considerable Change, but only when the Kings of Assyria car­ried the Ten Tribes into Captivity, after the ta­king of Samaria, in the Three thousand two hun­dred and eighty third year of the World: The Country continuing in the same state, under the two remaining Tribes, without any Change en­suing upon their Transportation into Babylon, as I have observed 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 manifest from the Hi­story of the Alliance which the Gibeonites got from the Jews by surprize. It serves 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 of Judges has an essential Relation to the Books of Moses and Joshua, the most part of the Captivities of the People of Israel, being a Consequence of their Quarrels with the Nations which they had subdued, or with their Neigh­bours, as the Moabites and Ammonites descended from Lot, who were. jealous of this People that was descended from Abraham.

There we may see, for Instance, the Israelites upon the Defensive part, because God forbad them to set upon the Moabites, and the Ammo­nites; whereas these last pretended that Israel had usurped some part of their Country.

It must be granted, that there is nothing so re­markable [Page 2] [...] [Page 3] [...] [Page 4]markable as the Actions of these Judges, whom God raised up to deliver his People from those different Captivities, through which they passed for Three hundred fifty six years together. But we may find the Memory of some of them pre­served by those publick Hymns which were fa­mous throughout the Nation, and by these illu­strious Monuments of their Judicial Authority, which were preserved amongst them, and which kept up a Remembrance of them amongst the Is­raelites, and the Neighbour Nations.

For this ought to be observed with care, That since the Jews could not invent any thing upon this Head, which would not be well known by all the Neighbouring Nations, as the Tyrians, who kept up their own Government 'till Alexander's time, who subdued them intirely, and the Moa­bites, whose Empire continued for Fourteen A­ges after Lot's time, until the Destruction of Je­rusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, it was not easie for any fabulous Relations in this matter, to obtain Authority.

The Book of Ruth, seems not to have any thing considerable, but the Conversion of Ruth a Moabitess, who rely'd upon the hopes of the House of Juda, out of which she had marry'd her Husband. But we may take notice of three things besides; 1. Of the exact Practise of that Law which obliged them to marry the Widow of a Relation who dy'd without Issue. 2. Of their lively remembrance of the Deeds of their Ance­stors, as of Juda's Incest with Thamar, which was look'd upon however, as a fountain, and a pat­tern of Blessings. 3. Of the Lineage of David, [Page 5]whom this Author represents as deriving his Pe­digree from a Moabitess, which not making much for the Honour of a King of Israel, do's at the same time confirm the Truth of the Relations which are contained in that Book.

The First Book of Samuel contains the Histo­ry of Eli's and Samuel's Judicatures, of the change of the Government from a Commonwealth to a Monarchy under Saul, of David's Anoynting, Saul's Rejection and Death.

The Second contains the History of David, his Victories, his design of building a Temple, a de­sign which God left to Solomon to execute, his Wars with the Ammonites, his Crime with Bath­shebah, his Son Absalom's Insurrection against him, and his great Successes against his Enemies. There is nothing in these two Books, which has not an exact Connexion with what went before, and what follows. One see's throughout, an exact Relation to the Law of Moses; One see's through­out, Monuments set up in several Places, to pre­serve the memory of particular Actions; One see's also in the Wars of the Israelites with their Neighbours, a constant Series of those old Diffe­rences, which were the Fruits of the Jealousie of these Nations against the Children of Israel.

The Books of the Kings, which the Jews rec­kon but as one Book, contain an Abridgment of Solomon's Establishment in the Place of David, of the Glory of his Empire, which was carried by David to the Banks of Eüphrates, according to the ancient Prophecyes, of his Marriage with the King of Egypt's Daughter, of the Building of the Temple, and his own Palace, with the [Page 6]help of Hiram King of Tyre; One see's the man­ner of the Queen of Sheba's visit to Solomon, of his Alliances with the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites, the Zidonians, and the Hittites; thinking by these Marriages to have put an end to the old Quarrels between his People, and these Nations, who were jealous of the People of Is­rael. All this was done in the Forty years of So­lomon's Reign; and as there never was so famous a Reign in Judea, so never was there any, of which there are left so many Monuments, as well there, as in the Neighbouring Countreys.

One see's afterwards in the same Book, the Di­vision of Solomon's Empire into two Govern­ments, that of Juda, which continued from Solomon's Death, during the Reign of Eighteen Successors, for Three hundred eighty six years, to the taking of Jerusalem by Nebuchaanezzar; and that of Israel form'd by Jeroboam, which last­ed Two hundred fifty four years, under the Reign of Nineteen Successors, until the taking of Samaria the Capital City of the Kingdom of Is­rael.

The History of the Chronicles which was writ­ten about Twenty six years after that of the Kings, carries the History down to Cyrus the Founder of the Empire of Persia, who gave the Jews their Liberty again. The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah contain the History of what passed under his Successors, to the time of Artaxerxes for almost Eighty two years.

It was in this Interval that the Deliverance happened which the Jews received under Esther, Wife to one of the most powerful Kings of Persia, [Page 7]the Memory of which the Jews celebrate every year in all places, the Thirteenth and Fourteenth days of the Month Adar, (which answers to our February) by virtue of Esther's Law.

After these general Remarks with which I shall content my self at present, I ought to make some Reflexions, which cannot be omitted without ta­king away a great deal of force from those Proofs which establish the Truth of this Matter.

The First is, That as these Histories have a necessary Relation to the Laws of Moses, so they could not have been neglected by a People, who in their Religious and Civil Conduct, were absolutely regulated by those very Laws.

The Second is, That all the Actions related in this History, have passed altogether in the bo­som of a People, the Extent of whose Country is not Twenty Leagues in breadth, nor Eighty in length.

The Third is, That this People having ob­serv'd the Law of the Seventh year, and of the First year, or Year of Jubilee, (which Law you have in the Twenty fifth of Leviticus) from their first Conquest and Division of the Country, For­ty seven years after their coming out of Egypt. This Observation has serv'd for a double Cycle, to fix the remembrance of those Actions, and to make it pass from one Generation to another. And so, the greatness of that Promise which God made to Hezekiah, Esai. XXXVII. 30. and II Kings XIX. 29.) may easily be understood; that altho' Sen­nacherib's Invasion would in all probability lay waste all Judea, yet they might eat the Fruits of the Earth in quietness, the Fourteenth year of He­zekiah, [Page 8]and the next year they should eat the Fruits that would grow up of themselves without Tillage, and that on the Sixteenth year they should have liberty to till the Ground, as former­ly; which shews, without any force upon the words, that the Fifteenth year of Hezekiah's Reign, was the Sabbathical year, in which the Jews were forbidden to Cultivate the Ground.

The Fourth is, That it appears in effect by the Series of this whole Story, that things were writ­ten so, as to agree with the publick Records which were extant amongst the People: This is manifest, if we consider how often the Sacred Penmen refer us to the Histories and Annals of those Kings of whom they speak, and of whom they only quote the principal Stories in short in pursuing their Design, which was intirely to bring an Account of the state of the Religion and the Government of the Jews and Israelites, under one view.

Let us go on to other Proofs to establish this Truth.

CHAP. II.
That there is a strict Connexion between the Sacred History, and the oldest Monuments which we have of Prophane History.

AS there was but few very Ancient Writers of Prophane History, and as we have but small Fragments of them dispersed here and there, [Page 9]preserved for the most part by the care of Jose­phus the Jewish Historian, and of Eusebius in his Books De Praeparatione Evangelicâ, so we ought not to be surprized, if but few of the more illu­strious Passages and Events of the Jewish History be taken notice of by Pagan Writers. The Peo­ple of Israel being otherwise engaged by the Ob­servation of the Mosaick Law, to keep close to that Country where it was established; this made their Neighbours have less knowledge of their History.

However, there is enough left to shew with how great fidelity and exactness the Sacred Wri­ters penned the History of their own Nation: In short, we may find amongst the Heathen Hi­storians and Poets, (who were their first Histori­ans,) several Relations which shew that the Mat­ters of Fact related by the Sacred Writers, were well enough known to them, and in the same manner that they are related in those Historical Books which were writ after Moses.

The Memory of Joshua and his Conquests was famous amongst the Heathens: There are anci­ent Monuments extant which prove that the Car­thaginians were a Colony of the Tyrians, who escaped from Joshua; as also that the Inhabitants of Leptis in Africa, came originally from the Zi­donians, who forsook their Country, Procop. Van dalicorum lib. II. c. 10. Polybius Frag. CXIV Salust. de Bello Ju­gurthino. because of the Miseries which afflicted it.

The Fable of the Phoenician Hercules arose from the History of Joshua; the overthrow of the Gi­ants, and the famous Typhon, owe their Original to the overthrow of Og the King of Bashan, and of the Anakims, who were called Giants.

The Tempest of Hail spoken of in the Ele­venth of Joshua, was transformed by the Poets into a Tempest of Stones, with which, as they say, Jupiter overwhelmed the Enemies of Hercules in Arim, which is exactly the Country where Jo­shua fought with the Children of Anak.

One finds the Memorial of the Actions of Gi­deon preserved by Sanchoniathon a Tyrian Writer, who lived soon after him, and whose Antiquity is attested by Porphyry.

One finds in the manner of Jephtha's Sacrifi­cing his Daughter after his Victory over the Am­monites, the Original of the Sacrificing of Iphige­nia, Variae Hi­storiae Lib. V. cap. 3. it being usual with the Heathens, as Aelian judiciously observes, to attribute to their later He­ro's the Glory of the Actions of those who lived long before.

We have an Account of a Feast which was observed by the Heathen Romans in April, the time of the Jewish Harvest, Ovid. Fasto­rum Lib. IV. in which they let loose Foxes with Torches fastned to their Tails, which certainly came from the Story of Sampson, and was brought into Italy by the Phoenicians.

One finds in the same History of Sampson and Dalilah, Ovid. Me­tam. Lib. VIII. Fab. I. the Original of the Story of Nisus, and his Daughter, who cut off those fatal Hairs, upon which the Victory depended.

Nicolaus Damascenus has preserved the Account of the Victory which David obtained over the Syrians of Zoba, Joseph. An­tie. Lib. VII. cap. 6. upon the Banks of the Euphra­tes, as it is described by the Sacred Writers.

There are Monuments extant which describe the part which Hiram King of Tyre had in the building of the Temple of Solomon, almost the [Page 11]same with the Account which the Sacred Au­thors give us of his part in the Erection of that great Work.

One finds in Herodotus an Account of the ta­king of Jerusalem by Sesostris King of Egypt, Joseph. An­tiq. Lib. VII. cap. 6. as it is described in the History of Rehoboam.

One finds the History of the Kings of Syria re­lated by Nicholaus Damascenus in the same man­ner as it is described by the Sacred Writers, when they give us an Account of the Victories which the Kings of Syria obtained over the Kings of Sa­maria.

One finds that the Story of Phaeton is solely founded upon the Translation of Elijah in a Cha­riot of Fire. II Kings II.

All that I have taken notice of happened be­fore the time of the first Olympiad, from whence the learned Varro has observed, That the first Knowledge of History began amongst the Greeks; whence also it is that they call all the precedent Time fabulous, the Greeks having before nothing but Fables, into which they had turned whatever ancient History they were acquainted with.

Since that time, we do not find fewer Marks of the Truth of the Sacred Histories.

One see's in the Pagan Writers the Reign of Tiglah-Pileser, who is the same with the younger Ninus; as also the destruction of the Syrian Mo­narchy by his means, as it is described to us in the Sacred Historians. Nicholas Damascenus in Josephus, Antiq. Lib. VII. cap. 6.

One see's amongst the Heathens, Castor. in Euseb. the Succes­sion of Shalmaneser as it is described in the Scrip­tures.

One see's the manner of Sennacherib's conquer­ing the most part of the Towns of Palestina, Menander apud Jo­seph. Lib. IX. cap. ult. of Tyre and Sidon, described in Heathen Writers, par­ticularly as we have it in the Scriptures.

The manner of Sennacherib's Succession to Shal­maneser, of his desolating the Country of Pale­stine while he carried on his Victories, is descri­bed by the Heathens, Herodot. Lib. II. & Berosus in Josephus Lib. X. c. 1. exactly as the Sacred Historians relate it.

The Memory of Tirbakah King of Aethiopia, Strabo Lib. I. & XV. as of a great Conqueror, is preserved amongst the Heathens; for it was his coming, in short, which obliged Sennacherib to arise from before Libna, whence he intended to go and besiege Je­rusalem.

One finds amongst the Heathens the remem­brance of the manner of the Destruction of all Sennacherib's Army, for his Blasphemies against God, which the Egyptians disguised to appropriate to themselves. Herodot. Lib. II. cap. 141.

One finds the ruin of Ashdod by King Psamme­tichus described by Heathen Authors, Herodot. Lib. I. cap. 104. Lib. II. cap. 1. Lib. VII. cap. 10. as we have it in the Sacred Scriptures. Herod. Lib. II.

One finds an Account of the ways by which the Medes lost the Empire of Asia under Cyaxares, after his Conquests over the Assyrians in the Hea­then Writers, much the same as it is described in Nahum. H. 5.

The Account of the taking of Ninive by Nabo­pollasar, Alexand. Polyhistor. ap. Syncel­lum. and by Astyages, is much the same in Heathen Authors with the description of it in Nahum, Esaiah, and Ezekiel.

The manner of Josia's undertaking a War a­gainst [Page 13] Pharaoh-Necho King of Egypt, when he was overthrown in the Plains of Megiddo, Herodot. Lib. II. as it is described by the Heathens, agrees with the Rela­tion which are given of it in the Holy Scriptures.

The Victories of Nebuchadnezzar over the E­gyptians and the Jews, II Kings XXIII. 29, 30. the carrying away of the consecrated Vessels of the Temple, and of the Jews to Babylon, are described by the Heathens.

The manner of the yielding up of Tyre to Ne­buchadnezzar, as they describe it, Annal. Phoe­nicic. ap. Jo­seph. Lib. I. contra Api­onem. agrees with what Ezekiel says Chap. XXVIII. 18, 19.

One finds in Heathen Authors an Account of the stately building of Babylon by Nebuehadnez­zar, Beros. Aby­den. which is described exactly in the Scrip­tures.

One finds also in them, Herodot. Lib. II cap. 163 & 169. That the death of Pharaoh-Hoptha or Vaphres as they call him, hap­pened according to Jeremiah's Predictions, Chap. XL. 30.

One finds also the taking of Babylon by Cyrus, Herod. Lib. I. cap. 178. as it is described by the Prophet Jeremiah, Chap. LI. 46.

One finds also that the Death of Belshazzar happened exactly as Daniel had described it, Xenophon. Histor. Lib. VII. Chap. V.

One see's there an Account of Xerxes's great Undertaking against Greece, Herod. Lib. VII. capp. 5, 6. as Daniel had fore­told it, Chap. XI.

Here then is an Agreement which is perfect enough in several Articles, to which we might add a greater number, if we had a greater num­ber of Pagan Historians: But as we cannot find after the Reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus, Histo­ries amongst the Jews of equal Authority with [Page 14]those which were written by and after Moses, as Josephus the Jewish Historian observes; so we cannot compare the Jewish and Pagan Histories together afterwards, in that form we have done hitherto.

But it is easie to observe four things, which are very considerable, upon this Head.

I. That the Credit of the Sacred Historians may be grounded upon the great number of Re­marks we have made already, or else nothing will ever establish it. For how can we conceive that all sorts of Historians, of all Nations and all Ages, Babylonians, Assyrians, Tyrians, Egyptians, and Greeks, could agree so exactly with the Jews in those Facts they relate, if the Jewish Authors had not exactly follow'd the Rules of Truth?

II. That as the Prophecies of Zechariah and Daniel describe, with an almost incredible exact­ness the considerable Events which happened in the Countries near to Judea, and in Judea it self, in a time which was not expired until the Sacred Writers had given over writing amongst the Jews, so there was need of almost nothing else, but to look over the Books of Daniel, to see what happened from day to day. And here we may observe, That the Reason why Porphyry thought the Book of Daniel was forged after the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, was because this Book seem'd to him to be rather a History than a Prediction, which he justify'd in making a sort of Commen­tary upon this Prophecy, by comparing with it the Pagan Historians which were then extant.

III. That as the Jewish Commonwealth came under the Power of the Greeks, who were Ma­sters [Page 15]of Learning, and of the Art of writing Hi­stories, so there is little need of any other Wit­nesses beside the Greek Authors, as Josephus de­monstrates, in effect, by proving that the Greeks were well enough acquainted with the Affairs of the Jewish Nation.

IV. That we do really find after the time of Artaxerxes, a very great part of the Jewish Histo­ry composed by the care of some particular Men, with sufficient exactness, tho' it be not of equal Authority with the Sacred Writers.

CHAP. III.
That there is an uninterrupted Series of E­vents foretold by the Sacred Oracles, of which we may see a very great number accomplished in every Age.

AS we may very reasonably say, That all the History of the People of Israel, has a very exact dependence upon the Writings of that fa­mous Legislator; so we may also observe, That there are scarce any considerable Events which make up the Body of this History, which do not deserve a particular Remark, either as a fulfilling of Moses's Prophecies, or of those other Prophets whom God raised up after him to reform the Er­rors of that Nation. And it is a very considera­ble thing, That in all the Series of Events fore­told by the Prophets, there was not one Genera­tion [Page 16]amongst all the Offspring of the People, but what saw the Accomplishment of several of these Oracles. A little attention and care in comparing the Chronology of the Oracles with that of the Events, will sufficiently justifie what I say. I shall content my self with observing their different Orders, which will satisfie a Judi­cious Reader, since my Design do's not engage me necessarily to do a thing which would carry me too far, and which may be done with little Application.

We may consider four sorts of Oracles; 1. Those which have respect to particular Facts nigh at hand. 2. Those which have respect to particular Facts, but at a greater distance. 3. Those which have respect to Facts which be­long to the whole Jewish Nation. 4. Those which have respect to Facts which belong to Fo­reign Nations, either bordering upon Palestina, or further from it. Now there is nothing so ex­actly fulfilled, as these four sorts of Oracles.

You have, for particular Facts, which were nigh at hand, and foretold by the Prophets, the Oracle of Moses concerning the advancement of Joshua, and the Conquest of Palestine, which hap­pened soon after.

You have Debora's Oracle of the Victory pro­mised to Barak.

You have Samuel's Oracle of the Advancement and Rejection of Saul.

You have an Oracle of the same Samuel, of the Advancement of David.

You have Nathan's Oracle concerning Absa­lom's Revolt.

You have Ahijah's Oracle concerning the Ad­vancement of Jeroboam, and the Division of So­lomon's Kingdom into Ten Tribes, and into Two Tribes, whereof the lesser part was to continue in the Possession of Solomon's Heirs.

You have Ahijah's Prediction of the Death of Jeroboam's Son.

You have a Prediction of the Advancement of Jehu in the place of Jehoram King of Israel.

You have Elijah's Prediction of the exemplary Punishment of Ahab and Jezabel.

You have the Prediction of Jehoiakim's Death made by Jeremiah, Chap. XXII. 18, 19. and Chap. XXXVI. 30. which happened Ten years after.

You have the Prediction of Jechoniah's Miseries made by Jeremiah, Chap. XXII. 3.

You have Jeremiah's Prediction of the Death of the false Prophet Ananiah, but Seven Months before it happened.

You have an express Designation of Zorobabel to conclude the Re-building of the Temple, made by Zechariah, Chap. IV. 9. and which was compleat­ed in Four years.

It is therefore fully evident, That the Predicti­on of particular Facts, which were to happen in a very short time, served to establish the Autho­rity of the Prophets. And in effect one see's that they proceeded upon the Authority which those Predictions of nearer Events gave them, to foretell other particular Events at a greater distance.

So you see that Moses foretold after a sort, after Jacob, the manner how the Land of Canaan was to be divided, tho' the thing was to be done by Lot.

You see the same Moses foretelling the several Captivities which the People of Israel suffered af­ter the Conquest, and the Method of God's rais­ing up several Judges, to the number of Fourteen, to bring them out of those Calamities.

You see the same Moses foretelling that the Temple should be built in the Tribe of Benjamin, tho it was the least.

You have Joshua's Prediction of the way how the Re builder of Jericho, should be exemplarily punished, which was accomplished in Ahab's time, (I Kings XVI. 34) about 570 years after this Pro­phetical Imprecation of Joshua.

You have the Prediction of a Prophet, who was contemporary to Jeroboam, about the Birth of Josiah, which was not till 350 years after, (I Kings XIII.) and of the manner of his de­stroying the Altar which Jeroboam built.

One see's a Prediction of the overthrow of the Kingdom of Samaria, within 65 years by Isaiah, in the Reign of Jotham.

One see's the Destruction of Jerusalem by Ne­buchadnezzar, foretold by several of the Pro­phets.

One see's the taking of Tyre by Nebuchadnezzar, foretold by Isaiah, Chap. XXIII. 15, 17.

One see's the Promise of its Re-establishment, Seventy years after its Destruction.

One see's the Promise of Cyrus's Birth made by Isaiah, Chap. XLIV. 45. as of one that should restore Liberty to the Jews, and give them op­portunities of Re-building their Temple at Jeru­salem.

One see's the Prediction of the manner how [Page 19] Antiochus Epiphanes would treat the Jews in his Life time, and how he should be punished for his Cruelties and Sacriledges.

One see's the Prediction of the Courage of the Maccabees, who should oppose the Tyranny of that Prince, and purifie anew the Divine Wor­ship.

So that it is plain, That the foretelling of these particular Facts, which were at so great a di­stance, revived the Memory of these Prophets amongst the Jews in every Age, and made them read them with a singular attention.

One ought also to make the same Reflexion up­on those Oracles which have respect to the par­ticular Events of the state of the Jews, and its Continuance until the time of the Messiah, after which the Prophets foretel its Ruin and Destru­ction without Remedy.

In short, one may say, That there was no Re­volution never so little considerable, of which we do not find very many, and very particular Pre­dictions, foretold by several Prophets upon very different Occasions, and particular Circumstan­ces.

One see's in the Books of Moses exact Descrip­tions of the Pilgrimages of Abraham's Posterity, of their continuance in Egypt, of the Oppression they were there to undergo, of their prodigious Increase, of their robbing the Egyptians at their departure, of their methods in conquering the Land of Canaan, of the way how Kings should arise from Abraham; which was accomplished in the Ishmaelites and Edomites, and at last in the Is­raelites.

One see's express Predictions of the several Judges whom God should raise up to the People of Israel.

One see's an express Prediction of the Ad­vancement of the Tribe of Juda to the King­dom.

One see's a Prediction of the future Subjection of the Edomites to the power of the Kings of Juda, and of their conquering of the Countries which lye along the Banks of Euphrates, which was fulfilled in David's time.

One see's an express Division of that Kingdom into two very unequal parts.

One see's great numbers of Predictions con­cerning the state of the Kings of Juda and Israel: II Kings X. 30. For Instance, you have an Oracle con­cerning the Destruction of Jehu's Family in the Fourth Generation.

The Destruction of the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes is expresly foretold, and the Term is very exactly set down.

The Ruin of Jerusalem, and of its Kings, is al­so expresly foretold.

The time of the Captivity of the Jews in Ba­bylon, and

Their Re-establishment by Cyrus after Seventy years are also very distinctly foretold.

The Desolation of Judea under the Empire of Alexander's Successors, is foretold very exact­ly.

Their Re-establishment after these Desolations, and the way by which they were to be defended by the Maccabees, who should become their Kings is likewise foretold.

In short, one see's express Predictions of the Ruin of Jerusalem, and of the whole Nation un­der the Roman Empire, after the coming of the Messiah.

As the People of Israel had always great quar­rels with the Neighbouring Nations; so one finds that amongst the Oracles which particularly re­gard the state of the Jews, the Prophets have in­terwoven a great number, which concern those strange People, with relation to those Differen­ces which were kept up between the People of Israel, and them.

So one see's the Egyptians and the Canaanites punished, in the Execution of the Oracles pro­nounced against the Descendants of Cham.

One see's the Prediction of the Ruin of Benhu­dad King of Syria, and of his House, foretold to the Tenth Generation.

One see's the Prediction of the Ruin of Egypt and Tyre, which happened under Nebuchadnez­zar.

One see's the Prediction of the Ruin of the Moabites, which was under the same Nebuchad­nezzar, after that Kingdom had subsisted almost Fourteen Ages from its first Foundation.

One see's frequent Oracles concerning the Ruin of Niniveh, and its Empire.

One see's Oracles concerning the Ruin of Babylon, which happened under Cyrus:

One see's Oracles of the Destruction of the Persian Empire by Alexander.

One see's Oracles concerning the manner of this Princes conquering the greatest part of the World, and of his leaving his Empire divided into four Kingdoms.

One see's frequent Oracles concerning the state of the Empire of the Seleucidae, and the Pto­lemees, who had particular Quarrels with the Jew­ish Commonwealth.

One see's the Alliances which were to be be­tween the two Kingdoms foretold, and the small Success which should arise thence in terminating their Differences.

One see's Predictions of the Treatment which the Jews should meet with in those King­doms.

One see's a Prediction of the Retreat which Egypt was to give to the Jews, and of the Temple they were to build there.

One see's an exact Prediction of the manner of the prophanation of the Temple by Antiochus E­piphanes for Three years together.

One see's the Prediction of the Ruin of these two Governments by the Arms of the Roman Em­pire.

It is very natural to make some Reflexions up­on such a various multitude of Oracles.

I. That there are no Books in the World which are formed like those which we find in the hands of the Jews.

One finds there a History exactly pursued, and in a natural dependance, from the beginning of the World, for 3500 years.

One finds there a Series of Oracles which fore­tel all sorts of Events, so inseparably united with the History, that it is impossible to find by what means the Prophecies could have been so brought to support the History, and the History to sup­port the Authority of the Prophecies.

One finds Oracles so clear, and so particular, especially in the Book of Daniel, That Porphyry a mortal Enemy to the Christians, was forc'd to assert that the Book of Daniel was forged after Antiochus Epiphanes's time; a ridiculous Imagina­tion! For this Prophecy was translated into Greek more than One hundred years before, and was in the hands, not only of the Jews, but of the E­gyptians also, mortal Enemies to the whole Jewish Nation.

This also is very surprizing, That since the Jews, after their Dispersion, preserve these Histo­ries wherever they are, as the Accomplishments of the Oracles, and these Oracles as Predictions of those Events of which their History is very full, they should never think of proposing to us any Books of a like Nature, considering that now for One and twenty Ages they have had no para­lel Authors, who have both writ History, and pronounced Oracles.

II. But, as these Reflexions lead us on to others, so we ought to enter upon them by considering what the most unreasonable Obstinacy can op­pose to the Authority of the Historical and Pro­phetical Books of Scripture.

CHAP. IV.
That how common soever Oracles may have been amongst the Pagans, yet nothing amongst them can justly be compared with those which are found amongst the Jews.

ONe of the greatest Objections which can in all probability be made against this surprizing Series of Oracles, which are found in the Books of the Old Testament, is taken from that great number of Oracles which are found amongst the Pagans. This Objection deserves to be consider­ed, because it will more clearly demonstrate the Authority of the Prophetical Books, which are in the hands of the Jews.

I confess there have been false Prophets: And indeed, since God has given us Marks to distin­guish them from true Ones, which may be seen in the Books of Moses, it cannot be denied but there have been some false Prophets. And that moreover, the History of the Prophets discover­ing to us Impostors frequently, we may freely acknowledge, that amongst the Pagans, and the People bordering upon Judea, there have been Men who have boasted of Predictions of things to come, as well as amongst the Jews.

I confess also, That some Heathen Writers speak of certain Oracles, which in all appearance are very well circumstantiated, and of which they relate a very exact Accomplishment.

But several things ought to be observed upon this Argument, which deserve an attentive Con­sideration.

I. We see that their most celebrated things have been only an imitation of what was done a­mongst the Jews. The Egyptians imitated the Urim and the Thummim of the Jewish High Priest. And they appropriated to him the right of giving Oracles: And so we see they are given by a Voice from Heaven, which the Jews saw was granted to their Prophets. We may see it in the History of Socrates's Life, and in Apuleius, p. 339.

II. We see that the same Pagan Historians take notice that very many, even the greatest part of their Oracles, were very ambiguous, and false. The Philosophers, and Tully particularly, openly laugh'd at them (Lib. I. II. de Divinatione.) They thought it a ridiculous thing that Apollo Delphicus, the God of Poetry, should give his Answers in very bad Verse, and at last be reduced to Prose. Eusebius quotes a Discourse of Oenomaus a Greek Philosopher, who wrote against Oracles, to de­cry them as Impostures.

III. We see, that those Oracles which had ac­quired the greatest Reputation by their Accom­plishment, were borrowed from the Prophets of the Synagogues. We have an illustrious Example in the Birth of Cyrus, which the Prophet Isaiah had foretold, about the Year of the World 3292. and concerning which they pretend to shew Pro­phecies of Nebuchadnezzar and Craesus, Abydenus. Herodot. Lib. I. cap. 55. & 91. about the Year 3492. which shows that if the thing was really known to them, they could not have known it but by the Prophetical Writings which were a­mongst [Page 26]the Jews, and which could not have been concealed from them, because the Jews read them with care, to comfort themselves under that Cap­tivity to which they were reduced by Nebuchad­nezzar.

IV. It is in effect proved by examining their Oracles, most of which were either false or for­ged. This Eusebius has clearly proved, [de Prae­par. Evangelicâ, Lib. IX. cap. 5.] The Proverb of the Sibyll's, or Delphick Priestess's, favouring of Phi­lip, is commonly known. It was easie for these Heathen Princes to biass their People with such Predictions. Lib. IV. de Praeparat. Evangel. Lib. IV. ini­tiò. But what Eusebius says, puts the thing beyond all Question, for he expresly shews, That when the Priests were put to the Rack, they confessed the whole contrivance of those Oracles, which they pronounced to abuse the Credulity of the People.

V. We ought to observe, That we cannot find great numbers of Oracles upon the same Subject, whereas one see's that the Prophets follow'd (as it were) Moses's Model of the State of the Common­wealth of the Jews, and that they frequently con­cur in foretelling the same Facts from one Gene­ration to another.

VI. We ought to remember that these Oracles were not kept within the Limits of one single State or Nation.

VII. It may be said that they were not publick­ly known, having been only proposed in private places, before a very few, and in short, that they were not actually known to the most part of the Neighbouring People; whereas one see's that the Jewish Prophets gave their Oracles in the most [Page 27]solemn Assemblies, and when they were com­mitted to Writing, they were known to all those who had any Commerce with that Nation. So that Isaiah's Prophecies were questionless known to Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus, who look'd upon himself as designed by God to restore their Li­berty to the Jews. We may make the same Judg­ment of the Book of Daniel, which was known to Alexander without all question, as one may collect from the favourable Reception the Jews found from him.

VIII. We ought to observe, That these pre­tended Oracles were given, for the most part, in favour of those Princes, who could satisfie the greediness of the Priests. Whereas the Prophets among the Jews lived in the most dis-interested manner in the World, and usually pronounced nothing but Reproaches and Menaces of cruel Calamities to those Princes who had the Govern­ment in their Hands. Their Ministry consisted in a couragious opposition to the Corruptions in their Laws, and their Religion, and in censuring their Princes and Governours with a singular In­trepidity; and indeed, we see that most of them met with the punishment of their Boldness, and made trial of the most cruel Tortures.

IX. Last of all, We ought to take notice, that as the Oracles which are mentioned in Heathen Authors, were only of Facts of small importance to those People, amongst whom it is said that they were pronounced, so we do not find that they thought themselves much concerned in their preservation; whereas one see's that the Jewish Nation were so perswaded of the Truth of these [Page 28]Oracles, with which they were entrusted, that nothing to this very day could ever oblige them to discontinue the reading of them, whatever Di­sputes they may otherwise have with the Christi­ans, who make use of them to establish their Pre­tentions, notwithstanding all the Claims of the Synagogue.

When this is laid down, it would seem as if I might reasonably conclude, That the wonderful variety of Oracles which are to be found amongst the Jews, cannot be at all weakned by those O­racles of which we find so frequent mention in Pagan Writers.

But we ought to go further, in explaining two things, which will perfectly clear this matter; One is, That the Historical and Prophetical Books of the Old Testament, after Moses, can be no Forgeries: The other is, That in truth, those Oracles which we find inserted in those Books, could not possibly have been forged after their Completion.

CHAP. V.
That the Books, in which we may find these O­racles, were never forged.

I Have observed formerly, That it is absolutely necessary that the Authority of those Books, in which these Oracles are inserted, be establish­ed, before we can build upon the Authority of [Page 29]the Oracles. And indeed, if we cannot clearly shew that these Books were written, and publick­ly known, before the Things happened, which are said to be Accomplishments of those preceding Oracles, it would be natural to call in question the Authority of these Oracles. But it is very easie to satisfie an equitable Reader herein, and to establish in general, or severally, the Existence of these Prophetical Writings, before the times in which those Facts happened which we propose as the Accomplishment of those Prophecies.

I shall make use of two sorts of Reflexions to e­stablish my Proposition. The First consists in general Considerations upon the Books them­selves: The Second has respect to particular Facts, which are uncontested, and whence the same Truth very naturally results.

I. We ought to observe, That whereas in Ge­nesis Moses makes use of no other Epocha to fix the time of any Event, but the years of the Life of some famous Patriarch: As for Instance, He fixes the Flood to the 600 year of Noah's Age; Exod. XIX. Numb. XXXIII. 38. in Exodus and Numbers he uses the time of their coming out of Egypt for his Epocha; in the Books of the following Authors, the years from their departure out of Egypt were carefully set down 'till the Fourth year of King Solomon's Reign, which was 480 years after their departure. This was a Character to fix the time of all those who lived after that Epoch [...]

II. The Building of the Temple began a new Epocha amongst the Jews, as appears from II Chron. VIII. 1. tho' they began after that time to reckon by the years of the Kings of Juda and [Page 30] Israel, as appears by the Books of the first Prophets. Which is a Character sufficiently certain, to di­stinguish those who liv'd after Solomon, with the time when they liv'd.

III. It's plain, That the Babylonish Captivity, and afterwards their subjection to the Persian Empire, obliged them to fix their Events, and to date their Prophecies, by the years of the Govern­ments of those Foreign Kings. [See Daniel, Eze­chiel, Zechariah, and Haggai.] So the Author of the Book of Maccabees refers to the years of the Seleucidae. Now, that we may the better perceive the force of this Observation, we must remember three things. 1. That the Authors who lived af­ter the carrying away of the Jews into Babylon, make use of some Chaldee Terms, which are not to be found in the foregoing Prophets. For we may see in the Books of Haggai, Ezech. XL. 1. Daniel X. Zach I. Hagg. I. Zechariah, and Malachi, the same style with Ezra, Nehemiah, and Daniel. 2. The Authors of these Books, give names to the Months, which they had not before the Captivity. The Jews only called their Months, Talm. Rosch. Has­sanah. c. 1. First, and Second, &c. and so they gave Names which were unheard of before. 3. The Authors of these Prophecies take particular no­tice of any newly instituted Fasts; thus we see that the Prophet Haggai mentioned those Fasts of which we have nothing in the Law, but which were instituted during the Captivity.

We must blind our selves of purpose, to conceive that any Impostor could forge Books, which have so exact a Relation, and such certain Characte­risticks to fix them to the time in which every Au­thor lived, and to the Circumstances wherein he [Page 31]wrote. We must of necessity grant, That before such an Impostor could bring about such a De­sign, he must have made himself Master of the whole Prophane History, to fix so exactly the History of the Jewish Nation, and of those Ora­cles which have been given in Circumstances which are unintelligible without the help of Pro­phane Histories of different Nations.

I come now to Facts which cannot be con­tested. It is sufficient that those Facts be ac­knowledged as true, to establish in general the Truth of those Books whereof we teach.

I. It cannot be denied, that the Jews preserve these Oracles to this day, with great fidelity.

II. It cannot be denied, that they are in the hands of Christians, who preserve them as well as the Jews, since they have been separated from them; that is, for almost Seventeen Ages.

III. It cannot be denied, that these Prophecies have been exactly read by the Jews, because of those Oracles upon which they believe, to this day, that the whole happiness of their Nation is founded.

IV. It cannot be denied, that the Jews have read these Books exactly to refute the Disciples of Jesus Christ, who have pretended from the first Age of their appearing, that Jesus Christ is the Messiah mark'd out by these Oracles. In short, whereas the Christians pretend to prove by the accomplishment of the ancient Oracles, that Jesus Christ was the Messiah: It is known, that the Jews endeavour to this day to wrest the sense of these Oracles, and to shew that there are many things which are not literally accomplished, and [Page 32]which by consequence cannot be apply'd to Jesus Christ.

V. It cannot be deny'd, that most of the Con­troversies of the Jews with the Christians, only regard the Application of the Text of the Pro­phetical Authors. The Christians explain them in a Mystical Sense, the Jews maintain that they ought to be explained Literally.

VI. It cannot be deny'd, that about 300 years before the Birth of our Saviour, the Prophetical Books were translated, and put into the Hands of the Egyptians, having been carried to, and transla­ted at Alexandria, by a publick Order of the whole Nation, for the satisfaction of a King of Egypt. The History of that Version which put those Sacred Books into the Hands of the Greeks, and the Jews who dwelt in Egypt, is the most fa­mous thing in the World, and which made those Books perfectly known.

Here we have now these Books in Hebrew, and in Greek, that is to say, in the Primitive Lan­guage of the Jews, and the Vulgar Language of the Empire which Alexander founded.

It is known, that from that time the Christians took care to make great numbers of Translations into all the Vulgar Tongues, after the preaching of the Gospel; and that they preserved those ancient Books as the first Elements of their Religi­on.

Now it will be sufficient to acknowledge those Truths, to consider;

That those Oracles were true which foretold things which happened almost four Ages after their Prediction. Thus, for Instance, the Destru­ction [Page 33]of Jerusalem; the Overthrow of the Jewish State; the calling of the Gentiles to the Service of the God of Israel; the Destruction of the Syrian and Egyptian Monarchies; are all contained in the Books of Daniel, Haggai, Zachariah, and Ma­lachi.

Now there is not more difficulty to conceive, that such Authors as Isaiah, Amos, Joel, should have foretold the same thing Eight or Nine hun­dred years before, than there is to believe that they were foretold by those who liv'd but little above Four Ages before they actually came to pass. There is therefore no difficulty in conceiv­ing that these ancient Oracles were proposed as we see them, and in those times to which we find them fixed.

But we ought to go further into this matter, and to establish the same thing by the considera­tion of the things themselves.

I confess that we might have a suspicion of those Oracles which are not related upon the Faith of a publick Volume. As for Instance, those of E­lijah, Elisha, and Uriah the Son of Shemaiah, who seem never to have published any thing.

But here we are to observe, 1. That usually the Authors who publish the Oracles, are not the same with those who tell us of their accomplish­ment. 2. That the Oracles of which we now speak, were upon Subjects perfectly known, and upon very illustrious Exigencies. What more il­lustrious than the Destruction of Ahab's Family, foretold by Elijah? What more extraordinary than the manner of Jezebel's Death, foretold by the same Prophet?

In short, we ought to take notice, I. That these Oracles were written for the most part in compleat Volumes: We have Sixteen Prophets sufficiently distinguish'd by their proper Vo­lumes.

II. Each of these Authors has a very different Character from the rest; so that some, as Daniel for instance, write in a peculiar Language one part of his Book being in Chaldee.

III. Every one has some relation to the rest: So those who liv'd together, often treat of the same things: So Isaiah for instance, Joel, Amos, Hosea. But they had separate Idea's, and particu­lar Oracles, and a turn which perfectly distin­guishes them one from another.

IV. One needs only read their Works to find that they wrote in different places. Amos was of Juda, and went to prohecy in Israel, that appears plainly. Ezechiel and Daniel prophesied in Chal­dea; that's seen by reading their Works.

V. There is a natural dependance between the Books of Moses, and those of the Prophets in general; For the Prophets were continually re­proaching the Kings and People with the Crimes which they committed against the Law of God proposed by Moses.

VI. There is a natural dependance between the Writings of the former, and of the latter Pro­phets. Dan. IX. 2. So Jeremiah is quoted by Daniel, as fore­telling the time when the Desolations of Jerusalem were to have an end; this he proposes, 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 exact Connexion of these O­racles with the History of the time, which is often interwoven with the Prophecies. One see's it in the Books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel; the other Historical Books not being altogether so particular, as these Prophetical Books are.

VIII. In short, one see's that these Books are interwoven with Oracles concerning ancient E­vents and People which have now no Existence, so tha [...] that hinders us from suspecting any For­gery.

I shall not repeat here the common Argu­ments which establish the Credit of these Books, I brought in most of them when I established the Authority of the Books of Moses. I shall only make some Reflexions here, to establish the same Truth.

CHAP. VI.
That the manner of writing the Prophetical Books of the Old Testament, shews that those Oracles could not have been forged after their Completion.

I Have several things to taken notice of, to make this Truth more sensible. The first is taken from the necessary connexion of all the parts of the History of the Old Testament, the truth of which I have proved by several Characters. This History is exactly written by several Authors: Now [Page 36]the History of the Prophets, and of their Ora­cles, is so exactly framed into the History, that it is impossible to take it out, without con­founding the whole.

The Books of Samuel, which were written by Samuel, by Nathan, and by Gad, as appears by I Chron. XXIX. 29. contain the History from the Year of the World 2888, to the Year 2987.

The Books of the Kings contain the History of the Kings, and of the Prophets, from the Year 2989. to the Year 3442.

The Books of the Chronicles recapitulate the History, from the beginning of the World, to the Year 3468.

Ezra writ his History from the Year 3468. to the Year 3538.

Nehemiah continued it from 3550. to 3563.

Here is therefore on the one side an uninterrup­ted Series of History; and on the other side a continued Succession of Prophecies.

David, who began to Reign in the Year 2950. with several other Prophets of that time, writ the most part of the Psalms, which are full of Oracles, and which were sung by the People, as a part of the Divine Service.

Isaiah began his Prophecy in 3246. and dy'd in the Year 3306. Hosea, Micah, and Nahum were contemporary with him.

Jeremiah begun his Prophecy in the Year 3375. and liv'd at the same time with Zepha­niah.

Daniel was carry'd into Babylon in 3401. and prophesied until 3470.

Ezechiel prophecy'd at Babylon in 3509.

Haggai and Zachariah prophecy'd in 3590. soon after Ezra, in the time of Nehemiah.

Malachy seems to have lived until the Year 3589.

Can we therefore in the least imagine that a History should be so intermixed with Prophesies and Oracles, without conceiving at the same time the Truth of both by an invincible neces­sity?

But we may make a second Reflexion here­upon.

There are three general Characters which di­stinguish Prophets very sensibly from the gene­rality of Authors.

I. They were publick Censors; Let us but read the History of Isaiah's conduct, who called all the Heads of the People, Rulers of Sodom; or that of Jeremiah, Chap. XXXVI. or of any o­ther of the Prophets in general.

II. They were Comforters of the People, when they had brought them to Repentance by their preaching. There are as many Instances of this, as there are Prophets.

III. They foretold remarkable Occurrences, happy or unfortunate, long before there was any probability that they should happen.

It is impossible to consider these Characters, without seeing that the state of Affairs was that which gave a foundation for their Sermons: So that one must of necessity have framed their Hi­story of new, to give ground for a Forgery. This change in the style of the Prophets, follows the Circumstances of the Jewish State exactly. All [Page 38]that Isaiah or Jeremiah say, will hold no longer than whilst you suppose the State of the Jews to be as corrupt as the History of that time repre­sents it. But if you suppose it to be as the History do's distinctly explain it, nothing can be imagi­ned more forcible than their Sermons. For as they joyned Oracles with Promises in their thun­dring Sermons, so one see's that they cannot be parted.

One may make another Reflexion upon this matter, by shewing that these Oracles, and these Books were so famous amongst the Jews, that no Forgery can be supposed.

The times in which they were writ, are a great proof, for they appeared upon very remarkable Occasions.

One may rank the Prophets into four Orders, according to the several times in which they ap­peared: David, and the Prophets of his time; Those who lived before the Babylonish Captivity; as Jonah, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Isaiah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Jeremiah.

• Those who prophesied during the Captivity; Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel.
• Those who lived after their Return from Baby­bylon; Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachy.

Now we have an equal Assurance of all these Prophets, that they were famous.

Who can deny the Oracles of David to have been famous, when they were preserv'd amongst their publick Hymns?

One see's that Micah's prediction sav'd Jeremi­ah whom they would have condemned for pro­phecying the Ruin of the Temple under Jehoia­kim, [Page 39]when Micah had prophesied the same thing under Hezekiah, that is to say, about One hun­dred and twenty years before this Prediction of Jeremiah: Here's an Event which assures us with­out affectation, That this Prophecy was very well known: were not therefore the other Prophe­cies which were in the hands of the Jews very well known by the whole Nation?

The other Prophets lived in very remarkable times: Isaiah under Jotham, Ahaz, and Manasseh impious Princes: the last of which put him to a cruel Death, for the freedom of his Censures and Predictions.

There was in the time of every Prophet, a great number of Circumstances which may be enlarg­ed upon, and which will further prove, That their Works must of necessity have been very publick, and very famous amongst the Jews.

We must not here neglect what do's more particularly regard the persons of the Prophets.

I. Some of them were Priests, that is to say publick Ministers of their Religion. Jeremiah and Ezechiel were of that number: This may be ob­served in reading of their Works, and in obser­ving the nature of their Revelations, which were for the most part accommodated by God to those Idea's about which the Prophets were most em­ploy'd.

II. Some were very illustrious by their Birth: Thus David, for instance, was King of Israel, I­saiah was a Prince of the Blood, and Daniel was one of the Princes of Judah; which may be ea­sily found out by considering the Majesty of their Style, and greatness of their Expressions.

III. Some were very contemptible by their Employment, and by their Birth: So Amos, for instance, and those other Prophets whose Father is barely named, without joyning to it any ho­nourable Title, if the Jews observation has any strength.

Now, it is well known, that tho' the gift of Prophecy made him who had it sufficiently fa­mous, yet the Character of the Person often made the Prophecy famous. Sometimes indeed the meanness of the Person, as in Amos, made the Work to be more regarded, every Body ta­king occasion from the ancient Profession or the Prophet, to consider the Prophecies which he published with more attention.

One ought to observe, with care, That those Prophets whose Writings are preserv'd, as well as those who did not write, were continually struck at by false Prophets, who opposed them with great heat. Since then we have no Prophecies preser­ved, but of those whose Predictions were accom­plished, the Event justifying the Truth of their Predictions, with regard to particular Facts near the time which they had foretold to establish their Authority, whereas the Predictions of others, wanting this Character, were neglected, and at last absolutely lost: It appears plainly, That those which remain were things of the greatest Reputa­tion among the Jews.

Besides, I may add, That one needs only read their Books to see that they not only foretold ob­scure things, or what particularly concerned their State; but also things of a more splendid Nature, the overthrow of Kingdoms, of Cities, the De­struction [Page 41]of whole Nations, the Destruction of their own City, with its re-establishment; Mat­ters which would render their Books very illu­strious, and which would cause them to be read, not only by the Jews, but also by the Neighbour Nations, the Ammonites, Moabites, Assyrians, Per­sians, Egyptians, &c.

Is not this therefore a very particular thing, and that which made the Prophets very illustri­ous, That the great lustre of the Prophets conti­nued but for a certain time: There have been none since the Year 3553. their Glory appeared in the History of Eight Ages, but it do's not ex­tend it self any farther: Now why, I pray, should there be no Impostors after Malachy, as well as there were Impostors before him?

One may imagine perhaps, That the Prophe­cies were immediately disperst, some being utter­ed in one place, and some in another: Some in the Kingdom of Judah, and others in the King­dom of Israel: Some in Babylon, others in Egypt, which might give Opportunites for Impostors. But,

I. This Objection may be strongly retorted back: For how can we conceive, that in the Division, which separated the Israelites from the Jews, those of Judah would charge themselves with the Writings published in a Kingdom so much an Enemy to them, without examination, when every thing which comes from thence, ought to appear suspected.

II. They were all collected into particular Vo­lumes: But the Prophecies of Hosea, Isaiah, and Jeremy, and the most considerable of the rest, [Page 42]are preserved in Books which contain many other things.

III. They are all exactly joyned with the Hi­story of the same Nation, each one in a place where there was an equal concern to preserve, and to gather them together. But besides, they were all collected into one Body. In short, the LXXII. Interpreters translated them into Greek in the Year of the World 3727. and so submitted them to the Examination of the Egyptians; and this also keeps us from doubting of their Truth.

This Translation was made but One hundred thirty and eight years after Malachy the last of the Prophets.

But what Judgment soever may be made of these Reflexions, the Design whereof is only to establish the Reputation of these Prophecies, and of the Books wherein they are written, that so no room may be left for any suspicions of Forgery: I shall add two Considerations to what I have said already, which ought to appear convincing to e­very attentive man.

I. One can suspect none but the Jews as For­gers of these Oracles: Now, not to say any any thing of the Absurdity of supposing that a whole Nation should have subscribed to such an Imposture; all the Jews throughout the World, were after their return from the Captivity, strong­ly prepossessed with an opinion of the Messiah's being a great Temporal King: and they have the same belief to this very hour, in all places of the World, wherever they are disperst.

This being once laid down, I affirm it to be im­possible that the Jews should forge Oracles which [Page 43]assert expresly, That the Messiah should be put to death in so very odious a manner. For, as I shall afterwards shew, the oldest Doctors attri­buted to the Messiah, all those Oracles which speak of the Death of the Messiah according to the Christians, and which they themselves in process of time were forced to interpret of two Messiah's, one exposed to a world of Miseries, and the other only glorious: Or at least, I may say it is impossible that the Jews should consent to a Forgery which thwarted their common I­dea's and Pretensions in so very sensible a man­ner.

II. The second Consideration establishes the same Truth with no less firmness, which is that the Call of the Gentiles to have a share in the Blessings of the Covenant which God made with the People of Israel, was the thing in the World from which the Jews had the greatest aversation; they looked upon the Blessings which the Messiah was to communicate, as advantages entirely re­served for those of their own Nation: How then can we conceive that the Jews should forge so ma­ny Oracles which should thwart their Prejudices so sensibly? or how can we imagine that a whole People would authorize with their approbation an Imposture so contrary, and so very opposite to their own Opinions?

But it is no hard thing to imagine, That when the Jews were once perswaded of the Authority of their Prophets, either by their Miracles, or by the ready Accomplishment of every Oracle which they had publickly pronounced, that they should receive their Books, with a profound submission, [Page 44]and preserve them with the utmost care. But it appears to be an incomprehensible thing, for a People to receive Impostures contrary to their Prejudices, and Impostures reiterated so often, without any ground, but what a vast number of Records never before heard of would pro­duce.

But I suppose these Reflexions will suffice to e­stablish the Truth of the Historical and Prophe­tical Books of the Old Testament: So that there will be no need of alledging particular proofs, which might demonstrate the Truth of each Book in particular, which would carry me out to too great a length.

I shall now consider the Oracles themselves, and I shall shew the progress of the Light of this Revelation, with respect to the Promise of the Messiah; That this progress may be the better observed, I shall do three things, as I have for­merly observed, without which the mind of a wise Reader will not receive satisfaction.

I. I shall explain in a few words the Reason why these Oracles are interwoven with several Histories, or Prophecies which seem to have no Relation to the Promise of the Messiah.

II. I shall give such Rules as will serve to justi­fie the Application which both Jews and Christi­ans have equally made of several Oracles only to the Messiah.

III. I shall set the Oracles according to the Order of Time, which will manifest the Ad­vancement and Progress of that Light which is to be found in the Revelation it self: As indeed, it is natural to conceive that God should explain [Page 45]himself more clearly, in this matter, in propor­tion as the things themselves were nearer to their Completion.

CHAP. VII.
For what Reason the Oracles, which relate to the Messiah, were interwoven with other things, which seem to be very widely di­stant.

ONe of the greatest Difficulties which may be raised against the Oracles of the Old Testament which concern the Messiah, is that surprizing mixture which one see's of those Ora­cles, and of other Subjects which seem to be widely distant from any Idea of the Messiah.

There are none so prophane, as to deny, that if in the same Author, and in the same Chapter, any man should read in one continued Series Pre­dictions which should explain the miraculous Birth of the Messiah, his Family, his Preaching, his Miracles, his Sufferings, his Resurrection, his Ascension into Heaven, the Sending of the Ho­ly Ghost, the Calling of the Gentiles: but that the History of the Gospel would sufficiently ju­stifie Jesus Christ to be the promised Messiah.

But they take it to be a very strange thing, that the Apostles should apply several passages in ancient Authors to the History of Jesus Christ, tho' [Page 42] [...] [Page 43] [...] [Page 44] [...] [Page 45] [...] [Page 46]the whole Contexture of their Books do not seem to oblige us to make any such Interpretations.

They therefore suppose that the Apostles made several fortunate Allusions to the more remarka­ble passages in those ancient Authors, which may pass for Predictions of those Events, which after­wards happened; just as Nonnus wrote the Histo­ry of the Gospel in Homer's Verses; and as Eu­doxia made a Cento out of Virgil's Poem, which contained the same History, tho' neither Homer nor Virgil had any of the Mysteries of the Chri­stian Religion then in view.

That this apparent Difficulty may be solved, it will be necessary to examine Three things: I. The Matter of Fact it self. II. The Reasons which gave occasion for the doing of it. III. The Impression which this Fact has produced in the minds of men to this very time.

For the First; Tho' it is well known that com­mon use do's not allow men to joyn Foreign I­dea's in the same Discourse, yet we may easily conceive that God might and ought to do it, if we will allow what may be easily collected, that he resolved to send the Messiah into the World: Such a practice was the more natural, because the ancient Patriarchs before Moses, and Moses him­self, who form'd the Commonwealth of the Jews, had prepar'd the minds of the People to such sort of Expressions as were raised above the present Subject.

And certainly if one takes but the pains to con­sider the wisdom and beauty of the Authors who writ these Prophetical Books on the one side, and the Character of the Writers of the New Testa­ment [Page 47]on the other, he would perceive, that if these words, That it might be fulfilled, were of ne­cessity to be changed into these, As one may per­ceive a sort of Completion of such or such Passages in the Old Testament, yet notwithstanding that, the most part of those Quotations would evince an exact Accomplishment, and the Oracles which they alledge would bear a just proportion to those Events which are related by the Evangelists in our Saviour's Life.

Can any thing be more singular than the Pro­phecy in the Seventh of Isaiah, of the Messiah's being born of a Virgin; of the piercing of his hands and feet Psal. XXII: of the mixture of Gall which was offered him to drink, hinted at Psalm LX. 22. of his being sold for Thirty pie­ces of Silver: Zechar. XI. 3. or then several o­thers of a like nature, which at present I shall not stand to reckon up.

It must be confessed however, that these Ora­cles are interwoven for the most part with Matters relating to Events happening in the time when each Prophet lived, or which seem to be applica­ble personally to the Prophets.

Three Orders or Reasons may be conceived, which will justifie the Wisdom of God in the ordering of these Oracles in a way which seems so contrary to the common practice of the World.

The first Order contains Reasons drawn from the person of the Messiah himself of whom we speak.

The second Order contains those which arise from the consideration of the People amongst [Page 48]whom the Messiah was to be born.

The third contains those Reasons which respect other Nations amongst whom the Messiah was to be preached. I shall examine these three sorts by themselves, and I hope that we may gather from thence, that the Eternal Wisdom presided o­ver this mixture of these Oracles which relate to the Messiah, with other Idea's which seem to be wholly foreign to the Subject.

In short, it may be urged, That the belief of a Messiah form'd of so apparent Contradictions, cannot easily be received of the suddain. A Mes­siah of the Seed of David, whom David calls his Lord: a Messiah, who complains that he is forsa­ken by God, whom however he ought to adore: A Messiah born with the weaknesses of Youth, who at the same time is called a mighty God, and the Father of Eternity, &c.

However, these Idea's which seem so opposite ought of necessity to have been so separated by the Prophets, least they should have been looked upon as Chimerical Descriptions, and incompa­tible in one and the same Subject.

A second Reflexion which may be made upon this Matter, is, That the Jews were bound not only to preserve their Oracles, but also to execute them in part; Thus for instance, there was a ne­cessity for them to reject the Messiah, to deliver him up to the Gentiles to be crucified; there was a necessity that their punishment should be as signal as their Crime, and that they should be dispersed over the World, after the Destruction of Jerusa­lem, as the Prophets have clearly shewn. Now how could all this have ever been effected, if the [Page 49]Description of the Messiah by the Prophets had been as Historical as that of the Apostles, or the Evangelists, who gave us only a Narrative of Matters of Fact.

In a word, was it not the interest of the Gen­tiles, to whom the Gospel was to be preached, that these Oracles should be scattered up and down the Writings of these ancient Authors? They were to be Called upon the Rejection of the Jews: The Jews were bound to preserve the Books of the Old Testament, after they were cast off by God, that the Authority of these Books, and these Oracles, might be beyond all contest, as Testi­monies with which we are furnished by the ad­verse Party, which ought to have place, until the fulness of the Gentiles should profess Christianity. Let any one therefore judge if it was not neces­sary in this state of Affairs, that there should be some obscurity in the Prophetical Descriptions, and by consequence that this interweaving of foreign Idea's with those which concerned the Messiah, as also this dispersion of the Oracles through different places of the Sacred Writers was not necessary, and so much the more as they were uttered upon several Occasions by different Authors.

And we may affirm it, as a certainty, That ac­cording to the purpose of God, this obscurity did not hinder either Jews or Pagans from perceiving those ruling Idea's of a Messiah, when they read the Old Testament. Neither was the dispersion of these Oracles through so many different pla­ces, any greater hindrance to their application; since the Jews laid it down as a constant Maxime, [Page 50]That the accomplishment of every thing which we find to be foretold as great and illustrious by the Prophets, ought to be looked for in the Person of the Messiah, when the Events of a nearer Date did not answer to the greatness or magnifi­cence of the Predictions.

Several Ages had passed from the time in which the Prophet had foretold that the Messiah was to be born at Bethlehem, and yet we see that the I­dea of it continued very fresh amongst the Jews, in our Saviour Jesus Christ's time, as is plain from the Answer which they gave to Herod.

There are several other Examples might be given, which shew that the Jews in our Saviour's time applyed the very same Oracles to the Mes­siah which we do; and without question, if it had not been so, the Apostles would first have proved that these Oracles had relation to the Messiah, which they took for granted, as a thing constant­ly acknowledged, whereas now they only endea­voured in the Gospel to justifie that Jesus Christ was the Messiah, by shewing one by one that all the Characters which the Jews attributed to the Messiah, were to be found in him.

Besides, it is manifest from our Saviour's ex­plication of the CX Psalm, that tho' the Jews could not conceive the Solution of that Difficulty which naturally appears in those words, The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand, yet afterwards they immediately applied that Oracle to the Messiah, without seeking after any other Subjects to which they might apply it, as the Jews endeavour to do at this day.

But after these Remarks upon the mixture of [Page 51]those Oracles which relate to the Messiah, with others which seem to be of a more foreign Na­ture, we ought to come to some general Rules by which we are to apply the ancient Oracles to the Messiah.

CHAP. VIII.
General Rules for the Ʋnderstanding of ancient Oracles, and for the Application of them to the Messiah.

I. AS it appears very natural to conceive, That the most ancient Revelations ought to be expressed in the most general terms, be­cause they were furthest from the time of their accomplishment, and so one ought to find in them a more imperfect delineation of the Design of God: yet it is visible however, that they ought to contribute very much to the understanding of those later Oracles, because if these later ones do really contain a more particular explication of his Design in sending the Messiah into the World, yet they ought always to follow those Idea's which God at first made use of to make his Design 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 Messiah was not suddainly to hap­pen, if he intended to bring them to a certain [Page 52]knowledge of the Messiah after a long Revolution of years, by those Ceremonial and Judicial Laws which he established, that he ought to breed them up in an expectation of the Messiah, by lively I­dea's, and by Oracles which should particularly explain the manner and circumstances of his Ap­pearance.

III. It is no less natural to acknowledge, That when God promised some illustrious Person, or some great advantage to the Jewish Nation, he did it only to entertain the People with an ex­pectation of the Messiah, and upon that account, that he might and ought to joyn the Promise of the Messiah with it, as the principal Object which the Jews ought always to have in view, until it should actually happen.

In short, there are two sorts of Oracles in the Old Testament: The first are such as it is impossi­ble to apply to any other besides the Messiah; as for instance, Gen. III. 15. Deut. XVIII. 15. Deut. XXXIV. 10. The place of his Birth; The seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head; The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy Brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken. Whereupon he that added the Relation of Moses's Death, takes notice that after that there arose up no Prophet in Israel like unto Mo­ses.

The second are such as seem to agree in part to some body else besides the Messiah, tho' we may find there also such particular Characters, that it is impossible to apply them perfectly; and in their utmost extent, according to the whole force of their expression to any other Subject besides the Messiah. And so Balaam seems to have spoken of [Page 53] David, Numb. XXIII. as Julian the Apostate maintains, and of his Victories over the Moabites in the same place where he promises the Messiah, and where he speaks of the manner of his subdu­ing the Children of Seth; And so David in the se­cond Psalm speaks of the oppositions which he met with, in his advancement to the Throne, but in Terms too Great and too Emphatical to be ap­ply'd to him alone.

Those Principles which I have now established, that God promised the Messiah in general terms, but without any intention of sending him into the World, until several Ages had been passed, gave rise to these two sorts of Oracles. On the one side, there was a necessity of explaining this Pro­mise distinctly from time to time. And on the other side, there was a necessity of accommoda­ting himself to the Desires of the Jews, by joyn­ing these Idea's with every thing that was great and considerable in those Events, and in those Persons to whom the Prophetick Spirit intended to add a lustre by its Predictions.

The Jews are agreed at present, as they were also in our Saviour's time, in the application of the most part of those Oracles in the Old Testa­ment, which the Christians apply to the Messiah, and if they dispute some of them, which they ex­plain in a sense perfectly forced, yet at least they cannot dispute these following Truths.

I. That the most part of those Oracles which we apply to the Messiah, were apply'd in the same manner by the Jewish Doctors in our Saviours time: As the CX Psalm, for instance, which has relation to the Nature and Glory of the Messiah; [Page 54]the II Psalm, which has respect to the Conspira­cy of the Princes and the People against the Messiah; that place in Micah which fixes the Birth of the Messiah to Bethlehem, &c.

II. That as they thought themselves obliged to make two Messiahs, because of the apparent Contradictions which are to be found in those various Events which are apply'd to the Messiah in those Predictions; some perfectly glorious, and others every way contemptible: so there is no injustice done, in explaining those Oracles which at first seem only to have relation to one single per­son, of the Messiah, and of some other per­son.

III. That since they themselves believe, That their Ancestors might lawfully pass from one sense to another in their Explications of those Oracles, so that they were permitted to apply an Oracle to some other Subject, which did not seem to agree exactly enough to that Subject which their Ance­stors had first in view, as the particular Subject con­cerning which the Oracle treated: So it is not only just, but necessary too, to pass from one Subject to another as the Apostles have actually done.

IV. That we ought to pay a much greater defe­rence to the Opinion of the ancient Jews, than of those, who have been sowred by their Miseries and Disputes to such a degree, that they have lost that principle of Equity which keeps Men from de­nying the most evident Truths, and which have been the most universally acknowledged by a whole Nation, that was not prepossessed with so great a degree of Obstinacy.

But we ought to observe, besides, That this [Page 55]seeming Confusion of those Oracles which relate to the Messiah, with other Subjects treated of by the Prophets, arose from several Causes.

I. From the Prophet's often joyning the Idea's of the principal Promise, the sending of the Mes­siah, with the promise of those means which were absolutely necessary for the accomplishment of that promise, as the preservation of the Jews for instance. So the Captivity of the Israelites in Egypt, and their departure from thence, with their settling in the Land of Canaan, which he had promised them before, were foretold, as ne­cessary means in the order of Providence, to the Execution of the great Design of God.

For so the Babylonish Captivity, and their De­liverance there from, which are both foretold, are foretold as steps towards the execution of the pro­mise of sending the Messiah.

And so likewise when they foretold the Perse­cutions by Antiochus, and the other Neighbouring Nations, they also foretell the deliverance which God would grant to the Jews, and their re-esta­blishment until the Birth of the Messiah, which was the accomplishment of that great Pro­mise.

II. This seeming Confusion arose from the wri­ting of these Books piece by piece, which after­wards were put into this order, without having always a regard to the time in which they were writ, and without taking notice of all the occasi­ons which engaged the Prophets to write. And thus we see the Prophecies which relate to the Messiah joyned to several other Transactions, and to several other Predictions, whose con­nexion [Page 56]is not always so very evident.

III. It arises from the writing of the Prophe­cies each by themselves, so that all those of the same Prophet were put together as they came out, making only a new Chapter in the Work; where­as they ought to be considered rather with relati­on to the Matter, than to the Order in which they lye in the Book, as we have it at the present. For the Prophets often borrow their Light from what they themselves had said some time before, or from what some other Prophet had foretold, which ought to be observed particularly of those who lived about the same time.

But besides those Rules which I proposed in the beginning of this Chapter, and besides those Ob­servations of the joyning the Oracles which re­late to the Messiah with other Subjects, I must add two Rules more, which may be useful in deter­mining the sense of great numbers of Oracles which are expressed in figurative terms. The first is, That it is natural to conceive that when the Prophets were to speak of the Messiah, and when they were intent upon the Description of his Kingdom, they should make use of Expressions which seem'd to foretell a sort of overturning of nature, which should happen at that time: But then these Expressions ought to be understood in a figurative sense, in the same Spiritual sense in which the Christians understood them, as the famous Maimonides allows in that passage of Isai­ah, Lib. de Re­gibus, cap. XII. where the Wolf and the Lamb are said to feed together.

Secondly, Since the Messiah is described as one who should unite in his own Person, the Glory of [Page 57]the Divinity, and the meanness of the Human Nature together, we ought to understand those Oracles in such a manner, that what is great in those Prophetical Descriptions, should not con­tradict the more contemptible part, when we con­sider the Messiah as cloathed with all the mean­nesses of the Human Nature. These Idea's which are often joyned in one and the same Oracles, ought to be exactly applyed to the different con­sideration which the Prophets had of the Messi­ah, or to those various States through which they themselves assures us that the Messiah was to pass.

An intelligent Reader will easily judge, that I might have added a third Rule to the two former; which is, That when a person, who has all the Characters of a Prophet, applys an old Oracle to any Subject, one cannot reasonably dispute his application. This the Christians assure us was done by the Apostles in a very great number of Oracles. But because this supposes a Prophetick Character in the Apostles before it has been esta­blished by solid proofs, I shall wave the proposal of it at present.

After these general Remarks I shall gather to­gether those Oracles in the Old Testament, which relate to the Messiah; I might here fol­low the order of the Matters, by bringing under each Article those Oracles which relate to it, which would give a great Light to the Subject, as Eusebius has rightly observed, and as he has pra­ctised himself in his Books de Demonstratione E­vangelicâ. However, I rather chose to follow the Order of Time in which these Oracles were ut­tered, [Page 58]which did not seem improper to explain those Truths which are contained in those Ora­cles.

In short, this is of great importance: I. Be­cause it is very natural to consider the Series of God's design, and the connexion which may be found in those Idea's which are made use of to ex­press it.

II. Because of the necessity of the encrease of the Light in the Revelations, proportionably as the time drew near; so that, it is of use to ob­serve how the Divine Wisdom follow'd this na­tural Order in making the later Oracles clearer than the former, and in hinting by little and lit­tle a greater number of Circumstances, by which it was necessary to explain them.

III. Because this serves to give us a very strong proof, That God intended to furnish us from the Scriptures themselves, with that which should fix us in a Belief of this Capital Truth in our Religi­on. In short, when the Truth of each of the Books in the Old Testament is once approved, and their Age set down, it appears that several Prophets did agree wonderfully without any con­cert, in the explication of the same Truths at se­veral Times, and in several Places and Circum­stances, which hinder men for the most part from agreeing in the most common Matters, which are the Subjects of their Reflexions.

I have already considered that the Wisdom of God follow'd Rules very conformable to the Con­dition and Inclinations of the Patriarchs, when it spoke of the Messiah. We may see the same Con­duct in the following times.

So since God had promised Children to Adam in Abel's stead, one may see that he also promi­sed David a Son who should set upon his Throne. He explains almost all the Circumstances of his Coming, his Humiliation, his Exaltation, the Oppositions he should meet with, the Victories he should obtain, and his Offices, Prophetical, Priest­ly, and Royal.

One see's afterwards that the Prophets explain in a more particular manner all these Idea's which David had already proposed. Isaiah speaks of his Birth by a Virgin, of his Spiritual Gifts, of his Miracles, of his Sufferings, of his Resurrection, of his Calling of all Nations in to his Worship, and of his Casting off the Jews.

Those who come after point out the place particularly, and the Town where the Messiah was to be born; they describe his Covenant, and the Calling of the Gentiles to the Service of the God of Israel.

In short, they describe both the Character of the Forerunner of the Messiah, 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 Testament, they are so very numerous. But I hope at least to mark the more principal, and the most illustrious ones, and to explain them in such a manner, that all shall be obliged to ac­knowledge, I. That God designed to give in­fallible proofs to his Church, of his design in sending the Messiah into the World, and to pre­serve [Page 60]the continual remembrance of him, as of a Person who was promised to give all Com­fort to his Church, and whose coming should bring Salvation to all Mankind. II. That the care which he took in specifying all the Cir­cumstances of his coming into the World, shew that he designed to prevent the Scandal which the abject Life and Death of a Messiah might produce, and the false Judgments which Men might form of the Works of a Divine Wis­dom, when they only judge of them by the outside. III. That he designed to give an in­fallible proof, that this sending of the Messi­ah, was the Work of his Wisdom and Fideli­ty, which at last accomplished a thing, the De­sign whereof had been proposed to Mankind im­mediately after the Fall.

CHAP. IX.
Of those Oracles concerning the Messiah which are to be found in the Book of Gene­sis.

I Begin with those Oracles which are con­tained in the Book of Genesis, since it is con­venient to touch them all over again in few words.

The first Oracle is comprized in these Terms, [Page 61] Gen. III. 15. I will put Enmity between Thee and the Woman, and between thy Seed and her Seed; it shall bruise thy Head, and thou shalt bruise his Heel.

This Oracle has considerable advantages, tho' it is expressed in figurative Terms. God uttered it in the beginning of the World, after he had given Sentence against Adam, and the Woman, and the Serpent in a very sensible manner, even under a Human shape, if we may dare to affirm it. He uttered it before the Head of all Man­kind, which ought to make it considerable to all his Posterity. He expresses it by an Allusion to the nature of the Temptation, and to the form of the Serpent, which the Tempter had took upon him. He preserves thereby the memory of the Temptation, by inspiring all Mankind with an invincible Hatred against all Serpents in general, tho' the Tempter had took the shape but of one particular kind, for an Instrument to accomplish his Design.

In short, this Oracle clearly shews, I. That it should be particularly the Seed of the Woman: Adam not being touched at. II. That the Seed of the Woman, that is to say the Messiah, should destroy the power of the Serpent expres­sed by the Head, that is to say the power of the Devil. III. That this Seed should however re­ceive a considerable wound from the Devil, tho' it should only touch his Heel, the least conside­rable part of the Messiah. IV. That all the Blessings which God should give to Mankind af­ter the Fall, should be grounded upon the send­ing of this Seed into the World: This is more [Page 62]clearly expressed by God's telling Abraham, Gen. XXII. 18. That in thy Seed all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed.

That this Oracle Gen. III. has relation to the Messiah, is plain: I. Because it is the Source and Abridgment of the whole Revelation. II. Be­cause all the ancient Jews in effect understood it so. III. Because the Apostles, in following the Idea's of the Synagogue plainly referred them to the Messiah, Targum in h. l. by the Allusions which they make to them: John XII. Romans. XVI. II Cor. XI. 1 John III.

The second Oracle which relates to the Messi­ah, is contained in these Terms, when God spoke to Abraham; In thy Seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed.

This Oracle is very illustrious: I. By the per­son of Abraham, whom God made the Deposita­ry of it, and who made himself ready to Sacri­crifice his own Son. II. By the frequent Repe­titions which God made to this Patriarch, using in effect all those ways which he afterwards fol­low'd in his Revelations to the Patriarchs, for fifty years together, from the Year 2083. to the Year 2133. of the World. III. Because it was accompanied by the Circumcision, so that tho' it foretold that the Advantages should be in common to all Nations, yet it limited the Mes­siah to be born of Abraham's Seed.

It also intimates very clearly, I. That the Bles­sings which it promises should be in common to all Nations. II. That this Blessing should be quite of another nature from Temporal ones, as the encrease for instance, and the power of [Page 63] Abraham's Posterity, which had been promised to him before. S. Paul's Reflexion Gal. III. 8. That God spake of Seed in the singular Number is very remarkable, and so much the more, be­cause the Jews make a like Observation upon a parallel place in the Old Testament.

As God repeated this Promise when he spoke to Isaac in the Year 2200, and to Jacob in the Year 2245. Gen. XXVIII. 14. And thy Seed shall be as the Dust of the Earth; and thou shalt spread abroad to the West, and to the East, and to the North, and to the South: and in thee, and in thy Seed, shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed, so one ought to repeat again the same Reflexions. This ought only to be added, That God restrained the ho­nour of bringing forth the Messiah to Jacob the Son of Isaac, that the Edomites might not come in to challenge the right, as I have very particu­larly explained in my Reflexions upon Gene­sis.

We come now to the Oracle which Jacob gave in the Year 2315. It is one of the clearest Predictions in the whole Bible, and it is expressed in these Terms: Judah, thou art he whom thy Brethren shall praise; thy hand shall be in the neck of thine Enemies: thy Father's Children shall bow down before thee. Judah is a Lions whelp; from the Prey my Son thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a Lion, and as an old Lion; who shall rouze him up? The Scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a Law giver from between his Feet, until Shiloh come, and unto him shall the gathering of the People be. Binding his Fole unto the Vine, and his Asses Colt unto the choice Vine; he washed his Garments in Wine, [Page 64]and his Clothes in the Blood of Grapes. His eyes shall be red with Wine, and his Teeth white with Milk. Gen. XLIX. 8.—12. I know very well, that some of the Jews have pretended, that Moses ought to be understood for Shiloh; But this is so ridiculous an Opinion, that there is not the least probability to maintain it: What Scepter had Ju­dah before Moses came? How was Moses the Ex­pectation of the Gentiles, and the Object of their Hope?

And indeed, the Body of the Jewish Nation are agreed, that this Oracle was meant of the Messiah, so Onkelos the Chaldee Paraphrast, so the Jerusalem Targum, and Jonathan's, so R. So­lomon Jarchi, Abenezra, and Kimchi are a­greed.

Now these Reflexions may be naturally drawn from this Oracle which Jacob uttered upon his Death-bed.

I. This Oracle is found amongst a great num­ber of Oracles which concern the other Tribes of the Israelites, and which were accomplished as to every Tribe.

II. This Oracle contains several particular E­vents which relate to private Transactions in the Tribe of Judah.

III. This Oracle was, as it were, Jacob's Will in favour of Judah, at a time when he divided a­mongst his Children their Portions which they were to expect from him.

IV. This was a Preference of Judah, who was but the fourth, to Reuben who was the eldest, and who by consequence ought to have been the Head of his Family. The Scepter, and the Au­thority [Page 65]of Legislator was promised to Judah, which did not belong to him by the right of his Birth.

Jacob therefore prepared his Children to look for an accomplishment of those Promises made to Abraham in Judah, as well for the Kings who were to be descended from him, as for the Nati­ons of the Earth, who were to be blessed in A­braham's Seed.

But we must go yet further; I shall therefore observe, I. That this Prophecy particularly re­garded the Tribe of Judah, as all the preceding and following Oracles concern'd those Tribes, whose Heads were then named by Jacob.

II. That this Prophecy concerns the Tribe of Judah, as settled in the Land of Canaan, by a di­stinct establishment from the other Tribes. In short, it is certain that the Tribe of Judah had some superiority; Thus God for instance com­manded that Tribe to march the first, Numb. II. & X. Its Heads offered their presents first, Numb. VII. 11, 12, 83. In Joshua's time this Tribe took its Division without drawing Lots for it. One see's that God ordered the Tribe of Judah to lead the People out to the Conquest of the rest of the Country. One see's the same Prerogatives in the Book of Judges, tho' they were often of other Tribes. From David's time to the taking of Je­rusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, the Kings were all of that Tribe; and Zorobabel afterwards headed those who returned out of Chaldea. The Book of the Chronicles names the Tribe of Judah first; Herod was the first King who was wholly a Stran­ger.

III. That Jacob supposed that the Tribe of Judah should be in possession of a Form of Go­vernment, and of a Community till the coming of the Messiah: This was all very proper, and indeed we see that this Tribe continued under its own Governours, after the other Tribes had been transported, II Kings XVII. 18. It almost swal­lowed up Benjamin and Levi, who settled in their Country; and indeed Josephus assures us, That there were but few of the Ten Tribes who came back again into Judea under Ezra, for the great­est part of them stayed beyond Euphrates. And we see that at last they gave their Name to the whole Country.

IV. That this Oracle was fulfilled by degrees. This I have observed already of the preheminen­cy of the Tribe of Judah before David's time, which was a step to the advancement of it to the Throne. And the lessening of their Dignity, which was to be entirely taken away when the Messiah came, had also the same Gradations. David was set upon the Throne over all Israel; but his House lost the Government over Ten Tribes in his Grandson Rehoboam's time. His Successors were Tributary to the neighbouring Princes: whereas David carried his Empire to the Walls of Babylon, tho' afterwards the Babylo­nians subdued the Jews, and deposed the Kings of Judah. At last they absolutely lost all that Authority which they had hitherto kept. They recovered a little in the Person of Zorobabel, and tho' they were soon after invaded by the Seleuci­dae, yet the Maccabees preserved them a little, till Herod and the Romans took away all those Rem­nants which they had yet left.

In carrying these Views of this Oracle fur­ther, we may yet further observe, I. That God intended to oblige the Israelites to wait for the Scepter in the Tribe of Judah. It must be there before it could depart thence. It was natural to conceive, that the Jews were to look yet much further than David. Those words, It shall not depart, denote a continuance of the Scepter in the House of David for some considerable time.

II. It is easie to comprehend a lessening of the Dignity in the term Lawgiver, [See Judges V. 14. [...]] which God seems to have made use of, as a Mark of the Fall, which I have observed in the Person of Zorobabel, who as to the time was about the middle of the Oracle.

III. In a word, it is easie to acknowledge that this Oracle assigns the Epocha in gross for the time of the coming of the Messiah, viz. the Ruin of that Authority and Power which the Jews, pro­perly so called from the Tribe of Judah, should enjoy after their re-establishment. God could not explain himself more particularly, in stating the precise time when this thing should hap­pen.

There are two other very considerable Oracles; one uttered by Balaam in the Year 2553; be­fore the King of the Moabites, who had sent for him to curse the People of Israel that lay in the Plains; the other uttered the same Year by Mo­ses the famous Legislator of the Jews; the first is inserted by Moses in the XXIV Chapter of Num­bers; the other is in the XVIII of Deuterono­my.

The first is in these words; I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite all the Corners of Moab, and destroy all the Children of Seth: And Edom shall be a Possession, Seir also shall be a Possession for his Enemies, and Israel shall do valiantly. Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have Dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the City.

One ought to observe, that Balaam's Character, the presence of the King and the Elders of Moab, and all the Circumstances in which it was uttered, do advance its Authority considerably.

But the turn of his Expressions is equally sin­gular and remarkable: I. He speaks of the Mes­siah as of a Star, hinting out to us the Celestial Nature of the Messiah: whereas hitherto God had only described him under the Figure of a bare man: tho' the other was made sufficiently in­telligible, when the Destruction of the Empire of the Tempter, and the right of procuring a Bles­sing unto all the Nations of the Earth which he was personally to enjoy, were attributed to him; things infinitely beyond the power and condition of Mankind to perform, were attributed to him. II. He observes, That this Person of whom he speaks such magnificent things, ought however to be descended from Jacob; which ratifies Ja­cob's Prophecy in favour of Judah. III. Tho' he hints very clearly at the effects of those Blessings and Temporal Victories which Jacob's Posterity was to obtain over their Neighbours, yet at the same time he infinuates plainly enough, that the bestowing of the Blessing which all the Nations [Page 69]of the World should obtain, was to be reserved to Jacob's Seed; when he refused to retract those Promises of Blessing which God had made to A­braham, Isaac, and Jacob, to which Oracles he made a sensible Allusion.

And it is very important to consider that the Jews always applyed this Oracle to the Messiah, as may be seen by their Chaldee Paraphrast; and it was acknowledged so generally, that the fa­mous Achiba, who lived under the Emperour Hadrian, pretended that Barchocheba was the Messiah, because his name was Chochab, which is a Star in Hebrew; as if God intended to mark that Impostor for the true Messiah, by foretelling what name he should be called by.

The Oracle which Moses uttered a little before his Death, is very considerable. The People be­ing terrified with the manner of God's speaking to them upon Mount Sinai, desired that God would no longer speak as he had done before, but that Moses should give them an Account of whatever God should command. Hereupon God consents to their Request, and promised them by Moses, that he would raise them up a Prophet like unto Moses, to whom they ought to hearken, upon pain of being cut off.

He that made the Addition to the last Book of Moses, wherein his Death is described, takes no­tice, that there never rose up afterwards a Pro­phet in Israel like to Moses: If it was Ezra who made that Addition, then here is a plain and clear decision against the Jews, some of whom assert that Joshua or Jeremiah was the Prophet whom Moses promised: If it was Eleazar, who [Page 70]liv'd in Joshua's time, then here Joshua at least is excluded from this priviledge of being designed by Moses.

But it is to no purpose to stop at such frivo­lous Objections: One needs only observe Moses's Character to take notice of four certain Marks of Moses's Prophecies, which advance him infinitely above all the other Prophets. I. He had all the sorts of Revelations which are generally found amongst all the Prophets. II. He was illustrious for great numbers of Miracles. III. He not on­ly reform'd the Errors and false ways of Wor­ship then prevailing amongst the Jews, but he set up a new Worship, and a new Form of Religion. IV. He introduced this Law, and this way of worshipping God, by such a conversation with God, as one see's amongst two intimate Friends: In which of the Prophets may these four Chara­cters be found.

The Galileans themselves testified plainly that these Characters ought only to be found in the person of the Messiah, when they saw the Mira­cles of Jesus Christ, John VI. 14. and the Jews acknowledged the same in our Saviours time, when they applyed that Oracle to the Messiah, John I. 45.

But if these Oracles were obscurely hinted at in this Oracle, one may see them clearly apply'd to the Messiah in the following Oracles, propor­tionably as the Revelation encreased, and as God unravelled the Idea's of these ancient Oracles by explaining them more particularly by those Pro­phets whom he afterwards raised up. This may clearly be seen, if we pass on to those Oracles [Page 71]which were uttered by David, and the other Pro­phets who lived about his time.

CHAP. X.
Of the Oracles which concern the Messiah in the Book of Psalms.

THese were the Oracles which were the sub­jects of the Meditations of the Faithful from the Year of the World 2553, in which Moses dy­ed, until David's time, who was particularly cho­sen by God to be the only man of his Family, which was also separated from all the other Fa­milies of Judah, who came from Pharez, from whom the Messiah was to be descended.

I have observed in another place, that in all probability God raised David to the Throne, on­ly to make the Genealogy of that Family better known, from which the Messiah was to spring.

As this double advancement of David, one to the Throne of Israel, the other to be the Father to the Messiah, ought to have inspired him with lively Resentments of Gratitude, and as his Ora­cles would be much more famous, being uttered by a Royal Prophet, and the rather because God employ'd him in the making a just Regulation of the Service of the Sanctuary; so we see that Da­vid employ'd his Pen in giving more distinct Idea's of that Messiah which he promised them.

The Name Messiah properly signifies a person consecrated by anointing to be King, Priest, or Prophet. This Name was particularly applyed by David, and the Prophets who lived after him, to that holy Seed which God had promised to Abraham's Family by Isaac, by Jacob, by Judah, and by David; and one may observe in David's Psalms, and in the Prophets of his time, that they gave the Name of Messiah to the promised Seed, under one or other of these three Senses.

The Characters both of a Prophet and a Priest, tho' each of them are august enough, yet yield to that of a King. These are the different Idea's which David, and the Prophets of that time follow'd in all the variety of their Descrip­tions.

But it is not my Design to give a particular Account of all those Oracles which describe these different Characters, for fear of being excessive­ly long: So I shall content my self with observing two things: I. That David alone uttered more O­racles than all the Prophets who came before him. II. That these Oracles of David concern­ing the Messiah are clearer than all the precedent ones.

Now, I say, that David alone uttered more Oracles than any one Prophet who came before him; Thus in the XL Psalm he explains the De­cree by which the Messiah became the Servant of God, and clothed himself with the form of a Servant, to offer unto God a more perfect Obe­dience than that which had formerly been offered by Burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices. He describes the measure and the Nature of his Ministry, which [Page 73]was to consist in the instruction of the People, in Righteousness, Truth, and the Salvation of God. Psalm XL. 7.—11. Sacrifice and Offering thou didst not desire, mine Ears hast thou opened: Burnt­offering and Sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, 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 Righteousness in the great Congregation: Lo I have not refrained my Lips, O Lord, thou knowest: I have not hid thy Righteousness within my heart, I have de­clared thy Faithfulness, and thy Salvation: I have not concealed thy loving Kindness, and thy Truth, from the great Congregation.

In the XVI Psalm he describes the inviolable stedfastness of the Messiah to the Service of God, who had sent him to form a great People; with the manner of his deliverance by God from all the powers of the World, by raising him up from the dead, and afterwards receiving him into Glo­ry. Psalm XVI. 8. &c. I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoyceth; my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell; neither wilt thou suffer thy holy One to see corruption: Thou wilt shew me the path of Life; in thy presence is fulness of joy: at thy right hand there are pleasures for ever­more.

In the XXII Psalm he describes the Agonies through which the Messiah was to pass, the man­ner of his Death, the Victory which he should obtain over his Enemies, and the Conversion of those very Nations which had cast him off.

In the CIX Psalm he speaks of the Oppressions of the Messiah, pronouncing great numbers of Imprecations against that very person who should signalize himself by persecuting his Innocence. Hold not thy peace O God of my praise: for the mouth of the wicked, and the mouth of the deceitful are o­pened against me; they have spoken against me with a lying tongue, Verse 1, 2. Set thou a wicked man over him, and let Satan stand at his right hand. When he shall be judged, let him be condemned, and let his prayer become Sin. Let his days be few, and let another take his Office, Verse 6, 7, 8. Because that he remembred not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart. As he loved cursing, so let it come to him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him. As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his Garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oyl into his bones, Verse 16, 17, 18.

In the CXIX Psalm he carries this Argument further, in his Description of the Zeal of the Mes­siah for the House of God, and of those insultings which he should meet with, and the manner of their giving him Vinegar and Gall to drink, with the hardning and rejection of those who had used him in that manner. Save me O God, for the waters are come in unto my soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me, Verse 1, 2. Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord Ged of Hosts, be ashamed for my sake: Let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel. Because for thy sake I have born reproach; shame hath [Page 75]covered my face. I am beoome a stranger unto my Brethren, and an Alien unto my Mothers Children: For the zeal of thy House hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee, are fallen upon me, Verse 6, 7, 8, 9. Reproach hath broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for com­forters, but I found none. They gave me also Gall for my meat, and in my thirst they gave me Vinegar to drink. Let their Table become a snare before them; and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap. Let their eyes be darkned, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake. Pour out thy indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them, Verse 20, 21, 22, 23, 24.

In the XCVII and XCVIII Psalms he describes the destruction of Idolatry when the promised Saviour should appear, and when God should raise him upon his Throne. The Lord reigneth, let the Earth rejoyce; let the multitude of the Isles be glad thereof. Psalm XCVII. 1. Confounded be all they that serve graven Images, that boast themselves of Idols: worship him all ye Gods. Zion heard, and was glad, and the Daughters of Judah rejoyced; be­cause of thy Judgments, O Lord: For thou Lord art high above all the Earth: thou art exalted far above all Gods, Verse 7, 8, 9. O sing unto the Lord a new Song, for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm have gotten him the Victory. The Lord has made known his Salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shew'd in the sight of the Heathen. He hath remembred his Mercy and his Truth towards the House of Israel: all the ends of the Earth have seen the Salvation of our God. Make [Page 76]a joyful noise unto the Lord all the Earth: make a loud noise, and rejoyce and sing praise, Psalm XCVIII. 1. — 4.

In the LXVIII Psalm he explains the glory of the Messiah, and his Ascension into Heaven, with the effusion of those gifts which he was to spread abroad for the Conversion of the Nations, that God might dwell amongst the most rebellious. Princes shall come out of Egypt, Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God: Sing unto God, ye Kingdoms of the Earth: O sing praises unto the Lord. To him who rideth upon the Heavens of Heavens, which were of old; lo he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice. Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the Clouds. O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy pla­ces, the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people, Verse 31, 32, 33, 34, 35.

The Prophets who lived in the time of David, or soon after, pursued all his Idea's. One see's that Nathan, II Sam. VII. foretells Solomon's glo­ry, and the honour which he should have in building that Temple of which David had form­ed the design before, in such a manner, that he clearly shews three things which will by no means agree with Solomon. I. That God should raise up a Son to David after his Death, and place him upon his Throne; whereas Solomon was born, and advanced to the Throne by David himself. II. It was promised that his Government should be endless; this is not applicable to the Royal Posterity of David, who had but Twenty Successors who bore the Title of Kings. III. That God parti­cularly promises to be the Father of this promised [Page 77]Son, which is not more applicable to Solomon, than to David, to Josiah, or Hezekiah.

One see's that Corah's Posterity gave that Ac­count of Solomon's glory upon his marriage with the King of Egypt's Daughter; He speaks of a Throne much more august then that Princes was, and he represents to us a God consecrated with Oyl of Gladness above his Fellows. This exact­ly sets forth the august Character of the Messiah, and his Anointing to be the King of all Nations, their Prophet, and their Priest. Psalm XLV. 1. My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the King: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. Verse 7, 8. Thy Throne, O God, is for ever and ever; the Scepter of thy Kingdom is a right Scepter. Thou lovest righte­ousness and hatest wickedness; therefore God, thy God hath anointed thee with Oyl of Gladness above thy Fel­lows. Verse 16. Instead of thy Fathers shall be thy Children whom thou maist make Princes in all the Earth.

One see's the same Prophets inviting all Nati­ons in the XLVII Psalm to acknowledge the King­dom of God: which Daniel afterwards describes as that which the Jews already knew was to be governed by the Messiah.

One see's Asaph describing in the L Psalm the manner of the Messiah's assembling all People, and of his rejecting the ancient and Legal Ser­vice, and prescribing a Spiritual one, even Sa­crifices of Vows, and of Praise. Verse 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. And the Heavens shall declare his Righteousness: for God is Judge himself. Hear O my people, and I will speak, O Israel; and I will testifie against thee: I am God, even thy God. I will not reprove thee for [Page 78]thy Sacrifices, or thy Burnt-offerings, to have been continually before me. I will take no Bullock out of thy House, nor He-goat out of thy Folds. For every Beast of the Forest is mine, and the Cattle upon a thousand Hills.

One sees the Author of the LXXII Psalm de­scribing the glory and happiness of Solomon's King­dom in such a manner, that he carries his views as high as the Messiah at the same time; He fore­tels the continuance of his Kingdom as long as the Sun and Moon endures; that all the Kings of the World should bring Presents to him, and that all the Nations of the Earth should wor­ship before him Verse 5. They shall fear thee as long as the Sun and Moon endure, throughout all Generations. Verse 8. He shall have Dominion also from Sea to Sea, and from the River unto the ends of the Earth. Verse 11. All Kings shall fall down before him, all Nations shall serve him. Verse 17, 18, 19. His Name shall endure for ever; his Name shall be continued as long as the Sun, and Men shall be blessed in him; all Nations shall call him blessed. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who only doth wondrous things: And bles­sed be his glorious Name for ever, and let the whole Earth be filled with all his Glory; Amen and A­men.

One sees that Ethan the Ezrahite, who is re­presented to us as the wisest Man in that Age after Solomon, explains the promise made to David of a Son who should reign for ever, and whose Throne should be immoveable in the LXXXIX Psalm. This agrees to none but the Messiah, whom he describes as the First-born of the Princes of the Earth, and as the Son of [Page 79]God in a manner, which is not applicable to any of David's Posterity, except only to the Messiah. Verse 19, 20. Then thou spakest in Vi­sions, to the holy one, and say'st, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people. I have found David my ser­vant; with my holy Oyl have I anointed him. Verse 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29. My Faithfulness and my Mercy shall be with him; and in my Name shall his Horn be exalted. I will set his Hand also in the Sea, and his right hand in the Rivers. He shall cry unto me, Thou art my Father, my God, and the Rock of my Salvation. Also I will make him my First-born, higher than the Kings of the Earth. My Mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my Covenant shall stand fast with him. His Seed al­so will I make to endure for ever, and his Throne as the days of Heaven. Verse 33.34, 35, 36, 37. Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. My Covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I sworn by my Holiness, that I will not lye unto David. His Seed shall endure for ever, and his Throne as the Sun before me: It shall be established for ever as the Moon, and as a faithful Witness in Heaven.

One needs only read over the Psalms which I have now taken notice of, and which are al­most all applyed by the Jews to the Messiah, to see the great Number of Oracles which God gave in David's time, concerning this matter; not to speak of those which describe the Cal­ling of the Gentiles, which fill up the [Page 80]Book of the Psalms almost entirely.

I come now to the proof of the second Article, which is to shew, That the Oracles which David uttered are much clearer, and much more particular than those which were given before. This I hope to prove beyond all contradiction, by considering two Psalms, the one whereof describes the prodigious Hu­miliation of the Messiah; and the other de­scribes his Advancement at the right hand of God; two of the greatest Truths declared by the Prophets, and two the most singular of all the Characters which belong to the pro­mised Messiah.

CHAP. XI.
Considerations upon the Sufferings of the Messiah, and upon his glorious Ascension in­to Heaven, foretold by David in the XXII and CX Psalms.

IT cannot be deny'd, when one reads the XXII Psalm, but that the person there spoken of, is described figuratively, as one exposed to the seve­rest Sufferings, from which he is afterwards deli­vered by the Divine assistance, and advanced to rule an Empire which extends it self over all the Nations of the World, and afterwards universally adored.

I. He that speaks, cries out as if God had for­saken him, and had stopped his Ears unto his Cry.

II. He describes himself as a Worm, and no Man, as the reproach of Men, and one despised by the people.

III. He takes notice, that those who were wit­nesses of his Sufferings, made a mock at them, bidding him trust in God, that he might deliver him.

IV. He ranks his Enemies amongst the Bulls of Bashan, and raging Lions, who (according to the Prophetical way of speaking) are the chief Men in the Nation. Amos IV. 1. Ezech. XXII. 25.

V. He joyns the Dogs with them, that is, pro­phane persons or the Gentiles.

VI. He represents his Hands and his Feet as pierced with Nails.

VII. He shews that he was stretched out be­fore, in such a manner that they might count all his Bones; this expresses the Idea of a Man fast­ned to a Cross, and exposed to the view of all the World; as he afterwards describes himself to be quite dry'd up, from the loss of Blood when he was crucify'd.

VIII. He takes notice of their parting his Gar­ments, and

IX. Of their casting Lots upon his Vesture.

In short, one see's throughout all the expressi­ons of this Psalm the Image of a Death which was equally shameful and cruel.

The other part of the Psalm gives us an Ac­count of the deliverance of that person who is mentioned in this holy Hymn.

I. He obliges himself, to praise the Name of [Page 82]the Lord in the most numerous Assembly.

II. He observes it as an effect of this delive­rance, that all the ends of the World should re­member, and turn unto the Lord, and that all the Kindreds of the Nations should worship be­fore him.

III. At last, he takes notice that the Kingdom of God should spread it self over all the Nations of the World.

One may judge by the History of David, whe­this Psalm is applicable to him; therein we may see all the Crosses which he underwent particu­larly represented, during all the former years of his Reign. But there we have no Account, that David ever suffered any thing like that which is so exactly described in this Psalm. And this may be said further, that when David took any Oc­casion to paint out his Sufferings to us, he has put in several stroaks which only relate to the Messiah, and which shew us in a very lively manner, that he was to pass through much greater Tryals than any of those from which David had been deliver­ed.

The later Jews, who endeavour to verifie this Prophecy in Esther or Mordecai, agree with us at the bottom, that David carried his views further than barely his own Sufferings. And those also who apply it to the poople of Israel, must ac­knowledge the same Truth even against their wills.

But the more ancient Jews were more equita­ble in their applications of the XXII Psalm to the Messiah. They applyed it to him in earnest, even after the time of Jesus Christ, when the compari­son [Page 83]of these Characters of the Messiah, which may be found so exactly in the Death of Jesus Christ, led them to an opposition of this Truth.

And certainly there needs very little equity to acknowledge that this Oracle, or rather this heap of Oracles belong'd to the Messiah, by the con­fession and agreement of the Jews in our Saviour's time.

I. They had not then resolved to make their advantages of the Writer's fault, who writ [ [...]] like a Lion, instead of [ [...]] they have pierced my feet, as they have done since. In short, Aquila who lived 100 years after Jesus Christ, and the other Jewish Interpreters, Symmachus and Theo­dotion, translated that passage as we now read it.

II. The Notion which the Synagogue always had of the Sufferings of the Messiah, obliged them to suppose two Messiahs, one suffering, and the other glorious, rather than to contradict that Truth openly, which is expressed by these Oracles in soparticular a manner.

III. Nothing can be imagined to be more ridi­culous, than to suppose that Jesus Christ should quote the first words of this Psalm upon the Cross, thereby to engage all Mankind to take notice of the accomplishment of this ancient Oracle in all his Sufferings, if we suppose that this Psalm even by the confession of the Jews, had no relation to the Messiah.

The same Reflexion may be made concerning the Apostles, who have quoted so many passages of this Psalm to prove that Jesus Christ was the [Page 84]Messiah; because one may find in his Death, and in the Circumstances of it, such a litteral and exact accomplishment of this ancient Prophe­cy.

But if it should be objected, That after all, this agreement of the Synagogue can make no more than a strong prejudice; this may be easily answered; by considering that when the Psalmist speaks of the extent of his Kingdom over the whole Earth, it was that Circumstance which de­termined the Synagogue in their application of this whole Psalm to the Messiah; because as the Jews themselves acknowledge, this extent of Empire is one of those Characters, which accord­ing to the ancient Oracles, is applicable to none but the Messiah. In short, (because it is of great importance, I shall repeat it here again) common sense led those who considered these ancient Ora­cles, to compare them (as naturally they ought) with those that went before, and to determine the scope and intent of the later ones by the rela­tion which they had to the precedent ones; and there was only need of one considerable Clause to make a certain determination after they had made such a comparison. This the Jews were certainly convinced of, when they acknowledg­ed that the last words of David, II Sam. XXIII. 1-8. were to be applyed to the Messiah, by comparing them with Balaam's Oracle of the Messiah, Numb. XXIV.

We may therefore take it for granted, That David did not absolutely speak of himself in the XXII Psalm, and that he carried his views as far as the Messiah, that he gave a great number of [Page 85]Characters to his Posterity, whereby they might distinguish, notwithstanding the greatness of his Sufferings, and even the better by his very Suf­ferings, than which no clearer marks can possi­bly be given; because there is nothing more in­voluntary than enduring of Miseries, nor nothing which depends less upon the choice of the per­son who is to undergo them, than the particular kind of punishment, or than the Circumstances which must accompany his Death, when it is once left to the unjust power of violent Enemies.

We come now to the CX Psalm, which in a very few words contains several very important Characters of the Messiah, which are very di­stinctly expressed.

If one considers it exactly, it seems to have been composed after that Nathan had acquainted David with the Glory of his Son which God had promised him; such a Son who should build a House wherein God should dwell for ever, and who should sit upon a Throne which should ne­ver be overturned; whereas David had only form'd a Design of Building a Temple to the Lord.

In short, one see's that the Spirit of Prophecy had given him a view of the Glory of this august King who should be born of his Seed, and of the Glory of his Kingdom which should never be de­stroy'd. David advances this King not only a­bove all MEN, by calling him his Lord who was himself a King; but also above the Angels, by making him sit at the right hand of God in the Kingdom of Heaven. This is personal. He also describes the Glory of his Office, by consider­ing [Page 86]him as a Priest of a higher order than that of Aaron, from whom Melchisedech received Tithes in the person of Abraham: And, in a word, he acquaints us with the progress of his Kingdom, and the greatness of his Victories. Let us ex­amine all these Characters by themselves.

I. He brings in God speaking to the Messiah, whom he calls his Lord; Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thy Enemies thy footstool. This points out to us, 1. That the Messiah ought to be ad­vanced to Glory. 2. That God intended to sub­due his Enemies by little and little, whilst the Messiah should be in his Glory; as it was fore­told in the Second Psalm.

II. He observes, That the Empire of the Mes­siah was to begin at Jerusalem, or Sion, which was then to be under the power of his Ene­mies.

III. He expresly points out the quick extent of the Kingdom of the Messiah, with the Cha­racter of those who should submit to him with­out constraint or violence, which was much pra­ctised under Moses's Law.

IV. He positively asserts, That the Messiah should be established a Priest after the order of Mel­chisedech, which would overturn the whole Le­vitical Priesthood, which then was to have an end: Yet the very same King who designed the Draught of the Temple which Solomon built some time after, undermines the Foundations of this material Building, and clearly supposes that the Levitical Ministry, which was fixed to Solo­mon's Temple, should last no longer than until the Coming of the Messiah.

V. He particularly takes notice, That the Mes­siah should, by the Divine Assistance, destroy all that should oppose his power, and should bring all things under his Dominion, as a Conquerour who should overturn all things with the utmost violence.

Nothing can be greater than these several Ora­cles; nothing can be more particular than his de­scription of the Glory to which the Messiah was to be advanced after that prodigious Humiliation which is described in the XXII Psalm; But what can we suppose to be the reason of David's speak­ing of the Messiah in this Psalm? This I am fur­ther to consider.

One may say that the Jews did not constantly apply these Prophecies to the Messiah, before the Coming of Jesus Christ without good grounds: They could not apply them to any of David's Successors; none of David's Successors was both King and Priest. Uzziah was the only man who dared to usurp the Priesthood; and he was pu­nished by God himself. The Maccabees were not of David's Tribe, but were Levites, and none of them ever went up into Heaven to set at the right hand of God. Besides, their Kingdom did not begin in Sion, and they never brought any other Kings under their Authority. They applyed it therefore to the Messiah, pursuant to the Maxim which they drew from a frequent meditation up­on the ancient Oracles, that we ought only to look for an accomplishment of those Prophecies in the person of the Messiah, which they could never sind to be fulfilled any where else, when at the same time they knew that the exactness [Page 88]and truth of those Predictions could not be any ways contested.

In short, it plainly appears that they did unani­mously apply it to the Messiah before Jesus Christ came into the World, from the manner of their confessing it to our Saviour, when he pressed them with the CX Psalm; tho' they could not explain the manner how David should call the Messiah Lord, when they allow'd him to be his Son, Matth. XXII. 48.

One see's nothing so frequently urg'd by the Apostles as this CX Psalm; they use it upon all Occasions to prove that Jesus Christ had the Cha­racters of the true Messiah, such as David had given him in the CX Psalm, supposing still, as a thing beyond dispute, that David spoke of the Messiah in this famous Prophecy.

So that what Evasions soever the Jews may en­deavour to make use of, yet they cannot deny but that their most famous Doctors since Jesus Christ, have upon several Occasions follow'd the old Notions of the Synagogue in this mat­ter. One finds in their Writings great numbers of Testimonies which confirm this Truth. I shall not mention them at present, because they are well enough known, and because I would make haste to come to that new degree of Reve­lations which God gave to those Prophets who gave new Characters of the Messiah to the Jew­ish Nation for some Ages after David's time.

They are in too great a number to be spoken of, one by one, and I am forced to range them under certain Heads; tho' I intend at the same time to make more particular Reflexions upon [Page 89]some of those which give us an account of the most remarkable Truths, and so by that means furnish us with the most sensible Character where­by we may know more certainly the person whom God proposed to his People in such a manner as the Saviour of Israel, and whom he had before called The Expectation of the Gentiles.

CHAP. XII.
That the Messiah was to have a Forerunner, and what was to be his Character.

WE shall make it manifest in the sequel of the Discourse, That the Messiah was to appear in a very despicable state, and consequent­ly that his Appearance would be very distastful to those who expected him in the splendour of a great King and Conquerour. To oppose this preconceived Opinion of theirs, the Divine Wis­dom thought fit to appoint one to be his Fore­runner, who should call the Jews to Repentance, and a Reformation of their Lives, and form in them a true Notion of the Ministry of the Messi­ah, as of a Person who was to prescribe to them Laws of the greatest purity and holiness. And indeed, in examining the holy Scriptures, we find, [Page 90]That the Appearance of the Messiah was to be usher'd in by a Person thus distinguish'd; the following Prophecies are very express to this pur­pose.

The first of these we find in the XL of Isaiah, verse 3. where the Prophet speaks thus, before the Destruction of the first Temple; Isai. XL. 3. The voice of him that crieth in the Wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the Desert a High way for our God. Abenezra. The Jews acknowledge that this Chapter speaks of the comfort the Messiah was to procure for his People, and that the Voice men­tion'd here refers to those who were to declare and proclaim his Coming.

We meet with a second Prophecy in Malachy, who prophecied after the Rebuilding of the Tem­ple, and who having shut up the Vision, precise­ly points at the Time wherein he was to appear, viz. during the second Temple, Chap. III. verse 1, 2, 3, & 4. Behold, I will send my Messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddainly come to his Temple; even the Messenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in, behold he shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a Refiners fire, and like Fullers sope. And he shall sit as a Refiner and Pu­rifier of Silver: and he shall purifie the Sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an Offering in Righteousness.

The Jews own that these words also of Mala­chy, R. Saad. speak of the Forerunner of the Messias.

But we ought to observe in the foregoing Pas­sages, 1. That they have a manifest Relation to [Page 91]the Time of the Messiah's coming; should the Jews deny this (as indeed they unanimously ac­knowledge it) it would be an easie matter to con­vince them, 1. By urging the Authority of the Evangelists, who apply these very Passages to the Ministry of John the Baptist. Thus we find that St. Matthew and St. Matth. III. 1 Mark I. 2 Mark make a manifest Allu­sion to these two Prophecies: Zachary also, the Father of John the Baptist, applyes that of Isaiah to his Son; and his Authority is the more conside­rable, because he was a Priest. 2. By an atten­tive considering the Passages themselves. 3. By the common consent of the Jewish Church, who by a generally received and undoubted Tradition, that Elijah the Tishbite (the Septuagint in their Tran­slation of that place of Malachy telling us as much) was to be the Forerunner of the Messiah; and we find, that in the time of our Saviour, the Multi­tude and his Disciples supposed the same thing: And the Jews at this day have the same perswasi­on, viz. That Elias is to come before the Appear­ance of the Messiah; from which Tradition of the Jews the Christians of old did, and many at this day do believe, That Elias shall resume the Functions of his Ministry before the last coming of Jesus Christ to Judge the Quick and the Dead.

2. We may observe, That the Character of the Forerunner of the Messiah, being that which the Jews had much in their eye, it was needful for it to be as notable and extraordinary, as was that of the Prophet Elias; whose Ministry was without dispute the most remarkable and illustri­ous of all the Prophets since Moses; which gave the Prophet Malachy occasion to call him Elias, much [Page 92]upon a like account as the Prophet Ezekiel calls the Messiah, Ezek. XXXIV. 23, 24. David.

But above all things, we must carefully observe the several Marks the Prophets give us of this Fore­runner.

The Prophet Isaiah gives us these following par­ticulars: 1. That his Ministry was to be very sig­nal, and attended with general Respect and Ve­neration. 2. That he was to preach in the Wil­derness. 3. That he was to call Sinners to Re­pentance. 4. That he was to confound those who were most eminent in Authority, and to comfort the Poor and Humble. 5. That he was immediately to precede the Messiah. 6. That his Mi­nistry was to usher in that grand Revelation of the Glory of God in the presence of all Flesh, i. e. before all Nations of the Earth, who were to be called by the Messiah to his Religion, accord­ing to the express Declaration of the Prophets.

The Prophet Malachy doth most distinctly re­present to us, 1. That the Mission of this Fore­runner was not far off, Behold, saith he, I send my Messenger. He speaks of it as of a thing at the Door. Now it is evident, and the Jews them­selves own it, That from the Time of Malachy, there was never a Prophet till the Appearance of John the Baptist.

2. It tells us that this Elias was to call Sinners to Repentance, and to prepare the way before the face of the Lord.

3. That he was immediately to precede the Messias; this he expresses by saying, And the Lord whom ye seek shall suddainly come to his Temple, even the Angel of the Covenant whom ye delight in. It [Page 93]is evident that he speaks here of the Messiah, whom he calls, Psalm II. not only the Angel or Messenger of the Covenant, but also the Lord; The Lord, foras­much as God had promised him as a King to the House of David; and the Angel of the Cove­nant, because 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 dis­solution of the Jewish State, and the De­struction of the Second Temple.

THE preceding Mark of the Messiah, leads us to this we are now to speak of, and af­fords it considerable Light. I will not repeat here what I have already set down concerning that Prophecy, Gen. XLIX. verse 10. concerning the Time when our Saviour was to appear in the World: It is evident at first sight, That that Pro­phecy evidences Three things: 1. That the Scepter was to be in the House of Judah, before ever the Shiloh was to come. 2. That the Scepter was to give way to an inferiour Dignity, which the Pro­phet sets forth by the word Lawgiver; and which did take place till the time of Zerubbabel, and [Page 94]his Successors. 3. There was a necessity that this last Dignity also was to come to an end, which happened not till the Advancement of He­rod the Great to the Throne of Judea. And it is easie to confirm this Truth, by other Oracles which give a further Light to this our Explica­tion.

We have several that are very remarkable up­on this account: The first is that of Daniel, Chap. II. verse 40, 41, 42, to 46. where he first takes no­tice of the Succession of several Monarchies, un­til that of the Messiah. 2. The Time in which the Messiah was to appear. I confess he do's not determine the Time very precisely, mentioning only the Monarchy during which he was to be manifested; but to make amends for this, when he comes to explain the particulars of this Pro­phecy, which before he had propos'd in general terms; he doth not only point at the time of his Appearance, but the very Year of his Death, and he do's it with that exactness, that it is impossi­ble to be mistaken about it.

See what he saith in the IX Chapter of his Re­velations, Verse 24, 25, 26, 27. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy People, and upon thy Holy City, to finish the Transgression, and to make an end of Sins, and to make Reconciliation for Iniquity, and to bring in Everlasting Righteousness, and to Seal up the Vision and Prophecy, and to Anoint the most Holy. Verse 25. Know therefore, and understand, that from the going forth of the Commandment to restore and build Jerusalem, unto the Messiah the Prince, shall be Seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks, the Streets shall be built again, and the Wall [Page 95]even in troublous times. Verse 26. And after the Threescore and two weeks shall MESSIAH be cut off, but not for himself. And the People of the Prince that shall come, shall destroy the City and the Sanctu­ary, and the end thereof shall be with a Flood, and unto the end of the War desolations are determined. Verse 27. And he shall confirm the Covenant with many for one week, and in the midst of the week he shall cause the Sacrifice and Oblation to cease, and for the over-spreading of Abomination, he shall make it desolate, even until the Consummation, and that de­termined shall be poured on the desolate.

For the understanding of this Prophecy which is so exact, and all the Events it refers to, so particularized, it is to be observed:

1. That by the Weeks Daniel here speaks of, Seven Years are designed, according to the Stile of the Law, Levit. XXV. 8. when it speaks of the Year of Jubilee; so that Seventy Weeks make out 490 Years, which is acknowledged by the most Learned amongst the Jews, Jachiades, A­barbanel, and Manasseh Ben Israel.

2. That the Prophet writing in Chaldea, fol­lowed the Account of the Chaldean Year, which consists of 360 days, as appears clearly from o­ther passages of this Book, where he resolves the Years into Days, without regarding the several Days which in a just Calculation were to be in­tercalated.

3. That the Prophet expresses a certain Epocha, from whence the counting of these Weeks is to begin, viz. an Order to rebuild the Temple, which cannot be applyed to that of Cyrus, which was in a manner of none effect; nor to the [Page 206] [...] [Page 95] [...] [Page 96]Edict of Darius Son of Hystaspes, which had regard only to the re-establishing of the Temple; nor to that of Artaxerxes given to Ezra, in the Seventh Year of the Reign of that Prince, because that contained on­ly some particular Priviledges for the Ministers of the Temple: but to the Edict which Ar­taxerxes granted to Nehemiah in the Twentieth Year of his Reign, which contains a particu­lar Grant, to rebuild the Temple with its For­tifications.

4. For though there be but 483 Solar Years from the 20 of Artaxerxes to the first of Cajus Caligula, yet we shall find the just Number of 490 Years, if we follow the Chaldean way of Calculation, in which they reckon 360 Days to a Year. And indeed we find just 483 such Years from the 20 Year of Artaxerxes to the time wherein all Judea was in expectation of the Messiah. It was then Jesus Christ was bap­tized. He suffer'd Death Three Years and a Half after his Baptism, viz. The Nineteenth Year of Tiberius, before the Seventh Week was ended, and the Term pointed out by Daniel was expi­red.

I know that some famous Men begin the Weeks of Daniel, from the Second Year of Darius No­thus, and make them to end with the Destruction of Jerusalem, which happend in the Year 490, accounting from the Second Year of the said Da­rius; and they conceive themselves oblig'd there­to, by an Argument, they believe invincible, be­cause from the Second Year of Darius Nothus to the Thirty Second of Artaxerxes Mnemon, they [Page 97]find just Forty nine years, that is the Seven Weeks designed by Daniel for rebuilding of the Ruins, and fortifying of the City; and the ra­ther because Nehemiah return'd to Artaxerxes in the Thirty second Year of his Reign, having fi­nished that work, Nehemiah XIII. 6. But this Opinion cannot stand, for these two Reasons which seem to me to be unanswerable: The first is, Because they suppose that Daniel ends his Se­venty Weeks at the Destruction of Jerusalem, whereas indeed he saith no such thing, but expresly tells us that the Messiah should be cut off in the midst of the Seventieth Week. The second is, That so, without designing it, they rob Jesus Christ of the Glory, of having determined the Time of the Destruction of Jerusalem, as if in­stead of a Prophecy concerning that Event, he had only given us an Explication of that of Da­niel. Neither will I make any further stop here, to observe, That that which has given most trouble to Interpreters, hath proceeded from the want of making an exact distribution of the dif­ferent parts of that Prophecy, which very di­stinctly delivers three things: 1. The end of the Prophecy, which happened after Seven Weeks in the time of Malachy. 2. The Death of the Mes­siah, which came to pass in the midst of the last Week of the 490 Years. 3. The Peace which was to be made in the midst of one Week, that is Three years and an half before the Destructi­of Jerusalem, which was done not by the Messiah, as some have imagined, but by the Romans who made Peace with the Parthians, Annal. Lib. XV. as is recorded by Tacitus. An intelligent Reader will easily judge, [Page 98]That this diversity of Opinions concerning the meaning of this Oracle, has been occasioned by want of attention to what has been now menti­oned.

Now these Observations being supposed, as indeed they are Matters of the greatest Evidence, it necessarily follows, That the Messiah was to appear before the Destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. The Time is set down so precise­ly by Daniel, as leaves no pretence to doubt of this Truth. And indeed, tho' the Jews seem presently after the time of our Saviour, to have adopted the Opinion I mentioned before, as be­ing unwilling to receive the Messiah, and there­fore carried it to the end of the Seventy Weeks, viz. to the Destruction of their Temple, notwith­standing Daniel expresly tells us, That the Tem­ple was not to be destroyed till after the Appear­ance of the Messias. The Jews, I say, being convinc'd by the force of this Argument, have owned that the Messiah was born at the time of the Destruction of the second Temple, but that he has hid himself ever since.

The second Oracle concerning the Time of the Coming of the Messiah, is, That of Hag­gai, which expresly tells us, that the Messiah was to appear during the second Temple, which was begun to be built by the Order of Cyrus, fi­nished under Darius Son of Hystaspes, and de­stroyed by Vespasian. The Words of the Prophet are as follows, Chap. II. vers. 7, 8, 9. And I will shake all Nations, and the desire of all Nations shall come; and I will fill this House with Glory, saith the Lord of Hosts. The Silver is mine, and the Gold is [Page 99]mine, saith the Lord of Hosts. The Glory of this lat­ter House shall be greater than that of the former saith the Lord of Hosts: and in this place will I give Peace, saith the Lord of Hosts. It is worth our noting, 1. That this Oracle promises a very great change. 2. It describes the Messiah as the Expectation of the Gentiles, suitable to the Idea God had given of him to Abraham. 3. That it fixes the Coming of the Messiah to the Time of the second House, that is to say, of the Temple built by Zorobabel. 4. It makes the Glory of that House to depend upon its being honoured with the presence of the Messiah.

In short, if we would be convinc'd of this Truth, we need only consider three things: The first is, That the Prophets Zachariah and Malachy do represent to us the Coming of the Messiah as near at hand; Balaam had said, almost Ten A­ges before, I see him, but not nigh, which intima­ted his coming to be then at a great distance. But Zechariah speaks thus concerning it, Chap. III. vers. 8, 9, 10. Hear now O Joshuah the High Priest, thou and thy Fellows that sit before thee, for they are men wondred at: Behold, I will bring forth my Servant the BRANCH; For behold, the Stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one Stone, shall be seven Eyes; behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the Lord of Hosts, and I will remove the iniqui­ty of that Land in one day. In that day saith the Lord of Hosts, shall ye call every man his Neighbour, under the Vine and under the Figtree.

Malachy expresses himself, concerning the ap­proaching coming of the Messiah, thus, (Chap. III. verse 1.) Behold, I will send my Messenger, and he [Page 100]shall prepare the way before me; and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his Temple, even the Messenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in, behold he shall come saith the Lord of Hosts.

One ought to observe two very considerable things in this Prophecy: The first, That the Mes­siah was to come suddainly. The second, That Malachy expresly points to us, that the appearing of the Messiah was to be during the second Tem­ple; the words of the Prophecy distinctly ex­pressing it.

And sure it is, that all who gave any credit to these Oracles, did understand them so.

For first, Both Jews and Gentiles looked for the Messiah during the second Temple. We find a passage express to the purpose in Tacitus; and it was on this ground that Josephus gave the Title of Messiah to Vespasian.

2. They expected him at the end of the Se­venty Weeks, which was the Third Year after the Death of Jesus Christ. This was the occasi­on of their being deluded by so many false Mes­siah's about the time of our Saviour, and a little after.

3. They never despair'd of his coming (ta­king the Promise of the Messiah's coming to be conditional, when as indeed it was absolute) un­til they began to believe that the term set down by God himself was expired.

4. The reason of their cursing those that com­pute the times set down so distinctly and precisely by Daniel, was, because they found themselves disappointed in his Calculation, finding that the time which Daniel had pointed at for the coming [Page 101]of the Messiah, seem'd to be already expi­red.

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 Messiah shall appear; but this evasion is unanswerably refuted: 1. Because Daniel assigns a certain term which is expired 1600 Years since. 2. Because he expres­ly tells us, That the desolation of the Temple was to be for ever, as will appear in the follow­ing Chapters. And 3dly, Because Haggai in ef­fect calls the Temple of which he speaks, The se­cond or third House, by which expression he so di­stinctly points out the second Temple to us, that it would be ridiculous to suppose it meant, of a third Temple, to be built 1700 Years after the ruin of that of which he prophecied.

CHAP. XIV.
That the Messiah was to be born of a Virgin of the House of David.

HItherto we have seen that the Messiah was to be born of the Posterity of Abraham by I­saac, of that of Isaac by Jacob, and of that of Ja­cob by Juda. This hath been sufficiently made out already.

I have also shew'd from the Oracle in the I Sam. Chap. VII. That he was to be born of the Posteri­ty [Page 102]of David; and we find the same very parti­cularly and fully set down in the LXXXIX Psalm.

The following Prophets have exprest them­selves to the same purpose; Isaiah XI. vers. 1, 2, 3. and the Prophet Jeremy hath pursued the same Idea's, Chap. XXIII. vers. 5, 6. and Chap. XXXIII. vers. 15, 16, 17.

Neither do the Prophets only distinguish the Messiah by his being born of a Virgin, but also by determining that Virgin to the House of Da­vid. Neither need I repeat here what I have al­ready observ'd, That this is a Truth, the Grounds whereof God had laid down in his first promise, viz. The Seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents head: where he makes mention of the Seed of the Woman only, without naming that of the Man, the word of Seed or Posterity very evident­ly designing a Man to be born of the Woman, which is acknowledg'd by the Jews in another Prophecy, and the same which the Apostle St. Paul takes notice of as a Maxim generally owned by the Doctors of the Synagogue. Galat. III. It is also evi­dent that the word Woman plainly denotes the Sex of which this person was immediately to be born.

It was obvious to judge, That something mi­raculous was to attend the Birth of the Messiah. We see Isaac born of a barren Mother, past the Age of Child-bearing: We find also something very singular at the Birth of Sampson and Samuel; and 'tis well known that the promise of the Mes­siah was something far greater than the Birth of these now mentioned, how illustrious soever they [Page 103]might be; and that therefore probably his Birth was to be attended by a greater Miracle. But because this was a thing wholly new, we ought to observe in what manner God did particularly foretel it.

The Prophecy of Isaiah expresseth it thus, Chap. VII. vers. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. More­over the Lord spake again unto Ahaz, saying; Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God, ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord. And he said, hear ye now O house of David, is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the Evil, and choose the Good: for before the Child shall know to re­fuse the Evil, and choose the Good, the Land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her Kings. The Lord shall bring upon thee, upon thy People, and upon thy Father's House, days that have not come from the day that Ephraim departed from Juda, even the King of Assyria. Where we may observe,

1. That the Promise here is made to a wicked King, but of the Family of David, to whom the Prophet particularly addresses himself.

2. That this Prophecy was given at a juncture of time very capable of awakening their attenti­on to it, at a time when the State of the Jews was reduced to the greatest extremity, and the House of David in particular in a very great con­sternation.

3. The Prophecy was utter'd by a very illustri­ous [Page 104]Prophet, who was of the Royal Fami­ly.

4. It was sealed and confirmed with the Pre­diction of the Birth of a Child, which came to pass accordingly.

5. It is set forth as a very extraordinary sign, instead of that which the wicked King refused to ask, when Isaiah offer'd it him, in the Name of God.

I am not ignorant that the Modern Jews de­ny that this Character of being born of a Virgin belongs to the Messiah: but it is an easie mat­ter to confute them.

For first, Would it not have been ridiculous for the Apostles to go about to apply this Oracle to their Messiah, if it had not been a thing uni­versally own'd by the Jews, that this was the meaning of Isaiah's Prophecy? Is it not evident that this Character, so difficult to gain belief, would rather perplex than strengthen their proofs. And yet certain it is that St. Matthew has done so, Chap. I. verse 23. as likewise St. Luke, Chap. I. verse 31.

Justin Martyr observ'd, That the Notion of this Oracle, as we understand it, hath been enter­tain'd amongst the Heathens, who built their Fa­ble of Perseus upon it, whom they pretend to have been born of a Virgin.

3. It appears that all those Laws which I men­tioned in my Reflexions upon Exodus, and the following Books, Chap. XX. and which have Re­lation to the distinct knowledge of the state of Virginity, receive much light from this Notion; and are without it altogether useless.

4. 'Tis evident that the Jews did not dispute this Character, till after they saw that the Chri­stians apply'd it to Jesus Christ; and thereupon have fallen upon such childish Fancies as may just­ly cover them with Confusion.

But we shall be yet further satisfied hereof, if we add to all these just Prejudices, only the fol­lowing Reflexions on the terms the Prophet makes use of.

The first is, That the LXX Interpreters have in translating this Prophecy, made use of a word that signifies a Virgin, and not a young Wo­man, as the Jews have understood it since our Saviour's time. The first who rejected the Inter­pretation of the Septuagint was Symmachus, In Dialog. cum Try­phon. Tertull. cont. Jud. cap. 9. who lived in the second Century, as it is observed by Justin Martyr and Tertullian, who for this reason accuse the Jews of having falsified the Holy Scrip­ture.

The second is, That the Hebrew word expresly signifies such an one, as according to the Law of Virgins, was kept under Lock and Key from the Eyes of Men, according to the custom of the Eastern Nations, and especially of the Jews, which continues amongst them till this day.

The third is, That this word hath been taken by the Africans in the same signification, as St. Je­rome observes.

The fourth is, That the Prophet doth set forth this Child-bearing as a Prodigy and Miracle alto­gether unheard of, and as a particular Character, by which the House of David was to be strongly confirmed in the hope of seeing the accomplish­ment of the Promise which God had made of [Page 106]setling an eternal Kingdom upon it, which could not be accomplished but by means of the Messi­ah.

The fifth is, That tho' some Jews have applyed this Prophecy to King Hezekiah, Raschi in h. l. which yet to others of them seems very ridiculous, he being Nine years of Age when the Prophecy was ut­tered by Isaiah, and themselves never making use of this Evasion, except in their Disputes against the Christians, and so on this occasion have dropt a Confession which alone was sufficient to con­found them. Yet it hath been a thing so general­ly received amongst them, That this Prophecy did respect the Messiah, that after they had ap­plyed it to Hezekiah, one of their most famous Doctors concludes, Gemar in Sanhed. Cap. Che­lech. That they ought to look for no Messiah, since the time of Hezekiah, that Prophecy having had its accomplishment in him; an Opinion which those that succeeded him have rejected with the greatest abhorrence.

The sixth is, That the Title of Immanuel, given to this Son, whose Birth is here promised, is re­presented to us Chap. VIII. as the Name of him who was Lord of the Land, which is a true Re­presentation of the Heir promised to David, to whom David said, O God, thy God hath anointed thee with the Oyl of Gladness above thy Fellows. Psal. XLV. 7, 8.

The seventh is; That the Prophet Isaiah ha­ving alledged and cited two Witnesses, Uriah the Son of Shemaiah, a Prophet, who was put to death by Jehoiakim, and Zechariah the Son of Jeberechiah; the former of which lived long af­ter Ahaz, and the latter since the Captivity, under [Page 107] Darius King of Persia, according to the account the Jews themselves give of them, he sufficiently hints by this Circumstance, That the Prophecy concerning the Birth of the Immanuel he speaks of, was to be fulfill'd many Ages after, and not in that Age wherein he prophecies.

CHAP. XV.
That the Messiah was to be born at Bethlehem of the Family of David, which at that time was reduc'd to a private state.

GOD had not only pointed out the time in which the Messiah was to appear, with the miraculous Manner and Circumstances of his Birth; but he had also named the Family, the Place, with the State and Condition of the Fa­mily in which he was to be born, as a triple Cha­racter by which he might be known.

I say, first, That according to the Divine O­racles, the Messiah was to be born of the Fami­ly of David, as will appear if we consider the following Oracles.

1. God expresly promiseth as much to David, II Sam. Chap. VII. a place I have quoted before, which proves that the Messiah was to be born of the Family of David.

2. It appeareth that David believ'd this himself, [Page 108]from Psalm CXXXII. vers. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18. The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David, he will not turn from it; of the fruit of thy Body will I set upon thy Throne. And after having said, Verse 12. That if his Children would keep his Covenant, that their Children also should sit upon his Throne for evermore. And this because (Vers. 13 & 14.) the Lord had chosen Zion, and desired it for his habitation, &c. and promised Verse 15. That he would abundantly bless her Provision, and satisfie her Poor with Bread; that he would Verse 16. Clothe her Priests with Salvation, and make her Saints shout for joy. He subjoyns Vers. 17 & 18. There I will make the horn of David to bud, I have ordained a Lamp for mine Anointed. His Enemies I will clothe with shame, but upon himself shall his Crown flourish. It is very evident, That by this Horn of David is to be meant a King, the Messiah, whom he di­stinguishes by that Expression from all the rest of David's Children. And Zachariah in his Song of Praise, Luke I. verse 69. applying it to our Sa­viour, puts the Matter out of all doubt.

3. Hence it was the Prophets took occasion to give to the Messiah the Name of David. So Ezek. XXXIV. vers. 23, 24. And I will set up one Shep­herd over them, and he shall feed them, even my Ser­vant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their Shepherd. And I the Lord will be their God, and my Servant David a Prince among them, I the Lord have spoken it.

4. The Jews are, and have always been firm in this perswasion, grounded on the foresaid and o­ther like places of Scripture, which they con­stantly refer to the Messiah.

I say in the second place, That the Divine O­racles expresly point out Bethlehem for the Birth­place of the Messiah. Micah the V. Verse 2. But thou Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little a­mong the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me, that is to be Ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from the days of Eternity.

The Jews acknowledge that this Oracle speaks of the Messiah; and indeed the Prophet distin­guishing by Bethlehem adding the word Ephra­tah (whence the Family of David was) from that Bethlehem which belonged to another Tribe, makes it apparent that nothing could be spoke more di­stinctly to determine the Birth-place of the Mes­siah. Besides, we find that all the Jewish Rab­bies and Priests agree in this, That the Messiah was to be born at Bethlehem, when being consul­ted by Herod about this Matter, they declared this to be their Sense, grounded upon the fore­mentioned place of Micah, Matthew II. vers. 4, 5, 6.

In the third place, it appears that the Messiah was to be born in an abject, contemptible, and weak condition, and very different from the greatness of the Kings of Judah. Indeed, should we only have our eye on II Sam. Chap. VII. and Psalm CXXXII. it would be natural enough to think the contrary; but Micah's Oracle suffici­ently refutes them; for how great things soever the Prophet there speaks of the Messiah, whether as to his Divine Nature, by declaring that his Go­ings forth were from the days of Eternity; or to the Majesty and Glory of his Empire; yet however [Page 110]he gives us a different Idea, inducing us to con­ceive of him, as of one that was to be born in the state of a private Person; for why else is his Birth determined, not to Zion, which was the Place and Seat of the Empire of Judah, but to Bethlehem, a Town where the Family of David lived, whilst they were private Persons, except for this cause, to make us conceive that the Mes­siah was not to be born in that place where the Fa­mily of David possessed the Empire: but in a Condition far distant from the Glory of Kings, and in a place where the House of David was contemptible, and of very small esteem.

The same is hinted to us by Isaiah, in his XI Chapter, v. 1. where he calls the Messiah a Rod, or shoot of the stem of Jesse. Now Jesse was not King, but a private Person. And on the same account it is that the Prophet describes him, Chap. LIII. as having no form or comliness.

The Prophet Zachary also, Chap. IX. verse 9. represents him, not as King, sitting on the Throne in Zion; but as riding to Jerusalem on an Ass; and he gives him the Title of Lowly, which signifies as well a mean Condition, as the vertue of Humi­lity.

But in short, this is very considerable; 1. That those who acknowledged Jesus to be the Messiah, thought they had the greatest reason so to do, be­cause they acknowledged him to be the Son of David.

2. That those who deny'd him that Title, thought themselves sufficiently justified in so do­ing, by esteeming him a Nazarene; as concluding he could not be the Son of David, if he were [Page 111]born at Nazareth, as they supposed.

3. The Evangelists precisely tell us, That Christ was born at Bethlehem, of the Lineage of David, reduced to a very obscure Condition; and so making this one of the chief Characters which spoke him to be the Messiah.

CHAP. XVI.
That the Messiah was to work great Miracles, for the establishing of his Mission, and of the Truth of his Doctrine.

HEre is another Character which is very par­ticular, and whereby the Messiah might be certainly known, viz. That he was to work great Miracles for the confirmation of his Mission and of his Doctrine.

This appears, as I have already hinted, 1. From the conformity which the Messiah was to have with Moses, in being the Founder of a new Re­ligious Society, and in proposing a new Doctrine to Men; upon which account there lay upon him the same Obligation, as upon Moses, to support his Authority by Miracles, that even in this he might not be inferiour to him.

2. One may gather this also from the Title of Prophet, and great Prophet, which are applicable to the Messiah; it being difficult to conceive, That God who vouchsafed the Glory of doing [Page 112]Miracles to most of the Prophets, tho' they were barely sent to foretel the Coming of the Messiah, and to give an account of him, should have deni­ed the same Glory and the same Power to the Messiah himself, of whom all the Prophets were but the Forerunners.

Besides, it is easie to judge from the mean and contemptible state wherein the Messiah was to appear, That this Glory of doing Miracles was of absolute necessity to give him Authority and Re­spect: for since he was to be born in an obscure 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 express Oracle which God gave upon this very Subject, in Isaiah XXXV. vers. 3, 4, 5, and 6. Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them of a fearful heart, be strong, fear not; behold your God will come with vengeance, even God with a Recompence; he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the Blind shall be opened, and the ears of the Deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the Lame man leap as an Hart, and the tongue of the Dumb sing: for in the Wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the Desert. Which Oracle very fully expresses the Power of Miracles wherewith our Saviour was to be dignified, in curing all manner of Di­seases, of which the Prophet hath named some only, to give us a Specimen of the rest; and it seems as if the Prophet had chosen these four sorts before all others, because throughout the whole Scrip­ture [Page 113]we do not find that ever any Prophet did the like, that so the Character of the Messiah might be particular in his Miracles too.

It is also worth our noting, in giving a Chara­cter of the Messiah, First, That even those who rejected Jesus Christ, yet did at the same time suppose that the Messiah when he came, was to work Miracles. Therefore it is that we hear some of them saying to Christ, What sign dost thou? and others maintaining that Moses had wrought greater Wonders than Jesus Christ, in giving them Bread from Heaven, and feeding them miraculously for the space of Forty Years; whilst others affirm'd, That none could work greater Wonders than he wrought: When the Mes­siah shall come, will he do greater Wonders than this Man?

Secondly, One ought to observe that Jesus Christ alledges this Oracle of the Prophet Isaiah, taking it for granted that the accomplishment thereof was most visibly evident in the Miracles which he wrought, as appears from the Answer he gave to the Messengers of John the Bap­tist.

Thirdly, It is also observable, That those who were willing to flatter the vanity of the Emperour Vespasian (whom Josephus endeavoured to raise to a belief that he was the Messiah, because he had been proclaimed in the East, applying to that purpose the words of Micah, misapplyed, Chap. V. Verse 2. Whose goings forth are from the East) were not wanting to attribute to him the Glory of doing Miracles, and such as Isaiah ascribes to the Messiah, by attributing to him the cure of [Page 114]one that was Blind, and another that was Lame at Alexandria. He that would know the Particu­lars, may consult Tacitus his History.

And last of all we ought to observe, That the Jews do not only agree that this Oracle of Isaiah refers to the Messiah; but they also still propose the Power of working Miracles, as a Character which would render the Messiah very illustrious, and certainly known.

CHAP. XVII.
That the Messiah was to be an illustrious Pro­phet.

THis Truth I have already asserted in the Re­flexions I made on the Prophecy of Moses, Deut. XVIII. But one ought to explain this Character of the Messiah more particularly, God having been pleased further to illustrate this Oracle of Moses.

First then, We say that the word Messiah im­plies Anointing, which was common to Kings, Prophets, and Priests; and since David's time, we find nothing more common than this Title in the Books of the Old Testament: where we may ob­serve that Moses was dignified with this Gift of Prophecy; and that Samuel communicated the same to Saul and David, when he anointed them [Page 115]to be Kings. Yea, the Jews to this day are of opinion, that Elias the Prophet shall anoint the Messiah; that is, initiate him in his Prophetical, as well as his Royal Function.

Secondly, God more precisely signifies this, Isai. XI. Vers. 1, 2, & 3. where he declares he would communicate all the necessary Gifts of the Pro­phetical Function to the Messiah. There shall come forth a Rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his Roots. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and Might, the Spirit of Knowledge, and of the Fear of the Lord. So that he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, nei­ther reprove after the hearing of his ears.

These words need no Commentary: For the Jews refer them constantly to the Messiah, and they plainly import that he was to be a great Prophet, forasmuch as all the Characters which are there given to the Spirit which was to rest on the Messiah, are the same which in the Old Testa­ment we find attributed to the Prophets, and may easily be taken notice of in the History of the Pro­phets, especially of David and Solomon.

And much to the same purpose is that passage Isai. XLII. vers. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. Behold my Servant whom I uphold, mine Elect in whom my Soul delighteth: I have put my Spirit upon him, he shall bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised Reed shall he not break, and the smoking Flax shall he not quench; he shall bring forth Judgment unto Truth. He shall not fail nor be dis­couraged till he have set Judgment in the Earth, and [Page 116]the Isles shall wait for his Law. Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the Heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the Earth, and that which cometh out of it: he that giveth breath to the People upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein. I the Lord have called thee in Righteousness, and will hold thine, and will 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 prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness, out of the prison house. In which Oracle one ought to take notice particularly of those things which the Jews apply to the Messiah.

1. That God proposes the Gifts of the Spirit, which he bestowed upon him as an Effect of his Love, and the choice he had made of him.

2. That the Messiah was to make use of the same, as Rules for reforming the Country, and propounding Gods Covenant to the Gentiles; which clearly suppose the necessity of the Gift of Prophecy to qualifie him for such great Under­takings.

3. That contrary to the thundring Character which distinguished the rest of the Prophets, who were as so many publick Censors; the Messiah was to speak with all meekness and sweetness to the Nations which should receive his Preach­ing.

One see's that Isaiah repeats the same Idea's, Chap. LXI. vers. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. The Spi­rit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek, he hath sent me to bind-up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the Captives, and the opening of the Prison [Page 117]to them that are bound. 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 mourn in Zion, to give unto them Beauty for Ashes, the Oyl of Joy for Mourning, the Garment of Praise for the Spirit of Heaviness; that they might be called Trees of Righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. And they shall build the old Wasts, they shall raise up the former Desolati­ons, and they shall repair the waste Cities, the Deso­lations of many Generations. And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the Alien shall be your Plowmen, and your Vine dressers. But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord, men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the ri­ches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast your selves. For your shame ye shall have double, and for confusion they shall rejoyce in their portion: there­fore in their Land they shall possess the double; ever­lasting joy shall be upon them.

In short, he represents in this and the former Oracle, the Gentiles as a People being in darkness, and in the misery of a Prison; from whence we may easily infer, First, That the Messiah was to be a Prophet, how vile and abject soever that Character might appear in the eyes of the World, as I have shewed that it was, where I spake of the Prophets in general. Secondly, That he was to discharge these Functions during the whole course of his Life, and that it was to be his chief Employment here upon Earth.

David had before signified, Psalm XXII. verse 22. that the Messiah was to declare the Name of God unto his Brethren, viz. the Jews, by exercising [Page 118]his Prophetical Function in Judea; but the Ho­ly Spirit did something more when he seem'd to point out Galilee as the place where this Sacred Doctor was chiefly to fix his abode.

This is in effect insinuated, when God tells us that he was to begin his Ministerial Functions in the Tribes of Naphtali and Zebulon. Isai. IX. vers. 1, 2, and 3. Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the Land of Zebulon, and the Land of Naphtali, and afterwards did more grievously af­flict her by the way of the Sea, beyond Jordan in Gali­lee of the Nations. The people that walked in dark­ness have seen a great light, they that dwell in the land of the shadow of Death, upon them hath the light shined. Thou hast multiplyed the Nation, thou hast encreased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in Harvest, and as men rejoyce when they divide the spoil.

I shall afterwards take notice, That the time of the Messiah was to be distinguished by an in­credible abundance of Spiritual Gifts: and so this shall suffice at present to prove that the Messiah was to be a very great Prophet.

CHAP. XVIII.
That the Messiah was to propound a new Covenant from God with all men.

THis is a Truth which is easily gathered, 1. Because all Nations, before they could be made partakers of the Blessing of God by the Messiah (according to the promise made to A­braham) were first to be received into the Cove­nant. 2. From the nature of that Covenant it self, of which Moses was the Mediator, the end of which was, to separate the Jews from other Nations, some of which were not capable of being received amongst them, till after several Genera­tions, whereas they were to be made partakers of this Blessing by the Messiah. 3. Because in effect all the Ceremonial Law, was only added to the Moral, as it were contrary to God's principal in­tention, and only upon occasion of the Jews wor­shipping the Golden Calf, as St. Gal. 3.19. Paul observes in the Third Chapter of his Epistle to the Galati­ans.

Besides, it appears that God at divers times had given sufficient hints concerning this.

1. He had proposed a new Priesthood of the Messiah, which was to abolish the Levitical Priest­hood; and this is the more remarkable, foras­much as David who pronounced that Oracle, Psalm CX. was he who first form'd the design of [Page 120]building the Temple, to which all the Levitical Service was annexed.

2. We find him rejecting in some sort the Le­vitical Ministry, after he had despised it in com­parison of the Spiritual Worship. Psalm XL. vers. 6. Sacrifice and Offering thou didst not desire, mine ears hast thou opened; Burnt-offering and Sin-offering hast thou not required. And Psalm L. vers. 8, 9, 10. I will not reprove thee for thy Sacrifices, or thy Burnt-offerings which have been continually before me. I will take no Bullocks out of thine House, nor He-goats out of thy Folds; for every Beast of the Forest is mine, and the Cattel upon a thousand Hills. And Psalm LI. verse 17. he tells us that the Sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; in opposition to the Sacrifices which the Law prescribed, and to signifie their imperfecti­on; the Law having appointed none for the ex­piation of Murther or Adultery.

Isaiah follows David, Chap. 1. vers. 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15. To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices unto me, saith the Lord? I am full of the Burnt-offerings of Rams, and the fat of fed Beasts: and I de­light not in the blood of Bullocks, or of Lambs, or of He-goats. When you come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hands to tread my Courts? Bring no more vain Oblations, Incense is an abominati­on unto me, the new Moons and Sabbaths, the calling of Assemblies, I cannot away with, it is iniquity even the solemn meeting. Your new Moons, and your ap­pointed Feasts my Soul hateth; they are a trouble unto me, I am weary to bear them. And when you spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea when ye make many prayers, I will not hear, your hands are full of blood. And Jeremiah speaks much to the same purpose, Chap. VII. v. 21, 22, & 23.

But besides, God directly promiseth this new Covenant by Isaiah, Chap. XLII. vers. 6, 7. I the Lord have called thee in Righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will 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 Prisoners from the Prison, and them that sit in Darkness from the Prison house.

It is natural to observe, That in this place, where God speaks of the Messiah, as the Jews themselves confess, he expresly declares two things: 1. That the Messiah should be a Covenant of the People, that is, that he should mediate a Covenant be­tween God and the People. 2. That the fruit of this Covenant was to extend to the Gentiles, which plainly implyes that it was not the old Covenant, forasmuch as from it several were excluded.

The same Covenant is also mention'd, Chap. XLIX. vers. 8, 9. Thus saith the Lord, in an accep­table time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee, and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a Covenant of the People, to establish the Earth, to cause to inherit the desolate Heritages. That thou maist say to the Prisoners go forth; to them that are in dark­ness shew your selves, they shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all High-places.

He pursues the same Notion, Chap. LV. vers. 3, 4. Incline your ear and come unto me, hear and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting Cove­nant with you, the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have given him for a Witness to the People, a Leader and Commander to the People. Than which, no­thing can be more particular.

And to the same purpose he speaks, Chap. LXI. [Page 122] vers. 8, 9. For I the Lord love Judgment, I hate rob­bery for Burnt-offering, and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting Covenant with them. And their Seed shall be known among the Gen­tiles, and their Off-spring among the people; all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the Seed which the Lord hath blessed.

It is as clear as the day, That God in these Oracles promiseth an irrevocable Covenant, because he calls it an Everlasting Covenant in opposition to the former. He takes notice also in the same Book, That the said Covenant was to be propounded in the midst of the Nations, and that then that Bles­sing of God should be known according to the ancient Oracles, which was promised universally 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 Priests, thereby to prevent all sorts of Exceptions.

Jeremiah in effect speaks to the same pur­pose, Chap. XXXI. vers. 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36. Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 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 of Egypt (which my Covenant they brake, altho' I were a husband to them, saith the Lord:) But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days saith the Lord; I will put my Law in their inward parts, and write it in their heart, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his Neighbour saying, know the Lord; [Page 123]for they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their Sin no more. Thus saith the Lord which giveth the Sun for a light by day, and the Ordinances of the Moon and Stars for a light by night, which divideth the Sea when the waves thereof roar, the Lord of Hosts is his name. If those Ordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord, then the Seed of Israel also shall cease from being a Nation before me for ever.

Nothing can be desired more particular than this Oracle; 1. It tells us that God would make a new Covenant with his People, which supposes an abolishing of the former. 2. That this Covenant was not to be like the foregoing. 3. That the old Covenant had been made vain, and had been broken by those with whom it was made. 4. That this Covenant was to be made after those days, that is in the time of the Messiah. 5. That this new Covenant was not to be engraven in Tables of Stone, but in their Hearts. 6. That in the same Covenant full Remission of Sin is promi­sed.

The same thing is also expressed, Chap. XXXII. vers. 40. And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, and they shall not depart from me. And Chap. L. vers. 5. They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thi­therward, saying, Come and let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant, that shall not be for­gotten.

To this purpose also Ezechiel, who himself was a Priest, speaks of a Religious Worship extended [Page 124]to all Nations, and of a new Covenant which God was to make with them, Chap. XVI. vers. 60, 61, 62. Nevertheless I will remember my Covenant with thee, in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting Covenant. Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed when thou shalt receive thy Sisters, thy elder and thy younger, and I will give them unto thee for Daughters, but not by thy Covenant. And I will establish my Covenant with thee, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord.

Here is first, a Covenant differing from the former. 2. A Covenant wherein other Nations were to be included, clearly intimated by the elder and younger Sisters of the Synagogue. 3. A Covenant whereby the Gentiles were to enjoy the same Pri­viledges with the Jews, and be incorporated with them.

Malachy follows the steps of these Prophets, when he calls the Messiah the Angel of the Covenant, Chap. III. vers. 1. Behold, I will send my Messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddainly come to his Temple; even the Messenger (Angel) of the Covenant, whom ye delight in, behold he shall come saith the Lord of Hosts. I know very well that the Jews apply these words to E­lias, whose Ministry, as they pretend, was to con­sist in leading the Jews to Repentance. But if we read the Text with attention, we shall find two Messengers mentioned; the first who prepare the way of the Messiah; and the other is the Messiah himself, who is called the Angel of the Covenant, as being sent of God to make a new Covenant with men.

CHAP. XIX.
That the Jews, by a dreadful effect of their blindness, were to reject the Messiah.

THis is a very peculiar Mark which will guide us surely to the knowledge of the Messiah. We find the Jews at this day very ready to follow every one that usurps that August Title, and to take him for the only true Messiah that was pro­mised them; which is no other than what was infallibly to come to pass.

Neither will this much surprize us, if we consi­der, 1. That this People, on divers occasions, have given very strange instances of a prodigious blind­ness: We see them reject Moses, notwithstanding God had authoriz'd his Call by great and avowed Miracles. Yea, we find them rejecting David al­so, whom God had so signally appointed to be their King, and the Father of the Messiah, of whom we hear these Prophecies.

2. That God upbraids them with this blind­ness by his Prophets, as a sin to which they were peculiarly inclin'd; as appears from Psalm LXIX. vers. 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, and 28. Let their eyes be dark­ned that they see not, and make their Loins continually to shake. Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them. Let their ha­bitation be desolate, and let none dwell in their Tents: for they persecute him whom thou hast smitten, and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded. [Page 126]Add iniquity to their iniquity; and let them not come into thy Righteousness. Let them be blotted out of the Book of the Living, and not be written with the Righ­teous.

One see's the same thing in Isaiah, Chap. VI. vers. 9, 10, 11, and 12. where the Spirit of God fore­tells that the Jews should shut their eyes against the most evident and convincing proofs imagina­ble. Go, saith the Lord to the Prophet, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not, and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and convert, and be healed. Then said I, Lord how long? And he answered, untill the Cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the hou­ses without man, and the Land be utterly desolate: and the Lord have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the Land.

Nothing can be imagined more particular than this Oracle concerning the Jews resisting the Prophet, which God expresses in terms very usual amongst the Prophets, as if Isaiah, who was on­ly the foreteller of their being hardned, should himself be the cause of it.

The Prophet Hoseah describes the very same Complaints of God against the Jews for their blindness and ignorance, for which he denounces their destruction. Hos. IV. vers. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel, for the Lord has a controversie with the inhabitants of the Land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor know­ledge of God in the Land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they [Page 127]break out, and blood toucheth blood. Therefore shall the Land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the Beasts of the Field, and with the Fowls of Heaven, yea the Fishes of the Sea also shall be taken away. Yet let no man strive or reprove another; for thy people are as they that strive with the Priest. Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the Prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy Mother. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because thou hast rejected knowledge I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no Priest to me; seeing thou hast forgotten the Law of thy God, I will al­so forget thy children.

The Prophet Jeremy speaks to the same pur­pose, Chap. V. vers. 21, 22, and 23. Hear now this O foolish people, and without understanding, which have eyes and see not, which have ears and hear not. Fear ye not me saith the Lord? Will ye not tremble at my presence, who have placed the Sand for the bound of the Sea, by a perpetual decree that it cannot pass it, and tho' the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; tho' they roar, yet can they not pass over it? But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone. And he reiterates the same, Chap. VIII. vers. 7. The stork in the Heavens knoweth her appointed times; and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow, observe the time of their coming: but my people know not the Judgment of the Lord.

Ezechiel prosecutes the same matter, Chap. II. vers. 5, and 8. calling the Jews a Rebellious House. And Chap. XII. vers. 1, and 2. he saith, The word of the Lord came unto me saying, Son of Man thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious House, who have [Page 128]eyes to see, and see not, they have ears to hear, and hear not, for they are a rebellious House.

Neither do the Prophets only represent to us in general the blindness of the Jews upon several occasions, but they also very particularly inform us, that he who was the most considerable person of their State, and the great Minister of God, should be notwithstanding rejected by them.

And here, first, It is worth our noting that Moses threatens the worst of Calamities to those who should refuse to hear the great Prophet, like unto him whom God was to raise to his People, Deut. XVIII. vers. 18.

Secondly, David, Psalm CXVIII. v. 22. expres­ses this in these words, The Stone which the Builders refused is become the Head of the Corner. From which words it is evident, 1. That the Messiah was to be rejected. 2. That he was to be rejected by those who were intrusted with the care of build­ing the House. 3. That this was to be before he should be acknowledged the great Minister of Heaven.

God speaks the same thing by Isaiah, Chap. XXVIII. vers. 6. Behold, I lay in Zion for a foun­dation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation, he that believeth shall not make haste. Which place is to be understood of the Messiah by the Confession of the Jews them­selves.

Daniel follows the same Notion, Chap. II. vers. 34, 35. Thou sawest till a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the Image upon his feet, and brake them to pieces: and the stone became a great Mountain, and filled the Earth.