Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

and Enoch. The Distance of Time from the Flood to Mofes was more than it is from the Conqueft to the prefent Age, but half of this time Noah himself was living and therefore allowing for the greater length of Mens Lives in thofe Ages than in ours, the time when Mofes wrote cannot be computed at fo great a distance from the Flood, as we are at from the Reformation. But is it poffible to make any Man of tolerable Senfe, amongst us, believe that Henry VIII. was the firft King of England? That there was a Deluge in his time which fwept all the Inhabitants away of this Ifland, and of the whole World befides, but fome feven or eight Perfons, and that all whom we now fee were born of them? And yet this, as ridiculous as it feems, is no more abfurd than Mofes's Account of the Creation and the Flood, muft have been to those of his own Time, if it were falfe.

For it is very reasonable to think, as Jofephus informs us, that Writing was in ufe before the Flood: And it is not improbable, as fome have conjectur'd, that the History of the Creation, and the reft of the Book of Genefis, was, for the Subftance of it, deliver'd down to Mofes's time in Verfe, which was the most eafie to be remembred, and the most antient of all forts of Writing, and was at first chiefly used for Matters of Hiftory, and confifted of plain Narration, without much of Art or Ornament. We read of Inftrumental Musick, Gen. iv. 21. before the Flood; and Vocal Mufick being fo much more natural than Inftrumental, it is likely that Poetry was of as great Antiquity, both in their Hymns and Praifes of God, and as a Help to their Memories, which are the two Ends to which Mofes applies his own Songs of Poems, Exod. xv. Deut. xxxii. If it be thought, that there was no Writing before the Flood, because there is no Account of the Invention of it, tho' the Inventors of other inferior Arts be men

tion'd; this rather proves the contrary, and that it was coaval with Mankind, or was the Invention of Adam. It is not probable, that in fo long a Life, he should find out nothing for the use of himself and his Pofterity, tho' no Invention be attributed to him; and Writing is fo neceffary, that the World could very ill fubfift without it for between Sixteen and Seventeen Hundred Years. The Gracians, and other Nations, have recorded the firft Inventors, as they fuppos'd, of Letters, as those who beft deferv'd a Memorial in Hiftory. But Pliny is of opinion, that the Affyrian Letters, by which we are to understand the ancient Hebrew, or Samaritan Characters, have been from the Beginning of the World. And fince there is no other mention amongst the ancienteft Jewish Writers, but that they were before the Flood, fome of them alfo afcribing them to Adam, this implies that they were of the greatest Antiquity, and the Time of their Invention is no more known than that of Ploughing and Sowing, and other necessary Arts, which were from the Beginning of the World.

But though it should be fuppofed, that before the Flood, they had not the fame Conveniencies for preferving the Remembrance of things past, that we have had fince, yet things of this nature could never be impofed upon the Generality of Men; and if they had lefs means of conveying things paft to Pofterity, they had fewer things to convey; and all their Histories being concerning the Ancestors of their own Families, they were eafily remembred; and however fhort and imperfect, they could not be fo defective, as that Men fhould generally be fo grosly ignorant as to swallow fuch Impoftures: They had One Day in Seven purposely fet apart for the Praise and Worship of God, and the Commemoration of his Mercies vouchsafed to Mankind; and they, who

Plin, Hift. 1.7. c. 56. cum Harduin. Not.

had

had Proverbial Remembrances of Nimrod, the third from Noah, could not be ignorant of Noah himself, and of the Flood in his time.

In fo few Generations of Men as had past, by reafon of the long Lives of the Patriarchs, it was impoffible for Mofes to impose upon thofe of his own Age in things fo memorable as the Creation of the World, and the Flood, and the Deftruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, &c. But when, fo long after the Flood, the Sons of Noab were difpers'd into fo far diftant places of the Earth, and their Manners and Customs were different, and their Lives fhorter, it became necessary that a true and lafting Account of thofe things fhould ftand recorded in a Book of infallible Credit and Authority, for the benefit of future Ages, left, in procefs of time, the Remembrance of them fhould become obfcure and confus'd, and fabulous Stories fhould be impofed upon the World for Truth, in Matters of fo great Importance. For it has been obferv'd by divers learned Men, that the most ancient Hiftories, as well as the Philofophy and Theology of the Heathens, contain many things concerning the Creation of the World, the firft Propagation of Mankind, the Flood, and other Particulars; which have fo plain an Agreement with what we read in the Book of Genefis, that they are fuppofed to be taken out of it but they are obfcur'd and disguis'd under othen Names and Characters, to conceal from whence they were originally taken, and to gain them the better Acceptance amongst those for whofe ufe the Books containing them were defign'd by their Authors. And when the Remembrance of God's Dealings with paft Ages began to fail, and the ways of Humane Conveyance were fo uncertain, it was requifite that fome infallible Account fhould be given of God's Difpenfations, and his Communications of himself in the first Ages, which might be tranfmitted down to Pofterity, unto the End of the World.

CHAP.

TH

CHA P. II.

The Promulgation of the Scriptures.

HE End and Design of a Revelation from Heaven, must be for the Good of Mankind, and therefore it was necessary that it should be known and promulg'd in the World; and that Revelation which has been known to moft Nations, and farthest divulg'd, carries another Evidence of its Divine Authority. For fince it is neceffary there fhould be fome Divine Revelation, it is likewife neceffary that it should be fufficient to the Ends for which it was defign'd; and it was reveal'd, not to be conceal'd, or confin'd to a few Perfons, but to rectifie the Mistakes, and regulate the Manners of Men; and therefore that which has been moft known, and fartheft propagated, we have reafon to think to be a true Revelation. If every thing else concur to prove it true, the very Promulgation of it is a confiderable Evidence in proof of its Divine Authority: Because it is not to be fuppofed, that God would either fuffer his own. Revelation to be fo ftifled and fupprefs'd, as to become of little or no ufe and benefit to the World, or that he would permit false Revelations to be more known and divulg'd; either of which would very ill confift with the Intention of Revealing his Will to Mankind.

It has been already proved, That it is not to be expected that God should Reveal himfelf to every Man in particular, and it could not be requifite, that he fhould afford a conftant and standing Revelation in all Nations of the World. For if Mankind be fufficiently provided for in the Neceffaries of Salvation, this is all which in Reafon can be expected from a Juft and Good God to finful and perverfe Man. If Men be put in the Ready Way of Salvation, and have suffici

ent

ent Means allow'd them to attain it; all beyond this is the meer arbitrary Effect of Infinite Goodness, and depends wholly upon the good Pleafure of God, being more than we could promife our felves from his Juftice, or, by Reason, forefce from his Mercy it felf. And his Wifdom fo orders and difpofes the Effects and Emanations of his Mercy, as to render them confiftent with his Juftice and Honour, as He is Governor of the World."

And if, in the first Ages, Revelations were frequent, and generally known amongst all Mankind till by their own fault and neglect they were withholden from them; it was the great Mercy of God, afterwards, to continue to thofe Nations, who had defpifed and rejected him, an Opportunity of knowing his Will reveal'd to others: And this God was pleas'd to do, by appointing a chofen Seed, and felecting to himself a peculiar People, to bear his Name before the Nations; and, by the various Difpenfations of his Providence, he fo difpofed of that People, that all Nations might be inftructed in the things revealed and delivered to them.

First then, I fhall fhew, That in the firft Ages of the World, the Revealed Will of God was known to all Mankind.

Secondly, That in fucceeding Ages there have still been fufficient Means and frequent Opportunities for all Nations to come to the Knowledge of it.

1. In the firft Ages of the World, the Reveal'd Will of God was known to all Mankind. And here we must have recourfe to the History of the Bible; fince it is acknowledg'd by all learned Men to be fo much the ancienteft Book, which can give us an Account of Religion, in the World. For unlefs we will reject all History, and believe nothing related of Ancient Times, we must take our Accounts from fuch Books

« AnteriorContinuar »