صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

rated in the writing. The history is a part of the law, as its preamble from time to time being often made an introduction to laws; and there are continually such transitions from history to law, and from law to history, and such a connection, and reference, and dependence, that all appears as it were so grow together as the several parts of a tree. These, as they stand, are parts of the continued history, and the history of the facts is only as an introduction and preamble, or reason and enforcement of the laws, all flowing in a continued series, as the several parts of one uninterrupted stream, all as one body. So that the bare inspection of the writing, as it stands, may be enough to convince any one that all has the same author, and that both were written together. Such is the manner of writing the laws concerning the passover, the chief of all the ceremonial observances, in the xii. chap. of Exodus, and the law concerning the first born, in the xiii. chap., and the statute and ordinance mentioned in the xv. chap. of Exod. 25, 26 verses. Such also is the manner of writing that law by which is made known to the children of Israel, which particular day is the Sabbath, Exod. xvi. 23. Such is the manner of writing the decalogue itself, which in the highest sense is called the law of Moses, in Exod. xx., that it is unreasonable to think that it was recorded by Moses without any of the concomitant history, and those words in the law, Exod. xx. 22, 23. Such are the laws ordering the particular frame of the tabernacle, ark, anointing oil, incense, priests' garments, with the history of the consequent building, &c. The revelation made to Moses when God proclaimed bis name, Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7, which is an important part of the law, together with ver. 10, 11, &c., and ver. 30, 31. The several laws given on occasion of Nadab and Abihu's being burnt, Levit. x., and chap. xvi., particularly ver. 1, 2, taken with what follows, together with the last words in the chapter. See also Levit. xxi. 1, and ver. 24, and chap. xxii. 1, 2, 3. 17, 18. The law concerning blasphemy, with the story of the blasphemy of Shelomith's son, Levit. xxiv. The law of the Levites' service, with the history of their being numbered and accepted instead of the first-born and consecrated, Num. iii., and iv., and viii. The law of putting the leper out of the camp, Num. v., at the beginning. The law of polluted persons keeping the passover, with the history, that gave occasion for it, Num. ix. 6. The history of making the trumpets, with the law concerning their use, Num. x. The law constituting the seventy elders, which is only giving an history of their first appointment, Num. xi. The law of th presumptuous sinner, with the history of the sabbath-breaker Num. xv. 30, &c. The law for the priests, Num. xviii., which supposes a foregoing history of the rebellion of Korah, see ver. 5 and ver. 27, compared with the 13th verse of the preceding chap

ter. The law of the inheritance of daughters, with the history of Zelophehad's daughters. The law of the cities of refuge on the east side of Jordan, with the history of the taking of the country.

History and law are every where so grafted one into another, so mutually inwrought, and do, as it were, so grow one out of and into another, and flow one from another in a continued current, that there is all appearance of their originally growing together, and not in the least of their being artificially patched and compacted together afterwards. It seems impossible impartially and carefully to view the manner of their connection, and to judge otherwise.

Another argument that the same care was taken to preserve the memory of the facts, as to preserve the precepts of the law, viz., by making a public record of them, to be preserved with the same care, and so in like manner laid up in the sanctuary, is, that it is declared in the law, that the whole law was written, and the record of all the precepts of it transmitted to posterity as a monument of the historical facts, or to that end that the memory of those facts might be kept up in future generations. Deut. vi. 20 to the end." And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments which the Lord our God hath commanded you? Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt, and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and the Lord showed signs and wonders great and sore upon Pharaoh and upon all his household before our eyes, and he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers. And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day and it shall be our righteousness if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us."

:

It is a plain and demonstrative evidence, that the Jews had all along some standing public records of the facts that we have an account of in the history of the Pentateuch, that these facts are so abundantly, and in such a manner mentioned or referred to all along in other books of the Old Testament. There is scarcely any part of the history from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Deuteronomy, but what is mentioned or referred to in other books of the Old Testament, that were the writings of after ages, and some of them are mentioned very often, and commonly with the names of persons and places, and many particular and minute circumstances, not only that part of the history which belongs more immediately to the redemption of Israel out of Egypt, and their journey through the wilderness, but the preceding introduc

tory history, and not only that which concerns the Jewish patriarchs, but the first part of the history of Genesis, even from the very beginning. In these writings we have very often mention of God's creating the heavens and the earth; Isai. lxv. 17, and lxvi. 22, and xl. 21, 22. 28, and li. 13, and xlii. 5, and xliv. 24, and xlv. 12, and xxxvii. 16, and lxvi. 1, 2. Jer. x. 11, 12, and xxxii. 17, and li. 15, and xiv. 22. 2 Kings xix. 15. Psalm lxxxix. 11, 12, and cii. 25. Zech. xii. 1. Psalm cxv. 15, and cxxi. 2, and cxxiv. 8, and cxxxiv. 3. The manner of God's creating by speaking the word, Ps. xxxiii. 6. 9, and cxlviii. 5.

The world being at first without form and void, and covered with darkness, agreeably to Genesis i. 2, is referred to Jer. iv. 23.

God's creating the light, is referred to, Ps. lxxiv. 16.

God's creating the light and darkness, Isai. xliv. 7, agreeable to Genesis i. 3, 4.

God's creating the firmament, Ps. xix. 1.

God's creating the waters that are above the heavens, Psalm cxlviii. 4. 6, agreeable to Genesis i. 7.

God's gathering together the waters, Ps. xxxiii. 7. His making the sea and the dry land, Ps. xcv. 5; stretching out the earth above the waters, Ps. cxxxvi. 6; appointing the sea its decreed place, Jer. v. 22. Prov. viii. 29. Ps. civ. 9.

God's creating the sun, Ps. xix. 1. 4, and lxxiv. 16.

God's creating the sun for a light by day, and the moon and the stars for a light by night, Jer. xxxi. 35. Ps. cxlviii. 3. 6.

God's creating great lights. The sun to rule by day, and the moon and stars to rule by night, Ps. cxxxvi. 7, 8, 9. See also Ps. civ. 19, with ver. 24.

God's creating the sea, and the many creatures that move herein, and the whale in particular, Ps. civ. 25, 26.

God's creating the heavens, the earth, and the sea, and all that is therein, Ps. cxlvi. 6; many parts of the creation is mentioned, Prov. viii. 22-29.

God's creating man and beast, Jer. xxvii. 5.

God's creating man, Ps. viii. 5.

Man being made of the dust of the earth, Eccles. xii. 7.

Man's having dominion given him in his creation over the fish of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and beasts of the earth, Ps. viii. 6, 7, 8.

Man's having the herbs and plants of the earth given him for meat, Ps. civ. 14, 15, agreeable to Gen. i. 29, and iii. 18.

The first marriage, or God's making Adam and Eve one, is referred to, Mal. ii. 15.

Adam's name is metioned, Hos. vi. 7.

The garden of Eden is often mentioned by name, with its pleasures and delights, Isai. li. 3. Ezek. xxviii. 13, and xxxi. 8, 9.

16. 18, and xxxvi. 35, and Joel ii. 3.

Adam's violating the covenant, is referred to, Hos. vi. 7. The curse denounced against Adam, that as he was dust, so unto dust he should return, is referred to, Eccles. xii. 7.

The curse denounced on the serpent, that he should eat dust all the days of his life, is referred to, Isai. lxv. 25, Mic. vii. 17. Mention is made of the flood of waters that stood above the mountains, and God's rebuking and removing the flood, Psalm civ. 6, 7.

Noah's name is mentioned, and his righteousness before God, and great acceptance with him, referred to, Isai. liv. 9, and Ezek. xiv. 14. 20.

The waters of Noah's flood, and their going over the earth, and God's covenant with Noah, that he would no more destroy the earth with a flood, are mentioned, Isai. liv. 9.

Many of the names of the descendants of Noah that we have an account of in Gen. x., are mentioned in other parts of the Old Testament, and some of them very often, and every where in an agreeableness with the account we have of them there; Ps. lxxviii. 51, and cv. 23. 27, and cvi. 22, and lxxxiii. 8. Isai. xi. 11, and xxiii. 1, 2. 12, 13. Jer. ii. 10, and xxv. 20-25, and xlix. 34-39. Ezek. xxvii. 5-15, and ver. 20-25, chap. xxx. 45, and xxxii. 24. 26, and xxxviii. 2-5, 6. 13. Micah v. 6, and in many other places.

The names of others also that we have an account of as heads of nations in the history of the Pentateuch before Moses's birth, beside the patriarchs of the Jewish nation, are frequently mentioned, Ps. lxxxiii. 6, 7. Isai. xi. 14, 15. Isai. lx. 6, 7. Jer. ii. 10. Jer. xxv. 20. 25. Jer. xlix. throughout, and in many other places, all is in agreeableness to the history of the Pentateuch. The Philistines coming forth out of Caphtor, Amos ix. 7. Jer. xlvii. 4, compared with Genesis x. 14, and Deut. ii. 23.

The name Babel is often mentioned. There is particular mention of the ancestors of the Jews dwelling on the other side of the river Euphrates, and particularly Terah the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor, Josh. xxiv.

Abraham being brought from thence of God, from the East, from the other side of the river, his coming at the call of God, and being led by him into the land of Canaan, Josh. xxiv. 3. Isai. xli. 2.

His being called with Sarah his wife, Is. li. 1, 2.

God's leading Abraham throughout the land of Canaan, Josh. xxiv. 3, agreeable to Gen. xii. 6, and xiii. 17.

God's blessing Abraham is mentioned Isai. li. 1, 2. Abraham is spoken of as a righteous man, and God's servant and friend, Iasi. xli. 2, and verse 8, Ps. cv. 42.

God's entering into covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, promising them the land of Canaan, Ps. cv. S, 9, 10, 11. Ps.

cv. 42.

The church of God in the families of those patriarchs, being very small, and their being strangers and sojourners in the land of Canaan, and their going from one nation to another, and from one kingdom to another people, and God's wonderfully restraining men from hurting them, and his reproving kings for their sakes, and God's calling them prophets, Ps. cv. 12—15.

God's giving Abraham an easy conquest over great kings and rulers of the principal nations of the world, as in Gen. xiv. 14, &c. is mentioned in Isai. xli. 2, 3.

Melchizedeck is mentioned by name as being a great priest of the true God, and both a king and a priest, Ps. cx. 4.

God's fixing the border of the seed of Abraham at the river Euphrates, as the history of the Pentateuch informs us that God did in his promise to Abraham, Gen. xv. 18. and afterwards from time to time to the Israelites, is referred to 2 Sam. viii 3.

The great plentifulness of the land of Sodom is spoken of, Ezek. xvi. 49.

The great wickedness of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, Ezek. xvi. 46-56. Isai. i. 10.

Their being guilty of notorious uncleanness, Ezek. xvi. 50. 1 Kings xiv. 24, and xv. 12, and xxii. 46. 2. Kings xxiii. 7. Their being of a very proud and haughty spirit, Ezek. xvi. 49, 50, agreeable to Gen. xv. 9.

Their being very open and barefaced, and shameless in their wickedness, Isai. iii. 9.

Their being overthrown with a very great and terrible, and utter destruction, Isai. i. 9, and xiii. 19. Jer. xlix. 18

Their being the subjects of sudden destruction, Lam. iv. 6.
God's overthrowing them with fire, Amos, iv. 11.

Their being overthrown with perpetual and everlasting desolation, without ever being rebuilt, or inhabited any more, Isai. xlix. 18, and 1. 40. Ezek. xvi. 53. 55. Zeph. ii. 9.

Their being overthrown together with neighbouring cities, Jer. xlix. 18, and 1. 40.

The birth of Isaac, as a special gift of God to Abraham, Josh. xxiv. 3.

The birth of Jacob and Esau, the sons of Isaac, by a special gift of God, Josh. xxiv. 4.

Esau is mentioned under the names of both Esau and Edom, as Jacob's brother, in the book of Obadiah, and often elsewhere.

« السابقةمتابعة »