Necessity of Human Learning for a Gospel Preacher, Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Of the Ʋſefulneſs of Hiſtory.
SECT. I. Of Hiſtory in general, as uſeful to underſtand Scripture.
THe knowledge of Hiſtory both ſacred and civil affords both profit and pleaſure, and is of great uſe to a Miniſter of the Goſpel in three reſpects, ſcil.
For knowing and improving
1. The word of God,
2. The works of God,
3. The examples of Men.
Firſt of all, for underſtanding and improving the holy Scriptures.
Reaſ. 1. Becauſe the greateſt part of Scripture is written in a way of Hiſtory.
Reaſ. 2. Much ſpiritual and profitable Doctrine is laid up in Hiſtories, to wit,
Of Perſons, Families, Nations, Polities, in the Old Teſtament:
and of Churches, in the New.
Yea ſome Scripture-hiſtories contain Goſpel-myſteries wrapt up in them. As the Myſtery of God's Election and Rejection in the Hiſtory of Iſaac and Iſmael, Rom. 9.6, 7, 8. of Jacob and Eſau, ver. 11, 12, 13.—the Myſtery of God's wrath, ſeverity, obduration and rejection, in that of Pharaoh, ver. 17. Exod. 9.16.
—Of the two Covenants, in the Hiſtory of the two places Sinai and Jeruſalem, and of the two Mothers, Sarah and Hagar, Gal. 4.22. to the end.
Reaſ. 3. Becauſe many paſſages of Scripture, both in the Old and New Teſtament, cannot be well underſtood, explicated, illuſtrated or made uſe of to the benefit of our ſelves, or others, but out of Hiſtories, or without the knowledge of Hiſtories. As thoſe Prophetical Scriptures, which ſpeak of the four Monarchies, of the Pope and Turk; of the various ſtate of the Church of God in ſeveral Ages.
There is in Scripture a mixture of Civil with Sacred ſtories, as
Of the Jews affairs, and tranſactions with the Nations round about them, and with other Nations, that were remote from them; and what was done to the Jews (God's people) in the times of the Old Teſtament, to Chriſt and his Church, or to any of his members, under the New; by Kings, Emperors, Rulers, or their Officers, at their Command, as by Herod, Matth. 2.3, &c. Acts 12.1, 2, 3. and by others, as Claudius, Acts 18.2. Nero, 2 Tim. 4.17.
Or, what befell them in the times of theſe Kings, or Emperors, as of Ceſar Auguſtus, Luc. 2.1, 2. of Claudius Ceſar, Acts 11.28.
Many paſſages in the Prophets may be beſt explaned out of the Hiſtories of the Times, and Places, to which they properly belong. Mr. Rutherford.A learned man ſaith that Joſephus, Herodotus, Quintus Curtius, Xenophon, and other Heathen Writers, conduce not a little to the Textual knowledge of Chronicles, Nehemiah, Eſther, Daniel: as thoſe that write of the Babyloniſh, Aſſyrian, and Perſian Kingdoms, and Empires, and the Roman Hiſtory may add light to the Prophets and Evangeliſts, Acts, and Epiſtles of Paul in the New Teſtament.
The Scriptures have much of the Antiquities, Maners, Cuſtomes, both of the Jews, and of other Countries alſo, in them, and there be many Alluſions in them thereunto; and the Scriptures receive illuſtration from them.
SECT. II. Of Jewiſh Hiſtory.
FIrſt of the Jews. Whence if not from the Jewiſh Records, or Writers, ſhould we learn—what the Scribes and Phariſees were? what the Elders, the Rulers of the Synagogue? what the foreign, Luke 22.52? what foreign, Mark 19.43? what their Synagogues, their Phylacteries, and the enlarging of the borders of their Garments?—what was the riſe of the Feaſt of Dedication, John 10.22. ſeeing the Temple was thrice conſecrated by ſolemn Dedication, and of which that in John muſt be underſtood? See Beza in Joh. 10.22. What a Sabbath-days journey? what the Samaritanes were, and where they worſhipped, John 4.20? This conduceth to underſtand the parable of the good Samaritan. Luk. 10.33. and of Mat. 10.5. What thoſe particular Cuſtomes of the Jews are, which are hinted, and referred to in holy Writ? The knowledge hereof helps us more fully to underſtand Chriſt's Sermon on the Mount, and Matth. 23. chap.—and 21. chap. 8, 9, 12. Luke 7.44, 45, 46. and 11.44.
Rev. 16.15. Bleſſed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments] This hath reſpect (as ſome conceive) to the twenty four Guards of Prieſts and Levites watching in the Temple every night, Dr. Lightfoot's Temple-Service, cap. 7. ſect. 1.where one walked the Round; who, if he found any of them aſleep, might ſet fire on his garment.
Revel. 3.4. —They ſhall walk with me in white, De Dieu in loc.for they are worthy] This place ſeems to glance at that Cuſtom of the Jews, that when enquiry was made of the Genealogy and imperfections of the Prieſts, whoſoever was rejected, as to his Genealogy, had a black Garment put on him, and went out of the Court: but who ſo was found entire, and right, was inveſted with white, and miniſtred with the reſt of the Prieſts.
Luke 13.33. —It cannot be that a Prophet periſh out of Jeruſalem] which ſpeech of Chriſt looks to that cuſtom, that none were to judge Prophets, but the Sanhedrim, or great Council of ſeventy one, who uſed to ſit onelyonly in a part of the Temple at Jeruſalem. Matth. 17.24. —They that received Tribute-money:] foreign.—that is half a Shekel, demanded of every Jew yearly for the uſe of the Temple: Of which ſee Grotius in loc. and Schickards Jus Regium Hebr. pag. 84.
It may be cleared from Jewiſh Writings, how our Saviour could keep his laſt Paſſover a day before the Jews kept theirs (for the day after he had eaten it, and wherein he was crucified, was but the preparation to theirs, John 18.28. and 19.14.) and yet keep it at the due time: which Dr. Cudworth hath excellently made out in his Diſcourſe of the Notion of the Lords Supper, chap. 3.
Laſtly, Thoſe words Hebr. 11.35. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, &c. have reſpect to Eleazar, and the Mother with her ſeven Sons, whoſe Faith and Conſtancy is recorded in the ſecond of the Maccabees, chap. 6. verſe 19, 30. and chap. 7.
SECT. III. The Hiſtory of other Eaſtern Nations.
THe Scriptures have alſo in them the Cuſtoms of other Nations: Both
I. Of thoſe that were neareſt the Jews.
II. And of thoſe that were more remote.
Firſt, Of thoſe which were neareſt the Jews, round about them: For they mention
1. Their Deities, of which many in the Old Teſtament, as Moloch, Baal-peor, Dagon, Aſhtaroth, &c. of which ſee Mr. Selden de Diis Syris. To thoſe commonly obſerved ſome add Amon, an Egyptian and Libyan Deity, mentioned Jer. 46.25. in the Hebrew; foreign Amon of No, i. e. a place where Amon was worſhipped, thence called No-amon, Nah. 3.8. See De Dieu in loc. and Bochart. Geogr. ſacra, page 6. Others add foreign Achad, which we render [one] Iſai. 66.17. but ſeems to denote the Sun, the god of the Aſſyrians. See Grotius in loc. and Scaliger in notis in fragmenta ſelecta.
2. Their Rites and Ceremonies; as of worſhipping an Idol (a)See Doughty's Analecta ſacra in locum.by kiſsing the hand, Job 31.27. Their Women's being proſtituted in the Temple of Venus (b)Selden de Diis Syr. Syntag. 2. cap. 7.(in honor to her) among the Babylonians: to which Levit. 19.29. ſeems to have reſpect. Their obſerving lucky and unlucky days for ſuch and ſuch buſineſſes, Levit. 19.26. and their ſeveral ſorts of Divination (as by the ſtaff and liver) without which thoſe two places are not to be underſtood, Ezekiel 21.21. Hoſea 4.12. Their cuſtom of eating of the Sacrifices, which they offered to their Idols, upon mountains: (c)See Dr. Cu…worth's Notion of the Lord's Supper, cap. 1.whence it is that Idolatry is expreſſed in Scripture by eating on the mountains, Ezek. 18.11. and by ſetting a Bed there, Iſai. 57.7. (ſee alſo Ezekiel 23.41. and Amos 2.8. becauſe they were wont not to ſit at Feaſts, but to lie on Beds, or Couches: which the Jews alſo uſed. So we read of John's leaning (or rather (d)foreign.lying) in Jeſus boſom; that is, with his head before Jeſus breaſt, which was the uſual poſture, John 13.23, 25. To which (e)See Heinſ. in Luke 15.22.Lazarus's being in Abraham's boſom may refer, Luke 16.22. as intimating his having the next place to Abraham at that heavenly Feaſt, where many from the Eaſt and Weſt ſhall ſit down with him.
From that (f)See much of it in Mr. Gregory's Notes, cap. 7, 8. and H…t…inger's Hiſtor. Orient. page 190, &c.Eaſtern uſage (thence tranſlated into the Weſt) of making Teloſms or Images of ſome plague, or noxious creature, which infeſted them (and that under a certain Poſition of the Heavens) that by vertue hereof they might drive it away: from that uſage, I ſay, we may judge of the meaning of thoſe Images of Emerods and Mice (the plagues vent amongſt them) which the Lords of the Philiſtims ſent back with the Ark, that ſo thoſe plagues might be removed, 1 Sam. 6.4, 5.
A fair Reaſon may be given of divers prohibitions in the Ceremonial Law (otherwiſe ſomewhat ſtrange) from the Rites and Superſtitions of other Nations the Jews Neighbors) to which they are oppoſed. For God knew the Iſraelites prone to Idolatry; ſo that the more Rites they had common with the Gentiles, the more eaſily would they have paſſed over to their Worſhip and Maners.
Thus Exod. 23.19. and 34.26. after the Command of bringing in the firſt of the firſt-fruits into the Houſe of God, it's added, Thou ſhalt not ſeethe a Kid in his Mothers milk: becauſe it was the cuſtom of the Idolatrous Heathen (as Dr. Cudworth (g)Notion of the Lord's Supper, page 26.proves) when they had gathered in all their Fruits, to boil a Kid in the Dams milk, and then in a Magical way to beſprinkle all their Trees, Fields, Gardens, and Orchards, thinking hereby to make them fructifie. The Iſraelites may be forbidden to ſowe their Field or Vineyard with divers ſeeds, Levit. 19.19. Deut. 22.9. becauſe this mixture was uſed by others for Magical Purpoſes. See Grotius in loc. and Hotting. Hiſt. Orient. lib. 1. cap. 8. And the Zabian (or Eaſtern) Prieſts are ſaid to have worn linſey-woolſey garments, which might occaſion the forbidding of ſuch, Levit. 19.19. As the ſhaving of their heads and beards; and the cutting of the hair round, leaving onelyonly ſome behinde, in uſe among the Arabians (thence called, thoſe that have their corners polled (h)Grotius and Junius in loc. and Dion. Voſſius in Maimon. de Idolol. cap. 12.Jer. 9.26. margin, and 25.23.) did that other, verſe 27. Ye ſhall not round the corners of your heads—or beard.
The next verſe alſo hath reſpect to Heathen Cuſtoms: The latter part of it [nor print any marks upon you] is oppoſed to that of the Sabeans and Aſſyrians, who uſed to print marks on their fleſh, and thoſe (i)See Grotius in Levit. 19.28.either the names of their gods, or ſome number ſtanding for their name, or ſome Hieroglyphical note or character appropriated to them: To which Revel. 13.16, 17. refers, where we read of men, that have the mark or the name of the Beaſt, or the number of the name on their hand or forehead. See Grotius on that place. Theſe Idolaters were thus marked probably in token of their ſerving ſuch an Idol, their Baal, their lord: ſince it was a cuſtom in the Eaſtern parts for Servants to have their Maſters names imprinted on their foreheads: and ſo we read of the ſervants of God ſealed there, Ezek. 9.4. Rev. 7.3. The Zabians uſed to ſacrifice to Devils under the form of Goats; whence that Levit. 17.7. They ſhall no more offer their Sacrifices unto Devils, foreign to Goats, or Satyres. They offered onelyonly leavened Bread, and anointed their Sacrifices with Honey. Hence Leaven and Honey ſeem to have been forbidden in Offerings, Levit. 2.11.
To be ſhort, what better Expoſitors are there of theſe following places, then ſuch as write of the Gentiles Maners and Superſtitions? viz. Deuteron. 18.10, 11. 2 Kings 23.4, to 15. Iſai. 65.3, 4, 11. and 66.17. Ezek. chap. 8. and chap. 23. verſ. 39, 40, 41. Jer. 7.18.
SECT. IV. Of Egyptian Hiſtory.
SO much in general of the Cuſtoms of the Nations neareſt the Jews. To which ſome things may be ſubjoined, which relate particularly to the Rites and Antiquities of the Egyptians. And,
I. Who can underſtand the meaning of Moſes's excuſe for not ſacrificing in Egypt (Exod. 18.26. We ſhall ſacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians) that hath not heard of their Apis or Mnevis, of their adoring an Ox, and counting Sheep and Goats ſacred Creatures; which, for the Hebrews to have killed in ſacrifice, would have been abominable to them? Which further clears two things:
1. Hence we may diſcern a Reaſon, why God, of all Beaſts, choſe theſe (Oxen, Sheep and Goats) to be ſacrificed to him; namely, becauſe they were deified by the Egyptians: by which means he might keep the Iſraelites from their Idolatry, and make himſelf acknowledged the onelyonly true God. Thus, among Birds, God might pitch on a Dove for ſacrifice, becauſe it was worſhiped by the Syrians and Aſſyrians, who would not eat of, or ſuffer that creature to be hurt.
2. We may further diſcover hence, where the Iſraelites learn'd to worſhip a Calf, or Ox (as it's called Pſal. 106.20.) in the Wilderneſs; to wit, in Egypt, Ezek. 20.7, 8. Whence alſo Jeroboam (newly returned from thence) brought that Worſhip in again amongſt them.
Cunaeus (k)De Republ. Hebr. l. 3. c. 4.alſo thinks, that their burning incenſe to the brazen Serpent, 2 Kings 18.4. ſprung from the vanity of the Egyptians, who had Serpents in ſo ſacred account.
II. Egyptians Story will acquaint us fully how Shepherds came to be an abomination to the Egyptians: for which conſult Cunaeus de Repub. Hebraeor. lib. 1. cap. 5. or Bochart. Geograph. ſacr. page 375.
III. Their Antiquities will clear Iſai. 18.1, 2. Wo to the Land of the Cymbal, or jingle, (for that is the meaning of the Hebrew, according to (l)Geogr ſacr. pag. 240.Bochartus and (m)Annotat. on Iſa. 18.1, 2.Mr. Gataker)—that ſendeth Ambaſſadors by the Sea in veſſels of Bulruſhes upon the Waters. That this Land is Egypt, appears,
1. In that abundance of ſuch Inſtruments was uſed in the worſhip of Iſis, the great goddeſs of the Egyptians.
2. It was ordinary there, to paſs to and fro in Boats or Veſſels made of a ſort of Ruſh, which was plentiful in Egypt: and ſo were Reeds alſo; their plenty making them (n)Amam. Antibarb. Bibl. in Pſal. 68.30.to be uſed Hieroglyphically to ſignifie Nilus, or Egypt. Whence it is, that the Egyptians are underſtood by the Company of the Reed, in Pſal. 68.30. or Pharaoh by the Beaſt of the Reed, as the margin hath it.
IV. From the Egyptians we may learn the meaning of the (o)See Junius in Ezek. 8.14. and Selden de Diis Syr. Synt. 2 cap. 11.womens weeping for Tammuz, Ezek. 8.14. and of the Star of Remphan in Acts 7.43. which verſe is quoted out of Amos 5.26. and that according to the Verſion of the LXX, who rendred Chiun there by foreign, or as ſome Copies have it (p)See Beza in Act. 7.43.foreign, or foreign. becauſe this Name was better known to the Egyptians (in whoſe Land, and for whoſe King they made their Verſion) in whoſe Language it ſignified the ſame that Chiun doth in Hebrew, or Arabic rather, viz. Saturn. See De Dieu in Acts 7.43. and Doctor Hammond on the ſame place.
SECT. V. Of Grecian Hiſtory.
Secondly, THe Scripture hath ſomthing in it of the cuſtoms of other Nations, more remote from the Jews, the Grecians and Romans.
I. Of the Grecians. For we read of diverſe of their Deities, as Jupiter, Mercury (Acts 14.12.) Caſtor and Pollux (Acts 28.11.) and Diana, which were alſo worſhipped by the Romans. We read too of the Athenian Altar, Acts 17.23. and the Epheſian Image, the foreign, chap. 19.35.
The Grecian Games are frequently alluded to in Pauls Epiſtles, who, planting Churches in Greece, attempers his diſcourſe to their uſages. One of their four famous Games was the Iſthmian, celebrated at Corinth, the cuſtoms of which he hath manifeſt reſpect to in 1 Cor. 9.24, 25, 26, 27. where you may ſee in the Greek ſeveral of their exerciſes (as running and pugilate) and the terms appropriate to them, as foreign.
All which words require explication from thoſe Grecian Solemnities, without knowing of which we cannot reach that great Elegancy, nor the full ſenſe of thoſe Verſes. In that laſt word foreign the Apoſtle alludes to the probation of thoſe who had performed athletical exerciſes, for it was examined whether they had ſtriven lawfully, before they were pronounced Conquerors, and ſo crowned: which you may ſee in 2 Tim. 2.5. He that ſtrove as he ought, was foreign, approved, and ſo got the prize. Hence Jam. 1.12. its ſaid of him that endureth tentation, foreign, &c. He that ſtrove or run amiſs was foreign rejected, and miſſed of the reward. So that Pauls meaning in 1 Cor. 9.27. is, leſt when I have performed the office of a foreign, or Herald (which was to proclaim the prize, and the laws of the Exerciſes, and to admoniſh and animate the contenders) when I have ſhewed others the right way of ſtriving and getting the Crown, I my ſelf miſcarry, and be judged uncapable of it.
There is alſo an alluſion to the Grecian Games in Phil. 3.12, 13, 14, 16. where we meet with more agoniſtical terms, as foreign (which is as much as to be crowned) and foreign or foreign, which is uſed to denote his apprehending, or catching of the prize, or reward from the top of the Goal, who was judged the Conqueror.
So in 2 Tim. 4.7, 8. and in Heb. 12.1, 2, 3, 4, 11, 12. the Phraſe is agoniſtical.
He that deſires an Explication of the Cuſtoms of their Games, and ſo of thoſe Scriptures which refer to them may conſult P. Faber, or Lydius in his Agoniſtica ſacra; or Doctor Hammond in his Annotations on the above-mentioned Places, who excellently ſets forth the Emphaſis of them.
In Acts 19.31. we read of the foreign (q)See Doctor Hammond on that place, and Beza.the Exhibiters and Governors of the Games in Aſia, which were at that time celebrated at Epheſus to the honor of Diana. Therefore Epheſus is ſtiled her foreign, or Sacriſt, verſe 35. which Title was affected by every City, where their games were celebrated in honor of ſome of their Deities. See Maſter Gregorie's Notes, chap. 9.10.
The foreign verſe 35. is alſo ſaid to have been (r)See Maſter Gregories notes before cited.an Officer in thoſe Games.
In 1 Cor. 4.9. and 15.32. the Apoſtle hath reſpect to that bloody ſpectacle, when men, who were foreign, devoted to death, were to ſight on the Theatre with Beaſts, that would rend them to pieces.
I will conclude this Head with the words of Scultetus; (ſ)In Orat. pro conjun. Philolog. cum Theolog.Graeciam igitur veterem noverit, Paulinas Epiſtolas qui noſſe ſatagit.
SECT. VI. Of Roman Hiſtory.
2. THe Scripture hath ſomthing in it of the Roman Cuſtoms, and Antiquities. See Acts 22.25, 28. and 25.10, 11, 16. and 26.32. Luk. 2.1, 2.
Let me hear without any help from the Roman Hiſtory, what Ceſar was, Joh. 19.12. and what is meant by Legion, Centurion, Publican, by the whole world, foreign (t)The Roman Empire., and what by foreign, Luk. 2.1.
He that hath not read, or heard that Tarſus, amongſt other places, was priviledged with the freedoms of the City of Rome, cannot make it out how Paul could ſay, and ſay truly, that he was a Roman free-born, Acts 22.27, 28. when indeed he was a Jew born at Tarſus, verſe 3.
The crucifixion of Chriſt was a Roman puniſhment, and ſo not to be perfectly underſtood but from that Hiſtory. To which there was ſomething added of the Jewiſh uſage, in giving him foreign Mark 15.23. For the Jews uſed to give a cup of wine with frankincenſe, or (u)See Amam. Antibath. Bibl. in Prov. 31.6.myrrh to condemned perſons before their execution, grounding this Cuſtom on Prov. 36.1. Give ſtrong drink to him that is ready to periſh, &c.
SECT. VII. Of Chriſtian, or Church-Hiſtory under the Goſpel.
THus much may ſuffice to evidence the Hiſtory both of the Jews, and Gentiles, to be uſeful for explicating many paſſages in Scripture. The ſame may be affirmed of the Chriſtian Hiſtory, or the Hiſtory of the Church in the times of the Goſpel, from which we muſt receive information, about that uſage of being baptized for the dead, mentioned 1 Cor. 15.29. and about the foreign, or Feaſts of charity, Jude 12. the underſtanding of which is of uſe to clear the meaning of 1 Cor. 11.21, 22. And concerning the Nicolaitans, who they were, and what their Doctrine, Rev. 2.6, 15.
It is Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory that muſt give light to thoſe places of Scripture which foretell of Antichriſt, or which concern the Church all along, ſince the firſt publiſhing of the Goſpel.
From hence alſo muſt we be inſtructed in thoſe Caſes, wherein it is requiſite to know the cuſtom of the Churches, 1 Cor. 11.16.
Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory is one of the neareſt attendants to Divinity, and therefore hath always experienced the ſame fate with it: Simul floruerunt, ſimul jacuerunt, both flouriſhed, and both were out of reſpect together: as Iſaac Caſaubon ſhews in his Prolegomena to his Exercitations on Baronius's Annals.
Who ſo deſires to ſee the uſe of this ſort of Hiſtory largely purſued, may read Grynaeus's Preface to the Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory of Euſebius, ☞&c. rendred into Latine.
SECT. VIII. Of Hiſtory as uſeful to know Gods works.
SEcondly, Hiſtory is uſeful to a Miniſter for knowing the works of God, which are great and manifold, and declared by it.
Hiſtory is the Theatre and repreſentation of God's providence, (or divine diſpenſations) as it exerciſeth and manifeſteth it ſelf in managing the affairs of the world; but eſpecially in reference to his children, and to his cauſe; in the preſervation of his Church and Truth, notwithſtanding the cruelty of Tyrants, and ſubtilty of Hereticks, deſigning the extirpation of the one, and corruption of the other.
Herein are legible God's wonderful mercies and deliverances of his ſervants, and his judgements upon the wicked, in ſpecial upon the oppoſers of his Truth, and the perſecuters of his ſervants, and the conſtancy of thoſe many Martyrs, who ſealed the Truth with their blood. All which may contribute much to the confirming of our belief of it, and the convincing of others.
Without Hiſtory, how much of the manifeſtation and appearances of God in the world, how many eminent and ſignal inſtances of his wiſdom, power and goodneſs, would be loſt.
The declaring of God's doings among the people is that the Scripture calls for, Pſal. 9.11. and to whom doth this belong, if not to God's Miniſters? and what greater help to this, next the word of God, then Hiſtory? ſure, he that is furniſhed with it will be a Scribe better inſtructed, and more able to bring forth of his Treaſury things both new and old.
Men are ordinarily more awakened and affected with the Hiſtorical Relations, and lively Deſcriptions (becauſe they come neareſt to ſenſible repreſentations) of ſuch paſſages, or providential diſpenſations to any, wherein the mercy or diſpleaſure of God is conſpicuous, then if they only hear promiſes or threatnings. It would ſtrike the minde with far more horror, to hear of the dreadful calamity brought upon the Jews by the Romans, after they had crucified Chriſt, and to have the particulars of their miſery recounted, then only to read Chriſt's words where he denounceth deſtruction againſt them, Luke 19.43.
SECT. IX. Of Hiſtory as uſeful to know the Examples of men.
THirdly, For knowing and improving the examples of men, their vertues and vices. By Hiſtorical relations we have the benefit of others good examples, and the comfort of their experiences; which may be improved (as well as the various paſſages of God's providence, both mercies and judgements) by the Miniſters of the Goſpel, to the exciting or ſupporting of others, as occaſion is offered. And ſince men are ſo apt to be led by examples, he that is a good Hiſtorian hath a great advantage for the drawing and working upon others; to make an apt application of ſtories and examples, (providential and perſonal) which is often much moving and taking with the auditors.
This uſe of Hiſtory approacheth very near Chriſt's way of teaching by Parables; in many of which, there is as it were an application of an Hiſtorical paſſage to divine and ſpiritual purpoſes.
Hiſtories are Pictures or Glaſſes, Mr. Part in Rom. 11.2.(ſaith one) wherein we may diſcern both what is good and bad, and what we may expect as a reward either of our vertues or vices; —and it is very profitable to be acquainted with the Hiſtories of the Bible, and to make uſe of them. Our Savior and Paul approve this by their practice, Mat. 12.3, 5. Have ye not read, ſaith Chriſt. 1 Cor. 10.1, &c. I would not that ye ſhould be ignorant, ſaith Paul] ſcil. of the Old Teſtament-ſtories. So alſo practiſed James, Peter, Jude, John, as appears in their Epiſtles.—There was never any man of note for wiſdom, who was a ſtranger in ſtory.
Lege Hiſtoriam ne flas Hiſtoria, ſaith one. Read Hiſtory that you may not be made an Hiſtory.