Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

to me no lefs intertaining than inftructive. A principal head among others was, that feveral transactions generally understood to be miraculous, were in reality very natural; whatever the fuperftitious apprehenfions of fome, and the careless reading of others, led them to conceive. But fuch things, once taken for granted, foon become univerfat preconceptions; and fo are never after examin'd, or with as univerfal oppofition to him, that prefumes on thofe inquiries. The difcoveries I made of this fort created in me a higher veneration for MOSES, than even was inftill'd by my inftructors, and on better grounds. They did equally arm me against fuch, as, not content with their own grofs interpretations, fuperadd the monArous Traditions of others: and alfo against thofe, who reject the Pentateuch as intirely fabulous, and who will not allow either the wifdom or fanctity of the MOSAIC Laws. One of thofe difcoveries makes the fubject of HODEGUS, or the first Differtation; wherein there are fome other points incidentally difcufs'd, not unworthy obfervation. Wherfore my defign in this publication, is to make MOSES better understood, and confequently -more easily believ'd: which is as well to defend him against thofe, who unreasonably believe him not at all, as also against thofe, who by their abfurd belief render him incredible. The file of the Old Testament is extremely hyperbolical, even in the books that are written in profe; but in the poetical books wonderfully magnificent, and this fomtimes in the defcription of the most ordinary events. Thus a ftorm (for example) is often represented in fuch pompous terms, as if the whole frame of nature had been conyuls'd, and the Univerfe on the point of diffolution Every thing great, or beautiful, or excellent in its kind, is attributed to GOD, or denominated from him: as a Gen. 23. mighty Prince is call'd a Prince of GOD as ABRAHAM, profound fleep a fleep from the LORD, a numerous army the army of GOD, extreme fear the fear of the LORD, high mountains the mountains of GOD, a great river the river of GOD as Jordan, tall cedars the cedars of GOD, a very large city the great city of GOD as Niniveh, with many more fuch examples, which might be produc'd at pleasure. Every thing therfore that's hyperbo lical is not ftrait to be counted fupernatural, nor what's onely magnificent to be admir'd as miraculous: befides that whatever can be explain'd by ordinary means, any thing whofe phenomena are eafily foly'd, and wherof the

6. 1 Sam.

26. 12.
1 Chron.

12. 22.

2 Chron.
14. 14.

Pal. 36.6.
Pfal. 65.9.

Pfal. 80.

10. Jon. 3. 3.

like

like has often happen'd elfwhere, will by no man, who's not firongly prepoffefs'd with the errors of his education, be counted a miracle. Several years are paft fince I wrote this Differtation. I fent the plan of it to a learned gentleman now alive, who fhow'd it to fome good judges, and had their approbation. Since that time I have feen a Difcourfe on this Subject written by HERMAN VON DER HARDT, profeffor of the Oriental languages at Helmftadt, a man no lefs perfpicacious and candid, than judicious and learned, tho for all thefe good qualities not infallible. His notion is, that there was a facred Fire kept unextinguifh'd on an altar in ADAM's time, preferv'd by NOAH, and fucceffively propagated by all the Patriarch's down to MOSES; who order'd it to be carry'd by AARON before the army of the Ifraelites, as a symbol of the DIVINE prefence and favor. This account he endeavors in other pieces to defend against diverfe perfons, who fent their objections to him in Letters: but in the XXIVth fection of my Differtation, I prove it to be not only precarious, but in every refpe&t falfe and groundless; tho my arguments were pointed against one, who wrote to the fame effect long before Mr. VON DER HARDT, of whofe work I had then no notice. In other refpects I gratefully acknowledge to have profited by his labors, and am confident he'll not think the worfe of me, for differing from him in this or any other particular. I have lately feen a book against him by one 3 MUNDENIUS, whom I have likewife anfwer'd without naming him, by confuting the common notions which he defends. wou'd have fucceded better, had he made a right use of what 4 LIPSIUS, BUXTORF, SCHURTZFLEISCH exprefly, and others occafionally, as 7 BRISSONIUS, & SPENCER, and the Annotators on fome of the Claffic

[ocr errors]

He

I HERMANNI VON DER HARDT &c. Ephemerides Philologicae, Helmftadii 1703: Difcurfus VI, ubi videnda voluminis pagina nonogefima, difcursus verò quinta.

2 In codem Volumire, pag. 206——2ṛ6.

3 M. CHRISTIANI MUNDENII de Columna Nubis et Ignis Commentatio.

4 JUSTI LIPS11 Syntagma de Vefta et Veftalibus.

5 Hiftoria Ignis Sacri.

6 CONRADI SAMUELIS SCHURTZFLEISCHI differtatio

de cultu Ignis apud omnes gentes nationeique recepto.

7 De Regno Perfico.

8 De Legibus ritualibus Hebraeorum.

A 3

authors

T

XXX.

Πυρφόρος,

authors, have written' concerning the facred Fires of the ancients: for many, who fail in proving their main propofition, become ufeful or agreeable in their fubfidiary literature. What I have advanc'd concerning the ANExod. 23. GEL mention'd in the 23d chapter of Exodus, I do not 20, 21, 22, expect shou'd meet with due reception, till the work ap23. pears to which the explication of it properly belongs. But I am not fo diffident about my notion of the Angel of Sections XXV, God in the 19th and 20th verfes of the 14th chapter of the XXVI, fame book; nor of my difquifition concerning RAguel, XXVII. JETHRO, and HOBAB, who are ftrangely confounded XXVIII, by moft writers: and I hope my account of the origin of XXIX, the Kenites, from HOBAB's being rewarded according to the promise of MOSES, for guiding the Ifraelites in the wilderness, where he was the Fire-bearer or Guidegeneral of the Camp, will give fatisfaction to all impartial lovers of truth. As for others, I matter not what they think or fay. If any fhou'd conteft the circumstance of the Ark's being carry'd on men's fhoulders,because in fome hiftorical cuts of the Bible tis reprefented carry'd like our Chairs, he may for all me injoy his opinion: but as the Ark was to be visible, and its prefence no fmall fign of incouragement to the Army, I rather think it was carry'd the other way. Its rings and ftaves wou'd ferve both ways: but the nature of the thing, the folemn form of Rife up, LORD, let thine enemies be scatter'd, and let them that hate thee, flee before thee, whenever the Ark was to fet forward, with many other paffages to the fame purpose, may I fancy determine the matter my way. This Differtation, to conclude what I have to fay of it here, is mention'd in a note upon the Voyage of JAQUES MASSE'; written by a Gentleman of great wit and judgement, to fome of whofe friends I fhow'd my Manufcript at the Hague in the year 1708. His words are thefe in the 168th page. We have heard speak of a learned man from

Pages 20 and 26.

Num. 10.

35, 36.

England,

9 On a oui parler d'un favant Anglois qui a fait une differtation depuis peu, où il entreprend de prouver, qu'il n'y a eu rien de miraculeux, ni meme d'extraordinaire dans cette colonne de feu qui conduifuit les Ifraëlites dans le defert; et de faire voir par les meilleurs auteurs anciens et modernes, que ç'a eré toujours la coutume dans ces fortes de deferts, de fe fervir de feu pour diriger la marche des armées ou des multitudes, en le faifant porter devant elles par des Guides, de maniere que toute la troupe en put

voir

England, who not long fince has compos'd a Differtation, wherin he undertakes to prove, that there was nothing miraculous, nor even extraordinary, in that Pillar of fire which led the Ifraelites thro the wilderness; and to show, by the best authors antient and modern, that it has been at all times the custom in thofe forts of defarts, to make use of Fire in directing the march of Armies or Caravans, by caufing it to be carry'd before them by Guides, in fuch fort that the whole multitude might fee the Smoke of it by day, and the Flame of it during the night. He pretends that the perfon, who bad the direction of this Fire, and who ferv'd for a Guide to the Ifraelites, was no other than HOBAB the father in law [I faid the brother in law] of MOSES; which he endeavors to prove by the 29th and 30th verses· of the tenth chapter of Numbers, and by feveral other paffages of the holy Scripture. Now the reafon, why I have not accordingly intitul'd it HOBA B, may be feen in the XXVIIth Section, to which I referr the Reader.

II. HAVING been fo particular in relating the occafion of writing HODEGUS, I fhall be the more brief in accounting for the occafions of publishing CLIDOPHORUS and HYPATIA. The first of these wou'd be either needlefs or more complete, had we but the book, which is faid by EUNAPIUS to have been written by PORPHYRY: who commending (fays 10 he) the medicine of perfpicuity, and tafting it by experience, wrote ATREA

TISE CONCERNING THE SECRET DOCTRINES

OF THE PHILOSOPHERS, which they involv'd in obfcurity, as in the Fables of the POETS, but which he brought to light. What made the Philofophers fo cautious, and be at fo great pains (for tis a much easier task to write of things plainly and directly, than in a perplext circuit of

voir la fumée pendant le jour, et la flame pendant la nuit. Il pretend que celui, qui a eu la direction de ce feu, et qui a fervi de Guide aux Ifraelites, n'etoit autre chofe que Hobab, le beaupere de Moife; ce qu'il tache de prouver par les verfets 29 et 30 du chapitre x des nombres, et par plufieurs autres paffages de l'Ecriture fainte. A Bourdeaux 1710.

1ο Τών δε φιλοσόφων τα απορρήτα καλυπτοντων ασαφεία, καθαπερ των ποιητῶν τοις μυθοῖς, ὁ ΠορφυριΘ, το μεν φαρ.. μακον της σαφηνείας επαινέσας, και δια πείρας γευσάμενΘ, Sounua reatas, is ows ngager. In Porphyr. pag. 18.

edit. 1616.

[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors][ocr errors]

words under the veil of allegory or fable) I have in the Differtation it felf amply declar'd. In effect the Poets were not exemt from the fame danger, that commonly attended the Philofophers: for tis a grand mistake to fuppofe, that the former did always write in a figurative train out of pure choice, and because it was as amuzing or alJuring as their numbers. No, no: thofe Poets and Philofophers who wou'd rather obtain the people's favor, than run any rifque in undeceiving or inftructing them (for I except the most generous fpirited) must no less than thofe venal Orators and Hiftorians, who court the applaufe of the many, approve their favorite fentiments, as well as tickle their ears and fancies. Liften to a Man perfectly acquainted with this matter. Whoever writes any thing for the people (fays 1 SYNESIUS, who was both Poet and Philofopher) or addresses his speech to them, must neceffarily appear popular in his doctrine, and invent or difcourfe what gratifies them: for they being unlearned, are therefore pertinacious and intractable defenders of their fenfelefs prejudices; fo that if any declines from his country Or. be exe- rites, he must ftrait drink the juice of hemlock. What think cuted. you must HOMER have fuffer'd from the Grecians, if he had related the naked truth concerning JUPITER? and not vended those monstrous fictions, which terrify children. All filly folks are children, no lets at other times than in that of HOMER; a fecret well known to EMPEDOCLES, with fome other poetical Philofophers. And I must needs own that when I obferve learned men, or fuch as are prefum'd to be fo from their profeffions, laboring by all. oblique arts to render others no lefs learned, and it may be much more deferving on all accounts, obnoxious to the folly or madness of the vulgar, I cannot help being equally fill'd with contemt and abhorrence; but above all when they are Clergymen (the profest preachers of charity, fair-dealing, and moderation) that are guilty of fuch

τι. Ὅσις δ' ουν δημῳ γραφει και δημῳ λέγει, τούτον αναγ και δήμοι είναι τη δοξη ἵν' από των αρεσκόντων αυτω πλάτη και διαλεγεται: και γαρ αμαθείς οίλες, ισχυρογνώμονες εσι και χαλεποι προς αλαι των αλόπων προλεψεων ; ώς αν τις των παρ τριων παρανίκη, ταχυ πιεται το κωκειον. Τι αν ουν δοκής Ομηρον υπο των Ελληνων παθών, αυτά τ' αληθη περι του Διθ επιπλα και μηδεν τοιουτο τερατευσαμενον, ὦ τα παι Saeid nalaπanetal? In Encom. Calvit. Edit. Par. pag. 72.

ώ

unmanly,

[ocr errors]
« EdellinenJatka »