On the other hand, if any of thofe unhappy wits, who undervalue and defpife the language of the facred writers, because they don't understand it, or hate and are afraid of the doctrines it expreffes, fhall attack me in a hoftile manner, as I fhall be fo far from apologizing for my felf, that I fhall own and glory in fome parts of their charge: fo if any thing fhall be thought material, and to have the appearance of a rational objection, I fhall endeavour to vindicate my labours upon the facred and most admirable writers of the new Testament, which unworthy, tho' well-meant labours I humbly submit to the judgment, and recommend to the acceptance and patronage of the pious and intelligent reader.

A. BLACK WALL.

CLASSICS

Defended and Illuftrated:

O R,

An ESSAY in Two Parts towards proving the Purity, Propriety, and true Eloquence of the Writers of the NEW TESTAMENT.

PART FIRST,

In which those Divine Writers are vindicated against the Charge of barbarous Language, false Greek, and Solecifms.

LOND ON:

Printed in the Year M, DCC, XXV..

L

:

THE

SACRED CLASSICS

Defended and Illuftrated.

PART I

СНАР. І.

By way of Introduction, wherein an account is given of the Hebraifms of the new Teftament; ferveral mistakes of antient and modern critics and grammarians upon this head are difcover'd; the peculiarities of the Sacred writers, and the pretended barbarifms or foreign words and phrafes are defended, by fhewing that the fame liberties are taken by the best and most accurate, Greek authors.

S. 1.

W

A

E are fo far from denying that there are Hebraifms in the new Teftament, that we esteem it a great advantage and beauty to that facred book that it abounds with them.

The old Teftament is the rich treasury of all the fublimity of thought, moving tenderness of

B

paffion,

paffion, and vigorous ftrength of expression, which are to be found in all the language by which mortals declare their minds.

The Hebrew is an original and effential language; that borrows of none, but lends to all. Some of the sharpeft pagan writers, inveterate enemies to the religion and learning of both Jews and Chriftians, have allowed the Hebrew tongue to have a noble emphasis, and a close and beautiful brevity. The metaphors in that admirable book are appofite and lively; they illuftrate the truths expreffed by them, and raife the admiration of the reader. The names of men, animals, &c. are very fignificant. One word is often a good defcription, and gives you a fatisfactory account of the chief and diftinguishing property or quality of the thing or person nam'd.

It would be no difficult matter for a man of diligence and good tafte, competently skill'd in the Hebrew and claffical learning, to prove that the Hebrew Bible has every beauty and excellence that can be found in all the Greek and Roman au

13 a Iamblichus apud Flac. Illyric. de ftylo SS. Literarum, Tract. 5. p. 452. Præftantia novi Teftamenti non minuitur, fi dicamus illud Hebraifmis fcatere. Leufden. Philol. Heb. mixt. Spicileg. Philol. c. 40. p. 436.

thors;