John's imprisonment. Luke, in the account of his preaching, hints it; the rest, by sepaσs, give a particular account of it, at Herod's being alarmed; none of them mention it in its own place.

Acts ix. 4, 5, 7. with ch. xxii. 9. xxvi. 14, 15.

1163. The sacred historians often deviate from the exact order of time; and are at liberty to do so, as they proposed not to write regular journals. In this case, the nature of the thing sometimes shews which historian observes the real order.

Isa. xxxviii. 21, 22. Sign of recovery given to Hezekiah-sign asked;-real order in 2 Kings xx. 7, 8; a transposition in Isa. and, probably, from a transcriber's mistake.

1164. If one historian affirms the order which he observes, and another does not, the real order is that which is followed by the former.

Matth. iv. affirms the order of temptations, TOTE, TaλIV. Luke iv. a different order, but not affirmed, only xat.

και.

1165. When one of the historians can be shown to have had a particular reason for departing from the order of time, while the other had no such reason, the facts ought to be placed in that order which the latter has observed.

A writer may be prevented from relating an event at the time it happened, by not having taken notice of the circumstances which occasioned it.-The mention of one event gives occasion for mentioning others, its consequences, though long posterior; or, for going backward to what contributed to it; -or, for introducing others similar to it.

1166. Difficulties regarding the facts themselves, and difficulties regarding the order of them, often mutually arise, in part, from each other.

1167. Facts, related by different historians, in different places of their narration, are apt to be regarded as different facts, but may be the same facts.

Cleric. can. 7. Michael. § 86.

Matth. xxvi. 6-13. and Mark xiv. 3-9. give the history of anointing Christ two days before the passover;-but John xii. 3-8 six days before it-seeming inconsistencies in the circumstances, as well as time-not different, Cler. Mackn but the same, and consistent. Michael. Drus. Grot.-each had a natural occasion for placing it as he does; John, for mentioning it when it happened, by the resurrection of Lazarus; the others, not then, but by separis, on Judas's making his bargain; and, they give no note of time. John says not that it was in the house of Lazarus ;-other circumstances easily reconciled ;—the different circumstances to be put together.

1168. Facts, related by different sacred historians, may be different, though they be similar in many of their circumstances, and though there be nothing in the order of relating them which can certainly fix the diversity.

Cler. can. 9, 10. Mackn. Obs. 4.

Luke xii. 36-50. Anointing of Jesus-not the same with the former, Grot. but different ;-the similar circumstances easily accounted for ;-the discordant ones, not.

1169. 3. There is, sometimes, an appearance of contradiction between professed relations of events in one passage, and incidental references to them in another.

1170. Sometimes, the reference appears repugnant to circumstances actually taken notice of in the narration; and, such repugnance may be of any of the kinds

already mentioned, and is to be removed by the same principles.

Mark. ii. 25, 26. "In the days of Abiathar"-refers to 1 Sam. xxi. 1, 2. where it is "Ahimelech ;"-not, a false reading in Mark-not, the son of the high-priest-not, about the time of Abiathar-not, a mere denomination, because afterwards high-priest-but, Abiathar, the father of Ahimelech, who of ficiated for him, and, therefore, naturally mentioned in Sam. and he, the father of another Abiathar.

Matth. xxiii. 35. " Zacharias, the son of Barachias"—seems to contradict 2 Chron. xxiv. 21. son of Jehoiada." Tillots. vol. 2. Ser. 27.

Acts vii. 16. with Gen. xxxiii. 19.

1171. Sometimes, things are referred to as having happened, of which no notice at all is taken in the relations of the sacred historians; but, this implies only that these historians do not relate every thing that happened.

Mackn. Obs. 2.

Gen. xxxi. 7, 8. Changing Jacob's wages. Fs. cv. 18. Joseph fettered. Hos. xii. 4. xiii. 10. Amos v. 2. Mic. vi. 5-8. Matth. xi. 21. John xi. 49, 50 Acts xx. 35. a saying of Christ. 1 Cor. xv. 7. an appearance of Christ to

James.

1172 It is, both to obtain light by comparison of parallel places, and to remove seeming contradictions, that harmonies of the historical books of Scripture are intended; and, what has been said under these two heads, points out the general principles on which such harmonies should be constructed.

Macknight's harmony. White's Diatessaron. Fellowes' Guide to Immortality. Marsh's Michael. vol. 3. ch. 2.

SECT. III.

Seeming Contradictions between Predictions and their Accomplishment.

1173. WHEN, both a prediction, and the event foretold in it, are recorded in Scripture, there is, sometimes, an appearance of disagreement and inconsistence between them.

1174. This appearance generally arises from some difficulty in understanding the true meaning of the prediction; it may be occasioned by any of those causes which produce the peculiar difficulties of the prophetical writings; and, it is to be removed by the same means which serve for clearing these difficulties.

1175. It may proceed from any sort of obscurity or ambiguity in the expression, or from any sort of uncertainty in the structure of a sentence.

Matt. xii. 40. Jesus three nights and three days in the grave.

1176. In particular, it often proceeds from the figurative style of prophecy.

1177. It may be occasioned by the ordinary manner of the prophets, predicting what relates to the moral and religious state of the world, in metaphors borrowed from the parts of the natural world.

Newton on Daniel. Hag. ii. 6-9.

1178. It may be occasioned by the prophets expressing what relates to the Christian dispensation and worship, in terms borrowed from the Mosaic religion.

Warb. Div Leg. Halifax, Serm. 1.

Isa. ii. 2, 3. xix. 19. lvi. 7. Jer. iii. 17. Zech. viii. 22. Mal. i. 11.

1179. It may be occasioned, by a prediction relating only to one part of a complex character, or event, and, on that account, seeming to be inconsistent with other parts of it; and the appearance will be removed, by taking in such predictions as relate to these other parts, and considering them all in connexion.

Predictions of the glory of the Messiah-to be compared with predictions of his precedent sufferings.

1180. It sometimes arises from several of these causes, or from them all together.

Gen. xlix. 10.

Isa. vii. 8. Lowth.

SECT. IV.

Seeming Contradictions in Points of Doctrine.

1181. THERE is, sometimes, an appearance of contradiction, between the doctrine delivered in one passage, and the doctrine delivered in another passage.