Expository notes, with practical observations; towards the opening of the five first chapters of the first book of Moses called Genesis. Delivered by way of exposition in several lords-dayes exercises.: By Benjamin Needler, minister of the gospel at Margaret Moses Friday-Street, London.

23. Rule.

Although we should finde the holy Penmen of God, differ from each other in things of a lesser import, or considera∣tion, we should not from hence in the least scruple the divine authority of the Scrip∣ture.

For instance, in the History of Christs temptations, Matthew for the second temp∣tation, * 1.1 puts the devills taking Christ up into the holy City, and setting him one a pina∣cle of the temple; now the Evangelist Saint Luke seemes to invert the order, and for the second temptation puts the devills ta∣king * 1.2 Christ into an high mountaine, and shew∣ing him all the Kingdomes of the world in a moment of time.

Now if the question be, how these Evan∣gelists must be reconciled? Answer may be made, if there be an harmony, as to the temptations that are written by the Evan∣gelists, it is enough, though they differ as to the order of the temptations. We do not use to accuse a man of a falshood, who tells us many things that be true, though they be something out of order, unlesse he promise that he will not onely tell us the

things that were done, but also the order of the doing of them. So then if Matthew speaks of that temptation in the second place, which Luke doth in the third place as long as they differ not about the maine, as to the temptations concerning which they write, there is an harmony still between Matthew and Luke.

Yea, some think, that this is a good ar∣gument to prove the divine authority of the Scriptures, viz. that the Holy Penmen did not lay their heads together, about the framing of the Gospels, nor did tran∣scribe one anothers coppies; they agreeing in the maine, and yet differing in things of a lesser consideration.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mat. 4 5.
• * 1.2

  Luc. 4.5.