in the Letters is incorrupt and unchanged and that may be judge For the Vowels are the soul giving life to the distinct Words and the Word written with bare Consonants cannot be read nor understood without Vowels and especially in dark and difficult places one will adde these Vowels another those as every own shall attempt to draw forth the meaning Here is need of another Judge the Word written with naked Letters cannot speak for it self The Greek version of the lxx differs from the Hebrew Text not only in the reading of Vowels but Letters also so that it cannot be Judge Where will you seek another Shall the Servant give sentence upon the Lord the waiting Maid upon her Royal Lady or shall the living and most clear fountain be tryed by the Tast and Colour of the troubled and muddy stream Cap. 9. XXVIII The other Opinion of the Hebrews touching the Authors of the Masora is that the Masora was written by the Men of the great Synagogue whom they stile in their Books 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the great Council gathered by Ezra the Priest the President thereof after the Babylonian Captivity by whose help and assistance he restored the Church of Jerusalem and of all the Jews purging and reforming it from many corruptions errors and vices contracted in Babylon For this Office when he departed from Babylon to Jerusalem by the Grace of God and the Authority of King Artaxerxes was committed to him as appears by the Kings Letters Esr 7. Not long after him the King sent away Nehemias also as a most faithfull Colleague and zealous assistant who being armed with the Royal Commission and publick authority promoted the reformation of the City and the Church with great fervour of affection as the Book of Nehemiah shewes Cap. 10. XXIX Esra and Nehemiah associated to themselvs others of the prime Men of the people and the wisest so that the whole Council completed the number of 120. Men which Council is of most worthy memory frequently in the Writings of the Hebrews Hence in the Chronicle Juchasin fol. 13. It is read of this Counsell When Constitutions are named absolutely they are from Esra And the house of Judgement of Esra is that which is called the great Synagogue or the great Council which restored the Crown unto the antient estate The Hebrews had three Crowns of the Law the Priesthood and the Kingdome The Crown of the Law i. the Study of Wisdom and the knowledge of the Divine Law was the greatest of all according to that Prov. 8. 15. By me i. Wisdome Kings Raign This Crown Esra which his Colleagues reduced to the Primitive Condition i. e. He reformed the Ecclesiastical Common-wealth from the filth and pollutions of Babylon and reduced it to the old integrity and purged the Holy Scripture from the deceitfull Books of the false Prophets and from all corruptions Therefore in the Jerusalem Talmud in the Book Megilla c. 4. in fine When the men of the great Synagogue arose they restored magnificence i. The Crown of the Law then whose magnificence none is greater Don Isaac Abarbinel in the preface to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Commemorates the principal men of this Council most of whom came from Babylon and Jerusalem with Zorobabel The Catalogue saith he of the men of the great Council are Hagaeus the Prophets Zacharias the Prophet Malachias the Prophet Zorobabel the son of Schealtiel Mordecai Bilsohan Ezra the Priest and Scribe Jehosua the Son of Johotzedek the Priest Seraja Realja Mispar Bigaeus Rachum Bana Nehemiah the Son of Chacilja These are the twelve prime Men c. The last man saith Rabbi Moses ben Mâ—jomen in whom the Council ended was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simeon the just he who went forth to meet the great Alexander in bis Priestly habit and inclined him to shew Clemency toward the City which story is famous among the Hebrews It happened according to their account in the fourth year after the building of the second Temple whence we gather that the men of this Synod supervived beyond forty years All this is to shew that the Hebrews esteemed this Synod of very great Authority Cap. 10. XXX The head and President of this Synod Ezra was above all the rest furnished with singular gifts of God for these affairs chiefly was he expert in the Divine Law in the interpretation and description of the Sacred Scripture most exercised for which he is commended Esr 7. 6. He was a ready Scribe in the Law of Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Scribe he is called not so much à Scribendo from writing as from declaring and explaining the things contained in the Holy Scriptures For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an interpreter of Books a Doctor a Scribe And by no Book was gotten greater praise then by the Book of the Law whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lawyer who taught and interpreted the Law of God So in the New Testament they are sometimes stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scribes who instructed the people sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Skilfull of the Law Yet properly was he called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Scribe who did write Letters Instruments Books Contracts and such like as in Psa 45. 2. My Tongue is the Pen of a ready Scribe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Esra was excellent both-wayes being at once a Learned expounder of the Law and a ready Writer of it For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord and to do it and to teach in Israel Statutes and Judgments Ez. 7. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence also they compare him to Moses for the excellency of his Dignity as we may read in both Talmuds and he was justly named Ezra for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is help St. Jerom renders it Adjutor a Helper XXXI Ezra therefore being sollicitous to help a decayed Church and to reform it distributed Offices Ecclesiastical instituted Sacrifices consecrated Vessels appointed for Divine uses celebrated Solemn Feasts proclaimed Fasts and Repentance cleansed the people from the Wedlock of Strangers and endeavoured to order and compose all things after the Prescript of Divine Law but that the Law it self and the whole Sacred Scripture might be extant amongst the people of God in the genuine and pure Integrity and that there might be a difference between the Writings of many false Prophets and the Books of the true and whatsoever spot by reason of the incommodities of their long Captivity had blemished the holy Letters might be stripped off there was great need of mature Advice of the provident care of Learned men exercised perfectly in the reading of the Sacred Scripture and of the vigorous aid of many Assistants To this purpose he had with him Divine Collegues endued with a prophetick Spirit Haggaeus Malachias Nehemias whose fervent and most ardent affection is testified openly by their Holy Sermons He had with him that most
continuation of the History and the Lamentations to Jeremy for the same Authors sake According to this distinction the Books of the Bible in all were computed two and twenty agreeable to the number of the Hebrew Letters Cap. 11. XXXV After that they had defined and distributed the Canonica◠Books the Men of the great Synagogue further considered of the conformity of the Text and the verity and variety of the reading Here first of all the Text was distinguished into Verses Notes of distinction being added which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because there was the end of every Verse For the Hebrews conceive that all the Scripture-text before was but as it were one Verse without any notes of distinction even as it is this day all their Books except very seldome and almost only in the greater Sections and Parts do not use distinctive Points but signifie a new Part Section or matter of discourse by larger Writing of the first Word And that till the time of this Council or great Synagogue the Text of Scripture was without Notes of distinction of the Verses the Jews prove out of the Sacred Book of the Law writen after the antient manner into a great form rouled up kept in their Synagogues in a Sacred Chest for publick solemn Readings on Sabbath dayes and other Festivals which is still to be seen without those Notes of Verses and without the Points of Vowels and Accents according to the form of the first exemplar written by Moses and given to the people of Israel as themselves affirm But that the whole Law was written without any distinction of words without any space interposed that the whole Text was as it were one Verse or one Word is a vain fiction of the Kabbalists Now if the Hebrew Text was distinguished into Verses by the Men of the great Synagogue why have not the lxx Greek Interpreters prudent Elders born Jews the chiefest learned Men most observant of their Law retained that distinction in their Traslation The Answer is that the difference of Verses as also of innumerous other places in that version is not from those first Interpreters but from the Transcribers who sometimes conjoyned sometimes divided the sentences as their Pen ran and their mind was either more or lesse intent which in great and long works usually happens Besides who can certainly affirm or believe that the present Greek version is altogether the same which those first interpreters with so great labour ftamed What made some of the most pious and most learned Fathers in the Primitive Christian Church so often to complain of that Translation What moved them to set forth so many new ones in the Greek Why did some so religiously embrace and so much commend the verity of the Hebrew Text Cap. 11. XXXVI After the distinction of the Verses by the men of the Great Synagogue they took into consideration the single Words and therein they had a double care one respected the writing of them by naked Consonants the other the reading of them and pronunciation by the Letters and Vowels jointly In the writing of the Words by the Letters they consulted with the Authentick Copies of the first Authors as many as were then extant in their hands or else followed the fidelity of other Copies most approved and most in number whether the Words were Written according to the Native propriety of their Origination what words with what quiescent Letters were written fully and what defectively what Letters and Words were written abundantly and not read or on the contrary what were read and not written in the Text or what were written in this manner and read in another as the Church had observed it continually from the time of Moses Of all which particulars the learned and skilfull then were able to give account and there were mystical reasons known to them but among the posterity through the most grievous calamities of after-times forgotten Now if this part of Critical learning belongs to the Masora and thence by all they are stiled Masoreths who were the Authors of it then none can deny but the first Masoreths were the Men of the great Synagogue Cap. 11. XXXVII A Second care of these Masoreths was about the reading and pronouncing of the Words together with the Vowels and Accents of them also particularly were written Masoretic Notes But whether the men of the great Synagogue here first invented the Points of Vowels and Accents or perfected them being invented by other or being neglected or disused restored them and took care that a Masora should be also written of them this cannot easily be said nor proved Lastly these men not content with all this numbred the Letters Words and Verses in every Book that it might be known what Letter what Word what Verse was in the midst of every one what Word did but once occur and therefore did easily admi◠some error or corruption what words more often and how many times they were read under this or that form and infinite other things of like nature touching the explication of the Holy Text did they deliver that so they might fence it about as it were and preserve it from corruption And from this part of their Office whith was employed in numbring of the Words they were also called Sopherim i. e. Numerators from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to number and to celebrate their Antiquity and their Excellency the Talmudists call them the Antients and the First using this of those admirable men The Elogy heart of the Antients was like the Gate of the Porch to the Temple but the heart of the Latter like the eye of a Needle Lib. 119. Eribbim Cap. 5. Cap. 11. XXXVIII As afore Num. 6. two Authorities of Aben Ezra and Elias Levita were alledged touching the Authors of the Masora so likewise here shall we bring in the Testimony of some famous Hebrews to confirm this which is the more current opinion R. Gedalia in his Catena Kabalae fol. 21. writes Behold the men of the great Synagogue have set forth many new Constitutions for the good of the whole Captivity as the distinction of Verses the diversity of reading and writing the full words and the defective the Sections close and open the Letters greater and less the Accents and Vowel points My mind gives me that all were given to Moses from Mount Sinai but posterity was forgetful of them or that they were given indeed to Moses not that they should be committed to writing but these Princes the men of the Great Synagogue wrote them all down and communicated them to all Israel Don Isaac Abarbinel in the Preface to his Nachale Abhoth writes Ezra likewise taught Israel the Points Accents and ends of the Verses whereby he directed them and freed them from all confusion and error Ephodi cap. 7. of his Grammer writes in this manner That most Holy man who was the Head of the Scribes Ezra the Priest and Scribe shook his Lap and strained all his
Nerves that he might bring into order what was perverted so did all the Scribes who followed him and corrected these Books with all possible care until they left them most perfect by numbring the Sections Verses Words and Letters the full and defective Words the irregular and regular and so forth whence they are also stiled Sophorim Numberers and made of these the Books of Masora Cap. 11. XXXIX This is the common Sentence of the Hebrews that the Masora proceeded from the men of the Great Synagogue and was not unknown to Elias as in his foresaid third Preface he acknowledgeth Lo it is the opinion of many that Ezra the Scribe and his Council namely the men of the great Synagogue made the Masora the Punctation and Accents upon the whole Bibles So it is and one shall scarce find any Hebrew or Jew giving his voice for Elias but on the contrary his reasons are refuted by the most Learned Rabbins Thence I say from Ezra had the Masora its beginning and rise and the Vowel-points either their Birth or Renovation but I confess the Masora as a matter of infinite Study was continued by their Successors many Ages untill it grew up into a great Book exceeding for its quantity the Bibles themselves as Elias writeth who saw many Books of the Masora Well might so great a Work and Study so infinite and vast a Labor require both a long time and many hands and those not vulgarly learned Now the circumstance of time and the holy care and most ardent Zeal of Ezra and the rest of his Colleagues toward the Reformation of the Church favour this work very much He knew by his Prophetick Spirit that the last of the Prophets in the Jewish Church then lived and therefore nothing was more necessary then that the Sacred Scripture should be conserved in it uncorrupted Their prudence and care it was to prevent the corruption by this Critical Labor whereby the true and constant writing and reading of all the words might remain for ever and indeed they have effected it as none can deny who is throughly acquainted with the Secrets of this Study Thus much of the Original and Authors of the Masora Cap. 11. XL. The Matter of the Masora of which it consisteth are the Critical or Censorious Annotations touching the Hebrew Text of Holy Scripture The Texts are reckoned according to the Verses Words and Letters the Verses are numbred first entire through the several Books of the Bible and in the Pentateuch of Moses according to the greater Sections too which are shewed by three greater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And withall through the whole Scripture the middle Verse of every Book is named all which are set down after the Text at the end of every Book as for Example Genesis hath 1534 Verses and the middle Verse is And by thy Sword shalt thou live Chap. 27. 40. Exodus 1209. the middle Verse Speak not evil of the Magistrate Chap. 22. 28. Leviticus 859. the middle Verse He that toucheth the flesh of him that hath an Issue Chap. 15. 7. Numbers 1288. the middle Verse And it shall come to pass that the mans rod whom I shall choose shall blossom Chap. 17. 5. Deuteronomy 955. the middle And thou shalt do aecording to the Sentence Chap. 17. 10. The Sum of the Verses but mistaken in all the Books of the whole Pentateuch 5845. the middle Verse of the whole Law or Pentateuch And he put the Breast-Plate upon him Levit. 8. 8. The Verses of the greater Sections c. This Hedge the first Masorets set about the Holy Scripture that the Sacred Body thereof might not be maimed by the loss even of one Verse Cap. 12. XLI Again the Verses were considered according to their various affections in the Words and Letters One Verse is noted consisting of two and forty words which have in them Letters one hundred and sixty It is read Jer. 21. 7. Two Verses there are in which there is four times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 22. 7. 1 Reg. 20. 14. Three Verses there are which have each Eighty Letters one is Num. 36. 8. Three Verses in every one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 once and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 four times as Num. 11. 19. Three have each 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thrice and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also thrice as Exod. 29. 5. Three begin and end with the Divine name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Memorial of Gods eternal essence as Deut. 31. 3. where the Masora cites the other two There are four Verses in every one whereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is five times as Exod. 40. 18. Five Verses and in every one are five continued words of two Letters as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Reg. 3. 26. where the rest are cited Ten Verses wherein are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 1 Reg. 7. 20. Ten in the Law whose first and last word is the same as Levit. 7. 9. Fourteen which consist only of three words as Gen. 5. 6. Exod. 28. 13. where the rest are alledged There are twenty six Verses in every of which are extant all the letters of the Alphabet as Ezek. 38. 13. where the rest are quoted among those there is one Verse which hath not only all the Alphabet simple but is enriched also with the five final Letters and that is Soph. 3. 8. But let them beware who have the Venice Editions lest-they weary themselves too much in seeking for the Verses for there are in them some false Verses cited which fault we have amended in our Edition Innumerous more of this kind have the Masoreths noted in the examination of the Verses in the Bible Cap. 12. XLII In the Words the Masoreths noted First the genuine writing and reading of them where any diversity did occur 2ly Where they were written fully with the quiescent Letters or defectively without them Thirdly Their seat and place in the beginning middle or end of the Verse and what form they had either by themselves or by reason of some accent Fourthly Their structure and conjunction with other words or composition with servile Letters Fifthly Their signification where was any ambiguity Sixthly They often noted words different in vowels and accents where any peculiar observation or difference seemed to require it And to all these they added both the number how often and the place where every one was exstant Cap. 13. XLIII The Writing and Reading is called by the Masoreths 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when a Word was otherwise Written in the Text by Letters and noted in the Margin to be otherwise read by Vowels or when a Word was Written abundantly in the Text and omitted in Reading or on the contrary was not written at all in the Text and yet was to be read whence arose many and various kinds of this head As sometimes a Letter was wanting in a
Masora A COLLECTION Out of the Learned Master JOANNES BUXTORFIUS 's Commentarius Masorethicus By CLEMENT BARKSDALE Neque Omnia neque Nihil Iota unum non peribit LONDON Printed for Matthias Thurston and are to be sold at his Shop next the St. Johns-head Tavern within Ludgate 1665. PETRVS CVNAEVS Of the Hebrew COMMONWEALTH Lib. 1. Cap. ult WHat time the Christians understood scarce Three words of Hebrew how easie had it been for the Jews to corrupt those places which seemed to refute their Follies but Piety would not permit them Religion forbad them to move or alter any thing in the Sacred Text And truly when I look upon the unwearied diligence of the MASORITES I am almost amazed For all the parts of the Hebrew Bible being accurately revised and compared they signed with Impressed Notes They observed not only how many Verses and Words but also how many Letters every Book contained Wherefore that afterward when Barbarism orespread the World not one point of that Divine writing perished we owe next under God to them The INDEX MASORA whence so called 2. What are Traditions 3. Definition of Masora 4. The deligence of the Heb. Gods providence 5. Who the Authors of Masora two opinions 6. Aben Ezra and Elias Levita I. 7. The School of Tiberias the Hierusalem Talmud Rabbi Jehuda 8. The Babylon-Schools their Talmud 9. Hillel Hannasi his new compute Jos Scaliger 10. Tiberias decayed 11. St. Jerom his Hebrew Doctor 12 The Masorites of Tiberias not Authors 13. The Authority of the Babylon-Talmud 14. The Oral Kabala 15. Masora more antient then the Talmud 16. 17. The points before the Masoretic Notes 18. Dages and Mappik 19. The Accents noted 20. Masorites office 21. Masorites the Antients 22. Vowels from one Prick 23. Punctation before Talmud 24. Chaldee names of Points 25. Need of Points 26. Vowel Points not from the Tiberians why 27. The Septuagint 28. The Great Synagogue II 29. Ezra Nehemiah c. High Priest and Alex. M. 30. Scribes Ezra praised 31. Ezra Haggai Malachi Zorobabel c. 32. Nehem. 8. 8. expounded Tertul. and Chrysost 33. Beginning of Masora Division of the Bible Lu. 24. 44. 34. Subdivision into 22. 35. Distinction of Verses Fiction of the Kabalists Septuagint 36. Critical Learning The first Masorites 37. Reading of the words Vowels and Accents Letters numbred 38. Testimonies for the men of the Great Synagogue 39. Elias Levita Succession of Masorites Ezra the first Author 40. The Matter of the Masora The number of the Verses in Genesis c. 41. Notes upon the Verses Venice Edition of the Bible 42. Notes upon the Words 43. The writing and reading 44. VVords written fully or defectively 45. The place of VVords 46. Structure of Verbs 47. Ambiguous signification noted 48. Vowels and Accents observed 49. The Letters noted in their Figure and Number 50. Great Letters observed 51. Little Letters observed 52. The Letter Nun inverted 53. Pricked words 54. The Letters numbred The middle Letter of the Law 55. Raf. Saadia Gaon 56. The Form of the Masora The Edition of Daniel Bomberg and R. Jac. Ben Chajim 57. The Great and Little Masora Textual and Final 58. The end of the Masora The hedge of the Law Testimonies of Jews 59. Testimonies of Christians 60. Conclusion MASORA I. _ה 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Masora Masoreth are Verbal Nouns derived from the Root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to deliver and are here taken for a Doctrine or Knowledge which one delivers and communicates to another as it were from hand to hand The correlative Verb is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to receive i. to perceive know and understand for what is delivered by word of mouth is received with the Ear and so transmitted to the Mind So the Hebrews have a saying Moses received the Law from Sinai and delivered it to Joshua Joshua to the Elders the Elders to the Prophets the Prophets delivered it to the men of the great Synagogue Cap. 1. II. In the New Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tradition or delivery is usually taken for a Doctrine or Institution about certain Rites and Ceremonies so the Jews had many Traditions invented and prescribed by the Scribes and Doctors for the advancement of Piety that is to keep them by the observing of these in the better observation of Gods Commands whence in Syriac Tradition is called Perfection because they imagined that the Law of God comprehended in writing somwhat imperfectly was perfected and compleated by such Institutions but Christ hath disapproved them saying Ye have made void the Law of God by your Tradition Mat. 15. 6. Cap. 1. III. Masora as we take it here by a Synecdoche signifies the Critical Doctrine about the Holy Hebrew Text and may be thus defined A Critical Doctrine concerning the Hebrew Text of Holy Scripture ingeniously invented by the antient wise men of the Hebrews wherby the Verses Words and Letters thereof were numbred and all the variety of them marked and shewed in their several places with the particular Verses recited that so the constant and genuine reading of the Text might be preserved and for ever secured from all chang and corruption Hence is that saying of the Rabbins The Masora is the Hedge or Fence of the Law Cap. 2. IV. In this Study admirable was the diligence of the antient Hebrews their Zeal in conserving the Text of Gods Word most ardent inimitable and without example in any other Nation of the whole World was their Labor No less to be admired is the providence of God shining forth toward the Gentiles who were to be called to the knowledge of him by the Scripture For here through East and West the Word of God is of one reading the Books do all consent with perfect Harmony a Happiness granted to no other Nation no other Books in the World That most antient Writer of the Christian Church Justin Martyr justly ascribs it to the singular care and providence of God that the Jews so studiously in their Synagogues kept safe and sound the holy Writings for our use and benefit Serm. ad Gentes And St. Austin stiles the Jews our Servitors to carry our books for us in Psal 41. Cap. 2. V. The Authors of Masora are named by the Hebrews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in our Schools the Masoreths from their handling the Masora or Critical Doctrine Who they were indeed where or when they lived is not easily to be determined Two opinions there are especially among the Rabbins the one that the Authors were the wise men of the City Tiberias the other that the Masora was written by the men of the Great Synagogue or the great Council called by the Prophet Ezra Cap. 3. VI. They of the first opinion do not only attribute the Masora to the wise men of Tiberias but will have them to be the first Inventors of the Points Vowels and Accents Among these the first is R. Aben Ezra he flourished in the year of Christ 1150 who in his
Grammer plainly saith Thus was the Custom of the wise men of Tiberias for of them were the Authors of the Masora and from them have we received all the pointing and often doth he mention those wise men in the same Book and commends them several times for their skil in reading and genuine pronuntiation his second in this opinion is Elias Levita a Jew of Germany and a Famous Grammarian in the Last age and one that in the explication of the whole Masora and particularly in the curious handling of this part got the praise from all the Rabbins of his people In sundry Prefaces to his Masoreth Hammasoreth his opinion touching the original of Masora and the Vowel points is this in short 1. That there were innumerable Authors of the Masora in divers ages 2. That the time of the beginning of them and the end is uncertain 3. That the Hebrews of Tiberias first wrote the Masora and invented the points of Vowels and of Accents after the Talmud was finished i. long after 500. years since our Saviour Christ Cap. 3. VII The City of Tiberias which produced the Masoreth of all the Jews most expert in the Hebrew Tongue was in the Land of Galilee seated near the Lake of Henne-Caroth of whose Rise and Scituation Josephus that noble and most antient Writer of the Jewish Affairs informs us Antiq. lib. 18. c. 3. And when after the desolation of Jerusalem by the Roman Army some Reliques of the Learned Jews escaped into Babylon and some remained in Palestin these by a little and little in the more commodious places and cities restored their Schools and Assemblies and this Tiberias was one of those Cities celebrated in the writing of the Hebrews and adorned with some Names of wise and learned men and enjoyed that honor till the year of Christ 230. after which time the Chronicles of the Hebrews relate nothing very memorable concerning Schools and the Studies of good learning in Judea for here Rabbi Jehuda aftet the publishing of the Jerusalem Talmud died in the same or the following year and after his death the Studens in Judea were dispersed and the Schools translated into Babylon Cap. 4. 5. VIII Thus the Schools of Judea as it were expiring with R. Jehuda the Saint their Light and Life and the principal Schollars being removed about the year 230. out of Palestin into Babylon there did they renew their Studies with great Fervor chiefly did the Profession of the Jewish Law flourish comprehended in the Book Mischna their Corpus Juris as it were This was the Subject of thei Lectures and Disputations so that afterward in the year after the destruction of the City 436. as Elias puts it that is of Christ 506 came forth the Babylonian Talmund distinct into six principal parts and Sixty three Books by which even until this day the whole Nation of the Jews are governed In the year of Christ 1037 then the Babylonian Schools were altogether extinguished the wise Masters vanished thence and fixed themselves in another Sphear in Spain and other parts of Europe as R. Abraham and other Writers testifie Cap. 6. IX It seems yet that all Learning did not die in Palestin with Rabbi Jehuda the Saint for though the Chronicles give us nothing memorable after him yet the Hebrew History makes mention of some Doctors of Schools in the Land of Israel as may be seen in Juchasin fol. 106. In the year of Christ 340. Hillel Hannasi was famous among the Jews both a Philosopher and excellent Astronomer so that he made a new Compute and Jos Scaliger in his Book of De Emendatione Temp. p. 544. saith The new Compute was the worke of the Masters of Tyberias We read of none but this Hillel that reformed the Kalender therefore by the Masters of Tyberias we must understand Hillel the rather because all the Jews unto this day do follow his Computation and will follow it till the time of their Deliverer whom they expect as we see in Inchasin fol. 90. According to Scaliger then this Hillel lived in Tyberias and to that time Tyberias was not decayed Cap. 7. X. That something of the Schools in Palestin remained till this time appeareth by Schalschelet fol. 34. He R. Jehuda Nesia was the father of Rabbi Hillel the Prince who was promoted into a Master in the Land of Israel and the last of the promoted as may be seen in the Talmudical Book De Idololatria And in Tzemach David where is mention of this Hillel fol. 47. The promoted in the Jews of Israel ceased in him Now if Scholastical promotion here ceased it is very probable that professions and publick exercises ceased also being those Dignities are the rewards of an excellent learning ordained for the conservation and propagation of studies which is made more probable in that the Chronicles of the Hebrews relate nothing at all after this Hillel touching the Schools or Wise men of Palestin but pursue the Schools of Babylon to the last Cap. 7. XI Yet St. Hierom a very antient Writer of the Christian Church carries us a little farther For he when he translated the Hebrew Bible into Latin procured a Learned Jew from Tyberias whose help he used in the interpretation of the Book of Chronicles a certain Doctor of the Law admir'd among the Hebrews by whose assistance he was encouraged to go through with his translation as himself tell us in the preface to that Book Now St. Hierom as our Chronologers say ended his life at Bethelem in the year of Christ 420 or 422. I suppose he might be upon his interpretation about the year 400. being he spent some years about it and liv'd some years after it was finished to hear the censures of men for it or against it and to make his defence at sundry times Cap. 7. XII Thus we have searched into the studies of these Tyberians and followed them to the year 400. drawn on by some hope of finding the most wise College of Masoreths at Tyberias We have found indeed that learning after the waste of Jerusalem was a long time conserved in Palestin and especially in the City of Tyberias but being the Hebrew History pursues the course of studies and the several generations of wise men to a thousand years in Babylon and leaves off in Palestin or the Land of Israel about the year 340 ending with Hillel the Prince it is no way credible that after 500 or about 600. years from Christ or more so many mighty Scholars were extant at Tyberias who above all the Jews were most exercised in the Reading of holy Scriptures and were the authors of an invention so new so admired of such concernment to the most sober and most weighty handling of the sacred Letters and delivered the same without any witnesse without any history without any memory of Books delivered it I say as a divine Oracle to be accepted by all the Nation of the Jews yea by the whole world wheresoever
valiant Leader Zorobabel whose Stock and Vertue is ennobled by the Genealogy of our Saviour Christ He had with him the High Priest Jeschua and other Chief Priests and Levites the companions of Zorobabel their Leader out of Babylon and he had also all that were Pillars of Piety among all the people These were the men designed for the Settlement of Religion not only for the present time but for the eternal benefit of Posterity from whom they knew the gift of Prophecy was now departing Cap. 10. XXXII In this Synod they thought it not sufficient to have delivered the Sacred authentick books unto the Church but the manner also how to read them cleerly and expound them was most prudently prescribed It appeareth by the learned Hebrews exposition of that place in Nehemiah chap. 8. vers 8. So they read in the Book in the sight of all the people and gave the sense and caused them t◠understand the reading that in the publick Synagogue they read first the Text of the Book of the Law in Hebrew distinctly and understandingly according to the pauses and then explained it in the Chaldee which was now the vulgar Tongue of the people brought from Babylon This Reformation of the Sacred Scripture by Ezra was not unknown to Tertullian a most grave Writer of the first Antiquity in the Christian Church for in his Book De Hab. Mul. he saith After the overthrow of Jerusalem by the Babylonians it is certain that all the Instruments of the Judaic Literature were restored by Ezra Chrysostome also ascribeth unto Ezra the same work where he writeth Attend and Learn Gods mercy to us of old He inspired Moses and he wrote the Tables of Stone He determined him forty days in the Mount and again so many days that he might give him the Law In after times he sent Prophets who suffered innumerable wrongs War rushed in it consumed all sorts of men the Books were burnt in the Fire But again he inspired another man that he might repair those admirable Scriptures I mean Ezra and enabled him to compose the Law anew out of their Reliques c. Hom. 8. in Epist ad Hebr. Cap. 11. XXXIII Now and henceforth were the Foundations of the Masora laid the work was begun in the partition of the Sacred Books in the distinction of the Text into greater Sections and into Verses and in the dinumeration of them as also of the Letters least one Prick or Tittle might afterward be changed or lost For first having constituted the number of Canonical Books and reduced them into one body of Scripture they divided it into three principal parts viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prophets and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy Writings or Hagiographa This Division was taken notice of by our Saviour and declared in that saying of his All things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes concerning me Luc. 24. 44. where the Psalmes are put for all the Books in that part entitled Hagiographa out of which also some things are cited in the new Testament as fulfilled Elsewhere he named only two parts The Law and the Prophets were until John Luc. 16. 16. And in another place a whole part of Scripture is set for one Book of that part as It is written in the Prophets Mark 1. 2. Jo. 6. 45. That is in that part of Scripture which contains the Prophets in that Volumne of the Prophets For that which was cited was not written in all the Prophets but in one of them the first in Mal. 3. 1. the other in Isa 54. 13. Thus is this division usuall in the most antient writings of the Hebrews In the Masora when any word is found only thrice and that in the three parts of Scripture then they say We meet with it three times once in the Law once in the Prophets once in the Hagiographia In the Talmudists one binds up the Law the Prophets and the Hagiographa into one Book Again They brought unto us the Law the Prophets the Hagiographa bound into one Barabathra fol. 13. 2. Elias Levita in the third preface to his Masoreth where he speaks of the men of the great Synagogue and their labour in restoring of the Scripture writes thus For all the twenty four Books were not bound up together but they the Men of the great Synagogue conjoyned them and made three parts of them the Law the Prophets and the Hagiographa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cap. 11. XXXIV These three parts were afterward divided into others The Law according to the diversity of the matter and the History was subdivided into five Books which are entitled by us Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuternomy The Prophets were subdivided into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the former Prophets and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the latter Prophets The former are four in number which are named under the title of the Books of Joshua Judges Samuel and Kings or so called because in these Books it is treated of the first Prophets In these Samuel was reckoned at first for one Book and the Kings likewise for one which afterwards were distinguished into two Hence Samuel is called a Prophet as in that He gave them Judges until Samuel the Prophet Act. 13. 20. The latter Prophets are also four Isaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel Daniel and the Twelve Lesser These last were united in one Book that they might not be in danger by their smalnesse to be lost Hence is that to be taken Act. 7. 42. As it is written in the Book of the Prophets that is of the lesser Prophets to wit Amos 5. 25. and hence also we read in the Hebrew Doctors Those eight Prophets were bound in one Barabathra fol. 13. 2. to wit the four former and so many latter before mentioned as the Commentator there explains The rest of the Books are the Hagiographa and they were stiled in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Writings by a Synecdoche in asmuch as they were written by the Holy Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by immediate instinct of the Holy Ghost and not by a Prophetick spirit or by Prophecy properly so called So Daniel and Esra are accounted as it were Historical composing the History of the Church by divine instinct whither also pertain the Paralipomena or Chronicles whose Author Esra is supposed to have been David and Salomon have written most part things belonging unto piety and manners and Doctrin in adversity and prosperity albeit they have Prophetical matters David eminently often times intermixed The five small Books which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are likewise judged as Didactical and historical The Hagiographa therefore at first were accounted nine Books Psalmes Proverbs Job Canticles Ecclesiastes Esther Daniel Esra Chronicles where Esra comprehends also Nehemiah and the two Books of Chronicles are taken for one The Book of Ruth was referred to the Book of Judges for the